THE HOLY SPIRIT indeed as unto his extraordinary'and miraculous opera- tions. But, to confine his whole work thereunto, is plainly to deny the truth of the promises of Christ, and to overthrow his church: For we shall make it undeni- ably evident, that none can believe in Jesus Christ, or yield obedience unto him, or worship God in him, but by the Holy Ghost. And therefore, if the whole dis- pensation of him, and his communications, unto the souls of men do cease, so doth all faith in Christ, and Christianity also. Sect. 29. On these, and the like considerations, it is that I have thought it necessary for myself, and unto the church of God, that the scripture should be dili- gently searched into, and concerning this great matter. For none dan deny, but that the gloryof God, the hon- our of thegospel, the faith and obedience of the church, with the everlasting welfare of our own souls, are deep- ly concerned herein. Sect. 2O.The apostle Peter, treating about the great things of the gospel taught by himself, and the rest of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, tells those to whom he wrote, that in what was so preached unto them, they hadnot followed cunningly devisedfables, 2 Pet. i. 16. For so . were the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ then reported to be in the world. What was preached concerning them, was looked on as cun- ningly devised and artificially framed fables, to inveigle and allure the people. This the apostle gives his testi- mony against, and withal appealsunto the divine assur- ance which they had of the holy, truths delivered unto them, ver. 17-20. In like manner our Lord Jesus Christ himself having preached the doctrine of regener- ation unto Nicodemus, he calls it into question as a thing incredible, or unintelligible, John iii. 4. For whose instruction, and the rebuke of his ignorance, he lets him know that he spake nothing but what he brought with him from heaven, from the eternal fountain of goodness and truth, ver. 11, 12, 13. It is fallen out not much otherwise in this matter. Sect. 31. The doctrine concerning the Spirit of God, and his work on the souls of men, bath been preached in the world. What he doth in convincing men ofsin, what in working godly sorrow and humi- liation in them, what is the exceeding greatness of his power which he puts forth in the regeneration and sanc- tification of the souls of men, what are the supplies of E ANI) HIS WORK. 19 grace which he bestows on them that do believe, what assistance he gives unto them as the Spirit of grace and supplications, hath been preached, taught, and pressed on the minds of them that attend unto the dispensation of the word of the gospel. Answerable hereunto, men have been urged to try, search, examine themselves,as to what of this workof the Holy Ghost they have found, observed, or had experience tohave been effectually ac- complished in or upon their own souls. And hereon they have been taught, that the great coucernments of their peace, comfort and assurance, of their communion among themselves as the saints of God, with many o- ther ends of their holy conversation, do depend. Nay, it is, and bath been constantly taught them, that if there be not an Effectual work of the Holy Ghost upon their hearts, that they cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Now these things, and whatever is spoken in the explication of them, are by some called in question, if not utterly rejected. Yea, some look on them as dun- ningly devised fables; things that some not long since invented; and others have propagated for their advan- tage. Others say, that what is delivered concerning them is hardly, if at all, to be understood by rational men, being only empty speculations about things where- in the Christian religionis little or not at all concerned. Whereas, therefore many, very many, have received these things as sacred truths, and are persuaded that they have found them realized in their own souls; so that, into their experience of the work of the Holy Spi- rit of God in them, and upon them, according as it is declared in the word, all their consolation and peace with God is for the most part resolved, as that which gives them thebest evidence of their interest in him who is their peace; and whereas, for the present, they do believe, that unless these things are so in and with them, they have no foundation to build an hope of eternal life upon; it cannot but be of indispensihle necessity unto them to examine and search the scripture diligently, whether these things be so or no. For if there be no such work of the Spirit of God upon the hearts of men, and that indispensibly necessary to their salvation; if there are no such assistances and supplies ofgrace need- ful unto every good duty, as wherein they have been instructed; then, in the whole course of their profession, they have only been seduced by cunningly devised fa- bles, their deceived hearts have fed upon ashes, and 16
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