l'RFFACEa THAT there are sundry great and eminent promises referring to NewTestament times concerning the pour- ing out of the Spirit, none who is acquainted with the scriptures, and believes them, can. doubt. Isy the per- fbrmance of them a church path been begotten and maintained in the world through all ages since the ascension of Christ, sometimes with greater lightand spiritual lustre, and sometimes with less. It bath been one of the glories of the Protestant reformation, that it bath been accompanied with a'very conspicuousand, re- markable effusion of the Spirit: and indeed thereby there hath from heaven a seal been set, and a witness borne unto_ that great work of God. In this invaluable blessing we in this nation havehad a rieb and plentiful share: insomuch as it seems Satan and hisministers have been tormented and exasperated thereby: and thence it came to pass, that there have some risen up among us, who havemanifested themselves to be not only despisers in heart, but virulentreproachers of the operations . of the Spirit. God who knows how tobring good out of evil, ,did for holy and blessed ends of his, own suffer those horrid blasphemies to be petulantly vented. On this occasion it was, that this great, and learned, and holy person, the author of these Discourses, took up thoughts of writing concerning the blessed Spirit, and his whole °economy, as 1 understood from himself sundry years ago, discoursing with him concerning name books then newly published,full of contumely and contempt of the Holy Spirit and his operations.. for as it was with Paul at Athens, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry ; so was Dr. Owen's spirit stir- red up in him, when he read the scoffs and blasphemies cast upon the Holy Spirit, and his grace, and gifts, and aids, in some late writers. Had not Pelagius vented his corrupt opinions con- cerning the grace of God, it is like the church bad never had the learned and excellent writings of Augus- tine in defence thereof: It appears from Bradwardin that the revival of Pelagianism in his days, stirred up hiszealous and pious spirit to write that profound and elaboratebook of his, De Canso Dei. Arminius, and the Jesuits endeavouring to plant the same weed again, pro-. duced the scholastic writings of Twist and. Ames, (not to mention foreign, divines) for which we in this genera- tion have abundant cause of enlarged thankfulness unto the father, of lights. The occasion, which the Holy Ghost laidhold, on to carry forth Paul to write his Epistle to the Galatians, (wherein the doctrine ofjusti- fication by faith is so fully cleared) was the bringing in among them of another, gospel, bycorrupt teachers, after which many in. those churches were soon drawn away.. Theobstinate adherence of many among the Jews to. the Nlosaical rites and observances,, and the inclinations ofothers to apostatize from the NewTestament worship. andordinances, was in like manner the occasion of the Epistle to the Hebrews. The light which shines, and is held out in those Epistles, the church: of Christ could ill have wanted._ The like way and working of the wisdom of God, is . to be seen and adored, in stirring up this learned and excellent person to communicate and leave unto the, world that light touching the Spirit and his operations,, A
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