o6k THE DoCTßINE OF THE TRINITY, [SERM, SLIV,. The Spirit discovers the mercy of God the Father to us, and assures us, that he is willing to be reconciled. This he has done in the word of the gospel, and the pro- mises of grace, which are written and recorded in the bible by the holy men, whom he inspired ; and this he reveals also with power and pleasure to the mind of an awakened sinner. Then the guilty soul rejoices, that there is forgiveness with God, and conceives some glim- merings of hope. 3. It is the Spirit, who effectually reveals Christ Jesus to the soul, as the great Reconciler. He discovers, who Christ is, and what he has done for us, and, sets him be-. fore us in all the glories of his mediation. He makes the. soul see the all -sufficiency of his sacrifice to atone for sin, the efficacy of hie intercession to prevail with God, and his power to save to the uttermost. And all this is according to the promise of Christ; John xvi. 14.. " He shall glorifyme; for he shall tale the things, that are mine, and shew them unto you ;" All the teachings of peen, and all the words in the bible, cannot make a sin- ful creature see such glory in Christ, such grace, and so desirable a salvation, as is done by the enlightening work of the Holy Spirit. 4. It is the Holy Spirit, that makes us willing to re- turn to God, in this way of his own appointment. It is he that powerfully persuades, and inclines us to part with every sin. He works in the heart, of a sinner, holy re p2ntance for his past follies; and renews, and changes the corrupt nature of man. It is he forms us after the, image of God, and gives us a new and divine spirit and temper. " That, which is born of the spirit is spirit , ". John iii. 6. He works faith in us with power, even that living faith, whereby we are interested in Christ the Re- conciler, and which is the spring of all holiness. It is . through the divine operation ofthe Spirit of God, on our hearts, that we are taught to resign ourselves up to -, Christ, and to commit all our concerns of salvation into . his hands. Hereby we become partakers, of the benefits of the life and death of Christ, on earth, and of his inter/ cession io heaven; for it is the appointment of God, that faith in Christ shall be our only means of drawing near to the Father. 5. The holy Spirit preserves, and carrie .ói* his ow_tt
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