compositions of heathen poets and philosophers, nor in admiring passages, only because (like them) they charm the weakness of fancy, or the fights of imagination; not in measuring and moulding his revealed will according to the little low rules of human logic, rhetoric, or grammar, the mere efforts of mortal ingenuity: But in planting or imbuing their very spirits into those profound and momentous truths, which open the eternal affairs of an approaching immortality, and which are founded on the solemn declarations of a most holy and tremendous God. To a mind thus rightly informed, and preserved thus rightly in frame, which sees the glory, and feels the worth of these important things; how flat and jejune, how barren and poor, do the finest words appear, which only play (as it were) about the surface of the subject! How puny and insipid all comparisons of the excellencies in Scripture, with the tinklings of the classics, or the most labored performances of men! These indeed may serve to amuse, and, in natural things, may also serve to embellish and inform the mind; but, in the things of God, either by way of rule or illustration, they are perfectly out of season, order, and place. The utmost end they can serve, in this respect, is by way of foil, to shew their ignorance when opposed to the wisdom of heaven. In the spiritual temple, they are as profane and impertinent; as were, in the outward temple, those bold intruders, Antiochus, and Pompey the Great.* Persons became holy, by having a real relation and right to the temple; and they did not expect the knowledge of divine things out of it. When I went INTO the sanctuary (said David) then understood I, &c. In like manner; we must find divinity, and the true excellencies of divinity, in the Bible alone, which is the Christian sanctuary; we cannot compose them ourselves, nor obtain them elsewhere from others: Nor do they require human ornaments to recommend them, but their own native simplicity. "Many (says the learned Mede) would have gold to be gilded, and find want of knowledge in the noblest piece of learning in the world." what would the men of taste say, if, in a picture of Christ with his apostles at the last supper, the painter should draw the figures with bags, swords, ruffles, and other trappings of men going to court? Would they admire his judgment? The beauty of God's word consists in its truth and relation to spiritual things: And the best representation of that word, in human language, is what most discovers this relation of eternal truth and draws back the veil from before it. Hence, men must pray, as well as read, or they will find words instead of things: They may adjust or admire the cadency of

* Macc. v. 15. JOSEPH. Ant. Jud. 1. xiv. c. 8.

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the language, discover poetical flights, and respect the strength of the diction; but, with all these exterior circumstances, which are but as tinsel to the gold which it covers, they may know nothing of those divine glories which irradiate and almost animate the book of God. If this method were pursued in studying theology, most of the heresies and errors which obtain among men, through negled or ignorance of that blessed book, would soon be exploded for fatilities, which, under a shew of reason, contradict the first great reason in the world. At present, too many bring sentiments to the Scripture, instead of receiving truth from it; and because these sentiments will ever vary, and those who hold them are glad to catch at any thing which may support their respective opinions; they turn (as far as they can) the Bible into Babel, and try to make it speak all manner of languages. Whereas, it contains but one great truth, whose root is in the God of truth; and all its several doctrines, phrases, and terms, are but so many branches growing out of it, which have a natural relation and resemblance to each other.

There are several other titles, ascribed to the HOLY SPIRIT, which have a very near relation to these here considered; but we should carry this Essay into a volume, if we attempted to treat of them all: And, therefore, the last which shall be adduced in this connection, is his name of MAKER, FORMER, FASHIONER, OF FRAMER. Our translation unhappily uses these terms in an indiscriminate manner, for one and for other words in the original, which, though they have a relative signification, are certainly not the same, and are sometimes applied in very different senses. We will take the principal of these which are usually rendered Maker or Former; and, by the natural, endeavour to explain its spiritual idea. A text or two will help us in this. Isaiah xiv. 18. FOR THUS saith JEHOVAH, that created (out of nothing) the beavens, the ALEHIM bimself that (formans) formetb (mouldeth according to his will) the carth, and trwy (faciens) maketh (arranges its perfect frame and order) even be mama establishes it (fixes it firmly and unalterably in its whole arangement:) He created it not in vain; be formed it to be inbabited: I am JEHOVAH, and without end of my duration or power. Let the verse, preceding this, be considered; and it will appear, that all this testimony of God relates to spiritual objects and matters of salvation, and that the present verse, with its illative particles T, FOR THUS, is intended for a confirmation of the other verse, which it could not be unless that verse had a spiritual meaning also. The following paraphrase may possibly explain the whole. "Israel hath not been called to my knowledge in order to perish, but shall be saved in JEHOVAH with an everlasting salvation:

Ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. For thus shall it be in your spiritual creation, as it was in the natural; I the ALEHIM, God in covenant, brought the world and you both out of nothing; I gave you a new creation from amidst the destruction of sin. I have endued you with gracious capacity, as I did the earth with beautiful form, I have arranged all things in you and for you; as I have arranged in perfect order all the universe of matter about you. I, even I, have so fixed all these blessings of salvation, that, like the world itself, they cannot be moved, shaken, or frustrated. Nor have I bestowed all this cost and care in vain ; for, as I have formed the earth to be inhabited, so have I formed and fitly framed you to be an habitation of Jehovah through the Spirit, I, who pronounce this mighty promise, am fchovab himself, to whom there is no bound of will, time, or power," Another text, which must be understood in the same way, may be cited from the same prophet to confirm this important testimony. Isaiah xliii. 7. God's people are to be brought to his salvation from all parts of the world: Not one is to be left, but all are to be gathered; even every one (says the Lord) that is called in my name [God's calling is an effectual calling in Christ] and to my glory: I bave created him, I bave formed bim (or moulded him to my will), even I bave made him, or disposed him to such a frame of mind, as is necessary for his salvation. There are several other passages, and particularly in this prophecy, which mention the power and love of God in forming his people, and which are to be understood in no other than a mental or spiritual sense. See also Zech. xii. 1,

And wherefore shall none of these fail; and why shall none of the redeemed be left ?-Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: No one of these shall fail, none shall want ber mate; for my MOUTH [Christ] bimself bath commanded, and bis SPIRIT bimself bath gathered them. Is. xxxiv. 16. There is an almighty efficacy in JEsUs to redeem, who is the mouth and word of the mouth for JEHOVAH to his people; and there is an equally omnipotent power in the Spirit to collect and gather together in one [that is, CHRIST] all the children of "God that are scattered abroad. Compare John xi. 52. with Eph, j. 10. And who is sufficient for these things, but He, who is all-sufficient? Who could do this great work, but that great God, who can do every thing? And if all this be through the operation of the Spirit; what bold creature can presume to question his divinity, or call into doubt the efficacy of his creating power?

HOW wonderfully suited are all these offices of grace to the condition and wants of the redeemed? In this gracious Spirit, through Christ, there is an adequate supply for every possi

ble occasion and circumstance of their souls; and in his holy word there is a full and positive direction, under each of those possible circumstances, to that supply. They were sunk in sin and folly, and loathsome in the sight of incorruptible holiness: There is the SPIRIT OF WISDOM, given thro' Jesus their covenant head, to renew them to life, and to recover them from ignorance and insensibility.-They are situated in a world of error, and have ten thousand attacks made upon their minds by the sophisms and fallacies of a carnal nature, of carnal men, and of evil Spirits: The Holy Ghost is the Binab, or SPIRIT OF UNDERSTANDING, to give them a right judgment and true discernment in spiritual things; so that they shall not be beguiled of their reward by any enticing words. Col. iii. 4, 18. When they have obtain ed faith; it is their privilege and duty to seek the full evidence and comfort of their faith, that they may hope to the end: The Holy Spirit is the SPIRIT OF COUNSEL to work this demonstration and clear preception in their souls, so that believing shey may rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. They are naturally without strength, and have no spiritual power of their own; and, when grace is given and an opportunity occurs, they have no ability of themselves to exert it for any just and gracious purpose: The Comforter is the SPIRIT OF MIGHT, and worketh mightily in their inner man, enabling them both to will and to do of his good pleasure: He suffers none of his to be barren or unfruitful; and he not only inspires them with readiness to do every good word and work, but he ordains even the works themselves, and affords his people strength se to perform them, as to render them good in reality, with respect to God and man: He allows none that belong to him to take up the form of godliness in their lips, and to deny the power of it in their lives. They want experience and establishment in the truths of salvation: He is the SPIRIT of that KNOWLEDGE and experience, and exercises their minds to endure bardiness as good soldiers of Christ, that they may conflict with their enemies, and become at length conquerors, and more than conquerors, through him that loved them.

They ought to be devoted to God in heart and life, should walk as in his presence, and should be prepared for his eternal fruition: This holy One is the SPIRIT OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD to effectuate and establish these heavenly principles in their lives and souls.-Further: They were not only ignorant, but out of the way: He is the GUIDE, to bring them again into the right way, to walk with them in it, and to conduct them safely to their journey's end. They need constant instruction: He is their sublime TEACHER, who will make his doctrine descend as the dew, and his lessons of grace, like

the early and the latter rain, in due season: He will water them every moment; so that they shall spring, and grow, and bear fruit abundantly to his glory.-As they could not create themselves anew; so likewise they cannot frame and prepare their own souls for the everlasting mansions: This blessed Spirit, therefore, is the FORMER, MAKER, FASHIONER, and PREPARER of all their spirits for glory, as well as glory for them: All his dispensations, providences, teachings, and supports, concentrate in this one great end, that they might be eternally saved, and that GOD in all things may be glorif ed through CHRIST JESUS.

From these considerations, the dignity of the person, who executes these amazing operations in myriads of souls at one and the same time, and at all times as well as in all places, without intermission or end; and the vast importance of the operations themselves, in the bliss of such innumerable multitudes and in the glory of God; may evidently appear, and perhaps cannot but appear, to any unprejudiced or awakened mind. But, however, to guard us (as it were) against a contrary conclusion, absurd as the conclusion is even in reason, as well as repugnant to Scripture; God hath given such a positive testimony of the divinity of his Spirit in this case, as ought to silence the most audacious tongue. He himself calls this Spirit, as his first and leading name of nature, the SPIRIT JEHOVAH; thereby declaring, that he is able to perform all the stipulations and promises of the everlasting covenant revealed to his people, and that they are to look up to him for the performance of them, both in time and eternity. Of whom, beside this SPIRIT, is the following glorious declaration (to mention no others) given to the church, which contains his particular agencies for her? Hast thou not known? bast thou not heard, that the everlasting Alehim Jehovah, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of bis understanding. He giveth peace to the faint; aud to them that have no might, be encreaseth strength; even the youths shall faint and be weary; and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings, as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, and they shail walk and not faint. Is. xl. 28, &c. Compare thse operations with the Spirit's titles in Is. xi. above recited; and see whether they do not answer as precisely, as the name of any agent, and the agency signified in the name, possibly can do.

AND now, reader, what says thy heart to all this? Canst thou receive it, not only as true, but (what is almost as important, at least to thy state) true to thee? Hast thou any savour of these blessings; and are the names and offices of