ginning of glory. Now, our path to heaven. takes its name from this illuminating work of the Holy Spirit. "The path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” 3. In the work of regeneration spiritual life is infused into the soul. "It is the Spirit that quickeneth." And that part of the soul which first feels the quickening energy of the Spirit is the conscience, or what the scriptures call the heart; and hence it is that we often meet with such encouraging words as these; "The humble shall see this, and be glad; and your heart shall live that seek God;" which appears to me to mean this, that the life-giving convictions of the Spirit shall not die away from the conscience of God's elect. It is that quickening power of the Spirit that makes the conscience so susceptible of every impression and of every impulse made by the reproofs, rebukes, contentions, frownings, or contrary walkings of God, toward it. It is made sore and tender, it is chafed and wounded; it is made sick of sin, and is like a thorn hedge to the sinner: if he adds to the load that it feels, or to the wounds already inflicted, it cries out. The energy of the sinner's prayers springs from this life; he cries day and night, and hungers, thirsts, longs, craves, and faints, till he can believe and apply the atonement. Nor can any one thing under heaven feed conscience but the blood and righteousness of Christ. The Spirit purges the conscience from dead works by the blood of Christ; and such a conscience knows the Lord's meaning well when he says, 66 My blood is drink indeed.” Moreover, righteousness must be brought into the conscience before conscience can be fed so as to be satisfied. "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Thus the good Spirit quickens the dead soul; and the way that such a living soul walks in when quickened, is called the way of life. "The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath." 4. The good Spirit is called the Spirit of revelation. "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling," Eph. i. 17, 18. It is the work and office of the Holy Spirit to testify of Christ, and to take the things which are his, and to reveal them to us. We discern nothing but what he exhibits; nor have we any experimental enjoyment of Christ or his fulness but what the Spirit applies; and sometimes both our discoveries and enjoyments appear small; but they should by no means be overlooked; "For who hath despised the day of small things?" God does not, nor should we. There is in the soul renewed a keen appetite for knowledge; and God promises to send pastors after his own heart to feed us with it. And there are such depths in Christ, and in the mysteries of his kingdom, that they cannot be fathomed. But every glimpse or distant view of Christ, however transient, is of infinite worth to the inspired soul; and so is every fresh discovery of his person or works that is made to us in the word of God; it is meditated on, eat, digested, and treasured up in mind and memory for ever. And this blessed Spirit of wisdom and understanding goes on to guide and guard the mind throughout our whole pilgrimage, till we come to a perfection of knowledge above. And this divine teaching gives another name to the saint's way; "Forsake the foolish and live, and go in the way of understanding." 5. Furthermore, as the Holy Spirit takes up his abode in the believer, on which account we are denominated holy, because of the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, so he is said to sanctify us; "That the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost." And this sanctification is, first, by his most gra cious presence; and, secondly, by the pure and purifying grace which he implants; and, thirdly, by the image which he stamps; and, fourthly, by his continual renewing operations which he produces, and which the believer is sensible enough of; for, however dejected or dismayed before, upon the fresh operations and influences of the Spirit on the soul, he thanks God, and takes courage. This work of sanctification going on by the Spirit in the believer, or working real holiness in him, another name; "And a way of gives the saint's 6. As it is by pardon sealed, and by righteousness imputed, that the soul finds peace with God, so all the time that the mind exercises its confidence upon the atonement and righteousness of Christ for acceptance with God, the soul becomes calm, composed, and tranquil, reclining and resting on the Saviour's full satisfaction, and on the divine veracity of God in him. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee," Isa. xxvi. 3. And this gives another name to the saint's paths: "Wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." And what is that which makes wisdom's ways pleasant? why, drinking of the river of God's pleasure. And what is that river but the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Spirit, and the comfort of love when we enjoy it? And the various operations of the Holy Spirit are the streams that make glad the city of God. 7. Now, as the crowning work of regeneration is being made in some measure perfect in love, so as to cast out fear and torment, which always attend upon unbelief, so love is such a full satisfaction to the soul about the safety of its state, as enables the believer to joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. And as love is the crowning work, for he that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God, so charity, or love, is called the most excellent of all ways. "But covet earnestly the best gifts; and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way," follow after charity; for that is the more excellent way; or "walk in love, as Christ hath loved us." This is the way of holi ness. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit takes names to himself, according to his operations on the saints. God makes us willing in the day of his power; and the Spirit is called the Spirit of power; and as such he bows the will to yield obedience. The Spirit subdues the enmity of the mind, and renews it, and works faith in it, and leads it into the truth; and he is called the Spirit of a sound mind. In short, the Holy Ghost is a spirit of revelation to the understanding; a spirit of judg ment to them that sit in judgment upon themselves; a spirit of faith to our mind and heart; a spirit of love to our affections; and a spirit of supplication to all praying souls. He removes stubbornness from our wills, enmity from our minds, darkness from our understandings, impenitency from our hearts, guilt and insensibility from the conscience, and love and delight in sin from the affections. And this is the washing of rege neration. The renewing of the Holy Ghost is, in short, as follows: He gives power to the will to make choice of Christ above all things else; he per |