ens the fœtus in the womb of animals, by an immédiate, though ineffable exercise of Almighty power, and that he doth not do this without the use of means. We learn the same truth in the vegetation of plants: the soil must be prepared, the seed sown: and although there is a natural tendency in the earth to vivify the seed, which is not in the soul of the natural man to become active by the word, yet it is God that communicates the living principle, by the additional means of light and heat and moisture, in a manner inscrutable to us. In the scriptures of truth we also learn that the Spirit of God communicates the principle of spiritual life to the souls of men formerly dead in sin, by means of the word. "For this cause thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of man, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe," 1 Thess. ii. 13. That is, they received it not only as it is the word of God in opposition to the doctrines of men, but also as operating upon them in a manner differing essentially from that by which the persuasion of one hu

man mind acts upon another. It worked effectually in them that believed. It was received by divine power, and it continued to work by divine power.

VII. The Spirit acts in sovereignty. He is sovereign "over the word which works; over the soul wrought upon; over the time and season of working;"* and, it may be added, over the instrument which conveys the word; and over the particular portion of the word employed. "If the Spirit of God preach that one or any such word to the soul, 'God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,' John iii. 16, it will be cast down with the fear of perishing, and drawn out of itself by that, and raised up and drawn to Jesus Christ, by the hope of everlasting life; it will believe on him that it may have life, and be influenced with the love of God, and give itself to him, who. so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son to purchase for us that everlasting life. Thus. may that word prove this immortal seed,

Flavel, Vol. 2, p. 299.

which though very often read and heard before, was but a dead letter."* "The secret counsel of the most High, though we must adore with reverence, it is impossible for us to comprehend. What influence this has upon the final state of particular persons, no man in the present life is, and probably no created being shall ever be, able fully to explain. This only we know, that, although its execution is infallibly certain, yet it is not such as to take away the guilt of sin, or DESTROY THE EFFICACY OF MEANS."†

VIII. Hence it ought not to be asserted, that the manner in which "the word operates as an instrument in this work, is a subject, which from its very nature, can, and therefore should be understood by us." It is believed the more intelligent and sober-minded people of God, will unite in the condemnation of such a sentiment. Its origin may be readily traced to the presumptuous self-will of man,. "Intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind." Col. i. 18. Although apparently opposite, still

* Leighton on 2 Pet. i. 23.

+ Witherspoon,

tmen

it belongs to that school of philosophical divinity which asserts the independency of the creature, maintains that the greatest good of the creature is the supreme end of all the works of God: that in this the holiness of God consists: and that it would be sin in God to make his own glory the end of his works. This is going one step beyond the old Tempter. He only asserted that God ought to have made the greatest good of the creature the end of his works, not that he had done so. 66 Why hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?-For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened; and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." Gen. iii. 1, 5. But whatever may be the speculations of men, let humble Christians rejoice that they have an infallible guide, the Spirit of God, speaking in the scriptures, and operating in their hearts. They know that regeneration is one of the "deep things of God," into which holy angels desire to look. 1 Pet. i. 12. They have learned more modesty in speaking of heavenly mysteries, which involve the glory of God and their own salvation. They will not thus rashly venture

within the "bounds" which God has placed around his throne. They know that a subject, in the contemplation of which angels learn "the manifold wisdom of God," (Eph. iii. 10,) neither can nor should be understood by us. They deplore that presumption of fallen men, which attempts to reach the bounds, and fathom the depths, and scan the heights of "the unsearchable riches of Christ," Eph. iii. 8. "O the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" Rom. xi. 33. Given by

11*