Quest. 2. Why is it think you that the Holy Ghost and this renewing work, are so much magnified in the Scripture? Is not the glory of it answerable to those high expressions? undoubtedly it is. I have already told you elsewhere of the Elogies of this work. It is that by which Christ dwelleth in them, and they are made a habitation of God by the spirit, Eph. 3. 17. and 2. 22. They are made by it the Temples of the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 6. 19. It is the Divine Power (which is no other then Omnipotency) that giveth us all things pertaining unto Life and Godliness, 2 Pet. 1. 3. Think not I beseech you any lower of this work then is consistent with these expressions. It is the opening of the blind eyes of our understanding, and turning us from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, and bringing us into his marvellous light, Act. 26. 18. Eph. 1. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 9. It is an inward teaching of us by God, Joh. 6. 45. 1 Thes. 4. 9. an effectual teaching and anointing, 1 Joh. 2. 27. and a writing the Laws in our hearts and putting them in our inward parts, Heb. 8. 10, 11. I purposely forbear any exposition of these texts, lest I seem to distort them; and because I would only lay the naked Word of God before your own impartial considerations. It is Gods work by the Spirit, and not our own as ours that is here so much magnified. And can all this signify no more but a common bare proposal of truth and good to the intellect and will; even such as ignorant and wicked men have? Doth God do as much to illuminate, teach, and sanctify them that never are illuminated, or taught, and sanctified, as them that are? This work of the Holy Ghost is called a quickening, or making men that were dead, alive, Eph. 2. 1, 2. Rom. 6. 11, 13. It is called a new begetting or new birth, without which none can enter into heaven, Joh. 3. 3, 5, 6. A renewing us, and making us new men, and new creatures, so far as that old things are past away, and all become new, Eph. 4. 23, 24. Col. 3. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 17. It is a new creating us after the Image of God. Eph. 4. 24. It maketh us Holy as God is Holy, 1 Pet. 1. 15, 16. yea it maketh us partakers of the Divine nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. It giveth us repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, that we may recover our selves out of the snare of the Devil, who were taken captive by him at his will, 2 Tim. 2. 25, 26.
Quest. 2. Why is it think you that the Holy Ghost and this renewing work, are so much magnified in the Scripture? Is not the glory of it answerable to those high expressions? undoubtedly it is. I have already told you elsewhere of the Elogies of this work. It is that by which Christ dwelleth in them, and they are made a habitation of God by the spirit, Eph. 3. 17. and 2. 22. They are made by it the Temples of the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 6. 19. It is the Divine Power (which is no other then Omnipotency) that giveth us all things pertaining unto Life and Godliness, 2 Pet. 1. 3. Think not I beseech you any lower of this work then is consistent with these expressions. It is the opening of the blind eyes of our understanding, and turning us from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, and bringing us into his marvellous light, Act. 26. 18. Eph. 1. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 9. It is an inward teaching of us by God, Joh. 6. 45. 1 Thes. 4. 9. an effectual teaching and anointing, 1 Joh. 2. 27. and a writing the Laws in our hearts and putting them in our inward parts, Heb. 8. 10, 11. I purposely forbear any exposition of these texts, lest I seem to distort them; and because I would only lay the naked Word of God before your own impartial considerations. It is Gods work by the Spirit, and not our own as ours that is here so much magnified. And can all this signifie no more but a common bare proposal of truth and good to the intellect and will; even such as ignorant and wicked men have? Doth God do as much to illuminate, teach, and sanctifie them that never are illuminated, or taught, and sanctified, as them that are? This work of the Holy Ghost is called a quickning, or making men that were dead, alive, Eph. 2. 1, 2.
