Spirit's message; it is the text-book which he has provided for the Church. (3.) But there is, and

must be, a more direct operation of the Holy Spirit on every human soul that is enlightened by his truth. It is not enough that he has revealed the truth to his apostles, and that he has embodied and preserved it in an authentic Bible. The glorious light may shine around us, without shining into our hearts. There is a defective vision that must be cured-a blind eye that must be opened—a veil that must be taken away- —a thick darkness within which must be dispelled by his creative mandate, "Let there be light.' Notwithstanding all the abundance of Gospel light, it is still true as it ever was, that "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God;" "that no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him ;" and that he is often pleased "to hide these things from the wise and prudent, and to reveal them unto babes.”

The Word of God is the instrument, the Spirit of God is the agent, in this great work of illumination. The Bible is the text-book, but the Spirit is himself the teacher. He is not only the author of that book, but the interpreter of it also, who guides us unto a knowledge of its truths. He puts the Bible into our hands, as a "light unto our feet and a lamp unto our path;" but, knowing that we are naturally blind, and cannot see afar off, he opens our eye and shines into our heart. All the truth which the Spirit ever teaches is in the Word; but never would it find entrance

into our hearts unless he put it there.

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The Word is

a sword—a sharp two-edged sword; but its efficacy depends on this-that it is the sword of the Spirit. The Word is a light; but it is "in his light we see light." The entrance of his Word giveth light; but it obtains entrance only when he openeth the heart. Hence the prayer of the Psalmist, Open thou mine eyes, that I may see wondrous things out of thy law;" and the still more remarkable prayer of the apostle, "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man." Here is a powerful work of the Spirit on the soul; it must be strengthened with might,—and for what end? "That ye may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled with all the fulness of God." Here no new truth is said to be revealed; but what is contained in the Word is made known by the inward enlightening of the Holy Spirit.

On the teaching of the Spirit the efficacy of all the means of grace depends, and especially the efficacy of the reading and preaching of the Word. Without the Spirit, the ministry of the Word would be utterly fruitless for all the ends of saving conversion. It might be a social blessing, as a means of keeping alive a sense of common morality in the world, but never could it be the means of spiritual life to the soul, unless it were accompanied with the enlightening

grace of the Spirit. What more powerful than the ministry of the apostles? what reasoning more vigorous, what appeals more overwhelming,-what eloquence more lofty,-what zeal more urgent than those of Paul? What love so tender, what tenderness so pathetic, what pathos so touching, what unction so rich and sweet, as those of John? What sacred orator better furnished for his vocation than Apollos, of whom it is written, that "he was an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures?" Yet even the ministry of inspired men, the preaching of the very apostles of Christ, depended for all its saving efficacy on the grace of the Spirit; for, says the apostle, "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase." "We are labourers together with God; but ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building." Ministers are often employed as instruments in enlightening and converting the soul; and hence they may be said, ministerially, to be the spiritual fathers of their converts. Yet it is not by their own power, but by the power of the Holy Ghost; so that every successful minister might well say with the apostles, "Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly upon us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?" This great truth, if it shows the weakness of the minister, will also prove the very strength of his

ministry; for never will he feel so deeply impressed either with the greatness of his work, or the dignity of his mission, as when he is most thoroughly convinced that the efficacy of all his preaching depends on the power of the Spirit. This will nerve him with new strength, and inspire him with new hope, when all outward appearances are most unpromising; and in the strength of this simple faith, he will stand prepared to deliver his message, before any audience, savage.or civilized, assured that the same Spirit who has brought the truth home to his own soul, can also bring it home, with demonstration and power, both to the obtuse and unlettered peasant, and to the refined, perhaps the sceptical, or the scornful man of science.

The Word, the ministry, and other means of instruction, are adapted to the rational nature of man, and are in their own nature fitted for the purpose for which they are employed; nay, men may, in the use of their natural faculties, be instructed, impressed, and affected by the reading and hearing of the Word; but they cannot be savingly enlightened without the teaching of the Spirit.

The Spirit's operations are adapted to the nature of man, as a rational and intelligent being; and he works in and by the faculties of the soul. It is the same mind which is now in darkness that is translated into marvellous light; the same understanding which is now ignorant that is to be informed; the same eye which is now blind that is to be opened and enabled to see. The Spirit usually exerts his power by the use of appropriate means. Omitting from our present

consideration the case of infants, who may be sanctified from the womb by the secret operations of the Spirit, it is clear that, in the case of adults, the mind is enlightened instrumentally by the truth, which is hence called "the light of the glorious Gospel," and the "day-star which rises on the heart."-The Word of God is an appropriate means of enlightening the mind; it is an instrument which is in every respect fitted for the purpose for which it is employed. (1 Tim. iii. 14.) If any remain in darkness with the Bible in their hands, it is not because there is no light in the Bible, but because there is no spiritual eye to discern it. All the truth which an enlightened believer ever learns under the teaching of the Spirit, is really contained in the Bible, although heretofore he had not seen it there; nay, much of it may have been contained in the articles of his professed creed; but it was not known, understood, and believed in its full spiritual meaning as it is now. He is only brought, in many cases, to see what he formerly professed to believe in a new light,-to understand and feel its spiritual import and power, as the truth of God.

Being an appropriate means, adapted to the faculties of the human mind, there can be no reason to doubt that the Bible, like any other book, may convey much instruction to an unrenewed man. When it is affirmed that a natural man cannot know the things of the Spirit of God, it is not implied that the Bible is unintelligibly written, or that he cannot understand the sense and meaning of scriptural propositions, so as to be able to give a rational account of them; for he may