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in them, and even the language used to express it, are such as he 'CAN BY NO MEANS ALLOW?' Speaking of the 3,000 converted on the day of Pentecost, his lordship says, "the faith of those men was not suddenly communicated by the supernatural operation of the Holy Ghost, but was the natural and progressive effect of what they saw and heard," p. 23: and of the inhabitants of Samaria, who were converted under the preaching of Philip, he says, "The conversion of these persons also was owing to the exercise of their own natural powers." p. 23. Is it possible to frame positions more contradictory to the doctrine of the Homilies?

CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

Unless the Holy Ghost had been always present, governing and preserving the church from the beginning; it could never have sustained so many and great brunts of affliction and persecution, with so little damage and harm as it hath. And the words of Christ are most plain in this behalf, saying, that the spirit of truth should abide with them for ever; that he would be with them always, (he meaneth by grace, virtue, and power,) even to the world's

end. Also, in the prayer that he made to his Father, a

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And here it will be proper to notice the titles by which the scriptures distinguish the spirit, where it treats of the commencement, progress, and completion of our salvation. First, he is called the spirit ofadoption*, because he witnesses to us the gratuitous benevolence of God, with which God the Father hath embraced us in his beloved and only begotten son, that he might be a father to us, and animate us to confidence to pray, and even dictates expressions so that we may boldly cry Abba,

*Rom. viii. 15.

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little before his death, he maketh intercession not only for himself and his apostles, but indifferently for all them that should believe in him through their words; that is, to wit, for his whole church. Again St. Paul saith, If any man have not the spirit of Christ, the same is not his. Also in the words following, We have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Hereby then it is evident and plain to all men, that the Holy Ghost was given not only to the apostles, but also to the whole body of Christ's, congregation; although not in like form and majesty as he came down at the feast of Pentecost.-2 Hom. for Whitsunday, p. 282.

Father.

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For the same
be the

reason he is said
earnest and seal of our in-
heritance*; because while we
are pilgrims and strangers
in the world and resemble
persons dead, he infuses in-
to us such life from heaven,
that we are certain of our
salvation being secured by
the divine faithfulness and
care. Whence he is also
said to be "life because of
righteousness †," he is fre-
quently called water; as in
Isaiah, "Ho every one that
thirsteth, come ye to the wa-
ters‡." Again, "I will pour
water upon him that is
thirsty, and floods upon the
dry ground §." To which
corresponds the invitation of
Christ, just quoted,
" If
any man thirst, let him come
unto me." He sometimes
however receives this appel-
lation from his purifying and
cleansing energy: as in Eze-
kiel, where the Lord pro-
mises clean water to cleanse
his people from their im-
purities ¶.
purities. And because het

"God give us grace (good people) to know these things, and to feel them in our hearts. This knowledge and feeling is not in ourself. By ourself it is not possible to come by it. Let us, there13, 14. § Is. xliv. 3.

* 2 Cor. i. 22. Eph. i.
Is. lv. 1.
¶ Ezek. xxxvi. 25.

+ Rom. viii. 10. John, vii. 37.

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fore, meekly call upon that bountiful spirit, the Holy Ghost, which proceedeth from our Father of mercy, and from our mediator Christ, that he would assist us, and inspire us with his presence; that in him we may be able to hear the goodness of God declared unto us to our salvation. our salvation.

For, without his lively and secret inspiration, can we not once so much as speak the name of our mediator, as St. Paul plainly testifieth:

no man can once name our

Lord Jesus Christ, but in the Holy Ghost.-St. Paul saith, that no man can know what is of God, but the Spirit of God. As for us, saith he, we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; for this purpose, that we might know the things that be given us by Christ.—

He hath ransomed sin, overcome the devil, death, and hell, and hath victorious

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restores to life and vigour, and continually supports those whom he hath animated, with the oil of his grace, he thence obtains the name of "unction *." Again, because he daily consumes the vices of our concupisence, and inflames our hearts with the love of God and the pursuit of piety, from these effects he is justly called "firet." Lastly, he is described to us as a fountain, whence we receive all the emanations of heavenly riches; and as the hand of God, by which he exerts his power: because by the breath of his power he inspires us with divine life, so that we are not now actuated from ourselves but directed by his agency and influence: that if there be any good in

us,

SO

it is the fruit of his grace, whereas our characters, without him, are darkness of mind and perverseness of heart.-Institut. l. 3. c. 1.

S. 3.

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ly gotten the better hand of them all, to make us free and safe from them. And knowing that we be, by this benefit of his resurrection, risen with him by our faith, unto life everlasting; being in full surety of our hope, that we shall have our bodies likewise raised from death, to have them glorified in immortality, and joined to his glorious body: having, in the mean while, this holy spirit within our hearts as a seal and pledge of our everlasting inheritance. By whose assistance we be replenished with all righteousness; by whose power we shall be able to subdue all our evil affections rising against the pleasure of God."-Hom. on the resurrection, p. 265, 266.

"If any gift we have, wherewith we may work to the glory of God and profit of our neighbour; all is wrought by his own and self-same spirit, which maketh his distributions peculiarly to every man as he will."-3 Rogation Hom. p. 299.

Dr. Tomline is of opinion "that the graces and virtues, on which salvation depends, are the joint or common operation of the supernatural power of the Holy Ghost, and of the natural powers of man." p. 42. Surely Dr. Tomline must consider the language of the 19th article respecting the Church of Rome equally applicable to the Church which pronounces the Homilies to contain a wholesome doctrine, and which, it cannot be denied, "hath erred in matters of faith," if there be any truth in the sentiment now quoted from his lordship.

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In reading of God's word, he most profiteth not always, that is most ready in turning

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This simple and external demonstration of the divine word ought indeed to be fully

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sufficient for the production of faith; if it were not obstructed by our blindness and perverseness. But such is our propensity to error, that our mind can never adhere to divine truth, such is our dulness, that we can never

of the book, or in saying of it without the book; but he that is most turned into it; that is most inspired with the Holy Ghost; most in his heart and life altered and changed into the thing which he readeth.-1 Hom. on the knowledge of scripture, p. 3. discern the light of it. There

fore nothing is effected by the

word without the illumination of the holy spirit. Whence, also, it appears that faith is far superior to human intelligence. Nor is it enough for the mind to be illuminated by the spirit of God, unless the heart also be strengthened and supported by his power.Institut. l. 3. c. 2. s. 33.

CHURCH OF ENGLAND. We must beware and take heed that we do in no wise think in our hearts, imagine, or believe, that we are able to repent aright, or to turn effectually unto the Lord by our own might and strength. For this must be verified in all men, without me ye can do nothing. Again, of ourselves we are not able as much as to think a good

thought. And in another And in another

place, it is God that worketh in us both the will and the deed. For this cause, though Hieremie had said before, Turn unto me, saith the Lord;

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Therefore, as we never can come to Christ unless we are drawn by the spirit of God, so when we are drawn, we are elevated both in mind and in heart above the reach of our own understanding. For the soul, illuminated by him, receives as it were new eyes for the contemplation of heavenly mysteries, by the splendour of which it was before dazzled. And thus the human intellect, irradiated by the light of the holy spirit, then begins to relish those things which pertain to the king

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