him, to transform them into his likeness, to inflame them with his love: but they still remain, notwithstanding, at the greatest distance, averse, coldly affected towards him, and utterly disaffected.

There is, then, somewhat to be apprehended by God's representation of himself to the minds of this regenerate people, at least more clearly than by other men. Hence the work of regenerating or converting them is expressed by opening their eyes." For the divine communication makes its own way, and enters at the soul's seeing faculty, which it finds (as "opening the eyes' imports,) and does not now create. But finding it vitiated, and, as to any right seeing of God, shut and closed up, it heals, opens, and restores it as it enters. It is expressed, by turning them "from darkness to light," and "from the power of Satan, who had blinded their eyes, unto God." This implies, that their eyes were so distempered, that, though they could see other things, God they could not see; and that he was invisible to their intellectual as well as their bodily eyes. Hence is that understanding, by which we know God, said to be given; which implies it to be somewhat superadded to the whole natural being and powers of the human soul in its present corrupted state: "He hath given us an understanding to know him that is true." The same renewing work is also said to be "a calling of men out of darkness into his marvellous light:" -as if they were brought by it into a new world,

a Acts xxvi. 18.

b 1 John v. 20.

c 1 Pet. 2. 9.

wherein they found themselves beset with wonders, and all things were surprising to them. To this purpose is that prayer of the Psalmist, "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." He supposed many undiscovered wonders, which more open eyes might yet behold in that external revelation of God's mind, which was then afforded, (and was wont in those days to go under the name of his law, though it contained histories, prophecies, and promises, as well as precepts.) He was no stranger to those records, nor had little insight into them, yet he felt a need of more light and better eyes, which he therefore desires:-not that God would cause a new revelation to be written, but that he might learn more out of that already extant, and that the wonderful things, contained in it, might be made more clear to him. Nor can we suppose him, herein, to desire to be gratified and delighted by the communication of a thing incommunicable.

Secondly, This representation of God is also more powerfully assuring, and such as is apt to beget a more certain operative belief of the things revealed; that is, being added to the means of faith, which men may be supposed to have had before, it adds much to their assurance of the same things, so as to make it efficacious upon their spirits, and as well cures the doubtfulness, irresolution, and waywardness of their minds and hearts, as their confusion and darkness.

Some have the word of faith without the spirit

a Ps. cxix. 18.

of faith. The faith, therefore, which they have, is a carcass; not only a weak but a dead thing, and which hath no power at all to determine the soul, and compose it to that delightful rest, which such things, duly believed, would certainly produce. The most delectable truths of God, and such as most directly tend, in this apostate lapsed state of man, to give us the sweet and refreshing relishes of a just and rational joy and pleasure, are such as are contained in the gospel of Christ, -the things that concern our reconciliation friendship and communion with God in him, and which are, therefore, wholly of immediately divine and supernatural revelation, and to be received by faith. One apostle prays for some, that they might be filled with joy and peace in believing: another says of others, that "believing they rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory." The external revelation in the gospel is an apt means to beget that faith, which, it is said, comes by hearing: but the very notion of means, importing what intervenes between the effect and the principal agent, necessarily supposes such an agent, and that what is only means cannot work the effect alone. That agent, viz. God himself, or the Spirit, besides the means which he uses and makes effectual, must have his own influence, whereby he makes them so. If a pen be a fit means or instrument to write with, it does not therefore follow, that it can write alone, without a hand to move and guide

a Rom. xv. 3.

it,-in order whereto a motive and directive influence is imparted. In the present case, the influence is the inward enlightening overpowering communication, whereof we speak; the efficacy whereof is such, as to give the soul that peaceful rest in believing, which is also most pleasant and delightful, according as the things are found to be so, which are believed.

CHAPTER II.

The Effect of the Revelation of God upon the Soul treated of more particularly. Its Effect in transforming the Soul, in delighting the Soul, in impressing upon it the Image of God, in producing Conformity to God. The Gospel the proper Instrument of Conformity to God. Delight arising from this Conformity.

FAITH is a part of the homage paid to the authority of the great God; which is to be estimated sincere, according as it answers the end, for which the things, to be believed, were revealed. That end is not to beget only the notion of those things as truths, that are to be lodged in the mind and go no further-as if they were to be understood true, only that they might be so understood-but that the person might accordingly have his spirit formed, and shape the course of his whole conversation. Therefore is it called the obedience of faith; and the same word, which is wont to be rendered unbelief, signifies disobedience, obstinacy, unpersuadableness. So that this homage is then truly given to the eternal God, when his revelation is com

plied with and submitted to, according to its true intent and purpose: which, that it may be, requires that his spirit urge the soul with his authority, and overpower it into an awful subjection thereto, the soul being so disjointed by the apostacy, that its own faculties keep not, in reference to the things of God, their natural order to one another, further than as a holy rectitude is renewed in them by the Holy Ghost. Therefore is it necessary that the enlightening communication, which he transmits into it, be not only so clear as to scatter the darkness that clouded the mind, but so penetrating, as to strike and pierce the heart, to dissolve and relax its stiff and frozen rigour, and render it capable of a new mould and frame :-in order whereto, God, who at first commanded the light to shine out of darkness, is said to have shined into the hearts of them whom he renews, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

As they to whom this communication of God is in some degree afforded, hereupon apprehend, how necessary it was to them, so they perceive it to be delightful also, as well as necessary. And finding it yet given to them but in an imperfect degree, their continual cravings are still for more. Having tasted hereby how gracious the Lord is, as new-born babes they desire it, as sincere milk, that they may grow thereby. They hereby come to know God and the things of God

a 1 Pet. ii. 2, 3.