mercy, there is a manifestation of it made to the souls of the faithful by the Spirit of God, who " sheds abroad in their hearts the love of God" the Father, and " takes of the things that are Christ's to shew unto them," and by his own sancti- fying operations " delivers them from the bondage of corrup- tion into the glorious liberty of the children of God."]
With this contrasted view of the two dispensations agree the express declarations of God himself —
[The nature of the two dispensations is thus distinctly marked by a very striking allegory; in which the Spirit gene- rated in those who were under them is contrasted by that of a servant and a child f: moreover, the transition from the one to the other is illustrated by the very same images as have been already noticedg: and. the final issue of our adherence to the one or to the other is declared to be precisely such as might be expected; — to the servant, banishment; and to the son, an everlasting inheritance11.]
But, to enter fully into the subject, we must con- sider it,
II. In reference to the experience of individual be- lievers—
The Holy Spirit strives in a greater or less degree with all :
In the unconverted, he works as " a spirit of
bondage" —
[He is the true Author of every good desire. The least disposition towards what is good is as much his work as the most spiritual exercises of God's dearest children. His ope- ration therefore must be traced as well in the hearts of the unconverted, as of the converted. In the commencement, he operates in a way of legal hopes : in the progress, he impels to slavish fears : and, with those who are not the subjects of saving grace, he terminates his operations by instigating to self-righteous endeavours. A person first beginning to think about his soul, (for which thought he is wholly indebted to the Spirit of God,) is desirous of putting the most favourable construction on all his former ways, and of dissipating all apprehensions about his eternal state. Hence he persuades himself, that he has never committed any great sins ; or, if he has, that they were committed under such circumstances as greatly to palliate their guilt : that, at all events, God is too merciful ever to visit his offences with such a terrible punish- ment as the Scriptures speak of: and that his good deeds, which he either has performed, or hopes to perform, will counter-
f Gal. iv. 1—6. s Heb. xii. 18—24. h Gal. iv. 24, 25, 30.