“It is the office of the Holy Ghost to sanctify; which the more it is hid from our understanding” (_i. e._ the particular manner of his working) “the more it ought to move all men, to wonder at the secret and mighty workings of God’s Holy Spirit which is within us, for it is the Holy Ghost that doth _quicken_ the minds of men, _stirring up_ godly motions in their hearts. Neither doth he think it sufficient inwardly to work the new birth of man, unless he do also dwell and abide in him. _Know ye not_, saith St. _Paul_, _that ye are the temple of |God|, and that his Spirit dwelleth in you? Know ye not that your bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you?_ Again he saith, _Ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit_, For why? _The Spirit of God dwelleth in you_. To this agreeth St. _John_. _The anointing which ye have received_ (he meaneth the Holy Ghost) _abideth in you_.¹ And St. _Peter_ saith the same, _The Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you_. O what comfort is this to the heart of a true Christian, to think that the Holy Ghost dwelleth in him! _If |God| be with us_, as the apostle saith, _who can be against us_? He giveth patience and joyfulness of heart, in temptation and affliction, and is therefore worthily called _the Comforter_². He doth instruct the hearts of the simple, in the knowledge of God and his word; therefore he is justly termed _The Spirit of truth_³. And where the Holy Ghost doth instruct and teach, there is no delay at all in learning.” _ibid._
¹ _1 John ii. 27._
² _John xiv. 16._
³ _John xvi. 13._
(From this passage I learn, 1. That every true Christian now _receives the Holy Ghost_, as _the Paraclete_ or _Comforter_ promised by our Lord, _John xiv. 13._ Secondly, that every Christian receives him as _the Spirit of truth_ (promised _John xvi._) to _teach him all things_: and 3. That _the anointing_ mentioned in the first epistle of St. _John_, _abides in every Christian_.)
26. “In reading of God’s word, he profiteth most, that is most _inspired_ with the Holy Ghost.” _Homily on reading the scripture._ Part I.
“Human and worldly wisdom is not needful to the understanding of scripture, but the _revelation_ of the Holy Ghost, who _inspireth_ the true meaning unto them that with humility and diligence search for it.” _ibid._ Part II.
“Make him know and _feel_, that there is no other name under heaven given unto men, whereby we can be saved.”
“If we _feel_ our conscience at peace with God, through remission of our sin,――all is of God.” _Homily on Rogation week._ Part III.
“If you _feel_ such a faith in you, rejoice in it, and let it be daily increasing by well-working.” _Homily on faith._ Part III.
“The faithful may _feel_ wrought tranquility of conscience, the increase of faith and hope, with many other graces of God.” _Homily on the sacrament._ Part I.
“Godly men _feel_ inwardly God’s Holy Spirit, inflaming their hearts with love.” _Homily on certain places of scripture._ Part I.
“God give us grace, to know these things, and to _feel_ them in our hearts! This knowledge and _feeling_ is not of ourselves. Let us therefore meekly call upon the bountiful Spirit, the Holy Ghost, to _inspire_ us with his presence, that we may be able to hear the goodness of God to our salvation. For without his lively _inspiration_, can we not so much as speak the name of the Mediator. _No man can say that |Jesus| is the |Lord|, but by the Holy Ghost._ Much less should we be able to believe and know these great mysteries that be opened to us by Christ. _But we have received_ saith St. _Paul_, _not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of |God|_; for this purpose, _that we may know the things which are freely given to us of |God|_. In the power of the Holy Ghost resteth all ability to _know_ God and to _please_ him. It is he that _purifieth_ the mind by his secret working. He _enlighteneth_ the heart, to conceive worthy thoughts of Almighty God. He sitteth in the _tongue_ of man, to stir him to speak his honour. He only ministreth spiritual _strength_ to the powers of the _soul_ and _body_. And if we have any gift, whereby we may profit our neighbour, all is wrought by this one and the self-same Spirit.” _Homily for Rogation week._ Part III.
27. Every proposition which I have any where advanced, concerning those _operations_ of the Holy Ghost, which I believe are _common_ to all Christians in all ages, is here clearly maintained by our own church.
Under a full sense of this, I could not well understand for many years, how it was, that on the mentioning any of these great truths, even among men of education, the cry, immediately arose, “An Enthusiast, an Enthusiast!” But I now plainly perceive, this is only an old fallacy in a new shape. To object _Enthusiasm_ to any person or doctrine, is but a decent method of begging the question. It generally spares the objector the trouble of reasoning, and is a shorter and easier way of carrying his cause.