God is not in the least straitened or confined in his operations upon mankind, wherever they may be placed on the face of the earth.

3. The divine Spirit is not straitened as to the times of his operations. He could have operated as visibly, powerfully, and irresistibly in the days of Jotham, and Ahaz, as he did in the time of Hezekiah. In his reign there was a great and general revival of religion. And ever since Hezekiah's time, there have been certain seasons of the extraordinary effusions of divine influence, by which the cause of religion has been greatly revived and extended. There was such a season in the days of Seth, when men were uncommonly excited to call upon the name of the Lord. There were many such seasons from Joshua to John the Baptist. There was such a season on the day of Pentecost. And after that, in different places, where the apostles preached. Nor have there been wanting many such seasons in Europe and America within several of the last centuries, as well as in still later times. Though the times do really as well as apparently alter; and some seasons are more, and others less favorable to divine influence; yet the Spirit is never straitened by any changes which take place in the natural or moral world. He can operate in times of adversity, or of prosperity; when his judgments are abroad in the earth, or when the world is at ease and quiet, and all engaged in their worldly pursuits and amusements. He can operate in the summer or the winter; in the most busy as well as in the most leisure seasons of the year. We never know beforehand, when he will begin his special and powerful operations, in this part or the other part of the Christian world, or in this or the other state, town, parish or family. He reserves the seasons of his operations in his own power, and chooses his own times, to come down like rain on the earth.

4. The divine Spirit is not straitened as to the places of his operations. He often begins and carries on a work of grace, where it was least expected and desired, and leaves other places to mourn and lament his absence. He often goes where Satan's seat is; where sin and iniquity are abounding; where the enemies of religion are all united in opposition to it, and are vainly imagining that they shall gain a complete and final victory over it. Where did Satan ever appear to reign more powerfully and triumphantly, than at Jerusalem, where he had influenced the whole city against the Son of God, and caused them to crucify the Lord of glory? But while they were in the midst of their triumph, the divine Spirit struck fear into every soul, (Acts, ii. 43,) and wrought a saving change in the hearts of thousands. And since that time, he has gone into the larg

est cities, as well as into the smallest towns and villages, and displayed his sovereign power and grace. He is now operating in places, where a few months ago, there was not the least prospect of his appearance, but everything seemed to forbid the hope, that he ever would visit them, by his gracious influence. Though religion seems to be nearly or quite extinguished in many places in our land, yet the Spirit of God can go there as well as anywhere else, and form vessels of mercy, and raise up many sons to glory.

5. The Spirit of God is not straitened in respect to the subjects of his operations. He can bow the heart of the selfrighteous moralist, of the dissipated prodigal, of the erroneous heretic, of the hardened infidel, and of the most stout-hearted sinner. The rich are not above, nor the poor below his sovereign influence. He can take the young or the aged, the learned or unlearned; those in the meridian, or those in the decline of life. He arrested Manasseh after he had spread idolatry, misery and destruction through his kingdom. He met Saul of Tarsus, while he was breathing out slaughter and destruction against the harmless followers of Christ. He met Matthew at the receipt of custom, and Peter and John as they were mending their nets. He took a judge from the bench at Athens, and numbers from Cæsar's household at Rome. There is no external or internal opposition that men can make, which can restrain the divine Spirit in his operations upon their minds. Though they may resist the Holy Ghost, yet they cannot restrain or overcome his powerful influence. He can operate as easily upon one person as upon another, let their character, or condition, or circumstances, or determinations and pursuits be what they may. Of this, there have been a vast many instances in the Christian world. None are below or above his influence.

6. The divine Spirit is not straitened in respect to the duration of his influence. He is the eternal, as well as immutable and omnipresent Spirit. He can exert his resistless influence over men all their days. He can exert his awakening influence as long as he pleases. And sometimes he does keep persons in perpetual fear and distress, for months, and years, and even through life. Upon others he exerts his convincing influence, from time to time, and keeps their consciences awake and tender as long as they live. And when he has once subdued the heart, he can continue his sanctifying influences, till the subjects of his grace are made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. Indeed, wherever he has exerted his sanctifying influence, there he dwells, and comforts, and sup

ports, and strengthens the hearts of believers. Nor will he ever forsake them through the boundless ages of eternity. Though in this life, saints may resist and grieve the Holy Spirit, by which they are sealed to the day of redemption; yet he will not finally depart from them, but graciously and powerfully draw them to himself, and subdue their remaining corruptions. In a word, he will operate upon the minds of both sinners and saints, as long as he pleases, and produce just such views, and feelings, and exercises as he sees best. He knows no restraint from the desires, designs, deserts, or opposition of mankind. He operated upon the men of the old world, till they were destroyed; and upon the rebellious Jews, before and after Christ's day; and he is now probably operating more or less, upon all men where the gospel is enjoyed. And he will continue to operate, by his common or special influence to the end of time, and through the interminable ages of eternity. I may add,

7. The Holy Spirit is not straitened as to the means of his operating upon the minds of men. He always employs means, except in his supernatural operations. In working miracles, he never employed any means, or made use of the instrumentality of created agency. Though men were said to work miracles, yet they had no proper agency in producing miraculous effects. These were solely produced by the almighty power of the Spirit of God. But in restraining, awakening, and convincing sinners, and in sanctifying believers, he always employs means. But even here he is not straitened. He has all men and means in his power, and can employ just such as he pleases. He sometimes makes use of the reading or hearing of the word. He sometimes makes use of private warnings, counsels and advice. He sometimes makes use of religious conversation, and sometimes even of profane. He sometimes makes use of uncommon favors, or of extraordinary frowns. He sometimes makes use of sickness or of bereavements. He sometimes makes use of the works of nature, or the works of art, or the ways of providence, or the dispensations of grace. It is no uncommon thing for the awakening of one to be the means of awakening another; or the conversion of one to be the means of the conversion of another; or the quickening of one saint to be the means of the quickening of another. The ways and means which the Holy Spirit employs in operating upon the minds of men, are extremely numerous and various, and sometimes very mysterious. He has the whole creation at his command, and can make the winds and waves, earthquakes and pestilences, wicked men and devils, the instruments of pre

paring the human race for their final destination. And he is, undoubtedly, employing all his creatures and works, in forming the characters of men, though they are very insensible of his powerful and sovereign influence. Can we then reasonably suppose that the Spirit of the Lord is straitened? or that his influence can be restrained? This leads me,

II. To show, the stupidity and absurdity of this supposition. The expostulation in the text plainly implies, that God views mankind as stupid enough to imagine that the divine Spirit can be straitened, and controlled in his operations. "O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the Spirit of the Lord straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?" You call yourselves the seed of Jacob; but did Jacob say to the prophets, Prophesy not, or disbelieve the operations of the divine Spirit, when he prayed for his powerful influence upon the heart of his brother, who was coming with an armed power to destroy him? Are you following his example, in attempting to restrain the influences of the divine Spirit? Or are you not acting in direct opposition to your own experience? Have you not found my word quick and powerful, yielding light, conviction, and comfort under the influence of the Holy Spirit?' This seems to be the import of the expostulation of the prophet. But would there have been any propriety or pertinency in it, if those who called. themselves the seed of Jacob, had not doubted, or called in question the uncontrollable power and influence of the divine Spirit? Indeed, it appears from various passages of the Old Testament, that the people of God did often imagine, that his Spirit was straitened. In Jeremiah's day, they said, "There is no hope." In Ezekiel's day they said, "Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost." It was to meet and reprove such thoughts as these, that the prophet declared, "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear." Now since the divine Spirit strives more or less with sinners by his restraining, awakening, and convincing influences, it argues stupidity in them to entertain the thought, that he cannot operate upon them without control or restraint. Especially is it so, when they often see others of their character thrown into the gall of bitterness, by his powerful operation upon their hearts. But it is much more absurd for those who are named "the house of Jacob," and call themselves Christians, to imagine that the Spirit of the Lord is straitened in regard to his operations upon any of mankind. This must arise from no other cause, than an evil heart of unbelief; or from their being sunk down into a stupid, worldly

spirit. In such seasons they are liable to overlook all they have seen, and heard, and felt of the divine influence. But this betrays most criminal stupidity and absurdity.

IMPROVEMENT.

1. Is the Spirit of the Lord not straitened? Hence we may be assured that he will completely fulfill all the promises he has made respecting the spread of the gospel, and the enlargement of Christ's kingdom. He has promised that Christ shall reign till all his enemies are made his footstool,-that all people and tongues shall serve him—that peace, and holiness, and happiness shall universally prevail, and that there shall be none to hurt or destroy. Now if the Spirit be not straitened, he can remove all the obstacles in the minds of men, against the universal spread of truth and holiness-all that lie in the minds of the seed of Jacob-of Mahometans-of Pagans-of kings -of philosophers-of religious teachers.

2. If the Spirit of the Lord be not straitened, then it is extreme folly and wickedness to oppose his operations. This, mankind have always been disposed to do. The Jews always resisted the Holy Ghost. The Gentiles have done the same, and are still found fighting against God. But this is absurd and criminal. The Spirit can, and does operate upon them, as well as others, and will defeat their designs.

3. If the Spirit of the Lord is not straitened, there is ground and encouragement to pray for the revival of religion in the darkest seasons. He has often appeared in such seasons.

4. If the Spirit of God is not straitened, then wherever he has begun a good work he can carry it on-in any place-in any family-in any soul.

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