4. "And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened to give heed unto the things which were spoken by Paul" (Acts 16:14). This is relied upon to prove a direct work of the Spirit upon Lydia that she might _hear_ and _believe_. The very thing to be proved is again assumed. True, the Lord opened Lydia's heart, but he didn't do so that she might "receive the word," for Paul had already preached it to her. Her heart was opened that "she gave heed to the things spoken by Paul." Before she heard Paul she had a narrow, bigoted Jewish heart. After she heard the preaching, her heart was opened to attend to the things she had heard. That is, she obeyed the gospel. Nothing about the Holy Spirit in the entire history. 5. "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him: ye know him; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you" (John 14:16, 17). As I have elsewhere shown, this passage has a private and peculiar application to the apostles, and not to the world of mankind. It specifically states that "the world cannot receive" this Comforter. That kills it as a proof-text that the world "must receive it" before it can believe. Those who affirm a direct operation of the Spirit on "the world" make a clear-cut issue with the Saviour. 6. "I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase" (1 Cor. 3:6). Those who use this to prove a special operation of the Spirit make it mean, "I have planted _the word_ and Apollos has watered it, but God by a special work of the Holy Spirit makes the increase of the word." This is a false interpretation, as the apostle was not speaking of "the word" at all. How could Apollos "_water the word_"? The apostle was speaking of the _congregation_ at Corinth, which he had planted and Apollos had tended, and which, under the care of God, had made increase. There is nothing in the passage about the Holy Spirit. 7. "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them that heard the word" (Acts 10:44). This has reference to God's signifying his acceptance of the Gentiles by an outpouring similar to the one on the day of Pentecost. It was purely a supernatural act, and has never been repeated since that day. But even then it would not prove the necessity of an operation of the Spirit, that men might _hear the gospel_ and believe it. The record says "it fell on all them that _heard the word."_ Cornelius was told by the angel to send for Peter, "who shall tell thee words whereby thou shalt be saved."