02.03. Of the Duties we Owe the Holy Ghost

Chapter 3 - Of the Duties we Owe the Holy Ghost

SAITH Job, "The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." If we are really Christians, the Spirit of God has made us "new creatures." We are baptised in the name of the Holy Ghost, as well as in that of the Father and the Son, and to be ignorant of the grace of the Spirit, or careless about the duties we owe Him, is no less inexcusable than to be insensible of our obligations to Him "who loved us and gave Himself for us."

I. - BELIEF OF SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE CONCERNING THE SPIRIT.

"Our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance."- 1 Thessalonians 1:5.

We are commanded to hold fast the doctrine which we have been taught. And the doctrine concerning the Person, Attributes, and Work of the Holy Spirit is not less interesting and important than the truths relating to the other Persons of the Godhead. Our salvation stands as closely con­nected with the communion of the Holy Ghost as with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God. The very first commandment of the law requires us to know and acknowledge the only true God as God and our God, and to worship and glorify Him accordingly. But who is this only true God? The Bible gives ample information on this point. It is a light to our feet, to preserve us from vice, error, and idolatry. But it would be an ex­tremely dim light, yea, little better than an ignis fatuus, if we could not learn from it with certainty whether or not the Spirit of God is really divine, and a distinct Person in the Godhead.

Opposite opinions on this subject have prevailed amongst those who call themselves Christians, but we are not on this account to suppose that the Holy Scriptures have not made known in sufficiently plain terms who that God is whom we are bound to worship and trust. "Let God be true, and every man a liar." Let God’s Word be acknow­ledged as a rule of faith, worthy of its Divine Author, although the wisest of the sons of men should be accounted foolish and blind. Whatever views may be put forth regarding the work and the Person of the Spirit, by any set of men however learned, this must be admitted by all who allow the Bible to be the Word of God, that its authoritative statements are to be preferred to a thousand ingenious arguments. It is not human reasoning, but Scripture testimony that must decide in regard to any truth on which holy practice and everlasting salvation depend. Nothing can be more certain, than that the Spirit of God is frequently represented in Scripture as a Person-as a Divine Person-as a Divine Person to whom we are indebted for the possession of all those benefits which were pur­chased for us by the Lord Jesus Christ. If this is the testimony of God concerning His own Spirit, why should we be troubled or shaken in mind by the various notions which speculative men have entertained concerning Him.

There were different opinions about Jesus in the days of His flesh. Some of these were thought at the time to be very honourable to Him, although they came far short of ascribing to Him that authority and dignity which He justly claimed. Some men took Him for Elijah, others for Jere­miah, others for John the Baptist; and others were disposed to welcome Him as the religious teacher, infinitely superior to all these, who, according to ancient prophecy, should make his appearance in the latter ages! Still, none gave to Christ that honour which was His due,-none received Him in His true and proper character save those who believed that He was the Messiah promised unto the fathers, the Saviour of the world, the Son of the Blessed! The men of highest reputation for learning in the nation of Israel had still lower ideas of Jesus. They declared Him to be a blasphemous impostor, and deceiver of the people. But were the men who studied and understood the Scriptures to become doubtful of the true character of Jesus simply because none of the princes or philosophers of that age knew Him? They were bound to yield an unreserved submission of understanding to His Word. "If ye believe not," said Jesus, "that I am He, ye shall die in your sins." As we were received into the Church in the name of the Holy Spirit, as well as in the name of the Son of God, we must give an equally firm assent to the doctrine of Scripture regarding Him. We must depend as much upon the Spirit for the application of redemption as upon the merits of Christ for the purchase of it. But how can we intelligently look for all that life and strength and light from the Holy Spirit which are absolutely needful, if we are uncertain what and who He is? The great objection to the distinct personality and divinity of the Holy Ghost is founded on the impossibility of conceiving of more Persons than one in one Godhead. But this difficulty is met by those conclusive arguments which prove the divinity of the Son of God. If He is God, He must be a distinct Person from the Father; and if so, there must be more Persons than one in the Godhead; and it is not more incredible that there should be three than two Divine Persons. That we may be rooted and grounded in that article of our creed which asserts the personality and Divine glory of the Holy Ghost, we should search the Scriptures with a care propor­tioned to the tendency which men have shown to obscure what is said of the perfections of that Divine Being. Let us treasure up in our minds the testi­mony of Scripture in regard to His offices and the worship to be rendered to Him, that we may be able to silence gainsayers, calling in question those truths which are most certainly believed among us. The Bible was written by holy men, who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, and cer­tainly He gave no direction to these penmen to write a single word derogatory of Himself,-which would have been the case had they been taught to use expressions, leading men to suppose that a person who is not truly the supreme God is entitled to the honour and worship which belong to none but the Most High. "Behold, God is great, and we know him not;" but He knows Himself, and when He is pleased to reveal Himself, we are bound to believe what He says. Let us, then, receive and rejoice in all those discoveries He has been pleased to give of His own nature, of His mode of subsistence, of His manner of working, of everything that relates either to Himself or His creatures.

"The meek will he guide in judgment; the meek will he teach his way." And the meek will daily pray that they may be led into all truth; preserved from the errors of false teachers, and from the corrupt reasonings of their own deceitful hearts. From the Spirit Himself we must receive that spiritual understanding which will enable us to form just conceptions of His character and work. Having obtained such scriptural views, let us hold them fast, confessing them with the mouth, and with all proper weapons exposing the misrepresentations of those who would rob us of our faith and hope,-yea, even of our God. The doctrine relating to the Holy Spirit is, undoubtedly, a vital article of that faith which was once delivered to the saints. We ought to contend for it earnestly, and hold it forth before the world in an intelligent and steadfast profession. On this subject, as on others, we must beware of adding to, or taking from, the teaching of Holy Scripture. There are not a few in whose creed appropriate prominence is given to the personal distinction and glory of the Spirit of God, but an inferior place to His special work in the application of the redemption purchased by Christ. As it is dangerous to join any other righteousness with the righteousness of Christ, it is no less so to claim for human goodness or endeavour any of that honour which belongs exclusively to the good Spirit by whom we hope to be conducted to the land of uprightness.

God does everything for His own glory, and it is impiety to lay claim to any part of it. The kings of Babylon exposed themselves to the severe dis­pleasure of God when they "sacrificed to their own net, and burned incense to their own drag," claiming to themselves the credit of those victories which He had won for them. Herod Agrippa was eaten up of worms because "he gave not God the glory." Jehovah is jealous of His holy name, and will not allow another to receive the praise due to His own gracious operations. His richest revenue of glory comes from His works of grace. Let us beware of obscuring that glory by partial representations of the character or mutual relations of the Three Persons of the Godhead, without whose combined agency the work of human redemption must have been left for ever unfinished.

II. - APPREHENSION OF THE NECESSITY OF HIS OFFICE AND WORK.

"Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."- Romans 8:9.

It is no less certain that we must perish for ever without the renewing, sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit, than that we must have been for ever lost had not Christ been set forth to be a propitiation for our sins. We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ only by the effectual application of it to us by His Holy Spirit. We cannot believe in Christ until impressed with a sense of the infinite value of His salvation,-this is brought home to us through a vivid consciousness of personal guilt and danger. But when we fully realise that we are by nature lost and helpless, we shall see that the enlightening, purifying influences of the Spirit are as needful as the expiatory work of our blessed Saviour. That we may prize aright the gift of the Holy Spirit, we ought to understand the nature of the office committed to Him; and the circumstances in our own condition which render His gracious operations absolutely necessary. We are by nature in a state of darkness, and it is only by the "illumination" of the Holy Spirit that the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ can be conveyed to our minds. No eye hath seen, no ear hath heard, no heart hath conceived the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. God hath revealed them in His Word, by His Spirit, who searcheth all things,-yea, the deep things of God. The same Spirit who causes the light to shine, im­parts the power of vision that we may see and know the things that belong to our peace. We are dead in trespasses and sins; to us is that word of grace addressed-"Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." But we cannot respond to that call, nor obtain the fulfilment of the accompanying promise, until quickened by the Spirit, who is the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Without holiness no man shall see the Lord, and without the sanctifying influence of the Spirit no man can be holy.

Sin is naturally our delight. Until renewed in the spirit of our mind, we deem it impossible to enjoy happiness apart from the gratification of sinful inclinations. Even after the process of purification is commenced, such is our weakness, such the power of remaining corruption, such the strength of surrounding temptations, that it will be marred or altogether undone unless He who began the good work carry it on to the day of the Lord Jesus. A knowledge of our corrupt propensities reveals to us the value of the promise of the Spirit, as the Spirit of sanctification, through whose influence alone we can mortify the deeds of the body and perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. God promises the gift of His Spirit; but "for this," He says, "will I be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them." God will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him; but how shall they ask Him with any fervency of desire unless convinced that His agency is absolutely neces­sary for the life of their souls (Ezekiel 36:25-27). The Spirit is promised as a comforter as well as a sanctifier. The name Comforter fails to bring out the full meaning of the corresponding word in the original; yet it expresses a part-of it, and gives prominence to that view of His office specially suited to the circumstances of the disciples, when their hearts were filled with sorrow at the prospect of Christ’s departure from them. Christians are often too feebly impressed with the importance of this view of the work of the Spirit of grace. Consolation does not appear so needful as sanctification. Sure of obtaining heaven at last, there are some who undervalue the foretastes of heavenly felicity to be enjoyed on earth. It is to be feared that such persons regard heaven more as a refuge from the evils and sorrows of the present life than as a scene of worship and holy fellowship. If we really long for those pleasures which arise from the full enjoyment of God in another world, we shall, even here, be solicitous not only for the communication of sanctifying grace, but for the assurance of His loving-kindness and for the joys of His salvation. It is the Holy Spirit alone who can shed abroad the love of God in our hearts, and enable us to rejoice in Christ Jesus. No abiding per­suasion of our happiness and safety can be obtained unless the Spirit bear witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. The accusations of Satan and of our own hearts cannot be silenced at the bar of conscience, unless the Comforter give evidence in our favour. It is the Spirit that seals us unto the day of redemption, by stamping His own image upon our souls, shining upon His own work, and shielding us from the attempts of enemies to cast us down from our excellency. The Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance, and if we are filled with joy unspeakable at the prospect of entering the purchased possession, we are indebted for it to the love of the Spirit. The consolations of the Spirit are no less necessary than pleasant. They are needed to strengthen us for discharging duty, overcoming temptation, and enduring the trials of life. There is within us a body of sin,­ what can support us amidst the conflict occasioned by the working of this indwelling evil principle? If we excuse ourselves, saying that we cannot hinder it, that it is to be found in all our fellow-men, and that we cannot expect its complete destruction here, our views are very different from those of the holy Apostle Paul, or the Psalmist David. Does the commonness of anything alter its real nature? Is God under any obligation to pardon the sinful race of Adam, or to dispense with the punishment it has incurred, because all men without exception are conceived in iniquity and born in sin? We deceive ourselves if we imagine that our souls can prosper while we continue unaffected with the corruptions of our own hearts and careless about those comforts which God hath provided for spirits broken with a sense of sin. These consolations are dispensed only by the Holy Ghost. It is under His influence that we are enabled to mourn over the principle of evil within us, saying, "0 wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" It is under the same influence that we are enabled to praise God in the prospect of deliverance, and the assurances of pardon and peace (Romans 7:19-25). The necessity of the consolations of the Spirit for animating to the performance of duty is no less evident. "The way of the, Lord is strength to the upright," but not without those gracious influences which render the hardest services pleasant. To serve God aright, we must do so with cheerfulness; for if our hearts be not engaged in the work, it will be a perpetual burden-neither profitable to ourselves nor acceptable to God. "The joy of the Lord is our strength," and under its influence we shall find "that the ways of wisdom are pleasantness, and all her paths peace." But we need the strengthening no less than the comforting influences of the Spirit. He must work in us "both to will and to do." We shall not be disposed to do, unless He works in us to will. We shall not be able to do what we would, unless He works in us to do. Whatever we do in word or in deed must be done in the name of the Lord Jesus. On Him we must depend for help as well as for acceptance. But all the help that Christ gives is conveyed to the soul by His blessed Spirit. Through Christ we all have access by one Spirit unto the Father. We are commanded to pray in Christ’s name, but we know not what we should pray for as we ought, and must therefore depend upon that Spirit who helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. The same dependence must be placed on Him in every other service required of us, if we would walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing. We cannot, therefore, set too high a value upon the work of the Holy Ghost. The soul of man is not more necessary for his body than the influence and operation of the Spirit for our souls. He is the animating soul of that life which we live unto God. He is our light, our comfort, our strength, the applier of Christ’s salvation. Nor can we forget that it is an important part of the office of the Spirit to confer those spiritual gifts which, though not necessarily connected with the salvation of their possessor, are absolutely necessary for the successful administration of the ordinances and means of grace, by which sinners are converted and saints edified. Whence did Paul obtain those splendid endowments which made him so successful in spreading the knowledge of the Gospel throughout the world? What he was-he was by the grace of God; what he did- he did by the grace of God! In his first epistle to the Corinthians he shows with much minuteness of detail that all those gifts by which we may be serviceable to the Church are communicated by the Holy Spirit, who divideth to every man severally as he will (1 Cor. xii.) As the temple of Zerubbabel was built not by might nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord, so the Christian Church has been reared, and the building still goes on under the fostering care of the same Spirit. He separates men for the work to which He calls them. He furnishes them with all needed qualifications. He enables and disposes them to improve their spiritual endowments for the benefit of others. Their successful exercise is the fruit of His influence on the souls of men. In every point of view the work of the Spirit is infinitely important. All His operations are acts of almighty power; only a Divine Being could undertake and accomplish them. Until we are made partakers of the Holy Ghost we can have no part in Christ, nor any solid comfort in the profession of His religion. If we knew the gift of God, our hearts would cry out above all things for the Spirit. He would be deemed more precious than life, and all those honours, riches, and pleasures which are supposed to give value to human life.

III. - PRAYER FOR THE GIFT OF THE SPIRIT.

"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto: your children: how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him."- Luke 11:13.

If we desire the fellowship of the Spirit, and realise the true value of His work and offices, we shall certainly lift up our hearts in prayer to God, and earnestly plead with Him for the gift of the Holy Spirit. God has authorised, and Christ has given all possible encouragement, in the presentation of such a petition (Ezek. xxxvi; Luke 11:13). Earthly parents are willing to gratify the reasonable requests of their children, but the most devoted human affection dimly shadows forth the infinite loving-kindness of our Heavenly Father. The best of men compared with Him are evil.

God’s readiness to give the Holy Spirit should stimu­late to prayer even those who have as yet no reason to conclude that they have been placed among His children. He calls such to the exercise of faith in Christ, and to confidence in Himself as the God and Father of all who believe in His Son. He directs the worldly-minded Jews to say: "Behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God. Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My Father, thou art the guide of my youth? " The woman of Samaria, with whom our Saviour conversed at Jacob’s well, was doubtless a great sinner, and yet Jesus directed her to pray for the Spirit of grace-"If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." The evangelist tells us what he meant by these words-"He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive" (John 7:39). It may, indeed, be plausibly objected to this doctrine, that without spiritual influence men cannot pray to God in an acceptable manner; why, then, should they be asked to pray for the Spirit until certain that they have the Spirit? Let not proud mortals call in question the wisdom of God’s commands, or the duty of endeavouring to comply with them. Was there ever a more rebellious set of men than the ancient Israelites that came out of Egypt? Yet when they were commanded to "go forward" when the sea was before them, they did not pause and say, "Why should we go forward? Better to die by the swords of the Egyptians than amid the devouring waters." Stubborn as they generally were, they complied with the Divine command, and had no reason to regret their obedience. The man whom our Lord commanded to stretch out a withered arm did so without hesitation, and his inability was not felt. Happy would it be for all men if they could be induced to make the Word of God, and not the reason­ings of their own minds, the rule of their conduct.

Sinners when brought to serious consideration are not at first sensible of their own utter inability to convert themselves. They generally make many attempts to forsake their sins and amend their lives before becoming thoroughly convinced that there is no hope for them in themselves. But this discovery, instead of leading them to despair, should drive them to the only true refuge of lost sinners. The salvation of our souls is impossible with men, but not with God. It is His glory to show the strength of His arm in cases when creatures can do nothing. Jeremiah describes what should be the conduct of anxious sinners in the case of repenting Ephraim. God heard him be­moaning himself thus-"Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke." Does Ephraim then say, there is no hope? There was indeed no hope for himself, in himself, but what he could not do, he knew could easily be done by God. "Turn thou me," he said, "and I shall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God." This prayer was speedily heard, and Ephraim becomes God’s dear son, his pleasant child; God earnestly remembers him, His bowels are troubled for him, and He will surely have mercy upon him. Manasseh was a singularly wicked prince: he made the streets of Jerusalem to run with the blood of God’s witnesses; yet he prayed, and the Lord was entreated of, and pardoned him. We do not read that Simon Magus prayed, as Peter advised him to do. But that sorcerer is no fit example for men seeking the salvation of their souls.

Let the unconverted be impressed with a sense of their need of the gracious almighty influences of the Holy Spirit, and present their humble supplications to the Lord. While they are yet speaking, He may hear and answer them. Who can tell but that even now He may be secretly inclining them to compliance with the directions of His word, that He may begin and carryon the work of grace in their souls. "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, or whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."

Those who have already received the Spirit are enabled by Him to continue instant in prayer. The Spirit of grace is a spirit of supplication, a spirit of adoption, making us cry, Abba, Father; and what better use can we make of His influence than to pray for larger communications of it. He to whom this living water is given will thirst no more for the pleasures of sin; but as the hart panteth after the water brooks, so will he thirst for new supplies of the grace which includes in it everything truly good. The promises of Scripture encourage us to pray for the Spirit. When Christ came into the world, He renewed the promise of the Spirit already pub­lished by the ancient prophets. When He was about to die, He comforted His disciples by the assurance that He would send the Comforter unto them; and He did not fail to put them in mind of the same promise after He had risen from the dead. Let all, then, be encouraged to pour forth their desires and supplications before God for the effusion of His Spirit. He was promised to the disciples, but not to them only. He was to come and convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. He was promised to the apostles, but not simply for their personal benefit, but to fit them for preaching that Word which was to be the ministration of the Spirit of life to the dead. When we pray for the Spirit, it should be with importunity, it is insulting to the Hearer of prayer to ask such a priceless blessing with feelings of indifference or formality. We ought also to present this request with a due sense of our own unworthiness. The gift of the Spirit to dwell in polluted hearts is as wonderful an illustration of the riches of Divine grace, as the gift of the Son of God to be "made sin for us, who knew no sin." Nothing but inexcusable pride can suggest the thought that holy resolutions or honest attempts at reformation can confer a title to the most inestimable blessing which sovereign mercy can bestow. At the same time we ought to present our supplications with a firm persuasion that God will not deny our requests for His own name’s sake. When God promised by Ezekiel to put His Spirit within disobedient professors, to cause them to walk in His statutes, He adds this humbling consideration-"Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, 0 house of Israel" (Ezekiel 36:25-32). But he calls upon the house of Israel at the same time to inquire, and to expect the accomplishment of the promise (Ezekiel 36:37).

Having prayed for the Spirit, we must look and wait for an answer. The Church waited long for the coming of the Messiah, who at length appeared in the world at the time appointed by Divine wisdom; and one great end of His appearing was that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith; for this end also He ascended on high, that He might send down the Spirit. Let the knowledge of all this confirm our hope of those communications without which we can obtain no benefit from what Christ has already done or is now doing in our behalf. But whilst we pray and wait for spiritual influence, let us beware of provoking God to deny us His grace. If we have been enabled to pray earnestly and sincerely for the Spirit, we may feel assured that He has been already exerting His influence, and will cer­tainly fulfil the desires which He has excited; but if we indulge our carnal inclinations whilst imploring His sanctifying grace, it is too evident that we are insincere in our requests. It is true that no man can begin the work of sanctification within himself, but must continue under the dominion of sin until the Spirit takes possession of his heart. But sinners can make themselves more unholy than they are-just as, through the common operations of the Spirit even before conversion, they may refuse to gratify many of the desires of sin. He that stole may restrain his hands from stealing, the swearer may refrain his tongue from oaths, the man who rolled sin as a sweet morsel in his thoughts may turn his mind in some measure to the consideration of the things that belong to his eternal peace. The sinner who prays for holiness, but makes no effort to stem the current of iniquity within him, is a dissembler. He is not only destitute of the Spirit, but destitute of that serious concern about salvation which the Spirit generally excites, when about to enlighten men in the know­ledge of truth. Our praying to God in the name of the Son, for the Spirit, might have been discussed under former heads, as part of the duty which we owe both to the Father and to His Son Jesus Christ, from whom we are to expect the gift of His Spirit. But it must be remembered that each Person of the Godhead glorifies each of the other Divine Persons. The Father and the Son glorify the Spirit in sending Him, and the Spirit glorifies the Father and the Son in coming and doing those works for which they send Him. By praying the Father that we may give us the Spirit through the Son, we render unto the Holy Ghost such glory as pertains to His special office in the work of our salvation. We acknowledge that we are no less dependent upon His grace than upon that of the Father and the Son, and that without Him we cannot even cherish a good thought in our hearts.

IV. - DEPENDENCE ON HIS PROMISED HELP.

"Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts."- Zechariah 4:6.

Here there are two errors to be avoided. First, Let us beware of placing our dependence upon ourselves. Self-conceit naturally tempts to self­-dependence. Men are apt to trust in themselves that they are righteous, when not impressed with a sense of their natural inability for doing anything that is well-pleasing to God. Second, Beware of that despondency which is so often occasioned by deep personal convictions of weakness and depravity. How often have we to complain of languor in our religious services,-our affections are dull and spirit­less, and a thousand distracting thoughts push themselves into our minds. Grieved and perplexed, we are at such times ready to say, "Why should we attempt to wait upon the Lord? We are quite unfit for communion with Him, all our efforts to keep the heart steadfast in duty issue only in shame and disappointment." In such a state of mind let us reflect that it is part of the office of the Holy Spirit to "strengthen with might in the inner man," and to sanctify "our whole spirit and soul and body." If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. If spiritual vigour come by the exertion of our own unaided powers, then the Spirit is promised in vain, and He has undertaken an office which, being superfluous, can bring Him no glory! A moment’s reflection will show that the grace of the Spirit, to help our infirmities, is no less needful than the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to purchase our salvation. We know that the Son of God came and died as it was written of Him in the volume of the book. And the Spirit is no less willing to fulfil His part in the economy of grace by fitting us for every good work. The Three Persons of the Godhead show forth the equality of the glory of their grace and power in the work of human redemption. The special agency of each is indis­pensably necessary for the completion of the glorious plan. That we may be able, without self-dependence on the one hand, or unnecessary fears on the other, to undertake the performance of the duties which God requires of us, we ought to make ourselves well acquainted with the mission of the Holy Spirit, and the nature of that help which He engages to afford in the service of God. Until we know in some degree what we may expect in the way of Divine help, presumption or despondency will spoil our offering; but the more we are acquainted with the grace and the office of the Spirit, we shall advance the more cheerfully and successfully in the path of duty. Prayer is one of those exercises to which Christians are daily called. Their necessities require it. God enjoins it. But how shall we pray in a proper manner? How shall we obtain that deep reverence of the Divine Majesty, that firm confidence in God’s mercy, and those fervent desires for spiritual blessings without which our prayers are but a dead form? We are not only defective, but entirely destitute of every requisite qualification for acceptable prayer. How, then, shall we come before the Lord, and bow ourselves before the High God? We dare not restrain prayer before Him, but are forbidden to approach without reverence and godly fear, without faith and love and holy desire. What, then, are we to do? We must pray, says the Apostle Jude, "in the Holy Ghost." We are not to desist from drawing near till we feel the Spirit inflaming our souls with love, but depend­ing on His promised aid, we must come with boldness to the throne of grace, in the humble expectation that our spiritual sacrifices will be accepted, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, and recommended by the powerful intercession of Christ. The command to pray in the Holy Ghost contains a promise in its bosom. He who never said to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain, would not have enjoined us thus to pray if we had not good reason to count upon His help. We do not expect from Him any new revelation, but we may warrantably look for illuminating power, which shall enable us to discern the value of those blessings promised in the Bible, and to form just conceptions of our own necessities. We cannot hope for such transporting views of God as the saints in heaven enjoy, but we may reason­ably expect that we shall be animated with such apprehensions of the glory of God and of the excellency of His grace, as shall make us pour forth our desires before Him in the joyful confidence of being heard. "I will pour out," says God, "upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication." "We know not," says an apostle, "what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, and maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered; and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."

We must not neglect such preparation for the service of God in prayer, or any other duty as be­comes rational creatures, who know that they have to do with a Being who cannot be mocked. By preparatory meditation, by the study of the Word of God and of our own hearts, and by the consideration of God’s dealings with us and others, we should furnish ourselves with some knowledge of the things for which we ought to make request unto God. Diligence and humility are equally essential to success. Expectations of the help of the Spirit, whilst slothfully neglecting the rules which He has given in His Word, are presumptuous; and it is no less presumptuous to depend on our preparations, as if we had a sufficiency in ourselves to think any­thing as of ourselves. Our sufficiency is of God; but for this very reason we must endeavour to stand perfect and complete in all His holy will. As we must not neglect prayer, because we have not felt the Spirit moving us to pray, so we must not dis­continue the practice of this duty because we cannot say that we have been conscious of His influence in performing it. We may easily be mistaken on this point. It is often extremely difficult to dis­tinguish between the ordinary operations of the Spirit of grace and the natural workings of the mind. They are, therefore, best judged of by their tendency and effects. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there and nowhere else is liberty. If we worship God with that reverence and love and hope and joy, which reason itself tells us should be mingled with our de­votions, we may be assured that the Spirit of God is operating powerfully within us, His presence being indicated by these fruits of the Spirit. What we have said of the duty of prayer is to be applied to other religious services, all of which are to be per­formed in the exercise of those graces implanted in the heart by the Spirit of God. The great rule of gospel worship is laid down in these words: "Through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." As we cannot worship God acceptably but in the name of Christ, so neither can we worship Him aright except through the help of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:6). Amongst other reasons why we ought to value the ordinances of religion, this is one of the strongest, that God is accustomed through them to communicate His Spirit unto men. Hence the word of grace is called, the ministration of the Spirit, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. We cannot obtain health by running away from the physician. Those who are sensual, not having the Spirit, ought to attend with all diligence upon the public administration of the Word, in the humble hope that while hearing, He who first caused it to be written, and now causes it to be preached, may make it the instrument of spiritual quickening to their souls. In the Acts of the Apostles we are informed that Paul was sent forth to minister the Gospel unto men, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God. The work which the Spirit only can perform is thus ascribed to Paul, just because His spiritual influences accompany the preaching of the Gospel, and are received by the hearing of faith. But the efficacy of the word of life is not confined to the sanctuary. The word is nigh unto us, even in our mouths and in our hearts. The Spirit may be received through the Word, in the use which we make of it in the exercises of the closet and of the family. These private duties are prescribed by God as well as those which have reference to the institutions of the Church. We must perform them all in the exercise of those holy graces which are the fruits of the Spirit. Thus only shall we find them useful for our improvement in holiness and our more abundant con­solation. Blessed is the man whose strength is in God, and in whose heart are the ways of His tabernacle. Such persons shall go from strength unto strength, and everyone of them shall appear at last before God. The duties of Divine worship do not make up the sum of our religion. Love to men is no less requisite than love to God, and this, like the other, must be manifested by its fruits. But how shall we perform any duty which we owe to our fellow-Christians without spiritual help? All our services to our neighbours must be animated by charity. Should we give our goods to feed the poor, should we give our bodies to be burned, and yet be found destitute of charity, it profiteth us nothing. There is a natural as well as a spiritual love. The former is, indeed, amiable and pleasant when compared with that grossly selfish disposition which is so prevalent in the world, and it is to be feared that not a few professors of religion are satis­fied with this kind of love, as if it were all that God required in that great commandment which regulates our duty to our neighbour. But we have not so learned Christ. Nothing can be truly well-pleasing to God which is not the work of His Spirit within us. Hence Christian love is called, love in the Spirit (Colossians 1:8). The Spirit given to Christians is called a Spirit of love, and the love of the Spirit spoken of by Paul (Romans 15:30) appears to me to signify that love to one another which is wrought by the Spirit in the heart of believers. Love is the great and animating principle of the communion of saints. "Let all things," says Paul, "be done in charity. But let us not be satisfied with any love which is not wrought in us by the Spirit. That humanity, which is a very beautiful trait of character when it is properly regulated, may greatly mislead when it is left to operate according to the dictates of human wisdom. The children of Israel might lay claim to humanity when they spared the nations of Canaan, and it is not at all improbable that they were impelled by this amiable principle to neglect obedience to the Divine command. But the love of the Spirit always operates according to the rules of His Word. Phinehas acted under the impulse of this love when he slew a prince of the Simeonites and a Moabitish lady in the act of wickedness. There was true love to Israel expressed by Samuel when he killed Agag with the sword, just as Saul’s pretended humanity to the same prince was the out­come of enmity to God’s people, whose best interests were sacrificed to his own selfish purposes. Peter really loved his brethren of Judea in the Holy Ghost, but his complaisance to them at Antioch was no proof of it. Paul’s heart burned with a purer love to Jewish as well as Gentile Christians, and to Peter himself when he rebuked that apostle to the face, because he was to be blamed. It is therefore necessary for us to depend on the Holy Spirit for constant supplies of grace for the acceptable discharge of duty towards our fellow-christians and all men. If left to ourselves, love would speedily disappear and give place to mutual coldness and contentions. In the love of the Spirit, ministers must preach, elders must rule, deacons must serve tables, and Christians must comfort, instruct, reprove, and edify one another. How beautiful and attractive would Christian societies become if pervaded with a spirit of love, and all their mutual services rendered in humble dependence on those promises which are our encouragement for the performance of every duty we owe to God or man! There are many offices of love which we owe to our relatives, to our neighbours, and to the world around us. The love which animates in such relationships must be excited and kept in action by the Divine Spirit. More of the religion of Jesus consists in service to others than is commonly supposed. Let every man in is own station and circumstances show the power of the Gospel of Christ. But that Gospel will never exercise its due influence upon our conduct, except by the power of the Spirit of Christ. Love, gentleness, meekness, faith, temper­ance, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness,-these precious virtues must spread themselves through every part of our life and character. But all these virtues, if they are Christian graces, are fruits of the Spirit. Now if we live in the Spirit, we must also walk in the Spirit, by practising those graces of which He is the author and finisher, and by habitual dependence upon Him for producing and maintain­ing those lovely tempers by which we may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour.

V. - DILIGENT IMPROVEMENT 0F HIS FAVOURS.

"The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal."- 1 Corinthians 12:7.

There are gifts bestowed upon men by the Holy Spirit for the service of the Church and the good of the world; and He also confers graces of a saving nature for the personal benefit of those who receive them. The Spirit manifests His sovereignty in the distribution of these gifts and graces, and it should be ours thankfully to acknowledge His goodness, and use what He gives for the purposes contem­plated in their bestowal. The Christians at Corinth were enriched with extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, but many of them, forgetting from whom and for what end they were given, grossly abused them, to the prejudice of the Church and to the dishonour of their Divine Author. For this Paul sharply reproved them (1 Cor. xii.) We live not in an age of miracles, but we have no reason to complain if we are blessed with those better things that accompany salvation. If we have also received gifts which ay be made profitable to others, they should be dili­gently cultivated by the use of all proper means. This is a duty especially incumbent on ministers of the Gospel, and on those who have the office of the holy ministry in view. Even in the apostolic age; when supernatural endowments were so common, they were not to be made a pretext for sloth. "Till I come," says Paul to Timothy, "give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thy­self wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all" (1 Timothy 4:13-15). It is sinful indolently to hide our talents in a napkin, but it is still more sinful to pervert them to purposes injurious to the interests of religion. It was said of a great man of a former generation that God had bestowed upon him great talents, and the devil had taught him how to use them. Woe to those men who turn the favours of God into engines of mischief to mankind, and destruction to themselves! Let us beware of such misapplication of our talents, that God may not lose the fruit of His goodness, and that there may be no ground for the reproach that the servants of Satan display greater zeal in their master’s work than the servants of God. "Blessed is the man whom the Lord when he comes shall find so doing. He shall make him ruler over all that he hath." "The slothful servant shall be cast into outer dark­ness." Think not that ministers alone are called upon to employ their gifts to the advantage of the Church. All the members of the natural body are mutually helpful. The eye is the light of the whole body, its office is useful and honourable. But-shall the finger or the foot say, ’Because we are not eyes, we may take our rest; the body has no service to expect from us.’ The lips, not only of good ministers, but of righteous persons in every rank of life, feed many. There are, indeed, eminent Christians on whom the Spirit of God has bestowed a very moderate portion of the gifts fitted to profit others. But to whomsoever little is given, of him little shall be required. Usefulness is not dependent on natural genius. A minister or church member whose talents, though below mediocrity, have been improved with diligence and humility, is a far more useful member of society than the man of brilliant parts, who, trusting to himself, is apt to become intolerant and self-willed. Great talents have often been a great plague to the Church, and men of moderate endowments have often been the happy instruments of making many wise.

It has been already observed that we must distinguish between the use of the gifts of the Spirit, and the exercise of His saving graces. The former are designed for the profit of others, and the latter, next to the glory of God, for our own benefit. But we cannot expect the Divine blessing in the use of our gifts if we are careless about the prosperity of our own souls. Besides, it is necessary, if even for the benefit of others, to mingle the exercise of the graces of the Spirit with the use of our gifts. Those are most likely to have their labours crowned with success who maintain a lively faith, a fervent charity, and a prayerful intercourse with Heaven. The history of the Church abounds in melancholy instances of the heresies, schisms, and mischiefs of every kind produced by unsanctified gifts, or by the remains of corruption in men, otherwise distinguished for holiness.

Although in our ordinary modes of speech we distinguish between the gifts and the graces of the Spirit, yet they both come under the common appellation of grace, in the language of the Holy Ghost. They are the effects of God’s undeserved favour, and gratitude should powerfully constrain us to use them according to the will and for the glory of the Giver. To everyone of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ, and as was said to His ancient disciples, "Freely ye have received, freely give." We have not received for ourselves only. The steward of a great house would be faithless to his trust, if he should appropriate to himself his master’s goods. He would be worthy of punishment were he to suffer the children to pine away through the scanty supply of that bread committed to his care, to be dispensed to them in proper season. We must be good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Great is the kind­ness of the good Spirit. He not only bestows on us those favours that are necessary for our own happiness, but enables us to be public benefactors. We have bread enough and to spare. Faithfully improving the talents and opportunities we have received, we know not to what extent we may be the happy almoners of His goodness by ministering the spirit of faith and love and of a sound mind to neighbours and friends. Think of the way in which the Apostle Paul employed the noble gifts that had been bestowed on him. He was deeply impressed with a sense of that grace which had so greatly enriched him. He acknowledged that by the grace of God he was what he was, and the grace bestowed upon him was not in vain. He went everywhere bearing aloft the lamp of the Gospel, and diffusing the light of salvation amongst the nations that were dwelling in darkness. Nothing could damp his ardour, nothing could intimidate his soul. So fierce was the opposition he encountered, it almost seemed as if all the devils in hell had put forth their united efforts against him, for he could protest by the rejoicing of Christians in Christ Jesus that "he died daily." But His love cast out all fear. If the devil had offered him the kingdoms of this world and their glory, on condition of slumbering on his throne, and leaving the work and the afflictions of the Gospel to others, his answer would have been ready. The reproach of Christ and His sufferings for the Gentiles were incomparably more glorious in his estimation than all the material splendour which can dazzle the eye or charm the imagination of men. Having the high honour of being put in trust with a ministry of unspeakable importance to his fellow­men, he cared not what he suffered, if he might finish his course with joy, and at the tribunal of Christ meet with men, women, and children who had been converted or edified by his labours. It would be of great service to ministers frequently to read and ponder the sublime thoughts of Paul on this subject (Ephesians 3:1, Ephesians 3:10). Our sphere of usefulness is far from being so extensive as his, and we cannot lay claim to such eminent accomplishments; but we are no less bound to improve the talents we have, and fill up our days with profitable work. At the judgment-seat we shall not be asked to account for what has been given to others, but for what has been put in our own trust. The man who had received one talent was punished because he had not used it for the interest of his Lord. If he had made it two talents, it would have been said to him as well as to the man who had made five talents ten, "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

VI. - COMPLIANCE WITH HIS MOTIONS.

"As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." - Romans 8:14.

Here it is needful carefully to distinguish between mere mental emotion and the influences of the Holy Spirit. "Beloved," says the Apostle John, "believe not every spirit, for many false prophets are gone out into the world." As false prophets were often themselves deceived, so in an age when there are few pretenders to inspiration, powerful impulses may be felt in the soul, and may assume the appearance of suggestions from the Spirit of God when they are only the reveries of a heated imagination, or the delusive wiles of the prince of darkness, who can still transform himself into an angel of light. Of this, alas! we have many painful proofs in the history of the Church, not only in primitive times, but since the Reformation, and in our own day. We ought, therefore, to examine by the Word of God every strong inclination which we feel in our hearts, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth. It is His province to lead us into all truth, to incline our hearts to the love of God and of men, and to teach us effectively that "wisdom which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated; full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." Those inward desires which are not consistent with such gracious designs cannot be from the Spirit of God. Nothing can be more dishonouring to a virtuous man than to accuse him of counsels and actions that tend to the subversion of justice and the disturbance of society; and so, to ascribe to the Spirit such suggestions as tend to the overthrow of morality or the injury of religion, is to reproach that Divine Being who is the author of all the goodness in the world. But when we feel powerfully drawn to comply with the will of God as revealed in His Word, we have no reason to suspect from whence the impulse comes. All tendencies towards goodness in the minds even of unregenerate persons are from the Spirit; His common operations go before, and prepare the way for His saving work on the souls of men. By the Spirit, Christ preached unto the sinners of the old world in the days of Noah. But they were stubborn and disobedient, and therefore the Lord said, "My Spirit shall not always strive with man." By continued opposition to His opera­tions in our hearts, we are in danger of falling into the condition of the Israelites of old, "who rebelled against God, and vexed his Holy Spirit, wherefore he turned to be their enemy, and fought against them." As some men extinguish the clamours of conscience by plunging into sensuality or worldly business, there are others who silence the voice of the Spirit within them by short-lived fits of devotion, or attention to mere forms of duty. The devil will be well satisfied if he can so easily quiet the com­motions of a heart meditating escape from his tyranny. If a man in spiritual anxiety rests satis­fied with empty wishes like Balaam, or a superficial appearance of goodness, he complies not with the desires of the Spirit of Truth, whose office it is to take of the things of Christ and show them unto men; but with the desires of spirits of darkness, whose con­stant aim is to draw sinners away from Christ and holiness. The devil cares little what men put in the room of Christ, but the Spirit of God will not suffer anyone who follows His guidance to rest any­where, except in Him who is the only Saviour from sin and wrath.

Believers have the Spirit dwelling within them, and ought at all times to yield to His motions, walking onward in the path of duty, without turning aside to the right hand or to the left. But there are seasons in which they partake of His influence in more than ordinary measure, when He sheds abroad the love of God in their hearts, and gives them fresh, cheering discoveries of the grace of their Redeemer. At such times their souls make them like the chariots of Amminadib. The most self-denying duties appear pleasant: they run without weariness, and walk without fainting in the ways of the Lord. Such opportunities for abounding in the work of the Lord should not be neglected. David would by no means suffer them to pass unimproved. When he heard the Lord saying, "Seek ye my face," his heart replied, "Thy face, Lord, will I seek." When he found his soul elevated by the majesty of the Lord, he said, "My heart is fixed, I will sing and give praise." Such exhortations are not unnecessary. The flesh so lusteth against the Spirit in believers that even a Peter and a Paul were under the necessity of watching diligently against the allurements of sin, for they felt a law in their members warring against the law of their mind. Paul even tells us that he needed a thorn in the flesh to prevent the misimprovement of an extra­ordinary favour. At other times the people of God may feel power­fully drawn to the performance of loving services to their fellow-men. Paul was called a madman for encountering so many deaths for the benefit of others, but, "Whether we be beside ourselves," says he, "it is to God, or whether we be sober, it is for your cause, for the love of Christ constraineth us." It was beneath the influence of good impressions on the hearts of the princes of’ Israel that they contributed so liberally to the building of the temple at Jerusalem, and David did not suffer the opportunity to escape of exhorting the people always to retain as high a regard for the glory of God and the welfare of Israel. Moses displayed no less joy when he found that the Israelites had been stirred up by the influence of the Spirit to give their gold and silver in such abundance for the erection of a sanctuary where the Lord might dwell in the midst of His people. When conscience smites us, for some sin committed, or some duty omitted, or carelessly performed, the inward workings of grief and shame and the desires after reformation we experience may be viewed as the suggestions of the Holy Spirit awakening us to repentance. To dispel our fears we ought not therefore to fly to business or pleasure, but to the mercy-seat. We ought prayerfully to consider our ways, to remember from whence we are fallen, to repent and do our first works.

It is a good maxim in common life, to defer nothing till to-morrow which can be done to-day. Nowhere has this maxim more need to be observed than in the sphere of religion. The wind, indeed, "bloweth where it listeth." The mariner cannot hold it in his fists, or let it forth at his pleasure, But God teaches him discretion in the management of his business, and he seizes the proper time for entering upon his voyage. If he should loiter and procrastinate when the favourable breeze is blowing, he may be obliged to remain in port till he finds it is too late to set out. The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light, but the children of light may learn from the children of this world to be wise and to be ashamed of their own folly.

Christians! call to mind how long you refused compliance with the Spirit’s call; may not your own former folly teach you wisdom? If you did evil in your days of darkness, do not repeat such conduct now that you have become the children of light. Such behaviour will certainly be attended with peculiar aggravation. Do not, therefore, grieve the Holy Spirit by acting like the children of night and of darkness, when, through His grace, you have been made children of the light and of the day.

VII. - SHUNNING TO GRIEVE THE SPIRIT.

"Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."- Ephesians 4:30.

It is certain that the Spirit of God cannot be grieved in the ordinary sense of the expression. But the word has been chosen by Infinite Wisdom to express an important truth. Nothing can impress our minds with a deeper sense of the malignity of sin than to represent it as a grief to the Spirit of promise. Who does not shudder at the thought of grieving that blessed Person to whom we are indebted not only for our natural, but for our spiritual and eternal life? When we commit those sins by which He is said to be grieved, our guilt is not the less, because the expression must be understood in a figurative sense. We do those things that would grieve Him, if grief could make an impression upon a Divine Being. If He is not actually grieved, the reason is in Himself, not in us. We do what we can to inter­rupt the blessedness of the ever-blessed God, the fountain of all the blessedness that is found among the children of men. God is represented by Jeremiah as saying, "Oh! do not this abominable thing that I hate." By another of His servants He tells us that "he is pressed under the iniquities of his people, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves." He is of purer eyes than to behold evil, or look upon iniquity.

Displeasing to God wherever witnessed, sin is doubly offensive when seen in those in whom He condescends to dwell as in a temple. The Lord was in ancient times exceedingly displeased with the profanation of His sanctuary. His wrath broke forth like a devouring flame against the two sons of Aaron, who offered incense with unhallowed fire in the Holy Place. A great king of Judah was suddenly struck with leprosy because he presumed to profane the temple by an unhallowed approach to God. These instances of Divine displeasure are instructive to us. "If any man," says Paul, "defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." In another passage, he tells those Christians who did not possess their vessels in sanctification and honour, that they had forgotten the glorious relation in which they stood towards God as the temples of His Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 4:4).

All sin committed by Christians grieves the Spirit of God, for it is His office to cleanse them from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit. Still, it can scarcely be said that believers grieve the Spirit by those infirmities which are the natural and unavoidable results of the "body of death" within them, and whose presence and power they bitterly lament. Paul had no reason to think that he had grieved the Spirit, in the sense of his own exhorta­tion, when he could say, "The good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. So then, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me" (Romans 7:19). But Peter had good reason to know that the Spirit was grieved, when in a moment of weakness he wilfully denied his Master. Some of those sins by which the Spirit is specially grieved may be learned from the passage in which the injunction occurs. We grieve the Spirit of God by rash anger, for He is a Spirit of love and meekness and gentleness. We grieve Him if chargeable with dishonesty, than which nothing can bring a greater reproach upon our Christian profession. We grieve Him by unruly passions, malicious words, and all kinds of corrupt communication; for it is part of His gracious work to shed abroad the love of God in our hearts, that we may be kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake bath forgiven us (Ephesians 4:27-32). He is the Spirit of holiness, and how much He is grieved with all impurities of the flesh, the Apostle Paul shows in 2 Corinthians 6:1-18. As it is the office of the Spirit to comfort as well as to sanctify, He must be grieved when His con­solations appear small in our eyes. Since these are more than sufficient to compensate for the loss of all the joys which flesh and sense can give, to think lightly of them is to treat their Author with contempt. If there be any consolation in Christ, any fellowship of the Spirit, or any truth in the promise, that he who endures hardship for Christ’s sake shall be recompensed a hundredfold,-let us not grieve the Spirit by bereaving ourselves of His comfort­ing influence, though it be with a view of preserving our fortunes or even our lives.

Some are guilty of despising the consolations of the Spirit, though in the advancement of their secular interests they neither deny the truth nor violate the laws of righteousness. They are so eager in worldly pursuits, and cold-hearted towards the pleasures of religion, they plunge so deeply into the enjoyments and affairs of the present life, that they have no time or inclina­tion to meditate upon the love of God, and those precious discoveries of truth and goodness by which the Holy Spirit carries on His comforting work. It is His office to raise our souls above the world, to inspire us with sublime views, and fix our hearts upon those grand objects which are despised by earthly-minded men. He cannot but be grieved, therefore, when the people of God obstinately cleave to the dust, and refuse to rejoice in His consolations. Have we not reason likewise to add, that the Com­forter is grieved when good men reject His consolations, and give themselves up to immoderate grief. It is not the will of God that His people should spend their days in unavailing sorrow. He is kind and gracious, and takes pleasure in their happiness. He hath stored His Word with precious comforts. He hath sent His Spirit to apply them to the souls of His servants. If they harden themselves in sorrow, they refuse His precious gifts; by their complaints, they dishonour Him before the world, and obstruct the sanctifying as well as the comforting work of the Spirit; for" the joy of the Lord is our strength."

Grieve not, therefore, the Holy Spirit of promise by counteracting His operations. Should He dis­continue His kind influences and leave you to your­selves, how wretched shall be your condition! Remember David’s mournful complaints, and his sorrowing prayers (Ps. 32:51). Remember the sad case of Solomon, when the Lord was displeased with him for his manifold offences, after he had appeared unto him twice. Remember the tears of Peter. Consider the love manifested by the Spirit to yourselves, in being willing to make your souls and even your bodies His dwelling-place. Think of the guilt and injury incurred by grieving and pro­voking Him to depart from you; you will lose your comfort, your love, your spiritual health and vigour, you may be compelled to complain of the terrors of the Lord; and for days or months or years you may be made to go mourning without the sun; above all, you cannot tell how fatally you may be suffered to fall, thereby dishonouring your Christian profession, grieving the hearts of the godly, and giving occasion for triumph to the enemies of the cross of Christ. On the other hand, those who readily comply with the dictates and motions of the Holy Spirit enjoy a peace which passeth all understanding. They walk in the fear of the Lord, and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost. They enjoy a rich anointing of the oil of glad­ness, which makes their face to shine, and strangers to godliness are sometimes gained to Christ by the attractive influence of their Christian graces.

VIII. - PROMOTING HIS DESIGNS.

"And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; ... he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you."- John 16:8, John 16:13-14. The great purpose for which the Spirit is pro­mised and given, is the manifestation of the glory of Christ, in the advancement of His kingdom through the conversion of sinners, and the building up of saints in holiness and comfort, through faith unto salvation. For this end, the Spirit bestows His gifts, consolations, and graces upon the children of men. Everything done in opposition to these designs must be offensive, and everything done in a proper way for their accomplishment must be well­-pleasing in His sight." Ye do always resist the Holy Spirit," said Stephen to his persecutors. "As your fathers did, so also do ye." The Jews imagined that they only resisted men like them­selves, when they opposed the ministrations of the ancient prophets, but in reality they resisted the Holy Ghost, who spake by their lips, and wrote by their pens, those precious truths through which He carries on His gracious designs in the world. To resist the Holy Spirit must be extremely wicked. The murder of Stephen would have been an atrocious action if he had been only an innocent man unjustly put to death by an unruly mob. But the malignity of the crime consisted in the opposition and indignity done to the Spirit of God. Stephen was a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost. The doctrine he taught was the ministration of the Spirit, the miracles he wrought were the seals of the Spirit, the words he spake were in "demonstration of the Spirit and of power." When he was cruelly stoned to death, his, murderers did despite to "the Spirit of grace."

It is sad to think that professing Christians have too often imitated the unbelieving Jews in resisting the Holy Ghost, by oppressing and persecuting their fellow-men, for no other reason than their fidelity to Christ, and their zeal in furthering His gracious purposes. The Spirit employs men as His instru­ments, and what is done to them is in effect done to Himself. In the absence of violent persecution, His work is often hindered by a spirit of strife and controversy prevailing among Christians. When the apostle had reckoned up the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), he adds this important injunction, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another." The gifts of the Spirit are bestowed in varying measure, but they are all vouchsafed for the same great purpose. Instead, therefore, of despising some, and envying others, we ought to unite in glorifying God for His goodness to the Church and to the world-as manifested in these diversified operations. Did Moses envy those to whom God had given His Spirit, as well as to himself? Did he not rebuke Joshua when, in his mistaken zeal for himself, he was led to envy others. None of his brethren in the apostleship envied Paul because he was enabled to "labour more abundantly than they all." On the contrary, when they saw the grace bestowed on one who had been a bitter enemy of their Lord, they gladly gave him the right hand of fellowship. For his part, Paul rejoiced in the gifts bestowed on his fellow-labourers. He encouraged and strengthened those who were far inferior to, himself, and did all that lay in his power to promote the success of their labours in the churches. His conduct in this respect is well worthy of our imitation. How much evil might have been prevented, how much good might have been done, if those ministers who desired to be found faithful to Christ had always been as zealous in promoting one another’s usefulness as they have often been in destroying it. Paul rejoiced greatly that Christ was preached, even when the preachers wanted to bring his own name into disrepute. Like him, let us detest the mean and selfish spirit which would obstruct the usefulness of any man whose heart is bent upon advancing the honour of Christ, and pro­moting the spiritual welfare of his fellow-men.

Nevertheless, it must be kept in mind that there is no infringement of the rule of charity in our vigorous opposition of all error. Paul rejoiced that Christ was preached even by those men who preached Him out of strife and contention, supposing they would add affliction to his bonds. But he was far from rejoicing that Christ was preached (if He could be said to be preached at all) by the men who joined the works of the law with the righteousness of Christ as the ground of our hope. In his estimation, these men preached another Gospel, which yet was not another, but a subversion of the Gospel of Christ. He wished that these men were cut off from the Church as her troublers-the Achans in the commonwealth of the spiritual Israel! Our duty to the Spirit, as well as to our Lord Jesus Christ, demands zeal for the truth and purity of the Gospel, as well as unflinching opposition to every form of false teaching, which would privily bring in damnable heresies (2 Peter 2:1; Gal. iii.) It is the office of the Spirit to enlighten men in the knowledge of Christ, and of the way of salvation; and we co-operate with Him in His work when we hold forth the word of life, pure and unadulterated, to the world, and contend earnestly for the purity of the faith.

Whatever friendship we cherish for those persons who promulgate unscriptural doctrines, truth claims a warmer attachment, and we must oppose to the uttermost every sentiment that may prove dangerous to the souls of men, or that may become the seed of other errors still worse than itself. At the same time, we ought to maintain and promote the interests of truth and holiness in a spirit of love and meek­ness and goodwill to all (1 Peter 2:1). The Spirit of God needs no help from us in doing His work,-He can perform it as well without instru­ments as with them; but He honours us in employing the gifts and graces with which He has enriched our souls, and in furnishing us with opportunities of being useful to one another, and thus binding fast those cords of love by which life is rendered sweet and pleasant. The happiness of heaven itself will be in­creased by the recollection of our mutual beneficence.

IX. - MOTIVES TO THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR DUTIES TO THE SPIRIT.

"I beseech you, . . .for the love of the Spirit."- Romans 15:30. "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh."- Acts 2:17.

There are many considerations fitted to impress our minds with a sense of our obligation to attend to the duties which we owe to the Spirit.

First.-The divinity of His Person.

He is God and not man. To trifle with our fellow-men is rude,-to neglect the duties we owe them is a violation of the social bond; but if a man sin against a Divine Person, who can comprehend the exceeding sinfulness of the action!

Second.-The Spirit is the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of God.

If we owe any regard to Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, let us show it by our reverence of the Eternal Spirit, through whom He offered up Himself, a spotless sacrifice to God. If we think with gratitude of the everlasting love of the Father, who saves and calls us with a holy calling, let us give a cordial and affectionate reception to that Spirit, by whom He applies to our souls the benefits prepared for us before the foundation of the world.

Third.-We live udder the New Testament dispensation of the grace of God, udder which it was promised that the Spirit should be liberally communicated to the sons of men. This promise published by the ancient prophets, was frequently repeated by the Lord, and specially dwelt upon, in the discourse which He addressed to His disciples, for their consolation, before He suffered. By the rich effusion of the Spirit in the first days of the Gospel, we have obtained a clearer revelation of the grace of God than was enjoyed by the saints under the Old Testament. According to the genius of the present dispensation, we are admitted to more intimate fellowship with God, and can use greater boldness in our approaches to the throne of mercy. To the grace of the Spirit we are indebted for these distinguishing privileges. The Old Testament believers called Him the "free Spirit," and the "good Spirit;" but we rejoice in Him as the "Spirit of Grace." Our ingratitude admits of no excuse, if we do not keep at a great distance from everything that may grieve or offend Him.

Fourth.-Our own interest should induce us to give the Holy Spirit the honour which is His due.

We depend on Him for the life and happiness of our souls. In our unconverted state it was owing to His restraining influence that we did not plunge into all manner of wickedness; and if we have now any good thing in us toward the Lord God of Israel, we are indebted for it to the blessed Spirit. He who has begun the good work must carry it on till it is perfected. Of ourselves, we can do no­thing but what is evil, but if we are led by Him, we shall go from strength to strength, and at last appear in Zion before God. Men value the particular kind of happiness which suits their taste. Worldly men place their happiness in the things of the present life, and they will not rashly cast them away. Christians place their happiness in enjoying and resembling God; surely, therefore, it is fitting that they show a due regard to that blessed Spirit who alone can shed abroad the love of God in their hearts, and beautify them with His image.

Fifth.-We are baptised in the name of the Spirit as well as in that of the Father and of the Son. By this seal of the covenant we are brought into special relationship with God. We should often reflect upon our baptism-that we may neither forget what to expect from each Person of the Godhead, nor what solemn engagements we are under to render to them the honour and worship which they justly claim. A human covenant is esteemed so sacred that no man disannulleth or addeth thereto. How inexcus­able are those who wilfully disregard their covenant engagements with the most high God.

Sixth. -Our own prayers lay on us a solemn obligation to commit ourselves to the guidance of the good Spirit. A regard to the command of Jesus will lead us often to pray for the Spirit. And why do we pray for Him, but that we may be enlightened, guided, sanctified, comforted, and prepared for the inherit­ance of the saints in light; and not, surely, that we may insult, despise, and rebel against Him. If we pray for the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit, that our prayers may not be turned into sin. We pray for the Spirit when we pray for any spiritual blessing. They are all given by His hand, and every petition for them is a bond laid upon us to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.

Seventh.-Sins against the Spirit are repre­sented by our Lord as very dangerous.

One of them is declared by Him to be unpardonable. We have reason to bless God that every sin against the Spirit is not as fatal to the souls of men as blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. This un­pardonable iniquity cannot be committed by any man who bas received the Spirit as a sanctifier. But from the malignity of that most pernicious of all transgressions, we may reasonably infer that every sin against the Spirit must be exceedingly offensive to each of the three Divine Persons. To the Spirit Himself, whose grace and condescension is despised. To the Father and to the Son, whose agent He is in applying the blessings of salvation to the children of men.

It may be added, that other sins may lead to blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. Those in whom He dwells, as in a temple, cannot, indeed, fall into this iniquity, because the Spirit Himself is their powerful preserver. But shall they venture to the brink of this awful sin by grieving or resist­ing Him, knowing He will effectually keep them from falling over the precipice? This would be to sin because grace abounds,-to turn the grace of the Spirit into lasciviousness. Besides, they may be left to fall into very grievous transgressions, as a punishment for their rashness, and thus stain themselves with spots very unlike the spots of God’s children. Are you still strangers to the renewing and sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit? Cry mightily to God, that He may be given to you as a spirit of light and love, of power, and of a sound mind. Let the Word of the truth of the Gospel be daily in your hands; let it be fixed in your memories; let it be the theme of prayerful meditation. The Bible is the sword of the Spirit. While you read, ere ever you are aware, you may be made to see wondrous things out of God’s law, to taste its heavenly sweetness, to feel its divine power. The Spirit of God has effectually con­vinced, enlightened, and converted thousands of sinners whilst they were attending to the Word written, or the Word preached. Wait for Him, therefore, in the use of appointed means; and while waiting, guard against everything in thought, speech, or behaviour likely to quench His gracious influences. Have you already received the Spirit? Keep alive upon your minds a sense of the duty which you owe Him. Think of the many proofs He has given of His infinite grace and condescension. Consider how wicked and dangerous it is to grieve Him, and how dependent you are on His help and protection. Blessed is the man whose strength is in God. "He that soweth to the spirit reapeth life everlasting." If we be led by the Spirit, then we are the sons of God; and if sons, "then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ."