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Les diagrammos sulvants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 I THE PROMISE 3544t I dm THE SPIEIT. BY EEV W. B. GLABK, MINISTER OF CHALMEp-scHtJECH, QUbbec. PBESeOTT, c;tv • PSmTED AT THS " ErANOKlIZEB » OM-Jos, 1865. > !■ ^r I TV ' 1 ■ /^ THE PEOMISE OP THE SPIRIT. -♦-♦-' BY REV W. B. CLARK, MINISTER OF CHALMER'S CHURCH, QUEBEC. PRESCOTT, C.W.: PRINTED AT THE "EVANaELIZER" OFFICE. 1863. Sk Se] Se Se] Sk] Se] Se: Se: CONTENTS. Sermon I:— The Character of the Comforter, and the Unspeakable Blessedness of His Ministratiort. - - 5 Sermon IL — ^The Advantage to the Church of Christ's absence in Heaven, as securing the Spirit's presence on Earth, - * - 1$ Sermon III.— -The work of the Spirit, in Convincing the World, concerning Sin. -- 26 Sermon IV,— The Spirit's work in Convincing the World, concerning Righteousness, -.-----.35 Shrmon. v.— The Spirit's work in Convincing the World, concerning Judgment, - ^ 48 Sermon VI.— The Nature and extent of the Promise, 67 Sermon VII.— The Holy Spirit, the Inspirer of the Apostles, and Great Teacher of the Church, - - 70 Sermon VIII.— The Sealing of the Saints, - - - - 81 1! SERMON I. THE CHAllAOTKU OF THE COMFORTER, ANW THE UXBrJ<:AKABLE BLESSEDNESS Oi' JtllS MINISTRATION. ^' An(i I will pray the Father, and he shall give yoti another uomforter, that his may dbide with you for eVci-." Johuxiv. IC: The hour had come when the son of man was to bd glorified, — when he must leave his disciples, and return to his Father. His work of leaching was now almost com- pleted, and he was about to enter upon his work of suffer- ing and dying. This was hi? great work, the work peculiar lo him as the Redeemer. A mere man might have beeil so inspired by God as to communicate all the truths, and titter all the predictions wiiicli our Saviour delivered ;a!)d BO strengthened^ and endowed, as to perfoim all the mir- acles which he wrought; but none but a being ()f indepen- dent existence, and omnipotent power, could have availed -as the substitute of sinners, and niade satisfaction for the iins of tjie guilty. This was his peculiar work,— the work, for the doing of which the Father prepared hini a body^j in reference to which Iresaid, " Lo, I come to do thy will O God." _ It was long before the apostles understood llie import, brthe necessity of his death; no wonder tlierefore that it was contemplated by them with horror, especially as it was so contrary to all their expectations. No wonder that their hearts were filled with sorrow, when he told then! that he must leave them, and leave them, amidst circum- slances of humiliation, and ignominy, and sutiering. H^ bad frequently hinted to them that he would be put to death by the Jews, and lately he had told them plainly that he must go up to Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and be killed-, tind raised again the third day. iought of losing a beloved friend by deaiu is A TK * THE rnoMisE of the spikit. rainful in apy circnmstnncos; l»ut more e-^pccially if that fneml ,8 endeared to us l.y all that is riuhtnouH, and pure* mid lovely in character, and aiuiahlo in .ii.snosition, and lory. No doubt these words were spoken at first with a view to comfort and -encourage the apostles, in the prospect of parting with their beloved master; but the pr(;mise wms not restricted to them, it was meant for the comfort and encouragement of his disciples till the end of time; for it is in tins sense alone that we can interpret the expression, "that he may abide with }ou forever." This then Js a promise in which we ought to 'feel the deepest interest, belonging as it does to us, aa well as to the apostles, — a promise this in which we may well rejoice, and be exceeding glad, inore especially when vfd connect it with a previous promise of our Saviour. — "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." THE CHARACTER OF THE COMFORTER, Having thus promised to the disciples a comforter who would supply his place to them on earih, and act tor him during his absence in heaven, Jesus proceeds to instruct ihem regarding the character of this glorious one. Ma » Ur. Adam Ularli«. * THB PIOMiSB OF THE SPIRJT. describes him »s the Spivit of truth, whom the worW cannot receive because it seetb him not, neither kno«eth h.m. Again, in ihe SOth vei«e, he terms him the Holy Ghost, whom the Father woul,l send in his na.ne, and near the close of the following chapler. the Spirit of truth who proceedetb from the Father. From these paseaew,sindne«toppositiontothowordsof our Saviour in the text, who ..peaks of the Holy Spirit, as a person and tern.s h,n, the .omforter, who is \o abide in the church ^r ever; an. „, ,he ''oth verse he uses these remarkawl Mords regarding him, "But the comforter, who is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name He Bhall teach you all things, and bring all things o your remembrance, whosoever I have said unto yoS." aIX Jesus says of h,m, - fjeshall testify of me," and agaiuTbat he would, " eonvnice the world of sin, of righteon,4ess, and of;udgnient;" and once more, that he would "guide the SZT t ';■»"''•;•' f«''" -VB he-" He !hj o «peak ot himsfclf; but whatsoever he shall hear that shall theu the Holy Spirit is said to teach, to bring U) remem- brance, to testify, to convince, to guide, to s^k ZIto Z^Znr ^«'""«'"S;.""ly t» •■» I'^'^o"; and to represent «n emanation, or quality, or influence, peiforming these acts IS to violate all the proprieties of langua.re, and make 0.^ blessed Saviour employ' language wfichriL that Lse! woukt be abeunl and deceptive. Again, understanding, will, power, are asciibed to the .. V ouirii,-~auiibute8 which can belonir only to a person • conehide with certainty, i80 there be propriety in the languajje of scripture, the Holy Spirit any l« TUB PROMISE OF THE SPITIIT. 9 na mucli a distinct person, as either of the other persons of the Godhead. There are others again, who, while they admit the* personality of tlie Holy Spirit, deny his I3ivinity, and represent him as one of the greatest of created beings. — But this view, though not quite so absurd, and iirational as the former, is just as unscri{>tural. In the word of CTod,^ the Holy Spirit is associated with the Father, and the Son, and spoken of as being equally with tliera the source of every spiritual blessing. Thus the apostles were command- ed to go, and teach all nations, — "baptizing them in the name oftheFatljer, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.'^ And in the well known Mpoistolic benediction, we find tlie same-association of the ditferent persons of the Godhead — "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of Oo<:l, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you ail, Amen." But what is perhaps still more satisffictory^ we find the very term, God, applied by the apostle Peter to the Holy Ghost. When Ananias attempted to deceive the ehwrch, i!i regard t^ his appropriation of the money received as the price of his land, Peter reprove(J him, in these terrible words, — ''Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land ? While it remained,, was it not thine own ? and after it was sold was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.'' — Thus, you will observe, that, whilst he accuses Ananias; of lying to the Holy Ghost, he shows the ao;gravation of the crime, by telling him, that he had not lied to men^ but unto God, from which it is ]>lain that the Holy Spirit is one of the j)ersons of the Godhead. lam Well aware that the nature of the Godhead, and especially the subsistence of three distinct persons in on.3^ undivided essence, is an awful m3^stery — one of those great, depths, which human reason can never fathom. And at this we need not be surnrisei.b for snrelv it is not to bo enipected, that the creature of a day, whose dwelling is in the dust, whose existence is limited to a point of space and time, should be able to comprehend the nature of i\\% I(J T»E PROmSE OP THE BVIRIT, «re both termed Gocl' a,?^ , , "" ""'>' ^P'"^' "'ho tion«, peculiar to "e'GoH|,« ^'-x'*"-. the Hebrew, tb? Zd " ••'■'^"""'' ''"""' """' *« pluml „,„„beV "til , f ''"™'r'!"""" '" «"lo,t;rH '"'''"'■' ''" *"">' JHtion. There the Fnlri '••".""' f"""o<'s« oftrans- ♦^learness, thTs , I, Jitf f ™'"'"" '.'"''^■■"<^«' "ith sufficient nere G;d il rt^lr/arZ^^^itf ^•■''« T'-«- «• our image, „f,e,. „„, iikj„; ''? .„Y '« make man jrlie Lord God savin. ^G^ ii - ^ .^" "?'""' "'« S'"! ^ome as one of ,„°to"know ^o^r n'nd" ivil "'" '"*' ""■" « J:W,a,sages would nol, 'L .hen..,;'!- U, sufficient ta THE I'ROMME CrV THE SPIRIT. n \Za T r^y''"' t^"' '^'''''' '^ ^'^'"'^^'^'y of persons ia the Q^vihenU but they hn^monize beautifully with, and ccrmhorate tie .loctrine of the Tiinitv, as it ia fully devel- oped by a conii.ui..oT, of di r.rent pas.ao-es of scripture.- ^or th.. IS not one of those, doctrines which lie on the very' f^urfHce of the word of God, but can only be discoyered by. ^1 c.ir.funuve«tiq ition, and co.nparison ofditfere.it passH^es. i. would be fojcMgn to my present purpose to enterfat' JeJigMi, intaa ta-.-ial pro, f of this doctrine; my object i» miiin^yto show you tiiat the comfoi-ler spoken of in the: text ,8 one of the persons of the Godhead, and as such, able to represent Cnrist on earth, and supply the want of- lii*j»ersonal prescAice. After the matter of the world was created, but wln'Ie, the earth was yet without form and yoid, the Spirit of God. we are toM, movent on the face of the waters, doubtless to reduce the contused miiss to order, and prepare it for th«' Foductton. of those things, which God summoned forth nf^lh 'q V ' nf .^^>^' P^'""'- '^""^ ^^''^ association of thebp.rit wnh God, in the work of creation, ,p»y vyell* be regarded as an indication of his diAiae. natiye. And as the bpu-it operated ia the old creation, so it is his agency bpKi of water, and of the Spirit." said our Saxiow-, - he. cannot enter ,nto the kingdom of God." And again Paul ^Is uMha, -not by works of righteousness which we h^Ne done^^ but accord.ng to his mercy, he.saved us, by the wa nng of regeneration , and renewing of the Holy Ghost,' our slvtn." """ "' -^^"^lantly, through Jesus Christ. Again we find the Wo]y Spirit assodnted with Je- in, r ^'^^:.^'f^-^«^^>^''>'vine power, even in oualifyin^^ l^Huh, -the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me" (>ioe more m the Acts *.of the apostles, we find Paul- Hms a. drc.smg the R .man Jews, J^^ Well spake tho Holy u lost by ll^saias the prophet, unto our fathers ««.;..,/ 2; "nto rh,s people, arul say,.-Hearing ye shalf h^;;^*. ^y N^sv when we turn to the passage alluded to in, ♦Acts xxviii. 251 12 THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT. i'l that nerson J .uT o ,} ^ , , '' ■'^""' P"rticiilar ses by its, '. Wl' "■'",*„" ""= "°'^ Spirit, fs related recoo.:it ,', ' trLt'''' ^'"-"y.P-"to„t. yet disfincly ^^Uj^uize lue pliuaiity of |>ersons m t le GodliPirl Tl,^,r WaTtl'f r' l*-";'^ '° ■"'"^"•'^ "'"'- while the Hoiy S^ i^ was the agent, he was acting tor the Godhead. ^ ' jnost edited hie.r ifii^^ ^ii^n '^: zzizv": hep,,v,,^esof the dispensation under wliehw^ live^ which ,s the ministration of the Spirit nlZ2, -er present in the church, ove, tlth heTatches" with ^irectsbj his counsel, and conriforts with his felt presence Wujg upon believers the tenderest token orhsT gaid, enlargin^ir then- hearts with the Joveof God oLtJL upon them a forelaste of the iovs of he^Ln 1 ^ onrth ni^A ^u- xi • i'uejo\8ot iieaven, even unon ?„?»' 1 , ''«»,™"'y glory, when they sha 1 see God's more in(e.po,e heti-een then' aouls and him- when fhfl no care oi g, lef shall ever intrude to interrupt or diminish the happiness that shrdl f„r ever rei^n thromi,!, .T numerous mansions of our Father's hSl^se * ""' '^' THE UN.PEAKADLE ADVANTAOE8 OF TKIS MINISTBATIOW OF THE SPIRIT. r. „Y'l^^ '^"'^ /-^ comforter, olorious in mniestv. infinif. .« vvi^uoin, ana goodness, and power, well might' the ♦ Jsaiah vi. 8. 9. THE PROMISE OF THi^ SPIRIT. 13 apostles be satisfied, and submit without a murmur, to the removd from them of their beloved master. And with such a comforter in the church stiJl, what cause has the believer for thankfulness, and encouragement, and holy joy ! Having made such a provision for the instruction, and guidance, and comfort, and sanctification of believers, well might Jesus say to the apostles,— I will not leave you comfortless, or as it is in the original, « orphans," fatherless, unprovided for, in the midst of a cold and hostile world. This infinitely glorious one is invisible to the eye of sense, and therefore the men of the world receive him not. It is things seen, and material, and gratifying to the sensed that^ they receive and appreciate. They do not repose confidence in the divine testimony regarding him, aor value tne graces which he bestows, and consequently they do not listen to his holy suggestions. Instead Ox" this, they resist, and grieve him away, and so have no experi mental knowledge of him. Thus they receive him not, as their heavenly monitor; and if they do not reject the divine testimony regarding him, they have no well defined and settled convictions, with respect either to his existence or his mission. But the very invisibility, and immateriality of the Holy Spirit, instead of being a disadvantage to be regretted, is an advantage for which to be thankful. Unc.ogged by a material form, he is limited to no place, but 18 everywhere present, watching over the true interests of the church, and ministering to the spiritual wants of believers. And most important of all, being immateiial, he can so manifest himself to the souls of believers, can come into such immediate contact with their spirits, that he IS said to dwell with them, and to bo in them. It 13 a very mistaken idea to suppose that we could know more of the spirit of God, and have more satisfactory evidence, with regard to his existence, ifwesawhimia bodily form. We can know God only from his attributes, as manifested m his works and word : and the siffhi of f.he xioiy S^jirit under some material form, instead of giving us clearer views of his nature, would only mystify us. But the humble Christian who believes Christ's testimony li I! 11 ^'4 THK PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT. regard ngtho Spmt, and receives him into his heart, knft yields to h.8 holy suggestion., in conformity with th^ Word, has in his own heart the earnest of the Spirit b\r whom he IS sealed till the day of redemption, and 4 thu^ Go^Wri'/"^' 'Tf't' ^"^' ^'-^onstrLd to he one "? Gods children. And thus the believer has not only tlr6 witness 01 theSpint in his own sou), but he himself beJomS mnT.M . M^ 'r; "^i ""''^^y ^'y ^^'^ testimony of his cTu^ch r h*" •'^'' '^''' '^' ®P^"^ '^ '"^J«^<^ i« tlfe wl^pf ''';"^'',f^"'^''>^'"^^' «»^ comforting tb6 people of God, and inakmg them meet to be .ome part«iiera of the inheritance of the shifts in light. in tK° r\^ ^'r'^"? ""^ """^ ^^ ^^^ P^'"^^''« ^>^ the Godhead, n the Church, whose special oftice it 'is to watch ov§r IniHh? ' ^''.''''''^ it. bouud^rie.s and promote ite «v dll /'f 1'"'^' 7' ^"'" ^"" ^^ ^^^ '"^^«* touching CMdences of the condescension, and love of God, whicfi may wel draw forth our liveliest admiration, and most fer- whtlf n " '"'"* ^^''^' ^"^^ one of the strongest guarantees wIL ^ ' to prevail against it. But let irie 'ndt b^ ^isteken here. By the church, I do not mfean -rfny pai^- iiS! K ^''"''^^'^"'^^^^^"Selical Christian., but theinvi^- ^J^'church, coniposed of all true believers, to whatever oift- Wd organizationthey may belong. Th^s is-thfe tnie 'church, the general assembly and cli'urch of the first-born who aV^ written i" beaveh In thischurcb the Spirit is, and evi-f will be, till the kingdom -of grace is nrerged 'into (be •kingdom of glory. And hi^re he is ernp-Ioved in enliijhten. ing counsel ,ng, comforting, khd s^nceifying {he people ot *Go(l, and fitting them to be instrurfients 'fc,r carVying dn Christ s work ,n the wo.M, and enabling them to d6 greater worb, than any wl,?ch Jesus bim^elf perfornied ;on earth He raised dead bodies, 'it is true, to naturi/l life whilst on earth; but his di ciples, throu^'h the pov^er ;of he Si)irit dwelling in them, are enabled to rai^e dcrf^I ioW.to spmtual life. Jesus no doubt al.o quickened „..„.,. „„,j^-,, „^ «(.jounied on eartn, Lut his Kuccm hn the conversion of souls wa« comparalively limited, 'becttu.-e the nSpini was not «ent forth till Je«us w as .^lonfied' THE PROMiaE OF THE SPIRIT. 15 It was not till he ascenrled up on high, and led captivity- captive, that he received gifts for men, that the Lord God, the Spirit, might dwell amongst them. And then, when the Spirit was poured out upon the disciples, in that fulness,, which is the gloiy, and the characteristic of the Christian dispensation, their words had a power which instantaneously threw down the strongholds of Sin, and Satan, carried conviction to the understanding, and pro or the apostolic age. We have the promise that the Spirit is to abide in the church for ever, and if we pray earnestly for the Spirit, and welcome him into our hearts, and really have him dwelling with us, and abiding in us, we shall not only grow in grace, and walk in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, but we shall see the ])ower of the truth exerting its legitimate influence over the hearts of men, humbling proud sinners, subduing their rebellious will, bringing them to Jesus, and making them a willing people in the day of his power. Let the gospel be but faithfully and fully preached, accompanied with earnest prayer, and longing desires for the promotion of God's glory, and the conversion of sinners, and just because the Spirit, with his omnipotent power, is in the church still, it is impossible that it can be without etFect. The effect may not be sogieit as desired, and expected, but an effect there will be. Sinners may not be converted in large numbers; but conversions there will be; the progress of corruption will be stayed, God's people will be built up, precious seed will be sown, and the preparation made for a glorious harvest, which another may be honoured to reap and gather in. Iff S E E M N I i, fePIlUT'S PliJiBKNC'K ON KAlVm. you; but if I depL, -I wK;d''^i,„^Z.tX,""Ur xv?t ■""' Sf,"'"'^ ftcu biZf^iTaS ;rt^:°L^: there is alove even stronaer than tin's If ^.L i i i •* • I »^iinnatipn. JbJut when ereat aHHlln'so ;.+• Wen, andgood^ ^Ifwe'l/rbt-Ji: Soret'^ua effects of h,« beneficent conduct, and our.elv?s expSee %h pnngs up tor liJm iii t)ur soul so that there « scarcely any s..nHc* wh ch ^ To'u d ' ;t mat *«• «., so noble and beloved. S„ch was the lo" 21 tHE PUOiilSE OF THE gPIRIT. ii We disciples chenshed for oar Saviour. Ho was fnHimtely exalted above them by tho possession of h power which no inorUl coulcl liopo to ri\ 'i!, rin.l wKieh j^ave unmis- takeal.le evidence of liis clivlmty; and lo this ^as'^iimlea the most sublime morality, the iofiiest views of duty «6 'God, and th'e strictest 'views of faitbTuluessi aiid i1rttej>1-?ty, and justice to man. ,. . \i*'- i,x And then, there was in his heart such sensiMity,^ 'sufferinor, such deep and pure affection, and ?ucTi ''^"'^s^'*^ love, and concern for the welfare of otliei-s, ^^a* "^-^Ij®^^ admiration, and most ardent affection Vere cB^i^jM for him by the apostles. And it would "litive l)eeii p^ipg strange if it had been otherwise. Tliert waS in Jiim aA that was calculated to excite J he admiration, to win tlie confidence; and secure the affection of all who ha«l a mincl to appreciate unparalleled excellence, oi- a L earl; to Fov^e genuine worth. No wonkier then^ wTien our Saviour jjpoke of leaving his disciples, that rfp'-rovy tliould have •filled their hearts; and in cur 'text; ii^iurnisKes^ them with the only consolation which was cTi'paljle Jf supporling therA in their trving circumstances; ''N^vertlieless, I tell y6*^ the truth Tit "is expedient for you tLat I go away; forrf X go not asyay, th'e cbmVurter will not come hntoyoW; wtt if 1 depart I will seild liim unto you;" It is EXPBlMElfT -FOR THEM THAt HE SHiJULD tJO AWAY'. It is bari m Vny circumstances, to part with thd&| Vho are dearest to us— to give them tlTe ^as* sji«^*g the hand, oi- Ihe last fond embrace, and watcii TOetr beloved form as 1t fades Jiway iii the distance, to b'e ^ee^ Uot for many long years, if ever again in this pielfent ^oW, And yet ^16 assurance that 1t is to be better for liio Celoved object of our affection, aiid betteV iti lhe^loft| run 'for ourselves also,— this assiiagesi oui" grieT, thbugl jt canirbt altogether stifle our sorro\;^ When A tetidi&r- lieartecl motlier feels aslared th^t her beloved boy wtU Jfe UtteKcared for, in a distant land, under (M patr(fna|^ 'dt%ome wealthy arid intiiiential relative, 1 bah b"^^/^^^ m with her, and that he will be far more likely to '^^^ in life; whed she sees moreover a probability t!ia%, %tm u fS! THE PKOMibJi OF THE BPlRlr. «y. should surnr;:;;:;^:;::^;^;,:,'!^^ and assuaffecl the sorrow nf ihr! ^<;>""0"e(l the hearts, n.«ke an atoneme.W "''''? ''^ '"'=" ''<'""' "^^ '^O"!^' toting life. B'rthou^h ' ""' ''™""'? *'°'' """" «™'- Christ mirht XThi slcXiTr ,t^ thepa.,age brfo,; us. It not for their present comfort, af 1p«c. fJ%- ' -igbt hav, know., aut S!b,: ' / 1 "ll ^,t ' '1' »"^y probably did know, that he was THE PR0MI8B OF THE SPIRIT. 16 ^ffoing to bis Father in heaven, flere then be letn th«hi "know that it would be inore for their advantage, better for the highest interests of the Church, and the a^van^ ment of God's glory, throuohout the universe, that he should depart from this earth, aud take up bi8 residence with his Father in heaven. THE REASON WHICH CHRIST ASSIGNS, ^HY it IVOl^Lb BE MORE TO THE ADVANTAOK OF THE DIS- CIPLES, THAT HE SHOULl) GO AWAY. It was because hfs presence in heaveh was necessary, ^ before the gift of the Holy Bpirit, Mh ,^ll the promisea fulness, which was to characterise hew Testament tim*8, •could be conferred upon therhj l^o d6ubt the tloly Spirit was in the church TrMli the beginning, *He sCrove ^ith the antediluvian sihhei^, He inspired old lester^opt prophets, and erihffhtened, and cdnvertefl, ahd sapcti e — ^ Hh'ere by the wounds still manifest upon it, and the Uoofi Vkioh l«4d beeu shed f«>i' feinners, tbu« «ive yvid^iiw, in IfH 20 ™« -«<>-'« or t„. „,„,^ •^^y «.cnfi^.o ;r,ri r::.':;;;; I'it"- ••"•i"^;. ;i-r "i iii8 rather, with <». . ii . ."""^'^^J' ooforo fu» a «..cl pleading iUut ti^'i^.';"'!'^-'^^,, on .h^ei Lr^l ; uirn, on J„s undertakin.r tn o- v , . P'oniiseinade '" '^^ ^'"^^^^^ vvork of rede;n^>tio',^^^^"^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^"'b i^ame J» WHAT RESPECT^* rx.r, Whethp,. « ^^^SJBLE SAVIOUR. it is evidenrf. '^''" "^f^erstniid the reason .f v , ^vicjcnt from our Savinn..*. ^*ason of it, or not ;d presence of ,Le Ho G^/ ;"''^''' fro- 'Me^n W from H,s "w.W*r.onai\, ' ; i ;; -"" '-ve an.en n •''', ^'""^e lis ieconoi;i«tion ln,l 'T '•''""'o" with of (he eo„n„„„iea,io„ o ' t£ t"'^'™<'"on i" the war having been remo.ed, tt iL" '?^ ''""""•' WessinT «"er fully npon tLe Hii^.l'"'^. ^''''»' «'»« now abon"t' TUB PR0MI3B OF THE SPIRIT. ^l councils of eternity. Wl.on, tiierefore, Christ comforted liift disciples vvith the promise, that he would pray the Father, and lie would irive them another Comforter, that he inii,d\t abide with them forever, even the spirit of truth, hj jus^ m^ant tliat ho would nlea I wilh the Father, now thit his p.irL in tl'.e economy of re.ljmption was accora- i.lis'ie 1, that in aconiaiice wilh ctWt^naut agrreement, he would send forth the Spirit to operate powerfully upon the min.lsof men, to show tlu^n their jruilty and un- done condition; to make them feel their need of a Saviour, to slow them I he excellency a-id all-sufKciency of Jesus ; to constrain them by the power of persuasion, to embrace liim as their Saviour, and then to sanctify and comfort them, and hold up their jroiusrs, and direct them till their pil(rl•ima^^e in this life is endeJ, and they enter upon their glorious reward. T'.nis then, the great advantage, which would ansa from Christ's absence, was that the church would enter upon a new and more pnvile^ed condition, arising from the fact, that the Spirit would now enter npon the dia- ■charcre of his paculiar function in the economy of redemp- tion'^ assume the direction of the Church's affairs, anfl gather in the glorious harvest, for which the Saviour had made the indispensable preparations. No . doubt, as has already be^n paid, the Spirit had been in the church from the be'vinning; but up till the period of Chnst's ascension, liis influences'had been bestowed in scanty measure. It was not till the work of redemption was completed, :and the price of it, in the sufferings of Christ, paid, that the gift of the Spirit, which he purchased with his blood, wasl)e.'cvv'ed, in that richness, and extensiveness, which is the special characteristic, and glory of the Christian dispensation. The gifis of the Spirit, bestowed before the advent v.f Chri4, were sm ill msasures of his gracious in- Huences given, -is it were in advance, but it was not tiij tk« work of re lemp'ion was completed, that those gifts of the Spirit were bestowed in all their fulness, which were ne- <5essary, to enable sinners to avail themselves of it, and to earrv on the work of sanctification in saints, and mak« m 4f«« rHOMTSK OF TflK SFIRIT, J^rr^^tohe,,a.fepa,tnke^oftLeinl *wnM JD /Iglit. »eri(;mce of .,.«.. W.MQ.m, a„d w^ et^- '' , "^"'"f '" '"' »or'l» of Leaven ly ?fe.:at,4, ami- di,.:?:: ;:.:"• ;;;;: •' ''"•'-■^' •^i-'-.Vanc^ ?,'V6".to. this >.; tlmrj.acl C ni , /™"'l' >' ™'T Re-naliy Vi^t I8,e».er;,yhe,.e read v to att«nd Vo * '^ ^ "^ i<^on\,ty, Vitb^nravera of a)'"' and i, il ." ''''"•^' ""^ '''"e'^ V««rf preWi fn"n.i,e fo™l,v ■'"?"*""!'• coi'Jfl npt have ^% -.XouW have been i,,.o,2to,,r« i iV S ''""'n*^' ">«'.. Oj vpemting l,v unseen inflneri! "f ^ s nobler plan ?WR.Pn, ?a't tfie, force „f ,noni mo, ™ ^[ f ?"■"'■ "'^ P*"-- ^.er«..«,o„d have, b,en "oni'elbC /il oo^' ,T '"' ''•■'■'^; ¥r"fr">iar ^i^in^rs. ipto subm;.*!,,,, ^^-^'^I'l'lsipn. and, ^^i^^S^;di;j^::;;:^,[:«-^;^'?cper.on, economy ofgraee: tJ.at:.whi|.r ±', '!,'r^!: ,"-"lJ» ."'«■ V>aevi«ji the scliemp of c^lv. r \-'"L^ V^ inei^atiier i;.^.e^ntetheW:-:F;7;^^,-/;S.» THE rR0:»iI9E OF TITK SPIRIT. 28: it 18 the dorv of tlie Spirit to apply tlie remedy provided to the souU of men. Ai.d consequently, the Lord Christ, bavino- finishe 1 the work which 1 he Father had given hini to do on earth, ascended into heaven to carry on the work of intercession in that higher sphere. And just as the Spirit of God, when be moved originally npon the face ot the waters, brought order out of confusion, and hght out of darkness, so now he is se.it into this world to enhghten dark souls, and regulate tlieir affections, and purify tbeir- hearts, and #11 them with the love of God, and bring them back to their allegiance to him agamst whom they liaye> ,o grievously rebelled. It is the office of the Spint to- enlighten, convince, and impress souls, and so bring them to accept, with thankfuhiess, the offers of salvation, through, thai Saviour, in whom alone deliverance is to be found.. Without his almightv power to enlighten the understanding and renew the heart,the clearest statements of divine trutH will fall ineffectual upon the ear; for the natural man receiv- eth not the things of the Spirit of God, because they seem foolishness to hhn, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. <. , i v. And thus we can see how it wa^ better for the church, thatJ-esus, havinjT finished his work of redemption, should l.ave this world; and allow the Holy Spirit to carry on his work of dealing with the souls of men, enlightening, convinein-r, and renewing them, bringing theiii to accept, of Jesus as their Saviour, and submit to him as their King, and then farther manifestinu- himself to iheir souls, elevat- incr their whole moral nature, adorning them witH ttie- beauty of holiness, and enabling them to maintain com- munion with God, and s^ to walk with him m purity here, thai they may be prepared to walk with him, in white here- «^ter. , , ^ . i,„ But there is another respect, though not specially alluded to bv the Saviour here, in which it was of advantage- to the church that Christ should leave it, and go away to the Father. It was that, he might carry on the work of intercession, to greater advantage in the immediate presence of God. We know that he is invested with all power m li^aven, aud on earth, seated on the mediatorial throne ot tne, 24 THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT. univerae. But we know also, that he ia a priest upon hh throne; and that he ii»tercede.s for liis people, and presents, and urges their petitions, and 0, whatcomfort to the poor sinner, that we have God's assurance in his own word, that "if any man sin, we havean a Ivocate with the Father Jesus Christ (lie rii>-hteous." Yes Brethren, we have ai> omnipotent Friend, one who is touched with the feeling of our inlirmities, who sympathizes with us in our sorrows,. and difficulties, and temptations, and is ever ready to plead fortheforofiveness of every poary gifts "pon the apostles, in fultilinent of the Saviour's pvojuise, he would convict the men of that genei'ation, and country of fearful guilt, in rejecting and crucifying the Son of man, whose divine commission was attested bv miracles, tlie genuineness of which was admitted even bV the Jewish rulers themselves. Christ did not claim the contkleiMje of his contemporaries, merely on the authority of his own declarations, he appealed tO' his miracles, as aiibrding indubitable proof that the Father had sent Hijn. '♦ The works which the P'ather hath given me to iSnish," said h'e " the- same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me." And again, " If 1 had t*ot done among them the works, which none other man did, they had not had tin;- but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father." And it was by weighing the evidence resulting from the mi >-acles which Jesus wrouo-ht, and contrasting them probably with lliose which Isaiah predicted the Messiah would perform, that Nicodemuscajne to the conclusion that he was a divinely commissioned teacher, for no man^ he said, eould do the miracles whk;h he did, except (t0(1 were with him. In reference to the work of the Messiah, when he should come to save his people, Isaiah had spoken in these beautiful words — " Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ear,s of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the laine man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the des- ert." And not only did Jesus fre(iuently perform all these works, but greater works than these did he do. He made death relax his grasp, and the grave give up his victim. — And these miracles were not done in a corner, but in open day, in the most public places, and in the prosancc of vast B 80 TrtE l»R0Ml8il OP tnK SPIRIT. iTiultitudes, so that the Jewish rulers could not atford to treat them with silent contempt. We have an account of thtir investigation of one of his miraculous cures, that of the man blind from his birth, with aviev, no doubt, to expose it, if there had been any* thing fraudulent, or delusive about it; but they could find nothing to suit their purpose. And afterwards, when the report of Lazarus's resurrection was brought to the chief priests s'ld Pharisees, they took the alarm, and gathered 8 council, and said — " What do we? for this man doeth many miracles." Thus the conduct of the Jewish rulers aftbrds an awful illustration of that deplorable spiritual blindness of which I have already spoken, while it furnishes the clear- «st evidence of their tremendous guilt. But Jesus was now to give additional evidence of their guilt, which, to- gether with the former, would form an amount of cumula- tive evidence which may well be considered overwhelming. He was about to pour out the Holy Spirit in thai abundant fulness predicted by Joel, who would ^atford not merely that interniil evidence which most powerfully convinces the regenerate, but that outward evidence in miracles, and mighty works, which would convict the Jewish, and heathen unbelievers, who had taken an active part in. or consented to the death of Jesus, of the fearful guilt which they had brought upon themselves. Accordingly, when the Holy Ghost descended in visible glory upon the apos- tles, and they received the ba])tism of fiie, aiid were ena- bled instantaneously to speak foreign tongues, and after- wards to do even greater works than our Saviour perform- ed on earth ; not only to restoi'e the lame, and raise the dead, but to raise to spiritual life dead souls, to convince of their guilt multitude., who had consented to the death of Jesus, and lead them to embrace him as their Saviour, whom they had formerly rejected, and blasphemed. Thus when the three thousand, on the day of Pentecost, were convinced of the claims of Jesus, as the Messiah, and embraced Irlm urf their Saviour, their conduct as the re- sult of the power now wielded by the apostles, in conse- quence of the fulness of the Spirit, that dwelt in them, THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRITr St convicted the rejectors of Jesus of sin. " Then was the* world brouglit to a voluntary confession of the sin of mur- dering Jesus." And looking at this in connexion with the gifts of healing and tongues exercised bv the apostles^ these things aflforded the most indubitable proof of the divinity of Jesup, and consequently of the sin of those who rejected and crucified him. ' Thus, while the out- pouring, .ind exercise of the gifts of ihe Holy Spirit con- victed, upon indubitable evidence, the rejectors of Jesus,, they reproved them at the same time. •When men beheld the despised apostles exercising such- extiaordinary power, in fulfilment of the promise of the crucified one, they felt this to be the testimony of heaven to the truthfulness of his character, and the justice of his claims. This, however, though a most important, was only a temporary consequence of the operation of the Spirit's gifts. He is ereof is death. Ihe fepint demonstrates the depravity and degenenicy of the whole world, that all the world is guilty before God. When the Spirit of God has thus nrousea conscience and given us an insight mU) our own hearts and enabled us to see them in ail their depravity, and enlightened our intellect so as to enable us to understand the law ot God, in all its comprehensiveness, and spirituality, as extending not only to the actions, but to the words, and thoughts, and then, when our sins set themselves in gloomy array before us, actual transgressions committed, duties neglect- ed, God forgotten and dishonoured, rash words spoken, and sinful thoughts indulged in, what agony of soul is excited, what terrors aroused, and what fearful apprehensions of coming judgment take hold upon us! This' is the case when the Spirit gives us realizing views of the sins which we have committed against God; but there is one sin more aggravated than all the rest,more ungrateful, dangerous, ruinous, of which it is the special office of the Spirit to convince us, I mean the sin of un- THE PROMIdK OF THE SPIRIT. 3S belief in Jesua, a« the Saviour of ainiiers. The work of the Spirit, meniioned in the text, was not merely to convict the unbelieving Jews and (Tentiies of that day, of fearful sin, in disbelieving, and rejectinc;, and crucifying* the Savi- our, but this work extends to all time, and his office is still to convince men specially of the fearful sin of unbelief. This sin is tiie most agjjjravated of any: it is most dishon ouring to God, and most ruinous to man. It robs God oi his greatest glory; it virtually impugns his veracity, and shuts out man from the only remedy provide 1 for the salvation of his soul. And even when there is not positive unbelief, wherr there is the conviction of the understanding merely, without the consent, and submission, and accept- ance of the heart, this indifference, and indecision, and refusal to accept Christ's gracious oilers, argues tlie basest higratitude, as well as the most miserable folly. Unbelief is not only the most prevalent, and ruinous of all sins, but it is that which lies at the bottom of all iniquity. If men habitually lived as seeing God who is invisible, they durst not commit sin, feeling that they were in the pres- ence of the Omnipotent punisher of it. And if they lived in the belief that Jesus died for them, how could they grieve, and wound him afresh, by indulging in that sin which crucified him? The Spirit, by his internal opera- tion upon the heart, will not only convince sinners that, because thev believe not in Jesus, thev are overwhelmed by sin ; but that apart from him, they have not a particle of liirhteousness about them. Thus he will make them feel that it is not only §in to disbelieve in Jesus, but that without belief in him, all sin is unforgiven, and v/ill lead to everlasting perdition. In ordinary cases, and more especially in the case of those, who have been piously brought up ; who have been trained to the fear of the Lord, and accustomed to self- restraint from their earliest years, the work of conviction is seldom severe, and often so quiet, and gradual, that it is scarcely perceived, till it issues in a state of complete reconciliation to God, and the enjoyment of perfect peace. But in cases where the individual has lived in a state of complete alienation from God, and in the indulgence, it may If »4 THE PROMFBE Ql THE RPTRIT. bo, of open sin, conviction is sonnotimes proivs«>ion in new soni^ of praise to tlic* (hfd of lii.s salvation, mid his oase ia so marked, that many see it, and fanr, and are led to trnsf in the Lord. TheiHi can he nofhxiht that an internal work of convic- tion hy the Spirit of (rod is neoessary in all, even those who are the rrujat happily constituted hy Ood a.» to natural disposition — the most ainial.de, and conscientious, and cor- rect in their moral deportment. This is necessary, how- ever happily constituted they may be, however pious their parents; however judieions and pfodly their education ; for all true htdievers are horn, not of olood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. The coH' victions in such are o'enerally not so severe, liowever decided and observable they may be; though I have known cases of thi=i kind, in which they were long con- tinued, and distre-^siniif. The truth is, that men's minds are so differently constituted, and their circumstances so various, that uniformity is not to be expected, in God's dealings with men; for he accommodates his grace to thQ peculiar condition, and circumstances of each. Hence tha folly of expecting similar experiences in all cases. There are some persons who doubt tlie sfenuineness of convtij-sion, if it has not been preceded by severe and dis- tressing convictions, — what our old divines used to term "a laiv work." I once knew a gentleman of extensive pro^ perty, who had devoted a large proportion of it to the cause of God, and for many years, given all the evidence which one couM reasonably expect, of genuine conversion, and yet I remember him expressing serious doubts to me, whether he haR0MI8E ifF THE SPIRIT. if coufidently applied, when the first symptoms are experi- enced, it may be i-easonably ex[)ected that the cure will be speedy and certain. Yes Brethren, when, in consequence of judicious teach- ing, Jesus has been known, and intellifrently believed in, before convictions are awakened by the Spirit in the soul, when these convictions arise, and Jesus is instantly applied to, I believe that peace generally ensues, without any severe or protracted struggle. This is certainly to be desired. And my opinion decidedly is, that, instead of terrible, and agonizing convictions being desirable, we ought to account it special matter of thanksgiving, if we are brought to peace in believing, without having to pass through them. Though convictions may be sudden and terrible, and genuine conversion speedy and remarkable ; yet I believe that a work of grace is more frequently gradual, and to be determined with certainty only by its fruitfl, as "the Sun by its shining, and the spring by the stream which it sends forth." If the life is holy, and the fear, and the hatred of sin deep, and sincere, and the struggle against it determined, and successful, that is one of the most decided evidences of genuine conversion. This successful struggle against sin must of course be the result of the fear, and the love of God, and the admiration of the beauty of hohness, and daily applications to God for that spiritual strength, in virtue of which alone we can resist, and overcome temptation ; and wherever there is the love of God, and the love of the adorable Redeemer, and trust in his blood alone for salvation, and in the power of his Spirit alone for sanctification, and the love of his day and of his house, and his people, and the victory over outward sin, and the daily struggle against indwelling corruption, then we may be' assured that we are the children of God, whatever may be the nature of, the convictions through which we have passed. SERMON IV. THE SPIRIT'S WORK IN CONVINCING THE WORLD, CONCERNING RIGHTEOUSNESS. " Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more."— John xvi. 10. Who can by searching find out God, who can find out the Almighty to perfection? Even the loftiest of the Archangels, who may have been advancing in knowledge, and experience, and growing in intellectual strength for thousands of ages, can never, with all their mighty ener- gies, fathom the depths of infinite being, or fully compre- hend the nature and perfections of the Omnipotent, the Omniscient, and Omnipresent One, whose goings forth have been of old, even from everlasting. And if these mighty beings, who have probably the power of moving with inconceivable rapidity, and visiting the most remote parts of creation, and who have consequently the most ex- tensive opportunities of observation, if even they, with all their mighty sweep of intellect, cannot master the great thought, which has for its object the eternal and self- existent Creator, how is it to be supposed that man, the creature of a day, whose dwelling is in the dust, who is confined to a comparatively small extent of space and time, how is it to be supposed that such an one should be able to comprehend the nature of the Godhead ? It requires very little power of thought to perceive that the thing 18 an impossibility, and that we must be content with such glimpses of the being and perfections of God. as our limited powers can gather from his word and from his works. From ids works of creation and providence, the reflective and observant student may learn somethino- of the power, and wisdom, and goodness of God; but it IS from his word alone, that we learn anything of the mode of the divine existence, and of the wondrous work ot Grace, which affords us the most comforting view of 88 THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT* the goodness and love of the Eternal, and Omnipotetti One. In the Godhead we are told that there are three dis' tinct persons, one in essence, and unity of actiofi, equal in power and calory; and that by mutual agreement, they have dilferent offices to perform, in the great work of re- deeming sinners, from condemnation and ruin, and restor- ing them to God's favor and friendship, — to holiness of heart and purity of life, as an indispensable preparative to admission to the inheritance of the saints in light, — - to fulness of joy in God's presence, and at his right hand pleasures for evermore. We know, from the divine record, that the Father devised the scheme of redemption, that he so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him might not perish, but have everlasting life. We know that the Son carried that scheme into execution, arid redeemed us by his own pie- cious blood, suffering all that justice could demand, as the substitute of sinners, and submitting that his soul should be made an offering for sin. And further, we know that it is the office of the Holy Spirit to api)ly to the hearts and consciences of men, the remedy which Christ provided for" sin; and that he is to be with the Church ahvavs, even tc the end of the world. What comfort in the thought, that one of the persons of the Godhead charges himself specially with the care of the Church on earth, with its preservation, extension and growth in grace! What comfort in the thought, that a Being of infinite wisdom, and goodness, and pov\er is ever present in the Church, to enlighten, strengthen, sanc- tify and comfort believers, and to arouse, convince, and convert ungodly siriuers ! Of the mode of the Spirit's existence, or of his specijil residence, we know nothing. He is possessed of the attribute of OniTiipres- ence, atul is said to dwell with believers, aneu by \uQ kiuviour, that le w-oMid jeHu them into all truth, and comfort, as well as sanctify them.. It would be ])resumj)tion to say that the Spir't is occuj>ied ^xcliiJiively with th-i concerns of Christ's Chuu-b on earth. Tllfi PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT. 39 I It 18 possible however, that this may be the only rebellious world, in all God's univerge» and that it may not only re- quire, but obtain, the greatest share of his attention. " Nor will this appear so extravagant, when we remember that the Lord Jesus not only remained for upwards of thirty years on earth, and took human nature into union with his divine nature, but finally expiated our sins, in his own body on the accursed tree. And if God thought it im- portant enough that such condescension should be sub- mitted to, and such a sacrifice made, in order to redeem sinners, it does not appear more wonderful, that the Spirit should continue in the world, chiefly occupied with carry- ing on the work of redemption, in its apphcation to the hearts and consciences of men; and thus fitting for alory the souls whom Christ purchased with his blood. We know that the Holy Spirit is in the world, and thou^rh invisible to the eye of sense, occupied probably with the Church s afbnrs chiefly, so that we may well take comfort and encouragement from this, and rest assured that, if the Holy Spirit thus interests himself in the work of salvation, he IS as willing, as he is able, to listen to the prayer of the humble penitent, and second his feeble efforts, and soften his hard leart, -nd bring him to close with Christ's gra- cious offers, and enlighten, and sanctify, and comfort, and sustain him, till his pilgrimage in this life is ended, and he enters into the joy of his Lord. Christ's reception into heaven, and mission of the COMFORTER, IN FULFILMENT OF HIS PROMISE, A PROOF OF HIS PERSONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS. The right- nisness of which our Saviour here speaks, and concerning which, ho says that the Spirit would con- vince the world, refers particularly, in the first instance, to his personal righteousness. The world accused him of blasphemy, of imposture, and sedition, and for these alleged crimes, he was condomned and executed. But when he aroso from tha d'^nrl un/1 th.-i cpi.K,.,^ f,.^i. ij neither be concealed nor refuted ; and especially when ho ascended gloriously into heaven, in the presence of his apostles, and thus returned to his Father, these things pro- 40 THK PR0MI8E OF fllE SPIRn". m: claimed Lis innocence to tlie world, and convicted of fearful sin, the* fnen wlio had been guilty of his murder. And the circumfitMnce of his continuing: with the Father, so that he was \\o more seen airiono; men, afforded evidence thfit he received a Cordial tvelcoine there'. Thus thelesui-- feCtion and asceuhioti of Jesus, iiiight be fcg'aided as heaven's testinionj^ to his rigliteousness. And this testi- mony ought to have bee ft regarded jJS sufficient, even by the tvorld; since it was known by his opponents that he had d'eclared, while living, that he would rise from the dead, on tlie third day after his death, w^hich led to their taking every precaution" to prevent the removal of liis iody from the' sepulchre. And hi^ resurrection, notwith- standing, amid circumstances of resistless power, and the most sublime and terrific grandeur, as testified by the Roman soldiers, was the fulfilment of his^ own prediction ; and* thu^ proved' the truthfulness of his character, and showed, at the same time, God's approbation of his right- eous conduct. Jesus himself evidently attaches importance to thei'r seeing him no more, as evidence of God's welcome l^eption of him. The force of this argument would not be felt, however; till the Spirit waspotfred out upon them, in fulfilment of the Saviour's promise. But when he was poured out in rich and glorious effusion, according to ther Saviour's promise, in his extraordinary gifts, as well as ordin- ary influences; this afforded a tangible and practical evi- dence even to the world, regarding the righteousness of hiin, whose apostles liad thus been endowed with miraculous powers They knew tlia4,it was believed, on sufficient testi- mony, that he had risen from the dead, and ascended into heaven, from whence he said that he would send down the^e mighty gifts, whose extraordinary effects they had wit- nessed, with their own eyes. And the exercise by the apostles, of these gifts, such as the world had never wit- nessed before, affo'rded indubitable evidence to every re- flecting and honest man, regarding the righteousness of him, who had been so unjustly, and unmercifully, and •wickedly put to death. And to the more enlightened of the disciples especially, the fiict of his continuing with the Father^ and returning to them no more^ must have afford- THE I'llOJIiSE OF TILE SPIRIT. 41 ed satisfactory evi(]encf\ not only reflfaHinnr bis personal r^hteousness, and acceptance with the Father, bnt regard- ing the comj)leteness, and suiiiciency of the woik wliich he had accomplishel on wirth. Such mnst have been the conclusions prodifced on the minds of all honest mon, in Jerusalem, by the visible effects of the mighty operation* of the Spirit; but mio-htier stiil must have been the effects prodviced by tb<3 inward operations of the Spirit, on the hearts of mnhitudes. When the troths respecting the life, and deatli* and resurrection, and ascension of the Lord Jesus, were communicated to the peojile, by tha preaching of the apostles, and when the grand object, ac- complished by bis de;itb, was explained, — even the satis- faction of God's justice, and the vindication of his InW; when they were made to see that when Christ swil'ered, it v/as as the substitute of (dinners, and that all thisto-ok place, according to the predetermined jnirpose of God, as fully declared in the pro])hetic Scrintures, when all this was* explained by the ajiostles to the people, the Spfrit of God carried bonie the truth with power to their' hearts, and shed a new light on Scripture, a&d niade thsm feel that Jesus, the crucified One, was indeed the Messiah jn-bmisecl by the prophets, and whose death was an all-sufficieiit atonement for sin. " The vindication of Jestis from the charges brought aafainst him,'^ saj's one, "he chielly re* ferred to the Holy Spirit, the advocate, who, by his influ- ences on the minds of the people, and by his eloquence and energy, in the ministry of the apostles, convinced both the Jews and the Gentiles, that the sentence of th& Jewish rulers was unjust, and infamous; and that the very person whom they had crucified, was both Lord and Christ; — Lord, the great governor of the universe, and Christ, the Lord's annointed, the promised Messiah. It was a matter of the utmost consequence to the Christian eause, to have the innocence and holiness of its founder demonstrated, and the crime of the .Te^' s, in putting him to death, made manifest to the world. This also has beer* lit^erally fulfilled : the universe, that has heard of him, be- lieves the righteousness ai *'5 r -ISi mnocence 46 THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT, I Jews, bis persecutors, fire confoumled, and execrate*! througliout the habitable globe."* THE spirit's agency IN CONVINCING MEN, REGARDING TH« SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST's IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESB. We have seen that the word righteousness employed IT. our text, includes the perso?ial righteousness of Christ; but this does not by any means exhaust its meaning. — Christ must be righteous liimself, betbre he could provide a righteousness for others. And being perfectly separate from sinners, and in himself knowing no sin, he provided a righteousness for us, in viitue of which alone we can be justified, in the sight of a holy God. This righteousness just arose from Christ/s suffeHng unto death, as the s'ubstitute of smners, and yielding a perfect obedience to God's law in all things, as man's re- presentative m tlie- coveiiMB't of grace. And this right- ' eousness, thus provided by Goa«r before the Judp^meiit seat: in that rio-hteousnesa must he stand for ever in the presence of a righteous God, "I will greatly rejoice," says Isaiak, "in the Lord: my ♦Dr. A. Clark, *HE PROMISE OF THE gPlUlf. iff soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, Le hath covered me witt the robe of lighteousness/'* This righteousness, thus provided by God for the siB- ner, was not unknown to believers in ancient tiroes. li was typified in every sacrifice that was presented, and wit- nessed by the holy prophets, as by David, when he says, " Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness;^' — not certainly the personal righteousnesa of God ; for that, in the circumstances in which he wa» placed, David would have shrunk from contemplating, but that righteousness, which God provided for the salvation of the sinner, through the blood of the gr«at Redeemer, who was to be offered up in sacrifice, in the fulness of time. It was comparatively dim views of this glorious sub- ject, which the old testament saints posdessed; but Jesus tells theapostles here, that when the Holy Spirit was coiije, " be would disclose to those whom he influences, that righteousness of God, which is revealed to faith as the ground of a sinner's justification, even the obedience unt<5 death of the divine Redeemer, as our surety. He convinces them concerning the suitableness, and sufficiency of this righteousness for the end proposed ; He makes them sensi- ble that, in this way, God is righteous in justifying sinners as well as glorious in inercy, and in all other perfections. He discoveis to thejn how the law is thus magnified, and how real faith, in the righteousness of Christ, is insepar- ably accompanied with hatred of sin, with humility, love of God, and the beginiiing: o^' all holy dis}>o8itions. He convinces them, that Christ's ascension to the right hand of the Fatlier fully proves his ransom accepted, and the righteousness finished, through which believers are justified; and therefore there is no need for him to appear acrain oQ. earth, till lie shall come to judge the world.'"f ♦ Haldaiie on Romans iii. 21. t f^t'ott'»i Commentary. 44 THE PROMISE OF THE •PTRIT. THE TWO-FOLD MODE, IN WHICH THE MAY BE REGARDED. spirit's work Such then 18 the two-fold righteousness, in regard to ^tich, Jesus says that the Spirit would convince the world, ^irsf. The personal righteousness of Christ.-that he was a holy and innocent person, and then the righteousness whicb he provided for believers, by his perfect obedience to the requirements, and penalties of the law, or in other words, by yielding a perfect obedience to all the requirements of the law, and suiferingits extreme penalty, as the substitute of sinners. There is a two-fold mode also, m which the Spirits working may be regarded; First. As indirecllv, througn the miracles and teaching of the apostles, in whom the bpirit dwelt, and through whose agency he wrought, and then as directly, through his own immediate, personal working, stimulating (he natural faculties, enlightening the mind, removing prejudices, suggesting new truths tithe understending, and carrying home truths presented by othei-8, whether in books, or by the living voice, with rl sistlesspower to the heart. ^ . THE TWO-FOLD EFFECT PRODUCED BY THE SPIRIx'a TKACHING. ^ Again there is a two-foM effect produced by the fepirit s teaching.— " There is a convincing unto salvation, and a conviction unto condemnation."* Fii-st. Those who believe, and receive the Holy Spirit's gracious teaching, he convinces of sm, of their need of a Saviour, and of the all suthciency of Jesus as a Saviour, so that they are led to. embrace him thankfully, and cordially, as all their salvation, and all their hope. Secondly. Those who are impenitent and rebellious, and receive not the truth, he convicts, anrl shows to be inexcusable, by the evidence which he afforda ot the righteousness of Jesus, and his own power, and pre- sence m the Church. ^ AATa havn Qoat-i fl.o*- 4 V..-. ..i—'Li n -1.1 ... ., . ~ : """ '""'' -"^ sigiiLtJuusness, oi wnicii it la said in the text, that the Spirit would convince the world, though It refers, m the first instance, to the personal right- •Alford. THK PHOMISE OF THE SPIRIT. 4S SPIRITa feousness of Christ, embn 3os also the righteousness which Goil,ihrough Christ,provideil for the world, hence termed by P.'iul the righteousuesR of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and u])on all them that believe. Looking at the matter in this light, some Imve termed this right- eousness, somewhat improperly perhaps, the world's right- eousness, and in reference to it, a great living writer asks — ♦' What is the world's righteousness ?" " Not their own,'* lie replies, " but that of the accepted man Christ Jesus, standing at the right hand of God, — (seen by us no more, but by that very withdrawal testified to be the Son of God, THE RIGHTEOUS one), manifested in the hearts of men by the Spirit to be their only righteousness: — and thereby that righteousness, which they had of their own before, is demonsti-ated to be worthless, and as filthy rags. — It is the going to the Father, by which this righteowt- iiess is assui^ed to us, and by the effect of which, — the spirit — the conviction respecting it is wrought in our liearta. The condemnatory side of this part of the convic- tion is, — that lemorse, wherewith they whose day of grace is past, shall look on the perfect righteousness which might have been theirs, atid on the miserable sul titute, with which they contented themselves."* EXHORTATION TO SEBIOUS ENQUIRY AS TO WHETHER WB HAVE RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST. I have thus endeavoured to explain the natu'-e of the Spirit's mission, in convincing men of sin, and righteous- ness: and it ought to be made a solemn, and searching enquiry with every one of us, — have I been the subject of the Spirit's operation ? Tliis is a question as importaiat, as it is solemn, for remember that, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. In our natural state, the mind is dark, and perplexed, and it is but dim, and distorted views which we have, in regard to every thingf divine aud spiritual. " The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to ihim, neither can he know them, because they are spirit- iially discerned." Are there any here, whom the Spirit ♦Alford. 46 THE PfiOMISE OF TIIK r,inUT. has convinml of sin, hut who have not vet h'^en hroimhi to i^e, and joy in b.llevinj.? Jt may he a dark night wjth you at present, hut have palience, and (he day star will at length arise upon your hearts. Do not, I beseech you, seek to kindle sparks of your own, and hlow them into a flame, that you may walk in their false and seductive glare. And above all, do not seek to escape from vour e, vvho may never have experienced the strivings of the »pint m ther/ souls, and who may hitherto have been *Th!s -^as preached on a communion Sabbath. THE PROMISB OF THE SPIRIT. 47 living exclusively for a present world. Would you be awakened, my fncnds, to a sense of your true condition, as spiritual aud immortal beings, — as beings who can not avoid the awful eternity which is before you, even if you should desire to hide yourselves from it, in the gloomy depths of atmihilation? — Pray that God would pour out his Holy Spirit upon you, to lead you into all truth concerning yourselves, as spiritual, and immortal beings. Without his teaching, you must ever remain in igno- rance, regarding all that it is most injportant for spiritual and immortal beings to know. None teacheth like hira. And we have the promise that, if we ask his gracious in- fluences to enlig'hten, to convince, aud convert us, in true sincerity of sotfl, and with the earnest desire to obtain them, they will not be withheld. 8eekthen those gracious influences, with all your heart, and God will cause light to arise in your darkness, and lead you into all truth, and grant you the peace that passeth understanding here, and fulness of joy in his own presence hereafter. SERMON Y. THE SPIRIT'S WORK IN CONYINOING THE WORLD, CONCERNING JUDGMENT. *(>f judgment because tUe prince of this world i» judged." — When Jesus was about to leave his disciples, and con- tin.u» absent fron] them in heaven, till the history of the present dispensation i» wound up, and he comes Tigain the second time, without tl>e necessity of a sin-offeving, to. perfect tiie salvation of his people, it was desirable thai he >»houkl say sometbinor t(>c«)mlbrt them. And (hat he did mo.^t etteetivaily, by tellfiig them of the provision which he bad niadle, for the welfare of his Chuich, during hi» absence, and for canying on the work of redemption, in its application to the hearts and consciences of men. And this he did, by telling them that the Holy Ghost, whom ho terms the comforter, from the abundant consolation which he administers to believers,, would co^me, and con- vict the world, coal righteousness of Jesus, who had been njost un- justly and wickedly rejected, and condenmed by the Jews,, but also regardirjg that righteousness which he provided for believei-8, through which alone sinners can be ac<|uittf^-d,. and accepted, in the sight of a Holy God. And now, he tells them in our text, that, when tue Spirit was come, he^ would convince the world, concerning judgment, — that is,, that the Almighty^ as a righteous" Governor, exerciser justice on earth, and that there is a great day of judgment - '"-'o' " "■■^" '"» tjj^ a\A;uuiH/S nuiuii art; UucsoiLicu lu luis world, shall be finally rectified ; and when, he will rendeir to every man, according to his works. THE TTIOMTSE f)F THE SPIRIT. 40 exerciser THE PRKSKNCE OF THE SPIRIT, IN FVLFILMENT OF CHRISt'« PROMISE, AND TO TH5 OVEHTHKOW OF SATAn's FOWBH, A PALPABLE EVIDENCE THAT GOD NOW KUL££I THE WORLD, AND WILL ULTIMATELY JUDGE IT. The very fact of the Si)irit'8 coHiing, and ir.vcdting the apostles, witli new powers, would l)e to themselves a faither confirmation rf the truth of all that Jesus had mu\ to thoin; and, by his powt'Hul o|)eration on their minds, he would impress this still more dt'e])ly iij»on their hearts. But he would not only convince the apostles, but convict the world; — lluit w, by undeniable evidence, he would prove, atjaiitst their former unbelief, the divine m;ije.sty, the riirhteous character, and supreme soveieignty of the Lord Christ. When Jesua f^ays here, that th« Spirit would convict the world, concerning judgment, he just means, that he would ^iltoi-d such evidence,"regarding (roll's prese?it exercise of justico, and future judgment of the world, as would convince all fair and reasonable en- -quirers, and leave all others witliout excuse. But how, it may be asked, would the Spirit bring home this conviction to the understanding ? Jesus tells us, — because the prince of this world is J4idgecjoso, tliat he might die, and through death accomt^lisli this glorious victory. He submitted to death, hit it was that he might grapple with and ultimately destmy it. He enter- ed the gloomy abode of the tomb, but it was that he taight 6reak its strong bat's, and divest it henceforward of its gloomiest terroi-s to believers. The power of death could not hold the Prince of life. He came forth victorious over It, and prepared the way for the complete fulfilment of his own piediction, « I will ransom them from the power of the grave; 1 will redeem tliem frc;n death. O death, I Will be thy plag-ues^ O grave, I will be thy destruction." When Christ rose from the grave, the grand crisis of the world's history was past The most indubitable evi- dence was thus afforded, that he had conquered, in his own dominions, him who \m\ the power of death. And when he ascended up gloriously into heaven, and pi-ocuied th« gift of the Holy Spirit for men, and, in fulfilment of his own promise, poured him down upon his disciples, the most palpable evidence was afforded, that God had accept- ed his death, as a ransom for sinners, and that he was satisfied with the atonement which had been made for «in. And thus it was, that by death, Christ deprived death of its sting. And then, too, it was that Satan was judged, and conquered, and cast out Even before Christ's death, he limited the power of Satan, and obtained many n victory over him. In every demon whom he ejected, he obtained an advantjige over Satan. And when the seventy disciples returned to him with joy, saving, "Lord even the devils are subject to us, through thy name," he said unto them, '' I beheld Satan, as lightning fall from heaven." Thus Cim'st, during his life time, not only re- sisted all Satan's temptations, but weakened his influence, and frequently defeated him. And after the Holy Spirit was pouied out, his power was vastly diminished, and the way prepared for its final extirpation irom the world. By enlightening men's minds in the knowledge of God, and of the claims, which he has on their service^ their gratitude, and affection, and thnn dis/^ov^iinn- 1<% fh^niaaii^-jo Vi.^;.. «..,« • true character, as guilty and liell-deserving sinners, the S])irit awakens men to a s:ense of their lost condition; and 02 THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIt. then, when he discovers to them the preciousness and aH- BufRciency of Christ, and the freeness of the gospel offer of salvation, throuiofh him, they are led thankfully to em- brace him. And thus having their understand inp^s enlightened, they are enabled to see through the crafty devices of Satan, and are delivered from his dominion. It is said that Christ spoiled principalities and powers, and made a showof them openly, triumphing over them, on his cross; from which it would appear that, when Christ made satisfaction to divine justice, on the cross, Satan was vanquished, hh power at once restrained, and vastly diminished, and the way prepared for its ultimate extinction. Thus, if Satan bruised Christ's heel upon the cross, his own head was crushed in the struggle. Thus, it would appear that, after the redemption of sinners was purchased by Christ's death upon the cross, the power of God w^ directly put forth to restrain and ultimately de- stroy the power of Satan. And when the Holy Spirit was poured out, he convinced men of this, not only by enlightening their minfls, to discover the meaning of scripture, in r ference to this subject, but by emancipating multitudes from the dominion of Satan, illuminating their understandings, purifying their lives, and making them in Christ Jesus, wholly new creatures. Within a short period after the introduction of Christianity, the reign of igitor- ance, and superstition, and idolatry, and cruelty, and moral aliomination was shaken to its basis; and the present vaslly improved moral and spiritual condition of the world prove^i that Satan has been hurled from liis throne of usurped dominion over the world; and that he exerJses uncontrolled sway over it, only in those dark regions, where the glorious truths of the gospel ai'e unknown. — Thus in the emancipation of multitudes from the dominion of Satan, at the commencement of the ofospel dispensation, palpable evidence was afforded that Satan was judged, and cast out. And this circumstance afforded an awful demon- stration of the fact, not only that God exercises righteous judgment among men now, but that there is a great day of Judgment appointed, when the secrels of all heaits shall be revealed, when every dark deed of iniquity shall tiiE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIt. S^ ess and aH- ;ospel offer illy to eiTi- erstandinpfs the crafty million, nd powera, over them, that, when the cross, ^ained, afld Is ultimate el upon the 3fle. Thus, linners was e power of imately de- loly Spirit lot only by neaniflor of lancipatiwg Bating their ng them in short period n of igrtor- ', and moral esent vasllv the world s throne of ae exer'.ises rk regions, jnknown. — le domin-ion lispensation, judged, and A'ful demon- es righteous a great day f all hearts iquity shall te made manifest, and an award given to men for «twnitr accordmg to the deeds done in time. ^ THE HOLY SPIRIT, BY HIS DIRECT OPERATION UPON THE MIND, CONVINCES MEN BOTH OF GOd's PRESENT GOVERN- MENT OF THE WORLD, AND OF THE FUTURE JUDGMENT. When the Spirit of God arouses men's consciences, and set« their sins, m gloomy array before them, he not onlv convinces them of the certainty of the day of judgment, but fills them with awful terrors, in regard to it Then he makes them fe«I that, however solemn a thing it is to tbinkot death, it is more solemn still to think, that after death Cometh the judgment; As surely then as Satait Las been judged, shall every one of us be judged also. And this awful truth the Holy Spirit brings homo, with trc mecdous power, to the consciences of awakened sinners ^ You cannot doubt. Brethren, that you must die. Thii 18 a truth which painful experience brings home often, with resistless power, to every one of us. And yet in or- dinary circumstances, how little are the generality of men affected by the certainty of death. Truly it would seem, as if men thought all men mortal but themselves, and lived, as if they were to live for ever. And this indiffer- ence ^about death, which they cannot doubt, may show us, that their indifierence about the future judgment proceeds not 80 much from positive unbelief, as from indifference a strange^and mysterious apathy, from which the Spirit of God only can effectually arouse us. But as he works by means, and employs human instrumentality, in arousing sinners from^ their carelessness, and indifference, let me seek by setting the simple truth before y6u, to endeavour to a arm you into something like activity, about yont spiritual condition. ^ Here then is a truth, which we cannot ignore, however ^uch we may seek to evade it, and suppress its voice now Here is a truth which we must face, which will force itself upon us, on a dy.ng bed, even if we should succeed in alto- ;••& "•;• ^^^--^^ uy tuc pjunsures, or tiio business of this worKl in the day of health. Here is a solemn truth, --one of the most important of all truths,— we must all C $i THI PKOMISB OF THE SPIRIT, III appear before the judgment seat of Christ, on the grea^ day of the settlement of accounts, between us and God, when we must all receive a portion for eternity, according to the deeds done in time. Now, Brethren, are von ])re- pared for this solemn day? or ai-e you preparing for U? — Your own conscience will convict you of ininimerable trans- gressions. Even if your life has been, upon the whole, moral, an-d exemplary, so far as your fellow- men are con- cerned, how many of you have lived, at one period of your life, and how many of you are li vino;, now, in in- difference about God, in the nejrlect of the special duties which you owe to him,, and dnsiitute of that love, 'ind gratitude towards him,, to which he is the hanfl- of all his .i):';ligiM>( (•?•(••?• n>/ we have lived ciii H\ tor ourHOi . , and have been unuiindful (-;f t "he Gi.i \ jjo n^i !. ,s, hii'1 t( whom we are indebted for evc'v tiiiii'>'; and uho. conr-a- quently, has the fii-sL claini on the love, and admiration, and gratitude, and service of his ereatm-es. This crime of imgodiiness, or indifference about God, which is the ^-reat prevailing sin of this world, howevei' lightly it may be regarded by men, is the most heinous, aud damning of aU sins* I know there is not one in this assembly who is free from sinw Our own consciences condemn every one of us. And I know too,just as certainly, that we must all appear before the judgment seat ot Christ. Brethren ! what utter madness in any man to neglect making preparation for that awful day,. since death may come at any time, and deprive us of all opportunity for ever ! And 0, if death take any of you by surpi-ise, and find you unprepared, what is to become of you ! In that case, these ears, which are now listening to a friendly warning, and perhaps somewhat impatiently, rmist then listen to the fearful sentence, — ** Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Let me beseech you then, this moment to stir up your souls to solemn thought; — to seek to Jay hold of^|,anc6 realize this great truth, that we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ. 1 know that,, if you ai'e led to consider your ways, aud examine THE PR0MIS3 OF THE SPIRIT. 54 But I am autloiued to p ollm „tr'*''',"«' -««■»' you. of sinners. God willetrno hi* / P"*^"" '° ">« <=hief in his sins, but rathe That ll 1 T/'""*"''''"'*' P«"'»l» lowly penitential Cow th,o, in';'''- r""'""'" ''■■" i" Christ tells us that he c;mJ"o^n ''.""' be saved.- sinners to repentance, andThat 1. ' •" ^^^ ."^htoo"^, but one sinner tLt rep ntefh '"^ l*''';,'!.^ '" ''^^«" «^«' nine just persons tfiat need ZZrlt" over nmety and seech you, then, to repent and J^'f/"'- ^^ >"« be- Chri^t died to make ?n Pto,!! !f ''^ "^^ &°»P«' "w— and his blood cTeanse^h fZ7"lt "- ebiefof ,;„„,„. us in his word that if we confess 1. 4"'' God bas told and ust to forgive us our sins and * /"'' ^^ '^ '^''"'^''1 unrighteousne.I-God fs .eDlpnL k'H"'^ ™ ^'•«» «" as ieseeckmg sinned to ■eLnf'""', ^^ ""« »?»«"« Paul. tbey may be Tved • and t! ' *'"' ':""'"' '° him, that stea^d, to I reconc e'd to God TlVT''' '" ^^"'''- ones, to pause and conskler t» I I ^T ^' '='"*'«^ for refuge to Christ «o«, tl,?t V , ^*''' >'«» 'o flee rigbteo.1 indignS/St^te, t".:mv^'°™,/- ""^'^ not overwhelm you. Yon m»t 1 ^? ^ r*"''"^^ "' "'"y the neglect of God ; but it s Z oo I ^? ""'"« '°"« '" It is yet an accepted tin e • it is v!?, ' '" T'"™ '° '■''•"• The Spirit, and the R ;^, ^ ''"y "'^ salvation.— Wth'say! come a^KU fhS'thTi:' at !r'f ''" *''^' whosoever will, let him take t^e water of nr/^T"' ""'* if I be imrd up f Sm r -earth ".r,'™' -M,-" An^d f. -he well kne^ the^aWr:^^ '.o^'i"''^;.?" "- 'o «V we contemplation of his suffering" „;"^ "'. T ^™«s;— that and through which alone God?- r *'''"'''" *"" '■'"'«™. that it be l"^p'^'''''"S.-" My Spirit shall no[ al»ay, slZ After the great declension of religion, which seems to' have suceeeded the death of that patriarch, when men had t::lrTfr^L''^^' '"\ l<3olatry,'and"tTiam, of him .^f «f Abiahmn, ,n order to preserve a knowledge tdat the h,„Mt ceased altogether to Btrive with the idol- n in.r :Ti:i,-fl .f'-^^ r^^Siven over to a reprobat inin.l and left to follow the devices of their own evil mag,nat,ons. The Spirit however still conUnued to il struct d, reel, and remonstrate with that church, wbch Uhf l''"Th.r''. "' ''^^.t^'l'''"' of ">« f"«'e' of t , i he wa, ffl , '^ ""^' ^'J I^^'^h.-"!" all their afflic- h.m. In his love and ni his pity, he redeemed them : and ha bare them, and carried them all the days «f old C aidt rf ""''• ''''''i '"■' "^"'^ «''''■''•" And again U IS said 1, J Hagga,,-" According to the word that I cov- enan ed with .you, when ye came out of Egypt, so mV Spirit remaineth among you; fearye not." But thoueh S •s evident that the Spirit was not altotuie it will be obvious, that the inriuences, or gifts of the Spirit, may be reduced to two classes, the exfranrdinanj, and the ordinary. By the extraordinary inliuonces of the Spirit are meant those gifts, in virtue of which prophets were inspired to predict future events, and enabled to perform miracles; and by which apostles and evangelists were guided into all the truth, and had all things called to their remembrance ; b/ which they were enabled to speak languages which they had never learned, to cure blindness, and inflict it; to restore the lame, to heal the diseased, and to raise the dead. These gifts, however, were bestowed for a particU' lar purpose, and were not intended to be permanent in the Church; for when that purpose, for which they were intended, was accomplished, they were removed. But, however splendid these gifts may appear, and however important they may have been for the peculiar exigencies of the Chui-ch, at the time, in which they appeared, in ])oint of real advantage to those who wei-e possessed of them, they were probably inferior far to those ordinary influences of the Spirit, of which all genuine believei-s are partakers. This may be inferred from our Saviour's •i^ords to the seventy disciples, when they returned to liim THE PROMISE OF THE SriKlT. 61 ^vit]l joy, saying — " Lord, even the devils are subject unto lis, through thy name. Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not," said he, '* that the devils are subject unto you; hut rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." It may jdso be inferied, from the fact, that wicked men liave l»een ])artakera of these extraordinary gifts, which tliey exercised for the benefit of others, though they themselves seem to have derived no permanent advantage from them. This was eminently the case with Balaam, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, and probably also with Judas. Our Saviour seems to have intended to show the superiority of the sanctifying graces of the Spirit, and the utter inadequacy of his extraordinary gifts, of themselves, to secure the conversion and sanctification of the soul, when he says — '• Many will say to me, in that day. Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I piofess unto them, I never knew you ; depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Now here you will observe that our Lord does not deny that they might have wrought mira- cles, in his name, but because they were unconverted, and unsanctified, he professes that he never knew them, or recognized them, as his; and, therefore, commands them, to depart from his presence. By the ordinary gifts of the Spirit, I mean those, in virtue of which men are awakened to a true sense of their condition, as spiritual and immortal beings, convinced of sin, enlightened in the knowledge of Christ, coiiiforted and sanctified. It is by the communication of these gift* that Christ is to be in the Church always, even to the end of the world. These are the very chiefest of the g'fts^ which he received for men, after he had ascended up on- high, and led captivity captive. It appears to me that, by the promise in this passage, are meant, not the extra- ordinary gifts of the Spirit, which are peculiar to a few^ l.'ut his ordinary gifts, wdiich are common to all believers. It is probably called the i)romi8e in this passage, by way of eminence, — the great promise of the Christian dispen- sation, — that which was spoken of, in such glowing; l^,.iiiiii i ii iiii > iii»i*iiiMtiwwafc. 62 THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT. hngxmge hy Joe] and pointed to by Christ, a» the pronnse of h,s FHtho,.,-that wliich. when realized, would not only compensate for the bodily absence of Christ, and fh^^h' ^ "'^ to the disciples, but be more profitable to them than even his bodily presence could be. "It is ^pedient for you," said he to them, -that I go away; vL IS-f^'Tr^^' the Comforter will not come unto }ou but If I depart, I will send him unto you." In order to appreciate the full imoortance of this promise. It 18 necessary to bear in mind, that, by nature, nian 's dead m trespasses and sins, as incapable of bein^ duly afiected by spiritual things, as the dead corpse is, by spiritual hi^ and holiness, as the dead corpse is of resum- ing the animation which has become extinct. The Spirit of God must breathe upon, the dry bones,'before they can hve. It IS only through his influence, that the eyes can be unsealed, so as to see clearly the reality of spiritual things It 18 only through his operation upon the heart, that It can be made to feel their importance. It is only through his influences that men are awakened to a sense aldtjud^St.'"^ "°^^""' ^'^^"' of righteousness, LThe great change which is produced on the sinner, in consequence of the saving operation of the Spirit, is repre- «en ed in Scripture, under various similitudes. It is spoken of as a new birth, a passing from death unto life, and anew creation,- figures these which, if they m^n any thing at all, imply that a great, a radical change takes ^Zt r • , '^'''^' ^V^ 'r'^""^^ "'^^^'-^ «^ "i««' and takes place too independently of any co-operation, on the part Wfb«T^'-r whom they are produced. But as to now the Spirit operates m the regeneration of the siuner. that IS a matter, m regard to which Scripture is silent. J ,? w^'TJ '''""' ^ ^°^^'^"^'' ^^^' *b« knowledge of this IhTm'^.^ '^'' ''.^'" he compares the Spirits opera^ ^ons to the wind whose effects we see, and may feel, but .. -,,...-„«,,„ vvuiKings, ana retreats we cannot trace. r We cannot then understand, and it is needless to guess at the mode, m which the Spirit finds accws to th« mind. THE rkOMtSE OF THE SPIIUT. m mid operates upon it; it in <|iiite evi.I«„t, however, from the whole lanrruago of Scripture on the subject, that he does find access to the mind, and operates uf.on it directlr not in opposition to its facuhics, but tlirouoli means of them;— that he first restores, enhiroes, and improves its faculties, and afterwards iruidcs tlio^e, wlio walk after liis counsels, and in whom he is said to duvjl as in a temple; —that he not only oj)erates upon the mind in regenera- tion, but afterwards continues to pour out more copious and more precious influences, in proportion as they are valued, and ferventiv desired, and souo-ht in praver "If }e, throuub the Spirit," says Paul, "do mortifv the deeds ot the l.udy, ye sf.all live; for as nianv as are" led by the Sj.iiii of iioil, thev aie the sons of God." Ao-ain the Spmi IS said to -help our infirmities," and iiin', we are said to be " strenothen.-d will. miir|,t bv his Spirit, in the inner man;" and once more, bv hiin we are said to be -.eaJcul to the day of redemption;"— that is, to have t he mark of pnnty, and sanctity set upon us, intimatino^ that we are devoted to Christ. Ao-ain, believers are said to be "washed, and sanctified, and justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and bv the Spirit of our God " Fmally, that the gift of the Spirit is his divine ener.^v operating upon the mind from without, is still farthe'r evident from the warnings addressed to lis, iu Scripture such as, "grieve not the Holy Spirit of God wherebv ye are sealed to tue day of redemption,"— "quench" not tlie bpint; and from incidental observations in Scripture with regard to this subject. Thus we find Stephen, in the Acts, addressing the Jews, in these words— " Ye stifif- necked, and iincircumcised in heart, and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost, as your fathers did, so do ye." * Thus, it is clear that the Spirit is the great ao-ent in the work of regeneration,— that it is lie who, afterlie has- awakened us to a sense of our spiritual |ac0 during the ancient dispensation, though there were occa- sional seasons of revival among them. Such blessed Ijmesarethe characteristic, and glory of the Christian dispensation. And the blessed seasons of refreshino- and revival, which have taken place of late years, on'' this continent, m Great Britain, and Ireland, and in various parts of the continent of Europe, give evidence visible, and unn.istakcable, that the Spirit is in the Church stilJ and that the times have not passed for ever, when he will be pouied out upon all flesh. And well were it for us, in connexion with this promise, to seize upon the concluding part of it,~" And it shall come to pass that whosoever f^hall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,"— and f)lead it, and give the Lord no rest, till he pour' out his Spirit upon us, even as floods upon the dry ground' and save sinners in multitudes. ^ THK EXTENT OF THE PROMISB. The promise of the Spirit was not limited to the men of the apostles' day, or to the people of the stock of Israel, but the promise was unto them, and to their children, and to all that are afar off. even as manv ay thp. Lord ou? God shall call. Here the.i the promise is, in one res'p^t,' universal, and in anoth^'r, limited;— -universal with reflpect to nations and tribes of men, limited with respect to those D H THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT. individuals out of every nation, and l^indred, and tonfrne, whom the Lord shall effectunlly c;ill. It whs clearly pre- dieted by the prophi't Isaiah, that it sliouid come to })ass, Ih-at God would gather all nations, and tongues, and they should come and see his glory; that his glory should be declared among the Gentiles, and ''I will aho take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the Lord."* And this prediction was in part fulfilled, in the time of P.-.ul, when writing to the Ephesians he could say — f " But now in Christ Jesus, ye, who sometimes were far off. are n)afle nigh by the blood of Christ; for he is our peice, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the ndildle wall of partition between us." Thus it is clear that the Gentiles are equally interested with the Jews, in the salvation of Jesus, and in all the gifts and blessings which he died to procure for men, and consequently iri'the gift of the Holy Spirit. But farther, we are taught by the apostle John, that all who believe in Jesus, receive Uie Holy Ghost. " But this, spake he of the Spirit," says the beloved apostle which they who believe in him should receive." And our Saviour himself declares, " If ye then being evil, know how to ffive good gifts unto your children; how much more, ehalj your heavenly Father give the rioly Spirit to them that ask him ?" This harmonizes exactly with the language of the text, — that the promise is to all who are afar off, whom the Lord our God shall call. I have nodoubtthat it is to the plentiful effusions of the Holy (ihost, which were to take place in the latter days, that Isaiah alludes, in such magnificent language, in the 66th chapter, " Who liath heard such a thing?" says he " Wiio hath seen such things? Shall the earth be ma le to bring forth in a day ? or shall a nation be born at once ? for as soon as Zion tra- vailed, she brought forth her children." " Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her;'* for thus eaith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her, like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flow- ing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her *I»aiah Ixvi. 18, 19, 21. fEphes, ii. 13, U, THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT. •r mother -nmfortet},, «o will I comfort vou, and ye shall be But a.oain the promise is limited to those individuals out of .verv km. ret'<,' church, in the face of a hostile world, i\)v the completion of God's revelation of divine trtith to man in the New Testament Scriptures, and the ditrusion of (he glad tilings of salvation, throughout the woiM. He"^ spe;iks in language, with regard to this oieat event, which is not to be mistaken. He speaks of the Spirit's heiig .sent, of his being come; and comu.anded his diseiples "not to de- part from Jerusalem, but to \\v.\i for "the promise of the Father;"— until, through him, they should be enduwe.l wjth power from on high. And when f lie premised pei iod of the Spirit's outpouiing came, it could not be mistaken. It was on the day of Pentecost, whejj the apoatlea wate THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT. n J'lIE le Fatlior bririji: all J you.*'— nt with i of our without ul most IS I ho h>os not before ; church traordi- riuo- of nnd so ition of -Miictify >W(M', so !<. with nhri>t'.' ipletion e New ti']iiio;s 'jiks in ivS not tent, of to (le- '. of the id. -wed pui.'od siaken. all, wub one accord, in one place. Tliey bad spent the previous ten d.'.vs— fioin the ascension of the SHviour— in prayer; and they were pmlmbly now enjraoed in that exercise, when suddenly tJiere came from heaven a > ound, as of a mielity, nishing wind, and it filled all the house where they were sittincr. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, arnl it sat upon each of them, and they were a 1 hlled with the Hoiv Cxhost, and borran to s])eak with other tonu-ues, as the Spirit crave them utter- ance Here then was a thing, in reoard to which they could not be mistaken. Here was the ! apti^m with the Holy Ghost, and fire, which liad r»een promiser^ by the J^aptist actually conferred. Here the cloven tongues, like as of hre, appeared on the brows of each of them, and thev felt conscious of a new and wondrous power stitTin^r the inmost depths of their souls. Thev were miraculously endowed with the power of speaking various languages, and thus fitted at once for carrying on the missionar? work, among all nations. Nor was this the onlv occasion, when the i)ower of the Spirit was perceptibly manifested.— Upon the return of Peter and John to their friends, after a nights imprisonment, and a bold confession of their faith in Jesus, as the only Saviour, before the High Priest and leading men of Jerusalem, -when thev had pravcd, the place was shaken, when they were assernbled to£>-ether; and they were all filed with the Holy Ghost, and they Jpake the word of God with boldness." - THE HOLY SPIRIT THE GREAT TEACHER OF THE CHURCH. *i T? !^'l ^•'''''''^^' ^'^^^'^ "'' ^"'' '^^tention is directed to the Holy Sp.nt, as the great teacher of the church; for though the promise was m.de immedfatelv to the apostlas, yet It was through their divinely ins,)ired preachiuir, and Avntmg., that the church was to be instructed in all necessary religious truth, even till the consummation of all things. Our Sav.our says here, that when the Faiher should send the Holy Ghost in his name, that is, as his representative,— fhnf h'-* ch—.i-i «.w,^u .1 i ,. , . *' ,. ,' '•■■'•"""' iwv;u tut: uposuea an inmgs. Anc in a subsequent passage, he says-" How beit, when iie Ihe S,pint of truth is come, he will guide you into n THE PROMISB OF THE SPIRIT. all truth," or rather, as it is in the original — into all the truth. We are not for a moment to suppose that, in either of these passages, our Saviour promises that the Spirit would communicHte to the apostles, a knowledge of all things in general. As wi'll might v.e suppose that it is a promi.^e, thnt he \\ould conimuiiicate omni- science to theuK It simply me;>ns that he would com- municate all necessary religious knowledge to tht-m, — all that was necessary for their own comfort, and enlighten- ment, in the way of salvation; and all that was necessary to fit them, whether by the living voice, or by their writings, to make wise unto vsalvation the men of their own, and all succeeding geoeiations. It was by the same Spirit, that all the Old Testament prophets were inspired, from Enoch to Malachi; for ''holy men of God spake, as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." How often do Moses, and the other prophets communicate messages directly from God to the Church, with this solemn announcement,- -"Thus saith the Lord!" And David says expressly, — '♦ The Spirit of the Lord «pake by me, and his word was in my tongue." And 60 Paid, with reference, doubtless, not only to the Old Testament, but to that portion of the New also, which was written at the time, says, — " All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctiine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." These woi'ds of Paul may be regarded, in the light of a commentary on our Saviour^s words in the text — " He will teach you all thiui^.^," that is — all things needful to direct you, in the way of salva- tion, and to comfort, and guide you, in your progress through life. And so Paul says, that the Scripture-i are intended to make the man of God perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work ; that is, perfectly instructed in the knowledge of all things needful to salvation, and fur- nished with inducements, and motives, sufficiently powerful to lead him to the peiformance of all good works, becoua- ing him as a disciple of the Lord Jesus, and the expect* ftnt of a glorious iramortality. THE pROMiaa or the spirit. 7$' In the course of the Old Testament dispensation there was much precious truth communicated, on the most important tomes of reli^non; but still, when all the scat- tered ravstiom type, and ceremony, and prophecy, and direct revelation were collected into one focus, believers, iu these days, walked only as it weie, in the li^ht of the full moon It was not till Christ ascended up on hi^h, and sent forth the Spirit into the Church, that the Sun of clivme truth ar >se, and shed a clear, and satisfactory light on all that it is most important for man, as a responsible, and immortal beini., to know. Not only were new truths communcated, tbrouuh tbe preaching and writings of the apostles, but old truths were illustrated, and seeif with a distinctness unknown before. Not only was the field of spiritual vision extended, but it was irradiated by an intenser ight, poured on it direct from the fountaiu-head of all light and truih. The statement in John xvi. 13,— ''When he, the bpirit^of trutb, IS come, he will guide you into all M* ruth, -corresponds exactly with the promise of our text, " He shall teach you all things," &c. And both are meant to show us, that the Spirit operates upon us, through our own mental faculties, and employs them, m the communication of the trutb, so far as they are available. He guides us, in the use of them, into all tbe truth, enlightening, and strengthening, and directing them. And this he doe.s to a certain extent, in the ca^e of all true believers. But in the case of the apostles he did rauch more They were to be employed in communicate mg the truths of the gospel, with divine authority, for the guidance frf the Church, in all time; and therefore they enjoyed his extraordinary influences. By his almighty power, be brought all things to their remembrance, what- soever Jesus had said unto them;— he preserved them etfectually from all error, and guided them by unerring wisdom, as to all they should communicate in the writings of the New Testament; and as to the manner also, in Whir'h thrt iruth qI.^m,!/^! U^ i.. j i .y in committing to writing, and preserving, for the use of th« Church m all future ages, the great truths which '?4 THE PROMISE OF THE fiPIHlT. I Jesus ]iafl commnnicnte<1 fo tbe apof^tlvis, it Avns necoaaaiy only tliat the Sjurit should recill tiiein to their uieniory, preserve tlitiin etieoiu.-illy from mII error in the writiiijr of them, n^nide thcin, as to the nuiriuer, in \viii<'i> ^hey should present the trutli, and direct thoni as to '.vh,.t portions of it they should commnnicate. We know that we have not a complete record of all that Jesus did, and said, for the simple reason, that, if so, the New Testament would have been so bulky as to have interfered with its useful- ness. It was meant for all, — for the common people, a8 well as for those who have leisure for literary pursuits; and therelbre it must, of necessity, contain only an abridj^red ac- count of Christ's sayings, and doings — a selection of all that was most important; — enouoh to comfort, and elevate, and stimulate us, and guide us in the v.ay of salvation, but nothinej to gratify an idki curiosity. This is inspiration. T.IE SPIIllT THE REVEALER OF FUTURE EVENTS. There is another species of inspiration, which implies a divine operation upon the mind, of a higher sort. I mean the revelation of future events. The gift of prophecy our Saviour promised, that the Spirit would confer upon ihe apostles. "He will show you things to come," said he. This gift of prophecy was conferred, in abundant mea- sure, on Peter, John, and Paul ; and in the striking, and unmistakeable fulfilment of t^eir prophecies, we have a most convincing proof of the realiiy of our most holy rel'gion. But the gift of prophecy was not coniined to the apostles. It had been predicted by Joel, that, in the last days, God would pour out of his Spirit upon all flesh, and that their sons, and their daughters should prophecy. And so we find that, in apostolic ti'ues, not only did Agabus deliver remarkable prediction-*, of the fulfil- ment of which we have an account in the New Testament, but the daughters of Philip the Evangelist also did pro- phesy. When the prophets were ins]ured to predict future events, they must liave been entirely passive, in the hands of the Spirit. They could utter only what he communi- cated, and probably employed the very words which he sug- THE PI ;iri9E OF THE SPIRrf. 15 "vminuni- gested. This, indeed, the prophets themselves declared.— Thuft when Ajrahns took Pnil's girdle, and bound bis own hHnrls and to3t with it, he said,— "Thus saith the Holy Gho,>t, 8o shall the Jews, at Jerusalem, hind the man that owiieth this fr\Y(\h, and shall deliver him into th« hands of the Gentiles." So entirely passive do the prophets appear tohave been, lyhen future events were disclosed to them, that some- times they did not understand fully the import of the thinent8 of Goro- municating to the Church, and had to study their own predictions. Thus Peter says—" Of which salvation the prophets have enquired, and seaiched diligently, who prophesied of the things that should come unto you, searrb- mg what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified before- hand the sufferings of Christ, and the clorv that should follow." ^ ^ THE SPIRIT ENLIGHTENED THE MIND, AND EXALTED THE FACULTIES OF THE APOSTLES. AND THIS HE DOES, TO SOME EXTENT, IN THE CASE OF ALL BELIEVERS. But there is another species of inspiration, of whicb the apostles were tht' snhjects, closely allied to the refresh- ing of the memory, and guiding into all the truth, of which we have already spoken, hut still slightly different ft-om it. 1 mean the illumination of the mind, and exalta- tion of the faculties, in virtue of which they were enabled clearly to understand trutijs, which were dark, and incom- prehensible to them before, and to see them, in their relation to other truths, and comprehend fully the glorious scheme of redemption. Thus, after the out-pouring o€ the Holy Spirit, on the day of Pentecost, the apostles fully understood, and appreciated truths, which had appeared mysterious, and revolting to them before, and obtained an insight into the way of salvation, to which they had been strangers before. This is probably what the apostle John means by the '' unjfion of the Iio'«' One," bestowed, to some extent, on all genuine believers, but in a double measure, upon the apostles. '*But ye have an unctioB* '*il 70 TITE PROMIyK OF TIlK SPlUlT. IllgS. i from the Holy One," says ho, " and ye know all th And afvain with reference to the saine subject, ho snys — *' We know that the Son of (tod is conio, and liath given us an understand inir, tliat we may know him that is true; and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ." Except in the matter of predicting future events, iho Spirit revealed to the apostles little iliat was entirely new. He ratlior presented to them Old Testament truths, irra- diated by tlie light of recent events, and enabled them, through the help of the facts which they had themselves "witnessed, more fully to understand the import of our Saviour's teaching. He recalled to their minds our Saviour's instructions, preserved them from all error, in the recording of them, and thus guided them by inspira- tion, into the comprehension of all necessary truth, and guided them inffdiibly, in the communication of it to the Church. But though believers now are not inspired, or infallibly preserved fiorii error, yet they, too, have an unctionVrom the Holy One, in virtue of which they are guided into all truth, necessary for their own comfort, and guidance, in the way of life. All true believera are such by the unction of the Holy One; for "the natural man recei'veth not the things of the Spirit of God, because they are foolishness to him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." As for the apostles, it was necessary that they should enjoy the gifts of the Spirit, in a far higher degree than ordinary believers; for they were made the instruments of nmunicatinn- the will of God to men, in all future ages. comi It was necessary, therefore, that they should enjoy the in- fallible guidance of the Holy Spirit. "So our Saviour promises his apostles, in tlie text, that the Holy Ghost should bring to their minds, by an immediate efficacy, the things that he had spoken, that, by his inspiration, they miglit be enabled to write, and j)reach them for the good and benefit of his Church. So Peter tells us, " holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy ^.TQOsi,; LHHiis, m wninig mo oci i|)niiA;», luc} \tc;1'= up by him, carried beyond themselves, to speak his and w*iat he indited to them. The apostles forgot much words. THK rnoMiai: ok the spirit. 77 of \v]iat Olirist h;iirit mi«rht be gloi'ilied. So ai-e the next words to the promise of our text,—" Peace I leave with you, my peace [ give unto you." The Comforter being sent to bi'ino- what Christ said to remembrance, the consequence of It is peace, and pardon from trouble of heart, whatever comfort, ioy, suoDortment we have. , suppor Owen. any IB THE FR0MT8E OF TIIIC SPIRIT* time received, from any promise, work, or thing done by Christ, it all belongs to thi." dispensation of the Comforter. n van should we apply our nntural abilities to remember^ call to mind, cons! iter, the promises of Christ; without succesft wonld it 1)6, it is so d;iily ; but when the Com'brter doth undertake the work, it is done to the purpose.' * THB INSPIRATION OF THE APOSTLES, PROPERLT 80 CALIr ED, AS DISTINGUISHED FROM THE SPIRITUAL ILLUMINATION OF ORDINARY BELIEVERS. As to that divine inspimtion, in virtue of which God's servants of old were erjabled to write the Scripture!^, I vould remark, that, whilst in regard to what they heard, and saw, the Spirit recalled all thing^^ to their remembrance, and directed them, as to what they should commit to writing, and guided them, as to the manner of doing U^ and presided over the execution of the work, so as effec- tually to preserve them from all error, still, in the doing of it, he seems to have left them to employ their own in- dividual poweis. And thus it i>!, that we find such variety of manner and expression, in the books of Scripture. — Each writer preserves his own individujdity, atid seems to have been left, within certam limits, to employ his own j)€culiai gifts and j)owers. Whf*n a skilful musician plays upon different instro- ments, ttiey ail give foith (liferent sounds, the tones pe- euliarto each of them ; but they all emit llie notes which the m Uhician intends they should. If he ]>lay the same tune on eiich,tl)e notes will be precisely the same,a8 given forth by all; but there will be a beaali'ul variety in the sounds. It is just so with the Holy Spirit, and the different writers of the books of Scripture. It is the same Spirit that ]>reathes into each of them, and they all give forth the very Biatements, and sentiments, and promi.^es, and instructions which he intends they should; they all express the mind of the Spirit, but each in his own peculiar manner, they are aoch instiuinenlH, in the hand of the same Spirit, and ea«h gives forth the very truth which hv inspires into THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT. 7a tliem, biiMvitli the ppciilinr sound, and manner, expressiv« of the di-iiMc-t indivi .uaiity of eaclj. TJiat divine in-piivirjon, in virtue of wliicli God's ser- vants of old wei'c etinMed to cofnpose the Scriptures, was not bestowed upon ordinary believers, in apo.stohc times; nor IS it coiirerivd ui)()m the most di.stino'uished believers now, j;i.st because there is no Jono-er any necessity for it; for God never enters special g-ifts, when tlieyare not needed. But, as a divine ilhiminntion was needed by the apostles, before they cr,u Id understnnd or ai-preoiate^onr Saviour's sayings, so a divijie ij'uniiiiation is needed still before we CH!i uiide-stiud, or ;ipj,reri,Hte tlie uiiiinirs of the apostles, lo fh- ./*('Mt ui.-iss (,f men, iu.. Bible is, toa Jarjxe extent.a sealed b^^ok. The undorsfindiiinr must be enlightened by theSpiiii of God, before it c.n be comprehended and received; for it is spiriually discerned. Now here, ob- serve the rospectne functions of the Spirit and the word. Ihe Spn-it nuist piv|.are ihe mind, and henrt, to oompra- henn, ard receive the word, ;ind then farther enh\rhteiwi the undei-^tMnding tlnouoh the word. But ttrther to tlie_ natural man tlie '^Bible is not only dark and mv.vterious in m;iiiy respects, it is uninviting and repulsive. Man must be made to see the tremendous^evil of sin; and the consequences of wl^it may appear to the natural man but_ a small sin, ramifying throughout eternity and iike thecircle occ isioned by a stone thrown into the smooth sea. ever mcrea-ing h. diMmeter, till its influence is said to be feh on tha ivn-.otest shorr,— he must be sen^ibleof this bef)ro he can understand, and a])prove of God's awful se- verity in (bvding with if:— The carnal mind is enmity ngainsl God, and there is a positive contempt felt bv mul- titudesfor every thing con:iected with religion. It is clear, therefore, xnni not only must light be let into the under- standino-; but the enmity of tlie heart must be subdued be'bre divine truth c in Ix^ uu.i.-rstood. and appreciatrtd.-J The expositions and reasonings of ministers and otherintel- igent Chrisli.ins, may do something towards the accom- phshment of (InV^; but only as tl hands of God's S!)irit: f icy are instruments hi th open the blind eyes, and iuften. aiid or nothing but divine power c 'Q\mv tiio stonj h«art. 80 TBS PfiOMISB OF THS SPIRIT. for more humbling views of the blindness of our un- derstandings, and the hardness of our hearts, in regard to those great nioral, and vspiritual truths, which it most con- cerns us, as spiritual and immortal beings to know, then should we have a keener sense of om* helplessness, aM danger, and need of that divine illumination, in virtue of which alone, we can comprehend God's holy word; and of that renewal of heart, in virtue of which alone we will appreciate it, and submit to it. It is this dee'p feeling of our helplessness, and danger, and need of divine assistance^ that alone will constrain us to cry earnestly to God for help. And if we do so, in deep eaintstness of soul, that help will not be withheld, for even more readily than an earthly parent will give needed succour to his helpless^ and imploring child, will our heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them who ask him. " Ask and it shall bo given you" said our Saviour, with reference to his very subject: " Seek and ye shall find: knock and it shall be opened unto yon; for everyone that asketh, re- oeiveth, and he that seeketh, fiudelh, and to him t hat kuocketh, it shall be opened." I I SERMON VIIL THE SEALING OF THE SAINTS. " III whom, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the rede^aiption of the parchased poaseasioa, unto the praiM of his glory."— fiPHBS. l 13, U, It wiJI scarcely be doubted by any intelligent student of the Bible, who regards all its statements as containing the very truth of God, that the Holy Spii-it h that person of the Godhead, who carries on the whole work of redemption, in its applicafion to the hearts, and con- sciences of men; — beginning the good work in them, and carrying it onward to perfection; for though Christ is said to be the author, ami finisher of our faith, it u by the agency of the HHy Spirit., as his Representative oa •earth, that he operates. "There is no good communicated iinto us from Goel, but it is bestowed on us, or wrought in us; by the Holy Ghost. No gift, no grace, no mercy, no privilege, no consolation do we receive, possess, or use, but it is wrought in u^, conferred upon us, or manifested unto us by him alone.. Nor is there any good in ui towards God, any faith, love, duty, obedience, but what U effectually wrought in us by him'; for in us, that is in our flesh, dwelleth no good thing." * He it is, who kindles the first sparif o* spiritual life in ^mv souls, and arouses us from tliesla^e of brutal stupiditv, in regard to spiritual things, in which all men are by nature sunk. He it is. who fiv.-i -wvakens us to a sen?..e of the value of the soul, and the iniiiiiite im|»orta!ice of eternity. He it i« who awakens us to an overwhebning setise of ihe /reraendous evil, and guilty and ruinous consequences of that sin, which brought death into our world, And ail iu woe; and will sink into the lowest kell those who p^jrcitt TMR R0MI8E OF THE « ft ft IT. >fi tlie eohJiniysioii of it. And e>;|KHi.'illy lie fallows ii« the clanger, and iii::r;ilitu(]e of sin, as committed against a God of infinite goodness, and int1exil)lt^ jnt'tice, and omnipotent power. Anvi havinijf thus made the sinner see his dan;x«J", and fet'l his u'uiit, he direeis him Lo Jesns, the Saviour's tViehd, shows him tlie ;dl f«ulileiency of his propitiatory deatl), i»J«>.-^es upon him tiio fivenei^s of the jj;otpel otler, and ]>er; uade-*, and cnahlos him to ond>race Jesus, as his Saviouj'; and then ennhl'nu' him to see his covenant interest in tho lledoemei, ai.d llie secuiity of the foundation, on \>hicli lu^ resls liis lupe ior eternity, he enables hirrt to obtain peace, an in Christ, mid as such, beini*; adopted into the family of the Redeemed, he is suhjeelod to th^ seliooling', and training, and provision, wliich is the portion of tht- ehiklivn, till he attains the stature of n perfect man in Chri.^t Jesus; when the image of God is reproduced wyou him, or, in othei* words, when he is made so to resemble God in character, that the likeness may be recognized by the discerning ones. Then he is said to be sealed. The likeness of God is impressed upon him, as the image graven upon a seal 13 impressed upon the wax, to which it is applied. I'he sealing here spoken of refers, doubtless, to something done to the believer, after he has been legenerated, and jusiitied through faith in .lesus. And thouo'h it is not very easy to ex])lain the precise meaning of the melaplu^r here em- ployed by the apostb>, the general scope of it is easily understood. Jn the parallel passr.ge in the fourth chapter of this epistle, the Spirit is repiesenled as the agent, by whom the sealing is done; — "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God," it is said, " whereby ye aie sealed to the day of redemption.'' And our text might have 1 een so translated, as to represent the Holy Spirit as the agent in this work. It might have bvcn I'endered, — " In whom tt\af\ «fi*»r that ve belii'ved. ve wein scah'd bv that Tlolv {Spirit of promise." As the text stands in our authoiized vei-sion, the Holy Spirit is lepresented as the seal applied lows lll^ THE PROMISE OK TflE SMHIT. sa to l)elievers by God. This would amount Bubstanlianv to the same thmg. And, a. a seal leaves the exact in.prc-s- «ion of itseif on the sulKslance tu which it is appli-Ml, so the Holy Spint, consi.Iered as a sea!, beino- applied to believers, would leave the cxael in.pression of hinusolf upon them. I prefer, huwover, to cuisider the Suirif, here as the aa'ont eni|)!oye(l in s<^.,ii^.r the re-eiierate. ' Thi. is his peculiar wo,k. The ii)P.-e ..f (^,.1 ...av he considered e character ot God upon h.n, and mark hi.u out lor ins. ^ t.ius when the Holy Soirit, in the process of scincti- hcation, renews us, after the iiuMue of ih.l h. ..als us.- rii.8 sealing hy tlie Holy GhosL is said o> l,e ihe earnest ot the beh.vers mheritance; and certainly to have the stamp of he Holy Ghost up n us, is to h.ar ai.out with us an evidence that we a.v a./ei.t.d of God. Aid the consciousness of ihis niusL be an unfiilin^. wcll-pii:ur of h^M>I>.ness to the believer. IJut wh-n the Holy (>host dwells in us, and ilnp^e^ses the in,.;^e of hin.sdf upon u.s, he hlls us w,t,h i,eace, an-i }ny in believino-; ,,a his constitutes more tuh'y the e; ,n.-t, or th-.t-luKts of the heaveidy mheritaiice; tor li:e h.pj.in.ss of hea.cu begins a the hehever s heart on eanh. Aud this he wiil con- tinue to eigov till his hap:.;ne:s is p.r!ecto-l, l>v the redempti.m of h,s body from ,he p-ave. and his eiaerin^ upon the fu I enjoyment of the !>.aven!v inheritance. ' Ihis sedin^ .annot I e explained, ui h rrtcrence to the possession of uiiracul. US jowers; '' F.,.- the e were v i li;. pl^^dc^, and the foretaste of h-aveu, as :h^, .e.lino- u" .le- cJared to have been; f^r luanv uiisanei.iijd lu-rsom. . xvv cisecl miraculous powers." I3.t it ivleir d umh>ubo.d- to ^.Htoutuanl hohne.s,and l„-auiy of ri^n.iian character poJuced on believers by ,he ^anetifvi.Mr p.nve;- of the b|>ni.. uhich IS so manifest (o (h. in'.lii,.ent, an! inipariial <;-erver, that It canno, be ,nis:.-a.n; Even the'world ear, perceive this. When-ver a seal i. imor.ssed, the in- ^<-^p^on and dev" Hieniion liec'ver a seal is iiiipr^ssed i<'e eaa be seen. Tne sealed o!.e^ uii\ in Kevelal:on, are ju-.! (I'ue b.-ia-v hy the Spirit of ( i-ha ami of the h J(h ers sanciilled ill. I wi.en tho anuel, who ]iat' e™"l H ""'■ •■^'"^"'"'"■''"ce, according as All saving I,.;:,;; :• LtTuf blin ^^' "■' ""' "''"«''• ami dead hearts can "o fel'i 'H 1 ', *^'! "•''7°' ^« 't- plainly enough delinea « 1 1. T ! f'""'"^'^'- «f Jesus is tbat Jesus is the Lord, u b^ ' Ho v Gl o ?'"m''''" '"^ *an fc..! his ,„ed of li,,, or's.rhis Jll^ m'-" ^° """" Saviour, and so en^brace hitn a, 1, 1 "'7 "^c'^^y. '« a call him Lor,|, ,i|| tl e S„ r, i \T^ '™™ "'« heart of grace, any inmo il>„„ ti ^"°,"."".^oc'ated, in the economy she is reallv^to b '1 e I , ■ '•';" "'"^ ""^ B™'« «an. if clean and >vb e „ eh^?,, " -"f!' ""''y'"^ '" «"« li-en, . _. Paul termr;,::':;:':,;:, t^:^^^^!^ "f.^ain^. Ail its ordinances ale '«T.,„.; "7 """""';;'."»" "' the Spirit." oi aJI true believors ho ilJuminate, ■^^Mmmism 80 THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT. directly, and enables tlieai, as they liave capacity and oi>. ])OrtutMty, to uii'leistaud tlie Sc^riptures. But in ordinary circumstances, he oi>erates upon them to a large extent, lhroui:C^» ^he ministers of tiie Gospel. These are among the gii'is Avhieh he haa u;iven to men; — "For he gave some apostles, and sotna prophets, and some evangelists,, an 1 some pastors and teachers, for tlie perfecting of the Saints, for ih'i work (»f ihe ministry, for tho edifying of the body of Christ; till we all come, in the unity of the faith', and of the knowledge of tlie Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the inea>ure of the stature of the full- nes:^ of Chiist." AVherever the Spiiitof God calls mm to the ministry, and sends them to a people, he confers upon them, m grejiler or less measure, the gifts necessary to iit them fur carrying on the work of the Lord. To all such he gives the gift of {.reaching, as well as the gift of praver, though in diilery the Spirit the woid of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit,'* and to all "the Spirit of a'race and supplications." These gifts must be cultivated, ihat they may be exercised with the most extensive, and benetieial elfect. And then^ when such men preach " with the Holy Ghost sent clown from heaven," accompin\ing them, their preaching cannot fail to be efficacious, in'eniightening the understandings, and impressing the hearts of men. Such are the men who» speak with the " tongue of tire," woi'ds of power, deeply expressive of the sublime and solemn truths, and profound convictions, and ardent emotions, wliich have been infused into their own souls by the Spirit of God. It is the ministry of such heaven-taught, .md divinely commissioned men alone, th't will bo extensively useful; lor men cannot excite feelii);;;.', which ihoy have not themselves felt, or gi\e that, which they have not themselves leceived. And whenever such men labor in faith, and prayer, and with earnest desires to promote God's glory, and save souls, their labors will never be altogether in vain. There may be obstructions among a people, which hinder the circula tion of spiritual life amon tiiem, but wdien life descends, with power, from the piilpk to the pew, it will generally^ THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT. 87 »ooner or lator, sweep away these ob.truotions. But where peopIoTtlil '''"^^""''''^ ^^'""^ '^'"^^ '^''^ 1''"^^^ ^^^'« Krmwiri^'Ms v^e^lo, ^^]u^t imrpcrenerate mania, ignorant. .T: ' ;^ "•">'-"•-'->• ""<1 full of en,nifv ag^iL God lAlTt \ '".""^'"'' ^^ ^''" ^^^^^1^^^ despair of success t he Jahored ,n In. own 8trength; and tremble to ffo forth C 1"'h ^.i'''''''''' ^'''*' '"^*'' ^ "^*^^«^^« «« ^^ i^^^ to bear. h^^hrinfV'r ?'" ^'""'I'^tence to lean upon, what as he to fear I And with the assistance of him to depend «houM he doubt that success, sooner or later, in larger or smaller measure, will ul.imately crown his labors? It is Iwav tilTT! ''^"\'^«g'<»'T> and its efficacy. Take W ! ^^^^f>"'t fio'n the go>pel, and you render it a dead ie tter and leave the Now Testament of no more use to Ch Mst.Hus, than the Old Testan.ent is to the Jews. It is iner^tore, a mischievous imagination, proceeding from gnmance, bhndness. and unbelief, that there is no more m the gospel but what is contained under any other doc- tnne, or declaration of truth,-that it is nothing but a iU^fu' '"'?• '^ f "?'" ^^''^' ••^"^^•» "P^"' «»d to improve the things ot It by the same faculty ; for this is to separate thebpirit or the dispensation of the Spirit, from it, which CnAl'.' f"" ^fK""^ ^^' '^"^ 'l^^'-^^with is the covenant of II. THE SPIRIT IMBUES US WITH THE LOVE OF HOLINESS, STRENGTHENS OUR MORAL PRINCIPLES, AND ENABLES US TO RESIST TEMPTATION. Having manifested the perfections of the divine char- thl'hl^,?' /T-r '^' 7'^' ^"^ ^^"^^'^^^^ »«t^ appreciate the beaiuy of holmess, the Spirit imbues us with a love o J ; ^^ P''^«f "t« to us realizir.g views of the goodness and love of God, and especially of his love to n«. «« JUT. nested in tne work of redemption; and thus he enkindles yeciprooal emotions of love to God *Owen. in our souls. And 9S THE I'UOMiSE OF THE St'IRlT. lovi'niT Oo(l, we Ic.irn to lo\e lus cliaraoter, — his hoHn(isP, justice, aiul truili, as well as his goodness and love. And Jovinn' God, we endeavour to be like him, and keep liis com- mandments. And in proportion as wo love God, and study to be like him, and endeavour to obey him, we hate sin and resist temptation, and stru-^-glo acrninst the evil propensities of our nature. From tlie knowledge which we obtain of the consequences of sin, and the rewards of hohness, we are furnisiied with the most powerful motives to war against all that is sinful, both in us, and around us, and to seek to be adorned with the beauty of holiness. And here ha|)pily we are not left to struggle alone; for the Holy Spirit helps our inlirmities, and strengthens ua with all might in the inner man. Wo have many enemies to contend against the evil propensities of our fallen nature, the principalities and powers of darkness, and a corrupt and ensnaring world ; but mightier is he that is for us, than all that cnn be against us. He fosters all that is good in us, strengthens our moral principles, and helps us" in the evil hour, making his grace sufficient for us, and perfect- ing his strength in our weakness. What a beautiful encouraging idea is that, which is given of the Spirit's ■watchfulness over the church, when it is said, — '« 1 the Lord do keep it, [ will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day." And every true member of the church shares in the care, which the Lord, the Spirit, constantly exorcises. Li endeavouring therefore, to subdue all sin in our souls, and to ]>reveutail outbreaks of it in our lives, and to be perfectly conformed to the image of God, whilst strenuously exerting all our own {)owers, let us be constantly looking to God, the Spirit, for lelp, and praying earnestly, that we may be filled with all the fulnessof God, so shall we be conquerors in the fight of fjiilh, and more than conquerors through him that loved us. III. THE SPIRIT SUSTAINS AND COMFORTS THE SOUL, IN TIMES OF TEMPORAL DISTRESS AND SEASONS OF SPIRITUAL WEAKNESS. Tu the process of sealing us, or perfecting our confor- mity to the divine image, the Spirit often needs to sustain THE ruOMISr. OF THE SniJIT. 89 s holincjsp, Dve. And p Ills com- God, and y him, we nst the evil ! wliich we ewards of nl motives id around )f holiness, alone; for igthena ua ly enemies len nature, a corrupt or us, than is good in us in the id perfect- beautiful le Spirit's , — '* 1 the : lest any every true the Lord, • therefore, outbreaks ned to the our own Spirit, for ad with all hefiijht of it loved us. SOUL, IN N3 ur oonfor- to sustain nnd romf.>r( us, b,.jl, in tlie dark and Mormy day, when liopes are bjiorlitod, nnrl pro^poclPcloudod ; or, when death Jookfi in at onr windows, or enters our dwellings, and takes away the sight of our eyes with a stroke; or, in that still darker season, when the ii)i(|iiilios of oiirhocls do compass about, and SmImu slands as an aor:u:^er, in the court ofcon- Fciencp, and tries to diive us to de^pnir, bv rakinir up all our ini(juiti<^s, and oiilaroing on their noleadmg many years. The law seems sometime to pre- vail, sin and Satan to rejoice, and the poor soul is tilled with dread about its inheritance. Perhaps its own witness, from Its faith, sanctificntion, former experience, keeps up the plea with some life and comfort, but the work is not done, the conquest is not fnllv ohtaiiied, until the Spirit who worketh freely and elfeetuallv, when and how he will' comes in with his testimony also ; 'clothing his power with a word of promise, he makes all ]7arties conoerned to attend unto >""^ "- 1 '--^ ■, . \ ... ^ '^ hi m, am 1 puts an end to the controversy. ^0 wen. IMAGE EVALUATION T5EST TARGET (MT-3) V M/. <. %>i^. A f/. 1.0 I.I 1.25 ■- IIIM IIIM 1 20 l'-8 1.4 1.6 p%. <^ n m °m £/ ^ V '^ /^ 0^^/j w Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14S8C (716) 872-4503 "Q w^"^ V \ \\ w^ is w %s ^ ^ o"^ ■iWA^ m ' >. . C/j 00 THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT. «r. TjZn^ K'^ tlius makes us f.ol assured tliat we are the children of God, and safe forever, within the bonds llnr.^"^ ^"^ covenant, how bright the pros].ect8 ■ It T"" 7^".'- ^^^' ^^"'"'^"^ ^^»« hopes which re- vive withm us! and how ardent the love which our bosoms cherish to our heavenly Father ! Bein.c. lecoa'nized as his children, we are made to feel that we are heii-s of God, the Omnipotent Soverei^<.n of the Universe; and the hap- piness arising from all this is heightened bv the sublime .vS PI -T '*^^r\''"^>' ^^"^''^ «f^-od, but joint heirs with Chnst, our elder brother. No wonder that the con- templatic^. of all this fills God's people sometimes, with joy that .3 unspeakable and full of glory. And surely of al things this consciousness of sonship to God is calcu- lated to fill us with a self-respect, which will tend most powerfully to preserve us from everything mean, and im- pure, and dishonorable. Surely, when a man is elevated with the idea that he is a son of God, he will not stoop to anything winch would dishonor his parentage Surelv when a mains admitted into the presence of the God of inhnit^ hohne^'s, and purity, and permitted to enjoy com- inunion with him, he would not forfeit that comm'union, by indu gmg in anything unholy, or impure. And haviuff thus obtained p relish for what is so pure and elevating lie will come to loathe what is impure and debasino-. And surely, when a man lives in the prospect of entermff upon Ihe inheritance of an everlasting kingdom, when the troubles and trials of this life are over, he would not m-ieve the Saviour, who died to procure it for him, by induldnff m any of those sinful pleasures, which he hates, and will iiot tolerate. And thus you can see how the comforting influences of the Si)irit helps forward the sealinjT procesS and tends to cleanse us from all filthiness of the^ flesh, and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. THE SPIRIT HELP3 THE INFIRMITIES OF THE SAINTS, ESPECIALLY AIDS THEM IN PRAYER, EXCITING BAR- NEST DESIRES IN THEM, AND DIRECTING THEM ARIGHT IN THE EXERCISE. ilow manifold the remaining imperfections, and how IV THE PROMISE OP THE SPIRIT. 9^ great the weaknesses and infirmities of God's dear cbildren I 26 27 T. ■ T^^^^i''^"'*'"fi"«'ties; Rom. viii little of the L" t Tn „ w1 " '' P,'f *^"''; «»'' «■« kno" the Spr SS'" " '■''"<' ^''°"'d«PP>o^ch God; but longin'^ for Zdo„ am ^"'"f^'. desires, and inteuse comrauiiion with hL I Ml ^'P' ""/ "'* ^Jo.vmentof vent to, only in iuarfculate g oa„i„„^"" ^C\Z ^"! searcher of hearts knoweth what a,P t'E' r i- ?''**' And these desires III h ''"?«'"'« f?'' "'temnce there. theSpirit'raay be Zi.d!^"-P'i">'<"'^' ^'"S i"»pi'-«- . _„,„a,i,jyy^ ^jj iii,y ^ay, the 92 TIIK PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT. apostle cpeaks in the fourtli chapter to the Galatians-— Because ye are so.is, God hath seut forth the Spi-it of his bun into your. hearts, eryinor—. Abba, Father/ And m Komans viii. 15, he shows that it is we who cry 'Abba f ather, m order that we may observe, that it is not the bpirit, who cries, who prays, who groans, but that he causes us to cry, and pray, and ir»-oan."* So falJeii and corrupt are we by nature, so spiritually bhnd and enft ^bled, that, in ourselves, we cannot think a good thought, or conceive a pure desire, or express a proper petition to Cxod, in prayer, or carry out consistently a ffood object, or bear up with patience, and submission, under the inevitable ills of life, but what comfort in the thought, that in the Holy Sj.irit, we have an ever present. Omnipotent friend, to help our intiimities, to inspire our prayers and direct us, in our approaches to the Eternal, the_ infinitely llol^-, and Omnipotent Sovereio-n of the Universe Well may he bo regarded as the inspirer of prayer; for he is "the Spirit of grace and of supplications;" and so excites holy and earnest desires in us, that he is said to intercede for us, because he is the inspirer of the supplications, which we present to God. Thus it is clear that unless we "pray in the Holy Ghost," our prayers wiJl be cold, formal addresses, which can never penetrate heaven, and find acceptance with God. Since then it is by prayer that we get access to God and enjoy communion with him, and 'obtain that o-race and strength, and consolation, through which alone we can be fitted for every duty, and ]irepared for every trial, ot what importance is it that the Saints should be much at a throne of grace, juaying always with all prayer, and supplication in the Spii it ! Arid how earnest should they be in prayer for the continuance of the Holy Spirit with them, that they may be ]>revented from ever doino- any thing to grieve or (piench him; and that his gracious in- fluences may be poured out more copiously upon them.— Ihere are some good peoj.le, who think there is an impropriety in the regenerate praving for the Spirit inas- much as they have alread y obtained him. But this feohng IT..1,K. .. ,, ■a' THi PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT. 93 proceeds from a ODe-sided view of the subject. They need to pray for the continuance of the Spirit, with them, and ihat his gracious influences may be poured out more copiously upon them. And have they not times of dark- ness and desertion, when they need to implore God to "restore to them the joys of his sal.ation, and uphold them with his free Spirit ?'' ^ It is thus that the Spirit works with us, and in us in car/ym^ on the sealing process, till the imai^e of the divme Redeemer is perfected in our souls. Happy ye who are conscious of this work going forward within you. in the presence of the Spirit, ye have a well of living water,— of heavenly consolation,~within you, PprinjrinS up unto everlasting life. And this foretaste of heaven's Wrf ""k f'^f^^*-^ «"••« P^e^g^ that after the redemption of ihe body from the dust of death, ye will enter upon tlie possession of the everlasting inheritance in heaven. THE END, m^ ill I ip' • » at 10 Cents* By RiCHAHD Denta*. ents, nts. [KIT. [•-Cents* OFFICE N.y.