On Thy Spirit
“Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.” — Ps. li. 11.
“It is expedient foryo i,” said Jesus, “that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.” How momentous must be the agency of the Holy Spirit, when the adorable Redeemer represented the blank of His own departure as being more than indemnified to His Church by the presence of this Divine Paraclete!
‘•It is the Spirit that quicken eth.” It is lie who is the agent in the new birth: “Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.” It is He who enables the sinner by faith to lay hold on Jesus, and embrace His salvation: “No man can call Jesus Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” It is He who carries on the progressive work of holiness; — we are saved “through sanctification of the Spirit.” It is He who creates anew the lost image of the Godhead, impresses on the soul the lineaments of the Saviour’s character — “We are transformed into the same image from glory to glory by the Lord the Spirit” (marg.). It is He who illumines the page of the Divine Record — acting like a telescope to the moral vision — disclosing in the firmament of inspiration “wondrous things” contained in the law, which the natural eye cannot see. It is He who unfolds the glories of the Redeemer’s work — the beauties of His person — the completeness of His sacrifice — the riches of His grace; — “He shall glorify Me; for He sluill receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.” Nay, the soul of the believer becomes itself :i temple of the Holy Ghost! Oh, with what holy jealousy would the child of God guard
ON THY SPIRIT. 73
every avenue to temptation, if this amazing truth exercised its habitual and solemnizing power over him — “The Spirit of God dwelleth within me!” How would he avoid anything and everything by which he would be likely to “grieve” this blessed Agent, “whereby he is sealed imtil the day of redemption!”
“Behold!” He seems to say, “I make all things new.” The initial operation is His — He broods over the face of the spiritual chaos, saying, “Let there be light.” The closing and consummating grace is His, — He conducts the spirit through the swellings of Jordan, till it joins with the ransomed multitude before the throne, in ascribing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost the glories of a completed salvation.
“Take not, then, O God! thy Holy Spirit from me.” In vain are the word, ordinances, sacraments, sermons, prayers, without Him. All are in themselves passive instruments; His is the omnipotent arm which wields and
j vauquislies.
Our adorable Redeemer — the great High Priest — was Himself anointed with the Holy Spirit. That anointing oil, poured upon the Church’s living Head, “runs down to the skirts of His garment,” anointing, as it flows, all His members, and those that are lowest and humblest — (nearest the skirts) — receive the most!
My soul! if this be thy position — at the feet of Jesus — the blessed influences of the Holy Spirit, streaming down upon thee in co- j pious efl’usion, sanctifying thee more and more, and making thee more meet for glory i I — then thou may est well say, night after night, I until the day-spring of that glory burst upon j i thee — !
I I
I ‘I WILL BOTH LAY ME DOWN IN PEACE AND SLEEP; FOR THOU, j
I LORD, ONLY MAKEST ME DWELL IN SAFETY!”
I