LECTURE V.

PERSON AND CHARACTER OF THE HOL

SPIRIT.

JOHN vi. 63.

It is the Spirit that quickeneth.

THE Word Spirit, in this text, is probably used, by a figure, for the effect of the Spirit. The Saviour had told his disciples, certainly, highly mysterious truths, which they did not understand; and he now tells them, the reason was that they did not look at their spirituality. "It is the Spirit, (said he) that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." That is, they are spiritual-the effect of the Holy Spirit—and, therefore, to be understood in a spiritual

sense.

This putting the gifts of the Spirit for the Spirit itself, is a very common usage in scripWe conceive, therefore, that we shall do no violence to the text, by considering it,,

ture:

in its highest sense, as expressive of an important view, which may be taken of the Holy Spirit itself the third person of the sacred Trinity.

There is certainly a vein of description, running through the sacred scriptures, with respect to the Holy Spirit, which is truly remarkable. I mean this: that they give to the Holy Spirit a distinct province of ope ration, in almost every thing that belongs. to God, and upon which almost every thing that is comely and active is made to depend. Yet is that vein of description, in some measure, a concealed one: the subject it describes lies deep. I have often compared it to the origin of motion in machinery the agent is out of sight, while its operations are seen every where. So is it with the Ho ly Spirit it pervades every thing, and is yet invisible, except by its effects. We must trace these operations, therefore, in order to learn His character; and this is the leading object of the present lecture. May the Spirit of truth, Himself, direct us, and then we shall not err !

We observe, first, then, that we find an important department of operation assigned! to the Holy Spirit, in the WORK OF CREATION. "In the beginning God created the heaven

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and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And. the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." Here, in the first chapter of the Bible, we begin to discover what that distinct and important province of operation is, which is assigned to the third person of the Trinity. God speaks the world into existence: and the earth is without form, and void; and darkness is upon the face of the deep: but the Spirit moves, or broods, as the original word is, upon the face of the waters. Here, then, is it seen, accor-. ding to our text, that the appropriate department of this Spirit, is to give life, and light, and order, and beauty, to the works of God. It was. so in creation: " By his Spirit he garnished the heavens." And we shall find it to be so in all the other works of God. Let it be borne in mind, as we pass along, that our object is to find this appropriate department of the Holy Spirit, and to learn thence his proper char

acter.

II. Something of this kind is ascribed to the Holy Spirit, IN THE PROVIDENTIAL UPHOLD-· ING AND PRESERVING OF GOD'S CREATUres. In the 104th Psalm, David is describing the works and providence of God; and he represents all creatures as receiving their sus-

tenance and being, with all its changes, from Him. "That thou givest them," says he, "they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled; thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust." What, then, is it that supports a dying creation? What shall revive the changes of revolving nature, when all is dead and inactive? The next verse answers: "Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created; and thou renewest the face of the earth." Here the agency of the Spirit of God is seen in its appropriate operations again, re-creating that to which he gave life, and order, and beauty, in the first creation..

III. We find these operations thirdly, and much more at large, IN THE WORKS OF REDEMPTION. And here,

1. He is seen to bear a part in the eternal covenant of redemption. Peter speaks of Christ, as given by covenant, before the foundation of the world. (Acts ii. 23, and 1 Pet. i. 20.) But when God speaks of this covenant, or gift of Christ, he includes the agreement of the Holy Ghost in it. "Behold my servant, whom I uphold, mine elect in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my SPIRIT upon hiin, and he shall bring forth judgment to the