[3.] Where the gospel is preached, the whole work of glorifying God is committed to the Holy Ghost. Christ promised to send him to glorify him, to do the work of God in the world, and carry on all the concerns of the covenant. The Father laid the foundation of his own glory: the Son comes, and professes he came not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him; and promises to send the Holy Ghost to do his will, — to accomplish all the concerns of the covenant of grace. Wherein, then, lay the opposition of the world to God? It lay in opposition unto the person, doctrine, graces, gifts, and office of the Holy Ghost, as he supplies the room of Christ, to carry on his kingdom in the world. The great opposition that is made in the world against God at this day is immediately against the work of the Holy Ghost, as carrying on the kingdom of Christ in the world. These are the objects of reproach and contempt.
By the way observe, that the opposition which was made by the heathens in their idolatry against the Deity, against God, and that made by the Jews against the person of Christ, and that which is now made against the work of the Holy Ghost, is all the same; the nature of the opposition is not changed, but only the object. The opposition that was in Cain, and the profession in Abel, is the same still : the one embraces the revelation of God, the other opposes it; and that principle that acts against the Holy Ghost would act against God, and set up idolatry in the world.
And hence we may see, that whereas God has, in the days wherein we live, given a great and illustrious testimony unto the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost — it may be as great as in any age since the
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time he gave extraordinary gifts to the apostles, — and Satan had lost the advantage of managing an opposition by open blasphemies and reproaches of the Spirit, and being somewhat impatient till it re- turned into his hands again, he raises up another spirit, that should stand in competition with it, and do the same thing; a spirit which, like the unclean spirit that cast him into the fire and into the water in whom he was, threw those possessed by it into all difficulties, to manifest itself. But whatsoever glory it might have put upon it in some men, by enabling them to suffer and bear the rage of the world that was cast upon them, there are three things that will discover that it is not a spirit from God : — •
1 st. The place from whence it comes. It comes not from above, — it is not looked for, prayed for, to be the Spirit of Christ from heaven, which he hath promised ; but is a mushroom that grows up in a night, — the gourd of a night, that springs up within themselves, and is called the light within them all. Now, the Spirit that doth the work of God is promised from above, is given by Christ, and is expected and received from thence.
2dty. It is known also by its company. The Spirit which beareth witness with Christ is always accompanied with the word. Isa. lix. 21, " This is my covenant with them, saith the Lord ; My Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth/' etc. Now, the work of this spirit is to cast the word of God out of the church, — to render it useless.
3dly. It is known by its work. The work of the Spirit of God is to glorify Christ ; the work of this spirit is to glorify itself, — to resolve all into itself, for measure, rule, principle, and all abilities.
I could not but mention this by the way, because I put the great opposition that is made in the world in these days against the Spirit of God, his graces and gifts, and the worship which believers are en- abled to perform by the Spirit, in this thing. And, therefore, let us try the spirits, and not believe every spirit that is gone forth.
This is the first thing Ave are not to be ashamed of, — namely, the truths of God that are reproached in the world, especially those con- cerning the Spirit, his graces and gifts, and the revelation of the mys- tery of the gospel, while a heathenish morality is advanced in their place. God forbid we should be ashamed of the gospel in this re- spect,— that every one of us should not bear his testimony, as God is pleased to call us !
2. There is the worship of the gospel, which is always exposed to reproach and contempt in the world in the due performance of it. I pray God to keep this always in our minds, that we have no other way to be ashamed of the gospel but by being ashamed of these things ; and we have no other way to be ashamed of them than by neglecting
228 THE DIVINE POWER OF THE GOSPEL.