The Indwelling of the Spirit, the common Privilege of all Believers.
JOHN vii. 37, 38, 39.
_In the last day, that great day of the feast, JESUS stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive._
NOTHING has rendered the cross of CHRIST of less effect; nothing has been a greater stumbling-block and rock of offence to weak minds, than a supposition, now current among us, that most of what is contained in the gospel of JESUS CHRIST, was designed only for our LORD’s first and immediate followers, and consequently calculated but for one or two hundred years. Accordingly, many now read the life, sufferings, death, and resurrection of JESUS CHRIST, in the same manner as _Cæsar’s Commentaries_, or the _Conquests of Alexander_ are read: as things rather intended to afford matter for speculation, than to be acted over again in and by us.
As this is true of the doctrines of the gospel in general, so it is of the operation of GOD’s Spirit upon the hearts of believers in particular; for we no sooner mention the necessity of our receiving the Holy Ghost in these last days, as well as formerly, but we are looked upon by some, as enthusiasts and madmen; and by others, represented as wilfully deceiving the people, and undermining the established constitution of the church.
Judge ye then, whether it is not high time for the true ministers of JESUS CHRIST, who have been made partakers of this heavenly gift, to lift up their voices like a trumpet; and if they would not have those souls perish, for which the LORD JESUS has shed his precious blood, to declare, with all boldness, that the Holy Spirit is the common privilege and portion of all believers in all ages; and that we as well as the first christians, must receive the Holy Ghost, before we can be truly called the children of GOD.
For this reason, (and also that I might answer the design of our church in appointing the present festival¹) I have chosen the words of the text.
¹ Whitsuntide.
They were spoken by JESUS CHRIST, when he was at the feast of tabernacles. Our LORD attended on the temple-service in general, and the festivals of the _Jewish_ church in particular. The festival at which he was now present, was that of the feast of tabernacles, which the _Jews_ observed according to GOD’s appointment in commemoration of their living in tents. At the last day of this feast, it was customary for many pious people to fetch water from a certain place, and bring it on their heads, singing this anthem out of _Isaiah_, “And with joy shall they draw water out of the wells of salvation.” Our LORD observing this, and it being his constant practice to spiritualize every thing he met with, cries out, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, (rather than unto that well) and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath spoken, (where it is said, GOD will make water to spring out of a dry rock, and such-like) out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” And that we might know what our Saviour meant by this living water, the Evangelist immediately adds, “But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive.”
The last words I shall chiefly insist on in the ensuing discourse: And
_First_, I shall briefly shew, what is meant by the word Spirit.
_Secondly_, That this Spirit is the common privilege of all believers.
_Thirdly_, I shall shew the reason on which this doctrine is founded. And
_Lastly_, Conclude with a general exhortation to believe on JESUS CHRIST, whereby alone we can receive this Spirit.
_First_, I am to shew, what is meant by the word _Spirit_.
By the Spirit, is evidently to be understood the Holy Ghost, the third person in the ever-blessed Trinity, consubstantial and ♦co-eternal with the Father and the Son, proceeding from, yet equal to them both. For, to use the words of our Church in this day’s office, that which we believe of the glory of the Father, the same we believe of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, without any difference or inequality.
♦ “co-eternnl” replaced with “co-eternal”