God. The unconverted man in his best estate conceives himself to have some right over himself: but the true convert says, yea, and delights to say, " I am the Lord's:" ' I am his rightfully; I am his willingly and deliberately ; I am his unreservedly and for ever.' It is for this very end that the Spirit is promised ; and these are its effects, wherever that promise is fulfilled.]
Now then let all the house of Israel hear, II. The duties and privileges resulting from it —
Every promise brings with it correspondent duties as well as privileges : and most assuredly this pro- mise is replete with instruction and consolation,
1. To the Church at large —
[Think of Israel when under " the curse" of God, and overwhelmed by the " reproaches" of their enemies : What comfort must the words of our text have administered to them, especially to all who believed the prophet's testimony respecting them ! And shall it afford less comfort to us at this time ? Certainly this is a season of lamentable drought, when com- pared with the apostolic age. Though God does not leave us altogether without witness, yet the effect of our ministrations is very small and partial. But we look forward to a period, yea, and we hope that the clouds are even now gathering, when the Spirit shall be poured out again, and " showers of blessings" descend upon our thirsty landf. We look for the time, when the Church, which is now but as a slender plant, shall become a tree, in whose branches the " fowl of every wing shall lodge g." Then shall converts be " as the morning dew;" they shall fly in immense multitudes " as a cloud," and with the speed and velocity of " doves to their windows11." The Church itself will be perfectly astonished at the vast increase of her members1; for " a nation shall be born in a day:" the most dreary regions of the earth shall, equally with ourselves, participate the bless- ing; and " all flesh shall see the salvation of God." O what joy should such glorious prospects afford us ! Did Abraham rejoice when he obtained but a glimmering view of the day of Christ ; and shall not we, who have already seen him risen on our horizon, and behold him now rapidly advancing to his meridian height ? Was the birth of Jesus announced by angels as " glad tidings of great joy to all people ;" and shall not his universal reign, now speedily approaching, be hailed with joy? Yes; blessed be God! we not only " see the cloud of the big- ness of a man's hand," but we behold the commencement of those showers, which shall refresh and fertilize the whole earth.]
2. To the weak and disconsolate in particular —
f Ezek. xxxiv. 26. r Ezek. xvii. 23. Mark iv. 31, 32.
11 Ps. ex. 3. Isai. lx. 8. * Isai. xlix. 18—21.