On the other hand, if any have experienced the workings of the Holy Spirit to bring them to Christ, let them watch and pray against temptation and sin of every kind, lest by any open or secret declension from the ways of God, they " grieve k" and " vex the Holy Spirit1," and " quench" his sacred motions"1, and thus " their last end become worse than their beginning"."
But "I hope better things of this assembly, though I thus speak0." Scoffers do not abound at this day as once they did. The truths of the Gospel are better understood, and its mysteries are more justly appreciated : and, provided only the deep things of God be stated with modesty and sobriety, they find a favourable acceptance now, where once, perhaps,
« Matt. xii. 32, and Mark iii. 28, 29. k Eph. iv. 30.
i Isai. lxiii. 10. ra 1 Thess. v. 19.
<> 2 Pet. ii. 20. ° Heb. vi. 9.
they would only have provoked a smile. On that head, therefore, I feel no occasion to dwell. But this very circumstance, which renders a profession of piety more easy, makes the danger of departing from it more imminent ; since, as in the case of the stony-ground hearers, that which is hastily received, is but too often as hastily relinquished p. To every one of you then I say, " Hold fast that thou hast, that no man take thy crown q ;" or rather, look to the Lord Jesus Christ for more enlarged " supplies of his Spirit" :" for " He has received this gift for men, even for the most rebellious" : and as " God has not given the Spirit by measure unto him1" so is there no measure fixed for the dispensation of it to us. It is our privilege, not only to " have the Spirit," but to " be filled with the Spirit"." Many of you, I would hope, " have already received the first-fruits of the Spirit x :" but be not satisfied with these. " Christ came, not only that you might have life, but that you might have it more abundantly y." He has promised to " pour floods upon those who are thirsty2." Yes, he would have you to " live in the Spirit %" and " walk in the Spirit b," and " purify your souls by the Spirit0," and "abound in hope through the Spirit d :" and be filled with " joy in the Holy Ghost6." See to it, then, that you avail yourselves of these immense advantages ; and beg of God to " pour out his Spirit more and more abundantly upon you through Jesus Christ V that, being " led in all things by the Spirit, ye may be, and give decisive evidence that ye are, the children of Godg." And may " the Holy Spirit be so richly poured out upon us from on high, that this our wilderness may become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be so luxuriant as to be counted for a forest11!"
p Matt. xii. 20, 21. i Rev. iii. 11. r Phil. i. 19.
s Ps. lxviii. 18. * John iii. 34. u Eph. v. 18.
* Rom. viii. 23. y John x. 10. z Isai. xliv. 3.
a Gal. v. 25. b Gal. v. 25. c 1 Pet. i. 22.
d Rom. xv. 13. e Acts xii. 52. f Tit. iii. 6.
8 Rom. viii. 14. h Isai. xxxii. 15.