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If we would rejoice evermore, we must pray without ceasing, and then it will be our delight in every thing to give thanks. As the soft dew ascends from the earth when it is refreshed with showers, so let our praises rise up towards heaven, when we are loaded with blessings, and refreshed with the streams of mercy and grace. The rivers return to the ocean whence their waters are derived; so may we gratefully restore unto God the blessings which proceed from "the fountain of life." s

Let us especially acknowledge the rich blessings of eternal Redemption, "giving thanks unto the Father who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son."t

s Psal. xxxvi. 9.

t Coloss, i. 12, 13.

SERMON XX.

THE AGENCY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
(For Whitsunday.)

1 THESS. V. 19.

Quench not the Spirit.

THE Holy Spirit, whose gifts and ministrations we are called more especially to consider on the present occasion, is the Third Person in the glorious Trinity. He is represented in the Scriptures as an agent, distinct from the Father and the Son; and such attributes and effects are ascribed to him, as can never belong to any created being. When our Lord was about to leave this world, he told his sorrowful disciples. that he would send the Holy Ghost in his name,

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to supply his own absence in the Church and the world at large, to enlighten the minds of men, and to convince them of sin, and to comfort, guide, and sanctify, his faithful disciples. Accordingly on the day of Pentecost, when the Apostles and disciples were assembled together in one place, the Holy Ghost, or divine Spirit, was poured out upon them in a miraculous manner. "And suddenly," as it is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, "there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

We propose to consider, on this occasion, First, the agency of the divine Spirit, which we are enjoined not to quench. Secondly, how this Spirit may be quenched.

I. The operations of the Holy Spirit are here represented under the emblem of fire. It is the property of fire to consume, to purify, to enlighten and to warm. But a material fire may also be quenched. The followers of Christ

a Acts ii. 1-16.

were to be baptized with the Holy Ghost as with fire; and his sacred influences are frequently spoken of, in the Scriptures, under this figure. There appeared unto the Apostles cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them, on the day of Pentecost, or the Fiftieth Day after Easter. St. Paul also says to Timothy, "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee, by the putting on of my hands." Where, in the original Greek, a reference is made to the custom of stirring up or moving a fire, in order that it may burn with greater clearness and power.

Fire, in many respects, seems to be a fit emblem of the beneficial operations of the Holy Spirit. Fire has a power to cleanse and to purify. Thus also the evil properties in human nature, are removed by the agency of this Spirit of holiness; and by his purifying grace the sinner is changed, and becomes a different character, or a new man. The dross of sin is

purged away, and he is made

clean and pure, and possesses new properties and inclinations. "Old things are passed away," his former evil lusts and habits, "and behold, all things are become new." h In all those who encourage,

b 2 Cor. v. 17.

and are unwilling to quench, his sacred influences, the remaining corruptions of their nature are gradually overcome by the continual operation of this Spirit on their hearts. Hence they are so far purified and renewed in the spirit of their minds, as to be made meet to be partakers of the glorious inheritance in the world above.

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Fire has also an enlivening and cheering influence. In this respect, too, it is a fit emblem of the divine Spirit. He is the Spirit of knowledge and revelation in the Church, by sanctifying the means of grace, and by opening the understandings of men that they may understand the Scriptures, which were written by holy men of old under his guidance and teaching. He removes the veil of ignorance from their hearts, he causes striking convictions to dart into the minds; he shows unto men their guilt and pollution, their need of the mercy and favour of God, and of the salvation which has been purchased by Christ our Lord. The benign influences of the Holy Spirit are not to be limited to the first ages of the Church.. His miraculous gifts, indeed, were confined to those periods, when Christianity had to encounter with all the learning, power, and malice of an ungodly world. In those times,

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