II. Let us meditate on the work of the Holy Spirit. He will guide you into all truth.' In the verses preceding, Jesus had told them what the Comforter would do in the hearts of natural men; He will convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment;' but here he tells them what the Comforter will do for those who are disciples indeed, 'He will guide you into all truth.' The same sweet promise is repeated, 1 John ii. 20. Ye have an unction from the holy One, and ye know all things.' This does not mean that Christians know all worldly knowledge. The apostles themselves, with the exception of Paul, were unlearned and ignorant fishermen of a small inland lake, and many a simple cottage-believer is on his way to glory,

'Who knows, and knows no more, his Bible true.' 'Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.' Neither does it mean, that Christians who have the Spirit know all divine things. The disciples were long ignorant of the death of Christ, and of his resurrection; and Paul expressly says, 'Now we see through a glass darkly; now I know in part.' This is the childhood of the new creature-we speak as a child, understand as a child, think as a child. What then does this promise mean? 1. It means that he will teach you all things needful for your salvation. In smaller matters he sometimes allows you to wander, to teach you your ignorance and weakness; but in things essential to your salvation, he will guide you with his eye. If a mother were guiding her little child through a wood, where there was no danger, she might allow it to stray, now and then, and lose itself, to teach it to keep closer by her side; but if they came to a place where were the dens of wild beasts, she would clasp her child in her arms, and carry it quickly past. So does the good Spirit. In smaller matters he suffers you to err, but not when the safety of your soul is concerned, then he will carry you as on eagles' wings. He will guide you into all truth. That was a sweet word which Jesus spake, 'There shall come false Christs and false prophets, insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive even the elect.' Dear believer, whose feet have been set upon the rock, it is not possible that you can be deceived as to your eternal salvation. 2. It means that he is willing to make you know all things.

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infinite fountain of pure heavenly light; he is willing and able to leave neither sin nor darkness in your soul. Soon you will be filled with the Spirit, and then you will see face to face, and know as you are known, and love as you are loved.

In the following part of the verse, the truth which the Spirit teaches is more fully opened up. He shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak.' When Jesus himself came to this world he came as a Witness. This is his name, Rev. i. 5. 'Jesus Christ, the faithful Witness.' And he said to Pilate, ‘To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.' Most men receive his testimony as Pilate did; they say, 'What is truth?' and turn away. Still Jesus came to bear witness that men are lost, that God is love, and that there is a way of forgiveness to the chief of sinners. Such is the office of the Spirit of truth, 'When the Comforter is come he will testify of me,' John xv. 26. O! it is sweet to be taught, by the Spirit, the deep things of God's bosom. 'The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him.'

Again, He will show you things to come.' This promise was eminently fulfilled in the experience of Paul, when the Spirit showed him so expressly the features of the coming papacy, 1 Tim. iv. 1. And in the experience of the beloved John, when, on the lonely rock of Patmos, he was 'in the Spirit on the Lord's day.'

To all believers it is fulfilled, when amid the bustle, and confusion, and abounding wickedness of their present dwelling, they can calmly, and with holy delight, feed upon the prophecies and promises of the conversion of Israel and of the world.

THIRTEENTH DAY.-EVENING.

'There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one,' 1 John v. 7.

IN verses 4th and 5th, we see that the only way of overcoming the world is by believing that Jesus is the Son of God. 'Be often at Gethsemane, be often at Golgotha;' and so the weakest child of God may trample the world, the devil, and the flesh below his feet. But some may ask, Upon what evidence am I to believe that Jesus is a divine, full, and free Saviour?

of grace and supplications, and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced,' Zech. xii. 10. Oh! my soul, hast thou believed the record of the heavenly witnesses? If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater.' If a faithful minister says he is willing to receive anxious souls to tell them the way of peace, how many will knock at his door, saying, Sir, what must I do to be saved? And why? Because they believe his word. But why do you not go as confidently to the door of Christ? Does he not say, 'Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out.'

Oh! my soul, behold the guilt, the blackness of unbelief. Words cannot tell the weight of that God-defying sin. He that believeth not God, hath made him a liar.' We shall see better the guilt of this in that day when the fearful and unbelieving' shall be cast in along with whoremongers and murderers into the lake of fire, Rev. xxi. 8.

FOURTEENTH DAY.-MORNING.

For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake,' 1 Thess. i. 5.

THRICE happy minister who can address his people in these delightful words. Oh! that all our ministers could with truth say this. Why is it not so? Surely if we are determined, like Paul, 'to know nothing among them but Christ Jesus and him crucified;' if we are filled with the same Holy Spirit, if we live the same devoted life, and carry the same message night and day with tears, we ought to be able to use these precious words. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again bearing his sheaves with him.' The day of Pentecost was the time of the first-fruits. The day of ingathering is yet to come. The apostles had the former rain. We wait for the time of the latter rain.

I. Let us meditate on an unsuccessful ministry. The gospel comes to the people in word only. How often a faithful minister preaches the gospel, and the people seem to drink it in with joy! A beam of natural eloquence lights up all he says, or he has a gentle pathetic strain which rivets their attention. But no saving effects are seen to follow. No hearts are broken, no souls added to the church of such as shall be saved. So it was

with Ezekiel: Lo! thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not,' Ezek. xxxiii. 32. These are they that receive the word into stony places; they hear the word, and, anon, with joy receive it, yet have they not root in themselves, but dure only for a while.

Oh! my soul, art thou contented to receive the gospel in word only? Can a hungry man be fed by the smell of the viands? Or can a beggar turn rich by hearing the sound of money? And can my hungry soul find rest by hearing the tinkling of the gospel cymbals? Alas! it is a fearful thing to drop into hell under the sound of gospel mercy.

But there are some who not only hear the gospel, but know the gospel; and yet it comes to them in word only. How many a child is brought up under godly parents, well catechized in divine truth, well disciplined in the bible? They understand the gospel scheme. They have all knowledge; no point is new to them. And yet they have no spiritual sight; no tasting and seeing that Christ is good; no rock below their feet; no sitting with great delight under the shadow of the apple-tree. Ah! these are the most miserable of all unconverted hearers. They will sink lower than Capernaum. Ah! how many children of ministers, how many sabbathschool teachers, how many preachers of the gospel may know, that the gospel has come to them in word only, and never in power. Alas! how sad is it to perish pointing to the city of refuge, to preach to others, and then to be a castaway. But there is a more excellent way. Turn we now to meditate on

II. A successful ministry. Our gospel came unto you in power.' What a powerless thing the gospel sometimes appears. The minister is half ashamed of it. The people slumber under its most affecting statements. Again, at another time, the gospel is evidently 'the power of God unto salvation.' An unseen power accompanies the preached word, and the sanctuary is felt to be the house of God, and the very gate of heaven. Then the word of Jeremiah is fulfilled: 'Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?' Jer. xxiii. 29. Then stout-hearted sinners are awakened. Old, and middle-aged, and little children, are made to cry, What must I do to be saved? An awful stillness pervades the assembly. The arrows of the King of Zion are sharp in the heart of the King's enemies, and the people are brought down under him. Oh! sinner, has the

2. How are we to be saved? It is by the appearing of the love and kindness of God our Saviour.' You think that you must do something to change God's mind toward you, whereas Christ our great High Priest has, by the one offering up of himself, done all that needs to be done, or that ever can be done, to open the way of reconciliation to God. God is ready to forgive,' Psal. lxxxvi. 5. Learn not to look in, but to look out for peace. You are poring over your dark history, and your still darker bosom; you are straining your eyes to discover some gleam of light there. This is vain. Who ever sought the light of the rising sun by gazing into a dungeon? Look out upon the kindness and love of God our Saviour. It is a discovery of the person, offices, beauty, finished work, and freeness of God our Saviour, that fills the heart with peace, and the mouth with praise.

'My terrors all vanished before his sweet name, My guilty fears banished, with boldness I came To drink at the fountain life-giving and free, Jehovah Tsidkenu is all things to me.' II. The way of holiness. He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.' 1. It is a 'washing.' The work of the Spirit on the pardoned heart is called washing, because it is a making clean. The natural heart is polluted and vile; no streams of nature can wash it clean, no good resolutions, or vows, or endeavours can change the carnal heart, Jer. xiii. 23. The Holy Spirit alone can do this. 2. It is the washing of regeneration,' or of a new birth. It is no outward washing of the body, but an inward change upon the soul; no baptism with water, but baptism with the Holy Ghost. Ah! how often have I washed the body clean, have I ever experienced the washing of regeneration? I was once washed in the water of baptism, have I been baptized with the Holy Ghost also? 3. It is a constant washing. The water that Christ gives shall be within the soul, a well of water springing up into everlasting life,' John iv. 14. Most places, when well washed, keep clean for a time. Not so the heart of man; it is a vile sink of iniquity. The 'river of water of life' must be turned into it, and made to flow perpetually through it. We must be watered every moment. Oh! happy soul that has got the Fountain of living waters within. We do not know our deceitful heart if we do not feel our need of an unceasing well of the Spirit to purify us from all filthiness. 4. It is a renewing of

and the smell.'

civ. 30.

ner.

crazy and insecure, no repairs will do it any good. It must be taken down and built up again. Such a house is the heart of a sinner. It is past all repair. The leprosy of sin is ingrained in the walls of it. It must be taken down and built up again. This is the 'renewing of the Holy Ghost.' When there has been a long and severe winter the trees stand bare and leafless; they are in a manner dead, and cannot bear fruit. If the winter were to continue they would really die. But when summer breathes upon them again, the juicy sap ascends into the branches in full and mighty stream, 'the fig-tree puts forth its green figs, vines with the tender grape give a good The face of the earth is renewed, Psal. Such a dead plant is the heart of a sinA Christless state is the winter of the soul. But when Christ is revealed, when the soul comes into the love of God, when the Spirit is sent forth into the heart, the soul becomes a new creature, and sings, 'I am like a green olive tree in the house of God.' Lastly, 'The Spirit is shed on us abundantly.' Christians often complain that there are few drops of the Spirit falling in our day. Alas, there is too great cause for this complaint. Yet in one view it is not true. Wherever there is a single believer, there the Spirit is shed abundantly. When I look at the whole world lying in wickedness, and the thousand snares laid for my soul in every path; when I listen to the roaring of the lion who walketh about seeking whom he may devour; and above all, when I look in upon the law in my members warring against the law of my mind, I am tempted to cry, 'I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul.' If I had legions of angels on my side they could not hold me up. No created arm can keep me from falling. But Jesus says, 'My grace is sufficient for thee.' He sheds the Holy Ghost abundantly. What a constant dropping of the rain, what a constant springing of the well, what a full inflowing of the river of God is needed to hold up my helpless soul. Glory to God for an indwelling Sanctifier. Now unto him who is able to keep me from falling, and to present me faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever.

Amen.'