THE Spiritual Magazine; OR, SAINTS' TREASURY. "There are Three that bear record in heaven; the FATHER, the WORD, and the HOLY GHOST: and these Three are One." "Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." John v. 7. OCTOBER, 1830. (For the Spiritual Magazine.) ON THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE whose heart is properly affected with the transcendent importance of eternal objects, will be deeply anxious to obtain an extended acquaintance with all the ramifications of a system, with which his dearest interests and hopes are identified; and he will therefore, with trembling earnestness, implore that heavenly and unerring agency, which, it has been promised, shall lead the inquiring soul "into all truth." Such a character will investigate the records of heaven, with an attention, in some measure, commensurate with the value of the subject, which involves the happiness of his soul. These observations will not be considered irrelevant, when it is remembered that, the doctrine under our consideration is among the essentials of revelation, and that to trifle here, is to trifle with the terrors of the Almighty,— is to put on a maniac smile, while the thunderbolts of vengeance are whizzing o'er our heads. There are some doctrines which are, confessedly, of more direct importance than others, in the magnificent plan of human salvation; and these, of course, are they which immediately relate to the holy God, and to us, as lapsed, but still accountable creatures. Of an infinite and eternal Being we can know nothing, excepting from the disclosure which he has made, of his own attributes and perfections, in his word. To "that voice which speaketh from heaven," we ought then to give the most devout attention, and all its dictates ought to be received, as from him "who is the only wise God, our Saviour." In VOL. VII.-No. 78. S no order to obtain an acquaintance with those truths, without which “ man shall see the Lord," it is not necessary to possess the critical acumen and erudition of the schoolmen; that which is inseparable from the salvation of a peasant, is not ranged among the metaphysics of a religion, the knowledge of which can be acquired only by a long process of mental inquiry. No! whilst the sublime conceptions of a lofty seraph are lost, amid "the heights, and lengths, and breadths, and depths" of Jehovah's love, still that love, in all its mighty consequences, is enjoyed, by every one who has "tasted that the Lord is gracious.' The volume of truth informs us that, the mind of the High and Lofty One has been eternally engaged, for the salvation of his apostatised family and to accomplish this salvation, the most stupendous means have been employed. That he might be qualified to cancel the maledictions recorded against the sinner, He who was " equal with God," appeared in the likeness of sinful flesh, and presented, on the altar of God, a sacrifice, the perfumes of which are ever ascending before the golden throne. Jesus "smoothed the frown that rested on the brow of justice, and wiped away the tear that trembled in the eye of mercy;" he opened a new and living way to the ever blooming paradise of heaven, and trod that way as the forerunner of his ransomed bride. But the blood of the cross, infinite as is its value, will not, alone, introduce a depraved being to the inheritance of the saints in light; and hence, the promise was given of another mighty Agent, who should convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment:" this was the Holy Ghost, who, said Christ, "shall take of mine, and shew it unto you." "The Spirit," is the peculiar name by which this glorious Person is denoted, throughout the sacred volume; and to this designation, various titles are sometimes added, expressive of his work, in the wonderful economy of salvation. The word Spirit, has various acceptations in the scriptures, distinct from any reference to him, who is emphatically" that Holy Spirit of promise." It frequently signifies the wind, as in Gen. iii. 8. and viii. 1. John iii. 8. It metaphorically expresses vanity, Job xv. 2. Jer. v. 13. It signifies the vital breath of man in Gen. vii. 22. But it is most generally employed to denote, the spiritual and immortal soul of man- -Gen. ii. 7. Psalm xxxi. 5. Luke xxiii. 46. The same terms are used to designate the holy angels, Psalm civ. 4. and also devils, Matt. viii. 16. These are a few of the senses in which this word occurs. But it also denotes one, who is distinguished from every thing else:-a person or subsistence, distinct from all created intelligences,-the divine and glorious Author of every good, and of every perfect gift. He is sometimes named absolutely, the Spirit, as in Mark i. 10; but frequently, the Holy Spirit, expressive of his essential holiness, and of his being the gracious Author of holiness in the hearts of all his renovated people. Psalm li. 11. Isaiah lxiii. 10, 11. Matt. xii. 32. And how fearful a thing it is to offend this Holy Spirit, is here declared, by the Son of God. Sinners of the blackest character, of every other class, have been saved, and united with hymning cherubim, and adoring saints, but no stream of purifying blood flows to cleanse them, who have "done despite to the Spirit of grace." The Spirit of God-of Christof grace - of truth-of promise-and the eternal Spirit, are among the appellations given to him. That he is self-existent and divine, is declared in the word of truth, and on this testimony our faith may safely rest. The name of God is given to him, in a connection of peculiar solemnity, Acts v. 3.-iv. 9. where three appellations evidently apply to one person. In Acts i. 16. we are told, that the Holy Ghost spake by the mouth of David; but in Acts iv. 24, 25. it is said that, the Lord God spake by David: so 2 Peter i. 21. 'By the Spirit of the Lord we are changed from glory to glory," 2 Cor. iii. 17, 18. and God promised to walk among his people, and to be their God," in Lev. xxvi. 11, 12. and this promise is accomplished, Paul being witness, 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17. with vi. 19. and 2 Cor. vi. 16.; and I Cor. xii. 6. with verses 4, 11. Is not then the Holy Spirit God? Divine properties are ascribed to him, as eternity, Heb. ix. 14.; prescience, Acts i. 16.; omniscience, 1 Cor. ii. 10.; and absolute authority over the church, Acts xiii. 3.- xx. 28. Such are the scriptural representations made of this Holy Spirit; and will the reader say, that it was needless to produce them? Where the eternal destinies of the soul are involved, and where the consequences of error are so incalculably dreadful, it is of the last importance, that the column of our hope should be based, where it will remain unshaken, amid "the wreck of matter and the crush of worlds." And hence, he who cannot admit the deity of the Holy Spirit, as one essential doctrine of his theology, may well hesitate to implore that Spirit to " guide him by his counsel, and afterward receive him to glory:" for who would pray to a God whom he regards as unable to answer his requests? The instructions and prophecies of those inspired men, who lived under the past dispensation of divine mercy, seemed to be the constant echoes of that celestial voice, which announced to our fallen progenitor, the promise of a great deliverer; for, "to him gave all the prophets witness." He was the day star that arose on the darkness of the moral world, and poured the radiations of eternity on the path of regenerated man. But, when the long desired Shiloh had completed the mighty work, for which he assumed an incarnate form, ere he returned to the pavilions of the skies, he promised his dejected followers, that he would send one to supply the want of his bodily presence, who should "abide with them for ever, and teach them all things, and bring all things to their remembrance." "When the day of pentecost was fully come," the Saviour's disciples were congregated in one place, and, suddenly, "they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak as the Spirit gave them utterance ;"'—the windows of heaven were opened, showers of eternal blessings descended, and the languishing trees of righteousness revived, and "flourished as the cedars in Lebanon." How strangely were the disciples transformed! A holy energy was infused into their hearts, and exhibited in all their actions: their prejudices were removed; the earthliness of their affections was counteracted; they breathed the vitality and fervour of heaven, and "armed in panoply divine," they went forth to fight the battles of the Lord, and thousands fell beneath the weapons of their holy warfare. But the promise of the Spirit was not limited to apostolic times-he was to abide with the church for ever; and his influence is as indispensable now as it was then. Man appears in a state of prostrate guilt before God. The arena of the world is thronged with immortal intelligences, breathing the deadliest rancour against him who formed them; and the language which finds its echo in every heart is-" Who is the Lord that I should obey him?" The forcible imagery of scripture represents the unconverted world as "dead in trespasses and sins;" and in this state it will continue, till that Almighty Spirit, who brooded over the dark and shapeless chaos, and reduced confusion to light and order, break the fatal spell, arouse the deathlike slumberers, and resuscitate them with the elements of a divine existence. The operations of this eternal Spirit are sovereign and irresistible; and whomsoever he designs to save, shall hear his voice, and submit to his authority. The scholar in his study, and the savage in his cave; the philosopher devising plans of benevolence, and the cannibal exulting over the gory corses of his victims, equally need his renovating grace, to capacitate them to dwell "for ever with the Lord." This is one of those humbling propositions, embodied in the gospel revelation; and the history of the church for nearly two thousand years has illustrated its truth. No man is naturally a lover of holiness, and therefore, no man is naturally qualified to stand before the eternal splendours of the God of holiness and hence the absolute necessity of that radical change, usually denominated "regeneration," without which the Saviour has declared, none can see the kingdom of God. The blood of the slain Lamb expiates our guilt, but it does not communicate a principle of spiritual life, and therefore, in the economy of grace, the Holy Spirit engaged to prepare those for the moral purity and sublime enjoyments of heaven, to whom the oblation of Iminanuel had given a title to it. The renovation of a sinner's heart, is a subject of the most delightful interest in heaven and in earth. Another object of God's eternal regard is brought to love him; another soul for which the Saviour bled on Golgotha, is now a suppliant at his footstool; another accession is made to the company of regenerated men; and seraphic intelligences, and glorified spirits, glow with immortal raptures as they behold another trophy of illimitable and triumphant grace! The Holy Ghost is also recognised as the peculiar Author of sanctification, 1 Pet. i. 2. 1 Cor. vi. 11. The primary idea of the verb, to sanctify, is, to separate for a special purpose; and "the sanctification of the Spirit," is therefore, the assimilating of the soul to the |
