DISCOURSE VIII.

THE DIVINE TEACHER.

"Now the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."-2 Cor. iii. 17, 18.

In the verses preceding, the apostle speaks of the veil that was over the mind of the Jew, in the reading of the Scriptures, and which prevented his understanding their true import. In the text he speaks of the privileges which Christians enjoy through the illumination of the Holy Spirit. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty," i. e. there is a full and direct aspect of truth, and a full experience of its renovating power. "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." Every real Christian can call to mind seasons when he had such views of truth as are here referred to,-views which melted his whole soul into love and tenderness, and brought

all the powers of his being into sweet subjection to the will of God. Could these visions be rendered perpetual in the mind of the Christian, his heart would never wax cold or unfeeling; nor would there ever be any rival to Christ in his heart, to dispute with him the empire of the soul. In the absence of such views, darkness enters and spreads itself over the mind, and temptations to sin have a sovereign power. Now to impart these visions of truth, to render them perpetual, and thus preserve the mind under the uninterrupted influence of the love of Christ, and give to that love the highest possible efficacy over the heart, is the appropriate office of the Holy Spirit. This is the part which he now acts in the plan of redemption. Christ is of God made unto us "wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." The office of the Holy Spirit is to present Christ to our minds in such a manner that all these objects shall be fully accomplished in us.

The attention of the reader is now invited to a few general observations designed to illustrate the office of the Holy Spirit, in the work of redemption, as above presented. To accomplish this object, I remark—

I. That whatever the Holy Spirit accomplishes in the work under consideration, he accomplishes

by the presentation of truth to the mind, and the truth presented does not respect himself, but Jesus Christ. "The sword of the Spirit is the word of God." "Howbeit, when He, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.' The Holy Spirit sustains to Christ the same relation that a teacher does to the particular science which he teaches. His object is, not to present himself to the pupil, but the science. So the Spirit shows not himself, but Christ, to our minds.. We feel and recognize the presence of the Spirit, only as Christ is presented to our minds, and thus the "love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us."

II. In thus accomplishing the work of redemption, the Holy Spirit sustains to Christians and sinners, entirely different relations. To the latter he sustains the exclusive relation of a reprover of sin, his object being conviction, for the purpose of leading the sinner, humbled and penitent, to Christ. "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment."

To the Christian, on the other hand, the Chris

tian, I mean, in a state of love and obedience to God, he sustains the relation of a teacher, a comforter, an indwelling light, in which the glory and love of Christ are continually reflected upon the eye of the mind. "He shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you." "He shall testify of me." "But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." "He dwelleth in you, and shall be in you."

III. The Holy Spirit, in the relation last deseribed, is given to Christians after they believe in Christ, and in consequence of their faith in him. Acts ii. 38: "Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Eph. i. 13: “In whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." Prov. i. 23: "Turn you at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you, I will make known my words unto you." As these passages respect all Christians alike, they refer, not to his miraculous gifts, but to common influences, as an indwelling light in the hearts of God's people.

श्री

IV. The design of God in the gift of his Spirit, is, that he be to Christians, not as a "stranger or a sojourner, that turneth aside to tarry but for a night," but as the perpetual light of their souls, of whose illumination they are never to be destitute. John xiv. 15-17: "If ye love me, keep my commandments; and I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." Hence, it is said of Christians, that their "bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost," and that they themselves are "the temples of the living God." As the visible manifestation of the divine glory never departed from the Holy of Holies in the ancient temple, so God designs that the light of his Spirit shall never depart from the more sacred temple of the heart, and nothing but sin can quench his divine illuminations there. To enjoy these perpetual divine illuminations, Christian, to have those full and unceasing visions of the glory of Christ, by which you may be able to "comprehend the breadth, and depth, and length, and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge," is your high privilege and most sacred duty.