Say then that the Holy Spirit thus remains with a man: that though daily trespasses be committed, still the Spirit of God also perpetually moves him, and he obeys those divine motions by the performance of good works: say that his faith and love are thus evinced, and that he ever desires, though he be never able actually to reach perfection, and so the Spirit is with him to his death: it is worth while to observe what are the expressions of Scripture respecting such a person. He is said to be sealed with the Spirit unto the day of redemption:* to have the earnest of the Spirit:† "Ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession."+ "God hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." || To revert again to what has been said above.§ All this doctrine of spiritual assistance is mysterious; i.e. our unassisted natural reason is not able to shew us anything at all about the matter. "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." It is our * Eph. iv. 30. || 2 Cor. i. 22. † 2 Cor. v. 5. Eph. i. 14. ¶ John iii. 8. duty to believe the doctrine because it is revealed: and herein is a trial of our faith. This too is in unison with those other dealings of God to man which may be termed mysterious. Neither, if we consider the reasons which have been mentioned above, is it calculated to excite surprise. It may be remarked further, that Christians have no reason whatever to expect that the ordinary operations of the Holy Ghost should be marked by any vehemently exciting movements, or as it were sudden gusts of passion and desire; as enthusiasts are apt to fancy. Such symptoms are probably rather the effects of an overheated or distempered imagination. The work of the Spirit is shewn by its fruits; "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.' *Gal. v. 22. CHAPTER V. OF TRUST IN GOD. IT may be well at this stage briefly to consider, what indeed has heretofore been touched upon, viz. the important principle of trust in God. As regards the first dispensation, previous to the fall of Adam, man, being the work of a perfect Being of almighty power, infinite wisdom, essential justice, would naturally be suited to his circumstances, and capable of accomplishing the objects, and obeying the law, which he was destined to accomplish and to obey. Either then at his first creation, or subsequently in the course of events, as occasion required, power would be given him to act suitably to any position in which he might be placed, and thus to fulfil his destiny. The character therefore of the Creator, and the relation begun by creation, and continually recognised in a kind preservation, might shew to man a sure foundation of trust in God. But, as we have seen, the ties of the first dispensation were broken. By transgression man placed himself in a situation of unnatural alienation from God. Where was now his title to favour and protection? What would be the operation of principles? Antecedently to all knowledge of Christianity, would a sincere conviction of sin lead to the conclusion, that God was made our implacable enemy? Or even that the connexion between God and man was so utterly dissolved, that it could on no terms be renewed? On no conditions could He condescend to shew us favour? On no principles to consider us again as His own? If such propositions were asserted, it is certain they could not be proved. Those who asserted them would be presuming to judge without sufficient evidence. What if the sin of man, such as he is, related to God such as God is, merits punishment, and it is altogether proper and necessary that man should be punished, have we any means of determining the severity of the retribution? Are there no degrees of punishment? None which may be called secondary and inferior? But if we considered what we had observed of the ordinary course of nature, how would the case stand then? Bishop Butler may again enlighten us upon this point. "We may observe, somewhat much to the present purpose, in the constitution of nature, or appointments of Providence, the provision which is made, that all the bad natural consequences of men's actions should not always actually follow; or that such bad consequences as, according to the settled course of things, would inevitably have followed, if not prevented, should in certain degrees be prevented. We are apt presumptuously to imagine, that the world might have been so constituted, as that there would not have been any such thing as misery or evil. On the contrary, we find the Author of Nature permits it: but then He has provided reliefs, and in many cases perfect remedies for it, after some pains and difficulties; reliefs and remedies even for that evil which is the fruit of our own misconduct; and which in the course of nature would have continued and ended in our destruction, but for such remedies. And this is an instance both of severity and of indulgence in the constitution of nature. Thus all the bad consequences, now mentioned, of a man's trifling upon a precipice, might be prevented. And though all were not, some of them might, by proper interposition if not rejected; by another's coming to the rash man's relief, with his own laying hold on that relief, in such sort as the case required. Persons may do a great deal themselves towards prevent |