THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The Mighty Spirit.

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Notice the explanation of Samson's strength. much of the New Testament lies in the Old! Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him.” brother, that is gloriously true today. Aye, the only hope for a clean heart and a pure life in London is the Spirit of Christ Jesus coming mightily upon us. And let us

bless God for it, that in this awful and rugged crisis of our souls there is something always nearer to us than the spring of a tiger-and that is, the spring of the everwatching Spirit of God. There is One nearer to you than the precipice, even when it yawns at your very feet. There is always a way of escape, a door opened, or a strong Deliverer-greater on your behalf than all those raging beasts that can be against you-the Spirit of the Lord.

See how Heaven and earth are mingled in that conflict. In order to tell this story completely, you have to bring in the supernatural. "The Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him."--MCNEILL.

Operations of the Spirit.

What is the doctrine of the Holy Spirit? It is the doctrine of the interworking of the Spirit of God upon the souls of men. I have no philosophy about it. All I say is this: God knows what is the secret way in which mind reaches mind; I do not; you do not. I do not

know why words on my tongue wake up thoughts corresponding to those words in you. I do not know why the soul of man, like a complex instrument of wondrous scope, is played upon by my words, so that there are waked up in it notes along the whole scale of being. I do not understand why these things are so; but, unquestionably, they are so. I do not know how the mother pours her affection on the child's heart; but she does. Two stars never shone into each other as two loving souls shine into each other. I know it is so; but I do not know why it is so. I do not know how soul touches soul, how thought touches thought, or how feeling touches feeling; but I know it does.-BEECHER.

Necessity of the Spirit.

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What are our souls without His grace? the branch in which the sap circulates not. Church without Him? As parched and barren as the fields without Heaven's dew and rain. Where is the hope of the world's conversion, or of the salvation of dearly loved ones, out of Christ? If the Spirit of God come not to our aid, our eyes may fail with looking for these much-valued blessings.-LEWIS.

Names of the Spirit.

Breath of the Almighty, Comforter, Eternal Spirit, Free Spirit, God, Good Spirit, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit of God, Holy Spirit of Promise, the Lord, Power of the Highest, the Spirit, Spirit of the Lord God, Spirit of the Lord, Spirit of God, Spirit of the Father, Spirit of

Christ, Spirit of the Son, Spirit of Life, Spirit of Grace, Spirit of Prophecy, Spirit of Adoption, Spirit of Wisdom, Spirit of Counsel, Spirit of Might, Spirit of Understanding, Spirit of Knowledge, Spirit of the Fear of the Lord, Spirit of Truth, Spirit of Holiness, Spirit of Revelation, Spirit of the Judgment, Spirit of Burning, Spirit of Glory, Seven Spirits of God, Voice of the Lord.

Reliability of the Spirit.

There have been many, like infants, destroyed by elixirs given to lull them to sleep. Many have been ruined by the cry of "Peace! Peace!" when there is no peace; hearing gentle things when they ought to be stirred to the quick. Cleopatra's asp was brought in a basket of flowers; and men's ruin very often lurks in fair and sweet speeches. But the Holy Ghost's comfort is safe, and you may rest on it. Let Him speak the word, and there is a reality about it. Let Him give the cup of consolation, and you may drink it to the bottom, for in its depths there are no dregs-nothing to intoxicate or ruin. It is all safe.-SPURGEON.

Silencing the Spirit.

In times when vile men held the high places of the land, a roll of drums was employed to drown the martyr's voice, lest the testimony of truth from the scaffold should reach the ears of the people—an illustration of how men deal with their own consciences and seek to put to silence the truth-telling voice of the Holy Spirit.– ARNOT.

Office of the Spirit.

To unconverted persons, a great part of the Bible resembles a letter written in cipher. The blessed Spirit's office is to act as God's decipherer, by letting His people into the secret of celestial experience, as the key and clew to those sweet mysteries of grace which were before as a garden shut up, or as a fountain sealed, or as a book written in an unknown character.—TOPLADY.

Condensed Comments.

When the Spirit came to Moses, the plagues came upon Egypt, and he had power to destroy men's lives; when the Spirit came upon Elijah, fire came down from Heaven; when the Spirit came upon Gideon, no man could stand before him; and when the Spirit came upon Joshua, he moved around the city of Jericho, and the whole city fell into his hands. But when the Spirit came upon the Son of Man, He gave His life; He healed the broken-hearted.-MOODY.

Have not some of you heard a sermon in which you were offered as a sinner to the Lord Jesus Christ, and your conscience was troubled? You went away, but you came back again, and the Spirit of God came upon you again and again, and you were troubled. Haven't you passed through that experience? Don't you remember something like that happening to you? That was the Son of God seeking for your soul.-MOODY.

As the Spirit of Holiness, He imparts a pure taste; as the Spirit of Glory, He throws a radiance over the char

acter; as the Spirit of Life, He revives religion; as the Spirit of Truth, He gives transparency to the conduct; as the Spirit of Prayer, He melts the soul into devotion; and as the Spirit of Grace, He covers the face of the earth with the works of faith and labors of love. --DR. JENKYN.

As the window is the proper medium to let the light of the sun into our apartments, so the understanding is the proper medium for conveying the Spirit's influence to the soul.-A. CLARKE.

The work of spiritual religion is entirely the work of the Holy Ghost. It is as much beyond our reach naturally as the stars in the firmament. --R. HILL.

As clean water washeth and maketh clean our bodies, so the Spirit of God maketh our hearts and souls clean in the sight of God.-CAWDRAY.

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