Beloved in the Lord,
I have for some time had a desire to send you a few thoughts upon the emblems of the Holy Spirit, with which, to my view, the word of God abounds. For I am fully persuaded that the different metaphors made use of in the scriptures, to set forth the Spirit's work in the souls of men, are intended to instruct us in his different influences and operations. For, as there are many figures used, and all these are different from each other, so "there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all," I Cor. xii. 4, 6.
The first of these which I shall consider is that of "wind". But, as wind has different effects upon us, according to the point it blows from, so we read of two to which the Holy Spirit is compared. "Awake, O north wind, and come thou south, blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out," Cant. iv. 16. "Cold cometh out of the north," says Job, " but our garments are warm when he quieteth the earth with his south wind," chap. xxxvii. 9, 17. The wind is one and the same element, let it blow from what quarter it may; though the influence upon us is different, according to the quarter it blows from. So the Operations of the Spirit are widely different upon the souls of men. The spouse says, "Awake, O north wind." This signifies an alarm to a soul at ease: it is intended to awaken the mind when we, like the wise and foolish virgins, are slumbering and sleeping. It calls up our attention, and excites us to watchfulness; it leads to self-examination; and brings a man, like the prodigal, to himself. The Holy Ghost in his first work is set forth by this north wind.
"The word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him. And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire enfolding, itself, and a brightness was about it," Ezek. i. 3, 4. The whole vision which appears in this chapter, is an exhibition of Israel's deliverance from captivity, which is a type of a greater deliverance, namely, that of subjecting the Gentiles to the obedience of Christ, and delivering them from the yoke of sin and Satan. The whirlwind is the Holy Spirit; the cloud represents the favour of God, Proverbs, xvi. 15. The cherubim set forth the ministers of the gospel, Revelations, v. 9. The wheels, which move in concert with the cherubim, are the churches, Cant. vi. 12, in the act or worship. The spirit of the living creatures being in the wheels, shews the Spirit of God to be both in the leaders of worship and in the worshippers. The man on the throne above is Christ glorified, Ezek. i. 26, 27. His throne represents him as king of Zion, going forth conquering and to conquer, and so setting up his kingdom in the world. And by Peter we read of a church in Babylon, where this vision appeared. And the Holy Ghost as a north wind is set forth as attending the labours of the cherubim, applying the word, alarming and awakening; shaking and unsetting poor sinners who are in carnal security. The fire that attends this divine and majestic scene is represented as enfolding itself or catching itself in; though upon every emission light was diffused, for there was a brightness round about; but the fire was caught in and not scattered abroad. The longing soul often feels the warmth, and catches at it, but it is caught in again. By the fire I understand,
1. The promises of God, called live coals from the altar, Isa. vi. 6; which altar is Christ.
2. The fire of divine love attending the application of the promises; but these were caught in, only a brightness appeared, just to discover sin and our danger, and a north whirlwind to make the sinner shake and tremble at the voice of the cherubim, as the prophet Isaiah did at the cry of the seraphim, when he said, "Woe is me, for I am undone." The vision was nearly the same, which was seen by Isaiah in the temple, as that which appeared to Ezekiel in Chaldea. Isaiah was converted at the appearance of that, and so are the Gentiles at the appearance of this. And, if the Almighty would open so majestic a scene to convert one person, much more so when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of Christ. This whirlwind of the north is a display of the Spirit's operations in his convincing and convicting work; when cutting reproofs and rebukes are given; when the Spirit contends with sinners, and appears angry when God comes near to them in judgment, and appears a swift witness against them, Mal. iii. 5; and when inquisition is made for iniquity, Psalm ix. 12. The awakened sinner trembles and fears, at the near approaches of God; he knows that terrible majesty is at hand, which fills him with consternation and dread; his sins rise up in his mind, when guilt and shame fly in his face, and his confusion covers him; which fills him with an army of terrors and dreadful apprehensions, with distress and anguish, having no hope, and sinking, as he imagines, into desperate sorrow and endless ruin. All these things, as I before observed, are not the quickening operations of the Spirit, for that is set forth by another emblem. This north wind is his convincing and reproving work, as may be seen in another vision, which was opened to Ezekiel; wherein the house of Israel is set forth before the prophet as a multitude of dry bones in a low valley, which is their hopeless and low estate. The prophet is bid to prophesy upon these bones: "So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone," Ezekiel, xxxvii. 7, 8. "But there was no breath in them." They were awakened and alarmed, but not quickened.
The ministry of John, the harbinger of our Lord, who was to go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, seems to come chiefly with this whirlwind of the north. The strange apparel that he wore, his rural life in the wilderness, his austere appearance, and the coarse fare on which he lived; his strange garment, his rough manners, thundering, voice fiery zeal, and terrible tidings, of laying the axe to the root, cutting down the fruitless trees, and casting them into the fire. Fanning the barn's floor, gathering the wheat into the barn, and burning the chair with fire unquenchable, &c. Even our Lord himself calls John's ministry a mourning, and tells the Jews that they did not weep to John. But he calls his own a piping, and says they did not dance to him. The operations of the Spirit by the ministry of John will appear more plainly, if we consider the prophecy that went before. "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord," &c. Isa. xl. 3. "The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand for ever," Isaiah, xl. 6, 7, 8. Nothing cheering, enlivening, nourishing, strengthening, or comforting, is set forth under this blowing of the Spirit. Withering and fading are the only effects of it; which shows it is the north wind, or the Spirit applying the law. The north wind is a nipping, chilling, cutting wind, and by no means pleasant to us, or productive of fruitfulness. So says the prophet: "The people is grass," and "the grass withereth, because the Spirit of God bloweth upon it." Under this dreadful alarm, all carnal pleasure and mirth; all happiness in the pleasures of sin, wealth, or honour; all delight in worldly company, in a form of godliness, or whatever men rejoice in, or pride themselves upon, wither. "All the trees of the field are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men," Joel, i. 12. The innumerable multitude of the human race, their flourishing state, and their frailty, is set forth by grass. And all the godliness of men is set forth by the flower of the field. But, when the Spirit blows to awaken, alarm, convince, and convict, this goodness fades in a minute, and, like Daniel's comeliness, it is all turned into corruption, and we retain no strength, Dan. x. 8. Isaiah calls this a preparing the way of the Lord: and we may call it a preparatory work, for, when this alarming and convincing, reproving and wounding, go before, the good Samaritan is much wanted. The wholehearted and the sound do not need him, but the brokenhearted and the sick do, and indeed his chief business lies among these.
I shall now endeavour to set forth the Spirit's operation by a wind which blows from another point, namely, from the south, which is the most pleasant wind of the four: and by this most pleasing wind another operation of the Spirit is intended. John, the Lord's forerunner, had finished his ministry, and was gone; the Saviour outlived John, and he was gone; and the followers of Christ were left encompassed with a host of enemies, as a flock of lambs in the midst of wolves, filled with grief and fear, sorrow and sadness; but, behold, another wind goes forth, and an instrument of music attending it, that is, a trumpet; and one weapon of war, namely, an arrow goes also.
"And the Lord God shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south," Zech. ix. 14. This wind is attended with the sound of a trumpet, which is intended to call perishing sinners to a feast made by the Lord of hosts, Isa. xxvii. 13. The apostles are the persons primarily spoken of, and the Lord God is to be seen, presiding over these cherubim. An arrow was to go forth as lightning, piercing and wounding, being sharp in the hearts of the king's enemies. This fire is not a fire infolding itself; it goes forth as lightning, to illuminate the minds of men. And the Lord God is to blow the trumpet, and to give it all its music and melody; that is, the apostles were not the persons that were to speak, but the Lord God, according to this prophecy, is the Spirit which is to speak in them, Matt. x. 20. And on the day that the Lord God was to go forth with the apostles, it was to be, according to this prediction, with a whirlwind of the south. And on the day of Pentecost, when the apostles were all with one accord in one place, this wind descended. There came first a sound from heaven. This is the sound of the great trumpet which Christ foretold, and the apostles are the angels that took it, Matt. xxiv. 31. Next comes a rushing mighty wind; which is the South whirlwind, that gathered all the apostles and disciples within its vortex; "it filled all the house where they were sitting; and there appeared cloven tongues, like as of fire (these are the cherubs or seraphims inflamed, to inflame others), and it sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." This is the Lord God blowing the trumpet, Acts, ii. 2-4. The fire that attended the whirlwind of the north, was always caught in again, nothing was left but a brightness, a ray of light to attend the reproofs that were given; for "all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light which doth appear," Eph. v. 13. But the lightning which here attends the arrow, and the fire which accompanied this whirlwind of the south, was diffused; it is not infolded or caught in again; it sat upon each of the apostles, and it filled them; it was their fiery baptism, and abode with them as a comforter for ever. This most sweet and charming operation of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles made their regeneration or spiritual birth clear to them. They heard the sound and felt the power, as Christ says to Nicodemus, "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," John, iii. 8.
The avowed enemies of the Holy Ghost make use of these emblems by which the Spirit's operations are represented as arguments against his personality. "The Spirit a divine person! (say they): he is nothing, but the breath of the Almighty, or wind." Some things, they will allow, are spoken of the Spirit which are personal characters, and even personality is ascribed to the Spirit; but then it is by a prosopopceia, by which personification is often ascribed to inanimate things. If the emblem of wind, to which the Spirit's operations are compared, is sufficient to destroy the divine personality of the Holy Ghost; by the same rule, and by the same emblem, the personality of men, yea, and of women too, may be destroyed also. For Israel's prophets are called the same, and so is a contentious woman. "They have belied the Lord, and said, It is not he, neither shall evil come upon us, neither shall we see sword nor famine. The prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them," Jer. v. 12, 13. Again; "A continual dropping in a very rainy day, and a contentious woman, are alike. Whoso hideth her hideth the wind," Prov. xxvii. 15, 16.
2. Another emblem, to which the Holy Spirit's influences are compared, is that of "breathing;" hence he is called Breath. And indeed his procession from the Father and the Son, and his quickening operations upon the souls of lifeless sinners, are most beautifully represented by respiration. This appeared very early in the world; for, when God had formed Adam's body out of the earth, he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul." The Holy Ghost was thus conveyed; and it was he that formed the soul of Adam, and that drew the image of God upon it, and supported that image in Adam as long as he remained obedient. Adam was made in God's image, after God's likeness, Gen. i. 26; after the similitude of God, James, iii. 9. And this is the same image and likeness which the Spirit now reinstamps upon the soul of a sinner in regeneration. For to talk of two images, two likenesses, two similitudes of God, and these differing the one from the other, is making God to differ; if the image differs, so must the original; which appears strange to me. Nor is this image of God on the regenerate called new with respect to Adam, but with respect to us; for it is called a renewing, that produces this new man. "Put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him," Col. iii. 10. This new man is so called in opposition to indwelling sin, which is called the old man; and because sin reigned long in us before this grace came. Nor is this change called forming something new; but it is a renewing, a bringing something back to its original standard, or making something new which had been new before. And this creating us anew runs parallel with the first creation, it being a renewing us after the image of him that created us at first.
The operation of the Spirit, which is represented by breath and by breathing, is that of animating, enlivening, or quickening a soul that is dead in law, dead in sin, and dead to God. "It is the Spirit that quickeneth," John, vi. 63. Hence we read that although there was a shaking among the dry bones, in Ezekiel's vision, so that they came together bone to his bone, yet there was no breath in them; they were alarmed and awakened, but not quickened. This was to be done afterwards, and so it follows: "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breath, upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived." Which is thus explained: "I will put my Spirit in you, and ye shall live," Ezekiel, xxxvii. 8, 9, 10, 14. Hence it plainly appears that the influences of divine life by the Spirit are represented by respiration; on which account the Spirit is called breath, and quickening the soul is called breathing upon it.
The apostles, when the Saviour was about to be taken from them, had but little light: they knew not the scriptures. No joy; for sorrow had filled their hearts. But the Lord owned that they had faith, as appears in his prayer for them: "These have believed that I came forth from thee, and that thou didst send me: I pray for them," John, xvii. 9. And our Lord declares that those that believe in him have everlasting life; and so had the apostles: and this life was increased by a fresh supply of it by the Spirit of God when Jesus "breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost," John, xx. 22. From all which it appears that by these different metaphors or emblems the different gifts and operations of the Spirit are represented, teaching us heavenly things by things earthly; as appears in our Lord's discourse with Nicodomus, setting forth a new birth by a blowing wind; for he adds, "If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things?" John, iii. 12.
Those who are despisers of the Holy Spirit, and of those who enforce and contend for his soul-renewing operations, make use of this emblem also against his divine personality. "The Holy Ghost (say they) is no more than a quality; he is called the breath of the Lord." So he is, and he is that Spirit that formed man, and that breath that gave him life when he was formed. For so saith Elihu, "The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life," Job, xxxiii. 4. But if this emblem destroys the personality of the Spirit, the same emblem must destroy the personality of man also; for man is called the same. "They pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness. The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits: of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen," Lam. iv. 19, 20.
The Holy Spirit not only reproves, convinces, and convicts, but be also stirs up our troubles and enlivens our convictions, and will not suffer them to die away, like those of Cain, Judas, Saul, and Ahab; nor to prove abortive, like those who traveled and "brought forth wind," Isa. xxvi. 18. Every quickening sensation promotes our appetite, and increases our sense of famine and our danger of perishing. Crying and praying, hungering and thirsting, watching and waiting, seeking and searching, craving and longing, hoping and desiring, are all kept in motion; and the soul is sick, swoons, and faints, until the desire be accomplished, which is sweet to the soul. Yea, to such a hungry one every bitter thing is sweet; the rod, the furnace, the chains, misery, gall or wormwood, dread of adversity, and waters of affliction; any thing is better than carnal ease, dead sloth, or soul-destroying insensibility.
3. The third emblem that I shall consider is that of water. And this is set forth various ways, according to the Spirit's different operations. Sometimes he is compared to a shower-discharged from the clouds, Isa. xxxiv. 3; sometimes to a fountain supplied from its own source, Joel, iii. 18; sometimes to a river, a broad river and streams (Isaiah, xxxiii. 21), running and refreshing a whole country, Ezek. xlvii. 9; sometimes also to a well of living water always springing, John, iv. 14; and sometimes to dew, gently and almost imperceptibly distilling, Hosea, xiv. 5. And the fragrance of the Spirit's grace is compared to "the dew of herbs" Isa. xxvi. 19.
Rain is one of the greatest blessings of divine Providence without it all creation would be barren; man and beast must perish, and vegetation be no more; and the whole beauty of the creation would soon fade like a leaf in autumn. By refreshing showers come fruits for man, and herbage for beasts. "Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness, and thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness; and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys are also covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing," Ps. lxv. 9-13. Now the children of men are by sin as barren to God, without the spirit of his grace, as the earth would be to us without showers. God calls us a wilderness, a desert, a barren heath, that knows not when good cometh; dry ground, parched ground; until the Spirit by conviction ploughs it, roots up the thorns, and makes it fallow; while reproofs break the clods, and prepare it for the seed and the shower. Hence the promise, "I will pour water on him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing, upon thine offspring. And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses; one shall say, I am the Lord's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob, and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel," Isa. xliv. 3-5. Now this branch of the Spirit's work, or the operation of the Spirit which is here represented by water, is that of cleansing, washing, and renewing: "I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean; and from all your filthiness will I cleanse you. He saved us," says Paul, "by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost." By the washing is meant purging away our guilt and filth by the Spirit's realizing the Saviour's atonement; and by renewing us we are to understand that, under the influences of the Spirit, the powers or faculties of the soul, which are all corrupted and turned out of the ways of God, are renewed and set right; they are turned to God and his ways again, by the grace of the Spirit being implanted in these depraved faculties. And under the powerful operations of the Spirit, in his work of renewing, men are represented as trees or plants, quite changed in their nature from what they were before. "Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree; and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off," Isa. lv. 13. The fir and the myrtle are not deciduous plants, but evergreens; their sap is always up, and their leaf is always green. Hence we read of those who trust and hope in the Lord being always verdant: "Their leaf shall not wither, neither shall they cease from yielding fruit," Jer. xvii. 8; and the reason is, because they are planted by the waters, and send out their roots by the rivers." So, in the above text from Isaiah, they are represented by a willow; not because this plant is an evergreen, for it is not; but because of its quick growth, and because it thrives best in moisture: hence the sanctified soul is compared to the "willow by the watercourses." Their springing up shews their growth in grace and in knowledge; in grace, particularly in faith, and into a comfortable persuasion of their interest in God's favour: "One shall say, I am the Lord's; another shall call himself by the name of Jacob," being sure of his adoption, and of being heir to the blessing; for the birthright and the blessing always go together. And a third surnames himself by the name of Israel, which honorable title is that of an overcomer or prevailer with God and man. This springing represents the heavenly-mindedness of a regenerate soul; and how by faith and hope such soar aloft, and find grace drawing their souls upwards to God, where the mind and affections meet with indulgence, with a hearty welcome, and with delightful entertainment: "To be spiritually minded is life and peace," Rom. viii. 6.
Furthermore, the descent of the Spirit upon the broken-hearted sinner is attended with a discharge of righteousness also. "Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the Lord have created it," Isa. xlv. 8. The glorious contents of this shower are not discharged from the clouds, but from the skies. Divine Justice being satisfied, God"s wrath is appeased, and the thick clouds of our transgressions are blotted out, Isa. xliv. 22; the high priest is in the holy of holies, the south wind has dispersed the clouds from our minds, and the sun of righteousness shines upon the earth: hence this shower comes from the skies. The contents of the shower are said to be righteousness, the first branch of which is talking away our filthy garments, or cleansing us from all unrighteousness, and clothing us with change of raiment; this comes by the Spirit; "We are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." The love of God also is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which teaches us to love God, and one another. These are the chief contents of this shower from the skies. "Let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together." We are not to suppose that by these orders given for the earth to open, the conscious sinner has power to enlarge or contract, to open or shut his own heart: No, by no means. But, when poor convinced souls have been long in legal bondage, and shut up in unbelief; often in hope and expectation, and as often crossed and disappointed; such slacken and despond; and, finding that all counsel, encouragement, and advice, given by others, has failed, and is lost upon them, they conclude the die is cast, their doom fixed, and they can muster neither strength nor courage to renew the attack. But God appearing when strength is all gone, and sending down this shower when expectation had yielded up the ghost, the sinner puts it away from him, and through unbelief refuses to be comforted concluding the tidings are too great, and the blessings are too good, for such a wretch as he; for he measures God and God's thoughts with himself and his own thoughts, Isa. lv. 8; and, as he loathes himself, he concludes that God hates him; and this is his folly and God's dishonour. To such the text speaks. Let him not measure the aboundings of his sin with God's superabounding grace, nor limit the goodness of God to them who have less vileness, and who are more worthy; for it is all of grace that lost sinners, perishing sinners, and the chiefest of sinners, are sought after. "Let the skies pour down righteousness; let the earth open" and receive it; "and let them bring forth salvation." My Spirit shall bring it forth from me into their hearts: and they, by confession, profession, and uprightness of life, shall bring it forth before the world.
Under this shower from the skies, the sting of death, which is sin, is removed; the balm of Gilead heals the wounded spirit; a lively hope forbids despondency; all soul sickness is banished, and eternal life and immortality are brought to light; Light breaks forth as the morning, and our health springs forth speedily, Isa. lviii. 8. "For, as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations Isa. lxi. 11.
Having offered a few thoughts upon the descent of the Spirit as a shower from the skies; and what are the contents, the fruits, and effects of that shower; I shall now proceed to the Spirit's work, which is set forth by the emblem of a river.
There are seasons in which a child of God is indulged with an uncommon influence of the Spirit, enwrapped in wonderful limit, joy, and comfort. Under these heavenly raptures he is quite above himself. As we read in John's Revelation, while he was meditating; "Immediately I was in the Spirit." And again, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day." At such times every inbred corruption is stilled; the world banished from the mind, the flesh and its concerns not in all our thoughts. "Whether in the body or out of the body," says Paul, "God knoweth." Or, like Peter on the mount, talking, but not knowing, what he said. The soul is plunged into its God, and moves in life, in light, in joy, and in heavenly pleasures, which are unspeakable, and full of glory. Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken. But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams, wherein shall go no galley with oars," &c, Isa. xxxiii. The prophet Ezekiel observes the rising and falling, the swelling and sinking, of these holy waters, after he had been led three times through them. "Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the loins. And afterward he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass over; for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over," Ezek. xlvii, 4, 5. We have no call to look far to find out the meaning of these waters. The prophet tells us that "every thing that liveth and moveth whithersoever the river cometh shall live," ver. 9. All that are quickened by these waters, and obtain motion to move towards God, shall for ever live. This rising and falling of the waters respects us under the operations of the Spirit. The prophet tells us that they rose upon him every time he went through. And so with the soul in which the Spirit works; he fears, he trembles, he faints, he sinks under his convictions and terrors; but in hope he rises above water, in godly sorrow he melts and meekens, and in faith his mind rises still higher. In the little comforts flowing from hope he begins to soar, so as to tread the waters; in joy and peace he ascends, till, like Peter, he goes on the face of the waters; but, in the comforts of love and the light of glory, he swims, or finds himself borne up above all his troubles and fears, and is convinced by what he feels that this is the river of God's pleasure which flows at his right hand for evermore, and cannot be passed over; for eternity has no brink, no bank, no bound: though it has its banks in this world, with respect to men, so that it runs in its own channel, which is to the elect of God, and to none else. And, with reference to these waters, we read of being planted together in the likeness of Christ's death, and of being risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, 2 Col. 12; as also of walking in the Spirit, Gal. v. 16; and we read of rising in love, so as to set our affections on things above. All which is the work of these holy waters, operating upon men as the Holy Spirit pleaseth.
Again, the more gentle, shallow, and imperceptible operations of the Spirit, which attend the word preached by men truly evangelical, are compared to smaller rivers, streams, brooks, &c. "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water," John, vii. 38. This is chiefly spoken to the apostles, who were to evangelize others; but not to the exclusion of those who were to come after them. These rivulets attending the word preached, is what the wise man means when he says, "The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the well-spring of wisdom as a flowing brook," Prov. xviii. 4. The liberty proclaimed to one who has been a legal captive to law terrors, to the power of sin, and the tyranny of Satan, which was typified by Israel's return from Babylon, is set forth by streams: "Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south," Psalm cxxvi. 4. The blessed fruit of the Spirit, which is called the abundance of peace, and the abundant inundation of the Gentile world flowing into the church under the influence of the Holy Ghost, is called extending peace to Zion "like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream," Isa. lxvi. 12. For whatever darkness, distress, confusion, or trouble, the soul gets into when the Spirit operates with the word, all is washed away, and peace and quietude succeed. This river of peace coming in carries all before it, when the sweetest tranquillity follows to compose and calm the mind. When the believer has lost sight of the king's countenance, the face of his throne is bid, and a cloud spread upon it, and all evidences obscured; we see not our signs nor tokens for good; but faith and hope both stay at home to prop up the heart, and will not venture abroad; so that prayer seems to have lost all attendance, no energy to give vent to our grief in prayer, no love to cause it to ascend, no confidence mixed with the petitions, nor hope in exercise to expect returns: and, were it not for the Holy Spirit and his grace, we should soon become like a dreary desert or barren heath. But the ever-blessed Comforter, whose work it is to take the things that are Christ's, and to shew them unto us, often, when least expected, either hinder the word in prayer, or in me meditation, breaks in, disperses the dismal gloom, and gives us another view of the Lord's enlivening countenance: and a sweet sense of his healing beams; in which soul-dissolving rays the atonement and its effects are discerned, his righteousness and the fruits of it seen and enjoyed; and his love makes it manifest that we are in him, and in him complete: then love dissolved all our doubts, the mountains flow down at his presence, and this puts off our sackcloth and girds us with gladness. "There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God. The holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High," Psal. xlvi. 4.
But there are streams of a lower degree than these, which move to strengthen, animate and invigorate our grace; when these get weak and languid, "strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die," Rev. iii. 2. This order is given to the angel of the church, and is the same as that in Isaiah; "strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees; say to them that are of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not," &c. Searching after things new and old, speaking comforting and encouraging words, and praying for success, is all that a minister can do: the excellency of the power is of God, and not of him. Yet, if we give to each a portion of meat in due season, the Lord will confirm the word of his servants, and perform the counsel of his messengers; and the Spirit does this by putting forth his power to strengthen and enliven the grace of God in the saints. Paul calls it being strengthened by the Spirit's might in the inner man; which is done by an increase of faith, enlivening of it, and calling it forth into lively exercise; helping us against-our infirmities in prayer, and enabling us to draw nigh to God in full assurance; for by a sense of our own frailty, and of our real wants, by divine fervour in the soul, and by a holy boldness, strong confidence, and unabated importunity, does the Spirit make intercession for us with prevalent groanings, if the fruit of the lip cannot accompany them; and God, who searcheth the heart, knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, for he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Every exercise of faith, of hope, of love, or of patience, is put forth under the strengthening and quickening operations of the Spirit of God for as no fruits of the earth can thrive or grow without moisture, no more can the fruits of the Spirit without his animating and refreshing operations. "A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon," Song iv. 15. The church is called a fountain of gardens, having many small assemblies in union with her. She is called a well of living water, being the residence of the Spirit and his grace; it streams from Lebanon, which shews that the Spirit has left the temple at Jerusalem, which was built of the wood from that mountain, and communicates his quickening streams to the Gentile world. God leaving the temple and visiting the Gentiles, is called giving us the glory of Lebanon, Isa. xxxv. 2. That beautiful house was God's dwelling, but now he dwells with the broken and the contrite heart.
Having considered the Spirit's operations as he is represented by the emblem of water, first, as showers from the skies; secondly, as broad rivers; and thirdly, as brooks and streams; I shall now offer a few thoughts upon his operations, which are set forth by a spring.
"Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life," John. iv. 14. However we may receive the word, and whatever good beginnings may shew forth themselves in us, unless the spirit of life attend both the word and the apparent good beginnings, sure I am that, when the fiery trial comes on, the heat will parch the soil and wither the crop. The Holy Ghost meekens our spirit, and softens the stony heart; without this it has "no deepness of earth," Matt. xiii. 5. A hard heart is called a rock, where nothing good can grow: "And some fell upon a rock, and, as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture," Luke, viii. 6. We read of others who received the word, but "the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful," Mat. xiii. 22. This choking and overtopping the word is for the want of a spring at the bottom. The life of faith will counteract the cares of this life, and the love of God will root deeper than the love of money can do, and rise higher, and give more pleasure and delight in the true riches than all wordly riches can afford. I shall offer my thoughts of this spring under a threefold consideration.
1. The Spirit raises up the powers of this soul, and sets them on God and spiritual things. "If ye are risen with Christ, seek the things which are above," Col. iii. 1.
2. He plants a crop of choice fruits, which are called, "the fruits of the Spirit," Gal. v. 22. These are likewise called the incorruptible seed, "which liveth and abideth for ever," I Peter, i. 23. Hence we read of faith and hope being in God, and affectious at the right hand of God.
3. This spring rises in our devotions or worship also, for we read of "spiritual sacrifices," 1 Peter, ii. 5, which ascend to God like the flames, the smoke, and the savour, which went off the Jewish altars; "The sons of the stranger will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar, for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people," Isa. lvi. 6, 7: and these please God better than a bullock that has horns and hoofs.
First, the ascension of the soul. Sin and fear, guilt and shame, with the whole mass of inbred corruptions, weigh down the soul; while a sense of divine anger it sculk into darkness, when, like the publican, we dare not lift up our eyes to heaven, much less our souls. But, when the Holy Spirit applies the atonement, and presents the righteousness of Christ to faith, passes the sentence of justification in the court of conscience, fills us with peace, silences all accusers, and bears his witness within, the soul begins to mount and ascend. "They shall mount up with wings as eagles," Isa. xl. 31, when the powers of the soul are loosed from their chains, yokes, veils, and coverings, with which the God of this world has kept us in his strong hold; and these are his panoply in which he trusts; but the Holy Ghost binds him, and spoils his house, both of his armour and of his goods. He destroys the veil; and then the understanding rises, shines, and contemplates the goodness of its God in Christ Jesus. A divine power displaces the obstinacy, inflexibility, and rebellion, of the will; the Spirit makes us willing, in the day of his power, when Christ becomes the object of our choice; and to obey his will, and to have his presence and his approbation, is the delight of the soul. The will having chosen the object, the affections adore, admire, and are ravished with the choice. The carnality of the mind, and its internal enmity, being dethroned by the law of faith therein, faith assuring us of our sonship and heirship, and it being the substance of things hoped for, a participation of the true riches; in these the soul solaces itself; and the more it meditates the more treasure it discovers; and, while the mind remains thus spiritual, the more doth life and peace abound within; yea, every thought at such seasons is in willing and pleasing captivity to the obedience of Christ. "In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul," Psalm xciv. 19. The heart often, in God's word, signifies the whole soul; and Christ says, "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is there will your heart be also," Matt. vi. 20, 21. This is and will be the case with a soul that is rich in faith; for, if this world, or sin, or temptations, interrupt such an one in these divine pursuits, he is wretched and miserable the whole world cannot repair his loss; nor heaven itself, nor earth, with all its fulness, fill the vacancy, if his God forsakes him, and not one token for good appears; for he knows the pains of hell and the joys of heaven; and this teaches him to put a proper value upon Christ and his salvation, which the dead and the blind know nothing of.
2. Every grace, which is produced in the soul under the renewing operations of the Holy Ghost, is called "the first fruits of the Spirit," Rom. viii. 23; a heavenly production springing from a spiritual birth that which is born of the Spirit is spirit," John, iii. 6; a crop of incorruptible seed that lives and abides for ever, springing under the operations of an incorruptible and ever-living fountain. Every grace in its exercise ascends to God, and through Christ is accepted of him, or God's most gracious presence descends to it. The exercise of grace upon God through Christ is acceptable, and God meets such as come to him in his own way, Isa. lxiv. 5; yea, the feeblest grace of the Holy Spirit is owned and honoured of God the Father. The first quickening of the Spirit gave the prodigal son all his appetite and motion, which terminated in that happy meeting between his father and him. Humility, under a keen sense of sin, which wounds the spirit, and makes it tremble and stand in awe of God's word, the high and lofly one that inhabits eternity takes notice of, for he dwells with the humble and the contrite heart, Isa. lvii. 15. Faith lays hold of God's strength; by the divine power of the Spirit it is produced, on God's arm it rests, in his power it stands, and through faith in that power are we kept; and God owns it, and honours it; for all that exercise it obtain a good report through faith. A filial fear, that has God's goodness for its object, and hope founded on his mercy, meets with God's approbation; and, as God approves, so the divine pleasure is reflected on the soul that exercises these. "The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy," Psalm cxlvil. 11. Love from Christ is set upon Christ, and upon the Father through him: "Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he hath known my name: he shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation," Psalm xci. 14-16. Every persuasion of the mind, which leads it in trouble to confide in God, is kept steady by divine support, and furnished with uninterrupted peace: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee," Isa. xxvi. 3.
The feeblest grace that the Spirit plants in the heart God acknowledges and approves. Meekness is a grace that softens the soul under the last stroke of God's rod, and is one ingredient in the sanctification of our afflictions, if they are at all sanctified. Every one that learns the exercise of this grace from Christ, finds union with him, and rest for his soul by that union; yea, meekness, exercised under a believing view of the Lord's goodness, and our interest in it, makes the yoke easy, and the burden light.
Self-abasement also. God was communing with Job, and shining upon him, when he abhorred himself, and repented "in dust and ashes," Job, xlii. 6. The Lord keeps the hair of our head from perishing while our souls are possessed in patience. Every grace has its work, and acts its part in professing, worshipping, and suffering; we read of patience having her perfect work, James, i. 4; and of meekness operating, while we are receiving the ingrafted word, James, i. 21; and, if pride accompany our prayers in the room of humility, instead of receiving more grace, we are resisted, James, iv. 6. No works but the works of faith, no labour but the labour of love, no patience but the patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, will ever pass current in the sight of God and our Father, 1 Thess. i. 3. Hence it appears that grace is a lively, active principle; it springs in its exercises, and remains with us when its activity is imperceptible; and, whether it be found in a child or in the adult, it always is a good thing toward the Lord God of Israel: "When thy feet enter the city the child shall die; and all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam," 1 Kings, xiv, 12, 13. All grace bends or leans toward the Lord upon him it is exercised, and in him it terminates at last; it reigns through righteousness unto eternal life.
3. The spring of grace is in all our profession and our devotion, usefulness and fruitfulness: "The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth," Eph. v. 9. Paul observed this in his ministerial labours, as the, living spring which kept him in motion, and made his preaching effectual in others. "Where unto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily," Col. i. 29. Yea, grace was the chief labourer or the agent, and Paul the instrument: "I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me," I Cor. xv. 10. Without the Spirit and grace of God the ministry is no more than the letter that killeth and the bearer that can mix no faith with the word is neither fed nor profited, Heb. iv. 2; and all prayer that is not attended with faith meets with no returns: "Let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord," James, i. 7. Every grace in turn is exercised under the word preached. By faith promises are obtained, and by the same is the soul fed; we live by faith; by faith the atonement is received, and the heart purified with it; the righteousness of Christ is received by faith, and by faith is God glorified. There is no gratitude to God, for delight in him no sacrificing to him with the voice of joy; no offering acceptable praise to him, or sacrificing thanksgiving, if the heart be destitute of all love to him. It can be nothing but lip labour and bodily exercise, which tend only to penury. Few would be found waiting at Wisdom's gate, and watching at the posts of her doors; few in the isles would wait for his law, if there were no hope or expectation of these things coming: but these waiting souls have their promise; "They shall not be ashamed that wait for me." And as long as hope bears up they will look out; and those that wait upon their master shall be honoured; and, although such have little faith, yet it is often seen that they have much patience.
The last branch of this emblem of water, which I shall consider, is that of dew: "I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon," Hosea, xiv. 5. This dew often attends with the word; as Moses says, "My speech shall distil as the dew." And sometimes it distils without the word, as was the case with Job: "The dew lay all night upon my branch; my glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand," Job, xxix. 19, 20. The first influence of this refreshing dew, which the sincere seeker finds under this distillation, is a most and warm and glowing affection to the worshippers of God; this is mostly the first effect: which union appears wonderful to him and he cannot account for it. We are taught of God to love one another; and he feels his soul knit to the family of God, but knows not the cause. "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion," Psalm cxxxiii. 1, 3. It is this dew that attaches the soul to the saints, and draws it away from the ungodly, as may be seen in Ruth and Naomi; in Rahab and Israel's spies. The dew, however profuse when it falls, is soon exhaled, and disappears; so these gentle refreshings are but of short continuance; yet seeking souls are sensible enough when they are refreshed with them, and both sad and sorrowful when they feel themselves dry and barren for the want of them.
God they think takes no notice of their case, he does not endear himself to them, and they are furnished with no thanksgivings, no grateful acknowledgments to him; they have been to his house, waited at his doors, and are sent empty away: this tries the weakling not a little; however, it serves to make them the more sensible of the favour when it does come; and after such a cutting disappointment it is often known that the next refreshing is more abundant. The Lord does not despise the day of small things; the weakest beginnings shall be kept alive; convictions by God's Spirit, however shallow, all cares and concerns for the salvation of the soul, hungering and thirstings after the bread of life and the righteousness of God, shall not vanish away. The hungry shall be filled the needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever," Psalm ix. 18. God will satiate the weary, and replenish the sorrowful, Jer. xxxi. 25. He will not break the bruised reed, though it makes no melody; nor quench the smoking flax, through there be not the fire of perfect love, nor the flame desires which do not abate, and Wisdom tells us. "the desire of a man is his kindness," Prov. xix. 22. Whether the operations of the Spirit be compared to showers, rivers, fountains, brooks, streams, springs, or dew, all is water; and water is of a cleansing, cooling, refreshing nature; next to the sun it is the greatest blessing in the whole creation; and there can be no fruit or food without it. And so it is with the new creation, which is the husbandry of God; when the Spirit was poured upon us from on high, the Gentiles became a fruitful field; and, when the Spirit was taken from the Jews, that fruitful field was counted for a forest, Isa. xxxii. 15.
Nor does this emblem of water militate against the personality of the Holy Ghost. If it does, then all the inhabitants of the Pope's dominions are qualities or non-entities also; "And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest where the whore sitteth, are people, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues," Rev. xvii. 15. The whole Assyrian host, the king of that host, and all his glorious retinue, are called "the waters of the river, strong and many," Isa. viii. 7. The next emblem of the Spirit that presents itself to me, is that of a dove. The shape and form of this creature the Holy Ghost assumed when he descended from heaven upon the Son of God; and by this visible descent of the Spirit was the Saviour distinguished at the river Jordan; and by this sign was he to be known to the Baptist. For thus it is written; "The heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased," Luke, iii. 21, 22. In this passage a trinity of persons in the godhead is as clear as the sun at noonday; and their distinct personality also: here is the Son of God standing upon the earth; the Holy Ghost opening the heavens, and descending in the bodily shape of a dove; and a voice from heaven proclaiming the Saviour's sonship, which voice must come from God the Father, and from no other. And now was fulfilled that ancient and wonderful prophecy; "Come ye near unto me, hear ye this, I have not spoken in secret from the beginning, from the time that it was there am I: and now the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me," Isa. xlviii. 16. Wherein we may observer first, that he calls sinners to come to him as to their only saviour and deliverer; secondly, to attend to his voice as the great prophet of the church; and, thirdly, that it was in him that spake the first promise publicly, and not in secret, from the beginning, when the seed of the woman was promised to bruise the serpent's head. From the time that it was, that is, from the time that that promise was given out, there am I. And now the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me to perform the work and fulfil the promise.
What colour this bodily shape of a dove appeared in, when the Holy Ghost assumed, whether white or fiery, is no where mentioned.
By this emblem a threefold operation of the Spirit is intended the note of the dove is mournful, "We mourn sore like doves," Isa. lix. 11. There are no mourners in Zion, no mourning over sin, or over a suffering Saviour, without the Spirit's operations. The dove is noted for meekness; and evangelical meekness is a fruit of the Spirit, Gal. v. 23; and in the exercise of this grace the weakest believer finds access to God, and great freedom and boldness with him. Hence our Lord calls himself meek and lowly; and he calls all to him who have learned the same. The dove is a harmless creature; and hence our Lord tells his disciples to be as wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. And I know of none so useful to the bodies, souls, and circumstances of man, as real spiritual preachers, who preach the kingdom of God to sinners, and I encourage them to seek it; for these seekers have all other things added unto them. Nor does this emblem destroy the personality of the Spirit, for the church of God is called a dove more than once; read Song ii. 14; Psalm lxxiv. 19.
The next emblem of the Holy Ghost, which I shall consider, is that of fire. This is the most powerful element of the four, and will destroy all the others; even the sea shall be dried up by it; "Thus hath the Lord God showed unto me, and behold, the Lord God called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep," Amos, vii. 4. "Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat," 2 Pet. iii. 12. "The earth also and the works that are therein, shall be burnt up," 2 Pet. iii. 10. Hence it appears that the heavens, the starry heavens and the ethereal, the great deep, the earth and all her works, shall be burnt up. And I believe that the fuel of Tophet, and all the wicked in it, will find the vengeance of heaven to be kindled by the hot displeasure of the Holy Ghost; for it is written, "the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it," Isa. xxx. 33.
There is a prophecy going before upon the subject now in hand, namely, upon this fiery work of the Holy Ghost, for it is written; that "When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of mourning. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shinning of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence," Isa. iv. 4, 5. The Holy Spirit is here called a spirit of judgment, because it is he that applies the word preached, and gives it all its power; by which power the sinner is convinced, convicted, and brought in guilty before God: this is the sinner's judgment. And, when the Spirit applies the Lord's atonement, and cleanses the sinner by it, and by the washing of regeneration, the sinner is clean. He then presents the righteousness of Christ to us, and by faith it is put on: we are then justified in the name of our Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Hence he is called the Spirit of judgment. Another part of our cleansing is by the spirit of burning; "From all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you, saith the Lord." We are washed from sin by the blood of Christ, and sanctified by the washing of regeneration. But what is it that cleanseth us from all our idols? What is that which removes all these from the heart and affections? I answer, this is done by the spirit of burning, and the spirit of burning is the spirit of love, 2 Tim. i. 7. The Spirit, having cleansed us and justified us as a spirit of judgment, then operates as the spirit of love, and sheds abroad the love of God in the heart; and, having much forgiven, we love much; and when God is much loved, idols are lightly esteemed. And, to be plain, this is our spiritual circumcision; "and the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, that thou mayest love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live," Deut. xxx. 6. All circumcision in the flesh is no more than a sign, Rom. iv. 11. God himself declares it is not circumcision which is in the flesh, Rom. ii, 28. True circumcision stands in these two things: first, in the forgiveness of sins; "in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ," Col. ii. 11; and the second is, to love and adore a sin-pardoning God. This circumcision is God's work, and he does it that we may love him with all the heart, and with all the soul, that we may live; live to him in this world, and live with him in the world to come. And it is plain that, when the whole heart and soul loves God, no room is left for idols. This is the shining of a flaming fire by night, which rest upon Zion and her assemblies; and the smoke is the perpetual incense of spiritual prayer, attended with the fervor of the Spirit and of his grace. This is our circumcision, typified under the Old Testament; and this is our spiritual baptism, prefigured by water under the New. The sign went before, the substance followed after: "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire," Matt. iii. 11. This text has puzzled many good men, because of the distinction made by the copulative and "he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." Hence some conclude that the descent of the Holy Ghost upon us is one baptism; and the fire, signifying fiery trials, is another. But, as this baptism succeeds circumcision, and in the Holy Spirit's sense is one and the same thing, baptism by the Spirit is receiving him as our everlasting comforter: this is baptism by the Holy Ghost. And the baptism by fire is the love of God the Father: "Hope maketh not ashamed," says Paul, "because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us," Romans, v.5. In which passage the love of God the Father shed abroad in the heart is mentioned as distinct from the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us. This I believe to be the true and unstrained sense of that text, nor need this distinction appear strange, since we read of the love of God the Father: "The Father himself loveth you, because you have loved me," John, xvi. 27. The love of Christ also: Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it," Eph. v. 25. And of the love of the Spirit, Romans, xv. 30. By the emblem of fire, is the love of God, Father, Son, and Spirit, represented; all of which come upon us at our spiritual baptism. And, as fire is the most predominant of all the elements, so is love at our baptism it burns, purifies, and purges, till it makes clear work indeed. All our idols, dross, tin, self-righteousness, and dead formality, are gone with detestation and abhorrence, and even ourselves are abhorred as well as those baubles: love carries all before it, neither Satan's floods, nor sinners' rage, can do any thing with it; "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it. If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned," Song viii. 1. Love not only purifies us from idols, but it brings us to an existence in God; for "he that loveth dwelleth in God and God in him." I John, iv. 16. It makes a minister a flaming fire, Psalm civ. 4. It is the highest branch of divine knowledge; "He that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God," I John, iv. 7. It is an alluring, attracting, constraining influence; "The love of Christ constraineth us," 2 Cor. v. 14. It is attended with a pleasing, becoming, fiery zeal, which is a zeal according to knowledge. It is that grace which establishes and settles the whole building, and in the light of which the glory of God appears: "When the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in his glory," Ps. cii. 16; for "charity edifieth," I Cor. viii. 1. It builds up and completes the edifice, and is, and will be, the completing and perfecting of all real and evangelical holiness in us: "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, Eph. i. 4. In short, when this fire burns in the heart, it beats and inflames the whole soul, and sets the word of God all on a blaze: "Also I will make my words in thy mouth fire," Jer. v. 14. "His word was a fire shut up in my bones," Jer. xx. 9. The live coal from the altar that touched the lips of Isaiah, and purged him from all his sin, was the promise of life attended with the spirit of love, Isaiah, vi. 7. The sacred flame went through him in a minute: "Thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged." A minister thus inflamed is often instrumental, in the hand of the Spirit, of inflaming a whole church: "Upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness. And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble," Obadiah, 18. The light which shines forth from love is called the true light; for, let men discover or perceive what they may of divine things, as Balaam did, Yet the guilt of sin on the conscience, and the carnal enmity of the mind, stain it, and aggravate the misery of him that sees the light. The light that was in Judas was darkness, and how great was that darkness! Matt. vi. 23, because what he saw he hated; he saw the light and rebelled against it, Job, xxiv. 13. From all which it is plain that this emblem of fire sets forth the operations of the Holy Spirit, when he influences the soul as the spirit of love; this dissolves the stony heart, and melts the stubborn soul, and bows the will to the easy yoke. It refines, purges, and purifies us from the love of sin, from the love of self, the love of the world, and all its idols; it furnishes us with a warm and becoming zeal, and is attended with light, and this light has a brightness in it, a lustre which nothing but love can give it, as saith the prophet: "For Zion's sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth," Isaiah, lxii. 1. This is salvation from sin, and burning love by the Spirit inflaming the pardoned sinner. The righteousness of faith comes with brightness, and the forgiveness of sins with a lamp that burns. All light but this is but moon-light, and shines only in the night, and upon the children of the night; but the influence of love, when the Spirit testifies of Christ, applies the atonement, and clothes the soul with the garments of salvation, and sheds abroad the love of God in the heart: it is compared to the sun itself: "Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee," Isaiah, lx. 1. "The Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory; thy sun shall no more go down," Isaiah, lx. 19, 20.
Nor does this emblem of fire make against the personality of the Holy Ghost, for men are set forth by the same: "He maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire," Heb. i. 7. John was a burning and a shining light. But neither the flaming fire, nor the burning and shining of John, destroyed the personality of ministers; no more does the different operations of the Spirit, set forth by different emblems, destroy the personality of the Spirit.
I now come to consider another emblem of the Spirit, which is that of oil, which is intended to set forth another operation of the Holy Ghost, and is not to be applied to every influence which the Spirit produceth in men. This operation, whatever it is, is called the anointing, and was typified by the anointing of the Jewish priests: "And thou shalt anoint them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office, for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood," Exod. xl. 15. These priests were Levites, and no other. And these were saint in type; for Levites in truth continue to this day in their anointing, and still attend the altar and minister in the priest's office. "And the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, if you can break my covenant of the night, and there should not be day and night in their seasons, then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites, the priests, my ministers. As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured, so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me," Jer. xxxiii. 19-22. The name Levite, according to the learned, signifies joined, and is significant enough; for he that is anointed with the Spirit is joined to the Lord, and is one spirit with him, 1 Cor. vi. 17. And, to shew the duration of this anointing, and of the office of priesthood, both the name and office are now applied to the Gentiles: "And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the Lord," Isa. lxvi. 21. On this account the whole church is called a royal priesthood, and every saint both a king and a priest, to offer up spiritual sacrifices.
There were to be four sorts of spices mixed with olive oil in this anointing, Exodus, xxx. 23. Two graces, love and joy, are couched in the oil; and faith, life, hope, and patience, are held forth by the spices. Without faith we cannot please God; without life all service is dead works; without hope there can be no expectation of Gods presence, or acceptance; and without patience we should soon tire in waiting at the altar. "Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any like it: whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people," Exod. xxx. 32, 33. In this there appears a mystery; "Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured," and yet it was poured upon Aaron's head, and went down to his beard, as the Psalmist says; oil was also put upon the head of a leper at his cleansing, Lev. xiv. 17. It was put on the tip of his right ear, which signified obedience to the Spirit's voice; upon the thumb of his right hand, to shew that we receive the promise of the Spirit through faith; and upon the toe of his right foot, to signify that if we walk in the Spirit we shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. The priests at their consecration, and the lepers at their cleansing, were the persons that were thus anointed under the law, and the divine union remains with gospel ministers and sensible sinners to this day. "Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured;" that is, upon any stranger, Exodus, xxx. 33, who is in the flesh, and has not sense dedicated to God. We are not to apply spiritual things to him. "Neither shall ye make any like it; whosoever does shall be cut off," Exod. xxx. 32. The contents of that text will sometime or other be found dreadful to them who study oratory in order to move the corrupt passions of carnal professors, which is done to deceive, by trying to counterfeit or imitate the power and operations of the Spirit of grace.
But the question is, What is meant by this anointing? It appears even in the old law to be something of a crowning work; and even a crown, that noble cap of state, is ascribed to it. This crown seems to be the glory of it; "Neither shall the high priest go in to any dead body, nor defile himself, for his father or for his mother; neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil his God is upon him: I am the Lord," Levit. xxi. 11, 12. Every operation of the Spirit is not this anointing
Men may be convinced of sin by the Spirit, as our Lord's weeping audience were when he delivered his first public sermon on the mount, Matthew, chap. v.
Men may receive the grace of faith under the operation of the Holy Ghost, as the apostles and disciples of Christ did, and yet not be anointed, strictly speaking.
Yea, men may be quickened, and have everlasting life, as our Lord's believing followers had; yet, in my judgment, even this is not that which is meant by this anointing.
And I am of opinion that a soul may be washed in regeneration, and yet not be anointed. Our Lord himself says to the apostles and disciples, "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you," John, xv. 3. Yea, Jesus saith to Peter, "He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit; and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him, therefore he said, Ye are not all clean," John, xiii. 10, 11. All the apostles, excepting Judas, were clean every whit, and needed no more washing, save to wash their feet. By which it appears that the water had done its work, but the oil was yet to come; which shews that there is a difference between washing and anointing. Mary first washed the Lord's feet with tears, and then anointed them with ointment, Luke, vii. 38.
I might add to all this, and assert that the kingdom of God may be begun where this anointing is not given; "Neither shall they say, Lo here, or lo there, for behold the kingdom of God is within you," Luke, xvii. 21.
I have gone great lengths in this, and yet I do not believe that the anointing, strictly speaking, is in any of these operations. And my reason for it is this, that where this anointing comes men are wonderfully instructed, as John says, "But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things," I John, ii. 20. And again, "But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you; but, as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him," I John, ii. 27. John informs us that this anointing teaches us to know all things, which will by no means agree with the knowledge of the disciples at the crucifixion of Christ; for, instead of their knowing, all things, they knew little or nothing, and this John confesses at the Lord's tomb; "Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre; and he saw and believed. For as yet they knew not the scriptures, that he must rise from the dead," John, xx. 8, 9.
Our Lord had commanded the apostles that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, Acts, i 4. And upon the promised descent of the Holy Spirit the apostles were to be anointed; and our Lord presses them much upon praying and expecting this oil: "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name; ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full," John, xvi. 24. Christ himself was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows, Psalm xlv. 7; and he was anointed that he might anoint others, even all the mourners in Zion to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, and the oil of joy for mourning," Isa. lxi. 3. This blessed and ever adorable anointing with the oil of joy includes these three things.
First, the love of God shed abroad in the heart, and perfected there; for perfect love casteth out all fear; and, if all fear is cast out by perfect love, then the yoke is destroyed because of the anointing.
Secondly, this anointing is to anoint their eyes that they might see, Rev. iii. 18. And this is promised; "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," John, xiv. 26.
Thirdly, upon the descent of the Holy Ghost the mourners in Zion were to be comforted; the oil of joy was to be given for mourning, and their joy was to be full. And so we read, "And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost," Acts, xiii. 52.
There is a joy that springs from hope, and joy from a good conscience; but the joy that springs from perfect love is the crown of the anointing oil. David says that God had crowned him "with loving-kindness and tender mercies," Psalm ciii. 4. It is no wonder then that this joy is called the crown, when we read that our Lord went to this at his ascension; "In thy presence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand pleasures for evermore," Psalm xvi. 11. Paul calls the Philippians his joy and crown. And it will appear in the great day that this anointing with the oil of joy will be the crowning work; and this crown of anointing oil will be upon the heads of all the saints; "The ransomed of the Lord shall return to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow, and sighing shall flee away," Isa. xxxv. 10.
Our holy of holies is above, where our High-priest is gone and where should the Levites be but where the High-priest is? Besides, one part of the priest's work in the sanctuary was to play the music and to lead the song. And, as there will be no praying, hearing, and confessing above, only playing the harp, praising, rejoicing, loving, adoring, and singing; and, as nothing tunes the heart for a song like the oil of joy; this crown of anointing oil is to be upon their heads when they return with songs. And, to fit us for this branch of the ministry, sorrow and sighing is to flee away, and the oil of joy and of gladness is to be obtained, in order to carry on the everlasting song; and indeed all divine joys will meet together here, to compose this crown of the anointing oil. We read of the joy of harvest; and this is harvest home, when he that sows and they that reap shall both rejoice together. We read of the joy of the bridegroom; and, "as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." And we read of the joy of the bride; "With joy and rejoicing shall she be brought, and shall enter into the king's palace." Again, let us rejoice and be glad, for "the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready." And all Christ's faithful seedsmen are to come again with rejoicing, bringing their sheaves with them, and will be blessed as faithful servants; and will enter into the joy of their Lord. This is the crowning work, and the crown of the anointing oil; and it will then appear that the anointing of these Levites will surely be the anointing of an everlasting priesthood.
In this glass my dear friends may see the lamp of the foolish virgins, who heard the word, and anon with joy received it, but had no root in themselves; and, if no rooted love to the bridegroom, there can be no joy and rejoicing at his coming. Guilt rising up in the conscience will fill the mind with shame and fear; and, when vengeance is expected, enmity rises up, and envy will soon wither all joy, and when joy withers the lamp is out.
Once more: From these different operations of the Spirit are the servants of God differently denominated; we read of sons thunder alarming; of burning and shining lights illuminating; and of ministers being a flaming fire, which is the seraphim inflaming others. We read of living creatures carrying the word of life; these are the cherubim. We read of sons of peace; these have got pardon in their mouths, publishing salvation. We read of sons of consolation comforting the mourners; and, according to the learned, we read sons of oil, Zech. iv. 14, carrying the horn to anoint the sons of David. Blending these things together by the name of anointing, has led some gracious souls to conclude that they have no part or lot in the matter. But why not? Because, say they, the anointing teacheth us to know all things, and I am so blind and ignorant that I know nothing.
Beloved, farewell; God Almighty bless and keep thee both! So prays thing affectionate father in the bonds of the gospel,
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