SERMON IX.

GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST.

[PREACHED ON WHITSUNDAY.]

JOHN XIV. 16.

I WILL PRAY THE FATHER, AND HE SHALL GIVE YOU ANOTHER COMFORTER, THAT HE MAY ABIDE WITH YOU FOR EVER.

THERE is no part of Scripture more deeply interesting, or more forcibly instructive, than that portion of St. John's gospel, which, beginning in the thirteenth, and ending with the seventeenth chapter, contains the conversation between our Saviour and his disciples in the interval between the last supper, and his agony in the garden.

On this interesting occasion, our blessed Lord, laying aside the figures and parables which he was wont to use, opened to his disciples, without reserve, the treasures of heavenly wisdom, and disclosed to them far more fully, than he had ever done before, the high mysteries of the kingdom of God. In particular, he spoke very largely of the nature and office of the third person of the Trinity, the Comforter, whom he would send to testify of himself, and to guide them into all truth.

The Apostles were dejected and alarmed at the prospect their Master exhibited to them of his own approaching death, and of the persecution to which they would be exposed. And it was to console them under this sorrow, that our Saviour dwelt upon the promised coming of the Holy Spirit, and the blessings they would enjoy as his gifts-blessings, which, he assured them, would be so great and valuable, as fully to compensate the loss they would sustain in the want of his own immediate presence on earth; and would be even more precious to them, than his guidance, his instruction, and his example. "Because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart ; nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will send him unto you 1." And he further led them to look for the effects of this coming, in Knowledge, in Power, in Faith, in Righteousness, and in Peace 2."

After his resurrection, he repeated to the Apostles his promise of sending to them the Holy Ghost, and commanded them to remain in Jerusalem to await his coming. The promises of God do not fail; and, accordingly, the day of Pentecost brought to the assembled Apostles the accomplishment of our Saviour's words. The Holy Ghost, who was to "teach them what to say," came upon them, and gave them utterance with all tongues, and in every language. He, who was to "guide them into all truth," now laid all mysteries open before them. He, who was to "teach them all things," and "bring all things to their remembrance," now strengthened their memories, and enlightened their minds. He, from whom they were to "have power," now gave them all power to work signs, and miracles, and wonders. He, whose work it was that they should “ believe on him whom God had sent," now, as they had before prayed, increased their faith. He, who was to enable them to "bring forth much fruit," and "without whom they could do nothing,” now shed abroad the love of God in their hearts, and enabled them to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, those rich fruits of goodness, and righteousness, and truth. And He, the Comforter, who was to dwell with them, to console, to strengthen, and establish them, now wrought in them the blessed effects, which their Lord had promised, and filled them with all joy and peace in believing. These were the choice and varied blessings, in which the Giver of all good fulfilled his promise to his chosen servants, and fitted them to do his work 3.

It must be needless to point out the division, which has commonly been made of these operations of the Holy Spirit into ordinary and extraordinary. The latter were special gifts, bestowed for a special purpose the means, by which it pleased God to support his infant church amid the dangers that surrounded it, and to give confidence and authority to his ministers, otherwise sent forth as sheep among wolves.

How long these miraculous powers endured : under what circumstances they ceased: whether at once, or gradually, has been the subject of much discussion, and has given rise to much conflicting opinion, and opposed argument. Some have denied that there is sufficient evidence to establish the belief of any miraculous powers after the age of the Apostles 3. Others have fixed upon the civil establishment of Christianity under Constantine, as the era of the cessation of miraculous interference 4. Others extend the age of miracles through the fourth and fifth centuries, while the Romanists maintain the continued existence of these gifts in the church through all succeeding time 6.

The subject must be allowed to be obscure and difficult, requiring the consideration both of probabilities arising from circumstantial and negative evidence, as well as the due weighing of direct

• See Middleton's Free Inquiry.

4 Dodwell's Free Answer to Middleton's Free Inquiry.

5 Mosheim seems to feel obliged to admit this, though not explicitly,

Milner freely asserts it.

6 Decret. Conc. Trid., Sess. xxv.

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testimony. As is the case in all difficult matters, it is far easier to offer objections to the opinions of others and to point out the difficulties to which they lead, than to propose any, which may not be open to objections in their turn. A fair consideration of the case will, perhaps, incline us to believe that these powers were gradually withdrawn, as the occasion for them gradually ceased. By adopting an early period for their termination, we may seem to give hardly due weight to the testimony of some of those, whose names the Church has, and with great reason, been accustomed to treat with respect. But on whatever period we fix for this, we shall be obliged to reject some, and perhaps not slight evidence, on the ground of the inherent improbability of the facts to which it relates. Where certainty is impossible, too much caution in receiving testimony on these subjects is less dangerous than too ready a credulity. It is better, that some of the Fathers of the Church should be admitted to have been too hasty in believing and recording tales of miracles, than that the religion of Christ should labour under the difficulties, which the full acceptance of all their accounts would entail.

A fixed law, and at the same time a gradual termination would result, if the Apostles alone enjoyed the power of communicating these miraculous gifts, and they therefore gradually died away together with those persons who had received them