Two promises, like heavenly merchant-vessels, brought salvation to our world. The first was given in Eden, and fulfilled on Calvary. The Son of God descended from heaven, suffered in our stead the curse of the law, spoiled the powers of death and hell, and returned to his Father, leaving another promise, shortly to be fulfilled upon his people. With what supernatural power and unction the Holy Spirit manifested himself on the day of Pentecost! Divine Comforter! what treasure bringest thou in thy vessel of grace? “The things of Christ; and I will unload them to-day in the region of Calvary. I have come to fulfil the promise, to endow the disciples with power from on high, and finish the work which the Son of God has begun.” See those tongues of flame sitting upon the fishermen of Galilee; while strangers from many different countries hear from them, each in his own language, “the wonderful works of God.” Only think of three thousand conversions in a day—under a single sermon. Three thousand hearts were wounded by the arrows of Divine love, through the strongest breastplate ever made in hell. This was the work of the Holy Spirit, taking of the things of Christ and showing them to the disciples. It was Christ himself, manifesting himself through his agent. The first promise brought the Messiah into the world in the flesh; the second, in the Spirit—the first, to be crucified; the second, to crucify the sins of his people—the first, to empty himself; the second, to fill the believer with heavenly gifts and graces—the first, to sanctify himself as a sin-offering upon the altar; the second, to give repentance and pardon as a Prince and a Saviour.
The Holy Spirit is still on earth, prosecuting his gracious work, and communicating his heavenly gifts. He strives with sinners, and quickens believers into spiritual life. He dwells in the saints, leads them into all truth, and bears witness with their spirits that they are the Children of God. He illuminates their understanding, subdues their will, purifies their thoughts, and plants within them all holy principles and affections. And this he does, not by an audible voice from heaven, but through the instrumentality of the word, and by secret impressions upon the soul. “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” The operations of the Holy Ghost are seen only in their effects. It is a drop of water becoming a fountain “that springeth up unto everlasting life.” It is a spark of fire, kindling a conflagration, which all the rivers of Belial cannot quench.
III. The Holy Ghost is the Paraclete; that is, the Counselor and Consoler. In our text, he is called the “Comforter.” “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter,”—according to the original, one to plead your cause. The word is the same as that used to designate the Roman ambassadors, who were sent to other countries, as representatives of the Roman power, to persuade enemies to submit, or offer terms of peace.
A certain author observes, that the office of the Comforter is to reconcile enemies, and invigorate friends—to console the dejected, strengthen the enfeebled, and support the people of God in all the conflicts and trials of life. It is by his grace that the believer’s youth is renewed as the eagle’s, and all his languishing virtues are revived, so that he can “run and not weary—walk and not faint.”
Another part of his office in the Church is intercession. As he pleads with sinners on behalf of Christ in the gospel, so he pleads for believers in the court of heaven; not personally, like our blessed Lord, but by inspiring the spirit of supplication in their hearts. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered; and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
When other nations had offended the Romans, it was common for them, fearing the revenge of that mighty empire, to send messengers to Rome, to plead their cause, and treat for peace. “The Spirit of Truth,” having brought sinners to repentance by pleading with them for Christ in the gospel, pours down upon them the spirit of grace and supplication, so that they cry out for mercy, and this is virtually the Spirit of God crying out within them. What is the meaning of all that prayer and agony in the congregation? The Spirit of God is there. His hammer has broken the rock—his fire has melted the iron. No other power could conquer those proud rebellious hearts, and turn the blasphemer into a man of prayer. Listen! “If thou shouldst mark iniquity, O Lord, who could stand?” Hark again! “But thou art a God ready to pardon; there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.” It is the voice of the Spirit, pleading in the awakened soul. See that publican in the temple, smiting upon his breast, and saying,—“God be merciful to me a sinner!” The Holy Ghost has both convinced him of sin, and inspired him to pray for mercy. No other agency can thus quicken the “dead in trespasses and sins,” and turn the hearts of the children of men to the Lord. The gospel, in the hand of the Holy Spirit, “is the power of God unto salvation.” The Holy Spirit can convince the world—can rend the veil from the mind, and dissolve the ice around the heart. He applies the truth to the conscience, and makes the guilty read their own sentence of condemnation by the light of the fires of Sinai; and then he shows them the atoning blood, and prompts them to pray for pardon. He first convinces them that they are sinking in “the horrible pit of miry clay;” and then lets down to them the rope of the promise, bids them take hold by faith, draws them out, and sets their feet upon a rock, and puts into their mouth the new song of salvation—“O Lord, I will praise thee; for though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me!”
O that the “Spirit of grace and supplication” may ever rest upon us! May we plead for ourselves with God, as Jacob, when he wrestled for the blessing; or Bartimeus, when he besought the Saviour to restore his sight! May we plead for sinners, as Abraham for Sodom, as Moses for Israel, as Daniel for the captives, as the Centurion for his servant, and as the woman of Canaan for her daughter!
IV. The Holy Ghost is called “another comforter;” which suggests a difference between his office in the church, and that of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ, by his personal ministry on earth, was the Comforter of his little flock; and by his death upon the cross, the procurer of all the comforts of them that believe; and when he ascended, “another comforter” came down to take his place in the church, and communicate the blessings which he bought with his blood. “If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;” who hath “entered into heaven itself, there to appear in the presence of God for us;” while his agent and representative on earth dwells with his followers, leads them into all truth, and carries on within them the process of sanctification. Both are comforters—both are advocates—Christ above, and the Holy Spirit below—Christ by his personal presence before the Father, and the Holy Spirit by his gracious influence in the believer’s heart.
Christ is making intercession on our behalf without us, and independently of us. But the Holy Spirit is making intercession through us—pleading in our prayers “with groanings that cannot be uttered.” He never acts without us. True repentance and faith are his gifts, but they are also our exercises. He draws us to Christ, but we must yield to his attractions. He inspires us to pray, but the act of prayer is our own. He “worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure,” but he does not will and do for us. He gives us the life and the power, but he requires us to use them. He leads us into all truth, but not unless we follow him. He sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts, but not unless we open our hearts to receive the communication. He destroys the old man within us, and creates the new; but not unless we cordially resign ourselves to his influence, and earnestly co-operate with his grace.