A
LETTER
TO THE
Reverend Dr. Durell.

London, April 12, 1768.

Reverend Sir,

YOU being a Master of Israel, and placed at the head of one of the most renowned seats of learning in the world, need not be informed, that the mission of the Holy Ghost is the one grand promise of the new, as the coming of Jesus Christ was the great promise of the Old Testament dispensation. “I will pray the Father, (says our blessed Lord to his almost disconsolate Disciples) and he shall give you another Comforter.” And again, “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 (it being the purchase of his all-atoning blood, and designed to be the immediate fruit and proof of the reality of his resurrection, and subsequent ascension into heaven) I will send him unto you.” And that they might know, that this Comforter was not to be confined to, or monopolized by them, but was to be of standing general use, he immediately gives them intimations of the design and nature of his office; and therefore adds, “and when he is come, he will convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”

A strange, and till then unheard of, promise, this! Such as a Confucius, Zoroaster, or any other fictitious uninspired prophet or lawgiver never dreamt of. A promise, which none but one, who was God over all, could dare to make; a promise, which none but one, who was God over all, could possibly fulfil.

Agreeable to this promise, he having ascended up on high, led captivity captive, and received this gift for men, the divine Paraclete, this Holy Ghost, “on the day of Pentecost, came down from heaven like a rushing mighty wind; and there appeared cloven tongues, like as of fire, and sat upon each of the Apostles.” The effects were immediate and visible; poor, illiterate fishermen, instantaneously commenced scholars, preachers, orators. And well they might; for, being filled with the Holy Ghost, as the Spirit gave them utterance, they began to speak with other tongues the wonderful things of God.

But what was all this divine apparatus, this divine preaching, this divine oratory intended for? The following verses inform us: the hearers of those wonderful things, the spectators of this transcendently amazing scene, “were pricked to the heart, and were made to cry out, Men and brethren, what shall we do? And the same day were added to this infant church about three thousand souls.” Here were proofs, substantial, incontestable proofs, of the reality of the resurrection and ascension, and likewise of the efficacy of the all-powerful intercession of their once crucified, but now exalted Lord; not only substantial and incontestable, but at the same time entirely suitable to the nature of his mission, who in the days of his flesh, by his doctrines and miracles declared, that his only design in coming into our world, was to save sinners.

Upon this rock, namely, “an experimental manifestation and application of his divinity to the renewed heart,” (which flesh and blood, human reason, vain philosophy, moral suasion, or any, or all barely external evidence whatsoever, cannot reveal) hath he built, doth he now build, and will continue to build his church; and therefore it is, that the gates, neither the power nor policy of hell, shall ever be able to prevail against it. By the influence of this almighty Agent, hath he promised to be with his ministers and people, even to the end of the world. And agreeable to this, hath taught us daily to pray, that his kingdom may come; which being to be begun, carried on and completed, by one continued emanation of divine influence communicated to believers in the use of all appointed means, can alone enable us to do God’s will on earth, with any degree of that unanimity, chearfulness, universality and perseverance, as it is done by the holy Angels above. And as this is the daily united prayer of the whole catholic church, however distressed or dispersed, and however varying as to circumstantials and non-essentials, over the whole earth; it followeth, that every addition of any individual monument of divine mercy, out of every nation, language, or tongue, must be looked upon in part, as an answer to the daily prayer of every individual believer under heaven.

Hence, no doubt, it is, that as the angels are sent forth to be ministring spirits, to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation, that there is said to be “joy in heaven over every sinner that repenteth.” And as there is joy in heaven, so in proportion as men rise into the nature of angels, will there be joy also upon the same account amongst good men on earth. Accordingly, the lively oracles inform us, that “when the Apostles and Brethren which were in Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God, they glorified him, saying, then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”

And conformably to this, we are told, that “when Barnabas came to Antioch, and saw the grace of God, he was glad.” And why? Because he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith. And as the same cause will always be productive of the same effect, persons endued with the same benign and godlike disposition with this good man, will always be glad when they see or hear of any scriptural marks, or practical evidences of true and undefiled religion, wrought in, or appearing upon any subject of divine grace whatsoever. And this joy must necessarily rise, in proportion as such subjects, either by their abilities, or circumstances, and situation in life, promise more important and extensive usefulness in the world and church of God.