All that the Spirit does for us, and all that He works within us — is of grace. He graciously . . . quickens the dead, instructs the ignorant, liberates the captives, restores the wanderers, comforts the dejected, strengthens the weak, and sanctifies the impure. His work is His delight — and to see us holy and happy is His pleasure! The Holy Spirit produces all our graces within us. He is the root — and our graces are His fruits; hence we read, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." When His influence is put forth within us — then we . . . believe God's Word, hope in His mercy, rejoice in His goodness, cleave to His cause, walk in His ways, love His truth, His people, and Himself, holiness is then happiness, duties are then pleasant, and even the cross lays light upon our shoulders. But if the Spirit hides Himself, withdraws His influences, and leaves us to ourselves — then we . . . doubt and fear, fret and pine, kick and rebel, rove from thing to thing, and nothing will either please or satisfy us. We often then . . . question the past, are wretched at present, and dread the future. But when He puts forth His power in us again . . . our graces shoot forth like bulbous roots in the spring, our sighs are exchanged for songs, our fears are exchanged for fortitude, our doubts are exchanged for confidence, and our murmurings are exchanged for gratitude and love. We then . . . sink into the dust of self-abasement, admire the forbearance and patience of God, condemn our own conduct, and wonder that we are out of Hell. Then we take down our harps from the willows, and with a melting heart, a weeping eye, and a tremulous voice we sing, "The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance." Our wilderness is now turned into an Eden — and our desert into the garden of the Lord! Come, Holy Spirit, come, and produce a spring season in our souls!

"We have," said one pastor, "the gospel regularly preached, the prayer meetings are continued, the church is in peace — but very few souls are converted to God! What does our church need?" It needs the presence and power of the Holy Spirit! For unless the Holy Spirit works — your minister may preach, your church may meet — but no real good will be done! God's work is carried on, not by might nor by power — but by the Spirit of the Lord Almighty. It is the Spirit who must . . . open the heart, quicken the soul, and sanctify the person! And if the Spirit works — then the feeblest ministry is efficient, and the smallest church prospers! All the success that followed the preaching of Peter, and the labors of Paul — was from the Holy Spirit. Therefore Paul says, "God gave the increase." Then the church felt her need of the Spirit; she realized her dependence on that divine Agent; she prayed with faith, fervor, and importunity for the blessing; and God answered her prayers, and filled His servants with the Holy Spirit and with power! But now-a-days, we merely talk of the Spirit — rather than feel our need! We boast of our instruments — rather than realize our dependence on the Almighty Agent!

What are the evidences of having received the Holy Spirit? If we have received the Holy Spirit — the Lord Jesus stands high in our estimation — and our views of ourselves are very humbling. And just in proportion to the power and depth of the Spirit's work — will be our conceptions of the glory, grandeur, and excellency of the Savior; and our discoveries of the depravity, pollution, weakness, and misery of our own hearts. If, therefore, we have heart affecting views of the glory of Christ and His finished work — and if we lie low in the dust under a sense of our weakness and worthlessness, so that we are brought to depend wholly on Christ, and on Christ alone — we have surely received the Holy Spirit. Also, if we have received the Holy Spirit — there is in us a deep-rooted, abiding hatred to sin — all sin, especially sin in ourselves. What was once our darling sin, has become the object of our hatred — and against that sin we set a double guard. For nothing do we sigh so often, for nothing do we desire so ardently — as holiness. The Holy Spirit always sets the whole soul against sin — and longing for perfect holiness. True, our old desires toward sin will sometimes revive — but then we loath ourselves on account of it, mourn over it, and confess it before God. The cry of the soul is, "Holiness, Lord, more holiness! Deep, penetrating, all-pervading holiness!" Now, if we hate sin everywhere, all sin, and especially the sin that dwells in us; and if we love holiness, admire holiness, pray for holiness, pant for holiness, and strive for holiness — then there is no doubt that we have received the Holy Spirit. Once more, if we have received the Holy Spirit — then we are ruled by God's Word; we do not follow custom, or allow our desires or prejudices to dictate our course. In all times of difficulty, when in any perplexity, something seems to say within us, "To the law and to the testimony," and to the precepts of the New Testament, we turn. The Word of Christ is the law of the true believer. Everything short of it, or beyond it, or beside it, or contrary to it — is sin! "Only what Jesus commands, all that Jesus commands, and because Jesus commands," is the language of the soul. And while we thus make the Word of Jesus our rule — we deny ourselves. We deny our own wills, our own passions, our own desires, our likes and dislikes. We are before Him, as He was before His Father, when He cried out, "Not My will — but may Your will be done." If, then, we make the Word of God our guide, and habitually deny ourselves for Christ's sake — we may rest assured, that we have received the Holy Spirit.

Brethren, we need the Holy Spirit, as the Spirit of grace — to make us gracious and graceful Christians. Without the Spirit of grace . . .
we cannot live up to our profession;
we cannot copy the example of our beloved Master;
we cannot keep His commandments;
we cannot love one another as He has loved us; ...
we cannot sympathize with lost sinners as we should;
we cannot keep God's glory in view in all that we do;
we cannot walk in high and holy fellowship with God;
we cannot meet death with peace and joy!

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Living expositions of the truth!

Coldness and lukewarmness in the ways of God, are peculiarly offensive to our Lord and Savior; for if anyone deserves our whole hearts, if anyone ought to have the whole of our energies — it is Jesus!...

We should be zealous for the truth of the gospel.
It is God's mind.
It is the revelation of the Savior's love.
It is the remedy for the sinner's woes.
It is the charter of the Church's privileges.
It is dear to God's heart.
It is watched over with a jealous eye.
It should be prized as inestimably valuable.
It is . . .
the mirror, in which God is seen;
the map, on which our road is marked out;
the law, by which our duty is made plain!

"That they may adorn the teaching of God our Savior in everything!" Titus 2:10

We should zealously adorn the Gospel. Not by the tinsel of human eloquence — but by a consistent and holy walk.

We ought to be living expositions of the truth!

In our conduct — the nature and tendency of the Gospel ought to be seen!

By our meekness and gentleness,
by our fidelity and prudence,
by our self-denial and benevolence,
by our temperance and brotherly kindness,
by our patience and fervent love —
we ought to adorn the most holy truth of God!
God calls for it.
The Gospel is calculated to produce it!

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