The chief cause of misapprehension in regard to spiritual influence, is, as it appears to me, to be found in the fact, that most persons confound the agency of the Spirit in the conversion of the sinner, with the influence he exerts as indwelling in the heart of the believer. Hence the vague and unscriptural notion, that the Spirit may be received before faith, and that faith itself is something wrought in the heart by a special and supernatural operation of the Spirit. This, indeed, seems to be, with many, the beginning and the end of all spiritual influence, and they depend, accordingly, upon certain mental or emotional impressions, of which they have once been the subjects, for their evidence of conversion, their assurance of pardon, their means of sanctification, and their hope of heaven.

      We regard, however, the conversion of the sinner and the sanctification of the believer, as distinct matters, accomplished, indeed, by the same Spirit, but in a different manner, and from a widely different position. We conceive the Holy Spirit to stand to the sinner in a relation very distinct from that in which he stands to him who is a member of the family of God. With the former, he is an outward [74] witness for the truth; but the latter "has the witness in himself." To the first he is an unknown visitant or stranger: to the last, he is an indwelling and cherished guest. To the sinner, he is as the rain which falls upon the surface of the earth to soften and subdue: to the believer, he is as a fountain from within, springing up unto everlasting life. In short, to bring the matter at once to issue, we deny that there is any scriptural authority for the notion that the unbeliever, or man of the world, can receive the Spirit of God. We hold this dogma to be in direct opposition to the Divine testimony, since Christ himself declares to his disciples that he would pray the Father, and He would give to them another Comforter, "even the Spirit of Truth," continues he, "WHOM THE WORLD CANNOT RECEIVE." (John xiv. 17.)

      That which is pure, must be received into a pure vessel; and it is not until the heart is "purified by faith," that the Holy Spirit may enter to dwell therein. This is the view everywhere given in the Scriptures. Peter said to the believing penitents on the day of Pentecost, "Reform and be baptized for the remission of sins, and you shall [then] receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Paul wrote to the Ephesians, "in Christ ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom, also, after that ye believed, ye were [75] sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance." And also to the Galatians: "Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father." It is, on the other hand, nowhere stated that the Holy Spirit was given to any one to make him a believer, or a child of God.

      But you may ask, is not every convert born of the Spirit? Must not every one be regenerated before entering the kingdom of heaven? True, but being "born of the Spirit," or regenerated, and receiving the Spirit, are matters quite different. No one can be born by receiving the Spirit. No one can be born of any thing that he receives, for the simple reason that he must be first born before he can receive any thing. Hence the Scriptures say that the Spirit is given to those who "are sons." How, then, you will inquire, is an individual "born of the Spirit?" In order to comprehend this, we must be careful to maintain consistency in our interpretation of the figure, and must remember that, in the Scriptures, comparisons are employed with the utmost suitableness and accuracy, in illustration of the particular points to which they are applied.

      The figure of a spiritual birth is drawn from a natural or literal birth; a re-generation from a generation. Hence, in all leading points, a just resemblance must be preserved between the fact and [76] the figure. This we find, accordingly, in the language which the Scripture uses wherever this striking figure is introduced. James says, "God, according to his own will, hath begotten us by the word of truth." Peter says, we are "regenerated, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, even of the word of God, which lives and abides for ever." Paul says to the Corinthians: "Though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel." And John says: "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is begotten [born] of God." It is the gospel, then, which constitutes the incorruptible seed of which the children of God are born; as in the parallel figure of the sower, (Matt. xiii.,) it is the gospel of the kingdom which is sown by the Son of man, and which, falling into good and honest hearts, brings forth abundant fruit to God. To believe that great proposition, that Jesus is the Christ, is, in John's expressive language, to be "begotten of God." It is thus with this sublime proposition and its proofs, as we formerly stated, that God first meets the sinner. In a word, it is the gospel that is received by the sinner, and not the Holy Spirit. Yet if he receive that gospel, spoken by the apostles in words inspired by the Holy Spirit, preached by them "with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven," and "confirmed by [77] demonstrations of the Spirit and of power," he is justly said to be "begotten of God," or of the Spirit, "through the word of truth;" and when, at his baptism, he comes forth from the water as from the womb, the figure of regeneration is complete; he is born of water and Spirit;¹ he is born again "from above." Being thus born from above, he is prepared to receive that Spirit of adoption, that Holy Spirit or Comforter, which God bestows upon all his children, and which becomes to them an internal indwelling witness, and an earnest of their eternal inheritance, and produces in them, through its sanctifying influences and those of the truth it has revealed, the precious fruits of love, joy, peace, and righteousness.

      The communication of the Holy Spirit may, then, be justly regarded as the great end of the ministration of the gospel. Unless the Holy Spirit be received and enjoyed, all faith, all forms, all professions [78] are alike nugatory and vain. "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his," and consequently can have no heirship with him; no sonship to God; no earnest of a future inheritance. The possession of the Spirit is indeed the very evidence of sonship, and the proof that the gospel has been truly believed.

      Nor is this enjoyment of the Holy Spirit momentary or transient in its nature, as many seem to think who mistake for it those evanescent excitements of feeling which may attend conversion. The Comforter is to abide with the Christian for ever, and the latter is hence taught to seek "the supply of the Spirit of Christ;" to ask, that he may receive; to seek, that he may find; to knock, that it may be opened to him. "For if you, being evil," said Christ to the disciples, "know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him." The graces and the blessedness of the Christian are alike "fruits of the Spirit." The peace of God which passeth all understanding, and which keeps his heart and mind; the joy that animates, and the love which warms his soul, are inward feelings or, emotions which must be produced by the presence of the Divine Spirit, no less than those outward works of piety and humanity which the gospel enjoins. The true kingdom of God, in short, [79] is within the heart, and consists in "righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit."

      This, I presume, is a sufficient explanation of our views upon the subject legitimately before us. That there are various obstacles and hindrances which often prevent the gospel from reaching the heart of the sinner; and that there are, on the other hand, various agencies, ministerial and providential, human and Divine, general and special, which tend to remove these obstacles, and thus enable the gospel to exert its power, we freely admit. And hence it is necessary to seek these agencies, and proper to expect that God will, in answer to prayer, cause his word to be glorified in the conversion of those in whose behalf it is our duty and our privilege to ask his gracious interposition.

      Nor do we deem it at all necessary that any controversy should exist with regard to the nature or mode of action of those influences which promote conversion. Certain it is that the same result will be effected, if these influences merely remove the impediments of ignorance, inattention, and love of the world, or any others which may obstruct the action of the gospel, as if they were to give such increased power and efficiency to the gospel itself, as to enable it to break through and overcome these obstacles. If, as Paul intimates, (2 Cor. iv. 3, 4,) "the god of this world blinds by its perishing things [80] the minds of those who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine unto them,"² certainly those agencies which would simply remove the obstructions he interposes, would enable the light of the gospel to reach the heart of the sinner just as effectually as would an increase of light sufficient to penetrate these obstructions. It is not necessary that the light of the sun be increased a thousandfold in order that it may pierce the clouds that intercept it: all that is needed is, that these clouds be removed, when his beams will at once illuminate and warm whatever is thus exposed to them.

      To say that the gospel requires a positive addition of power to enable it to reach the heart, is to say that it is really deficient in power. But does not its power consist in the love of God which it reveals? How, then, could its power be augmented, unless by the addition of new facts, and nobler or more attractive views of God? But the gospel can receive no such addition, and consequently no increase of power. It is already "the power of God," and they who imagine it to have received additional power in their own experience, are unable to mention a single new fact or idea from which such additional power could be derived. But, as said before, it is quite unnecessary that any controversy should exist on the [81] subject of converting influence. All should be content to preach the gospel and prayerfully commit the event to God, confident that though even a Paul may plant and an Apollos water, it is He alone that giveth the increase. As well might husbandmen neglect to sow their fields in order to debate with each other their respective theories in regard to the mode in which the seed is made to vegetate, as laborers of the Divine "husbandry," instead of preaching the gospel, occupy themselves with unprofitable discussions as to the mode in which God is pleased to render his word effective to salvation. We deprecate, therefore, the adoption of any theory upon this subject, and desire only to urge the claims of the gospel, as, at least, the only revealed instrumentality through which the Spirit of God accomplishes the conversion of the sinner. What influences he may exert in aid of the gospel, and in what particular manner the heart is "opened" for its reception, we regard as questions entirely subordinate, and as matters of opinion about which men may differ, without any just cause or occasion of disunion.

      We deem it unfortunate, however, that any sentiments should gain currency in reference to this matter, which either, on the one hand, tend to depreciate and render ineffectual the word of God; or, on the other, to represent God as a mere inactive spectator of the progress of the gospel. The Spirit of God is not to [82] be separated from the word; neither is the word to be separated from the Spirit, in the great work of man's salvation. The former view opens the door to wild enthusiasm and every species of delusion; while the latter leads to a cold, abstract, undevotional philosophy, under whose influence true heartfelt religion declines and perishes. That men are "regenerated by the incorruptible seed of the word," and sanctified "through the truth," the Scripture distinctly affirms; as it does, also, that it is "the Spirit that quickeneth," and that Christians are God's "workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works." It should be sufficient for all reverently to believe these revealed truths, without presuming to theorize and dogmatize in regard to the particular mode in which either the word or the Spirit accomplishes the Divine purpose.

[PORR 74-83]