Earlier text: The SermonMorality of the Sabbath.
By D. M. Canright
WE will now consider the objections which are urged to show that the Sabbath is not a moral precept. We are willing to give them their full weight, confident that they can all be fairly answered. I. All moral principles are discoverable by the light of nature; but the keeping of the seventh day holy is not discoverable by the light of nature or reason without a direct revelation from God; therefore it is not moral. The answer to this objection is two fold. First, it assumes what is not true in the case of the other moral commandments; and, secondly, it denies what is true concerning the principle of Sabbatic observance. 1. The first commandment says, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." The great principle here taught is that men shall worship God. This principle has been universally recognized by all nations as ye see in the fact that all do have some god or gods which they worship. Phrenology shows that man is organized to worship a supreme being. He has the organ of veneration, the only legitimate use of which is to worship the Supreme being. Hence all nations have manifested the same inclination to worship some god. Thus far all is easy and plain. But the commandment demands more than this. It requires that men shall worship the true God and no other. Now, have men by reason and the light of nature alone been able to find the true God without a revelation? No, indeed. The history of the world shows just the opposite. Only a few of the human race have ever known the true God, and these only by a direct revelation as given in the Bible. The language of Paul is directly to the point. "For after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." 1 Cor. 1: 21. Of the heathen he says: "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things." Rom. 1: 22, 23. This is what men have done who had only the light of nature. None of them have ever been able to find the true God. Facts bear out this statement to the letter. The learned Dr. Horne says, "In fact without such revelation, the history of past ages has shown that mere reason cannot attain to a certain knowledge of the will or law of God." "While some philosophers asserted the being of a God, others openly denied it; others, again, embraced, or pretended to embrace the notion of a multiplicity of gods." "Thus, in Tartary, the Philippine islands, and among the savage nations of Africa, the objects of worship are the sun, moon, and stars, the four elements, and serpents; at Tonquin, the several quarters of the earth; in Guinea, birds, fishes, and even mountains; and almost everywhere, evil spirits. Together with idolatrous worship, sorcery, divination, and magic, almost universally prevail. In Hindostan, indeed, the polytheism is of the grossest kind, not fewer than three hundred and thirty millions of deities claiming the adoration of their worshipers." Horn's Introduction, Vol. I. pp. 16, 21. The truth then is just this: Quite generally all men have felt that they should worship some god; but in selecting which it should be, the light of nature has failed them entirely, so that upon this point there has been the greatest confusion and most have failed to find the true God. None have done it without a revelation. Just the same thing exactly is true of the Sabbath. That precept is based upon the principle that men should devote a portion of their time as holy to the service of God. As we have proved, man's physical and mental organization shows that he ought to have a regular rest day. All nations with scarcely an exception, have recognized this principle by setting apart certain days as holy to the Deity. By tradition from creation most of these have selected a seventh day, while all have had some holy days more or less during the year. Says a recent author, "Traces of sacred days of some sort, though varying in frequency in different countries, may be discovered in many Pagan nations, the exceptions being limited to certain tribes sunk, like the aborigines of New Holland, to a very low point in the social scale. "The Phoenicians, according to Porphyry, 'consecrated the seventh day as holy.' Before Mohammed's time, the Saracens kept their Sabbath on Friday, and from them he and his followers adopted the custom. It is stated by Purchas, that the natives of Pegu had a weekly day on which they assembled to receive instruction from a class of men appointed for that purpose. The Pagan Slavonians held a weekly festival. In the greater part of Guinea, a seventh day—Tuesday—is set apart to religious worship. . . . The Burman feasts are held at the full and change of the moon. According to another authority, the quarters are also observed as festivals. A sacrifice was celebrated by the Mexicans every month. . . . The inhabitants of Madagascar and of Senegambia, on the other hand, preferred the time of new moon for their devotions. One of the principal stated festivals in the South Sea Islands—the pae atna—was held every three months. The Babylonians celebrate, with great magnificence, five days of the year. . . . . The people of Calabar were wont, on their Sabbath, to approach the Supreme Being (Avasi) in prayer. . . . The Ashantees on their sacred day, worship their fetiches, and circumcise their children. . . . The Greeks and Romans, according to Aretius, consecrated Saturday to rest, conceiving it unfit for civil actions and warlike affairs, but suited for contemplation. "The necessity of a weekly day of rest to the prosperity and even preservation of religion in the world has been proclaimed by the almost universal voice of mankind. Jews and Christians have ever elevated a seventh day to holy uses. Mohammedanism has always appropriated Friday to public devotion and instruction. Paganism, holding sacred in many instances the same proportion of time, has in no instance dropped all periodical festivals, till its people have well nigh lost the conception of an object of worship. That so many, in regions and periods widely remote from each other, have observed a Sabbath, or some analogous arrangement, is a strong testimony to its religious necessity." The Sabbath Viewed in the Light of Reason, Revelation, and History, by James Gilfillan. pp. 359, 363, 200. Mr. Cox remarks: "The hebdomadal revolution of time generally admitted in the world is also a great testimony to the original institution of the Sabbath. Of old it was catholic (universal) and is at present received among those nations whose converse was not begun until of late with any of those parts of the world where there is a light gone forth in these things from the Scriptures. All nations, I say, in all ages, have from time immemorial, made the revolution of seven days to be the first stated period of time. And this observance is still continued throughout the world, unless amongst them who in other things are openly degenerated from the law of nature; as those barbarous Indians, who have no computation of times, but by sleeps, moons, and winters. The measure of time by a day and night, is pointed out to the sense by the diurnal course of the sun; lunar months, and solar years, are of an unavoidable observation unto all rational creatures. Whence, therefore, all men have reckoned time by days, months, and years, is obvious unto all. But whence the hebdomadal revolution, or weekly period of time should make its entrance, and obtain a catholic admittance, no man can give an account but with respect to some impressions on the minds of men from the constitution and law of our natures, with the tradition of a Sabbatical rest instituted from the foundation of the world." Works, p. 278. Calmet says: "Manasseh Ben Israel assures us that according to the tradition of the ancients, Abraham and his posterity, having preserved the memory of creation, observed the Sabbath also in consequence of natural law to that purpose. It is also believed that the religion of the seventh day is preserved among the pagans; and that the observance of this day is as old as the world itself. Almost all the philosophers and poets acknowledge the seventh day holy." The Asiatic Journal says: "The prime minister of the Empire affirms that the Sabbath was anciently observed by the Chinese in conformity to the directions of the king." Archbishop Usher says: "The very Gentiles, both civil and barbarous, both ancient and of later days, as it were by a universal kind of tradition, retained the distinction of the seventh days of the week." Works, Part I, Ch. 4. "The seventh day is sacred." Hesiod. (B. C. 870.) "Then came the seventh day that is sacred." Homer, (B. C. 907). "It was the seventh day wherein all things were finished." Homer Linus says the same. "Bad omens detained me on the sacred day of Saturn." Tibulus. "The sacredness of one of the seven days was generally admitted by all." "Let it suffice; however, in a matter on which there is so general an agreement, to present the words of four eminent authors:— 'The septenary arrangement of days,' says Scaliger, 'was in use among the Orientals from the remotest antiquity.' 'We have reason to believe,' observes president de Gognet, 'that the institution of that period of seven days, called a week, was the first step taken by mankind in dividing and measuring their time. We find from time immemorial, the use of this period among all nations, without any variation in the form of it. The Israelites, Assyrians, Egyptians, Indians, Arabians, and, in a word, all the nations of the East, have in all ages made use of a week, consisting of seven days. We find the same custom among the ancient Romans, Gauls, Britons, Germans, the nations of the North, and of America. According to Laplace, 'the week is perhaps the most ancient and incontestible monument of human knowledge.' "It would appear that the Chinese, who now have no Sabbath, at one time honored the seventh day of the week." The Sabbath by Gilfillan, p. 364, 365, 360. By these testimonies, which might be extended to almost any length, we see that all nations in all ages have recognized and honored certain days, and most of them one day in seven, as sacred time. If any have not held a weekly sacred day, they have still had some holy days during the year which were sacred to their gods. All have their holidays, festival days, &c. How shall we account for this remarkable fact? It must have come either from a revelation or from nature. If from a revelation, it must have been given by God to the father of the race from whom all have received it. This would admit all that we claim for the early origin of the Sabbath institution. Even then there must have been something in man's nature requiring such an institution in order to have perpetuated the memory and practice of it so long and so universally. But if this has sprung from the natural promptings of man's own nature, then it shows that the Sabbath, like all moral precepts, is founded upon a universal want of our race, and hence it is moral. But it is further objected that the Sabbath is partly moral and partly ceremonial. It is moral so far as it relates to giving a certain day to God. Thus far there is a universal agreement of all nations. But it is ceremonial so far as it defines just what particular day or portion of time shall be kept holy. This is claimed to be proved by the fact that, by the light of nature alone, no man could possibly determine which day of the seven was the true Sabbath. It is asked, What is there in nature to distinguish the seventh day from the other days of the week? Nothing. Hence it is not so important just which day we keep, provided that we keep one in seven. But the same reasoning would prove that the first commandment was also partly moral and partly ceremonial. That men should worship some God is readily discerned by nature itself and in this all have ever agreed. But as to just who is the true God, none can decide without a revelation. On this point there has been the greatest diversity. Some have chosen one as the true God and some another, till there are millions of different gods worshipped by men. This proves that it is immaterial which god you worship provided you worship some one god! But who dare admit such a conclusion? Yet it is founded upon exactly the same mode of reasoning that is followed in arguing against a definite Sabbath day. It is founded upon the false assumption that all moral principles are discoverable by the light of nature. We have already shown that this is not true in the case of the first commandment. Look at the second. "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them." All claim that this precept is moral in the highest sense. It forbids us to make any thing to represent God and so worship him through his image. But this is just the thing that all nations who have had only the light of nature and reason to teach them, have always thought was the most acceptable way to worship the Deity. Hence, with scarcely an exception, all men in all ages and nations have made and used images in worshipping their gods. Probably no one religious practice has been so universal as this. Indeed, notwithstanding all that God has said against this in the Bible, many of those who believe and reverence that book have been constantly inclined to do just what is here forbidden. Witness the Jews in the Old Testament, the Catholics, Greeks, &c., in the gospel age. And this is done, too, with a religious sense of duty to God. Here is a moral precept, then, which never has been discovered by the light of nature or reason. The best judgment of mankind unaided by a revelation, has been directly opposed to this commandment. All heathen nations have used images, built magnificent temples to them, made rich offerings to them, made laws to protect them, and have considered it the highest sacrilege to molest them. If we had no better evidence from the light of nature and the general consent of mankind in favor of the fourth commandment, our opponents might well triumph over us from this stand point. D. M. CANRIGHT.
(To be Continued.) Ascending to a Higher Moral Atmosphere
INFINITE toil would not enable you to sweep away a mist; but by ascending a little you may often look over it altogether. So it is with our moral improvement; we wrestle fiercely with a vicious habit, which would have no hold upon us if we ascend into a higher moral atmosphere. The following is related of the celebrated Dr. Belknap:— Upon a certain occasion, in the presence of a vast and brilliant assemblage, a person more noted for his self-esteem than for his learning was speaking against the Christian religion in terms of the severest scorn and derision. Unfortunately for the orator, his remarks were overheard by the doctor, who, stepping up to him, asked, "Well, sir, have you found a religion that is better?" The scoffer considerably abashed by this unlooked-for question, was forced to acknowledge that thus far he had not. "Well," responded the doctor, "when you have, let me know, and I will join you in adopting it." The rebuke was as wise as it was just. Of all classes of sinners, certainly the religious scoffer is the least to be envied. No followers of Satan receive poorer wages, no transgressors against God shall be more severely punished. "Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed." The Faith of Abraham
By James White
"That the blessing of Abraham might come on the gentiles through Jesus Christ." The faith of Abraham embraces Christ as its glorious object. This is seen in Christ's reply to the Jews, who boasted in Abraham as their father.— "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and saw it, and was glad." John 8:56. The great plan of salvation through Jesus Christ was opened to Abraham, and his faith reached forward even to the restitution by the Son of God. Abraham did not receive the promised inheritance in Canaan. He sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange land, looking forward to the eternal city of the immortal kingdom where Christ shall reign in all his glory upon the new earth. "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed. And he went out not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Heb. 11:8-10. The gospel was preached to the children of Israel in the days of Moses. In his epistle to the Hebrew Christians, Paul states that it had been preached to them as well as to their fathers in a former dispensation. "Unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them; but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." Heb. 4:2. He also testifies of the Hebrews in the wilderness, that they "were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and that Rock was Christ." 1 Cor. 10:2-4. Moses and the believing Jews had the faith and hope of the gospel. Through the blood of the sacrificial offerings, they saw Christ, and by faith embraced him. Their hopes of the future life were not in the law, but in Christ. The typical system was but the shadow of good things to come, of which Christ, as a sacrifice and mediator, is the center. These good things are the body that casts its shadow into the Jewish age. The bleeding sacrifices of the former ages were but the shadow, while Christ, bleeding on the cross, was the great reality. The blood of beasts offered by the Jews, understandingly, and in faith, as clearly pointed forward to the blood of Christ, as the Lord's supper and baptism point back to his sufferings, death, and resurrection. The true church of all the ages is the church of Jesus Christ. He is the world's only Redeemer. Those who shut themselves up to the New Testament, and have the foundation of the church laid at the resurrection, or at pentecost, are building too narrow a structure. Let the well instructed disciple, not only sing; "How firm a foundation," but How broad "a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your hope in its excellent word." "Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." Eph. 2:20.
J. W. The Holy Spirit of Promise.
“And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.” John 14: 16, 17. There is not a subject presented in all the Scriptures which is of greater interest and importance than that of the gospel gifts and manifestations of the Spirit of God. In the words of the above text, it is the Comforter to the pilgrim who finds his life one of warfare, and who is told that in the world he shall have tribulation. It is the Guide to lead us “into all truth;” to aid us to escape from the darkness of this wicked world and to find the light of life. It is the Sanctifier, in connection with “belief of the truth,” to impress that truth upon our hearts, and to soften our hearts that we may appreciate, and with humble reverence receive, the word of truth. And its influence extends to “the world,” to whom it is a Reprover of sin. The subject is a very solemn one; it is not to be approached in a light and irreverent manner. Jesus, the holy Son of God, who claimed divine honors, who said that “all should honor the Son even as they honor the Father,” also said:— “Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor that which is to come.” Matt. 12: 32. The solemn importance of these words is increased by the consideration that they were uttered as a rebuke to the Pharisees, who ascribed the works of Christ to the power of Satan instead of to the Spirit of God. They did not speak of the Spirit at all, directly; they even may have felt the most becoming reverence for that Spirit in name. But their condemnation rested in this, that they rejected that which proceeded from the Spirit of God, without a patient, careful, submissive, and prayerful consideration of its nature and its claims. How careful, then, should we be in our investigations of this subject, and in our actions in reference to it. For, to ascribe the works of Satan to the Spirit of God, is to debase the Spirit, and to exalt the power of the adversary to divine honor. And to ascribe the gifts and works of the Spirit of God to Satan, is to blaspheme so as to have no forgiveness forever. May the Spirit itself guide us into all truth, and save us from both deception and presumption. There is one question which has been much controverted in the theological world upon which we have never presumed to enter. It is that of the personality of the Spirit of God. Prevailing ideas of person are very diverse, often crude, and the word is differently understood; so that unity of opinion on this point cannot be expected until all shall be able to define precisely what they mean by the word, or until all shall agree upon one particular sense in which the word shall be used. But as this agreement does not exist, it seems that a discussion of the subject cannot be profitable, especially as it is not a question of direct revelation. We have a right to be positive in our faith and our statements only when the words of Scripture are so direct as to bring the subject within the range of positive proof. We are not only willing but anxious to leave it just where the word of God leaves it. From it we learn that the Spirit of God is that awful and mysterious power which proceeds from the throne of the universe, and which is the efficient actor in the work of creation and of redemption. When the earth was just spoken into existence, while yet all was desolate and void,— “The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Gen. 1: 2. The original word for moved has the sense of hovering or brooding, and does not mean moving, merely. It evidently refers to a process of formation, by the power of the Spirit of God, which immediately followed the act of creation. That the same power is active in the work of redemption is largely shown in that the incarnation of the Saviour, his teachings, miracles, and resurrection; the reproving and conviction of sinners; the enlightening, comforting, and sanctifying of believers; and, finally, the resurrection of the just, are all ascribed to the Spirit of God. No tongue can tell— no heart can conceive, how greatly we are indebted for its operations in our behalf. It is the Representative of the Saviour during his absence from the church. When Jesus told the disciples he was going to leave them, their hearts were sad. But he gave them a two-fold consolation; (1.) He promised to come again and receive them unto himself. And from that hour to the day of their death they longed and prayed for his second advent to the earth. As pilgrims yet “in an enemy’s land,” we pray with them, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (2.) He said he would not leave them as orphans, or comfortless, in this world of tribulation: he would pray the Father, and he would send them another Comforter. And as Christ came in the name of the Father, John 5: 43, and therefore represented the Father, insomuch that they who had seen him had seen the Father, because the Father was in him and did the works which he did, John 14: 9, 10, so the Spirit is come in the name of Jesus; verse 26. It is to us as truly a representative of Christ, as he was of the Father. He that received not Christ received not the Father; 1 John 2: 2, 3. Even so, he that hath not the Spirit hath rejected the Son—“he is none of his.” Rom. 8: 9. And because the Father sends the Spirit in the name of the Son, and the Son purchased the gift for us, it proceeds from both to us, and is called both the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ. Comp. 1 Pet. 1: 10, 11, and 2 Pet. 1: 21. The Spirit is to abide with the disciples of Christ till his return, for the word forever has this extent in the promise. The Saviour lived but a few years upon the earth; his ministry covered a period of only three and a half years. But the presence of the Spirit as a Guide and Comforter shall be during the entire dispensation—the gospel age.133 A most important truth is taught in Luke 11. Though the Spirit is to “reprove the world,” it does not act as a Comforter and Sanctifier to any unless they voluntarily receive it. Jesus was in the world, and was “the light of the world,” but the world rejected the light. But, “to as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the Sons of God.” John 1: 12. And, though the Spirit is sent into the world to abide in the world to fulfill its various offices, Jesus taught us that we shall pray for it. The teaching of many in this degenerate age is contrary to this; but to this refers directly the oft-quoted injunction:— “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” After giving illustrations of the readiness of parents to give needed things to their children, he continued:— “If ye, then, being evil, 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.” Luke 11: 9–13. Therefore we conclude that if we do not believe the Spirit should be prayed for, or if, for any cause, we neglect to ask for it, we cannot expect to receive it. But an objection is raised against this truth. It is said, There is danger of being deceived; there are “seducing spirits” in the world; 1 Tim. 4: 1; and men are liable to be led by these, while they think they are led by the Spirit of God; and the danger is very great, as Satan transforms himself to an angel of light. There is much truth in this objection; not only is there danger of being deceived, but thousands are deceived, and led on, by the deception, to their destruction. And therefore we should be all the more careful in our walk and in our prayers. But let us examine our Saviour’s illustrations. “If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he give him a scorpion?” Verses 11, 12. Now if a son be so blinded, or his senses so benumbed, that he cannot tell the difference between bread and a stone, or a fish and a serpent, or an egg and a scorpion, then is his case, indeed, deplorable. And if he is so far from his father, and so little acquainted with him, that, when he asks for bread a deceiver steps in, and, pretending to be his father, gives him a stone instead, and he does not know the difference, his case may be regarded as desperate. But what would the objector think or say, should he see a son refuse to take bread from the willing hand of a kind father because stones were so numerous in the land? Should such a course be pursued by any one we could only expect that death by starvation would be the result. The apostle James gives important instruction on this point. If we “ask amiss,” either in lack of faith or to gratify our selfishness, we shall not receive. God’s will and glory must be kept in view. Self must be denied and crucified. Our consecration to God must be complete. Our submission to his will and pleasure must be perfect, so that we are ready to bear any cross, to accept any truth, or to take any advance step in the work of faith; in short, we must abide in him and have his word abiding in us, and then we may ask what we will and it shall be done. John 15: 7. Many fail to receive the gracious influence of the Spirit, or receiving it, abuse it, and so shut up the way of further blessings, by receiving it as the end of Christian effort instead of as a means. When such are blessed of Heaven they consider that the object of religious effort has been accomplished; and they sit down to enjoy themselves, or congratulate themselves over their gifts and graces. A greater mistake could not made. So does the gormandizer take his food as the means of self-gratification, and this is the end of his efforts. But the man who realizes the responsibilities of life, and who has a true interest in the faithful discharge of life’s duties, accepts his food as the means of gathering strength for future labor and usefulness. The Spirit will be given to all who ask for it as a means of renewing their strength that they may engage more successfully in the Christian warfare, and gain new victories to the glory of the Captain of our salvation. Paul speaks of “those who, by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Heb. 5: 14. It is unfortunate that so many lack this discernment; they have never so used their senses as to have them available to any practicable benefit. In gifts of the Spirit they discern only evil. Every object is to them a stone, a serpent, or a scorpion. Humility, self-denying, cross-bearing, and earnest prayer would enable them to see unnumbered blessings, great and precious, clustering along their pathway, where all is now dark, dreary, and forbidding. The objections which these offer against accepting the manifestations of the Spirit will hold equally good against uniting with any church; because, while the church of Christ is a unit (for “there is one body”), there are many and diverse churches in the world, and therefore the chances are that we shall unite with a wrong one, and so be lead astray. But the objector readily replies, We must choose that one which bears the divine impress; which presents the characteristics of the true church according to the New Testament. That is right. And so also with regard to the Holy Spirit and its manifestations. We must compare all with the divine standard, and receive that which will bear all the tests of the word of God, and reject all which are condemned by that infallible rule. It is to be regretted that so little attention is paid to this important subject; that so little is known, in general, concerning the promises, the operations, and the gifts of the Spirit of God. There is one office of the Spirit which is not only ignored, but denied by many at the present time. It is that of Reprover. Jesus said:— “And when he is come he will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment.” John 16: 8. They who deny the exercise of this office to the Spirit say that the promise of the direct presence of the Spirit is only to the church, as a Comforter; that they only who are members of the church can receive the influence of the Spirit in any manner; and that they who receive it do so, not as an evidence of that membership, but because of that membership. The world is reproved, they say, only by the word which the Spirit has indited; and, the threatenings of the word are the only method of reproof, the Spirit itself not being present at all. But this does not accord with the words of the Saviour that the Spirit comes into the world to reprove the world. It plainly appears that the Spirit of God was striving with man in the days of Noah. Gen. 6: 3. Stephen accused the Jews of resisting it. Acts 7: 51. And if it is allowable to assume that the Spirit strives with and reproves men only by means of the threatenings and reproofs of the word, we may with equal propriety assume that it comforts the saints only by the promises of the word. And then we have the Spirit banished entirely, as far as actual presence is concerned, and the promise of the Saviour is destroyed. We claim, and we think with good reason, that, to deny its presence in comforting the saints is doing no greater violence to the Scriptures, than to deny its presence in reproving sinners. And if there be no real presence of the Spirit in these works we may in vain ask the Father to give us the Spirit, notwithstanding the Saviour’s instructions in Luke 11: 9–13. Nor can it then be true, as promised in our text, John 14: 16; 17, that the Spirit will abide with us forever, no, nor even visit us at all.