mercy and love. As we are grieved, when we are disappointed in our endeavors to make others happy, and when our benevolent intentions are treated with contempt and ingratitude; so the Spirit of God is represented as being grieved and disappointed, when his friendly and gracious influences meet with opposition and resistance from us. God's Spirit is called the Spirit of grace, in regard of his readiness to assist us in the duties, and support us in the difficulties of the religious life. The great Parent of our nature is more forward to give his holy Spirit to them who ask him, than we are to answer our children's cries for bread. So much does his goodness surpass the highest instances of parental love, that, in comparison with him, the most affectionate earthly parents are called evil. The grace of God's Spirit is expressed by his striving with men. He is beforehand with them in his kind offices. He comes to their door and knocks. He continues his addresses, even after he finds opposition. He is reluctant to leave them to the evil imaginations of their hearts. Yea, they who rebel against his gracious motions, are said, not only to grieve him, but, by a bolder metaphor, even to vex him. Final opposition is called doing despite to the Spirit of grace. No language can more strongly than this, express God's abundant mercy towards us, and his wonderful grace to assist us in the mighty concern of our salvation.

Great encouragement have we to seek for, and rely upon the grace of the holy Spirit for every purpose of the religious life. We may come boldly to the throne of grace for help in the time of need.

How dangerous must it be to continue in a course of wickedness! This is nothing less than to oppose, grieve and vex the Spirit of God; that kind benevolent Spirit, who strives with us. "Of how sore a punishment shall he be thought worthy, who does despite to the Spirit of grace?""Vengeance is mine; I will recompense, saith the Lord. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

V. Here is a solemn caution against grieving the Spirit of God.

This caution is most expressly given to those who have already been sealed with the Spirit. But it may also be applied to others to them, who, though not yet the subjects of his renewing operations, have, however, been favored with his common motions, in a way of awakening and conviction.

I shall point out to you various ways in which men are chargeable with grieving the Spirit.

1. Indifference and carelessness in religion is opposition to the grace of God.

If his Spirit strives with men, he is not indifferent to their happiness; and they ought not to be indiffer ent to their own. If he works in them of his good pleasure, they ought to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling.

While they indulge an habitual negligence of this important work, to which they are urged by the motions of the Spirit within them, they resist and grieve him. He stands at their door and knocks; if they open the door he comes in and rejoices as a welcome guest. If they refuse his applications, he turns away grieved, as a despised and rejected visitant.

2. Spiritual pride grieves the Divine Spirit,

The influence of grace is instructive and humbling. It teaches man his emptiness, weakness and unworthiness; and excites in him earnest desires after pardon and sanctification. To them who improve this grace, more is given. But a soul full of itself, and relying on its own strength and holiness, will be sent empty away.

The man, who, under a consciousness of his guilty state, flatters himself with an imagination, that he may, at any time, when danger approaches, renew his soul to repentance, treats the Spirit of God with contempt. But he who is sensible of his dependence on the God of all grace, both for a heart to repent, and for the blesing of pardon, will seek the Lord while he may be

found. And to him, who thus humbly seeks, the

of God is near.

grace

The deceived hypocrite, who, trusting in his own I righteousness, thinks that he needs nothing, will reject the gracious counsels of the gospel. But the sincere Christian, feeling his own weakness, esteems it his highest privilege, that he may come to the throne of grace for a supply of the Spirit. And God resisteth. the proud; but giveth grace to the humble.

3. The Spirit is grieved, when we neglect the means appointed for obtaining his influence.

God has instituted particular duties to be observed. by us with a special view to this important end. The secret and social worship of God, the reading and hearing of his word, and the observance of sabbaths and ordinances, are the means of religion. The essence of godliness consists not in these means, but in that holy temper and life, which they are designed to produce. These duties become subservient to religion, not merely by their natural tendency to advance it in our hearts, but rather as they are the appointed means of obtaining the needful influences of the divine Spirit.

God's gracious communications are not always confined to these means. They are, however, his stated and ordinary methods of intercourse with us. "Draw

nigh to God," says the Apostle, "and he will draw nigh to you." God has promised, "In all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee and bless thee." Our Lord promises his spiritual presence in the midst of those, who gather together in his name." It was when the disciples were together with one accord, in one place, that the Spirit was poured upon them. John" was in the Spirit on the Lord's day;" and on that day he saw Jesus "walking in the midst of the churches."

As the Spirit sanctifies and seals us by the word of truth, so that we may obtain this benefit, we must be VOL. III.

3 B

conversant with the word. God begins and carries on his saving work in men's souls, not by immediate revelations, but by his gracious concurrence with their humble inquiries after truth and duty. Hence the Apostle joins these two cautions, "Quench not the Spirit :"-" Despise not prophesying."

To other means we must add serious meditation on divine things, and careful examination of our hearts. Thus we gain a knowledge of ourselves, a sense of our wants, and an apprehension of the importance of spiritual blessings. While David was musing, the fire burned. In the multitude of his thoughts within him, God's comforts delighted his soul. And all must be accompanied with prayer. "Ask and ye shall re ceive," says our Lord, "for God giveth his Holy Spir it to them who ask him."

Since these are the ways, in which God has directed us to seek, and encouraged us to expect the needful supplies of his grace; our disregard to them may properly be said to grieve the Spirit. It is a contempt of his offered assistance-an affront to his kindness and love.

Ye, who live in the neglect of secret prayer, and secial worship-ye who are strangers to your own hearts, and to the word and sanctuary of God-consider, you not only disobey the express commands of God, but oppose and grieve that Spirit, who, usually, by these means, communicates himself to the soul.

4. Opposition to the strivings of the Spirit is anoth er way in which he is often grieved.

There are times, when sinners are impressed more deeply than usual, with a sense of their guilty and dangerous state, and of the necessity of a speedy repentance. There are seasons also, when true Christians are awakened to more lively affections, and more fervent zeal, than what they ordinarily experience. What ever may be our character, such favorable motions are to be improved. Our Saviour has taught us, "Who

soever hath, to him shall be given; but from him that hath not, shall be taken away even that which he seemeth to have." If we disobey the calls, and neglect the aids of the Spirit, we oppose and grieve him; and what we have may justly be taken away.

We are not, indeed, implicitly to obey every motion started in our minds, concluding it, at once, to be divine. There may be motions suggested by the power of imagination, or by the influence of evil Spirits, which are not to be followed. We should always remember, that the divine influence is not by immediate revelation of something new, and before unknown; but by kind excitation to that which is already revealed or commanded in scripture. How powerfully soever we may be urged to a particular action, or line of conduct, we are not to proceed, until we have examined the matter, and found it agreeable to the word of God. By this rule we are to try all inward motions; and as they agree or disagree with this, we are to embrace or discard them.. To'suspend our resolution until we can obtain light in a doubtful case; or to refuse compliance with a suggestion palpably unscriptural, is not to grieve, but please the Spirit. This is to follow reason and the word of God. But when conscience strongly remonstrates against manifest evil, or presses to evident duty, then opposition or delay is grieving the Spirit.

5. There are some particular kinds of sin, which are, in an eminent and peculiar sense, opposite to the work of the Spirit,

Among these may be reckoned impurity, intemperance, dissipation, and all the vices of sensuality. This is the language of the gospel; "They who are sensual, have not the Spirit."-"Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit." You cannot be filled with both. "Walk in the Spirit, and ye will not fulfil the lusts of the flesh." When David fell into the gross sin of impurity, God took