"In

All this, however, could not take place, as we know from John vii. 37-39, until Jesus was glorified. the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive, for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified)."

From this we learn that the Holy Spirit coming to dwell in individual believers, and be the source of their joy in the truth, and power in witnessing for Jesus, is the result of Christ having taken His place at the right hand of God, after having glorified God by His death in the putting away of sin (John xiii. 31, 32-xvii. 4). The Spirit comes to be in the souls of believers the witness and seal of the efficacy of that blessed work which Jesus accomplished on the cross-His presence in each believer proves that sin has been blotted out by the blood of Christ that it is now gone from us because it is gone from Him who for our sakes took it on Himself, and that we are now as clear of it in the sight of God as He is (Rom. iv. 25.-viii. 34.—Col. ii. 10). He could not have been raised again if it had not been completely and entirely put away; and His taking His place on the throne of God, is the triumphant clearance of every believer from every charge which could be laid against him, whilst it makes his acceptance as perfect as that of Christ Himself in the glory of that throne. The Spirit of God now unites him to Christ as part of His body, and therefore gives him to share in His position and privileges.-Eph. i. 6, 13, 19, 22, 23.-1 Cor. vi. 17, 19.2 Cor. i. 21, 22.

Besides this the veil which the justice and holiness of God interposed between Himself and sinners-which hid God from man, prevented his approach to God, and hindered the outflow of divine love has been rent by the death of Jesus. The Holy Ghost has come here to witness that that death has broken down every barrier which subsisted between God and man, and that the blood being carried into the holiest of all, the way in

there is now manifest; and the Gospel and the coming of the Holy Ghost witness that God's love suffers nothing to stand between Himself and sinners, the blood of Christ being provided for their reconciliation to Him, and the veil of the temple rent "from the top to the bottom." Compare Mark xv. 38, and Heb. ix. 8, 11, 12.—x. 19, 20. Thus the meaning of the words of Christ becomes apparent" The Holy Spirit was not yet,"* so far as the blessing of man, and His presence with men was concerned, because that Jesus was not yet glorified; and again-"If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will send him unto you.'

This Scripture, however, shews us that this blessed Person acts as the agent of the Father and the Son, by whom He has been sent, and whose purposes of love He has undertaken to carry out; and so much is this the case, that of His communications it is said in the same passage, (v. 13) "He shall not speak of (or from) Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak;" and "He shall glorify Me; for He shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.'

We have thus seen that the Scripture speaks of the presence of the Holy Ghost down here in a twofold way, as having taken up His residence in the Church collectively, and also in each individual believer; that being the second part of the promise of Christ to His disciples in John xiv.- "He shall be in you." This latter truth is not so much insisted on here, being more generally admitted, though the way in which His "influence" is often spoken of by Christians, makes it too evident that they but little enter into the reality of the truth that the body of the believer is "the temple of the Holy Ghost," (1 Cor. vi. 19).

It will be evident to every one how strengthening to faith and encouraging to prayer, and every other effort for the conversion of sinners, the sense of the abiding presence of the blessed Comforter must be; and how weakening, as well as erroneous is the supposition that the Holy Ghost has gone back to heaven, and has to be brought down again by prayer, whenever any fresh and

* The word "given" is put in by the translators.

Nor can it be denied that

extended blessing is desired. the petitions which are constantly heard, for the Holy Spirit to "come," or "descend," are utterly inconsistent with the thought of His being here, and shew that those who utter them are unconscious of His presence, or they certainly would not ask for it. The same might be said for the most part, of the frequent use of the word outpouring," of the Spirit, inasmuch as it is generally used to express all that took place at Pentecost, which was far more than the conversion of sinners, though that, as we have seen, accompanied it.

From these things also we may believe, that when Christians are assembled like the disciples of old (Acts iv.) to seek for blessing from God, and the extension of the work of God around them—in the name of Christ, and in dependence on the Spirit of God-His presence will be there to preside amongst them, and to guide them in their prayers, and shew them what to do. And if His presence is looked for as a sovereign and divine person, it will lead us to leave things in His hands, to order and direct for the common profit, and for the glory of God.1 Cor. xii. 11.

Besides this, the conviction of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in each believer will strengthen the soul in its supplication to God; for, says the Apostle, "we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercessions for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." And it is in our hearts that He does this, as the next verse shows. "And He that searcheth the hearts, knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints, according to (the will of) God (Rom. viii. 26, 27).

FRAGMENT.

"As saints, we are to have understanding as well as affections. Nothing marks our low estate more than the unintelligence of our prayers."

338

No. XXIII.

ANSWER TO A QUESTION AS TO THE CONSISTENCY OF ABRAHAM IN ARMING HIS SERVANTS FOR THE RESCUE OF LOT.

It has been a question which has been suggested to the writer of these lines, how it came that Abraham, whose course was in faith outside the circumstances around him, should arm his servants for the rescue of Lot? this also manifestly with the approval of God.

He did

The difficulty seems to arise from ignorance of the variety in the dispensations of God, which many believing persons remain in; in whose course, therefore, there is far less clearness, than acting in faith and full knowledge would produce. They confine themselves to the question of the peace of their own souls, and are often long before they comprehend, even if ever they do, the dif ference of dispensations as God successively revealed them. The vacillating nature of their peace, which is a case that too often occurs, does not arise from their not being the objects of God's unfailing grace in Christ Jesus, but from practically failing by their not taking that position which accords with the grace they enjoy.

God revealed Himself in the Garden as Lord God, the Creator of an order that was "very good," with prohibition of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. There was an obedience and righteousness in accordance with this revelation of God. Without resting on what was between-when Noah came out of the ark, a new order with government was established, and responsibilities in accordance with it. When the law was promulgated, there was another-when Christ came, another. What David did in regard to the subjection of the land and surrounding nations, was under God's

eye, done on consultation with God, and in accordance with the revelation of God, as God of Israel.

Christ coming from the bosom of the Father, declaring Him and His love and grace; and with right to Jerusalem, to Judea, and the world, does not call for twelve legions of angels; but "when He was reviled, reviled not again, and committed Himself to Him who judgeth righteously." He took on Himself the form of a servant, and humbled Himself even to the death of the cross, and did not resist evil, setting us an example as to conduct which had another exaltation in view.

Christ in the coming dispensation will come as David did, overcoming His enemies, and with the saints who have suffered for Him and with Him, in confession of an absent Lord, their Master, take possession of the world, of which they are heirs with Him, because they did not contend.

Now, the question that has arisen as to the consistency of Abraham's rescuing Lot by force of arms with the place he took outside all the circumstances of the land he lived in, will be settled on a nearer examination of the dispensation of God then existing.

What place in the dispensation of God did this act of Abraham take? As to the land of Canaan, he had not so much as a foot in it, bowed himself before the sons of Heth, and bought a burying-place according to the full price of the money of the merchant, and was under no obligation for that which he was to receive at the hand of God alone, four hundred years afterwards.

Isaac followed in the same steps. His father had dug wells, but the herdsmen of Abimelech drove his herdsmen away from two in succession, and he yielded and went on till he found "room."

Jacob, forgetting his standing and the faith of his father and of Abraham, bought land of the sons of Hamor, at Shechem, to pitch his tents in. The sad scenes of Shechem followed in reproof of his not keeping Abraham's faith. In escaping thence, he buries every idol, and goes to Bethel, the place of Abraham's first entrance to the land of promise, and to begin anew. Happy is it to be allowed to begin anew! We see, therefore, clearly the