quench the Spirit. This is a test of acts and sentimentproofs that the Spirit is grieved or quenched.

II. OUR DANGER.

1. The way to heaven grows brighter as we advance. "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." His light, his hope, and his joy constantly increase; but his road, at the same time, grows narrow. The Spirit shows him, from time to time, new evils to be shunned-new sacrifices to be made. His principles become more and more strict, his habits more uniform, his obedience more universal. Some things, which he did not, at first, think evil, he avoids, because they hurt his devotions; others, for they offend a brother; others, because they injure his usefulness. The man who has quenched the Spirit becomes more and more loose in his views. light grows dim. He no longer has a quick sense of approaching evil. He gradually adopts evil habits, at which he would have shuddered at first. He shows this in his levity-worldliness-company-Sabbath-breaking. He looks upon his former strictness as over-scrupulous, and congratulates himself that he has become more enlightened.

His

2. He who walks in the Spirit feels the pressure of new and increasing obligations. As his vision grows clear, he sees new and deep fountains of inbred corruption, and new fields of usefulness without. As his strength improves, his labors multiply-he grows more prayerful-liberal. those in whom the light is dim or extinct, neither see nor heed spiritual dangers. The list of duties to be performed grows more and more brief. They see little to do for God, or his cause, or themselves. Slight causes, trivial hinderances, keep them from church, or class, or the closet. Idle company, avoidable intrusion, any plausible pretext satisfies, and even gratifies them. The Bible-self-examination-devotional reading-holy converse-heavenly meditation, are neglected. They belong to a region of light and heat which they have left.

3. Religious sensibilities are blunted. The fire that warmed and melted has decayed or become extinct. A growing Christian may sometimes manifest less feeling, but it is because it has sunk deeper into his heart. Love to God and his cause are his ruling passion. He is intensely alive to religion. "Walking in the Spirit," he sees more of glory and mercy, till it becomes his meat and drink to do God's will. It is not so with him who has quenched the Spirit. His perceptions are blunted-his feelings benumbed -his heart hard and cold. He is no longer glad when they say unto him, "Let us go into the house of the Lord." The word of God is no longer "quick and powerful." Truths, that once filled his heart and his eyes, no longer move him. The blessed hope of heaven-the touching compassions of Christ -the joy of the Holy Ghost, do not affect him. He has quenched the Spirit-he has paralyzed the sense by which these glorious ideas reach the soul. Perhaps he congratulates himself that his piety has grown more sober and rational; or he takes for religious emotions the infrequent and periodical excitements which he experiences under some of the imposing circumstances of Christian worship.

4. How far any of us may have gone in resisting the Spirit, God alone knows. We know, however, that this sin may attain such an enormity that even the blood of Christ can provide no remedy for it; for "it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance."* "For if we sin willfully, after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins." It is not certain, perhaps it is not probable, that these fallen souls will put away all the forms of religion. After the Spirit of God had departed from King Saul, he still busied himself, in the midst of his iniquitous deeds, with offering * Hebrews, vi., 4. + Ibid., x., 26.

sacrifices and seeking responses at the hands of the Lord. There is reason to fear that a deep delusion rests upon them to the end, and that they cling to their false hopes till they enter eternity.

This unspeakable curse, which the falling Christian brings upon himself, commonly by slow degrees, by refusing to cooperate with the Spirit, the impenitent sinner more frequently incurs by direct and obstinate resistance. He drives away serious impressions. When deeply affected at heart, he often seeks company, business, amusement, to relieve him. He knows what is the cause of his anxiety-his duty-his danger, but resolves to resist. He will not submit. He opposes stern resolution, and fell, unyielding purpose to the striving Spirit. In times of revival, of great light and strong impulses, we have reason to fear the soul's destiny may be fixed by one conflict. Many who resist great light and strong impressions seem never to feel again. There is ground to fear that the majority of men who pass middle age without conversion, have finally expelled the Spirit. In all other respects, their circumstances seem most favorable to their conversion. The hot passions and the visionary hopes of youth are passed away. The judgment is mature—the morals often correct. Why, then, are so few of them converted, but that the Spirit has left them?

I close with a few practical observations.

1. There is great encouragement in this doctrine of the Holy Ghost. He can do all things for us. He is God in us. The hardest heart, the most untoward nature, present no insuperable obstacles to Him. Let us lean upon the Holy Ghost. Let us fully believe and trust. Let us expect the greatest results from this agent.

Let us

2. Let us reverence the Holy Ghost within us. fear to offend. Let us obey every intimation. Let us, at all hazards, follow this guide. Let us rather suffer or die than offend Him.

3. Let us seek for the fullness of the Spirit. It is the "Gift" which Christ promised when he had "led captivity captive." It is enough if we enjoy it, though all else were taken away.

4. Let us pray for the descent of the Holy Ghost. Above all, let us cry unto God, "Take not thy Holy Spirit from us.”

XXXIV.

SECRET PRAYER.

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.—MATT., vi., 6.

THIS is a precept of our blessed Savior, who had just declared that it was a proof of hypocrisy to make long prayers in public, "in the streets and in the synagogues." That is, to make prayers in public only. It is a duty to join in public devotion. We are forbidden to "forsake the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is," and great blessings are promised where "two or three agree as touching any thing" which they will ask of God. But many people love to pray "in the synagogue to be seen of men," who pray nowhere else. They delight in the display and the excitement of a prayer-meeting, but have no relish for the closet. These are hypocrites. Indeed, they do not pray at all, for the man who does not pray in "secret," prays not at all. This is prayer by eminence. All other kinds of prayer, without this, are but an empty sound-the poor expedients of a hypocrite to win applause or to quiet a guilty conscience.

I. "When thou prayest." Prayer, then, should have its appropriate season. A portion of time should be set apart for a work of such grave import. It must not be left to accident to be done when we can do nothing else. We must retire from the world, from business, into our "closets"-to

our hearts. It is a duty which demands recollection, calmness, and honest, uninterrupted self-examination. Many Christians have no set time for prayer. They pray when they feel like it-when they are drawn to this duty. They think it formal-a kind of spiritual bondage-to obey any rule in their devotions. Many professors satisfy themselves with offering occasional ejaculations in the midst of employment or in company, and think that in this way they pray in secret. Others are content with kneeling down by their bedsides when they retire at night and when they rise in the morning. Why, if this is sufficient, did our Savior bid us "enter into the closet and shut the door?" Why all this particularity, this minuteness of detail? Does it mean nothing? Will He accept the fitful, convenient petitions of those who, through indolence, or irreverence, or haste, slight his commandments, and follow their own fancies? This, which to many will appear a very small matter, is often productive of very important effects; partly because the blessed Savior is more likely to meet and "reward" those who render an humble and simple obedience, and partly because persons who do not think prayer a work of such magnitude as to require the appropriation of special and regular seasons, will very soon cease to pray altogether. Or if they pray at all, it will no longer be "in spirit and in truth." The Father, who "seeth in secret," will see there no real devotion. A few vain repetitions, a few unmeaning confessions, a few "groans" which the heart never utters; the sad countenance, and the canonical attitude, are the wretched substitutes which we often present before God in the place of true spiritual worship. The "reward" of this disobedience, the fruit of "sowing to the flesh," will soon become manifest. While the humble disciple who follows the command of his Lord with a simple and childlike obedience, and night and morning "enters into his closet, shuts the door, and prays to the Father who seeth in secret," shall “ grow in grace," be strengthened with "might in the inner man,"