“He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, we have not so much as heard whether be any Holy Ghost.” Acts XIX.2

    It is very beautiful to observe some persons favored with but little religious knowledge and few religious opportunities, do yet feel after God, if haply they may find him, and hold fast the little they have learned about him. Like flowers planted in the dark, they yearn towards the light, and eagerly drink in the slender rays which may chance to fall upon them.

    Of this character were the disciples whom St. Paul found at Ephesus. They knew only what John the Baptist had been able to tell them of the duty of repentance and of a Messiah was at hand, of the great plan of redemption, and of the help it offers to feeble man they were ignorant. Hence St. Paul's inquiry into their religious knowledge, and his pains to instruct them, before he caused them to be baptized and laid his hands upon them in confirmation.

        It is to be feared Brn. [brethren] that there is much ignorance, much heresy in relation to the doctrine of Holy Ghost. It is to be feared that many in this Christian land know not so much as whether there be any H. G. or no. and there is reason for this ignorance. God the Father is visible in his works & in providential dealings palpable to sense. It is hard not to believe in God the Father. And God the Son has once shared our humanity, and dwelt among us: he has an earthly history and has done mighty works which carry their own evidence with them. It is hard to disbelieve God the Son. But the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of God: an awful, mysterious Spirit, whose sway is over the spirit of man. Sometimes indeed he has come in visible appearance: for one moment he lighted as a dove upon the head of the son of man; and for another he sat in [unclear] tongues of fire upon the heads of Apostolic men: in early days miraculous gifts and utterances attested to his presence. But now he is as the wind of Heaven, mighty, irresistible, ever-breathing life and power, but secret and viewless. His work is seen, not in the ocean's dash, the shining star, the springing [corn?], but in the gentle heaving of a softened heart, the mild radiance of a Christian temper, the saintly deeds of unobtrusive piety. It is hard to disbelieve the Father and the Son, for evident fact and history are in our way. But incredulity touching the H. G. is easy, because He is a Spirit & must be spiritually discovered. The purely sensuous man knows nothing and cares as little, whether there be a H. G. or no. He cannot even see what difference it makes. He has some notion that he needs a Father to provide for him, and a Saviour to speak in his behalf, but ignorant of the plague of his heart, he seeks little of a H. Gh. whose office is to cleanse and sanctify the heart of man.

;    But Brn, in order to be saved, you must know and receive the Holy Ghost. Belief in him is as essential as belief in the Son. We cannot be saved unless in baptism we profess our belief in the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. And except we be born of water and of the H. G. we cannot see the Kingdom of God. Let us then persuade you to know and to receive the H. G.

    1. The knowledge of the H. G.

    It becomes us to know that the H. G. is a person--not a thing, an influence, or a name for God's operation with man: but a real Person, possessed of intelligence and will, which are the attributes of personality. A Person is one who can understand what we say, and answer us: who can agree or deny: One who has a being and character of his own. You can readily see the wide difference between those who think of the H. G. as person, and those who think of God's Spirit, as they do of God's goodness, as a mere abstraction or attribute. Now upon this point we need be at no loss. Our Saviour always spoke of the H. G. as a person. He spoke of Him as the Comforter whom he would send: and is careful to call him another Comforter like to himself. The burden of his last discourse is chiefly this, that it was expedient for them that he should go away and yield the guidance of the church on Earth to another Comforter, who should abide with us fore ever. This Comforter should testify of him, should guide them into all truth, should teach them all things bring to their remembrance all that Christ had Taught them: he was to convince the world of sin of righteousness & of judgement. In fire he was to be to the disciples and to the world forever, just the same personal guide, teacher, friend & comforter that our Lord was during his personal ministry. Presently we see the Spirit assuring this office, descending on the day of Pentecost and filling all hearts and tongues with power. When Ananias sinned, he lied to the H. G. It was the H. G. that said separate me Barrabas & Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. When the Apostles legislate for the Church, they say "It seemed good to the H. G. and to us. We read that the Sirit searcheth all things, yea even the deaf things of God. the Spirit bestows all heavenly gifts dividing to every man severally as he will, giving to one a gift after this manner and to another after that. We have cited but a portion of the [unclear] learning on the point: but remembering these, and adding to these the solemn truth that to blaspheme the Holy Ghost is a sin unpardonable in this world and in that which is to come, you must see plainly that the H. G. is a person: an intelligence with whom we have to do. It is a grief to hear people speak of the Blessed Spirit as it. Not so the Saviour. He shall come: He shall speak: He shall glorify me. Let us then be wiser than these converts at Ephesus and know that there is a Holy Ghost: a real person who perceives and wills and acts--and supplies to the Church on earth the place left vacant by our Lord's ascension into heaven.

    2. The Holy Ghost is a Divine Person

    This is implied in what has already been adduced; Verily I say unto you, all manner of sin & blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but blasphemy against the H. G. shall not be forgiven unto men, and whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him, but whosoever speaketh against the H. G. it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Here you see the Divinity of the H. G. is hedged about by sanctions peculiarly imposing. The H. G. is even more jea;lous of his honor than is the Father or the Son. Again, in the well known baptismal formula baptizing is the name of the F, S, & H. Ghost, and in the benediction "the grace of our Lord J. X &c.", we find the H. G. associated with the other persons of the Trinity. Imagine the name of an Archangel inserted instead and the impropriety is manifest. None but a Divine person can be thus mentioned with the F. & the Son. Ananias, said Peter, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the H. G. And presently, thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And yet a little after, how is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord. Putting these together, it was God the H. G. against whom he chiefly sinned.

    Creative power is attributed to him. For the Spirit of God moved or brooded upon the waters and warmed chaos into life. Omnipotence is ascribed to Him, not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, sayeth the L. G. He whose Bible is full of prophesies of the victories to be won by this spirit when poured forth upon all flesh. Omniscience is ascribed to Him. The spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God, the things of God knoweth no man, but the spirit of God. and in general he displays the power of Godhead in the offices he ministers to us, for his sway is over the empire of mind: all hearts are in his power, and all the triumphs of the truth attest the greatness of his might.

    3. It becomes us to know that the H. G. is that person of the Trinity, who specially guides and teaches the Church on earth.

    In the wonderful plan derived for the redemption of our race, all the persons of the Godhead write and concur. And yet in the unfathomable wisdom each person each person assures his own share in the grand design. Thus in Old Testament days, while the H. S. was not absent, and while the Son often appeared as the angel of God's presence. It is the Father who is chiefly revealed to us, making his covenant with faithful men, and announcing his holy law. And then the Son of God steps forth to our view, & for 33 years he walks in our midst, preparing the sacrifice for man's sins, and accomplishing his victory over death and hell. And then he tells his disciples it is expedient for you that I go away and send the comforter, who shall abide with you always. He points them to this comforter as the future guide of the Church below. They need not premeditate what to say in hours of trial: in that same hour the H. G. should tell them what to say. He should remind them of truths forgotten, and quicken into life what they coldly know. By him miracles should be wrought, [gainsayers] convinced, and saints knit together in love & faith. And for this reason, the apostles were not permitted to enter upon their work, but tarried at Jerusalem until the promised comforter descended visibly from heaven and assumed this sacred charge.

    It is thus under the immediate dispensation of the Spirit that we live. X from his mediatorial throne governs all the universe. The Spirit here below guides and rules the Church. And the economy will continue until the end of Time. Then the Spirit shall finish his holy office and return to the bosom of God. then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, and God & the economy of grace being fulfilled shall be all in all.

    Such brn. is the plain teachings of holy S. We owe all our blessings to the mercy of the Father, thro' the mediation of X, by the ministering of the H. S. the Holy Spt is that person of the Trinity who stands next [to] us, and whose hand ministers to us the holy gifts of God the F. & the Son. Under his sanction and blessing, the foolishness of preaching becomes mighty thro' God to the conversion of sinful souls. A few drops of water with his blessing became to us the sacrament of regeneration: they laying on of mortal hands a conveyance of the gift of God. every holy [unclear] , every [unclear] deed, every triumph of the church, every successful struggle with temptation is the gift and deed of the H. S. of God, who abideth with us and shall be in us.

    If this be so, how much emphasis is there in the [unclear] --Quench not the Spt--Grieve not the H. S. of God whereby ye are sealed unto the Day of redemption. Wo to the world if his sacred fires be quenched: wo to the soul of man if the gentle dove of peace and healing be grieved & driven away.

    Thus for touching the knowledge of the H. G. And now we come to the very solemn enquiry [sic] "have ye received the H. G."? a very awful enquiry [sic] it is, because if any man have not the spirit of X, he is none of his [unclear] . The H. G. is the author of all religious convictions. If left to ourselves you and I would have no thought of heaven and hell, no sorrow for our ungodliness. Unmoved by the spirit of God, we are as incapable of all religious sensibility as a brute on a stone. In this sense, every one of you has recd the H. G., everyone without exception. No man can lay his hand upon his heart and say the spirit has never called me. How often has he stirred the secret chords of your heart! [unclear] a sense of the vanity of all things earthly has stolen over you and your spirit has yearned for goodness--that was the motion of the H. G. When the sweetness & beauty of some dear word of the Gospel have persuaded your mind, and you have looked longingly to the altar where others went to ask God's blessing, that was the brooding of the gentle dove. When in the bitterness of grief you have cried, Oh that God wd [sic] condescend to comfort me, that was the drawing of the Holy One.

    Let no transgression say that he has not recd the H. G. in his awakening and convincing influences--but rather let him assume the blame of grieving away, Him who knocked so earnestly & besought so pleadingly. As he remembers how thoroughly he has at times been aroused, let him cry

Oh madder than the raving man
Oh deafer than the sea.
How long the time since X began
To call in vain on me.
He Called me when my manly prime was fully ripe to gin,
I ran from folly on to crime
And yet he called me still

    Methinks, dear friends, he calls you even now. If this day, a holy thought has been stirred within you: if you have tempted to bow down meekly & take up a cross of duty, you have recd. in one sense, the H. G. Oh let it not be said to you, as Stephen said to the Jews, "Ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart & ears, ye do always resist the H. G."

    B. But have ye recd the Holy Ghost in his converting influences? This alas! is a question not so easily answered. And yet except ye he converted & become as little children, ye can in no [way] enter unto the Kingdom of heaven. For the Spirit convinces in order to conversion--if we improve the one gift, the other follows. And by conversion the Bible means not any momentary experience, but a real conversion or turning about of the feelings and purposes of the heart. Have you been fully persuaded that you are a sinner--a grievous sinner--justly condemned to die--with no excuse to offer, with no means to make atonement, with no power to turn yourself and do better? Have you been led to adopt David's words & to say "my sins have taken such hold upon me that I am not able to look up: they are more in number than the hairs of my head & my heart hath failed me"?

    Have you been persuaded to go to the cross and there to lay all your sins upon the Lamb of God; pleading for pardon upon the one only ground that he has suffered in your stead and died for you? Have you with fervent importunity besought him to answer for you and to interpose his all-sufficient merits between your prior guilty soul & deserved punishment? Have you there at his cross solemnly removed every cherished sin, cheerfully accepted every appointed crop, and earnestly moved by God's help to submit meekly to the discipline of the Gospel & of the church? These are grave questions and plain ones. Pray God that you may not be deceived, and if there be any doubt about it, make all sure by a reverend consecration of yourself to God. for you may be a man of much infirmity, yet if your heart condemns you not--if you can truly say, God knows my great desire and purpose is to please my master and to be like him, then have you indeed recd the H. G.

    4. Have you recd the H. G. in his sanctifying influences.

    For brn, He does not cease from his office when we are converted to God. He makes us Christians first--and then he makes us saintly Christians. He gives us life from the dead, and we are born again as babes in X. and then he nourishes and feeds us so that we grow up into full-grown men in X J. We begin with faith, and by faith are justified. And then we add to faith, virtue, patience and all the Xian graces. Oh the Church sorely needs for her work, saintly people, not barely justified, but devout men full of the H. G. and of faith. Say, dear brn, have you advanced in Christ-like character and in saintly tempers? Have you become proficient in the school of X[?] Did you rest contented with the exercise of living faith, or have ye recd the H. G. since ye believed?

    5. Have ye recd the Holy Ghost specially as a comforter?

    The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace; he calms the vexed spirit, enables us to serve God with a quiet mind, imparts spiritual consolation and delight. I speak not of ecstacies [sic] and transports or of any extravagance of sensibility. But do you know anything of that spiritual calm which soothes the wound of a broken heart? Do you know anything of that calm, solemn joy with which Christ's child exclaims "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine"? do you know what it is to wake up in the night and to have sweet thoughts of good angels hovering around you, and a blessed Saviour watching over you, and a glorious heaven a little way beyond? Have you proved the sweetness of that experience? Call thy burden on the Lord & he will sustain thee & comfort thee. I know that in this matter, temperament has much to do, but in general, we ought habitually to receive the H. G. as a comforter. And I think that if we were more scrupulous in our behaviour, more instant in our prayer, more given to holy meditations, we shd know what it is to joy in God. we should be able to say of X. whom having not seen we love, and in whom tho' now we see him not, yet believe. We rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

    And lastly

    6. Have you recd the H. G. in his official gifts?

    For these are gifts which he conveys to us only thro' the channels of the Holy Church.

&    There is a special gift in baptism. By one spirit says St. Paul we are all baptized into one body. We see only the minister and the candidate, St. Paul says. The Spirit is present and he baptizes thro' the minister. In baptism he bestows the gift of adoption, of [unclear] , of election into the family of God. we may so improve there, that our conversion shall be only the voluntary choice of the God with whom we have walked since children. in confirmation he fits upon us the armour necessary in our Xian warfare.

    In the Holy Communion he sanctifies to us the elements of bread and wine, so that they become to faithful souls the communion of the body and blood of X. Alas brn, we need all the help God offers us. While we value highly the gifts which come to us by prayer, by reading, by hearing, let us value and seek also the sacramental gifts. We cannot live without them, altho' we cannot live long then, when other gifts are absent.

    Let the baptized ask in confirmation a double portion of the spirit & let the confirmed seek out the holy [unclear] that flesh which is meat indeed & that blood which is drink indeed.

    Have you recd the H. G.? A solemn enquiry [sic] even in this world. How much more if it be propounded as the test by which in the last day X's sheep shall be distinguished.

    I never knew anything about the H. G. [A] lamentable confession in this our day of grace, but oh how offensive a reply to the F. & the S. who sent him down to your relief.

    Come down to us O Holy Dove! Expel each intruder from our hearts! Bring to us long lossed dreary waters the olive branch of peace, and gather us helpless orphans, beneath thy wings, till every tyranny be overpast [sic]!

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