sence, but even to surpass the benefits which they would receive from his continuance with them. Hitherto Christ himself had been their Comforter: but he would provide them with another Comforter, who should do even more than supply his place.

It shall be the object of this discourse, to set before you a plain and connected statement of the way in which the Holy Spirit discharges this part of his great office, and becomes our Comforter.

To this end I would first remind you of the nature of that Comfort which he gives: what it is, and in what it consists.

The comfort which he gives, partakes of the nature of him who gives it. The gift resembles the giver. He is a divine person, and the comfort which he gives is divine. It is such as God only can give a comfort which the world can neither give, nor take away. The Comforter also is a Spirit, and thus also the comfort which he gives is spiritual. It is seated in the heart. It is shed abroad in the soul. It is inward and invisible. He is further, the Spirit of Truth. 'Thus the comfort which he gives, is strictly agreeable to the word of God, which is truth itself. Again, he is the Spirit of Holiness. So the comfort which he gives is holy in its nature and tendency: it is found only in company with holiness, aud operates in making and keeping holy those who partake of it. In other words, the comfort which the Holy Spirit gives, is a real, substantial, heartfelt comfort. It is such a comfort as nothing else can give; an inward comfort, which nothVOL. II. 27*

ing outward can destroy or disturb.

"For when He giveth quietness, who then can make trouble ?"?

It is such a comfort as is felt by a mind at peace with God and with itself. It is such a lively satisfying comfort as that man possesses, who can truly use these words, and from the heart can say, 'God is my friend and fa ther. He is reconciled to me and at peace with me. "He will provide for me and protect me. All my concerns are in His hands. I leave myself to Him, to do 'what He pleases with me, assured that he will do

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"what is best for me. Kam 'which He bestows on me.

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thankful for the favours Lam contented with the Whether he give or

'portion which he allows me. take away, Lam resigned to his will; for I know that "he careth for me, and will make all things work to"gether for my good, for my final, everlasting good; the good of my soul, my salvation through eternity." It need hardly be asked, whether the man, who can truly use this language, is not a happy man? Whether these are not feelings full of comfort: whether this is not a state of mind, in which true peace and blessedness are, if any where, to be found! Such however is the state of mind, which the Spirit, in discharging the important office of Comforters produces and maintains.

Now, in bringing men to this state, the first step is to take away those false grounds of comfort; on which they naturally rest. These grounds will be different in different persons: Some place their confidence and seek their comfort in the world and worldly things: Their hearts-and their treasure are here on earth. If their affairs prosper, and their corn, and wine, ands oils

increase; or, if they can enjoy themselves; and having much goods laid up for many years, can take their ease, eat, drink, and be merry ; or if they can be admired and applauded by their fellow-creatures; or can gratify their ambitious desires, and obtain a little power over others; then they are satisfied and happy. They have no higher ideas of comfort, than what these things can yield. They desire no other peace or joy, than what is to be found in the pursuit or the posses sion of them. Others, there are, who not being so entirely devoted to this world, and having some thoughts and desires about the world to come, have other grounds of comfort. They rest in the thoughts of their own righteousness. Their comfort is thatthey are moral, or honest, or sober, and better than others or that they come to church, and know the scriptures, and attend to religious duties: or that they are kind, and useful, and charitable, and by their good works commend themselves to God, and shall surely be repaid for all they do here, by heaven hereafter. These are the thoughts to which they fly for refuge; and in which they find their comfort and delight. But all these grounds of comfort are alike false and vain; and before true peace can be obtained and felt, must be removed. And here then, the Holy Spirit, the comforter, begins his gracious work. He takes away these grounds of comfort and how does he take them away? By seGretly convincing the soul of sin. The real cause why a man finds comfort in these things is, that he is ignorant of his own true state and character. He knows not his guilt and condemnation as a sinner. His conscience is asleep. He feels not his sins. He sees not

bis danger. But let his conscience be once awakened let his eyes be opened; and the case will be greatly altered. None of those things, on which he bas hitherto rested with complacency, will any longer yield him the comfort which they used to do. Seeing him. self as in the sight of God, defiled and stained with sin; he is no longer satisfied with his own goodness. Instead of having a righteousness of his own, in which he may stand clothed and accepted before God, he now discovers himself to be naked and exposed to the divine wrath. What then has become of his comfort? The foundation on which he placed it, is taken away, and with it, the comfort also is gone. Having no more confidence in the flesh, he is uneasy and dissatisfied, and anxiously looks around for something else, on which he may ground his hopes and place his comfort. And what will the world and worldly things now do for him? Will they yield him satisfaction? Will they beal the wouuded spirit? Alas! miserable comforters they are found to be. Their vanity is seen their insufficiency is felt. The pleasures, the profits, the honours of the world, cannot silence the voice of conscience; cannot satisfy the demands of the law; cannot appease the wrath of God. And what comfort then can they now yield to the soul, which at length perceives its own true state, and dreads the judgment to which it stands exposed? It must now have some other ground of peace and hope, than what this vain unsatisfying world can furnish. Thus is the false peace broken. Thus does the Holy Spirit begin his gracious operation. Like a skilful physician, he has not healed the wound

slightly; but he has probed it, and laid it open to the quick. He has indeed given pain; for thus to con vince a man of his sins, and to deprive him of all his former grounds of comfort, is indeed a painful opera. ation. But it has been done with a wise and with a merciful design: it has been done with a view of leading the soul to true peace and solid comfort. Nor has the blessed Spirit undertaken more than he is to able to accomplish. He has wounded, but He can also heal. He has broken, but He can also bind up. He has caus ed grief and trouble, but He can also restore comfort to the mourners. And by what means does He effect this part of his heavenly work? By revealing to the soul the only real foundation of peace and comfort, and by enabling it to fix and to build upon it; and this foun dation is Jesus Christ. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid." Our Saviour, speaking of the Spirit to his Apostles, says, that." He shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you :" "He shall testify of me :" and it is by thus testifying of Him, by tak ing of the things of Christ and shewing them to men, that He carries on his office of the Comforter." Having convinced the soul of sin, having thus taught it. to feel its guilt and danger, He now leads it to see its cure and remedy. He sets before it Christ crucified as the only but all-sufficient sacrifice for sin. He bids it look with a believing hope, to this Almighty Saviour, for the removal of its guilt, and the recovery of its peace. He points Him out "as the propitiation through faith in his blood, whom God has set forth for the remission