ed to secure the end sought-the restoration of the soul to God and to peace. Indeed, we can conceive of no means better adapted, or so well adapted, to make the sinner what he should be-the friend of God and a fit subject for heaven-as those which the Spirit employs. And, moreover, this result would always follow the application of these means, did they act on a pliant and yielding heart, and had they no opposition to encounter. But, by the impenitent the means are all resisted, as often as they are encountered, and resisted to the degree that is necessary to defeat their appropriate effect. The sinner counteracts the influence which the Holy Spirit would exert by such means-first, by withdrawing as much as possible from the sphere of their influence. Is the Sabbath designed as a means of grace?-the sinner defeats this design when he gives his soul no Sabbath, but dooms it to perpetual toil, or wastes the precious hours of the day in sloth, or profanes them with folly and sin. Is the preaching of the gospel, the prayer meeting, the counsel of the pious, among the appointed means of grace?-but this influence, too, is all defeated, if the sinner avoid a preached gospel, and shun the place of prayer, and interdict all intercourse between himself and the friends of his soul.

But again, the sinner may come within the sphere of this influence : he may sit before God as his people sit, and yet resist, even in a higher sense resist, the influence of appointed means. The Bible unfolds her inspired page before him; the Sabbath spreads her holy scenes around him, and invites to solemn reflection; the servant of God appears with his message fresh from the living fountains of truth, and discourses to him of sin and all our wo, or rehearses the story of redeeming love, and speaks of pardon and redemption through Christ; the warm entreaties of the pious fall upon his ear; and around him ascend the fervent aspirations to God in his behalf. In the midst of such scenes, and abreast of such influences, does many a sinner place himself; and yet his heart remains hard and impenitent; and his soul all the while is treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath!

4. Sinners resist the Holy Ghost when they make lies their refuge. The language of inspiration is, that the regenerate "are begotten through the gospel ;"" are born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." It is "the word engrafted, that is able to save our souls ;"-"the word of the Spirit is the word of God." All these declarations indicate the necessity of an agency in the matter of regeneration, that is connected with God's revealed truth. This truth must be honored in saving sinners. It must be believed, or the sinner be condemned. The truth, then, is the instrument by which the world is to be reconciled to God. This is the sword, by which the Spirit, as a mighty conqueror, assails the hearts of his enemies, and makes his way from conquest to conquest. Hence, if we would invite the influences of the Spirit, and co-operate with him in building up God's kingdom in our hearts, we must honor his truth, by receiving it. But what multitudes in gospel lands wilfully shut their eyes against the true light-reject and despise the truth that can alone make wise unto salvation-and make lies their refuge! And how do

"they grieve and vex the Holy One" by this abuse of light and privilege how inevitably do they shut themselves out from his reclaiming influence, by annihilating the only medium through which this influence is ever exerted-and how assuredly will perseverance in this career of darkness and guilt precipitate the soul into eternal sorrow!

Did time permit, I would mention other modes of resisting the Holy Ghost. As illustrations of this resistance, I would point you to the giddy youth, who hopes, amid scenes of merriment and vice, to secure himself against the strivings of the Spirit; to the enslaved worldling, who makes gold his idol, and drowns his soul in the cares of the world and the pursuit of riches; to him who calumniates revivals of religion, and thereby dishonors the work of the Spirit; to him who mocks when God visits the world with his plagues, and covers the nations with sackcloth; to the drunkard, the profane man, and the scoffer, who defy God's wrath as they contemn his mercy, and to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever!

But I proceed to inquire,

IV. At what times do sinners resist the Holy Ghost?

There are

Doubtless, they resist more at some times than at others. seasons, so to speak, of concentrated action of the Holy Ghost; and at such times the resistance must be increased, or the heart would yield to the influence applied. But, waiving this for the present, we may say, that the resistance of the natural heart to the Spirit is protracted and habitual. "Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost." The impenitent sinner not only resists in all the variety of forms in which the Spirit assails,suiting the defence to the nature of the attack, but he resists with an unremitting effort. His thoughts are never "thoughts of peace" toward God. There is no period when he really and earnestly resolves to put an end to this strife, wicked and perilous on his part, and yield himself up to the new-creating influence of the Holy Spirit. In early childhood, even in the first dawn of reason and conscience in the soul, the work of the Spirit begins; even then his voice is heard in the soft accents of persuasion, saying, "Hearken now unto me, O ye children: yea, blessed are they that keep my ways." In the rough, the wild, and oftentimes. guilty, career of youth, the same voice is heard, saying, " Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth." As age advances, and the toils and sorrows of life multiply, the same friendly voice is still heard, crying from the "high places, by the way," "at the entry of the city," "at the coming in of the doors," and saying, " Unto you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men." But when the Spirit's work begins, then also begins the resistance of the sinner. As he draws "with bands of love," sinners resist with a hard and impenitent heart. As he pursues his work of reclaiming, they pursue theirs of resisting. "Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost." Yes, the child resists; the youth resists; the middle aged sinner, at the head of his family, resists; the aged sinner, stumbling on the dark mountains of death, even he resists that Spirit who would make the everlasting God his friend and his portion! In health and in sickness, in prosperity and in affliction, through life,

and even in the final throes of dissolving nature, the sinner resists the Being that would raise his soul to a dwelling with God!

V. To what degree do sinners resist the Holy Ghost?

The true answer is, to a degree proportioned to the influence exerted upon them. This influence varies in its power at different periods :at one time, it is comparatively feeble; and at another, truth and providence are made to combine and concentrate their forces so as to act with great intensity on the heart; but as the outward influence varies, so does the resisting force within. Survey the history of any sinner who was born and educated in a gospel land, and see how it confirms the fact we have stated. In his childhood, he was placed under the influence of parental instruction-of Sabbath schools-of divine ordinances-and of revivals: but they failed at the first to win his soul to God. He has grown up in the midst of these scenes, and every day encountered their influence; and, alas! resisted with complete success. At times, the encounter has been sharp and painful. Truth has stolen upon him unawares, and seized upon his mind; the Almighty has met him in the judgments of his providence, pouring contempt upon his idols, and scattering his hopes to the winds; conscience, too, an accusing spirit, has gone up to lay the record of his crimes before the judgment-seat; and truly his soul is in great extremities,-fear and anguish have taken hold upon him. But that hour of darkness is gone: it has come and gone again, and the heart is still kept from God. The sinner still resists; and, for any thing we can promise, he will continue to resist till these influences are forever withdrawn:-for, surely, if these blessed influences cannot overcome the yielding nature of childhood, if they cannot succeed with the generous sympathies of youth, what hope can be indulged of their success when encountered by the iron sternness of manhood or the morbid apathy of old age!

Thus it is, that impenitent sinners resist the Holy Ghost, and always resist-yea, resist to the degree that is necessary to repel the invading influences. With vast multitudes, this unnatural and perilous strife is prolonged through life; and finally they win-win damnation to their souls!

From our subject, we learn

1. The extent of human depravity. The resistance which the Holy Spirit has to encounter, is man's nature-man's will excited into opposition to God. This resistance is a real and most earnest one; it is habitual; it listens not to truth or interest, to authority or to love; it is armed with fearful strength; it is prolonged for years; and, in a vast multitude of cases, it will be sustained for ever. Look at this fact, sinner, and then decide on your own moral character. It surely is not necessary that I should apply to you the odious language-totally depraved; but I do say, look at the fact which has been spread before you-a fact which belongs to human nature-to yourself, as well as to others—and then decide this matter as you can.

2. The malignity of sin. Be it total or limited in its sway over impenitent hearts, it surely wears a most fearful aspect. It is opposition to

the great and glorious God, whose presence fills heaven with love and praise, and whose loving-kindness is over all his works. It is the heart in arms against truth and duty-against personal interest and the general good. It is the soul "resisting the Spirit of all grace," and resisting him in his very efforts to rescue that soul from endless ruin, and restore it to the family and the bosom of God. O sinner, what a dark and fear. ful spirit reigns in your heart! How surely the work of death is going on within you! How alarming the probability, that you will at last be brought down to hell, and there feel the gnawings of the worm that never dies!

3. Sinners, in a greater or less degree, are always under the strivings of the Spirit. It is a common excuse with sinners for remaining impenitent, that they have never been "moved upon by the Holy Ghost." They are waiting for the Spirit to strive with them; and intend to avail themselves of such an occasion, and make their peace with God. But what does the text say, even of the class to which you belong? Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost." And how can the Holy Ghost be resisted, and always resisted, if he is not attempting and always attempting to restore the soul to God? There is not then a sinner in this wide world, whom the Gospel has reached, but is now and at all times resisting the Holy Ghost. These strivings, then, fellow-sinners, are not to be waited for you have always had them, you have them now: and the very excuse you have uttered is one of the modes in which you are resisting them. And we know not that the Holy Spirit will ever bring a higher influence to act upon you, than is acting at this moment. All the blaze of light and power of motive that can be drawn from that book which God has said "is able to make wise unto salvation," is at this moment beaming upon your soul. And the spirit of prophecy has not saidno angel has whispered it-that you shall ever have more: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead."

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4. The Holy Ghost is a most gracious and condescending Spirit. How like a tender father he pleads and labors with sinners to make them good and happy! How patient under neglects and abuses! He is resisted, but he still strives. Sinners labor to defeat his generous designs, but he does not abandon his work. The impenitent say unto him, “Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways;" but his reply is, Oh that they were wise, that they would consider, that they would think of their latter end! Surely, if sinners perish, it will not be because there was none to care for their souls. Oh, if they die in their sins, how solemn will be their final meeting with that blessed Spirit, who has so long labored for their good, but whom they have so often resisted and grieved!

5. Sinners while in a state of nature are growing no better. We say this on the authority of our text, understanding the apostle here to assert a fact that belongs to human nature in its original state, and of course belongs to all men that are not "born of the Spirit." Now concerning man in this state, his declaration is, that he resists, always resists, the Holy Ghost. And surely, there can be no moral good in this opposition

to the Spirit. The heart that cherishes it, or is the seat of it, can for the time being cherish nothing of which God approves. "Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet walers and bitter?" It is, indeed, most freely admitted, that sinners in a state of nature, may have a deep sense of their criminality before God, and be the subjects of great inward distress and alarm. This is in accordance with the apostle's experience, When the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." But all this is compatible with the resistance to the Spirit which is described in the text. Nay more, this conviction of sin, and this distress and alarm, are the proper fruits of this resistance. They are an important evidence of the fact, that the heart is unreconciled to God. Of man in a state of nature it is written, "Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost." This is their chosen and their daily employment. This resistance rises in proportion to the force with which the Spirit acts upon their consciences. Hence, so far from abating, it is more active in the heart of the awakened than in those of stupid sinners. It is then delusion-philosophy without Scripture or fact-to imagine that unregenerate sinners are securing step by step an interest in the divine favor. Rather would we say to the awakened, but unrenewed soul, in the language of our text, "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost."

6. We learn what is the first step to a reconciliation with God. No approach, we have seen, is made to this state, while the sinner continues to resist. His resistance is his ruin-it is the barrier between God and his soul. It repels, and must for ever repel; it can never attract: your first duty then, fellow-sinner, is to cease your resistance. Your first step, and the only step required towards a reconciliation, is to put an end to that strife which has long separated you from God. It is a most unnatural, inglorious, and perilous strife. It is the opposition of a child to its parent of the creature to his God—of the lost sinner to his gracious Deliverer. This controversy, sinner, is all your own: God has no part in it: the Holy Ghost approaches you only in love: it is you that resist. Stop then where you are, and for once honor yourself, while you honor your God, in surrendering to infinite love. It is right that you should do this. Peace and conscience require it of you. Angels and men who have witnessed this mortal and ungrateful opposition require it of you. The great God requires it of you. And, sinner, you must surrender to the Holy Ghost, or find no forgiveness, either in this world or in the world to come, "As though God did beseech you by us, we pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."