Seventh, The offices of the
Spirit in connection with the
believer.
(1). He is the seal. Many think
of Him as the Sealer, and are in
confusion about the seal; but He
Himself is the seal:
II Cor. i. 22.—Who hath also
sealed us, and given the
earnest of the Spirit in our
hearts.
Eph. i. 13.—In whom ye also
trusted, after that ye heard
the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation: in
whom also, after that ye
believed, ye were sealed
with that Holy Spirit of
promise.
(2). He testifies of Christ, and
never turns our eyes to the work
done in us, but to the work done
for us, as the ground of our
consolation:
John xv. 26.—But when the
Comforter is come, whom I
will send unto you from the
Father, even the Spirit of
truth, which proceedeth from
the Father, he shall testify
of me.
John xvi. 14.—He shall
glorify me: for he shall
receive of mine, and shall
shew it unto you.
(3). He teaches in such way that
the humblest believer who is
subject to His guidance is in no
need of human authority:
John xiv. 26.—But the
Comforter, which is the Holy
Ghost, whom the Father will
send in my name, he shall
teach you all things, and
bring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I
have said unto you.
I Cor. ii. 14.—But the
natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of
God: for they are
foolishness unto him:
neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually
discerned.
I John ii. 27.—But the
anointing which ye have
received of him abideth in
you, and ye need not that
any man teach you: but as
the same anointing teacheth
you of all things, and is
truth, and is no lie, and
even as it hath taught you,
ye shall abide in him.
(4). He bears witness by
confirming to the heart the
truth of God's word:
Rom. viii. 15, 16.—For ye
have not received the spirit
of bondage again to fear;
but ye have received the
Spirit of adoption, whereby
we cry, Abba, Father. The
Spirit itself beareth
witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of
God.
Gal. iv. 6.—And because ye
are sons, God hath sent
forth the Spirit of his Son
into your hearts, crying,
Abba, Father.
1 John v. 6.—This is he that
came by water and blood,
even Jesus Christ; not by
water only, but by water and
blood. And it is the Spirit
that beareth witness,
because the Spirit is truth.
(5). He dwells in those whom He
has united to a risen Christ,
and builds them together for an
habitation of God:
Rom. viii. 9.—But ye are not
in the flesh, but in the
Spirit, if so be that the
Spirit of God dwell in you.
Now if any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, he is none
of his.
I Cor. vi. 19.—What! know ye
not that your body is the
temple of the Holy Ghost
which is in you, which ye
have of God, and ye are not
your own?
Eph. ii. 22.—In whom ye also
are builded together for an
habitation of God through
the Spirit.
(6). He is the author of
Revelation, and the bestower of
all gifts and graces:
II Pet. i. 21.—For the
prophecy came not in old
time by the will of man: but
holy men of God spake as
they were moved by the Holy
Ghost.
I Cor. ii. 10-13.—But God
hath Revealed them unto us
by his Spirit: for the
Spirit searcheth all things,
yea, the deep things of God.
For what man knoweth the
things of a man, save the
spirit of man which is in
him? even so the things of
God knoweth no man, but the
Spirit of God. Now we have
received, not the spirit of
the world, but the Spirit
which is of God; that we
might know the things that
are freely given to us of
God. Which things also we
speak, not in the words
which man's wisdom teacheth,
but which the Holy Ghost
teacheth; comparing
spiritual things with
spiritual.
I Cor. xii. 4-11.—Now there
are diversities of gifts,
but the same Spirit. And
there are differences of
administrations, but the
same Lord. And there are
diversities of operations,
but it is the same God which
worketh all in all. But the
manifestation of the Spirit
is given to every man to
profit withal. For to one is
given by the Spirit the word
of wisdom; to another the
word of knowledge by the
same Spirit; to another
faith by the same Spirit; to
another the gifts of healing
by the same Spirit; to
another the working of
miracles; to another
prophecy; to another
discerning of spirits; to
another divers kinds of
tongues; to another the
interpretation of tongues;
but all these worketh that
one and the selfsame Spirit,
dividing to every man
severally as he will.
Gal. v. 22, 23.—But the
fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, longsuffering,
Gentleness, good ness,
faith, meekness, temperance;
against such there is no
law.
(7). He is the Comforter and
Helper of the saints, and the
power of their acceptable
worship:
John xiv. 16.—And I will
pray the Father, and he
shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide
with you for ever.
Rom. viii. 26.—Likewise the
Spirit also helpeth our
infirmities: for we know not
what we should pray for as
we ought: but the Spirit
itself maketh intercession
for us with groanings which
cannot be uttered.
Eph. vi. 18.—Praying always
with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit,
and watching there unto with
all perseverance and
supplication for all saints,
Phil. iii. 3.—For we are the
circumcision, which worship
God in the spirit, and
rejoice in Christ Jesus, and
have no confidence in the
flesh.
I John ii. 24.—And he that
keepeth his commandments
dwelleth in him, and he in
him. And hereby we know that
he abideth in us, by the
Spirit which he hath given
us.
Jude 20.—But ye, beloved,
building up your selves on
your most holy faith,
praying in the Holy Ghost.
Believers are urged not to
grieve nor quench the
Spirit, while unbelievers
are said to resist Him, and
their sin is demonstrated by
His presence on the earth:
Eph. iv. 30.—And grieve not
the Holy Spirit of God,
whereby ye are sealed unto
the day of redemption.
I Thess. v. 19.—Quench not
the Spirit.
Acts vii. 51.—Ye stiffnecked
and uncircumcised in heart
and ears, ye do always
resist the Holy Ghost: as
your fathers did, so do ye.
John xvi. 8.—And when he is
come, he will reprove the
world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of
judgment. May we dwell more
upon the amazing love of the
Spirit:
Rom. xv. 30.—Now I beseech
you, brethren, for the Lord
Jesus Christ's sake, and for
the love of the Spirit, that
ye strive together with me
in your prayers to God for
me.
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