The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-31
FIFTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH.

FIFTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH.
THE LOVE OF THE SPIRIT SERMON By Ruv.
DE. ARMITAGE.
. Rev. Dr. Armitage preached on the ''Love of the
Spirit, taking his text from Romans, XIV, &c. Our
only ethod OF knowing the nature OF thing, SAID
The reverend gentleman Is by Its order OF manifesto
ton And II in this way that the lovc Of God dis.
PLAYS ITSELF Whether or not the love OF the Father
the Son and the Spirit differs in Its essence would
hardly repay careful inquiry. But that The love Of
each diners from the other the way Of Its action
is clear enough ana it is ediiying to study Its method
Of display Having then, already shown you that the
love of The Father evnccs itself IN the acts OF pacr
ny and the love of the Son in philanthropy, It will
be profitable look AZ the love OF the Spirit US u Is
revealed in the workings OF purity Hero the love or
the Godhead forth by the threelold methods OF
creation, redemption and renovation. When we come
10 contemplate the love OF the Spirit are apt to
tall into perplexty because We understand ttlc OF
the Spirit. Inasmuch the Spirit did not take
upon Himself human body. and is not presented
to us under the image OF the Paterna II is difficult
for us 10 dvest our minds Of the idea that He holds 10
the Father much the same relation that human
soul sustains to a human body; ana SO, instead OF
being distinct in HIS personality We are confused BY
the thought that the Holy Spirit attribute or
property Of God Hence It is extremely hard for US
10 think OF tho ssOve OF the Sprit' as distinct rom
the love Of the Father and the Son. lnspeaking ci
tive Holy Spirit tho Scriptures unitormy use that
article which denotes personality. No accuracy can
DO more studousy observed. I've word spirit. IS IA
the neutcr gender, and yet whenever the Holy Spirit
is spoken OF the article She, ana "it" IL
the prit but property this use OF tho article
would push aside al grammatical propricty Then
that distinct personality ascrbed 10 Him an In
telligent being. which cannot mark any property or
attribute This COOS to show that when the apostle
speaks tho slove OF the Spirit" he intends to speak
attribute which charactcrzes the person
atty OF the Spirit jus: as he speaks elsewhere oil the
power The holiness or tho eternity Of the Spirit.
He would the rofore, move the Romans the tender
of prayer for him by the moro tender nct OIL the
SPIRITS love. he seems TO combine 10 this request
tho thought that in the love OF the Spirit tho eyes
Of the Father and the heart OF the son are
combined. mo idea Is one Of Infinite delicacy.
Ii brings out the touching sensiby OF the love OF
the prit with astonishing depth and force as among
the hidden though aud feelings Of sancthed hearts
that Is desolate cold ana dark, and shows that He
cannot be indifferent 10 our condition. II srs IN our
certain habits and Affections which melt away
the hard spirit ana draw the outowing Of sweetness
and good will making US gracious, one toward an
otner, tender hearted and suIbright IN love-
WHAT THE SPIRIT DOES
IN word the love ot the SPIRIT brings before us
the renewing and sanctiiying work OF the Spirit by
converting tho soul OF man into the temple Of Cod
'Know ye not that ye are the temples OF the Holy
SPIRIT" The ruins of the soul are rebuilt, It's iost
powers restored, It's unruy passions reformed, It's
blind prcudces transformed It's obstinate VIII swayod
and It's understanding made light The love
OF the SPIRIT creates the man anew IN all his DISPOSE
ness may be furnished win all spiritual conso-
laon. He u bold man who VIII venture TO say that
Father has done for Us than the son or The
son the Spirit. DID the Son condcscend IN giving
Himself for moro than the Father IN giving US or
the more than the Spirit In de2ning to reside IN
the very OF nature, IN all s pollution and
depravityg The love oil the Spirit Is stupendous, IN
that when He descends into u world which lies In
wckedness, although He nnds II redeemed ~ the ex-
piatory sacrifice The Son, He Is willing to become
great purifying Deity and to undertake. the absolute
renewal Of It's human nature. That love must over
come alienation from God aud must rectiiy the whole
disarranged moral ufeclions TO reverse the
apostacy and natural proneness TO evil 70 NJ the bur-
don which brushes the soul OF NAN ana cast OIL the
wTeched entAimens OF evil to cleanse The passions,
the dsposons tho usts OF our being and 10 destroy
IN the works Of the devil The love OF tho SPIRIT
equalness OF HIS love with that Of the Son IN humbng
Himself into deuth, Tor the work OF Chriss incubation
and the oico OF in1nile love much as the
other. The love of Christ tails to arouse the con
scisnce OF from lethargy until the love OF the
SPIRIT in him the hatred OF sin, and
when this done the oYe OF the SPIRIT sustains him
against the overwhclmings oil remorse on the dscov-
cry his guilt First the Spirit breaks the heart OF
and the heart OF esh First Ho re-
builds the dcsecrated fabric and then makes lis affairs
smoke with SACRIFICES of praise anu It's walls glitter
with the gems immor lal hope First Ho rends the
vel OF the heart and then oous the holy place with
the light OF the glory oil COD the face Of Jesus
Christ. In this He adorns the dcsolae, revives
tho peniient and cheers the saved. In this way He
witness to the heart OF the former slave that he
has become son OF Gou, Tor the voice OF sancthying
love cries III his breast, "Abba''-"Father" From thai
moment illuminating love Furnishes the inner sou
with the flame OF the comforting love OF the SPIRIT,
soolhcs the very vilas OF soul into repose, and
the love or benigpity lays It's mild elements against al
bufIeting OF prncipaiities aud powers. The rev
erend Doctor continued In this impressive strain ol
some lme and concluded by exhortng his hearers &c
listen the first whspcrings OF tho ssttli, sinai
voco' in their souls and receive that comfort ane
hope which the Holy SPIRIT Is always ready TO Impair
1 IN the m