The New York herald., 1878-09-16

the Gospel according to ST. John, xvi SIT Is cxpedi-
ent for you that 90 away. for II 60 not away the
Comforter viii not come to you; but II depart will
send him you" There is poetic justice in the
Divine ordination that faith shall be prime
dition OF everlasting life. l say there is a po-
stie justice IN the reQuis,ion tha. faith shall
bo the prime condition OF everlasting life.
Unbeief was the prlmordal cause OF the nrst
gresson Let repeat that again--it is indispens-
able 10 the discussion-u unbeei was the primordial
cause OF the first transgr GOO said unto our
nrst :"Ihou shall not eat of the irut nsi-
ther shall thou touch 1t lest thou dies" but the
temper SAID, ''He shall not de- for God doth know
that ia tho day thou eat thereof pour eyes shal be
opened and you will be gods. knowing gooa and
evil" What the secret object OF THIS tempta-
tion? IL was to shake Ewes confidence In God.
II was to substitute reason for revelation. II
Was belief In the Devil rather than belief IN GOD.
Therefore, how profoundly just and how beautifully
appropriate, that In tho dispensaton Tor The
covery Of unbelieving world that faith should be
its chief condition unto everlasting life But to be-
eve II 10 necessary for man 10 have power outside OF
himself greater than himself Hence we have In
this chapter the promise Of the comforter the gilt or
the blessed para ciee. Tho Holy Ghost the Aubsti-
tute Tor the bodily presence OF the Lord Jesus Christ
and est we be mistaken, the saviour has been pleased
10 define the functions or rather the prophccis TO be
performed by the Holy Spirit. and hence He says:-
OF sin because they believed not on Him, be-
cause l go 10 the Father aud they see Me no
mOre' NOW, the practlCal question LOT US 10
consider this morning Is ths:-How can spirit who
10 SAID to be reprover how can he be comforter
The answer is found In thisrhat the Holy Ghost has
Q two-fold mission, to DO u divine reprover aud q
divine comforter, and In discharglng The ofice OF
divine reprover He necessarily becomes divine com
forler call your attention. therefore, TO Two facts,
namely nrs TO the necessity Of the bodily presence
OF our Lord Jesus Christie Is expedient ior me
that 20 away" I" and then how the ng OF
this com iorter or in other words how he comforter
is not only tho substitute Tor tho bodily presence OF
the Lord Jesus Christ but how giori1es Christ In
the work.
MISSION HOLY SPIRIT.
1t seems to me mat there was divine tenderness
In tho manner OF the Saviour when he pronounced
His valedictory to HIS disciples. They had wit
messed His inner lie. They gathered around
evil report. Thcy had seen the miracles that he mad
wrought They had been with Him when the poo
pic shouted "Hosannal Hosannal They had been
with Him whom the Inuriated multitude took up
stones to HIM. Shall We pause and consider
the profound question, namely 'the necessity oi ne
disappearance OF the body o our Lord jesus Christ ~
Why did He Withdraw His physical prcsencep Why
did He thus ascend into heaven and Withdraw His
bodily presence from the Churchy II is part of the
Divine plan, ana hence tho scientists truce
plan all through creation, from the condition
OF primordiaI matter down to the present lie.
So It was part OF the DIVINE plan that the Almighty
Father should give his only begottcn son, that no
should come into the world and die tor sinuers aud
that the Hoy Ghost should como and commence his
great struggle with the human heart and was then
part Of the plan We cannot estimate that plan.
We have right to criucise that pian We are
bound to II You might as well criticise tho
work OF tho skies 1t is plan ana The superscr,p-
Secondly An invisible Saviour is as necessary for the
proper exercise OF iaith now was Invisible God
ior the proper OF faith In the Garden OF Eden
alor The creation. Alter the dvine benedctOn, then
the Almighty Father Withdrew ms visible presence
from Adam and Evc
FAREWELL
The invisibilty 10 be the test OF their faith and
It was during that invisbiiIy that the first trans
gressiOn committed. The reverend Doctor bavi ny
quoted numerous authorities illustrating his subject
continued ~ say IN the beginning that there is
poetic justice IN making aith Tho condition OF ever
lasting lie. There is nothing that expresses what
Is real 10 His beng as the expression OF simple,
connding triumphant faith IN tho Great God. Hence
the Master says, the Hoy Spirit shall reprove tho
world oil sip," not OF lying not OF murder uOt OF
theft Whyf Tue law does all Of this. II was
necessary for Him to be sent .on earth
to raprove the woriu OF murder and of theft,
but He shall como and reprove the world Of SIN.
The Doctor having dwelt Mt some length on the sub
ject OF his theme, he said with much feeling :-"I
will say to you-tarewelL / had choice to-day In
selecting a subject. whether would preach
Gospel sermon or personal reminiscences Personal
"reminiscences may DO pleasant, but nave higher
calling-nameiy, 10 be true 10 my Master and
wanted say one more word TO my friends, who are
out oil Christ but let say In conclusion that the
law OF the Churcn requires our separationiarewol. u.
The flowers of summer will bloom 'ere meet, Tho
SHOWS OF winter Will come down earth, but tn Is
may be ours that as We 20 on we shall NJ last meet IN
heaven
Tho congregation seemed to be moved almost "a
toars after the Doctors farewell was spok and dis
persed with gloom on thoir eountcnancss and
hcavinoss of heart.