When I look around me and contemplate the great mass of mankind, unbelief appears like a mighty ocean overspreading the human race. Pagans, Mohammedans, Jews, are all alike wrapped in the darkness of unbelief! That portion of the world, nominally Christian, is also covered with this blinding evil. Thousands, who have been baptized in the name of Christ, remain destitute of the Spirit of Christ. Baptized infidels, baptized profligates, scandalize the Christian name, and form a stumbling-block to Jews and Gentiles. Thousands who profess that they know God, in works deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work, reprobate.
The world is their idol; at its shrine they devote themselves. Present pleasures, present honors, present profits, are the things they covet, the things for which they toil, the things for which they expend their time, their talents, their all. The future is hidden behind the thick mists of unbelief. They neither see, nor long for, the pleasures which are at God's right hand; for the honor which comes from God only; for the riches of his grace and glory. Oh! how great, how merciful is the work of the Spirit, when by his power, he enlightens the mind, touches the conscience, awakens the fears, and melts the heart of the worldling, convincing him of sin, of the deadly sin of UNBELIEF, in rejecting, despising, or neglecting, the Savior of the World.
When unbelief is removed from the heart, the next operation of the Spirit is to reveal to the sinner, (now enlightened to perceive his danger) where HELP is to be found. He displays to him, in all its glory, that Righteousness which Christ wrought out for him by his obedience unto death, and arrayed in which, as in a garment of salvation, he can stand before the throne of Justice, accepted in the beloved. He then makes known to him for his encouragement and joy of faith, the triumphs of the Savior, his victory over death and hell, and how the prince of this world is judged and overcome.
Such are the manifestations of the Spirit as promised by our Lord to the world: "And when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world's sin is unbelief in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the prince of this world has already been judged." Oh adorable Redeemer, pity a world sunk in unbelief and sin. Stretch forth your almighty arm. Rescue the perishing millions of mankind from sinking into the fiery abyss of hell. Manifest yourself as in the days of old, when thousands on the day of Pentecost were cut to the heart, crying out, Men and brethren, what shall we do? who, gladly receiving the word preached by your Apostle, confessing their sins, and professing their faith in you, were baptized in your name, and added to your Church.
The world is their idol; at its shrine they devote themselves. Present pleasures, present honors, present profits, are the things they covet, the things for which they toil, the things for which they expend their time, their talents, their all. The future is hidden behind the thick mists of unbelief. They neither see, nor long for, the pleasures which are at God's right hand; for the honor which comes from God only; for the riches of his grace and glory. Oh! how great, how merciful is the work of the Spirit, when by his power, he enlightens the mind, touches the conscience, awakens the fears, and melts the heart of the worldling, convincing him of sin, of the deadly sin of UNBELIEF, in rejecting, despising, or neglecting, the Savior of the World.
When unbelief is removed from the heart, the next operation of the Spirit is to reveal to the sinner, (now enlightened to perceive his danger) where HELP is to be found. He displays to him, in all its glory, that Righteousness which Christ wrought out for him by his obedience unto death, and arrayed in which, as in a garment of salvation, he can stand before the throne of Justice, accepted in the beloved. He then makes known to him for his encouragement and joy of faith, the triumphs of the Savior, his victory over death and hell, and how the prince of this world is judged and overcome.
Such are the manifestations of the Spirit as promised by our Lord to the world: "And when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world's sin is unbelief in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the prince of this world has already been judged." Oh adorable Redeemer, pity a world sunk in unbelief and sin. Stretch forth your almighty arm. Rescue the perishing millions of mankind from sinking into the fiery abyss of hell. Manifest yourself as in the days of old, when thousands on the day of Pentecost were cut to the heart, crying out, Men and brethren, what shall we do? who, gladly receiving the word preached by your Apostle, confessing their sins, and professing their faith in you, were baptized in your name, and added to your Church.
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