sin-offering upon the altar; the second, to give repentance and pardon as a Prince and a Saviour. The Holy Spirit is still on earth, prosecuting his gracious work, and communicating his heavenly gifts. He strives with sinners, and quickens believers into spiritual life. He dwells in the saints, leads them into all truth, and bears witness with their spirits that they are the Children of God. He illuminates their understanding, subdues their will, purifies their thoughts, and plants within them all holy principles and affections. And this he does, not by an audible voice from heaven, but through the instrumentality of the word, and by secret impressions upon the soul. “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” The operations of the Holy Ghost are seen only in their effects. It is a drop of water becoming a fountain “that springeth up unto everlasting life.” It is a spark of fire, kindling a conflagration, which all the rivers of Belial cannot quench. III. The Holy Ghost is the Paraclete; that is, the Counselor and Consoler. In our text, he is called the “Comforter.” “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter,”—according to the original, one to plead your cause. The word is the same as that used to designate the Roman ambassadors, who were sent to other countries, as representatives of the Roman power, to persuade enemies to submit, or offer terms of peace. A certain author observes, that the office of the Comforter is to reconcile enemies, and invigorate friends—to console the dejected, strengthen the enfeebled, and support the people of God in all the conflicts and trials of life. It is by his grace that the believer’s youth is renewed as the eagle’s, and all his languishing virtues are revived, so that he can “run and not weary—walk and not faint.” Another part of his office in the Church is intercession. As he pleads with sinners on behalf of Christ in the gospel, so he pleads for believers in the court of heaven; not personally, like our blessed Lord, but by inspiring the spirit of supplication in their hearts. “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; and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”