When other nations had offended the Romans, it was common for them, fearing the revenge of that mighty empire, to send messengers to Rome, to plead their cause, and treat for peace. “The Spirit of Truth,” having brought sinners to repentance by pleading with them for Christ in the gospel, pours down upon them the spirit of grace and supplication, so that they cry out for mercy, and this is virtually the Spirit of God crying out within them. What is the meaning of all that prayer and agony in the congregation? The Spirit of God is there. His hammer has broken the rock—his fire has melted the iron. No other power could conquer those proud rebellious hearts, and turn the blasphemer into a man of prayer. Listen! “If thou shouldst mark iniquity, O Lord, who could stand?” Hark again! “But thou art a God ready to pardon; there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.” It is the voice of the Spirit, pleading in the awakened soul. See that publican in the temple, smiting upon his breast, and saying,—“God be merciful to me a sinner!” The Holy Ghost has both convinced him of sin, and inspired him to pray for mercy. No other agency can thus quicken the “dead in trespasses and sins,” and turn the hearts of the children of men to the Lord. The gospel, in the hand of the Holy Spirit, “is the power of God unto salvation.” The Holy Spirit can convince the world—can rend the veil from the mind, and dissolve the ice around the heart. He applies the truth to the conscience, and makes the guilty read their own sentence of condemnation by the light of the fires of Sinai; and then he shows them the atoning blood, and prompts them to pray for pardon. He first convinces them that they are sinking in “the horrible pit of miry clay;” and then lets down to them the rope of the promise, bids them take hold by faith, draws them out, and sets their feet upon a rock, and puts into their mouth the new song of salvation—“O Lord, I will praise thee; for though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me!” O that the “Spirit of grace and supplication” may ever rest upon us! May we plead for ourselves with God, as Jacob, when he wrestled for the blessing; or Bartimeus, when he besought the Saviour to restore his sight! May we plead for sinners, as Abraham for Sodom, as Moses for Israel, as Daniel for the captives, as the Centurion for his servant, and as the woman of Canaan for her daughter! IV. The Holy Ghost is called “another comforter;” which suggests a difference between his office in the church, and that of our Lord Jesus Christ.