SERMON XI.

ZECHARIAH iv, 6.

Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

READING the volume of civil history, we are amused, or instructed, or charmed, with the activity, the enterprize, or intelligence of man. By his labours and wisdom, fields are loaded with harvests, science and art exhibit their wonders, society is organized, legislators exhibit all that we can imagine of greatness and grandeur. Here the story ends. But when we open the volume of revelation, another scene is presented. God, the infinite spirit, is the first object, angels are seen descending and ascending, to execute the orders of his throne. Him we behold, creating the world, weighing the mountains, and balancing the stars. We see him disposing of men. They are blest or miserable, rich or poor, wise or powerful, by his guiding providence; legislators and conquerors are merely the instruments of his purposes, moral machinery under his direction.

At the time of this prophecy, the rebuilding of Jerusalem had been suspended. Artaxerxes had gone to his fathers, and Darius was on the throne. Fearing they should not obtain his consent to renew the work, opposition rising, and some saying, "the time is not come that the Lord's house should be built," the people were discouraged. To revive their hopes, a revelation is made to Zechariah. The word of the Lord to Zerubbabel was, "Who art thou, great mountain, before him?" Though the obstacles in his way are as mountains, they shall become a plain. The work shall proceed, though not by human might or power. Your father's deliverance from Egypt was accompanied with miraculous displays; the winds blew, the sea opened, Pharaoh and his host were destroyed. They entered Canaan in triumph. The sun and moon stood still, Jordan stopped to gaze at the grandeur of their march, the walls of Jericho trembled and fell, flying javelins dazzled the eye, clouds of arrows darkened the air. But now the whole process of your deliverance is different. Cyrus was insensibly inclined by the Spirit of God to restore you to your country. Darius will be disposed by the same spirit, to revive the work of finishing the temple and city, the people will be devoutly disposed to labour. The walls will rise, the temple will be completed. As the top stone is laid, you will shout, "grace, grace."

DOCTRINE. All the blessings of life, are effected by the Spirit of God.

I. The Spirit of God bestows on men their intellectual powers.

This is exclusively his work. Men are as dependent for their mental capacity, as the marble for the form which it receives from the sculptor. Unless men can act before their existence, they can have no agency in their original powers of mind. These are precisely what their Maker pleases to give. As in grace, so in capacity, one man differs from another, as one star surpasses another in splendour. He, who formed the mountains with various degrees of magnitude and grandeur, has given to human minds different degrees of elevation and power. Some are feeble, incapable of continued attention, and groveling in their disposition. Others, on a strong wing, soar above their fellows, discovering truths hidden from ages, opening new sources of wonder and rational delight. This mental vigour is from God. If he withdraw his Spirit, the most sublime intellect is deprived of its power, the most splendid genius is destroyed. "The inspiration of the Almighty giveth men understanding." Whenever scripture alludes to the display of remarkable powers, these powers are ascribed to the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God came upon Sampson, and he displayed prodigies of valour. David declares that God taught his hands to war.

This influence of the Spirit does not necessarily imply gracious or holy exercises. It is as truly the Spirit of God, who gives us our intellectual and physical powers, as the graces of a pious heart. He, that in the fields of science or business rises above his fellows, and occasionally above himself, is as really the subject of divine influence, as was St. Paul at Damascus, or Isaiah, when he announced himself

anointed of God. The gifts are different, the giver is the same. The same Spirit which elevated the mind of Newton to investigate the physical laws of the universe, inspired Peter with penitential sorrow to weep for his sins. Our mental power is from the Spirit of God.

II. Men are indebted to the Spirit of God for that peculiar texture of mind, which is congenial with liberal improvement.

For this, mere strength or extent of capacity is not always sufficient. The most vigorous powers may be disposed to exhaust themselves in active courage or arduous enterprise. A particular complexion of mind, and circumstances which are often beyond control, are necessary for high intellectual attainments. It may therefore well be said "God giveth men wisdom and knowledge." In scripture, declarations of this kind are numerous. God said to Solomon, "Wisdom and knowledge are granted unto thee." 'I give you these blessings.' Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth, not only in opulence, but in wisdom. All the kings of the earth sought unto Solomon, to hear his wisdom that God had put in his heart. This is equally true of other wise men as of Solomon. That power of attention, that strength of memory, that penetration, and discernment, that leisure, and command of other means necessary for eminent intellectual attainments, are the gift of God.

In almost every age, a few sublime minds, like Enoch and Elijah, ascending to heaven without passing through the territories of death, soar above other men in science, knowledge, and goodness, while we,

who are souls of ordinary mould, so far from being competitors in their ascent, are unable to follow in the track which they mark, or to comprehend the mysteries which they reveal. Like Elisha, we gaze with admiration, exclaiming, "the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof!" These men shed light on all the walks of life, they raise the character of man, they preserve us from ignorance and errour, they swell the tide of human felicity, they are the benefactors and the ornaments of the world. These are men whom God delights to honour, whom he has stamped with greatness, whom he has irradiated by his Spirit.

Of Bezaleel God says, "I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, and understanding, and knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship." What was this distinguished gift of heaven? Was it luminous piety? Was it skill in government, or eminence as a minister of God? It was chiefly "to work in gold, and silver, and brass, and cutting stones, and carving timber," mere manual labours. In all those who laboured in these arts, God says "I have put wisdom." In another place, Moses repeats this doctrine; "The Lord put wisdom in their hearts." The ordinary and eminent attainments of the mind are from the Spirit of the Lord.

III. Convictions of sin and a new heart are from the Spirit of God.

all truth."

This doctrine is so popular as to require little' confirmation. "The Spirit of God leads the mind into Those who believe on his name are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of man, but of God." "He saves us by the renewing of the