The Spirit of Grace
" Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God." —Ephesians 4:30 [KJV] How affectionate and condescending is this address of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ to His children! Paul writes to Philemon, "Though I might be bold to enjoin thee that which is convenient; yet, for love's sake, I rather beseech thee." So with infinitely higher authority, the Lord might command with terror, instead of beseech with love. Astonishing expression! Grieve not the holy Spirit of God. Hast thou? Canst thou, O believer, be guilty in this matter? It is easy to conceive that we may grieve our own spirits, and the spirits of good men by our sin and folly: but to think of grieving the Spirit of God, is enough to make us cry out in amazement, What mystery of love is this? But verily, so dear are God's children to Him, that as in love to our souls He took on Him our nature, so in condescension to our weak capacities, He borrows language from nature, and assumes to H