282 SERMON PREACHED ON THE ISLAND. 
Spirit have ceased long since, but his ordi- 
nary operations in the heart of man are 
continued, and will continue till the great 
and notable day of the Lord come. But how 
do we treat them ? Do we encourage them ? 
Do we desire that they may be increased 
within us in frequency and power ? Do we 
pray to be ' endued with the grace of the 
Holy Spirit, to amend our lives according to 
God's holy word ?' Or when, in effect, He 
says to us, ' Come, now, and let us reason 
together,' do we resist his gracious influences 
and say, ' Depart from us, we desire not the 
knowledge of thy ways ?' If, alas ! this is 
the case, and that which the holy martyr 
Stephen said of the Jews, ' Ye stiffnecked 
and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do 
always resist the Holy Ghost,' is applicable 
to us, then ' there remaineth nothing but a 
certain fearful looking for of judgment and 
fiery indignation.' For the Almighty, whom 
we have insulted, will say unto us, ' Because 
I have called, and ye refused ; I have stretched 
out my hand, and no man regarded ; but ye 
have set at nought all my counsel, and would 
none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your 
