The Withdrawal of God's Spirit Deprecated as the Worst of Evils
Psalm 51:11
Cast me not away from your presence; and take not your holy spirit from me.


1. The best of saints may fall into the worst of sins.

2. As the best of saints cannot keep themselves from falling, so neither can they raise themselves up again when they are fallen (Psalm 23:3).

3. Where repentance is sincere, a believer matters not what shame he takes, provided by his confession glory may redound to God.

I. WHAT IT IS FOR GOD TO TAKE AWAY HIS HOLY SPIRIT. For God to take away His Holy Spirit is for Him to withdraw His sensible gracious influences from the soul.

II. FOR WHAT REASONS, OR ON WHAT ACCOUNTS IT IS, THAT GOD ACTS THUS TOWARDS HIS OWN PEOPLE.

1. Pride and self-confidence in the performance of any duty. The apostle seems to be most afraid of that little boasting pronoun I (1 Corinthians 15:1). Grace prepared him for service, grace assisted him in it, grace gave success to it, grace therefore has all the praise.

2. Another reason why God withdraws His Spirit is negligence and sloth in the discharge of duty (Song of Solomon 5:2). Oh! those formal, lukewarm frames of spirit, our beloved loathes them. Give Christ your whole heart, or give Him nothing.

3. Unimproved mercies is another cause of the removal of God's Spirit (1 Kings 11:9).

4. Present sins are another cause of God's withdrawing of His Spirit: Samson and David both failed here.

III. WHY GRACIOUS SOULS CANNOT BEAR THE LOSS OF GOD'S SPIRIT WITHOUT PUTTING IN THEIR PLEA AGAINST IT.

1. Because He is the Spirit of truth, and without His gracious teachings all the knowledge that we have of God and of Christ will do us no real good. Light in the head will be of little efficacy if there be not life and heat in the heart.

2. He is the Spirit of grace and of supplication, and without His aid we shall be indifferent to duty, and lifeless in it (Zechariah 12:10).

3. The Spirit is a Spirit of holiness, and without His presence all our endeavours after sanctification in heart and life are fruitless, and in vain.

4. The Spirit is the author of all consolation and joy, and without His gracious influences the believer will be ever sorrowing and cast down (John 16:7).USES.

1. If the loss of God's presence here be so dreadful, how sad is it ever to be separated from it in the other world? (Psalm 90:11).

2. God has other ways to punish His own people for sin, than casting them into hell for it (Psalm 99:8).

3. Have a care how you grieve the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). Do not that which is contrary to His nature and will. Embrace His counsels; submit to His government; walk in all the ways of His appointment.

(J. Hill.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

WEB: Don't throw me from your presence, and don't take your holy Spirit from me.




Deprecation of God's Judgments
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