THE
SPIRIT OF TRUTH LEADING PEOPLE TO THE TRUTH

Another rule to judge spirits by may be drawn from the names given to the opposite spirits, in the last words of verse 6: “the spirit of truth and the spirit of error”.

These words exhibit the two opposite characters of the Spirit of God, and other spirits that counterfeit his operations. And therefore, if by observing the manner of the operation of a spirit that is at work among a people, we see that it operates as a spirit of truth, leading people to truth, convincing them of those things that are true, we may safely determine that it is a right and true spirit. For instance, if we observe that the spirit at work makes people more aware than they used to be that there is a God, and that he is a great and a sin-hating God; That life is short, and very uncertain; and that there is another world; That they have immortal souls, and must give account of themselves to God, That they are exceedingly sinful by nature and practice; That they are helpless in themselves; and confirms them in other things that agree with some sound doctrine; the spirit that works in such a ).

And therefore we may conclude that it is not the spirit of darkness that thus reveals the truth and makes it clear. Christ tells us that Satan is a liar, and the father of lies; and his kingdom is a kingdom of darkness. It is upheld and promoted only by darkness and error. Satan has all his power and dominion by darkness. Hence we read of the power of darkness (Luke 22:53 and Col. 1:13). And devils are called “the rulers of the darkness of this world”. Whatever spirit removes our darkness, and brings us to the light, undeceives us, and, by convincing us of the truth, does us a kindness. If I am brought to a sight of truth, and made aware of things as they really are, my duty is immediately to thank God for it, without stopping first to inquire by what means I have such a benefit.