years ago, who, observing the great and constant power attributed, by the written gospel, to the Holy Ghost, published a book, which he entitled, Evangelium Spiritus Sancti; or, the gospel of the Holy Ghost; but at the same time, it appears to me evident, from the declarations of Jesus Christ, that the gospel is now chiefly efficacious, as it has been ever since the ascension, by the operation of the Holy Ghost; the wakeful, tutelary guardian of every human creature. He may be resisted; his holy fire may be quenched; his temple may be polluted; and he may, in consequence, depart in displeasure. Happy would it be, if appearances did not justify the apprehension, that he is actually resisted, his holy fire quenched, his temple polluted, and both his displeasure and departure little regarded. It is the scope of Christian Philosophy to prevent this dreadful calamity. To enquire how the Spirit operates, is fruitless, if not presumptuous. It is enough for man to know, that it does operate; that, unless the words of Scripture are violently tortured out of their meaning, out of that plain sense which every reader of competent judgment and of integrity, unwarped by prejudice, must allow them to bear, the Spirit of God is at this moment effecting, in the bosoms of all who are duly prepared for its energy, the grand purpose of our Saviour's incarnation. Great, indeed, is the mystery but equally mysterious are the processes of nature. All around us a mystery. Our very existence, 1 Vocula illa quomodo," Luther used to say, << est detestabilis." "The little word 'how' is detestable." 2 "Is the doctrine of grace more stupendous than the velocity of motion given to light?" Bp. Warburton. our nutrition, the motion of a muscle in our bodies, is a wonderful arcanum, too difficult to be accounted for by reason. Yet, I believe, I know that I live, and move, and have my being,' though I cannot explain the union of soul and body, the mode of alimentary supply, or the cause of muscular motion. So also the spiritual life and motion are inexplicable. But this is certain-he who believes the Scriptures, must believe its reality. And he who is once truly and experimentally' convinced of the Spirit's operation, will want no other evidence; and he who tastes the fruits of the Spirit, will desire no other display of the excellence of Christianity. Thus will the purpose of my book be accomplished. The evidence and excellence of Christianity will be felt and 'Η της ΠΕΙΡΑΣ ακρίβεια κατισχύει την των λόγων TIOαVOTηTA."-Diod. Sic. Hist. lib. i. "The accurate and certain knowledge of actual experience, surpasses all that can be taught by the persuasive powers of oratory or composition." Prayer is the means of producing this experience in religion. "If mankind are corrupted and depraved in their moral character, and so are unfit for that state which Christ is gone to prepare for his disciples; and if the assistance of God's Spirit be necessary to renew their nature, in the degree requisite to their being qualified for that state, all which is implied in the express, though figurative declaration, Except a man be born of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God:' supposing this, is it possible any serious person can think it a slight matter, whether or no he makes use of the means, expressly commanded by God, for obtaining this divine assistance; especially since the whole analogy of nature shows that we are not to expect any benefits, without making use of the appointed means for obtaining or enjoying them? Now reason shows us nothing of the particular immediate means of obtaining spiritual benefits. This, therefore, we must learn from Revelation." And Revelation says, ask, and it shall be given.-Butler's Anal. Part ii. c. 1. "We not only believe it, but we feel it too; we feel the comfortable influences, the sacred emanations of the Holy Spirit acknowledged by every man, who becomes a convert to the doctrine of grace. He will acquire a spiritual understanding;' his rational faculty, as to spiritual matters, will be sublimed and refined in such a manner, as to supersede the necessity of those voluminous, far-fetched, and elaborate proofs and defences of Christianity which have been enumerated, in a long catalogue, by Fabricius; and which, one after another, like abortive, productions, have dropped into the gulf of oblivion, and left Christianity just where they found it. Indeed, as defences of this kind have increased, Christians appear to have decreased. The cavils introduced for refutation have lived, and the refutations died and been forgotten. But doctrines which cannot be refuted by Scripture, are sometimes exploded by the illiberal means of stigmatizing them with an offensive or unpopular name. This practice has always been highly detrimental to the diffusion of genuine Christianity. It causes opinions to be condemned in the gross. It induces the mind of the careless, contemptuously to reject the mass, without selecting the wheat from the chaff, and, indeed, without the trouble of examination. There is a vicissi upon us; more particularly at those offices of devotion, wherein he descends upon us also, as he did once upon our blessed Saviour, like a dove, and sheds his grace upon us, in some measure, with those excellencies which become the sons of God. "Or rather, he descends upon us, as he did once before, upon the face of the waters, when he brought beauty and order upon that which before was nothing but deformity and confusion."-Bp. Hickman. Col. i. 9. "We pray for you that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.' Again, "Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things."--2 Tim. ii. 7. tude or fashion in religious doctrines, as well as in the modes of dress and external behaviour. Such a book, says the leader of the day, is Arminian, or Calvinistical, or Methodistical,' and it must be cried down by every pamphleteer or controversialist, who is aspiring at favour and preferment. But away with names, and the petty dis 1 Bishop Hurd is as far removed from a Methodist as possible. He is a divine, a philosopher, a scholar of the first rank; yet hear him (and let his words have weight) on the evidence of the Spirit of God on the heart of man. "To the Spirit, enlightening our understandings, purifying our wills, and confirming our faith, we must impute all that is good in us, all that proficiency in true holiness, which qualifies us for the enjoyment of heaven; and through this discipline it is, that they who sow to the Spirit,' are, in the end, 'enabled of the Spirit to reap life everlasting.' "All the revelations of God's will, even to our Lord himself as the man Christ Jesus, and all the secret illuminations of the faithful, in all times, are to be regarded as so many emanations from the Spirit of God, the enlightener: all the gradual improvements of our virtue, all the graces which first descend upon our hearts, and then manifest themselves in every good word and work, are the production of the same Spirit, in his office of sanctifier and lastly, all the firmness and resolution we possess, under every trial in the world, all the foretaste we have of future favour and acceptance, all our joy and peace in believing, are the signs and proofs of the Comforter speaking to us, and, according to our Saviour's promise, abiding in us. : "If a ray of light break in upon us; if a new degree of knowledge be imparted to us; if we see the truth of the gospel more clearly, in any respect, than before we had done; we cannot mistake in ascribing this additional information or conviction, to the illuminating spirit within us. "If we perceive our devotions to be quickened, our hopes enlivened, our faith fortified, we shall not mistake (having the express promise of our Lord and Master) in ascribing these consolations of peace and joy to the Comforter; we may regard them as the earnest and pledge of the Spirit in our hearts.--Eph. i. 14. "I know," continues he, "that this will appear strange to natural reason. But so the Scripture has prepared us to expect For the natural man (says the apostle) receiveth they would do. tinctions of religious party. Are you a Christian, or wish to be one, indeed, not in word only ; for the sake of spiritual, not temporal purposes ? Then drop your prejudices, and seek the Spirit of Christianity; not in systems, but in the written gospel, assisted by prayer, and the pious illustrations of sincere, good men, however they may have been reviled or neglected, through prejudice, political artifice, or mistaken zeal. When you have thus found the truth, show its influence by your charity. Be united to all Christians, as well as to Christ; and beware of making distinctions, by nicknames, and thus exciting envy, wrath, malice, which are of a nature opposite to the fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, and peace. Good men should join in a firm phalanx, that the evil may not triumph on their divisions. Let all who are united under the banners of Christ, hail one another as brother Christians, though they may differ on the subject of church discipline, rites, ceremonies, or even non-essential doctrine.' not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him.-I Cor. ii. 14. And to the same purpose, our Master himself, speaking of the spirit of truth; whom (says he) the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye, (addressing himself to his disciples, that is, to men who walk by faith, and not by sight,) ye know him; for he dwelleth in you, and shall be in you."-Bp. Hurd. Serm. xviii. vol. ii. "Setting aside many circumstances, in which men may safely err, there are but few truths of Scripture of an essential nature; or, to speak more properly, there is but one, concerning which all believers (I mean those who deserve the name) are firmly agreed. This truth is the testimony of the word of God concerning Jesus Christ, that he came into the world to save sinners fully, freely, and eternally. So little room, then, in reality, does the Scripture give for the diversity of opinions, that it calls for perfect unity of sentiment; the diversity itself being |