victed sinner has but a very slender hope, at first, of being clothed with the righteousness of Christ. His deep sense of his need of that "spotless robe," and his strong desire to be clothed with it, are both produced by the power of the Holy Ghost. That power has wrought mightily and graciously in the man, who lies self-condemned and self-emptied at the feet of God, saying nothing but, "Guilty, guilty; vile, vile; unworthy, unworthy: -mercy, mercy! for the sake of Christ!" The Spirit is not exactly his comforter then; but even then, he is as much his friend, and as truly his helper, as when he commanded the angel to "take away the filthy garments" from Joshua, the high priest, and to "clothe him with change of raiment," and to "set a fair mitre upon his head." It is indeed, other work, to humble and empty the soul: but it is the same mighty hand, guided by the same warm heart, that lays the soul down at the foot of the rock of ages, and that lifts it up to the summit, or into the munitions of that rock. The weeping penitent, and the rejoicing saint, are equally the "workmanship" of the Holy Spirit. They are stars, differing from each other, in the degree of grace; but showing equally the glory of the Spirit's love. You would, of course, prefer such a conviction of righteousness, as would enable you to sing, "He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness." This is a very natural, and not at all an improper desire, after having passed through many painful exercises of mind, by turning over and over the question, how can I be just with God? It is not wrong, after having thus suffered awhile from the terrors of law, and the sting of conscience, to wish, even very much, to be established, strengthened, and settled in the hope of pardon, and acceptance through the beloved. They have not suffered much yet, from law or conscience, who are not very anxious to "know" that they "have eternal life." Let us not forget, however, that hope would never have been so very dear to us, had we not suffered a good deal from the want or from the weakness of it. We should have been farther off from a good hope through grace," than we now are, had we not been led so far down into the valley of humiliation. The Spirit has led and kept us there, not for the sake of paining us, nor yet to try our patience merely; but chiefly, that we might be driven out of all refuges of lies, and even out of sight of them all, until we saw nothing between us and perishing, but just the cross of Christ. For his work, be it for ever remembered, is to "glorify Christ ;" and Christ is not fully glorified in us or by us, until he becomes "all in all," in our hope and desire: and that, we do not make him, until we come fully to the point and spirit of the cry, "Lord, save; I perish.' Have you come to this point and spirit often, and yet never been able to lay hold upon "the hope of righteousness by faith?" Are you still, after all your renunciations of your own righteousness, and, after all your prayers to be justified freely by grace, quite uncertain whether you have found mercy to pardon? Is it the case that, whilst you can hardly doubt that you have found "grace to help in time of need," you yet doubt very much whether you are “justified by grace?" I can sympathise with you, in this uncertainty and suspense. Let us not, however, question the love of the Spirit, even if he has not yet been our comforter in this matter. There may be love in his delay. There is love in delaying comfort, on the question of justification, if the kind of comfort we have been seeking is not promised, or if the promised comfort is looked for from a wrong quarter. The comfortable hope of our justification, can only come from the same source, that our conviction of the need of a justifying righteousness came from. Now that conviction came from the word of God. The Holy Spirit fastened our attention upon the revealed fact, "that, by the deeds of the law, no flesh living can be justified;" and thus upon the experimental fact, that all our own righteousness is as filthy rags. Thus it was truth, that he plied our understanding and conscience with, in convincing us of our need of justification by grace. He made our belief of this, stand on the word of God. He showed us our guilt, and danger, and weakness, as we had never seen them before: but still, only as they are depicted in the Bible. He did not reveal to us a law, not written there; nor a curse, not threatened there; nor a want, not declared there: he just made us wise up to "what is written" of sinners, and against sinners; and led us to apply that to ourselves. Well; is it not likely, yea, more than probable, that he comforts, just as he convicts, on the subject,-by the truth? Consider! The facts and promises of the gospel are as able to comfort, as the demands and threatenings of the law to alarm. Why then should not the Spirit speak peace to the conscience by the gospel, as well as terror to the conscience by the law? The glad tidings of the former, are as true as the sad tidings of the latter. The heart can be healed by cheering truth, as well as broken by awful truth. Has this, however, been the way in which you, "through the Spirit," have "waited for the hope of righteousness by faith?" Have you not rather waited for some impulse-emotion-or inward sense of pardon, apart from the outward, or written promise? Have you not waited for the Spirit, rather than on the Spirit? Have you "minded the things of the Spirit," (which are chiefly his promises and counsels) as much as you have minded his sweet influences, which are the dew of them? Have you sown to the Spirit the good seed of hope and holiness, as well as looked for the early and latter rain of his grace, to make it fruitful? This is close, almost cross, questioning: but it is wanted. For, how unlike the Saviour's own account of the way of bringing home the hope of righteousness to the heart, is the creed-the scheme (what shall I call it ?)-the notion of many, who, in other respects, are as willing as Paul or Peter, to be entire debtors to Christ for justification! The whole soul is set upon owing every thing, as to the ground of their acceptance, to his cross; but, as to the knowledge of their acceptance, they seem, somehow, unwilling to be indebted to his word for that; or doubt whether his word be warrant enough, for taking up and cherishing a good hope through grace. Do, look again, to the Saviour's own account of the process by which the Comforter is promised to convince of righteousness. "He shall convince | grand proof that we may "return, and welcome" No. IV. THE LOVE OF THE SPIRIT IN RECONCILIATION. of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and -to the Father by him. I, therefore, leave you ye see me no more." John xvi. 10. This refers, with the word and the Spirit before you, to ponder unquestionably, to the sufficiency, perfection, and and pray over that oracle-"He that believeth is freeness of the righteousness of Christ, to justify | justified:" for the righteousness of God is unto all who believe, from all sin. The proof that such all, and upon all, them who believe." Rom. iii. 22. a righteousness was needed, lies in the solemn fact, that Christ came from the Father, into the world, to magnify the law by his obedience, and to make it honorable by his death; and the proof that his obedience and death did work out a perfect righteousness, lies in the sublime fact, that he was welcomed back to the Father by all the armies of heaven, and by the Father, who was wellpleased for his righteousness' sake! Now "by this fact," Christ says, “shall the Spirit convince of righteousness; or lodge in the mind, such a persuasion of the infinite merits of his work, and of the infinite good-will of the Father, that no new or different revelation of the love of the Father or the Son, can be wanted, (in order to warrant the hope of salvation,) by any one who desires a holy salvation, and is willing to be indebted to Christ for it. Now, I will not ask, what feeling, impulse, or inward sense, can compare with this outward fact. I durst no more allay your solicitude to feel aright than I dare refrain from calling upon you to judge aright. Whoever has no concern to feel hope, peace, and comfort, is not much concerned about his guilt or danger. I want you and myself,-and I avow it, and proclaim it, without apology to theological stoics or worldly maxims,-to feel the good hope of pardon and acceptance: I should, however, only perplex or mortify you, were I to call for such feelings, without reminding you that the facts and promises of the gospel, both create and warrant them. By nothing else does the holy Spirit produce in the heart, love, joy, peace, or any of the peaceful fruits of righteousness. He is too much a comforter-too concerned for our real comfort-and has too much love to the Saviour's glory and our good,-to make impressions on our minds by mysterious impulses, when he can make them, equally well, by plain and glorious truths, which are always at hand to be read, and always easy to be understood. Besides; he will "glorify" Christ; and not your faith, nor your feelings. You want to have a very high opinion of your own faith—as livingand saving and of divine "operation:" and he wants you to have a very high opinion of Christ; without whom faith would just be as unequal to your justification, as works. And as the Spirit will "not testify of himself," he will not,-depend on it-testify of you, (even to yourself,) that there is any thing in the nature or the degree of your faith, which is any cause of, or claim for, your justification but he will so shut you up to the fulness, and freeness, and sufficiency of Christ to save, that Christ himself, and not your faith, shall have all the glory; and you, yourself, shall attach no importance to your faith, but just as it thinks of nothing-realizes nothing-rests upon nothing but the doing and dying of Christ. I will not, therefore, mediate for you, upon the Saviour's reason for the hope of justification. It is before you, as before myself. He returned to the Father and was welcomed by him, as the PAUL says, that "the carnal mind is enmity against God:" and it is neither a contradiction nor an exception to this awful truth, that some persons, who make no pretensions to spiritualmindedness, and others who deny the very being of the Holy Spirit, yet profess a high regard and veneration for God. For, it is not God, as he has revealed himself whom they admire or love; and, therefore, the more they admire and love the character they ascribe to God, the more they hate his real character. It is not very easy to see this, when men of genius, science, or taste, pay high compliments to the wisdom, power, and benevolence of the Deity for the same language from the lips of a Christian, would be an expression and a proof of his love to God. How, then, is it a proof of enmity against God, when a mere philosopher, poet, or sentimentalist utters it? God is as wise, as mighty, and as glorious as they say. His eternal power and godhead are to be seen in all the works of creation, which they examine and admire. And they do admire and enjoy what they praise. They are not pretending, when they say, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork." How, then, can they be traitors, whilst they utter truth?— Why does revelation class them with the haters of God, seeing they love the works of God, and speak well of the divine perfections displayed in these works? Are they not, at least, less averse, and more reverential to God, than those who study neither the Bible nor nature? Now there certainly is a difference of form, between the enmity of the philosopher to God, and that of the sensualist; and between the enmity of the man of taste, and that of the worldling. The latter are "enemies in their minds by wicked works ;" and the former, "by vain and evil imaginations:"-a difference, however, amounting to nothing more, so far as God and eternity are concerned, than that which subsisted, in ancient times, between the idols of savage and civilized nations. The polished Greeks and Romans, who worshipped no idols but such as were cut from Parian marble, with statuesque perfection, were as much idolaters, as the barbarians who bowed down to hideous monsters, and vile reptiles."The glory of the incorruptible God" was equally changed, whether, as in Athens and Rome, "changed into an image made like unto corruptible man;" or, as in Egypt and Babylon, "unto birds, and beasts, and creeping things." The Jupiter of Rome, and the Juggernaut of India; the Apollo of ancient Greece, and the Thor and Woden of ancient Britain, are equal proofs, that the was men who invented them, and the men who wor-trinity of the Godhead, merely as trinity, to proshipped them, "did not like to retain God in their voke or offend, however it may baffle. The mind knowledge;" but were, in fact, equally haters of does not, indeed, like to be baffled: but then, it God." does not escape from this mortification, by taking up with the absolute unity of God. The incomprehensible prevails in that, to a degree which, if as much dwelt upon, would be equally baffling.What offends, therefore, is not the mystery of the trinity, as mere mystery; but the redemption involved in the fact. Accordingly, the Unitarian always discards redemption from his theory of the divine nature and government. He rids himself of more than mystery by rejecting the trinity. He throws off, along with that, the fear of perishing, the need of a mediator, and the use of a sanctifier. So it is still. There is as much real enmity to the revealed character of God, in natural and sentimental religion, as in the grossest superstition. The former despises the Bible, or dispenses with it; and the latter neutralizes or makes it void by the traditions of men. Be not misled nor amazed, therefore, when you read or hear high eulogiums upon the Divine Character, from men who reject Divine Truth. That Truth pays all the homage, they can do, to God as a Creator: and, therefore, they must dislike the homage it pays to him, as a lawgiver, and as the God of Salvation. For, they cannot pretend, (at least they cannot prove,) that Why have you not done so? You do not comthe Bible does less justice to the glories of crea-prehend the trinity you believe: but it does not oftion, than philosophy. They have produced no fend you. You can both say and sing, poetry yet, that rivals, in natural beauty or sublimity, the psalms and hymns of inspiration. In rejecting the Bible, therefore, their reason cannot "I love the incarnate mystery!" be found in the spirit or the style, in which it ce- Why? Because there you can put your "trust." lebrates the natural perfections of Deity. Indeed, It is the trust-worthiness of the Lamb of God, by their own confession, nothing is so lofty in sentiment or language as sacred poetry. We thus get at the real cause of their unbelief: it is enmity against the moral perfections of God, as these are revealed in the Bible. How inveterate then is the enmity of the human heart, seeing it can admire the divine goodness in nature, and hate it in grace: trace it in creation with enthusiasm, and trample on it in redemption, with contempt: laud it in a star, and laugh at it in the "Sun of Righteousness!" This is fallen human nature, when it raises itself highest, without the gospel. It merely refines its enmity, and systematizes its pride. No wonder, therefore, if the gospel pour as much scorn upon human wisdom, as upon human crime. Both hate God alike, although for different rea sons. Thus the necessity of reconciliation to God is universal. And as the best forms of the human mind are, by nature and tendency, the proudest, no wonder that reconciliation is always by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well as by the blood of the Cross. "The Ministry of Reconciliation" succeeds in its Beseechings, because it is "the ministration of the Spirit." It will increase your love to the Spirit, to trace the love of the Spirit, in reconciling you to God, by the Cross. Now, by it, he has reconciled you to the incomprehensible mysteries of the divine essence. You do not cavil with them, nor turn them into excuses for neglecting the divine will. This is done, however, by many. They entrench themselves amongst the mysteries of the trinity, when they are plied with the claims of the gospel; and demand explanations of the twofold nature of Christ, when they are blamed for unbelief. They wield all the "things hard to be understood," against both "the one thing needful," and the things which belong to their eternal peace; and because they cannot comprehend, refuse to obey. Mystery is not, indeed, the sole, nor the real reason of their aversion to the gospel. That lies deeper than they choose to acknowledge. It is no calumny to say so: for there is nothing in the (15) 67 which reconciles you to the trinity of the Godhead. The Holy Spirit has thus shown you the need of a salvation, which no theory of Unitarianism furnishes; and satisfied you that Trinitarianism alone, provides for the wants of your soul. This is from the love of the Spirit! Had he not convinced you of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment, you too might have rejected the gospel, under the pretence of its mysteriousness. Many are left to do so: and, who can wonder? They will not take the word of the Spirit, upon the subject of their sin or danger; and, therefore, he will not work for their conversion. They will not take truth just as he has written it; and he will not do that for them, which they can do for themselves. Observe, now, how the Holy Spirit has reconciled you, by the Cross, to the sovereignty of the divine will. Nothing, perhaps, is more appalling or repulsive to the natural mind, than the idea of being entirely and eternally at the disposal of the mere will of God! The heart rises and writhes at such absolute dependence. It would shake it off, if it could. To have no claim to be saved, and no vote or voice, but the voice of begging prayer, in the matter of our own salvation, is a galling chain to the spirit of man. Nothing but the power of the Spirit of God could reconcile any man to this chain. But that power does reconcile to it! When we are convinced of the evil of sin, we are soon convinced that God is not necessarily bound to pardon it, and that he would not be unjust, even if he refused to pardon it. This is both felt and confessed, whenever the evil of sin is thoroughly brought home to the conscience.Then, our difficulty is, to see how God can do any thing else than allow the law to take its course against us. We have not only nothing to say for ourselves, in bar of its sentence; but we are even afraid to plead the death of Christ against the curse; because we feel that we deserve condemnation, quite as much for our sins, against Christ, as for our sins against law. And there is no pretence in all this! We do not aggravate our guilt or danger, in order to conciliate God by an excess of humility. We do not take the worst view of there is no other name given under heaven, where. our case, in the hope of inducing God to take the by we can be saved, but the name of Jesus. It best view of it We are not bribing mercy, when is,-that other foundation (of hope) can no man we declare our utter unworthiness of any mercy. lay, than that is laid; even Christ. Now the utNo; whatever homage the self-condemnation of most that unrenewed nature will cordially allow, a penitent pays to the majesty of law or justice, is is, that this may be one way of salvation, and a disinterested. It is the honest verdict of con- very good way for those who like it. But, that science, and in nowise a stratagem to evade pun- it is the only way of getting to heaven, is denied ishment. by more than one half of those who have the Bible in their hands. The popular maxim is, that there are as many ways to heaven, as there are roads to London; and all equally safe, if the travellers are only sincere. So it is also in the submission of a real penitent, to the sovereignty of divine grace. His professed submission to the good will of God, is not a clever nor covert plan of making that will good in his own case. He knows that he cannot force God This is said, indeed, good-humoredly; but it is to save him--nor bribe God-nor circumvent God, a malignant sarcasm upon the character of God, in the matter of salvation. All that he knows, and a bitter reflection upon his word. Accordeven when he thinks most, is, that self-condemna-ingly the good humor with which it is uttered in tion is a becoming spirit on the part of a sinner, and the only spirit at all likely to find mercy. All that he hopes, when he hopes most, at this stage of his experience, is, that his sense of utter unworthiness may be the work of the Holy Spirit, shutting him up to the worthiness of the Lamb slain. Accordingly, he casts himself simply upon the good will of God. He is reconciled to have no other warrant for hoping in Christ. He may wish for some clue to the divine will-for some sign or token of eventual success: but he lies down at the foot of the cross without them, leaving the issue in the hands of God. It is no objection against the simplicity or disinterestedness of this submission to the divine will, that the penitent would not be thus meek, if he thought that the issue would be against him. God has not called on him to think so. The Holy Spirit does not work on the heart, to reconcile the heart to condemnation, or to the loss of the soul. He convinces, only in order to save the soul; and, therefore, it is no part of a penitent's duty, and no part of a penitential spirit, to be willing to perish. It is a sin, to despair. It cannot, therefore, be a virtue, nor a mark of grace, to be willing to be lost. company, soon gives place to anger or scorn, when the maxim is flatly denied. Then, it comes out, both by words and looks, that a God who would only save in one way is not at all to the taste of the majority. They hate "such strictness!" I speak of this maxim, not, of course, as it is applied to the forms or discipline of churches, (but as it is extended to all creeds, and no creed. It is perfectly true, that there are as many ways to heaven as there are churches,) in which Christ is made "all in all" in salvation. The difference of their government, does not hinder the Holy Spirit from blessing the preaching of the cross; and, therefore, it cannot prevent the "crown of glory." But this is not true of all creeds. It is not true of any creed, in which the cross is not the only refuge of the guilty, and grace the only principle of piety. It is false, if the Bible be true. But how popular is this maxim, amongst those who do not think, and amongst those who plume themselves upon thinking freely and liberally! And you and I have been saved from it by the teaching of the Spirit! We are glad to be "shut up" to Christ, for all our hope. Well we may ! And now observe, how the Holy Spirit has reconciled you, by the cross, to the revealed characThis is so obvious, that I know not how to ex-ter of God. The substance of that character is, plain the conduct of those, who make "willing- that "God is love." And yet, strange to say, this ness to be lost," the test of real humility. True; is the chief reason, why the natural mind is enthey qualify the requirement of such humility by mity against God. It hates his love far more than adding, "if it would be for the glory of God, that his holiness. And for an obvious reason: the you should perish." I do hope that we misunder-real love of God is paternal; and thus is seen to stand those who speak thus! They must, surely, claim the heart: it is redeeming love; and thus mean less than their words imply. The loss of a is seen to be humbling: it is sovereign love; and soul can bring no glory to God. He has "no thus is seen to be unmeritable. Were it love that pleasure in the death of a sinner." Judgment is asked for little return of affection, and accepted of his strange work: and, therefore, although God still less obedience, men would, perhaps, be rather will be perfectly just in the condemnation of the pleased with it than otherwise; but claiming, as impenitent, he will never consider himself glorified it does their supreme love, and their immediate by it. Goodness is the glory of God! Accord- confidence, they hate it because it leaves them ingly, when Moses requested to see his glory, he without excuse. They can question authority said, "I will make all my goodness pass before and cavil at justice, under the pretence of strictthee." ness or severity: but they cannot resist love, but by resenting it as needless or humiliating. But I will not argue this point; for I cannot believe we understand the local meaning of the unscriptural expression I refer to. Observe now, how the Holy Spirit has reconciled you, by the cross, to the exclusiveness of the divine plan of saving sinners. He has, indeed, taught you nothing upon this subject, but just what is written. What is written, is however, very obnoxious to the natural mind. It is, that Why else are sublime and lofty ideas of God, so much more popular in the world, than gentle and lovely ideas of his character? O, it is not from nobility of mind, nor from refinement of taste, that the grand is preferred to the gracious, and the sublime to the tender. The former let the heart alone-let the conscience alone-let their sins alone. The majestic and magnificent play around the head and amuse the imagination: but the fact that God is love, cannot be trifled with, and, therefore, it is hated. No. V. THE LOVE OF THE SPIRIT IN ADOPTION. Whilst, therefore, I admire the grace of the Spir in reconciling the heart to the strictness of IT does not at all lessen our admiration of the divine justice, and to the scrutiny of divine omni- love of Christ in redemption that God "sent Him science, and to the glory of divine holiness, I adore forth" to redeem them who were under the law, it for reconciling the heart to the fulness of divine that they might receive the adoption of sons. He love-because that is so full of claims upon our was sent forth by the Father; but he also "came affections, and confidence, and obedience. It forth" as willingly as the Father sent him. The brings all duty with it, in irresistible forms. It makes all sin appear as ungrateful, as criminal. It places us so, that the bare idea of refusing any part of the divine will, becomes monstrous, as well as base. Accordingly, Paul says, "Hope maketh not ashamed," when "the love of God is shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost." Then it begets the love which is "the fulfilling of the law;" and thus leaves us to act on David's principle, "I shall not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy precepts." And, now, observe how the Holy Spirit has reconciled you, by the cross, to the dispensations of Providence. Our reconciliation to God is not complete, even when we are both quite willing and thankful to be entire debtors to Christ and grace for all our salvation. Indeed, we are not a little inclined to calculate, that surely Providence will not press very hard upon our patience, when our faith is thus cordially given to the Saviour. We lay our account with having some trials in the world, but take for granted that they will not be many nor mysterious. They turn out, however, to be of a kind, or in a degree, we did not expect: and then the Holy Spirit has to begin the work of reconciliation anew. For it is no uncommon thing to be so unhinged by worldly reverses or disappointments, that the very form as well as spirit of piety goes to wreck for a time. It is all very well, for it is very true, to say that the path of the just, like the light, "shineth more and more, to the perfect day." Those, however, who think before they speak, and whilst speaking, say this, remembering that the sun is often clouded, and sometimes totally eclipsed. And the clouds of calamity, owing to the weakness of our faith, and from our proneness to walk by sense, can so hide the wisdom of Providence, that we soon lose sight of both the work and worth of grace for a time. It is not, in general, the first heavy pressure of "the mighty hand of God," which we bear humbly, or interpret fairly. We are but too ready to judge of his heart by his hand; and thus our own hearts rebel or murmur against him, until we seem, even to ourselves, to have no submission to his will. This is the state of mind which the Spirit has to subdue. We have not only to be reconciled to the crosses we groan under, but also to the cross of Christ, which permits them, and to the government of God, which appoints them. How many will join me in wondering and adoring, that the love of the Spirit has reconciled us to privations and sorrows, which, at first, seemed to harden our hearts against God, and to alienate them from the Saviour, and to make them reckless of eternal consequences? Our troubles would have done all this, had not the Spirit lifted up a standard in the midst of them, which claimed us. fulness of time could scarcely be heard, when saying, "Go," so promptly, cheerfully, and loudly, did he say, "Lo, I come; I delight to do thy will, O my God." Psa. xl. Well; just in the same way the love of the Spirit, in adoption, is brought before us. He, too, was "sent forth;" not, indeed, to adopt or redeem children to God; but to regenerate all the adopted, and to sanctify all the redeemed family of God. And to do this, the Eternal Spirit came forth, at his pentecostal fulness of time, as promptly and willingly as the Father sent him or as Christ came at the fulness of his mediatorial time. Very different, indeed, was the kind of work which the Father gave them to do in the world. The Spirit had not, like the Son, to come forth in the likeness of man, nor in the form of a servant, nor at all in the capacity of a sufferer. No manger, with its privations; no Gethsemane, with its cup of wrath; no Calvary, with its cross, awaited his advent. Humiliation, agony, and death, were the tests and trials of the love of Christ alone. Only his heart bled or broke for the redemption of the adopted. "In bringing many sons to glory," Christ alone had to be made “ perfect through suffering." This creates a distinction all but infinite between the work of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. It does not, however, create such a wide distinction between their love as there is between their work; nor such a marked distinction as to forbid the mention of the love of the Spirit when the love of Christ is celebrated: for, there is no more danger of detracting from, or of hiding, the love of the Saviour, by exhibiting the love of the Spirit, than by exhibiting the love of the Father; except, indeed, the exhibition be unfair, or disproportionate, or designing. It must, however, be confessed, and should never be forgotten, that the love of God has been exalted and exaggerated, by some writers, for the express purpose of hiding all the glorious peculi arities of both the love and work of Christ. Such love is ascribed, by modern Socinians, to the F2ther, as would, if true, render the atonement unnecessary, and the love of Christ but human. And we have lately seen the gifts of the Spirit exalted above the preaching of the cross, even when nothing beyond "unknown tongues" was pretended to. It is, therefore, possible to have a sinister purpose in emblazoning the love of the Spirit. It may be employed sometimes, as the love of God has been already, to eclipse the glory and grace of the Saviour. Indeed, the light of the Spirit is, at present, made of more importance by some, than the death of Christ and the word of God. I, therefore, write, and would have you read and judge, with a jealousy equally scrupulous and scrutinizing. I have taken my place, in stu |