the love of Christ, as that which carried the Corinthians before it, like vessels with a fair wind, upon a mighty spring-tide: but it is wrong, to insist upon one or other of these modes of conversion, as the condition of your turning to the Lord. You may, like Ephraim, pray, "Turn thou me, and I shall be turned;" and like David, "Draw me, and I will run after Thee; " but you must not prescribe to God either the precise weapon of power by which He shall turn you, or the precise cord of love by which he shall draw you. Leave the selection of means and modes of Divine operation in the hands of Divine wisdom; and, in the mean time, cherish the sacred impressions which have already been made upon your heart and conscience. They are more valuable to you, and involve your eternal welfare more deeply, than the mantle of Prophecy, or the gift of Miracles, were even both to descend upon you. Prophets have

perished, and workers of mighty miracles have become apostates; but no one ever drew back to perdition, who honestly and humbly sought for the renewing of the Holy Ghost. O, then, buench not, grieve not, vex not, limit not, the Spirit of God!

This apppeal may not be altogether useless to yourself: for although, in general, you do not despise the day of small things, there may be some of" the things of the Spirit," which you too lightly esteem. His "shadows, as well as His lights," (as Sheshbazzar would have said,) are instructive. He can lead by the Pillar, as a cloud; as well as by the Pillar, as a flame of fire. I mean, that the Spirit is often present, and working mightily too, when we imagine that he is withdrawn entirely. This is no paradox. We are so much in the habit of confounding the work and witness of

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the Spirit, with comfort, that we are for ever ready, when we are uncomfortable, to think Him "afar off." But this is quite a mistake! He is not standing afar off, much less forgetting us, when we are left to feel that our strength is weakness; and our ability to hope, dependent; and our inclination to persevere, precarious. He is, indeed, working deep in our hearts, when we are afraid to look at them. Humility, and self-abasement, and self-distrust, are as much fruits of the Spirit, as love, joy, or peace. And, accordingly, by both His lights and shadows, we are sent to the Cross and the Mercy-seat; to the Bible and the Sanctuary, praying with equal fervency, "Lord, save, or I perish."

This is not, however, all that I mean. I am quite persuaded that some of the most direct influences of the Holy Spirit, or those which come from the throne, as JEREMY TAYLOR says

ejaculatory prayer goes to it, "in a straight line," are least attended to by us. For, have you not often felt upon your spirit the impulse, as it were, of an invisible hand, gently pushing you off your chair, that you might go into your closet; or rise to take up your Bible, as more wanted than the book you were reading? Have you not occasionally felt, as if you were haunted by the presence of a dying neighbour, or by the urgency of his watching angels, to go out and speak a word in season, or, at least, to show that you had Christian sympathy? Have not many things occurred to you as hints, wanted at home; and as plans, likely to do good at home, which, if you had communicated or acted upon whilst they were fresh in your mind, might have been very useful to others, and saved you from the self-upbraiding which follows the neglect of relative duty?

In thus recalling such angel-visits of Divine influence, by which new duties are suggested, or improvements in old duties enforced, nothing is farther from my design than to make any duty dependent upon impulse. The Spirit will not supersede the law of duty, by the grace of help. He does, however, help us in obeying that law, by throwing new and impressive lights upon its bearings, and upon the best way of following them out. Whilst, therefore, I would solemnly warn you against following any impulse, however plausible, which is not founded upon express rule, I would most affectionately urge you not to quench or resist the Holy Ghost, when he makes the letter or the spirit of any scriptural

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duty arise in your heart like a day-star," and

shine as a light in a dark place. Unto such illuminations, you "do well to take heed." It will never be a day of great things in your de