in the body-had the EARNEST of the SPIRIT-and were bringing forth the fruit of the SPIRIT?-Did not, I say, all these know that their bodies were temples in which the HOLY SPIRIT dwelt ?* Mr. W. has a very convenient way of surmounting the difficulty, by placing such texts as these exclusively to the account of the primitive Christians. Having endeavoured to cut up this doctrine by the roots, in the former part of this letter, I have simply referred to the texts. Every individual, who attentively considers the subject, must view them as general in their application.

In the publication of a clergyman, the doctrine is peculiarly objectionable; because opposed to the creed of that Establishment by which he is fed and clothed. What! "Neither Scripture nor reason will authorize us to suppose that this influence is ever actually perceptible by the person upon whom it is exerted!" Is it possible, that this should be the language of a clergyman? a clergyman who officiates in that church which speaks of our feeling the Spirit-of our being filled with the Spirit-of our being moved and inspired by the Holy Ghost? What! inspired and not know it! put in motion, after that which is good, and not feel it! Impossible. I had thought, Sir, of collecting the various passages on this subject out of the Homilies, Liturgy, &c. and presenting with them. But I find this done to my hand in the Works of Mr. Wesley;t and shall, therefore, satisfy myself with an extract therefrom.

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"In her daily service, she teaches us all to beseech God, To grant us his Holy Spirit, that those things may please him which we do at this present, and the rest of our life may be pure and holy;' to pray for our Sovereign Lord the King, that God would replenish him with the grace of his Holy Spirit; for all the Royal Family, that they may be endued with his Holy Spirit, and enriched with his heavenly grace; for all the clergy and people, that he would send down upon them the healthful Spirit of his grace; for the

* Rom. v. 1-5; 1 Pet. i, 8; 1 Cor. vi. 11; 2 Cor. i. 22; Ephes. i. 13; 1 Cor. vi. 19. + Vol. xii. p. 110.

Catholic church, that it may be guided and governed by his good Spirit; and for all therein, who at any time make their common supplications unto him, that the fellowship or communion of the Holy Ghost may be with them all

evermore.

"Her collects are full of petitions to the same effect: • Grant that we may daily be renewed by thy Holy Spirit.* Grant that in all our sufferings here, for the testimony of thy truth, we may, by faith, behold the glory that shall be revealed, and, being filled with the Holy Ghost, may love and bless our persecutors.+ Send thy Holy Ghost, and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity.‡ O Lord, from whom all good things do come, grant to us, thy humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that are good, and by thy merciful guidance may perform the same. We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless, but send to us the Holy Ghost to comfort us. Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort.¶ (N. B. The Church here teaches all Christians to claim the Comforter, in virtue of the promise made, John xiv.)' Grant us, Lord, we beseech thee, the Spirit to think and do'always such things as be rightful.** O God, forasmuch as without thee, we are not able to please thee, mercifully grant that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts.++ Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy name. Give thy Holy Spirit to this infant, (or this person,) that he may be born again.‡‡ Give thy Holy Spirit to these persons, (N. B. already baptized,) that they may continue thy servants. Almighty God, who hast vouchsafed to regenerate these persons by water and the Holy Ghost; strengthen them with the Holy Ghost

*Collect for Christmas-day. + St. Stephen's-day. + Quinquagesima Sunday. Fifth Sunday after Easter. Sunday after Assension-day. Whitsunday. ** Ninth Sunday after Trinity. ++ Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity, # Communion Office.

H

the Comforter, and daily increase in them the manifold gifts of thy grace.

"From these passages it may sufficiently appear, for what purposes every Christian, according to the doctrine of the Church of England, does now receive the Holy Ghost. But this will be still more clear from those that follow, wherein the reader may likewise observe, a plain, rational sense of God's revealing himself to us, of the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and of a believer's feeling in himself the mighty working of the Spirit of Christ.

"God gave them of old grace to be his children, as he doth us now. But now, by the coming of our Saviour Christ, we have received more abundantly the Spirit of God in our hearts.' Homily on Faith, part ii. 'He died to destroy the rule of the devil in us, and he rose again to send down his Holy Spirit, to rule in our hearts.' Homily on the Resurrection, We have the Holy Spirit in our hearts, as a seal and pledge of our everlasting inheritance.' Ibid. The Holy Ghost sat upon each of them, like as it had been cloven tongues of fire; to teach, that it is he that giveth eloquence and utterance in preaching the gospel; which engendereth a burning zeal towards God's word, and giveth all men a tongue, yea, a fiery tongue. (N. B. Whatever occurs in any of the journals, of God's giving me utterance,' or 'ena bling me to speak with power,' cannot therefore be quoted as enthusiasm, without wounding the church through my side.) So that if any man be a dumb Christian, not professing his faith openly, he giveth men occasion to doubt, lest he have not the grace of the Holy Ghost within him.' Homily on Witsunday, part i.

"It is the office of the Holy Ghost to sanctify: which, the more it is hid from our understanding, (i. e. the particular manner of his working,) the more it ought to move all men, to wonder at the secret and mighty workings of God's Holy Spirit which is within us. For it is the Holy Ghost that doth quicken the minds of men, stirring up godly

Office of Confirmation.

motions in their hearts. Neither doth he think it sufficient inwardly to work the new birth of man, unless he doth also dwell and abide in him. Know ye not, saith St. Paul, that ye are the temple of God, and that his Spirit dwelleth in you? Know ye not that your bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost which is within you? Again he saith, Ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, for why? The Spirit of God dwelleth in you. To this agreeth St. John; The anointing which ye have received (he meaneth the Holy Ghost) abideth in you. And St. Peter saith the same, The Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you. O what comfort is this to the heart of a true Christian, to think that the Holy Ghost dwelleth in him! If God be with us, as the Apostle saith, who can be against us? He giveth patience and joyfulness of heart, in temptation and affliction, and is therefore worthily called The Comforter. He doth instruct the hearts of the simple, in the knowledge of God and his word; therefore he is justly termed The Spirit of Truth. And where the Holy Ghost doth instruct and teach, there is no delay in learning.' Ibid.

"From this passage I learn, 1. That every true Christian now receives the Holy Ghost, as the Paraclete, or Comforter, promised by our Lord, John xiv. 16. 2. That every Christian receives him as the Spirit of Truth, (promised John xvi.) to teach all things. And, 3. That the anointing, mentioned in the first Epistle of St. John, abides in every Christian."

Can you imagine, Sir, that it ever entered the minds of the persons who composed the Homilies, and the Liturgy, that the whole of what they described was to be imperceptible to the Christian? that is, that it was neither to be known nor felt? was not to be "distinguished from the ordinary operations of his own mind?" Such a doctrine, exclusive of its want of Scriptural support, must be attended with the most pernicious consequences, leading men to content themselves with a name to live while they are dead. Any mere moralist, by comparing his belief of the Bible, and his outward conduct with those of the genuine Christians, will, in his

own estimation, be in a perfectly safe state. The operation of the Spirit upon the heart, is the grand criterion by which to judge, since a similiarity of external deportment already exists. While it is calculated to sooth the formal professor, to the sincere Christian it must be peculiarly distressing. A devout worshipper of God takes up his Bible, and casts his eye on a portion of Scripture already quoted-" If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." He proceeds to the next epistle but one, and reads, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your ownselves; know ye not your ownselves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates ?"* Now, Sir, if it be impos sible for him to distinguish the Spirit of Christ from his own spirit; if he cannot tell whether the Saviour dwells in him, does not the Apostle appoint him to a very fruitless task, when he exhorts him to examine himself? Nor is this all, but on the supposition that he is unable to come to any proper conclusion, he immediately infers, that he is none of Christ's, and consequently associates himself with reprobates. Unless he be certain that he possesses the Spirit of Christ, he cannot ascertain whether he belongs to Christ or Belial. And if so, how can he address God as his Father"Abba, Father?" He must, in the first instance, know that he is a son, before he can adopt this language. And how is he to know it? The apostle informs us, "Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."+

You will perceive, Sir, that I have hitherto omitted that portion of sacred writ which is immediately to the point in debate; and I have adopted this plan for the purpose of permanent impression. "He," says St. John, "that be lieveth on the Son of God, hath the witness in himself." That we may not be ignorant of what this witness is, another of the sacred writers asserts, that "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God."+ How do these passages accord with the sentiment-That the Rom. viii. 9; 2 Cor. xiii, 5. 1 John v. 10; Rom. viii. 16,

+ Gal. iv. 6.