nature to love God than they were who lived in the first centuries? Because the miraculous gifts of the Spirit are no longer vouchsafed to us, are all his sanctifying, renewing, and converting powers also withdrawn from us? God forbid! If they were, not a heart among us would ever be softened, not a tear of repentance would ever glisten in our eyes! The melancholy fact is that although many persons are habitually praying for the blessed influences of the Spirit they have never felt their need of them, they never were convinced of their own insufficiency and nothingness, and know not that it is this Holy Spirit alone which can enlighten their souls. They are in a similar condition with those Jews to whom our Lord said, "behold ye say, we see, therefore your sin remaineth." For as long as we think we can change ourselves, and renew our own souls, they must remain unrenewed, because this is the work of the Spirit. Yet many persons imagine

that they can as easily repent, and turn to God, and forsake every evil way, as they can engage in any common concern of life. Unconscious of the corruption of their own hearts, of the deceitfulness of sin, and the subtlety of Satan, they are in chains and know it not. But, if through grace we begin to forsake sin and the world, and strive to walk in a new path, then we learn its difficulties, and are taught by painful experience that we can do nothing of ourselves; we can then understand the language of St. Paul," to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I know not." And having learned this painful lesson, and having become fully acquainted with our own helplessness, we at length understand another declaration of the same apostle, that "when we are weak, then are we strong;" that is, when we feel our own weakness, then we begin to lean upon the help of God's grace, and trust to the Holy Spirit, and therefore

become "strong in the Lord and in the power of his might."

Neither does a deep conviction of these truths unnerve the arm or slacken the exertions of the servant of God as

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many imagine. He understands the exhortation of the apostle, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;" and why? because he is able to do it of himself? No, just the contrary! Because it is God that worketh in him both to will and to do according to his good pleasure." Nothing but a reliance on this promise would encourage the believer to attempt any thing: he is sure that of himself he can do nothing;" and therefore if he did not believe that God would work with him, and for him, he would sit down in despair. But though like David he exclaims, "I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me," yet he does not throw away his weapons, but uses them to the utmost against his enemies, trusting to God's

grace alone for success. Again, there are many nominal Christians, who not only are destitute of all the consolations of the Holy Spirit themselves, but deride them in others as the offspring of enthusiasm, or hypocrisy: notwithstanding (be it remembered) they offer prayers every sabbath day for these very blessings which they despise! And here, my brethren, I would observe, that the great fundamental doctrines of the Bible and the church are often sacrificed to the vague charge of enthu siasm. Because the evidences of the work of the Spirit on the heart have been exaggerated, and the excesses of an ardent imagination have been substituted in some instances for the humbling, convincing, and converting grace of God, many take occasion to reject all the influences of the Spirit. And thus the great doctrines of grace are denied through fear of fanaticism. But let us recollect that if, on the one hand, enthusiasm is dangerous, and if there be " a zeal that is

not according to knowledge," there is also an opposite error infinitely more dangerous and more prevalent-that of coldness, indifference and formality in religion! Self-dependence, self-deception, and neglect of that only grace which can help us, have ruined thousands! There is a natural enmity to this Holy Spirit in our hearts, and the great deceiver beguiles our judgment with the dreaded cry of enthusiasm, and at the same moment steals the fire of heaven from our souls, and though he may leave us orthodox in sentiment, and correct in conduct, he leaves us also unhumbled, unawakened, and unconsoled; we may have the "form of sound words," but the heart, the spirit, is benumbed and stupified! O, my brethren, let us call to mind the solemn and appalling denunciation that Christ by this same spirit gives to the Laodicean church. "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then be