INTRODUCTION.

It is not necessary to our becoming good Christians, that we should be profound philosophers, acute critics, or nice logicians. "The gospel is preached to the poor," who have but little time to acquire learning, or to use learning if they had it. Our Master told his disciples, that "whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, shall in no wise enter therein;" and Paul, though the most learned of all the blessed apostles, delights to show the power and excellency of the simple gospel, over all the wisdom and skill of men. Thus we are taught that, however valuable philosophy and learning may be in their proper places, they are valuable to the Christian only when under the direction of a child-like spirit. Indeed, nothing is so much in the way of simple faith, as that pride which unsanctified philosophy begets. It was after the fishermen of Galilee followed Jesus, and the Syro-phenician, and the woman of Samaria, and the Gentile nobleman, and

many an humble soul besides, had rejoiced in his love, that the Sanhedrim boastingly asked, “Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed on him?” And the apostle, when the number of the church had swelled to thousands, was able to find few, if any, of "the wise, the scribes, or the disputers of this world" among them. Great then is the error of that Christian, who refuses to believe any of the facts in religion, which the Scripture sets forth, because, like Nicodemus, he cannot understand how such things can be.

But of all subjects, upon which human philosophy has employed itself, none is more difficult than the nature of spirit. We have many works which profess to treat of the philosophy of mind, but those, who have studied them most, are most convinced of the vagueness and unsatisfactoriness of their conclusions. If we are thus unsuccessful in our attempts to understand the nature and laws of our own spirits, how can we hope to understand the nature of the Divine Spirit, or the manner of his influence upon the spirits of his creatures? Humbly and devoutly, then, should we receive the declarations of God on this subject, and neither doubt, because we cannot understand more, nor impiously seek to be wise above what is written.

The mediation of Christ, and the influence of the Holy Spirit, are the grand characteristic doctrines of the Christian system. The one exhibits God justifying his mercy in the salvation of his people; the other, God carrying on that salvation to its glorious result. The one shows us our dependence, as guilty lost sinners, upon the grace of God for pardon and life; the other our utter insufficiency, as weak and corrupt sinners, to avail ourselves of the blessings of salvation without his renewing and perfecting power. The one declares that God is willing to receive for Christ's sake all penitent and believing souls; the other offers to us faith and repentance, that we may be enabled to go unto him and abide with him. The one assures us that there is a way of salvation; the other teaches us how we may know that we are walking therein. The one gives to God all the glory of pardon; the other, all the glory of our sanctifiIcation. The one is as essential to salvation as the other; and it is as important that we should know the doctrine of Scripture concerning the work of the Spirit, as that concerning the work of Christ.

The aim of this little treatise will, therefore, be to show,

I. THE OFFICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE HEARTS OF GOD'S PEOPLE.

II. THE EFFECTS OF HIS DIVINE WORK, AS MANIFESTED IN THE GRACES OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER.

O ALMIGHTY GOD, Father of lights, who givest wisdom liberally to all that ask it of thee, and upbraidest them not, thou didst promise by thy Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, the Comforter, even the Holy Ghost, to teach us all things, and bring all things to our remembrance, whatsoever thou hast commanded us. Bestow upon us plentifully of the Spirit of thy Son, that, learning of thee in meekness and simplicity of heart, our minds may be kept from all blindness of error or wresting of thy holy truth, and our faith be fruitful in good works, to thy glory and our eternal profit, through Jesus Christ. Amen.