66 by extraneous circumstances merely, that the deluded subject may fancy that he is under immediate divine inspiration. These feelings are stronger in youth than in age; in health, than in sickness; in persons of weak judgment and nervous constitution, than in those of sound understanding and strong nerves. Christianity," says a learned divine," is a religion of action, upon the foundations of principle and calm reflection. This doctrine of perceptible conversion, reduces it to a religion wholly of feelings, uncertain, variable, and unsatisfactory. A healthy or a weak state of the body-hunger, or stimulating diet-animated or languid preaching-solitude, or the communicated impulse of congregational enthusiasm elevations, or depressions produced by a variety of circumstances, may exalt or abate a man's opinion of his state before God, while it actually continues unaltered by any of these agencies. They are therefore inadequate and improper standards for measuring a sense of our spiritual condition." Our blessed Lord himself assures us, that we can only discover the operations of grace by its effects. "The wind," says he, "bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit." But, my dear sir, as you have asked my opinion on this important subject, I must beg your indulgence if I appear to be too tediously minute; for I wish to state my ideas on a matter of such vital concern, so as, if possible, not to be misunderstood. Let me now request your attention to the solution of this question -How can a person know whether he has been born of the Spirit? This is an inquiry of infinite importance; for our Saviour says, "except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John iii. 5. In order to come at a right solution of this question, we must know what are the fruits of the Spirit, as opposed to ADVOCATE, VOL. II. 66 are mani the flesh," says St. Paul, fest; which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, &c. &c. &c. of which I tell you before, as I have also told you in times past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Gal. v. 19–21. We have here a catalogue of vices, which are the works of the flesh, such as the unrenewed nature of man is inclined to practice, and which will exclude him from the kingdom of heaven. If, therefore, we habitually and willingly indulge in any of these, our nature is unrenewed, and we cannot be in a state of grace. On the other hand, the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness," &c. &c. &c. Gal. v. 22-24. The apostle has here enumerated some of the fruits of the Spirit, and opposed them to the works of the flesh. Now in order to know whether we are "born of the Spirit," we have only to inquire of ourselves, whether we bring forth its fruits. Have we crucified the flesh, with the 'affections and lusts? Do we love God and our neighbour? Are we in charity with all mankind?" forbearing one another in love?" Are we temperate in all things? never abusing the blessings of Providence to the pampering our vicious appetites ? Are we patient under our afflictions? Do we not habitually and wilfully continue in any known sin? Do we strive, as much as in us lies, to perform the whole will of God, relying on his grace to assist our feeble endeavours? In a word, do we practice righteousness? If we do these, we may rest assured that we are under the gracious influences of God's Holy Spirit, although we cannot 66 66 But a bewitching doctrine, which may easily steal upon the unwary; upon men of a sanguine temper and of a weak judgment, because it seems to open a new source of comfort. this persuasion is not of him that called us. It is visionary and vain. We have the express declaration of him, who alone has a perfect understanding of man's nature and of God's, who alone therefore understands the manner in which the divine Spirit acts on man's; we have the express declaration of him who sends the Spirit into the hearts of his disciples, that its operation is no otherwise to be perceived than in its effects." tell the manner how, or the time when ley, There are many, as I before remarked, who pretend to some sensible impulse, some internal feeling, which assures them that they are in a state of grace. This is a persuasion calculated to take with the young and ignorant, with persons of strong passions and weak nerves; because if they can once bring themselves to believe that they have been made the favoured reci pients of this divine aflatus, they feel confident that their salvation is secure, without any further effort on their part. But there is no authority in sense, or scripture, for this doctrine. It is in deed," says the eminent bishop Hors A want of attention, my dear sir, to this all important subject, as it is set forth in the scriptures, appears to be the source of your disquiet, as it has been that of many others within my knowledge. These persons to whom I allude were really serious and pious; they were sensible that they must be converted, for so their bible taught them; but having inadvertently imbibed the false notion that this change of heart is always sudden and perceptible, they were still in doubt whether they were really renovated or not; be. cause they had never experienced those internal feelings, which some pretend to. They waited, but waited in vain for such a testimony of their conversion; but by the blessing of God, they have now more enlightened views, and are persuaded that they might have waited for ever in vain, for such assurance; their life and conduct now do honour to their profession, which is a far less falible test of their renewal. It is the duty of every minister of religion to remove such doubts when they are ill founded; happy shall I be, if I am permitted to do it without giving any false encouragement to the sinner. Now with respect to conversion, it is obvious that it will show itself very differently, in different individuals, according as their education and habits of life have been. A person, for in stance, who has led a profligate and wicked life, who, from the effects of a bad education, or the abuse of a good one, has been guilty of every species of vice, if at last he should be brought to a sense of his guilt, will undoubtedly manifest his deep contrition, by im. mediately renouncing his former habits, and commencing a new course of life. But this, as I before remarked, is only the commencement of his renovation; he must still go on continually "perfecting holiness in the fear of God," or he will never attain to the rewards of the righteous. of On the other hand, ä përson born of pious parents, who used every method to instil into his infant mind the first principles of religion; who has always been taught to reverence the Christian institutions; to love and fear his God; to attend punctually on the services of the church; who has never been guilty any grossly immoral conduct; has been just, temperate and charitable; such a person, growing up in this habitual reverence for every thing sacred, will experience no such sudden change as the abandoned and habitual profligate. Yet, I would ask, is his conversion the less real, because less sudden and less perceptible? Surely it is not. It matters nothing how, or where, or' when, this change was effected, provided it has actually taken place; and this can be determined only by the infallible rule which I have before laid down, namely, by the fruits of the Spirit. a To set this subject in the clearest possible light, I shall give you a very happy illustration from the pen of the venerable archbishop Sharpe; a man eminent both for his talents and piety. Suppose," says he, “ man lan guisheth under a tedious distemper, but though he follows the advice of physicians, he doth not quickly mend; he is sometimes better, at other times worse; but at last, with time and the strength of nature, good prescriptions, regularity, and God's blessing, he by degrees gets strength, recovers from his distemper, and finds himself in a good state of health. But can the man thus recovered be sensible of the exact time he became a sound man ? He may remember his taking medicine, his sometimes growing better, and recovering at last, perhaps after several relapses, and yet not be able to name the punctual minute, day, or week, when he could on good grounds say he was cured of his disease. His health came gradually and insensibly, and when he lost all symptoms of sickness, he had causc to rejoice. But it would be idle for him to say, he became well at such an hour, or to be so confident of his health as to lay aside all fear of future danger, or to doubt of his recovery, because he cannot name the time, manner, or circumstance with which it was effected." This illustration is so plain, and so much to the point, as to need no comment. Thus, my dear sir, I have endeavoured to state my ideas respecting the questions proposed in your letter, with as much clearness and precision as my humble talents would allow, without entering into any nice or critical investigation of the use of disputed terms. I have given you, together with my own opinion, that of some of the most learned and pious men of my own church. I am not so anxious that these sentiments should be found to correspond with yours or those of any other human and fallible being, as that they, should be found to agree with the scripture of truth, that only rule of our faith. You will, therefore, not deem it amiss if I should request you not to take these things for granted, but, after the example of the Bereans, to "search the scriptures, and see whether they are indeed so." Above all, my dear sir, cherish those. good feelings which are now excited in your breast; do nothing to "grieve' the Holy Spirit, but seek to retin bis gracious influences by continual watch fulness over your thoughts and actions, and by frequent and fervent prayer to the Father of mercies. He is ever ready and willing to hear all those who approach him through the merits of his Son, and whatsoever you ask in his name, he has promised to grant. His arms are opened to receive every returning prodigal; with the most compassionate tenderness he invites all who are weary and heavy laden to come unto him, and he will give them rest." Without his Holy Spirit aiding us, vain will be our endeavours to please him; without it we can do nothing, but with it, we can do all things. 66 Frequently let your thoughts dwell on the boundless love of God, in redeeming lost and perishing sinners at such an infinite price as that of the sacrifice of his dearly beloved, only, and eternal Son. Follow the precepts of this your God and Saviour in all things. Let his gospel be the rule of your faith and the guide of your life. Look to him continually for counsel and support. Through the difficulties and dangers of life, he will be your guide; through the dark valley of the shadow of death, he will be your support; and he, and he alone, will present you pure and spotless before the throne of his Father, where you will dwell for length of days, even the days of eternity. That such may finally be your hapry lot, is, dear sir, the sincere prayer of your friend and obedient servant. To the Editor of the Gospel Advocate. REMARKS ON AN ENLIGHTENED ZEAL. THE passing events of the day, and the peculiar circumstances and necessities of the church, have led me to address its members through the medium of your publication. I can only hope that the same causes will interest them in what I am about to say. Successfully as I believe the church has hitherto been engaged in repelling the rude and often times wanton at. tacks of her adversaries, and in recommending her doctrines and her discipline in spite of misrepresentation and calumny, I may now be permitted to call the attention of my brethren to a subject, which solely regards ourselves and our own duty. I have heard, too often heard, the ministers and members of our church taxed with want of zeal by those who understood little of our character, and still less of the true nature of zeal itself. It is well known, that, by some, this alleged want of zeal on our part, is cited as an excuse for separating from our communion. But while I lament that our accusers should not have given us an example of the conduct they recommended without separating from our communion, as it surely would have been better both for us and them, I may be excused in endeavouring to stir up my brethren to the manifestation of a zeal more accurately defined and better directed.That zeal which preserves unity as well as fervour, and obedience as well as enthusiasm, has long been, and I trust will long continue to be, a characteristick of our holy church. Guided by prudence, and accompanied by knowledge, earnestness and sincerity may well and naturally follow in train. But proverbially liable as all men are when released from one errour to fall into its opposite, I would wish in this manner to excite my brethren, those especially, who are entering upon responsible stations in the church, to the exhibition of a spirit thus equally removed from lukewarmness and extravagance. Never, I believe, since the first planting of the church in our country, was there greater need of an awakened and earnest zeal than there now exists; and never greater necessity that that zeal should also be an enlightened one. I bless God, therefore, when I see so many young men as there are at this time pressing forward to enter the sacred ministry of our church. I rity of his holy church? I trust there are many such. I trust there are many who, when hearing the cries of the needy and the destitute, will thrill with animation and desire, to answer the call, and be self-devoted to the duty, bow arduous soever. "To save souls"—is not that a work earnestly and ardently to be sought for and discharged? To feed the hungry with the bread of life-to instruct the ignorant-to confirm the wavering-to auimate the depressedand to rescue immortal souls from the vortex of sin and schism-has such a work no charms? Is there aught to weigh in the opposing scale; by which we can precisely ascertain the gain or loss, or be made to regret the hardship and privation? These things are not causelessly said: nor is my design either vague or ill-defined. Nor would I be thought thus to exhort others to strive, were it not that they should strive lawfully. But let us remember, that he that striv eth, how lawfully soever, must not be too much" entangled with the cares of this life," but be "able to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." Let us remember that they who pray for more labourers in God's harvest, pray for those who are labourers indeed: for those whose “loins are girded, and whose lights are burning." Do the privations of the west discourage us?"They are not so great as they seem to be :" there is no lion in the way; nor are the mountains between us and them impassable. And the more heralds of the gospel who go thither, the less arduous and extended will be their individua! labours. Why then cannot our young men, at their first entrance on their sacred office, unincumbered with care, and unembarrassed with worldly ligatures, as at that time they generally are, devote the "first fruits," of their ministry to the immediate extension of the Redeemer's kingdom, by self-devotion to missionary duties. In this way they would, if that be indeed necessary, learn more of |