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fections, before I had time to me. sive circle in which he moved, ditate upon his other valuable qua- Happy shall I be, if this imperfect lities. Upon the whole, I have sketch of his character should lead met with no man in the course of others, especially young men inmy acquaintance, to whom could tended for the church, so to reflect be applied with greater truth and upon the intrinsic value of those propriety than to Dr. Lane, the principles which, through divine language employed by Seneca in grace, rendered him what he was, speaking of his elder brother, Gal- as to lead them through the same lio:--Nemo omnium mortalium uni holy efficiency to become, in the tam dulcis est, quam hic, omnibus. numerous estimable requisites of

The loss of such a man must be the human, Christian, and clerical long and deeply felt in the exten- character, such as was Dr. Lanę.

RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS. .

. THE DOCTRINE OF DIVINE INFLU- vine impressions *: but we mean ENCE TRUE. . those extraordinary operations of its

those special influences, called in We assert that there is such a our Catechism “ God's special thing as having, or being under, grace t," whereby the Holy Ghost the influence of the Spirit of God. enlightens, sanctifies, comforts, The truth of this position we fear and saves the soul; and 'whereby not to establish by a reference to we are sweetly constrained to the the most indisputable authorities. love and practice of holiness, and

By the doctrine of divine influ- to a delight in God and the things ences we do not mean the miracu- of God. This is what is meant by lous operations of the Spirit, be- the influences of the Spirit, and cause many, in the days of the we hesitate not to say, that, in this Apostles, possessed them who did sense, every person may have not belong to Christ, and who, ne- them: for the truth of this asser. vertheless, cast out devils in his tion we appeal to THE DECLARAname, and did many wonderful TIONS OF GOD HIMSELF, TO THE works in his name * ; and niany EXPERIENCE OF THE SAINTS OF never received them, who were, THE LORD, AND TO THE TESTInotwithstanding, sincere disciples MOXY or our OWN CHURCH. of Jesus. Such were those at In the first place, let us appeal Ephesus who had not so much as to TIIE DECLARATIONS OF GOD heard of the miraculous gifts of HIMSELF. Those rebellious sin. the Spirit f: nor do we mean those, ners who lived before the flood, he Common operations of it, which threatened in this awful manner, every ungodly man feels at timest, « My spirit shall not always strive when it strikes his conscience, and with man f." Does not this show he begins to tremble for his condi- tbat his Spirit did strive with them, tion, and to make resolutions of and that it was felt? In the days amendment, but which resolutions of Solomon he exhorted his people soon die away, and he becomes to repent, and he enforced his exless susceptible of any future di, hortation with this promise, “ Be.

# 1 Tim. ir. 2. + The Catechist's Ad: * Matt. vii. 22, 23. * Aets, xix. 2.

dress prefixed to the Lord's Prayer. Gen. vi. 3. Isaiab, lxii. 10.

Gerk vi. 3.

1

hold! I will pour out my Spirit much greater readiness with which unto you *."When conforting God would vouchsafe his Spirit to his church by his prophet Isaiah, them that ask him *. Once morehe said, “ I will pour out my Spi, it was customary among the Jews, rit upon thy seed t.” Well known on the last day of the Feast of Taing the insufficiency of man for the bernacles, to fetch water from the great work of sanctification, he pool of Siloam, a part of which promises the necessary assistance they poured out as a drink-offerby his servart Ezekiel, “ I will ing unto Almighty God, and the put my Spirit within you, and cause remainder they drank themselves you to walk in my statutes, and ye with joy and gladness of heart. shall keep my judgments and do This they did in remembrance of them [." The gift of the Holy God's having miraculously sup." Ghost, on the day of Pentecost, he plied their forefathers with water promised eight hundred years be- from the rock when they dwelt in fore that memorable event, by booths in the wilderness. They Joel, saying, “ It shall come to likewise on that day prayed that pass afterwards, that I will pour God would vouchsafe" them sea. out my Spirit upon all flesh s." sonable rains. Now, in allusion to Moreover, to show that divine in- this custom of drawing water, and Huences, and their effects, were to of praying for rain on that day, be expected and experienced by Jesus said, “ If any man thirst, let the church of Christ in all ages, him come unto me and drink : he he thus spake by the mouth of his that believeth on me, as the Scripservant Zechariah, " I will pour ture hath said, out of his belly upon the house of David, and upshall flow rivers of living water." on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, On this the Evangelist makes the the spirit of grace and of supplica- following remark: “But this spake tions; and they shall look upon he of the Spirit, which they that me whom they have pierced, and believe on him should receive t ;" they shall mourn for him, as one and it seems very probable that this mourneth for his only son, and custom was further intended as a shall be in bitterness for him, as type or figure of the outpouring one that is in bitterness for his first of the Spirit on the hearts of bebarn |." Our blessed Lord, too, lievers. ** during his abode on earth, in his Here, then, we have abundant conversation with Nicodemus, as- evidence, from what God himself sured hin, that it is absolutely ne- has declared, to show that we'may cessary that a person should be have the Spirit. And we shall see born of the Spirit in order to his that his declarations have been ful:: entrance into the kingdom of filled if we appeal, God q. He also promised his Spirit" to his disciples as their

* Luke, xi. 11-18.

of Jobn, vii. 37–39. The effusion of guide, their instructor, their com- the Spirit is frequentis promised in Scripë forter **. And he infers, from the ture under the idea of the sprinkling of readiness with which parents grant pouring out of water. See Isaiab, xliv. 3; the requests of their children, the lii. 15 I ; and Iviii. 11. Compare Isa. xii. 3,

which is, perhaps, an allusion to the above * Prov. i. 23.

custom. The identical, words of our Lord f Isaiab, xliv. 3.

do not, indeed, occur in Scripture; but he Ezek. xxxvi. 27. s

refers, in a general way, to the prophecies Ś Joel, ii. 28, 29, This prophetic pro

relative to the subjéct. See Isa. xlii 1950 · mise, I'humbly conceive, relates to the

xliii. 19. saying inducuces, as well as miraculous operations of the Spirit. My opinion is , *. Which undoubtedly refers to the sancgrounded upon Acts, ii. 39.

tifying influences of the Spirit, as well as to i Zech. xii. 10. John, ü, .

the atonement of Christ. Compare ** Ib. xvi. 7.; xüi. 18.

1 John, V. 6.

In the next place, to THE EXPE- and renewing of the Holy Ghost, RIENCE OF TŅE SAINTS OF THE' which he shed on us abundantly LORD. Let us go back, in the first through Jesus Christ our Sa. instance, to the days of the Apo- viour *." St. Peter mentions it to stles. This is clear from the whole the praise of the Christians in his eighth chapter of the Epistle to day, that they had experienced the the Romans; and in the 9th verse sanctification of the Spirit unto of this chapter, the Spirit is ex. obedience; or, as he explains him. pressly spoken of as dwelling in self afterwards, that they had puthe hearts of that believing people. rified their souls in' obeying the To the Corinthians St. Paul put truth through the Spirit t: The this question, “ Know ye not that beloved disciple observes, respecto ye are the temple of God, and ing the believers to whom he that the Spirit of God dwelleth in wrote, that they had an unction you * ?" And again, “ What! from the Holy One, whereby they know ye not, that your body is the knew all things 5. And he declares temple of the Holy Ghost which that the ground on which he knew is in you + ?" And in that memo- that God dwelt in them, and they

rable apostolical benediction, his in God, was this, " because he · prayer is, That the communion of hath given us of his Holy Spirits.”

the Holy Ghost may be with them And St. Jude assures us, that those allt. He assures the Galatians are sensual who have not the Spis that one of the ends for which rit|l. Further still, in the Sacred Christ died was, that they might Writings, we read of the earnest receive the promise of the Spirit of the Spirit 91, the Spirit of adop. through faith Ø. And he speaks of tion **, the witness of the Spia, it as one of their greatest privi- rit ft; being sealed with the Spi- '. leges, that God had sent forth the rit II, God's love shed abroad in Spirit of his Son into their hearts, the heart by the Holy Ghost $ $ whereby they could cry, Abba, the fruits of the Spirit || 11. Also, Father il. His prayer for the Ephe- in the Scriptures of truth, we are sians was, that God would give said to live in the Spirit 99, to them the Spirit of wisdom and re- love in the Spirit ***, to walk in velation, in the knowledge of the Spirit ttt, and after the Spi-' Christ I, and strengthen them rit It, to be led by the Spiwith might, by his Spirit, in the rit gjy, to be filled with the Spi- . inner man ** When this blessed rit |||lll, to be in the Spirit 999.. Apostle's mind was much hurt be- to pray in the Spirit ****, to cause some did not preach Christ abound in hope through the power from proper motives, he tells the of the Holy Ghost tott, to be: Philippians that he felt a comfortsanctified by the Holy Ghost $111, . able hope that this trial would, ne- to mortify the deeds of the body . vertheless, be productive of his through the Spirit Ø Ø [.$; yea, and good, through a supply of the Spi- melancholy to relate, to resist the rit of Jesus Christ ++. To Titus he made the following declaration * Titus, ii. 5, 6. op i Put. i. 2. 22. in the name of himself and all his

Il John, ii. 20. § Th.iv. 13. brethren, “ Not by works of righ

|| Jude, 19. 99 Cor. i. 22; F. 5.

** Rom. viii. 15. * Ib. 16. teousness which we have done, but

11 Eph. i. 13 $$ Kom, v. 5. according to his mercy he saved

Ill Gal. v. 22, 23. Eph. v. 9. us, by the washing of regeneration Sf Gal. v. 23. *** Col. i. 8. 2

opepoof Gal. v. 16. 115 Rom. viii. 1.4 * 1 Cor. ii. 16. + Ib. vi. 19.

$$$ Gal. v. 18. :D!AU Eph. v. 18. 2 Cor. xiii. 14. & Gal. iii. 14.

TOT Rer. i. 10. **** Eph. vi. 18. # Gal. iv. 6. Eph. i. 17. Jude, 20.

tttt Romans, xv. 13. ** Eph. ii. 16. tt Phil. i. 19. .

1111 Rom. xx. 16. $$$$ Ib, viü. 19.

Spirit *, to grieve the Spirit t, to after the Creed, in a quotation quench the Spirit f. Now, does from the 51st Psalm, the Minister bot all this show clearly that the prays, “ O God, make clean our Holy Spirit may be felt and expe- hearts within us :" the people rerienced and that it actually was spond, “ And take not thy Holy se by the believers in the first ages Spirit from us.” In the Litany, of Christianity? But, lest you we not only pray for grace to bring should think that these quotations forth the fruits of the Spirit, but relate only to the Christians in the also beseech the Holy Ghost to days of the Apostles, we will ad. have mercy upon us miserable sinduce St. Peter's declaration on the ners. In the Collect for Christmas day of Pentecost. The promise Day we pray that we may be daily of the Holy Ghost, says he,« js renewed by God's Holy Spirit. In unto you and your children, and the Collect for the Fifth Sunday to all that are afar off'; even as after Easter, “ Grant that, by thy many as the Lord our God shall holy inspiration, we may think call j.” Accordingly we find that, those things that be good.” In the from that time to this, believers Collect for the Sunday after the are the subjects of divine influ- Ascension, " Send to us thine ences, though they once, like thou. - Holy Ghost to comfort us.” In the sands, disbelieved and derided Collect for Whitsunday, “ Grant them. Now, if you ask them us, by the same Spirit, to have a . what caused them to entertain right judgment in all things." In their present sentiments, they will the first Collect in the Communion answer, The Spirit. If you in- Service, “ Cleanse the thoughts of quire what led them to pray and our hearts by the inspiration of to read their Bible, they will thy Holy Spirit.” In the Office of reply, The Spirit. If you ask, fur- Baptism we bless God that he has ther, what produced in them a de- been pleased to regenerate the light in religious exercises, and baptized person with his Holy Spiwhat induced them to sit loose to rit. In the Office of Ordination the things of time and sense, and the following question is put to ardently to desire the heavenly each person to be ordained. The happiness, they will answer, The Bishop asks, “ Do you trust that Spirit. In short, if you inquire you are inwardly moved by the into everything relating to Holy Ghost to take upon you this their religious experience and office and ministration, to serve practice, they will still reply that God for the promoting of his glory they are indebted to the Spirit for and the edifying of his people "

To this, each candidate answers, Here, then, is another mass of “ I trust so." In the 17th Article evidence, corroborating the point of our Church we are told that în hand. But, since a greater “ godly persons feel in themselves number of witnesses tend inore the working of the Spirit of fully to establish the truth of any Christ.” And, to adduce but one thing, we will appeal, as we pro- instance more, in the Homily for posed,

Whitsunday our Church declares, In the third place, to the TES- that it is the Holy Ghost, and no TIMONY OF OUR OWN CHURCH on other thing, that doth quicken the the subject before us. In the Ab. minds of men, stirring up good solution we pray that God would and godly motions in their hearts. grant us “ true repentance and It were easy to multiply quota. His Holy Spirit.” In the suffrages tions without number, on this

head; and if you would only read *. Acta, vij. 51. † Eph. iv. 30. the Liturgy, the Articles, and the 1 1 Thess. v. 19. § Acis, ii. 38, 59. Homilies, with due attention, you

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must see that there is scarcely a .we, in our own strength, know, repage in which the doctrine for semble, and enjoy Christ? Can which we contend, is not brought we, without the aids of his grace, into view.

acquire a “ meetness for the inhe. Here, then, we have a great mags ritance of the saints in light?" Can. of evidence, which it is impossible we, without them, have any relish to gainsay or resist. The declara- for spiritual and divine things, or tions of God himself, the experin any capacity to enjoy them? Let ence of the saints in all ages, and us make the attempt. Our own the testimony of our own church, experience will soon convinceus, conspire to prove the truth of our that we “have no might," and position. ..

is that in our flesh dwelleth no This point, therefore, is plain. good thing." Now, is it not the Who, then, has the effrontery to very height of folly to deny, or dedeny or disbelieve this doctrine, ride, or disbelieve what “ the which holds so conspicuous à Scriptures of truth" universally and place, first, in those “ sacred ora. unequivocally give us reason to excles" which he professes to be. pect, what all the first Christians lieve " were given by inspiration really experienced, what those in of God;" and, secondly, in the the present day experience, what services and accredited documents our own Church perpetually inof that very church of which he structs us to pray for, what “ the himself is a member?. So that he noble army of martyrs” shed their cannot, with any show of reason blood for, and what our own expewhatever, enter a protest against rience teaches to be absolutely nethe doctrine of divine influences. cessary? Let us rest assured that, if To deny it, is not only to deny we be not the subjects of God's what the God of truth has asserted, “special grace,” we “ shall never but to give our own selves the lie; see life," but remain under the for we run counter to those very ex. wrath of God. “ Marvel not at this, pressions of which we repeatedly we must be born again” of God's make use while engaged in the Spirit, before we can enter into public worship of the heart-search- his kingdom; for, “ if any man ing God. And what can be a more have not the Spirit * of Christ, he horrid or impious mockery than is none of his." this, one' moment to pray to God

. . R. B. for his Spirit, and the next, to assert that to expect it is enthusiasm, LETTER FROM A YOUNG VICAR. or even madness? Is not the heart of man as corrupt and degenerate To the Editor of the Christian now as in the days when the Apo

. Guardian. . . stles wrote and preached? Could no. SIR, thing but the Holy Ghost produce a Your discovering that I am saving change in it then, and does young in years, and younger in it not equally require his operation experience, will by no means be a now. Is the way to heaven broader reason for the non-insertion of my now than formerly? Are there less difficulties in the way of salva- .

* Rom. viii. 3. This does not mean the - tion now than when the Gospel was ·

:: disposition of Christ; but," as is erident tion noto chan wen the Gospel was from the whole of this chapter, the holy first published? Look around and influences of the third Person in the sacred see : look 'INWARD and consider. Trinity; and he is called the Spirit of Can we, in our own strength, re: - Christ, because he is Christ's agent, or, sist temptation, conquer sin, tram

in according to the economy of redemption, ple the world under foot, and have a

acts ander his authority, being, howeves

ve coequal and coeternal with the Fall with our conversation in heaven ? Can' and the Son.

I

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