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costal effusion. Has this been vouchsafed in answer to our prayers?

Will any one affirm that it has? And, if not, is there not reason to enquire, Why is it withheld? Ought there not to be, on the part of every one who has been accustomed to pray for this blessing, serious and searching enquiry on this point? If prayer has been offered-united and long-continued prayer-and the blessing is still not vouchsafed, is it not peculiarly incumbent upon us, as we value the blessing, to search diligently for the cause or causes, on account of which that blessing may have been withheld? No doubt we may find occasion to refer and submit to the high Sovereignty of God, who gives or withholds according to is own inscrutable but most wise, righteous, and holy will. This must not be forgotten.

Nevertheless it is written (and, apparently with special reference to the times in which we live) "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and ycur sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." (Isa. lix. 1, 2). Without forgetting, then, the high and unaccountable Sovereignty of God, is it not a most solemn and important duty, incumbent upon us all, to institute an earnest and impartial enquiry as to what sinful causes may be found, which stand between us and the blessing which we have been so often and so earnestly invited to implore? And would it not be well to dedicate a very early portion of the new year to the careful and diligent pursuit of such enquiries?-Not a day merely; but a portion of the year. For it is not to be imagined that such an enquiry can be begun and finished in a day. The enquiry, to be of any real value, must be not only strict and impartial, but vast and varied :-having some sort of proportion to the magnitude and importance of the blessing which we ask, but have not yet obtained. And the particular form which it takes should have special reference to the nature of that blessing.

The blessing which we ask is, The more abundant and manifest Outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The enquiry then should surely be, Are we doing anything-can we discern anywhere anything which tends to grieve the Holy Spirit? For to pray for the Holy Spirit, and at the same time to do that which must grieve the Holy Spirit, would surely appear to be an awful inconsistency.

This enquiry demands a resolute and determined impartiality. Ought it not, therefore, to begin at home?

It may-it must suffice at present, to suggest a few heads which this enquiry should embrace.

1. Let every Christian begin with searching self-examination. Is there anything in the state of his own soul -any sin of omission or commission habitually indulged or connived atwhich may be justly considered as interfering with a gracious answer to his prayers (Ps. lxvi. 18). And, when we consider Isa. lvii. 15, and many other texts which insist upon the importance of an humble and contrite spirit, is it not peculiarly important to enquire, whether we are cultivating and maintaining that brokenness of heart-that true contrition of spirit which the Lord delights to bless?and which would best prepare us to receive His sweetest consolations?

2. Is there anything in our families which provokes the Lord to withhold the blessing? (1 Pet. iii. 7).

These are matters of private and personal enquiry, yet they must not be overlooked. But, having dealt faithfully with our own souls in regard to them, it may be a good preparation for more enlarged investigations, which may fitly be made mat. ters of conference among Christians when they meet.

3. Is there anything in our congregations, which tends to grieve the Spirit?-any strife, or other evil, indulged or connived at? Any allowed want of that spirit of united prayer and Christian union, which ought to pervade a Christian congregation, and make it, in miniature, a sort of representation of what the whole Church of Christ should be? Especially is there a want of mutual intercession

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between the minister and his flock?

Does he pray for them? and do they all pray for him?

4. Is there anything in the constitution or conduct of our great religious societies-?

But here, perhaps, some cautious friend will whisper, O stop! do not, I intreat you, say one word against our great religious societies?

Well if our great religious societies are perfect, there is nothing more to be said. But, if this is not what our friend means to maintain, let him consider, how important it is to the best welfare of those societies, that everything which grieves the Sp.rit, and interferes with His gracious operations should be sought out, confessed, and renounced. And let him think again, whether anything can be more likely to grieve the Spirit, than a resolute determination to shut our eyes to that which is offensive in His sight, from mere apprehension of injuring a human institution? If the apparent and merely temporal and temporary welfare of any society, is deemed more important than the abundant Outpouring of the Holy Spirit, it is certainly utterly useless to say more it is hopeless to proceed with this enquiry: it can come to no profitable result.

But if the abundant Outpouring of the Spirit be indeed a matter of supreme importance, how can any Christian reconcile it to his sense of scriptural duty, to shrink from any enquiry, which may possibly result in the discovery first, and then the removal, of hindrances which stand in the way of those most blessed communications? If Christians, from any consideration, shrink from this enquiry, can they be in a state of soul, in which they are warranted to expect an abundant manifestation of the power and grace of the Comforter?

Then let the constitution and proceedings of our great religious societies be carefully considered. For, if we consider their extent and operations-the multitude of persons who are connected with them, and the wide field which is open before them, and which they endeavour to cultivate -it must be evident, that the exist

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ence of any evils in them, which might grieve the Spirit, would be dangerous and injurious, in proportion to their extent, and the vast importance of the position which they occupy. If there be anything in the constitution and proceedings of a great society, and this be sanctioned by the unhesitating adherence and approbation of the vast multitude of Christians who subscribe to it, which is contrary to the mind and will of God, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures, must not this be grievous to the blessed Comforter, in some sort of proportion to the importance of the society, and the extent of its work? Is it not, then, peculiarly incumbent upon every Christian, to try and test every society to which he subscribes by the Word of God; and if there be anything unscriptural in its nature, or in its practice, should he not protest against it, and do what he can to amend it?

5. But this only brings us to the most important point of all, and that is, the state of the Christian Church at large. Is there anything in this which tends to grieve the Holy Spirit?

The Church of Christ is one: "There is one Body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling." (Eph. iv. 4, compare 1 Cor. xii. 12-27). In this Body all Christians are vitally united one with another; linked together for good and evil; so that "the members should have the same care one for another." Those evils, therefore, which affect a part concern the whole. And those evils which generally prevail, and are cherished or connived at by the whole Church, must be considered as more likely to grieve the Spirit, and provoke Him to withhold His gracious operations, than those which merely partial or individual. Can we, then, discover any prevailing evils in the Church at large which ought to be confessed, bewailed, renounced, before we can scripturally expect any remarkable effusion of the Spirit?

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This is a very wide question. It would require years to consider it at large; and a volume to answer it. But a few hints may be given.

(1) The first point to be considered naturally arises from the recognition

of the fact just referred to, that the Church is one. "There are contentions among you." "Whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" (1 Cor. i. 11; iii. 3,-compared with Eph. iv. 30-32). Something has indeed been done, and more, it may be hoped, will be done, by means of the Evangelical Alliance, in regard both to the confession and the allaying of these contentions and divisions. Yet still how much is there of the spirit of strife and schism! How many new divisions have arisen in our own days! and on what trivial pretexts! Have those who have caused these separations ever seriously considered, how they were grieving the Holy Spirit of God, whereby they are sealed to the day of redemption, by the bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, with which those divisions and separations have been, and still are, accompanied ?-by the slanderous exaggerations, if not direct and positive falsehood, of the charges which they have brought against those from whom they separated?

Has there been any separation since the time of the glorious and blessed Reformation, in which there has not been very much sin-very much that must have grieved the Holy Spirit? Doubtless, in very many cases, there have been faults on both sides. But each party should humbly confess its own, instead of magnifying those of the other. If each would do thus, might not very much be done to put away the evil, and remove the causes of offence?

When Christians are agreed upon all the great essential, soul-saving truths of the Gospel, ought any minor considerations to be allowed to prevent them from worshipping together -as one united Church?

(2.) Then closely connected with these divisions, and often the cause of them, there is an undervaluing and darkening of those great, essential, and soul-saving truths, in order to exalt and magnify some inferior point (the consequence of which is a very unsightly distortion of the Gospel) or even to insist upon some human fancy

-some notion of man-which has no foundation in the Word of God at all. And do we not find abundance of persons (real Christians at heart-as we fain would hope and believe) who will make any exertions to maintain their own particular notions, or the views of their sect and party, but who will not make anything like the same exertions to maintain and make known those great eternal verities on which the comfort and salvation of immortal souls depend? Must not this greatly grieve the Holy Ghost? And ought not those who have led the way in such separations, to lay to heart the tremendous responsibility which lies upon them? Has it not been well observed long ago, that the points on which real Christians are agreed are both more, and more important, than those on which they differ? And if so, all real Christians ought to be cordially united, according to the apostolic precept: "Whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing." (Phil. iii. 16; with which compare Phil. i. 27; i. 1, 2; and Eph. iv. 1-16). No doubt there may be real unity amid much diversity; and the real union is the all-important matter: but, if we realize and love that union which is inward and spiritual, shall we not seek, by all possible means, to manifest it to the world? (John xiii. 35). Moreover it must be remembered that some of our divisions are of long standing: we inherit them from bygone generations; we have grown up in them; the grounds of them are so entwined with our habits of thinking, feeling, and acting, that it would be expecting too much of poor human nature, if we should be called upon to heal them in the course of a single generation. Yet, even with regard to these, much might be done, and much ought to be done, to mitigate the strife, and to prepare the way for reunion. But, in regard to more recent divisions and fresh separations, there are not the same excuses to be made. The blame cannot be shifted from ourselves, and cast upon them who have long since departed; nor are we called upon by the rules of charity to act upon the old proverb, de mortuis

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nil nisi bonum. Those who have made the schism are called upon to confess and bewail the guilt of that division, and of all the bitterness and strife and evil-speaking that have been inevitably connected with it. Yet is it not rather to be feared, that many of these are habitually cherishing those evil tempers and unkind feelings, which must deeply grieve the Holy Spirit of God? And are they not still continuing to magnify and exalt minor matters (on which difference of opinion is perfectly consistent with participation of the common salvation, and therefore with Christian union and love), or even their human notions, to the neglect and dishonour of those great soul-saving truths on which all the true disciples of Christ are and must be agreed?

(3.) But why this neglect and dishonour of soul-saving truth, to exalt and magnify secondary truth, or even human errors? Is it not for want of real, unfeigned, impartial submission to the whole Word of God? And this leads us to the consideration of another very important point. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Tim.iii. 16; 2 Pet. ii. 21). Therefore, in the Holy Scriptures, the Holy Spirit Himself speaks to us. If we disparage the Scriptures, we disparage Him. Any want of un

reserved submission of soul to the written Word of God, is resisting the Spirit. Can we neglect or dishonour the Scriptures without greatly grieving the Spirit? What, then, are we to think of vague and low views of the inspiration of the Scriptures, maintained and cherished by Evangelical Christians? or unfaithful and corrupted versions, in spite of warning and remonstrance, continually circulated by them? What are we to think of large portions of God's Word habitually passed over, and set aside as if unworthy of perusal,-so that when a minister stands up to exhort Sunday school teachers, and others who are engaged in giving Evangelical instruction, to read habitually the whole DECEMBER 1851.

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Bible through and through, they open their eyes, and stare at him, as if he were insisting on some new thing, and imposing upon them a task unheard and unthought of? Must not this grieve the Spirit? And what can we expect but endless confusion and error, if the Holy Scriptures-the supreme and only infallible standard of truth and righteousness-be practically neglected and dishonoured? and large portions of it unread?

(4.) Again: if any one, beholding these and other evils prevailing and increasing among Christians, and spreading in the Church at large, should feel that "his spirit was stirred in him," and begin to lift up his voice like a trumpet, to shew God's people their transgression, and to "reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine," (Isa. viii. 1; and 2 Tim. iv. 2)-how would this be received by the Church at large?-with submission, humiliation, contrition of spirit? with thankfulness to God, and to the instrument whom God had raised up and used to warn and to reprove them? Or with offended pride, resistance, and perverse attempts to defend what was unscriptural and wrong?

In some quarters it has been said, We want another Luther, to denounce and reform what is amiss in our Protestant Churches. What, then, if it should please the Holy Ghost, as the first answer to our prayers for His more abundant communications, to raise up one or more in the spirit of Luther and our great Reformers?how would they be received by the multitude of those who in these days are called Evangelical?-With cordial welcome?-or with cold distrust?with honour and encouragement?— or with aversion, discouragement, and almost persecution? What has been the experience of those who have, in some feeble and imperfect manner, attempted to be more bold and faithful than others in denouncing error, or in maintaining and upholding the standard of scriptural and Protestant truth? What kind of usage have they met with from their brethren?

(5.) But let it be supposed (it may be an unwarranted supposition: never

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theless, let it, for a moment, be supposed) that the answer to our poor unworthy prayers should come all at once in a very remarkable outpouring of the Holy Ghost-accompanied with miraculous gifts-a real Pentecostal effusion!-would this be welcomed with adoring thankfulness? with humble delight and joy? Or would a large number of Evangelical professors be very much annoyed?

In short, if our prayers should be graciously and abundantly answered, are we very anxious that it should be just in our own way, so as to put honour upon our present plans and methods of proceeding, and to issue in the enlargement and exaltation of our religious societies, &c.? Or are we really prepared to be much more joyful and thankful, that it should be altogether in the Lord's way-humbling us all in the very dust?-pouring contempt upon all our human wisdom? -breaking to pieces our human plans and institutions? - and manifestly

bringing all honour and glory to the Lord alone? (Is. ii. 11, 17, 22).

These questions are asked. Is it not needful that they should be asked? Perhaps a great many more might fitly be added, and urged with great advantage. But these will probably be enough to set some Christians to think. The questions are asked: but not answered. That is left to the judgement and conscience of every Christian who reads them. But if any one should feel the importance of deep reflection and searching enquiry in reference to the question with which we started, and think that these hints and suggestions might be useful, he is at full liberty to reprint them, and to give them the widest circulation in his power.

May the God of all grace, for Jesus Christ's sake, command His blessing upon every effort to promote His cause! And to Him alone be all the glory, through Jesus Christ, for ever! Amen.

THE REV. H. VENN ON MISSIONS IN THE EAST.

A LETTER TO THE LORD BISHOP OF LONDON.

Ir is almost impossible to attach too much importance to a letter which has just emanated from the pen of that excellent and laborious Secretary of the Church Missionary Society, the Rev. Henry Venn. We have long felt that the foundation of the Anglican Bishopric at Jerusalem needed to be again brought under the consideration of the heads of the Church at home, and we are deeply thankful that the repeated cavils and attacks of the Tractarian party have at length given rise not only to so able a statement and defence of the objects of the see as at present existing, but also to what may be termed a clear demand for the extension of its powers, in order that it may escape from fetters which were imposed by a false tenderness to the prejudices of the Eastern Church.

The experience of some years has shewn us, that whatever use the Bishopric may have been to the Jews,

and to members of our own communion, its operations have been grievously crippled by those interpretations of the extent of its object and authority, which have prevented the Bishop from welcoming into a purer communion those who, having seen our more excellent way," are anxious to escape from the corruptions of the Greek Church.

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We have no desire that our Church should appear in the East with the audacious pretensions and territorial aggression of the Roman apostacy; our mission there is to exhibit the real character of our branch of Christ's Church, in its purity of doctrine, scriptural order of government, and simplicity of ceremonial; and if by so doing, we are permitted to awaken any desires of union with us, within the breasts of the clergy or lay members of the Greek Church, either in individuals or in large communities, no trifling consideration of what by

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