tion, and which should lead us to persevering depen dence on the Spirit, is too frequently itself depended on. All agree that Satan is ever endeavouring to oppose and obstruct the work of God in the soul of man, yet few believe he can work in themselves. All, no doubt, wish to be right, and take it for granted that they are so. But Satan's most successful working is in the good-intentioned. There is not a sincere, a scripturally-enlightened Christian, but must be convinced that the present divided state of the church is contrary to the precepts and prayers of Christ. Yet amongst them, who sees the cause? Who seeks for the remedy? Pious men have seen errors in the church, as the early reformers, and have separated for more purity of worship; in process of time, others have seen errors in the reformers, have separated from them, and formed new bodies of worshippers. Thus, from good intentions, a supposed reformation has been set on foot, till the gospel-church is divided in such a manner as no power or good intention of man can cure. Now, let men's intentions in these reformations and separations be as pure as they may, Satan is the author of them all, and he will be the supporter of them, by tempting all to believe that the choice they have made of a mode of worship renders them superior to all the rest. While he can thus work on professors, his reign is protracted. This dividing spirit commenced with Christianity, Paul reprobated it in the Corinthian Church: but it has continued, under various pretensions, for eighteen hundred years. And if Satan could keep the gospelchurch in its present state for eighteen thousand years he would continue his influence over the world. Respecting the remedy, it is to be found in an implicit obedience to the precepts of Christ. The rigid ob

servance of one only, would lay the foundation of a most perfect and complete cure-namely, the humility of a little child. Not the affectation, but the reality. Not a humility of man to man, but of all to God;-a humility that should fill the heart of every leader of the people, make him ask himself-do I contribute to the dividing, or to continuing the division of thy church? Its present Babylonish confusion must certainly be the work of the enemy. Am I in any way under his influence? If I am, Lord deliver me! Do I rest a dependence on opinions which are the fruit and effect of man's good intentions and wise reasoning, instead of renouncing all dependence on self, and all others, and being led by the Spirit alone? Have I been mistakingly induced to teach what I thought was right, instead of directing all to thee, my God, through Christ, to be taught by the Holy Spirit? Have I endeavoured to make the people that have been my hearers, believe that they are in a state of understanding thy word, and knowing thy will, superior to others; thus giving confidence in themselves, and destroying charity towards others? If I have done all, or any of these things, Lord pardon me, correct me, in love, and put me right! Were there such feelings, such reasoning, and practice, in the religious leaders of the people, we might bid defiance to divisions in the church they would fall as "the lightning from hea"ven." And such leaders and ministers would soon have to say, as the seventy the Lord sent out, two by two," Lord, even the devils are subject to us." Yes, then they would be opposing devils; but by their division and opposition they are nourishing and cherishing devils; and where they are having an eye to their own worldly advantage, or to fame and praise

from men, they are influenced by the spirit of devils, instead of the spirit of God. We charge no one of this, or acquit any of it. Let all examine themselves. The time is approaching in which their secret purposes and practices must be laid open. Now the Lord having declared that, without the humility of a little child, none can enter heaven there must be the affectation of it, in the church. But does it in reality exist, when all claim a right of knowing which is the way to heaven, which is not?-Who will go there, and who will not? And does not the choice they have made of some peculiar mode of worship, and the laborious exertions of making all strictly adhere to that, prove they have not that child-like disposition; but, on the contrary, are very wise? Yet there must be some appearance of humility to induce a belief that they are scriptural. And I beg leave to ask the attentive observer of these things, whether there is not in the church a great deal of what Professor Porson calls-" The devil's darling vice; name

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ly, pride aping humility?" Suppose we were to ask all these divided worshippers, separately, how they come by a knowledge of God's will so correctly? The answer, no doubt, from each would be-by communion with God. Inquire the nature of the communion, and you have for answer they are moved to it by the Spirit of God. It was so from the first, say they" Holy men of God spake as they were "moved by the Holy Ghost." We admit it; but these men that so spake, gave an evidence of their mission. And Peter, from whom this sentence came, had the signs following his faith ;to wit, the miraculous cure of the man that lay begging at the temple-gate. Have any of these modern pretenders to

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this moving power in them, this evidence of their being the holy men that speak as they are moved by the Holy Ghost? If they have not, they are acting without credentials. That faith, which all must have, will have the signs to follow it;"—a faith, that will bring them into union with Christ;-in obedience, make them like Christ; and bring on them the quickening of Christ. Then, say you, what has become of all those who have gone out of the world without this quickening power ? Christ tells you, when he told Nicodemus, for what he saith unto one he saith unto all, even unto the end,-"Ye must be born "again." Heaven none can enter till they have it in them, because "Without holiness no flesh can see "God." And thus the evangelist John tells us," It doth not yet appear what ❝even those that are the adopted children of God will "be, but we know when he shall appear they will "be like him, for they will see him as he is, " and every one that hath this hope in him purifieth "himself, even as he is pure." And this purity can only be had by our laying as unresisting in the hands of God, as the clay in the hands of the potter; that, by the Spirit, we may be moulded and fashioned like Christ. Now, by man's preaching, many are made saints, but they die; and death is the penalty of sin, not the punishment of saints. There may now be in existence numbers who perseveringly desire, and, as far as they know, strive to be all they should be. Such, in scripture, are spoken of as what they will be, not as what they are; but there must be sin in all who die, because death is the penalty of sin. Now, practical, pure, and holy saints could not die; they will awake up from spiritual death to the likeness of Christ; do all, and be all that Christ was.-He suffer

ed death to restore us to this life, and we must continue to exist till we are put in the possession of it. “Verily, verily, if a man keep my saying, he shall "" never see death." Now we are amused with the ingenious tale of all the leaders, of going to heaven at death; whereas, death prevents mortals from going to heaven. Such speculations furnish matter for wan- . ton, characters, to the great disgrace of real religion. I have given you Christ's own words, and I further tell you from revelation, that, as God gave the law, accompanied with miraculous evidences, through Moses, and then left it for the people to obey the commands of it, so has the gospel of Christ, the Lord, been given by the miraculous effects evidenced in the apostles, and been left to be followed by them that embrace it. Under the law, all was regulated by the letter; for man's obedience, was a covenant of works, and reason was a sufficient guide. Reason being within the reach of Satan was often perverted, inspired characters were, therefore, sent to correct, to reprove, and to admonish where they erred: but, under the Gospel, there was no necessity for this, because the Spirit was to be the guide; and they only can have its influence, who are humbled as little children. The substitution of man's wisdom and learning for the Spirit's influence, or mixture with it, have hitherto prevented its full effect on the Church; for none hath ever yet kept the Lord's saying, and, therefore, none has escaped death. But God, the Father, raises them from the dead, and quickens them, till they are made sensible of the necessity of being delivered from death, and from him that hath the power of death; then will Christ, the Son, quicken them, enrol them in bis army, and give them courage to fight against the