meanest want-the soul, image of the Ineffable, pleads in vain for momentary heed to interests vast as the Infinite, and enduring as the Eternal!

A main object of the present volume is to promote these greater, but strangely, disastrously, neglected concernsthe concerns of the invisible and future-of the soul and eternity.

Despairing to gain the ear or eye of mere earth-worms, we address ourselves to Christians, and others, who, like them, begin to appreciate spiritual things-and would point out to them the exuberance and richness of their privilege— the glory and excellence of the objects after which they aspire-even the utmost of the great things, included in the promises made to their faith. We mean not now what is reserved for them in the coming glory, but what pertains to them in this life. Of the former we remember it is said, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." Let them remain a secret until we enter in, and behold with open vision; we would not fore-cast a refulgence so glorious-eternity alone will serve to unfold it!

Precisely what is the privilege of believers, as to spiritual attainments in this life, is obviously an exceedingly interesting and transcendently momentous question. It can scarcely be pondered too earnestly, or thought of too profoundly. For a time, as it has been heretofore, it may be overlooked; amid the all-engrossing and overshadowing urgencies of the exterior and sensible, it may be obscured and kept out of view; but its importance will yet be admitted, and the wonder of on-coming ages will be, that it was ever neglected— that inferior things, even trifles, were allowed to usurp its

place. As things hurry on to the consummation, and the conflicts of truth with error become more general and engaging, and as each truth assumes its legitimate rank in the great chain of verities, this one will be seen occupying a peerless eminence, and exerting a commanding influence. Other engrossing questions will sink down, and from having swayed a world's heart and mind will elicit no more than a transient glance-a passing thought. This one will rise up, and the same world which had neglected it will do it homage.

What the gospel proposes as the privilege of the race— what it promises to do for the great aggregate of collective humanity, particularly as it respects moral and spiritual improvement, must, in connexion with the above, become the question, which, by force of irresistible attraction, will draw all minds and sway all hearts. Philosophers and poets, statesmen and scholars, as well as divines and religionists, will do it homage; and the collective intelligence of the world will accord it attention. The physical man has had his day-a day of darkness and debasement, of sensualism and crime; the intellectual man is now enjoying his—a day of refulgence and splendour; the spiritual man, will have his. It is now in the dawn. The on-coming of its glory is but a little in the future. Destiny is evidently rushing upon us. All things tend in rapid convergence to some grand and glorious ultimatum. Science moves with quicker pace-art advances with firmer step-learning embraces wider survey -truth comes forth with increasing brilliancy-all things hurry onward, as with the pomp of a cavalcade, the rush of a host, to some grand and glorious completion. The moral elements are in portentous motion. Borne along upon the resistless and excited current, one cannot but in

quiringly ask, and prophetically anticipate, what the end. will be. If he penetrate beneath the thin exterior crust, into the discovery of hidden causes, he must soon perceive what is entirely obvious, that the great agency impelling the world forward with such momentum, is none other than the spirit of Christianity—the omnipotence of the Gospel. Here are the interior sources of that matchless energy, stirring and heaving all around him; here the agency infusing the awakening spirit-evoking the resistless agitationbreaking the death-like spell of ages-and kindling the central fires which cause the great heart of the world to throb and palpitate, with a living excitement, quickening to the extremest fibre, and sending the life current to the remotest nerve. He will see in the gospel the elements of the world's regeneration; and in surrounding phenomena, predictive foreshadowings of the on-coming and never-ending glories, of a reign of righteousness and peace, in which the knowledge of God shall fill the earth, and the moral perturbations of the race give place to quietness and assurance forever.

It might be an interesting exercise to push further, this excursion of incidental thought-to unfold more fully, as we think might be done, what the consummation in these respects will be; nor would the adventure be void of profit. We should find much in the survey to cheer us on-much to excite us to new and nobler endeavour-much to inspire hope, enkindle courage, and awaken adoring love. We should hear voices calling, and behold hands beckoning us onward. Our hearts would leap within us, as we beheld the long night of the world's sorrow and guilt, rolling backward, and succeeding to it the effulgence of a day of rapture and innocence. But interesting and even profitable as it might be, to indulge in these connexions, it is aside from

our plan. Our inquiries lead us in another direction, if not so refulgent, certainly of infinitely more practical importance. What does the Gospel propose to us as our present personal privilege? What, as to moral and spiritual excellence, has it for me, now? This, in general, is our theme. How obviously important!

If the blessings of the Gospel were unconditional—if with-out any agency of ours, they were designed to be conferred upon us, we might, in that case, remain contentedly ignorant of our privilege, until we should find ourselves rejoicing in its possession: but if, on the other hand, it has riches to be sought before obtained-blessings to be specifically solicited before given, how manifestly important that we know the value of the treasure, its nature and extent, as well as the mode of its acquisition, that we may be stimulated to the pursuit, and guided in its method! If one knew that his domain embraced a mine of gold containing a million pounds, how much he would value it—how diligently he would seek the embedded treasure! If he supposed it contained no such wealth, it would be comparatively valueless in his eyes, and he would die without exertion. In exact proportion as the blessings of the Gospel are valuable, therefore, is it desirable that we clearly apprehend and definitely understand them. At the present time, particularly, when the mind of the Church is turned, with more than usual interest, to the subject of Christian privilege, and when the hearts of thousands in Christendom are peculiarly awake to it; when inquiry is abroad, and action is assuming form and direction, it becomes of deeper and wider consequence than ever before.

To

say that the Church is now living, and from the time of the beginning has been living, beneath her privilege-be

low her mission, would certainly be but a mild and moderate though humiliating utterance of the conviction of Christendom. She has not possessed her full heritage. What is true of the aggregate is mournfully true of almost the entire individuality. Individual Christians have fallen below the standard. But few exceptions, comparatively, need, or could in truth or charity, be made. Only one in a multitude, with mightier impulse and greater faith than his fellows, has nobly dared to brook the difficulties, and go up to the possession of the entire promises. These stand as so many pyramids of light-as examples of the power of faith -amid surrounding sterility and desolation; and at the same time are standing memorials to the Church of her privilege, and reproving admonitors of her inexcusable shortcoming. Why is this? Why, at least, has there not been in the general experience of the Church a respectable approximation to her privilege? Why has she so long, and so almost universally, remained content with an inferior piety? I know not what response will come to your mind. A very plain and obvious one comes to mine. It is not alone, or even chiefly because of the influence of exterior things. These outward impediments, united with the almost invincible depravity of our nature, have doubtless contributed to the result. But greater than these have been the conjoint hindrances arising, first, from an inadequate apprehension of privilege, and second, as growing out of the first, insufficient impulse or effort after full attainment. To these two disastrous causes, we must believe, mainly may be attributed the deplorably defective piety of the Church from the beginning-deplorably defective in comparison with what it should have been. Some, in each age, have surmounted these-have attained to clearer views, to stron