exorcises and casts them out of the mind! How indispensable to the highest success that this be done! No one can properly investigate a subject, or even successfully examine the researches of another, until his mind, in relation to truth, is as the needle to the pole-ready to follow it whatever its direction-ready to settle upon it, however different from all its former opinions or long cherished preferences.

With regard to the particular subject considered in the following pages, it may be that some of our readers, from the influence of causes unknown, have imbibed prejudices -prejudices exerting an undetected, but fatal power upon their whole religious character and progress-blinding them to privilege and restraining them from duty-limiting their usefulness, and diminishing their enjoyments! Is it so? Will the reader make inquisition; and with a noble, Christian sincerity, worthy of himself and worthy of the magnitude of the truth involved, give himself to its discovery and open his heart to its divine impression.

It is the desire of the author in the preparation of this work, to promote the great cause of holiness in the earth; believing that he who does this is a permanent benefactor of the race. And remembering that God's children are scattered throughout the entire Church, in all the denominational divisions, it will be his effort to avoid all allusions having a tendency to inflict needless pain upon any, and at the same time to assist all in the glorious work of their common mission-the building up of Christ's kingdom in the world, "and spreading Scriptural holiness over these, over all lands." We shall, indeed, give our own views fully and undisguisedly, but without entering at all into merely sectarian contentions, or attempting to secure denominational

aims. We write for Christians, without respect to name; with no thought whatever of their peculiar badge, and with no desire to affect their particular church relations; but purely to assist them in the great matter of Christian experience. Here we have a common interest, and may, without infringing personal or denominational rights, be “coworkers together," advising, comforting, reproving, and exhorting each other, and so "provoking each other to love and good works."

We are, indeed, and we think profitably, under existing circumstances, distinguished by various appellatives and diversified usages and symbols; but our foundation, our faith, our experience, our hope, our heaven, is one. Children of one Father-ransomed by one Saviour-renewed by one Holy Spirit—and going forward to one everlasting home. We can but feel a fraternal sympathy; and overlooking all petty distinctions, must delight to recognise the invisible bond of a glorious and divine brotherhood—the union and fellowship of hearts! A few more revolving suns and we shall "see eye to eye," and "know as we are known." Dropping, with our clay, the infirmities that in any degree sundered us, and leaving our names and badges in the grave, we shall flow together and mingle as sunbeams amid the radiance of heaven. One song will gladden our hearts, one temple resound with our praises, and one God be our "all in all." What remains but that now, in anticipation of the future union, we "bear each other's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ," and help each other to "work out our salvation," meanwhile looking unto God, "who worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure?" If we shall succeed in shedding a single beam upon the path of the most humble pilgrim, or in opening up a rill of plea

sure to any of God's children, or otherwise encouraging the faith of Christians, we shall feel that we have not laboured in vain in the Lord.

The subject upon which we are about to enter is quite as ample as important. To unfold it fully, in all of its connexions, would require elaborate preliminary discussionsdiscussions embracing a wide range of topics, and reaching downward to the very foundations of theology. However this might accord with our personal preferences, or please a portion of our readers, we are quite sure it would defeat our cardinal object, which is to do the greatest good to the greatest number. We must therefore content ourselves and indulge our friends with a direct and restricted treatise. The same consideration will likewise modify our style and mode. Aiming mainly at a practical result, we shall not seek either to be learnedly critical or rigidly systematic. Rather it will be our effort to render what, to many minds, is perplexed and mystified, plain and familiar; referring, as occasion may require, both to the word of God, which is religion in teaching, and to Christian experience, which is religion in practice, for the illustration and corroboration of our views. This is what the mass of Christian mind wants; not theory in the abstract-not speculation-not philosophy -but simply practical Gospel truth, so presented as to interest the understanding and move the heart-privilege unfolded and duty enforced!

Fully awake to the magnitude of the work we have thus briefly indicated, we shall proceed with prayerful and earnest looking to God for illumination, and with diligent study of his word as our guide to its execution; not presuming to hope that we shall succeed to the utmost of our wishes, nor yet allowing ourselves to despair of, at least, doing some good.

36 THE OCCASION, NATURE, AND OBJECT OF THE WORK.

May the great Head of the Church-the Eternal Source of all truth and illumination to his people-who hath so wonderfully enriched his servants, ancient and modern, with the spirit of wisdom and faith, and a sound mind-grant unto us his holy guidance, and so control our thoughts and pen, as to cause what may be written to redound to his glory and our reciprocal good; and, finally, when we shall have been sanctified by grace, bring both writer and reader to that "heaven" in which " dwelleth righteousness," "God" himself being "the light of it!"

CHAPTER II.

CHRISTIAN PRIVILEGE, OR THE HIGHEST ATTAINABLE MORAL AND SPIRITUAL EXCELLENCE DESCRIBED.

IN discussing the subject indicated by the heading of this chapter, we shall encounter a number of variant and contradictory theories-theories occupying the widest extremes as well as almost every conceivable intervening shade. It will, I am certain, assist us to a clearer and more satisfactory discovery of the exact truth, if we present the various theories, and discriminate their specific differences. It can be done in a small space. By this method our readers will be enabled to compare them, determine their relative merits, and choose among them all, what of truth they respectively possess.

In pursuing this course we may seem to commence far behind the immediate object of our treatise; but the attentive reader will soon perceive, that in doing so we have not been indifferent to his interest. In some cases it is important, that the mind have all the views of a subject-in others a single view is sufficient: as the beauty of some landscapes may be seen from a single stand-point, whilst others require to be studied from different positions. In some instances, one view of truth is so strong, so manifestly correct, that the mind involuntarily rests, assured that it need look no further. In other cases it is not so forcibly seized a number of views crowd upon it, requiring tedious comparison, or, at least, particular notice, before it can resolve with entire satisfaction which, among the plausible multitude, is more truthful than the others.