members of his flock from the dangers of

their delusions.

The Author will only add, that his conviction of the unprofitableness of religious controversy is so complete, that, having performed what he has felt to be both a necessary duty as regards his people, and a painful one as regards himself, he believes that no notice that can be taken of these Discourses will ever tempt him to enter the lists of controversy, or to engage in theological war, with those with whom, if he cannot cordially agree, he will never willingly contend.

Cadogan Place.

SERMON I.

1 JOHN IV. 1.

“BELOVED, BELIEVE NOT EVERY SPIRIT, BUT TRY THE SPIRITS WHETHER THEY ARE OF GOD."

IN applying ourselves to the deeply important subject which late events have compelled us to notice from this place, I would desire for us all a spirit of humility and affection, as well as of wisdom, of sincerity, and of knowledge.

By the subject upon which we are about to enter, the hearts of many of the most sincere and devoted among the people of God have been painfully exercised, dissension has been introduced into truly Christian families, religious intercourse among relatives, if not entirely put a stop

to, has been rendered cold and formal and uninteresting, and a scene of confusion and schism has taken place in the Church of the Redeemer, which it is impossible to witness without the most heart-rending feelings of sympathy and regret.

These considerations alone should induce us to exercise great tenderness, as well as great caution in our investigation; and while looking up to the Holy Spirit at every step, for instruction and guidance, looking around also at every step, upon our erring brethren, lest we pain or condemn those who may, in many of the graces of a Christian life and conversation, have attained to a far greater eminency than ourselves.

While, however, we give the fullest weight to this consideration, there is still another which must not be stinted of its proper measure of importance, or deprived of any part of its just and legitimate demands upon us, viz., the imperative duty on all subjects connected with the glory

of God and the salvation of our souls, of ascertaining the plain and simple truth, as the Holy Spirit of God has seen fit to reveal it in the inspired Word; and having so ascertained it, to suffer no feelings of personal regard, no questions of self-interest to interfere with us in declaring it honestly and boldly, that we may not handle the Word of God deceitfully, and that the "trumpet may not give an uncertain sound."

We shall, then, proceed, taking the words of the text as our authority and our command, to endeavour to fulfil its injunction: "Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God." You will observe that the very command itself implies two things, that there are spirits by which men are influenced which are not of God, and that it is in the power of every Christian, with the promised aid of God the Holy Ghost, to ascertain in each individual case whether the spirit be of God or be not of God.

I. First, then, we shall try the spirits by the revealed Word of our God, in compliance with his command to the Prophet Isaiah under no very dissimilar circumstances, viz.: "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

The great argument from Scripture in favour of the truth of their pretensions, which the persons to whom we allude have continually advanced, is this,—that the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit of God were promised by our Lord to his disciples, and, after them, to all true believers to the end of time,-that wherever there is such a faith as the Word of God commands, there will be found the extraordinary, or miraculous gifts of the Spirit, that they are the birthright of the Church, that she is responsible for them, and that nothing but the present dead, and cold, and indifferent state of the Church can account for their absence;