that the comparison is one which will help him to convey his thoughts to others. We shall recur to this subject again. Meanwhile we recommend a careful study of a few of Guthrie's sermons by those who wish to see how natural and simple illustrations may be most felicitously and effectively used.

THE TRUTH SEEKER.

[It is scarcely necessary to state that the Editor does not hold himself responsible for any of the opinions expressed under this heading.]

THE INTERMEDIATE STATE.

THE following considerations are submitted to the readers of the LAY PREACHER as bearing somewhat upon the question asked by D. L. (see page 174) :

Are the principles upon which God deals with men in the present life, not only suddenly and abruptly suspended at death, but are they replaced by others of a widely different-if not absolutely opposite— character? In other words, having commenced a course of discipline here, the full exercise of which is greatly interfered with by the changes and fluctuations of human life, and which is, in most cases, confessedly incomplete at the moment of death, does the Almighty abandon His purposes in relation to individual souls? Does He then suffer some to remain eternally unsaved, while others are at once eternally elevated to a condition of sinless perfection, without the necessity of passing through any of those preparatory stages which would have been essential had the laws of time continued in force?

If there be one truth more clearly established than another, it is that God's purposes in relation to all His creatures are developed and perfected by slow and long-continued processes. The discoveries of science show that, so far from a brief age of 6,000 years, the earth has been the scene of slow changes, which must have occupied myriads of years in their completion. In like manner the sun, stars, and planets, instead of being created in one day-according to the popular notion of a few years back-for the special behoof of the present race of beings on the earth, are found to be parts of an infinite universe, the extent of which has not been, and probably never will be, fathomed by human skill. In the material creation, so far from calling anything suddenly into being by a word-as heretofore commonly believed-God has elaborated His work by slow stages, each step displaying unerring adaptation to those which had preceded ̧

and to those that follow. As with the earth, so with the race by whom it has been peopled. As Dr. Temple, in his famous essay on "The Education of the World," says, " Each moment of time as it passes is taken up, in the shape of permanent results, into the time that follows, and only perishes by being converted into something more substantial than itself." And as with the earth and the race, so with the individual. The whole lesson is too much to be learned all at once, and by slow and painful discipline alone can we attain to that development of character which is the intention of the Divine Creator concerning us. Life is clearly an education, rather than a probation.

Now, what reason have we to regard this education as complete and finished, even in the case of the most devout Christian—the man whose whole life, from early youth to advanced age, has been one scene of diligent cultivation of his moral and spiritual powers? Take the case of Paul, upon certain portions of whose writings many advocates of the theories referred to greatly rely. Continually does he lament the incompleteness of the transforming process, and even when rejoicing most in the Cross of Christ, he declares he has not become perfect (Phil. iii. 7-14). True, we are reminded of those other words of Paul, "We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump" (1 Cor. xv, 51-52); and it is contended that he there distinctly teaches the instantaneous nature of the change which awaits the dead at the moment of the resurrection. But do those words necessarily bear that interpretation? Or, assuming that such is the case, do they express anything beyond the Apostle's personal conviction? Let it be remembered that in the previous verses he has been speaking of the change in the condition of the body as comparable to that which takes place in grain sown in the earth-" That which thou sowest is not quickened except it die." Here we have again the idea of development.

And if the education be not complete this side of the grave in the case of those whose lives have been the most devout, must it not necessarily be still more incomplete in those whose existence has been occupied with pursuits that hinder rather than help the development of spiritual life? Still more must it be so with men who have never given attention to religious matters till their dying hour.

Thus it seems to us that the continuous action of the existing principles of Divine treatment is essential to the maintenance of that equity which we are taught to ascribe to the Most High. "Are not My ways equal? saith the Lord." To assert that the most wretched of life-long sinners, if he has but repented of his misdeeds before the moment of death, is at once admitted to the enjoyment of eternal

happiness, alongside the veteran Christian, seems to be inconsistent with every known principle of equitable dealing. To assert, as some do, that the two men, while both are admitted to Heaven, would not be invested with the same degree of happiness, is, practically, to concede the point for which we are contending, since such a solution of the difficulty at once recognises the apportionment of happiness-that is, of spiritual enjoyment-according to the degree of qualification for such enjoyment attained. The one being, in a measure, ripened by his earthly discipline, is prepared for much, and receives much. The other, being destitute of that preparation, is ready for but little, and is, therefore, invested with little. Will that little ever become more? Is there growth in the other life? Grant this, and you admit that education is continued beyond the border-line of death. Thus the solution of the problem proves to be no solution at last. It brings us back to the same point-the necessity for a continuance of the process which was begun in this life, and which, in the case of the holiest of men, is confessedly still incomplete at death.

F.

THE WORK AND WITNESS OF THE HOLY

SPIRIT.

"And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.—1 John v., 6. THE Spirit of truth bore witness to Christ both at His miraculous conception and at His baptism; also when He wrought those wonderful miracles to prove that He came from God; and after His triumphant ascent to Heaven at the day of Pentecost. The end of this witnessbearing was, doubtless, to assure the apostles of their Divine commission; to dispel those doubts and fears with which they had perplexed themselves. But the Spirit also bore witness for the purpose of propagating and establishing the Christian religion; for without some higher attestation than mere reasoning it would have been impossible for the apostles, few in number and chiefly illiterate, to have made converts, or to have fulfilled their mission by preaching the Gospel everywhere. The Gospel had no human power to sustain it, such as fostered the spread of Mohamedanism. It depended solely upon the bare force of truth, seconded by the miraculous evidence of the Spirit to accelerate its diffusion. But the immediate and visible operation of the Spirit in empowering men to work miracles is not needed in these days. The evidence necessary to satisfy any person of the truth of an assertion relative to what was done centuries ago is the credible report of eye-witnesses, and such evidence we have in abundance in favour of

Christianity. Let us glance at the credibility of the first preachers. They were well known to be men of strict honesty and integrity. Scrupulously careful not to be imposed upon themselves, they were not likely to attempt to deceive others. The miracles they wrought were done in the presence of multitudes, at different times, and in the presence of men who would have been ready enough to detect fraud had such existed. These miracles proved that the apostles were acting under a Divine commission; and this point being established the nonnecessity of a similar agency in the present day is plainly demonstrated. By what power can we suppose the apostles to have wrought these miracles? Shall we say, with the Jews, that they were inspired by the prince of the demons? Our reason, to say nothing of our moral sense, revolts against that idea; besides, what end could Satan have in view in thus helping to advance a kingdom so directly opposed to his own? Shall we say, with the heathen, that they did those things by the assistance of magic? This also we cannot believe; but must say, as the magicians said who were nonplussed by Moses before Pharaoh, that surely the finger of God was with them.

Look again at the expression "the Spirit of Truth." There are many aspects under which the Holy Ghost may be viewed as the Spirit of Truth. He is the Spirit of Jesus; and Jesus is not truth only, but the truth. The Holy Spirit takes of the things of God and reveals them; so the essence of truth is the Spirit of truth. The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of truth, because He makes truth. Trace back truth and you will come to revelation; trace back revelation and you come to inspiration; trace back inspiration and you come to the Holy Ghost. He it is that inspires. It is not so much that the Holy Ghost uses truth as that what He uses is truth. He is the creator of truth. He makes it. God has committed everything to the Son; the Son has committed everything to the Spirit. The Spirit shows us Jesus, and Jesus shows us the Father. The Holy Ghost is the ultimate depositary of truth, and the primary fountain from whence all truth springs.

The work of the apostles was an arduous one, and therefore required special care and wisdom. They had to determine the canon of the New Testament; they had to mould the constitution of the Church. Christ left principles and foundations, but He did not model the framework of the Church. He left it to the apostles to fill in the details; so the Spirit of truth presided over them, taught them, guided them, and bore witness to the facts of the Christian religion. And is it not important that the Spirit should preside over the deliberations of the Church still? Thus the practical question we have to consider is, can the Church of to-day claim for itself a special superintendence and a

special direction of the Holy Ghost? If so, do we pray for it; do we expect it?

To come nearer home: it may be that there are some among ourselves who feel a want of truthfulness in their own character; in a word, who feel painfully a want of reality. To secure more of this it is needful to secure more of the Holy Spirit. It is only by the Holy Ghost assimilating our spirit to His that we can be made true. So, too, with seeking to understand the Bible. The Holy Ghost wrote it, and it is Him we must ask to make it plain to us. What makes it so hard for truth to penetrate the mind and heart is, that there is some obstruction which prevents it. Pleasure, gold, love of ease, or some other thing makes us unwilling to be led by the Spirit. Pray, then, for more of the Spirit's influence that you may be led into all truth.

But the Christian religion is not only proved to be of Divine origin from external evidence, but this position might be confirmed also by its own internal witness. Christianity is every way worthy of God, and most admirably adapted for man. Its doctrines are most pure, its faith most sublime, and its precepts most instructive. These points, however, are somewhat wide of our subject, and we must next proceed to speak of the personality of the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Spirit is, in the Scriptures, described as a person, and has all those dispositions and operations which unquestionably belong to a person attributed to Him. Paul exhorts us not to grieve the Spirit of God. Isaiah calls Him the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and fear. Further, it is evident that the Holy Ghost is distinct from the Father and the Son, because He is sent by them both. It is not absolutely necessary to appear in a bodily shape, or in a visible form, to display an attribute or quality; but this the Holy Spirit did, as at the day of Pentecost. Again, making intercession is a personal act, which is attributed to the Spirit (Rom. viii, 27). And, lastly, it is evident that the Spirit is a person, because sin may be committed against Him. (See Isa. lxiii, 10; Matt. xii, 31; Acts, v, 3; &c.)

In proof of the Divinity of the Holy Ghost we refer (1) to the allegation of Peter that Annanias had sinned against the Holy Ghost; and, referring to the same act, the apostle said, "Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God." (2) One principal design of the Christian religion was to drive away polytheism or the worship of multiplicity of Gods; and as the disciples taught the doctrine of the Trinity in unity they would have laid themselves open to the charge of idolatry unless the Holy Spirit had been very God. (3) The language of the Old Testament, as well as the New, refers Divine attributes to the Spirit, such as omnicience, omnipresence, omni