that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, if any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they who believe on him should receive." And as that Spirit, which God gives to Christians to dwell in them, is nothing but holiness, or a benevolent heart; so he requires them to be filled with the Spirit, to live in the Spirit, and to walk in the Spirit. That is, to live and walk in the exercise of real holiness, or that love which is the fulfilling of the law. 5. The Spirit of God dwells in Christians operatively, and not personally. The third person in the sacred Trinity no more dwells in Christians than the first, or second person. Neither of them personally reside in the souls of saints. But the Holy Spirit in his official character, as sanctifier does operate habitually upon the hearts of Christians; in his special operations he does produce real holiness; this real holiness is called Spirit, this Spirit of holiness does dwell, abide, and exist in the minds of Christians and is united to all their powers and faculties, and becomes part of their moral existence. It is indeed, the spring or source of all their Christian obedience. So that the Spirit of God, the third person in the Trinity, dwells in Christians no otherwise than by his gracious habitual operations, which produce their holy exercises. This we believe, is a true, a plain and intelligible account of the indwelling of the Spirit in the hearts of Christians. And that nothing more, nor less than this can be fairly derived from any expressions of scripture on this subject. From the view we have taken of this subject, we may remark, 1. That the in-dwelling of the Spirit is essentially different from the inspiration of the Spirit. The Spirit inspired men without operating upon their hearts, or communicating the least degree of holiness. He sometimes inspired holy men, but he did not, in the act of inspiration, communicate holiness to them.He sometimes inspired wicked men without communicating grace. He inspired Balaam. He inspired Saul and Caiphas. But the inspiration of the Spirit. does not produce holiness in the hearts of men. But the in-dwelling of the Spirit does consist, essentially, in producing and maintaining holy affections in the hearts of believers. 2. The in-dwelling of the Spirit is essentially different from the gift of miracles. This gift it was the office of the Spirit to bestow in the primitive days of Christianity. But in bestowing this gift, he did not communicate the least degree of grace, or holiness. Paul supposed that men totally destitute of charity amight speak with tongues and have all supernatural gifts. 3. If the Spirit of God dwells in saints by his gracious operations; then there is nothing supernatural or mysterious in the doctrine of the in-dwelling of the Spirit, in the sanctification of the Spirit, or in the leading of the Spirit. He does all these things by producing holiness; the same holiness that he pro 1 duced in Adam, before he sin-profess to believe in the influ ence of the Spirit, have sometimes fallen iuto errors on this subject. Many have imagined that they were divinely direct ned, the same that he produces in saints in heaven, and the same that he produces in the angels of light. By producing holiness hedwells in Christians. By pro-ed, or divinely impressed to do what the scripture does not require, but even forbids. And many, no doubt under the influence of their animal passions, or selfish feelings, have supposed they were influenced by the divine Spirit. But such error and delusion are to be distinguished from the truth. ducing holiness he sanctifies and he leads the children of God. He leads them, by making them holy, in the path of duty, that is pointed out in the Bible. In this way, and in no other way, the Holy Spirit leads real Christians. Such a leading of the Spirit is perfectly rational and intelligible. It is neither miraculous, nor mysterious, nor supernatural, nor inexplicable. Let a true account be given of the special work of the Spirit and it will serve to prevent the prev-saving change. And these ef alence of ignorance and error, delusion and imagination on this important subject. 4. From this representation we learn how the Father and how Christ dwell in Christians. Paul says to his Christian brethren, " ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them." Again he prays, "that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love." John often speaks of God's dwelling in believers. It is by their gracious operations upon the hearts of Christians that God and Chris' dwell in them. 6. They, in whom the Spirit of God dwells, may know that they are Christians; for he produces such effects as are the true and only evidence of a fects differ essentially in their very nature from whatever exists in mankind by nature, or is experienced by formalists, or enthusiasts, and hypocrites. They, who are real Christians, have the evidence and witness of their piety in their own hearts. Hence the apostle says, "the Spirit itself beareth witness with our Spirit, that we are the children of God." And hence every real Christian may know that he is born of God, and is a new creature. "Every one that loves is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him." The Vanity of Riches.-A Paraphrase on Ecclesiastes v. 9-17. 5. We perceive that all experimental religion is most reasonable, and totally different from superstition, or enthusiasm. The effect of the Divine Spirit in his special operation, brings sinful men to the proper exercise of their rational faculties, and the holy enjoyment of their rational existence. Those who description of human vanity, THE whole book of Ecclesiastes was designed as a T and the unsatisfactory nature of earthly things. Such a picture as is drawn of them must restrain our immoderate desires for worldly enjoyments; cool our expectations of happiness from them, and thereby quicken us in seeking the spiritual riches which will entirely satisfy and never fail. them from the pen of a prince, the most powerful and prosperons of any on earth, while he remained in full possession of all the world can give. Looking on all the things which he enjoyed to the full extent that nature admits, he wrote the universal motto, "Vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities, all is vanity and vexation of spirit." Although the word of God, on every subject, ought to conclude our opinion; when we read this sentiment, by one who had just made the experiment, it seems to be still more convincing. Let the sensualist, the disbeliever, and worldly idolater, who will not regard God's word, still pay attention to the experiment, made under infinitely greater advantages than they have themselves any right to hope. Let them learn that if they expect perfect happiness here, they shall assuredly be disappointed. While Solomon passes the sentence, "Vanity of vanities," on the whole world, with all its variety of conditions, powers, and enjoyments, of which he takes a very comprehensive view in the course of the book, it does not appear to be done with a peevish or discontented mind. Every where he acknowledges the wisdom of divine Providence in its appointments; neither does he appear to undervalue the good things of time. As Solomon, the wise writer, was inspired by the Holy Spirit -so he had also been instructed by his own personal experience in this interesting subject. He was every way prepared to give us a true account of the value of the world, and what it can do towards affording true contentment. With the advantages he possessed to make a thorough experiment, all who have read the sacred history of the Hebrew nation, must be acquainted. Riches were heaped upon him by a bountiful Providence in quantities unknown before. He had unlimited power in his own, and great influence among surrounding nations. Wars had ceased; the nation was perfectly organized by his father David; so that there was nothing, beside the laws of religion, to interrupt his eager pursuit of pleasure. He was endowed with peculiar sagacity to devise the means of enjoyment, and wisdom to judge of its true value. Providence, in a peculiar man ner, had raised him up, and fitted him to make an experiment for the instruction of mankind. If a person, who was unfortunate, oppressed with poverty, and fallen from a more elevated state, had written the things found in this book, we should hath given to things here, and have imputed them to disap- all the appointments of his Propointment; but here we find 'vidence, going after him to exVOL. VI. NO. 4. The condition of this world, vain as it is, was adapted in infinite wisdom, to the moral character of men, and the purposes of divine grace. After we have surveyed the frail nature God S 1 amine, we can find nothing to be added to them, nor any thing to be taken from them, without marring the perfection of his plan and of his Providence. Among the extravagant passions of men, none is more common than a love of riches. Perhaps the reason is, that riches most effectually enable them to satisfy all their other worldly and sensual desires. There is an inimitable description of the vanity of riches in the 5th chapter of Ecclesiastes, from the 9th to the 17th verses. The remainder of this paper will be devoted to a paraphrase of this instructive pas sage. Ver. 9. "Moreover, the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field." Whatever real good the world can give, is equally enjoyed by all, if they have but a competence and a contented mind.The poor, industrious man, may have the fruits of the field. The king himself is served by the field; he hath his food and clothing; and he can actually convert to his own personal benefit no more. The meaning of the word PROFIT in this place, seems to be, the real, substantial benefits of the earth are for all. Nature is so constituted, that the man with a little, if it be a competency, doth really derive as much personal benefit to himself by what he possesses, as the îminensely rich, or the king on his throne. To support our animal lives in perfection, in health, and activity, for serving God and doing good, is all the personal benefit we can derive. The greatest riches will not add to our personal excellence, make our minds greater, or our hearts better. On the contrary, in how many cases do immense riches prove the means of nurturing the most destructive passions and appetites! How often are they the source of pride, and an ambition that will never be satisfied; how often the means of intemperate indulgence in meats and drinks that enervate both body and mind; how often do they excite the enmity of others to the great disquiet of life; how often, from that vain notion of independence, which they excite in the possessor, are they the cause of impiety towards God, and injustice to men! When riches have these effects, they are a sore evil instead of a good. Ver. 10. "He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase. This is also vanity." There cannot be a truth more certain than is here expressed. All men are in pursuit of happiness, of which we ourselves are conscious, and have full evidence of it in others. The pursuit of happiness is no sin, but rather a natural virtue, if it be sought in a lawful way. When God made his creatures with a principle of self-preservation, and a desire to be blessed, he placed before them the most ample objects of enjoyment. The sin consists in a vitiated taste, rejecting those objects of enjoyment which he provided, and chusing others that cannot satisfy. The corrupt heart, in the spirit of pride, first tries to become its own portion; until, finding nothing but guilt, painful passions, and emptiness here, it goes abroad among the creatures for a satisfying the only objects that can satisfy the soul eternally? And to enjoy these, the heart must be conformed to him. This is the true reason, "why he that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver." Ver. 11. "When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving, the beholding of them with their eyes?" good. Something in the world | infinite. The whole world is as is chosen; some idol is selected, insufficient to satisfy the smalland too frequently riches are est mind, as one of its atoms this idol. But where have we would be. The Godhead, with seen any one that is satisfied | the immensity of his works, are with silver, or with the abundance of increase, unless it be that blessed few, in whom the grace of God reigns; and where the grace of God is the cause of contentment, a little will be as sufficient for it as much. It is very common for men who know they are not contented with what they now possess, to think that some further addition will make them so. They feign to themselves a point of wealth, beyond which they do not wish to acquire. This is a delusion of the heart, ignorant of itself, and the nature of the creatures, compared with the nature of the mind. Give the wished success; let the worldly man attain to the proposed point of wealth, he is discontented as ever. Desire has spread with its new acquirements, and stretches forward more extensively than at first. It will repeat the folly for ever, and increase its exertions, until some unconquerable obstacle-death, or the grace of God, prevent them. And why does this happen, after all their real wants, and the wants of all their friends are completely and profusely supplied? It is because riches cannot satisfy the cravings of an intelligent soul. Intelligence needs another kind of food. Spirit and thought cannot be satisfied with matter. Even the indulgence and pleasures of the body leave the soul empty. Although the mind be finite, it continually flows out in growing desires, which will be eternally approximating towards Those who, through an immoderate desire of wealth, undertake vast concerns, and use all possible means for increasing property, do not consider into what a vexatious situation they may be plunging themselves. In the first place, they are in imminent danger of ruin by their rash and greedy desires; but suppose them successful in every adventure; it is others, and not they who derive the most solid advantages from their wealth. "When goods increase, they are increased that eat them."Theirs is the risk; theirs is the anxiety and responsibility; while others are in a peaceful state of mind, eating and wearing at their expense. All men are dependent, which must be their state in this world. The rich are as dependent as any others. The only reason this is not universally known is, bccause their dependence is of a kind that is not so easily noticed. As their wants increase, (and the increase of riches will naturally produce this effect,) their dependence on others for their satisfaction naturally in |