so frequently meet with, has been particularly dwelt on; with a view to shew that they ought not to be regarded, as is commonly done, in the light merely of difficulties to be surmounted, but as a peculiar and most wisely-contrived mode of instruction.

In the concluding Essay, I have applied the principles before laid down to the ascertainment of the sense of Scripture respecting the doctrine of spiritual influence :-a doctrine not only of the highest practical importance; and one concerning which the greatest difficulties have been started;—but also one in respect of which, more perhaps than any other, Paul's authority has been confidently appealed to by some in support of the most extravagant conclusions, and for that reason, depreciated or disregarded by others.

In treating of these subjects, it has been my aim, not, to ascertain, on each point,

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everything that may be reasonably believed and plausibly maintained; but, what we are bound to believe and to maintain as a part of the Gospel-revelation; and this distinction I have more than once adverted to, as being one of the highest importance, and not seldom overlooked.

In the prosecution of these inquiries, I have freely availed myself of whatever remarks or illustrations I chanced to meet with in various authors, that appeared suitable to my purpose. As therefore there is, I trust, no novelty in the doctrines inculcated, so there is no pretension to complete originality in the arguments adduced. If I shall have succeeded in selecting such as are at once sound, and generally intelligible, and in arranging and expressing them in a perspicuous and interesting manner, the object proposed will have been accomplished.

I have only to add, that the design of

the present Work being, not so much to refute or to advocate the tenets of any particular person or party, by means of an appeal to Scripture, as to facilitate the interpretation of Scripture to those who are seeking in simplicity for divine truths, I trust it will be received by the candid, even among such as may in some points differ from me, with no feeling of partyprejudice or hostile suspicion.

To the present edition is subjoined a Charge delivered in 1836, and which was then published at the request of the Archdeacon and Clergy. It appeared desirable, however, to reprint it in this volume on account of the close connexion of the subject with those of the Fifth and Sixth of these Essays.

ESSAY I.

ON THE LOVE OF TRUTH.

1. THAT any one who undertakes to propagate or to maintain any religion should represent it as a true one, and should demand reception for it on that ground, seems to us of the present day so natural and unavoidable, that many probably would be ready to take for granted that this must have been the case always;-that the question of "true or false?" must always have stood, as it certainly ought to stand, on the very threshold of every inquiry respecting such a subject; and that all who adhered to an old, or embraced a new religious system, or rejected either, however credulous, or prejudiced, or otherwise bad judges of evidence they might be, yet must have supposed themselves at least to be determined by evidence of some kind or other,

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