The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 12

PREFACE OF THE AUTHOR

xii

for our sanctification only, the

Holy

Spirit is

added accidentally to

the great redemptive work.

This

is

the reason

the Holy Spirit;

honored

;

You

of God,

make Him

when bowed

He

little

occupied with

Word He

is

so

little

in supplication before

so little the object of their adora-

feel involuntarily that of

small enough,

are so

in the ministry of the

why the people

the Throne of Grace, tion.

why our thoughts

why

our piety, which

is

already

receives a too scanty portion.

And since this is the result of an inexcusable lack of knowledge and appreciation of His glorious Work in the entire creation, holy enthusiasm constrained me, in the power of God, to offer my fellow champions for the faith once delivered by the fathers, some assistance in this respect.

May the Holy Spirit, whose divine Work I have uttered in human words and with stammering tongue, crown this labor with such blessing that you may feel His unseen Presence more closely, and that He may bring to your disquieted heart more abundant consolation.

Amsterdam, April

Postscript for

lo,

1888.

American

This work contains

readers,

occasional

I

add one more observation. against Methodism

polemics

which to the many ministers and members of the churches called Be it, there"Methodist" may appear unfair and uncalled for. fore, clearly stated that my controversy with Methodism is never with these particular churches. The Methodism that I contend with prevailed until recently in nearly all the Protestant churches as an unhealthy fruit of the Reveil in the beginning of this century. Methodism as here intended is identical with what Mr. Heath, in The Contanporary Review (May, 1898), criticized as wofully inadequate to place Protestantism again at the head of the spiritual movement.

Methodism was born out of the spiritual decline of the EpiscoIt arose as the reaction of the pal Church of England and Wales. spiritual subjective against the destructive of the individual and community in the as manifested in the objective power of the precious and unthe reaction was As such England. of Church doubtedly a gift of God, and in its workings it would have continued just as salutary if it had retained its character of a predominant reaction.

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