former warfares-pregnant with the constructions, the "impressions," the derisions, and the falsehoods of the Baxters and the Owens, of the sixteenth century? How can these men call the doctrine of the "light of Christ" in man,-mysticism, impression, delusion of Satan, and tending to lead "step by step into the gulf of Hicksism and deism ?”.

With calumnies such as these, falling from their pens, and rankling in their hearts, one of these writers assumes the character of EVANGELICAL, for his publication goes under the title of "The Evangelical Magazine;"-but how closely he resembles the Evangelists in his irreverend and scornful mode of desig-nating, “that light" which is "the life of men," I leave to "the light" in his own conscience to judge; and would feelingly recommend him to forego the mockery of assuming the title of EVANGELICAL, for a Sectarian publication, which makes itself the vehicle for publishing opprobrious and derogatory sentiments, respecting Him who said, "I am the light of

the world."

And can it with any show of truth or reason be contended, that the writings of holy men which have been given out in the light and Spirit of Christ, are a "higher rule" to men than that light and Spirit itself? What rule had Abraham to walk by? What Scriptures had HE? Not those at all events, that we have; for venturesome and dogmatical as you are in your assertions, you will scarcely have the face to assert, that they were written in HIS time. What rule then did HE walk by? And what rule did Enoch walk by, of whom it is said, that he "walked with God?" What Scriptures had these faithful men to resort to, in order to try "the truth of every doctrine, and the propriety of every practice?" What "light" did they follow? What word did they preach? What rock did they drink of? Think ye not, that it was "the light of the world?" the Word that was in the beginning? the spiritual rock of which all the fathers drank? and was not that light-that word and that rock Christ? And what authority more than your own "impressions," or "the delu...**

sions of Satan," can you adduce-what more than a limping syllogism to demonstrate, that this everlasting light this eternal word-this spiritual and unmoveable rock of which the "fathers drank," and to which the righteous of all ages have fled, and found refuge, has withdrawn its beams, its power, and its living waters, from all but those only who have the printed records, (and but a small portion of these either,) of the revelations in former ages?

CHAPTER VI.

THE powerful testimonies to the light of Christ, adduced in the last chapter, are, I conceive, amply sufficient to demonstrate, to any but those who are disposed to cavil at the plainest truths, that, whatever light within, or " Beacon" without, man may "set up, ," there is but one light, which is the "life of men," and that light is Christ. And whether men bow down before idols that are the work of their own hands, and the device of their own hearts; or whether they worship the host of heaven, or any of the innumerable things, all good in their kind, that the all-beneficent Father of the universe hath given forth from his inexhaustible stores of creation, still to Him alone is all power, and honour and glory due; neither will he give it to another. The Patriarchs “walked" with him; Moses hearkened to his voice; and he led the children of Israel through the wilderness, by a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. "At sundry times, and in divers manners, he spake in times past, unto the fathers by the PROPHETS, and hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." These things have been recorded by holy men, as they have been moved thereunto by his Holy Spirit, "that we, through patience and comfort thereof, might have hope." Part of these writings have been lost-part remain unto this day, subject to the constructions and misconstructions-the translations and mistranslations of fallible, partial, and erring man.

Some learned men render a text this way, others render it another; those that do not understand the dead languages, are obliged to take it upon the faith of those that do; and, splitting into divers parties, the Christian world, as it is called, are swept along

the varied currents of opinion, either because they were brought. forth upon the stream which bears them on, or fall into it by accident, or feel themselves at liberty to embark on that, which in their opinion, appears most likely to empty itself, direct and unimpeded, into the ocean of eternal life. Thus running, as they do, divers ways, contradicting and confuting each other-they profess but one beacon to direct them—but one “ultimate appeal for the truth of every doctrine, and the propriety of every practice." I can only compare it to so many travellers to a country or a city, who, furnished with a valuable history of the perils and hardships, the discoveries and joys of former travellers, who have been commissioned by the king to record their experiences for the instruction and consolation of those that might follow, relating those things of which they were witnesses

which their eyes had seen and their hands handled of the Word of life;"-I-say that I can only compare it all to so many travellers, furnished with so valuable a directory, wasting their time, and disputing about whether this verb should be translated indicatively or imperatively, and numerous other important trifles; but at the very same time they were thus strenuously contending for their diverse readings and understandings, nevertheless extolling this collection as the HIGHEST RULE, by which every individual man can walk, instead of falling in with the very recommendation of the writings themselves, which declare CHRIST, and not themselves, to be "the way" that leads to the Father, and who, of old, "opened the Scriptures to the disciples as they journeyed with him, and who has promised "to abide" and "teach us all things," and "lead us into all truth," unless, like the Scribes, thinking that in the Scriptures we have eternal life, we will not go unto Him, "that we might have life.'

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That" there can be no higher rule than the Holy Scriptures," stands, we have clearly seen, upon no other authority than the construction put upon certain expressions or passages of the Scriptures, and a conclusion deduced from an illogical syllogism. But,

although there does not exist a passage throughout the Bible in which the Bible or Scripture is declared to be a rule (which I do not dispute it is in a conditional sense,) much less "that there can be no higher rule; yet the Apostle, in his Epistle to the Galatians and Philippians, speaks of a rule, recommends it, and blesses those who walk by it. Now, it may not be without profit and instruction, if we just turn to these two places and see if we can find what rule it was that the Apostle recommended; and discover, if we can, whether it was the SAME rule asserted by Baxter, Crewdson, and the Reviewers-whether it was a rule equal, inferior, or superior to the one which they have syllogised into the HIGHEST.

We will turn to the Galatians first, and in the 6th chapter, 15th and 16th verses, we find it written, "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a NEW CREATURE. And as many as walk according to THIS RULE, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God." Here is the favourite and identical word "rule." Now, then, to what rule does the Apostle allude? It can certainly be misstated, but I feel it no breach of charity to say that it cannot be MISTAKEN by any sane person, arrived to years of understanding, who reads the preceding verses of the chapter, unless they "be given over to strong delusion, and to believe a lie.' Does the Apostle so much as hint at any Scrip-. ture? No! he is telling the Galatians, that neither the practice or neglect of a certain ceremony, are of any avail in Christ Jesus, but a new creature." And what is a "new creature," the only available thing in Christ? "They that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts." "He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his." "This, I say, then, WALK in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh." "If we live in the

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Spirit, let us also WALK in the Spirit." So that here is not only living in the Spirit, but walking in the Spirit; which, perhaps, Isaac Crewdson and the Reviewers may think an incongruity," although exhorted to do so by their highest rule. And is not

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