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from the writings of St. Paul, that enthusiasm had once risen to so great a height in the Corinthian church, that the communion was polluted by the members of that church, and its public ordinances thrown into the utmost disorder. Now, if the apostle had himself been an enthusiast, he would have seen those disorders without regret; or, had he been like the ministers of the present day, he would have rejoiced at the pretext afforded him by the fanatical Corinthians, for turning into ridicule devotion and zeal, the power of prayer, and the gift of exhortation. But, equally attached both to order and zeal, he wrote to them in the following terms:- "I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied : for he that prophesieth edifieth the church. Forasmuch," then, "as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. Brethren, be not children in understanding, but men. Ye may all prophesy, that all may learn, and all may be comforted." And observe this, that "the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets; for God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. Let all things be done decently and in order." 1 Cor. xiv. It is by adopting the admirable method of this apostle that the good pastor endeavours to root up the tares of enthusiasm without injuring the invaluable grain of devotion.

Here it may, perhaps, be inquired, “If particular manifestations of the Spirit are admitted, how is it possible to shut the door against dangerous illusions? Would it not be wiser entirely to reject the dispensation of the Spirit while it is confessedly attended with so many difficulties ? and would it not make for the happiness of the church, was every member of it to rest contented with having the holy scriptures explained according to the best rules of reason and criticism? We answer, By no means. Bad money, indeed, is frequently put into our hands; but is it necessary on this account to obstruct the free course of that which is intrinsically good? And would it be

reasonable to refuse a sovereign prince the right of coining for the state, lest that coin should be counterfeited or defaced? As in society, after warning the public of their danger, we content ourselves with apprehending the man who attempts to impose upon us in this way; so we may rest fully satisfied with adopting the same mode of conduct in regard to the church of God.

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Let it be here observed, that the operations of the Holy Spirit upon the hearts of believers are to be distinguished from the effects of enthusiasm in the imagination of visionaries, just as readily as we distinguish health from sickness, wisdom from folly, and truth from falsehood. The believers of Rome could say, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." Rom. viii. 16. "By one Spirit are we all baptized," say the Corinthians, "and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." 1 Cor. xii. 13. And St. Paul could testify that many of the Ephesians were "sealed by the Holy Spirit of God unto the day of redemption." Eph. iv. 30. They were all enthusiasts," says a modern doctor, "unless they could restore sight to the blind, raise the dead from their graves, and fluently converse in a variety of languages which they had never taken the trouble to study." "No," insinuates the apostle: "you forget the essential for the accessory, and found your system upon false suppositions : 'Are all workers of miracles? have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues?' There must, then, be some more indubitable method of distinguishing those whose bodies are become temples of the Holy Ghost; and 'I show unto you this more excellent way.'" 1 Cor. xii. 29-31. What was meant by this excellent way may be satisfactorily discovered by an attentive perusal of the following chapter, in which the apostle would have the examination to turn, not upon the gift of prophecy, and much less that of languages, but essentially upon all the characters of charity. This was the reasoning of Augustine, as well as of St. Paul, when he made use of the following expression: * "You then speak from the

• De Spiritu dicis, si dicis ardens igne caritatis.—Augustine.

Spirit of God, when you speak from a heart glowing with love." This also was the method in which Christ himself was accustomed to argue on this point. "Beware," said he," of false prophets. Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Matt. vii. 15, 17, 20. And "the fruit of the Spirit," continues St. Paul," is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." Galatians v. 22, 23. Now, fanaticism was never known to bear such fruits as these; on the contrary, it produces divisions, foolish joy, or stupid melancholy, trouble, impatience, and excess of different kinds. Nay, it is frequently observed to produce assertions diametrically opposite both to scripture and reason, together with absurd pretensions to new revelations.

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It may be asked in this place with a show of reason, "If Christ still continues to reveal himself by his Spirit to every true believer, are not such manifestations to be considered as so many new revelations?" To this we reply, that when the apostle of the gentiles petitioned for his Ephesian converts, "the spirit of wisdom and revelation," Eph. i. 17, he was not to be understood as requesting, that God would communicate to them a new gospel; but rather, that he would assist them to discover all the glory, and to experience all the power, of that inestimable gospel which had been already published among them. Open mine eyes," said David, "that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." Psalm cxix. 18. And when God was graciously pleased to answer this prayer of the royal prophet, he undoubtedly visited him with the illumination of his Holy Spirit. But that Spirit was imparted, not for the purpose of revealing to him a new law, but merely that he might be enabled to fathom the depths of that holy law which had been given long before. Thus also Christian believers are constantly offering up their joint supplications, that God would strengthen them "by his Spirit in the inner man," not for the experience of new revelations, but "that they may be enabled to comprehend with all saints the unsearchable love of Christ, and be filled with all the fulness of God." Eph. iii. 16, 18, 19.

After having defended internal Christianity against carnal Christians and deluded fanatics, the faithful pastor is obliged, on another part, to resist the attacks of gainsaying philosophers. And this he endeavours to do by reasoning with them upon this important subject in the following

manner.

We consider the supreme Being as a divine Sun, whose centre is every where, and whose circumference is no where; a Sun whose light is truth, and whose heat is charity. The truths of Christianity we consider as so many beams issuing from this glorious Sun for the illumination of the soul; and as the rays of the natural sun may be collected and rendered more powerful by the interposition of a properly-constructed medium, so the rays of this divine Sun are concentred and rendered more operative by the humanity of Christ. When any of these rays, passing through the understanding, begin to strike forcibly upon the heart, they melt down its stubbornness, refine its nature, and kindle in it a fire of love to God and man. Further we believe these changes to be effected in the soul by that secret energy which is called by many "the inspiration of the Holy Spirit," by some "the influence" of that Spirit, and by others, "the grace of God."

Is there any absurdity in this doctrine? Can the intellectual world be supposed to merit the Creator's attention in a less degree than the material world? If the rays of light that incessantly issue from the sun are supposed to pass through the space of many millions of miles in a single moment, for the illumination and support of the material world, should it appear incredible, that the most speedy and effectual succours may be imparted to holy souls by that more glorious Sun which enlightens and vivifies the intellectual world? From the cedar of Lebanon to the moss that covers its bark, no plant can vegetate, from the astronomer who measures the heavens to the animalcule that loses itself in the cup of a violet as in a vast abyss,—not a creature can exist, but through the allpervading influence of the natural sun. Beneath this wonderful star not a single animal is found which carries

in itself its grand principle of light, heat, and motion. And if all organized bodies depend upon this indescribable luminary for their existence, their increase, and their perfection, may we not reasonably argue from the rules of analogy, that as certainly as there is a spiritual world, so there must be a spiritual Sun, which carries life and light to the inhabitants of that world?

Do you act in a rational manner, continues the true minister, if because you cannot comprehend how this Sun may be said to act upon spirits, you shut your eyes against his light, and obstinately deny his very existence ? Can you comprehend how the material sun, without suffering any decay in himself, is continually darting around him rays sufficient to illumine and cheer revolving worlds? Can you explain how these rays are impelled with such amazing velocity through the immense space by which that sun is separated from those worlds? Or can you describe the means by which they awaken in us the sensation of sight? Moreover, is it not absurd to suppose, that the Almighty is more solicitous that we should perceive the difference between white and black, than that we should discover the more important distinctions between virtue and vice, truth and error?

If you object, that the material sun is plainly perceived, and the power of his beams universally felt, by mankind; it may be replied, that he is not always discoverable. Sometimes he is eclipsed; frequently he is enveloped with thick clouds; and, at other times, his rays glance upon us in so oblique a manner, that their influence is scarcely perceptible it is possible also to exclude his light by means of curtains or walls; and the cataract effectually opposes his most direct beams. In the moral world there are obstacles of a similar nature, which frequently obstruct the course of celestial light. Clouds of error and vice are constantly rising around us, which, by obscuring the Sun of righteousness, leave room for the incredulous to doubt of his existence. The eye is, in general, so much dazzled with the glare of material objects, that it cannot discover the lustre of a different light. Sometimes invincible prejudice, like a confirmed cataract, intercepts the strongest

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