can be understood by Leicester case, where they tax some of their members with faction? Or by the case of Leak, where they busy themselves about suits, I suppose they mean courtship? What does Halifax mean by speaking of expenses necessary to maintain the cause of Christ? Is there not reason to fear that Nottingham hath been too busy in ex

for which the pretence of orthodoxy unimportant, and therefore I see very was a beggarly apology. In us poor little to publish of the modern baptists anabaptists, whose only merit is, not in London. The glory, the love of liliterature and superior devotion, for in berty universal, is departed from Israel, them the very monks excel us, but a at least from that part of it, which prelove of liberty; in us, what is the go- sumes to strut forward, and give itself vernment of conscience, the consciences out for the cause. The particulars are too of upright though poor men, strug intoxicated with a false system of disgling against hunger, nakedness, cold, jointed metaphysics, which they call contempt, and penury, but a silly ty- the gospel. The generals, if one may ranny! Can five pounds a year bribe judge by their books, which they pub these poor things into an acknowledge- lish as a body, are less tenacious of a ment of human authority over con- system of faith, but equally zealous for science, and tacit denial of the suffici- an impracticable discipline. What else ency and perfection of scripture! O poor hearts! As wise and competent as their Lords in London, they ought not to be insulted with a scrap of scholastical divinity. Pray, good Sir, with what face can such inconsistent men ask for the repeal of the test act? what do they mean to subvert prelates and civil magistrates, not out of love to mankind, but that they may have an opportunity communicating? Is Burnley wise to lay of playing Jupiter themselves? Yes, yes, I have given their imposition a right name, and instead of altering it, I will think of something more harsh, and more fully expressive of the injustice and cruelty of all such demagogues, as publish their silly oracles in the name of Almighty God, and under pain of damnation, not merely to him that denies, but even to him that doubts the truth of what they please to whistle! Are they Christians in town? so are we in the country. Have they the scriptures? so have we. Have they understandings and consciences? so have we. Are they then to add to the scriptures, and tell us what we are to believe on every idle question which they please to start? Pray God forgive them, and enlighten their dark minds into the dignity of man, the nature of civil government, the perfections of God, the sufficiency of scripture, the kingly office of Jesus Christ, the bond of union among Christians, and other subjects of the same kind, of which one would suppose they had never heard.

I perceive by the proceedings of the general assembly of 1788, p. 4, that we may expect some account of your denomination from yourself and Mr. Kingsford. It is questionable whether I ever write the history of modern En glish baptists; and if I do I shall not come at them these three or four years. My notion of the dignity of history forbids me to publish any thing little and

out 300l. when they can raise only 50%.? And what do they mean at Nottingham by, Zeal in the cause of the Lord Jesus? Does the association take cognizance of property, deeds, titles, &c.? And do the churches pretend to give advice more full to the purpose, than sensible and respectable attorneys? See Wadsworth. Does not the case at Longford imply the power of the association to judge and choose a pastor, for a people who pretend to independency? And are you aware, that your books are bought, bound up, preserved in libraries, and intended to be used as arguments against you and your successors, in proof of your exercising dominion, and in logy for the exercise of that dominion *apowhich the friends of an established hierarchy intend to perpetuate? See, say they, "How futile all the objections urged by these people against us are, when they are obliged to exercise the same dominion to uphold their congregations." "Behold," say they, "Their faith and discipline are weak and unproductive; by their own confession neither their families nor their churches are in a state of superior knowledge, or refined morality.”

Believe me, my friend, you are off the bottom of the old baptists, whose history is edifying, because it exhibits genuine freedom and sublime virtue. The present plan of all parties in England is obscured by priesthood, and the poison of that pervades every part of the body, and in proportion as any body

grows important to the church, "the King of kings, 2nd Lord of lords, the express image of the Father, the brightness of his glory" diminishes in splendour, and goes into an eclipse; in our churches partial, in the limes of po-, pery total. Degrees of more and less are the only distinctions between us and

established corporations, calling them
selves churches. Should I proceed I
might write a folio. Hoping shortly to
see you, and wishing you every bene-
diction that can make a
man great,
good and happy,

I remain, dear Sir, your's ever,
ROBERT ROBINSON.

ON THE LIGHT OR SPIRIT OF CHRIST WITHIN MAN, AS PROFESSED BY THE FRIENDS, IN REPLY TO VERITAS.

In the number for the first tated by the spirit of God, so month of this year, p. 31, ap- the spirit must be superior to the peared some "observations on the scriptures. 3dly. That conseinward light of the Quakers," quently these immediate inspiraby Veritas; occasioned by a pa- tions or dictates of the spirit, per signed Philo inserted in the must have been to the sacred penMonthly Review, in reply to a men, at least, more immediately critique in that work. Who was a rule of conduct than scriptures the writer of the paper addressed previously written, though pro to the Monthly Reviewers, under ceeding from the same spirit, the signature of Philo, I know not, without either superseding or unneither have I before me either dervaluing the said scriptures. the Monthly Reviewers' critique These propositions appear so selfor Philo's answer; but as Philo evident, that I shall not detain may not be a reader of the Month- the reader by attempting to prove ly Repository, I hope to be ex- them. cused for offering a few consi- Thus the question between the derations in reply to those argu- Friends and their opponent re ments which "militate," as Veritas solves itself to this single point: thinks, against the adoption of Whether the spirit of God, which such a doctrine.”

not only taught the Israelites, through the medium of the written law, but also inmediately by the urim and thummim, and by his prophets as particular or difficult occasions required, has entirely taken his flight from the earth, and left, instead of his immediate presence in the Holy

If I understand Veritas, he condemns the friends for ascribing that to the light of Christ in man, which belongs exclusively to the scriptures. To simplify the point under consideration, I shall premise three propositions which can admit of little, if any, controversy. 1st. That God revealed of Holies in the temple and with his will to the saints of old by his spirit, and that from these revelations proceeded the scriptures of truth. 2ndly. That as the "peculiar excellency of the scriptures consists in their being dic

VOL. III.

the prophets, a few general written instructions for our moral and religious conduct? Veritas must first prove from the scriptures that this is one of the features by which the new covenant is dis

2 T

tinguished from the old, before stood and applied so as to edify
he can reasonably expect to con and build us up in the faith of the
vert us to an opinion so frigid gospel.
and sterile, which grants us less Not having Philo's paper be-
of the divine presence under the fore me, I cannot fully judge of
Christian than under the Mosaic the accuracy of the analogy he
dispensation; but he has not at- has drawn, between human rea.
tempted to support his novel opini- son and the spirit of God, with
on by a single passage of scripture. respect to the laws instituted by
The doctrine of divine influence each, but it must be admitted
is, indeed, expressed in such in that the holy spirit is as inuch
delible.characters in the sacred superior to the scriptures, as hu-
writings, that it is admitted by man reason is to the laws insti-
the generality of Christians; the tuted by it. As nothing can rise
principal difference between the higher than its source, so human
Friends and others, consists rather laws will partake of the fallibility
in the mode and extent of the in- of human reason and require re-
fluence of the spirit, than in the vision; but laws instituted by the
thing itself. As our opponent holy spirit, cannot require revi-
has not attacked us on scripture sion through any defect in the
ground, I shall be brief and only source whence they proceed,
observe, nearly in the words of the hence "the infallibility and per-
apostle; that if as the things of manency of the scriptures" are
a man are only known by the not affected by this analogy be-
spirit of man, so the things of tween them and human laws; ne
God knoweth no man but the
spirit of God: then the scriptures,
which relate to the things of God,
cannot be known to man by his
natural reason, unenlightened by
the spirit of God; hence the apos-
tle James recommends those who
want wisdom, not to himself nor
to any outward writing, but to
ask of God who giveth liberally,
and upbraideth not; which agrees
with what our Saviour also says,
that our heavenly Father will give
his holy Spirit to them that ask
him. The Spirit is, therefore, as
Barclay observes, "the founda
tion and ground of all truth and
knowledge, and the primary rule
of faith and manners." Not as
opposed to, or contradicting the
holy scriptures, which were writ-
ten by its dictates, but as being
that, without which, in various
instances, they cannot be under

vertheless the holy spirit is not
limited by its own institutions, so
as to be prevented abrogating them
when they have answered the end
designed; thus the Mosaic dis.
pensation which was only intend
ed as a school-master to lead to
Christ, was abrogated by the holy
spirit after its types and figures
were fulfilled in Christ to whom
they pointed. There must have
been some confusion in the ideas of
Veritas, when he supposed that
it would not be contended for by
Philo, that the docuinal parts of
Christianity exist inherently
in the holy spirit that gave them
forth. What Barclay says, is,
that though the spirit can reveal
"an historical faith and know-
ledge of the birth of Christ in the
flesh without the means of the
scriptures," it is not usually so
revealed, neither is to be ess

tians."

pected by us or any other Chris- mand, or which he can appropriate to himself; but as a free gift "The fairest way of investigat- imparted to him through Christ, ing the subject now under discus for his deliverance from the evil sion," says Veritas, "is to con- and darkness of his fallen nature, sider the effect which a general and which only illuminates his assent to this opinion would most understanding in proportion to probably produce, among the his obedience to its dictates. Let various sects professing Christi- us now compare this sentiment anity." I had always thought with that which is adopted by that the scriptures were primarily those who consider themselves the the criterion whereby we were to advocates for human reason: they judge of the truth of any reli- ascribe to this faculty, not only gious opinion, and that its prae- an ability, independent of divine tical tendency was to be decided influence, to comprehend the spiby the conduct of those who hold ritual truth revealed in the sarip such opinion; but it seems that tares, but also consider themselves Veritas has discovered a new, and authorized to reject any doctrine. what he conceives to be, a fairer contained in the scriptures, that criterion to judge of the practical their reason cannot fathom, or tendency of a doctrine, by pro- that does not square with their ducing instead of its real genuine pre-conceived notions, whereby fruits, some hypothetical fruits. they would make the revealed Facts were against our oppo- will of the infallible God bow to Hent, he had therefore, recourse the decision of the fallible unento hypothesis, and what is the lightened reason of man. It re. result? He is obliged to suppose quires but little consideration to that a number of persons could determine which of these two op, embrace a certain opinion with- posite opinions ascribes the most out its producing its usual effects to God, and the least to the crea on their habits and modes of ture, and consequently which of thinking." These effects must the two is not likely to cherish be better known to those who have pride and self-confidence, (the felt them, than to one, who de- genuine parent of religious asperinies the existence of the "inward ty and of persecution) and if it light" by which they are pro. were necessary, this might be il duced; and I am inclined to think lustrated not by hypothetical, that the whole of the reasoning of but by real facts. Veritas, with regard to this divine' I ascribe to a want of a perfect light, may possibly arise from knowledge of what we believe, his inattention to the effects of its with respect to the divine light in operations on the mind. Instead man, the assertion of Veritas that of making man presumptuous and its " power and influence on the confident in himself, it makes human mind, must of necessity him absolutely dependent on a overcome all opposition and im. superior power for every good and press upon the heart of every inperfect gift,for this divine light dividual one simple and uniform is not considered as something truth." For we do not believe

rat man has at his own com- that it consists with the scheme of

divine government and the moral be of any avail. An explanation agency of man as set forth in the is also requested by him between scriptures that the liberty of the the inward light, and "the actions of men, should be de- enthusiasm of the various sectastroyed by the irresistible impulse rists;" but until I am informed of a superior power; so that what is meant by "the enthuthough we believe that all are, siam of the various sectarists," I as they submit to the operations must decline any reply to a quesof the holy spirit within them, in tion, the terms of which are too a proportionate degree led and go- indefinite to convey any distinct verned by it, yet the careless and meaning. To prevent an error disobedient who despise its re- not unusual in discussions of this proofs and will have none of its nature, it should be observed, instructions are not taught by it, that the Friends do not deny the for though it invites all, it com- use of reason in religion, what pels none. they maintain is, that the reason Veritas calls upon Philo for an or understanding of man must be accurate distinction between the enlightened by the holy spirit, inward light and human reason; before he can have a right coathis distinction has been already, ception of spiritual or divine I should suppose, sufficiently truth. pointed out to prevent any mis- Justice to Veritas requires me take with respect to our views; to acknowledge the moderation and for further information, I may with which he has stated his obrefer Veritas to 1 Cor. chap. ii. jections to the doctrine of the diJer. xxxi. 31 to 34. Heb. viii. vine light in man, and the re7.to 11. Joel, ii. 17, and to speciful manner, in which he various other passages of similar, speaks of the Society of Friends;. import: for if the scriptures, and I hope he will seriously rewhich he considers as the only reflect what it is that makes this velation of the Divine will to man "class of men, individually an at this day, will not convince him, honour to society," seeing that no it is not to be supposed that any effect can exist without a cause. thing I could further add would

J. B.