of every true and Scriptural Christian thus far, must be simply this that the Holy Spirit, as a Spirit of illumination, by his gracious influences upon the heart, helps us to understand and apply the holy Scriptures. He has not left the Book of God to its own effect, nor the means of grace to their own influence upon the heart; but He has graciously promised a quickening power within the soul, by which our attention shall be awakened, our understanding enlightened, our judgment exercised, and our wisdom directed to those views of the facts, doctrines, and duties of Christianity which shall make us obedient to the truth, and wise unto salvation. We are inclined to believe that Mr. Gurney, in truth, means nothing more than this; or, if he does, that he can produce no facts to establish the direct illumination, independent of Scripture, for which he contends. And if this be all, on what is the condemnation of other Christian churches founded, and wherein consists his difference on this topic from that church of Christ which is established in these realms ? But next for the word PERCEPTIBLE-perceptible gifts of illumination by the Spirit. Here, at least, we seem not at issue about words. Mr. Gurney is as sound a churchman in this expression as the compilers of our Seventeenth Article, which speaks of a doctrine "full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons, and such as FEEL (or perceive) in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh, and their earthly members, and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things." But certainly, here too, either the compiler of the Article or Mr. Gurney must be under some misconception in the use of the same words; since the Article makes it essential to perception of the Spirit within us, that he mortifies the works of the flesh, and draws up our minds to Show tej fhe Dn. „Dabo › 500r, H C 1 heaven: whereas Mr. Gurney considers this to be the very reason why we declare them to be imperceptible, that they are "hidden in their action, and revealed only in their fruits.' To make out then a case of difference between the pious author and the Anglican Church, we must suppose him to mean, that the impulses of the Spirit are so independent, as to be independent of the fruits they produce, and to be known as it were per se, or by their own light. It is an action "not hidden, but made known and revealed;" and this independently of the fruits produced. This method of revelation appears to be much of the same kind with that to which some religionists, both Calvinistic and Arminian, lay claim respecting their justification: they believe it, because they do believe it; an impression having been made upon their minds to that effect, which they regard as of a direct and supernatural kind; and this prior to any evidence ab extra, or any rational deduction whatever. But from this avola Mr. Gurney for a moment rescues his doctrine, when, on turning over the leaf, he presents us with the following sentence. Christ, in those operations which are alto "Since then Christ, or the Spirit of gether internal and independent of an outward revelation, (that is, independent of the Scriptures,] is light, it is plain that this Spirit in such inward operations makes manifest—communicates an ACTUAL MORAL SENSE-teaches what is right and what is wrong, in a perceptible or intelligible manner." Gurney, p. 38. Here then the Spirit gives an actual perceptible moral sense; a rule of right and wrong, be it ob- | served, independent of the Scriptures. But now the question re turns again with all its force, Is the operation of the Spirit perceptible because he gives the moral sense: or does the moral sense, the recog nition of right and wrong itself de... pend upon a prior perception of the Spirit? If from a prior perception bolsazat e ndbourg has dy.6 N11:40 TALIH ) of the Spirit, then is the Spirit it self perceived, without any perceptible token beforehand-the very case of those who believe their justification by its own light; the very case of every enthusiast, who believes because he believes, and is able to bear down, by the hardihood of assertion, the weak and the credulous. But if the Spirit itself be perceived by its giving, and because it gives, a moral sense which verifies its operation, then have we the precise doctrine of the Anglican church; only with this difference, that the Anglican church verifies the moral sense itself by the Scriptures, and Friends either by nothing at all, or circularly, again, by their perception of the Spirit; whilst their perception of the Spirit itself had been before verified by its giving the moral sense. We must confess that the dilemma seems to us to be inextricable. When a Friend goes forth," the burden of the Lord resting upon him, to promulgate, in other places, families, or neighbourhoods, the spirituality of the Gospel dispensation," p. 186, we presume we have the clearest possible modern instance of this alleged direct and perceptible inspiration from above. The place, the persons, the advice are all suggested; and the individual endeavours to follow no other guidance, throughout the progress of his travels, but the gentle and secret intimations of the Divine word within him. Under this guidance, he passes from place to place, and from meeting to meeting; and at length, when his work is done, he is permitted to return home to his usual occupations, with" a remunerating and confirming sense of rest, liberty, and consolation." p. 187. We certainly believe that often, of such a faithful and selfdenying service, the reward is with the Most High. But, after all, what is this direct and perceptible work of inspiration, when a little more closely viewed? Are persons, places, and principles revealed CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 276. to our traveller, of which he had possessed no previous knowledge; no, not a suspicion of their existence? Are dispositions of individuals, or wants and conjunctures of churches, revealed to him, which he had no other means whatever of observing or ascertaining; no more than we might have of a person' whom we accidentally meet in Cheapside or the Bank, and whom we had never seen or heard of before? That indeed would look like revelation. But do Friends plead for this intuitive or inspired knowledge? Do they claim for themselves, by direct inspiration on such occasions, the knowledge of individuals upon mere occurrence, and without a single reflex observation, but by the dictation of the Spirit within? The amount of the percep tible inspiration which is contended for, we apprehend, is this: a man feels a concern for the benefit of his fellow-creatures, or for the propaga tion of certain principles which he has well considered and appre ciated. The desire arises in his mind (and the Christian will ever' know to whom to attribute a good desire), to act according to the concern he feels. The subject gradually takes possession of his whole soul: he determines to go;" and then (mark the important con dition,) if his friends at home allow the suggestion to be from above, and the occasion to be meet, he is, with proper credentials, proper perceptio ble credentials of "paper and ink," permitted to go, to discharge, hiscommission and his concience, and to return in peace. And what, we may say, is there in all this, but what might occur every day among the laity of our own church, if its discipline happened to permit; and what does occur with every con scientious ordained minister, whether at home or abroad; and what is in full accordance with the operations of that Divine Spirit from whom › proceed, in their proper and ordi-1 nary course, all holy desires, alli good counsels, and all just works? 5 H 1 The perception mentioned in particular instances in former times was very different from any thing to which any body of Christians can lay claim in the present day. The friends of Ananias and Sapphira had reason to perceive the truth and reality of Peter's commission, when at his word those unhappy perons "fell down straightway, and gave up the ghost." Elymas the sorcerer, perceived the truth of the Spirit speaking by Paul, when he was struck blind at the judgment-seat. And in general the perception accompanying the extraor1 dinary gifts of the Spirit was something presented to the bodily senses, some palpable deviation from the ordinary laws of nature. Tongues were a sign to them that believed not; prophecy in the same manner became a testimony to them that believed: and both, so far from being a b higher degree only of inspiration" than that which takes place at a meeting of Friends, were as different from it in kind, as the direct and perceple healing of a withered arm by the voice of the all-powerful SaViour was from the indirect and im quake," it is not in the loudest, and (least of all) in the most loquacious, tongue; it is not in "restlessness and temporary confusion," nor always, perhaps, in that very "disquietude" from which, by a discharge of supposed duty, “a remunerating sense of rest, liberty, and consolation is sought;" it is found in "the still small voice;" in the "state of the soul's silent submission;" and it is known by quietness, tenderness, humility, true sanity of mind, and substantial peace. In short, he who has it "brings his own sensations [perceptions] to the test of EXPERIENCE. HE KNOWS THE TREE BY ITS FRUIT," p. 50. Here then we have at least all we have been seeking for so long, the percep tible guidance of the Spirit known infallibly only by its fruits. In short, as truth and reason will ever come forth from true sanity of mind, we may safely commit the explanation of this infallibility to our author's own words in a preceding page: b tible perceptible restoration of diseases, under God's blessing, by herbs and medicaments. As to Mr. Gurney's use of the word" INFALLIBLE, in reference to more "However discouragement may often overtake us through the misconduct of unsound brethren, my young friends with myself have undoubtedly enjoyed a very easy opportunity of observing the life and conversation of many persons, who profess that the internal manifestations of the Holy Spirit are their rule of life; and who by a long and tried course of patience, submission, and self-denial, have fully evinced the sincerity of their profession." Gurney, pp. 48, 49. J the ordinary gifts of illumination by the Divine Spirit, we do not suppose that he means any thing than that on which we are all most perfectly agreed; that the teaching of the Divine Spirit, when ascertained to be such, is an infallible bguide to wisdom, virtue, and happiness. And truly it must be owned, that our excellent and estimable Friends take pains enough, in practice, to ascertain the real presence of their infallible Guide, the inward and spiritual grace attending those outward indications of it which so frequently occur in their sacred as-doctrinal diversities, there are here semblies, as well as in the secret also certain practical consequences as well their sacr dober, or s more secret silence calling for most serious considéra-qof of the soul within. It is not found in tion, as touching in our minds upon the thunder," it is not in the earth- the very vitals of Christianity, and b t 1 Had we to do with nothing beyond these somewhat speculative, though important, considerations on the ordinary gifts of illuminating grace, the question between the Friends and the Christian world1at large, on the subject of the Spint, might be with no great difficulty accommodated. But, as in most ft * attachment eem to st Now, if our author here intended to hint at some revelation independent of the Scriptures, received by Friends on the subject of the sacraments, perhaps we have already said enough to induce him at least to reconsider the matter. If he meant simply to say, that their impression, on a studious review of the Scriptures, accompanied by earnest prayer for the guidance of God's Holy Spirit, has led them finally to this conclusion, he might v then, we think, have told us so in plainer words than those which he has used, and which make no allusion to Scriptural authority. For our own part, if we are to speak of perceptible impressions independent of direct Scriptural precept, we should say that we perceive in the sacraments nothing which in our minds militates against the purest spiritual dispensation. We doubtless may have our prejudices of education in favour of the sacraments, as Mr. Gurney may have his against But will it be said, that to spiritual worship it is essential to add no bodily forms or external actions whatever; or that creatures, formed 98 we are of body and spirit, are to make no use of their bodily members in spiritual worship, and toste have no visible, audible, or sensible bmode of expressing their reverence 1 them, Let us, however, now approach what is after all our common appeal, the holy Scriptures, and ex 5H2 it 772 Review of Davies, &c. on Divine Influences. more en [DEC. Apostle under the Gospel dispen If the recorded opinion of an sation itself be of any weight; (and, although that Apostle had preju dices compared with lightened modern Christians, yet had he, on one particular occasion, received immediate instruction from Heaven on the very subject of his above them all in admitting a GenJewish prejudices, and had soared tile to equal rights in one common Gospel ;) if, we say, the recorded weight in deciding the compatibility opinion of Peter can have any of a form, a rite, a type, with a spiritual dispensation, and even a dispensation extraordinarily spiritual, we then have still a stronger and that on his own ground. case against our excellent author, answered Peter, Can any man for"Then bid WATER, that these should not be baptized, which have received And he commanded them to be THE HOLY GHOST as well as we ? baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." Act. x. 46-48. amine there what is, or what is not, ❝in accordance with an entire spirituality of dispensation." We will say nothing at present of the Law of Moses, but turn to the eminently spiritual dispensation vouchsafed to Abraham; who received the right eousness of faith plainly and simply upon his true and spiritual assent to the word of promise. Even here we find, in testimony of the spiritual benefits of this purely spiritual righteousness, that he received "the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of faith which he had yet being uncircumcised."But let us proceed a step higher, to the paradisiacal state itself. Mr. Biddulph, not without reason, and much to our present purpose, has made out the case of a superlatively spiritual dispensation before the fall of man. We cannot enter upon it: but we ask, is the Gospel dispensation intended to be more spiritual than that state when man walked upon the earth, as Chrysostom says, wc dyyeλos Eyes? But in paradise itself we have two most extraordinary sacramental or significative rites, to which indeed it might be difficult to find any thing similarly effective in the way even of type and figure in any subsequent dispensation. Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, it was said, "Thou shalt not eat of it, neither shalt thou touch it, lest ye die," Of the tree of life, that "pledge of immortality," it was said, "Now, lest he put forth his hand to the tree of life, and eat and live for ever." In this, which might be safely assumed as the most spiritual dispensation ever established upon earth, every precept with which we are made acquaint ed was positive, ritual, and typical: with what reason then can hypothetically contrast the two ideas, as essentially incompatible, of a formal and typical service, and service simply spiritual? we a See Bishop Horne's most beautiful sermon on the tree of life, and his admirable view of paradisiacal sacraments. the ground of impression and inWe are still, however, only on ference. But we pass from these to something more directly Scriptural. With regard to the Jewish dispensation, "the Spirit speaketh expressly" in Scripture, that the shadows and types of the old law are done away by the Gospel; and that the Law of Moses, as a system of rites predictive of the Messiah, no Not, however, all enlightened modern church, who approached the nearest to Christians; for one perhaps of our own the mystic views of some Friends as to the Christ within them, Mr. Law, happens also to have been most strongly prejudiced in favour of the outward representation of the inward and spiritual grace in the holy Nay, he goes the length of sacraments. rejecting the plea even of sincerity, for p. 199. |