Call that principle "mysticism" indeed, which enforces an humble reliance upon the guidance and teaching of the Holy Spirit; and yet endeavour to exact implicit confidence and blind belief, in the vain surmises, strange conceits, and heedless assertions of writers for pay, and preachers for hire! Call that principle" enthusiasm " indeed, which, in conformity with the testimony of Scripture, points us to Christ, as "the way, the truth, and the life;" and yet recommend, as a Christian doctrine, and a rational duty, an unscrupulous acquiescence, a blind and abject subserviency, a total prostration of our own understandings, and a "trusting with all our heart,” to—“ the Lord?" No, but to the ipse dixit of men fallible like ourselves, and who have the vanity and anti-christian folly to call each other, and be "called of men" Rabbi! Rabbi! Doctor of Divinity! Reverend Sir! and a whole train of deceitful, Papal and Babylonish epithets! Call that principle "Deism" indeed, which in the words of their own "ultimate appeal," declares, that "He who has not the Spirit of Christ is none of his !" What, I ask ye, but an evil Spirit, even the Spirit of him," who was a murderer and liar from the beginning;" that Spirit which, in the

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letter-lauding" Scribes and Pharisees, said to the Holy Jesus, "Thou hast a devil;"—what, I ask ye, but the Spirit of that "Old Serpent," could intoxicate man with the wine of his wisdom so far, as to induce him to malign "the truth as it is in Jesus"—" to call sweet things bitter, and bitter things sweet;" light, darkness; and darkness, light?”

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I wish not to use terms unbefitting the occasion, or to indulge in harsh and vituperative language. I would not render railing for railing. But let us remember that though, when tempted by Satan to fall down and worship him, the Saviour of mankind simply rebuked him, and said, "It is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve;" yet do we read that, in the warmth of holy indignation, He exclaimed, in language awfully severe, against the puritanical Scribes, and pharisaical hypocrites, who resisted the testimony which the Father had given him to bear: "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?”

and in language little less severe than even this perhaps, have the true burden bearers, at times, been called upon to denounce that malignant spirit, which raises its smooth head and tortuous front against the light and Spirit of God in the conscience "Wolves in sheeps' clothing." "Greedy dogs, that never have. enough." Likened to brute beasts. "But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Baluam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core."

And if there be any, as some there doubtless are, among the many accredited expounders and preachers of holy truth, who are receiving wages from "the God of this world," even "filthy lucre" at the hands of Mammon; if there be any of these who are at times favoured in their ministry by the assistance of God's Holy Spirit; and who, in sincerity of heart, desire to do the thing that is right, and preserve a conscience void of offence, before both God and man ;-if there be any such, who gain a livelihood, by thus professing to preach "the unsearchable riches of Christ;" and who yet fancy themselves justified in receiving pecuniary compensation at the hands of their fellow-creatures, for that which, if true ministers of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, has been freely received from Him: towards such, according to Apostolic recommendation, I trust I“ have compassion, making a difference," and would ask them, as sincere and upright men, in the spirit of Christian charity, whether, if a "dispensation of the Gospel has been committed to them," they are not doing a violence to their best feelings, and even an injustice to their understandings, to turn it to a lucrative account. Be it little, or be it much, the principle remains the same; for he who asserts a claim of even one penny for the "gift of the Holy Spirit," will find no scruple sufficiently strong, to restrain him from exposing his wares, and erecting his stall, amongst the hardened and polluted money-changers of the temple.

And herein may be seen the difference, both in practice and

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principle, between the ministers of Christ, and the ministers of schools and universities. Yes; herein, I say, may be seen the difference it is broad, distinctive, and peculiar. For, whilst the school of Christ is one great, universal, free school, in which “the Bride saith, Come, and the Spirit saith, Come, and all who will come, may come;"whilst there is no bar to admittance, but man's pride, obduracy, and wickedness;—whilst there are no learners in it so great, but they will be made low; none so humble, but they may be exalted; none so rich, but they will be made poor; none so poor, but they will "lack nothing;" for He is the Head," in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge;"—whilst, in this school then, there is "no respect of persons," the same Divine Master teaching all alike, and teaching too," as men never yet taught;"—whilst such are freely receiving of the grace of God, and commanded to freely give," and "to minister one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God;"-whilst these make "the Gospel chargeable to no man;" the students and scholars at the various establishments of human wisdom, are paying money for admission, to learn of experienced craftsmen the stuff improperly termed divinity; which those who have no money are unable to obtain. No riches, no learning;-no subscription to other mens' opinions, no admission; no pay, no dispensation granted to preach. Money, "the love of which is the root of all evil," is the root of all here: with lucre it commences; with lucre it proceeds; with lucre it terminates. "Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward." Their Gospel, like other merchandize, is purchased for money; the factors dispose of it to the jobbers, and wholesale dealers; these dispose of it at the market price to the smaller chapmen and dealers, some of whom are permitted, by the law of the land, to force it upon the people, whether they approve of it or not, and collect, if need be, at the point of the bayonet, the goods and substance of their fellow men, upon the impious plea of having ministered unto them "spiritual things."

Others, who have not this privilege, take it to the best market

that offers; and make the best bargains that they can for the transfer of their stock. Oh! deplorable blindness! as is the priest so is the people-deceiving and deceived: for whilst, by these men and their defenders, the influence of the Holy Spirit is derided and laughed to scorn; whilst those principles which recognize no Gospel ministry, but such as proceeds from this only true, pure, and unerring source, are held up to the payers of these men as being anti-scriptural, and anti-christian; whilst those principles which disown the ministry of any man, whatever may be his worldly rank or station, which is not of "the ability that God giveth ;" whilst those principles are held up for abhorrence and execration, as the offspring of "enthusiasm," "mysticism," and " Deism;" yet do those men, who thus grossly pervert the truth; who thus scoff, and jeer, and deride; who thus abuse, and vilify, and trample under foot, the holy principle which is the only ground and spring of all true Christian ministration; yet do they nevertheless make the profession of the Holy Spirit a mask and cover for their hireling ministries; and have the dexterous subtlety, despite this flagrant contradiction and confusion of terms, things, and ideas, to impose upon those who feed their bellies and clothe their backs, the belief that they are called by the Holy Spirit, to preach the Gospel."

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed as an 66 angel of light;" "therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works." But there is an eye which sees them as they really are; and "if any man will do His (Christ's) will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God." And though I believe there are many true Gospel ministers in the present day, (and that such there have been, I, for one, can testify by living experience;) though their number be comparatively small, and the prophets of Baal be ten thousand to one more numerous than they were, yet the prophets of Baal are the prophets of Baal still; and "the Lord knoweth those that are his."

The "compulsory" hirelings, and the "voluntary" hirelings, although quarreling, like " greedy dogs," over meat that they

have stolen, forget their rival animosities, and league together in common defence of their perishable foundation. Though bitter enemies in heart, yet will they be apparent friends, to secure their common booty; potsherds of the earth, striving together with the potsherds of the earth, yet do they enter into a treaty of alliance, offensive and defensive, against the free teaching of Christ's Spirit. "Where the carcase is there will the eagles be gathered together;" "where the treasure is there will the heart be also." And here lies their treasure, to secure which, they confound things that are essentially different, mix up their notions of spiritual things with their external wants and conditions, and vend the former in order to satisfy and make provision for the latter. They pay their fellow creatures a premium to instruct them in the mystery of metaphysical craft and theological jargon; and the deluded people, inattentive alike to the Light of Christ in their own hearts, and the lesser light of the natural understanding, ignorantly purchase the counterfeit preparation for the pure Gospel of Christ.

I have heard of a thief, who, to escape the detection of his pursuers, vociferated, with louder voice than all the rest "stop thief, stop thief." And so do these hirelings pertinaciously adhere to the charges of "mysticism and deism," in reference to the principle of Divine illumination.

We advocate, however, no light, in reference to spiritual things, but the " Light of Christ;" we acknowledge the authority of no spirit but the Holy Spirit. If you mean another light than the Light of Christ, we do not. ther spirit than the Holy Spirit, we do not.

If you mean anoWhen desiring "that Christ might dwell in our and in your hearts by faith”—

when bowing our knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant us to be strengthened with might by his SPIRIT in the inner man," we know no other Spirit; we mean no other Christ; we beseech no other God than did the Apostle. "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling," say we, with the Apostle. "One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all,