had done; or that if they should not, yet others might be found who could. For what could they, as natural men, conclude, but that Moses and Aaron were nothing more than magicians, a little more expert, more fully instructed and thoroughly versed in the art, than those of Egypt?

Indeed, it does not appear that the greatest signs or wonders would ever have moved Pharaoh to consent to let Israel go, had not the Lord sent his plagues upon him; something that he could feel; and even after being thus bowed a little, how did he again rebel, and refuse to let them go, till driven to extremity of distress; and after all he was so far from a clear sense and discernment of things, that he and his hosts vainly pursued after them, and perished in the Red sea.

Had the Egyptians known certainly it was the immediate hand of God that divided the sea for Israel, it is scarcely to be believed they would not have, fled back affrighted, rather than dared to follow after them: for after all the former signs and plagues, and this last wonderful interposition of Omnipotence on behalf of that afflicted people, how could the Egyptians, viewing things in this light, have expected any thing less upon their daring insolence, and almost unparalleled presumption in pursuing after those on whose side Eternal Power was thus evidently and eminently engaged, than that the sea would close upon them as it did, by the all-righteous will and direction of Him, whom they were thus endeavouring to disappoint in his purposes?

It seems clear to me, that rebellion against the light had so blinded and hardened them, that they were far from a clear discovery of the power and ability of that hand and arm, that wrought such marvellous things upon and among them: and many may now condemn them, who are daily stifling, in like manner, that in themselves, which alone is able to give them a better understanding than the blind Egyptians had. Indeed, it will forever be impossible to have a clear discovery or manifestation of divine things, what is, or is not of God, but by the light that manifests them.

Come, reader, let us bring the matter close home to ourselves. Let us suppose the Almighty speaking to our outward ears, and

with an audible voice declaring, "I am God;" and at the same time denouncing eternal death upon us, if we do or omit certain things. Let us suppose, for instance, that he forbids us to meddle with the fruit of a certain tree, on pain of death; and positively assures us that this is the absolute law, and prohibition of the Holy One. Now, unless his holy spirit influence our hearts, unless his light make it manifest, that it is his voice, his law, his prohibition, how is it possible to know it? no cheats, no counterfeits, in the world? We read transformations, his appearing as an angel of light. We read that the serpent deceived Eve, although the voice of God had expressly forbidden her to eat or touch the fruit of the tree.

Are there

of satan's

Now suppose we should hear two outward and distinct voices: one saying, " Eat not," and pronouncing death upon us if we disobey the other saying, "Eat, and be as gods, knowing good and evil;" adding, "ye shall not die:" how are we to distinguish which of these is the voice of God, and which the voice of satan? I think I am sure, that whether these voices proceeded through an outwardly visible, living creature, or out of the whirlwind, the earthquake, the furnace, or out of the still, quiet earth or air, neither of us could tell, by the mere sound of the voice, nor by any of these appearances, which came from heaven, or which from hell.

"But ye have an unction from the Holy One, (saith John) and ye know all things." "The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie." 1 John ii. 27. Now though such as yet know not God have not so received this anointing, as thereby to know all things; yet the fulness of the anointing being no other than a blessed increase, a powerful indwelling influence and possession of that same holy light, that shines, at least dimly, at times and seasons, in every dark heart, it is evident that some degree of the same anointing, whereby the primitive Christians knew all things necessary to their salvation, is the only thing that can give a clear discerning in the things of God to any soul.

If "whatever makes manifest is light," then be that which

maketh manifest called unction, truth, life, love, or whatever else, it is still the one, same, saving, divine light, or else it could not give the knowledge of all things. We do not suppose "all things" here means every natural truth, or mathematical demonstration, but all things needful to the salvation of the soul, a clear discovery of God's will, of good and evil: and that this is obtained in "the LIGHT," the holy anointing, blessed experience does most infallibly confirm. Though expressed by various appellations, it is still the same thing, in substance, but not always in degree, nor in the exact manner of its operations and influences; these being much according to the different states of individuals. For "the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame." Isaiah x. 17. "Our God is a consuming fire," Heb. xii. 29. and yet he is as truly "the fountain of living waters." Jer. ii. 13. Though a fire to one state, and in one sense, and a fountain of living and refreshing waters to and in another, he is but one and the same, and "changeth not."

It is not outward signs and wonders only, that we cannot know whence they are, without "divine light," but the same difficulty in judging attends every inward impression. If one has an impulse to do this, and another that, no mere human understanding in thyself or others, can determine, without "the light that makes all things manifest, whether one, or the other, or both be right or wrong. Hence the necessity to "trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding." Prov. iii. 5. Should a vocal voice or inward impulse enjoin any one to slay his son, I am certain that unless the light should make it manifest to be an injunction from God, the wisdom, reason, learning, and religion of man would all with one voice cry out "it is a dreadful delusion." Indeed, the immorality of the thing is one of the main evidences that the natural understanding would set up as a standard, whereby to determine the action to be evil; and it is good to have a reverent regard to this standard so as carefully to shun all immoralities; but in Abraham's case, when God did command him, for the trial of his faith and obedience, to offer up his own son, had he leaned to a natural or unenlightened understanding, must he not surely have disobeyed the word of God? Or had he con

salted with the wise and prudent, the devout and zealous, would they not have told him he was mad? Was not Christ condemned by the strictest among the people as a profaner of the sabbath, and his followers accused as turners of the world upside down? and yet the wisdom of the world is still believing itself competent to the knowledge of divine things, able to judge and decide upon the most difficult and important points, doctrines, and duties; and to determine what is of God, and what is contrary to him!

Is natural wisdom another thing now than formerly? not its deductions and conclusions as contradictory as ever? Do not some sensible men altogether reject Christianity, even in theory? And is not a reason why they do so, readily to be found in the many irrational and unscriptural mysteries, as they are called, which this world's wisdom has endeavoured to add to, or engraft upon it? What sober, cool, thinking man can believe, that there are three distinct and separate persons in one God, that each of these persons is. God, and yet that there are not three Gods, but only one? Who can have any idea of personality, without at the same time, and in the same thought, taking in the idea of distinct, separate existences? Is there generally understood any other meaning to the word person? If not, and three persons can yet be but one, may we not affirm, that Peter, James, and John, are one? One family they may be; but suppose that together as one family, they had all power, wisdom, &c., yet who would affirm Peter has all, James has all, and John has all; that Peter is the whole family, James is the whole, and John is the whole; and yet there is but one whole, but one that has all power, &c. Or who does not see, that if this whole family really consists of three distinct persons, and each of these three is the whole, then Peter is not only Peter, but he is Peter, James, and John; James also must, at this rate, be both Peter, James, and John, and so must John? Shall we not be obliged to grant that this makes three Peters, three Jameses, and three Johns?

And can any man living extricate the common doctrine of the trinity, at this day maintained by thousands, from all, or any of these difficulties, absurdities, and impossibilities? If the Fa

VOL. II.-39

ther is a person, the son a person, and the holy ghost a person, then here are three distinct and separate persons. Then, if the Father, as a distinct and separate person, be God, the son God, and the holy ghost God, each as distinct, separate persons, surely here are three Gods.

And further, if God always consists of three separate persons, then it follows, that seeing each of these three persons very God, there must in every one of the three exist the Father, son, and holy ghost. This will make nine separate persons, and so on; for again three times nine is twenty-seven, and I find no where to stop, ad infinitum.

Some zealous trinitarian may think me as wicked as the Jews thought Christ, my Lord and saviour, and be ready to pronounce me, as they did him, a blasphemer, for thus exposing the sandy foundation on which that Babel of confusion, the common doctrine of the trinity is built. And did I not believe that God is determined to confound the wisdom of the wise, I should greatly marvel that wise and sober men of every religious name in Christendom, have not long ago united in exploding such a monster of absurdity

I verily believe, any truly conscientious Christian, whose views are clear and thoroughly rational, would yield up his life in the flames, before he would subscribe to such a creed; a creed which every attempt to explain and establish must of necessity be as absolute a confusion of language, as was that on the plains of Shinar, unless it can be made to appear that a person is not a distinct and separate existence; that is, that a person is not a person, or not what general consent and custom have taught us to understand by a person.

Well may we cry out, "Where are the wise?" &c. "Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" If men had been content with scripture language, the simple diction of the holy ghost, all this confusion would have been avoided, and the enemies of Christianity would not have had such cause it to

scorn.

I firmly believe, that "there are three that bear record in heaven;" 1 John v. 7. not three persons, any more than three Gods; but one eternal GoD over all; as to his nature, being, ex