precipitating upon the very last step-the profession to have discovered the very Christ himself? I expect to hear of this every day. I speak of a rising and confident party, lately sprung up in this country, whose main object is, as far as I can understand, to make out the very points for which Mr. Pym is contending. They anticipate the immediate return of the Saviour, and to prepare for his coming, another extraordinary effusion of the power of the Holy Spirit; not an extraordinary measure of the ordinary graces, but the effusion of miraculous powers. In support of this expectation, they adduce the texts which told of John the Baptist, and apply them to the Spirit of God as it is to come in these latter days, or to those in whom it is to be shown. They have indeed pretended, as we know, that such a visitation had actually arrived, and women have arisen in synagogues that they might utter unintelligible sounds, as the inspirations of an unknown tongue; and men have professed the investiture, in their own persons, of the apostolic gifts of healing. Have these things really been essayed, and proved a mistake? Take heed then, and expect that other mistakes yet may be made, perhaps more unhappy than the former. The last I have heard of this party is, that the intent of their preaching about the highways and the streets is to make the people believe that the Bible was intended for the Jews, and not for us. Contemplating this doctrine, I seem to see this purpose at the bottom of it,-to teach the people to expect the voice of the Spirit to themselves through some other medium; the preachers themselves I suppose, as the

prophets and evangelists were the medium through whom the Spirit spake in their day to the Jews. And that, as those were sent in the latter days of their respective periods, so in these last days we may expect an inspired mission to ourselves. This, I confess, is my own comment, but I think it rests on evidence; and the heresy seems to me to have had its originating cause in some such view of the prophetic writings as Mr. Pym has recommended in his argument for the premillennial coming of Christ; overlooking the spiritual application of these prophecies to the gospel dispensation, throwing a veil over the period, the blessings, the work, and looking into futurity for some more worthy scheme to picture and present the kingdom of Christ. With this warning I would conclude, except that I should wish to guard against any ill effects that may happen on the other side from repelling the arguments and the warning of the book I have examined. Let it not be thought, then, that I am of opinion there is no occasion for a warning; nay, I think that the days are approaching when we may look for some signal judgment, if, as I believe, the course of past history has been rightly compared with the chain of prophecy, which would so seem to have very nearly run out. I think we may never be surprised to hear of the beginning of sorrow, when we shall need the support of a sound faith; but I would not agree in the opinion, that this faith is to be promoted by error and superstition. There are two ways, it appears to me, by which this is to be acquired: by careful reading of the holy Scripture, with such helps as are to be

obtained to a proper interpretation of its language, and a clear understanding of its matters; and by a watchful attention to correct our sinful motions, and encourage every good motion of the Spirit in our hearts, by a diligent obedience to the commandments of God, in doing our appointed duties, and working all the good we can in that sphere which Providence has allotted to us. May God of his mercy and grace assist and guide both my readers and myself in the execution of such or better resolutions; and may he have mercy upon our infirmities, forgiving our errors, for Jesus Christ's sake! Amen.

THE END.

R. CLAY, PRINTER, BREAD-STREET-HILL.