FOURTH POSITION-MEDIATE AND IMMEdiate RevelatTION. "The MANIFESTATIONS of this DIVINE INWARD LIGHT,' being both mediate and immediate, consequently the discoveries or communications resulting from it, must be respectively MEDIATE and IMMEDIATE REVELATIONS."

MEDIATE REVELATION, may, perhaps, be defined in a very few words, to be that enlightening power or process of the Holy Spirit or Light of Christ, in the hearts of mankind, in the operations whereof a gracious God is pleased to render external objects, circumstances, or knowledge, the medium of awakening the sinner, of imprinting, confirming, or establishing in the soul of man, a conviction of the being of God"that He is; and that He is a rewarder of all them who diligently seek Him: " unfolding according to respective capacities, situations, and circumstances, the knowledge of Himself, and of His gracious dealings with his finite creature man. And of all the sources of "Mediate Revelation," the Holy Scriptures rank decidedly PARAMOUNT.

IMMEDIATE REVELATION. In entering on this point, the reader may be reminded of Dr. Johnson's definition of the term, "REVELATION," viz. "A Discovery-Communication -Communication of Sacred and Mysterious Truth, by a Teacher from Heaven."

If I understand J. W. aright, he very fully owns, that the Influences of the Holy Spirit are essential; for he states in p. 454: "I am certain that many can testify that it was a leading feature of my ministry, to inculcate the belief of the absolute necessity of humble and persevering prayer for the all-efficient help of the Holy Spirit; and to show that when the heart is really wrought upon by the Holy Spirit, the very breathing of that heart will be to ask of God, in the name and for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the INdwelling and abiding of the Holy Spirit." Very good; but then may I make the solemn inquiry: Is the Holy Spirit to be all-efficient in darkness and obscurity, or by the Light of Life; that Life

which, "in the beginning," was in the Word, and was "the Light of men

ور

As if to disclaim the enlightening power of the Holy Spirit, for whose INdwelling and abiding is "the very breathing of the heart to God," J. W. adds another LEADING FEATURE of his own ministry in these words: "But it was and is my endeavour also, to show what I am sure no unprejudiced person will deny, that the taking for granted, that without regeneration, we already have the Spirit abiding in us as a 'seed, Inward Light,' &c., &c., is the very notion of all others, to keep the mind in darkness, and to damp its energies with regard to prayer."

Then follows in the same paragraph, a third leading feature in these words: "And that to imagine the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is indicated by revelation to us, or that it is the gracious office of the Holy Spirit to present truths to us, independently of the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, is as much opposed to the fair construction of Scripture doctrine, as it is contrary to fact."

The first "leading feature" of J. W.'s ministry, as he sets it forth, has been already acknowledged to be good.-The second leading feature, which is now to be considered, comprizes a very decided objection to the doctrine, that without regeneration, we already have the Spirit abiding in us as a

seed," Inward Light, &c., &c.; and the reasons he assigns for his objection are, that it "is the very notion of all others, to keep the mind in darkness, and to damp its energies with regard to prayer."

Does J. W. imagine that if such were the consequences of a solemn belief in the promise of Christ; that our Lord would have told his disciples: "I will pray the Father; and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive." John, iv. 16, 17. "And when He is come He will reprove the world of sin ?" John. xvi. 8. Or are not His

reprovings the very cause why "the world cannot receive the Spirit of Truth?" No marvel that the world, who "hate the Light" and reproofs, disbelieve and reject Him; for man, in his carnal and unregenerate state, cannot experience the Holy Spirit in his gracious office of "Comforter."

With this clear distinction premised, I venture to assert my belief in the apostle's declaration : "Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates," for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is as essential for a sinner as for a saint. To both He is unconditionally a Reprover; whilst the same Holy Spirit of Truth, is only conditionally revealed as the Comforter. And what are the conditions? "If ye love me, keep my commandments;" to which this promise is annexed: "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever: even the Spirit of Truth, whom the WORLD cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth Him."

Does not the "world" here represent all men in the carnal state? and does not the "world," to whom the very same Comforter is to be a Reprover, also represent the carnal and unregenerate mind? and hence, whatever J. W. "is sure" must be the consequences; we have the Testimony of our Lord Himself, to the Spirit of Truth being sent to reprove man in this carnal unregenerate state and condition; and I trust it has been already demonstrated, that these reproofs are Light; and that this Light is universally manifested in man. Consequently his reproofs are a "communication" of the Lord's controversy with sin and evil; a "Discovery" to the awakened mind, of what was unknown and mysterious before; even the knowledge of our need of a Saviour; and being the work of that Saviour through the Holy Spirit, whom He promised to send; these manifestations are "Communications of Sacred Truths, by a Teacher from heaven;" and this Teacher imparting His reproofs to the heart of man; they must be "Inward and Immediate Revelations."

In p. 178 of this section, when discussing some of J. W.'s observations on the dark heart of man, it was stated, that "the deepest shades in which the condition of the dark and unregenerate heart can be pourtrayed, are among the strongest arguments that can be advanced for the necessity of a Divine and supernatural Light and gift." And J. W. himself says ́in p. 18, "It is by the operation of the Holy Spirit upon the heart and mind, with the word of the Truth of the gospel? that regeneration is effected. 'Of His own will begat He us, with the word of Truth.' James, i. 18."-Let us change the last words, and instead of "Word of Truth," substitute "Holy Scriptures" or "New Testament" "UPON the heart and mind;" intended, to imply that the "operation of the Holy Spirit" is not carried on IN the heart; does not this show J. W.'s meaning? because J. W. said a little before p. 12: "Certainly the Holy Scriptures give no countenance whatever to the notion that either Christ or the Holy Spirit dwells in the dark unregenerate heart of man."

Surely J. W. must be very densely involved in his own "mephitic vapour," when he made this remark!

Is the all-important work of regeneration effected at once? I admit the possibility of Divine power and mercy being efficacious as it were in a moment, as it may appear to have been in the instance of the thief on the cross; but how manifold more are the occasions in which it is a gradual work, first a reception of the holy "seed," succeeded by an abiding and continuous process, requiring the unutterable condescension of redeeming love to dwell in the heart; in order to produce a new birth unto righteousness; as said the apostle: "My little children of whom I travail in birth again; until Christ be formed in you."

Whether "the operation of the Holy Spirit" be " upon the heart and mind, with the Word of Truth," or it be IN the heart, as the heart is in man, it must be an Inward Work ;

though according to J. W.'s axiom, the Holy Spirit is not allowed, in any degree, to enlighten the heart by his own heavenly rays; because then it would inevitably be an "Inward Light;" and this J. W. deems totally inadmissible: for in addition to uniform disavowal of it, he says, p. 13: "Is there a single passage in the New Testament by which it could be proved, that our Lord Jesus Christ or his apostles, ever directed any persons to a light within themselves?" "

What are the words of our Lord prefixed to this section: "If, therefore, the Light which is IN thee be darkness, how great is that darkness." Would our Lord have referred to the Light IN man; if there was NO Light within him?

Again, "God is Light; and in Him is no darkness at all." And the apostle says to the Corinthians: "Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God; and that the Spirit of God DWELLETH IN YOU?" Can the Spirit of God who is altogether Light, dwell IN his Temple, the heart of man, and no Light be there? Here then, "the apostle directs to a Light within themselves," and that the most glorious of all Lights, even the Light of God himself. And in my view, this glorious Light, in abundantly varied measures and degrees of manifestation, is the ONLY "Inward Light" which the Society of Friends ever preached.

Again, J. W. asserts, p. 12: "Christ is not within those who are in death and darkness, and are without God in the world."

How then does the Spirit of Truth reprove the world of sin? Or how could Paul say: Know ye not your ownselves, how that JESUS CHRIST is IN YOU; except ye be REPROBATES?"

If we were to admit J. W.'s authority to be equal to that of the apostle Paul's, I apprehend we might, even then, thus decide the point. I cannot doubt that J. W. will allow the omnipresence, the omniscience, and the ubiquity of God;