whom the divine Father hath set upon his holy hill of Zion." Further on, Mr. B. proceeds, "Now Dr. Hawker not only omits to exhibit, maintain and enforce, according to the proportion of faith, the rights, authority, laws, and government of our Lord in his kingdom; but it appears as though he would supersede his kingly office and government, by the ministry of the Holy Spirit.”

I believe in these charges our author may justly take to himself the credit of novelty; and as it is proper that honour be given to whom it is due, let him wear so much as is his own-his brethren' are welcome to lay claim to just such portion of the same, as they may merit. It is matter of perfect indifference whether he or another claim the credit of the invention; he has asserted the calumny, and, in doing so, has afforded a more convincing proof of erroneous judgment in spiritual things, than the whole preceding sections have furnished. The Doctor's more abundant' labours have long been met with the reproof--which from the mouths and pens of those who preferred it, is not to be wondered at,—that his mode of preaching the person and salvation of Christ so degraded the human character, that it tended to destroy man's accountability, and to reduce him to a mere machine: it remained for one who ranks himself with 'evangelical brethren,' to assert that he (Dr. Hawker) himself is chargeable with not holding up our Lord Jesus Christ scripturally and fully, in all his offices, characters and relations!"

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To notice, further, the unscriptural sentiments divulged in this chapter, it will be proper to revert again to the divine declaration, in the oracles of truth, of the glorious persons in Jehovah, and their several, distinct engagements, in the salvation of the church. It never can be too often repeated that, subsisting in the essence of Godhead, there are three equal and incomprehensible persons, whose various acts proceed from the volition of one infinite mind and purpose. The glorious truth is thus admirably expressed by an able writer on the Trinity:—" Let it be carefully remembered, though there are three persons in the Godhead, yet there are not three operations; for the Father does nothing by himself, nor the Son by himself, nor the Holy Ghost by himself; but the whole energy and operation of Deity, relating to creatures and the elect, begin with the Father, pass to the Son, and from the Father and the Son to the Holy Ghost: all which are by one thought, and it is in • one infinite mind. And, therefore, though they are three persons, they are but one numerical power, will, and energy, eternally flowing, and in the same instant communicated from one to the other, • in an infinite and incomprehensible manner.'

On this fundamental principle, which is the enlarged basis of the Doctor's argument, I hold his views of the divine economy in the government of the church, as neither incorrect,' nor unscriptural,' nor, (as his adversary adds) incompatible with the filial rights, the mediatorial rewards, and the all-pervading and perfect government' of him who is king in Zion. The greater display of the personal

engagements of the Holy Ghost, as promised the church, and witnessed after the return of the Son of God to the glory he possessed before all worlds, is well expressed in the disputed passage which follows, and on which point Mr. Birt shews himself so grossly uninformed. "No sooner had Jesus ascended, (says the Doctor) than the Holy Ghost descended, and in an open diplay of himself, took upon him the more immediate government of the church, in his own personal ministry." And in this quotation:-" As the Lord the Spirit is the founder, (says Dr. Hawker,) so is he the governor, preserver, teacher, comforter, and sanctifier of the church in all ages." The gist of his antagonist's reasonings, in consonance with the title of the section, evidently is to prove that the Doctor robs Christ of the glory of his kingly office;-a crime of which the blood-thirsty murderers of our Lord were guilty;—and he then vainly affects to qualify the charge, by asserting, he either directly or indirectly transfers the same exclusively to the Holy Ghost.' I must leave the statement itself to testify against this perverter of gospel truth, while they who do not, like him, hold the truth in unrighteousness, rejoice in knowing,-and the weakest babe in grace will do the same, that the expressions cavilled at, are consistent with the venerable writer's equal ascription of praise to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, in the government and salvation of the church; and that they diminish not from the equal honour which is due to the prophetic, priestly, and kingly offices of Christ.

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Mr. Birt might with as much propriety have taken the words of our Lord, John v. 21. and argued thence that the divine speaker, by not having named the Holy Ghost, attributed his agency to the Father and to himself exclusively,-where he saith, As the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

His devout reception' and grateful acknowledgment' of the scripture testimony concerning the Lord the Spirit, to which he has appended most dishonourable thoughts on the divine personality and sovereignty of the Spirit Jehovah, must be passed by to notice a perversion of holy writ of so important a nature that it demands exposure, and it forms a key to the whole paragraph. Speaking

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of the apostles as ambassadors for Christ, he says, "but they neither speak of themselves, nor are they spoken of in the holy scriptures as "the servants of the Holy Ghost. It is not in the word of God, but "in the writings of Dr. Hawker that the apostles receive this appel"lation !" Here our evangelical' speaks plainly and boldlysetting the plainest testimony of scripture and common sense equally at defiance. Another dash of his pen, with no greater degree of turpitude, might have avowed the non-personality of the Holy Spirit, and represented the inspired volume a profane and old wives' fable. Let one of a thousand evidences of his 'moral' obliquity be placed

before him, and if he have a single thought remaining of reverence to Israel's triune Jehovah, surely he will be constrained to acknowledge his sin, and to retract the expression.

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When certain prophets and teachers in the church of Antioch ministered to the Lord, it is recorded Acts xiii. 2. that the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them; and it is added, So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed and preached the word of God. And does Mr. Birt dare affirm, that the third person in the Godhead is not the founder,' 'governor,' preserver,' &c. of the church in all ages?' Does he mean to say, that the equal with the Father and the Son is no more than-a helper-an assistant-in the grand engagements on the church's behalf? Say! was the Lord the Spirit deputed to execute divine commands as a menial? No, no. Separate ME my servants, saith he, to do My work, which I have called them to perform and sent by HIM, the Holy Ghost, they go forth and preach the preaching that he biddeth them. Then why does Dr. Hawker's adversary assert, that the office of the Holy Spirit is purely ministerial?' and why does he speak of him solely as "the presiding, the universal, the efficient, and the perpetual minister of Jesus Christ our Lord?"-But, alas! the interesting topic introduces me to an expanse so vast, that I dare not advance beyond its nether boundary; and I have not allowed myself (in this correspondence) the opportunity of digressing, when a better theme presented itself than the misrepresentations of a reviler of God's truth.

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Our author continues," the notion of the Holy Spirit having taken upon himself the government of the church at the period of our Saviour's ascension, may account for Dr. Hawker so frequently speaking of the "finished salvation of Christ ;" and, moreover, that the adoption of this latter term results from "neglect of the kingly office of our Lord," and reducing the divine administration, to sovereign acts of grace alone. Now it is well known, that as to carnal ordinances Mr. Birt's views of the laws and government of Zion's king differ widely from the Doctor's, and that so long as the world stands, even they who are in very deed brethren in Christ, will never see eye to eye in those things, and it is by a wise ordination they do not,—but Mr. Birt knows there are many behold them, through the same medium as himself, who maintain with the Doctor, the glorious verity finished salvation!' Then what validity is there in the argument he would establish on such ground?

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It is perfectly absurd to pretend to exultingly acknowledge' the honours due to the kingly office of Christ, and to earnestly contend,' by numerous quotations from scripture, for a superior reverence of the person of Christ, when the question at issue is-Does Dr. Hawker in exalting the third person in Jehovah, dishonour the second? And Mr. Birt in his effort to prove that he does-insults THE DIVINE AND ETERNAL THREE.

(To be concluded in our next.)

ORIGINAL ESSAYS.

XII.

ON KNOWLEDGE.

THE common experience of the saints, proves the possibility of acquiring a perfect knowledge of interest in the person and salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ. To this, all other attainments after which the believer may aspire, will for ever be subservient. Compared with this, the noblest acquirements among men are but specious folly; and the more useful human advantages, are of nothing worth.

That but few, who profess a love for the name which is above every name, attain this exalted honour, is so far from affording an argument against its acquisition, that the circumstance may be taken rather as an assurance of its being attainable, and at the same time as an undeniable test of its importance. It is certainly not the pleasure of the Lord, that all his dear people should in their earthly state acquire the privilege; and it is evident those alone do, who form by far the smaller portion of the members of the spiritual family:--but, without incurring the charge of grasping after forbidden knowledge, they are ALL encouraged in perpetually seeking to know him, of whom the law and the prophets witnessed, and their personal and eternal interest in him.

A great advance is made in the growth in grace and knowledge of the believer, whose mind is so stayed on his Lord, as that he enjoys in any measure the peace which passeth all understanding: but he whose heart is fixed-being elevated above the assaults of his innumerable enemies, and the vanities of the world, and the corruptions of his nature, he it is who, fast verging towards the heavenly inheritance, triumphs in the confidence of faith, and pants for immortality. This honoured being, living on the fulness of Christ, in his Lord's strength rejoices all the day; in his righteousness, is exalted beyond his fears, his foes, and his infirmities; in his grace, finds confidence and security; and in his faithfulness, relies for constant supply in time, and hereafter eternal glory!

Blessed be God, spiritual knowledge is not confined, neither in the possession nor the advancement, to that more happy (yet not more honoured) individual! From the least of them unto the greatest of them they shall all know me, saith the Lord; and, rejoicing in the gracious promise, the church exclaims, then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord. When by the life-giving power of the Holy Ghost the sinner is brought to know himself, he is prepared for the reception of the knowledge of the Lord. It is by contrast he forms any correct views of his Lord's person and glory. As when the prophet beheld "this great vision," his comeliness was turned into corruption, and he retained no strength; and the beloved apostle,

when he caught a glimpse of the "Alpha and Omega," fell at his feet as dead;-so the soul first enlightened discovers his debased and undone condition, and forms some conception, though often indistinct, of his Lord's infinite glories and all-sufficiency. The Holy Spirit takes of the things of Christ and shews them to the soul,-but always by the same divine process, by which an increasing acquaintance with corrupt and rebellious nature is communicated.

Spiritual knowledge does not consist in such an acceptation of the scripture testimony concerning Christ, as merely informs the mind of a truly authenticated fact; but, with the required credence, this knowledge is the inwrought reception of the glorious object propounded:-it is the revelation to the heart and conscience of what is declared of him in the word. It is the blessedness of the believer to follow on to know the Lord: and, to whom beside shall a child of the chosen family go? whose steps can he so safely—should he so constantly-and will he so cheerfully follow, as his FATHER'S ? Is not one of his sweetest songs, as he pursues his way, expressed by the poet ?—

"The shadow of thy wings

My soul in safety keeps ;

I follow where my Father leads,
And he supports my steps."

The spiritual follower often conceives he makes no progress, for that the incumbrances and obstructions of the path prevent his advance, and confine him to one unchanging and unchangeable position; yea, his fears even induce the belief, that he not only does not proceed, but is fast retrograding, and that he will have need to retrace the ground he has hitherto made. But it is not so. Having set foot in his Lord's way, he will be found still walking-still advancing; nor shall his apparent delays and hindrances keep him back so much as one footstep; neither will his arrival at the end of the path be retarded one instant: but in the appointed time, at the appointed moment, by the appointed means hastening homeward, he will enter into the joy of his Lord.

The Lord's people think too little of the knowledge they acquire, by their diversified experiences, on their way to glory. One branch of their attainments, 'tis true, many of them are well versed in, and they are not backward in the expression of their daily knowledge of its ever-varying effects; and that is the continued and increasing discovery of what they are in themselves! And is not this-knowledge-spiritual knowledge? It may be the voice of love and praise is often withheld; but they are found very capable of freely telling their sorrows and complaints: indeed, it is their sin that their harp, hung on the willows, is employed so seldom in honour of him who hath put the new song into their mouth. Still it is impossible those painful discoveries can be made, without a growing acquaintance with the person and salvation of Christ for though the measure of the believer's knowledge, does not necessarily correspond with the