mouth in power and strength; that all the people of the land might hear, and not be able to gainsay it.—P. 151.

Now here appear to us clear marks of over-excitement. We cannot discover any warrant in Holy Scripture, for ordinary individuals to ask for the gift of healing-the gift of working of miracles—the gift of prophecy-the gift of tongues—and the gift of interpretation of tongues-and the simultaneous impression upon Mr. Baxter's mind, that as it was the mind of God's Spirit he was uttering, it was the mind of God, and would surely be answered, might well have roused him to careful self-examination, rather than puffed him up with confident expectation.

He

But will this excitement of the imagination, &c. account for all the peculiarities which Mr. B. records? We think it will. had been for a considerable period attending to the strange occurrences at Port Glasgow; he had been indulging deeply in prophetic speculations; he was pronounced by one who knew him well in a very excited state of mind, and just ready to be led astray;' he was ready to catch at a straw for support, and rely upon the most insignificant circumstances! it is therefore no wonder that he at length persuaded himself that things most absurd were really true; take the following specimen.

I set out; having no other object or expectation in my journey than the profit and pleasure of intercourse with a brother. But as I journeyed on the coach, the power came upon me in the form of a revelation, conveying to me, that God had set me apart for a special purpose towards his church, for which he would commission and endow me; that for this purpose I should be taken away from my wife and family, and become as a wanderer without home or habitation; that this separation from my family would be, in God's hand, a visitation upon my wife for her violence and opposition to the work of the Spirit of God, and for her denuncia

tions against me; and yet it would be overruled of God in mercy towards her for a blessing; that I should find my brother at home; and as I entered his paddock gate, he would come out of the house door to meet me—that whilst I was there he should receive the Spirit, and speak in the same power in which I spoke; that these should be signs to me of the truth of the things which were thus revealed; that I should be made in power to deliver to him two messages; one to be carried

by him to my wife, to declare to her what God's purpose concerning us was, and the other to be borne to some relations, enjoining upon them the winding up of all my worldly concerns, and the future provision for my wife and family; that a child of my brother should also be called to be a Prophetess, and that I should minister on the ensuing Sunday in my bro

ther's church; that when my brother went to carry the message, he should also be commissioned to baptize with the Holy Ghost my youngest child, then an infant six weeks old. I was in great trouble upon this revelation. The conclusion I gathered from it was, that I should never see my wife and children again, supposing the Lord's will to be such as seemed to be revealed to me. I had not sent my brother word that I was coming, and I did not know whether he was at home or not; but deeply anxious as I was as to the revelation, I in no little agitation looked for the first sign which was to confirm the truth of it. I arrived, and as I entered his gate, he came out exactly as was shown me. This confirmation seemed to seal the truth of the whole, and so unmanned me that I could not for some time speak to him.-Pp. 38, 39.

Now what could be more probable, than that a clergyman, seeing a coach stop at his paddock gate unexpectedly, should step to the house door to see who was coming? Surely no man in full possession of a sound judgment, would infer any thing from such accidental coincidence; the very laying down of a sign of this nature, is a species of tempting providence.

The following remarks of Mr. Goode appear peculiarly applicacable to this part of our subject.

I would remind my readers how many there are whose whole conduct seems to be guided by the impulses of the feelings and the fancies of the imagination, instead of the dictates of sound reason and judgment: I mean of those who are (in the common acceptation of the terms) honest, sincere, and religious persons, and whose imagination is not really diseased. When, therefore, such persons become deeply affected with the spiritual truths of the word, and are carried beyond the bounds of visible objects by faith in its wonderful revelations, there is danger that instead of making it the great object of their lives to understand, exemplify, and inculcate the saving and practical parts of that word, they may be led to give a disproportionate share of attention to those parts which, from being mysterious, or prophetic, or treating of what is out of the usual course of God's providence, suit their disposition, and give room for their fancy to luxuriate; and in the intent meditation upon which their excited feelings and over. wrought imagination may altogether overwhelm the voice of reason and judgment.

And here let it be observed, that we are not, as is common in the supporters of such cases as that we are considering, to argue thus: These persons are evidently pious, and consequently taught of God, and therefore they are right. For even granting that their general conduct is a proof of real piety, and some degree of divine teaching, it does not follow that they have been taught of God in the particular point in question, any more than it follows that the sins into which any of God's servants may at times be betrayed, are agreeable to the will of God, because committed by his servants. Every point that respects doctrine or conduct is to be tried, not by the apparent character of its author, but by the word of God.

The peculiar effect of this natural enthusiasm, if we may so call it, when excited, is to confound and overwhelm the reasoning faculties and the judgment, so as to produce to a greater or less extent, according to the violence of the impulse, a temporary alienation or suspension of those powers, and leave the person under the guidance of a heated imagination and excited feelings. We have an illustration of such a case in one who has allowed him. self to be overcome by the feeling of anger. In a person of strong and uncontrolled

feelings, when the imagination is impressed with the idea of injury inflicted, and the excited feeling of anger has been allowed to work in the mind, the reason and judgment will be found sometimes to have lost their sway to that extent that the man will pour out his words with so little consciousness of what he is saying, that when the fit is over, he would be utterly unable to repeat his own words, and even surprised to hear what he had uttered. Now such is exactly the condition of one of these modern prophets under the influence of the power.' Instances of the former kind are, it is to be hoped, rare, and the indulgence of the excitement in such a case is so manifestly opposed to the interests of man, as well as to the law of God, that it is seldom allowed to proceed so far. But in the latter case, the objects producing the excitement being of the best kind, the affections are often allowed, in the contemplation of them, to be carried, unaccompanied by the judgment, to that excess of effervescence that places them beyond command. And why this should not be followed by the same effects as those which are produced by any other objects that place a man under the control of his unsubdued feelings, or of any one particular passion, as love or anger, except through the particular favour and mercy of God, no good reason can be given.-Pp. 210-212.

But whence, it may be said, did the unusual tone and voice proceed, in which the persons spoke when under the power? We do not attach much importance to this enquiry. The tone and voice of some of the speakers, was, we are assured, decidedly hysterical; and every one knows, that under strong excitement of fear, passion, surprise, &c. persons speak very differently from their usual tone, and that to a degree which is not unfrequently distressing to the hearers; nor where such errors in judgment appear in other respects, is it at all surprising if the due modulation of the voice should be neglected?

It may however be said, does not the denying the supernatural power of manifestations,

these

rather countenance their heresy, who say there is no revelation nor Spirit? We think not: we firmly believe the existence of evil spirits. We believe that Satan, like a roaring lion, goeth about, seeking whom he may devour; that he has access to the minds of men; that he can and does suggest vain, foolish, sinful, detestable imaginations. We believe that he can assume the garb of an angel of light, and by proposing to the mind perverted interpretations of Scripture, can, and does tempt Christian people to rash, foolish, presumptuous and sinful conduct. We are quite willing to believe that the suggestions made to the mind of Mr. Baxter, were made by this evil spirit; all we doubt is, whether there was any thing answering to the idea of POWER; any constraint of the will; any suspension of the natural faculties of the mind; whether in short, Mr. B. was tempted with any more forcible species of temptation than other Christians are. We see nothing in his own account which justifies any such inference; and we think he has himself pointed out some circumstances, and possibly any judicious faithful minister who has access to him, might point out others, which rendered him especially in danger of temptation. The following passages from Mr. B's pamphlet, deserves in this respect the especial attention of all.

In conclusion, I cannot refrain from adding a remark or two upon the causes which have, as it appears to me, prepared the way for this awful delusion. In these, I desire to speak not in judgment on others, but simply what I have been conscious of in myself. In the front I would place a habit of speculating upon religious truths, in the hasty interpretation of Scripture, and especially the prophetic portions. That the prophets were written to be read, and that reading in faith and prayer will issue in a profitable understanding of them, no one can doubt. Whatever zeal, therefore, may be manifested in the study of prophecy, and how

great soever may be its extension, it is matter of rejoicing, and not of regret. But, alas! such frail Christians are we, that a little knowledge may puff up; and unless deeply humbled under the sense of our ignorance, and continually watchful to wait upon the Lord for teaching, we may stumble over the very way-marks which are given for our guidance. How much ought we to weigh every interpretation! how slow should we be to speak it! and how ready to bear with an opposite view, and to wait for that teaching, which shall give us all one heart and mind in the matter. Especially dangerous is the habit of putting forth crude undigested thoughts in interpretation of prophecy, although they may be stated under the hope some other person may take them up and perfect them. Surely we have so much of glorious revelation made plain to us, that we can feed upon it in peace and patience, with thanksgiving; and need not to cultivate an unhealthy appetite after crude and novel views, in which we can neither find rest nor edification. Our minds are naturally prone to novelty, and vain curiosity is one of the strongest of our temptations. Every text of Scripture deserves inquiry, and to seek its elucidation must be praiseworthy; but great watchfulness must be exercised, lest the energy of a spiritual mind should be supplanted by the strong cravings of cu

riosity, and the restlessness of an excited imagination. Pp. 138, 139.

Another course of speculation has been upon doctrines, and generally received truths; in an opening of them after a new

method, or in the giving a greater prominency to particular parts. The varying circumstances of the church require that her ministers should be giving meat in due season and happy is that minister who is endowed with wisdom to discern what is needful for the present emergency, and to minister the same with faithfulness. But there are minds, whose besetting sin it is to be continually passing to and fro within the circle of truth; now laying hold of one subject, and now of another; and, as each is embraced, dwelling with such intentness upon it, and swelling it out so much beyond its proper bearing, that it is carried over the boundary of truth, and becomes, if not plain error, at least a distortion of the truth calculated to lead into error continually. When such a mind is dwelling upon its favourite sub

ject, whatever for the time present it happens to be, it will not only suffer other parts of truth to be disparaged, but will also disparage and think slightingly of all professors whose minds may not have been carried towards the same development; and who, therefore, in the gigantic proportions which it has assumed, may not be able to discern the embryo truth from which the whole has sprung. It may be needful for one congregation, that its minister should dwell upon free grace, and for another that its pastor should develope and enforce good works: so, of every branch of the truth, one part is necessary here, whilst another must be set forth there one at this time, and another at an after time; each in season, as the Lord shall lead them to teach. But if we suffer ourselves, under even the most glorious opening of any branch of truth, to advance that branch into the place of the whole tree, we shall pluck up the stem, and our branch itself will wither. The mind habituated to such extremes is, however, peculiarly open to the assault of the enemy, when he is permitted to put forth not only enlarged views of truth, but sensible impulses and signs, in support of his designs. Pp. 140, 141.

One circumstance of these manifestations cannot but force itself upon observation; that is, the continual use which Iwas made of the doctrine of the second advent of our Lord. This was the leading theme of the utterances. The nearness of it, its suddenness, and the fearful judgments which would accompany it, were the continual arguments which were used to excite our minds, and stimulate our decision; as well as to support us under difficulties, and to induce us to lay all other things aside to further the work. The same thing has, as far as we are informed, attended every putting forth of assumed prophetic power from the earliest times. With regard to those manifestations, which have been nearer our own times, we know certainly that it has been So. With the French prophets, who arose about the beginning of the last century, and with the followers of Joanna Southcote, in our own days, the nearness of the second coming has been the leading doctrine. The inevitable effect of this fanatical use of the doctrine is to create prejudice, and to induce a persuasion that it is a dangerous doctrine. We must, however, be on our guard against any such

We have already given an extract from Mr. Goode's publication which deserves serious attention. Mr. G. has collected from various sources, a series of interesting documents on the subject of former alleged manifestations which are at once amusing and instructive. After pointing out the nature and character of the alleged gifts, he adduces the testimony of scripture and the best writers respecting such gifts; he then refers to the case of the montanists, and to various similar cases of more recent date, especially to those of the French prophets early in the preceding century. Those prophets had been so misled as to conclude that they were required by the Spirit's express direction to take up arms against the French king's troops; they predicted the speedy downfall of the Romish church, and the establishment of Christ's kingdom, but they were speedily exterminated in the most miserable man

Here also they most expressly laid claim to speak by inspiration in languages unknown to them, particularly Mr. Lacy. Many of his printed revelations are in Latin, and a very small portion in Greek; some also in French; of all which effusions he thus speaks : As to myself, I know that I do not now so much as understand the English of many words of them, [i. e. the Latin prophecies,] but as the inspiration itself does at the time teach me inwardly the sense of them, nor do I at all know the true conjugations, and even yet, when out of the ecstasy, I am utterly incapable of composing any thing of that kind, though upon the utmost deliberation and thought . . . . In like manner, there are hundreds in this city who can attest, that the French I speak at other times, is far short of what is here delivered in that language. The Greek words mentioned in some of these discourses came likewise from my mouth, and the sense of them was clearly impressed upon me in the moment of pronouncing, though the words I otherwise understood not.' To this he appeals as one of the great evidences of his own divine mission, and that of the French prophets in the Cevennes, who, he says, had the ready utterance of a language, which out of ecstasy they could not speak.

'Sir Richard Bulkley also informs us, that he heard a Mr. Dutton, who did not know one Hebrew letter from another, ' utter with great readiness and freedom complete discourses in Hebrew, for near a quarter of an hour together, and sometimes much longer.'

These productions in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and French, were all spoken to plain English people, of whom but few knew any but their mother tongue, and as it appears that Mr. Lacy himself was unable to construe his Latin and Greek, (of which the syntax is certainly inexplicable,) it is as difficult to conceive their use or pur

pose as of the unknown tongue' in the present day. Moreover, they were not at that time without the evidence of an 'unknown tongue.' Of the prophets in the Cevennes, this has been already mentioned above. Of those in England we have a similar testimony. Of Fage in particular, that he spoke it several times, and said that the nation that spoke this language should in a short time receive the gospel.' The same was done also by Cavalier.

They laid claim also to the same power of working miracles, particularly of healing. Many cases of this kind are related by Mr. Lacy, and particularly one of curing blindness. Sir R. Bulkley also affirms that he was himself the subject of some signs and wonders wrought toward him,' after some words had been in a very solemn manner pronounced to him' by one of the inspired.'-Pp. 177-179.

Our limits prevent the insertion of various other passages which we had marked. The following, however, affords too striking a proof of the effect produced by such scenes on a casual spectator to be overlooked. The extract is from a narrative published by Mr. H. Nicholson.

'Having,' he says, 'received a character of these prophets from a gentleman whose judgment I honour, and who had been imposed on by some who are prejudiced in their favour, with his advice to inquire into their lives and conversations, and examine their spirit, I became intimately acquainted with most of those who professed themselves inspired in this city.

As I was baptized in the Church of England . . so I have always been firm and unwavering in her doctrine .. But as these men did not at first seem to assault any of my tenets on that point, so they insensibly gained on my judgment to believe several things which now, upon more serious consideration, I look upon as delusions.' After frequenting their meetings for a few weeks, he says, "I was desired by one of the inspired, and withal enjoined to tell it to no one, to come the next day to a certain house at an appointed hour. ... Desiring to lose no opportunity of satisfying myself in this grand affair, I came a little after the appointed hour, where I found....... an assembly of at