people to a light within themselves? Did he tell them to "gather into stillness,"—to "wait for the heavenly Pilot,"—to be very careful not to rely too much on an outward sacrifice? Nothing like it. It is unquestionably necessary in the ministry of the Gospel, that the offices of the Holy Spirit, as well as the offices of Christ, as they are revealed in the Scripture, should be brought into view. True ministers "preach the word," they are "ministers of the word," i.e. bearers or declarers of the message,—See Acts, xiii. 32,—and their desire should be to set forth that word of life and salvation in all its comprehensiveness.
EXTRACT VI.
Order itself no sufficient Bond.
"If we keep to the order established, and which we believe to have been set up under the guidance of truth, we shall never be broken to pieces, we shall always be united." p. 133.
What reason has any man to suppose, that order established by a body of people, can keep them together acceptably to God, unless the bond of their union consists in the acknowledgment of the Holy Scriptures,—the attested revelation of the Spirit, as the rule of their faith and practice? We see infidelity itself lays claim to the guidance of truth: by what means then are unjust claims to be set aside, and false pretensions to be exposed, if the Scriptures be not the ultimate standard of doctrine, on the truth and authority whereof we confidently rely?
