by faith, is neglected, the spirit of popery appears in some form or other. In proportion as Scriptural truth is embraced, the church will be brought into "the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God"
EXTRACT V.
Papist and Mystic decry the study of Scripture.
"So it may be with every profession,—even among the Quakers; they may get so fixed in their judgments as to be deceived, and brought into a situation, through education and tradition, as to go back to the letter which killeth, and so as to become as much established in their view as the Romanist is, that it is not right to believe this or that, or to do this or that; and it would be a sin against God, if they acted thus, before their judgment had come to be informed right by the Spirit of truth; for nothing else can bring them off from their views, but that Spirit which makes them feel conviction for going counter to what they have set their judgments down in, by reading the letter, which none are to depend on; for the letter, if depended on, will kill the soul."[1] pp. 246, 247.
Popery is often disclaimed, whilst the spirit of Popery is cherished. The Papist and the Mystic are more nearly allied than perhaps either of them imagines. They alike decry the free and diligent search of the Scriptures, and for the same reason—their dominion is alike supported by ignorance, and falls before "the truth." They resemble each other also in unwarrantably setting up the authority of the fathers,
- ↑ See under Ser. VIII. Ex. 4.—"The letter killeth."
