viewed as in connection with, and as having relation to their spiritual condition; but to any other state, they are not true; therefore such revelations abstractedly taken, are not true in themselves—are not the truth of god." Ibid. vol. I. p. 403.
We could select many other passages derogatory to the Holy Scriptures, but these are sufficient to show the contemptuous manner in which they are spoken of by the Separatists and their ministers. They assert that they are not necessary, and perhaps not suited to any other people, than those to whom they were written,—they are a thing without any life at all, a dead monument, all shadow, upon which we should turn our backs,—that the direction of our Lord to search them is not correct,—that his parables have no such effect as a tendency to reform and turn men about to truth,—that in vain does any man quote the Scriptures as authority for his opinions,—that without immediate revelation they are no better than speculations,—that they only form an ignis fatuus which leads to bewilder and dazzles to blind,—that no experience will ever be worth any thing to us, which is not our own experience, and that that only belongs to us, which is immediately revealed to us,—and that the revelations which were made to the Israelites respecting the nature of God, are not true in themselves,—are not the truth of god.
We are not surprised that persons holding the opinions which they do, relating to the great truths of Christian redemption, should undervalue and endeavour to destroy the authority of the Holy Scriptures. For so long as they are admitted to be a test of doc-
