of a similar kind existed at the same time along with them; and if Nicolai's illusions did not arise from ideas becoming more intense than impressions or sensations, the whole of Dr. Hibbert's tables, explanatory of these changes, are founded, not on facts and experiments, but on conjecture, and the workings of a very fruitful imagination. our There is a simple and ready ex made objects of comparison with impressions. In the present condition of man, however, when, from reasonings founded on the united testimony given us by all our senses, we believe in an external world, the slightest impression made on any of them, leads us to refer it to an external cause,-when we make a distinction between impressions and ideas, not founded on their intensity, but on their origin, it is sure-planation of the case of Nicolai, ly unphilosophic to imagine that a and it can be extended to every change, merely in the quality of instance where such phenomena octhese different kinds of phenomena, cur. Such phenomena, in fact, have shall make us mistake the one for an equal relation to mind and matthe other, and nothing short of ter. The nerves are the media of folly to assert that such a mistake communication with an external can be made by one, when he has world. In a healthy state, impresan opportunity of comparing their sions made on them cease to act different degrees of intensity, and after exciting those mental states tells us plainly that he marks and by which they are followed as efunderstands the distinction. fects; and that they should do so, is not a circumstance more astonishing than any other operation connected with the corporeal and intellectual economy. But there are morbid states of the same nerves, and then they are affected without any external cause, in a manner similar to that when they conveyed impressions to the mind. they do so is a physiological fact, by no means astonishing where every thing is wonderful; and if any inquiry on the subject is to be made, perhaps the most rational question would be, as to why such morbid states so rarely happen. Dr. Hibbert could not be ignorant of this, for illusions equally striking as those of Nicolai are experienced by patients in almost every case of erysipelas. But the Doctor had determined on writing a book;he had resolved to theorize on the subject; and rather than be content with a very obvious and a very philosophic explanation of the puzzle, he has bewildered both himself The case of Nicolai, which seems to be the foundation stone of Dr. Hibbert's publication, confirms all that has just now been said, and is completely opposed to the reasonings of Dr. Hibbert. The philosophic Nicolai, during his illness, was not in such a state as to mistake ideas for sensations, or impressions, he saw his friends and spoke to them; and at the same time pointed out and made his observations on the spectral as sembly, by which he was apparently surrounded. "I conversed sometimes with my physician and my wife of the phantasms, which at the moment surrounded me," p. 7. "But I considered the phantasms that hovered round me as what they really were, namely, the effects of disease," p. 386. If, by increasing intensity, ideas are mistaken for impressions, the ideas of Nicolai were never so increased in force, for they were not mistaken for impressions, whenever an impression That * Nicolai's phantasms were not intense ideas, but sensations or impressions, which two terms Dr Hibbert uses as synonymous. and his readers, by attempting to connect more closely two events, by interposing between them the very clumsy hypothesis of an expansion and condensation of the blood. danger of backsliding; as will appear, if you consider these Scriptures, Luke ix. 62, "No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God;" Heb. x. 36, "If any man draw back, my soul shall have (To be concluded in next Number.) no pleasure in him ;" 2 Pet. ii. 21. TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHRISTIAN INSTRUCTOR. SIR, I send for insertion in your Miscellany the following Letter, which is very little known, though it has been printed, and which I hope you will deem worthy of a place in the Instructor. Your's, B. The Reverend Mr. John Bonnar's My dear and worthy young YOUR letter, which I received a few days ago, was most acceptable to me; it gave me no small joy, when I heard formerly of your design, and saw your rules, whereof I heartily approve. I desire to bless God, that in this degenerate age, when atheism, infidelity, and all kind of wickedness abound, and especially amongst the younger sort; he, of his mercy, should incline the hearts of any, and you in particular, to venture out in the ways of God. You have begun well; may you still go forward in your Christian course! You will no doubt meet with solicitations from Satan, your corrupt nature, and a wicked world, to give over the enterprise; but stronger is he that is for you than all your enemies. Beware, I intreat you, of grieving the Holy Spirit, by returning to folly. Great is the "It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to depart from the holy commandment delivered to them." It is grace alone that establishes the heart. They that have no root, may endure for a while; but, when tribulation or persecution arises, they are ready to be offended. I shall offer you a few advices, which, by the blessing of God, I hope, may be of some use to you. 1mo, Study to be well acquainted with the natural wickedness of your own hearts. This is a good, if not a distinguishing mark, betwixt a Christian and an hypocrite. The former will trace sin to its source, but the latter only seeks to restrain his open vices, which would expose him to the world. Let your search be diligent and accurate, and cry to God that he may try your heart and reins. You now run a very dangerous part of your. race; youth adds a double strength to corruption, and gives tentation great advantage. Wherefore, 2do, Endeavour to take a serious backlook of your younger years. Reflect on the many sins and follies that there stand in record against you, and cry with your whole heart to God, that he may give you grace to mourn over them with real bitterness of soul. 3tio, You must not rest here (for a sorrow for sin, as some vainly imagine, will never atone for it) but cry earnestly to God, whom you have offended, for mercy and pardon. You have often heard of precious Christ and his righteousness, who is daily offered to you in the glorious gospel. O plead for a day of his power, making all of you willing to embrace him. Receive him wholly in all his offices, as your alone and complete Saviour, desiring to be found in him, not having your own righteousness, which is of the law, but the righteousness of God which is by faith in Christ. And endeavour to live a life of faith upon him; and O that out of his fulness you may be daily receiving, and grace for grace! 410, Count what religion may cost you. It is easy professing Christ in a time of prosperity; but when such days come as I have seen (and from which may the Lord ever preserve this poor Land) I am afraid that many will go back. But lay your account with the very worst that can happen, and resolve through grace to cleave to Christ, his truth and way all your days, Acts xi. 23. 5to, Daily read and endeavour to be well acquainted with the holy Scriptures, from which you may draw true wisdom and real knowledge. 6to; Study soundness in the faith; and, for this end, read sound books; make the confession of faith and catechisms perfectly your own; shun the company of such as are either of unsound principles or unsuitable conversations. It was a good advice of worthy Mr. Dyer, "Hear the best ministers, read the best books, and keep the best company." 7mo, Wait close upon God in the way of his ordinances. Be frequent and fervent in prayer; and in every thing with prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. He is a faithful friend, and able and willing to help. Be often putting up heart ejaculations, which may be of great use for fixing your hearts when employed in the affairs of this world. Watch over your hearts in the time of duty, and pray that God may, by his holy spirit, make the word effectual for your salvation. 8vo, Let your discourse be savoury, your whole conversation grave and circumspect, suitable to the profession you have made. Remember you have many eyes upon you: The wicked will have their eyes upon you, waiting for your halting, and, if you carry not suitably, will be ready to reproach the ways of God on your account. The eyes of the godly are upon you, who will rejoice to see you walking in God's ways, and will be grieved for every slip that you make. The eye of conscience is always upon you. But above all the eye of a holy and jealous God, to whom you must give an account of all your actions; wherefore endeavour to approve yourselves to him. 9no, You are now setting out into the World in some one profession or other. Be diligent and faithful therefore in your respective businesses. Beware of idleness and sloth, which is the mother of all vices: And let the glory of God, and your being useful in your generation, be still in view; and pray to him for success in your lawful endeavours. These directions I give, as most necessary for you in all circumstances. I shall conclude with a few advices to you in your present situation; as, 1mo, keep your meetings punctually. 2dly, Observe your rules strictly; and, if any thing be blame-worthy in the conduct of any member, admonish him in love. 3dly, Be edifying in your conversation; and, for that end, always choose in your meetings some head of divinity for discourse. 4thly, I recommend to you humility; be not lifted up as if you were beyond others, since the Lord has done good to your souls, what have ye that ye have not received, and if ye have received it, why are you proud? 1 Cor. iv. 7. 5th, Take heed whom you admit as members of your so, ciety. Let them be of pious inclinations, sound in their princi. ples, of a suitable walk, such as will not spread what is among you, and such as are zealous for the interest of Christ. I take your writing of me very kindly, and if in any thing you need my counsel and advice, pray let me know, and it shall not be wanting. I conclude in the words of the apostle, 1 Thes, v, 29. "The God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole spirit, soul and body, may be preserved blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." I am sincerely, dear and worthy Gentlemen, your soul's well-wisher and servant in the Lord, JOHN BONNAR. Torphichen, April 14, 1740. J TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHRISTIAN f MR. EDITOR, ALTHOUGH the September Instructor will, I suppose, by this time be published, I have only just now had an opportunity of perusing the number for August. It contains, I see, a letter in reference to the dialogue on public rebukes, which appeared in your July number, in which the writer seems to accuse me of unintentional misrepresentation, and my sentiments (for he plainly identifies me with my Townsman) of libertinism. With regard to the last of these charges, I entertain no fears; and the first I utterly disclaim. Your correspondent may give me credit when VOL. XXIII. NO. X. I acknowledge that, while the paper contains some thoughts which may be said to be my own, yet, as of the conversation, I am indeed a to the greater part of the substance reporter, and have just put together in my hearing been adduced on the the arguments which had actually subject; the phraseology may sometimes be altered, but no one argument, on the one side or on the other, has lost a grain of its weight: of course, I do not consider myself bound to enter the lists with any one who may come forward in defence of either my Countryman or my Townsman. Although much inclined to fall in with the latter, it is not improbable that any farther discussion on the subject shall be left to those who may possess more time and more talent for it. Your correspondent, Sir, has all, or all men, do not always com- the Scripture;" and, speaking of the very passage in 1 Tim. ii. 4, 6. he says, "The word all being in the Scripture most commonly used for many of all sorts, and there being nothing in the subject matter of which it is here affirmed that should in the least measure impel to another acceptation of the word, especially for an universal collection of every individual, we hold it safe to cleave to the most usual sense and meaning of it." nication, was said to be a good rule. The said rule was, I believe, neither more nor less than this:-The meaning of particular passages or words of Scripture must always be explained agreeably to the analogy of faith, and may, in general, be ascertained by attending to the context. It was fully anticipated, that objections might be brought forward against some things in the dialogue; but it never once occur→ ed to me, that this would meet with the smallest opposition. What distortions and inconsistencies must disfigure our religious system, should we venture to form it from detached portions of even God's most perfect word! Really, Sir, we must compare spiritual things with spiri tual, if we would escape the danger of wresting the Scriptures to our own destruction. We have only to take up such expressions as that which we find in Isaiah xxvii. 4, "Fury is not in me," in this isolated manner, to light upon, if not a most " ingenious," yet a most effectual "method of putting an end" not only to "all acknowledgments of sin, either public or private," but to all anxiety about the consequences of sin, and to all con cern to be saved from God's wrath and curse due to us for sin. My object, Sir, in troubling you at this time is, through you, to request your correspondent The Countryman, to favour your readers with an explanation of some verses in the Bible, betwixt which and the one above referred to, there is, in my opinion, an obvious similarity. Out of many more which might be mentioned, let me select Acts ii. 16, 17. and Titus ii. 11. It is parti. cularly requested that my friend shall show, with all possible clearness, how the phrases all flesh in Acts, and all men in Titus, taken with the same latitude with which he, if I do not mistake his meaning, understands the term all in Timothy, do consist with matter of fact. It is impossible for God to lie; and therefore, speaking to us in his word, he is most certainly entitled to be believed. It is necessary likewise that he be understood. We do not pretend to correct the language of the Holy Ghost, nor do we say some when he says all, when we assign to the term all the same extent which he has assigned to it. It is a very possible thing for plain honest men, both in town and country, to be somewhat erroneous, and somewhat presump. tuous too; but it is some consola tion to know that we are so in company with theologians of the most eminent talent and respectability. It is surprising to hear a sensible writer speak so contemptuously about what, in former my commu My friend will excuse me, when 1, without doing any violence to his remarks about the rule, do point to what they, if followed out, would, by necessary consequence, lead; and he will believe me, when I express my confidence, that he sincerely deprecates such consequences; and he will join with me in saying, that it is when we view the many declarations of the mercy of God, as harmonising with those which speak of the fury of his anger; and those which represent him as in Christ his well beloved Son pacified, and in him well pleased; and those which assure us that he that believeth on the Son hath |