earth, if it appear that he is the object of angelical worship in the heaven of heavens? In the sixth chapter of Isaiah, we meet with one of the grandest representations imaginable: Jehovah exhibits himself to the entranced prophet, seated on a lofty and august throne; before him stood the immortal host of seraphim; they veiled their faces, in token of deepest self-abasement; they lifted up their voices with a rapturous fervour, and uttered this magnificent acclamation, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory. The trisagium of the seraphic armies seems to intimate, that they addressed their praises to the one Jehovah in a trinity of persons. If you look forward to verse 8. you will find another circumstance confirming this remark; for the glorious Majesty speaks of himself in the plural number, Who will go for us? But the proof I chiefly depend on, the proof which is absolutely incontestable, which none can deny, without supposing themselves better judges of the sense of Scripture than the apostles-this proof is found in Acts xxviii. 25. where St Paul evidently applies the words spoken by this majestic and divine Being to the Holy Ghost, Well spake the Holy Ghost, saying. And if he attributes the words to this sacred person, who dares separate the honours? since all must allow, that the person who gives the commission to the prophet, and the person whom the celestial legions adore, is one and the same. Since therefore the angels address the Holy Ghost with solemn acts of praise; since they bear united testimony that the whole earth is full of his glory; Mr Tomkins should consider, whether he acts a becoming part in endeavouring to exclude his glory from any Christian congregation by his example, and from every Christian congregation by his writings.

If Mr Tomkins should still think his own opinion sufficient to overrule all these allegations of Scripture; of greater weight than the practice of St Paul to the Thessalonians; more unexceptionable, and

fitter to be admitted as our pattern, than the example of the angelic host; I cannot but imagine, that the propriety of our custom is apparent, even on the tenor of his own favourite notions. Page 12th, he quotes that grand and fundamental law of revealed religion, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. He proceeds to consider who this Lord our God is, whom we are, to serve. He then informs us, "It appears from the whole current of Scripture, in the New Testament as well as the Old, that it is he who, in times past, spake unto the fathers by the prophets." Rightly judged. We make no appeal from this verdict, but acquiesce in it, though it is his own; only taking along with us St Peter's declaration, Prophecy came not in old time (rather at any time, unquam not olim, TOTE not raha) by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, 2 Pet. i. 21. Mr Tomkins himself maintains, that the genuine and undoubted object of divine worship is that infinitely wise and gracious Being who spake to our fathers by the prophets; and St Peter, in the most express manner possible, asserts, that this infinitely wise and gracious Being, who spake by the prophets, is the Holy Ghost. Can demonstration itself be plainer? Sure, then, Mr Tomkins must either retract his position, or disallow the apostle's application of it; or else give us leave to adhere inviolably to our practice, and to look upon it as justifiable beyond all reasonable exception; and, what should carry some peculiar weight with our author, justifiable on principles of his own.

May I urge this point a little farther? I should be glad to know, what is the scriptural meaning of being converted unto the Lord? Is it not to renounce every lying vanity, to forsake every evil way, and to turn to the Lord with all our heart; that we may fear him, love him, put our whole trust in him, and serve him truly all the days of our life? Does not this include some, rather, is it not comprehensive of

all worship? So that if it is certain from Scripture that sinners are to be converted to the Holy Ghost, then it is equally certain that sinners are to pay, not some only, but all worship, to that blessed Being, who is the centre of their souls and the source of their happiness. Be pleased to read attentively 2 Cor. iii. 16, 17. and we dare venture to stand by your decision.

Let me add one more consideration, and I have done. The blessed Spirit is to help our infirmities in prayer, Rom. viii. 26. The Spirit is to subdue our iniquities, and mortify the deeds of the body, Rom. viii. 13. The Spirit is to shed abroad the love of God in our hearts, Rom. v. 5. The Spirit is to sanctify us wholly, in all our faculties, 1 Thess. v. 23. The Spirit is to transform us into the divine image, 2 Cor. iii. 18. The Spirit is to seal us unto the day of redemption, Eph. iv. 30.; and to be the earnest of an incorruptible inheritance, Eph. i. 14. In a word, from the Spirit we are humbly to expect all the fruits of goodness, righteousness, and truth, Eph. v. 9. Now, what a comfortable prospect rises before us, if this Spirit be the all-sufficient, the infinite God, to whom nothing is impossible; who is able to do for us exceeding abundantly, even above all that we can ask or think! But how languid must be our hopes, how scanty our expectations, if he be not the divine Being, but only some finite existence! And, in another state of things, to whom will righteous souls acknowledge themselves inexpressibly indebted, to whom will they return their ardent thanks, and address the most joyful praises, but to the author of these inestimable blessings? If this then is likely to be the employ and the delight of heaven, should it not be begun on earth?

Upon the whole, since the custom of offering prayer and addressing praise to the Holy Ghost, is contrary to no text of Scripture, is founded upon his divine nature, and results from the indispensable obligation of creatures to worship the Godhead :

Since it was undeniably the practice of the Christian church in its purest days, and has been received, by unanimous approbation, for many hundreds of preceding years: Since it is probable, if we will allow their doctrines and conduct to be consistent, it is certain, if we will prefer the most accurate and unembarrassed interpretation of their epistles, that the apostles used this method of worship: Since the analogy of the whole Scripture justifies it, and the innumerable benefits which are communicated to us from the blessed Spirit demand it: Since angels ascribe glory to his awful majesty, and our Saviour directs us to put up prayers to his almighty goodness: These, and other considerations, determine me to join, without the least scruple, with full assurance of its propriety, in that ancient noble doxology, Glory be to the Father, who hath loved us with an everlasting love; and to the Son, who hath washed us from our sins in his own blood; and to the Holy Ghost, who applies these blessings of redeeming grace to our corrupt hearts; to this great, eternal, incomprehensible Trinity, be rendered undivided honours, and immortal praise!

Having been so very prolix already, I shall not render myself more tedious by making any apology; but shall only add, what no consideration can induce me to omit, that I am, dear sir, your obliged friend, &c.

LETTER XXX.

Weston-Favell, March 1745-6. DEAR SIR,-You have set me a task, which I should be glad to execute, if I was able. God forbid that I should be backward to plead for the interests of that Redeemer on earth, who, I trust, is making perpetual intercession for me in heaven. But my fear is, lest the noble cause should suffer by the unskilfulness of its defendant. It is for this reason, purely for this reason, I wish to decline

accepting the challenge you seem to give me in your letter. For this once, however, I will enter the lists, and venture to try the strength, not of your arm, but of your arguments.

I do not wonder that you have objections to make against Christianity. I know some eminent Christians who were formerly warm and zealous in the opposition; yet they have frankly owned, that their minds were then either very inconsiderate, or else immersed in other speculations; and that they had no leisure, or no inclination, to weigh the evidences and examine the nature of the evangelical doctrine. Since they have applied themselves to consider these points with a seriousness and attention becoming an inquiry of the last importance, an inquiry in which their very souls and all their eternal interests were embarked, they are thoroughly convinced that their former sentiments were wrong. They are fully persuaded, that the gospel institution is of divine extract; that it is a system, noble and sublime, benevolent and gracious, every way suitable to the majesty of God, and admirably calculated for the comfort, the improvement, and the happiness of mankind.

Methinks you will reply, and very reasonably, "That all such should be able to account for the change of their opinions." I dare say they can. But as you call on me so particularly to vindicate the religious principles which I have from my infancy embraced, I will now attempt to vindicate them from the various charges of which they stand arraigned in your letter.

Be pleased then, dear sir, to observe that the Christian doctrine teaches, that when God brought man into being, he blessed him with a state perfectly holy and happy. If you read the Bible, the authentic narrative of our fall, as well as the only guide to our recovery, you will find it an avowed truth, that God made man upright. If, therefore, man corrupted himself, and (as it is impossible to bring