exerted but in strict conjunction and consistency with all his glorious attributes.

Truth is an authoritative teacher, that establishes itself in the soul, not by what may appear as a preponderance of argument, which is liable to deception if not weighed in the balance of the sanctuary, but by virtue of its own appropriate, efficacious impression on the mind that is prepared to receive it. Truth, as an essential attribute of the Deity, must ever partake of the Divine nature. A correspondent sense and perception of that nature, which includes the love of it, must ever constitute the real capacity for its efficacious reception; even as light can be perceived only by the organs of sight, and can be grateful to those organs only in proportion as they are free from disease, and gradually exercised to admit its penetrating yet delightful beams.

The blind or partially diseased may be pierced by its vital rays; in which also is healing virtue to those who refuse not to admit their salutary

though searching operation. But the organ that is made truly willing to admit the rays of Divine Light, must, ere their efficacy can be experienced, be opened; and that by an humbling

process, in which the will and wisdom of man is laid low. The best thoughts of the heart, in the beginning of this process, may amount to nothing more than the conviction of our natural blindness, or of our long-continued infirmity of sight, under which we shall not be disposed to exercise ourselves in things too high for this our early spiritual condition. But if, unhappily, we think we are advanced beyond our real condition, and that we already clearly see that which, by the spiritual organ, is only just opening to our view, we may easily take light for darkness, or darkness for light-truth for error, and error for truth.

Thus it appears that argument, discussion, and controversy, are not the right way or the appropriate means for the certain discovery and attainment of spiritual truths. Yet these means rightly employed, that is under a due sense of our incapacity of ourselves to judge or know anything as of ourselves, may be useful auxiliaries of truth against error: they may be advantageously applied to the sifting, exposing, or confirming of the declarations which assume to be those of Truth through the medium of our fellow creatures; and if they do no more than tend to convince us of our liability to err, and thus, humbling human

pride, induce us to repose more implicitly on Divine guidance and instruction, they will not be without an important service.

Discussion also, carried on in a right, that is in a meek dependent spirit, may enable those to discriminate between the assumption of pure Truth and the semblance of it, who are not of themselves sufficiently experienced or exercised in divine things to be fully sensible of the distinction.

Chapter EE.

ON THE NATURE OF MAN.

Section I.

THE COMPLEX NATURE OF MAN.

Man considered as fallen or unfallen, in his present state of existence, is a complex being, consisting of two natures, distinct as to their respective properties and future destination, yet intimately united, and reciprocally influencing each other during their temporary connection. To define or distinguish between all the properties or original propensities of each, might be not only difficult but impossible; so partial is our knowledge of the essence or elementary principles of all created substances. But of their comparative value, of their present and ultimate interests, and of their final destination, with the qualities appropriate to each, we are made capable of an adequate degree of knowledge.

These two distinct natures which enter into the composition of a human being, are denominated soul or spirit, and body; comprising a principle of mental intelligence both sensitive and rational, intimately united for a time with an organized corporeal machine; each of these natures being endowed with appropriate capacities or principles, which, however indefinable in their exact limitations and boundaries during their united existence, and in respect to some of their operations, evince the contrariety of their origin and their end: dissolution and corruption being the natural tendency and usual termination of the body; and immortality, or a future existence independent of its corporeal companion, being the destiny of the soul. Thus "the dust will return to its dust, and the spirit to God who gave it." He who is the Creator of the body and the soul; and of all things visible and invisible, is pleased to be emphatically denominated, the Father of Spirits; by which is clearly intimated, that the spirit of man in its original state of holiness and happiness, was the offspring of God; consequently of a nature and origin transcendently higher than the body.