reason or his judgment.  It will be no spiritual proof, having a spiritual influence on his heart; for this proof of the divine origin of the scriptures can only be had from the spirit of God.  Thus, when the Apostle Paul preached to several women by the river side near Philippi, it is said of Lydia only,[14] “the Lord opened her heart, that she attended to the things that were spoken by Paul.”  The other women undoubtedly heard the gospel of Paul with their outward ears, but it does not appear that their hearts were in such a spiritual state, that they felt its divine authority; for it is not said of them, as of Lydia, that their hearts were opened to understand spiritually that this gospel was of God.  Again,[15] when Jesus Christ preached to the Jews in the temple, many believed on him, but others believed not, but were so enraged that they took up stones to cast at him.  It appears that they all heard his doctrine with their outward ears, in which he particularly stated that he was from above; but they did not receive the truth of his origin in their hearts, because they were not in a state to receive that faith which cometh from the spirit of God.  In the same manner persons hear sermon after sermon at the present day, but find no spiritual benefit in their hearts.

[Footnote 14:  Acts 16.13]

[Footnote 15:  John 8.30.45.59.]

Again—­a man, by comparing passages of scripture with other passages, and by considering the use and acceptation of words in these, may arrive at a knowledge of their literal meaning.  He may obtain also, by perusing the scriptures, a knowledge of some of the attributes of God.  He may discover a part of the plan of his providence.  He may collect purer moral truths than from any other source.  But no literal reading of the scriptures can give him that spiritual knowledge of divine things, which leads to eternal life.  The scriptures, if literally read, will give him a literal or corresponding knowledge, but it is only the spiritual monitor within, who can apply them to his feelings; who can tell him “thou art the man; this is thy state:  this is that which thou oughtest or oughtest not to have done;” so that he sees spiritually, (the spirit of God bearing witness with his own spirit) that his own situation has been described.  Indeed, if the scriptures were sufficient of themselves for this latter purpose, the Quakers say that the knowledge of spiritual things would consist in the knowledge of words.  They, who were to get most of the divine writings by heart, would know spiritually the most of divine truths.  The man of the best understanding, or of the most cultivated mind, would be the best proficient in vital religion.  But this is contrary to fact.  For men of deep learning know frequently less of spiritual Christianity, than those of the poor, who are scarcely able to read the scriptures.  They contend also, that if the scriptures were the most vitally understood by those of the most learning, then the dispensations of God would be partial, inasmuch as he would have excluded the poor from the highest enjoyments of which the nature of man is susceptible, and from the means of their eternal salvation.