Our Br. Worrall for himself, and on behalf of our brethren in Glasgow, tenders grateful acknowledgements to those who have forwarded books, and "administered to the intellectual pleasure and gratification" of our distant Brethren.

MILTON ON HERESY.

From his "Treatise of Civil Power in Ecclesiastical Causes."

But we shall not carry it thus. Another Greek apparition stands in our way, Heresy and Heretic; in like manner also railed at to the people, as in a tongue unknown. They should first interpret to them, that heresy, by what it signifies in that language, is no word of evil note-meaning only the choice or following of any opinion, good or bad, in religion, or any other learning; and thus, not only in heathen authors, but in the New Testament itself, without censure or blame; Acts xv. 5. "Certain of the heresy of the Pharisees which believed;" and xxvi. 5. "After the exactest heresy of our religion, I lived a Pharisee." In which sense presbyterian or independent may without reproach be called a heresy. Where it is mentioned

with blame, it seems to differ little from schism; 1 Cor. xi. 18, 19. "I hear that there be schisms among you," &c. "for there must also heresies be among you." Tho some who write of heresy after their own heads, would make it far worse than schism; whereas, on the contrary, schism signifies division, and in the worst sense; heresy, choice only of one opinion before another, which may be without discord. In apostolic times therefore, ere the scripture was written, heresy was a doctrine maintained against the doctrine by them delivered; which in these times can be no otherwise defined than a doctrine maintained against the light, which we now only have of the scripture

Seeing, therefore, that no man, no synod, no session of men, tho called the Church, can judge definitely the sense of scripture to another man's conscience,

which is well known to be a general maxim of the protestant religion, it follows plainly, that he who holds in religion that belief, or those opinions, which to his conscience and utmost understanding appear with most evidence or probability in the scripture, tho to others he seem erroneous, can no more be justly censured for a heretic than his censurers, who do but the same thing themselves, while they censure him for so doing For ask them, or any protestant which hath most authority, the church or the scripture ? They will answer, doubtless, that the scripture; and what hath most authority, that no doubt but they will confess is to be followed. He then, who to his best apprehension follows the scripture, tho against any point of doctrine by the whole church received, is not the heretic; but he who follows the church against his conscience and persuasion, grounded on the scrip

ture.

To make this yet more undeniable, I shall only borrow a plain simile, the same which our own writers, when they would demonstrate plainest, that we rightly prefer the scripture before the church, use frequently against the papist in this manner. As the Samaritans believed Christ, first for the woman's word, but next, and much rather for his own, so we the scripture ; first on the church's word, but afterwards and much more for its own, as the word of God; yea, the church itself we believe then for the scripture. The inference of itself follows. If by the protestant doctrine we believe the scripture, not for the church's saying, but for its own, as the word of God, then ought we to believe what in our conscience we apprehend the scripture to say, tho the visible church, with all her doctors, gainsay; and being taught to believe them only for the scripture, they who so do are not heretics, but the best protestants, and by their opinions, whatever they be, can hurt no protestant, whose rule is not to receive them but from the scripture; which to interpret convincingly to his own conscience, none is able but himself guided by the Holy Spirit; and not so guided; none than he to himself can be a worse deceiver.

To protestants, therefore, whose common rule and touchstone is the scripture, nothing can with more conscience, more equity, nothing more protestantly can be permitted, than a free and lawful debate at all times by writing, conference, or disputation of what opinion soever, disputable by scripture. Concluding that no man in religion is properly a heretic at this day, but he who maintains traditions or opinions not probable by scripture; who, for aught I know, is the papist only; he the only heretic, who counts all heretics but himself.

QUEEN MARY'S

LETTER ΤΟ THE LORD CHANDOIS, ORDERING THE MANNER OF BISHOP HOOPER'S EXECUTION.

From Burnet's History of the Reformation.

Right trusty and well beloved, &c. Whereas, John Hooper, who of late was called Bishop of Worcester and Gloucester, is, by due order of the laws ecclesiastic, condemned and judged for a most obstinate, false, detestable Heretic, and committed to our secular power, to be burned, according to the wholesome* and good laws of our realm, in that case provided. Forasmuch, as in those cities, and the diocese thereof, he hath in times past preached and taught most pestilent heresies and doctrine to our subjects there; we have, therefore, given order, that the said Hooper, who yet persisteth obstinate, and hath refused mercy when it was graciously offered, shall be put to execution in the said city of Gloucester, for the example and terror of such as he hath there seduced and mistaught, and because he hath done most harm there. And will that you, calling unto you some of reputation, dwelling in the shire, such as ye think best, shall repair unto our said city, and be at the said execution, assisting our mayor and sheriffs of the same city in this behalf.

Very wholesome. Such laws cured all sickness.

And forasmuch also as the said Hooper is, as heretics be, a vain-glorious person, and delighteth in his tongue and having liberty, may use his said tongue to persuade such as he hath seduced to persist in the miserable opinion that he hath sown among them; our pleasure is, therefore, and we require you to take order, that the said Hooper be neither, at the time of his execution, nor in going to the place thereof, suffered to speak at large; but thither to be led quietly, and in silence, for eschewing further infection, and such inconvenience as may otherwise ensue in this part. Whereof fail not, as ye tender our pleasure.

From the Bethlehem Star.

BEWARE OF ENTHUSIASM.

A new sect of enthusiastical people have lately arose in New-England, under the influence of a female by the name of Betsey or Eliza W. Niles.

This wonderful person appeared a few years ago in Windsor, Vt. and requested a hearing of the people at the Meeting-House, while she delivered a message from God, which she said would be confirmed to the people by her death instantly in the pulpit.

On being refused, she immediately shut herself up in her shop in company with a young man and his sister, where they kept concealed, if we are rightly informed, two nights and one day. This excited the suspicions of some, who went to them, and found the young man and his sister speechless and inactive, who soon recovered their strength, but the young man appeared wild and deranged.

The people being alarmed at this incident, indulged her request, and assembled at the Meeting House to hear her, when she attempted to speak, but soon appeared confused and deranged, and was taken to a hospitable family, who carefully attended to any means to render her comfortable. While at this place she manifested a great attachment to the young man who was concealed in the shop with her, and would

often seem to be in great distress, when nothing but a visit from him would relieve her. Some people suspecting it was their intention to form a connexion in marriage, told them at one time, that a justice was present, and if they wished to be married, to stand up, when she immediately manifested that it was her desire; but he declined.

Not long after this she was carried to her father's house, where she became convinced that this was delusion, and wrote to the young man and his sister, that she was convinced it was a delusion, and wished them to think no more of it.

But some time in the year 1822, she commenced in this way again, and accordingly set out in pursuit of this young man, whom she pretended had received a part of the Holy Ghost by the imposition of her hands to qualify him to labor in the vineyard of the Lord with her, and had stumbled in consequence of her backsliding, and had married him another wife. After making several attempts to reach the place where she heard he resided with his family, she at length came to Elder James Spencer's of Hartford, Vt. and told his wife the Lord had called her to go to such a place, and entreated her to go with her. She soon prevailed on this woman, who began to solicit her husband's consent, but he being unwilling to trust them alone, went with them to the place, and was not a little mortified to find this revelation had led them several day's journey to see a man that was not in the place.

On her return, she wrote a letter to this man whom she called her spiritual husband, in which she acknowledged her apostacy, and relates that God had in part restored her; but as he had received a part of her spirit, she still felt a deficiency, and then calls upon him to restore that, or to go into the vineyard with her.

But not being contented with writing, she soon took a lengthy journey to the place where he resided, and called where he was at work, and solicited a visit that evening at the house where she expected to tarry.