Conscience has her office, doubtless; and a most important one it is. Conscience is the very candle of the LORD within us. But, (as I have elsewhere shewn,) it were base treason to speak of conscience as Essayists and Reviewers speak of it. With _them_, it is indeed impossible to argue. They must first withdraw from the cause which they have betrayed; cease to profess the teaching which they disbelieve; resign their commission in a Church to whose Doctrine and Discipline they openly proclaim themselves to be opposed. I will not argue _with them_, while they presume to write B.D. and D.D. after their names,--hold Chaplaincies,--preside over Schools and Colleges,--profess to lecture in Divinity,--officiate at the altars of the Church of England,--by virtue of their sacred office, _and by virtue of that only_, are instructors of youth. They _cannot_, (if they are in the full enjoyment of their faculties,) they _cannot_ imagine, for a moment, that, as honest men, they can remain where they are! They _must_ either recal their words or resign their stations! But speaking to others, it will abundantly suffice to point out that such principles as the present Essay advocates are incompatible with the profession of Christianity in _any_ country, and in _any_ age. If the spirit or conscience of Man is to legislate "_without appeal except to himself_;" (p. 31;) if men are to "_refuse to be bound_" (p. 44.) by the Creeds of the Church; if the very Bible is not to be looked upon as "_an outer law_:" (p. 45:)--how is sentence _ever_ to be pronounced with authority? how are men to know _what_ they have to believe? how are we to enjoy the guidance of any "outer law" _at all_? I do not ask these questions as a clergyman; neither am I addressing those exclusively who have been admitted to the Christian priesthood. Common sense, ordinary piety, natural reverence, seem to cry out, and ask,--If _the Church_ have no "authority in controversies of Faith[48];" if _the three Creeds_ ought not "thoroughly to be received and believed[49];" if _the Bible_ is not "an outer Law;"--_where_ is Authority in things Divine to be sought for? _What_ can be worthy of credit? _Where_ are we to look for external guidance on this side the grave?... Surely, surely, common sense is outraged when she hears it insisted that the written Bible is a Revelation speaking NOT "from without," but "from within!" (pp. 36 and 45.) Surely it must be admitted that it were mere atheism to pretend that Man's "spirit or conscience, _without appeal except to himself_," shall henceforth be the governing principle of Mankind!