convincing to all, whose spiritual eyes are in degree opened, when they fee the things, as fet forth Numb. xxiv. 5, 6, 7. "How goodly are thy tents, "O Jacob! and thy tabernacles, O Ifrael! as the "vallies are they fpread forth, as gardens by the “ river-fide, and as trees of lign-aloes which the "Lord hath planted, and as cedar-trees befide "the water. He shall pour the water out of his "buckets, and his feed fhall be in many waters." Oh! what wonderful encouragement have the Lord's chofen people, to abide faithful in that station wherein he hath placed them, whether in filence or speaking, doing or fuffering, prosperity or adverfity. There is not the least occafion to be afhamed of filent worship, unless we are so naked, as to be void of a right sense of what true worship is. Then indeed it is exceedingly contemptible, and cannot fail of rendering us more defpicable in the eyes of mankind, than fuch are who have a form, ornamented with man's curious invention and adorning. This muft of neceffity center all that are fo unhappy in that ftate, fet forth by our Lord under the metaphor of, "Salt that hath loft its "favour, which is thenceforth good for nothing, "but to be caft out, and trodden under the feet "of men." Therefore all profeffors of spiritual worship fhould greatly fear being found in this dreadful ftate, of the form truth leads into without the life and power: if that is with them, it will raise them above contempt.

In my travels for the promotion of truth, according to ability received, which I have been

engaged

engaged in through moft parts of our fociety, I have feen and painfully felt much of this forrowful idleness and infenfibility, which has caused me many days and nights of mourning with fackcloth as it were underneath. I have feen that it proceeds from various causes, but principally from an over-anxiousness in feeking after earthly things, lawful in themselves, but direct idolatry when they have the chief place in the mind, and are made the principal treasure thereof; which they certainly are, when most delighted in and thought upon. Then how can it be fuppofed that idolaters can worship the true and living God, any otherwife than in a mere form? With fuch the feveral branches of our Christian teftimony are no otherwife regarded than for outward decency's fake, to keep up the form in the fight of men. So there is a dead form, and an infipid fruitless bearing of our teftimonies, which can never beget to God, tho' perhaps it may fometimes beget into the form. But this brings no increase to the Lord's people, except of pain and distress. Visible diforders and immoral practices in particulars have often wounded us, and hurt the cause of truth; but not in fuch a dangerous manner; because, where found judgment and the spirit of wholsome difcipline have been preserved, these things have been judged and caft out of the camp. But the greatest wounds we have received have been in the house of our seeming friends, by their endeavours to maintain our principles (or at least what they liked of them) worship, miniftry, and difcipline,

all

all in that form only, which the faithful have been, and now are, livingly led into. Antichrist

has always made more havock by transforming himself, than by direct violence and oppofition. Rom. ii. Let it be ever remembred what Paul faith, "For "he is not a Jew which is one outwardly; neither

28, 29.

is that circumcifion which is outward in the "flefl: but he is a Jew which is one inwardly; "and circumcifion is that of the heart, in the

r

fpirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not " of men, but of God." None, I think, dare deny but it would be equally true, if the word Christian was fubftituted in the room of the word Jew: if fo, the form, appearance, and character may be attained without the heart-work. We read of fome who had the form even of godliness, yet denied the power, tho' perhaps not in words; for to me it appears the moft emphatical denial of it, to live and act in the form without it; as this may feem by practice, which fpeaks louder than words, to declare to mankind there is no need of the power, feeing they can do without it. Certain it is, those who inordinately love this world, and the things of it, cannot have the power of godliness 1 John ii. whilst in that state; as faith the apostle, "Love "not the world, neither the things that are in "the world. If any man love the world, the "love of the father is not in him."

15.

I do therefore earnestly intreat all, into whofe hands these remarks fhall come, feriously to pause, and examine their own hearts without partiality, that they may fee, before it be too late, what ftate

they

they are in. If by a narrow and strict scrutiny they should find that the religious structure (which fome of them have been many years in building)

was not erected by the ordering and direction of Divine Wisdom, it would be much more safe and prudent to have it all pulled down, fo as that there may not be one stone left upon another, by laying the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of living and powerful faith towards God, and our Lord Jefus Chrift, in a confcience purified ' by his blood.

These lines are principally intended by way of an alarm and warning to the carelefs, lukewarm, and formal profeffors. As for the fincere, upright, humble feekers of and worshippers of God, they will be established upon the rock of ages, which the gates of hell fhall not prevail against, and reap the bleffed fruits of the painful travail of their fouls before God; and in due time, if they faint not, their parched ground will become a pool, and their thirsty lands fprings of water: yea, through generations to come, they will enlarge, and become as a fountain of gardens, wells of living water, and streams from Lebanon. The beloved of their fouls will call, faying, " Awake, O north Cant. iv. "wind! and come thou fouth, blow upon my

garden, that the fpices thereof may flow out.' Then will they fay, "Let my beloved come into "his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.”

15, 16.

CHAPTER IV.

Containing Short Remarks upon the TRUE and the FALSE MINISTRY.

HE prophet Joel, in a remarkable and ex

TH

cellent manner, fets forth the nature of

Joel ii. 28. gofpel-ministry. "And it fhall come to pafs "afterward, I will pour out my fpirit upon all "flesh, and your fons and your daughters fhall "prophefy." What prophefying is here intended is clearly described, 1 Cor. xiv. 3. " He that prophefieth, speaketh unto men, to edification, and "exhortation, and comfort." Indeed great part of this chapter is excellently employed in setting forth gospel-ministry, and the Christian liberty all have to exercise a right call thereunto. But let it be obferved, the daughters were to be engaged therein, as well as the fons, by gospel law and rule; which was accordingly allowed and practifed in the apoftolic church. But where the learning and wisdom of man hath been introduced in the place of gospel-miniftry, it has directly contrary to Chriftian liberty, wholly excluded women therefrom. What pride and arrogance muft fuch men have, who exclude all from the ministry but themfelves, for filthy lucre's fake! affuming to themfelves the name clergy, calling others laity; a distinction the true church and the holy fcriptures are ftrangers to, which fay, Pet. iv. 10, 1I. "As every man hath received the gift, even so "minister the fame one to another, as good stew"ards