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to judge others, in a manner we should not do; and thus are made ridiculous as well as highly sinful, as I found when labouring with all my might in this system. The effect that it had also upon my own spirit was, you well know, dreadful; filling met with contempt for others; yea, of all brethren except the few of my own party; and driving me to speak and judge of them in the most unchristian manner. My attention also during that sad interval of my life, was so occupied about external things, that the blessed truth as it is in Jesus, was comparatively thrust out of my mind, and it was mani. fest to all that I was not profiting. The alarming discovery of this forced upon me, first served to open my own eyes, to see that the arguments by which I had been influenced were fallacious; which mere reasonings, I am persuaded, never would have convinced me of. I therefore do not expect they will prevail much with others, who are actually in the same snare; but we must rather pray for them, than strive much with them; and endeavour, by showing towards them a spirit of charity and love, which perhaps some of them will not show us, at length perhaps, through God, to bring some of them from the way into which they have fallen, so hurtful apparently to the general cause of Christ in the world, and to that love that should reign among all them that are his.

The reformers, whilst they lamented the neglect of discipline and longed to see it restored, but knew it was not to be restored by violent measures, appear to have guarded with the utmost anxiety against

such a measure as the separation of those who were truly converted by their preaching, from the rest of the professing and visible churches: they were too well taught to desire to take the leaven from the midst of the meal. They were too tender of the body of Christ, for which they laid down their own lives, to sever it asunder or tear it limb from limb. And God appears to be remarkably owning the reformers' building now, and approving the wisdom of their proceedings, in granting such a revival of religion, as is manifest to the eyes of all, in the estáblishment.

Although these things about which you write are for the time unpleasant, yet they must happen to try us, and to make manifest those who are approved; and in the mean while, let us know that if the church to which we belong continues a witness for Christ, both at home and abroad, she cannot fall: all the rage of her adversaries cannot pull her down; her God will undertake for her and defend her, and cause his glory to be seen upon her; and we may hope that the weakness of many wellmeaning and even good men, in attempting or desiring this now, will in due time be showed both to themselves and the world. What scriptures fairly handled, can they who have embraced this system of separation from a church holding the truth, (although many of her members are unsound,) urge in their behalf? They cannot urge the separation of the Corinthians from avowed heathens, in their idol feasts, &c. The cases are not parallel. Neither can they urge the example of Paul separating the

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withdrawing himself Alas! when I my

disciples from the synagogue at Ephesus, when he was no longer suffered to preach quietly there; and observe, this he did only in that one particular place; for we find him frequenting the Jewish worship in other places afterwards. In fact, for the gospel sake, he carefully avoided voluntarily from any synagogue. self was induced to depart from the example of the apostle of the gentiles in this respect, how did I throw myself out of the way of being useful as a witness unto the truth in the world, and found myself like a poor silly bird that had wandered from her nest for "so,". saith the Wise Man, "is a man "that wandereth from his place." O that we may be found no more children, seeking where we ought to worship, rather than how! O that that love may be shed abroad in our hearts more abundantly, which is the bond of perfectness! Let us give ourselves to fervent prayer, that God may, when it shall seem fit unto him, who has his wise ends in these things, heal these breaches, because of which his house shaketh.

Let us hope that these divisions are tokens for good; they show that Satan is angry, and that he feels his kingdom to be in danger: and ultimately they will serve to improve the understanding of those who are the doxo (approved) amongst us *. Yours affectionately,

WILLIAM DIGBY.

* It is but ignorance, if any man find it strange, that the state of religion, especially in the days of peace, should be exercised

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and troubled with controversies; for, as it is the condition of the ⚫ church militant to be ever under trials, so it cometh to pass, that when the fiery trial of persecution ceaseth, there succeedeth another trial, which, as it were, by contrary blasts of doctrine, doth sift and winnow men's faith, and proveth whether they know God aright; even as that other of afflictions discovereth "whether they love him better than the world.”—Lord Chancellor Bacon.

No. XII.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER
From a Clergyman to the Editor.

MY DEAR SIR,

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March 25, 1815.

THE retrospect required by your letter is even now more painful to me, than you could probably suppose. I look back with a kind of horror, on what it has pleased GOD I should undergo. Had I not passed those waves, perhaps, nay certainly, I should have yet to learn what I have now purchased by experience. In fact, no representations-no reasonings-nothing, I am persuaded, short of personal conviction, fastened on me by facts, could have persuaded me, that delusion can have such mighty power over the mind of man, as to magnify trifling, and sometimes mere imaginary, differences of human opinion into the weighty and venerable precepts of the Holy One of Israel. But it is over, and I trust I feel," it was well for me that I went astray, &c."

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From this feeling I should not wish, except in case of absolute necessity, to enter on a contest, that would in fact only renew a course of painful feelings. Besides, a most important matter ever oc

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