humble prostration, and a deep inward sense religion has so fully expressed his will and of its own frailty, want and unworthiness; pleasure in this most important point, yet being at the same time deeply impressed with many will not be satisfied without a kind of a lively sense of the Lord's adorable great- worship that the man's part can be active in, ness and goodness. From this sensibility and that has something in it to amuse the renewed upon the mind by Him who is the outward senses. They would worship the sole object of worship, thanksgiving and Most High with human abilities or the work praises ascend, for the multitude of his mer- of men's hands; and by an unjustifiable venecies received, and reverent prayer, either ration, which some endeavour to keep up for mental or vocal, according as the mind feels old mass houses and other places of worship, itself influenced or directed by the holy calling them churches, houses of God, holy anointing, for the continuance of his gracious places, &c., they seem to maintain a doctrine preservation in the way of righteousness; contrary to the testimony of that holy martyr agreeably to Eph. vi. 18. Praying always Stephen; who says, "Howbeit the Most High with all supplication in the spirit, and watch- dwelleth not in temples made with hands, as ing thereunto with all perseverance and sup- saith the prophet;" and that of the great aposplication for all saints. tle of the Gentiles; "God that made the world, and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life and breath, and all things." It is clearly to be understood, by what our Lord said to the woman of Samaria, that acceptable worship is not confined to any particular place, mode, form, or ceremony; which was a deception mankind had generally fallen into and greatly needed to be drawn from, being then, as well as now, apt to rest satisfied with exterior performances. Although some of these were dispensed to the Jews in condescension, yet they were not even then substituted in the place of spiritual worship, nor at all acceptable without the bowing of the soul. But our Lord shows that the outward worship was to be laid aside, and not to continue any longer in his glorious spiritual dispensation; a dangerous snare for man to please himself with and rest in. But it could hardly be expected that so great a mass of outward observations could be all cast off at once; yet in the apostles' days, the church was for the time, brought out of them, as appears by those few things laid upon the Gentiles. But alas! the Christian church, so called, instead of leaving all and becoming purely spiritual, gradually decayed as to life and power, and increased in ceremonies and outward observations, until she became as full of them as ever the Jewish church was. Then she got full possession of the outward court, having nothing to enjoy but her own inventions, and nothing to glory in but Babylon, which she had built instead of Sion, until her measure should be filled up, and her determined overthrow take place. Most Protestants, though they have cast off much of the Romish superstition, still retain some outward ceremonies and observations very unsuitable to the spirituality of the Gospel dispensation, for which they have no divine authority, nor any warrant but what is patched up from the example of some in the primitive church; which being then just arising out of a load of ceremonies, was not wholly weaned from every thing of that kind at once; and therefore several of these things were for a time condescended to. For although it was a very glorious beginning, and the Christian church abounded with heavenly power, in order to make her way in the world, yet it was but the morning of the Gospel day; and as the Sun of Righteousness, who rules the everlasting day of God's salvation, rose higher and higher, she was to put on all her beautiful garments; to make herself ready for the bridegroom, and by a gradual increase of clear discoveries, was to grow into maturity of wisdom and ripeness of judgment. Our Lord clearly intimates the great danger of tacking any thing of the old ceremonial dispensation to the new Gospel dispensation; showing they would by no means agree, or safely subsist together. This the experience of many generations fully declares. Oh! what rents and schisms, have there been by means of retaining some patches of the old garment! Paul saith to the Philippians, "For we are the circumcision which worship God in spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." What circumcision is here intended, appears from Rom. ii. 28, 29. Yet there has been a godly travail and an Col. ii. 11. That the generality of Christian ardent labour preserved, even through the professors, of every denomination, have la- darkest ages of superstition and idolatry, by mentably deviated from this kind of worship, the true church, though hidden from carnal requires not much penetration to discover. eyes, as in a wilderness, that she might cast And though the great Author of the Christian | off this heavy eclipsing mass of outward ob servations. There were many risings up, were passed away; and there was no more through the divine power, against it, especially the grossest part thereof; but the most extraordinary, as to its consistency with the unmixed purity of the Gospel, was about the middle of the last century. Then evangelical light and truth appeared, without the blending of ceremonies and outward observations. When the Lord by his overruling power, had erected this blessed standard of simple truth and pure righteousness, many thousands flock ed to it, and spoke the language, in a considerable degree, set forth in Cant. vi. 10; Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners? Terrible indeed they were to the man of sin, the son of perdition, and mighty instruments in the Lord's hand to reveal him. They were a great annoyance to the merchants of Babylon, and those who enriched themselves by her superstitious wares; which, through her witchcraft and enchantments, mankind were deluded to buy; though now the wicked craft is much more seen in all its transformations, than it was at its first rising. sea. There was no more sea; nothing unstable, fluctuating and uncertain; nothing of that element from which the beast ariseth, and therefore no danger of a beast rising thence any more. The second, third and fourth verses of the same chapter, wonderfully set forth the glory of the New Jerusa lem coming down from above, the tabernacle of God being with men, and God's dwelling with them; of his wiping away all tears from their eyes; and that there shall be no more crying, sorrow and pain, because the former things were passed away; viz., there was no more sea; all is purged away which was the cause of those dreadful calamities and miseries set forth in this divine revelation, by opening the seven seals, sounding the seven trumpets, and pouring out the seven vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. The fifth verse saith, "And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I will make all things new!" Now there is nothing of the old garment, nor old wine left, to tear and break to pieces the new garment and the new bottles. Oh! glorious Gospel time! May the Lord of hosts hasten it more generally in the kingdoms of the earth! They endured a great fight of affliction; but through all, with patient but undaunted firmness maintained their ground, and were Having offered a few general observations made victorious through sufferings, as was upon the state of things, it now remains to the Captain of their salvation. The everlast- make some further remarks upon those peoing Gospel was preached by them in demon-ple so remarkably raised, as before hinted, in stration of the Spirit and with great power; in substance as it was to be preached after the apostacy; "Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of water." the last century, in this land. Their beginning and first progress was here; though many other lands were also sharers in the brightness of Truth's arising in them; and it may without vanity be said, that through them a light has extended, or at least glanced, over a great part of Christendom, so called, which has discovered the hidden mystery of the false church more clearly than heretofore, and given a great shake to the long continued kingdom of anti-christ. They have been, through divine wisdom, established into a compact body, amongst whom subsists the comely order of the Gospel, as an hedge, by divine appointment, for their safety and preservation from the destroyer, and out of the polluting defilements of a greatly corrupted world. Notwithstanding which, their This was indeed coming to the substance, after men had wearied themselves with abundance of toil in vain, catching nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit. If any receive this Gospel, thus preached according to the true intent and meaning thereof, there is no room to evade the cross of Christ, which is the power of God to salvation. There is no liberty here to retain a few ceremonies for decency's sake, and to invite the Papists over, as pretended by Protestants; but all are to embrace the substance, not daring any more to touch the beggarly elements, so much pros-preservation depends upon their diligently tituted and defiled during the night of apostasy. The virgin daughter of Sion is well assured the bridegroom of her soul will never more appear to her in these uncertain polluted things, which have been, and yet will be, more and more terribly shaken, and pass away as a scroll; that those things which can never be shaken, may remain, agreeably to Rev. xxi. 1. And I saw a new heaven, and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth seeking unto, and waiting singly and carefully for a daily renewing of strength and wisdom from above, whereby alone all things must be directed and ordered for their safety and perseverance. I have often accounted it a great favour and blessing, that my lot was cast in a time when primitive Christianity, in its power and purity, is restored in the world; and that I was so happy as to have my birth and education provoking nature in the sight of the all-seeing eye. amongst the before mentioned people: for though that did not make me a real and living member of their body, yet it happily put me In order a little to open the state of the more in the way of being so, than if my lot case, and to answer the foregoing objections, had fallen in some of the foregoing dark ages, I shall now make some observations upon and afforded me greater means of restoration, the defection in practice that is to be found than if I had been educated amongst supersti- amongst us as a people, especially of late tious bigots; for which favour, enjoyed by me years, which hath caused abundance of pain and many others, there must be proportionate and heart-aching distress to the living body, returns of thankfulness and obedience, or it who fervently travail that Christ may be will surely add to our condemnation; for formed in those who have a natural birthwhere much is given, much will be required. right in the Society, which at present seems Before I had quite arrived to man's estate, to be all the title some have to be accounted I was, through merciful goodness operating of us. As to the first part of the objection, upon my soul, brought into a better know- this people have been viewed in that light by ledge of, and a nearer intimacy and fellow-carnal professors from their first rise, which ship with, these people, in a spiritual sense, discovers the same undistinguishing blindness, than before, to my unutterable consolation: that has deprived the children of this world for I found the glorious Lord was their king and law-giver, and that he was indeed become to them a place of broad rivers and streams; and that man's splendid inventions, comparable to a galley with oars, or gallant ship, could not pass amongst them: "For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our law-giver, the Lord is our king, he will save us." This was the blessed language sounded within their borders. My spirit has many times been reverently bowed and awfully prostrated before the Lord, in beholding the comeliness, beautiful situation and safety of these his people; in an humble sense whereof I have been ready to say, "Happy art thou, O Israel! who is like unto thee, O people saved of the Lord! the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! Thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee, and thou shalt tread upon their high places!" It may be objected that the foregoing contains high encomiums on a people, amongst whom we cannot discover these excellencies, but have looked upon them as a mean contemptible body, who affect a kind of awkward singularity; and we observe many amongst them as eager after the world, and who love it as well as any people whatever; and others, who take undue liberties, are as deeply involved in the pleasures and gaieties of life, and as much strangers to self-denial, as people of other persuasions. And it is further to be noted, that when we go to their places of worship, and observe the manner of their sitting in silence, a Laodicean lukewarmness is very apparent in many of them, by the easy, careless condition they seem to sit in, at the same time they profess to be waiting in silence of body and stillness of soul, for the descending of the Holy Ghost, that their spiritual strength may be renewed. Surely, if this is not really so, it must be a mockery and deception of the most contemptible and of seeing any beauty or comeliness in the children of light. I have before noted, that though educated in the same profession, I did not see that the Lord was amongst them, in such a manner, until he was pleased to open my eyes, agreeably to Mat. xvi. 16, 17., where our Lord pronounces Peter blessed, in that the Father had revealed the Son to him. He said to his disciples, " Blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear." It is through the same blessing, my eyes are yet preserved open to see, that notwithstanding the great declension in practice, which prevails over many of us, the glory is not departed from amongst us: the King is known by the upright hearted still reigning in his beauty. Princes do yet rule in the spirit of judgment given them of God. My faith is, at times, greatly strengthened to believe that it will never cease to be so amongst this people, but that they will be preserved by the Almighty power, through all generations, a living body; and that the principles of Truth, as held by them, will yet spread far and wide in the kingdoms of the earth. This, I believe, was the blessed end for which they were first raised and marvellously supported. This glorious work has been in degree going on, though very much impeded by the unfaithfulness of many amongst us, who, like the foolish woman, are in some measure pulling down what the wise woman hath built up. Oh! that all who take upon them our holy profession of the unchangeable Truth, would deeply consider the weight of that obligation which they take upon themselves thereby! It is far, very far! from being a light or easy thing; for it may, in a proper sense, be esteemed an entering into the solemn covenant, to which those people are bound by their God, of holding up a standard of truth and righteousness, meet and suitable for the nations, with safety and well grounded confidence, to draw unto. None amongst us need to be ashamed to call unto through the divine blessing, has been a means mankind, Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities! It is a lovely sight to behold her walls and bulwarks of salvation, and her gates praise; when none of her stakes are broken down, nor any of her cords loosened; being indeed the Lord's habitation, as set forth Psalm cxxxii. 13, 14, 15, 16; For the Lord hath chosen Zion: he hath desired it for his habitation. He saith, This is my rest for ever here will I dwell, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. of our being gathered into and preserved a people! but many amongst us have leaned and depended thereupon; and therefore it may be, and I believe it is, consistent with divine Wisdom, to try how the Society will stand without so much outward help in that way; though perhaps more may be afforded, in raising up a spirit for promoting sound discipline and good order, which will prove a blessed means of its preservation. And this must be proceeded in by the help and holy influences of the same Spirit, which furnishes the ministry. It looks as if the Lord was about to make his people still more inward and spiritual, showing them plainly, that Gospel worship does not depend upon outward means. It is quite obvious that abundant preaching, praying and singing, do not bring a great part of mankind any nearer to heaven, nor more acquainted with God and themselves, than they would be without it. So that it may be truly said, and indeed lamented, that they spend their money for that which is not bread, and bestow much labour without real profit to themselves. With respect to us, the ministry approved has abounded with hea venly bread, and refreshing streams of living water have flowed through the conduits to the plantation of God; and although many have not improved thereby, yet some have grown and flourished. But the Lord of the vineyard cannot be confined to any particular means for the help and preservation of his church, not even such as he has made use of in time past; seeing he can make other means, unthought of by short sighted mortals, as effec Many under our religious profession disregarding or lightly esteeming this solemn covenant, and resting in the profession only, is the principal reason why we find them insensible, and harder to be reached unto and awakened by a living powerful ministry, than people of other religious persuasions. This may seem strange to some, but I know it is lamentably true; having frequently felt it so in my Gospel labours. To me this is not hard to account for, when it is considered, that amongst us there has been dispensed greater spiritual favours, of various kinds, than amongst any society of people that I know of: which has not proceeded from any partial regard in the Almighty towards us more than others, but the better to enable us to keep our covenant with him, in the discharge of that great work to which he hath called us. Where any are so inconsiderate as to disregard and neglect such opportunities of lasting benefit and improvement, they become more hardened and impenitent than those who have been more out of the way of receiving heavenly impressions. [tual. We may see that he made use of the The portion of such, unless they in time embrace the gift of repentance, is very dismal, as in Prov. xxix. 1; He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. And Heb. vi. 7, 8; For the earth that drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: but that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing: whose end is to be burned. Great indeed hath been the bounty of heaven to us as a people, both immediately, by the solacing influences and guidance of the holy Spirit to all that would receive it, and also by the abundant flowing of a truly evangelical ministry, raised up and continued for the greatest part of this last hundred years. But now the Society is much stripped of a living skilful ministry; yet it is not, and I hope never will be, wholly destitute. This, people of Israel to fight his battles, wherein they seem, in some sort, to have been the cause and instruments of their own deliverance and preservation: yet it was not always so; for there are instances of his destroying his enemies, and working the deliverance of his people immediately by his own power. This appeared more marvellous and astonishing, both to his people and their enemies, than the ordinary means usually employed. Upon the whole, although it appears to me something like a chastisement, that so many worthy valiants have been removed, and few raised up in the ministry to succeed them with equal brightness, and this may prove a trial, which, to discerning eyes, may fully distinguish between the professor and the possessor of religion; yet I believe the true church will grow under this dispensation of God's dealing with his people. She will be more grounded and settled in that which is within the veil, viz., the holy sanctuary and house of prayer. There is her place of safety, out of the reach bearing of our testimonies, which can never of satan's transformations. beget to God, though perhaps it may someAn holy, awful, silent waiting before God, times beget into the form. But this brings is spiritual Israel's abiding in their tent, where no increase to the Lord's people, except of no divination nor enchantment can prevail pain and distress. Visible disorders and imagainst them. This is exceedingly beautiful, moral practices in particulars have often reaching and convincing to all, whose spirit- wounded us, and hurt the cause of Truth; ual eyes are in degree opened; as set forth but not in such a dangerous manner; beNumb. xxiv. 5, 6, 7; How goodly are thy cause, where sound judgment and the spirit tents, O Jacob! and thy tabernacles, O Israel! of wholesome discipline have been preserved, As the vallies are they spread forth, as gar- these things have been judged and cast out of dens by the rivers-side, as the trees of lign- the camp. But the greatest wounds we have aloes which the Lord hath planted, and as received have been in the house of our seemcedar trees beside the waters. He shall pouring friends, by their unsanctified endeavours the water out of his buckets, and his seed to maintain our principles, or at least what shall be in many waters. Oh! what encouragement have the Lord's chosen people, to abide faithful in that station wherein he hath placed them, whether in silence or speaking, in doing or suffering, in prosperity or adversity. There is not the least occasion to be ashamed of silent 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 despicable in the eyes of mankind, than such are who have a form, ornamented with man's curious invention and adorning. This state of insensibility to the nature of true worship in those who profess to be spiritually minded, is set forth by our Lord under the metaphor of "Salt that hath lost its savour, which is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and trodden under the feet of men." Therefore all professors of spiritual worship should greatly fear being found in this dreadful state, of holding the form which Truth leads into without the life and power: if this is with them, it will raise them above contempt. they liked of them, worship, ministry and discipline, in that form only, which the faithful have been, and now are, livingly led into. Anti-christ has always made more havoc by transforming himself, than by direct violence and opposition. Let it be ever remembered what Paul saith, "For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." None, I think, will deny but it would be equally true, if the word Christian was substituted in the room of the word Jew: if so, the form, appearance and character may be attained without the heart work. We read of some who had the form of godliness, yet denied the power, though perhaps not in words; for to me it appears the most emphatical denial of it, to live and act in the form without it; as this may seem by practice, which speaks louder than words, to declare to mankind there is no need of the power, seeing 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 whilst in that state; as saith 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." In my travels for the promotion of Truth, which I have been engaged in through most parts of our Society, I have seen and painfully felt much of this sorrowful idleness and insensibility, which has caused me many days and nights of mourning with sackcloth as it were, underneath. I have seen that it proceeds from various causes, but principally I do earnestly entreat all, into whose hands from an over anxiousness in seeking after these remarks shall come, seriously to pause, earthly things, lawful in themselves, but the and examine their own hearts without parpursuit of which is idolatry, when they have tiality, that they may see, before it be too the chief place in the mind, and are made its late, what state they are in. If by a narrow principal treasure; which they certainly are, and strict scrutiny they should find that the when most delighted in and thought upon. religious structure, which some of them have Can it be supposed that idolaters can worship been many years in building, was not erected the true and living God, any otherwise than by the ordering and direction of divine Wisin a mere form? With such the several dom, it would be much more safe and prubranches of our Christian testimony are no dent to have it all pulled down, so that there otherwise regarded than for outward decency's may not be one stone left upon another; and sake, to keep up the form in the sight of men. lay the foundation of repentance from dead There is a dead form and an insipid fruitless | works, and of living and powerful faith to |