with a sweet sense of divine approbatie. agreeably to Rom. viii. 16; The Spirit its beareth witness with our spirit, that we ar the children of God. With many other pas sages in holy Writ of like import. even with any degree of seriousness; unless it be to shun and evade the force of that power, which would separate them from their beloved lusts and fleshly gratifications. Many and exceedingly absurd have been the conjectures and dreams of mankind; but all to shun the cross; that corrupt self, with all its seemingly rich treasure and adorning, might be saved. This self, in many, has been more fond of a religious kind of ornament and treasure, than of any other sort; and the subtle transformer hath not been wanting plentifully to furnish with temptations to it, those minds who have a religious turn. Anti-christ, as an eminent author observes, can bring forth in his church a likeness or imitation of every thing that is to be found in Sion. O then! how greatly it behooves mankind to press after a certainty; since nothing can possibly land the soul in a more deplor-light!" making by his own power a perfect able state, than a mistake of this kind in the great work of salvation. When any are really disposed to be rel gious, great care should be taken in their firs setting out. Many have been marred upor the wheel, for want of patience to endure proper tempering; endeavouring to be formed into vessels, before they have passed through the necessary operation. This has been for want of thoroughly knowing themselves. Every thing that appertains to the creaturely will, and forwardness of desire to choose and act for itself, must die upon the cross; and there must be a remaining as without form and void, under the Lord's dispensations, until the effective Word saith, "Let there be separation between the light and darkness in man, as he did in the visible world. Until this is really experienced, man is not in a condition to be placed upon the wheel, to be formed into a vessel of honour, and there must also be a time for drying, and enduring the furnace. But some are apt to doubt whether such a thing as an infallible evidence of our adoption is attainable here; though so fully asserted in the holy Scriptures. This is not to be wondered at, with respect to those who are in the natural, unrenewed state; seeing the natural man, according to Paul's doctrine, "understandeth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither indeed can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." But I am persuaded none, who have really experienced the new birth, remain doubtful or scrupulous concerning this important truth. It seems to me altogether unreasonable to suppose Infinite Goodness, who knows the fallibility and great weakness of his creature man, should leave any, whose hearts are fully devoted to yield obedience to his will, under a mistake with regard to the same, or ignorant of his divine approbation, upon a careful discharge of their duty to him. This holy evidence in faithful souls, is indeed the white stone, and in it a new name written, which none know save those who receive it; being an assurance that The great danger of man's being deceived, their names are written in heaven: from whence arises a joy which is unspeakable and full of glory. These wonderful operations, which I have, in an allegorical way, only just touched upon, make very deep and lasting impressions upon all, who have experienced the nature of that regeneration, without which none can see the kingdom of God. When any are come thus far, there will be no occasion to make use of dreams and uncertain conjectures in forming a judgment concerning their adoption. That divine birth which is raised in them, naturally cries, Abba, Father! and when he is pleased to appear, for which they are taught to wait in the patience, they have no room to doubt of having passed from death unto life; or being translated from under the power of darkness into the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ; which consisteth in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. lies in the mysterious workings of satan, who has a strong hold in those, who, upon their first awakening by the call of Christ, have A sense of the wrath of God against evil, not suffered his power so far to prevail, as to often makes deep impressions upon the minds make them willing to part with all for his of many, so that in painful remorse they are sake. There is something exceedingly re ready to cry out for mercy and forgiveness luctant in the strong spirit and will of man, of their sins. This conviction upon the mind to fall into nothingness of self, and be wholly of man, that he hath displeased his Creator, given up to be guided and upheld by another. neither doth nor can proceed from any thing This in part arises from the excellency of his in man, but the pure witness of God placed frame, and nobility of his understanding, who there; so it is quite reasonable to conclude, finds himself in naturals capable of effecting that this divine witness, upon our faithfully great things, and knows not, till his eyes are discharging the duty we owe to God, accord-opened and enlightened from above, but that ing to its discoveries, will impress our minds he is equally capable of comprehending what 14, 15, 16; For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. relates to him concerning the world to come. Some perhaps, by way of excuse for their not being influenced by the Spirit of Truth in their religion, are ready to call it enthusiasm and presumption in those who assert the necessity thereof, seeming to imagine there is no such thing in our time, yet will readily own it was so in the apostles' days. But they can give no good reason why the divine power and efficacy of the holy Spirit should forsake the true church; since mankind have equal need thereof, and the nature of God's dispensation is now the same as it was then. Having offered these hints by way of caution, that all into whose hands they come may examine themselves without partiality, lest they fall inadvertently into an irretrievable mistake respecting the salvation of their own souls, I shall now endeavour to set forth, from my own experience, a little of the nature of that new birth without which none can see the kingdom of God; consequently none can be true members of his church. It cannot be supposed, that a person wholly unregenerate is properly qualified for the performance of any religious duty or service in that kingdom, which he doth not so much as I have, by experience from my childhood, found two spirits or seeds striving in me for mastery or rule. I have discovered them to be irreconcileable enemies one to the other; and that I could not serve them both at the same time. I had an understanding given me, whereby I knew one of those seeds was a manifestation of the all-powerful inexhaustible source of Goodness; and the other, which had in a manner leavened the whole lump, was of a wicked and diabolical nature. By means of this corrupt leaven, I had a strong bias to evil of many kinds; nevertheless, I often found the good Spirit striking at the evil, as an axe laid to the root thereof, agreeCommon prudence teaches us to examine ably to Mat. iii. 10, in order to destroy that strictly into the clearness and validity of our which deprived the Heir of all things of his titles to earthly estates, that we may be fully inheritance. I was long in a kind of sussatisfied we are not deceived or imposed upon pense, unresolved with which to join; yet by false glosses and specious pretences. Shall saw all depended upon my determination, and we be less solicitous about that which is of in- that I had full power of choice. On the one finitely greater moment; viz., our title to an hand, when the awakening visitations of God's everlasting inheritance? Man should be very Spirit were upon me, it appeared very dreadjealous over his own heart, which is apt to be ful to provoke an ominipotent Being, of unpartial towards itself, and through the trans-merited kindness and mercy, to cast my soul formation of satan, to soothe and flatter him into everlasting perdition. On the other hand, into an apprehension that he is in the way to especially when those blessed impressions everlasting happiness, when in reality it is were somewhat worn off, it was next to death quite otherwise. His criterion to form a judg-itself to yield up all my sensual gratifications, ment of himself by, may be the same as that and to expose myself to the scorn and conof the pharisee, who went up to the temple to tempt of the world. However, in process of pray, or rather to recapitulate his own sup- time, the Lord in gracious condescension posed excellencies. He perhaps measures broke in upon my soul, by his judgments himself by himself, or by comparing his prin- mixed with mercy, in such a powerful manciples and conduct in life with those of others; ner, as that I was made willing to yield up whereas nothing should be received as a stand-thereunto, come life or death. Indeed I looked ard in this very important case, but the stamp for nothing else at that time, but expected my of divine approbation sealed upon the heart frail body would sink under the weight of the by the holy Spirit; agreeably to Rom. viii. unspeakable distress which was upon me, and that my sinful soul must be centered in a state is the deception of those, who imagine the of everlasting misery. Then my cry was, whole work of regeneration to be instanta like that of Saul, with trembling and aston-neous. This can be nothing else but a del ishment, "Lord! what wilt thou have me to sion of satan, to settle people at rest in a state do?" There was no holding back or secret of self-security as soon as he can. Oh! what reserve then, but whatever was called for was a length of time it takes, to work out that given up with readiness: this being all I could rebellious, stiff-necked, backsliding nature, do. As to performing religious duties, I had which was born in Egypt, before the new them all to learn, though I had been trained generation is raised up, that is fit to enter the up from my infancy in a strict religious way promised land! by godly parents. But the very best outward helps, and the most consistent set of religious principles, only professed, cannot at all enrich the soul with heavenly grace. From what is before hinted, it may be un derstood, that the good Seed or holy Spirit, arising into ascendency in us over the evil seed or principle, and leavening the soul into its own nature, is essentially a being born again with water and the Spirit, or being baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire; or By carefully inquiring of the Lord, I clearly perceived my business was to watch and pray continually; to commune with my own heart, or the witness of God there, that I might re-man's enduring the operation of the refiner's ceive fresh instruction and help as I had need. Self-denial and taking up the cross daily, was to be my constant employ; in doing which, I had much inward peace and comfort, and a well grounded hope that I should thereby find, in the Lord's time, the body of sin so weakened, as that the yoke of Christ would become easy, and his burden light. fire and fuller's soap, and being purified as silver; all which metaphors signify, in a very instructive manner, the different operations of the holy Spirit; which, to the willing soul, is sometimes as water, to wash and bathe in, and also freely to drink of; at other times as a refiner's fire, to purge away the filth and dross, that man may be as pure gold, prepared to receive the image and superscription of the King of heaven; that so, wherever be goes, or whatever he does, all who have their eyes opened, may see whose subject he is. In order to a happy progress in the life of religion, it is necessary, by abiding in the divine light, to preserve a clear and distinguishing sensibility between the flesh and the spirit. This cannot be done without great It is very observable, that the prophet Malcare and a steady waiting upon the divine achi, when he had set forth the nature of the gift. If the eye goes from this, it is blinded new birth, breaks out in the fourth verse of by the darkness; then the man is liable to be the third chapter on this wise; "Then shall misled by a counterfeit light, and various re- the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasemblances which satan will cast in his way sant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and for guidance and instruction, persuading him as in former years;" which clearly implies all is well and right. To be so misled and man's unacceptable state with his Maker in therein established, is a truly deplorable state; religious performances, until he has previously it being very unlikely such will ever be per- known the cleansing and refining operations suaded to believe they are mistaken, as they before mentioned. What then will become of often deride whatever appears doubtful con- those who have intruded themselves into reli cerning their religion and worship. This gious services, and amongst his faithful fol was evidently the case with a set of profes-lowers, not having on the wedding garment! sors of uncommon outward sanctity and punc- who would pass for his people, yet cannot tual exactness in the exterior of their religion, find, on examining the state of their minds in the time of our Saviour's personal appear-respecting religion, that they have trodden ance upon earth; notwithstanding which, these the path of regeneration or passed through very people appeared to be the most inveterate the pangs of the new birth. enemies he had amongst mankind. Seeing When man has, through the powerful pretherefore, that frail mortals are liable to such valence of the holy Spirit, obtained victory in dangerous mistakes, how exceedingly circum- a good degree over evil, his soul abounds spect and watchful ought all to be and what with evidence and tokens of his happy attain. frequent and strict scrutiny ought they to ments, through the Lord Jesus Christ; to make into the state of their own hearts! which whom with the Father, through the influence can be known no otherwise by any, but as of the holy Spirit, praise, adoration and the Lord is pleased to send forth his heart-thanksgiving, are offered up as incense with searching light. This is a high favour, which acceptance; he enjoys an abundant flow of none receive but those who are turned from the darkness, and are fervently concerned to put away all the works thereof. Very gross heavenly love, to those especially of the same lineage, begotten of the same everlasting Father, agreeably to 1 John ii. 14; We know that we have passed from death unto life, the operation of water. Papists say, “We because we love the brethren. It is then be- must believe that Jesus Christ has instituted come as his meat and drink to do the will of in his church seven sacraments, or mysterious God; he looks with indifference upon worldly signs and instrumental causes of divine grace enjoyment, when compared with religion and in the soul: baptism, by way of a new birth, the weighty concerns thereof; his body, soul by which we are made children of God and and outward substance are offered up to the washed from sin: confirmation, by which we great Giver; being given up to spend and to receive the Holy Ghost by the imposition of be spent for the promotion of Truth, accord- the hands of the successors of the apostles," ing to the Lord's requirings; careful that all &c.* The Protestant church of England he doth may tend to God's glory. These saith, in confessing their faith to the world, particulars, and much more than I can set " In my baptism," they mean sprinkling inforth, are the result of a humble and stead- fants, "wherein I was made a member of fast obedience to the heart-changing power Christ, the child of God, and an inheritor of of the Spirit of Christ, which produces great the kingdom of heaven." After an infant is peace and heavenly solace, whereby he is sprinkled, the priest says, "Seeing now, dearly encouraged to persevere. beloved brethren, that this child is by baptism regenerate and grafted into the body of Christ's church, let us give thanks," &c. And again, merciful Father, that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this infant with thy holy Spirit, to receive him for thy own child by adoption, and to incorporate him into thy holy church," &c. These are mere evasions: man hates death to self, and had rather look any way than that which is likely to strip him of all his beloved treasure; though if he was not very blind and ignorant concerning his true interest, he would easily see that his supposed loss would make way for his greatest gain. This unhappy reluctance to the true way, has Oh! that mankind would but come clearly to see the necessity of beginning in the spirit and walking therein, agreeably to the advice"We yield thee most hearty thanks, most and practice of the primitive Christians! then they would not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. The spirit that lusteth to envy, and seeks vengeance, would be slain. Outward wars and fightings would cease of course; the cause being taken away, the effect would be no more. A selfish covetous spirit, which seeks undue advantage to the injury of others, would be purged out. Here we should have power to love our neighbours as ourselves, and to do unto all as we would be done unto, were we in their situation. All these and many more good fruits, would spring up na-put man upon straining his invention, to find turally from the new creation in Christ Jesus our Lord. But those who have not the ground work in themselves, and lack the virtues of the holy Spirit, which are set forth in the Scriptures of Truth, are blind and cannot see that it is as possible to attain those exalted Christian virtues now as it was in the apostles' days; and therefore imaginations, dreams and conjectures abound amongst outside Christians, concerning the means of obtaining that salvation which is only to be known by being born from above. Some say, Lo! here is Christ! Others say, Lo! he is there! but still evade the cross. If that was not in the way, they would surely embrace the right thing, as it is so fully set forth and described in the holy Scrip tures. The views of many, both Papists and Protestants, concerning its nature, are exceedingly obscure and carnal, making the sprinkling of infants with a little water, which they call baptism, essential thereto. The manner of their expressing themselves on this subject, in the confession of their faith to the world, seems in my apprehension to make that ceremony all, or the chief that is intended by being born from above; or that the operations of the Spirit for that end are infallibly connected to VOL. V.-No. 12. an easier way to the kingdom of felicity; a way of becoming heir of two kingdoms, and of serving God and mammon, though we are assured this is impossible. Many would fain imagine, that man may be saved merely by the imputation of Christ's righteousness; which, if it were true, would be a very palatable doctrine to a multitude of self-lovers. Some, who do not fall in with this opinion, but believe they must repent, and that they ought to experience the evil purged out by the spirit of judgment and burning, do yet put off this great work, resting in a kind of hope, that they shall be fitted for everlasting happiness thereby, some time before they go hence; and build much upon the great mercy and long suffering of the Almighty, catching eagerly at the sudden conversion of Paul and of the thief upon the cross. Oh! how exceedingly inconsiderate are such delays! A saying of Chrysostom is worthy to be noted, viz., "God promises mercy to penitent sinners, but he doth not promise them, that they shall have so much time as to-morrow for their repentance!" Others there be, who * Popish Manual of Spiritual Exercises, page 4. + Catechism and public baptism. 57 imagine their regeneration is effected in an self into the hands of his faithful Creator, instant; and in order that their deception that he may be pleased to work in and upon may be effectual, the false prophet causes fire him, to will and to do of his own good plea tu come down as from heaven in their sight; sure. He must, with the utmost care, endea and he that is prince in the airy region, raises vour to abide in that which enables inces vehement heats and agitations in their passantly to pray, "Thy kingdom come, and thy sions. This they call the workings of the Spirit upon them for their conversion; immediately after which a kind of heaven is formed, wherein they take their rest with a seeming security, erroneously supposing their calling and election are made sure, and that they can never fall from saving grace, which they doubt not of having in their possession. Oh! how dangerous is such a security! Much more might be written concerning the many false rests and visionary heavens which poor mortals, through the subtlety of satan and their own inattention, are deluded to repose themselves in; which might all be happily prevented, were they to enter into the sheep-fold by Christ, the door and way to the everlasting kingdom, which is opened and prepared for the soul to travel in, by his inward appearance, as before noted. He will certainly count all thieves and robbers, who come into his church by any other way. will be done on earth as it is done in heaven. This being the bent of his heart, the grace of God is a sufficient guard or defence against all the subtle attempts of satan to beguile and deceive, and nothing else. The most crafty devices of the adversary can never prevail to pluck such an one out of the Almighty's hand; and by abiding therein, he is created anew in Christ Jesus unto good works, having spiritual senses given, that he may continually exercise them in discerning between good and evil. His heart being made pure, in a good degree, by the sprinkling of the most precious blood of Christ, his constant care is, through divine assistance, to preserve it so, that he may be pleased to tabernacle with him, on whom help is laid, who is made of God, to such passive upright souls, their wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. They receive from him those qualifications, which enable them to co-work with the Spi rit, and perfectly to understand the proper business of their day, both in the world as strangers and pilgrims, and in the church of Christ, as living members thereof. SECTION III. Relating to the nature of true worship; with some remarks on the state of our Society, both in early times, and now. What abundance of robbery is found in thee O Christendom! what stealing the name of Christ, and the experience of God's people formerly, to live upon, and also to feed one another with! What multitudes there are of unwholesome barren pastors, and poor, lean, starved flocks, amongst most or all societies of Christian professors! Their poor low condition, as to religion, induces them to put forth their hands and steal. Can the God of justice and truth delight in robbery for burnt-offerings? No; such sacrifices are an THE nature of acceptable worship is set abomination to him. His regenerate ones, forth by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, though often tried with great poverty of in a manner well adapted to the subject, viz: spirit, dare not steal; knowing nothing will that it is to be performed in spirit and in truth. find acceptance with Infinite Goodness, but The reason is given, "Because God is a Spithat which is of his own immediate beget-rit ;" and therefore," they that worship him, ting. He will smell a sweet savour from that, must worship him in spirit and in truth." although it be but a sigh or a groan; which This is not the ceremonial, shadowy, and may be compared with the acceptable offering typical worship of the Jews; which because of the poor under the law, of a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons; and with the widow's two mites cast into the treasury, taken notice of by our Lord. Those poor humble dependent ones, who are made perfectly honest by the just and upright principle prevailing in them, and waiting the Lord's time, may be, and often are furnished with larger offerings, and do greatly increase with the increase of God. To conclude this head, I shall thus sum up the matter, viz., that man's great business, upon his first awakening out of the sleep or stupefaction of sin, is passively to yield him of weakness, was dispensed to them, until the better hope and more excellent worship of the Gospel dispensation was brought in; whereby man has a nearer access to the Divinity, and a better knowledge of himself. Here such a brightness of heavenly glory appears, as causes all signs, figures and types, to vanish away, and worship is to be performed in the truth, and real substance of all that was typi fied and prefigured by the ceremonial law of Moses, the righteousness of that law being fulfilled in those who walk and worship in the spirit. The soul must bow in perfect sincerity, |