c:^rc 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 A N 
 
 XHORTATION 
 
 I ^' H E. 
 
 .4 ■■ . ' i: ■•■ ■■■■■> 
 
 Of the ProVlNCE of 
 
 SopTTH-GAROLIN^^ 
 
 > 
 
 bring their DEEDS to the Light of 
 ]1H RIST, in their own Confciences. 
 
 By .iS^ Hx^ 
 
 :i. In which is infer ted, 
 
 Account of the AlJTHOR^s Expe- 
 NGE in the Important Business of 
 LlGiON. 
 
 fi^jj^o^ commanded Li.ht to Jhine out of Daikmfs, hzth fhined 
 
 xjur"4h4^'W*;^i-'^' "'" ''"'^^ "-^ ^'^^ /O/ow/r.-.^^ of the 
 
 ^ry J^ ^<^^^mi^ Appearance) 0/ Jesus CHRisf, 
 
 ilfox'hcUe^eYdm^herforf. ffmk, 2 Cor. iv. 13. 
 f^Rvhich-lve'hdnj^ hrardy ^hich^^e han^f feen nvi.'h our EjeS"- 
 ,:J ourhlands hwue. handled orth^ 'furd of Life, declare <we 
 k yov, 1 John i. "i. 3. •* > ^ ■^--
 
 [ 3 ] 
 
 An Exhortation to the 
 Inhabitants of South- 
 Caroltnuy Sec. 
 
 My Friends and Neighbours^ 
 
 AFTER an Abfence of near fix Years 
 ftom this Provinee (my native Coun- 
 try) and my Arrival among you, I 
 have beheld the Faces of many of 
 the Inhabitants whom I have known, and been 
 known tOy fome Years : But the Novelty of 
 my religious Sentiments, and Meannefs of my 
 Appearance, has, I find, rendered me defpicable 
 in your Eyes • which has been obvious, when 
 a few of us, called 3^akers^ have met to wor- 
 fhip the Supreme Being m a Manner agreeable 
 to the beft of our Underftanding and Know- 
 edge : And tho' fome perhaps may ftile our 
 Principles * and Tenets; by the hard Name' of 
 Herefy^ and our Mode or Manner of Worfliip, 
 pediculous or abfurd ; neverthelefs, w^e are 
 humbly of Opinion, they are neither unfiripural 
 lor tmchrijlian^ having, as we think, the Sanc- 
 tion and Authority of our Lord himfelf, the 
 Example of primitive Believers, and right Rea- 
 fon, on our Side. ^K^M^^^r- 
 
 ^^^^-.jBu^ But 
 
 * Any Perfon who defr e to he informed of tlie Prinriples of the ^jfa- 
 '.ers, is referred to Robert Burcky's ^pobyV, lince I find we are otcentimes- 
 ondemncd unheard. But he that mfKi.^,ith a Martcr before he htarrah .-VV 
 t isfof/y and Shame iintg hhn, Prov. xyiii. i^. The /I-^oiog)' msy Uc hav^ 
 " Mary BLmjer'i, in Chirk s-Tiiwn,
 
 [ 4 ] 
 But notwithftanding, as I have noted, that I 
 have fufFered your Ridicule and Reproach, as I 
 am confcious it is for no other than Obedience 
 to the Will of my Heavenly Mafter, whofe I 
 am, and whom I lerve, * I am willing to become 
 more vile in . your Eyes ; which, it is more 
 than probable, I fhall appear, when I expofe 
 the following Lines to your Obfervation and 
 Cenfure. 1 would not have you imagine that 
 any Confideration, lefs than his Favour, could 
 have prevailed with me to have appeared thus 
 publickly in Print, or otherwife • for could I, 
 with any eafe to my own Mind, have evaded 
 this, or been excufed from returning to this Place 
 (as I apprehended it required of me by the Al- 
 mighty) you had never beheld my Face in the 
 Province, much lefs any Performance of this 
 Sort in publick. I am not infenfible, that the 
 Reafon I have offered for writing, as well as the 
 Subjecl itfelf, may probably be confidercd as 
 the Production of a diftemper'd and enthuliaftick 
 Brain ; as it is poffible, on fuch a novel and 
 uncommon Occafion, as a Wom^j^'s appearing 
 on thcBehalf ofGod and Religion,, you may (as 
 .others have done in the like Circumftances) be 
 inauced to confider fuch an One under fome 
 unaccountable Delufion, or affeSed with religi-- 
 ^us Madnefs; and more efpecially, as the Things 
 recommended to your Confideration, are offered 
 by a fimple Female of your own Country : 
 Some, in liiis Cafe, I expect, will afford me a 
 :iiile of Contempt, while others (acted by a 
 movQ "generous Pallion) pity my Folly and 
 kindly wiili me a Return of my Senfes : But 
 
 how-
 
 [ s 1 
 
 however this may be, I have confidered, that 
 from the earlicft Ages of Chriftianity, and in- 
 deed in all preceeding Time, thole who refufed 
 to conform to thq.Ufage and wicked Cuftoms of 
 the Age, and lived a felf-denying Life, " Their 
 " Lives were counted Madnefs by the World, 
 ^' and their End to be without Honour •/'• Not 
 confidering that Religious Minds defpife and 
 contemn all worldly Honour, and earthly pre- 
 ferment, feeking that only which comes from 
 God, and which he is pleafed to diftinguifh thole 
 by, who honour him (by walking in Conformity 
 to his Laws and Precepts} as he himfelf declar^^s, 
 Thofi who honour me^ 1 will honour ; but thofe 
 who dcfpje rne^ Jhall be lightly ejieemed. 
 
 But before I proceed to what the Title-page 
 mentions, I ftiall premife one Propofition, on 
 which all I have to offer will greatly depend, 
 v'tJZ. That all Mankind have a Meajure and Ma-* 
 nifefiation of the Light ^ Spirit^ or Grace of Godj 
 given them to profit withal. This Doctrine of. 
 the univerfal Extent of the Grace of God, the 
 People call|4 Sjiakers^ hold in a peculiar Man- 
 ner, and are diftinguiflied by, from fome other 
 dilTenting Seds, who generally limit God's Gifts 
 of his Hply Spirit, or faving Means, to what 
 they call The EleUt • and affert, that the rell of 
 Mankind are (as they term it) pajfed by^ or 
 denied the Meails of Salvation, being ^ predef- 
 tinated from all Eternity to Deftruftion. 
 
 However, we fay that this Gift of the Holy 
 Spirit, or Grace of God, is bellowed on all 
 
 • Man- 
 
 * To refute the Doilrine of Predefl'n.ttion, read Doflor Wh'tby on 
 the l^ew-Tejiameut i and his Difcouiies on the F/'vc Controverud i'oi7Jtf i 
 
 which rrnv he haH nf InhnM^hitter nn 1,it^t>t\ Ifl^ti/i
 
 [ ^ ] 
 
 Mankind without Exception, agreeable to the 
 Aflertion of the Apoftle Taul ; The Grace of 
 God^ which brings Salvation^ hath a^pared to 
 all Men^ teaching us^ that denying Ongodlinefsy 
 and, the Worlds Lujis^ njue JJoould live righteoiijiy^ 
 foherly and godly^ in this prefent World. 6ut 
 tho* all Men have received this Talent of Grace, 
 or Manifcftation of the Spirit of Chrift, all are 
 not faved, as Men may rebel againft, or quench 
 the Spirit; and, by fruftrating its Motions, 
 render it ineffectual. Under the Law it is faid, 
 The Almighty gave of his good Spirit to the Jews 
 to inflruB them^ but they rebelled againft ity Ne- 
 hemiah ix. 20. And the Prophet Ifaiah alfo 
 tells us, They rebelled^ and vexed Gods Holy 
 Spirit. And, under the Gofpel, the Apoftle 
 ^aul cautions the The/falonians againft quenching 
 the Spirity or extinguifhing the Light, and hin- 
 dering the confuming Force, that would deftroy 
 Sin and Iniquity in the Heart. 
 
 Thus, according to the Teftimony I have 
 offered, and many I might produce, all Men 
 have received a Proportion of Light and Grace, 
 but all have not obey'd its Leadings ; all have 
 heard, but all have not obey'd : However, this 
 internal Monitor or Direftor, is ready on all 
 Occafions (if we will apply to it* for Knowledge 
 and Help} to inftruft us in our Duty, and affift 
 us in overcoming the Temptations of the great 
 Adverfary of our SouPs Happinefs ; but we muft 
 diligently attend to its Voice, and not only hear, 
 but obey its Inftructions, that our Souls may 
 
 IN., 
 
 Bat
 
 L / J 
 
 But feme have faid to me, I^e grant that 
 Chriliians o.ught to walk agreeable to the Dilates 
 of the Spirit ofChrtfl^^ but the Quakers make the 
 Guidance and Direct on of the Sprit necejfary m 
 trivial and indiiferent Matters ; nay^ fometimes 
 they offer its Dilates as a Reafonfor many Things 
 accounted by tis irrational and abfurd,—! anfwer ; 
 With Reference to our Duty and Obedience to 
 the Almighty, I conlider noAftion indifferent j 
 every Thing of this Nature muft tend to fome 
 Purpofe, good or evil : And 'tis upon this Con- 
 lideration that we extend the Dodrine of the 
 Crofs, Self-denial and perfed: Obedience to the 
 Precepts of Chrift, farther then the Generahty 
 of thofe who profefs the Chriftian Name : And 
 I take thisOccafion to fay, my principal Errand 
 among you is to recommend, as far as I am en- 
 abled, thefe Chriftian Doctrines; iince our Lord 
 himfelf pofitively declares. That unlefs we take 
 nf a daily Crofsy (to our Corrupt Wills and 
 K^c&\ons) we cannot be his Difciples : And far-, 
 ther, to advife you to a ftrift Adherence to the 
 Light or Grace of God in your own Confciences 
 or Under ftandings, as unto a more jure Word of 
 Prophecy ^ or perfed Diredor ; whereunto you will 
 do well to take Heed^ as unto a light Jbintng in a 
 dark Tlace : For the Nations of them that are 
 faved, muft walk in this Light of the Lord. 
 
 But it may be objeded, '^ That many of the 
 People called Sl^zkers^ have anciently bore 
 'ITeftimony to thofe Dodrines, and continue fo 
 to do ; then what need of my feeble Tcftimony 
 or Evidence?" "Tis true that numerous Pens 
 have Lc.n employed, and many earneft End^a^ 
 
 YOurs,
 
 L ^ J 
 vours, and fervent Defires of this People, to 
 recommend and propagate (as far as they' are 
 enabled by divine Ailiftance) thofe Chriftian 
 Doftrines, which they have proved by their 
 own happy Experience to be lo beneficial and 
 advantageous to themfelves • and being thro' 
 Grace made partakers of that Charity or Love, 
 which is the Bond of Perfection, and the Cha- 
 rafteriftick of a genuine and real Chriftian ; 
 thefe, I fay, by this GofpeHove, are excited 
 to wifti well to all Mankind, and, as much as 
 in them lies, they endeavour to ferve one ano- 
 ther in it, as the Apoftle exhorts, GaL v. 13, 
 And their frequent Supplications afcend to the 
 moft High, on behalf of Mankind in general, 
 that all People may come to the Knowledge of 
 the Truth, as it is in Jesus, and be laved. 
 And when our Hearts are thus enlarged, both 
 to God, and one towards another, then are our 
 Mouths opened to declare of his wonderful 
 Works to the Children of Men, and Anew forth 
 his mighty A els, which he is able and ready to 
 perform, by the powerful Operation of his 
 Holy Spirit in o'lr Hearts, in fubduing evtry 
 evil and inordinate Defire and AfFedion, and 
 bringing them under his Government, and into 
 Subjeftion to his divine Will; anri by fpeaking 
 well of his great Name, to invite and encou- 
 rage others to come tafle and fee that the Lord 
 is good ^ and to partake of his Offer of great 
 Salvation, no lefs than the Redemption of the 
 Soul (by Jefus Chrijl) from the Bondage of Sin 
 and Satan. And indeed the Peace that flows 
 from, and the Promifes annexed, to a perfed 
 
 Obedience
 
 [ p ] 
 
 Obedience to the righteous Laws of God, are 
 fufRcient Inducements to excite us to a godly^ 
 righteous, and Self-denying Life ; for as the 
 royal Tfalmiji greatly experienced formerly, i^o 
 we at this Day experience, and fubfcribe to this 
 Truth, That in keeping the Commandments of 
 God there is great Reward ; and that great 
 Peace have they who love his Law, and nothing 
 ftiall offend them : For He [peaks Teace to his 
 People ^ and to his Saints • but let them not tiirn 
 again to holly ^ Pfalm lxxx,v. 8. And the Lord 
 will ordain Teace for the Righteous^ for the Ef- 
 jett oj Righteoufnefs is Teace and Affurance jor 
 ever^ Ifaiah xxxii. 17; Agreeable to this our 
 Ldrd tells his Difciples, My Teace I leave with 
 you^ my Teace I give unto you ; not as the World 
 giveth^ but a Peace which paffeth the Under- 
 ftanding of the carnal Man- And the Apoftle 
 Tanl^ to encourage and excite the Romans to 
 the Obedience of the Faith dellver'd^ and a pa- 
 tient Continuance in Well-doing, tells them, 
 Their Reward lliould be, Glory^ Honour^ and 
 Teace^to every Man that worktth Good^ to the 
 Jew firji^ and alfo to the Gentile^ Rom. ii. lOo 
 But, on the contrary^ that thofe who are con- 
 tentious, and do not obey the Truth, but obey 
 Unrighteoufnefs, Their Portion will be Indigna- 
 tion andlVrath^ Tribulation andAnguifh^ upon every. 
 Soul of Man that doeth Evil- as there is no Peace 
 to the Wicked; for what have they to do with 
 Peace, fo long as they continue in Difobedience? 
 Indeed the Wicked may, as they often do, cry 
 Peace to themfelves, when there is no Peace, or 
 iat leaft not a folid One ; as a real and fubftan-^ 
 
 B tiai
 
 tial Peace and Happinefs, can only refult froni 
 dn Acquaintance with God, and the Teftimony 
 of a good Confcience : Bat a falfe and polluted 
 Reft and Peace, which many are ereding to 
 themf elves, will deftroy them with, a fore De- 
 flruclion, without timely Repentance and 
 Amendment of Life; for tnflead of this Peace^ 
 thiy /hall have great Eitternefs^ Ifaiahxxxviii. 17. 
 Many and fingular are the Advantages and 
 Priviledges which I might enumerate, that at- 
 tend a Life of Piety and Hohnefs^ no lefs than 
 an Hundred-fold of Peace in our Bofoms in this 
 Life, and the great and precious Promife of 
 Life Eternal in the World to come. And as I 
 have, by the Grace of God, and thro' Obedi- 
 ence of Faith, witneffed in Degree this Peace 
 from God, (which is beyond the Conception of 
 thole who have never enjoyed it) I became" 
 jjreatly concerned for Mankind in genetal, and 
 in a particular Manner for the Inhabitants of 
 my native Country, that they might witnefs 
 this Peace ; and I often petitioned the Almigh- 
 ty, that lie would in his wonted Mercy difco-- 
 ver to you the Things that belong to your 
 SouTs Peace, before they might, by Unbeliefy 
 be hid from your Eyes, Having had this Con- 
 cern for fome Time on your Account, the Al- 
 mighty was pleafed to lay a Conftraint upon me 
 to declare it among you. This, and what fol- 
 lows, I am feniible will found as idle and ridi^ 
 culous Talcs in iJie Ears of many ; however, 
 I fnall go on to tell you, that I confider myfelf 
 as a Tcry feeble Liiirument in the Caule of 
 Qody and one of the leaft Servants in my 
 
 Mafler'i'
 
 [ " ] 
 
 Matter's Houfe. I have alfo confider'd, ho^'' 
 backward the Generality of People are to re- 
 ceive Advice, even when it has been offered by 
 religious, pious and learned Men ; and that thc^ 
 Labours of fuch have had but little Effed on 
 the Minds and Condud of many called Ghrif- 
 tians ; and refieding on the greatnefs of my In- 
 ability, as well as the Improbability of my being 
 ferviceable in God's Caufe, I have been induced 
 to fay, Lord ! who will be It eve my Report y 
 fmce fo many have labour'' d (as 1 have thought) 
 in vain? Shall /, a por Female ^ undertake 
 for God ? Cm 1 frefume to come u^ to his Helj? 
 againji the great Adverfary of Souls ? No furely ; 
 rather J I beejeech thee^ affear in the Glory of 
 thy Majsfiy^ and by the immediate Act of thy 
 mighty Tower ^ tn the Hearts of the Teoj^le^ Jub-- 
 due and lay wajie the firong Holds of Sin and 
 Satan! And in the Room thereof ejlabl'ifh^ 1 he^ 
 feech thee^ the Kingdom and Dorninton of thy 
 dear Son^ our Lordy whofe Right alone it is to 
 reign in the Hu: arts oftheTeofle^ who is King 
 of Kings ^ and Lord of Lords ! And farther, tho' 
 I am but Duft and Afhes, I thus prefumed to 
 excufe myfelf • Lord^ I am not eloquent ^ nei- 
 ther heretofore^ nor Jince thou hafi been f leafed 
 to difcover thy JVill to me. But to an Almigh- 
 ty Power, who doth according to his righteous 
 AViil, both in the Aimies of Heaven, and a- 
 mong the Inliabitants of the Earth, who llia,ll 
 fay. What doft thou? And fince he is pleafcd 
 to fend by the Hand of whom he will fend, I 
 no longer refifted his Will, but became obedi- 
 ent to his Word and Power, againft which I 
 
 B 2 had
 
 [ la ] 
 
 had long reafoned, and objeded my Unfitnefs; 
 tho' the Apoftle Taul informs us, That as ma" 
 %y as have been baptized into Christ (or 
 with his Baptifm of Fire and the Holy Ghoft, 
 and have witnelTed t^ie chaffy Nature in them 
 confumed, and by this Means) have pit om 
 Christ (that then there is no Diftindion or 
 Difference among Chriftians in a religious Senfe) 
 thiTe is neither Jew nor Gentile^ there is neither 
 Bond nor Iree^ there is neither Male nor te- 
 male .; For^ fays the Apoftle, ye are all one in 
 Christ Jesus. Thus he teems to allow our 
 Sex the fame Gofpel Priviledges with the reft 
 of Mankind. And the royal Prophet calls on 
 the female, as well as the male Part of God's 
 rational Creation, to celebrate the Praife of our 
 common Governor and Benefaclor. " Why 
 then, fays one, fhould Woman* be denied her 
 Canticle of Praife in the general Chorus, fince. 
 out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings God 
 "will ftiil ordain and perfed Praife ?" And we may 
 further obferve, when the Tabernacle of the 
 Lord was ereded in the Wildernefs, the Wo- 
 men, w^e are told, who were wiUing hearted, 
 brought their Free-will Offerings, and prefent- 
 ed them towards the Building, or at ieaft em- 
 bellifliing of this moveable Temple, which, 
 'tis faid, was a Type of the true Church mi- 
 litant, and the Tabernacle which God ha& 
 pitched, and not I\4an. And if Females were 
 allowed to afTift and contribute to the Work 
 of the Lord, under the Law, why Hiould any, 
 or the Icaft EiTay towards the repairing the 
 Breaches in God'o Building, be rejedcd under 
 
 the
 
 the Gofpel ; fince we do not offer or propoi? 
 any new Doftrine, 4ior endeavour to lay any 
 other Foundation than that which is ahead y 
 laid viz, " The Revelation of the Spirit of 
 Tesus Christ the Righteous, in the Soul of 
 Man, on which the Church of Christ is 
 founded and built: Nor for the moral Difor- 
 ders fo vifible among the Profeffors of Chrilti- 
 anity, do we prefcribe new or untry'd Reme^ 
 dies ; but having experienced the Virtue an4 
 Efficacy of the old, we, in ^reat Love and 
 Good-will, endeavour to perfuade you to apply 
 them : For the lame Fountain of Purgation is 
 now open to Sinners, that was in Ages paft fet 
 open for the Houfe of David, and Inhabitants 
 of Jerufakm, for Sin and for Uncleannefs ; fo? 
 the Almighty is not only the God of the Jews^ 
 but of the Gentiles alfo. 
 
 But to proceed; I have told you that this 
 Voyage to my native Place, was undertaken in 
 Purfuance of what I verily believed was the 
 Will of God concerning mc, and required of me 
 by him (1 make no Doubt) as one amongft the 
 many Trials I have been exercifed with, of 
 my Faith, Love and Obedience ; wherein I be- 
 lieve it my Duty openly and freely to confeis 
 Christ before Men, whofe operating Power 
 on my Heart I had fearfully and cowardly en- 
 deavoured to conceal before I left this Pro- 
 vince ; and I take this Occafion to declare to 
 you, that 1 am not afliamed of the Gofpel ot 
 Christ, which I have in Meafure expe- 
 rienced to be the Power of God to Salvation 
 to all them who believe, and contiaue to obey 
 
 It;
 
 [ 14 ] 
 k: And the more numerous the Teftlmonies 
 and greater the Cloud of WitnelTes, to the 
 Efficacy of the Grace and Power of God the 
 more will the Truths and Evidences propofed 
 and produded, be ftrengthened and corroborated. 
 iJut lome may pofBbly ask, ' How I certamly 
 know that I am not miftaken, and that in- 
 Itead ol being led by the Spirit of Truth, I 
 am not deceived by the Spirit of Error ?" To 
 fuch 1 anlVer; I have one Rule to fnuare my 
 Adions by, which never yet fail'd me, when 
 1 applied It; and that is, By Application to 
 the Divine Being, that. He would be pleafed to 
 prelerve me from Error and Delufion, I exa- 
 mine, by his Divine Light and Affiftance, the 
 Motive, Defign, Tendency and End of my 
 Actions ; and if I find nothing repugnant to 
 or inconfiftent with the Honour of God, and 
 bcnpture Precepts or Teftimony, I make a ra-; 
 tional Conclufion, that I am fafc at leaft. And 
 tho' I do not obferve from Scripture, that it is 
 my particular Duty to exhort you to yours • 
 nor do I gather from thence, that I ought to 
 declare, m this publick Manner, qf the Good- 
 nefs, Mercy and Loving-kind nefs, of the Al- 
 mighty, to aU who feek his Face and Favour 
 m Truth, Sincerity and Uprightnefs ; yet I 
 find It there, my Duty to obey all God's Com- 
 mands ^ and that the Almighty may, and does, 
 lay particular Injudions, and fpecial Commands, 
 upon his Servants, by the Divine Di- 
 ree^ion or his Holy Spirit, at this Day, as well 
 "^ '" ™™er Ages, I firmly believe: And that 
 the iJicffing our Lord promifed to confer on
 
 his Immediate Followers, extends as wdll to all 
 feis fucceeding DilL^ples, vi^, " That he would 
 pray the Father, and he will (fays he) fend you 
 another Comforterj that may abide with you for 
 ever, even the Spirit of Truth, who will guide 
 ^ndlead you into all Truth^ and fhew youThings 
 to come* for he that dwelkth with ycu, ihall be 
 in you, and this Comforter, which is the Holy 
 Ghoft, ftiall teach you all Things and bring 
 all Things to your Remembrance/' And the 
 Apoftle TeUr^ at that memorable Time, when 
 he was preaching to People of various Lan- 
 guages, tells his Audience, firft quoting a Paf- 
 £ige from the Prophet Joel^ Ads ii. 38. It 
 Jhall come to pafs in the loft (or Gofpel) Days^ 
 that I will pur out of my Sprit uj?on all hkfh^ 
 and your Sons and ymr Daughters Jhall frophecyy 
 Kc, And be fubjoins. Repent^ and he ba^ti^^^dy 
 every one of you^ in the Name of Jesus 
 GhRist, jor the Rermjjion oj Sins^ and ye Jhall 
 receive the Gilt of the Holy Ghoji : For the Fro^' 
 mife is to you^ and to your Children^ and to all 
 that are ajar ojf^ even as many as the L^rd cur 
 God Jhall calL And to yoUs O Men^ he calls^ 
 his Voice is to the Sons of Men^ Pror* viii. 4. 
 And we may further obferve, That the Spi- 
 rit of Christ was not limited to his immedi- 
 ate Difciples, to whom it was to be fent as a 
 Comforter and Dircdor • but he tells them, i^ 
 fiioald appear to the World of Unbelievers m 
 another Adminiitration or Office, viz. That of 
 a Reprover for Sin. For when CHRIST afcend^ 
 ed up on highy he gave Gifts to Men^ yea^ even to 
 the Rebellious^ Eph, iy. 8. And the Gifts of the 
 
 Holy
 
 Holy Ghofl-^ Took^ in his AnMtations^ tells us^ 
 " Was not, as fome imagine, confined to the 
 Apoltle's Days, but that Chriftians, in fucceed-^ 
 ing Ages J received as large Proportions of the 
 Divine Influences and Gifts of the Holy Spirit 
 as formerly." And that Females did receive 
 thefe Gifts, ^s well as the Menj and on pro- 
 per Occafions did exercife them, John Locke^ 
 in his Para^hrafe on Taul's Epiitles, ajQTures 
 us, by ProotI He tells us, " That God, for 
 Order fake, had inftituted in the World a 
 proper Subordination of the weaker Sex to the 
 ftronger ^ yet (fays he) this hindered not but 
 that he might make ufe of the weaker Sex to 
 iany Function, whenever he thought fit, as 
 "Well as he did the Men/' He fays much more 
 to the fame Purpofc ; but I leave him to thofe 
 who may have art Opportunity and Inclination 
 to read him further on this Subjeft* ; and re-^ 
 turn to illuftrate, as well as I am able, the 
 Rule of my Conduft in religious Matters. I 
 am fenfible that it is my Duty, firft and prin- 
 cipally, and above all other Gonfiderations, to 
 love, adore, honour and obey^ the Supreme 
 Being • and next, I find it my Duty to love^ 
 my Neighbour as myfelf; and to obferve to aft 
 in the fame juft and upright Manner in every 
 Circumftance, that I defire he fhould aft in 
 towards myfelf: Therefore j if^ upon a 
 Scrutiny, or Examination, I find my Defign 
 or Aftion direftly or indireftly tending to the 
 Difhonour of God, or in any Shape injurious to 
 my Neighbour, I am immediately inftrufted, 
 
 * Locke, on z Corinthians 14*
 
 t ^7 1.^ 
 by the inward Monitor, or Light of Christ 
 in my Confcience, to decline it ; and iF I for^ 
 bear the Adioii, ^c. I believe you will grant 
 I am right fo far. Again, if I apprehend I 
 am direded or commanded to do any particular 
 Things if, upon Trial, by the above Rule, it 
 bears the Teft, aiid has any Tendency to pro- 
 mote God's Honour^ Peace, Good-will, Chari- 
 ty and Benevolence to my Neighbour, I be- 
 lieve I am lafe^ and may venture to conclude 
 that this Suggellion can proceed from no other 
 than God • llnce it points to Ibme fmall Degree 
 of Glory to his Name arid Power. And fur- 
 ther, any Deed that can ftand this Trial, can- 
 not poffibly have it's Rife^ or be excited by a 
 diabolical Spirit^ fince we have our Lord's 
 Teftimony to the Truth oi- this AlTertion, ThaP 
 if Satan rife up againfl himfelf arid h dmided^ 
 he cannot jiand^ kit hath an End^ Mark iii. 2(5. 
 But whatever Judgment may be made of my 
 religious Sentiments and Coriduft, it will be 
 far from affefting me ; my Peace and Happi- 
 nefs in no #ife depending oh the Favour or Ap* 
 plaufe of Mortals, but on the Favour and 
 Approbation of God, by whofe juft and de- 
 cifive Judgment I muft ftand or fall- for 
 God feeth not as Man feeth^ Man judging by 
 the outward Appearance only ; but the Lord 
 looketh at the Heart. And tho' we are told; 
 The Heart is deceitful above all Things-^ and 
 the Prophet queries, JVho can know h ? The 
 Almighty is pleafed to declare in thefe Words; 
 1 the Lord fearch the Hearty and try the Reins ;. 
 Und behold he that formeth thj Mountains ^ and 
 
 C i^rc^
 
 _ [ j8 ] 
 
 createth the Sprit ^ he declareth unto Man wbai 
 his Thoughts are: Lven he that maktth the 
 jMorning Darl:nefs\ and treadeth uj^on the high 
 Places of the Earthy the L)rd^ the God of Hojts 
 is his Name^ Amos iv. 13. 
 
 Further . I have thought you may pofiibly 
 imagine, that in Pride and Arrogancy of Heart 
 I am come to fee, how you fare, with regard 
 to your eternal Salvation: But, give me Leave 
 to aflTure you, my Vifit proceeds from no fucb 
 €vil Motive; neither have I any further Views 
 than the Peace and Satisfaction that flows from 
 a Conicioufnefs of having done my Duty, in- 
 coming to proclaim the gkd Tidings of Peace 
 and Salvation among you, to all who will ac^ 
 cept of it on God's Terms, X'i^. Repntance arid 
 Amendment of Life. 
 
 I have no particular Perfon in View, ncrDefign 
 to oifend any One living ; and if at any time 
 I fhould exprefs myfelf a little warmly, my 
 Zeal is aini'd againft Sin, and the Irregularity 
 of People's Lives in general ; your Temporal, 
 as well eternal Intereft, I wifh as well to, as I 
 do to my own. I 'do not undertake to addrefs 
 you in pompous Words, nor, where it in my 
 Power, to pleafe your Ear with fine Periods. 
 The Laws of Method I know little of*, there- 
 fore 1 don't attempt any Rule of that Sort j 
 neither do I prefumc to offer any Thing new 
 on the Subject of Religion ; but if one Line of 
 my own fhort Experience in the Things of 
 God, mav have the leaft Tendency to excite 
 ibme to the praclical Part of Ghriftianity, or to^ 
 mend the Heart of any One,. I hayc my Re- 
 ward ^
 
 L 19 J 
 
 ward ; my haneft Aim, as far as my weak En- 
 deavour wiii allow, being the Promotion of 
 God's Honour, and the V/ellfare of my Ncigh^ 
 bour; and, to borrow the Words of one of our 
 Worthies, I have no T Lot or D./ign, but an ar^ 
 dcjit JVijh for th Salvation of your SoiUs : And, if 
 I may be allowed to ufe the Words of the 
 great Apoftle Tatd^ I will further alTure you, 
 / covjt no Terfojts Silver^ Gold or A^fareL 
 On the contrary, having feen and lamented the 
 divers and hurtful Lufts I was obnoxious to, 
 when I was in PolTefiion of a plentiful Fliate, 
 and that they that are rich fail into many Temp- 
 tations^ my Bufmefs is to warn and caution you 
 that are rich, againft the Mifapplication of your 
 Wealth. Riches, attained lawfully, without 
 Covetoulnefs, and too anxious a Defire and 
 Purfuit (which may obftrufi: our godly Attain-^ 
 ments) I grant, are one of the Bkflings of 
 . Heaven, if rightly and properly applied ; as 
 they put us in a Capacity of providing a ne- 
 celfary Subfi'tence for our Families, and doing 
 A£ts of Juitice and Mercy to our Neighbour : 
 But then we muft remember we are only Ste* 
 wards of this, as well as every other Gift of 
 God ^ and that we are as culpable in his Sight, 
 and as accountable to his Juftice, for the Wafte 
 and Abufe of Wealth, as for the 111 Ufe of 
 any other of his P'avours and Mercies. 
 
 SomiC plead for Extravagance, Vanity and 
 Luxury, in the abfurd Terms of an old Pro- 
 verb, that thofe •X'/;^? win Gold^ have a Right 
 to wear it ; and that they may apply their own 
 Money to wi^iat Purpofcs they plcafe: Not 
 
 C 2 con-"
 
 E ^^ ] 
 
 confidering, that all temporal Bleflings arc only 
 lent us, and that we can't properly call any 
 Thing our own. And if we will but look a- 
 bout us, we fhall fee this Aliertion greatly 
 proved, by obferving the many Viciffitudes in 
 this one Article of Wealth. Riches^ meta- 
 phorically fpealdng, take |:o themfelves Wings, 
 and fly away from one to another, and that we 
 are as often fnatched from them, as they ftom 
 iis; a fignificant Inftance of which we h^e in 
 our Saviour's Parable of the rich Man, who, 
 having laid up much Goods for many Years, 
 fottiflily addreffes his Soul in thefe Words, Soul\ 
 take thine Ea fey eat^ drink^ and be merry ^ Luke 
 xii. I p. Thus being in this ftupid Condition, 
 blinded by the God of this World, he never 
 once refieds on the Poffibility of being de- 
 prived of his Idols by any Means whatioever. 
 JBut now obferve the Equity and Juftice of the 
 Almighty in his Judgments, which he often 
 in Aids on thofe who adore the Gift, but de»= 
 fpife and neglecl the Giver ; who receive of his 
 Bounty, but fail to acknowledge it- who eat and 
 drink, and rife up to play: By one Stroke of 
 his Juftice he breaks the Inchantment this Man 
 had been held in by Satan ^ difcovets the Un^ 
 certainty of temporal Goods and t njoyments, 
 and the Vanity or Fally of truftjng and pla-*. 
 cing our Happinefs in them'; and,^ by the 
 Word of hi5 Power, he commands this poor^ 
 deluded MojTtal to refign, not only his Wealth, 
 but his very Soul, to him that gave it; fay- 
 ing to .him in thefe 'Terms, Tkou Fool^ this Ntgfjt 
 f pall thy Sotd be required of tljee\ theft, iL'hfe 
 jhall th:fi Things b^ whkh thou haji ^rorvidcd? 
 
 Mel an-
 
 [ .1 1 
 
 MelanchoUy Situation indeed ! and far worfe 
 than if his Goods had been taken from him. 
 This Man, as far as we may be allowed to 
 judge by his Folly in this Inftancc, muft be in 
 i very unfit State and Condition for Heaven, 
 where it does not appear he had been careful 
 to4ay up anv Treafure, hr where the Treajure 
 tSy there will the Heart be alfo. And m our 
 I.ord's Obfervations on this unhappy Perfon's 
 Conxion, he fubjoins, So (or in fuch a Cafe) 
 is ^ he that layeth up Treafure for htmfelf, andts 
 not rich towards God. 
 
 But tho' I, as well as others, had received 
 a Proportion or Talent of Grace in my Heart, 
 for the great Purpofes before named, yet I was 
 not careful to improve it; and while I conti- 
 nued in neglea of my Duty, fp long this Grace 
 proved inefredual, and in vain : But the Gtjts 
 and Callings of God are without Repentance, 
 Rom. ii. 2^). for tho' many may negled to 
 anfwer his Gal!^ or improve his Gifts, never- 
 thelefs the Almighty repents not that he hath 
 difpcnfed and beftowM them ; but gracioufly 
 condefcends, by his frequent Vifitations, either 
 immediately, or inftrumentally, by Mercies, or 
 by Judgments, to awaken, perfwade, excite 
 or allure us to our Duty ; and tho' in Time 
 paft we believed not God, who in Effeft wc 
 arefaidto denv, when we worfhip him not as 
 God ; yet he 'repents not that he hath called 
 us, but repeats his Gall to the Carelefs and 
 Negligent ; of which Number I was, when 
 the Almighty, whofe Compaffion fails not, re- 
 turned to vifk my Souk In this, the. happieit 
 
 Seafon
 
 Seafon of my Life, when the Time was come, 
 wherein, thro' Mercy I obtained Mercy ^ an4 
 in which the Moft High vouchfafed to favour 
 me, by opening my Eyes, and difcovering tq 
 me the Things that belonged to the cverlalting 
 Peace and Happinefs of my SoaL And at the 
 fame time thp Lord was pleafed to difpiay hi^ 
 excellent Glory, and to give me a Sight of th^ 
 Beauty of Holinefs ; and then I could fay, 
 I have heretofore only heard of Thee by the litar^ 
 ingof the outward tar. But now mine Eye 
 faw his glory : This amazing tho' lovely Ap- 
 pearance of God to my Soul, caufed me many 
 a time to bow down before the Majefty of 
 Heaven, and, indeed to abhor myfelf in bull 
 and Allies, and frequently to mourn over him 
 whom I had many time pierced and griev'd ir^ 
 his Holy Spirit, by iny Vanities and Folly, in 
 giving his 'Glory to Idols, and the Praiie that 
 was his Due, to the Imaginations of my own 
 Heart. This was the firft Day's v¥ork of the 
 new Creation in my Soul ; the Almighty, by 
 the Word of his Power, had commanded the 
 Darknefs to be divided from the Light, and, 
 by this happy Medium, I continued to m/ake 
 new, and, to me, unufual Diicuveries ; I faw 
 that I had been an Alien from the Common^ 
 wealth of fftrituat Ifrael^ and a Stranger to x\\o 
 Covenant of Promife, having no Hope in Chnfi^ 
 as I had lived without God in the World ; 
 and, by negleding to give that Honour due to 
 his Name, I had forfeited the Favour of the 
 Almighty, and that heavenly Paradife, which 
 the -Smiles of his Countenance and Pre- 
 
 fenc^
 
 [ ^3 ] 
 fence alone can conftitiite : Not for * /l^am*s 
 Fault imputed to me^ but my own adual Dif- 
 obediencc, refufing that realbnable Service and 
 Homage which he expeds and requires from 
 all his raticnai Creatures. 1 had been remifs 
 in Ackiiovvledgments to my great Creator, and 
 fnerciful Bcnetador, at vvhofe bountiful Hand 
 I had received not only a fpiritual Ble.Ting, or 
 Gift of Grace in my Heart, but I was indebt- 
 ed to divine Benificence for a large Share of 
 temporal Bleflings ; neither of which was re- 
 ceived, or relented, with 'a proper Gratitude, 
 fiox applied to the Purpofes (i am fincc con- 
 vinced and perfwaded in my Underftanding) 
 they were deiigned for, by the holy Difpenfer. 
 And I. The "^Seed (or Word) fown in my 
 Heart by the great Husbandman, was not fuf- 
 fer'd to fruftify, or bring forth Fruit, agreeable 
 to the Praife and Glory of God, as the Cares 
 6{ this Life, and the JDeceitfuInefs of Riches,, 
 entered in, and choak'd the Seed,, and it thereby 
 became unfruitful : And not only the Cares 
 and Concerns of the World, which fom.etime^ 
 become accidentally unlawful, but the vairt 
 Pleafures, irrational Recreations, trifling, un- 
 edifying and pernicious Books, vv^ith all the 
 Train of idle Amufenients, to which the World 
 i^ommonly annex the foft and gentle Epithet of 
 Innocent ^m^xo'i^W my precious Time; the proper 
 Improvement of which wife Men, in all Ages, 
 
 efteem'^d 
 
 * To refute this Doi^rine, read Dr. lVhlthy\ TreatKc on what is cli'd 
 Original iiin. In ihcCourreor my Remarks, I choofe to pioduce other 
 Autho' itics than thofe ot our own Society ; lince Uich is the nnaccounr- 
 atliic Prejudice of fome People, th^t th.-y aiII rcjeil Truth and Rcafoa>. 
 for no other Caulc, but; ihAi it ii ofered by one cail'd a <^>«^^#r.
 
 1, 14 J 
 
 cfteem'd the higheft Point of Wifdom, ^nd of 
 fo ineftimible a Confideration, as occafions a 
 late picas Author to afTert, that the Man was 
 yet unborn^ who truly knew the value of an Hour. 
 And the Apoftle Taul^ in an earneft Manner, 
 exhorts the Believers to redeem the Time^ becaufe 
 the Days are evtl\ and again, direfts the Church 
 to walk in JVtfdom towards them that are wtth^ 
 out^ redeeming the Time, That Time was valu- 
 able, and to be well employed and irnprovM, 
 I had often heard : but falfe, delufive Pleafure, 
 unwilling to hear, or at leaft to yield to the 
 Voice of Truth, robb'd mc of that Bleffing I 
 am now, thro' God's Affiftance, endeavouring 
 to redeem and improve, agreeable to the 
 Apoftle's Advice: 'Pafs the Time of your fo- 
 journing here in Fear (and Reverence) fearing to 
 offend the Infinite Adajefty of Heaven,, who 
 takes Cognizance of every Thought, Word, 
 and Aftion. But alas! this Truth and Con- 
 fideration never fo much as occurred, when f 
 was fpending my Days in Vanity, and my 
 Years in unprofitable Purfuits ; , forgetting the 
 holy One of Ifrael^ Days without Number ; 
 never fo much as remarking the royal Pro- 
 phet's Affertion, That (not only the flagrantly 
 •wicked) but thofe who forget God^ pall be 
 turn'd into HelL And the Prophet Jeremiah 
 tells us, God will pour out of his Anger upnthe 
 Families that call not upon his ^JSLdrne^ Jer. x» 
 25. And God declares, that Hd hzd fufered 
 the Djfolation of his People Ifrael, becaufe thy 
 had forgotten him^ and burnt Incenfe unto Vani' 
 iy J that thsy had forgot him^ and trufled t^ 
 
 Falfhood^l
 
 C =5 1 _ 
 Faljhood^ that according to their Taflures or 
 PoJ/jJJions^ fo were they filN^ and their Hearts 
 thereby exalted-^ therefore have they jor gotten 
 me^ faith the Lord, And the Prophet Ho[ea 
 complains, that Ifrael had forgot his Mahr^ 
 and buUded Temples to Idols -^ that the Calf {pt 
 Idol) of Samaria had caji them out of his Fa" 
 vour ; for they had [own Vanity and the Windy 
 and they Jhould reap the Whirkvind-^ that Stran^ 
 gers Jhould fwallow them uf^ the Enemy Jhould 
 purfue them:^ and a Fire JJeould devour their Fa-^ 
 ^ Laces, Thefe are fome of the difmal and de- 
 plorable Effects of Sin, and the terrible Pe- 
 nalties Sinners who forget God, and make to 
 themfelves Idols of Vanity, are obnoxious to, 
 in this Life ; where the temporal Confequences 
 of Sin appear terrible and fhocking, which on^ 
 would think a fufficient Reafon to deter Feo*- 
 pic from every Appearance of Evil; but when 
 we refled on this Truth, viz,, " That with- 
 out fincere returning to God by Repentance, 
 and Amendment of Life, and being reconcil'd 
 to Him thro' Sanftification of our Spirits by 
 Christ Jesus, the Puniflimcnt for our Sins 
 will attend us to all Eternity, and will alTuredly 
 deprive us of that Reft and Peace prepared only 
 for the People of God :'' How fliould this 
 Thought fpeedily remove from every Heart, 
 that is not quite infenfible and obdurate, the 
 dangerous Sin of Unbelief in the Power of 
 God, and excite them to apply to the Father 
 of Mercies for Remiffion of Sin by Christ 
 Jesus. But fome may objed, That tho* many, 
 called Chriftians liye in too much Forgetful-
 
 [ ^^ 1 
 
 hefs of God, yet they cannot be chargeable/ 
 with woifhipping of Idols, as the ^e'^jus were; 
 fo that the above Scripture Paffages cannot be 
 altogether applicable to them. 1 ihall anfwer 
 this Objection in the Words of one of the firft- 
 Klovers uf the Reformation, viz. Dr. '^johrv 
 StJU^itz,: He that frejtrs any Th'rng that is 
 outivard and temporal before Gad^ frefers the 
 Creature before the Creator \ and robs God of 
 his Glory and lyi^^fl honour^ arJ makes th it 
 to be his God^ '•jehich is not God: hor thcU which 
 the Eeart laves fnoji^ the fame it bonovirs as 
 Goa^ whatfoevz^r the Month may fay to the con^ 
 trary^ JVho knows not^ that if a Chrijiian 
 Jhfjidd now-a-days fay^ that his Goods ^ &c. 
 were his God^ he wovdd be condemned as a 
 ^lrd}hcmer'^ and ytt who is there of us^ who- 
 doth, not lee^ in the daily Fre^Eiice and Actions 
 of Mcu^ that temporal Goods ^ Fleaftire and Ho^ 
 vour^ are f referred before God^ and his Love^ 
 to th:U lX(iree^ that it is Matter of L^irmntation F 
 iVe will by no Means endure the Reproach of 
 beini Idolaters^ ih/ indeed we are jo^ really 
 a^ii in Triith^ no lefs than other s^ were ^f old : 
 /U this Very Day^ graciotis God ! many in 
 Chrifiundojn worfteif Gold^ Silver^ Mood^ and the 
 Goods of this IVcrld^ as the Heathen did Thou- 
 finds of 7 ears a-7o, notwithflahdmg they fay with 
 their Abuths^ Our Father, which art in Hea- 
 ven : But true Adoration toftfljis m loving^ not 
 in Ipeakmg. He frays welly who loves God 
 9.^ off ; 4nc) he who does not love God^ neither 
 do'js nor csin pray^ thS he repot a tlkufand 
 ^xf films or Tray^rs: He who lovts Go'\ frveS" 
 
 hitnv
 
 [ n ] 
 
 h'tm-^'btit he vjho doi^s not love bim^ nehher dotb^ 
 nor can jirve him^ however great } forks of De-- 
 cotton he may outwardly ferjorm. But to return^ 
 In this careleis and forgetful Situation, whicU 
 1 have mentjoned, was 1 when the Almighty 
 difpenfed a Share of his temporal Favours to 
 .nie, which I received with a ftupid Indifference, 
 €nd without Thankfgiving, as they were com- 
 Ji:ion Mercies ; '' And like a certain Brute Ani- 
 mal, who devours the Fruit which falls from a 
 Tree, without looking up to fee from whence 
 it comes \' So I received the BIefiin8;s of Pro- 
 videncc no othervvife, but as Things of Chance, 
 or of Gourfe, or the EtFed of Care and In- 
 .d.uftry; not confidering whofe Hand was ne- 
 .ceffary to render our Endeavours fuccefsful 
 and profperous ; nor that the iame Power th^ 
 ■bellows and difpenfes BieiTings and Mer'^ 
 -cies, can in a Moment remand and call thcn\ 
 •back^ and deprive us of them, whenever he 
 pleafes ; and that for every Moilel we eat, wti 
 are indebted to God's Bounty and Goodnefs, 
 and not to our own Wifdom or "Prudence: In a 
 Word, that in Him we live, move, and have 
 our Being. Bnt hov/ infenfible Was I of thefe 
 I'ruths, when, in Effect, I lived as if I had 
 been an unaccountable and independent Being, 
 and vainly thought my Mountain was made io 
 ftrong, that it would never be rem.oved. I was 
 rich and full, and needed nothing, when alas! 
 1 was poor and miferable. Wind and naked, and 
 wanted all Things, when deftitute of the Fa- 
 vour of God, and without witnefling the Smiles 
 of his Countenance, Thus^ as the Pfalmilt 
 
 Da con-
 
 confeffes himfelf once, fo foolifh and ignorant 
 was I, faying, in Effect, to God, " Depart 
 from me, for I defire not the Knowledge of 
 thy Ways- what is the Almighty that I lliould 
 deiire him ? Or what greater irofit would ac- 
 crue, if we pray'd unto Him, or ferved Him?'' 
 By this falfe Reafoning is the Candle of the 
 Ungodly extinguiihed- from whence pro- 
 ceeds DeftrucLion upon the Inconfiderate and 
 Unrighteous, unlefs they return, repent and 
 amend. But now behold the Goodnefs, Lenity 
 and Long-fufFering, of a merciful God ! who 
 had been long alluring me by his Mercies^ 
 which I paffed light by, or rejeded- he has now 
 Recourfe to his Judgments ; but neither did I 
 yet f.e that Afflictions arofe not out of the 
 Duft, but that Mankind were naturally and 
 promifcuoully born to Trouble. I was indeed 
 afflifted, and I mourn'd ; but it was ff^x the 
 Abfence of temporal Biefiings ; and as my De- 
 fires and Purfuits extended no higher, I endea- 
 voured to fupport my Diilrcfs, by gratifying 
 my Pride and Ambition to the Extent of my 
 Power. At length, in this Day of Adverfity, 
 I. began a little to confider, and applied to God, 
 in Prayer and Supplication, that he would be 
 pleafed to dchver me out of my Diftrefs, or 
 lupport m,e under it ; ftiil ignorant of the Joys 
 of his Salvation, or that there was fpiritual Con- 
 folation in ftore for me on certain Conditions, if 
 I rightly applied for them ; but being infenfi- 
 ble of the Want of them., I as yet asked them 
 not,> till the happy Seafon of my Life, wherein 
 I witneifed a religious Turn of Mind, and the 
 
 draw-
 
 L ^y J 
 
 drawing Cords of God's Love inclining my Heart 
 to feek his Face and Favour, with greater Ar- 
 dency and Fervour than I had ever been fenii- 
 ble of before: I now began to view and coniider 
 Things in another Light than 1 formerly had 
 done ; and, by reverfing the Perfpedive, the 
 fading Objects and Enjoyments of this Life 
 leffen'd in my View and Account ; and as the 
 Love of God and of heavenly Things increafei 
 in my Heart, fo in Proportion my Fondnefs for 
 worldly Enjoyments decreafed and vanifned# 
 At length the warmed Returns of Love and 
 Gratitude began to arife in my Soul to God, 
 who firft loved me, and had done great Things 
 for me, by plucking my Feet out of the Mire 
 and Clay of Sin and Folly, and fixing them upon 
 the Rock Christ Jesus. He alfo put a new 
 Song in my Mouth, which none but thofe 
 who are in Degree redeemed by his precious 
 Blood can fing, even Praifes to our God ! Thus 
 on my turning to God, I began to witnefs new 
 Thoughts, new Defircs, new AfFcdions, new 
 Hopes, new Joys, and new Fears ; and to fee 
 the Necefhty of Regeneration and a new Birth 
 unto Righteoufnefs, without which I could not 
 poffibly enter the Kingdom of God ; that all 
 Things muft be changed, and become new, all 
 of, and pointing to God. And farther, if I 
 would be Christ's Difciple, I muft deny my- 
 felf, take up a Crofs to my own Will, be fub- 
 jcd to, and follow him, under whofe^ Banner 
 I had now lifted; thus examining and purfuing 
 this Doftrine and Precept of cur Lord's, I was 
 naturally led, in fome Degree, to what is cal- 
 led
 
 L 3^ J 
 led SLliakeriCm (tho* it appeared to mc In no 
 other ii^brm nor Name, than that of primitive 
 Chrillianity) which, in my firft Thoughts of 
 Religion, 1 had no more Intention of embracing 
 than I had of receiving Mahometifm ^ knowing 
 little more of the Sjl^kcrs^ than that They 
 were a plain People in their Garb and Speech. 
 But it has been remarked to me, that my Mo- 
 ther was fome Time of this Pcrfuafion, and no 
 Wonder that I Ihould have a warm Side for 
 her Opinion, I anfwer'd, My Father v/as a 
 Member of the Church of England^ and edu- 
 cated me in that Way : and I well remember, 
 I had a much warmer Side for his Opinion; not 
 that I knew what was the elTential Difference 
 in their idigicus Sentiments, or at leaft that 
 afFeded me, any farther than that one allow'd 
 nie fomething n^ore Liberty in Drefs , whereas 
 the other would tell me Plainnefs in Apparel 
 was mofl agreeable to Ghrrflianity, and to the 
 Divine Being, who hated Pride in his Creatures, 
 To be fure 1 thought this Dodrine sbfurd, by 
 the RefleSion I remember I made at the 1 ime. 
 That God^ I belkved^ ivould not rae^ me^ on 
 the Score oj ^w earing Lace^ ' or a fine and gay 
 Silk Go'-JDfu I have thought fince, any one 
 might imagine I had fttch'd my Argum^ent 
 from Lttcret'tan Principles, that the Almighty 
 could not defcend fo low as to notice fuch 
 Trifles, or mark littk Follies, if Gaiety in Ap- 
 parel (hould be One; but no Wonder that when 1 
 was a Child, I fhould reafon as a Child. I am fen- 
 fiblc that Silks, Ribbons and Lace, are not any 
 l*'herir in Scripture diredly forbidden j but I 
 
 learn
 
 L 31 J 
 karn from thence, that Pride, and all Manner 
 of Superfluity, is. And if, by wearing this rich 
 Silk, or adorning ourielvcs with the other fu- 
 pcrfluous Ornaments, we feed and nourifh a 
 proud, vain Defnx, it becomes by this Circum- 
 france as unlawful as Pride itfelfj and that they 
 do fo, I have greatly experienced : For th(/ Re^ 
 tigion jlands not fmiply in Clothes^ yet true Rcli-^ 
 gion flands in that which jets Bounds and Lirntts 
 to the Mmd with r effect to Clothes^ as wdl as 
 other Jhings.- And to ftrengthen this Affertion,- 
 or rather to prove it, I Ihall offer an Inftance 
 of my o\Tn Experience, vi^, IVloen it ^leafed 
 the Lord to vijk my Soul^ and to appear to m& 
 in his Glory ^ the View af which difeover'd to m<? 
 my ownUnworthincfs ^ and can fed me not only t ode- 
 jp(e and abhor myfelf^ hut my fpkndiJ\^p^arel 
 alfo: I had now n$ Delight in Drefs andGrnamenty 
 nor other Things I had ufually taken much 'Flea-^ 
 fur e in: True Chrtfiianity^ which I began to b^ 
 acquainted with^ Jet a Bound to my Dejires^ and 
 diretied me to Tlainnefs^ before I had any Intention 
 of joinwg the Society of the Feofle called Quakers ; 
 and indeed all earthly and tranfitory Ohjdis wsre^ 
 And are^ in my Vierw and Ejlim^ation^ as Lofs^' 
 Drofs and Dung^ in Com^anfon oj the Excellency^- 
 Glory and Beauty\ I behold in God^ and find ii^ 
 the Etmyment of his Divine Favour -^ and at- 
 times 1 am ready to cry aut^ O ! how great is hii> 
 Glory, and tranfcendently great his Beauty ! 
 
 But to return : When I was (by Marriage)^ 
 removed from my Mother's Care and Diredion, 
 I continued in my Father's Profefficn of Reli-* 
 gioii, for no other Reafon that I remember, but?- 
 
 thas
 
 L 3i J 
 that it allow'd me moft Liberty in Drefs and' 
 Recreations, tho' my Father, as well as my 
 Mother, did not fail to inculcate a jiift Abhor-^ 
 rence of the Evils the moral Law condemns. 
 However, when I conlkler'd and examined re-* 
 ligious Matters with more Serioufnefs, Sincerity, 
 and Attention, than was ufual with me, I found '• 
 the little Religion (or rather the Profeffion of 
 it) that I had, was that of my Education, which 
 I could not properly call my own, as it was not 
 the Religion of my Judgment, which I find 
 abfolutely neceffary, and highly reafonable to 
 be concerned for. I read the Scriptures with 
 fome Attention ; and I have confider'd the fol- 
 lowing Text, that tmlefs we deny ourjelves^ and 
 take up a daily Crofs^ we cannot he CHRlSVs 
 Difc'tfles. This Paflage appeared to me to con- 
 tain fome other and further Conftruftion and 
 Defign than many People allow, who confine it 
 to moral Precepts and Duties. But before I 
 proceed t© fay in what Senfe others, as well as 
 myfelf, underftand this Chriftian Doctrine, I 
 think it may not be impertinent briefly to give 
 fome Reafon of my Faith and Hope, which I 
 defire to do in the fame Difpofition the Apo- 
 ftlc recommends, viz. In Meeknefs and Fear. 
 And firll, upon examining the Creed calFd The 
 ^^o/llesy I could fubfcribe to every Article 
 therein contained, except one, (Cbriji descended 
 into Hell) which, if it be meant no other than 
 the Grave, I fubfcribe to that alfo. Next, I 
 have confidered and examined The Articles of the 
 Church of England (of which I had profeffed 
 myfelf a Member fome Years, without fo much 
 
 as
 
 L 33 J 
 ^s knowing what Doftrines or Principles the^ 
 profefled and held ; this, I may venture to iky^ 
 without Breach of Charity, is the Cafe of ma- 
 ny ProfefTors at this Day) But upon perufing 
 the above Articles (as well as confidering the 
 Opinion of moft diffenting Sefts) I could not 
 reconcile fomc Opinions therein contained with 
 Scripture Dodrine and Teftimonies ; particular-s^ 
 ly a Paragraph in the fifteenth Article, wher€^ 
 it is faid, " Tho' We ^re all baptized and bora 
 again in Christ, yet wc offend in many 
 Things." This Opinion appears to me mani- 
 feftly repugnant to Scripture Accounts of ma- 
 ny, who attained in this Life a perfcft Free- 
 dom from Sin. And the Text farther quoted 
 by that Church will not import the Apoftle 
 himfelf to be included in it, i John i. 8. And 
 I am of Opinion j we may fafely interpret the 
 PafTagc by fome other Scripture Text ; wherein 
 the Apoltles include themfelves with Sinners^ 
 yet by no Means can be underftood, that they 
 themfelves were in the like CircumftanceSo 
 And now I fliall offer the following Scripture 
 Teftimonies, which appear to corroborate, and 
 greatly to juftify us, with regard to a Tenet 
 wc particularly hold, viz>. The Poffibilitv (God's 
 Grace affifting) of obtaining a ^erfe^ Preedom^ 
 
 E jrom 
 
 ♦ This Doflrinc being deny'd b,y moft Chrlftians except the ^akerr, 
 I thought proper to tranfcribe Part ot" a Conveifation on that buujeil, 
 bcrween a Clergyman and a Quaker"--'""' 
 
 l^ua. Doll thou own a Purgatory? 
 
 Cler. No. 
 
 ^ua. When then muft we be freed from Sin, and made fit for Heaven? 
 
 Cler. I believe God Almighry liable to forgive his People their Sias^ 
 and to fit them for Heaven, a little before they dcyir:» 
 
 ^a. How long? 
 
 €ler. I: may be an Hoar or tw»n
 
 [ 34 ] 
 from S'm even in this Lije. Noah was a jujl 
 Many and ferject in his Generation. Job was^ 
 aprject Man^ and one that fear'd God^ and 
 efchew'd EviL God made David's Way ferjeB. 
 Bleffed are the Undefiled in the iVay^ who 
 walk in the Law of the Lord, Be ye therefore 
 perfe6iy as your Father which is in Heaven is 
 perfeSf. Every one that is prfe£i Jhall be as his 
 Mafter. We fpak Wifdom among them that are 
 ferjeSl. This aljo we wiJJo^ even your Terfec-^ 
 tion. Finally y Brethren^ be prfeEl, That the 
 Man of God may be perfect ^ thoroughly jnrnijhed 
 to every good Word and Work. But the God of all 
 Grace make you perfeB. That you may be perfect 
 mid intire^ wanting nothing. Therefore leaving 
 the DoBrines of the Principles of CHRIST^ let us 
 go on to Terfe£iion. Zachariah and Elizabeth 
 were both holy^ walking in all the Commandw,ents 
 of the Lord blamelef. The Apoflh Paul kept a 
 Corfcience 'void of Offence^ both in the Sight of 
 God and Man^ If we [ay we have tellowfhip 
 with God^ a7id walk in Darknefs^ we //>, and do 
 not the Truth. Every Man that hath Hope in 
 CHRIST purifiith htmfelf\ even as he is pure. 
 Whofoever cmmitteth Sin tranfgrejfeth the LaWj 
 for Sin is th& Tranfgrejfion of the Law. Woo-- 
 foever abideth in him Jmneth not ; for you know 
 that CHRIST was manifefted to take away our 
 Sins. U^do foever finneth hath not feen him .^ neither 
 known him. Little Children^ let no Man deceive 
 y:?u. He that doeth Righteoufnefs is righteous^ even 
 as he is righteouf • and he that committeth Sin is 
 
 Cua. I be'icre a Day or two, as vrell as an Hour or two. 
 
 Qler. 1 i'ciievc fo too. 
 
 TIt fpake'r est' i led grsdnally to a Month or two, till he brought it t« 
 {^ven Ycais j to which his Opi^onent anfwer'd, He believed th? iarae.
 
 ^ the Devi I. For this Turpfe was the Son of 
 God manifejtedy that he might deftroy the Works 
 of the DeviL Whomever is born of God finnstb 
 not ^ hut he that is begotten of God keepth himr 
 felj^ and that wicked One toucheth him notj i John 
 V. 1 8. If we fay that we have mt finned^ we make 
 him a Liar^ and his Word is not in us ; but if 
 we confefs and forfake our Sin\ he is jaithful and 
 juft to forgive us our Sins^ and to clean fe us from 
 all Unrighteoifnefs^ which is Sin, And further, 
 I obferve, that both the Old and Ncw-Tefta- 
 ment abound with Exhortations to a Life of 
 Holinels and Purity. Let us cleanfe onrfelves^ 
 fays the Apoftle Taul^from the Pollution of llt/b 
 and Sprit ^ ferjeBlng Holinefs in the hear of 
 God. And I have never remarked any Text 
 yet, that leaves me the leaft Room to think, 
 that a partial Holinefs will render us acceptable 
 to God. And upon reading a certain Annota-r 
 tor * on the Subject, tho' he denies, the Doc- 
 trine, yet is obliged to own this much^ "that to 
 require ferfeB Obedience to his Laws^ is a Thing 
 abfolutely neceffary on God's TarP^ from the ^Per^ 
 feBion of his Divine Nature^ and his Relation to 
 ps as a Governor ; to require that we Jhoiild not 
 fin\ that isy fays he, tranfgrejs any of God's 
 Laws : For Sin being the Tranfgrejfion of the LaWy 
 and perfefl and wtjmning Obedience being one and 
 the fame^ if God requires under the new Cove- 
 nant that I fhould not trojifgrefs any of his Laws^ 
 as he mofi certainly mujl do^ he muji require me 
 not to fin againji them ; and fo he mu/i require 
 ferfeB and-mfinning Obedience. Another Cler- 
 
 E 1 ^^jm^xiy 
 
 * DoSlor Whitkv,
 
 L 36 J ^ 
 gyfiian, difcourfing on the Sabjeft of Holinel% 
 has theie Words : The Divine Being is tranfcen--. 
 dently holy^ and infinitely prfecl • he is the Foun-^ 
 tain of all HolineJSy and fan^ifies his Saint s^ his 
 Teople^ and his Minijiers -^ he requires prjeEi 
 Holtnefs in thofe who approach him^ and ta 
 be honoured by hts Servants. And he further 
 fays, Voat true Holinejs confijls in a Conformity 
 to the Nature an4 Will of God ^ whereby a Saint 
 is difiinguijloed from the unrenewed Worlds and is 
 not a6ied by their Trinci^les^ nor governed hy their 
 Maxims and Cuficms, But farther, upon pe- 
 lufing the Scripture, I have found no Room 
 for Ceremonies under the Gofpel-Difpenfatlon, 
 nor Precedent for Mufick in the Chriftiaa 
 Church. The Liturgy, or Form of Prayer, 
 became quite ufelefs to me, and finging David's 
 Pfalms burthenfome ^ I coniider'd, and it ap- 
 peared to me, we were endeavouring rather to 
 pleafe and gratify our own Ear, than finging to 
 thePraifeand Giory ofGcd-andl find thatD^- 
 K)id's Pfalms can no more be fuitable to the 
 State of the Souls of a whole or numerous Con- 
 gregation, than the fame Form of Prayer can 
 be agreeable to all Conditions and fpi ritual Cafes. 
 I fhall, among many, give a few Inflances of 
 the Inconfiftency and Unfuitablenefs of the 
 Pfalms of Davidy to the Conditions of Men of 
 the following Characters, who, when they arc 
 in the AlTemblies where thefe Pfalms are fung 
 occafionally, they cuftomarily join in this Part 
 of the Worihip. The Wanton, who fpcnds his 
 precious Time in Jollity, he fings, 1 am weary 
 "with jry Groaning^ 1 make my Couch to fwim 
 
 with
 
 L 37 J 
 whh my Tears, The proud Atheift, who hath 
 banilhed God out of all his Thoughts, he fings^^ 
 / have Jet the Lord al'ujays be jar e me^ Kc. The 
 vain Man, who delights in the Company and 
 Society of wicked Perfons, he fings, 1 have 
 hated the Congregations of Evil-doers, The wi« 
 therM Tree, dead to God, and confcquently 
 fruitlefs, he fings, / am like a green Olhe-tres 
 in the Houfe of God, He whofe Heart is a Cage 
 of Uncleannefs, fings, My Heart is inditing a 
 good Matter, The daily Feafter, whofe Legs 
 can fcarce bear about his corpulent Body, he 
 fings, My Knees are weak thro' Fafing^ and nry. 
 fle/h faileth of Fatnefs, Satan's Captive, who. 
 wallows in the Mire and Filth of Sin, he fings, 
 
 Lord^ truly 1 am thy Servant. The lawlcfs 
 Man, whofe Life is a Life of Rebellion, fubje<3:. 
 to Sin and Satan, he fings. The Law of thy 
 Mouth is dearer unta me than Thotijands of Gold 
 and Silver, The proud and ambitious Perfon 
 fings, Lordy my Heart is not haughty^ nor mino-. 
 Eyes lofty ; wy Soul is even as a weaned Child y 
 &c. It has been objeQed, that we may as rea* 
 fonably fing David\ Pialms, as read them; but 
 
 1 apprehend an effential Difference between 
 reading them as David\ Experience, or Words 
 he ufed in praifing God (which were no Doubt 
 fuggcfl:ed by the Holy Spirit) and reducing 
 them to our own Ads of Worfhip ; unlefs the 
 Words be fuitable to the State of our Souls, 
 and brought to our Remembrance by the fame 
 Diyjne Lifiuencc which prefented them to the 
 Mind of Davids according as they fuited the 
 Circumftancc of his Soql, or were fuitable or 
 
 appli-
 
 L :>^ J 
 applicable to the Condition of others, to whon^ 
 he fometimes fpeaks, in a feeling Senfe, of the 
 different States of the Godly and the Wicked.^ 
 I have alfo confider'd it irrational to limit and 
 prefcribe to a Chriftian, even the weake ft, a'fet 
 Form of Prayer, fince the Apoftle Taul ex- 
 prefly declared, IVe knoju not what ws fiould 
 ^ray for as we cught^ btU the Sptrtt itCelf matMh'^ 
 lntcrcc£ion for us with Groamngs^ which can^ 
 not be uttc'/dy Rom viii. 26. 
 
 I remember, when I experienced the Work 
 pf God^s Grace operating on my Soul,, and dit 
 covering to me my State and Condition, the 
 9ommon Prayer became of no Service to me, 
 as I found it highly neccfTary that my Heart 
 lliould be prepared by the Lord to enable me 
 to addrefs hirn by his own Spirit; and when he 
 is pleafcd to touch and incline the Heart to him- 
 felf^ behold (as it is faid on a memorable Oc- 
 caiion) we pray ; We are immediately taught 
 to pray in Terms fuggeftcd by the Holy Spirit, 
 who beft knows our Neceffities, helps our In- 
 firmities, and caufes us fultabiy to approach the 
 Throne of Grace, and to requeft and pray with 
 the Spirit, and with the Underftanding. And 
 as we are not to pray in our own Words, nei- 
 ther can we pray acceptably in our own Time ^ ' 
 as I have witnefTed on a very particular Occafion, 
 .when I profeiTed myfelf a Member of the 
 Church of England.^ Being returned from a 
 Voyage, I, according to Cuftom, fent Notice, 
 that 1 fhould publickly give God Thanks for 
 my Prefcrvation at Sea • thus when the ftated 
 Prayer of' Thankfgiving was read, I was in- 
 deed
 
 [ 39 1 • , 
 
 deed on my Knees, but my Heart was not 
 properly warm'd, nor influenced to addrefs the 
 Almighty, at the Time the Congregation was 
 told, I was giving God humble and hearty 
 Thanks for fuch a Mercy ; I repeated the Form 
 indeed, but it was only with my Lips, my 
 •Heart had little Share in thi? formal Devotion ; 
 and reflefting, while on my Knees, that I was 
 wrong, confequently the Sacrince of Thankf- 
 giving I had ofFer'd in fo unacceptable a -Man- 
 ner, muft be an Offence to God. The above 
 Refledion, I am not afliamM to fay, caufed me 
 to tremble at the very Inflant. Thus I find,- 
 that waiting to be fuitably influenced by the 
 Spirit, ought to be previous to this folemn Aft 
 6f Worfhip. Bat farther, as I have above no- 
 ted, I find no Place in the Church of ChPcIST* 
 for Ceremonies, as they appear to be a very 
 great Obflacle in the Way of Spiritual Worfnip ; 
 for hocUly Exercise frofiteth IHtle ; 'tis the Spirit 
 ^f Christ muft quicken us for fpiritual Wor- 
 fhip. And tho' God wink'd at Times of Igno- 
 rance and Blindnefs, when Men vainly imagin d 
 that Worfhip was moft acceptably performed to 
 him at this Place, or the other Mountain; 
 in this, or the other Ceremony ; yet Christ 
 the Light, who came, and is come to dif- 
 pel all tlie dark Clouds of Ignorance and Er- 
 ror, and to direft M-en to himfelf the Way, the 
 Light, and the Truth, on a remarkable Occa- 
 fion explodes Mens Opinions- in this important 
 Matter, by faying, that it vjas ne'tthcr at Jeru- 
 falem, nor yet at the Motmtain (of Samaria) th^ 
 father was to be worjjjifpd , but th: Hour cm>' 
 
 the.
 
 L 40 J 
 eth^ and now is^ when the true IFdrJh'ippers Jhall 
 wor/hip the Father in Sprit and in Truth : For 
 the Father feeketh fuch to worflnp him. God is a 
 Sprit, and thofe who worjbip him (acceptably) 
 mift worjloip him in Sprit and in Truth^ not in 
 Formality and Ceremonies. The Author of the 
 Preface to the Common Prayer tells us, 7he 6<?- 
 remonies retain' d in the Church (of England) were 
 devtfed and in[iituted by Man^ and jome that are 
 thrown out, entered at fir (I with a Zeal uithout 
 Knowledge^ and grew daily to more and more A^ 
 bufies'^ which not only for Unpofitablenefs, but be^ 
 caufe they have much blinded the Teope, and ob- 
 fcut^ed the Glofy of God, are rejected. Others^ 
 fays he, thd deviled by Man, are retained jor 
 Order and Edification: And at the fame Time 
 tells us, that Christ's Gofpl is not a ceremo^ 
 'fiial Law • but it is a Religion to ferve God, not 
 in the Bondage of the Figure and Shadow, but ' 
 in the freedom of the Spriti To this laft Pro^ 
 pofition I heartily agree ; then why fhould we 
 return to the weak and beggarly Elements, or 
 defire again to be in Bondage? Tou ob ferve, (fays 
 the Apoftle TauP) Days and Months, and Times 
 and Tears \^ lam afraid of you, left 1 have be^ 
 flowed upnyou Labour in vatn : But as ye have 
 received Christ Jesus the Lord, fo walk in 
 him, aad beware leaf any Man Jpoil you thro^ 
 Whtlofofhy, and vain Deceit, after the Traditions 
 vj Men, after the Rudiments of the World, and 
 mt after CHRIST. Why, as tho* living in th$ 
 World, are ye SubjeBs to Ordiriances ? Touch not^ 
 tajle not, handle not^ which all are to prifh with 
 the ujingy after the Commandments and DoBrims
 
 L 41 J 
 '^f Men. But I Ihall no longer infill on thefe 
 Matters of Dilputation ; neither do I pro- 
 pofe to give an Account of the Tenets or 
 Principles prcfeiTcd by us as a Society, that be- 
 ing already dune in a very ample Manner by 
 oar Friend Robert Barclay. I have only tho't 
 proper to mention feveral Obftacles w hich lay iii 
 my Way when I began to fearch for Truth : For 
 as my Bufinefs is not Controverfy, but Love^ 
 Good-wiil and Charity, to all Mankind, I pur- 
 pofe to give you a Ihort Account of the great 
 Difad vantages I laboured under in a State of 
 Forgetfulnefs of God; and the inexprejffible 
 Benefits I have v/itneiTcd fi'om a Return to, and 
 Attention upon God, and SubmiiTion, Pvcfigna- 
 tion, and Subicitioh to his bielTed Will and 
 Commands. And as far as my Tefllmony to ^ 
 the Power and Efncacy of the Grace of God^" 
 and the DoSrine and Neccffity of bearing the 
 Crofs, will go, to invite, perfuade and befeech. 
 you to draw nigh, and acquaint yourfelves with. 
 God, thro' Jesus Christ our Lord, who hath 
 faid, and now fays. Look- unto 7ne all ye Endi 
 oj the Earthy ajtd be ye laved. In vain is Sal- 
 vation looked fur from the Hills or Mountains^ 
 or from our own exalted Imaginations, or high 
 Pretenfions to Religion. And I have tiiis Tefti- 
 niony to bear to God's Power, that I witneffed 
 Salvation from Sin only and alone, from the Om- 
 nipotent Hand of the Lord, giving me Victory 
 over my vain Thoughts, Affedions and Defires^ 
 and bringing them under the Power of 'the 
 Crofs of Chkist, by which I am crucified unto^ 
 the W^jrld, and the World unto me^ There- 
 
 F for©
 
 L 4^ J ^ 
 fore if you would enter into his Reft, hafdeiitr 
 not your Hearts againft the Call and Invitation 
 our compaffionate Lord continues to give all 
 (ntunimg) Sinners ^ Come unto me^ (fays Chrift) 
 all ye that are weary ^ aftd heavy laden^ with 
 the Burden of your Sins, be wilUng to part with 
 them, and he will give you Reft. Let not, I 
 befeech you, the Sin of Unbelief, in the Power 
 of Christ, enter your Hearts : For if ye be- 
 lieve not (fays Chrift) that I am He, (viz. the 
 Smiour of the World^ '■juho is eome to fave you 
 from your Sins) and continue in your Sins ^ you 
 Jhall die in them ; and then vohither I go you 
 cannot come. Fly then for your Lives, I be- 
 feech you ; fly from the Wrath to come ; ap- 
 ply to Christ for eternal Life, and he will 
 inform you what you muft do to be faved ; his 
 Power is eternally and unchangeably the fame \ 
 his Hand is not fhorten'd, that it cannot lave, 
 neither is his Ear heavy, that it cannot hear ; 
 therefore give not Sleep to your Eyes, till yoa 
 witnefs God in Christ reconciling you to him- 
 felf. The Time prefent, we all know, is only 
 ours ; tiTen, while 'tis called to Day, let us^^ 
 hear his Voice, who fpeaks as never Man fpoke, 
 even with Power and Authority, faying, Rtfe 
 up you that are at Eafe in your Sins ; tremble ye 
 G-areki's Ones ; cafl your Idols fromyou^ and look 
 unto the Rock and holy One of Ifrael; feek the 
 Lord "xhile he may be founds call ttpon him while 
 he is near ; let the IVicked for fake his Ways ^ and 
 the unrighteous Man his Thoughts^ and turn unto 
 tlye Lord^ and he will have Mercy y aud to our 
 ^ody who will abundantly pardon. 
 
 % would"
 
 [43 ] 
 
 I would now obferve to you who indulge 
 yourfclvcs in the falfe Pleafures, vain Amule- 
 ments and Recreations, of the Age, which 
 once I had a Fondnefs for, as well as you now 
 have ; that when the Almighty was pieafed in 
 ^is Mercy to open the Eyes of my Under- 
 ftanding, I plainly perceived by that Light 
 (he had placed in my Confciencc, which ena- 
 bled me to dilcern between Right and Wrong, 
 the Precious and the Vile) that a Life of Plea- 
 fure and Diverfion was inconliftent with the 
 Life of a Chriftian : I found, that to be thus 
 carnally minded, has been Death to my Soul ; 
 but as I gradually witnefTed Christ, and the 
 Power of his R.efurreaion raiiing me. from the 
 Death of thcfe Sins, I felt a Neccffity of part- 
 ing with, and denying myfelf of them.; and 
 I coniidcr'd them to be of the grcateft Obfta- 
 cles in a religious Progrcfs. But it has been 
 objedcd, that Recreations arc abfolutcly ne^ 
 -ceflary to unbend and relax the Mind, when it 
 has been occupy'd or employed in worldly Af- 
 fairs, or in the more ferious Attention on divine 
 Objefts, to which it is not poffible it can be 
 attending always. I grant, that our Lord's 
 enjoining his Followers, to watch and fr/^ con^ 
 tmually^ and Tatd's exhorting the TheffaloniaM'S^ 
 to fray without ceaftng^ does not, in a ftri6t 
 and literal Senfe, oblige us to be always on our 
 Knees, nor occupy'd in mental Prayer; for 
 tho' we ought to be led and guided by the 
 Spirit of Christ in all our Adions, or, at leait, 
 that all we do by Permiffion, as well as by im- 
 mediate Diredion, may be approved in his- 
 
 Fa Sights
 
 [ 44 J 
 Sight; yet we are not at all Times under an 
 Influence neceflary for addreiring the Throne of 
 Grace, in the folemn Aft of Prayer : Nevertbc^ ^ 
 lefsy we JJoQitld always be fo far in a Sprit of 
 'Trqyer and Tfatchjulnefs^ as we ought to be al- 
 ways in a Chrifiian and virtmus Temper of 
 Mnid\ which is indeed truly and eifeclually 
 worlhipping the Divine Being, when we do, 
 not confine our Service to fet Days, or appoint- 
 ed Hours.of Devotion, but to a conftant, ftea-- 
 dy and uniforni Life of Virtue, Piety and Ho- 
 linefs. Some are apt to think all is vv-ell, and 
 they have done their Duty to God, when they 
 negied not cuftomary times of formal Prayer, 
 or Devotion (as it is falfely called) or their Di- 
 verfions don't interfere with this Form.ality, 
 %vhich by fome is punftually performed. This 
 brings to m.y Remembrance the abfard as well 
 as impious Charafter a certain Author gives of 
 a Woman of this prepofterous Compofition of 
 Diverfion and Devotion, or, in his own Words, 
 of Religion and Cards ; he reprefents her, in 
 lome Interval of her Game, juft recolleding it 
 was her Hour of Devotion or Prayer, upon 
 which file rifes in great Precipitation, and cc- 
 fires her Nei'rhbour to. hold her Cards till fiie 
 Jleps and fays her Prayers. To mention this 
 Character, is fuincient to ihew the Abfurdity ' 
 of it. 'Again, the Defcription another Writer 
 gives of a Woman at her Gaming-Table, is c- 
 rough, one would imagine, to make the hard- 
 eft Forehead blufii : And to fay no more, than 
 that it renders her unaimable in the Eyes of 
 leafonable People, one would judge, this would 
 
 be
 
 L ^> J 
 be a great Reaibn for her to decline the Diver-* 
 lion ; but when flic is reprefcnted acciifing her 
 ill Fortune, as ihe calls it, in Terms of Fury 
 and Abfurdity, the Portrait is horrid and iliock- 
 ing, unbecoming a rational Mind, and moft un-^ 
 worthy any Perfon who profelTes Chriflianity. 
 Compare this Charafter with humble Marfs 
 fitting at her Lord's Feet, waiting to hear the 
 gracious Words that proceeded out of his 
 
 Mouth compare it with the Apoftle*s De- 
 
 fcription of a Woman profeffing Gpdliriefs, whofc 
 Mind is adorn'd with Meekmfs^ ^eUtefs and 
 Modefly-^ and lee if you can difcover one fimilar 
 Line in the Charaders. Again^ defcribe a Wo^ 
 man dancing at a Ball, and adorn'd with all the 
 ^ uxury and Pomp of Drefs, tending, accord- 
 *.ig to the Opinion of a pious Writer, to excite 
 a Paffion I forbear to name^ and Country 
 Dances, fome of "em, you know, arc condemned 
 by a Writer much admir'd by the polite and 
 fafhionabie Part of the World, who perufc him^ 
 I have thought, to very little Purpofe: Exa-. 
 mine, I fay, the Charaiilers I have mentioned^ 
 ant. fee if you can obferve the leaft Trace of 
 Chriflianity in them : In ftiort, a dancing, 
 gaming, mafquerading Chriftian, appears as great 
 a Contradidion, and founds as harlh and uncouth 
 in one's Ears, as a polluted Chriftian ; which I 
 have heard a learn'd Perfon fay, was no Incon- 
 fiftency ; however, he fail'd in his Proof, fincc 
 I can as foon reconcile Light and Darknefs, 
 Christ and Belial, as that a Perfon can be 
 both a Sinner and a Saint, at the fame Moment 
 of Time. But, further," tbq' fome Recreations, 
 
 properr:
 
 L 4" J 
 properly chofen and adapted, may be lawful to 
 a Chriftian ^ yet I have found thofe the Gene- 
 rality of People allow themfelves in, are perni-r 
 cious and hurtful in their Gonfequences, and 
 the.^'efore unlawful to, and inconfiftent with 
 the Life of a Chriftian. Upon peruiing the 
 Scripture, I find the Apoftle ^aul exhorting 
 the CorinthiaHs in thefc Words, ffhether ye eat 
 or drink^ or whatjoever ye do^ do all to the 
 Glory of God: From whence I alfo learn, that 
 I ought not to do any Thing that would ob-? 
 ftru6t or hinder, or may be in Oppofition to 
 God's Honour. And tho' I don't find any di- 
 teft Prohibition of Cards, Plays, Balis, AlTem- 
 blics, Mafquerades, Mufick- gardens, i^r. yet I 
 pbfcrve they are indireftly forbid, as they have 
 inot the leaft Tendency to promote God's Gio-r 
 ry ; but, on the contrary, if you'll take my 
 own Experience for Evidence, tend to hinder 
 and prevent any Tafte or Rciifh for divine or 
 fpiritual Enjoyments • the Soul given up to 
 fenfual Pleafure, lies fordidly groveling on 
 Earth, when 'tis defing'd to contemplate and 
 enjoy more rational, as well as fublime and 
 heavenly Delights. We are told by an Author 
 (pretty generally read) who difcourfing, in 
 fome of his Writings, on the Defign of the 
 Almighty in placing Mortals here on Earth, We 
 were^ fays he, lejt here for a Time^ to be edu- 
 cated for Heaven, But when we look about, 
 and obferve what Methods for this Education 
 are purfucd, we can't well help concluding, the 
 Generality of People have very unnatural, in- 
 adequate and grofs Ideas, of that glorious King- 
 dom ;
 
 dom ; arid that, if they rcflcd at all, they muft 
 coniider it no other than ^Mahometan Paradife; 
 as the Plan of Education now-a-days, feems dc- 
 fign'd and calculated, to qualify for a Place 
 where the Senfes are only to be gratified and 
 entertained : And indeed I am induced to think 
 the Apoftle's Dodrine quite revers'd by thofc 
 called Chriftians, who, many of thcm> appear 
 to live by Sight, and not by Faith, That 
 Chriftians ought not to indulge themfelvcs ia 
 the ufual Pleafures, Divcrfions, and rain Cuf- 
 toms, of the World, feems evident from the 
 facred Writings; as thcfc Amufements appear to 
 be diametrically oppofitc to the Spirit, Temper 
 and Rules of Chriftianity ; that Syftcm being 
 abfolutely of another Nature and Tendency^ 
 calculated to fubduc and regulate the Paffions 
 and Affeftions of the Mind, by calling us to a 
 Life of Self-denial, and inftrufting us to walk 
 in the Steps of an humble, lowly and crucified > 
 Saviour; for whoever will be Christ's Difci« 
 pie, muft crucify the Flejh^ with thd jdf[ections 
 qnd Lufis ; and I think the following PaiTages 
 of Scripture greatly evince, that a Life of Plea- 
 fure is inconfiftent with the Life of Chriftianity; 
 the ApOftle Taul tells us, that thofe who live im 
 Pkafure^ are dead while they live: Dead to God. 
 and fpiritual Enjoyments. Chriftians are by 
 the fame Apoftle exhorted to redeem the Time^ 
 becaufe the Days are Evil ; which I cannot re- 
 concile to the fafliionable Phrafe ufed by pro- 
 feffed Chriftians ; How fhall we kill Time ? 
 Work out your own Salvation with Fear and 
 Tremkling^ is a Precept ingpmpatiblc to fpcnding 
 
 ti€5
 
 L 4^ J ^ 
 the greateft Part of our precious Time in Mirth^ 
 Wantonnefs, Gaming, Dancing, ^c. Be foier^ 
 bd "jigUajttj becaufcyaur Adverjary^ the D^vil^ is 
 wal'tif:^ about like a roaring Lion^ feeking 'whom 
 he -r^ devour ; i^hom rejift^ Jtedfajt in the 
 Faith : 1 have confider'd this Paffage alio, and 
 find it contrary to the Practice of modern 
 Chriftians ; who, inftead of refilling the Temp- . 
 tations of Satan, blindly feek and run into 
 them., by their fi'equent Attendance on pro- 
 phane and wanton Plays, vain Mufick-gardens, 
 and wicked Mafqiierades, Opera's, Ki'. The 
 jReafon why Chriftians are to be found in a 
 Watchful Pofture, is here given ; Becauje our 
 Advsrfary the Devtl^ is jeekifig whom he may de^ 
 K)Otir ; we are exhorted to take Heed how wc 
 ftand, left we fall ; to watch and p'ay^ left wc 
 enter into Tempation ; therefore a Life of Wan- 
 tonnefs and Riot, Eafe and Security, cannot be 
 (igreeable to that Circumfpeftion and Diligence 
 lequilite in every Chriftian, in order to make 
 his Calling and Election fare. And I have tho't 
 a Life of Diverfion and Pleafure, is very uniuit- 
 ablc to Sinners, who may be guilty of imnio- 
 lal Afts, and, perhaps, have lived long in open 
 Violation of God's Laws ^ Surely it is high 
 Time for fuch as theie to awake out of Sleep, 
 out of the Lethargy and Death of Sin \ for 
 the Lord, by the Mouth of his Prophet, pro- 
 nounces a Woe againft fuch as are at Eafe ia 
 their Sins ; and calls upon them to reform, in 
 thefe Words; Cleanfe your Hands ^ ye Sinners^ 
 and -purify your Hearts^ ye dcuble-'minded^ b$ 
 ^^iEicd Jor your Sin^ mourn and wee^: Go tOy 
 
 you
 
 _, , k 49 J • .,_ _ 
 
 yon rich Me'n^ zveep and ho'wl for your Miferks 
 that' Jhall come upn you ; for ygu have lived m 
 'Fleajtire on the Earthy and been wanton -^ ye 
 have nourijhed your Hearts as in a Day <^ 
 'Slaughter^ &c. And our Lord pronounces a 
 Woe againft them that laugh now^ for they 
 ■fjjall weep and mourn ^ but blejfed are ye that 
 weef now^ for ye Jhall rejoice hereafter. Weep 
 for your f Ives ^ and for your Children^ was the 
 Advice of Christ to the Daughters of Jem-' 
 falem-^ and very ncccffary for us at this Day, 
 that our Mirth fhould be turned into Mourning, 
 and the evil Rejoicing of many into Heavinefs. 
 Thefe, and fuch hke Sentences of the facred 
 Records^ appear to me to be irreconcilable with 
 the common Study and Pradice of leaving To- 
 kens of Mirth, Luxury and Wantonnefs; irt 
 every Place, faying, To morrow floallbe as this 
 Day^ and much more abundant ; whereas we 
 know not what fhall be on the Morrow : For 
 wh^t is your Life! It is even as a Vapour, that 
 appeareth for a little Tiiiie, and then vanifhes 
 away. The Wicked^ fays holy Job^ fpend their 
 Days in Mirth^ andy in a Moment^ go down td 
 the Grave. But fome objed, that Solomon leems 
 to allow us Times and Seafons for Recreations 
 and Divertifements, you coniider as unlawfal 
 Pleafures, viz. A Time to fing^ and a Time to 
 dance^ &c. Oh ! what is called an Allowance, 
 appears to mc to amount to no more, than that 
 in Solomon's Days, as well as in ail former Ages 
 of the World, there was Times in which Peo- 
 ple did thofe Things he enumerates, and which 
 he obferyes^ only adds Vanity to ail humart 
 
 G Aaion.n
 
 L 50 J 
 Anions and Inventions ; but he does not deter-^ 
 mine whether they were lawful or otherwife ; 
 He tells us alfo, of a Time to laugh, or rejoice ; 
 our Lord, as above, pronounces a Woe againft 
 thofe that laugh now \_or in this Gofpl^Day^ 
 wherein you are called to Repentance^ to fit and 
 qualify you to receive the Gofpel of Chrift and 
 his Kingdom^ for they fhall mourn and weep.. 
 Solomon mentions a Time to hate ; which under 
 the Gofpel is pofitively prohibited, or forbid, by 
 Christ's own Remarks on the Jewifh Law or 
 Tradition ; where he evidently fliews, that there 
 is no fuch Paffion of the Mind to be exercifed by 
 Chriftians (except againft Sin, as the Godly hate 
 Sin, becaufc it is a Breach of God's Law) no, not 
 againft our Enemies ; his Goipel being univerfal 
 Love and Beneficence to all Mankind. But 
 granting that Solo?non indulged himfelf in the 
 Pleafurcs and Vanities of the Age he lived in, 
 which indeed, appears to be his Cafe; yet 
 hear how he eftimates them, in what is com-' 
 monly called his Recantion ; having firft proved 
 worldly Wifdom,. he perceived that this was 
 Vanity and Vexation of Spirit ; For in much 
 V/ifdom is much Griefs and he- that incrcafeth 
 Knowledge^ increafeth'SorroWy Eccl. i. 18. Then 
 fays he, 1 commended Mirth ^ becaufe a Man hath 
 nothing better under the Sun, than to eat^ drink^ 
 
 and be merry Go to, I will prove thee with 
 
 Mirth, therefore mjoy Pleafure; but, behold, this 
 is alfo Vanity, I (aid of Laughter, it is Madnefs, 
 and of Mrrth, what doth it) Eccl. ii. i, 2. For 
 ev3n in Laughter the Heart is forrowful, and 
 thj End of that Mirth is Heavinefsy Prgy. xivv 
 
 j>
 
 L 51 J 
 13. And we have this^ wife Man's Opinion, 
 * That it is better to go to the Houfe of 
 Mourning, than to the Houfe of Feafting ; and 
 that Sorrow is better than Laughter '^' for by 
 the Ssdnefs of the Cotmtenance^ the Heart ts made 
 better: The Heart of the JVije^ is in the Houfe of 
 Motirning ; but the Heart of Fools ^ in the Houfe of 
 jyiirth: Thus, thou may rejoice, O young Man, 
 in thy Youth, and let thy Heart chear thee in 
 the Days of thy Youth, and walk in the Ways 
 of thy Heart, and in the Sight of thine Eyes ; 
 but remember it is at thy Terjl-^ for know thou, 
 that for all thefe Things God will bring thee 
 into Judgment/ Let us now hear his Conclu- 
 fion of the whole Matter ; The Fear of the Lord 
 is the Beginning of iVtfdom^ and to depart from 
 Evil a good Underfianding ; therefore fear Gddy 
 and keep his Commandments^ for this is the whole 
 Duty of Man r For God Jhall bring every Work 
 into Judgment^ with every fecret Things whether 
 it be good ^ or whether it be EviL But further, 
 to evince that the common Diverlions and A-? 
 mufements of the Age, are incongruous and 
 unlit for Chriftians to recreate themfelves with. 
 -^ — do but propofe to a pious, grave Clerr 
 gyman, to accompany any one of you to a Bail, 
 a Play, a Mafquerade, or Aflembly ; or invite 
 him to make a Party at Cards, Dice, or any 
 Game ; and fee what an Indignity he'll tell thee 
 thou haft offered him, telling thee, that thefe 
 Amufcments are inconfiftent with his Function, 
 ^c. And indeed every one who has, or docs 
 frequent Play-houfes, knows that thole Clergy- 
 nien who take the undue Liberty of frequenf^- 
 
 G 2 mz
 
 ing them, go conceard and difguis-d in what 
 they call a Lay-habit : Whereas, if thefe Eiir 
 tertainments were faitablc to a Chriftian Spirit^ 
 and thatiblid, grave, pious Diipofit ion of Mind, 
 which it is the Duty of every common Chriftian 
 to labour for, and be found in ; v/hy may not 
 the bjft Chriftians frequent them openly, as. 
 well as thofe who pretend to a lelTer Degree of 
 Fiety and Holincfs ? I am not acquainted with 
 any Text in th':: facred Writings, that allows 
 me, or any one eife, to be one Whit lefs pious, 
 holy, or virtuous, than our Teachers ; nay, 
 Dai'id did not fcruple to fay, ' In Matters of 
 Religion, or the Things of God, that he was 
 \vifer, and hrtd more Underftanding than all his 
 Teachers y For thy Te(imo7iJeSy Lord^ are my. 
 Meditation and Delight ; / underjiand more than 
 the Antients (who undoubtedly were well ac- 
 quainted with the outward and written Law) 
 for this cogent Reafon, bec.infe I keej? thy Trecpts^ 
 And Pmd exhorts the T hi Upturns in thefe 
 Words, Brethrijt^ (^e ye I oUo~jjers of me^ and 
 mark therfi which walk fo^ as ye have as for 
 an Exaf?rle ; and wherainto we have already 
 attain*dy let us walk by the lame Rttle^ and mind 
 the fame Th'n^s, And in his. Directions or 
 Council to Ttynothy^ tells him, To be an Exajnjde 
 to the Believers^ in JVord^ in Converfation^ in 
 Charity [or Love] in Spirit ^ in Faith ^ and in 
 'Tunty. He alfo direfe Tiius^ ' To exhort the 
 young Men robe fober-minded ^ in all Things 
 fiiev/ing himfelf a Pattern of good Works, ia 
 Uncorruptnefs, Gravity, and Sinceritv/ 
 
 • ^ But
 
 L ^3. J 
 Bat it may be objected^ that ibme of the Re^ 
 marks on the fafcionable Diverfions of the 
 World, don't immediately affed you, as you 
 have no Mafquerades nor Mufick-gardens, to 
 entertain you • neither are Theatrical Enter-? 
 tainments frequent amongft you. This is true y 
 but you have, in the Winter-feafon, AflTemblies 
 once a Week, wherein you dance ^nd game ^ 
 Balls and Dancing at other Times and Places, 
 Card-playing at your own Houfes, S!;c, And, 
 fuffer me farther to fay, That I am fenlible you, 
 many of you, fail not to give your Attendance 
 c)n every Occafion of Mirth and Jolity ; and 
 that you mimick Great Britain in every Fop^ 
 pery. Luxury and Recreation, within your 
 Reach; which difcovers an equal Inclination, 
 but Icfs Power of gratifying a Fondnefs for. 
 Pleafure and Diverfions : And tho' you may 
 have few or no Opportunities of frequenting 
 Plays, your Clofets, doubtlefs, are furnifli'd 
 with Books of this Sort ; w^hich, if it be un-. 
 lawf.ll to fee them exhibited on the Stage C^s 
 V/dliam Lars.\ a Clergyman, greatly proves it 
 is) 'tis equally unlawful and unlit for Chriftians 
 to read them : And, permit m.e to remind you, 
 that you have Bifhop BtmiefSj as w^ell as Bi-^ 
 Ihop 77//^?/^;^'s Teftimonies againfl: Plays ; who,^ 
 in a Sermon on the Education of Youth, in fo 
 many Words, calls the Tlay-houfe^ the DevH'% 
 Chapel: And in aDifcourfe againit corrupt Com^ 
 munication, he occafionally mentions F.iays, and 
 fays, ^ They are intolerable, and not fit to b^ 
 ' permitted in a civilized, much lefs a Chriltian 
 ^ Nation: They do moft notorioufly miniftcr 
 
 ' to
 
 [ 54 ] 
 ^ to Vice and Infidelity : By their Prophane-? 
 
 * nefs they are apt to inftil bad Principles into 
 ^ the Minds of Men, and to leffen that Awe 
 
 * and Reverence which all Men ought to have 
 ' of God and Religion : And by their Lewd-r 
 
 * nefs they teach Vice, and are apt to infed 
 
 * the Minds of Men, and difpofe them to lewd 
 
 * and diffolute Practices / Thus far Biihop Z//- 
 lotjon. Now hear the Archbifhop of Cambray's 
 Sentiments of thefe Kind of Books and Enter- 
 tainments: In his Treatife on the Education of 
 Youth he tells us ; ' Young Perfons, and efpe- 
 
 cially Women, have roving Imaginations, and 
 for want of folid Nourifhrnqnt, their Curioh^ 
 ty turns on vain and dangerous Objeds; they 
 are extremely affefted with Romances, and 
 chimerical Adventures, and Plays, in which 
 prophane Love bears a mighty Share, and fills 
 their Minds with empty Notions, which bear 
 no Proportion to the true Motive or Spring 
 of our Adions in this prcfent World: A poor 
 Girl, whofe Head is fiU'd with furprizing 
 Strains, is difappointed not to find, in the 
 World, real Perfons of the Charader of Ro- 
 mantick Heroes; and as fee would live like 
 one of their imaginary PrinceiTes, what Dif- 
 guft muft it be for her to defcend from this 
 imaginary State, to the mean Parts and Offi- 
 ces of Houfewifery T Thus you may obferve 
 from the Sentiments of thefe great and pious 
 Men, the mifchievous Confequences that attend 
 the frequenting Play-houfes, as well as reading 
 prophane and unedifying Books ; as they prove 
 them hurtful in a civil or focial, as well as in a' 
 
 reli^
 
 L 5i J 
 religious Relation. But further; tho' my Ex-- 
 perience is ftiort, and Knowledge fmall, in the 
 fublime Myfteries of Ghriftianity, yet I have 
 been induced to confider it both abfurd and ir- 
 rational to propofe vain Amufements and Di- 
 verlions to Chriftians, whofe Converfation is in 
 Heaven ; who have tafted of the good Word 
 of Life, witnefs'd of the Powers of the World 
 to come, fhar'd, in Part, of the Joys of Hea- 
 ven, by divine Communion and Fellowihip with 
 God : For, as the Apoftle fays truly^ " The 
 Fellowihip of all real Chriftians is with the Fa- 
 ther, and with the Son, Christ Jesus ; with 
 tvhom, having fat in high and heavenly Places, 
 they look down with holy Contempt on lower 
 Enjoyments :' To prefcribe, I fay, to thefe 
 earthly Pleafures and Delights, nay, vain and 
 irrational Ones too, is, as the pious Boyle juftly 
 obferves, as unreafonable, as if on^Jhotdd ima-^ 
 gine an Eagle could be dazzled with a Glow- 
 worm^ when^ jrom his high StatioUy he had been 
 newly gazing at the Sim. And indeed were 
 the common Recreations both innocent and law- 
 ful, a true Chriftian could not oonceive any 
 Delight in them, or in any Thing that tended 
 to divert their Meditation, and carry them fa 
 far from God, whofe Words and Prefence are 
 become more to them than their neceffary 
 Food ; and even the Cares and Concerns of 
 this Life, which, on various Occafiona, mult 
 neceflarily occupy the Thoughts of Chriftians, 
 are irkfomc and burthenfome to many; as the/,. 
 \x\ fome Sort, deprive them of more near and 
 intimate Communion and Intercourfe with God ; 
 
 whd;>
 
 \vho, tho' he is that High and Holy OnCj that 
 inhabits Eternity; and dwells in Light inac- 
 (crffible by mortil Eyes; tho' Heaven is hi^ 
 Throne, and ^he Earth his Footftool, yet con- 
 defcehds by his Holy Spirit to tabernacle with 
 Men, and ftoop lb low as to ftand at the Door 
 of our Hearts, and knock for an Entrance. Be^ 
 hold! faith the Lord^ I ftand at thd Door and 
 knock^ if any Man open to mc„ J will come in 
 and flip with him^ and he Jhall fiip w'lth me. 
 Thus, when we are made Partakers of this 
 bleffed and divine Communion and holy Sup- 
 j5er, we are ready to cry out after this Man^ 
 her, 'Tis good for us to be here; Lord ! Ever- 
 more give us this Bread ! I fometimcs thought 
 the royal Pfalmift feem'd to be much in the 
 Cafe or State I have mentioned ; thirfting af- 
 ter God, as he himfelf expreffcs it^ but often 
 interrupted and carry'd away by thp Avocations 
 bf his Kingdom, and Perplexiiies from his Ene- 
 inies, at a greater Diftance from God than was 
 pleafing to him, and which he feems to have 
 in View, and lament, w^hen fpreading hisCaufe 
 before the Almighty, he complains of the Op- 
 preffion from Men of the World, who^ fays 
 he, have their Tortion in this Lije. And, oil 
 another Occafion, he defcribes fome of the fam.e 
 Diipofition, enquiring, JVho will Jhew us any 
 (temporal) Good ? But ds for me^ 1 jhall bo 
 fatisfied with thy Likejtefs -^ I will behold thy 
 Face in Rigkeoufetefs ; Lordy lift up the Light of 
 thy Countenance upon me^ then Jhall I rejoice more^ 
 than when Corn^ Wme and Otl^ encrea/lth. And 
 ^gain^ ff^en I awake (or am free from Inter- 
 ruption)
 
 Fiiption) / am flill with thee^ where I drink in 
 thy Prefence »f the Fountain of Life, and in thy 
 Light I fee more Light ; for bk/jed is the Man 
 whom thou choofefiy and caufejl to approach unto 
 thee^ that he may dwell in thy Courts \ for in thy 
 Prefence is fulnefs of Joy, and at thy Right 
 Hand are Rivers of Pleajures for evermore ! And 
 he" pronounces the Man blefTed, whofe Delight is 
 in the Law of the Lord, and who meditates there- 
 in Day and Night, Such Meditations of the 
 Lord are fweet unto his People, and makes them 
 glad in his Prefence 5 and the fpiritiial Intercourfes, 
 with which the Almighty in great Mercy and 
 Condefcenfion is plealed to favour his Servants 
 iand Children, are indeed in fome Degree Fore- 
 taftes of Heaven : For tho* the Apoftle tells us- 
 Eye (the Eye of the natural Man, who is devoted 
 and enflaved to earthly Things) hath not feen^ nor 
 Ear heard y neither hath it entered into the Heart 
 (of fuch Men as thefe) to conceive the T'hin^s 
 which God hath 'prepared for them that love him 5 
 hut God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit : 
 For the Spirit Jearcheth all Things- yea^ the deep 
 Things of God: Bat the natural Man receiveth 
 not the Things of the Spitit of God^ for they are 
 Foolifhnefs to him^ neither can he know them (while 
 he remains in his natural and carnal State) becaufe 
 they are fpiritually difcerned. 
 
 But to proceed • I have partly told yoii what 
 Recreations are confider'd by us as unlawful for 
 Chriftians to be exercifed in j and fhall now, in 
 the Words of one of our Worthies, tell you w^hat 
 we judge lawful or convenient. Innocent Diver* 
 tifements^ fays he, which may fufficiently ferve for 
 
 H Relaxa*
 
 [ 53 ] 
 
 Relaxation of the Mind^ are thefe ; Friends may 
 vijjt one another ; hear or read Hijlory ; Ipeak of 
 the prejent or pajl TranfaBiom ; follow Gardening ; 
 ufe geometrical and mathematical ExperimentSy and 
 luch Things of this Nature -, in all which we are 
 not to forget God To this let me add the Con- 
 currence of the BIfhop of Cambray^ in his Rules 
 for educating Youth ; who, fpeaking of Recrea- 
 tions proper for a young Perfon, fays thus : There 
 is no Need of fine Machines or Sights ^ theatrical 
 Vomps or ExpeJiceSy to recreate a young IVoman ; 
 hut an injirudlive Reading ; a Labour which is by 
 her felt freely undertaken ; a Walky or a little inno- 
 cent Converfation^ which relaxes the Mind after 
 hard Labour ^ and leaves a purer Joy in her^ than 
 of the mofi charming Mufick^ or fludied Diverfion. 
 And further, we may coniider the Works and 
 Order of Nature 3 for the Heavens declare the Glo^ 
 ry of Gody and the Firmament jloeweth his Handy^ 
 nvcrk 'y Day unto Day utter eth Speech ^ and Night \ 
 unto Night fJjeweth Knowledge : Thus the invifible 
 things of God are dijcerned (by the Things that 
 are vifible) even the Eternal Godhead, By fuch 
 Obfervations, fays one of our Authors, The Crea^ i 
 tion would no longer be a Kiddle to us ; the Hea- ^ 
 ^jens, Earth and Waters^ with their refpeciive vari- 
 ous y and numerous Inhabitants ; their Produ^ionSy 
 Natures y SeafonSy Sympathies y and Antypathies ; their 
 Ufe and Benefit y would be better underfiood by us; 
 and an eternal Wifdomy Power y Majejlj and Good- 
 nejSy very confpicuous to uSy thro' thefe fenfible and *• 
 paffing Forms ; the World wenring the Mark of its 
 Maker y whoje Stamp is every where vifibky and 
 ike Cbara&ers legible to the Childreii of Wijdom : 
 
 This
 
 This would direB People in the Vje of the World i 
 for how could Man have the Confcience to abufe it^ 
 while they fee the great Creator flaring them in 
 the Facey in all and every Part cf it. And he 
 adds ; As Man is conjider'd as the Epitome of the 
 Worldy we jhould not be ignorant of our own Make 
 Oi^d Frame \ a Glafs^ in which we (Jhould fee that 
 true^ inJiruBing and agreeable^ Variety ^ which is 
 to be obferved in Nature to the Admiration of 
 tl}at Wifdom^ and Adoration of that Power ^ that 
 created and formed us, Thefe and luch like 
 Relaxations, from higher Attentions, dq not ex? 
 elude God; whereas it would be impious fo much 
 as to imagine, that the Smiles of God's Counte- 
 nance, or his holy Prefence, can in the leaft De- 
 gree be enjoyed in the common Paftimes and Di- 
 verfions of the World; 'tis not expeded nor pre- 
 tended to by any of the Votaries to PleafurcOn the 
 contrary, how is the facrcd Name of the Almighty 
 daily and frequently prophaned, not only by pra-r 
 fefs'dGan;ielters, but by Perlons of both Sexes, whq 
 play, as they fay, for Diverfion, and who make no 
 Scruple frequicntly to take God's holy Name in vain, 
 and ufe it wickedly and ablurdly to blcfs or curfe 
 their, as they term it, good or bad Fortune ! And 
 indeed it has been often Subjedt of Amazement 
 and Sorrow to me, when I lo frequently meet 
 with, and obferve this Impiety, even amongft 
 Profeflbrs of Chriftianity of moft Denominations, 
 who irreverently, and, without Fear, take God's 
 facred Name into their Mouths in their ordinary 
 and trivial Difcourfe, and vain Converfation ; not 
 ^onfidering that this Practice is an open and ma- 
 pifcft Violation of one of God's Laws or Com- 
 
 H 2 mands.
 
 piands, in which he declares. He will not bold 
 'fhem guilt iefs that take his Name in vain (whicH 
 Precept they frequently repeat in their Worfhip.) 
 And our Lord allures us, that for every idle 
 Word that Men fhall fpeak, they fhall give an 
 Account in the Day of Judgment ; how much 
 more then for this daily Breach of One, not the 
 leafl, of his Precepts ? I would beg Leave to re- 
 mind you, how careful and circumfped: David 
 was in his Words; /, fays he, will take Heed to 
 my WaySy that 1 fin not with my 7ongue ; / will 
 keep my Mouth as with a Bridle, &c. And the 
 Apoftie James tells us poiitively. That Perfon's Re- 
 ligion is vain who bridleth not his Tongue : That 
 we juffer no corrupt Communication to proceed out 
 of our Mouths -, but, on the contrary, fuch as is 
 goody to the U/e of edifying, that it may miniftcr 
 Grace to the Hearers, One Mark of the Enemies 
 of God is, tha^ they prophane his Name. Thine 
 Enemies^ fays the Plalmift, taJ^e thy Name in vain, 
 O God. ' In the Life and Charafter of Robert 
 Boyle, as an Honour to his Memory we are told. 
 That he never mentioned the Name of the Al- 
 mighty, but with the greateft Reverence, and 
 always made a Paufe at the fame Time : I wifh 
 the Example of fo pious a Man may be more re- 
 garded, and the evil Confequence of the above 
 impious Praftice more confidered. But to return i 
 The Manner in which we think it allowable to 
 fpend our leifure Hours, as has been oblerv'd, does 
 not exclude God ; but ever admits and fuggefts 
 fome Suitable edifying, moral and pious Refledtions, 
 never forgetting to have an Eye to God ; and as 
 we live in a Senfe of his Fear and Prefence, fhort 
 
 • Eja-
 
 Ejaculations, or Breathings, which come from,' 
 \vill often afcend to, God. On the contrary, 
 where is the lead Room for God, among thofe 
 People who are ridiculoufly term'd People of 
 Fafljion, elpecially in Great- Britain^ where the 
 Hours of People of this Name are fpent in Folly, 
 Impertinence and Wickednefs ? As Home is bur- 
 thenfome to Perfons of thisCaft, 'tis nowfafhion- 
 able to go abroad to Breakfaft, and, like thofe 
 prophane Perfons the Apoftle Peter defcribe?. 
 They count it Plealure to riot in the Day-time ; 
 fome of thefe dance greatPart of the Morning away, 
 while others are entertained with Drollery, Mi- 
 mick*ry and Buffoonery. When they are fuffi- 
 ciently tired with this Levity and Wantonnefs, the 
 next Appearance, of the Women at leaft, is at 
 the Mercer's, Milliner's, or Toy-fhop, fpending 
 in Folly, Superfluity and Extravagance, while the 
 Hufbands of fome of them are perplexing their. 
 Brainis how to fupport his Wife's Vanity, which, 
 is now become his own, as he proudly confiders 
 it a Reproach to himfclf, that his Wife fhould be 
 leis fine and fafhionable than his Neighbour's. 
 TThe Toilet claims the Remainder of the Morning, 
 'till call'd upon at perhaps Three or Four o'Clpck, 
 for Dinner; and then fhe is fo hurried and uneafy^. 
 that Hie can't flay longer at her Glafs to admire 
 her Fopperies, that fhe has little to do but quar- 
 rel with her Dinner or Servants, 'till the Hour 
 of Vifiting or Diverfions, which pofTibly may con- 
 tinue till Three or Four next Morning. By the 
 Account you have of one Day, you may eafily 
 conjefture how the whole Week is fpent. The 
 iSufinefs of this Week being over, let us now 
 
 fee
 
 fee how the jGrft Day of the next is em ploy 'd, 
 or whether any thing of the Chriftian appears in 
 their Behaviour on this Day. Having no Bufi- 
 nefs to do on this, idle Day, as many make it, 
 fome indulge and fleep longer than ufual on other 
 Days, except thofe who ule it as a Day of Exer- 
 cife or Recreation, making Excurlions into the 
 Country merely for Pleafure. But let us attend 
 thofe who go to their refpective Places of Wor- 
 fhip regularly; thefe, by the prepofterous, fan- 
 taftical and fplendid DrefTes, of both Male and 
 Female, would induce a Stranger to think were 
 Idolators, reparing to fome Heathen Temple, ra- 
 ther than the Worfhip of the true God, who be- 
 holds their Splendor * and Pride with Contempt, 
 and every One that is proud will he abafe ; for it 
 is faid. The Lord of Hojis hath purpojed to ftaijt 
 the Prid^ of all earthly Glory, But next, let us 
 obfervc them in their Worfhip ; and here again, 
 we might imagine they were addreffing fome 
 ^nfelels dumb Idol, rather than the great Search- 
 er of Hearts : For if we may be allow'd to judge 
 by the Evidence of our Senfes, when we fee the 
 Eyes of the greateft P^rt of the Congregation 
 wand ring abroad, on the Faces or Drcljes of each 
 other, we may certainly conclude their Hearty 
 are not at Home, or intent on their Worfliip ; 
 But how monftro.us and impious is the Behaviour 
 of thefe People, pretending to be employed in 
 the Service of the Supreme Being, when we be- 
 hold 
 
 ■» A-e Gotts Eyef charm'd thy Fefttnents to heboid. 
 Glaring in Gems, and bright with glittWing Gold ? Wa X T S? 
 ........... T/yg Sacrifices he requires, ' •' 
 
 Jre Hearts which Uve and Zeal infpirery 
 jJnd J^ws vith firi^e/i Care made ^id.
 
 ( 63 ) 
 hold them boding and paying Homage to e?xh 
 other, fometimes in the midil of their Worfhip. 
 This irreligious Ccndud: I have not only been an 
 Eye Wiuiefs of, but in the Pradlice of it, when 
 I profelTcd with you ^ on which Behaviour, as 
 well as other P; rts of Indevbtion,! have fincc 
 refleded with Horror; and^ found oiir Lord's 
 Words, on feverai Occafions, veryfied in myfelf ; / 
 h^^d been indeed worjhipping I knew not what-y there^ 
 Jore in vain was ail the Formalities and Ceremonies 
 I was performing out'Wardly^ when I received no 
 inward or fpiritual Benefit. A certain Clergy- 
 man, now living, as far as I know, (in his Re- 
 marks on the Levity and irreverent Condudt of 
 People in this falfe Devotion) wifhes Thvir Pray-^ 
 ers may net be found in the Catalogue of their 
 Sins. And another adviies them, when at their 
 Prayers, to paufe^ and ajk themfelveSy ij they really 
 do pray? I have been greatly concerned j when I 
 have thought that luch Pretences to Worfhip cant 
 be confider'd no other (if I may be allow'd the 
 Exprcffion) than affronting the Almighty to his 
 Face ; ar>d that he may take up the fame Com- 
 plaint as he did of old againfl the Jews^ faying^ 
 This People drc.w nigh to me with their Tongues 
 and their Lips^ but their Hearts are far from me. 
 And now the Woriliip is over, let us obferve if 
 we can hear any Remarks on the Sermon : No 
 furely ; that v^s licx the Baliceis that principally 
 concerned them ; but the Falliions and Garbs of 
 one another ingrofs the whole Obicrvation, as 
 foon as thuy are dilmiffed, and are commonly the 
 Subjeft of Gonverfatioo moft part of the remain- 
 ing Day. 
 
 But
 
 ~. ■ . , ( 64 ) ■ 
 
 But when we confider the Pradlice' and Pre- 
 paration of the foregoing Week, the Horror and 
 Amazement we muft certainly have been iiird 
 with, while we are re.fleding, will ceafe -, and we 
 fhall conclude with Regret, That better cannot 
 be expedcd from People • while they remain iri 
 fuch an inconliderate, irreligious, and unhappy 
 Situation ! The Impiety of a Life thus fpent iri 
 this Circle of Madnefs, Folly and falfe Devotion, 
 is fufficientj one would thinkj to provoke and 
 draw down the Indignation of the Almighty oil 
 the Heads of luch Tranfgreffors, with whom he 
 has long fufFer*d^ in order to bring them to Re- 
 pentance. And I have been led to admire and 
 adore the long Forbearance and Mercy of the 
 Majefty of Heaven, who is thus daily affronted 
 and provoked by his Creatures 3 Creatures too of 
 his Pleafure, whofe Life, Breath and Being, de- 
 pend on his Will $ and who placed us here on this 
 Earth to ferve him our Creator, by glorifying hini 
 with our Bodies^ Souls and Spirits. But alas ! 
 inftead of giving the Honour due to his Name, 
 or acknowledging him in all our Ways, as we are 
 exhorted, 'tis impoffible that People in this Courfe 
 of Life that I have defcribed, can acknowledge 
 God in any of their Ways 5 and that in the Room 
 of having him in all their Thoughts, they take 
 tertain and fure Meafures to exclude him from all 
 their Thoughts. And when I have fometimesi 
 been refleding on the common Expreffion made 
 ufe of by many of thefe Sort of Chriflians, when 
 they would confirm fomething they are going to 
 afTert for Truth, irreverently ufe thefe Words, 
 ^s I hope to be faved^ I have been much afFe<a> 
 
 ed;
 
 L 65 J 
 bd ; for how People, who purfue thcfe Steps^ 
 can rationally 'hope to arrive* at Heaven, I can- 
 hot conceive. But fuppofing it poflible to ob- 
 tain it in their own carnal Wayj how wouM, of 
 cou'd they relifh the Pleafare faid to be at 
 God's Right Hand, or delight in his Prefence, 
 when they have had no Acquaintance, Commu- 
 nion or Fellowlhip, with him on Earth? What 
 would they think of fpending an Eternity in 
 his Service and Praife, when the very Mention 
 of Religion^ and the Things of God, are irk- 
 fom^ and troublefome in Time ? And it is now 
 become unfafliionable and mean, and the Mark 
 of a pulillanimous Spirit, fo much as to infinu- 
 ate any Care or Concern about their poor im- 
 mortal Souls; But let not any deceive them- 
 felves, and hope to obtain Heaven and Happi- 
 nefs on eafier Terms than the Almighty has 
 propofed : For if we will credit the facred Wri- 
 tings, none but thofc who have fmcerely re- 
 pented of their evil Ways, and turn'd from 
 them; who have lov'd, fear'd and ferv'd God 
 here below, and who have gain'd the Vidory 
 over their finful Lufts and Baflions, c:m be ad- 
 mitted into this glorious Manfion of Blifs (nor 
 none but thofe who are properly qualified for 
 a Part in the heavenly Choir, who can fing the 
 Song of the Redeemed) where the happy Em- 
 ployment of the Righteous will be praifmg 
 God, and giving Glory to his Name ; as John 
 (caird the Divine^ tcltifies; 1 faw^ fays he, 
 thofe who had gotten ths Viciory^ with Hirps in 
 their Hands^ fi^^gi^g the Song of Mof.s, the Ser^ 
 VMt of th Lord, and the Song of the Lamb^ 
 
 I fcr^ing^ 
 
 /
 
 faying^ Great and MarveUous are tloy Works^ 
 Lord God x4lmight.y ! jufi and true are thy Ways^^ 
 thdu King of Saints ! IVho JJoall not fear theCy 
 O Lord! ' and gior'ijy thy Nj?nei And every Crea-^ 
 ture ivhich is in Heaven p^aifed Gcd^ J^J^^^^^y 
 Blefjmg and Honour^ Glory and Tovjer^ bi^ iintoi 
 him that fittcth on the Throne^ and to the Lamb^ 
 jor ever and ever ! And every Order oj Angels 
 conttnuaUy crying^ Holy^ tioly^ Holy is the Lord 
 of Hojis ! And thole who are redeemed, whofe 
 Kobes are \vafh'd in the Blood of the Lamb, 
 who arc arrived at this holy Habitation, not 
 thro' Pomp and Luxury, but thro' great Tribu- 
 lation, ftand before the Throne of God, and 
 ferve him Night ^yid. Day in his Temple, and 
 he that fitteth on the Throne fhaii dwell a- 
 i^ongft them, and lead them to Fountains of 
 living Water, and God ihall wipe away all 
 Tears from their Eyes. 
 
 If this be the happy Situation of the Bleffed 
 above, as we have no Rc:if3n to doubt but it 
 is, examine yourfelves, I befeech you, and fee 
 How you are prepared and quaiify'd for fuch a 
 Place and Condition \ and remember 'tis the 
 Living only, thofe whom ChPvIST hath redeem- 
 ed from xh^ Power of the Grave of Sin, and 
 quicken'd, by the Pvefurredion of his Holy 
 Spirit, to a Life of Holinefs, that can truly 
 praife God ; thofe who are dead in Trefpaffcs 
 and Sin, cannot celebrate his Praife, nor fing 
 the S'^ng of the ranfomed Ones. Therefore 
 yon who are as afieep, in a carnal, eafy and 
 cialefs State, hear the Voice of the Son of 
 Goa, which ipeaks in your Gonicience, laying, 
 
 ' Awake-
 
 C ^7 ] 
 ^* Awake, arlfe from the Dead, and Christ 
 fhali give thcc Life; ihnd in Awe, and Sin 
 not; commune with your own Hearts, and be 
 ftiil ; retire there, and fee how the Cafe ftands 
 between God and your own Souls ; acquaint 
 yourfcives with God, and be at Peace :' For I 
 teffiiy to you this Day, that 1 have witneiTed 
 his Peace and Favour to be better than Life ; 
 for which my Heart, as well as my Lips, have 
 often return'd, to his great Name, high Praifes 
 and Thankfgivingsl O that many may be made 
 fenfible of his Favour to their Souls! that they 
 may fee, and fear, and turn unto the Lord, 
 and truft in his Name: You who are afar off 
 from God, draw near, and behold his Goodnefs, 
 and tafte it ; and you who are near, with me, 
 acknowledge his Might. ' Times of Ignorance 
 God winked at ; but now, in this Gofpel-Day, 
 he commands all Men, every vvhere, to repent; 
 as Life and Immortahty is brought to Light, 
 through the Gofpcl of Jesus Chiiist ,' whofe 
 Gofpel you profefs to. rejoice in: But if thofe, 
 called Chriftians (whom God hath known, above 
 all the Families of the Earth) rebel againft the 
 Light, your Puniflimcnt will be the greater, 
 according to the Proportion of Knowledge and 
 Grace received : For that Servant who knows 
 his Lord's Will, and prepares not himfelf, nei- 
 ther does according to his Will, Jhdl be beaten 
 with many Stripes. Bring your Deeds thefe-^ 
 fore to the Light of Christ in your own Con-^ 
 fciences, and fee if they are wrought in God : 
 Remember why fome formerly refufed to bring 
 ^hcir Deeds to this Light • it was becaufe ie 
 
 1 2 >voul4
 
 [ ^8 1 
 would manifefl: that they were Evil, and there- 
 fore reproved by it. And tho' the Profped 
 may appear gloomy and unpleafant to fome, 
 and you may be unwilling to break your falle 
 Peace, and difturb a Reft you have created to 
 yo'irfelves, and find a ftronger Propenfity to 
 gratify than crols your fenfual Inclinations and 
 Appetites; tho* you maybe averfe toanUndcr- 
 taking which is likely to prove troublefome; a 
 Task (o difguftful and difagreeable, as changing 
 our old Cuftoms and Manners; which you are 
 told by the Apoftle, muft be done : ^// who are if% 
 CHRlSr Jh^m, muft be new Creatures-, Old 
 Things muft pafs away^ all Things muft become 
 new^ and all oj God. Thefe you may poffibly 
 think hard Sayings; but remember, the Pror:, 
 penlities of Flelh and Blood cannot enter with 
 you into the Kingdom of God ; whofe Love, 
 when you are really in PoiTeilion of it, will 
 make hard Tloings^ eafy^ and bitter Things^ Jweet. 
 Many are difcouraged and afraid to enter upon a 
 religious Courfe of Life, as it will, they ima- 
 gine, retrench their Liberties, and render their 
 Lives unpleafant, gloomy and melancholy : 
 This, indeed, is one of the Subtilties of Satan ; 
 one of his evil Reports of the good Land of 
 Profnife^ which 'tis his Advantage to prevent 
 your Entrance into. But don't believe him^ 
 nor his evil Spies • he was a Liar from the 
 Beginnings and rem.ains fo to this Day- Thoughj 
 the Path you muft tread, is narrow, and will- 
 not admit of many Things which Pride has in-' 
 troduced, and the Tyrant, Cuftom^ maintains] 
 and fupports (and which by the Way, you w^ill 
 
 hav^i
 
 L ^9 J 
 have no AfFeftion for) yet there is Room enough 
 to enjoy the neceffary Things of this Life, in 
 Moderation: Lament, you will indeed, becaule 
 you have been fo long Sinners, and did not turn 
 to, love and obey God, fooner ; and now will 
 you mourn over him, whom you often pierced 
 with your Sins : Grieve, perhaps, you may ; 
 but one Reafon will be, That the ^V/^ lies 
 in fftckednefs : But I dare venture to affertj 
 that no true and real Chriftian, ever repented 
 that he was fo; for all fuch Experience, in 
 Truth, that God's Service, is per fed Freedom ; 
 and that all His IVays^ are [fays of TleafantnefSy 
 and all his TathSy Taths of Peace, But far- 
 ther, you who may be unwiiiing to enter upon 
 this new but neceffary Work, this one Thing 
 abfolutely needful, remember and conlider, 
 that Christ pofitively affures us, That exceft 
 a Man bs born again (of the Spirit) he can m 
 no wije enter the Kingdom of Heaven^ John iii. 
 3. And that if ever you are fived, it mult be 
 according to God's own Prefcription, by the 
 Wajhing of Re':teneration^ and Renewing (?o\n ex) 
 of the Holy Ghofl \ by his fanflifying iVord and 
 Operation; which is able to do more abundant- 
 ly for you, than you can ask or think : There- 
 fore, let me entreat you, not to forfakc your 
 own Mercies : God is waiting to be graciout: to 
 you ; his Hand is full of Bleflings ; accept, I 
 befeech you, of the Offers of his Grace, and 
 anfwer to his Call, while the Day of your Vi- 
 fitation lafts, leit when you call, he fhouid not 
 anfwer; for he has declared, That His Si^r-t 
 Jhall mt always ftrive with Maji^ for that h^^ 
 
 alji
 
 L 70 J 
 ^Ifo is Flejb, Comply then with the Almigh-* 
 ty's Terms of Salvation, and do not vainly hope 
 or imagine He will be brought down to yours : 
 Don't think yourfelves fafe, tho' many of you 
 may be innocent fiom great Tranfgrefilons ; 
 remember, all and every Unrighteoufnefs is Sin: 
 But many flatter themfeives, and believe, if 
 they are not Chargeable with grois Immoralir 
 ties, that little Sins will not be noted by the 
 Almighty ; that Satan, the World, and the 
 Flefh, arc fo powerfjl, that they cannot get 
 the better of thofe little Wcaknelfes and Frail- 
 ties fo incident to human Nature ; and as they 
 do nqt, on their Principles, expeft to be freed 
 from them on this Side the Grave, they do not 
 fo much as defire or attempt to obtain a Con- 
 quelt over them* but depend on God's Mercy, 
 hoping he will not be extreme to mark fmail 
 OiFences ; and if they are exaft in fome m.oral 
 Duties, they imagine theAlmighty will com- 
 pound for little Refervcs. That God is ciTen- 
 tial Mercy, I grant ; but don't forget, that he 
 is alfo Sovereign Juftice, and w^ill not condemn 
 the Innocent ^ neither will he ftep aiide from 
 his Equity, to acquit the Guilty ; for as the 
 Rightcoufnefs of ths Righteous JhaU he upon htm^ 
 fo fhail the fV^ckedmjs of the [f'icked be v/^on 
 him^ Ezek. xriii. 20. Say ye to the Righteous ^ 
 it pall be well with him^ Jor he /hall eat the 
 trtiit of his Doings : But woe unto the V/icked^ 
 it fJoall be ill with him ; for the Reward of his 
 Hands fodl be given h'lm. 
 
 But farther, thefe trite Arguments and Exr 
 cufcGj which are fo generally made uie of to 
 
 de«
 
 [ 71 1 
 defend evil Pradices, appear as weak as the 
 Frailties they plead for ^ and I think, if I may- 
 be allow'd the Expreffion, People make the 
 Almighty a very injurious Compliment, when 
 they afcribe greater Power and Strength to Sa- 
 tan, than to the Molt High. But perhaps they 
 may imagine the Almighty wiil^iipenfe with 
 feme of his Attributes, fince they allow himi 
 one in a more abfolutc Degree. And now give 
 me Leave to tell you v/hat the great Pro- 
 teftant Advocate, Chi ilingj worthy fays on this 
 Subjeft, in a Sermon preached before King 
 Charles the Firtt (if I remember right) which 
 take it in his ow,n Words and Senfe. * Some 
 ' afcribe a Sort of Omnipotency to the World^ 
 
 * theFlcfli, and the Devil ; and that God neither 
 ' does, nor -will give fufficient Strength to rc- 
 ^ fiit them ; which Opinion he labours to cxplode^^ 
 ' and pofitively affirms, that, by the Affiftancc 
 ^ of the Grace of God, it is in our Power to^ 
 
 * refift them ; and lliews the Neceflity of fo 
 ' doing, from what we are fo frequently and 
 ' plainly affured of in the Nrju-Tejlament^ viz. 
 ^ That without acliiiil and effedual Mortifica- 
 ' tion, with adual and eflential Amendment of 
 ' Life, Regeneration and Sanclification, no Hope^ 
 ^ no Poilibility of Salvation. Thus you fee, 
 ^ fays fc, all the divine Writers of the Av^y- 
 ' Tefiamdnt^ with one Confent, and with one 
 
 * Mouth, proclaim the Neceffity of real Holi- 
 ^ nefs, arid labour to difenchant us from the 
 
 * vain Fancy, That Men may be faved by for^ 
 ' rowing for their Sins, and intending to leave 
 *' tkem^ without effedual Conycrfion and Re- 
 
 ' formatioa
 
 L 7^ J 
 formation of Life : Which, it may be fear'd^ 
 has fent Thoufands of Souls to Hell, in a 
 golden Dream of Heaven :' And" therefore he 
 very juftly apprizes his Audience, ' That it 
 was not the pleafmg themfelves, of being of 
 fuch a Sect or Profeffion, together with going 
 to Church, faying or hearing of Prayers, re- 
 ceiving of Sacraments, hearing, repeating or 
 preaching of Sermons ^ with Zeal for Cere- 
 monies, or Zeal againft them ; or, in- 
 deed, with any Thing elfe, than conftant 
 Piety towards God, Juftice and Charity to 
 our Neighbours ^ Temperance, Chaftity and 
 Sobriety towards ourfelves ; we ftiall one Day 
 find we have not mocked God, but ourfelves; 
 and fliall have our Portion among Hypo- 
 crites ! We make the Church a Stage where- 
 on to ad our Part, and playing our Pagean- 
 try ; there we make a Profeffion every Day 
 of confefling our Sins, with humble, lowly, 
 penitent and obedient Hearts ; and yet when 
 we have talked after this Rate, twenty, thir- 
 ty, or forty Years, our Hearts, for the mo ft 
 Part, continue as proud, as impenitent, and 
 as difobedient, as they were in the Begin- 
 ning^. We make great Prote Rations when 
 we meet and afTemble together to render 
 Thanks to Almighty God, for the great Be- 
 nefits received at his Hands : And if this were 
 
 ' to 
 
 * A certain Awthor, in foms Remarlw an the Con felTion and Litany 
 in the Book of Common Prayer, exclaims af-rer this i\5anner ; * What! 
 always Icamino, and never coming to the Knowledge of Trurh? Mife- 
 rabic Sinners youfI;id us, and mire: able you leave us!. And, in the Cafe 
 of GonfelTJon, he thus ftstes the Matter j * Suppofc rhou IvdoCi a Son, and' 
 foouldft 4ai;y let hina know what thou wouldlt have him do, and' he 
 
 ibouk!
 
 • [73 ] 
 to be performed with Words, with Hofanrias^ 
 Hallelujahs, Gloria Patri's, Pfalnis, Hymns, 
 and fach like outward Matters ; peradventure 
 we Ihould do it very fufficicntly : But, in the 
 mean Time, in our Lives and Adions, we 
 provoke the Almighty, and that to his Face, 
 with all Variety of grievous and bitter Pro- 
 vocations^ we do thofe Things which he has 
 aflured us to be odious unto Him, and con- 
 trary to his Nature. And therefore he hr 
 ments to fee, that the Power of Godlinefs^ 
 almcft in all Places, was decried and vanifhed; 
 the Form and Profeffion of it only remainr 
 ing ; that the Spirit and Soul of Religion was,' 
 for the moft Part, gone, and only the out- 
 ward Carcafs or Shadow of it left behind ! His 
 whole Dlfcourfe was to prefs the abfolutc 
 Neceffity of Converfion from Sin, and to 
 ihew that nothing ftiort of it would Hand 
 one in any Stead. That none were Christ's^ 
 but thofe who have crucified the Fleflij with 
 the AfFeftions and Lulls: They that have 
 not done fo, let them be as forrowful as they 
 pleafe, they, as yet, are none of Christ's : 
 And he cries out, Lord ! what a Multitude 
 of Chriftians are there in the World, that do 
 not belong" to Christ I And then goes on ; 
 It is not a wifhing, but a working Faith : 
 Not a wiftiing you were a new Creature ; 
 but being a new Creature: Not a wifning you 
 K ,, ' had, 
 
 fhould Day hy Day, Week by Week, and Year by Year, provoke tl cs 
 to thy Facr, and (hould fay. Father, I have not done what thou com- 
 mandedfl: me to do : but I have done quite the conn ary • ;>.nd Ihoulf^ 
 continue to provoke thee to rhy Face, once, or ottnef,ev.e!,v Weef^,' 
 wou'dil thou not think him a rebellions Child, arsfi.thathi^ A;n>r*caKion 
 *b tftec was mere Mockery ? And woald it nQt okx^'xqii ihc?. ;o ciilinher?'i 
 him ? *
 
 L 74 J 
 ^ had kept, nor a forrovving you have not kcptj 
 ^ nor purpofing vainly to keep y but the keepr 
 '* ing his Coramandments muft prevail with 
 ^ Him, as it is not to the Willing, but to the 
 
 * Obedient the Promife is given. But is not 
 ^ this, Jays he^ preaching Works, as the Papjls 
 
 * do? No, certainly; but it is to preach Works, 
 ^ as Christ and hi- Apoftks do; it is to preach 
 ^ the Neceffity of them, which no good Prote- 
 
 ftant, no good Chriltian ever denied ; but it is 
 
 * not to preach the Merit of them, which is the 
 
 * Error of the Tafip: By this Author's 
 Manner of Preaching Works, v/e may infer^ 
 that he includes all Chriftian, as well as moral 
 Virtues ; by faying, ^ We muft become new 
 Creatures, jind keep all God's Commandments:' 
 And I v/ould obferve to fome, whom I have 
 elfervhere faid feem to confine Chriftianity to 
 moral Dutie% and, in fome Sort, to exclude 
 the Duties of the firft Table, which we are as 
 punctually to perform, as thofe of the Second ; 
 v;hat will it avail us, tho' we be exaft in moral 
 Works, if the Motive of them do not come 
 from God; for tho' wc do all imaginable Juftice 
 to Mankind, tho' wc give all our Goods to the 
 Poor, and luffer for what we think our Reli- 
 gion, yet the Apoftle PW tells us, we may be 
 deficient in the moft material Pointy if we have 
 iiot Chanty^ or do not aft from that which 
 ought to be the Spring and Motive of all our 
 Adicns, vizu Love to God, The young Man, 
 ^tho came to Christ, had, as he faid, kept 
 The Commands contained in the fecond Table, 
 and yet we find him unfit for eternal Life; he 
 
 wa^^-'
 
 [ 75 ] 
 was negatively good; he had not done any 
 Murther, nor committed Adultery; he had not 
 flole from, nor defrauded his Neighbour ; he 
 had refrain'd from thefe Evils; but we do not 
 find he had yet learn'd to do well : And v/heti 
 Obedience to a pofitive and particular Injundi- 
 on Christ, our Lord, was pleafed to lay upon 
 him (fuppoled) to prove his LdVc and Obedi- 
 ence to God ; when it was required of him to 
 quit, or exchange, his earthly Poffeflions, tho' 
 with great Advantage, no lefs than an Inheri- 
 tance eternal in the Heavens, and take up a 
 Crofs to his own Will and Deiircs, and follow 
 Christ, in this Way of Self-denial; behold 
 he Coward like withdraws, and departs, we ^re 
 told, fad and dejecled, being grieved with the 
 Saying: This unhappy young Man's Refulal of 
 the Kingdom, or Eternal Life, on our Lord's 
 Conditions, occafioned him, with an apparent 
 Concern, to fay, How hardly pall they that 
 have^ or in his following Words, that truji in 
 Riches^ enter into the Kingdom of God! And, ort 
 another Occafion, he further declares ; That 
 who(oever carne to Hr/i^ and took not up his 
 Crofs ^ and denied himfdf^ and hated not Father 
 mid Mother^ iV'ife^ Children^ Brethren and SiflerSy 
 yea^^ and his own Life^ (when brought in Com- 
 petition of his Duty and Love to God) he could 
 not he his Dijciple ; and, confequently, unwor- 
 thy of eternal Life. 
 
 I ihall now give you the Senfe of Dr. Whlt-^ 
 h)'j as well as my own, with Reference to the 
 Precept of Self-denial, £5c\ He introduces his 
 Subject by paraphiafmg. on Mat.^'iiu ii.. Luke 
 
 K X viiii;
 
 viii 14. Mark IV. 15). all which Remarks j 
 fliall pafs over, and only obferve what he fay ^ 
 on part of the faid i^th Verfe. Th^ lufUng after 
 other Things ; hurtful Things, which choaJi the Seed 
 or Word of Lije in us^-Tloe Lufi of the Eye^ he tells 
 us, are our De fires of gay Jpfarel, rich Tur- 
 niture, and fuch like^ as by St, John are ftiled^ 
 the Ti'ide of Life: De/ire of popular A^platifi^ 
 or high Efiimation in the World: Advancement 
 to high Tofls, or great "Places, above others: 
 And, lajlly. Our excejfive Love to our Relatives -, 
 as Parents^ Wives, Children, Friends, &c. Lor 
 ^hcn thefe , AffeElwns p'ove Temptations to Stn, 
 as the Excefs of them certainly does • thy will 
 then be obftrumve of that Influence, the Mord of 
 Life fhoiild have upn us : And 6^. John in- 
 forms MS, that all thefe are not of the Father ; 
 but of the World, John ii. ij, 16. Atd that if 
 we lave or fet our Hearts ufon them, the Love 
 of the hither is not in us — Therefore CHRIST re- 
 quires us to deny ourfelves in all theje Things, to 
 love them lefs, or hate them (comparatively) that 
 we^ may be his Diicifles. x^nd next I fhall 
 endeavour to. illuftrate, by one Inftance, among 
 the many I have experienced, how I underftand 
 the above Precept, by faying how I conduced 
 myfelf in a Circumftartce wherein Self-denial 
 apptar'd requifite and neceffary to be put in 
 Pradice by me: When I was conducted, by 
 my great Leader, into the narrow Path of Self- 
 denial, I was fenfibie that I muft part w^ith 
 nii^ny hurtful and fuperfluous Things, I had 
 been accuftomed to; the Way was too narrow" 
 tp admit of l^Vide in any Shape or Form j and 
 •^''' •' ■ as
 
 as Superfluity in Apparel, as well as many o- 
 ther Inftances of Luxury, appeared to me in- 
 confiftent with the Doctrines of Chriftianity, 
 and the more particular Inftrudions and Admo- 
 nitions of feveral of the Apoftles, I laid afidc- 
 feveral Things I thought inconfiftent with the 
 Profeffion of a Chriftian^ and difufed idle and 
 unmeaning Compliments ^ and further, -being 
 convinced of the Principles of the Teo^le calkd 
 Sluakers^ I joined to that Society. Thus I be- 
 came lingular, and confequentiy defpicable to 
 my Children, and fome of my Acquaintance 
 and Friends ; who not only profefs'd a Diflike, 
 but a Concern that I iliould appear in lo con- 
 temptible a Manner, and lb very different from 
 what I ufually had done. Here I had a Crofs 
 to bear. AVhat was now to be done! 1 was 
 certain I had aftcd with Sincerity, and done, 
 according to the beft of my Underftanding, 
 what I apprehended the Duty of every common 
 Chriftian, viz. To part with all Superfluities of 
 Naughtinefs, which were now beginning to be 
 burthenfome to me, as I gradually experienced,. 
 Old Things palling away, and new Defires and 
 Affedions to take Place in my Heart. I fre- 
 quented the Meetings of thefe People, as I was 
 convinced the Doctrines they taught, and their 
 Mode of Worfhip, were free from Ceremonies 
 and Superftition, and moft agreeable to the Ob- 
 fervations I had made in reading the facred Wri- 
 tings, ?^6*, and what was moft valuable and 
 worthy Imitation, that the true and genuine 
 Members of this Society, walk confiftently aitd 
 agreeably to the Rules and Maxims of CnaisT 
 
 . and
 
 L /" J 
 
 and his Apoftlcs. However, to be dcfpifcd by 
 iny Acquaintance, Friends and Children, was a 
 Trial hard to bear : But whofocver he be of 
 you, that taketh not up his Crofs^ and hateth 
 not (comparatively) Father^ Mother^ Chtldrmy 
 &c. fays our bleffed Lord, is not worthy ofmSy 
 and cannot B^ my Difciple. 
 
 And, though, in this Inftance, I endeavoured 
 to plcafc God rather than Men, Til venture to 
 aOTert, that few have a more natural Tendernefs, 
 and affcftionate Regard, in both, or ail thefe 
 Relations than myfelf And, indeed, when the 
 Love of God is received into our Hearts, 'tis 
 fo far from lefTening or contracting our lawful 
 Affedions, that it enlarges our Hearts, in a pe-^ 
 culiar Manner, to our Relatives and Friends ; 
 and excites in us a loving and benevolent Dif- 
 pofition towards all Mankind, whofe Kappinefs 
 we entirely wifh : For if ary 3/hn fay^ I love 
 God J and hateth his Brother^ he is a Liar ; for 
 he zvho Idveth not his Brother^ whom he hath^ 
 feen^ hew can he love God^ whom he hath not 
 feen ? And this Commandment we have from 
 him, That he who loveth Gody will love his 
 Brother al[o ; and we love God because he firjl 
 loved us : Therefore, if God fo loved us, we 
 ought to love one another, and do Good to all; 
 but, more efpeciaUy to the HQuflold of Faith ; 
 v^ith whom we arc made one in Christ. But 
 further, among many Inttances of Self-denial, 
 as I have above remarked, I found Pride, in 
 Apparel, abfolutely neceffary to be avoided ; 
 and tho' Pride, in every Species and Appear- 
 ance, is abominable and odious in the Sight oi' 
 
 the
 
 ihe Almighty, yet it feems particularly againft 
 this Branch of it, that the Prophet Ifaiah ex- 
 claims in his third Chapter : And, I am forry to 
 oblerve, that the Charge of this odious, as Well 
 as irrational Paffion of the Mind, equally afFefts 
 the Male, as the Female Part of my Species. 
 But what renders it the more notable y isy that we 
 don't remark^ in preceeding Ages^ any Trohibi-- 
 tion^ in the Article of A^farel^ ever fa much as 
 mention' d\ or any Caution given to Men^ to avoid 
 Superfluity J or Gaiety ^ of this Kind ; as if this 
 Folly and Weaknefs, was indeed incident 
 and peculiar to Women only. And we may re- 
 mark, from Hiftory, that wife Men al- 
 ways negleded and defpifed Gaiety in their 
 tlothes; and, whenever any Vanity of this Sort 
 appeared, tho' in young Men, it was look'd 
 upon with Contempt, and derided by reafonable 
 Men, who confider'd it as a Mark or Indication 
 of weak Intelleds. But however that be, I 
 ftiall take the Liberty of asking my own Sey, 
 who feem moft concerned in the Judgements 
 pronounced by the Prophet againft the Pride of 
 Women, their Opinion of the Chapter I have 
 mentioned. After the Prophet had been enu-^ 
 merating the great Difadvantagcs and Calami- 
 ties the Children or People o[ If rael had brought 
 upon themfelves by their Sin and Difobcdicnce^ 
 for which, he tells them, the Lord would 
 affuredly enter into Judgment, ^ by bringing 
 thefe Calamities fuddenly upon them ; he adds,' 
 Moreover y the Lord faithj becauje the Daughters 
 of Zion are haughty ^ and walk with Jirttched-^ 
 ^rth N^ks^' and wanton Eyes^ walkings and 
 
 fMncin^
 
 ... L "^ J 
 piincing as thy gOy and making a tinkling with 
 'their Feet : Therefore^ in that Day (the Day of 
 his Judgements) faith the Lord^ 1 will takQ 
 away the Bravery of their tinkling Ornaments 
 from about their Feet^ and their Cauls ^ and their 
 round Tires like the Moon^ the Chains^ and the 
 Bracelets y and the Mufflers^ the Bonnet s^ and the 
 Ornaments of the LegSy and the Head-bands^ and 
 the TahletSy and the Ear-rings^ the Rings^ and 
 Nofe-jewelSj the changeable Suits of Apfarel^ and 
 Mantles y and the Wim-J^les^ and the Crifpirg-fms^ 
 the Glaffes^ and the fine Linnen^ the Hoods ^ and 
 the Veils. Jnd it Jhall come to pafs^ that tn-^ 
 ftead of fweei Smells^ there fhall be a Stinky, 
 tnftead of a Girdle^ a Rent \ infiead of well fei 
 Flair J Baldnefs:, injlead of a Stomacher^ a girding 
 with Sackcloth ; and Burnings inflead of Beauty., 
 And hence let us obferve the Effefts of Pride, 
 in Apparel too, which many think fo infignifi- 
 cant ; and fome have been fo abfurd as to fay, 
 that the Ornaments, ^c, enumerated by the 
 Prophet, v/ere only unlawful to xh^ Jew'ifb 
 Women, who poiiibly had borrow'd their Fa- 
 ftiions from the Heathen^ with whom they- 
 were forbid any Sort of Commerce^ neither 
 were they to walk after the Cuftoms and Man- 
 ners of the Heathen Nations, But we may re- 
 mark, thefe Things were not to be taken from 
 them, becaufe they had borrow'd the Forms of 
 them from the neighbouring Nations ; but be- 
 caufe the Daughters of Zion are proud and 
 haugky^ and walk with ftretchedjorth Necksy 
 "V^hen they arc adornM with all the Bravery of 
 tliefe Ornaments J therefore the Lord will de- 
 prive
 
 L »i J 
 J)rive them of the Things they made fubfer^ 
 vient to their Pride and Vanity ; the Sin of 
 which is equally odious and abhorent to God, 
 in us, the Defcendants of the Gentiles^ as it 
 was in the Jews : Nor does the Prohibition of 
 Sin, or the Command or Precept of Hohnefs^ 
 lofe one Whit of its Force and Energy, for be- 
 ing dehver'd two or three thouland, or feven- 
 tecn hundred Years ago. As the Almighty is 
 unchangeable in his effential Holinefs ; for with 
 him is no Variableness^ or Shadow of Turning : 
 Sin, that was Sin fomc Ages back, muft abfo-* 
 lutely be fo at this Day. 
 
 But hear now what fome of the Chriftian 
 Apoftles enjoin, when they were giving Direc- 
 tions to the Churches of Christ, i I/m, ii. p* 
 and which Dr. J4'lj}tby thus notes : In like Man- 
 fier al[o I will that Chriftian Women adorn them-^ 
 fehes in modejt Ap^arel^ with Shamejacedne[s 
 and Sobriety^ not fetting out themfelves with 
 br Older' d Hair^ or Gold^ or Tear Is ^ or cofily Ar-* 
 ray ; biit with that Ornament which beft be^ 
 comes Women frofejfing Godlinefs ; that is, with 
 good Works. And next the Apoftle Veter^ m 
 his particular Inftruftions to Chriftian Women, 
 he thus expreffes himfelf ; PFbofe adorning let it 
 not be that outward adorning of flaiting the 
 Hair^ and wearing Gold^ or pitting on of Av^arely 
 but let it be with the hidden Man of the Hearty in 
 that which is not corruptible^ even the Ornament 
 of a meek and quiet Sprite which is in the Sight 
 of God of great Price : tor after this Manner^ 
 in the old Times ^ the holy Women dfo^ who trtf-^ 
 id in God^ adorned themfelves. And the above 
 
 L cited
 
 [_ 52 J 
 
 eited Author, in his Comment on the Words of 
 both thefe Apoftles, gives you his Scnfc thus : 
 It feems evident^ that all Attire^ which ^ by the 
 Rkhnefs and Coftlmefs of ity Jhews any Tr'tde j 
 or Vanity of Sprite or a7iy Ambit ton to excel others^ "^ 
 h j or kid hy the A<oJik*s Words : All great Con-' " ! 
 csrnment\ Care and Study ^ to appear in fuch ^t^ 
 tire^ as if it were our truefl Ornament^ and that 
 ':Ji)hich made as excel^ and he mor(*> honourable 
 than others: This Vanity and T ride ^ this Efieem 
 ofy and Concern for^ thefe Tlotngs^ being mi well 
 eonfiflent with Sobriety ^ and much lefs with the 
 Profeffion of true Godlinefs. And here (conti- 
 nues he) 'tis worthy to be noted by the Women^ 
 that this Trecep ought not to be /lighted by them^ 
 as of little Moment ^ feeing it is [o carefully ht" 
 ailcated hy the two chief Apflles of the Jews 
 and Gentiles^ St. Peter and St. Paul. And the 
 contrary is reprefented as a Tra&ice ofpojite to 
 Godlinefs : And he fubjoins \ Let them ejpecially 
 remark the Character here given of a Chriflian 
 IVoman^ viz. That Jhe is one who does not only 
 froffs and declare., that Jhe ferves and worjh/fs 
 God'^ hut alfb doth Jhe w forth Godlinefs in her 
 Life and Converfation. And let the Men note 
 hencc^ that if it be fo unbecoming a Chriflian Wo-- 
 man to be thus concerned in adorning and tricking 
 up h'jr Bo^y^ it mufi be much more unbecoming • a 
 Chriflian Alan to put on fuch Attire ^ which makes 
 him truly deferve the Name of Fop. And next 
 let us hear the Opinion of one of the Antients, 
 'lv'^, Clemens of Alexandria ; he teils us, That 
 IVomen^ who wear Gold., and plait the Hair^ 
 have mi the Imoge of God in the inward MaiP\ 
 
 afid
 
 and that the a^ojtolkal Conjlitutions jorbtd If omen 
 to wear exqmfite Garments ^ which were fitted to 
 decave^ or Gold Rings^ &LC. And Jamhlicu^ in 
 the Life of Tythagoras^ fays, Tfjat no free IVo- 
 men wor$ Gold^ but lewd Women only. Hence 
 you may obferve, that the People called Sl^a- 
 hrs^ are not fingular in the Conftruftion they 
 put on, or Senfe they confider the Apoftle's 
 Words in, in the Article of Apparel; and that 
 our Particularity in this Matter does not pro- 
 ceed from Whim, Caprice or Fancy, or any 
 Affedation of being fingular; but from a Con- 
 vidion in our own Undcrftanding, that Super-^ 
 fluity and Luxury, which has its Rife from 
 Pride, is inconfiftent and contrary to the hum- 
 ble, lowly, unambitious Temper and Spirit, of 
 Chriftianity. One Argument fome have made 
 ufc of to fupport the Vanity of gay and coftly 
 Clothing, was this; That the Pride was not in 
 the Clothes, but in the Heart ; An Affertion 
 I have greatly prov'd true by my own Expe- 
 rience, I could not imagine there could be any 
 moral or inherent Evil in a Piece of gay Silk ; 
 for I know full well, that Pride proceeds from 
 a vain and ambitions' Heart ; and that if it had 
 not its Refidence and Seat there, it would not 
 appear in the Habit or Garb. But tho' fomc 
 perhaps may allow me to be acquainted with, 
 and therefore a Judge of my own Heart \ yet, 
 wou*d it not border upon Uncharitablenefs, to 
 ailedge that all Perfons who wear gay Clothing, 
 are confequently proud and ambitious? I anfwer; 
 Tho' it may not be fafe to judge in every Cafe 
 according to the Sight of the Eye, yet our 
 
 Ju % Lord
 
 Lord feems to allow us the Evidence of our- 
 Senfes pretty generally. Every Tree^ fays he, 
 
 is knozzii by its fruit. Of Thorns Meft do not ga^. 
 ther FigSj nor ojf a Brambk'hujh Graces. And 
 then gives us the following Mark or Criterion 
 to judge by, Te Jhall know them by their Fruits. 
 Thus when I fee Fruits of the fame Kind pro- 
 duced by others, which I certainly know pro- 
 ceeded from the bitter Root of Pride in my 
 own Heart, I do not think it an uncharitable, 
 but a natural and rational Conclufion, that they 
 fpring from the like evil Root in others. A 
 good Tree cannot bring forth evil Irnit^ neither 
 can a cor r up Tree bring forth good Fruit. A good 
 Man^ out of the good Treajure of his Hearty 
 bringcth forth that isi'hich is good ; but an evil 
 Man^ out of the evil Treasure of his Hearty 
 bringeth forth that which is evd, 1 have heard 
 it objefted, that Perfons, who have always 
 been accuftomed to Finery from their Infancy, 
 are not commonly proud of it; it becomes there- 
 by fo familiar to them, that they have not 
 fuch high Thoughts of themfelves when gaily 
 attir'd as many imagine ; neither value Drefs 
 and fplendid Equipages, ©V, at fo high a Rate, 
 as thole do to whom they have not been fo 
 habitual ; this I have thought may be partly 
 true ; but notwithftanding I have confider'd, 
 that tho' thcfe Things are habitual and familiar 
 to many, yet People of this Character are not 
 
 ' fo ignorant, as not to be fenfible that they are 
 refpecled and courted according to the Appearn 
 ance they make in the World ; and fliould any 
 One propcfe to fach to lay afide their Splen- 
 
 doi-
 
 L ^^ J 
 dor and Gaiety, we ftiould loon fee thefc Mat- 
 ters are not lb indifferent to them as fome may 
 think ; they only feem more carelefs and eafy 
 about them, bccaufe they have been accuftom'd 
 to Pride of this Sort longer than others, and 
 therefore lefs affefted with it, having better 
 learn'd the Art to conceal it : And if every 
 One would be fo jult to themfclves, as candid- 
 ly and impartially to enquire and ask their own 
 Hearts, from whence proceeds their Fondnefs for 
 Splendor, Shew and Pomp, efpecially in this 
 Article, they would be obliged to confefs, or 
 at leaft not to deny, that Pride was at the 
 Bottom. 
 
 Part of a Convcrfation I happened to have 
 with a fafliionable Woman in Great Britain ^ 
 will ferve to confirm what I have obferv'd. 
 She aiferted Ihe was free from Pride, tho' Ihc 
 did adorn herfelfin a gay and fplendid Manner. I 
 ask'd her if fhe could be as well fatisfied and con-? 
 tent in a plain Drefs, andStuff or WoollenGown, 
 as with the giy Silks fhe ufually wore? She an-f 
 fwer'd yes. I queried why Ihe then drelfedfogay? 
 She anfwer'd, that flie might appear agreeable to 
 others* I ask'd her why fhe was fo much con- 
 cerned to pleafe others with her fine Clothes,/ 
 @c*. She laid, it was leaft Ihe ftiould be dcfpifcd for 
 the Meanefs of her Appearance. I ask'd her 
 whence proceeded that Fear ? Here, I think, 
 fhe was filent, being reduced to an Extremity, 
 which proved the Source of her Vanity to be 
 nothing lefs than Pride, in fpight of all her 
 boafted Humility. I have often thought, out 
 Fondnefs for Trifles, Pomp, Shew and Noife, 
 
 <nay
 
 OAJ 
 
 may be attributed to Inconfidcration : Fox did 
 we rcflcft, examine and compare Things, we 
 fhould certainly make very different Deductions, 
 Conclufions, and Eftimations, from what the 
 Generality of Mankind are wont to do. And 
 I am certain, from our Ignorance of Divine and 
 Heavenly Things, proceeds our Fondnefs and 
 inordinate Defires for fcnfual and earthly Plea-^- 
 fares and Enjoyments. And indeed fince I 
 have thought at all, I mean to any good Pur-? 
 pofe, I have been amazed at my own Stupi- 
 dity and Folly, when I have confider'd and re- 
 Gollcdcd how anxious I had formerly been till I 
 was in Poffeffion of this gay Silk, and the other 
 fine Lace ; and I have blufhcd with an holy 
 Shame, when I refleded how I had i'ometimes 
 doated on a Ribbon, or any other Toy or J3au-^ 
 ble, that had but the Title of new-fa/Inon' d 
 annexed to it ! One common Argument for Su- 
 perfluity and . Luxury of all Kinds, is, that it 
 encourages and fupports Trade ; and that the 
 Bread and Subfiftcnce of Thoufands depend on ^j 
 new Fafhions: But thofe who offer this Reafon, 
 do not confidcr how many, on the contrary, arc 
 ruin'd and undone by contributing to what is 
 alledged the Support of Trade; this being fo 
 manifefl, efpccially in Great-Britain^ that it 
 needs no other Proof but the Evidence of our 
 Eyes, if we will but look round and confider 
 how many Families are reduced to Poverty, 
 Wretchednefs and Mifery, from this very Source 
 Pride, from whence fprings Luxury, in aH its 
 hideous Forms and Shapes. The Diforder, as a 
 l^te Writer obferyes, is become almojt epdcmkaly
 
 L »7 J 
 
 as the inferior Clafs of People cndca:rour all in 
 their Power to appear as grand and fafhionablc as 
 their Superiors. And wheni have confidcr'd, how 
 uiual it is for the lower Part of Mankind to 
 be fway'd by the Example of the higher, I have 
 thought it greatly behoved People of Rank and 
 Condition to exhibit Patterns of. Humility, 
 Temp ranee, Sobriety and Moderation, wdth 
 every other Chriftian Virtue, to their Inferiors* 
 But I have heard it objefted, that coftly and 
 fpiendid Apparel, i§£. is neccffary to make and 
 fupport a proper Diftinftion betv/een Perfons of 
 high and low Degree. The Argument I have 
 thought weak, and unworthy to be ofFcr'd by 
 a Chriltianj as I am of Opinion, every reafon- 
 able Perfon will grant that Piety and Virtue 
 (not Gold and tinlel Ornaments) ought to dif- 
 tinguifti and render truly honourable the high- 
 er Rank of People. Belides, it is evident, that 
 thefe Diftindions are not kept up and maintained 
 by coftly Attire, ^c, for we may daily obferve, 
 that Perfons of the loweft Rank, with Refpeft 
 to their OiBces and Employments^ are often- 
 times very wealthy ; and thefe adorn them- 
 felves in as pompous a Manner, and have as 
 grand Houfes, Furniture, Equipages, ^c. as 
 thofe who are greatly fuperior to them in other 
 Refpedsi 
 
 But allowing many Things the Title of Su^ 
 pcrlluity and Luxury, and therefore unlawful 
 to be ufed by Chriftians; it has been queried 
 how arc all thefe Fafliion-mongers, who arc 
 fupported by making and vending Things of 
 this Nature, to be proyidcd for, if they fliouU 
 
 give
 
 L "^ J 
 give up their Employments, which you SIm^^ 
 kers fay are contrary to Chriftianity, and there-' 
 fore unlawful ? I would lirft humbly propofe to 
 People to examine themfelves, and fee if they 
 are Chriftians; not nominal, but realChrillians; 
 fuch as are led, ruled, guided and directed, by 
 the Spirit of Christ; thofe who are not, ard 
 none of his, whatever they may pretend to \ 
 for as many as are kd by the Sprit of God^ 
 they (and they only) are the Children of God* 
 Theie will find, that it is not lawful for them 
 to fupport any Trade, or ufe any Employment^ 
 which is inconliftent, or clafties with the Doc- 
 trines and Rules they profefs to be governed by; 
 fuch are not often at a Lofs for fome lawful 
 Calling or Bufinefs, whereby they may obtain 
 Food and Raimeiit, with which they are con-* 
 tent ; Religion has bounded their Delires, and 
 they greatly experience, that the Happinefs of 
 a Chriftian's Life does not confift in the Abun^ 
 dance of this World's Goods. I have the Au- 
 thority of a Clergyman for what' I am now 
 going to mention, viz. " That all thofe who 
 profefs themfelves Chriftians^ ftould, in all their 
 Actions, confequently in their Callings or Pro- 
 feffions of Bufinefs, ask themfelves this neceffa- 
 TV Queftion," Can I do this Thing as aChrifl:ian? 
 Or, is it confifl:ent with the Principles and Pre- 
 cepts of my Chriftian ProfeflSon ?" And if upon 
 a ferious and finccre Examination, we find that 
 the Calling or Employment on which our Bread 
 depends, be in any wife contrary to the Pre- 
 cepts of Christ, and the Example he left us 
 to follow ; if it be either diredly or indiredly 
 
 fo,
 
 fOy I believe we are culpable if we ddn't leave 
 off. For Christ tells us, if our Right Hand 
 offend liSy or caufe us to aft any Thing againft 
 his Laws, ws mufl cut it offj wc muft quit 
 whatfoever caufes this Offence, how near, dear^ 
 and ufeful foever it be to us, as 'tis htter to 
 enter into Life halt and m.imed^ than having two 
 Hdnds to be caji into FLU-fire. I am not in- 
 fenfible, that what I have here offered will be 
 thought hard Sayings by many ; but for our 
 Encouragement our bleffed Lord affures us^ 
 Hoat any One who hath forfaken any temporal 
 Advantage or Enjoyment ^ as Houfes^ Lands ^ Fa^ 
 ther^ Mother y Wife or Children^ Brethren or 
 Sijiers, for his Sake and the Gofpel^s^ /hall re- 
 ceive an Hundred-fold in this World ^ and in that 
 to come Life everlafiing. For Godlinefs hath the 
 Promife of the Life that now isj and of that 
 which is to come. We have not only an Hun- 
 dred-fold of Peace in our Bofoms, vijz. The 
 Comforts of an upright Confcience (a greater 
 Bleffing than any we have parted with) and 
 fpiritual Bread to eat, which the World knows 
 not of- but our natural Bread is made fure, 
 and Water fails not ; for the Lord oftentimes 
 calls away the Subftance of the Wicked, yet 
 he rarely fuffers the Souls of the Righteous 
 to famifh. • Agreeable to this the royal Pro- 
 phet fpeaks, / have been youngs and now am 
 dd^ yet have I never feen the Righteous jorfakeu:^ 
 nor his Seed begjfing Bread. And again, he ex- 
 horts to ^^ traft in the Lard and do Good, and 
 thou fhalt dwell in the Land, and verily thou 
 fhalt be fed." And further, he calls to his Peo- 
 
 M pl«
 
 pie to fear the Lord, and believe in him; 
 *' Believe in him, and he will help thee, and 
 order thy Way aright ; fear and truft in 
 him, and your Reward fhall not fail." He fnall 
 fave them, becaufe they put their Truft in him; 
 for look at the Generations of old, and fee, 
 Did ever any truft in the Lord, and was con-* 
 founded? Or, did any abide in his Fear, and was 
 forfaken ? Or, whom did he ever defpife that 
 caird upon his Name in Truth, Sincerity and 
 XJprightnefs ? But luppofing that Chriftians, as 
 a Tryal of their Faith, may fometimes be re- 
 duced to great outward Diftrefs, which may 
 poffibly be permitted to extend to w^ant of Bread, 
 ^c. yet Jhall Famine^ or Nakednefsy or Terje-^ 
 etition^ or Dijire[s^ &:c. fefarate us (Chriftians) 
 from the Love of God? No furely ; Thefe (com- 
 pararively) light AffliSiions^ "which we fujftr for 
 a Moment y work for us a jar more exceeding 
 and eternal Weight of Glory ^ 2 Cor. iv. 17. 
 For tho' the fpiritual Exercifes, as well as tem- 
 poral Troubles of the Righteous, may be ma- 
 ny, yet the Lord delivereth out of them all. 
 And then can we fay upon the Banks of De-- 
 liverance, " We will love the Lord our Sal- 
 vation, he having been our Strength and our 
 Shield, and done great Things for us; therefore 
 will we be thankful to his Name, and rejoice 
 in his Power : For who among the Gods (or 
 Idols manv make to them.felves) is like unto 
 our God ! Let us therefore afcribe Strength and 
 Powder to God ; for his Name is glorious in Ho- 
 linefs ; he is fearful in Praifes and a God that 
 ias indeed wroiight Vv^onders for us/' Thus 
 
 are
 
 L y^ J 
 arc we excited to love God, who firfl: loved us, 
 and has called us to Glory, which we haye be- 
 held, as of the Glory of the only begotten Son 
 of God, full of Grace and Truth, of whom we 
 have received Grace for Grace ; and having thus 
 feen his Glory, our Hearts are overcome with 
 his Beauty, and we endeavour to return in our 
 Meafure Love for Love, and can now fay in 
 Truth and Sincerity, IVhom have we in Heaven 
 but thee^ and there is nothing that we defire on 
 Earth In co^nparifon of thee ? Thou art indeed be^ 
 come the chief among ten "Thousand to our Souls. 
 Thus the truly Godly love God above all earth- 
 ly Confiderations, and in the higheft Degree. 
 
 The Love of God^ fays a pious Writer, is of 
 fo noble a Nature^* that the Mediocrity^ which in 
 other Tajjions is an Excellence^ is here an Im-^ 
 perfe6lion. The Man^ after God's own Hearty 
 is not afraid to own to his Maker an Ardency of 
 Love^ which he exprejfes by the flgftificant Afe- 
 taphor of 77^/ry?, My Soul is athirji for God^ c\c. 
 Other Taf/ions like other Rivers^ are befi liked^ 
 when thty flow within their wonted Banks ; bttt 
 the Love of God^ as of the River Nile, the Over^ 
 flowing makes it the more welcome. The royal 
 Prophet indeed difcovers often a fervent Love 
 to, and Defire after, the Enjoyment of God's 
 holy Prefence : So he no lels efteemcd his Pre- 
 cepts .; agreeable to what our bleffed Lord faid 
 in After-ages to his Difciples, If ye love me^ 
 keep my Com?nandments. I hate^ fiys David, 
 vain Thoughts J but thy Law do I love ; for how 
 fvect are thy Words to my Tafte ? lea^ fweeter 
 than Honey to my Mouth. I love thy Command-'. 
 
 M % nmits
 
 ments above Goldy yea^ I cjteem them above fin^^ 
 Gold. Thy Tejtimomes have 1 tak^n for an Herh 
 t age ^ for thqy are the rejoicing oj my Heart. 
 Thy Tejiimomes are my Delight^ and my Counfellers, 
 1 "delight to do thy WiU^ my God! yea^ thy 
 Law ts within my Hearty Pfalm cxix. The 
 Apoftle Paid alio delighted in the Law of God 
 after the inner Man : And agreeably, the Righ- 
 teous, in all Ages, decline not from the Com- 
 mandments of his Lips, but efteem the Wordg 
 of his Mouth more than neceffary Food. 
 
 But let none imagine, that tho' it is our 
 Duty to love God with all our Heart, Soul 
 and Strength, above every Conlideration, and 
 Vv'ith the greateft Ardency, that this In- 
 jundion clalhes with, or hinders our exerting 
 this Duty of Love in it's full Force in every 
 natural and focial Relation; as it is not the fame 
 Species of Love with which we love God, as 
 that we extend to our Neighbour, Children, 
 ^c\ For as God is an infinitely perfed Being, 
 and happy in his own Perfections, we cannot 
 add to his Kappinefs by wilhing well to him ; 
 therefore we cannot love him with the Love of 
 Benevolence or Beneficence, with which we 
 love our Neighbour, i^c. but with the Love 
 of Defire, defiring to be with him, and to par- 
 take of his Fulnefs, agreeable to what the roy- 
 al Prophet fpeaks. One Thing have I defiredy 
 and that will 1 Jeek after ^ that 1 may dwell in 
 the Hottfe (or Prefence) oJ the Lord forever ; to 
 behold the Beauty of the Lord^ and to worjhip 
 in his Temple! A religious Soitl^ fays one, may 
 ebey the Command of loving Gqd intirely^ tho*
 
 I 9i ] ^ 
 Jhe allows her AffeEitons other OhjeBs^ frauided 
 they be keft m a due MordinaUon^ and from en- 
 termg into Competition with that Love zvhich ought 
 to he afproprtated to God. The Apoltie Tcter 
 loved God above all earthly Confiderations, 
 when he refufed to obey the High Prielt, who 
 charged him with the other Apoftles, that they 
 Ihouid not teach in the Name of Christ : He 
 anfwer'd, and laid, We ought to obey God rather 
 than Man, Tho' in fo domg they incurred the 
 Difpleafure of Men, and were in Danger of 
 bfing not only their Liberty, but even their 
 Lives ; nevertheleis, fay they, we cannot tut 
 fpakjahe Things which we have feen and heard 
 (and for which Purpofe we have been imme- 
 diately commiffion'd by our great Matter him- 
 fclf) viz. That by us Repentance and RemiJJion 
 of Sins fhould be f reach' d in his Name among 
 all Nations^ beginning at Jerufalem. And the 
 Apoftle ^Baul exprelTcs the great eft, as well as 
 the moft fervent Love to God, when he thus 
 queries, iPho (or what Confideration) fhall y^- 
 farate us from the Love of God tn CHRIST 
 JESUS our Lord ? Shall Tribulation^ or Dijirefs^ 
 or ^Ferfecutionj or Famine ^ or Peril^ or Sword? 
 No ; ' in all thefe Tloings we are more than CoU" 
 qurors thro* CHRIST^ who hath loved us I There- 
 fore I am pcrfwaded, that neither Life nor Deathy 
 nor Angels^ norTrincipalittes^ norPo ivers^ nor Things 
 prefent^ nor Tloings to come^ nor Heights (of Profpc- 
 rity) nor Depths (of Adverfity) nor any other Crea^ 
 ture^ fhall be able to Separate tis (Chriftians) from> 
 the Love of God. And indeed thofe inferior Inte^ 
 refts bear no fort of Proportion to the fu^srior 
 
 Advan^
 
 L >^4 J 
 
 Advantage oj [u^r-me and heavenly Enjoyments ; 
 they being of jo precious a hliture^ enoi^gh to en^ 
 gage us to court Heaven^ at the Rate of renouncing 
 jor them all thofe unmanly Senltialhies^ and tri^ 
 fiig Vanities^ for which iv.confiderate Mortals are 
 wont to forjeit the Inter eji their Saviour jo dcar^ 
 ly fur chafed for them. And as I have eliewhere 
 laid, we may attribute ail the fordid Vices and 
 growing Follies, wliich the Generahty of Peo- 
 ple indulge themfelves in, to Inconfideration, 
 as we don't enough examine and compare the 
 fading Enjoyments of this Life, with the perr 
 manent Blemngs of an happy Eternity; if we 
 did, we iiiould foon difcover the great I^fpro- 
 portion, and willingly part with ail finful and 
 tranfitory Pleafjres. And when I have feeen 
 xefiecting that Vice and Luxury, in every 
 Branch of it, abounds, not only in Great-Brtt-ainy 
 where I have fo lately, and lo frequently, la- 
 mented this epidemical Diforder, among People, 
 who neverthelefs aiTume the Title of Chriftians, 
 and Difciples of Christ, without rcmemb'ring, 
 that all v/ho take that facred Name upon them, 
 mufi depart from all Iniquity. (Christ came 
 to redeem us from all Sin, and to purify to him- 
 felf a pculiar T^o^le^ z>ealous of good Works ;) 
 I fay, when I have obferved that Vice, Softnefs, 
 Effeminacy and Luxury, of moft Kinds, has 
 every where fown its noxious Seeds, which flou- 
 rifh in moft Climes or Countries, my Soul fhrinks 
 at the Thought ot the PolIibiHty not to fay Pro- 
 bability and Danger (without timely Repentance 
 and Amendment of Life) of carelels, negligent 
 and voluptuous Sinners, being precipitated from a 
 
 Life
 
 Life of Eafe, Security and Diverfion, to a 
 State of cndlefs Woe and Mifery I From the 
 Converfation of wanton and gay Companions^ 
 to affociate with wicked and unhappy Spirits; 
 whofe melancholy Bemoanings, and bitter Cries 
 and Complaints, will be far different from the 
 melodious Strains of Muficfc the Ears of the 
 Voluptious have been accuftom'd to: Therefore 
 it greatly behoves Sinners to mak*e a fuitablc 
 Preparation for the trying Time of Death, left 
 it furprize them at unawares; and the unhap-" 
 py and dreadful Seafon approach, wherein it 
 will be faid to him that is filthy, Be filtlyy flilh 
 Thus will Fearfulnefs feize the Hypocrite, and 
 Sinners will be ailiam'd of the Idols they once? 
 delighted in, and then will they caft the whole- 
 Train of them to the Moles, and to the Batts. 
 
 But after ail that can be faid againft Pride of 
 Vice, of what Nature foever, the ftrong Marr 
 arm'd wdll keep PoITeffion of your Hearts, till 
 you fuffer a ftronger than he to enter, and turri 
 him out, and fpoil his Goods. Thofe Sins 
 which do lett or hinder your coming to God^ 
 will lett, till you permit them to be removed^ 
 Every wild Olive-tree of Vice and Folly wr^li 
 grow and flouriih, till you find it your Intereft^ 
 and a NecelTity of being ingrafted into the true 
 Vine and Nature of Christ, and fuffer him 
 to lay the Ax of his Power to the Root of the' 
 old and corrupt Tree, and then will every 
 Branch of Pride and Wickednefs fall of courfe* 
 Therefore, as One who has obtained Mercy, in 
 having a Sight afforded me, to fee the Things 
 tliat mak^ for my eyerlaiiing. Felicity^ I wou'd- 
 
 fccom-
 
 L y^ J 
 recommend to you to conlider of thefe Things, 
 It was the great Lofs and Diladvantagey as well 
 as Folly of the Children of Ifrael^ that they 
 neglefted the great Law of Confideration, 
 which occafioncd the Almighty thus to lament; 
 O that my Teoj^le "were wife^ that they underftood 
 ihis^ that they would conjider their Latter End ! 
 But, further, as I have above occafionally men- 
 tioned Mufick, which before I had only con- 
 fidered promifcuoufly, as an Attendant at Balls, 
 ^c. I fhall now obferve, that it was a Science I 
 formerly greatly delighted in, and fpent much 
 Time, both in the Theory, as well as in the 
 practical Part : But when Religion began to 
 take place in my Heart, I found Mufick ftood 
 in my Way, and I confider'd it only as an A- 
 mufement, which detained me from more folid 
 and ufeful Thoughts and Reflections : In Ihort, 
 it became fo burthenfome to me, that I could 
 not perform any of my airy LelTons, which had 
 been ufual, as well as pleafing to me : And on 
 further Confideration it appears to me to be a 
 merely fenfual, and not an intelledual Pleafurc 
 (as fome would fondly afTert) therefore I quit- 
 ted the Study, as well as Prafticc of it, for 
 what I now eftcem'd a more ufeful, profitable 
 and rational Science, viz. The Study and 
 Knowledge of my own Heart, which I have 
 found worth all I knew of the other fevcn. 
 But further, on peruling the facred Writings, I 
 do not remember to have read of one Chrifliari 
 Mufician in all the New-Teflament *. And in 
 reading the Old, it appears that the Prophet 
 Amos^ defcribing the Wantonnefs of the Chil- 
 
 drea 
 
 I
 
 I 97 \ 
 clreri of Ifrael^ and enumerating the many In- 
 ftances of their Luxury, he mentions Muficic 
 as a Mark of Levity and Wantonnefs; Thjy 
 chanty fays he, to the Sound of the V'tol^ and in-' 
 vent to themfilves Injtruments of Mtijick like Da- 
 vid ; but tb-y are not j^rleved for the Affli^wn 
 of Jofeph. And the Prophet Ifaiah denounces 
 a Woe againft them ; adding, the Harp^ and the 
 Viol^ the Tabret^ and Tife^ and IFine^ are in their 
 Feajis'^ bttt they regard not the Work oj the Lord^ 
 neither do they confider the Operation oj his Hands -y 
 not being moved with the Calamities of the 
 fufFering Part of Mankind, fo long as they can 
 enjoy Eafe and Plenty. 
 
 And now hear what the Bifliop of Cambray 
 fays on the Subjed of Muficfc. As for .Mu^ 
 fick^ it is well knowHy that the Ancients believed 
 n&thiug more fernicioHs to a well regulated State^ 
 than to fujfer an effeminate Melody to be intro- 
 duced ifito it: It enervates Men and renders 
 their Souls Joft and volupuous : LangtuJJoing 
 Strains are only ple^fant^ becattfe the Soul gives 
 itfelf up to the Charms of the Senfes ; and this^ 
 adds he, was one of their ?nof important Policies. 
 Plato, in the like Manner, [everely rejects all 
 the (ojt Airs of the Afiatick Miifich^ and with 
 much greater Reafon Chrifiians who never ought to 
 feek Pleafure for Tleafure's Sake^ ought furely to 
 have an Averfwn for thofe pijon'd Alhirements. 
 
 I have been the larger in my Objedions on 
 Diverfions and Recreations, which, by moft Peo- 
 ple, are confider'd as innocent Amufements; as 
 they feem to be moft hurtful and dangerous; 
 Many Ineonveniencies, as well as unlawful 
 
 N Things
 
 [ ps ] 
 
 Things, creep into the Hearts and Conduft of 
 People, under the fpecious Title of Harmlefs 
 Tkajures. Toole^ in his Annotations on the 
 Bible, tells us, when difcourfing'on the Law- 
 fulnefs of earthly Enjoyments, 'its to be fear'd^ 
 more Souls mifs of Heavon and Happinefs^ by tn-^ 
 diilgtng and allowing themfelves in Things deemed 
 lawjul, than by committing grofs and enormous 
 Evils ; thej^e^ many jhrink at with Horror • but 
 thofe Things conjider'd lawful^ which fometimes 
 becomes circurnliantidly unlawful^ and Pleaftires 
 term'd innocent^ are nfed and embraced without 
 Fear or Caution -^ and with all their Train of 
 mifchievous Confequences. For this Reafon I have 
 alfo dwelt the longer on Pride in Apparel ; yet 
 1 am not infenfible that it appears in many o- 
 ther Forms befides that, or what I am going 
 to mention, viz,. That all true Chriftians confi- 
 der it as an Evil, when it difcovers itfelf in 
 Houfes, Equipages, Furniture, or our Tables : 
 As one w^ho is endued with the Chriftian Virtue 
 of Humility, difcovers it in every Action, or 
 Thing, that he has the ordering and conducing 
 of: Always keeping in Memory the Affertion 
 of the Apoftle Taiil, Be thai Jirives for the 
 Maiiery^ or runs jo as to obtain^ is temperate in 
 all Thugs, And as he is temperate in the Ufe 
 and Enjoyment of the Things of this Life, fo 
 is a true Chriftian moderate in his Defires and 
 Purfuits after v/orldly Riches and Profits ; he 
 makes not Hafte to be rich ^ his greateft Con- 
 cern and principal Care, agreeable to our Lord's 
 Direction and Advice, is, Firft to feek the King- 
 dom of God and his Righteoufnefs • to lay up a 
 
 good
 
 good Foundation againft the Time to come ; a 
 permanent Inheritance, which fadcth not away: 
 And as Heaven is the End of his Hope and 
 Defires, he is careful to lay up Treafure there ; 
 ufing the perilhing Enjoyments of the Things 
 of this Life, with as little Concern, and as 
 much Indifference, as if he ufed them not, for 
 this great and good Reafon, " Becaufe the Fa- 
 fliion of them paiTeth away !'' On the contrary, 
 how do we obferve the fordid Worldling, pur- 
 fuing with Eagcrnefs, Sollicitude and Warmth, 
 the perifiiing Riches of this Life ? And, in di* 
 red Oppofition to our Lord's Precept, they 
 feck firlt, and principally, the Things of this 
 World, which he exhorts us not to be greatly 
 anxious or thoughtful about ; but to fuch as 
 feek firft his Kingdom, and the Righteoufnefs 
 thereof, he affures us, all thefe Things (that are 
 needful for our Support) fiall be added, Ne-* 
 verthelefs, vWien we come to realon with 
 People of this Charader, who fo ready to con- 
 fefs, and alTent to the following Truths? 
 ^* That as we are in this uncertain and paffing 
 Situation, 'tis great Folly and Stupidity to be 
 over anxious or immoderate in our Furfuits after 
 Wealth, or to be fo very careful as fome are, 
 in making large Pro vi lion for thefe mortal Bo-^ 
 dies \ laying up Goods for many Years ^ v/here-? 
 as we have no continuing City here ^ that 'tis 
 appointed to all Men once to die, and we know 
 not how foon we fhall be fummon'd to Judg^ 
 ment, to render an Account of the Deeds done 
 in thofc frail Bodies." Yet what has been Mat-* 
 ter of Aftonill^ment to me, is, that this very 
 
 N 2 • Body,
 
 Body, which People profefs in Words to make 
 fo little Account of, when they rcfleft on the 
 Shortnels of it's Continuance here in this Life, 
 engrolTcs the whole Care : ^^ What we (hail eat, 
 what we fhall drink, and wherewith fhall we 
 be cloathed," appears to be the chief Concern 
 of the Generality of Mankind ? Not that I 
 think the Body ihould be excluded from a ne- 
 celfary and proper Proportion of our Care and 
 Diligence ; as it would be abfurd and irrational 
 to fuppofe our Bodies can fubfift without iuit- 
 able Care and Provifion :- On the contrary, it is 
 every Man's indifpenfabie Duty, to provide a 
 Subfiftence for himielf and his Houfhold ; fuch 
 who do not, are conlider'd by the Apoftlc worfe 
 than Infidels ; having^ by this Neglect, denied 
 their hihh in CHRIST i' ^ut then let it be a 
 rational, moderate and Chriftian Care ; let the 
 Things appertaining to this Life, have their 
 juft and proper Place in our Affedions- and not 
 rcbeiiiouily and unnaturally ufurp an Authority 
 Almighty Wifdom thought fit to inveft his Crea- 
 ture Man v/ith, at the Time when he prefent- 
 ed him with the Creation, and put it under 
 his Subjection, fayin.^. Have thou Dominion over 
 every living Things &c. and litl;due the Earth, 
 Here was all fublunary and earthly Objects pla- 
 ced under our Feet ; that the Creatures vr ere, 
 by the Wifdom and Order of God, placed in 
 Subordination and Subjection to us ; to be our 
 Servants, not our Lords (that our Pvcalbn 
 llipuki rule them, not they govern our Reafon) 
 which they immediately become, when we make 
 an unlawful and improper Ufe of them ; and 
 
 which,
 
 which we certainly do, when we employ them 
 to fulfil the linful Lufts and Vanities of the 
 Flefti. And further, is it not Matter of Won- 
 der and Amazement, Compafiion and Lamenta- 
 tion, to obferve fo little Provifion made for, 
 or Concern employed about the immortal Soul, 
 which muft abfolutely and certainly have an 
 eternal Exiftence, either in Blifs or Mifery ? 
 And tho' many who pretend to Religion and 
 Virtue, acknowledge that our Felicity confifts 
 in rightly knowing, truly loving, and reve- 
 rently ferving the Supreme Being ; And that 
 Obedience, Submiffion and Keiignation to his 
 divine Will and holy Commands, is the higheft 
 Point of Wifdom, and indifpenfable Duty of all 
 rational Minds , yet how fmall the Proportion 
 of thofe who ad agreeable to this Confeffion, 
 to thofe, by far the greater Number^ who in-. 
 confiderately and blindly foliow the dark Ima-^ 
 ginations of their own Wills and Affections? 
 This Confideration is indeed Subjcft of Mourn-^ 
 ing to thofe whofe Eyes and TJnderftandings 
 the Almighty has mercifully opened by theHand 
 of his divine Power, and allifted by the Light 
 of his Grace, to fee their own Miftakes ; and 
 has gracioufly afforded his holy Aid and In- 
 ftrudion, by which they were enabled to rec- 
 tify them. Thefe, feeing the manifold Dan-^ 
 gers all who are in a State of Sin and Forgct- 
 fulnefs of God arc obnoxious to, are concerned 
 to difcover and point out the dangerous Rocks 
 luch mufl: inevitably fall on, if they continue 
 to purfue the perilous Courfe of Sin and Folly; 
 and to mark out, as far as they are enabled, 
 
 the
 
 the Way and Means by which they may efcape 
 the Pollution of, and Punifhment due to Sin ; 
 and obtain Acceptance with the Almighty, 
 vijz. " Repentance towards God, Faith in j£r 
 sus Christ, and, by the Affiftance of his 
 holy Spirit, a conftant and confiltent Walking 
 in the Paths of Virtue and Holinefs*/' For 
 we are not fo ignorant as not to know, that 
 his Will concerning us, is our Sanftification : 
 And that we may not be led aftray, nor be de- 
 ceived by the grand Adverfary of our SouFs 
 Happinefs, our merciful and benign Creator, 
 knowing our Weaknefs and Inability to per- 
 form any good Action, or to refill: the ieaft 
 Temptation, by any Strength or Power of our 
 pwn, without the Inftrudicn, Aid and Aflift- 
 ance of his Almighty Arm, has provided us a 
 Leader and Conductor, who is mighty to fave, 
 and able to dehver to the Uttermoft, ail who 
 come to him with full Faith in his Power. We 
 muft, as the blind Man did (who came to 
 ChPvIsT to have his Eyes open'd) believe that 
 he is able to do the fame great Work for us in 
 a fpiritual Senfc, which he performed for him 
 in a natural ; and alfo fay, with the Leper, 
 Lord^ ij thou w'llt^ thou can(l 7nake me dean \ 
 and as Christ's Office was alfo to open the 
 Prifon Doors, and to let the Captives go free ; 
 AH you who may be in cruel Bondage, held in 
 Captivity by Sin and Satan, as it were, by 
 Chains of grofs Darknefs, if you are but wil- 
 ling to be releafed from this Slavery, apply to 
 Christ, who is able to bind the ftrong Man 
 armed, to fpoil his Goods, and to expel him 
 
 out
 
 L 103 J 
 but of your Hearts : Are you willing to be 
 free? Christ our Lord proclaims a Tear of 
 Jubilee^ wherein he is ready and willing to fet 
 you free on eafy Terms, viz. " Love and O- 
 bedience to his Will, whofe Service is perfed 
 Freedom ; for if Christ make you free, then 
 fhall you be free indeed ; w^hen the Law of 
 the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath 
 made you free from the Law of Sin and Death, 
 and brought you into the glorious Libetty of 
 the Sons of God; glorious Priviledge indeed ! 
 Behold the ftupendous Love of the Father, and 
 the Dignity he beltows upon '' thofe that are 
 *^ led by his Spirit, that they Ihall be called 
 " the Sons of God I and if Sons, then Heirsy 
 " Joint Heirs with Christ, Rom. viii. 14. 1 7- 
 of the Kingdom he hath promifed to them that 
 love and obey him. And permit me to aifure 
 you, from my own happy Experience ; (whicb , 
 I would always mention with Humility and 
 Reverence, never, I hope, forgetting, tha€ 
 what I am, I am by the Grace of God) That 
 ^' whofoever looketh into this perfed L^w of 
 " Liberty, and continueth therein, this Maa 
 " fliall be bleffed in his Deed, Jfa. 1. aj. For 
 the Effed of Obedience to the royal Law of 
 God, is Quietnefs and AlTurance forever ; which 
 wall afford us a well-grounded Hope of Ac- 
 ceptance with the Almighty, agreeable to the 
 Apoftle ; * Beloved, if our Hearts condcma/ 
 
 * us not, then have we Confidence towards 
 God, I John'm. 21. And the Reafon he affigns 
 is ' Becaufe we keep his Commandm.ents ; 
 
 * and this is his Commandment, Thatwelhould 
 
 ' bcliere
 
 L 104 J 
 
 * believe on the Name or Power of his Son 
 ^ Christ Jesus, ver. 23." And you know- 
 that he was maniifefted to take away our SinSi 
 But if any one ask, How fhall I apply to 
 Christ, or where fnaii 1 go to meet with Him^ 
 fince fome fay, Lo, here is Christ- and others, 
 Lo, he is there ? Hear now where the Apoftle 
 Paul direfts all fuch Enquirers \ ' Say not in thine 
 
 * Heart, who fhall afcend into Heaven ? that 
 '^ is, to bring Christ down from above: Or 
 ' who fliall delcend into the Deep? that is, to 
 
 * bring Christ again from the Dead (for the 
 
 * Rightcoufnefs, which is of Faith, fpeaketh on 
 '^ this wife) The Word is nigh thee, even in 
 
 * thy Mouth, and in thine Heart, that is the 
 "* Word of Faith which we preach, Rom, x. 6"^ 
 
 * 7, 8/ And this is the Law and new Cove- 
 nant the Prophet Jeremiah foretold God w^ould 
 make with his People, which in thefe latter 
 Days, or Gofpel Difpcnfation, our great Legi- 
 ilator puts into the Hearts of Mankind, and 
 writes in the moft fecret Rcceffes of our Con- 
 feiences ; inftrufting us more immediately in 
 our Duty, and faying to the Unrighteous and 
 Difubedient, ^ This is the Way, not that which 
 
 * thou art walking in, 6f Sin and Folly ; but 
 ^ this is the Way, the Vf ay of Rightcoufnefs, 
 
 * Holinefs, and Obedience to all God's Com- 
 
 * mands ; for the Commandment is a Lamp, and 
 
 * the Lav/ is Light ; and the Reproofs of In- 
 
 * ftructions in the Way to Life^ Trov, vi. 23/ 
 In this Way and Light the Righteous are care- 
 ful to w^alk; ' the Law of his God being 
 
 * in his Heart (if ftridly adhered to) 
 
 * none
 
 L 105 J 
 ^ none of his Steps fliall flidc, Tfalm xxxvip 
 3 I. To the Truth and Extention of this Light, 
 or Grace of Christ's Holy Spirit, in our 
 Hearts, ' this more fure Word of Prophecy/ 
 the Apoftle Taul bears ample Teftimony, as I 
 have elfewhere noted, in thefe Words; " The 
 Grace of God, that brings Salvation, hath ap- 
 peared to all Men, teaching us that denying 
 Ungodlincfs, and th.e World's Lufts, we fliould 
 live foberly, righteoufly, and godly, in this 
 prefent World, Tttusiu 11, 12. With this Tefti- 
 mony of the Light the Liturgy of the Church 
 of England concurs. ^God^ who at this Tim9 
 didft teach the Hearts of thy fahhfd Teopk^ by 
 fending to them the Light of thy Holy Sprtt ; 
 grant tis^ by the fame Spirit^ to have a 
 right Judgment in all Things ; and evermore to 
 rejoice in his holy Comfort. And in the Litany; 
 \ May it flea fe thee to endue us with the Grace 
 of the Holy Sprit : Let us befeech God to grant us 
 true Repentance^ and his Holy Sprite that thofe 
 Things may fleafe him that w& do at prefent^ and 
 that the reft of our Lives may be pire and holy. 
 ^^Forafmuchy Gad^ as without thee we are not 
 able to fleafe thee^ grant that thy Holy Sprit 
 may^ in all Things^ rule our Hearts \ and becatfe 
 of the Weaknefs of our mortal Nature^ we can do 
 no good Thing without thee^ grant us the Help of 
 thy Gface^ that^ in keeping thy Commandment s, 
 we may pleafe thee^ both in Wtll and in Deed. 
 Therefore as the f f Dicourfes and Prayers of 
 O others 
 
 * Co/. Whit. Sun. . t ^Hohti^i ** C9I ip Sund, Trin, 
 
 ft Archbiftjop Ti(ioPlon\ Sermons.
 
 [ 106 j 
 
 Others abound with Teftimonies to the Neceffi- 
 ty of Chriilians being led and guided, and in- 
 fluenced by the Spirit or Grace of God ; which 
 we fometimes exprefs by the Scripture and fig- 
 nificant Metaphor, of Light. Why fliould this 
 Ivoftrine, or thefe Terms, be confidered and ri- 
 diculed as Abfurdities in our Words or Wri- 
 tings ; fince we underftand and ufe them in -the 
 fame Senfe and Acceptation, and pray for the 
 Illumination and Aid of the Holy Spirit, for 
 the lame good Purpofe, vtz. To give us a right 
 Judgment hi all 'Jh'mgs, And we know that 
 the Son of God is come, and hath given us an 
 Underftanding. IVe know that he is come by 
 the Gift of his Holy Sprit fint into our Hearts i^ 
 which /hews its all that we do,^ or ever have done 
 -^"This is he of a Truth j whom the T rochets 
 and primitive Chriftians bore Teflimony to ; By 
 his He art 'Searching Tower ^ we know him ; nor 
 can we mijiake him for another .- And as he thus 
 hiows the Secrets of all Hearts^ and will judge 
 them with righteous Judgment^ in the Day God 
 has appointed for it^ the only JVay for us to be 
 happy here^ as well as hereafter^ is to obey the 
 DiBates of this 7mft holy Gift ^ and refrain from 
 every Thing it reproves fur ; and we^ as well 
 ns * thole in the Jpjlle's Time. Jhall feel the 
 Te^e of God to fill our Hearts and Minds. 
 TiJ/s Holy Gift therefore is the Tower of Godli^ 
 nefs^ which the Apoftle forefaw fome would denyy 
 tho' thr-y retailed the Form of it : To deny there^ 
 fore this hfluence^ is to deny one of the ejfential 
 Ben fits of CHRIST s Death and Mediation ; 
 for he leading Captivity Captive y that is^ the 
 
 Tower
 
 Tower of Hellj Death and the Granje^ ajcended 
 Mp on htgh^ and mediated and obtained thefe 
 divine Gijts for Men ; and as the Grave could 
 not hold Capive the Body of this holy One^ fo 
 neither can the Heaven of Heavens contain or 
 limit his fpiritual Influence ; by which his Mini-^ 
 flers and Servants receive Tower ^ Knowledge and 
 fVtfdom. Men may^ with as good a Grace^ go 
 about to deity the Influence of the Sun by its Light 
 and Heat^ as that of God upon Man. But 
 poor^ proud^ finite Man^ becaufe he cannot com-^ 
 prehend the Mode and Manner of it^ would as 
 pf^efumptuoujly as injurioujly {to himfelj) deny it^ 
 Whereas he can't fo much as underfland or com" 
 prehend the Manner of the natural Sun's emitting 
 its Rays of Light and Heat^ thd he daily fees 
 and feels the Necejftty and Benefit of them s 
 How much more flupenduou/Iy fublime^ and incom-^ 
 prehenfible is the Diffufion oj the Holy Spirit I 
 'tis fuflicient for us finite Creatures y to feel the 
 Efecls of it^ as we do of the Sun ^ without com- 
 l^rehending the Manner of its Emanation, As the 
 powerful Operation and Motions of God's Sprite 
 quickening the Heart towards God^ are compared 
 to the blowing of the JVtnd \ for as it is by the 
 Wind^ Man perceives the EffeH of it^ that there 
 is fuch a Things and that it does blow ; yet his 
 Tower cannot refrain it ; neither can his Reafon 
 reach to know\ whence it rifes^ or how far it 
 comes y or how far it reaches. However ^ it is fit 
 to be obfervedy that God does not aB by a coer-^ 
 cive or compdfive Tower ; but as he has given 
 Men fpritual Gifts ^ fo he has given them fpiri- 
 tual tactdties to ufe them^ as iveJl as natural 
 
 O % Ones:
 
 '- ^T .* Btit if Men ■uuill not hear^ the Confcquence 
 itMrally follows^ as in any other Cafe^ God 
 . fna}n}ng inruariably the fame ^ and wit hut the 
 af Sha(^o%v of turning, I fliall now produce 
 . nother Tcflimony to the Truth of the Opera- 
 tion of God's Spirit in Man, which the Arch- 
 bifoop of Camhray gives us in the following 
 Words ; By Scripure 'tis certain that the Spirit 
 of God dwells in us ; that it a5is there ^ that it 
 frays there continually^ that tt groans there ^ de- 
 fires there ; that it asktth for us^ what we know 
 not how to ask for ourfelves ; that it excites us^ 
 animates us^ (feaks to us in Silence^ f^M^f^ ^^^ 
 Truth to us, and unites us to itfelf that we be- 
 come 07te Spirit with God : This is what Scripture 
 ieachcth ; this is what the DoElors who are far* 
 th:;Ji off oj inward Life^ cannot but acknowledge : 
 And yet ^ notwithftaiiding their Principles ^ we al- 
 ways fee by their PraEUce^ that thy fuppofe the 
 outward written Law^ or^ at mof}^ a Light drawn 
 from Scripture and Reafon^ to be what enlightens 
 MS inwardly^ and that it is not our Reafon aficr-^^ 
 wards which a5is of itfelf by that InlfruB ion, 
 Thefe Men fit not ejtough by the inward Teacher^ 
 the Holy Sprite w4oo does all in us ; he is the 
 Soul of our Souls '^ we cannot fra7ne a Thought^ or 
 create a Defire^ but through hiyn, Alas! how 
 great is our Blindnefs I We' make account as ij we, 
 ^were by ourfelves in this inward Sanctuary ; but^ 
 on the contrary^ God is there more nearly than we 
 ourfelves are, Terhaps you will fay to me^ What 
 thfii^ are we all infpired ? Tes^ without Doubt ; 
 but not as the Proph.-ts and Apo^flles were. With- 
 mit the actual Infptration of the Sprit of Grace,^
 
 we can neither believe^ wtll^ nor do any Good* 
 We are therefore always infpred ; but we (lifle 
 this Infpiration continually, God ceafes not to 
 jfpeak ; but the Noife and Hurry of Things with- 
 out^ and our Pajftons within^ deafeft us^ and hin-^ 
 der us from hearing Him. We mufi fiknce every 
 Creature^ and ourselves too^ to hear in a frojound 
 Stillnefs of Soul^ the inexfrejjihle Voice of Cbrifiy 
 the Bridegroom of our Souls, We mufi lifien dili" 
 gently^ for 'tis a very ftill and foft Voice ^ which 
 is not to be heardj but by [iich as hearken to no- 
 thing elfe. O how feldom is the Soul /dent enough 
 to let God ffeak I The leajt whifper of our vain 
 'Defires\ or of Self-kve^ attentive on Self con-- 
 founds all the Words of the Sprit of God. We 
 hear plainly what he (peaks ^ and that he asks for 
 fomething ^ but we don't perceive what it is ; and 
 very often we are contented not to underflanA it. 
 The leafi Referve^ the le aft Regard for Self^ the 
 leafi Fear of under ft anding too plainly y that God 
 asks for more than we care to give Hm^ diflurbs 
 this mward Voice. Shall we wonder then that 
 fo many^ and even pious Terfons^ but full of a^ 
 mufing Thought Sy vain Defires^ worldly Wtfdom^ 
 and Confidevxe in their own Virtues ^ can't hear 
 it ; but take this inward Voice to be a Chimera 
 of hanaticks I Alas^ what do they mean by fuch 
 fcornful Language ?: To what Ttirpefe would the 
 outward ExpreJJions of Teachers be^ and even 
 of the Scrtptures themfelves^ if it were not for 
 the inward Voice of the Holy Spirit ; which gives 
 the other all its Efficacy. The outward Words 
 of the Golpel itfelf^ without this livings efficacious 
 Word wtthin^ would be but an empty Sound. 'Tts 
 '■' ' ' the
 
 the Letter that killeth^ but the Spirit giveth Lifef 
 O eternal and All-powerful Word of the Father! 
 'tis thou "who Jpeakeft in the very Bottom of our 
 Souls. The Ppords that proceeded out of the 
 Mouth of our Saviour^ when upon Earthy had not 
 been produ5live of fo much Virtue^ and fo great 
 Fruits^ but beqaufe they were animated by this 
 Word of Life^ which is the Word himfelj. This 
 made Peter fay^ Lord, to whom fiiall we go ? 
 Thou haft the Words of eternal Life ! Th^^re-^ 
 fore it is not the exterior Law or Rule of the 
 Gofpel^ which God lets us fee by the Light of Re a- 
 fon and Scripture ; 'tis his Spirit that Jpeaks^ that 
 teaches^ that operates in^ and animates us ; fo 'tis 
 the Spirit that worketh in us^ both to will and to 
 do what is good\ as 'tis our Soul that animates 
 our Body^ and regulates its Motions : 'Tis certain 
 therefore that we are all infpir'd continually ; 
 that we live not the Life of Grace^ but in Tro- 
 portion as we partake of this inward Inspiration. 
 Thefe Tofitions and Principles being laid^ it mttfi 
 be acknowledged^ that God [peaks contimiaUy in 
 us : He [peaks in harden' d and impenitent Sinners:^ 
 but they being fiunn'd^ as it were^ by the Noife of 
 the World^ and their Paffions^ cannot hear his 
 Voice '^ 'tis to them a Tale or Fi&ion: He fpeaks 
 in penitent Sinners^ they feel a Remorfe of Con- 
 fcience^ and that Remorfe is the Voice o[ Godj 
 which reproaches them inwardly for their Sins : 
 When the[e Sinners are effeEiually reached and 
 [mitten^ they find no Difficulty in undsrfianding 
 this [ecret Voice ; for 'tis that which fr/utes them 
 fo fharply:^ 'tis in them the Two-edged Sword 
 St. Paul [peaks of^ which divides afunder Soul 
 
 and
 
 L iiJ J 
 
 ^fid Spirit. God makes himfelf to be felt^ 
 tajied^ and obeyed: They hear this fofi Voice y 
 which gently [mites them in the very Secret of 
 their Hearty and the Heart is tendered and 
 broken ; and that is true Contrition : God fpeaks 
 in enlightened and learned Terjons^ whofe Lives 
 are to Ap^earancey exa5i and regular -^ but com-' 
 monly theje Perfons being jull of themfelves^ 
 hearken too much to themselves y to hear God ; 
 they reafon upon every Thingy and do all by 
 Rules mid Principles of human Wisdom and 
 Trudence ; which zvould be much better done thro' 
 Simplicity y and a Docility to the Teaching oj God's 
 Spirit : Such as thefe appear to have more Good-^ 
 nefs than others ; and they havey in a good De-^ 
 gree • but then it is a mixed Goodnefs ; thef 
 are great and big in themfelveSy and value 
 themfelves in Troportion to their Capacity and 
 Reafon y they are always (way'd by thsir own: 
 Counfely and Jirong in their own Eyes and 0^ 
 pinion. O my Gody I thank thee with Jesus 
 Christ, that thou hi deft thefe Secrets from the 
 Wife and Trudent in their own EyeSy but re^ 
 vealeji them with Tleafure to weak and hum- 
 ble Souls I 'Tts only Children thou art familiar 
 with y Children in Malice y and every other Vice ; 
 but behave ft towards others in their own Way r 
 They will have Ksiowkdge^ and other fflendid 
 Virtues ; thou giveft them fhining Parts y ajid 
 make jt them a fort oj Heroes :^ but this is not 
 the bejl Tortion ; there is fome thing more hidden 
 for thy dear Children ; they leany as John th& 
 beloved Difciple didy upon thy Bofom. If thefe 
 Arguments, drawn ftoni' a fcnfible Experience 
 
 and
 
 and Feeling of God's Operation in the Soul^ 
 convince not the Reader ; if he be not one of 
 thofe who think to have eternal Life by the 
 Scriptures, yet will not come to Christ, that 
 they may have Life 3 he would do well to ex-* 
 amine and fee, if he is not in the State the 
 Author himfelf once was in ) feeking for God 
 without, and never think to find him within,. 
 / iried^ fays he, by colle5img in my Mind all 
 the wonderful Works of Nature^ to frame an 
 Idea of thy Grandeur ^ 1 fought thee among thy 
 Creatures^ and did not think of finding Thee in 
 my own H^art -^ where thou art never abjent. 
 Confuier thefe Things^ my Soul^ and /hut the Door 
 of thy fejifual Defires^ that thou mayjt hear what 
 Cod the Lord Jpeaks j and with the T rochet 
 Samuel fay^ Speak, Lord, for thy Servant 
 heareth. Let not Mofes, nor any ef the Tro- 
 fhets^ [peak ; but do Thou rather fpeak^ Lord 
 God J the Inffirer and Enlightener of all the Pro^ 
 fhets ! for TJoou^ alone ^ without thern^ canf fer-^ 
 fedlly inflru^ m^e-^ but they^ without Thee^ can 
 -profit nothing: They found forth Words ^ but can-- 
 not give Sprit ; they ffeak well^ but if Thou he 
 Jilent^ they inflame not the Heart ; they teach the 
 Letter^ but TIoou openejl the Senfe ; they bring 
 forth MyflerieSy but Thou milockeft the Meaning 
 of them ^ they declare Thy Commandment s^ Thou 
 helfeft us to -fulfil them ; they /hew the Way^ 
 Tloou giveji Strength to walk in it ; they a5{ 
 outwardly upn us^ but Thou enlightens and' in' 
 jlruEls th^ Heart '^ they water ^ but Thou giveji 
 the Increafe\ they (irike the Ear with Words^ 
 Thou giveft Underftanding to the Heart* 
 
 'thus.
 
 Thus, my diear Fellow-mortals, I would 
 hops by this Time you are all fenfible that you 
 have a Portion of Grace or Light, which has 
 manifetted Sin and Folly to you fometimes irt 
 the Cool of the Day, when you have been a 
 little fequefter'd from your Diverfions ; liften 
 then, I befeech you, to its Voice ; it will fpeak^ 
 as I laid before, as never Man did ; it will tell 
 you all you have done, and continue to reprove 
 when yoii do amifsl This is the Voice of that 
 Prophet which Mojes told the Children of 
 Jfraei Would be raifed up amongft them ; ^ A 
 
 * Prophet ftiall the Lord your God raife up 
 
 * unto you, of your Brethren like unto me, 
 
 * him fhall you hear in all Things. And whq- 
 
 * foever will not hear this Prophet, he fliall be 
 ' cut off from among the People,' A5ls iii. 22. 
 Hearken, I befeech you, to his Voice; receive 
 him in his fpiritual Appearance ; kifs the Sori 
 while he offers his Grace, left he be angry, and 
 cut you off in the great Sin of Unbelief, in his 
 Power to cleanfe you from all Unrightcoufnefs. 
 .,■ I don't purpofe to particularize or confider 
 fingly every Sin the corrupt Nature of Man is 
 liable to; yet as there have feveral Iniquities 
 occurred to me which I have noticed, fo I 
 fliall, as it now prefents to rrly TTnderftanding^ 
 make a brief Obfervation on that black and 
 cruel One, of Detravftion, cfpeciaUy as I have 
 often obferved how many fall into this Mifchief 
 inconfiderately, without thinking itof fo cruel 
 and evil a Nature as it really is^ this noxiousi 
 Weed being the Produft of moft Countries, I 
 can't forbear putting you in Remembrance how 
 
 P -tnan^^
 
 mjltiy able Pens have been employed, ta eradi- 
 cate ii^ by Reafons and Arguments, fufficient 
 abunda' tly to convince us of its hurtful Nature, 
 and give us a juft Abhorrence of it; as an In- 
 jury done to our Neighbour feldom fails to re- 
 coil upon our felves at one Time or other ; for 
 he that diggcth a Pit fhall fall into it, and he 
 that rollcth a Stone, it fhall return upon him. 
 Awfid as I have noted, this Vice has been expofed 
 to the World long ago, in its hideous Forms 
 and cruel Confequences, I don't here prefume 
 to think myfelf capable of painting it in more 
 gloomy and dlfagreeable Shapes than others 
 have done. What I would remark is. That 
 it is to be feared m.any don't perufe carefully 
 the Scriptures, and other Books, on the Sub- 
 jed of Moral, as well as Chriftian Virtues ; or 
 at leaft do not fufBciently confider them ; for 
 did we but rightly and juftly refleft on this 
 Precept of Ch^i st's, T/jou /halt love thy Neigh- 
 hour as thjfelf^ One w^ould think it might be 
 fufficient to prevent the Mouth of Envy, Ma- 
 lice, Infam3/ and Detradion, from ever being 
 open'd ; and were there i)ut Room for this Re- 
 flecrion in any Interval of fuch Converfation, 
 iiow wou'd ^ it filence all Uncharitablenefs ! 
 Christ mentions our Love to God in the firfl: 
 Place, and in the faperlative Degree; and in 
 the next, Love (or Charity) to otif Neighbour^ 
 as the t'-juo (moil material) Commandments (or 
 Points) on ^nhich depends the La^-^ and the Tro- 
 fh?ts. And he has left us this Injunftion, 
 which is ftiled the golden Rtde^ and ought to 
 fee an inviolable One, " Whatfoeyer ye would 
 
 that
 
 that Men fiiould do unto you, do you jeven 
 the fame to them/' And on another Occaficn 
 he adds, " A new Commandment I give unto 
 you, that ye love one another/' And the Apoitle 
 jP^/// recommends to the Romans the accompliih- 
 ing this Commandment in thefe Words ^^ Owe 
 no Man any Thing, but to love one another; 
 Love worketh no 111 to his Neighbour^ therefore 
 Love is the fulfilling of the Law/' And after 
 enumerating the Laws of the fecond Table, he 
 fubjoins, " If there be any other Commund- 
 ment, it is briefly comprehended in this. Thou 
 fhalt love thy Neighbour as thy fell/' But 
 if ye bite and devour one another, take heed 
 that ye be not confumed one of another/' The 
 Apoftle James tells the Believers, if they ful- 
 fill'd the royal Law according to the Scripture, 
 ^^ Thou llialt love thy Neighbour as thyfclf, 
 ye do well." And the Apoille Tatil^ giving 
 the Romans and Galatlans a Catalogue of the 
 Fruits or Sins of the Flefh, among others he 
 Tiientions " Backbitins;, Envy, Whifpering, 
 Malice, Emulation, £^c/' And he exhorts the 
 Ef he fians to '^\it2i\\2iY " all Bitternefs, Wrath, 
 Clamour and Evil-fpeaking, with ail Malice \ 
 and be ye kind to one another, tender-hearted, 
 forgiving one another, as God for Ci-iRiST's 
 Sake hath forgiven you/' A^nd the Apoftle 
 Peter^ dehorting Chriftians froni the Breach of 
 Charity, fpeaks after this Manner; ^' Where- 
 fore laying afide all Malice, Guile, Hypocrify, 
 Envy, and all Evil-fpeaking, by which you 
 will become as new born Babes (innocent and 
 pure) fitted to recive (or delire) the fincere Milk 
 
 ^ P 2 ■ of
 
 L ^^^ J 
 of the Word, that ye may grow thereby.'* 
 And next let us oblerve, how that St. Taul 
 exalts this Love to God, and Charity (or Love) 
 to our Neighbour, above all other Gifts and 
 Virtues : '' Tho' I fpeak with the Tongue of 
 Men or Angels, and have not Charity, I am 
 become as founding Brafs, or a tinkling Cym- 
 bal. Tho' I have the Gift of Prophecy, and 
 undevftand all Myfterles and Knowledge j tho' 
 I have Faith, fo as to remove Mountains, and 
 have not Charity, I am nothing. And tho* I 
 beftow all my Goods to feed the Poor, and tho' 
 I give my Body to be burned and have not 
 Charity (if I don't give and fufFer from this 
 Principal of Love to God and my Neighbour) 
 it profiteth me nothing. Charity or Love fuf- 
 fereih long, and is kind; Charity envieth not 
 (the Happincfs of another) Charity vaunteth 
 tiOt itfeif, is not puffed up, doth not behave 
 itfelf unfeemly,' feeketh not her own (Honour 
 or Reputation) is not eafily provoked, thinketh 
 no Evil, rejoiceth not in Iniquity, but re- 
 joiceth in theTruth, or (when any ad: agreea- 
 ble to the Gofpel of Christ) beareth all Things^ 
 bclieveth all Things, (all the Good it hears, or 
 can h.ive any charitable Grounds to think of 
 others) hopeth all Things (that if our Neigh- 
 ^^our is ha i he may mend) cndureth all Things 
 ( 'arieptly) as all Things work together for 
 nod to them that love God. This Charity 
 cr faiJeth , but v/hether there be Prophecies 
 V [hdW fail: Whether there be ^' ongucs they 
 •XV 1e , \vhether there be Knowledge it 
 >' vinfli away. And now abideth Faith, 
 
 Hone
 
 I "7 J 
 
 Hope find Charity, but the greateft of thefe i$ 
 Charity/' as it will continue when Faith fliall 
 end in Vifion, and Hope in Enjoyment. And 
 now permit me to recommend to you a ferious 
 Perulal of thefe, as well as other Paffages of 
 the Holy Records, which were written for 
 our Learning and Inftruction : And amongft 
 many which* I might mention, who has v/rote 
 againft the Sin of Detraction, there is one in 
 the Collection called The Lady's Library^ worth 
 perufing, as the Arguments feem founded on, 
 Chriftian Principles ^d Doctrines, and the Rea- 
 foning obvious and convincing. But fufFer me, 
 pow, without Offence, to mention a Thought 
 I have often had, when I have been reflecting 
 on this Fault in both Sexes. As I endeavour 
 to cheriih a rnore charitable Opinion of Man^ 
 kind, than to think any Perfon can delight in 
 Evil fimply as Evil ; and I would fain hope 
 few are of fo cruel a Difpofition, as to receive 
 a Pleafure in hearing the Errors and Mifcarriages 
 pf their Neighbours related. And if any be 
 guilty of the fame Fault, or any other, oiir 
 Brother may be charged \vith, the Company 
 of others in Evil, will by no Means extenuate 
 our Crime, ox render fuch lefs culpable in the 
 Sight of God, or lefs odious to good Men: But, 
 on the contrary (if I may be allow'd the Ex- 
 preffion) the Confederacy againft Heaven is 
 the more ftrengthen'd by the Number of it». 
 Enemies; yet tho' they join Hand in Hand, 
 they fhall not go unpunifhed : However^ I have 
 put the Condud of People of this Charader on 
 a more charitable and favourable Bottoni 5 for I 
 
 have
 
 have confider'd, that thefe fort of Converfar 
 tions, or rather Confpiracics^ againft our Neigh? 
 bour's Fame, proceed from a Dcjc€i of that 
 iblid Nourifhmcnt the Author I have beiore 
 cited feems to recommend. And I have fome- 
 times thought, that it is our Ignorance of other 
 Matters, and better Subjefts, which occafions 
 our^ Neighbour's Conduct to be fo frequeatly 
 the Topick of our Converiations ; but I wou'd 
 not be here underftood to call in queftion. the 
 Capacities of either Sex, and wou'd only c'efire 
 the Liberty of giving a Caution againft the 
 Mifapplication of your Talent or Talents. 
 This appears to me to be the Fault, People's 
 employing their Faculties fo much, not only 
 on vain, and trifling Subjects, but frequently 
 on pernicious and hurtful Things, fo that they 
 have no Room nor Leifure to attend to more 
 ufeful and important Subjects* and as I have 
 faid, that tho' we may not be chargeable with 
 the fame Fault our Neighbour may be guilty 
 of, yet the Apoftle Taul tells us, " All Man- 
 |cind have fmned, and fallen fhort of the Fa- 
 vour of God ,'' and therefore all who have not 
 yet fincerely repented and amended their Ways, 
 have need of Repentance and Forgiveneis. 
 But if any commit an Evil, how are Chriftians 
 to act in fuch a Circumftance? Are we to ex- 
 pofe, blacken and defame cur Brother, or to re- 
 joice in his Mifcarriage? No furely; the Golpel 
 of Christ and his Minifters teach other Things. 
 " Brethren, if any be overtaken with a 
 Fault, you that are fplritual (endeavour to) 
 xeflore him,'' How? '' In the Spirit of Meek- 
 
 nefsj
 
 nefs, confiderlng, leaft thou thyfelf be alio 
 tempted/' let his Miicarriage excite our Corn- 
 pa (Tion towards him, and Caution towards our- 
 felves ^ and bear ye one another's Burthen's, 
 and fo fulfil the law of Chrilt, '' Thou fhalt 
 love thy Neighbour as thy felt •" and when- 
 ever we call m Queftion our Neighbour's Con- 
 duct, let us remember we are firft to be fpi- 
 titual ourfelves, walking in all God's Com- 
 mandments blamelefs : And agreeable to the 
 Dodrines and Principles of Chrift, let us firft 
 pall the Beam out of our own Eye, and then 
 Ihall we fee clearly to take the Mote from our 
 Brother's. And when we are converted then.^ 
 fhall we be fitted to ftrengthen our Brethren : 
 Thus the royal Pfalmift petitions the Almighty, 
 ^' Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew 
 a right Spirit within me : Then will I teach 
 Tranfgreffors thy ways, and Sinners fiiall be 
 converted to Thee." 
 
 I fhall now mention another particular Evil, 
 not only as I find it greatly blam'd by others, 
 but as it has often been Subjed of Concern to 
 me when I have obfery'd this unnatural Con- 
 diicl:, which relates only to the Female Part of 
 the World, fo juftly chargeable on them : 
 But which I would charitably hope they have 
 not yet many of them fcen, or at leaft refled- 
 ed on the great Mifchief it produces, both to 
 themfelves, and their Offspring. The Fault I 
 mean, is Negl.ft of Duty, and natural Obliga- 
 tion to our helplefs Infants, whicli is fo obvi- 
 ous at their firft Appearance in Life, when we de-* 
 hy them' that N^urifiiment Nature has provided 
 
 for
 
 for them, arid by framing fome infignificant 
 Excufe, forfake and leave them to others. 
 This inhumane Treatment of our tender little 
 Ones, I can't help thinking has its Foundation 
 in Pride Natural AfFeftiqn to our Offspring 
 feems blended with our very Conftitution j and 
 it appears to me we muft ufe uncommon Vio- 
 lence to feparate it from our Make. But be-^ 
 hold the Effefts of Pride ! what Mifchief is 
 there that it is hot productive bf ! Even a few 
 Weeks after our tender Babe beholds the Light^ 
 left it ftiould. occafion us fome extraordinary 
 Trouble and Care, or prevent fome little Deli- 
 fcacy in onr Shape or Drefs, or detain us froni 
 making unedifying and impertinent Vifits, &c. 
 we confign the poor Innocent into the Hands 
 of a Stranger, to be fofter'd by Women, often- 
 times,* of favage Tempers, and vile Affedions^ 
 iivhich fome are of Opinion the Infant imbibes 
 with its Milk ; tho' I can't conceive this, as I 
 ^fjprehend wc are not Sinners by Conftitution, 
 but Corruption. However, it is mariifeft, and 
 often happens, that the Child imbibes an un- 
 wholefome Conftitution from its Nurfe : Andj 
 'tis the Opinion of fome, that the Death of 
 many an Infant (in other Places at leaft) may 
 be chargeable on their Parents, on this Score ; 
 as alfo when the Nurfe prove3 carelefs and neg- 
 ligent in her Office • and that this has been 
 frequently the Cafe, few will deny : For how 
 can we reafonably expect that a Stranger fliou'd 
 take that due and tender Care, and faithfully dif- 
 charge fo troublefome an Office, which a Parent^ 
 iiiippos'd to haye a natural Engagement for her 
 
 Infant,
 
 liifant, declines and re fufes, for this very Rea- 
 Ion to take upon her. I, who am a Parent^ 
 have been fiird with Aftonilhment at the Pa- 
 rent^ and Compatlion towards the Child, v/hen 
 I have beheld the delicate Mother fit un- 
 concerned and unrelenting, at th^ Time her 
 little Offspring has been uttering its tender 
 Compiaints^ and, as it were, petitioning the 
 obdurate Parent with, its little eioclitence of 
 Tears for its own Support, provided by Nature, 
 without her Care or Trouble. Dr. H'l)hhy^' in 
 Ibme Obfcrvations on Things natural, to ex- 
 plain and illuftrate his Subject, has thefe Words; 
 ' 'Tis natural, j%y J" fc, for a Woman to fuckle 
 ' her Infant, ~ bccaufe Nature has furniilVd her 
 * with proper and faitable Means of Nouriih- 
 ' mentfor that ,Purpofe.' But had that Au- 
 thor lived till this Day, he had poffibly been 
 told Nature had chinged her Order, f.nd ge- 
 nerally v/ith-hcld and deny'd the common Means, 
 It has often been Subject of Reflection to me, 
 when I have obfervcd that Women pretend 
 they are fo univeriaily difibled, that they are 
 incapable of taking upon them this tender Of- 
 fice, and difcharging the natural Obligation of 
 Suckling their Children. The general Plea is, 
 want of Milk, or Tendernefs of Conilitution, 
 which renders them unfit to take upon them 
 fo troublefome an Office: But as often as I have. 
 obferved, examined, and traced fuch Pretences 
 and Excufes for this Cruelty, I have found 
 ("except in fome few Infiances) they abfolutely 
 center in Pride and Self-love. But I only pro- 
 pofe by this fliort remark, to remind fome,;
 
 liild inform others, that this unnatural Condu£i 
 has been juftly concjemn'd by Arch-biihop Ttl-^ 
 lotfon^ to whofe Difcourfes, on the Education 
 of Children, I would refer you. However, 
 he (as well as others) does not propofe ImpofG- 
 bilities to any ; on the contrary, he goes far in 
 admitting real and reafonable Pleas and Excufes ; 
 but where none of thefe appear, he is of Opi- 
 nion, 'tis every Woman's indifpenlible Obliga- 
 tion to nourifh her Infant at her own Breaft. 
 His Argun;ents are bro't from Nature,- Scrip-' 
 ture and Reafon ; and* I heartily wifh every 
 Parent, in this Circumftance, and of this Cha- 
 racter, may perufe them impartially and can- 
 didly '^ and that they may have the good Ef- 
 fect of rcftoring that natural Affection and 
 Tendernefs, in the Female Part of the World, 
 •which has been fo long loft. And before I con- 
 clude this Obfervation, I fhall tranfcribe a Paf- 
 fage from a Pamphlet lately printed in London^ 
 entitled, Brit am' s Remembrancer ^ wherein the 
 Author (whom I have heard is a Nobleman) 
 propofes a Method for improving the prefent 
 unhappy Situation of the Nation and Kingdom 
 Cf GreaUBrttain ; and fhews that the Calami- 
 ties they arc involved in, are the EfFeds of the 
 Vices and Irreligion which prevail among the 
 Inhabitants ^ againft whom he brings a gene- 
 ral Charge : And then in a particular Addreft 
 to the Women, he takes the Liberty of telling 
 them, That no fmall Share of the national 
 Guilt is chargeable on their Account, as, fays 
 he, " You have given up yourfelves to Plea-^ 
 ** fures, Theatrical and Mufical Entertainments^ 
 
 '' t^
 
 to the negled not only of all that is fpinV 
 tiial and lacred, but alio of thofe Domefticfc 
 Cares which are your proper Province. The 
 unavoidable EfFefl: of a conllant Purl'uit of 
 thefe publick Divcrfions, mufl: be intirely to 
 pervert your Minds from what is the only 
 natural Sphere of Womankind , and what 
 they were originally intenied for^ by the 
 Ordination of Heaven ; Vv^ho form'd you for 
 the plain and homely, but neceffary and enr 
 dearing Charafters, of a Wife and a Mother; 
 and that all the various Ornaments of Pride, 
 which fill a Woman's fantaftick Brain, and 
 disfigure the native Beauties of her Perfon ; 
 and all the giddy Hours fhc pafles in a 
 Round of guilty Follies, falfely called Plear 
 fure and Diverfion, tend to make her more 
 unfit for what Nature defign'd her. And 
 whenever you aim at any thing elfe, than to 
 be dutiful Daughters, loving Wives, tender 
 Mothers, prudent MiftrefTes of Families, 
 faithful Friends, and pious Chriftians, yoii 
 aim at fomething quite out of Nature, and 
 bcfide the Intention of Hcayen in making 
 you rational Creatures. Will Vauxhall im- 
 prove you in Oeconomy and Frugality ? 
 Or Ranelagh's in the domeftick Arts thaj: 
 make Families happy? Will the bombaftick 
 Rant of the Play-houfe furnilh you with 
 Maxims of Prudence ? Or i.ts obfcene RibaV 
 dry ftore your Minds with the Graces of 
 Modefty and Virtue ? How long muft you 
 die away to the foft Strains of Mufick, or 
 ftudy theatrical Excellencies of Stage-
 
 L 1^4 3 
 
 ^^ heroes, before you \vill be the fitter Com- 
 " panions for Men of Senfe ? How long rnuft 
 '' YOU pradice curling the Hair, fluttering your 
 " Fans, and overloading your Perfons with 
 *' fa-fc Ornamenrs, before your Converfation 
 " will be ever new, and ever entertaining to a 
 '' Husb^id of Knowledge and Worth." This; 
 aad mlRi more to the fame Effect, iliys thjit 
 "oble Autiior, to whom I refer you ; and 
 ^'lail only add what he propoies in general as 
 the bed Expedient to improve the prefen^- 
 Junclure of Affairs, v:^u '"• That every tadi-j 
 ^' vidual endeavour to refor.m One/' 
 
 I have fometimes had a Concern on my Mind 
 to recommend to your Confideration,. the JuH 
 tice and Duty you owe to your Chddren in 
 another Refpecl befidc that I have mentioned, 
 "V/JZ. The Obligation every . I arent is under to. 
 manifefc an efpecial Regard for the future Hap- 
 piaefs of the Souls of their Ghfidre'n, by a re- 
 iigious'Care in their hducation : But I have been 
 difcouraged from^ pffering m.y Sentiments on 
 t^is SubjeQ-, when I ccnnder the little Care 
 a'fid Regard too many ' Parents have for their 
 own Souls, whofe future We.' -being appears. to 
 be much difregarded by many, tho' profeffing 
 Chriftianity. 
 
 "I. don't purpofe to lay much on this Subjeci^ 
 •^'ct think*proper to offer a few things to your 
 
 Jofiraeration, vv^hich tho' they may perhaps. j 
 appear trifhng to fome at firft Sight, yet I havc^ 
 ibmetimes thought them of greater Confequence,, 
 than I apprehend many others do. That Errors^ 
 
 .1 the firfi: Principles of Education (is well as<
 
 in other C-iks) are dangerous and pernicious, is 
 a received Mil^im ; for if v/e let out ^vith 
 wrong Means to obtain a defirecl End ; we have 
 not only loft our Time, but' with great Difiicul- 
 ty and Laboufmuft unlearn our lirft Rules and 
 Leffbns. Upon reflefting on the Appearances 
 of Anger and P.efentnient, which we find fo 
 earlv and fo often glow in the little tender 
 Brealts of Infants, 'and the early ^ropenfities 
 we obfervc in them to Pride, and a Fond nefs for 
 Triilcs- it has appeared to 'me, they maybe 
 often attributed to the ill E^rample of Parents, 
 fSc\ and Errors in their Management from, their 
 Infiincy, as young Children we know common- 
 ly imitate and ad from the Example of their 
 Parents, or thofe concerned in the Care and E- 
 ducation of them. To fay little of the fuper- 
 flaous Ornaments of Lace, Lace-w^ork, and 
 Ribbands, which the Infant is adorn'd with, as 
 foon as it comes into the World, as well to. 
 pleafc and gratify the Mother's and Nurfe's 
 Vanity, as that it may be admir'd by the for- 
 mal and ceremonious Vifitors; as foon as the In- 
 fant is capable of the lealt Notice, it is inmie- 
 diately prefcnted with a Number of fooli'fliToy?, 
 which, tho' fome, fuitably chofen, may be pro- 
 per to give them an Idea of natural Thing-, 
 yet I have thought there are many Trifles pre- 
 fcnted and recomm.ended to them as Things of 
 Value and Worth, which lead them afterv/ards 
 to entertain a Fondnefs for Vanities and Toys, 
 that are more expenfive and hurtful. By th;s 
 Time, funiQ little Dawning of Reafon begins to 
 "appear in the Child, Care is taken to inculcate 
 
 the
 
 the Principles of Anger and Malice, Refentmen| 
 and Revenge J as the Child is inftrufted to re? 
 ceive every little Contradiction^ as an Injur)^ or 
 Afifront, which he is to revenge, by £^/ing 
 the Nurfe the Blow to execute on the Ot- 
 fendcr. Next conies in Conrfe, to amufe the 
 Child, a String of idle abfurd Sennets and Bal- 
 lads, which, as foon as its lifping Tongue is able 
 to form Words, it is taught to repeat. The 
 next Inftruftion is, in a Catalogue of vain^ aniu- 
 iing Stories, a Relation of Fairy Talcs, Hifto- 
 xies of Giants, Tom Thumbs, and luch like 
 Stuff, arc the young and tender Brains and Ca- 
 pacities of Infants llor'd with ] as proper Rudi-r 
 mcnts to fit them for, and introduce more in- 
 genious Lies and Romances. The next Thing 
 Children arc early inftrucied in^ is Rule and Au^ 
 thority, by teaching, and allowing them a Supe- 
 jicrity over Servants. A Servant tho' never fp 
 judicious and capable of knowing what is fit 
 and convenient for a Child, is neverthelefs re^ 
 ilrained by many Parents froni keeping Children 
 in Subjection and Order, or crofEng and difap- 
 pointing their Will in any Circumftance • this 
 manifcftly teaches the Child a Leflbn of Self- 
 will, which many never unlearn all their Lives 
 after. The next Cruelty we are guilty of to 
 i>ur Children, is Flattery (at the fame Time by 
 Example or Precept teaching them many little 
 ^nd mean Artifices and equivocal Turns, un- 
 worthy a rational and generous, to fay nothing 
 ^f a Chriftian Mind) this is commonly praftifed 
 both by Parents and Servants, by whom Chil*- 
 ^ren are inftruded, when adorn'd with all the 
 
 Pamp
 
 L *^7 J 
 Pomp and Vanity within the Parent's Reach, 
 to fet an high Value and Eftimation on them- 
 feives, on the Score of their fine Clothes, &c. 
 or the Perfections of their Bodies, and at the 
 fame time they arc taught to dcfpife others, by 
 perfwading them they arc both finer and hand- 
 fomcf than fome others. And now to linifh and 
 complcat a modern Education, it requires the fol- 
 lowing A ccomplifhments, viz. To be expert in 
 Drefs and Dancing, Ombre or Gaming in general, 
 to be able to make judicious Remarks on Opera 
 Airs, and ftage Plays, and to repeat much of 
 the Ribaldry and Prophanity they learn from 
 thence, and reading Romances and other perni- 
 cious Books- Add to all this the Art of Vi- 
 fiting, where after thofe prefent arc much flat-^ 
 tcr'd and complimented 3 the Abfent, on the 
 contrary, are as ungeneroufly dealt with, and 
 feverely handled- But with refped to the re- 
 ligious Education of Children, we do not find 
 many Parents employ much of their Time iri 
 giving Children an Idea of the Supreme Being, 
 fuitable to theirUnderftanding; and as far as their 
 little Capacities will admit, inftrucl: and incul- 
 cate the Principles of moral and Chriftian Du- 
 ties : On the contrary, the Generality of Pa- 
 rents, feem to think they have fufficiently dif- 
 Charged their religious Duty, if they are care- 
 ful their Children are taught to repeat the Du- 
 ties the Catehifm contains ; and in the fame 
 Manner fay over a Set of Words, entitled, Tray- 
 ers for Children ; which they neither do nor can 
 Underliand, at the Age they are taught them; 
 and which \ can't but confider as great Impiety 
 
 and'
 
 I "^ J 
 
 and Irreverence in both Parents and Schpol- 
 xniftrelTcs, when they teach Chiiclren to Ipeak. 
 Words, they do not underftand, to an Infinite 
 Being ; of which tlicy, at the Time they arc 
 taught them,- can have no, competent Know- 
 ledge, fo as to enable them to addrefs Him at 
 allj much lefs in the Terms commonly put into 
 their Mouths. The Time I am eonfm*d to, 
 would fail to enumerate every Inilance the Ge- 
 nerality of Parents are culpable in, with Rc- 
 fpett to Injuries they inadvertently aild incon- 
 liderately do their Children, in their Infancy, 
 i£c. but I can't without a feeming Abfurdity, 
 put them in Mind of the Juftice they owe their 
 Children, when, with Concern, I obferve fo 
 many fail in the Juftice they owe themfelves^ 
 by the apparent Neglect of their own Souls. I 
 dcfire them to permit me to recommend to each 
 of their ferious Confiderations, the ineftirnable 
 Worth and Value of your own immortal Souls, 
 as well as thofe of your Children : lor what is 
 a Man frojk^d^ if he gam the whole World ^ ar^d 
 lofe his own Soul? Gr what fiall he gtv9 in Er-- 
 chmige jsr his Soul? No Man can give to God a 
 Random for it^ feeing the Redempion is fo pre^ 
 ctous^ that it ceafeth forever^ (Pfal. xlix. 7.) 
 when once it is loft. 'Twould be an, inexprelli- 
 ble Happincfs, v/ere every one fcnfibie of thi$ 
 Truth 5 there v/ould be then Hope that they 
 would enter upon the great and neceffary Work 
 our Lord recommends ; that is, ' Firft that our 
 own Tree be made good, and then the Fruit, 
 it will necefTarily prpduce, will be good alio :' 
 And wh^n we find a Necellity of doing Juftice 
 
 t»
 
 L *^9 J 
 to ourfelves, in the great Duty and Care of our 
 '^ouls, we Ihail, I am certain, feel a very ftrong 
 and fenfible Concern for the real ^Happinefs of 
 our Offspring. Whether the Education I have 
 been above dcfcribing, is agreeable to Chrifti- 
 anity, I leave all Parents, in their ferious Mo- 
 ments, to confider; and proceed with a Re- 
 mark on the Time called Chrijlmafs ; which 
 being fo lately obferved here, occafibned me to 
 purfue a Reflciion I have heretofore had at 
 fuch Scafons. I ftiall lirft mention an Obfer- 
 vation of Alexander Cruden's^ a Clergyman (if 
 I miftake not) After he has given us a Catalogue 
 of the Feftivals obferved by the Jeivs^ he adds; 
 In the Chnfttan Churchy we have no Feftivals 
 that ap2^ar to have been infthuted by ChuisT 
 or his Apftles : Neverthekfs Chriftiaiis have al^ 
 ways celebrated the Memory oj Christ's Refiir^, 
 reiiion^ and kept this Feajt on every Firft-day of 
 the Week ; which was called the Lord's-Day^ fo 
 early as in St, John's T/me : I was {fays John) 
 in the Spirit on the Lords day. However, I in- 
 tend not here to enquire how, or when, this, 
 or any other Feaft, came to be introduced among 
 ProfefTors of Chriftianity ; but only briefly to 
 fay, Thofe who obferve Days and Times, 
 fliould, as -they profefs, obferve them to the 
 Lord. You have a pretty large Account (m 
 Luke) how the Birth of the holy Child Jesus, 
 was ufhered in. There were (fays he) Shepherds 
 abiding in the Fields ^Judea, near Uhto the 
 Town ^Bethlehem; watching their Flocks by 
 Night. And to the Angel oj God came upon them^^ 
 and the Glory of the Lord JJoonc round them j a7td 
 
 R: they
 
 L 130 J 
 
 th3y "were [Gre afra'td : And the Angel [aid mtt(P 
 th'^m^ Fe^ir not^ lor heboid I bring you glad Tidings 
 oj great Jcy uhlchjhall be to all Tccfle : lor un- 
 to jou tins Day is bvrn^ inthe City of David, a 
 Saviour^ "which is called QuKisr the Lord. And 
 fuddenly there was with the Angel a Multitude of 
 h^.avenly H&(is^ fraifmg God^ and faying^ Glory 
 to God in the Bghc(l I on Earth 'Peace ^ Good- 
 will to Men I Then [aid the Sh.fherds^ Let its 
 now go to Bethleherii, and jee the Thing, 
 which is noiv come to pafs^ and which the Lord 
 haih rnaae known unto us ; and when they had 
 jetn the ChiUl^ they made known the Saying a- 
 broad ^ and they that heard^ wondered \at the 
 Things that were told them by the Shepherds ; 
 who ra timed glorifying and fratfing God^ for all 
 the Things they had heard and [een^ as it was 
 told them by the Angel : And wh^n eight hays 
 were accmnpUfhed' for the circun>cifing the Chi Id ^ 
 they caUed his Name J^sus [a Saviour] which 
 was fa named of the Angel before he was con- 
 ceivfid' in the Ifomb ; for this Reafon, becaufe he 
 fcrdl five his Teople from their Sins. Here are 
 Glac-ric'ings of great Joy to all People^ ex- 
 preiVd with the greateft Solemnity ; For bJoold 
 finidenly ^^ great Multittide oj heavenly Hofls af^ 
 par\d with the /Inge I ^ fraifing God fdt his Good- 
 will to Men ; by intrcduciaj the Means of 
 Peace on Earth, as God i.^, in CbiiiST recon-^ 
 eiling the World unto Himfelf^ and blorting 
 ©n.t vhe hand-writing that was againlt them, 
 ficUmg it to the Crofs ; and putting Mankind in- 
 tx) 2l Capacity of Salvation. And next good 
 Qid Sirneony wlio it appears, had been vv'aiting. 
 
 far.
 
 for tht:Confolatwn of Ifrael, celebrated theBirtli 
 cpf Christ on this wife, Lord now ktteji I'hou 
 ihy Sdr%>ant depart in Teace^ jor mine Eyes 
 have fern thy 'Salvation^ which Thou haft ^re- 
 fared before the tace of all Teofle : A Light to 
 mltghtm the Gentiles ; and to be the Glory of 
 thy Tcofle Ifrael ! Then Anna the Prophetels, 
 coming into the Temple, gave Thinks likewise 
 unto the Lord., and (fake of Chiiist to all them 
 that looked for Redemption in Ifrael. ^ • And next 
 we may obferve how the wife Gentiles behaved 
 on this Occafion, when they came from the 
 Eaft to Jerufalem, twelve Days after the Birth 
 .of our Lord : Thefe Men tho' they were Hea-- 
 thens^ and conf dered Him as a temporal ^ving 
 (as well as a fpiritual Saviour) yet approach 
 Him with no loud and clamorous Acclamations 
 of noify and frantic Joy ; no Drums, Trumpets, 
 nor Fiddles ; but when they came into the Hoafe 
 and fiw him/proftrating themfclves^ they wor- 
 ihipped him. 
 
 And now I would beg Leave to ask thePro- 
 fefibrs of Chriftianity, if they, on theie Qcca- 
 fions, aft confidently with thcmfelves, who %^\\ 
 us their Times calf d Holy-days are '.nore elpc- 
 cially fet apart for pious Purp ofes ; ?je they 
 then agreeable to this Defign employed in an 
 Enquiry, whether you have any rational Ground 
 to hope you have an Intereft in the Saviour, 
 whofe Birth you profefs to commemorate ? Do 
 you examine whether your Pradice keeps Pace 
 with your ProfelTion ? Do you live a Life of 
 Humility and Holinefs, agreeable to the Exam- 
 ple our holy Pattern recommends to our Imita- 
 
 R % tioni
 
 L M^ J 
 tion ; who was holy, harmlefs, and imdefilcd fcr 
 parate from Sin, and Sinners ? Or, on the con- 
 trary, are not thefe Times confider'd, by moft • 
 People, no otherwife than Seafons of Mirth 
 and Jollity ? And, as fuch, are they not chiefly 
 fpent, by Profeflbrs themfelves, in Feafting, 
 and Dancing, Gaming, Jefting and Wantonnefs ; 
 not confidering the Work our Lord came to 
 accomplifli, neither do they regard the Hand of 
 Power that would fave them ! And among 
 the inferior Clafs of People, what but one con- 
 tinued Scene of Drunkennefs, Riot, Debaucher 
 ry and Madnefs, appears to every common Ob- 
 ferver ? ^Twould be much more beneficial, Tloat 
 the hliisbandin/^n fiootdd till his Grounds^ and the 
 Art'tfl follow'' d or ^-jorkJd at his Trade ^ than 
 that they Jhottld be this idlc^ or^ what is worfe^ 
 doing wickedly on thefe GccaJionSy when^ by Rca" 
 jon oj wicked IVorks they criicijy ajreJJj the Lord 
 of Uje and Glory^ and ptt him to opn Shame! 
 I would once more ask both Profeffors and Pro- 
 phane, whether Men, ^c, in thefe Circumftan- 
 ces, can poflibly have any juft Title to the fa- 
 cred Name of Chriftianity, while they afl: in 
 direcl Oppofitlon to the Nature of it ? And 
 whether this, and fuch like Converfations, bc- 
 com.es the Gofpel of our Lord and Saviour Je- 
 sus Chkist? Examine, I befeech you, thefe 
 Things ferioufly, and folidly ; and I dare ven- 
 ture to fay, you will find, with me ("who was 
 .once in the Obfcrvation of Time, ^c) that 
 all fuch Rejoicing is Evil ; And that the ap- 
 pointed Falis and Feafts, in the Manner you 
 obferve them, are an Abomination to the Lord, 
 yea his Soul loaths them \ I
 
 1 have before told you, that it was not my 
 Intention to ex 'mine and confider every par- 
 ticular Tranlgrefiiv>n the Controveriy of God 
 is againft, yet I ihall briefly mention the Ca- 
 talogue of Sins the Apoflle "Paul gives us^^ 
 and which he fays are the Fruits of the Fleili, 
 and while People continue to produce . fuch 
 Fruit, they cannot poffibly have an Entrance 
 adminifter'd to them into the Kingdom of 
 God, " Now, (lays he) the Works of the 
 '' Fleih are manifeft, which are Thefe, Adul- 
 ^' tery. Fornication, Uncleannefs, Lafcivioufr 
 ^', nefs. Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, Variance, 
 " Emulations, Wrath, Strife, Seditions, He- 
 " refies, Envyings, Murders, Drunkennefs, 
 *' Revellings, and fuch like/' And in i Cor. 
 '' vi. 10. he adds, ^' Theft, Covetoufnefs, 
 " Reviling, Extortion, ?56'. ofv/hich (fays he) 
 " I have told you in Time paft, that they 
 ^' which do fuch Things, fhall not inherit the 
 '' Kingdom of God/' And in the firft of Eo- 
 7nans^ he defcribcs fuch as did not like to 
 retain God in their Knowledge, by thefe Marks 
 or Charaders " That they were fili'd with all 
 ^' Unrighteoufnefs, as Fornication, Wicked- 
 " nefs, Covetoufnefs, MaliciouAiefs, Fuiiof 
 " Envy, Murder, Debate, Deceit, Malignity, 
 ^' that they were Whifperers, Backbiters, Ha- 
 " ters of God, DefpitefJ, proud Boafters, In- 
 " ventors of evil Things, Difobedient to Pa- 
 " rents, without Underftanding, Covenant- 
 *' breakers, without natural AfTcaion, impla- 
 ^^ cable and unmerciful" And to make the 
 Contrail or Oppolition of fuch Thing to the 
 
 Spirit
 
 L ^:>o J 
 
 Spirit of Chriitianity the more apparent and 
 obvious, he immediately oppofes the Works 
 or Fruits, which the Spirit of Christ produ- 
 ces in his People, who foliOW its Leadings 
 ,and Directions : '^ But the Fruit of the Spirit, 
 *^ is Love, Joy, Peace, Long-fujftering, Gen- 
 ^' tclnefs, Goodnefs, Faith, Meeknefs, Tem^ 
 ^^ perancc, Gelations v. 11, And the Wifdom 
 ^' which is from above, .Cor from God) is lirfi: 
 ^' pure, then peaceable, gentle, eafy to be en- 
 ^^ treated, full of Mercy, and good Fruits, 
 ^' without Partiality and without Hypocrify, 
 *' James iii. 1 7/' After the Apoftle had been 
 cnnumcrating the Sins of the Gentiles, K§c. 
 whch had been prevalent among them before 
 their Converficn to the Chriltian Faith ; Such 
 (fays he) in time f aft were fome of you ; and he 
 tells the Ephefians you hath Chrift quickm'dy 
 ivho were dead in TrefpaJJes and Sins ; wherein^ 
 in Tims paji ye walked^ according to the Courfe 
 (or Cuftom's) of this World^ according to the 
 ^ower of the Trince of the Air ; the Spirit that 
 *worketh no^ju in {the Hearts of) the Children of 
 Difobedicnce^ among whom alfh we had our Con- 
 verfaiion in the Ltifis of onr Flejh ; fidfdling the 
 Do fires of the Flejh ^ and of the Mind: But God, 
 "who is rich in Mercy ^ even when we were dead 
 in Siny &c. hath quickened as together in Chrifl 
 Jeftts^ and made us Jit together in heavenly 
 Tlacesr 
 
 And now it feems fit we fiiould examine how 
 this great and glorious Work was brought about 
 0nd effected, vi:z, by a P.efarreftion from the 
 Death of Sin to a Life of FJghteoufnefs ; 
 
 which
 
 ivlrich this fame Apoftle tells us, was (and is) 
 done by the wajhtng of Regeneration and re-, 
 newing (Power) oj the Holy (jhojl (in the Heart) 
 But now are ye wafbed^ but ye are fanSvifiedj kit 
 ye are jujl{fied in the Name, of the Lord Jesus, 
 and by the Sprit of our God. Hence we may 
 obferve, that theie Belieyevs, who were in 
 Time paft Sinne-s, are now, by the fanftifying 
 Power of Christ, and Obedience to the Faith 
 deliver'd,. become Saints ; agreeable to what 
 the Apoftle Paid writes to the Chriftian^ 
 Churches, Tour Bodies (fays he) are the Tem^les^ 
 of the- Holy Ghojl^ which is in you^ i Cor. vi. ip. 
 The Ephefians were Fellow-citizens with ths 
 Saints^ and Hou/hold of God, The Converfati- 
 on of the Thilij^fians was in Heaven* The 
 Collojjians were dclkver'd from the Pow.r of 
 Darknejs^ and tranfiated into the Kingdom oj tho 
 dear Son oj God. The Hebrews were come to^ 
 the City of the living God\ to the Heavenly Jeru^ 
 falem: And the Apoftle jP^^^r tells the Churches, 
 that they were a chosen Generation^ a royat 
 Triefthood^ an holy Nation^ a pcidiar Teo^L\ 
 I Pet. ii. 5?. But is this the State $f Chrijlians ifp 
 our Age ? . Can we (ay that ws- are come to th& 
 heavenly Jerufalem, where the great God is wor-^ 
 pipped in Sprit and in Truth ? Or are we St^n-^ 
 gers to thofe Things y that they exprienced\ and 
 yet prfuade ourfelves^ that we are the People of 
 Gody and good Chrijlians. The primitive Churches 
 had the honourable Title of Saints^ we can give our^ 
 felves no better Name than mtferable Sinners. And 
 what is the Reafon^ that we are [o much outdona 
 by the Churches aj.oremntioned j we^ can't conclude-^. 
 "' "^ ' ' tihci^
 
 that the Kingdom of Christ, that then appeared 
 in 'Tower ^ dtd^ as the Sun in the Firmament fome-^ 
 times doth^ /loe^w itfelf in a Mornings and be no 
 more [een all the Day^ jor the Kingdom ofChriJl 
 is an everlafting Kingdom^ and his nevj Covenant 
 an everlafting Covemnt. Neither can we conclude^ 
 thM God hath withdrawn Himjelf from the ChiU 
 dren of Mem^for he 7iever for fakes iis^ nnlefs wefor^ 
 fake him \ as the Clouds hinder^ that we cannot 
 at all TipesoftheDay fee theBrightnefs of the Sun-^ 
 fo Iniquity hinders^ that we do not remain fenfible 
 of the "Prefeuce of God. Jhe Apoflle forefaw^ that 
 there would be a falling away from the Grace in 
 which maiyofthep'imitiveChrijiianswdre eftablijh^ 
 ed\ and it Joon after his Deceaje came to fafs. But 
 we fay J that the dark Night of A^oflacy is over^ 
 and we live in Goff el-days again \ if fo^ where 
 are the Fruits ? We may.^ 1 confefs^ hear Goipl- 
 Words ; but where is the Goffel 'rower ^ by which 
 Believers come to be Sons of God-^ to bear his 
 Image in Righteonfnejs ? Why are not we^ call'd 
 Chrtfians^ grown to the Stature of them that were 
 the Children of Heathens ? The Rcafon to me is 
 this^ we have not built u^on the fame Foundation : 
 Thofe built on the fure Rock^ and living Founda^ 
 tion^ on CHRIST-^ as he^ in all Ages^ was^ and 
 ftill is J in fpiritual Appearance^ the Light of the 
 Worlds and the Life of Right eoufnefs ^ and taking 
 his Eternal Sprit in themfelves for their Guide^ 
 turn'd from whatfoever they were reproved for^ 
 Thus their fmful Defires came to be mortified/^ and 
 fuch as were carnal came to be fpriiual \ and 
 this made them a peculiar Teofle, Did we walk 
 in their Footjiep^ we might rife to their Attain- 
 
 mentSy
 
 ments ; but if we build on Words ^ and oittwani 
 'Services^ without Sprit and Lije^ we can mvc;r. 
 rife. J or as Paul fafd in another Caje^ If I 
 fpeak with the Tongue of Men and Angels, 
 and have not Charity, I am become as founding 
 Brafs, ®L. So 1 fay in this Cafe^ ij we hear M.ji 
 and Angels ; if we could live contmually under 
 the Sound oj good (fords ^ if we have no Regard 
 to that inward Light ^ which difcovers Evil^ and 
 gives Power to turn from it^ we can never mor- 
 tify Sin^ ckanfe our Souls^ and become an holy 
 'People. The Hork of Santtification is inward m 
 the Hearty and to be efe£led by inward Means : 
 Nothing but inward Light can expel inward Dark- 
 ftefs : Since Men fondly ferfuade themfelves^ that 
 tho" they fbw Tares'^ they Jhall reap Wheat ; 
 tho' th^y go down into the Grave Sinners^ thy 
 Jhall rife Saints ; and attain in another World 
 what pimitive Chriflians attained in this : Their 
 Converfiition hath not been in Heaven -^ but in 
 Earth : Thy hsve walked in Darknefs^ and not 
 in th^ Lii'ht : the God of this ii'orld hath been 
 frved^ and not the God of Heavt^n-. And not-, 
 withftandin^ this is the unhappy and deplora- 
 ble Circumftance of many of the Profeffbrs of 
 this Age ; yet from the Mouths of fuch, how 
 frequently do we hear Exclamations and Com- 
 plaiiits, againft the daily Growth of hifLlity 
 and Dvijm ! never fo much as imagining that 
 they are any way accefTary cr iniirurnental to 
 this Mifchief ; yet one great Caufe thereofs I 
 t ike to be, the irregular and unholy Lives of 
 Profeflbrs. And till fuch can be pcriwAded^ 
 that a eonfixlcLt Pradice with the Religion they 
 
 S profcfsj
 
 jirofefs, is abfolutely requifitc, to rccommcncf 
 the Chriftian Religion ; and till they produca 
 the moft convincing and prevailing Argument,.. 
 Exam^k^ how can they hope or exped to be 
 credited by this Infidel Pvace, which fo much 
 abounds -, as every one m aft be fenfibie of the 
 Difficulty of enforcing a Precept (tho* never 
 fo laudable in itfelf) in Words, which in our 
 Lives and Pracl:iccs. wenotorioully deny? There- 
 fore the only Expedient that 1 know of, to ftop 
 the Mouths of Unbelievers, v/ill be. To Jhow 
 fonh your good Convrrfation in CHRIST JiidUS^ 
 coiipLd w/tJj the Fear oj God\ to Let your Light 
 \g finne before Men^ that thy.feehg your good 
 Uorks^ may glorijy God^ and be excited to follow 
 your good Example.. 
 
 And now dear People^ having, in a broken 
 Manner,, declared to you thefe Things which 
 lay as a Weight on my Mind, there remains' 
 little but to prcpofe to.' you, to try the Foun- 
 dation of your Faith and Ho e : Truth never 
 loies by Examination, but fnines with greater; 
 Light and ^Splendor : Therefore, agreeable tch 
 the Apoftle's Advice, '^ Examine youifelves,. 
 whether you be of the Ctrue) Faith; know 
 you not your felves, how that Chuist 
 Jtsus is in you, except you be Reprobates?'" 
 ^' That is, (lays Grotwus) Chrifrians in Name, 
 and not in Deeds." Do not trific, I befeech 
 you, . in a Matter of fuch Importance, as the 
 future Well-being of your imm.ortal Souls I To' 
 be iiiiftaken in this Point, will be of fatal Con- 
 itquence; Errors of this Sort being only to be 
 rectify 'd wTiile we remain in this Life j for wc 
 
 arc
 
 L HP J ^ 
 .MC pofitively told, TIjat thre h no Wifdom^ nor 
 Kmrivledge^ Merk^ nor Device^ in the Grave^ 
 whither we are all hajiening. And our Lord 
 tells usj He wrought while it was J)ay, and 
 excites us {o to do, by laying, l''he Night 
 cometh wherein no Man can Work Let us there- 
 fore enquire whether our Faith is fuch an One 
 £S operates by Love: If ye love me^ keep my 
 JOommatd;}:eniS^ fays our bleffed Lord. Let us 
 remember what Obftacles this true Faith re- 
 moved for the primitive Chriftians, what Dif- 
 ficulties it enabled them to furmount. Hcb, xi. 
 " Without this Faith (in the Power of Chki ST) 
 it is impoffible to pleafe God/' " I will (fays 
 the Apoitle James) fliew thee my Faith by my 
 Works ^ for as the Body, vvithout the Spirit, is 
 dead, fo Faith, without Works, is dead alfo. 
 Ye are my Friends (fays Christ) if ye do 
 whatloever I command/' 
 
 What will it avail us, tho' his outward Gofpei 
 be taught in our Land, if we do not obey his 
 Law written in our Hearts, and conform to its 
 Rule and Government. And tho' Christ our 
 Lord is the Fountain to cleanfe us from the 
 Polhition of Sin ; yet if we refufe to be puri- 
 fied b}'' his fpiritual Baptifm ; " If be Vv'aili us 
 not, we can have no Part in Him," nor his Me- 
 rits. ' And indeed my Friends, I have taken 
 fome Pains, by divine Affiilance, to examine 
 and enquire how I might have a well-grounded 
 Hope to obtain Salvation, or, in other Words, 
 eternal Life and Happinefs. And in all my En- 
 quiries and Refearchcs, I have not been able to 
 difcover any other* Way than this, which the 
 
 S a Al*
 
 L * ^^ ' J 
 
 Almighty ccntinues to direft Mankind In at this 
 Day, as well as heretofore, ^-' The Way of Ho- 
 lineis thro' Ckr.st /' he being the Author of 
 eternal Salvation to all Believers. " Be ye ho- 
 ly, as I the Lord your God am holy ,'' and 
 ^' without Holincfs, no Man fhall l,ee the 
 Xord :" And I find I can be made fo no other 
 "Way, but thro' '' Sanctification of the Spirit, 
 unto the Obedience of Faith, and Sprinkling 
 of the Blcod of Jesus Christ/' For every 
 cne vv^ho has, or can reafcnably have any Foun- 
 dation of Hope to be faved by Christ's Life, 
 Sufferings, Refurreclion, Afcenfion, and Medi- 
 ation, muft, by his Grace affifling, purify 
 himlelf, as he is pure; as no unclean Thing can 
 pofHbly enter his holy Kingdom. And it is by^ 
 his Grace we are faved, thro' Faith, operating ' 
 by Love , " not of ourfeives, it is the Gift of 
 God !" Thus, as I became obedient to the 
 Teaching of this Grace rcecived, I came to witr 
 nefs Mercy and Peace multiplied to. me ; for 
 which, in great Reverence and Humihty, I de- 
 fire always to blefs God, the Father of our 
 Lord Jesus, for His unfpeakable Gift ! and 
 for his abundant Mercy wherewith he hath vi- 
 {itQd my Soul in his Day-fpring from his high 
 and holy Prcfence : and afforded me a good 
 Founviation to hope for his Salvation; and 1 de- 
 fire to give all the Glory to God, and to f^y, 
 *' Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to 
 thy great Name and Power, be the Glory !" Be 
 ye holy^ is a Precept which contains no Myftery ; 
 here is no hjugma to unriddle ; no Need of 
 Ccmmentatcrs j no P.oom ibr Scepiajm^ nor 
 
 Con«
 
 Controverfy ; but a plain and poutiv^ Command, 
 lb legible, that he that runs may read ; the 
 V/ay faring Man, tho' a Fool (^vith reiped to 
 the V/ilcicrTi of the Woild) cannot err here. 
 Therefore luffer me to counfd you, to break off 
 the Sin that you find eafily bcfet you, by 
 Righteciifnefs • and your Iniquities by Amend- 
 iricnr of Life • that fu your Tranquility may be 
 lengthened, and attend you beyond the Grave. 
 And to you, as I have faid before, who may 
 not charge yourfclves with grofs Immoralities, 
 yet who prefer a Portion in this Life, to the 
 durable Riches and Righteoufnefs in another; 
 who fay unto Gold, " Thou art my Hope, and 
 make fine Gold your Confidence ; who hav^ 
 forl^.ken God, the Fountain of living Waters, 
 and hewn to yourfclves, Cifterns, broken Cifr? 
 terns, that will hold no Water; , who have 
 changed the Glory of the incorruptible Beingj^ 
 and given it to your- corruptible Things: Re- 
 member, God will not give his Glory to Idols, 
 nor his Praife to your graven Images : Therefore 
 keep yourfclves from Idols, and love not the 
 World nor the Things of this World ^ for if any 
 Man love the World (inordinately) the I ove of 
 the Facber is not in him." And to you who are 
 Lovers of Pleafure, more than Lovers of Go:l ; 
 w^ho delight and place your Felicity in-Gran.'eur^ 
 Pomp and'Noife, confider, I befeech you, that all 
 this v/iil afford you no Com.fcrt ncr Satisfaftion 
 in a dying Moment^ but, on the contrary. Re*. 
 morfe and Sorrow : They will c.ich one aban- 
 don you in ypur greateft Extremities; and yoa 
 will then fee how. you have been dclnoed and 
 
 mifcakcn^
 
 .L ^^* J 
 
 tnifiakcn, when the undeniable Meffenger of 
 Death lays his Arreft upon you, and that inir 
 •portant Hour affiires you, that a few Moments 
 will -decide your Judgment, and caft you either 
 -for eternal Blifs or Milery ! Of what Efccem 
 th-n will be all your Pleafures, and all your 
 Toy$? The greateft and moft exalted of all 
 human Glory, " even Crowns themfelves will 
 then be Toys." This then will be qur Re- 
 joicing, ^^ The Teftimony of a good Confcience, 
 that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity, not by 
 fleihly Wifdom, but by the Grace of God, we 
 have had our Gonverfation in this World, a Cor. 
 i. 12/' And when we look back, and make 
 our Appeal to God, as good King Hez,ekiah did 
 on his Death-bed • " Remember now, O Lord, I 
 *^ befeech thee, how I have walked before thee 
 ^' in Truth, and with a perfed Heart, and have 
 *' done that which is good in thy Sight/' Ohap^ 
 pv State! O glorious Condition ! May God of his 
 mfinite Mercy fo incline your Hearts to keep 
 his ComxHiandments, that when the Time of 
 your Diffolution approaches, you may all die the 
 Death of the Righteous, and that your latter 
 End may be like his! On the conti;ary5 how 
 will the Wicked look back with Horror and 
 Affright on a Life fpent in open Defiance and 
 Violation of God's L^ws, or a total Ncgled of 
 and Indifference for ticm ? What will appear 
 in fuch a melancholy Seafon to fuch as thefe, 
 a certam fearful looking for of Judgment, 
 nnd f cry 'ndignation, which will devour the 
 Adverfaries of the Lord^ whofe Wrath wil^ 
 then be revealed in a more extraordinary Man* 
 
 ncr
 
 2^eT againft all Unrighteoufnefs and Ungodlincf^ 
 of Men. This will be a Day of Trial (i;/^. 
 the Day of Death) which will come on ail the 
 Inhabitants of the Earth ; wherein the Faces of 
 the Unrighteous will gathei Paienefs; A Day 
 of Trouble and Diftrefs ! A Day of Darknefs 
 and Gloominefs ! A Day of Awakening and 
 Alarm ! wherein neither Silver nor Gold Ihall 
 t)c able to deliver! Confider this in time, all 
 you that forget God, left he laugh at your Ca-^' 
 kirmtks^ and mock when your Fear cornet h^ But 
 fome may object, this is not always the unhap- 
 py Cafe and Situation of Sinners, who defer the 
 Work of Repentance to a fick or dying Bed ^ 
 God is very merciful, and is he not always' 
 willing and ready to accept returning, repent- 
 ing Sinners, tho' at the eleventh or lall Hour? 
 I fliall reply in the Words of an Author known 
 to fome of you at leaft ♦ ' Death puts an End 
 ^' to our Day of Grace,; and determines our fi-' 
 ^ nal State ; then all Men muft confefs of what 
 ' mighty Confequence it is to die well ^ we can 
 ^ die but once, and if we mifcarry that once, 
 ' we are undone forever V And w^hat confider- 
 ing Man would make fuch dangerous Experi- 
 ments as Sinners do every Day, when their Souls 
 are the Price of the Experiment ? Who would 
 try how long Death will delay its coming ! how 
 long he may Sin on, without thinking of Death 
 and Judgment? Whether Death will give him 
 timely Notice to repent? Or whether God will 
 give him Grace to repent? And if he doe^, 
 who wou'd venture the Hazard of a Death- 
 Bc& Repentance ? Whether after a. long Life of 
 
 Sir^
 
 L 144 J 
 Sin arid WiaVednefs, a few diftraftedj confufed 
 and almoft defpairing Sighs and Groans will 
 carry him to Heaven, and commute for what 
 ought to have been the Work and Bafinefs of 
 our whole Lives, v'ls^. a Preparation for Death: If 
 fuch could after they havedifcover'd theirMiftake 
 and Folly return and live over their Lives again^ 
 the Hazard were not fo great- but this is an 
 Experiment not to be twice made. If they Sin 
 on till they harden themfelves in Sin, and are 
 fo:faken of the Grace of God ; if Death come 
 long before they expefted, and cut them off by- 
 Surprize, and without Warning ; if their dying 
 and defpairing Agonies and Horrors, fiiould 
 fiot prove a godly Sorrow, nor that Repentance 
 to Salvation not ro be repented of, they are loit 
 to Eternity ! And what Man in his Senfes 
 wcu'd expofe his Soul to fuch a Hazard as this ? 
 Who wou'd not take Care to make his Calling 
 and Eledion fure, before Death comes, and in 
 a Matter of fuch great Concernment (wherein 
 one Mifcarriage is irreparable) to prevent Dan- 
 ger ;^t a Diftance. Some Men talk of Death, 
 as if it were a Thine; that could be dene in two 
 or three DaySj and that the proper Time ot 
 doing it was a little before they die. But I 
 know of no ctheT Preparation for Death, but 
 living w^ell, which is the only fure Evidence 
 fbr Heaven. Men , may cheat themfelves with 
 tain Hopes and Imaginations w^hen they come 
 to die^ but Viorlung will be a folid Foundation 
 fbr Peace, but 2X<^ univerfal Righteoufnefs. 
 
 Therefore I entreat you, the Inhabitants of 
 tfeis Place, to difabufe yourfelyes j don't fell 
 
 youf
 
 your Birthright on fuch difadvantageons Terms^ 
 nor barter eternal Felicity for momentary Plea- 
 fure j give not Sleep to your Eyes, nor Slum- 
 ber to your Eye-lids, till you are become lit 
 Temples for the mighty God oijatobto dwell 
 in ! Bring Preients to God (who ought to be 
 fear'd) even the Prefents of humble and peni- 
 tent Hearts; the Lord calls for your Hearts, 
 not for your Lip-Service ; My Son^ give me thy 
 Heart ; Lift up your Heads ^ ye dates ; even 
 lift lif the everlajltng Doors of your Hearts^ and 
 the King of Gloyy, will come tn^ and dwell with 
 you^ and you with Hi7fi. 
 
 And now fuffer me to remind you, that you 
 ho longer defpife the Riches of God's Goodnefs 
 and Mercy, fihce his Long-fufFering and For- 
 bearance is defign'd to lead to Repentance. By 
 the Mercies of God I beleech you, that you 
 prefent yourfclves a living Sacrifice, holy, ac- 
 ceptable to (rod, which is but your reafonable 
 Service. And be not conformable to this evil 
 World, but be tranfformM, that ye may prove 
 what is the good and acceptable and perfect 
 Will of God concerning you \ which is no lefs 
 than your Sanftification. And now I think fit 
 to oblerve to you, that while almoft ail Eu- 
 rope^ and even the Dominions of the King to 
 whom you are Subjed, are unhappily engaged 
 and involved in the miferable and deplorable 
 Confequences of a cruel and bloody War, you 
 have enjoyed unlnolelled Tranquility, your 
 Rights at home have not yet been invaded by 
 your Enemies^ indeed your Properties at Sea 
 have fometimes been wrelied from you by un- 
 
 T reafon-
 
 teafonable Men ; but what is that Evil cornpai- 
 red with the Calamities and Diftrefles Thoulands 
 in Great-Britain and eiie where have iclt and 
 fuftered , Fire, Sword, Rapine and Plunder^ 
 deflblate Widows, and diirreilcd and faiherlefs 
 Children, have been the dilmal Effects of thefe 
 iinhaDpy Difputes and Differences between the 
 Powers oi Lurop. ' And cannot we yetdilcover 
 ^ a Providence in ail this Deflruction^ which is 
 
 * fuffered to prevail among Men Are we not yet 
 
 * convinced that there is a God of Juftice that 
 '^ rules in the Kingdoms of the Earthy and that 
 ^ he is aboat to taice Vengeance on the Na- 
 ^ tions and Famines that call not upon his Name 
 ' in Truth and Righteouinefs/ What greater 
 Inducement can I propofe to you to turn and 
 love God, than his manifold Mercies ? Do not 
 you think they call for your Gratitude? He 
 ahures you by his Favours j he gives you Corn, 
 Wine, and Oil* he gives vou Vine- yards and 
 Olive-yards, or at leafl: the Means of procuring 
 them ; he draws with tlie Cords and Bands of 
 his Love ; he would take you by the Hand, 
 and wouki heal you ; he would take the Yoke 
 of hard Servitude fi'om off your Necks ; and, 
 if you are but willing to part with your Idols, 
 he is ready to take the very Names of them 
 out of your Mouths, and t(j betroth you to him- 
 icif in Righteoufnefsy Loving-kindnefs and 
 Mercy. Tho' the whole Head be (ick, and the 
 whole Heart fs'ut; tho' your Soul's Enemy 
 nrry have wounded and left you half dead ; yet 
 there is Balm in Gtleadi^ there. is a Phyfician 
 there, who offers you his Aid, and is willing 
 
 to
 
 to recover you from your mor^l and fpiritual DiC- 
 orders. And tho' you may be never lb great 
 Prodigals, if you have not finned out the Day 
 of his Grace, Refolve upon returning, and the 
 heavenly Father is ready, on your unfeigned 
 Repentance, to receive you into the Arms of 
 his Mercy, and to put on you the bed Robe 
 you ever wore, even that of his own Righte- 
 oufnefs. Thus having briefly obferved, how 
 greatly we are indebted to the Almighty, for 
 his manifold Mercies ; I would wiih you to ex- 
 amine what Returns of Love and Gratitude you 
 have made ; fgr remember tho' God bears long, 
 yet he will not alv/ays bear ; but expects that 
 we fliould not only praife Him with our Lips, 
 but with oar Lives aifo : Turn then, I be- 
 feech you, to God, while he vifits you in Mer- 
 cy , for unto his Power Ihail every Tongue 
 confcfs, and every Knee bow, either in Mercy 
 or in Judgment. 
 
 I have fometimes thought it would be of 
 fingular Advantage to Profeffors of Chriftianity 
 of ail Denominations, fcrioufly to examine and 
 enquire of your own Hearts, what our Religion 
 has done for us * or what Benefits have accrued 
 to us from it ? Whether the Grace we have re^ 
 ceived has aflifted us to 'refift the Temptations 
 of our Soul's Adverfary ; and whether we are 
 nearer Salvation than when we iirft believed ? 
 For a being invefted with a Power to do aThing, 
 will no longer be of L^fe to us than as we ap-* 
 ply it- The Grace and good Spirit, tho* it in- 
 ilrud us to deny all Ungodlinefs, is of no fur- 
 ther Benefit to us, but as we obey its Teach-' 
 
 T z ingsj.
 
 ings, and follow ifs I eadings ; therefore I am 
 pf Opinion it would not hurt the bell ChriitianSj 
 nor any others, fometimes to ask themiclves 
 |he following Queftions : Have I witneis'd the 
 flrong Man armed caft out of my Heart, and 
 his Goods fpoird, and a ftronger than he in 
 rcffeffion ? Have I who affume the Name of a 
 Chriftian departed from all Iniquity ? Are all 
 old things done ^\vd,y{for he that is in CHRIST 
 '^is a ^uw Creattire) and do I experience new 
 Thoughts, new Dcfires, new Converfaticn, a 
 total Change, all Things become regular, uni- 
 form and confiftent with my high and holy Cal- 
 ling ? Is Christ the beft beloved of my Soul? 
 Does my Heart pant and mine Eyes fail for 
 his Salvation ? Is my Soul athirft for God ? Do 
 I long for his Prefence more than for hidden 
 Treafure ? Do I love God above all other Con- 
 fiderations (^and my Neighbour as myfelf ?) Am 
 I careful left I offend him ? Do I live in con- 
 ftant Obfervance of his Laws, do I live in his 
 Fear? Am I circumfpeft in all m,y Words, that 
 I fin not with my Tongue? Does my Con- 
 verfuion become the Goipel of Christ? And 
 am I careful to adorn his Doftrines, which I 
 profefs to believe and be guided by ? If upon a 
 candid Examination, this be the happy State of 
 ProfelFors of Chriftianity, my Soul can rejoice 
 with them, let them call themfelves by what 
 Denomination or Sect thevmay : For happy is the 
 People who are in fuch a Caie ! yea blefled are 
 they whofe Portion is the God of Jacob I On 
 the contrary, if we are only profcfling, and 
 not in the PoITcffion of Godlinefs ; if we have a 
 
 /' Form,
 
 L 149 ,J 
 Form, but are infenfible of the Power to work 
 a Change in our Hearts; our Religion as yet, 
 has done nothing for us ; therefore I entreat ail 
 who are in this Cafe, to confider, 'tis an unfit 
 State for Heaven ; for if we have not witneffed 
 a being created anew in Christ Jesus ; born 
 of the intorruptible Seed and Word of God ; 
 known a Death unto Sin, and a new Birth un-? 
 to Righteoufnefs , born again of the Spirit ; our 
 Lord pofitively fays, w^e cannot enter into the 
 Kingdom of God. Let the Time pafl: then 
 faffice ; and for the future redouble your Dili- 
 gence ; and no longer hold the Truth in Un- 
 righteoufnefs, walk circumfpefiiy as wife, re^ 
 deeming the Time. Th-; Kingdom of God does 
 not ftand in Form, but in Power, neither is 
 Religion to be taken up by Fits and Starts, as 
 it fuits our Leifure and Conveniency ; nor by 
 Imitation, but Conviftion, we muft cleave to 
 God, with full Parpofe of Heart; what our 
 Hand finds necelfiry to do in this great Bufi- 
 nefs of Salvation, we muil do it with all our 
 Might ; we muft not indolently feek, but (by 
 God's Affiftance) ardently firive to enter the 
 Kingdom of God. Our Talent muft gain ano- 
 ther Talent; left as the unprofitable Servant 
 was, we be deprived of that which we have re- 
 ceived. Falfe Pretences to Religion, and a bare 
 Belief of the I ruths of the Gofpel, will be of 
 no Advantage to us: Crying Lord, Lord, will 
 
 not avail if we do not the Thines which his 
 i^ 
 
 Precepts enjoin: No Man can truly call Christ 
 Lord, but fuch as witnefs his Rule and Domi- 
 nion in their Heart, bringing them into Sub- 
 
 jedion
 
 L 150 J 
 jedlon to his Power : Not the Hearers of the 
 Xaw, but the Doers, fhall bejuftified: Not he 
 that hears Christ's Saying, but he that doth 
 them, is accepted. On a memorable Occafioa 
 the lacred Hiftory informs us, the Almighty 
 heard th4e Voice of the Children of Ijrajl's 
 Words, when they fpake to Mofes^ and he tells 
 him that the People had -well faid all that they 
 had Ipofcen, but kno^^^^ing the Infmcerity and 
 Inconftancy of their Hearts, he laith, ' O i that 
 ^ there were fuch an Heart in them, that they 
 
 * would fear before nic, and keep my Command-^ 
 
 * ments always, that it may be well with them 
 
 * and their Children forever!' Religion is an 
 Heart Work, it mull be begun, and carried on 
 and compleated there : Nothing but keeping 
 God's Commandments will entitle us to his Fa-- 
 vour : Nothing frort of having difcharged our 
 Parts in the Chriftian Warfare, and obtained a 
 Victory over Sin, will entitle us to a Crown of 
 Glory : Nothing lefs than being true and faith- 
 ful Members of ChPvIST's Church Militant 
 here on Earth, will ever admit us Memberjii 
 cf his Church triumphant in the Heavens. 'Tis 
 to thofe that overcome that our Lord will give 
 to fit with him in his Throne; even as he over- 
 came, and is fet down with his Father in his 
 Throne. A being convinced in our Judgments 
 cf God's Goodnef^ ^c. and that his Laws are 
 righteous altogether, and therefore we ought to 
 obey them, is not Converfion. Faith is not 
 PraSice ; therefore add to your Faith Virtue^ to 
 Virtue Kfiowledge^ to Knoz^leage Temperance^ to 
 ^^mpcrance Taticnce^ to "Tattence Godlhtels^ to- 
 
 '^God.
 
 Godlinefs Brotherly Kindnefs^ and to Brotherly 
 Kindnefs Charity, 
 
 Thus my dear Friends and Neighbours, I 
 have declared in great Truth and Sincerity, ray 
 earneft Concern and Deiirc for the real Happi- 
 nefs of the Inhabitants of my native Country 
 in general ; and having an efpecial and peculiar 
 Regard for many that,! have known for a Se- 
 ries of Years, when I have reflecled on the bare 
 Pollibility of your miffing Heaven and Happi- 
 nefs thro' Inadvertency, Inconiideration, and an 
 inordinate Love for the Things of this Life, it 
 has been Subject of Mourning to me ; and efpc- 
 cially as 1 have thro' Mercy fcen, that when 
 I was in the hke Situation, how dangerous a 
 One it was, and that all who are in this un- 
 happy Cafe, ftand indeed in flippery Places. 
 And many a Time has my Soul grieved fecret^ 
 ly, when I have oblerved the Purfuits of fuch, 
 how earneftly they are running after Vanities, 
 and puriuing Lies (which will indeed deceive) 
 and turning their Backs on God's Offers of Love, 
 and refufe to let him put his Beauty on them, 
 and to make them glorious within ; and fince I 
 have witneifcd the great Difproportion between 
 the Love of God, and the Love of the World, 
 I am the more earneftly eoticern'd to invite you 
 to come tafte and fee of the Goodnefs of the 
 Lord ; O make but Trial of his Love, and. 
 you'll fay the one half was not told you. Then 
 will you find the moft exalted Happinefs this 
 World can yield, will be nothing, and Vanity, 
 yea, lighter than Vanity ; but were you once 
 in Pofleilion of the Lyye of God^^ you'd be, 
 
 k 
 
 nfr*'
 
 fenfible that you inherited Subftance, fubftan- 
 tial Joys, unfpeakable Delight, Satisfaftion and 
 Peace. O ! that this unutterable Love of God 
 might be once imprcls'd and engraven on your 
 Hearts ; Then would you confels with me, that 
 one Day in his Courts, Prelenee and Favour, is 
 better than a thoufand fpent in the Enjoyment 
 of earthly Delights and Pleafures. But now I 
 would flop a while, and ask, If you have not 
 been cheated by delufive Hopes and Promifes 
 of Gi)taining Satisfaction from temporal Enjoy- 
 ments ? Have you never difcover'd their Falla- 
 cy ? Have they not vaniihed into Air, even 
 when you fancy 'd yourfelves juft in PolTeffion ? 
 And don't you find they leave you diffatisfied 
 and uneafy ? I am certain this is the Cafe with 
 many ; you ftili feel a painful Vacancy, even in 
 the midft of your feniual Delights and tempcH 
 ral Enjoyments ^ which, be alTured (I fpeak by 
 happy tho' fhort Experience) nothing Ihort of 
 the Approbation and Favour of God, and a Pof- 
 fei5on of his Love and Peace, can ever poffibly 
 fatisfy. I have told you already, that I have 
 felt great Trouble and Anxiety of Mind on 
 your Account ; but tho' my Head were Waters, 
 and mine Eyes a Fouhtain of Tears ^ and cou'd 
 I, or any one elfe, weep continually Day and 
 Night for you, that you may reft in the Day 
 of Trouble ; yet another's Concern cannot do 
 this great Work for you, without your own 
 Hand in the Bufinefs which relates to your. 
 Soul's Happinefs ^ fincc an infpired Apoftle af-. 
 fures you, you muft, by Divine Affiftance^ 
 *' work out your own Salvation with Fear and 
 
 Trem-
 
 Trembling •/* For no Man can redeem his Bro- 
 ther, nor give to God a Ranfom for his Soul. 
 1 may Cas I do earneftly) defire your Happinefs, 
 but I can't procure it for you. I may wifh 
 you Heaven, but I can't obtain it for you : 
 Yet I earneitly pray, That the God and leather 
 of our Lord JESUS CHRIST may give antd you 
 the Sprit of Wijdom^ and Revelation of thd 
 Kno'jukdge of himfelf^ whom (rightly) to know is 
 eternal Life ; that the Eyes of your Under- 
 ftanding may be enh'ghten'd, and that you may 
 know what ts the hofe of his Calling ; and the 
 Riches of the Glory oj his Inheritance in the Saints^ 
 and what the exceeding Greatnefs of his Power 
 to US-ward who believe, according to the work- 
 ing of his mighty Power, by which he has 
 va*nqui£hed and brought down all, the ftrong 
 HolJs of Sin and Satan in the Hearts of them 
 who confide in his mighty Arm, which is now 
 extended over you for Good • God has vifited 
 and called you often, and "now w^aits to be gra- 
 cious to you : The Almighty 1 fay^ has long 
 viTited and try'd you by his Mercy and For- 
 bearance \ He has fpoke to you by the Voice 
 of his Holy Spirit, which fome of you havei 
 neglected, overlooked and quenched: Hath not 
 Wifdom long uttcr'd her Voice, even at your 
 Doors? Is fi.e not come up into your Cham- 
 bers ? Does not Undcriknding cry in the nioft 
 fecret Receffes of your Confciences, faying, 
 How long^ ye fimfle Gnes^ will you love Sim^li- 
 city^ and Scorners delight in Scorning^ and tools 
 hate Knowledge ? Turn you thenfore at the Re-^ 
 p'oojs of Inftru£iion^ which is the Way to Life ; 
 
 V and
 
 and then behold he will more abundantly pour 
 out of his Spirit upon you ; and if ye hearken 
 and obey his Voice, he will make his Words 
 and Will known to you j on the contrary, if 
 you continue to refufe and rebel againft his 
 Light and Truth in your inward Parts, the 
 Confequence is fure, He will certainly forfakc 
 and leave you to your own Delufions ; becaufe 
 he hath call'd, and you refufed ; he hath 
 Aretched forth his Hand, and no Man regards ; 
 but have fct at nought all his Counfel, turn'd 
 his Word behind your Backs, and will hear 
 none of his Reproofs. Therefore unlcfs you re-* 
 turn and repent, with all your Hearts, and 
 amend your Ways and your Doings, he will, 
 "tvhen your Diftrefs comes upon you, laugh at 
 your Calamities, have you in Derifion, and mock 
 at all your Fears. 
 
 But I fervently pray, that this may never be 
 your deplorable Condition ; but that you may 
 be, not only the Vifited, but the Redeemed of 
 the Lord ; not only the Called, but the Cho- 
 fen of God ! And, in order to make your 
 Calling and Eleftion fure, take to yourfelvcs 
 the whole Armour of God, that you may Hand 
 againft the Wiles of the Enemy of your Soul'tt 
 Happinels • Having your Loins girt about with 
 Truths and having on the Breajt-plate of Righted 
 oufihfs^ and your tea food with the Treparc^ 
 tion of the (jojfeh^ but^ above ali^ taking ths 
 Shield of Faith^ whereby you'll be able to with^ 
 Jland and quench all the fiery Darts of thi 
 H'^icked One ; and take the Helmet of Salvation^ 
 and th3 Sword of the Sprite wlmh is the Word
 
 (or Power) of God. Finally, Whatsoever Things 
 are true^ whatfoev^r Things are honeft^ whajo^ 
 ever Things are jujfy whatsoever Things are love'-' 
 /y, whatsoever Wtngs are of good Report -^ if 
 there be any Virtue ^ if there be any Traife ; 
 think on thefe Things and pra6li[e them. But 
 we muft remember^ in all thefe Things^ that God 
 be our Alpha and Omega : His Love muft be the 
 Motive^ and Hs Honour the End of all our 
 ASiions ; and then the God oj Teace will be with 
 ns^ and blefs us. To Hm^ and to the Word of 
 his Grace^ 1 commit and commend you ; q/Juring 
 you^ my dear Fellow-mortals ^ that my fervent 
 Deflre and unfeigned Prayer^ unto the God of 
 my Life J for you ally tSy that you may b^ 
 favedl 
 
 SOThlA HVMB 
 
 Charles'Tonvn, in South- 
 Carolina^ the 30th, of the 
 fiHtb Month, 1747. 
 
 y ij €>mNB
 
 DIVINE L V E 
 COM ME MO RAT ED, 
 
 The AUTHOR unknown to me. 
 
 WHO can fathom the redeewimg 
 AB of univerfal Love ? 
 Human Thought^ though ' .ever teemlfi^j^ 
 let wiU inluffcient frove*- 
 
 Holy Angels J ever laudh^g 
 Of the great and wond'rous Scheme j 
 
 SerafAjs^ hymning and afplauding^ 
 Never can fxhauji the Theme. 
 
 Of the Heighth and DepPl:>I- (urpri^ing! 
 
 O I the Length and Breadth^ ho''Jj gretitf 
 Generations paf}^ and rifing^ 
 
 Will the Blifs farticipate. 
 
 Sure the Father's Love was burning 
 To poor Loft and helpless Man^ 
 
 Anxious for his fafe returningy 
 Laid the mediatorial Tlan. 
 
 Nor lejs was cur Savioiir^s Merit^ 
 
 Who levere Obedience paid^ 
 Dy'd^ to obtain the Holy Spirit^ 
 
 For his Cre attires Help and Aid.
 
 Now^ ahoroe^y makes Inter cejfim^ 
 That th ^cmtcMtal Mhtdy\ 
 
 Who miiki^s mtn[er^JyG}^^^ffim't 
 And rejm'ms.^ may "Bardoujmd. 
 
 Wretched Ma% if j? ch Qi^^f^g- 
 Work not on tljy brutal .Hmrt/^ 
 
 Ij thou Jpir^fl th heav'itly BUpngy 
 Thou wilt m&f in it hm^ Wdrt» \' 
 
 Blame thy ConduB^ charge not Ihaven^ 
 On thy Hdad thy Blood mil lie; 
 
 Every Help to thee is given 
 Suiting Man*s free Agency. 
 
 Do not, for a Moment's Tleafurey 
 Forfeit this thy dear-bought Right 
 
 To the Joy and endkfs Treafure^ 
 Which the Gof^el brought to LighU 
 
 Ufe thy Reaf<iny\Gf0ce ^tjiing 
 
 Every Faculty withm ; 
 Thou /halt kno^j^j a brave reJifUng 
 
 All the deadly Towers of Sin. 
 
 Tafie Religion's chaffe Embraces, 
 Faith with genuine Works adorn j 
 
 Virtue has eternal Graces, 
 Frejh and blooming ev'ry Morn* 
 
 All her Joys beyond exprejjing, 
 Teace that yields a golden Crop ^ 
 
 SI:>e's in Life the choice/I Blifjingy ' 
 And in Death the grateful Dro£^
 
 fTmg thy SmU^ and qualify her 
 For the Cotrverfe held above ; 
 
 Ttp thy Tongue^ to join the ChoW 
 hi meloSous Strains of Love. 
 
 Utterly difclaiming Merit ; 
 
 Praife the Father and tl^ Son^ 
 Jpintly with the Holy Spirit y 
 
 ^ Eternal Three in On^f 
 
 f 1 N I Sl
 
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