An Extract from a Treatise on the Spirit of Prayer

AN EXTRACT FROM A TREATISE ON THE SPIRIT OF PRAYER, OR The Soul riſing out of the Vanity of Time into the Riches of Eternity.

WITH SOME THOUGHTS ON WAR: Remarks on the Nature and bad effects of the uſe of Spirituous Liquors.

AND CONSIDERATIONS ON SLAVERY.

Ah! Why will Kings forget that they are Men,

And Men that they are Brethren — why delight,

In human Sacrifice?—Why burſt the ties

Of Nature, that ſhould knit their Souls together

In one ſoft band of Amity and Love.

Father of Men, was it for this

Thy breath divine kindled within his breaſt

The [〈◊〉] flame? For this, was thy fair Image

Stampt on his Soul, with god-like lineaments?

For this, dominion given him abſolute

O'er all thy works, only that he might reign

Supreme in woe?

PORTEUS.

PHILADELPHIA: Printed by JOSEPH CRUKSHANK, in Market-ſtreet, between [〈…〉]- [••]reets. MDCCLXXX.

AN EXTRACT, &c.

THE greateſt Part of Mankind, nay of Chriſtians, may be ſaid to be aſleep; and that particular Way of Life, which takes up each Man's Mind, Thoughts, and Affections, may very well be called his particular Dream. This Degree of Vanity is equally viſible in every Form and Order of Life. The Learned and the Ignorant, the Rich and the Poor, are all in the ſame State of Slumber; only paſſing away a ſhort Life in a different Kind of a Dream. But why ſo? It is becauſe Man has an Eternity within him, is born into this World, not for the Sake of living here, not for any Thing this World can give him, but only to have Time and Place to become either an eternal Partaker of a divine Life with God, or to have an helliſh Eternity amongſt fallen Angels: And therefore, every Man who has not his Eyes, his Heart, and his Hands, continually governed by this two-fold Eternity, may be juſtly ſaid to be faſt aſleep, to have no awakened Senſibility of himſelf. And a Life devoted to Intereſt, and the Enjoyments of this World, ſpent and waſted in the Slavery of earthly Deſires, [〈1 page duplicate〉] may be truly called a Dream, as having all the Shortneſs, Vanity and Deluſion of a Dream; only with this Difference, that when a Dream is over, nothing is loſt but Fictions and Fancies: but when the Dream of Life is ended only by Death, all that Eternity is loſt, for which we were brought into Being. Now there is no Miſery in this World, nothing that makes either the Life or Death of Man to be full of Calamity, but this Blindneſs and Inſenſibility of his State, into which he ſo willingly, nay obſtinately, plunges himſelf. Every Thing that has the Nature of Evil and Diſtreſs in it, takes its Riſe from thence. Do but ſuppoſe a Man to know himſelf; that he comes into this World on no other Errand, but to riſe out of the Vanity of Time into the Riches of Eternity; do but ſuppoſe him to govern his inward Thoughts and outward Actions by this View of himſelf, and then to him every Day has loſt all its Evil; Proſperity and Adverſity have no Difference, becauſe he receives and uſes them both in the ſame Spirit; Life and Death are equally welcome, becauſe equally Parts of his Way to Eternity. For poor and miſerable as this Life is, we have all of us free Acceſs to all that is great, and good, and happy; and carry within ourſelves a Key to all the Treaſures that Heaven has to beſtow upon us.—We ſtarve in the Midſt of Plenty, groan under Infirmities, with the Remedy in our own Hands; live and die without knowing and feeling any Thing of the one only Good, whilſt we have it in our Power to know and enjoy it in as great a Reality, as we know and feel the Power of this World over us: For Heaven is as near to our Souls, as this World is to our Bodies; and we are created, we are redeemed, to have our Converſation in it: God, the only Good of all intelligent Natures, is not an abſent or diſtant God, but is more preſent in and to our Souls, than our own Bodies; and we are Strangers to Heaven, and without God in the World, for this only Reaſon, becauſe we are void of that Spirit of Prayer, which alone can, and never fails to unite us with the one only Good, and to open Heaven and the Kingdom of God within us. All our Salvation conſiſts in the Manifeſtation of the Nature, Life, and Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt in our inward new Man. This alone is Chriſtian Redemption; this alone delivers from the Guilt and Power of Sin; this alone redeems, renews, and regains the firſt Life of God in the Soul of Man. Every Thing beſides this is Self, is Fiction, is Propriety, is own Will, and however coloured, is only thy old Man, with all his Deeds. Enter therefore with all thy Heart into this Truth, let thy Eye be always upon it, do every Thing in View of it, try every Thing by the Truth of it, love Nothing but for the Sake of it. Wherever thou goeſt, whatever thou doſt at Home, or Abroad, in the Field, or at Church, do all in a Deſire of Union with Chriſt, in Imitation of his Tempers and Inclinations, and look upon all as Nothing, but that which exerciſes and encreaſes the Spirit and Life of Chriſt in thy Soul. From Morning to Night keep Jeſus in thy Heart, long for Nothing, deſire Nothing, hope for Nothing, but to have all that is within Thee, changed into the Spirit and Temper of the Holy Jeſus. Let this be thy Chriſtianity, thy Church, and thy Religion. For this new Birth in Chriſt thus firmly believed, and continually deſired, will do every Thing that thou wanteſt to have done in Thee, it will dry up all the Springs of Vice, ſtop all the Workings of Evil in thy Nature, it will bring all that is Good into Thee, it will open all the Goſpel within Thee, and thou wilt know what it is to be taught of God. This longing Deſire of thy Heart to be one with Chriſt, will ſoon put a Stop to all the Vanity of thy Life, and nothing will be admitted to enter into thy Heart, or proceed from it, but what comes from God, and returns to God; thou wilt ſoon be, as it were, tied and bound in the Chains of all holy Affections and Deſires, thy Mouth will have a Watch ſet upon it, thy Ears would willingly hear nothing that does not tend to God, nor thy Eyes be open, but to ſee, and find Occaſions of doing Good. In a Word, when this Faith has got both thy Head and thy Heart, it will then be with thee, as it was with the Merchant who found a Pearl of Great Price, it will make thee gladly to ſell all that thou haſt, and buy it. For all that had ſeized and poſſeſſed the Heart of any Man, whatever the Merchant of this World had got together, whether of Riches, Power, Honour, Learning or Reputation, loſes all its Value, is counted but as Dung, and willingly parted with, as ſoon as this glorious Pearl, the new Birth in Chriſt Jeſus, is diſcovered and found by him. This therefore may ſerve as a Touchſtone, whereby every one may try the Truth of his State; if the old Man is ſtill a Merchant within thee, trading in all Sorts of worldly Honour, Power or Learning, if the Wiſdom of this World is not Fooliſhneſs to thee, if earthly Intereſts, and ſenſual Pleaſures, are ſtill the Deſire of thy Heart, and only covered under a Form of Godlineſs, a Cloke of Creeds, Obſervances and Inſtitutions of Religion, thou mayſt be aſſured, that the Pearl of Great Price is not yet found by thee. For where Chriſt is born, or his Spirit riſes up in the Soul, there all Self is denied, and obliged to turn out; there all carnal Wiſdom, Arts of Advancement, with every Pride and Glory of this Life, are as ſo many Heathen Idols, all willingly renounced, and the Man is not only content, but rejoices to ſay, that his Kingdom is not of this World.

But thou wilt perhaps ſay, how ſhall this great Work, the Birth of Chriſt, be effected in me? It might rather be ſaid, ſince Chriſt has an infinite Power, and alſo an infinite Deſire to ſave Mankind, how can any one miſs of this Salvation, but through his own Unwillingneſs to be ſaved by him? Conſider, how was it that the Lame and Blind, the Lunatick and Leper, the Publican and Sinner, found Chriſt to be their Saviour, and to do all That for them, which they wanted to be done to them? It was becauſe they had a real Deſire of having That which they aſked for, and therefore in true Faith and Prayer applied to Chriſt, that his Spirit and Power might enter into them, and heal That which they wanted, and deſired to be healed in them. Every one of theſe ſaid in Faith and Deſire, Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canſt make me whole. And the Anſwer was always this, According to thy Faith, ſo be it done unto Thee. This is Chriſt's Anſwer now, and thus it is done to every one of us at this Day, as our Faith is, ſo is it done unto us. And here lies the whole Reaſon of our falling ſhort of the Salvation of Chriſt, it is becauſe we have no Will to it.

But you will ſay, Do not all Chriſtians deſire to have Chriſt to be their Saviour? Yes. But here is the Deceit; all would have Chriſt to be their Saviour in the next World, and to help them into Heaven when they die, by his Power and Merits with God. But this is not willing Chriſt to be thy Saviour; for his Salvation, if it is had, muſt be had in this World, if He ſaves Thee, it muſt be done in this Life, by changing and altering all that is within Thee, by helping thee to a new Heart, as he helped the Blind to ſee, the Lame to walk, and the Dumb to ſpeak. For to have Salvation from Chriſt, is nothing elſe but to be made like unto Him; it is to have his Humility and Meekneſs, his Mortification and Self-denial, his Renounciation of the Spirit, Wiſdom, and Honours of this World, his Love of God, his Deſire of doing God's Will, and ſeeking only his Honour. To have theſe Tempers formed and begotten in thy Heart, is to have Salvation from Chriſt; but if thou will[••] not to have theſe Tempers brought forth in thee, if thy Faith and Deſire does not ſeek and cry to Chriſt for them in the ſame Reality, as the Lame aſked to walk, and the Blind to ſee, then thou muſt be ſaid to be unwilling to have Chriſt to be thy Saviour.

Again, Conſider, how was it that the carnal Jew, the deep-read Scribe, the learned Rabbi, the religious Phariſee, not only did not receive, but crucified their Saviour? It was becauſe they willed and deſired no ſuch Saviour as He was, no ſuch inward Salvation as He offered to them. They deſired no Change of their own Nature, no inward Deſtruction of their own natural Tempers, no Deliverance from the Love of themſelves, and the Enjoyments of their Paſſions; they liked their State, the Gratifications of their old Man, their long Robes, their broad Philacteries, and Greetings in the Markets. They wanted not to have their Pride and Self-love dethroned, their Covetouſneſs and Senſuality to be ſubdued by a new Nature from Heaven derived into them. Their only Deſire was the Succeſs of Judaiſm, to have an outward Saviour, a temporal Prince, that ſhould eſtabliſh their Law and Ceremonies over all the Earth. And therefore they crucified their dear Redeemer, and would have none of his Salvation, becauſe it all conſiſted in a Change of their Nature, in a new Birth from above, and a Kingdom of Heaven to be opened within them by the Spirit of God.

Oh Chriſtendom, look not only at the old Jews, but ſee thyſelf in this Glaſs. For at this Day, (Oh ſad Truth to be told!) at this Day, a Chriſt within us, an inward Saviour raiſing a Birth of his own Nature, Life, and Spirit within us, is rejected as groſs Enthuſiaſm, the learned Rabbies take Counſel againſt it. The Propagation of Popery, the Propogation of Proteſtantiſm, the Succeſs of ſame particular Church, is the Salvation which Prieſts and People are chiefly concerned about.

But to return: It is manifeſt, that no one can fail of the Benefit of Chriſt's Salvation, but through an Unwillingneſs to have it, and from the ſame Spirit and Tempers which made the Jews unwilling to receive it. But if thou wouldſt ſtill farther know how this great Work, the Birth of Chriſt, is to be effected in thee, then let this joyful Truth be told thee, that this great Work is already begun in every one of us. For this holy Jeſus, that is to be formed in thee, that is to be the Saviour and new Life of thy Soul, that is to raiſe thee out of the Darkneſs of Death into the Light of Life, and give thee Power to become a Son of God, is already within thee, living, ſtirring, calling, knocking at the Door of thy Heart, and wanting nothing but thy own Faith and good Will, to have as real a Birth and Form in thee, as he had in the Virgin Mary. For the eternal Word, or Son of God, did not then firſt begin to be the Saviour of the World, when he was born in Bethlehem of Judea; but that Word, which became Man in the Virgin Mary, did, from the Beginning of the World, enter as a Word of Life, a Seed of Salvation, into the firſt Father of Mankind, was inſpoken into him, as an ingrafted Word, under the Name and Character of a Bruiſer of the Serpent's Head. Hence it is, that Chriſt ſaid to his Diſciples, the Kingdom of God is within you; that is, the Divine Nature is within you, given unto your firſt Father, into the Light of his Life, and from him riſing up in the Life of every Son of Adam. Hence alſo the holy Jeſus is ſaid to be the Light, which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World. Not as he was born in Bethlehem, not as He had an human Form upon Earth; in theſe Reſpects he could not be ſaid to have been the Light of every Man that cometh into the World; but as he was that eternal Word, by which all Things were created, which was the Life and Light of all Things, and which had as a ſecond Creator entered again into fallen Man, as a Bruiſer of the Serpent; in this reſpect it was truly ſaid of our Lord, when on Earth, that He was that Light which lighteth every Man, that cometh into the World. For He was really and truly all this, as He was the Immanuel, the God with us, given unto Adam, and in him to all his Offspring. See here the Beginning and glorious Extent of the Catholic Church of Chriſt, it takes in all the World. It is God's unlimited, univerſal Mercy to all Mankind; and every human Creature, as ſure as he is born of Adam, has a Birth of the Bruiſer of the Serpent within him, and ſo is infallibly in Covenant with God, through Jeſus Chriſt. Hence alſo it is, that the Holy Jeſus is appointed to be Judge of all the World, it is becauſe all Mankind, all Nations and Languages have in him, and through him, been put into Covenant with God, and made capable of reſiſting the Evil of their fallen Nature.

When our bleſſed Lord converſed with the Woman at Jacob's Well, He ſaid unto her, If thou kneweſt the Gift of God, and who it is that talketh with Thee, thou wouldeſt have aſked of Him, and he would have given Thee living Water. How happy (may any one well ſay) was this Woman of Samaria, to ſtand ſo near this Gift of God, from whom ſhe might have had living Water, had ſhe but vouchſafed to have aſked for it! But, dear Chriſtian, this Happineſs is thine; for this Holy Jeſus, the Gift of God, firſt given unto Adam, and in him to all that are deſcended from him, is the Gift of God to Thee, as ſure as thou art born of Adam; nay, haſt thou never yet owned him; art thou wandered from him, as far as the Prodigal Son from his Father's Houſe? Yet is he ſtill with Thee, he is the Gift of God to Thee, and if thou wilt turn to Him, and aſk of Him, he has living Water for Thee.

Poor Sinner! conſider the Treaſure thou haſt within Thee, the Saviour of the World, the eternal Word of God lies hid in Thee, as a Spark of the Divine Nature, which is to overcome Sin and Death, and Hell within Thee, and generate the Life of Heaven again in thy Soul. Turn to thy Heart, and thy Heart will find its Saviour, its God within itſelf. Thou ſeeſt, heareſt, and feeleſt nothing of God, becauſe thou ſeekeſt for Him abroad with thy outward Eyes, thou ſeekeſt for him in Books, in Controverſies, in the Church, and outward Excerciſes, but there thou wilt not find Him, till thou haſt firſt found Him in thy Heart. Seek for Him in thy Heart, and thou wilt never ſeek in vain, for there he dwelleth, there is the Seat of his Light and Holy Spirit.

For this turning to the Light and Spirit of God within Thee, is thy only true turning unto God, there is no other Way of finding Him, but in that Place where he dwelleth in Thee. For though God be every where preſent, yet He is only preſent to Thee in the deepeſt, and moſt central Part of thy Soul. Thy natural Senſes cannot poſſeſs God, or unite Thee to him, nay thy inward Faculties of Underſtanding, Will, and Memory, can only reach after God, but cannot be the Place of his Habitation in Thee. But there is a Root, or Death in Thee, from whence all theſe Faculties come forth, as Lines from a Center, or as Branches from the Body of the Tree. This Depth is called the Center, the Fund, or Bottom of the Soul. This Depth is the Unity, the Eternity, I had almoſt ſaid, the Infinity of thy Soul; for it is ſo infinite, that nothing can ſatisfy it, or give it any Reſt, but the Infinity of God. In this Depth of the Soul, the Holy Trinity brought forth its own living Image in the firſt created Man, bearing in Himſelf a living Repreſentation of Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, and this was his Dwelling in God and God in Him. This was the Kingdom of God within Him, and made Paradiſe without Him. But the Day that Adam did eat of the forbidden earthly Tree, in that Day he abſolutely died to this Kingdom of God within Him: This Depth, or Center of his Soul having loſt its God, was ſhut up in Death and Darkneſs, and became a Priſoner in an earthly Animal, that only excelled its Brethren, the Beaſts, in an upright Form, and ſerpentile Subtlety. Thus ended the Fall of Man. But from that Moment that the God of Mercy inſpoke into Adam the Bruiſer of the Serpent, from that Moment all the Riches and Treaſures of the Divine Nature came again into Man, as a Seed of Salvation ſown into the Center of the Soul, and only lieth hidden there in every Man, till he deſires to riſe from his fallen State, and to be born again from above.

Awake then, thou that ſleepeſt, and Chriſt, who, from all Eternity, hath been eſpouſed to thy Soul, ſhall give Thee Light. Begin to Search and dig in thine own Field for this Pearl of Eternity, that lieth hidden in it; it cannot coſt Thee too much, nor canſt thou buy it dear; for it is All, and when thou haſt found it, thou wilt know, that all which thou haſt fold, or given away for it, is as meer a Nothing, as a Bubble upon the Water.

But if thou turneſt from this heavenly Pearl, or trampleſt it under thy Feet, for the Sake of being Rich or Great, either in Church or State, if Death finds Thee in this Succeſs, thou canſt not then ſay, that though the Pearl is loſt, yet ſomething has been gained inſtead of it. For in that parting Moment, the Things, and the Sounds of this World, will be exactly alike; to have had an Eſtate, or only to have heard of it; to have lived at Lambeth twenty Years, or only to have twenty Times paſſed by the Palace, will be the ſame Good, or the ſame Nothing to Thee.

But I will now ſhew a little more diſtinctly, what this Pearl of Eternity is. Firſt, It is the Light and Spirit of God within Thee, which has hitherto done Thee but little Good, becauſe all the Deſire of thy Heart has been after the Light and Spirit of this World. Thy Reaſon and Senſes, thy Heart and Paſſions, have turned all their Attention to the poor Concerns of this Life, and therefore thou art a Stranger to this Principle of Heaven, this Riches of Eternity within Thee. For as God is not, cannot be truly found by any Worſhippers, but thoſe who worſhip Him in Spirit and in Truth, ſo this Light and Spirit, though always within us, is not, cannot be found, felt, or enjoyed, but by thoſe, whoſe whole Spirit is turned to it.

When Man firſt came into Being, and ſtood before God as his own Image and Likeneſs, this Light and Spirit of God was as natural to him, as truly the Light of his Nature, as the Light and Air of this World is natural to the Creatures that have their Birth in it. But when Man, not content with the Food of Eternity, did eat of the earthly Tree, this Light and Spirit of Heaven was no more Natural to him, no more roſe up as a Birth of his Nature, but, inſtead thereof, he was left ſolely to the Light and Spirit of this World. And this is that Death which God told Adam he ſhould ſurely die, in the Day that he ſhould eat of the forbidden Tree.

But the Goodneſs of God would not leave Man in this Condition; a Redemption from it was immediately granted, and the Bruiſer of the Serpent brought the Light and Spirit of Heaven once more into the human Nature. Not as it was in its firſt State, when Man was in Paradiſe, but as a Treaſure hidden in the Center of our Souls, which ſhould diſcover, and open itſelf by Degrees, in ſuch Proportion, as the Faith and Deſires of our Hearts were turned to it. This Light and Spirit of God thus freely reſtored again to the Soul, and lying in it as a ſecret Source of Heaven, is called Grace, Free Grace, or the Supernatural Gift, or Power of God in the Soul, becauſe it was ſomething, that the Neutral Powers of the Soul could no more obtain. Hence it is, that in the greateſt Truth, and higheſt Reality, every Stirring of the Soul, every Tendency of the Heart towards God and Goodneſs, is juſtly and neceſſarily aſcribed to the Holy Spirit, or the Grace of God. It is becauſe this firſt Seed of Life, which is ſown into the Soul, as the Gift or Grace of God to fallen Man, is itſelf the Light and Spirit of God, and therefore every Stirring, or Opening of this Seed of Life, every awakened Thought or Deſire that ariſes from it, muſt be called the Moving, or the Quickening of the Spirit of God; and therefore that new Man which ariſes from it, muſt, of all Neceſſity, be ſaid to be ſolely the Work and Operation of God. Hence alſo we have an eaſy and plain Declaration of the true Meaning, ſolid Senſe, and certain Truth, of all thoſe Scriptures, which ſpeak of the Inſpiration of God, the Operation of the Holy Spirit, the Power of the Divine Light, as the ſole and neceſſary Agents in the Renewal and Sanctification of our Souls and alſo as being Things common to all Men. It is becauſe this Seed of Life, or Bruiſer of the Serpent, is common to all Men, and has in all Men a Degree of Life, which is in itſelf ſo much of the Inſpiration, or Life of God, the Spirit of God, the Light of God, which is in every Soul, and is its Power of becoming born again of God. Hence alſo it is, that all Men are exhorted not to quench, or reſiſt, or grieve the Spirit; that is, this Seed of the Spirit and Light of God that is in all Men, as the only Source of Good. Again, the Fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the Fleſh. By the Fleſh and its Luſtings, are meant the mere human Nature, or the natural Man, as He is by the Fall; by the Spirit is meant the Bruiſer of the Serpent, that Seed of the Light and Spirit of God, which lieth as a Treaſure hid in the Soul, in order to bring forth the Life that was loſt in Adam. Now as the Fleſh hath its Life, its Luſtings, whence all Sorts of Evil are truly ſaid to be inſpired, quickened, and ſtirred up in us; ſo the Spirit being a Living Principle within us, has its Inſpiration, its Breathing, its Moving, its Quickening, from which alone the Divine Life, or the Angel that died in Adam, can be born in us.

When this Seed, of the Spirit, common to all Men, is not reſiſted, grieved and quenched, but its Inſpirations and Motions ſuffered to grow and increaſe in us, to unite with God, and get Power over all the Luſts of the Fleſh, then we are born again, the Nature, Spirit and Tempers of Jeſus Chriſt are opened in our Souls, the Kingdom of God is come, and is found within us. On the other Hand, when the Fleſh, or the Natural Man hath reſiſted and quenched this Spirit or Seed of Life within us, then the Works of the Fleſh, Adultery, Fornication, Murders, Lying, Hatred, Envy, Wrath Pride, Fooliſhneſs, worldly Wiſdom, carnal Prudence, falſe Religion, hypocritical Holineſs, and ſerpentine Subtlety, have ſet up their Kingdom within us.

See here in ſhort the State of Man as redeemed. He has a Spark of the Light and Spirit of God, as a Supernatural Gift of God given into the Birth of his Soul, to bring forth by Degrees a New Birth of that Life, which was loſt in Paradiſe. This Holy Spark of the Divine Nature within Him, has a natural, ſtrong, and almoſt infinite Tendency, or Reaching after that eternal Light and Spirit of God, from whence it came forth. It came forth from God, it came out of God, it partaketh of the Divine Nature, and therefore it is always in a State of Tendency and Return to God. And all this is called the Breathing, the Moving, the Quickening of the Holy Spirit within us, which are ſo many Operations of this Spark of Life tending towards God. On the other Hand, The Deity▪ as conſidered in itſelf, and Without the Soul of Man, has an infinite, unchangeable Tendency of Love, and deſire towards the Soul of Man, to unite, and communicate its own Riches and Glories to it, juſt as the Spirit of the Air without Man, unites, and communicates its Riches and Virtues to the Spirit of the Air that is within Man. This Love, or Deſire of God towards the Soul of Man is ſo great, that He gave His only begotten Son, the Brightneſs of his Glory, to take human Nature upon Him, in its fallen State, that by this myſterious Union of God and Man, all the Enemies of the Soul of Man might be overcome, and every human Creature might have a Power of being born again according to that Image of God, in which he was firſt created. The Goſpel is the Hiſtory of this Love of God to Man. Inwardly he has a Seed of the Divine Life given into the Birth of his Soul, a Seed that has all the Riches of Eternity in it, and is always wanting to come to the Birth in him, and be alive in God. Outwardly he has Jeſus Chriſt, who, as a Sun of Righteouſneſs, is always caſting forth his enlivening Beams on this inward Seed, to kindle and call it forth to the Birth, doing that to this Seed of Heaven in Man, which the Sun in the Firmament is always doing to the vegetable Seeds in the Earth.

Conſider this Matter in the following Similitude. A Grain of Wheat has the Air and Light of this World incloſed, or incorporated in it: This is the Myſtery of its Life, this is its Power of Growing, by this it has a ſtrong continual Tendency of uniting again with that Ocean of Light and Air, from whence it came forth, and ſo it helps to kindle its own vegetable Life.

On the other Hand, That great Ocean of Light and Air, having its own Offspring hidden in the Heart of the Grain, has a perpetual ſtrong Tendency to unite and communicate with it again. From this Deſire of Union on both Sides, the vegetable Life ariſes, and all the Virtues and Powers contained in it.

But here let it be well obſerved, that this Deſire on both Sides cannot have its Effect, till the Huſk and groſs Part of the Grain falls into a State of Corruption and Death, till this begins, the Myſtery of Life hidden in it, cannot come forth. The Application here may be left to the Reader. I ſhall only obſerve, that we may here ſee the true Ground, and abſolute Neceſſity of that dying to ourſelves, and to the World, to which our Bleſſed Lord ſo conſtantly calls all his Followers. An univerſal Self-denial, a perpetual Mortification of the Luſt of the Fleſh, the Luſt of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life, is not a Thing impoſed upon us by the mere Will of God, is not required as a Puniſhment, is not an Invention of dull and monkiſh Spirits, but has its Ground and Reaſon in the Nature of the Thing, and is as abſolutely neceſſary to make Way for the New Birth, as the Death of the Huſk, and groſs Part of the Grain, is neceſſary to make Way for its vegetable Life.

But Secondly, this Pearl of Eternity is the Wiſdom and Love of God within Thee. In this Pearl of thy Serpent Bruiſer, all the Holy Nature, Spirit, Tempers, and Inclinations of Chriſt lie as in a Seed, in the Center of thy Soul, and divine Wiſdom, and heavenly Love, will grow up in Thee, if thou giveſt but true Attention to God preſent in thy Soul. On the other Hand, there is hidden alſo in the Depth of thy Nature, the Root, or Poſſibility of all the helliſh Nature, Spirit and Tempers of the fallen Angels. For Heaven and Hell have each of them their Foundation within us, they come not into us from without, but ſpring up in us, according as our Will and Heart is turned either to the Light of God, or the Kingdom of Darkneſs. But when this Life, which is in the Midſt of theſe two Eternities, is at an End, either an Angel or a Devil will be found to have a Birth in us.

Thou needeſt not therefore run here, or there, ſaying, Where is Chriſt? Thou needeſt not ſay, who ſhall aſcend into Heaven, that is, to bring down Chriſt from above? or who ſhall deſcend into the Deep, to bring up Chriſt from the Dead? for behold the Word, which is the Wiſdom of God, is in thy Heart, it is there as a Bruiſer of thy Serpent, as a Light unto thy Feet, and Lanthorn unto thy Paths. It is there as an Holy Oil, to ſoften and overcome the wrathful fiery Properties of thy Nature, and change them into the humble Meekneſs of Light and Love. It is there as a ſpeaking Word of God in thy Soul; and as ſoon as thou art ready to hear, this eternal ſpeaking Word will ſpeak Wiſdom and Love in thy inward Parts, and bring forth the Birth of Chriſt, with all his Holy Nature, Spirit and Tempers, within Thee. Hence it was (that is, from this Principle of Heaven, or Chriſt in the Soul) hence I ſay it was, that ſo many eminent Spirits, Partakers of a divine Life, have appeared in ſo many Parts of the Heathen World. Glorious Names, Sons of Wiſdom, that ſhone, as Lights hung out by God, in the Midſt of idolatrous Darkneſs. Theſe were the Apoſtles of a Chriſt within, that were awakened and commiſſioned by the inward Bruiſer of the Serpent, to call Mankind from the blind Purſuits of Fleſh and Blood, to know themſelves, the Dignity of their Nature, the Immortality of their Souls, and the Neceſſity of Virtue, to avoid eternal Shame and Miſery. Theſe Apoſtles, though they had not the Law, or written Goſpel, to urge upon their Hearers, yet, having turned to God, they found and preached the Goſpel, that was written in their Hearts. Hence one of them could ſay this Divine Truth, viz. that ſuch only are Prieſts and Prophets, who have God in themſelves. Hence alſo it is, that in the Chriſtian Church, there hath been in all Ages, amongſt the moſt illiterate, both Men and Women, who have attained to a deep Underſtanding of the Myſteries of the Wiſdom and Love of God, in Chriſt Jeſus. And what Wonder? ſince it is not Art or Science, or Skill in Grammar or Logic, but the Opening of the Divine Life in the Soul, that can give true Underſtanding of the Things of God. This Life of God in the Soul, which for its Smallneſs at firſt, and Capacity for great Growth, is, by our Lord, compared to a Grain of Muſtard Seed, may be, and too generally is, ſuppreſſed, and kept under, either by worldly Cares, or Pleaſures, by vain Learning, Senſuality, or Ambition. And all this while, whatever Church or Profeſſion any Man is of, he is a meer Natural Man, unregenerate, unenlightened by the Spirit of God, becauſe this Seed of Heaven is choaked, and not ſuffered to grow up in him. And therefore his Religion is no more from Heaven, than his fine Breeding; his Cares have no more Goodneſs in them, than his Pleaſures; his Love is worth no more than his Hatred; his Zeal for this, or againſt that Form of Religion, has only the Nature of any other worldly Contention in it. And thus it is, and muſt be with every meer natural Man; whatever Appearances he may put on, he may, if he pleaſes, know himſelf to be the Slave and Machine of his own corrupt Tempers and Inclinations; to be enlightened, inſpired, quickened and animated by Self-love, Self-eſteem, and Self-ſeeking, which is the only Life, and Spirit of the meer natural Man, whether he be Heathen, Jew or Chriſtian.

On the other Hand, wherever this Seed of Heaven is ſuffered to take Root, to get Life and Breath in the Soul, whether it be in Man or Woman, young or old, there this new born inward Man is juſtly ſaid to be inſpired, enlightened and moved by the Spirit of God, becauſe his whole Birth and Life is a Birth from above, of the Light and Spirit of God, and therefore all that is in him, hath the Nature, Spirit and Tempers of Heaven in it. As this regenerate Life grows up in any Man, ſo there grows up a true and real Knowledge of the whole Myſtery of Godlineſs in himſelf. All that the Goſpel teaches of Sin and Grace, of Life and Death, of Heaven and Hell, of the New and Old Man, of the Light and Spirit of God, are Things not got by Hearſay, but inwardly known, felt and experienced, in the Growth of his own new born Life. He has then an Unction from above, which teacheth him all Things, a Spirit that knoweth what it ought to pray for, a Spirit that prays without ceaſing, that is riſen with Chriſt from the Dead, and has all its Converſation in Heaven; a Spirit that hath Groans and Sighs that cannot be uttered, that travaileth and groaneth with the whole Creation, to be delivered from Vanity, and have its glorious Liberty in that God, from whom it came forth.

Again, Thirdly, this Pearl of Eternity is the Church, or Temple of God within Thee, the conſecrated Place of Divine Worſhip, where alone thou canſt worſhip God in Spirit, and in Truth. In Spirit, becauſe thy Spirit is that alone in Thee, which can unite, and cleave unto God, and receive the Workings of his Divine Spirit upon Thee. In Truth, becauſe this Adoration in Spirit, is that Truth and Reality, of which all outward Forms and Rites, though inſtituted by God, are only the Figure for a Time, but this Worſhip is Eternal. Accuſtom thyſelf to the Holy Service of this inward Temple. In the Midſt of it, is the Fountain of Living Water, of which thou mayſt drink, and live for ever. There the Myſteries of thy Redemption are celebrated, or rather opened in Life and Power. There the Supper of the Lamb is kept; the Bread that came down from Heaven, that giveth Life to the World, is thy true Nouriſhment: All is done, and known in real Experience, in a living Senſibility of the Work of God on the Soul. There the Birth, the Life, the Sufferings, the Death, the Reſurrection and Aſcenſion of Chriſt, are not merely remembered, but inwardly found and enjoyed, as the real States of thy Soul, which has followed Chriſt in the Regeneration. When once thou art well grounded in this inward Worſhip, thou wilt have learnt to live unto God above Time and Place. For every Day will be Sunday to thee, and wherever thou goeſt, thou wilt have a Prieſt, a Church, and an Altar along with Thee. For when God has all that he ſhould have of thy Heart, when renouncing the Will, Judgment, Tempers and Inclinations of thy old Man, thou art wholly given up to the Obedience of the Light and Spirit of God within Thee, to Will only in his Will, to Love only in his Love, to be Wiſe only in his Wiſdom, then it is, that every Thing thou doſt, is as a Song of Praiſe, and the common Buſineſs of thy Life is a conforming to God's Will on Earth, as Angels do in Heaven.

Fourthly, and laſtly, This Pearl of Eternity is the Peace and Joy of God within Thee, but can only be found by the Manifeſtation of the Life and Power of Jeſus Chriſt in thy Soul. But Chriſt cannot be thy Power and thy Life, till, in Obedience to his Call, thou denieſt thyſelf, takeſt up thy daily Croſs, and followeſt Him in the Regeneration. This is peremptory, it admits of no Reſerve, or Evaſion, it is the one Way to Chriſt and eternal Life. But be where thou wilt, either here, or at Rome, or Geneva, if Self is undenied, if thou liveſt to thine own Will, to the Pleaſures of thy natural Luſt and Appetites, Senſes and Paſſions, and in Conformity to the vain Cuſtoms and Spirit of this World, thou art dead whilſt thou liveſt, the Seed of the Woman is crucified within Thee, Chriſt can profit thee Nothing, thou art a Stranger to all that is holy and heavenly within Thee, and utterly incapable of finding the Peace and Joy of God in thy Soul. And thus thou art Poor, and Blind, and Naked, and Empty, and liveſt a miſerable Life in the Vanity of Time; whilſt all the Riches of Eternity, the Light and Spirit, the Wiſdom and Love, the Peace and Joy of God, are within Thee. And thus it will always be with Thee, there is no Remedy, go where thou wilt, do what thou wilt, all is ſhut up, there is no open Door of Salvation, no Awakening out of the Sleep of Sin, no Deliverance from the Power of thy corrupt Nature, no overcoming of the World, no Revelation of Jeſus Chriſt, no Joy of the New Birth from above, till dying to thyſelf and the World, thou turneſt to the Light and Spirit, and Power of God in thy Soul. All is fruitleſs and inſignificant, all the Means of thy Redemption are at a Stand, all outward Forms are but a dead Formality, till this Fountain of Living Water is found within Thee.

But thou wilt perhaps ſay, How ſhall I diſcover this Riches of Eternity, this Light, and Spirit, and Wiſdom, and Peace of God, treaſured up within me? Thy firſt Thought of Repentance, or Deſire of turning to God, is thy firſt Diſcovery of this Light and Spirit of God within Thee. It is the Voice and Language of the Word of God within Thee, though thou knoweſt it not. It is the Bruiſer of thy Serpent's Head, thy dear Immanuel, who is beginning to preach within Thee, that ſame which He firſt preached in publick, ſaying, Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand. When therefore but the ſmalleſt Inſtinct or Deſire of thy Heart calleth Thee towards God, and a Newneſs of Life, give it Time and Leave to ſpeak; and take Care thou refuſe not Him that ſpeaketh. For it is not an Angel from Heaven that ſpeaketh to Thee, but it is the eternal ſpeaking Word of God in thy Heart, that Word which at firſt created Thee, is thus beginning to create Thee a ſecond Time unto Righteouſneſs, that a new Man may be formed again in Thee in the Image and Likeneſs of God. But above all Things, beware of taking this Deſire of Repentance to be the Effect of thy own natural Senſe and Reaſon, for in ſo doing thou loſeſt the Key of all the Heavenly Treaſure that is in Thee, thou ſhutteſt the Door againſt God, turneſt away from Him, and thy Repentance (if thou haſt any) will be only a vain, unprofitable Work of thy own Hands, that will do Thee no more Good, than a Well that is without Water. But if thou takeſt this awakened Deſire of turning to God to be, as in Truth it is, the coming of Chriſt in thy Soul, the Working, Redeeming Power of the Light and Spirit of the Holy Jeſus within Thee, if thou doſt reverence and adhere to it as ſuch this Faith will ſave Thee, will make Thee whole; and by thus believing in Chriſt, though thou wert dead, yet ſhalt thou live.

Now all dependeth upon thy right Submiſſion and Obedience to this ſpeaking of God in thy Soul. Stop therefore all Self-activity, liſten not to the Suggeſtions of thy own Reaſon, run not on in thy own Will, but be retired, ſilent, paſſive, and humbly attentive to this new riſen Light within Thee. Open thy Heart, thy Eyes, and Ears to all its Impreſſions. Let it enlighten, teach, frighten, torment, judge, and condemn Thee, as it pleaſeth, turn not away from it, hear all it ſaith, ſeek for no Relief out of it, conſult not with Fleſh and Blood, but with a Heart full of Faith and Reſignation to God, pray only this Prayer, that God's Kingdom may come, and his Will be done in thy Soul. Stand faithfully in this State of Preparation, thus given up to the Spirit of God, and then the Work of thy Repentance will be wrought in God, and thou wilt ſoon find, that He that is in Thee, is much greater than all that are againſt Thee.

But that thou mayeſt do all this the better, and be more firmly aſſured, that this Reſignation to, and Dependance upon the working of God's Spirit within Thee, is right and ſound, I ſhall lay before Thee two great, and infallible, and fundamental Truths, which will be as a Rock for thy Faith to ſtand upon.

Firſt, That through all the whole Nature of Things, nothing can do, or be a real Good to thy Soul, but the Operation of God upon it. Secondly, That all the Diſpenſations of God to Mankind, from the Fall of Adam, to the Preaching of the Goſpel, were only for this one End, to fit, prepare, and diſpoſe the Soul for the Operation of the Spirit of God upon it. Theſe two great Truths, well and deeply apprehended, put the Soul in its right State, in a continual Dependence upon God, in a Readineſs to receive all Good from Him, and will be a continual Source of Light in thy Mind. They will keep Thee ſafe from all Errors, and falſe Zeal in Things, and Forms of Religion, from a Sectarian Spirit, from Bigotry and Superſtition; they will teach Thee the true Difference between the Means and End of Religion, and the Regard thou ſheweſt to the Shell, will be only ſo far as the Kernel is to be found in it.

Man, by his Fall, had broke off from his true Center, his proper Place in God, and therefore the Life and Operation of God was no more in Him. He was fallen from a Life in God, into a Life of Self, into an animal Life of Self-love, Self-eſteem, and Self-ſeeking in the poor periſhing Enjoyments of this World. This was the Natural State of Man by the Fall. He was an Apoſtate from God, and his natural Life was all Idolatry, where Self was the great Idol that was worſhipped inſtead of God. See here the whole Truth in ſhort. All Sin, Death, Damnation and Hell, is nothing elſe but this Kingdom of Self, or the various Operations of Self-love, Self-eſteem, and Self-ſeeking, which ſeparate the Soul from God, and end in eternal Death and Hell.

On the other Hand, all that is Grace, Redemption, Salvation, Sanctification, Spiritual Life, and the New-Birth, is nothing elſe but ſo much of the Life and Operation of God found again in the Soul. It is Man come back again into his Center, or Place in God, from whence he had broke off. The Beginning again of the Life of God in the Soul, was then firſt made, when the Mercy of God inſpoke into Adam a Seed of the Divine Life, which ſhould bruiſe the Head of the Serpent, which had wrought itſelf into the human Nature. Here the Kingdom of God was again within us, though only as a Seed, yet ſmall as it was, it was yet a Degree of the divine Life, which, if rightly cultivated, would overcome all the Evil that was in us, and make of every fallen Man, a new born Son of God.

All the Sacrifices, and Inſtitutions of the antient Patriarchs, the Law of Moſes, with all its Types, and Rites, and Ceremonies, had this only End; they were the Methods of Divine Wiſdom for a Time, to keep the Hearts of Men from the Wanderings of Idolatry, in a State of Holy Expectation upon God; they were to keep the firſt Seed of Life in a State of Growth, and make Way for the farther Operation of God upon the Soul; or, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, to be as a Schoolmaſter unto Chriſt. That is, till the Birth, the Death, the Reſurrection and Aſcenſion of Chriſt, ſhould conquer Death, and Hell, open a new Diſpenſation of God, and baptize Mankind afreſh with the Holy Ghoſt, and Fire of Heaven. Then, that is, on the Day of Pentecoſt, a new Diſpenſation of God came forth; which, on God's Part, was the Operation of the Holy Spirit in Gifts and Graces upon the whole Church. And on Man's Part, it was the Adoration of God, in Spirit and in Truth. Thus all that was done by God, from the Bruiſer of the Serpent given to Adam, to Chriſt's ſitting down on the right Hand of God, was all for this End, to remove all that ſtood between God and Man, and to make Way for the immediate and continual Operation of God upon the Soul. And that Man, baptized with the Holy Spirit, and born again from Above, ſhould abſolutely renounce Self, and wholly give up his Soul to the Operation of God's Spirit, to know, to love, to will, to pray, to worſhip, to preach, to exhort, to uſe all the Faculties of his Mind, and all the outward Things of this World, as enlightened, inſpired, moved and guided by the Holy Ghoſt; who, by this laſt Diſpenſation of God, was given to be a Comforter, a Teacher, and Guide to the Church, who ſhould abide with it for ever.

This is Chriſtianity, a ſpiritual Society, not becauſe it has no worldly Concerns, but becauſe all its Members, as ſuch, are born of the Spirit, kept alive, animated and governed by the Spirit of God. It is conſtantly called, by our Lord, the Kingdom of God, or Heaven, becauſe all its Miniſtry and Service, all that is done in it, is done in Obedience and Subjection to that Spirit, by which Angels live, and are governed in Heaven. Hence our bleſſed Lord taught his Diſciples to pray, that this Kingdom might come, that ſo God's Will might be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven, which could not be but by that ſame Spirit by which it is done in Heaven. The ſhort is this: The Kingdom of Self, is the Fall of Man, or the great Apoſtacy from the Life of God in the Soul, and every one, wherever he be, that liveth unto Self, is ſtill under the Fall and great Apoſtacy from God. The Kingdom of Chriſt is the Spirit and Power of God, dwelling and manifeſting itſelf in the Birth of a new inward Man▪ And no one is a Member of this Kingdom, but ſo far as a true Birth of the Spirit is brought forth in him. Theſe two Kingdoms take in all Mankind, he that is not of one, is certainly in the other; dying to one, is living to the other.

Hence we may gather theſe following Truths: Firſt, Here is ſhewn the true Ground and Reaſon of what was ſaid above, namely, That when the Call of God to Repentance firſt ariſeth in thy Soul, thou art to be retired, ſilent, paſſive, and humbly attentive to this new riſen Light within thee, by wholly ſtopping, or diſregarding the Workings of thy own Will, Reaſon and Judgment. It is becauſe all theſe are falſe Counſellors, the ſworn Servants, bribed Slaves of thy fallen Nature, they are all born and bred in the Kingdom of Self; and therefore if a new Kingdom is to be ſet up in Thee, if the Operation of God is to have its Effect in Thee; all theſe natural Powers of Self are to be ſilenced and ſuppreſſed, till they have learned Obedience and Subjection to the Spirit of God. Now this is not requiring thee to become a Fool, or to give up thy Claim to Senſe and Reaſon, but is the ſhorteſt Way to have thy Senſe and Reaſon delivered from Folly, and thy whole rational Nature ſtrengthened, enlightened, and guided by that Light, which is Wiſdom itſelf.

A Child that obediently denies his own Will, and own Reaſon, to be guided by the Will and Reaſon, of a truly wiſe and underſtanding Tutor, cannot be ſaid to make himſelf a Fool, and give up the Benefit of his rational Nature, but to have taken the ſhorteſt Way to have his own Will and Reaſon made truly a Bleſſing to him.

Secondly, Hence is to be ſeen the true Ground and Neceſſity of that univerſal Mortification and Self-denial with regard to all our Senſes, Appetites, Tempers, Paſſions and Judgments. It is becauſe all our whole Nature, as fallen from the Life of God is in a State of Contrariety to the Order and End of our Creation, a continual Source of diſorderly Appetites, corrupt Tempers, and falſe Judgments And therefore every Motion of it is to be mortified, changed and purified from its natural State, before we can enter into the Kingdom of God. Thus when our Lord ſaith, Except a Man hateth his Father and Mother, yea, and his own Life, he cannot be my Diſciple; it is becauſe our beſt Tempers are yet carnal, and full of the Imperfections of our fallen Nature. The Doctrine is juſt and good: Not as if Father and Mother were to be hated; but that Love, which an unregenerate Perſon, or natural Man, hath towards them, is to be hated; as being a blind Self-love, full of all the Weakneſs and Partialty, with which fallen Man loves, honours, eſteems and cleaves to himſelf. This love, born from corrupt Fleſh and Blood and polluted with Self, is to be hated and parted with, that we may love them with a Love born of God, with ſuch a Love, and on ſuch a Motive, as Chriſt hath loved us. And then the Diſciple of Chriſt far exceeds all others in the Love of Parents. Again, our own Life is to be hated; and the Reaſon is plain, it is becauſe there is nothing lovely in it. It is a Legion of Evil, a monſtrous Birth of the Serpent, the World, and the Fleſh; it is an Apoſtacy from the Life and Power of God in the Soul; a Life that is Death to Heaven, that is pure unmixed Idolatry, that lives wholly to Self, and not to God, and therefore all this own Life is to be abſolutely hated, all this Self is to be denied and mortified, if the Nature, Spirit, Tempers and Inclinations of Chriſt are to be brought to Life in us. For it is as impoſſible to live to both theſe Lives at once, as for a Body to move two contrary Ways at the ſame Time. And therefore all theſe Mortifications and Self-denials have an abſolute Neceſſity in the Nature of the Thing itſelf.

Thus when our Lord further ſaith, unleſs a Man forſake all that he hath, he cannot be my Diſciple. The Reaſon is plain, and the Neceſſity abſolute; it is becauſe all that the natural Man hath, is in the Poſſeſſion of Self-love, and therefore this Poſſeſſion is to be abſolutely forſaken, and parted with. All that he hath, is to be put into other Hands, to be given to divine Love, or this natural Man cannot be changed into a Diſciple of Chriſt. For Self-love in all that it hath, is earthly, ſenſual and deviliſh, and therefore muſt have all taken away from it; and then to the natural Man all is loſt, he hath nothing left, all is laid down at the Feet of Jeſus. And then all Things are common, as ſoon as Self-love has loſt the Poſſeſſion of them. And then the Diſciple of Chriſt, though having nothing, yet poſſeſſeth all Things; all that the natural Man hath forſaken, is reſtored to the Diſciple of Chriſt an Hundred-fold. For Self-love, the greateſt of all Thieves, being now caſt out, and all that he had ſtolen and hidden, thus taken from him, and put into the Hands of divine Love, every Mite becometh a large Treaſure, and Mammon openeth the Door into everlaſting Habitations. This was the Spirit of the firſt Draught of a Chriſtian Church at Jeruſalem, a Church made truly after the Pattern of Heaven, where the Love that reigns in Heaven reigned in it, where divine Love broke down all the ſelfiſh Fences, the Locks and Bolts of me, mine, my own, &c. and laid all Things common to the Members of this new Kingdom of God on Earth.

Now though many Years did not paſs after the Age of the Apoſtles, before Satan and Self got Footing in the Church, and ſet up Merchandize in the Houſe of God; yet this one Heart; and one Spirit, which then firſt appeared in the Jeruſalem Church, is that one Heart and Spirit of divine Love, to which all are called, that would be true Diſciples of Chriſt. And though the Practice of it is loſt as to the Church in general, yet it ought not to have been loſt; and therefore every Chriſtian ought to make it his great Care, and Prayer, to have it reſtored in himſelf. And then, though born in the Dregs of Time, or living in Babylon, he will be as truly a Member of the firſt heavenly Church at Jeruſalem, as if he had lived in it in the Days of the Apoſtles. This Spirit of Love, born of that celeſtial Fire, with which Chriſt baptizes his true Diſciples, is alone that Spirit, which can enter into Heaven, and therefore is that Spirit which is to be born in us, whilſt we are on Earth, For no one can enter into Heaven, till he is made heavenly, till the Spirit of Heaven is entered into him. And therefore all that our Lord hath ſaid of denying and dying to Self, and of his parting with all that he hath, are Practices abſolutely neceſſary from the Nature of the Thing.

Becauſe all turning to Self, is ſo far turning from God, and ſo much as we have of Self-love, ſo much we have of a helliſh, earthly Weight, that muſt be taken off, or there can be no Aſcenſion into Heaven. But thou wilt perhaps ſay, if all Self-love is to be renounced, then all Love of our Neighbour is renounced along with it, becauſe the Commandment is, only to love our Neighbour as ourſelves. The Anſwer here is eaſy, and yet no Quarter given to Self-love. There is but one only Love in Heaven, and yet the Angels of God love one another in the ſame Manner as they love themſelves. The Matter is thus; the one ſupreme, unchangeable Rule of Love, which is a Law to all intelligent Beings of all Worlds, and will be a Law to all Eternity, is this, viz. That God alone is to be loved for Himſelf, and all other Beings only in Him, and for Him. Whatever intelligent Creature lives not under this Rule of Love, is ſo far fallen from the Order of his Creation, and is, till He returns to this eternal Law of Love, an Apoſtate from God, and incapable of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Now if God alone is to be loved for Himſelf, then no Creature is to be loved for itſelf; and ſo all Self-love in every Creature is abſolutely condemned.

And if all created Beings are only to be loved in and for God, then my Neighbour is to be loved as I love myſelf, and I am only to love myſelf, as I love my Neighbour, or any other created Being, that is, only in and for God. And thus the Command of loving our Neighbour as ourſelves, ſtands firm, and yet all Self-love is plucked up by the Roots. But what is loving any Creature, only in, and for, God? It is when we love it only, as it is God's Work, Image and Delight; when we love it merely as it is God's, and belongs to Him, this is loving it in God, and when all that we wiſh, intend, or do to it, is done from a Love of God, for the Honour of God, and in Conformity to the Will of God, this is loving it for God. This is the one Love that is, and muſt be the Spirit of all Creatures, that live united to God. Now this is no ſpeculative Refinement or fine-ſpun Fiction of the Brain, but the ſimple Truth, a firſt Law of Nature, and a neceſſary Band of Union between God and the Creature. The Creature is not in God, is a Stranger to Him, has loſt the Life of God in itſelf, whenever its Love does not thus begin and end in God.

The Loſs of this Love was the Fall of Man, as it opened in him a Kingdom of Self, in which Satan, the World, and the Fleſh, could all of them bring forth their own Works. If therefore Man is to riſe from his Fall, and return to his Life in God, there is an abſolute Neceſſity that Self, with all his Brood of groſs Affections, be depoſed, that this firſt Love, in and for which he was created, may be born again in him. Chriſt came into the World to ſave Sinners, to deſtroy the Works of the Devil. Now Self is not only the Seat and Habitation, but the very Life of Sin. The Works of the Devil are all wrought in Self, it is his peculiar Workhouſe, and therefore Chriſt is not come as a Saviour from Sin, as a Deſtroyer of the Works of the Devil in any of us, but ſo far as Self is beaten down, and overcome in us. If it is literally true what our Lord ſaid, That his Kingdom was not of this World, then it is a Truth of the ſame Certainty, that no one is a Member of this Kingdom, but he that, in the literal Senſe of the Words, renounces the Spirit of this World. Chriſtians might as well part with Half the Articles of their Creed, or but Half believe them, as to really refuſe, or but by Halves enter into theſe Self-denials.

For all that is in the Creed, is only to bring forth this Dying and Death to all, and every Part of the old Man, that the Life and Spirit of Chriſt may be formed in us.

Our Redemption is this new Birth; if this is not done, or doing in us, we are ſtill unredeemed. And though the Saviour of the World is come, He is not come in us, He is not received by us, is a Stranger to us, is not ours, if his Life is not within us. His Life is not, cannot be within us, but ſo far as the Spirit of the World, Self-love, Self-eſteem, and Self-ſeeking are renounced, and driven out of us.

Thirdly, Hence we may alſo learn the true Nature and Worth of all Self-denials and Mortifications. As to their Nature, conſidered in themſelves, they have nothing of Goodneſs or Holineſs, nor are any real Parts of our Sanctification, they are not the true Food or Nouriſhment of the divine Life in our Souls, they have no Quickening, Sanctifying Power in them; their only Worth conſiſts in this, that they remove the Impediments of Holineſs, break down that which ſtands between God and us, and make Way for the Quickening, Sanctifying Spirit of God to operate on our Souls. Which Operation of God is the one only Thing that can raiſe the divine Life in the Soul, or help it to the ſmalleſt Degree of real Holineſs, or ſpiritual Life. As in our Creation, we had only that Degree of a divine Life, which the Power of God derived into us; a then all that we had, and were, was the ſole Operation of God in the Creation of us, ſo in [〈◊〉] Redemption, or regaining that firſt Perfection, which we have loſt, all muſt be again the Operation of God, every Degree of the divine Life reſtored in us, be it ever ſo ſmall, muſt and can be nothing elſe but ſo much of the Life and Operation of God found again in the Soul. All the Activity of Man in the Works of Self-denial, has no Good in itſelf, but is only to open an Entrance for the one only Good, the Light of God, to operate upon us.

Hence alſo we may learn the Reaſon, why many People not only loſe the Benefit, but are even the worſe for all their Mortifications. It is becauſe they miſtake the whole Nature and Worth of them. They practiſe them for their own Sakes, as Things good in themſelves, they think them to be real Parts of Holineſs, and ſo reſt in them, and look no farther, but grow full of Self-eſteem, and Self admiration for their own Progreſs in them. This makes them Self-ſufficient, moroſe, ſevere Judges of all thoſe that fall ſhort of their Mortifications.

And thus their Self-denials do only that for them, which Indulgences do for other People; they withſtand and hinder the Operation of God upon their Souls, and inſtead of being really Self-denials, they ſtrengthen and keep up the Kingdom of Self.

There is no avoiding this fatal Error, but by deeply entering into this great Truth, that all our own Activity and Working has no Good in it, can do no Good to us, but as it leads and turns us in the beſt Manner to the Light and Spirit of God, which alone brings Life and Salvation into the Soul. Stretch forth thy Hand, ſaid our Lord to the Man, that had a withered Hand; he did ſo, and it was immediately made whole as the other.

Now, had this Man any Ground for Pride, or a high Opinion of himſelf, for the Share he had in the Reſtoring of his Hand? Yet juſt ſuch is our Share in the raiſing up of the ſpiritual Life within us. All that we can do by our own Activity, is only like this Man's ſtretching out his Hand; the reſt is the Work of Chriſt, the only Giver of Life to the withered Hand, or the dead Soul. We can only then do living Works, when we are ſo far born again, as to be able to ſay with the Apoſtle, Yet not I, but Chriſt that liveth in me. But to return, and further ſhew how the Soul that feels the Call of God to Repentance, is to behave under it, that this ſtirring of the divine Power in the Soul, may have its full Effect, and bring forth the Birth of the new Man in Chriſt Jeſus. We are to conſider it (as in Truth it is) as the Seed of the divine Nature within us, that can only grow by its own Strength, and Union with God. It is a divine Life, and therefore can grow from nothing but divine Power. When the Virgin Mary conceived the Birth of the holy Jeſus, all that ſhe did towards it herſelf, was only this ſingle Act of Faith and Reſignation to God: Behold the Handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy Word. This is all that we can do towards the Conception of that new Man that is to be born in ourſelves. Now this Truth is eaſily conſented to, and a Man thinks he believes it, becauſe he conſents to it, or rather, does not deny it. But this is not enough, it is to be apprehended in a deep, full, and practical Aſſurance, in ſuch a Manner as a Man knows and believes that he did not create the Stars, or cauſe Life to raiſe up in himſelf. And then it is a Belief that puts the Soul into a right State, that makes Room for the Operation of God upon it. His Light then enters with full Power into the Soul, and his holy Spirit moves and directs all that is done in it, and ſo Man lives again in God as a new Creature. For this Truth thus firmly believed, will have theſe two moſt excellent Effects: Firſt, it will keep the Soul fixed, and continually turned towards God, in Faith, Prayer, Deſire, Confidence, and Reſignation to Him, for all that it wants to have done in it, and to it; which will be a continual Source of all divine Virtues and Graces. The Soul thus turned to God, muſt be always receiving from Him. It ſtands at the true Door of all divine Communications, and the Light of God as freely enters into it, as the Light of the Sun enters into the Air. Secondly, It will fix and ground the Soul in a true and laſting Self-denial. For by thus knowing, and owning our own Nothingneſs and Inability, that we have no other Capacity for Good, but that of receiving it from God alone, Self is wholly denied, its Kingdom is deſtroyed; no Room is left for ſpiritual Pride and Self-eſteem; we are ſaved from a Phariſaical Holineſs, from wrong Opinions of our own Works and good Deeds, and from a Multitude of Errors, the moſt dangerous to our Souls, all which ariſe from the Something that we take ourſelves to be either in Nature or Grace. But when we once apprehend but in ſome Degree the All of God, and the Nothingneſs of ourſelves, we have got a Truth, whoſe Uſefulneſs and Benefit, no Words can expreſs. It brings a Kind of Infallibity into the Soul in which it dwells; all that is vain, and falſe, and deceitful, is forced to vaniſh and fly before it. When our Religion is founded on this Rock, it has the Firmneſs of a Rock, and its Height reaches unto Heaven. The World, the Fleſh and the Devil can do no Hurt to it; all Enemies are known, and all diſarmed by this great Truth, dwelling in our Souls. It is the Knowledge of the All of God, that makes Cherubims and Seraphims to be Flames of divine Love. For where this All of God is truly known and felt in any Creature, there its whole Breath and Spirit is a Fire of Love, nothing but a pure, diſintereſted Love can riſe up in it, or come from it, a Love that begins and ends in God. And where this Love is born in any Creature, there a Seraphick Life is born along with it. For this pure Love introduces the Creature into the All of God, all that is in God, is opened in the Creature; it is united with God, and hath the Life of God manifeſted in it.

There is but one Salvation for all Mankind, and that is the Life of God in the Soul. God has but one Deſign or Intent towards all Mankind, and that is to introduce or generate his own Life, Light, and Spirit in them, that all may be as ſo many Images, Temples, and Habitations of the Holy Trinity. This is God's good Will to all Chriſtians, Jews, and Heathens. They are all equally the Deſire of his Heart, his Light continually waits for an Entrance into all of them, his Wiſdom crieth, ſhe putteth forth her Voice, not here, or there, but every where, in all the Streets of all the Parts of the World.

Now there is but one poſſible Way for Man to attain this Salvation, or Life of God in the Soul. There is not one for the Jew, another for a Chriſtian, and a Third for the Heathen. No; God is one, human Nature is one, Salvation is one, and the Way to it is one; and that is, the Deſire of the Soul turned to God. When this Deſire is alive, and breaks forth in any Creature under Heaven, then the loſt Sheep is found, and the Shepherd hath it upon his Shoulders. Through this Deſire the Poor prodigal Son leaveth his Huſks and Swine, and haſteth to his Father; 'tis becauſe of this Deſire, that the Father ſeeth the Son while yet afar off, that he runs out to meet him, falleth on his Neck, and kiſſeth him. See here how plainly we are taught, that no ſooner is this Deſire ariſen, and in Motion towards God, but the Operation of God's Spirit anſwers to it, cheriſhes and welcomes its firſt Beginnings, ſignified by the Father's ſeeing, and having Compaſſion on his Son, whilſt yet afar off, that is, in the firſt Beginnings of his Deſire. Thus does this Deſire do all, it brings the Soul to God, and God into the Soul, it unites with God, it co-operates with God, and is one Life with God. Suppoſe this Deſire not to be alive, not in Motion either in a Jew or a Chriſtian, and then all the Sacrifices, the Service, he Worſhip either of the Law or the Goſpel, are but dead Works, that bring no Life into the Soul, nor beget any Union between God and it. Suppoſe this Deſire to be awakened, and fixed upon God, though in Souls that never heard either of the Law or Goſpel, and then the divine Life, or Operation of God enters into them, and the new Birth in Chriſt is formed in thoſe, that never heard of his Name. And theſe are they that ſhall come from the Eaſt, and from the Weſt, and ſit down with Abraham and Iſaac in the Kingdom of God.

Oh my God, juſt and good, how great is thy Love and Mercy to Mankind, that Heaven is thus every where open, and Chriſt thus the common Saviour to all that turn the Deſire of their Hearts to Thee! Oh ſweet Power of the Bruiſer of the Serpent, born in every Son of Man, that ſtirs and works in every Man, and gives every Man a Power, and Deſire, to find his Happineſs in God! O holy Jeſus, heavenly Light, that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World, that redeemeth every Soul that followeth thy Light, which is always within Him! O holy Trinity, immenſe Ocean of divine Love, in which all Mankind live, and move, and have their Being? None are ſeparated from Thee, none live out of thy Love, but all are embraced in the Arms of thy Mercy, all are Partakers of thy divine Life, the Operation of thy holy Spirit, as ſoon as their Heart is turned to Thee! Oh plain, and eaſy, and ſimple Way of Salvation, wanting no Subtleties of Art or Science, no borrowed Learning, no Refinements of Reaſon, but all done by the ſimple natural Motion of every Heart, that truly longs after God. For no ſooner is the finite Deſire of the Creature in Motion towards God, but the infinite Deſire of God is united with it, co-operates with it. And in this united Deſire of God, and the Creature, is the Salvation and Life of the Soul brought forth. For the Soul is ſhut out of God, and impriſoned in its own dark Workings of Fleſh and Blood, merely and ſolely becauſe it deſires to live to the Vanity of this World. This Deſire is its Darkneſs, its Death, its Impriſonment, and Separation from God.

When therefore the firſt Spark of a Deſire after God ariſes in thy Soul, cheriſh it with all thy Care, give all thy Heart into it, it is nothing leſs than a Touch of the divine Loadſtone, that is to draw Thee out of the Vanity of Time, into the Riches of Eternity. Get up therefore and follow it as gladly, as the Wiſe-men of the Eaſt followed the Star from Heaven that appeared to them. It will do for Thee as the Star did for them; it will lead Thee to the Birth of Jeſus, not in a Stable at Bethlehem, in Judea, but to the Birth of Jeſus, in the dark Center of thy own fallen Soul.

I ſhall conclude this firſt Part, with the Words of the heavenly illuminated, and bleſſed Jacob Behmen.

It is much to be lamented, that we are ſo blindly led, and the Truth withheld from us through imaginary Conceptions; for if the divine Power in the inward Ground of the Soul, was manifeſt, and working with its Luſtre in us, then is the whole tri-une God preſent in the Life and Will of the Soul; and the Heaven, wherein God dwelleth, is opened in the Soul, and There, in the Soul, is the Place where the Father begetteth his Son, and where the Holy Ghoſt proceedeth from the Father and the Son.

Chriſt ſaith, I am the Light of the World, he that follweth me, walketh not in Darkneſs. He directs us only to Himſelf. He is the Morning Star, and is generated and riſeth in us, and ſhineth in the Darkneſs of our Nature. O how great a Triumph is there in the Soul, when He ariſeth in it, then a Man knows, as he never knew before, that he is a Stranger in a ſoreign Land.

CONSIDERATIONS on WAR.

THE temporal miſeries and wrongs which are the ſad effects of war, are neither to be numbered or expreſſed.—What theivery bears any proportion to that which with the boldneſs of drum and trumpet, plunders the innocent of all they have? and if themſelves are left alive, with all their limbs, or their daughters unraviſhed, they have many times only the aſhes of their conſumed houſes to lye down upon.—What honour has war gotten, from its thouſands and tens of hundreds of thouſands of men ſlaughtered on heaps, with as little regret or concern as at loads of rubbiſh thrown into a pit.—Who but the fiery dragon, would put a wreath of laurel on ſuch heroes heads? Who but he, could ſay unto them, Well done, good and faithful ſervants. But there is ſtill an evil of war much greater, though leſs regarded, apparent to thoſe who reflect, how many hundreds of thouſands of men, born into this world, for no other end but that they may, by being born again of Chriſt, from ſons of Adam's miſery, become ſons of God, and fellowheirs with Chriſt, in everlaſting glory; who reflects, I ſay, what nameleſs numbers of theſe are robbed of God's precious gift of life to them, before they have known the one ſole benefit of living, who are not ſuffered to ſtay in this world, till age and experience have helped them to know the inward voice and operation of God's ſpirit, have helped them to find and feel that evil, curſe, and ſting of ſin and death, which muſt be taken from within them, before they can die the death of the righteous; who inſtead of this, have been either violently forced or tempted in the fire of youth, and full ſtrength of ſinful luſts, to forget God, eternity, and their own ſouls, and ruſh into a kill or be killed, with as much furious haſte and goodneſs of ſpirit, as tyger kills tyger for the ſake of his prey. Amongſt unfallen creatures in heaven, God's name and nature is love, light, and glory—to the fallen ſons of Adam, that which was love, light, and glory in heaven, becomes infinite pity and compaſſion on earth; in a God, cloathed with the nature of his fallen creature, bearing all its infirmities, entering into all its troubles, and in the meek innocence of a lamb of God; living a life and dying a death of all ſufferings due to ſin. Sing! O ye heavens! and ſhout all ye lower parts of the earth, for this is our God, that varies not, whoſe firſt creating love knows no change, but into a redeeming pity towards all his fallen creatures. Look now at warring Chriſtendom, what ſmalleſt drop of pity towards ſinners is to be found in it? or how could a ſpirit, all helliſh, more fully contrive and haſten their deſtruction; it ſtirs up and kindles every paſſion of fallen nature, that is contrary to the all-humble, all-meek, all-loving, all-forgiving, all-ſaving ſpirit of Chriſt—it unites, it drives, and compels nameleſs numbers of unconverted ſinners to fall murdering and murdered, amongſt flaſhes of fire, with the wrath and ſwiftneſs of lightning, into a fire infinitely worſe than that in which they died— O ſad ſubject for thankſgiving days, whether in popiſh or proteſtant churches; for if there is a joy of all the angels in heaven for one ſinner that repenteth, what a joy muſt there be in hell, over ſuch multitudes of ſinners, not ſuffered to repent? And if they who have converted many to righteouſneſs, ſhall ſhine as the ſtars in the firmament forever, what Chorazin woe may they not juſtly fear, whoſe proud wrath, and vain glory, have robbed ſuch numberleſs troops of poor wretches, of all time and place of knowing what righteouſneſs they wanted for the ſalvation of their immortal ſouls. ^[1] Here my pen trembles in my hand—But when, O! when will one ſingle chriſtian church, people, or language, tremble at the ſhare they have in this death of ſinners—Again, would you further ſee the fall of the univerſal church, from being led by the Spirit of Chriſt, to be guided by the inſpiration of the great fiery dragon, look at all European Chriſtendom ſailing round the globe, with fire and ſword, and every murdering art of war, to ſeize the poſſeſſions and ſteal or kill the inhabitants of Africa and the Indies.—What natural right of man, what ſupernatural virtue, which Chriſt bro't down from heaven, is not here trodden under foot?—all that you ever read or heared of heathen barbarity, was here outdone by chriſtian conquerors. What wars of chriſtians againſt chriſtians, blended with ſcalping heathens, have ſtained the earth and the ſeas with human blood, for a miſerable ſhare in the ſpoils of a plundered heathen world; a world which ſhould have heard, or ſeen, or felt nothing from the followers of Chriſt, but a divine love, that had forced them from diſtant lands, and through the perils of long ſeas, to viſit ſtrangers, with thoſe glad tidings of peace and ſalvation, to all the world, which angels from heaven, and ſhepherds on earth, proclaimed at the birth of Chriſt.

But to know whether chriſtianity admits of war, chriſtianity is to be conſidered as in its right ſtate; now the true ſtate of the world, turned chriſtian, is thus deſcribed by the great Goſpel-prophet, who ſhewed what a change it was to make in the fallen ſtate of the world; It ſhall come to paſs, in the laſt days, that the mountain of the Lord's houſe ſhall be eſtabliſhed in the top of the mountains, and all nations ſhall flow into it, and many people ſhall ſay, Let us go up to the mountain of the Lord's houſe, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths, Iſa. ii. 2. Now what follows from this going up of the nations to the mountain of the Lord's houſe, the holy prophet expreſsly tells you in the following words: They ſhall beat their ſwords into plow-ſhares, and their ſpears into pruning-hooks; nation ſhall not lift up its ſword againſt nation, ☞ neither ſhall they learn war any more, Iſa. ii. 4. Mic. iv. 3. This is the prophet's true Chriſtendom, with one and the ſame eſſential divine mark ſet upon it, as when the Lamb of God ſaid, By this ſhall all men know, that ye are my diſciples, if ye love one another, as I have loved you, John xiii. 34. Chriſt's kingdom is no where come, but where the works of the devil are deſtroyed, and men are turned from the power of ſatan unto God—God is only another name for the higheſt and only good, and the higheſt and only good means nothing elſe but love, with all its works. Would you farther ſee when and where the kingdoms of this fallen world are become a kingdom of God, the Goſpel-prophet tells you, that it is then and there where all enmity ceaſeth. The wolf, ſaith he, ſhall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard ſhall lye down with the kid; the calf and the young lion, and the fatling together, and a little child ſhall lead them. The cow and the bear ſhall feed, and their young ones ſhall lye down together; and the lion ſhall eat ſtraw like the ox. The ſucking child ſhall play on the hole of the aſp, and the weaned child ſhall put his hand on the cockatrice den—for they ſhall not hurt and deſtroy in all my holy mountain, Iſa. xi. 6. See here a kingdom of God on the earth; it is nothing elſe but a kingdom of meer love, where all hurt and deſtroying is done away, and every work of enmity changed into one united power of heavenly love— but obſerve again and again, whence this comes to paſs, that God's kingdom on earth is, and can be nothing elſe, but the power of reigning love; the prophet tells us, it is becauſe in the days of his kingdom the earth ſhall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the ſea.

Hence we are enjoined, by our bleſſed Saviour, to pray for, and continually to watch over every ſuggeſtion of our corrupt minds, which may impede the accompliſhment of theſe gracious promiſes: Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is done in heaven. The frequent accounts we meet with in the Old Teſtament, of wars being carried on in the time of the law, gives no ſanction to the ſame practice under the goſpel; as this laſt diſpenſation is a wonderous diſplay of divine benignity and love, pronouncing thoſe only bleſſed, who are found in the actual poſſeſſion of that poverty of ſpirit, that meekneſs and purity of heart, which was pointed out in types and ceremonies, under the law; hence the goſpel diſpenſation is declared to be the bringing in of a better hope, by which we draw nigh unto God, Heb. vii. 19.

We are Chriſtians, not Jews, and are therefore required to attend to the inſtruction and practice of our great and good exampler, Jeſus Chriſt, who was declared from heaven to be the beloved Son of God; and whoſe appearance on earth was uſhered in by the angels and heavenly hoſt, with a publication of peace on earth, and good will towards men. The prophecies which preceded our Saviour's coming, clearly pointed to the greater excellency of the diſpenſation, which was to take place when He, the peaceable Shiloh, the deſire of nations ſhould come, unto whom the gathering of the people was to be, Hag. ii. 7.

The primitive chriſtians bore a teſtimony to the inconſiſtency of war with the goſpel. Robert Barclay, in his Apology, ſays, That this was the judgment of moſt (if not all) the ancient fathers, (ſo called) the firſt three hundred years after Chriſt. They affirmed the prophecies of Iſaiah and Micah, reſpecting the peaceable reign of the Meſſiah, to be fulfilled in the chriſtians of their time. ^[2] Many of the Reformers favoured the ſame ſentiment, particularly John Wickliff; the firſt eminent inſtrument raiſed in oppoſition to the errors and corruptions then prevalent in the world; of whom we are told in the account of his life, ^[3] That he thought the whole trade of war was ſinful.

We find by the accounts we meet within John Fox's Acts and Monuments of the Church, that the ſame teſtimony againſt war was maintained amongſt the followers of Wickliff. This appears more particularly, from a repreſentation, called Concluſions and Reformations, laid before the parliament, by thoſe firſt Reformers, the 17th of Richard the IId, in the year 1395, as mentioned vol. I. p. 579. It farther appears from what John Fox calls, The godly Declaration of Walter Brute; of whoſe ſufferings for the truth, he gives us a large account, at page 554. An extract of the ſaid Walter's expreſſions, on that head, are as follows, viz.

I marvel why wiſe men, leaving the plain and manifeſt doctrine of Chriſt, whereby he teacheth patience, do ſeek corners of their own imagining, to the intent they may approve fightings and wars; why mark they not after what manner Chriſt ſpake to Peter, ſtriking the high biſhop's ſervant, ſaying, Put up the ſword into the ſheath; for every one that ſhall take the ſword, ſhall periſh with the ſword.

Again, the apoſtle writing to the Corinthians, as touching judgment and contention, which are matter of leſs weight than are fightings; he writeth, Now verily there is great fault in you, that ye be at law amongſt yourſelves; why rather take ye not wrong? why rather ſuffer ye not deceit. And that apoſtle generally in all his epiſtles, teacheth, that patience ſhould be kept, and not corporal reſiſtance by fightings, becauſe charity is patient, it is courteous, it ſuffereth all things. I marvel how they juſtify, and make good the wars by chriſtians, ſaving only the wars againſt the devil and ſin. For ſeeing that it is plain, that thoſe things which were in the Old Teſtament, were figures of things to be done in the New Teſtament, therefore we muſt needs ſay, that corporal wars being then done, were figures of the chriſtian wars againſt ſin and the devil, for the heavenly country, which is our inheritance. ^[4]

In the times which preceded our Saviour's appearance on earth, every battle of the warrior was with confuſed noiſe, and garments rolled in blood, but the warfare which was to be introduced by HIM, the Prince of Peace, of the increaſe of whoſe government there is to be no end, was to be "with burning and fuel of fire," ^[6] Iſaiah ix. 5. to the deſtruction of the man of ſin, the corrupt propenſity of nature, and eſtabliſhment of that purity of heart and univerſal love, which the goſpel propoſes.

The apoſtle tells the believers, Eph. vi. 12. "That they warred not after the fleſh." 2 Cor. x. 4. That the weapons of their warfare were not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down the ſtrong holds, caſting down every imagination, and high thing which exalteth itſelf againſt the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chriſt. It was by meekneſs and patient ſuffering, that our Saviour overcame and gave a deadly blow to ſin; leaving us an example that we ſhould follow his footſteps. Learn of me, ſays this bleſſed Redeemer, for I am meek and low, and ye ſhall find reſt to your ſouls. Bleſſed are the meek, the merciful, and thoſe who hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſs, (with this bleſſed promiſe) for they ſhall be filled. Bleſſed are the peace-makers, for they ſhall be called THE CHILDREN OF GOD, Mat. v. And to his diſciples, when he ſent them to preach the Goſpel, he ſays, Behold I ſend you as lambs amongſt wolves. The evangelick prophet had a clear proſpect of the abaſement and ſufferings of our Saviour, when he ſays, He was oppreſſed and afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the ſlaughter, and as a ſheep before her ſhearers is dumb, ſo he opened not his mouth, Iſa. liii. 7.

The efficacy of this ſuffering ſpirit of Chriſt was contrary to the natural will, and a myſtery to the reaſoning part in man; it was to the Jews a ſtumbling-block, and to the Greeks, fooliſhneſs, and ſtill remains a myſtery to the wiſdom of the world, 1 Cor. i. 22.

Our Saviour himſelf, in the courſe of his precepts, clearly diſtinguiſhed the greater purity of the doctrine he was about to eſtabliſh, from the imperfectneſs of that practiſed in the former diſpenſations; Mat. v. Ye have heard that it hath been ſaid to them of old times—an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, but I ſay unto you, that ye reſiſt not evil. Again: Ye have heard that it hath been ſaid, thou ſhall love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy, but I ſay unto you, love your enemies, ^[7] bleſs them that curſe you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which deſpitefully uſe you and perſecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven. ^[8]

Hence we have reaſon to believe, that the injunction and allowance granted to the Jews, of making war upon their enemies, and one upon another; was in conſequence of that hardneſs of heart, which prevailed amongſt them; and that this permiſſion was granted from the ſame motive, as that mentioned by our Lord, when the Jews were pleading the licence given them by Moſes, to put away their wives, and marry other women, Mark x. 5. For the hardneſs of your hearts, Moſes wrote you this precept; but from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female —what therefore God hath joined together, let no man put aſunder. This as well as war, ſlavery, and other practices of the like nature, were a violence upon that union, purity, and brotherly love, which ſubſiſted in the beginning, in the original conſtitution of things, whilſt man retained his primitive innocency. And that the ſpilling of human blood was not acceptable in the eyes of perfect Purity, who the apoſtle denominates under the appellation of love, God is Love, appears from the prohibition laid upon king David, not to build an houſe unto God, on account of his having been concerned in the deſtruction of ſo many of his fellow creatures, as himſelf declared, 1 Chron. xxii. 8. The word of the Lord came to me, ſaying, Thou haſt ſhed blood abundantly, and haſt made great wars; thou ſhalt not build an houſe unto my name, becauſe thou haſt ſhed much blood upon the earth in my ſight.

That pious, learned man, biſhop Taylor, chaplain to king Charles the Iſt, in his dedication to his Diſcourſe on the liberty of Propheſying, printed in London, 1702; appears to have had a clear proſpect of what muſt be the genuine effect of the doctrine and power, which our bleſſed Saviour came to communicate to mankind, even that inexpreſſible love, which breathing peace and goodwill to every individual, knows of no enemy; but, in Jeſus Chriſt, embraces with brotherly affection, the whole creation. He expreſſes himſelf as follows at page 3. &c. As contrary as cruelty is to mercy, tyranny to charity; ſo is war and bloodſhed, to the meekneſs and gentleneſs of the chriſtian religion. I had thought, ſays he, of the prophecy, That under the goſpel, our ſwords ſhould be turned into plowſhares, and our ſpears into pruning-hooks: I knew that no tittle ſpoken by God's Spirit, ſhould return unperformed and ineffectual; and I was certain, that ſuch was the excellency of Chriſt's doctrine, that if men would obey it, chriſtians ſhould never war one againſt another.

REMARKS on the Nature and bad Effects of SPIRITUOUS LIQUORS.

THE common uſe of Spirituous liquors diſtilled from molaſſes, grain, fruit, &c. is a matter that calls for the particular attention of every lover of mankind.

Several phyſicians of note, ^[9] have given it as their ſentiments, that thoſe diſtilled ſpirits when taken inwardly, even tho' mixed with water, deſtroy the human frame; being burning ſpirits, the uſe of which bring on many fatal diſeaſes, ſuch as fevers, jaundice, dropſies, conſumptions, and whereby multitudes are daily deſtroyed. That they parch up and contract the ſtomach to half its natural ſize, like burnt leather, and rot the entrails, as is evident, not only by opening the bodies of thoſe perſons who are killed by drinking them; but alſo by what Doctor Hoffman ſays, was obſerved of the effects which the cauſtic fiery remaining waſh of the diſtillers, has on the guts of thoſe hogs which in ſome places are fed by it, which are thereby ſo tendered, that puddings cannot be made in them: Wherefore all people, who have any regard to their health and lives ought to tremble at the cravings for ſuch poiſonous liquors, which ſhorten and deſtroy the lives of ſuch multitudes of people. It is farther obſervable, that the free uſe of thoſe Spirits, deprave the morals of thoſe who addict themſelves thereto; the feelings of their minds are gradually benumbed; an inſenſibility to the healing influences of grace prevails, and many become profane and regardleſs of their duty to God and Man.

Doctor Cheyne, in his Eſſay of health and long life, ſays, "All people, who have any regard to their health and lives, ought to tremble at the firſt cravings for ſuch poiſonous liquors. The maladies begot by them bring forth neceſſity upon neceſſity of drams and gills; till at laſt, a kind dropſy, nervous convulſion, flux, if not a fever, or phrenſy ſets the poor ſoul free. It has often raiſed in me, ſays the Doctor, the moſt melancholly reflections, to ſee the virtuous and ſenſible, bound in ſuch chains and fetters, as nothing leſs than omnipotent grace or the unrelenting grave could releaſe them from."

It is pretended, that drams comfort, warm, and defend from the ſeverity of weather, to which men are ſometimes expoſed; without which they ſay, they ſhould periſh with cold; which is probably, in a great meaſure, true of thoſe who are habituated to drink them; the blood of ſuch being thereby ſo much improveriſhed, that it is well known many of the drinkers of drams are cold and lifeleſs in the midſt of ſummer, without frequent repetitions; this is what ſome of them have owned. But on the other hand, how much more able are ſober perſons to endure cold and hardſhips; their vital heat not being extinguiſhed by intemperance, does by its kindly genial warmth, more effectually ſecure them from the inclemency of the weather, than the falſe flaſh of a dram. Beſides, it is well known, that men did not periſh in the coldeſt countries for want of drams formerly, when they were not to be had, of the undoubted truth of this, Captain Ellis gives a full proof in the account of his voyage to Hudſon's bay, page 199: Where he obſerves, "That the natives of the very cold coaſt of that Bay, to whom the French are kinder than to ſell diſtilled ſpirituous liquors, are tall, hardy, robuſt and active; whereas thoſe of them that are ſupplied with drams from the Engliſh, are a meagre, dwarfiſh, indolent people, hardly equal to the ſeverity of the country and ſubject to many diſorders. And as to the pernicious effects of ſpirituous liquors in very hot climates, (as on the coaſt of Guinea,) it is obſerved, that the French and Portugueſe, who do not indulge in diſtilled ſpirits, are healthy compared with the Engliſh; who, drinking freely of ſpirits, &c. die faſt."

The unhappy dram-drinkers are ſo abſolutely bound in ſlavery to theſe infernal ſpirits, that they ſeem to have loſt the power of delivering themſelves from this worſt of bondage. How much then is it the bounden duty of thoſe, who have it in their power to withhold this deſtructive man bane, either as parents, maſters, or rulers to the people committed to their truſt. This is a caſe ſo calamitous to mankind, that to have a thorough ſenſe of it, and yet not to remonſtrate, nor earneſtly caution againſt it, is certainty as criminal as it is unfriendly not to warn a blind perſon of a dangerous precipice or pit. Yet, alas how unconcerned are the greateſt part of mankind at this enormous ruin of multitudes! In trials for life, what diligence is uſed to find the occaſion of the loſs of one ſubject. What care will not a faithful Phyſician beſtow for the preſervation of one life. How did the wiſe Romans honour him, who ſaved the life of one Roman citizen. But in the preſent caſe it is not one, nor one hundred, nor one thouſand, but probably no leſs than a million that periſh yearly.

The miſtaken uſe and grievous abuſe of rum and other diſtilled ſpirits, in no caſe appears more palpably than at the time of harveſt, a buſineſs which the people under the Moſaic diſpenſation were enjoined to carry on with humiliation and thankſgiving; but which amongſt us, through the free uſe of ſpirituous liquors, is made an occaſion of a greater abuſe of the creatures and diſhonour of the Creator; this ariſes in many, from a miſtaken perſuaſion that hard labour, particularly that of the harveſt field, cannot be carried on without uſing a quantity of rum or other diſtilled ſpirits. In ſupport of this opinion, we are frequently told of the many people who have died at thoſe times through the extream heat and fatigue, and it is ſuppoſed that many more would die, if a plentiful uſe of ſpirituous liquors was not allowed; but this is a miſtaken notion, it being much more likely that the free uſe of rum occaſioned the death of thoſe people, the quantity they had ſwallowed down, ſending a great flow of ſpirits into the head in proportion to the ſtrength of their body cauſed them to ſtrain their ſtrength beyond what nature could bear; and in general the repeated large quantities of ſpirit commonly drank during the whole time of harveſt, keeps up the blood in ſo continual a ferment and fever, that people cannot have a proper reſtorative ſleep; their conſtitutions are thereby enervated, their lives ſhortned and an unfitneſs for religious impreſſions generally prevails.

Theſe weighty conſiderations have induced ſome well minded people to endeavour to induce, by their examples, their friends and neighbours into a contrary practice; and under theſe attempts experience has made it manifeſt that very little or no ſtrong liquor is neceſſary at thoſe times; indeed they have been convinced that the harveſt, and other laborious work, can be very well managed without making uſe of any ſpirituous liquors at all. If ſuch labour was carried on with ſteadineſs and proper moderation, there would certainly be no need of a recruit of ſtrength being ſought for by that means; more frequent intervals of reſt, with a little food oftener allowed the reapers, and ſmall drinks, ſuch as molaſſes and water, either alone or made more agreable with a little cyder, ſmall beer, or even milk and water would fully enable them to perform their work to their employer's ſatisfaction and their own advantage, and the overplus wages they would receive to the value of the ſpirits uſually given them, might be ſufficient to purchaſe bread for their families. Several perſons who from a perſuaſion that the common method of giving ſpirituous liquors to labourers was exceeding hurtful, have made it a condition with thoſe they have employed, not to uſe any ſpirituous liquors in their field; theſe have had their work performed to good ſatisfaction and without any damage enſuing to their labourers. Nay, where they have remained any conſiderable time with ſuch employers, they have generally acknowledged themſelves ſenſible of the benefit ariſing from having thus totally refrained the uſe of thoſe liquors.

Should this practice take place, it would prove a great bleſſing, particularly to the labouring people, one half of whom (a phyſician of this country hath given as his ſentiment) die ſooner than they otherwiſe would do, ſolely by the uſe of ſpirituous liquors. Beſides, that it would diſcourage the diſtillation of rye and other grain; a practice which is not only a great hurt to the poor in raiſing the price of bread, but muſt alſo be very offenſive to God the great and good father of the family of mankind, that people ſhould, in their earthly and corrupt wiſdom, pervert their Maker's benevolent intention, in converting the grain he hath given to us as the ſtaff of life, unto a fiery ſpirit, ſo deſtructive of the human frame and attended with the other dreadful conſequences already mentioned. Here it may be noted, that any quantity of good molaſſes will by diſtillation, yield more than the ſame quantity of proof ſpirit. And that a conſiderable quantity of molaſſes if taken with bread at one time, as the Indians will ſometimes do, will not intoxicate, the ſpirituous parts in the molaſſes being properly united by our good and wiſe creator with the earthly and balſamick parts, ſo as to make it quite friendly to our nature; but when by diſtilation the ſpirituous parts are ſeparated from the other parts, that meaſure of ſpirits proceeding from the ſame quantity of molaſſes, becomes a fiery liquid, deſtructive of the human frame. Doctor Buchan in his Domeſtic Medicine, or Family Phyſician, a book which has gained ſo much eſteem as to be twice publiſhed in this city, at page 71 of the Engliſh Edition ſays, many imagine that hard labour could not be ſupported without drinking ſtrong liquors. This, tho' a common is a very erronous notion, men who never taſted ſtrong liquors are not only able to endure more fatigue, but alſo live much longer than thoſe who uſe them daily. ^[10] But ſuppoſe ſtrong liquors did enable a man to do more work, they muſt nevertheleſs waſte the powers of life, and of courſe occaſion premature old age. They keep up a conſtant fever, which waſtes the ſpirits, heats and inflames the blood and prediſpoſes the body to numberleſs diſeaſes. At page the ſame author tells us, that all intoxicating liquors may be conſidered as poiſons. However diſguiſed, that is their real character, and ſooner or later they will have their effect.

Amongſt the ſeveral prejudices in favour of the miſtaken uſe of ſpirituous liquors, there is none gives it a greater ſanction or ſupport, than the prevailing opinion, even with perſons of reputation, that what they term a moderate quantity of rum mixed with water, is the beſt and ſafeſt liquor that can be drank; hence confirming the opinion, that ſpirit in one form or other is neceſſary To ſuch who have not been accuſtomed, and think they cannot habituate themſelves to drink water, there may appear to be ſome kind of plea in this argument, eſpecially to travellers, who often meet with beer, cyder, or other fermented liquors that are dead, hard, ſour, or not properly fermented, which tend to generate air in the bowels, produceing colicks, &c. But if thoſe perſons ſuffered the weight of the ſubject, and the encouragement they thereby give to the uſe of theſe deſtructive ſpirits, to take proper place with them, it might ſuggeſt the propriety, if not neceſſity of introducing a more ſalutary practice.

That pure fluid (water) which the benevolent father of the family of mankind, points out for general uſe, is ſo analogous to the human frame, that people might with ſafety gradually uſe themſelves to it. Dr. Cheyne obſerves, that without all doubt, water is the primitive original beverage, as it is the only ſimple fluid fitted for diluting, moiſtening and cooling; the ends of drink, appointed by nature, and he adds happy had it been for the race of mankind, if other mixed and artificial liquors had never been invented. Water alone is ſufficient and effectual for all the purpoſes of human want in drink: Strong liquors were never deſigned for common uſe. Speaking of the effect of wine, which he ſays to have been ſo much in uſe at the time he wrote, that the better ſort of people ſcarcely diluted their food with any other liquor, he remarks, That as natural cauſes will always produce their proper effects, their blood was inflamed into gout, ſtone, and rheumatiſm, raging fevers, pleuriſies, &c. Water is the only diſolvent or menſtruum, and the moſt certain diluter of all bodies proper for food.

Doctor Short, in his diſcourſe of the inward uſe of water, ſpeaks much in its commendation. He ſays, we can draw a very convincing argument of the excellency of water, from the longevity and healthfulneſs of thoſe who at firſt had no better liquor, and the health and ſtrength of body and ſerenity of mind, of thoſe who at this day have no other common liquor to drink, of this the common people amongſt the Highlands of Scotland, are a ſufficient inſtance, amongſt whom it is no rarity to find perſons of eighty, ninety, yea an hundred years of age, as healthy ſtrong and nimble, as wine or ale bibbers are at thirty ſix or forty. The Doctor ſays, There is a ridiculous maxim uſed by drinkers, that water makes but thin blood, not fit for buſineſs. I ſay, ſays he, it is water only that can enduce its drinkers with the ſtrongeſt bodies and moſt robuſt conſtitutions, where exerciſe or labour is joined with it, ſince it beſt aſſiſts the ſtomach and lungs to reduce the aliments into the ſmalleſt particles, that they may better paſs the ſtrainers of the body, which ſeparates the nutritious parts of the blood to be applyed to the ſides of the veſſels, and exerciſe invigorates the ſibres and muſcles; whereas the rapid motion of the blood excited by drinking ſpirituous liquors, cannot fail of being prejudicial to the body, it will cauſe the watery parts to diſſipate, and the remaining to grow thick and tough, and the event be obſtructions, inflammations, impoſt-humations, &c.—and tho' ſtrong liquors afford a greater ſlow of ſpirits for a ſhort time, yet this is always followed with as much lowneſs of ſpirit; ſo that to gain a neceſſary ſtock of ſpirits, the perſon is obliged to repeat the ſame force, till he learns a cuſtom of drinking drams. In this we are confirmed, if we conſider the great ſtrength and hardineſs of poor ruſticks in many parts of the world, whoſe proviſions is moſtly vegetable food, and their drink water. The doctor adds, that it often happens that perſons of tender, weakly, crazy conſtitutions, by refraining from ſtrong liquors and accuſtoming themſelves to drink water, make a ſhift to ſpin out many years.

After deſcribing the many diſtempers produced by drinking malt or other fermented liquors he adds, that ſeeing conſtitutions differ, it is not to be expected that ſpirituous liquors ſhould produce all the ſame ſymptoms in one and the ſame perſon, yet that all drinkers have ſeveral of them; and if they come not to that height, its becauſe they afterwards uſe great exerciſe or hard labour, with ſometimes thin diluting liquors, which prevent their immediate hurting.

And with reſpect to ſuch well diſpoſed people, who ſtill retain a favourable opinion of the uſe of ſpirits mixed with water, ought they not, even from a love to mankind, to endeavour to refrain from it, on account of the effect their example may have in encouraging others in the uſe of ſpirituous, liquors, agreeable to the example left us by the apoſtle Paul, 1 Cor. viii. 13. If meat make my brother to offend I will eat no fleſh while the world ſtands, leſt I make my brother to offend. How much more ought they to refrain from that which tends to eſtabliſh mankind, in a practice ſo generally deſtructive, more eſpecially when they conſider the danger themſelves are in of encreaſing the quantity of ſpirit with their water, as it has been obſerved, that the uſe of this mixture is particularly apt, almoſt imperceptible to gain upon thoſe that uſe it, ſo that many otherwiſe good and judicious people have unwarily to themſelves and others, fallen, with the common herd, a ſacrifice to this mighty devourer.

A very eminent phyſician has given the following direction, for the benefit of thoſe who have not wiſdom enough left at once to abandon the odious and pernicious practice of drinking diſtilled ſpirituous liquors, viz. By degrees to mix water with the ſpirit, to leſſen the quantity every day, and keep to the ſame quantity of water, till in about the courſe of a week, nothing of the dram kind be uſed along with water. By this means the perſon will ſuffer no inconveniency, but reap great benefit upon leaving off drams or ſpirits as has been tried by many. If any gnawing be left in the ſtomach upon quite leaving it off, a little warm broth, weak tea, or any thing of that kind, will be of ſervice. The appetite always increaſes in a few days after leaving off drams, unleſs by the too long continuance of them, the tone of the ſtomach is deſtroyed. And when the ſtomach is thus affected a cup of carduus, camomile wormwood or centaury tea, every morning faſting and every evening will be found a good remedy.

THOUGHTS on SLAVERY from different Authors.

IF Slavery admits of a moral or a rational Juſtification, every Crime, even the moſt atrocious, may be juſtified: Government was inſtituted for the Good of Mankind. Kings, Princes, Governors, are not Proprietors of thoſe who are ſubjected to their Authority; they have not a Right to make them miſerable. On the contrary, their Authority is veſted in them, that they may, by the juſt Exerciſe of it, promote the Happineſs of their People: Of Courſe, they have not a Right to diſpoſe of their Liberty, and to ſell them for Slaves: Beſides, no Man has a Right to acquire or to purchaſe them: Men and their Liberty are not either ſaleable or purchaſable, one therefore has Nobody but himſelf to blame, in caſe he ſhall find himſelf deprived of a Man, whom he thought he had, by buying for a Price, made his own; for he dealt in a Trade which was illicit, and was prohibited by the moſt obvious Dictates of Humanity. For theſe Reaſons, every one of thoſe unfortunate Men, who are pretended to be Slaves, has a Right to be declared free, for he never loſt his Liberty; he could not loſe it; his Prince has no Power to diſpoſe of him; of Courſe the Sale was void. This Right he carries about with him, and is intitled every where to get it declared. As ſoon, therefore, as he comes into a Country, in which the Judges are not forgetful of their own Humanity, it is their Duty to remember that he is a Man, and to declare him to be free.—This is the Law of Nature, which is obligatory on all Men, at all Times, and in all Places.— Would not any of us, who ſhould be ſnatched by Pirates from his native Land, think himſelf cruelly abuſed, and at all Times intitled to be free? Have not theſe unfortunate Africans, who meet with the ſame cruel Fate, the ſame Right? Are not they Men as well as we, and have they not the ſame Senſibility? Let us not, therefore, defend or ſupport a Uſage, which is contrary to all the Laws of Humanity.

—He who detains another by Force in Slavery, is always bound to prove his Title. The Slave ſold or carried away into a diſtant Country, muſt not be obliged to prove a Negative, That he never forfeited his Liberty. The violent Poſſeſſor muſt, in all Caſes, ſhew his Title, eſpecially where the old Proprietor is well known. In this Caſe each Man is the original Proprietor of his own Liberty: The Proof of his loſing it muſt be incumbent on thoſe, who deprived him of it by Force. Strange (ſays the ſame Author) that in any Nation, where a Senſe of Liberty prevails, where the Chriſtian Religion is profeſſed, Cuſtom, and high Proſpect of Gain, can ſo ſtupify the Conſciences of Men, and all Senſe of natural Juſtice, that they can hear ſuch Computation made about the Value of their Fellow-Men, and their Liberty, without Abhorrence and Indignation!

—The Bondage we have impoſed on the Africans, is abſolutely repugnant to Juſtice. That it is highly inconſiſtent with civil Policy: Firſt, as it tends to ſuppreſs all Improvements in Arts and Sciences; without which it is morally impoſſible that any Nation ſhould be happy or powerful. Secondly, as it may deprave the Minds of the Freemen; ſteeling their Hearts againſt the laudable Feelings of Virtue and Humanity. And, laſtly, as it endangers the Community, by the deſtructive Effects of civil Commotions; need I add to theſe (ſays that Author) what every Heart, which is not callous to all tender Feelings, will readily ſuggeſt; that it is ſhocking to Humanity, violative of every generous Sentiment, abhorrent utterly from the Chriſtian Religion; for as Monteſquieu very juſtly obſerves, We muſt ſuppoſe them not to be Men, or a Suſpicion would follow that we ourſelves are not Chriſtians.— There cannot be a more dangerous Maxim, than that Neceſſity is a Plea for Injuſtice. For who ſhall fix the Degree of this Neceſſity? What Villain ſo atrocious, who may not urge this Excuſe; or, as Milton has happily expreſſed it,

"—And with Neceſſity,

"The Tyrant's Plea, excuſe his dev'liſh Deed?

That our Colonies want People, is a very weak Argument for ſo inhuman a Violation of Juſtice.—Shall a civilized, a Chriſtian Nation encourage Slavery, becauſe the barbarous, ſavage, lawleſs African, hath done it? Monſtrous Thought! To what End do we profeſs a Religion whoſe Dictates we ſo flagrantly violate? Wherefore have we that Pattern of Goodneſs and Humanity, if we refuſe to follow it? How long ſhall we continue a Practice, which Policy rejects, Juſtice condemns, and Piety diſſuades? Shall the Americans perſiſt in a Conduct, which cannot be juſtified; or perſevere in Oppreſſion, from which their Hearts muſt recoil? If the barbarous Africans ſhall continue to enſlave each other, let the Daemon Slavery remain among them, that their Crime may include its own Puniſhment. Let not Chriſtians, by adminiſtring to their Wickedneſs, confeſs their Religion to be a uſeleſs Refinement, their Profeſſion vain, and themſelves as inhuman as the Savages they deteſt.

—Should we have read concerning the Greeks or Romans of old, that they traded, with a View to make Slaves of their own Species, whom they certainly knew that this would involve in Schemes of Blood and Murder, of deſtroying or enſlaving each other, that they even fomented Wars, and engaged whole Nations and Tribes in open Hoſtilities, for their own private Advantage; that they had no Deteſtation of the Violence and Cruelty; but only feared the ill Succeſs of their inhuman Enterprizes; that they carried Men like themſelves, their Brethren, and the Offspring of the ſame common Parent, to be ſold like Beaſts of Prey, or Beaſts of Burden; and put them to the ſame reproachful Trial of their Soundneſs, Strength and Capacity for greater bodily Service; that quite forgetting and renouncing the original Dignity of human Nature, communicated to all, they treated them with more Severity and ruder Diſcipline, than even the Ox or the Aſs, who are void of Underſtanding;—ſhould we not, if this had been the Caſe, have naturally been led to deſpiſe all their pretended Refinements of Morality; and to have concluded, that as they were not Nations deſtitute of Politeneſs, they muſt have been intire Strangers to Virtue and Benevolence.

But, notwithſtanding this, we ourſelves (who profeſs to be Chriſtians, and boaſt of the peculiar Advantage we enjoy, by means of an expreſs Revelation of our Duty from Heaven) are, in Effect, theſe very untaught and rude Heathen Countries. With all our ſuperior Light, we inſtil into thoſe, whom we call ſavage and barbarous, the moſt deſpicable Opinion of human Nature. We, to the utmoſt of our Power, weaken and diſſolve the univerſal Tie, that binds and unites Mankind. We practiſe what we ſhould exclaim againſt, as the utmoſt Exceſs of Cruelty and Tyranny, if Nations of the World, differing in Colour, and Form of of Government from ourſelves, were ſo poſſeſſed of Empire, as to be able to reduce us to a State of unmerited and brutiſh Servitude. Of Conſequence, we ſacrifice our Reaſon, our Humanity, our Chriſtianity, to an unnatural ſordid Gam. We teach other Nations to deſpiſe, and trample under Foot, all the Obligations of ſocial Virtue. We take the moſt effectual Method to prevent the Propagation of the Goſpel, by repreſenting it as a Scheme of Power and barbarous Oppreſſion, and an Enemy to the natural Privileges and Rights of Men.

THE END.

Marginal notes

1. Moſt lamentable was the calamity, or rather grievous judgment, which befel the Engliſh State, by means of the inteſtine wars which prevailed between the two Houſes of York and Lancaſter, in ſupport of their claim to the crown We are told in Hiſtory▪ That above one hundred thouſand men periſhed in the ſeveral conflicts which enſued on that debate, with great numbers of the principal men of the nation, amongſt whom [〈◊〉] more than fifty of the royal blood, who laid down their lives either in battle, or by the hands of the public executioner. And here an awful conſideration occurs—What did either party obtain by this lamentable devaſtation and deſtruction of their fellow creatures their countrymen, their brethren, called to be heirs of the ſame ſalvation. ↩
2. Origen (who wrote in the beginning of the third century) confirms this in his anſwer to Celſus, a moſt virulent adverſary, who had charged the chriſtians with refuſing to bear arms, and to enter into military employment. Origine contra Celſum, lib. 8. p. 426. Cantab. editio. ↩
3. Life of John Wickliff, &c. by W. Gilpin. ↩
4. Wickliff thought all arts which adminiſtered to the luxuries of life, were prohibited by the goſpel. The ſcripture, he ſaid, tells us that having food and raiment, we ſhould be therewith content. Beihner, tho' a popiſh writer, gives a very favourable account of Wickliff's diſciples. He ſays they they were men of a ſerious modeſt deportment, avoiding all oſtentation in dreſs; chaſte and temperate; never ſeen in taverns, or amuſed by the trifling gaieties of life—that they utterly deſpiſed wealth, being fully content with bare neceſſaries. ^[5] — Hence it appears that theſe firſt Reformers, as well as the primitive chriſtians, took our Saviour's injunction, Mat. vi. [•]9. Lay not up for yourſelves treaſures upon earth, in a more literal ſenſe than it has been underdood by many high profeſſors in more latter days. They were ſenſible of the truth of his declaration, Mark x 23. That it would be hard for thoſe that had accumulated riches ▪ had added houſe to houſe and field to field to enter the kingdom of heaven. ↩
5. Gilpin's life of Wickliff. ↩
6. This expreſſion, Of the increaſe of whoſe government, there is to be no end, appears to point out, that the prevalency of the ſuffering ſpirit of the goſpel in the world, is to be a gradual work, which will be brought about under ſuffering to the followers of Chriſt, as it was to their Maſter, who was made perfect through ſuffering. ↩
7. It is certainly as eaſy to reconcile the greateſt contradiction as theſe declarations of our Lord's with the practice of war, reſiſt not evil, with diſtreſs and annoy thoſe we are contending with; love your enemies with contrive every method to ſpoil, to make a prey of, and purſue them with fire and ſword. ↩
8. A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another as I have loved you, John xiii. 34. ↩
9. Doctor Hoffman, Cheyne, Short, Lind, Buchan, &c. ↩
10. The few of thoſe who notwithſtanding their exceſs in drinking ſpirituous liquors, from the uncommon ſtrength of their conſtitution, may have attained to conſiderable age, would doubtleſs have lived much longer if they had lived temperate lives. ↩