open breach of GOD's commandments all his life-time before. "Believe, (fays the apostle to the trembling jaylor,) and thou shalt be faved:" "Whofoever believeth that JESUS is the CHRIST, is born of GOD." So that this faith will not be dead, idle or inactive: for 'tis not a faith of the head, or a bare affent to things credible as credible; the devils thus believe and tremble: but it is a faith of the heart, a living principle of new life, infufed into the foul by the spirit of GOD, applying that inwardly, which was wrought for him outwardly by the obedience and death of JESUS CHRIST, and continually exciting the poffeffor of it to fhew it forth by his works; not as necessary conditions, but as proofs of his juftification in GOD's fight; and as fo many tokens of his gratitude and love for what GOD has done for his foul. This is what the apostle ftiles a "Faith working by love."

I cannot conclude this better than in the words of a truly evangelical writer now before me. "The law (fayft thou) must be obeyed." I answer, "CHRIST JESUS hath done that in his own perfon, and juftified me thereby; and, for my own part, I will not labour now to fulfil the law for justification, left I should undervalue the merits of the man CHRIST JESUS, and what he hath done without me; and yet will I labour to fulfil, if poffible, ten thousand laws if there were fo many; and O let it be out of love to my fweet LORD JESUS. For the love of CHRIST conftrains me."

You fee, my brethren, this is a topic which I love to dwell upon. A divine fire kindles in my heart, whilst I am mufing on, and writing to you about it: and I should here enlarge, but I must haften to recommend to you another thing of un fpeakable importance to the well-being of christian society, a Spirit of univerfal love. Let not bigotry or party-zeal be fo much as once named amongft you; for it becometh not faints. Our LORD was a ftranger to it. Whofoever did the will of his father, the fame was his brother, his fifter, his mother. Wherever he faw the marks of true faith, though in a centurion or a Syrophepician, who were aliens to the commonwealth of Ifracl, and ftrangers to the covenant of promife, how did he publish and commend it? Be followers then of him, my brethren, as dear children; and love all who love our LORD

JESUS

JESUS in fincerity and truth, although they should not in all things follow with us. Pharifees and Sadducees, the selfrighteous and free-thinkers of this generation, all the children of the devil, whether rich or poor, high or low, however they may differ in other refpects, yet agree in one thing, even to conspire againft the LORD and against his CHRIST. Why should not the children of GOD, notwithstanding their little differences, unite in one common interest against spiritual wickedneffes in high places? O that all who call themfelves chriftians, were thus minded! How fhould we fee the kingdom of CHRIST come with power, and Satan like lightning fall from heaven! From the beginning, it hath been his policy to divide chriftians into fects and parties, hoping not only to weaken their intereft, but to make them thereby believe, that religion wholly confifts in being of this or that particular communion and this fubtilty of that old ferpent hath fo prevailed, that though we all profefs to hold one LORD, one faith, one baptifm; yet numbers look upon those who differ from them, and that only in externals, almost as creatures of another fpecies, and forbid us with fuch even tọ eat. This was once the state of the Jewish, as it is now of the chriftian church ;-but GOD fhewed his dislike of fuch a temper, by convincing Peter in a miraculous manner, that he was henceforward to call nothing common or unclean, but freely to converse with all who feared him and worked righteoufnefs, for that all fuch were accepted of him. My brethren, be not you difobedient to this heavenly vifion; for our fakes no doubt it was written, and for as many as the LORD our GOD fhall call. The self-righteous, and perhaps fome whọ are weak in faith, will cenfure and condemn your conduct (as the brethren did Peter) when they behold your free converfation in CHRIST: but Peter has furnished you with an anfwer, "Forafmuch as God hath given to them the like gift as to us, who believed on JESUS, what are we, that we fhould withftand GOD?" How dare we make a difference, when God has made none? How dare we not freely converse with those who have received the Holy Ghoft, as well as we?

Further, my brethren, content not yourselves with reading, finging and praying together; but set some time apart to confess your faults and communicate your experiences one to another. For want of this (which I take to be one chief defign of private meetings) most of the old focietes in London, I fear, are funk into a dead formality, and have only a name to live. They meet on a fabbath evening, read a chapter, and fing a pfalm; but feldom, if ever, acquaint each other with the operations of God's fpirit upon their fouls; notwithstanding this was the great end and intention of those who firft began these societies. Hence it is that they have only the form of godliness left amongst them, and continue utter ftrangers to the ftate of one another's hearts. How love, or the power of religion can fubfift in fuch a lukewarm and fuperficial way of proceeding, is very hard to conceive. My brethren, let not your coming together be thus altogether in vain, but plainly and freely tell one another what GOD has done for your fouls. To this end, you would do well, as others. have done, to form yourselves into little companies of four or five each, and meet once a week to tell each other what is in your hearts; that you may then alfo pray for and comfort each other, as need shall require. None but those that have experienced it can tell the unspeakable advantages of such a union and communion of fouls. By this means, brotherly love will be excited and increafed amongst you, and you will learn to watch over one another for good. This will teach you the better how to pray, and to give thanks for each other in your private retirement, and happily prevent and deliver you from many fnares of the devil: for Satan loves that we fhould keep his temptations to ourselves, but cares not fo much to meddle with thofe, who he knows will difcover his devices to their brethren. Befides, this is a moft effectual means for each to try the fincerity of his own heart, as well as another's. No one, I think, that truly loves his own foul, and his brethren as himself, will be shy of opening his heart,' in order to have their advice, reproof, admonition, and prayers, as occafions require. A fincere perfon will efteem it one of the greatest bleffings; nor do I know a better means in the world to keep hypocrify out from amongst you. Pharifees

and

and unbelievers will pray, read, and fing pfalms; but none, fave an Ifraelite indeed, will endure to have his heart fearched out. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

"As

Finally, my brethren, expect a large fhare of contempt; for CHRIST's fervants were always the world's fools. for this fect or herefy, (faid the Jews to Paul,) we know it is every where spoken againft." And Paul himself, before converted, had authority from the chief priests, to bring as many as he found of this way before them. Thus were the disciples of the LORD treated in the infancy of the church; and as it was formerly, fo it is and will be now. In our days, to be a true christian, is really to become a fcandal. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but if you are not of the world, and CHRIST has chosen you out of the world, for this very cause the world moft affuredly will hate you, However it may feem ftrange to the natural man, yet there never was a true faint, who was not, like his Saviour, accounted befide himself. And they that will live godly in CHRIST JESUS, muft to the end of time suffer persecution for his name's fake.

But, God forbid, my brethren, that a little, nay, that all the contempt in the world, fhould anywife move you away from the ftedfast profeffion of the hope of the gospel. Our LORD was defpifed before us; and you know the fervant. must not prefume to be above his mafter. No; it is fufficient if he be as his master, "Made perfect through sufferings." Be fted fast therefore, my brethren, quit yourselves like men, be ftrong; yea, "Be strong in the LORD, and in the power of his might." Be not afhamed of the gospel of CHRIST, but follow your mafter without the camp, bearing his facred reproach. When you are reviled, revile not again. Blefs, my brethren, and curfe not. Be fubject to the higher power in all lawful things, and beware of all who would turn religion into faction. Remember again and again, that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal; and that it is our glory, when called to it, patiently to fuffer for the truth's

fake.

Thus, my brethren, out of the fulness of my heart have I written unto you. Many of you I never yet faw, and per

haps never may fee in the flesh; however, I love you in the bowels of JESUS CHRIST, and heartily befeech GOD to blefs what I trust his fpirit has now enabled me to write unto you.

You fee, my brethren, I have confined myself to fuch particulars as relate to the improving your focieties, and making them truly chriftian. I hope you will in like manner take heed to your ways in common life, and never give the adverfary room justly, to speak reproachfully of your conduct. My brethren, the eyes of all men are upon you. Indeed it highly concerns you to walk exceedingly circumspect towards those that are without. I am fure you will not be offended, if, out of love, I remind you to perform all relative duties with the utmost cheerfulness, and with a fingle eye to the glory of GOD. Let your obedience be conftant, univerfal and uniform, founded on a living faith in CHRIST JESUS, that by well-doing you may put to filence the flanders of foolish and evil men. Let your speech, and all your actions, manifest whofe difciples you are. Confefs your LORD publicly before men, and be not afraid to tell those that have ears to hear, what God has done for your fouls. It is good to keep close the fecrets of a king, but it is honourable to reveal the works of the Almighty, Above all things, my brethren, have fervent charity among yourselves. Bear ye one another's burdens, and fo fulfil the law of CHRIST. Be pitiful, be courteous, be tender-hearted; and let it be said of you as of the primitive faints, See how these chriftians love one another. Fulfil all righteoufnefs, by conftantly attending on every ordinance of GOD. Ufe, but not abuse the means of grace, by refting on them; knowing that "The kingdom of GOD is not meats and drinks, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Think that day loft, wherein you do not make an advance in fome of thefe. The work of regeneration, though instantaneous at first, is progreffive afterwards. The feed fown in the heart must be continually watered, otherwise it will not grow into a great tree, I pray GoD therefore to fanctify you throughout, in fpirit, foul and body, and preserve you blameless till the coming of our LORD JESUS CHRIST with all his faints. Then all tears shall be wiped VOL. IV.

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