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fcribing to the Juftice of his own Condemnation. This was certainly the Cafe of David in that Day of his Complaint, when" the Arrows of the Lord ftuck faft "in his Soul, and his Flefh trembled for "fear of his Judgments;" when he had "no Reft in his Bones by Reafon of his "Sin, and all God's Storms went over "him." The fame is well understood in one degree or other by every experienced Chriftian; and others would do well to beware how they ridicule or fpeak lightly of fuch diftreffing Perplexities far better would it be for them that they were in the fame Condition. Too many there are who being entirely ignorant in this way of God's dealing with Souls take upon them the Office of Advifers, and fo are apt in Cafes of this Nature to prefcribe improper Reliefs and falfe Comforts; they are for healing the Wound before it is fearched and cleanfed, which caufes it to ulcerate the more, not confidering that this is not a Difeafe which is to be got rid of at any rate, and the fooner the better, but a State which is to be paffed through, figured by the Journeying of the Ifraelites through the Wilderness from Egypt to Canaan. The Soul is here

in its right way of Discipline, and placed at the Foot of Mount Sinai under Thundrings and Darkness and Fire, to make it fenfible of its Sin, and of the terrible Majefty of a Sin-avenging God, that fo the Law may do its Office upon it as a Miniftration of Condemnation, and act the Part of a School-mafter to lead it to Chrift, as its only propitiatory Sacrifice, Righteousness, and Salvation. Thus the Way to Sion lies by the burning Mountain of Sinai, and Mofes with his correcting Rod conducts us to Chrift through John's Baptifm of Repentance, as this prepares us for the Baptifm of Regeneration.

These Perfons then are not mad, as the World fuppofes, but returning Sinners coming to their right Mind, as the prodigal Son is faid to have come to himself when he became fenfible of his Folly and was brought to Repentance: They are under the Leadings of the Father to the Son, that the Son may prefent them to his Father cleanfed and redeemed by his Blood, and that the HolyGhoft, proceeding from theFather and the Son, may fanctify them and make them a peculiar People holy in all Manner of Conversation and zealous of good Works. Or if this must be called Madness, let it

at least be allowed a lefs dangerous kind of it than Prefumption and Madness in Sinning, as a wounded Confcience affords more Hope than a benumbed or feared one. But do you herein fhew that your Minds are fet upon Righteousness, and that you judge the thing that is right, O ye Sons of Men! Turn your Eyes to the great Bedlam of the World, where its Votaries are running mad at fuch a rate after Folly and Riot, where Invention is racked to lull Confcience afleep, and where Millions are rocking themselves to spiritual Slumber in the Cradle of Death, and treat every faithful Watchman that founds the Alarm to rouze them from their falfe Peace, as the Enemy of their Repose: Caft your Eyes, I fay, on this Theatre of Vice and Frolick, this Fair of Vanity, where Prince Abaddon holds his perpetual Jubilee, and fay which of these two Schools, Chriflianity or the World, turns out the greater Number of mad Folks. Which would an Angel pronounce moft rational and found in Mind? The fordid Race of Mammonifts, the giddy Tribe of Pleasure seekers, and the fanaftic Croud of, Fashion-followers, or the poor brokenhearted Chriftian lamenting his Sin and Mifery,

Mifery, and in the Power of divine Grace. working out his Salvation with Fear and Trembling, and following a defpifed Jefus through Mockery and Derifion to eternal Bleffednefs and Glory? If you are not of the Number of the infatuated, you cannot hefitate a moment to refolve the Question aright; for Wisdom is justified of her Children.

I have the longer infifted on the Subject of Experiences, as well because all true Religion must both begin and end here, as because very few of our Theological Writers touch upon these Matters; and therefore whilft fome lay down excellent Rules for the practical Life, enforce the Obligations to a regular and decentDifcharge of all the Parts of external Worship, or imbue the Mind with found and wholefome Doctrines, let others be permitted, according to the Length of their Line, to launch out farther into the Deep, and there let down their Net for a Draught: Thus, whilst some are inftructed in the Principles, or Rudiments, of the Doctrine of Christ, and others are led on unto Perfection: Whilft we deal out Milk to Babes, ftrong Meat to those that are of riper Age, and fpeak the Wif 8 3

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dom of God in a Myftery to them that are perfect, the whole Body is edified in Love, and every Man hath Praife of God.

It is very certain that the greatest Part in every Age and Place have ftopt short of the Truth and Subftance, by refting in the Outfide of Things; and therefore St. Paul, that great Preacher of inward and fpiritual Religion, takes much Pains both with Jew and Gentile to convince them of their grofs Ignorance and Error in this Particular; for if the latter were in general ignorant of the true God, the former worshiped Him not in Spirit and in Truth: if the latter bowed down to Stocks and Stones, the former idolized their Forms of Worfhip instead of worthiping God, through their Forms; and fo all had finned and come short of the Glory of God. The Jews efteemed themfelves the Chofen, the Temple of the Lord, and the Seed of the Covenant, and they pleaded their Circumcifion, their Priefthood, their Temple-fervices, and their Ordinances of divine Inftitution as the Marks of their Election: And a peculiar People they certainly were, and chofen to diftinguished Favours and Privileges, but no otherwife elected to Salvation than as they