vation of all, even of those who are ignorant of the death and sufferings of Christ, and of Adam's fall: but that this light may be resisted, in which case God is said to be resisted and rejected, and Christ to be again crucified; and to those who thus resist and refuse him he becomes their condemnation." They allege that, (1.) according to this doctrine, the mercy of God is excellently well exhibited, in that none are necessarily shut out from salvation; and his justice is demonstrated, in that he condemns none but those to whom he really made an offer of salvation, affording them the means sufficient thereunto.(2.) It agrees and answers with the whole tenor of the gospel promises and threats, and with the nature of the ministry of Christ; according to which the gospel is commanded to be preached to every creature.(3.) It magnifies and commends the merits and death of Christ, in that it not only accounts them sufficient to save all, but declares them to be brought so nigh to all as thereby to be put into the nearest capacity of salvation. (4.) It exalts above all the grace of God, to which it attributes all good, even the least and smallest actions that are so; ascribing thereto not only the first beginnings and

motions of good, but also the whole conversion and salvation of the soul.-(5.) It contradicts and overturns the false doctrine of the Socinians and others, who exalt the light of nature, the liberty of man's will; in that it wholly excludes the natural man from having any place or portion in his own salvation, by any working of his own, until he be first quickened, raised, and actuated by God's Spirit.(6.) It makes the whole salvation of man solely and alone to depend upon God, and his condemnation wholly and in every respect to be of himself; in that he refused and resisted the Spirit of God that strove in his heart; and forces him to acknowledge God's just judgment in rejecting and forsaking him.

That God hath given to every man a measure of saving, sufficient, and supernatural light and grace, they prove, (1.) from Johni. 9: That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. So that it is plain there comes no man into the world, whom Christ, who is the light of men, hath not enlightened in some measure, and in whose dark hearts this light doth not shine; though the darkness comprehend it not, yet it shines there; and the nature thereof is to dispel the darkness, where

men shut not there eyes upon it.-(2.) That a measure of this light is given to all, Christ tells us expressly in the parable of the sower. (Matt. xiii.) He says that the seed sown in those several sorts of ground is the word of the kingdom, which the apostle calls the engrafted (implanted) word, which is able to save the soul. The words themselves declare that it is that which is saving in the nature of it; for in the good ground it fructified abundantly. It was the same seed that was sown in the good ground which was also sown in the stony and thorny ground, and by the way-side; where it did not profit from the fear of persecution and the deceit fulness of riches, and not from any insufficiency in its own nature: so that though all are not saved by it, yet the seed of salvation is sown in the hearts of all by God, which would grow up and redeem the soul, if it were not choaked and hindered.

8. On perfection and perseverance. They say that as many as do not resist this light, become holy and spiritual; bringing forth all those blessed fruits which are acceptable to God and by this holy birth, to wit, Jesus Christ formed within us, and working in us, the body of death and sin is crucified and re

moved, and our hearts subjected to the truth, so as not to obey any of the suggestions and temptations of the evil one; but are freed from actually transgressing the law of God. For they entertain worthier notions both of the power and goodness of God, than to limit the operations of his grace to a partial cleansing of the soul from sin, even in this life. They believe that God doth vouchsafe to assist the obedient to experience a total surrender of the natural will to the guidance of his pure, unerring Spirit, through whose renewed assistance they are enabled to bring forth fruit unto holiness, and stand perfect in their present rank. (Matt. v. 48. 1 John ii. 14. iii. 3.) Yet this perfection still admits of a growth; and there remains always a possibility of sinning, where the mind does not most diligently and watchfully attend to the Lord. Moreover, they in whose hearts this inward grace has wrought in part, to purify and sanctify them, in order to their further perfection, may by their disobe dience fall from it; turn it to wantonness. (Jude 4.) Make shipwreck of faith. (1 Tim. i. 19.) And after having tasted of the heavenly gift, the good word of God, the powers of the world to come, &c., again fall

away. (Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6.) Yet such an increase and stability in the truth may, in this life, be attained, from which there can be no total apostasy.

9. Concerning worship.-Being persuaded that man, without the Spirit of Christ, inwardly revealed, can do nothing to the glory of God, or towards his own salvation, they think this influence especially necessary to the performance of the highest act of which the human mind is capable; even the worship of the Father of lights and spirits. Therefore they consider as obstructions to pure worship, all forms which divert the attention of the mind from the secret influence of this unction from the Holy One, Yet, although true worship is not confined to time and place, they think it incumbent on christians to meet often together, in testimony of their dependence on their heavenly Father, and for a renewal of their spiritual strength. When thus met, they believe it to be their duty to maintain the watch, by endeavouring to preserve the attention from being carried away by thoughts originating in the will of man; and patiently to wait for the arising of that life which, by subduing those thoughts, produces an inward silence, and therein affords a true sense of

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their condition; believing ever a single sigh, arising from such a sense of our infirmities, and of the need we have of divine help, to be more acceptable to God than any performance, however specious, originating in the will of man. nefit resulting from public worship they illustrate as follows: That as many candles lighted and put in one place, do greatly augment the light, and make it more to shine forth; so when many are gathered together into the same life and power, there is more of the glory of God, and his power appears to the refreshment of each individual; for he partakes not only of the light and life raised in himself, but that of all the rest and therefore Christ has promised a blessing to such as assemble in his name, seeing he will be in the midst of them. (Matt. xviii. 20.) Yea, though there be not a word spoken, yet is the true spiritual worship performed, and the body of Christ edified. This is indeed strange and incredible to the mere natural and carnally-minded man, who will be apt to judge all time lost where there is not something spoken that is obvious to the outward senses; but let it be considered that prayer is two-fold, inward and outward inward prayer is that secret turning of the mind

towards God, whereby, being secretly touched and awaken ed by the light of Christ in the conscience, and so bowed down under the sense of its iniquities, unworthiness, and misery, it looks up to God, and joining with the secret shinings of the seed of God, it is constantly breathing forth some secret desires and aspirations towards him. It is in this sense that we are so frequently in scripture commanded to pray continually; because it were impossible that men should be always on their knees, expressing words of prayer.-Outward prayer is: whereas the Spirit being thus in the exercise of inward retirement, and feeling the breathing of the Spirit of God to arise powerfully in the soul, receives strength and ,ability, by a superadded motion and influence of the Spirit, to bring forth audible words; and that either in public assemblies, or in private, or at meat, &c. But because this outward prayer depends upon the inward, and cannot be acceptably performed but as attended with a superadded motion and influence of the Spirit, therefore they cannot prefix set times to pray outwardly, so as to lay a necessity to speak words at such and such times, whether they feel this heavenly influence

and assistance or not; for that (they judge) were tempting God, and coming before him. without due preparation. They think it fit for them to present themselves before God by this inward retirement of the mind, and so to proceed further only as his Spirit shall help them and draw them thereto.-In speaking of silent worship, they do not wish to be understood as having bound themselves by any law to exclude preaching or praying: for as their worship consists not in words, neither does it in silence as silence; but in a holy deperdence of the mind on God. This dependence necessarily produces silence, till the Spirit of God bring forth words to the edification of the church. Neither do they believe that either preaching or outward prayer is a necessary consequence of a silent dependence on God. They doubt not, but assuredly know, that the meeting may be good and refreshing, though from the sitting down to the rising up thereof there hath not been a word outwardly spoken; for nevertheless life may have been known to abound in each particular, and an inward growing up therein experienced thereby.

10. On the ministry.As by the light, or gift of God, all true knowledge in things spiritual is received and revealed,

so by the same, as it is manifested and received in the heart, every true minister of the gospel is ordained and prepared for the work of the ministry; and by the leading, moving, and drawing thereof, ought every evangelist, and christian pastor, to be led and ordered in his labour and work of the gospel, both as to the place where, the persons to whom, and the time in which he is to minister. Moreover, they who have this authority, may and ought to preach the gospel, though without human commission or literature. But though they do not make human learning necessary, yet they are far from excluding true learning; to wit, that learning which proceeds from the inward teachings and instructions of the Spirit, whereby the soul lays up heavenly and divine lessons in the good treasure of the heart; and out of this treasure, as the good scribe, brings forth things new and old, according as the Spirit moves and gives true liberty, and as the glory of God requires; for whose glory the soul, which is the temple of God, learneth to do all things. This is the good learning which they think necessary to a true minister, by and through which learning a man can well instruct, teach and admonish,

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in due season, and testify for God from a certain experience, as did the blessed apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; who testified of what they had seen, heard, felt, and handled of the word of life. (1 Johni. 1.) That this special grace and gift of God is a necessary qualification to a minister, they say is clear from Pet. iv. 10, 11: As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another. as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any mar speak, let him speak as the oracles of God: if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ. From which it appears that those who minister must do so according to the gift and grace received; but they who have not such a gift, cannot minister according thereunto.

(2.) As good stewards of the manifold grace of God: But how can a man be a good steward of that which he hath not? Can ungodly men, who are not gracious themselves, be good stewards of the manifold grace of God? And therefore in the following verse he makes an exclusive limitation of such as are not thus furnished; saying, If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; and if any man