Though the natural and outwardly-visible sun be risen ever so high upon the earth, yet he that is naturally blind cannot see it, nor partake of the light thereof. So also, though the spiritual Sun, the Sun of righteousness, the Sun of the inward world, be risen ever so high, and appear brightly in ever so many clouds; yet they that are spiritually blind cannot discern it, nor reap the benefits of his light, nor partake of the healing which is under his wings.

SOME QUERIES CONCERNING THE NEW COVENANT.

Query 1. WHAT is the covenant of hell and death, which must of necessity be broken, before a soul can be gathered into the covenant of life?

Query 2. What is the covenant of life and peace, into which God gathers the soul?

Query 3. How doth God gather? By a mere act of power, which none can resist? Or in a way wherein his power (though much resisted) shall prevail for the salvation of those, who are faithful in the covenant; who come to Christ, abide in Christ, resist and fight (in Christ) against all that is contrary to his nature and Spirit, and overcome through him?

Query 4. Are there any terms in this covenant? Or can there be any terms in this covenant, suitable to the nature of the covenant? Is believing in the power, as absolutely required in this covenant, as obedience to the law was under the covenant of the law?

Query 5. If faith in the power, and obedience to the power that redeems, be required as terms in the new covenant; yet if they be not required of the creature in its own. capacity and ability, but as strengthened and enabled by the virtue, life, and power of the covenant, are they not free terms, noble terms, worthy and becoming a free covenant?

Query 6. Is not this the gospel, or new covenant: That whosoever believeth, and receiveth the baptism of the Holy

Ghost and fire,-suffering in the flesh, and having his sins and corruptions purged away by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning, and so walketh no longer after the flesh, but after the Spirit,-I say, is not this the gospel, or new covenant, that he that thus believeth, and is thus baptized, shall not be condemned with the world, but justified and saved by that Spirit and power which cleanseth him?

Query 7. Doth God write his laws in men's hearts, or put his fear therein, or his Spirit within them, causing them to walk in his ways and statutes, and to keep his judgments, &c.-I say, doth God do this to men out of the faith? Is not the work of salvation begun in the faith, and carried on and perfected in the faith? And he that maketh shipwreck of faith, and of a good conscience, can he groundedly hope to have the work of salvation carried on in him?

Query 8. Doth not God beget, increase, and perfect the faith, which is available unto salvation? Is any man accepted in the faith, which is of his own nature? Or is the acceptation in and through the faith which is of the Son's nature?

Query 9. May the temptations of the devil, with a man's hearkening thereto, hinder God's begetting faith in him, or no? Or if it be begotten, can they hinder the growth and increase of it?

Query 10. When God draws, must a man necessarily come to the Son? Or may the devil so tempt, and he so hearken thereto, as that his coming to the Son may be hindered, notwithstanding the Father's drawing?

Query 11. Is there not justification to them that receive the seed, to them that obey the light? And is there not condemnation to them that refuse the seed, and obey not the gospel of its salvation?

Query 12. Do men perish for want of power from God? Or through their cleaving to another power, and refusing the strength of that which is over that other power; whose hand would help their souls, and bring them through and over it, did they receive it, and cleave to it in the way the Lord hath appointed?

Query 13. They that receive the power, believe in it, and live, do they do it by their own strength? Or in the strength and virtue which flows from the power, which enlivens, draws, and makes able to follow?

Query 14. Those that are weak as to the power, and in whom the enemy and corruptions are strong,-is the defect on God's part? or on his covenant's part? Or in the way of life, which he hath pitched upon as sufficient to redeem and deliver fallen man by? Or is God (and his covenant and way of life) wholly clear of the defect, and rests it wholly on them?

AN EXHORTATION TO ALL PEOPLE, BUT MORE ESPECIALLY TO SUCH AS ARE DESOLATE AND DISTRESSED.

Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation. Now is the life arisen, and now the light shines, to guide out of the darkness and death, into the land of the living. Oh awake! ye that sleep in the dust of the earth; arise up from among the dead, and Christ shall give you light, to walk along in the path of the living. Come to him whom the Father hath sealed; who is life, and who giveth life freely to all that come; yea, abundantly, to those that wait upon him, and walk faithfully in his covenant. Oh! therefore come into covenant with him; mind the words of his lips, which beget sense, and in that sense his life stirs, and in the stirrings of his life the drawings of the Father are felt. And when the Father draws, he whomever he draws may come; and him who comes, Christ will in no wise cast out; but receive into his arms, and defend by his power, against that which would draw or force back from him into perdition. Therefore hearken to the little movings and stirrings in you, after that which is eternal; for any desire which is in truth after him, he will not quench (it is his nature to cherish it); but he will be a strength and relief to the soul, against that which would quench and put out the breathings and pantings after him, that it might still hold Vol. III.-14

the soul in bondage and captivity. And, people, mind this (it is a true testimony). The door of life is now so opened, by him who hath the key and power, that whoever will may enter. For the power of life is arisen, against the power of death and the destroyer of the soul: so that great, yea, very great advantage is there in this day, to all that are willing to follow the Leader and Captain of salvation, out of the land of captivity. Mind but his visits, and be faithful in the strength which flows from him; and nothing shall hinder thy soul from overcoming what stands in thy way, to stop thee from attaining the eternal crown and inheritance of life.

And as for you afflicted mourners, who are seeking the way to Zion, bewailing the absence of your beloved, in whose presence is life and redemption, resurrection from the dead, and victory over sin; yea, all that your hearts have desired, or can desire: what shall I say to you? O my friends, and dear brethren! May I speak a little freely to you concerning the Lord Jesus? How that he was born of the virgin Mary, according to the flesh, fulfilled his ministry and service in the flesh, and was taken up to God; and how that the same Lord Jesus was afterwards born in Spirit, of the spiritual woman, the church; even so born as to rule all nations with an iron rod; and yet did not come forth to rule the nations, but was taken up to God again, and hath not since appeared in that Spirit, power, and dominion; but only in such a strength of life, as might enable his witnesses to bear witness to him all along the apostasy, until the church should come out of the wilderness, and the manchild appear again.

And now hear the joyful news. The apostasy is ended. Mark; I do not say the apostasy is generally ended. No, no; there are many woes, plagues, judgments, and terrible thunders to come upon persons, and nations, before they feel it ended. But it is ended in some vessels, which are upon the earth. The man of sin, that wicked one, the son of perdition, bath been discovered by the Spirit of the Lord; chased, consumed, and destroyed by the breath of

his mouth, and by the brightness of his appearance in some." Yea, the church is come out of the wilderness, and the man-child is come along with her; for she is not come without her beloved, but leaning upon her beloved; and he is known ruling with his golden sceptre, and with his iron rod battering down the corrupt, selfish, stubborn, earthly spirit, and raising up that which is meek, tender, lowly, and lay bowed down and oppressed.

Now, as Christ said, preaching in the days of his flesh, "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." Luke iv. 21. Was it not then fulfilled outwardly among the outward Jews? Were there any sick, or weak, or blind, or lame, or lepers, or possessed with devils, whom he was not ready to cure? And did he not go about doing good, and seeking them out to cure them? So may it not now be said in the Spirit and power of the Lord, among the spiritual Jews, This day is this scripture fulfilled spiritually in your ears? Yea, what he did then outwardly is known in spirit to be done among you inwardly and spiritually. How many that were before blind do now see? that were before deaf do now hear? that were formerly lame do now walk? that were very leprous are now cleansed? that were very dead are now raised? that were quite dumb do now speak? And the poor, the empty, the naked, are now clothed, and filled with the riches and treasures of the everlasting kingdom. May it not be truly said, by many poor, distressed hearts, that the wilderness and solitary place is now glad, because that which once was parched with drought and barrenness now feels the living springs, and the breaking forth of the pure, clear river of life, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, and cause melody in the heart to the Lord? Where is the envious, cruel, dragonish nature? may some say. Yea, where is the place where dragons lay? Is there not a new creation?-a new heaven, a new carth; and are not all things become new therein? Are not the old things of the night, and of the darkness, passed away, and all things become new in this day, which the Lord hath made,