and leads to precious pastures, and sweet still streams of life, and is giving the sweet food, rest, and pure pleasure of eternal life unto his abundantly; even as it is his will, that af ter their many sore trials, exercises, and travels (and faithfulness to him therein), they should abundantly possess and enjoy it. Glory to the Lord for ever, whose kingdom is set up in the hearts of many, and who already reigns in the hearts of many, and will reign in the hearts of more! Oh that men might hear the sound of his everlasting gospel! and learn to fear him, and give glory to him, and know the hour of his judgment come in their own heart, that by his judgment against sin and unrighteousness in them, they might come to know and worship him; and then the worship of the dragon and beast would soon come to an end in their hearts; and they would worship the begetter of holiness, the begetter of life, the King of saints, who dwells and rules in 'those that are his own, as the devil, the destroyer, doth in those that are his! The Lord God of everlasting power break down the kingdom of Satan (the kingdom of unrighteousness and darkness in men's hearts), and exalt the kingdom and sceptre of his own Son instead thereof. Amen.

POSTSCRIPT.

CONTAINING SOME QUERIES ON ISAIAH, L. 10, 11.

"Who is among you that feareth the Lord, and obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light?" It is rendered in another translation: "And no light shineth upon him" (which was Job's case in his great affliction, as is signified by him, chap. xxix. 2, 3.). "Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God." ver. 10.

"Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass about with sparks, walk in the light of your own fire, and in the sparks ye have kindled, this ye shall have of mine hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow." ver. 11.

Query 1. DOTH not the tender and merciful God many times, in the bowels of his love and mercy, bring darkness and great distress upon men's spirits, that they might wait for his healing and redemption? Yea, doth not this befall some who fear the Lord, and are found in the holy reverence and obedience to him? And is it not good that it should befall them?

Query 2. Should not men, in such a condition of darkness and distress, trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon him till he cause light to arise out of obscurity, and comfort them that mourn in Zion; giving them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness?

Query 3. Are not persons very prone and liable, in time of darkness and distress, instead of waiting upon God for his help and salvation, to be kindling a fire, and compassing themselves about with sparks?

Query 4. Are there not some who cannot be content without heat and warmth in their religion and performances, and yet, instead of waiting for God's kindling the fire, and

his causing the sparks of life to arise, kindle a fire of themselves, and compass themselves about with sparks of their own kindling?

Query 5. May not men, after they have kindled a fire and sparks, walk in the light thereof? And may not God, in his just judgment and sore displeasure against them, leave them to themselves, and give them up to do so?

Query 6. What will God do in the end, or what in the end shall befall them from God, who kindle a fire and sparks, and have continued walking in the light thereof, and have been heated and warmed thereby? Will not God cause them at length to lie down in sorrow? Oh that persons that are serious in religion, might not thus err, and so provoke God to give them up to walk in the light of the fire and sparks of their own kindling?

Query 7. When do men kindle a fire and sparks of their own? Do they not first forget the God of their salvation, and become unmindful of the rock of their strength? And do they not then plant pleasant plants, and set strange slips? (And where do they plant and set them?) But what will the harvest be in the day of inheritance, when they come to reap and inherit what they have planted and sown? (For what a man soweth, that must he also reap.) Will it not be a heap for the fire of God's jealousy to take hold on, in the day of their tribulation, anguish, and desperate sorrow of heart? Isa. xvii. 10, 11.

Query 8. In what light do men build up a wall inwardly, and daub it with untempered mortar, to secure themselves from the wrath to come? Is it not in the light of the fire and sparks of their own kindling? Will any wall or defence built up in the light of this fire or sparks secure men? Will not the wrath of God, in the day thereof, break forth upon all the workers of iniquity, whatever their faith or hope be to the contrary? Will any wall defend the soul from the overflowing storm of wrath, but the wall of God's salvation? And can any enter within that wall, but the righteous nation that keepeth the truth? Isa. xxvi. 1, 2. The name of the Lord indeed is a strong tower; but can

any run into it, and get shelter in it, but the righteous? Prov. xviii. 10.

Query 9. Who is he, who, when he falleth, shall rise again; and after he hath set in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto him? Is it not he that feareth the Lord, and obeyeth the voice of his servant, that in the time of his darkness and distress trusteth in the name of the Lord, and stays upon his God? Yea, is it not such an one as is willing to bear the indignation of the Lord, because he hath sinned against him, until he plead his cause, and execute judgment for him? Will not the Lord bring forth such an one to the light? and shall not such an one behold his righteousness? Mich. vii. 8, 9.

Query 10. When shall persons' light arise in obscurity, and their darkness be as the noon-day? When shall their light break forth as the morning, and their health spring forth speedily, and their righteousness go before them, and the glory of the Lord gather them up? And when shall the Lord be their continual guide, and satisfy their soul in droughts, and make fat their bones, and make them like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not? Are not these promises belonging to the gospel state? And are they not fulfilled in the gospel state, as people come to know and keep the gospel fast, and the gospel sabbath? Read Isa. lviii. 6. to the end, and wait on the Lord, to receive understanding from him, that in reading thou mayst understand.

Oh that men knew the gospel fast, and the gospel sabbath, with the feasts of unleavened bread, tabernacles, trumpets, &c. A little of the knowledge of the mystery of the hidden life and power, is of more value, and would do their souls more good, than heaps of literal knowledge wherewith the world is so filled. The knowledge of God and Christ in the mystery is no less than life eternal, in them and to them, who are taught in the new covenant, or ministration. of the power of the endless life, so to know them.

THE

EVERLASTING

OF

GOSPEL,

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST,

AND THE BLESSED EFFECTS THEREOF, TESTIFIED TO FROM EXPERIENCE.

"The darkness is past, and the true light now shineth." 1 John ii. 8.

“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee: for behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee." Isai. lx. 1. 2.

"When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory." Psal. cii. 16. (indeed he doth so.)

THE blessed message which the apostles (who were sent by Christ to preach the gospel) heard of Christ, and were to declare to others was, "That God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." 1 John i. 5.

The end of Christ's sending them with this message was, that thereby (preaching it in the evidence and demonstration of God's Spirit) they might "open men's eyes, and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them that are Sanctified by faith that is in him." Acts xxvi. 18.

Now the eye of the mind being opened, and the mind turned from the darkness within to the light within, and from Satan's power to the power of God, which is revealed in the light, the soul in the light comes to see (over the