*^ ■^^ .*IL.. A X ■mj' M^ '^^ a>#***'l ^^^M / LIBRARY OF C()N(iKi.8S. t ,, SERMONS / xj, y^ ELIAS HICKS, BELIVEllED DURING THE YEARLY MEETING OP FRIENDS, IN THE CITTT OF NEW YORK, JUNE, 1826 : TOGETHER WITH A SERMON BY ELIZABETH ROBSON,, . AND A PRAYER, tt ^W A BY ANNA BRAITHW^AITE: SERMONS DEtlTERED IN PHILADELPHIA, AND WILMINGTON, (dEL.) BY THOMAS WETHERALD, ON HIS WAY TO, AND FROM THE YEARLY MEETING. TAKEN IN SHORT HAND, BY MARCUS T. C. GOULD, Stenographer. J9ftilat)fd|jfiia: PUBLISHED BY THE REPORTER, 18^6. :^X^; / /"t ,Y\!^- f « REPORTER'S NOTE. That the motives and circumstances attending the production of this vohime, may be rightly understood and duly appreciated, the reporter considers a brief ex- planation both necessary and proper. This necessity is the more obvious, to persons acquainted with the unplea- sant excitement now existing in the Society of Friends, and with the fact, that the present reporter is identi- fied with various other productions, emanating from a similar source, for which he has received censure which he deems unjust and unwarranted. He, therefore, takes the liberty to state, that, for any fault of which he may be adjudged guilty, in discharge of the duties above alluded to, he holds himself personally responsible; and only asks to be released from the imputation of partiality, in his selections for publication, other than that suggested by the probability of pecuniary emolument, in the sale of his reports. The reporter wishes it understood, that the want of patronage alone, prevents the publication of dis- courses, which would probably be more satisfactory to the disaffected ; but which, from the limited sale of some already published, must be delayed, till the merit of their authors and the liberality of their admirers, shall be found equal to the expense of publication. With tbe'exception of one volume by Elias Hicks, the reporter has always acted for himself, without the con- trol of friends or enemies ; and has endeavoured to 4 mscharge, in that and all other cases, the duties of his profession with integrity and honour. As the principal part of this work is the production of one man, it may be satisfactory to some, who have not read his former discourses, to learn his views on the propriety of such publications ; and, at the same time, to gather from his own words, the probability of accuracy an4 integrity on the part of the stenographer. For this purpose, it is thought proper to introduce the subjoined communications, since the publication of which, a volume by the same speaker has been published, without his inspection or revision. Having, then, al- ready presented the public with three editions from the same speaker, without any other objection than that contained in his very appropriate and modest reply to the request of a stranger, the reporter submits most of the volume, with perfect confidence in the continued liberality of its author. To other individuals, who will occupy a portion of this work, the reporter would remark : that, having learned from good authority, the improbability of their revising his manuscript if submitted for that purpose, he must therefore commit it to the press, with the same fidelity, that has hitherto received the approbation of other speakers, under similar circumstances — claiming their indulgence for unavoidable inaccuracies, should any be discovered in the publication. It was the original intention, that this volume should contain the sermons of Thomas Wetherald and Elias Hicks only, but by special request, it is made to con- tain a sermon by Elizabeth Robson, and a prayer bj^ Anna Braithwaite, in addition to the former design ; which addition it is hoped will be satisfactory, as it ap- pears necessary to the right understanding of the dis- courses which immediately followed, and to the more clear elucidation of certain facts, which are considered an important link in the chain of this report. Letter from M. T, C. Gould, to Thomas Wether aid, WASHiNGTOif City, March 29th, 1825. Friend Wetherald — -I send you, herewith, a manu- script copy of two discourses lately delivered by you, at the Friends' meeting, in this city. Will you have the goodness to correct such errors, as you may discover in the same? I am aware of the delicate situation in which a public speaker may be placed, by the unexpected pub- lication of his extemporaneous discourses ; and I con- sider it my duty, to make some apology for the liberty which I have taken. Your discourses were recorded by me, in short hand, for my own edification, and the grati- fication of my stenographic pupils in this place ; but having been warmly solicited to give them publicity, and believing that they may be useful to many who were not present, and who may never have an opportunity to hear you, personally, I hope you will consent to their publi- cation : and, notwithstanding, I conceive that language, thus delivered, is the common property of all who hear it ; and that it is not for the speaker to determine, whether it shall be remembered or forgotten, treasured in the head or pocket, or republished by the tongue or the press, still, as far as I am concerned, I shall pay great deference to the individual whose language I may res- cue, in its rapid flight to the ocean of oblivion ; and if, through the medium of my humble art, aided by the press, its benign influence shall be felt beyond the con- fined limits by which it was otherwise circumscribed, I hope I shall have done no injury, by the exercise of la- bour, on which myself and family are dependent for sup- 6 |)ort. That the language and sentiment, of your dis- courses, may, like the rains from heaven in their descent upon the earih, and iheir passage to the sea, enrich and fertilize the regions on which they fall, and through which they pass, is the earnest wish of a stranger. MARCUS T. C. GOULD. Reply, Washington, 3d. month 30th, 1825. To Marcus T. C. Gould — I received thine, dated the 29lh inst. As to the papers thou sent for my ex- amination, I would rather they had not been written, believing that if the gospel is rightly preached, it must be in the demonstration of the spirit and power of the gospel, and adapted to the states of those who are pre- sent at the time. But as I endeavoured to perform what I believed to be my duty, I must leave the conse- quences, having no right or properly in what thou hast written, and of course, can exercise no authority over it, being a matter entirely out of my control. I have, accord- ing to thy request, however, looked over the manuscripts, and so far as I have discovered, they are substantially correct. I remain respectfully thy friend, THOMAS WETHERALD. SEBMON I. BY THOMAS WETHERALD, DELIVERED AT PINE STREET MEETING, FHILADEX- FHIA, MAT 21st, 1826. " Whereunto shall I liken the men of this ge- neration? and to what are they like? They are like children sitting in the market-place and call- ing one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you and ye have not danced, we have mourned unto you and ye have not wept/^ Now whilst we are under the influence of these feelings of crimination and recrimination, it is impossible that we should "•' bear one an- other's burthens, and thus fulfil the law of Christ/' It is impossible that when any one member suffers, the others can suffer therewith; and, on the contrary, it is equally impossible that when any thing is " piped or harped,^' and one member rejoices, all the other members vs^ill be able to rejoice with it, and to dance at the sound thereof. Whilst we are under the influence of these childish feelings we never can drink at the same fountain, because we are not governed by that unerring spirit which leads into unity and not into dissension, but under the influence of those exciting feelings which are natural to the perverted dispositions of men. Under the influ- ence of these they become zealous, but with a kind of zeal which the people of Israel were re- presented to have possessed. They were repre- sented by Paul as zealous, but not according to knowledge. Hence, under the influence of these feelings, many systems have been formed, and the duties thus enjoined may have been perform- ed, for there is an abundance of religion in the present day. There are a great many high pro- fessions, and from whence does all this spring? It originates in the ingenuity and invention of man, whose works tend to corruption; for *' God hath made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions.^^ And all the inventions of man, notwithstanding the beauty and excel- lency of their first appearance, can do nothing more than " lead to bewilder, and dazzle to blind.'^ I can believe in the principles and doctrines of almost all the various societies with which I am acquainted. I can believe with the Catho- lies, that there is no salvation withont the pale of the holy, catholic, and apostolic church. With the Episcopaliaus, in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord, who was conceived of the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary, suffer- ed under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. Bui that he descended into hell I dare not believe, because he declared unto the thief on the cross, this day wilt thou be with me in paradise. I can believe with the Calvinists, that the elect only will be saved. With the Baptists, that baptism is essential to salvation. I can be- lieve with a variety of other societies: with the Universalists, that all men may be saved. With the Unitarians, that there is " one God and Fa- ther of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." And I can believe with the Qua- kers, that '' the grace of God that bringeth sal- vation hath appeared unto all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should hve soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." And where are we to look for this glorious ap- pearance? Are we to look to externaH circum° B ^ 20 stances? No. " For God hath said, T will dwell in them and walk in them, and I will be their God and they shall be my people/^ Now, my friends, let us look over the whole of these sys- tems, and the effects which they have produced on mankind. Their promoters have been very active in their operations and exertions, for, with- in my recollection, there has been a very great increase, and strenuous efforts have been made to cause a greater increase; but it is all a spurious growth; for, with the increase of religious pro- fession, it is evident that wickedness has increas- ed in our land, very much in the same ratio. Hence, there is something in this kind of reli- gion, which, though it does not produce the ef- fects proposed, is calculated to please man. Its origin is in human invention; it is planned by hu- man wisdom. But this can never lead to any other results, than to make its followers '' like children sitting in the markets and calling unto their fellows, and saying, we have piped unto you and ye have not danced, we have mourned unto you and ye have not wept.^^ And with respect to principles, doctrines, and matters of opinion, there is no salvation to be ex- perienced from them. What is the salvation that we want, as men and creatures? even that v:» 11 salvation which was promised. " Behold, a vir- gin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel, which is, being interpreted, God with us:'^ and, in another place, it is de- clared, that he shall be called '^ Jesus," that iSj a saviour, "• for he shall save his people from their sins;" and this is the salvation that we want. We do not want to be saved, or to experience salvation from any thing of an external nature, or any particular kind of principles, names, doc- trines, or opinions; but we want to be saved from the perversion of our natural affections, disposi- tions, and lusts, which separate us from God, the author of our existence, and the power whom we profess to worship. But is it not obvious, that the religion in our land has not had this ten- dency; that it has not brought us nigh unto God; and that, therefore, it has wanted apphcation to the minds of individuals. And now, my friends and fellow professors, for this application. This is wanting among us; we want to have the great truths of the scriptures brought immediately home, and applied to our own minds by the illu- minating influence of that divine and living prin- ciple which operates in each and every one, leading us out of sin and corruption into the glo- rious liberty of the sons and daughters of God— 12 where all these discords cease and all divisions have an end, and where we shall be no longer as«children sitting in the market-places. I want us all to consider what is the governing principle of the gospel: it is love, for love is the fulfilling of the law, and if our minds are under this divine influence, if they are united to God, our under- standings will come to be opened, and we shall be enabled to see those things which are hid from the wise and the prudent, with all their inven- tions and imaginations, and revealed unto babes. Now this was a cause of thankfulness, even unto Jesus Christ, when he came to do his father^s will. He said, " I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and the prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so. Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.^^ And I apprehend there is no other medium whereby we can become members of the church of Christ but by baptism. Bui it is not a bap- tism with water, nor with any outward element, that can purge us from our spiritual lusts. No; all the waters of the sea combined can never cleanse the soul of one single solitary sin or lust We may wash from youth to old age, — we may take snow water and wash ourselves never so IS clean, yet without this baptising influence they will only plunge us into the ditch, till our own clothes shall abhor us. I want us to look a little at that baptism which was prophesied of, and which John declared should come. What was the baptism which John alluded to? That spo- ken of in the prophecy of Isaiah, " The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'^ And what is the consequence, and what must remain the consequence of this preparation? Why, *' every valley shall be exalted, and every moun- tain and hill shall be mad^ low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain.^' These are the effects produced by that baptism which John declared was of fire. "I^ indeed, baptize you with water unto repentance^ but he that cometh after me is mightier than I^ whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.'' Now, what are we to understand by these valleys being exalted and the mountains and hills being, brought low? It has no allusion or application to the undulations of the outward surface of this earth, but it comes nearer to ourselves. There are many of us whose spirits have been rash, fierce, headstrong, proud, and cruel These are 14 mountains which have lifted up themselves in opposition to the divine will, and, consequently, above that divine harmony in which the pipe can sound and we can dance; in which we can rejoice with those that rejoice, or mourn with those that weep. But if we come under the in- fluence of the Holy Ghost, it operates as fire upon these mountains until they are brought to a proper level. And rest assured, this fire will never consume any thing but that which is cal- culated to destroy our peace and happiness. It will only destroy the dross, tin, and reprobate sil- ver, so that the pure gold may shine with the greater lustre. And what are these valleys that are to be exalted? Are there not among the members of the human family, those who are desponding, those who are despairing, those who are weeping, and those who are ready to adopt the language, a saviour or I die, a redeemer or I perish forever. There are those whose cup has been mingled with affliction, and what if I should say, with gall and wormwood: unto these, consolation is often opened, their minds are com- forted, their spirits raised into confidence. Thus, by this operation, those that are rash, fierce, head- strong, proud, and cruel, are reduced to meek- ness, and those who are desponding and despair- 15 iDg are raised into firmness; the crooked and perverse dispositions are made straight and the rough places plain. Here is a state in which the glory of the Lord can cover every earthly propensity, " as the waters cover the sea," and give us complete dominion over the whole. Hence, we see an effect produced by this ope- ration, which was described by the evangelical prophet, when he declared, " The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf, and the young lion, and the falling together, and a little child shall lead them." Every opposite and perverse disposition shall be brought to the same state of innocency, and under the influence of the same divine purity, and be governed by the same il- limitable principle of love. " And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den. ^ They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord of hosts, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." It is by and through this medium, and this alone, that this wilderness can become an Eden, and this desert like the garden of the Lord; *'joy and ,fi;ladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody/^ Now my friends, what are the operations of this baptism, and how are they to be experienced? Are there not many of us who commit acts un- der the influence of pride, ambition, wrath, cru- elty, and other evil passions, which may be the cause of injuring our neighbours, and wounding our own souls? And can any of us commit ac- tions of this description with impunity? Is there not something which reproves us, when our heads are laid on the pillow? And what is this? It is the same principle which met Adam in the cool of the day, when he had transgressed against the power of the living and omnipresent God. " And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, where art thou?" Are not the same effects produced by evil at the present day? And do we not hide ourselves — does not guilt make us afraid, and do we not attempt to hide ourselves from this divine power, which reproves us for every evil? And do we not lose the benefits of these reproofs, by hiding ourselves, and by en- deavouring to avoid the scrutiny of that power, which never looks on evil with acceptance or 17 allowance? And does not this remain with us, in the matchless mercy of a gracious God? It is the same unto us, from infancy to old age, when hoar hairs have covered us. Now my friends, this principle which reproves for evil actions, brings sorrow, trouble, and con- fusion, and is the source from which spring dread and despair in the guilty mind; yea, it leads to every feeling in v#ich there is torment. Here is a truth applicable unto all, for all have expe- rienced it. And herein is fulfilled another decla- ration of scripture — " And they shall teach no more, every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord: for they shall all know me from the least of them, unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord.'^ And here is a medium opened whereby we may come to an experimental knowledge which can alone lead to life eternal. Whilst there is evil in the mind, this ^re will continue to burn until it has consumed every thing of a nature calculated to separate us from the source of purity. This is a haptism of the Holy Ghost, which operates as fire, on all the unrighteousness and ungodliness of men. And if we will submit to its operations, and turn at its reproofs, it will not only become a reprover, but a purifier of the souL But have 18 we not, on the contrary, experienced the fluctua- tions of all those lofty imaginations of the mind, brought down into a state of stillness, when we have felt a dependence on the divine author of our existence, and have willingly waited on him. It has been something like what was experienced by its follow^ers formerly. And it is this prin- ciple which continues to the present day, that effected all those mighty miracles which were performed among the Jews, in the outward advent of the Messiah. We remember that he opened the blind eyes, unstopped the deaf ears, and healed the maladies of their outward bo- dies, cleansed the leprosy, raised the dead, and cast out devils. And have these operations- ceased? Were they merely limited to a few years, and to a peculiar people? No, verily. From the foundation of the world, it has not only been a medium whereby man could have access to the Father, but by which we become united to him: for it is an emanation of his own eternal and undivided power and spirit; and it has from the foundation of the world, opened the blind eyes, unstopped the deaf ears, and healed all the maladies of the soul, raised the dead, and cast out devils. And even at the pre- sent day, these operations continue to produce 19 their effects in those, and only in those who come to him. He continues by the power of this gospel, which is preached in every creature, to open the eyes of our minds, to unstop the deaf ears of our understandings; and he will continue to cast out every evil, till we gain a complete victory over all our perverse disposi- tions and wicked propensities. He will heal every malady of the soul, quiet every angry pas- sion, and raise us from a death of sin into the life of Christ, in which we experience the har- monizing power of God, which casts out devils, and brings body, soul, and spirit into the divine harmopy. Now is there any thing in a baptism with wa- ter, which can produce these effects? No. But as it was in another case so it is in this. When we eat the fiesh and drink the blood of Christ, it nourisheth the soul as the baptism of his spirit cleanseth it. For it is declared, "except ye eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life." But we cannot become partakers unless it is by baptism in his name, and his name is his power. But when we are thus baptized into his power, then we come to know ]\\s flesh to be 20 meat indeed, and his blood drink indeed. And what is this blood? It is the life. It is the cir- culating raedium which gives vitality to the whole system, and circulates through the whole system, as the outward blood circulates through the whole outward body. So the spirit of Christ circulating through the spirit of man, will bring about a conformity of thought, word, and action to its own nature; and here we become par- takers of the life of Christ, and receive benefit from his blood; but not through that act of un- paralleled malevolence in the Jews, whereby they crucified the Son of God. When this blood, this divine life, this emana- tion from God comes to circulate through the whole soul, then we come to be wholly partakers of the divine nature; then we become the sons of God. And here is fulfilled another declaration, which has been long contested. It is a doctrine of the scriptures, that those who are elected to- gether with Christ are " heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ ;'' because they become partakers with him of the divine nature. And as these continue in that election, their understand- ings will be more and more fully opened to many divine truths, which are hid from the wise and the prudent of this world. But by a daily abuse 21 of our heavenly Father's will, the reverse will be the consequence, and we may become to every good thought, word, and work, reprobates. " If any man love me let him keep my com- mandments." Now these commandments are not statutory, but they are prescriptive. They are not given to this, that, or any other community, but they are engraven on the soul of every indi- vidual by the finger of God, and thus they are applied to every individual. And thus does the Almighty, who governs the universe, who fills all place and all space, daily manifest himself to each individual as if he w^ere occupied with one sole object. But is it not derogatory to man^ and to the honour of his Creator, to believe that the noblest of God's creation should be left to a dependence on external circumstances, and to work 6ut their salvation by such means? I have no such belief at all. My faith is not founded upon such grounds as these. I never received any religion from my ancestors. I was not a prophet, neither a prophet's son ; neither was I trained up in the schools of literature, to make merchandise, more effectually, of the souls of the people. I was trained up to labour, and in the school of deep affliction I learned where peace was to be found. And I am willing to tell my fel- 22 low members where it can be found. It is not to be found in systems, — it is not to be found in opinions, or principles, or sentiments, but in the operation of the spirit of God, producing prin- ciples which lead to a practical belief For instance, can any man become honest, except by a principle of honesty within him? Can he become merciful, except he be under the direction of the principle of mercy in himself? Can he love God the Father, and his neighbour as himself, except he be under the government of a principle of love? And as these fruits grow, religion becomes an individual work, and is the immediate operation of the spirit of Christ upon our spirits, perform- ing those miracles, giving those precepts, and preaching the gospel unto those who are poor in spirit. Thus we become members of that living body of which Christ is the head, and we know him to be all and in all. And the manifestation of Christ was not limit- ed merely to that outward body amongst the Jews. This power operated long before that season, for it is recorded of Israel, that " they did all eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.'' And let us remember that Jesus is a saviour, and that Immanuel is God with us: and we need not look for this di- vine power at a great distance, and beyond the grave; for " the word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart; that is the word of faith which we preach unto you.'' It is in us a teacher; it is known unto all. We must, therefore, come to the conclusion, when we follow the example of Christ by a daily and hourly obedience to the operation of the spirit, that God is not found merely at a great distance and beyond the grave, for he is manifest in our flesh. What is God? It is that divine power which first created and which yet sustains the universe. It is this divine principle which " Warms in the sun, refreshes in the breeze, Glows in the stars, and blossoms in the trees ; Lives through all life, extends through all extent, Spreads undivided, operates unspent; Breathes in our soul, informs our mortal part, As full, as perfect, in a hair as heart; As full, as perfect, in vile man that mourns, As the rapt seraph that adores and burns.'* It is here that we must become acquainted with that principle, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. We must know him from the 24^ operation of his power in our own minds. We must know him to open our blind eyes, to unstop our deaf ears, and heal the maladies of the soul, raise the dead, and cast out devils. And we shall then also be enabled to see him throughout all his works. But I do not, and I cannot, lead you to any external object, my friends, as a pri- mary medium of instruction. But if our minds are under the divine influence, we are prepared to receive lessons of instruction from the work- manship of his hands; for there is not a blade of grass that grows, not a leaf that flutters in the wind, nor the meanest insect that we tread upon, but declares the workmanship of a God. Here are lessons of instruction deeply and indelibly engraven upon our minds, as nothing short of infinite wisdom could have formed them, nor can now sustain them for a moment. And his care extends to all, however minute, and let their number be what it may; for he fills all space. There are none too high to be controled by him, nor too low to feel his supporting power. One of the divine penmen must have been aware of this, when he says, " Whither shall I go from thy spirit.'' or whither shall I fly from thy pre- sence? If I ^scend up into heaven thou art there: if I make my bed in hell behold thou art there. 25 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell ia the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." And now coming to be baptized into Christ's death, we shall experience a victory over all those principles which disobedience has brought over our minds, and which have pro- duced death. And having received the electioa, €ven the adoption of sons, and having become partakers of the divine harmony, and experienced the knowledge of God, we shall not go back to the weak and beggarly elements which produce no peace, but which will lead into bondage. But I hope better things for you, and things that ac- company salvation. And when this is produced in our minds, we shall experience an holy sab- bath or state of rest — a holy day. It is then, and not till then, that we can sanctify a fast That we can " blow the trumpet in Zion, sanc- tify a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children. Let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests and the ministers of the Lord weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thy heritage to reproach^ that the heathen D 26 should rule over them. Wherefore should they say, among the people, where is their God?" Whatever our avocations in life may be, our minds may be brought into obedience to the san)e baptizing power, and hence all these effects will be produced. And what are the priests and the ministers, who are to stand between the porch and the altar, and thus pray for the peo- ple — *' O Lord, give not thine heritage to re- proach?'' Are they individuals appointed and supported by man? No, verily. Who are these ministers of God, whom he n\aketh as a flame of fire? They are all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to them that shall be " heirs of salvation.^' They are those ministers who are employed in casting out devils. They are those who are employed in nourishing up the soul unto everlasting life. And when we come to experience this fulfilled in us, then we shall know another declaration fulfilled, to our souls comfort — that " there was war in heaven: Mi- chael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and pre- vailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven." Now shall we look at a great distance and beyond the grave, for this heaven? No. Rather let us remember the declaration — .%-^ m 27 '' the kingdom of heaven is within you.'^ There we are to look for the appearing of this king- dom, and there we are to experience his go- verning power — there we are to know his laws to have dominion over every other name, power, and principle in us, and know that he " rules as with a rod of iron" against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men, and we shall know that the sceptre of righteousnes is the sceptre of his kingdom. And under the influence of this governing principle, we shall know that these angels are the ministers of God to man, for good; and that the lion of the tribe of Juda continues to open the book of the mysteries of heaven, and enables to look thereon. And renjember that the seals were opened in order, and not in confusion, but one after another. These seals were opened through the mighty operation of the power of God, opening the various seals adapted to the state and condition, and to the various advancement of individuals in the chris- tian course. What is the opening of these seals.^ Is it not the opening of the understanding tiiat we may comprehend divine truths.^ We cannot become religious all at once — from a state of wickedness and profanity, to a state of strict ad- herence to the law of God. It is a caUise of 28 thankfulness in my soul that I can acknowledge at the present day, that he has been merciful in that which he required at my hands, that when my feet were first turned towards the city of Zion, had I seen all that would have been re- quired of me, its effects would have been over- whelming. But in the mercy of God those thitfgs viere opened which I was able to compre- hend, and which were immediately essential And as my understanding became opened, I saw farther. As a child in the rudiments of educa- tion can see but little; but as we advance, and add experience, our minds are enlarged, our understanding increases, till we become perfect in the art or science, which has been the object of our study. So it is in a spiritual relation. This the apostle had in view; for he says^ *' When I was a child, I spake as a child, F un- derstood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.^' Now, would to God that we may ex- perience this growth in grace and become men, and put away childish things, and perverse dis- positions which cannot unite together; because it is an infallible and self-evident truth, that while we are under the government of these disposi- tions we cannot advance into that divine harmony. 29 because of sin and transgression. We cannot be- come afflicted in the afflictions of our brethren, because, to do this, we must become partakers of the nature of Christ. For in all the afflic- tions of the Jews, " he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them.'^ " He led them about, he instructed them, he kept them as the apple of his eye.^' But to return — "There was war in heaven: Mi- chael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in hea- ven.^' And what are these angels? And what are these devils? Are we to look for them in the Para- dise of Milton, or in the disordered imaginations of any of the poets? Are we to look upon angels, as women with wings, carrying the divine com- mands to and fro in the earth? Are we to look upon devils, as local self-existent beings, calcu- lated to torment the human soul in lakes of fire and brimstone? Now, I have had a different view of these things; and as far as it respects myself, I see no good reason to change that view. Not that I want to impose it upon any of you — but my view is, that these angels are the- heavenly and virtuous dispositions; and that the devils are evil dispositions, which, if indulged by man^ and «: 30 that indulgence continued, will become the tor- mentors of the human family. But when we come to know the angel of love, to cast out the devil of hatred; the angel of mercy, to cast out the devil of cruelty; the angel of temperance, to cast out the devil of intemperance; the angel of hope, to cast out the devil of despair — and when we know every ministering angel of God, (and they are an host) and every heavenly dispo- sition to take possession of the mind, they must necessarily cast out the opposite dispositions, ad- versaries, and enemies, and what if I say devils — they will thus become the governing principle of the mind. And while we are under the influ- ence of him who is the head of all this multitude of ministering spirits, the enemy can never be reinstated. Then we shall know the declaration fulfilled that there was war in heaven; and this being continued in our minds till judgment is brought forth unto truth, we shall come into that state in which we can see a mighty angel stand with one foot upon the sea and the other upon the earth, as we may remember the angel stood, and was raised above all the fluctuating imagina- tions, which are typified by the sea, and he was raised above all earthly propensities. This ana- logy is beautiful, and deeply instructive. In this 31 state he " lifted up his hand to heaven and sware by him who Hveth forever and ever, that there should be time no longer/^ Here, my friends, we are not under the influence of feelings cir- cumscribed by days or by times, by months or years; but we are centered in that divine light in which we can say, come life or death, riches or poverty, sickness or health — Yea, all matters of a sublunary nature — all earthly things be- come matters of indifference to us. And where- fore? Because we shall see " another mighty angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the ever- lasting gospel to preach/' And what is this preaching? It is what every man and woman must experience in themselves — '* Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." And what is worship.^ Does it consist in bowing down the head like a bull-rush; or in lifting up the voice like a trumpet.'^ Does it consist in per- forming and fulfilling the rituals of some out- ward system — such as preaching, praying, and singing? Does it consist in the performance of family duties, and the adoption of a system? No. This is the fast that the Lord hath chosen—- " To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo 32 the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke — to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house — when thou seest the naked that thou cover hiin; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh." These are duties in the performance of which God is acceptably worshiped. He looks not to the position of the body, or to any particular form of words. He trieth the hearts and searchelh the reins of all men, and he knoweth all our thoughts, ere they are brought forth. Neither is worship restricted to any particular time or place— or to those only who are thus assembled. For we may preach, pray, and sing, and perform a great variety of outward rituals, and yet stand in infidelity. What then is worship? It consists in obedience to the operation of that divine illi- mitable principle, which is designed to guide out of every evil and into all truth. This is the kind of spiritual religion which is enjoined on every one of us, and is to be performed by actions, and reduced to daily practice, whether we sit in the house or walk by the w^y. And this law which is given should be placed as a frontlet be- tween the eyes. " And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 33 and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sit- test in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and wheft thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as front- lets between thine eyes/^ But let us remember my friends, that it is not only when we are thus assembled that we ought to labour to come to this continued sabbath, in which we are brought to a state of willingness to do every thing for the glory of God, and in which we can testify with Christ himself, " my meat and my drink is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work/' Now let us look a little at the effects which would be produced in the human family, by an universal extension of these principles of religion, and a belief in them and their effects. It is the opening of these things upon our minds, that will bring us out of that which is evil, and into that which is good. If any of us have been intem- perate, we shall come under the influence of that principle which produces temperance. There is a principle in our minds, by which, if we have been cruel, we shall be brought under the influ- ence of mercy. And this is an operative prin- 34 ciple; it does not depend on the opinions of others — of our forefathers, the scriptures of truth, or any other external cause. There is no principle prepared by others, which can ever nourish up the soul to eternal life. Not all the costly food that can be eaten by others, will ever nourish our bodies; we must be partakers our- selves. We cannot see with another^s eyes, or hear with another's ears; neither can we under- stand with the heart of another. If we ever come to see, hear, or understand, and to be con- verted, it must be with our own faculties, and not with those of another. If we are ever con- verted, we must experience the dealings of God with us. Here is a religion which is immedi- ately adapted to each individual. This is a re- ligion which can banish from the earth ail evil that comes from sin; it can bruise the head of every serpentine disposition which separates us from God. Now let us look a little at the effects which would be thus produced in the world. Where would there be room for wars, if the angel of love should cast out the devil of hatred and envy? Where would be found quarrels in families, squabbles in neighbourhoods, or war among na- tions.'^ All these must die away and perish, be- ^'^f^ S5 cause they stand not in love, in humility, and forgiveness, but in a perversion of those leading principles of the human mind. While pride and ambition continue, wars and dissensions will abound. If we are under the influence of tem- perance, where will there be room for intempe- rance? And here we come to see the declaration fulfilled, that " the axe is laid unto the root of the tree: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire/' And what are we to understand by this? Why, when this is the case we shall see that not merely the branches are lopped off, or the extre- mities destroyed, for this would only cause the tree to put forth more luxuriantly, but the axe is laid to the root of the tree. And where is this root? It is in the mind — it is in the soul. For the gospel dispensation takes not cognizance of the outward actions, or outward words, but it lays the axe to the root of the tree, or of these imaginations of the heart, from whence all the outward evil actions proceed. This must have been the design in that declaration of Christ himself, in his inimitable sermon on the mount. That sermon bears a testimony worthy to be engraven on the tablets of every heart, and bound round the horns of every altar, for it is neces- 36 sary, if we would come under the government of that principle which would lead us out of every thing that is evil, and every thing which has a tendency to separate us from the source of purity, and the author of our existence. >' Ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy; but I say unto you, love your enemies: bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and per- secute you/' Here is a precept which must put an end to all wars and fightings, yea to dissen- sions of every kind, among all those who come under its influence. There are a variety of other precepts, with which you are as well acquainted as I am. It was written — and perhaps it is one of the most conclusive declarations of any to be found in the sacred writings — " Ye have heard that it was said, by them of old time, thou shalt not commit adultery; but I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Where, then, is the evil laid? Is it upon the act? No. Rather upon the thoughts or ima- ginations from which the actions proceed. See- ing, therefore, that these things have been estar blished, not only on scripture testimony, but in 37 the line of each of our experience, I have desir- ed that we may cease from a dependence on the works of man, whose breath is in his nostrils: and rest assured, that the enemies of man are they of his own household. They consist in those perverted dispositions, which have produc- ed all the evil that there is in the world, which lead into all this variety of sentiments and opi- nion^. I am not about to say that we should see all things in the same point of view, for this is an impossibility in the nature of things. This baptism, whereby we are initiated into the church of Christ, operates according to the diversities of our dispositions, many of which are rash, headstrong, fierce, proud, and cruel. All these must be brought into the depths of hell, and ex- perience the depths of judgment. They will have to bear the furnace of affliction, when it is heated seven times hotter than it is wont to be heated. These dispositions want to be brought under the curb and rein of gospel discipline. These will view the Most High as a God of judg- ment. They must be led in low paths, lest they take their flight on the sabbath day. I can bear this testimony to the praise and glory of God, because herein is our safety, and we are not per- mitted to enjoy so much of that sabbath as others 38 who are differently constituted. But, my friends, wherever these dispositions abound, wherever the dispositions and passions are strong, there is a proportionable revelation and manifestation of the divine power, which lifts up a standard against them. Thus, according to our various circumstances and dispositions, the more we have need of the armour of strength to overcome every enemy, every adversary, and every devil, and to cast them out. But these will look on the Most High as a God of judgment. Their minds will be kept low in the depths of humility. I am persuaded of this, my young friends, for there was a time when I was young, as you are now, and when my mind was in a state of innocency; and when I was brought under the influence of this principle, I could testify of his mercy, and the joy and consolation that I experienced was great; and it enabled me to keep a rein over all my actions. But, notwithstanding this, I took my flight upon the sabbath day, after which I took full swing in acts of madness and of folly; and I can bear this testimony of laughter, that it is mad, and of mirth, what doeth it? I was separated far and wide from the paths of recti- tude. I took the broad way that leadeth to ever- lasting destruction. But blessed be the name 39 of Israel's God forever, for he plucked me as a brand from the burning. He met me in a nar- row way, where I had no way for escape; and this at a time when the grave was yawning be- fore me, and when my soul was even expecting that it would soon be closed upon me. Now were my sins set in order before me. They appeared as mountains between me and my God. Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter. I did mourn as a dove. Days, weeks, and months have I wandered by the way and in solitary places, in the depths of mourning. And thus it was, in one of those seasons when my soul was overwhelmed in the depths of affliction, that this language came to me: what ever shall I do.'^ I saw no way; affliction was before me and be- hind me. I was surrounded on every side with the depths of trouble, when this language was begotten in me, and I believe it was a divine in- timation: " What wilt thou do.^ — I have the words of eternal life.^' With this came a qui- etude, which I had not experienced for a long season. In this state of quietude there was a language spoken in my soul! And may my soul never forget the day in which I experienced this language: *' What wilt thou do? I have the words of eternal hfe.^^ But even until now I have not 40 so fully been made a partaker of the joys of that rejoicing, in which I took my flight upon the sab- bath day. And thus an evidence was sealed upon my mind, that 1 should not be able to become a partaker of those sublime visions, because they are something in which these high and lofty dis- positions fly away unto vain imaginations. There- fore I can, bear this testimony: if you are thus proud, lofty, fierce, and ungovernable, you must be kept poor. But others who are low, despond- ing, and despairing, — these will have different views of the Most High, and of his dealings. They will be brought under the government of a different principle. A cup of consolation will be handed to these; they will receive of the di- vine nourishment; they will experience the power of the divine light, which will raise them up till the glory of the Lord shall cover all their soul, as the waters cover the sea. Here all crooked and perverse dispositions shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. Now, my friends, seeing that we are differ- ently constituted, and that the operation of this baptism differs, according to the object which it is to effect, we cannot, nor is it essential that we should, see through the same medium to view the same objects. And thus is fulfilled the de- 41 daration of an inspired penman: "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit, and there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of ope- rations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal." I crave it of you, and I trust in that love in which there is no distinction, that you will not be as those "sitting in the market-places and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you and ye have not danced, we have mourned unto jou and ye have not wepf SERMON II. BY THOMAS WETHERALD, DELIVERED AT ARCH STREET MEETING, PHILADEL- PHIA, MAY 2 1st, 1826, IN THE AFTERNOON. "I AM not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." And in this there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, barba- rian or Scythian, bond or free. It extends to all — all are within its reach. And the gospel of Christ, which is the power of God unto salva- tion, is purely of a spiritual nature. It stands not in words: it is not bounded by opinions; for it remains to be a truth, that opinions are not religion, neither is declamation gospel. And I have no doubt that Jesus had in view the supe- riority of this gospel when he said unto his fol- lowers, " It is expedient for you, that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." And what was this going away? It was the 44 going away, I apprehend we shall all unite in be^ lievhig, of his outward body — that body whicfe appeared among the Jews for a short time, and for a particular purpose. For according to the declaration of the great apostle of the Gentiles, Jesus was born of a woman — born under the Jaw, in order that he might redeem them from under the law, that they might receive the adop- tion of sons. And when this great work was effected for the Jews, he told them it was expe- dient for them, that he should go away. ''For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart I will pray the Father, and he vvill send him unto you; and when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righte- ousness, and of judgment — and when the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth.'^ Here now is a plain, full, and positive declara« tion of the design and end of this coming, and of the operations which were to be performed by this spirit which was no less than the guidance of mankind. And on another occasion he said to his followers, " But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.'' And here is a view in which we may see not only the usefulness^ bat the ac- 45 tual necessity of this principle, which was de- signed to be a teacher, to bring all things to our remembrance. And he declared, that which he would give was his life, and which, said he, I will give for the life of the world. Now are we to look at this as having an allusion to the death of the body? No, my friends. It had allusion to giving that divine life which is of Grod, and hid with Christ in God, on condition that we will give up the life of the world^ — our carnal, evil dispositions, which have a tendency to separate us from the source of purity. And when we come to give up that life, which is impure and unholy, the divine life will not only be begotten, but will be brought forth in us. And this is the witness, which was borne concerning the life which was given for the life of the world and its corrupt propensities. That there is no occasion for this proverb: "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge. As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.^' Surely, my friends, we need not this proverb; for though our fathers have eaten sour grapes, their teeth and theirs only were set on edge. If we do that which is evil, we shall reap the reward of our wickedness; for wickedness always brings its own reward. So again if we do that which 46 is lawful and right, we shall reap the reward of our doings also: and this can be confirmed by another scripture testimony. "Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Wo unto the wicked! It shall be ill with him; for the reward of his works shall be given him.'' And now, my friends and fellow-professors of this holy name, the name of Christ, the way is so plain, until it becomes darkened by the sophistry of man, that the wayfaring man, though a fool^ can not err therein. Some may conclude that our consciences may become seared as with a hot iron, so that we cannot discern the monitions of this preceptor. But I have never known a burn — and it is a pow- erful allusion — indeed I know not of any animal body, in which it does not produce pain. And although we may strive to turn away from that reproof and instruction, which leads to the way of life; and from the monitions of this livi^ ^ principle, still we can never remove ourselves beyond the feeling of its effects. Whenever the conscience is seared, the feeling it occasions is painful. Our punishment is as certain as wick- edness is the immediate cause thereof: for as certainly as murder, theft, drunkenness, lying, swearing, backbiting, and every other evil pro- 47 duce in the mind disquietude, distress, trouble, sorrow, and affliction, so certainly will love, meekness, charity, and the cultivation of every heavenly virtue produce the opposite effects of joy, peace, and consolation, in every holy spirit. Well now, my friends, how are we to attain to these ends? How are we to attain to the feel- ing of these joys? It is not by remaining in the first or second heavens. " I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago," said the Apos- tle, '' (whether in the body I cannot tell, or whether out of the body I cannot tell; God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven, where he heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.^^ Now, I apprehend there may be many of us grovelling in the first or lowest heaven, under the government of our natural and animal propen- sities, which is a government but little better than that of the beasts which perish. These operate in inferior beings, and are called in* stinct, and are bestowed on them for their guid- ance. And if we pervert our rational powers, instead of being the most noble of God's crea- tures, we become the most ignoble; and thus stamp upon our own selves, most indelibly, the seeds of sorrow, pain, and distress; and cru- cify the Son of God anew, in his spiritual ap- 48 pearing, and put him to an open shame. And while we are taking delight in those things which are of a carnal and a sensual nature, we are in the first or lowest heaven. For what is heaven? It is a state in which we delight to dwell, and in which our hopes of happiness are fixed. I have no doubt many are ready to conclude, that they are no longer grovelling in this first or lowest heaven, but that ihey have ascended above it. But if they are stopping in the second hea- ven, they are in a still more dangerous situation. Many have taken up a profession of religion, and have adopted systems and creeds, and have sub- scribed to the various formularies adopted by men of corrupt minds, and reprobates concern- ing the true faith, to bind the conscience with. In the performance of these formularies they are endeavouring to find peace from a troubled con- science, and to get from under the feelings of that hot iron which becomes painful unto them. And here is the second heaven. These can bear an excellent character among men, of good hus- bands, good citizens, good neighbours, good friends; and thousands there are who have co- vered themselves under this plausible appear- ance, to their present and everlasting loss. And what do they learn by all these external per- formances.^ They learn to perform a round of 49 ceremonies; they learn to hide this fault or that weakness, and to appear righteous in the opi- nion of others; but they do not learn to attend to the spirit, which Christ said would lead into all truth. These have come to the conclusion, " We will not have this man to rule over us/' We will continue in the systems which we have adopted — declamation shall be our gospel, and we will have our dependence on these external things. All such are in the second heaven, be- cause they are acting under the influence of feel- ings, opinions, and systems which they have chosen, and are pleasing themselves with the idol pictures which they have drawn. But, my friends, the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are not here opened unto us. Nor can any rise to a higher state thereby, than that to which the Jews attained, which is only a legal dispensation, and genders to bondage. But when we come under the governing influence of that principle which opens the blind eyes, unstops the deaf ears, heals all the maladies of the soul, and raises from a death of sin and corruption, into the light and life of Christ; then we come to experience something which is not lawful to be uttered. We come to know the operation of the spirit of God upon our spirits, and to know what it is to be reproved for every evil thought, 50 word, and action; and so we shall know what it is to become partakers of the joys of his conso- lation. In this consolation, and under the influ- ence of these feelings, we are kept from evil, and come to know what it is to labour for the bread of life, which cometh down from God out of heaven. We shall be careful, I apprehend, not to waste it in boasting. We shall be careful not to adopt any system which would have a tendency to obstruct or dissipate those feelings which are the ground of our life, and which are given "for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty unto the residue of his people.^' But wherever the works of man, and the imaginations of man, are mixed with the creative power of God, ihey always produce a monstrous birth, or something which can never be the inhabitant of heaven. The faculties by which we come to the know- ledge of God, are not instinctive; they are not rational, but spiritual. These spiritual faculties are placed in us as governors, to operate upon the rational understanding; and when the mind and body are brought under the same governing influence, all will become pure, and all our en- joyments will be centred in the third heaven. We shall not be anxious to have a great name and high honours among men. We shall not be anxious to become rich, or great, or wise, or 51 good in the sight of men; but we shall become anxious in all things, " to have a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man/' None of these will be sought from among men, for there is very little necessity for their applause, so long as we have peace in our own souls. As said the Apostle, " If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God/' And if God be for us, it is of no consequence who shall be against us. And if we abide under this di- vine government daily, all obstructions will be removed, and we shall be enabled more and more fully to discover those things which were before mysterious in our view. It is not essen- tial — and I feel no hesitation in declaring it- it is not essential for us to believe a great deal, which we can neither comprehend nor under- stand; for where is the necessity of this.^ Is the Lord's arm shortened that he cannot save? Or his ear heavy that he cannot hear? No, ve- rily; for it remains to be a truth, that the spirit which is come, if attended to, will guide us into all truth, and consequently out of all error; for these cannot dwell together; we cannot serve God and mammon. " No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve 52 God and mammon/^ And Christ also declared, when in that prepared body in which he came to do his heavenly Father's will, " And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me/' Has this any allusion — or are we to be taught to believe that it alludes to his being lifted up upon the tree, that act of unparalleled malevolence in the Jews in his crucifixion, that he would draw all men immediately unto him? No; but he is in all those who are lifted above every evil propensity, and he draws them to^him, and thus the declaration is fulfilled: "I in them and thou in me, that they may be one in us." These he is not ashamed to call his brethren. And wherefore.^ Because they are begotten by the same power, and brought forth in the same life; and here is unity and union between them, though they have still a being here on earth. Thus the sting of death is removed. The grave IS deprived of its victory. Their hope of happi- ness is not on external and outward things, but on internal and spiritual things. And the evi- dences which they feel, and which are sealed upon their minds, are not those of doubt, not those of speculation; they are not evidences which they have derived from theological theo- ries and the language of scripture, or from any outward objects; but they are produced by the 53 imrnediate operation of the spirit of God upon their minds. Here, now, is a religion worthy of man and worthy of a Creator. For it leads man from the bondage of sin and corruption into the beauty of holiness and newness of life. And here may be known another declaration to be fulfilled: " Except a man be born again, he can in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven." And what is heaven.-^ Is it a place at a great distance and beyond the grave, where there are all kinds of sensual rewards reserved for the sen- sual minds of all those who have preserved a fair character among men? No. It is a state in which we can enjoy communion with God, and in which we can know the bread of life to nou- rish up our souls. We may come to the enjoy- ment of it here; and if we come not to the en- joyment of it here, our hope of its enjoyment hereafter is unfounded: for, according to an- other declaration, the kingdom of heaven is with- in you. I have desired, therefore, that we may see this building begun from a foundation which never can be moved, and by materials which will last forever. Remember the works and effects produced by a building which was begun formerly and never finished. And the nature of the case was this. The children of Noah increased and 54 spread abroad upon the face of the earth, '' and they said, go to, let us build us a city, and a tower whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth," " And they said one to another, let us make brick and biirn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar." These materials were wholly the result of human invention. They went on with their work, depending on their own inventions, and took not stone, but brick had they for stone, and sHme they had for mortar; and thus they continued till confusion came upon them, and their language was con- founded. It is no part of our duty now, nor will it yield instruction to enter into a disquisition, of what this confusion was; but I apprehend it was very much like that diversity of views and opinions, which have split and divided Christendom for ages. They could not see with the same eyes — they could not have the same views of the same objects; and therefore dissensions ensued, and the very thing they dreaded came upon them. They were scattered and divided upon the face of the earth. And how eminently has this been the case with professors of the christian name, because they have endeavoured to build accord- 55 ing to systems which their own imaginations had formed; and to use the materials and works of their own creation. They have endeavoured to build up a city whose tower and top should reach to heaven, to preserve them from the power of evil. And is it not obvious that all their works are vain.-^ For with the increase of religi