present Christ's human soul as a creature of unlimited power, preexisting without a body. That it entered into covenant with God to redeem mankind. That after the fall of Adam, it was at times in a state like unto purgatory, grieving and repenting. That when it became flesh, it lost all its power, ideas, and faculties. That the Holy Spirit withdrew his influences from it, so that it was in a disanointed state. That when Christ died, he was excarnate, and afterwards was re-embodied. That Enoch and Elijah were in heaven in the body in the image of the heavenly long before Christ had a body, &c. &c.

Reader, think of these things, and beware of the subtlety of the serpent and his seed; for there is enmity placed between the serpent and the WOMAN, and between her SEED, and the serpent's seed. A CONSTANT READER.

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BERRIDGE'S LETTERS.

LETTER XVI.

Everton, July 27, 1779.

DEAR AND HONOURED SIR,

By the favour of Mr. J. Astell I received a copy of the Olney Hymns, they are experimental and sound, the language intelligible to all believers, and the sense sufficiently closing at the end of each line, a very needful thing in public worship, where many are destitute of a hymn-book. They seem to want a little unction sometimes, and sometimes a little more poetic vein; and I wish there had been more hymns of praise; but, on the whole, I think it is the most edifying hymn-book yet published. The worst fault I can find in the book, is, that it proves a single copy, a private treat without a general feast, a meal for myself without any dole for others. Methinks I see you upbraid my ravenous appetite and indignantly ask, "will his mouth always be gaping after my publications?" Indeed, sir, it may, unless you wisely clap a padlock on my lips, and keep the key in your own pocket. We have been in a state of war at Everton for two years, and have had preludes of a French and Spanish invasion. The squire and the widow are making incursions on each other alternately, and labouring to harass and vex each other sufficiently; a notable fruit this of the religion of nature, (under Christian profession) which loves to traffic in misery, and studies hard to render unkindness for unkindness. Oh from what wretchedness does precious grace save a true believer! The Lord fill my heart with this precious grace. Times are awful; and likely to be more so. Rods have been used without effect, and now the scorpions are coming; may their bite awake, but not destroy National pride, infidelity, and profligacy, are growing very rampant, and will grow from bad to worse, unless restrained by heavy judgments. The worst evil God can bring upon a nation is

us.

to say to it, as once he said to Ephraim, "Let him alone:" but if the Lord intends our good, he will chastise us sorely; this is the bible-road to reformation, on this account, however formidable judgments are, I know not whether I should fear them more, or bid them welcome. Strong physic is become needful for the body politic, and, however nauseous to the palate, or griping in the operation, it must be deemed a blessing. The Lord prepare us for the tempest, and prove our hiding-place. Yes, he says, "on every dwelling of Mount Zion, he will create both a pillar of cloud and fire, and on all the glory shall be a defence." Amen. I suppose you have received a letter of thanks from our friends at Stretham, for assisting them to build a small barn, a threshing-floor for Jesus. The barn is now erected and thatched, and the people are happy and thankful. The Lord keep yourself and family under his cious protection, and enrich you all with the choicest treasure, the blessings of salvation. Amen and amen. I have just room to subscribe

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JOHN BERRIDGE.

APHORISMS BY WILLIAM ROMAINE,

Never before Published.

No. XXXVI.

The proper work of faith is to show Christ Jesus with growing loveliness and increasing beauty.

On the 10th of the Hebrews.-The apostle had been shewing the Jewish rites were abolished. No further occasion for the priest to go into the holiest, because the blood of the Lamb perfected for ever. A new way, a living way. Death is in the way of works -Christ is a consecrated way, a short way, leading directly to the Father.

Let us, saith the apostle, draw near with a true heart. We can never fathom the mystery of iniquity in the human heart But when the conscience is sprinkled with the blood of Christ, it purifies the heart and makes it a true heart. In full assurance of faith. A full assurance of the reality of the object of faith. for a candlestick-a shew-bread table—an incense it all in him. In him we have the substance. thousand million of sins as well as one.

No occasion now altar-for we have He can forgive a

Abraham died in a good old age. Not so much for the length of it, as he was satisfied with the past, and satisfied with the future. He looked forward with hopes full of immortality.

Paul was in Spain and France, and seeing our white rocks, most likely came over to Britain Resting upon Paul's evidence, we shall have Paul's experience.

There's an eternal perfection in Christ our sin offering. O Sirs,

what a glorious thing it would be, if we could in our consciences honour it to day, in believing that God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

There's a happiness to be found in Christ the way, which it is impossible to have any other way.

"Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven." God not only pronounces them blessed, but he makes them blessed; and why then afraid of death? its only a safe and easy passage to heaven and glory.

I have been labouring many years to shew you, that the vail is done away in Christ, and that God the Father looks upon you, and beholds you as he doth Christ himself; but I can't bring you to believe it, this is the work of God the Spirit.

Believers, God the Father loves you with the same love, he doth Christ himself. You stand before God in him, righteous and spotless.

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AN ADDRESS TO THE CHURCH OF GOD.

Let no man judge you in respect of an holy day, or of the Sabbath day which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ. Remember, they, who despise the shadow, despise the substance. They, who regard not the Sabbath, regard not Christ. The Lord's day is that day which the Lord hath made. For it is written of Christ, "the stone which the builders refused is become "the head of the corner. This is the Lord's doing, it is marvel"lous in our eyes." For "this is the day which the Lord hath "made, he will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm cxviii. 22-81.) The Throne, the Constitution, the Government, the Parliament, and the executive power of this nation was once exclusively protestant. During which period, the Lord opened unto us his good treasure, &c., so that we have lent unto many nations; and the Lord made us the head of nations, and not the tail. (Deut. xxviii. 12, 13) And whilst Protestant Britain has been in the enjoyment of such unmerited mercy, for nearly one hundred years, the wrath of God has been poured out upon other nations, even upon Roman Catholic Ireland; for their national sins they have had blood to drink. And whilst the inhabitants of Great Britain are now, and have been for nearly one hundred years, in the enjoyment of peaceable habitations, some of the neighbouring nations are now, and others have been, under the destructive power of the sword. But have we not just cause for fear, that the changes which have been made in the Parliament, and the executive power of this nation, which are no longer exclusively protestant, may be followed by further changes in the once exclusively protestant constitution and government of this nation; until Great Britain be like unto Israel, when every man did that which was right in his own eyes; and then, this nation, like Israel, may be delivered into the hands of her enemies, or may probably be under the destroying power of

the sword: foreign nations may then be the head, and this nation will be the tail! Deut. xxvii. 44. But, that no such changes may take place in the constitution and government of this nation, that this nation may still continue the head and not the tail of nations; "the trumpet should be blown in Zion, to sanctify a fast, and call a solemn assembly:" and what day more desirable than the Lord's Day, to gather the people, to sanctify the congregation, to assemble the elders, to gather the children, &c. that the Priest, the ministers of the Lord may weep between the porch and the altar, and say, spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the idolators and infidels rule not over us: wherefore should they say among the people, where is your God?

That excellent man, Mr. John Brown, a Minister of the Gospel, formerly of Haddington in Scotland, was so strongly convinced of the importance of the national observance of the Lord's day, that upon the alteration of the Post by which the due observance of the Sabbath would be interrupted, he wrote to a friend as follows:

After observing "that there had been many acts of Parliament in Scotland for the due observance of the Sabbath, which had been ratified by several acts of Parliament under King William. He says, can you pretend that the bustle about worldly business, occasioned by the new regulation of the post in Edinburgh, is more innocent, or less calculated to hinder the sanctification of the Sabbath than what is expressly prohibited by these acts? or, that it becomes a christian to indulge himself in habitual rebellion against such salutary institutions of church or state?

"It is contrary to the law of the great God, who hath the disposal not only of our worldly, but also of our spiritual and eternal estate, in his hand. None of his commandments, by which he, our now all-seeing observer, shall judge us at the last day, before an assen bled world of angels and men, according to the deeds done in our body, 2 Cor. v. 10. Eccl. xii. 14.; none of his ten commandments, which prescribe holiness and virtue in their whole extents is delivered in so express, so solemn, and copious phrase, as the which respects the Sabbath. Remember, saith God, the Sab! ath, day, hinting, that however much men be tempted or inclined to it, it is at their infinite peril if they forget or neglect the proper observation on it. He solemnly chargeth us not to keep it idly, or in worldly employments or recreations, but to remember it, to keep it holy, that is, as devoted to the worship of God, and the spiritual and eternal concerns of our precious and immortal souls. He peremptorily chargeth us to do no work, no carnal or worldly work, neither ourselves, nor our son, nor daughter, nor man-servant, nor maid-servant, nor cattle, nor the stranger that is within our gates. By this particular enumeration he manifests, that parents, masters, and magistrates are bound by his awful and infinite authority, and as they shall answer to him in the last judgment, not only to keep VOL. III.-No. I.

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"Ye

holy the Sabbath themselves, but to cause all under their charge and power to sanctify it, Exod. xx. 8. 10. In many other parts of his word, he further explains this commandment. In Exod. xvi. 22,-30, he prohibits the Israelites to look for any manna on the Sabbath, and sent none. In Exod. xxxi 13,—16, be adds, 66 My Sabbath ye shall keep, that ye may know that I the Lord do sanctify you: Ye shall keep the Sabbath, it is holy unto God. Six days may work be done; but on the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy or holiness to the Lord. Whosoever doth any work on the Sab bath-day, he shall surely be put to death." Lev. xix, 3. shall keep my Sabbaths, I am the Lord your God." Lev. xxiii. 3. "Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work thereon: It is a sabbath of rest in all your dwellings." Deut. v. 12. "Keep the Sabbath-day, sanctify it, as the Lord thy God commanded thee." In Isa. lviii. 13. be requires us 66 to turn away our foot from the Sabbath, from doing our pleasure on his holy day; and to call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord honourable, and to honour him, not doing our own ways, nor finding our own pleasures; nor speaking our own words." He commanded a man to be stoned to death for gathering sticks on the Sabbath-day, Numb. xv. 33-36 His Spirit directed, and his oracles approve Nehe miah's magistratical restraint of bearing of burdens and selling of fish and other victuals and goods on the Sabhath, Neh, xiii. 15,-22.

"It tramples on all the infinitely powerful motives or reasons with which God himself hath enforced his command, in order to promote the exact observation of it. He hath allowed us six days every week for our own employments: "Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work." Doth not God know what time is sufficient for men's worldly business, as well as any of our British governors or subjects? Hath he not allowed us, for our worldly employments, six times as much time as he hath reserved for himself; and will we, notwithstanding, rob him, in order to have more? Are not six days, spent in due labour, sufficient to make our bodies need a day of rest and refreshment? Are not six days. spent in thoughts and cares about the things of this transitory world, sufficient to make our immortal soul need and long for one to be spent in fellowship with God, and in securing our everlasting enjoyment of him?

"God challengeth a special property in the Sabbath day. 'It is,' said he, the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.' Is it too much for Jehovah, our Maker, Preserver, and Redeemer, who graciously grants us all our time, all our opportunities, strength for, and success in our worldly labours, to claim a seventh part of it for his special worship and service, for our most happy and everlasting enjoyment of himself! If his claim be just, why rob him of his property, or any part of it? How inconsistent to hold infamous,