the nature of the thing requires. That in many places, abundance of notorious sinners are totally reformed, is declared by a thousand eye and ear-witnesses, both of their present and past behaviour. And you are sensible, the proof of such a point as this must, in the nature of things, rest upon testimony. And that God alone is able to work such a reformation, you know all the Scriptures testify. What would you have more? What pretence can you have, for doubting any longer? You have not the least room to expect or desire any other, or any stronger evidence.

I trust, you are not of those who fortify themselves against conviction; who are "resolved they will never believe this." They ask, "Who are these men?" We `tell them plainly; but they credit us not. Another and another of their own friends is convinced, and tells them the same thing. But their answer is ready, "Are you turned Methodist too?" So their testimony likewise goes for nothing. Now how is it possible these should ever be convinced? For they will believe none but those who speak on one side.

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6. Do you delay fixing your judgment, till you see a work of God, without any stumbling-block attending it? That never was yet, nor ever will. It must needs be, that offences should come. And scarce ever was there such a work of God before, with so few as have attended this.

When the Reformation began, what mountainous of fences lay in the way, of even the sincere Members of the Church of Rome! They saw such failings in those great men, Luther and Calvin! Their vehement tenaciousness of their own opinion: their bitterness towards all who differed from them; their impatience of contradiction, and utter want of forbearance, even with their own brethren.

But the grand stumbling-block of all, was, their open, avowed separation from the Church; their rejecting so many of the doctrines and practices, which the others accounted the most sacred; and their continual invectives VOL. XII. T

against the Church they separated from, so much sharper than Michael's reproof of Satan.

Were there fewer stumbling-blocks attending the Reformation in England? Surely not; for what was Henry the Eighth? Consider either his character, his motives to the work, or his manner of pursuing it! And even King Edward's Ministry we cannot clear of persecuting in their turns, yea, and burning Heretics. The main stumblingblock also still remained, viz. open separation from the Church.

7. Full as many were the offences that lay in the way of even the sincere Members of the Church of England, when the people called Quakers first professed that they were sent of God to reform the land. Whether they were or not, is beside our question: it suffices for the present purpose to observe, that over and above their open, avowed, total separation from the Church, and their vehement invectives against many of her doctrines, and the whole frame of her Discipline; they spent their main strength in disputing about Opinions and Externals, rather than in preaching faith, mercy, and the love of God.

In these respects, the case was nearly the same when the Baptists first appeared in England. They immediately commenced a warm dispute, not concerning the vitals of Christianity, but concerning the manner and time of administering one of the external Ordinances of it. And as their Opinion hereof totally differed from that of all the other Members of the Church of England, so they soon openly declared their separation from it, not without sharp censures of those that continued therein.

8. The same occasion of offence was, in a smaller degree, given by the Presbyterians and Independents: for they also spent great part of their time and strength, in opposing the commonly received Opinions concerning some of the circumstantials of Religion; and for the sake of these, separated from the Church.

But I do not include that venerable man, Mr. Philip

Henry, nor any that were of his spirit in this number. I know they abhorred contending about Externals. Neither did they separate themselves from the Church. They continued therein, till they were driven out, whether they would or not. I cannot but tenderly sympathise with these; and the more, because this is, in part, our own case. Warm men, spare no pains, at this very day to drive us out of the Church. They cry out to the people, wherever one of us comes, "A Mad Dog! a Mad Dog!" if haply we might flee for our lives, as many have done before us. And sure it is, we should have complied with their desire, we should merely for peace and quietness have left the Church long before now, but that we could not in conscience do it. And it is on this single motive, it is for conscience' sake that we still continue therein; and shall continue (God being our helper) unless they by violence thrust us out.

9. But to return. What are the stumbling-blocks in the present case, compared to those in any of the preceding?

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We do not dispute concerning any of the externals or circumstantials of Religion. There is no room; for we agree with you therein. We approve of, and adhere to them all all that we learned together when we were children, in our Catechism and Common-Prayer Book. We were born and bred up in your own Church, and desire to die therein. We always were, and are now, zealous for the Church; only not with a blind, angry zeal. We hold, and ever have done, the same opinions, which you and we received from our forefathers. But we do not lay the main stress of our Religion on any Opinions, right or wrong: neither do we ever begin, or willingly join in any dispute concerning them. The weight of all Religion, we apprehend, rests on Holiness of Heart and Life. And consequently, wherever we come, we press this with all our might. How wide then is the difference between our case and the case of any of those that are above-mentioned ? They avowedly separated from the Church: we utterly disavow any such design. They severely, and almost conti

nually, inveighed against the Doctrines and Discipline of the Church they left. We approve both the Doctrines and Discipline of our Church, and inveigh only against Ungodliness and Unrighteousness. They spent great part of their time and strength in contending about Externals and Circumstantials. We agree with you in both; so that having no room to spend any time in such vain Contention, we have our desire of spending and being spent, in promoting plain practical Religion. How many stumblingblocks are removed out of your way! Why do not you acknowledge the work of God?

10. If you say, "Because you hold Opinions which I cannot believe are true:" I answer, believe them true or false; I will not quarrel with you about any Opinion. Only see that your heart be right towards God, that you know and love the Lord Jesus Christ: that you love your Neighbour, and walk as your Master walked, and I desire no more. I am sick of Opinions: I am weary to bear them. My soul loathes this frothy food. Give me solid and substantial Religion. Give me an humble, gentle Lover of God and Man; a Man full of Mercy and good Fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy a man laying himself out in the Work of Faith, the Patience of Hope, the Labour of Love. Let my soul be with these Christians, wheresoever they are, and whatsoever Opinion they are of." Whosoever" thus "doth the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my Brother, and Sister, and Mother."

11. Inexcusably infatuated must you be, if you can even doubt whether the propagation of this Religion be of God! Only more inexcusable are those unhappy men, who oppose, contradict, and blaspheme it.

How long will you stop your ears against him, that still crieth, "Why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks;" for a man to "contend with his Maker." How long will you despise the well-known advice of a great and learned man, "Refrain from these men, and let them alone. If this work be of man, it will come to nought. But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it." And

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why should you "be found even to fight against God?" If a man fight with God, shall he prevail? "Canst thou thunder with a voice like him?" Make haste! Fall down! Humble thyself before him! Lest he put forth his hand, and thou perish.

12. How long will you fight under the banner of the great Enemy of God and man? You are now in his service: you are taking part with the devil against God. Even supposing there were no other proof, this would undeniably appear, from the goodly company among whom you are enlisted, and who war one and the same warfare. I have heard some affirm, that the most bitter enemies to the present work of God, were Pharisees. They meant, men who had the form of godliness, but denied the power of it. But I cannot say so. The sharpest adversaries thereof whom I have hitherto known, (unless one might except a few honourable men, whom I may be excused from naming,) were the Scum of Cornwall, the Rabble of Bilston and Darlaston; the wild Beasts of Walsal, and the Turnkeys of Newgate.

13. Might not the very sight of these troops, shew any reasonable men, to what General they belonged? As well as the weapons they never fail to use; the most horrid oaths and execrations, and lawless violence, carrying away as a flood whatsoever it is which stands before it: having no eyes, nor ears, no regard to the loudest cries of reason, justice, or humanity: can you join heart or hands with these any longer? With such an infamous, scandalous rabble-rout, roaring and raging, as if they were just broke loose, with their Captain Apollyon, from the bot tomless pit? Does it not rather concern you, and that in the highest degree, as well as every friend to his King and Country, every lover of peace, justice, and mercy, immediately to join and stop any such godless crews, as they would join to stop a fire just beginning to spread, or an inundation of the sea?

14. If, on the contrary, you join with that godless crew, and strengthen their hands in their wickedness, must not