Jews, though not in them; and fo come before the end of the world. And if he would have called to mind the first fentence of John the Baptift's fermon, and the drift of the difciples ministry, that Chrift fent forth, he must have found that it was, " Repent, for the kingdom of "God, or of heaven, is at hand." as Mat. iii. 2. chap. x. 7. Then, not fo far off as the end of the world. Again, the apoftle declared, Heb. xii. 22, 23, 24. the true believers of his day were "come to Mount Zion, to God, the judge of all, and to the "fpirits of the just made perfect;" and alfo, that they "fat in heavenly places in Chrift Jefus;" which must be an attainment above figns of invifible grace; being the life and fubftance of religion, and fo the period and confummation of types, fhadows, and fuch fort of figns or fignifications as are in queftion. They that perfonally enjoy their dearest friends will not repair to their pictures, (though drawn ever fo much to the life) to quicken their remembrance of them.

Chrift did promife his, That he would come again, he would not leave them comfortless, and that he would drink of the cup or fruit of the vine after a new, or other manner with them, even "in the kingdom of "his Father." And in the Revelations, chap. iii. he makes an holy proclamation, as it were with an Oyez ! "Behold," fays he, "I ftand at the door and knock; "if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I "will come in to him, and SUP with him, and he with "me." This, we are not ashamed to fay, is our fupper, or the fupper of the rifen and glorified Jefus, which the people called Quakers do acknowledge, profefs and practise as the Lord's-fupper; the true gofpel, new covenant fupper: the fupper of and in the kingdom of God; which is come up in thoufands, bleffed be his name! and is coming more and more, among, and in the hearts of, the children of men. And though the feed of this kingdom be fown in all; yet the good ground alone knows it to grow to advantage. Those that obey the manifeftation of the light of the Lord Jefus in their fouls, the "feed of the kingdom,” are

the

the true and fenfible witneffes of it: the government of their hearts and affections being upon his shoulders, according to that bleffed promife, Ifaiah ix. 5, 6, 7. And fuch can fay, "Thy kingdom is come, and thy will is "done in earth, as it is in heaven."

Even fo come, Lord Jefus! more and more fet up thy kingdom in the fouls of the children of men; that the holy will of thy Father may be done in earth; that mercy and truth, righteoufnefs and peace, may embrace and kifs each other; fo fhall the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Chrift; who is God over all bleffed for ever.

SOME

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READER,

TH

HIS enchiridion I prefent thee with, is the fruit of folitude: a school few care to learn in, though none inftructs us better. Some parts of it are the refult of serious reflection: others, the flashings of lucid intervals: written for private fatisfaction, and now published for an help to human conduct.

The author bleffeth God for his retirement, and kiffes that gentle hand which led him into it: for though it should prove barren to the world, it can never do fo to him.

He has now had fome time he could call his own; a property he was never fo much mafter of before: in which he has taken a view of himself and the world; and obferved wherein he hath hit and miffed the mark: what might have been done, what mended, and what avoided in his human conduct: together with the omiffions and exceffes of others, as well focieties and governments, as private families and perfons. And he verily thinks, were he to live over his life again, he could not only, with God's grace, ferve Him, but his neighbour and himself, better than he hath done, and have seven years of his time to fpare. And yet, perhaps, he hath not been the worst or the idleft man in the world; nor is he the oldeft. And this is the rather said, that it might quicken thee, reader, to lose none of the time that is yet thine.

There is nothing of which we are apt to be fo lavish as of time, and about which we ought to be more folicitous; fince without it we can do nothing in this world. Time is what we want moft, but what, alas!