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services are not accepted of the Lord;- "Burntofferings and sacrifices thou wouldst not (said David), else would I give them thee."1 But, Lo, it is written of me in the volume of the book, I delight to do thy will, O my God, yea, thy law is within my heart.2

But, alas! instead of attaining to do the will of God, there are too many like the formalist (described by the aforesaid author) "Who contents himself with "those performances whereunto he is prompted by "education or custom-yet [says he] can no more "be accounted a religious person than a puppet "called a man.' "93 This was the state of the Jews, busy in ceremony, who yet rejected Christ when he

came.

Thus zealous have some men been for the traditions of their fathers. Our fathers," said the Samaritan Woman, "worshipped in this mountain," yet neither that mountain worship, devised by man, no nor the Jerusalem-worship, must stand in the gospel dispensation, wherein the Lord calls to "worship him in spirit and in truth."5

What was invented by man in the Samaritan worship, gained not approbation with God; though it had held for ages from its establishment, partly by Jeroboam, and after, by the coming in among them of other nations, during the time of the Assyrian captivity. So that their pleading the practice of their fathers, and the antiquity of their forms, was of no value; all must give way to the spiritual worship. And as thus the man-devised worship must be left, so, also, must the Jerusalem-worship. For xl 7, 8. (3) Scougal.

(1) Psalm li, 16. (2)
(4) John iv, 20.

so we may understand those words of Christ—" The hour cometh, that neither at this mountain nor at Jerusalem must men worship the Father." Not that at those places God would never more be worshipped, but that he would not be worshipped with the forms of worship there established; neither with the Samaritan institutions, contrived by men, no, nor even by the Jerusalem-worship practised in those days. And here it may be observed, what that Jerusalem-worship was. Besides their sacrifices,

1. They had their hour of prayer.

2. They had Moses and the Prophets read among them; among the Prophets David also; and without question, their hearing of the experience of their fathers, and of God's great wonders on their behalf, had an applause among the people, whom the Divine Original of their law and ceremonies therein directed, and the antiquity of divers of their traditions rendered them unwilling to part therewith.3 "We have heard with our ears, and our fathers have told us, were to them valuable assurances of their constitution and though, while the first covenant was standing, Christ distinguished between the Commandment of God (the law) and the Tradition of the Elders; yet the Apostle to the Hebrews declared plainly concerning the legal dispensation itself, the law made not perfect as pertaining to the conscience; but the bringing in the better hope did, whereby we draw nigh to God.7

"4

In Synagogis

(1) John iv, 21, 23. (2) Acts iii, 1. (3) Judæorum legebatur primo textus aliquis e sacra Scriptura, deinde ab aliquo doctore addebatur exhortatio.-Piscator in Rom. xiii, 14. (4) Psalm xliv, 1. (5) Mark vii, 8. (6) Heb. ix, 8, 9. (7) Heb. vii, 19.

While Moses was read, the veil was upon ther: hearts; while they rested, delighting in shadows. and to hear of the experiences of others, the veil was over the heart; but, says he, when the heart shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. 2

That dispensation had many figures and shadows, and Christ himself, 3 made under the law, spake to them in parables, and without a parable spake he nothing; but said, when the Spirit of Truth is come, he shall shew you plainly of the Father, that knowing him they might fear him, serve him, and worship him in his own Spirit.

CHAPTER XXII.

Of the Promise of the Spirit, and of the Glory of the Church thereby in the primitive times, and of the falling away therefrom.

HE said, "Behold, I send the Promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”7 Wait for the Promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me and they waited with one accord, and received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and spake forth as the Spirit gave them utterance, the wonderful works of God. 10

Having received the Spirit, they could worship in

(1) 2 Cor. iii, 15. (2) 2 Cor. viii, 16. (3) Galatians iv, 4. (4) Matthew xiii. 24. (5) John xvi, 25. (6) Luke xxiv, 49, (7) Acts i, 4. (8) Acts ii, 1, 3, 4. (9) Verse 11. (10) 1 Cor. xiv, 15; xvi, 9.

THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT,

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the Spirit, pray [in or] with the Spirit, sing [in or] with the Spirit, and with the understanding also;1 and an effectual door of Faith was opened to the Gentiles, and they were glad, and glorified the word of God, 3

2

Thus excellent was the effect of their preaching when they had received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

They also enjoyed the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and were all baptized into one body; were of one heart and of one soul.5

They being many, were one bread and one body;" they all had access [unto God] by one Spirit ; they might all prophecy one by one, that all [might] learn, that all [might] be comforted.8

Thus, by the gift of the Spirit, was the Church of Christ gathered; and a glorious state did they enjoy for a season.

But whilst Paul was yet among them; he saw an apostacy, and began to complain of it, saying, "All they which are in Asia be turned from me."9 And John saw a great red dragon, who made war with the woman, the true church, the spouse of Christ; but [she] overcame him by the blood of the Lamb,. and by the word of her testimony; and the devil was cast out into the earth, yet he went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus.10 The said chapter is large on this subject; but the enemy in that work not wholly prevailing, went upon another, which John also saw, a beast rise out of the sea;11

(1) Acts xiii, 48. (2) 1 Cor. xvi, 9. (3) Acts xiiii, 48. (4) I Cor. xii, 13. (5) Acts iv, 32. (6)1 Cor. x, 17. (7) Eph. ii, 18. (8) 1 Cor. xiv, 31. (9) 2 Tim. i, 14. (10) Rev. xii. (11) Rev. xiii, 1, 3.

H

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1

OF APOSTACY.

and all the world [worldly-minded men] wondered after the beast, and all that dwelt upon the earth worshipped him, 1 whose names are not written in the book of the life of the Lamb slain, from the founda tion of the world. And John saw another beast having horns as a lamb, and spake as a dragon.

Here, saith John, is Wisdom, let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast, which did arise.

Thus, after the breaking forth of the gospel in sc great glory and power, that neither the opposition of Jewish priests, Grecian philosophers, nor Heathen tyrants were able to stop the progress of it; a cloud came over it again: men got into form, and departed from the power and life of religion, and set up devices of their own; and though they intended them for golden (yet they were but) images, and, like Nebuchadnezar, would have men bow down thereto, although they could not give life to their image. And here the apostacy came in. That the whole world wondered after the beast ;" and those who could not bow to heathen idols, under all the torments they endured, even many of their successors bowed to the devices, superstitions, and gross errors brought in by men, under the Christian name, held the name of a Christian church, and as such persecuted those who could not conform to their inventions; and the true church fled into the wilderness, into her place where she was nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.3

But, after a long night of darkness, God, who delighteth in mercy, visited again the sons of men,

4

(1) Rev. xiii, 8, (2) — xiii, 3. (3) -xii 14. (4) Micah vii, 18.