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"NONE can worship him [the almighty Creator] till all these unruly passions, all these disturbances and troubles, that naturally attend men and women in their natural state, are all brought down into entire subjection to the divine will, and until there is a complete sense of his greatness, and of our nothingness. And it is my earnest desire that we may individually labour after this stillness; for this is the travail that ought always to attend our minds when thus assembled together." pp. 106, 107.

TO IMAGINE that silence and stillness are essential to true worship, would be a great error. Our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles give no support to such a doctrine. Whatever advantage there may be in this mode of worship, we must remember that in the declaration, "The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth," our Lord neither prescribes nor intimates any particular mode.

It is of great moment that we should be aware, that the incapacity to worship God lies not so much in the disturbed state of the mind, as in the unregenerate state of the heart, in which state neither stillness nor activity avail any thing.

What saith the Scripture?

"My soul cleaveth unto the dust quicken thou me according to thy word." Ps. cxix. 25.

"I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice; for thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.- -When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came in unto thee into thine holy temple." Jonah, ii. 2—4, 7.

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful. The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me." Ps.cxvi. 3-7.

"The father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief.” Mark, ix. 24.

"Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart and : ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matt. xi. 28, 29.

"Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Rom. x. 13.

"The sorrows of death "The Spirit and the compassed me, and the bride say, Come. And let pains of hell gat hold him that heareth say, Come, upon me: I found trouble And let him that is athirst, and sorrow. Then called come. And whosoever I upon the name of the will, let him take the waLord; O Lord, I beseech ter of life freely." Rev. thee, deliver my soul. xxii. 17.

Instead of waiting until the mind is freed from troubles, the sense of their burthen is the very ground of our Lord's invitation to come to him: for every

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sincere cry of the believing, yet tossed soul, is acceptable to God.

EXTRACT II.

On Quietism as the means of Redemption.

"WHAT seemed at first to break in upon my mind was so complete, that it seemed as if it were all that need be said,— a being still, and entering into quiet and rest. The Jewish nation had an outward covenant,- but now what is the Christian to do? What is man that desires redemption from sin to do? Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the Heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.' So we must now not only be gathered together, but we must set to work in good earnest, and do what the Lord has furnished us with ability to do; and as he has given us the means to exercise, we ought to use all our mental powers to get our bodies quiet, under a consideration that we are now in the presence of the almighty and merciful God, who will distribute unto us according to our wants and necessities. We are to do all that we can, to be humble, and to show ourselves humble, by stilling our bodies, and keeping our minds clear of agitation and unprofitable thoughts." p. 117, 118.

"What is man that desires redemption from sin to do ?-BE STILL," &c. Is this the Gospel of Christ, or is it another Gospel? It is indeed "not another" Gospel, but (said the Apostle) "There be some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ. But though we, or an Angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." Silence and stillness are valuable in their place; but where in

Holy Writ does the SPIRIT teach Quietism, as the means of our redemption? Is there one single word from Christ or his Apostles, that supports the doctrine?

What did the disciples do while "tarrying at Jerusalem ?" Did they labour to get their bodies and minds quiet, &c. ? The Scripture informs us that they "continued with one accord in prayer and supplication," but it says nothing about their silence and stillness.

Will not unprofitable thoughts be best excluded, and the desire fulfilled, "My soul, wait thou upon God only, for my expectation is from him," when the heart is drawing near unto God, through faith in Christ Jesus?

are

"Mine iniquities gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me, my wounds stink, and are corrupt, because of my foolishness. I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. -I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.- -In thee, O Lord, do I hope thou wilt hear, O Lord my God." Ps. xxxviii. 4-6, 8, 9, 15.

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"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness;- -Wash

me thoroughly from mine. iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin: For I acknowledge my transgression; and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight." Ps. li. 1-4.

"He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their cry, and save them." Ps. cxlv. 19.

"He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it he will answer thee." Isa. xxx. 19.

"Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I

and ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Jer. xxix. 12, 13.

you.

will hearken unto you, trine which was delivered Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.- -But now, being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. vi. 17, 18, 22, 23.

"I called upon the Lord in distress : the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place." Ps.

cxviii. 5.

"God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doc

See under Ser. II. Ex. 7; Ser. VI. Ex. 1; Ser. VII. Ex. 1 & 2.

EXTRACT III.

Prayer.

SOME will get so into the popular current, that they will go to work the work of God, by the help and command of man. And I have known some say to a brother, pray! Now, what presumption! It is taking the seat of God immediately, and presuming to be God, and to be exalted above all that is called God, and worshipped. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth," and not man. Should man undertake to do a single thing in God's work, without the command of God? If he does he is a fool. -My desire therefore is, that we may so sink down in this meeting, as to come to a right view of these things, and be delivered from

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