known and witnessed. Outward sacrifices under the law were vain as to cleansing the soul; and an outward belief of what Christ did and suffered effects not the thing now. What then? The new creature doth; the pure faith doth; the pure obedience doth. It did it formerly, it doth it still, and nothing else can do it. "Bring no more vain oblations; but wash ye, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do well," &e. But how should this be? Could they ever attain this by the old covenant? Nay; but Moses had not only delivered them the old covenant, but also had directed them to the new, to the Word of faith, to the Word of life and power in the heart and month, through the obedience whereof they might wash themselves (as Peter, even in the gospel times, speaketh. 1 Pet. i. 22.), put away the evil of their doings; cease to do evil, learn to do well, &c. And what then? Why, then they should receive the cleansing through the blood of the Lamb; for then, though their sins were as scarlet, they should be as white as snow; though they were red like crimson, they should be as wool. Isa. i. 16, 17, 18..

So Micah tells them (when they asked how they might come before God to please him): "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God." Mic. vi. 8. Where or how doth God show this to man? Had not Moses told that before; to wit, by the Word nigh in the mouth and heart? There is somewhat near man, even in his mouth, which divides his words one from another, showing him (at some times, and would do it oftener if he heeded it) which are bad words, and which are good words. What is that that doth this? The same thing also is in his heart, as a discerner of the thoughts and intents thereof, showing him when there is a good thought, desire, or intention in his mind, and when there is a bad or wicked one. What is this? Oh that men knew what it is! Oh that they could fear the Lord, and become subject to it, and they should know what it is!

"Every man that will be sanctified, and inherit God's kingdom, must be born of the will of God. He must deny his own will (as Christ did; not my will, said he, Father, but thine be done), that must be crucified. He must suffer in the flesh, die to the flesh, and live in and to the holy nature and Spirit of God.

Now thus a man comes to be born of the pure will; to wit, by hearing the word nigh in the mouth and heart, and becoming subject to it. This cuts down his own will day by day, and brings up the will and nature of God in him, through which he is changed and sanctified, and becomes a new creature. For the old creature is made up of the old understanding and will; but the new creature is made up of the new.

"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to thy word," said David. What word was that? Was it the word of the old covenant, or the word nigh in the mouth and heart? And "thy word," saith he, "is a lantern to my feet, and a light to my path." What word was that, the word of the first covenant, or the word of the second? "The ław of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." What law is that? "The testimony of the Lord is sure, makking wise the simple." What testimony is that? "The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart." What statutes are they? (Were not the statutes of the old covenant heavy and burdensome?) "The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes." What commandment is that? Yea, what is that which is "sweeter than the honey, and the honey-comb," which overcomes with sweetness? Oh that men could read! Oh that men could see the thing which is pure, and maketh pure; which is righteous, and maketh righteous! After men have seen the thing, there is a great way to travel to it; but how far are they off, who do not so much as see it, but are in the darkness and prejudices of that nature and spirit which is contrary to it.

Now if the Lord in his tender mercy and love to thy soul, bring thee to a sense of this thing, and thou beginnest to feel this precious, searching word discovering any evil to

thee, either in thy heart or ways, oh! do not dispute, do not reason against it; but bless the discoverer, bow to the Son, become obedient immediately, faithfully following the Lamb therein, lest he remove his light from thee, and suffer darkness and the disputing wisdom to overtake thee.

Christ is not of the world, and he leads out of the world; out of its vanities, ways, customs, fashions, &c. A man cannot serve Christ and the world. Can any man be born of the Father, be begotten by him out of the spirit of the world, and yet live in that, walk in that, which is not of the Father, but of the world; which came from the worldly part, is of the worldly part, nourisheth and pleaseth the worldly part in man, but pleaseth not the Father? Can that man who is not of the world, but of the Father, do any thing that upholdeth the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life, either in himself or others? Doth not the Spirit of the Lord, where it is hearkened to, draw out of these, and out of all things which are of these? Therefore consider well what it will cost, and how hard it is to follow Chirist; that thou, who desirest to be the Lord's, mayest receive help and strength from him to be faithful, that in his strength thou mayest overcome all that stands between thee and life, that so thou mayest receive the crown, and inherit the kingdom which is prepared for, and given to, the faithful, who labor and fight not in vain; but gain ground and conquer (yea, at length become more than conquerors) through the mercy, love, might, and power of the

Lord.

SOME SENSIBLE EXPERIMENTAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FROM THE TENTH CHAPTER OF JOHN.

Quest. 1. Who is the good Shepherd of the sheep?

Ans. The wisdom, life, and power of the Father (which dwelleth in, and is manifest through the Son) is the Shepherd. He that is the truth, the way, and the life, he also is the Shepherd and Bishop of the soul.

Quest. 2. Who are the sheep?

Ans. They that are born of this wisdom, gathered by this life, turned to this power, they are the sheep. They who are changed by him into his nature, they are of him; sheep of him, the Shepherd; lambs of him, the Lamb; doves of him, the Dove.

Quest. 3. What is the fold of the sheep?

Ans. The wisdom, life, and power of the Father, even the same that is the Shepherd. The Father's hand wherewith he covers them, wherein he encloseth them, that is the fold. For it is the power, wisdom, and life of the Father, which gathereth the sheep; and he gathereth them into his wisdom, into his life; and that is a wall or fold about them. Obj. Is not the church the fold?

Ans. This in the church, or the church in this, is the fold; but not out of this. For there is no safety or preservation among any sort or gathering of people, but as they stand and abide in this. And standing and abiding in this, they have authority and power from the chief Bishop of the soul; but none out of this.

Quest. 4. Who is the door?

Ans. The Shepherd is the door also, who lets into the fold, and shuts out, at his pleasure; and none can rightly enter but by him.

Quest. 5. What are they that run before the power, or further than the power leads and guides them?

Ans. They are thieves and robbers, and they may destroy the life and freshness in those that are not watchful; but they cannot help to save or build up, because they themselves are out of that, come out of that, and act out of that, which alone can do it.

Quest. 6. How may the sheep be discerned from the goats, and from such also as put on the sheep's clothing, but are not sheep in nature and spirit?

Ans. By their lamb-like nature, by the meekness and innocency in them which is of the Lamb, which none can have but they that are of him; for it is not to be found in man's nature, nor to be attained by his art. They also know and Vol. III.-7

hear the voice of the Word nigh in the mouth and heart, and follow the law of his Spirit, received from his mouth, which none else but his sheep do, or can do; for this is given by him, and it is given by him only to his sheep.

Quest. 7. What doth Christ, the Shepherd (the eternal Word, the wisdom, life, and power of the Father), do for his sheep?

Ans. He doth great things for them, which who can utter? But happy is he that feels and knows them. He gives them a new nature, a new spirit, a new heart, a new name, which none knoweth but he that hath it; for it is written on the white stone, which none else receives, nor none else can read, but he that hath the eye which is of him, what is written thereon. He giveth them eternal life; he leadeth them into the pastures of life; he giveth them to drink of the waters of life. He putteth them forth out of the prison-house, out of the chains and fetters, out of the darkness, out of the bonds, and from under the burdens of the soul, into the pure light and liberty of the Spirit, where they taste, know, and enjoy of his freedom, and dwell with him, and rest with him, and lie down with him, and rise up with him, even in the same eternal life, spirit, and power, wherein his dwelling-place is. And all this they enjoy safely, hearkening to the voice of the Shepherd, and turning from the voice of the stranger, which it is natural to them to do. For being turned from man, born of that which is immortal, and keeping to that, that ear which is there received will alone hearken to the voice of him who is immortal; and the voice of the stranger (who speaketh of himself) is presently discerned and turned from, by him that heareth with the true ear. The Lord God, who is the spring and fountain of all good, inflame people with desires after the pure life, and holy nature, which is of and from Christ the seed, his Son, and satisfy those desires which are singly and uprightly after him.