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Male Part of God's rational Creation, to celebrate the Praise of our common Governor and Bene

factor. " Why then, fays one, fhould Woman "be denied her Canticle of Praife in the general Chorus, fince out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings God will still ordain and perfect Praise?" And we may further obferve, when the Tabernacle of the Lord was erected in the Wilderness, the Women, we are told, who were willing-hearted, brought their Free-will Offerings, and prefented them towards the Building, or at least embellishing of this moveable Temple, which, 'tis faid, was a Type of the true Church militant, and the Tabernacle which God has pitched, and not Man. And if Females were allowed to affift and contribute to the Work of the Lord, under the Law, why should any, or the leaft Effay towards the Repairing the Breaches in God's Building, be rejected under the Gospel ? Since we do not offer or propose any new Doctrine, nor endeavour to lay any other Foundation than that which is already laid, viz. The Revelation of the Spirit of Jesus Christ the Righteous, in the Soul of Man, on which the Church of Chrift is founded and built: Nor for the moral Disorders fo visible amongst the Profeffors of Christianity, do we prescribe new or untry'd Remedies; but having experienced the Virtue and Efficacy of the old, we, in great Love and Good-will, endeavour to perfuade you to apply them: For the fame Fountain of Purgation is now open to Sinners, that was in Ages paft fet open for the Houfe of David, and Inhabitants of Jerufalem, for Sin and for Uncleanness ; for the Almighty is not only the God of the Jews, but of the Gentiles alfo.

But

But to proceed; I have told you that this Voyage to my native Place, was undertaken in Pursuance of what I verily believed was the Will of God concerning me, and required of me by him (I make no no Doubt) as one amongst the many Trials I have been exercised with, of my Faith, Love and Obedience; wherein I believe it my Duty openly and freely to confefs Chrift before Men, whofe operating Power on my Heart I had fearfully and cowardly endeavour'd to conceal before this Province; and I take this Occafion to declare to you, that I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Chrift, which I have in Measure experienced to be the Power of God to Salvation to all them who believe, and continue to obey it: And the more numerous the Teftimonies, and greater the Cloud of Witnesses, to the Efficacy of the Grace and Power of God, the more will the Truths and Evidences proposed and produced, be ftrengthen'd and corroborated. But fome may poffibly afk, How I certainly know that I am not miftaken, and that inftead of being led by the Spirit of Truth, I am not deceived by the Spirit of Error? To fuch I answer, I have one Rule to fquare my Actions by, which never yet failed me, when I applied it; and that is, By Application to the Divine Being, that he would be pleafed to preserve me from Error and Delufion. I examine by his divine Light and Affistance, the Motive, Defign, Tendency and End of my Actions; and if I find nothing repugnant to, or inconfiftent with the Honour of God, and Scripture Precepts or Teftimony, I make a rational Conclufion, that I am fafe at least. And tho' I do not observe from

Scripture

Scripture, that it is my particular Duty to exhort you to yours; nor do I gather from thence, that I ought to declare, in this publick Manner, of the Goodness, Mercy, and loving Kindnefs of the Almighty, to all who feek his Face and Favour in Truth, Sincerity and Uprightness; yet I find it there, my Duty to obey all God's Commands ; and that the Almighty may, and does, lay particular Injunctions, and fpecial Commands, upon his Servants, by the divine Direction of his holy Spirit, at this Day, as well as in former Ages, I firmly believe: And that the Bleffing our Lord promised to confer on his immediate Followers, extends as well to all his fucceeding Disciples, viz. That he would pray the Father, and he will (fays he) Jend you another Comforter, that may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of Truth, who will guide and lead you into all Truth, and fhew you Things to come; for he that dwelleth with you, fhall be in you; and this Comforter, which is the holy Ghoft, fhall teach you all Things, and bring all Things to your Remembrance.

And the Apoftle Peter, at that memorable Time, when he was preaching to People of various Languages, tells his Audience, firft quoting a Paffage from the Prophet Joel, Acts ii. 38. It Shall come to pass in the last (or Gofpel) Days, that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh, and your Sons and your Daughters fhall prophecy, &c. And he fubjoins, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the Name of Jefus Chrift, for the Remiffion of Sins, and ye shall receive the Gift of the holy Ghost: For the Promife is to you, and to your Children, and to all that are afar off, even as

many

many as the Lord our God fball call. And to you, O Men he calls, his Voice is to the Sons of Men, Prov. viii. 4.

And we may further obferve, That the Spirit of Chrift was not limited to his immediate Difciples, to whom it was to be fent as a Comforter and Director; but he tells them, it should appear to the World of Unbelievers in another Administration or Office, viz. That of a Reprover for Sin. For when Chrift afcended up on high, he gave Gifts to Men, yea, even to the Rebellious, Eph.

iv. 8.

And the Gifts of the holy Ghoft, Poole, in his Annotations, tells us, "Was not, as fome "imagine, confined to the Apostles Days, but "that Chriftians, in fucceeding Ages, received as large Proportions of the divine Influences and "Gifts of the holy Spirit as formerly."

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And that Females did receive thefe Gifts as well as the Men, and on proper Occafions did exercise them, John Locke, in his Paraphrafe on Paul's Epiftles, affures us, by Proof. He tells us, "That "God, for Order fake, had inftituted in the "World a proper Subordination of the weaker "Sex to the stronger; yet (fays be) this hinder'd "not but that he might make Use of the weaker "Sex to any Function, whenever he thought fit, "as well as he did the Men." He fays much more to the fame Purpose ; but I leave him to those who may have an Opportunity and Inclination to read him further on this Subject ; and return † to illuftrate, as well as I am able, the Rule of my Conduct in religious Matters.

+ Locke on 2 Corinthians 14..

I

I am fenfible that it is my Duty, first and principally, and above all other Confiderations, to love, adore, honour, and obey, the Supreme Being; and next, I find it my Duty to love my Neighbour as myfelf; and to obferve to act in the fame juft and upright Manner in every Circumstance, that I defire he should act in to→ wards myself: Therefore, if, upon a Scrutiny or Examination, I find my Defign or Action directly or indirectly tending to the Dishonour of God, or in any Shape injurious to my Neighbour, I am immediately inftructed, by the inward Monitor, or Light of Chrift in my Confcience, to decline it; and if I forbear the Action, &c. I believe you will grant I am right fo far. Again, if I apprehend I am directed or commanded to do any particular Thing; if, upon Trial, by the above Rule, it bears the Teft, and has any Tendency to promote God's Honour, Peace, Good-will, Charity and Benevolence to my Neighbour, I believe I am fafe, and may venture to conclude, that this Suggestion can proceed from no other than God; fince it points to fome fmall Degree of Glory to his Name and Power. And further, any Deed that can stand this Trial, cannot poffibly have its Rife, or be excited by a diabolical Spirit; fince we have our Lord's Teftimony to the Truth of this Affertion, That if Satan rife up against himself, and be divided, he cannot ftand, but hath an End, Mark

iii. 26.

But whatever Judgment may be religious Sentiments and Conduct, from affecting me; my Peace and

made of my it will be far Happiness in

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