made them triumph over the exquisite tortures of their per

secutors.

This plainly shows, that they suffered not out of an obstinate humour, as by some might be suggested; but because they would not sacrifice the cause of their God, therefore they were sacrificed. And when the apostle had recited a few of the many instances which had been, he assures us that all these had obtained a good report through faith.

It was in this faith that Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, concerning things to come; that Jacob, when he was dying, in the remembrance of the Lord's appearance to him at Luz, and of the great promises God made him there, blessed the two sons of Joseph.

It was in this faith that he blessed his own sons; his heart being opened in a prophetic manner, he spoke to them severally, and predicted what in after times should happen to their tribes.

It was when this prophetic spirit was upon him that he spoke of the coming of the Messiah, calling him Shiloh.

The dying sayings of this good old man are a monument of the continued and especial favour of the Lord to him. For aught that appears, he had a sight of that at his death, of which he had till then been silent all his life. It was at this time he acknowledged that, 'The Lord had fed him all his life long, and the angel had redeemed him from all evil.' It was in the sense of this that he opened his mouth, and blessed his children.

And as for Moses, the servant of the Lord, who was faithful in all God's house, he was a man whom neither the preferment of the Egyptian court, nor the probability of wearing the crown, could hinder either from defending his brethren, or taking his share in their affliction. This was not a childish or an overforward choice in him, but doubtless was from a serious consideration, as seeing him who is invisible; for we are expressly told, that 'When he was full forty years VOL. II.-2

old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel.'

This visit of his to the Hebrews had such a consequence, that he, who the other day was a prince, left his greatness, and stooped so low as to become a stranger and a shepherd in the land of Midian. It was at this employ the Lord appeared unto him in a bush, which burned and was not consumed, and told him the end of his appearance, and the service which he should now undertake for the deliverance of the children of Israel. After which deliverance they became a nation, and were a great people, to whom the Lord gave laws and ordinances, and gave them a charge to do them.

I conceive it neither needful nor expected, that a recital of the many laws delivered to that people should be given here, only let it be observed, that they were obliged to continue in those commands to do them.

Amongst the many things Israel was expressly forbidden to do, there are some which in this place, and on this occasion, I think proper to mention. Lev. xix. 28: "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you. I am the Lord.”

We are informed by history, that such practices were in use among the heathens in their funeral rites; and lest Israel should follow these idolatrous customs, Moses gave them a strict charge not to do them. (Lev. xix. 28, and Deut. xiv. 1.)

Thus we see the care of the Lord over his chosen people, in prohibiting these, among other things, that they might be holy to the Lord their God.

But from whence arose that fashion of wearing mourning habits, whether at first among the Jews or Gentiles, I know not; but this I am assured of, that when Moses, the servant of the Lord, died, though there was very great mourning, we do not find that they altered their habit; but that their sorrow was expressed by their weeping and lamenting the loss of so great a prophet of the Lord. From whence I infer,

That whatever surprise or sorrow might seize the minds of the living for their dead, it was to be contained within, and no marks or tokens of it to be worn without.

This seems agreeable to that practice which the spirit of truth led our forefathers into, when they were called out of the world's ways and vain fashions; of which this of wearing mourning clothes was one which they complied not with, as knowing, that that divine principle the Lord had placed in them, required a conformity to his will in all things, a thorough reformation and disuse of all vain customs, since they were not to fashion themselves according to their former lusts in their ignorance, &c., as said the apostle Peter.

May these things, which were of old prohibited the people of the Lord, be remembered in these days, that none of us do any thing on such occasions, as may be in any sense rendered printing marks upon us, or rather disguising ourselves for the dead.

Now, because that some among us have, and are creeping into a sort of mourning habit, a thing contrary to our ancient practice, I am at this time concerned to testify against it; for whatever was the practice of other people in this respect, when our forefathers in the truth came forth, we find they were kept out of it, and walked in their plain simple way, without mixing with the ways of the world. Not but they might be accounted singular, for avoiding the modes of their neighbours; yet it is recorded, that no such practice, as that called wearing of mourning, was amongst us in the year 1694, as in Rise and Progress, page 56, viz., Neither do the kindred of the deceased ever wear mourning, they looking upon it as a worldly ceremony and piece of pomp; and that what mourning is fit for a Christian to have at the departure of a beloved relation or friend, should be worn in the mind, which is only sensible of the loss.'

I cannot inform the reader when this practice first began, and am also ignorant by whom it was at first introduced into our society; but this I may say, it is not agreeable to that

self-denying principle we profess, neither is there the least. shadow of precedent for it in the New Testament. Therefore, according to the words of the apostle Peter in another case, 'Let the time past suffice, wherein ye have wrought the will of the Gentiles.' I say, let us cast off, concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

Though I speak thus as to this particular, none, I hope, will count me as an enemy, for I deliver it as a brotherly caution; and the rather, because I apprehend it to be a spreading evil amongst many, for my eye hath affected my heart in this matter, as well as in some other things, as pride, and an undue liberty that some take; which, as well as the other, are a reproach to our society.

All these things have repeatedly been testified against, not only by some single persons, but in a more general way.

I am at this present, writing under a Christian concern for the church of our God; that she may be holy in all things relating to life and godliness, that no spot or wrinkle may be upon her; for so it behoveth the people of Christ to be; and they who really are his, have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts.

If it be asked, how have these attained to this good state? it may truly be answered, through faith in Jesus Christ. For as they came to believe in him, they saw it was absolutely needful for them to obey the discoveries of his light in their hearts; and by being faithful to that, they came to a sense of their sins. This sense begat a godly sorrow, and this sorrow wrought them into repentance never to be repented of.

These were the steps they trod in the way of their conversion; this was a time when they sowed in tears; they wept, they mourned, and made supplication to. the Lord, that he would remember mercy in the midst of judgment. Oh! then the everlasting arms were underneath, by which they were borne up, that they sunk not in the floods of their

spiritual afflictions; for, though the Lord had laid his hand upon them, by which they were brought very low, yet he who had thus slain them, that they might know sin slain, was pleased again to revive and make them alive.

And as thus sin and the evil conversation came to be mortified through the spirit, the new life sprang up from that heavenly seed God had placed in them; many of whom, after they had known the terrors of the Lord in themselves, by which they were warned, were constrained in the love of God to warn others to flee from the wrath to come, and no longer to content themselves with the thought, that as they are in the outward profession of Jesus Christ, therefore that would. save them; for they must also know and experience, as they had done, the work of Christ within them, to prepare them to bring forth fruits meet for repentance, as the only way of their conversion and salvation.

Some received this advice, and clave unto this doctrine, which had proved so effectual to many; but others have mocked, not unlike the epicurean and stoic philosophers who encountered the apostle Paul, because he preached unto them Jesus and the resurrection. Like these, many have slighted the gospel of salvation, and evilly entreated those who brought the glad tidings of grace, peace and pardon, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Therefore, since the testimonies of the living have not had place in the hearts of some, may the words of the dying effect what the others have not. And if such experimental relations, as several of the children of the Lord have given, of the assurances they have had of their salvation in their last hours of life, are not arguments and persuasions strong enough to provoke the living to a timely preparation for their latter end, I know of none that will; since they spoke from a certain sense of their states at that important moment, which, how soon any of us may arrive to, is generally hid from our eyes. And since we are assured that God hath appointed a day, wherein he will judge the world in right