members become self-sufficient, and cease to be afraid of entering into temptation; when carnal ease is substituted in the room of gospel peace; when love grows cold, and complaisance takes its place; when we are so watchful over one another as to forget ourselves; when godly jealousy is exchanged for an uncharitable temper, more cruel than the grave; when, instead of submitting to one another in the fear of God, each one becomes headstrong, and resolved to have his own way; when superior gifts are envied, and inferior ones despised; when zeal for the truth degenerates into vain jangling; when we are very apt to take an offence, but not to forgive one; when tale-bearers are encouraged, and a spirit of animosity cherished; then, brethren, then expect confusion, and every evil work. We are happy that we can say, (and blessed be God for it!) that such a spirit is far from generally prevailing among you; yet so far as it does prevail, (which the all-seeing God knows is too far,) it dishonours the great Head of the church, and wounds every upright member! However, this should be far from discouraging religious society itself; not to mention that these are things that must always be expected more or less in this state of trial, and that they always existed even in the purest ages ; we can affirm, and ye are our witnesses, that it has pleasures which abundantly outweigh all these unhappinesses. Nor is this all hope holds up a period, even within the limits of time, a heaven compared with the present state of things, when HOLINESS TO THE LORD shall be written as upon the bells of the horses, and Zion shall become a quiet habitation! But this, say you, is a period that we have but little hope of living to see. Perhaps so: still, you live in prospect of a better. Blessed society, where purity and amity for ever reign! Yes, brethren, immediately on entering members of the church triumphant, you will enter into peace, and each one of you walk for ever in his uprightness! Moreover,

You are members of civil society.-You wish well to your country, and must have been the subjects of grief to see what you have of late years seen-its glory eclipsed by unhappy wars and dissentions; to see it conspired against by surrounding nations, and divided by domestic feude, forsaken by its friends, and derided by its enemies. It may be, at times, fear has been ready to seize you,

and tempted you to ask, What will be the end of these things? The sounds of Nineveh is fallen, Babylon is fallen, yea, of JUDAH is fallen, have been long since heard in the world; and what, say you, are we better than they? Under these exercises, brethren, we trust you have found, and will yet find, hope of excellent use to you. Great have been the deliverances your God has wrought in former ages, which afford a ground of hope to us. He can defend our coasts, and still preserve our country; yes, he can, and blessed be his name for any encouragement afforded us. Let us then hope and pray: It may be the Lord God of Hosts will be gracious to the remnant of his people. Or, should he refuse that, should a consumption be decreed to overflow in righteousness, still he can preserve his faithful followers as he did Baruch, and those who sighed and cried in the day of Jerusalem's ruin. Nay, suppose him to refuse that; suppose that not only your country must sink, but you must sink with it, and perish in the general wreck! Still all is not lost. Did your portion lie in this world, then, indeed, like the owner of a vessel whose all is on board, you might dread its sinking: but seeing your inheritance is far beyond the reach of these vicissitudes, there is reason for you to mingle joy with trembling. Yes, brethren, we trust there is reason for you to unite with holy David, God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble-therefore will we not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea!

Once more: You and we all, by some means, must shortly die. Be it so, that no untimely end befall us: the hour cometh when we must bid farewell to every creature comfort; when every created union must be dissolved, and we appear before the judgment-seat of Christ! Oh, then to be without hope! better had we never been born! Let the reluctance and horror of those who are driven away in their wickedness, teach us the value of a wellgrounded hope in that awful hour. Verily, words cannot describe it, nor thoughts conceive it! Here is a rock, when all beside sinks under us! With this, brethren, like the priests that bear the ark of God, your feet will stand firm amidst all the swellings of Jordan! With this, you can behold the ghastly spectre, yea, VOL. VIII.

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the horrors of the grave itself, with a cheerful countenance, and sing with holy Job, Although after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself; mine eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within me!

Upon the whole, permit us to advise and exhort you, dear brethren, to a few things which become persons who have expectations like yours. While you guard against presumption, beware of despair. The latter, as well as the former, is dangerous to men, and offensive to God. Despair is the death of action. To despair of mercy, and so never apply for it, is to act like the wicked and slothful servant, than which nothing tends more to cast reproach on the character of God. Even a man of honour cannot bear to be mistrusted. While fear keeps you from presumption, let hope preserve you from despair. As condemned criminals in yourselves considered, cast yourselves on him for mercy; as servants, serve him cheerfully and rely on his bounty; and as suffering the loss of all things for him, trust him, like Moses, to make up your Josses. Remember, the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

Observe also, He that has this hope must purify himself as Christ is pure. He must take him for his example, and aim at no less than a complete conformity to his temper and spirit. That which true bope centres in, is not only to see him as he is, but to be like him. Be constant, then, dear brethren, in holy exercises. We trust your hope is not of that kind which, in proportion as it increases, slackens the band of diligence. Neglect neither public nor private duties; it is at the peril of your souls' welfare if you do! Shame may keep you to the one, but rather let the love of Christ constrain you to both. Think nothing too great to perform, too much to lose, or too hard to endure, that you may obtain so blessed a hope. O brethren, be it our daily concern and earnest endeavour to grow in every grace, to excel in every virtue. Remember he whose eyes are flames of fire surveys our heart and life: how transporting the thought, could we conceive him addressing each of us as he did the Thyatiran church, I know thy

works, and charity, and service, and faith; and thy patience, and thy works, and the last to be more than the first!

Finally: Use all means to cultivate this heavenly grace.—Remember, sin is its worst enemy; beware of that. The Holy Spirit is its best friend; see that you grieve not him. Tribulations themselves, though they may seem to destroy it, in the end cherish it. They work patience, and patience experience, and experience hope; therefore be reconciled to them. Read the holy scriptures; pray in secret as well as openly; though sojourners on earth, let your conversation be in heaven; learn to set light by this world; court not its smiles, nor fear its frowns; live in daily expectation of dying, and die daily in humble expectation of living for evermore; realize and anticipate those enjoyments and employments to which ye are bastening: in proportion to this, your desires will be strong and your hopes lively. Remember hope is one of those graces which must do its all within the limits of time: be sober, therefore, and hope to the end; aim, like Enoch, to walk with God till God shall take you; let your loins be girt, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find so doing! Verily I say unto you, said this blessed Lord of yours, (O hearken and be astonished!) Verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them!

Dearly beloved brethren, farewell! May our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, who hath loved us, and given us everlasting consolation, and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work!

THE PRACTICAL USES OF CHRISTIAN BAPTISM.

DEAR BRETHREN,

IN connexion with our last general Letter, and agreeably to the appointment made at the yearly meeting, we now address you, on a subject, not only of general interest, but which more immediately relates to that solemn profession which you have made of Christianity; namely, THE PRACTICAL USES OF THE ORDINANCE OF BAPTISM.

That Christian baptism is properly administered only by immersion, and to those who make a credible profession of faith in Christ, it is no part of our present design to prove. Addressing you, we shall take each of these particulars for granted. The only subject to which we now request your attention, is the influence of this ordinance, where it produces its proper effects, in promoting piety in individuals, and purity in the church.

There is no part of true religion that is merely speculative : the whole is designed and adapted to sanctify the soul. We may presume, therefore, that if baptism be an ordinance of God, and of perpetual obligation in the church, it is of importance to Christian practice.

But it is not on presumptive evidence that we wish to rest the improvement of this institution, any more than the institution itself: neither shall we go about to connect with it acknowledged duties by imaginary alliances; but shall confine ourselves to those uses of the ordinance which are actually made or suggested in the New Testament. We could address many things to parents, and things of importance too, on bringing up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord: we could also urge it upon the children of believers,that they were committed to God from their earliest infancy; but as we find nothing of this kind in the scriptures, connected with baptism, however important these things would be in