APPENDIX.

[The two following letters are without date, or they might have been placed in the preceding Life. In the former editions they are inserted among the Essays not now republished.]

A Letter to a Friend, exhorting to faithfulness and obedience to the Lord's requirings.

Dear Friend,

EVER since my understanding was enlightened in, and my judgment convinced of the blessed truth, to which I was not only a stranger, but an enemy also by wicked works for many years past, the Lord hath brought a weighty concern upon me for the prosperity of truth, both in my own soul, and the souls of others, and especially those of my own family, to whom I stand more immediately related. I have often thought of that testimony which the Lord gave of Abraham, "I know him, that he will command his children, and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham, that which he hath spoken of him," Gen. xviii. 19. Now Abraham had this promise, that he should become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth should be blessed in him, v. 18. But how is this to be understood? I answer, the blessing there promised, doth not come to any by virtue of any lineal descent from Abraham, for

this were to entail the blessing upon carnal birthright. But as it is testified of Abraham, That he believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness, Gen. xv. 6, so the apostle witnesseth, That this was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, Rom. iv. 23, 24. So then the blessing promised comes to us, not because we are of the circumcision or of the uncircumcision, but through faith in Jesus Christ. For, "They which be of faith, are blessed with faithful Abraham," Gal. iii. 9. And they that come to partake of this blessing, which is the righteousness of faith, through which iniquity is forgiven and sin is covered, are conscientiously concerned to walk in the steps of Abraham, who "staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God." Rom. iv. 20.

We find that he obeyed the command of the Lord, not only to the leaving of his native country, to the offering up of his son Isaac, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called. Abraham was given up by perfect resignation to the will of God, so as not to dispute or disobey what the Lord required of him. And if we would be Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise, we must transcribe his example in our own practice. Suppose now there were any thing as near to us as our native country, or as an only son; if the Lord required it of us, we must give it up: yea, be it as a right eye, or a right hand, it must be plucked out, and cut off, and cast from us. He that would enter into life must keep the commandments. For my own part, to tell thee a little of my experience, I have

no peace with the Lord any longer than I am found in the obedience. If carelessness or remissness at any time come upon me, and way is given to indifferency, I have no rest in my spirit, till I am recovered again through judgment. Therefore, I feel a travail for continual watchfulness, that though I am beset many times with great temptations, yet I may not be overcome by them. And as I wait low in my mind upon the Lord for his appearance, so he is pleased to renew my strength, and to afford me suitable supports according to my day; praised be his excellent name for ever! And being made a living witness in my measure of his divine aid and assistance, wherewith he strengthens and guides my soul in the way that is well-pleasing to him; I cannot eat my morsel alone, but would have all, and especially those of my own house, partake with me, and taste and see that the Lord our God is good. When Jacob was commanded by the Lord, to arise and go up to Bethel, which in the Hebrew tongue, signifies the house of God, and dwell there, he saith unto his household, and to all that were with him, "Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments; and let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went." Gen. xxxv. 1, 2, 3. See here an example of ready obedience to the command of God; Jacob had a sense of the Lord's goodness to him in the day of his distress, and the travail which he had known; and this begat a concern in him, not only for the manifesting of his own obedience, but also for his household, that they might likewise give proof of

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theirs, which accordingly they did, as the 4th verse informs us, where it is said, That they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all the ear-rings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem. And then it follows, verse 5, they journeyed. This holy reformer knew there could be no going up to the house of God while the strange gods remained, and while the household was unclean and had not changed their garments. He saw the necessity of a reformation, in order to their journeying to Bethel and dwelling there. "Who shall ascend," saith David," into the hill of the Lord? and who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart, who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity—he shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation." Psalm xxiv. 3, 4, 5. Now there are many strange gods among the people, that are to be put away, many pollutions to be purged out, and garments to be changed. Is not Mammon a strange God? Is not pride and carnal pleasure a strange god? Indeed, every creature that man idolizes in his heart, is a strange god, and must be put away. So, for the pollutions of the flesh and the spirit; that is, whatsoever we are polluted by, whether it be an inward or an outward thing, it must be purged out. Lastly, our garments must be changed; the old man, with his deeds, must be put off, and the new man put on: and where this is known and witnessed, there will be a change, even in the outward conversation. A new heart will have a new tongue, and a new habit. Plainness of speech, and plainness of dress, are the plain and certain consequences of Truth, where it is received in the

love of it. For when Truth hath got the possession of the heart, it will undoubtedly influence the life and practice.

I can give in my testimony, as one that hath obtained mercy to be faithful, that Truth, as it is minded and obeyed, leads out of sin, out of all false doctrine and worship, and out of all the vain customs, usages, and fashions that are in the world. When we come to love it, first, for its own sake, and next for the work and operation of it, in and upon our own hearts,-O, what a tenderness will be in us! What a care of acting in all things according to it, and what a fear of doing any thing that is repugnant thereunto! We shall not plead for our own wills, or pleasures, or imaginations; or say, this is a small matter, religion doth not lie in dresses, habits, or fashions: This is a strictness beyond what Truth requires; or it is a peevish humour of some rigid spirits, that would bring all into conformity to their fancies. But we shall deny our own wills, pleasures, and imaginations, and be resigned up entirely to the will of God, desiring that that may be done in earth, as it is in heaven. This will be our travail, that we may be always found in the well-doing, and taking up our daily cross to all that, which may present itself under any shape or likeness, to draw away our minds from the purity and simplicity of the gospel of Christ.

My dear Friend! I know by experience, that the wiles of the enemy are many, and that he works oftentimes in a mystery; but the care of all the faithful is to watch against him, and to wait for divine wisdom, strength, and courage, to discover him, and to resist him steadfastly in the faith of