that such a query were started by the Holy Spirit himself in the heart of every individual of that description! Suppose such a plain and honest inquiry were even to become universal among Christians, would not the answer be something like this? Tradition has set his foot on the heel of revealed truth; and has, by this means, so trodden off the shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace, from the feet of the saints, that they cannot walk in the paths of social love so well as they were wont to do. If any one ask, why we worship in public, during such and such hours on the Lord's day? it is enough that we can answer -Custom and our own convenience have inclined us to the observance of those hours. But should any one seriously inquire of us, why we have few, if any, means of intimate and actual fellowship one with another, as children of the same Family? what a pity is it that we are equally obliged to answer in this case as in that, Custom, and our own convenience, have inclined us to the neglect of these. Was this the manner of the primitive Christians? No. "They continued daily from house to house in fellowship, and breaking of bread, and in prayer." Religion was their one concern; and, in attending to that one concern, though in number they were so many thousands, they were but one. As for the usefulness of those meetings of the Lord's people, commonly called, experience and conference meetings; I believe it is known, wherever they are judiciously and zealously attended to; and this is perhaps as much as can be said of any other means. In the former of these meetings the Lord's people are found saying to their brethren, as David of old; ' Čome, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.' Many are the advantages attending this lovely conduct: the various devices of Satan to entangle and perplex the minds of believers are exposed; the influence of earthly things on the mind is confessed, and mutually lamented before the Lord; the frequent deliverances the saints experience in times of trouble are recorded, to the manifest honour of their great Deliverer; the faithfulness of a covenant God in answering prayer, and honouring them that honour him, is abundantly testified; the power of the cross of Christ to crucify sin in the heart is declared; the usefulness and suitableness of the preached word is acknowledged; love is increased; faith is strengthened; hope is enlarged; and a foretaste of heaven itself is often experienced on earth. Even when the people come together with their hearts comparatively cold, reciprocal and free communication is often like the striking together of a cold flint and cold steel, and there comes out fire: as, saith the wise man, Iron sharpeneth iron; so doth the countenance of a man his friend.' In the latter of these, called conference meetings, the light which the Lord is pleased to cast on his own words, while his people are reading it from day to day, is set forth for mutual edification with much advantage; while he that exhorteth, according to the apostle's advice, waits on exhortation. The Holy Scriptures are a mine of spiritual truth; and as the Divine Spirit is the only infallible expositor of them, and opens them to whom he will, the utter neglect of conference meetings seems to have in it the nature of quenching the Spirit in the hearts of the saints. On this subject, I beg leave to recommend to the serious consideration of those who have in any measure the conducting of church affairs in their hands, Rom. xii. 3-8. 1 Cor. xii. and Eph. iv. I humbly conceive that no impartial Christian, whom God has favoured with the gift of discerning truth for the benefit of others, can deliberately examine those, and many other portions of God's word, and yet believe the neglect of conference meetings, especially in large churches where there are gifted members, to be an innocent thing. So great is the loss which the churches sustain by the neglect of these things, and so great would naturally be the mutual advantage of reviving their use; that whoever may be the honoured instrument of so good a work, may be justly called, in the language of prophecy, The repairer of the breach; the restorer of paths to dwell in.' Isa. lviii. 12. CHRISTIAN PROSPECT. "TIS heaven begun below, To sing redeeming love, And cast our crowns before his throne ! When we adore him there, We shall be void of fear; Nor faith, nor hope, nor patience, need; Love will dissolve us quite, Love in the midst of light, On God's eternal love shall feed. Oh! what sweet company, We then shall hear and see! What harmony will there abound, When saints unnumber'd sing The praise of Zion's King, Nor one dissenting voice is found! With everlasting joy, Such as will never cloy, Calm as the evening ray, Full as a sea without a shore. Till that blest period come, To heaven at once I go, And there commune in perfect love. SWAIN. Chap. II. Containing the first Proposition, Chap. III. Containing the second Proposition, Chap. IV. Containing the third grand Prosition, viz. The lesson of Contentment is hard to be learned. It concerns Rich men, Poor men, Chap. V. Whether a Christian may not resent his condition with some sadhess, and yet be content? What it is properly that Contentment doth exclude Chap. VI. Showing the nature of Contentment, Contentment is divine thing, An intrinsical thing, An habitual thing, 22 27 ibid. ibid. 30 34 35 ibid. 36 37 38 39 40 ibid. ibid. 41 Chap. VII. Containing the reasons which press to 3. God's will, Chap. VIII. The first Use-showing how a Chris- tian may live comfortably in the midst of trou- Chap. IX. Use 2. A check to the discontented Chris- tian, Chap. X. Use 3. A persuasive to Contentment,. swered, The first apology answered, The second apology answered, |