American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1822-08-09


And we are true believers in this light, howev
any of the members of our society, or any und
our name may depart from the principles that "
are protesting, and run into follies which this lig
would preserve Us from this my dear friends
no argument against the principles we are proie
sing; for protesting is one thing, and possession
another. sNot every one that saith unto me, Lor
Lord shall enter the Kingdom of heaven b,
he that docth the will OF my Father which is
Heaven" We may profess very sound principle
and yet our lives and conversation May be giyin
our profession the lie.
1t is the case with many in our society, and
bear my testimony without fear OF man, and ! ar
without fear Of contradiction, that the conduc
OF many of our members, gives their professio
the lie: and know from experience, that they ar
stumbling blocks in the way OF serious inqurers
but the principles remain mistaken "He was tn
true light, that lghteth every that cometh int
the world" And have no doubt al all in my mine
that il we were living in obedience to the life @
Christ Jesus, inwardly revealed in our hearts, le
our name and profession to religion be what the
may, we should be all safely conducted through tn
trials Of time, and landed in happy eternity, with
out distinction as TO name or sect.
This is the situation the Almighty in his wisdom
has been pleased to place US in. He hath place.
his spirit in our inward parts, and he hath writer
his law the leshly tables of our hearts, and th
says the Psalmist, converting the soul" 9TH,
testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise III,
simple" He could not have alluded to the outward
Iy written law of Moses for we are expressly tolC
by an experienced Apostle, in the purest age Of the
Christian Church that 'the law made nothing per-
feet, but the bringing in better hope did :" which
hope we have IN & through Christ Jesus our Lord
1t is the law of the spirit OF life in Christ Jesus
fnwardy revealed for our redemption, for our de-
iiverance from the bondage of our corruption, for
our sancti6cauon, for preparation and admission
into the Kingdom OF Cod We may remember
how the great Apostle declares that ''this law Of
the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, had set him free
from the law of sin and death" And what do VIZ
want to be freed from in the present probationary
state, but the law of sin and death? There is no
higher experience we can attain to in the present
Hfe than this: thereby being brought into state,
wherein we can enjoy communion with the Father
of spirits, and be enabled TO worship him in spirit
and in truth.
There are many, Ibelieve-peradventure there
may be some in this meeting. not of the same rel
glous profession as myself, who have candour
enough to make the acknowledgment, that they have
often been sensible of the convictions of d inc
grace-of the operation Of the nwardly revealed
law of God written in their hearts; and that they
have done violence unto these, and cast the pure
and righteous law Of God behind their backs And
there may be some who have been so often visited
and have so often resisted, thai they have at length
been tempted to esteem the blood of the covenant
an unhoy thing. | am sure Of this from the in.
tercourse have had with mankind, and from the
knowledge have OF the sentiments and experience
OF many who are not under our name for il mat.
tiers not with me what name any go by. can re.
Joice IN meeting with those who sincerely love our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, let the N be Of what
religious persuasion they may Those who are
sincerely seeking an everlasting rest, can cordi-
ally bid God speed wherever find them.
The Church of Christ, the true and mysiica
Church. of which Christ Jesus is the head, is I
believe, composed of living members, scattered up
and down among all the families Of the earth. ri
have no idea, neither have we a religious society,"
that we are the only true Church. that we are the
peculiar people Of Cod no, blessed forever be
his name, we have not so learned Christ. Those
who have yielded obedience to the law ofCod written
in the heart who have been melted down as il
were under the operation of his power; who have
been broken off from the wild olive tree, and ingraf
ted into Christ, who remains to be the true and
living vine, the living head of his own Church !;
those who have been washed in the laver of re-
generation, been born again from above; those, s.
those only, members of the true Church, wher.
ever their lot is cast.
We may be bowling down to outward things, to
outward ordinances to outward washngs we may
be sprinkled in nfancy we may have promised
for us, to the devil and all his works the
pomps and vanities of the wicked world, and all the
sinful desires OF the flesh; to keep Gods holy word
and commandments, and to walk IN the same all the
days of our lives; and that we shall believe all the
articles OF the Christian faith | mean no,hinp
reproachful to any religious society," the Searcher
of hearts knows my Innocency but you know
this ia often promised for thousands and tens of
thousands in the land OF my nativity, and for many
in this land; and even in this enlightened age of
the world, there many who are found was
going to say, daring and presampiaous enough to
promise this for their children, when without breach
OF charity. il must be Acknowledged that In MN