church, whether he could possibly have so far forgotten himself, as here to forbid the very thing he there regulates.

1 Cor. xiii, 12. For now we see things, as we see ourselves by reflexion from a dark mirror, dimly; then, we shall behold them, as persons do each other when they stand face to face.

Chap. xiv, 6. Unless I shall speak to you either by revelation, or of my own knowledge:-in prophecy by the former; or as teaching, from the latter.

Ver. 10, 11. There are I know not how many languages in the world :-Unless therefore I know the power of the sound used by the speaker, I shall be to him as a foreigner, and he as a foreigner to me.

Ver, 14. For if I perform worship in an unknown tongue, my spirit indeed worshippeth, but the service is unprofitable to another. Ver. 27. By two, or at the most three sentences at a time: and that, by turns with one who interprets for him.

Chap. xv, 29. In the Vulgate, in Eccles. xxxiv, we read, Qui baptizatur a mortuo et iterum tangit mortuum, quid proficit lavatio illius?

It is clear that the care of the dead, among the Jews, involved those who touched the corpse in a legal uncleanness, which was removed by a ceremonial washing. This very thing may have been converted, among the superstitious of the primitive Church, into a baptism: the persons who subjected themselves to it imagining that it might avail the dead, as if done for them.

We know that baptism was by many superstitiously deferred to the last hour of their lives, that they might not be made unclean anew, by sin committed after it. And in this case, the person called to administer it might chance to arrive too late. It was, then, an argument ad hominem, to say to such, Why are you baptised for such, if they are never to rise again?

Ver. 56. The strength of sin is the law.' The law is that by which sin is found to be exceeding sinful:' by which, in a metaphor, it takes us by surprise and kills us. Comp. Rom. vii, 7–12.

Chap. xvi, 2. Upon the First day of the week, let every one of you lay by in store, as God hath prospered him.' The question arises, whether out of the gains of the week, or of that day in particular. The Seventh being devoted to rest, this was probably the day, both for the Church-meeting on its proper business of social worship and then the discipline, and for the public market afterwards; in which many Christians would be sellers. I have treated this subject elsewhere. See Vol. i, p. 292.

2 Cor. iii, 13. The putting of the vail over his face by Moses is here, I think, a figurative expression. He did not let them into the whole secret of those institutions, which were afterwards to be abolished. Chap. iv. 2. 'But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty,' marg. 'shame.' This seems to mean have renounced a dishonorable concealment.' It plainly relates to ministry, not conduct.

Ver. 7. This treasure in earthen vessels.' An elegant allusion

to the practice of putting coin into earthen pots, for concealment in subterraneous treasuries.

Ver.11.

Ver. 11. May refer to some persecution then raging, of which we have not the record. It appears, by verse 16, that some were losing their lives.

Chap. v, 1. For we are assured that, although our earthly dwelling of the body should be broken up, we have a structure in reserve with God (an house not made with hands) eternal, in the heavens.'

I believe the Gr. skenos will bear to be rendered body.' It is very awkward to say the house of a tabernacle.

Ver. 13. For whether we exceeded [discretion] it was to God; or whether we were discreet, it was for your sakes.

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Chap. vi, 4-10. By much patience in afflictions: amidst vexation, coercion, stripes, imprisonments, tumults; in labours, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by service in the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned; by the word of truth, by the power of God; with the armour of righteousness in the right hand and in the left [spear and shield;] through honour and dishonour, good report and evil; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live: as chastened and not killed; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich: as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. A full and very just description (I have no doubt at all) of the condition of those who faithfully preach, and extensively labour in, the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Ed.

ART. VI.-Doctor Blackmore's Verses of Content and Discontent. From a MS. of the time of the author: the spelling corrected to the modern standard.

CONTENT.

CONTENT alone can all our wrongs redress,
Content, the other name for happiness.

The men that suit their wishes to their state,
And pleas'd still with themselves enjoy their fate,
Whose modest passions reason's nod obey,
Are greater kings than those who sceptres sway.
They can the triumphs of a Court despise,
And the rich toys that charm deluded eyes;
And rather chuse to tame their thirst, than have
All the supplies their feverish drouth can crave.
Free from desire, they are as free from want,
And from the cares that envied greatness haunt:
Though spoil'd by prosperous robbers, still they find
The large possessions of a peaceful mind.

They face the storm, and stand its fiercest shocks
Bold as the winds, unshaken as the rocks.

No tempest that invades th' ambitious breast
Can the calm region of their minds molest.

DISCONTENT.

Sour Discontent, that quarrels with our fate,
May give fresh smart, but not the old abate.
Envenom'd with its sting, each harmless loss
Grows wondrous sharp, and proves a deadly cross:
Th' uneasy passion's disingenuous wit
The ill reveals, but hides the benefit:

It makes a toy press with prodigious weight,
And swells a mole-hill to a mountain's height.
So melancholy men lie down, and groan
Prest with the burthen of themselves alone;
Crush'd with fantastick mountains, they despair;
Their heads are grown vast globes, too big to bear;
A little spark becomes a raging flame,
And each weak blast, a storm too fierce to tame.
So peevish is the quarrelsome disease,

No prosperous fortune can procure its ease:
Their breasts are ne'er from inbred tempests free,
Restless as winds, and troubled as the sea.

The pleasure now they seek would bring content,
But, when enjoy'd t'was something else they meant:
Some absent happiness they still pursue,

Dislike the present good, and long for new:
The man now thinks he sees his bliss, and flies
With greedy arms to grasp the gaudy prize,
But, when enquiring what his hopes have won,
Vain man, he sees the cheating shadow gone.
Oft does the fair illusion by him stand,
But, when pursu'd, gives back and mocks his hand;
Sometimes he sees the beckoning phantom here
That, when he follows, doth elsewhere appear.
The wretch, though tantaliz'à and often crost,
Yet still pursues, though still his labour's lost.
The unhappy man, slave to his own desire,
By feeding it foments the raging fire;
His gains augment his inextinguish'd thirst,
With plenty poor and with abundance curst.

ELCOCK, PRINTER, PONTEFRACT.

ART. I.-A Chronological Summary of events and circumstances connected with the origin and progress of the doctrine and practices of the Quakers.

A. D.

Continued from p. 263.

Thomas Wilson and James Dickenson accomplish a Religious 1691-3. visit to Friends in North America and the West Indies.

The former of these, a Cumberland man and for aught that appears a day-labourer (certainly a husbandman) was a Minister of great note and usefulness among Friends. He was born at Soulby, of Church-ofEngland parents, and zealous in religion in that way in his youth: but becoming thoughtful about the performances in which he had been brought up, was first stopped in his mind as to the practice of psalmody. 'In the time of singing psalms,' he says, 'a thoughtfulness came into my heart, that men should be made holy before they could rightly sing to the praise and glory of God. Through a godly sorrow on account of his state, and earnest seeking with secret cries and humble prayers to the Living Lord God of heaven and earth, for the knowledge of the way of salvation he came, at length, to sit down in silence with the quakers. How he came by his ministry, must now be shewn from his Journal.

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"And now was a time of the Lord's fierce anger because of sin, he having shewed me all things that ever I had done, and condemned the evil; so I was made willing to love and dwell under his righteous judgments, being truly convinced, that was the way to come unto the mercy-seat. And then it was upon my mind, that I must cease from all the doctrines of men, will-worship, hearing the priests, and repeating their sermons, which I had delighted in, and was in the

practice of, as religious duties; it being made plain to me, that I should turn from them, and mind the gift which was in me, and sit down among friends in their silent meetings, to wait upon the Lord in retiredness of mind, for his heavenly teachings and holy leadings, in the performance of which inward, divine, and heavenly worship, the great power of God did wonderfully break in among us, and many young people were convinced of the inward work of God, and turned to the Lord with all their hearts. The meeting, in general, became very tender and heavenly-minded, and friends had great love one to another; the heart-melting power of the Lord being much felt and inwardly revealed, when no words were spoken by either man or woman. In this state we travelled in the silence of all flesh, in which time the Lord often renewed our strength in the inward man, so that we knew and experienced what the apostle exhorteth the primitive Christians unto, (even) Christ to dwell in us by faith,' and the renewings of the Holy Ghost encreased, and were shed on us abundantly in our meeting, whereby some were so filled, that they were concerned to declare and preach the things of the kingdom of God, and what he had done for their souls. One of the first that came forth in prayer and supplication to the Lord, was William Greenup, and I was the next that came forth there in a testimony for the Lord, which was in very great fear and much trembling: the word of the Lord, in and through me, was as a devouring fire, burning against all sin and iniquity; and the Lord made us cry aloud to turn people from all vain worships to the living God, that is a Holy Spirit: and the precious life of Jesus broke in wonderfully amongst us, so that we felt drawings to visit other meetings in the country, wherein the Lord's heavenly power was plentifully enjoyed amongst us, and several convinced of the truth, who turned to the Lord with all their hearts, and joined with friends; particularly in our own meeting, whereby it was enlarged. I was often very much affected in feeling the love and power of God break through the whole meeting; and many such heavenly meetings we had, and the word of the testimony, in the Lord's ministers, encreased amongst us. I then found further drawings to other counties, and visited the meetings of friends in Lancashire and Westmorland." (a)

I shall next give from the same publication the Testimony concerning him of his companion James Dickenson, another Cumberland Friend (as it seems of about the same age with himself) in which are to be found some lively traits of character.

"James Dickenson's Testimony concerning his Friend and Companion, in the Work of the Gospel, Thomas Wilson, deceased:

"Being a testimony to the sufficiency of the Lord's power, and work thereof, as it is revealed in the hearts of the children of men, in this age of the world (as well as in former ages) unto all who have their minds turned to the light of the Lord Jesus Christ, so as to believe and walk therein. These come to have fellowship one with another, and know the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse them from unrighteousness, and are fitted for the service of God; one of which, was this my dear friend and companion, Thomas Wilson.

“The first time I was acquainted with him, was in the year 1682, when he had the motion of the Lord's power upon him to preach the everlasting gospel in the nation of England, he being at our week-day meeting at Pardsey, where his mouth was opened in a powerful testimony, to the tendering of many hearts, and the meeting was brought under a deep baptism of one spirit into one body, and drank into one spirit; after which, he soon took shipping for Ireland, and I having a concern upon me to go into that nation, hastened after him, where we found it our place to travel together, (as doth appear in his Journal :) the power of

(a) A Brief Journal of the Life, Travels, &c. of Thomas Wilson: 2 Edition, London, 1784.