Answ. If it is experience that throws these stars down from their horizon, our friend Timothy will go nigh to stand his ground; for there is no experience comes from his heart, nor the common theory of it from his head. He may fall like a thief in the candle; but he will never fall like a star, for there is no light in him.

Quot. As the proud boasting of such distresses many, so their fall shocks many more, and fills them with dread and horror.

Answ. According to Timothy's account, these experimental souls have, like Samson, killed more at their death, than they did in their life: telling their experience distressed many; and their falling away shocked more. This false representation of the final apostasy of experimental Christians, is intended to prejudice the minds, and bar the ears, of ignorant persons, against every minister that enforces and insists upon the vital power of godliness.

Quot. It is God's determination, that no flesl shall glory in his presence.

Answ. Has God determined that no man shall tell his experience, nor glory in his goodness, when felt and enjoyed? God has determined no such thing. "Thus saith the Lord: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might; let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exercise loving

kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth for in these things I delight, saith the Lord." This is a divine grant to the experimental Christian, and to no other; who is to glory in this, that he understands and knows God, by the pardon of his sins, by the support of his hand, and by God's love shed abroad in his heart; and that he is the Lord, which delivers him from the cruel dominion of all other lords, and reigns and rules in his heart; and that exercises lovingkindness, in forgiving our iniquities, and healing all our diseases; and who exercises judgment, for all that are oppressed, and upon the ungodly, in the behalf of his cause and those that favour it; and righteousness, in the condemnation of sinners, in the justification of his saints, and in his correcting them for their good.

Quot. So diametrically opposite are weak Christians to these, that I have frequently seen such of so timid a disposition, that they have been afraid even to mention those very comforts which they could not deny having received.

Answ. If Timothy's weak Christians were of that number, in whose hearts the Lord had ordained strength, to perfect praise, that he might still the enemy and the avenger, they would scarcely have been able to have kept matters in their own breast. The high-priest, as well as Timothy, charged the Lord's disciples to hold their peace about the experience of power; but the Saviour answered, If these hold their peace, the

stones would immediately cry out: and no wonder, when the Lord had ordained strength, in these infants' weakness, to perfect praise. Timothy's weakling cannot be a freeborn citizen of Zion, because he is not joyful in his King; nor can he be a good soldier of Jesus, because he is not valiant for truth; but a dumb man, in whose mouth are no reproofs. He that tells others what God has done for his soul, confesses Jesus before men, and him will Christ confess before his Father, and before his angels; but Tim's Christian is a silent sparrow, alone on the house-top, and all for the want of that water that makes the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb to sing.

Quot. Satan may be compared to those hardened wretches who live near to the sea-coasts, and hang out false lights on the surrounding hills, on purpose to mislead the unwary mariner, in order to enrich themselves with the spoils of a shipwreck.

Answ. Our friend, as he has described himself, must unavoidably be one of these false lights, for he calls them poor deceived creatures, that have seen visions; and, as he would hardly rank himself among these poor creatures, we must conclude, that God hath not shined into his heart, to give him the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ. He must, consequently, be still in the dark, for it is only in God's light that we see light; and it is visible that

Timothy's writing and preaching is not sowing light for the righteous, nor gladness for the upright in heart: and the reason is, because this prophet finds no vision from the Lord, Lam. ii. 9; therefore, he must speak a vision out of his own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord, Jer. xxiii. 16. And what can such persons be, but what the scriptures call wandering stars?

Quot. If permitted, he will use his utmost art to perplex and distress Christ's lambs; and, if possible, make all those suffer shipwreck who have set sail for the heavenly world.

Answ. And if men have not, in the open vision of faith, been enlightened into the mysteries of the kingdom, I cannot see how they can feed the sheep, or lambs either. They cannot be pastors after God's own heart, because such are to feed his people with knowledge and understanding. But Timothy has no vision; the sun of righteousness, according to his own account, has not shined on him: and, if he has not found access to God, under the light of his countenance, how can he lead the flock in and out, so as to find pasture? And what service is a blind watchman, or a shepherd that cannot understand? However, if Timothy's Christian should make shipwreck, who is foolish enough to embark for heaven in his evidences, he could not be charged with making shipwreck of faith; for there is nothing like faith in them.

Quot. All this proves the necessity there is

for gracious persons to be well acquainted with the word of God; and to pay more regard to the experience therein recorded, than to any thing they may hear from poor mistaken mortals.

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Answ. Well done, Timothy! never deviate from this rule. When you mention experience, always couple it with final apostacy; and when the light of faith falls in your way, call the possessors of it poor deceived creatures, and all that preach poor mistaken mortals; and, by spitting upon every spark that comes from the altar of burntoffering, you will be the better able to walk in the light of your own fire, and in the sparks that you have kindled, Isai. 1. 11. It is needful, as Timothy observes, that a Christian should be well acquainted with the word of God; but he is likely to remain as dark in the mystery as the Ethiopian eunuch, unless some brighter light than Timothy get up into the chariot and guide him.

Quot. The feelings of the believer, which may be discerned in this scripture; which is, "I will go in the strength of the Lord God," &c. will be found a true light to many, while the fancied experience of some will be to the unwary as the ignis fatuus, which endangers the lives of those it leads astray.

Answ. Various are the revolutions that this text has sustained, and various are the good purposes David's resolution has answered. First, It contains a choice experience for those who went forth, hoping for future assistance, which hope is