FRIENDS’

But the vision was not yet fulfilled. One jot or| |
one tittle of the law was not to pass away till all |

was fulfilled. Therefore they were to ‘tell the
vision to no man till the son of man be risen
from the dead.” The old and figurative dispen-
sation was to continue in fall force uotil then,
and then the vision was to be fulfilled. Moses
and Elias were to pass away, and Jesus to be
left alone, the mediator of the new covenant, es-
tablished upon better promises than the old.
The divers outside washings and carnal ordinances
which were a figure of the true, were to vanish
at the brightness of his coming, and give place
to the inward purifyings of the heart—the one
baptism that now saveth ; which is not the put-
ting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer
of a good conscience towards God. |

Peter was not willing to let Moses and Elias
~o. How is it with us in the present day? Are
there not too many wishing to hold on to Moses
and Elias, or the former dispensations, desiring
that they, too, might dwell with Jesus—resting
too much under the types and shadows of good
things to come, instead of coming to the good
things themselves—instead of coming to Him,
the substance from whence all those shadows
emanated. b

But the transition from the old to the new
covenant dispensation appears to have been grad-
ual. There appears to have been, then, (and howis
it now ?) astrong propensity towards that which
was outward, visible and tangible. The preju-
dice of education, perhaps, had a strong influ-
ence, also, over the early Christians. They had
long been accustomed to the ceremonial obser-
vance of an outward law, hence many of the
rituals of the old dispensation were still practised
by the disciples and apostles after the ascension
of our Lod Thus the baptism of John was
also continued, to some extent, for a while. But
John, himself, prophesied that he must decrease.
He does not say that his ministration must come
suddenly to an end; but decrease. And our
Saviour, before his ascension, said, “I have
many things to say to you, bat ye cannot bear
them now.” ‘* Howbeit when he, the spirit of
truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth ;”
not usher them suddenly into a// truth, but, as
they were willing to follow him, he would guide
them there. So it was with the apostles, and so
it may be with us. They tollowed him, their
spiritual leader, away from the types and shadows
of the old dispensation,—Him, the great anti-
type of all—the spiritual baptizer of nes ee

 

What a cloud of invisible witnesses encompass
us ; how many never to be forgotten pilgrims of
God, whose names live in our hearts and mem-
ories, still preach to us, and comfort us by.
mi remembered words and examples.—Krum-
macher, oi yf BEAR ia eal ie

ous beyond my ex

 

REVIEW. 485

For Friends’ Review.
NOTICES OF DAVID COOPER.

NO. Il.

_ On the 23d of the 4th month, 1747, (0. 8.)
in the 23d year of my age, I was married to
Sibyl, daughter of Timothy ani Martha Mailack,
of Philadelphia. She was born the 6th of 12th
month, 1730, (O. S.) and was, at this time, in
her 17th year. And now I experienced a great
change, for I became wholly weaned from com-
pany, mirth and gaiety, of which I was fond be-
fore I became acquainted with this truly amiable
and lovely young woman, in whom my happiness
and pleasure being much centered, home was
my delight. My treasure was there, and there
was my heart also. q

After we had been married some time, [ was
shown that my outward affairs appeared blessed,
and looked prosperous beyond what I might
have expected, and that something was due from
me in grateful return to the Giver—that I ought
to be more sober and exemplary, and attend week-
day meetings, Xc.; for, although I had been
brought up ina constant attendance on First-days,
[had seldom been at a week-day or monthly meet-
ing. This became a great exercise ; the enemy
was near with his reasonings,—to the effect that
I was not religious enough to attend these meet-
ings, and to make so much show; that I knew
some who, having been steady at meetings, ap-
peared very religious, and made great pretences
for a time, fell away, and occasioned reproach —
that I had a young family for whom it was neces-
sary to stay at home and work, Xe. But, a cov-
enant which I had made before I was married
was often set before me—which was on this
wise :—

The small-pox being in my intended father
Matlack’s family, and ‘before I knew that Sibyl
was taken down with it, one day as I came across
the field from my work, thinking of the circum-
stance the family was in, my mind was seized
with an exceeding terror lest she should die

with the disease. I sat down—and in great
brokenness my mind was turned to the Almighty,

in the tenor of Jacob’s covenant :—“If thou
wilt, indeed, preserve her, and give her to me for
a wife, then shalt thou be my Gop, and I will
serve thee.” I afterwards found that about
that time she was ill with the small-pox, and
her recovery despaired of. Providence had given
her to me, and my outward affairs were prosper-
ectations, and I was clearly
shown that unless I gave up to attend meetings,
some judgment would surely follow. T would
then, sometimes, if I had an errand that way,
fall in with the meeting ; but this did not bring
peace, and I became so sensible of some chas-
tisement hanging over me, and a dread that it

would be the loss of my wife, made it so great,

that I have been for hours at my labour with
my cheeks wet with weeping: and yet, so per-