knowledge of the great worldly philosophy, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, in the opinions whereof also the soul of our Lord was crucified (unto the world).

Of the Wilderness and the Desert.

Looking upon the Wilderness and the Desert mentioned in the Scripture, as meaning the same thing, and referring them to the soul, I take them for an inferior mental state, and a low degree of the spirit of the world, or of the opinion of one's self; for a wild, imperfect, opinion or system, uninhabited by the knowledge of the truth; and representing the state of the soul who, having been just withdrawn from the notions of the philosophy Egypt, and not being yet instructed in the commandments of the Lord, neither in the philosophical law that teaches the knowledge of good and evil, finds herself in a dry, barren system, where there is yet no way, no instruction that can lead her towards the knowledge of the truth (Psalm 107. 40); where, void of knowledge, and nearly as she was at the beginning of her regeneration, she journeys in darkness from an imperfect notion to another (Numb. 33); where she wanders in doubt and uncertainty (Deut. 28. 66; Job, 12. 24); where she gropes in the dark and staggers (25); where from want of instruction she is hungry, thirsty, and fainty (Psalm 104. 5); where she meets with evil and dangerous spirits (Deut. 8. 15; Jere. 50. 39); where she lusts for philosophical food (Numb. 11. 4); and regrets the various

opinions and knowledges of the Egyptian philosophy, though of an inferior kind (5); drying away and dissatisfied at receiving, for a long while, the same sort of instructions (6); which, though spiritual, as coming from above, are not yet in a degree sufficient to save her from the spirit of the earth, or from the opinion of one's self (John, 6. 49); only the true word of God being able to do it (51); I understand that the mental Wilderness or Desert, from being at first but a dry opinion, becomes in the soul by gradual instructions a kind of system, but an imperfect one, where, being for a long time without satisfaction, she murmurs against the teacher, or against the doctrine of the leader, whom she has received (Exod. 16. 2); and against the Lord (8); and tempts God (Psalm 78. 18; 95. 8, 9; 106. 14); provoking the Most High (78. 17); whose Spirit or law keep her as the apple of His eye, and instructs her (Deut. 32. 10); to do her good at her latter end, at the completion of her regeneration (8. 16); leading her, according to His wisdom, through a state of difficulties and temptations, even through errors, to humble her, to prove her, to know what is in her heart, whether she will keep His commandments or no (2); feeding her gently with spiritual doctrine, that she may know that the soul does not live by philosophical knowledge only, but by every word that proceedeth from the Spirit of the Lord (3). I take the Desert for an inferior school, through which that soul must go, which has been lately released from the Egyptian system, and is not yet capable of bearing truth itself; for an imperfect condition where she is uncircumcised of her vanity (Jere. 9. 6); and in the shadow of error, where no soul man dwelleth (2. 6); a low degree

of regeneration, wherein the word of God has not been sown, but where the soul begins to seek the Lord (2); and where she is improved by degrees (Isai. 32. 15, 16; 35. 1, 6; 41. 18, 19; 43. 19).

In the Latin version I find the word Solitude often used where in the English I read the Wilderness. As the original may have also that signification, I shall represent it, when it will seem to me proper, as the dreary condition of a mind that, from want of knowledge, feels itself quite lonely and barren, totally incapable of bringing forth any thing but unsatisfactory notions, having neither thoughts, nor ideas that can instruct or console; I shall consider it also as the state of the soul that withdraws herself from the spirit of the world (Psalm 107. 4; Isai. 35. 1); and goes into retirement within herself for recollection, reflection, meditation, and prayer (Matt. 6. 6; Mark, 1. 35; Luke, 5. 16).

Some say that the word the Wilderness in the Scripture signifies a land of separation. In that sense I should take it for the condition of a soul whom God has set apart from the world to try her, or who has separated herself from it; and, also, for a human knowlege, quite distinct from those that are in a degree of cultivation, such as Egypt, Babylon, &c.

The various Wildernesses and Deserts that are spoken of in the Bible, may express different degrees of the soul, whether in an uncultivated state, whether in the philosophical solitude; and, also, various degrees of the dry human knowledge that may serve as the first step in regeneration, after the rescue from Egypt. In making the application of my views concerning the Wilderness, it is likely that I shall make many mistakes; but you

know, Theophila, that you are not to accept, without a due examination, what I offer you only as an opinion of mine. Please to mind always that what I say is but an attempt towards a better understanding of the Sacred History: which feeble essay I lay under your consideration, with a wish that you would try to improve it for the sake of your fellow-creatures, and perhaps for your own benefit.

Genesis, 6. 7. And the angel of the Lord found the mind of Agar near an instructive knowledge in the

wild system.

21. 14. And her mind departed from Abraham's knowledge, or faith, and wandered in the

dry human opinion in the degree Beersheba.

20. And the help of God was with the soul of the lad, and she grew (in the human knowledge) and dwelt in the imperfect and barren system; and she became an archer (in humanity).

21. And his soul dwelt in the wild, uncultivated opinion, in the degree Paran; and the mother of his soul took her a companion out of the knowledge Egypt.

37. 22. And Reuben said unto them, shed no blood,

or destroy not the human knowledge that

is life, but cast his soul into the human system, that is in the dry opinion of oneself, and use no violence against her.

Exodus, 3. 18. And now let our souls go, we beseech thee,

three days' journey, into the philosophical

solitude, or into the deserted knowledge,

that they may sacrifice, or make a sacri

fice of themselves, to the Lord their God.

Exodus, 4. 27. And the Spirit of the Lord said inwardly to

5.

the soul Aaron, go into the forsaken knowledge, or into retirement, to meet the soul Moses: and she went and met her in the spirit of the covenant of God, and kissed her.

1. Let the souls, my people, go out of thy opinions, that they may hold a feast to me in solitude, or in the uncultivated system.

13. 18. But the will of the Lord led their souls

14.

about, through the opinions of the wild or imperfect system, bordering the simple philosophy of the degree Egypt.

3. For the spirit Pharaoh will say of the souls that proceed from the spirit Israel, they are entangled in the opinions of the human philosophy: the notions of the dry system have shut them in.

12. Let our souls alone, that they may serve the Egyptian philosophy. For it had been better for them to serve the spirit of the Egyptians than that they should die or lose their knowledge in this dreary solitude, or in the wild opinion of oneself.

15. 22. So Moses brought Israel from the Egyptian simple philosophy; and their souls went out into the wild system in the degree Shur; and they went three days in the dry human opinion, and found no instruction.

16. 2. The whole congregation murmured against