which we form in the imagination, of what we may ever have seen, or can see, and adore or look up to, is as great a piece of idolatry, as ever was under the sun.

There are none clear of idolatry, but those who worship God Almighty as he declared him self. "I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing, that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them nor serve them." Let this motto ever rest upon our minds, to preserve us against idolatry of every kind.

SERMON VI.

DELIVERED BY ELIAS HICKS, IN FRIEND'S MEETING, ROSE-STREET, new-york, on fourth day morning, THE 25TH OF FIFTH MONTh, 1825; duRING THE YEARLY MEETING.

THE Soul that is fixed on God, for support and confidence, while passing through this mortal state, is happy beyond any finite comprehension.

The longer I live, the more I witness the truth of this testimony. Were it not for our neglect of this, we might all come to witness it, my friends. If our minds were rightly fixed on God our Creator, we should be led to see with one formerly"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."

My mind has frequently been led to adore the mercy and abundant goodness of a gracious God, towards his rational creatures, who are the most noble part of his outward creation; and to consider his wonderful goodness and condescension over all his works. He condescends to clothe the lily, and will not suffer a sparrow to fall to the ground without his notice and heavenly care.

The older I grow, my friends, through the adorable mercy of an all-wise and blessed God, the more I feel my mind led off from every thing that is mortal. All the delights, and all the realities of earthly things, have become to me, as it were nothing, when compared with the condition of those described by the great apostle formerly; and which I have no doubt will always be experienced, by every true child of God, and by every soul which is prepared to be an inhabitant of the kingdom of heaven; to rejoice evermore, to pray without ceasing, and in all things to give thanks.

My mind has been led, during the short space of time that we have been together, to revert and look back at past ages, to remember the testimony of the wise and the good. Even to the time when the Almighty goodness seemed to begin the great work of reform among his rational crea

tures.

Paul testified of this in these words. "Death reigned from Adam to Moses; the law and the prophets even until John was sent; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." How beautiful this is experienced in the soul of the individual who is fixed on God, looking up to him for support and confidence, to direct him in all his ways. It affords great encouragement to us, my friends. to see the

love displayed in the opening of the dispensation of the outward covenant and law to the children of Abraham, who was the Lord's friend. Here was the beginning of the reformation from a state of darkness; and in what beautiful succession it was carried on from Moses through the prophets, and up to the time of Jesus Christ. There is no doubt, that every succeeding prophet from Moses, had some new opening: for the Lord has never left man without a witness in his own soul; yea, it is given to every rational creature. And to this he has graciously added outward helps. Man had so fallen away, so gone down into a state of separation from God and his light, as to disregard this witness for himself, the light and spirit of God in his soul. Their attention was fixed on something outward and external upon which they were building their hopes. In this low debased state, the Lord Almighty, through the goodness of his love, condescended to visit them, and meted out to them, a covenant and law suited to their darkened state; and gradually, through the interposition of his power, has continued to call, to invite, and to lead every attentive mind; not only by the intimations of his own blessed light and spirit, but also inspired his servants to call them out of darkness. He has pointed them to the light, and recommended them to turn to it,