OCR Text |
Show ( 274) to confider his Kindnefs toward me, who was by Nature a Child of Wrath, as well as orhers; Oh ! the Confideration of his Love hath confirained me to follow him, and to give up all for his· fake if ir be for the laying down of my Life· for done are the OifcipJes of Chritl, but they' that follow . him in the Crofs, and. through Sufferi'ngs; and they thar love ~ny Thmg m~:>re than Him, are nor worthy of Htm. Now, ~md '\Veil and confider what I fay, rhe true unfeigned Love to God doth not break the Love from one another; b~t it breaks the Bands of Wickednefs as Strife, Debate, Anger and Envy, that ha~e lodged in the Mind one againft another · and when thefe Things are deftroyed in Men' and Women, then comes the Love of God to abound in them, and encreafe one to another · and this I Wirnefs, and the Lord beareth me Teftimony to what I fpeak, thar my Love is dearer and nearer ro thofe, in Relation tO me, than ever ic ·was before ; and I know fome of them feels it fo; yea, the Lord knows my Heart, whom I Serve, that I Lye not, but fpeak the Trurh ro you all, that fo you might nor fiumble, nor have any Prejudice in your Minds againfi me without a Caufe, who am a Lover of all your Souls, and for that Caufe is this Writcen to you, that you may know it is fo; for the Lord knows I do not forger you, tho• I be Thoufands of Miles from you, becau{e of the Simplicity that was in fome of you, who were my Neighbours .and Acquaintance, for I am one who have obramed Mercy from the Lord, through Judgment and great Tribulation, which all muft pafs through, before they come inro the Land of Canaan ; they muft be Regenerate and Born again, and !(now a dying to Sin, and that which rhey have delighred ( 27) ) delighted in, before rhey witnefs a living ro Righreoufnefs ; the Old Man muft be put off. wirh his Deeds, before the New Man be pur on' Chrift}cfus, rhe Son of rhe Living God, who i~ the exprefs Image of his Farber's Glory, who is taking his People ro himfelf, our of rhe Jaws of the Beall and falfe Prophers, . who have long made a Prey upon rhem ; but the Day is come and coming, rhat rhey fh all make no longer~ Prey upon rhem, for the Lord harh faid ir that he will Teach hi5 People himfelf, and und~r his Government fhall rhey dwell fafely, from the Devourer and Venemous Beall, which hath long had his Sear in ~he Eanh, amongfi rhe Sons of Men.; an.d by h1m ~hey have been led Caprive at hts Will, ro do h1s Work and Service, for it was pleafing to them; thus hath the Devil's Work be~n done for a long tome together, and the Lords Work negleCted, which fhould have been done: .Thus have Men and Women been growing, as Trees of Unrighteoufnefs brino-ing forth Fruit w the UnrighreousOne 'rhe Prince of Darknefs, which hath long reign~d, and had Poffeilion in the Hearr of Man. So, aJf dear People, c~:>nfider well of your Conditions, rhat you m~y fee what Trees you are, and to whom you bnng fonh Fruir ; and rhis concerns you all ro know, from the leafi of you to th~ greateft, for the Lord is no Refpetler of Perfons · but in_ every Natio~, he that feareth God, and work: eth Rtgbteoufne{s. u accepted of him· who is our hiding _Place, and Rock ofture Defence, for us to flee unr.o, where we are kept fafe in the hollow of hts Hand. So, dear Neighbours and Peop~e, c~:>nfider, rhat you have long been Iabourmg for the Mear thar mull Perith and come ~o ~n End ; now ir ftands you al~ in hand, ro · feek |