| OCR Text |
Show 'l06 No. XVIII. v-Y""-J An 'A'P'PEN'JJIXto Voi. i. O.my dear Friend.s, I know experiment~lly, that ~h~~~st~~ttdc~~ ~~~~r ~~~ Blo?d ; that ~hich 1s BraG~~~~~ Corr~K1~1(:;~~~fi~d by Chrift, rhat_barh ret mto the Kmgdom o 0 : at m h t · bat which ts fot Crucified Chrift: Blood :equtrllb Bloo.~.e ':o ~b~ }.!;~e~tv:~d for the Sword, the Famine, to the F'{i';e S· Ff\ t£e J~r~ famifhr let. the Stubble be burnt, to the Sword. Let a t e tn u _u fsTree rhar'cumbreth the Ground, be and the Corrup~h yea, alnd.F.~he Frl.~t:~he Work of the Lord be done in you; Cut down and cap rmo t 1' tre. 1 hat ou may come out as let him purge his Fl.f.?r, a~d_r~afi~~;du(0~ ~~ts 1ure ihar hath ·chofen you; PMre at Gold Sbeevenb. 'M knca~d wear his lnfcription, HolinrfS ro tbe Lord; that you may ar IS ar • • · H fi Therefore I fay, let your fo you will be Veffibels ohf HJ odour ~~ h;s theol.~;d, and the Little Leaver. of Houfes be fwept Y t e u gmen ° · · h Hoi Temple.t you the KingdoHm JG.atven yoTuhi.n !Bok~~'w Si;'·y::: ~n;~r, t~a:tare !n your Travel may be to H ory. IS , ' to W~\1~1;~edJ 1i~~~T~'a~d, believe alfo in Chrift rhe ~ig~t fth~t f':~hw~\i fi ed ou. And if you truly believe, you wtll not rna .e a e · . f ~~t ~ake.Hafte out of rhe Hour of Judgmen1t 1 Yt,t'~ fta~:~o~'&;~ our Trial and Cleanfing, that you may be as 1a1 , s 11!e d times Tried ; and Jo receive the Lord's M~k and Stamp, b1s d l;at~ ~n S .AJ?d probation; that you maybe his tbrou&hiJUt, m Body, Soul, an pmt' ea to Him in an Eternal Covenant. h d h h De r Friends Gird up the Loins of your Minds, watc an ope to t e E d _a be not fi~thful neither {hive; defpond not, nor be pref~mptuous: B~1 ,; Little Children'; for of JudJ is tbe Kingdom t God. Dtfp~t*kno~ neither confult with Flefh and Blood:. Let ~ot the rndence of tlus orl draw you from the Simplicity that is m Chnft Jefus. _Love and obey the Truth. hide hii Living Word in your Hea~ts, though 1t be as an Haf!Imer, a Fire' 3 Sword yet it reconcileth, and bnngeth you to God, and bw1l~ be fweet~r to you 1that love it, than is tbe Honey, and the Honey·Co"! W; ;;r not but bear the C:totlS, yea, without the C:lmp, the Camp of ~hts or s vAts Glory and Falje War/hips. But rhis know, when the Enemy ca":· not p~evail bY any of thefe Strata~ems, if you refifl: him? tU the God of tbH World's Glory, tbt Prince of the .A1r, and the 'Faife Prophet, ~hen he tur~eth Dragon; then he c!eclareth open War; then y~n are Heret1cks, Fanatrck.r, Enthujiajls, Se.1u&ers, Blaj}hemers, unt»flrtby to bve upon the Earth, B~t 1~ all thefe Things rejoyce, and be exceedtng glad, for great foa~ be yollt ~ft. ward in the Kingdom of the Father. What if your Parenu nfe up agat.n you . if your Bretbun betray you ; if your Companions defert and dend~ ou ) If you become the Song of the Drunkard, and the Scorn and .Merrr~ en; oft he Vile Perfon? Yea, though the Powers oft he Earth fhould com· bine to devour you, let not your Hearts be troubled. Shun n_ot the C~ofs, hut deJPife tbe Shame, and cajt your Care ~pan t1Je .Lord, !"bo wrll be aJfbOeJ. •itb you in aU your .Ajfiiflions : In the Fire bt toJU be WJt? you, and tn tht Water be win not forfake you. 0 let your Eye be to htm, whofe Name is as a !hong Tower, the Sanituary ?f the ~ighteous in all Ages_; that you may be able to fay in your Hearts w1th Dav1d of Old, The Lord ts my _LtAht and "'Y Salvation, wbomjhaU I fear? The Lord is the Streng_th of my Life, of fAJhom jhall I he afraid ? Though an Hoft jhould encamp agomfl me, my Heart. jhall11ot frar; though War j!wuld rife again_U me, in this will I he tonfidnt!· One Thing have I drfired of the .Lord,thot WJU Ijttk after, that I may dwell m the lfogfe of tbe Lord oU tbt Doys of my Life, to behold the &ogryof rhe Lord, and to en'Juire in his Temple. For in tbe Time ofTro11ble he jhall h1Je me in his Pat.'ilron, be jball fer me upon a Rock. W'ben m,r_R(ther rmd my Jllotber for fake me, then the Lord toill tolle me .up. 1 bad jamred, un{efs I bad believed to fee the Goodnefs of the Lord m the Land of tbe Lrvtng· Gmatt on tf.te Lord, be of Good Cc_urnge, and be fha/J flrengtben t1Jjne Hearl· WPft, I Joy, on the Lord. Qmy Vo1.. I. '!'he AUTHO.R's LifE. 0 my de:u Friends, let it be your :Oaily and Hourly Work to wait upon God. How often does David fpcak of Waiting •pop God ! He felt the Sweetndi of it; the.tQf.Qre: retire inro yoqr. Holy Chamber : ije ftill and the Lo1d. will fpe.1k comfonably unt~ J!OU. Blell'ed are they, that' wait upon h;'-W; whofe ExpeCboons are only.fccm htQlf For tboug,b the To11rh jhaO fmnt. and be wttVy, and. tJ:e Young. .Men. jhaU 11/terly fail, They that w4it upqn the l.ord, fb4iJ.rCJt4,.tl)etr Strengt/J, t!H:}r jh,U.mount up with Wings tU' /!,1~/es,_ t~#J fha~ run and not be wttar)l, they jbaU walk a.nd ~t fnint. [ woacd• f:ud Duvrd, l!&tfentl].l for tb& LD~<d, and be inclined umo me and. ~tud my Cry. And this was bi,s Tcltimon}', lkhDid, the Eye of tbe L~rd;, up_on ~hem t~at fear hu11~ to tl.eh7!er _r.bcu· Soul from Death, and to keep them.. alJ..Vt vz.Famme-: For t.be, Ltrd n ~gQ /J/!1~ tb&J/1 tkat'fJJ'e. of a B(oken 1;/eart, and _/liVeth fucb as ~e. Q[ a. Comfltte SJIIl'JI ; Davt4 kne¥.( it, therefore he muld!Peak lt. 0 myJ,•r Fri~nJ1, who are compaffe<;\ about whh many Ttih4lations; lhct Lrud God, y<>u• Staff and Srre~J&t~. 1S 11~af xou ro ful,hin you. lilave ye bo!n the lioly Rcp(Oacb of Jefi.ts, \1111\ tiefl'i('ed the Shame of his Crofs, an<! did he ever de fen y,ou. > Be Qot c~ft d,own, though to the liye of Rea· fo.n t_here (ee.meth _nona:. to help, no, not one to f;u~e: 'rltough Enemies um!un, an~ Eoeml,csumhPNt, encam~rherofe;lv~ al;lout )l-Ou; though Pba- . r.wh aod hiS Hoft p~rf"" y,o~, ~•d g1~t Diffl.c~lt\e~ be on eqch Hand of you, and the difm:U Red Sea be befor~ y0u, ~nd I! ill, make no B:tJgains fru your.felves, let all Fle(ll be fllent befole tl>e L.ord, and His Jlr., jhaU 6rzng JPU SalvatlOf!· Yea,, wben_you a~e r~4)! t() go down into the Pit, ~hat your Thro.at IS dry w~th crymg, ~rJ. .yq1.u "Eyes fee~ to fail wirh waitwg,_ 1Ii.&. Sa.Ivauon }ball jpnng 41 ~he ~X..V!.Ul; /¥cau£~ hh Me,;ti(~ ore to aU OtTU,.Oti/Jns, and zh~t the &~d of .Ta.c~ 1{eve~ fought h~s F~;ce in vqin, ThtJ, ~oar . .Mttn cr)Cth, fatth Dawd; Wb~t ~t ?-4qn WM this.? He tbt;t U poor 111 bu own hy<s, tkar barb~· ~letr rn the F.o,rrb bNt Go.i. This poor !l~a~ wed, ·~d the ~rd beard br1Jl, ond ,fa'IJ(d bmt OUI ~I dl his Tro¥blcs. Ozu, $ouls, fatdthe RtghteQus of old, •wutlfor tbe Loril, for !Je i, oNr Help aJJil our Shuld for ev.er. ' Wher~fore my Dear Friends, be not yqu difcomforted for rhere is no New Thwg happened unto YQ~ ' 'Ti> the Apcienr Parh of the Righteoqs , for thy S11!<e, fays D{lvt~, btJve 1 born Repro4eb; 1 ~become a Stranger to 111} Bmbren, a6d an ./!he• ~nro PIJ' .illo{h6r's Chi/drru : Wben I wept and 'baflened my Soul witb FafliRg, tbar u:qs to my RFP¥"4fh. I made Sackctorb d/fo ,., (;_4N11ent, JJnd I 6fcJJ~ a Provtrk to the(.ll: They t'4at Sit ;11 fhe Gate, /peak ogarnfl me; and I W41t~e Song qf tilt Dr~nkorJs. !lave me, 0 God, fon ibe Wfters 4rt come zn u.ntp lfiJ. fioul: AQd ~~e Water FlooJs are ready rq fwoao., m.t up. 'fhey per[eeure htm, 111bp,. tkn11 hnfl fmirreo; a•d thq tall< to ~bt GmfOf thDft wbo111 tka~ ba.fl W0¥{1dtd. Do yqu qot knol\' this, Dear Frllnds ? Are not fou.r T~;us bf!t?lnt <t- Rttpro~ch, your Faft!i a Wonder, you~ Paleoefs a D~nfioo, your Platnncfs a Proverb, aqd your ~rious and Rt:"tued Conver~fLQn a Byrwanl? Ye<~, when the Lord hath wounded, have I)Ot they a!fo gneved ? And wben the Lprd hath fmitten you have not they mocked? But 1~\s w~s David's JQT, The Lprd is my Shepherd, I jhoU 11Pt w_Qnt : He reHoreth !11)' Soul, ht l~r,~Jetb 'lfl~ m the Path of RighteoflfncJz for lm Na111ts-Salu; hr maketh 'JI' 10 lu tlown m Qree11 Paflt~res: He lemletQ fflebt./iie the SriO Waters. Tta, .thou,th I w•lk throug~ the VoPey of the Sha· How of Death, I w10 fear no E7Jif; /Or tbqu art with me, thy Rod and thy Staff comfort me: Who was the Comforter a~d frefervct of Shndracb, Mejhocb awl .dbfdne.go, that ref~ fed to obey t~f Kmgs Command againf! the Com· lllandment of God: Tiley would 9ot bow to his Image; but rather chofe the Fiery Fur~a~e, tb~n to ~ommtt ldQ~arry, or bow to another Thing, thao to-t~e ~Jvtng Go~. l)~.,d nor u;, c~t/i Tb1~e .tllm into the .AJid/1 of rbe tY.u e? fa1d 1\ebucbadn.e.z~ar, ,l..o J fee Four .Men (ooft walking in the .Mid/l the Fire, ttnd they_ hfZV# no Hurr : And the Form tJl the Fopnh is like the 0101 GqJ. 0 my Fr;end_s, the Fife obeyeth him, as well as the Winds and Seas: All Power IS gtven to the Son of God, who is given to you for * your 207 No. XVIII. ~ |
