1697. too commonly fpoken, and alfo believed, That there

is no Perfection on this Side the Grave, contrary to the Saying of Chrift, Be ye perfect, even as your Father, which is in Heaven, is perfett, Mat. v. 48. Yet, fay they, it is impoffible; which is as much as to say, Chrift is a hard Mafter, in commanding what cannot be done, confequently, out of their own Mouths they will be condemned; for Chrift is not a hard Master. I teftify against all fuch unholy and imperfect Believers, in folid Fear before the Lord; but according to fuch People's Faith, and Belief, he must needs be hard. O that People would but fo love God, and his dear Son, as to ftrive to do his Commands; for it is impofible they fhould obey, if they do neither believe nor endeavour: But let fuch know, That many all strive, and shall not enter; much less, enter, if they do not strive: But we muft, of Neceffity, strive, in Obedience to his Will, and by his Affiftance (not in our own natural Will) to enter in at the ftrait Gate: Man would enter in with all his pleasant Things, and in all his Bravery, and Gallantry; but God's Will is, That he should be brought low, that he might exalt him. O! this Self, it is a great Enemy to Mankind.

My Intention is, to awaken People out of the Sleep of Sin, which is Death; and to ftir them up to Righteousness, and Love to the Lord, and their Neighbour, even with their whole Heart: This is what my Heart breathes to, and fupplicates the Lord of Heaven for: Then would the End of my Labour, in his Love, be answered; for great is the Love of God, in fending his Son, and, alfo, in fending his Servants, and stirring them up, to roufe People out of the Sleep of Security, that they might fee the Danger they are in, and how near they lie to the Brink of the Pit of Burning. O! that People would but seriously confider that which is fhewed and told them in the Love of the Lord. O! that it might be laid to Heart. However, whether they will hear, or forbear, God will be

clear,

clear, and his Servants alfo will be clear. But if we 1697. not only hear, but also obey, that Peace, which paf- ✔ feth the Understanding of Men (that our Lord giveth to his Followers) will be our Portion, and the Lot of our Inheritance for ever: But this is on Condition of our Obedience, and keeping the Commands of God: If ye love me, keep my Commandments (John xiv. 15.) faith the Lord. So, if People live in Saying, and not in Doing, in Profeffing, and Confeffing, yet ftill living in Pride and High-mindedness, and in Sin, it is apparent, they do not love Chrift Jefus (according to his own Words) neither doth he juftify them; 'tis only the Doers that he will juftify. The Apostle John fays, If a Man fays, be loves God, and yet hateth his Brother, be is a Liar, 1 John iv. 20. and, by plain Scripture Teftimony, fuch are not of God: Moreover, if he fays, he loves Chrift, yet doth not his Sayings, he is also a Liar, and the Truth in not in him, or, Chrift is not in him; who faid, I am the Truth; and thus Man becomes reprobated; for Paul, writing to the Brethren, faith, Examine yourselves, whether you be in the Faith, prove your own felves; know ye not your own felves, bow that Jefus Chrift is in you, except ye be Reprobates, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Which Indwelling of Christ, is a great Mystery to many; although Chrift within (which the Apostles preached) was the Hope of the Saints Glory, Col. i. 27. And, Oh! how earnest was Christ in Prayer to his Father, That his Followers may be one in him, and that they might be united together in one, John xvii. Such was the Love of Chrift to his Church; now, what remains on the Church's Part, fince Chrift has done his Part, furely it is, that we love him again; for, faith John, He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is Love, John iv. 8. They that dwell in Enmity, are not the Children of God; but the Children of Satan; who always hated the Appearance of Chrift, the Light of the World; and yet stirreth up those that are led by his dark Spirit,

to

1697. to war against him, and his Seed in his Children; who faid, I am the Light of the World.

But indeed it is as Chrift hath faid, Men love Darknefs rather than Light; and how ftrange is it, feeing the one is fo glorious, and the other fo miferable? But the Reason is, as Chrift hath fhewed, because their Deeds are evil, John iii. 19. That is indeed the very Caufe; for if their Deeds were good, they would love the Light which is Chrift Jefus, the Lord of Life and Glory; and bring their Deeds to him, that he might judge them; who will give righteous Judgment to every Man according to his Works, John v. 29. The Righteous will have their Portion in the Refurrection of Life, Joy and Peace, in the Holy Ghost; but the Wicked in the Refurrection of Damnation. Oh! that I might be inftrumental in the Hand of the Lord, to open the Eyes of fome that are fpiritually blind, that they might fee the Splendor, the Beauty, and the great Glory, of the dear Son of God, that most excellent Light which God hath prepared, according to good old Simeon's Teftimony of him, Thou baft (fays he) prepared him a Light to enlighten the Gentiles, and to be the Glory of thy People Ifrael, Luke iii. 32. A glorious Light indeed! Truly, methinks every Body fhould be in Love with him: For my Part, he is my chiefeft Joy: I would not part with him for all the Pomp and Vain glory of the World; neither would I have the shining Beams, and glorious Rays (which comfort me for Well-doing, and reprove me for, and discover, the contrary) clouded from my Sight and Understanding, for the finest Gold, or choiceft Rubies; fuch is my Love to Chrift, the Bridegroom of Souls: But, by the Way, it hath coft me many a Tear, and many Groanings in my Spirit, before I came thus to enjoy Chrift; who is the Beloved of all the Redeemed. Oh! may I never give him Cause to withdraw himself from dwelling in me. Oh! the univerfal Love of Chrift; 'tis everlafting to them that are open-hearted

unto

unto him, and to all that will hear his Voice, fo as to 1697. obey it; for, fays he, I ftand at the Door and knock (that is, the Door of the Heart of Man) if any Man bear my Voice, and open the Door, I will come in to him, and will fup with him, and be with me, Rev. iii, 20. And John fays, And we have known and believed the Love that God bath to us: God is Love, and be that dwelleth in Love, dwelleth in God, and God in him, ■ John iv. 16. A heavenly Habitation, and glorions Dwelling Place! Who would but endeavour to dwell in Love, and forfake Enmity, that they might attain unto fuch eternal Happiness, as to have their Abode with the Lord.

This fulfils the Words of Chrift. For be dwelleth with you, and fhall be in you, John xiv. 17. How was he to be in him? A Comforter for Well-doing, that they might have the Hope of Glory, and a Reprover for Sin, Self-righteoufnefs and wrong Judgment. Indeed it was the great Love of God in thus fending his beloved Son a Light into this dark World, to fhew People their evil Deeds, and to condemn Sin in the Flesh; for he is the finful World's Condemnation, as well as a Saviour and Juftifier of the Righteous and holy Believer. The Jews of Old hated him, and many of them did intend to darken his bright, and fhining Light, but fome of the Jews believed on him, and after they came truly to believe on his Name, fpread his Gofpel of Truth and Gladtidings amongst the Children of Men, and also fuffered for his Name's Sake. It is alfo faid, He came unto bis own, and his own received him not, but as many as received him, to them gave be Power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on bis Name, John i. 11, 12. But what fay fuch to him as account themfelves fpiritual Jews (feeing the Apoftle tells us, He is not a Jew that is one outwardly, Rom. ii. 28.) I mean thofe that call themfelves by his Name; why many of them trample upon his Light

and

1697. and Appearance, and defpife the Spirit of his Grace, which is a swift Witness against Evil, and lets Men fee what is Good, and what is Bad; Comforts for the one, and brings Judgment and Condemnation for the other. I can truly fay, I would with my whole Heart, that God did dwell a Comforter in all (or Chrift, or the Holy Ghoft, or Holy Spirit, which are all one) But this can never be, while Sin remains and has an evil Root in Mankind, An evi Tree cannot bring forth good Fruit. By this we may know Chriftians from Anti-chriftians, and Lovers of Christ, from them that love him not; if we love him, we become Subjects to him, fubject to do his Will. O! it is a brave Station to be the Subjects of the King of Heaven, and if we love him unfeignedly with all our, Might and Mind, and our Neighbours (or them that are already his Subjects) as ourselves, and with the Sword of the Spirit valiantly encounter with the Devil and Satan; O then fhall we be his Subjects, and he will receive us into his Warfare, and through him we shall be victorious, for the Lamb and his Followers will have the Victory. I would prefs People in Love into this Warfare, having Commiffion from my Mafter and Lord (I mean Spiritual) by fhewing them what Anxiety of Soul, and Diftrefs of Mind, they will procure to themselves, by living in Enmity to the Lord, and his Saints. O my Soul, I charge thee, with all those that have any Regard to the Holy Jefus, obey the Commands of the Lord, and love his Followers, or thy Neighbour as thyfelt. Let his univerfal Spirit of Love to all dwell in thee, O my Soul!

I would have all to caft down that which they glory in (that is not right in his Sight) at his Footstool, and do like the poor penitent Woman, that lay and wept at his Feet, Luke vii. 38. She thought all little enough to get into his Favour. Chrift himself allo was meek. and lowly, Learn of me, faid he, Matt. xi. 29. All Power in Heaven and Earth was given unto him; Take

me,