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to leave the fins and vanities of the world, and to have the affections regenerated, the mind reformed, and the whole man baptized into purity and faithfulnefs towards God and man, as to act with reverence, juftice, and mercy. To care for very few things; to be content with what you have; to use all as if you ufed them not; and to be fo difintangled from the lufts, pleasures, profits, and honours of the world, as to have the mind raised to things above, the heart • and affections fixed there: that in all things you may glorify God, and be as lights fet on a hill, whofe fhining examples may be conducing to the happiness of others, who beholding fuch good works, may be ⚫ converted, and glorify God the Father of lights, in "whom you all would be eternally bleffed.'

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§. IV. But if the impenitence of any is fo great, their purfuit of folly as earneft, and, notwithstanding what has been thus feriously offered to reclaim them, they are refolved to take their course, and not to be at leisure for more divine things, I have this farther to leave with them from the Almighty, who firft called me to this work; That tribulation, anguish, and ⚫ forrow fhall make their dying beds; indignation and wrath fhall wind up their days; and trouble and vexation of mind and spirit fhall be the miserable fruits which they fhall reap, as the reward of all their wretched folly and rebellion!' Be not deceived, God will not be mocked: It is so irreversibly decreed;

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Whatsoever is fown here, fhall be reaped hereafter.' And juft is the Almighty, to make good his determinations upon fuch, who inftead of employing the time given them, to work out their falvation with fear and

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trembling',' have spent it in the pleafures of the flesh, which perifheth; as if their heaven were here. Nor can it seem unreasonable, fince he hath thus long waited with REMISSION of Sins and ETERNAL LIFE in his hand, to distribute to them that REPENT; that if fuch will not, to recompence fo great obftinacy, and ↑ Gal. vi. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Z 2

• Rom. ii. 4, 5, 6, 9.

love

love of this perishing world, with everlasting tribulation".

§. V. But I am otherwise perfuaded of many; yes, I am affured the mercies of the everlasting God have been so extended to many, that this will prove an effectual call to bring them out of the ways and cuftoms of this corrupted and corrupting world; and a means for establishing fuch, who hitherto have been unfaithful to what they have been already convinced of. And you, my friends, whofe minds have received the Alarm, whofe hearts have truly heard the voice of one cry⚫ing in the Wilderness, where you have been straying from the Lord, Repent, Repent!' to you, in the name of the Great and Living God, I fpeak, I cry, Come away, come away; ah! what do you do there? Why are you yet behind? That is not your reft: it is polluted with the fins and vanities of a perifhing world: Gird up your loins; eye your Light (One in All) Chrift Jefus, the fame yesterday, to-day, and forever; who hath enlightened every one: Follow him; ⚫ he will lead you to the city of God, that has foundations, into which the wicked cannot enter "."

§. VI. Mind not the difficulties of your march ; great and good things were never enterprized and accomplished without difficulty; which does but render their enjoyment more pleafant and glorious in the end. Let the holy men and women of old be your examples; remember good old Abraham, the excellency of whofe faith is fet out by his obedience to the voice of God, in forfaking his father's houfe, kindred, country, &c. And Mofes, that might in probability have been made a king, by faith in God, leaves Egypt's glory, and Pharaoh's favours, and chufes rather to fojourn and pilgrimage with the defpifed, afflicted, tormented Ifraelites in the wildernefs, than to enjoy the pleasures of that great court for a feafon; efteeming Chrift's reproaches greater riches than Egypt's treafures. But, above all, how great was reproach, how

Rev. iii. 20, and xxi. 27.

14, 15.

the

fufferings, how bitter the mockings, which Jefus fuffered at the hands of his enemies? Yet with what patience, meeknefs, forgivenefs, and conftancy, did he in all his actions demean himself towards his bloody perfecutors, “defpifing the fhame, enduring the cross, "for the joy that was fet before him? And hath left "us this glorious example, that we should follow his "steps," which hath in almoft every age been imitated by fome. The apoftles fealed their teftimonies with their blood, and multitudes after the example of their conftancy; efteeming it the greatest honour, as it was always attended with the fignalleft demonftrations of the Divine Prefence. How memorable was that of Origen? If my father were weeping upon his ⚫ knees before me, and my mother hanging about my ' neck behind me, and all my brethren, fifters, and "kinsfolk lamenting on every fide, to retain me in the life and practice of the world, I would fling my mo❝ther to the ground, run over my father, defpife all my kindred, and tread them under my feet, that I might ' run to Chrift.' Yet it is not unknown, how dutiful and tender he was in those relations. Not much unlike to this, was that noble and known inftance of latter times, in Galeacius Caracciolus, marquis of Vico, who abandoned his friends, eftate, and country, refolutely faying with Mofes, That he would rather fufer af'flictions with the first reformers and proteftants, than enjoy his former plenty, favours and pleasures with his old religion.' Nor is it poffible for any now to quit the world, and live a serious godly life in Chrift, without the like fuffering and perfecution. There are among us alfo fome, who have fuffered the displeasure of their most dear and intimate relations and friends; and all those troubles, difgraces, and reproaches, which are accustomed to attend fuch, as decline the honours,

pleasures, ambition, and preferments of the world, ⚫ and that chufe to live an humble, serious, and self

i Gen. xii. 1, 2. Heb. xi. 24 to 27. Ifa. liv. 3. Heb. xii. 1, 2.

23.

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denying life before the Lord:' But they are very unequal to the joy and recompence that follow. For though there be no affliction that is not grievous for the prefent, yet what fays the man of God?" It works "a far more exceeding weight of glory in the end*.” This has been both the faith and experience of those that in all ages have trufted in God, who have not fainted by the way; but, enduring, have obtained an eternal diadem.'

Wherefore, fince we are compaffed about with fo great a cloud of witneffes, let us lay afide every weight and burden, and the fin and vanities that do "so easily beset us; and with a conftant, holy patience

run our race, having our eyes fixed upon Jefus, the "author and finifher of our faith, not minding what " is behind," fo fhall we be delivered from every fnare. No temptations fhall gain us, no frowns fhall fcare us from Chrift's Cross, and our bleffed felf-denial : And honour, glory, immortality, and a crown of eternal life, fhall recompence all our fufferings in the end'.

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Lord God! Thou loveft holiness, and purity is thy delight in the earth. Wherefore, I pray thee, make an end of fin, and finifh tranfgreffion, "and bring in thy everlasting righteousness to the fouls "of men, that thy poor creation may be delivered "from the bondage it groans under, and the earth "enjoy her fabbath again: That thy great name may "be lifted up in all nations, and thy falvation renown"ed to the ends of the world. For thine is the king"dom, the power, and the glory for ever.

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Amen."

k 2 Tim. iii. 12. 1 to 4. Phil. iii. 13.

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SEVERAL WEIGHTY REASONS
Why the People called QUAKERS

REFUSE to SWEAR.

And those confirmed by Numerous Teftimonies

O F

Gentiles, Jews, and Chriftians,

BOTH

FATHERS, DOCTORS, and MARTYRS.

Prefented to the KING and the Great Council of England in Parliament.

"But I fay unto you, Swear not at all. MAT. v. 34.
"Above all things, my Brethren, Swear not. JAM. V. 22.
"Because of Oaths, the Land mourneth. JER. xxxii. 10.”

He ought to Swear neither this Thing nor any Thing. Theognis.
It is a great Good for a Man not to Swear at all. Maimonides.
It is not lawful to Swear, neither in a juft nor unjuft Cause. Chryfoftom.

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