A Compassionate INVITATION OF Christian Love TO All Tender-hearted People Testifying unto GOD's Free-Grace His Spirit 's Teaching and good End of Man's Creation By one that has tasted of the Goodness of the Lord WILLIAM ROBINSON London the 25th of the 2d Month 1692. LONDON Printed for Tho. Northcott in George-Yard in Lumbard-street 1692. A Compassionate Invitation OF Christian Love To all Tender-hearted People MY dear Friends and all tender-hearted People there is Love in my Heart to you all according to the measure of Grace received from the Lord and my Heart is truly enlarged at this Time and Season in the consideration of the Work of the Lord that he has begun in our day and how the Lord has reached forth a Hand of Help unto us to bring us on our way Oh! my dear Friends there is a Travel upon my Spirit that none of us may turn back again but that our Eye may be to that Arm that has gathered us into a belief that it can save us and preserve us if we keep to it that that brings to the Birth will bring forth in the Lord 's due time for we may remember the earnest Cries that has been put up unto the Lord in days past and in years that are gone that the Lord would be pleased to make known his way to us and we were ready to say we would walk in it And truly Friends the Lord has been very gracious to us he has brought us by a way we then did not know and a great Concern and Travel was upon our Souls to be delivered from the Bondage and Captivity that we was then under notwithstanding we had a Profession but there was still something longed after that is beyond all the Professions that are in the World even Life to our Souls Oh the longings of Souls that was in that Day when the Lord visited us let it never be forgotten And truly Friends these things are mentioned that all may be stirred up to watchfulness and to faithfulness to God and for no other end for we may say and that without boasting we have known the Terrors of the Lord and therefore we perswade Men to come to this godly Sorrow and to a bowed down state before the Lord for this we can say that the Lord wills not the Death of him that dyes but rather that he may turn to him and live Turn ye turn ye why will ye dye said the Lord Turn ye at my Reproofs I will pour out my Spirit upon you and make known my ways unto you Oh! that all People were but willing to walk in God's way and lay aside all that hinders that every thing that hinders may be brought down by degrees every Weight and every Burden may be removed and Sin that so easily besets Oh how easily are men perswaded and drawn away after this thing or the other thing not considering what the end of these things will be Surely if the end was rightly considered People might be more concern'd how to get out of these Besetments and Entanglements for we may remember that the wages of Sin is Death but the Gift of God is eternal Life through Jesus Christ We would all men might come to this Gift of God he has given to us this is that we shall be called to an account for whether it amount to the degree of one two or five Talents comparatively that all People may be faithful to it the least measure the least appearance is of a saving nature if men will believe in it Oh what a tender regard the Lord had to a People in former times that were beset and under heavy Burthens how willing was the Lord to deliver them and bring them out from under Pharaoh that hard Task-master Was not this a lively Figure to his spiritual Israel in this our day he divided the Waters they passed through the Deeps he brought them into the Wilderness and Pharaoh and his Hosts were drowned And then they could sing and praise God for this Deliverance Now Friends there is an inward Warfare to be known there are inward Enemies to be met withal and we had need to know the same Arm of Power as they did to work in us and for us that we may come to serve God and worship God and love God with all our Hearts love his Truth love his Word and love his Appearance tho' God may appear in Judgment yet it is for a good end that we that know him trust in him and not in our selves nor in the Arm of Flesh but in God I will bear thy Indignation O Lord says one of old because I have sinned against thee and though thou kill me I will trust in thee Now Friends the way of his appearing is not to kill the Body but the Sin that dwells there the evil Affections the evil Desires that war against the Soul Oh what Warfare there has been and a Travel there has been that we might arrive at the good Land and that we might not faint in our Minds And truly Friends the Lord has given us a Brook by the way he has turn'd our Wilderness into a fruitful Field so that we many times can invite others to come and partake with us for we believe that God would have all men come to the knowledge of the Truth and be saved Now there has been a great deal of searching after outward Knowledge many have been very busie and diligent in seeking that to talk of and discourse of but the knowledge of the Truth as it is in Christ is a saving Knowledge and a sensible Knowledge to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent is Life eternal Come Friends try your Experience have you been made to cry out under the weight and burthen of Sin as one did when it was too heavy for him to bear Now People may see what a loathsome thing it is to have a Profession and Talk and Notions of good things and be out of the Life and Knowledge thereof for what benefit has a hungry Man or Woman in hearing tell of Bread if they do not partake of it We know that the Lord feeds the Poor with Bread but many are so high and rich in Notions they do not mind to come into a state of low degree nor the low and little appearance of Truth in their Hearts Oh! come Friends let us take notice of the day of small things and be faithful in a little or else we shall never be made Rulers over much And now Friends as we turn in our Minds we may find how the Lord reproved us for many things even things that were little taken notice of by some and made us to remember that Saying We must give an account to God for every idle word Now Friends here we can say was a good beginning when the Truth met with us and brought Judgment upon us we were made sensible what it was for and how we had been led
away one time after another and that Saying oftentimes did arise If the Blind lead the Blind they shall both fall into the Ditch Now Friends that we may never forget the love of our God herein that has reached to us Oh the great Concern that has been upon many and the Cries and Bemoanings that was in secret to the Lord that his hand might not spare nor his eye pitty until Judgment was brought forth into Victory We have cried to the Lord sometimes to bring us through Judgment that we might know a Victory and Freedom from Sin and Satan and also cry'd that others might come to be thus concern'd for I see many People very loose and unconcern'd and many days have passed over their Heads in a Profession and yet not truly concern'd as to Godward and Heavenward nor so as to yield Obedience to the Gift of God that will tell them all that ever they have done though it has made many to say Is not this the Christ Oh that all People would come to consider what Experience they have of the Work of Truth in their Hearts Truly Friends and People I could be glad to see my native Country-Men and Women to come to know the Work of the Lord for I do believe and therefore speak it that Christ Jesus who is the Truth is at work as he said I work and my Heavenly Father works also How work may some say It is by his Spirit and Power for he has Power so to do in Peoples Hearts a stony Heart is not made a Heart of Flesh without him who truly makes it so he who has all Power in Heaven and Earth committed to him can do whatsoever he pleases but truly this doth not please fallen Man that is out of the Truth so to come to please God the way is too narrow and too strait for them where the love of this World is not easily parted with nor the Delights and vain Fashions of the World not willingly layed aside nor indeed can they be laid aside or overcome without coming to the Light of Christ within to know his appearance within he is the Physician of value and the chief Corner-stone and the true Foundation that every one ought to have their Faith built upon or otherways they will want a Foundation and we know he that builds a House and has not a good Foundation to build upon he comes to Loss and suffers Loss and so hath many a one for want of Experience how to build they have been apt to trust to the Building of others and to the Knowledge of others in that they should see to and for themselves For Faith is the Gift of God to Mankind and Men ought to receive it so in themselves and know a growing in the Obedience of Faith from Faith to Faith that so they may come to arrive at the Haven of Rest and Peace with God It was said that there is no Peace to the Wicked therefore ought all men to fear before the Lord and know his righteous Judgments to be set up in their Hearts that through Judgment they may come to learn to fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole Duty of Man Oh that all men would love Judgment that every thing that has offended the Lord and grieved his righteous Spirit may be judged out that clean Vessels we may be in the House of the Lord for the Vessels of God's House are holy Vessels Holiness is written upon them Oh! that holy Principle of Truth that has been and still is at work has made them such clean Vessels purifying them purging out the old Leaven of Malice and Sin and has made many as a new Lamp to the Lord that has thus been at work by his Spirit to bring Men and Women out of the Fall out of the Disobedience and out of the Trasgression and this is Christ Jesus that works this Work he is the second Adam the Lord from Heaven become a quickening Spirit he is the Way the Truth and the Life he is that great Prophet that Moses spoke of and told us that we should hear in all things and whosoever will not hear this great Prophet must be cut off from amongst the People for we know that by hearing and lending an Ear to the voice of the Serpent came Death even that Death that the Lord said should come in the day that Man eat of the forbidden Fruit and so we also know to the Praise of God and his Truth be it spoken that by hearing the Voice of Christ Jesus that speaks from Heaven comes Life to be known again and witnessed and partaken of for in the Lord Jehovah there is everlasting strength and He gives Strength and Power to his Children to overcome and then to him that overcomes will I give to inherit all things I will be his God and he shall be my Son saith the Lord of Hosts But the Fearful and Unbelieving the Abominable and the Lyar is not to be numbred with God's Children but in the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone Rev. 21. 7 8. Now my dear Friends you that have travelled this way and have been exercised this way towards the Lord and towards his Kingdom which is not of this World you know how it has been what a Care there has been upon many lest they should miscarry and lest they should be mistaken for it may so come to pass if we sit down at ease and in a careless Mind let us remember there is a great Work to be done there are many Weights and Burdens to be done away Sin is a great Weight and a Burden and as a Partitian Wall that cannot be broken down but as we come to the Truth and know that to work in us and for us and set us free for we may remember the words of our blessed Lord to a People in former days If you know the Truth the Truth shall set you free and if the Son who is the Truth make you free then are you free indeed This is a Freedom indeed But said they we were never in Bondage to any man Ah! that all People did but know what great Bondage Sin is surely they would desire to be released out of such Bondage and Slavery if they had any regard to their poor Souls they would desire to be the Lord's Free-men and Women they would not plead for Sin and for its continuance any longer for it hath reigned too long if People were but sensible and well awake out of it Awake to Righteousness and sin not says the Apostle and awake thou that sleepest arise from the Dead and Christ will give thee light And we can have Life that is everlasting Life no where else but many People and too too many has had a Life in Sin to their great Sorrow and Lamentation and truly Friends Sin is always Cause of Sorrow it is Truths Enemy and Man and Womans Enemy also If this great Enemy of
Man and Womans Soul were but conquered and brought down then Truth would reign and Righteousness would reign but now these two cannot reign together in one Heart Righteousness and Unrighteousness cannot dwell together in one Soul the one is a man's Friend the other is his Enemy for a Man's Enemies are they of his own House Oh that I could perswade Men and Women to break off from their Sins or be an Instrument in the Truth to direct others thither also for the Lord promised to dwell in Peoples Hearts they that were of a clean Heart and feared the Lord he promised the Son of Righteousness should arise with healing Virtue under his Wings that was to heal those that wanted healing from this deadly Wound for all Nations have been wounded by it and it is a deadly Wound too without this healing Virtue be known Let us a little enquire into it how it comes to have a place in Man's Heart how it comes to be seated there it is not because it ought to be there but many loves to have it there take a Delight in it and it has got such a Root in them that they will plead for it and for its continuing as long as they live and more than so as if it were unpossible to be delivered out of it but blessed be God a Deliverer is come out of Zion to turn away Ungodliness from Jacob then Jacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad because a Saviour is known they shall call his Name JESUS for he shall save his People from their Sins not in their Sins but from their Sins to be a People saved by the Lord. And these may indeed be called God's People because He has saved them and redeemed them There is none that can be truly called God's peculiar People and God's Children but those that receive him in his spiritual Appearance for to as many as received him to them he gave Power to become the Sons of God For as People cannot by all their Learning and Reading and all as they can do of themselves get Power over Sin so of themselves they cannot truly come to the Sonship and yet we may see there is a possibility through the Power that Christ gives to come to that Estate Now I hope we may also believe that it is as possible through this Power not without it to overcome Sin as it is to come to the Sonship seeing the overcoming of the one is the way to the other and the saving from one that is Sin that Power that saves also entitles to the Sonship and without all question it is as possible for Christ to save his People from their Sins as to give them an Inheritance with the Saints in Light and as easie because he gave himself for us to redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works I would have all People come to believe that all things is possible with God that cannot lye and He has said Be ye holy for I the Lord your God am holy and without Holiness no man shall ever see the Lord That is to his comfort This is a very weighty thing to be consider'd for I hope all men would be saved and therefore all men ought to consider what it is that shuts Men out of the Kingdom of God and keeps them out it must needs be granted that it is Sin This is that that with-holds Good things from sinful men that they cannot enter for Sin cannot enter that is certain There is no unclean thing can enter the Kingdom of God But it is as certain there is a Rest and a Kingdom prepared for the People of God this we will all grant But now to say or think that none can be or are prepared for this Kingdom will be great Folly then what was they prepared by but by the Power of God the Word of God which is one and nigh in the Heart And I hid thy Word says David in my Heart What to do that I might not sin against God And the Preparation of the Heart if it be prepared aright is of the Lord. Now Friends God prepares the Heart while we are in these Bodies that must needs be Well then we may say as it was said Let not Sin reign in your mortal Bodies These mortal Bodies Sin is not to reign nor dwell in them it is to be purged out that we may know the Leaven of the Kingdom that we may come to be Heirs of the Kingdom of God that Christ may come to rule and reign in us whose Right it is for there is no one has Right to rule in Man but he and as we know him to rule and have the Dominion of his Rule and Dominion there shall never be an end the Power and Rule of the Wicked one must come to an end where any come to be Witnesses in their own particulars of the Reign and Government of Christ Jesus who said Learn of me I am meek and lowly in Heart and you shall find Rest to your Souls He gives Peace to all those that truly learn of him and follows him in the Self denial and these can give the Praise of his own Works to him that has wrought such a Good Work in them and for them for the Gospel has been preached and is preached in our day for this end that all People might truly fear God and give Glory to his Name for the hour of his Righteous Judgments is come and is set up in the Hearts of many People to judge and condemn Sin in the Flesh in the Heart of Man where it has lodged and doth yet lodge and will continue there if the Judgments of the Lord be not known to break in and to be submitted unto for the strong man armed has kept the House long but when a stronger than he comes and is entertained he binds the strong man spoils his Goods and casts him out Now this strong man is the Enemy of all Righteousness is an Enemy to all Good and is that Spirit that rules in the Children of Disobedience and while he has ruled his Goods have been at Peace and What is his Goods but Sin and Wickedness Men and Women have been at peace with these Goods in their Errings and Strayings from God like lost Sheep and yet they have been at Peace such a Peace as it is it serves many People that takes liking to the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye and Pride of Life But now this Peace will not last it will soon come to an end there is a Judge that stands at the Door of our Heart and knocks he will soon break this Peace for he never sends Peace to People in that state and in that condition for we have his own Testimony for it I came not says he to send Peace on Earth but a Sword What Sword but the Sword of the Spirit which cuts down Sin Now we may read how God
placed a flaming Sword at Eden 's Gate that turned every way if a man had all false Coverings of Professions or the Fig-leaf Garments or all the changable ways of Religion that are in the World this flaming Sword still placed it turns every way against him that there is no way at all left for fallen Man to enter or find out for Life in a state of Sin if he chang'd his way never so often this still turns against him Now in this state we may truly say there was none to help but the Lord and What did the Lord say to this thing for he had warned Man and Woman and had given them a Command before and a very large Priviledge too if they would have been contented Of all the Trees of the Garden thou maist eat save that only of Knowledge of Good and Evil And yet after Transgression the Lord in his great Love that he had to the Workmanship of his Hands says on this wise That the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpent's Head here is the Promise of the Lord this is the way that God promis'd to restore Mankind And this Seed was Christ he is the Way to God again Now it is very like many will be ready to conclude that Christ is the way to God again but that they suppose they may do by Tradition and never come to know the Seed to bruise the Serpent's Head in them but until this is known Men may make a Profession of God and Christ and yet know little or nothing at all of the Work of that Eternal Power and Spirit of Christ to renew to break down Sin and Satan and to renew and restore them into the Image of God again Oh! what need have we all to wait as they did of old until we be endued with Power from on high But some may say they had a Command for so doing and doth not this Command reach to us I hope none will deny it for says the Prophet They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength these are all they that come to a true waiting State upon the Lord for he is worthy to be waited upon and he will be waited upon and sought unto by the House of Israel and truly if People had a true regard to the Spirit of Truth that Christ said the Father would send in his Name People would be more watchful and more concern'd in waiting upon God then they are for I cannot but take notice many times how loose and careless many People are though not in pursuing after the things of this World that pass away and comes to an end but very loose and careless in Religious and Heavenly Matters and Things of far more concern then the Things that are here which we can behold with our outward Eye for the things which we behold with our outward Eyes are Temporal but the things that are not seen thereby which we ought to behold with our inward Eyes are Eternal Oh! that all People might hasten out of Sin even as Lot hastened out of that sinful Sodom that the Lord was angry with in days past Come Friends it is the same in our day the Sins of the People of England cry aloud and the Lord has spared this Land of ours many Years though sometimes visited with Judgments Oh! that all People would lay to heart the great Mercy the continued Mercy of the Lord to this poor Land wherein we live and how the People have provoked the Lord with their Disobedience for Disobedience is as the Sin of Witchcraft and the Disobedient dwell in a dry Land they know not when good comes But the earnest Cry of my Heart to God is that all People may come to amend their Ways and amend their Lives by coming to Unfeigned Repentance and turn to the Lord to his Grace that has appeared to all Men Where has the Grace of God appeared In the Heart where Sin has appeared For what end but that Sin may be forsaken destroyed and wrought out and everlasting Righteousness brought in instead thereof For righteousness exalts a nation or a people but sin is a shame to any nation or people And why will People love that which is a Shame to them and a Disgrace to all that are found in it indeed we may say the Lord found many of us therein but there has been a day of Washing and a day of Cleansing known inwardly where this Pollution lay there has been the Word of the Lord as a Fire and as a Hammer to burn it up and consume it Root and Branch And thus Friends we have learned true Religion and to bridle our Tongues that we might not offend against the Lord and a Stay to our Minds that we might not wander any more nor be bewildred any more nor turn aside any more Oh! the Lord grant that all People may come to walk in the Light of the Lord and then we are sure they will walk in that which pleases God And the Prophecy of Isaiah will come to be fulfilled upon us That the time should come that they should say one to another Come and let us walk in the light of the Lord let us go up to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths For how do People linger away their time in sinning against God How easily are they overtaken and perswaded to live in Sin term of Life but they are not so easily perswaded to forsake Sin although when a Sinner doth repent him of his Sins or forsake them he shall find Mercy the Lord will have Mercy he will abundantly pardon But now instead of Mens forsaking of it they are daily adding Sin to Sin and pulling it upon them as with a Cart-rope Men of perverse Minds of ill Minds and of ill Lives their Lives bespeak whose Children they are and whose Works they are a doing even the Works of the Flesh which is Sin the Works of the old Enemy that is shut out for ever he upholds his Kingdom in Disobedience and so do all that loves Sin and pleads for Sin there is nothing so hurtful as Sin is here Men has lost their Belief they have lost their right Senses talk of believing in God the Father Almighty and in Jesus Christ his only begotten Son and yet believe Sin must Reign as if there was a necessity for it so to do but we have learned better things Glory to God and things that do accompany Salvation we know that of whatsoever a Man is overcome of the same he is brought in Bondage I write said John unto you little children that ye sin not and to you young men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one then there was a possibility of Victory therefore let none be faint-hearted but look to Christ who has all Power in Heaven and Earth and is Alsufficient
and truly the 3d Chapter of the first Epistle of John is very full And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin And whosoever abideth in him sinneth not and whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him And then little children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning for this purpose was the Son of God made manifest that he might destroy the works of the Devil Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God Now this is the Testimony of John and set down here to perswade all to come to the Work of the Spirit of Truth in their own Hearts that through the same they may come to please God and leave off those things that displeases him for we according to our Measures that we have receiv'd would have all People come to be saved and to see how far they are saved from Sin and also to come to learn Righteousness by the Spirit of Truth that leads into the way of it for in the way of Righteousness there is Peace and Assurance and that for ever and herein we are owned of the Lord he owns us as his Children and gives unto us a Portion or Measure of his Spirit which he giveth to them that truly ask it Truly this is a Portion indeed more to be desired than all that this World can afford and therefore that all may be good Stewards in the manifold Grace of God for God's Love has been manifold his Mercies has not failed to those that are found in their Duty to him and continues as dutiful Children alwaies observing what the Lord requires of them and as we are found obedient he gives us our Portion of Meat in due season He is the Rewarder of all those that truly seek him he doth not long hide his Face from these tho' sometimes he is pleased to try them in the Furnace of Affliction it is that they may come forth as Gold tryed in the Fire that is more pure more weighty more solid more of the nature of Truth may appear in them and through them that others beholding their good Conversations may come to glorifie their Heavenly Father for He is worthy of all the Honour Glory and Renown by us all both now henceforth and for ever saith my Soul Now Friends something relating to the Spirit of God how it wrought in former times even in the Beginning and also to several Generations In the Beginning the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters Here is something of the Spirits moving for before it was said that Darkness was upon the face of the Gen. 1. 2. Deep and holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost The Spirit of God strove with the old World to reclaim Gen. 6. 2. them from their Wickedness else how shall that place be understood when the Lord says My Spirit shall not always strive with Man because when Men grieve the Spirit of God by continuing in that which the Lord is angry with therefore the Lord said his Spirit should not always strive with Man we all of us ought to mind the day of our Visitation while the Help and Means of the Spirit is afforded to us or else Man's Destruction will be of himself Thou gavest them also thy good Spirit to instruct them and Neh. 9. 20. with hold not thy Manna from their Mouths yet nevertheless they rebelled against thee Oh how many Mercies both spiritual and temporal has the Lord showred down upon Englands Inhabitants also and yet they evilly requite the Lord Yet many years didst thou forbear Neh. 9. 30. and testified against them by thy Spirit in thy Prophets yet would they not give ear they still retained the hardness of their Hearts for which cause the Lord thus complained of them and testified against them by his Spirit and it is the same to this day notwithstanding the great Pretensions of many as not being under the Law but under the Gospel Thus saith the Lord he that created the Heavens and the Isa 42. 5. Earth he that giveth Breath to the People upon it and Spirit to them that walk therein the Breath and Spirit which all People have meet for Body and Soul is given them of God and all People ought to mind his good Spirit that their Souls may live to him But there is a Spirit in Man and the inspiration of the Job 32. 8. Almighty giveth Understanding That is Spiritual Understanding of the things of God that are hid while Man is in Disobedience for the carnal-minded man knows not the things of God neither indeed can he and the reason renderd because they are spiritually discerned and there was some that neither knew the Scriptures nor the Power of GOD this must needs be for want of taking heed to his Spirit or Divine Inspiration Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee Psa 139 7. from thy Presence There is no hiding from the Lord he sees and beholds all the ways of the Children of men and their Works of what sort or kind soever they be He is an All-seeing God and will not be mocked such as every one sows must they such reap and the Spirit of the Lord pursues the wicked and the ungodly man for his Wickedness and all his ungodly Deeds though acted never so secretly Teach me to do thy Will thou art my God thy Spirit is Psa 143. 10 good lead me into the Land of Uprightness This is a good Confession to the Spirit of Truth both as a Leader and a Teacher to do the Will of God and a Leader into the Land of Uprightness then out of the Land of Darkness and out of the Land of Unrighteousness We would to God all men were thus taught and thus led Until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high and the Isa 32. 15. Wilderness be a fruitful Field and the fruitful Field be counted for a Forrest Here we may see what we are without the Spirit though our Professions may seem green and fruitful yet when the Spirit of the Lord is poured forth upon us they will be but little accounted of that can turn our barren Wilderness of Profession into a fruitful Field and blessed be God it has done great things for many And the Spirit entered into me when he spake unto me and Ezek. 2. 2. set me upon my Feet so that I heard him that spake unto me Here was the Entrance of the Spirit witnessed and it was said that the entrance of thy Word giveth Light The Spirit and the Word is one and by the entrance of the Spirit he heard the Lord speak to him and his words are Spirit and
own though we have in times past girded our selves and went whither we would or where our own Spirits led us yet now there are many that know another to gird them with the Girdle of Truth and it was good Advice to gird up the loins of your minds watch and be sober and hope to the end It is a good end that crowns all they that endure to the end in well-doing shall be saved and the way both to begin well and endure to the end in well-doing is to have an Eye to our Redeemer he has all Power to him it is given and he gives Power to his People and Faith to his People for Faith is the Gift of God and they who think they have Faith and have not received it from him but by Tradition their Faith is very much to be questioned for as a Body without a Spirit is dead so Faith without Works is dead also Now let all People try their Faith shew us their Faith whence it comes and what it leads to for Faith is of the Operation of God by his Spirit and Power in the Heart and they that have not known it so that is Faith to be wrought by the Power of God in the Heart have not known Victory their Faith has not done much for them for true Faith is a very victorious thing it will remove Mountains if you have but Faith as a grain of Mustard-seed ye shall say to this Mountain Be thou removed and cast into the Sea and it shall be so What Mountain may we suppose this to be Sin is the biggest Mountain between Man and his Maker and wants most to be removed and if we had but true Faith to remove this Mountain what a glorious day would it be then The great reason why this Mountain of Sin is not removed is for want of Faith and that we see plainly for if we ask one or another they will tell us plainly they do not believe it possible But now they that have the true Faith believe it is possible and that all things are possible with God and Jesus Christ the Author of the true Faith And so Friends let us go on with our Eye fix'd in our holy Head CHRIST JESUS he is able to destroy all that has been sown or planted in the Night-time by the Enemy and to build up a spiritual House to God that God may have his Glory from us all and by us all for Moses as a Servant was faithful in his House and desired rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of Sin which is but for a season But now Christ Jesus as a Son has Power and Rules over his own House whose House we are if we hold fast the Confidence in Christ to the end And we may remember the Parable of the Woman that had lost a piece of Silver but when she lighted her Candle and swept her own House she found it and called to her Neighbours and Acquaintance to come and Rejoyce with her And truly the Love of God has been so great that many are calling out to their Neighbours and Relations to come and taste with them here is a Feast of Fat things Wine well refined from the Lees Oh! that all would come away Oh! that the poor Prodigal might now bethink himself of returning to his Fathers House for Relief For Christ Jesus when he was in that Body prepared of the Father to do his Will in says on this wise in my Fathers House there are many Mansions if it were not so I would have told you and so let all return to the Fathers House that have been spending away their time Idly and Carelesly and not further trifle away their pretious Time in things that are of no Profit to the Soul for we have a time allotted us in this World to serve God let us see that we answer the End of our Creation and if any have been remiss in this Duty to be so no more but come to know their Redeemer to be come out of Zion it is he that turns away the Ungodliness from Jacob he shall sit as a Refiner with Fire and as a Fuller with Soap Now People may easily know whether or no they have known him to sit so and to Refine them and if not turn in it is there he washeth and cleanseth and purifieth the inside must be made Clean and then the outside will be Clean also Oh! come home every one and see what dwells in your Hearts For if the Heart be polluted It is no matter what Religion thou professest For there are many that make that as a Cloake or Cover to hide themselves but it will not do the searcher of Hearts is come he that sees through all the outside Religions in the World though they seem never so fair to outward Appearance yet if they want a good Bottom or if Men do not build upon the true Foundation all is in vain Their Golden Cups will not do their fair outside Shews and Professions without Life are of no value they are Judged if the Heart be unclean as it was of Old for he said ye draw near to me with your Mouths and with your Lips but your Hearts are afar off Now the Name of Religion is very little if a Mans Heart be far away from the Lord for it is the Heart that the Lord looks at And without question there were such in former Times that seem'd to be Religious and knew no Bridle to their Tongues for the Apostle says if a Man seems to be Religious and Bridles not his Tongue his Religion is vain Now What was Man to know a Bridle to his Tongue for but that he might not offend with it nor speak ill words with it for it was said by one of Old on this wise my eye shall be upon the Faithful of the Land that they may dwell with me for the Wicked shall not dwell with me he that telleth Lies shall not tarry in my sight now lying and Swearing and evil Communications spring from an ill Root and ill Bottom and ill Nature for tho' such may get the Name of Religion yet they are not worthy of that Name But now Friends we would have all People to come to Learn of Christ Jesus he Teaches the best Things he teaches Obedience and leads out of the Disobedience he Teaches how to behave our selves in things that are of gooo Report and things that are honest and true we are to think on these things and the God of all our Mercies will be with us and blessus as we are in the well doing and followers of that which is Good Then who can harm us FINIS