WHen the Lord Jesus came to Jerusalem, he beheld the City▪ and wept over it, with this lamentation: Oh that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace! The same tenderness is witnessed now in them which the Lord hath enlightened. I cannot but mourn over you, to see how you lie wallowing in your filth, and join hand in hand, and smite with the fist of wickedness, and yet lean upon Christ for salvation: Know you not that many shall say in that day, Lord, Lord? but remember what will be your answer; Go you cursed into the lake, I know you not. Oh that thou wouldst but stand still a little, and turn thy eye inward; Sit down a little, and consider thy poor soul that lies in death: What will become of thee, thou murderest the just in thee, there is a talon to be improved in thee, how wilt thou give an account of it; the Steward is now come: in the cool of the day, than Adam heard the voice of God, and then he saw his nakedness, and so may est thou; If thou wilt turn in thy mind to the light of Christ in thee, the light will discover to thee thy fallen state, and how thou art turned out from the presence of God, and art in the gall of bitterness, and the earth is cursed for thy sake: Now if thou wilt mind the light, and wait in it, which is the grace of God that hath appeared to thee, there is the first step to pure redemption: And if thou take diligent heed to this light in thee, thou shalt find it checking thee continually for all thy evil deeds, and it will teach thee to be sober minded and upright in all thy dealings as in the sight of God: and so thou wilt come to see the straight gate and narrow way that leads to life; but thou wilt say, Christ hath done all this for me, I have nothing to do but believe: but it will be said unto thee, when thou thinkest to sit down with thy Lord; Friend, how camest thou hither without a wedding-garment? then know what thy portion will be. Faith is another thing than thou takest it to be; He that hath Faith, if it be never so little, shall witness Christ's words to be true, he shall remove mountains: Now in the still silence, in the light that shines in darkness in thee, thou wilt come to relish that little grain of Faith which is held in a pure conscience, and so feel the mountains remove, which presseth down thy soul: but ye will not come unto me that ye may have life, saith Christ Jesus; It is thy will that hinders thee, for in thy will the devil lodges. Adam when he disobeyed the mind and will of God, than he entered into his own will, and so was turned out into the devil's kingdom. Now Christ Jesus the second Adam, who is God manifest in flesh, condemning sin in the flesh, if thou live in him in thee, and believe in him in thee, than thou shalt witness his power to the cutting down of thy will; for thy will must come to death, that the will of God may be done, and so that Scripture comes to be fulfilled in thee, which are the words of Christ; lo I come, in the volume of thy book it is written of me to do thy will O God, which is the book of conscience in thee, there the will of God is to be done: And as thou comest to love the light, and live in it, thou wilt come to see the righteous law of God fulfilled in thee, Death reigns in thee. Now Death reigned from Adam till Moses, and when Moses came, than was the Law given forth; and so Moses and the Prophets till John: But thou wilt say, thou art not under the Law, but under Grace? let the light search thee, and it will ask thee, how camest thou to be under Grace? Is not the law for cleansing; When wast thou cleansed? or where dost thou think to be cleansed? Doth not Christ Jesus say, that he is come to fulfil the Law, and that one jot nor tittle shall pass unfulfilled, and wilt thou speak of his words, and not believe him? Yea, thou shalt know, that for that very end is there a measure of Christ given unto thee; that if thou deny thyself, and yield obedienc● to his will, thou shalt witness the whole Law fulfilled in thee, but it is through judgement, and through burning, for through judgement is Zion redeemed: but harken a little, and consider, hear and thy soul shall live. If thou be willing to take up the cross of Christ, and despise the shame, thou shalt witness pure peace of conscience: and though it may seem hard to the world, yet there is living refreshments: Yea, glorious is the work of redemption, but none can see it but those that come through it: And now the way of eternal life is laid before thee, if thou slight it, it shall lie at thy door: and therefore take heed what thou dost; for when the book of conscience is opened, thou shalt witness thou hast been warned in thy life-time.  
Martha simmond's.