--1 l::*-«ffil»«i£l,^ W,". ' , ' ' ""'}" ' \}\ f iii irT.rifiuiiM'i II I I ■ ■ I I . T1TT3 C0L1ECT30N OF NORTH CAROLINiANA !I3I!F10M^ i, i ni i«ii' H i'i i »ii i |i "" !i|i V i' iil i i ' Hf | V*c wv- .t»S||^ ^ -. '' >• -^^^- ^ «•:'•' .V ^^. POOR PET]^R's i^ i\ X-j L-i TO ^IS CHILDREN, >.ND TO ALL OTHERS WHO CAN HEAR AND BELIEVE. BY PETER CLEM MO. VS, Senr. SulLISEURy, (n. c.) PRINTED BY COUPEE AND CRIDER, 1812. ©eo5C»8S802«r>seo!?ess«ees«SGC5SCCC«co PREFACE. Dear Children, IT has been thirty years^ a7id I believe up' vjards^ since my nuidwas first moved with a desire to wVite someUiing for your instruction in th- way of rigJtteousnesSy which you all might peruse and meditate on^ when my body lies speechless in the silent grave ; ,that by read- ing what I have wrote^ you might remember the griefs and sorrows I have had. on your acz county lest any of you should be inticedwith the pleasing fruits of Egypt^ to stay in that cor- ruptable land^ until God's merciful visitation was over. But before I begun I met with se- veral discouragements^ fjarticidarly when I thought oj my weakness in learning ; for I am a poor scholar^ yet when I write Ihnoxo what I mean , but for thezvant of the true hiow- ledge oj speling and grammar^ there might be avothc meaning put en my writing from what I intended it^ and for this reason I was often discouraged \ also^ when I tho't oj the precious instruction oj the New-Testament, what more cou'd be done that had nut already been done. Thus the discourager tried to put me ojf^ but the encouraging Lord, the lover oj righteous- ?ics^\ put me ii mind of the widow and her two mites, and the thoughts of that ojffering being greater than aiU it encouraged me to write the following to my children and to ill who will r've the,rtsehcs time to peruse it^ Poor Peters call to his Children, ^c. Or CHAPTER I. Our spiritual travel to a Chris thin life. ruY clear children ! the day light has appeared, and the Sun is rising, awake my dear children, ior the Lord is 'calling,^ that yon «iay rise and go to the ^vork ot the Lord ; which work you cannot do without 0112 to in- struct you ; hut the Father of all mercies has provided one in the midst of his love, to instruct you ai)d all others ill the work of the Lord ; which work is for your ov> /- goofl, and when done will he for the glory of God. Now dear children, the things that are visible is ns • finger pointing to the things that are invisible, ai.. man cannot see and discern cle&rly his own features out the help of som-e instrument or glass, yet by the .. .,. of such instrument, a man can understand his own ake- nrss ; so then as it is, by the help of eartlily means v.e un- ^lerstand earthly things, and it has pleased God to make use of earthly means to give us an idea of spiritual things, for as the children of Israel beibre Jacob and his family v.'t^nt'into Egypt, was an eip.blem of our first station of life before we eat the forbidden fruit, so was his^statioii while the children of Israel were in bondage to Pharaoh king of Egypt, a type or f.gure, of our secorMi stalion c': life, which is a state of sin and bondage to serve diver^i lusts, being under the power of the king of darkjies^, -a.? Israel was under the power of the king of Egypt. And as Israel's third station was in travelling from Egv] the promised land, it was a figu.-t* of our third station ui life, if we ever come to be christians. And as Ir^rael'." fourth station of life was attained to, it was a figi; fourth station of life, which is, a christian life, and oiighr to be desired and sought for, more than for ail the gbld and silver or any other thing in this world (xf time ;' for aitho' we cannot live comfortablv in this ivorld w' ( 4 ) the t^ of gold or silvei or some other things of God's blesse-i providence, yet these riches are not comparable to the riches oFaxhristian life, given to all that enter into the fourth station of life, where God manifests himself to them as Christ promised to those that loved him an^ kept his commundmenis ; for Israel's fourth station of life was that, of entering and getting possession of the promis- ed land, after a tedious travel of forty years through a dangerous wilderness, where m^ny thousands ©f th5se v/ho left Israel's second station of life and entered into the third, which led them out or the land of Egypt intJ the right way to the promised land, but many oLt^m did not hold out in true obedience to their guide, but turned to disobedience, and for this cciuse Israel wiisleftto wan- der in the wilderness, until many of the disobedient pe^ rished, ^Vitb_out ever enjoyivig or,entering into the promised land, which fiowed with milk and honey ;. where God multiplied his blessings to all that entered therein. Now the thought of the enjo^vi-neivt of tlue blessing of God's, kind providence, in milk and honey being so plenty as to flow with it, and the thoughts of being a he^ people, were tli^ two principal reasons that led Israel to undertake so g-reat a journey, which might have been accomplished in a small part of the time, had- they only contiaiied' in obedi-- eace to the end as they were in the beginning, for they be- gun well, and would have ended in the enjoyment of the precious fruits^, of that land, wlvich God promised and: iaithfuUv' performed to all that held out in trueoli^diente tc the end. Now mv dear children I pray you all to take these four stations of the children of Israel'^ lif*; and tra- vel into your serious consideration, and let them be as I:, looking glass for you to look in, for if you are careful! v.! looking und comparing your spirituallife with the four ernal stations of the beginning ami end of the children ol Israel's life, you m.iy bv th^ light of the spirit of Christ, ^called tlie Q:r;ice of God,' which hath, and does, and v, ill appear to. all men ; I say^ by the help of this light, you ail may see the exact features of your own faces, in look- inyj into the first, second, third and foiTrth stations of Is- rael life ; by begianing with your lirst station, and com- paring it with L^rael's first station of life, which I know you. ail spiritually are J or have bee^ iu^,'and compare it ( 5 ) i^ith Israel's secona station of lite before he left^^-pt. Believing that the God of heiwen has visitedsomeoi yoa bv sending his spiritual Meses lo visit you in the secret of your hearts, O that it may please him to continue his lyerciful visitation, until you ail take your spiritual jour- ney and go out of Egypt, fpr if any of you rcmaineth in spiritual Egypt until your mortal body dies, you pever ^'ill, nor never can sensibly enjoy the blessing of God, which he of his own love and mercy has prepared for all ^"lyho leave the second station and pass through the third into the fourth station of life, wb.ich is a true Christian life ; ^ttf^^ "^'^^ ^^^ S^^ here before he passeth the third station^^life, and ^11 who die before ithey enter into the fourth station of life, will fall short of the enjoyment of God's blessing in this life, and that \*hich is lo come. My dear children, let np man deceive any of you, to make you stopt short of entering the fourth station of life, which is in the spiritual promised land, and which all peo- ple m.ust attain to this side of the grave, or fall short of e- ternal. rest in futurity. Having alreat'y mentioned the principal causes of Israel's leaving Egypt to go to the promTfeed land, I will mention the particulars : had it not been for the hope of enjoying their freedom and being partakers of the blessed rich Iruits which grew there, they would all have groaned and mourned, and died in the land of £g\pt, and never have enjoyed their freedom, nor been partakers of the rich fruits of the promised land ; neither woiild they have seen the glory of the Lord, for it did not appear to them in Egypt, neither did they knoMT it whilst in bondage ; and as they were two principal in- ducements to ihem, so my dear children there is in the same like manner two principal things that move all peo- ple that are advanced into the second station of life, that is (living in spiritual Egypt,) to leave it and enter into the tl\ird station of life, as Israel did, for all who Jive in spi- ritual Egypt must pass the third stiition before they can enter tlie fourtn station of life, to the enjoyment of that heavenly land which flows with more precious things than the land of Canaan, for in this fourth station the}' can set down every man, woman and child, under their vine and fig tree, and there is none that can make tliem alVaid^ A 2 ( a ) for fhey set down in heavenlr p'aees, in C!inst^ who^d fruits are to tiiem sweeter than aii the milk and ho«^ nty that evet* flowed in the land of Canaan ;" foY'iri this, their fourth station of Ute^ it does not flow asvvith milk of coWvS which will turn sour, and by long standing stii.k", and with honey, made by flying bees ; but it flo5vs with' the sincere miik of the word of God, and the s-weet hone^r of his love, which flows from his dear presence when it pleaseth him to visit lis, which makes his |||omise good,, for here v/e keep his commandments,, and- for ihis he loves us and iitakes himself manifest to us, as CJ^st did promise in the lithchapt. of St» John, 21,22 & 2.3H|p;rses, whi^h is most certainly true, for all who cannot bear wit- ness to these truths have never yet entered the fourth station that I speak of, and are strangers to the kingdom ol God. And O ! me dear c^^iidren, it is, and has been xny earnest desire ?.^^d prayer to God tlvat it wpuld please him to visit you all, and continue his merciful visitation until yoQ '^re made sensible of the great necessity there is ftjr ie:rving your second station of life, and quickly enter into the third, tliat is, to lea\ e Egy])t and travel in the- Way to the promised land. O ! that it may please the- LordGod of heaven to send his holy angtlto be your guide into the promised land, for no man can find" the way to it withd'^t. hi? gjLiide ; and O ! tlrat you- may all submit to pat y li th at tyranical yoke of sin, that keeps men- and women in such hurd bondage whilst in the second sta» tion of life, under the power of sin< and S-atan, v/ho is the ruk^r of spiritual Egypt, Kei^e divers lusts and grievo'us sinful passions, which is the cause of all the mournings, groanings 4t sighings of all who ar^ iiro't to be sensilDie of their miserable state^andbcndage, \5rhrlst they hear of the glo ions and true report of -he liberty and freedom o£ th.se who ha\ e got into the" promised land, where they are bL"i>u;.ht to be partakers wiili tne hoivsehold of farth, and: jomcd into the family of heaven :. there, the/ are ftitfi. ( 7 ) from the desire- of sin, andtacir onh' desire ia^ to liiVc^ obey, praise, henoj*iind adore tat: king ot heuvtrn, \vhu is- Lord aiid Kinjj over uil tne promised iand, ror here his^ irone is established in rigjitcpusness, ^l h>^s laws are in equity and justice, and adminisiered in love over his sab- j.-cts; f'Qrthis is the kr..gdoiTi that difFeretbJrpm all other kingdoms g^i earth ; the king himselt is love, he ruleth ^ over his subjects in love, his subjects love their king, they Jove one anothw.1^ they love, his commandments, his. com- mandments are no ways grievous tp them, for it is their " delight ^^bey hfm in all ; and as the king by his divine -' ihiowle^Pkrioweth that his subjects love hia- bv their keeping, 111^ commandments, so the king himself loveth is suiJ^jeGtSy and manifests himself unto them ; and in this manifestation his subjects are made able to witness the . truth of that which is in the scripture of truth, that the glory of the Lord should cover the earth as the waters co- vereth the seas ; and in^ these blessed and happy mani- festations, the earth is trul}' covered with the glory of the Lecd, which earth is our bodies having become the tem- leof the Lord for the spirit of our God-to dwell rh.^ And i« this heavenly visitation he lifteth up thelightvof his holy .countenance on US) which liils our hearts w.ith * the over- flowing of his love, and in these happy times we are made onsible of his goodnsss ;. and being sensible of his good- liess, we then are filiedwith the spirit of true thanksgiving and praises to our king who lives forever, in the unfeign- -; "^e^i language of glorifying hinrr, not onl^- for all the mercies • that we ourselves have received of the Lord:, in stiving arid redeeming us from the land of sin and the hard bon- dage of iniquity, where so mi^ny of us laboured, but a- bove ail things our shameful work in servrag so many disgraceful lusts whilst we were in the land of Egypt, in onr second station ; for surely it is of the Lord's love and mercy that we were- not consumed as Sodom and GorriO« i'ah were^ forean it be possible ^hat cheii: wickedness \ as 35 great aseurs in thi^ present generation, to !)esr a com- parison I their sins were of giviVig themselves over :o fornication: and gaing after strsnge flesh, J ude, 7 ver. for.^ which they wer€ destroyed as by fi::€^.vvnich m-^dt m\ ex-- ample of them. And i» it not of tht^VLord^s rr.ercy ihaS'. aiiiiiat h^ii^ii. act kf^ the-s^coiid stc^ioa ars not consiuiQ^di, ( » ) O I my dear children, let iis consider 'our sins and ihtt sins ot all the inhabitants of spiritual Egypt., and we shall see chat they are very great. And as I said, not only for his mercies in saving us from all the sins which we com- mitted whilst ive were in our .second station, but for all his mercif^s in saving and redeem uig us from the many e-» ^vils and dangers that beset us in our third station, while travelling from the land of sin and wickedness'' to the land of righteousness, where the glory of the Lord covers it as the water covers the sea, and where the Lord's meek ones inherits the earth ; and in this happy land of the fourth station, wKvre our king's glory coversJjM we do not only ^iv« him thanks in the spirit of true thaSsgiving for all the favours he has bestowed «>n us, but for thoset, bestow ed on all human beings, from the beginning to this day in every stage of their lives, auil for ail his mercies bestowed on his preserved angels and saints in glory ; for it is by his love and mercy that all what is preserved is preserved ; and all who attain to tlie fourth *stution do not only praise him for those nrvercites, but also for his provi- dential care of all the work of his holy hands, by which the beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, the fishes of the sea, and every living thing that hath life and moveth on all the face of the earth, are made able to praise him, as one did hear them praise him in his revelation ; and if these praise the Lord, (and they certainly do) shall we not praise him ? O yes ! we sh 11 praise him for all the fa- vours he bestowed an his creatures that live in heaven, earth and sea, and not only with our lips, as some pro- fessors do before they leave their second station, wheieia they make great profession with their mouths, but by their deeds deny the Lord our God, by not suffering him to redeem them. But as for us, we know the mercies of our God, that he has redeemed us from the land of Egypt and from the house of shameful bondage, we know by his redeeming love and the gift of his boh spirit, by whose power we art- rais'jd from the dead works of sin to the liv- ing works of righieou.'^ness, by the Srwing and redeeming hand of our God, which huh raised us from the dead, snd halh calied us out of the kingdom of da-kness, where v;e had our second habitation, into his glorious kingjration must be niacJe before you die, for should }cu die without this al- teraiibn you must l;e sensible tb,at it will not fare so well ivith von, as you would wish it to be 5 yet at those tim.es of his little i'ppenrarce yen think you would be willing to go to that heaven \ c>u ha\e htard spoke of. Now this ex- ercise is cccrieioned by the visitation of this little messen- ger, whom the Lord sends to seek and save those vho recr-ive and tirn to his instruction ; but this is so small at h'is iirst apptararce, thnt those w bo live in sin and w^alk in darkiiess of: en ovtrlook it, and for want of wisdom they cai.n-.t fii d Christ to be their Saviour ; and the reason is because ihey^cve that light which Christ called darkness, TTore th. r. 'h*^ iirde reprover\light, which is the star the vifc m r« cf he t.asi san , and \ttA the m in the way to s*. ek a&d tiua iiiiii who was born king of the Jewsj* ; and al* ( ,15 ) though he was born at Bettuehetn in JuJea, yet Herod and his friewds knew him not. The wise mt;n seeing his 9f.ar in the East, were moved by ;he appejrancii, they sought and found him; but Herod and h»8 mnrdenng friends covild not, and it appears that he dit-d without the true knowledge of ids saving- power. So I fear it will he the case of many who pretend like Herod to want to wor- ship him, yet daily walk in the way to murder him. This light was sent by the Father to be born in idl those that wili receive his birth into them, for he Is not only ^ing of the Jews, but he is the king of all the ri>^hteous that ever' were or ever will be in this world and tiiat which is to come, worlds without end. Amen. Those wha delight to do evil in that internal world where men only see by the eve of their understanding by the light of darkness ; and by this dark: light, all that are in their second station do evil by the c^aidance or instr^uc- tion of this false light, and this evil light comes from the son of perdition, who rules over wickedness, whereby m\en see and learn to do all kind of evils while they livt; without repentance towards God, and without faith in Je- sus Christ ; for all mankind who have any delight in the fiiiits of sin, are under the power of this darkness and strangers to a christian life, without peace or recohriiia- tion with God, and strangers to the day of salvativon.-— Therefore, their judjvQient and understanding are quite different from the redeemed children pf God, #iio have received his angel of light and grace, and hath bro ight-, them outof darkness inco the light of his salvation, which is ruled by the lia-ht of the son of God. All who love sin of any kind in word or deed are in darkness, and without the sweet enjoyments of the children of God, or a true sense of a christian life th:m what they hear ,with their earthly ears ; yet by this they learn enough to be hypo^ crites, for they take the words of the righteous and^'the 11 inn e of God in their lips to deceive, vet kJ>eir fruits of darkness deceive them, for truth and righteousness is not in them, neither will it ever be, whilst they love iKxdive in sin ; therefore I mav sifely sav that r.h^v ^le. ^tcwnx^r- ^o the day of God's salvation, thev are like the babe or ch'^i born of a woman at midnight, (which is the darknes*? '^•^'!l- ed ®ur night) and dies before the break of the succeeding .... C 16 ) morning, itdres without the knowledge of daylight, whic.l enii)^iu'.\is our mortal tvfs, and withoutVsteing the sun in the firuiaruent bt heaven, who gives us light and heat to do our neediul business whilst on earih. So all must agree that caiidren born oi women and dying before the next morning light, (as thousands have) have had no knowledge oft.iie light we call day ; so it is truly the <:ase with all that live and die in their sins, before the}- see ii light of the day of God's salvation. The foregoing des- cribed darkness in->vhich men walk in their second star ' tion, is the dark light by which they are made to err iw - their judgment, and make them often justify wicked deeds, condemn the righteous, & plead for thejustilicatioii €ii wicked practices — condemn the just fruits of God's love aFid tender compassion, is all from that light which Christ cautioTicd his disciples in these words, "take heed therefore that the light which is in thee he not daikness,** for by this dark light men learn to do evil, and by their doing evil they are made manifest to be the children of th Vy'orld, and strangers to the kingdor?^ of heaven. All th'^bc are compared to the lost sheep, not only of the house of Israel, but those of allnations under the heavei-^s ; of which a remnant will be saved -: but the v/av of their sali- vation is brought about oiily by their receiving his savuig angel, whose first appearance is so small that some of those who Walk in the foregoing described darkness, do not think he is worth their notice. I prav you to remember the great caution to be aware, lest'vou be four.d despising the day of small things, icr the first appearance of the light ofXhrist, checking and re,- provingvou for your secret or open evils, is as the day of small things ; remember also the saying ofChrii: that they who do evil are to arise to the resurrecticm of damnation ; that is, a separation from God and the en]oy- nient of the good things of the kingdom of heaven, which >.; will be the certain lot of all who will not receive and fol- low this angel, sent by God from the beginning, and will cor'^nue to the end. IMv dear. children, I do hereby tell yom and all other:^ by what means you may know him when he cometh, and wdien he cometh it is on-purposeto save yoiv, this is w'hat the Father sent him to do, for it is not his will that any " ( 17 ) *aliouldbe left without his oftcrmg them the means of sal- vation. Bat they who will not receive him cannot possi- bly be saved, as there is no other visible means given ua- ^er the whale heavens, except receiving this little light which enlighteneth every one that cometliinto ihi& world, Kow this little light is like the .^j&j^oktbi this visible d.'^y and our Egyptian state, or our second state or station is like the night which we whilst on earth call so, being so dark for the want of the light of the Sun, Moon or Stars", that we cannot see to walk without being in danger of stum;)ling and falling to our bodily h'->i*t ; this you ail know by experience ; Irat our merciful God sends the CLiy to give us light, to eniii^hten our mortal eyes. — Its first appearance is very small, so that we can hardly teU whe* ther it Is day or not ; yet being desirous to begin our in- tended WT>rk or travel as soon as light appears, we go out and look, we think it is not yet light enough to do our business as we would wish it to be done ; we go in our house again, and conclude to wait a little longer, that it may get a little lighter before we proceed to our intended business ; ''bat in this anxiety we cannot take any rest, v/e are afraid to lie down and oversleep curstlvts, and by that means fall snort of doing olu* intendeti business, so that we cannot wait long before we go and look again j at last we conclude it is light, by seeing th' ten thousand tinges tea thtjaaaad-* were to say it was not dd^r y^^tthey woiiid. siiii aoadnue hx die Erm belief tiwc it was- day j tor B- 2* C 18 ) they would 5ee and feel th;- warming effects of his pow- er, which God hath given him to distribute fur the com- liiitand prefiervation of his creatures ; -for without the warming beams of this great iuminary nothing on earth ' ould live ; yea, the earth would be immediately barren and stripped of ali her precious fruits — nothing on earth can be brought to perfection without bis warming influ- ence : yet God allows it to rise and shine on the evil thuigs of this earch, both of men and beasts, as well as on the good. But remember what 1 said of the wonderful love of (i(jd in this one great providence for our comfort in this life, for was he to take this o!ie blessing away, how quickiy should we all perish. Rtrmember also, that v* e should thank him, not only for this blessing, but for all 'OLher gins he hath s-o freely bestowed on us for our com- forts in this life. Let us be humble, and come before him under a sense of his loving kindness and providence mail the lawfvd enjoyments of this life ; I sa\ , let us all come '-fccfore him. with true thanksgiving a,nd praise, not only with our lips and mouths as the wicked do, biit as being sen.-vible of his loving kindness towards us — let us all thaC have i^een partakers of his blessing give hiin all the thanks and praise that can be given him by his angtls in heaven, and his saints on earih ; vea, ten thousand times more then all can give, for his gooduess is be}ond our expres- sion, and h\' mercy !~j' yond our uiteianc • But by thistirne, my dear children, you may want to know bv what means vou will or can know when the hea- venly angel appears, in order to lead you out of Kgypt, or vour second station, to be your guide irLto the promis- ed land, the fourth st uion, or into the kingdorm of God, %vhere rest and peace is amongst the inhabitants thereol.— Well, you may observe that I h.tve given the plainest comparisons that cari be given — that the light which is called div, and which spreads itself over the face of the earth once in tventy-fo'jr hours, cmnes from the Sun ; "Hhich our gr icioLis and merciful God has placed in the firmament of heaven, to give; light and wannth to all things moveiiblc and immovable ; I s-ay the light c/f all other things whatsoever is derived from it ; for even the light which the moon and stars appear to give.^ comes from the sun, and if It was uUwen away thsjir iigtiS-'woulc ( 19 ) fait, and darkness would c >ver the f;ice of the em'th ^ aud as no light can be called day, except what conies trbin the Sun, wliicli Gq4 has pliced in the firmament of hea- ven. So is it with respect of the internal light which en« liglkteneth every one coming into the world, ana every sparksoftrae light enlightening the eye of our understand- ing, comes from the lovely Son of God ; for none can give us any particle of the saving light of salvation by their own wisdom, for if any an^el or man have any of this saving light, they must receive it from the Son of God, as the moon and stars receive their light from the Su'i, before they can cause it to shr->^. on the chil^dre.n of men, because they are only the instruments appointed by God to spread this light on earth for the benefit of meuo I now will request and advise you to enter into a Sf)*- lemn silence, & wait before the Lord in sincerity, breath- ing prayers ; 1 do not say in words of the morud tongue, but in the language of the spirit, and with unfeigned de<5; sire, that he would please to give you a true understand- ing of his divine Son, that by the light thereof you might see the coming of the angel, which he hath appointed to be the only guide to lead his children out of the house of bondage, even the bondage of sin wiiich keeps many the servants of iniquity ; and svhilst in this state are without the love and peace of God, aa4 strangers to the kingdo^n of heaven ; in this captivated state should any die, they could never enter into the kiagdomof G-od. But us the Lord heard thesighirfgsand groanings of the children of Israel, and sent Moses to their help and deliverance, so he hith-heard our rsighings, groaaings and mournings un- der our heavy burtl>en of sin, and hath sent his angel with the offer of salvation to all that are or have been, and he will send him to all that will he reatter i:)e born, and will fall under the cajHivity of sin. But when the heavenly messenger comes;, he appears so small vrxt many will not know hi n. It is now with manl»ind as it was in d^ys of yore, for in those past days the people saw his bvxly, but they knew him not;- and it is said that he was in the world, and that the world was- made by himv ypt tiie world knew hi nv not.. Pcrhap^^ iivy dear children, ya^i-nav yet .Te at a loss; sifser all uighq- piam co-iw^m\5G-a% aad oi^aj woatkriiiiv? he C 20 ) Ca>x be in the world and the vvond not know him. But this means his spirit and not that body which was crucifi- ed ; his spirit was in the world from the beginning and will be to the end — it was in' the world, long before the Virgin Mary brought forth that child called Jesus — it was his spirit which came down from heaven, that saved and kept that man we call Jesus Christ our Lord, from all sin : and the same spirit gave Jesus Chnst power to do his father's will, by doing which he was kept pure from all transgressioiis, tor this cause his father gave him honor above ail men, a name abov e all others in heaven or earth, for he is *h>. Saviour,, and there are none beside him, for if any of us are saved from our sins, it wili be by the power which his father has given him- In order that you may come at once to the true knowledge of Christ, I will tell you as the Lord hath shewn me : the world or Egyp- tian state is this ; ail who live in a state of sin and have not been brought to such repentance, that they need not repent again ; true repentance gives people a concern to know how they shall, or by what means they can be forgiven and saved for their past sins, and how to be kept from it the remainder of their days. I5ut all who are strriHgcrs to .this humble concern for their souls' salvation, liv^, in sin, love to do evil, or. take pleasure in their sins or those of any other persons, are ail of the world— not of Christ — they are spiritual Egyptians or heathens — >uot Ciiristians, but members of the world— -but not members of the kingdom of heaven. 1 hey form the sinful world^ yei '* God so leved the world, that he gave his only be- gotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everhisting life." St. John chapi. iii^. 16th ver. It is everlasting life to knov/ him, •■' ior God sent not his Son into the world to conds:mn the world ^ but thatthe v/orid thro' him mignt be saved," ver. 17", that is,, by believing in him ; but all who will n«>t believe in* him- cannot be saved, unless they repent, believe and re- eeive him, orjelse be conJen:ined ; for the light is come into the world, yea, the lig;nt which shines from the Sori of God, as the dawning of the day makes its first appear- ance in the ii.a3t early in the morning, before the Son can fee ^iszliiCa. riie reasoathat tko*^^- wh/>- ar^ rae'.rih'ers- of. ( 21 ) before them, even unto th'-n;- but they love darkness more thin li^ht, their deeds are evil and take deligiit in them, so that when the light conies from the Son of Cjc^ to save them, many act like one who is recorded in script,^ ture, and had the oBer of eternal life on condition he would part with all he had, and distrib ite it to the po3r, and to go and follow Christ. Kut unfortunate was that rnan, for he loved the things he had in pos*3ession more than the Lord ; therefore instead of belie\ ing Christ, ta- king up his cross and following him toth« promised land or life, he left Christ and went away sorrovfui ; this is the case, his been andrwill be with thousands of my fel- lowcre.itures, whoareiapossessioaofthe fruitsofthe flesh, yet many of them pretend they want to know what they must do to attain this life ; but when Christ, the light^ tells them, instead of following his advice, they often go away without taking up their cross and refu«ie to follow •iim ; for they are' so much delighted with their possesjii sions, that they will not leave them, although the light makes itself manifest to their understanding, that they must part with all the fruitsofthe flesh, otherwise they cannot receive eternal life. I wiil now tell you when and how this angel makes his first appearance, and endeavour to mike it so plain that all must know the coming of the greatest friend that ever was or ever will be ; he is a spirit that cannot be seen by mor- tal eves, but appears to our understanding, drawing our minds into a solemn s'rlence, and plainly telling us that we are sinners, that we must do better ; he then shows us a way of doingso, which we clearly see ; we then are bro't by the powerful operation of his light, to think it would be better for us to do as he points out ; yet -although we are thus exercised, manv of us whilst in our sins do not tnow that it is him, whom the Father sent to save us, alid being strangers to the Son of God we are like the rest of the world, although he came into our minds and persuaded us to leave our sinful deeds and go along v/ith him, yet we are so ignorant that we knov/ him not. But such as receive him into them he gives power, and they become the children of God, be they male or fern ile, or of what eolour or nation whatsoever. This is the beginning of his frrit appearance, and all must remember it whether they ( 22 ) receive bim or not ; for their own consrience will be wit-*^ ness against thesn that the Lord did nppe.ir, and oiFered them nt sundry times his loving help — that he did show tnem the way by vv hich they riiight have gone to the king- dom of heaven, and be redeemed from the slavish yoke of- sin, nnd fiom the shameful bondage of ip.iqiiily. But as'' they were loaKn to part with their yjleusing lusts, and would not forsake their sinful ways to follow his convin- cing light, which did at sundr}' times clearly convince thena •f their state and :ondition, and to lead a better life or'^ they would not be fit for the kingdom of heaven, I say, every ont's consciencf Mill bear witness to the truth at the day of judgment, when all nations will meet to be judged, be they of what colour soever, learned or un- learned ; for all those who will not take up their cross and follow his persuading light, which appears to the unlearn- ed in letters as well a? to those who can read the Bible, for they shall all be left vntbout excuse. Yea, I say thar: all w^ho refuse to take up their cross and follow him, thei condemnation will be of themselves ; for none wdll be able to say unto God, that he never shewed them the way that would have led them to his kingdom, but all must confess that his angel of light often did so, but they v/ould Bot go. O ! you that are yet doing evil of many kinds, has not the Lord shewed you the way and necessity of stoping, by convincing you that if you did not leave off and repent before you die, you would go to a bad place, or in other words into hell, where you will forever be separated from God's love and peace ? The thoughts of neglecting his offered salvation will be one mean of distress, such as vve see in natural things, as if a man loses something: valuable by his own neglect, th;^n observe how it frets his mind.-— How much more will this be feltby those who neglect the offered salvation of the Lord. Awake! awake ! aiifl let me tell you what you will find to t)e true, whi:*ther vo.i be- lieve or not, that the Lord did send his angel ih \t voa inight see the way to the kingdom of heaven ; but those that have'not yet seen, the Lord will in hi^ own timf* shovv them. I vvould rather believe vou have all seen, an 1 think it is hiqch time for you to be travelling as fast as nossjhle mm of Eg}^pt, aad go no other way but that vmich ihc Lord ( 25 ) sliowsyou. TVc Isratiites had lo carry rJlthevrsubstanct ?.i.d liccks ^^^\h ihen. cut of Egypt, bfel \gu must kave all yau have ^^oi in tgvpt into >4>} ^t ; k r nothing that is the produce, grouih or'iruits otthialand or of f.ny othercoun- trv shall tver be brcuight hito tht promised land, ior the fruits ihertof are hch , and all other Iruits are unholy ; thertioie none can be adn itted into this holy land unless (hey leave all other Iruits behind thtm ; this is the cross, lo torsake and iiave all the delights of the fruits ol the flesh, \vl]ether they consist of words or deeds, and it must be done before \\ e can enter into this holy land. 1 do rot mean the Iruit vi trees or of cur coi r fields, but the fruits of that corrin.tyble tiee that Satan hatli planted in the hearts of the sons and daughters of Ad»m, which brings sd much sin ard transgression ; and all who will not lor- s^ke the fiuirs of the tiesh cannot be Christ's disciples.—- The fruits oi ire fiesh are fully set forth and named m the scriptures, and vou nia\ find them in sundry plates in that part called the IMeW-Tcstament ; for Christ himselt de- clared what would- defile a man, and that nothing defiled can enter the holy land. Some say they have not beem guilty of ail the bad deeds mentioned in scripture, nor would they be as bad ;is some are for a great deal, lor such a one'is guilty of almost every thing that is bad. — This may be true, but I tell you that the scrip: ures say, that *' a little leven leveneth the whole lump, and that they who are guilty of breaking one of the commandments, are guihy of breaking tne whole." Therelorc do not' de- ceive yourselves, for nothing unclean can enter the king- dom ot Ciod. Here is the rtecessary question you ought to put to your souls : O ! my soul art thou clean or unclean ? and il you will put this close, I think your souls will answer either clean or uijclr-an ; if the answer should be unclean, may 1 tell } ou that th« angtl of God is sent to you for.this pur- pose, to call" you out of your uncleanness, whether great or sniail, far ail the fvuiis of the flesh are unclean ; and they .who will not take up ihf ir cross^ which tfttnieth those frmts, and foUow Ci>risl, cannot be his disciples. Then ex-amine yourselves before it is tjoo late, that you may know \tihethei vr;u are sowing the seeds oi the lie .sh> whereby you will reap corrupiion, *^i^^ s*^P^5^^^*^ yourselvta ( 24 ) from the ki;;)g(lom of hcavtn ; or v. bother you rre sowing to the spirit ot the Lord, by vthich you mi.y rtap iile everlasting. As man is a forgetful creature, and the names of the- diilcrent sorts ot sin, caiied the fruits x)i the rlesh, arei- scattered' about in diilerent parts of the scriptures, 1 will^ here mention some, as related in the 7th chapt. oiSt Mark, 21st ver. Sic.^*"' Evil Thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousntss, wickedness, deceit, kisci- viousness, an evil eye, blaspheipy^ pride, foojislffifess &c. -defiles a man." And Paul Sit\ s in his epistle to the:~ Gaiatians, 5ih chapt. i9ih ver* Jkc, that the iruits of tlie flesh are, *■'■ Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lascivious- ness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, v/raih, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunlvenness, reveiiin^^s, and such like fruits, that thej who do such things shall not enter the kingdom of God.'' Evil thoughts is the first source from whence the above xiamed evils come, and man)- others, such as lieing, false swearing cheating & unjust dealings of any kind, cursing swearing and idle evil speaking, which often provoke otiiers to do the same, breaking promises and covenants, with unmercifulness to both men and beasts, and taking* pride of their deeds in figiiting and beating their fellow creatures, often staining their garments with their bltjod; pinching, screwing and starving those they have under their power, }ea, sometimes pinching them.selves witU hunger rather ttien spe^d a few pence, becatvse the price of what ihey want to eat ordiink, is a little higher than what thev want ta give, but ii they can by iheir crafty lies get it tinder value, or given to them they will not starve; they covet the siibstaace of other men's labour, yet are unwilling to make satisfaction fijr the same — breakhig their covenanis made before God at their marriage, turn- ing their love, (if ever they had any for their wives) to other w^omen, becoming harsh to them and tlieir families ; maiiv Nvomen a»so oo the same and defile their marriage beds vvitn other men, have no r^gard^to the words of their mouths, bein^ as tke old proverb says, never satisfied withtaeir iawffcithusi}an ; , nelih - fud nor fasting, al vays suivmg for inast^^ry, pleading before other people^, ris^f iuty were kind and; loving lo their husbands, boi as soon ? gone arc full of contention, opposing tli^R^ in their con- cerns with obstinate resistance, without considering what the consequences may be, nor recollecting that God has ^.iven authority to the man as head of his wife and family, \^herein he can and ought to mal-e just and merciful laws, and that it is dangerous to resist his power and authority, for they who resist it are in danger of coming vmder that 'tDrrector mentioned by the apostle Paul, in the loth chapt. and 2d ver. of his not ; for did they eat and drir-k thereof they wouid be immediately changed and redeem- ( 27 ) ed from the house of b.md i-^e, and would be brought into the promised hmd, where Christ rules in peace and h)ve ; for whoever comes there comes to the house of God, buiit by his hoh' hands, whereon it hath pleased him to put hif? holv name, that it might be c-nlled the new Jerusalem^ and is very different from the old one built by the hands or -men, of the stones of this earth, in the day of the prosp2- r.ty of the children of Israe^ and was to be^throw.i down & dore away ; even that great house called Solomon's tem- ple, was only a figure of what was to come and be done by the Lord ; who saidof the old temple built by Solomo ■, that. it was to have been called a house of prayer, but they had made it a den cf thieves. It therefore pleased God to take his I'.oly name av/a~y from that earthly temple, and place it in the house built by his holy hands ,• tb.e all liv- ing stone Jesus Christ himself, being the chief corner thereof, and onw^hichthe foundation and holy building are firmly framed. This is the house which the prophets Ezekiel and Micah saw in their visions, and was to be built in the latter days ; it was to be established on the^top of the mountains, and be exalted above the hills ; that is to sav, above every other kind of religion or worship on earth. Accordingly, in these days there are many forms ©f pretended religion, some very highly sat up and esteemed, like the mountains, others less, and like tli(^ bills. But the true and spiritual worship stands accept^ able to God, and will be exalted above them a\l 4 and all people who love God will flock unto it, for a remnant of all nations will say to each other, come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of J\cob. — Here they will be taught the ways of the Lord, and to walk in his paths, for the hiw is known here, and his wo''d is to go forth from this holy place-^r-this is T:he spot where he will judge manv people, and rebuke strong nations ; before which he will cause thepi to bent their swords into plough shears, and their spears inio pl"uning hooks, so that they may not learn war anv more, ■^his is the place where every one set under his vine and fig tree, and there is none to mak^ them afraid — here are no wicked men, nor anv that do evil — here the name'of the Lord is placed, and all who come have to call on it, by which they are saved ; but in calling on his holy name ( 23 ) tViey must depart from ail evil, otherwise they cannot en-* ter, for as this place is holy nothing unholy can come inro it. It Is the delight of the inhabitants of this holy place, to call on the narae of the Lord — there is no bloodv wars amongst thetn ; here they are restored to the image of 0^>d m which man was first created and oioathed \ righteous hrotb.er Abel,. "• if thou dost well shult thou not be accepted r'^ that is to sav, if he would refu&e to do evil and learn to- do well, he should be accepted as well as his brother Abel ;; but Cain turned himself frora the covmcil of the Lord^. and took couticil of the wicked one -vho was a murderer, and by his advice Cain rn.ide war and' slew his brotlier, who died in,righteousness, whose blood cried unta the Lord from the ground, and caused the Lord topranounce a.curse from the earth on Cain, which had- opened heir mouth to receive Abel's blood to bide it from his wick- ed hands. Here is the beginning of w^ir and murder 5; and by this same counsellor who caused Cain to slay hisr brother, it.is carried on to this day* After all, notice the. goodness of God^ — although Cain had done spwkkedlyf,. yet the Lord did not want hiia slain, but. put a mark oni him to prevent any from taking away his life, yet he'vv.7 3 to b^conis 4 fugidve. and^ vagaboml in the eardi*. H^ c ^- > then wenl from the presence of tae Lord, and made \in cjweiiiiig ill t ue iaad ot N .ere theiujuse of God ne- ver stood- nor never wtii. ; bay,.nouGe tne goodness of God tovvards this poor wicked man, in o rati r to spare mm Uijtitl iie'*w.oa;d sead^ nis- mercifiii aagel to call hini to re- peiitiui.eyik oring him out oi nis secoad K^'ptianustate, in which he vv us .n!.ered^ ife i.ave un oppoi tuiiit\ o^ receiving hi;a vthom tile i.ord . au promisi; a to^t-nd, vvn-. &e c.dy was- to oc aftfiei ?eed or the vvoiiaa, out-iis spiritof Gud ; ik wastocoinetosevk c^ sa'^e po riost men, on condition taat they wuuidjxceivQrhim i^.: open their iie arts, wiili mvitation b^' pray -..r lor the Lord t*> eunitintoihem & aup-^viththem, thai tMey nught be forgivea aad oe made welcome to sup v/^ith him^ uii pirtuke of Uic parical la no bro nijlit by him to kee rhe Lord's passover ; to enable them lo prepare for tiieir reinovd out of Egypt their seeondotHtion, and begii the third \v%ich mu^t be linished before they can come to the fourth station ; where they are restored o the ffr^seace td" Go {, whici> iri^y had nut- seen since they iirst ^ had departied from it. A-id, as i>e{ore mentioned, lest Cain should be sluin^ (a:cr.i)''he jus-ly deserved itj k piea^ed th<; Lord to put a ii*.irk on him*, that he migiit be known by ail living ; to prevent them^from killing- nim OF,any who hadni* mark, the Lord said ihat- ^ vvhose<:ver slayeth C in^ vengeance 9hewith tho- iiiurk^, s-^ uik. posterity or children are marked wuh die 6Uinc mark, ikaddesiiis iorbidden slaying^ any Oi thcm/.io' only themoutall wno are iuthe spirit ot war 6l hioodsaed, u-ither by practice )r jvistific ition, meanso^ to tneiiesh and are to reap corrapcion, /or itis die portion alotted to then who die m tae. titid that brings trte briers and thorns af war, which tear aad destroy ttie bodies oj men either by oiFence or defence, and bring sach caiami-» ^ies a'iiong the children of oi.^n,. After Cam hai received his nark, and the. Lord hadT declared, that seven fold vengeance shoLiid be taken oa those who woaid be so presa npcuods as to slay him, or anv that had his mark, it appears that men feared the Lord so mach, that there was no snore war nor murder ; &)r they dreaded the pnuish neat promised by the Lord, I say, that for four ireneradons-tiere was neither war nor bloodshed, of vvtiich we hac^e an)' account left on the re- cords of that ancient book called the Bible, in which all scripture records. are kept, and. might serve us as a look- iflg-glass by which we nugat see oar own faces, and know what mark v/e. bear, for we are ad marked, either with Cain's mark, wrdch inaki^s us known to belong toliis family and driven fromlhe presence of the I*ord j — or else we have that n^ark, which Christ said, uhat ay it all mea should know them to be his discipies,, th it is his foUowers who have followed his angel olu of spiritual Egypt, and the bondage of many sinfal lusts ; and oy this angel ofT grace redeemed from. their Egyptian, desires*. As a rewardT for being. obedient to the guidance of his holy angel, it has pleased ciie Lord to give them- ids owa mark, whicl^. is- his love j, ev-n a. measiire oi'tliat. lov-e. which Christ. hirasel£ was.- marked, with,. alLwaoiiAve it. are returning; unto Id m who is king anl. governor of the promised Imd ; where lie rules ail his marS':;d.sa'>jeots ;iv l'i\y and'peacej tliere is^ no war in. his little flock— ii is. a little ^ock i^ eoiU£ari3i>4^la4hose. wha.ani. a:^r*:ed with, tiie spirit of i^rsLT ; and perflaps tTicre is a thousand t(y One wiA fh# iDd. k ol ihi^ dtsiro) , > , where ihePe is on^ marktd wiib the pure love ol Gud, which is Christ's mark, and are redeertied by tiaving coatimied in iheir Lord's word until they kiieu' itie trutn, and the truth hath made them Iree^ from he slavish yoke which remains on all Cain's family, hvery cue satying bis i iloxv-creatures unde ^ood.— Who are those who go to war without putting some trust in the arms of Qesh, which will bring the curse ol God on them I It is written " cursed is the man th:it maketh^flesh his arm, whose heart departeth from the living God. . it their hearts were good and right, in the sight )t the Lord» he would not suffer them to be tormented with the plagnes of war ; for when men's ways are in the Lord, he maketh even their enemies to be at peace with them. But Cam s family being full of evil, although they bring their offering, thev like their father's will not be respected nor received they are the fruits of the earthy and God cannot have any respect to these earthly-minded offerings, which praise him in,v^ord with lieing tongues, and deny him by their wicked and bloody deeds— following the exam- ple of their father, who- left the ways, advice and coun- cil of the Lord ; and v/ent out from his holy presence into Ihe land of Nod, in whose ways God has no pleasure. Christ never gave by word or deed any example of de- stroying men's lives, but to the reverse he said, that men did not know of what spirit they were when they wanted »ien killed; he further said, that he did not come to de- stroy men's lives, but to save them — th's he truly mani- fests, by reproving Peter for cutting off the ear of the high priest's servant. Thus ydu may see that war springs from the wicked whose ways do not please the Lord ; far this cause he suffereth them to torment each other in the calamities of war, which would never have been the case if men would walk m the love and fear of God, ^ God foreseeing that the Canaanites would not walk in his love and peace, but in their own ways, and chose to follow their evil hearts, and delight in fulfiiling the lusts of the flesh ; he said, " that there s-hould be wars and rumors of wars," for he knew their wickedness would bring these things about. And because the Lord foretold thsm, the .deceiver make bis followers think and believe itishonor,» :,bk and right to fight ajid die iivthe field of battle 5, bul ( S4 ) tliey Viave forgot tliat they are hose who are to hnve strong. 1 dciiisioas to believe a lie, and tliat they may be damned biicduse they did not, nor will not receive the love of truth. Let us no-v turn and see Vvhit the scriptures d/cLire, and it will appear that from the time of Cain's killing Abelf '■' there was no more war for four generations, for men so mach feared the Lord that none were so presumptuous as to commit so horrid a crime as to murder a man ; but in the fitih generation there was one found by his own con- fession, who declared that he had killed a man to his owii wounding, and a young man to his own hurt, it appears thathe dreaded vvhat was justly due to him for doinj^ what he was forbidden to do, and by his own confession was al- ; ready wounded and hurt ; yet he dreaded something still greater than his v/ounds. Such is the case in this age of the world, to many who are wounded inthedi eadful field of I war and bloodshed, to their great hurt. This is not all.: their misery — they are like Lamech, the first man of the fifth generation, who paid so little regard to the threathen ing word of God, that he slayed a young man of Cain's family, to his own wounding and to his own hurt ; yet it appears that this was not all, he dreaded not only the seven fold vengeance, but the seventy-seven fold; and if one fold was so heavy on Cain as to make him say that his r-i punishment was greater than he could bear; how must ' have been the fears of Lamech the second murderer, who : knew that vengeance would be taken on him seventy-seven fold. This curse has remained from generation to gene- ration; \ea, even to this day, for if any of Cdn's family or kindred are slain, the remainder (tho' it be tvventy or thirty years afterwards, if it comes to their knowledge) will require vengeance, and if possible will take- it seven- ty-stven fold before they will be sati.sfivd, and if they can- not revenge themselves on the actual slayer or mnrflerer, they' will the first opportunity take it on his children ; even those born after the fact v/as committed. For the truth of this let us consider on the great revenge hnd up in some American breasts, which will not fully be done away in the present generation. If God j2:ives a seven fold vengeance on all who are guilty of slaying any who have Cain's m -rk, although it "be in the field of battle j if any one is killed^ he is slain ( 55 ) arc! nviirflered hv the sword or weapon of the slayer, evfn itit be by the agreement and •.,ppohument ol the rulers of the lard ; yet he who shtyshis leilow creature is guilty of manslaughter, and if ibund guilty by the judge and jury cf heaven, he \% iU not escape vengeance ot seven iold, it he escapes that cf seventy seven ; for it is him who dared be so presumptuous as to rob God ot his fruitiul field, m which he purposed to sow his holy redeeming seed, by which the poor Cainites might have been saved, ahhough God had not y^t prepared this part of his field to receive his seed, but remained in its wild growth, like many parts of our Unds which we have not yet made ready to re- ceive our seed of wheat, corn or any other grain. I his land we have bought with our money, and intend at a future day to make ready to recei\ e seed ; but it any rnan takes away this uncultivated land and rob us of our just ri^ht, although we had not yet spent much labour to make it tit for our use, but did intend to prepare it at a future d^iv, would not such robber offend us ? O yes, you know- that it would offend us very much to have our rights takea away by anv man who never laboured for it, nor had any just right to it. Consider what law-suits and trials in court there are on these occa'^-.ns. You all know that if anv man tries to injure us this way, or robs us, we can- ijoi be reconciled to such a robber, until he restores us our land and acknowledges his transgression ; we would thea hi'.rdh be satisfied, but would in all likelihood waiii some- thing more, for the damage d- ne unto us by such robbery ; even after all this'we could scarcely be as well satisri'. d with him asifhehadnever committed ortredsuLhrobbeiy- Of ali the children of men, many are what may be called the Lord's unruhivated ground,'andbringonly the second stationary fruits, which are wild and hinder ihe growth of the good seed of God's love, and which the Lord may not yet h..ve sowed in their hearts, but he may intend to send the cuhivator to prepare them for the reception of his seed at some future time. Soiiie may say that all who are killed in war is done by the foreordioation of God ; if so, no man can be blamed far murder, and God must bear the blame if there is any, and all mtirderers be innocent; for in manshvighter ihey Oiily do what God has ioreurdaiiied thera to do. Tiiis i» a dangerous if not blasphemous doct'ine, and I can tell ^H "who hold that opinion, that it is dangeroas for a man to accuse his king (who is but a mar.) oi partiahty or injus- tice ; how much more must it be tor mortal man to accuse the holy one of heaven, cf being guilty of foreordaining and appointing ni«n lo do such horrid and wicked crimes; for if God has foreordained and decreed it to be done, he alone must be the faiher of these horrid crimes, and the man who commits them must be innocent—he only does what God has foreordained him to do. But my dear children, I pray you all to shun the very thought of such' a docrfne, it is but the charms ot Satan which entangles so many thousands of people, by which ihey risk their future happiness — living in this world in their sins, without re- pentance, without redemption, without regeneration, and without being bom again ; for, say they, God's decree is^ past, our lot is sure, and no alteration can be made ; for if we are of the number of God's elect, do as we may all will' be well, and our trying to live a righteous life will do no good. Under this opinion the Devil beguiles them and makes them lay the fault of the^r horrid murdering and adult€rous deeds on the pure and holy God, who wili judge and give judgment on them according to their wic-' ked deeds—even the deeds of manslaughter, which robe IjoA ofpartof his field by killing uncultivated men, who had not received God's seed, which hinders the Lord froni^ sowing his seed into their hearts. All who are thus slain die without the peace and love of God, and without any ti''ae hope of salvation. But how will these slayers and? robbers reconcile them.selves to God, after having destroy- ed men who had Cain's mark, which was purposely put on them to prevent all others from killing them; knowing the^^re the work of God's hands, made for his own glory, that it might be prepared as a ternple for the Holy Ghost to dwell in at a future day ; which work the Lord has not only made, but has sent his Son into the world to renew hib iawiul right, by suiftring death in order to ransom these poor creatures, and by the price of his precious bloody paid as a purchase contract, by which men might knovr ti».ti the Lord has the w'hole right ; and if by these two titles God has a right, then they must all belong to him, whtdier they are wicked or ughtcoust What man on ( S7 ) ^arthhas any right to destroy the inheritonce of^ and destroying that body he had ma<:le to sow his precious seed In ? Think on this O manslayers before it Is too late, for if you are found in this sinful practice at the hour of your death,- yoii vili be found in your sins at Jthe day of judgment, for which crimes Christ "will pro- liounce that eternal separation between you and his fol- lowers, who are the children of peace and love, w^hom €^od will place on his right hand with that glorious call, saying, '' come ye blessed of the Lord, enter into the joys «f your Lord, into the kingdom which he hath prepared for all who followed him out of e il." But wh twill the Lord siy unto you, ye manslayers ? who refuse to foilo>v him in the way of salvation; an^ «huse the way of destruction where you are found with J^ixlii^s mark, which will be a wiiuess against you, aiid by D ( 38 ) wnicli the Lord will separate you from his shec||^ arid pl-ice you on his left hand with the rest of the goats ; you are not his sheep, for they are marked with the love of God, of which you are strangers in this world, therefore you will be strangers to his happiness hereafter — where ^ you ^^ ill be made acquainted ^\ ith that eternal separation Avhich God will make between his sheep and his goats, , which goats you are, as long as you are or remain in Cain's mark ; the Lord will say to you, " Depart ye cursed iir^ ^ to the everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his ajt- gels." You will then be convinced that you never had >any right from the Lord to kill or destroy your feliovv-- creatures I will now leave off by telling ycu, that he who leads you into war is not Christ the king of peace & love, btjt an antichrist, who has and will deceive all but the elect of God, who are the Lord's sheep, and there , are no others that are his sheep but the elect, who have Tt turned from the wilderness of sin to the great shepherd ard bishop of their souls, vv ho is king of the holy land. Let what I have already said and written satisfy you^ ii-5v~dear children and others, as a sufiicient testimony , sgainst war. But after all, should any be left in doubtis whether war is justifiable by the Lord in his gospel dis- pensation, I pray you ail to walk in the path which, I, your father, did in the "beginning of our American revolution, at that time I was like many others, who hear the scrip,- , tures sav, ** that there should be wars a"nd rumours of wars," but did not know whether it was right or wrong . for the foilowt-rs of Christ to go to war, fight and kill . their fellow-creatures, or not ; but I sincerely desired to know the truth, so thcit I might be made free from sin- nirrtr ag.ninst God ; and I heard a voice say that " there W5^s no fighting bread liowed in the gospel as from the Lord." This voice gre:.lly concerned me to know the truth, for at that time I wanted to please the Lord, by doing what Avas right in his sight,. To obtain this know- hdiie there was no safe dependence to.be put in man ; but the Lord shewed me great mercy, and gi.ve me to under- ■, stand hat the true knowledge was with God, and he covild and '* ould gh^e it to all who truly desir'ed to^find it. The way I ?ock was to walk in the path of praying to God BJghtand day to let me know the truth, as truth dwelleth ( 29 ) with him ; whether war was rijrht or wrong. I also gave up much of mv thne in searching the scriptures, with prayer to God that it would please hhii to give me the true understanding df them, that I. might know what to do or leave undone. It was a trying time to r^e, and what made it more so, were the preachers of tiat day who iustifled the shedding of Wood in a defensive war which thev pretended they were fighting; and that all who went there were to fight the Lord's battle. ^I hese being men of learning, and I hut a poor ignorant and almost unlearn- ed man, -you may be sure it increased my troub.es ; be^ sides I was threatened for not joining thf. warriors, oUt for all this I could not be brought to forsake my path m ?)raving to God that it would please him to give me what i desired more than gold. After travelling in this man^ »er perhaps more than twelve months, I was lavourea c. the Lord, and came to the desired e.d, where it pleasec- him to give me the things I had so long sought for ; my 8oul was then satisfied, and I hope will ever be thankful to him. His gifts are so firm that all the antichrists can^ not lessen them, any more than they can lessen God ir> his kingdom. I could bring a multitude qf texes trom the Bible as witness, but the Lord, the giver «ilight ^nd life, is the one to depend on, and apply to — ^hiiri who has visitod you in. the secret of your hearts, even him whom- the Father hath sent to redeem all who will receive him, and give themselves up to his government, whilst in this v/orld. But it is in these days as it was in those past, lor the scriptures Si«f , that he was in the world, and the world knew him not. I am now come to the place where I can Inform you^ • how you may know when the delivering angel of God co.nes to save you who are willing to receive hirh, or to those who are not willing ; for he will come and appear to all, that all mav be left without excuse ; those who re- ceive him, to them he v/ill give'pow^er to travel through the diife rent stations, and become the sons and daughters of God. But they who will not receive him by his coun- cil, j^re the enemies whom the Lord will declare that they would not have him to reign over them, and his holy pre- sence will slay them ; whi^e those whovreceive him will be called to, the joys of their Lord, Remember the words I said *h?it be was in the worla and world knew him not.— Remember also, tluU ihe fccriptures say, ••' that to kn"ow i him whom the Father hath seni is etermii life/' In order ^ that you may know liiiti hereafter, at the time of his com- ing, I will ask you who it was that came to you, not only one time but many tinres, and talked with you in the se- cret of your hearts, when you vere alone or by yourselves, sometimes in one place, and sometimes at another ; when some power you did not think or, drew your minds into a solemn silence — began to think on the state and condi- tion ofvour souls — of dying, and where you w^ould then go to, whether loheaven or hell, should you die -nyour pre- sent siniui state of life ? which I call the second station j did you not h:ar a spirit speak to you, whose voice yoii well understood ; because it told you the truth and you could not deny it ? it told you that you were not righte- ous — it made you sensible that if you were to die without altering the course of your life, you could not go to hea- ven. By this vision, voice or light you saw your sins, or part of them ; you also saw that you ought to do better, ^ and leave yoyt^i; ^sinful ways — you can remember it showed' you the v.avs^'ou ought to walk or. do, with some pressing . desires 1 i to go or try to go to heaven. Lookback, ] and i think you will remember that often times you have- r been thus exercised, since you knew good from evil, t ask you all who this was who talked with you at these so- lemn times, by which you saw that you were not good,<^ . arA ou2:htto do better ? If you do not know, let me tell' you it was thehoiy argel or in other words that light whieb ctHie down from heaven, called the Christ of God, senti into the world by the Father, that whosoever received and believed In him might not perish, but have eternal life. I- 1 will also ask you \vhetheryou did know this holy messen- ger or not, and whether you received him or not? fori know the father of all mercies has or will send him to yoi> all : but i believe that he has by his spiritual voice spokerv to vou ; and if he has, remember that the scriptures sav, if vou hear his voice harden not your hearts, as some did of old, and perished in the wilderness ; but if you are favoured again to hear his voice, I pray you to ob^y"; it, this obedience is the best sacrifice you can offer to the Lord ; but I am afraid some of yoaare like some, of ek' > ( 41 ) t9 whom he came but received him not. I will further ask you how you treated tliis holy one ? did you receive him with the arms of your souis and press him as to your hearts, praying him to stgy with you i was his company sweet, was tre your beloved — did you give yourselves up to him, and did you make or desire to make a solemn co- venant with h m, us a virgin makes in her covenental mar- Tying vow to her husband, by which she loses her cM sirname ? in this covenant did you also lose your old sir- name " Sin ^" did you hear the blessed company which.- came with your Lord say, blessed is the bride of our Lord, who is now married by the everlasting covenant of our God ! did you know and hear that your name was changed, from a wilful sinner to a saint or a christian ? did you feel the sweet flo wings of the love of God in your . souls ? did you hear the sweet tongues of angels saying, glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good rwill towards the children of men ; did you. feel him all lovely to your souls, insomuch that you could leave all things of this world for his sake ? was this feast of love so ravishing to your hear s that you wanted all people to come and taste of the good things of the Lord, Vv'hieh he had given you, and are only to be known by them who receive him ? The riches of this marriage feast the world does not know, they cannot understand them ; the Lord iioes ngt give these lovely riches to any but those who re- ceive him in the marriage covenant, in which they resign ^themselves entirely to him, as a bride to the bridegroom, who takes her away from her father's house, and she fol- lows him to his father's house ; when she came there her . change was so great a satisfaction thatshe would not for all :the world leave her husband, and go back again to live in her father's house, in the manner she had lived before , ahe was married. O my dear children, you cannot know , these things and enjoy them unles you receive the Lord, and follow him into the fourth station where his fatiiCi '5 house stands ; wdien there you shall enjoy more of the riches of his love than I can tell vou of, but this is given ^nly to those who receive and follow him from the land ct sin to the land of righteousness, where the ivieek inherit the earth under them, and the heavens above tbeirx. Mv D :Z ( 42 ) ■ de;^ children if you could ail come and tell me tr^ truth, (as it is in the Lord) that you have all received iC followed him to these precious enjoyments, which he does and will give lo every soul of men, both white and bUck, or of what^vci nation under the heavens, that vvil jrc- ceive and foliow him to the land of righteousness where the Son and Father are both one, and where his fol-^ lovvers are bui one and cun prais:- the Lord tcr his redeeming love ; for he has given them a measure of his spirit by which they love and praise him — here he both shows his goodness and freely gives it to them — it is so rich a jjiwcl to their souls thist they would not part with it for the world, O ! if I could believe that you have all come to these enjoyments, my happiness would be great- ly enlarged, and many of my sorrows would flee away. — But I am left to fear that some of yt»uhave not been kind to my Lord, when he came to you in love, to court your souls and try to persuade you to become his spouse, teil- iiig you he would marry you in the everlasting covenant, on condition you would oniy agree to forsake all your sins and follow him in the way of regenertition,^ by which he would- bring you safe to his father's house,- and where he v/ould be your kind and everiasiing husband. I know that some of you have been almost willing to give ypurselves up to^he desire of the Lord, but 1 great- ly fear that some of you have d-ealed very unwisr-ly with him ; for he came in true love to seek you, that he might make you righteous in. this world and happy hereafter, my fear is that you have denied and put him off with flatter- ing promises, tho' he mide 3^ou sei-ksibk that it would be b'otter for you to agree to his proposals and go with him — that you have looked to something that you wer« not reaJy to leave — pcrh.ips put hiny off with saying in your h(^art3, that after you obtniaed this, or that thing, yoa would alter the course of your lives, and do the things you b'aw by the light of his heavenly visitation, you ought to do, and leave off doing those tnings^ v/hicii ne told you njt to v^o ; and thus I fear chat you have parted v/ah hi n ^v'\3 is tiife greatest friend that ever was ta xhe chil- 1 ■ «• J' .-, f aren of men. ' ^ Co isiier ay dear chil Iren, and all you ojy ckarCbl-* lo^^-crcatarc>, £ov X vvrltc tiiis f;>r voic sakesia th^love ( i^ ) oTGod, as well aa for my dear children ; I say con^idef how danp-erous it may be, if you hiive seiu dwi l^ord aNvay in the above manner, how do you know he ever ^viU come again, for his father has said, that his spirit shall not always strive with mm. Don t you hear hira a^r'm the scripuires, " yet a little while I am m the world ;" after that ''- little while" is a heavenly visuauon^ wherein som mvsend him away wuh flattering promises j but after this " little while," which may be only one or two hours at one time, and two or three at anotaer ; after this if you will not make covenant with and receive him» he may leave you to >our own ruin, to follow your lust- ful desires, which you would not torsake, although on this condition he offered you a certain lot in the kuigdom of heaven. ConsKler what distress this will bnng on those who are so unwise as to deny going with him, when they shall see him in his and his father's glory, with tnose hap» pv souls vvho forsook all and followed him.- Remember that many will seek him after he is gone, but they will not dnd him, for altno' he is a God o( love, yet he will not wai' forever. For the future I pray you all, that it it should please him to give youanother vis^itation, to re- ceive him with all your hearts and confess to hira your faults in sendinghim away before— »oeg his pardon m true humiliation— he may torgive you, it he sees that you are heartily sorrow for ymir past condiK:! towards him, and o» eonditi'oa that you will forsake all other delights, it May be his good pleasure to guide and receive you— become your Saviour, and bring you to the enjoyment ot the happy kingdom of God, where there is noihmg. but lo^e Sttid peace. CHAPTER IIL The injustice of Slave rif^ I will now speak of another evil, which ia tlie unfus^ practice of defrauding mankind of their j'.ist rights and best riches by slavery* ; But who will believe and follow me out of soheathemsb aad unjust pr^aice^ by wiiicfi they live m ia^&avy en ti-^e C 44 ; labour of the poor black peupie, who are only allowed a shaineful and scaiuy portion of boia food and raiment.-— Bv atyrannical yoke these poor human beings are deprived of all human privileges, even from receiving any support or comfort trom ieeling hearts, grieved at the sight and hearing of their miseries. 1 am astonished when I think on my past life, although God is full of love and mercy ; yet when I look back I am filled with wonder, to know how he bore with and spared me in days past ; for 1 was once as many thousands are to this day. VViien I went into this great evil, 1 fol- lowe^d that false light by which so many are deceived, be- lieving it to be right lO do the worst-of wrongs, which I did in robbing my fellow-creatures of the best jewel man has in this life. I was led into it by the wicked Spirit who rules great ; art of this world, for if 1 had not followed it, I should never have bought any of my fellow-creatures, to keep them in slavery one minute UiUger than our law- ful estaolished time, that is at the age of twenty one years, then to be free and enjoy their own freedom. But I bought with a view to keepthemin slavery as long as they lived ; I had forgot the great commandment of my God, and began to eat v^^ith greadiness the forbidden fruit, as far as lay in my power. O ! wretched man that I was at that time, to be so deceived by that unjust spirit which ruled over me, as it does over so many thousands to this da)''. At that tinie I was a professor of religion, like ma- fitr o£ my dear fellow-creatures are at this time, who re- main in their sins as I d\d then, yet they profess to be the righteous followers of Christ, and so did I, whilst I was defrauding my poor black brethren by keegingthtm in slwerv ; ytia, I like many others who are now living, II stilled that cruel and above all other unjust practice, i went to meeting called worship, I sang Psalms and Hymns . I used words night and morning on ray knees, every •lav of the week in my family, which is held as a duty j thise words were called prayers, and I thought it was praying to God— each time 1 went to my table I used words caUed^|.skiii^ a l>lessing of the Lord, that is to say, for the Lord'tbble^ v/h.vt was sac before us to eat, which '^is bauntifid hand had provided for the nourishment of •lit* bodi^s—ufter eaiini^ i ako uttered words, called C 45 ) .thatil:sgivmg' to God for his merciful providence, in giv- 'ill g us such good things to satisfy our hungry appetitts, by which our mortal bodies are refresht;d a?.d strtngiin n- ed. All this hud a very great show ot religion ; \ea, I . did profess to know ttje Lord Jesus Christ, whon[i to know is eternal life — this was only in v^ords, but in works, I denied him, and worshiped an .mtichrist, who deceived . and made me to be as unjust as the Devil couid get me to he; for no robber canbcjiist man. neither can any thief -*be holy. Ahhough a man does not gc himsell and rob •n the high-way, nor kill and take another man's pioper- tv — even if he does not go himselt wuh the thiei to rob his neighbour, yet if he receives the goods ol the thief, knowing at the same time they were stolen or taken away from the right owner by violence, will not that man be judged as. guilty as the thief ^ aitho' he pays the thief sonvesnntaU price for them, yet it will not make him the rightful owner, neither will his purchase make him guilt- less. But if a man ignorant of the theft, was to purchase- stolen goods of a thief and they be found in his possession; if he would restore them to the owner when it came to his knowledge, he would obtain some favour by our laws^ and all just men would esteem him for restoring them as soon as demanded ; but on the contrary if he refuse to re.» store them when proved and demiinded, would our laws justify him ? I think not, but would condemn him to be as guilty as the first thief. Could any just men believe him a righteous man, or a follower of that holy one wha iwme down fron>heaven, to save men from all such ftvilS^ Men areled into this great evil by that deceiving spirit Vho gives them liberty to profess the knowledge of God, and the ^-eligion of Jesus Christ ; but he craftily keeps them from possessing v/hat tl>ey profess, for if I or any other man were to profess and say that we owned all the kingdoms of Europe, would our saying so and profess- ing it make it our own ? No it would not, for our chainry would be null and void ; so it will be with all who p^-ofess - to have religion, but do not possess that which is pure^. to keep them from being spotted with injustice or the un^ justified fruits of the flesh ; for pure religkm is only ob» /tained by those who refuse to be partakers oi the evils of this world-^take up their cross j and fgllow thair,|ioly spU ( 4^ 1 r*t which teaches them to deny all .ungodliness and the world*s lust, and lead them into a holy righteous life.— . As I was led into the abominable and unjust practice of ieeping my poor black Brethren in slavery, (which was my wicked intent to do as long as they lived) by a sel- fish deceiver, so in like manner I was led out of this ab- horable robbery J I call it robber)-, and that of the worst sort ; for if a man is robbed of his goods and money, and has his liberty left, he may by care and industry get more goods and money : but when he is not only robbed of his goods and money, but of his liberty and sold in slavery for life, it is the last and greatest injustice that can be- done to him — he is no more a freeman, but bound in th?^ most unjust and tyrannical yoke that can be on earth. But as I said before, that I was led by a seli^sh deceiver^ so I was led out and redeemed from it by the help of that true friend of man, called Christ the Lord, who opened my eyes and caused me to see my sinful station, alter all my great and godly professions. My dear children, the Lord my God who is king of the holy laud, has through me your mortal father, kept most •f you from this great evil, which was first establised and kept up to this day, by those only who do not keep God's commandments ; for if they who keep black people in the bond of slavery, were to keep without breaking only one •f God's commandments, they would immediately destroy their unjust bouds and proclaim liberty — they would be found on their knees begging God's merciful forgiveness, for all the wrongs and unmerciful injuries they had com- mitted in not observing his commandments. Observe", I have only mentioned one commandment, and as God has given man)'', vou may be desirous to know whieh one I mean — it is this : the Lord said in this particular com- mandment, that thou shall not covet any thing that another is the owner of; no, not so much as his ox or his ass, which are not comparable to his liberty. If all the negro holders were to keep this commandment, all the trafHck on human flesh would fall to the ground and be no more ; it wo|dd fall like greaf Babylon, v/hose fi^ll made so m my stand far off and say, alas ! alas ! and weep and bewail the loss of Babylon. So I suppose it will be with many \yho feave made themselves rich by that shameful trade iaiu- ( 47 ) man flesh, which none but siriiicrs could carry ©b, for «• riehto.Lis man ^vould do so v'ickediy. All people who breathe the breath of life have'an equal right to ireedom, > it uas given to them by their maker— by the hiw oi justice and equity ; ai.d to prevent men from breaking^ this law, the Lord 'has forbidden them to covet any thing belonging to another ; and for their instruction, that they might know what pleased him, he hath given them anoiher command- ment by his onlv Son, Christ the Lord ; which is, that they should do to all others in every thing, as they would oihers should do to them. I take the liberty to ask those who are in the habit of buying, selling or keepmg any ot mv black brethren, who were formed by the same hand vrc all were, whether they, in the midst of their great proles- sion, keep this commandment or not; as they are all t« eive an account at a future day, of their obedience or dis- obedience in keeping or breaking the commandments ot that great pjwer, who is above all others m heaven or c?rth, unto whom every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess— I say, are you who are masters or mistres- ses, (so called by men and the law of our land) wilhngt* have your station changed— are you willing that the ne- groes should do to you as you do to them ? Pause a httlc while, and let truth bear witness. Do I not hear truth say, '' all have fallen short ot keep- ing my commandments, and some have scarcely thought on them— instead of obeying me, the Lord, who made aU men and placed them on equal ground in the beginnins:, to enjoy the iree exercise of their ownselves, as long as I saw it best to spare and continue them on earth. Yea, some instead of doing to my black people, whom I made and created by my own wisdom, according to my own pleasuse, for mv own wise ends, (past the masters and mistresses' finding out) I, that am in authority above all, will call all to an account; truth isxeady to bear witness that some have scarcely thought of keeping my command- ments, for instead of' doing to the black people as they would the black people should do unto them, -if the scale of the times was changed, th. y do as barbarously ro my bla.jk people, as tho' they were not mine and in w .cm I am tbhe glorified; or as tho' they were not to give an ac- count of their barbarous usage to mV people whona I> (48 ) trat^, d'\:d make for my own glor), and placedthem in wij own land, wherein they were my free people to enjoy the fruits of their own hand'a iftbourl-in my own land, which I gave them to be a free nation, as all other people of all other nations are in their own land and countries. Bu't these menvof other nations who were breakers of my com- mandments, were to me as highwayman, or as thieves and roobers,; have gone over my great ocean, and crossed my great seas to my good land.; where they have spread their evils to accomplish their wicked designs amongst my peo- ple — they have robbed and fixed robbers by corrupting the rulers that were over my people, in the land that 1 gave them to dw^ell in, and have caused wars, bloodshed ' and murders to take my people to make merchandise of them — to sell them to other nations which iniquity h&rd corrupted, and to satisfy their own lusts have bought and " put them under the yoke of the most abject slavery, wherein they use them as if they did not belong to me, or as if they were not created and made by my holy hand^ for my own glory. But I, the Lord^ who looked dowa ^ on my people Israel, in the days of Pharaoh king of Egyp^ «nd heard their groanings under the oppressive hand of their task-masters, even I, will look down in my owatime on my people, who are used as if they were not mine ; I^ that am God over all and above all, will look down and behold the affliction of my people, I will not foiQct their groanings and cries, nor the blooery time we sat down to.eat We prayed and gave thanks v tfcese must be reminded of that scripture which says, he that shows no- mercy is to have judgrnent without mercy ; and will be answered with this saving ; depart from me all you who \vorked iniquity or evil, by breaking my com- mandments in not doing to my bhick people as you requir- edthem to do to you, it there was an actual overturn, and the masters and mistresses were placed in the same con- diti9n of slavery they have fixed them. O ! ve white look at my black people, and consider whether they are the work of my holy hands, and. if you think that I, the Lord, made them as well as you, are you not afi^iid to use them as you do ? Look at their garments — look at their lodgings — look at their educ^.iiion— look at their di- e^ and consider if a change should take place, would you be willing to be treated as you have treated theni ' When •' ey are sickly what is the language you use towards •m I How would \ ou like to be kept from the company . . . C so ) of your wives in sickness or in health, and dare not go t% see them without leave, and if you asked for that favour^ be denied for a week, perhaps a month, and when yoa got liberty to go you should happen to sleep with your beloved wife until day break, and the distance was such as to keep you from your master's work until the sun \vas up, or one hour high, and be in danger ei an unmerciful whipping, as thousands have had. 1 hink on these things ; and at your master's pleasure be sold, and not be allow- ed the liberty to bid your dear wife and grieving children farewell ; or to have your dear wite sold where you would not have the privilege to see her any more — your dear children sold and carried captive to serve from generation to generation — to be used in the same afflicting manner you use my black people ^ and for what ? is it because 1 have for my own pleasure given them a different colour from yours ? No, it is not altogether for their colour's sake, but itis because you have through injustice got the ad^ vantage of the'in, and by a corrupt practice and unjust' law, you hold and use them as you do. My people were' free in the station v»'here I first placed them, but thieves and robbers and those who break my commandments, have brought my people into this my country^ Although j'^ou masters, claim my right as if it was not mine, I ne- ver gave any of you the right to purchase and deprive my j>eople of their just right, of freedom ; and I, justice, do hereby declare that 1 never did nor never will give any man privileg-e, by my law under the gospej- dispensation, to hold any of my people in abject slaver)^ from genera- tion to generation ; although it has been done, yet I do not justify but condemn it. Perhaps mv dear children and fellow-creatures, some of you may want to know my reason, for concluding that all who bu} negroes to keep or to sell in slavery for gain, to be as men who buy stolen goods of a thief, or as a thief buying of a thief ; my reason is this, they were .a fr^e people in their own country, under their ov;n go- vernment., and under the providential hand of the great master, even ur.der the providence of the great God of heav,en— they never sinned against his lawful and just rigfit, to any m^n or nation that we can find in all the re- ro'rds^.^his gospcL But coveting nations who wnntJid f 51 ) t^ live rich and great on the labours of others, without making full compensation to the poor labourers, have gone as a thief, kidnapped and hired kidnappers at the expence of much blood, they have brought Africans here and sold them to our Americans, as a horse thief stlls the horse or mare he has stolen. But some Americans have bought without considering who was the right owner, and the thief has pjot his pay and gone his way ; if even the purchaser was ignorant of the theft at the time of the purchase, does his ignorance make that stolen horse or mare, or any other stolen thing, to be a good and lawful right to him after the first, just and lawful owner finds the stolen property in this ignorant purcha- ser's hands I I say does his ignorance make void the first owner's right, although this stolen prop -rty might have been conveyed through twenty diiTerent bands ? Thou must answer that the first owner who had his propeny ta- ken from him, if he ever found it^and could P^|||[|iMi| property, would still have his right reptored to nw^By^ ©ur laws, and all other just laws, with all the increase of those stolen things. This is just the case with the negroes and their present masters, for aliho' the law of our cor- rupt people gives the present masters power to hold the negro(is in slavery, yet it does not make void the fir«t owner's right, v/hich was confirTied to him as a gracious gift of God, and whose name is Just Freedom to all man- kind : it is sealed to him by the ijreat seal of God's '.'ustice to all men, and all who break this seal, break the law of God, unto whom the transgressors must give an account. To prevent m.en from breaking his law, God first^for- bids them to covet any thing that belongs to other men ; second!}', he gives orders for all men to do to others as they would have others do to them. vV'hoofall the slave- holders keeps these two commandments of God-without ..Dreaking them ? What did our Americans fight for, and shed so much of their own and of the British blood r Were the English going to sell all the white inhabitants to the negroes, and if they were going to do so, how much worse a crime would it have been, than for the Araericann to go to Africa to steal, buy, or kidnap that people and deprive them of the liberty they had in their own coun- .tcy, and bring and sell them to be slaves for^ver^ to those ( 52 ) f who are oftexias i.ilramane in their deeds as their negroes * would be to us, if the scale of things was changed ; and we do not know how. soon it may, for the wickedness of our land is great, and we do not know in what way Gc I miv suffer it to come aboutto re vard it. Bat let us turn t :\v of justice which God has given to all men, as just'ruie for them to walk in and live by j no man hath a rig-ht to break this good law, which secures to every man his ov/n freedom ; but any man depriving another by force or craft or by any other unjust means of his freedom, is as a thief or robljer, and all who buy in knowledge are equally guilty. But if any man despises his freedom, and" by mi-sdemeanor forfeits it, and for his bad conduct^is sold for'^atime, according to his transgression, such pur- chasers may be justified in holding him or her in bondage, as long as the time of his or her trhnsgression required it, .^iL^ondition^that they use the bound person in a hu- TrTntv.v^^^iy J [>Qt when the time of the bond is expired, to It I .v.;! a one free, that he or she may enjoy liberty again, By doing thus, the jubilee would be knov/n and under- stood in our country ; but accordinj^to the present prac- tice amongst slave holders, there is no jubilee observed in any part of our country. Further, the negpoes were free in their own country,^ but^for lucre's sake those who l>roaght and sold them here for slaves, w-ere as thieves rnd robbers ; and all who purchase such ufijust merchan- dise, are encr u '."ging he practice of stealing men, women and children, which is a large degree worse than to en- courage horse stealing, by buying tlieir thieving plunder -^it is the purchasers who keep such wicked thefts up, for if no men were to purchase without positively know- ing the property to be good and lawful, all such wicked trade would be at an end. Therefore all the negro blood wlilch has been shed in Africa, to take the poor negroeg prisoner tp sell to this country^ must rise in judgment against all who had any hand in that inhumane trade, and all buyers as well as sellers have their parts in it. Who -cpuld have thought — who could have believed that professors of the religion of Christ, could ever have been brought to be partakers of such an inhumane prac- tice, as to sell their poor helpless fellow-creatures and their cliUdren^^as^oien seii horses aud cattle* These pooi , . ( 50 ) captivated bracks are sold fro.n gentjration to generation, as rf they were not beuigs beloaglng to the human fiiiiii- Jy, or as if God who is only just, would justify such in- humane practice ; but he never wili. Is it possible that there can be any greater robbery on earth then to take a man's freedom or liberty, without his cor^ent or forfei- ' ture, yet the ^ioor negro\ liberty is taken ajvay before he is born, and whilst in his mother's womb, where it is inj- 'possible for him to break any law of forfeiture, or give his jnsent that his freedom should be taken away. God, for his justice's sake, has j^iven the real owner of freedom privilege to travel throi-gh the land of Ame- ric^a, to see if he could find what h^had ao long lost ; his name is Just Freedom, and to my knowledge he has beert .seeking for his lost jev/el more' ^lan thirty years ; axid God has given him liberty if he ;Could find this p- ' " ^.•.veJ, to dtmandit where3oeve4he findsit. It is mere than thirty years since I saw jus/ freedom in the State of .Delaware, Kent County, wherdl lived at that time- it was there where he first came afd made his first dcrat^Jids ^i me,^ for I had purchased t^p black people in tlie day M my ignorance^and when Ibf ughtrthem I did not know , tiiat just freedom had any claii to tliem ; at that time I was ike niany others, who llWlieve have boui>-ht with- out knpwmg them to b^ :stol\ti property ; so 1 bouoht .and gave my money, which ha^ cost meinany a drop of sweat, and he that soid them t^ me got it like' a thief and wenrms way. But when just i eedom came to me, and and what he liad lost m my Ws , he made his first uemand m tne iy of raercy~*fe reasoned and clearly • convincea me of hisjust and lawVlclaiLn-i believed tha^ -, ngnt was ;of me Lord j but a },e made no rash threar- nrngs unless I give them up on|*e spot, I tried to p^ ' h.m ofrannl I e,uid be made wh|.. dthe money ivid ..paid for tnem, hy keeping the™ a^ljired hands for' s/( ma- ny years as wouid pay rae. Th^ I ,ook such unipst means to §.et m| money back, by intinuing the unjast ..practice o, defravimg them uniil j should raake myself fia.e. Looi ,n tilis, and it may prWe as a glass wherein |^ou_ may see »'he;her you do justly <{,■ unjust?y to all men ; VI here I rested n the state of ipju«ice f«r a time, with E 2 ( ** ) a. determination to com ply^ with what I had promised , and it being a d:iy of mcc^y with just freedom^ he left me under nw mistaken notion of its beiing right and jnsl, to keep these podr helpless negroes in' -slavery, until they would have earned as much as they cost me, allowing them '.vages as hirelings from the tune that I tgn feturnins^ from meetiag ; he dealed very craftily with me, like %than the pi^pbet did with Da- vid, who pis<^ed s^ntente against^ hi. uself ; ikuow not v/nether he ever did take,such a tun or* any other person r.s he did on me ; he begiva thus :--Sup]j)ose a man would steel my horse, carry hrn away and sell him, when I missed'the hor^e would Imot seek him? I answered that I would ; he then said, supoose th it I f^und h:m with the man who had bought, Hpa, although ha was ignorant of / the theft, would I not; ask him ho'vV he came by my • horse ? yea< tHats«-'nni to be certain— fthen perhnps the man would tell iiie tha| ^ hou ^^ht the ho|se ofsuchaman, had pal i him and ^i^skpni^, would I not^tel! the man that the horse was mine, /nd that the man le had bought of Kad^t^lea tht horse ff^m me-— that i had come for my ho^^e— a.vd n- i vr^t n i^: 'i -v- ; bu perhaps the ma-a V70 x\4sav that it w.i^/^ard iyv hi n to give up the horse, for by ?rivlag bin u;>lie wo aid lose hi-^ manev, (the man of who'n ,h« boaght 'islng g^ne) a<\d co il.nd tinrjthe man of whom> hi? biu rit h id no ri-iV. t^ s lid h^rse. jNow v/as the layr.v ( 55 ) keep mc ont of my horse, .: . h- '-a. rlenrl^. convinced that I was tKe real ow:,r, .- ' • ..tomm.to- be in ignorance of the there— u. trier. ;; u cuecase close •lo me, whether saca a maa coukI bejusi m keepiag my horse for his money's sake : 1 was obi.,j;ed to uns^ver no,, that he could not be a just man, aitho ni^ ■ ■'i'^ ^aiia allowed him to do so, that he might be muUe s lie tor tne nionevhehad paid for said horse. IhenjUst fre.ao.n. defied with me like the prophet Nathan did with king David,, who passed sentence against mmseli ; he said taat I was the man-the unjust man to whom the Iwot tae land R-ave power to keep just freedom out of his no at, tor my inonev's.sake. This was very alarming to me, know-^ i thaiti had often pubhcly said, that all men should walk in the strict path of justice, and condemned ad who walked in the path of injustice; and now alter all my -preaching to others, and telling them that they must ■\k in the path of justice if they wished to go to heaven, -ul those who walked in the path of injustice^were tra- velling towards hell, to find myself in a state^ of injustice in keeping just freedom out of his right ior ^^Y "^^ney s sake, klarmed me much, as the negroes I haa bought had earned but a small part of the money I had given for -them. Bat now cam^ the trying time to, me to make man- 'ifest my obedience and love to God, for the patns ot ..Justice and injustice were i)oth laid open before me, to- gether with the laws of our land and of grace, to enable <^e to make the choice either of the just or unjust path, ' HI setting the negroes free immediately, or keeping them ?n bondage auv longer. To keep me in the path ol mjus^ 'ice the deceiver raised all his power against jxist freedom, and immediately persuaded me to keep the negroes m mv service until the following Christmas, which was be» tween four or live months, that my business would then better admit of their being sat free. Just freedoni ae- manded that his just right should be given np to hjm on the spot, and without delav ; telling me at the same time that the just should enter the kingdom of he^u-en, but the uni ust should not— that life was uncertain, &c. Vv^he^n ^he deceiver found that T wanted to walk in tae patn x^'. justice, he gave up so long a time asv€hnstmas, . and; pU^d wifehme only.tokcep therrtpae-w^ek*. Xvist ireedoBii ( 56 ) I sounded the alarming trumpet of God and said, that the ' unjust should not enter the kingdom of heaven ; after all '■ the truths of justice the deceiver made one more trial to keep me under his power— to keep me from obeying the commandments of God, in doing to all others as I would have others do to me— the deceiver told me that if 1 gave them up at that instant I should break my promise thut I should be a liar, and that no liars could enter the king- dom of God~->that if I only would keep them one week longer, i could make my promise good ; for 1 had pro- mised one of my neighbours that the negro' man should go th© foUov, ing week, to help him to boil salt— that I m^idc^d tbe salt which I was to be paid for his week's wor^c, i > It the trumj^t sounded so loud from God, that it broke the DcviVs power, and he left me and just free- dom "to setde ihe dispute between ourselves. After that selfish Devil was gone, who had deceived me so long, ^^:Ki kept me walking in the path of injustice, whilst I had ' been telimgotbers that they must do justly ; thus he ha- made me like the hypocrite who had a beam in his eye. and was saying to his brother, let me pull the m.ote out of your eye. So after he was gone, I g<'ave my word in truth to just freedom, that I would give up al; my riQ-l- to him as soon as I got home — by setting the negro nia- and the negro woman fr&ey which 1 had called my rjo-ht and property all the time they had lived with me until then. ^ However, I dreaded very much a further trial, .when it v/ould come to the knowledge of my beloved wife] for I knew it would take her unawares," and what the consequences would be, I did net know ; But God bfolp- .cd me to stand to my word and promise. I'he next m >rn- ing I went for Negrora, (as I called him) and desired my neighbour tosead him home that evening, but he did not some until next morning; I then immediately gave the negro man and negro v/oman a full discharge 'in writing, for them ti) be free from me, my heirs, and'^all person or persons vvhatsoev^r — 1 delivered them up to just freedom the right owner— alter this I hired them both for one mon4:h, rind paid them the same price that I could have hired other hands. Thus I made my promise good tc tny neighSour,'a3 tothe negro man working for him the ibik)waBg w^t-^. When tiie Cod of heaven saw mv ohe^ ( 57 ) dience to justice, it pleased him to restore me to his love, peace and favour, which was of more value to me thaii ' ten thousand times ten thousands of the best pegl^o slaves ^ on earth ; for i would not have given in exchange the ^ love, peace and fiivour of 'the God of heaven— no, not ' for all the negroes on earth, and all the money and other riches in this world besides for which I am truly thankful ,t6 the Lord my God, for his mercies to me in breaking .jthe yoke of injustice off my neck, whi'ch I; (being deceiv- ''cd) had worn from the time I had bought those captive 1 negroes, to the, time that the Lord freed them from un- der my oppressive hand. I ask you all who are m the same state I was in, either !iorantly or knowingly, and who still keep negroes in bondage, whether you know or believe, that freedom is the ., negro's just right ? for all who keep them are in one state or the other ; but I believe that the greatest part of you iHtnow that it is their ji^t right,, unless there become who have forfeited this right by some misdemeapor or crime. I would also ask those who still keep these poor captivated creatures, who were free in their own country before the whita thieves went there, where God had placed them, & where the necessaries of life are to be had in greater a- bundance than in our country, and without so much labour; I say, I will ask them if they were kidnapped by our own people, or by any other power, who by their craft.and sub- iility could come to America's shores, and prevail to cor- rupt our states so far as to set each other at war one a* gainst another, in order to take prisoners ; and to kidnap all they could get themselves by craft on board their ves- sels ; likewise to buy for a. small price all the poor pri- soners, who the blodxl-shedding warriors had taken, being the strongest and craftiest party ; and after they had got a load of us, were to hoist sail and carry all they had thus Icidnapped and bought from those robbing^ murderers, who had shed so much blood to catch the poof father and part him from his wife and children, or the wife from her husband, and the chddren from their grieving and hearts broken parents, who had happened to escape those bloody thieves and robbers, and were to carry us to Algiers or some other barbarian power — 'there sell us to the highest liidder, without regarding, whether the purchaser was a C 5ft ) good man or a barbarian ; if this was the lot of all men and women who justify themselves in keeping these poor Africans in their daily service, where many are used as bad as the Algerines would use us Americans. I ask all masters and mistresses if it was their lot thus to be taken and sold to the Algerines, not only for their own life, but from generation to generation, as they do the poor negroes, whether they would justify the Algerines in the inhuman trade of buying and selling us, who were kidnapped or taken prisoners by bloody warriors, and sold by them for a small price ? Would you not all say that it was very wrong — that you were a free people before that miserable misfortune befel you, by the act of those wicked thieves and blood-shedding robbers, who had not only taken from you every thing you possessed, but robbed you of liberty also, to sell you for life to those who would give the most for you, and thus put you free Americans in thenegio's situation, and be dealed with as you deal with them ? — How wouM you feel if this was to take place ? (and it is not impossible that it raay.^ Would vou not say that it wasan unjust thing for men to rob, steal and deprive neigh- bours of their property, and that all who got their living in this way were not fit to live on earth ? If such robbers were only to take our horses, cattle, money and all our other property, and leave us the rich jewel of freedom, would we not condemn them to die ? and if we condemn them to die who took all from_us but our freedom ; I say, what would you masters and mistresses condemn them to, who took from you not only all you possessed in this world, but your liberty also, and sold you to as barbarian a master as some of you are ? You would not condemn them onU' as being unfit to live on earth, but if it was ir^ " your power you would condemn them to hell, and would put them there it it laid in your power? Are the negroes without feeling — are they void of all sense of freedom?— they are obliged to conceal their sentiments — they dare not speak in their own behalf — they dare not plead their own suffering cause — the law is vanished from them in all points oftheir defence, but it stands ready to punish and afflict them, for the least word or deed they may speak or do contrary to the will and pleasure of their oppressive ■masters and mistresses. O you who justify the unjust ia ( S9 ) their unjust dealings with the blacks, if the scale should be turned over and you be fixed in the negro's situation, would you think theii as you do now ? (if your thoughts are as your words, for you say they ought to be slaves.) Consider w^ll on this before it is too late, for v/e knovr not what sudden changes may be brought about in this world. But you masters and mistresses may look at all these things as impossible, you cannot believe that you can be taken from your masterly post and the negroes put therein. Remember that almost every thing in this world . has to undergo its different changes, even great kings sit- ting on earthly thrones, have often experienced a wonder- ful change — look at St. Domingo — think on the great ^juantit}' of blood shed to gain American liberty — -all this was done to break the yoke of European tithes and taxa- tion, for rather than Europe should have the right to in- crease our burden by ta>fation, America chose the field of battle, before she would wear any longer the yoke of sub- mission. You all knowthertt fs a great difference between the yoke of tarnation, and the yoke of absolute slavery, which Great Britain never thought ofpiitting on our necks; nor do I believe that the Americans had any apprehen- sions of Britain's taking our all from us, and then take us to some other country and sell us for slaves as the negroes are sold to the 'Americans, who are «o eager to buy them, as tho' they had n right to h imanity, or to the just law of God. Do the Americans think 80 much of so smcdl a : part of freedom as thatJbr which they fought, and shed s« much of their own and of British blood, and at the same time justify and uphold the greatest of all slavery that caa be on earth, by depriving many of all freedom, and selling them for life — even from generation to generation. Let us look a little more at the aiflictions of the poor Africans, who were free in their own country — living under their own laws, btfore that wicked trade took place t)etween the corrupted ruitrs of that cmmtry, and the Eu- ropeans 'and Americans, who went there and caused them to lose all and cverv ihing "neir and dear to them ; being tora away from all their near connexions — the husbands from their beloved wives — t!ie wives from thrir beloved Husbands, and ohiidren from their beloved par-nits, never ii& see them again. Tixis is not all, but their last and best ( 60 ) riches are taken aw ay-^the rich jewel of freedom, 4o which they had as just a right as any people under the heavens. This has all been done to them, and by who ^ Why, by those who profess to be christians. After these poor negroes have lost every thing, they are sold for life, and many put under wicked overseers — thiiik on this yc masters and mistresses — think if the scale was turned, how you would like to be dealed vyith as you deal with them who are ucder you— would you thlDJi it was right and just for your masters to use you so-r— would you not think that you ought to have a right to freedom, although ycu had.been sold through twenty different hands, would that make your right to freedom void and null ? You must own that it would not, as you were all free befoie this unjust misfortune befel you, like it has the negroes you hold in slavery as your own ; but God will in his own time plead their cause, and show to whom they belong. Suppose your masters and mistresses were to make pro- fession of religion, as some of you do, what would you think of their religion ?-*-altho' ent has no feel- J ing sense of the negro's misery; that they will not eves give privilege to such masters and mistresses on v/hom just freedom has made his just demands, andAvho would : be willing to do as God has commanded them, bv doing to all other men as they would be willing that men* should do to them in every point of justice f Perhaps the legis- lators in vv'hose hands this feeling power ought to be for i their y/n safety, have been partakers cl the great and un- just gain, made by s mar.y mdividuals in keeping free- dom from his just right ; tbo' as unjust as any robb.ry,it' ; has made them rich and filled them "with still greater de- sires tc obtain more of the things of thits, world ; (whick they must shordy leav^.) la their laxurious -and wantoa living, they must have lost all feeling sense of the mise- ries of the poor injured black people, who are not in as much favour with th«ir lordly masters as their dogs, al- though it is by their labour that both the master and hiwn i" As some of. you 'hav^ sai^ that the negroes were better off than their niastcrs, why do vou not change situation with them, and make a bargain with your slaves to give them up the great house v;ith all its voluptuous- Eess, and you take their kitchen with all its mean and de- graded furniture, such as you afford them for all their la- bours on which you live so voluptuously ? Stop and pause a little, thetj you will be better able to judge whether yea have done as you would be willing to be done by — but I am ready to conclude you are not willing that a change should take place, by which you might be dcaled with as you deal to those you hold as slaves under you* Bat why are you not willing, when so many of you to justify yourselves say the negroes are better off than their masters, for they have no care in providing, and nothing to da bat what they are ©rdered ? there must lis s»me rea* ( 65 ) tons, and'I could teh you most of ihem, but I forbare ; because the kings ot the earth would lathtr keep their king- ly stations than to give them up, and become as their own subjects. Let me teil you all \n iio say that the r.egro slave is better oiTinan his master, to go and enquire of those men who were captive to the Algerines until they were ransomed and set free, whether they would chuse to be the slave or the master ? it may b^ that you can get the ri"-ht answer from those who have experienced both irce- domand slavery, if I could believe that the negro hul- ders were intirely ignorant of the law of justice, I might not have been lead to write this, but I candidly believe they are not ignorant ; for in my observation I have seen men resent the least injustice done to them, although they themseWes were practising all injustices that lay m their power, to such as fell in their hands, which plainly de- monstrates to me that God has given the unjust a mea- sure of the law of justice, which law being placed in the unjust himself, he is bro't. to know what is just and what is unjust J but those who vhave no knowledge of good and evil, cannot transgress nor resent any injustice done to them, for where there is no law there cannot be any law-breakers ; but where there is a just law, all who are under that government are to pay true obedience to it, arid all those who break it, (if found out) must suffer the penalty thereof. As the law of justice is of God himself, lie knoweth in whose hearts he hath placed it — by what means they came to the knowledge of it — who payeth any regard to it — w^ho knowingly breaks it, for God will have a witness in every one, who will declare the truth in be- half of the obedient, and against the disobedient breakers of his commandments ; to the obedient this witness will give evidence in truth, so that the great judge of both th^ quick and the dead will justify and clear them from all penalties ; bat to the disobedient the evidcuee will be a- gainst them as law-breakers, for coveting the lalx^ur of o- thers without making just compensation for it ; yea, this evidence v^ili be so plain in truths that the accused will not have power to plead inn(^cence, or to say that he or s-he is not guilty, for they will know themselves guilty, on whamthe just judge will pass sentence of condemnation ( 6C ) -—for what O man ! thou knowest drcadv ; th|s witnea*-. having at .undry cimes told thee, that thou did not do as- them would oe willing to be done by in many cases. Kemember that all just weights and bailanccs are the JLord s, and that it Js ms delight for all men to keep them • bui a iatse weight and baliance is abomination, in hi.i si^htV VVjiere IS your just weight when you teil a lie to v^ur neighbour or any stranger, in order to get the best^nd oi the bargain (as you call itj in buymg, selling, swapin^ or caang.ng any thing, r God's v^itness knows that thou art the maa or woman, and you cannot deny it. Remem- ber how many lies and oaths you have falsely swo-ra; they must be iaise because you knew otherwise than what you saiaor 3-wore, at the very moment you spoke them. Are you not guilty of this and much more Twhich my God v/iH make you bear witness against yourselves to your con- clemnaiion, unless you repent. and leave off all such wick-> ed practices before the d,w of God's mercy is over with you, who know yourselves guilty of breaking God's law-^ in any way. Is itnot written that '" cursed is the mar wuo partcih man and wife ;" how. many men and their w*ves have been parted by the slave holders ? and is it noi- said,^ - What God hath joined together, let no man put asunder,.' Now God is love, and love hath joined man and v/oman together by making covenants and vows in pri^ vate as well as in puWic, both of white and black people - but bow many black men and tlieir wives have been torn asunder, ?.nd sold far fr Lard,, and not, da the th?n3> he has commanded yoii ; yet yoa are willing to be called christians, allb>i.gh you art-guilty of heathenish deeds, out the iDare.nume of .beins^ a chrkitlan will profit K^T^S^-i^*'^''''^^'''''^^^ ,H^ ei.d af^nme..guiltT,of dd as yott" please, I compel none, but am desirous tliait^ail who have broke God's commandments, should believe^ repent and be saved from all eviU CHAPTER IV. The danger vf bad Cotmseh Mt dear children and fellow-creatures, I must sKortlir leave you all to rt turn to that earth, of the dust of which I was made, congealed together into a little body, and by the wise power of God formed in my mother's womb in- to a body, in which it pleased him to put a spirit, who hath experienced the love and peace of God in keeping his commandments, and the great sorrow and grief, which comes on all v/ ho are brought tcsee their ingratitude to- wards so kind and merciful a God, b)?^ breaking his com-"- mandments ; for what a sorrow and distress it is to those who are awakened to a true sense of God^s loving kind- ness, in his great and good providence to us poor unwor- thy creatures j I say when we are brought to the sight of his merciful providence, and of our ingratitude, unthank« fulness, and sinfulness in breaking so good a God's com* mandments, who can live and be carekss and unconcern- ed for his transgressions, after he is brought to be truly sen- 3ible of God's goodness, and of his or her own ingrati- tude — where is the man or woman truly made sensible of their own sinful ways, that can shun the heavy stroke of: conviction, v/hich brings the sorrow and grief of a broken- heart? if there is anyone at ease at the above sight, he must either have been . healed of his wound by the grace of God, or else he must remain under the heavy stroJke of" condemnation, where there cannot be any ease or pleasure to his mind, before he repents and returns to that gracious God, with.a.tnie acknowledgipent of hfs transgressions^ • — with a humble heart, begging the Lord's merciful for- giveness^lv/hich h&must receive from him before his soul can rest in Christ, or; ba a . true christian. My dear children and oth^rg^; be you aware of bad"^; CGiinsei," and try to shun it h,j. turning yourselves ^^^yz froinJt, f©r. there-is- iK>tbi*?.g^©,cksiigtireua.: .the YipzTj tk*^-- ( 68 ) rattle-snalce and many othtr berpents are dangerous, «iict mostly all people are atraid to be bit by them, because their bites are poisonous, and will kill those bit by them if the poison is not soon expelled b) the application of medicine ; but ^d counsel is more dangerous than the bite of all these ; for h does not only kill the bodies of those who are bit by it, but their souls also ; it was by it that our first parents transgressed, and by which we must all die and return to the dnsi we >vere taken from. It was by thatserpent, which I call had counsel, tnatourfiTstparents ▼'ere bit, v»hile in the garden of God, in whose bovvels we all lay as an innocetit seed ; yet by their being both bit, one by the council of the serpent, and the other by the counsel of our mother Kve, they were both poisoned^ and we were all affected as to our bodies ; this is not all the danger, for munkjndhave two lives, one.. of the body which is visible, the other of the soul which is invisible, and will live in the eternal world with Christ, in the king- dom of heaven, if it is not poisoned by the bite of bad «ounsel ; for all souls bit and poisoned by it cannot live to ^et to heaven, unless it is expelled from the soul by tile immediate application of the spiritual blood of Christ. This fiery serpent will try to bite every soul of men, who have any desire to leave spiritual Egypt to go to the ho- 13^ land, where they may be happy — this is the sei'pent who killed all that are lost, and have fallen short of en- tering the kingdom of God's rest and peace ; there is no- thing else can poison the soul and bring it to eternal death, where it is separated from the life and hapj)iness of the children of God, but bad counsel ; tliis you will all find true in time or in eternity. As you may wish to know how to shun this flanp^erous being, I will tell you by making sim.ple comparisons, that vou mar gatfer v^isdom out of it for your preservation ; but as it is sirrsple, he v are that j-o\i do not despise it, least m isdom shouki forsake your understanding, &be left ia the same danger 3'cu have been in ; but I pvay yon to beg that p»)re wisdom which comes from on high to stav with vou, to direct your understand' ing until you hear my simple comparisons, for out of sim- pli' ity God can and will brinf^ \visdom, and thcr^ is no- thing so. vve-ik hvvt what he can gi\v and bring strength out #fitj therefore i gray- you to liatteatiye*. C 69 ) You have heard that snakes can charm hirds so strong- ly, that they will iiring them to such a cVeUision, that they cannot get away from them, but at Ust fall into their mouths and become a prey to the snakes. Even so it is with bad counsel, he seems to have po vver to charm, and when he nxes his charming eyes on us, and we feel him begin to draw our attention towards him, if we do not immediately strive by refusing to obey him, and cry out in prayer for the help of the Lord, grace or spirit to save us like Peter of old, when he left the shift to walk on the water to go to Jesus ; but when he saw the sea and wind so boisterous, his faith whi9h had given him power ta walk on the water began to fail, and when he found him- ^self sinking, he saw that he could not save himself with- out the help of Jesus ; therefor - he cried out saying *' Lord sav^ne," and Jesu?5 hearing his cry, immediately stretch- ad Forth his hand and caught Peter, and saved hina from his danger. Remember that God's gr^vce is all-suf- ficient to save to the utmost, and that there is a promise given, ^^e believe from God, who will not nor caimot lie) that whosoever calls on the name of the Lord in the day of his mercy shall be saved. So when any of you. fe;;! his drawing charms, in any case whatever, make some impression on your mind or de«;ire, then is your danger ; therefore at such trying times you ought to draw- nigh to the Lord, whois willing and able to save all wha will call on him — there is no other to be called on for kelp, but the Lord maker of heaven and earth, who is n* respecter of persons, but all who truly call on him and' are desirous of his helping hand, to them he will give his aid, be they of what colour or nation whatsoever — with- :#ut him there is no saviour, and whosoever is saved from' %he dangerous charms and bites of bad counsel, is saved by his helping hand like Peter v/as ; and this is the only way we can take to shun and get clear of it. You also may want to know what bad counsel is ;— -it is all kind of advices and persuadings, offered to yoia either externally or internally, to draw you into evil by persuading you to break any of God*s commandments, ©r to do any thing that you know you ought not to do, or to depart from the path of righteousness ; and least any •f yQii sh©;ald. forget this path, aad be iati&sd t^ vr^lh'im- (70 ) the path of sin, I will describe the path or main-road tc righteousness :— rit is the Lord's described path, which he hath opened to the kingdom of heaven, that all the, righteous may travel in it with the greatest safety, and thus he describes it to be himself, for he says, that him- self is the way, th^ truth and the life, and that there ie no other way by which m.en can get to heaven, except by walking in the light of this path, which God the father has prepared for jail the righteous to walk in by Christ the Lord, to the lafid of true rest and peace The brighl-l light of this path is that which enlighteneth every one coming into the world, and it is by it that mankind are brought to know good from evil. Perhaps you may ask me how you are to know when you are m this path of safety which leads to heav.en, and how you are to know , when you are draM'n off from it ? I his is as easily knov/H' as it is to know day from night, or which is the swceiest, honey in the comb, or the strongest juice of rue, worm- wood or the gall of a beef's liver ; I suppose anyrone after having tasted of each sort, would at a word^ay that- the honey was the sweetest. All who do not knov/ when they are in the path of righteousness, may be assured that their way of life does not please the Lord, and th^.tc the way they have been traveiling^does not lead to hesven , for no one can walk in that holy path and nt)t know it, bu£ they who do, keep God's commsmdments, and in doing so they must love him, for which God the father and Christ his son love them, and make themselves manifest, which manifestation renews their love to Christ in such a manner thatit is mexpressible ; this cannot be enjoyed and be .unknown, aiid they who know not these enjoyments, are in constant jeopardy of falling from their path of sin, into everlasting ruin. I pray all who m^y read or hear these truths, which God has given me to write to them, I say, I pray them to awake to a solemn consideration^ ^nd pray to the God of heaven who is the giver of all good, that it would please him to open their eyes, that they might see themseh'^s just as they are, for a man must first see his danger hefore he will seek to be deliver- e the house of the Lord their God, by v/aU:iug inthe path of. righteousness, which th^ Lord has f-ast up for thojie who are weary of sirr, and brought to abhor iniquity ; for although these hive re- turned, and are made partakers of the joyfid meeting—- of the presence of the Father and his lovely son Christ, whos.^ girments are now o be put on ^hem, as tht^. best robe for their accepianc.^'ffmorigst the children of God ; yet ■ths thought of their p^st lives, iu wastiig so m ichofthat precious ume. whkh God had given them for good pur- ■foaes, ia sttch a manaer as thev knew- they had with the ( 72') •wiclfea and ungocll}^, humbles their iTiinds, although the^ knov'.- that God has ibrgiven thenr,- by the iove he hai manifested t<» themin their return to him ; yet it is natu- ral, or in other wcjrds grateful in them to praj his pardor:. and that it would please him to make them pure in heart as lie is pure, and holy as he is holy: — that it would please him to deliver them from all evils, both in words and deeds* As they travel on in this wry or path of ri^^hteousmss,> they are made sensible of God's love and goodness inhi^ kind provideB^, for the many things of this life ; liut above all they admire his lov^e in sending his soa Christ* to save us from the evils of this world, and from the p^un- ishment due thereto. But to bring you to the true^knov/- ledge of the son of God, you must be brought oilfroniaU things that are, or have been visible ; fur they are not of the son of God, but of the creating, making or preparing work of my God. Be not astonished at this, for 1 know thatnot onl\the world, but thousands and tens of thousands of professors, do believe that the body named Jesus — bora, of the Virgin Mary, and suffered death on the cross at Calvary, w as the son of God ; but let me tell you all, that this body was of the visible things of this earth, and that it did not come down from God out of heaven ; therefore it could not possibly be the son of God, b\it it was in truik the son of the Virgin Mary, whom God by his wisdom prepared in her womb — of her own seed, without the seed of man ; for if it had been of the seed of man, it might have been too UTiclean for the purpose God intended it ; biit being of the Virgin's seed he made it ready asi a house or temple for his son to come in, and w herein he might do his will, therefore this bodv being composed of bloocj^., .fiesh and bones, begot of the Virgin's seed, without tlie interm.ixtureof the seed of man, w^as but a visible bodf into whom tlVesnirit sent down from God out of heaven, entered and became the Son of God, and he alone is the saviourofall who are saved — -there is noother beside him — he is called the bread of life, and all who eat thereof 'vviil live forever. But to return to tlie place where I said, that above all things we admire Ijis love m sending his son Christ to snve us from the evils of this world, and the punishment due thereto ; — being made sensible of these great favours, our hearts are fiWed with love and joy un- bpcakable, ef which the world knoweth nethiti]^— •ut liearts are made truly humble and thankful for every thing we enjoy in this life, which are too many for me to €nume'a e — also for that precious gift of faith and true iiope anchored in Christ, which gives us confidence by his manifestation and the overflowing of his love, that when it shall please him (the father of all mercies) to call us ©ut of time into eternity, he will give us eternal rest in the kingdom of heaven. Is it possible that any man or woman's spirit can walk in the forementioned path and not know it ? No there never was any, young nor old that were truly travel- ling this path, but were made sensible of it ; if nothing else would, they could know it by the* glory of the Lord appearing to them, and covering them oil over as the wa- ters coyer the face of the great deep. But all who are strangers to^ this path, and cannot witness the truth o riaese my savings, are either dead or have their dwellings inspiritusd Egypt, and are in daily danger of an eternal overthrow. Havinfij now given you my dear children and others, a short description of the path of righteous- ness, I desire you to walk therein ; far it leads to heaven, where all the righteous are brethren, let their bodily skin be of what colour it may ; they are all lovers of God and iind of each — other they are and will be of one spirit in Christ their Lord. When you hear the Lord's precious voice, persuading you to turn to his holy path by leaving your sins, do not harden your hearts by turning away from his Sweet coun- sel, and say that you cannot yet, but will some other time when you have done this thing or that, or when you have a better opportunity ; this will be found dangerous, as it ariseth from the charms cf bad counsel, for if you do not listen to the voice of the bad counsellor, you will not de- ny the Lord, neither will you refuse his righteous coun- sel — when he calleth, you will follow him in the wa) of goodness, and immediately forsake all your sinful wavs, jfike the sons of Zebedee when Christ called them ; at his ©all you wdl forsake all, take up }'Our crc^ss and fellow him. But the bad counsellor tells you thit you are not ready yet, and tha^it is lime enOHgh, that it wili suit y^u, G ( 74 ) ana your business much better at a future day ; this gen^ erally "happens when young people are cjilled of the L^rd, and are made sens be by his merciful visitation, that a righteous life woidd be the best for them to live in. I say, at those times of God's mercy they would immedi- ately leave all and follow 'the counsel of the Lord, if it were not for listeiiing lo the charms of bad counsel, which makes them think that they cannot t«ke up that cross of going into a sober righteous life, until they get m >rned.. Some of the young people return this answer to th • Lord, that if he will spare them until they gtt married, then they will enter into a sober righteous hfe ; and until then the bad counsellor makes them think, that they cannot so well leave their wild and rude company, l^hi^e as they were in the world before they had these exercisi: g thougnr.., about the necessity of an alteration of life, yet by their refusing to take up their cross, the Lord leaves them ia the world as he first found them ; but sometim.es his mer- cy spares them until they are married, and at their owa appointed time the Lord calls on them again, and p-ts them in mind of their promises — that he had spared them until they h id accomplished the thing they desired to do, before thty were ready to follow him ; but the bad coun- sellor tells them that it is not yet convenient, for they^ must buy a tract of land and pay far it, or b- ild a house to live in, or to accomplish something or other, before they can take up heir cross and follow Christ into a so- ber and righteous life ; ?nd as they refuse his good offers, he may very justly leave th^im to follow their own desires, wherein they most assuredl}- will fall a prey to the bad cojinsellor. Havinc»- given you a description of the path of righteous- ness, I will describe the bad counsellor, from whence all bad actions spring: — It is a spirit which the m)rtal eye cannot see, yet the- righte«-us can see his works and under- siai.d his ways ; there fon- they know ho v to shun h spaths. He works !>uth in ernally. and externally :— in his exter- nal work he bring orth a n^ altitude of evils, by his cap-', tivate' instruments c?\"^d men and women — but his in-' tevT^al mischirf IS 'icne in the minrls of men, by bringing; evil thoun; - i'.tQrheir minds, which iire obeyed by those ! who forsake the iustruction of the good counsellor, by do-.| f 73 ) , ing which they are bit and poisoned, or in other words :are affected with that sinful disease, which will kill them, unless they do immediaiely apply for that healing medi- cine, v:hich none but Christ can administer to them, for amongst all the doctors in this world this medicine is not to be found, but if any are desirous of being healed, they mast seek him whom they turned away when he offered himself t» be their Saviour ; this will make them remem- ber what had past, in and at the time he tried to persuade them to forsake their bad ways; yea, it will make them, remember how foolish they were when they told so good a friend, that they could not enter into covenant with him lintil they were married, ^ot land or hoiises, or some other thing the bad counsellor h;:id persuaded them they wanted, before they could be ready to follow Christ into a righte- ' 4\xs and sober life, as his light had made manifest that it #ould be best for them to do. Yea, when they find the i^ery they are come into, for the want of this precious h':'viling medicine, preserved by Christ for his own minis- tration to his followers ; how will these poor poisoned ! creatures feel, when they see that there is no help but in hi;n whose counsel they forsook, for the sake of getting a wife, a piece of land or some other thing ; and when tliey are brought to remember how many times he had. .led on them to forsaKc ihcir cvii wavs, huu LuCCIHt- righteons and sober, will not the thoughts of their past bad connuct break their hearts ? Necessity will then compel them ^o go and seek the mercy of the Lord they '- -I so long neirlected, praying to him to apply his heal- I 1.15 blaod to theii souls. But how many discouracring !' thoughts must they encounter, and how m-aiiv diincriities V U b:id counsel throw in their way, - by upbraiding them i, w^ith their miserable sins, and telling tliem that God will not have any mercy on them, having so often forsaken his good counsel — what can these poor creatures do ? for if they do not seek and obtain Christ's healing medicine, i they must die an eternal death. How will they be cast I down when their eyes are opened, aiifl see to what a state bad counsel has brought them when thev remember the good olfers of the Lord, to bring them to a righteous life j— 'ivill it not break their hearts and forj^et the pleasure of fWwife, or of any other thing of this sinful world ? AU- ( 76 > they will then want will be to be forgiven for their past; sins — be made holy and pure in he^rt, by which tbey may be brought to see God and have their souls healed. In order to obtain this great favour, they must send a messenger to the Lord, to intreat a return of his holy light — acknowledging their transgression, witb a humble'' petition praying his forgiveness for their past sins, and that it would please him to preserve them hereafter from all sins ; but often this messenger is not successful at first,. and must be sent again several times, during which the bad counsellor will try his utmost tQ discourage y«u from seeking God's favour, telling you that it is only stripping yourselves of all pleasures of life, and above all people making yourselves miserable ; therefore you might as- well quit sending to intreat God's favour, as your sins have been so great by doing many things vou knew you •ught not to have done, and left undone what you ought to have done, that your sins are not the sins of ignorance^ which God had winked at and by repenting of them he hath promised to forgive ; but thy sins are the sins of knowledge and presumption, and they have been so hei- nous that God will not forgive them ; therefore it will be as well to cease petitioning to him, for instead of getting better you get worse — take my advice, eat, drink and be merry — here is all the pleasure you can have — for if God' would have mercy, he would have showed it to you be- fore to-da}^ This is a snare of the bad counsellor indeed ; O ! resist all his temptations, and cry the more earnest, to the Lord, who will in his own good time deliver you out of all your distress, by giving you his precious spirit to overcome the devil, and to heal all your wounds which have become so painful by the memory of your past sins^ But if he cannot prevail in tempting you to turn to youF i old sins, like the dog to his vomit, or the sow to the wal- lowing in her mire again, he will try to make your sin^. appear so unpardonable, that if possible he will draw you into the path of desperation, and by that means overthrov 3-ou like he has many before, who to get rid of so trou-.j blesorae and distressed minds, have made way with them- t selves ; this is bad counsel on every hand, for if one will : not prevail in keeping you from drawing nij^h to Christ,^^ Jie will try another. But if- you want to see and enjoy i; (, -77 ) Gocl's love and enter his hcaveniy kiT>gdarr», } ^ " " • resist ali S|^ch t\*mptations, for they are the snare.. d*ivil, whicli we are commanded to rtsist ; an,ditv he and all his bad counsels will flee away — ^but if we oDey he vviii at last do^^roy us. I pray you all to be on your guard, and resist temptation to the ^utmost of your power — do not fail at such trying * tim^ to send the messenger of prayer to the Lord, with all possible speed, praying him to come and deliver you > from all evil — as this messenger draws nigh to the I?iord* the Lord will draw nigh to you In his own good time, when he comes, your adversary (tho' ever so crafty) will fly away, and the Lord wiil comfort and bring you home ^ to his lovely fold of. righteousness, where there will be more joy over you than over those who never went astray f these are the innocent babes who never came to the know* ledge of the law of God in this world, for as God had not given it to them, but took them away in innocence, thcv could not go astray. Having given you a short sketch of the dangers of bpd counsel, and from whence it Com^s, I will endeavour to draw to a close, by telling you that it may be known only by our watching over the motions and thoughts of our minds, for every thought which presuadesor draws us to eat of the forbidden fruit, forbidden by God in this gos* , pel day, is of the bad counsellor. This evil fruit is ail kinds of evil, forbidden by the righteous Lord>,_ but bro't ©n by the devil; and as soon as discovered by us, we ©ught to cry to the Lord to deliver us from ihe evil which has presented itself to our view,, and from all we mr-y be. tempted to by bad thoughts, for it is the seed sowed by the baa counsellor in the early part of man's days, and has sprung up and grown into so large a tree of evil, jhat its branches have spread over all the nations of the earth ; and no country in this v/orld is exempted from it excent ^. the holy land, where it cannot ^row, nor any of its poi- ^ sonous fruits can be known. It anyVould vvish lo he in- habitants of God's holy land, they must Torsak^ jdl the seeds of bad counsel, or they cannot enter therein ; for fi-xom this seed, (which I call bad t!toughts)^^omes all the sins and evils that man and woman were ever guilty of in G 2 ( 7^ ) this world—this seed has brought into this" world all tire wars and biood-shed that ever was, since the time that Cain killed his brother Abel to this day, for^f this seed had not been sowed and received by mankind from the hand of the sower, (who is the devil) >his world would have been in love and peace withe^ich other to thU day — neither would there have been any evils on earth— all man- kind would have continued in the image of God w erein they were created ; but this corrupting seed was first sow- ed whilst man slept in inito ence, by the enen^y of God into his field, (which is this world, or the; hearts of men women and children) into v/hich God first sowed his good seed, and wherein if no other seed had been receiv- ed, there never would have been any evil deeds commit- ted on earth. O lamentable ! and above all things to be lamented ! that ever mankind should give place for the seed of the enemy of God to grow in them, which has brought forth so much tares or wickedness, which the de- vil, (God and man's enemy) has been sowing into thfcir hearts, and from v;hich all evils sprung from : — such as wars and blood5hed — evil words and deeds-^.dl injustice ——yea, even the evil of defrauding men of their freedom, v/h'ch God hath given to all men under his gospel dispen- sation, for an everlasting inheritance from generation to generation, as long as men are on earth. But how unfor- tunate it is, that men should he so corrupted bv this wick- ed seed, that instead of doing justice to all mankind, they have turned to the worst of all injustice, by making one the slave of another — by the deceiving of the deceiver, th^y justify themselves ig buying, selling and keeping ihcir brother a slave as if he was an ox or an ass, or as if God had made them of some inferior earth, lo be doomed to : bear all the injuries the worst oppressors were capable of infiictiftgon them. Look at their unmerciful whippings. — ^look at their blood trickling from their necks to their heels, staining the groanj;J, who o eneth her mouth td receive it, and to keep it until God sends out his reapers,, with orders to gather up all the tares,, and hind them in.. bimdles to be burned ; — then their blood who had been as it were hid in the earth, shall rise and be brought into : rem^m'^rance, to the condemnation ofall those v/hose hearts were so hard, th^t they couid.not h^ar the prayers an4r ( 79 ) cries of their p(>or aftliaed Atrican brethren; whose paius under th. hand of the cruel masur ur mistress (so called) or the Wbarous overseer, by the cruel use of the cow-sicin or hickory, which pams were two gr.at for nu< wan aesh to bear, or for any man ot grace to hear. Lo^k (undvoa will sec; how many sorts oi tormen^ they make use'of en .hose bound creatures, to gratify their revenge— for what crimes are these afflictions laid onihem? Whv, say they, they are 4asy and do not mind ^ hai IS told to them-titSy do not do the thir.gs they are ordered to do-they are saucy and will tell hes-^areun- dutiful in many .ases-^he fire was not made by day light _ihev did not make haste in feedingthe stock, when they were called they did not answer, and many such crimes ; but the greatest is, the dog (or rascal) had^liberty^to go andsee his wife, and did not mind my orders ; for she did not live more than 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 miles' distance, and 1 was sokindtothe dog, that I let him go once a .ponth, and sometimes once a week, after he had donehisday s ^vork and fed my stock,, which did not take more than one hour last Saturday night-he stayed all Sunday, altho I ordered hhii to be home on Sunday night, but the damn- ed rascal did not mind me, for he did not come home until Moadav morning when the sun was up j nay,Uwa* almost one or two hours high— but I will learn the dog to mind me, and he at home ready to go to work, by day iio-ht, or , t the furthest by sun-rise. For these (so call- edVRTeat transgressions, the poor bound creature^is tied and stripped, to gratify the barbarous heart of an unmer- dfiil master, mistress or cruel overseer, who have ears to he,r, but their hearts are so hardened by the bad coun- cilor that they cannot nor will not hear the prayers and. cries for mercv, of the poor captivated creatures ; when their eyes are 'flowing with t. .rs md their backs tncidmg wiih blood, their oppressors can use bitter words without. compassion. , Stop, and let us turn the scale— suppose that you who are called masters, were to meet with the same misfor- tune these poor Africans have— been taken from your na- tive land'-carried l)y robbers /mto a foreign country, and sold to a master who would deal with you as you deal with . your uegroes, (so called) which injustice hath deuverect ( 80 J into your hands ; and your masters were to dcprivte yfu ofthecompanyofyourvvi.es all the vvetk, or a morjtht and only get the liberty to go aid see th-^m on a Saturday night — that by the love you had for them you should hup"- panto stay over the time given you, one, two or three hours, and for this you should be beaten in -such an un- merciful manner, as some of you have beaten them ; . how would you like it if it was your case? would you think that your masters did unto you as they wc uld be willing to b< done by? These and all other cruelties arise from bad counsel, and will have their reward in time or in eternity — ihis is the wickedness wiuch v dl not go un- punished, whether it is done by the preacher or any of his hearer ; for some preachers come under this desc'rip- tion — they pretend to be christians, and |el] . v opiy that thty must do justly, love mercy, and walk humble before. God ; but they say one thing and do another — they say we must do justice to all men, but they are far from do- ing it themselves — they also say we must love and show- mercy to our fellow creatures, but let us look at their mercy when the blood is .rickling down their poor negro's back, altho' the poor sufferer cries and prays for mercy.^ Let all such remember, that they who do not show mer- cy, are to have judgment without mercy— as they couid not show mercy until they satisfied th< ir outragous pas- sions, in beating the poor negro who had fallen under their power, by the scheme and advice of bad counsvl, Avhirh came from the devil, or his wicked instrument *' man ;" let m.e plainly tell all such preachers, thaithev are ni:be ter tiianAhab's400talse prophets; o. in other words, no better than the ministers of antichrist ; for Christ, the Lord of heaven and earth and his ministerjr, bring forth the fruits of love, mercy and justice, which are uot from the seed ol Satjin's sowing. But the ministers v ho bring forth such unjust and barbarous fruits, are he ministers ©f an antichrist, whose cruel practices gives such exam- ples, that it is liovvoiider that so many of their hearers are so cruel and hard hearted — it is the blind leading tne blind, v,-hose eyes Scitan h.-^ih bliiujfrri by thr contrivance ©f bad counsel. 1 h>v'- been unexpectedly drawn ro write these tl ings» •f which i Irdd no thoughts when i begun to write my ad- ( 81 ) vice to my children; but seeing the danger arising to mankind by following bad counsel, I could not forbare to write this as a caution against it. All I have now to say is for you all to take notice that all bad words, such as ©ursing swearing, lieing, and all other evils come from bad counsel, which I pray you all to shun m time, least you should be undone forever. CHAPTER V. The safety of good Counsel* HAVING described bad counsel, I will mention a lit- tie about the safety of following good counsel, which is necessary for us all to know. t ^i ^ Good counsel is from the Lord God of heaven whether given internally or externally— it is for our salvation as fcad counsel is for our destruction— God first sowed the ' seed thereof into the hearts of men, and there is no real goodness in anything whatsoever, but comes from him. By receiving and obeying the counsel of the Lord we are saved and brought to enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he who rejecteth and refuseth to follow God s counsel and dies so, will most asuredly fall short of entering hvs^ rest and peace in eternity ; therefore I pray 7^^/^^^ may read or hear this, to draw nigh to the God ot hea- ven, the mighty and ^ood counsellor, who will give you all safe counsel ; which if you will receive and faitntuUy follow, will bring you all safe unto the king of heaven, whilst your bodies are in time, and your souls into eter- nal rest with Christ, when called to inherit eternity. The internal good counsel is immediately from heaves, the external is through the Lord's instrument, man, wo» man or whatever it may please him to make use of, by which instrument we are filled with the love of God tor mankind's eternal happiness. But in this sweet and good counsel, he sometimes reprove, yet when he reproves, he at the same time gives us instruction, concerning the way leading to life everlasting. All who receive and obey good counsel are saved, by receiving the Lord Jes'os Christ, who is the author of all good, man alone without bam cannot give any good c#uns«l, altho' many people girct . - ( 82 ) to their fellow-creatures what they suppose to be good counsel, yet if it did not come into then; by tin- gift of God, it is worse than no counsel, and dangerous to re- ceive — there is none good but what comes from him who is the Lord, from whom all goodness flow ; and ail per- sons whose spirits aie not ruled and governed by Christ's spirit, have no good in them, they therefore cannot give it to another before they receive it from the Lord, by re- penting and forsaking their sinlul ways ; they then may be prepared to receive Christ and his saving power, by which they are saved from their sins, and enabled to im- part good counsel to others. By this you may knew that ail external counsel coming from men or women, (unless they are redeemed from the fruits of the flesh) are not fit to be received ; for all who are offering counsel to ethers and yet live in their own sins, be they of what sort they may, whether it is in cursing, swearing, cheating, de- frauding, extortion, adultery, whoredom, theft, or any such things as pride, covetousness, or any thing. .contrnry to the spirit of Christ ; I say, that you may knov/ that their counsel is not of God, and if it is not of God, let no one receive it least they be poisoned, for by this counsel many thousands are destroyed. When you hear any one offering counsel, let their pro- fession be what it may, the first thing you can safely do, is to draw nigh to the righteous Lord of heaven in prsyer Rnd supplication, that it would please him ta reveal to your understandings, by his immediate and secret coun- sel, whether that counsel is from the Holy Ghost or from the 'unholy ghost ; for all counsel is of the one or of the other. Also, by the fruits these counsellors bear you may know them, for the Holy Ghost cannot bring evil fruits, neither can the unholy ghost bring good things'V yet he may by his transformation bring the likeness of good things, and bv this likeness thousands, I may say" millions are decei\ ed and kept in their sins, instead of being saved from them. This is, or ought to be a matter of the greatest concern, to those who would wish to be preserved from all evil, to know whether the coimsel of- fered to diem is of the Holy Ghost, which is from God, or of the unholy ghost ; for if it i8 of the Holy Ghost \t h safe and ought to be heard and received by ail — this Is for our present and eternal vvelt.jre ; bat if k is fVom the unholy ghost, whctner oftered internully or rxiernally, let it appear in what likeness it may* there is poison in it, which ail mankind ought to shun, by drawing nigh to the Lord's preserving power in prayer and supplication. All who ojffur counsel and live under the government and are governed by the unholy ghost, at best are only thieves and robbers, who steal the good words of other men and offer them as their own, in which they put their poison ; for ail who offer counsel before Christ is with them are scatterers, and instead of leading them they coun- sel, in the way of peace and love with God and man, if not with words, the/ will by their example of life lead ' them astray — instead of bringing these poor deceived ones ^ the kingdom of God, they are instrumental by- their xample in bringfng them, towards the kingdom of the de- . il. By the following signs you may know some of these outward counsellors, whether they are of the Lord,, sent in the iove of his spirit, with the gift of his sweet counsel, to turn vou from the dangerous works of sin and trans- gression to the grace of ' ^od, which doth and will te:'.ch men to deny all ungodliness and the world's lusts, to live righteously and godly in this present life ; when you hear any one oflering counsel either by example or precept, fxrst Itt your eyes be opened, and look at the fruits they bear f-hemselves ; and if they bear the fruits of true repentance fo *heir past sins — the fruits of God's loving spirit, which are love to God above all things, and to mankind as being God's creatures — joy in the Holy Ghost, whic.i God hath sent to be our teacher, whose counsel is safe for us to follow in the paths of peace, love and goodnr-ss, and the like fruits of God's spirit are the marks of a t»-ue christian ; for they who dwell in goodness dwll in God, and God dwells in them ; therefore the "counsel that proceed from such as bear and bring forth the fruits of God's spirit, which are love, joy, peace, ^ goodness, faith, meeknes'i^ retnperance, with equity and justice to and in all things that have feeling, life, breath and being, whethtr it be man, beasts or creeping things j for it is as natural for them who are christians, to do justice to all things that are in their power, as it is for a woman to love her first born son. All who bring forth ^Tiese fruits in reallity have rect ived God's counsel, wTvo first gives it to his loUowers, to give it again to all who are prepared to receive it ; it proceeds from that fountain, the water whereof gives life to all who receive it. I pray you all to be on your guard, least you be de- ceived so far ^s to mistake the likeness of things for re- alities, for if Satan can transform himself into the like- ness of an angel of light, it is nothing strange for his fol- lowers to bring the likeness of good counsel, or of right- eous members of Christ ; for they are favoured with the gift of seeing, hearing and of memory, by which they can steal, as it were, the words of the righteous, and aftet the likeness of good words to deceive (if it were possible) the very elect of God ; but their words are only dead "W'ords, and at best like the body of a dead man, who was 4ince active, lively and sociable, but now of no profit t« any one, except it be to the worms or some ravenous beasts. So it is with the words of those hypocritical sin- ijers, who offer the words they have heard other men speak, altho' the first speakers might have received those words from the fountain of life, yet by being spoken by such sinful and poUutted lips, they cannot be acceptable to God, because they are offered by their own craft, with- out the breathing of the Holy Ghost ; for if the Holy Ghost dwelt in them they would bring holy fi-uits, such as love, peace and good will towards the children of men^ with every just and equal things righteeusne;; brings forth, amongst the sons and daughters of men. Therefore look TTfi^n at all their other words in common conversation, ani at the example they set to others ; for the good tree wiH not bring evil fruits, neither can an evil tree bring fortk good fruit ; and by the fruits which those who offer coun- ; selbear, at other times they are to be known ; for it is not all who say Lord ! Lord ! that are to enter the king- dom of heaven, but only those who do the will of the God ©f heaven. Remember, it is not all \v^ o come in sheep's clothing, that are followers of Christ, but that some are ravenous ^wolves ; and Christ has said that they are known hy their fruits, for men do not gather grapes off thorns, neither figs off thistles ; therefore when you see those couasell Liing -^n to eternal happiness. I h ve also set beror^j yo. L dange'-ous ways of sin and transgression, which if|i it is your choice to Fv>'iow against my will, it w^ili most ?/ puriidiy buiiQ you to confusion and death. jj CHAPTER VL Adi^ice to my sons^ concerning their d-ity m & married I'^Je, MY d^ar sons, I pray you all to coRbider what your duty i to wave's you wives and not do like many ofners vbo i' r.-vt ih ir duty to arcls God and man— look at Bu- h and 5 € how unhappy they live, and the miseries that a ^^ oheti broap- t into their t \\ es in this life, for the rant cf ft JUthluI duty bci. IJ discharged by ihe man a» ( s^ ). . eadofhis family. Altho' his familyis small, and may o.t contain in tlip- beginning more ihan himself and his wife, yet there is a faithlul duty required of him ; the first thing is to love and give thanks to CtocI for hi - kind providence, in giving him a woman, who has now become his wife, to be an help nare to lay in his bosom, and to comfort him in the day^ of distress. O my sons i con- sider on the greatness of Clod's love, and his kindness in jiving us a loving helpmate for our glory and our desi- rable delight, above every other creature on earth. i he second step of duty is love and a single kindness to his wife. B'lt perhaps some of you may want to know why we should love and thank God first, for the pleasure we obtain by the company of our wives ; my reason for think- ing so is, because she is a single gift of God's kind provi- dence of man's pleasure ami comfort in this life, and above 6ll other gifts of God ; for after he had made the eurth and ^11 the creatures thereon, and had, made man head and gave him dorninion over them all, (which was a very great thing indeed, to honor man so highly as to set him over all the earthly things) yea, even the fowls of the air, the fishes of the sea, and the beasts of the earth were all put under man's power ; yet after Gc^d had given him all these great riches, he saw thatthe comfort and happiness of man's life w^s not fully compfete, becaitse there was not an helpmate to be found amongst all the creatures to keep him company, and in which he might take a glorious delight — altho' God had made man king on earth, and placed all under his power, yet he saw that there might be an addition of riches yet added, by giving him a lovely helpmate to keep him company in lonely hours ; therefore God, for the love he had for his creature man, whom he had created in his own image, was willing to bestow all the riches that could be desired in this life, and he w^.b pleased to give man an helpmate aid like unto himself, for thcwoman was the likeness of man, being taken out of the man ; but in order that man might love her the more. It pleased God, and God saw it was best to make some ' little alteration in the form of her body from that of the I man, that she might l»e distinguished from the man ; and God made this alteration in the form of her body for the single pleasure, deliglu and glory of man, by which she b (88^ known and callcl a v/oman. For all these favours, I think that every hasihand and every man on earth, is in duty b Mind to love and thank God, who has given and provided for ;n in all the lavVful pleasures in tiiis life ; for all the iawf'd pleasures m.in enjoys, are the gift of God's kind providence, and a none your lawiul pleasure ; and I recommaad -you H 2 C ^0 ) not to be absent from their company when there is no need i bat vv^hen there is real need tor you to leave home and your dear wives, lor the care oi your business, do not absent yoarseives any longer than yoar business rec^uires, lor Dy ipng absence your enemy may raise up against you, or agamsc your wives, and destroy the happiness which God nas given you and yOur wives to enj )y, as a particular pleasure in this iife. Look at ttie bad examples ot many a man and of many a woman, causmg so great distresses in lamiiies, and shun them all ; for it often brings th« rage of jealousy to the partmg of men uud their wives, which must be the most grievous thing on earth, amongst the hoaest hearted men and women. Therefore, my dear sons, be on your guard in all your actions, ieasuhe e'nemy should get the advantage so far as to mar your happiness, which God has freely given to all who love and fear him' in this lire. But alter all this be aware, least you should be destroy- ed by her you love above and more than anv other crea- ture in this life ; remember that you are to love the giver ot gifts more than tie gifts ; yea, i say, you are to love the giver of all good above the gift that is given ; ai»d as yoa are the head of the family, thy wife isnot to be above thee, but she is commanded lo reverence thee by her o- bi'dience and submission to thy com n;!nds. But remem- ber that ail your commands are to be injustice, love and mercy diat all you t quire of them be also in tenderness, love and justice, for the wife is not bound to obey any other reqviest or com.nands from her husband, but those that/are just before God j remember also one thing, that IS you must yield to all your wife's desires to increase her love, as i\ir as her desires xre in justice^ innocence and harmless ; l3ut if her desires are such as will lead to- sin or any unjust thing, be it ever so small, vet it is sin, and I pray you all not to do it, for it may oe a means of your ruin; tho' it nay seem a small thing commonly done by many,- yet if it is not just, it ought not to be done ; for a little leaven le^.veneth the v^iioie lump; therefore fear the Lord more tnan ymr wife, md do not yield t-. her de- sires, .vhenever th-y are discovered, to be contrary to the wili ot God for you o do ; tho' it may grieve you to the SQui,^tOjr.eiuse.to satisty thy^wifs's desires, remeiaber tha^ ( 91 ) all married women are not righteous, anci they who are not righteous before the Lord, are the most powerful in- struments that Satan can use to ensnar*;: your souls ; for it grieves a lovingjuisband lo the heart, to refuse to oblige his wife in what she may require of him, but remember what 1 said, that the giver is to be loved more than the gift, yet tiie giu is to be sat much store by for the benefit of it, and ior the giver's sake ; the giver is the great God of heaveu. My dear sons, I must now leave you ull to consider on the foregoing instruction, and pray you not to pass by it too slightly. May the Lord make it as a. lookmg-glass to you all, by which you may see the clean- ness or uncleannsss of your souls. CHAPTER VIL Advice to my Dau(^hters^ concerning their duty in a married life. MY dear daughters, I now turn to you, that you may c-QHsider on your duty in a married life ; first, of your duty to God your creator ; secondly, your duty towards your husbands. Having nine f you, (now all married,) by one dear mother, my belo\ ed wife, who haa brought you all to me as so many gifts of God ; 1 pray you to attend to the following: your first duty in this station is to love God above ail things — even him who made and brought you all to this married station, and give him praise and thanksgiving, for the favours he. has and is daily bestowing on you ail in this life. God- did not think it best to place you on the highest seat of honor on earth, or to give woman the first crow;n amongst the children of men ; this he had given to man before the woman was formed, and whilst she remained in maa's body ; for out of the man's bone, the woman w^as made, and given to man for his glory in keeping his company in his lonesome hours. Remember that thee was taken out pf the man before thee was formed ; for tlus cause God gave power to the man to be head of liis family, and king in his own house. But as wruian was taktn out of the man, she became the secmc' person i^- ^uthoiitv,.and God g,ave her to the man to bit. hisvvife and company keeper.. ( 9a > Altho' it pleased God to g^ve to ihe womaa the second s^at ot honor am oi.^'St the children ol men on earth, \et she is not to have dominion over her husband, for God has given him the kingciom and a crown over all he fcs- -sesseth — the woman God has put undtr the myn, .-nd commanded her to reverence & obey ner husband in all his just requests and commands — the woman, the wife of the man, unto her God has given tiie second crown ol honor ; thai IS, io w^ear, bear and keep the second authority under the government ol her husband, as a Queen, tn set by the side^i her kmgiy hubbaiid on the throne, which God has given the man as king ovei his iiuie kingdom. It was not good in God's sight to piaee the woman over tile man , but is was good in nis sight to place the maa over the won~»aij. It was for this cause God first made man tor his own glory, but the woman was made for the glor) of man ; and as God's glory is greater tVian man's, it pleased him to put all things which he had n^ade under the man : therefore let it not grieve any woman, because she is put under her husband by her marriage covenant ; for the lovely careol God to the woman is such, that he has in a particular maitner, given command to every husband^ to iovc his wife as his own flesh, and as his own body, which she becanie by the marriage covenant. Tberetore, my deardaiigh.ers, it is }our duty to love, fear, and serve God, by keeping ail his commanclmenls ; it is also \;pur duty to give God thanks for the favours you are daily re- ceiving in this life in eating, drinking, sleeping, &c. &c. — for^all his spiring, healing atsd delivering mercies, (kc. too many lor me to enum.erate at this time, aid from a sense ol his heavenly kindness ; I) ! let his love and lear be in )ou, ail the days ol \our lives. Secondly, yv-ur duty towards your- husbands— you •ught lo loVe them above and more than any other men on earth, and separate yourselves from their company— be ©niv joined in the love and fear of God to your own bus- bands, and yield yourselves up to satisfy their requests and desires, that may be mnocent, harmless and just : lor by yielding obedience to them ia a lovely, ol'liging, sub- mitting manner, it must of course increase their love and kindness t^ you, which will be better than silver and gold ; for unless y^>u preserve their love and kindness by your ( 93 y Irind obedience, your bappmcss will be greatly marred in thi-s lite. Remember that you promised beiore God and men that you would love, honor and obey your husband, in all his just and reasonable commands ; do not fall short of iulfiUijig this premise, tor if you do, you will sin before Tiod, whovlias commanded you to reverence your husbands as long as you are spared together. Let the bad example of wicked women be a caution to you, and do not lirke them, least it should prove your unhappi- ness in this life and your irreparable ruin^ in time to come ; for see how many women there are who deprive themselves ef love and peace, by their giving way to a raging temper, by which they are hindered from discharging their duty to God and man, and are often l*^ft without a sensibility of the love of God or of man ; in this distressed state there is no happiness for such disobedient women. CHAPTER VIII. ^dvke to all my Children concerning" their duty t9 their Children, DEAR children, there are fourteen of you in number —thirteen are married — twelve have become parents and have children ; 1 now will call your attention, and pray you to consider what your duty is towards them. Altho* they are the offsprings of your bodies, yet they are' the Lord^s, who has been pleased to. put them under your eare, that you might bring them up in the fear and love of God, by letting them know, that there is a God in hea- ven, who made and brought them into being, for the pur- pose of giving them great blessings in this life, and in fu- turity, eternal happiness, on condition that they will be thankful to the Lord for all his favours in this life— walk humbly before him — love him above all things — obey him and follow his Son Jesus Christ, whom the Father iiath sent, and will send to save all who will call on him, from the evils of the world. Let your children know that these are the eonditirons they must comply with, for they caritiot be saved on any other. Altho' the Father of all mercies has given Jesus Christ, bis Leloved Son to be a ( 94 ) saviour, and hath put -all the saving power in him, by which tliere is a sufficiency to save all who ^v ill only yitid, believe, obey, and follow his instructions, but altho' he stands ready to save all those who are willing to be saved by him, yet the Father has not j];ivcn him power to save those who rebel against, will not believe, receive, nor suf- fer him to reign over them ; such are not, neither can they be saved by Christ in so sinful a condition of life ;— - they first must pass through the gates of repentance, be- fore Christy's power can extend to their salvation, yet ma- ny there are, who neither have received Christ, nor be- lieved in him, are often in their conversation calling Christ their saviour, but every time they say so, they tell a lie ; for he is not their saviour, nor never can be, as long they live in rebellion ag-'-inst him, and love darkness more than light. How dare men say th.it Christ is their saviour, unless they were saved from their sins ; for Christ came »ot to save any in their sins, but to save his people from their sins. As Christ has no authority from h'.-s father to save people in their sins, he is not the Saviour of these who live in rebellion against him ; yet there is no power given to any other angel or spirit, sufficient t© save those who will not have Christ to reign over them ; as Christ has received all power in heaven and earth from his Fa- ther, if his Father did not give him sufficient power to save people in their sins, by whom can they be saved ? No, none can save them, (not even Christ) before they re- pent ; yet the gift and calling is without repentance. What is this gift and calling for, but to bring men to repen- tance ? After this gift and calhngof God is over, if those who receive it will not repent, they cannot be saved ; for repentance is the first thing that God calls men to do, as a preparation to receive his salvation ; but if they will not obey, they cannot be saved. This may seem strange doc-- trine to thousands, but the time is hastening on, that both sinners and saints shall find it true ; for I sav,that Christ cannot save any until they give themselves up to him, and yield to the opperation of his saving power ; then Christ immediately will receive power to save them, who return to him in the way appointed by God. Thotisands who call themselves Christ'pns, " may sav thjit this is fciise dQctrine j buc I here let them know that they have no fel- ( «5 ) lowship therewith — that they are yet in their sins — that they are not born again — that they are strangers to the kingdom of heaven — that they know not the Father nor the Son, and for the want of this knowledge they have n« fellowship with him. As things are thus, I pray all of you, my dear children, to teach my dear grand children : these things — take them by the hand and lead them to the path of holiness, which leads to the gates of heaven. I beg Had pray you all to forsake Egypt — leave it, and take your children with you. From Egypt there is two ways, one leads to heaven, the other to hell, and both are open before you; as 1 know and have experienced them both, I pray. you all to take my advice, which is, to walk in and chuse tile path oi holiness with all my dear grand children, which God has given to your care and keeping. Remem- ber the lamentable hour that will come on all the Egyp- tians, who will not forsake Egypt and all her sinful ways —whose children will rise up in judgment against their parents, aiid cause them to be put to an eternal death. — Only look at the ways and manners of those cruel Egyp- tian parents, who instead of taking their children by the hand and leading them in the path of holiness, they haVc been and are leading them in the path of wickedness, which Ir^ads to hell — look at the example which those wicked Egyptian parents set before their children, both la wo-ds and in deeds ; tiiey teach them the ways of pride and coveto'.isness, which is abomination in the sight of G.,d — .'O k ai thf^sc- Egyptian fathers, who will go to some meetings and hear some sort of preaching, they become mem'o'rrs vf S'»me society, oecause their pride leads thtm to do so —they sliv something they call prayer at night, before tueir families can go to rest (that is, to bed to sleep; they speak some words, called grace, before they or their familv may eat at their tables ; but if grace was no better than what they say, all men would fall short of happiness; for it is by grace that man i$ saved, and they who are not saved by grace are not saved at all. Let us view th'-m a little further — -sometimes they will curse and swe.ir before tl;=ey riee from their tables, aloout something or other, pet'hl^pi' the cook, who has been svveating over the he-**- of the fire to pr^-pnre their food ; or the boy, because he did iiot run quick enough with the cup* Behold tsheif t 96 ) jaging passions, they can caii their sons Jog's whelps an=d rascals, and their daughters bitches and the like, cursing and damning them in an unbecoming j;nanner — they will quarrel and fight their neighbours — abuse their wives- get drunk, commit adultery — love and praise other womeu more than their lawful wives — cheat and defraud all they ©an, even their own fathers iithey have a chance — unjust —-unmerciful — liars — thieves— upholding wars — justify- ing bloodshed and oppression, and many such things ; y-et they will go to the temple, where they take as great delight as if they went to worship God ; for' their pride makes them think, that if they do not go to meeting, men will have reason to think that they are not righteous j for the Egyptians are zealous for their worship, altho' it is an idle one — there is no true worship amongst them, for they worship without the spirit of Christ ; therefore they are only form il worshippers, who Say Lord ! Lord ! and do not the things which the God of hea> ^.i^ requires of them — neither do they obey him, and as they do not like to put their necks under the^ yoke of Christ, take up his ^oss and follow him, they cannot be his disciples ; and when God saw that these refused to follow the counsel of his Son, he left them to follow their own way of worships and called his l)eloved Son out of Egypt. The Egyptians seem to be very devout in their wor- ship, yet there is none true amongst tbem, as the Son of God is not there, for his father has called him into the land of holine s, and placed him on his right hand ; where^ if any see and believe him worthy to be worshipped, they must leave Eg}'pt and all her sinful ways, and come to the holy land before their worship will be accepted, or -C' ceptable to my God. But the king of Egypt is so delight- ed with the worshippers of the Egyptians, that he makes them think by his secret praise, that there is no worship as right as theirs ;'* for he tei s them that they have the Tight form of worship, and sometim- s he encourages them to speak of the power of God, which they do in their de- lighted meetings. Thus the poor captivated sinful crea-^, tures are imposed upon, like the people were in the day^ of Simon the sorct-rer, who had a long time bewitched? the people of Samaria, whom ihey all agreed that he had '^ th^ great power of God. Acts viii chp. 9, 10, 11 vrsf. ( ^7 ) But how ihty were mistaken, for their teacher an^ ghide was in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity ; tlius it is with all the Egyptian preachers. But it the love of the Lord, should cause his alarming trumpet to sound- so loud in heaven, that it be heard j)y some Egyp- tians, or some of the bondagi< seed of Israel, and be bro t to believe that there is no true worship in all Egypt-— that they should be brought to believe, that none will be permitted to enter the kingdom of heaven, except the true worshippers of God—that there is no true worship of God in all the land of Egypt, and that God wnll overthrow her with all her idle worship, in the day that is drawing nigh. I say, if any should be brought to see and believe, that ■r there is a necessity for them to foi'sake Egypt with aTl her idle worship, and that there will be no future happi- • ness for them, unless they forsake her and go to the holy land, there to join the worship of God in heaven with the true worshippers, v:ho worship God in spirit and in truth. As soon as it is discovered by the king if Egypt that any of his subjects are uneasy, and that they are not satisfied . with the Egyptian sinful worship, he, (the king of Egvpt) is in dislike with them for their concern \o leave him ; nay, his very priests are against such who have seen the necessity of 'leaving Egypt with all her sinful ways ; and when the king and all his priests, see that these concervi- ed ones are determined to go to the promised land, and that they would rather leave all their ill begotten wealth ia Egypt, than to stay in it, and be excluded from the hap- piness of the kingdom of God— when these concerned ones •will set off, by feeling the drawing of the love of God, and do take their journey towards the promised land, to jQin the worship of C»od with the true worshippers, who have obeyed God and left Egypt before them •; I say, when the' king of sinful Egypt sees them set off, he and the rest of his subjects, or some of them, will use eveiy deceiving means to hinder them from pursuing their jour- ney towards the promised land. But when he sees that all his threats and persuadings, will not prevent them from starting off in their journey, and finds that they are gone with a view to leave his wicked service forever, thea he will raise hia powerrul army to pursue them that I, ( 98 ) are going to the promised land, like it v/as in the days o£ ©Id. But let all those who are now on their journey to the prorn'ised land, be delivered from ail fear — let them stand firm in their faithful endeavours, and they shall see the salvation of God in the work of their souls' salvation, which they are now seeking ; for the king of Egypt shall not with all his pursuing army be able to do you any h:irm, if your all will put your trusts God and faithfully ©bey the Lord^ for he will send his preserving angel of light, who Will stand between you and the hosts of the Egvptlans — he will be to you as, the cloudy pillar was to the children of Israel, for he vAW give you light as he did to them, by which they saw how to go through the red sea ; but this light will be as darkness to all the pursuing lirniy of the king of Egypt. Therefore I pray you all t» take encouragement, and be all faithful, like Caleb and Joshua, who obtained the blessings which God gave those that entered that earthly land, which the faithful received of God by his proniise. But there are greater blessings to be received in, the spiritual holy laud, which God has promised to all that holds out in their spiritual travels or journey, until they enter the holy -land. 1 have now cautioned you all, my dear children, least yoi; be intic^ed to follow the bad exam ])les of the Egyptian men. and women, wiio stand daily in danger of an ever- laF'ing overthrow, Tlie Egyptians of old, it seems, vere so pro:d, that it was abomination for them to eat out of the s^'i.e aish with the Israelites ; altho' by the wisdom of one of them, (which God gave him) their lives were prestrved in the famine, by his laying up corn for br( a>'l^ aj? ir.st^he needful <.iays, without which they would all have perished ; yet after all this great favour, it was abomin: tier* tor s ch proud creatures to eat with the Is» r{i litis. It appears that this practice of pride is kept up, l»i 1=1 be Eg- pti ns oi our age, for some are still in the ^isdajnfui habit of despisir^g to be seen eating bread ot me t. with those who labour an i lay up corn to make bread for these lordly Egyptians of our days ; for many e)^'hich his father had given him to do ; as soon as he irtiished that work, he bowed his head, and afterwards- he bid this world in body adieu ; — his father, at the appoint* ed time, raised him above all his enemies in this world, and restored him to the glory he had before he came into this siiiful world. What may we learn by all this ? The first thing we may learn is, that Christ did not come into Bethlehem of Judea, of himself, but his father sent him. Secondly, he did riot go down into Egypt of himself, but his parents carried him ; and thirdly, that he did not tra- vel out of Egypt of his own accord, before his father call- ed for him and his parents to come out of it into the land: of Israel, where he might be called a Nazareen, in which station he was to do his father's will, thac is, the will oi God; being in the land of Israel, which God had given to the Israelites by promise. Now, v/hat ••o these four different station of Christ's life point out to us, whilst we are in this world? Perhaps • my dear children would be willing to hear my opinion be- fore they would give theirs ; well then, I will show my opinion, which the Lord hath given me — I have not re- ceived it of man, for X have no knov/ledge of any thing ( 101 ) ^>ut what I have received of God ; therefore it is not minej but it is the Lord's, who gave it to me to give it to all that can receive it j to begin : — Christ's first station whilst in the land of Judea in Bethlehem, it is a figure of our first station of life, wherein v/e breathed our tirst in this world of time. Now he did not bring himself there, buc 5t was his father which sent him there, so he was inno- cent and harmless whilst he was there, so he was always. This is a figure of our first station in this world of time, for we did not bring ourselves into our first station, but the great God of heaven created, made and placed us there ; as Christ's first station was innocent, it was a figure of our first station of life before we eat die forbidden fruit, 'for until then we were innocent and harmless beings, in the image of God, like unto Jesus, who is and was the son of God, and who for his obedience is returned to all his father's glory, which he kept for him against the day of his return, and for all who become his faithfull follow- ers into the kingdom of heaven. His second station was going into Egypt and dv/elling there ; now Jesus did not go down into Egypt by himself, nor of himself, it was hifi parents that carried him there, but he did not learn to commit or do any of the wicked things of that land. What is that station a figure of whilst Jesus was in Egypt ? — It shows our second station, wherein we, after eating the forbidden fruit, we were carried down by our parents into spiritual Egypt, v/here the misfortune of children is often. ' very dangerous, for the tvant of such parents as Joseph and Mary, the mother of Jesus were, for akho' they went down and staid a while in Egypt, yet they did not become Egyptians like many children's parents do in our d ;ys, for many who are mothers of children, andraam^who are fathers in our days, instead of following the example of Joseph and Mary, the mother of that tender child Jesus, they choose to follow the example of the Egyptians, in '■ putting or trying to put the IsraelitesV children to death ; in thtsedays the death of the Isr*, lites' children, v/hich the Egyptians wanted to destroys svas only the death ofihe body, but the Egyptians in these our days, seem to try to destroy the spiritual seed of God, by their wicked ex- amples of words and deeds, by which they take this tea^ I 2 ( 1"2 ) derseed, which came into this world n®t of themselve^i : but God hath sent them into that little body, and prepar- ed by the seed of the man being the father of the little mortal, and of the seed of the woman which God prepar- ed in her secret chamber, congealed together, until it be- came a babe in its mother's womb, and by God's unseen work, its little body is formed, compacted together and strengthened, to enable its passage into this world, thro? the narrow door of the secret chamber of its mortal mo- ther f when brought forth it is either a male or a female, a temple f(.r the seed of God to do his will in ; altho' its first appearance is like Jesus', it is not kept so long, for in the space of two or three years, the mother being an < Egyptian woman, living in Egypt, begins to learn the poor innocent babe her Egyptian ways, for many of these mothers are in the practice of ail evils, and they cannot be more wicked than they are ; this may seem to some people that this must be a lye, for the people could be a great deal worse than they are ; but they that think so are without the knowledge of the restraining power of God, for if that was taken from all men and women, thea.-^ the3;^^ould commit more evils than they do, for the re- straining and preventing grace of God^is a very strong chain, which men and women cannot j&tretch any farther than God suffers them to do, bui if they could stretch it, the sins of the people of Egypt woulcJ be greater than they are at this time j if God were to let men and women go as far in wickedness as their wicked thoughts, their coveting desires and revenge, they would actuaiiy do lU I ask those that think that mankind pould be worse than they are, if they can teil what woaian could be found on earth, tint would be a virgin at the age oft>wenty years? -—how many would there be alive at the age of manhood . or womanhood? — how manv more murders would there be committed; by the spirit of revenge ? — how many is there amongst us but what would be robbed, if th^y ha 1 any thing to be robbed ^f ? Bat you will say th^it is the law that prevents alt this, for you must confess that _ if there was no law, wickedness would manifest itself in " tk greater degree than it does at this time ; if you do be- Heve this, you must agree with me that me a :\nd wonien vrho lives an Egyptian life, -^Tc as wicked as ihey can be ; ( 103 ) if there was no law to pmiish transgressions, you all allow that there would be many more wicked deeds done thai! .'are now done, for tear of their being punished by the law ; this we in\y have' reason to believe from this one thing which often h ippeneth in our land, when there ariset i a dift'erence between two men or more, & the rage of pas- sion desireth revenge, he that is subject to it says to his fellow -creature, *' only clear me the law, that is all the favour I ask of you ;" »/e must allow if it was not for the law, which prevents such a raging madman, he would re • venge himself in beating his feilow-creature if he had strength enough to do it, on that man of whom he asked that favour ; (as he called it) but the man will not grant him that request, therefore he is restrained from beating him, because hewould not say that all law was clear. Now what was it that kept this man from his remengeful desire but the iaw, which God's restraining and preventing grace has a share in making ; for all governmental laws, are made to deter and keep people from committing gross evils, in which the grace of God has certainly a hand in the making, and if a hand in making such laws, it is his restraining grace, which prevents men and women from breaking them any more than they are ; take all laws away, and we shall live- in the land of barbarism indeed. Now the strong chain is stretched so far as to bring many a man ^•and woman to l>e punished in the penitentiary, in prisons and on the gallows by hanging, for their trying to breaS: this blessed chain, which prevents so many people Irom 'doing the evils which the devil and their own lusts would lead them to do, and would actually do, if this blessed chain of God's preventing grace was utterly taken away ; biit thig blessed chain of G^d's restraining grace ,' remains in our land, especially tltut pan of it which God has planted by his own hand, in our own hearts. /Vickedness often acts like a thief, for he is afraid to act in the light of the day, for fear he shou dbe seen ; but ^ tak^way the internal and external chain of God's re- - straining grace from this land, which is called by the hon- orable, name of a christi m land, you would soon see that , that there would be but very few among;st us that would ^ bear the mirks of a christian ; f)r the aeceiving cloak of relijion would soon be thrown oiT, and robbi^ry and open ( 104 ) wickedness would soon take place ; for even now, whilst the preventing grace is in power amongst us, many are so hardened in the practicable habit of their sins, that they are nut ashamed to commit open wickedness ; how xnuch more would they commit it there was nothing to restrain them, nor to make them ashamed ? Therefore, my deai sons and daughters, 1 pray you to attend to the restraining grace of God, both internally and externally^. ~ and it will keep you from following the bad example of those wicked Egyptians, both of men and women, whose evils are daily manifested before our eyes, for many of them, that is, those Egyptian women, have departed from the kindness which they owe to their husbands, and to their children, and have become like the fire- flying serpent, who bit the children of Israel when they were travelling to the promised land. How many loving ^usbands and tender childr^en have been bitten to the heart by these fool- ish Egyptian women, who seem to have some kindness for their husbands and to their children, when their neigh- bours come in or are by, but as soon as they are gone there is scarcely any end to their hissing tongues, with which they bite like the fire-flying serpent, for they fly from one thing to another in mad passion to their hus- bands, and as the saying is, they are never satisfied with their husbands, neither full nor fasting, let them be as kind as they may, still their is no content in them, but are daily rough, harsh and snappish to their husbands and to their tender children. Instead of leading their tender children in the path of love and peace, they lead them in the paths of anger and provocation^ until the tender chil- dren lose all sight of the path of love, which God hath made for all children to walk towards their parents ; this is natural in all childrei^at the first steps of their lives in this world, to walk in the right path of love whi h God hath made, towards their parents, but these unreasonable, hard-hearted, rash-worded mothers, often drive their tender children out of the path of love, into the hateful paths of rebellion and anger, wherein all lovely tender jiffection is lost by the children, and they then cai:e not much more for their mothers than if they had norfcorne them in this world ; and from the dreadful example of their mothers' words,. the children's lovely affections ar« ( 105 ) '^estrcn-ed, and are bro't to want their parents dead ; thu5 instead of goin^ in the way of righteousness, with their hus- bands and children to the promised land out of Egypt, like ]Mary the wife of Joseph, (who was the mother of that little body that was called Jesus) did, instead of doing as that, obedient woman, they ^o in the broad way of destruc-^ tion, which often destroy all good desires that would bring forth good things in their husbands and children, if it was not destroyed by their bad examples. My dear daughters, I pray you ta be obedient lovers of your husbands, and lovers of your children, and go li^e Mary the wife of Joseph did -, yea, I pray you all to be like that obedient loving wife, (the mother of Jesus) was, who went with her husband and took her young child out of Egypt, and went into the land of Israel, where the young child jj sus might grow up to do the will of God« I say, be you all like unto this blessed woman — go all of you out of the wicked Egyptian ways, go with your hus- bands, and take your dear children with you, into the land of holiness, where you may all do the will of God^ who will be the father of all that enter into the fourth sta- tion, where the worship o£ God is pure as the Lord is pure. Now my dear daughters, if you will only take my advice and begin your journey with your husbands and children, when you come into the holy land all God's people who are there, will love & praise you, God himsejj? will love and honor you^ and give you pleasure in your present life time here, and in futurity he will give you everlasting happiness ; which is the desire of my soul for all of you my dear children, and for all the people on earth, of every colour ; my desire and prayer to God is, that all might repent and forsake all sinful Egvptian ways, and that all might come up to the land of holiness, there to abide until it pleases God the gather them as his sheep^ and place them on his right hand, to tlie end of time, Amen, CHAPTER IX. On the afore ordination of God^ by a supposed secret counciL I find it my duty to say something more, which I had »o- thought of doing until this day ; that is to drop some ( icfs ) •words to caution you against the dangerous opinion of many, vyho by their confession of faith declare, that the just and merciful God, the master of heaven and earth, has decreed by the secret council of his own will-— hath afore ordained all things whatsoever that comes to pass, and that by God's eternal decree, a certain number of mankind, or of the sons and daughters of men are to be saved, and that all the rest of mankind shidl be lost. In the book of their confession of faith it is said, that the, number is so certain and definite, (if I remember right) that there is no possibility of adding to the number, nor any possibility of diminishing it; if this was possible to be true, we should n^: have had any need of Christ's c?oming to be our Saviour, for that decree, which they say was established by God and his secret council, before man was made or brought into being ; I <^ y, that this council if true, gave that decree all the power of man's salvation, and that Jesus born of that woman espoused to Joseph, who carried Jesus and his mother into Egypt, and bro't them back ao^ain into the land of Israel ; I say, by that confession of faith, if it could be a true one, it v/ould make it an impossible tiling for that same Jesus, who WcV^ crucified and hung on the cross to be our Saviour, or that he had anv saving power in him ; because God had vested all the power in that decree, which was to save such »• Rumher who are called God's elect, ai^d to damn all the rest of mankind. O ! abhored doctrine, for it cannot pos ■ sibly be true, and if not true it must take its origin from the rays of the false light, which leads men into wrong ideas concerning the things of God and man's salvation ; these wrong ideas have led them to put a wrong construction on the holy scripture, it is the ensnaring work of the Devil, to prevent mankind from calling on the name of Jesus Christ for his aid in their salvation, for they believe in the decree and in an impossibilitv of altering it, therefore they must, in this belief, live without any other saviour than - the power of that decree, by which they say that man is to be saved or lost, bv God*s ordination before man was ^ made or former!, and placed in the garden of Fdesii^ But my dear children, I pray vou to shun such dangerous be- lief for this reason ; this opinion and*^elief in such a de- . cree, if it was true, would make out my pure and holy 'i ( 107 ) i'fiocl whom -I desire to serve m the spiritual p©wer a»d k)ve of Christ, which he hath given me and to all his faithful followers, I say, that such a faith would make qut that my God foredecreed the sins of all mankind, that «yer were or ever will be committed, and that Christ has no power to save those who repent and believe the gospel from their sins, which would, iv it was true, make all the Apostles, ministers of Christ, and Christ himself to be liars ^ for they have said that there was not any other name given under the heavens, by which men may be sav- ed, but only by the name and power which God has given to Jesus Christ our Lord. "Christ himself says, (as it is written) that all power in heaven and in earth was givea to him, waich would be a lye if the decree still holds the power to siive such a number of mankind, let their deed^ |)e what they may ; and power to damn the rest. I'bis di>ctrine cuts off the ofF^rof salvation to all mankind by Christ, why should it be offered by him if there is nd other salvation but that which "Comes by that decree ; for 8urely,'ns Christ who is all wise, and has the keys c.f the fountain of understanding, so far out of his senses as t© offer and call all trie ends of the earth, (meaning man) ta ht saved, if he had not power to save all that looked or came unto him. I novv desire v^ know why, or for what such a certain number of mankind must be damned, by that decree or secret council of God's fore ordination, and that without the offer of grace, for there could not possioly be any grace aiTered to those th-^t the decree da.Ti!is, before the said decree was passed, and it beiiig of ai unalterable and unchangeable nature ; what foolish a thing vv^ould it be of God to offer them salvation by Jtbus Christ, knowing that his decree prevented them tVom re- Ctivingany other saivatjoo, except what ; ame by his de- cree, and as the decree should have been made before tna.i was made, or formed out of tlie dust of the earth, and oefore God breathed the breath of life in him, or be- fore mi»n became a llvihg soul. Now if the doctrine of the decree is true, I desire to-know vvh),^ C^od should be so parti d and unjust, as to chuse out and make a certain nuaiber^r bis race, and damn all the rest, who had done neither good nor evil ; but accdi-ding to this decree God's i secret council fore-orJiaiaed these > and all the witkedness that man oc woman commits, in order that these >viclce^ Creatures should be damned, but is it not dangerous lo charge God who is just and merciful to all, sends rain and fruit- ful seasons unio all, and causes his sun to shine on all ^ith such impartiality f when it is declared that he is no respecter of persons that work righteousness, amongst all nations. But you may say that the decree has prevented^ all that great number from working righteousness ; but how does all this agree with the lamentations of Christ over Jerusalem, when he said how often he would gather them as a hen gathered her chicks, or her brood under her wings, but they would not ; by this you all may see the reason that any are damned ; it is not by any afore decree of God, but it is because they will not accept his salvation. Again, I must ask why these should be damned before they w^ere made? w^as it for doing that which /God had' decreed that they should do, under the penalty of death, for their damnation must come by one of these, as some say that God decreed all things that come to pass. 'Now i.f God'did decree all things that conies to pass, why should people be damned for only doing what God had de- 1 creed them to do ? that the offsprings of heaven *should be damned for their obedience, in doing what God de- creed them to do, seems quite contrary to the very name df a merciful God ; yea, it is contrary to the name of mer- ciful men, much more to the name of a merciful God. As it is said that God did decree, and that for his own glory, all things whatsoever that come to pass, he must have de- creed all the evils that ever were committed in the world, «r else they would not come to pass, for all the following evils have come to pass, and if God has decreed all, he' must have decreed that men should and women should do these evils, for how could it be otherwise, seeing that God had decreed it for them to do as they ha\ e done; even these evils, evil thoughts, from which nearly all o- ther evils come, such as adultery, whoredom, murders, thefts, covetousness, vile passions, evil eyes, quarelling, fighting, oppressions, backbitings, ntws-carriers to stir up . strife, liars, mischief-making, dissatisfaction, with every ^ other evils done under the sun. Now the question ou-^ht to be decided, that people might no longer be imposed in mind about the decrees. Therefore I will ask whether ( 109 ) •HGod hns called any ol these to repent, that have been guiltv of any such evils, seeing that they only obeyed him in his decrees ? If God had decreed thS^se things to be done, it cannot be denied but that God has called sonie of them to repentance, and if the above evils were done in obedience to God's decrees, I desire to know why God should call them to repentance, when'they were only do- ing the things he had decreed them to do ; I see no rea- son for God's calling them to repentance for their obedi- ence to his will, for it must be God's will that men should do these evils, if he did decree it to"* be done. Now if .men are called to i%)entance, and certainly they are, for it is said " repent and believe the gospel," and also, '' ex- cept the}^ repent they shall all likewise perish ;" that is lose a life of happiness in the kingdom of God. Wa^ it for their obedience or for their disobedience, that God called men to repent ? it must be either for their obedience in doing these abominations, or for some disobedience ; I say, it must be for .he one or for the other ; and reasoh proves according to such doctrine, that they who do such evil crimes only do what God had decreed them to do ; , .yet there have been some few people i^ all ages, who have .repented for doing any of tb^^e evils and have utterly re- . .'fused to follow the eSyample of" those people, who to this ^ day are in the full habit of doing these evils, to the grref of >, God's spirit and mine. I also desire to knov/ whether they that do these evils are the chost n elected number, v;ho,are to be saved according to the doctrine of the de- cree, or whether it is that number among mankind v/he ^"epent and forsake all those evils, and rebel ag.nii.st the -dther of them ? I say which of ths^se tvyo sorts of people Mre appointed for God's happy number, or for his danmed i uum' :er ? kjr i*: mus' be either those who cjrtinue doing '^ such evils at are known to be such, or those who repent & for^iake alhevils, and depend^ on salvatiQiil^y Jesus XbrJ^t, by receiving the saving grace of Gcd tbro' Jesus Christ our Lord ; I say, which of the twain ai^ to bt the happy Dumber? as these two sorts of pecplij^ include all pec pie I ©a the face of the earth. Having pit tne question, H must ' be anst\''ered, yet it seems that any or.e re acMng the above might know what my imswer w'-ll be, but if any are igno- 1 ant and want to knew my answer, it is this j Go^'s elect K ( 1 10 ) mimbcr arc not those people who remain in the practice of all, or part of the & fort named evils, die in them^ v ith- ©u| repenting of the e\ ils they have been guilty of, almost all Ihe days of their mortal lives — nevcl- forsook them, »or never were saved from the wickedness of this cor- rupted world, but die in their sins, without redemption in [esus Christ ; rf these are not God's elect number, they must be that number wliich the scripture say will be damn* ed ; that is, to be placed on God's left hand, in the day of Christ's separating his sheep from his goats, who are to bar that dreadful sentence which Christ will proclaim to'^them, " dep'oirt you cursed, for i%as hungry and you gave me no meat, and I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink, naked and'y^u cloathed me not, sick and ia prison you visited me not." Now after the above sentence is passed, how will it be with those that are placed om Christ's left hand .'' for when this is done, it most certain- ly will come lo pass. Bacnow I will tell you who are God^s elect number, it is those throughout all ages who heard the word of God, and did not harden their hearts by turning them- selves away from the word of God, but did receiye h iike the good ground whi( h brH^gs some thirty-fold, some sixty and some an hundred of the fruits of God^s spirit and *ftord. ibr God^s spirit is the word of God; which is Tesus Christ our lo^d ; for Christ himself is known to be iht word of God, which all must receive before they can be eav^d ; thisTs the decree of God, that all men or wo- men who are saved 5?-nd elected into eternal bliss, shall be saved bv Chrisi, and by no other ; for God has not given or Rppointecl any other besides Christ himself, to be the saviour— :that elect numi)er must first bfe saved from their sj-js srd evils, before they can be elected and admitted into Ctod's elect number, which Christ will pL;ce on his right hand, and will proclaim those joyful word«, when hf wiU sa^ to those vvho received hi« holy woid and liro't forth frr.Ms of his lovely spirit ; *•'• Come ye blessed of my ^hth'v, inr.(^rit thiq^-^ingdom which has been prepared for _^ foundation of jthe, world "' This kipgdi^m 'i» oivly for tiiosfi v. ho receive 'th« word of God in a good, hf>f;e€t and tru*^ penitent heart — -hob ve repf^ntt d for ,'}! %titk d^j i>£ ihsy JSiany or f^ewi and have come out 0$ ( 111 ) them by obevinj? God's call to them to repent, forsake their shis and take up their cross^to deny their desirej? — to do any thing which the light of Christ, within ih.i- own understandings discloses to them to be sin. Here is the cross, it is when we find our minds drawn from Christ into any evil things ; that is, if we find our minds drawn ) commit any evil thing, which the light cf Christ hath f!hown us to hb the desirable fruits of sinful flesh, we must cross all these evil desires and utterlv* refuse to gra- tify any such sinsul notions, let them be ever so desiirable to'the nature of sinful flesh, or ex^r sd enticing or pleasing to a sinful .^orld ; this is vvhat it meant by tak- ing up our cross and following Christ, it is also to deny •urselves that sinful liberty which men take in doing what God has forbidden them to do ; for all things declared' by the scriptures and God's spirit, to be the fruits of the fiesh, God has forbidden men to do ; and all people of all colour under the heavens, who obey the word of God in denying themselves being partakers of the wickedness o*' ^ny of the fruits of the flesh ; if in the day of their igno- ( ranee they had eaten of those forbidden fruits, yet if^they now in the day of knowledge, repent and obey God's voice and come out of those wicked practices— leave \i\\ their sinful words and deeds, %d as I said take up their cross — deny themselves of those sinful deeds, and follosv Christ in the, way of doing the will of God his father ; ■ even those that have had their garm^ts stained with their sms,^ and their sinful garments were like crimson or scar- Jpt, yet thev shall be washed as white as snow ; it is those who'follow Christ in the way of his salvation, that arc or *^will be the dect of God, for they have no dependence .on any thing but Christ to save them from the evils ofthig world. These, and only these, wdth the innocent babes who depar|%d this life before they came to the knowledge of e^il,^ shall have any enterance into the kingdom of God. N/ V they who have eves to see and ears to hear, may see and hear what Course pf life men nust take to come to the kingdom of heaven .; but all wha^.,i3 written will .not remove men from depending on the detrees for salvation, which theV sav God in his secret council did make before he formed m\n, or g^ve hi n bemg. T will say so'ne more— If God did, before inan wa^ made or brought into ( 112 V beinw^' foveordain all trim^> v/hatsoever tLat comes to pass, why^ii^mt (fod h\ve so.ne respect for Coin's of- fenag? for if Go i did afgreorvUin it why should God Jhavief no respect for it — froiu whence sh^nld Cain be wrath ami his coii-itenance fall? — wiy should the Lord ask Cain for whiit.c.uise he was ♦vrat'i — '/%v should the Lord say, " if thou doest well shall t*om not be accepted." — ■ Whydidthe eanh curse Cain, for the Lord said when, he called Cain to give him an account of liis murdering his brother^ he saidtnat '■' Cuin was Cursed from the earth, and, he should be a fugitive and a vagabond in it, and that- it should not yield her strength unto^i;/i/' For which cause Cain cried out '''^thit his punishment was grea- ter than he could bear." Now if God had decreed allr this beiore it capne to pass, how could poor Cain help it —-nidst he suffer for vvhat God had foreordained him to do? but if God bad decreed all this, he has made new decrees since, for \vhen he put a mark on Cain to prevent hirn irom being slain, he must have made a ne .v decree on> the account of Cain, least any man should slay him, in this decree he declared, " that whosoever slays Cain that seven fold vengeance should be taken on them," Now this is God's certain decree, for it'was not rn a do before man was made, and placed in the garden of Eden, nei- ther was it made at the se.ting of that secret council which men depend on. This shows that God did not bring all things to pass^y that first decree, for if all things had come to pass by that first decree, there w*ould not have b^en room for a second decree ; the second would be without pov/er, and any man that had a mind to slay Cain, might laugh at the weakness of God, in pretend- ing to make a second decree with a seven fold penalty, to be demanded of such that did slay any of Cain's family ; all this shows that God has made new decree#and ne^v covenants, for since man was made God has made^new covenants witJi them, since that which he rnade vvi^ Adam in placing him in the garlen ; and after that. was broken by^man's editing the forbidden fruit. But if God had decreed that Aclfti and Eve should do so ? how coul4 they help it ? — how could they transgress, for no man can transgress a law or decree, v/heh they truly obey and faithfully do, v/hat is decreed for them to do. Our law f^ C 113 ) givers would be strange law-makers, if they first made a law for us to do so and so, and we in obedience to this law did in truth just as this law required us to do ; would they not be very strange law-makers to punish us for our obedience ^ and the doctrine of God's decree by his secret council, if it could possibly be true that God did foreor- . dain all things that come to pass, I say^ v/ould it not make out our most holy, merciful, kind and loving God a very - - strange and a very tyrannical God, to punish a number of his creatures men, for doing what he had decreed them to do ? Away with all such blasphemous and above all things dangerous d^pctrine, for an established belief of this false doctrine, would utterly destroy all the work of man's souls* It can only be done by Christ our Lord, and there is no other to help us in the work of regenera> tion, and in bringing us to the new birth of righteousnes'^ —none but him who is called Christ — who rose from the grave on the third day after he was crucified, and ascend- ed up to heaven, from whence he shall come to judge all mankind. But again, God did make a new covenant with Noah^ ivhenhe promised never to drown this world with water, as he had done in thu- flood which drowned all men, but those that were in the ark. And again, it said after those days'^ that God would make a new covenant with men, in which he would put his law in their hearts, add Vv-rite itia tlteir minds. Was this new coverrant made by the secret council, in which it is said that God foreordained all thiiigs that comes to pass ? for this i\gw covenant has really come to pass, and all christians that are redeemed from theii wicked past ways, are witness to the truth of it. Was this new covenant made by the old decree, or has it been made since man was made and pile's d on earth I for by the doctl*me held by some of my dear fellow-creatur ri, this secret council must have been held some time before GfoX nade the Sun, Moon and stars, and placed them in. the fir'-irameut of heaven, to give man light on the Vac e of the earth. Can ariy man say th# the new cove suat was inade before man was created, and placedi^in the ; • ».r- den of Eden ? or will any man deny that* it has IV en male some thousands of years ufter mm ,was cr^at- ed'f or will any man deny that this new covenantiil decre.e K2 has Ucea made. St all ? Surely no man tkat bdiev€S tKat there is a Gpd in heavfen, will be so presuraptuoas as to deny that thi^ new covenantal decree has been made, and h ^vas some thousands of years alter man was created. — - If this new covenant has been made according to accounts •in the scriptures, and by God himself, how will any .man dare to say thut all things that come to pass, come by the decree of the secret council ; but I wanttoknow which of that secret council has been so far from keeping it a secret ? it seems that man was not in being when that council sat, therefore 1 want to know which of tliat coun- cil it was that came, and told these men who hold this decree doctrine of it r Again, itseems^ that all legislative bodiQ«, who have power to make laws in a government, that these bodies have power to alter somethings they had made, and if this be the case, the first legislative body that siit in heaven, God must have been the head of it, when that supposed secret council was held ; if that body did pass such a law, for such a number to ba blessed, and all the rest lo be cursed without any conditions ; God iTiust have .sj^en the injustice of it so clear,- that he, as a merciful and just God has called the Son and Holy Ghost to hold another- council, and they haye certainly altered it, and passed a new decee, which is, that on condition of men's repenting for their past sins, and forsaking their sinful deeds and words, and that they wou:ld believe, obey and follow the instrucliiGiis of his holy spirit or grace ; that all who wOuld do so amongst all n?itions— -should be Faved, - withoat any respect of persons* Now when is it that mankind comes under this new law, or new cove- nantal decree ? it is when we receive Christ into our sods, and When our souls are espoused to him as in the marriage coven ,nt, which is afier the manner of grace. {iiid not after the manner of the ixSsh. All whojll'do not kn ;w these things know nothing or a christian life, or of living under the government of Christ ; and all Who do • not live under his government this side of the grave, Vpill fall short of enteringthe kingdom of God^ for no person can enter God's kingdom before thej^ are joined to Christ, in and -under this new covenant which i§ of fgraee f : ^nd all who jpiri Christ, Christ has power to sai^e iti«*jOf;^ithip\' the)r. h-«diivsd iejalV^tb^^^kk^-d&e^i' oitUe einful ^Egyptians for many years, yet If ^nf of them wliV only open their hearts to the knockin*^ of Cnrist's call, he : will certainly come into them and sup with them, and they t^n sup with Christ ; therefore the spirit and the bride call all to come, let their sins be w^hatsoever they may have been j nc** is the day of salvation, and all are called to come, yea, the wicked, if he will forsake his wicked ways, and do that which is lawful and right under the i'new covenant; his past wickedness shall not be mention ©d in all God's kingdom any more, but for his doing that* which is lawful and right, his soul shall be sav'ed alive ; ! therefore I with the spirit and the rest of the brides call (^ all to come, for whosoever will give themselves up may I eome and uke of the waters of life freely, and that with- out money or price ; but ail that will not come must abide by the consequences ; whil6 there are any desirous to #ome let them come, an;T th<.it what profit will prayers or preaching, and going o Bieeting,, baptizing, or being btiptized,' or going as they ? 'v to the sacrament-^of eating, bread and drinking winey ijich they call the Lord's supper do? '^e^ingthat aeeord-^ u;g to tha«"deere€rd-l>^li§f^> thkt all things ior i^9m% hag-* pimess oyfor man s curse, was done'tjy that secret council before man was formed of the dust of the earth, and that unalterable ; ii that was the case, let us eat, drink, and fulfil all the desires that sinful nature calls for, let us no more grieve at sin nor mourn at iniquity, for to-nK)r- row we die ; then if we were of that nun.»-r that God decreed should be saved, without any conaitions for us as created bemgs to comply with on our part, it will be well, if on the other hand, all that can be done by praying, preaching, going to meetmg and every other practicable means are without effect, as all things that comes to pass were foreordained. Biu concerning the use of means for man's soul's salvation — what means are to.be used if all things were done before man was born ? Now I will ask what are the means iiecessary for the use of man'^ soul's salvation ? is it words called prayers, or prayer itself ac- ceptable before God? Many* use words in the likeness of prayer, but this is only the form of prayer and belongs to the wicked, which is abomination to God, and it will b:r numbered with the rest ot their wicked deeds, as blessing God in words and c ursing of man, who was £rst made iu the likeness of God, dots not belong to rrian and will not be acceptable to God. But what is the real use of means, or what is means itself ? As no man hath answ^ered me I must answer myself : It is to use those means the physi- cian has prescribed to be taken by those who are under coniplaint, and who desire to be healed, the means is what the Doctor Ix^s prepared for those disordered ones, to t?ike and use imtil it heals them. It is not calling for means and not using them will do, it is'using the means after they are prepared for the sick man or womau— this is the' use of the means, it is to recover the health cf the diseas- ed person, as is evidem by the saying of Christ, when he said " that the hale did not want a physician, but those that are sick." Why should means be tised if there is an impossibility to he cared ? What is the necessary means to he used in healing the disordered souls cf men, which has come upon all that ever sinned t is it the .vords of a sinful prayer or going into the earthlv water, or is it eat- ing bread and drinking v.ine in the meeting houses, "vV^Tere it is said that thev did trra the supper of :he Lf;rd I No\T al! this nvay be done and yet have no means of grace ( 117 ) in: "it, no not at all. I will now show you that caii believe whit the means is, it is grace itself, which God the great physician has prepared and sent mt) this world : which means is Christ our Lord, and who3oever receive him atid abide in him as he does in the Father, the same is in the use of the means of grace, and no others, let their bo- dily performances be whai they mw. Every sick soul that receives his spirit, and faithfully follows the directions that God has given to all that will use this holy virtuous means, which God has administered to the saving of all th-e souls that ever have been saved, this is all the means- that can save or heal any soul. Now I as one who desi- reth every soul to be saved, who have not sinned cut the the day of God's merciful visitation, I say with the spirit and with the bride, let all come that are willing to come ; O ! come! O ! come ! and drink of the waters of life freely, without money and without price, and every one that cometh and drinketh shall be healed. This is what I have from the Lord to teH the people, and thus I stop on predestination^ for if people will not believe in the free offers of grace, for man's salvation by Christ our Lord, neither would they believe if one was to rise from the dead ; I have called but little of the scrip- ture, but nior« reason and justice, for if I was to give my views and bnng all the texes of scripture, for and against this abominable destroying doctrine, which comes by Satan's false construction of the scriptures, I would have to write a larger volume then the Bible itself, which W")uld require more time than my poor circumstances could bear, and pay the printer for doing it ; thus I by the grace of God offer this as the widow's two mites. Having just finished the above, I tho't I was done, but in a few minutes I found my mind drawn and called onto write some thing more which is as followeth* CHAPTER X, Of the difference betiveen reality ^ and the likeness and firm, SATAN has transformed himself, as the Apostle say, into the likeness of an angel of light, but as a likeness is not tlie very thing which the likeness imitates, there m^ay bea very dangerous mistake, va taking the likeness iristeac of the real thing itself ; and by this mistake Satan may make great use ot it, to hinder the saving grace of God from its opperation in the minds of the sons and daughters of men, especially on the minds of those people that are aot redeemed from their sins ; yet they make use of the form of religion, by going to meeting as tho' they went to worship God, which no man can do without the assis- tance of the spirit of Christ our Lord, who is and will be the Saviour of all that are or ever will be saved ; all who dlenieth him are no christians, neither can they be before thev ackno vlsdgehim, that is Christ, to be their Saviour, tvhom the father of all mercies has appointed to be the Saviour of all that are saved, and is sufficient to save every •ther souls, if they would be saved by him. But some, may say how can this be true, seeing that the number ©f the lost souls that will not be saved, is compared to the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered by man ? Let me tell all those that the reason of all these not being sav- ed, is not for the want of Christ having power to save them, neither is it for the want of his willingness to save them, as his lamentation over Jerusalem plainly in that comparison shows, that the reason why these are not sav • ed, is because these lost souls would not give themselves up to be saved by him ; and God seeing that these Vvncked rebellious ones, would rebel against the striving of Christ's saving spirit, forespake of them by the mouth of his pro- phets and apostles, and because it is aforespoken of, these would wish to lay all the fault on God and that se- cret council, for their being separated from those who \r^ obedience to God's calling, have repented and forsaken their sins and all their wickedness, and accepted Christ- for their Saviour, by which thev are saved and blessed of God, while the obstinate rebellious are cursed and sent into that fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels, for this fire was not preuared at first of the Lord for the sons and daugfhters of men, but only for the proud rebellious devil and his angels ; then vqu may say how came men to be put there, if God did not first prepare it for them ? If after all that has been written, you do not know the reason of this, I once more will tell you ; the plaia reason that caused them who are lost beings to be 50, is th€ Son of God and ttie son of per^tion, Who is the son of the devil — it is like two young men of two dif- ferent families, eacU having th^ir own diiferent habitations iind fortunes, be they rich or poor, but I will say one is rich and the other poor — the souV of man is like a young woman who is ofanother family, and both of these young men are desirous to marry this young worn aiv, for this j>urpose they both court her, and that from time to time, to get her consent to marry one of them* Now the one of the two which she falls in love with theinost, and likes best, she gives her consent to marry ; after she makes her choice she marries him she chose, and then she is to go with him, if it is the poor man she is only entitled to his poor fortune ; and as she refused the rich young man, who truly desired to make her his wife, but rejected him, is the fall of this young woman's poverty and bad end, to be charged to the rich young man, or will this young- woman h ive any right to the rich young man's fortune, when by her own choice she chused the poor man, wliick brought her Into disr.ress ? Certainly you will say, that hermiseri'is Were notprepared for her, any more than' it was er own choice, vrh-n at the tine of courtship the rich young mun was in earnest, and desired her tm give her consent to marry him, which would have bro't her to his rich possessions, where she might have enjoy*- cd all things that could have made her happy ; in his courtship too he told her, that if she refused his goodly of- fer by which she wouli'f>%fwade happy, and married the poor young man, that her lot & possession v/ould be miser- able ; who is to be blamed for the miseries and misfor- tunes of this youn^]f wojjun, Jid notthis come by herown foolish chusing V So in like manner it will be with every one, who inake eh^^ice to marry the poor son of the devil, who hath carried them by their own chusing, to the inhe- ritance of his father here on earth, which are ail the c vils committed under the. Sun — this is all the devil is entiiled to, for he is not worth one cent, e.7«cept the wickedness of men and women, this he is entitled to, because he is father of all wickedness. Now whence comes the pover- ty of this young woman, does it not come of her own chasing.^ by refusing the rich young man, after he told h^r wkit would be $bc uonsecmence of her r^fusinA his ( I'SO ) rich offers, which he was abit to give and wovlS gjve it. .if she would only make choice ol hirn instead of the poor man. As ail must confess that her ipislortune can-e by her own choice, and that she lias not any right to expect any benefit in the rich young m_an's fortune, as by her. own chusing she canrie to this poor and miserable inheri- tance ; so it is, and will be, with all who malce choice of a wieked life, and refuse a righteous one ; for'the father- of all mercies has sent his rich son into tliis world, and he has ofJered to make a marriage covenant, with every soul of the sons and daughters of men, on condition that they would refuse to do tvil and make choice of him he hath promised on these conditions to brin^g them to his father's kingdom, where they shall be entitled to all the riches of his heavenly kingdom, and akho' the wicked, who will be placed on the left, may make as strange as tho' they had never seen Christ the rich Son of God, yet-there are none on a serious examination, but what must confess that their understanding, at sundry times have been opened, and there had been at sundry tirnes '"k struggling between good and evil in them ; for when 4:hey' were going to d« some evil, they were visited by a thought, saying in them, that it would ht hater not to do that evil — this witness will rise up in all and against ^whp reject his saving power, as long as they remain in their sins, rebellion a"d unbelief, Christ is none of their saviour, and for this cause they reViain in tlu^ir^^sins — altho' they may have been baptized, it was only in tl?e water of this eartlt, arsi not into Jesus Christ, whose spiiit is the liXingjivater that con.es do vYti from heaven, out of whose be-Uy rivers ^pf •living waters flow man abundant manner, towards all t|ie sons ana c aughters of men^ — the spirit and the bripe have been calling ail people, that have not biaspliemed ag'.iinstthe Koiv Ghost, to come and jijirtake of the waters of life freely, yea, without moi*ey and without ^rite ; for it is provided nnd given freely by the great God of hea- ven — t is is the water in m hich men are to be Baptized in and be saved, and all who are washed in this water &nd baptizeffinit are majde^rleaii by. the blood of the kimh, an. are haptize by which they can call G.^d tlielr father in truth and in righteous- ness — they tell no lies, like many who have been only bapti?!ed in this earthly v/ater, by the hand of sotiie man •r priest, who pretended to baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Koly Ghost, and gave them the "^read of our wheat-fiour, and the wine of our gnipes, ' without the body and blood of Christ— it is evident that; they do not receive the reality itself, but only a likeness er resemblatjce, which cannot help the souls of those vv'ho eat this aloue, without the body and blood of Christ, ■ Which came down from heaven to give life to all that re- ceive it. By the following sign, people mav knov/ those that are only baptized in the water of this- earth, which is but a form tind iil^eiess, and*those who are baptized in substamie and in the nowerful name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost— the first cont'''ir.e ^n their sins, and often bear Ifiore or Itrss of the frul., H -^i- : the others have come out of their sins, ana bjUig iorthahe fruits of tke spirit which is begotten by Christ out' Lord', .aud iillof them who bring forth the fruits of the spirit of Christ arv^ the children of God, andean in truth call God - ■ ther, as he really is by the marriage ofhi^son unto Li:e:ii ; — but those who bear and bring only the fn^'s of tlie flesh have no right to call God their father, vo ir ^i never yet begat one chdd ; and as man i's one;- he has net two fathers that both begat him in the first birth. So it is with the children of men, they cannot be the children of God, and the children of the Devil b«th at o2ie time^ ( 124 ) therefore they that continue to bring forth the fruits of the flfish are not the children of God, and every- time that they call God their father they lie, and the trutH is not in them, for whilst they are iii their sins they are without the likeness of God's image, but they are in the likeness of the Devil. • :-5K-:' CHAPTER XL Cfthe truly Baptized. HAVI7*^G just finished the foregoing chapter, before I arose from my seat, having my pen yet in my hand, my mind, is drawn to write some more, as necessity com- pels me to give some further marks of the truly baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. First, they have heard the voice of the Son of God who knocked Tit the door of their hearts, and' they have obeyed, which Isd them to that repentance that need not be lepented of —secondly, they have come to Christ at his call, and have found rest to their souls, by taking up the right cross and learning of Christ to be meek and lowly, by which they have learned to do justly, show mercv and walk hum- bly with and in the presence of God— -they abhor sin and all its ways — they grieve to hear of the prosperity of sin m any man, people or kingdom,, but they rejoice in the righteous fruits of grace, & in the righteousness of God^s bride — when they can find her, they love her more than silver ; }ea, more than abundance of fine gold,., because she is a favourite of their God — they love God aitdallthe things he has made for his own glory — they thank him for all the lawful pleasures of this life, and for all the fa- vours they receive — they know that all favours are of his kind j>rovidence, and are truly thankful not only with their lips and tongues, but with all their hearts — there is nc feigned pretence in them — tender, merciful and compas- sionate to ftil things that have life, breath and being.—' When vou see any marked with this mark you may take it for granted that their kingdom is not of this world, but are heirs to the kingdom, of heaveiij ( 125 ) CHAPTER Xir. Some marks ^Iven of those that use the for m^ instead of ths siidatance Sf baptism, AS I have given you some marks of the truly baptized, I now will give you some of the marks of those, who iiave been only baptized by the hand of some men, who dip- ped them in the watery or poured or sprinkled it on thcin, and being only the water of this earth, without that which came down from heaven. Tiie infants knoweih no evii when this ceremony is performed on them, or over them, therefore it is no harm to those ialam babes at this time ; but the grown persons who had been sinning beiore their watery baptism, and remained so afterwards, is evident by the fruits they bring forth, and is a notable mark by which they are known. Only mark or notice the fruits of wickedness they brin^ forth after they are baptized. This contradicts there ever having been baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for if they Were they would not bring such cnrruptable fruits. Al- though they go to meeting, and pray and sing, and do not cat at their table without taking that holy name in words, as they say, to beg a blessing, and re urning wopds like thanksgivings, as they say they call it, do not lie dowti «n their beds without bending their knees, as tho' they prayed to God for his merciful protection in those refresh- ing hours, which God has prepared for the reiresbnient ef man. O ! who v/ould not think that all of these were truly lovers of God, and righteous people, when they see all these zealous performances ? But after all this is done, let as look and see the real fruits they bear, and we will leave out their secret thoughts, which the Lord and them- selves only know, and which would often b« put in prac- tice, if God did not prevent them irom doing as their thoughts and secret desires v/ould lead them to do ; but we will only take a view of their visible fruits, which they have borne and are bearing since they were baptized, and used A\ their religious-like performanc^- Observe here, how they can and do curse and swear — take God's holy name in vain in an angry rash manner — lie for ad- vantages — sometimes sieal and cheat, and if possible get L 2 ( 126 ) the advantage of their neighbours in estGrtions, orinfiay other way they can do it, without bringing themselves *<) puuiic rebuke — they gi^t cU-unk — take tneir neighbours* wives and commit tormcation with them — defile their neighbours' daughters — musier to learn war, by which -they can kill and shed iheir teilow-creatures' blood in slaughtering them, which God has made for his glory ; for man was first made for God's glory, but the wicked- ness of man hath turned this into grieJ — they can ojjpress ail they can get under their power — clothe them with the meanest dress, and feed them with the scanty allowance of the scraps and crumbs of their tables, sometimes after their favorite lapdogs are fed or served — rash and harsh in speaking — often committing unmerciful deeds in a bar- barous manner. Look at the proof of this on human backs, which witness will rise up against them in the day of judgment. There is but very little patience in them, for xhey can quarrel and fight with their neighbours— sometimes beat and abuse their wives and families — they buy and sell their fellow-creatures for life, who niiver broke the law of liberty by their own misdemeanors — without ^compassion— covenant breakers, departing from their words and promises for gain, be it as ua^ just as it may — proud boasters — inventors of evils — de?* pisers of others that are of a better principle than their own — pinch-guts, grudgers and starvers, to get a little more to sell — greedy of gain, let it be ever so unjust, if ihe law cannot take hold of them. These are some of ihe open marks of many who make great professions of religion, insomuch that they go through all the likeness )f religious performances, and with a lying tongue call God and say, Our Father which art in heiiven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive our debtors ; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver Lrs from all evil ; for thine is the kingdom for ever. A- men. This seems to be the end of their pretended der vctions, in which performance they are guilty of adding sin to their iniquity, by their hypocrisy and lies in call' ii:g God th^ir fathier when he is not, for if God was their ' ^'tcr, they would love hitu aadkeep his commandments i < I2f ) but the Devil is their father, as long as they do the De- vil's works, and bring tbrtli fruits unto siii. As long as they bear the fruits of the tree of corruption, they are not the children of God, any more than a tiiiid begottei^ hy a negro man, and brought forth by a negro woman^ (which of course would be black) is it a whiic mun's.-i- Where is the aian amongbt us that would own u re^l black child to be of his own begetting t — audif this black child was to say that such a whue man was his lather, would it not be a lie m the saTne manner it is with those who call God their father, when at the same time tjiey are going on iii their sins i xiow is it when they only ask to be forgiven as they torgive, and yet will not forgive any of their feilow-crealures, who have only committed small trespasses against them, which are nothing in comparison to t'leir trespasses against God. ■: Now those who seem to ask God'sjbi'giveness, will not forgive a small trespass, without getting many-fold re- ;?S^enge, and then not be satishtd nor reconciled ; but will !»pl:>r tid their fellow -creatures with their faults. Is not tliis clearly the murk of many people of this day ? and as a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruits, so an evil tree xaniiot bring forth good truits ; but men and women can in these days bring the likeness of good fruits, in such a- bundance, that it leaves even the wisr in a puzzle, to de- termine Ahetier they are re. 1 or pretenae!. Thus 1 have given you some of the marks of those who are true chris- tians, and of those who have only the bare pretence to that worthy name ; — the number of the^e pretenders is so great at this time, in our country, that they seem, in a few years more, they will overrun the greatest partot it; so much so, that there will be but very few. of the real- followers of Christ in it. ' CHAPTER XIIL 0f a separation bctzveen the- righteous and the wicked ;■ God^s blessing on the righteous, MY dear children, I have , to satisfy the desires of your wives, but fear the Lord and keep that lawful authority which God has given you, to • jEule over all who live under your care» — ^wai»<^ HI— I CHAPTER XV. Second charge tojny Daughters^ to discharge their duties in Uve to G$d and their husbands, MY dear daughters, I pray vou all to dis<^-'>arge vGur duties in love to God, who is head of all, and. to be (. rso Ifonoiired, sensed and obeyed above all ; this is your first duty. Your second duty is to love your husbands, honor and obey them in all their just and lawful requests or commands. I say, obey your husband as head cr king, as God has made him such over his own family, and you are in duty bound to do so. L.ove your husband with all ^nderness and kindness — do not withhold any pleasure from him, by staying unnecessarily from his company, aS practised by many married women, for the pretended sake of seeing their kindred, &c. Never suffer any other man on earth to come nigh thy husband's particular trea- sure, made and committed by God to thy care, to keep- safely for the glory of thy husband. Consider how many unhappy families there are on earth at this time, and you will find that all happened by the want of care to avoid' the evil desires of a carnal mind, and the want of a faith- ful discharge of their duties towards God & their husbands , I command you all, my dear daughters, to love God — your husbands — -your children, and all feeling things un- der your care ; and if kind providence gives you ^by your Ijejl^ful endeavours) plenty to live on, pray to God to give you a heart with power to live on what he has given you ; — do not like some other women, v;ho often fttd their families with the meanest and 'scantiest meals, and if at' any time there happeneth some pleasant breads o^ other provisions sat on their tables, they wmII look With an envying eye at those who are eating, and sometime^- snatch it away and say, '* be not like gluttons and hurt yourselves." Poor evil eyed creatures, who will say, " I want som.e left for to-morrow — do not cut the loaf, ther^ IS enough without^ — here is a piece of the old loaf, ' (^6^ pone) it is good enough — it must be eaten — it must not be thrown away to the dogs ;^' altho' the poor dogs look as if they were in the most starving state, yet they are only allowed a scanty share of crumbs, and are not to have any of the old loaf, which is perhaps beginning to mould, so much so, that a well fed dog would scarcely taste it, yet some poor pinch-guts will make their fami lies eat it or do without. Look at these poor pinch-gut ted women's dogs, they look as if they had no belly, thev are so starved that they must die or seek for food some where else^ O my dear daughters fies from all thefee < 13 1 ) ^boTninatlons-'-try to use your skill and undcrstam^itt^; in making your families happy with your love and jusi li- berality — let your eyes look to all they need — use all things under your care with tenderness — ihank God lor all things in your power, which he in his kind providenie, has given you for your comfort & support, and let nothiii^ be lost or wasted by your idleness or neglect. CHAPTER XVr. Of the necessity to walk in the love and fear of God — of the three friends and three noisy thmg-s o?i earth, MY dear* children, I hope that by this time yoti know .that it is necessary to walk in the love and fear of God, this I again recommend you to do, and also to give no offence lo any on earth or heaven — try to live that inno- cent life, that will preserve the great friendship of the three friends prepar*.^d for us in this life — be not wicked in any thing that will break and destroy the friendship of these three friends, for mankind have but these three friends in this life, and it is dangerous for .them, by bad condact to loose the friendship of any -tOne^qf these three. Thinking that you want to know wh© these three friends are, and I willing that all should know .theui, I will tell you that God is one of them, being the \iiead over all ; tiie second is mankind, and the third is the beasts of the earth. It is dangerous for any person to give oifeuce to any of them, either in heaven or earth. In .ie;n en iher are hre« orthy of glory j they are the ♦jFather, Son, and Holy Ghost^-on earch there is but one v/orthy of p'-aise ; that is the goodness of God and "of tbose that dwell in it. There are but three things oa earth that make any noise ; they are fire., water and air ? f:ake thes hree things away, aa»:l all would be as silent as the grave— if we could keep these three things in subjec- tion to the law of God, we should never sin~a measure ' of these three things is both in man and beasts, and thro' >-he wisdom of God, who has place-d those. three different <^lements in us, we are kept in life to do his will on earth, ■^as it is done in hciveiu There is no allowance made by r < ISS ) thelvord for us to sin with these three gifts, but if we are so unwise as to sin, the Lord has prepared a work for us to do, which is repentance towards God, and faith in Je- 6US Christ, whom if we will receive, he has promised to ibrgive and receive all who will call and return unto him, '^ith true humiliation of heart. CHAPTER XVII. Do not forget the commandments of the Lord. MY dear children, take care that you do not forget the commandments of the Lord as many do, particularly the one by which we are commanded to do to others as \i.ti would they should do unto us. Do not think that other« ought to serve you any more than you should serve them, for my part I believe that there is more honor in serving than to be served ; and I do not think myself in any ways above the poorest man on earthy, or even above the poorest debased negro, if he has good principles ; yet I think myself as good as any of the kings on earth or their nobles, for if their principles are no better than mine, thej .cannot be any better than myself. But pride has sat itself up to be a master, and its opinions are followed by i#any ; this you may plainly see by their conduct, for they want t» be served, and not willing to serve. Notice how they will call on another to come and do, or go and do this or that thing, who is not as able to do as they themselves-, but if they were to do to others as they want others to do to them, they would be more like Christians and brethren thun they are. Look at the young men calling on the grev-headed or sickly, to go or come and do this or that, when they are much more able to do it themselves, they will suffer thirst before they will go to the well or spring fcr water to quench it ; nay, they will suffer cold, before they will lay their hands to carry wood to make them- seives a fire with ; but they will wait for the aged or pooiiy, or call them to do it. Thus you may see that there is only iew but what are willing to be waited on, but they ar-:; not willing to wait on others as they are willing thi^t txhers should waii on them* C 133 ) My clear children, keep yourselves from such unjust dealings, do not think thiit you are above waiting on your- selves ', but if through age, sickness or disability you cannot do so, then it will be lawful for you to get some other person to wait on you. As this is often the case in this country, I pray you to consider the toil andhardshi[> of those who may be called to do the business, or waiting on you, which your inability requires — bo patient and in- structive towards all hireling servants — be kind and give them their full wages without delay, by pctying them what is just and right j yea, if it is by a double reward, it shall not by money lost ; but the righteous Lord shall make it a blessing to you, and in that blessing you shall be made whole for your generous dealings with your hireling ser- vants — do not forget theories of the poor labourers, for some have been defrauded, and these will cry to the Lord that he may see justice done unto them. Thus I end my advice to my children, and to all my dear fellow-creatures, who I trulv desire may so liv^e as ^e gain an inheritance with the saints in glory, Amen. Ail written by me, PETER CLEMMONS, Senr. i6th dav of the 9ch m.onth, 1811. CHAPTER XVIir. "^hs danger of stoplng short of entering the hohf land^ and of receiving' the image of God again, 'i5th of <^th months 1811. BEING in my private room, my soul was covered with the spirit of prayer to my God, that it would pi ase him to separate all mankind from their sins, and jzatbtr them in his holy kingdom of peace and love. In these tender moments of God's merciful visitation to Uie, my thoughts were turned again to my dear children, to give tbem a more particular advice to shun all evils j least they should stop short of entering the holy land, and set down to rest before they got to the land of hoiint , -.ere Chriat and hia saints live, in the sweet harmonious love M 'J ( 134 ) 4.f God ; for there is no safe resting place before we reacts this blessed land. Having great reason to fear that thou- sands that are called to come out of Egypt, and actuallv sat off to travel out of it — do leave off some of the most shameful part of their sinful labours, and find themselves freed from some of the m.ost heineous crim.es, they suf- fer themselves to be deceived, either willingly on igno- rantly ^ and because they have travelled from the worst of open sins, and gone so far in the right way a§ to be noticed by some society, they travel on until they enter a place called the outward court, and as soon as they get there, they fix their tents therein with contentment and Z- al, and never advance any further towards the holr land ; for here they get a name to live amongst the out- ward worshippers — amongst a-set of anti-christians, wh« acknowledg'e the name of Christ, but do not depart from al! evils-^the.y have got no further than the crafty hea- then'can come — here^ they are, and here they are only fix- ed under a more moderate bondage ; and finding them- selves under a more moderate service to sin, they will hardly believe that many of their unclean and unholy de/ids, or words, ar^ offensive to God. When they are repL.Qved by those who continiie faithful in their jouriM.y, and will not stop ro worship until they pass the place call- . ed the regenerating waters, in which they wash until'" they I are cleansed from all their uncleininess, and until they l enter the gates of the holy land into the inward court, where they join the true worship of God ; ye^, I say ' some, and not only some of tlie outward worshippers, ivhta reproved by the iaithful ones^ will scarcely be ieve that tl.cir fruits is sin ; nay, they will not believe, but sa}" in an^\A er to the reprover, "if tarn never guiity of _ wor&e xleed-s than this or that, I shall not be afraid to die ; and if this or that is sin, God help the world, for no body will 1>^ saved ;'* many of the«e will also say, ih.it S^ lo- jnon said," that ther« was a tiiVie for all things, and that such a one did so and so, and wds he not a good man ?" O my dear children, flee from al th»^s€, and from ^W ih'/-x counsel ; and never stop short of entering the luAy i?nd. Be not deceived by Satan's false dreams, for he j ■wil' fftve VOM manv of them if you n ill receive theni* Hy ' tl'asc drtAJns you will find ^---t you aregrea^^'^" 'v^'^vpri ]n ( IS-; > rour ways, and that you are as righteous as any of your aeij^hbours — that voii can pray very well — so well, that 5^ou will be proud & lifted up ; nay, you will dream and think that it is so — that you are better than such a one, and be deceived so far as to make you think or say,- that vou would not be so bad as such a one Or such a one, for all the world— he will give you in his dreams a sight of the sins and unclean deeds of others ; but he will l/ide all yours from your eyes. Take care, my dear children, for in tender momeiats I w^as brought to fear, least you should be deceived, and stop short of eiUering into the holy land : therefore I must give you som.e of the names,^ ^f places that are dangerous for you to camp at, nt)r to i'aise your tents near thereto. Dear children, God is *a just, merciful, loving and ^ood God ; in his image he created man in the beginning, Sut by man's transgression he lost it ; he cannot find this precious image again, unless he enters the holy land ; for God has called his image out of all unholin^ss, and hath f>laced it in the land of holiness, and all who are desirous receive it again must ^o to the holy lanco\ ering they make it do ; — there are so many of this sort of people, that one is not ashamed of another^ and here stop short, set down and rest by the way, without getting to the place where they might receive the image of God. O my dear children, let nothing satisfy you un-' til you receive the image of God — remember my descrip- tion of it, and never stop your spiritual travel unjil- voa ' ceive it, and that from the hand of the Lord ; for up ( 135 ) other can give It to you. Therefore mind that you- do not stop where there is injustice of any kind, but pass by and go c« to the place of true justice ; for many stop short at that unholy place called injustice, where much thereof is committed to both mp^n and beasts — you must not stop here, but go on until you come to the place •where the just image of God stands. In this place of justice men are not only just in paying their contracted debts ; but they are so in ail things — to all men and to all beasts that come under their care and power. In thir place where the just image of God is to be found, the black man has an equal right with the white man— -there is no respect paid to colour — neither any one (in this jur : place) eat of the forbidden fruits of injustice in any kinc of action committed against man or beasts, without sui fering death : this is the law of the holy land — as soon a:, any one eats of these forbidden fruits, he or she loose: the life of the just image of God, and their eyes will b- brought to see their nakedness, and feel the loss oftb- image of God ; I mean their own loss, for they will be stripped of the image of God, and that image will be re- turned to its holy place ; there to be kept pure and holy forever — no unjust people shall be clothed with this holy garment ; Stall who lose it will become naked, altho' they may make themselves fig-leaves aprons, and clothe them- selves with empty professions — put on the robe of bap- tism in or with earthly water, and all the ornaments worn by the unjust at the communion table — with all the fine superfluous words called prayer— with their ejaculated grace, and their pretended thanks, which they are so par- . ticular to wear at their tables ; \et after all these gre;>t preparations, they will be found naked whensoever they eat of the forbidden fruits of injustice, and musjt taate death ; '^ for out . to be a^ much justice done on sea as on land^ and why should an honest man be robbed of his allat sea, because he lives and has his residence in another nation ? — is he \not a human being, and if he was even a beast instead of a man, he would be entitled by the just law of God, to what he had got by his honest labour. Woe be- unto him, (or them) that by craft or villainy, take any thing, from any one, by land or by sea ; for not one ot these priva- teering robbers, shall escape the righteous judgment of , God, any more than our land robbers, which (if catched) arv- to be put to death. Their ministers say it is no sin to buy and sell black people and make them slaves for life, justifying themselves by Noah's sinful expression in curs* i^g Canaan his own grandson ; and the apostle clearly shows Noah's error in two cases ; — first his drunkenness — secoiidiy, his unauthorised expression in cursing his vn grand son^ which was certainly wrong; for out of the sanije mouth man blesses God and xiurses man made after the similitude of God, and ought not to say that it . is imp ;5sible to be right in the sight of God, even by con-» I vincing compariscms ; but the devil tried to overcome Christ by making use of the scripture, therefore it is no - - wonder if these deceived ministers deceive the bad inclin- ed people, who are not willing, to part with their unjust ^ ns for Christ^s sake-'-*-! say, it is no wonder they de- ceive their followers, by putting a wrong construction oil the scriptures : for two of the greatest evils committed on earth,. (except blasphemy against the Koly Ghost) are upheld both in words and deeds by this sort of mi-nisters,^ who love that unjust gain which God, Ciirist, and all his ' righteous saints have and v/ill condemn ; that is, by mak- 4' slaves of the unborn before they transgress, do any iiarni^ or forfeit the bonds of their just freedom, which T>xi manor* earth has a right to take firosa another hefor-j C 140 ) itis forfeited by some misdem manors — nor ought tlie child^ ^ to suffer for the father's sins, b) liaving his fittdom taken' from him by force, by the authority of an uiijust law . which sanctions the unjust to btli his fellow -creatures' . for life, and that from generation to generation, to be j beaten at pleasure by all, either old or young, to gratify- " their passionate natti-re. All this avid many more evils,-_ are sat forth as examples by some of these preachers,, to- ; their hearers ; and as long as this is their examples and' • precepts, it will be a miracle if any of their followers leave : this dangerous bid city. But my^ dear children and^ ■'others, ^I pray you all to pass by this dangerous place^ ' for thev who stop within and die there, will fail short of ■ entering God's rest, and will be found naked and without I the righteous garment of God's image, when the king of j heaven comes to see the justs at the marriage oi his son - j Christ our Lord. O! do not stop there or any where J near that sinful place, altho' there is all kind of enchant- ^ ing musi-c to draw your attention — Isave the very borders thereof, and pass on until you arrive to the fourth station of life into the promised land ; there you will receive tlie ifnage of God again, and be m de alive to him through Christ our Lord — ^being clothed with the just, merciful and lovely image of God you will be prepared for his glo jy for evermore. Amen. Until you receive these four parts, (v*fz;) justice, mer= cy, love and goodness, (which is the garment of grace) I'sav, until you receive this blessed garment, never cease your spiritual trrtvel; forit is thr)sewho hold out to the end ' in a righteous life, that are to,be saved- and no others-— ,none sh 11 dwell with God & Christ but those who have th s- holv garment — no hypocritical garm.ents shall stand before God in his glory. So look to yourselves and to the Lord^.- | for I think that I now have discharged my duty, by writ- iirg what has laid on my mind many years ; that is, some part of the foregoing, the other occured while I was writing. Written bv me, (your father) and finished this 25th i^y of the 9th month, 1811. PETER CLEMMONS, Ssnr^ ( 1^1 ) CHAPTER XIX. Encouragement ta Shiners to come to^ Christ and be Saved, MY mind does not feal satisfied, for which f write the following lines to emcourage sinners of all ages, to come in the days of God's mercy and serve him by obey- ing hjm, and walking in the blessed counsel of that o;)ick- eh spirit, which teaches us to deny all ungodliness and the world's lusts— to live godly, righteously, and soberly in this present life ; and as we have Ciirist's word that all sins and blasphemies shall be forgiven, except th^ one against the Koly Ghost, le^i^ come, be his or her sins ever so numerous, let them come to Christ, the light which enlighteneth all that come to the kingdom of God ~-all that cometh Christ will not cast off without granting their requests, as far as it is agreeable to the will of God. For your encouragement let me tell you, that from u child I had a secret love towards righteousness, but be- ing raised in a part of the world, where there was but little to be seen besides wicked examples, I was drawn into many sinful deeds and words, to my great grief when I came to have a right mind given to me, by the se- cret visitation of the Lord, I was born in the year of our Lord (as I have been told) 1749, and from the time I was capable of knowing the vanities of this life, I was pleased with many of them, until I attained the age of three or four and twenty years ; though in this time I had many secret visitations from the Lord, calling on me to depart from my sins ; but I did not obey him until I arrived at that age, then his mer;- ciful visitation operated with great power ; not by tn« voice of men;, but by his own voice, at which I then did not harden my heart, but was humble before the Lord j my soul was g^reatly grieved when I looked back and saw what a sinful creature I had been, to sin against so gra- cious and merciful a God, in doing and saying whati ought not to have done or said, and in leaving undone what I ought to have done. I continued in my grieving and mourning, until the following date, when I had a dream or vision, which 1 will here relate for the encour- ( 142 )' agement of poor distressed sinners, to come to Cfrfst, who has pron^ised to forgive, or have 'forgiven, nil sins and blasphemies which they in igriGrance have commhted against the Son of Man. CHAPTER XX. BREAM OR VISION, Wludi happened on the SQth nig-ht ofthej^rst m&nth. CGlIcd J'anuar'ij', 1777* THIS night I separated myself from all company ; and liad a dream or vision : — It appeared to me that thert v^as a famine in the land, but myself and some other per- son, (but I knew not who it was) had a small table with bread and some other eatables ready cooked on it ; I had faith, and called people to come and eat, I called often and loud, and told them that the bread would never fail , many came and did eat, but some seemed not to believe. After this there appeared to be a great want of clothing, but I and another one had a small store of clothing, and in the same manner I called the people to come end be clothed, but they seemed slow incoming, I called louder, and many people came and were clothed ; after th«s I went before them to goto the promised land, and they followed me ; we had a vast swamp to cross, even like a \vilderness and there was no road through it, but I clear- ed a way for the people, even very "great trees I cut flown with one stroke and put them out of the way by the power of faith, and the people followed miC. After we got throik^h the wilderness, we came to the promised land, I stood in the gate th^. reof and gave the people a charge concerninof every man's profession ; I told t'^em that ever\' one might know the portion of his inheritance by finding; his own name written on the door of the horre ofhisown profession ; &the people wei^t into the prom'sed land, I also went in, ever into tVt city, and thert -v>as a great store of goods in every room, and thus it snded* ( us ) CHAPTER XXr. SECOND DREAM OR VISION, Which happeiied on the IQth night of the 3d month called March^ in the year of our Lord 1782. I saw three men which I thought were in the spirit o^ drunkenness, I spoke to them to depart from me until they were sober or clear of their drunkenness ; and then to return to me again, and one of them seemed thankful for my advice/' After this I saw David Young, a mem- ber of the Methodist society, go amongst a number of peaple, and said Young and the people seemed to be at prayer, after the manner and custom of the Methodist so- ciety; after they were done praying, David Young told them in my hearing, that while they were praying in this manner, they thought they had peace — after this he rose and said that their peace was a false peace, and that their prayers were in the way of will-worship, that is to say, in man's own will 'and time : immediately I sav/ this multitude turn after the Devil, and it appeared to me thit -they would all be destroyed in a few minutes, with ever- lasting destruction ; this sight laid me under an unutter- able concern of mind and grief of spirit, which caused me to go amongst them ; but my soul was so troubled that I could only say three or four times to them, awak: ! a- wake ! My concern for them grew so great that I cried grievously, and wept very loud with great sorrow of heart, after this it passed away and 1 slept. But 1 saw these people a second time turn again *after the Devil, and t appeared to me as if the Lord won id destroy them in a few rfiinutes, which filled me again with unn.tterahle )rrow ; I v/ent amongst them, but my sorrow grew so great that 1. could not speak to them, I broke '~ut in cry- ins: ^"^^ w :e;-ing so lo'id, that it awakened .Y'^ wfe who was asleeri by me ; she called and awaked me, hwx did not tell her what I had seen. I went to sleep afrain im- mediately, a'od dreamed thai I was telling my wif^ and some other women what I had seen, and it appeared as ^f it took some eftect on them \ I awaked, got np, went ,Out of dooi's and presented myself before the Lord. I *:^^eniiiito my lioussj l.iid down on my bed again, bat ( lU ) sleep seemed to be far from me ; however, I laid still and considered on what I had seen — after a while 1 went to sleep again, when another dream or vision appeared to me ; — I was taken up in the air between heaven and earth, while in the air I looked in a house through a door, where I saw my wife and others ; I spoke to my wife and went ^ in, while there, tear came on me, as the fear of thos€ who think they see a spii it, but presently was delivered from it — I went out of the house to fight against the De- Til, who appeared as a devouring beast, I had some sort of wei^Dons with- which I fought the Devil with — I fought him with great courage, until I overcame him ; he then transformed himself to another colour, but I knew him and fought him until 1 overcame him again, and thus he continued transforming himself, until he appeared so near like Christ that some who were by, beholding me fighting him spoke to me, and believed I was fighting against Christ ; yet I did not mind what they said, for I knew that he waa not Christ, altho' he had appeared in so many shapes and colours, sometimes almo&t white* — • After I had overcoij e him in all his appearances, then » Christ appeared to me in white, and I knew him, I was then put m authority, and a weapon from the Lord was given to me, that I might go and separate the righteous from the wicked ; I went in one place to do so, thers were three sorts of people — one sort I was to shew n-^ mercy to, but 1 was to destroy them with the weapon that was given unto me ; — another sort of people were favour- ed so far as to be put by themselves, that if they would tur I & bti-comefuUy righteous, they should 'J » be accept-ed and admitted amongst the righteous ; — in this place there were a great many people, but I found but very few that were fully righteous — I then ' went to another place to separate, where th-re were als(* many people, but ui^ongst them all I found but two or three that were fully righ- teous. By the following means I was to know them one from another — the righteous were clothed all in white, from the sole of their feet to the crown of their heads — those who had no white on them, were those that were- to \)t destroyed and have no m^rcv ; but such that had some white on them, were put .in a place by themsdves, tiiatif they would becoixie fully righteous, they should be C 145 ) ^...-^^.^u. Of ifiis sort of people there was a great many, which I aj)prehended had not sinned cijt their days of grace j yet they were not suffered to be with the right- eous ; one of this sort of people I observed was ait in white except his feet, he hid them for fear I should see ythem, but I knew by his hiding them that he was con- demned. Just then I awaked, and found that it was da}»» ii^ht ; this left a great concern on my mind, so muc'' »that I wrote it down the same day. CHAPTER XXII. A ietter^-hin^^ my reasons xvhy Ileftihe Methodist society. ABOUT fourteen days after my last dream or vision, X received 'a letter from a member of the Methodist so- ciety, which letter I brought with me from, the State of Delaware, to -Guilford county, in North -Carol in a. Ic was ray intention tq have it printed with my answer to my sorrow I have lost it ; it being so muny yeai-s, since ■it was written, that by some means or other it got out of iny possession, for I have dilligently searchLd'amQnn-3t aii my papers and could not find it ; and as 1 omnot Re- member the contentsof it verbatim, I cannot ha^e it print- €d, altho' I would much rather, for then both side? of t->^-^ question would have been seen, at once j and all who might have seen or heard the wWe, might have i; tVcd ^ themselves ; all I can say is, that I had foinedihe Mrthodist society and left them, so thai manv'peopk^ vvantid to know my reasors for coino- <^r^ 'bi-t d'd ;^ot give them until Ueceiy d a |ettt:r1f=o ?a ni^ruher- ^tthat society requesting U^.em,' ar.d rny answer is c^s ioliows : DEAR FRIEND, I received, the letter seiit by thee to me tliis day •— .::reforeIbelieve.itismy duty u. return th-^c- an an- ^swer, touchuigtLe things whereof thou ban writter -for U appears to me that thou belit^vest, that I am in a s^ate olrtudlion thraugh Ignorance, and not thiough know- % f 146 ) ledge, as written by thee. But my dear friend, thoii clost not see as I see, which makes me appear to thee and iiri'iny people, as Christ did to the people in times of old, 'which caused some of them to say unto him, ''how- long dost thou make us doubt ? if thou be Clirist t.)! us ph».iL\iy." .1 also perceive that fear and doubts have arisen amongst you, because I have left the visible ways of men, that I might more fuHy follow the way of the spirit, (that 13 Christ Jesus) of whom I have received^more, since 1 ^^ave up the Class-paper, than I ever had before. But this is a hidden mystery which some cannot see through* I have left the outward discipline, the greatest part of v/hich is sat up by men, for the purpose of living under the governmer^t of Christ Jesus, to be joined to the dis- cipline that is invisible, and set in our heart^ through ihe wisdom of the Father by Christ Jesus, who is- sat .over all God's bles&ed, for evermore, Amen. My dear friend, it se^ms to me that it is believed by ^omeoflhe Methodist members, that I \ only received Christ, by bearing some of their preache?^ or members ; iUatis to say, that some of them were the instruments ^f God who^has caused me to turn from darkness to light h\xi my \ brethren, which caused me to go and call then: to reper*' i ce. i h?s I did soiiaetim^ before I saw any called Methodists^n that tim' God did bh ss my la I) ur^j, for it was .carried on wiihoutthe custor^iary Icrm ^a /^er^i^Oiii-s i--X J^imlm pra} e.d nor sung in the ccr ( ^^^ ) l^regation, after the manner used amongst you ; yet 1 walked according to the direction of the spirit that led me outX)f the darkness to this light, and to the direction o the Apostle Paul, given by him in his epistle to Timo- thy ; saying, '•' I exhort therefore, that first of all, sup- plications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men." Now my friend, thou mayest see that,. I was called all alone ; for I obeyed until the Me- thodists came to Lenoir Williams', then I heard them bear the same testimony against sin, as was given to me before to bear. At this time there was a messenger sent to me, who believed that the Lord sent them to forewarn me not to join the Methodists ; but the messenger proved unfaithful, and did not deliver me the mesrsage ; where- for he was greatly chastised for his disobedience, (as I was afterwards informed.) I joined the society of the Methodists not by aiiy command, but the Lord suffered It to be so.— ^I learned something whilst I was amongst them, but by turning to the spirit who at first did q,uickcn me, I saw by the light thereof that I must leave those thhig^. ofFthatl had learned of them (the Methodists) or I should perish, and not see the kingdom of God. Those things are as followeth ; first, that which is called by thy so- ciety, " worshipping God by prayer and singing." Stop my beloved friend ! do not let any antichrist spi l-it deceive thee, or any of thy society <, so as to make any of you misapprehend, or wrongly understand me, in what I mean by prayer and singing, so far as to think and re- proachfully say that I deny praying and singing to the Father, ^in the name of his beloved son Jesus Christ ; for I solemny declare in the presence of God almighty, whose .servant I now am, (and was before I ever saw any per- son called a Methodist^ that I knew of) that 1 both con- fess and acknowledge, that there is one way, (and but one %vay) to pray and sing to the Father, that is certainly ac= ceptable to him ; which way is in the spirit and under- \ Standing ; (as Paul wrote of) this is the way that I con- fess and follow at this time, (so I did before I ever kn'^w any Methodists, or any called by that name.) I kno^ that this is the true and only way'acceptable to the Father; —•this I learned of Christ, and have walked in it evej^ :nc€. All who pray and sing aright m^ist walk in tlu^^ ( ^43 ) Vfav, whxh is only learned of - ybv Christ Jesus him« self. No man,- woman or child, can possibly, by any iTieansoF their o\vtf, bring any one in this way, but any can bv the spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom the Father chose for this pursose before theworld was known by mankind. ?*Tay it pleabc my heavenly father, who of his own wisdom, love and merry, hath begotten me again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of his son Jesus Christ from the dead ; in my heart I say, that it may please him to bring thee and all others, (who have not sinned out the day of their grace) into this way, which is surely a.cc€pt:\ble. But this is a narrow way, and only few do find it ; yet there is a v/ay whirh seems right to many, and is called the worship of God by prayer and singing — tills way is lear'^ed !3y men and of spirits, who are neither of, nor sent by Christ, but have come of themselves to deceive. Cbrist fore? pake that there should be deceivers, false prophets and false Christs, who should come in his name and deceive many ; nay, the very elect if it were possible. — These have the form of prayer, singing and ot godliness ; but they deny the power,, because they are not pure but defiled, as the apostle says in Titus, " profess- ing that they know Ood, but in work deny him." By this sort of worshippers many a precious lamb is entang- led and wounded — others utterly slam, by continuing with them — being beguiled by their outward appearances- of Godliness, sat up by them in their own order, where- by they uss many words, and make long prayers, in and at the time they meet together in their sinagogues, or in other places ; which, indeed, has a beautiful show of Godliness, to him (or them) whose eyes are beguiled, and are in a measure ensnared by their seemed devotion, prayers and ordinary songs, v/hich they sing & use just as they please, and when they please. Sometimes it pleases God to strip them-of their vices and common used words ; — they then call it taking up the cross, and so force^ themselves to bring an offering of words. This clearly appears to me be like the offering of Saul, who forced himself and offered an offering that caused Samuel to re- prove him for his foolishness, for he was at that time he- guiled and knew not how to remain still or silent, norv: ( 149 ) T/ait for the messenger of God, altho' he (before thisr) had received the anointment of the Lord. I said Saul was beguiled— -so is the case with many pre- cious souls, after they have bcen^ anointed with the quick- ening spirit ; for when they are brouoht to any strait, they then force themselves as Saul did, and bring an offerinp- of words, which shows their foolishness — -they cannot content thems v s, nor wait with patience for the comin<^ of the prophet or true messenger of the Lord, to instruct them how to bring forth an acceptai)le offering to the living God. This messenger is the, one, who at first anointed us with the holy anointment ; even v/ith the Holy Ghost, who is sent to the righteous to instruct them how to bring forth their offerings in an acceptable mr.n- ner. Saul had the promise of Samuel's com in jv to him so those who are anointed with or by the Holy Ghost have the promise of his coming ; and when he ccmeth to them who truly wait tor him, they are then made able to bring forth an acceptable offering, which" is their Yeason- able services ; (that is to say) pray, sing or speak lo the people by way of preaching. Without this messenger, no one can do any thing acceptable to God, as Christ hath said '* without me ye can do nothino-." All that a man doeth, without this messenger beino- the author of it, he doeth by the deceiving spirit uhich makes him think that he has done his duty, when he sung, prayed or spoke amongst the people, when met together in any place or sinagggue, - i have now written' to thee, my friend, what has been given to me by t; e living messenger, to write unto my friends, that ye might all see the difference between pray- ing and singing right or wrong ; lor I learned the wrong sort of praying and singing amongstyou, and caused me Vo act contrary to what is recorded m St. BTatthew, 6th chap- ter, 5 — 6 — 't and 8th verses ; which things I had to leave off or perish, anv^ not see the kingdom of God, ■ Try your worship, my beloved liiends, by ccm.mg to the touch-stone which is disallowed by mi^ny builders yet it shall become the head stone of the corner whereon the true church is built, that the gates of hell cannot pf-e- Taii against ; yet this stone is sat for the fail and rise of N 2 ( 150 ) many, and for a sign which shall be spoken against as 2 stumbling stone, and a rock of offence, to such that do not believe in him, but stumble on the stumbling stone laid on Zian for a foundation, on which the living church is built. My beloved friends, if you will only be wise, an,d try your v/orsaip by this touch stone, your eyes will then be opened, and you will sec that there is another spirit, who is not of oar Lord Jesus Christ, "has the pre-eminence a- mongst you — that it leads many precious souls captive • — makes them make longer or shorter prayers and sing- ing, at almost all of your public or private meetings ; but my btlcved Iriends, I dp not write this to upbraid or de- grade you, but as to my beloved, who I greatl}^ long fcr, in the bowels of that spirit that at first did quicken me, and brought me out of Satan's kingdom into his heavenly Itingdo n, where all is light and no darkness at all. I say, in these bowels I greatly long that you might all be bro't home to the true foundation, and forever be made able to stand thereon. Dearl)^ beloved and longed for, you now may see that I cId not write this to upbraid or degrade you, but I write 5t because it was given me by the living messenger, to re* inind and forwarn yoU ^11 of that spirit which has crept, beguiled & defiie.l soma ly of }ou, which you were igno- rant and n n awiire of, I'his enemy has c.rept in at un- aw-ares, and has done a great deal of damage amongst you, hy making or contriving the greatest part of your worship, which is carried on by the wisdom of men, and makes the worshippers thereof pray, sing, speak to the people or a- amongstthe people, just when they please, and as often as they please ; \vhether it be to pray or sing. This is he Vi'bo doth come in sheep's clothmg, anti who is inw^ardly a ravenous wolf — this is he who doth^md will destroy your folds— ^this is he who catcheih and carrieth av/ay the young and tender lambs, u ho have got but late desires to the sincere niilk of the word of God-^^his is he who s€?t those tender ones to work on the false foundation, be- fore they are able to discern between the true or the false foundation— this is be who is the only destroyer of the T.bilrch, (\nd thou did reckon that I was him ; but I am " 'j% of hirrj, s*6hber have I any fellowship with him '^ but ( 151 ) l*fdr\ram you all of him, thatf you may take care and be aware, lest he should destroy your precious souls.) this is he whom the Lord has thrown, (even what I learned in and oi thy society ; that is, prayjng and singing at the be- ginning and end of almost every ineeting,)— this is he who made me examine tie class in the private meetings, whereby many that were wounded, instead o*' being lualed were wounded worse by telling them lies — this is he who made me say " pray Brother," ( md he would utter some woids which were called p.ayerj forcing him to this offer- ing, in which the Lord had no pleasure — this is he who made me collect mone}^ from the weak to give to the strong, who were able to work with their own hands. — . Ttie.se are che tnings I learned of the Methodists, but the Lord has thrown them down from me^ and will throw them down from many more hereafter. My dei^r friend, I ncieby declare that T do not aim (or desire) to raise up a name unto myself, or a new sect of people, as thoa seems to think by thy letter; but I de- sire th I the na ne of Christ may, be raised up amongst you and ali others, and be glorili-.-d forever. Now iiv dear friend, as tho-.i hast bidden me farewell, I do, and shall always wish thee may do well, both in this world and ht-realtt'r; and as thou are determined not to follow me, sq 1 am determined, by the help of Christ, ne- ver to leave inward discipline to join the outward, until it be purged from .he tilth of the flesh, and become one with the mward, and be perfectly jomed in one by Jesus Christ, rhis is from thy fri^^nd, PETKH CLE?JMONS,Senr. 30th day of the 3d month, 1782. To my friend Halfteld, and to all my other beloved friends, called by the name of Methodists* CHAPTER XXIIL CONCLUSION. LET no man tl~'ink harshly or Icok with a despising eye on tiie Methodists, on account of the foregoing answer to ' le ktter ssnt to me by one of their member f for i be.- ( n2 ) lieve that there are some well meaning people amoBf^s! them — but iei ah v\ ho mi.y reiid or hear it, seriously en- quire, vihtihcr 'heir pra) trs and praises, spring from the right lOuntuin *r from the wrong — m hether ii is by the will and wisdcrtu oi' men, or the movings of grace ; for it is noi bv the will nor wisdom of men, (hat any are saved, .^ but it is bv the virtuous movements oi grace alone ; not "f onl} o.^ this or that society ^— but all who do the will of God here on earth, and answer the end ior which they were created. Thus I end, and it mav be for ever; PETER CLEIMMONS, Senr. 2Sth of 9th month, 1811. N. B. Having withdraAvn myself, fas befm*e meii- tioned) from the Methodist society, they concluded thut I should notspeak in theirnewmeeting-house j (which did ^ not know) but returning from meeting; -1 called at said new meeting house, where the society were gathered i together to hold prayer-meeting- — I went into the house j as a hearer — as I was sitting down instill behaviour, and * hnving not opened my mouth, in any way of exhorta^ tion ; one of the ruling members got up, and acquuihting me of their conclusion, told me publicly, that I was ncft to be suffered to speak in their meeting-house ; and that it was for no other reason, but because I had withdravi-fi in^'self from them* This eccasicned me to compose xh^ ■ following verses : 1 One thing' I very well do know",' That I was blind, Init now I see j Therefore I am disallowed. By the head a-f their assembly. 7>^Bm to the Lord may I thus go^ And nothing else besides him know r And in his love may 1 thus be, 3n this life and eternity^ 3 O ! .mav it be my happy lot. To tell the wonders he hath wrought | After bein^ thus cast away, The Lord will be my whole joy. 4 And to the Lord, the God on high, O ! may all of our praises fly ; When our bodies in dust do lye, O ! may our souls to heaven fly. 5 O ! may this be our happy lot, JWe that Christ has so dearly bought j Then unto him O ! let us go, And leave this sinful world below. 6 O ! Lord of hosts help us along. And give us grace to sing this song ; And when we4eave this world below^ O ! may we to thy kingdom go. 3o I end in love and peace^ Amen. POOR PETER CLEMMONS, Semv FIN IS. INDEX. Page :io CHAPTER r. Our spiritual travel to a Christian life, CHAPTER IL OfWftr, - - - - CHAPTER HI. lie injustice of Slavery, - - - 43 CHAPTER IV. The danger of bad Counsel, - . - iT" CHAPTER V. The safety of good Counsel, - - - SI CHAPTER VI. Advice to my sons, concerningtheir duty in a ra^^rried life, 86 CHAPTER VII. Advice to ray daughters, concerning their duty in a married life, - - - -91 CHAPTER VIII. Advice to all my children, concerning their duty to their children, - • • '« 93 Chapter ix* On the forc'crdination of God, by a sr.ppo3ed secret council, . „ , 105 CHAPTER X. ^ #£ the difference between reality, and the likeness and form. « . « 117 1 CHAPTER XL' ' Of the truly Baptized, - ' - \2i CHAPTER XIL Some marks given cf these that use the form, instead of the substance ol baptism, - - 125 CHAPTER XIII. Of a separation between the rii^hteous and the wicked ; Cod*s blessing on the righteous, - - 127 CHAPTER XIV. All married men ought to keep a right authority , and love God more than their wives, - - — '^ ,12c CHAPTER XV. Second charge to my daughters, to discharge their duties in love to God and their husbands, - - 1:9 CHAPTER XVI. Of the necessity to walk in the love and fear of God — of the three friends and the three noisy things on earth,' 13' CHAPTER XVIL Do not forget the commandments of the Lord,^ 1 S2 CHAPTER XVIII. The dangerof stopping short of entering the ho'y land, ar.d of receiving the image of God again, - 1 - CHAP1 ER XiX. Encourage: #^nt to Sinners to ccrae to Chi4st and be sa'\'€d, 141^ CHAPTER XX. Dream o.r Vision, . . - CHAPTER XXI. Second Dream or. Vision, CHAPTER XXll. ■ A Letter giving my reasons \vhy I left the Methodist sf ciety, - - - ^- CKAPTER XXIIL Conclusion, - * - - THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA THE COLLECTION OF NORTH CAROLINIANA PRESENTED BY Elizabeth Sale 'i0-^ :'V^ Cf •9' ■ ■ «- -