A TENDER VISITATION IN THE LOVE OF GOD TO ALL PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY THE INHABITANTS OF WILTSHIRE, GLOUCESTERSHIRE AND BRISTOL. And unto this people thou shalt say, thus saith the Lord, behold I set before you the way of life, and the way of death. Jer. xxi. 8. For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light, and the reproofs of instruction are the way of life. Prov. vi. 23. Take fast hold of instruction, let her not go, keep her, for she is thy life. Prov. iv. 13. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad; knowing therefore the terrors of the Lord, we persuade men, &c. 2 Cor. v. 10, 11. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; but glory, honour and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile; for there is no respect of persons with God. Rom. ii. 9, 10. Friends, neighbours and countrymen, AMONGST Whom I have had my conversation, in times past, in the fear of the Lord, and now being a sufferer in this prison for Jesus Christ's sake, I am constrained in his tender love to visit you by these lines, stirring you up to a serious and tender examination, what way you are walking in; seeing there are but two ways, as Christ Jesus saith; "Enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat; because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Now commune with your own hearts and be truly still, and say to your souls, what way are we walking in? For Christ Jesus takes no notice here of the many ways and professions of religion, among Jews and Gentiles, but plainly concludes all walking in one of these ways, namely, the wide gate and broad way, or the straight gate and narrow way. It is true, there are many ways and professions of religion in this age of the world; but now, as then, they are all concluded under these two, the way of life, and the way of sin and death. As these two ways are contrary to one another, so are the fruits different that are brought forth by men and women walking in these ways. All that are walking in the broad way, are bringing forth the fruits of the broad way, which are wrath, murder, evil thoughts, adulteries, thefts, false witnesses, blasphemies, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, strife, sedition, heresies, envyings, drunkenness, revelling, and such like, and they who do such things, shall not inherit the kingdom of God: these are the fruits of the broad way, and of those walking therein. And this way is called broad, because men walk in their sins, in the pleasure and vanities of their minds; and the gate is wide to receive all that spend their precious time, both morning and evening of their day, and not in the fear and awe of the holy God. The multitude walk in this way; for the devil cares not what men profess in words, of God, of Christ, the kingdom of heaven, religion and worship, while they continue walking in the broad way, which leads to his kingdom of darkness. Hence it was that the great God by his servants, the prophets and apostles, testified against their worships and performances, and that of several things, which were once commanded: and why? Ye may see it was because they had forsaken the right way of the Lord, and were performing their worship in the same nature, spirit and way in which they were sinning against God; their hearts were corrupt, and consciences defiled. And he complains by Isaiah, "I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious and gainsaying people, which walk in a way that is destruction by a flood on the old world, judgment on the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sore plagues and calamities through several generations, as you may read all along in the prophets; and then what befel Jerusalem and that people, and since through the ages and generations to this day? not good, after their own hearts." This way that brought the judgments, plagues and cathat was not good, was the broad way, in lamities, miseries and depopulations of nations which they were, as many now are walking and kingdoms, from Adam's day to this day. in, notwithstanding all their outside profession It was going out of the narrow way of obedi of religion as saith the Lord by his prophet ence into the broad way of disobedience, that Isaiah, "To what purpose is the multitude of brought misery on Adam, the curse on Cain, your sacrifices unto me, saith the Lord? I am full of burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts, and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of the he-goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no vain oblations, incense is an abomination to me; the new moons and sabbaths, Now having in short said something of the the calling of assemblies I cannot away with; broad way and wide gate, and of the walkers it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting; your therein, I am to say something of the narrow new moons, and your appointed feasts, my way and straight gate, which Christ Jesus soul hateth, they are a trouble unto me, I am saith, few find. This is the way called in weary to bear them. And when ye spread Scripture the ancient way of holiness, and is forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from called narrow, and the gate straight, because you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I no double-minded man can walk therein. All will not hear; your hands are full of blood. who come to walk in this way, must leave Wash ye, make ye clean, put away the evil their iniquities behind; for there is no coming of your doings from before mine eyes, cease out of the broad into the narrow, but by putto do evil, learn to do well; seek judgment, ting off, as the apostle saith, the old man with relieve the oppressed, plead for the widow," &c. his deeds; and this is effected by joining to, So you may see, that no performances of wor- and obeying the grace that came by Christ ship, or service, were any longer acceptable Jesus; which the apostle saith, bringeth salin the sight of God, than they were performed vation, teaching to deny ungodliness and worldby men and women walking in the way of the ly lusts; and not only so, but leads to live Lord, denying themselves, and cleaving to the godly, righteously and soberly, in this present good Spirit of God, which the prophet said world. This makes manifest the broad way, God gave to instruct and guide them, but they gives a sense of the destruction it leads to, rebelled against it. This is the broad way and leads out of it into the narrow way. AlAdam and Eve, through disobedience went though this way is narrow, and the gate into, when they disobeyed God, and trans- straight to man in the fall and alienation gressed his righteous law and commandment. from God, walking in the broad way, and This is the broad way that Cain walked in, laden with sins, yet as men and women come when he slew his innocent brother Abel. This out of the broad way, and from delighting in is the way that the old world walked in, when unrighteousness, and come to delight in folthey had, through disobedience, turned aside, lowing the Lamb of God, Christ Jesus, by his so that the Lord said, "My Spirit shall not Spirit, who leads the obedient in the blessed always strive with man ;" and it repented the work of regeneration, they will see that the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and way of the Lord is a pleasant way, and the it grieved him at his heart. This is the broad just man's path a shining light, that shineth way in which Israel walked when they had more and more unto the perfect day, and so forsaken the Lord, the fountain of their living shall drink of the brook of comfort and conmercies, and provoked him to anger both in solation by the way, and say with Solomon, the wilderness, and through several genera-"In the way of righteousness is life, and in tions, as you may read in the prophets, whom the path-way thereof there is no death:" the Lord sent to testify against them. This [mark] life to the soul, is death to sin; here is the broad way the scribes and pharisees the ransomed by the precious blood of Christ were walking in, notwithstanding all their Jesus return to Sion, with everlasting joy upon great professions of religion, who killed the their heads. Lord of life and glory, Christ Jesus. This But all that come to walk in the straight broad way is that in which the apostatizing way, and enter in at the straight gate, must Christians walked, and are walking, whom take up the cross of Christ Jesus daily, and Jude pronounced woe against, because they deny themselves; and in the strength received walked in the way of Cain. It was going by the grace of God, resist and withstand all out of the narrow way of obedience, and the temptations of the devil, who tempts most walking into the broad way of disobedience, to that sin and iniquity which he knows man is most prone to. But when he comes to tempt, and thy mind is exercised in the light of Christ Jesus, thou seest his temptations, and thy soul's desires and supplications ascend to the Lord God of strength, for the lifting up of his spiritual standard in thy soul against the temptations and power of the enemy, in every evil thought and inclination, in which the enemy worketh. In Matthew xv. verse 18., thou mayest read, Christ Jesus put evil thoughts first, before wrath, murder and adultery, &c., for there is a time of sin's conceiving, before it is finished; which the apostle observing, saith, "When it is finished, it brings forth death; for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Now the holy light and saving grace of God gives the sight, and makes a discovery of sin in its first arising, even when the power of the enemy worketh to tempt and allure man, and draw him aside; but now while it is only | in the temptation, and man in the spirit of his mind not joined to the temptation, it is not charged as sin; but when man gives up and closeth with the temptation, so as to obey it, then is sin finished, and brings forth death. His servants ye are, saith the apostle, whom ye obey, whether it be of sin unto death, or of righteousness unto life. Now how far reacheth your experience in this narrow way, where men and women with their sins cannot walk? For this is the holy and Divine path, that man finds in his coming out of sin, and departing from all iniquity. But some will be ready to say, "If we should hearken to this counsel, and obey the grace of God, thou art directing to, which brings salvation, which the apostle says teacheth to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts; and not only so, but brings to live soberly, godly and righteously in this present world, and so teacheth to forsake the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this evil world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh, which many have promised in their baptism; and so have our whole conversation changed, and become other men, not walking in the way most of our country, town or village walk in; we fear we shall become a by-word and a scorn of our neighbours and acquaintance; nay, we doubt our kindred and near relations would forsake us, and we should become as strangers to them, and lose their respect, and it may be lose our employ and trade, and endanger a disappointment on ourselves of the expectation we had from some relations. And should we go to markets and fairs, and use but few words in our dealing, as the fear of the Lord teacheth, and refuse to drink to excess, and not be vainly merry, as in times past we were, we should be a derision and a by-word, and scorned by such who have been our companions in those things. And this might be very hard to bear, not only to us, but also some near relations.' You To which I answer: If any should meet with such exercises as these, for turning from sin and evil, and ceasing to walk in the broad way, there is no cause to be discouraged. Those, saith the Scripture, that depart from iniquity make themselves a prey; and the servants of the Lord were the song of the drunkard. And the apostle saith, "Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you; who shall give an account to him that is ready to judge the quick and dead." So overlook all the reproaches you meet with for righteousness sake; for ye may remember how Christ Jesus the Lord was reproached, for following whom ye may be reproached. But after ye are exercised in the narrow way, taking up the cross of Christ Jesus, despising the shame, you will feel that soul-satisfaction, peace and Divine consolation, that will administer heavenly content, that will out-balance all exercises and trials of this nature. will often have cause to magnify the Lord, and to say, he is good, and abounding in love and tender mercies over the workmanship of his hand, who hath visited our souls when we were posting on in the broad way of destruction, and had only a profession, by the hearing of the ear, of God, Christ and his kingdom, the Scriptures, and of religion; once a week confessing we were miserable sinners, erring and straying from the right way of the Lord, but knew not the true repentance, which is always accompanied with a true forsaking of sin and iniquity. But the God of the Hebrews. hath met with us, who beheld us as bondslaves in spiritual Egypt, and he hath visited our souls with his heavenly light, by which we have seen our sinful ways and life, and vain worships, which were so far from being performed in the Spirit, that we were some of that number in our parish who despised the Spirit, and mocked them that worship in it, which is the ancient worship Christ set up above sixteen hundred years ago, as ye may read. Jesus said unto the woman, "The hour cometh, and now is, that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in Spirit and in Truth." So we now see, that all worship not performed in the Spirit and Truth, hath no acceptance with the holy, and righteous God, through whose favour we contemn all reproaches for his name sake, rather choosing to suffer with a people truly fearing God, and spirit. A Christian in the Divine nature, is eschewing evil, than to live in the pleasures one that hath followed the Lamb in the reof sin, which are but for a season, and then generation, and hath put off the evil corrupt end in torments, pains, miseries and asto- nature, and now appears amongst men in simnishment beyond all description of words. plicity, bringing forth the fruits of the spirit, Now where any poor travelling souls are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, thus exercised in coming out of the broad goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, mercy way into the narrow way of life eternal, and and good-will to mankind. Persevering in inwardly waiting on the Lord, receiving the the way of the Lord, thy experience will in instruction of his heavenly gift, such will un-crease in the knowledge of the footsteps of derstand more of the straight gate and nar- the flock of Christ Jesus; seeing first how row way, and it will be daily more easy and delightful to the obedient; and they will experience what Christ Jesus saith, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls; for my yoke is easy, and my burthen light." The yoke and burthen of Christ Jesus are indeed easy, when the mind is subjected to the saving grace of God, which teacheth what to deny, and how to walk, so as thou mayst have an answer of peace, in pleasing God the fountain of all our mercies. And when any mock or scoff, thou wilt remember, thou wast walking once in Ishmael's way of scoffing, as they are, and thou wilt pity them, and thy soul will be concerned for thy relations and acquaintance; crying to the Lord, that as he has visited thy soul through his grace, that brings salvation, and showed thee kindness, so he would do for thy neighbours. This leads into the Christian nature and spirit, not to render evil for evil, anger for anger, scoffing and reproaching for the same; but good for evil, love for hatred; praying for them as Christ Jesus did; "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." So following this meek Lamb of God, the Saviour of mankind, thou wilt have an increased sight of the difference between a Christian in name, and a Christian in nature. A Christian in name, is such that have only an outside profession of Christianity, God, Christ, the Scriptures and religion; drawing near to the Lord with the lips, and honouring him with the mouth, whilst the heart is going after sin and vanity, and is far from righteousness. A Christian in name, and profession only, is a talker of the narrow way and straight gate, but is a walker in the broad way; having a name to live, but is dead in sins and trespasses. But a true Christian in the Divine nature is circumcised inwardly, and is a Jew inward, one that is born again, without which, Christ Jesus saith, there cannot be an entering into the kingdom of heaven. He is changed in nature, cut off from the wild olive, and planted into the true vine, the Divine nature, from whence fruits of Christianity are brought forth; here the circumcision is not of the flesh, but that of the thou wast turned from darkness unto the marvellous light of God's holy day, with which thy heart was searched, and sin became exceedingly sinful, and inexpressibly burthensome. Then thy soul cried out in distress to the Lord God for deliverance, who heard the cry of the poor in spirit, and the sighing of the needy, and made bare his delivering arm, and in due time gave remission of sin, and a blotting out of transgression. Times of refreshment came from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, that wrought effectually for the cutting off from the wild olive, and brought thee out of the broad way, and planted thee in the heavenly vine of life, which is the way, and made thee a branch of the vine, daily receiving sap and Divine virtue from it, and then let thee see thy daily spiritual incumbent duty, which is, to abide in the vine, Christ Jesus. For as the natural branch cannot bring forth fruit, except it abide in the natural vine, no more can any bring forth fruit to God (acceptable) except they abide in the heavenly vine, Christ Jesus. Thus coming out of the broad way of sin and iniquity, and walking in the narrow way of righteousness and holiness, following the Lamb of God, Christ Jesus, in the regeneration, ye are fitted for his glorious kingdom; and they are indeed blessed who are come to that state, who can in truth say, For them to live is Christ, and to die, gain. Surely these have put off the sins of the flesh, the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, who is created after God in righteousness and holiness. For our life here is very uncertain and momentary, so that when we lie down in the evening, we are uncertain of rising in the morning; and when we rise in the morning, we are not certain we shall live until the evening; as the servants of God said, Our life is like water spilt upon the ground, that cannot be gathered up again; it is like unto a weaver's shuttle, quickly displayed and cut off; and like the trace of a bird through the air. Well therefore, since our life is so uncertain, and death so certain, dear countrymen and neighbours, in the tender bowels of Christ Jesus, I beseech you, for your own soul's sake, whilst you have time, a very little time, honour, power and might be unto our God for ever and evermore, Amen. so to number your days, and remember your latter end, as to apply your hearts to that heavenly wisdom, which teacheth and in- Friends, neighbours and countrymen, who structeth to walk in the narrow way of self-may have any doubt which are true prophets, denial, which leads to life eternal. That when ministers or teachers of Christ Jesus, and the messenger of death comes, the king of which are false prophets, the ministers and terrors to all evil doers, it may meet with teachers of anti-christ, since there have been you walking in the way of life that endures both through many ages of the world; unto for ever, which will be the comfort, joy and all such, I make this friendly and Christian satisfaction of all who have prized their pre- proposition, namely, To do like the noble Becious time, that God hath given them in the reans, who were desirous of truth; search riches of his infinite love, to obtain the hea- the Scriptures from Genesis the first, to Revenly translation out of the kingdom of dark-velations the last, and mark in what way ness, into the kingdom of his dear Son, Christ they walked, and what fruits they brought Jesus, and thereby are fitted for that hour. forth, that were true prophets, ministers or Then when nothing but death is expected every teachers, both under the law and prophets. moment, your breath withdrawing, your rela- And, on the other hand, what way they walktions, friends and acquaintances are about ed in, and what fruits they brought forth, who your death-bed, mourning and lamenting, you manifestly were declared to be the false procan comfort them with telling your spiritual phets, ministers and teachers, by the true proexperience, that you are passed from death phets, Christ Jesus, and his apostles; so may unto life spiritually; and are assured, when ye safely conclude, those that walk in the way this earthly tabernacle is dissolved, you have of the true, and bring forth the fruits of true an house made without hands, eternal in the ministers of Christ Jesus, to be now true; heavens, a mansion of joy and blessedness; and those false now, that walk in the way that having fought the good fight, overcome and footsteps of the false prophets and minissin, death, hell and the grave, through him ters of anti-christ. So search the Scriptures, that hath loved and redeemed you with his in the Spirit of Truth that leads into all truth, precious blood, Christ Jesus, the king of eter-and receive Christ Jesus's precept, Matt. xvii. nal glory, the seal of God's favour, and the 13, 14. about the straight gate and narrow joy of his salvation are upon your spirits: call to your neighbours who are ignorant of this precious work; "Oh, neighbours! do not content yourselves with the pleasures of sin which are but for a season, a little season Oh! thou holy Most High God of mercy indeed, and lose your own souls, and be shut out of the paradise of God: Oh! redeem and tender compassion, look down with an your time, spend no more of it in sin and in-eye of pity on the inhabitants of the earth, iquity, in vain and fooolish discourses; but and send forth thy light and truth more and prize every hour, walking in the narrow way, more, to guide the people out of the broad that ye may enter in at the straight gate into way of destruction into thy narrow way of the kingdom of joy and immortal glory, where the redeemed enjoy endless blessings of peace, and unspeakable consolations, in beholding the celestial beauty of him who sits at the table of Divine love, saying, Eat and drink, O friends, of the bread and water of life, and let your souls be satisfied with the fatness of the house of God." Here, in this kingdom, is an end of all pain, sorrow, tears, conflict, cruelty of wicked men, and an end of inhuman ungodly imprisonments. Here the redeemed of the Lord are out of the reach of all cruel hard-hearted men; the weary are at rest in an immortal sabbath, beholding him who is a fountain of gardens, and the well of living waters and Divine streams. Here the new song is sung before the throne of God in the springing up of endless increasing joy, and Divine refreshments, in which arise bles- AND all professing the precious truth of our sings and glory, wisdom and thanksgivings; God, unto whom the redeeming arm of the way, of which I have in his love treated before; and in verse 15, following, he saith, Beware of false prophets, &c. (v. 16.) Ye shall know them by their fruits, &c. life, which leads to thy holy mountain, where An Epistle to Friends, &c. |