Cross that attends the Profeffion of it? And have you been faithful to thofe Convictions, and followed the Lord in the Way of Regeneration ? Or have ye not? This is an important Point, the Confequence of which may turn the Scale to either Hand; therefore, I pray, let it be duly confidered: For to be found perfevering in the Way of Truth, which we make Profeffion of, and in all. the Parts and Branches of it, will: be of a double Advantage to us. It will not only preferve from adding. Sin to Sin (which, if not timely pre-vented, will lead fuch into spiritual Adultery, a departing from God, and. withdrawing from him both their Love and Subjection; which, more or lefs, precedes fuch mixt antifcriptural Marriages :) But it will alfo bring us to understand the Difference, which hath always been between the two Seeds; and that will tend greatly to preferve us from apoftatizing. And then, what the Confequence is of Perfevering in Well Well-doing unto the End, ye will be truly fenfible of, to your everlafting Joy and Comfort; according as it is promised, Rev. iii. 21. "To ❝ him that overcometh will I grant to fit with me in my Throne, " even as I alfo overcame, and am "fet down with my Father in his "Throne," where all Fears and Temptations will be done away for aver. But the Confequence of, Difobedience will not be fo; but will have a contrary Event: Which I pray God we all may be delivered from before it be too late. "Think not," said John the Baptift to the profeffing Jews, Mat. iii. 9. "to fay within yourselves, We have Abraham to our Father,' &c. A Thing they highly valued themselves upon; and upon their profeffing the true Religion, as being the Difciples of Mofes as if that could be any Advantage to them, while they did not the Works of Abraham, but lived in Difobedience: : Sø So that, notwithstanding the great Advantages they had, and the high Pretences they made, our Saviour Chrift told them plainly, They "were of their Father the Devil;' and his Proof thereof was, because they did his Works. So that to be the Children of faithful Parents, or to profefs the true Religion now, as they then did, and yet not be faithful as the Parents were, nor live and. walk in the true Religion they profefs, will as little avail fuch now, as it did thofe Jews then.. How greatly doth it concern every one, to attend daily and diligently on him, in the Gift of his Grace and to hearken to and obey his Teachings thereby! For "God, who at fundry Times, and in divers Manners, fpake in Time paft unto the Fathers by the Prophets, hath in thefe last Days fpoken unto us by his Son," Heb. i. 1, 2: And that in divers Manners alfo; as immediately by his Spirit, inftrumentally by by his Minifters, as alfo in the Holy Scriptures, and by his many Providences.. And "if" (as the Apostle argueth, Heb. xii. 25.) they efcaped not, who refused him that spake on Earth, much more shall "not we escape, if we turn away "from him that speaketh from Hea"" ven." 66 Extract Extract from the Yearly Meeting Epiftle of 1777. Dear Friends, amongst the many hurtful Things thofe are liable to, who live not in due Subjection to the Light of God's Holy Spirit in their own Confciences, let us revive in your View at this Time, that of mixing in Marriage with thofe of different Perfuafions in Religion. Marriage being a divine Ordinance, and a folemn Engagement for Term of Life, is of great Importance to our Peace and Well-being in this World, and may prove of no fmall Confequence refpecting our State in that which is to come; yet it is often too inconfiderately entered into, upon Motives inconfiftent with the evident Intention of that unerring Wisdom by which it was primarily ordained; which was for the mutual Affif |