The Way to Christ

Marvel not that I said unto thee , 2V be born again. The Wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof. \ but canst not tell whence it cometh , and whither it goeth : So is every one that is born of the Spirit . — John iii. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

What is a Man profited, if he should gain the whole World, and lose his own Soul? or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul. — Matt. xvi. 26.

THE

AUTHOR’S PREFACE,

TO THE

READER.

D EAR Reader, if thou wilt use this Book aright, and art in good Earnest, thou shalt certainly find the Benefit thereof. — But I desire thou mayest be warned, if thou art not in earnest , not to meddle with the dear Names of God, in and by which the most High Holiness is invoked, moved, and powerfully desired, lest they kindle the Anger of God in thy Soul. For we must not abuse the Holy Names of God. — This little Book is only for those that would fain repent, and are in a Desire to begin. Such will find what manner of Words are therein, and whence they are born. Be you herewith commended to the External Goodness and Mercy of God.

OF TRUE REPENTANCE.

How Man must stir up himself in Mind and Will; and what his Consideration and earnest Purpose must be, when he will perform powerful and effectual Repentance : and with what Mind he must appear before God , when he would ask , so as to obtain , Remission of Sins.

W HEN Man will enter upon Repentance , and with his Prayers turn to GOD ; he should, before he beginneth to pray, seriously consider the State of his own Soul. How it is wholly and altogether turned away from God, become faithless to Him, and only bent upon this temporal, frail, and earthly Life; bearing no sincere Love towards God and its Neighbour, but wholly lusting and walking contrary to the Commandments of God, and seeking itself only, in the temporal and transitory Lusts of the Flesh.

In the next Place, he should consider that all this is an utter Enmity against God, which Satan hath raised and wrought in him, by his Deceit in our first Parents ; for which Abomination’s Sake we must suffer Death, and undergo Corruption with our Bodies.

Thirdly, he should consider the three horrible Chains wherewith our Souls are fast bound during the Time of this earthly Life. — The First is the severe A Tiger of God, the Abyss and dark World, which is the Centre, Root, or Constituent Principle of the Soul’s Life. The Second is the Desire of the Devil against the Soul, whereby he continually sifteth and tempteth it, and without Intermission striveth to throw it from the Truth of God into his own evil Nature and Element, viz., into Pride, Covetousness, Envy and Anger ; and with his Desire, bloweth up and kindleth those evil Properties in the Soul, whereby its Will turneth away from God, and entereth into Self. The Third and most hurtful Chain of all, wherewith the poor Soul is tied, is the corrupt and altogether vain, earthly, and mortal Flesh and Blood, full of evil Desires and Inclinations.

Here he must consider, that he lieth close Prisoner with Soul and Body in the Mire of Sins, in the Anger of God, in the Jaws of Hell ; that the Anger <?/God burneth in him in Soul and Body, and that he is that very loathsome Keeper of Swine, who hath spent and consumed his Father’s Inheritance , namely,

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The TVay to Christ.