A word of advice to all such as are going on in sin and more particularly to my neighbours and townsmen in and about Colchester; to forsake their evil ways, and turn to the Lord while they have time, with a word of incouragement to such as mourn for want of salvation. And a word of advice to the priests of this nation, that they choak not the tender desires that are begotten in people after holiness. Hailes, John, 1666 or 7-1732. 1693 Approx. 16 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-IV TIFF page image. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2009-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A43714 Wing H191 ESTC R221265 99832599 99832599 37073 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A43714) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 37073) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 2146:14) A word of advice to all such as are going on in sin and more particularly to my neighbours and townsmen in and about Colchester; to forsake their evil ways, and turn to the Lord while they have time, with a word of incouragement to such as mourn for want of salvation. And a word of advice to the priests of this nation, that they choak not the tender desires that are begotten in people after holiness. Hailes, John, 1666 or 7-1732. 1 sheet ([1] p.) printed by T. Sowle, at the Crooked Billet in Holy-wel-lane in Shoreditch, London : 1693. Signed and dated: Your friend in the truth John Hailes. Colchester the 3d. of the 6th. month 1693. 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Quakers -- England -- Early works to 1800. 2007-11 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2008-05 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-07 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2008-07 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A Word of Advice To all such as are going on in SIN , and more particularly to my Neighbours and Townsmen in and about Colchester ; to forsake their Evil Ways , and turn to the Lord while they have time , with a Word of Incouragement to such as Mourn for want of Salvation . And a Word of Advice to the Priests of this Nation , that they choak not the tender desires that are begotten in People after Holiness . I Have been concerned many a time on your behalf who still lyes in wickedness , with cryes and tears to my God , that you might be gathered into a Sence of your Condition , how it stands between God and your Souls : For many of you seem to have a profession of Godliness , and to change from one Religion unto another , but I desire you in the Love of God , that as you change your Religion you may also change your Lives and Conversations , and so serve God in earnest in your day and Generation . You young ones especially who were my Companions in Wickedness , I ha●e been concerned for you many a day , that as I have found Mercy at the hand of God , you may find it also . For I know by experience that God is Me●●iful , and slow to anger , as ever he was , if he had not I had surely been in a miserable State , as I fear many of you are , and yet would be called Christians . But examine your selves , have you learned of Christ by his Spirit , who said , Learn of me , I am meek and low in heart ; this is the Teacher I was directed to , after I had heard many Teachers who Teach for Money , and would say there was no living without Sin in this Life , which is an incouragement to Youth to go on in Sin ( and so it was to me ) till this Teacher that cannot be removed into a Corner condemn'd me for Sin , and never consented to Sin , neither in you nor me ) Come examine a little and acquaint your selves with God and be at peace , some perhaps may be so blind ( as I was ) to say where or how can I acquaint my self with God. I will tell thee , the Prophet Amos said , he that shews unto man what his thoughts are , the Lord the God of Hosts is his name : Now , thou needst not go to any man to teach thee , but try what the Spirit of God can do for thee , whoever thou art when thou art tempted to do evil by the Devil or his Servants , then try whether he that searcheth thy heart , and shews unto thee thy evil be not able , if thou be truly willing to forsake it , to keep thee out of the evil ; none that truly trust in God dare say the contrary , but will be ready to say as Joseph did when he was tempted by his Mistris , how can I do this evil , and sin against God , Oh that I could see you my acquaintance and others to be afraid to sin against God , and if we walk in the Light , as he is in the Light then have we fellowship one with another , and the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all Sin. This is a better fellowship then you and I had in our Wickedness , which as we come to know , then shall we be ready to say to one another , Come hither and I will tell you what God hath done for my Soul , and this little Experience of the Dealings of the Lord in your selves is better then all hearsay of him : Therefore seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near , for the Lord hath said my Spirit shall not always strive with man. Therefore do not mock at the Spirit of God , nor at them that are guided by it , for as the Scripture faith , he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his , and they are the Sons of God , that are led or guided by the spirit of God. Thus with Examination with lowlin●ss of mind , you may know whose Servants you are , surely his to whom you yield your Members Servants to obey , whether it be of Sin unto Death , or Obedience unto Righteousness : Come you young ones serve God , and fear him , and then you will begin to be wise , For the fear of the Lord is the beginning of true wisdom , and to depart from Iniquity is a good understanding . Therefore first seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof , and all other things shall be added . For the Lord knows such as truly seek him , and that goes bowed down in Spirit all the day of what profession soever , through the Sence of the weight of their Iniquity , and that mourns for want of Gods Salvation , and that desires to find peace with him . If you fear God , and work Righteousness you shall be accepted of him ; but if you be Swearers , Lyers , Whoremongers , Drunkards , or proud persons , then remember that no unclean thing can enter into Gods Kingdom . Therefore you that are young and would be Gods Children , bend your necks to the Yoak of Christ in the days of your youth . For if I should ask you when you would be willing to serve God , it may be some of you would be ready to say in your old Age , but how many do we see are taken away in their Youth and in their Sins . It would be more commendable in the fight of Men , and much more acceptable in the sight of God , to see young Men and Women walk in the Truth , and remember their Creator in the days of their Youth , least the evil day come upon them and overtake them a● unawares : Therefore awake unto righteousness , and consider what the Lord hath done for you in Sparing you unto this day . Do you think it was for any desert of yours , No it was his love in pr●serving us hitherto , when other Nations and Countries have been distressed with Wars and Earthquakes : And how have some of you been ready to make promise when the Judgements of the Lord seemed to be coming upon you as when the Earthquake was here ; and also when there was a report raised of t●e Irish being coming , and also since of the French being Landed upon our Coast ; at the hearing whereof many went Crying about the Streets , and wringing their Hands ; and some promising to live a better life , if the Lord would preserve them ; and some upon a Bed of sickness have made promises to the Lord , that if he would restore them again , they would serve him in newness of Life . Friends , as this may come to any of your hands , who in times of Distress have been making such promises before the Lord when your hearts have been tendered by his Judgements ; see to it , thay you keep your Promises and look unto him , and he will look unto you ; for he hath promised & said , that unto that man will I look that is of a broken heart , and contrite spirit and that trembles at my Word : He wills not the death of a Sinner , but rather that he should repent and live ; but the way to life is by taking up a daily Cross , and denying thy self ; Thy will to vain Delights may be to Gaming , Sporting and Pastimes , so called , and sometimes when thy old Companions are at ease in these things , doing them willingly ; then the Devil may be ready to tempt thee , who in some Measure may be gathered out of them ; to return back to them again , and if thou do not join with them , they may laugh at thee and say , why can you not do as you used to do . Now thou my fellow Traveller , this is my Testimony for the Lord , that if thou keepest low before him , he will give thee victory over them all , and they shall be ashamed ( for Righteousness exaltes a Nation , but sin is a reproach and shame to any people ) and thou mayest be a Preacher of Righteousness in thy Life and Conversation , wherever thou comes , and thy Yea will be thy Yea , and thy Nay , Nay ; and if some things seem hard for thee ; then look to the Lord , and he will make hard things easie , and rough things plain , and all things will work together for good , if thou truly love and fear the Lord , and he will bless thee in thy goings out , and in thy coming in ; and thus if thou keep thy Eye single to the Lord , thy whole Body will be full of Light , and thou wilt see thy prosperity in thee truth , and give God the Honour , unto whom it doth belong , both now , henceforth and for evermore . And all you Priests of this Nation , of what sort soever , where you meet with any tender hearted People , that are breathing after the Sincere milk of the Word of God , which gives spiritual Satisfaction to the Mou●ners : I warn and intreat you to have a care of stifling these desires that are begotten in them , for these are as the hindmost of the Flock of God , therefore be not found seizing upon them as the Amalkites did , for some of you to my knowledge have sought to hinder the Light and Truth from shining , and have been offended with me when I have said , that if we followed and obeyed Christ , he was able to keep us out of Sin in this Life , for he was called Jesus , because he should save his People from their Sins , ( not in them ) and why should any be dissatisfied that we extol the love and strength of God , for we do not say we can save our selves from one Sin , nay we cannot think a good thought , and yet in and through him there is a possibility to do all things that he requires of us , as the Apostle said , through him that strengthens us we are able to do all things , and if so , then to live free from sin in this Life , which is my desire for you as for my self , that so through his cleansing power you may come to know it , and so enjoy that peace that passeth all under standing . Your Friend in the Truth JOHN HAILES . Colchester the 3d. of the 6th . Month 1693 . POSTSCRIPT . HAving for long time gone with a bowed down Spirit before the Lord , to see sin and wickedness , abound in this Age and time , and to see that many both Priests and People do conclude that it is impossible to live without sin on this side the Grave , which is not only a great contradiction to the Scrip●ures , but doth also cast contempt upon Jesus Christ , who was sent for that very purpose to save his People from their sins , Mat. 1.21 . It Reflects upon him , as if he were not able to finish the work that his Father gave him to do , which was to destroy the Work of the Devil ( whose work is to cause People to sin ) 1 John 3.8 . It is therefore in my heart to answer three or four Objections which are commonly made against those that say that there is a possibility through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to live without or be free from sin in this life . The first Objection is from Proverbs 24.16 . for a just man falleth seven times and riseth up again : Now if people wou●d seriously weigh these words , they would find that those words m●ke nothing to their Purpose , for the Text doth not say , that a just man sinneth seven times , & c. ●ut that he falleth seven times and riseth up again : Vnderstood of troubles and temptations . James 1.2 . Rejoice when ye fall into temptations ( or trials ; ) such a fall must this be understood to be ; which is the tryi●g Lot of all good men at one time or other ; And it is no sin to be tempted but to be overcome with the temptation , which the just man that feareth God is not ; for his God upholds him by his hand , Psalms 37.24 . and succours him in his tempted state , Heb. 2.18 . And with the temptation makes out a way for his escape , 1 Cor. 10.13 . and he riseth again , as saith the Scripture or Text. So though he falls , which fall is into temptation , yet he is not overcome ; but by the Divine help of the Divine Power does stand his tryal and becomes a Victor . Object . 2. But John saith , John 1.8 . If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves , and the truth is not in us , Answer , so James saith Chap. 3. v. 9. Concerning the Tongue , saying , therewith bless we God , and therewith curse we men . I hope no man will be so rash to conclude that the Apostle was a Curser but it was the manner of the Apostles to condescend so for the sake of the weak , to rank themselves amongst them , and so put the word [ we ] instead of [ you ] so no more then the Apostle James was a Curser , nor John then a sinner , for he bends his whole Epistle against sin . Object . 3. But Paul cryed out he was a wretched man , and askt the Question who should deliver him . Rom. 7.24 . Answer . Paul was a telling the State he was in in times past , as doth appear , for when he had asked the Question , who should deliver him , he answered the Question himself , saying , Thanks be to God who hath given me the Victory , through our Lord Jesus Christ . So he could not be a wretched man and Victor over sin , and all at the same time , 1 Cor. 15.57 . the Conside●atio● of these things dear Reader , I leave unto thee , and leave thee to the heart melting Power of God , that is able to change and save thy Soul. Farewell . London , Printed by T. Sowle , at the Crooked Billet in Holy-wel-lane in Shoreditch , 1693. Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A43714-e10 Isaiah . 1 ch . from 10. to the 17. ver . Joel 2.13 . Exod. 34.6.7 . Mal. 3.6 , Lam. 3.40 . Mat. 11.29 . John 10.3.16.27 chap. 8.12 . v. Acts 26.17.18 . Isai . 30.20.21 . Mica . 4.12 . Jer. 31.32 , 33 , 34. Isa . 58.10.11 . Job . 22.21 . Amos 4.13 Ps . 17.7 . Pro. 30.5 . Isa . 59.1 . v. ch 63.1 . v. He. 7.25 . Gen. 39.9 . 2 Cor. 5.11.20.1 Joh. 1.7 . Ps 144.15 . Job 42.6 . Is . 55 6. Gen. 6.3 . Jude 18. Gal. 6.7.8 . Rom. 8.9 . Jude 1.9 Rom. 8.1 , 2 , v. 4.9 , 11 , 14.15.16.26 . Rom. 6.16 . Job 28.29 Luke 12.31 Is . 57.15 . Mat. 11.28 . Acts 10.35 . 1 Cor. 6.9.10 . Eccl. 12.1 . Lam. 3.26.27 . Job 20. ch . Job 36.13.14 . Ec. 9.12.2 Joh. 4 ver . La. 3.22 . Rom. 13.11 . 1 Cor. 15.34 . Eph. 5.14 . Rom. 2.3 , 4. Jer. 2.27 , 28. Hos . 5.15 . Isa . 1.5 . Job . 22.27 . Ps . 22.25 . cha . 50.14 . Ga. 6.7.8 . Isa . 63.8 . Mat. 12.36.37 . Psa . 139.4 . Is 45.22 . ch . 66.2 . v. Ez. 3●… . 11 Mat 16.24 . Mar. 8.24 . Luk 9.23 . Jam. 5.5 . Rom. 13.13 . 1 Pet. 4.3.4 Luk. 9 62. 2 Pet. 2.19.20.21 . Ro. 6.21.22 . Pr● . 14.34 . Job 7.20 . Ps . 31.23 . ch . 116.62 . Mat. 5.16 . Gen. 18.14 Ps . 103.11 . Isa . 41.10.11.12.13.14 , Rom. 8.28 , Deu. 28 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 Mat. 6.22 Is . 3.12.9 . ch . 9.16 . Ps . 4.6 . Ez. 36.10 . Ma. ●3 . 13 Joh. 7.47 . c. 3.20 . v. Heb , 7 , 25. Mat 1.21 Joh. 15.5 . Phil. 4.13 . Psa . 37.37 5 , Is . 7.1.2