Oppreffion, that receiving the Spirit of Chrift into their Hearts, the Fruits of which are Love, Peace, Joy, Temperance and Patience, Brotherly-kindness and Charity, they may in Body, Soul and Spirit, make a triple League against the World, the Flesh and the Devil, the common Enemies of Mankind; and hav ing conquered them through a Life of Selfdenial, by the Power of the CROSS of JESUS, they may at last attain to the eter nal Reft and Kingdom of GOD. So defireth, Jo prayeth, Friendly Reader, Thy fervent Chriftian Friend, WILLIAM PENN. The C HAP. 1 and 2. Of the Neceffity of the Chap. 3. What the Cross of Chrift is, pag. 30. Chap. 4. What the great Work of the Crofs is, Chap. 5 and 6. Of unlawful Self in Religion Chap. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. Of Pride, the first capital Luft, its Rife, Definition and Chap. 13. Of Avarice, the fecond capital Luft, its Definition and Diftinction, pag. 193. Chap. 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18. Of Luxury, what it is, and the Mischief of it to Man- Chap. 19. The Teftimonies of feveral great, learned and virtuous Perfonages among the Gentiles, urged against the Exceffes of the Chap. 20. The Doctrine and Practice of the bleffed Lord Jefus and his Apoftles, the pri- mitive Chriftians, and thofe of more modern Times, in Favour of this Difcourfe, pag. 394. Chap. 21. The serious Apprehenfions and Ex- preffions of feveral aged and dying Men of Chap. 22. An Exhortation to all, profeffing No No Cross, No Crown. PART the First. СНАР. I. §. 1. Of the Neceffity of the Cross of CHRIST in general; yet the little Regard Chriftians have to it. §. 2. The Degeneracy of Chriftendom from Purity to Luft, and Moderation to Excels. §. 3. That worldly Lufts and PleaJures are become the Care and Study of Chrif tians, fo that they have advanced upon the Impiety of Infidels. §. 4. This Defection a fecond Part to the Jewith Tragedy, and worfe than the firft: The Scorn Chriftians have caft on their SAVIOUR. §. 5. Sin is of one Nature all the World over; Sinners are of the fame Church, the Devil's Children: Profeffion of Religion in wicked Men, makes them but the worse. §. 6. A Wolf is not a Lamb, a Sinner cannot be, whilft fuch, a Saint. §. 7. The Wicked will perfecute the Good; this falle Chriftians have done to the True, for Noncompliance with their Superftitions: The frange carnal Meafures falfe Chriftians have taken of Chriftianity; the Danger of that Self-feduction. B duction. §. 8. The Senfe of that, has obliged me to make this Difcourfe, for a Diffuafive against the World's Lufts, and an Invitation to take up the daily Crofs of CHRIST, as the Way left us by him to Bleffednefs. §. 9. Of the Self-Condemnation of the Wicked; that Religion and Worship are comprised in doing the Will of God. The Advantage good Men have upon bad Men in the last Judgment. §. 10. A Supplication for Christendom, that the may not be rejected in that great Affize of the World. She is exhorted to confider, what Relation he bears to CHRIST; if her Saviour, how faved, and from what: What her Experience is of that great Work. That CHRIST came to lave. from Sin, and Wrath by Confequence: Not to fave Men in Sin, but from it, and fo from the Wages of it. §. I. TH HO' the Knowledge and Obedience of the Doctrine of the Crofs of CHRIST, be of infinite Moment to the Souls of Men; for that is the only Door to true Christianity, and that Path the Ancients ever trod to Bleffednefs: Yet, with extream Affliction let me fay, it is fo little understood, fo much neglected, and what is worse, fo bitterly contradicted by the Vanity, Superftition, and Intemperance of profefs'd Chriftians, that we muft either renounce to believe what the Lord Jefus hath told us, Luke xiv. 27. That whofoever doth not bear his Cross, and come after him, cannot be his Difciple: Or, admitting that for Truth, Truth, conclude, that the generality of Christendom do miferably deceive and difappoint themfelves in the great Bufinefs of Christianity, and their own Salvation. §. II. For, let us be never fo tender and charitable in the Survey of thofe Nations, that intitle themselves to any Intereft in the holy Name of Christ, if we will but be just too, we must needs acknowledge, that after all the gracious Advantages of Light, and Obligations. to Fidelity, which thefe latter Ages of the World have received by the Coming, Life, Doctrine, Miracles, Death, Refurrection, and Afcenfion of Chrift, with the Gifts of his holy Spirit; to which add, the Writings, Labours, and Martyrdom of his dear Followers in all Times, there feems very little left of Chriflianity but the Name; which being now ufurp'd by the old heathen Nature and Life, makes the Profeffors of it but true Heathens in Difguife. For though they worship not the fame Idols, they worthip Chrift with the fame Heart: And they can never do otherwife, whilst they live in the fame Lufts. So that the unmortified Christian and the Heathen are of the fame Religion. For though they have different Objects, to which they do direct their Prayers, that Adoration in both is but forc'd and ceremonious, and the Deity they truly worship, is the God of the World, the great Lord of Lufts: To him they bow with the whole Powers of Soul and Senfe. What fhall we eat? What fhall we drink? What fhall we wear? And |