43. 'One thing I may
not omit: There was a young man in our town, to whom my heart before was knit
more than to any other, but he being a most wicked creature for cursing, and
swearing, and whoring, I now shook him off and forsook his company; but about
a quarter of a year after I had left him, I met him in a certain lane, and
asked him how he did; he, after his old swearing and mad way, answered, He was
well. But, Harry, said I, why do you swear and curse thus? What will become of
you, if you die in this condition? He answered me in a great chafe, What would
the devil do for the company, if it were not for such as I am?'
44. 'About this time
I met with some Ranters' books, that were put forth by some of our countrymen,
which books were also highly in esteem by several old professors; some of these
I read, but was not able to make a judgment about them; wherefore as I read in
them, and thought upon them, feeling unable to judge, I should betake
myself to hearty prayer in this manner: O Lord, I am a fool, and not able to
know the truth from error: Lord, leave me not to my own blindness, either to
approve of or condemn this doctrine; if it be of God, let me not despise it;
if it be of the devil, let me not embrace it. Lord, I lay my soul, in this
matter, only at thy foot; let me not be deceived, I humbly beseech thee. I had
one religious intimate companion all this while, and that was the poor man that
I spoke of before; but about this time he also turned a most devilish
Ranter,[20] and gave himself up to all manner of filthiness, especially
uncleanness: he would also deny that there was a God, angel, or spirit; and
would laugh at all exhortations to sobriety. When I labored to rebuke his
wickedness, he would laugh the more, and pretend that he had gone through all
religions, and could never light on the right till now. He told me also, that
in a little time, I should see all professors turn to the ways of the Ranters.
Wherefore, abominating those cursed principles, I left his company forthwith,
and became to him as great a stranger, as I had been before a familiar.'
45. 'Neither was this
man only a temptation to me, but my calling lying in the country, I happened to
light into several people's company, who, though strict in religion formerly,
yet were also swept away by these Ranters. These would also talk with me of
their ways, and condemn me as legal and dark; pretending that they only had
attained perfection that could do what they would, and not sin. Oh! These
temptations were suitable to my flesh, I being but a young man, and my nature
in its prime; but God, who had, as I hope, designed me for better things, kept
me in the fear of his name, and did not suffer me to accept of such cursed
principles. And blessed be God, who put it into my heart to cry to him to be
kept and directed, still distrusting mine own wisdom; for I have since seen
even the effect of that prayer, in his preserving me not only from ranting
errors but from those also that have sprung up since. The Bible was precious
to me in those days.'
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