among us that came in the likeness of sinful Flesh and for Sin condemned Sin in the Flesh We must believe in him as the true Light that lighteth every Man which cometh into the World There is a Sufficiency in this Light which is the Light of Life and the Arm of God's Salvation But the Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise say not in thy Heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring down Christ from above or who shall descend into the Deep that is to bring up Christ again from the Dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thy Heart saith the Apostle That is the Word of Faith which we preach that we might hear it and obey it And if thou shalt confess with thy Mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine Heart that God hath raised him from the Dead thou shalt be saved Here is the Means of Salvation the powerful Working of Faith in thy Heart and that is the Light within the Spirit within It is the Power and Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ that worketh this Living Faith in thy Heart This Faith in Christ Crucified when thou shalt be assured of Eternal Life in him of Eternal Salvation by him This Work of Faith with Power is wrought by Christ in all that believe on his Name He is the Dispenser of it This is the Word of Faith which we preach if thou shalt confess Christ with thy Mouth and believe in thy Heart that God raised Christ from the Dead who died for our Sjns and rose again for our Justification and ascended into Heaven and sitteth at thâ— Right-Hand of God and liveth for ever to make Intercession for us By this Living Faith in the Lord Jesus which worketh by Love which constraineth thee to live to him that died for thee thou shalt escape the Wrath to come and obtain Eternal Salvation by means of this Living Justifying Faith thou maist receive the Spirit of Adoption and call God Father Christ Jesus is become now thy High Priest and Elder Brother and thou maist walk by Faith in the narrow way that leads to Eternal Life And if thou hast received Christ Jesus the Lord then walk in him and follow his Example who was Holy Harmless and Undefiled and separate from Sinners and made higher than the Heavens by Faith in Christ thou shalt overcome the world and obtain Victory over thy Sins and Lusts And if we be once united to Christ by a Living Faith he will be a Light and a Leader to us and as a Pillar of a Cloud by Day and a Pillar of Fire by Night as he was to the Israelites when he conducted them out of the Land of Egypt through the Red Sea and the Wilderness and brought them safe into the Land of of Canaan a Land flowing with Milk and Hony O the Showers of Mercy that come from this Heavenly Cloud and fall down upon the believing Soul Who can declare the Showers of heavenly Joy and Consolation that are poured down upon those that are Childreâ— of Light that walk in the Light and have the Light of God's Countenance lifted up upon them O thou poor distressed sorrowful Soul that art clouded and at a distance from the Lord that art cast down and disquieted having all thy Sins set in order before thee thou art greatly afflicted and almost overwhelmed with Grief when thou remembrest how thou hast transgressed the righteous Law of God and sinned against the tender Love and Compassion of thy Heavenly Father that waiteth to be gracious rely upon his Grace and Mercy and pardoning Love and he will subdue thy Lusts and Corruptions and speak Peace unto thy disconsolate Soul If he appear unto thee as unto his Servant Moses in a Flame of Fire out of the midst of a Bush when the Bush burned with Fire and was not consumed If God appear terrible to thee as a Flame of Fire it is not to consume thee but to burn up and destroy thy Sins and Lusts which would destroy thy Soul When he appears as a consuming Fire he will purifie and refine thee from thy Dross and only burn up the combustible Matter in thee And when he appears as a Cloud to thee thou shalt feel Divine Showers of Joy and Refreshment to thy Soul which will make thee as a watered Garden to be green and flourishing Here is the Baptism of the Cloud of which the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 10.1 Moreover Brethen I would not that ye should be ignorant how that all our Fathers were under the Cloud and all passed through the Sea â—nd were all baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea When the Lord shall suddenly come into his Temple saith the Prophet Malachy even the Messenger of the Covenant who may abide the Day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like a Refiners Fire and like Fullers Soap and he shall sit as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver Here is a Refiner and Purifier indeed When he hath refined thee with Fire he will then water thee and cleanse thee and make the Cloud thou art under drop down divine Dews of Refreshing upon thy disconsolate Soul and he will lead thee in the way as he did Israel of old by the Pillar of Fire and of a Cloud both by Day and by Night so he will shine into thy Mind by the Light of his Dear Son When the Children of Israel were marching out of Egypt they were in a great strait Pharoah and his Host pursued after them to destroy them they saw no way to escape they must unavoidably go into the Sea or fall into their Enemies Hâ—nds Then the Lord appeared to deliver them by a mighty Arm of Power when the Egyptians pursued after them all the Horses and Chariots of Pharaoh and his Horsmen and his Army and overtook them encamping by the Sea And when Pharaoh drew nigh the Children of Israel lift up their Eyes and behold the Egyptians marched after them and they were sore afraiâ— and cryed out unto the Lord and they said unto Moses Because there were no Graves in Egypt hast thou taken us away to die in the Wilderness wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us to carry us out of Egypt And Moses said unto the People fear ye not stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord which he will shew to you this Day for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to Day ye shall see them again no more for ever So when thy Soul is brought into great Straits then stand still in a pure Resignation to the will of God and he will deliver thy Soul wait upon him and be resigned up to him and he will work Deliverance for thee from Time to Time when thou art in great Straits and Troubles and afflicted and distressed and seest nothing but a Sea of Trouble before thee that thou must pass through thy Faith
c. Look therefore unto Jesus how shall I look unto him Look unto him by Faith believe that he is an Advocate an Intercessor and Mediator and a Propitiation for thy sins This will give thee an entrance and admission into his Presence again and thou wilt have the Springs of Life that were stopped opened again the Wells of Salvation opened and thou wilt come to know Joy and Consolation again and then thou wilt declare what God by this living Faith hath wrought for thee when thou comest to know the overcoming of Unbelief If thou hast this living Faith thou canst say to this corrupt Tree of Unbelief that is grounded and rooted in thee be thou plucked up and it shall be so If thou hast Faith as a Grain of Mustard-seed a very small seed thou shalt say to this Mountain Be thou removed and it shall be so and to thiâ— Sicamore-tree Be thou plucked up and planted in the midst of the Sea and it shall be done O this living Faith this Faith unfeigned it works by Love and Charity which the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 1.5 Is the end of the Commandment out of a pure Heart and good Conscience This pure divine Faith doth witness the overcoming of Unbelief and it is more precious than Gold that perishes and will be found to Praise Glory and Honour at the appearing of Jesus Christ. This Faith will endure all Temptations Tryals Afflictions Buffetings O this pure living Faith that is wrought by God's powerful Word and declared by the Light within by the Arm of God's Salvation it doth do the Work that is appointed for it to do The Hand cannot do any thing without the Body or the Head no more will this Arm of God's Salvation within work without the power of the Man Christ Jesus that is the Giver of it nor without his Death and Sufferings but it is all-sufficient to save us with them with his Death and Sufferings Resurrection Ascention Mediation and Intercession Look not only to the Light within but look unto Jesus the Dispenser of it It pleased the Father that in his blessed Son Jesus Christ should all fulness dwell The fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily in him of his fulness we all received and Grace for Grace A Brief DECLARATION OF Thomas Budd AT The Close of a Meeting in Harp-lane October 14th 1694. Rom. 10.6 7 8 9 10 Say not in thine heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thy Heart That is the word of Faith which we preach That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart Man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation IT is not a bare litteral traditional or historical Faith or Knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ that he was raised from the Dead will save us but we must know a living Faith wrought in our Hearts by the living Word 〈◊〉 God that Word that is nigh that is in oâ— Hearts and in our Mouth we must know thâ— operation of the living Word of God to worâ— Faith in our Hearts in the Man Christ Jesuâ— This Faith must be wrought in our Hearts bâ— the living Word and by the Spirit of Chrisâ— by the same Power that raised up Christ froâ— the dead It is not a bare historical Faith or Knowledge that will save us but we must have living Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we muâ— believe in him that he died for our Sins anâ— rose again for our Justification and that he ascended into Heaven and sate down at the righâ— Hand of the Majesty on high and that thâ— Heavens received him and will retain him until the time of the restitution of all things according to the Testimony of the Angels aâ— his Ascension into Heaven Act. 1.9 10. It iâ— said That while the Disciples beheld he was takeâ— up and a Cloud received him out of their sight and while they looked stedfastly towards Heaveâ— as he went up behold two Men stood by them iâ— white Apparel which also said Ye Men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into Heaven This same Jesus which is taken up from you shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven The Apostle saith The Heavens have received him till the time of the Restitution of all things he will come again and restore all things and raise the dead to life He will open the Graves and cause the Dead to come forth then he will come to be glorified 〈◊〉 his Saints and to be admired in all â—em that believe in all them that â—elieve the divine Promises and that put â—heir Trust in him He will be glorified in all â—hat believe in him and expect Salvation by â—im Then Believers shall be restored to their â—rimitive State and to a greater dignity and â—lory than Adam enjoyed in Paradice when â—e was created in the Image of God That â—ost Image shall be restored again when the Lord Jesus himself shall descend from Heaven with a Shout and with the Voice of the Archâ—ngel and with the Trump of God and the Dead in Christ shall rise first they shall have â—he preference For as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive but every Man in his own order Christ the first Fruits afterward â—hey that are Christ's at his coming then he will change our vile Body that it may be fashiâ—ned like unto his glorious Body according to the Workings whereby he is able even to subdue all â—hings unto himself to the Bodies of the Saints A SERMON Preached by George Keith At Devonshire-house June 17. 1694. Rom. 10.6 7 8 But the Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine Heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring down Christ from above Or who shall descend into the Deep that is to bring up Christ again from the Dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thy Heart That is the Word of Faith which we Preach THE Apostle Paul by the Wisdom given him of God preached Salvation by Christ Jesus both within us and without us This is the true Gospel of Salvation the true Gospel-Doctrin which Christ Jesus himself preached and all the holy Prophets Evangelists and Apostles they preached Salvation by Jesus Christ by the Knowledge of him without dividing him It is not our Principle to divide these Christ within us and Christ without us but to join them I have fully preached â—saith the Apostle the Gospel of Christ Say not in thy Heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring down Christ from above But we may know
That Jesus Christ in the fulness of Time died for our Sins and became an Offering and a Sacrifice to reconcile us to God by dying and shedding his precious Blood for us So this Word within us is put into us he hath put into us the Word of Reconciliation Christ is the great Sacrifice of Attonement the great Reconciling Sacrifice and by his Spirit he applies the Vertue and efficacy of his Death and Sufferings to us Christ being risen from the Dead we are not ashamed to own it we are not ashamed to confess it with our Mouths For with the Heart Man believeth unto Righteousness and with the Mouth Confession is made unto Salvation for the Scripture saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed If thou shalt confess with thy Mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine Heart that God hath raised him from the Dead thou shalt be saved The Brain and Head Belief will not do it is the Word of Faith in the Heart that begets this Belief in us If the Lord shall hereafter be pleased to give me further Opportunity I shall shew you what Salvation is in the full extent of it It is not only from Sin and Wrath and the Anger and Displeasure of God but it is a Salvation from all the Consequences and effects of it It is a Salvation from Ignorance and Error and from Darkness of Understanding It is a Recovering of us from a State of Sin and Misery and a Restoring of us to a higher Dignity and Felicity than that Primitive State which Adam was created in to whom God gave Dominion over all the Works of his Hands We are saved gradually we obtain Victory by degrees and Dominion over Sin and Power over all our Spiritual Enemies This is a great Salvation indeed we are saved by Faith and saved by Hope There is a Time coming when there shall be no more Sorrow Sickness Pains Aches Miseries Afflictions Agonies or Death but Mortality shall be swallowed up of Life The great Necessity of Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as he is both God and Man in order to Salvation Held forth in a Declaration or Sermon Delivered by GEORGE KEITH At Grace-church-street August 22. 1694. Acts 16.30 31. Sirs what must I do to be saved Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shat be saved and thy House I Shall not spend much time about the word Sirs which in the Greek signifies Lords which is the Title that the Jailer here gives to Paul and Silas He was struck with fear and terror in his Conscience and was under much horror and consternation when by the mighty Power of God he was convinced of his Sin and danger of falling short of Salvation We read That at Midnight after Paul and Silas had many Stripes laid upon them and were cast into the inner Prison and their Feet made fast in the Stocks they prayed and sung Praises to God and the Prisoners heard them And it is said That suddenly there was a great Earthquake so that the Foundations of the Prison were shaken and immediately all the Doors were opened and every ones Bands were loosed Being in such fear and consternation no wonder that the Keeper of the Prison gives to Paul and Silas those high Titles of Sirs or Lords What shall I do to be saved Not that they desired those Titles or accepted those Titles which the Jailer gave to them For Paul saith There is but one Lord not Lord Paul and Lord Silas not Lord Timothy and Lord Titus To shew his Honour and Esteem of their Persons and of their Advice and Counsel in his distressed condition he cries out Sirs or Lords What must I do to be saved Which will not justify such Titles But notwithstanding the Query was seasonable and proper and is so to every awakened Conscience that is struck with a deep sense of the need of a Saviour and want of Salvation What must I do to be saved Now the Answer is very short but full and comprehensive Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy House It must not be supposed or thought that this was all they spake or the whole they preached to him and to those that were in his House but this was the matter and the sum of their Exhortation and Counsel tho' they might enlarge in many Words We do not read that they went to Bed all that Night they had a sweet time together until the next Morning when they parted being discharged from their Imprisonment For the Magistrates that sent them to Prison came and besought them and brought them out and desired them to depart out of the City Without question there was much Discourse and Conference passed between them but the chief material thing which Paul and Silas preached to the Jailer and his Family was Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy House It is not to be understood that his House and Family Wife Children and Servants should be saved by his Faith alone no every Man and Woman are to be saved by their own Faith The Just shall live by his Faith not by another Mans Faith but by his own Faith The Words imply so much Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy House If they believe also you shall all be saved if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ Now some say Was there not need of some Preparation before the Preaching of Faith Here was an excellent Preparation the Mans Conscience was mightily awakened with the sense of his lost and undone state and condition What needed he to ask for Salvation if not sensible of his lost and undone condition So indeed here was a good Preparation and such a Preparation is necessary to have the Conscience awakened through a deep and inward sense of sin and of the wrath of God that was due because of sin this Preparation is necessary to Faith The Whole saith our blessed Lord need not a Physician but they that are sick And I came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance Who are these Righteous that Christ did not come to call to Repentance Did Christ find any Righteous Are there any found Righteous before they be called No there is none Righteous till God first visits them by his mighty Power What is the sense of these Words I came not to call the Righteous It is those that are Righteous in their own Sight in their own Eyes those that have their own Righteousness a humane Righteousness a legal Righteousness such are not Righteous in the sight of God they have need of Christ as much as others They that rely upon their own Righteousness a humane or legal Righteousness they see not the want they have of Christ Jesus the great Physician of Souls It is certainly so before ever Christ Jesus can be welcomed as the Souls Physician and Saviour before he can be welcomed embraced and received
for Life and Salvation I would never speak a Word to diminish â—r lessen the great Work of Faith but we may easily see the Vanity and falsness and unprofitableness of that Faith that abounds in the World The vain Person 's Faith the worldly and covetous Man's Faith and the proud Man's Faith which greatly abounds in Christendom 3 Men say they believe in Christ and yet Covetousness earthly-mindedness Pride of Spirit and Envy and Malice and Strife and Contention abound among us I say If Faith had but room and Place in the Hearts of People here in Christendom the Lord grant that Time may come it would then remove these Mountains and had it taken Place it would have removed them long ago If any shall ask me What Time I will prefix or allow that this little Grain of Faith will remove all those Mountains of Sin and Unbelief and Unrighteousness and the Powers of Darkness that are in Peoples Hearts I answer No time is to be prefixed for the effecting of this wait the Lord's time for his time is the best time If thou desirest to make this time short then improve that little measure of Grace bestowed upon thee that little Grain of Mustard-seed pray with it and give Thanks to God for it pray with all the strength and ability that the Lord hath already given thee There is none of us to whom some measure of Grace and Held is not given there is no ground to complain that â—nough is not given but our Complaint should be That we have not made use of that Hâ— that is given us Do not despise the Dayâ— small things Who art thou that despisest 〈◊〉 day of small things Do not despise a litâ—â—â— Grace a little Help that God hath given 〈◊〉 thee let us make use of that little Strengâ—â— we have and God will give us more and 〈◊〉 will do it in due time in his own time whâ—â—â— is the best time I may be bold to say The time shall nâ—â— be long if thou wilt do thy utmost Endeavouâ—â— the time will not be long before the Lord râ—move these Mountains of Sin and Unbelieâ— and of the Powers of Darkness and give thâ— the sense of his Love and Mercy and refresâ—ment from his Presence then all those Cloud shall be scattered and vanish away whiâ—â— formerly interposed between the Presence 〈◊〉 God and thy 〈◊〉 I shall next â—â—me to shew how Paul preached Christ 1 C 1.23 24. We preach Chriâ—â— crucified saith he unto the Jews a Stumbling block and unto the Greeks Foolishness but untâ— them which are called both Jews and Greekâ— Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom oâ— God This Power and Wisdom of God diâ— dwell in Christ in all Fulness and out of thaâ— Fulness he distributes to every one a suitable measure Eph. 4.7 saith the Apostle Paul But unto every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the Gift of Christ Wherefore he saith When he ascended on high he leâ—â— Captivity Captive he received Gifts for Meâ— yea for the Rebellious also that the Lord Goâ— might dwell among them or inhabit them â—s the Word signifies I come not here to shew my self skilful in Hebrew Greek and Latin I hope it is no Ofâ—ence to tell you of a better Translation of a â—lace of Scripture as in the Margent of your â—ibles I come not hither to speak Hebrew â—reek and Latin and to shew my Skill in seâ—eral parts of Learning and Philosophy after â—he Rudiments of the World as one vainly â—uft up by a fleshly Mind I relinquished it â—â—ove thirty Years ago I never reckoned â—mane Learning a necessary Qualification to â—ake a Man meet to be a Preacher of the Gospel of Christ There is needful another Quaâ—ification for the preaching of Christ and him â—ucified preaching his Cross which is a Stumbling-block to some and Foolishness to others but unto them that are sâ—â—â—d it is Christ â—he Power of God and the Wâ—â—dom of God â—orasmuch as the Fulness dwellâ— in him and â—orasmuch as we receive our several Measures one after another and we receive them by him and through him and from him Christ is the Author or Beginner of our Faith and the Finisher of it he is the Light of every Man â—hat comes into the World a common Illumiâ—ation is given to all There are some that say That Lam gone from â—ny ancient Testimony to the Light within they have not said it to my Face though they insinuate and whisper against me I am bold not in mine own Ability and Strength but in â—he Lord to say None can justly charge me that I am gone from my ancient Testimony tâ— the Sufficiency of the Light within that therâ— is a Sufficiency in the least measure of it to profit withal tho' it be never so little if Meâ— labour to improve it God will not be wanting to give more I am yet to learn that there ever were any among our Friends in former Days or of thosâ— that are newly risen up among us will sayâ— Any have received so much that they need noâ— depend upon the Lord for more as if thaâ— was sufficient for all time to come we havâ— already received We are to pray for ouâ— daily Bread we are to pray for daily Supplies of the Spirit Lord give us more of thy Spirit and multiply thy Mercies and Blessings upon us saith the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 1.2 Grace and Peace be multiplied to you through the Knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord. But to proceed and speak a little further concerning that Doctrin which Paul and Silas preached to the Jailor and his Houshold Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy House I did not study a Text before I came hither I did not know what I should speak but waiting for the pure Motion of the Lord that Scripture was brought before me and a sweet Motion was upon my Spirit and yet continues with me Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Observe here that Paul nor Silas doth not say That he must witness Regeneration or Sanctification before he doth believe in the â—ord Jesus Christ He doth not say Thou â—ust have a pure Conscience before thou dost â—eceive the Mystery of Faith which is a Doâ—trin that some hold that a pure Conscience â—ust be witnessed before Faith Tho' the â—ords are true Faith is held in a pure Consciâ—ce But we must not say That the Conscience â—â—st be first pure and then Faith will be giâ—n to a pure Conscience Faith and a pure â—onscience go together I have experience of 〈…〉 â—lessed be God â— have known a defiled Coâ—â—â—â—ence and now â—o God's Praise I spea◠〈◊〉 I know in some â—easure a purified Conscience My Consciâ—nce was not purified before I did receive the Faith of Christ the very same moment that â— received a measure of this pure Faith this â—ure Faith purified my Conscience
with Joy and the Wicked shall see him with Horror and they would be glad that the Mountains would fall upon them and hide them from his Presence but the Saints shall see their Saviour with comfort and rejoice to hear him pronounce that blessed Sentence that sweet and loving Invitation which will transport them into an Extacy of joyful Admiration Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World Therefore Friends I beseech you unless you would rush upon that Rock that will be too strong for the stoutest of you embrace the necessary Doctrin of Christ crucified by whom alone you can obtain Salvation and escape that Wrath that is to come that will certainly fall upon those that make light of Christ and what he hath done and suffered for them Do not discourage me in my Labours a necessity is laid upon me to preach Christ and him crucified and a right Faith in him if any shall put this Question of the Jailor What shall I do to be saved My Answer is that of the Apostle Paul and Silas Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Say not in thine Heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring down Christ from above or who shall descend into the Deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead the Word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thy Heart that is the Word of Faith which we preach that if thou shalt confess with thy Mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine Heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved for with the Heart Man believeth unto Righteousness and with the Mouth Confession is made unto Salvation But that is not all there must be Obedience and we must express our love to Christ by keeping his Commandments for He is the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him If any shall reject this Doctrin and Faith in Christ crucified and say It will do me no good I can tell them from mine own Experience That the Lord hath wrought it in my Heart blessed be his Name and I find the purifying Nature of it Let it not be said That all Christendom or all England have this Faith which I preach for the generality of Men and Women have only a literal an historical and traditional Faith they believe only because they have it sounded in their Ears or read it in the Bible that Christ died for Sinners to reconcile us to God and purchase Salvation for us And tho' as I have oft declared I have that Charity that God has a Remnant in all Professions in Christendom that have some measure of the true Faith If it be a right saving justifying Faith it must be wrought in us by the mighty power of God Your Faith stands not in any Man's Words tho' never so good but in the Power of God Your Faith muâ—â— not be grounded upon any Man's Testimony He that believeth saith the Apostle hath thâ— Witness in himself and the Spirit of God beareth witness with our Spirits that we are thâ— Children of God and witnesseth the great lovâ— of God that gave his only begotten Son to die for us and the love of Christ that gave himself for us and took our Nature and Sins upon him and became a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us saith the Apostle from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree he hath also once suffered for Sins the Just for the Vnjust that he might bring us to God being put to Death in the Flesh but quickened by the Spirit If all England had a right Belief a right Faith and Persuasion of the Love of God that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all and of the love of his Son Jesus Christ who gave himself for uâ— this would melt their Hearts and draw â—hem effectually to the love of God and Christ and constrain them not only to love the Lord Jesus but to live to him that died for them This Faith in a crucified Jesus is a Faith that worketh by Love and Love is the fulfilling of the Law and will make you have respect to all God's Commandments and if this divine Love reign and rule in our Hearts it will be the most delightful Exercise of our Lives to do the Will of God If all Christendom had a right Belief of the Love of God that gave his Son to die for us and did live in a sense of the love of Christ that was crucified and gave himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling Savour this Love would captivate and overcome them and melt their Hearts before the Lord. My Friends the power and efficacy of this Faith and Love is that blessed be the Lord which I know from Experience and from a deep sense of this Love of God shed abroad upon my Heart by the Holy Ghost which is given to me and hath opened to me the Mystery of that infinite love and grace of God in the VVork of Man's Redemption by Jesus Christ wherein the Power Mercy Wisdom Justice Truth and Holiness of God are wonderfully displayed to our unspeakable Joy and his everlasting Glory A SERMON Preached by George Keith At Devonshire-house August 26. 1694. John 15.1 2 5. I am the true Vine and my Father is the Husbandman IN these VVords there is a great nearness and unity held forth by the Lord Jesus Christ between himself and his People that do believe in him In the 5th Verse he saith I am the Vine ye are the Branches VVhat Ye is this All Men and VVomen upon the Face of the Earth No who then Only them that believe in him These are Branches ingrafted into this Vine abiding in this Vine and bringing forth Fruit from the Sap and Moisture that this Vine affords they only that believe in him derive vital influence from him By Faith we are ingrafted into Christ the â—rue Vine and united to him true Faith is of â—n uniting Nature No sooner are true Beâ—ievers united to Christ by a true Faith but instantly and immediately they find a divine Sap and Vertue flowing from Christ into their Souls which will make them fruitful I am the true Vine and my Father is the Husbandman every Branch in me that beareth not Fruit he taketh away And every Branch that beareth Fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more Fruit. True and sound Believers that are really united to Christ will become fruitful in every good Word and Work and abound in all the Fruits of the Spirit mentioned by the Apostle Gal. 5.2 But the Fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against such there is no Law Now from this it evidently appears that that Faith which generally abounds
fails and thou art ready to sink into this troubled Sea which doth with its proud waves threaten to overwhelm thee walk upon this Sea and fear not sinking thou fearest thou shalt not overcome the Tryal and Temptations that are before thee be not discouraged with any Danger but stand still and thou shalt see the Salvation of God and he will deliver thee out of all thy Troubles and Afflictions and lead thee safely through this raging troubled Sea as on dry Land Therefore mind thy Divine Guide look to the Divine Light and the Arm of God's Power the Spirit of God will conduct thee by his Divine Influences and though the way be difficult and dangerous he wilâ— carry thee through trust in the Mighty Arm of the Lord and in his Divine power and aid and he will lead thee through all troubles that attend thee in thy way to the Heavenly Canaan If so be thou dost return to Egypt's Land in thy Mind in thy desires and affections then thou wilt be overcome by the Adversary and be made to serve the King of Egypt again Therefore let me intreat thee to resign thy Heart and Soul to the Lord and go forward And the Lord said unto Moses wherefore cryest thou unto me Speak unto the Children of Israel that they go forward therefore my Advice Friends is that you go forward let us go Hand in Hand let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord for he is good and gracious who will teach us of his ways and enable us to walk in his Paths It is said that Moses stretched out his Hand over the Sea and the Lord caused the Sea to go back by a strong East Wind all that night and made the Sea dry Land and the Waters were divided and the Children of Israel went into the midst of the Sea upon the dry Ground and the Waters were a Wall unto them on their right Hand and on their left and the Egyptians pursued and went in after them And it came to pass that in the Morning-watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the Pillar of Fire and of the Cloud and troubled the Host of the Egyptians and took off their Charriot Wheels that they drove them heavily and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the Sea and the Waters returned and covered the Charriots and the Horsemen and all the Host of Pharaoh that came into the Sea and there remained not so much as one of them Now consider with thy self although thou hadst powerful Sins and Lusts that did beset thy Soul they have been destroyed in the Sea of Gods Judgments and the Lord hath given thee a Feast of Joy and Consolation to thy Soul and thou canst tell unto thy Neighbours what great things the Lord hath done for thee and hath made thee Witness of and thou canst now sing both of Mercy and Judgment And say Come all you that fear the Lord and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul Here is a living experience O thou canst speak experimentally thou needst not boast in another Mans Line and of things made ready to thy Hand thou speakest and declarest things thou hast found true and experimentally known When thou feelest it thus with thee be not secure after thy many deliverances the Lord hath wrought for thee of one kind and another do not think that thou art come to the end of thy Journey or that thou shalt never meet with trouble again but always feel these sweet Consolations For after God had brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt through the Red Sea and by his Almighty Arm had saved them and destroyed their Enemies he then brings them into the Wilderness to prove them and try them and after all to do them good in the latter end he brings them into straiâ—â— and necessities they want Bread to eat and Water to drink Thus God deals with his Spiritual Israel in the same manner as he did with outward Israel which was a figure of the Spiritual Israel travelling to the Heavenly Canaan as Israel was led to the Earthly Canaan a Land that flowed with Milk and Hony and abounded with all good things necessary for the nourishment and sustenance of Man as Corn Wine and Oil this was for the outward Israel so the Spiritual Israel is led into the Spiritual Canaan a Land flowing with Milk and Hony there is the sincere Milk of the Word and Hony out of the Rock to satisfy us this Blessed Land is worth all our pains Labour and Travel therefore persevere and go on with patience and courage and think not thou art come to the end of thy Journy notwithstanding all thy inlargements in Duites and sweet Enjoyments and strong Consolations of the Spirit thou hast been made partaker of God may bring thee into the Wilderness into mnay straits afflictions and distresses to prove thee and try thee and do thee good in thy latter end thou maist be brought into the Wilderness as thy Master Christ was and tryed to the utmost of thy strength Seeing it must be thus be contented with the will of the Lord though he should hide his Face and thou shouldst feel desertions and great distresses of Soul insomuch as thy Soul should be as the dry and parched Ground where no water is that is barren and brings forth no Fruit and thou thinkest with thy self that the Lord is angry with thee and delays his coming to thee and thou art affraid thou hast done something that hath displeased the Lord that he should so long hide his Face and not lift up the Light of his Countenance upon thee And this causeth great searchings of Heart and makes thee cry out what have I done why is it thus and why hath the Lord withdrawn himself and why do I want those Comforts that sometimes I have enjoyed I am now in a starving VVilderness and barren Desart O how shall I recieve again those sweet incomes of the love of God that sometimes I have enjoyed I will put my self now upon strict performances and exact walking Thou thinkest by this means to obtain Divine comfort and have the joy of thy Salvation which thou hast in some measure lost restored to thee but alas all this will not do What must I dâ— under these sad Circumstances If Obedience will not do If thou shalt receive no comfort or refreshment because of the Lords withdrawing and hiding his Face trust not to thy own Duties and Obedience but rely upon Christ's Obedience his compleat and perfect Obedience Look unto Jesus who is thy Advocate with the Father and Propitiation for thy Sins and not for thine only but for the sins of the whole World 1 John 2.1 My little Children saith the Apostle John these things I write unto you that ye sin not and if any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins
This Faith comes from this Living Fountain this Living Root and Foundation Christ within the Hope of Glory This would make Christendom as the Garden of Eden and the Paradice of God but Christendom is now become a barren Wilderness there is little true Faith found among them The Lord hath some even a remnant that love and fear him and that are near and dear to him that have a True and Living Faith in the Lord Jesus but they are as a Cluster of Grapes in a barren Wilderness but the rest are as a Thorn-Hedge My Friends Is Christ ascended into Heaven Let us by Faith ascend and dwell with Christ in Heaven let our Faith ascend to Christ in Heaven and let our Meditation ascend to Christ in Heaven and let our Hearts and our Affections ascend to Christ in Heaven while we are in the Body and in the Wilderness of this World yet in our Minds and Affections let us be with Christ in Heaven and let us witness with the Apostle That our Conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body according to the Working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself They looked for the last Appearance of his glorified Body and they looked for his daily coming into their Hearts I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you How will he come unto them By daily renewed Incomes of his Spiritual Life and Light and Divine Power He knew they would have but little Meetings at first yet he encourageth these little Meetings Where two or three are gathered together in my Name I will be in the midst of them It is not limited to a great number the Promise is to Two or three as well as to an hundred or many hundreds If a Man be in his House alone or if he be on the Top of a Mountain or by the Side of a River in Prayer if he be a true Disciple of Christ and takes up his Cross and follows him he shall find the Holy Spirit present with him If a Man love me saith Christ he will keep my Words John 14.23 and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our Abode with him So that here is a daily coming From whence From Heaven Here is a daily Coming from Heaven of Christ's Descending from Heaven The Father Son and Holy Spirit will come from Heaven to a true Believer and make their abode with him We must not understand this coming so grosly as if the Father Son and Holy Spirit should leave Heaven and come and dwell with the Sons of Men. What is this coming then It is the Heavenly Influences the Heavenly Powers and Heavenly Vertues like Heavenly Rains the Heavenly Gifts and Manifestations of the Lord Jesus by his Blessed Spirit in our Hearts So then Friends I beseech you observe these following Words which are of the like Import and concern to every one of us The Word is nigh thee this is the Command saith Moses which I command thee this Day this Word is not hidden from thee neither is far off it is not in Heaven that thou shouldst say Who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it How may we be sure it is God's Command as well as the most known and revealed Truth It was a Command to them I say to them to believe that Christ was to come in the Flesh they were to obey that Commandment the Word of Christ in their Hearts the word of Faith the word of Righteousness the word of Reconciliation to believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was to die for Sinners In the Time of the Law and before the Time of the Law they were to believe that Christ was to come and die for them and shed his Blood for them Heb. 11.1 Faith is the Substance of Things hoped for and the Evidence of things not seen Now from the beginning of the World all that long Trace of Time between Adam and Moses for about Four thousand Years they lived by that Faith they hoped for Christ's Coming and had got an infallible Assurance that God would forgive them their Sins and receive them graciously into his Hands when they should come to die and go out of this earthly Tabernacle of the Body and give them an abundant Entrance into his Everlasting Kingdom the Paradise above But why is this Word called the Commandment in the singular Number I will tell you because one Word not many is comprehensive of all God's Commandments be acquainted with this word in thy Heart and it will learn thee all God's Commandments It will teach you all that can be preached from the Holy Scriptures This Word of God that is in your Hearts is comprehensive of all Then you will object and say What need I have any outward Preaching I will sit at home and only mind the Light within the Word that is nigh and in my Heart No that is a great Mistake to say there is no need of outward Preaching many things are greatly profitable that are not of absolute necessity I do not say the Bible is of such absolute neceâ—sity that if Men should take the Bible from us we must perish for want of it God forbid If we should be banished into Turky and they should be so cruel as to take our Bibles from us as they do other Goods and think to bring us over to their Religion this word of Faith in our Hearts will bring to our Remembrance what is written in the Holy Scriptures so that the Bible is a necessary and profitable outward Help but not of such absolute Necessity that we must be undone for ever and perish without it This word of Life that is in thy Heart will preserve thee from perishing eternally O be acquainted with it If a Time should come that there should be no Meetings no outwatd Preaching or Hearing or that we should be shut up in Prison and see the Face of Man no more yet this word of God in our Hearts will teach us and witness the love of God to us in our dying Moments and we shall feel our departing Souls in the Hands of the Lord and may say with our Redeemer Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit O what Joy will this be to us in a dying Hour Now what is it that gives this Knowledge Understanding and Assurance to us The word of Faith in the Heart It may well be called the word of Faith An hypocritical Faith is a Faith without Charity Love and Obedience All Faith is false that is not grounded upon this Word of God it is needful to be preached this inward Word this Word of God within how doth it reconcile us to God It reconcileth us to God by opening of the Mysâ—ery of Christ Jesus and discovering to us
us to do it we should be at a great loss and disadvantage But God is so full of Grace and Bounty blessed be his Name that he giveth us both Wisdom to know his Will and Power to fulfil it Therefore the Spirit of God which was promised to rest upon Christ the Root and Stem of Jesse God promised that the Spirit should rest upon him and that a measure of it should be given to all the Members of that Body whereof he is the Noble and Holy Head he giveth it in one measure to one in another measure to another and in a suitable measure to all according to every ones Capacity to some more and some less as in the â—istribution of Talents he giveth to every â—ne according to their ability The state and â—ondition of Men with respect to Spiritual â—nd Divine gifts they are like the Capacity â—f Vessels some of a lesser and some of a greater quantity There are Cups and Flaggons and Barrels and other Vessels that contain greater and lesser quantities So for Vessels of the Sanctuary Vessels of the Lords House there are Cups and Flaggons and other Vessels A Cup is not capable of holding so much as a Flaggon nor will a Flaggon contain so much as a Barrel or Firkin herein appears the Wisdom of God in that he gives to every one according to their Capacity so that none have reason to repine and murmure and say Lord thou hast not given enough to me Grudge not at the gifts of God to others but consider that though God hath given thee but a little he hath given thee what is fit for thee to receive if he had given thee more there might have been more danger to thy Soul if thy Cup run over there is more than it is capable to receive and therefore God gives that measure to thee that is fittest for thee God gives to every Man and Woman a measure of his Grace which was purchased for them by the Son of his Love the Lord Jesus Christ by what he hath done and suffered even by his Obedience to the Death The Spirit of God which rests upon his dear Son Christ Jesus is said to be the Spirit of Might Isa 11.1 2. And there shall come forth a roâ— out of the stem of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots And the Spirit of the Lorâ— shall rest upon him the Spirit of wisdom anâ— understanding the Spirit of councel and might the Spirit of knowledg and of the seat of the Lord Here is a Spirit of might as well as a Spirit of VVisdom and Understanding here is I say a Spirit of might and of the fear of the Lord. The Holy Scripture saith perfect love casteth out fear what fear is it that it casteth out Slavish fear but Filial fear Evangelical fear perfect Love casteth not out for this Love and fear are Twins they are Inseparable they are of one kind of one nature our Lord Jesus Christ himself was filled with this Holy Spirit of fear it is said Hebr. 5.7 Who in the Days of his Flesh when he had offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from Death and was heard in that he feared Isa 11.3 The Spirit of the Lord saith the Prophet shall rest upon him c. The Spirit of knowledg and of the fear of the Lord. And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord and he shall not judge after the sight of his Eyes neither reprove after the hearing of his Ears but with righteousness shall he judge the Poor and reprove with equity for the meek of the Earth If we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ sincerely and truly by this belief we shall receive VVisdom and Power sufficiency of it plenty of it one measure and degree after another we shall have the Spirit of God to teach â—s and counsel us what we ought to do what â—s our Duty to God to our Neighbour and â—o our selves and all that is required of us in order to our Eternal Happiness and Salvation which is given by Christ Jesus and also Power to do what we ought to do and also Power to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ There are some have made such an Objection as this and I have sometimes made it my self in my own Thoughts O! say some we want a Power to believe we find it very difficult to believe It is good to be thus sensible of thy own Inability and it is good to be perswaded that it is not so easie a thing to believe as many hold it to be The generality of Christians here in Christendom they think it to be an easie thing to believe It is impossible for any Man or Woman rightly and truly and sincerely to believe in God or in Christ with the least Measure of true saving Faith unless the mighty Power of God work this Faith in us And this Faith begins in a very small beginning it is first sown in the Heart of Man or Woman as a grain of Mustard-seed he that soweth it will make it to grow he is not like an unskilful Husbandman that begins to plant or build and is not able to go through with it the Lord is wise and Powerful he will go through with his Work if thou dost not by the Obstinacy Subbornness and Carelesness of thine own Heart hinder it the Lord will carry on this Work of Faith by his mighty Power And if you have Faith but as Grain of Mustard-Seed you shall say to thâ— Mountain Be removed and it shall be removed This Faith is witnessed by a Blessed Remnant that know the removing of Mountains not earthly Mountains but all those inward Letts Impediments and Hindrances that thâ— poor Soul feels within it self even Mountainâ— of Sin and of the Powers of Darkness thaâ— stand between God and their Souls which intercept the Light of his Countenance from shining on them they would get near to the Lord they follow hard after him The Lord lifts up the Light of his Countenance in some lesser degree upon them which is like a little Beam of Light coming through a Cranny they have not that full and satisfactory Enjoyment of the Lord that they desire Act Faith upon the Lord 's Almighty Power that hath given thee a little Grain of Faith a small measure of it and in due Time thy Faith shall be strengthned and be able to remove all those Mountains of Sin and of the Powers of Darkness that are in thy Heart I say it hath often been an Objection to me O! I would fain believe I want Power to believe and I bless the Lord that let me see that I was not able of my self to believe that I had no might or Ability of my self to act Faith the Lord was pleased by the shining of his blessed Light into my Heart to enable me to act Faith and to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ
â—ou feel his Life Power and Spirit in you to â—ead you in the way of Obedience You may die in Peace and with great Joy and Satisfaction you may die with great Courage and commit your Bodies to the Grave and with â—ulness of Assurance commit your departing Souls to the Lord Jesus to be received into his Bosom and to have an abundant entrance â—nto his everlasting Kingdom All the deceaâ—ed Saints tho' they have a greater Injoyment of God and Christ than we have now or thâ—â—â—hey had when tabernacled in a mortal Body â—et they wait and long for the Reward which â—hey shall receive at the Resurrection of the Dead then is the full Possession the joyful Harvest which our Saviour hath told us of When thou makest a Feast invite not thy Friends â—r the Rich that will invite thee again but the Poor and Needy that cannot recompence thee How few make such Feasts This was our Saviours Counsel and Advice Luke 14.12 13. When thou makest a Dinner or a Supper call â—ot thy Friends nor thy Brethren neither thy Kinsmen nor thy rich Neighbours lest they alsâ— bid thee again and Recompence be made to theâ— But when thou makest a Feast call the Poor the Maimed the Lame and the Blind anâ— thou shalt be blessed for they cannot recompencâ— thee for thou shalt be recompensed at the Resurrection of the Just. When is the Resurrection of the Dead when Men and Women die 〈◊〉 No when a good Man and Woman die they certainly go into Paradice there is a great fruition of the Lord's Presence and oâ— his Love and Life that they then receive anâ— enjoy But that is not the Resurrection oâ— the Dead Many were raised from the Deaâ— before Christ died but this is not the generaâ— Resurrection of the Dead And our Saviouâ— himself raised Lazarus and the Widow's Son this is not the Resurrection of the Dead Buâ— now Christ is risen from the Dead saith thâ— Apostle and become the first Fruits of them thaâ— sleep 1 Cor. 15.20 tho' some were raised from the Dead before Christ's Death and Resurrection yet none of them went bodily to Heaven but Christ himself As in Adam aâ— die even so in Christ shall all be made alive but every Man in his own Order Christ thâ— first Fruits afterwards they that are Christs aâ— his coming then cometh the end Friends I hope in this manner of Doctriâ—â— my Testimony is acceptable to some I warâ— you let none despise it I hope in God thaâ— this Doctrin of the Resurrection is acceptablâ— to many if the holy Scriptures have Weighâ— and Authority and Credit with you as I hopâ— they have with all here present then the Faith of the Resurrection of the Dead and the Faith of our own Resurrection and of Christ's Resurrection will be of Credit with you which is such an important Matter that all Preaching is vain without it and our Faith vain without it If you have not a true Belief of the Resurrection of the Dead you are yet in your Sins Pretend what you will of divine Injoyments if you have not a Belief of the Resurrection of the Dead I say you are yet in your Sins and your Faith is vain I prove this from the Testimony of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 15.14 But if there be no Resurrection of the Dead then is Christ not risen and if Christ be not risen then is our Preaching vain and your faith is also vain yea and we are found salse Witnesses of God because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ whom he raised not up if so be that the Dead arise not for if the Dead rise not then is not Christ raised and if Christ be not raised your faith is vain ye are yet in your sins 1 Cor. 15.16 17. Some ignorantly imagine that the Apostle Paul speaks of an inward Rising and of the new Birth as the new Birth is a most necessary preparation for a glorious Resurrection that better Resurrection but that is a great Mistake to say the Apostle speaks here of the new Birth for he is speaking of raising the Body out of the Grave He speaks of the same that Christ spake John 5.28 Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in which all that are in the Graves shall â—ear his Voice aâ—â— shall come forth they that have done good unâ—â— the Resurrection of Life and they that haâ—â— done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnatioâ— The Resurrection of the Just is a comfortablâ— Resurrection but that of the Unjust is 〈◊〉 dreadful Resurrection 2 Cor. 5.10 For 〈◊〉 must all appear before the Judgment-seat Christ that every one may receive the thinâ— done in his Body according to that he haâ— done whether it be good or bad You maâ— take notice of those Words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.14 If there be no Resurrection 〈◊〉 the Dead then is Christ not risen and if Chriâ—â— be not risen then is our Preaching vain anâ— your Faith is also vain These Words are linked together like sâ— many Links making a strong Chain that can not be broken The Resurrection of the Dead both of the Just and Unjust are linked witâ— Christ's Resurrection and Christ's Resurrection is linked with the Faith of it and thâ— Faith of it linked with the Preaching of it they that have not the true Faith of Christ Resurrection and of the Resurrection of thâ— Dead are yet in their Sins and let them pretend never so much to the Faith of Chriâ—â— within if they have not the Faith of Chriâ—â— without them they are yet in their Sins Take not things upon my Credit but searcâ— the Scriptures I hope the holy Scriptures havâ— Credit Esteem and Authority with you Leâ— me once more caution you to take thing rightly that you may not mistake me I say that a bare historical Belief of the Resurrection of the Dead or of the Resurrection of Christ will not prove a Man not to be dead â—n his sins but if we do really believe the Resurrection of the Dead and Christ's Resurâ—ection if we believe these great Truths and â—f our Faith be from an inward Work of the Spirit of God upon our Hearts this Belief will lay a Constraint upon us to live unto Christ that died for us and to have our Hearts in Heaven and our Conversation in Heaven If you are risen with Chrict saith the Apostle then seek those things that are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God and set your Affectons on things above and nor on things on the Earth What are those things above that we are to set our Hearts and Affections upon And what is it to set our Affections upon things above To set our Affections on things above it is to have our Thoughts and Meditations exercised after this manner Lord whom have I in Heaven but thee There is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee Lord my Desire is only unto thee and to the
of the Apostle Peter Pet. 1.1 8. Whom having not seen ye Love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with Joy unspeakaâ—le and full of Glory These words Import â—hat though now ye see not the Man Christ â—esus yet the time will come when you shall see him that is when he shall appear in his Glory at the great Day of Judgment when â—he Nations shall stand before him then they shall certainly see him though now they see him not and then Believers shall rejoyce with â—oy unspeakable and full of Glory I say Faith is a very great mystery in that it joyns the Souls of them that truly believe in him to Christ now in heaven Believers do not rejoyce Imaginarily but really True Faith is incomparably a more excellent thing than Imagination is Faith joyneth us to Christ it knitteth us to him and giveth us access unto God by him Remember what our Lord said to Thomas after he arose from the Dead when he appeared to his Disciples the Doors being shut the eleven had seen Christ before when Thomas was not present he would not believe that the Lord Jesus Christ had appeared to them John 20. When the other Disciples told him we have seen the Lord. He said unto them except I shall see in his Hands the Print of the Nails and put my Finger into the Print of the Nails and thrust my Hand into his Side I will not believe And after eight Days again his Disciples were within and Thomas with them then came Jesus the Doors being shut and stood in the midst and said peace be unto you then saith he to Thomas reach hither thy Finger and behold my Hands and reach hither thy Hand and thrust it into my Side and be Faithless but believing And Thomas answeâ—ed and said unto him my Lord and my Gâ—â— Jesus saith unto him Thomas because thou hâ— seen me thou hast believed Blessed are they thâ— have not seen and yet have believed O my Friends these VVords are preciouâ— my Heart is touched and tendered with theâ— Blessed are they that have not seen yet haâ— believed we have not seen him risen from thâ— Dead he appeared not to us as to them and 〈◊〉 he appeared to Paul outwardly this is oâ— case you are blessed if ye believe in him whoâ— ye have not seen in the Lord Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 the Man Christ Jesus and if they are Blesseâ— that have not seen yet have believed then follows by the Rule of contraries that theâ— were not blessed who did not believe in hiâ— though they saw him and heard him Preach I cannot say it is a Sin in them not to bâ—lieve in the Lord Jesus Christ who have nâ— heard him Preached to them outwardly nor Inwardly who have not heard of his Death Burial Resurrection and Ascension and sittinâ— at the Right-Hand of God I cannot say 〈◊〉 is a Sin in them not to believe who nevâ—â— heard of those things but those that have haâ— this Doctrine preached and also read in thâ— Holy Scriptures and yet do not believe Chrisâ— risen from the Dead that do not believe Chrisâ— died for their Sins nor believe that he is gonâ— to Heaven and liveth for ever to make intercession for us It is so great a Sin not to believe Christs Incarnation Death and Resurrection when it is preached that they bring a Curse upon themselves that believe not this Doctrin after it is plainly preached to them I do say it and am ready to prove what I say They that have an opportunity to hear this Doctrin preached and read it they have an obligation lying upon them to believe it not because of the outward Testimony barely for where-ever the Scriptures come and are read and preached there is an inward Witness and Testimony goes along with the outward Testimony and it cannot be supposed that the inward Testimony of God's holy Spirit will be wanting to them that enjoy the preaching of the Gospel of Christ to enable them to believe It is Unbelief that brings Men under the Curse and makes them guilty before God Our Saviour told the Jews Except you believe that I am he ye shall die in your Sins O this is most dreadful and whither I go ye cannot come It is not a bare literal traditional or historical Faith or Belief in Christ that I preach to the People which is a Faith of no Value or Worth for Hypocrites have this Faith but that Faith which I preach it is a living Faith wrought by the mighty Power of the Spirit of Christ accompanying the outward Teaching It is a living Faith a fruitful Faith and where-ever this Faith is Love is it is never without Love for Faith Hope and Love always go together and all the Fruits of the Spirit all evangelical Vertues Humility Meekness Temperance and Patience so that they that believe in the Lord Jesus Christ they have a Faith that worketh by Love Love to God and Man That Faith that they have in them is a pious devout religious consciencious Faith and this Faith is accompanied with a Desire that every one might partake of the like precious Faith Every one thaâ— hath it they feel an earnest Travel and concern upon their Spirits that all might be partakers of it they are zealous for the Faith of Christ's Doctrine for by the Faith of Christ's Doctrine we have the Faith of Christ himself So that I do not understand for my part how people can have the Faith of Christ that have not the Faith of his Doctrine A Man or Woman may have a measure of the true Faith of Christ and be short in some matter of Doctrine that is not fundamental they may be wanting in some measure but it were better that there was nothing wanting if possible I long to see you saith the Apostle Rom. 1.11 compared with 1 Thess 3.10 that I may perfect what is lacking in your Faith He did suppose those that were partakers of the Faith of Christ might have something lacking in their Faith that might be supplied to them Christ's Doctrine as it is powerfully preached hath this Service in it to help a Man to lay hold on Christ by Faith as you know we can more easily lay hold upon a Man that is cloathed than upon one that is naked we can more easily lay hold upon Christ by laying hold upon his Doctrine and upon his precious Promises the Promise of Remission of Sin and of his Holy Spirit John 7.38 He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Water These are exceeding great and precious Promises by which we may be made partakers of the Divine Nature I can tell you something of mine own Experience I was enabled to lay hold on Christ by laying hold on the Promise of Christ Christ comes cloathed with the precious Promises to believe the Promise of Salvation through Christ Jesus the Promise of Remission of
be said that they are Reprobates But now as to the principal Subject Matter that is before me it is this That it is the Duty of every one that professeth himself to be a true Christian to examine himself whether he hath the true Faith of Christ or whether he be in the true Faith It is all one to have the Faith to be in us or for us to be in it It is one and the same thing I say we are in the Faith as well as it is in us I say too many deceive themselves many think they have the Faith or are in the Faith which have it not and are not in it This is great folly in Men and a most dangerous deceit to be deceived in this Case Which of us all would be willing to be deceived in Mony We are all very unwilling to take counterfeit Mony of Brass Silver or Gold and if we be deceived here the deceit may be an outward damage to us But this is nothing comparatively to the deceit of a counterfeit Faith When Men shall deceive themselves to their dying moment and fancy they have true Faith when they have it not they that die wanting the true Faith they die in their Sins If ye believe not saith our Lord Christ that I am he ye shall die in your Sins and whither I go ye cannot come Therefore examine your selves and examine effectually that ye may know whether ye have the true Faith and be in it It is in my Heart at this Time in a few Words to open this to you I have been often upon this Subject therefore I shall not now enlarge upon it Now in opening to you the true Nature of Faith first I will tell you what it is not that denominates a Man or Woman to be a ture Christian I shall God willing and assisting me first tell you what true Faith is not and then I shall tell you what it is I. It is not a bare historical literal or traditional Faith of God and Christ You say you believe in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and believe these great Truths as they are declared and recorded in the Holy Scriptures and you hear them preached to you by one Minister and another and because you read them in the Holy Scriptuers which good Men in all Ages have always had a great Esteem and Veneration for ever since they were written and therefore you believe this is the ground of your Faith the foundation of it and you know no other foundation but this O this is not enough for thousands have this Faith which have not the true Faith So much negatively what this Faith is not II. To speak something positively and affirmatively what this Faith is and how it is wrought First of all I say unto you that it is a supernatural thing the other Faith is but natural or human That Faith that is wrought in Men and Women only by an outward Testimony let it be never so true only because they hear it preached or read it or because holy and godly Men say these things are true you believe them because of an outward Testimony all this is but natural But a true saving justifying Faith that by which we are justified and saved and by which Christ cometh to dwell in our Hearts that Faith by which we overcome the World and come to be Children of God it is a supernatural Work an effect of God's mighty Power that Power which raised Christ from the dead That Power must quicken a Man that is naturally dead in Sins and Trespasses and work in him a true Faith a divine Faith the which Faith is wrought instrumentally by outward Preaching and Hearing in God's ordinary way Now to open a little further to you the Nature of this true Faith we must consider it both with respect to the Object of it and the Subject of it that is the Seat of it whether it be placed only in the Understanding Whether it be only an Assent in the Understanding That Christ Jesus came into the World to save Sinners And that God gave his Son to die for us that we might live through him Now first as to the Object of Faith What is it that we look to That our Faith hath a regard to What is it that we do believe in Is it in God the Father only or also in his dear Son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit Now here is a right belief in Christ We believe in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that he hath given his dear Son for us and to us and none have a right Belief in Christ the Eternal Son of God but they that believe he is both God and Man and believe that the Word was made Flesh and took our Flesh in the fulness of Time and came in a prepared Body and put an end to all the Offerings and Sacrifices under the Law which were Types and Figures of his offering up his Body upon the Cross Isa 53.10 It pleased the Lord to bruise him saith the Prophet he hath put him to Grief When thou shalt make his Soul an Offering for Sin c. He shall see the Travel of his Soul and shall be satisfied Our Lord Jesus Christ became a compleat Priest and Sacrifice both in his Soul and Body He offered himself both in his Soul and Body as a Sacrifice for Sin and both these must be effected by Faith in Christ viz. Justification and Sanctification Justification is attributed to Faith instrumentally and Sanctification also is attributed to Faith in the Blood of Christ which cleanseth from all Sin True Faith respects for its Object Christ as he is both God and Man as the Eternal Word took Flesh not the nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham It respects Christ inwardly and it doth respect his outward coming and appearance in a two-fold Sense 1. As he came and is already come in a state of Humiliation and Suffering And 2. It respects him as he is without us glorified and exalted in Heaven at the Right-hand of the Majesty on high God hath appointed him to be Judge of the World all Nations shall stand before him and every Eye shall see him and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divides his Sheep from the Goats the Sentence will pass and be pronounced outwardly by the Man Christ Jesus I do not deny but that there is also a Judgment within in the Conscience But now there is a weighty Matter or Point before me to insist upon and that is this That as Christ within us and Christ without us is but one Christ so the true Faith in Christ respects both Christ without us and Christ within us and the Faith of Christ within us and of Christ without us is but one Faith as Christ is but one that suffered for us and was nailed to the Cross and Christ within us so Faith in Christ within us and without us is
and Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ it is not the true Doctrin of the Gospel of Christ to preach Pardon of Sin and Justification through the Obedience that any Man or Woman can perform to or by the Light within the Spirit of God within or any inward Principle without Faith in the Man Christ Jesus It is by Faith in him that we witness Peace with God Being justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 It is not in my Heart to go into Niceties to answer that Question that hath more of Nicity than of Necessity in it Whether we are justified by Faith or by Faith and Works viz. by such Works as accompany Faith and go along with Faith and that flow from Faith as the effects of it We cannot be justified whatever any may â—irm without Faith in Christ crucified and â—hoever preach that we may be justified by â—y Works that we can perform any obediâ—nce to Christ within or without without â—ith in Christ crucified they preach another â—ospel and pervert the Gospel of Christ â—al 1.8 But though we or an Angel from â—eaven saith the Apostle preach any other â—ospel unto you than that which we have preachâ—â— unto you let him be accursed Now they preach another Gospel that preach â—ustification and Remission of Sins by our own â—orks and Obedience without Faith in Christ crucified The Apostle James saith â—deed Jam. 2.21 Was not Abraham our â—ather justified when he offered Isaac his Son â—pon the Altar Seest thou how Faith wrought â—ith his Works and by Works was Faith â—ade perfect And the Scripture was fulfilâ—â—d which saith Abraham believed God â—â—d it was imputeâ— to him for Righteousness â—â—d he was called the Friend of God And it is â—id concerning Rahab Was not Rahab the â—arlot justified by Works when she had receiâ—ed the Messengers and had sent them out anoâ—her way Josh 2.15 She let them down by a â—ord through the Window and she said unto â—hem Get ye to the Mountains lest the Pursuâ—rs meet you And the Spyes said unto her â—ehold when we come into the Land thou shalt â—ind this Line of Scarlet-Thred in the Window â—ich thou didst let us down by c. The â—carlet-Thred did typify and represent and shadow out the Blood of Christ by which shâ— should be saved she hid the Spyes and thâ— was a good Work her Faith that saved heâ— was as the Scarlet-Thred dipt and dyed iâ— the Blood of Christ which cleanseth from alâ— Sin So these Works were not without Faith but did accompany it and were the real Fruiâ— of it I have told you that the Object of Faitâ— is God the Father and Jesus Christ his Son both in his inward and outward coming anâ— appearance and as he is yet to come again and appear without us at the end of thâ— World at the great day of Judgment and also the holy Spirit Now to open to you briefly one Scripture John 1.12 But as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name The Exposition that some have given of this is the receiving of Christ inwardly that is so far good But that dotâ—â—ot comprehend the whole sense and meaning of the Words To receive him and believe on him is not only to receive his Light and Power and Spirit in our Hearts but to receive him as he died for us and shed his precious Blood for us and became both a Priest and Sacrifice for us and offered himself through the Eternal Spirit without spot to God We must believe thâ— worth and value of that Sacrifice to expiatâ— our Sins and to make attonement for us â— so that by Christ's Sacrifice and offering oâ— himself the justice of God haâ—h satisfactioâ— made to it as fully as if we our selves had sufâ—â—red and made full satisfaction So that to â—â—ceive Christ is not to receive him only in â—â—s inward Appearance but in his priestly Ofâ—â—ce as he died upon the Cross and shed his â—recious Blood for us I have said it divers times and it is in my Heart to say it again That Christ offered the Gift of his Manhood upon the Altar of his Godhead that sanctified it and made it so â—ighly valuable and acceptable How will â—ou prove this some might say This may â—ell be proved out of the holy Scripture Heb. 13.14 For if the Blood of Bulls and of Goats and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling â—he Vnclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the â—lesh how much more shall the Blood of Christ â—ho through the Eternal Spirit offered himself â—â—thout spot to God purge your Consciences â—im dead Works â—o serve the living God The â—â—â—rnal Spirit 〈◊〉 the eternal Power and Godâ—ead is the Altar tâ—â—â— is greater than the Gift â—â—d the Altar which sanctifieth the Gift and â—hich was that that gave value and merit to â—s precious Blood and to what his Body and â—oul suffered here I say is the Gift upon â—â—e Altar and the Altar sanctifieth the Gift 〈◊〉 Christ had been Man only then his Death â—â—d Sufferings and his precious Blood had â—t been of that great worth and value to exâ—â—te our Sin and make Attonement for us â—â—d reconcile us to God God hath had reâ—â—d to this in all Ages God looks favourable â—on us only through Christ our great Mediator and High-priest Christ's Blood is of meritorious Efficacy in all Ages since it was shed and before it was shed And as Christ is the Object of our Faith so is the Doctrin of Christ in all the parts of it in a secondary sense but more especially as it respects the Promises of Salvation and his Commandments these two the Promises of Christ and the Commands of Christ if we believe his Promises we believe his Precepts and obey them We are pardoned and sanctified and justified freely and all boasting is excluded If we believe in Christ we believe in his Person and we believe his Doctrin his Promises and all that is written That through the comfort of the Scriptures we might have Hope I will by a Similitude express and represent to you of what great use the Promises are unto us as I have found by experience blessed be God that the great and precious Promises of our Lord Jesus Christ and hiâ— sweet Invitations and Calls that are recorded in the holy Scripture are a mighty help to us in laying hold upon Christ We cannot take hold of a Man so well when he is naked as when he is clothed It is not so easy foâ— us to lay hold on Christ naked as when he iâ— preached in the Gospel and as when he iâ— clothed as it were with the precious Promâ—ses It is very hard for us to lay hold oâ— Christ and embrace him and come to him without a Promise The Apostle Peter holâ—ing forth this great Mystery tells us 2 Pet. 1. â— Whereby are given to
astonished what is the matter They find thâ— word of God quick and powerful and sharpeâ— than a two-edged Sword and it hath â—unded and pierced them they had rather â— touched with a naked Sword and receive â— Wound in their Bodies than feel that Anâ—ish in their Souls when the Sword of the â—â—irit the word of the Lord hath reached â—â—eir Hearts then they cry out Have pity on 〈◊〉 have pity on me for the hand of the Lord â—â—h touched me The Word of the Lord is â—ick and powerful and sharper than a two-â—ged Sword thou wilt find it like the Sword 〈◊〉 Gideon against thy spiritual Enemies When the Children of Israel were greatly â—poverished because of the Midianites they â—ed unto the Lord The Angel of the Lord â—eared to Gideon as he was threshing Wheat 〈◊〉 the Wine-press to hide it from the Midiaâ—â—tes and the Angel said unto him The Lord 〈◊〉 with thee thou mighty man of valour Judg. â— 14. And it is said The Lord looked upon â—n and said unto him Go in thy might and â—â—u shalt save Israel from the hands of the â—â—dianites have I not sent thee And he said 〈◊〉 my Lord wherewith shall I save Israel â—â—hold my Family is poor in Manasseh and I 〈◊〉 the least in my Father's House And the â—rd said unto him Surely I will be with thee â—d thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man â—â—deon desires a Sign he put a fleece of Wool â—on the Floor and the Dew was upon the â—eece and it was dry upon all the Earth â—sides And Gideon said unto God Let not thine Anâ— be hot against me and I will speak but this once let me prove I pray thee this once with 〈◊〉 Fleece let it now be dry only upon the Fleâ— and upon all the Ground let there be Dew 〈◊〉 God did so that Night and gave him a certâ— Token and Assurance that he would vouchsafe 〈◊〉 presence with him Gideon levies an Army thirty thousand And the Lord said to Gideâ—â— the People that are with thee are too many 〈◊〉 me to give the Midianites into their hands 〈◊〉 Israel vaunt themselves against me sayinâ— Mine own hand hath saved me And there 〈◊〉 turned of the People two and twenty thousanâ— and there remained ten thousand And the Loâ— said the People are yet too many bring thâ— down to the Water And they bowed down their Knees to drink Water only three hundrâ—â— Men lapped Water with their Tongues as 〈◊〉 Dog lappeth By these saith the Lord I wâ— save you And the Lord said to Gideon 〈◊〉 down to the Host of Midian for I have delâ—vered it into thy hand but if thou fearest 〈◊〉 go down go with Pharoah thy servant and thâ— shalt hear what they say and afterward shâ— thine hand be strengthened And when Gideâ—â— was come near to the Midianites that lay alonâ— in the Valley like Grashoppers for Multitude and their Camels were without number like thâ— sand of the Sea-side And behold there was â— man that told a Dream unto his Fellow sayinâ— Behold I dreamed a Dream and lo a Cake 〈◊〉 Barley-bread tumbled into the Host of Midiaâ— and came unto a Tent and smote it that it feâ— and overturned it that the Tent lay alone Anâ— his Fellow answered and said This is nothing elsâ— save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash a man 〈◊〉 Israel for into his hand hath God delivered â—idian and all the Host. And when Gideon â—ard the telling of the Dream and the interâ—retation of it he worshipped and returned inâ—o the Host of Israel and said Arise the Lord â—ath delivered them into our hands And he â—â—vided the three hundred men into three Comâ—â—nies and he put a Trumpet into every man's and with empty Pitchers and Lamps within â—he Pitchers And the three Companies blew â—he Trumpets and brake the Pichers and â—eld the Lamps in their left hands and the â—rumpets in their right hands to blow withal â—nd they cried The sword of the Lord and of Gideon And they stood every man in his place â—ound about the Camp and all the Host of Miâ—ian ran and cried and fled and the Lord set â—very Man's sword against his Fellow even â—hroughout all the Host of Midian and they â—estroyed one another These things are written for our Learning â—hat through patience and the comfort of the â—criptures we might have hope so that thou â—hat complainest of thy Weakness and want of â—ower thou shall be strengthened with all might and by the sword of the Spirit the word of God thou shalt prevail and put to â—light the Armies of the Aliens and say with â—he Apostle Thanks be to God that giveth us Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ And with Zacharias Luk. 1.67 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath visited and redeemâ—d his People and raised up a Horn of salvation for us And say as the Psalmist Praise ye the Lord praise God in his Sanctuary praise him in the Firmament of his Power praise him for his mighty Acts praise him according to his excellent Greatness let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. And as Moses praised God in his Song after the deliverance at the Red Sea I will sing unto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the Horse and his Rider hath he thrown into the Sea The Lord is my Strength and Song he is become my Salvation he is my God and I will prepare him an Habitation my Father's God and I will exalt him who is like unto thee O Lord among the Gods Who is like thee glorious in Holiness fearful in Praises doing Wonders But some will object and say Notwithstanding all the strength and power the Lord giveth his People here is a great Allay We have a subtle Adversary to deal with the Devil that old Serpent he beguiled our first Parents in Paradice in a state of Innocence He is the Prince of the power of the Air and a roaring Lion going about continually seeking whom he may devour I answer This Talk is begun to be laid aside when thou feelest the power of God and thou maist encourage thy self in this that greater is he that is in you than he that is in the World When the strong Man armed keeps the House his Goods are in peace but when a stronger than he comes to dispossess him he spoils him of his Goods When once you come to be acquainted with the power of God working mightily within you you will say The beloved of my Soul is come and hath strengthened me with all might in my inward Man and enabled mâ— to overcome the Enemy The Son of God is come and hath given us an Understanding that we may know him that is true This is very comfortable Here is light sown for the Righteous and gladness for the upright in Heart But methinks I hear another sound in another Soul speaking after this manner I have believed unto remission of Sins and in my waiting upon
admire and highly esteem for their profound learning and excellent parts There are places for publick Meetings and solemn Worship and Preaching almost in every Corner of your Populous City and there stands a Pracher with the Bible in his Hand and he calls upon his Auditors to give their reverend and serious attention and harken to the Word of the Lord And the People likewise have their Books in their Hands and observe the Scriptures he Quotes and turn down a Leaf that they may find them when they come home and go away admiring the Sermon and the wisdom and learning of the Preacher and say he is an excellent Man But Alas too few do make it their work to apply the great Truths of the Gospel to their Hearts or so hear as the Prophet speaks That their Souls may live Though I have not a Book in my Hands while I am Preaching to you yet I do highly esteem and Reverence the Holy Scriptures of Truth and I do often at other times take the Bible in my Hands and seriously read it and pray to God to help me to â— right understanding of it that I may rightlâ— divide the Word of Truth and declare unto you the whole Counsel of God and open the Mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the great things belonging to your everlasting Peace and how Christ saves his People from their Sins from the condemning Power and the concommanding Power of them Sin shall not have Dominion over you saith the Apostle for ye are not under the law but grace Rom. 6.22 And being now made free from Sin and become Sorvants to God ye have your fruit unto Holiness and the end everlasting Life for the wages of Sin is Death but the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. We that Preach the Gospel should imitate the Apostle who used all his skill and utmost diligence by all his Preaching to bring Men to Spirituality Heavenly Mindedness and to a conformity to the Life of Christ God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things c. Who being the brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person and upholding all things by the Word of his Power when he had by himself purged our Sins sat down on the right Hand of the Majesty on high Thus he begins his Epistle to the believing Hebrews and tells them what Christ had done for them and offers to them then he chargeth them to give the more earnest heed to the things that they have heard lest at any time they should let them slip for saith he How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation And in the close of his Epistle he tells them That they are not come to Mount Sinai that burned with fire nor unto blackness and Darkness and Tempest c. But ye are come unto Mount Sion the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an Innumerable Company of Angels To the general assembly and Church of the First-born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judg of all and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the Blood of Sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel It is the end and design of our Preaching the Gospel to bring Men to the saving knowledg of Christ and him Crucified and to turn them from the Power of Satan to the Power of God There is a complaint of some that are Preachers in this City and other places and I fear there is too much cause for it that they only Preach Christ within and the Light within but do not make mention of the Death and sufferings of Christ and the benefits that come to believers by his Sacrifice and satisfaction for he that knew no Sin was made Sin for us that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him and he was wounded for our Transgressions bruised for our iniquities and the chastisement of our Peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed Without controversy saith the Apostle great is the Mistery of godliness God was Manifest in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels Preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World and received up into Glory The Prophets spake of Christs coming in our nature and being manifest in Flesh in that Body prepared for him to do the will of God And Abraham the Father of the Faithful rejoyced to see his Day and was glad great things were foretold of him before his coming and great Titles given to him Isa 9.6 For unto us a Child is born and unto us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his Shoulder and his name shall be called wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace In the fulness of time when he came into the World Luke 1 8. The Angel of the Lord appeared to the Shepherds abiding in the Field and keeping Watch over their Flock by Night and the glory of the Lord shone round abouâ— them and they were sore afraid And the Angel said unto them fear not for behold I bring good tidings of great joy which shall be to all People for unto you is born this Day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God and saying Glory to God in the Highest and on Earth Peace good will towards Men. I have many times been astonished when I have considered the wonderful Condescention of the Eternal Son of God who being in the form of God thought it not Robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no Reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of Men and being found in fashion as a Man he humbled himself and became obedient unto Death even the Death of the Cross I have searched solemnly into this Mystery for my satisfaction with respect to his bodily and outward appearance and I have thought with my self God hath been pleased in his most wonderful kindness and compassion to condescend to our weakness and infirmity and help our unbelief and lest People should be ready to question Gods Veracity and not believe what is reported by the Angel concerning Christ and Salvation to be obtained by his Death and sufferings and what was foretold by the Prophets God sent his Son into the World that Men might see him Face to Face and hear him Preach to them with his own Mouth who had Grace poured into his Lips that they might be convinced and converted by his heavenly Doctrin who had the words of Eternal Life for such Majesty and Power appeared in his Preaching that many which heard him were stricken with wonder and said Never Man spake like this
from a State of Purity and Holiness which once they were possessors of and are come to be like the Prodigal Son who received his Portion from his Father and took his Journy into a far Country and there wasted his substance with riotous living O how glad should my Soul be that some of these Prodigals might be awakened that they might remember from whence they are fallen and call to mind how it was with them when they were in their Father's House when they were fed at their Fathers Table O my Soul is grieved with a Sense of their woful condition in a sense of that Famin of the Word of the Lord that is come over them in a Sense of that darkness and deadness and barrenness that is come over their immortal Souls O! that they might be awakened by the Power and Spirit of the Lord that they might come to themselves as the prodigal Son did when he had spent all and when there arose a mighty Famine in that Land and he began to be in want and went and joyned himself to a Citizen of that Country who sent him into the Fields to feed Swine and he would fain have filled his Belly with the Husks that the Swine did Eat and no man gave unto him It is not Husks that will satisfy thy hungry Soul when once thou art convinced and awakened to consider thy miserable condition it is not an empty talk of Religion which is but as Husks and cannot satisfy thy Hungry Soul If thou art awakened and come to thy self thou wilt repent and mourn for thy Sin and lament and grieve and mourn over him whom thou hast pierced by thy transgressions then thou wilt take up a Resolution with the Prodigal who when he came to himself he said How many hired Servants of my Fathers have Bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger I will arise saith he and go to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired Servants Say to thy heavenly Father in thy humble Confession of Sin Lord I have been a Prodigal I have wasted thy heavenly Treasure I have spent and trifled away my precious Time in a strange land and have fed among Swinish Sinners I cannot fill my belly with these Husks Now I remember the plenty of my Fathers House where I had Bread enough and to spare I will return and humble my self before my Father I will confess my sin and Folly unto my compassionate Father it may be he will be kind and merciful and gracious to me When good Desires were raised in the Heart of the returning Prodigal when he arose and came to his Father when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his Neck and kissed him then he humbled himself before his Father and said Father I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy Son I have spent that portion thou gavest me among Harlots in riotous living If thou returnest as the Prodigal did and if thou addressest thy self to thy heavenly Father as a true Mourner with a sincere repentance never to be repented of if thou settest thy self in good earnest to seek the Lord early and late thou shalt find him to thy Souls satisfaction For so the Prodigal returning to his Father and making these acknowledgments to his Father it moved his compassion and fatherly Bowels His father did not chide him and upbraid him but fell on his neck and kissed him And he said unto his Servants Bring forth the best robe and put it on him and put a Ring on his Hand and Shooes on his Feet and bring hither the fatted Calf and Kill it and let us eat and be merry for this my Son was dead and is alive again and he was lost and is found This was the joyful Entertainment that the returning Prodigal found with his indulgent Father so when we return to God our Heavenly Father by true repentance he will receive us into favour for the sake of his well-beloved Son in whom he is well pleased We shall be stript of our filthy Garments and be cloathed with the Garment of Salvation rhe Robe of Christs Righteousness and be found in him not having our own Righteousness and we shall be feasted with the fatted Calf we shall by faith feed upon the Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ the Lamb of God that was slain and Sacrificed for us His Flesh is Meat indeed and his Blood is Drink indeed Whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood saith our Lord Jesus Christ hath Eternal Life John 6.51 There is a feast of Fat things and of Wine upon the Lees well refined Thus true Penitent and returning Prodigals shall be entertained and welcomed to their Father's House he will take them into his Banqueting-House and his Banner on them shall be Love and he will speak kindly and comfortably to them Eat O Friends drink yea drink abundantly O beloved thus he will speak to us that our Joy may remain in us and that our Joy may be full that we may rejoyce in Christ Jesus and be eternally satisfied in the love of God in whose presence is fulness of Joy Joy unspeakable and full of glory A SERMON Preached by Thomas Budd At Harp-Lane November 4. 1694. John 14.1.2 Let not your Heart be oroubled ye believo in God believe also in me THe Disciples were greatly afflicted when our Saviour told them He must go away and that he must suffer at Jerusalem They being cast down and very sad and sorrowful at the thoughts of his Departure he speaks comfortably to them and bids them Believe in him ye believe in God believe also in me They had a Faith in God they believed in God they believed in the Light which came from God with which they were enlightened yet nevertheless the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ his Resurrection from the Dead and his Ascension into Heaven was not then so clearly and fully discovered unto them as afterward it was made known And it appears That it was not enough for them only to believe in God but he bids them believe in him also And he told them that he did go to prepare a place for them And if I go saith he to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also In my Fathers House are many Mansions where I am there ye shall be also O glorious promise indeed who can declare the large extent of it and the greatness of his Love That he should love them so intirely as to die for the Love of them as to die for their sakes and lay down his Life for them and as their High-Priest become a Sacrifice The High-Priests under the Law offered the Bodies of