do those things that are good and profitable and to avoid those things that are reproveable If thou wouldest hearken to the Spirit that is the Reprover that convinceth of Sin thou must turn away thy mind from that which will lead into those things that are reproveable otherwise thou wilt be under Condemnation in thine own bosome When the Spirit of God illuminates Men to see Sin the evil of Sin he will give them power against it but when they come to receive power against it â—nd stedfastness in the ways of God what will be the effect of that If I become Righteous and live a Holy Life and my Companions be wicked they will mock me and reproach me what profit and benefit shall I have by being Righteous I see evidently I shall lose many advantages which I might otherwise reap and reach with mine own hand I must forsake my Profits and Pleasures and all the Delights of this World The Disciples said to Christ we have forsaken all and followed thee what shall we have People before they would forsake all would see some thing they must have in the room of it Christ tells them that he that hath forsaken all Father and Mother Brothers and Sisters and House and Land for his Names sake shall have in this Life an hundred fold and in the World to come Eternal Life what is the meaning of that They shall have in this Life 100 fold Christ that is Truth it self that cannot Lie hath promised that they that forsake all shall receive an hundred fold now people are ready to grasp at it they think it must be something that will answer the loss of that they part withall that thou receivest in this promise must not be of the same sort and kind with those things â—hou didst part withall but when thou hast parted with all for Christs sake and the Gospel thou shalt receive that which thou shalt acknowledge is an hundred fold better and will make thee an hundred fold richer and happier and that it will give thee more an hundred fold than all that thou parted with could give thee If we part with Sin we part with that which brings bondage and fear of Death having parted with that when thy fear and bondage is gone and thou livest then the rest of thy Life time at liberty but this is not all thou livest in the enjoyment of the favour of God thou shalt have the sense of his Love and the Comforts of the Holy Spirit and you shall live in Peace and Righteousness and treasure up to your selves Glory Honour Immortality and Eternal Life whereas before you did treasure up only wrath against the day of wrath and the Revelation of the Righteous Judgment of God thou shalt receive an hundred fold that which is an hundred fold better Those that part with the things that are reproveable and do what Christ in his day performed the good and acceptable will of God the Enjoyments that he hath in Christ and the Comfort Peace and Tranquility he enjoys is an hundred fold better and more delightful than all the pleasures of Sin and the pleasures and delights of Shows and Sights and Plays and Comedies which vain Men entertain themselves with in their Carnal State A Carnal Man cannot understand and discern the things of God and the pleasures that are to be had in his holy ways he only looks at the things that are seen which are Temporal and not at the things which are not seen which are Eternal But my Friends those things which are unseen are not so unseen but that when a man hath an eye opened within him of the same Nature with those things he can see them blessed be God that we have an eye opened to see Spiritual things to see the Heavenly Treasure and enjoy it in these Earthen Vessels For all that have an ear to hear it would be a profitable change to part with all that is evil in the sight of God and put themselves under the Yoak of Christ and receive a Principle of Grace which he will Communicate to them that they may do the good and acceptable will of God and so may enjoy an hundred fold and have comfort peace and joy before they go hence and are no more seen You to whom God hath so graciously and mercifully appeared that have an understanding and a tast and feeling of those things which are Divine and Spiritual and which pertain to Life and Godliness Of all the People in the World you are an engaged People to serve the Lord great obligations lie upon you that you should abide and continue in that which God hath revealed and discovered to you I mean Grace for you will never grow till you be under the Government of the Grace of God that Grace that appeared to you before you came to the Knowledge of God and his ways that hath been with you in your travel from Death to Life and from Darkness to Light Prize it as a Heavenly Jewel as that which contains in it all those things that your Souls stand in need of If you have any strength to resist Temptation it is from the Grace of God that you receive Power to withstand Temptations if you have any living openings in your hearts it comes to you from that Grace that is in Christ When this and that and the other Prophecy of the Prophets of old is opened to you Prophecying and Foretelling that State and Condition which you are travelling towards how the Lord will subdue your Enemies under you you are encouraged hereby to go on cheerfully in your way to that Rest which you are travelling to There are many of those that believe the Truth who are not come to Establishment and they will find the Reason and Cause in themselves Do but ask and enquire how it comes to pass that such and such are established and not so subject to fear and horrour and perplexity as I am a little thing will turn me over and shake and unsettle my mind this hath been the cause want of keeping close to the grace of God in your Conversâ—tion in the World when you and your Children and Servants are governed by the grace of God in all you undertake then the Devil will endeavour to bring you into darkness and bring discomposure upon your Spirits for the purpose of Christ Jesus our Saviour is to settle you and the purpose of the Destroyer is to discompose and unsettle you and to marry you to this and the other changing thing if he can fix your hearts upon this and that Object then there is instability upon the Soul take away that thing and it brings disturbance upon you Hast thou any Objâ—ct that thy mind is set upon Thou wilt be much disturb'd at thy parting with it but whose fault is that The truth manifested to thee from the beginning of thy Conversion did engage thee to separate thy self from all visible sensible things that God might have
the evil of their ways that so he may bring forth holiness and righteousness and redeem a people from under the Bondage of Sin and fit them for the Kingdom of his Father and to use the Apostles words present them before the Throne of God without spot and blameless he will purifie them and sprinkle them from an evil Conscience their bodies being washed with pure Water he will sanctifie the Creature his Word is nigh them and in their Hearts he begins a good Work in many and will carry it on in one and in another Here lies the chief Work it is the good hand of God must work all our works in us and for us according to the good pleasure of his will work in you a willingness to bear the Cross of Christ and to deny your selves he will operate for you for this purpose therefore you must commit your selves to him It is not our Preaching which will Convert Men to God but it is the word of God that is pure which Converts the Soul to God and that cleanseth and fits and prepares it for the Kingdom of Heaven Psalm 19.7 We must come to the word of God that will convince us reprove us strengthen encourage illuminate us and do in us and for us all that we stand in need of to him be all the praise that worketh all in you and prepares you to be a Peculiar People to himself To the word of his Grace I commit you all take heed of doing any thing contrary to it if you do that which would be your Comfort will be your Condemnation His Prayer after Sermon BLessed God and Father of Life thou art Glorious in Holiness Infinite in Power the Eternal God thy Dominion is an everlasting Dominion thy Kingdom is without end O Lord we bless and praise thy Glorious Name that thou hast made known thy self among the Sons and Daughters of Men thou bast revealed to us in thy word the manner of the coming of thy Kingdom among us in setting up Righteousness and Truth and throwing down iniquity Powerful God of Life subject the Minds and Hearts of all thy People to thy Divine power and pleasure and let the dread of thy self rest upon our Spirits that every one of us may fear to Sin against thee and to do despite to thy Spirit the Spirit of thy Grace that we may every one of us turn from our iniquities the evil of our hearts and ways that we may praise thee in the Land of of the Living and may become faithful witnesses of that Salvation which thou hast wrought for us and for all them that believe Powerful God of Life the Souls of thy People which thou hast gathered out of the World do praise and magnifie thy Name for what they have seen and for what thou hast wrought thou hast wonderfully appeared in thy love and brought Salvation near and gathered many into it it is become a Wall and a Bulwark to them that they are defended from the Evil One and from the evils of the world O dearest God of Life raise up poor and needy Souls out of the dust that they may serve thee and obey thee and do thy will and shew forth thy power and strength in their weakness and infirmity that they may trust in thee and rely upon thee in the time of their distress Blessed Father of life and power give grace to the humble and meek and teach them in thy way We have had experience O Lord of thy fulfilling thy promises thou art still fulfilling of them to all that truly wait upon thee thou hast begun a good work wilt thou carry it on to the praise and exaltation of thy great name Blessed Father reveal thy Power more and more in the Nations round about that they that long after the life of the living God may come and find thee and behold thy Divine appearance through the Son of thy Love in their own Spirits that so they may receive thy word and thy word may quicken them to stand up from the dead and live for it is the living the living O Lord that praise thee that honour thy Name that offer praise and glorifie thee O Blessed Father of Life carry on thy great work with power throughout all the Earth gather a remnant of thy seed that are scattered and bring them home into the Kingdom of thy dear Son that we may praise thee together and rejoyce in thy Name Dear Father thou hast saved this Nation the Land of our Nativity to this day by a wonderful power by thy powerful arm our Souls are deeply sensible of the stretching forth of thy Almighty hand in our preservation at this day so living Father if it be thy heavenly pleasure lengthen forth our Tranquility and the enjoyment of thy mercy and goodness to the Inhabitants thereof that they may learn to fear thee and turn to thee with their whole hearts and break off by true Repentance from all those sins that grieve thy Holy spirit that so living Father of life they may come to walk in Love and in Vnion with the heavenly Power and have Concord one with another and shew forth the Power of thy Grace manifested to them and magnifie thy love and power and give thee honour and renown for that great salvation that thou hast wrought for them that so thy great name may be exalted and thy will may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven that the Souls of thy People may be refreshed with thy love and the joys of thy presence and the revelation of thy Heavenly power for this Living Praises and Christian Thanksgivings we offer up to thee in and through the Lord Jesus Christ for thou art worthy of all Praise and Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen FINIS A Catalogue of Books Printed for Nath-Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey near Cheapside History 1. ENglands Monarchs Or A Compendious Relation of the most remarkable Transactions from Julius Caesar to this present adorned with Poems and the Picture of every Monarch from K. Will. the Conqueror to K. Will. and Q. M. With a List of the Nobility and the number of the Lords and Commons in both Houses of Parliament Pr. one shilling 2. THE History of the House of Orange Or a Brief Relation of the Glorious Atchievements of his Majesties Renowned Predecessors and likewise of His own Heroick Actions till the late wonderful Revolution Together with the History of K. W. and Q. M. Being an impartial Account of the most Remarkable Passages from Their Majesties Happy Accession to the Throne to this time By R. B. Pr. 1 s. 3. THE History of the two late Kings Charles the II. and James the II. being an Impartial Account of the most remarkable Transactions and observable passages during their Reigns and the secret French and Popish Intrigues and Designs managed in those times Pr. one shilling 4. THE History of Oliver Cromwel being an Impartial Account of all
ingrafted word which is able to save my Soul I shall not only hear the word but live in obedience to it What signifies it to make a Profession that I have the Light within if I do not give obedience to it for without that it is all Hypocrisie all Pretence to Holiness Righteousness Mortification is but Hypocrisie any further than we find the power of Truth making an impression upon our Hearts and Minds bringing us to the obedience of Faith Let them therefore that profess Righteousness live Righteously and they that hear the Gospel live in obedience to it and those that profess to be Christians let them live like Christians indeed When every one comes to know within himself so far as the Gospel has shined upon him that they have received the Truth in the Love of it and love the Truth as it is in Jesus and are obedient to the Gospel they shall know the Salvation of it There is a discovery of Gods Power in the Gospel and there is a believing of it and a hoping in it this is that which belongs to a Christian this is the beginning and the first step to a Christian Life we must believe in Christ for without Faith it is impossible to please God He that believeth should be careful to walk in the truth that he hath received and then he shall have a Testimony of the Power and Vertue of it in his own Soul This Vertue and Power if he joins with it hath the Government of his Heart and Life and gives him Victory over the World and the Temptations of Satan You know in the Primitive Times there were Believers that not only had Faith but lived by Faith and by that Faith they got Victory over all the allurements and pleasure and vanities of the World I have fought a good fight saith the Apostle 2 Tim 4.7 8. I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that Day and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing I have got the victory and there remains an Eternal Weight of Glory for me My Friends this is our ambition and all our Labour among you that you may be built up in your most Holy Faith that you may be brought home to Christ in all your Meetings and gatherings together you should desire to be enriched with Faith and to have your own Store-house filled with all the Fruits of the Spirit and not only seek for the knowledge of the truth but be subject and obedient to what you know otherwise by your Religion you will but hurt your selves And the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 1.12 speaks of knowing the Truth and of being established in it and of some that after they had escaped the Pollutions of the World through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled therein and overcome and the latter end with them is worse than the beginning for it had beed better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered to them There is a Power goes along with the Preaching of the Gospel that will enable you to do what you know the Gospel is a powerful Doctrine whether you know it or not or whether you submit to it or not yet pray remember that Gods People are a willing People in the day of his Power they are a certain sort of People that are devoted to God and submit all their Worldly Honours Interests Profits and Pleasures to the pleasure of God and desire no other pleasure or happiness but to enjoy his presence and favour they are satisfied with this and they are a happy People being made a willing People in the day of Gods Power they are willing to deny themselves to take up their daily Cross to follow Christ have Salvation upon his terms There are a great many Professors that have notions and out-side appearances but they want that Vertue and Life and power that should settle them in Religion and a love of the Truth The Lord that knows our Hearts knows that our Labour and Travel among you hath been designed for your good and that our hearts desire is that you may be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus We would have People consider and attend and hear what God speaks and remember what he hath taught you by the Ministers of the Gospel We have all ears to hear let us thank God for that blessed be God that there is a power and an ability of hearing with an outward ear but there are many that will not so much as give the hearing to what might from the Lord be spoken to them He that hath ears to hear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches and what he saith to his own Soul hear what the Spirit saith of your own State and Condition if it be good bless God for it are you in so good a Condition that you have no trouble no distress to lament no wants to supply blessed are you that have none but if you find you have done amiss and if the Lord should call you this Night to give up your account the Lord hath a great deal against you I am sure and I tell you it is your duty to turn to the Lord with unfeigned Repentance that through Christ Jesus you may receive Pardon and Remission of all your Sins and so hear what the Spirit saith to your selves and in your selves Pray come and make it your work and business the rest of the time that you have to live to work out your Salvation with fear and trembling that when Christ comes you may say come Lord Jesus come quickly purfie me and sanctifie me and prepare me to be presented to the Father without spot and blameless the day is coming that this will be the desire of every one of you And it is the earnest breathing and desire of my Soul that every one of you may have an eye unto the Lord and he will look down from Heaven and have regard to the cry and the sighing of the Needy Soul God will arise and find out the People that breath after him and that desire to be reconciled to him through the Mediatour Christ Jesus the Lord loveth to find out such a People and I am glad to Preach to such a People the glad tidings of the Gospel and to teach them as God hath taught me Good and Upright is the Lord therefore will he teach and guide you in the way which you should go Walk humbly with God he will resist the Proud but he will give Grace unto the humble Walk uprightly before the Lord in this Gospel Day that shines upon you love the appearance of God and prize it though it hath not been so Glorious to you as to some others yet
Sins For there is no body else can help you out of them There is a twofold consideration that we are to have of Christ one is as he is Made of a Woman made under the Law and another consideration of Christ is as he is the Eternal Son of God Men have very gross thoughts of Christ to think that because he is in Heaven therefore he cannot be here too They measure him by themselves they know because a man is at London therefore he cannot be at York at the same time Thus these men object Christ is in Heaven How can he be here His Doctrine and Precepts are here let us make use of them all he will come again at the Day of Judgment but there is a Day of Judgment Doth not he Judge you now He is the Judge both of Quick and Dead and he is the searcher of Hearts and the tryer of the Reines so that thou canst not think an ill thought but he will tell thee of it he is nearer to thee than the Wife of thy bosome or thy Husband that is near to thee Husband and Wife may think an ill thought but they cannot tell one another of it but Christ is one that comes so near thee that thou canst not conceive an ill thought against thy Neighbour but he will tell thee of it This is the Lord Christ as a Spirit a quickning Spirit who is made manifest in the Flesh He hath given to every man a measure of the Spirit to profit withall The Grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men Notwithstanding the distinction by Learned Men between Common Grace and Spiritual Grace this Grace That brings Salvation hath appeared to all men This manifestation of the Spirit and Light within we have from Christ These are the Ways and Methods that the Lord Christ hath taken to approach near to us Now your own reason will tell you if this be the way and means that Christ takes to approach near to us we cannot take another way to approach to him if Christ hath taken I say this way to approach to us by the Light and Manifestation of his own Spirit which convinceth us of Sin If this be Christs way of coming to us there can be no other way of our coming to him but by the same method of his Grace He saith If you have the Light Believe in the Light I have the Light I am Enlightned there is something that Discovereth my evil Thoughts Why must I believe in the Light That you may be the Children of Light as our Saviour speaks They that are the Children of Light shall have it for their Inheritance and they that are Children of Darkness must have Darkness for their Inheritance While we have the Light we must believe in it and we shall be made Children of Light God hath sent his Son and the Son hath sent his Spirit and his Heavenly Grace into our Hearts that we may draw near to him and be directed how to attain acquaintance with him and to do that which pleaseth God and come to be in union with him and do the works of God This is that which God requires of us That we will believe on him whom he hath sent That we may embrace the Light and believe in the Light in the Lord Jesus Christ Pray what do you mean by believing there is something within me Checks and Reproves me for Sin and calls me off from it and bids me turn over a new Leaf Must I hearken to this Is this that which you mean by believing As to this degree of believing they that reject it now shall believe hereafter for all the World at last and the Damned in Hell shall certainly confess that there was Grace and Light and Means afforded to them and they might have gone farther and have escaped that misery that they are fallen into But there is a more precious Faith that I would have you partake of a Faith that worketh by Love Since the Lord hath been so gracious as to extend his mercy and Love to me I am so taken with the Love of God that I will be obedient to him this Faith that worketh by Love is the Faith of Gods Elect that by which we may obtain Victory over our Passions and Lusts and over Satan and the Snares of the World when we are come to close with the Grace of God and to believe in Christ this is well But we must also yield obedience and subjection Yet when Faith hath brought forth obedience you cannot be justified by it you cannot be saved by your obedience but by Christ alone He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith and a Mediatour from first to last Now all that come to close with the appearance of Christ in their own hearts they have laid hold on the method appointed for their coming to him It is Christ they must hear he is come so near to Men that they may hear his voice and hear him tell us our very thoughts Why should not I hear him when he checks me and reproves me for Sin he comes near and tells me I have done amiss Lord I have done iniquity I will do so no more Thus Christ Converseth with his People and doth not only check and reprove them when they do that which is evil but perswades them and enables them to do good He is a Mediatour he is a middle Person and hath taken Flesh upon him that he might reconcile them to God that do believe in him Now when we come to have acquaintance with God and have chosen him to be our God he teaches us to do what is good and reproves us for what evil we have done Who can chuse a better guide to lead him into acquaintance with God than Christ that is conversant with us piercing into our thoughts and speaking to us I may hear him with the inward ear of my heart when I do evil he checks me for it and tells me the thing I should seek is of inestimable value and if through my unbelief and carelesness I miss of it it had been better for me that I had never been born now we are in the way of coming to receive the end of our Faith the Salvation of our Souls let us not neglect so great Salvation No Man can save himself nor save the Soul of his Brother nor find a Ransom nor procure an Offering for the expiating of his Sin therefore let every one that would have his Sin expiated and pardoned and cannot be satisfied and quieted till he hath peace with God let him come to Christ the Mediatour and come with Faith and Truth in the inward parts and submit to him and be willing to be ruled by him then Christ will save him and present him without spot and blemish to his Father Consider that those that are the People of God are led by the Spirit of God and they have missed their way to reconciliation with