Chiâ—dren So that God's People that are undâ—â— this New Covenant they have access to Goâ— as Children to a Father they come with a hoâ— Boldness and Freedom into his Presence Master of a Family hath in his House both Seâ—vants and Sons and Daughters and yoâ— know there is a greater Nearness and Affectâ—on between a Man and his Sons and Daugâ—ters than between him and his Servants Master of a Family loves his Children bettâ— than he loves his Servants so on the othâ—â— hand Children if they be dutiful love theâ— Parents with a purer Affection with a moâ— free kind generous and noble Affection thaâ— they that are Servants love their Masters The Love of a Servant towards God is meâ—cenary and for the Reward but the Love oâ— God's Children is a free and filial Affection they say unto God Lord I love thee for thâ— self because thou art good and the most exceâ—lent Being and there is none like or equal â—nto thee in Heaven or on Earth I love thee â—ecause thou hast given me a Heart to love â—ee thou hast made me partake of a Child's Nature thou hast given me the Heart of a Child that I might love thee My Friends the Love of those that are â—ervants is a mercenary Love and their Fear 〈◊〉 a servile Fear a Fear of Punishment The â—ove of God's Children is a filial Love a â—ee and generous Affection a Love whereby â—he Soul is changed and brought under the New Covenant a Love to God for his own â—ake not only for his Blessings and for his Gifts but chiefly and principally for himself â—ot only because they believe that when they â—lie they shall go to Heaven and that because Heaven is a blessed Place and that therefore â—hey are glad they have such a Place to go to but they love God above Heaven who is betâ—er to them than Heaven it self and they can â—ay with David Psalm 73.25 Lord whom â—ave I in Heaven but thee and there is none â—pon Earth that I desire besides thee Thirdly Another difference between that common Illumination which is common to all Mankind and that which is special and pecuâ—iar to those under the New Covenant may â—ppear in his Teaching them God teacheth Sinners saith the Psalmist Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach Sinners in the way God by his universal Illumination teacheth Men many things concerning himself and their Duâ—y to him in a general way but God teacheth his People under the New Covenant by râ—vealing and making known to them clearâ— and distinctly Christ Jesus the Mediator 〈◊〉 the New Covenant God giveth them tâ—â— Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God 〈◊〉 the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 Goâ— maketh known to his People this great Mâ—stery of Christ as he is the Mediator betweâ—â— God and them So we read in the Epistle 〈◊〉 the Hebrews Heb. 12.22 But ye are comâ— unto Mount Zion and to the City of the liâ—ing God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an iâ—numerable Company of Angels to the generâ—â— Assembly and Church of the First-born whicâ—â— are written in Heaven and to God the Judgâ— of all and the Spirits of just Men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Câ—venant and to the Blood of Sprinkling thâ— speaketh better things than that of Abel Theâ— is no approaching to God but through thâ— Man Christ Jesus But you may say How shall they comâ— unto God by the Man Christ Jesus the Mediator that never saw him with their bodilâ— Eyes nor never heard him with their Bodilâ— Ears How then can they come unto Jesâ—â— the Mediator of the New Covenant who they have neither thus heard nor seen Blessed be God that hath given thousand and ten thousands and hundreds of thousand to understand this great Mystery of cominâ— to God by the Man Christ Jesus whom the never saw with their Bodily Eyes nor hearâ— with their Bodily Ears The like Objectioâ— may be made against coming to God who â—annot be seen with bodily Eyes for he is a â—pirit and invisible yet there is a coming to God Heb. 11.6 He that cometh to God must â—elieve that he is We have now no Opporâ—unity nor occasion of seeing Christ with bodily Eyes or hearing him with our bodily Ears yet we may come to him by Faith Who worketh this Faith God's blessed Spirit When is it wrought and where and how is it wrought It is wrought in God's ordinary way by Preaching when Christ is preached by those that he hath qualified and fitted by his blessed Spirit when he is thus preached by the Power of his own Holy Spirit Faith is wrought in the Hearts of those that hear not of all for some believe the Gospel and â—ome believe not Thus it hath been all-a-long where-ever the Gospel hath been preached some believe and others do not believe I say the Word of the Gospel as it is preached and complied with it is like Rain and Snow that falls upon the Earth it returneth not in vain but hath a Service though it make not all the Parts of the Earth fruitful all Places are not alike fruitful some remain barren still Thus saith the Lord by the Prophet Isa 55.10 11. For as the Rain cometh down and the Snow from Heaven and returneth not thither but waterâ—eth the Earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give Seed to the Sower and Bread to the Eater so shall my Word be that goeth forth out of my Mouth it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplishâ— that which I please and it shall prosper in thâ— thing whereto I sent it When the Gospel is preached in any Congregation in any City Town Country or Nation it cannot be expected that all should be converted it cannot be expected that the good seed should fall every where in good Ground No it may be one part is good Ground but where the seed is sown according to Christs Parable of the sower Mat. 13.3 4 5. Some seeds fell by the way side and the Fowls came and devoured them up some fell upon stony places where they had not much Earth c. And when the Sun was up they were scorched and because they had not root they withered away and some fell among Thorns and the Thorns sprung up and choked them but others fell into good Ground and brought forth Fruit. Blessed be God that hath taught us this great Mystery of coming unto God by Christ Jesus the Mediatour whom we have not seen with Bodily Eyes nor heard with Bodily Ears VVe have access to God by him and we have access to the Mediatour by his precious Blood and by his Blessed Spirit And Faith is a great mystery it well deserves to be called the mystery of Faith and the mystery of it is this it joyns Believing Souls to God through the Man Christ and to the Man Christ whom they have not seen with Bodily Eyes according to those words
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
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
us exceeding great and precâ—ous Promises that by these we might be Partakers of the divine Nature according to his divine Power whereby he hath given unto us all things partaining to Life and Godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to Glory and Vertue You see the Promises are of great use to us in order to our being made Partakers of the divine Nature and to witness Regeneration and the new Birth It is not enough to read them outwardly unless a divine Work be upon us to enable us to see the Promises and our Right and Interest in them otherwise they will not be effectual upon us The next thing that I would speak to is the Subject of Faith that is the Seat of it as it is placed in a Man or Woman whether it is only in the Understanding as an assent to the Truth or placed in the Will and Affections so as to have an influence on all the Powers and Faculties of the Soul I answer True and saving Faith is seated in the Understanding and in the Will and so hath an influence upon the Affections and so the Affections come to be renewed and sanctiâ—ied through the Power of Faith As Faith is â—n the Understanding it respects Christ as he â—s faithful and true but as Faith is placed in â—he Will of Man he iâ— the Beloved of the Soul â—nd the great desire of the Soul and Faith reâ—pects Christ and God in Christ as he is good â—nd gracious not only as he is holy and â—â—ist faithful and true but as good merciful and gracious tender and compassionate 〈◊〉 Faith in God and in Christ Jesus as it is seated in the Understanding and Will it esteem him as the supream Truth and chief Good submits to his Scepter and depends upon hiâ— Sacrifice and Satisfaction resigns and surrenders up to his Government to commanâ— the whole Man the Affections Memory anâ— bodily Members that Christ may be All in All. And now to come to a Conclusion and to end as I begun 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 be in the true Faith Now I have opened the nature of true Faith it is the more easy for you to come unto an Examination of your selves examine your selveâ— by all the Marks and Tokens that can 〈◊〉 given you whether you are in the Faith anâ— the true Faith be in you if you have thâ— Spirit of God ye may know the things freelâ— given you of God It is by the Spirit of Goâ— that we may know whether we have Faith and Love and Meekness and Humility anâ— other Evangelical Graces There are divers Helps and such things as may be called Marks and Evidences whereby we may be helped to know whether we have true Faith oâ— no. But some may say if we may know whether we have true Faith by Marks and Signs what need we the Spirit And if we maâ— know it by the Spirit then what need wâ— Marks and Signs and other Evidences It is the work of the Spirit to intimate to us whether we have these Marks God hath given us the Book of the holy Scriptures that tells us If we have Faith it works by Love it is such a Faith as hath Works accompanying of it such as love to God and love to one another If thou lovest not thy Brother whom thou hast seen how canst thou be said to love God whom thou hast not seen If we love God above all and love our Brother and love our Enemies these are good Marks and Evidences that we are in the Faith The holy Scripture giveth Marks and Signs of a Man's being a true Believer but the Scripture doth not tell us that we have those Marks But you will say If a Man do examine himself he may be mistaken though he attend â—o what Conscience shall speak You are not to rely upon the Testimony of Conscience alone a Man 's own Conscience may err and his Heart deceive him when it tells him That he hath Faith and Love and other Evangelical Graces But if the Spirit of God witnesseth with our Spirits that we have these Marks and that we are indeed the Children of God then be sure we cannot be deceived when the Spirit of Truth doth give us this infallible Testimony A SERMON Preached by John Raunce AT Harp-Lane near Towerstreet August 19th 1694. 1 Thess v. 21. Prove all things hold fast that which is good IT is a Saying of the Apostle Paul to the Church of the Thessalonians Prove all things hold fast that which is good The Thessalonians were a People too like to many in ouâ— Days they wanted to be truly settled in thaâ— which is good and that made the Apostle speak in Commendation of the Men of Bereaâ— Acts 17.11 These were more noble than thosâ— in Thessalonica in that they received the Worâ— with all readiness of Mind and searched thâ— Scriptures daily whether those things were so that were preached among them And truly Friends I have this to say among you That every one who is come through the Exercises they have met with to a tryal of things that offer themselves to their Consideration they may be said to be a happy People if they have so proved all things as to hold fast that which is good This is the Day wherein we live wherein things offer themselves to a seeking Peoplâ— after such a various manner that truly all who desire Salvation to their immortal Souls ought to be very mindful of the Exhortation I now mentioned Prove all things and hold fast that which is good Some may ask me What is here meant by All Things that the Apostle bids them Prove I answer They were such things as are of a Religious Concern He did not bid them prove all things of one kind or another that offered themselves to them but these all Things relate only to religious Matters We are among a People that are religiously concerned about many things that offer themselves unto them There are many Ways many Perswasions and Professions and many things that offer themselves to our Consideration It ought to be our Care and Concern like the noble Bereans to try all things and prove all things It greatly commends those Men and Women that will try and examine Matters and not receive things upon Trust as too many do in our Days There are a great many as the common Proverb is that are ready to pin their Faith upon another Man's Sleeve to be of his Opinion and Perswasion without any good Ground or serious Consideration That which I have to mention among you at this Time is the Apostle's Exhortation Prove all things hold fast that which is good In Matters of a Religious Concern Matters of Faith wherein your Eternal Salvation is concerned go not by hear-say because other Men say so but let us all come to practise
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
Sin of Justification of Peace with God and of eternal Life and Happiness as Christ was held forth in the Promise we lay hold on Christ as his Doctrine is preached As we lay hold on a Man by taking hold of his Cloaths or a Lap or Skirt of his Garment so we lay hold on Christ by the precious things testified of him So that there is a great difference between common Illumination given to all Mankind and that special Illumination which is proper to Believers and whatsoever other Differences there are may be reduced to these three But though the common and special Illumination be differing yet they both come from one Fountain and Root God Christ and the Spirit according to 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6. And the common Illumination is of a saving tendency by way of introduction and preparation to the other But some may put the Question and say Of what Use is this common Illumination if it belong not to the new Covenant then of what use is it to us I answer it is of great use it is of the same use with the Law it is as a School-master to bring us unto Christ to point us unto Christ This common Illumination is like John the Baptist his Ministry and Baptism he was sent before to prepare the Way of the Lord. This common Illumination prepares Men and Women for Christ it will make them sensible that they are miserable Sinners miserable Offenders and Transgressors and that God is angry with them and that they deserve to die and that the Wages of Sin is Death they having sinned Death is their Wages I say this is of great Service to People to be thus far convinced that they are Sinners and that they need an Advocate and Mediator to come between God and them because they have offended him If we had offended a great Man we would be glad for some who had Interest in him and great favour and friendship to speak for us If we had offended the King and committed Treason would not we be glad of some Person that hath a great Interest in the King's favour to intercede for us If the King had a Son would not we be glad that he should mediate for us and interpose between us and the Wrath of the King and turn away his Indignation and make Reconciliation for us Would not we be glad that the King's Son should obtain a Pardon for us and restor◠us to the King's favour We have offended the King of Kings and the supream Lord of Heaven and Earth so that we need a great Mediator we need one to make our Peace and purchase Pardon and Salvation for us God hath laid help upon one that is mighty he hath given his dear Son Christ Jesus to be the great Mediator between God and Man to be the great Peace-maker and Reconciler and the Saviour of Sinners But it should not be thought that Christ hath greater tenderness and love for us than God the Father Who so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life And now in the next place there is another thing that is weighty upon my Spirit and it is of great concernment and that is to answer this Question Question How doth God do this great Work of putting his Law in our inward Parts and writing his Law in our Hearts Doth he do it without all outward Means Helps and Instruments I answer In God's ordinary way he doth this great VVork by outward Means Helps and Instruments tho' he can do it without them It may suffice us that God hath vouchsafed to us these outward Means and Helps of Instruction in the Preaching of the Gospel and in our Reading of the holy Scriptures It pleaseth the Lord by the mighty working of his 〈…〉 it to go along with the outward Ministry of the VVord and to make impression upon us and to write his Law in our Hearts this Law of the New Covenant This I testify from mine own Experience and I doubt not but divers here can witness the like to have been their Experience that God hath by the mighty power and operation of his holy Spirit accompanying the outward means and helps of Instruction made impression upon them and written his Law upon their Hearts This Law of the New Covenant here expressed in the singular Number is sometimes stiled Laws in the plural Number When it is stiled Law in the singular Number it signifies a Body of divine Laws consisting of many parts I will put my Law in their inward Parts and write it in their Hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my People Now the Laws and Precepts of God which he gave to his People the twelve Tribes of Israel some have computed their number to be above six hundred Laws many of which were typical and ceremonial How do these typical and ceremonial Laws which were given to them bind us that live under the Gospel Do they oblige us now I answer they do not bind us as to the typical and ceremonial part but they bind us as to the spiritual part as they have a spiritual and moral signification as the Law of the Sabbaths and Sacrifices and New Moons c. they bind us not as to the ceremonial part but as they have a spiritual and moral signification in them I shall now proceed to some few things that remain In the new Covenant God hath promised to his People To blot out their Iniquities and to remember their Sins no more The Law of the first Covenant doth not admit of Pardon of Sin The Soul that sinneth shall die but the new Covenant hath Pardon of Sin through the Mediator Christ Jesus upon the account of shedding his Blood for us This is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of Sins Mat. 26.28 Why doth not he say for Remission of the sins of all He died for all and shed his Blood for all but it is only effectual to those that believe in him Pray observe with me this weighty Matter of Doctrin which is this None hath his Sins blotted out but as he comes to God's Teachings the Father's Teachings but as he comes to be taught of God over and above all Mens Teaching whatsoever every one that is taught of God doth know more of God more of his Love more of his divine Grace more of his Power more of divine Enjoyment those that are taught of God know more of a divine Sweetness and Enjoyment and of Comfort than can be had by the Teachings of Man or in the Bible it self according to that Expression of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the Heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him The full fruition of these things is reserved to the World to come but the deep things of God are
manner Am I one that hath lived as without God in the World and walked after the imaginations of my own Heart And do I find my Conscience reproving me in my sinful course and requiring me to forsake it Let it be thy Souls care and concern to leave off sinning against God for the time will come when God's Patience and Long-suffering towards thee will cease and come to an end this is the day of God's Visitation The Lord affords thee a day of Grace wherein he is pleased to call upon thee to turn and live Ezek. 33.11 Thus saith the Lord by the Prophet Say unto them As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the Wicked but that the Wicked turn from his way and live turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die O house of Israel God's love is universal to all the Sons and Daughters of Men. God hath so loved the World all Meâ— rhe worst of Men that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him shouâ—â— not perish but have everlasting Life for Gâ— sent not his Son into the World to condemn thâ— World but that the World through him mighâ— be saved We know there is Election and Reprobation but where is the Election It is in Christ of them that come to believe in Christ they that do not believe in the Lord Jesus Chrisâ— are in a reprobate State The Lord hath not reprobated any from Eternity but for Sin and final Impenitency he hath not appointed any to Destruction The Lord hath been so abundantly merciful and gracious as to afford a way and means whereby all may come to the knowledge of the Truth and be saved I do not say that all shall be saved for they will not come to Christ that they might have Life and therefore their destruction is of themselves God hath appointed a way whereby all Men may obtain eternal Salvation What is that way That they believe on him whom God hath sent This is Life Eternal to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent John 17.3 Let every one of us be sensible of the great love of God to us we have all great cause to say That the Lord hath been merciful to us in that the day of our Visitation is continued The Lord hath sent his Son the Lord Jesus Christ in his spiritual Appearance as he appeared sometimes in his prepared Body and was crucified without the Gates of Jerusalem â—nd he is ascended into Heaven into the preâ—ence of God and liveth for ever to make â—ntercession for us Let it be our care to â—orsake our evil Ways and turn to the Lord who is pleased to hold out the Scepter of Mercy to us The Invitation is That we will come unto Christ whom God hath exalted to be â— Prince and a Saviour to give us repentance â—nd remission of sins Luke 13.1 2. We read in the New Testament That when some told our Saviour of the Galileans whose Blood Pilate had mingled with the Sacrifices Jesus answering said unto them Suppose ye that these Galileans were Sinners above all the Galileans because they suffered such things I tell you nay but except you repent ye shall all likewise perish Or those eighteen upon whom the Tower in Siloam fell and slew them think ye that they were Sinners above all that dwell in Jerusalem I tell you nay but except you repent ye shall all likewise perish And again John 8.21 Our Saviour tells the Jews I go my way and ye shall seek me and shall die in your s ns whither I go ye cannot come These are searching Doctrins and should put us upon a Proving all things and holding fast that which is good that we may believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and have an â—bundant entrance into his everlasting Kingâ—om My Friends I desire that you may all be in â— good state and condition and keep close to the gift of God and the measure of Grace given to you and prove all things that are oâ— a religious Concern and so come to be Christians indeed Israelites indeed like Nathaniel in whom there is no Guile that you may set a Watch before the Door of your Lips Saith the Apostle James If any Man among you seem to be Religious and bridleth not his Tongue but deceiveth his own Heart this this Man's Religion is vain Jam. 1.26 You must watch over your Words and be true in your Words that your Religion may not be in vain that when you prove all things you may hold fast that which is good If I should put the Question to the most ignorant Man or Woman among us Friend What dost thou think hast thou a Soul to be saved What dost thou think will become of thee Such a one would answer I have a Soul that may be saved But I would put the Question further What assurance hast thou that thou shalt be saved I am in some doubt I have not assurance of my Salvation but I hope to be saved Then I might ask again Why hast thou not Assurance of Salvation there is something that is the cause of it My Sin saith such a one lies at the Door there is something within that will let thee know that it is some allowed Sin or Iniquity that thou livest in There is an awakened Conscience the gift that God hath given to Men that will reprove Men for Sin though sometimes they may get over it yet sometimes or other there will be an awakening of Conscience that will make them cry out and say Lord I am a sinful Man â— am not fit to die I am not prepared for my â—atter end So David cried out Lord cleanse â—e from my secret sins What is it that keeps Men in doubt of their Salvation but some secret sin or other When a Man comes to be awakened and the Book of Conscience is opened and a Man readeth therein that he hath done this and the other evil thing lived â—o and so Then humble thy self under the mighty hand of God and he will exalt thee in due time and speak Peace to thy Soul If thou wilt prove all things and hold fast that which is good live according to what thou knowest to be the mind of God if thy own Conscience condemn thee God is greater than thy Conscience and knoweth all things We must direct Men to look to the Witness of God in their own Souls Thus saith the Psalmist Psal 4.4 Stand in Awe and sin not commune with your own hearts upon your Bed and be still If you will come to consider your Ways and commune with your own Hearts you may know how it is with you the Lord hath lengthened out your time a little longer therefore he would have you come to bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance and amendment of Life and be concerned for the Salvation of your Immortal Souls Ask your self this Question Am I fit to
die when-ever the Lord shall be pleased to call for me out of the World Am I prepared for my latter end Who are they that are prepared for a dying hour But those that know Evangelical repentance for Sin and Faith in Christ Jesus Now what is Repentance 1. Wherein doth it consist In a Knowledge of Sin Contrition and Sorrow for it and a Hatred of it There is first a Knowledg of Sin we must know that we are Sinners that we have sinned against the Lord. This is but a common thing all can come so far as to say we are Sinners and have gone astray like lost Sheep 2. But there is something more in true Repentance There must be a Godly Sorrow for Sin as it was with those to whom the Apostle Peter preached Acts 2.37 Let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have Crucified both Lord and Christ Now when they heard this they were pricked in their Hearts and said unto Peter and unto the rest of the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall we do We are troubled and distressed we know not what to do What shall we do to he saved And thus in a deep sense of sin David cryes out against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightst be justifyed when thou speakest and clear when thou judgest When he was awakened to a sorrow for his Sin he came to a good condition after he had cryed to the Lord in the beginning of that Penitential Psalm Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness according unto the multitude of thy tender mercyes blot out my transgressions wash me throughly from â—ine Iniquity and cleanse me from my Sin for acknowledg my transgressions and my Sin is â—er before me 2. There must not only be a knowledge of â—n and a sorrow for it but a forsaking of 〈◊〉 and a Hatred of it that we may not reâ—rn unto folly Every one of us that hope 〈◊〉 Salvation must be sensible of the evil of â—in be sorry for it and then depart from 〈◊〉 happy are you that are come so far as to â—e convinced of your Sin and pricked at the â—eart and to whom the Lord hath been so â—erciful as to give you hope of Pardon and â—emission This is the happy state of a Poor â—eking Soul that is come so far as to have â—s Sins washed and blotted out and when â—n is done away there is no more Living thereâ— Then as the Apostle saith Hebr. 12.1 â—e shall lay aside every weight and the Sin â—hich doth so easily beset us Some have one â—â—n and some another that is near to them â—hich the Apostle here calls that Sin that doth â—asily beset thee Persons may part with many â—ins and yet keep this one Sin This is a â—ate and condition wherein Men may fall short â—f Mercy therefore we must be purged from â—ll Sin redeemed from all Iniquity This should make every Man and Woman â—ake warning and be always watchful and â—ake heed lest there should be some Bosom â—in which like a Snake or Viper may sting 〈◊〉 and Destroy us If any Sin prevail over â—s there is great cause of shame trouble and â—rrow But there is a great difference between sinning willfully and falling into Sin througâ— weakness and infirmity Heb. 10.26 If 〈◊〉 Sin willfully after we have received the knoâ—ledge of the Truth there remains no more Sâ—crifice for Sins but a certain fearful lookiâ— for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shâ— devour the Adversary Thus it will be if we give our selves to Sin when we know it is a Sin and yet will do it this is sinning willfully and presumptuously as some Persons Sin willfully so others do Sin through weakness and infirmity and arâ— surprized by a Temptation This was the case of Peter who was Zealous for his Lord and Master Christ Jesus and said If all shoulâ— forsake him yet he would not Yet when iâ— came to the tryal he was overcome with the Temptation and he denyed his Lord Luke 22.56 c. A certain Maid beheld Peter as he sat by the Fire and earnestly looked upon him and said this Man was also with Jesus and hâ— denyed him saying Woman I know him not And after a little while another saw him and said thou art also of them And Peter said Man I am not And about the space of an hour after another confidently affirmed saying of a Truth this fellow also was with him for he 〈◊〉 a Galilean and Peter said Man I know not what thou sayest and Immediately while he yet spake the Cock Crew and the Lord turned and looked upon Peter and Peter remembred thâ— Word of the Lord how he had said unto him Before the Cock Crow thou shalt deny me thrice And Peter went out and wept bitterly In the 20th Chapter of John we read how â—hrist did reason with Peter and brought his â—in to his remembrance he had denyed Christ his Lord three times and our Saviour did â—hree times put the Question to him Simon â—on of Jonas lovest thou me more than these He saith unto him Yea Lord thou knowest â—hat I love thee he saith unto him Feed my â—ambs And put the same Question to him a â—econd time Lovest thou me And he also said â—nto him the third time Simon Son of Jonas â—â—vest thou me Peter was grieved because he â—â—id unto him the third time lovest thou me And he said unto him Lord thou knowest all â—hings thou knowest that I love thee Jesus saith unto him Feed my Sheep Peter began â—o be troubled and exceeding sorrowful when he remembred what large Promises he had made to his Lord and Master that he would not deny him or forsake him Our Saviour â—old him of it before-hand and said to him I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not â—nd when thou art converted strengthen thy â—rethren There must be a dependance upon the Lord Jesus Christ who ever lives to make Intercession for us If any Man sin saith the Apostle we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the Propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but â—lso for the sins of the whole World if they will â—elieve in him If the Righteous be scarcely saâ—ed saith the Apostle where shall the Sinner â—ppear There is no safety nor shelter out of Christ it is he that appears in the presencâ— of God for us that is for all that lay hold 〈◊〉 him and make it their care to live to hiâ— and to live according to what he hath madâ— known to us Christ hath loved us dost thou love him again Wherein consists our love to him bâ— in keeping his Commandments As the Fâ—ther hath loved me so I have loved you coâ—tinue ye in my love Christ hath loved us anâ— laid down his Life for us he hath tasteâ— Death for every Man the Lord
run as to obtain the Crown Let it plainly appear that you are Followers of Christ then you must deny your selves and take up his Cross and follow him Let it be our care not to love any thing not to love our selves more than we love the Lord Jesus Christ We live in a Day wherein there is so much Vanity and Pride Oppression Unholiness and Contempt of true Religion and the power of Godliness and other crying Sins that it seems to me as if the end of all things were at hand as our Saviour hath foretold that near the end of the World Iniquity should abound and the love of many wax cold If your love to Christ my Friends is sincere you will love one another If you love me saith Christ then keep my Commandments by this shall all Men know that you are my Disciples if you have love one to another John 13.35 If we have a sincere love to Christ we shall love one another and we shall find that love will cover a multitude of Sins When we see any Man falls short of what he ought to do we shall be concerned for him and pity him if he be wanting in his Duty towards God or towards Man we shall not be severe in censuring him but when we reprove him or admonish him it shall be in love and with a spirit of Meekness and as the Apostle speaks Rom. 12.10 We shall be kindly affectioned one to another with Brotherly love preferring one another This was the practice of the Primitive Christians who were inflamed with a holy zeal for God and love to one another shewâ—ng forth the Vertues of Christ in a Conversation becoming the Gospel let us follow them who were Followers of Christ who through Faith and Patience do inherit the Promises and then we shall say with the Apostle For us to live is Christ and to die is gain If I live in the Flesh saith Paul this is the fruit of my labour yet what I shall chuse I wot not for I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better 1 Tim. 4.6 I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought the good fight 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 Thus if we fight the good Fight with the Apostle and follow the Captain of our Salvation we shall be more than Conquerors through him that loved us Jesus Christ the Righteous who is the blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who only hath Immortality dwelling in the Light which no Man can approach unto whom no Man hath seen nor can see to whom be Honour and Power everlasting Amen A SERMON Preached by Charles Harris At Harp-Lane November 4th 1694. There is nothing so comfortable in this lower world as to be satisfyed by the spirit of God that we are saved by the Lord Jesus from the wrath to come and therefore all who are waiting to dwell in the sense of this comfort they should work out their own salvation with fear and trembling knowing that it is God which worketh in them both to will and to do of his good pleasure There are many People desire to be saved from the wrath to come but they would be saved in their own wayes not considering rightly that There is no Name given under Heaven whereby men can be saved but the Name of Jesus This then have I found to be the great lesson which I and others ought to learn how we are saved by Jesus and delivered from the wrath to come the Angel that was sent from Heaven unto Joseph speaking concerning Mary the Mother of our Lord Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy Wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost And she shall bring forth a Son and thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his People from their Sins Now observe what the lesson is that we have in these words he shall save his People from their Sins it is a saying worthy to be observed and possibly may the inquirer say who is it that belongs to Christ Because the word saith he shall save his People from their Sins our Saviour is very intent upon this matter No man cometh unto me saith he except my Father which hath sent me draw him Here is one of the marks and tokens that thou belongst unto Christ that is one that the Angel spake of He shall save his People from their Sins Again saith our Saviour concerning his Church and People in his Prayer to his Father John 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me How shall we understand this saying Thine they were that is they were under thy preparation they were under the stirrings of thy power and under thy awakenings before they came to believe in me Observe again Thine they were and thou gavest them me How doth God the Father give Believers unto Christ he gave them unto Christ to receive the promise of the Father made in Christ For in him are all the promises yea and Amen Then again here is your comfort what our Saviour further expresseth in his Heavenly Prayer Those that thou gavest me I have kept â—nd none of them is lost but the Son of Perdition that the Scripture might be fullfilled Are you under or have you known the drawings of the Father to bring you unto Christ that is are you made sensible of the want of Christ The spouse was under the drawings of the Father before she found Christ I will rise now and go about the City saith the Spouse I will seek him whom my Soul loveth I sought him but I found him not The Watchmen found me to whom I said Saw ye him whom my Soul loveth I charge ye O ye Daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my Beloved that ye tell him that I am sick of Love What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved O thou fairest among Women what is thy Beloved more than another Beloved that thou dost so charge us My Beloved is White and Ruddy the chiefest of Ten Thousand Thus she was prepared for Christ who had inflamed her with his love and drawn her desires after him It is said concerning John the Baptist He Preached the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of Sins making ready a People for the Lord. This is he that was spoken of by the Prophet Esaias the Voice of one Crying in the Wilderness prepare ye the way of the Lord make his Paths straight There was a stirring from Heaven among the People when the Baptist came Preaching Repent for the Kingdom of Heâ—ven is at hand they were prepared to receiâ— his ministration so when People come to 〈◊〉
the Lord I have found such strength and power given in that the Enemy hath given back When I awake in the morning and come to a Meeting I am in distress till I receive Bread from Heaven and Hony out of the Rock and Consolation from those precious Promises I will cause them to lie down and none shalt make them afraid and they shall have Bread in their own Houses and Water in their own Cisterns The more you wait upon the Lord the more you will find of supply from his heavenly helping-hand certainly God is carrying on the Work of your Redemption till you appear before him in Zion tho' at present it causeth trouble and exercise as it was with the Spouse when she was seeking after her Beloved with desires and breathings Cant. 6.8 I charge you Daughters of Jerusalem if you find my Beloved that ye tell him That I am sick of love To be sick of Love is a groaning mournful Exercise but when thy Saviour â—â—mes and opens his Mouth in blessing thou â—ilt be abundantly satisfied as with Marrow â—nd Fatness and sit under his shadow with â—â—â—t Delight and his Fruit will be sweet unâ—â— thy taste Thus it was with David When thou hidest thy face O God I am troubled and I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living One that is earnestly seeking after Christ will speak of his Excellencies as the Spouse did and thereby excite and stir up others to seek him also my Beloved is white and rudy the chiefest of ten thousand his Mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether Lovely This is my Beloved and this is my Friend O Daughters of Jerusalem whither is thy beloved gone they said whither is thy beloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee When thou art seeking after Christ he is not far from thee Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come unto him and will sup with him and he with me Some honest Country men will say one to another where is the Door Christ comes to It is the Door of the Heart What is this knocking of the beloved at the Door How shall I know when he knocks at the Door when the Spouse comes to have acquaintance with her beloved I sleep but my Heart waketh it is the Voice of my beloved that knocketh saying Open to me my Sister my love my dove my undefiled for my Head is filled with dew and mâ— locks with the drops of the Night My belovâ—â— saith she put in his hand by the hole of 〈◊〉 Door and my Bowels were moved for him I 〈◊〉 up to open to my Beloved and my hands droppeâ— with myrrh and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh upon the handles of the lock I opened to my Beloved but my Beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone my Soul failed when he spake When the Lord is pleased to give a tast of his love then after a dark Night of sorrow and affliction the Day will break and the shadows flee away then at the dawning of this blessed Morning Christ will come to the disconsolate enquiring Soul and his reward is with him and his work before him then there shall be joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall fly away Then saith the humble Soul I am sensible of the goodness of the Lord sensible of mercy and supporting and preserving power but I am still under trouble and disquietness of mind and I am as David when he cryed out Lord make hast to help me for the Waters are come unto my Soul great distress and trouble are come into my Soul now though I have believed in Christ and obtained mercy and assistance from divine power against my Spiritual Enimies yet I have not kept my watch and my adversary the Devil by his subtilty and wiles hath ensnared me and given me a snap at the Heel and I have relapsed â—nto sin sinned presumptuously nay I am afraid I have sinned the unpardonable sin the 〈◊〉 against the Holy Ghost for I have been enlightened and tasted of the Heavenly gift 〈◊〉 have been made a partaker of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the World to come The Apostle saith It is impossible for such if they fall away to be renewed again by Repentance I am affraid to die for I cannot triumph over Death as the Apostle did and say 1 Cor. 15.55 O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory the sting of Death is sin the strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ I Answer Notwithstanding all thy doubts and fears thou art still to hope in God who is merciful and gracious forgiving transgression and sin and who hath promised that if we confess and forsake sin we shall find mercy and if we forsake sin and turn from our evil ways he will abundantly pardon Remember for thy encouragment the words of the Apostle 1 John 2.12 My little Children these things write I 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 and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole World If thou dost believe in Christ thou wilt be in a capacity to resist the Devil thy grand Enemy and to repel his temptations when he comes as an accuser to make shipwrack of thy Faith consider the tenderness and compassion of Christ toward broken and contrite sinners in 11 Mat. 28. in that sweet invitation Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest And also in that charge he giveth to Peter John 21 15. Simon Son of Jonaâ— lovest thou me He answered Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee then saith he feed my Lambs feed my Sheep c. Stephen when they were stoning him to Death did look unto Christ and had strong consolation triumphing over Death and the rage and fury of his Murderers Acts 17.55 He being full of the Holy Ghost looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the Right hand of God and they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit And he kneeled down and cryed with a loud Voice Lord lay not this sin unto their Charge Thus look up unto Jesus when thy Adversary the Devil doth accuse thee and by believing thou wilt overcome him and go on conquering and to conquer till all thy enemies be utterly subdued Believe in the Lord Jesus who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth committed to him who is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him and those that come unto him he will in no wise cast out
as the Sense and meaning of these words of the Apostle though I own there is more in it when he said to the Galatians I travel in Birth And it may well enough be understood as if he had said whereas formerly I traveled for my self that Christ might be formed in me now I travel again till Christ be formed in you We can neither rightly nor profitably and effectually Witness for the Salvation of others and be in labour or travail for the Salvation of others until Christ be formed in us until we know a travail for our own Salvation until we can witness our own Salvation to be wrought and carried on and not only begun in us and then we shall with good success preach the Gospel and without this no hope of success Let Men preach ever so much in a form of sound words yet they cannot preach with hope of success I say further it may have this further sense that whereas Paul had formerly laboured among these Galatians and God had blessed his labours so that there was a good degree of the Work of God begun in them there had been a good Foundation laid the Seed had not only been Sown but had taken Root and not only taken Roor but sprung up in some measure But some false teachers coming after Paul and gaining too much ground on the affections of the Galatians they had too much undone as it were that which he had been doing they had in some measure and degree marr'd and spoiled and â—s it were undone that which had been done â—efore therefore he complains and expostulates with them by way of Lamentation after this manner O Foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth before whose Eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth Crucified among you This only would I learn of you received ye the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the bearing of Faith Those that they had commended and esteemed as Ministers of Christ laboured to bring them back to the Law and to the observance of Jewish Rites and Ceremonies to observe days and times and such things I am afraid saith he I have laboured among you in vain lest that be marr'd and hurt in you and you suffer loss in that which I laboured for and made evident to you And therefore the Apostle laboured the second time that that might be recovered in them and gained which had suffered loss and detriment But now to speak somewhat more particularly to the Matter it self which shall be by answering a weighty question Which is this Quest What is it to have Christ formed in a Man or Woman Now in order to the answering of this Question it is in my Heart to make use of that Parable of our blessed Lord as we find â—t in one of the Evangelists where the Kingdom of God is likened unto a Grain of Corn unto Seed Wheat or other Grain which a Man Sows in his Field and it springeth first into the Blade then into the Ear and last of all it comes to ripe Fruit. Now as to the Seed of Corn to which he compares the Kingdom of God it is certain that which the Scripture calls incorruptible Seed is a Seed of God which comes from him immediately as I may say and yet comes to us through Christ 1 John 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot Sin because he is born of God Now the Seed of God which is called the Kingdom of God is compared to a Grain of Corn and all Seeds must have a Soil and Earth to grow in What is the Soil where the Seed of God grows It is the Hearts and Souls of Men and Women and their inward Parts Now you know the Earth is full of Weeds and of Bryars and Thorns therefore the Husband-man takes pains to cut up and root up those Weeds and Tares to keep his ground clean that so the clean Seed may grow and come to ripeness and maturity So it is very ordinary and usual for the Husband-Man to Weed his Corn when the Corn is young as I have seen it practiced and those that go to Weed the Corn must be very tender lest they ttead under Foot the Corn and tender Plants they must do it carefully tenderly and skilfully lest they do more hurt than good so they have their Weeding-Hooks and Instruments not only to cut down but to root out â—â—e Weeds and Tares Now I say God Almighty is the Heavenâ— Husband-man and our Lord Jesus Christ â—rincipally and primarily and also his Serâ—â—nts under him are the Ministers of Christ â—hich he makes use of to weed and cleanse â—is Field where the Seed is growing that 〈◊〉 the Hearts of Gods People How doth 〈◊〉 do this but by reproving what is reproâ—â—ble This is one part of the Work of the â—inisters of Christ as the Apostle writes to â—â—mothy I charge thee therefore before God â—â—d the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judg the â—ick and dead at his appearing and his Kingâ—â—m Preach the Word be instant in season â—t of season reprove rebuke exhort with all â—â—ng-suffering and Doctrin For the time will â—â—me when they will not endure sound Doctrin â—ut after their own Lusts shall they heap to â—â—emselves Teachers having itching Ears â—nd they shall turn away their Ears from the â—â—uth and be turned unto Fables But watch â—hou in all things endure afflictions do the â—ork of an Evangelist make full proof of â—y Ministry rebuke with all authority reâ—â—ove what is reproveable both in Doctrin and Manners All immoralities covetousness and â—oing after the World's customs the Lusts â—f the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the â—ide of Life and all that hinders the growth â—â—d fruitfulness of those Plants which are of â—ods planting A word of reproof in the Mouth 〈◊〉 Gods Servants is an Instrument to pluck up the VVeeds that hinder Gods precioâ—â— Plant from growing in the Hearts of hâ—â— Children Now according to this Parable of oâ— blessed Lord concerning the Kingdom of Goâ— he compareth it to a Grain of Corn when tâ—â— Husband-man rises up and lies down aâ— sleeps the Corn grows O what a singulâ—â— Mercy is it The Corn grows Night aâ—â— Day it grows and springeth up when tâ—â— Husband-Man laboureth not Now Chrâ—â—â— formed within is a measure of his diviâ—â— Life planted in us and united to us as tâ—â— Soul is to the Body in some manner it is liâ—â— a measure of divine Nature a divine Principâ—â— a divine and heavenly substance as it comes take root and spring up and grow in Mâ—â— and VVomen in their Souls and inwaâ—â— Parts that it may grow it needs not onâ— an heavenly divine influence from above bâ— it also requires the love of our Heart the affections of our Souls there must be feeling of love and desire in our Hearts tâ—wards it and a very tender care and conceâ—â— to cherish this
heavenly Seed that as tâ— Corn that grows in a good Soil it must tenderly cherished So thou must cherish Goâ— Plant in thine own Heart that there may an increase and growth God hath set an hâ—â—venly Seed and Plant in thy Heart it is â—â—ry precious and worthy of thy care and mâ— tender Love and dearest affections in orâ— to its growth and springing up that it may sâ—fe and secured from what soever may be â—â—rtful and pernicious to it I would have you to consider a Diâ—â—nction concerning this Seed as it is formâ—â—g and as it is formed as Corn that â—ows while it is but young and tender in the â—ade it is but forming when it is in the Blosâ—â—m and in the green Ear it is yet but â—â—rming but when it comes to its substance 〈◊〉 be solid Corn and Grain then it is formed â—ow when a Seed or Plant is forming as it is generally known to such as underâ—â—and any thing of Husbandry as VVheat â—hen it is Green in the Field is in danger â—f Blasting but after it comes to be formed â—nd is well ripened in the Ear it 's past the â—anger of Blasting or Mildew or spoilâ—ng Now to apply this Spiritually and inwardâ—y There is a season and a time when this â—eavenly Seed or Plant of God's own planâ—ng is in danger so to speak of Blasting as â—o us and there is a time when it is grown â—trong and vigorous when the danger of Blasting is over I hope there are some here â—rrived at that blessed state and condition that God's Corn and Heavenly Seed in them is â—ome to ripeness and maturity yet there are â—egrees of ripeness to be further attained that we may overcome all Hinderances and Enemies of our growth and increasing with the â—ncrease of God that we may have that sweet â—nd blessed promise fulfilled to us Rev. 3.12 Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar the Temple of my God O Friends Let us all wait for it and lâ—â— us be strong in the Lord and in the Poweâ— of his might while we are warring and fighâ—ing with our Souls Enemy VVe have â— holy war and we have VVeapons but theâ— are spiritual Weapons not Carnal Lâ—â— us make War against our Spiritual Enemie that we may overcome and be made Pillars iâ— the House of God and go no more out Heâ—â— is security we shall go no more out but be a God's ripe Corn gathered into the Barn nâ— danger then when any are arrived at this happy state there is no doubt that any sucâ— will indulge themselves in Lazinefs and takâ— any sinful liberty or Latitude to themselves but have a holy and awful fear and dread and a holy care and concern upon them to serve the Lord with all readiness and chearfâ—lness do the will of God The more that any come to a holy and safe and secure state and condition the more will their Hearts be filled with diligence and fear and love and temperance and humility Now as concerning the state of the Galatians I told you That Paul had laboured among rhem with success but other Teachers came among them by whom they received hurt and suffered loss and detriment so that they needed a New Visitation and building up that all might not be destroyed thaâ— Paul had been building up in them they had suffered that loss and damage that they needed Paul's Ministry to bring them to an Establishment in the truth that they might stand in searching and shaking times Sometimes in Harvest there may arise such tempestuous Winds as may shake the Corn So such shaking and searching times may come as to try and terrify God's People and shake God's Corn before it be gathered into the Lord's Barn It is good to be preparing for such things and making ready and to be earnest with the Lord to prepare us that if shaking Winds shall come we may be preserved stedfast and unmovable and abounding in the Work of the Lord that our labour may not be in vain in the Lord. If it shall be so that many shall be shaken such times may come let us prepare and make ready that we may not be surprized but preserved in shaking times and those that shall be preserved unshaken when the Winds of Mens Doctrins shall blow upon them let them bless and praise the Lord. The Apostle tells us Eph. 4.10 11 12. That our Lord Jesus Christ ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledg of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ That we henceforth be no more Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every Wind of Doctrin by the slight of Men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive There is nothing but the Lord's Power is able to preserve us if we trust in the Lord and depend upon him he will preserve us and be unto us as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land We shall be preserved if we keep in the living exercise of Faith if we do not live in the daily exercise of Faith we shall be as Corn on the House top shaken and bring forth no good Fruit in season Let us live in the Exercise of faith and depend on God for the assistance of his Spirit and them we shall be preserved in shaking times Now to speak a little further concerning this great and weighty Matter it is commonly said that in Regeneration there is an infusing of certain Habits of Faith Repentance and Love into the Soul but this is not the manner of their Doctrin who are called Quakers nor of my Doctrin nor agreeable to the holy Scriptures to say That Habits of Grace are infused into the Soul The Scripture calls it The Life of God which is better and more than Habits There is a Principle of divine Life communicated to the Soul in Regeneration a measure of the divine Nature which is indeed fitly called The Life of God that actuates and enlivens the Soul and is united to it as the Soul doth animate and act in the Body to which it is united the which union of the divine Life with the Soul is by the Souls Faith and Love to God and Christ This is that which I have had experience of and I have not lost it whatsoever some have said I feel a Principle of divine Life acting in my Soul as my Soul acts in my Body this is Christ formed within us How doth the Soul put forth such noble and vigorous Actings and rule and actuate the Body The Body must be organized have its due Organs prepared that the Soul may act in us and exert its
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