that which will destroy my own Soul The Lord Christ he is come to turn me from Sin and save my Soul Why should I not close with him He hath stood knocking at the Door of my Heart till his Head is filled with Dew and his Locks with the Drops of the Night Many Souls have known these Wooings and Intreaties of Christ knocking at the Door of their Hearts and have let him In and closed with his appearance by his Light grace and good Spirit and found the benefit and comfort of it Why should not I do so Why should not I esteem him as the chief of Ten Thousand as the Beloved of my Soul He will be the chiefest of all to that Soul that hath chosen him for the chiefest Good Though there may be some comfort in the enjoyment of the things of this World yet though they be useful and necessary for my present supply If I lose them all and find Christ and be found in him and hold him fast I shall count them as nothing but despise them in comparison of him who is the Beloved of my Soul You that are come to the Knowledge of Christ and have embraced the Light of Truth in your own Hearts do know the benefit you have by it in walking in the Light as the Children of Light and of the Day and in Obedience to Christ who is the Light and shines in your Hearts Friends I would not be mistaken I do not Preach Christ as the Light of the World in opposition to his outward appearance and being manifested in the Flesh in that preapared Body wherein he did his Fathers will when he was on Earth All true Christians do esteem and reverence Christs appearance in the Body wherein he suffered death and became a Sacrifice for our Sins as the Apostle saith Eph. 5. 2. Christ hath loved us and hath given himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling Savour If I esteem the Appearance of Christ in my own Heart I shall be so far from having a light esteem of his Bodily Appearance and his being manifest in the Flesh that I shall admire and reverence that Great Mystery of Godliness and bless God for the record given thereof in the Holy Scriptures which the light of Christ is a Key to open Even the Great Mysteries of the Kingdom which men by their parts and acquirements cannot attain to For God hath not made known these great things to the Wise and Prudent as we may gather from Christs own Prayer Mat. 11. 25. I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight My Friends walk in the Light more and more that by the Spirit of the Lord you may be acquainted with the divine operation of the Power of Christ which will bring you from under the bondage of Sin and Corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God wait to know this Power in your own Hearts that you may be sanctified throughout in Spirit Soul and Body and Justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ Rom. 3. 24. Walk in the Light and in Meekness and Humility and in the Truth 1 John 6. 7. If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we Lie and do not the Truth But if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin Many of you have known the beginning go forward and continue to walk in the Truth that you may know the Blood of Cleansing that as the Apostle saith Rom. 6. 22. But now being made free from Sin and become Servants to God ye may have your Fruit unto Holiness and the end Everlasting Life His Prayer after Sermon Most Powerful Everlasting God of Life who art Almighty in thy Power and canst do whatsoever pleaseth thee we have cause to bless thy Great Name for thy Goodness and Mercy which thou hast extended to thy People in this Day of thy Power Thou hast extended a Blessed Day of Visitation to many that were strangers unto thee and unacquainted with the way of Life and Salvation Powerful God we have great cause to bless thy Name for thy Goodness and that great Love which in and through thy Dear Son Jesus Christ thou hast extended to us Thou first lovedst us before we loved thee Thou it was that through the Visitation of thy Love didst beget and raise desires and breathings in the Souls of many after thee and the knowledge of thy living way And blessed Father of Life not only so but thou hast answered the desires and breathings that thou hast raised in the Souls of many and brought them to the knowledge of the way of Life and Salvation And Powerful God thou hast been near to all thine unto this day that have been truly given up in faithfulness to thy Will and to answer thy Holy and blessed Requirings Living God they that have waited and depended upon thee to be made partakers of that help and strength that comes from thee have been thereby enabled to do thy Will and this is that we wait for and from time to time draw nigh to thee for we wait upon thee that we may come not only to know but to do thy Will and Answer thy requirings Blessed God of Life we have great encouragement from time to time to draw nigh to thee for that comfortable presence of thine which we have enjoyed in the midst of our Assemblies many a time the Hungry have been satisfied with Bread And the Fountain of living water hath been opened and the Thirsty have been Drinking of it Praised by thy Name for ever that thou hast appeared with us and hast given us some sensible injoyment of thy living Presence O Lord go a long with thy People let thy blessing be with us that we may hold on through the whole course of our lives in this World and live to the praise of thy blessed Name thou hast given us to see our own weakness and inability and that we had need depend on thee every day for fresh supplies of strength that we may able to hold on in thy holy way and lay hold on the hope that thou hast set before us There are many Tryals Tribulations and Afflictions that thy Children and People meet with and the grand Adversary the Devil like a Roaring Lyon is going about continually seeking whom he may devour Thy People have nothing but thy self to depend upon and there is a secret help and power that thou givest thine whereby they are enabled to withstand the Enemy in all his Wiles and in all his Temptations Living God What we are it is by thee it is by the Assistance of thy Grace and good Spirit that
Marrying my Soul to himself seized upon me and did work effectually in me There is the Testimony of Christ in me he hath Sealed up my Soul to the Day of my Redemption here is a certain passage and a certain way which never any miss of that lose their Lives for Christ If you be not ready and willing to lose your Lives for Christ you shall never come here The Gate is strait and the way is narrow none come hither but those that die into an Heavenly Oneness with Christ O Friends let us empty our selves that Christ may fill us let us be nothing in our own Eyes that we may be all in him and receive of his fulness Now I commend you to God's Witness that you may remember what hath been spoken among you but consider if you do not harken to it it will follow you and be a plague to you to all Eternity if you will not yield up your selves to Christ this day that burns like an Oven this Fire you must dwell with when out of the Body there will be no quenching of this Fire for ever but if you be so wise for your Souls as to resign your selves up to Christ and come to him as little Children this will not hinder your Earthly concerns though the World may account thee a Fool yet thou hast that part of Heavenly Wisdom to do what thou dost as unto God thou carriest to thy Wife as in the sight of God that she may be Sanctified to thee and thou to her and thou carriest becomingly to thy children and Servants and thou wilt abound in Grace and in every good work which will be for thine Eternal wellfare O I beseech you People for the Lord's sake wait for the light of Christ to guide you learn of him to be meek and lowly then happy are you for he dwelleth with the humble but he beholdeth the Proud afar off This New Birth which is a true work a sincere and heavenly work it will make you for ever O make room for Christ in your Hearts or else he is never like to dwell with you he loveth to dwell with the poor and humble and contrite Spirit he abhors the Proud he will empty your Souls that he may fill them And so I commend you to God I have been long held in durance under great weakness and I was restless till I could come up to this Great City of London to Preach the Everlasting Gospel among you and you see I am among you here pray every one of you turn Inward let not these Words passing through a mean Vessel be as a bare empty Discourse of Truth to you which you only hear and take no further care of your Salvation Take heed of despising the light that shines in the midst of you and be pressing forward to the Heavenly work that is laid in the Power of Christ Jesus even through Judgment into Death and then he will give Eternal Life the Lord confirm this that it may rest upon your Hearts that you may be dead to the things of World We are not come to Mount Sinai that genâ—ers to bondage but we are come to Mount Sion the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumeâ—able company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first born which are wrâ—tten in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of just Men made Perfect and to Jesus â—be Mediatour of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel This is the Inheritance of the Redeemed of the most High blessed be the name of the Lord let us rest in hope till he bring us to Humility and Lowlyness of mind that he may cloth us with Heavenly Glory according to his Promise I will Beautifie my House with Glory saith the Lord. This is the Portion of a Poor People that cast down themselves before the Lord that he may lift them up and be all in all to them In whose blessed Presence they shall have of Joy and Rivers of Pleasures at his right hand for ever more The Prayer after Sermon BLessed and Glorious God thy presence and power is with thy People every where and thou art stretching forth thy Almighty Arm for the Salvation of thy chosen ones and thou art Influencing their Souls with thy Grace and Spirit in all their solemn meetings and Assemblies we desire to extoll and magnifie thy great and excellent Nause for all thy Mâ—rcies and blessings we pray thee bow down thy Heavenly Ear and 〈◊〉 ken to the Cries and supplications of thy People that are breathing forth the desire of their Sâ—uls to thee that art a God hearing Prayers supply their wants and establish their Spirits and uphold them with thy free Spirit Crown all thy chosen ones with thy loving-kindness and tender mercy rend the Cloud of darkness that hangs over us and take away the Vail and bow the Heavens amongst us and visit us with thy Salvation and reveal the mysteries of thy Truth unto us and in all our ways let us acknowledge thee and do thou lead us in the way everlasting Righteous God of Love while we live on Earth let our Conversaâ—ion be in Heaven where Christ our Mediatour sits aâ— thy Right-hand let us follow his Example who was Holy Harmless and undefiled that we may sit in Heavenly places with him Be thou a Sun and Shield to us in our earthly Pilgrimage whom have we in Heaven but thee and there is none on Earth that we desire besides thee let us walk before thee in sincerity and truth and do thou conduct us in the way of truth and righteousness by thy blessed Spirit Blessed be thy Name for the light of thy saving truth that hath shined in our minds and the light of thy Countenance that hath been lifted up upon us in our meetings thou hast furnished a Table for thy People as in the days of old we cannot but Admire thy great love and condescention towards us and extol and bless thy Holy name for thy abounding mercies and the Riches of thy Goodness to us we desire to give thee honour and renown and praise and Thanks giving for thy renewed mercies and Spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus for whom we bless thee and in whom we desire to be found not having our own Righteousness to him with thy self and thy Holy Eternal Spirit be Glory for Ever Amen A SERMON Preached by Mr. GEORGE WHITEHEAD At Grace-Church-Street Octob. 4. 1693. THE Great God who made Heaven and Earth the God of our Salvation he hath prepared a Sacrifice for himself in the hearts of a Remuant whom he hath gathered by the Arm of his Mighty Power and he hath kindled that Sacrifice that is of his own preparing and this to a Remnant is a manifest Token of the Love of God and of his Divine and special Providence for their safety and preservation that trust
of their ways this is a sign that God is waiting to be gracious He may visit a People and Nation with Chastisements and Judgments yet I am sensible it is for his Peoples sake even a Remnant that he hath gathered out of the empty Professions and Forms that are in the World that the Lord is still waiting to be Gracious and extending his Patience and Long-suffering that he may convince them humble them and overcome them with his Love and when he corrects and punisheth yet he hath Reserves of Mercy for them if they will repent and turn from Sin and humble themselves under the mighty hands of God that he may in due time exalt them and bring them from under the weight of their Iniquities and the guilt of their transgressions that they may receive mercy for his Name 's sake and for his dear Son's sake This is the Breathing and the Travel of the Souls of a Remnant and we may truly say the Lord hath left a Seed a small Remnant that look to him and trust in him though a People and Nation have sinned against the Lord who otherwise had been as Sodom and Gommorrah if God had not left us a Seed yet for the sake of a little Seed even for the sake of the Worm Jacob that wrestled with him by Prayer and Supplication the Lord hath spared many and waited to be Gracious to them they are truly a People that are a Praying People that have the Advantage of all others yet I do not condemn all forms of Profession there are some that have a secret sincerity and a fear of God and a desire after the Lord that are as Sheep scattered upon the barren Mountains that yet the Lord will gather there are those that have a secret longing and thirsting after the living God that desire to know the things that belong to their Peace There are other Sheep of Christ which are not of this Fold them also will he bring home that they may know where the Green Pastures are and be led by the still waters and find relief and refreshment from the Lord. Therefore all those that the Lord hath gathered and preserved and kept to this moment and helped them and supplied them and continued his mercy to them should be thankful and sensible of his loving kindness that by an Invisible Power hath given them comfort and refreshment while they have been waiting on him let their minds and hearts be still fixed upon the Lord and staid on him and he will preserve them in quientness and peace and they shall know he will shew his Providence with them that their Bread may be sure and their Waters may not fail the Lord will preserve them to the end of their Days in humility and lowlyness wherein they may be capable of Instruction and by his Holy Spirit he will lead them in the way they should walk those that come unto the Lord with weeping and supplication the Lord he will lead them by the Rivers of Water in a plain way where they shall not stumble The Lord our God hath prepared a Sacrifice and he will accept that Sacrifice which is of his own preparing and this I say to a Remnant is a manifest token of his Love God Almighty Preserve you and bless the labours of his Servants among you who labour in the Word and Doctrine and in the Gospel of your Salvation whilst they are among you that you may know the Goodness of the Lord that waiteth to be gracious and have renewed experiences of his Love and observe for your encouragement the tender care he is pleased to manifest towards his Heritage both in this and other places We have great cause humbly to be thankful to our God for what favours we enjoy and to be diligent to make the best Improvement we can of all the Seasons of Grace and opportunities for Working out our own Salvation which the Lord is pleased in his abundant mercy to afford unto us His Prayer after Sermon GLorious and Blessed God who art the God of all Grace and Mercy and of all our helps and Preservations unto this moment thou hast been with us unto this Day we have had thy Gracious presence with us even in the needful time Thou hast gathered us to be a peculiar People unto thee thy presence is the very Life of our meetings and the Beauty and Glory of our Assemblies wherewith from time to time thou hast succoured and relieved and revived thy People whose Eyes have been towards thee and whose expectations have been from thee to be supplied and saved by thy bountiful band those Living Divine and Heavenly supplies wherewith thou hast from time to time Relieved thy People the poor and needy those whose Souls are bowed down in deep Humility in thy sight and presence so that Powerful Father of Life we have great cause to remember thee in thy ways We have cause to fear thee O Lord and to think upon thy Name We desire to wait upon thee and cry to thee and breath after thee and trust in thee We bless thee for the continuance of thy Love and Goodness for thy renewed blessings and multiplied favours we have abundant cause to bless and praise and honour thee O Lord to magnifie thy great and excellent name for thy Love and great Goodness for making bare thy mighty Arm and stretching it forth to help the helpless and to relieve and support the poor and needy whose trust is in thee whose confidence thou hast raised up by thy Power to stand in thy Presence O Righteous Powerful Father of Life Gather thy People more and more into an inward sense and feeling and experience of thy Power and Goodness that their Hearts may be engaged to thy self to walk before thee in an Holy Awe and reverence and with such Sincerity Humility Lowlyness and tenderness of Heart as becomes those that have the enjoyment of thy Presence and as becomes our solemn meeting and appearing before thee from time to time that all thy People who are called by thy Grace who are convinced and persuaded of thy blessed truth may be truly and livingly awakened and stirred up into a sense of thy Glorious Power that they may know what it is to appear before thee and how they ought to come before thee the most glorious and most high and holy God who inhabitest Eternity who dwellest in the highest Heavens and yet hast a place in the lowest Hearts in the Hearts of those that with a true Reverence and holy fear desire to worship thee with such a frame of Spirit and temper of mind and heart as thou requirest in all them that approach thy Presence We beg the influence of thy Grace and Divine Spirit that we may be thereby comforted and refreshed and uouchsafe unto us O Lord such sweet incomes of thy Love and such renewings of thy blessing as may settle and establish our minds and hearts in a sense of thy Goodness and
reached to us Thy Divine Comforts O Lord have been our portion from one day to another and we have tasted thy goodness and our hearts have been deeply affected with it blessed God and Fathe when we consider how thou hast nourished us thy Children and brought us up in troublous times and made a way for us in the Wilderness and a path in the Desart and brought us through the deep waters When we were ready to be overwhelmed when our Souls cried to thee Lord to be present with us then thou hast been near unto us when we have been seeking thy face and thy glory thou hast refreshed us with the light of thy Countenance when we have been walking in thy way thy Banner over us hath been love and Lord out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings thou hast brought forth praise and glory to thy self O that all that partake of thy Divine goodness may magnifie and praise thee This hath been our Supplication O Lord from year to year Lord reach to the Nations gather a People under the shadow of thy wings secure them from all dangers and let them have great delight in thy ways and let thy word be sweet to their tast Most tender and everlasting Father of life and God of all grace we humbly intreat thee to gather the Inhabitants of this Island and bring down all haughtiness and pride to the dust and bring all thy people to humility and self abasement before thee the God of glory that the knowledge of the Lord may cover the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea that thy great Name may be exalted Lord we entreat thee gather together those that are broken and contrite and are as dead and dry bones can these dry bones live Thou knowest O Lord. Shall I ever be capable of praising the Lord saith one by a sense of thy favour to my Soul Lord thou caâ—st reach these and gather to thy self a numberless number that no man can number that everlasting God of Power shall stand before thee without spot and blemish in whose mouths there is no guile Lord encrease the number of those that seek after thee the living Fountain of all goodness with tears flowing from their eyes and sorrow in their hearts Everlasting God of life let the day of our Tranquility be lengthned out and preserve the Land of our Nativity and let no desolation be among us Father of Mercies many have been visited with dreadful Judgments from thy hand in other Nations O preserve this sinful Land and let thy continued mercies and blessings and thy long suffering prevail upon us that we may be turned to thee with all our hearts and cry mightily to thee from one day to another that we may be as so many Jacobs wrestling with thee to the break of the day that thou wouldest bless us and that thy blessing may never depart from this Island O Lord hear the cries of thy People that are seeking thy glory and the good of their own Souls let thy mercy prevail for us and let thy blessing be with all thy Servants that cry to thee we beseech thee for the sake of Jesus Christ let not thine anger be kindled against us least we perish and O Lord let thy judgments which are impendent be diverted and stir up thy People to wrestle with thee with all their Souls that thou wouldest save this Nation that England may live in thy sight cover us under the shadow of thy wings and let the hearts of all thy People be turned to thee and turned from Sin to Righteousness that they may be preserved in thy fear and love and partake of ihe Fountain of life and may be delivered from the snares of death Father of life preserve all thine that have waited on thee thou art a God that changest not therefore we are not consumed Glory Honour and Praise be rendred to thee for all thy love and favour blessings and benefits vouchsafed to us and for all the opportunities which we have had for our Souls break and soften the hearts of all thy Children and kindle in their Souls a Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving that we may say it is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes that we may rejoyce and Triumph in thy great Salvation through Jesus Christ who alone is worthy and God over all blessed for ever and ever Amen A SERMON Preached by Mr. JOHN BOWATER At St. John's-Street March 18. 1693. To as many as have received Christ Jesus the Lord to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name Now my Friends they that have believed are to wait to receive his power according to the Exhortation of our Lord Jesus Christ to his Disciples wait until you be endued with a Power from on high Luke 24. 49. Many People make a profession of belief in the Lord Jesus Christ but do not come to know this mighty power to work Sanctification Redemption and Salvation Let all and every one of you be concerned in waiting upon God and attending upon him that you may receive strength and power and ability from him whereby you may be enabled to perform your bounden duty which God requireth of you he hath shewn unto Man what is good and what the Lord requires of him which is to do justly and love mercy and to walk humbly with God Every one of us that have believed let us wait for power to perform that which may answer the requirings of God that we may receive ability from him to enable us to perform our duty that we may not only be Professors of the blessed truth of God but possessors of it that we may not only be Professors but Possessors of life whereby we may live to God through Jesus Christ and perform our duty acceptably to God It is a blessed to be found in that which gives acacceptance with God now there is no acceptance with God but as we are found in Christ Jesus in him that was the promised Seed whom God promised should break the Serpents head the Serpent beguiled Eve through subtilty Now God promised that the Seed of the Woman that is Christ Jesus should break the Serpents head It is through him that Redemption and Salvation is known It is through Christ Jesus the Mediator between God and Man that Man becomes reconciled to God and no otherwise He tasted Death for every man and he died that he might destroy him that had the Power of Death that is the Devil It is through Christ the Mediator that we are reconciled to God and for this saith the Apostle was the Son of God manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil Sin in all Ages hath been the work of the Devil and the Devil is the Author of Sin but the Lord Jesus Christ the Mediator he is the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him So that whatsoever your Profession may be
the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh Friends you see the Foolish Virgins came when it was too late therefore prize your Day and keep your Watch I cannot but Admire the Mercy of God that hath extended a Day of Grace and favour to us God hath not only striven for a little time but hath continued striving Take heed that you harden nor your Hearts in this Day of your Visitation least it be said to to thee The Harvest is past and the Summer is ended and thou not saved Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his own good pleasure While it is the good pleasure of God to work upon thy Heart give up thy self in Holy Obedience to him even while the good Spirit of God moveth upon the face of the Waters The Day of your Visitation is not yet over yield up your selves to the striving of Gods Spirit that you may be found a willing People in the Day of his Power There is Balm in Gilead there is a Physician of Value there Prize the Love and Mercy and forbearance and long suffering of God and bless God that hath not cut thee off in thy Sin and in the midst of thy Iniquites and that thou hast not thy Portion with Hypocrites where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of Teeth His Prayer after Sermon Most Blessed and Holy Lord God thou art full of Grace thou art the same yesterday thou art the same to day and thou remainest the same unchangeable God for ever unchangeable in thy Nature and unchangeable in thy Love Thou hast not said to the Seed of Jacob seek ye my Face in vain Where thy People have been gathered there thy Presence hath been Where two or three have met together in thy Name thou hast been in the midst of them thou hast not been wanting to us when we have called upon thee but hast been a present help unto us in the needful time when we have been under Tryals and Exercises and when Troubles and Temptations have come upon us like a Flood thou hast been with us in all our Conflicts and covered our Heads in the Day of Battle and stood by us and preserved us by thy Almighty Arm. Thou art a Gracious and Merciful God and hast regard to the Work of thy hands We commit our Souls to thee as into the hands of a Faithful Creatour We pray thee watch over us and go a long with us and when we are â— parated from one another Let us not be separed from thee Everlasting God of Glory let thy presence be with us and accompany us and lead us into the way wherein thou wouldest have us to walk and enlarge every one of our â—eaâ—â—s â—o follow hard after thee O Infinite Everlasting God of Glory Prosper thy Servants in tâ—â—r Labours and Travel to whom thou hast given any abilities to speak in thy Name that they may declare thy truth as it is in Jesus and deliver the whole Counsel of God to thy People O Sanctifie those Mercies thou hast vouchsafed to us at this time and the blessed priviledge we have had in meeting together to be partakers of thy Grace and Favour We thank thee for thy unspeakable Love in giving thy Beloved Son to die for us and to Redeem us from all Iniquity We desire to Magnifie and bless thy Name that thou hast drawn near to us when we have drawn near to thee and that thou hast beautified our Assemblies with thy Living Presence We desire in all Humility to Walk before thee with a single Heart and an upright Mind and that we may give thee for all thy Mercies and Blessings through the Son of thy Love the Lord Jesus Christ Praise Honour and Glory and Thanks giving not only at this time but so Ever and Ever for thou alone O Lord art Worthy who art God over all Blessed for ever more Amen A SERMON Preached by Mr. WILLIAM PENN Upon occasion of the Death of Mrs. Rebecca Travers an Aged Servant of God June 19 1688. TIMES and Seasons pass away but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever And it is that which hath been the Root of Life to the Heritage of God in all Ages and Generations that from whence their Joy and Hope always sprung that in which their Faith was finished It was their Alpha and it was their Omega In this the Righteous begun and set forth and by this they were preserved in their Heavenly Race till they came to their great end the prize of their High Calling the Heaven of Everlasting Rest after all the Storms and Tempests of time It was this they had their Eye to in the beginning and it was their Joy that opened in the Eternal Word by which they were Quickned and Revived and that caused them to endure to the end without fainting and you shall likewise by patient continuance in well doing in due time Reap if you faint not It was the Word of God to the Children of God of Old and it is his Word in this Day to us you shall Reap if you faint not Blessed are you that are called into the Vineyard you shall have an Everlasting Harvest If you faint not now you shall Reap then What shall you Reap Vanity and Vexation of Spirit and disappointment No you shall Reap Glory Honor Immortality and Eternal Life So Friends though every Day we have Renewed occasions of remembring our latter end yet there is that which never shall have end hath dawned unto us which hath been presented to our View in this glorious day of our Visitation if we lift up our Eyes to it and have regard to it in our rising up and lying down in our going out and coming in and in all we put our hands unto and if we place our Interests and Portion therein then our minds will be established and we shall not be ashamed now nor blush before the Lord hereafter If our Hearts condemn us not we shall have boldness before God So shall all Travellers that have regard to the Word of Truth while they are in their Heavenly Pilgrimage They set their Faces Sion ward and go on not Fainting not Doubting not desponding they have an Eye to the Lord Jesus Christ and have their Hearts kept by that Word that abides for ever Their Belief and Hope is beyond Time fixed upon that which God hath owned to be his Word before the World was and shall be when Time and this World shall be no more The outward Garment which shall be worn while it last shall then be put off Blessed are they that know the White Linnen that which is whole and all of a piece that God giveth to his Children that Love the Lord Jesus in Sincerity who is the Resurrection and the Life He that comes to know and experience this The Second Dâ—ath shall have no Power over him Now this change is not only in
of the Earth that hath loved us and cleanseth us from our Sins â—n his own blood The Lord open the understandings of the Children of men that they may come to know the Excellency of his Life and love When the Lord comes to open and manifest to the Children of Men his great Love in sending his Son out of his Bosom in the fulness of time to dye for us for Christ had a being before the World began when Mens Eyes and Hearts I say are wonderfully opened to see this Love of God then their Hearts will be melted and broken and their prejudices removed and they will be brought to the Obedience and Service of God We own the Doctrine of the Life and Death Resurrection and Ascension and Intercession of Christ Jesus And for any to say we denâ— this how inconsistent is it with what we have Preached and declared and how shameless is it for any to misrepresent or falsely Charge us with the contrary since we have gâ—â—e through many Exercises and suffered many Persecutions Buffetings and Imprisonments for Declaring the Truth as it is in Jesus so that if in this Life only we had hope we were of all men most miserable And if Christ be not risen from the Dead our Preaching is vain and your Faith is also vain We have spoken the Truth according to the Scriptures of Truth yet how have the Children of Men been prejudiced against us How many have been bewildred and led into Errour and into misapprehension concerning what we have plainly declared among you And now to give a little ease to my Spirit I would speak something briefly to you let the Love of God in Christ Jesus extended to you affect your Hearts if you are in the living sense of this love it will engage you to live in Obedience and subjection to this Heavenly Light by which you were brought out of Darkness and Redeemed from Iniquity to be a peculiar People Zealous of good Works It will engage you to live to Christ that died for you and as you know a Translation from the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of God's dear Son you will Reap the Fruits and benefits of his Death Resurrection and Ascension and Intercession at God's Right hand The Lord God of Heaven and Earth open all your Hearts that while you have a little time and are on this side the Grave and on this side Eternity you may serve the Lord in your Generation and fulfil his blessed Will and finish the Work which he hath given you to do that you may Glorifie the Name of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth who is worthy of all Praise Glory and Renown Worshipâ— Love Service and Obedience who is God over all Blessed for Ever and Ever Amen His Prayer after Sermon MOst Glorious Heavenly and Divine Fountain of Love and Life who hast let us see the beginings of thy Excellent Day and participiate of thy Love in making bare thine Arm of Salvation which thou hast Revealed and made bare in our Age. O God of Glory and Soveraign Lord of Heaven and Earth it is in the Power of thy hand to open the Hearts of thy People as thou didst open the Heart of Lydia that the things that belong to the Peace of every Soul may be seen known and experienced Lord God of Glory our Eyes are unto thee and our Souls are bowed before thee for the shewing of mercy and the handing forth of the blessings which thou promised'st to the Children of Israel by the mouth of thy Holy Prophets That thou living Father of Life wilt bless them in turning every one from their Iniquities and the Evil of thtir ways for Lord God of Life this is greatly wanting both in this City and throughout the whole Nation Thy mercies and Favours have been received by many and thy loving kindness hath extended it self wonderfully O Glorious Fountain of Heavenly Love and Life be pleased to remove that Insensibility that is ready to come over the minds of men that the nearer thy Wrath and Judgments do approach to us by reason of that Inundation of Sin and Wickedness that overflows the Land the less Sense and Apprehension there is of it Lord open the Peoples Eyes and Hearts that they may see and consider the danger of their State and Condition and be humbled for their Sin and seek thy Face and turn to thee with all their Hearts that Glorious God of Life the Souls of thy Children may be affected with thy Goodness Patience and Long-suffering that this may be the blessed effect of thy Goodness that it may lead all to Repentance never to Repented of that we may mourn before thee for the manifold Sins and Transgressions of the Land against thy Divine Majesty That Glorious God of Love and Life we may not again provoke thee to anger O Rend the Vail of Darkness that is spread over this Land that it may not hinder the bright beams of Gospel Light from shining nor the Children of Men from seeing their Spiritual State and Condition Lord God of Life let trembling and astonishment take hold of the wicked that they may have a deep sense of the Sins and Provocations this ungrateful Land is guilty of that they may lament and mourn before thee O Lord O Tender God of Love and Life thy mercy and loving kindness was extended to the Inhabitants of Niniveh that great City wherein were more then Six score thousand persons that could not discern between their Right-hand and their Left Didst thou not enlighten their minds and melt their Hearts when thou hadst a Controversie with them and denounced'st Judgment by thy Prophet against them Did not the Mighty come down from their Seats and the King from his Throne and lay his Robe from him and the Nobles and all the People of the Land did they not all put on Sackcloth and sit in Ashes and mourn before thee and Cry mightily to thee and turned from their evil ways and thou didst turn away thy Wrath and Repent of the Evil which thou saidst thou wouldst do unto them and didst it not but extended'st thy mercy and favour to them and saved'st them with a great Salvation Blessed Lord thou art our God O save us for we have none in Heaven but thee and none upon Earth that we can desire in Comparison of thee we have none to make our moan to but thy self our Eyes and Hearts are towards thee Let us hearken to thy Counsel and turn at thy Reproof and let sorrow take hold of their Hearts thaâ— have rejected thy Favours and Mercies O give Repentance unto Life that thy wrath may not wax hoâ— against the Nation and the Inhabitants thereof and that thy Fury and Jealousie may not Consume and burn them up O make them sensible of the Sins that have been committed and of the misery they have deserved that they may come to thee for Pardon and Reconciliation with thee through the Lord Jesus
and thou hast made thine to grow up as the Lilly of the Vallies and as the Rose in Sharon and watered us as with the streams from Lebanon Lord God of Glory We do thankfully acknowledge thy wonderful Care over us and Love towards us and to all the Children of Men And we desire to offer to thee Praise and Glory through Christ Jesus the Son of thy Love who art worthy of all Honor Glory and Renown Power Blessings and Praise who art God over all Blessed for Ever and Ever Amen A SERMON Preached by Mr. RICHARD ASHBY At St. Martins Le Grand Feb. 16. 1693. THE Testimonies and Declarations which are given forth in obedience to the Lords requirings are to bring every one of you to a sense and feeling of the Inward Testimony of Truth in your own Bosoms to the feeling of the Work and Operation of the Lords Spirit upon your Hearts to give to every one a clear sight and understanding of those things that tend to their Souls profit and to their Spiritual advantage and a Divine growth in Grace If any of us are satisfying our selves in sitting down in an outward Gathering and only exercising our natural faculties to hear and to understand and come not to know and be acquainted in our selves with the Inspiration of the Almighty the Word of Truth we are Strangers to it and the good and excellency of it is hid from our Eyes So that it is matter of great concernment for every one to know what it is to be inwardly retired and to know the Operation of Gods Gift upon their Souls and to be acquainted with the Work of Gods Spirit in their inward parts else we shall be deficient in learning what we ought to know and fall short of certainty in our knowledg and we shall be among the number of those that are always Learning and never come to any stability and come not to the power and to know the Substance of all such are in the Dark they are groping for the Wall they are at uncertainty and tossed too and fro and have not a stability of Mind and Spirit attending them and they come not to know a true Exercise though there may be some inward desires yet for want of keeping to that Power by which they are begotten their desires seem to fail O my Friends that every one of you may be ponderous and weighty that in your minds you may feel the operation of that Power and the inward Work of Truth that is begun in the Soul as the Foundation of Eternal Happiness that is laid that we may know the Instruction and feel the Power of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Heavenly Gospel in which he is carrying on the Work of our Salvation that we have an Eye unto Jesus and our expectations from him and be waiting truly upon him for Experience to come to know him that is the Author and Beginner of the Work of Faith in our Souls and lays the Foundation of Eternal Felicity These are such as walk on gradually and persevere to the end they look unto Jesus the Author and Fâ—â—â—sher of their Faith the great searcher of their Hearts and manifester of the Thoughts and Intents thereof They come to know him in his Offices as he discovers and makes known to man and sheweth unto him what it is that doth obstruct and prevent his enjoyment of Peace They that come to be sensible of this come to know an Inward Travel of Soul and are brought to a Spiritual exercise that hath a profitable tendency so that now they discover those things that are pleasing to the sight of their Minds not those things that please the carnal desire and bring reproof unto the Soul Here is the proper effect of Faith when there is Impressed upon the Soul a sense of Sin and of the Works of Unrighteousness and here is a Foundation laid for true Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ for saith the Apostle Him hath God exalted with his own Right Hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance and Remission of Sins He gives Repentance to those that come to feel their Need of a Phisician to heal them he makes such a discovery to their Souls such a sense he gives of their Sin and Transgression as makes it appear exceeding sinful These are such as come to reflect upon themselves and see their woful state this will lay low their Minds and bow down their Spirits these are they that come to Self-abhorrence and to have a Travel in their Spirits and they come down into a lowly state according to what the Prophet Jeremy speaks Lam. 2. 29. He fitteth alone and keepeth silence He putteth his Mouth in the Dust If so be there may be hope Wherefore doth a Living Man Complain a Man for the Punishment of his Sins It is of the Lords Mercies that we are not consumed because his Compassions fail not They that come to be acquainted with the Lord as a Judge and as a Reprover here is a Decision made in the Soul and a Separation from Sin after it is discovered and the Judgment of God takes hold of the Sin and Trangression and a man comes under Reproof Here is a time of suffering and here is sorrow taking hold of him here is that which affects the Soul with grief and brings it into a state of Mourning and he is brought under a sense of Gods dealings with him and he comes to know that sorrow that hath an Inward effect upon the Soul to take away Iniquity and make the Heart better He submits to the discovery of that Deceitfulness that is lodged in the Heart For saith the Prophet The Heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it I the Lord search the Heart I try the Reins even to give to every man according to his ways and according to the Fruit of bis doings The Apostle speaking to some of the Heart being turned unto the Lord said then the Vail shall be taken away As God inwardly appears to a man there must be an humble submission to his searching of the Heart therefore faith the Psalmist Psalm 19. 12. Who can understand his Errors cleanse thou me from secret faults and he knew a cleansing Work in his own Heart Psalm 51. 10. Create in me a Clean Heart O God and Renew a right Spirit in me Cast me not away from thy Presence take not thy Holy Spirit from me restore unto me the Joy of thy Salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit The Psalmist was in a Spiritual Travel and came to an experience of this Work upon his Soul and he prays the Lord to uphold him that what he had done might not be marr'd again therefore he begs of God to uphold him with his free Spirit You should all labour to go on in this Inward Travel that will bring you to a Repentance not to be Repented of and to have
that they may see thy Power in tnrning their minds and Hearts to thee and in renewing and clâ—â—nging them that they may be made the objects of thy Love and brought into a nearness to thee and that they may be made acquainted with the feeling of thy Vertue and power upon their Souls Blessed God of Life do thou fill our Cup with thy Blessings and refresh us with the Incomes of thy Love Thou causest thy People to drink of the streams of those Rivers of Pleasure that are at thy Right hand and thou causest the Rain to Descend and drop upon thy tender Plants that they may grow and be fruitful in every good Word and Work and live to thy Praise and that they may exalt thy Gteat Name and magnifie thy Power manifested to them Lord remember thine every where those especially which are under Affliction and Exercise of body and mind open thy hand and send help to then according to their needs and necessities that they may be kept and supported under all their tryals that they may not be discouraged nor despond in their minds nor despair of thy love and goodness to them O Lord be thou known in thy Love and shed it abroad upon us by thy Spirit that we may all be brought nearer to thee and be more acquainted with thee who art the Fountain and Well-spring of all our Mercies and Comforts and have cause to bless and praise thee that hast made us Heirs of that Life and Blessedness that shall never have an end We desire to return living praises to thy Name for this days mercies for the Incomes of thy Love and thy presence in the midst of us Lord our Hearts are engaged to return thanks and praise to thee and to give Glory to thy Holy Name Lord keep us when we are gone and parted from one another and keep us that we may live to thee and not to our selves and that we may be Instrumental in turning many from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to thee the living God that they may receive Remission of Sins and an Inheritance among them that are Sanctified by Faith in Christ Jesus And that they may shew forth the Vertues of Christ in their Lives and Conversations and bring Honor and Praise to thy Name who art worthy of all praise To whom we desire to give Honor and Glory and Thanks giving and Praise not only at this time but for Ever and Ever Amen A SERMON Preached by Mr. SAMUEL WALDENFIELD At Devonshire House March 11. 1693. THERE is a Day of Visitation which the Lord hath extended unto the Children of Men that we might every one of us observe our Season and time that so we might be Exercised in those things that relate to our Everlasting Peace and welfare in the World to come For we are like to be accountable to the Great God for the Deeds done in the Body Therefore every one had need to weigh and measure their ways and doings that they may stand Justified in the sight of God through Jesus Christ by whom we are Visited who hath been given of the Father not only to be a Light but a Leader to us and blessed will all they be that come to be led by the Lord Jesus Christ For that is a very precious state to know this One way for he is the alone way to the Kingdom of God and all those that make a Profession of him and reject his Leadings and his Counsel they will fall short they will meet with many things in the way that will turn them from the right Way to the Kingdom of God But all those that follow the Lord Jesus Christ it is they that shall receive the Crown of Immortal and Everlasting Life and Glory For this following of Christ is a Crucifying the Old Nature of Man it is a regenerating of Man in his Inward parts without which none of us can come to see the Kingdom of God This is not an outward Birth nor an outward Generation nor a growing into any outward comprehension of things but it is an Inward mortifying of the Deeds of the Flesh and that you know no Man can do but by and through the Spirit If Men walk after the flesh they must dye but if through the Spirit saith the Apostle ye mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall Live I do not speak of outward living in this World only but of living to God Eternally People in this World should live to the Lord then it will be well with them whom they come to Dye When this outward Earthly Tabernacle and House of Clay shall be dissolved all such as live to the Lord Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God they shall have an Habitation and a Dwelling with him in his Fathers Kingdom they will be made Vessels of Honor to glorifie the Lord Therefore the greatest matter and thing that we can press after in this Life the most profitable the most advantagious of all things is to press after an Inward walking with God through Jesus Christ for saith Christ to his Disciples You that have followed me through the Work of Regeneration it shall be given to you to sit with me in my Fathers Kingdom Now most People believe that these things are true most that are called Christians believe that they are profitable but to pursue and press after them a great many are short in it Some it may be are hindred by the delights and pleasures and vanities of this World others it may be are hindred by some great Excercise that they meet withal and some and some sore Affliction not knowing that Power that carries through and gives Victory and that is the Power of the Lord Jesus Christ so that the Knowledge of Christ is a very profitable thing I look upon it to be as necessary to be Preached to many that call themselves Christians as to a great many that are Heathens for if a Man or Woman profess to be a Christian and be not of a Christian Spirit and Conversation What will it signifie The Instance that the Apostle Paul gives concerning the Heathen will be more prevalent in the Day of the Lord and that is this Rom. 2. 14. For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by Nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the Work of the Law written in their Hearts No doubt but they were accepted of the Lord according to their Integrity and Sincerity The Apostle Paul was an experienced Man and understood the Nature Quality and greatness of the Law of God which was dispenced to the Jews and given them for peculiar Instruction and for a School-Master to bring them to Christ for it was never given to compleat Salvation to any Man without Christ the Apostle tells you it was a School-master till Christ come And if you observe that in the time of the Law the Jews time Christ
upon Earth that we desire besides thee O Lord extend the Riches of thy grace to every one of us in thy dear Son in whom thou art well pleased and turn us from the evil of our ways Lord our Cry is unto thee and our dependance is upon thee thou hast remembred thy People of old and hast remembred us this day thou hast stretched forth thy Almighty Arm in this day of our Visitation and hast shewed us the way of Salvation by Jesus Christ and gathered many into it Powerful Father of Life increase thy little Flock gather the scattered and bring home the lost Sheep of the House of Israel that so a numberless number may be gathered from the four winds say to the North give up and to the South keep not back and bring in thy Sons and thy Daughters from the utmost ends of the Earth And Lord God of Life that which kinders the prosperity of thy work and the spreading of thy Truth and Gospel of thy Dear Son remove it and take it out of the way and put an end to War and Blood shed in thine own time and in thine own way and create Peace on Earth and in thy Churches and let thy Jerusalem be made the praise of the whole Earth and an Eternal Excellency and as the Beauty of all Generations Bring Mankind into the Kingdom of thy dear Son to whom the gathering of the People is to be that so thy name may be glorified and the hearts of thy People opened to honour thy Name for thou alone art worthy of all glory praise and thanksgiving O Lord God of Israel thou hast manifested thy self among thy People in our day that thy Name and Fame may be great in the World and thou hast made thy Gospel to spread from Isle to Isle and from Sea to Sea that so the Earth may be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea that the Glory of the Lord and the spreading of his truth may be from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same Lord God of Life and power bring down the Kingdom of Sin and Satan in this Land and other Lands it is the Sin of this Nation that hath brought misery and calamity upon it and will do more and more the Sins of this Nation have justly provoked thee to send down thy Judgments and to pour out thy displeasure upon the Inhabitants of the Land Let thy mercy be now extended to us and Father of Life be intreated to turn away thy wrath that thy Judgments may not be executed upon the Children of Men Powerful God of Life in this day of our Visitation let thy word go forth and thy Gospel be Preached and let thy light arise and thy Grace be extended that brings Salvation through the dear Son of thy Love unto the Children of Men Lord God of Life when shall the day come that the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of thy dear Son and our Saviour Jesus Christ that he may Reign in Righteousness and Rule in Judgment that the Isles may wait for his Law O Powerful God of Israel arise in thy Glory and let thy Splendor break forth powerfully among all People and let them be thine and enter into an everlasting Covenant with them that shall not be broken let there be a removing Iniquity and a doing away Transgression and Sin Lord bring it down and make the Children of Men weary and heavy laden under it and to groan under the burthen of Sin and cry to thee and seek thee while thou maist be found and call upon thee whiist thou art near give us thy presence at this time we pray thee and draw nigh to us and help us to draw nigh to thee and opâ—n our hearts that we may serve thee and worship thee and thy dear Son And Glorious and Infinite God thou hast extended in a large measure thy grace to us that we might serve thee acceptably and that we and all thy People whom thou hast chosen and set apart for thy self may glorifie thee in our Age and Generation that when our days and time come to be at an end we may live with thee in thy Everlasting Kingdom and sound forth Praises and Hallelujah's unto thee for thou O Lord art worthy to receive Blessing and Honour Glory and Power that sittest upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever For all thy Mercies and Blessings in this Day of our Visitation O make us sensible of thy Goodness and Mercy and Loving kindness to our Souls that we may render to thee Thanksgiving and Praise and Honour and Worship for thou alone art worthy who art God over all from Everlasting to Everlasting Blessed for ever and ever Amen A SERMON Preached by Mr. JOHN BUTCHER At Grace-Church street March 11. 1693. My Friends THE end of our Preaching to you the Principle of the Light within is that you might come to the Knowledge of Christ as he doth appear nigh to you he is come nigh to the Children of Men in our Age that is by his Light Grace Spirit and Truth whereby he doth appear in the hearts of Men and Women Thus our Preaching of him doth agree with his own Testimony I am the Light of the World and he doth exhort all that they should so believe in him Believe in the Light says he that you may be the Children of the Light What is a Child of Light He is such a one as by the Operation of the Power of Christ hath know a being turned turned from what From Darkness unto Light and from the Power of Satan unto the Power of the living God And for this we do labour according to our ability which the Lord is pleased to give to us that People may be turned from darkness unto light and the following words are Explanatory from the Power of Satan unto the Power of the Living God so that it doth appear People have been under the Power of Satan the Evil One that is called the Prince of the Power of the Air he hath a Rule and a Government but in whom In the Children of Disobedience Now the Labour of those Ministers that were in the days of old who were the Preachers of the Gospel and Glad Tidings of the Kingdom they being such Ministers as were of Christ's own making their Labour was to turn People from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to the Power of the Living God that they might be turned from that evil Power and Spirit that Rules and Works in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience who Rebel against the Light that shines in their Hearts and Consciences For the Man of Sin and Worker of Iniquity hath such a power and we all have been in Captivity to him we have all been in Captivity to him we have all been in Bondage to Sin and Satan which God knew and the Apostle takes notice of it saith
he God hath concluded all under Sin we have all been under the Power of the Wicked one For what end hath God concluded all under Sin For what end is it that we might be destroyed No God through Christ the Dear Son of his Love hath extended to you the day of Visitation that you might come to the knowledge of Life and Salvation But wherein may we come to this knowledge it is in that way which God hath ordained even by Christ who is the Way to God Christ Jesus the Eternal Son of God he is the Blessed Mediator and Way to God again What is Gods end in concluding all under Sin was it that he might destroy all the Children of Men that are the Workmanship of his Hands that he hath endued with Rational and Immortal Souls Was it that they might be destroyed No but that he might have mercy upon all Gods end in first Making and Creating of us was that we might Live to his Honour and that we might so live in this World that when we die we might obtain a Life that shall never die and attain to the possession of the Inheritance amongst the Saints in Light which Christ by his precious Blood hath purchased for all them that Love him and give up themselves to be Followers of him Now my Friends the Mercy of God appears so great to all in and through Christ Jesus who is the Light of the World and who is the only Way and as my Friend observed that spake before me we have not another way nor is there any other Name under Heaven by which we can be saved and obtain Eternal Life the Apostle refers this to the Name and Power of our Lord Jesus Christ Well if so be that it is only by the Power of Christ that we must know Salvation where is it that we must attain it How shall we do to be made partakers of it and be saved from thee Wrath of God which shall come-upon the Workers of Iniquity For it 's said the Wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God People hope to escape the Wrath to come and Everlasting Misery by Christ whilst they neglect to improve the present time that is afforded to them to obtain Salvation Christ he is come to Redeem us that we may know Redemption by him from what From Sin for Pollution and Defilement by sin is the cause why People notwithstanding all their Names and Profession of Religion still lie under a secret condemnation in their own Hearts If a man should hold such a fair Profession that none could charge him none condemn him yet if he meet with secret condemnation through all should speak well of him if his own Conscience condemn him He would not have any true peace or satisfaction in his own mind for the Testimony of a good Conscience is more to him than all the favour and friendship of the World The light of Christ if you incline your minds to obey it what will be the effect of it This Light or Spirit of Grace and Truth which is all one is sufficient to Save and Deliver you out of the Temptations and Snares of the Wicked one for we may every day while we are here meet with Trials and Temptations of one kind or other What shall a man do that he may be preserved from the evil of the World there are many Provocations and evils that a man meets with in the World How shall he do to be preserved from them Christ hath made Provision for us in his Prayer John 17. 15. to his Father I Pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the World but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil Christ will preserve me from the evil of the World when a Temptationis presented before me I shall overcome it if I obey the Light of Christ which will shine upon me and shew me that this must be done and that I must leave the other undone In my own Conscience there is something will tell me this thing is evil and I ought not to do it when this Power of Christ comes to be close with For it is an appearance of Love Grace and Mercy but if I do oppose and withstand this Grace and Mercy I may miss of that Power and Strength which is sufficient to overcome and so be overcome by the Temptation The Apostle John tells us As many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe in his Name So that it s they that do Receive Christ and Love his Light and Spirit so as to be led by it that come to know this Power of Christ and thereby an overcoming But if People slight and reject the Grace and Mercy tendered to them hereupon comes that Sentence pronounced by the Prophet Thy Destruction is of thy Self A man may destroy his own Soul by giving way to that which is evil and rejecting that which is good Therefore My Friends Close with that Power which inclines you to that which is good if I mind it and make trial of it I shall find that within me which will incline me to that which is good Though I may find sometimes a corrupt inclination in me to that which is evil yet there is something also that will incline me to do what is required of me why should I reject that which is good Try all things and hold fast that which is good I have tried many things but none will do me so much good as the Grace and Mercy Light and appearance of Christ to me if I mind it and close with it He hath shewed thee O Man what is good saith the Prophet Micah and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God The Lord hath shewed you what is his Will be ye doers of it say then to thy self shall I give way to that which tends to my own Ruine How can I do this wickedness and sin against God Shall I join with the Enemy of my Salvation and yield to his Temptations and Dishonour God and Ruine my Immortal Soul God forbid What you know to be contrary to the Will of God take heed of it Cease to do Evil Learn to do well Be followers of that which is good take up the Cross of Christ Deny your Selves and your own Will know a being Crucified to the World by the Cross of Christ and the World Crucified to you Thus as I said before This is the end of our Preaching to you that noble Principle of the Light within that you might come to the Knowledg of Christ as he doth appear nigh to you and will lead you by his Spirit into all Truth and incline you to that which is good and preserve you from that which is evil when you are tempted to it Why should I join with the Devil that dark Spirit that would draw me to
we know a perserving and holding on in thy way Living Father we pray thee let us feel every day the Conduct of thy Grace and good Spirit that we may admire thy love and praise and glorifie thy great and excellent Name O Powerful God thou blessest the Assemblies of thy People that meet together in the Name of thy Dear Son Jesus Christ for the enjoyment of thy Comfortable Presence Lord blessand Prosper all the Meetings of thy People every where and the labours of those whose mouths thou hast opened to refresh the sorrowful and to bring glad tidings to the poor distressed Needy and weary Souls that would be glad of Rest and deliverance and those in whom thou raisest desires and breathings after the knowledge of thee and thy blessed ways Lord bear up the Hearts of those and strengthen all those good desires and breathings which thou hast begotten in any that they may come to the know ledge of that blessed Rest where thou makest thy Flock to lie down at Noon and feedest them with living Bread and openest a living Fountain to refesh and satisfie their thirsty Souls that they may praise thy great an excellent Name which is pure and precious above every Name Thou hast brought many to the knowledge of it Let thy Truth be exalted and thy Everlasting Gospel be still Preached in the Land of our Nativity and in other Nations for the Day of Grace the time of love is now come and the Day of thy Power is broken out in the midst of us Arise O Lord in thy Power more and more and send forth thy Light and thy Truth that many may be Called and Converted and brought from far from the utmost ends of the Earth to the knowledge of thy self and thy Son Jesus Christ whom to know is Life Eternal and let many arise and praise thy excellent and Glorious Name from the Rising of the Sun to the going down thereof Blessed Father of Life make thy Dear Son Christ more and more known to the World that they may be no longer Enemies but be reconciled to thee by Jesus the Great Mediatour of the New Covenant Lord the way is thine and the work is thine Let truth and Righteousness be brought in more and more and bring down the Kingdom and Man of Sin and the Power of Darkness and make thy Jerusalem the Praise of the Earth We have seen the beginnings of thy glorious Work and the light of thy glorious Heavenly Day thou hast raised and brought in many to walk in the Light and to love thy Holy ways blessed Father of Life our Eyes are unto thee and our dependance is upon thee Whom have we in Heaven but thee And there is none upon Earth that we can desire in comparison of thee Therefore our cry is What shall we do in this World without the enjoyment of thy self In thy presence is fulness of Joy and at thy right Hand are pleasures for evermore Lord thou hast afforded us thy refreshing presence in this our Solemn Meeting Glory and Honor and Living Praises ascend to thy Name which is as a precious Ointment poured forth therefore our Souls do love thee O thou that didst open the Heart of Lydea open the Hearts of all thy People before thee that they may go away with a sense of thy love and kindness towards them Blessed Father of Mercies bless this opportunity to us all that are here before thee and extend thy blessing to the Meetings and Assemblies of all thy People where ever they are one may Plant and another Water but the increase is from thee Our Eyes are towards thee we wait upon thee whether can we go but unto thee who hast the Words of Eternal Life Lord God of Life go a long with us when we are separated one from another and let the sense of thy mercy remain upon our Spirits and be an obligation upon us to walk in Faithfulness Meekness and Humility before thee that being led by by Spirit we may when we have finished our Pilgrimage lay down our Heads in Peace and know an abundant entrance into that Everlasting Kingdom which thou hast prepared for them that love and fear thee And for thy Mercies and Favours Benefits and Blessings which thou hast made us partakers of in and through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Dear Son and our alone Mediatour all living Praises and Glory be rendered to thee for thou alone art worthy who art God over all Blessed for Ever Amen A SERMON Preached by Mr. JOHN VAUGHTON At Grace-Church street April 1st 1694. IT is a great mercy and kindness that God hath been pleased to open the way of Life and Salvation unto the Souls of many People that in this our Day and generation were in great distress for want of the knowledge of it and this knowledge is given unto us through the blessed appearance and Revelation of the Power and Spirit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to which my Friends Blessed be the Name of the Lord we have been turned in our Day and Generation For the Message and Testimony that God raised up his Servants to bear among us in our Day and time who came in the Spirit and Power of our Lord Jesus Christ having been made the Monuments of Gods mercy through Faith in him that died for our Sins and rose again for our Justification That Blessed message and Testimony which they bare among us was in the Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit and Power of the Lord Jesus For they came indeed to Preach the Gospel of Life and Salvation and the way they took to Preach the Gospel to us in our Day was the same way that the Holy Apostle Paul in his Day was sent to Preach the Gospel who said we are sent of God To turn People from Darkness unto Light and from the power of Satan unto God The Holy Apostle he proposed the end for which they were sent to turn the Sons and Daughters of Men from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to the Power of God that they might receive remission of Sins and an Inheritance among them which are Sanctified through Faith which is in Christ Jesus O Friends This Faith in Christ it is a living Faith it is a Faith of the operation of God God worketh it in us by his own Spirit and Power there are many that pretend to have Faith in Christ that are strangers to the operation of the Power and Spirit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and so do not know nor are made partakers of that Faith which worketh by Love that giveth them Victory over the World and preserveth them and keepeth them out of the Evil of the World Now Friends it is my desire that you may turn from Darkness unto Lighâ— That you may all believe in Christ and walk in him that you may be sensible that the Blood of Jesus Christ the Dear and Blessed Son of God cleanseth from