of God and the Divine assistance vouchsafed unto me In my Flesh dwells nothing that is good But if you take me as one that hath Faith in Christ the Mediatour this Faith embraceth the tender of the Love of God in the Redeemer And when I have this Faith there dwels a good thing in me and from this good thing that dwels in me there flows forth good words and good actions then you come to be acquainted with a Power greater than your own and if you will trust in it you will be able to withstand Temptations And when you are Tempted to any Sin you will not be only able to withstand the Temptation but to overcome it too and to be more than Conquerors in your Spiritual Warfare This relying upon and trusting in the Power of God is that which we call Faith and this Faith is the Operation of God To speak in plain words God will operate upon thy mind and make thee know that this is his Power his Light and Truth and Grace by which he would save thee And after God hath wrought and operated upon thee in this manner it is thy Duty then to believe in it to put thy Trust and Confidence in it to be delivered But though Faith be offered unto me yet it is not forced upon me God hath offered Faith to all all men but he doth not force it upon all men All have an opportunity offered to them if they will but joyn with it they may have Faith wrought in them and be fitted and prepared for the Kingdom of God There are many that are convinced of the Truth of the Doctrine that we Preach to them but they do not get into the Power of Truth they will hear us Preach of the Power of Truth and will hear what this man saith and what the other man saith and this will serve their turn that they may talk of Religion and make a Profession But they do not seek after that Power that should enable them To work out their own Salvation These persons grow in knowledge but they do not grow in Grace they will embrace Truth as far as Doctrines and Words will go they have Professed it and they have suffered Reproach for it and yet they have not received the Truth in the Love of it they cannot reach to the Power of it they glory in their knowledge and their understanding but they come not to that which sanctifies them they are not able to resist the Devil and to stand against his Temptations when a Temptation comes they joyn with it but they cannot withstand it They come to the knowledge of Truth in Words but they come not to the knowledge of the Power of it in ther Hearts and Minds so as to make them prepared vessels for Gods Honour God is more dishonoured by them than by those that never Professed his Name They fall into the Temptation of the Devil and never discern the Operation of Gods Power in their own Hearts 2. There is another Errour as great as this there are a great many that when the Lords Power hath wrought in their Hearts and they have Truth opened to them in the Power of it yet they have not believed in it they have not had Faith wrought in their Hearts they have not trusted in nor relyed upon the Power so they are weak and feeble they have little Faith which is next to none at all If they have never so much knowledge how easily can the Devil tempt them to Sin if they have not true Faith This is the Victory saith the Apostle that overcomes the World even your Faith This is not my Victory that I see the Subtilty and Wiles of Satan and know much but that which is my Victory is my Faith My trust is in the Power of God and my relyance upon him who is God mightier than all the strength of Men and Devils that God who knows my Heart If I be faithful to him and rely upon him by Faith I shall resist the Devil and withstand his Temptations I might get Victory over them This Power you may have by the Gospel but then you must be true to the Power of it in your selves for I do distinguish between the Gospel as it is a Doctrine and Word Preached and an Invisible Divine Power working upon Men by the Preaching of the Gospel you will all hear the Gospel Preach'd though you be never so proud and huffy and you will say it is true but you can never come to the saving knowledge of the Gospel it self till you find it working inwardly upon your selves We do not pretend to any power of opening Mens hearts as God opened the heart of Lidia but when People come to wait upon God with a serious and religious Mind you will find the Power of the Word working effectually upon you and so the Gospel will become the Power of God to your Salvation This is and shall be my Prayer for all Religious Assemblies that the Lord will be pleased to teach them by his invisible word and beget living desires in them towards himself and bring them to an esteem of Holiness and Righteousness that they may adorn the Gospel of Christ by living Gospel Lives for want of this what dishonour have Men brought to God and what reproach upon the Gospel O that People would come to hear the word Preached with desires to profit by it and say Lord do me some good this day give me a powerful refreshing Visitation at this time give me some living experience of thy Almighty Power working upon my heart that I may not be led by this Mans Word and that Mans Opinion for if they mistake I shall be mistaken but if I build my Faith upon what God in his word reveals to me I shall infallibly know what I am to Believe and Practice and I shall receive from God some good thing and shall know what is the good and acceptable will of God I shall find that there is Power in the Gospel for building me up in my most Holy Faith and that it is Mighty through God for the pulling down of strong holds of Sin and Satan and I shall see the Salvation of God brought near to me When the Gospel becomes the Power of God and worketh upon the Hearts of Men by the operation of the Divine Power they may distinguish between that Faith that is built upon the Declarations of Men and that which is wrought by the Revelation and discovery of the mind of God in their own Souls this is that which we may bottom upon and have an Anchor sure and stedfast in our own Souls when we depend upon Christ the Rock of Ages both of this Age and all other Ages my Faith must be placed upon him and when I hear the word of a Man I must have an eye to God that will reveal his power in my heart this will make me believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and to receive that
so you and I are these Trees 'till we have something good in our selves we cannot bring forth good Fruit. Therefore you must have respect to the Principle of Sanctification in your own hearts and turn you to what you may feel an experience of in your selves some Principle of Grace and Light in your hearts that can distinguish between good thoughts and evil thoughts Is this good for me to do I will go on in it with faith and courage but if it be evil I will not touch with it though there be profit and pleasure to allure and draw me to it I will not touch with it though I might gain the World by it Here is Christianity with Life and Soul in it we have been scandalized as if we Preached up Errour for Justification We say there is no Justification without Sanctification so you that know the Power live it and you that desire to know turn your minds to the Light and Grace of God and you will feel the Power that will oppose Sin in its Motion and it will never trouble you in its Action and Workings If I would not do ill to my Neighbour and I judge such a Motion when it is suggested it will never troâ—ble my Conscience because when the Devil moâ—â—d me to it I rejected it I would not follow him It is no Sin to be tempted for our Saviour that was perfectly Holy and free from all Sin was yet tempted he had motions in his mind but he withstood them and resisted the Devil in all his Temptations Christ was tempted that he might be able to succour us when we are tempted and he will do it for all those that wait for him Therefore Friends trust in the Name of the Lord and you shall feel the stirrings of that Power that Hath called you out of darkness into the Marvellous light of the Sun of Righteousness wherein you live and which will shine to his Immortal Glory and Praise and the Everlasting comfort of your Immoral Souls Sermon III. The Spirit of Christ the only True Guide Preached at Grace-Church-Street October 29. 1690. YOU that are met together in the name of the Lord and have your expectation from God and are really waiting to receive a blessing from his Bountiful hand you are they to whom the Lord will communicate the good things of his kingdom and instruct you in the Divine knowledge which the wisdom of this World cannot find out you shall have your portion in the blessings prepared for you and laid up in Christ for you to be handed forth to you from Day to Day for your support And hereby you have been preserved kept alive unto this Day You have received your Nourishment Divine and Spiritual Refreshment always in the presence of God when you have been out of his Presence you have met with troubles and darkness hath Gendered upon your Minds and Vailed and Clouded your Understandings that you have been sometimes in danger to lose your way until you have returned again unto the Great Shepherd and Overseer of your Souls by whom you have had Access unto God You that have had these experiences O! Let your Hearts and Souls be engaged to continue together in one Heart and one Mind serving the Lord and waiting upon him for something that may do you good that may strengthen you and confirm you in the present Truth For there are a great many that are convinced that do yet want establishment there are a great many that know the Truth yet cannot be brought to abide in it but are sometimes drawn out of it and then they meet with trouble in their minds and Distress and Anguish lays hold upon them and they do not enjoy that Tranquility and Peace and that Inward Joy which they believe others do enjoy â—t the same time and which they might have enjoyed if they had abode stedfast in the Truth Now what is it that will establish such a one but their waiting upon God to receive Power from him to resist the Temptations and the manifold Wiles and Snares of their Souls Enemy whereby they are daily in danger to be drawn away from God drawn out of the way You know Friends how the Lord brought us into this Exercise of waiting upon him by making us sensible that there was none could help us but him Teachers we have always had and Men that have spoken of God spoken of his Power and spoken of his Wisdom but how to dwell in that Power and stand established in it as at all times to resist the Power of the wicked one this is that which no man can help us to and upon this account it was that the Lords People were fain to cleave close to him and by Faith to have their dependance upon him and cry in their Souls Lord unless thou establish me I shall never be established The confirming power that stayes and settles their minds upon the Lord it comes from him it is handed to us through the Lord Jesus Christ whom we have believed in they that kept their Faith in him have had longings and breathings of Soul that they might receive some Divine blessing by him through him So that they that meet together in this mind they feel a settlement in the Truth as it is manifested and revealed in them and goes down into thâ— deep where Unity is known where they are of one mind and the Soul is made capable of putting forth strong Cries to God and Living Breathings Prayers to God that he will teach them how they shall profit how they shall grow how they shall serve him and honour him in their Day that he will reveal his Power in them to expel any Darkness or Vail that hath been gathered upon their minds that doth hinder them from beholding so much glory and excellency in the Truth and in the Ways of God as at sometime they have beheld And so these are Travellers that are Travelling with the Lord in Faith to receive a blessing at his hands Their minds are not left to this or that or the other man or to meer words or visible things but they feel the word of Truth answering the Truth in themselves and they receive comfort and benefit because they find a blessing to arise in them These words reach my Soul these administer help to me and I am comforted in them because I find those works working in me or wrought in me For Alas my Friends you know many of you some hear the word and the Declarations in the Word are but sounds unto them that have no experience of the work that is signified by the word so many such people do hear the lovely sound and they are affected many times to hear talk of the work of Regeneration and of the enjoyments of Gods people and how they are born up in all their Tryals by an inward and divine Power and how they are always kept alive to God and preserved in his
thy heart and thy chief Love If he had been thy God nothing could disquiet thee when separated from thee If ye will have other Gods besides him you will lose your Gods when they are taken from you and you will be like Micah and say ye have taken away my Gods and what have I more Judg. 18.24 The reason of your discomposure and anguish and sorrow was this when you had some other Gods besides the Lord and your hearts did cleave to some temporary thing and that when the Trial comes that thou must part with it thou canst not bear it If you would live a Serene Life a Life of Tranquility set your minds upon nothing but upon the Lord let him be the object of your Souls love live in the light of his Countenance and you may always rejoyce Consider as for Temporals you hold them of the Lord God gives you this Husband that Wife that Child that Estate God hath entrusted you with it but not so but he that hath it must part with it and be bereaved of it when God pleaseth Now if you give up your hearts to God here will be your establishment and settlement and you will have an an abundant entrance into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And would we seek to know and feel wherein the Communion of the Saints stands doth it not stand in partaking together of the Bread of Life which our Father giveth us from Heaven The Father spreads a Table for us in the sight of our Enemies and we are satisfied They that come to partake of this Table of the Lord find strength and refreshment so do I and also my Brethren and Sisters that sit at the same Table We are daily confirmed and strengthned by what we receive from God and enjoy there here is our Heavenly Fellowshâ—p and Society and where this is the root of Love Love cannot be wanting in the branches There must be a departing from the Bread of Life before there can be any jarring and contention among the Members of the same body for we receive Life from the same Head from which all the Body by joynts and bands having Nourishment ministred and knit together increase with the increase of God and are built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the Chief Corner-Stone in whom all the Building fitly framed together groweth unto a Holy Temple in the Lord. Now that you may be all preserved in Christ this is the end of our Labour that so every one that hath begun in the Spirit may go on in the Spirit and never look for perfection in the Flesh That you that have begun in humility tenderness and brokenness of heart may in that meet together at times and seasons and have daily the presence of God among you and have that Bread of Life which will nourish you to Life Everlasting and that you may shew forth to the World the Glory Brightness and Excellency of that Holy Life which in Christ Jesus is manifested to you Sermon IV. Pure and Spiritual Worship Preached at Devonshire-House Novemb. 12. 1690. THE Worship of God of the Great God is Pure he is a Holy God Of Purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity and all they who will Worship God whose Souls are breathing to have the return of a Testimony in his sight must offer Pure Worship and it must come from that which is Pure For that purpose the greatness of the Love of God is made manifest in Christ Jesus and there is a diffusing of his Grace and Vertue in the Hearts of the Sons and Daughters of Men whereby he hath laid a Foundation for his own Worship because his Worship must be Pure Therefore he hath freely given unto us through his Son the knowledge of that Pure Principle of Life and Grace from whence and out of which all true Worship doth Spring and all true honour to God ariseth and real obedience to his Holy Will springs forth out of that which is from himself And therefore all that will be Worshipers of God aright must first know and be sensible wherein the ability and capacity stands that may enable them to so great and so good a work Some have conceived it to stand in their own Will and according to the working of their own Will they have framed Worships Religions and Observations thinking thereby to please God But you know the Apostle in a few short words lays down a positive Christian Doctrine Without Faith it is impossible to please God Now this doth declare and signifie that there must be something upon which this Faith must work that must be the Object and Foundation of it Faith as it worketh in the Creature worketh upon something It lays hold upon something in which there is a capacity of pleasing God Now if we are all by Nature Children of Wrath and that no one of himself can please God then there must be something that is Supernatural that must be the Object of that Faith by which men alone can please God and this must be made manifest to the Creature for its help for to be its director and supporter in that work that is too mighty for himself too great a work for a Man or Woman too deep too profound for any Mans Abilities Power Wisdom and Acquirements that he can attain to in this World to Worship God aright To Worship God that is to perform a Pure Worship to a Pure God Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Now if we are all obliged to bring a clean Worship a pure Worship to a Pure and Holy God who hath Created us and all things where shall we have it Not out of an unclean Heart not out of a defiled Mind there is no bringing of it forth from thence for that is the state and condition that men are fallen into by Sin in which their minds and Consciences are defiled their Hearts are polluted and their Affections depraved and set upon wrong Objects and in this state none can serve God aright That which is Pure and Holy must be first made known revealed discovered and believed before People can perform a Right Worship to God And therefore in vain is it to go and drive People to this and that Worship and force People to this and that Service and Conformity upon the account of the Worship of God This is vain Worship when they have done all it is not acceptable to God the poor Creature hath no Return from the Lord for God accepts no Service or Worship but only through his Son And if so be men cannot Pray and Preach in the Spirit of his Son and cannot present their Complaints and Supplications to God but by the assistance and help of his blessed Spirit there is no reason in Religion why People should expect a return and answer from God of the Prayers they make For it is the General Doctrine of Christendom that Christ
their subjection to the Divine Power that hath opened their Understandings when they come into the World again they are ensnared and entangled and many times for want of watchfulness through a looseness of mind and unruliness of their tongue they run into anger and passion and this grieves the Holy Spirit of God And how should you come to God through the Mediatour when you grieve his Spirit and quench the motions of it These things have been hurtful to many that for their time might have been Pillars in the House of God Take heed of this and let the goodness of God dwell upon your minds that you may feel and experience the inward administrations of it there are many that are much affected with the outward Ministry and are very desirous to hear the Servants of God declare the things that God hath wrought for them and in them and the wonderful things that God hath opened to them yet when you have heard all that Men can say about it if the Divine Ministry of the word of God doth not make powerful impressions upon you and sanctify and renew your Souls the outward Ministry of the Word will do you no good Now that you may be established in the truth that you have been taught this Testimony ariseth in me to desire every one to heed and attend to the manifestation of this Life of Jesus in your selves Whatsoever God hath bestowed upon me or another you may perish for all that and I am not the better for what God hath bestowed upon you but may perish notwithstanding but that God hath manifested Eternal Life to my Soul let that be every ones Center this will make you holy and blameless and preserve you in every State and in the hour of Temptation and in the midst of Snares this will be a Bulwark to you this will 〈◊〉 as the Walls of Sion which is the Salvation of the Lord. That so you may be preserved sensible of the goodness of the Lord That Grace Mercy and Peace may be multiplied in your bosoms this will make you dear and affectionate one to another Though there may be an external Fellowship among those that Preach and profess the same Doctrine yet when they break off from that when once Men depart from the power of truth they grow stubborn and rebellious but when Men come to be gathered into the inward Fellowship that stands not in terms and words but in the Revelation of Christ and in the Participation of his vertue and goodness the more you are united in this the more you are Knit one to another and become one and useful and helpful one to another The Lord vouchsafe to every one of you a tast of his goodness and you will prefer it above all that the Devil and his Instruments can present but if you retire more into this Heavenly and Divine Life of Jesus you will feel and enjoy more Peace and Satisfaction and true Consolation in your Souls than I or any Man in the World can tell you of Sermon VI. The Kingdom of God within Preached at Grace Church Street July 26. 1691. YOU have read and heard much concerning the Day of the Lord as a Great and Notable Day many of you are now Living Witnesses that the Great and Notable Day of the Lord is coming in which the Accomplishment of Great and Notable Things the Mighty Works of God which have been Prophesied of may be lawfully expected It is the work of every Christian to wait upon the Lord in the light of this Day and to be acquainted with the Works of the Lord both inwardly and outwardly for the Day of the Lord is a Day of Power and that Power of God worketh wonderful things and if we are not kept in the light of that Day the Lord may work great things and we not know â—t we shall be looked upon as careless and negligent Witnesses of the Works of the Lord as those that do not regard them If you would be Faithful Witnesses you must have regard to the Works of the Lord â—nd the Operation of his hands One that â—s minded to be a Faithful Witness he will â—ake notice of what is said and done you â—re called to be Witnesses of the Works of â—he Lord Jesus Christ and of his doings â—ou must stand where you may hear and see â—nd understand what the Lord is about â—o do at this time In your Testimony and Witness-bearing â—he greatest thing we have to expect in this Day of the Lord is that God will set up â—he Kingdom of his Son Christ Jesus and â—nto this all the Prophets did bear witness â—n their time and now it is our turn to bear witness of it by sensible and living expeâ—iences of the accomplishment of those things â—hat they Prophesied of that the Lord will â—et up the Kingdom of Christ and bring â—own and lay wast the Kingdom of Antiâ—hrist This our Saviour taught his Disciples â—o pray for Sixteen Hundred Years ago that the Kingdom of God might come and all the true Disciples of Christ ever since have prayed for the coming of his Kingdom and many of them have seen the coming of it and rejoyced and others have died in the Faith of it and have been gathered into the Kingdom of Heaven But my Friends that which chiefly concerns us at this Day is to behold the Kingdom of Christ the Eternal Son of God within us to go forward and prosper and the Kingdom of Antichrist suppressed and destroyed and utterly laid wast and this is wrought two ways 1. inwardly 2. outwardly First inwardly there is a greater inclination in the minds of People to look more at the operation of Gods power in this great work outwardly than to look at it inwardly but unto that there must be a daily Cross taken up and it is my business at this time to tell you in the Name of the Lord that your Duty and mine is to turn our minds to the working of the Power of God in our selves and to see that other Kingdom of the Man of Sin weakned and brought down within us and the Kingdom of the Son of God set up within us then there is no fear but he will carry on his work outwardly and we shall see as much of that work as belongs to our Generation but the great Matter and chief Concernment of you and me is to see the Kingdom of God set up within us which stands in Holiness and Righteousness our business is to wait till we see the Righteousness of this Kingdom set up within us in our Hearts and Souls and to have a real change made We all know and we must confess that we have been subject to the Man of Sin whatsoever we are now We have seen the Reign and Government the Rage and Tyranny of the Wicked one that hath led us into Rebellion and Disobedience to the Lord our Maker how do we like that Government to be Ruled by the
God that love any other way or think to come to God any other way than by Jesus the Mediatour their labour will be lost therefore I must exhort and perswade you that are out of the way that you would take Gods method and come into Gods way The torments I have told you are made already the bargain is not to make now I will give you so much to be at peace with God or I will part with this and the other thing that is dear to me No the Agreement is made between God and Christ and his Covenant is ordered in all things and sure and his Covenant stands sure with none but those that are in Christ Jesus There was a Covenant made with Abraham In thy seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed The promises made to the Seed that is to those that are in Christ the Faithful are counted the Seed now the Faithful art those that are obedient to Christ who is the seed of the promise in whom all the Families of the Earth are blessed They must come to Christ the seed they must not rebel against him they must come to him and believe in him be there never so many Nations and Families in the World the Promise is not to them but to as many as the Lord our God shall call Here is the way for People to lay hold of for coming into acquaintance with God which is of so great necessity before they die they must come to Christ himself by his Spirit in their own hearts We need not go to this and the other Learned Man and inquire of this and the other sort of People but we must cry to God for help and direction and come unto him and give up all the powers and faculties of our Souls to him to be governed by him God will have Servants that will be obedient to him if ever we come to obtain Salvation we must have another Master one is your Master even Christ I must come under the government of Christ and he must lead me and rule me if I will be a Child of God When People come to see there is no effectuaâ— way but submitting to the grace of God in theiâ— own hearts and yielding themselves up to the dictates of the Spirit of Christ in their Souls when they come to this there are many hazards and difficulties to be encounter'd with there is the appearance of the Cross of Christ and we must takâ— up this Cross if we will follow Christ and be obedient in all things unto him This is that which wiâ— kill all my pleasures lay wast all my Religion anâ— destroy all my hopes I must be like a Man thaâ— hath built a house without a good foundation must pull it all down again and I must come tâ— build again upon a new foundation Here many have turned aside the Cross of Christ hath seemed to them so sharp and hard and intollerable that they could not bear it they would not be at the charge of such a Religion what must I part with all my delights and my beloved lusts and pleasures and all my interests in the world for Christ I cannot part with these these things lie in my way I must rather lose my Soul than part with what is so grateful to me and joyn with the light of mine own Conscience and the truth in my inward parts What must not I have so much as liberty of thought What must my thoughts be regulated by that which is so cross and repugnant to my mind Must I throw out all evil thoughts out of my heart and suffer none but good thoughts to remain there Who can stand here Who can bear such strictness as this Rather than endure this I will chuse to lose my Soul many have lost the Truth on this account and many are in danger to lose their Souls If there be in you Sirs any desire of peace with God that you may not go hence before you have attained it take hold of the present opportunity hardness of heart is a desperate plague it comes from a long obstinate continuance in sin when we have withstood the day of Gods Patience and Long-Suffering and grieved the Holy Spirit of God then God giveth us up to our own Hearts Lusts because we will not hearken to the voice of the Charmer charm he never so wisely when we stop our ears and will not attend to the Calls of God when Men will go on and nothing can stop them in the career of their Lusts and Pleasures but they will retain their Carnal Delights and Friendship with the World this hardness of heart is a desperate plague take heed of it that it doth not overtake you and bring ruine and destruction upon you Consider the Patience and Long-suffering of God and let his goodness lead you to Repentance Consider God hath waited to be gracious to you he hath exercised much long-suffering and patience towards you whereas he might have cut you off long ago given you your Portion with the damned in Hell but he hath hearkned to the Mediatouâ— that hath pleaded for you he hath extended his patience and Long-suffering to the Wicked and Rebellious also and for this reason the Apostle tells us that Christ is the Saviour of all Men especially of them that believe Now the Patience and Long-suffering of God hath been lengthned out to us all and we have noâ— improved it Conscience hath been sensible of the inward stroaks and rebukes of God for sin and oâ— the inward calls of his Grace to bring us to Repentance but we have not regarded those Calls noâ— hearkned to the voice of God so as to hear that our Souls might live O let us not put off our Repentance any longer but to day while it is called to day let us hear his voice and not harden our hearts but be of a tender heart let our hearts be softned and entendered under the word of God and under the stroaks of his Judgments If ever the Lord bring you unto a tender frame you will receive the word of God with meekness and mix it with Faith then it will work effectually to the amendment of youâ— Lives it will work Faith in those that are Unbelievers and strengthen the Faith of those that Believe Then we shall have cause to bless the Lord and Praise and Magnifie his Great Name for hiâ— Patience Long-suffering and Mercy which at thiâ— Day he hath lengthned out and graciously extended to us Sermon X. True Christianity Preached at Grace-Church street April 10. 1692. THE Institution of the Christian Religion was for this purpose that Holiness and Righteousness might be brought forth in the Earth that God through his Son Jesus Christ might take delight in the Sons and Daughters of Men that they be reconciled to him For that which the Law could not do by reason of its weakness God hath had a purpose to do by his Son and to him he gave
the evil of their ways that so he may bring forth holiness and righteousness and redeem a people from under the Bondage of Sin and fit them for the Kingdom of his Father and to use the Apostles words present them before the Throne of God without spot and blameless he will purifie them and sprinkle them from an evil Conscience their bodies being washed with pure Water he will sanctifie the Creature his Word is nigh them and in their Hearts he begins a good Work in many and will carry it on in one and in another Here lies the chief Work it is the good hand of God must work all our works in us and for us according to the good pleasure of his will work in you a willingness to bear the Cross of Christ and to deny your selves he will operate for you for this purpose therefore you must commit your selves to him It is not our Preaching which will Convert Men to God but it is the word of God that is pure which Converts the Soul to God and that cleanseth and fits and prepares it for the Kingdom of Heaven Psalm 19.7 We must come to the word of God that will convince us reprove us strengthen encourage illuminate us and do in us and for us all that we stand in need of to him be all the praise that worketh all in you and prepares you to be a Peculiar People to himself To the word of his Grace I commit you all take heed of doing any thing contrary to it if you do that which would be your Comfort will be your Condemnation His Prayer after Sermon BLessed God and Father of Life thou art Glorious in Holiness Infinite in Power the Eternal God thy Dominion is an everlasting Dominion thy Kingdom is without end O Lord we bless and praise thy Glorious Name that thou hast made known thy self among the Sons and Daughters of Men thou bast revealed to us in thy word the manner of the coming of thy Kingdom among us in setting up Righteousness and Truth and throwing down iniquity Powerful God of Life subject the Minds and Hearts of all thy People to thy Divine power and pleasure and let the dread of thy self rest upon our Spirits that every one of us may fear to Sin against thee and to do despite to thy Spirit the Spirit of thy Grace that we may every one of us turn from our iniquities the evil of our hearts and ways that we may praise thee in the Land of of the Living and may become faithful witnesses of that Salvation which thou hast wrought for us and for all them that believe Powerful God of Life the Souls of thy People which thou hast gathered out of the World do praise and magnifie thy Name for what they have seen and for what thou hast wrought thou hast wonderfully appeared in thy love and brought Salvation near and gathered many into it it is become a Wall and a Bulwark to them that they are defended from the Evil One and from the evils of the world O dearest God of Life raise up poor and needy Souls out of the dust that they may serve thee and obey thee and do thy will and shew forth thy power and strength in their weakness and infirmity that they may trust in thee and rely upon thee in the time of their distress Blessed Father of life and power give grace to the humble and meek and teach them in thy way We have had experience O Lord of thy fulfilling thy promises thou art still fulfilling of them to all that truly wait upon thee thou hast begun a good work wilt thou carry it on to the praise and exaltation of thy great name Blessed Father reveal thy Power more and more in the Nations round about that they that long after the life of the living God may come and find thee and behold thy Divine appearance through the Son of thy Love in their own Spirits that so they may receive thy word and thy word may quicken them to stand up from the dead and live for it is the living the living O Lord that praise thee that honour thy Name that offer praise and glorifie thee O Blessed Father of Life carry on thy great work with power throughout all the Earth gather a remnant of thy seed that are scattered and bring them home into the Kingdom of thy dear Son that we may praise thee together and rejoyce in thy Name Dear Father thou hast saved this Nation the Land of our Nativity to this day by a wonderful power by thy powerful arm our Souls are deeply sensible of the stretching forth of thy Almighty hand in our preservation at this day so living Father if it be thy heavenly pleasure lengthen forth our Tranquility and the enjoyment of thy mercy and goodness to the Inhabitants thereof that they may learn to fear thee and turn to thee with their whole hearts and break off by true Repentance from all those sins that grieve thy Holy spirit that so living Father of life they may come to walk in Love and in Vnion with the heavenly Power and have Concord one with another and shew forth the Power of thy Grace manifested to them and magnifie thy love and power and give thee honour and renown for that great salvation that thou hast wrought for them that so thy great name may be exalted and thy will may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven that the Souls of thy People may be refreshed with thy love and the joys of thy presence and the revelation of thy Heavenly power for this Living Praises and Christian Thanksgivings we offer up to thee in and through the Lord Jesus Christ for thou art worthy of all Praise and Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen FINIS A Catalogue of Books Printed for Nath-Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey near Cheapside History 1. ENglands Monarchs Or A Compendious Relation of the most remarkable Transactions from Julius Caesar to this present adorned with Poems and the Picture of every Monarch from K. Will. the Conqueror to K. Will. and Q. M. With a List of the Nobility and the number of the Lords and Commons in both Houses of Parliament Pr. one shilling 2. THE History of the House of Orange Or a Brief Relation of the Glorious Atchievements of his Majesties Renowned Predecessors and likewise of His own Heroick Actions till the late wonderful Revolution Together with the History of K. W. and Q. M. Being an impartial Account of the most Remarkable Passages from Their Majesties Happy Accession to the Throne to this time By R. B. Pr. 1 s. 3. THE History of the two late Kings Charles the II. and James the II. being an Impartial Account of the most remarkable Transactions and observable passages during their Reigns and the secret French and Popish Intrigues and Designs managed in those times Pr. one shilling 4. THE History of Oliver Cromwel being an Impartial Account of all
didst to thy People of old O Living God of Life thou hast ordained a remnant to give up themselves to be led by it thou regardest them and art with them and they enjoy from time to time thy Holy Presence which makes glad their Souls and they have Fellowship and Communion with thee and thy Son through thy Spirit by which they are quickned to offer up pure and living Praises upon thine Altar O living God of love and life thou hast shed abroad thy love upon their hearts by which they are enabled to pray for their Enemies that they may come to enjoy Salvation and the pleasures which are at thy right hand which are infinitely better than all the Pleasures of this vain World Holy and powerful Father have respect to all our Souls and touch all our Hearts with a sense of thy Divine Love that we may feel the Cords of thy Love drawing our Souls nearer to thy self and assuring us that thou hast a gracious purpose to save us O Powerful God of Life shew forth thy Power that our Hearts may be touched and quickned thereby to come to fear thee and reverence thy Name and be acquainted with thy Operation in their own Hearts that they may be humbled and broken before thee and bow down and Worship in the sincerity and uprightness of their Hearts so Holy God of Life if it be thy pleasure none may depart out of this Assembly without some sense of thy Love and feeling of the Powerful Drawings of thy Grace and without being raised up to purity of Heart and convinced of the evil of every thing that is contrary to thee and serve thee in Holiness and Righteousness and pursue it with all their Hearts and Minds and Soul and Strength that thou mayst have mercy on them and pardon their Iniquity and love them freely for so thou hast ordained in thy Son Jesus Christ that we may receive Remission of Sins through the Belief of thy Everlasting Truth and Holy Powerful God of Life that all thy People may partake of Holiness and Sobriety to the praise of thy Name and that they may all come to obtain a Victory over all those Spiritual Enemies that War against their Souls that thy Holy Work of Redemption and Regeneration may be carried on to the praise of thy Grace and the exaltation of thy Holy Name to whom Praise belongs Honour belongs and Wisdom belongs and pure and humble Thanksgivings and unto thee the Living God of Life we desire to offer our Praises and Adorations for thou alone art Worthy who art God over all blessed for ever and ever Amen Sermon II. Bearing the Cross of Christ the true mark of a Christian Preached at Devonshire-House Octob. 12. 1690. HE that knoweth 〈…〉 the Lord and the stretching forth of his Arm is quickned to feel the Power that is in Christ Jesus the Head of the Church that so he may be enabled through his Power to bring forth Fruit unto God The Eye of the Lord is upon you all and he expects at the hand of every one that they bring forth Fruit unto God that according to the aboundings of his Mercy towards you and of his patience and long suffering concerning you there might at last be an answer in the Soul of every one unto the mercy and goodness of God they that do not know and experience this that the long suffering and patience of God leadeth unto Repentance they know no part of Christianity let them make their profession never so high and proclaim their notions never so loud they that know not the Work of Repentance wrought in their hearts as yet need to Learn the first Principles of the Christian Religion You know it hath been the Custom of People to learn their Children Principles and they that have learned their Principles they go for Christians whether they repent or no though they go on in Sin and Iniquity all their days yet they go under the Reputation of Christians and it is high time to examine and find out if you can a reason for this that a Man should be accounted a Christian upon any other terms now in this age than the Lord Christ did Preach and Publish in the days of his flesh for he did absolutely deny that any Man could be his Disciple without taking up a daily Cross and without self-denial Now how should a Man at this day be a Christian or a Disciple of Christ without taking up a daily Cross and without self-denial It may be some will tell me that they are Baptized into the Christian Faith and have been taught and have made a profession of Christian Principles and associated themselves among those that make a profession of Christ but here is not a word of a daily Cross in all this nor of self-denial so that they would have you to understand in this that the terms of Christianity are changed and that Men may be Christians without the terms of Christ or at least reputed so And this hath been occasioned by the great Apostacy that hath been brought into the Church by a long night of darkness and by the revealing of Antichrist Antichrist hath been discovered and revealed and hath set up in despight of Christianity a false Christianity and there came in the terms of a Mans being accepted and reputed a Christian upon Antichrists terms and if you will conform to do thus and say so you shall be admitted into the Christian Society now all these terms of Antichrist have been such things as an unregenerate Man could conform to and comply with And the opening of this door hath let into the Church abundance of Hypocrites and Evil doers because they were able in their unregenerate state to conform to those things that were required for in the publick Society of Christians it was not said you must be regenerate and take up a daily Cross and deny your selves and walk as becometh Saints and so behave your selves that God may be glorified and the profession of Christianity honoured by you these were the terms of old but there are other terms of a later date of being Christians Now seeing this Apostacy hath prevailed and spread over whole Nations and Countries not a few so that whole Kingdoms have become Christians upon these later terms and God is greatly dishonoured among us and Christ the Holy one most horribly prophaned among us It is not so common among Heathens and Infidels to find People wronging and deceiving one another and killing and destroying one another and yet it is the practice of many that are called Christians these are the fruits and effects of those later times of Christianity Now seeing it is thus which no mortal man can deny I have this Question to ask and I desire that you would seriously weigh it in your Hearts and Souls both while you are together and when you are separate one from another whether it is not high time for all of us to return again to
living presence but this doth not bear them up in a time of Tryal but if a Tryal or an Affliction comes they sink under it and they are filled with anguish and perplexity so that the word barely heard spoken and heard and not rooted in the mind doth not minister to the work the words spoken do not carry that kind of operation upon them as to witness an inward work wrought upon them But where there is an effectual work and operation in the Soul it continues in its labour and travel from Death to Life And as those Heavenly things those Divine operations of Gods Power are spoken of there is an Amen in your Souls saying as far as you have travelled thus hath God dealt with me he hath indeed by his power carried some beyond my State and Condition and my Faith is hereby strengâ—hned and my Hope is confirmed he that hath begun a good work so graciouslâ— in my Soul will carry on his own work and bring me to higher attainments and further experiences that some of his Servants bear witness of So that now being exercised the work goes on and the pleasure of the Lord prospereth in Christians that when they meet together in the name of the Lord they know for themselves that the Lord is present with them they know what the word of the Lord is unto them if they hear the word preached to another State and Condition then what is their State and Condition yet they abide in and keep that which makes manifest to them their own State and this suffers not the Soul to be carried away with the word and sight and vision of a higher state than their Faith can witness to and they keep low and humble and tender and have a care of their own Souls as the Apostle when he was come to glorious and high attainments in the work of the Lord yet he would not glory of any thing but what the grace of God wrought in him We do not boast of things that are not wrought it us It is possible for the Creature to gather in and comprehend the form of things that they have not the work of in them and a great many have done so to their great damage and some it is to be feared to their utter ruine They have comprehended high things and the notions of great attainments they have heard them declared and spoken of thus and so and some have in their speculations declared to others their Conceptions about those things yet those things were never wrought in them they could Preach of humiliation when the root of Pride was not removed they could Preach of Regeneration and the Old Man not put off and the New Man Created in Righteousness not put on All this kind of Preaching hath been in the World and is still too much in World but it hath not produced and brought forth any profit and advantage to the Soul either to Preacher or Hearer for it hath not been accompanied with a Divine and Heavenly Blessing but the true Ministry Ordained of God brings forth a work of Holiness and Righteousness in the Soul And therefore every one that God hath thus reached and hath opened your understandings and hath made you capable of comprehending and of understanding Divine Things take heed lest by the subtilty of Satan and the wiles of your great Enemy you be at any time lifted up and exalted in your Minds in the notion of the things that you have not attained not that you should not so understand the things of God that God openeth to you as they are many times opened to the Creature before the work of them is in the heart of the Creature and why so Why are they opened to me It is for thy encouragement that if thou dost hold on and be stedfast in waiting upon the Lord these things God hath in store for thee Now the Creature waits and saith though I have not attained such things as I have seen yet the very sight of them encourageth me to wait upon the Lord that I may experience the witness of them in my self there are many that have had some tast of great joy and apprehensions of Heavenly things which they have not attained but they know what they are waiting upon God for not that they may have a little joy which passeth through them but come to have that joy and tranquility which will accompany them in all their Doings and their whole Conversation God hath opened many things to you and you have seen the way of Righteousness which he hath cast up for you and many have taken strait steps to themselves till they have attained to saâ— Now my Salvation is nearâ—r than when I at first believed Let such go on and follow that Guide by which they have been directed and they shall at last attain to a further State not only to know that their Salvation is now nearer than when they at first believed but that they may come through the Divine Spirit of Grace that they followed and so closely cleaved to as their blessed Guide in their way to have an enterance administred to them abundantly into the Salvation of God whereby they may sit down in the Kingdom of God with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and have a Wall about them which is the Salvation of God Here is a great encouragement for Sinners and Upright ones to follow on to know the Lord and then they are sure they shall know him for they shall behold his Glory and their Souls shall be satisfied for nothing else will satisfie them People may have great openings and great discoveries of things and may have delight and joy in the opening of things as it was with the Disciples when Christ our Lord Conversed with them in the Flesh he opened many things to them and they had great Jâ—y and Comfort in those things which he opened to them yet there was something wanting to suffice them John 14.8 Phillip said unto Christ Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth us there was something further to be discovered and revealed so that they could not find their Souls to be satisfied and sufficed till they had it Christ gave them such an Answer as relates to that Administration that we are now under he that hath seen the Son hath seen the Father Now they had seen Christ daily and conversed with him and had eat and drank with him in that fleshly and bodily appearance wherein he Conversed with them but they had not a sight of the Eternal Son of God in a Spiritual manner as he was the Son of God and their Saviour so they had not seen him And he that had seen Christ in a Spiritual manner he had seen the Father also So it is with us in our day we have in our Profession the Teachings of this and that Man we have Conversed with Christ as it were as to his Fleshly Appearance we have read the History of his Birth and of
do those things that are good and profitable and to avoid those things that are reproveable If thou wouldest hearken to the Spirit that is the Reprover that convinceth of Sin thou must turn away thy mind from that which will lead into those things that are reproveable otherwise thou wilt be under Condemnation in thine own bosome When the Spirit of God illuminates Men to see Sin the evil of Sin he will give them power against it but when they come to receive power against it â—nd stedfastness in the ways of God what will be the effect of that If I become Righteous and live a Holy Life and my Companions be wicked they will mock me and reproach me what profit and benefit shall I have by being Righteous I see evidently I shall lose many advantages which I might otherwise reap and reach with mine own hand I must forsake my Profits and Pleasures and all the Delights of this World The Disciples said to Christ we have forsaken all and followed thee what shall we have People before they would forsake all would see some thing they must have in the room of it Christ tells them that he that hath forsaken all Father and Mother Brothers and Sisters and House and Land for his Names sake shall have in this Life an hundred fold and in the World to come Eternal Life what is the meaning of that They shall have in this Life 100 fold Christ that is Truth it self that cannot Lie hath promised that they that forsake all shall receive an hundred fold now people are ready to grasp at it they think it must be something that will answer the loss of that they part withall that thou receivest in this promise must not be of the same sort and kind with those things â—hou didst part withall but when thou hast parted with all for Christs sake and the Gospel thou shalt receive that which thou shalt acknowledge is an hundred fold better and will make thee an hundred fold richer and happier and that it will give thee more an hundred fold than all that thou parted with could give thee If we part with Sin we part with that which brings bondage and fear of Death having parted with that when thy fear and bondage is gone and thou livest then the rest of thy Life time at liberty but this is not all thou livest in the enjoyment of the favour of God thou shalt have the sense of his Love and the Comforts of the Holy Spirit and you shall live in Peace and Righteousness and treasure up to your selves Glory Honour Immortality and Eternal Life whereas before you did treasure up only wrath against the day of wrath and the Revelation of the Righteous Judgment of God thou shalt receive an hundred fold that which is an hundred fold better Those that part with the things that are reproveable and do what Christ in his day performed the good and acceptable will of God the Enjoyments that he hath in Christ and the Comfort Peace and Tranquility he enjoys is an hundred fold better and more delightful than all the pleasures of Sin and the pleasures and delights of Shows and Sights and Plays and Comedies which vain Men entertain themselves with in their Carnal State A Carnal Man cannot understand and discern the things of God and the pleasures that are to be had in his holy ways he only looks at the things that are seen which are Temporal and not at the things which are not seen which are Eternal But my Friends those things which are unseen are not so unseen but that when a man hath an eye opened within him of the same Nature with those things he can see them blessed be God that we have an eye opened to see Spiritual things to see the Heavenly Treasure and enjoy it in these Earthen Vessels For all that have an ear to hear it would be a profitable change to part with all that is evil in the sight of God and put themselves under the Yoak of Christ and receive a Principle of Grace which he will Communicate to them that they may do the good and acceptable will of God and so may enjoy an hundred fold and have comfort peace and joy before they go hence and are no more seen You to whom God hath so graciously and mercifully appeared that have an understanding and a tast and feeling of those things which are Divine and Spiritual and which pertain to Life and Godliness Of all the People in the World you are an engaged People to serve the Lord great obligations lie upon you that you should abide and continue in that which God hath revealed and discovered to you I mean Grace for you will never grow till you be under the Government of the Grace of God that Grace that appeared to you before you came to the Knowledge of God and his ways that hath been with you in your travel from Death to Life and from Darkness to Light Prize it as a Heavenly Jewel as that which contains in it all those things that your Souls stand in need of If you have any strength to resist Temptation it is from the Grace of God that you receive Power to withstand Temptations if you have any living openings in your hearts it comes to you from that Grace that is in Christ When this and that and the other Prophecy of the Prophets of old is opened to you Prophecying and Foretelling that State and Condition which you are travelling towards how the Lord will subdue your Enemies under you you are encouraged hereby to go on cheerfully in your way to that Rest which you are travelling to There are many of those that believe the Truth who are not come to Establishment and they will find the Reason and Cause in themselves Do but ask and enquire how it comes to pass that such and such are established and not so subject to fear and horrour and perplexity as I am a little thing will turn me over and shake and unsettle my mind this hath been the cause want of keeping close to the grace of God in your Conversâ—tion in the World when you and your Children and Servants are governed by the grace of God in all you undertake then the Devil will endeavour to bring you into darkness and bring discomposure upon your Spirits for the purpose of Christ Jesus our Saviour is to settle you and the purpose of the Destroyer is to discompose and unsettle you and to marry you to this and the other changing thing if he can fix your hearts upon this and that Object then there is instability upon the Soul take away that thing and it brings disturbance upon you Hast thou any Objâ—ct that thy mind is set upon Thou wilt be much disturb'd at thy parting with it but whose fault is that The truth manifested to thee from the beginning of thy Conversion did engage thee to separate thy self from all visible sensible things that God might have
out of evil he will teach thee to cease to do evil and speak evil This Light will lead thee to nothing that will dishonour God or defile thy own Soul But this is not all we must not only cease to do evil but we must be doing something there must be a breaking off from Pride Foolish Jesting Evil Communication but this is not all that he will lead me to let us learn that lesson cease to do Evil. This Doctrine was Preached before Christianity was Preached as it is now Preached the Prophets of old Preached this Doctrine to the Jews that were under an outward Administration cease to do evil and learn to do well then I will plead with you and discourse with you saith the Lord Câ—me now let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wooll This is the first Lesson that a true Christian learns in his turning to God in his change and translation to cease from that which is evil here is a Cessation of Rebellion and here is some hopes of being reconciled to God a man hath been a Rebel against his Maker but he hath now received help to resist those Temptations that prevail over him but there is no worshiping yet there is a forward mind in men to do something that is pleasing to God but there are somâ— that are not troubled at all for their evil ways and dread not Gods anger but make a mock at sin that draw others to it and make themselves merry in it but there is a sort so far touched with a Divine sense of Gods Love to them that they have also a sense of his anger and indignation because of their Sin and they would fain be out of his anger and who can blame them When a Man feels the anger of God burning like fire in his bosome who can blame that Man if he desires peace with God if he be under a sense of the displeasure and indignation of the Almighty he must not hast too soon out of that Condition he is brought into for this is Gods purpose and this is the fruit of all his troubles and afflictions to take away Sin God had no other end or design in the affliction that came upon him than to take away Sin when God hath brought a People into a distressed and dejected State for their Sin the fruit that God expects is the taking away of their Sin and he will hide Pride from them and humble them before him if this be the purpose of God that he intends to purge and purifie his People then saith the poor Creature if God design to purifie me from Sin then I will pray to God to support me and bear me up under his indignation that is the cry of the Soul that he may not be brought too soon from under â—he judgment of God but that he may be supported and hid in the hollow of Gods hand until the time of remission and refreshâ—ng comes that he may behold the light of Gods Countenance Here is encouragement for every one that â—s acquainted with this Divine Principle of Grace that will be led by it and follow it so far as to be led out of evil then they will be fitted to do something in the work of God every sigh and groan that thou hast â—he assistance of the Spirit of God to help â—hee in is part of Worship all thy brokenness of heart is part of worship hereby â—hou acknowledgest the great God that he is â—ble to help thee on in thy way and to pardon thy iniquity and blot out thy transgression and give thee all those Heavenly â—lessings that thy Soul doth stand in need of â—hen thy Soul will bow down to God in â—cts of holy Worship and say with an humble confidence and expectation God will do all those things in me and for me that will promote my Salvation It is noâ—hing in Religion for People to go from Praying and Preaching to Sinning but God must have a Holy Sacrifice and that must come out of a pure heart now when a Man is brought by the help of God and by the Divine assistance of the Mediatour Jesus Christ to break off from his Sin then he stands fair to become a Child of God and to be a Servant of God and to do something for God in his generation and to offer to God Praise and Thanksgiving and to perform all other Duties that God shall lead him into But some will say what must we do any thing I have deeply weighed that Question what a poor Man or Woman must do that is come out of bondage there is a propensity in People to be doing they would fain do something they would be doing they say what shall I do If I do something that pleaseth not God I had better let it alone and I can do nothing acceptable to God without Divine assistance such a one that sees his own impotency and inability will cast his care upon God and will say the Lord is able to lead me and guide me I am ready to do thy will O God make it clear to me that this is thy will and that this is that which thou requirest I am ready to do it though it be cross to mine own will he is ready to go on in Gods way in the way of Christianity such an one that hath the true knowledge of Christ if he speaks the Spirit of Christ speaks in him if he prays it is through the assistance of the Spirit of Christ through whom God alone is appeased and reconciled and through whom they may receive a blessing from Gods hand but for Men to run on in their own wills and to do a thing because they will do it they had better sit still this doing in their own wills hath filled the World with a sort of Christians that want acceptance with God which is to be had alone through the Lord Jesus Christ and the want of the Guidance of Gods Holy Spirit is the misery and downfall of Christianity in our days Therefore it is our Work and business to build upon that foundation which God hath laid no Worship is pleasing to God but that which ariseth from that Spring that is pure and holy if I cannot find that which will keep me from all Pollution and defilement if I cannot find that I must stay till I can for to begin a Worship and a Religion without that which I know is acceptable to God it is but lost labour time spent in vain Therefore Friends let every one that desires to be Religious turn their mind inward wait for the gift of God which is essentially pure that never did consent to evil that never mixed with the corruption of Nature but bears witness to the Light that will guide you and lead you and conduct you first out of Sin then it will lead you into
our design and end in the discovery that is made to us of the Life of Christ that we may grow in it and live in it indeed there is great talking of it but we should labour to shew forth the Resurrection of that Life in us They that come to be baptized for the Dead baptized into the Death of Christ The Apostle tells you In that he died he died unto Sin There are none baptized for the Dead made partakers of the Death of Christ but those that die unto Sin as he did Though Christ had no Sin yet he died unto Sin What use did he make of this That Christ knew no Sin but yet did take our Sin upon him He died unto Sin that they which did partake of his Death might be partakers of his Resurrection He Liveth again and after Death Riseth again Those that partake of this Death unto Sin are Crucified unto this World and have taken up Christs Cross and are Dead to all the Pleasures and Delights of the World which are whithered away and come to nothing What do they Live to now To Righteousness Holiness Chastity Temperance these are pleasant to them these come to live to Righteousness through the Power of him that loved them This shews the Glory and the Power of the Grace of God It is the Grace of God that worketh such a change in a Man or Woman They that delight in Sin and Wickedness in that which is corrupt and ungodly they have no delight in this no delight in Sobriety Chastity Holiness and Purity of mind Where did it work such a change In all that are freely given up to it Where any one is given up to that Life the grace of God hath the praise of it This is the Exaltation and Praise of the Power of God so that others may find by this they may by it come to believe and by believing to be saved Thus the Gospel hath gone forth from one to many and from many to many more and is encreasing more and more for Grace Mercy and Peace are multiplied by which the Heritage of God and so every Man and Woman that partake of this Life are gathered into their Fellowship So that your end in coming to these Meetâ—ngs is not so much to hear what this and â—hat and the other Friend saith but what you have in your selves to witness to The Divine Operations of the Power of God in your Souls bringing down something that is to be brought down and raising up something that is to be raised Temptation to Sin hath more prevalency upon me than it hath upon this and that and the other man I am not come to their degree yet it is better with me than it was at my first convincement If thou dost say this to deceive others Cry to God and Pray earnestly that all that may be brought down which is contrary to his Grace If thou say and profess this if at the same time there is a deceitful Heart to strengthen that which is known by the Light of Christ to be against the truth of God How will this appear at the Great Day of God The Eye of God is upon thy Hypocrisie He that Never Slumbers nor Sleeps he beholds thee if there be any Sin that thou wouldest keep and save alive if thou make a Profession and notwithstanding sayest this Sin I wilâ— keep The Lord Pardon me in this thing 〈◊〉 Like Naaman the Servant of the King of Assyria who said to the Prophet Thy Servant henceforth will neither Offer Burnt Offering nor Sacrifice to other Gods but unto thâ— Lord. In this the Lord pardon thy Servant that when my Master goes into the House oâ— Rimmon to Worship there and he leaneth 〈◊〉 my hand and I bow my self in the House of Rimmon When I bow my self in the House of Rimmon the Lord pardon thy Servant in this thing He knew if he bowed not the King would take notice of the alteration of his gesture therefore he would bow in the House of Rimmon That Sin he would save alive under a Profession That Hypocrisie the Lord did abominate Be upright in the sight of God and be faithful to your own Souls if it be so then every Sin will be a burthen and you will long to be rid of it if it be so you know whose hand it is that hath brought you so far if you be real and cordial and give up your selves to Jesus That Work which he hath begun in you he will finish for you He will finish it for you stand out with him in nothing you give up your selves to him and joyn not with his Enemies take heed of hearkning to them take heed of every Sin that will at last be a burden and oppressive to your Souls But if you Live this Heavenly Life of Jesus you will be set at liberty to have Dominion over Sin and stand without Guilt before the Throne of God Friends let your Hearts be deeply affected with the great mercies that God hath bestowed upon you and for giving you that Divine Life that Is acceptable in his sight Many things have been done upon the account of Religion and we could never be satisfied whether they were acceptable to God we could not be satisfied whether we did any thing pleasing to God we may say of them as the Apostle Paul of the Jewish Sacrifices there remains a conscience of Sin an accusing Conscience that tells us that Guilt is not removed nor the Sin taken away 'till the Lord opens this Divine Mystery to us that our Justification must be by Faith in Jesus that nothing could reconcile us to God but the Life of Jesus and the merit of his Death This Life of Jesus was a holy blameless harmless and innocent Life which Life he gave for the World which Life is the Light of Men and our Souls being turned to this Life we see the Glory and the Excellency of it and desires are kindled in our hearts after it Many have pursued and laboured and travelled that they might come to the enjoyment of it the very discovery of this Life ought to be highly prized and your Souls affected with it and when you have obtained it you will say O what a blessed Condition am I come into that Christ hath manifested his Divine Power in me not only in Reconciling me to God but taking away the Conscience of Sin by that also the Accuser is cast out and I may now sing to God Songs of Deliverance Now you tast of the Mercies that God hath bestowed upon you this will affect your Souls with a Child-like submission and subjection to him that hath begun to save and deliver you that so you may resign up your selves to his will and forsake the World and the things of it Now when they come to such a Meeting as this their minds may be retired and they may be sensible of the Power of Truth upon their hearts but for want of keeping
a kind of knowledge and understanding of their Duty whether they do it or no And this knowledge and this understanding that God doth give them makes them capable to pass a right judgment upon their own state They will not call it a good state if it be an evil state and they will not call it an evil state if it be a good one They know it is good by the principle of Truth in their judgment Therefore since there are so many uncertainties in the World and that men are so apt to take hold of an uncertain way of judging and determining even in matters relating to their Souls There is a greater aptness in People to take hold of uncertaâ—nt es in judging about the matters of their Souls than in those things that relate to their Bodies Seeing People are so liable to it it can do none of us harm to exhort one another and move and stir up one another to make a calculation of their state by something that will not deceive There are abundance deceived in this Countrey as well as other Countreys we shall not need to go into forreign parts to find People deceived and deluded It will not be amiss to say the Drunkard the Swearer and the Lyar and the Oppressor the Proud the Malicious are deceived If they were not so they would never be overcome by the wicked One the Author of all evil he hath deceived them in that they should think to go on in these things and cry peace peace to one another and in their own Souls this is a great Delusion and the Devil is the great Deluder that they are deluded by And it would be worth the while to find out that which should make a man think himself in a happy state and hope to enjoy Eternal Life with God and Christ while he goes on in Sin and Iniquity it would be worth the while to find out the Delusion There is nothing so proper to turn every one to the Grace of God as To search their own Hearts and try their Ways This is that which will discover their thoughts and make them known to themselves this is Gods Grace and Gift to men while they are yet sinners and disobedient he doth not with-hold his Grace but gives his Grace and Light and Truth Even to the Rebellious He giveth Gifts to men even to the Rebellious that he might have a Place and dwelling among them that they might know there is a God That searches the Heart and tries the Reynes and judgeth all Unrighteousness If God hath given thee so much Grace that he might have a dwelling in thy Heart Should not that restrain thee from Sin That the Devil by his Temptations might not defile thee and unfit thee for the Kingdom of God When the Lord comes to search the Heart it is in order to the purging of it and the taking away of Iniquity and Sin that would unfit thee for his Kingdom This is a better Way and more excellent than Living to the Flesh and fulfilling the Lusts thereof Let People live never so much to their own Corrupt Wills in Pride and Wantonness and Looseness and the Vanity of their Minds they will not find so much true satisfaction and delight as in living a Holy Life living in the fear of God and avoiding Sin and keeping themselves from the Temptations and Snares of the Devil This is a more excellent Way and it is our work and business to declare to People this more excellent Way which all one time or other will confess This is Irksome will some say this will abate my Pleasure and Delights in the World and spoil my Secular Interest if it were not for this reason they would grant it were better to Live a Holy Life and to Live in the Fear of God than Live in the Service of the Devil their carnal Interest lies in the way and â—â—igâ—â—â—own the Scale but it is because thou joinesâ— with it otherwise the Devil and all the Pâ—wers of Hell could not weigh it down Iâ— Pâ—ople would consider these things seriously they would say it is better to serve God that made them and gave them Life and Breath and Being than him that would destroy them And then when they meet with the Pleasures and Delights of the World that the Devil lays before them they would never weigh down the scale against a Divine Reason if thou wilt give thy Heart to it and seriously consider it it will weigh down the scale against all Temptations tâ— live in Sin and Pleasure and Jollity Iâ— thou wilt but joyn with this Divine Reasoâ— that tells thee these Carnal Pleasures and Enjoyments are not necessary for thy Soul but it is necessary to live a Holy Heavenly Life and to serve the Lord that gave thee Life and Breath and all Things that hath vouchsafed thee manifold Preservations If thou wilt but joyn with the Divine Reason and hearken to that which opens thâ— Truth in thy own Heart all the Devâ—â— can do cannot make thee serve him foâ— the Devil hath no Coercion no Power tâ— force thee to commit Sin he cannot makâ— a man to work wickedness against his Will He must first cloud the Understanding anâ— work upon the Will and allure and intiâ—â— the Affections by Earthly things So thoâ— canst not be forced by the Devil againâ—â— thy will to yield to his Temptations tâ— commit any Sin but thou must say I wiâ— do it I confess when the understanding is brâ—bed and the will allured and seduced by thâ— Devils Temptations there is no withstanding them But on the other hand if meâ— would give up themselves to the Power oâ— God they would have Divine assistance anâ— joyning with that Power they should Be more than Conquerours Therefore we cannot but be encouraged to keep in the way of the Lord and have acquaintance with the Power of God which will preserve you and give you victory over all the Temptations and Assaults of the Devil and without this Power you cannot overcome but if you have the assistance of this Power nothing will be too hard for you When you are in straits and in a helpless condition you say sometimes and are ready to cry out I shall not overcome my Spiritual Enemies I shall never get victory over Sin and the World and the Flesh and the Devil I shall never be able to withstand his Temptations but they will prevail over me all my days No wonder you make this conclusion when you have parted with your Trust and Dependance on that Power that is able to overcome the Devil and baffle him in your Thoughts Words and Deeds You may be ready to say alas of my self I can do nothing I am not able of my Self so much as to think a good Thought yet by Divine Assistance I do many times think good thoughts In me that is in my Flesh there dwells nothing that is good Not in my Flesh abstractly separate from the Power
ingrafted word which is able to save my Soul I shall not only hear the word but live in obedience to it What signifies it to make a Profession that I have the Light within if I do not give obedience to it for without that it is all Hypocrisie all Pretence to Holiness Righteousness Mortification is but Hypocrisie any further than we find the power of Truth making an impression upon our Hearts and Minds bringing us to the obedience of Faith Let them therefore that profess Righteousness live Righteously and they that hear the Gospel live in obedience to it and those that profess to be Christians let them live like Christians indeed When every one comes to know within himself so far as the Gospel has shined upon him that they have received the Truth in the Love of it and love the Truth as it is in Jesus and are obedient to the Gospel they shall know the Salvation of it There is a discovery of Gods Power in the Gospel and there is a believing of it and a hoping in it this is that which belongs to a Christian this is the beginning and the first step to a Christian Life we must believe in Christ for without Faith it is impossible to please God He that believeth should be careful to walk in the truth that he hath received and then he shall have a Testimony of the Power and Vertue of it in his own Soul This Vertue and Power if he joins with it hath the Government of his Heart and Life and gives him Victory over the World and the Temptations of Satan You know in the Primitive Times there were Believers that not only had Faith but lived by Faith and by that Faith they got Victory over all the allurements and pleasure and vanities of the World I have fought a good fight saith the Apostle 2 Tim 4.7 8. I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that Day and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing I have got the victory and there remains an Eternal Weight of Glory for me My Friends this is our ambition and all our Labour among you that you may be built up in your most Holy Faith that you may be brought home to Christ in all your Meetings and gatherings together you should desire to be enriched with Faith and to have your own Store-house filled with all the Fruits of the Spirit and not only seek for the knowledge of the truth but be subject and obedient to what you know otherwise by your Religion you will but hurt your selves And the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 1.12 speaks of knowing the Truth and of being established in it and of some that after they had escaped the Pollutions of the World through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled therein and overcome and the latter end with them is worse than the beginning for it had beed better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered to them There is a Power goes along with the Preaching of the Gospel that will enable you to do what you know the Gospel is a powerful Doctrine whether you know it or not or whether you submit to it or not yet pray remember that Gods People are a willing People in the day of his Power they are a certain sort of People that are devoted to God and submit all their Worldly Honours Interests Profits and Pleasures to the pleasure of God and desire no other pleasure or happiness but to enjoy his presence and favour they are satisfied with this and they are a happy People being made a willing People in the day of Gods Power they are willing to deny themselves to take up their daily Cross to follow Christ have Salvation upon his terms There are a great many Professors that have notions and out-side appearances but they want that Vertue and Life and power that should settle them in Religion and a love of the Truth The Lord that knows our Hearts knows that our Labour and Travel among you hath been designed for your good and that our hearts desire is that you may be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus We would have People consider and attend and hear what God speaks and remember what he hath taught you by the Ministers of the Gospel We have all ears to hear let us thank God for that blessed be God that there is a power and an ability of hearing with an outward ear but there are many that will not so much as give the hearing to what might from the Lord be spoken to them He that hath ears to hear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches and what he saith to his own Soul hear what the Spirit saith of your own State and Condition if it be good bless God for it are you in so good a Condition that you have no trouble no distress to lament no wants to supply blessed are you that have none but if you find you have done amiss and if the Lord should call you this Night to give up your account the Lord hath a great deal against you I am sure and I tell you it is your duty to turn to the Lord with unfeigned Repentance that through Christ Jesus you may receive Pardon and Remission of all your Sins and so hear what the Spirit saith to your selves and in your selves Pray come and make it your work and business the rest of the time that you have to live to work out your Salvation with fear and trembling that when Christ comes you may say come Lord Jesus come quickly purfie me and sanctifie me and prepare me to be presented to the Father without spot and blameless the day is coming that this will be the desire of every one of you And it is the earnest breathing and desire of my Soul that every one of you may have an eye unto the Lord and he will look down from Heaven and have regard to the cry and the sighing of the Needy Soul God will arise and find out the People that breath after him and that desire to be reconciled to him through the Mediatour Christ Jesus the Lord loveth to find out such a People and I am glad to Preach to such a People the glad tidings of the Gospel and to teach them as God hath taught me Good and Upright is the Lord therefore will he teach and guide you in the way which you should go Walk humbly with God he will resist the Proud but he will give Grace unto the humble Walk uprightly before the Lord in this Gospel Day that shines upon you love the appearance of God and prize it though it hath not been so Glorious to you as to some others yet
despise not the Day of small things live in subjection to that Grace that the Lord hath given you and the Lord will give you more Grace and pour out his Spirit and multiply his Blessings upon you the Lord hath begun a good work in you and he will carry it on to the day of Christ and will vouchsafe to bring the Glorious Day of his Visitation upon you To the Lord I leave you to his Favour and Protection I commit you remember that there is no Salvation but by Jesus Christ and none to be had by Christ till you come to Believe in him to him that searcheth the Heart and tries the Reins that pardoneth Iniquity Transgression and Sin for the sake of Christ Jesus the Mediatour to him I do commit you not doubting but that he that hath begun a good work in you will at last compleat and finish it to his own Praise and your Salvation Sermon IX The Excellency of Peace with God Preached at Devonshire-House August 5. 1691. My Friends IT is Mans great happiness in this World to have Acquaintance with God with the Lord that made him from whom he hath Life and Breath here and his Eternal welfare hereafter this doubtless every one will acknowledge one time or other that peace with God is a great Jewel and the best Estate and Riches It is the great desire of every one that they may attain this one time or other and there is a great neglect of happiness among the Sons and Daughters of Men in not seeking of it and not labouring to attain it while it is to be had Oh! how many trifle away their time about fading and perishing Objects and they know at the same instant that they are yet destitute of the favour of God and of peace with him Oh Friends the very thoughts and consideration of the worth of this Jewel and of the misery of being without it and of the uncertainty of our time while it is to be attained might put every one upon a serious diligent enquiry after the way and means whereby they might attain it that so they might have a resting place for their Souls and satisfaction to their inward Man that it shall go well with them when time shall be no more And they that come to this Consideration and are resolved in their hearts and minds that they will labour after this and set their whole endeavour after iâ— they will in the first place seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof These do need a daily encouragement in their way to Heaven and there is nothing on the Lords part wanting to such Souls but that they may attain their desire But alas this hath been and is still the misery of thousands they are seeking after peace with God but they err in the way to it they do not seek in that way nor take hold of those Methods by and through which God hath promised Peace you shall scarce meet with any body but they would have Eternal Life and Peace with God we shall not need to perswade People to wish for and to desire to have Peace with God when they shall come to die and lay down their heads in the dust There is not a Balaam but he desires to die the Death of the Righteous and that his last end may be like his There is not a Scribe or Pharisee or any that profess Religion but they are seeking after Eternal Life The Lord Jesus did witness concerning them that they were an envious proud persecuting People yet that they did seek after Eternal Life and they pitched upon some Methods and Ways whereby they thought to get and enjoy it but all this was errour still they were out of the way of attaining it and so are a great many people at this very day they are in a State and Condition wherein they are never like to enjoy it the Methods and the ways that they have chosen to themselves to find Eternal Life by and to obtain peace with God will never answer the end And God hath been pleased to discover to us the many by ways that People have chosen and seek after peace with God by therefore we are willing at all times to shew People their errour in these great matters of highest concernment to them If they did err in their way of seeking to obtain some earthly good and missed of their end they know the price of it it is but a loss of so much which if they had taken a right course they might have attained but it is an unspeakable loss an inestimable loss if they lose peace with God and all the pains and labour they are at to obtain it I beseech you Friends consider these things they are of great weight and you will say so one day or other for saith our Saviour what will it profit a Man to gain the whole World and lose his own Soul or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul O how sad is it to consider that a Man hath not made provision for his Soul that he hath not a place of rest for his immortal Soul and that the arms of the Lord Jesus Christ are not open to receive his Soul when his Body can retain it no longer If this be a Mans state when he comes to die it had been better for him that he had never been born Men may live and gather Riches and enjoy a plentiful Estate but if they be destitute of the favour of God and peace with him what will they do with these perishing enjoyments they cannot possibly satisfie themselves with these Transitory visible things but if these persons only mind their Bodies and neglect their Souls do they not live like the Beasts that perish The Beast seeks after his Meat and when he finds it he eats it with delight and pleasure and in a little while he lies down and dies and there is an end so it is with careless Souls that have no regard to their future State but they say Let us eat and drink and be merry for to morrow we shall die Oh that every one of us here did apply our hearts seriously to the consideration of the weight of these things that concern our Eternal State if persons did this then they might come to an enquiry in their own Souls what method and way is most safe for the attaining of so blessed an end For you know there are abundance of People if you look up and down in the World you will see every body almost hunting up and down in some way of Religion or other and are engaged in Religious Performances what is the matter what would you have We would have peace with God here and everlasting Rest hereafter in the Kingdom of Heaven that we would have Thus have the Nations been scattered and driven up and down in the pursuit of Happiness and Satisfaction There is a general Belief amongst people that there is a Heaven and a