have builded up whereby the Glory and favour of God was hid from the Soul we believed this to be true we would have been looked upon as Heires ââ God 's Kingdom yet when we are come to hearâen to the Truth we find that we are Children ãâã the Devil and do his works shall a Man believe this after he hath been forty years a professor of Christanity If a Man believe Truth there is no danger in believing it tho' it be his own Destruction that is threatned Now the great thing that I would have ushered into the Hearts of Men is that they may believe the Truth for Truths sake If Men will believe the truth they must believe many things against themselves which they are not willing to believe but saith Christ no Man can be my Scholar my Disciple but be denying himself I must deny my self my pretensions to Christianity my supposed Saintship and âitle to the Kingdom of God now if I would be convinced that I am a wicked Man a prophane Man one that doth not live as becomes the Gospel I must believe truth the Voice of truth being of infallible certainty it is signified Divinely by the immortal Word that cannot deceive us this ought to be the reason why People should believe the Testimony of it tho' it be against themselves they that do so presently come to find the effects of it for they were in their Sins and Trespasses before and so are still they were before in a kind of liberty in a kind of ease and indulgence of themselves and still their Sin remains in them and they remain in it but they are now under a sense of Sorrow under a weight under a Burden under an oppression which signifies they are alive and quickned for if you take an outward comparison they remain not senseless and dead now lay what Load you will upon a dead Man he will neither groan nor grumble at it but if he comes again to life he cryes take off the Burden the weight and oppression that lyes heavy upon me This is the difference between being deaâ in sins and trespasses and being brought to liââ and sense again this word of life that comâ from the Mouth of God begets a sense in evâry one that receiveth it it is of great serviââ and use to all People to be acquainted witâ it that desire to be Heirs of life eternal thaâ desire to be Inheritors of the Kingdom of God But how should they come by it they thinâ by this duty and the other duty and this and the other Temporary performance to obtaiâ it no but if they will have life they muââ have it from the God of life that created them he must Create them again to good works they can have it but by one way all must be brought to it that way it cannot be by hearing a Man preach unless the Spirit doââ cooperate with the word of God there is nâ possibility of being quickned and necessiââ binds me to hearken and have a regard to the one means Now I say to you saith Chriââ speaking of Peoples way of living to eterniââ Man liveth not by Bread alone but by evââ word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of ãâã now when we come to understand this ãâã as spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ we ãâã conclude there was a possibility of understaââing and hearing that inward Voice and Word of Truth in our own Hearts that God did speak to us by his Son Jesus Christ who enlightned us Hereupon Meetings were appointed at first that the Word should minister Life in them and Life to them that attend them and to this Day our Meetings are appointed for this purpose that we may have âhe ministration of Life and Vertue from Christ the Fountain of Life and Vertue by whom we are to be quickned and strengthned and by whom those that are dead in Sins and Trespasses are to be quickned Therefore I would have every one always to have a Reverence to the Word of Life that speaks in themselves for if we speak as we are moved by the Spirit of God and utter those things by verbal Testimony which God hath made known to us if you have not an Oracle in your Bosoms if you do not at the same time perceive an Eccho of Truth in your own Souls this will do you no good but be an empty sound which will pass away again but the Mind that is serious and settled in waiting upon God with an earnest Desire that it may receive Benefit in going to this and the other Meeting such aâone will say I pray God bless this opportunity to me that so I may receive Benefit to my Soul Where People meet in this manner they have not only an administration of Doctrin from without from this and the other Instrument but they have a Ministration of the Word of God in ââemselves by which a Man liveth Let us not be ãâã and hurried away with the grand Error of the Times the great Error of this Age and of the Ages by-past that there is no possibility for People to understand and hear this Voice of God this inward Voice There are say they no immediate Teachings now adays no Inspirations now adays they had as well said that there are no Conversions now adays I will prove it from the Holy Scriptures that there is no Man in this Age is like to be converted to God or redeemed from his Iniquity and brought to the knowledge of his Maker unless he have it by the inward Working of the Eternal God Not by Mans Preaching and Instruction nor by reading all the good Sermons that ever were preached without the Co-operation of the holy sanctifying Spirit which begets Life in them that believe and if these Men say none can be Converted then we must all go Headlong to Hell and they and all These Quakers may say what they will there is no immediate Teaching now adays no Man can know the mind of God nor understand the Scriptures none can open theâ to you But blessed be God this Darkness is râmoved this Vail is gone over and taken âway the brightness of the glory of the Goâpel hath expell'd this Darkness and thousanâ now adays do not onlâ hear the Minister reprove them but they âeâ a Voice within that doth reprove them ãâã ââiquity and they find and feel a Judgment and Tribunal within themselves and that God hath an immediate way of Counselling and Instructing them if they will hearken to him You that are under any sense of this that are come to such an inward sense of the operation of the Word of God if you have heard it reprove you exhort you judge you and condemn you consider that this Word proceeded out of the Mouth of God and not out of the Mouth of any Man You hear the sentence of God upon you in your own Consciences Whence comes it This is out of the Mouth of God Every Word that comes
were to wait for the Spirit and pray in the Spirit and serve God in the Spirit and that all Religion that is not in Power is not available did they not find it in the Scripture And you that are not Quakers Did you ever read the New Testament How came it to pass that ye never found these Texts But some People read and read the New Testament twenty times over and mock and deride and persecute a Man that shall speak of the Spirits Teaching I have admired at it how intelligent Men to whom God hath given a competent Understanding should be so blinded they have learned to read English and they have read the New Testament over several times and the Old Testament too and they have read those Sentences of Christ's Doctrin that do so currently and unanimously speak of Divine Teachings and Spiritual Operations Spiritual Worship and Spiritual Religion that muât have some Motion and Stirring of the Holy Ghost to be the Original of it and that alâ others are not acceptable to God doubtless they have read these things but I have often desired and do still desire that they would but read it again once more and try and see what God will do he hath oftentimes made use of the Holy Scripture as a means to awaken People and to open their Understandings and let them see the Mind of the Spirit by which the Scripture is written and the next time if they can find Scripture Text and Apostolical Doctrin to teach People to wait upon the Spirit I hope they will leave Scoffing and Mocing It hath been hitherto looked upon as an Invention to speak of the teaching of the Spirit and waiting upon the Spirit and being moved by the Spirit This Apostolical Doctrin Prayer and Worship hath been looked upon as an Invention that we have brought in To look for the Holy Ghost in that way that was never known to our Fathers is a fantastical Conceit of the Quakers say they To tell People they must be led by the Spirit in Divine Things as in Prayer and Worship and the like that in these things they must wait for the spirit was there ever any Man that was counted good for any thing that ever preached so before they came Do we read any such kind of thing in Scripture O the blindness that hath happened to this Nation I have considered not without admiration how the Devil he is a spirit too and a wicked one the Devil should have power to shove out the knowledg belief sense and feeling of the Spirit of God now a days there are thousands in this Nation that have formerly believed that it was as impossible for a Man to believe the divine motions and struglings of the spirit of God in this life as to raise their Fathers and Mothers out of their Graves some of their learned Teachers have told us it is a Whimsy and Fancy and that there was no inspiration of the spirit now a days but that it was a foolish fancy in us to wait for such a thing it is needless say they there was an Immediate Teaching in the Apostles days and they had the sense of the spirit of Christ working in them to teach them to write Letters and Epistles to the Church which Letters and Epistles were written by the moving of the Holy Ghost but we have no need of it now the Holy Ghost hath brought order and goverment into the Church we have it now in black and white Printed in our Books therefore say they there is no need of the spirit and People need not be acquainted with the operation of the spirit now a days in regard they have it in their Books what manner of Worship they must perform I grant them their due that they have the direction of the Scripture I am able to understand that People are to worship God and pray to him and are to meet together and to observe this and the other doctrinal precepts there laid down I confess I can make shift herewâth to frame out a form of Religion and if I do not mistake in the opening and explication of the Doctrine I could make a right form too but I am lyable to mistake another Man that understands Greek better than I saith that the Greek word ought to be translated so and the form ought to differ in such a respect some say the only way of goverment is by Bishops and the word bears it in the original and another saith he hath streched the word for the word means Presbyter another saith Presbyter signifyes no more than choice of Church Elders and Deacons and such like and this is all out of one Book the settlement of Bishops Presbyters and Elders Here a parcel of form-makers all fall out about the meaning of the word what remedy can any mortal Man provide for this We must not be killing and slaying one another about words if I be an episcopal Man and say the word signifyes Bishops I may be a wicked Man still and if another say it must be Presbyter he may be a wicked Man too and if another say it should be Pastor Elders and Deacons he may be a wicked Man notwithstanding Thus they have rent and torn one another about Church Government what remedy shall we have for this that these quarrellings and contentions about terms and words may come to an end Could a Man prescribe a more certain remedy for all these mistakes than this if they had a measure of this spirit which did work in the Apostles when they wrote down these Words which the Apostles had in Writing them then I say they could tell you what the spirit meant for the spirit is the same and not changed and the Words are the same to a small matter so that if a Man had that he might end all the controversie but where shall we have a Man that hath this spirit to end the controversie There is none now a days say the Protestants and say the Papists there is none but one that hath this infallibility and they will not suppose that neither for some of them say that one Man is as infallible as another Man there is a great brangle whether any one Man be infallible or a great many men together are infallible about Doctrin and Worship This might be cured all at once if we could come to this conclusion Papists Protestant and Quakers here is an end of all their out-side Worship He that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his If there be not spirit in it it is not Christs Religion and Worship So that they that jangle and bark and bite are without among Dogs and Sorcerers that are straâgers to the spirit of Christ there is a spirit in them that denies the spirit of Christ there is a spirit that rules in them that are witâout the spirit for no Body that I know on acts things without a spirit and without being moved What are good and
Bread be held forth to a poor Creature but if he receive it not he may perish for all that it is not his tho' I have appointed it to be his and have separated it from my other Substance to be his If he receive not what I offer and would give him he may Perish for all that Here is Grace and Truth comes by Jesus Christ and God hath offered it to all Men in that he hath raised up Christ from the Dead the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all Men but all Men have not received it therefore all Men have it not and they that have not the Grace of Christ and the Spirit of Christ are none of his but it doth not follow that they never will be none of his When they have received the Gift by Christ and say I will be his Sheep or Lamb they will come into his Favour by that Gift and shall partake of the good things of his Fathers Kingdom but till they have received this Gift they are not the better for it they have not any Benefit by the death of Christ they have no help no benefit by it except it be the Patience and long Suffering of God who for Christs sake bears with their Weakness and waits to ãâã âious and for Christs sake offers them Favoâr but they are not come to the Possession of it till they open their Hearts and receive the Grace of Christ then they are convinced of Christs end and âhat there is a possibility of enjoying the Spirit of God and of being taught and led by it Take this along with you that it is your absolute and indispensible Duty to wait from day to day upon the great God of Heaven the Giver of every good and perfect Gift that you may have that blessed Gift that you may have the Assistance of a greater Power than your own to lead you out of Sin into Righteousness that through Jesus Christ you may be acceptable to God SERMON V. Christ the Way the Truth and the Life Preached at Grace-Church-street Apâââ 18 1687. I Fear the high Places are not taken away it hath been so in all Ages and it is manâfestly so in this Day where the Heart is nââ rightly prepared for the Lord there the higâ Places are not taken away For all the higâ Places in the time of Israel's Idolatry theâ were ever set up when they departed from thâ Lord and all the high Places now they arâ up in a time of Ignorance of God when People have forgotten the Lord then they exalâ themselves then Pride and Arrogance and every evil way prevails upon us but when Men come to seek the Lord with Uprightness that brings down their high Conceits thaâ brings every one into Humility for every one comes to be convinced in themselves that none can find the Lord but as they are brought to be Humble nay indeed none seek after him aright buâ such none have the promise of finding him but the Humble Therefore it is the duty of every one that is a real inquirer and seeker after God to know the right preparation of the Mind to know themselâââ in such a frame of spirit that they may seeâ ãâã hope that they may have a right and just expectation of finding him whom they are seeking after for this hath been the reason that a great many ãâã been frustrated in their endeavours and ãâã their purposes of seeking after the Lord ãâã have not been rightly prepared for him ãâã âânifest himself ââto them they have noâââwn the Preparaâion of his Sanctuary there was a peculiar preâaration that was requisâââ to those that drew near unto the Sanctuary of God they were Hallowed that is made Holy ere they drew near to the Holy Place but alas this hath been greatly neglected in our Days unholy People with unholy Minds have been seeking after the Holy God they have been enquiring after a Holy way and were not prepared to walk in it there was nothing raised in their Minds in their Souls that was fit to walk in that way For so long as Men or Women stand in Unity with their Sins with their Lusts and Concupisence with the spirit of this World and the way of it they are not capable of receiving that which should lead them into the way of Holiness nay if it appears to them they cannot receive it for it is with them as with other guests there be other Lovers already let in which imploy thâ Powers and faculties of their Souls so that if the most beloved of all the most excellent if the Chiefest of Ten Thousand do appear they cannot see ãâã comlyness in him The Prophet speakiââ oâ this state and condition of Men did prophecy concerning our Lord Jesus Christ when we shall see him there is no comlyness in him why we should desire him and so it hath happened to a great many now adays though the Truth hath appeared to them yet they have not looked upon it as a pleasant way as a way desirable but a ãâã be shun'd if possible What shifts have ãâã great many People made ãâã keep themselves if possible out of the way oâ Truth arguing for this and that and dispâtââ for one way and another that was out of Truths way out of the way of Holiness What was the meaning of all their arguments but to tell us they might be happy they might be saved though they did not come into Truths way and walk in Truths way and though they did abide in those things that were contrary to the Testimony of Truth in their own Hearts yet it might go well with them This is the strength of the arguments of all sorts of all persuasions in the World that have been arguing themselves out of the Truth and would argue us out of the Truth too and would take the liberty to do those things which are not agreeable therewith but now the reason of this is because the preparation is wanting they are those that have no need of Truth and that have no need of God and of a Saviour but think they can make shift without them he is not become the chiefest to them they can abide in the high places the can call upon the name of the Lord and they can worship in the Groves and in the high places both together like as those Nations that were brought to inhabit the Kingdon of Israel when the ten Tribes were carried away they sent for Priests to teach them they sent back to the King of Assyria to send them some Priests to teach them to worship the God of their Coântry and when the Priest came to teach them he taught them the Ceremonies of the Law and the divers observations that the Jews used to practise in that Country and so they grew into a formality of serving the God of Israel They called upon the Name of the Lord and every Nation Worshipped their own Gods How is this Nation and the
and yet knows in his own Conscience that he is condâmned he believeth a Lie he is seduced and deceived A Man cannot be justified ây Christ when the Spirit of Christ condemneth him Such ãâã whâââe comes to lay down his Head upââ his Dying Pillow all his Faith will fly away I ãâ¦ã with some Instances lamentable Iâ ãâ¦ã those thaâ were called Christians ãâ¦ã made a Profession of Religion anâ ãâ¦ã have laid down their Heads in Soâ ãâ¦ã this be your Mistake consider while yâ ãâ¦ã Time ââat you may die in Peacâ Now ãâã Proposition and Tââder oâ ãâ¦ã Loââ of God ãâã Mankind hath alââried that Limitâââon with it that is ãâã in the World ought to observe If a Man hope to be saved by Christ he must be ruled by him Iâ is contrary to all manner of Reason thâââhe Devil should rule a Man and Christ be his Saviour The whole tenour of the New Testament is against it pray read it as oft as you pâââse for it is a good Exercise you will find the true Christian's Faith to be this That he that hath Faith in Christ hath an Operation upon him for the Cleansing his Heart and purifying and purging his conscience from dead works that he may serve the living God though he hath been a Servant of the Devil it will make hââr leave his former Servitude and bring him under the Influence of another Law the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus which will make him free from ãâã law of sin and death The Apostle sets down âhe several Conditions he had ââssed through I was alivâ without the law once he thought himself a Man a brave Man a Man of Understanding thââ had profited among the Jews I was alive having respect to that Law which should have been my Goverour but when the commândment came sin revived and I died He hâd âead the Law the Commandment many ãâ¦ã and had been at the reading of it in the ãâ¦ã âgue but there was a coming of the Comâândment which he had not been acquainted âith there was a Writing of thâ Law of God in his Heart when he ãâã to this inward World upon him âââre was thââ the ãâã he lived When the ãâã came Sin revived and I died There was a professing Life he formerly liââd but he was slain by the Power of thââââmanâment it laid him in the Dust as a ââain Man when he was in a ãâã condition he found out that Law in him that was the Law of Sin and Death and this caused a Combat and a War in him I find a law saith he that whââ I would do good evil is present with with me for I delight in the law of God in the inner mâ but I see another law in my membeâ ãâ¦ã against the law of my mind and bâ ãâ¦ã into captivity to the law of ãâã which ãâ¦ã members Now this brââghâ him ãâã a Poverty of Spirit into a Sense of his miââââble Condition and then he cries out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Now some People in this Day they are like the Apostle they have a law in their mâmbers warning against thâ lâw of their minds the good that they would dâââey do not and they can go no further But the Apostle Paul did reach further though he did not in that state know Deliverance yet ãâ¦ã that he should be delivered and that he ãâ¦ã be miserable all his Days Thus haâing ãâ¦ã Romans into the several Staââs through whâââ he passed he brings them to a furtheâ Sâ The law of the spirit of life in Christ ãâã hâth made âe free from the law of sin ãâã deâââ And now there is no condemnâ ãâ¦ã ââem that are in Christ Jesus How shâ ãâ¦ã know this They walk not after the flesh ãâã after the spirit Nâ Pâul was come to that sanctified state thaâ ãâã of Freedom and Liberty which Christ âesus will bring all those unto that believe ân him Holy Men in former Days did experience and find a greaâ Strife and Warfare in their own Hearts they would do all well and exercise a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man but there is a Law of Sin that wars in their Members if we yield to it it leadâ to Sin and Death but if we yield our selves to the law âf the spirit of life there is a Power thaâ ãâ¦ã âved from the Mediator that will ââanslate the Soul out of the kingdom of darkness and Sin which the Devil is the Prince of and bring it into the kingdom of God's dear Son There must be a real Change wrought in us before we can come tâ God and to Fellowship and Commââion wiâh God which âlone can make thâ ãâã happy Let this be tâe Exercise of eâ one of us to adore and magnifie and ãâã Mercy and the kindness of God âhat ãâ¦ã not withdrawn his Spirit from yoâ ãâ¦ã hath placed a Mân for in your ãâ¦ã âs upon you to cease to do evil ãâ¦ã and to consider that the ãâ¦ã sin is death Here is a Sin I may âmit it there is a Temptation beofre me ãâã I know there is a Bait and a Hook ãâ¦ã swalloâ it if I will but if I do iâ will ãâ¦ã ây Râth Would I come to eternâl Death and have my Portion with Lyars and wicked Persons in the Kingdom of Darkness Where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched or would I have my Portion with Saints and Angels If I would have my Portion with the blessed in the Kingdom of God when I die I must walk in the way that leads to it but the Gate is strait and the way narrow and few there be that find it Labour then to be one of those few But what signifies our Labour some may say if we can do nothing that is good not so much as think a good thoâht What signifies our Labour all the Labours and Endeavours in the whole World cannot âââke a Man happy I now speak to a People to whom God doth vouchsafe the Help and Assistance of his Gracâ and Spirit and the Visitations of his Love and Power you muâ ãâ¦ã ândeavour to do somethââg if a Man enââavour with the help of ãâ¦ã âie may doâ great deal of good and ãâã a great deal of Evil Though all our Endeavours in our own Power and Strength can signifie nothing yet they are required by God and ây joyning them with his Grâ and layinââold of Opportunities by ãâã Assistance we may do whâ God will aâ But if a Man do ãâã thing in his own Poâ and Strength whether Prayer Hearing Rââing Meditation or any other Duty he haâ ãâã good let it ââone I would consider you as those that God hath followed with his Grace and the Manifestation of his Spirit this is given to every Man to profit withal and every Man hath Opportunity to work with it but he must work while it is day for the night
except that he saith He would not the death of him that dies What would he have then He would have you turn and live What means doth he use What I would have done I would use means for it You will say What means doth God use I am ready to say What means hath he not used ãâã What is it that God doth more wish for thân that Men would repent return and live and be happy for ever He hath created them and given them Life and Breath and continued them twenty thirty forty or fifty Years that they might have Time to prepare for Eternity and he hath given his good Spirit to instruct them but they have rebelled against him He hath sent forth his Word the Gospel of Salvation which hath been preached to them and he hath waited to be gracious and âxercisâd much patience and long-suffâââ ãâã towards them so that I may say what meâ hath he omitted He hath planted them as a vineyard in a very fruitful hill and he haâ fenced it and gathered out the stones thâââ and planted it with the choicest vine and ãâ¦ã in the midst of it and made a winâ ãâã therein and he looked that it should ãâã foâth grapes and it brought wild grapes ãâã I pray you saith âhe Lord between me ãâã my vineyard Whââ could have been done ãâã to my vineyard that I have not done in it But notwithstanding all your unfruitfulness the Day of your Visitation is continued the Lord is willing to shew Mercy to your Souls This is all the Lord your God requires of you That you would think upon his Name believe in him and trust in him and wait upon him for the Operations of his Grace in the Use of his Ordinances and your Attendance upon them and hearkning to his Voice and obeying it and so to hear that your souls may live I will affirm that there is never a one of you here present whether you be Quakers or no but you may meet with the Divine operations of the Power of God in your own Hearts if you will regard it and when you meet with these operations and regard them not I cannot help it if you will resist the good things of the Spirit of God I cannot help it if you will be of that Mind always to resist the Holy Ghost If as your âathers did so do ye then you must all perish both you and your Fathers there is no escaping but by being subject to Christ Jesus and his ââickening Spirit if there be any Divine âââârations that you meet with in your own Hearts let me perswade you to sâ ãâ¦ã have regard to them for I know thâ ãâã is near at Hand and when People ãâã with Divine operââions in their Soulâ ãâã humble them and bring down their Pâ and convince them of the danger of their âââdition the lies in the way and suggests ãâã poysonous thing that takes off the edge oâ these operââiââs that they may dislike them It is trueâ ãâã meet with convictions of Sin but they reckon they have that Faith and belief in âhrist that doth in the sight of Goâ obâ all their Sins that can be laid to thâ charge both past and to come If I would look say they to the Divine operations or any thing wrought in me it wâre enough to make me mad I look wholly for the meriâ of Cârist my Mind is wholly fixed upoâ him who iâ the Auther of Eternal Salvâ his merââââious sufferings and obedience ãâã obliterââând blot out all my Sins My Mââds I tell you many a Poor Soul hath spâ upon this Roâ by undervaluing the Divine operâtions of the Spirit upon ãâã Hearts they mâke a false and wrong application of the merits of Câââst which indeeâ are so grâââ that no body can ovââvalue them but we must not make a false application ãâã them For this purpose was the Son of ãâã manifested that he might destroy the Worââ the Devil He takes away the guilt oâ ãâã noâ that you might live in it still Whoâ bâlieveth iâ Christ shall hâve Poâ ãâ¦ã ãâã and not be ãâã the dominion and ãâã of Sin Sin shall not havâ dominion over ãâã for you are not under the Law but under ãâã But God be thanked you were the servants ãâã Sin but you have obeyed from the Heart the form of Doctrine which was delivered you being then made free from Sin ye became the Servants of Righteousness Rom. 6.14 18. But you will say I am guilty of agre at deal of Sin already what shall become of me for the guilt that I have contracted If we confess and forsake our Sins he ãâã âkfull and just to forgive us our Sins and to âââanst us from all unrighteousness and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin 1 John 9.9 Here is a true application of Christ his Merits and Righteousness when there is a confessing of Sin to Goâ and a forsaking of it here is an offering and a Sacrifice made to God by our Lord Jââus Christ for the expiation of Sin he ãâã by his precious Blood pâââhased the pardon of all my Sins that he might present me to God without Spot and Blemish here is a true application the Righteousââââ of Christ but how can I apply it to my self while I live in Siâ Here Gods Witness in the Conscience of a Sinner pleads against the Sinner when he hath got a trick to believe that his guilt is taken away and all his S ns past present and to come are pardoned while he continue to live in ãâã and Sin hath yet dominion over him Take heed you split nâ ãâ¦ã if you be humble well grown Châ ãâ¦ã will think upon the Name of the ãâ¦ã when ye find the operation of Gods ãâã begetting good desires in you to hate Sin ãâã love Righteousness you will then believâ you will then Pray to the God of all Grace for the Prayer of the Faithful is acceptable to him The effectual fervent Prayer of a Righteous Man avails much Jam. 5.16 Let your supplications therefore be poured forth unto God to endue you with Power and Wisdom to subdue all your Spirituââ Enemies and to conquer your concupiscence and the inordinate desires and affections of your own Hearts that you may take up the Crosâ of Christ and follow him as your greaâ Patrân and in his Name and by the hâ and Aââistaâce of his Holy Spirit you mâ know how to ââercome all Temptations His Prayer after Sermon MOst Glorious Lord God wonderful is thy great Power over all which thou hast revealed and made manifest in this thy blessed Day Thy Arm O thou Almighty God is stretched forth thou hast touched a Remnant with a sense of thy Divine love whom thou hast gathered unto thy Name thou hast revealed thy great Salvation and therewith thou haâ made glad the Souls of thy Children thou hast endeared thy self ââto us by the discovery and manifestation of thy abounding love
who didst love us when we were Strangers and preserve us when we were Enemies and brought a glorious Day of visitation upon us and opened our eys ãâã behold the Light thereof so that we are an engaged People to speak good of thy ââme Thou hast declared and manifested to the Sons and Daughters of Men thy good Will and thy universal Grace that thou art daily extending to them that all may be made partakers of the Riches of thy House and of thy great Salvation which by the Lord Jesus Christ thou hast ordained And O thou Powerful God of Life since the Day that thou first gathered us thou hast been with us thou hast been our Guid and our Eyes have been towards thee for instruction thou hast taught us and âed us in the way in which thou wouldst have ãâã to walk thou hast led us O Lord in the way Everlasting âith the poâ ãâ¦ã and the meek of the Earth ãâ¦ã placed our Feet O Lord near the Eveâ ãâ¦ã Mountain which thou hast exalted ãâã the high Hills of the Earth and thou haââââvealed the Glory and the splendor of ãâã House thy Holy Dwelling Place and ãâã raised Breathings in the Hearts of thy Peoâ that they may dwell in thy Courts for evâ And now Holy Father thou hast gathered ãâã Remnant and brought a peculiar People ãâã trust in thy Name but still we do all thâ we do by thee thou must be our Keeper thou must be our preserver therefore we wait upon thee we expect all from thy Hand therefore our applications are unto thee that fâ Day to Day and from time to time we ãâã find thy living Presence in the midst ãâã And O living God of life thou hast giveâ ãâã Children large experience that thou art a ãâã nigh at hand to us in all our Tryals in all ãâã Exercises as our Eyes have been turned ãâã thee thou hast preserved us and revealed thâ Heavenly Power O Lord in preserving and delivering thy Church and People that they may bear a testimony in their generation tâ thy great love and the great Salvation ãâã thoâ hast wrought for them and made ãâã pertakers of Now Blessed God of Liâ desires and supplications of thy Peopleâ unto thee for the glorifying of thy Pâ the exalting of thy glorious Name ãâ¦ã leâ the mighty operation of thy ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã and stubborn ones that ãâ¦ã âgainst thee and that havâ withstood ãâã tenders of thy Grace and the Motions âd striving of thy Holy Spirit Thou art âole to bow them and to break their stony Hearts thou art able to speak effectually to their Souls and to make them submit themselves to thee Holy and living Father let the progress of thy Word and Gospel be great in our Day let it have a free course and spread it self mightily to those that believe not to beget a Seed of Faith in their Souls that they may believe in thy Name and Trust in thy Power ad wait to see the great Work of Redemption wrought for the Salvation of Immortal Souls before the Daâ of Visitation goes over Powerful God ãâã Life thy little Remnant which thou hast âedeemed keep them by thy Power and preserve them in Uprightness and Cleanness of Mind preserve them in the places and stations wherein thou hast appointed them to dwell and in all their Tryals and Tribulations and Distresses that may come upon them that they may be quiet and still and in patience possess their Souls and let them âave strong consolation in that Everlasting ââvenant which in thy Son thou hast made âth them and râvealed to them and let ãâã not be moved and tossed with the hurâ of this World with the tumults and disâ that evil Men make in it and the Storms ãâ¦ã that are raised but let thâââ Hearts and Minds be âââyed upon ãâ¦ã they may know how to behave then ãâ¦ã wards thee and one another and towâ ãâ¦ã tâ ãâ¦ã âe without and thereby glorify ãâ¦ã mâ ãâã thy great Name by the Beauâ ãâ¦ã Holyness shining in their Conversations wâ may reach the Consciences of Men that ãâã that see them may say these ãâã the Planâ that the Right Hand of God hath Plantââ and see the Fruits that are brought forth fâ ãâã that Root of Life revealed in Christ Jesuâ Powerful God of Life carry on thine owâ Work in this City and the whole Nation and in other places among that People whiâ tââu hast chosen and gathered to thy ãâã of the World Powerful God of Life remââber those that groan in secret making ãâã moan to thee that they cannot lay hold oâ Salvation for their Souls Prepare them ãâã that consolation that their Souls are breaâ afâer They are Night and Day wrestling ãâã thee by earnest Prayer But what will all theâ wrestling signifie except thy Word and thâ Power of thy Grace assist them and ãâã them to lay hold of thy strength that ãâã may Fight the good Fight of Faith thaâ ãâã may get the Victory and rejoyce in thââââvation and see the Glory of it Thou seâ ãâã the Children of Men are working anââââtriving divers ways for their own Salvâ make theâ to know that all their oâ ãâ¦ã and inventions arâân vain Blessâ ãâ¦ã the deâ ãâ¦ã ây waâââây Heritage and ãâ¦ã thou hast gathered by thy Word do ãâã preserve them that they may serve thee ââth sincere and upright Minds all the Days ãâã their Lives and offer up daily Thaâ ãâã âings and living Praises to thee the ãâã and living God and Jesus Christ whom thou âast sent and âhy Eternal Spirit who alone art worthy who art God over all blessed ãâã ever and ever Amen A Catalogue of Books Printed for Nath Câouch at the Bell in the Poultry near Cheapside 1. The History of the Principality of ãâã in three parts containing 1. A brief âââunt of the ancient Kings and Princes of Britâââ and Wales till the final extinguishing of the âoyal Brittish Line 2. Remarks upon the ãâã of all the Princes of Wales of the Royal ââmilies of England from King Edward the first to this time particularly of Edward the Black Prââce of Wales who with 30000 English defeated an Army of 100000 French at Cressy and at Poictiââs with 10000 beat 80000 and took John the French King Prisoner also of Henry of Munmouth afterâââd King Henry the fifth who with 13000 ãâã 90000 French whose Son Henry sixth was ãâã King of France at Paris 3. Remarkable âvations on the most memorable Persons and ãâã in Wales and of divers considerable passages ãâã any Hundred Years past with the Birth and ãâã Actions of Merlin the famous Welsh Proâ ãâ¦ã with naturaâ ãâã artificial âââities ãâ¦ã Princiâ ãâ¦ã ãâã âwered in above 300 ãâ¦ã âontaining 1. Dreadful Judgments upon ãâ¦ã Blasphemers and Perjured Villains 2. The ãâ¦ã ends of many Magicians c. 3. Remarkable âââdictions and presages of approaching Death aâ how ãâã event has been answerable 4. Fearful Juââments upon bloody Tyrants Murderers c.
his Power or I will submit to him Which of these is the best way the safest way Are there not a great many in this Age that are as sensible of the Workings of God's Grace for their Conversion as ever you and I were that are as sensible that God hath call'd them to Holiness and Righteousness as any of us can be and yet they have resisted the Grace of God They have said in their Hearts We will not submit to this Power that will make us so holy and so watchful and so careful diligent and obedient for this very reason because it will cross my Interest it will cross my Pleasure it will hinder my Preferment in the World and my Reputation among men and for this reason I will not bear this Yoke I would be glad to hope there are none such here that have made such a Covenant with Death and Hell and yielded themselves up to the Devil to serve him all their Dayes Let us who are at this Time and at this Meeting under the Operation of God's Grace and do feel the Lord calling us by his Grace and working upon us by his Spirit let us enter together into a holy solemn Resolution That we will obey this good Spirit and take him for our Leader and submit though it should be to a Cross Thus People will think they will come to this Resolution when the Work of Redemption is begun in their Souls and when they are convinced of their Sin and their Eyes are opened to see the way of Holiness and though they never take a Resolution to walk in it yet every one shall be convinced and see there was a better waâ than their own and be convinced by the Grace of God one time or other that in respect of God's working of it it is a beginning but in respect of Man that should join with the operation of God it is not beginning for he haââ no desire to those things which he doth not know he still depends upon himself but when the Soul comes to be satisfied that it is the Visitation of God and joins himself to him in a holy Resignation of his own will and saith This is the Lord he is come to work upon me he is come to change and alter the Frame of my Mind It is the Lord let him do what he will here is a Mind brought to submit to the Grace of God God is able to do that for him which he cannot do for himself When People come to the right Object of their Faith and act their Faith upon that Object they every Day find a Progress a going forward in the Work of Grace according to the Work of Faith in their Souls and there is a Power that inclines them to believe it is not for such to cry If they had Power they would do more he that hath the Spirit of Grace the Spirit of Christ that had all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him to put it forth on purpose for the bringing back of Men and Women home to God he that hath this Object of Faith before him he will not look for Power in his own Will and Affections to redeem him he expects a Power to be daily ministred and dispensed to him as he hath need of it through the Lord Jesus Christ who is present with him in all his Tryals and Temptations He cries Here is a Temptation that will carry me away O Lord help me Put forth the Arm of thy Power and save me plant thy Fear in my heart and deliver me Their Eyes shall see their Saviour saith the Prophet Thus when a Man comes to be joined to the right Object of Faith and doth exercise and put forth lively Acts of Faith upon Christ hi Eyes shall see his Saviour the light that shines into his Heart discovers to him the Temptation and it also shews him a Redeemer at hand his Saviour is nigh him and he trusteth in him and relies upon him and says This Word of God is in my Heart and I do really believe that although the Temptation that assaults me be strong yet it shall not prevail whether it be the Profits the Pleasures or the Honours of the World if I put my Trust in this Power I cannot go near the Evil I am a Christian I am entred into a Covenant in Christianity that I will joyn with nothing but what God approves of now when I have represented to my Mind the Temptation of the Devil and that evil which he sets before me and I know it is contrary to the Mind of God How can I go into that evil and break my Covenant with God after I am entred into Covenant with him to love him serve him and obey him the Power of Grace upon such Souls the Operation of Grace is so powerful that the Temptation comes and goes and they are saved and delivered out of it because God helpeth them but if they comply with the Temptation then Tribulation Wrath and Anguish pursues all such as are rebellious and disobedient to the Will of God Now this Redemption is carried on gradually from day to day the Truth that thou believest it operates by degrees thou art delivered first from one evil Practice and then from another evil Work but there is a great deal more thou rejoicest and art glad that thou art delivered from one sin but thou wouldest be more glad to be delivered from them all I speak to those that are serious for their immortal Souls when they see themselves delivered out of one Evil that they were ready to run into they would be glad that they were redeemed out of every evil that their crosness and perversness their frowardness and Wantonness were removed they should be glad to be delivered from all their Sins What do you think say some that a Man while he liveth here may come to see all Sin all Evil and Corruption brought under and nothing but Holiness and Righteousness and Truth remain in him and that there shall be nothing but Simplicity and Innocence Do you think that such a thing can be Why should not I think so You will grant me That the Power of Grace is able to get such Power and Victory over Sin and Corruption that you may come to hate it as much as ever you have loved it if you grant me that the Consequence will follow he that gave me Victory over Sin can give me Power over all Sin All Christians believe That God's Power is infinite the Scripture testifies All things to be possible to God with whom we have to do If all things be possible to God sure this is possible there is nothing so contrary to God as Sin is and God will not suffer the Devil always to rule his Masterpiece Man Mankind is God's Masterpiece the most eminent Creature in this lower World made after God's likeness and though the Devil hath brought Men into his own likeness now yet nothing can be more
driven away in a cloudy and dark Night be brought to a glorious and blessed Day wherein they may enjoy the Gospel that brings Light to dark Souls that Praises and Thanksgivings may be offered up in thy House for thy Holy Presence with us that we may be fed there when we are assembled together in thy Name accordiââ to thy Promise Continue to ãâã âmidst of us that living Praises and Thanksgivings may be offered up to thee through Jesus Christ for thou alone art Worthy who art God over all blessed for evermore Amen SERMON II. The Word of God a Christians Life Preached at Grace-Church-street March 14 1687. IT was the Doctrin of the great Master of the Christian Religion the Lord Jesus Christ while he was preaching and publishing and making known the way of Salvation among the Sons and Daughters of Men he then preached and declared That it was not Bread only by which Man lived but by everâ Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of Goâ Now the way and means of Mans Preservâtion in Life in a living state the Methââ and Course that the God of Heaven doââ open to keep the Sons and Daughters of Meâ alive is by this Word Every Word ãâã proceedeth out of the Mouth of God hath a Ministration of Life in it and therefore all that are desirous of the enjoyment of the Immortal Life and of the preserving and encreasing of it they are diligently to wait to be made Partakers of this Divine Ministration Outward Bread is for our outward Preservation but Man is made inward as well as outward he hath a Soul as well as a Body Now Christ to signify to us what the inward Man is nourished and fed by tells us That Man liveth not by Bread only but by every Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God So now in this our day as well as in former Days it hath pleased God to give unto a Remnant an experimental knowledge of the Truth of this that they have been quickned and made alive by the Word of God that is they have heard and felt and tasted of the Word of Life that was with the Father before the World began that hath been divinely ministred to them by the mercy of God through Jesus Christ many that were dead in Sins and Trespasses he hath said unto them Live He hath given unto many an inward sense of their State who sometimes had it not he hath brought many a one to feel sin to b a Burden and an oppressing Load who sometimes before have taken Pleasure and Delight in it This is a great change that is wrought in a Mans Mind that he should come to be loaden with that burthened and oppressed by that which was before âis Pleasure and Delight yet this great Chââge hath been wrought in many a Soul by the operation of the word of God of that inward Word that inward Voice when the Lord hath taken Men in hand himself There are many have taken Sinners ãâã hand and have gone about to convince theâ and convert them but they were not able to do it but when the Lord hath taken Man in hand himself when his Creator hath undertaken to deal with him himself then the Man cries out I am a Worm and no Man then he cries out under the sense of the judgment of God then he cries out under the indignation of the Lord which he hath kindled by his Sins he cries out for Mercy then he prays for Remission then he wishes that he had never provoked the Lord for the Word that goes out of the Mouth of God hath â mighty Force and Power upon the Spirit of â Man so that he is converted and changed ââ it as the Prophet said of old The Word ââ God is pure converting the Soul Now where any come to an experimentaâ knowledge of the Word of the Lord of thâ inward Voice whereby God speaks to thâ Sons and Daughters of Men they have râceived thereby an infallible feeling of thâ own State and Condition this is the firââ Lesson learned by it They come to have certain infallible knowledge of their oââ State and they are sure that they cannot ãâã deceived for it brings an Evidence with it in their Consciences so that whatsoever this Word of Life signifieth to a Man he hath the knowledge of the same thing evidencing it in his own Conscience as the Apostle saith If our Hearts condemn us God is greater than our Hearts and knoweth all things Now here is a way found out for Men to obtain divine Knowledge by a divine Means for the Lord speaks by his Spirit and if Men come to hearken to that Voice unto that Speaking they perceive readily what it saith unto them The Lord tells People as well now as in former Days what he hath against them and this every one in the Closet of their own Hearts come to understand We read in the Book of Revelations what our Lord Jesus Christ appointed John to write to the seven Churches in Asia that he had a few things against some and many things against others Now that which is the design of our Meetâng when we are Assembled together is that we may know what the Mind and Judgment of God is concerning our Selves How shall we know that unless we ask him and come to wait upon him and enquire at the Oracle of Counsel that God hath appointed in the Bosome of every man For he signifies his mind unto the Children of men by that Light ând Grace which Jesus Christ hath Planted in âhem he hath Enlightned every man that comes ââto the world with an undeceiving Light and he hath ministred of his truth and Grace to every man tho' the man be bad and untrue and in the Dark and there be Darkness in him yet the Light shineth in Darkness The Man may be a false Man yet there is true knowledg in him if this false Man harken to the Voice of Truth when the God of Truth signifies what his Mind and Judgment is concerning him and his present State So that here is an opportunity offered and if a Man believe the word of Truth which is administred to his own mind he cannot say such a Man hath deceived him for it is Truth it self which is signified to him which he believeth For the Truth is the object of ãâã Faith and he believeth it of himself he believeth that while he remains wicked in ãâã unrenewed state he is out of the Covenant of God and in the high Road to Destruction if he doth not get out of it and return to God and mind his Duty He believeth this and he believeth the Truth It hath been so with many it hath been so with us all this is the firââ kind of Faith and Belief that ever we receive for when Truth signifies to us our fallen state our alinated state when Truth signifies and discovers to us the Partition Wall of Sin and iniquity which we
out of the Mouth of God administers Life Sense and Conviction and you feel it and receive it and you may have more familiar Acquaintance with it There is not a Day or Hour that passeth over your Head nor mine but if we attend to this inward Voice we may know what it speaks to us by its Counsels Doctrins Reproofs Convictions and Illuminations for the Spirit speaketh expresly with an express signification unto the Spirit of Man and if he be under a Temptation to tell a Lie and he comes to a little Pause or Question whether he shall tell it or no if he hearken to this inward Word he will not pause long about it but such a Sentence will arise in him as that to Joseph How can I do this great Wickedness and sin against God How can I speak a Lie tell a Lie when in so doing I sin against God Here is a sentence of Truth wilt thou receive it or not No saist thou I will venture to tell a Lie then shalt thou come into the rank of them that do Despite to the Spirit of Grace that trample under Foot the Son of God and count the Blood of the Covenant an unholy thing What Sentence such shall have at the latter end you may read at large in the Holy Scriptures Now there is a great necessity that every one be persuaded to hearken to this Voice not only at a Meeting but on all Occasions they have in the World I hope I speak to many serious and religious Persons that are enquiring about their Immortal Souls what may be best for their Souls whether 't is better to go on in Wickedness or leave off and that resolve and say I would be glad to leave my Sins as well as you if I had Power and to live a holy Life As for the want of Power that you have not Power I do not wonder at it for till you come to an exercise of Faith in that which hath empowered the People of God in all Ages I wonder not that you have not Power You say I am so weak that I am overcome before I am aware the Devil is so subtil and cunning with his Temptations that I am surprizeâ and snatch'd into Temptations and overcomâ with evil before I am aware He is like ãâã Roaring Lion going about continually so all ãâã whom he may devour But who can he devour Can he devour those that hearken and submit to the Word of God If he could then none could escape him if the Devil could pluck out of Gods Hands then no Body would go to Heaven nor ever shall if he have Power Where the Devil finds any in their own Hands as suppose a religious Person of this and the other Religion who never experienced any thing of this Power of God but trusteth to his Duties and Performances this Man is at his own Hand now such a one the Tempter hath Power over He can make him cheat his Neighbour and lead him into Drunkenness and Uncleanness sometimes and into the greatest Abominations but if a Man come into an exercise of Faith and dependance upon God and hath left trusting in his own Hands and saith I see I cannot preserve my self from sin I see a necessity of putting my trust in the Lord and of waiting upon Gods Power to keep me If the Tempter come to such a one he cannot prevail all the Devils in Hell cannot stir him one jot the Devil may tempt him but he stands in the Power of Faith he knows his Name and saith Get thee behind me Satan when the Devil comes before him and lays a Temptation before him he casts it behind him if the Devil rises up against him he can chain him down he can say in the Name of the Lord Get thee behind me Satan This is the Reason why many are tempted and not overtaken why many are tempted to sin and not overcome How comes it to pass that we do not do every thing that we are Tempted to There is something that keeps us the Devil is not so bad to Tempt but we are as bad in our own Inclinations to yield to him The Heart is deceitful above all Things and desperately wicked who can know it There is more Wickedness in it than can be uttered If People be tempted and not overcome something must preserve them if there be something that preserves a Man from any Evil it can preserve him from all Evil. The Reason why some People are led into Temptation sometimes and resist it is because sometimes the Temptation suits not their Inclination sometimes their Reputation lies in the way sometimes one thing sometimes another But when a thing they are Tempted to suits their Profit and Pleasure then away with the fear of God and nothing shall hinder them I will have my Pleasure But they that understand the Keeper of Israel and come to know his Power living in their Hearts these always bring their Deeds and Temper before him and they come to him for a Verdict and Judment and they ask Doth this tend to the Honour or Dishonour of God Is it good or evil The Oracle of God in the Heart says do it not it is evil Thou wilt kindle the Indignation of the Lord against thee what will it profit to gain the whole world and lose thy own soul or what wilt thou give in exchange for thy Soul Here is one at hand that can give Counsel to all of us at all times this is he that we must advance our Labour and Work upon the Stage of thâs World among the Sons and Daughters of Men is to advance the Vertue and great Authority of this mighty Counsellor Christ Jesus we do say and affirm in the Name of God that the same Light and Grace by which God hath brought us out of Darkness into his marvelous Light and from the Power of the Devil into the Kingdom of his dear Son the same Power is extended to you that you may be sanctified and saved from your Sins One Sect will say my Tenets are so and so and our Ordinances are so and so will you come over to us You shall be a Member of our Church Our duty is to come over to the Grace of God that shines in our Hearts now we are Witnesses for God that he doth not desire the death of them that die but rather that they would turn and live for his Word is gone forth and his Light shines and his Glory is risen upon the Nations that they that inhabit the Earth may fear him Fear God and give Glory to God The hour of his Judgment is come Do you know that to be true that you may not be deluded you shall certainly know that the Hour of God's Judgment is come Thus when any one suffers himself to be led away with the Evil One when he feels after that a Remorse upon his own Heart ãâã finds a secret Judgment and Tribunal set up in his
own Bosom against Whoredom Lying Drunkenness Fraud and other Sins he knows he hath done amiss he is not going to a Confessor that will take off and remove the Guilt from his Conscience he hath offended the Majesty of the great God and God hath signified to him Is not Judgment come and hath not God set it up in his own Heart if through Custom in Sin thou losest the Sense of this Judgment it is not because God hath determined to take Advantage against thee but because thou actest against thy self and comest to be past feeling thou wast once under a sense of these things and thou wast not past feeling if thou at any time told thy Parents a Lie thou hadst Remorse but now thou canst tell a Lie and not feel it thou art past feeling whose Fault is this The Lord would have brought thee to love Truth but thou chusest Lying if thou periââ ãâã Blood will be upon thine own head the ãâã clear from it They that receive the Word of God ãâã Life for man liveth not by bread only but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God You are sensible of God's speaking this Word to you I exhort you all in the Love of God that you would prize this manner of Speaking and look upon it as the greaâest Mercy that ever you enjoy'd that God hath not given over speaking to you and that Conscience hath not given over speaking to you and that the Spirit of the Lord doth yet strive with you he will not always strive you may be of that sort of Fools before you die that make a mock of sin and be as trees twice dead and plucked up by the roots You that are sensible of this inward Voice prize it above all your Mercies Health and Wealth and all other Mercies are not worthy to be compared to this Voice of God speaking in you They that prize this will never complain for want of Power they will find Power in it all the Power in Heaven and Earth is contained in this Truth that shines unto you They that come to be exercised in this Word receive Power from God for God gives it to them he gives them Power by degrees from being Sons of Belial Sons of the Devil to become Sons of God to as many as believe in his name They that receive this Truth grow tender of a Lie of a vain Word they find themselves grow tender feeling and sensible Hââe is a token that the God of Life is quickâââ them I am now tender of speaking a Lie to my Neighbour I will not do that thing to another that I would not have another do to me when you come to a tender state which is far better than an hard-hearted state you will have an Evidence in your selves That man liveth not by bread only but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God Blessed are they that God hath brought into Acquaintance with his Word of all Nations and People upon the Earth they are a blessed People though there are manifold Blessings that reach indifferently to all the sun shines and the rain falls on the evil and the good and on the just and unjust yet this is a Blessing that can only make the Soul happy that an Intercourse between it and its Maker is open that there is an open Intercourse for the Lord to hear a Man cry and he to receive his Word all those that God hath brought into Covenant with himself by Christ he hath made sensible of this Intercourse and way of God's speaking to his People which he spake to them by in former days Take heed that this way be not stopt up you know by what it was opened and what will stop it up again when you were in much Trouble and Grief you cried to the Lord and he delivered you But if I regard iniquity in my heart said David the Lord will not hear me You cried to the Lord again it may be and he did not answer you and the Lord cried to you and you answered him not but hearkned to your Lusts Yet the Lord by his long-suffering and patience hath won upon a Remnant and hath brought them over to believe and trust in his Power for Salvation and as soon as ever they came to believe in him they found his Power to remove out of the way that which hindred the Intercourse between God and their Souls What a great Stir was there in removing out of the way the Pride Corruption Enmity Loosness Wantonness and abundance more of evil things that made the Soul like a Wilderness What hacking up and burning up was there God's Word like a hammer and like a fire did break up and burn up these things and the same Word of God like a Sword did cut down those Sins and Lusts which prevailed over you before By this means God hath opened a Way for you to have access to him and for his Word to have access to you When you come to the Lord in this way you know you live by this Word and if you hear the Word of the Lord spoken immediately to you your Joy and Consolation increaseth and you have sweet Communion and Fellowship with God and Christ and with one another by this Covenant of Life How came you into it It was by removing a great deal of Rubbish out of the way If you should let this Rubbish grow up again which kept you from the Joy of the Holy Ghost will it not do it again If your Pride Corruption Enmity Prejudice Looseness and Wantonness if these be suffer'd to grow up in any of you they will do as they did before they will separate you from the Lord and from one another As the Truth brought you to God and this heavenly Fellowship with him so if a wrathful Mind and wanton Spirit get up again it will separate you from God and scatter you from one another then you will live in the outward Life and die to the inward one and perish Remember you were told so Every one that goes from this living Word and suffers any thing to arise of the old Nature so much as that riseth so much will your way of Intercourse with God be stopt sometimes Men cry to God but they have a Bar in their way and they come for Comfort to the Throne of Grace but they cannot receive those Ministrations of Joy and Peace which they desire their foolish hearts are darkned and their minds blinded and they will go on in darkness and be left out of the Holy Covenant which God hath called his People to You that God hath engaged to be his by the Operation of his Power O live in a holy Fear and watchfulness and know this That let your Understanding and Gifts be what they will you have nothing but what is given you and what God he hath given you he can take away Thou hast decked thy self with my flax and my wool and
but the grand question that every one ought to enquire about and put to themselves is What progress they have made in this way Whether they are Baptized yet or no Whether they have Put off the old Man and his deeds and put on the new Man and the new Mans deeds which are righteousness and holiness They that find that though they are believers they are short of this they do also find that their shortness is their hinderance their shortness in not coming up to the pattern that hath bin shewed them is their hinderance so that they enjoy not the things here spoken of the being under this sense and really sitting under this sense in a Meeting though there should be no Man speaking to them outwardly yet being come to this faith and made partakers of this baptism People would find in their own Bosoms the hidden Word of life ministring to their condition they would have enough there would not be a famin of the Word unto them nor they should not need to be in expectation of going out to this or the other Instrument but they would be satisfied when they are met together with the presence of the Lord that the Lord is in midst of them ministring to them the Word of life in his operating and working speaking in a tongue that every one can understand it speaking with a kind of Voice and Language that every one may understand his own state and condition and this is the way that God brought up People at the beginning to the knowledge of Heavenly things and opening of the mysteries of Salvation we had it not of Men but of Jesus our Lord he was our great minister we waited upon him and trusted in him and he taught us himself he hath ministred to us at our silent and quiet waiting upon him those things that were convenient for us we might well say he gave us our Food in due season he hath not only given strong Meat unto Men but hath ministred of the sincere Milke of his word unto Babes that lived in sincerity and self-denyal loving God above all things and he taught and conducted us in our way this way of simplicity until our understandings came to be opened until our Souls came to be prepared to receive the mysteries of his Kingdom In those Days there were some that started up in Knowledge and that built their Nets on high and took Flax and Wool and Silver and Gold and decked themselves with them but the Lord found them out and brought them down and took the Crown from their Head and cloathed them with Dishonour So God doth from Age to Age his Judgments will begin at his own House if you would Grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ then grow in humility and self-denyal and keep a constant watch upon your Hearts examine your Hearts and Commune with your selves upon your Beds and be still take heed lest you sin against the Lord and provoke him There were some that provoked the Lord of old and they commited two great evils What be they They have gon away and forsaken the Fountain of living Water as much as to say they have not their dependance upon an invsiable power as they ought to have for I am a living fountain and t is by an invisible power that I am able to councel and teach direct and purify and open their understanding but they have forsaken me that is one great evil and the other is they would not be without somewhat they have forsaken the Lord and they would have somewhat instead of God They have digged to themselves broken Cisterns that will hold no Water And how many in this Age have committed these two great evils My Friends examine your selves are there not many that have been guilty of these two great Evils They do not keep their close dependence trust and reliance upon the invisible Power of God as they profess they ought to do but are hurried away from it some by the love of the World some by Lusts and Pleasures some by Passions and others by worldly Interests are drawn away from the Power to do and say that which the Power is against Is not this a forsaking of the Lord the living Fountain What do they do then Are they not for this and that and the other Man for hearing this and the other Mans word and digging to themselves broken Cisterns And have they not their trust and confidence in going to Meetings in commending this and the other way Have they not their trust in their Profession outwardly when it ministers nothing to their Souls so that they secretly wither for all this If you had all the Men and Angels that were ever sent of God appointed to preach to you that could not minister Life to you unless there be that Faith that stands in the Power of God The Faith that stands in any Mans Words that will not overcome your Lusts but the Faith that stands in the Power purifies the Heart it will not suffer any unclean thing there As for Preaching let a Man preach against this and the other Lust and Corruption there it will remain for all his Preaching unless Men know Gods Power and Life in which there is Righteousness for Words and Knowledge and Sight and Speculation will never give People Victory over their Sins Therefore you know every one who is setled must be setled where the Foundation of Religion is it is not coming to Meetings and owning this and the other Doctrin which is the Foundation of our Religion God hath revealed his Power to every one of us God hath not given his Spirit to Preachers and Prophets only for then there would be a Famine of the Word as was in Israel The Priest's Lips preserved Knowledge If you did take away the Priest you did take away their Knowledge The Prophets had the Word of God and they only spake the Word of God If the Prophet was taken away then the Word of God was taken away The Lord threatned to send a Famine among them they grieved and vexed and killed and destroyed the Priests and Prophets therefore saith thâ Lord I will send a Famine among you not of Bread but of the Word and they shall go from City to City and enquire for the Word of the Lord. Thus it was in the Jewish Church if there was a Prophet they would go 30 40 or 100 Miles to him that had the Word of the Lord They shall go from City to City to enquire for the Word of the Lord But blessed be God we are come to another Day for now the Word of the Lord is manifested in the Hearts of all that believe they know the Word I do not say all that believe do preach the Word or ought to preach but the Word preacheth to them they are not as broken Cisterns that can hold no Water when they find the Word and hear it they speak
in the World but letting her Ear hearken to this Old Serpent she was beguiled there grew up a Consultation in her reasoning part It may be so as he saith I will try So I say to you that are come to a state of Sanctification and in some measure to know the cleansing Power of God and that you have not believed in it in vain but it hath effectually wrought some Change and Alteration in you and is still carrying on the Work of your Salvation Many Temptations will attend you and many Snares will be laid in your way but God hath preserved you to this Day I know the Devil 's Wiles and Temptations are manifold they are fitted to every one's Inclinations fitted to every Opportunity and to every occasion in this World Men are tryed every way by the Tempter to see which way he may ensnare them he tries every way to ensnare and entangle the simple that he may turn them to the right-Hand or to the left that their Souls may be destroyed and perish I cannot speak to you by a more emphatical word by a more familiar Exhortation than this Take heed you be not beguiled as Eve was many will be tempted as she was but I would not have you do as she did and yield to the Temptation Take heed that you do not defile your selves but keep your garments white you that have been washed and cleansed labour to keep your selves unspotted from the world this is pure religion and undefiled that which hath enlightned many a Nation and shall enlighten many of those whose Religion is to be undefiled and to keep themselves unspotted from the world I pray God increase the number of them that so the blessed Work of Sanctification that hath begun in this way may be carried on to his Praise and the Salvation of our Souls to the spreading forth of his Glory and the exalting of his Name that the Strangers which are scattered and desolate may be brought into his holy Way and walk in it that we all in a Fellowship together walking in that holy way may through the Eternal Spirit offer Praise and Tanksgiving to God who is worthy to receive Glory and Honour Power and Dominion for ever and ever Amen SERMON IV. Baptism and the Lord's Supper Asserted Preached at Grace Church-street April 15th 1688. If any man hath not the spirit of Christ he is none of his IF I should say no more there is that in every ones Conscience that will make Application If he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his you may say Whose is he then If they be none of Christ's that have not his Spirit whose are they They are all his whose Spirit rules them every one of us doth belong to him whose Spirit ruleth over us unto whose Power we are subjected You know this distinguisheth People in the World One King knoweth his Subjects from another King's Subjects they are under the Obedience of this that and the other King or Prince his Law is over them they are subject to it so here is a Decision of all the People in the World who they belong to We all of us I hope do expect there will be a Decision at the Day of Judgment and believe the things we read concerning that That there will be a Decision and some will be placed on the right-Hand and some on the left-Hand some will have the Sentence of Come ye blessed and others the Sentence of Go ye cursed but now there is a way of finding out the Decision of the Matter before we go out of the World before the Day of Judgment when there will be no Remedy that is then it must be and abide so now there is no need it should continue so if it be amiss it may be mended if I do not belong to the right Prince if I be not under the right Power and Spirit I may be for now it is a day of Grace a day of Mercy I have been a Rebel to the right Prince I may be pardoned and taken into Favor it is far better for People to know their state now than to know it then because then there will be no Remedy The Apostle in laying down Fundamental Apostolical Doctrines that were to be belived and taken notice of and are in our Age so that we may say Things written of old time were written for our learning he makes this Affirmation and Position of Doctrine He that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his he doth not belong to him if he be called a Christian he is not a Christian if he hath not the Spirit of Christ It is but a Name he hath got he hath not that which makes him essentially so for nothing can make a Christian but having the Spirit of Christ therefore when they would vindicate their being Christians they prove it thus For he speaking of God hath sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts and we know the mind of Christ we know him that is true or we are in him that is true These things if they were right if they were true were evident Demonstrations that they were a sort of Men who depended more upon thâ Spirit and spiritual Teachings and Spiritual Guidance than upon Rules and Methods of Teaching that were in the World I speak of this Friends because you know as well as I how averse this Age of ours hath been to have any thing spoken of Spiritual Dispensations or about spiritual Teachings though a Man hath been counted formerly a wise Man a learned Man a Man of parts if once he come to smatter out a little about inward Teaching it is enough to spot him and make him ridicul'd of his Acquaintance as if there were no such thing in the World We have a Book called the Bible it is from one end to the other full of such Expressions of being led by the Spirit you have an anointing which teacheth you all things The whole Tenor of the New Testament is about Spiritual Teaching and Divine Operarations and of Faith being the operation of God and the Old Testament hath abundance of Expressions by way of Prophecy that in the New Testament Dayes if People would look for the Law of God they must look for it in their Hearts and if they would know God they must look to the mediator the Lord Jesus Christ The New Testament seems to go that way Christians should be the most Spiritual People in the World that is the Guide the Rule But say they the Scripture is the Foundation of Faith and Manners Belief and Practice this is but Dissimulation I am afraid that is to be found in some What is the Scripture the Rule of Faith and may People believe what they find in Scripture Yes but say some it is best be aware for fear of Error What is in the Scripture is serious sound and orthodox and did Quakers think you never find in Scripture that People
an end of Baptism A Man is hungry and when his Time comes to eat he hath no Victuals yet he sits him down as if he did eat will this feed and nourish him So men now a days they have a Baptism wherewith they are baptized but Baptism with the Holy Ghost and with fire is the right Baptism therefore do not baptize until you find the Holy Ghost this will be far better this is the Baptism that they which come to know it are sure of Salvation by it for by this Baptism they are born up and tinctured in their Souls with the Divine Spirit of Christ Jesus proceeding from the Father and the Son till they receive his Likeness and so die unto Sin As many as were baptized were baptized into Christ's death He openeth it himself in that he died he died unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God so that they that were baptized were baptized into Christ's Death and you that are dead unto sin how should you live any longer therein These that were baptized lived without Sin can that be true never any lived without Sin but Christ only Yes saith the Apostle you that were free from sin are alive to righteousness their Life stood before in Sin and now that Life is taken away by Baptism and they are alive to Christ and he that liveth he liveth to God âe that comes to be partaker of the first Resurrection if he live Ten Twenty Forty or an Hundred Years he liveth to God he liveth no more in the Pomps and Vanities of the Woâld and the sinful Lusts of the Flesh but he liveth unto God This Baptism whosoever comes to be baptized with it shall be saved so that we do not deny Baptism But we hear say That you deny the Lord's Supper We had never such a Thought God knows there is nothing that our Souls long after more but people have been making a kind of Work of their own they have lost a Reality and make Shadows as Children do who when they see things made in the House for Service they will make the like in Sand and Clay People do not see what a great thing it is to attain to the Supper of the Lord as things came into an Evangelical Opening they spake then more lively and freshly of things Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man open to me I will come in and sup with him and he with me For the understanding of this Text If you go and examine and search all the Commentators you can find see what the learned Men say of it see if they do not apply this to the Inward Call of the Spirit and Grace of Christ to let him into our Hearts and would one think that those that wrote these things should be against the Spiritual Dispensation of things They say that this knocking at the Door of the Heart signifies the Call of God's Spirit at the Door of the Heart There are two sorts of Sinners that God knocketh at the Door of their Hearts one is a Man that is weary of his Sin for his part he wisheth that he might never sin more As soon as he perceives the Knock and is called upon to let in the Grace of God to help him against Temptation he freely opens his Heart to receive it and saith With all my Heart I will entertain and welcome the Grace of God glad I am that God hath had so much Patience towards me and since God offers his Grace I will embrace this Grace of God above all Pleasures and I will take it into my Heart the Grace of Christ is the greatest Jewel that I know Honest Paul he took this Course and prayeth Lord take away this Tempter here is a Temptation that troubleth me and I am not willing to yield for all the Devil follows me with it He cried unto the Lord and besought him three times earnestly to take away the Temptation And the Lord answers him My grace is sufficient for thee What matter if the Tempter buffet thee and the Temptation trouble thee hast thou not received my Grace into thy Heart thou art a Believer and thy Trust is in me and my Grace is sufficient for thee Let the Tempter do his worst keep thou to the Grace of God and thou wilt withstand and overcome the Temptation when it comes If a Man openeth his Heart and receiveth Christ when he comes then you shall find such an Alteration in that Man that go and carry him the same Temptation which prevailed over him the last Week it will not do with him now tho' he be as weak as Water and as prone to Corruption and Iniquity as before yet now having a Faith begotten in him that the grace of God will defend him he keeps out of the Devils Snares Now this Man trusting in this grace till his Sin and Iniquity be purged out now is the time to spread the Table there is a clean Heart and the Heavenly Guests are now come and the Dainties of the Kingdom are brought to him for his Nourishment Now saith Christ I I will come in and sup with him and my Father also will come and we will sup with him and he with us This never happens to any Body so long as the Table and Heart is foul for the Table must be clean and the Devil and Sin thrown out and then will the Lord confirm and ratify and seal the Covenant so that here is a Seal with a Witness When a Man hath this Testimony of the Love of God that God is reconciled to him in Christ then Christ will come in and he will bring his Father and they will sup with him and this is that which will give compleat satisfaction to such a Soul All the Tongues of Men and Angels are too short to speak of these things as they are in themselves but they are all manifested by the Spirit All the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God are manifested by the Spirit of God now to say there is no Spirit to be regarded now adays that is as much as to say we must never regard the Kingdom of God for no Man can discern the things of God but the Spirit of God no Man can tell what they be As no Man can know the things of a Man buâ the Spirit of God But I must look to this and the other Form and Mark and Method about them for we can know nothing of the things of God themselves I hope you are all of another Judgment and believe that this is a Trick and Cheat of the wicked one People do find the Spirit and will feel it if they will wait upon the Motions of it I do not only mean when you are here together but when you are separated one from another when you feel the Motions of thiâ good Spirit embrace them and make them yours This Spirit is a Gift that is given so may a Shilling or a piece of
Nations of Europe now inhabited with such a People that are calling upon the Name of the Lord but every one worshipping their own Gods one makes Gold and Silver his God another makes his Pleasure his God another his Honour another this that and the other Lust and they bow down to them that is they yield themselves to their Lusts concupisence and corruptions that they stand in unity with but they call upon the Name of the Lord too they do apply themselves to some kind of form of worship which they say is unto the immortal and invisible God but alas they come not to the Knowledge of God by this All that the Priests could do that the King of Assyria sent back they brought not the Samaritans to the Knowledge of the God of Israel they only brought them to a Report of such a God that had set up such a Law They had the Report of it and for fear that the Lions should tear them in pieces they would enter into that Form but they worshipped their own Gods still So it is now People do not come to the Knowledge of the true God the living God by entring into any Form of Religion for instance Prayer Hearing or any Ordinance or Church-Fellowship these give give not Men the Knowledge of God there is but one way to come to that but only one Men have found a great many it is past your Skill and mine to reckon up the many ways that Men have found out upon the Face of the Earth how they might come to the Knowledg of God and to Peace and Reconciliation with him but they have only play'd the Fools and spent their Time in vain especially they that own the Scriptures of Truth to be a true and faithful Record of the Mind and Will of God they play the Fool abominably for the Scripture that they give so much Reputation to in their Profession doth testifie the way is but one and there is no other way for People to be reconciled to God than by coming in to Christ to be found in him to be regenerated and born into his Nature and have his Qualities put upon them That as he was pure they may be pure that ãâã that sanctifieth and they being sanctified ãâã him may become both one and so be recââciled to the father through him This you know is the common Profession of Christendom or at least of our Nation And in other Nations the common Profession is There is no Mediator but one no Reconciler but one Indeed some others hold there may be other Mediators and that there are others that may contribute to them by their Mediation and by their Prayers and Merits but the generality of the Nation are otherwise Now for People to fall out and say my way is best and thy way is not best and to fall into Contests about many ways when the Scripture concludes but one Way is not well We were better all agree about this Doctrin That there is no possibility of Reconciliation with God since we are fallen out with him and since Sin hath made a separation there is no way of being reconciled again to God but by and through our Lord Jesus Christ nor by him neither unless we receive of his Spirit to quicken us nothing can quicken us enliven us or recommend us to God but the Spirit of Christ operating and working in our Hearts that he may prepare us for the Father's Kingdom If People would agree upon this there would be an end of all Labour and Toyl and Jangling about the right way for the Consequence and Conclusion would be thus That Man that doth not know in himself the âanctifying Power of the Spirit of Christ Jesus he is out of the way to Reconciliation with God let his Form and Profession be what it will If therefore he be reconciled to God it must be by and through the Mediator and he will never recommend him to the Father till he hath made him a Temple to let in the Spirit of Christ to work in his Heart to fit him for the Kingdom of God And Men have no other way to come to it for though they be zealous in every Prayer and Form it signifies nothing to any great purpose their Hope will be frustrated There is no other way saith Christ of coming to the father but by me I am the way the truth and the life If I am out of the Truth I am out of the way and if I am out of the way then I cannot come to the end of the Way This is plain reasoning among Men If I tell a Lie that is out of the Truth If I have vain Communication or deceive or wrong my Neighbour that is out of Truth what is manifest in my Conscience to be contrary to the Truth if I am in it I am out of the way though I be strict in the way as to Profession yet I am out of the Way to God I am out of the Truth there is no way to God but by Christ who is the Way the Truth and the Life whoever is out of him is out of the Way which made the Apostle say That his labour endeavour and desire was that he might be found in Christ not having his own righteousness but having on the righteousness of Christ Jesus Many Men think to recommend themselves to God by their righteous just and honest Dealings and doing Wrong to no Body This is good in it self but doth not recommend us to God unless it be done by the righteous and holy Spirit of Christ Jesus unless it be of his Working he must have the working of Righteousness and Truth in us he must plant it and it must grow by his working if it be acceptable to the Father for without me saith Christ you can do nothing A Man out of Christ a Stranger to his Spirit may do something but nothing available to the well-being of his Soul till he have Reconciliation by Christ Jesus If he be reconciled to God this Mediator must be the Reconciler and he must fit and prepare him for Reconciliation with the Father All the Divisions Sorts and Sects of Religion they all come to an end if this Measuring Line be laid to them they all appear too short and there is nothing will do a Man good but that Religion that obligeth and tyes him to the good Pleasure of God through the Spirit of the Mediator which he feels working in him by which he is raised from Death to some degree of Life When he is sensible what a Burthen sin is to his Life and that godly Life which he hath is burthened with every Sin and oppressed with every vain Thought and every vain Word If he be not in some measure quickned ãâã âot sensible of this Burthen but being quickned he is sensible of the Burthen that lies upon his Life by reason of his Sin and then being under the Weight of his Sin he calls to God
for his Assistance he cries to God to help him he now knows that he hath striven and laboured in vain O God of all Grace if thou vouchsafe not Help to my Soul if thou dosâ not interpose by the Assistance of thy Grace I cannot overcome this Sin There is a continual Cry to God for Divine Assistance and as they cry to God for Assistance he ministers Assistance to them by which they are able to overcome the Enemy of their Souls and all Temptations when they come And when a Man finds such Divine Assistance his Faith is strengthned and confirmed and so he fights the good fight of faith and at last gets the Victory Victory over his Sin and his own Lusts and Concupiscence and Victory over the Assaults and Temptations of the Adversary and at last he comes through the Grace of God to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously soberly and godlily in this present world Now when People do thus it is by the Grace of God This Life of Righteousness Sobriety and Godliness is not the effect of their Labour and Exercise and of their Endeavours herein but it is the effect of the Holy Spirit that hath been the Teacher When you see a Man is grown a good Scholar eminent in alâ ãâ¦ã âââning you will conclude he diâ ãâ¦ã to all this of himself he could not leâân this and the other Language this ând the other Art and Science of himself No he had some judicious and able Master and âeacher who communicated of his Leaâning and Knowledge to his Disciple and Scholar This is the efficient cause of his Improvement Now if a Man by the Grace and the Spirit of God and the Teachings of it live a holy godly Life this is the effect of something he did not always live such a Life How comes he to live such a Life now Is it by his own Industry Labour and Exercise No it is by being exercised taught and led by the Spirit of God so that it is the effect of the Grace of God that he should live such a holy Life though it is not the meritorious cause of it as he is a Creature but acceptable to God in Christ the Mediator Thus a Man comes to be justified and accepted not because he is a godly Man but is made so by the Spirit of God You are not under the law saith the Apostle but under grace You are under the Teachings of it under the Directions of it Grace can reprove People for that Grace and that Truth that comes by Christ and manifests it self as a Light in the Hearts of Transgressors reproves their Sin and calls them out of it it reproves them for it and exhorts them to leave it both at one Time so that we must acknowledge all our Righteousness Holiness and Obedience to be oâ ãâ¦ã ââll that we do in order thereunto aâ ãâã done by the Teaching by the Influence and Operation of the Grace of God given us in Christ Jesus it is the effect of him who is our Mediator he worketh it in us and for us of his good pleasure If we be justified we are not justified for a righteous holy Life and for our Obedience but we are justified through Christ who worketh a godly Life in them that believe so that a Man is not justified by any other way or means and all other ways a Man takes of being reconciled to God are vain and fruitless and have been spoken against by all that were moved by the Holy Ghost in the New Testament Saith the Prophet What shall I come before the Lord with all I am fallen under Death and Sin and in a separation from God I would fain be reconciled to him what shall I do to be reconciled to God He goes about to reckon without Christ and without Faith and Holiness Shall I take a thousand Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oil Shall I come nearer still Shall I make an Offering of the Fruit of my Body for the sin of my Soul Shall I offer my first-born to God that I may not be rejected and brought to a separation from him Thus Men when they come to be sensible do feel in themselves that all this is to no purpose The Answer comes Thou maist live but all thy Contrivances about making an Offering are vain ãâ¦ã ââewed thee O Man ãâã âo do It is noâ thy findinâ this way and tâââ way viz. thy ââââs and thy Oil and ãâã first-born it is no way of thy devising and imagining that can reconcile thee to me I have shewed thee O Man what is good What is this that is shewed It is comprised in a short compass It is to love Mercy to do Justice and to walk humbly with thy God Will this serve without offering Rams and Oil and offering my first born This will do if thou canst but love Mercy when it s shewn thee that is embrace Mercy and love it He hath shewed Mercy to all Men then love it and receive it do justly leave every thing that is unrighteous and do that which is just in the sight of God but do not boast of thy Justice and Righteousness but walk humbly with thy God here is the whole Duty of Man This looks as if I should go to Works and forbear something in order to my Justification Indeed the consideration of these kind of Lessons do corrupt some Men and put them upon doing this or that and upon forbearing this or that and hath brought many to Confession and great Abstinence and put them upon great doings thinking this would answer the Justice of God I have loved Mercy and given all I had to the Poor If I do justly and abstain from this and the other Liberty if I walk humbly that is if I humble my self by this and the other manner of Pennance and Contrition then I do what God requires and then I have pleased God Now all that havâ gone this waâ of working to do justly and love mââcy and to make themselves humble and humbled themselves low in such a manner they have missed the Mark. He hath shewed thee O Man what is good that it is impossible for fallen Man to answer this himself he may be convinced of his Duty to do Justice but by his own Power and Strength he cannot do it there are so many Temptations from without and so many from within such a proâânsity in Nature that will prevail against all ââe âonds of Charity that he can make Therefore is Help laid upon one thât is mighty without the Grace ãâã God that comes by Christ Jesus a Man can never do it tho' Convinced Tho' the Lord hath shewed him what is good he shews us that we are unable of our selves he hath taken care to send his Son God hath so loved the World that he hath sent his Son into the World that he might help those that have need of help that every one that is in Distress might
have an Eye to Christ the Author and Finisher of their Faith when Men have a reference to their Faith in Christ this makes their Duty acceptable I cannot do it except the Lord strengthen me therefore I will have respect to the Mediator Christ Jesus who was sent for a Light into the World God sends forth his Grace to every one to lay hold on that generally believe that tho' they are unable to do what God requires yeâ he will enable them to do it ãâã aâ many as receâved him to them he gave Power to become the Sons of God tho' they were the Devils Children before He is the same yesâerday to day and for ever He abides alâââs the same in his Grace to Men he is in his operation to them the same he offers Grace to them that are out of a frame of Mind to receivâ it they may know that his Power will givâ them Ability and that whatsoever they do of themselves will prove fruitless because it is not done in Christ's Name and Power and so not acceptable to God The greatest thing that we are to be concern'd about if we will be Religious and concern our selves about divine Matters about the Kingdom of God and the World to come is to see what frame of Mind we are in at present whether the high Places are taken away whether we are not exalted in our own Conceits of Knowledge and Wisdom and reckon not to be beholden to him for his Grace If we be highly conceited and think we can stand upon our own Legs the high Places are not taken away Men are not prepared to seek the God of their Fathers therefore let every one mind turning to God and see how it is with you see whether there be a Mind brought low enough to be subject to Christ and to the gracious Teachings of his Spirit A Man may say I can make a good Sermon I can make a good Prayer and Exhortation and I can make a Book ând ãâã it abroad I can do all this by mine own Pââts and Abilities so thou maist and maist maâe it all full of good Words but thou canst never make it acceptable to God for without me saith Christ you can do nothing Tâââ must have the assistance of the Spirit of Christ else thou canst not make a good Prayer nor a good Book nor any thing good God esteems the very Plowing of the Wicked to bâ an Abomination to him Where the Mind is not exercised by the Spirit of God if he should pray from Morning to Night and spend all his Days in Pennance it will do him no good If I saith David regard Iniquity you may think I am a Man in favour with God a Man after Gods own Heart yet if I regard Iniquity in my Heart the Lord will not hear my Prayer What signifies Prayers and Sermons made of good Words if they come not fââm a Heart separate from Iniquity If it be not so it will do no good at all in point of Acceptance with God O let the fear of the Lord enter upon every Heart wait all to feel the Divine Power of the Lord that brings down every high Thought that so you may look to the Preparation of your Heart that is a right Preparation when People are so low so broken and so tender that they are nothing in their own Eyes but what the Lord will make them to be Then they are as Clay to the Hands of the Potter they are fashioned by his Hands and ãâã the Worââanship of God in Chrâââ Jeâââ ãâã ââe one Mediator between God and Mââ They must bear Christ Jesus his likeness ãâã his hâââenly Image they must ââve hiââualities and have the same Minâ in them that was in him I do always that which pleaseth my Father saith the Lord Jesus Christ Indeed he hath the doing of things in the Hearts of Men and God is pleased with him and where Men have the doing of them themselves they are thrown back as Dung in their Faces where any aim at infallible Justification where Men have a right preparation of Heart so to seek the God of their Fathers as to find him and be accepted of him it is through Jesus Christ in whom he is well pleââââ In all your Assemblies Prayers Exercises and Meditations you must be separated and drawn oââââm your former Lovers and you must be joined to him that God hath sent to be a âeader and a Guide unto you then you will find daily his Assistance and as you have Assistance from him you will find Acceptance wiââ God and he will shew you the Father and that and nothing else will satisfy the Soul hungring and thirsting after God Shew us the Father and it sufficeth us So when Christ the Mediator comes to have wrought so far as the purifying of the Soul and the sanctification thereof and thereby fitted it for his Glory such holy Souls ãâã behold his Glory For the Lord ãâ¦ã Grace and Glory and no good thing will ãâã hold from them that walk uprightly That you may be brought to this State and âept and preserved in it that the Heavens may rain down Fatness upon you and that you may feel the living Vertues that flow from Christ to every Member this is the Labour and Travel of the Servants of God for their own Souls and the Souls of others that are in Unity and Fellowship with the Holy Spirit SERMON VI. Captive Sinners set free by Jesus Christ Preached at Devonshire-House April 29th 166â THere is nothing will make People live to God but that which they received from God For as all Men by Nature are in a state of Death so there must be something beyond Nature to make them alive again and that âs it that every one ought to wait upon God ãâã that you may feel something that is supernatural And that you may be acquainteâ with God's Gift The gift of God saith the Scripture is eternal life Many find a Life in this World that is not the Gift of ãâã The Life that People have in Sin it is not the Gift of God the Delights and Pleasures of this World are become a Life unto them The World is that to which every one must die they that are not dead to that they live all to themselves they do not live to God for none can live to God but by the Life that comes from him That which People receive of Man gathers them unto Man that which they receive of God carries them to God So Men have made Gatherings and have communicated of what they have to one another and by vertue thereof have made them a People Many Men have gathered many People ââny Churches and they live to them that gathered them they do not live to God for want of receiving something from God ãâã all they that come to receive the Gift of God they die to the World and they come to live such a Life as the World doth
bringeth Salvation appeareth to all Men and that is by teaching us What doth it Teach I pray consider it iâ teacheth us To deny all Vngodliness and ãâã worldly Lusts and to live soberly righteoââ and godly in this present World Where is ãâã Sin now if a Man be taught by this Gââââ and the Dictates of it Can a Man live Sin and yet live righteously soberly and godly too Can a Man live in Sin and yet deây all Ungodliness at the same time Where âave Mens Understandings been that cannot understand their Mother Tongue and consider sense Where are Mens Understandings that will say I may deny all Vngodliness and worldly Lusts and yet follow the Lusts ãâã my own Heart You would think I speak Nonsense if I should speak thus and yet we ââve been put off with such nonsensical Stuff as this We must pray to God to send his holy Spirit into our Hearts to enable us to live godly righteous and sober Lives and at the same time believe that we shall never do it but that it is a business of Impossibility Now when Men come to lay these things together and when they consider between God and their own Souls how it is with them many are amazed to think they should ever be put off with such incongruous disagreeing and dissonant things that are not consistent with one another But do you think it is possible for any Man to live without sin Yes or else I would say it is impossible for any to be reconciled to God for God will never be reconciled to Sinners as such for his âargain and Covenant is made with such kind ãâã Articles Isa 1.16 17. Wash ye make ye ââean put away the evil of your doings from before mine Eyes Cease to do evil learn to do well c. Then come and let us reason together saith the Lord tho' your Sins be as Scarlet thââ shall be as white as Snow tho' they be Red ãâã Crimson they shall be as Wool still these ãâã the Terms Put away the evil of youâ doingâ then Patience Mercy and Long Sufferiââ shall be extended to you God will give grace and glory and no good thing will he with-hold what from those that say their Prayers or gâ to the Church or a Meeting No but no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Psal 84.11 These are the Men. And when the Lord is distinguishing by his Prophet who he would have among them he speaks of a sort of People that called upon the Name of the Lord Those that feared the Lord and spake often one to another that is of the goodness of God they were a sort of People that Trembled at the Word of God a sort of People that did not do as others did hunt after Pleasures Riches and the Honours of the World but to be acquainted with the inward Word that wrought upon their Hearts In that Day that I make up my Jewels they shall be mine saith the Lord Whose shall the others be Thou wilt own these for thine but whose shall the others be that think not upon thy Name and tremble not at thy Word There is a Place for them too Tophet is âââpared of old made both wide and large ãâã Fuel thereof is Fire and Brimstone and ãâã Wood and the breath of the Lord kindleââ ãâã This is for all that are Wicked ãâ¦ã work Iniquity This is in the Old Testament then comes the New Testament in John's Revelations there is a separation again There are a sort of Folk which are called the true Worshippers and the Angel was commanded to go and measure the Temple and those that worshipped therein The outward Temple was not measured but left for the Gentiles to tread in and left without the measure For without are Dogs and Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murderers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a Lie And then the Lord speaks to his Prophets in the Old Testament again If thou put a difference between the Precious and the Vile then thou shalt be as my Mouth unto them but if thou huddle them altogether and sow Pillows under their Elbows then thou shalt be as my Mouth So that in all Ages God aimed at a separation of the state and condition of his People and one sort of People were purified through the sanctification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth and another sort were unsanctified and unpurified and remain'd in their Sin and the end of Christs coming into the World it was to call People to Repentance He came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to âepentance and to leave off their Sin To as ââny as received him to them he gave Power ãâã become the Sons of God to as many as beâââed on his Name Whose Sons were the other They made as high a rattle of Profession as the other He tells them who is their Father You are of your Father the Devil oâ he did orderly prove it and that was tâââ That they did the Devils Works Ergo Tâââ were the Devils Children It was Christ himself the greatest Doctor of Divinity that evââ was in the World that spake these Woâââ And this is the manner of Logick whereby ãâã argues with the Pharisees to make them believe that they were the Devils Children they that do the Devils Works are the Devil's Children but you do his Works therefore you are his Children so they sought to ãâã him they could not bear such Arguments If one should go and search out a People in thââ City and Nation and see one Man of this Religion another of that Religion and pick them out and use this Argument with them There is a Man professeth high he professeth a Light within if you look upon his Deeds they are dead and dark why then he is one of the Devils Children If you put me to prove this I say he doth the Devil's Works he is an Extortioner a Deceiver and a Drunkard and unclean Person and doth the Devil's Works and so is none of God's Children And so go to another sort and use this Argument it is safe enough you can never fail in this kind of Argument which Christ used and if People would use it with ââeâselves and think themselves no better ãâã we should have People confess themselves ãâã Devil's Children None come to be God's Childrââ ãâ¦ã come to acknowledge their lost estate ãâã deplorable condition that they are fallen from God and through Sin and Iniquity are got into a nature that is at ââmity with God then they will cry out Who shall deliver me ârom this body of death and Childship of Saâââ this Heirship of Wrath I am an Heir oâ an Inheritance I am an Heir of Wrath and I would fain lose my Inheritance and Heirship and have an Inheritance with the Saints in light we shall never know this till we come to Divinity without Sophistry and without Tricks and Quirks and come to Christ's Rââââning He that doââ
state and ãâã you see with your inward Eye that your ãâã is not so good as you would have it âo ãâã then trust and rely upon the all-sufficient ãâã powerful Operation of God's Holy Spiâââ mend your state and give you Power ãâã your Corruptions and to go on from one ãâã to another towards the Cleansing and Sanctiââcation of your Souls so that you may receive something from God to enable you to live to God for all that you receive from Men will only make you live to Men but that which you receive from God will help you to live to God that will purifie you and sanctify you and make you clean through the word So through the Word you will come to Cleanness Purity and Holiness And when you are come to the way of Holiness you may believe you are gotten into the way of God's Kingdom and never till then It is not enough to make a Profession but we must live up to the Profession of that Religion that we make it is not holding this Tenet and the other Tenet and saying This Minister I am sure preacheth the Truth thou mayest be a Child of the Devil for ãâã that I now speak indifferently to all People without respect to any fort They thaâ believe they are walking toward the Kingdom of God and yet their way is not a holy ãâã âhey have cheated themselves and deceiv'd their âwn Souls and they had need look about them ând take heed what they do the Glass is âânning and Time is hasting away and our âife may end we know not how soon It is âood to prize and improve Time while you âave it and bring your Deeds to the Light âee what Reproofs Instructions Counsels and Openings you have met with from the Lord and see how you have answered aâd been obedient to them and so you will come to take a sound and infallible account of your condition and if it be not so good as it should be wait upon the Lord to mend it he that made you can mend you he that made your Ears must unstop your Ears to hear the Word of God To that Power that carries on the Work of Sanctification and Redemption by his word to that word I must leave you and to his Spirit I commit you This word will be with you and if you part not with it it will not part with you it will go with you to your Houses and to your Shops and to your Beds it will lie down with you at Night and rise with you in the Morning To that end Christ he is a Leader and Governour and the Captain of our Salvation to lead the Van and carry you on in the way of Salvation and as many as follow Christ and are led by the spirit of God they are the Children of God SERMON VII The Sheep of Christ heaâ his Voice Preached at Devonshire-House May 10th 1688. My Sheep saith the true Shepherd hear my Voice THE Sheep of the true Fold hear the Voice of Christ the good Shepherd and know the Voice of Strangers too But saith he the stranger they will not follow This Scripture hath been a Mark of Distinction in all Ages that hath been peculiarly bestowââ upon the People of God that they have hâââ a discerning Knowledge to make a certain distinction between them that were of God and those that were of the World Now they that are of God hear us saith the Apostle Now that you may all find in your selveâ this peculiar Gift of God to be able to understand and discern between the precious and the vile that you might know the Ministration of Life from the Ministration of Dââth you must all be gathered inwardly into âhat which you have received ãâã God for they ââat are only exercised ãâã Gifts and Parts and Acquirements that appertain to this world they have been always subject to Delusions apt to be led away into a by-Path and crooked way that leads to destruction but they that are under the Government and Direction of the Gift of God they have been able thereby to make such a Distinction of Voices and of Sounds that they have been preserv'd from the Delusions of the Age. This was the difference of old between the Prophets of God and the false Prophets between the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ and the false Apostles the difference was not so much in their Words for they had in a great measure the same Words if the true Prophets used to say Thus saith the Lord the false Prophets would say so too if the true Prophets declared against Sin the false Prophets likewise would do so for the false Prophet stole his Word from his Neighbour But the great Matter by which the People of the Lord were preserved was that hidden and divine Wisdom they received of God by which they understood the Voice of the Spirit from the Voice of Strangers from the Voice of them that were of the Flesh and that was the Cause that Christians in the Primitive Days did not adhere to and follow those false Apostles that came to them in their own Names and held a form of Godliness but denyed the Power of it But they amongst them into whom theiâ witchcrafts did enter they went away from thâ spirit and saught to be made perfect in the flesh they went to the outward observation and to the beggarly rudiments of things that perish with their using and from the Law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus And as it hath been in those Ages of which we have read so it comes to pass in this our Age in which a dispensation of the spirit of Truth is manifested and revealed unto the Children of Men there is a remnant that have received the Testimony of Eternal Life and have believed the Testimony and waited on him of whom the Testimony is born not to have Life by the Testimony but to have Life in him so they receive their Life by the ministration of the spirit of Christ and they live to God and others who have received no Life from him but have a Life in the Words and Sounds and Noizes and Terms and distinguishing Phrases of things their Life ãâã there they live not to God but to themselves their Glorying is not in the Cross of Christ but in the Words and outside of things so that every one had need at such a time as this to approve their Hearts unto the Lord who knows the inside of Peoples profeâsion the inside oâ of their Religion that knows how the Heart is concernd towards God and what they say and do upon the account of his service so that all that are met together might come to receive more and more of the Life and vertue that sanctifies the Soul of him that receiveth it For Alas my Freinds it is not the gathering together of the most excellent Words about Religion and about worship and service which will approve any Man in the
exercisâ of Humility and Watchfulness as becomeâ Christians for there is now as much Danger and Peril in this time of Liberty and Tranquility as there was before If any one in the time of Persecution and Suffering hath said within himself I had better give over and part with the Truth and forsake the ways of the Lord and give over my Testimony for his Name for I shall be undone and ruined in the World this Man by his carnal Fears hath lost his Testimony So likewise if a Man in this time of liberty and freedom of serving the Lord and bearing Testimony to his Name if he shall not intirely trust in the Lord to carry him on in his Work and Service and continue his dependance upon him and wait for the Assistance of the holy Spirit of God to work in him to will and to do of his good Pleasure this Man shall lose his Testimony as well as the other Therefore let every one of you keep up a dependance upon Gods holy Spirit for carrying on the Work which he hath begun in your Souls consider what Work it is that Christ is now at in every one of you I know what his Work was when I was first Convinced he was burning up and hewing down every thing that hindered his carrying on the Work of Sanctification and Redemption and Settledness and Stability in the Covenant of Life and Peace So that our meeting together ought to be ân the Name of Christ I hope it is so with most of you I hope it is not to see and hear what this or that Man saith but to know within your selves what part of the Work of Redemption the Lord Jesus Christ is carrying on that you may join with him and be a willing People in the Day of his Power and say as Paul Lord what wilt thou have me to do If thou wilt have me part with my all Lord here it is I offer it up and if thou wilt have any Service done Lord here I am Speak for thy Servant heareth let there be in every one of you an attentiveness and an humble waiting upon the Lord and say as the Psalmist Behold as the Eyes of Servants look unto the hands of their Masters and as the Eyes of a Maiden unto the hands of her Mistress so our Eyes wait upon the Lord our God until he have mercy upon us When ever a Christian hath his dependance upon God's Wisdom and Power such a one shall never want Wisdom the Lord will give him Wisdom to preserve him against all the Wiles of Satan and he shall never want Power for the Lord will enable him to fulfil and perform what he requireth of him he shall be replenished with Judgment and Understanding Ability and Power to direct him into the good ways of God and to enable him to walk in them It is the earnest desire of my Soul that every one of you may be exercised in those things which are profitable for you and which may be comfortable to your Friends and Brethren that you may all grow up into a stability and stedfastness in the good ways of the Lord that you may not be shaken and tossed with every Storm and Tempest that when there comes a time for the trial of your Patience and Fortitude and Courage you may not be tossed to and fro like Children but be stedfast and unmoveable always abounding in the Work of the Lord that so living in all holy Obedience and patient continuing in well-doâng you may have a constant Supply of Strength and Power from God ministred unto you by his Holy Spirit SERMON VIII No true Worship without the right Knowledg of God Preached at Grace-church-street May 24. 1688. My Friends THere is no Man can truly worship God till he comes to a measure of certain Knowledge of him for all the Worship in the World where the Vail of Ignorance still prevails upon the Mind is all abominable there is no acceptance with God There must be a knowledge of God before there can be a true Worshipping of him for they that worship before they know God they worship they know not what they worship a God they have heard of but do not know so every one that would be a true Worshipper must first come to that which giveth a true knowledge that raiseth up a certainty in the Mind This is the Lord we will trust in him this is our God and we will serve him And that all People might come to this certainty of Knowledge therefore it is that God hath sent forth his Spirit that the things of God might be communicated by the Spirit of God for without the Assistance of this Spirit Men seek after the Knowledge of God in vain If they seek after the Knowledge of God they cannot find it and if they seek after the Worship of God and after Acceptance with God they cannot find it so that all Religion and religious Performances that People are exercised in where the Spirit of Truth hath not the beginning they will all prove fruitless in the end There be wise Men in the world and they have imployed their wisdom to find out the true God but God in wisdom hath ordained that the world by all their wisdom shall not know him so there is an end of all their Labour How shall they know him then As none can know the things of a man save the spirit of a man that is in him so none can know the things of God but the spirit of God so that they that resist the Guidance Direction and Counsel of the Spirit of God are like unto those that would enter into a House or Pallace and remember not the Door that leads into it People would fain come into the Divine Knowledge and into the understanding of Divine Mysteries but they would come by it another way they would study for it they would learn it by Arts and Sciences they would attain it by their own Industry and herein they labour to excel one another If there comes a Man among them that tellâ them Friends you are all out of the way then they are angry and instead of enquiring what is the way they are angry that their way must be rejected Friends you will never come to the Knowledge of God but by the Spirit of God then they mock and then they scoff and scorn the Doctrin of the Spirit for the Teaching of the Spirit hath been the common Scorn and Derision of our Age. It is so in our Day with many if they cannot come to the Knowledge of God any other way but by the Spirit they would deny to make use of that to be subject to that and these put their Trust in their own Power and Industry to find out the Mystery of the Knowledge of God so they are ever learning but are never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth How should they How can a People come to the Knowledge of the
What dost thou declare of God He is the God that made the World and all things therein seeing that he is Lord of Heaven and Earth and dwelleth not in Temples made with hands neither is Worshipped with Mens Hââds as though he needed any thing seeing he giveth to all Life and Breath and all things and hath made of one Blood all Nations of Mân for to dwell on the Face of the Earth and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their Habitations that they should seek the Lord if haply they might feel after him and find him though he be not far from every one of us for in him we live and move and have our being for as certain also of your own Poets have said for we are also his off-spring for as much then as we are the offspring of God we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto Gold or Silver or Stone Graven by Art and Mans device Here is a way of learning you need not turn over Books any more if I would know the true God I must know who gave me Life and motion and who created me he is not far from me and how should I find the knowledge of him Feel after him if haply you may find him for he is not far from any of us in him we live and move and have our being we cannot live without him one Moment he giveth life essence and power to all Creatures in Heaven and Earth we must have him with us or we cannot live I die as soon as my Life departs from me so do you if my Breath and Life continue with me ãâã by the power of him that giveth it in whom I live and move and have my being still it is in him that first gave it Here all the great Scholars and Philosophers were counselled to feel after him ãâã are all People now a days this is our Business when we go to Preach the knowledge of God to them that want it our Commission runs not that we must read such a Book such an Author and turn over such a Leaf and there you shall have a discovery and a fair demonstration of the attributes of God of his Wisdom Power Goodness and Mercy Omnipotence Omniscience our Commission runs not that way but our Commission runs thus that we turn People from darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to God to turn their Minds from that which may hinder the knowledge of Christ from darkness blindness and ignorance God is not far from them perhaps they might find him if they did feel after him There are a sort of Men now a-days such as were in former times that say unto God depart from us we desire not the knowledg of thy wayes such a sort of People are dark and blind and ignorant and are like to continue so that say to God depart from us God is come to them but they bid him depart from them We are sent to these People that are dark and ignorant and have not the true knowledge of God though they have abundance of notions hear-say knowledg learning and speculation our business is to convince them of their ignorance and to turn them from Darkness to Light There are a People that have mocked and scoffed at us many Years what say they is there a light within must we go to the light within Hath every body a light within Yes I believe so and you must believe so too if you will believe the Scriptures Christ is the true Lighâ and he hath lighted every Maâ that cometh into the World If he did light them how did he do it I will tell you say they he spake a great many gracious words and some body hath writ them down What will this prove the light within because we have got a new Testament and Christ hath spoken a great many gracious Words and they are written down and recorded doth this prove the light within No People might have been in darkness still for all the Books of the New Testament and the Old Testament to and for all the Books in the World for they would never have conveyed light into the Hearts and Consciences of Men if God had not placed it there Indeed these Books may be instrumental and God doth make use of them as a means for the conveying of Light and Grace and working of true conversion but the holy Scriptures cannot do it of themselves unless there be a coacting and cooperation of the Spirit of Christ with them without this Spirit they cannot convey saving Light to us How prove you then a Light within the Apostle tells you if you will believe him 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commandeth the Light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our Hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ so that every one that retireth into himself will know quickly and understand his Error and confess that there is a Light within and that by this rule because there is something in the Heart that makes manifest that which is reprovable if they do or say a thing reprovable that which manifesteth a thing is Light that which manifesteth dark words or works is Light Now when they have found this Light within the next question in controversie is whether this will give Men sufficient Light for the true knowledg of God whether this be sufficient to bring a Man to Life and to Salvation I am of that judgment that it is sufficient ãâã and I believe it hartily and preach it boldly in the name of the Lord that the Light that shines in your Hearts shines there to give you the true knowledg of God in the Face of the Mediator the Lord Jesus Christ You cannot believe this you will say for you have had this ever since you was a Child and you know not the least good it hath done you all our learned Men and Ministers go to what sort you will they speak very slightingly of it this Light within it is nothing but natural conscience a poor Light it is but an Ignis Fatuus that will mislead us But let me tell thee the reason why it doth thee no more good is because thou hast been loose and wanton and vain and wouldst not receive the reproofs of it reckon but up the time and call to Mind when thou didst receive the reproofs of it then it did thee some good and brought thee to remorse and brought anguish and sorrow and trouble into thy Mind and brought thee to a right sense of what evil thou hast done but if thou didst not regard it no wonder it did thee no good its reproofs and counsels were like the seed sown by the high way the Fowls of the Air gathered it up and it did no good that is the Devil plucked it up and then thy Soul lay as seed that brought forth no Fruit to God and the Devil might have what
upon âoâ's Sanctuary this Priests Lips shall preserâe knowledge All that come to God's Church are taught of this Priest he is a high one the high priâââ of our profession we have not such another he is not set up by a Carnal Commandment his Induction came not from any Priest in this World but his Induction came from the God of Heaven and Earth his Father set him up for a Priest he comes by a heavenly Induction and Commission he is a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek not after the Order of Aaron If you come to God's Church you may hear this Minister Some have called a House of Stone ãâã Wood a Church but that will not do noââ therefore there are People that know better than they when they gather Churches of living Stones Men and Women are gathered to these Churches Now the Apostle saith the Church is in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ if you will come to Church you must come to Jesus Christ the Church is in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the general Assembly the Congregation of his faithful People What do you mean by a Church Ask a learned Man that understands Greek and Hâbrew what is the meaning of the Word A Church saith he is the Congregation of the Faithful it is an Assembly of the Faithful People congregated together Where must they meet they must meet in the general assembly of the first-born whose names are written in heaven The Hebrews were come to that Church though they lived many hundred Miles asunder in Asia Cappadocia and Bythinia You are come to the general assembly of the first-born there is a Priest there is the high priest of our profession the Lord Jesus Christ who is a priest after the order of Melchisedeck not after the order of Aaron How long is this Priest like to stay in his Priesthood For ever He is a priest for ever not after a carnal commandment but the power of an endless life The Priests that were after Aaron's Order they could not continue Death snatched one away then they must have another Priest but here is one that hath a Priesthood higher than the Heavens by the Power of an endless Life Here is the Priest of God's Church and the Teacher of God's People so that when God's People come to Church that is to God the Father there Christ teacheth them according to the old Prophecy I will teach my people my self We have laboured to bring People to this Teaching that they might come to the Knowledge of the Living God Now there needs none to teach them for they are taught of God blessed be God our labour hath not been in vain we see the fruit of our labours and are satisfied We have been labouring to bring Men to know the Lord new all shall know the Lord from the greatest to the least and bow before him and worship him they hear that their high priests lips shall preserve knowledge If they do amiss he chastiseth them for it if they do well then he comforteth them by his Spirit Now our Labour is that all may be brought to this and that every one may know the Lord and may fear him and serve him and worship him in his Temple Our Bodies are a Temple for that use to worship God in know you not that youâ bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost you musâ worship in your selves you must go into youâ selves you must know the Exercise of the Graces of the Spirit in your selves and thâ Workings of the Spirit of Truth in youâ selves and that your Souls that are in yoââ Bodies may be bowed to the Power of the Spârit and that your Worship must be in the Spirit you must pray in the Spirit and give Thanks in the Spirit Though those that set up Worship in the Church talk ãâã Divinity and Religion in every part of it yet the Substance of all the Shadows of the Law are fulfilled in the Gospel the Substance of all the Modes and Rites and Forms of Religion are fulfilled in the Gospel-way So then let every one compare and examine their State and consider how the case stands between them and their Maker what Knowledge they have of God and what Trust they have put in him that so they may be persuaded and prepared to come within the Pale of this Church But you must first come out of the World else you can never come into that Church that is in God if you be in the World you must go to the World's Church and be the Members of the World's Church and you shall have this for your Pains the World will love you but if you come out of the World's Church into God's Church the World cannot love you Be as good as thou wilt thou canst never bâ so good as Christ Jesus and they loved him not because he was not of the World if you were of this world saith Christ the world would love its own but since you are not of the world but I have taken you out of it therefore the world hates you if they do so to the green tree âhat will they do to the branches Are you better than I saith our Saviour the servant is not greater than his Lord Those that are the Disciples of Christ must be content to be persecuted reviled and hated for his names sake for thus they treated him who ãâã holy and harmless and undefiled who gave them a good Example and who did them no hurt but did them good yet the World hated him and it is but reasonable that you should suffer from the World in the same manner and bear it at their Hands If you come to this Church that is in God the Father and Jesus the mediator the church of the first-born that are written in heaven and come out of the World's Church then the World will be about your Ears all the World will set themselves against this Church against the Woman that shall bring forth a Birth that shall rule over the Nations There appeared a great wonder in heaven a woman cloathed with the sun and the moon under her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve stars and she being with Child cryed travelling in birth and pained to be delivered And there also appeared another wonder in heaven a terrible thing and behold a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns and the dragon stood before the woman that was ready to be delivered for to devour her child as soon as it was born and she brought forth a man child that was to rule all nations with a rod of iron and her child was caught up to Gââ and to his throne When the Dragon ãâã ready to devour this Birth God took it into his own Care in spite of the Devil and all his Instruments and he will save the Child and preserve the Woman he that fits in heaââââill laugh at his Enemies and defeat them ãâã
is a plâce appointed for the Woman in ãâã Wilderness where she is preserved by the ââmighty Power where she is nourished for a Time and Times and half a Time from the Face of the Serpent but she must come out again after some Time in spite of the Devil and all his Instruments of all his Dragons and Serpents The woman must come out of the Wilderness and the Man-Child must come down with great Power to rule the Nations This hath been accomplished say some above fourteen hundred Years ago and if you will take their Word the Church hath been come so long out of the Wilderness But the Church that they speak of hath it not wanted Holiness and Righteousness Hath it given glory to God on high with peace on earth and good will to men No their Church hath lived in Tyranny and barbarous Cruelty and shedding of Blood They say the Churcâ was in the Wilderness in Dioclesian's Time and when Constantine came to the Empire theâ she came out of the Wilderness If it had been a Holy Church we should have seen the Man-Child come down from God and Holiness and Righteousness would have run down like a mighty stream and Truth would have filled the whole Earth All these things have not yet been fulfilled for we have seen the Professors of Truth fallen in the Streets they have been persecuted and troubled and thrown into Prisons and ⦠on s but there is a better Church some ⦠to be found I read of the Holy Church the Lamââ Wife the Spouse of Christ that hath been hid somewhere a great while in some Corner or other in the Wilderness but she will come forth again out of the wilderness leaning upon her well-beloved She doth not come leaning on this Prince and the other Potentate She comes not out of the Wilderness leaning on Captains Generals and Armies but leaning on Christ her well-beloved the Immortal Invisible Power of the Son of God she trusteth in it All the other Churches I have read of they have leaned upon one Prince or Potentate or one Emperour or another and they have relyed on these great Men as on their Bulwark but this Church that comes out of the Wilderness will come leaning only upon her well-beloved the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Author and Finisher of her Faith she will put her Trust in him for he will deliver his Church from all her Enemies And though the Serpent cast out of his Mouth Water as a Flood after the Woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the Flood ãâã the Lord will cause the Earth to help âhe âoman and thâ Earth shall open her Mouth and swallow up the Flood which the Dragon cast out of his Mouth Let the Dragon do what he can to destroy the Woman and her Seed she knows what her beloved can do he will command the Earth to open and swallow up the Flood and she shall go dry through it How happy are they that lean upon Christ their well-beloved The Church of Christ in all Ages hath leaned upon him and he hath founded his Church upon a Rock so that the Devil and all his Instruments and the very gates of hell shall not prevail against her The Members of this Church have their Teacher Christ Jesus and they receive Counsel and Direction from him He is their Priest and Teacher and he teacheth them by his Spirit and his Word which he hath placed in their Hearts and given them an Understanding to know him that is true Christ's Word you must keep to ãâã if you will be true Schâlars This ãâã true Divinity if you will have the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God communicated and opened to you give heed to ãâã word and that Truth that is in your ãâã parts Attend to that Light and that ãâã that is manifested in your Hearts and ãâã Lord will shew you more of the Power ãâã Efficacy thereof and if you be faithful ãâã little he will make you ruler over much ãâã answerable to the Understanding and Knowledge that God hath given you and if you be faithful in a little he will communicate more and more of his Mind and Will to you and if you be led by the Spirit of Truth you will trust in it and hearken to it and understand the Language of it in your own Hearts and if you be a willing people in the day of God's power God will work all things in you and for you and work in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure SERMON IX The wonderful love of God to Mankind Preached at S. Martin's-le-Grand November 9th 16â0 IT is our great concern while we are in this World to promote the Glory of God and ãâã work out our own salvation to endeavour âhat in us lies to be sensible and to help one another to be sensible of the Love of God to ãâã This is the only thing that can give us ãâã comfort to have a Sense of the Love of God to us in Christ Jesus There is ãâã more certain âhaââhat all of us are Partakâââ of the Love of ãâã which is imparted to us daily and we live noâ a Day without it but we may if we have not a care live maââ Days without it and without the comfortaâââ Sense of it and that is the reason that ãâã great many of âhe Sâââ and Daughters of Men do ãâã in their Liâââ so little Love to God becaââe they have so âââtle Sense of his Love to them for the Apostle âohn that had attained ãâã great Knowledge and Experience in Christianity plainly declareth that âhe âââson of that Love ââat we have to ãâã is âââause he first loved us and I do not believe that any Man can have any true Love to Gâd that is not sensible of the Love of God to hâm And ãâã those temporal Blessings that we enjoy ãâã thââââfe as Health and Strength and our very ââeath ãâã ââing and well-being that every Day and Hour are continued they are from ãâã Love of God to us and the lengthning ãâã of our Lives and vouchsafing us Oppââââ ãâã ââes for the good of our Souls are evident Tokens of God's Love and Good-will to us Where these things are not coâsidered and regarded men live like the ãâã that perish and regard not him that mâdâ them but go on in Disobedience to him ãâã Dishonouring of his great Name and hoâââing up Wrath upon their own Souls Aââ ãâã doth every Man while he remaâââ in ãâã natural state and conditionâ foâ there is in every Man by nature the Sââd aâd Root of all Sin and Rebellion against ãâã which makes him return evil to God fââ the good he doth to us And I believe we are âll of us sensible in some measure of the depravedness that is fallen upon all Maâââd and of tâât ââmity to God and that aveââââss that âs ãâ¦ã the doing the will of God and that impotency and inability
eternaâ Life this Life will purifie him and sanctifiââ him at least by degrees till he be wholly sanctified in Body Soul and Spirit This iâ that which the Apostle writes in one of his Epistles Your salvation is nearer than when you at first believed When they first believed their Salvation was a pretty way off He describes Salvation to be the End of theiâ Faith and Hope When a Man comes to be delivered from his Sins he shall serve God without fear but when a Man comes to livâ by Faith he shall overcome he is a ãâã Soldier of Jesus Christ and he must fight vâliantly under his Banner till he gets a Viâââry over all his Enemies and then his Salââtion is much nearer than when he at first beâieved I would I could say so of some of you for I fear you Salvation is farther off Some go stragling here and there as Sheep not having a Shepherd this is that which my Spirit is intent upon You that are Travellers towards the Kingdom of God it is the wonderful Grace and Mercy of God that evââ it should come into your Minds to seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof They that have obtained this Mercy from God shall receive and enjoy other Mercies better Mercies blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness That is one Mercy but there is another Mercy They shall be filled they shall be satisfied When a Man comes to this he must take up a daily Cross and exercise Self-denial but if he follows Christ he shall be satisfied he shall then have nothing but Peace and Joy he shall then sing Praises and Glory to God in the highest and to the Lamb for ever There is none can understand the Glory that is laid up for those that take up their Cross and follow Christ and love his Appearing This is the great Blessing that God doth give unto his People He hath sent his son Jesus to bless us and turn us from our iniquities This is a Blessing indeed Take heed that you do not admit of any new Terms Do not think to bring God Almighty to new Articles the Terms are declared and concluded on already If you will obtain the Blessing you must be turned eveââone of you from your Iniquities the Terms are already made the Law of God must be written in the heart and inward thoughts and you must close with that Power that will write the Law in your Hearts and by travelling towards the Kingdom of God you will see the coming of that Kingdom into you It was the Joy of my Soul that I saw the Kingdom of Christ would be set up in my Heart before it was set up there then I saw the Lord's wonderful Work and a great Alteration in me when the Lord was pleased to wean me from the World's Breast and take off my Heart and wean it from worldly Lusts from the World's Joys and Pleasures and Fashions and the World's Honour and Reputation I saw the Lord was pleased to wean me from these things and brought me to an holy Resignation to give up my Heart to him If I have Joy it must be from the Holy Spirit if I have Pleasure it must be in the presence of God who in the multitude of my thoughts within me made his Comforts to delight my soul and if he bring not Comfort to you you will never have it you cannot expect it till you do believe and when ãâã have Faith you can feel the Kingdom of God within you There must be the New Bâ the Work of Regeneration for except a mâ be boââ again be cannot see the kingdom of God there must be a translation from Death to Life there must be a turning out of the old Bottom and a fixing âpon a new Bottom upon Christ Jesus the rock of ages there must be a Subjection to his Holy Power and Government else you cannot see the Kingdom of God Many have gone on in a Profession mâny Years and never saw the Beauty of it every little Trifle in the World hath diverted them and drawn them away This and the other Pleasure hath drawn away their Hearts they have seen the Glory of the World which hath captivated them But those that make a profession of the Truth and have seen the Beauty and Glory of the Kingdom of Christ they should be shy of returning to the World again for the Apostle saith It happened to them according to the true proverb The dog is turned to his own vomit again and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire for it had been 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 They made a Profession and were Members of a visiblâ Church and had a Name to live but they were inwardly dead the Sight of the Kingdom of God is not given to such but unto Babes that have a Divine Birth and that desire the sincere milk of the word that they may grow thereby God hath hid these things from the wise and prudent and ââvealed them unto babes You that are hâre this day I speak to thoââ that would receive some Kindness from Goâ and thât desire ãâã ânowledge of his ways and that the Myââââs of his Kingdom may be revealed to yoâ let your Minds be retirââ and you shall find âhe great things bâlongâ to your Peace made known to you We have spoken much of this but I would not have yoâ know it only by ãâã Sayings but ãâã have you gâ ãâ¦ã âur selves toâke whâ God hath not bestowed this Grace and âsing upon you If God hath given you Grace do not turn it into wantonness do not abuse the Grace of God What is it that you dâ when the Grace of God ââth convinced yoââhat such and such a thing is Sinâ and if yoâ do it ãâã âll tend to your Ruine Daâ ãâ¦ã venturââo commit Sin after you are convinâ of it O take heed of doing despite ãâã spirit oâ grace and of gâââving the holy sâârit whereby you are sealed ãâã the day of ââdemption I wish that the weight of this Consideraââââ might lie upon you and that a holy Dâeadâ Aw of God miâht be wrought in yoâ ãâ¦ã that you mâ ãâ¦ã kept from sinninâ ãâ¦ã God You know there is a general Oâ ãâ¦ã against presumptuous Sinning Sinning ãâã Light Why should not we all cry ouâ ãâ¦ã it It is a most dreadful thing for any ãâã to sin against his Knowledge and Conviâ if any of us have been guilty of ãâã against Light let such a one say I havâ Iniquity I will do so no ãâã but enter into Covenant with the Lord and say O Lord so far as thou hast reâ ãâ¦ã ây Wâ unto me I will obey it I wâ ãâ¦ã light to ãâã thy Will O God tho' I ãâã mine own Will Whatever I cross I will noâ cross God's holy Spirit by which I may
bââââed to the Day of Redemption I will never do this though I hazard my chief Interest ãâ¦ã World This is the Tempââ of a true ãâ¦ã ând I pray God make all of you of thâ ãâ¦ã And now my Friends you that ãâã to see this great Work wrought in your selves commit the whole Work to God and trouble not your selves about it ãâã sure God will carry on his own Work and bring down the Devils Kingdom and rebuke that ââclean Spirit that is gone forth over the ãâã Nation and pour out abundantly of his hâly Spirit to carry on a glorious Reformation This I believe God will certainly do from what he hath wrought ãâã my own Soul ãâã I know not what Instruments are to be emââoyed in the Work I leave that to the Lord but the Kingdoâ of Christ shall be advanced and it shalâ be outwardly and a ãâã Deâtruction ââll sweep away all his Enemies from the Earth and the Wrath of God shall burn against ââem only there is an obduration hath ãâã âpon the Nations of the World and âthing hath stood in the way in all-Generaâ But howeâ ãâ¦ã I am sure wicked Men ãâã Enâ ãâ¦ã may well say That Chrisâ is the Sâ ãâ¦ã Men but especially of theâ that believe He hath saved this City and Nation from the Plagues and Vengâââce thaâ hang over us Many Years the Lord hath spared us and waited to be gracious for a long-time to see if we will at last turn to him ãâã long the Mediator will intercede on ãâã behaâ ãâ¦ã âl there is a time whoâ the ãâã âiffering of God will come to an end God hath brought a Scourge upon the Nations round about us and the Flames of his Wrath ââve kindled upon them and Destruction hath overtaken them how soon iâ may be our Lot we know not all our Mony our Silver and Gold and Valour and Courage will not be able to stave it off if the Lord but blow upon us It is even at the Door there is but one way to save us and that is turning to the Lord and crying to the Lord for the continuance of his Mercies and Long-suffering and Patience towards us In this Cry let us all cry to the Lord that are Lovers of the Nation and let us join our earnest Supplications in this Work seeing the Lord hath made us the Monuments of his Mercy and preserving Goodness This Island hath been continually surrounded with War and Blood and Flames and Destruction and the Cry of the Orphans hath been heard from other Nations And while they have been consumed with Flames ând deluged in Streams of ãâã we haââ sat under our own Vines and ãâ¦ã but Judgments hang over the Nation and whether they will fall or not the Lord knows But shall we do for the good of our Nation and Cities and Families but labour every one in the Fear of God to reform your Lives and to take heed that we sin not against the Light lest we die and perish in the midst of those terrible Judgments that hang-over us Let us turn from our evil Ways and depart from all Iniquity that the Kingdom of Christ may be set up in our selves It is the Righteous in the Nation that the Lord looks at and for their sakes he will spare a Nation If there be a People among us that walk in Humility and lament and mourn for the Abominations committed in the midst of us God will have regard to them and he will hear the Cries and the Supplications of a praying People Friends You that cannot make use of Sword and Spear for the saving of a Nation you may do good by your Prayers and turning to the Lord with an unfeigned Heart and let your Sincerity appear before him if I would take a Common-Prayer-Book in my Hands and pray never so devoutly and solemnly if I be not sincere what will that do Or if I pray without Book or if I pray without a Form or reject the Forms that others have made for me what will this avail But the Cry of the Poor and the Sighing of the Needy and the effectual fervent Prayer of thâ Righteous hath availed much for the saving oâ this Nation many Years Therefore I exhort you all as you love the Nation and as you love your selvâ ãâ¦ã âour Families and Relations sin not aââânt the Lord for he is now setting up Righteousnâ Equity and Justice and it shall prevaââ in thâ Nation God hath been please âo gather in many that have been Enemies in it that are now turned from sin to God and led Captive by the Truth and it is their greatest Joy that now they are no longer Servants of Sin but are now become the Servants of God Now Truth will prevail and Righteousness go forth as the Morning Sun and ãâã hope the Lord will shew Mercy to us for thâ glory of his own Name tho' we are an unworthy People It will be matter of joy and gladness to us if the Kingdom of God be come then we may say our Prayer is answered We have often prayed Thy Kingdom come and thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven If the Will of God be done then I can do mine own Will no longer then I can be led away by Satan no longer the Devil will have little Power if I do Gods Will on Earth as it is done in Heaven then Praises will arise in the Hearts of every one that delight to do the Will of God and God will carry on his Work for the glory of his own Name and for the Redemption of his People that Christ may be Preached for Soââtion to the Ends of the âârth SERMON XI The Acceptable Sacrifice Preached ât Grace-Church-street July 3. 1692. ALl People that would worship God and meet together for that purpose they had need have a great Reverence upon their Minds and a holy Fear upon their Spirits that when they enter into the House of the Lord and draw nigh to the living God they might not offer the Sacrifice of Fools but may offer to God that which may be acceptable to him For all Worship and all Religion and all Offerings and Oblations that ever were offered to God by any People they have had a return upon the Offerers and Worshippers either of acceptance or rejection Many you know have been rejected tho' they have offered and many have been accepted of God and their Offerings have been a sweet smelling Savour in his Nostrils and I hope we are all of that Mind that we would be glad to have our Worship and Service and Offerings to God accepted in his sight and that our present assembling together might be for the better and that every one might have an Answer of Peace and of acceptance in their Bosoms but that can never be unless Men be qualified and prepared in their drawing nigh to God and that in all our Offerings and Worship that we perform our Hearts be prepared
Deâ Works that Christ came to destroy ãâã doth he not do it He will destroy ãâã Devil hath wrought in every Man that will be subject to him Can a Chirurgeon set a Bone if the Patient be not subject to his Hand But this is far beyond all comparison Christ hath received all power in heaven and earth yet he ââââays looks for a willing People he sends ãâã Day of his Power upon a People anâ he worketh upon thââr Heârts by an invincible Power he makes them willing to be helped and mended and healed and cured and then he cures them I dare say there is not one here that is willing to be reformed and to submit to Christ to be saved and redeemed by him but he will do it He that is willing and obedient shall eat of the good of the land and shall know the Good of Redemption See whether it be come to a State of Redemption here is universal Grace offered for the light of Christ Jesus lightneth every one of you It shews you your lost State and Condition When you see yoââ Condition bad that it is not as it ought to be who would not have it better What means Prayer that Christian Duty ãâã us What shall we pray for Must not People be sensible in themselves what they should pray for before they come to pray And what is it that will make them sensible but the Light and Grace of God They see their own Wants when God worketh Faith in their Hearts and they believe that God can supply those Wants Why should I go to a Beggar to pray him to give me an hundred Pounds I believe he cannot do it therefore I will not pray to him for it Now necessity brings People to go to Prayer but there must be Faith in him to whom ãâ¦ã he is able to supply their Wants ãâ¦ã relieve their Necessities Upon this acco ⦠the Apostle saith H ⦠cometh to God ãâã believe that he is and that he is a rewarder ãâã them that diligently seek him He must ãâã know that there is a God to come unto anâ then that he is a Rewarder Here is the Foundation of all true Religiââ and true Worship they that go to God ãâã say their Prayers and joyn with others in âââing their Prayers if they have no ãâ¦ã God they had as good hold their ãâ¦ã for their Praying is to no purpose They ãâã pretend to believe in God without an expâââmental Power of God working upon ãâã Hearts their Belief is not worth a Strawâ without their Respect to the Power of God all their Belief is nothing but if they know that God hath such an Operation upon them that no Man of Woman in the World can discover that to them that God discovereth then they know that God is the searcher of hearts and the tryer of the reins Jerem. 17.10 Suppose I know that there is a God and at the same time I believe that he will never hear me that I am a reprobate Creature and that he hath cast me off for ever and that he hath sealed Condemnation upon me to all Eternity What reason hath such a one to pray This is a desperate condition But while we believe there is a God and that ãâã ãâã rewarder of them taht diligently seek him it is not in vain to pray yet there is someââing antecedent to to Prayer there is Knowâedge and Faith upon that Knowledge that God is a Rewarder He that hath this let him pray in God's Name But what must he pray for He must not offer the sacrifice of fools he must have regard to his Lips if it âe mental Prayer he must pray for that he ââands in need of it is for something he prays ââat God hath revealed by his Holy Spirit âe stands in need of it is for something that he needs it is Power to overcome Corruptiân and Power to overcome Temptation that âe stands in need of he stands in need of a Mediator to procure for him the Pardon of his Sins These things he stands in need of then let him pray He that is afflicted let him pray So that if a Man or Woman go to Prayer they must pray to God in the Belief of his Goodness âd Mercy that he will bestow some Blessing upon them that may be for the better that may be for their good When they come to a Meeting to worship God and hear the Word spoken outwardly they must pray for something that may be for their good Lord give me something that may support my Soul and something that may withstand Temptation People should have their Minds thus exercised and they should think upon the Name of the Lord according to their particular Necessity they should pour out their Supplication to the Loâ This is such Worship as God looks for ãâã such as he likes and is pleased with he wâ deliver those that thus pray to him out ãâã Temptations so that they shall not prevailâ over them One Man's Temptation is of one sort another's of another sort but they are all delivered by âe Grace of God and helped over them upon their Prayer to God for they find by Experience that God is a God hearing prayers Now when we have âââyed what is thâ next Work It is to ââit for an Answer of our Prayer I prayed ãâã other Day to God for Power to withstand such a Temptation when that Temptation comes agâân I do expect that God will answer my Prayer Dost thou so Then I pray thee have an Eye to the samâ Grace âf Gâd that convinced thee and shewed thee the Tâmptâtion and have thy Faith exercised upon that Gââce of God and thou wilt find it sufficient for thee I will warrant thâe Let the Devil come with a Temptation never so suiââble and subtil keep thine Eye upon the Grace of God and it will deliver thee This was the Case of Paul when a messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him he besought the Lord thrice The Temptation did attend him and God gave him an answer of his Prayer My grace is sufficient for thee As if he had said Let the Devil come with never so much Power he shall never overcome âhee I speak to those that are well skilled in ãâ¦ã of Work and have met with sharp Temptations and sometimes perhaps they âave been overcome by them and at other times they have withstood them What is the difference why one while they are loose and careless and did not pray for the Assistance of Divine Grace anââher while they kept close to it and were delivered Therefore when you come to Meeting with a desire to receive Benefit from God with you Expectations God-ward to receive Comfort from the Hands of the Lord let your Eye be upon âim and the Working of his Grace in your own Hearts and hearken to that Voiââ that is within you and it will be more effectual than mine If you find thâ Work of Grace in you to