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SCRIP T U RE TRUTHS 
 
 DEMONSTRATED. 
 
 IN THIRTY -TWO 
 
 SERMONS, 
 
 O R 
 
 DECLARATIONS 
 
 O F 
 
 STEPHEN CRISP, 
 
 Late of C o L'9h e s t e r, in Essex, deccafcd, 
 
 CAREFULLY TAKEN IN 
 
 Charatlers or Short-Hand, 
 
 * AS THEY WERE DELIVERED BY HIM AT THE PUBLIC 
 
 MEETING-HOUSES 
 
 OF THP PFOPTK n^K-i-'-" 
 
 QUAKER 
 
 In and about LONDON. 
 
 'AITHFULtV TRAN'SCRIEED AND PUBLISHED, TOGETHER WI 
 
 Fai 
 
 PRAYERS AFTER SERM' 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 Priuted and sold by J O S E P H J a M E S, is Chesnut-S 
 
 BET^VEEN TkOUT AND SeCO ND-Sl REi^T S. 
 K.DCC.LXXXVir. 
 
TO THE 
 
 HEADER. 
 
 u¥0' the Writer of theje Sermons doth out 
 of Mo defy decline to print his Name, yet 
 he does affrnx the Reader, that he has not 
 in the leaft altered or impojed upon the Preach- 
 er s Senje, either in the taking or tranjcribing 
 of them : And he does further declare^ that 
 he neither is, nor ever zoas, one of the People 
 called Quakers, bid always of another Perfiia- 
 fion: Yet being zoilling, axcordivgto the Abof 
 ties Rule, to try all Things, he has fometivies 
 been prefent at their Meetings ; and hax)inp; 
 tiie Art of Short-Writing, he has taAen many 
 of their Sermons and Prayers from the Mouths 
 cj divers oj their Preacher s ; and among others, 
 thofe 6/ Stephen Crifp, dcceafed; which, upon 
 ^-^^^-', rijifjcared to him, as zuell as to erai- 
 'vfohs of dnotner >^ea, to contain fa 
 fpel Truths, delivered with fuch Plain- 
 'al and Dcmonf ration, and generally 
 de to the known Do&rines of Chrifli- 
 that it is hoped the pubUfliing of them 
 e if end to the World : And, that the 
 I and Intent of them muy be the more 
 y comprehended, there is a Title given 
 very Sermon, agreeable to the Subjed- 
 ier chiefly treated of therein. 
 London^, March, 1694- 
 
SERMON I. 
 
 The Great Mediator of the Everlasting 
 Covenant. 
 
 Preached at GRACE'CHunCH-STKEFT, APRIl^ 
 2^^ ioc'8, 
 
 ^ty Triends, 
 
 O^W fliould we all admire the workings of the Holy 
 "fe Ghoft 1 You may know from your own experi 
 •^ ence, that all the operations of the Holy Spirit, from 
 the beginning, have been in order to the cleanfing, and pu- 
 rifying, and preparing you for the kingdom of God. This 
 experience is given to a little remnant, to know that the man- 
 ner of his working, that the end, aim and defign, of all the 
 operations of his pov/er, is for our good, and in order to our 
 eternal happinefs. 
 
 Now, this is a great engagement upon the minds of die 
 people of God, diligently to wait upon him, that they may 
 be opened more and more into the myftery of life and falva- 
 tion, that hath been hid from ages and generations, and is 
 now revealed by his fpirit. 
 
 And they that are thus exerci^lsd with the meafure of grace 
 given unto them, they do grow and encreafe in holinefs and 
 righteousness, by the working thereof; and they encreafe in 
 knowledge in the great things of the law, and the myfteries of 
 the kingdom of grace : By the eye which God hath opened, . 
 they difcern, that the working of his power in all ages, has 
 been for the extirpating, rooting out and deftroving of 
 that root of iniquity, that hath brought forth iucn a crop 
 of (in and- wickednefs, which was not of his planting, nor 
 of his creating. ^ 
 
 For, from the beginning of the creation of God, unto 
 this day, God hath had a fingular love and favour to the 
 fons and daughters of men, as being (as, I may fay) the 
 mafter-piece, or greateft piece of the creation, moft nearly 
 related to himielf, created in his own im^age, m righte- 
 
 oufnefs 
 
4 The GrEAT Mediator of 
 
 oufnefs and holinefs ; and in that they now are not fo, 
 but marred, and fpoiled from bearing the heavenly image, 
 is not the Lord's doing, but hath been VTought by the enemy 
 boch to God and man ; vet the Lord continuini^ his love 
 unto the work of his hands, hath from age to age re- 
 vealed and made known his power, for the redoring and 
 bringing back again lofb man, fallen man, finful man, to 
 be r^econciled unto him ; that he may, as was intended, 
 enjoy and pOiTefs the love and favour of his Maker ; but 
 there was no pofTibility fjund for his reconciliation with 
 the holy God, but by making him holy : For as the 
 making him unholy, feperated him from his Maker j io 
 the making of hirn holy again, would unite him again 
 unto his Maker: So that there muft be a way and mxcans 
 for the reducing of him to his primitive ftate, before he 
 could enjoy and obtain his primitive enjoyments ; that is, 
 the love and favour of God : And there hath been a ge- 
 neral univer-al fen^e, upon the ions and daughters of men, 
 of this alienation, and eftrangedneis from God ; and they 
 have put themselves upon divers ways and methods to ob- 
 tain reconciliation, and to try if they could reilore them- 
 felvcs ; and they have found out ways, and tried and 
 proved the inventions and imaginations of their own minds, 
 in their fallen wifdorn, what they might do to pleaie God, 
 and be reconciled to him. 
 
 We are finners, and we will facrifice, we will bring a facri- 
 fice fur our {ins j and when men have brought a facrifice, it 
 hath not been accepted, becaufe there hath not been a Medi- 
 ator known, that might mediate for them with the Lord ; fo 
 that all the facrifices they have offered, have never beeng|- 
 cepted with him, in order to an atonement and reconcili- 
 aticn. Now only tho^e that have relation to the Mediator 
 by faith in him, doth he intercede for, that he might prefent 
 them again to God ; and this hath been the diflFcrence between 
 facrincer and facrifice, from the days of C.iin and ^Ld, unto 
 this day. Some have had relation to the Mediator in all their 
 fervices and facrifices, and fome have had relation only to 
 the thing offered, and the fervice performed ; but they have 
 not in aU ages fped alike : They whofe Service and worfhip 
 was performed to God, with a relation to the Mediator, they 
 
 have 
 
the Everlasting Covenant. 5 
 
 have found acceptance ; and they whofe v/orfhip and fervice 
 \5C^as performed only \xith a relation to the thing offered or 
 donCy that was but their o\t'n ad, that was but their \c iil- 
 W'orlhip, and that was always turned back again upon them ^ 
 for there IS r:o nairt gkeii uwJer Heaven y byvchich any can 
 befa-edy but only the 7iame of Jefus Chrift ; that is the 
 Mediator of the new covenant, for the old one was broken: 
 And when A:i.rcn was^et up to be an high-pried to Go^, he 
 was appointed to offer facrilices for the fms of the people, and 
 he that commitced a fm, was appointed by the law tc bring 
 an he-goat of the flock unto the door of the tabernacle, an(l 
 to deliver it to the prieft, and he was to make an offering for 
 the fin committed after iuch and fuch a manner, and it was 
 to be an atonement with God for him : So here was feem.ir!^- 
 ly, a reconciliation by a facrifice ; and fome faw no farther 
 than the bringing of a goat, and a ram, and the performance 
 of the prieft's ofHce, and they counted all was well : And 
 others -aVv^ farther, long before the apoftlc fpake or wrote it,' 
 it ivas 720t the bleed cf btdls or gc^ts, 72cr the ' bleed of a rcm^ 
 that could pur pre aveay fi?t fran their confciences. And after the 
 apoO^le had opened the myftery of Divinity, who had a divine 
 and 'pirituai skill, in unfolding the reftoration of mankind, 
 he declared plainly, that 11 hen the offertiigv:as made by Aaron 
 fcr [inner Sy even then there remained fliii a conscience of fin :^ 
 for It ivas not pfl^hble that the blood of bulls and goats ^ fhoiild 
 take away fin : So that their outward perform.ances, and their 
 outward fervices, they did but point out the Mediator y they 
 had a pointing finger, as it were, to the. real, true and ever- 
 lafting Mediator, Chrift Jefus , who is made a Mediator 
 betwixt God and man ; that by and through him, man mi^ht 
 be again reconciled to God. 
 
 So that now in the-e gofpel-days, wherein God is opening 
 the miyftcries of life and falvation, to the intent and pur- 
 pose, that the fons and daughters of men m.ight be reftored 
 again into their primitive enjoyment of the favour of God ; 
 now in thefe days, it is the duty of all Chridians, and of all* 
 that are fecking the v/elfare of their immortal fouls, to have 
 their eyes and hearts unto Jc-us, as unto one that is able to 
 reconcile them unto God ; to hira it is committed, to him 
 wiidom and power is committed, and to him authority is 
 
 committed. 
 
6 The Great Mediator of 
 
 committed, that he fhould be an cverlafling high-pri eft j ana 
 that all the ierviccs, and all the woriliip and religious per- 
 formances that people offer up to God, fliouldbe in his 
 name, that fo by him they mjght be recommended to God : 
 For none v/ili find acceptance with the Father, unlefs in all 
 their performances they have an eye unto him. 
 
 So that it com.es plainly to pafs, according to that fhort 
 and confident affertion of the author to the Hehreivs, that 
 without faith^ it is iTnpojphh to pleafe God : But it is pofTiblc 
 to off-^r facrif^.ces \i/ithout faith, and poilible for people to 
 perform religious fervices without faith, as woful experience 
 hath taught us in our days, that many have been exercifed in 
 a kind of religious fervice, that never in their lives had faith 
 eiiough to believe the things that they pray for, and they are 
 without faith. When people pray to God to fend his 
 Holy Spirit into their hearts, that they may keep his com- 
 mandments to their lives end, and have not faith to believe 
 it, and when they pray, Thy ivill be done en earth,, as a is 
 in Heaven, it is a religious perform^ance ; but if it be not 
 done in faith, it is but an encreafing in iln, and an addition to 
 lln. Where is the man that is exercifed in praving to God, 
 that beiieveth that ever ■ uch a thing is like to com.e to pafs ? 
 Go where you will in this or the other nation, and enquire 
 of people about their faith ; they believe there is no pofli'bili- 
 tv of extirpating and rooting out of fin, while they live upon 
 tne earth ; therefore all their prayers for it are vain, and 
 their faith a vain faith : And it is high time in fuch a dav as 
 this, when m.en are faithlefs and unbelieving, to preach up 
 the object of faith, the Lord Jefus Chrift. People are of di- 
 vers faiths, and of divers beliefs j but we have found bv ex- 
 perience, that they do them no good, they do not brinj^ a 
 thing to pafs, that of neceOity miuft be brought to pafs, before 
 they can be reconciled to God ; their faith doth not cleanfe 
 the, heart, nor extend fo far as to believe that ever they fhall 
 be cleanfed ; in all the woriliip and religion that they per- 
 ^ form, thev com.e not to this faith, that they fhall be made 
 clean : All that is done is but in ftn and uncleannefsj they 
 cannot bring a clean facrifxe out of an unclean veflel : And 
 our Lord Je'us Chrifl: faith concerning this fubjccf^, an evil 
 free cannot bring forth good frvit ; but there muft be good 
 
 fruit 
 
the Everlasting Covenant, y 
 
 fruit brought forth ; how muft we do it ? ?*iake the tree 
 good, a?id the fruit xvill be good. When mens vain janglings 
 about religion and religious fancies come to an end, then all 
 this religion will appear to be in vain, and will not anfwer 
 the end for which it is performed, till men believe that it will 
 make the tree good, and cieaniethe heart, and transform men 
 by renewing the fpirit of their minds. So that religion muft 
 begin within ; and it i^ not our changing of forms of wor- 
 ihip, from one form to another, and taking up this and the 
 other opinion, that doth change our hearts. Sad experience 
 doth teach us, that men may carry over their old lufts into a 
 new religion ; we can carry over our old inclinations into 
 our new opinions : For though the form of worfhip be 
 changed, the heart remaining unchanged, and the lufts un- 
 mortified, their religion is m vain, let them be of what 
 per^uafion they will. 
 
 Now the remedy of this great calamity, that hath over- 
 fpread all forts of people ', for there is no Tort of people, 
 but there are thofe among them that are under this great 
 calamity, of holding the profeflion of godUnefs with an 
 ungodly mind, and the profefnon of truth with a faife and 
 treacherous fpirit. 
 
 And for the remedying of this, there is but one way that 
 all men be brought off from havin<^ their eve unto their 
 performances, and to the doctrines and tenets that they hold, 
 and do, as the apoftie faith, fix their eye upon Chrifl, and 
 look upon Jefus. This is the firft thing that muft begin our re- 
 ligion y for Chrift muft be the Alpha of our religion, as well 
 as the O.'ucga of it. If I begin not there, let me begin where 
 I will, I begin wrong j let me begin at the moff ierious and 
 found doclrine, and at the moft apoftolical reUgion ; if Chrift 
 and his apoftles were here upon the earth ; if I walked among 
 them j if I'beheved all they faid and did, I (liould begin 
 wrong, if I did not fix mine eye upon Jefus Chrift, that 
 is the taker away of fin, and is the fandifier of the foul 
 by his Spirit. There m^uft be the beginning, and there muft 
 be the conclufion j he is the author, and the finifher of all 
 true faith. There are authors of other faiths : Men have their 
 different faiths, and creeds, and articles, and they have expof- 
 ed and impofed them too i but this is the worft of it, none of 
 
 " them ^ 
 
8 Th Great Mediator of 
 
 them are right; let them be expofed and irnpofed v/ith ever fo 
 much force and violence, none of the^e will cleanfe the heart ; 
 but that faith which is dehvered over by Chrift Je'us, that haih 
 the quality of cleanfing and puhf) mg ; that is the faith v/hen 
 aii is done, that v/ill do the work ; that is it that vc'ill 
 fave and fandify, and do the bufinefs that all the \<'orld 
 is al?out. Every one would have a reconciler with God, 
 and fm rooted out, and be as God would have them be ; 
 this is the public profefTion of Chriftendom ; at lead: they 
 would find out (omething by which it might be done : 
 Altho' many are v/illmg enough to continue in fin and drunk- 
 enneis, whoredom, lying and hypocriry ; the'e are a lort 
 c£ fools, that make a meek cf fin, and that fwim in the 
 fcream of pleafure ; and what care they, fo long as they 
 make a profefllon of chriftianity I 
 
 But I am 1 peaking of a people that are ftruggling under 
 their corruptions ; that would mortify fm, and ferve God in 
 hoiinefs and rignteouinefs, and do God's vjill en earth as it is 
 done in Heave?: ; and do it not inform, but would have power 
 to do it ; and they have tried feveral ways to do it, and it is 
 not done ; and many have been at this work till grey hairs are 
 upon their heads, and it is not done. Nov/ God hath given 
 Chrift to make reconciliation ; now how can we, that have 
 the love of God extended to us, but extend our good -will to 
 our friends, and fignify to them, that all the travel and pains 
 they are at, and all the prayers they make, will do nothing till 
 they have their faith fixed upon Jefus, that is able to fave and 
 deliver them, atid fave to the iinermof all that come to God 
 hy him. 
 
 But here fome will objed and fay, it is true what you fay, 
 but is it needful to preach fuch doctrines to us i for we ail 
 beheve in Chrift, that is, the only Mediator and Saviour. 
 Ve know that Chrift Jeius is the only Mediator, and that 
 vs^X^'is he commends us to God, we cannot be accepted of 
 him. This is our general dodrine, therefore what need it 
 be urged and prelled i p jn us, that are come into the faith 
 already. 
 
 Let me fearch into the matter j it is of greater importance 
 than to fearch into a bargain of worldly things. Men 
 V/ouldfain have others open and diicover to them wherein 
 
 they 
 
the Everlasting Covenant, ^ 
 
 they may be cheated, to prevent their being impofed on in 
 a worldly bargain. I hope then they will hearken to know 
 hov/,' and wherein they may be deceived b)' themselves, and 
 deceived by others in matters of eternal concernment. There 
 are no Proteftants, but they rejec^l any Mediator but Jd"; us 
 Chrift-, and believe that no Mediator can reconcile them to 
 God, but Chrifl: alone, and they fay he is the object' of their 
 faith. I would ask them this quefcion, whether rhey b.c54cve 
 in Chrjd: at a difrance, or as pre'ent, really preient with' 
 them ? If their faith be hiftorical and at a diftance, that they 
 believe in Chrift, as one born of the V^irgin Mary^ and was 
 crucified and dead before they were born, and aro'e again, 
 and a-cended into Heaven, and is fet at the right hand of 
 God, if the reafon of my belief be, that I have heard of this 
 relation of Chrifl, or whether the reafon be, becauHs by his 
 Spirit, he hath vifited me in this age; the one is, I believe, 
 becaufe good men have told me fo ; but the other is, I be- 
 lieve, becaufe, bv this Spirit he hath promised to fend, to lead 
 me into all truth, he hath vifited me. Nov/ let me examine 
 whether I am aware of fuch a fpiritual vifitation, by this 
 quickening Spirit, \^rhich is the Lord from Heaven, and not 
 only the Lord in Heaven. >^'hether I am aVv^are of fuch 
 a quickening power' and virtue, which I have received upon 
 my fpirit, that he is not only at the right hand of God on 
 high in Heaven, but is now com.e to knock at the door of 
 my heart, and hath raided in me a life; as oppofite to fin, as 
 his was. Let me confider if I be aV/are of a fecret touch 
 of his quickening virtue upon my Toul, whereby he hath 
 begotten me into a life oppoiite to lin ; fo that if fm remains, 
 it rem.ains as a burthen, and oppreiTion upon me, fo that I 
 am a fufferer ; for as much as I am quickened, and made fen- 
 fible of a better life, of a godiv hfe, I would fain be at it, 
 and live in it, but iniquity, luft and corruption lie in the 
 way. He that hath quickened me fo far, as to bring me to a 
 fenfe of the buri;hen of fm, my faith tells me, he will take 
 the burthen off, elfe my faith will do me no good, if cor- 
 ruption ftill prevail upon me, if my faith tells me this, it 
 will tell the witkedeft man in the world as miuch; but if my 
 faith tells me Lam a fmner, and my fins confift of this and 
 the.qther eviLthing I do, and am inclined to do, it tells 
 
 B me 
 
10 The Great Mediator of 
 
 me again, that he that hath quickened me, and brought me 
 
 to a ten'e of fm, he can take the burthen off from me. 
 
 Here now is a true faith, that begins in convidion, and ends 
 in true converllon ; this is the word of faith, dehvered to the 
 faints, and which we are to preach. They faid of old, that the 
 word of £iith, thev had to preach, was that which was nigh in 
 their mouth, that they might receive it, and do it. I have 
 fomcthing nigh that reproves m.e for fm j if I be obedient to it, 
 then faith gives me victory overthat which is finful, for which 
 the world "reproverh me ;' aini as I fee faith gives me vidory 
 over any corruption, which I have been ftrugghng under, I 
 am encouraged to nx my faith upon him that hath thus quick- 
 ened me : "S o that this is the difference between faith in 
 ChriH: at a diftance, and faith that quickeneth me by God's 
 Spirit J that Spirit that hath been fo much flighted in our 
 davs, by the higheft notionids in our age ; they luppofed it 
 to'be a meer fiction ; fome have mocked and derided, and 
 others have been difcouraged to fpeakof theSpii-it of Chriil, 
 and his operation upon the foul ; ibme have declared both 
 in the prefs and pulpit, that they have had no experience of 
 the touches of God's Spirit upon their fouls. But our expe- 
 rience hath brought us to another degree of knowledge. \^c 
 know, and you may know if you pleaie, and that before you 
 ileep, that tliere is a way opened, God has made way for his 
 Spirit to reach the fpirits of men, to fignify immediately 
 to their fpirits without means, herein thou doeft wrong, and 
 herein thou maveft have life, and feek after it. Now the 
 Spirit that thus worketh, is the Spirit of Chriff, the Spirit 
 that proceeds from, the Father and the Son, that voice in men 
 that tells them they might believe and be faved. When he 
 comes, faith Chrift, he iviU lead you into all truth. How 
 fiiall the world know this is he ? He fJiall convince them of 
 fin. If there be anv convincement that ari'eth in man of 
 this and the other lin, it mxuft be from the way the Holy 
 Spirit hath upon their fpirits; he hath a way to fpeak to 
 ' men, and everv one that is a lover of his own ioul, is bound 
 to hearken to that voice. 
 
 In the latter days, faith the Lord, \vhen I fliaU ra'ife a 
 'prophet in the tfiidft of yon, ivhnfe-cer will mf hear that pro- 
 phet, JJiall hs cut off. All commentators agree on this text, 
 
 that 
 
the E^^ERLASTING COVENANT. It 
 
 tKat that prophet was no other than Chrifl Je^tis ; it was not 
 J-Ji;i the Bupttfl, nor Pau:^ nor Peter ; but Chnft that was 
 promifed to be rai-ed. There was fuch an ablolute com- 
 mand went along with that prophecy, that all jnould kear 
 ^/;/7, and it had a threatening at the end of it, that all that 
 vo ill not hear hirr^ fhall be cut cff, Are they not whore- 
 mongers, and drunkards, and liars, that will not hear this 
 prophet ? They will not hear him, becau e they love their 
 fins. What becomes of them ? Thev are cut off from the 
 enjoyment of the love and favour of God, and when they 
 draw nigh to God in prayer, and other religious dxerciies, 
 it IS with them, as it Vi^'as \X'itli Cam, Jin lies at the door, 
 When they come into a ftorm at fca, or are arrefced with 
 ficknefs, and death looks them in the face, they would have 
 peace, but there is didre s, and trouble in the room of it. 
 What is the matter? Waft thou not baptifed in the Chrif- 
 tian faith ? Did not the mmifter tell thee, that thou art a child 
 of G-'d, and an inheritor cf the kifQ^'^om of Heaven ? Alas ! 
 my fin lies at my door ; O ! that l had time to live a better 
 life ! What ails thy life, man ? My life hath been a life of 
 deceit, luft, and vanity, corruption and hypocri'y. Did 
 not thy teacher teach thee, that a believer hath no guilt upon 
 him, but that all his fms are pardoned from the day he be- 
 came a believer? Tms dodrine will not hold in a ftorm, tho' 
 it will do in fair weather ; when men are fwim^ming in theif 
 pleafures, it will ferve them ; but when they come to deal 
 with their Maker, no faith will ferve them, but that which 
 purifies the heart, and that which makes a change from the 
 earthly image to the heavenly. 
 
 It were better for you and I, and every one of us, to take 
 the'e things into conhderation, while we have health and 
 frrength, and while fome fand (as I may fo fpeak) is in our 
 glalTes, to confider what is my faidi ? What is the objed 
 of it ? Have I a dependency upon my duties, and alms, and 
 good deeds ? They v/ill fail me. But if my dependency be ^ 
 upon Chrift as a Saviour, and a Sandifier, and my fanctiiica- 
 tion is carried on gradually, he that hath begin a good '^-'orh^ 
 in me vcill perfeci it. And if the reaion of my going to meet- \^•- 
 ings, and going into my clo'et, and bowing my (elf before -^ 
 the Lord, is to keep clofe to him that carries on the work of 
 
 fandifi- 
 
12 Ths Great Mediator of 
 
 fanclitication, he ivill ivork all my work in me and for me, 
 I cannot expcd to live in the world, but I Ihall meet with 
 temptations j x\v^ Devil will tempt me, but my Saviour will 
 be nigh me, as nigh to me as the Devil can be j if I will keep 
 clo'e to him, he will keep clofe to m.e. Aly Father^ faith 
 Ch'nj}^ is greater than I, and none is able to f.uck you ont of 
 your F cither's hands. I muft expect to be tempted ; for the 
 advhrfary t,)e Deri! gees aboiit hke a roaring lion, feeking 
 vjho:n h: inay devour, Alas ! faith one, though I have made 
 fome prosrefs in the work of fandincation, yet for all that, 
 he may one day betray m.e. Am I grown (Irong enough to 
 refill his temptations ? and wife enough to foresee all his 
 gi-.is and trrips, which he lavs to enfnare me ? But I know 
 who can fee them, and defeat them. I have my faith fixed 
 upon one that can bind the ftror.g man, and cafl him out. 
 The life that I now live, is not in my own parts, and by my 
 own underdanding and 'cnfe : But the life that I noiv iive^ 
 in thefiefli, I Jive by the faith rf the S-n of God : This is that 
 faiih that gives mie vid jrv. The apoflle had a battle for it ; 
 I have fr.ight the Pood fght ; and henceforth is laid up for me a 
 crown ofrtghteo'cfnefs, and not for we only, but for all them that 
 love the appearing of cur Lord Jefus Chrijl ; and that com.e to 
 have familiarity with Chrift, with his Spirit and truth, with his 
 grace 7rc\<l word, in their hearts : Though the^e arefevcral ex- 
 prelTions, they all fifrnifv one immortal feed of life, by which 
 men are united to God : It is a leaven there, to leaven them 
 into the Divine Nature. 
 
 Whenever fuch a one is tempted, he refiftsnot the tempter 
 in his own power, but he waits to feel the arifmgs of that 
 life, and power, and virtue that was in Chrift Jefus, and is 
 in him fcill : He waits for that power, that in the name of 
 Chrifi: he may fay, get thee behind n:-e Satan. Being forti- 
 fied by Chriil's name, and armed with his power, what is 
 it that a Chridian cannot do ? What valiant, noble and 
 wonderful things have thev done, that have been iiiielded 
 with this faith ? Sec the eleventh chapter of the epiftle to the 
 Hebrews. All the repetitions of that chapter, from one 
 c.id to the other ; in all of them the apofl:le afcribes all the 
 valiantnefs and courageoufnef^s of thoTe noble ads, to the 
 power of faith. They looked to Jefus, before ever the 
 
 Virgin 
 
the Everlasting Covenant. t^ 
 
 Virgin Mary brought him forth out of her body. The 
 prophets did earneftly feek to know thofe things, which 
 the Spirit of Chrift'that >X'as in them, did iignify unto 
 them, that there was to be this grer.t Prophet, before ever the 
 Virg/n Mary was born : So that Chrift was always the 
 objed of a true beUever's faith. T^hough under the law. 
 they had an high-prieft, and he was placed at the altar, and 
 they had offerings burnt upon it, yei they had an eye w\to 
 Chnft, they had an undervaluing of all that their facrinces 
 could do for them. If then vjoulc'eft have had burnt offerings y 
 faith David y I would have given them ; I would net have ivzth^ 
 he^d them from thine altar ; thou fiouldeft have had enhugh of 
 them. He was bold to fav, in reaped of acceptance and 
 reconciliation, l?urnt offerirgi and facrifices then vjotddeft not ; 
 a body haft thou prepared me ; for it 2S voritten in the volume 
 cf the bocky 1 come to do thy vu ill, God. He had an eye 
 unto Jefus that was to come, upon whom help was laid : 
 There was a Redeem.er, that (hould come from Z/o», and a 
 law-giver from Jtrvfalem. They had an eye beyond facri- 
 fices, unto ChriR:. In all ages the people of God have 
 had the anfwer of their fouls, which is reconciliation, and 
 the favour of God : They that had this anfwer, never had it 
 but by Chrift. No man can be accepted v/ith God, can 
 ever have the defire of his foul anfv/ered in peace and recon- 
 ciliation with God, until his faith be -placed on Chrift Jefus : 
 Neither can any man have faith in Chrift at a diftance, and 
 thereby be reconciled unto God, but muft know his Spirit. 
 I muft have an experimental knowledge of his power and 
 wi'dom, and this I cannot have without his Spirit : Let me 
 believe ever fo othordoxly, except I have the Spirit of Chrift, 
 it will do me no good, it will be no advantage to me. 
 
 This is the word, that was in m.y heart as a well-wiftier 
 to the fouls of all men : As God hach done good to my fouj, 
 fo I cannot but willi well to the fouls of others ; that, as he 
 hath found out a way for my redemption and falvation, fo 
 likewife i wifn the lame for others that are bond-m.en and 
 bond-wom.en, and under the power of their corruption. 
 God's work hath been to deftroy the bondage and the op- 
 prefJon, and to deftroy the tyrant that reigns over the fouls 
 of people j God having made them for his glory, and the 
 ^Pevil has ftolen them away : That they do not that which 
 
 pleafeth 
 
74 The Great Mediator of, ^:c. 
 
 plea^eth God : But God's good pleafure is, that all 7n^y 
 be faved, and come to the knoivleige of the truth: And God 
 fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that 
 ivhofoever beJieveth in hiin^flwuld not perijli, but have everlaftt77gr 
 life: And he is called, the Lamb of God, vohich takes away 
 the fins of the world. He can take away fm ; if my fin do 
 not obftrucl my faith and confidence in him, he will take it 
 av^ay j and if he takes that away, then he makes the tree good. 
 Nothing hinders us from the enjoyment of God, but (in ; 
 and if Chrifl: will take it away by the blood of his cro's, no 
 matter for all the fcorn, contempt, hardihip, reproach and 
 per ecution of this world ; no matter, for he hath not de- 
 ceived us, but told us before hand, if we will be followers 
 of him, and be led by him, we muft exped thefe things ; 
 fufoings, reproaches, persecutions, difdain and envy. Thefc 
 things come not uncertainly upon us \ the world loves its 
 own, and cannot love them that are not of it; but thev that 
 are not of the world, may be brought to the terms of God, 
 and they may not be any ionger in the world. Chrifl: pray- 
 eth not that his difciples may be taken out of the world, 
 but kept from the evil : So that Chrifl is a Mediator, and a 
 propitiation for all men \ and he is working by his Spirit for 
 the redemption of all men, that to as many as believe in hnm^ 
 to them he gives pouwr to become the Sons of God. 
 
 Thefum of all thisis, that v/e have an opportunity put into 
 ©ur hands; we cannot deny it; \ou muft all upon fearch, 
 confe-^s, that the grace of God doth often v/ork in your 
 hearts againft any corruption, againft any evil : Let not this 
 price be put into your hands in vain, as into the hands of 
 fools. If I knew that this and that was a fin, I would leave 
 it ; let us be of that mind, and we iliall foon 1 i ow it; and 
 then lay, if I knew fuch a thing to be a fm, and could get a 
 thoufand pounds by it, I v/ould not do it. Why Ihould'ft 
 thou love fin for profit or pleafure ? 1 am fure it is an ill 
 bargain when it is done. Whatfoever I am convinced is 
 a fin, I will not do it. 
 
 Refolve upon this, and then the grace of God will be at 
 work ; we Ihall foon fee that we muft leave off finning. 
 There is fuch a thing I muft leave ; God hath fet up a jvrJg- 
 ment in my mind againft it ; though it bring profit and 
 piealure, away it muft go. Here is a ftep, a following ftep., 
 
 to 
 
His Prayer after Sermon. i§ 
 
 to follow Chrift. He that will deny himfelf, will follow 
 Chrift : My Redeemer fhews me this to be an evil, I will 
 not do it, but follow him, and imitate him. Here the foul 
 is led ftep by ftep, even by Chnft, the Captain of our Salva- 
 tion, till it is gradually cleansed fromfm, and reconciled unto 
 God ; and this can be done by no other means , for prayers 
 and alms will not do it , all that can be done by us will not 
 do it ; none can do it but Chrift alone, that God hath bid 
 help upon, that you m.ay all wait for the Divine operation 
 of his grace in your hearts. That is it which we labour and. 
 travel for, as knowing that God hath wrought wonderfully 
 by it, for the redemption of all thole that love him m.ore 
 than they love their pleafures, more than they love their 
 fms. It muft be concluded, that following of him, and leav- 
 ing father and mother, hufband and v/ife, children, brethren, 
 and fillers ; all thefe things as they ftand in competition with 
 him, and the obedience of his Spirit, muft be looked 
 upon as nothing to him : Then above all things, I muft not 
 difpleafe him : He can f peak peace, and none can take it avjay ; 
 and if he take it away, nojte can giie it. If we follow 
 Chrift, when this is done, then all is done according to the 
 will of God ; then the blefting defcends upon the whole 
 creation ; then every man will i peak truth to his neighbour, 
 and every man will govern his family with difcretion ; fo 
 God is glorified, and his name comes to be exalted ; who is 
 worthy to be beloved, adored, and exalted above all blefllngs 
 and praifes. To him be glory, who is God over all, bleued 
 forever and ever. Auien. 
 
 His Prayer after Sermon. 
 
 -/Vl O S T glorious God of life and power y and of everlajting 
 krndnefs ; a God of long-fufferir.g and patience^ elfe ws 
 had not been here at this da >, 
 
 Lordy we are monuments of thy mercy I thou haft f pared us 
 lo?jgy and haft called wnto us in a day when we turned away 
 our ear from thee : Thou heft fir etched forth thy hand all the 
 day lorg, and thou ha (J gathered a little remnant of the Icfe 
 fuep of the houfe of IG*ael to partake of thy paftures of life ; 
 end now all our fouls have been greatly refrejhed and cow.* 
 
 fortsd 
 
iS His Prayer after Sermon, 
 
 fortedy Juice ive came to widerftand and comprehend ivith, the 
 reft of thy~ faints^ the height, and lengthy and breadtk^ and 
 depth of thy love^ ijehick in the Son of thy love^ then h.Jt 
 revealed to u-. 
 
 Aijd^ huffed Father of Lfe I our fouls do breathe and cry 
 unto tkeey on the behalf of fir angers y which are aliens fro?n the 
 eommomveahh c/Ilrael, t/iat are yet breathing and enquiri7:g 
 efin thee, asking the way to Zion. 
 
 O Lord I ren:€rnber them and he&r their cry^ a'nd let their 
 fighing and complaining enter into thine ears ; that all they^ in 
 "ivhom thou hafi. begun to kindle holy dejlres after thee^ may 
 have them grow into a flames io burn up all enmity to.thee ; that 
 fo they may hs purified by thy jugir.entSy a/td receive of thy 
 heavenly grace, T^his is the way which thou hafi ufed with 
 thy children ; thou hafi co7nmanded them to ivorjliip thee in 
 thy dwellincr-place ; thnu hafi taken them into thy houfe, and 
 fed them with thy fineft wheat y refrefied them vjith thy loving 
 kindnefsy and filled them with thy Holy Spirit, 
 
 Dcarefi God of Love 1 th'is is the defign and purpofe of 
 mr mectinp' tr^c-cther, that vje fnay enjoy the prefence, and 
 feel the operation of thy wordy and have communicn with theey 
 and thy Son Jefus Chrifi, through thy Holy Spirit ; the way 
 into refi and life is vjlth thee, ^iliou caifi open y and no7ie can 
 fhut. Lord I open the hearts of this people^ to receive of thy 
 goodnefsy and receive of thy bleffing^ ; that fo every one may 
 be fenftbhy that thou art at leajt knocking at the door of 
 their heartSy that thou mighteft have an eritrance^ and bow 
 the hearts and wills of ally to receive what thou glvfi and hafi 
 to offer ; to receive the veord of life, by vjhich thou art quicken- 
 ing'^tliem, and kindling holy defires after thyfelf that every one 
 may reclve the truth in the love of it : That fo blejfed God of 
 Life I thy g^Iorious veork cf redeinption may be carried oUy and 
 we m,ay all feel it carried on in our fouls. 
 
 Hear thy poor people that are crying unto thee, the God of 
 Gods in Zion! that are fenftble of their weaknefs and fee- 
 hlenefsy and how unable they are to overco?ne the enemies 
 df their fouh: Arife in thy power, Lord I and thefe ene- 
 tnies fliall be fcattered ; let the fouls of thy people be raifed 
 from the dufi, a?id delivered from their fin, that they may rejoics 
 and prat fe thy name for their deliverance, 
 
 Rio-hteous 
 
Heart Preparation, &c. ly 
 
 Riqkteous God of life ! our eyes are unto thee, to fet forth thy 
 g'ory, for thou haft made bare thine arm for the falvaticn of the 
 poor and needy fouls, and thou hafl been ftretching forth the 
 cords of thy love to gather them that were fcattereU ; and haft 
 been bringing home to theCy thofe that were hurried away in 
 a dark anu cLudy day* 
 
 Thou haft made us fenfible of thy operations; and haft con^ 
 frained thy fervants to labour in the word and doBrine^for 
 the gathering of fuch home ; that fo they and we may enter 
 into thy holy covenant, and may found forth thy praifes to the 
 ages and generations to come : That fo. Holy God oj Life and 
 Live I thru that haft faved us with a marvellous falvaticn, 
 7nayeft receive for all thy mercies, and blejfngs to thy children^ 
 praifes, glory, he nor, and thank'^gving ; for thou alone art 
 vaorthy,^ who a^t God over all, blejfd forever. Amen. 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 Heart Preparation for receiving the 
 
 Gospel. 
 
 Preached at Devonshire-House, Feb, 12, j68y, 
 
 IT is in my heart at this time, to defire that every one's 
 heart were prepared to be made a partaker of the ble'"- 
 iings of the go'pel ; for there is a certain preparation 
 that every one muft witness in themfelves, before they are 
 capable of receiving divine blelTings ; for in all ages of the 
 world, the bleflings of the Lord have been manifold, and his 
 arm hath been always ftretched out in all ages, to the fons 
 and daughters of men, that are fenfible of the love he hath 
 unto them ; and where the'e tenders of the love of God have 
 met with prepared hearts, they have received it to their eter- 
 nal welfare : But this hath been the lamentation that hath 
 been taken up upon the greateft part of mankind, that they 
 have not been prepared to receive the love of God ; their 
 hearts and minds have been fo filled with the love of vifible 
 things, and carnal objeds, that they have not been truly fen- 
 iible of the riches of the grace, mercy, and love of God unto 
 them, C 
 
 Now, 
 
xS Heart Preparation for 
 
 Now, it was laid of old by the prophet, that the prepa^ 
 ration of the heart is of the Lord', and there is fomething that 
 belongs to us on our part, that we may attain this prepara- 
 tion, that we may be brought into this fpiritual frame of 
 mind; and that is, by returning to the Lord, for people to 
 think upon his name, and have regard to his appearance : 
 And although this is not the work of nature, for by nature 
 the minds of people are abroad, and they are crying out as 
 the Pfalmift fpeaks, vjho ivill fieiv us any good ? Yet to help 
 that defed, the Lord hath been pleafed to lend forth his grace 
 and his truth, and to call unto the ions and daughters of men, 
 that they might feek after him, that they might /^^^ the Lord 
 ivhde he is to be found ; and they that hearken to his voice, 
 they will readily confefs, that there is nothing doth fo well 
 fatisfy an immortal foul, as to be gathered into fellowfhip 
 with its Maker ; and that one time or other, it is the defire of 
 all men and women, that they might attain peace with the 
 Lord y and they know there is no peace to the wicked ; they 
 know wickednefs will remvain until it is abolifhed and de- 
 ftroyed; and they know it is not in their power to deftroy 
 it; and therefore ofnecefiity there muft be a waiting upon 
 the Lord, who is Almighty, that he may reveal his power in 
 our weaknefs. 
 
 And they that are thus prepared in their minds, meet reli- 
 gloufly together, with expectation from God ; that he, accor- 
 ding to his promise, will appear, and reveal his arm, and 
 do in them, and for them, that which they cannot do for 
 themfelves ; this is a fit occafion for people to meet together, 
 and to have their expedation from God, and fay. Lord, thou 
 knoweft my weaknefs, and thou knoweft the enemies I have 
 to deal withal ; thou knoweft I am not able to overcome 
 them : Therefore we are now met together, in the prefenceof 
 the Lord, to wait to receive at his hands, that power, that 
 life, that virtue, by which we may be made more than con- 
 querors. Such a reUgious meeting thus gathered together, 
 hath a promife; Iivill be in the midji ofthetn, faith the Lord ; 
 and therefore, having a promife, we may reafonably expe6l 
 that we (hall be made partakers of the living virtue and pow- 
 er, by which we may do that, which of ourfelves we cannot 
 da. 
 
 And 
 
receivir?g the Go S PEL, i^ 
 
 And, friends, it is my fours defire, that you were all thus 
 qualified, that every one had an evidence in himfelf of this 
 right preparednefs ; for where the eye is abroad upon any 
 vifible thing, that it feeks ratisfa<5lion in any thing below the 
 Lord himfelf, it will wear away and wax old. All thofe 
 objeds that people fix their mind upon, they will wax old ; 
 but they whoiedefires, and the breathings of whofe fouls are, 
 that they may grow into acquaintance with their Maker, ^this 
 will never wax old. When peoples minds are fixed, as the 
 people of the Lord of old were, when they made a compa- 
 nion between the flate of their minds, and the minds of 
 others, and fignified it in thefe words, they are faying ; they 
 are crying (that i%, they that arc of the world) ivho willjhew us 
 any good? But for our parts, our cry is. Lord lift un the 
 light of thy countenance upon us, and we will be more g'ad of 
 tnaty than they can be ivith all the increafe of corn, and wine, 
 and oil. 
 
 Now they that feel in themfelves that the reafon of their 
 meeting together is to enjoy the light of God's countenance, 
 and to partake of the blemngs of God, they have their ex- 
 pedation from God, their minds are retired into God; know- 
 ing right well, that if the tongues of rrxcri and angels are mov- 
 ed to declare the heavenly and divine myflreries of the king- 
 dom of God, they cannot be edified or benefited by them with- 
 out the divine help and aiTiflance of God's Spirit ; for there 
 is a feal upon them, and none can open that feal, but the 
 Lyon of the tribe o£ Judah ; he only is found worthy to unfeal 
 the myflery, and unfeal the divine bleffings that are with the 
 Lord : So that people muft come to that retirednefs of fpirit, 
 to that refignation of foul, to be as a little child waiting upon 
 the Lord, crying out unto the Lord, that he will prepare- 
 them, that he ivill make them hungry, and then feed them^ 
 that he will raife a thirfl in them, and then fatisfy them with 
 thofe divine fprings of life, which through the Lord Jefus Chrijt 
 are opened to every one that believeth. So far as your minds arc 
 flayed and fettled in waiting for the Lord, fo far you will feel 
 in yourfelves an opennefs and readinefs, that if the Lord 
 fpeaks, you are ready to hear him, ready to fubmit to his 
 word, ready to obey him ; there will be fuch an opennefs in the 
 mind, not to the words of any man, but unto the word of 
 
 God 
 
io His Prayer after Sermon. 
 
 God, to receive that ; for where the words of men are receiv- 
 ed, though never (o excellent, they convert not the foul, i?ut 
 the ivord of the hnrd is pure, converting the foul. And thi^ 
 Word is that which is able to quicken tho^^e that are dead in 
 fins and tre'paffes, and bring them to be made partakers of 
 life. For it is not an increa:e of knowledge that will do the 
 turn, but it is the increase of hfe and virtue, the increase of 
 god.'ine's, and fubmitting our wills unto him that m^ade us : 
 It is this that will do our turn, this will bring peace to the 
 foul, and bring us into the favour of God, through our Lord 
 Je us Chrift. Now, that you may all feel that which pre- 
 pares the heart for this refignation, and auietnefs, and fub- 
 jeflion, you muft wait upon the Lord, that you may be m^ade 
 partakers of the blelTings of his everlafting go- pel, and of his 
 divine presence: This is that which is mod profitable, mod: 
 advantageous : And then the Lord will open to you the windows 
 of He a'^^ en, and rain down the fe hie/jings upon yon, whereby 
 you will be comforted and refreihed, far beyond all the works 
 that we can do ', for it is an inward work that muft be done 
 upon the ioul, to convert people that have been alienated and 
 eftranged from God, and bring them to a reconciled ftate, 
 through the Lord Je'us Chrift, whereby they may partake of 
 the divine virtues, which iandify and juftify the loul in the 
 light of God. 
 
 His Prayer after Sermon. 
 
 J^^ S T glorious and powerful Father ! thy arm of poiver is 
 made bare in this our day, to bring falvation to the poor, 
 
 Lcrd I thou haft lifted up the light of thy countenance upon 
 a people that have waited for thy glory and thy falvatio72 ; ^ 
 little remnant whom the good of this world could not fatisfy ; but 
 O Lord I in an acceptable time, thou haft brought thy fahation 
 near ; and the light and brightnefs of the everlafting gofpely 
 thou haft commanded to ftime into the hearts and folds of the 
 mourners and boived^doivn ones, ivho are feeking the living God^ 
 not arnohg the outward forms and vc ays of men. 
 
 But, O bleffed Father of Life I thou haft now brought us to the 
 day of thy power, and bovjed our wills, and made us a willing 
 people therein to ferve thee^ and to do thy ivill on earth, as it ts 
 
 dene 
 
His Prayer after Sermon. 2t 
 
 done in Heaven ; and for that end, O Lord, thou hafl put it in» 
 to the hearts of thy people to wait npcn thee, in vchom all our 
 frefa fprings are, that from thee we may receive the renewing of 
 power from day to day. 
 
 In all the hours of our temptations and trials, cur eyes, O 
 Lord, have been to thee and to thy power ; and ive acknowlerge, ta 
 the glory of thy power and goodnefs, that thou hafl been a God 
 nigh at hand, when we have been feeking thee, and truflingi>Hn 
 tkee,fo that we are a people fe-jible of thy power and pnfc?ict 
 with us ; for that eye ivhich thai keepcfi open to thy ch^idreti 
 it brings thy gory to ourvieWy and jhews it breakirg forth over 
 the nations ; and ive have g^-eat joy and fatisfa^hon in beholding 
 the prcgrefs of thy mighty poiver in our day, hoxv thou hafl 
 broken down ana confounded^ and an ft ill brc^ckirg dovcn and 
 confounding, all the dark im.cigtnations and devices of the fens 
 and daughters of men, that have cc/ifpired to hinder the break- 
 ing forth of the glory cf thy Son, Chrifl Jefus. 
 
 O povjerfui God of Life I arife tnore and mere in th-f 
 g^-eatnefs of thy povoer and love, and make knovjn thy ccimfe\ 
 and thy will among the inhabitants cf the earth ; and bow their 
 7ntnds, Lord! and their ivills, that none may dare to withfland 
 thy appearance, left they be found fighters againfl God^ and de- 
 ft royers of t hem f elves. 
 
 O powerful Father I for this end, make bare thine arm tintd 
 the rulers and governors of thefe nations, that they may kncvj 
 thy counfels, and bovj to. thy heavenly wiV, and ynay prom.cte 
 thy law of rtghteoufnefs in their ov:n hearts, and the hearts cf 
 others ; that by thy poiver, a blejTed reformation m.cy be wrought^ 
 and a flop put to iniquity ; that it may not run down in a 
 mighty f^' eat fi, as it hath done m time pafl ; but that truth and 
 righteoufnefs, and fund jugment may be known in the earth : 
 1 hat they that hunger and tfnrfl after right eoufnefs, may have 
 their fouh defires fatisfied ; and fo praife and thankfgivings 
 jhall arife from their fouls to thee. 
 
 O powerful Father of Life I preferve and keep thy children^ 
 whom thou hafl gathered, and purged, and purified, and to wko?n 
 thou hafl made knovjn the way of life, and made them a willing 
 people in the day of thy power, to do thy will, and to wait for 
 the coming of that kingdom that th"u hafl promifed to eflablifli 
 under Ckrifl Jefus^the King of Kings and Lord of Lords ; and 
 
 that 
 
^2 The First and Great Commandment, 
 that it limy grow, afid i?icreafey and be fpread abroad iipofi 
 the earthy and let every one defire to be the fuhjeB thereof. 
 Poiverful Father of Life 1 the arra of thy power and in- 
 vifible flreJigth hath been revealed y that nothing hath been able 
 to refift orjtand agai7?Ji and prevail, by which thou art planting 
 Zion and building JevnfsLlcmy and eflablijhing it : By the fame 
 povjer^ let thy work be carried ony and let many be brought in to 
 be fubjeB to Chrifl, for the good of their immortal fouls : As 
 thou haft multiplied thy blefjrngs upon uSy fo frotn day to day 
 then haft made us fenfible cf thy love unto us, ovjnijzg us to 
 le thy children and peculiar people^ by thy prefence in the midfi 
 cfus^ whenever vje meet in thy name to wait upon thee^ that fo, 
 Living Fathery all thine, both here and every wherCy may be 
 encouraged to attend upon thee, aud to be faithful to thy power ; 
 that waiti?ig for the opening of thy counfels, and the enlighten" 
 ing their underflandings, they may be able to comprehend^ with 
 all faint Sy the height y and depth, and length, and breadth of thy 
 love in thrift Jefus ; that in the fenfe of the freenefs and 
 greatnefs thereof, all thy children here and every where, that 
 in an everlajling covenant of grace thou haft gathered to thy- 
 felf, may have communion with thee and thy Son and Spirit ; 
 and may return thee the honor, glory, and praife of all thy love, 
 and mercy, and grace ; for thou alone artvoorthy, who art God 
 over ally bleffcd forever and ever. Amen. 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 The First ojid Great CoxMMandment. 
 
 Preached at DEVGNSHIRE-HouSEy May 27, iGEE. 
 
 HEN God gave forth his Lav: on Mount Sinai, 
 which Ifrael was to hear and obey, the firft and 
 great commandment was, thou Jlialt have no other 
 Gods before me. Here is the Turn and fubftance of all true reli^ 
 gion that ever was upon earth to this day. All the command- 
 ments, all the precepts, prophecies, and all the deaHngs of 
 God with his people, from that day to this, have all been 
 contained in this Ihort precept, thou JJiait have no other Gods 
 
 but 
 
The First and Great Commandment. 2j 
 kit we. And as long as Ifrael flood in obedience to this 
 command, their blefllngs were multiplied upon them, their 
 good things were increafed from day to day ; the Lord was 
 with them, as long as they were willing to be his people j 
 he appeared as their God, and as their defender wrought 
 their deliverances, fought all their battles for them, gave 
 them dominion andftrengrh, courage and wifdom ; miniftered 
 out of his treafiiry all good things unto them ; for ^^he 
 great care of God Almighty was with all his people, he had 
 regard to them, and vifited them at all times, to keep them 
 from idolatry j I am, faith he, a jealous God, take notice of 
 me to be fo ; I am jealous of my name j if thou wilt be 
 mine, thou ftialt have no other Gods but me. 
 
 And all the precepts about offerings and facrifices, and 
 making atonement for finners, and the divers fervices and 
 worfhip, the various offices in the temple and fan^iuary^ 
 they were all outward means appointed of God, to keep this 
 outward church in an inward conformity to the command 
 of God. This command was written in tables of ftone, 
 and thefe tables were laid up in the ark of God, and all this 
 appertained to the firfl covenant, and typed and figured out the 
 diipenfation of the new and everlafting covenant that God 
 would make with his people, not like unto the old: How 
 not like it ? Not like it in the outward fliadows, the types 
 and Ihadows of things, but he would bring forth the fubftance 
 of ail \ho(Q fhadovjs and types, and would alter the form and 
 outward appearance of things ', for as God is unchangeable, fo 
 is his law unchangeable. 
 
 Mofes faith, the firft and great commandment is, Thou fhalt 
 have no other Gods but me. This was put into the ftone 
 tables. Chrifl: Jefus faith, the firft and great commandment 
 is. Thou ftialt love the Lord thy God with all thy foul, and with 
 ^ll thy mind. Matt, xxii, ly. This is put into the tables of 
 the heart. So here is a difference between the firft command- 
 ment by Mofes, and the firft commandment by Chrifl ; they 
 both acknowledge the firft and great command to be the fub- 
 jeding of the creature to him that made him, as his God, that 
 he may only ferve him, and that he may love him with his 
 whole heart : The Jeiv could prove this by his Jto?ie tables, 
 and Chrift proves this by the flefhiy tables of the heart, for 
 
 there 
 
24 "^'^^ First and Great C o m m and ment, 
 there he is bound to love the Lord with his whole heart, and 
 to : erve him only ; Inm only fhah thou ferie. 
 
 Now, here the Jews law is brought over to the Chriflians, 
 in the greateft point of religion that ever was preached ', fhuts 
 out all idolacry, all fuperftition, all variety of rehgions ; all is 
 Ihut out by this commandment, and the Chriftian that hath 
 the law written in his heart, according to the new covenant, 
 he^:an go as readily to it and read it, as ever the Jew could 
 go to his Jtone taa'e, and read the law there ', you cannot de- 
 ny, that if there be a thing written and engraven in my heart, 
 I can go as readily to it as I can go to any book or table, tho* 
 I have the keeping of it : But the Jews had not the keeping of 
 it, for generally it was laid up in the ^r/i cf God. 
 
 Now, friends, that which lies upon m.y mind to fpeak to 
 you at this time, and that out of the great love that I have to 
 all your precious and immortal -!ouls, as God hath had love to 
 f/::ae, is, that you would all conlider and weigh in the fear of 
 the Lord, who'e pre''ence is among us, which of you, and 
 how many of you are come to the obeiience of this com- 
 mandment : I do not doubt but the moft of you can (ay them 
 ^.'7, but a happy people are } ou if you can do one : I dare 
 pronounce that ioul a bleffed foul, that can perform this one 
 commandment, that can or dare ftand before his Maker, and 
 fay, O Lord I I love thee with all my hearty votth all ?ny foul, 
 and vjith all my might ; my love is withdrawn from all other 
 things in companion of thee; there is nothing in this whole 
 world hath a place in my mind, but as it is in fubjedion to 
 the love of thee. 
 
 Here is the firft and great commandment, the unchangeable 
 law, the laiv that was gjod in M fes' days, and good in 
 Chnft's days, and it holds good in our days; and indeed it is 
 fuch a definitive law, that the breakers of it can neither be 
 good Jews, nor good Chrtftians. There is an abfoiute necef- 
 fity lies upon us, cf abftrading and drawmg away our minds 
 and fouls from all other gods, from all images and other de- 
 pendencies and trufts that people are naturally liable to truft 
 to, and to have their whole confidence fet upon the Lord^ 
 but alas ! with grief of heart I fpeak it, there are but very 
 few that as yet have known the right giving forth of the law, 
 and there are fewer that a,re fubjed to it. This law was not 
 
 given 
 
The First and Great Commant>ment. 2^ 
 ^iven forth at firft without thunder and lightening, and a 
 terAble noife, and the mountain imoking (be that hath an 
 ear to hear, let him hear) itironlueh as Mjls himielf ^aid, he 
 feared greatly, and he quaked e5-:ceedingly, becaufe of the 
 thunder oi the Almighty, and the mountain that fmoked 
 and burnt v/ith nre, fo that IJrael could not draw nigh. 
 
 Now I fay, there are :>ut a few that have come to the 
 knov/ledge of the giving forth of this law, that have certainly 
 known thofe thunders, and that terrible work that the Lord 
 of the whole earth makes, when he comes to fet up his law; 
 for a great many that have come nigh to it, and might h?ve 
 heard and received the words of the law of God, they have 
 gone backward, they have done like unto the Jews of pld^ 
 thousii thev had fufFered much, and f^one through much, and 
 had (een the wonders of the Lord j how he had led them and 
 delivered them ; yet when it came to this, that they mufi: 
 hear the voice of God, they faid we cannot bear it ; we can- 
 not endure it : We have deviled for ourfelves an cafier way y 
 for the voice of thunder and dreadful noifes, put them into ter- 
 ror and quaking, and trembling, and great dread came upon 
 them j but we have found an eafier way, fay they j what '1$ 
 that ? Go then, faid they to Mofes, and hear thou what the 
 Lordfaitky and come thou and tell us, thou fiialt be a Mediator 
 bet'v'/een us ; let God fpeak unto thee, and do thou (peak the 
 fame to us, and we v. ill hear thee. 
 
 Thus the Jews that were not come beyond the law of God 
 written in taMes cfficne, they would not come to receive it in 
 their hearts, as the Chriftian muft; fo M^fes received iVih 
 law from, the mouth of God, and he was faithful as a fervant in 
 the houfe of God, and he miniftered forth the law of God, his 
 precepts, ftatutes and judgments, and teftimonies; and he 
 made them a book of laws for all of them to walk by, from the 
 higheil: to the lowed: ; how they fhould ad: in criminal mctters^ 
 and to do juflice between man and man, and what they ihould 
 do in the worfhip of God, and what they fhould do towards 
 the prieft, whofe hps fhould preserve knowledge for them ; and 
 fo he brought up a form of religion j but his work was accor- 
 ding to the precepts of God ; and he brought them into the 
 form of national religion, and government, and national 
 Jaws. And fo Mofes and the prieft ruled over them , and 
 
 D the 
 
2G The First and Great Commandment. 
 
 the pricft offered facrifice for them, and made atonement for 
 them, and Aiofes enquired of the Lord, and asked council for 
 them, and taught and inftructed them ; and what became of 
 all this at laft ? When this was done, the prieft made atone- 
 ment for fm, buthe could not pluck av/ay the guilt of one fin ; 
 there remained the confcience of fin after he had made his of- 
 fering ; and Mofes taught them the counfels of God, and 
 the commands of God, but he could not bind their hearts to 
 the obedience of them y for he declared openly againft them, 
 that they were a rebellious and ftiff-necked people ^ notwith- 
 flanding they had a' law without them. Indeed, time would 
 fail me to run through the manifold mifcarriages of the 
 church of the Jews, in refped of their idolatry, in refped of 
 their contem^pt and rebelhon, both to God and his fervant 
 Mofes, who was to teach and to guide them : I fay, the 
 time v/ould fail me to mention the manifold mifcarriages that 
 happened am.ong this people, that had a law and religion with- 
 out them, and a teacher without them. 
 
 Now in the fulnefs of time it pleafed God in fending his 
 Son, Chrift Jefus, to raife up a prophet like unto Mofes ^ m 
 reiped; of faithfulnefs, though higher in refped of dignity ; 
 for Mofes was faithful in all his houfe as a fervant, but this 
 man was faithful as a fon in his own houfe, in the houfc 
 that he was heir of, that houfe wherein he was as King, 
 even a pried, a prophet, and a ruler in. When the Lord 
 fignified by the fpirit of prophecy, the coming of the Juji 
 OrJe^ he iignifed to the people that his miniftry fliould 
 jiot be as txhat of Aaron ; the people fhould not have their 
 religion without them, and their laws and precepts v/ith- 
 out them, and their priefts without them., and their wor- 
 iliip and church without them ; but that they fhould have 
 it all within them. Iivill write my law in their hearts, I will 
 J}iit it into their inward j^arts, then they fnall be my people, 
 and I vcill be their God, and they /hall not forfake me. Your 
 fathers brake my old covenant, but I will make a new cove- 
 nant in the latter days, a new covenant, not like that your 
 fathers broke ; they brake the law without them, but I ivill 
 write my laiv in their hearts ; this prophet that is like to Mo- 
 fes, he fiall teach my people, he /hall be a leader to them, and 
 guide them in the way they are to go, and /liall be a captain for 
 
 tketny 
 
The First and Great Commandment. 2^7 
 them, to lead them to fahation ; and it jJiallcome to pafs, in the 
 day that I do this, if there be any that will not hear him, he fliall 
 be cut off' from among the people. That is, the judgment that 
 comes upon the contemners of the gofpel, upon them that 
 will not hear Chrift Jefiis, they (hall be cut off from the peo- 
 ple ; from what people ? From the people of God ; they 
 fhall have no part of the privileges that are enjoyed thro* 
 Chrift ; they fhall be cut off from the benefits that others 
 reap by their faith in Chrift. 
 
 So that now we are to expcd the operation and v/ork- 
 ing of a miniftry, that leads a people to an inward re- 
 ligion, a heart rehgion, where the heart is fixed entirely 
 upon the true and living God, as the objed of their de- 
 pendence and truft ; and they have no other. This is a' 
 ftrange word to fle(h and blood ; what, no other depen- 
 dence than on the invifible God ? Fiefh and blood, and 
 fenfuality, can never come to this ; this is a religion that 
 hath been hid from ages and generations, and will be hid 
 to all ages that ever fnall be in the world, where fenfuality 
 prevails. What, will you have me to have my whole depen- 
 dence for the comfort of my Ufe here, and of the life that is to 
 come, the other Ufe, to have my dependence upon an in- 
 vifible God, that invifible power that made me, and cre- 
 ated the world ? How is it poiTible for me to fequefter 
 myfelf, and draw myfelf off from all vifible objects ? I 
 muft truft to this, and truft to that : Flefti and blood caa 
 never attain to this, with all the wit and reafon it hath; 
 it can never feparate itfelf from idols ; they are little chil- 
 dren ; they are children of another birth, 'born of another 
 feed, that keep themfelves from idols. 
 
 Friends, idolatry is a great deal more common, I find, 
 than moft are aware of. Am I commanded to love the 
 Lord ivith all my heart, and foul, and mind, and might ? 
 \^liat is left when the whole is taken away? If God hath 
 my whole heart, what have I to beftow upon the world ? 
 What love, what aifedion, what eagernefs, what fervency- 
 can I beftow upon the v/orld, or any objed in the world, 
 when my whole heart, and foul, and mind, is gone be- 
 fore, is gone toward the Lord ? 
 
 This is the firft and gre^t commandment ; and the fe- 
 
 • cond 
 
28 The First and Great Cqmmant^meut. 
 
 cond is like unto it, that is, thru fhah Im^e thy Tieigkhour 
 as thyfelf. Here it is that the law and the prophets, faith, 
 creeds, prayer, religion and worfnip, all that ever ^^as in 
 the v/orld, all are comprehended in thi<?, thou jlialt Icve 
 the Lord thy God ivhh all thy heart, fad and ftrergthy 
 and thy 7ie^ghbrur as thyfelf. So vdiat need is ^ere for 
 us to be difputir.g about religion ; about this tenet, and 
 the ocher tenet ; tliis text, and the other te^t ? For my 
 par:, I ihould only defire you to underhand this text, 
 and I ihould not doubt your going to Heaven. Here is 
 the fum j here is all at once ; here is the quinteffence of 
 dl religion, of ail types, fhadows, figures, ceremonies and 
 prie(r-hood, and all that ever was or could be nrmed and 
 pradifed in the world; all brought to this, the heart giv* 
 .^n up to- God ; our love fet upon him. 
 I What, is this fufficient, will fome fay ? This will make 
 you a good moral man ; but what i,9 this to theChriflian 
 religion ? You may be led into error, and become a he- 
 re :ic for all this. 
 
 Hew can this be, that I ihould not be of a found faith, 
 but led into error and herefy for all this ? When people let in 
 error, and hereby, and un^oundne'^s of faith, where do they 
 let it in? Do' they not let in the principles of error and 
 hereA/ into their Hearts? I believe this, and that, and the 
 other error, that it comes into the heart, and hath a feat 
 in the heart ; but how can we let it into the heart, ivhen 
 the heart is given up to Gcd ? Cannot I keep out error 
 and hgrefy, if \ give Up my heart and foul to him ? Cannot 
 I truft him with all ? 
 
 This kind of talk of error and herefy hath come among 
 iDen that have had tlie keeping of their own fouls : They 
 have taken their ov/n fouL into their own hands, and have 
 ordered their religion themfeives, or have had fome- 
 body to order it for them ; and a great many of them 
 have met together to make creeds, and catechiTms, and 
 confedions, and orthodox dodrines, that m.ight certainly 
 be: profciFed and fubfcribed. So afterv/ards fome have come 
 and found fault with them j then they muft have a coun- 
 cil to try them ; then the'e go off and are laid afide, and 
 others are given in the room of them i fo that thefe men 
 
 have 
 
The First and Great Commandment. 2^ 
 
 have fet up for themfelves. Thcfe would not be under 
 the government and prefcription of God, as children un- 
 der the government of a father; but they will fet up re- 
 ligions themfelves, and fay to the reft of the world, if 
 you own any thing contrary to our principles, you are 
 a heretic ; and being a heretic, you are to be rooted out 
 and cut off. Do not you read in the fcripture, that vjhover 
 hears not the Prophet that ivas to come into the ivorld, fliculd 
 he an off ? What, will not you hear Chrift fpeak in the 
 church ? \7'\\\ not you hear Chrift fpeak ? The church 
 cannot fpeak without a head ; if you will not hear the 
 church, you niuft be cut off. Then they have fallen to 
 hanging, and burning, and killing, and deftroying people, 
 and nations not a few : And this comes from their mak- 
 ing faiths, and creeds, and ordering religion themfelves : 
 All their barbarous and inhuman cruelties, martyring and 
 dungeoning people, comes from their making faiths them- 
 felves ; and of all things nothing is more defperatelv wicked, 
 and they did not know it. The heart is deceitful above 
 all thiyzgs, and defperately nicked^ who can knovj it ? Men 
 knov/ not how proud and arrogant they themfelves are, and 
 yet they would be ordering the hearts, p^nd 'minds, and con- 
 ic iences of others ; and out of this hath fprung all ^w^ 
 perftition and idolatry, becaufe men would not give up 
 their heart: to God ,* thmi fkalt have no other Gods but yne. 
 This commandment is great in itfelf ; ftrid: in the terms j 
 thou [halt love the Lord thy God ivith all thy hearty and 
 thy neighbour a$ thy f elf. Their neighbours could not fee 
 with their eyes ; therefore they would be hanging, and 
 burning", and deftroving one another. 
 
 But, bleffed be God, who is now bringing forth true Chrif- 
 tianity upon its old bafis and foundation, whereon it xfas 
 placed at £rft, for Chriftianity hath been juftlcd off from its 
 firft foundation ; for inftead of loving God with all their 
 hearts, and loving their neighbours as themfelves, they hated 
 them : Now this is the day, O friends ! t'le weight of it is 
 great ; this I fay is the day wherein God is bringing Chrif- 
 tianity upon its old foundation. 
 
 I would not have you think that I am here judging our 
 fore-fathers, that are fallen afleep, that, therefore, thev are 
 
 gone 
 
ja The First- and Great Commandment, 
 gone to Hell, becaufe they faw not this day, and lived not 
 to fee that benefit of it that we enjoy; I am Jar from it : This 
 \^'as the thing that they beheved and prated to God for ; they 
 did not fee this day outwardly, but they faw it by faith. 
 When I was a child, I remember the people of God, when 
 they met three or four together, they would rejoice in the 
 hopes of what they forefaw ; they gave thanks to God for the 
 bleiTed days that he would bring ibruh, though thcv could not 
 tell when y they did fay, and believe, that God would fcatter 
 the fogs, and miPcs, and bring forth a happy day, wherdn 
 his people fhould have the gift of his Spirit : Tv'hen thev faw 
 the impofitions and perfecutions of thofe times, when they 
 that did not conform, and comply, were caft into prifons, dun- 
 geons and gaols ', well, it will not always be thus, fay they, 
 there is a day coming, wherein the Lord will fet his people 
 free fi'oraall the yokes of oppreffion, and from the oppreffon 
 
 indeed, mv foul did rejoice in hearing thg prophetical 
 fayings of thoe good m.en, and I thought 1 might live to fee 
 that day. Bleffed be God that hath preferved my life to this 
 day, and to this hour, to enjoy what they prayed for : They 
 prayed to God to fcatter the mifls and fogs, that they might 
 no longer cloud and darken men's minds, and hinder them 
 flom enjoying God's teaching. BleiTed be God, that we are 
 now in the enjoyment of the prayers of the faithful,, that left 
 the world before ^'e were in it. Now the day is come that . 
 they prayed for, and enquired afcer. 
 
 How frrangely doth the man talk, will fome fay, concern- 
 ing the Chrifbian religion j the Chriftian religion is ail ^fig- 
 land ever ; go to any meeting in London, except one, and they 
 will tell you they are Chriilians ,* I would to God they were ; 
 that is thie worft I w"iih them all. But what fhould v/e talk of 
 the Chriflian religion without the Chriftian life? except .we 
 find that amoneft them, v/hat fienifies the nam.e and profeffion 
 of it ? And the Chriftian dodrine is wanting in many places 
 too. There is many in this cii;y, ^^'g^^^g this very command,, 
 cf loving God with all their hearts, and their neighbours as 
 themfelves, as fervently as I can do, or any body elfe ; and 
 yet they will tell you in the next breatli, that no man in London^ 
 nor in the world, can do this ; no man can poffibly love 
 God with all his heart , never a man can be found that can • 
 
 perfji'm 
 
The First and Great Commandment, jr 
 perform fuch an ad, as to love his neighbour as himfelf : 
 Not every pxcighbour, it may be, but fome one choice affbciate 
 he may pick out, that he can love, and bear with his infirmi- 
 ties and affronts, and love him as himfelf; /ot;^ thy neighbour, 
 that is every body, that there may be a good-will for all peo- 
 ple throughout the whole race of mankind, f^eace c?i earthy 
 good-will towards men : This is the fruit of the gofpel. Chrif- 
 tian words will not make the Chriftian religion, there mufl 
 be a Chriftian life ; but where fhail we find that, or feek it ? 
 
 I know not, I have nothing to do to judge any body, but 
 there is one that judgeth who it is that liveth the Chriftian 
 life, and who doth not ? "^'ho is this ? what one is this ? 
 The HEAD of the Chriftian church : W^hy, is he here ? Yes, 
 the head of the Chriftian church is here, and he fpeaks and 
 gives fentence; if you have an ear you may hear him, and if 
 you will turn your mind inward, for he is an inward minijler^ 
 every one of you, if you will turn your minds inward, he will 
 tell you whether you live a Chriftian life, and what Z^/f it 
 is vou live : If there be a drunkard here, let him ask whether 
 his hfe be a Chriftian life ; will a m.an go away ignorant from 
 this place, and have no anfwer? If there be a drunkard here, 
 let him ask inwardly in his own boibm. Lord is my life 
 a Chriftian life ? I dare affirm, on God's behalf, he will have 
 an anfwer, no, thy life is not a Chriftian life, but a Ihameful, 
 beaftly Ufe, a brutifh one. 
 
 Who told you that the Head of Chriftians, Chrift Jefus, 
 is prefcnt ? Chrift Jefus, is he prefent ? How came he here ? 
 He is afcended up into Heaven fuch a day, fay they, how 
 came he here? Let him be afcended up mto Heaven, yet he 
 is not fo afcended into Heaven as not to be here alfo j how 
 fliould he fulfil his promife, if he be circumfcribed in Heaven 
 or earth? How ftiould he make good his promife, if when 
 Huo or three are inet together in his name^ he is not in the midji 
 ofthe?n ? Here now are many more than two or three met 
 together in the name of Chrift, and that hope for acceptance 
 with God, through the Mediator, Chrift Jefus ; if you think 
 that here are two or three met together in the name of Chrift, 
 it follows that Chrift is in the midft of them. 
 
 I knov/ not v/hat you may enjoy, fome may pofTibly fay, 
 I do not find any fuch prefePiCe of Chrift ', I hear of the pre- 
 
 fence 
 
J 2 The First and Great Commant>ment, 
 fcPiCe of Chrifc in the facrairsent, and I have heard talk of the 
 prefence of Chrift at a mee:lng, but I have been' at many a 
 meetings and I never found fuch a prefence of Chriil:. 
 
 Can you read the fcriptures ? Yes, I can read the fcriptures 
 as well as you but that cannot give me a {c\-\^t of it j I do 
 read the fcriptures and beheve them; but what (igfulies my read- 
 ing the fcriptures concerning the prefence of Chrift, if I 
 iiave not a ^^QvXt of it ? I have been at many a meeting, but 
 never had the fenfe of fuch a Divine Preierce as ycu talk of, 
 nor it may be at the facrament neither : V^'^hat is the reafox^ 
 thou hall: no fenfe of it? If thou ^?c^ilt take mv counfel, and 
 turn thy mind inxrard, and enquire whether the thing I fpeak 
 of be true, whether there be fuch a voice as I fpeak of, that 
 will tell thee what thy ftate is ; If thou wilt be true to thy- 
 fcif, thou mayeft know the Divine Prefence, and thou mayeil: 
 hear Chrifl fpeak. 
 
 The foul hath eyes, and ears, as well as the body, 
 "^hat eyes doth the apoftle mean when he faith, the God of 
 this world hath blinded the eyes of them that hdieijo ncty left 
 the light of the glorwiis gofpel of Chri/}^ ivho is the image of 
 God, jhould fii?ie unto them ? If the foul hath eyes, and ears, 
 as well as the body, it can hear, and fee as tiie body ; as the 
 bodily eve can fee viffble things, fo the eye of the foul can 
 iee things that are invifibie, and heavenly ; you can hear my 
 voice outwardlv, and vou may hear the voice of Chrift in- 
 V/ardly. I have known fome that have been fo afraid to hear 
 ill of themfelves, that they would not enquire ; fome have 
 been fo guilty in their own confciences, that they have been 
 afraid of hearing ill, and would not enquire about them- 
 felves : So it is inwardly; fome have been fo confcious that 
 th^ir life and converfation is naught, that their life is a fin- 
 ful life, that they dare not put it to the queftion : It would 
 certainly have been told them, thy life is not a Chriftian life ; 
 thou muft m^end thy life, before ever thou comeft to have peace 
 Y/ith God : If this fhouldbe thy portion and mine, that upon 
 fearch we (liould find our condition bad, what harm is it ? 
 
 I woutd put one queftion to thee, be ferious in confidering 
 of it : \ye are aU children of wrath by nature, none of us 
 differ about that, and that unlefs v:e he horn again^ vje can'dot 
 enter i'r.to the kingdom of God. The queftion is, whether I 
 
 am 
 
The First and Great Co-MMANVMunT, j^ 
 
 am one of thofe or not ? Suppofe upon enquiry it bej^irco- 
 vered to me that I am not, that is bad enough \ this is hard, 
 but not fo hard as it is true ,* this is the thing which I would 
 have you conlider : Am not I in a better cafe to know that 
 I am in a natural ftate, than to go on and perifh to eternity ? 
 As long as there is life, there is hope ; as long as a man is up- 
 on the earth, and taking care for his foul, and enquiring about 
 theftate of his immortal foul, if his foul is not in a good con- 
 dition, is it not better for him to know it, and to leek for a 
 cure ? For there is no greater infirmity and infe]icif\- can be 
 upon man, than to have fome occult and hidden difcafe, that he 
 cannot be made fenfible of j for this waftes and Spoils him, 
 and he cannot be perfuaded to look out for a remedy : So it 
 is inwardly; if a man be ignorant of his condition, and go 
 on to his dying day, and hour, and does not leek after a re- 
 medy, this man periiheth without all peradventure. . "^'''hcn 
 you are in this enquiry, be content to be controlled, be willing 
 to have the truth fpoken, though it be againPc yourfclves. I 
 might inftance in divers things that I have fpoken of :. if a 
 man be fatisfied that his life is not a Chriflian Jife,;' I'f^y? if 
 the fwearer or liar, if the proud perfon, or the effeminate, as 
 foon as they come to be fatisfied that their life is nor a Chrir- 
 tian hfe that thev nov/ Uve, wdiat can this man exped ? N^hat 
 counfel Hiould we give him, and what counfel fliould he ta.ke ? 
 I will go on in the way that I am in : What, after thoU kno'^^r 
 efl: thy life is not a Chriflian life ? God forbid,: Wilt i-hou 
 go on and perpetrate fm upon fm, and heap up wrath againO: 
 the day of wrath ; I am a finner, my life is unchrifl:;an,- 1 make 
 account to live in fm, and die in'fui ; is this good policy ? 
 Confider another text which our' Lord fpake, if ^s die in 
 your ft?iSy vjJiither I go, ye cannot come. 
 
 O friends, lay theie things to your hearts ; what have I 
 to do but to tell you that the love I have in my foul for 
 you 'all, makes me defire in my heart that you might be 
 faved ? This is the will of God, that you might all be 
 fczuedy and come to the knowledge of the truth: Biejfed ar& 
 they that know the truth ; the truth as It is in Jefus.\, Truth 
 in the inward parts, hath a fpeaking voice ', and if thou 
 hearken to it, it will tell thee that . thy ftate is naught. 
 Canft thou believe the truth when he tells thee fo, that 
 
 E thy 
 
j"4 The First and Great Commandment. 
 thy ftate is naught, and that thou art like to go to eter- 
 nal deftrudion, unlefs there be repentance and regeneration 
 to prevent it l Canfl: thou beheve this dodrine, when it 
 founds in thy own heart ? If thou canfl: not believe it, 
 unbelief will be thy ruin. The fpirit of truth is come t9 
 convince the world of Jin, hecaufe they believe not in Chrifl : 
 He tells them their condition, and they will not beheve 
 him. The Spirit of Chrift convinceth men of fin, and 
 thev believe him not. The fpirit of truth convinceth thee 
 of thy fm, but thou believeft him not. If thou loveft thy 
 pleaiiire, and thy profit, and thine honour, then thou lov- 
 eft not God with all thine heart ; and then thou art not 
 a Chridian, but out of covenant with God. Art thou (qW- 
 fible that thy condition is bad, were it not bell: to get 
 it mended ? After we are convinced of our own finful 
 ftate, is it not our beft courfe to feek to have it mend- 
 ed ? Who ftiall mend it ? faith one j I have done all I 
 can to mend my life, and I cannot mend it. 
 
 I have concluded fo in m.y younger years ', I have fafted, 
 and prayed, and fpent time in hearing, reading, and me- 
 ditation, and did all in my own power, and all to mend 
 my ftate, but I could not mend it ; and as I grew up 
 in years, lin and corruption more prevailed, and there was 
 no help ; and I came fo far as to believe there was no 
 help, and that if God did not help me, I was undone to 
 all eternity. I many times wiftied that I had never been 
 born : I went to minifters and meetings, and to all forts 
 of feparate people, and to all manner of ordinances, and 
 to all manner of means, to mend this bad heart of mine, 
 to fee if I could get a power that would give me vic- 
 tory over my corruptions ; but my arm v/as never fo long 
 as to reach thereunto j it v/as far out of my power and 
 reach. 
 
 Many have fought to get this power of reforming their 
 hearts and lives j to attain it by their oWn hands, by their 
 own endeavours, but they could never do it j they could 
 never better their condition, nor bring forth fruit worthy 
 of amendment of life. I wiih that every one was come 
 to that pafs, that they knew not which way to turn them ; 
 that they were come at laft to their wits end : They 
 
 will 
 
The First and Great Commandment, s$ 
 will come to it fooner or later ', the fooner the better. 
 I have done all I can ; I can do no more j I am at my wits 
 end, and I know not what to think, concerning my eter- 
 nal ftatej I know not what to judge of it ; I ftrive againft 
 my lufls and corruptions, but for all that they prevail 
 againfl me : Temptations come before me, but I cannot 
 conquer them. O I am glad when people come to that 
 pafs, that thev know not what to do, but defpair of their 
 own arms, oi their own ftrength, and their own wit, and 
 defpair of all other help in the world j I am glad of 
 that. 
 
 I am not preaching up defpair of God's grace and mercy ; 
 but let me tell you, when men defpair of their own do- 
 ings, and of air outward means, and helps, then they are 
 fir obieds for the mercy of God ; and not till then : When 
 the Lord looked^ and faxv that there was none to fave and 
 deliver^ then his own arm brought fakation. God will 
 not fave till then ; God will not reveal his power, till 
 men have done with their own power ; they v/ill never 
 truft God, while they think they can do fomething for 
 themfelves. All the forms of religion of the feverai peo- 
 ple of this nation, will do them Httle good without the 
 power. What is the meaning of that principle, to have 
 fuch mafles, and prayers, and performances? What is thfe 
 meaning of it ? Let us fearch to the bottom. They fay 
 we are fmners ', when we pray to God for his blefling, 
 and for falvation by Chrift, there is this at the bottom, 
 they think thefe duties and performances will be very help- 
 ful to their ftate ; helpful towards the knowledge of it : 
 To fpeak plain Engliih, thefe are their Gods. If I fpeak 
 of prophar.e and wicked people, I would fay their lulls 
 are their Gods : But when I fpeak of righteous people, 
 that are meer formalifts, then I fay their duties, as they 
 call them, are their Gods. When they have done all, they 
 can do nothing for them, and then they have no Gods at 
 all ', then they are godlefs : And if God doth not help 
 them, then they are undone to all eternity. 
 
 When poor creatures are caft out, as it were, into the open 
 field, to the loathing of their perfons, not falted at all, nor 
 fwaddled at all, but lying in the guilt of their blood : When 
 
j5 The First and Great Commandment, 
 I paffld h.y thee^ faith the Lord, and favj thee polluted in thy 
 civn blood, 1 faid mito .thee, when thcu ivaft in thy blood, yea^ 
 v:hcn thou vjajl in thy blood, 1 faidiuito thee, live. W'licn I 
 p^'Jpd by th,e, and looked upon Jiee, behold, thy ti?/ie ivas a time 
 cf love, and I fpread my skirt over thee, and covered thy naked- 
 72cfs ; yea, I fivare unto thee, and entered irao covenant 
 ivith thie, faith the Lord God, and thou becameft mine. 
 "Vv"hat, was it a time of love, when I was fuch an object 
 in mine own ey.cs, that I thought I was the moft mife- 
 rable creature in the world ; one that could not make a 
 gojd pra) cr, nor difpute for reheion, nor perform any 
 duty ; a poor creature caft out into the open field, to 
 the loathiiig of my perfon j loft all that 1 gained , my 
 name was from among the living j my days were pafied 
 over in forrow, and I faid there is nothing but darknefs, 
 and death, and mifery £ov me : I u'^ed all means, and 
 tried all thlr.gs, faving only a liv-ng trufl: in God alone, 
 aiii that flj.a and blood cannot do. Flefh and blood can- 
 r.ot know him, therefore fiefh and blood cannot truft in 
 hi 1. Alas ! faid I, I cannot truft in the Lord, I cannot 
 caft my ioul and all my concerns, my fame and reputation 
 in the world, I cannot caft all upon the care of the Al- 
 micrht}^ j I cannot know him, nor truft in him j how can 
 I (io it 'i nobody can do it. They that know my nayne,. faith 
 the Lord, they will put their truft in trie : Never a truer 
 word was fpokeii ; but how they ftiould know God, and ■ 
 truft in him, I know not. 
 
 When thou comeft once to this pafs, to be at thy wits end, 
 and not know which wav to turn thee, nor to whom to run 
 for help, or to ask counfel for thy foul's welfare, when thou 
 art come to the end of all, and without hope, then God 
 jeveals himfelfby his Son Jefus Chrift; Chrift the Son of 
 God, is known by our coming to him ; but none can com.e 
 unto Chrift, except the Father which hath feut him, draw him : 
 When thou haft done with thy Gods, and thrown away thy idols 
 to the hats ancl moles, then thou wilt find the Lord j and 
 thou wilt cry out, 0! that God would have mercy upon m.e, 
 and lift up the light of his countenance upon me; I am a poor, 
 rniferable creature. I'here are many that make fuch a whining 
 and ccmplaining, that they take a pride in their vny com- 
 plaints, 
 
The First and Great Commandment* ^y 
 
 plaints, their hypocrify is fo great. I have knov/n fome that 
 have prided themfelves in wording their condition, and ex- 
 prelTing their miferablc cafe before the Lord ; but fuppofe 
 thou canft not fpeak at all, but feeleft thyfeiFmirerable, thou 
 canft not exprefs thy condition ; at fucn a time as this, God 
 was drawing thy foul to Chrift Jefus, the Mediator of it : I 
 have heard of a Mediator, and that there is Bahn in Gilead for 
 me ', that there is a phyfician there ; that there 15 one phyfi- 
 cian, even Jefus Chrift, the Mediator of the new covenant ; 
 thou haft finned againft him, and grieved him, yet he ftands 
 with open arms for thee, ready to receive thee and em.bracfe 
 thee 'y where ftands he ? He ftands at the door and knocks ; 
 it is a fmall matter, one would think, to let him in : Rev, iii, 
 20, Behold^ I ft and at the door and knock ; and if any man 
 hear my voice ^ and open the dror, I will come in to him^ and 
 [up imth him, and he with me. Here is good news for an hun-' 
 gry foul, if any fuch be here ; Chrift the Mediator, ftands at 
 the door and knocks, he will come in and fup with thee, if 
 thou open to him ; then we ihall meet with the Lord's fupper : 
 This is the Lord, I luill wait for him ; he will bring his bread 
 with him, the bread of life, and the wine of his kingdom, and 
 the Lord's fupper will be celebrated without cavilling and 
 jangUng. 
 
 Now, becaufe we will not pervert the fcripture, I w.^uld 
 have you that underftand books, read what commentators of 
 this and former ages fay upon this text ; whether they do not 
 deliver in their opinions, that this knocking at the door, is 
 Chrift calling the foul by his grace ; and this door is the door 
 of the heart, and Chrift's calling the foul by his grace and 
 Spirit, to let him in by faith : This is their judgment and fenfe, 
 and their fenfe is mine ; and I believe the genuine fenfe of 
 this text, that Chrift would have people think he is near to 
 them, and would have them open their hearts, and receive 
 him by faith, to be a Saviour to them. 
 
 No j that, faith flefh and blood, I cannot bear, I cannot 
 confent to have him for my Saviour, I will not let him in, 
 for he is like Micaiah to Ahah, he never f pake <^ood concerning 
 me : For if I have him for my Saviour, I muu part with my 
 lufts and pleafures ; if there be any other Saviour, I will try, 
 and not meddle with him ; he will fpoil all our mirth and 
 
 good 
 
j(? T7/f First and Great Commandment. 
 
 good fociety ; he ^'ill tell me tha; every idle word that I ihalf 
 fpeak, I miiil: give an account thereof in the day of judg- 
 ment : "^rhat, do you think that I can like Rich a Saviour ? 
 That I can \i\Q with fuch a one as will call me to an account 
 for every vi^ord I fpeak ; and that if I fpeak one idle word, 
 judgment will come upon me ? No, I will try one and ano- 
 ther, rather than accept of him on fuch terms ', I am one that 
 am joined to fuch a church, and enjoy fu,ch and fuch ordi- 
 nances, and fuch helps.: I am in covenant with God, and 
 tinder the feals of that covenant ; I am baptized, and do par- 
 Ti'kQ of the Lord's fupper, which is another feal of the cove- 
 nant; I hope it will go well with me. I will go fomething 
 farther : Another faith, he muft have a Mediator ; I v/ill go 
 to the Virgin Mary, and offer fomething to her, and pray 
 to her: Saith another, I will go to Saint James^ and Saint 
 Juhn, and other Saints to intercede with Go^ for me. They 
 mud have fome Mediator : This is the twitting and twining 
 of the fons and daughters of men, to keep out Chrift, the 
 great Mediator, who cam.e into the world for this purpofe, to 
 deftroy the works of the Devil. Alas ! I have nothing left 
 but my bare life and living in this world ; I have nothing 
 left me but fome little defire I had to pleafe God^ and that he 
 will never judge and condemn m^e for; but my falfe dealing, 
 and buying and felling with deceit, he will judge this, and 
 condemn m_e ; and my difcouriing of things without me; all 
 my carnal friendfhip of the world, and my vain faihions, all 
 this is corrupt and defiled ; thefe he came on purpofe to de- 
 ftroy; he came to deftroy both the Devil and his works. 
 "\5^hat, can a man live in the world, and never join with 
 the Devil ? never fm at all ? never do any thing that the 
 Devil would have him to do ? There is no perfedion in this 
 world ; no living without fm here ; then I am Cure there is 
 no unity with Chrift here; and if there be no unity with 
 Chrift, then there is none with God the Father. \v'hat will 
 become of thee now ? What will all the pleaders for that 
 opinion fay now ? There is fomething (lands between God 
 and me, and I ftall never have peace ; and what is that ? It 
 is fm ; I would have my fin taken away, elfe I had better ne- 
 ver been born. Canft thou remove fin out of thy heart? 
 I have tried, hut I cannot do it ; I have heard of Chrift the 
 
 Mediator 
 
The First mnd Great Commandment, -^g 
 
 Mediator of the new covenant, he faith, he came into the 
 world, and that for this purpofe he was manifePied, thr.t he 
 might deftroy the worlcs of the Devi!. Now fin in my he^rt 
 is the Devil's work, I will fee if he will deftroy that for mc; 
 I will trud and rely upon him, and fee if his great power caa 
 deftroy it in me. 
 
 Here people come rightly to believe in him that God 
 hath fent, and truft in him, and he will take them in ; and, 
 like a Chirurgeon, he will rip their hearts, and let out their 
 corruptions, though there hath been ever fo much rottennefs; 
 and he will heal them, and purify them, and pardon them, 
 though they have been ever fo wicked, if they come to him j 
 when thy fins are fet in order before thee, then thou crieft 
 out, wretched man that I am I ivho fliall deliver me from 
 this body of death ? Is it God that hath thought on me, and 
 waited to be gracious, hath born my fins long ? how won- 
 derful is his patience towards me ! All thefe things working 
 in the foul, tends to beget a love of God, and fervent defires 
 after being cleanfed and purified from {in^ and earneft prayer 
 to the Lord, to make the holy fire to kindle that would burn 
 it up : The more the foul trufteth in Chrifi:, the more doth 
 this heavenly fire burn up our lufts, and then a man feels a 
 great change in his mind : The things, faith he, that I deHght- 
 ed in, are now grievous to me ; I hope I fhall never be found, 
 in thofe things again ; my mind is now taken off them ; who 
 took it off? Didftthou not flrive before to take it off? I did, 
 but I could not do it. There are many, I believe, in this 
 aifembly, before the Lord, that are my witneffes in this 
 matter, that when they came to Chrift the Mediator, he 
 changed their minds, and he untied the Devifs fetters ; they 
 were tied to their fins and lufts, but he hath unloofed them ; 
 they arc aihamed of thofe things that they formerly took 
 pleafure in. What fruit (faith the apoftle) had you in thofe 
 things^ whereof you are now aftiamed ? So I fay, what plea- 
 fure have you in fporting, and gaming, and drinking, and 
 company-keeping ? "^hat pleafure have you to think on your 
 wanton difcourfes ? What pleafure in pride and vanity? 
 "V^hat pleafure in wrath and bitternefs of mind ? And what 
 pleafure in malice and envy? What pleafure have you in 
 thefe things thereof you are now afhamed ? So far as you 
 
 arc 
 
40 The First nnd Great Commandment. 
 are convinced, you are ailiamed to think of them ; I am 
 ailiamed to think that the Devil at fuch a time, by fuch a 
 temptation, fhould prevail over me. 
 
 I ^)^'ould to God you were all come to this, to be 
 aftiamed, that you might remember your, pad evil ways and 
 actions, with forroVv^ and, fhame : There is a fecret joy 
 in this. Sure it is better to be afnamed, than, to' con- 
 tinue in impudence. God hath wrought this change at 
 daft y and who ihail have the glory of it ? God ihall have 
 the glory of it ; for his own works will praife him.. What 
 men do, many times they do for their own praife ; but 
 when they are at their wits end, and know not what to 
 do, they caft themfelves upon their Maker, to fee if he 
 will have mercy upon them ; if not, they mufl: perifh : 
 Then for what he doth, he gets the glory and the praife 
 of it. 
 
 There are fome here, that are bound to prai^^e God 
 while they have a day to live, for what he hath done 
 for them. They could never have loved God with all 
 their hearts j but they wouM have continued ftrangers to 
 God, and the Devil would have led them captive at his 
 will. They would not have loved God with all their 
 hearts, had not God firft jhed abroad his love upon their 
 hearts, and conftrained them to love him : It is he that 
 hath iirPc loved them, and vjroiight in them, both to will 
 &nd to dcy of his own good fleafiire. W^hatfoever we are, 
 we are by the grace of God j this grace is magnified in 
 them that believe and obey the gofpel. 
 
 My friends, we knov/ there is fo much peace and plea- 
 fure in the ways of God ; fo much foui-fatisfadtion in 
 Walking with God, and loving of him with all our hearts, 
 I fliould be glad if every one of you v/ere of the fame 
 mdnd, and had experience of it. We labour diligently for 
 this purpofe ; and we would fet before you thefe two 
 things : 
 
 Fiill;, how we may come to know our miferable flatc 
 by nature. 
 
 And what a bleffed and happy ftate they are in, that have 
 been converted and changed ; that have been tranflated out 
 of the kingdom of darknefs, into the kingdom of God's dear 
 Son. ^ Confider 
 
The First an~d Great Commandment. 41 
 
 Confider your ftate by nature is evil ; ^'e hope that many 
 of you believe the reports of the golpel, concerning the good- 
 hefs of the Lord, his great love in fending his Son into the 
 world, to feek and to fave you that were l^fi:, and that }ou 
 believe in him. And we are pcrfuaded, that by the fooliiiiT 
 nefs of preaching God will lave iome of you, thrt you 
 may be his redeemed ones, and truft to no other Saviour : 
 For there is not any other naire under Heaven, but the nayv.e 
 of JefuSy by which we can he faved. He only can take 
 away the fins of the world ; his fpirit fearcheth the heart, 
 and trieth the reins, which he promifed to fend into the 
 world when he was about leaving of it. Now I dare pro- 
 claim that Holy Spirit to be the Spirit of the God of 
 Heaven, that now fees what refolution thou art of, and 
 what thou art now. propofing to do ; whether to ro on 
 ifi fin, or to return to God. This I can fpeak without 
 blafphemy, it is God's Spirit that fearcheth the heart, and 
 knoweth thy thoughts and purpofes, and convinceth thee 
 of thy fin ; God hath fent his Son Chrift Je.^us into the 
 world to enlighten you, that by his light you may fee 
 him j and that by his grace you might receive him j and 
 that by his grace you might be faved. 
 
 To him 1 commit you all, and thefe words that we 
 have fpoken in the evidence and demonflration of the fpi- 
 rit, according as he hath wrought in us. 
 
 I muft tell you we were never called of God to ftudy 
 ■Sermons for you, nor to preach things that are made ready 
 to our hands; but as the Lord cur God hath wrought in 
 us, and as God hath been pleafed to m.ake known his mind 
 to us, and by his Spirit given us utterance, fo we fpcak, 
 and fo we preach. You that are come to believe and re- 
 ceive the things of the Spirit, you will judge what I fay. 
 1 fpeak unto you that are fpiritual ; judge ye what I fay^ 
 faith the apoftle. So when I fpeak of divine and hea- 
 venly things, you that are fpiritual, judge what I fay ? 
 And as you come to judge and determine in yourfetves 
 that thefe things are true, you will feel the power of 
 them in your own fpirits, and we Ihall all be of the iame 
 mind ; and as we have one God, v/e iliall ierve him in 
 finceritv, and worfhip him with reverence. Thsn his name 
 
 F ihall 
 
^z The First and Great Commandment* 
 (hail be exalted in the midft of us, and we fnall edify one 
 another in love, and we ihall inftrud one another, and 
 call upon one another ; come^ let us go to the honfe cf the God 
 of Jacob, he ivill teach us, and prejtrve us in his way, and 
 do us good, and keep us from all evil. 
 
 Turn your minds inward, and confider that God is a 
 God at hand, ready to help you ; and he requires no more 
 of vou than of other people in former times, to love the 
 Lord with all your hearts, and to abftrad: and withdraw 
 vour m.ind from all ether things that do come in com- 
 petition with him ; and be iure lo have no truft or de- 
 pendence but upon him ; then lee what Qca will dd 
 for you : No tongue can exprefs, nor pen write ', nei- 
 ther 'hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive^ the 
 things that God hath prepared for thofe that love him. That 
 ^^^ifdcm and knowledge, that joy and peace, and confoia- 
 tiori, that paileth all underdandine, he wil- reveal and com- 
 municate by his rpirit to them that love him, and truft 
 in him, and rely upon him, and receive teaching from him ; 
 he will feed them ii*i/// food in due feafon ; he ivitl bring- 
 the former and the tatter rain, and they fJiall be as trees 
 flanted by the rivers of v:ater, and hrirg forth fruit in- 
 due feafon ; and their leaf fiall fiot fade or wither. 
 
 This hath been Lcndor^s wonder, and England's won- 
 der, how it comes to pafs, that fuch a people's leaf hath 
 not withered, nor faded, as many have done : Our root 
 was by a river j if we had ftood in ourfelves y if our 
 dependence and fupport had been upon dodrines, tenets, 
 and commandments of men, then our leaf would have been 
 upon the ground as well as others ; but becaufe we have 
 been upon our root, Chrft Jefus, that is al^'ays green, 
 both in fummer and winter, therefore our leaf hath not 
 withered ; to the praiHe of God, and to the honour of 
 his name, be it fpoken : He hath preferved us, for we 
 have no power of ourfelves, no more than others ; but 
 we trull: in God, and have received power from ^ God, 
 to ftand as witncffes for him ; VvC have trufted in the Lord, 
 and he hath ftood by us, and delivered ^us, when we were 
 compafTed about with dangers and didrefles ', if We con- 
 tinue to truR in him ftili, he will bring us through all 
 
 our 
 
The First and Great Commandment, S:c. 4^ 
 our trials and troubles, and he will be with us, and ne- 
 ver leave us 72or forfake us ; if we take hioi for bur God, 
 we (hall never need any other. 
 
 W Q YQSidth^t Se^/acheril?^ king o£ j4Jfyri a y fent RabJIiekak 
 to Jenifalem to Hezekiah., with a great army, faying, ivhat 
 confidence is this wherein thou trujieft ? And he fpake alfo to 
 the people, and cried with a loud voice, hear you the word cf 
 the great king of Afiyria ; let not Hezckiali deceive you, for he 
 fliati not be able to deliver you ; neither let Hczekiah make you 
 trufl in the Lord, faying, the Lord will deliver us. Hezeki^h 
 vuent and prayed to the Lord, faying, Lord of hofts, God of 
 Ifrael, that dwelleft between the Che.ubimSy thou art the God, 
 the God alone of all the kingdoms of the earth ; thou haft made 
 Heaven and earth ; incline thine ear, Lordy and hear ; open 
 thine eyes, Lordy and fee and hear all the words 0] Senache- 
 rib, vjhich he hath fent to reproach the living God, &c. And 
 we read, that after he had pi-efented his fupplication be- 
 fore the Lord, the angel of the Lord vjcnt forth and fmote in 
 the camp of the Affyrians, one hundred f our f core and jive thou- 
 fand ; and when they arofe early in the morningy beholdy they 
 were all dead corps. 
 
 Thus you fee what came of it at lad ; and thus it hath been 
 in our day ; they that truft in the Lord, he will deliver them, 
 and they fhail never be afhamed nor confounded ; but as for 
 all other Gods, they that trufl: in them., ihall be confounded and 
 covered with ihame, and they and their Gods will periih to- 
 gether. 
 
 And now, my friends, I befeech you all to have refped to 
 this great duty of putting your whole truft in the Lordy v/ho 
 is the Uving God, and he will be always prefent with you, and 
 work in you both to v/ill and to do of his good pleafure ; he 
 will fupport and preferve you in all your trials and fufferings, 
 thatyoumay beveffelsof honor, to bear his name in the earth, 
 and 'fo found forth his praife to the following generations. 
 
 His Prayer after SeriMon. 
 
 M S T gf.orious, infinitCy Povjerful Father ! who haft ere- 
 atedus, and given us life and breath, and lengthened^ out our 
 time to this day, and haft long waited to be gracious to us, and 
 (^.rt fill vjaiting upon the fons and daughters of men, holditg 
 
 forth 
 
4^ His Prayer after Sermon, 
 
 forth the hand ofth^ love, and offeringthy grace andtenderhigfcl- 
 vation luito them^ and heft brought a day of ijifttaticn upon the 
 hihahitants of this city and nation, 
 
 - ^'-C'ry, praife and thankfgiving he to thee, Lord I that by 
 thy power y thou hafl inclined'the hearts and confciences of the fons 
 and davgkters of men, to fibniit to thee, and hcvo their necks to 
 the b'ejjed and eafy yoke of thy Sen J ejus Chrijl, that they 
 n^ay do thy ivill on earth, as it is done in Heaven. They that 
 are travelling, an! di^lrcffd, and affltcred in their fouls becaufe 
 cf their bent ug?^ do thou arife, living Father, and reveal y and 
 dtfc^rer thy ■/Jcer to them; fiiew them the exceeding greatnefs 
 cf ihv pozver, that they may trnft therein, and be fafe ; wake 
 hare thine a^m for their falvation, Thofe that are Jlumbering 
 in their profefjion, let them be avjakened ; and bring to thine 
 ksavenh kn.gdom^ thofe that have pajfed through thy refmng 
 fire^ and when' thou hafl cleanfed and fanBi fed. 
 
 Prjiverful Father of Lfe ! carry on thy vjork a?fiong thy 
 people every ivhere : Gather them that are fcattered, and bring 
 hack to thyfef, thofe that are v:andering and out of the zvay, 
 i2nd feeking the living among the dead. Lord, teach them and 
 let them hear a voice behind them, and guide them to the holy 
 mountain ; that they may be brought to the path of life, and to 
 the place which thou hafl provided for thy little flock to meet and 
 feed together, offering Utianimoufly the facrifices of praife and 
 thank-^giving, which then hafl ordained and appointed in thine. 
 houfe, . 
 
 BJcjfed and povccrful Father ! all thy little ones be pJeafed to 
 furroimd ivith thine Almighty Poiver ; and ivherever they are, 
 let theinfeel thy preferving hand, delivering them fro?n the evil 
 cf the world ; We pray not that thou fliouiaefl take them out of 
 the world, but to preferve the?nfroin the defilements and pollutions 
 of it : That holy people may ferve thee the holy God, and bear 
 thy holy name upon their hearts ; that fo it may be exalted 
 a7id magnified above all J and hum bk thankfglvings and praifes, 
 may be , given unto thee, through J efus Chriftj for all thy love 
 thou hafl ma7>Afefied, and for thy abounding mercies, and renewed 
 favo:irs which ws have received at thy hands. 
 ^ To thee, iivi?!g Father, through Jefus Chrifl, thy v:dUheloved 
 Son, in whom thou art well pleafed, be all honour, praife and 
 dominion rendered by us^ and all thy people, from henceforth, and 
 forever. Amen. 
 
 SERMON 
 
SERMON IV; 
 The Standard of Truth, 
 
 Preached at GrACE-ChurCH'StrEET, May 29, 1692, 
 
 T 
 
 1 H E R E is a univerfa] ftandard of truth, that God 
 hath fet up over all the Tons and daughters of men ; 
 he hath given the knowledge of it in, and through 
 Jefus Chriftj he hath dealt it out to l:hem, that they may 
 be capable of joining and adhering to the truth, and to be 
 delivered from eternal condemnation. This flandarcl and 
 tneafuring-rule is revealed and manifel^ed in every man and 
 woman, by the light that Ihines in their hearts, by which they 
 are able to difcern, and to give a found and true judgm.ent, 
 (if they are but willing) upon all their, cvon vcays, A man 
 or woman may know in every word they fpeak, in every ac- 
 tion they do, whether they ipeak, and do, according to the 
 truth, or whether they are juftified by the truth, in what they 
 fpeak and do. 
 
 I tell you, my friends, this is no fmall mercy, that m_an- 
 kind hath obtained at the hand of his Maker, that he is 
 brought into a capacity of not ading blind-fold, but that he 
 may fee his way, and his own inclinations, and pafs judg- 
 ment upon them, whether they are good or evil ? Whether 
 they will ftand juftified in the fight of his Maker, or whether 
 they will be condemned. 
 
 I confefs, the veil of ignorance, that is comxe over the fons 
 anddaughtersof men, through fin, tranfgrelTion andrebelhon, 
 is very great. And I may fay, as the apoftle faid, fometime you 
 ivere darknefs : And what can darknels fee? what can dark- 
 nefs difcover ? The Lord our God, that made us, hath not 
 left us in that ftate of darknefs, blindnefs and ignorance ; but 
 through the riches of his mercy and goodnefs, hath found 
 out a way, to conunand that light fnoidd fhme out of darknefs ^ 
 into people's hearts, for all that the Devil did to darken man, 
 to alienate and efrrange him from his Maker. 
 
 The fame Almighty Power, that faid in the creation, let 
 there be Ught^ and it v,^as fo ; he hath fhined into our hearts j 
 
 and 
 
45* Th(^ Standard of Truth, 
 
 and the vray by \x4iich he hath done fo, is through the Media- 
 tor, through Jefus Chriil: the Redeemer, in iv horn the fuhiefs 
 cf ths Gwriead divells. He hath received power from his 
 Father, not only to be a light and falvation, but to impart 
 and communicate of that divine Hght unto them, even iL77to 
 e^sery cnQ that comeih hito thevjorld ; thatfo bv meaas thereof, 
 they may be delivered from their darknefs, and ignorance of 
 the mind of God, that they were liable to in the fall, and 
 rnig'.iC be refrorei, through the Mediator, to a capacity of 
 judging of their own adions, and of their own words, and 
 ways, and inclinations. 
 
 This is i\\Q ftandard which God hath pitched in every one 
 of our bofoms, for the trial of ourfelves, either for our jufti- 
 fication, or condemnation, of every word and adion. 
 
 Now, to make ^very one fenii!:>Ie of the greatnefs of 
 this bseiling, conlider, it is not only given to augment 
 and encreafe knowledge, but it is given on purpofc to allure 
 and perfuade men into a liking of truth, into a love of 
 truth : The apoftie efteemed it a wonderful mercy that came 
 by Chrift j he hath fent him to blefs us, in turning every 
 one of us from the evil of his ways : So that here is a capacity 
 that the fons and daughters of men have, through the Mediator, 
 of being turned from the evij of their ways and doings, to that 
 which is well-pieafing to God. 
 
 The next work, after God hath wrought thus mercifully for 
 the fons and daughters of men, is, that they would be good to 
 themfelves, and m.ercifulto themfelves, and take pity of them- 
 felves, by a due im,provement of the grace, and mercy, and 
 kindnefs of God, that he hath beflowed freely upon them; 
 and in bringing all their deeds to that ftandard^ ail their 
 words and adions to that rule ; that fo whatfoever they may 
 be, or how many foever, if they do not anfwer that ftandard 
 and rule, they may deny, withftand and refift them, that fo 
 they may keep out of condemnation : For the apoftie declares 
 it plainly without fcruple, there is no condemnation to them that 
 are in Chrift Jc-\ls : If he had faid to them that profefs Chrift 
 Jefus, there had been a large latitude, efpecially for thofe na- 
 tions y but the words are hmitfed, and you will find them fo ; 
 that is, to them thrt are in Chrift Jefus ; and (as if he fiiould 
 fa} ) that you may know rightly what I mean j I mean, fuck 
 
 as 
 
The STANT>ARr> of TrVTH, 4^ 
 
 as ivalk not after the flefh, but after the fpirit. They that arc 
 in Chrift, walk after his Spirit ; for, they that walk not after 
 the Spirit of Chrift^ are none of his ; but they that are his, 
 walk after the fpirit, the fpirit of truth, and there is no con- 
 demnation to them. 
 
 It is not only the fcriptures that ratify and confirm this 
 dodrine, but you yourfelv^s are all living witneRes of the 
 truth of this, that fo far as you do ad and fpeak in obedience 
 to the principle of truth, that God hath planted in you, you 
 feel no condemnation upon you : Such a thing I did at fuch 
 a time, and I had no condemnation : Why fo ? becaufe I 
 did it in obedience, and fubjedion to that meafure of grace 
 that God fet up in me ', and fuch a thing I did, for which I 
 was condemned : Why fo ? becaufe I did it according to 
 themclinationsof my own corrupt mind, and in contradidion 
 to the truth that opened in me. 
 
 My friends, I would have you in point of the' doc- 
 trine of chriftianity, to be the better for what you read 
 and hear : It is pofiible for me to preach the truth^ and 
 you may believe what I fay, and you may read the Ho- 
 ly Scriptures, and have the belief of what 'you read ; but 
 if you come to a fenfible feeling of the fulfilling of things 
 you hear, you will give a greater feal to the truth of the 
 dodrine, than by all you have read and heard ; and you 
 will groiv ivife to fahation^ by trying and experiencing 
 the efFed of every thing you undcrfrand ; and not like the 
 carnal men of this world, tliat have not faith, that mind 
 only their worldly profits and pleafures, fuch are earths 
 by f^nfial a-ad devilifh ; but I would judge of adions and 
 V/ords, according to truth, and according to the effed I 
 find in me. I did fuch a thing, and I had peace in the 
 doing of it ; I feel no reproach, no condemnation upon 
 me. Here is a way for people to grow up in the life 
 of chriftianity ; to keep to the ftandard of truth j for whe- 
 ther men will or no, they muft do it at laft, and may 
 now, if they pleafe, make a trial of their words and ac- 
 tions. 
 
 As for the moft part of you, you are got pail Pilate : 
 Pilate could make that enquiry; 'ivhat is truth? faith he : 
 And I confeis, it is not long ago, it is within the me- 
 mory ^ 
 
.4^ . The Standard of Truth. 
 
 mory of man, that a more ferious and better fort of peo- 
 ple were To confounded with the darknefs and ignorance 
 of thofe times, that they were ready to cry out, what is 
 truth ? and where is truth ? Their eyes were fo blinded, 
 and things were fo jumbled and confufed by the difpu- 
 tations that men raifed, that made things fo dark people 
 could not fee their way : But God ivlio hath commanded the 
 ■liglit to flitne out of darknefs^ hath brought d. glorious day; 
 hath diflipated, and fcattered, and driven away a great deal 
 of that fog and mlC^, that did overfpread men's minds. 
 As many as have fincerely fought the truth in the inward 
 parts, they have found a divine principle of truth, that 
 Jiath a felf-evidencing quality in itfclf, to convince the 
 minds and confciences of the fons and daughters of men, 
 ■that it is the truth : And to this the Lord hath brought 
 m^oft of you, to be fenfible of fomething that is truth in 
 itfelf. There are many things that are true in the words 
 of them ', many true exprelTions j but there is truth in it- 
 felf, the effential truth of God, which, as it is in God, is 
 everlafling and eternal, and will ftand over all error, and 
 faUnood, and deceit : The truth, as it is in Chrift Je- 
 fus, is a ftandard and rule for men to ad by ; he hath 
 given it to the fons and daughters of men ; and as it ap- 
 pears in them, it is either a Judge to condemn them., or 
 a Saviour to fave them from their fins, and to juftify 
 them. 
 
 Now, that which concerns us, is to find out the m.eafure 
 of truth, or m.anifefcation, or principle of truth, which it hath 
 pleafed God to reveal m ourfelves : And whofoever v/ill turn 
 their minds a httle while inward, into the ferious fearch and 
 confideration, how the Lord hath dealt with them, they will 
 find they are not quite deftitute of truth. One that makes it 
 his pradice to lye, cheat and cozen, is not utterly deftitute of 
 .truths for there is a principle of truth in him, that doth 
 check and reprove him for his theft, lying and falihood, and 
 he lives under condemnation himfelf. He cannot draw near 
 to the God of truth upon any occafion, but his lying and 
 falfhood ftand in his way. Now, if fo be, that this liar be 
 made fenfible of a principle of truth in him, and do but 
 bring his words and actions to the truth, lo much of it as he 
 
 knows 
 
The Standard of Truth. 49 
 
 knows will make him leave lying and deceiving, and to 
 pradife truth to escape condemnation ; if he will bi-t lepve 
 lying and falfhood, and live in the truth, and fpcak the truth 
 to his neighbour, he wiil find another (late, condition and frame 
 in his foul, than there was before : He is now more at peace, 
 and hath a clear and fcrene way, to come to God by pra> cr, 
 and for pouring out his fupphcation, which he had not be- 
 fore ; for he had barred up his own way by his fin, which lay- 
 continually at his door ; if thou deft net ivcli, f:n lies at thy 
 
 door, faith God to C ain : So, v/hen vou do cvii, vou cannot 
 
 ' 11*'- 
 
 but know it j when you are drunk, or (wear or teil a lie, and 
 
 deceive your neighbour, an d carry on the defirn of fmful 
 
 profit, thou knov/eft it, whether men know it cr 10.^ and God 
 
 that made thee knoweth it ; and there thy fm lies at the door, 
 
 and blocks and bars thee out, that thou canft not offer thy 
 
 prayers to God with that clearnefs, as if thou hadft fpoken 
 
 the truth : So that it highly concerns every one of u^, to be 
 
 waiting upon God, for the difcovery of his truth to us; and 
 
 then we muft embrace, adhere and join to the truth, as our 
 
 chiefeO: good. 
 
 But fome will fay, this adhering and joining to the truth, 
 is a hard Icffon : It is pretty eafy to find out a principle of 
 truth, that ftandeth againd, and oppofeth all. manner of evil : 
 Very few, now a-days, will deny a fettled principle of truth 
 in all m.en, that judgcth fahliood, and condemneth deceit, and 
 witneifeth againd it in others, and in themfelves : But this 
 fame joining, and adhering to it, that cannot be done, with- 
 out a crofs to a carnal mind. 
 
 Now, if the crofs of Chrid be not taken up, there is no 
 good Chriftianitv among us ; v/here this is ncglecled, it fpots 
 and flains the profelTion of Chridianity, because it is fo di- 
 redly oppofite to the doctrine of Chrifi: ; he th.'jt zviil he my 
 difciple^ muft ; it is not, he may if he will ; but, he tnufl uke 
 lip the crofs of ChrJftj and follow him. There were a fort of 
 people, that were never like to bemadeChriilians, that would 
 be exempt from taking up a daily crofs r therefore he prefTeth 
 it upon them to deny themfelves, and take up his cro^s and 
 follow him. No man is like to live a Chriftiaii life, without 
 taking up a daily crofs. 
 
 This I cannot Ao, fays one; I know hoxi to carry myfelf 
 
^0 The Stjkvard cf Truth, 
 
 among ChHflians with ferioufnefs, iobriety and watchfulncfs, 
 ^(4thout fhaming any profeilion ; but I cannot deny my 1 elf, 
 I cannot contradict my own will : This is that which keeps 
 a man from leading a Chnilian life, when he cannot deny 
 him'elf, and take up his daily crofs. 
 
 Now, it is come to chis now a-days, w hen a li^Kt is broken 
 forih, and men have a principle of truth in their own hearts, 
 it comes to this j faith one, I ought to be ho-y in all manner 
 cf converfatic?iy and to be wacchfui over my words, and have 
 ray conversation honed and juft without deceit : See what a 
 deal I know, yet I can never live this life, iot all I know it fo 
 welU I cannot take up a daily crofs, which is fo m.uch againft 
 the contrary incHnations working in me j then the queftion 
 I put to myfelf is, (hall I take up a crofs or no ? 
 
 Here it comes to the point with every man or Woman, 
 after they come to the knowledge of ih'is Jr an dard of truth: 
 If the world would but come to this rule and ftandard, there 
 Would be no m.ore cheating nor cozening, no more fraud, 
 deceit nor diillmul tion, nor v/arand blooddied; but if m^en 
 would, in every thing they do, anfwcr the principle of 
 truth in them! elves, they would put the quedion to them- 
 feives, fhall I take up my daily cro's, or no ? Shall I deny 
 jnyfeli tho-e pleafures that my conscience doth condemm ; 
 PAvi thofe ungodly gains that I leek after by falihood, by ly- 
 ing, prevaricating and departing from the truth ? Shall I do 
 tms, that I may be rich and great in the world, or fhall I not ? 
 
 You know what I fay, many of you, and have put this 
 quexdion to yourfelves, and fome have made a good anlwer 
 toit : I will take up my daily cro^s, by the grace of God ; 
 tl-is dandard of truth (hall be the rule of my words and 
 aclions, to m.y dying-day. 
 
 They that have learned this leffon, and obtained peace with 
 God, through our Lord Jefus Chrid, that have not only made 
 a resolution, but performed it in ad and deed, by the power 
 of Chrid's crois, they are purified, and fandified, and wadi- 
 cd from their old converfations, and hc^ie their cctrcerfaticn i?i 
 Hca^jen ; that is, live after a heavenly manner, live a godly 
 lif2 here upon earth, when they have come to this relolution, 
 and aifo the pradice of it. 
 
 I would dz^^^ and ii is my labour, that }ou that hear me 
 
 
The Standard of Truth, 51 
 
 this day, who are aware of what I am fpeaking, riz. The 
 Standard of Truth, the principle of Tiu.h, that 
 unerring Guide, which is placed in the conscience of every 
 man, and juftifieth, or condemneth, ^his adions and v/ords. 
 You who are come to be aware of this, that you mav ail 
 come to this godly refoiution in yourfelvcs, I would have 
 this difputc carried on in every one's boiom. When the 
 quefiion is dated, 1 would have you really anfwer it; ihall I 
 guide my adions and words according to this unerring rule, 
 or no ? I cannot tell what to (ay, fay fome, there is danger 
 in it : What danger can there be to anfv/cr that which a man 
 knows to be truth ? I will tell you what danger : The world is 
 perver'e, and mod men live out of trutii, and the Devil is a 
 cunning adverfary, and he would have none live in it : He 
 abode not in the truth ; and he would not have us live in 
 it, nor regulate our words and adions by the truth m our 
 own fouls : What if moft men in the world pervNort the 
 truth ? What if fo few walk in the narrcw v:ay^ and fo few 
 come to life eternal; is that an- argument that I mud not 
 come there ? Should it not ftir me up to greater diligence, 
 that by any means I may be of the number of that few that 
 fhall obtain falvation, and not go withag;reat company in the 
 way that leads to d^ftru(5lion ? If we im.prove our times, and 
 feaions, and opportunities, and mercies, and blefllngs, that 
 are vouch:^afed to us, we at laft may obtain life etfrnal. 
 
 But fom.e .may fav, I mud fit ddv/n in defpair, for I can- 
 not come thither of myfelf, though I do what I can to v:Qrk 
 cut my own falvation. There is a decree againd me ; what, tho' 
 i iliould pray ever fo much, and fpend my nights in grief 
 and forrow ? If I be decreed to eternal da.mnation, there 
 is no help for me, no hope that I fhould efcape. And if I 
 be decreed to falvation, though I take my liberty to fm, and 
 be loo'e and wanton, as others, it cannot hinder me from 
 attairing falvation at lad. 
 
 For this reafon, many have laid adde the fpiritual war- 
 fare againd corruption, and their fpiritual travel, that they 
 will do nothing in order to their everlading happineis ; 
 therefore they think they had as good take their pleafure : But, 
 my friends, the cafe is not now fo with us ; let every foul 
 aiuont; us praiie the Lord for his mercy, in expelling that 
 
 thick 
 
<z The Standard of Truth. 
 
 thick cloud of darknefs, v/hich is vanifhed and gone : This 
 I know, and I iiape you do all believe, that God doth every 
 \ihcre, and in every nation, call Tinners to repentance, and 
 tha: /le dthigkteih not in the death of him that dieth, hut rather 
 th't they vould turn and live ; and in order thereunto, he 
 hath given his Son, Jefus Chrift, to be a Saviour and a Medi-» 
 ator ; and he h-tth fejit forth the Spirit of his Son into our 
 hearts^ to give diredion to us in our way : Now our duty is, 
 to rnake improvement of thofe vifitations of mercy, that God 
 hadi bcrio:7ed upon us, in order to our falvation, and not 
 live in r'ioti;:g and dru:zkennefs , chambering and wantcnnefs^ 
 Jt:ife and e72vyir:g^ and following the fafhions of the world : 
 Bat we mild: vcork cut our even falvaticn with fear and trem- 
 bling. 
 
 But fome will fay, is not this done already ? Is it not 
 already wrought by our Saviour and Mediator ? Chrifi 
 hath tqfted death for every man, and laid doWn a price 
 for the foul of every man. 
 
 But yet there muft be a change wrought in us ; there 
 nrufL be a tranfiation of our fouls, from one fate to ano- 
 ther. This is called in the fcripture, regeneration, and be- 
 ing born again ; this is called a being baptized into Chrift, 
 and defcribed alfo b)^ other expreirions": But the matter 
 is, to change thy life; for there is'a finful iburce of wick- 
 cdre s^ that is ftirred up by the motions of the powers, 
 of darkne!"s, and our own concupiicence ', but God is al- 
 ways ready to bring us under the government of his Holy 
 Spirit, th?it will lead us into all truth ', and this cannot 
 be done without a Crofs. But the c^ueflion lies here, fhall 
 I take up this Crofs or no ? If I do, it will crucify me 
 to the ixcrld. Let me fee ', how much do I love the world I 
 A great deal : But do I love the world better than my 
 own (oiil ? ]Vhat will it proft me, to gain the whole worldy 
 crd Icfe my own foul? Or what fail I give in exchange 
 jpr j.yy foul F I cannot get to Heaven without denying 
 myfelf; let me take care of my immortal foul: lam a 
 poor creature ; I will fcvve the Lord my Maker, and 
 make ic my bufmefs to glorify and pleafe him.. He can 
 ir.arch me away by death when he pleafcth ; therefore will 
 1 labour, that my thoughts, words, anions and convcrfa- 
 
 tion. 
 
The Standard of Truth, 5^ 
 
 tion, may anfwer to that rale that he hath fet before me, 
 as a ftandard of truth, to Iquare and regulate my adions 
 by. I v/ill not live any longer in vanity, as many do ; 
 I do not know but my breath may be ftopt to-day, be- 
 fore to-morrow ; therefore to-dciy^ while it is called torday^ 
 I wiU hear God's voice, and not harden my hearty but re- 
 ceive that counfel, that is of/ered to me, for the benefit 
 of my foul. I am bought with a price, I am none of 
 my own ; I will live to him that died for me : I have 
 more rea'o.i to live to Chrift, and ferve him, that fhed his 
 precious blood for the redemption of my ibul, and to be 
 fubiect to him, than to be fubjed: to Chrift's enemy, to the 
 prince of the power of the air, v/ho rules in the chil^ 
 drcn of difobedience. I v/iU take up a refolution to ferve 
 God, but I can do nothing of myielf ; but the grace of 
 God which brings fahaticj?^ wtH teach me to deny lagod-^ 
 linefs^ and wor dly lujis^ and to live righteciijly, fo^erly 
 and gidly, in this prefent world. Take heed of being de- 
 ceived and beguiled, for there is no way will bring you 
 to Heaven, but a holy a!;d undefiled wav. 
 
 Therefore, come and take this Randard of truth in your 
 hands, to guide you in your vav, that you may neither 
 turn to the right hand, nor to the left : This will ihew 
 you the way you lliould walk in, and be like the cloud 
 and pillar of fire to the Ifraclites, in their journey taC^- 
 92aan, which Was a type of Heaven ; the cloud they could 
 fee by day, and the pillar of fire by night ; fo this ftand- 
 ard of truth will dired you in your travel to the hea- 
 venly Canaan, Let this be the rule and meafure of your 
 thoughts, words and adions. 
 
 If a workm.an, that is a builder, hath a rule to work 
 by ; if he goes on, and never examines his work by his 
 rule, but makes his eye his rule j if be doth not brir.g 
 his rule to his work every little while, to fee whether his 
 work be right ; if he worketh on, and never minds his 
 rule, what fad work will he make. But a prudent skil- 
 ful workman will fay, I will not truil mine eye too much, 
 but I will look to my rule, my rule w^ill not fail me ; 
 if there be bad work, it will difcover it to me, that I 
 may mend it before I go any further. Thus a di crcet 
 
 workman 
 
5'4 Hi J Prayer after SER/>foi/, 
 
 workman will often bring his rule to his work, and life 
 his line and plummet, that he may make it workman- 
 like. He will Tay, if I let my rule alone, and not make 
 life of it, but work as I pleafe, and truft to mine e) e, 
 no wonder if I make bad work, and \c'hat I build iall 
 ciovfn again, and tumble about mine ears. 
 
 You to whom God hath given the ftandard of truth, 
 as a rule and meafure to govern your thoughts, words and 
 adions bv, let every thing be tried with it, before you - 
 die, and 'leave this world : If you do fo, and m.ake this 
 }our daily pradice, theu ask yourfelves, and you wiii be 
 able to tell yourfelves, and tell me, and fay, I have no"^ 
 obtained more hopes of God's favour, and a greater fen fc 
 of his love and goodnefs to me, than ever 1 had before. 
 The apodie doth exhort us, to ivalk circumfpe51ly^ ftct as 
 fcclsy hit as vjifi, reikeming the time, Wq have ipent a 
 great deal of time in vain, let us now be wife, and im- 
 p'rove our time, for our eternal advantage ; let us walk 
 circumfpedly, that is, look round about us, confider our 
 Ways, and try all our thoughts, words and actions, by the 
 ftandard of truth. To-day (my friends) vjhile it is caUed 
 to-day y hear the voice of God, and hardest net your hearts^ 
 and receive that heavenly counfel, that is tendered to you, 
 that you may be partakers cf ths 'inheritance^ anio?2g the 
 faints in light. 
 
 His Prayer Ojftcr Sermon. 
 
 jyLESSED a?7d eternal Father 1 then haft hrovght forth 
 jD thy glorious name y and revealed thy poiier and thy mighty 
 r.rm; ana thou h.ift caufed a remnant to bow and v:or flip at thy 
 4ippearance : Thou art wonderful ; thy mrjefty is great ; they 
 that 'do behold thee, will, with reference, worfitp before thee. 
 Thy paver is gene forth, and hath reached the hearts of thy 
 people ; thou haft hinnbled them,, and ftbjeBed them to thy 
 Divine, Ahrighty Power, that they might appear in the eurth, 
 to the praife and glory rf thy g^eat na-me. 
 
 And, O Lord, as thou haft begun a g-rat work in the earthy 
 fo thou haft cormnitted this work to thy fervants and children, 
 that bear thy name among the fons of men, that they faouhl few 
 
 forth 
 
His Prayer afur Sermon: ^^ 
 
 forth thy right eoiifnefs, amcng the inhabitants of the earth ; 
 dnd our fouls have fat d many a time ^ who is fufficlent for 
 thefe things ? All our fitnefs and fufficiencyy our tneetnefs and 
 preparation is from thee: Do thou reveal thy power ^ and mak^ 
 hare thy Abnighty arm. We have found thy prefence from 
 day to dfiyy and thou haft upheld them that know thy love. 
 
 O glorious God of Life ! herein we have encouragement to go 
 an in the work which thou haft called us to ; hereby we are ena^ 
 bled to worftiip before thee^ and to offer up livi?ig praifes unto 
 thy great name, for that refefiment and conflation^ which 
 thou haft miniftered unto thy People. 
 
 A fid, O Living Father! we have never "waited en thee iff 
 vain ; whenfoever we have met together in thy name, we have 
 fund thy Divine Prefence, and the opening of the treaftires of 
 thy love, of thy wifd^m, and of thy favour to thy children : 
 So that from day to day, and even at this day, thou rememhereft 
 thy people, and thon giveft them frefti ccccfion to draw nigh to 
 thee, and receive their daily nouriftiment andftre?igth, from the 
 operation cf.thypovoer. 
 
 O living God of Life ! gather up the hearts of thy people 
 more and morCy and draw them into a nearnefs to thy f elf , that 
 thtir underflandings may be more and more opened to difcern 
 thy willy and fubjecl themfelves to thy wifdom, that every 
 thought that is exalted againft thy divine powery and livi?:g 
 voice, in their own confciences, may be brought down ; that fo all 
 the nations of the earth may bow before thee ; that fo thy truth 
 may reign, and thy power may be exalted, and the righteouf* 
 nefs xvhtch thou haft revealed, may ftiine forth more and more, 
 in the brlghtnefs and glory of it, and enlighten thofe that are 
 afar off, that they may be brought to feek after God, 
 
 And, Living God of Life 1 let thofe that are bowed down 
 under the weight of fin , bo fupported and raifed up ; and thofe 
 that are vceary and heavy laden, let them have reft to their 
 fouls. 
 
 Powerful God cf Life I keep thy people in a frefti and living 
 fenfe of thy love, and of thy heavenly 'virtue^ by which thou 
 nouriftieft thy children, and fctisfieft them from day to day ; 
 not only vjhen they nre met tcgether, but vjhen they are feparat^ 
 ed from one another^ Let thy people he preferved from the 
 ■ e^v'il of the vjorldy while they are ::i i^\ and let thy vjifdG?n 
 
 a'iid 
 
^6 The Grkat Duty of 
 
 and power give them viSlory over it, that thou may eft have tht 
 gory of ail thy mersia- and hlejfng:., louchfafec to their. For 
 thou ahne art v:orthyy who art God ever ai\ bhjfed forever^ 
 and ever* Amen. 
 
 S E R M O N V. 
 
 The Great Duty cf Remembering our 
 CREATOR. 
 
 Preached at DEVONSHIRE-HOUSE, ^pril (5, i6p5. 
 
 HERE is only c?7e Ircing and true God, Creator 
 of Heave.'i and earth, ^xiioni we are obliged to ferve 
 and worfhip : I have fo much charit^' as to believe, 
 there arc none among us, but mil own and acknowledge this : 
 And my foul wi heth, that this obligation did always reft 
 upon every one's mind, that they might remember their 
 Creator, that hath given us all life and breath, and continued 
 all our bleffings to us ', that To every one might apply their 
 hearts unto that univerfal duty, that we are all convinced of. 
 
 And thev that are thus employed and exercifed, they are 
 conli kring how, and after what manner, they may quit and 
 di -^charge their duty, and perform the obligation that lies 
 upon them, fo that it may be accepted at the hands of God ; 
 I fpeak now of tho^e that are confiderate, not of tho^e that 
 go on in a form of religion, and matter not, nor regard whe- 
 ther they are accepted of God or no ; but all that are conici- 
 entious towards God, they are defn-ous to ferve God, and 
 worihip him, fo as they may be acceptable to him, fo to 
 perform duties that thev may receive their reward, and that 
 encouragement that God in all ages hath difcovered, and made 
 manifcll to be in his purpofe towards them that truly ferve 
 him. 
 
 Xvhen people come to this confideration, how they may 
 ferve God aright, and worihip him acceptably, the Lord is 
 nigh unto them, to inftrud them, to teach them, and guide 
 themx in that way that is everlading : And, bleffsd be his holy 
 
 name I 
 
Remembering cur Creator, ^y 
 
 name ! a great many in our clays, have met with this divine 
 teaching and inftruclion ; and are taught in this age, as in 
 former ages, to underftand the worfnip of God that he re- 
 quires ; that is, in fpirit and truth j and do find, that the 
 Father doth feek fuch worihippers, and where he finds them^ 
 rewards them, and they have an anfwer of peace in their 
 bofoms, and they are encouraged to go on in the worfiiip and 
 fervice of God, to the end of their days. 
 
 And it is a great mercy and benefit ,* a great blelling that 
 God hath beftowed upon a remnant, to open their under- 
 ftandings, to let them fee and know the way of being near 
 to God, that fo they may know whomx they woriliip -, for you 
 have read, there have been worihippers, that do worlhip they 
 know not what : As our Saviour faid to the woman oi 
 Samaria^ you vjorjliip you know ?20t whet ; we hzovj what v:e 
 worjhip : So all that are taught of God, do know which is 
 the firft ledon of Chriftianity, as the apofiie faith ; he thj:t 
 torneth to God, mufl firft knoiv and believe , that he is ; that 
 is, people mufl: firft be fenfible, that there is a God, and that- 
 he is a rewarder of them that diligently feek him, before they 
 can rightly worfhip him. 
 
 Now, for want of this knov/ledge, the world is fcattered, 
 and people are divided into a great miany forts" of Vv^orihips, 
 and fafhions, and ways of religions, for want of die 
 knowledge of the true worfhip, of the true and living God ; 
 fo that though men are univerfally convinced, that, there 
 is a God, and that a worlhip is due to him from every one 
 of us '-, yet people are confounded, fcattered, and divided 
 about the performance of their great duty ; and in the day 
 that the Lord hath vifited his people, he hath come to anfwer 
 this doubt, and queftion for them ; it harh been the great 
 queftion of the world, and is flill of many thoufands j I 
 know we fhould worfhip God, but I know not the way and 
 manner wherein to find acceptance : The Lord hath anfwer- 
 ed that queflion in abundance j they that have ears to hear, 
 let theyn hear what the Spirit faith ; there is a ihort anfwer to 
 it in all. 
 
 Let people profefs what religion they will, there is no 
 acceptance with God, but through Chriii : So that if people 
 come to be of this, and that, and the other profeflion, and 
 
 H chan7e 
 
5^ The Great Duty of 
 
 change their religion ever fo often , and go from one religion 
 TO another, if they come not to Chrift, they come not to 
 him in whom they may lind acceptance ; in him God is 
 pleafed 'vC'ith every one; but out of him he is pleafed with no 
 one. The great myflery of rehgion lies in Chrift j people 
 niuft come to God, by faith inhAm;forivhhoutfanh, It 
 is iriipoffible to pleafe God. Let-people perform ever io much 
 fervice and duties, all muft pais through the hand of the 
 Mediator, before ever their performance will reach unto 
 God, or before peace and comfort will reach to any man*s foul. 
 Therefore, it is the wifeft wav for everv one, that would have 
 acceptance v/ith God, to come to him, in the name of Lhe 
 great Mediator. People would be glad to have acceptance 
 wim God, anxi not to have their ferviccs turned back upon 
 them, as Cains was : Now, every one that will have accep- 
 tance with God, muft (pome this way ; there is but one way, 
 it is not the way that men have invented j Tome by their 
 works and merits. Tome by their made-faiths, and made- 
 briicfs, and by divers articles and principles, holding this 
 principle, and the other principle ; but our Lord and Cre- 
 ator, he hath found out one way, in his infinite wildom, and 
 unrpeakable mercy to mankind, that was forever loft, and 
 could never -return to God, by all his facriftces, .offerings 
 and performances ; he was never able to return into unity 
 with his Maker, if God had not found out a way-j and th& 
 way that God hath found out, is by his beloved Son Chrift 
 Jefus : God [pared 72ot : He fpared not what ? He fpared not 
 bis only begotten Son : W\iy, what did he do with him ? 
 He gwve kim for the life of the ivcrld ; in him that God gave,, 
 there is life. It pleafedthe Lord that hrs So7tJliould have life 
 in him^ as the Father had life in hi?nfef ; for Chrift was ivith 
 the Father before the vjorld l>egan ; in him v:as life, and tl^e 
 life vjas the light of men ; John i. 4. It was no created life ; 
 that life that is in his Son, is not a created life, but is an 
 eternal life, and it v/as given for the life of the world, and 
 th? life is the light of men : This is the true light, ivhick 
 lyghteth every won that cometh into the ivorld. So that here 
 is the dignity of that life which God hath beftowed upon us j 
 we are endued with that life, which Was with the Father 
 through Jeius Chrift, before the "^"orld x^as. Let us confidei' 
 thsUigiiity of that light, that we are lighted with. \, The 
 
Remembering cur Creator, 5j? 
 
 The queftion is, whether v/e fhould obey this light, or 
 no : It is the queftion of every oviC ; I am enlightenc:d, 
 faith a man, fhaif I obey it, or no ? If I obey, I muft 
 take up a crofs, and part with my beloved luft and cor- 
 ruption. No doubt of that ; we muR perfuade people to 
 do that, before we can bring them to Heaven and hap- 
 pinefs, and fellowship with God ; it muft not be by that 
 way they loft it, but by the contrary v/ay, by w^hirh God 
 ti'iil bring m.en to happinefs again. They loft it by trani- 
 greflion, and finning againft God ; by this way and means 
 men came out of the prefence and favour of God ; But 
 Vhat wav fhall thev obtain it again ? Shall it be by com- 
 mitting iniquity, and breaking God's law ? No ', here is 
 the way that God hath found out, to bring poor m^an 
 back again to himfelf, by the fufferings and obedience of 
 his Son, Jefus Chrift : He hath giien to him all paver in 
 Heaven a'ad Earth, that all ihould be fubjed to him; herer 
 is a dignity which Chrift hath obtained. 
 • It comxcs to the queftion with us, whether we are.^er.- 
 lightcned ? now we know we are enlightened ; God'^ftath 
 beftowed fomething upon us, that wars and fights againft 
 fin and iniquity. How cam.e we by it ? Is it any fa- 
 culty in nature ? No ; nature is corrupted and defiled, be- 
 
 ts 
 
 caufe the carnal mi7id is enmity againft God ; for it 
 not fubjeci to the law cf God, neither indeed can he ; yet 
 there is fomxCthing in me that anfwers the pure law of 
 God, which m.akes me to hate things that are reprovable ^ 
 that is, light : How came I by it ? It is not natural , for 
 then it would run parallel with the natural inclination that 
 is in m.y foul, to lead me further and further from God. 
 Thefe are fet in oppofition one againft another, the fieili 
 and the fpirit ; the fief.i lufteth againft the fpirit, and the 
 fpirit 'agai?ift the fiefh. Here is part of an inward war, 
 that you may all be fenfibie of. Now, thefe two warri- 
 ors, the fiefti and the fpirit, make war one againft ano- 
 ther, and one of them is overcome. It is true, there is 
 fuch a principle in me, that ftrives againft ftn and cor- 
 ruption : How came you by it ? If you believe the fcrip- 
 tures, I fay, it is the life, of the Son of God, that light-^ 
 ctk every -man that ccnisth into the ivorld. Now, man}^ that 
 
 have 
 
(^0 The Great Duty of 
 
 have rejefled and defpiled the Hght, I believe they did 
 not think, at the fame time, to mock and make a Icorn 
 of the life of Jefus, tho' it was really fo : But if people 
 come to a true efteem and value of 'that hght that God 
 hath planted in the foul, they will give more reverence 
 and reipeCc to it. It is this tliat brings thofe that preach 
 Chrift, to preach him in thofe terms, and under thofe de- 
 nominations, that he is nigh them. 
 
 We do not doubt of Chrift's being born of a Virgin, in 
 the land of Canaan^ and that he wrought miracles, and 
 preached m^any godly fermons, and that he was crucified, 
 dead and buried, and rofe again from the dead, for thefe 
 things are certainly true : But we would have him our Sa- 
 viour in this age, v/e would have a nearer knowledge of him, 
 and a fenie and feeling of the virtue of that power, by which 
 lie faved them that lived in former ages : He is not a Chrift 
 and a Saviour of one age only, but of all ages to this day j 
 from Adam., to the laif man that iliall live upon the earth. 
 That age and generation that knoweth not Chrill:, will not be 
 Javed by him, if there be any age wherein he is not known : 
 There is no ether 7i2:ne under tlsa'cen byxvhich youcan be faved. 
 If you ask where is this Saviour ? Say not in thy heart., ivho 
 fkall afcend into Heaven ? that is, to bring down Chrift from 
 above ; or, .who fall defcend i?2to the deep, that is to bring up 
 Chriji again from the dead ? The word is nigh thee, even in 
 thy mcmhy and in thy heart ; that is the word of faith, which 
 we preach. He is nigh thy foul, he is the Lord of life, and 
 a quickening Spirit, if I know that quickening Spirit, after 
 thi5 I know the Lord Chrift ', when he comes to work in 
 me by his power, changing my heart, and tranflating me from 
 death to iifc, then I know the true Chrift : God hath mani- 
 kftcd, in all ages, that it is the duty of people to come to the 
 kno'v<dedge of the Son of God; for he hath fent foHh his 
 Spirit to teach us, and to lead us into all truths 
 
 For when Chrift v/as with his difciples, he told them that 
 he would pray the Father, and he \[\ou\Afcnd the Spirit^ the 
 comforter ; and when he came, he would be known by his 
 divine and inward teachings and operations, guiding and 
 leading them into all truth ; that was his ^^'ork to them : But 
 Vi'hat ihall odicr folks do ? He will be made known to others 
 
 too : 
 
Remembering our Creator. ,' ^r 
 
 too : When he comes, he fhall convi7ice the ivorld of fin : 
 So that his work to his difciples \x^as, to lead them into all 
 truth ; and his work to the world is, to convince the ivorld of 
 fin : Who will deny, but that there is a Spirit in our age, 
 as well as in other ages, that will convince men of fm ? 
 Is this the Spirit of God, that convinceth the world of fin, 
 or is it the fpirit of the Q^UJl KERS only ? When peo- 
 ple come to confider really and truly, how they may fervc 
 God aright, they will find there is no ferv in g God aright, 
 unlefs they come to Chrift the Mediator, that in and by him 
 they may put up fupplications to God ', and through him, 
 they may exped: at the hand of God, peace and comfort ; 
 and there is no other way, nor ever will be. 
 
 The Jews, they had another way, they had an outward 
 way of ferving God ', this ftood in divers offerings, fiicrifices, 
 Wafhings and obfervations ; this was a way of worfhip of 
 God's own inftitution to that people ', but what came of it ? 
 When the apoftle came to grafp it, he faid, the comers there- 
 unto, were not made perfect : What were the tranfgreflbrs 
 of it then ? They that would fin on, and continue in fin, 
 and not bring a goat, or a ram, or other oblation j they that 
 did obferve it, and came up to the point of the law, they 
 did bring their offering when they w'ere convinced of their 
 fin: If a man finned, he was to bring an he-goat, and to 
 bring it to the door of the tabernacle j but when he fin- 
 ned, the confcience of fin, the guilt of fin remained upon 
 him. For it ivas impojfible, faith the apoftle, that the 
 blood of bulls and goats fhould take avcay the fin : For if the 
 blood of bulls and goats y and the ajhes of a heifer fprinkling 
 the unclean, fanBtfieth, to the purifying oftheflefhy Uow muck 
 more fhall the blood of Chrifl (ivho, through the eternal Spirit, 
 offered hi?rf elf without fpot to God) purge your confciences fro?n 
 dead works, to ferve the living God. 
 
 When there is no hope of atonement and reconciliation 
 with God, by all thofe offerings under the law, he tells you 
 of one offering of the Sen of God hi?nfelf, through the eternal 
 Spirit, by which he became a propitiation ; for this will do ; 
 if I believe that Chrift offered an holy offering to the Father 
 for my fins, I believe he offered his body, and that through 
 the eternal Spirit, that he mjghc be a propitiation for fin, and 
 
 take 
 
Cz The Great Duty of 
 
 tcike away fin, and have power over fin and death, and con- 
 quer death and darknefs : The apoflle drives the matter fur- 
 ther ; you mull: come to the inward work of this outward 
 offering, this eternal offering, that \y/as in due time offered 
 to God j ycu muft come to knov/ the operations of it, by 
 the fprinklmg of the heart from an e-oil confcience- : So that 
 there was to be an appiicatory faith for the offering of that. 
 The way to a Saviour was not made by man, no more than 
 the way of falvation by Chrift xv^as found out by man; no 
 more than the application of the benefit is effeded by m^an. 
 
 Wien it pleaieth God to call a people by his grace, he 
 calleth them by his Son; not by this and the other form : 
 No man cometh to- mey faith Ch rift, except the Favher^ vchich 
 hath fent me, draiv kirn. The firft thing that a m.an or 
 woman comes to be aware of, is the fecret fenfe and feel- 
 ing of the Lord's Divine Power up6n the h-eart, to feek 
 Chriii Jefus ; as foon as they feel this, and embrace it, 
 this is a token of the love of God. I hope all this con- 
 gregation will acknowledge, that they have fometimes felt 
 his drawings, and that they have not embraced and clo fed 
 Xvith them fo well as they ought. 
 
 When people are aware of thefe drawings inwardly to 
 holinefs and righteournefs, and are fenfible that they ihould, 
 with care and attention, clofe with them, for the good 
 of their poor fouls ; and that it concerns them to be hap- 
 py m the other world that is to come, and therefore re- 
 iolve to be led by thefe drawings of the Spirit of God, 
 thefc are not v/eeds- that grow in the fields naturally ; 
 thefe are Sparks of Divine Fire, kindled in the hearts of 
 men by God hinifelf : No m.an comes unto God, till God 
 comes to him, and touches him, and gives him \Qn(t and 
 motion : Tliefe are the motions and ftirrings of God's 
 Holy Power, in the hearts of many that are wicked ^.nd 
 abominable ; -yet the Lord doth not defpife the work of 
 i|is own hand, but reachcth to fuch. 
 
 X^hen the Lord meets with thofe that defpife not, but 
 highly prize this wonderful grace, and clofe with it, and 
 are glad of it. Rich a one faith, I feared that the Lord 
 had forgotten me, and had palfcd by me, and had done 
 v/ith m.e ; but I fee he vifits me again, and he hath vi- 
 
 fited 
 
Remembering cur Creator. C^ 
 
 ficed my foul this day, inclining me to wallc more anCwer- 
 ably to his lov£ ; he hath doubled his power upon -me, 
 and hath kindled a holy fire in my heart, and caufed mt 
 to feek after him ; he hath touched my heart, and I v/ill 
 pour out my foul in fupplication j feeing he hath touched 
 me, : he will take 'hold of me by his power, and he will 
 keep me from being any more, drawn away : I will jive 
 in the fenfe of his power and mercy, that keeps me night 
 and day, that I may encreafe in it, and grow in grace. 
 "V7hen the Lord meets with fuch a one, he .Y/ili draw him 
 into the way that he hath appointed: None ca?i come un- 
 to fncy faith Chrift, except the Father^ which hath fent me, 
 firaiu him. If I am drawn, into what form fhall I go 
 now ? and what ordinance fliall I take up now ? This is 
 ail under feet ; this is none of iny work ; I will come to 
 Chrift the Mediator, and he will take the government and 
 rule of me : It is not my bed way to ftudy a form, 
 and an outfide religion ; I will wait upon that power that 
 hath thus touched my heart, that he may by degrees bring 
 me to the obedience of Chrift. 
 
 But fome are ready to fay, who, and what is this Chrift 
 Jefus that you are fpeaking of j that immediate Chrift Jefus 
 that is extant and prefent, that I am to have to be the objed 
 of my faith ; that I m^ay beheve in him, and come to an ac- 
 cjuaintance with him, that I may partake of the life of Jeius 
 Chrift, and have ic comimunicated to my foul ? 
 
 Wc have not a thought, or a word to fpeak, that may 
 derogate from the wonderful grace of Chrift, who died in his 
 perfon on earth for the falvation of our fouls : Yet we muft 
 know, that the Lord Jefus Chrift may be fpiritually prefent 
 with us, and take the government of us, and we arc to be 
 fubjett to him : How Ihall this be ? I am fpeaking of one that 
 hath felt the Father's drawings, when he draws them to his 
 Son, and draws them to lomething that is holy and pure : 
 This God the Father hath begotten : "^e read in fcripture, 
 that God hath begotten Chrift^ ivho is the cnly begotten of the 
 Father. It is ftrange, you will fay, to fpeak of begetting 
 Chrift again, God begets Chrift again, that is, fpiritually ; 
 he being the firft born in many brethren, in every true believ- 
 er, and there is a. travel of foul that Chrift may be form.ed 
 
 in 
 
64 The Great Duty of 
 
 in him. See what travel of foul the apoftle Paul falls into 
 the fecond time, for the Galatians. They were a brave 
 people, they worfhiped God in Spirit, and believed in 
 Chrift Jefus, and afterwards they came to be feduced by falfe 
 prophets, and falfe teachers, that fet them about their works, 
 and told them they could not be juftified and faved without 
 their own works : Thefe falfe teachers that came among them, 
 were as bad as Popilh priefts and friars. It is not your obe- 
 dience to Chrift, and the Spirit, that will fave you, you muft 
 be doing : So thefe poor people were deluded and bewitched ; 
 and to give you the apoftle*s own words, they were infa- 
 tuated, and draivn away from the ftmpliclty of the gofpel, and 
 they thought by the works of the law to obtain falvation : 
 The apoftie writes a letter to them, and tells them that he 
 travelled in birth again, till Chrift was formed i;i them. If 
 this was not fcripture, it would look like a ftrange work ; 
 there muft be a forming of Chrift, a birth there muft be, and 
 a begetting : 'V^'ho muft beget in this and that moment, but 
 the fame that begat from the beginning ? the fame is the 
 Father, he begets Chrift in all that believe and obey the gof- 
 pel. He is begetting fomething in m^e that is holy, though I 
 be unholy ; the Father, by the operation of his divine hand, 
 begets fomething in me that is holy. This I find, though I 
 am not fo good as I fhould be ; I have that given me, that 
 will tell me, that the more I adhere and join myfelf in my 
 defires and affedions to this good principle, the more I fhail 
 partake of the quahty of it j this good principle, though it 
 be like a little grain of mujtard-feed, I cannot tell what to 
 compare it to for littlenefs, in comparifon of the great lump 
 and mafs of fm, corruption and filthinefs, that wars againft 
 it; yet this will overfpread all that is bad, and make me 
 holy, as that is holy ; pure as that is pure, and to have a 
 love for him, from whom it came, even to Chrift and God ; 
 it will gather the afFedions from corruptible things, and 
 place them upon things above. 
 
 This faith tells people that it is the fuhftance of things hoped 
 for, and the evidence of things not feen ; fuch a one lives 
 by faith, fuch a one that comes to be joined to that, that 
 is begotten of the father, he lives by the faith of the Son of 
 God,^d.vA can do nothing of himfelf, but through Chrift that 
 
 ftrengthens 
 
Rememberin'g our Creator. 65 
 
 flrengthens him; he fays unto God, I perceive I can do 
 nothing without thee ; I cannot pray unto thee, nor ierve 
 thee ; of myrelf I can do nothing acceprab]}^, but through 
 Clirift the Mediator ; iuch a one becomes hke a htile.cbiid, 
 and he muft be led ; and who muft lead him, but the Spirit 
 of Chrift ? 
 
 You canjiot pre?xh, fays one to him, unlefs you be moved 
 by the Spirit : You cannot pray until you be moved bv the 
 Spirit : How fhould I ? No^ without him I can do nothing, 
 I cannot preach, nor pray, nor do any thing acceptable to 
 God the Father, but by Chrift ; and he hath revealed him in me. 
 
 This is no new doctrine, we fee the new and living wav -, • 
 it v/as an old way to old Chriflians, and a new way to the 
 new ', and fo a thoufand years hence, if the world lads To 
 long, men will fee that they cannot do any thing pleafmg to 
 God, but as they arc gathered into Chrift ; they will fee their 
 own righteoufnefs, works and doings, will avail them nothing 
 at all. This is all laid at the feet of Jefus, whom God hath 
 exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to be Lord and King. 
 
 Now, my friends, we are engaged in this age, abundantly 
 engaged, to offer thanks to God, through Jeius Chriu, tliat 
 he hath provided and opened a way for the fending forth the 
 Spirit of his Son : And that God hath gathered a people, 
 and hath made known to them the wav of life, that they mjghc 
 wallc in it ; but there is no walking in it, but through a daily 
 crofs, and felf-denial. It is not likely that a man ihould be 
 brought back to God the fame way that he went out from 
 God ; and the prophets and apoflles do allude to this turning 
 to God ; when thou turneft afide to the right hand or to the Icft^ 
 thou fiiaJt hear a voice hehi?idtheey faying, this is the way, xvalk 
 in it. There is a voice, that calls to people in our da^/s, to 
 look behind them, for they are out of the way. This pro- 
 phecy is fulfilled in our day ; we cannot turn away from the 
 good ways of God, but we m.ay hear a voice behind us, fay- 
 ing, thou art fmning againft God, and breaking the holy law 
 of God. Now, if people return, it muft be by the crofs : 
 I will not return to God, faith one ; I have plesfure, profit, 
 and honour, and whatfoever my heart can delire, in this e^il 
 way that I am walking in ; if I return, I fliall have nothing 
 but fname and reproach ^ I ihali be undone and ruined, and 
 
 I I 
 
66 The Great Duty of 
 
 I faali lofe the favour and friendihip of my fnends and rela- 
 tions ; I cannot return to^God, but through a daily crofs, 
 and felf-denial : \Fhat then ? It is likelier to be the right 
 way, by this bearing the crofs. Chrifl tells us, if any will 
 come after we^ let him deny himfelf^ and take up his crofs 
 and foUovo me. This voice of Chrifl: calls me to repent 
 and turn from fin, and giveth m.e a flrong argument, that 
 it is true ; that it is the fame way that will bring me 
 back to God, by the Mediator. It brings its oWn evi- 
 dence with it ; we need no argument to prove that it is 
 a right way ; it is a right way, becaufe it is the narrow 
 way ; it is the right gate, becaufe it is the Jtrait gate. 
 Every body can walk m the broad way with eafe, with 
 out any crofs. 
 
 When people are come thus far, that they are convinced 
 of their duty, when they are called to amend their lives 
 and converfations, to forfake their lives and turn to the 
 Lord, this is the great quefiion, have I power to do this ? 
 This Quedion hath ftumbied a great manv, when they have 
 fome beginning thoughts of turning to the Lord ; and at 
 laft they have fettled themfelves in a belief that they can- 
 not do it 5* it is true, and nothing truer, that men, con- 
 vinced of their fins, have not power to leave their fins of 
 thernfelves ; this is true, but not all the truth ; to men 
 that God convinceth of fin, he gives them power to be 
 made willing to forfake their fins. He hath given power 
 to all that are in Chrift Jefus, to believe and become the fons 
 of God ; then they ha-ve denied ungodlinefs and worldly lufts^ 
 if they be the fons of God, and live righteonfly, foherly 
 a'nd godly ^ in the world. 
 
 But what fhall they do thnt are fenfible they have not 
 power to" forfake their fm, till God is pleafed to give them 
 pov er ? Such have nothing to do but to wait upon the 
 .Lord, for the giving of this^ power j and there is a duty 
 incumbent on them then to anfwer this power. The apofcle, 
 upon this fubjed-, tells us what people are to do for their own 
 :-nverrion. He afcribes the power of con veriion to Chrid 
 jcius : The prophets- and apoftles, they tell us, there is 
 fomeching for man to-do, that is, if he hath not power, 
 h. ::. to he willing to receive it. The apofde hath a no- 
 table 
 
Remembering our Creator, 6y 
 
 table expreflion to this purpofe ; he puts them in mind, 
 how they ufed to do by the devil, when they were the 
 devil's fervants ; they did obey his commands, and yield- 
 ed their m.embers fervants to unrighteourncfs : How did they 
 yield ? They did it heartily, with pleafure and delight. 
 Thus you did when you did not know the power of God ; 
 but now you are come to the knowledge of the power 
 of God, yield not your members as uiflruments of unrigh- 
 teouffiefs unto ftn^ but yield yourfehes unto God, as thofe 
 that are alive from the dead, and your members as ir/Jiru- 
 ments of righteoufnefs unto God: Rom. vi. i"^. Let your 
 minds, and wills, and affections, be joined to that power 
 which God vifited you with ; in love to God, give up 
 vour mxembers as fervants unto righteoufnefs. 
 
 Here is fom.ething for man to do in the day of God's 
 vifitation ', thy people fhall be ivilling in the day of thy power ; 
 when they come to that, and experience that, this fhews that 
 they are the people of God : But they that are not a wilhng 
 people, are none of God's people, God's people are fo ; and 
 I pray God make you all fo, to be a people willing to be 
 God's people, when he gives you power, and it will not be 
 long before he gives you power to forfake yoilr fins, to for- 
 fake this, and the other fooUfii, proud and vain adion and 
 fafhion ; he hath made Chrift Jefus to be Lord and King, 
 and he fhall reign over death ; he hath made all things by 
 Chrift, and he is become the Saviour of all men, but efpe- 
 cially of them that believe ;. fo that I would have a fpecial 
 falvation, and thou wouldell have it too : Chrifl hath made 
 a way, and opened a door for us to be faved, that ive iraght 
 have an abundant entrance into his everlafling kingdom : But 
 I would have a fpecial falvation, that would invefl me with 
 the love of God in my heart, before I die; it is to be had 
 through Chrid:, therefore to him will I come, to him mull: 
 every one com.e, and every knee bow to his name, and every 
 one muft wait for his appearing in the Spirit. 'V^hen Chrifl 
 appears, truth ftirs„ Now, if a holy, divine life is in thee, 
 it is he ; if a principle of truth ftir in thee, it is he : The 
 fame Jefus, only in a fmaller manifeflation : He that is 
 faithful in a little, he will make him. ruler over miUch : This 
 is he that God hath ordained to be the Captain of our Sal- 
 vation j 
 
68 His Prayer after Sermon. 
 
 vation ; this is that which we preach in his name, and tef- 
 tify and declare to all people, that there is no other falvation, 
 no deliverance from death and hell, but by and through him j 
 in htm there is a reconciliation^ and that peace ivhich fafjeth 
 all unde-ftanding^ and power over all thofe things which 
 have captivated us, and made us diiobey our great Lord and 
 Maker : Let us wait for the coming of Chrift ; he is our 
 Ki}^(r, our Lord and Laiv-giver, and he ivjil fave ns : This 
 was the cry of his people of old, for the glorious and great 
 falvation he hath given, and the work he hath wrought. 
 Let the prayers and fupplications of all people, that defire 
 falvation, be put up m.ore and more, that he will vifit the 
 earth, and give power from above, and luring us into that 
 nevo and living vjay^ vchich he hath co?ifecrated for ns, through 
 the veily that is to fay^ his flefli ; to whom be glory, ior 
 ever and ever. Amen, 
 
 His Prayer after SeriMon. 
 
 7^ /I S T hie fed and glorious Father, and Fountain 
 J. VA of Life, and of all li'ving Blejfngs I ivliofe glorious day 
 dawneth ; hy thy power thou hafl brought the children of men 
 out of darknefsy that they might ivaik in the light thereof : 
 Great joy, and flrong cciifolation, hafl thou brought unto thine 
 Ifrael, unto the people that thou hafl gathered by thy arm of 
 povser ; then hafl made tliem, Lord, to take great delight 
 in thy ways ; for thou hafl caufeckthe light of thy countenance 
 to be lifted up upon us, and thy holy and divine prefencc 
 hath gone along v:ith us, from time to time, through all thofe 
 flates and conditions, and through all thofe trials and exer- 
 cifes that we have met with, and that thou haft led us through. 
 
 The right hand of thy povoer, O Lard! hath been with 
 us, and therefore ive have not failed ; and thy heavenly blejjings 
 have been rained down upon us, that have made thy heritage 
 to grow and beccm.e fruitful, to the honor of thy great name, 
 and the eternal confclation of our fouJs. 
 
 And, therefore, O heavenly Father I in the conflderation 
 and feeling of the great things thou hafl ivrcught for us, 
 and for the continuance of thy icve to us, cur fouls are always 
 
 engaged 
 
His Prayer after Sermon. €c^ 
 
 engaged to ojfer high praifes, and humble thankfgivings to 
 thy (Treat name ; and the fupplications of our fculs, whom 
 thou haft quickened and brought to life, are daily poured forth 
 upon thine altar, that as thou haft hitherto helped us, thy holy 
 and divine pre fence ayid poiver may Jiill accompany us to the 
 end of our days ; and that in all the exercifes, and trials^ 
 which thou art pleafed we JJiould meet withdl, we may find 
 thy prefence with us, that thy eternal, heavenly power may 
 furroundus, that fo we may be more than conquerors, tlirougk 
 Chrifty that hath loved us. 
 
 And O povjerful God of Life I our fouls rejoice, and our 
 hearts are made glad to behold the progrefs of thy power in cur 
 day, how thou haft brought down the mtghty from their feats, 
 and haft exalted thofe that are of low degree ; hovj thou haft 
 laid the mountains low, and exalted" the inhabit a7its of the 
 V allies. 
 
 blejfed Father of Life and Power I praifcs, praifes wait 
 for thee tn 7.ion ; and dear Father I by the operation of thy 
 wojtderful power, preferve and keep thy children, whom thou 
 haft gathered into a Uvingfenfe of thy prefence, that they may 
 bow before thee^ and he exercifed in a daily, holy, divine ivorftiip 
 unto thee ; that fo, povoerful God of Life I thou mayeft daily 
 pour down thy blejfings upon us, and deUght to jnanlfeft thy- 
 f elf to be our God; and let us live as becomes a people that 
 are gathered unto thee, 
 
 Lord God Eternal ! carry en thy great vuork in the earth, 
 and make known thy power more and more ; there are many 
 breathing-ones, and many that cry to thee daily. Living 
 Father ! it is the operation of thy Spirit that hath raifed thej'e 
 breathings, and kindled thefe defires in them, and it is thou 
 alone who art able to anfwer them. ; therefore, living God and 
 Father, they are committed to thee ; the mourners, the bowed- 
 dovjn, and thofe that are laden with fin and iniquity, and 
 that g-roan under the prejfure and burden of It, let their bur- 
 dens be taken off, and the yoke of Chrift, that eafy yoke, be 
 put on, and let none of thy commandments be grievous to them, 
 that they m^ay be made meet to enter into tky kingdom ; let 
 them be brought through the labour and travel of regeneration, 
 and let none be exalted into the airy vifion andfgJit of things, 
 hut by thy living povjer, be riftngto eternal life in their fouls. 
 
 And 
 
^0 The DlFUSTE MONITOR ; or, 
 
 And Lord, iv€ fray thee, fit and prepare all thy people fo?' 
 the work a^j^d fervice ivhich thou haft been pleafed to call them 
 to, that fo thy na'me may be exalted over all, and thy truth 
 fpread more and tno-re ; and let all error and darknefs be eX" 
 pelted^ a?id let the power and influence of thy name be great in 
 the earth, that all thy fcattered people may be brought home, 
 to refide in thy koufe, that there may be unity and concord 
 amongft them, and they may all with one heart and mind, 
 return, and afcri-be praifes and honour, and glory to thy 
 holy name, for all thy blejjings, mercies and living refrejh- 
 ments, that ive have received at thy hands, for thou alone art 
 worthy y and God over all, bleffed forever ^nd ever. Amen. 
 
 S E Pv M O N VI., 
 
 The Divine Monitor ; or, Light from 
 
 Heaven. 
 
 Preached at GRACE-CHURCH-STREETy June ig, i6p2. 
 
 T is a great privilege to the fons and daughters of 
 men, .that it has pleafed God Almighty to open a way, 
 how they ma^/ come to the true knowledge of him- 
 felf. And O that there v/as a heart in every one of us, 
 that could rightly prize this privilege as we ought to do ! 
 for in the knowledge of the true God confifts our true 
 happincfs ; and without this, the mind of no man or wo- 
 man can be good. There is nothing feafons the mind and 
 foul of man, and prepares and fits it for an everlafting 
 well-being, but the divine knowledge of the living God 
 that m.ade him. And there is a propenfity in the foul of 
 man, even fince the fall, to return again to God, and to 
 have that acquaintance and communion with the Lord that 
 man had before he fell : And they that have regard to 
 that inward fpark of divine love, that they find in their 
 own fouls towards God, they will experience that the Lord 
 is merciful and gracious, and propitious to that which is 
 of himfelf 
 
 For 
 
Light from Heaven, )ri 
 
 . For tho' the foul is loft, and man is loft through tranf- 
 greffion, 7iX\^ a great alienation has happen^sd between him 
 and his Maker, yet the mercy of the Lord endureth for- 
 ever ; and his kindnefs and favour to loft man is fuch, 
 that he ftretcheth out his hand all the day long, and pre- 
 fents and offers to th^ children of men a friendship and 
 acquaintance, and a communion again with him. And 
 tho' by lin and tranfgrsfTion, there is a rebellious nature 
 grown up in the fons and daughters of men, yet the foul 
 of man is not wholly fo j there is fomething that ftrives 
 and labours in a contrary way, and periuades the foul to 
 turn again unto the Lord, and to wait for the knowledge 
 of God ; and whofoever hearkens with care and dihgence, 
 to that divine Monitor, that is daily drawing and per- 
 fuading people to feek aitei* God, they come to undcr- 
 ftand, that the Lord is not fo angry with mankind, but 
 his love, and mercy, and good will, reaches towards all 
 the fons and daughters of men ; and the bar that hinders 
 their communion with God, and peace with God, it is 
 not in the Lord, but it is in themfelves ; and therefore 
 the remedy muft be wrought in themfelves. 
 
 This is evident to every eye, that there is fomething 
 gotten into mankind, which the Holy God cannot own, 
 and can never have fellowfiiip with ; that is, another con- 
 trary fpirit hath wrought upon the fouls of people, and 
 hath feduced and drawn them out to that which is unholy 
 and contrary to God-, and the terms of God's covenant 
 to mankind, Vv'hich is, that he fliould forfake that which 
 the contrary fpirit hath wrought. Let the wicked forfake 
 his ivays, and the unrighteous tnan his thoughts. Why (hould 
 he forfake his ways ? Becaufe the Lord never led him in- 
 to thofe ways. He that made him, never led him into 
 them ;but the devil, the ^nemy of mankind, feduced him 
 into thofe ways ; therefore the Creator cries out to him., 
 let the ivickcd forfake his ways, and the unrighteous man his 
 thoughts ; I cannot have union with hrim, as long as he 
 WMiks m his evil ways ; I cannot dwell in his mind, fo 
 long as evil thoughts are in it : So mav the Lord com- 
 plain of the works which the devil hath wrought, that 
 man is carried away from God, by his evil thoughts, and 
 the works of the devil. XY'hv 
 
>yz The DiviNE Monitor ; or, 
 
 Why doth not God dedroy thofe works, when he is 
 Almighty, and able to do it ? Very true, God is fo ; 
 but he hath offered to mankind, through the Ton of his 
 love, a way and means, how man may come to be purged, 
 and cleanfed from the evil that the devil hath wrought in 
 him, and how he may come to be reconciled to God : 
 God hath not chofen the way of coercion and force, and 
 to work altogether by irrefiflible power, that man ihall go 
 to Heaven whether he will or no : There was no force 
 ufed for his going to hell and darknefs, but it was the 
 choice of his will : The devil could not have forced him, 
 and hd him av/ay out of covenant with God, he could 
 not compel him to break the holy comm^and of God , but 
 the devil tempted him, and he yielded to the temptation,, 
 and now man is driven out of the prefence of God; yet 
 God hath found out a way for the fons and daughters of 
 men, to turn again to him: What by force and coercion, 
 and irrefiftable power? No, but the fcripture faith. He 
 hath offered life and falvation to all m.en : He hath freely 
 given the Son of his love, out of his own bofom, who making 
 himfef an offering for Jin, hath prefented a way and means 
 for mans returning again to God. 
 
 How doth God prefent Chrift to us ? He prefents him 
 to the view of every one's mind, to the underftanding of 
 every foul ', he offers and prefents him for falvation to the 
 ends of the earth. There is a damination come in by mean's 
 being fubjecl to Satan, but falvation combes in by his being 
 fubjed to Chrift ; as damnation came in by his being defiled, 
 fo falvation came in by his being cleanfed : As the devil is 
 the defiler, fo Chrifl is the cleanfer, and man is the objed 
 upon which.both do v/ork ; and they that have been defiled 
 and corrupted (as we all have) by the unclean Spirit, can 
 any of us give a reafon they fhould not be cleanfed by the 
 holy Spirit ? We have lofl our right to Heaven by fin and 
 tranrgrefTion, in the iirfl: Adam ; and can any give a realon, 
 why v/e iliould not be reftored, and redeemed, by Jefus 
 Chrid:, tlie Second Adam ? No reafon can be given of our 
 redemption, but that God is free in his love, and Chrifl in 
 his ofrcring : He hath ojfered himfef a facrifice for fin : 
 Every priel} hath fm^ethinq; to ofer; this man, the man 
 
 Lnrijt 
 
Light fmn Heaven. yj 
 
 ',CknJt Jefus, offered himfelf, throt'.gh the eternal Spirit, a 
 facrifice for fin. ; and 7iovj the facrtjice is cffered, and a 
 door is opened, and a nevo and living vjay consecrated through 
 the veil, that is to fay, his fiefn. 
 
 Now, who can be wife enough to find out a rcafon, why 
 all men enter not in at this door ? For all men enter in at the 
 other door, which the devil and Adam opened, to run from 
 God jail could run in at that door. X'/'hiat is thereafon, 
 that all go not in at that door which Chrift harh opened, 
 and God Jiath revealed, and which coft ChriO: fo dear to 
 work our way back again, for mankind to return to God ? 
 If we go about to enquire into the reafon, we Ihail find it 
 very little, for there is all the reafon in the world wq Inould 
 ferve God, and feek our own happinefs; there is all the 
 reafon in the world we iliould part with fin and iniquity, 
 and with the devifs work, \7hich he wrought, if we knew 
 but how : Now this, I fay, is a great privilege, that God 
 hath aiforded to the fons and daughters of men, that they 
 may know ; for here the term^s of the goipel and of falva- 
 tion, are brought into a narrov/ compafs, to a fhort fum, 
 there need no catalogue of them ; they that will be ruled 
 by the wicked one, muft have their part with him ; anu 
 they that will be ruled and governed by the Holy One, ihail 
 have their part with him, that where he is, there they may 
 be alfo. 
 
 Is this in the power of man's will ? No, there lies the 
 mifchief in the will of man ', for you cannot but knov/ by 
 experience, if a man may have his own will, he will always 
 run headlong to deftrudion, and run in the way of wicked- 
 nefs : And if ever he comes to turn out of that way, into 
 tbe way of righteoufnefs, he muft do it in a way that is a crofs 
 to his own will. Some have laid, becaufe we have fpoken 
 of the free grace of God, in a way that is univerfal, of his 
 kindnefs to mankind, through Jefus Chrift, they have laid, 
 that we hold free-will, that men might be faved if they 
 would ; but alas, we have tried it, and we have an univerial 
 knowledge, that is able to convince us, and all the world, 
 that it is far enough from our own will. Man is f:ir enough 
 from being able to fave himfelf, from being faved by his own 
 will : He can run on to damnation, there is a current goes 
 
 K with 
 
^4 Tf^^ Divine AIonitor; of, 
 
 with his affections, and v/ith his corrupt defires, they go with 
 the current and ftream j as long as a man goes on in (in, he 
 fwims down the ftream. 
 
 Now many, after they have long gone on in fm, and their 
 evil ways, they think of returning to God ; for they think 
 there is a better way, a ilirer and fafer way for their fouls, 
 than to go on in wickednefs : So there is ^ if there be fo, 
 faith the fmcere foul, O that I might walk in it : ^Fhy doft 
 thou not? I am convinced that I iee a more excellent way 
 than my way is, a better "^x'alking and converfation than my 
 life is ; but alas! it is too hard for me to walk in it : Why ? 
 what is the matter, what m.akes it hard ? becaufc of my own 
 will ; . I cannot walk in it and have my will, I cannot walk 
 in it, and enjoy my afFedions and defires, and my intereftin 
 the world : This is no wonder that thou telleft me ; now 
 tkou art convinced of a better way, and wouldeft walk in 
 it, and thou canft not walk in it, but thou muft take up a 
 daily crofs ; v/e might all of us tell that, and read it before ; 
 I pray God you may come to read it within, what a crofs 
 it IS you are to take up, and what way it is you are re- 
 quu-ed to walk in ; that is the way of God, the way that 
 leads to Heaven, it is a narrow way ; but the way that the devil 
 would have you to Wvalk in, is a broad way, there is no 
 rub in it. 
 
 O would you but once come to experience how hard it 
 is to walk in that ivay that leads to life, you would find 
 that vou cannot do it without felf-denial : It comes to this 
 point ; I have read of it before, but now I find it fo. Such 
 a man, or fuch a woman, will ferioufiy apply thcmd elves 
 to live blam.eiefs, harmlefs, and inoffenfive towards God 
 and men ; they will fet a bridle, and a watch before their 
 mouths, that they may not fpeak a vain word ; they will 
 take care of the frame and temper of their minds, that 
 they fin not in their thoughts, that they (in not with their 
 lips, nor with their hands. This is not as I was wont to 
 do ; I was ufed to have my liberty ; now I find myfelf 
 yoked, I dare not ,fin againft God : Now I find, by ex- 
 perience, what I heard before, that no man can follow 
 Chrift, without denying himfelf, and taking up a daily 
 crofs. 
 
 I 
 
w 
 
 Light from Heaven. y^ 
 
 ,/ I would have you experienced in this work; wicked men 
 think it a pleafant life, to follow the devil's work, and to 
 walk in the broad v:ay j but the way of feif-denial is uneafy, 
 there is much ftrife and oppolition in that way ; If I have 
 a mind to fpeak a vain word, I am limited ; if I have 
 a defire to wrong my neighbour, and cheat and defraud 
 him, I am limited, I am not to do it, that belongs to the 
 broad way : If a man will feek after the Lord, and walk. 
 in the way of hoUnefs and righteoufnefs, the end whereof 
 is peace, he will find k is a narrow way, wherein he can- 
 not enjoy his own will ', fuch a one muft be a David, 
 who faid, I behaved niyfdf as a weaned child ; that is, 
 as one that is afraid to be beaten. 
 
 But thou wilt be ready to fay, I am a man, and not 
 a child y 1 am come now to be a man, a man of parts ; 
 I have feen much, and read much, and would you have 
 me become a child ? How gre^t a man was David: If 
 you fpeak of a man, he was a man of dignity and ho- 
 nour, a man of valour and experience ; yet when he fpeaks 
 with refped: to the frame of his mind before the Lord, 
 he faith, he behaved himfelf as a vceaiied childy as one that 
 feared to be beaten, feared to commit an offence ; he 
 feared the rod of his God upon him ; he feared fomething 
 of judgment upon his confcience. David was an old tef- 
 tament man, but he had regard to that which never wax- 
 eth old, which is the fame in all times, new and old. 
 Alpha and Omega. Chrift Jefus was his leader, before he 
 was born of the Virgin Mary ; his word was a light to 
 his feet, and a lanthorn to his paths : David had acquain- 
 tance with God, who did lift up the light of his coun« 
 tenance upon him.. 
 
 And when Chrift himfelf cam^e to preach upon earth, 
 he faith himfelf, every one that comes into the kingdo?n of 
 God, mufl become as a little child. He muft become as a 
 little child in fimpUcity and fubjedion ; he muft be un- 
 der government ; he muft become as a little child, or he 
 muft in no wife enter the kingdom of Heaven ; they muft 
 not think to enter into Chrift's kingdom becaufe they are 
 men ; men of parts, men of courage, m.en of underftand- 
 ing, learned dodors, mafters of liberal arcs and fciences : 
 
 Thefe 
 
yG The DiviNE AioNiTOR ; or, 
 
 There may help to make them men, but they m.ufl b 
 children ; all their wits, and parts^ and manhood, courage 
 and valour, will do them no good ; for little children, babes 
 and fucklings, m.ay underfland more than they of Divine 
 Myfceries, and have greater communion and intercourse be- 
 tween God and their fouls than they ; Co that all who 
 enter into Chrift's kingdom, muft become like little chil- 
 dren. 
 
 So that here is a way provided by Jefus Chrift, for 
 man to come again into the favour of God, which is by 
 Chrift alone, not by any thing that a man can do ; Chrift 
 muft be their leader and their counfellor, he alone can 
 give them the true knowledge of God. No man ca?i k?toiv 
 th^ Father but the Scn^ a?id he to ivhoin the Son reveals 
 him. Men can never attain to the favinff knowled.^e of 
 God by ftudy, and by difputation and reading books, and 
 commentators, and obfervators of matters of religion. Time 
 'svould fail m.e to fpeak of the m.ultitude of books that 
 have been written about the knowledge of God. You m.uft 
 come to Chrift for divine knowledge ; theology, the know- 
 ledge of God, and divine and heavenly things, are from 
 Chrift : He ihall have this divine knowledge, be he ever 
 fo fimple, that comes unto Chrift for it ; he cannot have 
 it anv other wav, for God hath ordained this way : Saith 
 God,' he (hall have it of my Son, who is the Reconciler, 
 the ?v4ediator between God and m.an, he ftiall be beholden 
 to Chrift for all. All men's own works and labours will 
 not juftifv and fave them, for God hath committed the 
 whole work of falvation to Chrift. One would think it 
 fnould be no great matter for men to lay afide their own 
 works and duties, and fubmdt to Chrift ; but I tell you 
 it is very hard, and I foiind it hard myfelf. 
 
 Men think by reading and learning, and hearing this and 
 the other man's notions and opinions, they may be edified 
 and profited, and com.e to the true knowledge of God 5 
 but while they are waiting upon God, in the way he hath 
 appointed, they m^ay receive knowledge from Chrift, and 
 be more certain and infallible in x^hat they do know, than 
 bv confuking all the wife men and learned dodors in the 
 world. For no man knows all at once ; and no man 
 
 kno-v;'5 
 
 i 
 
> Light fro?n Heaven* yy 
 
 Icnows all things neither : It is not a thing necciTary that 
 man fhould know all things in relation to God| for as 
 he is in himfelf, he is incomprehenlible : ¥or no ynan knows 
 the Father but the Son^ and he to ivhom the Son fnall re- 
 veal htm ; vet that which he knows of God, he mav 
 know it is certain and infallible. 
 
 Suppofe a man know nothing of God, but that he is 
 the fearcher of the hearty and trier of the reins. There are 
 many that have tried this, and fay they know it, thatyet 
 doubt^^,^'hether there be a God or no. But when God 
 conies within them, and convinces them of fm, and fear di- 
 es them, and brings judgment upon them for what they 
 have -done, then they know infallibly, that God is the 
 fearcher ^rf hearts. This is not a man's -tjc'ork, this is thd 
 work (siySod ; if I find God doth approach mv ipirit, I 
 know it is .; God's work ; I have now pfot feme knowledge 
 of God, how came I by it ? Who gave it m.e ? No one 
 but he that hath all knowledge ; he that was with the Fa- 
 ther from the beginning, and was glorified with the Fa- 
 ther before the v/orld began, he gave me this know- 
 ledge j and how did he give it thee ? By his Spirit j for 
 he hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son into my heart ; and. 
 that Spirit of Chrift fearches the hearts, and tries the reiis. 
 He tells me this is evil that thou haft done, this is that 
 which God that made^ thee hath againft thee ; this thou muft 
 forfake, and this thou muft repent of j here I have an in- 
 fallibility of what I know, but I cannot get rid of m_y 
 evil. 
 
 Now, if I can believe in the power by which my heart is 
 fearched, and truft in him that hath begun to deal with me, 
 then his work is not only to reveal his light to convince me, 
 but to put forth his power to convert me ; fo that by the 
 power of that truth by which my heart is fearched, 1 come 
 to be converted, and turned from mv fin, and break off 
 from it ; and v/hen I am broken off from it, I am fure, 
 and have a certainty that it is fo, that I am broken off from 
 fuch a fin, and that my heart is turned againft it ; I am fure 
 that now I hate it, and deteft it, and that God hath turned 
 my inch nations another way : I am fure this is God's work, 
 I can witnefs this infallibly, that iomething is now done in 
 
 order 
 
^8 The Divine Monitor ; or, 
 
 order to my redemption : But there is fomething yet re- 
 maining to be done : What then? I will go Hep by flepj 
 by following my guide, I fliall be fure to be making fome 
 progrefs every day, to that ftate to which the Spirit of 
 Chrift will lead me : Thefe perfons come to a certainty of 
 knowledge by their own experience. 
 
 Some will fay, take heed of being deluded and deceived 
 by the QiirJiers ; fo fay I too : Take heed of being deluded 
 by any body; if any go about to perfuade thee, to believe 
 that which thou knoweft to be a lycy I am fure they are 
 about to delude thee y I would have every one to have an 
 evidence in them 'elves of what they believe. 
 
 Doth a man believe that fuch a one is a drunkard, be- 
 caufe the kriptures declare judgment againft the drunkards ? 
 the icripture laith, iug to the dnmkards of Ephraim : There 
 are judgments denounced againil the drunkards in the old 
 teftament ; confider the fcripture doth not tell fuch and 
 fuch by name, that they are drunkards; but the Spirit of 
 God, by a work and operation upon a man's conicience, 
 fingles him out, and charges him with the guilt of drunken- 
 nefs. . 
 
 There is a great condemnation pronounced againft whore- 
 mongers in fcripture, but it doth not tell us who they are 
 by nam.e; but their confciences tell them fo, and gives in- 
 fallible judgment againft them, and fay, t/iou art the man^ 
 thou art a perfon that God doth judge and condemn ; 
 vchcremongcrs and adulterers^ God ivill Judge ; but that doth 
 not concern thee, and affed thee, except thou be one ; I 
 may read this an hundi'ed times in the fcripture, and not 
 have a reftection in my own confcience, except I be guilty : 
 But when God meets with a gmlty perfon, and judgeth and 
 condemneth him, there will be an infallibility in what 
 fuch a one knows. If a whoremonger is rejected upon by 
 Jiis o\^li confcience, if his confcience tell him he is the man, 
 if ail tie world fiiould flatter him, and fay he is not guilty, he 
 would certainly know that they tell him a lye. 
 
 So tliat here is no dependence upon any man's judgm.ent, 
 but upon an invifible judge in a mean's own heart: \^ho 
 fnall delude and deceive this m^an, that hath this experimental 
 knowledge? thofe perfons v/iil not deceive a man, that 
 
 would 
 
Light from Heaved, 79 
 
 \v/0Lild turn him from the evil of his ways ; thefe do not go 
 about to deceive him, that will tell him he muft hearken 
 to that principle of truth and hoUnefs in his o\;n heart j 
 they would deceive him that tell him he is converted when he. 
 is not, and leave him there : But when he is really convert- 
 ed and turned from fin to God, fome will tell him he is 
 deluded and deceived ; I pray God every one of us may be 
 fo deceived : Saith the apofile, ive are deceivers^ yet true : 
 All that are truly converted, though men cry out they are 
 deceivers, though they are deceivers, yet true ; they are come 
 to the favour of the knowledge of God, through Chrift; and 
 fo Ihall certainly co-me to be partakers of the inheritance 
 that is tmdejiledy and that fadeth not avoay. 
 
 Friends, you know that this hath been the propofition 
 of all the prophets, and apoftles, from the beginning to this 
 day ; the thing that they have propofed to the fons and 
 daughters of men, hath been to enquire after the know- 
 ledge of the true God : It hath been wonderful to con- 
 fider, what the devil hath done to prefent divers doctrines 
 that he hath found out, and ftirred up others to invent a 
 company of Gods, that other people have adored and wor- 
 ihipped. It is hard to find any nation that do not worlhip 
 fome God ; it is natural for m.an to defire to come to fome 
 God, he thinks he muft come to fome God, and cannot be 
 happy if he come not to God : But the devil hath invented 
 many Gods, and fet the people a woriliipping of idols, the 
 work of men's hands, fuch Gods that are fo far from help- 
 ing their worfhippers, that they cannot help themfelves, t 
 they cannot wipe off the duft from their own faces j and 
 if they fall down, they cannot rife again. 
 
 But this is not our cafe, we have but one God preached 
 am.ong us, and but one Lord Jefus Chrift, the Mediator be- 
 tween God and man : Our condition is happy, in having 
 but one God, in comparifon of theirs that have many Gods. 
 
 If the true God, that you worihip, were but trufted in, 
 you would be the happieft people in the world : If you do 
 but fearch, you will find that the devil hath in this n-ition, 
 and in this age, ftirred up people to woriliip as many Gods, 
 as he did in other nations in ancient times, among the Sido- 
 tiiansy and Amontes, and others. 
 
 But 
 
^o The Divine Monitor ; or. 
 
 But you will fay, we v/orlliip one God, and trufr only 
 in one God, and one Ghrifl, and one Holy Ghoft, the only 
 living an J true God. 
 
 Do not tell me what God a man profefTeth to worfhip, 
 but what God he truftech in, that gives it the name : What- 
 foever a man trufteth in, that he makes his God, whether it 
 be gold or filver, or the honours and pleafures of this world, 
 if he trufteth in the'e things, he makes them his God. Let 
 a man but fearch and try himfelf, and he will find Tome- 
 thing hath got a place in his heart, that he cannot part with 
 for Chrift's fake. Ke v/ill be ready to fay, I cannot part 
 with my houfe and land, with my wife and children, and 
 my goods and poffelTions, becaule I have a confidence in 
 them, and believe they will do me good, and be a defence 
 for me ; I truftthat in times of peril thofe things may do me 
 good. Here is a divine adoration, here is that truft, that 
 confidence, that all true Chriftians ought to have in the true 
 God, and this is placed in thefe earthly things. Now, 
 wherefoever the truft and confidence is placed in tranfitory 
 and earthly perifhing things, thefe men truft in tranfitory 
 Gods. 
 
 Nothing fo (hews that a man makes the Lord his God, 
 as when he cafts all care on him, and puts his whole truft 
 in him_, when he makes a profeluon and acknowledgment of 
 his dominion and grcatnefs, and of all his other perfections, 
 that by his wifidom he can procure for them ail that is good, 
 and by his power, keep off from them, and fecure them 
 from evil. When I make the Lord my truft and refuge, 
 and truft him for my God, I choofe him before all the Gods 
 of the Heathen, and truft in him above all things under 
 Heaven, upon the account of the profundity of his wifdom, 
 and the almightinefs of his power : When a man hath this 
 feme upon him, he will walk before the Lord with refignation 
 of mind, and be willing to be at God's difpofal, and he will 
 not only give up himielf to God, but he will hearken to 
 him, and hear his voice when he fpeaks to him.. 
 
 Gody vjho at fundry tlmcs^ and in d'rcsrs manners fpakc 
 in time pajt^ unto the fathers hy the prophets, hath in thefe 
 laft days fpoken to i^s by his Son : But, where is his Son^ 
 you will fay ? He is in Heaven ; but though he is the high 
 
 and 
 
Light from Heaven: 8t 
 
 ^ndlofty one that inhabits eternity^ yet he chvells ivith meek, 
 humble and contrite hearts, that tremble at his ivord* If I 
 be one of the number of tho^^e that tremble at God's word, 
 I have that promifc that he v/ill come home to me, and dwell 
 with me. It is well for thee, if the over-ruling power of 
 God hath prevailed upon thee, that thou canft be willing to 
 be at God's difpofal, and fay, Lord, what wouldefl: thou 
 have me to do ? 
 
 Therefore, friends, I would advife you ail to love your 
 own fouls, that when God defires your hearts, you would 
 give them up to him, that there he might delight to dwell, 
 and have his habitation. Hearken to God's voice, and 
 have regard to his word, which is a more fure word than 
 any man's in the world. There is a more fure word of 
 prophecy, faith the apoftle, iinto which you will do well to 
 take heed. This will check you, and reprove you, when 
 you do evil, and fkew }'ou wherein you have traufgrefTed ; 
 and will encourage you, and be a comfort to you, when 
 you do that which is good. This will make you wife to 
 falvatio?:, and thoroughly furnifti you, and give you under- 
 ftanding for every good work. This word will tell you, 
 this you muft not do, left you offend God, and wound 
 your_confcience, and grieve the Holy Spirit ; this word 
 will help you fo to fpeak, as to adminifter grace to the 
 hearers ; fuch a one as hath regard to this word, hath a 
 chaplain in his own bofom, that will dired and teach him 
 how to fteer his courle, and order his converfation among 
 men, and how to ferve God acceptably. This High PrieJFs 
 lips will preferve knoivkdge, even Jefus Chrift the righte- 
 ous, who fpeaks to us in his word ; we can do nothing 
 but by his direction : If you come to him to lead you 
 into all truth, he will bring you to the Father, and recon- 
 cile you to him, that fo you may obtain his favour and 
 everlafting life. When one o£ Chrift's difciples faid, fliew 
 us the Father, and it fufficeth us, Jefus faith unto him^ he 
 that hath feen me, hath feen the Father, and hoiv fayefi 
 thou then, Jfheiv us the Father F If you fubjed yourfelves to 
 Chrift, and to the government of his Spirit, he will bring 
 you to that life and immortality, that fadeth net away. 
 
 This hath been our labour and travel from time to time, 
 
 L to 
 
§2 His Prayer after Sermon. 
 
 to preach Chrift among you, and not to preach ourreWes^ 
 and gather a church for ourfelves, but to gather a people 
 unto Chrift, who is Lord of Heaven and Earth. \^e would 
 pi-each Chrid Jefus the Lord ; we would not have you 
 admh'e men's words and fayings, and charge your memory 
 with them ; but we would have you remember the words 
 and fayings of Chrift, who is the great Mediator, to re- 
 concile man again to God, that you may know him by 
 his power, working effedually in your hearts ; we labour 
 for nothing elfe, and we want nothing elfe. . W^e are am- 
 bajfadors for Chrift, as thovgh God did befeech you by us ; 
 *ive pray you, in-, Chrift' s fteady be ye reconciled to God: 
 That you may fo live, that ivhether you eat or drink, or 
 ivhatfcever you do, yen may do it all to the glory of God, 
 your great Creator, that hath given his Son to die for you, 
 and redee?n you from all iniquity, that you ffiight be a pe- 
 cuuar people, zealous of good voorks. 
 
 Let God have all the honour and glory, for all his mer- 
 cies and bieiTmgs ; let us render unto him hearty praifes, 
 and thankfgiving, for his wonderful love, and acknowledge 
 that it is a great privilege that we may obtain by Jeius 
 Chrift, even to be brought again to have the knowledge of 
 the living God, which we loft by our tranfgrelfion. 
 
 His Prayer after Sermon. 
 
 ^^L OR 10 us art thou in thy appearance, Lord I 
 
 ^■<IF and '•eery wonderful is thy poiuer, and thy ivays pa/i 
 
 finding out : And in this thy glorious day, thou art opening 
 
 ■vay for the fons and daughters of men, to turn to thee. 
 
 And, O Lord! thcfe ivhofe eyes thou haft opened, rejoice 
 
 dare glad, becaufe they have feen the way of thy falvation 
 
 a 11 
 
 and the breathings of their fouls are, that their feet may be 
 kept therein, and that they may inake ftrait fteps in their luay 
 to- thy kingdom, 
 
 O Lord ! we are fenfible that our ftrcngth, and our power, 
 and our ability is only in thee ; and therefore are the fouls 
 of thy children bowed and fubjecled to thee, ivaiting for the 
 renewing cf thy power^ that as our temptations are renewed 
 from day to day, thou luouldefi make known thy power in uSy 
 
 that 
 
His Prayer after Seraion. 8^ 
 
 that we may feel the ftretchijig forth of thy hand to fave thy 
 little ones^ out of the hands of the deftroyer. 
 
 And fo, powerful God of Life! break forth triore and more 
 in thy glory y and tnake known thy power in expellwg the 
 clouds of darknefs and ignorance^ and bring the minds and 
 underftandtngs of thy people to know thee more and more, till 
 they come to the bleffed inheritance, among the faints in light. 
 
 Holy and powe?ful Father ! break in upon thy people by 
 thy Almighty Power, and fcatter the dark clouds of te?npta~ 
 ticn, and caufe the light of life to fliine upon them ; thou that 
 hafl commanded the light to fhine out of darknefs, do thou 
 filne into the hearts of the fons and daughters :j men ; open 
 their hearts, that they may receive the truth, and make ten- 
 der their hard hearts^ that they may live to thee that made 
 them, and give a comfortable account to thee of their thoughts, 
 words, and anions, and let them turn to the Lord before it be 
 too late to repent of them. 
 
 Powerful God of Life I thy mercy and loving kindnefs 
 doth abound, to a little remant that do believe in Chrift, and 
 do truft in thy name ; thou haft been with them in their fiery 
 trials and tribulations, and to this day thou haft been the 
 glory of our ajfemblies^ and the joy of our meetings. We 
 are fenfible of thy holy power working in our fouls, and of 
 thy renewing thy love upon us: All that defire a full fenfe 
 thereof, that are feeking and crying after thee for it, O let 
 them be brought -'o a due fenfe of thee the living God I O arife 
 forthe help and the comfort of the forrovoful, the fighing andthe 
 needy foul : Pour forth the treafures of thy love upon them 
 that follow hard after thee, and breathe for deliverance ; that 
 fo, powerful God of Life I praifes may arife to thee for all 
 thy w.ercies, and abundant bleffmgs, for thy goodnefs and loving 
 kindnefs, beftowedupon us from thne to time, 
 
 Moft poiverful God of Life and Light I let the eye of 
 thy favour be turned upon this land of our nativity ; fpare 
 the inhabitants of this city and nation, that they may feek 
 after thee ; let them know the weight of thy hand upon them, 
 to bow them down to humility and brokennefs of heart ; give 
 them repentance for their fins. 
 
 Living God of Life I difplay thy povoer to all, from the^ 
 highefl to the loweft am>ong us, and advance the kingdom of 
 
 our 
 
S4 T^>^^ Intvard Preacher ; or, 
 
 onr Lord Jefus Chnji, to vchom thou haft given a name above) 
 every name ; and let his kingdom and glory he exalted ovejiJ 
 ally and fli'uie in the nil ft of us, 
 
 Bleffed Father of Life I give wifdom to our counfellors, 
 that they may couhfel for thee ; make knovjn thy vjill, and 
 J end help from Heaven to all that ftand in need thereof^ and 
 that wait upon thee for it ; give them thy Holy Spirit^ that 
 they may be guided in thy vjay. Let thy Son Jefus Chrifl 
 have the fleering and governing of all things, and let glory 
 be rendered to ihy great and uorthy name, and keep us tn the 
 love of God and m union vjith one another ; let theftroke of 
 thy poiver rcnaln upon the hearts of all ivhom thou haji 
 touched at this time ; let them be bovjed down always 
 in thy holy worfiipy a?:d rem.ain in a belief of thy truth, 
 and ceafe to do evil^ and learn to do well, and walk accep- 
 tably before thee, that fo tranfgrqffiGn may be finiftitdy and 
 fin and iniquity may be put an end to ; and that truth and 
 rightecufnefs may be fet up,and Jhine a?nongus^ and that our 
 fuls may rejoice in thee, that we may mag/iify and praife 
 thy povjer, and glorify thy name ; for thou art worthy of all 
 honour, praife and glory, and hmnble tkankfglving, for the 
 maniftjiaticn of thy love and povjter. y^ll which we defirs 
 to offer thee through Jefus Chrijt, v:ho art God over ally 
 hh[pd forever and ever. Amen. 
 
 S E R M O N VII. 
 
 The Inwafid Preacher ; or, tke 
 Office of Conscience. 
 
 Preached at GrACE-ChurCH -oTREET, June 21, i6g2. 
 
 ^ity Triends, 
 
 fA N Y have been fent among you, that from 
 living experience have declared their testimony for 
 the truth, that you might all be brought to v/ait 
 ior the tefdmonv of truth in vouriclves. This is thax which 
 
 will ' 
 
the Office of Conscience, 8^ 
 
 will ftand you in ftead, to know the teftimony^ of truth in 
 your own hearts to be for you ; therefore you are to wait, 
 efpeciaily at fuch times as thefe, to hear the voice of truth 
 in ydur own fouls : For whatfoever the preacher preacheth, 
 if the truth in thine own heart doth not fpeak peace^ it is 
 not well with thee. Whatfoever teftimonies are born of 
 the truth itfelf ; it is the truth that muft bear teftimony of 
 thee, that unerring word, that gives to every one an infal- 
 lible evidence of their peace with God, or againft that 
 which hinders ihem. 
 
 You know our labour hath been to perfuade all people 
 to hearken to the truth in themfelves, and to make it their 
 bufinefs, and travel, and endeavour, that they might have 
 unity with the truth in their own hearts, that their con- 
 fciences may not condemn them. 
 
 For fuch as you, in whom God hath raifed his v/itnefs, 
 •and hath exalted the truth for a judge, you are not igno- 
 rant, nor covered over with darkneis, as many others are ; 
 you do not remain in doubt, but you know the truth, and 
 have an anfwer of peace in well-doing, and a condemnation 
 in evil-doing ; not adminiftered to you only by preachers 
 without, but by the evidence and demonftration of the Spirit 
 ofGodinyour own hearts. This is that ilanding myftery 
 which God hath raifed, which can never be put down again, 
 but as each one may put it down in themfelves. 
 
 I grant that men m.ay put it down : You have read, and 
 had it plainly witneffcd to you, even kilUjig the jujty and 
 crucifying the 'Lord, of Glory ; and of fpintual Sodom, and 
 Egypt. Thefe things you have read of, and you that are 
 turned to the light, know the meaning of thofe fayings, 
 by woful experience ; for when ever you have turned afide, 
 from a due fubjeClion to the grace of God, by which we 
 are convinced, then there hath been a piercing, and cru^ 
 c'lfyuig of the Son of God afrefh, and vexing and griev- 
 ing the Holy Spirit, by which you fhoulcl be fcalcd to the 
 day of redemption : Then there hath been anguilli and tri- 
 bulation upon your fouls j and if this be mended, it will 
 plant a fear upon your minds, and make vou afraid to do 
 die like agair, ; but where this tribulation and anguifh is 
 . neglected and put off, there a cuftom of fin takes away 
 
 the ' 
 
SG The Injvard Preacher ; or, 
 
 the fenfe of fin. You know many have had more judg- 
 ment at Tome time upon them for a vain vford, or a vain 
 thought, than afterwards they have come to have for the 
 moft abominable wicked action. How came this to pafs ? 
 Was fm ever the better ? Or hath it changed its nature ? 
 No ; but they are further off from the fenfe of the evil 
 of it. This is the word of truth, to which you mmft ftand 
 or fall ; this is the ftone, that whofoever falls upon it, 
 fhaii be broken and tendered ; but if they^ ftay till the 
 weight of truth fall upon them, it will grind them to 
 powder. 
 
 They will have a life of liberty, let the truth fay 
 what it will : I Y.'ill have my liberty, and ufe my tongue as 
 I lift, I will be wanton and proud, and envious and mali- 
 cious, tho' I know theie things be naught, and the v/itnefs 
 in my confcience teftifies that thefe things are wicked, and 
 contrary to the will of God, yet I will have them : Who- 
 foever com.es to this mind, the ftone is near falling upon 
 them, and they will be ground to powder ; they are like 
 to barren earth, which beareth thorns and briers, and is 
 rejed:ed, and is nigh imto curfmgy ivkofi end is to be burned. 
 Therefore, friends, I entreat you to hearken to the word 
 of the Lord, it is a holy word, and an old word ; many 
 have profeifcd it : There are m.any preachers that will 
 cr}% hearken to the word of the Lord in fuch a chapter, 
 and fuch a verfe. My teftim^ony this day is, hearken to 
 the word of the Lord : But where ihall we find it, fomc 
 will fay ? I tell you, it is \^iitten with the finger of God 
 in your own confciences ; and it is either for you, or againft 
 you. Let your profeftion among men be what it will, 
 this Minifter of the Covenant hath no refped of perfons, 
 or regard to profeiTion ; he will not excufe this or that 
 man, becaufe he makes a greater profeftion of his name 
 than others ^ this rather is his judgment, and his condem- 
 nation fhall be m.ore fwift and ftiarp upon him that makes 
 a profeftlon of Chrift's nam.c. If judgment begin at the 
 houfe of God, ivhat will the end of them be that obey not 
 the gofpel of God. Thofe that take upon them a ftrid: 
 profeiTion, they do greater diftionour to God, than thofe 
 that cry out there is no reforming j there can be no liv- 
 ing 
 
the Office cf Conscience. Sy 
 
 ing without fin : Thefe profefs what they do, and they 
 do as they profefs. But when people come to profefs ho- 
 linefs and righteoufnefs, and profefs a power alfo by which 
 righteoufnefs is obtained, but live not ftriclly according to 
 their profeflion j thefe arc they that caufe the riame of God 
 to be blafphenied among the Heathen^ more than they that 
 fay there can be no hving without fm. 
 
 Now this witnefs of God hath no refped to profefFion, 
 but hath refped to' the ftate and fram^e of the mind of a 
 man or v/oman, that they ferve God with, whether it be 
 with Uncerity and uprightnefs of mind, and with breathing 
 defires, that they may know the good and acceptable ivill 
 of Gody and what is well-pleajlng in his fight ; and that 
 they might perform that which is according to his hea- 
 venly will. W^here this fincerity is, where this cry of the 
 foul is, the Lord hath regard to it ; but where people's 
 religion is only to bear up a profeilion, and hold up an ex- 
 ternal fellowfnip and communion one with another ; v/hen 
 this fincerity is wanting, the Lord abhors their \Y/orihip, 
 it is an abomination to God, and no benefit or advantage to 
 themfelves : It is not for the glory of God, that they make 
 a profefTion, but for fome defign to themfelves, and fo 
 they become abominable. 
 
 This was the flate of Ifrael of old, and it is the frate 
 of a great many nov/, that think they do great matters, if 
 they conform fo far to the truth, as that outwardly they 
 may not be charged with a lye, and that they are of fuch 
 a fociety. It is well if fome would come fo far as to main- 
 tain their fociety with God's people, and their external 
 profeflion ; but if they have not regard to the truth in then- 
 own confciences, what is their profelTion worth? What will 
 all thy unity with them fignify ? If there be a breach be- 
 tween God and thine own foul, who can heal that breach ? 
 "What will the profefTion fignify and amount to at lafl? But, 
 go ye curfed into everlajizng fire, prepared for the devil and 
 his angels. And all the reafon to be rendered for it, is this ; 
 depart from me, ye are vjorkers of iniquity : He did not fay 
 in that fentence, ye are lyars, you never prophefied in my 
 name, and I never preached, in your flreets.; but allowing what 
 thev faid to be truth, that they had made a profeflion, and 
 
 held 
 
$8 The Inward Preacher ; or, 
 
 held communion with other Chriftians, allowing thefe 
 things, yet notwithftanding it is, go ye curfed ; and the reafont 
 of the fentence is, you are workers of iniquity. 
 
 Let the dread of the God of Heaven reft upon you. My 
 friends, it is another thing to make a profedion of the Lord 
 God of Heaven and earth, than moft are aware of j let 
 e'jery one that names the name of Chrijty depart from ini- 
 quity, What is iniquity ? It is all things that men or 
 women ^o to gratify their own wills contrary to the will 
 of God ', that is iniquity : Where had all men liberty ? 
 Where had Ada?n and his fons their liberty to fulfil their 
 own wills, and to contradid the will of God ? Yet nothing 
 is mxore common in nations, countries and families, than for 
 people to aifum.e a liberty to perform and fulhl their own 
 wills, and to bring about their own intereft, defigns and 
 contrivances, though at the fame tim.e they are convinced 
 that it is contrary to the will of God. Where this liberty ' 
 is taken, there iniquity is wrought ; that is iniquity that is 
 unjuil, that which is committed againft him upon whom 
 we have all our dependence every moment for life and 
 breath, for food and raiment, and every thing we enjoy ; we 
 have a dependence upon that God that made us, yet vain 
 men and women afiume a liberty of gratifying their own 
 wills, and fetting up for the flefh. 
 
 You miay remember that paflage of the good apoftle, 
 V'hen he faw fome libertine profeiTors of Chriftianity, 
 grow loofe and carelefs ; they thought it was well they did 
 acknowledge 'God in their meetings and worfhip, but as to 
 the airairs of the world, they had forgotten that God was 
 concerned in thofe things ; the apoftle takes notice of fuch 
 libertine loofnefs, goto 7io\Vyyoii that fay, to-day or to-mor^ 
 row iv^ will go into fuch a city, and continue there a year, 
 and buy and fell and get gain ; whereas you know not 
 what fiiall he on the morrow: For what is your life? It is 
 even a vapour, that appeareth for a little ivhile, and then 
 vanifieth away : For that you ought to fay, if the Lord 
 will, ive jJiall live and do this or that. You ought to live in 
 fubjeClion to him that made you, you ought to have regard 
 to God's honour in whatfoever you do : IVhether you eat or 
 drinky or vohatfocver you do, do all to the glory of God. Is 
 
 not 
 
the Office of Conscience. 8c)^ 
 
 not this fcripture? Is not this found amongft the apoftle's 
 writings? Do not we hold the name of Chriftians which was 
 given to them at Antlocli ? Yea, we are called Chhfuans, 
 and thefe v/ritings of the apoflle are holy v/ritings, and 
 what then is the matter that we take fo little notice of them ? 
 That men do not apply thefe wholefome exhortations to 
 the particularities of their converfation, but that they go 
 from country to country, and from one place to another^ 
 and do what they pleale, without having an)^ regard to give 
 their fubjedion to the great God : This loofcners hath 
 brought into the mdnds^ of fome, fuch a liberty, that they 
 live without God in the world ; when they go fometimes 
 to religious meetings, and when they hear the name" of God 
 mentioned, it may be there is a little awe upon their 
 minds, and they have fome regard to that God that gave them 
 breath and being, for the prefent : But if there be not re- 
 ligion, if there be not a tie (rchgion fignifies a tie, a being 
 bound to God) if men be not bound and tied to God, by 
 that which is made known to them, every one will dcfire that 
 luhich is gQcd in their oiim eyes. 
 
 Therefore it is neccffary for you, my friends, above all 
 people, you that are come to a meafure of the mini-' 
 ftration of the Spirit, to know and to mind what it doth 
 fpeak. Such a thing I did this morning, and I am re- 
 proved for it ', fuch a thing I did v^ell, and I am jufrificd 
 and warranted in the doing of it : Thus it is when a thing 
 is well or ill done. Sometimes fome men ad two or three 
 days together, and never bring their adtionr, to the rule ; 
 that is, like a xman that is building and never minds his^ 
 rule, fo what he builds up, tumbles down again upon his 
 head. You know there is fomething in you that hath a 
 fpeaking voice, an infallible voice, and gives judgment on 
 your adions, and paifeth a fentence, either of juftificatioa 
 or condemnation upon you. If you would live fo as to 
 anfwer God in wh^r you do, you need not fear anfwering 
 men. I do not fear anfwering men in all I do or fpeak; 
 if I do but anfwei* mine own confcience, I fear no man, 
 tho' he be of another pcrfualion and judgment oppofite to 
 me ; if I keep peace in mine own confcience, I Ihall an- 
 fwcr the principle of truth in mv adverfaries confciences, 
 
 M ' tho' 
 
c^o The Inward Preacher ; of\ 
 
 tho' they hate me, and defpife me, and feek occafion againft 
 me ; if my actions anfwer the truth of God in mine own 
 heart, they will anfwer the truth in any man's heart : This 
 makes a m.an as bold ?.s a lion. 
 
 When the people of God obtain a reputation, to be true 
 and juft, and holy and fighteous, all men will exped ho- 
 linefs and righteoufnel's at their hands. What if I pro- 
 fefs to be one of theie people ? If I have not the truth 
 in. my own hearty tho' I put on this reputation as a 
 cloak to hide my inlincerity, the want of that truth takes 
 away my courage. It is truth that hath a power in all 
 men in the world, and it is the power of hohnefs and 
 rightea''rners that makes wicked men afraid ; and therefore 
 the apoftle argues upon that iubjed, the magiftrate is cloathed 
 v/ich power. What power hach he ? The power of juf- 
 tice, and the power of the fword. What fword hath he ? 
 A fword of juitice ; and he is a terro?- to evU-doers, but 
 a pr^Afe to them that do ivell. It is true, if I have done 
 evil, if I meet with a man that is but my equal ; if in 
 buvin^, and feilino-, and commerce, I have wron<jed him, 
 and deceived him., tho' he knows not of it, yet I am afraid 
 of him, I am fearful that he will difcover me and find 
 me out : But if I fpeak the truth, and do that which is 
 honed in the fight of all meny \ fhali not fear any man : 
 There is no nation under Heaven, but there is a principle 
 of truth to be found among them in the hearts of men. 
 'ii I acl according to the principle of truth in mine own 
 heart, there is the fame principle of truth in all men. If 
 J walk up to the principle of truth in myfelf, I iball like- 
 wife walk up to the principle of truth in all men's hearts ; 
 if mine own heart doth not condemn me, all the world 
 cannot condemn me. 
 
 If profeiTors were refolved to anfwer the principles of 
 truth in their own hearts, and go thorough-ftitch in their 
 profeiTion, they might jive courageoufly : Truth will crown 
 them v/ith vidory. But if they do not live according to 
 the rule and ftandard of truth, they are like fait that hath 
 loil its fdvour, ivhich is trodde?i under the feet of men. 
 But ^x■here all are one in truth, they are gathered into the 
 truth, and they will live according to it, fo far as they 
 
the Oil ICE of Conscience. gx 
 
 are convinced of it. If you would give them a world, they 
 will not give away a hair's breadth of the truth which they 
 have profefTed. V^hen truth thus comes to have dominion, 
 then truth fhall overfpread the earth, and the kingdoms of 
 the ivorld JJiall become the kingdoms of the Lordy and of 
 hs Chr'ift, and righteoufnefs Ihall rule, and the fceptre of 
 it be fwayed over the nations, and they that rebel againllr 
 it, lliall be broken by it, and they that are found in it, 
 (hall have dominion, and they ihall condemn hypocrites 
 and diffemblers. Now if you would grov/ up in this do- 
 minion, you have an opportunity for it, becaufe the truth. 
 is revealed in your own hearts. 
 
 They who undertake to walk in the truth, meeriy from 
 what th^^y hear the minifters of truth preach, laying up in 
 their minds a company of doclrines^ notions and tenets, thev 
 will (tumble and fall^but they that will hearken to the trutfi 
 in their own hearts, and regard the voice of it in all their 
 ways and undertakings ; thele have a minifter at home with 
 them, they have a chaplain in their own houfes ; if there be 
 any thing they know not, and if they know not what to do, 
 they ask the minifter of the fanduary j others will ask 
 their minifters, but your m.inifter is at home with you : 
 "^-^here hath God appointed any man to rule over your 
 confcience ? No, God hath appointed Chrift only to rule 
 and govern your confcience, to be the author of faith y and- 
 thefinljJier of it too: You that are come to the difpenfa- 
 tion of the Spirit of Chrift, keep to the teftimony in your 
 own hearts ; then you have fellowlhip with one another in 
 the truth ; and you have caufe to blefs God for it, that God 
 hath fo opened the hearts of one toward another, that the 
 fuffering of one, is the fuffering of all ; and the confolation 
 of one, the comfort and rejoicing of all : But alas ! who is 
 in this fellowiliip ? Only thofe that are in felio^rfliip x^^ith 
 the truth, in their own hearts, and really fo : If a man Ihall 
 break fellowibip with truth in his own heart, he will make 
 no bones of breaking fellowfhip with his brethren : As foon 
 as men break fellowlhip with truth, they' are unruly, hea'y, 
 troublefome, and make no matter of Iplitting, and tean- g, 
 and rending of fellowiliip with others. Hov7 comes i: lo 
 pafs that thou haft done thi^ ; Thou didll not thu^ while 
 
 t!iOu 
 
p2 The Inward PREyKiiER ; or, 
 
 thou fearedft finning againft the witnefs of God in thine o>>"n 
 hcrirt. But when men have once made hght of the great 
 miiiifter of the gofpel in their own hearts, it is an eafy mat- 
 ter to make light of the reft ; if, as Chrift faith, they have 
 do7ie fo to the gi^e^n tree, no zvonder that they do fo to the dry 
 tree : If they ctefpife me (faith Chriil:) do you think th.y 
 vjill love you /* 
 
 It is mofl: evident in a great many at this day, they difpute 
 againft truth, they have ta'ken a hberty to fpeak contrary ~ 
 to the truth in their own hearts, and then they cry down the 
 miiiiilers of it : Do you think they do fo that keep their 
 iirfl tendernefs ? When they were convinced, the power of 
 the Lord refted upon them ; when the power of the Lord firfl 
 wrought upon you, and brought you to yea and nay, and to 
 plain fimple language and habit, this was with joy and delight 
 ior Chrift's fake. They that keep up this tendernefs and 
 fimplicity of mind, there is no fcattering, nor rending, or 
 tearing an-ong them, they keep the laiity of the Spirit ui the 
 bo?id of peace y and they are kept together in one. 
 
 Friends, you have an opportunity in your hands, fee 
 that you make ufeofit; you may bear up, and not be de- 
 ceived by men, or devils, if you keep faithful to the pnn-> 
 ciple of truth in your own hearts. Let what reproach and 
 periccution ioever come, here is a fiandard, a foundation 
 and a rule, for you to be governed by, every hour of the day; 
 iearch your hearts, and trv vour coafciences by it. As ye 
 do tliis, and keep to the rule of the new creature, of the 
 regeneration, being changed from a carnal birth to an incor- 
 ruptible birth. If yen be horn rf the i?7corruptihie fccdy 
 the devil calinot corrupt you, evil paffions cannot corrupt 
 you ; if you keep up that foundation that is incorruptible 
 m iticif, then nothing will corrupt you, nor your ways and 
 m;^iner5: If you v/ill Uve according to the-ilmpUcity of the 
 goipcl, you will ferve God, and be examples to others in 
 the iife of holinefs and rigateoufnefs,' and hereby God'ihall 
 be glorified. This is that which will fliine forth to the 
 whole nation, and give a good report to truth : But if any 
 that profefs the truth, be found falfe to their profelfion, 
 and be found unholy, and deceive and over-reach their neigh- 
 bour, they loic by it, and the devil rejoiceth at it. 
 
 Thus 
 
\ 
 
 the Office of Conscience. <?j 
 
 Thus we know the life of righteournefs is brought forth 
 through the Spirit of truth, and out-lhines all, and will 
 reach God's witnefs in them that are afar off, and bring 
 them near ; and happy and bleiled are they that are found 
 in this divine woik, conforming their lives and converlationJ 
 according to the new creature, peace be upon them, and 
 upon the whole Ifrael cf God. There is a minifter that 
 abides with you, that goes home with you, it is his tefci- 
 mony that you muft ftand or fall by : If any one Inould be 
 a falie profefebr, and be cried up, if he be not fmcere, he 
 hath not peace ; though he flutter awhile, and make a fhcw, 
 the worm of guilt gnaws and torments hipxi ; fuch as theic 
 have not peace with God, nor feilowihip with the church : 
 Though they feem to b-^ alive, yet they are dead j as it was 
 with the churches in y^Jia, they had a name to IlvCy yet they 
 ivere dead; though they have an empty name, fuch a 
 one is a living man or woman, they are eileemed friends to 
 the churchy but though they are commended and cried up, 
 and have a name to live, yet the3/ are dead ; there is a fevj 
 names in Sardis vjhich ha^ce not defi'ed their garments^ they 
 fliall walk with me in white, faith Chrift, for thc^y are worthy. 
 I know thy Wforks^ that thou haft a starve, that thou livefl, and art 
 dead. See what Chriil:, the bright Morning-Star, could 
 do: He could look into a meetire, and lee whether few 
 or m.any had only a name to live, or were really alive ; 
 if they were dead as to fmcerity and truth, though they 
 had been among the church, they would help to break it 
 down, but not to build it up. 
 
 You that have this divine life ftill ftirring in you, and 
 feel the operation that lirft quickened you to God, prize 
 this principle of the divine life above all : What is there can 
 rob you of it ? Value not the fricndihip of the World : Alas \ 
 V/hat can it amount to ? Count it as dAing in covipanfon of 
 Chrift Jefus ; look upon all things with a found eye: 
 Peace with God is of that concernment, that you cannot be 
 happy here or hereafter, without it ; the friendihip of the 
 v/orld I can be without, and the cuftoms and fafhions of 
 the world I can be without, I can fpare thefe things j but the 
 favour of God I cannot be without, and grcvjth in grace 
 and the knowledge of cur Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrif, and 
 
 a 
 
j4 ^^i^ Inward Preached, dec. 
 
 a fmcere profeffion of the gofpel ; I cannot be without thefe 
 
 thines. 
 
 o 
 
 My friends, though you do not make a fhew and flutter 
 in the v/orld, as fome others do, yet your glory is within , 
 they that are living members of this divine body, the glory, 
 and beauty and brightnefs of fuch, appears in the fight of 
 God. If you grow in grace, you will be a comfort to one 
 another j and as the apoille fpeaks, you are our epiftle xvrit- 
 ten in our heans, kiiown and read of all men. The Lord 
 preferve and keep you fimple, keep you in alhfmcerity, 
 m that truth that hath wrought in your own hearts, that 
 you may have acquaintance with your teacher, that he may 
 not be driven into corners j for you may do it, and flop 
 his mouth, and filence him too. If you , let your per- 
 verfe will rule, you may flay the juft j but there will come 
 a day of his rifing, then down you go. "V^hatfoever men 
 mav get by it at prefent, when truth rifeth, v/hen the 
 Jult One that v/as flain hath a refurredion in them, then 
 mod certain down they go. While you have an oppor- 
 tunity in your hands, and an intereft in the covenant 
 of life, walk ^^'ith God according to the counfel and dic- 
 tates of his Holy Spirit, that you may be brought to a 
 heavenly fellowihip, and to partake of the good things 
 that God hath prepared for his children. 
 
 My friends, pray prize your feafons, let no day fiip, 
 for fear you mifs a day at lafl: j wait upon the Lord, and 
 let his fear and a holy awe be always upon your hearts : 
 Then peace will be upon you, and there will be accep- 
 tance of all that vou do. Mark the iperfeCt man, and he- 
 hold the upright^ for the end of that man is peace ; when 
 he can reflect upon his paft life, and fay, I have walked 
 before the Lord with a perfect hdart, and done that which 
 is good and well pleafing in his fight, and have not turned 
 afide to the right hand or to the left, but the Standard of 
 Truth hath been the guide of all my fpirltual and tempo- 
 ral adions. If truth hath been thy giiule here, then truth 
 fhall be thy portion hereafter. If truth guide thee in thy 
 way, then thou ihalt rejoice with the faints, and receive 
 an inheritance with the people of God, and enjoy that 
 glory and felicity which God hath prepared for ' them that 
 love him. ' His 
 
His Prayer ojter Sermon. 
 
 EVERLASriNG, glorious, eternal God of Vfe I 
 iv/iofe kingdom ruletli over all ; thy kingdojn is an ez'er^ 
 lafling kingdom ; a glorious, blejjed day hath dawned, where-* 
 in thou art makiyig thy [elf known to the fons and daughters of 
 men ; and thou haft opened an eye in a remnant (which the God 
 of this world had blinded) to fee the glory of this day. For tho" 
 v^)e have lived without God in the world, yet thou art near to 
 us, and thou hafl called us to repentance, and infpired our 
 fouls vjith a defire to thee, and to the remembrance of thy name : 
 Praife and everlafling thankfgivtngs belong unto thee, who 
 art the author of our falvation ; who haft reached out thy hand 
 and laid hold upon uSy and fought us out when we fcvght thes 
 not, and haft made knozvn thy power and love for our redemp- 
 tion and falvation ; and thou wilt make it known more and 
 more to every upright, fincere mind, 
 
 O powerful Father of Lfe I how hath thy power and 
 goodnefs been revealed on our behalf for thine own name*s 
 fake? Thou hafl food by us in all our trials and exercifes, and 
 we have found thee a God nigh at hand, and thou haft brought 
 a remnant to defire nothing fo much as the enjoyment of thy 
 prefence ; thou haft brought them to be fenfible, that without 
 thee they can do nothing; therefore, in all our affemblies and 
 meetings, we defire to be acquainted with thy power, to hear 
 thy word which f peaks life to our fouls, by which we may 
 live, 
 
 A'jid dear and powerful Father ! the continuation of thy 
 goodnefs among us, doth greatly engage the hearts of thy chil- 
 dren, to offer up praifes and thankfgivings to thee, Thcu 
 haft inclined the minds and hearts of thy people to wait upon 
 th:?, and haft opened their underftandings to receive thy hea- 
 venly truth, and tkofe rich and heavenly treafures which thou 
 offereft them, and haft provided a cup of falvation to refrejh the 
 poor cmd needy foul. 
 
 O Living God of Life ! reach forth thy hand, to fuppQrf 
 andfave thofe that are breathing after thee, that are fenfble of 
 the want of thy prefence, and are frequenting the ajfeml^es of 
 thy people, ivith a hope and defire that they may enjoy a 
 blejftn'g from thee. 
 
 Lilting 
 
c)S Saving Faith, the Gift of GOD alone. 
 
 Living God of Life I touch their hearts ivith the finger of 
 thy power, ' let them kno-iv that thou art ready to open the trea- 
 fare of thy love, and Ife unto them, through the Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, that their fouls may be comforted, and they tnay offer 
 up facrifices of thankfgiving. And let all thy children 
 every where, render to thy name, through Jefus Chrifl, blef- 
 fug, and h'jnour^ and praife ; who art God over all, hlejpd 
 forever and ever* Amen. 
 
 S E Pv M O N VIIL 
 Saving Faith, the Gift o/" GOD alone. 
 
 ^reached at GrACE-ChurCH-Street, March 8y iGSy, 
 
 ^yyiy yr lends, 
 
 O U that are made partakers of that precious faith, 
 which hath brought you to an expedation of that 
 redemption and dehverance that comes alone by 
 Chrift Jefus, your minds ihould be continually exercifed 
 in that faith which God hath given you, for it is a great gift, 
 a bleded gift that he hath given to us to beheve. This never 
 came of ourlelves, never was there a true believer in Chrift 
 Jeilis, but he received his faith of God, it was the gift of 
 God, it was given to him to believe. Other forts of believ- 
 ers there are in the world, that can communicate their faith 
 one to another ', but they are t/ue believers that have their 
 faith communicated to them by the Spirit of Jefds Chrift, it 
 is given to them, that believe ; and becaufe it is fo excellent 
 and fo heavenly a gift, and hath fuch large privileges be- 
 longing to it, it is neceiTary that every one that receives ir_, 
 fhould have a continual exercife in it ; that you may knox<^ 
 what it is, and what it doth for you, and fo com^e to be 
 experienced Chriftians. Now all that are partakers of it, 
 they do believe, and know in whom thev have believed, 
 and for v/hat they have believed, even for the faving of their 
 fouls. 
 
 The true faith, that is the gift of God, it is not at all 
 
 fhort 
 
Saving Faith, the Gift of GOD alone* c^y 
 
 fhort of a complete faving of their fouls ; they that truly 
 believe, their faith (lands in one that they know is able to 
 fave to the utmoft ; and fo a true believer hath a p'eat com- 
 fort in his faith above all other believers in the world ; for 
 he knows that his faith reaches to a complete redemption, 
 unto a complete fanclification, unto a complete fitting of 
 him for the kingdom of God. 
 
 Now there is no fuch faith that ever was made by men, 
 there is no fuch faith that all the wife and learned men upon 
 the face of the earth, have either preached or given fortxh to 
 be received ; for if you come to confider the divers forms of 
 faith that men have miniftered, they will fall fhort of faving 
 their fouls, they fall fhort of redemption, they fall iliort of 
 fitting and preparing them for the kingdom of God, and 
 fb they have not that comfort, that fatisfadion, and that 
 inward refrefhment that belongs to the others, or that ac- 
 crues to their fouls, that have the faith of Gcd's ele^i. 
 
 And herein hath been the privilege of the people of 
 God in all ages, as well as in our age ; their faith hath 
 had a farther extent, it hath reached farther in order to 
 the good of their fouls, than the faith of all others hath 
 done : What comfort can a ferious Chriftian take in a 
 faith that falls fliort of righteoufnefs and redemption ? Xv^ould 
 it not make a man or woman's heart ach, to think I 
 am a believer, but yet I have no faith that reacheth to 
 fand:ification, and holy living, and redemption from fin ? 
 All my faith leaves me a finner all my days ; to my dy- 
 ing hour there is no maftery to be had, no getting vic- 
 tory over fin, it will prevail over me as long as I live. 
 
 This is not that precious faith that God's elecl have been 
 made partakers of, that works efFedually in their fouls y 
 this is not that faith that can minifter real comf:)rt to the 
 poor foul that is laden "with iniquity, and weary of fin ', 
 the faith that falls Ihort of fanctification, and redemption 
 from fin, is fuch a faith as God never gave his people ; 
 it came fome other way into the world, and it hath cap- 
 tivated moft of the fons and daughters of men, and they 
 have expelled the true faith (as much as in them lies) that 
 faving faith that purifies and cleanfes men from fin, and 
 ^ives them victory over the world, and have got another 
 
 N faith 
 
c)B Saving Faith, the Gift of GOD alone. 
 faith in the room of it j and they live in their fins, and 
 in their lufts and concupifcence, and ftill remain in cap- 
 tivity. 
 
 But God was pleafed to hear and anfwer the cry of the 
 fouls of a remnant (for which many of us have caufe to 
 maenify the name of our God) when we had travelled from 
 mountain to hill, to feek where true comfort might be 
 found, where one fhould fay to us that we fhould over- 
 come. \Fe know there is no eating of the tree of life 
 until we do overcome ; nor entering into God's kingdom 
 till we be cleanfed. Some laid an imxpodibility in our 
 way, which made m.any a one to m.ourn. "V/liat, muft we 
 never be cleanfed ? Mud: this crooked heart, and perverfe 
 will, always rem.ain ? Muft I be a fmner and a believer ? 
 A fmner, and call myfelf a child of God ? How can thefe 
 thini^s hang together ? Thefe have made many to faint 
 in their minds, and to fay as David did in his diftrefs, 
 0/7!? day I jiiaU per?fh by the hand of SauL One 'day this 
 corruption will be my ruin ', for all my prayers, and hear- 
 ing, and other duties and performances, this fm will be 
 my utter ruin at laft. 
 
 After many have mourned, and been afflided^ bv rea- 
 fon of the burden that was upon them, it hath pleafed the 
 Lord to vifit a remnant, and to open their hearts to make 
 known the precious faith^ the faith of Gcd's elecf, the faith 
 that vjas once delivered to the faints. Is this the faith that 
 is worthy of an earneft contending for, and preaching for, 
 and fuifering for ? Who was ever fo mad, as to fuffer for 
 fuch a faith as will leave a man under the power of fa- 
 tan, and his own lufcs ? No v/onder that fuch have a faith 
 that is not worth contending and fuffering for. "^ho will 
 expofe themieives for fuch a faith that will never do them 
 a kindnefs ? Now that faith whfch belongs to a purifed 
 foul, to one that is fandlified, that faith delivered to the 
 faints, it is called a Jhield ; when once a Chriftian comes 
 to m.ake ufe of this faith as a fhield, he will find the 
 power of it. A ihield is that which is \<orn by perfons 
 that are among enemies ; it is for the defence and lafe- 
 guard of one that is befet with enemies j and a good 
 Chrii^ian is fb iituated. 
 
 There 
 
Saving Faith, the Gift of GOD alone. j>9 
 
 There is a fort of blind Chriftians, friends to ihe \corId, 
 their chriftianity is worldly, and their faith worldly ; but 
 all true Chriftians are in the midft of their enemies, in- 
 ward and outward ; and if they had not the fhield of faith 
 to defend them, they would certainly be wounded every 
 day, they would be flain and lofe their lives : The faith 
 that is called a fhield, it is that by which a Chrifrian 
 is to be defended and faved from harm defigned againft 
 him every hour j for the devil goes about like a roaring 
 Hotly conti?iually feekr/:g whom he may devour. The apoftle 
 fpeaks more particularly to believers ; tJ.e devil, your adver- 
 fary, he is an adverfary in himfelf, but more efpecially 
 your adverfary that are believers ; that have believed to the 
 faving of your fouls. You that believe that Chrift is fent 
 of God, endued with power fufficient to break his head, 
 and power to redeem you out of his fervice and bondage, 
 the devil will be your adverfary : Let him be fo, if I 
 have but my fhield. This is that which if a man ufe, he 
 will quench all the fiery darts of the devil. 
 
 If a man come once to receive the faith, the true faith, 
 faith in the power of God, this fiith will remain victo- 
 rious over temptation ', but if thou doll not keep thy faith 
 in a continual exercife, thou doft ifOt defcrve the nam.e of 
 a true believer : If a man receive the true faith, and grow 
 carelefs in his chnftian exercife, will not this adversary, 
 the devil, be about his ears ? Will not he fend forth His 
 fiery darts at him j his temptations, and fnares, and gins, 
 to entangle him, tho' he be a believer, if he doth not 
 keep 'in the continual exercife of his faith ? But a true 
 Chriftian, that feels the power of the grace of God, and 
 is in the continual exercife of true faith, he is like a watch- 
 man or fentinel, that hath his armour on, and his fliield 
 ready, he knows he is on the borders of his enemies quar- 
 ters, and he keeps himfelf in perpetual watchfulnefs, in 
 daily expectation of the devil's fiery darts , he keeps his 
 fhield in readinefs j I fee a temptation lies in fuch a thing., 
 but I fee the Lord's power is able to keep me out of 
 it. I fee there is profit or pleafure in the fnare ; it is 
 a hook that is baited, but I fee the hook through the 
 bait, bleffed be God y_ and I have a confidence in his 
 
 power 
 
100 Saving Faith, the Gift of GOD alone, 
 
 power, and that he is able to keep nie from that thing, for all 
 the baits of profit, pieafure, or the friendinip of the \c^orld, 
 
 A believer keeps iii the exercife of his faith, and con- 
 fiders that his falvation is nearer than when he firft believed ; 
 the people that believe, are not prefently f'^ved, the work of 
 falvation is to be wrought after they believe ; for without 
 jaith^ it is inipoffiole .to pleafe Gody neverthelefs the foun- 
 dation of Gcd ftandeth fure, it is founded upon the pov/er 
 of God j when a man believeth, the work is begun ; tho' 
 fome foolilb profeilors tell us, that the work is done when 
 the a6: is only in the mind ; thev will tell you what day 
 of the month, and fuch a day of the vear their converfion 
 was wrought j but they know not v/hat they fay. A man 
 may pofubly know when it was brought about: A man 
 m.ay know about the time when God communicated faith 
 to him ; but he muft know after he is a believer, then 
 begins the work of falvation, the believer is to be faved 
 from this or the other enemy ; he is not prefently faved 
 from all, there muft be a warfare, a fighting the good fiight 
 of faith, before thefe enemies of his falvation ar.- overcome ; 
 the devil will not give over becaule I am a believer, and 
 becaule Chri it promifed to break his head ; the feed of the 
 ivornan fnall break the ferlpent's head, I am now but put- 
 ting on my armour , the battle is not fought j I have not 
 yet gone through tlie peril of the light ', I am now buckling 
 on my armour ; when the fight comes, if I have not my 
 (hield and my armour ready. I may be flain for all this ; 
 fome //.'2i'^ made JJiipivreck of faithy they have not held it, 
 nor kept the faith, but given it away : But faith the apof- 
 tle, I have fought the good fight, I have kept the faith, I 
 have gotten the viclory. 
 
 So people, after they are believers, they muft wait to have 
 their faith ftrengthened by renewed m.anifeftations of the 
 jame power in v/hich it firft ftood : They muft wait upon 
 the Lord, and he will renew the ftrength of their faith, 
 zeal and courage ; and as temptations are renewed, they have 
 new courage, and new ftrength and new ability, and all by 
 this divine, fpiritual and Chriftian exercife; they every day 
 cop.ie to fee the work they believed, that which their 
 faith tended to, fee the work in fome meafurc wrought, they 
 
 fee 
 
Saving Faith, the Gift of GOD alone, lot 
 fee fome enemy of their fouls brought down and flain, and 
 they fee their fouls come up to a little more dominion than 
 they had before ; they fee the devil's power is weakened 
 more than before, and that he hath not fo much power as he 
 hath had over them. Thefe things are fome encourage- 
 ment to raife up in a true Chriilian, living praifes to God ; 
 feeing, by believing, he hath found thus much encourage- 
 ment" by the working of the word, why fhould he not wait 
 on the Lord for the accompliihment of this work, that he 
 may believe to the faving of his foul, that he may come 
 to receive the end of his hope and faith, the falvation of 
 his foul ? Now, by thus keeping their faith in exercife, 
 they know that thdi' falvation is nearer noiv, than "jjhen they 
 firfl believed. It is not fo with every one, for many that 
 have believed, their falvation is fartheft off, becaufe ot their 
 negligence, profeiTing one thing with their m.ouths, and 
 doing another thing in their practice ; there are fome things 
 which they beUcve and profefs, and yet do the contrary ; 
 that puts their falvation further off, and draws them fe- 
 cretly into defponding, and into a lofing their courage 
 and zeal for God ; the cuftom of finning hath at laR: taken 
 away the fenfe of finning. It is fo with a man v/hen he 
 iirft tranfgrelfeth the rule, he is fomewhat tender, and doth 
 it with fome regret ; but after he is come to a cuftom of 
 doing it, he is pretty well at eafe, and fo by degrees he goes 
 on towards the ftate of being paft feeling. At laft inch 
 fmners come to dying ; they were dead once before, and 
 were quickened through the operation of :he Spirit of Chrifl 
 Jefus ; they were quickened, and if they iliall die again, 
 if you die a fecond time, pray remember it is a iecond time ; 
 you that are carelefs and ready to die, remember it is the 
 fecond death that you are going to ; and confider that if 
 you die the fecond death, you ftiall have no part of the frjl 
 refurreBion : Better fuch had never been born at all, iliaa 
 after they have lived in hope, to lofe it again. This is 
 that which was upon my heart to commend linto you, 
 that you may partake of ;:his precious faith, that hath a 
 tendency to the favine of the foul, and fitting vou for 
 the kingdom of God. Hath God given you to believe ? 
 And will you not believe that you fliall live without im ? 
 
 If 
 
HOT. Saving Faith^ the Gift of GOD alone. 
 
 If you come to obtain this precious faith, you will be- 
 lieve that you (hall come to live without finning againft: 
 God, and have the light of his countenance fhining upon 
 you. He that truly believeth, his faith reacheth to this, 
 and he will fay to himfelf, I am faved a little from the 
 liberty of my tongue, and from many fins of an evil prac- 
 tice : God hath redeemed me from my vanity, pride and 
 pallion, and other things that were troublefome, the Lord 
 hath redeemed me from them j I fee the work is going 
 on, and I am nearer to the kingdom of God than when I 
 firft believed ; I have gotten vidory over many of my 
 fpiritual enemies, and I hope the Lord will carry me on, 
 and keep me by his power through faith unto falvation : 
 Hitherto the Lord hath helped me, I have not fought in 
 vain, I have not been beating the air, but God hath given 
 me vidory over the tempter inwardly and outwardly, fo 
 that he could not prevail, whiift I kept the ihield or faith 
 over my head ; but when I have been carelefs, and not 
 exercifed my faith as a fliield, I have been weak as other 
 men. 
 
 You are not called to weaknefs and feeblenefs, but to 
 the power of God, that you may be exercifed in it, and 
 by it be kept from the evil of the world : There is a 
 poiTibility of being kept, if you be faithful to him that 
 hath called you, that is, Chnft Jefus^ the Captain of our 
 Salvatiofij if you follow him ftep by ftep, and do not 
 run headlong all at once ? when you fee a great deal of 
 fm and corruption before you, and feek to mafter it in 
 your own ftrength, you will lofe the victory : The fame 
 word that fhev/eth us our fm, Iheweth us our own ina- 
 bility to overcome it, and that we can do nothing with- 
 out divine afiifrance; tho* we He long ftruggling under the 
 weight and burden of fin, we cannot of ourfelves get vic- 
 tory over it, we cannot bring judgment into vidory, God 
 mud have the glory of it. If you keep to Jefus, he will 
 carry on the work ; you did believe in him, for he did 
 work this taith in you, and he will carry on his own 
 work, and his own work fliall praife him. All others that 
 talk of faith, and make an empty profeffion, they diiho- 
 nour God j they talk of perfection, and living without fin, 
 
 but 
 
His Prayer after Sermon. toj 
 
 but never experience it, and lb bring difnonour to God : 
 If you wait to fee this work carried on ,* if you believe 
 and exercife your faith for the overcoming of your fins, 
 and perfedling hciinefs in the fear of God, you will hereby 
 bring glory to God, who alone is worthy of ail praife ; 
 who is God over all, bielled for ever more. Ame7i.\ 
 
 His Prayer after Sermon. \ 
 
 71 /f ^ S T bleffed, holy, and unchangeable Lord God 
 JL yJ. thou haft vifited us by thy dear Son and our Sa'uiou, 
 Jefus Chrijiy to gather us to be a people unto thee, zvho once 
 ivere not a people, ai;.d once not gathered, 
 
 'Eierlafting Father I thy mercy is gr-eat, and thy gcod- 
 nefs is great, and to be gready prized by us all ; thou 
 hadft compajjion on us to help us when voe could not help 
 ourfelves ; and thou haft laid help upon one that is tnigjity 
 and able to fave to the uttermoft all that come unto thee 
 by him, 
 
 Bleffed God, and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift I ive 
 give thee thanks for thy abundant mercy and goodnefs ex- 
 tended to us. Lord God Eternal ! extend thy mercy more 
 and more ^ and vifit the children of men in all nations with 
 the knovjledge of thy truth. 
 
 Bleffed Father of Life ! we pray and cry to thee, that 
 thy work may go on, and that it may profper and encreafe, 
 and let the day of thy vijitation be extended, and reach forth 
 thy Almighty Arm^ that the children of ynen may be gathered 
 unto thee. 
 
 Bleffed F other of Life ! thou haft Jlieivn mercy to our 
 foulsy and lue have feen the goings of^God in his fancluary ; 
 thou hajiy by an out-Jiretched army gathered us to be a people 
 to thy f elf ; thou haft appeared for thy people in all ages, 
 and thou haft faved them cut of oppreffon, and ftilled the 
 fury of the enemy. Thou haft cut Rahab, and wounded 
 the dragon, and made way for thy people Ifrael, that 
 they pajfed through the Red-Sea as on dry land. Lord, 
 do fo for thy people fpiritually in our day, and make way 
 for theniy and open the door that thy gofpel fnay fpread, and 
 ruUy and be glorified^ and ha^^e a fres cqurfe amorg us j and 
 
 that 
 
J04 Truth* s Testimony agalnfl the 
 
 that thy worfnip may be fet «/>, and pure incenfe may he 
 offered up to thee. Lord I this is the cry of thy fervants, 
 and the voice of their flip plications to thee, that thy Spirit 
 may be poured out abundantly and operate upon them, that 
 thy word may he profitable and voelcome to their fouls, 
 
 Blcffed Father of mercy 1 thou hafl blejfed thy childreji 
 and- people with fpiritual bleJTtngs in Chrifl Jefus, Tliou hafl 
 given us thy pleafure this day ; and blejfed be thy name, 
 thou hafl refreflied our fouls at this feafon ; let our praifes 
 afcend as a fiveet fmelling favour, and acceptable fervice to 
 thee : And for all thy mercies and renewed favours and 
 hlefjings to us, and to all thy people, both here and every 
 whercy let thankfgivi'ng and living praifes he rendered to 
 thee ; for thou alone art worthy of all ble^ffing and praife, 
 who art God over all, blejfed forever. Amen. 
 
 S E Pv M O N IX. 
 TRUTH'S TESTIMONY 
 
 AGAINST THE 
 
 Power of Sin and Satan* 
 
 Preached at Grace-Church -STREET^ June ^, 1688. 
 
 ^ly friends, 
 
 GO D hath made you witnefles of the great work 
 of this day ; the Lord 1 fay hath given you eyes 
 to fee, and ears to hear, and hearts to underftand 
 the Ereat woik of the dav j he hath called you forth, that 
 you may be faithful v/itnefTes every one in your meafurc 
 of that which he hath brought to pafs in your fight, for 
 he hath revealed his power, the eternal power by which 
 the x^'orld was made, he hath revealed and manifefted that 
 power for the raifmg up of life, for the fubjecting and 
 bringing under death, and the power of it; for a great 
 while a teftimony that hath been born in the nation 
 hath been unto death; he that hath the power of death^ 
 
 that* 
 
Power of Sin and Satai^\ j^- 
 
 that is, the devil, he hath had a great many t\ found out 
 his power, to declare the continuance of it, thaVdeath muft 
 reign, and darknefs muft continue, and that th\ Icinedom 
 of the man of fm v/ill never be brought downA 
 
 But now in our day, glory to God on high\here is 
 another found come forth, the Lord Jehovah hathVtcred 
 his voice, and who can but prophecy ! The word o\ pj-Q^ 
 phecy is given of God, and many are raifed up to\]b^^ 
 lifh it, and to found forth the name of the Lord in\e 
 extirpation, the ruin and deftruc^ion, that is and fhall V 
 brought upon the kingdom of iniquity, upon the kingdom 
 of the man of fin, and to prophecy and declare in the namey 
 of the Lord, that righteoufnefs fhall run down like aftream; 
 this is the gofpel, the glad tidings that we receive from God, 
 and minifter unto you, that you might believe, and that be- 
 lieving you might come to wait upon the Lord, and behold 
 the accomplifhment of it. 
 
 For, my friends, herein hath conlifted all the labour, travel 
 and exercife, of the fervants of the Lord; and for this caufe 
 have we fuffered many things, and gone through many trials, 
 becatife ive have fledfaflly bellevedy and therefore have we 
 fpoken it; that the Lord will, by his Almighty power, lay 
 wafte, deftroy and bring to an end, that power, that the 
 wicked one, the devil, hath had upon the minds and fpirits 
 of the fons and daughters of men, and that he will fet up 
 and eftablilli, in the very fame foul, a law of righteoufnefs, 
 and a lav/ of truth, and will caufe the beauty of holinefs 
 to fhine forth through them, where iniquity hath lodged, 
 where the wicked one hath ruled. 
 
 Now you that have believed this teftimony, you have 
 received it, as glad tidings unto you, for you are weary 
 of that old fervice, you are oppreiTed under the power of 
 that ftrange prince. There was a kind of fpirit and power 
 that had ruled over you, that neither gave you life nor breath, 
 nor had done any good thing, and yet you were fubjed ; 
 and many there v/ere, who through the grace of God, 
 came to fee that a ftate and condition of fm and iniquity 
 was not a happy (late; and by a fecret kindling of the 
 ffark of God's love in your fouls ere you knew him, there 
 was a cry raifed to be delivered, if it be pofllble. If 
 
 O there 
 
io6 Truth's Testi/aony againft the 
 
 there be any deliverance, O why may not I be delivered ? 
 If diere be any redemption, why mav not I be redeemed ! 
 Jf there be a power that can fet me free from the fervice 
 of this wicked one, v/hy may not I be fet free ? 
 
 Ah, friends ! remember the days and nights in which 
 thefe living cries run through you, then ycu ^^cere poor in- 
 deed ; then you were humble and broken, and the Lord 
 beheld vou in thc^e da}s, he faw your ftate and condition, 
 hw faw how helpleis voii were, and did not he arile to help 
 somI Did not a pawer .fpring forth in the day of vour 
 iiumility, in the day of tendetne'"s, by which you became 
 able CO make war againft the lufts of vour own hearts, and 
 did nor you overcome and prevail in your war ? Did rot 
 you make a progrei^s by the power and by the grace that firft 
 raifed defires in you? And as you made this progrefs and 
 gained ground, as I may fay, of your own corruptions, your 
 faith came to be ftrengthened, and vou were confirmed in 
 the belief and in the obedience of the truth ; and the m.ore 
 vou trufled and relied upon him, the m.ore did he m^anifeft 
 nis power in you ; he made known his ability and his ftreneth 
 in vour weaknefs, io that you did become /rj/;;g- i:'i.V/f//lj-, 
 eveiy one in vour meafure, that there was fuch a power ; 
 and that tkat po^'er was able not only to fave from a little, 
 or from a few, but \('as able to lave to the uttermoft, to fave 
 out of all that was polluted and defiled, and to clean! e and 
 purify the confcience from all dead works, and to enable 
 vou to ferve -fthe living God. 
 
 Now the Lord having thus eftablifhed you, and confirmed 
 you by his power, that you were found in the faith ^ and 
 tirmi in the beHeving of the tiutk^ m.v friends, all the labour, 
 ?.nd travel and doftrine, and exercife of the preachers of 
 the go'. pel, to thofe who were converted and confirmed, be- 
 came very acceptable. So we preach, and fo you believed ; 
 here was a unitv in our faith, here grew up a fcliowThip, a 
 commiunion in the faith, and the Lord became glorified in 
 the afTemiblies not only of thofe that preached, but of thofe 
 that heard, bccaufe each one had a place m the body, and 
 each one had a favour of the word of life by which the 
 bodv was nourifhed. 
 
 Now, my frienis, tliat which lies particularly upon me 
 
 to 
 
FowER of Sin and Satan, toy 
 
 to leave with you for my teftimony (and I pri^- God that 
 it ma) be placed in the hearts of aH }ou that hav^ believed) 
 is, that you niay ail wafit upon the Lonrd, to (€k all that 
 brought to paf$,wiiich you have believed : For I taW notice 
 by the eye that God hath opened in' me, by which W hath 
 made me to take care of his flock, and fometimes jwt his 
 y^ro\d in my mouth, that I may ipeak a ward in <h.\Q kAon : 
 I lay, by this eye, I take rxotice of many that have reeeVcd 
 this precious faith, and thereby have beHeved thegi^eat ^d 
 high ftate ; their faith, reached fo' far, they knew that power 
 be able to bring them into a perfed dominion ewer their hifts';. 
 and pafTions, and corruptions, and over the fpirit of the\ 
 V/orld, over pride, over anger, over all things that are op- \ 
 pofite .to the divine life; their faith is as lound as we can ^ 
 preach it ii re. pect of the extent of it, but their faith hath 
 not readied thus far in its operation upon their hearts ; they 
 have not had the power going on> to accomplilh and fulhi 
 that which remains. 
 
 Are there not fomehere and there that are fettled in the be- 
 lief of the truth, but are got into an eafe^ from the labour 
 of the truth ? But if I be found in the faith, my under- 
 ftanding is opened j I do not only beHeve this matter, 
 but have inward evidence and deraonftration, that I am 
 certain, pait all doubt and queftion of it, that the Lord 
 reveals his power in them that believe, that purifies them, 
 and makes them every whit clean ; and here I have a fel- 
 lowfhip and communion with them that preach, and them 
 that believe. 
 
 But,, my friends, all this will not give you communion 
 with God ; though there is communion with the church of 
 God, with reiped to men,, who are come into one faith 
 and dofcine, yet for fellowihip with God, it flands in a life 
 beyond all doclrines, and beyond all words and exprefiions ; 
 therefore your bufinefs and mine, and every one's, is what we 
 undertook when our faces v/ere firft turned to God, that we 
 may be followers ofChrift in the regeneration. For many- 
 may be firm in point of dodrine, and yet may not follow 
 Chrift Jefus : Many hold the truth, but do not hold it in 
 righteoufnefs, but unrighteoufnefs. 
 
 Now, my friends, have a care, your religion and your 
 
 fouls 
 
jo8 Truth's Testimony againfl the 
 
 fouls eternal welfare are concerned. This dodrine I leave 
 you in charge in the name of the Lord God : Flatter not 
 yourfelves any one of you, becauie of the foundnefs of 
 your belief, but look for loundnefs of heart, and for a right 
 fpirit ro be created in you, a fpirit that can no way endure 
 any thing that the light of Chrift hath made manifeft to be 
 evil j if It be truth you own, then exercife faith upon it, 
 and whatfoever fm or temptation affaults you, fay, I fhall 
 overcome in the name of the Lord Jehovah ; I lliall bring 
 thee under, be what luft, palTion, or corruption foever 
 thou wilt, in the name of the Lord, I fliall overcome thee, 
 and bring thee under. 
 
 Travel on in the faith committed to you, and you will be 
 
 names are written in Heaven ; and your communion will 
 not be in words and dodrines, and principles of faith ', but 
 y^our comxmunion w-Il be with God the Father, and his Son 
 J el us Chnft ; and fo in all your meetings together, the joy 
 of the Lord will be your ftrength, and the joy of his great 
 fahation your covering, and he will maniR^ft his gracious 
 prefence with you j and that power which hath kept you 
 to this day from your childhood, and prcferved you in 
 aJl your battles and conflids with the world, and ftrength- 
 ened and encouraged you when you went fometimes for- 
 rowing and mourning night and day, and fearing left you 
 fhould not overcome your adverfaries ; that power that 
 hath kept you hitherto, will do greater things for you than 
 you have yet been witneifes of. 
 
 Therefore, dear friends, this I would leave with you, 
 there is nothing will keep you and me in that little time 
 that remains to us here to fpend on earth, biit that which 
 v/ill keep us in the exercife of faith towards God, and his 
 Son Jems Chrift, who is able to fave us to the uttermcji : 
 Let us \y/ait to fee the power of God for fanctrfi cation 
 and holinefs ; that will reach as far as faving us from our 
 fins, 
 
 This hath been the greateft reproach that ever our ad^ 
 verfari^'S have thrown upon us, that there arc fome amongil: 
 
 us 
 
Power of Sin and Satan, Sec. lo^ 
 
 us that talk of believing in the power of God, and talk 
 of an ability to overcome their fins, and living a holy 
 life, and living without fin, while they themfelves live in 
 it. This is the greateft reproach that ever our adverfaries 
 have thrown upon us : Whofoever have been the caufe of" 
 this reproach, God will require it of them, for the Lord 
 is jealous of his name and glory ; and he will have the 
 praife and honour that is due tp his great name, for work- 
 ing in us both to ivill and to do of his good pleafure, faith 
 the apoftle ; tho' I know nothing of myielf, yet am I not 
 hereby juftified. When you come to that, that you can- 
 not charge yourfelves, then the Lord will not charge you ; 
 but take heed that therein you place not your juftification, 
 hereby you are not juftified. 
 
 Therefore have an eye to Jefus, the author and finifhsr 
 of our faith. He begins the work of faith, and he will 
 carry it on until he be the finifher of it, and the juftifier 
 of it ; he is the Mediator of the New Covenant, that 
 alone juftifies the children of God. Depend not upon your 
 own holinefs and righteoufnefs for juftitication ; keep your 
 eyes to Jeftis the author of your faith, who will be alfo 
 the finifher of it ; keep your hearts with all diligence, and 
 walk humbly with God, watching left your adverfary that 
 yoli have overcome, prevail againft you. By going from 
 the power, there is no fafety for the flock, but only while 
 they keep in the fhepherd's fold y be faithful and keep 
 yourfelves in the love of God, and he will be prefect 
 with you, and keep you to be his witnefTes to the end of 
 your days, and will raife up another generation to be wit- 
 neffes to his power, when he hath taken you to himfelf. , 
 To that mighty power of God I commit you, for pre- 
 ferving you in humility of mind and foul ; and my prayer 
 for you (hall be, that you may go on, and make a pro-r 
 grefs in the good ways of the Lord, until his work be^ 
 finifhed in you. 
 
 H 
 
 His Prayer after Sermon. 
 
 LY and powerful God of Life I who art the Cre^ 
 ator of us all j in whom we live, and move, and have 
 
 our 
 
11(5 His Prayer after Sermon. 
 
 our being ; thou hafl made us ail for the purp.ofe of thy prarfi 
 and gicfjy that ive might ferve thee in the land of the ltvif2g^ 
 among the fons and daughters Qf'j}ien:.yandnotonlyfo.y but 
 thou haft given us thy Holy Spirit^ as thou didft to the people 
 of old, 
 
 O living God of Life I thou haft ordained a remnant to 
 give up then f elves to be led by it ; thou r e gar deft them ^ and 
 art with them, and they enjoy from tvm tO' time thy k.oly pre* 
 fence, vjhich makes glad thetr folds ; and they have fellouftip 
 and co?nmunio?ivjith thee, and thy Son, through thy Spirit, by 
 which they are quickened to offer up pure and living praifei 
 up 071 thine altar, ' - . 
 
 O living God ef hove and Life / thou haft ftied abroad thy 
 love upon their hearts, by which they are enabled to pray for 
 enemies, that they tn ay cotne to erpyfaivatian, and the pi ea- 
 fures which are at thy right hand, vohteh are infi?ittely better 
 than all the pleafures of this vaitu rvorld, •;■ '{l\v.'> 
 
 Holy and poiirerful Father 1 have refpeU to all our fouls;;,. and 
 touch all mir kea-ris with a fenfe of thy divine lovCy that we 
 may feel the cords of thy Jove- drawing aur fouls nearer to- thy f elf ^ 
 and affiiring ns. that than kaft a grojcious purpofe to. farce us 4 
 O powerful Gad of Life 1 fhew forth thy power, that out 
 hearts may be touched and quickeried thereby, to come to fear 
 thee, and reverence thy. name, mid he acquainted with thy 
 operation iit our. own hearts, that they may be humbled and 
 broken before thee, and bovj down and worfhtp^ in ftn-r 
 cerity and uprightnefs : Thai fo holy God of Life! if 
 it be thy pleafure, none m.ay depart out of this affembly 
 without feme fenfe of thy love^ and feeling of the . powerful 
 drawings of thy grace, and witham being raifed up to pu^ 
 rity of heart, and convinced cf the- evil of everything that is 
 contrary to thee, and ferve thee in holinefs and righteoufnefs^ 
 and purfue it with all their hearts, and minds, and foul, 
 and ftrength, that then mayefl have mercy upon them, and 
 pardon their iniquity, and love them freely, for fa thou haft 
 ordained in thy Son Jefus Chrift, that we m.ay receive re- 
 mijftcn of fins through the belief of thy everlafting truth, 
 
 'And holy, pcAverful, God of Life I that all thy people 
 may partake of holi-nefs and' fobriety, to the praife of thy 
 name, and that they may all come ta obtain a viCiory over 
 
 all 
 
Bearing the Cross of Christ^ 5dc. m 
 
 all thofe fpiritual enemies that war againji their fouls ^ that 
 thy holy work of redemption and regeneration may be carried 
 on J to the praife of thy grace, and the exaltation of thy holy 
 name^ to whom praife, honour y and wifdom belong , and pure 
 and humble thankfgivtngs ; and unto thee, the living God of 
 Life, we defire to offer up our praifes and adorations, for 
 thou alone art worthy ; who art God over all, bleffed forever 
 and eier. Amen. 
 
 SERMON X. 
 
 Bearing the Cross of Christ, the true 
 Mark vf a Christian. 
 
 Preached at Devonshire-House, OEhober 12, i6go, 
 
 E that knoweth the day of the Lord, and the (Iretch- 
 ing forth of his arm, is quickened to feel the power 
 that is in Chrift Jefus, the Head of the Church ; 
 that fo he may be enabled, through his pov/er, to bring forth 
 fruit unto God. The eye of the Lord is upon you ail, 
 and he expeds at the hand of every one, that they bring forth 
 fruit unto God, tliat according to the aboundings of his mer- 
 cy towards you, and of his patience and long-lufrering con- 
 cerning yoUj there might at laft be an anfv/er in the foul of 
 every one, unto the mercv and goodnefs of God. They 
 that do not know and experience this, that the long- faff ering 
 and patience of God leadeth unto repentance, they know 
 no part of Chriftianity ; let them make their profeffion ever 
 fo high, and proclaim their notions ever fo loud, they that 
 know not the work of repentance in their hearts, as yet, 
 need to learn the firft principle of the Chriftian religion. 
 You know it hath been the cuftom of people to learn their 
 children principles, and they that have learned their prin- 
 ciples, they go for Chriftians, whether they repent or no j 
 though they go on in fin and iniquity all their days, yet they 
 go under the reputation of Chriftians j and it is high time 
 to examine and find out (if you can) a reafon for this, that a 
 man iliall be accounted a Chriitian upon any other terms 
 
 now 
 
1X2 Bearing the Cross of Christ, 
 
 now in this age, than the Lord Chrift did preach and 
 publiili in the days of his flefh; for 'he did abfolutely 
 deny that any man could be his difciple, without taking 
 up a daily crofs, and without felf-denial : Now how fhould 
 a man at this day be a Chriftian, or a difciple of Chrift, 
 without taking up a daily crofs, and v/ithout felf-denial ? 
 
 It may be fome will tell you, that they are baptized into 
 the Chriftian faith, and have been taught, and have made a 
 prc)feftion of Chriftian principles, and aflbciated themfelves 
 among thole that make profeffion of Chrift ; but here is 
 not a word of a daily crofs in all this, nor of felf-denial ; 
 fo that they would have you to underftand in this, that the 
 terms of Chriftianity arc changed, and that men may be 
 Chriftians without the terms of Chrift, or at leaft reputed fo. 
 
 And this hath been occafioned by the great apoftacy 
 that hath been brought into the church by a long night 
 of darknefs, and the revealing of Antichrift. Antichrift 
 hath been difcovered and revealed, and hath fet up, in 
 defpite of Chriftianity, a falfe Chriftianity ; and, there came 
 in the terms of a man's being accepted, and being reputed 
 a Chriftian upon Antichrift 's terms: And if you will con- 
 form to do thus, and fay fo, you ftiall be admitted into 
 the Chriftian Society. Now all thefe terms of Antichrift, 
 have been fuch things as an unregenerate man could con- 
 form to and comply with. 
 
 And the opening of this door, hath let into the church 
 abundance of hypocrites and evil-doers, who were in too 
 unregenerate a ftate to conform to thofe things that were 
 required ; for in the public fociety of Chriftians, it was 
 not faid, you muft be regenerate, and take up a daily 
 crofs, and deny yourfelves, and walk as becometh faints, 
 and fo behave yourfelves that God may be glorified, and 
 the profeftion of Chriftianity honoured by you. Thefe 
 were^ the terms of old ; but there are other terms of 
 being Chriftians, which are of a later date. 
 
 Now this apoftacy hath prevailed and fpread over whole 
 nations and countries, not a fev/, fo that whole kingdoms 
 have become Chriftians upon thefe latter terms, and God 
 is greatly diihonoured among us, and Chrift the Holy 
 One moft horribly prophaned. It is not fo common among 
 
 Heathens 
 
the true MARK of a Christian, ii^ 
 
 Heathens and infidels, to find people wronging and deceiv- 
 ing one another, and killing and deftroying one another; 
 and yet it is the practice of many that are called Chrifti- 
 ans : Thefe are the fruits and efFeds of thofe latter times 
 of Chriftianity. Now feeing it is thus, which no mortal 
 man can deny, I have this queftion to ask, and I defire 
 that you would ferioufly weigh it in your hearts and fouls, 
 both while you are together, and when you are feparate 
 one from another, whether it is not high time for all of 
 us to return again to the firft terms of Chriftianity, and 
 to reckon no man a Chriftian, let him profefs #&t he 
 will, faving fuch a one as doth know and witnefs^, that 
 the long-fufFering, and patience, and goodnefs of God, 
 doth lead him to repentance 5 and faving fuch a one as 
 hath fo much faith towards God, that for love to God 
 he will deny himfelf, and take up his crofs, and be a 
 follower of Jefus in that way and life he lived in. 
 
 It is high time for ail of us to return again to the terms 
 of Chriftianity, that were fet up by a higher authority 
 than ever Antichrift had, and before Antichrift was re- 
 vealed ; for tho' it is true that Antichrift hath obtained 
 power on earth, to eftablilli his fort of Chriftianity, that 
 is, without the crofs, and a fort of religion whereby 
 they indulge themfelves in whatfoever pleafeth their car- 
 nal hearts, and corrupt minds ; yet Antichrift hath not all 
 power, he is not Almighty ; I hope neither Antichrift, nor the 
 beaPc, nor the dragon, nor the falfe prophet, nor the whore, 
 have all power on earth, though they have a great deal, 
 and by that power they have eftablifhed laws, decrees, ca- 
 nons, and innumerable things about religion j and fome 
 cry, this is the way you muft walk in ; others cry, the 
 way to Heaven lies here, and here you muft travel if you 
 will come thither : Some cry, this is truth j others fay, 
 it is error : So that the world is divided ; Antichrift 's go- 
 vernment in the world is divided ; and when the Iwufe ts 
 divided againft itfelf, there is hopes that it will fall at 
 laft. 
 
 But there is one, to v/hom all power in Heaven and 
 Earth is given and committed ; and his Chriftians are not 
 divided among themfelves, but they are of one heart, and 
 
 P of 
 
11^ Bearing the Cross of ChrjsTj 
 
 of one mind ; and he that hath all power in Heaven and 
 Earth committed to him.^ can crufh and bruife that power 
 that ethers have. Herod had fome, and Pilate had fomie ; 
 but faith Chrift, your poiver is Uniited, this is your honry 
 a'fid the poiver of darknefs ; and thou hadji not had poiv- 
 er, faith Chriil: to Pihjte, were it not glve?2 thee frojn above; 
 here is power given to the dragon, to the falfe prophet, 
 and the beall, to fpeak great things ; but this power of 
 Antichrift is going away ; Chnft Jefus was fent into the 
 world in his day, to bring people back again to God, and 
 to primxitive Chriftianity and obedience, and to the firft 
 terms of fociety and communion, and to a fellowlhip in 
 Chrift Jefus through the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 Now if we had fet up a way of religion, as other folks 
 have done, which \s contained in fome canons, articles, 
 dodrines, and fuch and tuch commandments of men ; and 
 if men will confefs thcHs articles, and obfc/ve thefe ca- 
 nons, they (hall be of our fociety ', then we fhould have 
 done like the reft of the fallen Chriftians ; but we have de- 
 clared from, the beginning, that profeffing our dodrine, 
 and the principles of rehgion, doth not give any man fel- 
 lowiliip and communion with us ', but our communion i$ 
 in the felf-dcnying life, and a daily crofs, in oppofition 
 to fenuial luft, vanity, pride and bitternefs of fpirit, cor- 
 ruption, enmity and wrath ', this hath brought us to a holy 
 feliov/ihip and comm-union in the Holy Ghoft, and to live 
 in unity from one head, which is Jefus Chrift j fo that 
 there is not tliis m.an's church, and the other man's churcH 
 among the people of God. 
 
 Do you read in the primitive times, that Paul had his 
 church, and Peter his church, and James his church, and 
 Jude his church ? Indeed they had their mteetings as we 
 have now, in many cities and countries am^ong the Jews 
 and Gentiles ; but thefe holy apoUles that were the firft 
 publiCiers of the everlafting gofpel, after their great Lord 
 and Mafter, Jefus Chrift, they never did appropriate any 
 church to thcmlelves, that was not their bufinefs j but our 
 work and bufinefs, faith the apoftle, is to gather you to 
 Chrift, and frefent ycu as a chojze "cirgin to Chrift ; our 
 work is, to turn you from darknefs tc Ught^ that you may 
 
 walk 
 
the true Mark of a Christian. 115 
 
 walk in it, and be the children of it ; our work is, to 
 build you up as a fplrltual houfe^ to be prefented to Cnrijl 
 the Mediator. 
 
 This is primitive Chriftianity that hath its foundation in 
 holinefs and righteoufnefs, fincerity and tiuth, not in words, 
 and terms, and articles, and canons, and decrees, and other 
 obfervancesj this is not the foundation of true Chrifrianity, 
 nor will it ever be, the devil's kingdom mud be deftroyed, 
 it is (baking, for he in whom we believe, hath power from 
 his Father to break the devil's head, Antichrift and the 
 dragon's head. Chrift Jefus is fignilied by divers names, 
 the fecond Adam, Lord from Heaven^ the ll'^ay, the Truthy 
 and the Lrfey but he is the fame Chrift ; fo Antichrift is 
 expreffed by feveral terms and names, but he is the fame 
 power of darknefs, he hath made the nations drunk, to dag- 
 ger and deftroy, and devour one another. 
 
 This hath been done in the fallen ftate of Chriftians, and 
 the defign which the Lord Chrift hath in fending his minifters 
 and workmen to labour among you, is to reftore men to the 
 firft Chriftianity, and to bring men to God ; that religion 
 is not made up of dodrines, articles, canons and decrees 
 of men, but it hath the word of God for its foundation j ke 
 that hath an ear to hear^ let him hear : There is fome 
 fpirit, and power, and vifible work in a true Chriftian, which 
 the falfe Chriftian never had. The falfe Chriftians have taken 
 the name and profeflion of Chrift, and their fruits have been 
 diihonourable to him ; they might as well make profeflion 
 of Antichrift and fatan, they have a form of godlinefs, they^ 
 have fome of the word, but they deny the power. "V^hat is 
 their religion and outward profeflion, when they want the 
 internal life, and the motions of the Holy Spirit ; if they 
 bring forth the curfed fruits of the flefli, enmity, wrath, km 
 and corruption, which belong to the fallen nature and unre- 
 generate ilate ? 
 
 The apoftle takes notice of this deceit and hypocrify in 
 religion, which Was growing up before he died^ men having 
 a form of godlinefs, and denying the power thereof from, 
 fuch turn away. If there be any brethren that ivalk dif- 
 orderly, have no company or felloivfnip with them, if you 
 would have the holy name of Jefus free from fcandai. 
 
 This- 
 
jiS^ Bearing the Cross of Christ, 
 
 This hath been the deiiga of all the faithful minifters of 
 Chrift, to keep their holy profeffion of the name of Chrift 
 free from reproach; that the holinefs of God's ways might 
 be feen in the holy lives of the profcflors of them. Till 
 men come to know this, and take up their daily crofs, and 
 exerci'e lelf-denial, their Chriftianity is good for nothing; 
 I would not have you trufl: in it ; neither in articles, tenets, 
 or obfervations ; but fee how with your lives you anfwef' 
 your profefiion : Chrift was holy, hanrlefs, undefihdy fepa- 
 ra-is from fetrners. And why fhould not Chriftians be fo 
 too? How can Chriftians be followers of Chrift, and not 
 feparate from fmners ? Chrift v/as fo. He went one way, 
 and fmners went another ; they followed their fins and lufts, 
 but lie followed the work his heavenly father fent him about. 
 If thou art a follower of Chrift, thou art worthy of the 
 name of a Chriftian. Do drunkards and fwearers follow 
 Chrift? Do the wanton and proud follow him? Do the un- 
 clean and hypocrites follow him ? you know they do not, 
 why do you call them Chriftians ? This is a reproach and 
 ihame to the holy name of Jeius, and to true Chriftianity, 
 that any of thefe folks lliould be called Chriftians, but fuch 
 as are follov/ers of Chrift, who are holy^ harmkfs and unde- 
 filed, and feparate frofn fmners » 
 
 This feems a ftrange kind of doclrine, yet if it had been 
 preached in the primitive time, there were people that would 
 have received it as apoftohcal dodrine, that a man fhould 
 crucify the flefh with the affeclions and lufts : For faith the 
 apoftie, mortify your members which are on earth; if you, 
 through the fprrit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye flail 
 Ih'e ; hut if ye live after the flefl,, ye fliall die. And to be 
 carnally minded is death, but to be fpiritually minded is life 
 and peace. This was found dod-'rine then. 
 
 Noxx/ come and tell a man he fhall certainly perifh and 
 come to damnation for all his profefllon, if he does not mor- 
 tify the deeds of the fiefh ; if he lives in ftn and dies in it, he 
 is like to perifh : How many have been hauled to gaols and 
 dungeons, only for preaching this dodrine, and when we 
 were lirft fent to preach, we durft not do otherwife ? And 
 God did not fend us to. preach till he had waflied us, and 
 lancdiied us, and fitted us for the work of the miniftry. 
 
 Now 
 
the true Mark of a CuRiSTiAK. uy 
 
 No>37 when we faw in the holy fcriptures, that God did 
 work upon others by his Spirit, before he fent them to 
 preach the gofpel, was not here fufficient authority given 
 to preach the downfal of fin, and deftrudion of it ? One 
 would think that fuch a one, thus called and fent of God, 
 had as good authority to preach the everlafting gofpel, as 
 the laws enaded by all the prijices of the world could give 
 him ; a man fure that hath an authority for preaching the 
 gofpel, would not need to wait for orders and approbation ; 
 he would not fcay for an indudion. The apoftie Paul took 
 it for a commiflion that was creditable, when he tells you of 
 his miflion, it was not by man^ but by the will of God, that 
 he was called to preach the gofpel. If we fhould fay we 
 were made preachers, if you ask by whom, not any man in 
 the world can tell you ; but we were made preachers many 
 years ago : Not by man, or by the authority of man, but 
 by the will of God. V^hat was your commiflion ? to turn 
 men from darknefs (that darknefs we had formerly lived in) 
 to turn them from darknefs unto light ^ and fro7n the power of 
 Satan unto God. The apoftie funis up his commiflion in a 
 few Vv^ords ; the Lord told me I tn^fi turn 7nen from darknefs 
 to Ught, This is our commiflion that we have received from 
 God in this age, to turn men from darknefs. 
 
 But fome will fay, that we have not human learning and 
 qualifications for the work of the miniftry : To this I an- 
 fv/er, if I heard a man (wear or tell a lie, I could tell him 
 that this was not of God, I have learning" enough to know, 
 and tell men that, and fay, whoring, drunkennefs, and 
 fwearing, and lying, were works of the flefli, and fruits of 
 the devil's power ', I would have you turn from thefe works 
 to the power of God. X*^^hat is that power of God ? I will 
 tell you, it is a manifeftation of grace in your hearts, that 
 will draw you away from the love of all thefe things; 
 the grace of God, is the power of God to falvation to them 
 that believe : To as many as received Chrift, to them he gave 
 poiver to become the fons of God ; to fuch as believed in 
 his name. Such Chriftians will ihew forth the power and 
 life of religion in their converfations : So that here is a fuf- 
 ficient authority, no want of authority. 
 
 I have been fometimes examined by what authority do 
 
 you 
 
1x8 Beaming the Cross of Christ, 
 
 you preach ? By the highefl: authority in Heaven and CArth, 
 by the authority of God that came by Chrifl, the Redeemer. 
 What do you preach ? Truth in the inward parts, grace 
 and truth, and againO: all fiithinefs of fleih and fpirit. 
 
 As long as Antichrift hath a rule, you muft not preach 
 down fm without authority j you muft have power, you 
 muft be ordained, and have an indudion before you under- 
 take to preach the go'^pel, and preach down fin and wicked- 
 rief-^ : The devil hath got fuch power and rule, that fome 
 tell us, that no man can live without fin ; if it pleafe God 
 here and there to rai^e a man and bting him to a holy and 
 righteous life, this man wants a patent, a commiftlon, an 
 indudion, an ordinance to preach and cry down fin in other 
 folks ; what commiftion had the Plalmift when he faid, 
 Co/nCy all ye that fear the Lord, and I ivill tell you vchat he 
 hath do72e for my foul. 
 
 Is it not high time for pe3p!e that have evidences of the 
 love of God ihed abroad upon their hearts by the Holy 
 Ghoft, to bear their teftimony againft ftn and wickednefs ? 
 Is it not high time for every one's mouth to be open, to 
 teftify againft fuch a horrible mift of darknefs that is come 
 over men ; to teftify againft hypocrily, uncleannefs, and 
 unrighteournefs ? 
 
 It was the great defign of the primitive preachers of the 
 gofpel, to cry down that which fome minifters cry up, fo 
 that Chriftianity is not like what it was, for then they told 
 them that there was no happinefs but by breaking off from 
 fm by repentance. No poiTibility of falvation without con- 
 feiTmg and forfaking fin, and trufting in the mercy of God 
 through Chrift for the pardon of it. Tell them of the mer- 
 cy of God, and the blood of Chrift, they will tell you that 
 they cannot be cleanfed from all fin, they cannot live with- 
 out fin. How comes it to pafs that there are minifters that 
 preach an impoftibility of living without fin, when we are 
 aiTured in the holy fcriptures, that without holinefs no man 
 fnall ever fee the Lord ? And that there fi all in no ivife e'ater 
 into the kingdom of God, any thing that defileth, neither 
 luhatjoever \iorketh abomination, or niaketh a lie ? Rev. xxi. 
 27. How com.es this, that minifters preach an impoflibihty 
 of living without iin ? Will any of you, faith he, be fo pre- 
 
 fumptuous 
 
the true Mark of a Christian. 119 
 
 fumptuous as to fay a man may live without fin ? I will 
 prove it from good authority, both from fcripture and the 
 fathers, that no man in the world can do it. 
 
 If any fet themfelves to it in their own ftrength, the de- 
 vil will make fools of them ; fome indeed have gone 
 about it in their own power and will, and have cloiftered 
 themfelves up in monafteries, and ihut them'^elves up be- 
 tween two wails, that they might be feparated from ail fo- 
 ciety, and live without fin ; they would do it in their 
 own power, and the devil is flronger than they. 
 
 Let me tell you, men of the greateft wifdom, courage 
 and ftrength, of the raoft excellent natural parts that any 
 man can have, are not able to grapple with their enemy 
 the devil by their own power ; there are ieeds of fm, and 
 luft, and concupifcence fown in all their hearts ; fo far this 
 is right and found doclrine, that no man can do any thing 
 in his own power and ftrength . But here is the miftake ; 
 a man hath been a long tim.e wreftling with his fins and 
 lufts, to get the vidory over them ; but by wofui expe- 
 rience he finds his weaknefs and infufticiency ; he is lunk 
 in his harnefs, and fo hath given over the battle, laying, 
 I ihall never overcome the devil and his temptations, my 
 fins and lufts are too hard for me, I defpair of ever over- 
 coming them in my own ftrength, by all that I can do ; 
 that is true enough, but muft thou needs periili becaufe 
 thou canft never overcome thy corruptions ? If ever I be 
 faved, it muft be the free grace of God, that muft fave 
 me. How canft thou com.e to lay hold of the free grace 
 of God ? I am told I muft lay hold on Chrift by faith, 
 who is the Mediator between God and man, and is my 
 only Redeemer ; there is no falvation in any other : This 
 is very well ; now thou art a believer, what doft thou ex- 
 ped, what doft thou hope that Chrift will give thee ? H<5 
 will not give me power over my corruptions, fo as to 
 live without ftn, that is more than I hope for ; but I ex- 
 ped that Chrift will reveal his power in me, and give me 
 lo much ftrength and power againft my lufts and corrup- 
 tions, that they may not have dominion over me : Now 
 if you tell me that you hope for ftrength and power from 
 Chrift againft fin, fatan and corruption, do you now tell 
 
 me 
 
120 Bearing the Cross of Christ^ 
 
 me that it is ftill impoilible ? It was impolTible before in- 
 deed to live without fm, when thou didft truft in thine 
 own ftrength ; but now, when thou comeft to have grace 
 and aiTiftance from the Lord Jefus Chrift, the Son of God, 
 a:ad Saviour of the ivorM, that giveth thee abiHty to with- 
 ftand temptation, and overcome thy corruptions, and the 
 luils of thy own heart, is it impoftible ftill to Hve with- 
 out fin ? Then thou may eft fay, the devil's flave I am 
 and muft be ; for there is no other power in Heaven or 
 earth for thee to lay hold of, if thine own power, nor 
 Chrift's power neither can do ; then thou dofi: fay, that 
 the devil is Almighty. Thus they tell us, when Chrift 
 hath revealed his power, it is impoftible ftill. 
 
 If I lliould call this antichriftian dodrine, I could make it 
 out. Bieifed be God, I do believe that Chrift is able to 
 preferve me from the devil's temptations, and all his inftru- 
 ments, if I believe ; though I could not do it in mine own 
 power, yet by Chrift's power I may be preferved an hour 
 without fin : If fo, then a day, and if one day, then a thou- 
 fand days, if I live fo long; Chrift hath promifed that he 
 will bruife Satan, and tread him under feet, and deftroy his 
 works, and judge you whether fin be not the devil's work j 
 (hall I defpond, or defpair to have the devil's v/ork de- 
 ftroy ed in me ? 
 
 Here is ground for you all to believe, he that hath faith 
 may lay hold of this power which is offered of God; there- 
 fore lay hold of it, eli e your religion will be good for no- 
 thing. This is the enjoyment of a true believer, that he 
 receives power from Chrift to deny himfelf ; therefore all 
 their pretended Chriftianity and profefTions at the day of 
 judgment,, will melt away like fnow. Thefe canons, arti- 
 cles, forms, liturgies, thefe v/ill melt away when the day of 
 the Lord comes to burn upon them ; none but they that 
 feel the redeeming virtues of the blood of Chrift, that have 
 their fouls filled with the love of God ; and they that will 
 part with whatfoever they love in the world, for Chrift's 
 fake, fliall be accepted. 
 
 I am not for fetting up this and the other fed or opinion ; 
 if it be among thofe of my own profeftlon, if they profefs 
 hoiinefs, and bring forth unrighteoufnefs, it is all one ; I 
 
 ihall 
 
the true MARK of a CHRISTIAN. : 121 
 
 ihall not value their profefTion. There are many in this 
 city and nation, that have fheltered themfelves under the 
 profeflion of truth, and talk of perfection, and have brought 
 their lufts and imperfections'^ \i''.h them: Here Antichrift 
 is trying another game to bring them under a profefTion 
 that will ferve his turn ; the devil will allow men prcfeilionj, 
 if they will live according to their own hearts luils, fo 
 that they may fave his head from the blow that God^s 
 power will bring upon it, fo that they may difhonor the; 
 holv name and religion they make profeffion of; thus faith 
 the apoftle, I have told you often^ and now^ tell you weepiitg ; 
 they were Chriftians, fo called, to whom he fpake, but tliey 
 %vere enemies to the crcfs of Chriji^ not to the profeflion of 
 Chrifl; he did not fay they were ftrangers to the crofs of 
 Chrifl, but enemies to it ; they let it fall, they kept the name^ 
 word and doctrine up, but they let the crofs fall; how 
 much were thefe Chriftians worth ? lure but a little. 
 
 Nav, Antichrifl hath been fo filly, that becaufe the w^ords 
 are fo put upon the crofs, no being difciples of Chrift 
 without the crofs ; the words of fcripture are fo put upon 
 it. Thinks Antichrifl, I Ihall never perfuade the people to 
 be at eafe, unlefs I give them a crofs ; therefore he fets 
 them a making croffes. They mufl be baptized with the 
 crofs ; they fay v/e deny not the crofs of Ghrifl, we hang 
 it about our necks, we fet it up in our meetings and acade- 
 mies, and many princes, and wife men, and learned men^ 
 have been fo bewitched and drunk with delufions, that they 
 have called this the Chrifl which they have made with their 
 own hands ; they have made Chrifls, and prayed to them ; 
 and all their religion , hath been putting together croffes, 
 crucifixes, forms andvliturgies, which they have made with 
 their own hands. 
 
 Here is Chriftianity in an empty profefTion, but where 
 is the foul of it ? I^would enquire for the life of it, I 
 would fee Chriftianity living in love to God above all, 
 and loving our neighbours as ourfelves, When this Chrif- 
 tianity comes, there will be no killing one another, nor 
 perfecuting one another, nor fulfilling the lufls of the fieili, 
 nor pleading for it neither. 
 
 BlelTed be God, that our eyes have feen the witneffes 
 Q raifed, 
 
122 Bearing the Cno^s of Christ, 
 
 raifcd, and life from Keayeii come into them ; and now 
 religion begins to have a life and foul, and ihews itfelf iri 
 a httle remnant : There is a people raifed by God that 
 feel life in their v/orfhip, in their families, in their con- 
 verfations, and in their behaviour towards relations, they 
 do what they do as to God. Many lads and laffes, m.en- 
 fervants and women-fervants, they do their work and fer- 
 vice, not barely to pleafe their maRer and miftrefs, but 16 
 pleafe God. 17ie life they live is hy the faith of the Son 
 of God ; they live as becomes the members of his body. 
 Hufbands love their wives, not fimply becaufe they ard 
 their wives, as the men of the World 'do, but they 3o it 
 upon the account of inward religion, and of the divine 
 fellowdiip and communion they have in Chriil Jefus. Huf- 
 bands fliould love their wives as Chrift loved his church, 
 and laid down his life for it ; fo a man fnould love his 
 wife, and be tender over her, and minilier to her. 
 
 The life of Chridianity hath taught us to behave our- 
 felves fo as God "may have, gloiy, and Chriflianity be re- 
 ftored to its ancient luftre and beauty that it had in for- 
 m.er times. 
 
 "But Tome will fay, do as Well as you can, men will ne- 
 ver love you ; if you have the foul of Chriftianity, yoii 
 fhall be reviled and fcandalized. Men will make' works 
 againd; you, and ftrov/ papers againft you, and fct the ma- 
 giflrates againd you ; live as well as. you can, they will 
 follow you and difturb vou. 
 
 This is mere than you know. If a m.an once comes to 
 feel the life of Chriftianity v/orking in him, and the pov/- 
 er of it keeping him from doing evil, and wifliing evil to 
 his enemies, and difpofmg his mind to a frame of praying 
 for them, inclining him to pity them j if a m.an comxcs 
 to this ftate, he is at peace in himfelf, and enjoys tran- 
 qmUity of m.ind ; he looks up to the Mediator, Chrifl 
 Jefus, and feels an anfwer of peace in his own foul, and 
 is come to reft in himfelf. 
 
 Now concerning perfecution, hatred and enmity, between 
 the woman's feed and the ferpeiicine feed, and' how long 
 it >j!m11 laft. God whom we ferve, did fay to the devil 
 in Paradiie, I will put Qiimity between thee and the %cO' 
 
 inan^ 
 
the true MARK of a CHRISTIAN, 12^ 
 
 man, and between thy feed and her feed ; it fhall hrulfe. 
 thy heady and thou fhalt bruife his heel. So that it is not; 
 to be expected, that the feed of the ferpent (thofe that 
 are bora of that feed) can love thofe that are born of the 
 woman's feed. It is pofiible, that thofe that are born of 
 the feed of the ferpent, Ihouid be tran dated and brought; 
 out of that corrupt ftate j but it is inipofTible that thofe I 
 that are born of the flefn, flioiild love thofe that are born of 
 the fpirit, while they continue in their unregenerate Rate, 
 but perfecute them. It is Hke a natural inflind;, as for 
 water to run downward, and fire to fly upward. Were 
 not all men and women born children of wrath, and na- 
 turally enemies in their minds to Chrift Jefus ? And did 
 he not die and fuffcr for them all ? So that the very na- 
 ture of the thing is the very reafon why Chrift died to 
 redeem thofe that were his enemies to be his friends. 
 
 Suppofe I, or any other to be a member of Chrift, and 
 men do perfecute me, and revile me, and hate me, fliould I 
 not love them, and do good unto them, when I fee one 
 infinitely better than either you or I, do it for us ? zvhen ive 
 ivere enemies, Chrift hath fent his Spirit into our hearts, 
 that we might become friends of him, and of him that fent 
 him: This is the effect of the righteoufnefs of Chrift, and 
 of his innocence, that enemies may become friends j thus have 
 many been brought to a friendihip of truth, that were ene- 
 mies to it; if we^ could not fuffer for the teftimony we have 
 received of God, what were it worth? But feeing God hath 
 not only given us to believe, but to fuffer for his name, 
 many have been turned by this mxcans from darknefs to 
 light, and many more will y the light breaks forth apace, 
 notwithftanding there hath been fo much ado to ftop it. 
 
 It hath been the defign of many learned men of this natioi?, 
 how ihall we ftop thefe men's mouths that preach the doc- 
 trine of truth in the inward parts, the light within, and 
 •Chrift within them? I will not repeat the many laws that 
 have been made againft them that will not preach lies, but 
 the power of Chrift and his truth ; nowwhat will you do ? 
 You cannot lay hand on them as you ufed to do ; no, but 
 we will reproach them with the tongue, We will render 
 .them odious to the government, as perfons that wil over- 
 turn 
 
124 Bearing the Cross of Christ, • 
 
 turn church and ftate, and that preach falfe dodrine ', and 
 when all is done, and they have faid their worft, people will 
 ftill believe that fin and wicked nefs is hateful to God, that 
 God takes no delight in fm, and that the devil will lead us 
 to fin ; he that keeps moft from fin, keeps moft out of the 
 devirs clutches ; and he that lives moft holy, is moft like 
 to God. 
 
 Thefe things we will preach, and we will go on in this 
 tefti^:"ionv, that the beft way that man can take, is to break 
 off their fm by repentance,- and turn to God, their Maker, 
 with their whole hearts, and they v/ill look to their ways, 
 and fearch, and try and examine their hearts, and if they 
 fee evil, to keep out of it ; this is fuch a thing, as there is 
 no withftanding of it, it will go through this nation, and ail 
 the nations of the eartn. 
 
 \7hat if a company of people iliould combine together, 
 and fay, we will not have the fun to ihine upon the city 
 of Londcn ; what courfe muft we take ? When the fun is 
 down, we will build a bank or high wall to intercept 
 its light j but notwithftanding all their endeavours, when 
 the fun rifeth, it will get over their high banks and wall ; 
 fo all their deligns, and all the contrivances againft the light 
 of the gofpel, and againft Chrift the Son of righteoufnefs, 
 and againft the Spirit of Chrift, the light will afcend and 
 get over the heads of them all, and it will confound them, 
 and break through all oppofition. 
 
 I exhort you all, rny friends, that laying afide all doc- 
 trines, and tenets, and contrivances among Chriftians, to 
 come to this fimple thefis and pnjltion ; it is no matter what 
 I profefs of religion, if my life is not anfwerable to it, if 
 there be not a love to God, and my neighbour, and to mine 
 own foul ; there is no life nor power in my profeffion of 
 religion. I will reft fatisfied in the meafure of knowledge 
 that God hath given me ; I muft not do to my neighbour 
 what I would not have my neighbour do to me; I muft be 
 upright and fincere towards God ; God will not accept of 
 any worfhip from me, when I am unclean in body and 
 in mind too ; we muft fee that we be purified, for God will 
 not accept of an offering from an unclean heart ; you cannot 
 bring a clean thing out of an unclean^ faith our Lord Jefus 
 
 Chnft, 
 
the true MARK of a ChRISTIA^T. 12^ 
 
 Chrift, the great preacher of tmth and righteoufnefs ; I muflr 
 firfi make the tree goody before the fruit will be fo ; you and 
 I are thefe trees ; till we have fomething good in ourfelves, 
 we cannot bring forth good fruit. 
 
 Therefore you muft have refped to the principle of fanc- 
 tification in your own hearts, and turn to what you may 
 feel an experience of in yourfelves, fome principle of grace 
 and light in your hearts, that can diftinguilli- between good 
 thoughts and evil thoughts. Is this good for me to do ? I 
 will go on in it with faith and courage ; but if it be evil, I 
 will not touch it, though there be profit and pleafure to 
 allure and draw me to it; I wijl not touch it, though I 
 might gain the world by it. 
 
 Here is Chriftianity with life and foul in it ; v/e have been 
 fcandalized as if we preached up error for juftification : ^e 
 fay there is no juftification without fandification ; fo you 
 that know the power, live in it ; and you that defire to 
 know, turn your minds to the light and grace of God, 
 and you will feel the power that will oppofe fin in its 
 motion, and it will never trouble you in its ad: and workings. 
 If I would not do ill to my neighbour, and I judge fuch a 
 motion when it is fuggefted, it will never trouble my con- 
 fcience, becaufe when the devil moved me to it, I rejeded 
 it, I would not follow him. It is no fm to be tempted; 
 for our Saviour, that was perfedly holy, and free from all 
 fm, was yet tempted ; he had motions in his mind, but he 
 withftood them, and refifted the devil in all his temptations ; 
 Chrift was tempted that he might be able to fuccour us 
 when we are tempted; and he will do it for all thofe that 
 wait for him. 
 
 Therefore, friends, truft in the name of the Lord, and 
 you fhall feel the ftirrings of that power, that hath called 
 you out of dark?tefs into the marvellous light of the fun of 
 righteoufnefs wherein you live, and which will ftiine to his 
 immortal glory and praife, and the everlafting comfort of 
 your immortal fouls. 
 
 SERMON 
 
VS E R M O N XL 
 
 The Spirit of Christ the only true Guide. 
 
 Preac/ied at GracE'ChurcH'Street, October lOy i^go. 
 
 O U that are met together in the name of the Lord, 
 and have your expedation from God, and are re- 
 ally waiting to receive a bleffing from his boun- 
 tiful hand ; you are they to whom -the Lord will com- 
 municate the good things of his kingdom, and inftrud: 
 you in the divine knowledge which the wifdom of this 
 world cannot find out ; you (hail have your portion in the 
 bleffings prepared for you, and laid up in Chrift for you, 
 to be handed forth to you from d^^y to day for your fup- 
 port. And hereby you have been preferved and kept alive 
 unto this day. Yor have received your nourilliment, and 
 divine and fpiritual refrefhment, aiv/ays in the preience of 
 God y when vou have been out of his prefence yoii have 
 met with troubles, and darknefs hath gendered upon your 
 minds, and veiled and clouded your underftcvidings, that 
 you have been fometimes in danger to lofe vour way, un- 
 til you have returned again unto the great fliepherd and 
 overfeer of your fculs, by ivkofn ycu have had accefs unto 
 God. You that have had thefe experiences, O let your 
 hearts and fouls be engaged to continue together in one 
 heart and one mind, iervmg the Lord and waiting upon 
 liim for fomething that may do you good ; that may ftrength- 
 en and confirm you in the blelTed truth. ^ 
 
 For there are a great many that are convinced, that do 
 yet want eftabiifhment : There are a ^reat many that know 
 the truth, yet cannot be brought to abide in it, but are 
 fometimes drawn out of it, and then they meet with trou- 
 ble in their minds, and diftrefs atid angmjii lay hold upon 
 thern, and they do not enjoy that tranquillity and peace, 
 and that^ in\xard joy which they believe others do enjoy 
 at the fame time ; and which they might have enjoyed 
 if they had abode ftedfaft in the truth. Now what is it 
 that will cftabiiih fuch a one, but their waiting upon God 
 
 to 
 
The Spirit of Christ the only true Guij>e. iiy 
 to receive power from him to refift the temptations, and 
 the manifold wiles and fnares of their fours enemy, where- 
 by they are daily in danger to be drawn away from God j 
 drav/n out of the ^^ay ? 
 
 You icnow, friends, liow the Lord brought us into this 
 exercife of Waiting upon him., by making us fenfible that 
 there was none could help us but him. Teachers we have 
 dways had, and men that have fpoken of God, fpoken 
 of his power, and fpoken of his wifdom ; but how to 
 dwell in that 'power, and frand eftabliihed in it, fo as at 
 ail times to refift the power of the wicked one, is what 
 ho man can help us to ; and upon this account it was, 
 that th-e Lord's people were fain to cleave clofe to him, 
 and bv "faith to have their dependence upon him; and 
 cry in'their fouls, Lord, unlefs thou efcabiifh me, I fhali 
 never be eftabliihed. 
 
 The confirming power that ftays and fettles their minds 
 upon the Lord, it comes from him, it is handed to us 
 through the Lord Jefus Chrift, whom we have believed in ; 
 they that kept their faith in him have had longings and 
 breathings of fpul, that they might receive fome divine 
 bleiTmgs by him, and through him. So that they that meet 
 together in this mind, they^ find afettlement in the truth, as 
 it is manifefted ^nd revealed in them, and goes down into 
 the deep where unity is known, v/here they are of one mind, 
 and the foul is made capable of putting forth ftrong cries 
 to God, and living breathings and prayers to God, that he 
 will teach them, how they fhall profit, how they fhali 
 grow, how they ftiall fefve him, and honour him in their 
 dav ; that he >y/ill reveal his power in them, to expel any 
 darknefs or veil that hath been gatheted upon their .minds, 
 that doth hinder them from beholding fo much glory and 
 excellency in the truth, and in the ways of God, as fome 
 they have beheld. And fo tliefe are travellers that are tra- 
 velling with the Lord 4U faith, to receive a bieiling at 
 his hands. Their minds are not left to this, or that, or 
 the other man, or to m.eer words or vifible things ; but 
 thev feel the word of truth anfwering the truth in them- 
 felves; and they receive a comfort and benefit, becaufe they 
 find a bieiling "to -arife in them, Thefe words reach my 
 
 foul 
 
128 The Spirit of Christ the only true Guide. 
 ^ foul ; thefe adminifter help to me, and I am comforted 
 in them, becaufe I find thofe works working in me, or 
 wrought in me. 
 
 For, alas ! my friends, many of you know, that there 
 are fome who hear the word, and the declarations in the 
 word are but founds unto thofe who have no experience 
 of t«he work that is fignified by the word ; many fuch peo- 
 ple do hear the lovely found, and they are affected ma- 
 ny times to hear talk of the work of regeneration, and of 
 the enjoyments of God's people, and how they are borne 
 up in all their trials by an inward and divine power, and 
 how they are always kept alive to God, and prefer ved in 
 his living prefence ; but this doth not bear them up in a 
 time of trial j but if a trial or an afflidion comes, they 
 fink under it, and they are filled with anguiih and per- 
 plexity ; fo that the word barely heard fpoken, and not 
 rooted in the mind, doth not minifter to the work ; the 
 words fpoken do not carry that kind of operation upon 
 them as to witnefs an inward work wrought upon them. 
 But where there is an effectual work and operation in 
 the foul, it continues in its labour and travel from death to 
 life. And as thofe heavenly things, thofe divine operations 
 of God's power are fpoken of, there is an amen in your 
 fouls, faying as far as you have travelled, thus hath God 
 dealt with me, he hath indeed by his power carried fome 
 beyond my ftate and condition, and my faith is hereby 
 ftrengthened, and my hope is confirmed. He that hath 
 begun a good v/ork fo glorioufly in my foul, will carry on 
 his own work, and bring me to higher attainments, and 
 further experiences that fome of his fervants bear witnefs of. 
 So that now being exercifed, the work goes on, and the 
 fleafure of the Lord profpereth in Chrijlians, that when 
 they meet together in the name of the Lord., they know for 
 themfelves that the Lord is prefent with them, they know 
 what the word of the Lord is unto them ; if they hear the 
 V/ord preached to another ftate and condition, yet they 
 abide in and keep that which makes manifeft to them in 
 their own flate : And this fuffers not the foul to be carried 
 away with the word, and fight and vifion of a higher ftate 
 than their faith can witnefs to j and they keep low, and hum- 
 ble 
 
^ The Spirit of Christ the only true Guive, izc^ 
 ble and tender, and have a care of their own fouls ; as the 
 apoftle when he was come to glorious and high attainments 
 in the work of the Lord, yet he would not glory of any thingy 
 but what the grace of God v/rought in him : \^e do not 
 boaft of things that are not wrought in us. 
 
 It is pofTible for the creature to gather in, and comprehend 
 the form of things, that they have not the work of in them ; 
 and a great many have done lo to their great damage, and 
 fome, it is to be feared, to their utter ruin. They have 
 com.prehended high things, and the notions of great attain- 
 ments j they have heard them declared and (poken of thus, 
 and fo fome have in their fpeculations declared to others 
 their conceptions about thofe things, yet thofe things 
 were never Wrought in them , they could preach of humili- 
 ation, when the root of pride was not removed ; they could 
 preach of regeneration, and the old man not put off, and 
 the new man created in righteoufnefs not put on. All this 
 kind of preaching hath been in the world, and is ftiU too 
 much in the world, but it hath not produced and brought 
 forth any profit and advantage to the foul, either to preach- 
 er or hearer j for it hath not been accompanied with a 
 divine and heavenly blelTing; but the true miniftry ordained 
 of God brings forth a work of holinefs and righteoufneis in 
 the foul. 
 
 And therefore every one that God hath thus reached, 
 and hath opened your underftandings, and hath made you ca- 
 pable of comprehending and underftanding divine things, 
 take heed left by the fubtlety of Satan, and the wiles of 
 your great enemy, you be at any time lifted up, and exalted 
 in your minds, in the notion of the things that you have 
 not attained ; not that you Ihould- not fo underftand the 
 things of God that God openeth to you, as they are many 
 times opened to the creature, before the work of them is in 
 the heart of the creature : And why fo ? why are they 
 opened to me ? It is for diy encouragement, that if thou 
 doft hold on, and be ftedfaft in waiting upon the Lord, thefe 
 things God hath in ftore for thee. 
 
 Now the creature waits, and faith, though I have not at- 
 tained fuch things as I have Teen, yet the very fight of them 
 encourageth me to wait upon the Loi";d, that I may eYpe- 
 
 R ricnce 
 
ijo The Spirit of Christ the o-aly true Guide, 
 
 rience the witneis of them in myfelf: There are many that 
 have iome taue of great joy, and apprehenlions of heavenly 
 thi.ngs, which they have not attained, but they know what 
 thev are waiting upon God for^ not that they may have a 
 little joy, which padeth through them, but come to have 
 that joy and trariquillity which will accompany them in all 
 their doings, and their whole converiation. God hath open- 
 ed muny things to you, and you have feen the way of righ- 
 teoulnefs which he hath can: up for you j and many have 
 taken ftrait fteps to themi elves, till they have attained to 
 i'ay, novo ray falvation is nearer than when latfirji believed, 
 'Let fuch go on and follow that guide by which they have 
 been 'directed, and they fhall at laft attain to a further ilate, 
 not only to know that their falvation is now nearer than 
 when they at firft believed, but that they may come through 
 the Divine Spirit of grace that they followed, and To clofely 
 cleaved to, as their blefled guide in their way, to have an en- 
 trance adminiftered to them abundantly into the falvation 
 of God, whereby they may fit down, in the kingdom of 
 God, '^•ith Abraham, liaac and Jacob, and have a wall about 
 tliem, v.hich is the falvation of God. 
 
 Here is a great encouragement for fmners, and upright 
 ones, to follow on to know the Lord, and then they are 
 iure thev fhall know him, for thev fhall behold his ^lo- 
 ry, and their fouls ihaii be fatisiied, for nothing eife will 
 iati'«iy tliem. 
 
 People m.ay have great openings, and great difcoveries 
 of things, and may have delight and joy in the opening 
 of things, as it was with the difciplcs, when Chriil: our 
 Lord converfed with them in the ilefli ; he opened many 
 thin.^s to them, and thev had ereat iov and comfort in 
 thofe things which he opened to them, yet tnere was fome- 
 thing wanting to fufiice them. Philip laid unto Chrifl, 
 Lord fliew us the Father, and it fufficeth us : Jc/m xiv, 8. 
 There was fomething further to, be difcovered and reveal- 
 ed, fo that they could not find their fouls to be fatisfi- 
 cd and fufticcd, till they had it. Chrift gave them iuch 
 an anfwer as relates to that miniftration that we are now 
 under ; he that hath feen the Son, hath feen the Father. 
 Now they had feen Chrifl daily, and converfed V/ith him, 
 
 and 
 
The Spirit of Christ the only true Guide, iji 
 
 and had eat and drank with him in that fieihly and bodilv 
 appearance wherein he converfed with them ; but they had 
 not a light of the Eternal Son of God in a fpiritual man- 
 ner, as he was the Son of God, and their Saviour ; they 
 had not feen him fo. And he that hath feen Chrift in 
 a rpiritual manner, hath feen the Father alfo. 
 
 So it is with us in our day. Wq have, in our profef- 
 fion, the teaching of this and that man. 'Wq have con- 
 verfed with ChriO, as it were, to his fleflily appearance. 
 "VY^'e have read the hiitory of his blith, and of his hfe and , 
 great miracles, and of the great love he had to mankind, 
 by which he laid down his life for them. We have been 
 converfing with Chrift as to his fleOily manifeftation ; but 
 confider whether there doth not, till now, remain an empty 
 place in our fouls, fomething that is not fufficed and fa- 
 tisfied ? 
 
 W^hat would you have ? Have you not fcripture ? Read 
 you not there of the birth, hfe, death, refurredion and af- 
 cenfion of Chrift ? I would ftill have fomething more, 
 for that will not fuffice mej I would have pardon of fin, 
 and my peace with God, and the light of his cowntenance 
 Ufted up upon me^ and further m.anifeftations of Chrift to 
 my foul. X^e-can never fee the glory of God, but in 
 the face of Jefus Chrift. This is the difcovery that Chrift 
 makes to the foui that believeth in him j this is that which 
 gives fatisfaclion. 
 
 A Chriftian's work is to be converfing with him, and 
 exercifing his mind under the gathering and teaching of 
 him, that can lead him to the Father. None but Chrift 
 can do that, lead them to the Father, and ihew them the 
 Father ; and he hath in our day revealed himfelf, and maiie 
 himlelf manifeft by his fpirit, that fpirit, by which we 
 comxc to know his holy teaching, reproof and inftrudion, 
 daily difcovered in our fouls. The fpirit is our guide y 
 that fpirit we are led by, and are to walk in. Let men 
 go under Y7hat form and denomination they will, they that 
 ha^^e not the fpirit of Chrift y are none of his, until they 
 come to be guided by his fpirit. 
 
 People are not led into fin by the fpirit of Chrift ; 
 they will tell you theie are the devifs temptations, and 
 
 the 
 
rj2 The Spirit of Chrtst the only true Guid^. 
 
 the frailty of our nature, and the corruption of our hearts, 
 by which we are led into fin j it is not the fpirit of Chrift, 
 It would be a horrid thing for men to fay that the fpirit 
 of Chrift led them into fm ', there are ■ few or none fo 
 wicked as to fay fo. The bufinels we are to do in tha 
 v/orld is, to obey the will of God : And where the un* 
 derftandings of men are fo illuminated, that they are fa- 
 tisficd in their minds, that God hath been pleafed to give 
 them a manifeftation of the fpirit to profit withal ; all 
 thofe that have this fpirit of Chrid, are direded by it to 
 do the will of God, and to deny their own wills, and 
 the will of others, that would draw them from their du- 
 ty that they owe to God in their generation. 
 
 It is an excellent ftate and condition for a man to be 
 guided by the fpirit, and to be brought under the govern- 
 ment of Chrift, who is the way^ the truth^ and the hfe^ 
 So that they that come under this government, are direded 
 and pointed out every day to do the will of God. This 
 thou muft do, and God will be pleaded with thee ; and 
 this thou mayeil not do, for if thou doeft it, the Lord will 
 be angry with thee ; it is fin againft God. So that we 
 have a heavenly advantage of being taught of God by his 
 fpirit, to have the divine and heavenly teaching of the 
 fpirit of God revealed in us '■, if we are at a lofs, or make, 
 a Queftion, or difpute about a matter, the fpirit iviH lead 
 1/s into all truth, if we give up ourfeives to his guidance 
 and teaching. 
 
 This hath been our defire and labour many years, not 
 .to draw people to obferve what we fay 5 for who can 
 direct another man in all thinjis relating to the fervice of 
 God ? If we were ever fo certain ourfeives, we could not 
 convey certainty and infallibility upon all occafions to 
 another, if we Ihould fpeak ever fo much, and be ever fo 
 converfant with them. Therefore our work is, that all 
 people, in all things relating to their (ouls, might have re- 
 courfe continually to the infallible teacher and guide, which 
 God, through Jefus Chrift, hath made known to them. 
 If people be ruled by this, they cannot but live in unity, 
 and love one another ; they will not fall into malice, con- 
 tention, and hatred one againft another. It is impofiible 
 
 for 
 
The SpikiT of Christ the only true CutDE. Tj^ 
 for nations to make war, and deftroy one another, if they 
 would be guided by the unerring fpirit of Chrift ', fof 
 how fhould it contradid itfelf ? For how can any thing 
 agree with the ftandard of truth, which Chrift hath fet 
 up, that ads in contradiction to it ? For nothing is truth 
 but what concurs with it ; therefore it muft needs agree 
 With itfelf. If we be direded by the fpirit, we (hall call 
 that good v/hich is really good ; and that evil which is fo. 
 If there be thoufands direded by the fpirit of Chrift, which 
 leads into all truth, that v/hich is good to one, is fo to 
 all ; and that which is evil to one, is fo to all. We muft 
 firft know what is good, and then receive power to do it. 
 If we come to be inftruded by the unerring fpirit, to know 
 what is the good and acceptable will of God, we ihall re- 
 ceive daily power from him to do the will of God ', we 
 ihall all fpeak the fam^e thing, and be of the fame mind, 
 and hve in love and unity. There is no evil wilfully 
 done againft God, where the fpirit of Chrift, the gofpeV 
 fpirit, comes to prevail upon us ; it will bring us to a 
 peaceablenefs of fpirit, to live in love and unity. And 
 the great work we have in the world, will be to do the 
 good and acceptable will of God, both with refpcct to 
 our folemn v/orftiip of God, and our duties towards our 
 neighbours. Then there will be tranquillity, peace and joy, 
 and comfort to all the churches of Chrift that are under 
 his government. And it is given to the fons and daugh- 
 ters of men every where, when they come under the yoke 
 of Chrift, and take up a daily crofs, and live in felf- 
 denial j this will bring peace and concord amiong them. 
 
 Many will come to our meetings, and fpend a little 
 time to hear what we fay. Wq exhort them to give up 
 themfelves to the peaceable government of the fpirit of 
 Chrift, that will jinijh tranfgreffion, and make an end of 
 fin, and bring into the foul (where fm reigned) everlafting 
 righteoufnefs, W^here there is a great deal of pride, ma- 
 lice and envy, the fpirit of Chrift will root it up y and all 
 that evil that the enemy hath planted in men, he will 
 pluck it up, and bring in everlafting righteoufnefs, and 
 plant love in the fame foul, and eftabiiin and fettle it. 
 Such a one will have more joy, pleafure and delight, un- 
 der 
 
1^4 ^^'^ Spibit of Christ the only true Guide, 
 der the governmerr oF the ipirit of Chrift in one day, 
 than any one can have that is governed by the evil fpi- 
 rit in a thou fan d days. 
 
 You fay t/ie rnantfeftation of the Spirit ts given to every 
 man to profit vjithal ; whac pront fhall we get I How doth 
 it appear, that the manifertation of the Spirit is given to pro- 
 fit withal ? Bccaufe there is that life and grace ftirring in 
 the heart that makes it profitable, and truth doth fo prevail, 
 that it makes us do thofe things that are good and pro- 
 fitable, and to avoid tho''e things that are reprovable. If thou 
 woulded: hearken to the ipirit, that is the reprover, that 
 convinceth of fin, thou mud turn away thy mind from that 
 which will lead into thofe things that are reproveable, 
 otherv/ife thou wilt be under condemnation in thine own 
 l>ofom. 
 
 ^"hen the Spirit of God ijluminates men to fee fm, the 
 evil of fin, he wiU give them power againfi: it ; but when 
 they come to receive poY'er atainft it, and ftedfaftnefs in the 
 ways of God, v/hat wi!' be the effecl of that t If I become 
 righteous, and live a holy iiie, and my companions be wicked, 
 they will mock nie, and reproach me, what benefit ihall I 
 have by being righteous ? I iee evidently I fiiall lofe many 
 advantages Vv'hich I mdght oiherwife reap, and reach with 
 mine own hand. I muft for^'ake my profits and pleafure, 
 and other dehehts of this v/orld. 
 
 The difciples faid to Ghrift, we have forfaken all, and 
 followed thee ; what Ihall we have ? People before they 
 would forfake all would have fomething in the room 
 of it- Ghrift tells them, that he that hath forfaken all^ 
 father and mother, brother a7zd fifter, and lioufe and land, 
 for his name fake, fnall have In this life an hundred fold, 
 and in the world to come, eternal life, W\\2X is the mean- 
 ing of that, they fliall have in this life an hundred fold ? 
 Ghrift that is truth itfelf, that cannot lie, hath promifed, 
 that they that forfake all, fhall receive an hundred fold : 
 Now people are ready to grafp at it ; they think it is fome- 
 thing that will anfwer the lofs of what they part withal ; what 
 thou receiveft in this promife'; m/aft not be of the fam^e fort 
 and kind with thofe things thou aicx^i part withal \ but when . 
 thou haft parted with all for Ghrift's fake, and the gofpel, 
 
 thou 
 
The Spirit cf Ciirist the only true Guide, ij^ 
 
 thou fhalt receive that which thou fhait acknowledge is an 
 hundred fold better, and will make thee an hundred fold 
 richer and happier, and it v/ill give thee an hundred fold 
 more than all that thou hafl parted with could give thee. 
 
 If we part with fin, we part with that which brings bon- 
 dage and fear of death ; having parted with that, then thy 
 fear and bondage is gone, and thou lived then the reft of 
 thy life-time at liberty : But this is not all, tliou liveft in the 
 enjoyment of the favour of God, thou ihalt have the fenfe of 
 his love, and the comfort of his Holy Spirit, and you lliall 
 live in peace and righteoulnefs, and treafure up to yom-f elves, 
 glory, honour.^ ijmnortallty ^ and eternal Ufe ; whereas before 
 you did treafure up only ivrath againfl the day of wrathy 
 and the re^oelatio'n of the righteous pidgyneiit of God ; thou (halt 
 receive an hundred fold, that which is an hundred fold better. 
 Thofe that part with the things that are reprovable, iind do 
 what Chrift in his day performed, the good and acceptable 
 will of God, the enjoyments that he hath in Chrift, and the 
 comfort, peace and tranquillity he. enjoys, is an hundred- 
 fold better and more delightful than all the pleafures of fin, 
 and the pleafures and delights of ftiows, and fights and plays, 
 and comedies, which vain men entertain themfelves with 
 in their carnal ftatc. A carnal man cannot underftand and 
 difcern the things of God, and the pleafures diat are to be 
 had in his holy ways ; he only looks at the things that: 
 are feeny which are temporal^ and not at the things that 
 are not feen, ivhlcli are eternal. 
 
 But, my friends, thofe things which are imfeen, are not 
 fo unfeen, but that when a man hath an eye opened within ' 
 him of the fame nature with thofe things, he can fee them: 
 Blefled be God that we have an eye opened to fee fpiritual 
 things, to fee the heavenly treafure, and enjoy it in thefe 
 earthen vefTels. 
 
 For all that have an ear to hear, it would be a profitable 
 change to part with all that is evil in the fight of God, and 
 put themfelves under the yoke of Chrift, and receive a prin- 
 ciple of grace which he will comxmunicate to them, that they 
 may do the good and acceptable will of God, and fo may 
 enjoy an hundred fold, and have comfort, peace, and joy 
 before they go hence^ and are rro more fecn. 
 
 You 
 
ij5* The Spirit of Christ the only true Guide, 
 
 You to whom God hath To gracioufly and mercifully ap- 
 peared, that have an underftanding, and a tafte and feeling 
 of thole things which are divine and fpiritual, and ivhick 
 -pertain to life and godlinefs ; of all the people in the 
 world, you are an engaged people to ferve the Lord ; great 
 obligations He upon you, that you fhould abide and continue 
 in that which God hath revealed and difcovered to you ; I 
 mean grace : For you will never grow, till you be under 
 the government of the grace of God, that grace that ap* 
 peared to you before you came to the knowledge of God 
 and his ways, that hath been with you in your travel from 
 death to life, and from darknefs to light. Prize it as a 
 heavenly jewel, as that which contains in itfelf all thofe 
 things that your foul ftands in need of. If you have any 
 ftrength to refift temptation, it is from the grace of God 
 that you receive power to withfland temptations ; if you 
 have any living openings in your hearts, it comes to you 
 from that grace that is in Chrift. When this, and that, and 
 the other prophecy of the prophets of old is opened to 
 you, prophecying and foretelling that ftate and condition 
 which yoti are travelling towards, how the Lord will Tub- 
 due your enemies under you, you are encouraged hereby 
 to go on cheerfully in your way, to that reft which you 
 are travellings to. 
 
 There are many of thofe that believe the truth, who are 
 not come to eftabliihment ; and they will find the reafon and 
 caufe in themfelves. Do but ask and enquire how it comes 
 to pafs, that fuch and fuch are eftabiiilied, and not rubje<^ to 
 fear, and horror, and perplexity, as I am ? a little thing will 
 turn m,e over, and fhake and unfettle my mind ; this hath 
 been the caufe, want of keeping clofe to the grace of 
 God in your converfation in the world. When you, and 
 your children, and fervants are governed by the grace of 
 God in all you undertake, then the devil will endeavour 
 to bring you into darknefs, and bring difcompofure upon 
 your fpirits ; for the purpofe of Chrift Jefus, our Savi- 
 our, is to fettle you -, and the purpofe of the deftroyer 
 is, to difcompofe and unfettle you, and to marry you to 
 this and the other changing thing ; if he can fix your 
 hearts upon this and that objed, then there is inftability 
 
 upon 
 
The Spirit of Christ the only true Guide, ijy 
 
 upon the foul j take away that thing, and it brings dif- 
 turbance upon you. If thou haft any objed that thy mind 
 is fet upon, thou wilt be much difturbed at the parting 
 with it j but whofe fault is that ? The truth manifefted 
 unto thee from the beginning of' thy converfion, did en- 
 gage thee to feparate thyfelf from all vifible, fenfibie things, 
 that God might have thy heart and chief love. If he had 
 been thy God, nothing could difquiet thee, when fepa- 
 rated from thee. If ye will have other Gods befides" him, 
 you will lofe your Gods ; and when they are taken from 
 vou, you will be like Alicah, and fay, ye have taken av:ay 
 my Godsy and what have I more ? Judg. viii, 2,4. The 
 reafon of your diicompoHare, and anguiih, and iorrow, 
 was this J when you had fome other Gods belides the 
 Lord, and your hearts did cleave to fome temporary thnig, 
 and the trial came that you had to part with it, you could 
 not bear it. 
 
 If you would live a ferene life, a life of tranquillity, fet 
 vour minds upon nothing but upon the Lord, let him be 
 the objed of your fouls love ', live in the light of his coun- 
 tenance, and you may always rejoice : Confider, as for tem.- 
 porals, you hold them of the Lord , God gives you this 
 hufband, that wife, that child, that eftate, God hath entruft- 
 ed you with it ? but not fo, but he that hath it muft part 
 with it, and be bereaved of it when God pieafeth. Now, 
 if you give up your hearts to God, here will be your efta- 
 bliiliment and fettlement, and you will have an abundant 
 entrance i?ito the everlajhng khigdom of our Lord and Saviour 
 Jefus Chrifl. And would we feek to know and feel wherein 
 the communion of the faints ftands ; doth it not ftand in 
 partaking together of the bread of life, which our father 
 giveth us from Heaven ? The father fpreads a table for us in 
 the fight of our enemies, and we are fatisfied. They tihat 
 come to partake of this table of the Lord, find ftrength 
 and refrefhment ; fo do I, and alfo my brethren and fifters 
 thAt fit at the fame table, "^e are daily confirmed and 
 ftrengthened by what we receive from God, and enjoy 
 there ; here is our heavenly fellowihip and fociety ; and 
 where there is this root of love, love cannot be wanting 
 in the branches : There muft be a departing from the -bread of 
 
 S life, 
 
ijS FuRE end Spiritual JForship. 
 
 life, before there can be any jarring and contention among 
 the members of the fame body, for we receive life from the 
 fame head, from vjliick all the hody^ by joints and hands^ 
 having 720iirifnmtnt tuinifteredy are kint together, and encreafe 
 ijoith the encreafe of God, and are hziilt upon the foundation 
 of the apofles and prophets, Jefus Chrijt himfelf being the 
 chief Corner-Stone^ in ivhom all the building fitly framed to- 
 gether, grciveth unto a Holy Temple in the Lord, 
 
 Now that you may be all preferved in Chrift, this is the 
 end of our labour, that fo every one that hath begun in the 
 fpirit, may go on in the fpirit, and never look for perfection 
 in the 9ytih : That you that have begun in humility, tender- 
 nefs, and brokennefs of heart, may in that meet together at 
 times and feafons, and have daily the pre.^ence of God 
 among you, and have the bread of life, which will nourifh 
 you to life everlafting, and that you may iliev/ forth to the 
 world, th^ trlorv, briv^htnefs, and excellency of that holy 
 life, which in Chrift Jcfus is manifefted to you. 
 
 S E R M O N XIL 
 Pure and Spiritual Worship. 
 
 Preached at Devon SUIKE-Hov SE, November 12^ i6c)6. 
 
 r I 1 H E worfnip of God, of the Great God, is pure ; 
 I he is a holy God, of purer eyes than to behold ini- 
 -^ quity ; and all they who will worfhip God, whofe 
 fouls are breathing to have a return of a teftim.ony in his 
 fight, muft offer up pure worfhip, and it muft come from 
 that which is pure : For that purpofe, the greatnefs of the 
 love of God is 'made m.anifeft in Chrift Jefus ; and there 
 is a diiTufing of his grace and virtue in the hearts of the fons 
 and daughters of men, whereby he hath laid a foundation for 
 his own worihip j becaufe his worihip muft be pure. 
 Therefore he hath freely given unto us, through his fon, 
 the knowledge of that pure principle of life and grace, from 
 whence, and out of which, all true worihip doth fpring, 
 and all true honour to God arifeth ', and real obedience to his 
 
 holy 
 
Pure and Spiritual Worship. jj9 
 
 holy will rprings forth out of that which is from himfelf. 
 
 And therefore all that will be worlhippers of God aright, 
 muft firft know and be fenfible wherein the ability and capa- 
 city ftands, that may enable them to do To great and fo good a 
 work. Some have conceived it to Hand in their own will, 
 and according to the working of their own will, they have 
 framed worfhips, religions, and obfervations, thinking there- 
 by to pleafe God : But you know the apoftle in a fev/ fhort 
 words, Jays down a pofitive Chriftian dodrine, ivit/iout. 
 faith it is impojjible to pleafe God. 
 
 Now this doth declare and fignify, that there muft be 
 fomething upon which this faith muft work, that muft be 
 the objed: and foundation of it : Faith as it worketh in 
 the creature, worketh upon fomething j it lays hold on 
 fomething in which there is a capacity of plealing God. 
 Now if we are all by nature children of ivrath, and that 
 no one of himfelf can pleafe God, then thefe muft be 
 fomething that is fupernatural, that muft be the objecl of 
 that faith by which men alone can pleafe Godj and this 
 muft be made manifeft to the creature for its help, to be 
 its diredlor and fup porter in that work that is too mighty 
 for himfelf, too great a work for a man or woman, too 
 deep, too profound for any man's abilities, power, wifdom, 
 and acquirements, that he can attain to in this world, to wor- 
 ftiip God aright. To worlhip God, that is to perform a pure 
 Worfhip to a pure God j who can bring a clean thing out of 
 an unclean <' Now if we are all obliged to bring a clean wor- 
 fhip, a pure worlhip to a pure and holy God, v/ho hath 
 created us and all things, where ftiall we have it ? Not out 
 of an unclean heart, not out of a defiled mind; there is no 
 bringing it forth from thence, for that is tlie ftate and con- 
 dition that men are fallen into by fin, in which their mjnds 
 and confciences are defiled, their hearts are polluted, and 
 their affediions depraved and fet upon wrong obje(5ls ; and 
 in this ftate none can ferve God aright : That which is pure 
 and holy muft be firft made known, revealed, difcovered, 
 and believed, before people can perform a right worlhip to 
 God. 
 
 And therefore in vain is it, to go and drive people to this 
 and that worlliip, and force people to this and that fervicc 
 
 and 
 
j/1,0 Pure and Spiritual IForship. 
 
 and conformity, upon the account of the worfhip of God. 
 This is vain \(^orihip ; v/hen they have done all, it is not 
 acceptable to God ; the poor creature hath no return from the 
 Lord, for God accepts no fervice or worfhip, but only 
 through his Son. And if fo be, men cannot pray and preach 
 in the fpirit of his Ton, and cannot prefent their complaints 
 and fupplication to God, but by the alFiftance and help of 
 his bleffed Spirit, there is no reafon in religion why people 
 fhould exped; a return and aniVer from God of the prayers 
 they make. For it is the general doctrine of Chriftendom, 
 thac Chrift Jefus is appointed of God for a Mediator be- 
 tween God and man, and all the acceptance we have, or ' 
 deiire to have, muft be through him : And therefore if we 
 pray without him, and perform this and the other duty 
 without him, it is contrary to the doftrine of Chriftianitv, 
 to think that ever we fhould have acceptance in God's fight. 
 
 Therefore there is a necefnty for every man and woman 
 that defires to be religious, that hath a religious mind, and 
 is willing to worfhip God, and ferve God aright, there is a 
 neceiTity that they come to the knowledge of Chrift, who 
 tells us that he is the way to the Father. They that go any 
 other way, 2^0 a wrong way; but they that go unto God by 
 Chrift, they do receive from him power to draw near to 
 God ; and throudi him they receive from God all thofe 
 bieiTings that their fouls ftand in need of. 
 
 So here would be an end of all religions the world is 
 full of i of all the feveral worihiips that men have made. 
 They have invented and found out feveral ways for peo- 
 ple to worfhip and ferve God. This and the other ce- 
 remony ; this land the other obfervation and method of 
 preaching and praying. If all this be without the affiftance 
 and divine help of the Mediator, through whom alone 
 we can juftly exped acceptance at God's hands, it is all 
 good for nothing. Therefore the firft leffbn of a Chriftian 
 in point of worihip, is, that he come to the knowledge 
 of Chriil, by whom, and through \<'hom, he may expecl 
 iavour with God. 
 
 Now iome people fay, we are already come to the 
 knowledge of Chrift ; we have read the relation in the 
 goTpci of his conception J birth, life and death^ refurrec- 
 
 tion 
 
Pure and Spiritual Worship, 141 
 
 tion and afcenfion. Now where this beUef doth give a man 
 this kind of Chriftian knowledge^ it doth open a door and 
 way for him into the prefence of God. This is a queftion 
 that ought ferioufly to be confidered ; for if we err in 
 this qiieftion, we err in all : This is like (tumbling at the 
 threihold, and never coming into the houfe. If we miftake 
 in laying hold of Chrift, we miftake in our worfhip, and 
 in ail matters that relate to life and falvation. 
 
 For if we muft have another fort of knowledge of ChriH-, 
 than we can have from the reports of others ; if I muft 
 have Chrift revealed in me before I can have the hope of 
 glory ; if I muft have the fpirit of Chrift in me, to help 
 me to put up my requefts and fupplications, before he 
 can prefent them to the Father, then all literal knowledge 
 and faith cannot ftand men in any ftead ; this is evident 
 by the teftimony of all the writers of the New Tefta- 
 ment. Chrift and his apoftles did concurrently fignify, 
 that the hope of a Chriftian, the power and ftrength of a 
 Chriftian^ all lies in this, that they had known the reve- 
 lation of Chrift, and the powerful operation of the fpirit 
 working in them ; this was that which was well pleaftng 
 to God. Many fcriptures might be fpoken of, but you 
 knov/ the fcriptures, and can read them, and fee in them 
 the concurrent teftimony of all holy men to this day, that 
 the knowledge they had of Chrift was a divine knowledge, 
 a fpiritual knowledge ; it was a knowing him after the 
 fpirit ; it was a revelation of Chrift in them, that fepa- 
 rated and diftinguifhed them from reprobates ; even the 
 knowledge of God through Jefus Chrift their Lord. Why 
 Ihould not we come to this knowledge as well as they ? 
 The Lord is the fame, and his power is the fame, and 
 his arm zV Jiot fhortened. "V7e may fee as much need of 
 divine aftlftance, and divine love, as ever men did ; we 
 can perform no duty, either of prayer or preaching, with- 
 out divine aftlftance ; not fo much as a figh or groan, 
 that may have acceptance with God, without the help of 
 his Spirit. 77;^ Spi'nt helpeth our i?2firmities, for vce knovj 
 not what vje Jliould pvdiy for as we ought^ but the Spirit 
 itfelf maketh mtercejl-oii for us with Q^roanings which cannot 
 be uttered : Rom, viii, 26. If we go about the duty of 
 
 prayer 
 
1^2 Pure and Spiritual Worship, 
 
 prayer without divine ailiftance, we fee what fad v/ork 
 we make of it ; if we pray not in the fpirit, and with the 
 underftanding, how can we receive the thing we pray for ? 
 But if we pray in the fpirity and vjith the under flan ding 
 cilfoy then the fotrit helps our infirrmties ; the fpirit that 
 came from God brings us the things we ftand in need of. 
 
 So that a Chriftian hath a foundation for his worfhip 
 and Chriilian performance ; what is that foundation ? 
 Nothing that is corrupt, if it be, it is good for nothing; 
 for nothing that is corrupted and that detiies, can be ac- 
 ceptable and pleafmg to God ; we are all polluted and 
 dehled by nature ; how can carnal men worfhip a Spiri- 
 tual God ? Carnal men that are in death and darknefs, 
 cannot worihip that God that is light, and dwells in light, 
 that is inacceilible, that is of purer eyes than to behold 
 iniquity. Carnal men want a foundation for their wor- 
 fhip, and will until they come to that foundation that 
 God hath laid. 
 
 Now, that I may fpeak intelligibly what the Lord hath 
 laid upon my heart, I would fay thus : There is an u- 
 niverfal benefit and privilege diuributed and given free- 
 ly of God, unto the fons and daughters of men, in their 
 natural ftate, through his Son, Jeius Chrift, in that he 
 hath caufed his light to fhine, and his grace to be extend- 
 ed to every man ', for the grace of God, which bringeth 
 falvation (for it is not by works) hath appeared unto all 
 men, and bringeth light, by which every man m.ay fee 
 how to worihip God ? God hath enlightened every man, 
 and this light comes by Chrid: the Mediator ; this Medi- 
 ator is the way that men muft walk in, if they will 
 come back again to God ; for men are run out and de- 
 parted from God ; if men will draw near to God, and 
 take fome foot-fteps towads the kingdom of God, from 
 the kingdom of fm and fatan, they muft mind the way, 
 the way m^uft be their director, they mud not go which 
 way they lift. 
 
 This is that which was prophefied ofChrift; faith God, hy 
 the prophet Ifaiah, I iv ill give him for a leader, I would fain 
 return to God, and go out of the kingdomof lin and iatan, to 
 the kingdom of God : God hath given Chriil to lead me ; if 
 
 kne\(r 
 
Pure and Spiritual Worship. 14^ 
 
 knew what way he Would lead me in, I would go that way. 
 As foon as a man takes hold of Chrift, his grace, and fpi- 
 rit, and life, he will be ready to fay, I am corrupt ; my 
 fenfes are corrupt, my mind is depraved, my confcience 
 defiled and polluted ; but I have found out fomething 
 that God hath beftowed upon me, that is effential, holy 
 and pure, that did never confent to my corruption, but is a 
 witnefs for God againtl it : Here noY/ a Chriftian lays hold 
 on Chrift, the leader ; which way will he lead me ? If 
 thou lay eft hold of this guide, he will lead thee out of evil, 
 he will teach thee to ceafe to do evil, and fpeak evil : This 
 light will lead thee to nothing that will dishonour God, or 
 defile thine own foul : But this is not all, we muft not 
 only ceafe to do evil, but we muft be doing fomething ; 
 there muft be a breaking off from pride, foolifh jejtlng\ evil 
 co?nmimLcatlon ; but this is not all that he will lead me to ; 
 let us learn that lefTon, ceafe to do evil. This dodrine was 
 preached before Chriftianity was preached, as it is now 
 preached ; the prophets of old preached this dodrine to 
 the Jews that were under an outward adminiftration, ceafi* 
 td do evily and learn to do vjell^ then I will plead with you, 
 and difcourfe with you, faith the Lord : Come 7ioiv, let us 
 reafoii together, faith the Lord, though your fins be as fear- 
 lety they fhall be as white as fnow ; ^f^bougk they be red liks 
 cri'ivfon^ they fhall be as ivool. 
 
 This is the firft leffon that a true Chriftian learns in his 
 turning to God, in his change and tranflation, to ceafe frG?n 
 that which is evil: Here is a ceffation of rebellion, and 
 here is fome hopes of being reconciled to God ; a man hath 
 been a rebel againft his Maker, but he hath now received 
 help to refift thofe temptations that prevail over him : But 
 there is no worfhipping yet, there is a forward mind in men 
 to do fomething that is pleafing to God j but there are 
 fome that are not troubled at all for their evil wavs, and 
 dread not God's anger, but make a mock at fm, that draw 
 others to it, and make themfelves merry in it: And there is 
 a fort fo far touched with a divine fenfe of God's love to 
 them, that they have alfo a ((^a^'o. of his anger and indigna- 
 tion, becaufe of their fin ; and the^z would be fain out of his 
 anger; and who can blame them? \fhen a man feels the 
 
 anger 
 
144- Pure and Spiritual Worship, 
 
 anger of God burning like a fire in his bofom, who can 
 blame that man if he defire peace with God ? If he be under 
 a fenfe of the difpleafure and indignation of the Almighty, 
 he muft nothafte too foon out of that condition he is brought 
 into^ for this is God's purpofe, and this is the fruit of all 
 his troubles and a^ictions, to take away fm : God hath no 
 other end or defign in the affliction that is upon him, 
 than to take away fin ; when God hath brought a people 
 into a diftreded and dejeded ftate for their lin, the fruit that 
 God expecls, is the taking aivay of ^leirjin, and he will hide 
 pride from them, and hum_ble them before him ; if this be 
 the purpofe of God, that he intends to purge and purify his 
 people ; then faith the poor creature, if God defign to pu- 
 rify me from fin, then I will pray to God to fupport me, 
 and bear me up under his indignation : That is the cry of 
 the foul that he may not be brought too foon from under 
 the judgment of God, but may be fupported and hid in 
 the hollow of God's hand, until the time of remifTion and 
 rcfrefhing comes, that he may behold the light of God's 
 countenance. 
 
 Here is encouragement for every one that is acquainted 
 with this divine principle of grace, that will be led by it, 
 and follow it To far as to be led out of evil ; then they will 
 be fitted to do fomething in the work of God ; every figh 
 and groan that thou haft the afTiflance of the fpirit of 
 God to help thee in, is a part of worfhip : All thy broken- 
 nefs of heart is part of worfhip ; hereby thou acknowledg- 
 efl: the great God, that he is able to help thee on in thy 
 way, and to pardon thy iniquity, and blot out thy tranf^ 
 greiTion, and give thee all thofe heavenly blefTings that thy 
 foul doth ftand in need of. Then thy foul will bow 
 down to God in acls of holy worfhip, and fay, with a 
 humble confidence and expeclation, God will do all thofe 
 things in me, and for me, that will promote m_y falvati- 
 on. It is nothing in religion for people to go from pray- 
 ing and preaching to finning ; but God muft have a holy 
 facrifice, and that muft come out of a pure heart. Now 
 when a man is brought by the help of God, and by the 
 divine aiTiftance of the Mediator, Jefus Chrift, to break off 
 from his fin, then he ftands fair to become a child of God, 
 
 and 
 
Pure and Spiritual Worship. 14^ 
 
 and to be a fervant of God, and to do fomething for God 
 in his generation, and to offer to God praiie and thankf- 
 giving, and to perform all other duties that God fliall lead 
 him into. 
 
 But fome will fay, what, muft not we do any thing ? I have 
 deeply weighed that queftion, what a poor man or woman 
 muft do, that is come out of bondage. There is a propenlity 
 in people to be doing, they would fain do fomething, they 
 would be doing ; they fay, what ihall I do ? If I do fome- 
 thing that pleafes not God, I had better let it alone ; and I 
 can do nothing acceptable to God without divine af- 
 fiftance : Such a one that fees his own impotency and 
 inability, will caft his care upon God, and will fay, the 
 Lord is able to lead me and guide me : I am ready to do thy 
 will, O God! Make it clear to me that this is thy will, 
 and that this is that which thou requireft ; I am ready to do 
 it, though it be a crofs to mine own will : He is ready to go 
 on in God's way, in the way of Chriftianity , fuch a one 
 that hath the true knowledge of Chrill:, if he fpeaks, the 
 Spirit of Chrift fpeaks in him ; if he prays, it is through the 
 affiftance of the Spirit of Chrift, through whom God alone is 
 appeafed and reconciled, and through whom they may re- 
 ceive a blefling from God's hands : But for men to run on 
 in their own wills, and to do a thing because they will do it, 
 they had better fit ftill ; this doing in their own wills, hath 
 filled the world with a fort of Chriftians that want accep- 
 tance with God, which is to be had alone through the Lord 
 Jefus Chrift ; and the want of the guidance of God's Holy 
 Spirit, is the mifery and downfal of Chriftianity in our days. 
 
 Therefore it is our work and bufinefs to build upon that 
 foundation which God hath laid j no worfhip is pleafing to 
 God, but that which arifeth from that fpring that is pure 
 and holy: If I Cc nnot find that which will keep me from 
 all pollution and defilement, if I cannot find that, I muft 
 ftay till I can ; to begin a worftiip and a religion without 
 I know that it is acceptable to God, is but loft labour, and 
 time fpent in vain. 
 
 Therefore, friends, let every one that defires to be reli- 
 gious, turn their mind inward, wait for the gift of God, 
 which is elfentially pure, that never did confent to evil, 
 
 T that 
 
1^6 Pure and Spiritual Worship, 
 
 that never mixed with the corruption of nature, but bears 
 Viatnefs to the hght, that will guide you and lead you, and 
 conduct you firil: out of fin ; then it will lead you into 
 that woriliip and religion, and the performance of thofc 
 things that are pleafmg to God. They that are come thus 
 to worihip, they do not only know what the Lord requires 
 of them, and v/hen he requires it of them, but they are given 
 up into the hands of God ; they pray, preach, exhort, 
 and live according to the will of God. 
 
 It is hard for people in a carnal ftate to believe this ; but 
 you that are believers, that are come to know the gift of 
 God in yourfelves, and the neceffity of being ruled by him, 
 you will believe us, for none elfe will believe us ; let us 
 preach to as many people and nations as we will, none will 
 receive us as true minifters, but thofe that have the tnath 
 in their own hearts j ,if there be any that defpifeth the grace 
 of God in his own heart, he hates that which chides and re- 
 proves him ; if there be fuch a man, he v/ill hate me becaufe 
 I am a minifter and a witnefs of the grace of God, and of 
 that truth in the inward parts, which is the ground and 
 foundation that man hath of acceptance with God. A 
 wicked, carnal wretch will fay, I hate fuch a one, I hate 
 the light, that which checks me, and witneffeth againftme; 
 thou art fuch a one as bearefl: witnefs againO: me, therefore 
 I hate thee : It is very true, it cannot be otherwife. Now 
 our defire and labour is, that men may com.e to the love 
 of the truth in themfelves. 
 
 You know there are a great many other minifters, whofe 
 labour is to perfuade people to believe what they fay ; to 
 lay down a dodrine, and prove it by fcripture and rea- 
 fon, and fet it home upon their minds by iuch tefiimony 
 as the fcripture affords, and hereupon thev prevail on the 
 minds and judgments of people, to beliv" c what they lay 
 down. 
 
 It is eafy to lay down a pofition, and prove it, and 
 convince people that it mud: be according to fcripture ; 
 but when a perfon is convinced of a principle of truth, 
 he is not regenerated thereby, and com^e to God ; therefore, 
 though he cannot deny the dodrine of truth in words, 
 yet he can deny it in works, and doih not rightly come 
 
 to 
 
Pure and Spiritual Worship. 14^ 
 
 to love it. If people would believe what we fay, and 
 obferve what argument, we bring to prove a pofition, 
 they may be convinced of the doctrine of truth, and come 
 to a profefllon of it, and yet be ftrangers to it, till they 
 come to love it in themfelves : If it were not for this, we 
 would leave preaching, if God had not given a meafure 
 and manifeftation of the fpirit to every man to profit withal. 
 You have it in yourfelves, we are but as monitors to you, 
 to put you in mind of it j you have To much bufmefs in 
 the world, that you have not had leifure to take notice 
 of it. 
 
 A man may have a rich jewel, and be poor notwith- 
 ftanding, till he come to know the value of it. 
 
 A man hath a rich and precious jev/el ; a pearl beifoXvcd 
 upon him, that would make him rich in faith and love 
 to God, and qualify him for the kingdom of God, and 
 make him an heir of it ; but he knows not, nor under- 
 ftands the value of it, and efteems it notj therefore God 
 hath raifed up minifters to put you in mind of it, that 
 you may be happy forever, and live in blelTednefs to all 
 ^Jet^rnity ; vj/iofoever hath an ear to hear^ let him hear ; and 
 when they hear what we fay, let them take the benefit of it 
 to their own fouls. Wq bring not truth to you, but God 
 hath beftowed it upon you ; you will be rich indeed, if 
 you do as a man that bought a field where the precious 
 pearl was, and digged till he found it. Come to the foun- 
 dation upon which you Ihould build all your hopes of 
 happinefs, and depend not upon your own works, or re- 
 ligious performances, for acceptance with God j for there 
 Is no acceptance with God, but only through Chrift, we 
 ""^^re only accepted of God through him. Thofe that will 
 become Chriffians indeed, and worfhip God as he hath or- 
 dained and appointed himfelf to be worfhipped, they mufi; 
 come to the principle of light and grace in their own hearts, 
 which they have in, and through Chrift, and they will find 
 acceptance with God. 
 
 SERMON 
 
SERMON XIII. 
 
 The Divine Life of Christ Jesus. 
 
 Freacked at GrACE-Church-Street, March iG, i6j>r. 
 
 TH E blefied life of Chrift is not of this world ; and 
 it ought to be your care in all your religious af- 
 femblies, that you be gathered into the inward, 
 feeling fenfe, of this divine life ; that you may feel your 
 feilowlhip and communion in that life of Chrift that is not 
 of this v/orld. And may all of you lay hold upon it ; for 
 this is the nourilhment and the heavenly bread, with which. 
 the children of the klfigdom are fed and ncurifrcd fiorn day 
 to day ; there are many that feed upon words, that are 
 not the children of the kingdom of God ; but the begot- 
 ten of God are come to know the virtue of the divine 
 life, Chrift Jefus ; their feeding and their nourifliment is 
 by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, 
 and they grow up to life eternal by that divine and hea- 
 venly gift, that God the Father hath befto wed upon them, 
 through his Son Jefus Chrift ; and they enjoy the com- 
 munion of faints, through this divine Head of the Church, 
 that communicates of his life and virtue through every mem- 
 ber, by which they are fandif.ed, and every day more and 
 more prepc.red for that living and eternal inheritance laid 
 up for the children of God. 
 
 And when there are a people that are thus gathered in- 
 to the life of the Lord Je^us Chrift, they are able to draw 
 nigh to God j they feel the power of entrance, becaufe 
 their ftn is removed that did formerly lie at the door ; 
 and the way is opened and con^'^ecrated for them to draw 
 nigh and partake of the table of the Lord, by which they 
 grow ftronger and ftronger in his might and power, and 
 are thereby enabled to perform the whole will of God, 
 and that divine worfliip and religious fervice, which God 
 requireth at their hands in their day. 
 
 For it is very certain, and we have found it by expe- 
 rience, that the word:> of our Lord to his difciples of old 
 
 are 
 
The Divine Life of Christ Jesus. i^ij 
 
 are true ; ivithout me (faith he) ye can do nothing. For 
 though people may meet together, and may pretend and 
 fet up a form of worfhip, and of religion in their own 
 wills, yet it all amounts to nothing, with refped to ac- 
 ceptance with the Lord ; there is no return in their fouls, 
 no addition of life, nor encreafc and growth of life ; they 
 are not nearer the kingdom than when they firft believed, 
 but many times further oif ; by leaning upon a formality, 
 and not really entering into the work of God, nor tra- 
 velling out of death into life ; for there muft be a path, 
 and a travelling in it ; the foul muft have an exercife thro* 
 the power and hfe of Jefus, for the overcoming of death, 
 that did feparate from God, and a preparing for life, that 
 life that unites us to God again : And when people are 
 in earn eft in this travel, they are refigned up to the go- 
 vernment, diredion and leading of him that is gone before, 
 that hath made a way for us, and will further our progrefs 
 towards the kingdom of God. 
 
 And, therefore, my friends, you know the way, and 
 know how the power hath reached to you, and hath opened 
 your underftandings that you may be faithful to that power 
 in your own fouls, and may have the ufe and true im- 
 provement of this, and all other fuch meetings as this, 
 for the gathering of your minds out of all vifible and change- 
 able objects, unto that life which God hath revealed, that 
 fo in the exercife of it, you may hold your fellowihip with 
 God, and with one another ; here is the bond of perfedion, 
 here is that in v/hich God hath created peace and reft, and 
 joy for his people ', fo far as every one is partaker of this 
 innocent life, and feels himfelf changed into it, they are 
 gathered into the chjurch, and they are gathered into feliow- 
 ihip with the head of it, and are comforted in their member- 
 fliip, in their partaking together. 
 
 Though I be but a little one, yet I partake of the fame 
 virtue which the Lord admin iftered to the greateft faints, 
 while I am a waiting upon him, and of the fame divine 
 confolation, and operation, and power that weaneth more 
 and more from the world, and that which is corruptible, 
 and raifeth up in me daily more and more fervent dcfires 
 after that bread that perifheth not. 
 
 Now 
 
1^0 The Divine Life of Christ Jesus. 
 
 Now herein men and women have an evidence of that 
 Chriftianity in themfelves, the Spirit of God hearing re- 
 cord and witneCs with their Spirits, which all the loofe 
 profefTors of Chriftianity in the world are ftrangers to, their 
 evidence in themfelves, bein.g againft them ; they feek to 
 have evidence without them, and to gather up Tome kind 
 of marks and tokens, and fayings, and fentences, from 
 without them, to make them believe that they are in cove- 
 nant with God, and that they are in a ftate of falvation 
 by Chrift ; but he that truly beUeveth, hath an evidence of 
 his Chrldianity, and of his reconciliation with God ; and 
 he hath this evidence in himfelf, a divine, fpiritual teftimony 
 that anfwereth to his own fpirit, that witnefleth to him, 
 that he is one of the children of God. 
 
 And my friends, to this you are called, whether you are 
 come to it or no ; it is this you are called to with a heavenly 
 call, that you might no longer live in the rudiments of the 
 world, to be feeking and looldng here and there, for a ground 
 of peace and of reft j a ground of hope, but may know and 
 feel the fame thing, the fame ground of eternal hope that 
 the faints of old had ; what is that ? what reafon did they 
 give and render of their hopes of eternal glory ? The apof- 
 tle tells you plainly the ground or reafon of their hope of 
 being glorified in the world to come, was Chrift in them 
 the hope of glory. They witnelfed that Chrift gave his hfe 
 for the world. Take the glorious teftimony that the apof- 
 tle did bear in one of his epiftles ; faith he, the life ivas 
 7nanifeJ}ed in me ; it was not covered up or hidden, that 
 people could not find it; God was pleafed to bring it to 
 light by the gofpel; when a thing is brought to light, you 
 may fee it. This he affirmed in his day, and the fame is 
 affirmed in our day. The life is manifefted ; what life ? 
 Not the life of this world, but a life not defiled, not pol- 
 luted, but the hfe that is of God, a heavenly life that is holy 
 and pure; that life is manifefted; we have feen it, and we 
 exhort all to lay hold of it, to lay hold of eternal life : 
 Some had a fight of it, that had not laid hold of it ; they 
 faw it in a vifion, and they might fay poffibly, oh that I 
 could live fuch a life, that there were no fin in me, in my 
 words, or thoughts, or actions, what a gracious life would 
 
 that 
 
The Divine Life of Christ Jesus. r^r 
 
 that be ! They had feen that Ufe, they had tafted of it, but 
 they did not lay hold of it, but let it go by them : Take 
 heed of that, \(^hen you have feen it with open eyes. Blejjed 
 are your eyes, for they have feen, and your earSy for they have 
 heard, faith Chrift to his difciples : They faw that life 
 that was holy, harmlefs andundefiled. Lay hold on this hfe, 
 efpecially when you are thus alTembled together, in a folemn 
 manner in the prefence of the Lord, waiting to behold it, 
 and fee it more and more difcovered to you, and labour to 
 have that gathering f»ower that will bring you to it, that 
 you may know the ftrength that comes by it to the foul. 
 There is none of you, but what will meet with tempta- 
 tions in this world, that will draw you into death and dark- 
 nefs, to things that are carnal, and fenfual, and devillfk 
 fometimes. How ihall I ftand if I be not centered in that 
 life that was before the world began, and before the devil 
 was ? If I labour to feel the influence of that divine 
 power, that is able to keep me, my faith tells me fo : I 
 know that power is able to keep me, if I keep in the exer- 
 cife of it. The truft of a true believer is, that whatfoever 
 temptations and trials they are exercifed with, they know one 
 already come, in whom they have triifledj ivho is both able 
 and luilling to deliver them. So by this means he is kept 
 harmlefs, and innocent, and blamelefs in his life and conver- 
 fation. Thus you might be kept, if you would regard, 
 and have refped to the life that is manifefted in you. 
 
 Whofover comes to know, and feel and witnefs in their 
 fouls the difcovery and revelation of the life of Jefus, 
 they know there is in it a certain dominion over that which 
 is contrary to it ; and you have many of you had expe- 
 rience of the exercife of the power of God in your own 
 hearts, that hath enabled you to reign over thofe things, 
 that have formerly ruled over you : That you can now fub- 
 due vain thoughts, and evil defires, that you can with- 
 ftand temptations that come from without, and from with- 
 in. Now if you could do this, and if ever you have done 
 it, you did it by that power that God difcovered and reveal- 
 ed in you from Jefas Chrift : You had not fuch hold of this 
 once, before you beUeved, but by believing, the word of 
 God fent it unto you; it being fixed by faith in the heart, 
 
 that 
 
i^z " The Divine Lite of Christ Jesus. 
 
 that faith which is of the operation of God : You could 
 then do that which you could not do before, and forbear 
 that which you was led away by. Thefe experiences which 
 God hath given you, fhould encourage you to hold on iri 
 your labour and travel, and engage you to grow in the 
 grace of Gody and in the knoivleclge of our Lord Jefus Chrifl, 
 Whatfoever is propounded by men in the profefiion of re- 
 ligion, this ought to be our defign and end, in the difcovery 
 that is made to us of the life of Chrift j that we may grow 
 in it, and live in it; (indeed there is great talking of it) but 
 wc fliould labour to fhew forth the refurredion of that life 
 in us. 
 
 They that come to be baptized for the dead, are baptized 
 into the death of Chrift; the apoftle tells you, in that he 
 died, he died unto fin. There are none baptized for the 
 dead, and made partakers of the death of Chrift, but thofe 
 that died unto fin, as he died. Though Chrift had no fin, 
 yet he died unto fin : What ufe did he make of this, that 
 Chrift knew no fin, but yet did take our fin upon him ? 
 He died unto fin, that they which did partake of his deathy 
 might be partakers of his refurre6iion : He liveth again, 
 and after death rifeth again. 
 
 Thofe that partake of this death unto fin, are crucified 
 unto this world, and have taken up Chrift's crofs, and are 
 dead to all the pleafures and delights of this world, which 
 are withered away and come to nothing. What do they 
 live to now ? To righteoufnefs, holinefs, chaftity, tempe- 
 rance ; thefe are pleafant to them ; thefe come to live 
 to righteoufnefs, through the power of him that loved them.' 
 This fhews the glory and the power of the grace of God. 
 It is tne grace of God that worketh fuch a change in a 
 man or woman. They that delight in fin and wicked- 
 nefs, in that which is corrupt and ungodly, they have no 
 delis^ht in this, no delight in fobriety, chaftity, holinefs, 
 and" purity of mind. In whom hath it wrought fuch a 
 change ? In all that are freely given up to it. Where 
 anv one is given up to that life, the grace of God hath 
 the praife of it. This is the exaltation and praife of the 
 power of God ; fo that others may find by this, that they 
 jnay by it come to believe, and by beliving, to be faved. 
 
 Thus 
 
The Divine Life of Christ Jesus, ijtj 
 
 Thus the gofpel hath gone forth, from one to many, 
 and from thele to many more, and is encreafing more and 
 more ', for grace, mercy and peace, are multiplied, by 
 which the heritage of God, and To every man and woman 
 that partake of this life, are gathered into fellowihip. 
 
 So that your end in coming to thefe meetings, is not 
 fo much to hear what this, and that, and the oiher friend 
 faith ; but what you- have in yourfelves to witnefs to : 
 The divine operations of the power of God in your fouls, 
 bringing down fomething that is to be brought down, and 
 raifing up fomething that is to be raifed. Temptation to 
 fm hath more prevalency upon me, than it hath upon this, 
 and that, and the other man. I am not come to their 
 degree, yet it is better with me than it was at my firft 
 convincement. If thou doft fay this and deceive others, cry 
 to God, and pray earneftly that all may be brought down 
 which is contrary to his grace. If thou fayeft and profefTeft 
 this, to ftrengthen that, which is known, by the light of 
 Chrift, to be againft the truth of God, if at the fame time 
 there is a deceitful heart, how will this appear at the great 
 day of God ? The eye of God is upon thy hypocrify ; 
 he that never Jlmnbers nor Jleeps, he beholds thee, if there 
 be any fm that thou wouldeft keep and fave alive. If thou 
 makelt a profeflion, and notwithftanding fayeft, this fm I 
 will keep, the Lord pardon me in this thing ; like Naaman^ 
 the fervant of the king of Affyria, who faid to the pro- 
 phet, r/zj fervant henceforth vjill neither offer burnt offer- 
 ingj nor facrifice to other Gods, but unto the Lord, In this 
 the Lord pardon thy fervafit, that when my mafier goes in- 
 to the houfe of Rimmon to ivorfhip 'there, and he leaneth on 
 my hand, and I bow myfelf in the houfe of Rimmon ; when 
 I bow my f elf in the houfe of Rimmon, the Lord garden thy 
 fervant in this thing. He knew if he bowed not, the king 
 would take notice of the alteration of his gefture, there- 
 fore he would bow in the houfe of Rtmrncn : That fm 
 he would fave alive under a profeflion : That hypocrify 
 the Lord did abominate. 
 
 Be upright in the fight of God, and be faithful to your 
 own fouls ; if it be fo, then every fm will be a burthen, 
 and you will long to be rid of it ; if. it be fo, you know 
 
 U whofe 
 
T54 *^'^^^ DiviN'E Lite of Christ Jesus. 
 
 whole hand it is that hath brought you fo far ; if you be 
 really cordial, and give up yourfelves to Jefus, that 
 uwrk zvkic/i he hath begun in you^ he voill finifti fur you. 
 He will finiui it for you, ftand out with him in nothing ; 
 give up yourfelves to him, and join not with his enemies ; 
 take heed of hearkening to them j take heed of every fm 
 that will at lad be a burthen and oppreifion to your 
 fouls. 
 
 But if you live this heavenly life of Jefus, you will 
 be fet at liberty, to have dominion over fm, and to (land 
 without guilt before the throne of God. Friends, let your 
 hearts be deeply affected with the great mercies that God 
 hath befrowed upon you, and for his gift to you of that divine 
 life that is acceptable in his fight. 
 
 Many things have been done upon the account of reli- 
 gion, and we could never be fatisfied whether they were 
 acceptable to God ; we could not be fatisfied whether we 
 did any thing pleaiiog to God : ^e may fay of them as 
 the apoftle Paul did of the Jeivlfn facrifices, there remains 
 a confdence of fin ^ an accufmg conscience, that tells us, 
 that guilt is not removed, nor the fin taken away, till the 
 Lord opens this divine mvflery to us, that our iufrifica- 
 tion mull be by faith in Jefus ; that nothing could recon- 
 cile us to God but the life of Jefus, and the merit of his 
 death. 
 
 This life of Jefus was a holy, blamelefs, harmlefs, and 
 innocent life, which life he guve for the ivorld ; which life 
 is the light of men ; and our iouls being turned to this 
 life, we fee the glory and the excellency of it, and de- 
 fires are kindled m our hearts after it- Many have pur- 
 iued, and laboured, and travelled, that they might come to 
 the enjoyment of it. The very difcovery of this life ought 
 to be highly prized, and your fouls aftei5i:ed with it ; and 
 when you have obtained it, you will fay, O ! v^hat a bleiTed 
 condition am I come into ! tliat Chrift hath manifeiled his 
 divine power in me, not only in reconciling me to G^d, 
 but taking awav the confcience of fin ; bv that aloiie the 
 accuier is cail out, and I may now i^no^ to God, iongs of 
 deliverance. Now you tafre of the m.ercies that God hath 
 bellowed upon vou ; this V7iii affed vour fouls with a child- 
 like 
 
The Divine Lite of Christ Jesus. 155 
 
 like fubmifTion and fubjedion to him, that hath begun to 
 fave and deliver you, that fo you may refign up your- 
 felves to his will, and forfake the world, and the things of it. 
 
 Now when thefe come to fuch a meeting as this, their 
 minds may be retired, and they may be fenfible of the 
 power of truth upon their hearts ; but for want of keeping 
 their fubjeclion to the divine power, that hath opened their 
 underftandings, when they eome into the world again, 
 they are enfnared and entangled, and many times, for want 
 of watchfulnefs, through a loofenefs of mind, and unru- 
 linefs of tongue, they run into anger and paflion, and this 
 grieves the Holy Spirit of God. And how lliould you come 
 to God through the Mediator, when you grieve his Spirit, 
 and quench the motions of it. 
 
 Thefe things have been hurtful to many, that in their 
 time might have been pillars in the houfe of God. Take 
 heed of this, and let the goodnefs of God dwell upon your 
 minds, that you may feel and experience the inward admini- 
 ftrations of it ; there are many that are much afreded with the 
 outward miniftry, and are very defirous to hear the (ervants 
 of God declare the things that God hath wrought for 
 them, and in them, and the wonderful things that God hath 
 opened to them; yet when you have heard all that man 
 can fay about it, if the divine miniftry of the word of 
 God doth not make powerful impreinons upon you, and 
 fanclify and renew your fouls, the outward miniftry of the 
 word will do you no good. 
 
 Now that you may be eftabliftied in the truth that you 
 have been taught, this teftimony arifeth in me, to defire 
 every one to heed and attend to the manifeftation of this 
 life of Jefus in yourfelves. Whatfoever God hath beftow- 
 ed upon me or another, you may perifti for all that, and 
 I am not the better for what God hath beftowed upon 
 you, but may perifti notwithftanding ; but that God hath 
 manifefted eternal life to my foul, let that be every ones 
 centre : This will make you holy and blamelefs;, and pre- 
 ferve you in every ftate, and in the hour of temptation, 
 and in the midft of fnares ', this will be a bulwark to you ; 
 this will be as the walls of Zion, which is the falvation 
 of the Lord. That fo you may be preferved fenfible of 
 
 the 
 
15^ Tke Kingdom of God within. 
 
 the goodnefs of the Lord : That grace, mercy, and peace 
 may be m.ultiplied in your bofoms ; this will make you 
 dear and affedionate one to another. 
 
 Though there may be an external fellowfhip among thofe 
 that preach and profess the fame dodrine, yet when they 
 come off from that, when once men depart from, the power 
 of truth, they grow ftubborn and rebellious; but when 
 men come to be gathered into the inward fellowfhip that 
 frands not in terms and words, but in the revelation of 
 Chrift, and in the participation of his virtue and goodnefs; 
 the m.orc you are united in this, the more you are knit 
 one to another, and become ufeful and helpful one to' 
 another. 
 
 The Lord vouchfafe to every one of you a tafte of 
 his goodnefs, and you will prefer it above all that the 
 devil has, and his inflruments can preient ; and if you re- 
 tire more into this heavenly and divine life of Jefus, you 
 Will feel and enjoy more peace and fatisfadion, and true 
 comolation in your iouls, than I, or any man in the world 
 can tell you, of. 
 
 SERMON XIV. 
 The Kingdom of God within. 
 
 Preached at Grace-Church-Street, My 26^ i6s)i. 
 
 7" O U have read and heard much concerning the day 
 of the Lord, as a great and notable day; many of 
 you are now living witneffes that the great and not- 
 able day of the Lord is coming, in which the accomplifli- 
 ment of great and notable things, the mighty works of God, 
 which have been propheded of, may be lawfully expeded. 
 It is the work of every Chriftian to wait upon the Lord in 
 the light of this day, and to be acquainted with the works of 
 the Lord, both inwardly and out^^ardly ; for the day of the 
 Lord !s a day of power, and that power of God work- 
 eth wonderful things ; and if we are not kept in the light 
 of that day, the Lord may work great things, and we not 
 
 know 
 
The Kingdom of Gov within. r^y 
 
 know it ; we fhall be looked upon as carelefs and negligent 
 witnefles of the works of the Lord, as thofe that do not 
 regard them. If you would be faithful witnefles, you muft 
 have regard to the works of the Lord, and the operations 
 of his hands. One that is minded to be a faithful witnefs, he 
 will take notice of what is faid and done ; you are called to 
 be witnefTes of the works of the Lord Je^us Chrift, and of 
 his doings ; you muft ftand where } ou may hear, and fee, 
 and underftand what the Lord is about to do at this time. 
 
 In teftimony and wicneis bearing, the greateft thing 
 we have to exped in this day of the Lord, is, that God 
 will fet up the kingdom of his Son Chrift Jefus ; and unto 
 this all the prophets did bear witnefs in their time, and now 
 it is our turn to bear witne^^^s of it, by (enfible and living 
 experiences of the accomplilhment of thofe things that they 
 prophefied of, that the Lord will fet up the kingdom of * 
 Chrift, and bring down and lay wafte the kingdom of Anti- 
 chrift. This our Saviour taught his dilciples to pray for, more 
 than fixteen hundred years ago, that the kingdom of God 
 might come ; and all the true difciples of Chrift ever fmce 
 have prayed for the coming of this kingdom, and many of 
 them have feen the coming of ^t, and rejoiced ; and others 
 have died in the faith of it, and have been gathered into the 
 kingdom of Heaven. 
 
 But, my friends, that which chiefly concerns us at this 
 day, is to behold the kingdom of Chrift, the eternal Son 
 of God, within us, to go forward and profper ; and the 
 kingdom of Antichrift luppreiTed and deftroyed, and utterly 
 laid wafte ; and this is wrought two ways, firft, inwardly ; 
 fecond, outwardly. 
 
 Firft, inwardly ,• there is a great inclination in the minds of 
 people, to look more at the operation of God's power in 
 this great work outwardly, than to look at it inwardly, 
 but unto that there muft be a daily crofs taken up, and 
 it is my bufmefs at this time to tell you in the name of 
 the Lord, that your dutv and mine is to turn our 
 minds to the working of the power of God in ourfelves, 
 and to fee that other kingdom of the man of ftn weakened 
 and brought dov/n within us ; then there is no fear but he 
 will carry on his work outwardly, and we ftiall fee as much 
 
 of 
 
1^8 The Kingdom of God within. 
 
 of that work as belongs to our generation ; but the great 
 matter and chief government of you and me, is to fee the 
 kingdom of God let up within us, which ftands in holinefs 
 and righteouiners : Our bufinefs is to walk till we fee the 
 righteoufnefs of this kingdom fet up within us, in our hearts 
 and fouls, and to have a real change made. 
 
 We all know, and we mud: confefs, that we have been 
 fubjed; to the man of fm, whatfoever we are now. We 
 have feen the reign and government, the rage and tyranny 
 of the wicked one, that hath \qA us into rebellion and dif- 
 obedience to the Lord our Maker. How do we Hke that 
 government, to be ruled by the devil, and to be led cap- 
 tive, and to be made to do his will, and to rebel againft 
 God that gave us our life, and breath, and being ? How 
 do we like the government of fatan ? I hope we do none 
 of us like it. It was fo with mie ; and they that are un- 
 der the tyrannical government of fatan, have many cries 
 and wilhes in their iouls, that they were freed and deli- 
 vered from it, and brought under the governmicnt an4 
 obedience of Chrift Jefus ; and that they were able to 
 ferve God as they ought to do, that they might be tranf- 
 lated from the kingdom of fm and fatan, into the king- 
 dom of the bleiTed and dearly beloved Son of God. 
 
 This hath been the cry of fome ever fince they have 
 known the word ; and I am perfuad'ed it is the cry of 
 many at this day. I have good news to bring you ; not 
 that the day of your redemption draws nigh, but that it 
 is come j the day of redemption is now comie, and there 
 are a great many blefiing and glorifying the name of God 
 that they are redeemed, and delivered from the bondage 
 of corruption ', and have more joy and delight in the fer- 
 vice of God, that made them, than ever they had in the 
 fervice of the God of this world. 
 
 But may not fome fay, how iliall this great work be 
 wrought ? " For it is a great work, and we verily think 
 that nothing but an Almighty Power can eftecl it. For 
 there are many in this afTem.bly have been trying to no 
 purpofe, and done what they could in their own ftrength, 
 to deliver their own fouls from death, and yet they find 
 themfclves in bondage ftill ; nay, they have called in the 
 
 help 
 
The Kingdom of God ivhfiin. i^^ 
 
 help and afififtance of thofe that they thought to be ftronger 
 than themfelves, and all have failed, and they are yet weak 
 and entangled, and they cannot, find themfelves at liberty 
 to ferve the Lord as they ought to do. 
 
 I am of this mind, that nothing but the Almighty Power 
 of God can do it; and when you have come* to m.y ex- 
 perience, to know this as I have done, then I hope you 
 will feck after that, and you will fee good reafon for it ; 
 and you will then come to this profeiTion, if the Lord 
 puts not forth his Almighty Power, I mud then periin, 
 for there is no other power can deliver me. When you 
 come to know this, what muft you do ? "^'hy you mufi: 
 wait for the revelation of that po\{'er that will take you 
 oif from all truft and confidence that you have ever had 
 in any thing elfe : A m.an that hath nothing to trufi: to 
 but the Almighty Power, and mercy, and goodnefs of God, 
 he puts his whole truft and confidenee therein, or eiie he 
 knows he muft perifh. 
 
 When a man or woman comes to this pafs, that they 
 have nothing to rely upon but the Lord, then they 
 will meet together to wait upon the Lord : And this 
 was the firft ground or m.otive of our fetting up .meet- 
 ings ', and I would to God that this was the ufe that 
 every one would make of them that come to them., 
 th^n they v/ould be* juftly and properly ufed, according 
 to the end of the inftitution of them at firft y we ihould 
 ufe them as poor defolate helplefs people that are brok- 
 en off from all their own confidence and truft, and have 
 nothing to rely upon but the mercy and goodnefs of God ; 
 and if he pleafeth to reveal nis power among us, v/e know 
 that he is able to fave us. And when we have met with 
 the revelation of God's power, and we have me: to- 
 gether in fimplicity of mind, the Lord was pleaded to comx- 
 municate his Spirit to us, and open a door for us, and 
 difcover and reveal to us that it was the day of his power: 
 And when we came to examine ourfelves whether we were 
 willing in this day of God's power (for the prophet gives 
 us a note of diftindtion between the people of God, and 
 other people ; thy people Jhall be wdliv^ in the day of thy 
 j)Giver ^ v/hich is as much as to fay, when God difcovers and 
 
 reveals 
 
jSo Tfze Kingdom of God within, 
 
 reveals his power to them, fuch a people are willing to 
 give themfelves over to the government of it j when we 
 found Ve were iubjed to it, we had joy in believing, 
 before we attained the end of our hopej it was gladnefs 
 to us we found ourfeives willing ; and I am perfuaded that 
 every one of you would be glad to find yourfelves willing 
 to part with that which \ ou cry out againft. 
 
 ■^hat a cry is there of our bondage and corruption, 
 and of our being led captive by our iufts. We may heai 
 fuch a cry from one end of the kindgom to the other : 
 People cry out of the bondage of corruption, and of their 
 fubjedion to fm and iatan : I would they were in earneft; 
 there is not that earneftnefs and reality in men and women 
 that God looks for, and fo there comes nothing of it. 
 There is no redemption, and no deliverance j the Lord 
 doth not hear them, though they come now a-days into 
 his prefence, to offer up their prayers. I would have you 
 to be in good earned, I wilh well to you ail j and it 
 would be hard to fay that vou do not wiih well to your- 
 felves. Here lies your welfare, that you find yourfelves 
 willing to be rubjccl: to the power that made you ', you 
 have been lAibject doubtlefs to the power that deftroyed you; 
 that power that never gave you life and breath, and would 
 be inilrumental of your deftrudion : The power of the God 
 of this world never did men good^ but defrroyed thcyii, 
 deceived them, and deprived them of their lives. 
 
 Now if there was but a wiUingnefs in every one of us, 
 freely to give up ourfelves to that power that created us, 
 to obey his will, I am fure there is never a man or wo- 
 man among us fhouid long be without the knowledge of it. 
 If I am but willing to be fubjecl to the law of him that 
 made me, it will not be long before he difcover it to me, 
 and reveal his power in me in the glory and excellency 
 of it ', that power which is more able to preferve me, than 
 all the power of men on earth, or all the po^y/er of the 
 devils in hell is able to deftroy me. W^hcn the Lord fhall 
 difcover and reveal his power in you, you will be willing 
 to be fubjecl to it. 
 
 But methinks the found and ncife of ficfh and blood 
 grows loud here: I would be fubjcct to God, but I would 
 
 not 
 
The Kingdom of God ivithln, jGi 
 
 not have him crofs mine intereft, and deprive me of that 
 I love and thirft after j I would not have him imbitter 
 my carnal delights and pleafures, and undo me as to my 
 reputation in the world. 
 
 You may fee whence this comes, that you would make 
 a bargain, and draw a contract with the God of your lives 
 about thefe things^ this is a nonfenfical thing; becaufe of 
 all people in the world, you are a people that have had 
 a veneration for the holy fcriptures, the fcriptures of truth, 
 and have been acquainted with them as familiarly as v/ith 
 any book in the world, wherein you find articles drawn, 
 long ago fixed and fealed ', and no new ones are to be drawn. 
 If any one will be my difciple, Johii or Tkojnas, James or 
 Peter, or whofoever he be, he muft take up his daily crofs, 
 and deny himfelf, and follow me. Nov/ here is a con- 
 trad made, therefore turn afide from all kind of reafon- 
 ing and confulting with flefh and blood. 
 
 If you will become fpiritual, and partake of fpiritual 
 blefTmgs and benefits, I would advife you to turn from 
 all kind of reafonings that come from the pit of dark- 
 nefs, that hath thus far deceived you, and will ruin you 
 forever, if you hearken to them. For alTure yourfelves, 
 new gofpel-terms no man can make ; and if any come to 
 preach new gofpel-terms, count him a deceiver ; for there 
 is no poffibility of being a difciple of Chrift, but by tak- 
 ing up a daily crofs, and denying ourfelves, and follow- 
 ing him as our leader and guide. To him I muft go, 
 and go in no other way, fpeaking nothing, and doing 
 nothing but what is holy and pure ; he muft condud me 
 in my walking, guide me in my way, and juftify me in 
 it. This is to be a true difciple of Chrift. 
 
 As foon as he comes to adhere, and join to the power 
 of God revealed in his foul, he fees the coming of the 
 kingdom of God ; he fees it at a diftance ; he faith within 
 himfelf, and makes this conclufion, I will follow my cap- 
 tarn ; I will become fubjed to the kingdom of Chrift. 
 If I obey this divine principle of the grace of God, and 
 the gofpel of Chrift, I ftiall be his difciple. I read in his 
 blefled book, that as many as are led by the Spirit of 
 God, are the children of God. I am not to propo-^'e new 
 
 X terms. 
 
j6z The KlNGT>OM of GoT> xvlthin, 
 
 terms, but to accept of the old terms of the gofpel of 
 ChriO:. I fee that the kingdom of God is to be let up, 
 and the kingdom of the devil to be brought down in me; 
 if I fojiow this divine principle, I fhall never follow the 
 devil more , if he v/ould have me lye, I fhall refufe, and 
 fav I cannot j if he would have me run into vain and 
 corrupt communication, and fooliHi jelling, that will be a 
 bridle to me, that I cannot do it. 
 
 I rpeak now 'to persons that live under the light of the 
 gofpd of Chrift, and that are fubdued by his grace ; I 
 would fpeak that which all the logic in the world cannot 
 overthrow j that which the mod: cunning logician, with 
 all his wit and quirks, cannot refute and pr:we erroneous. 
 If a m.an be led by the Spirit of God, he cannot lye ; 
 this is a common cure for all men ', if I be led by the 
 Spirit of Truth, and hearken to the principle of truth in 
 my own foul, this will cure and heal me of the wounds 
 and maladies of my corrupt nature, and fet me at liberty 
 from my old mafter ; I do not like his fervice. 
 
 I hope if any of you like the fervitude and bondage of, 
 fin and fatan, you will defu*e liberty before you die: Why 
 do not you defire it now? It may be thou thinkefl: to 
 enjoy a little liberty, and reputation, and pleaiure in fm for 
 many years, for fix or feven, nine or ten years, and then 
 break olF from it, and repent and turn to God : How doft 
 thou know that thou haft ten days to live ? It is of high 
 concernment to every one of us to wait for a difcovery of 
 gofpel liberty, and an ability and power in his foul, to 
 enable him to break off from the fervitude and bondage of 
 fin and fatan, that he hath fo long lived under ; and to 
 \:/?\t upon God with patience, for the iettmg his (oul at 
 liberty, and fetting up the kingdom of Chrift within him, 
 and pulling down the kingdom of fatan, that he may be 
 brought into the kingdom of Chrift, that confifts in peace 
 and rtghteoufncfs^ mid joy in the Holy Gh'Ji, Thefe are 
 the things that follow one another j when righteou'neGs is 
 fet up in me, I Ihall not be difturbed, I (hall have peace ; 
 and if I have peace I (hall have joy, and this joy is in 
 the Holy Ghoft; the apoftle faith the kingdom of God 
 coniifts in thefe things. 
 
 Now 
 
The Kingdom of God within, 16'^ 
 
 Now that every one might be perfuaded that God hath - 
 given a meafuVe of his grace to them, as well as to other 
 folks, let them confider and fay within themrelves, God 
 hath not ihut me out of the number of his people : He 
 hath knocked at the door of my heart, to bring me to re- 
 pentance j he hath waited upon me fo long, furely he hath 
 a mind to fave me : Would he call upon me, had he not 
 intended I ihould repent and turn to him ? 
 
 But where is the power ? you will fay ; knocking at the 
 door of the heart, and checks of confcience, we underftand 
 them ; but we underftand not where the power is, to be 
 conformable to the will of God. 
 
 People will never underftand it while they are in the 
 kingdom of fatan, and under the power of the prince of 
 darknefs ; the apoftle tells us, that the God of this world 
 hath blinded the minds of them that believe noty left the light 
 of the glorious gofpel of Chrijt, 'who is the image of G.l^ 
 fhoiild ffiine upon them. If m.en faw the beauty of the gof ?1, 
 they would run after it, and embrace it j therefore he 
 devil blinds their minds, that they fhould not fee the bei ^cy 
 and amiablenefs . of the gofpel, and like the terms of it : 
 He hath the rule and government of the children of difobe- 
 dience. So long as I live in fubjediion to that devililh, hel- 
 lifh power, which leads me forth into fm, I fhall be a 
 ftranger to God's power, that would enable me to break 
 off from it. 
 
 You never read in fcripture of any that ever came to be 
 faved by the power of God, but there was faith mixed with 
 it, that came to join with that power of God. Our Saviour 
 faid to the impotent man, thy faith hath made thee whole ; 
 thy faith joining with that power of God : IVe fliau he 
 made fir ong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, and 
 be able to withftand temptations. 
 
 As foon as the foul of man joins with the grace of God, 
 he doth forfake the fervice of his old mafter and governor ; 
 Sin (hail no longer have dominion over him ', though he may ' 
 m.eet with the fame temptation, it ihall not have the fame 
 power over him, but he will be enabled by the grace of God 
 to withftand it, and overcome it. If you ask fuch a man, 
 how it is that he ovaxomes that temptation that formerly 
 
 prevailed 
 
j^^^ The Kingdom of Gob within. 
 
 prevailed over him, he will tell you, I have now an helper, 
 I am now ioined to the grace of God in my foul, therefore 
 do I withiland temptations, and have power over them. 
 Thus '^omes the kingdom of Chrifl to be fet up in the foul, 
 and this is that which will fit and prepare us for the everlaft- 
 ing king'lom of God. They that do wait upon God, fhall 
 fee this work wrought inwardly in them, the) know more 
 by faith than they can fee by fenie. 
 
 1 know, and am certain, that the power the devil hath 
 in the world, fhall be broken down, and righteoufnefs ihall 
 be exalted, and juftice and equity fhall prevail in the nations. 
 I liiall not perhaps live to fee it, but I may iee it bv faith j 
 I have feen enough for my generation, and they that live 
 in the next generation, ihall fee it alfo ; for the church of 
 God is the fam_e from one generation to another. Now unto 
 US it is given to ■ ee the things that in former generations were 
 prophelied of, God having (faith the apoftle) provided feme- 
 better thing for usy that they without us fhall not he made 
 lierfe'i. 
 
 The church of God from one generation to another, have 
 their meafure and degree of fervice, and bear their proper 
 tefcimony, and leave the reft to fucceeding generations : It 
 concerns us in our generation to fee a change made inv/ardly 
 in our fouls, and the kingdom of Chrift fet up within us, 
 and the kingdom of fatan brought down in ourfelves. This 
 doth not concern mv fon or erandfon onlv, but it concerns 
 me, and when they grow up to mature age, in their time it 
 will concern them : Therefore that which is m.oft profitable 
 to us, is, that we have fuch a ftation, and ftand in fuch a 
 place in our time, where we may fee the work of God car- 
 ried on. 
 
 I have confidcred, many a time, that there are many 
 brave men and women in this a^e, that mieht have been 
 eminent witnelfes of God in this world, and borne their tef- 
 timxony to his truth, but their faith hath been weak and in- 
 etFcdual : They have difcovered their unbeheving hearts, 
 and have joined with the common herd of the world, be- 
 caufe they thought fuch great things could never be done, 
 that the kingdom of fatan could never be pulled down and 
 deftroyed, and the kingdom of Chrift fet up within us, 
 
 but 
 
The Umdeftled Way, &c. i(% 
 
 but I would hope better things of you, things that accom- 
 pany falvation ; and that he that hath begun a good work 
 in you, will carry it on to perfed:ion ; that living praifes, 
 and joyful thankfgivings, may be rendered to him who alone 
 is worthy, who is God over all, bleflTed forever ; to whom 
 be glory and dominion forever, and ever. Amen. 
 
 SERMON XV. 
 The Undefiled Way to Eternal Rest. 
 
 Freacked at DEVON SHlRE-HouSE^ July 29, i6pr. 
 
 ^yyiy yriends, 
 
 TH E Lord will be with all his people, that are unde- 
 filed in the way, that are fpiritual travellers walk- 
 ing in that undefiled way, that leads to an undefiled 
 reft. There are fome that by this way are entered into reft, 
 that reft which God hath prepared for them. We cannot 
 apply to ourfelves that promife that is made to us of enter- 
 ing into reft, unlefs we be real and true travellers in the way 
 that leads to it, for if we do, ive deceive our own fouls. 
 
 Therefore you that have had a fight and vifion of the 
 way everlafting, that leads unto a holy reft, you are an engag- 
 ed people to make ftrait fteps therein, and to have it your 
 daily care, and make it your continual bufinefs, to look 
 that your goings and foot-fteps are of the fame nature and 
 kind that the reft is that you defire to enter into : For it is 
 an undefiled reft, that we all are, or ought to be travelling 
 after ; therefore every one of us muft be undefiled in the 
 way, and every foot-ftep muft be of the fame kind and 
 nature, and feparate from all that which defileth it and pol- 
 luteth it ', that fo it may have a tendency to the bringing 
 of the foul nearer to its reft. 
 
 This holy reft many travellers have attained by this holy 
 travel, and many are ftill in hope to attain it. 
 
 But now they that are full of hope of attaining this reft, 
 their foot-fteps and goings are not of the fame nature and 
 
 kind ; 
 
i66 The Undetiled Way 
 
 kind ; they are not holy and pure, they are not undefJed * 
 Thefe have not their faces truly Zio/z-ward, though the face 
 of their profeflion may (land that wav ', but the Lord looks 
 at the heart of every one, and he knows which way the 
 heart (lands y they who have their hearts truly turned to the 
 Lord, they have the mark of holinefs in their eye, and the 
 mark of purity and righteoufnefs in all their undertakings, 
 becaufe they know there is no attaining to that divine reft, 
 but by a holy way and travel ; therefore their truft and re- 
 liance is alone on the Lord, that is to keep them in all their 
 way ; for if they be ever fo clearly convinced that holinefs 
 and righteoufnefs is their duty, and is the way whereby they 
 may attain to the kingdom of God, though they are ever fo 
 fully convinced of it, yet there lies an impofTibility of any 
 walking therein v/ithout the divine afliftance of the grace of 
 God ; for though they have been convinced by the appear- 
 ance of his grace, and have had a light that openeth to them 
 a fight of theie things, it is not this fight and vifion that will 
 enable them to run the race that is fet before them. 
 
 For the manifold impurities and hindrances which are in 
 our way, between our coming out of Egypt's land, the 
 bondage of corruption, and our entering into the kingdom 
 of God, are too mighty and too great for any man with his 
 knowledge and ftrength to overcome. The children of 
 Ifrael might as well have gone through the Red Sea, without 
 the help of God, as the Chriftian traveller can go through 
 the many difficulties, and the many impediments that he is 
 to meet with in his way, without the afliftance of God's 
 Holy Spirit. 
 
 Mv friends, it hath been a labour and travel at this time 
 Upon my mind, that all whom God hath fo fignally blefled 
 with the knov/ledge of the truth, that you may fee your way, 
 and moft clearly know and underftand, that your way leads 
 to life eternal j that all and every one of you in your par- 
 ticular meetings, are to have a dependence upon that which 
 can help you in your way. 
 
 For I have {q(^x\ too many that have had a wrong de- 
 pendence, after they were rightlv convinced, and after they 
 have had a true knov/ledge of their way wherein they fhould 
 walk j they have too much trufted to openings and fights 
 
 which 
 
to Eternal Rest, tSy 
 
 which they have received ; they have thought their moun- 
 tain fo fure, and that their fe^t have been pafl Jliding^ that 
 there hath grown up a ftate of prerumption, that they have 
 thought they Ihould never turn afide, and have not had due 
 regard to the renewing of the Divine Power of God in 
 their fouls, that God's children always muft have. They 
 have (as I may fo fay) forgotten what our Lord faid, ivith- 
 out me ye can do nothing : They have paffed a fentence up- 
 on that dodrine in their minds, and they have thought they 
 could do fomething ; that they could withftand temptation ; 
 that they could do fome work for God, and lervice to God, 
 without the Divine AfTiftance of that pov/er that did beget 
 them ; and alas ! the lead they have fuftained hath been, 
 that they have run into evil, and they have defiled their 
 way, and run into temptations, though it hath pleafed the 
 Lord, whofe mercy is infinite, to pull them many times 
 back again out of the fnare which they were fallen into, 
 and to take them again, and to wafh them, and cleanfe 
 them, and purify them, and fet their feet on a fure place. 
 This was more than they deferved j but his mercy, and 
 goodnefs, and tendernefs, is over all his works. 
 
 This he hath wrought for many a one j and not only 
 once, but many times ; it is hard venturing j it had been 
 better if fuch a one had never fallen, or that their foot- 
 fteps had never Aid from the ways of the Lord, than after 
 they are fallen, to be renewed again by repentance. It 
 hath caufed fore judgment, and condemnation, and anxi- 
 ety of fpirit ; and they have given their old enemy an ad- 
 vantage to whifper in their ears ; thou haft loft thy ground ; 
 thy fms are gone over thy head, and thou (halt never find 
 repentance. Thefe are the words of the wicked one, who 
 feeks occafion againft us ; and through our carelefnefs, and 
 not being watchful, we put an advantage into his hands. 
 Now feeing you know he is vigilant, and feeks occafion 
 that he may turn you ou-: of your way, before you attain 
 to the end of it, you ought to be vigilant to keep occa- 
 fion s from him. 
 
 But fome may fay, how may I keep occafion s and ad- 
 vantages from the enemy ? I anfwer, the way hath been 
 often told you, and I dare fay moft of you have tried it, 
 
 and 
 
j^8 The Un DEFILED WAY 
 
 and found it to be true, that fo long as you have re* 
 mained in a watchful ftate and pofture, and have had your 
 minds exercifed by the grace of God, by which you were 
 convinced of your fin, and by which your duty was ma- 
 nifefled to you, fo long you gave the enemy of your fouls 
 no occafion ; but the truth preferved you wherein you 
 trufted, and wherein you hoped and waited for the vir- 
 tue and power of it. Did you find want of ability then ? 
 Did the enemy prevail then I He did not ceafe to tempt 
 when you was in the moft Watchful ftate of a Chriftian ; 
 the devil did not then ceafe to tempt you, but you found 
 in you a power that refifted him, and faid, get thee be- 
 hind mey fatan. 
 
 So long as you are upon your watch ; fo far as you 
 keep your mind fixed upon the Divine Power, fo long you 
 are in a fure place ; and whofoever turns afide from this, 
 they fulfer great harm and prejudice ', and if ever they be 
 reftored again, it is with lofs and damage, and fore exer- 
 cifc ; and if they be not reftored, they are loft to all eter- 
 nity : Then it had been better for them not to have known 
 the vjay of righteoufnefs, than after they have known it, 
 to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. And 
 then they faid within themfelves, this muft be the way. 
 
 Sirs, thefe things pertain to your everlafting welfare ; I 
 fpcak to you as a people that God hath abundantly loved ; 
 and it hath been far beyond any thing of defert. He hath 
 made known his ways to you ; the Lord may fay, con- 
 cerning you of this city, as of old, what could I have do?te 
 more for my vuieyard^ that I have not done? So he may 
 fav concerning you, what could I have done more to make 
 them a grown people, a holy people, an entire people, 
 that they may bear my name^ and walk before me in holt- 
 nefs and rigjiteoufnefsy all the days of their lives ? AS^hat 
 fhould have been done more for them ? 
 
 But this is an exercife to us, whom God hath bleffed, 
 and fet as watchmen, to behold and fee the ftate of his 
 people, and to feel and bear the burdens that are to be borne ; 
 and this is a great burden, that after all that God haih 
 done, and that we do in the hands of God, all that is 
 neceffary for the welfare of the people, there are iome 
 
 that 
 
TO Eternal Rest. i6'g 
 
 that turn afide, and defile their way; and we teftiFy 
 in the name of the Lord, that whofoever walks in a de- 
 filed way, fhali never come to an undeflled reft ; therefore' 
 that you do not attain to that undehled reft, it is becaufe 
 ye have been defiled : Seeing the holy converfation of the 
 people of God is the efferf of the working of his own 
 power and Spirit. 
 
 Here comes the reft, by and through a Mediator, even 
 Jefus Chrift the righteous, who is the Mediator between 
 God and man, and the leader of all his people in the way 
 of holinefs and righteoufnefs, which he hath made manifeft 
 to them that believe and obey the power : And he hath 
 purchafed eternal falvatioii for all that beiiei'e and obey the 
 go/pel: But the tranfgreflors do not obey the gofpel ; the 
 Spirit of Chrift- doth not lead you to tranfgreftion ; and the 
 power and light that comes from Chrift, doth not lead you 
 to pride, vanity, envy and bitternefs : Wherever thefe things 
 are led into, there is another fpirit, and that other fpirit 
 hath another tendency, it leads into the wrath of God. 
 
 And my friends, this is that which my foul deftreth at 
 your hands, and it is for your good and advantage j it is 
 my duty to difcharge my confcience, and to fpeak plainly 
 as the Lord ftiall give me utterance, to warn you that you 
 abide in the truth ; for if fo be you be not faved, but will 
 turn afide after your own hearts iufts, after your pride and 
 the vanity of the world, and the Iufts thereof, you may 
 blame yourfelves, and your iniquity vcill be your ruin, 
 Wq that have given up' ourfelves to God for your fakes, 
 and the churches fake, we fpeak thefe things which we have 
 learned of God, and we earneftly prefs you that are con- 
 vinced, that you walk in the truth which you have believed : 
 There is no great need of more knov/ledge, and of the 
 vlfion of heavenly and divine things; for abundance of you 
 havefeen more of the things of God, than ever you have 
 travelled and come up into. I would to God, that every 
 one of you that are convinced, would come up to the tnea- 
 fure of the knowledge you have received. O ! that you 
 would anfwer the Lord's power, in opening and dil covering 
 his mind and will concerning your travel, and the things 
 that belong to his everlafting peace, that your foot-fteps. 
 
 y may 
 
i/<? The Undefiled Way 
 
 may be direcled thereby. If you will walk in this unde- 
 liled v/ay, you may lay down at night, and rife in the 
 morning with peace, and in the favour of the Lord, and 
 have the anfwer of a good confcicnce in his light. 
 
 The means that muii: help and conduci; us in this way, 
 mufl: be that familiar converfe that the foul miuft have 
 with fomething greater than itfclf j the familiar converfe 
 that the foul mjaPc have with the Divine Power, \<'ith that 
 manifefration of Divine Light and Grace, w^hich, through 
 Jefus Chrift, God hath given unto you. For if a man 
 prize and eileem the truth ever fo much, and (uifer ever 
 fo much for it, and love the minifrer ever fo much, if 
 he keep not a familiar converfe with the truth, notwith- 
 itandingall his profeffion of love to the truths of the gofpel, 
 .md the preachers of it, he will reproach it : Though he 
 profeiTes and favs, I love thee, I love thee ; though he 
 hath fuiFered much in the way, yet if he love not the truth in 
 his own heart, and defire not to feel the excellency and 
 virtue of it, that m.an will certainly difnonour the truth, 
 and grieve the Holy Spirit of God. 
 
 "^'e warn you to take heed of your way, and to your 
 feet in your Chriitian walk, that you may come to have 
 an * abundant entrance into the kingdom of God. Pray to 
 God that the work of regeneration may be wrought upon 
 vou, that you miay be born into another feed, and partake 
 of the divine nature : Then, though the devil affault you, 
 he cannot overcome you ; he will find nothing in you 
 V/hereby to betray you into his hands, when that change 
 is wrought, and when God hath made an alteration, and 
 hath brought you out of the love of the world, and the 
 love of earthly things, and fet your ajfeElions above, vjhere 
 Chrift fits at the right hand of G^d. Now you can fay, 
 liere comes a temptation with this inil:rumicnt, and the 
 other inftrument, and the devil lays things before m.e that 
 he would have me to do, but I have no inclination to 
 it, I have no mind to be fucking at the world's breafts ; 
 but my mind is fet upon this, that I may reach acquaintance 
 with God, ivho xvill be a prefent help to me^ and tread down 
 fat an tinder my feet. 
 
 There is need of your continual care and vigilancy, and 
 
 that 
 
to Eternal Rest. i^x 
 
 that you watch and pray that you may not enter into 
 temptation. It is not fo eafy a thing for a man or wo- 
 man while they are in this world to do any thing with- 
 out fin ; but God hath called you to a holy profefTion ; 
 which is, that you Ihouid do all you can do, to do every 
 thing you do without fm : For vjkethsr you eat or dri?ik^ 
 or ivkatfoever you do^ you fnould do all to the glory of God, 
 This fpirit we would have in you, and we would have 
 all you that have received Chrift Jefus, the Lord, to vjalk 
 in him as you have received him : Then you (hall be kept 
 undefiled in the way, and delivered from temptation. 
 
 To this end you muft be ftill, waiting upon the Lord, 
 that you may have acquaintance with him from day to 
 day ', you are in the world, but you ihould not be of 
 the world : The prayer of our Lord Jefus Chrift, to his 
 heavenly Father for his difciples, was not that he ihould 
 take them out of the world, but keep them from the evil. 
 
 Merchants, tradefmen, and (hop-keepers, have always 
 fomething to do in the world, but they fhould pray ear- 
 neftly that they may be kept from the evil of the world. 
 There is nothing can be done in the world, but there is 
 evil in it, which we ihall be overcome by, if we do not 
 keep our watch. In the government of a family, there 
 are occafions and provocations given to be pafiionate and 
 furious j many occafions are given to men and women ; 
 but we ihould not be tranfported and overcome : Our pro- 
 feilion obliges us, that when a child or a fervant gives a 
 provocation, we are not to behave ourfelves unfeemly, and 
 unbecoming our holy profe/Tion ; for it is not in their 
 power, nor in the devil's power either, to kindle your wrath 
 and anger into a ilame : If you are upon your watch, and 
 v/ait upon the Lord, he will give you wifdom and ftrength 
 to ftand againft all temptations whatfoever, and to order your 
 converfation according to the vcill of God, and as becomes the 
 gofpel of our Lord Jefus Chrifl. 
 
 In merchandize, buying and felling, there are fnares, and 
 there is evil we may run into ; but this is our comfort and 
 joy, there is no coercion, we cannot be forced to fin, 
 the devil can only lay a temptation before me ; if thou 
 wilt tell a lye, equivocate, diilemble, here is an advantage 
 
 for 
 
17^ The Umdefiled Way 
 
 for thee ; but the devil with all his fubtilty, power and 
 aliurements, cannot fay, thou (halt run into this fin, and 
 be overcome by this temptation j for though of ourfelves 
 we can do nothing, yet in the name and ftrength of our 
 Lord Je^us Chrift, u^e can do all thmgs ; we can do that 
 which is juft, and ftand over the temptation, and tram- 
 ple upon it, and not be oienome of evil, but overcome evil 
 ivith g ocl. \Y''hen we have bought and fold, we may 
 look back upon what we have done with pure minds, and 
 clean confciences in the fight of God, and we may come 
 oif viiftors, and ??io?-e than conquerors (over temptations) 
 through Jefus Chrijl that hath loved us^ 
 
 The more a Chriftian keeps himfelf unfpotted, and the 
 more watchful he is in his walking, he may go on from 
 day to day, and fee the fnares ot the devil, that lies in 
 this vanity, and this and the other vanity and temptation, 
 and \et efcape it. 
 
 I would I could fay of fome of you,^ that when the 
 devil laid a inare for ^ou, you did not run into it when 
 you fav/ it. I have known fome that have had under- 
 ftanding enough, that they need not be told where the 
 fnare of the devil lies; yet fo hath it been, the devil 
 and their own hearts lufts have agreed together, and they 
 have run into the fnare. This is from the old confede- 
 racy that men have had with God's enemies j you are tny 
 j-iendsy faiih Chrift, if you do whatfoever I command you. 
 If you are the friends of Chrift, you will be his fubjeds, 
 and yield obedience to him ; when he fliews them a fnare 
 they "will keep out of it : This is the proof of a true 
 Chriftian, that he will be true in a time of trial, and 
 will truft in that divine power that keeps him out of the 
 in are. 
 
 One thing more I would fay, that divine fellowinip that 
 you have wdth Chrift Jefus, it confifts in holinefs of life 
 and converlation, and the exercife of a eood confcience 
 towards God, and towards man. It is in vain to tell me 
 that you will walk in unity with the truth, unlefs you have 
 unity with the truth in your own hearts ; you cannot re- 
 ceive the Lord, nor long deceive his people either. Here 
 is the feliowihip th;u vou are to live in all your days, to live 
 
 " ' in 
 
to Eternal Rest, ly^ 
 
 in fellowfhip with the people of God, and communion of 
 faints ; can the faints have communion in any thing but 
 holinefs ? and hohnefs is a blefled, facred thing, it beco^nes 
 the houfe of God forever ; they that are faints, are fanclified 
 and made holy ; and he that fanElifiethj and they that are 
 fanviified^ are all of one ; for which caufey he is not afhamed 
 to call them brethren^ Heb. ii. ii. They that are fandified 
 are become faints, they bring forth the fruits of holinefs 
 and fandification, and thc^y are come into fellowfhip with 
 God and one other. Every branch in tne, faith Chrifl:, 
 that heareth not fruit, he taketh away ; but every branch 
 that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more 
 fruit. That branch which beareth not fruit, is caft into the 
 fire and burned. 
 
 There are fome that bring forth fruit, but it is fruit to 
 the flefh, and the wicked one, but I hope you are not of 
 that number : Thefe feparate themfelves from the life of the 
 true vine 5 thefe have no fellowfhip nor true memberfhip 
 with the church of Chrift, while they v/alk as captives to 
 the devil, and fm j thefe are of the world, and not of the 
 church. If you would have fellov/ihip with the church, do 
 not think to have it by outward conformity : Do not think 
 that this will maintain your fellov/fhip with Chrifl, without 
 a life of inward holinefs and righteoufnefs ; for that day 
 you break with the truth in yourfelves, you break off your 
 fellowfhip with the church of God, and break your peace 
 with God, and can no way be reftored again to the favour ,of 
 God, but by an unfeigned repentance ; for the myflery of 
 faith is to be kept in a pure conference : How is my con- 
 fcience defiled, if I wrong not this, or the other man or 
 woman ? Some can hold the myflery of faith ; fo far as it 
 confifts in a profefTion, they can profefs it, and they preach 
 it ; but they have not held the myflery of faith in Chrifl:, 
 fo as to receive life, and virtue, and comfort from him. 
 You have got the hifiory of words and doctrines ; but as 
 foon as you defile your confcience, by doing evil things, 
 and depart from the principle of gi^acc, you make fhipwreck 
 of faith. 
 
 But, my friends, as you have a mind to continue and 
 abide in the faith, and in this travel and heavenlv journey, 
 
 r 
 
T^4 '^^^^ Dawning of the Day 
 
 I AX^ould eive you this as a certainty, it may do you good 
 Nji^hen my head lies low : The- way to continue in the 
 church oiGod, and communion of iaints, and to retain your 
 peace with God, is to keep a familiar converfe with the 
 truth in your own fouls, and it will keep you from falling, 
 and lead and guide you in your way, in your travel and 
 journey to Heaven. As the mother, when the child cries 
 after her, but cannot go, takes it by the hand and leads 
 it, fo if you keep clofe to the truth, it can lead you 
 through all difiicukies, through great bufinefs as well as 
 little, and deliver you from fnares and temptations, and 
 when vou are aflaulted, it can bring you off clear. As for 
 communion with God, and communion with the faints 
 and people of God, it ftands in that peace, and purity, 
 and keeping a holy frame of mind in your heavenly travel, 
 in the undefiled wav, that will at laft brins^ vou to the unde- 
 filed cverlafting rejl that remains to the people of God. 
 
 SERMON XVL 
 
 The Dawning of the Day of Grace and 
 Salvation. 
 
 V reached at GrACE-Church-StREET, Augujl 2, i^c^i, 
 ^ty Triendsy 
 
 YOU cannot but know and be fenfible, that a gof- 
 pel-day, a day of grace and falvation, hath dawned 
 uDon vou, and that the lieht of it hath broken 
 through many clouds of darknefs, which fometimes you 
 could not fee through. This is an ineftimable and un- 
 fpeakable mercy of God unto us, that the light of the gof- 
 pel of lalvation ihineth upon a people, that without it muft 
 be miferable. 
 
 There hath been a very dark and cloudy day upon our 
 fore-fathers, and alfo upon us, in the days of our igno- 
 rance. Wq are apt to wander hither and thither, and to 
 
 be 
 
of Grace and Salvation. ly^ 
 
 be turned afide with the wind of mens' dodrine, that wc 
 could not find a reft, a home or a fettlemert for our fouls, 
 in order to eternal life. And there are many that have 
 cried unto God, that he would pleafe to reveal his way, 
 and to make it known unto them ', and they have been 
 apt to covenant with the Lord, that if once they come to 
 a certainty, they would walk in it. Unto fuch as thefe 
 the Lord hath bowed his ear, and hath anfwered them ; and 
 in his anfwering the cry of the foul, he hath brought fal- 
 vation near, and hath revealed the power by which he 
 would bring it to pafs, in every particular foul that re- 
 ceiveth the gofpel of his Son. 
 
 But now friends, you that are fenfible of this bleffed 
 and glorious vilitation of his gofpel-day, in which fa! 
 
 va- 
 
 tiofi is broufyht near^ it is needful for every one to exa- 
 mine their own hearts, whether they have really received 
 the gofpel ; whether they have received and embraced the 
 great bounty, and unfpeakable bleiTrngs of the gofpel, v/ith 
 which the Lord God of life hath vilited us, or whether 
 they have rejeded it. For though it is our happineis to 
 know the vifitation of life, yet it doth not follow that 
 every one that is viiited will be made an heir of it ; for 
 there are many that fall fliort through their unbelief. There 
 are many that have received the gofpel, who do difobey 
 the gofpel of Chrift, and fo have not eternal life by it. 
 
 When people come to this ferious examination of them- 
 felves herein, then the light and grace, that comes from 
 Chrift unto every one of us, both to him that rejed:s it, 
 as well as to him that receiveth it, that will make known 
 to them their ftate and condition, with refped to the 
 gofpel of Chrift. For there are a great many, that by 
 an ahenation of their minds from the lieht of Chrift Je- 
 
 o 
 
 fus, are apt to be miftaken in their ftate, and to make a 
 better judgment of themfelves, and of their ftate inwardly, 
 than really it will am.ount to in the day that the Lord 
 fearcheth and trieth them. But they that make a judgment 
 of themfelves, by the openings and difcoveries that they 
 have through the light of Chift Jefus (for fo we are to do 
 in this weighty matter) they make a judgment of their ftate 
 and condition, according to the evidence that the Spirit 
 
 of 
 
iy6' The Dawning of the Day 
 
 of God bears to iheir fpirits y and this I hope you will 
 all fay is a moft certain way. For if we go to compare 
 ourfeives one with another, and fay, I am better than 
 thee^ and that man is better than I, here we are liable and 
 fubjed to a great many errors, where there ought to be 
 none. But if we come to meafure and determine our pre- 
 lent frate and condition, by the evidence of the Spirit of 
 God, bearing witnefs with our fpirits, here we have a foun- 
 dation to place an infallible and certain judgment upon. 
 And they that are obedient to the gofpel of Chrift, are 
 capable of giving a found judgment of their ftate, becaufe 
 they are made partakers, through Chrift, of that grace, 
 and light, and truth, which they Inould be obedient to ', 
 and they are brought into a kind of knowledge and un- 
 derftanding of their duty, whether they do it or no. And 
 this knowledge, and this underllanding that God hath given 
 them, makes them capable to pafs a right judgm.ent upon 
 their own ftate. They will not call it a good ftate, if it 
 be an evil ftate ; and they v/ill not call it an evil ftate, if 
 it be a good one. They know it is good by the princi- 
 ple of truth in their judgment. 
 
 Therefore fmce there are ^o many uncertainties in the 
 world, and that men are fo apt to take hold of an uncer- 
 tain way of judging and determining, even in matters relat- 
 ing to their fouls : There is a greater aptnefs in people to 
 take hold of uncertainties, in judging about the matters of 
 their fouls, than in thofe things that relates to their bodies. 
 Seeing people are fo liable to it, it can do none of us harm 
 to exhort one another, and move and ftir up one another, 
 to make a calculation of our ftates, by fomething that will 
 not deceive. There are abundance deceived in this coun- 
 try, as well as other countries; v/e fhall not need to go in- 
 to foreign parts to find people deceived and deluded. It 
 will not be amifs to fay, the drunkard, the fwearer, he 
 liar, the oppreffor, the proud, and the malicious, are de- 
 ceived : If thev were not fo, they would never be over- 
 come by the wicked one; the author of all evil, he hath de- 
 ceived them, in that they iliould think to go on in thefe 
 things, and cry f-cace, peace, to one another, and in their 
 own fouls : This is a srreat delufion ; and the devil is the 
 
 great 
 
cf^ Grace and Salvation. ly"; 
 
 great deluder that they are deluded by : And it would be 
 worth the while to find out that which would niake a 
 man think himfelf in a happy ftate, and hope to enjoy 
 eternal life, with God and Chrift, and when he goes on in fin 
 and iniquity, it v/ould be worth the while to find out 
 the c.elufion. 
 
 There is nothing {o proper to turn every one to the 
 grace of God, as to fearcli their own hearts^ and try their 
 ways. This is that which will difcover their thoughts, 
 and make them known to thcml elves : This is God's grace 
 and <^ift to men while thev are vet finners and diiobedient ; 
 he doth not withhold his grace, but gives his grace, and 
 light and truth, even to the rebeVtous : He g/ves gifts to 
 men, even to the rebelUous, that he might have a pTace and 
 dweUing among them, that they might know there is a God 
 that fearches the heart, rrd tries the reins, and judges all 
 unrighteoufnefs. If God hath given thee fo much grace, that 
 he might have a dwelling in thy heart, (hould not that 
 retrain thee from fin, that the devil, by his temptations, 
 might not defile thee, and unfit thee for the kingdom of 
 God ? When the Lord comes to fearch the heart, it is in 
 order to the purging of it, and the taking away of iniquity 
 and fin, that would unfit thee for his kingdom. This is 
 a better way, and more excellent than living to the fiefh, 
 and fulfilling the lufts thereof. Let people live ever fo 
 much to their own corrupt wills, ir. pride, wantonnefs, 
 loofnefs, and the vanity of their minds, they will not find 
 fo much true fatisfaclion and delight, as in living a holy 
 life, living in the fear of God, and avoiding fin, and keeping 
 them-^elves from the temptations and Inares of the devil. 
 
 This is a more excellent way ; and it is our v/ork and 
 bufinefs to declare to people this more excellent way, which 
 all, one time or other, will confefs. This is irkiome, fome 
 will fay 'y this will abate mv pleafure and delights in the 
 world, and fpoil my fecular intereft. If it were not for 
 this reaQ)n, they would grant it were better to live a holy 
 life, and to live in the fear of God, than live in the fer- 
 vice of the devil ; and their carnal intercft lies in the wav, 
 and weighs down the fcale, but it is becaufe thou Joineit 
 with it, otherwife the devil, and all the powers of hell, 
 
 Z could 
 
lyB The Dawning of the Day 
 
 could not Weigh it down. If people would confider thefe 
 things ferioudy, thev would fay, it is better to ferve God, 
 that made them, and gave them life, and breath, and be- 
 ing, than him that would deftroy them ; and then when 
 tliev meet with the pleafures and delights of the world, 
 that the devil lays before them, they would never weigh 
 down the fcale againfl a Divine Reaion ; If thou wilt give 
 thy heart to it, and ferioufly confider it, it will weigh 
 down the fcale againft all temptations to live in fin, and 
 pleaiure, and jollity. If thou wilt but join with this Di- 
 vine Reafon, that tells thee theie cari;al pleasures and en- 
 jovments are not necePfary for thy loul, but it is necef- 
 fary to Uve a holv, heavenly life, and to ferve the Lord 
 that gave thee life, and breath, and all things ; that hath 
 vouchsafed thee manifold prefervations. If thoti wilt but 
 join v/ith the Divine Reaion, and hearken to that \chich 
 opens the truth in thine own hearty all the devil can do, 
 cannot make" thee ferve him ; for the devil hath no coer- 
 cion, no power to force thee to commit fin j he cannot 
 make a m.an v/ork wickedness againft his will ; he mull' 
 cloud the underftanding, and work upon the will, and al- 
 lure and entice the affections by earthly things. So thou 
 canfr not be forced by the devil againft thy will, to yield 
 to his temptations, to commit any iin ^ but thou mAift fay, 
 I will do it. 
 
 I confefs, when the underf-anding is bribed, and the will 
 allured and fcduced by the devil's temptations, there is no 
 withftanding them. But on the other hand, if men would 
 give up them! elves to the power of God, they would have 
 Divine A ffiftance ; and joining with that power, they would 
 be more than conquerors. Therefore we cannot but be en- 
 couraged to keep in the way of the Lord, and have ac- 
 quaintance with the power of God, which will preferve 
 you, and give you victory over all the temptations and 
 affaults of the devil j and without this power you cannot 
 overcome j but if you have the aidiftance of this power, 
 rothing will be too hard for you. \^hen you are in 
 ftraits, and in a helplefs condition, you fometimes are 
 ready to cry out, i fliall not overcome my fpiritual. 
 enemies ^ I mall never get vidory over fin and the world, 
 
 the 
 
of Grace and Salvation. jy^ 
 
 the flefh and the devil ', and I (hall never be able to with- 
 ftand his temptations, but they will prevail over me all 
 my days. No wonder you make this conclullon, when 
 you have parted with your truil: and dependence on that 
 power that is able to overcome the devil, and baffle him 
 in your thoughts, words and deeds. 
 
 You may be ready to fay, alas ! of myfelf I can do no- 
 thing j I am not able of myfelf /o rnuch as to think a good 
 thought ; yet by Divine Afiiftance, I do many times think 
 good thoughts. In mey that is, in my Jlepiy there divells 
 nothing that is good. Not in my flefh abftra(5lly ; feparate 
 from the power of God, and the Divine AfTifrance vouch- 
 fafed unto me. In my flefli dwells nothing that is good. 
 But if you take me as one that hath faith in Chrift the 
 Mediator, this faith embraceth the tender of the love of 
 God in the Redeemer. And when I have this faith, there 
 dwells a good thing in me; and from this good thing that 
 dwells in me, there flows forth good words and good ac- 
 tions ; then you come to be acquainted with a power greater 
 than your own ; and if you truft in it, you will be able 
 to withfl:and temptations. When you are tempted to any 
 fin, you will not only be able to withftand the tempta- 
 tion, but to overcome it too, and to be more than con- 
 querors in your fpiritual warfare- This relying upon, and 
 trufting in the power of God, is that which we call faith; 
 and this faith is the operation of God. 
 
 To fpeak in plain words, God will operate upon thy 
 mind, and make thee know, that this is his power, light, 
 truth and grace, bv which he would fave thee. And af- 
 ter God hath wrought and opened unto thee in this man- 
 ner, it is thy duty then to belive in it, to put thy truft: 
 and confidence in it, to be delivered. But though faith 
 be offered unto me, yet it is not forced upon me ; God 
 hath offered faith to all men, but he doth not force it 
 upon any. All have an opportunity offered to them , if 
 they will but join with it, they may have faith wrought in 
 them, and be fitted and prepared for the kingdom of 
 God. 
 
 There are many that are convinced of the truth of the 
 dodrine that we preach to them, but they do not get into 
 
 the 
 
j8o The Dawning cf the Day 
 
 the power of the truth ; they will hear us preach of the 
 power of truth, and will hear \vhat this man iaith, and what 
 the other man iaith; and this will ierve their turn, that 
 thev may talk of religion, and m.ake a profeflion : Eut they 
 do not feek after that power that Ihould enable them to 
 work out their own falvouic?i. Thefe perions grow in 
 knowledge, but they do not grow in grace ; they will 
 embrace truth as far as dodrine and words will go ; they 
 have profelled it, and they have fuffered reproach for it, 
 and yet they have not received the truth in the love of it ; 
 they cannot reach to the power of it ; they glory in their 
 knowledge and in their undcrfcanding, but they come not 
 to that which fanctifies them ; they are not able to renft 
 the devil, and to fland againft his temiptations ; when a 
 temptation comes, they join with it, but they cannot with- 
 ftand it: They come to the knowledge of truth in words, 
 but they come not to the knowledge of the power of it in 
 their hearts and minds, fo as to make them prepared vef- 
 fels for God's honour ; God is more diihonoured by them 
 than by thofe tha: never profeffed his name : They fall 
 into the temptation of the devil, and never diiceni the ope- 
 ration of God's power in their own hearts. 
 
 Secondly, There is another error as great as this ; there are 
 a great miany that when the Lord's power hath wrought in 
 their hearts, and they have truth opened to them in the 
 power of it, yet thev have not believed in it, they have 
 not had faith wrought in their hearts, they have not truf- 
 ted in it, nor relied upon the power ; io they are weak 
 and feeble, they have little faith, which is ne:^t to none at 
 all. If they have ever fo much knowledge, how eafy can 
 the devil tempt them to fm, if they have no faith ; this 
 is the vidloryy faith the apoftle, that oiercotues the worldy 
 ezen yciir fatth. This is not my vidory, that I fee the 
 fubtiky and wiles of Satan, and know much ; but that 
 which is my vicl:ory is my faith : My trufl is in the power 
 of God, and my reliance upon him who is God, migh- 
 tier than all the'fireneth of men and devils; that God who 
 knows my heart. If I be faithful to him, and rely upon 
 him by faith, I (hall refift the devil, and withilanding his 
 temptacions, obtain viclory over them. 
 
 This 
 
of Grace and Salvation. iSi 
 
 This power you may have by the gospel ; but then you 
 muft be true to the power of it in yourl elves ; for I do dif- 
 tinguilli between the ^ofpel, as it is a dodrine and v/ord 
 preached, and an invifible, divine power working upon 
 men by the preaching of the gofpel ; you will all hear the 
 gofpel preached, though you be ever fo proud and high-mind- 
 ed, and you will lay it is true ; but you can never come to the 
 faving k^iowledge of the go! pel itfelf, till you find it work- 
 ing inwardly upon your- elves. 
 
 We do not pretend to any power of opening mens hearts, 
 as God opened the heart of Lydia ,- but when people come 
 to wait upon God with a ferious and religious mind, you 
 will find the power of the word working effedually upon 
 you, and fo the golpel iviil become the power of God to 
 your falvativn. This is, and ihall be my prayer, for all 
 religious aflemblies, that the Lord will be pleaded to teach 
 them, by his invifible word, and beget living defires in them 
 towards himi elf, and bring them to an eflee:a of holinefs and 
 righteoufnefs, that they may adorn the gofpel of Chrift, 
 by living gofpel-lives ; for want of this, what difhonour 
 have men brought to God, and what reproach upon the 
 gofpel. O ! that people would come to hear the word 
 preached, with defire to profit by it, and lay, Lord, do me 
 fome good this day, give me a powerful refreihing vifitation 
 at this time ; give me iome living e:<perience of thy Almighty 
 Power working upon my heart, that I mav not be led by 
 this man's word, or that man's opinion ; for if they miftake, 
 I (hall be miftaken : But if I build my faith upon what 
 God in his word reveals to me, I iLall infallibly know what 
 I am to believe and practife, and I fhall receiVe from God 
 fome good thing, and I (hall knew what is the good and 
 acceptable vjill of God', I ihall find that there is power in 
 the gofpel /or hm!dr/7g me up in the moft holy faith, and that 
 it is mighty y through God, for the pulUvg down of thejtrofig 
 holds of fin and Satan, and I {]id\\ fee the falvaticn of God 
 brought near to me. 
 
 "^hen the gofpel becomes the power of God, and work- 
 eth upon the hearts of men by the operation of the Divine 
 Power, they may diftinguilh between that faith that is 
 built upon the declarations of men, and that which is 
 
 wroueht 
 
ic?2 The Dawning of the Day 
 
 wrought by the revelation and difcovcry of the mind of 
 God in their fouls j this is that which we may bottom up- 
 on, and have an anchor fure and ftedfafl in our own fouls; 
 when I depend upon Chrift, the rock of ages., both of 
 this age, and all other ages, my faith mufi: be placed upon 
 him; and when I hear the word of a man, I mufl: have an 
 eye to God, that he will reveal his power in my heart ; this 
 will make me believe in the Lord Jefus Chrift, and re- 
 ceive that ingrafted vjord wkkh is able to fave my foul : 
 I (hall not only hear the word, but live in obedience to it. 
 Vhat fignifies it to make a profeflion that I have the 
 light within, if I do not give obedience to it ? For without 
 that, it is all hypocrify ; all pretence to holinefs, or righ- 
 teoufnefs, all mortification, is but hypocrify, any further than 
 we find the power of truth making an imprellion upon our 
 hearts and minds, bringing us to the obedience of faith. 
 
 Let them therefore that profefs righteoufnefs, live righ- 
 teouily, and they that hear the gofpel, live in obedience to 
 it ; and thofe that profefs to be Chriftians, let them livx^ 
 like Chriftians indeed : "V7hen every one comes to know 
 *Vithin himfelf, fo far as the gofpel hath fnined upon him, 
 that they have received the truth in the love of it, and love 
 the truth as it is in Jefus, and are obedient to the gofpel, 
 they fliall know the falvation of it. There is a diicovery 
 of God's power in the go' pel, and there is a believing of 
 it, and trufting in it ; this is that which belongs to a Chrif- 
 tian, this is the beginning and the firit {lep to a Chriftian 
 life ; we m.uft believe in Chrift ; for uithotit faith it is ijn-^ 
 po£ible to pleafe God, He that believeth, fhouid be careful 
 to walk in the truth that he hath received, and then he (hall 
 have a teftimony of the power and virtue of it in his own, 
 foul. This virtue and power, if he joins with it, hath the 
 government of his heart and life, and gives him victory over 
 the world, and the temptations of Satan. 
 
 You know in the primitive times there were believers 
 that not only held the faith, but liied by faith ; and by that 
 faith thev got victory over all the allurements, and plea- 
 fures and. vanities of the world. I have fought a good fght^ 
 faith the apoftle, 2 Ti?n, iv, 7, 8, I have jifiified my courfey 
 I have kept the faith, henceforth is laid up for me a crovcn 
 
 of 
 
of Grace and Salvation, ^ t8j 
 
 of righteoiifnefs, which the Lord, the righteous Judge^ fliall 
 give tne at that day^ and not to me only, but unto all them 
 alfo that love his appearing. I have got the vidory, and 
 there remains an eternal weight of glory for me. 
 
 My friends, this is our ambition, and all our labour 
 among you, that you may be built up in the mofl: holy 
 faith J that you may be brought home to Chrift, in all 
 your meetings and gatherings together : You fhould de- 
 iire to be enriched with faith, and to have your own ftore- 
 houfe filled with all the fruits of the Spirit, and not only 
 feek for the knowledge of the truth, but be fubjed and 
 obedient to what you know, otherwife by your religion 
 you will but hurt yourfelves. And the apoftle Peter, 
 a Peter, i, 12, fpeaks of knowing the truth, and of being 
 eftabliihed in it, and of fome that after they had efcaped 
 the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of our 
 Lord and Saviour, Jefus Chrifl, they are again entangled 
 therein, and overcome, and the latter end with them is ivcrfe 
 than the beginning ; for it had been better for them not to 
 have knovon the way of righteoufnefs, than after they have 
 knovon it, to turn from the holy comtnandment delivered unto 
 them. There is a power goes along with the preaching of 
 the gofpel, that will enable you to do what you know ', the 
 goipel is a powerful dodrine, whether you know it or not, 
 or whether you fubmit to it or not, yet pray remember 
 that God's people are a willing people in the day of his power y 
 they are a certain fort of people that are devoted to God, 
 and fubmit all their worldly honours, interefts, profits and 
 pleafures, to the pleafure of God, and defire no other plea- 
 fure or happinels, but to enjoy his prefence and favour j 
 they are fatified with this, and they are a happy people, 
 being made a willing people in the day of God's power ; 
 they are willing to deny themfelves, to take up a daily crofs 
 and follow Chrifl, and have falvation upon his terms. 
 
 There are a great many profelTors that have notions, and 
 out-fide appearances, but they want that virtue, and life, 
 and power, that Ihould fettle them in religion, and a love 
 of the truth. The- Lord that knows our hearts, knows that 
 our labour and travel among you hath been defigned for 
 your good, and that our hearts defire is^ that you may be 
 
 faved 
 
iS4, The Dawning cf the Day 
 
 favecl in the day of the Lord Jefus. Y/q would have peo- 
 ple coniider, and attend and hear what God fpeaks, and 
 remember what he hath taught you by the minifters of the 
 gofpel : We have all ears to hear, let us thank God 
 fbr that ; bleffed be God that there is a power and an abili- 
 ty of hearing with an outward ear ; but there are many 
 that will not fo much as give the hearing to what might 
 be fpoken to them from the Lord : He that hath ears to 
 hear^ let him hear vohat the Spirit faith to the churches; and 
 what he faith to his own foal ; hear what the Spirit faith 
 of your own ftate and condition; if it be good, blefs Qod 
 for it; are you in fo good a condition, that vou have no 
 trouble, no diftrefs to lament, no wants to fupply, blelTed 
 are you that have none ; but if you find that you have done 
 amifs, and if the Lord ih raid call you this night to give 
 up your account, the Lord hath a great deal againft you, 
 I am fure ; and I tell you it is your duty to turn to the 
 Lord with unft;igned repentance, that through Chnfl: Jefus, 
 you may receive pardon and remifilon of all your fins, and 
 hear what the Spirit faith to yourklves, and in >)'ourfelves. 
 
 Pray come and make it your work and bufmefs the reft 
 of the time you have to live, to ivcrk oat your falvation 
 'Ujith fear and tremhling^ that when Chrift comes, you may 
 fay, come Lord, Jefus^ come quickly, purify me and iandtify 
 me, and prepare me to be prefented to the Father unthout 
 fpotj and blame! efs ; the day is coming that this will be the 
 defire of everv one of you. 
 
 And it is the carncft breathing and defire of my foul, 
 that every one of you may have an eye unto the Lord, 
 and he will look down from Heaven, and have regard 
 to the cry and the fighing of the needy foul. God 
 will arife, and find out the people that breathe after him, 
 and that defire to be reconciled to him, through the 
 Mediator Jefus Chrifl; the Lord loveth to find out fuch 
 a people, and I am glad to preach to fuch a people the 
 glad tidings of the gofpel, and to teach as God hath 
 taught mc ; good and upright is the Lord, therefore ivill 
 he teach and guide you in the vjay ivhlch you jhould go. 
 Walk humbly with God ; he will nfifl the proud, but 
 he ivill give ^race unto the humble. W'alk uprightly 
 
 before 
 
The Excellency of Peace with GOD. 18^ 
 before the Lord in this gofpel-day that fhines upon you > 
 love the appearance of God, and prize it, though it 
 hath not been fo glorious to you, as to fome others, 
 yet defpife not the day of fmall things: live in fubjedion 
 to that grace that the Lord hath given you, and the Lord 
 will give you more grace, and pour out his Spirit, and mul- 
 tiply his blefTings upon you ', the Lord hath begun a good 
 ivork in you, and he will carry it on to the day of Chrlft, 
 and will vouchfafe to bring the glorious day of his vifitatioa 
 upon you. 
 
 To "'the Lord I leave you, to his favour and protedion 
 I commit you j remember that there is no falvation but 
 by Jefus Chrifr, and none to be had by Chrift, till you 
 come to believe in him ', to him that fearcheth the heart, 
 and tries the reins, that pardoneth iniquity, tranfgrefiion 
 and fin, for the fake of Chrift Jefus, the Mediator, to him 
 I do commit you, not doubting but that he that hath begun 
 a good work in you, will at laft complete and finiili it to 
 his own praife and your falvation. 
 
 SERMON XVII. 
 
 The Excellency of Peace with 
 G ^O D. 
 
 F reached at Devonshire-House J Augvft ^, i6c?r. 
 
 ^iy Jriends^ 
 
 IT is man's great happinefs in this world to have ac- 
 quaintance with God, with the Lord that made him, 
 from whom he hath life and breath here, and his eternal 
 welfare hereafter ; this doubtlefs every one will acknow- 
 ledge one time or other, that peace with God is a great 
 jewel, and the beft eftate and riches. It is the great defire of 
 every one that they may attain to this one time or other ; 
 and there is a great negledt of happinefs among the fons 
 and daughters of men, in not feeking of it, and not labouring 
 
 A a to 
 
tSS The Excellency cf Peace with GOD, 
 
 to attain it while it is to be had ; Oh ! hov/ many triHe 
 away their time about fading and periihing objefts, and 
 they know at the fame inftant that they are yet deflitute of 
 the favour of God, and peace with him. Oh, friends! 
 the very thoughts and conlideration of the worth of this 
 iewel, and of the miferv of beinp without it, and the un- 
 certainty of our tim.e while it is to be attained, might put 
 every one upon a ferious^ dihgent enquiry after the way and 
 means whereby they m/lght attain it, that fo they m.ight have 
 a refting-place for their fouls, and fatisf^dion to their in- 
 ward man, that it ihail go well with them, when time fhail 
 be no m.ore. 
 
 And they that come to this confideration, and are rcfolved 
 in their hearts and minds, that they will labour after this, 
 and fet their whole endeavour after it, they will in the firfl: 
 place feek the kingdom cf Gody and the righteoufnefs thereof : 
 Theie do need a daily encouragement in their way to Hea- 
 ven, and there is nothing on the Lord's part wanting to 
 fuch fouls, but that they may attain their defire. 
 
 But alas ! this hath been, and is frill the mifery of thou- 
 fands, they are feeking after peace with God, but they err 
 in the way to it, they do not feek in that way, nor take 
 hold of thofe methods, by and through which God hath 
 prom.ifed peace ; you fhall fcarce meet with anv body, 
 but they would have eternal life and peace with God ; we 
 ihall not need to perfuade people to wilh for, and to defire 
 to have peace with God when they ihall come to die, and 
 lay down their heads in the duft. There is not a Balaain^ 
 but he defires to die the death of the righteous , atid that his 
 iaft end may belike his : There is not a Scribe j or a Pharifee, 
 or any that profefs religion, but they are feeking eternal 
 life. The Lord Jefus did witnefs concerning them, that 
 they were an envious, proud', perfecuting people, yet that 
 they did feek after eternal life, and they pitched upon fome 
 methods and ways whereby they thought to get and enjoy 
 it; but all this was error ftill, they where out of the way 
 of attaining it, and fo are a great m.any people at this very 
 day ; the^/ are in a (late and condition wherein they are 
 never like to enjoy it ; the methods and the wa)'s that they 
 have chofea to themfelves, to find eternal life by, and 
 
 to 
 
The Excellency of Peace ivhh GOD. i8y 
 
 to obtain peace with God, will never anf^^^er the end. 
 
 And God hath been pleafed to difcover to us the many 
 by-ways that people have chofen, and feek peace with God 
 by ; therefore we are willing at all times, to fhew people 
 their error in thefe sreat matters of hi^^heft concernment to 
 them. If they did err in their way of feeking to obtain 
 fome earthly good, and miffed their end, they know the 
 price of it, it is but a lofs of fo much, which if they had 
 taken a right courfe, they might have attained ; but it is an 
 unfpeakabie lofs, an ineftimabie lofs, if they lofe peace 
 with God, and all the pains and labour they are at to obtain it. 
 
 I befeech you, friends, confider thefe things, they are of 
 great weight, and you will fay fo one day or other ; for, 
 faith our Saviour, what ivil! it -profit a man to gain the 
 whole world, and lofe his oivn foul ? Or what fhail a 'man 
 give in exchange for his foul ? O ! Hov/ fad is it to coniider, 
 that a man hath not made provifion for his foul, that he hath 
 not a place ofreftforhis immortal loul, and that the arms 
 of the Lord Jefus Chrift are not open to receive his foul, 
 when his body can retain it no longer ! If this be a man's 
 ftate v/hen he comes to die, it had been better for him that 
 he had never been born : Men may live and gather riches, 
 and enjoy a plentiful eilate j but if they be deftitute of the 
 favour of God, and peace with him, what will they do 
 with thefe perifhing enjoyments ? They cannot polTibly fa- 
 tisfy themfclves with thefe tranfitory, vifible things , but 
 if thefe perfons only mind their bodies, and neglect their 
 fouls, do they not live like the heafts that perifh ? The beaft 
 feeks after his meat, and when he finds it, he eats it with 
 delight and pleafure, and in a little while he lies down and 
 dies, and there is an end ; fo it is with carelefs fouls, that 
 have no regard to their future flate ', but they fay, let us eaty 
 and drinky and be merry ^ for to-morroiv we fliall die. 
 
 Oh ! that every one of us did apply our hearts feri- 
 ouHy to the coniideration of the weight of thefe things 
 that concern our eternal ftate ; if perfons did this, then 
 they might come to an enquiry into their own fouls, what 
 method and way is mod iafe for the attaining of fo blef- 
 fed an end. For you know there are abundance of people, 
 if you look up and down in the world, you will fee 
 
 every 
 
jS8 The Excellency of Peace with GOD. 
 
 every body alnioft hunting up and down in fome wav of 
 religion or other, and are engaged in religious performances : 
 What is the matter ? what would you have ? We would 
 have peace with God here, and everlafting reft hereafter in 
 the kingdom of Heaven j that we would have. Thus have 
 the nations been fcattered and driven up and down in the 
 purfuit of happinefs and fatis£idion. 
 
 There is a general belief amongft people, that there is 
 a Heaven, and a Hell, and that they muft have their part in 
 one of them ; there are none that delire a portion in the 
 lake that bums with fire and /prifNj'lone. Thofe prophane 
 wretches that cry to God to damn them, they do not 
 mean what they fpeak, they would be faved for all that; 
 every one will cry at laft, Lord have mercy upon me, if he 
 hath but time to fay fo : Let us cry. Lord have mercy upon 
 me now; Lord beftow thy favour upon me; Lo'd lift up the 
 light of thy countenance upon ?//f ;.Lord touch my hard heart, 
 and .^often it and break it, by the power of thy Spirit; open 
 mine e\es, that I may fee the voo7tderful things of thy law ; 
 open mine ears, that I may hear thy voice. It is good for 
 people to make ufe of time while they have it; whofoever 
 calls upon the name of the Lord fhall be faved, and God 
 will pour out his wrath upon thofe that call not upon his name. 
 Lie that calls upon the name of the Lord, fhall be faved; and 
 God gives great encouragement to people to feek after him. 
 
 \yhat mean you by (eeking after God ? I have gone 
 to church, and iaid my prayers ; I have gone in the way 
 which my fathers have led me, and direfied me, I hope 
 I iliall find mercy at laft ; I am a believer, I beheve in 
 Jefus Chrift- that died for my fins, and rofe again for 
 mv jufiification ; I hope, through the merits of Jefus Chrift, 
 I ihall be faved. What mean you by feeking after the 
 Lord ? Do not we all hear of him, and pray to him every 
 day? 
 
 is there any thing more common than this, that peo- 
 ple fpeak to one another generally about ? as for the ge- 
 neral knowledge of God, \ou and I may fee to our ior- 
 rov/, that a great many crv. Lord, Lord, that are never 
 like to enter into the kingdom of God. If all that take 
 thv name of Goa in dieir xnouths, Ihould enter into tliQ 
 
 kingdoru 
 
The Excellency of Peace ivlth GOD. i8g 
 
 kingdom of Heaven, it would be a very foul kingdom : 
 If all the drunkards and whoremongers of England, and 
 all prophane ungodly perfons, that will take the name of 
 God in their mouths, ihould enter into the kingdom of 
 Heaven, it would be a very unclean and impure king- 
 dom j there is nothing enters there that is unclean, that is 
 abominable, that lovetk to make a lie. So that there muft 
 be fome more peculiar people that fhall have an abun- 
 dant entrance into the kingdom of God ; and there mull: 
 be fomething that will entitle them to it. For you may 
 remember our Saviour faith, no man knoweth the Father 
 but the Son, and he to whom the Son JJiall reveal hiyn. So 
 much as may be known of God by works, you and I 
 may know, without the revelation of Chrift j we need not 
 wait for this knowledge, we can have it by books j we 
 can have it by Chrift's revelation. Nothing would ferve 
 fome in our Saviour's time, but eternal life j and our Lord 
 Jefus bids them fearch the fcriptures, for in them (faith he) 
 you think to have eternal life, and they are they which tef- 
 tify of ?ne. Yet for all the profciTion they made, he tells 
 them, no man hath feen God at any time, neither feen 
 his fhape, nor heard his voice ; they were ftrangers to God, 
 though they had a general knowledge of God= 
 
 So it is at this day ; there is a general knowledge of 
 God, and people hope to obtain peace with God, and eter- 
 nal Ufe. Their parents and their tutors have inftruded 
 them in the principles of Chriftianity, and about the at- 
 tributes of God ; but all this will not bring a man to a 
 faving knowledge of God, and reconciliation with him : 
 For a man that is as wicked as the devil can make him., 
 knows thefe things, and yet may be a fervant of the de- 
 vil, and do his work j he is not born again, and become 
 a child, by all his external knowledge. Now he that de- 
 fires to come to the true, faving knowledge of God, our 
 Saviour hath told us, that none knows the Father but the 
 Son, and him to whom the Son will reveal him ; this is 
 a fure way to come to the true knowledge of God, by 
 Jefus Chrift ; he hath the key that openeth the heart, and 
 he will bring us to the true knowledge of God the Fa- 
 ther. Chrift hat/i the key of David, ivhich openeth, and 
 
 no 
 
jc)o Tlie Excellency of Peace with GOB, 
 
 no man fnutteth ; a72d fnntteth, and no man operieth. He 
 can bring us to behold the glory of God in his own face ; 
 without him we are never like to come to the faving know- 
 ledge of God. 
 
 Poor man is in a lapfed, fallen ftate, he is fallen into fin, 
 and is in a ftate of alienation from God, and therefore he 
 cannot com.e to him but by a Mediator ', there is one Medi^ 
 ator hetvccai God and man^ ths man Chrift Jcfus^ and he 
 muil- make peace for him, elfe he W"ill never have it : How 
 then (hail we come to Chrift, if he is the only means, and 
 there is no other by which we may come to the knowledge of 
 God, as the fcripture ipeaks? Hearken to it, how may we 
 come to Chriil: ? I anfwer, you will never come to him ; if he 
 nrft come not to you, you will never be able to do it. It 
 is not coming to Chrift, when you fay, you do believe that 
 Chrift died and rofe again, and afcended up into Heaven, 
 and fits at the right hand of God, and lives forever to make 
 intercefiion for his people, and to read thofe words and 
 dodrines which he preached up and down at meetmgs, and 
 folemn afiembUes ; but if vou believe that he is the eternal 
 Son of God, and the author of eternal falvation to all that 
 obey hwiy you muft come to him, and entirely give up your-, 
 felves to his glory and fervicej without this, you cannot 
 come to him, nor will he bring you to the Father : Chrift 
 is come near to us, he ftands at the door of our hearts, and 
 he ftands and knocks : Behold ! that is a word that calls for 
 attention, for people to take notice of. Behold, I Jiand 
 at the door and knock ; what doft thou knock for ? faith 
 Chrift, that thou may eft open the door of thy heart ; for 
 if any man open, I will cofne and fup with hiWy and he 
 with me, and my Father will come to him^ and we will make 
 cur abode with him. 
 
 Now people are loth to be at this pains and trouble, to 
 open the door of their hearts to Chrift, for they will not 
 believe it is Chrift that knocks, and that rebukes and checks 
 them, when they refufed to open to him ; when they find 
 fomething within that reproves them for their ftn, and doth 
 condemn them that they cannot be at quiet, they will never 
 believe that this is Chrift: How can this be Chrift? they fay, 
 He is afcended up to Heaven, and he is at the right hand of 
 
 God 
 
The ExCtLLENCY of "PEACE vAth GOD T^t 
 
 God the Father : WiU you make me believe that this is 
 Chrift knocking at the door of my heart? I cannot believe 
 it : But what faith our Saviour, nnlefs you believe that I am 
 he, you fliall die in your fjis : For there is nobody elfe can 
 help you out of them, 
 
 There is a two-fold confideration that we are to have of 
 Chrift y one is^ as he was made of a vjoman, made under the 
 laiv ; and another confideration of Chrift is, as he is the 
 eternal Son of God. Men have very grofs thoughts of 
 Chrift, to think, that becaufe he is in Heaven, therefore he 
 cannot be here too : They meafure him by themfelves j 
 they know becaufe a man is at London, therefore he cannot 
 be at York at the fam.e time. Thus thefe men obied, if 
 Chrift is in Heaven, how can he be here ? His dodrine and 
 precepts are here, let us make ufe of them all ; he will come 
 again at the day of judgment; but this is a day of judg- 
 ment : Doth not he judge you now ? He Is the judge both of 
 quick and dead, and he ts the fearcher of hearts, and the trier 
 of the reins ; fo that thou canft not think an ill thought, 
 but he will tell thee of it ; he is nearer to thee than the wife 
 of thv bjfom, or thy hufband that \s> near to thee : Hufband 
 and wife may think an ill thought, but they cannot tell one 
 another of it ; but Chrift is one that comes fo near thee, 
 that thou canft not conceive an ill thought againft thy neigh- 
 bour, but he v/ill tell thee of it. 
 
 This is the Lord Chrift, as a Spirit, a quickening Spirit, 
 who is made manifeft in the flefh : He hath given to every 
 man a meafure of the Spirit to profit vuithal : The grace of 
 God which bringeth falvation, hath appeared unto all men. 
 NotxWthftanding the diftinftion of learned men between 
 common grace and fpiritual grace, this grace that brings fal- 
 vation, hath appeared unto all men. This manifeftation of 
 the Spirit and light within, we have from Chrift. Thefe 
 are the ways and methods that the Lord Chrift hath taken 
 to approach near to us. Now your own reafon will tell you, 
 if this be the v/ay and means that Chrift takes to approach 
 near to us, we cannot take another way to approach to him : 
 If Chrift hath taken, I fay, this way to approach to us, by 
 the light and manifeftation of his own Spirit, which con- 
 vinceth us of fm : If this be Chrift's way of coming to us, 
 
 there 
 
ic)2 The Excellency of Peace ivith GGD, 
 there can be no other way of our coming to him, but by 
 the fame method of his grace. He faith, if you have the 
 light, believe in the light. I have the hght, I am enlighten- 
 ed, there is fomething that difcovereth my evil thoughts : 
 Why muft I believe in the light ? That you may be children 
 of the light, as our Saviour fpeaks ; they that are the chil- 
 dren of the light ihall have it for their inheritance j and 
 thev that are children of darknefs, muft have darknefs for 
 their inheritance : While we have the light, we muft believe 
 in it, and we ihall be made children of the hght : God hath 
 fent his Son, and the Son hath fent his Spirit and his 
 heavenly grace into our hearts, that we m.ay draw near to 
 him, and be directed how to attain acquaintance with him, 
 and to do that which pleafeth God, and come to be in union 
 with him, and do the works of God. This is that which 
 God requires of us, that we will believe on him whom he hath 
 fent ; that We may embrace the hght, and believe in the 
 light, in the Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 
 Pray what do you mean by believing ? There is fomething 
 within me checks and reproves me for fin, and calls m.e off 
 from it, and bids me turn over a new leaf: Muft I hearken 
 to this ? Is this that which you mean by believing ? As to 
 this degree of believing, they that reject it now, fhall 
 believe it heareaftcr ; for all the world at laft, and the 
 damned in hell fhall certainly confefs that there was grace, 
 and light, and means afforded to them, and they might have 
 gone farther, and efcaped that mifery that they are fallen 
 into. 
 
 But there is a more precious faith that I would have you 
 partake of, a faith that vjorketh by love. Since the Lord hath 
 been fo gracious as to extend his mercy and love to me, I am 
 fo taken with the love of God, that I will be obedient to 
 him y this faith that worketh by love, is the faith of God's 
 eicd ; that by which we may obtain vidory over our paf- 
 fions and lufts, and over fatan and the fnares of the v/orld ; 
 when we ai'e come to clofe with the grace of God, and to 
 believe in Chrift, this is well: But we muft alfo yield 
 obedience and fubjedion. Yet when faith hath brought 
 forth obedience, you cannot be juftified by it, you cannot 
 be favcd by your obedience, but Chrift alone : He ls the 
 
 author 
 
The EXCELLEN-CY of PeACE vjitk GOD. tp^ 
 
 author and finifier of our faltfi, and a Mediator from firfl to 
 laft. 
 
 Now all that come to clofe with the appearance of Chriil 
 in their ov/n heart, they have laid hold of the method ap- 
 pointed for their coming to him. It is Chrift they muft 
 Iiear ; he is come fo near to men that they may hear his voice, 
 and hear him tell us our very thoughts. Why iliould not I 
 hear him when he checks me and reproves me for fm ? He 
 comes near and tells me that I have done amifs ; Lord, I 
 have done inic^uity, I will do fo no mxore. Thus Chrift 
 converfeth with his people, and doth not only check and 
 reprove them, when thev do that which is evil, but per- 
 fuades them and enables them to do good. He is a Medi- 
 ator, he is a middle perfon, and hath taken flefh upon him, 
 that he might reconcile them to God, that do believe in him. 
 
 Now, \Y/hen we come to have acquaintance with God, 
 and have chofen him to be our God, he teaches us to do 
 what is good, and reproves us for what evil we have done. 
 Who canchoofea better guide, to lead hixm into acquaintance 
 with God, than Chrift that is converfant with us, piercing 
 into our thoughts, and fpeaking to us ? I may hear him with 
 theinv/ard ear of my heart ; when I do evil he checks me for 
 it, and tells me the thing I (hould feek is of ineftimable value ; 
 and if through my unbelief and carelefnefs I mifs of it, it 
 had been better for me that I had never been born 5 now we 
 are in the way of coming to receive the end of our faith, the 
 falvation of our fouls, let us not negleB fo g-reat falvatlon. 
 No man can fave himfelf, nor fave the foul of his brother, 
 nor find a ranfom, nor procure an offering for the expiating 
 of his fm ; therefore let every one that would have his fin 
 expiated and pardoned, and cannot be fatisfied and quieted, 
 till he hath peace with God j let him come to Chrift, the 
 Mediator, and come with faith and truth in the inward parts, 
 and fubmit to him, and be willing to be ruled by him^, then 
 Chrift will fave him, and prefenthirnivithout fpot and bleniiftt. 
 to his father. 
 
 Conftder that thofe that are the people of God, are led by 
 the Spirit of God. They mifs their way to reconciliation 
 \^'ith God, that love any other way, or think to com.e to 
 God any other way than by Jefus, the Mediator, their la- 
 
 B b bour 
 
ip4- J^/^^ ExcELinNCY of Peace with GOD* 
 
 hour will be loil : Therefore I muft exhort and perfaads 
 you that are out of the way, that you would take God's me-- 
 thod, and come into God's v/ay. The terms, I have told 
 you, are made already ; the bargain is not to make now ; I 
 will give fo much to be at peace with God, or I will part 
 with this or the other thing that is dear to me* No, the 
 agreement is made between God and Chrift, and his covenant 
 is ordered in all tkmgs, and fare ; and his covenant ftands 
 fure with none, but thofe that are m Chrift Jefus. There 
 Was a covenant made with Ahraham ; i?i thy feed fliall all the 
 ?iaticris of the earth bs blejfed. The promife is made to the feed, 
 that is, to thofe that are in Chrift ; the faithful are counted 
 the feed ; now the faithful are tho'e that are obedient 
 to Chrift, who is the leed of the promi^'e, i?i vohotn all the 
 fam:Ues of the earth are ulcffed. They muft* come to Chrift 
 the feed, thev muft not rebel aqainft him ', thev muft 
 come to him, and believe in him ; be there never fo 
 many nations and families in the world, the promife is 
 jiot to them, but to as many as the Lord our God fhall 
 call. 
 
 Here is the Way for people to lay hold of, for their" 
 coming into acquaintance with God, which is of fo great 
 neceiTity before they die ; they muft come to Chrift him- 
 fclf by his Spirit in their own hearts. We need not 
 go to this and the other learned man, and enquire of this 
 and the other fort of people; but we muft cry to God 
 for help and dire-ftion, and com.e unto him, and give up 
 all the powers and faculties of our fouls to him, to be 
 governed by him : God will have fervants that will be 
 obedient to him y if ever we come to obtain falvation, 
 We muft have another mafter, one is ycur majrer^ even 
 Chrill ; I muft come under the government of Chrift, 
 and he muft lead me, and rule me, if I will be a child 
 of God* 
 
 VV'hen people ccme to lee there is no eifedrual Way, 
 but fubmitting to the grace of God in their ov/n hearts, 
 and yielding themfelves up to the dicftaces of the Spirit 
 of Chrift in their fouls ; when they come to this, there 
 are many hazards and difficulties to be encountered with 5 
 there is the appearance of the crofs of Chrift, and we 
 
 muft 
 
The Excellency of Peace with GODg ic^^ 
 muft take up this crofs if we will follow Chrift, and be 
 obedient in all things unto him. This is that which will 
 kill all my pleafure, lay wafte all my religion, and de- 
 ftroy my hopes ; I muft be like a man that built a houfe 
 without a good foundation ; I muft pull it all dow^n 
 again, and I muft come to build up again upon a new 
 foundation. 
 
 Here many have turned afide, the crofs of Chrift hath 
 feemed to them fo ftiarp, and hard and intolerable, that 
 they could not bear it; they would not be at the charge 
 of fuch a rehgion ; what, muft I part with all my delights, 
 and my beloved lufts and pleafures, and all my inter- 
 efts in the world for Chrift ? I cannot part with thefe, 
 thefe things lie in my v/ay, I muft rather lofe my foul 
 than part with what is fo grateful to me, and join with 
 the light of mine own conicience, and the truth in my 
 inward parts ', what, muft not I have fo much as liberty 
 of thought ? W^liat, m.uft my thoughts be regulated by 
 that which is fo crofs and repugnant to my mind ? Muft 
 I throw out all evil thoughts out of my heart, and fuffer 
 none but good thoughts to remain there? '^ho can ftand 
 here ? Who can bear fuch ftrictnefs as this ? Rather than 
 endure this, I will choofe to lofe my foul ; many have loft the 
 truth on this account, and many are in danger to lofe their 
 fouls. 
 
 If there be in you any defire of peace with God, that 
 you may not go hence before you have attained it, take 
 hold of the prefent opportunity ; hardnefs of heart is a def- 
 perate plague, it comes from a long obftinate continuance 
 in fm ; when we have vjithftoocl the day of God's patience, 
 and Ion g-fuff cringe and grieved the Holy Spirit of God ; then 
 God grjeth us up to our own hearts hjis, becaufq ive will nop 
 hearken to the voice of the charmer^ charm he 7iever fo ivifely ; 
 when we ftop our ears, and will not attend to the calls of 
 God; when men will go on, and nothing can ftop them, in 
 the career of their lufts and pleafures, but they will retain 
 their carnal delight and friendfhip with the worM ; this hard- 
 nefs of heart is a defperate plague ; take heed of it, that it 
 doth not overtake you, and bring ruin and deftrudion upon 
 you : Couftuer the patience and long-fuffering of God, and 
 
 kt 
 
ic?5 * True Christianity. 
 
 let his goochiefs lead you to repentance : Confider God hath 
 "Limited to be gracious to ycu^ he hath exercifed much lorig- 
 fujfen'ng and patience towards you ; whereas he might have 
 cut you off long ago, and given you your portion v/ith the 
 damned in hell ; but he hath hearkened to the Mediator that 
 hath pleaded for you j he hath e:xtended his patience and 
 long-fulfenng to the ivicked tind rebellious alfo ; and for this 
 realbn, the apoftlc tells us, that Chrift is the Saviour of all 
 me,'7, elpeclally of them that believe, 
 
 No\y the patience and long-fuffering of God hath been 
 lengthened out to all, and we have not improved it. Con- 
 fcience hath been fenfible of the inward ftrokes and rebukes 
 of God for fm, and of the inward calls of his grace to 
 bring us to repentance ; but we have not regarded thefe 
 calls, nor hearkened to the voice of God, fo as to hear, that 
 our fouls might live ; O ! let us not put off our repentance 
 any longer ; but to-day ^ ivhile it is called to-day ^ let us hear 
 his voice, and harden not our hearts, but be of a tender heart ; 
 let our hearts be foftened, and tendered under the word of 
 God, and under the ftrokes of his judgment. If ever the 
 Lord bring you under a tender frame, you will receive the 
 word of God with meeknefs, and mix it with faith \ then it 
 will work efi-edualiy to the amendment of your lives ; it 
 will work faith in thofe that are unbelievers, and ftrengthen 
 the faith of thofe that believe. Then v/e fhall have caufe 
 to blefs the Lord, and praise and magnify his great nam.e for 
 his patience, long-fuffering and mercy, which at this day he 
 hadi lengthened out, and graciouily extended to us, 
 
 S E R M O N XVIIL 
 True Christlanity. 
 
 "Preached at Grjce-ChurCH-Street, April io, i5>2. 
 
 ^ I ^ H E inftitution of the Chriftian religion v/as for this 
 
 1^ purpofe, that holinefs and rishteoufnefs might be 
 
 -*^ brou^dit forth in the earth ; that God, through his 
 
 Son Jcfus Chrift, midit takedelirjn in the Tons and daughters 
 
 )f 
 
True Christianity. i^y 
 
 of men, that they might be reconciled to him ; for that ivkicfi 
 the Iotlv could not do, by reafojt of its "ajeaknefs^ God hath had 
 a purpofe to do by his Son, and to him he ga've all poiver in 
 Heave^t and Earth, that thereby he might be enabled to 
 perform the great work of God, in eftabhihing righteoufnefs, 
 and in bringing forth a holy people, to ferve a holy God. 
 This is the great biciung that is come to us, and to all man- 
 kind, through our biefied Lord and Saviour, Jefus Chrifl, 
 that came to turn every one from the evil of their ivays. That 
 is the way and method by which our Lord Jefus accomplifh- 
 ed the end of his coming, and the will of his Heavenly Fa- 
 ther ; Mofes and ail his waihings, offerings, and facrifices, 
 could not make clean and purge the conicience j and by ail 
 his offerings and facrifices, he could not reconcile us to God : 
 But Jefus, by his once cjjering hi?rfelf, did forever perfech 
 them that are fanclifted ; and by o?ie offering, reconciled us 
 to the Father, and fo brings forth a holy generation unto 
 God, through regeneration and the fanttification of the Spirit. 
 
 And feeing the Lord hath been pleaded in the riches of 
 his grace to open this new and living way, for man's return- 
 ing again into unity and fellov/ihip with his Maker, the 
 queftion, miy friends, that I would put to you on the behalf 
 of God, is, for all of you to confider, whether it is not beft 
 for every one of us to lay hold of falvation, to lay hold of 
 that bleiling wlierewith the Lord hath blelTed us, that fo the 
 principal inftitution of Chriflianity might not only be named 
 and fpoken of, but might come to be enjoyed and v/itneffed 
 in every one of our own fouls ; and that all might wait 
 with expedation on the Lord Jefus Chrifl:, for fulfilling of 
 this great work in themfelves. 
 
 There is a general notion among people, that Heaven is a 
 holy place, and that nothing that is unclean can enter into it, 
 to have a habitation there, when time in this world fhall be 
 no more with us ; and that time which we have given us, I 
 am fure is given us of God, as an opportunity of fitting and 
 preparing us for his dwelling-place; and everv day and hour 
 of it ought to be employed in that great work, tliat fo we 
 might draw nearer and nearer to that ftate and condition that 
 fuits and befits that holy dwelling where faints and angels, 
 for evermore, praife the great and glorious God : So that I 
 
 aiij 
 
igS True Christianity. 
 
 am perfuaded you believe, that you and ail of us, are to be 
 accountable to God for all tihe time he hath bellowed upon 
 us, whether we u!e it to the purpofes for which he hath 
 given it, or whether we railpend our time upon thofe things 
 that are not profitable to us ; and upon thefe confiderations, 
 we had need all of us to take heed to our prcfent ftate 
 that we are come to, and are arrived at in the prefent time ; 
 as for the future time, that we all know we are not fure o£; 
 and the future f^ate that we may hope to come to, there is 
 no certainty of it, unlefs there be an improvement of the 
 prefent tinie, and the opportunities of our prefent ftate : 
 Therefore every one fhould apply their hearts unto the 
 feeking of wifdom and underftanding, and unto God, that 
 he may give us to underftand our ftate, and our prefent 
 fitnefs or unfitneis for the kingdom of glory and hap- 
 pinefs, and of that holy dwelling we hope to enjoy forever. 
 
 If I will but turn my mind inward, to the ferious confi- 
 deration of my prefent ftate and condition, I can tell whe- 
 ther T am -fit or unfit to approach God's prefence j and 
 if I find I am unnt^ I muft have recourfe to the divine 
 working of that great power, which God hath ordained 
 and appointed for this purpofe ; I muft come to him to 
 work all my works in me, and for me, according to his 
 good pleafure ; and that he will never do, unlefs it be by 
 crofting mc in my carnal pleafures and corrupt inclina- 
 tions ; for that \<'hich pleafcth man, doth not pieafe God ; 
 And God will not revoke the holy fcriptures, that tell us, 
 that they vchich live in pleaTure^ are dead vchde they live ; 
 they that are indulgent to their own affections, and their 
 own delights, and their ox^/n himiours, they are not at all 
 ready to pleafc and glorify God j they arc not fitted for it, 
 therefore he never ianctifies, nor brings any into a true 
 Cliriftian ftate, but through a daily crofs ', lo that if I am 
 not already fitted and prepared to do that which is plea(- 
 ing to God, I may be fitted by taking up a daily crofs, 
 to glorify God here, and enjoy him forever. 
 
 "V^'hat thofe things are that you are to do, I need not 
 tell you, nor what you have done. I judge no man : 
 There is one that judgerh, he will tell you if you ask 
 him, \x'hat your ftate and condition isi he will tell the 
 
 drunkard^ 
 
True Christiaj^ity, rp^ 
 
 drunkard, if he ask him, whether he is fit for Heaven j 
 and alfo the proud and haughty perfons whether they arc 
 fit for Heaven : Let fuch as are guilty of thefe or any 
 other fins, enquire of the oracle in their own bofoms, amt 
 not I fit for Heaven, notwithflanding all this ? He will 
 tell thee no, there is ;/o unclean thing Jhall enter there^ 
 nothing that defiles, nothing that hurts or opprefies j the 
 proud, peevifh, malicious perfon, that is hurtful to others^ 
 that hurts his neighbour, is fhut out. There fin II in no 
 wife enter into Heaven any thing that dfileth. Rev. xxi, 
 27. For vjithout are dogSy and forcerers, and iv ho re monger Sy 
 and murderers, and idolaters, and whofoever loveth and tnak- 
 eth a lie. Rev. xxii, i^-. None fhall enter into the holy 
 city of God, but thofe that are purified and purged from 
 all iniquity : Therefore God hath fent his Ton Jefus, fee- 
 ing none elfe could do it : Mofes and the Prophets could 
 not do it, therefore he fent Jefus to hlefs us, in turning 
 every one of us from cur iniquities, and from our evil 
 W^ays y one man hath this evil way, another that evil way : 
 It is all one to him ; his work is to turn every one of us 
 from our evil ways. 
 
 But why then (you may fay) are fo few turned from 
 their evil ways throughout Chriftendom, where Chrift is 
 believed in, profeffcd, read and heard ; that yet fo few 
 are converted and turned ?. for we fee great numbers of 
 liars, fwearers, drunkards, and unclean perfons among us, 
 where Chrift is cried up at a mighty rate, and yet peo- 
 ple are not turned from the evil of their ways /there is 
 fomething fure that is the reafon of it. 
 
 I would have all of you confider what the reafon of it 
 is, that thofe that profefs to be Chriftians, are not turned 
 from the evil of their ways ; for Chrift hath all power in 
 Heaven and Earth cormnitted to hitUy and he is able to Ao 
 it, and he was Tent from God on purpofe to do it j but 
 this is a certain truth, it is not done j and what is the 
 reafon of it ? He came to his own, and his own received 
 kirn not ; what is the reafon ? He hath caufed his grace 
 to appear to every man in the world, and yet they are 
 not taught by it. Here is an object: of faith ''for all,' and 
 God hath offered faith to ail men, fuice he hath raifed 
 
 up 
 
200 True Christianity, 
 
 up Jefus from the dead, yet men have it not : "VThat is 
 the reafon that this nation, as well as other nations, have 
 been puzzled about it, to find out things t"hat are To plain 
 in fcripture, in relation to the love of God to mankind, 
 and in relation to Chrift Jefus the Saviour, and fo lit- 
 tle of this work is wrought among us ? 
 
 Some fay there is never a man in the world turned from 
 the evil of their ways ; they live in fin, and they are un- 
 der a fixed necelTity of continuing in it, and lying under 
 it all the days of their lives, for all this belief of the love 
 of God, and the power of Chrifl:, and the profeffion of 
 it : Some lay there is never a Chriftian in the v/orid 
 can live one day without fin, but will defile himfelf with 
 one thing or another ; that the devil will prevail over men, 
 and fm mix itfelf with our prayers and alms, and all our 
 holv duties , fo that there is nothing clean ; nothing pure 
 that we can perform to God. There are others that are 
 not fo rafh in their judgment, and not fo inconfiderate, 
 but they will believe fome men and women may con\e to 
 a pov/er and ability to withftand fatan, and refift him in 
 his temptations ; and that there are thole that have been 
 turned from the evil of their ways, but they are not ; 
 ^^hat is the matter ? You have fpent time about this, what 
 is the reafon vou are not turned from the evil of your 
 V/avs ? The devil hath told the people in former days, 
 that the reafon why men live in fin, is, becaufe God hath 
 appointed it fo to be : And that hath fcopt the mouth of 
 manv a plain-hearted tender Chriftian ; they have cried un- 
 to God under the weight of their fm, and they iee no 
 deliverance after all their prayers and tears, becaufe they 
 have been told they cannot do it, and that God hath ap- 
 pointed it fliould be fo, and required them to do what 
 they cannot do j and with fome the cii^m of fin hath 
 taken away the fenfe of fin, and they go^Si to perdition 
 in their fecuritv. 
 
 I hope, my "friends, that God hath opened your eyes, 
 and that you have better thoughts of God, than that he hath 
 let you a work and a labour to do, and by his eternal power 
 and decree, hath ordained that you fiiould never do it, but 
 damn you after all. Confider, there arc men and women in 
 
 bondage 
 
True Christianity. 20 r 
 
 bondage and captivity, and God hath fent his Son into the 
 world to redeem them from all iniquity, and turn them from 
 their evil ways ; we are not turned, what is the reafon of 
 it ? I befcech you in the love of God, be ferious in this 
 matter ; ferious you muft be, one time or other j when you 
 come to the tribunal of God, there mud: be a reafon given, 
 or if not, you muft be fpeechlefs; therefore find it out here. 
 What is the reafon that I am not turned from my evil ways, 
 fince God hath fent his Son Je-us to do it, and given him 
 power to do it ; why then is it not done ? 
 
 Some perfons upon enquiiy, and after their fearch, have 
 brought forth this reafon : They have alleged the great 
 power the devil hath : The devil is fo ftrong, and hath 
 fuch a power to darken their minds, and enchant their affec- 
 tions ; he injeds and brings things into their minds before 
 they are aware of it. I confefs this, and I will fay a little to 
 it, I will confefs as much as the argument will bear, that 
 the devil hath great power, and a way of injeding things 
 into the fpirits and affections of people : He is God's enemy 
 and ours too, and he lies in wait, and will do as much as he 
 can againft us, that no one fhall get to Heaven; if we 
 come thither, it iliall be againft his will : I have heard fome 
 magnify the devil's pov/er to fuch a degree, that he hath fuch 
 power over a man or woman, that he is able to keep them in 
 fin all their life, though God hath put forth the exceeding 
 greatnefs of his power for their redemption : This is hard 
 to believe, that the devil is ftronger than Chrift Jefus : Wdl^ 
 as great as his power is, we are in a capacity of knowing a 
 greater power ; the apoftle did comfort the Chriftians, not- 
 withftanding all the power the devil ufed v/ith them to de- 
 file them, and keep them from inheriting the kingdom of 
 God, I. John i. 4. You are of God, little children, and have 
 overcome, because greater is he that is in you, than he that is 
 in the world, I would have you believe this ; I do believe 
 it heartily, t4ie devil only rules in the hearts of the children of 
 difohedieiice ; and he that hath the Holy Ghoft in him, hath 
 one greater than he that is in the world : If you believe this, 
 then the queftion is thus far anfwered, that we have a Sa- 
 viour, a Deliverer, that is more able to redeem us, than the 
 devil is to keep us in bondage : I hope we are pretty well, 
 
 C c now 
 
zo:^ True CtiRtsrtAniTY. 
 
 now we know we have a keeper: ''^e are aflaulted with the 
 devil's temptations^ and they are powerful j how powerful? 
 He hath fo much power, as he finds in us an inclination to 
 yield and join with his temptations : If he comes with a 
 temptation to a man or woman that hath no inclination 
 to that thing he tempts them to; if they hate that thing, 
 then there is an end of it : The devil's power lies in this, 
 V'hen he brings a temptation that I have an inclination to, 
 then he hath a party within me; if that be rooted out, what 
 lignifies his power, let him bring ever fo many temptations ? 
 
 There are many of you that uncierfland what I lay ; if a 
 temptation comes to a man to commit an ad of uncleanne^s, 
 if he be a chafte man, there is no inclination in him to )ield 
 to it, or join to it, he hates it, it is an abomination in itself, 
 and grievous and provoking to God, if he doth it; a man 
 abhors it, then what powerful temptation is it? If it light 
 upon a man of an unclean mind, that is defiled in his heart, 
 he hath not only the devil, but his own luft and corrupt in- 
 clination to contend with; but if a man believeth in Chrill, 
 he relies upon him, and he will fay, Lord, thou feefb I 
 am under temptation ; here is a great and powerful temp-f 
 tation, I can never v^'ithftand it, but I truft in thy nam.3 
 and power, do thou arife and deliver me from it i Thus 
 \v/hen God doth arife, his enemies will be fcattered ; tho' 
 the devil's power be great, yet there i*; a deUverer that 
 is ftronger than he: The reafon of mens being overcome, 
 doth not lie in the greatenefs of the deviFs power, but in 
 the frailty of our nature. 
 
 Som.e will fay, that our natures are fo frail, weak and 
 depraved, that we can do nothing as as we ought to do 5 
 this is given for another reafon, and there is truth in it, but 
 that truth is but a delufion ; they would excufe themselves 
 when they have yielded to a temptation, I am weak and frail, 
 I cannot^ renfc the devil ; though the devil is not ftronger 
 than Chrift, yet he is ftronger than I, he worketh with all 
 his might, power, and fubtiky to deceive me, and enfnare 
 me, and overcome me; I am a poor, frail creature, therefore 
 I mufl yield to him : This is a carnal reafon ; as tho' I were to 
 grapple with the devil in mine own ftrength, and to dcUvcr 
 my loul, as if God hath left mc to myiclf : If thou fay, 
 
 Lord, 
 
True Chkistianjty. 20^ 
 
 Lore!, thou haft fet me to grapple with the devil, and to 
 withftand his temptations, Lord I am not able to do it my- 
 felf ; God will anfwer thee, 1 hwce laid help upon one that 
 is fnighty, that is able to fuve to the utterm^ft^ a I that come 
 unto me by him ; fo that thou art not to overcome the devil, 
 by thine own power and ability : If any man reafon thus, 
 his reafon is out of doors ; for we are faved by Chrift, 
 therefore I cannot plead my ov/n frailty, feeing God hath 
 provided a rock for my defence that isjirofiger and higher than 
 I, that I may truft and rely upon. 
 
 So that you fee the frailties of our nature is not a fuf- 
 ficient reafon, we muft leek further for it ) et ; and when 
 we come to fearch narrowly, and to the bottom of our 
 hearts, I will tell you here it refts ', it hath its centre in 
 the perverfenefs ot the will that is in man, that is con- 
 trary to the will of God ; it is the oppofition of our will 
 to the will of God ; we may talk what we will of falva- 
 tion and Chriftianity, that we have a mind to be faved, and 
 go unto God when we die, and to enjoy the happinefs of 
 Heaven to eternity : \Fe may talk thus j but as long as 
 the perverfenefs of the will continues, I am the caufe of 
 my own ruin ', if I grow in a profelTion, this perverfe 
 Will, will grow up with me under that profeflion, and un^ 
 der any profefTion ; change your judgment and opinion as 
 often as you lift, this will go along with \ou , the rea- 
 fon and the bottom of things will come to this, none can 
 overcome the devil, nor be a difciple of Chrift, without 
 a daily crofs. When people come to this, to fee a ne- 
 ceflity of taking up the croHs of Chrift, and denying them- 
 felves j when it comes to this, there are iuch fhifts and 
 evafions, and arts that men have to cover them- elves, to 
 make themselves and others believe, that fuch and fuch a 
 thing is confiftent with the will of God, and that they 
 may do it, and fave their own fouls ; but they boaft of 
 their own deceit, and are glad that they can make a fhift 
 to deceive their own fouls ; fo that there is no hopes 
 of their ever being purged and cleanfed, and of having 
 any holy work brought forth by them ; but when a man 
 comes to be fenfible of his fpiritual condition, and is fm- 
 cere and honeft^ be will be ready to fay unto God, if I 
 
 be 
 
^04 True Christianity, 
 
 be deceived in any thing, open mine eyes, Lord ; if I in- 
 dul^Q my -elf in any thing that hath a contrariety to thy 
 holy will, Lord, I be-eech thee dif^cover it to me; fuch 
 a man will lay afiie his own will, if it be contrary to 
 God's wul : Now here is one that is a very fit objed: 
 for Chriil: to work upon ; he will not be long before he 
 be favingiy convinced. When a man comes to the word, 
 he is convinced of fuch an evil in his confcience, where 
 nobody but God and himfelf were privy to it, or had any 
 knowledge of it. It is difcovered that he Hveth in fuch 
 a praclice as is contrary to the mind of God. God hath 
 convinced thee, that thou loveft it, and iiveft in it, and 
 if thou wilt but break off that evil pradice, that he hath 
 {cnt his Son Je'iis Chrifc to turn thee from every evil 
 way, and to redeem thee frcm all iniquity. 
 
 This truth hath a favour in it ; and if thou art fmcere 
 and upright, there is nothing for thee to fay or do, but to 
 fet thvfelf againft every thing that is contrary to the mind 
 of God, and thou wilt have light from Heaven fent to 
 guide thee and dired thee in thy way thither j if thou 
 wilt but receive that grace that is freely given of God 
 unto thee through Jefus Chrift, he will certainly purge thee 
 and cleanfe thee fl"om thy fin, and turn thee from every 
 evil way, notwithftanding the perverfenefs of thine own 
 will and the power of fatan ; and he will work in thy heart 
 by his grace, till it hath brought thee off from thine ini- 
 quity, and wrought iniquity out of thee, and fo bring forth 
 a holy work to God. 
 
 W^'^ithout faith it is impofjible to pleafe God : We cannot 
 pleai'e God without faith, nor with it neither, unlefs it 
 be the gift of God. There is a great deal of faith in this 
 niition, and in this city ; but do you believe all their ways 
 ai-e pleafmg to God ?' We mud difringuifli of faith here ; 
 when the apoftle would give a defcription of faving faith, 
 he tells you, that it is the operation of Gcd ; if I have 
 not that operation, and a regard to it, how can I have 
 ii:at working? But fmce it is the difpenfation of the gof- 
 pcl of Chnft, and defign of Chrift, to turn people to the 
 operation of God in tiieir own hearts, we would have them 
 believe it. 
 
 If 
 
True Christianity, 20^ 
 
 If there be a drunkard or a prophane perfon, if God 
 work faith in his heart, he will be convinced and fay, what 
 a ftroke hath the Lord given upon my confcience, and 
 he will fee it is the Lord's work : Then believe, whoever 
 thou art, and lay hold of this, for this is the operation 
 of God upon a /believing foul, the ftroke of God's hand 
 and the power of God, and then thou haft the work of 
 faith, by Vv^hich faith thou art enabled to keep thyfelf 
 from that thing that God fmote thee for, and before he 
 gives thee over, the fame hour thou wilt find the fame hand 
 fmiting thee for another ftn ; this will be hke fire in thy 
 bones, kindUng up thy zeal and hatred againft thy fin, and 
 will kindle in thee a high fire of love to God, that hath not 
 let thee he in thy miiery, but minded thy condition, and 
 had compaflion on thee : This love God will fhed abroad, 
 which will run over thy heart, he hath jhed abroad his love, 
 faith the apoftle, Rom. v. upon cur hearts by the Holy 
 Ghojty to conftrain us to yield obedience; when thou falleft 
 into the way of faith, which is, the operation of God, the de- 
 vil comes and knocks and bounces on this fide and that, 
 but God will not fail to give thee power to withftand temp- 
 tation. 
 
 The Lord Jefus Chrift worketh in people's hearts, to 
 turn them from the evil of their ways, that fo he may bring 
 forth holinefs and righteoufnefs, and redeem a people from 
 under the bondage of fin, and fit them for the kingdom of 
 his Father, and to ufe the apoftle's words, prefent them before 
 the throne of God, voithout fpot and blafnelefs ; he will pur fy 
 them, and fprinkle them from an evil confcience ^ their bodies 
 being wafhed with pure water, he will fanclify the creature ; 
 his v/ord is nigh them, and in their hearts, he begins a work 
 in m.any, and will carry it on in one, and in another. 
 
 Here lies the chief work, it is the good hand of God muft 
 work all our works in ns, and for us, according to the good 
 pleafure of his will : W^ork in you a v/illingnefs to bear the 
 crofs of Chrift, and to deny yourfelves ; he will operate 
 for you for this purpofe, therefore you muft commit your- 
 felves to him. 
 
 It is not our preaching which will convert men to God, 
 but it is the work of God that is pure, which converts the 
 
 foul 
 
2oS His Prayer after Sermon, 
 
 foul to God, and that cleanfes, fits and prepares it for the 
 kingdom of Heaven, Pfalm xix. 7. "^'^e muft come to 
 the word of God, that will convince us, reprove us, ftrength- 
 en, encourage and illuminate us, and do in us and for us 
 all that we ftand in need of: To him. be all the praife that 
 Worketh all in you, and prepares vou to be a peculiar people 
 to himfdf. The word of his grace I commit to you all, take 
 heed of doing any thing contrary to it ; if you do, that 
 which would be your comfort, will be your condemnation. 
 
 His Prayer after Sermon. 
 
 nLES SED God, and Father of Life ! thou art ghrious 
 jD in holinefs, infinite in power y the eternal God ; thy do^ 
 minion is an everlajting dominion^ thy kingdom is without 
 end, 
 
 O Lord ! we hlefs and praife thy glorious name^ that thou 
 haft made known thyfelf among the fons and daughters of 
 men ; thou hafl repealed to us in thy word the manner of thy 
 kingdom among us, in fetting up righteoufnefs and truth y 
 and throwing down iniquity. 
 
 Powerful God of Life I fuhjed: the minds and hearts of 
 all thy people to thy dtvine power and pleafwe, and let the 
 dread of thyfelf rejl upon our fpiritSy that euery one of us may 
 fear to fin againft thee, and to do defpite to thy Spirit, the 
 Spirit of thy grace, that ive may every one of us turn from 
 cur iniquities, the evil of our hearts and ways, that we may 
 praife thee in the land of the living, and may become faithjul 
 witne(fes of that falvation which thou haft wrought for uSy 
 and for all them that believe, 
 
 Poiverful God of Life I the fouls of thy people which thou 
 haft gathered , out of the world, do praife and magnify thy 
 name for what i^ey have feen, and for what thou haft vor ought ; 
 thou haft luonderfully appeared in thy love, and brought fal^ 
 vat ion near, and gathered many into it, it is become a ivall 
 and a bulwark to them, that :hey are defended from the evil 
 one, and from the evils of the world. 
 
 dear eft God of Life I raife up poor and needy fouls cut 
 $fthe dujly that they may ferve thee, a7id obey thee^ and do 
 
 thy 
 
His Prayer after Sermon. 207 
 
 thy ivill, and flew forth thy power and Jirength in their 
 voeakncfs and infirmity ^ that they may trufl in theCy and re- 
 ly upon thee in the time of their diftrefs, 
 
 Bleffcd Father of Life and Power 1 give grace to the hum- 
 hie and meeky and teach them in thy way. We have had 
 experience^ Lord I of thy fulfilling thy promifes ; thou 
 art Jiill fulfilling of them to all that truly voait upon thee ; 
 thou haft begun a good work^ carry it on to the pratfe 
 and exaltation of thy great name, 
 
 Blejfd Father ! reveal thy povjer more and 7nore in the 
 nations round abouty that they that long after the life of 
 the Living God, m.ay come and fmd thee, and behold thy 
 divine appearance^ through t/iQ Son of thy Love, in their 
 own fpiritSy that fo they may receive thy word, and thy 
 word may quicken them^ that they m.ay ftand up from the 
 dead, and live ; for it is the living, the living, Lord I 
 that praife thee, that honour thy name, that offer praife, and 
 glorify thee, 
 
 O blefed Father of Life I carry on thy great work vcith 
 power throughout all the earth ; gather a remnant of thy 
 feed that are fcattered, and bring them home into the king- 
 dom of thy dear Son, that vje may praife thee together, and 
 rejoice in thy name. 
 
 Dear Father I thou haft faved this nation, the land of 
 our nativity, to this day, by a wonderful power, by thy poiv- 
 Crful arm ; our fouls are deeply fenfible of the firetching forth 
 of thy Almighty Hand in our prefervatio?t at this day ; fa 
 Living Father I if it be thy heavenly pleafure, lengthen forth 
 our tranquillity J and the enjoyments of thy ?nercy and good- 
 nefs to the inhabitants thereof, that they may learn to fear 
 thee, and turn to thee ivith their whole hearts^ and break 
 off, by true repentance, from all thofe fins ihat grieve thy 
 Holy Spirit ; that foy Living Father of Life 1 they may 
 come to walk in love and in union with thy heavenly poiv-* 
 er, and have concord one voith another^ an0flew forth the 
 povjer of thy grace manifefled to them, and magnify thy love 
 and povjery and give thee honour and renown for that great 
 falvation that thou haft wrought for them ; that fo thy great 
 name may be exalted, and thy will may be done on earth as 
 it is in Heaven ; that the fouls of thy peoph may be re-r 
 
 frefled 
 
2o8 The Mighty Work of 
 
 freJJied with thy love, a7id the joys of thy -pre fence, and the 
 revelation of thy heavenly power; for this, we offer up to 
 thee living praifes, and Chriflian thankfgivings, in and 
 through the Lord Jefus Chrijt ; for thou art vcorthy of all 
 praife, and glory, and dominion, forever^ and ever. Amen. 
 
 SERMON XIX. 
 
 The Mighty Work of Man's 
 Redemption. 
 
 Preached at Grace-Church-Street, Feb. 8, iGSy. 
 
 ^4iy friends, , 
 
 J'E are met upon the mod weighty affair that can 
 be to every one .of us, even to wait that we 
 may have a true knowledge of the beginning, 
 carrying on and perfecting the mighty work of redemption, 
 that people may know that redemption is wrought in their 
 fouls ; for every ones foul hath been loft and captivated, 
 and led away from the pure prefence of God ; all have 
 been alienated by reafon of fm, which hath been an uni- 
 verfal wall of partition and hath excluded and fhut out un- 
 holy fouls from the Holy God ; all that have been defiled 
 and polluted, they have been excluded from his dwelling- 
 place, they have been driven out into the world, and the 
 world hath become a world of mifery, and of diflradiioa 
 and confufion to the fons and daughters of men j there 
 hath been angnifh, tribulation and wrath upon all their 
 fouls, and an infenfibility hath happened unto many, that 
 they have not been apprehenfive of the great depravation 
 they have lain under, and they have not been fenfible of 
 the glory of that ftate and condition which they were to 
 have enjoyed j and in that ftate of infenfibility they have not 
 ibught after the Lord, but have been captivated and led 
 avoay by divers lufls and pleafureSy by v/hich they have 
 wounded their own fouls more and more. 
 
 And 
 
Man*s Redemption, zog 
 
 And in fuch a frate as this it is, that the Lord hath found 
 us ; he hath fought us out, and he hath found us cnft out 
 into the open fieldy and lualloiving, as it ivere, in our own 
 blood ; and yet this hath been a tijne of lozje ; and he hath 
 manifefted his love to us in this refpecl, in that he hath 
 awakened us and brought us to a fenfe of our depraved 
 and deplorable condition, and given unto a remnant to 
 perceive, that there is a .tnore excellent glory ^ a mor-^ ex- 
 cellent enjoyment to be had, than any this world can afford. 
 But a great many of thofe whofe eyes are fo far opened, 
 that they can fee and difcern a more excellent glory, yet 
 they cannot receive it, for they are not in a capacity for 
 the enjoyment of it j many have the glimmerings, and 
 fome little fight of heavenly things, but they them 'elves 
 are earthly : Many perceive there is a holy life, but it 
 is not theirs, for their own life is unholy, and yet they 
 know there is a life that is holy and pure. Hereupon 
 defires are begotten, by the word of life in the fons and 
 daughters of men, through the Lord Jefus Chrift, the 
 Mediator ; by him defires are begotten in people that they 
 might come to enjoy that hfe of holinefs, that they 
 might not only fee a better ftate than what they do en- 
 joy, but that they might come to enjoy it, and have '\x 
 for theirs. 
 
 There is a univerfal defire in people that they mJght 
 have eternal life, and they believe there is an eternal 
 life to be enjoyed j but every one hath it not, and the 
 reafon is, becaufe they are not fitted and prepared for 
 the enjoyment of it j for it is a kind of treafure that 
 is never put into an unclean veilel , there muft be a 
 cleanfing and purifying, that fo earthen vefl'els may come 
 to retain and hold this heavenly treafure j and when it 
 comes to this, that people muft be cleanfed and puri- 
 fied, here the world turns out to divers means and me- 
 thods ; fome have gone to outward wafhings, outward 
 cleanfings and obfervations of, this and the other ordi- 
 nance, and when all that hath been done, themfelves 
 being judges, they were yet unclean ; when thev have 
 done all that lies in their power and ability, towards their 
 waihing and cicanfmg, and towards preparing themfelves, 
 
 D d they 
 
;iio The Mighty Work of 
 
 they have found fome fecret tcftimony in their pwn 
 con'ciences that their hearts were flili unclean, and that 
 there was defilement ftill abiding and lodging in the fecret 
 of their fouls ', and this hath put a great many to a fland, 
 what thev ftiould do j when they have come to the end 
 of all, they know not what to do: Many have cried 
 fecretly, what lliall we do to be faved ? For ail that we 
 can do, cannot fave us. "N^^^e have retained this, and the 
 other dodrine, followed thisand the other way, and made many 
 obfervations; but all this doth not cleanfe our foul, nor/;f/r^'^ 
 cur confc'iences from dead ivcrks, this will not bring us to the 
 inheritance of that immortal life that will give us fatisfaclion- 
 ^c hear many fpeak of fatisfadion, and of joy urifpe^:kabU 
 and fii I of g! cry ; but here is a weight and burthen ftill lies 
 upon our (ouls. 
 
 Therefore, my friends, that all fuch who are brought 
 fo far, as to be under fuch a burthen and opprefTion, might 
 be informed and come to underftand, where the true reft 
 is, and where that power can be found, that is able to 
 anfwer thofe tender defires that are begotten in them ; for 
 this caufe hath the Lord our God communicated and given 
 the difpenfation of the gofpel of his fon, unto a remnant 
 whom he hath fanclified, that they might fpeak a word in 
 fcafon to the vceary foul. This is not a day to make a mock 
 of fill, this is not a day to make a covefiant ulth death and 
 hell, and to re^Dlve to go on in a wicked life, and to continue 
 in it all their days. 
 
 But yet there are a fort of people that deiire to have a 
 word fpcke in feafon to them when they are weary. How 
 many are there in our age and generation, that one may 
 reckon of this number, that are iinners, and overcome by 
 their lulls and corruptions, and by the temptation o£ fatan 
 and his inftruments. But they are weary of it, it is a burthen 
 to their fouls, it cofts them many a bitter tear, many a figh, 
 and many a fad and forrowful thought in fecret, that they 
 fhould have a fight of a m.ore excellent glory, and of a better 
 life than that of their own, and yet know not how to get 
 into it. 
 
 My friends, that fame divine word of life, by which any 
 of the people of the Lord, in any age, were ever reftored^ 
 
 redeemed 
 
Man's Redemption, iit 
 
 redeemed and purchafed again to the Lord ; that v^ord of 
 life muft have been at work in their hearts, and hath been at 
 work in them, or elfe thou hadft never been lo far opened j 
 there hath been fomething that hath unftopped thine ears, 
 that thou mighteft hear ; and the reafon of thy continuance 
 in thv bo 1 is, after thy knowing fomething that might have 
 freed thee, is, becaufe thou haft not heartily doled with that 
 which hath begun the work, which God, by his redeeming 
 power, hath effeded in the hearts of them that beHeve 
 in Chrift, and thereby an inclination is raifed in people 
 to feek after the Lord* 
 
 You know what the apoftle faith, it is not of us fo muck 
 as to think a gwd thought. But this all people will grant 
 is a good thought, when a fmner thinks of turning to God, 
 and leaving his evil VvWs, if he had power and abiUty, and 
 cries out, if I knew how to ftand againft temptation, I would 
 never fm againft the Lord more ; this muft be a good thought 
 in thy mind : How came it there ? W^ho is the author of 
 this thought, you v/ill fay ? This ought to be attributed 
 to the love of God in Chrift, that he hath convinced and 
 perfuaded us ; and that though there is fin and pollution, 
 yet he hath not fo forfaken us, as utterly to caft us off, he 
 hath fent forth his quickening Spirit, that is, the Lord from 
 Heaven, that he might ftir up and quicken people to confider 
 their condition, and bring them to a fenfe of their prefent 
 ftate, that they may come into a better ftate than they are in 
 at prefent. 
 
 If this may be granted, that the Spirit of God, and the grace 
 of God, is the author of thefedefires, then it will be granted 
 at the fame time, that every one of you ought to be fenfible, 
 that fuch fpiritual deftres ftirring you, are from the motion 
 and operation of the Spirit of God that hath raifed them 
 in your fouls ; and then I hope you will grant, that if you 
 had but joined with that Spirit, and with the alTiftance of 
 that Spirit, all things would have been poflible thereunto. 
 
 So that here is the firft thing that I would have every one 
 fatisfied about in their underftandings, v/hether they are to- 
 tally exempted from any fuch touches and operations of God 
 or no ; for it is faid by fome ignorantly, that a great part of 
 mankind have never had any fuch divine workings of the Spi- 
 rit 
 
2'j2 ' The Mighty Work of 
 
 ;<5it of God upon them, in order to their converfion ; there- 
 •fore it is not in vain for you to confider your flate and con- 
 dition ; for if you, or I, or any here, be under fuch circum- 
 fiances, that they never had, nor are ever like to have any fuch 
 divine operations or touches of the fpirit of iife, in order to 
 converiion, then I am fure you and I had better never have 
 been boiTi. 
 
 ■ If you ^x■ill connder with yourfelves, and lay afide the 
 difputes of doctors and learned men, you may know the 
 things pertaining to yourfelves. Things relating to others, 
 I may let difputes alone about them ; but as for things 
 relating to my falvation, I mAift have a certain knowledge 
 of them. It concerns you, my friends, to know within 
 yourfelves, bv an infallible evidence of the Spirit of God, 
 whether you have had fuch divine touches, workings and 
 operations upon your hearts, as have inclined you to feek 
 the Lord. I hope I may believe there are none here but 
 have in their hearts an anfwer ; I have had fuch touches 
 and operations in me : This is great love from God ', more 
 than any tongue can fet forth. You will be ready to fay, 
 I have not deferved this ; I have not fo behaved myfelf 
 towards my Maker as to deferve that he fhould wait up- 
 on mc;, and call upon me. When wilt thou turn, and 
 amend thy life, and hearken to him that 'made thee ? When 
 ivilt then lea'-je ferving God's enemy, and fcrve him that is 
 thy rightful Lord ? 
 
 So thaj: now this is a great aggravation of our fin to 
 continue in it, and yet to have a belief that God is flill 
 waiting upon us, and that he hath fuch a kindnefs for us, 
 as now and then to touch our hearts by the inward ope- 
 ration of his fpirit and grace, in order to converfion. 
 
 Now when this is agreed, and men fettle themfelves in 
 the belief of this, you know what the confeqnence will 
 be. "Vv'hen I connder with miyfelf, I that have been un- 
 der thefe workings, have been rebellious, wicked and dif- 
 obedient to God, yet the Lord is not fo angry as utterly 
 to caf] me oiT, but is flill waiting to be gracious, by the 
 operation of his fpirit, to gather me to himfelf, in order 
 to fandify me, and..heal my backniding, to cure my weak- 
 
 nefs 
 
Man's Redemption. 21^ 
 
 nefs and infirmities, and at the laft to fave me, and make 
 me an heir of his eternal kingdom, what is the conie- 
 quence of this love ? Why, the next refolve muft be this; 
 I will either rebel againft his grace, and refift his pow- 
 er, or I will fubmit to him ', which of thefe is the beft 
 way, the fafeft Vv^ay I 
 
 Are there not a great many in this age, that are as 
 fenfible of the workings of God's grace for their conver- 
 fion, as ever you and I were ; that are as fenfible that 
 God hath called them to hohnefs and righteoufnefs, as 
 any of us can be, and yet they have refifted the grace of 
 God ? They have faid "in their hearts, we wmU not fub- 
 mit to this power, that will make us fo holy, and fo 
 watchful, and fo careful, diligent and obedient, for this 
 very reafon, becaufe it will crofs my intereft, it will crofs 
 my pleafure, it will hinder my preterment in the world, 
 and my reputation among men ; and for this reafon I will 
 not bear this yoke. I would be glad to hope there are 
 none fuch here, th-:;t have made fuch a covenant ivith death 
 and helly and yielded themfelves up to the devil, to ferve 
 him all their days. 
 
 Let us, who are at this time, and at this meeting, under 
 the operation 'of God's grace, and feel the Lord caUing 
 us- by his grace, and working upon us '^y his fpirit; let us 
 enter together into a holy, folemn refolution, that we will 
 obey this good Spirit, and take him for our leader, and fub- 
 mit, though it lliould be to a crofs : Thus people v/ill think, 
 they will come to this refolution, when the work of redemp- 
 tion is begun in their fouls, and when they are convinced of 
 their fm, and their eyes are opened to fee the way of holinefs ; 
 and though they never take a refolution to walk in it, yet 
 every one fhall be convinced, and fee there v/as a better 
 way'than their own, and be convinced by the grace of God 
 one time or other, that in refped of God's working of it, 
 it is beginning ; but in refped of men that fhould join with 
 the operation of God, it is not beginning, for he hath no defire 
 to thofe things which he doth not know, he flill depends 
 upon himfelf ; but when the foul comes to be fatisfied, that 
 it is the viiitatlon of God, and joins himfelf to him in a holy 
 reiignation of his own will, and f^th, this is the Lord, he 
 
 is 
 
214 T^^ Mighty W^ork of 
 
 is come to work upon me, he is come to change and altet 
 the frame of my mind: It is the Lord, let him do what 
 he will; here is a mind brought to fubmit to the grace of 
 God, God is able to do that for him which he cannot da 
 for himfelf. 
 
 ^^hen people come to the right objed of their faith, and 
 act their faith upon that objed:, they every day find a pro- 
 grefs, a going forward in the work of grace, according to the 
 work of grace in their fouls ; and there is a power that in- 
 clines them to believe ; it is not for fuch to cry, if they had 
 power, they would do more ', he that hath the fpirit of 
 grace, the Spirit of Chrifl, that had all poiver in Heaven and 
 Earth given to him, to put it forth on purpofe for the bring- 
 ing back of men and women home to God ; he that hath 
 this objed: of faith before him, he will not look for power 
 in his own will and affcdions to redeem him, he expeds a 
 power to be daily miniftered and difpenfed to him, as he 
 hath need of it, through the Lord Jefus Chrifr, who is pre- 
 fent with him, in all his trials and temptations : He cries, 
 here is a temptation that will carry me away, O Lord help 
 me, j)Ut forth the arm of thy power and fave me, plant thy 
 fear in my heart and deliver me, their eyes JJiall fee their 
 Saviour, laith the prophet. 
 
 Thus when a man comes to be joined to the tight ob- 
 jed of faith, and doth exercife and put forth lively ads 
 of faith upon Chrift, his eyes (hall fee his Saviour ; the 
 light that Ihines into his heart, difcovers to him the temp- 
 tation, and it alfo fhews him a Reedemer at hand; his 
 Saviour is nigh him, and he trufteth in him, and relies 
 upon him, and fays, this word of God is in my heart, and. 
 I do really believe, that although the temptation that af- 
 faults me be ftrong, yet it ihall not prevail ; whether it be 
 the profits, the pieafures, or the honours of the world* 
 If I put my truft in this power, I cannot go near the evil ; 
 I am a Chriftian ; I have entered into a covenant in Chrif- 
 tianity, that I will join with nothing but what God ap- 
 proves of: Now when I have reprefented to my mind 
 the temptation of the devil, and that evil which he fets 
 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, 
 
Man's Redemption. irs 
 
 Go(^y after I have entered into covenant with him, to love 
 him, Terve him, and obey him? The power of grace up- 
 on fuch fouls, the operation of grace, is fo powerful, that 
 the temptation comes and goes, and they are faved and 
 deUvered out of it, becaufe God helpeth them ; but if 
 they comply with the temptation, then tribulation, ivratk 
 and ang'iijh, pursues all fuch as are rebellious and difo- 
 bedient to the will of God. 
 
 Now this redemption is carried on gradually from day 
 to day ; the truth that thou believeft, it operates by de- 
 grees ; thou art delivered, firft from one evil pradice, and 
 then from another evil work : But there is a great deal 
 more j thou rejoiceft and art glad, that thou art deli- 
 vered from one fm ; but thou wouldeft be more glad to 
 be delivered from them all. I fpeak to thofe that arc 
 ferious for their immortal fouls ; when they fee them- 
 felves delivered out of one evil, that they were ready to 
 run into, they would be glad if they were redeemed out 
 of every evil ; that their croifne's and peevifhnefs, their 
 frowardne^s and wantonnefs were removed : They ihould 
 be glad to be delivered from all their fms. 
 
 What do you think, fay fome, that a man, while he 
 liveth here, may come to fee all fin, all evil and cor- 
 ruption brought under, and nothing but holinefs, righte- 
 ou^nefs and truth remain in him ; and that there fhall be 
 nothing but fimplicity and innocence I Do you think that 
 fuch a thing can be ? 
 
 Why fhould not I think fo ? You will grant me, that 
 the power of grace is able to get fuch power and vidory 
 over fin and corruption, that you may come to hate it 
 as much as ever you have loved it ; if you grant mc that, 
 the confequence will follow, he that gave me viclory over 
 fm, can give me power over all fin. All Chriftians be^ 
 lieve, that God's power is infinite ; the fcripture teftifies, 
 all things to be fofjible to God, with ivhom we have to do* 
 If all things be poffible to God, fure this is pofiible ; 
 there is nothing fo contrary to God as fin ; and God will 
 not fuffer the devil always to rule his mafier-piece, man. 
 Mankind is God's mafter-piece, the mod eminent creature 
 in this lower world, made after God's likenefs; and though 
 
 the 
 
^i^' The Mighty Work of 
 
 the devil hath brought men into his own likenefs now, yet 
 nothing can be more contrary to the mind of God, than 
 that the devil Ihould have the rule of us, for God would 
 have the government of us himfelf. 
 
 When we confider the infinitenefs of God's power, for 
 deftroving that v/hich is contrary to him, who can believe . 
 that the devil muft ever (land and prevail ? I belive it is in- 
 confiftent and difagreeable with the true faith, for people to 
 be Chriftians, and yet to believe that Chrift, the eternal Son 
 cf God, to whom all power in Heaven and Earth is given, 
 will fuffer fm and the devil to have dominion over them j 
 there is no other name under Heaven by iv/iich I can be favedy 
 therefore I have put my confidence in him : If the devil muft 
 have the rule of me here, then I cannot be fubjed to Chrift 
 in all things ; I may go to micetings, but can never miafter 
 the devil and his temptations ; this is as inconfiftent with 
 the faitli of a Chriftian, as light with darknefs, and Chrift 
 with Belial. If Chriftians thmk themfelves true believers, 
 then let them fee how far their faith will reach, whether it 
 be like that faith, vohich was once delivered to the fai?2ts, for 
 by that faith their hearts were cleanfed, and they became free 
 from fm, Rom, vi. 22. But novo being made free from ftn^ 
 and the fervants of God, faith the apoftle, you have your 
 fruit unto holinefs, and the end everlafing life ; you were 
 fervants to fm, but now you are free from fin ; fo that this 
 faith is but one, and if men have got another, it will do 
 them no good : Take heed thou art not miftaken about thy 
 faith. 
 
 I have heard fome learned men fay, that a believer is 
 a fervant of fm, and he is ever Hke to be fo ; but he is not 
 at the fame time free from righteoufnefs, for he hath the righ- 
 teoufnefs of Chrift imputed to him, and God looks upon 
 him as righteous in his righteoufnefs ; there cannot be a more 
 anti-apoftolical dod:rine, I may be a fervant of fin, and yet 
 have the imputation of Chrift 's righteoufnefs ; I may be a 
 fervant of fm, fay they, yet Chrift is righteous, he is the, 
 righteoufnefs of .God, ^nd he hath fidfi lied the will of God, 
 and hath purchafed falvation for me, and he is the objed by 
 which I am made righteous. 
 
 Confider this, the im.putvition of Chrift's righteoufnefs 
 
 will 
 
 M. 
 
Mj^'s Redemption-* ziy 
 
 will never do me good, till I come to partake of his righte- 
 oufnefs, till his righteoulnefs be made my righteoufnefs, in 
 me and for me. Chriil: is made to us of God, wifdom^ 
 righteoufnefs y fanBification and redemption ; fo that if a Tin- 
 ner, one that was a fmner the other day, come, through faith 
 in Chrift, to have his heart cleanfed and purged, and true righ- 
 teoufnefs planted in him, where fin was planted, there 
 fin, through the blood of Chrift, is cleanfed and purged 
 away. 
 
 So that Chrift is made righteoufnefs to me, and not his 
 righteoufnefs barely imputed and reckoned to me j Chrijt 
 is my ivifdom, I am a fool without him ; Chrift is made 
 righteoufnefs to me ; for my good deeds and holy living 
 cannot be acceptable to God till they be done in him, 
 and commended to God by him ; the proper work of faith 
 is, to fix the foul on him that luorketh all things in us and for 
 uSy that worketh in us both to will and to doy according 
 to his good pleafure ; and it is the good pieafure of God 
 that we ihould live in all ri.^hteoufnefs. 
 
 o 
 
 They that come to receive this faith at firft, have to 
 receive it from an inward feelings they have the ope- 
 ration of the word of God in them ; fo the apoftle reck- 
 ons faith, not becaufe fuch a man heareth, and fuch a 
 man believeth what fuch a man preacheth, but fait/i is 
 the operation of God ; you may hear me, and a thoufand 
 preach, and you may die unbelievers for all that, except 
 you come to this, to know the operation of God, and 
 the work of faith in you. How doth my heart clofe with 
 this? How doth my foul join with this? What virtue and 
 power do I feel in myfelf? it may be others that preach, feel 
 the power, but do I feel it ? if not, I come but to a noife 
 and found : If people feel not their hearts joining with the 
 word preached, there comes no advantage to them ; you 
 read in fcripture, that the word preached did not profit^ be- 
 caufe it voas not mixed with faith in them that heard it : This 
 is your cafe, you come to meeting, and you love to hear the 
 doctrine of truth preached ; I tell you, and I will fpeak 
 plainly to you, unlefs you come to feel the operation of 
 the word of truth in your hearts, you may hear the gofpel, 
 and the word of life preached to you, but it will not profit 
 you much, E e How 
 
:^iS The MiGurr Work of 
 
 How is it pofilble for a man to have a teftimony againft 
 drunkcnnefs, and yet be drunk ? a tedimony againil: un- 
 cleannefs, and yet be unclean ? How can a man hear fuch 
 a teftimony and believe it, and yet commit the fm ? He heard 
 it, but did not feel the virtue of it within himfelf, and fo 
 he did not mortify the fin that he was inclinable toj but 
 thev that come to join with truth, and with meekiiefs receive 
 the ingrafted word^ they iind the power and ability of it, 
 they find how able it is to fave their fouls, they find 
 how it worketh, not only juft when they hear it, but it 
 goes along with them, and dwells with them, and they 
 find the virtue of it overfhadowing their fouls, with the 
 dread and terror of the Lord, not with the words that a 
 man fpeaks ; I do not trufl: to them, but here is the power 
 and the fear of the Lord, which will preferve my foul, 
 and keep me in fafety j this is that which will keep my 
 mind fixed upon him, and keep my mind inward, that 
 I do not gaze about me; io that every one may have art 
 infalUble teftimony of what they have heard and known* 
 
 I have known the dodrine of feveral feds that have been 
 am.ong us, and the main thing that many have gone from 
 one people to another about, is this, that they might know 
 V/hat fuch a man holds forth more than fuch a one, and they 
 think the truth is' more perfpicuous among fuch a people 
 than other people ; if you examine the matter, it is this, who 
 preached and proved his dodrine bed. Alas ! if they did 
 all concur together, and did preach as certain and infallible 
 dodrine as ever Chrift and his apolUes preached, this will 
 all do thee and m.e no good, unlefs we know the power. 
 You know there were thoufands that heard Chrift preach, 
 as you now hear me, and there were fome fo taken with him, 
 that they went away, and faid, never man f pake like this man. 
 But were they all' Chriftians ? Did they partake of life by 
 him ? No, fome of them were ready to ftone him. 
 
 Now bring this home and confider with vourfelves, whe- 
 ther you are not fome of you in the fame ftate; v/hen you 
 hear truth preached, there is an aflent and agreement with it 
 in your minds ; but when a command comes to be obeyed, 
 and a crofs to be taken up, and feh^-denial to be ihewn, 
 or fome encreafe of trade lies in the way, let truth go where 
 
 it 
 
Man's "Redemption'. ' ^rp 
 
 k will, you muft follow your intereft ; there wants fome- 
 what to fix yoa in the principle of truth, which is able to 
 fandify you and perfed you, that you may be reconciled 
 to God through Chrift. 
 
 They that are refigned and given up to truth, it is pofiible 
 for them that they may be fatisfied ', they have an infallible 
 teftimony of the fpirtt of truth witnefjliig^ vc'ith their fpintSy 
 that fuch a thing is bad, and if they might get the whole 
 world to do it, they will not. 'What is profit and pleafure 
 to me ? My pleafure is at God's right hand, and my profit 
 is to get grace, and to have an abundant e?itrance into God's 
 everlafting kingdom. Thofe that have the true knowledge of 
 Chrift, they have profit and advantage, pleafure and delight 
 enough, which is hid from the world, and ever will be. 
 They are for profit and pleafure, which they may have with 
 a good confcience. Thofe things which God affords them 
 as bleifings in this world, they defpife them not, but take 
 them with thankfgiving, and ufe them for his glory : But if 
 they cannot have profit or pleafure without finning againft 
 the Lord and their own confciences, let thofe who will, take 
 profit and pleafure. 
 
 They that come thus to clofe with truth, they have an 
 infallible evidence within them ; they do not conceive it 
 is thus and thus, becaufe fuch a man faith it is fo j but 
 they have an infallible evidence in themfelves. This is 
 the mind of the Lord ; God hath fignified it by his Spi- 
 rit, and fealed it upon my fpirit, and I cannot but 
 know it. 
 
 What, do you profefs infallibility ? Yes, elfe I would 
 hold my tongue ; if I did not know what I affert infalli- 
 bly, I would never preach more ; truth may be many 
 times concealed. A man may have wronged and cheated 
 his neighbour, and he not know of it ; this man goes 
 away, and his neighbour doth not reproach him ; but v/hen 
 he comes to he down in his bed, he hath a fting and a 
 reproach in his confcience, I know I have done him harm. 
 Is not this infallible ? Let me confult fome learned men, 
 that I may know v/hether I have told a lie. I need nor 
 go to learned men and logicians, to know whether it was 
 a lie i I am infallible in this, I know certainly it was not 
 
 a 
 
220 The Mighty Work of, &c. 
 
 a lie ; I have a certain evidence, and if a thoufand men 
 tell me to the contrary, I will not believe them. If there 
 be infallibility here, is there not then infailibility in the 
 word of truth ? Shall I queftibn it, or doubt it, if I 
 have an infallible teftimony of it ? 
 
 Tho' men have ever fo little proficiency, if they have 
 it upon fure term.s, and lading foundations, let a thoufand 
 men come uith all their logical skill and fophifm, yet they 
 can never remove a man from the witnefs in himfelf. 
 The remnant that God hath brought to this foundation,- 
 they have a certainty and infallibility in their obedience, 
 that they pay to the will of God, and in the comfort they 
 have to the obedience of the law of God, ivhick he hath 
 ivritteii in their hearts. Let what will come, they can ne- 
 ver be removed \ for this exceeds all the precepts and 
 dodrlnes of men '■, it is the precept and doCtrme of Chrift 
 and his apoftles. Let people read them, and endeavour 
 to praclife them : But here comes the teftimony, the di- 
 vine power by which the precept was given forth to them, 
 and is now given forth again to thee and me, with the 
 fame livelinefs and power. Let us perform them as did 
 the primitive Chriftians. 
 
 Here now, comfort comes to fiow forth from a fettled 
 foundation that ihail never be moved. The winds have 
 come and blown upon religion ; let what wind will blow, 
 that can blow, God hath built his church upon a rock, 
 and it will remain immoveable againft all oppofition j blef- 
 fed arc they that are founded thereupon. Hath God fixed 
 and eftablillied us in our fociety v/ith one another, and 
 w^ith our Lord Jefus Chrifi: ? this is the foundation that 
 God hath placed it upon, ^"^e defire that all men mxay 
 come to the fame ftability and fettlement, and never more 
 to be to^ed with the ivinds of doclrine, but he built upon 
 Chrij} Jefus, the Rock of Ages, the rock of our ages, the 
 rock of us and our children. That God will carry us on 
 in this fociety, is the defire of our fouls, for ourfelvcs, 
 and all our friends and countrymen. The way for you 
 to be bleifed, and to have an advantage for your immor^ 
 tal fouls, by the teftimony that hath been raifed up, is, 
 to have regard to the working of the fame power, that 
 
 you 
 
His Prayer after Sermoi^* 221 
 
 you may come to partake of the benefit of thofe gifts and 
 graces which God hath beftowed upon his church. 
 
 His Prayer after Sermon. 
 
 7i/f S T hlejfed and glorious God and Father of Life t 
 jL vJL how ivonderful art thou in thy appearaJices to thy peo- 
 ple in the day of thy power ^ in which thou haft fir etched forth 
 thine army and haft gathered a remnant of thofe that were feat- 
 teredy and art yet gathering and bringing to thyfelfj thofe 
 that have been driven away; and tliou haft made known 
 thy power and goodnefs in the hearts of the fons and daughters 
 of fnen, that they might love thee. That thou mighteft beget 
 love to thyfelf^ thou haft made known thy love to their hearts ; 
 if thou hadfl not loved us jirft^ we had never loved thee : But 
 thou haft been jhedding abroad thy love in our hearts by the 
 Holy Ghoft^ to conftrain us to love thee. Thy love is 7nani- 
 fefted to all that are breathing after thee, and none do breathe 
 after thee, but through the If e that thou giveft them ; and thofe 
 that were dead in fins and trefpaffes, haft thou quickened, 
 and voe would fend forth thy praifes and thankfgivings for 
 the great things thou haft done for us in Jefus Chrift. All 
 thy works praife thee, and thy faints blefs thee. 
 
 Holy Father of Life I encreafe and multiply thofe graces 
 and holy defires which thou haft begun to work in uSy and 
 'pluck up every plant that thy right hand hath not planted. Let 
 fpiritual Sodom be burnt upy and all that are corrupt ; let 
 thofe things that thou haft planted fpring up to the praife of 
 thy name, and the falvation of the fouls which thou haft ga~ 
 thered. 
 
 O powerful God of Life ! let thy bleffed prefence and liv- 
 ing fear be among us, that all thy children may offer praifes, 
 andthefacrifices of humble thankfgivings up07i thy holy altar, 
 
 Arife, O Lord ! more and more in the greatnefs of thy pow- 
 er, and difpel the clouds of darknefs that hath been upon the 
 fons and da'iQ^hters of m.en, and raife up in every one of us 
 more and more holy defires and breathings after that life that 
 is eternal. Thofe that have been fcattered, let them be now 
 gathered^ and let thofe that have been driveu away in a cloudy 
 
 and 
 
222 . The Word of God^ 
 
 and dark nighty he brought to a glorious and hiejfed day^ 
 voherein . they may enjoy the gofpel that brings light to dark 
 fouls ^ that praifes and thankfgivings may be offered up in thy 
 houfe for thy holy prefence voith us^ that we may be fed there^ 
 when we are affembled together in thy name^ according to thy 
 fromife. Continue to be t7i the midji of us^ that living praifes 
 and thankfg:vings may be offered up to thee, through Jefus 
 Chrlj} ; for thou alone art worthy^ zvho art God over all^ 
 blejfed for evermore. Amen. 
 
 S E Pv M O N XX. 
 The Word of God, a Christian's Life. 
 
 Preached at Grace-Church-Street, March i^, i6Sy, 
 
 T was the dod:rine of the great mafter of the Chrif- 
 tian religion, the Lord Jeius Chrift, while he was 
 preaching and pubhihing, and making known the wa)r 
 of falvation among the Tons and daughters of men ; he then 
 preached and declared, that it was not bread only by whtck 
 a man lived, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth 
 of God. Now the way and means of man's prefervation in 
 life, in a living ftate, the method and courfe that the God of 
 Heaven doth open to keep the fons and daughters of men 
 alive, is by this word : Every word that proceedeth out of 
 the mouth of God, hath a miniftration of life in it ; and, 
 therefore, all that are defirous of the enjoyment of the 
 immortal life, and of the preferving and encreafing of it, 
 they are diligently to wait to be made partakers of this 
 divine miniftration. Outward bread is for outward pre- 
 fervation, but man is made inward as well as outv/ard, he 
 hath a foul as well as a body. Now Chrifl, to fignify 
 to us, what the inward man is nouriflied and fed by, tells 
 us, that man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word 
 that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, 
 
 So nov/ in this our day, as well as in former days, it 
 hath pleafcd God to give unto a remnant an experimental 
 knowledge of the truth of this, that they have been 
 
 quick- ' 
 
a Christian's Life* 2^^ 
 
 quickened and made alive by the word of God; that is, 
 they ha've heard^ and felt, and tafted of the word of life 
 that was with the Father before the world began, that hath 
 been divinely miniftred to them, by the mercy of God, 
 through Jefus Chrift; many that were dead in trefpajfes 
 and fins, he hath faid unto them, live. He hath given 
 unto many an inward fenfe of their ftate^, who fome- 
 times had it not; he hath brought many a one to feel 
 fin to be a burthen and an oppreffing load, who fome- 
 times before have taken plcafure and delight in it. This 
 is a great change that is wrought in a man's mind, that he 
 ftiould come to be laden with that, burthened and opprefTed 
 by that, which was before his pleafure and delight; vet 
 this great change hath been wrought in many a foul, by the 
 operation of the word of God, of that inward word, that 
 inward voice, when the Lord hath taken men in hand 
 himfelf. 
 
 There are many have taken finners in hand, and have gone 
 about to convince them and convert them, but they were not 
 able to do it ; but when the Lord hath taken men in hand 
 himfelf, when his Creator hath undertaken to deal with him 
 himfelf, then the man cries out, I a-m a worm, and no tnan ; 
 then he cries out under the fenfe of the judgment of God, 
 then he cries out under the indignation of the Lord, which 
 he hath kindled by his fms, h^ cries out for mercy, then he 
 prays for remiffion, then he wifhes that he had never pro- 
 voked the Lord ; for the word that goes out of the mouth of 
 God, hath a mighty force and power upon the fpirit of a 
 man, fo that he is cc>nverted and changed by it ; as the pro- 
 phet faid of old, the word of God is pure, converting the foul'. 
 
 Now where any come to an experimental knowledge of 
 the word of the Lord, of this inward voice, whereby ^God 
 f peaks to the fons and daughters of men, they have received 
 thereby an infallible fee.ling of their own ftate and condition ; 
 this is the firft leffbn learned by it. They come to have 
 a certain, infalhble kno^vC^ledge of their own ftate, and they 
 are fure that they cannot be deceived ; for it brings an evi- 
 dence with it in their confciences, fo that what'oever this 
 Word of life fignifieth to ci man, he hath the knowledge of the 
 fame thing evidencing it in. his ov/n confcience, as the apoG 
 
 tie 
 
2 24 ^^^^ WoiiTf of GoDf 
 
 tie faith, if our Jiearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts y 
 and knoiveth all things. No^X'■ here is a \C'ay found out for 
 men to obtain divine knowledge by a divine means ; for the 
 Lord fpeaks by his Spirit, and if men come to hearken to that 
 voice, unto tliat fpeaking, they perceive readily what it 
 faith unto them : The Lord tells people as well now as 
 in former ages, what he hath againft them j and this every 
 one in the clofet of their own hearts, come to underftand. 
 We read in the book of Revelations, what our Lord Jefus 
 Chrift appointed John to write to the feven churches in 
 ^fia, that he had few things againft fome, and many things 
 againft others. 
 
 Now that which is the defign of our meeting when we 
 are alTembled together, is, that we may know what the mind 
 and judgment of God is, concerning ourfelves : How ihall 
 we know that, unlefs we ask him, and com.e to wait upon 
 him, and enquire at the oracle of counfel, that God hath 
 appointed in the bofom of every man? For he fignifies his 
 mind unto the children of men, by that light and grace 
 which Jefus Chrift hath planted in them, he hath enlightened 
 every man that comes i?ito the world, with an undeceiving 
 light, and he hath miniflered of his truth and grace to every 
 man ; though the man be bad and untrue, and in the dark, 
 and there be darknefs in him, yet the light fhineth in darknefs. 
 The man may be a falfe men, yet there is true knowledge 
 in him ; if this man hearken to the voice of truth, when the 
 God of truth fignifies what his mind and judgment is con- 
 cerning him, and his prefent ftate. 
 
 So that there is an opportunity offered, and if a man be- 
 lieve the word of truth, which is adminiftered to his own 
 mind, he cannot fay fuch a man hath deceived him, for it 
 is truth itlelf which is fignified to him which he beheveth : 
 For the truth is the objed: of his faith, and he believeth it 
 of himfelf j he believeth that while he remains wicked in his 
 unrenewed ftate, he is out of the covenant of God, and in 
 the high road to deftrudion, 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 fo with many, it 
 hath been fo with us all ; this is the firft kind of faith and 
 belief that ever we receive j for v/hen trutli fignifieth to us 
 
 our 
 
a Christian's Life. ^2^ 
 
 our fallen ftate, our alienated ftate, when truth fignifies and 
 difcovers to us the partition ^^11 of lln and iniquity which we • 
 have builded up, whereby the glory and favour of God was 
 hid from the foul, we believed this to be true ', we would 
 have been looked upon as heirs of God's kingdom, yet when 
 we are come to hearken to truth, we find that we are children 
 of the devil and do his works ; Ihall a man believe this after 
 he hath been forty years a profeflor of Chriftianity ? If a 
 man believe truth, there is no danger in believing it, tho' 
 it be his own deftrudion that is threatened. 
 
 Now the great thing that I would have uihered into 
 the hearts of men, is, that they may believe the truth 
 for truth's fake. If men will believe the truth, they 
 muft believe many things againfl themfelves, which they 
 are not willing to believe ; but faith Chrifl, no man 
 can be my fcholar, my difciplej but by denying Iiimfelf, 
 I muft deny myfelf, my pretenfions to Chfiftianity, my 
 fuppofed faintfhip and title to the kingdom of God j now 
 if I would be convinced that I am a wicked man, a pro- 
 phane man, one that doth not live as becomes the gofpel, 
 I muft believe truth, the voice of truth being of infallible 
 certainty; it is fignified divinely, by the immortal word 
 that cannot deceive us ; this ought to be the reafon why 
 people fhould beheve the teftimony of it, tho' it be againft 
 themfelves ; they that do fo, prefently come to find the 
 effeds of it, for they were in their fins and trefpaffes before, 
 and fo are ftill; they were before in a kind of liberty, in a 
 kind of eafe and indulgence of themfelves, and ftill their 
 fin remains in them, and they remain in it y but they are 
 now under a fenfe of forrow, under a weight, under a 
 burthen, under an opprefTion, which fignifies they are alive, 
 and quickened; for (if you take an outward comparifon) 
 they remain not fenfelefs 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 cries take off the burthen, 
 the weight and opprefTion, that lies heavy upon me. 
 
 This is the difference between being dead in fins andtref^ 
 p^lps, and being brought to life and fenfe again ; this word 
 of life that comes from the mouth of God, begets a fenfe 
 in every one that receiveth it ; it is of great fervice and uie 
 
 F f to 
 
zzS The Word of God, 
 
 lo all people to be acquainted with it, that defirc to be keirs 
 of life eternal^ that defire to be inherhors of the ki?igdo'in ofGcd: 
 But how fhould they come by it ? They think by this and the 
 other duty, and temporary performance, to obtain it j no, but 
 if they will have life, they muft have it from the God of life 
 that created them, he muft create them again to gccd works : 
 They can have it but by one way, ail muft be brought to it 
 that way ; it cannot be by hearing a man preach ; unlefs 
 the fpirit doth co-operate with the word of God, there is no 
 polFibility of being quickened, and neceflity binds me to 
 neaiken and have regard to that one means: Now I fay to 
 you^ faith Chrift, fpeaking of people's way of living to eter- 
 nity, 11] an Ihcth 7iQt by bread akrne, but by every word that 
 proceedeth cut of the jjiGuth of God ; nov/ \('hen we come to 
 iinderftand this text, as fpoken by our Lord Jefus Chrift, we 
 did conclude there was a pofTibility of underftanding and 
 hearing that inward voice and word of truth in our own 
 hearts, that God did fpeak to us by his Son, Jefus Chrift, 
 who enlightened us. Hereupon meetings were appointed at 
 fi'-ft, that the word iliould minifter life in them, and life to 
 thera that attend them j and to this day our meetings are ap- 
 pointed for this purpofe, that we m.ay have the miniftratioa 
 of life and virtue, from Chrift, the fountain of life and vir- 
 tue, by whom we were to be quickened and ftrengthened, 
 and by whom thofe that are dead ifi Jhis and trefpaffes xvere 
 quicktned. 
 
 Therefore I would have every one always to have a reve- 
 rence to the word of life, that fpeaks in themfelves j for, if 
 we fpeak as we are moved by the Spirit of God, and utter 
 rhofe things by verbal teftimony, which God hath made 
 known to us ; if y^u have not an oracle in your bofoms, 
 if you do not at the fame time perceive an echo of truth in 
 your own fouls, this will do you no good, but be an empty 
 found which will pafs away again ; but the mind that is fe- 
 rious and fettled, in waiting upon God with an earneft de- 
 lue, that it may receive benefit in going to this and the 
 other meeting ; fuch a one will fay, I pray God blefs this 
 opportunity to me, that fo I may receive benefit to my foul. 
 Where people meet in this manner, they have not only an 
 udininiriration of dodrine from without, from this and the 
 
 other 
 
a Christian's Life. 22'/ 
 
 other inftrument, but they have a minijiration of the word 
 of God in thsmfdveSy by which a man Uveth. 
 
 Let us not be led and hurried away with the grand error . 
 of the times, the great error of this age, and of the ages by- 
 paft, that there is no pofTibility for people to underftand 
 and hear this voice of God, this inward voice. There are, 
 fay they, no immediate teachings now-a-days, no infpirations 
 no w-a-days ', they might as well fay, that there are no conver- 
 fions now-a-days. I will prove it from the holy fcriptures, 
 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, unlefs he have it by the inward, 
 working of the eternal God : Not by man's preaching and 
 inftrudion, nor by reading all the good fermons that ever 
 were preached, without the co-operation of the holy fanclify- 
 ing Spirit, which begets life in them that believe ; and if 
 thefe men fay none can be converted, then we muft all go 
 headlong to hell, even they and all. 
 
 Thefe Quakers may fay what they will, there Is no imme- 
 diate teaching now-a-days, no man can know the mind of 
 God, nor underftand the fcriptures j none can open them 
 to you. 
 
 But, bleffed be God, this darknefs is removed ; this veil 
 is gone over and taken away y the brightnefs of the glory 
 of the gofpel hath expelled this darknefs, and thoufands 
 now-a-days do not only hear the minifter reprove them, 
 but they hear a voice within that doth reprove them for 
 iniquity ', and they find and feel a judgment and tribunal 
 within themfelves, and that God hath an immediate way 
 of counfeiling and inftruding them if they will hearken 
 to him. 
 
 You that are under any fenfe of this, that are come to 
 fuch an inward fenfe of the operation of the word of God, 
 if you have heard it reprove you, exhort you, judge you and 
 condemn you, coniider that this ivord proceeded cut of the 
 mouth of Gcd, and not out of the mouth of any man. You 
 hear the fentence of God upon you in your own confciences : 
 Whence comes it ? This is out of the mouth of God. Every 
 word that comes out of the mouth of God, adminifters life, 
 fenfe and convidion j and you feci it and receive it, and 
 
 you 
 
iiiS The Word of God, 
 
 you may have a more familiar acquaintance with it. There 
 is not a day or hour that paffes over your heads nor mine, 
 but if we attend to this inward voice, we may know what 
 it fpeaks to us, by its counfels, dodrines, reproofs, con- 
 virions and ilhiminations; for the Spirit fpeaketk expnfsly, 
 with an'exprefs fignification, unto the fpirit of man ; and 
 if he be under a temptation to tell a lie, and he comes 
 to a little paufe or queftion, whether he fhall tell it or 
 no ; if he hearken to this inward word he will not paufe 
 long about it, but fuch a fentence will arife in him, as that 
 in Jofep/i, how can I do this great wickednefSy and fin againfi 
 God ? How can I fpeak a lie, tell a lie, when in fo doing 
 I fm againft God? Here is a fentence of truth, wilt thou 
 receive it or no ? No fayeft thou, I will venture to tell a lie ; 
 then llialt thou come into the rank of them that do defpits 
 to the Spirit of grace ^ and trafnple under foot the Son of God, 
 and count the blood of the covenant an unholy thing, What 
 fentence fuch fhall have at the latter end, you may read at 
 large in the holy fcriptures- 
 
 Now there is a great neceflity that every one be perfuaded 
 to hearken to this voice, not only at a meeting, but on all 
 occafions they have in the world. I hope I fpeak to many 
 ferious and religious perfons that are enquiring about their 
 im.mortal fouls, what may be beft for their fouls, whether it 
 is better to go on in wickednefs, or leave off; and that 
 refoive and fay, I would be glad to leave my fins 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 j for until you come to an cxercife of faith, 
 in that which hath empowered the people of God, in all 
 ages, I wonder not that you have not power. You fay I 
 am fo weak, that I am overcome before I am aware ; the 
 devil is fo fubtile and cunning with his temptations, that I 
 am furprized and fnatched into temptations, and overcome 
 with evil before I am aware : He is like a roaring lion, go- 
 ing about continually, feeking whom he may devour. But 
 whom can he devour ? Can he devour thofe that hearken and 
 fubmit to the word of God ? If he could, then none could 
 efcape him ; if the devil could pluck out of God's hands, 
 then nobody would go to Heaven, nor never lliall, if he have 
 power. "V^here 
 
a Christian's Life. 22^ 
 
 Vhere the devil finds any in their own hands, as fuppofc 
 a religious perfon of this and the other religion, who never 
 experienced any thing of this power of God, but trufteth to 
 his duties and performances, this man is in his own hand ; 
 now fuch a one the tempter hath power over : He can 
 make him cheat his neighbour, and lead him into drunkennefs 
 and uncleannefs fometimes, and into the greateft abomina- 
 tions ; but if a man come into the exercife of faith and 
 dependence upon God, and hath left trufting in himfelf 
 and faith, I fee I cannot preferve myfelf from fm, I fee a 
 neceiTity of putting my truft in the Lord, and of waiting 
 upon God's power to keep me : If the tempter come to 
 fuch a one, he cannot prevail, all the devils in hell cannot 
 ftir him one jot ; the devil may tempt him, but he ftands 
 in the power of faith ', he knows his name, and faith, get 
 thee behind me fat an ; when the devil comes before him, and 
 lays a temptation before him, he cafts it behind him ; if the 
 devil rife up againft him, he can chain him down, he can 
 fav in the name of the Lord, get thee behind me Jatan. 
 
 This is the reafon why many are tempted, and not over- 
 taken ', why many are tempted to fin and not overcome : 
 How comes it to pafs that we do not do every thing that we 
 are tempted to ? 
 
 There is fomething that keeps us ; the devil is not fo 
 bad to tempt, but we are as bad in our own inclinations to 
 yield to him ; thQ heart is deceitful above all things^ and 
 defperately wicked ; ivho can know it ? There is more wick- 
 ednefs in it, than can be uttered. If people be tempted and 
 not overcome, fomething muft preferve them j if there be 
 fomething that preferves a man from any evil, it can preferve 
 him from all evil. 
 
 The reafon why fome people are led into temptation fome- 
 times, and refift it, is becaufe fometimes the temptation fuits 
 not their inclination ; fometimes the reputation lies in the 
 way, fometimes one thing, fometimes another : But when 
 a thing they are tempted to, fuits their profit and pleafure, 
 then away with the fear of God, and nothing fhall hinder 
 them ; I will have my pleafure. 
 
 But they that underftand the keeper of Ifrael, and come to 
 know his power lying in their hearts, thefe always bring their 
 
 dQQds 
 
/i^-^o The Word of God, 
 
 deeds and temper before him, and they come to him for a 
 verdicl and judgment, and they ask, doth this tend to the 
 honour or diihonour of God ? Is it good or evil ? The oracle 
 of God in thy heart fays do it not, it is evil, thou wilt kindl& 
 the indgnat.on of the Lord agatnft thee ; what ivill it profit 
 thee to gai?i the whole vjorld and lofe thy own fciil ? or what 
 wilt thou give in exchange for thy f oil ? Here is one at hand 
 that can give counfel to all of us, at all times j this is he 
 that we mull: advance ; our labour and work upon the ftage 
 of this world, among the Tons and daughters of men, is 
 to advance the virtue and great authority of the mighty 
 Counfellor, Chrift Jefus ; we do fay and affirm, in the name 
 of God, that the fame light by which God hath brought 
 us out of darkaefs into his marvel ous light, and from 
 the power of the devil into the king'om of his dear Son ; the 
 fame power is extended to you, that you may be fanccfied 
 and faved from yourjms. 
 
 One fed wirll fay, my tenets are fo and fo, and our ordi- 
 nances are fo and fo, will you come over to us ? You ihall 
 -be a member of our church. 
 
 Our duty is to come over to the grace of God that.fliines 
 in our hearts ', now we are witnefles for God, that he doth 
 not dejlre the death of them that die, but rather that they woii-d 
 turn and live '^ for his word is gone forth, and his light 
 fhines, and his glory is ri^en upon the nations, that they 
 that inhabit the earth may fear him. Year God, and give g'ory 
 to his name, fcr the hour oj his judgment is come : Do )-ou 
 know that to be true ? That you may not be deluded, yoii 
 fhall certainly know that the hour of God's judgment is come. 
 
 Thus when any one fuffers him' elf to be led away with the 
 evil one, when he feels after that a remorie upon his own 
 heart, he finds a fecret judgment and tribunal let up in his 
 own bofom, againft whoredom, lying, drunkenness, fraud 
 and other fms, he knows he hath done amifs j he is not 
 going to a confeifor, that will take off and remove the guilt 
 from his confcience j he hath offended the majefty of the great 
 God, and God hath fignified it to him, is not judgment com.e, 
 and hath not God let it up in his own heart ? If through 
 cuftom in fin thou lofeft the fenfe of his judgment, it is not 
 becaufe God hath determined to take advantage agamft thee, 
 
 but 
 
a Christian's Life. j?jf 
 
 but bccaufe thou acleft againft thyfelf, and comefl: to be pa/i 
 feeling; thou waft once under a fenfe of thefe things, and 
 thou waft not pafl feeUng ; if thou at any time told thy pa- 
 rents a lie, thou hadft remorfe ; but now thou canft tell a 
 lie, and not feel it, thou art pafl feeling ; whofe fault is this ? 
 The Lord would have brought thee to love the truth, but 
 thou choofeft lying ; if thou perifh, thy blood ivill be uvon 
 thine own heady the Lord is clear from it* 
 
 They that receive the word of God have life. For 
 man liveth not by bread alone, hut by every ivord that pro-' 
 ceedeth out of the rnouth of God, You are fenfible of God*s 
 fpeaking this word to you : I exhort you all in the love 
 of God, that you would prize this manner of fpeaking, 
 and look upon it as the greateft mercy that ever you en- 
 joyed, that God hath not given over fpeaking to you, 
 and that conscience hath not given, over fpeaking to you^ 
 and that the Spirit of the Lord doth yet Ji rive with you ; 
 he will not always ftrive ; you may be of that fort of 
 fools before you die, that make a mock of fwy and be ^i 
 trees twice dead, and plucked up by the roots. You that 
 are fenfible 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 fpeaking in 
 you : They that prize this, will never complain for want 
 of power ; they will find power in it ; all the power ia 
 Heaven and Earth is contained in this truth that fliines un- 
 to you. They that come to be exercifed in this word, 
 receive power from God, for God gives it to them ; he 
 gives them power by degrees (from being fons of Belial^ 
 fons of the devil) to become yo;2J" of God, even to as many as 
 believe in his name. They that receive this truth, grow 
 tender of a He, of a vain word ; they find themfelves grow 
 tender, feeling and fenfible. Here is a token that the God 
 of life is quickening them ; I am now tender of fpeaking 
 a lie to my neighbour ; I will not do that thing to ano- 
 ther, that I would not have another do to me ; when 
 you come to a tender ftate, which is far better than a 
 hard-hearted ftate, you will have an evidence in yourselves, 
 that man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word that 
 {>r0(;eeds out of th^ mouth of God, 
 
 BlelTed 
 
2^2 ■ The Word of God, 
 
 BlefTed are they that God hath brought into acquaintance 
 with his word ; of all nations and people upon the earth, 
 they are a blefTed people j though there ai'e manifold blef- 
 fings that reach indifferently to all, the fun Jhines, and 
 the rain falls on the evil and the goody and on the jufl 
 and unjuft ; yet this is a bleffing that can only make 
 the foul happy, that an intercourfe between it and its 
 Maker is open ; that there is an open intercourfe for the 
 Lord to hear a man cry, and he to receive his word ; all 
 thofe that God hath brought into covenant with himfelf 
 by Chrid:, he hath made fenfible of this intercourfe and 
 way of God*s fpeaking to his people, which he fpake to 
 them by in former days : Take heed that this way is not 
 ftopt up ; you know by what it was opened, and what 
 will flop 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 hearty faid David, the Lord 
 voill not hear me: You cried to the Lord again, it may 
 be, and he did not anfwer you ; and the Lord cried to 
 you and you anfwered him not, but hearkened to your 
 lufts. 
 
 Yet the Lord by his long-fuffering and patience hath won 
 upon a remnant, and hath brought them over to believe 
 and truft in his power, to remove out of the way that 
 which hindered the intercourfe between God and their fouls. 
 'W\idX a great ftir was there in removing out of the way 
 the pride, corruption, enmity, loofenefs, wantonnefs, and 
 abundance more of evil things, that made the foul like 
 a wildernefs? What hacking and burning up was there? 
 God's word, like a hammer, and like a fire, did break up 
 and hum up thefe things ; and the fame word of God, 
 like a fword, did cut down thofe fms and lufts which pre- 
 vailed over you before : By this means God hath opened 
 a way for you, to have accefs to him., and for his word 
 to have accefs to you: When you come to the Lord in 
 this wav, you know you live by this word, and if you 
 hear the word of the Lord fpoken immediately to you, 
 your joy and confolation encreafeth, and you have fweet 
 communion and fellowfhip with God and Chrift, and with 
 one another, by this covenant of life. How came you 
 
 into 
 
a Christian's Life. 2^^ 
 
 into it ? It was by removing a great deal of rubbifh out of 
 the way. If you fliould let this rubbifh grow up ai:^ain, 
 which kept you from the joy of the Holy Ghofl, will it 
 not do it again ? If your pride, corruption, enmity, pre- 
 judice, loofenefs and wantonnefs, if thefe be fufi^ered to 
 grow up in any of you,, they will do as they did before, 
 they will feparate you from the Lord and from one ano- 
 ther: As the truth brought you to God and this heavenly 
 fellowlliip with him, fo if a wrathful mind and wanton 
 fpirit get up again, it will feparate you from God, and 
 fcatter you from one another, then you uiil live in the 
 outward life, and die to the inward one and periih : Re- 
 member you were told fo. 
 
 Every one that goes from this living word, and fuffers 
 any thing to arife of the old nature, fo much as that rif- 
 eth, fo much will your way of intercourfe with God be 
 ftopt j fometimes 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 thofe miniftrations of joy 
 and peace, which they defire ', their foollfh hearts are dar- 
 kenedy and their iimids blinded^ and they will go on in 
 darknefs, 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 operati- 
 on of his power, O live in a holy fear and watchful- 
 nefs ; and know this, that let your underfcandings and gifts 
 be what they will, you have nothing but what is given 
 you ,• and what God -hath given you, he can take away. 
 Thou haft decked thyfelf with my flax, and my wool, and 
 unth my filver and gold, and other ornaments^ and follovoed 
 thy lovers, therefore ivill I take them, aivay from, thf^e, and 
 flrip thee of all thou glorieji in. Thofe that forget God, 
 of whom they had tihefe things, that forget their broken- 
 nefs of heart, and the fubjedion of their fpirits to God: 
 if they forget this, let them know, that let their parts be 
 what they will, they will certainly wither, and their in- 
 ward life will fail : You that have regard to your own 
 fouls, and do deiire heartily, at this time, to be quick- 
 ened, and find that the Lord hath removed your dead- 
 nefs, and quickened and railed you to fuch a degree and 
 
 G c meafu^e 
 
2J4 *r/;e Necessity of a Holy 
 
 meamre of life, that you can fav, I find commiinian with 
 God, and fellowlhip \(/ith my friends and brethren in that 
 one eternal life, I pray God you may continue in it long, 
 and lay down your heads in this bleflcd, heavenly life. 
 Now that you may fo do, keep yourfelves low and hum- 
 ble, and in the fear of God, and keep your ears always 
 open to his word, and live as becomes thole t/u7t are born 
 again and begotten of God, and are brought to partake 
 of the divine life. Let temptations furround you, that 
 life will preserve you ; he that never fmned is with you^ 
 to keep you from fin; and he that never deceived anv, 
 will keep you from being deceived. To his counfel and 
 condud, and to his divine care and protection, I now 
 commit you. 
 
 S E R M O N XXL 
 
 The Necessity of a FIoly Life and 
 
 Conversation. 
 
 Preached at St. Martin' s-Le-Gr AN If, March 
 2.6 J \68y. 
 
 How happy are they that have bread in their own 
 houies ! and that can draw water out of their own 
 wells ! Thefe have a blelTcd, glorious dwelling- 
 place ; thefe are the children that their father provides for : 
 All the divine treafures and the riches of heavenly thmgs 
 are laid up for thefe j O that all that have a fight of this 
 bleffed ftate, were got into it ! that their minds might not 
 more wander j that people might not be fcattc'ed in their 
 thoughts^ that when they meet together, they might have 
 their expectations entirely from that God whom they pro- 
 fcfs to worfliip. 'Lordy thou haft faid that thou vjilt teach 
 thy people thyfelf ; here a cry goes up to the Lord, and 
 their cxped'ations through faith pitched upon God ; they 
 never meet in vain, but a ivell fpri^gs upy ojid the ivater 
 if Ife comes to them, by which they meet with divine 
 
 refrdii- 
 
Life and Conversation. 2j^ 
 
 refrefhmcnts ; for you know the promife that our Lord 
 made to his difciples, he that drinketli of the ivater that I 
 fliall give him, fJiall never thirjt more. \'(!^hy, will once 
 drinking ferve, becaufe I have tailed of the living w?ter 
 that the Lord Chrifl: gives me ; will that ferve ? No, but 
 he giveth me a fubflantial river, that is the reafon why 
 I Ihall thirft no more ', it Iball be in me a ivell of lii.i?tg 
 ivater, f fringing up to everlajiuig life ; blefled are the wit- 
 nefles of it ; thefe are they that are fatisfied concerning 
 religion and dod:rine ; they are fatisfied concerning wor- 
 fhip ; they are looking after no new things j when they 
 meet together, they meet in the name of the Lord, and 
 they have their eyes to him, who is a fountain, and they 
 difcern a brightnefs and a glory that is unfpeakable ; and 
 the glory that is fpeakable, that appears many times thro' 
 inftruments, will not fatisfy them ; there is fomething be- 
 yond that, which muft fatisfy ; this will never do it ; 
 luch as thefe will never be fatisfied with hearing and feeing, 
 till they come to hear and fee that ivhich is umitterahle^ 
 and then they are fatisfied : Chrifl had preached m.any fer- 
 mons in the hearing of his difciples, and there were a great 
 many faid, that there ivas never any fpake like him, or 
 preached like him ; yet one of them that was the neareft 
 to him, and moft acquainted and intimate with him, after 
 fome years meeting and hearing of his fermons, he cries 
 out, ftinu us the Father, and it fnfficeth us. 
 
 My friends, this comes near to many of your ftates ; 
 many of you have heard long, and have heard the fpeak- 
 able word of God, that which could be uttered, that which 
 could be fpoken forth, by the dcmonilration of the Holv 
 Ghoft, by them that have received it of the Father ; this 
 you have heard long, and )'et there are many of \ou, that 
 if you come to a ferious fearch, you will find a want ; 
 you will ftiil find that you have not that fatisfaction that 
 puts you beyond doubt, beyond fear j there is fomething 
 that ftands in the way, that hinders your enjoyment of 
 the unfpeakable glory of the unfpeakable word, and this 
 will neVer be rem.oved, but by your innocent fubmitting 
 to the work of the power of God in your own hearts, 
 that fo you m.ay not only be believers, but come to be 
 
 really 
 
2j6 The Necessity of a Holy 
 
 really baptized, and then all is out of doubt ; for our 
 Lord faid, he that believeth, and is baptized, {hall be fav 
 ed ; he doth not fay he may be faved ; but, he fhall be 
 faved, 
 
 "W^oful experience hath told us in our days, that a great 
 many have believed the truth, and yet they are never like 
 to be faved, they have iriade fJiipivreck of their faith ; but 
 if they had been baptized, if they would have endured the 
 baptiirn, if they would have been buried with Chrift in 
 baptifm, they mould have been faved, every one of them ; 
 and now there are a great many that remain in the belief 
 of the truth, and yet they are not baptized, thev are not 
 dead, not buried, notwithftanding they have received like 
 precicus faith ivith us, that faith ^vhich is of the operation 
 of God, and that is like precious in its nature to all that 
 do receive it, and would work the fame efted in all too, 
 if it were not obflructed j but notwithftanding they have 
 received faith towards the faving of their fouls, yet their 
 fouls are captives, their fouls are fubject to lufts, and 
 plcafures, and vanities, and unto empty and foolifh things, 
 and to paiTions and corruptions, after they have received 
 faith. 
 
 For if you take one that' is a believer of truth, that 
 is overtaken with his luft, and pafTions, and corruptions, ' 
 he v/ill com.monly own that he believeth the contrary, he 
 believeth that- thefe things fhould not be, that it ought to 
 be otherwife : This is the fignification of truth againft 
 untruth ; if it Ihould be otherwife, why is it thus then ? 
 "Why, he finds a life to fpring up in that which is cor- 
 ruptible, that is always contrary to the life of God, and 
 at enmity \<'ith it : %'hat ihall I do ? I believe the truth, 
 I know it is an holy thing, it leads ail that fubmiit' to 
 it to a holy life, and there is this and that unholy thing, 
 this and that corrupt thing remains, what ihall I do ? 
 
 It is an evident demonftration that thou wanteft the 
 baptifm of \\\m m ivhojti thou helicveftj thou haft believed 
 m Chrift Jcfus that cometh after John, and was before 
 him ; and now having believed in him, thou wanteft to 
 be baptized by him. and for want of that, the pollution 
 and corruption thut was in thv nature in the time of thy 
 
 aIicn?aion, 
 
Life and Conversation,' 2j^ 
 
 alienation, prevails ftill upon thee, contrary to thy faith; 
 and there is no coming lo obtain this baptifm, but by 
 finking down into that which will flay thee, that which 
 will kill thee: But there is fuch a fhifting to lave ones 
 life, there are fo many twiftings and twinings of people 
 to fave their lives, that at laft they lofe them ; but there 
 are none that could ever find that life that is eternal, but 
 thofe that are willing to be given up to the dead, and 
 fubmit to this baptifm, thac is, by the Holy Ghoft and 
 by fire : Thefe only do come to life, they come to the 
 refurrection, for you never knew any that died this death 
 but they rofe again ; it is as impoflible for death to hold 
 any one down that is buried in this baptifm, as it was 
 impoiTible to hold Chrift down, when he was in the grave ; 
 the fame power that brought agctin our Lord Chrift from 
 the dead, the fame poiver it is that quickens us, while we 
 remain in thefe mortal bodies, after we have fuftained this 
 death and crucificlion. 
 
 But who can believe this faying ? For this is a hard 
 faying, ivho can bear it ? Is it not enough that I am a 
 believer, which makes me a Friend, and entitles me to a 
 community am.ong you; and as long as I hold the truth, 
 and profe'fs the truth, I am looked upon as one of your 
 fociety ? This is very true ; this doth entitle people un- 
 to the outv/ard privileges of the Church of Chrill: -, but 
 there is another inner court, that lies under the angel's 
 reed (the meafuring-reed) that is to be meafured ; the 
 temple is meafured, and every worfhipper in the tem.ple 
 is meafured ; there was an outv/ard court, that was for re- 
 prefenting the Church of God in general, from the par- 
 ticular ; the outward court was not meafured, that the 
 Gentiles might come in ; the unbaptized people, which were 
 never regenerated, thev mieht come fo far as the outward 
 court, but this did not entitle them to the privileges of 
 the houfe of God, nor to any worihip or facrifice that 
 was accepted upon God's altar. 
 
 It concerns you and m^e, my friends, to be ferious about 
 matters of this moment and importance, and not fpend 
 our days, and, as it were, fpeak by rote, under an airy 
 profeiTion, though of truth itfelf, without conlidering what 
 
 progrefs 
 
2^8 The Necessity of a Holy 
 
 progrefs you have made, what benefit you have obtained, 
 and whether you are come not only to the Jhadow of 
 good things to co?ne^ but to the very fubftance of the 
 heavenly things j for the comers to the ontivard ivorjhlp could 
 nevery ivlth t/ufe facrijiccs they offered, be made perfect ; 
 the corners thereunto were not made perfe6i^ as to the things 
 pertalnh/g to the confcience^ fpeaking there of the outward 
 worlliip, Heb. x, i j but coming to the heavenly things, 
 whereof the other was but a fliadow? they made people 
 pcrfsd:, as to the confcience, and did bring thein to fal- 
 vation. The apoftie alludes to this baptifm, for he fpeaks 
 in a figure of the eight perfons that ivere faved in Noah^j" 
 ark ; then he brings down the allegory to chriflian bap- 
 tifm, not only the baptifm of John, the fore-runner of 
 Chrift, that preached of Chrift, but to the chriftian bap- 
 tifm itu,^if; hy the like figure lu hereof bapt if jn noiu fcrcetk 
 lis, faith the apoflle ; not the putting away of the filth of 
 the flejli, but the anfiver of a good confcience, What doth 
 he mean bv baptifm faving us ? He means, the anfiver of 
 a good confcience toivards God^ through the refurreS'hon of 
 Chrift fro?n tht dead ; fo that chriftian baptifm did bring 
 along with it the cleanfifig and putting away of all fin 
 cut of the coifcicnce, that might bring them under doubts 
 and fcruplcs ; and then there is an arifing of Jefusj the 
 Saviour, in the confcience, the Mediator that brought them 
 to anfwer for them in the fight of God ', for if people 
 be confcious of fm, and do leave off their fin, this doth 
 not yet clcanfe the confcience j for there ftill remains a 
 confcience of fin j tis not the leaving oif our fin that makes 
 our atonement with God, or that expiates our guilt, or 
 doth away the guilt of the fins that w^e have committed , 
 but there muft be a forfaking and a leaving off fin by 
 the virtue and power of the ipirit, by which we are ena- 
 bled, not only to leave off fin, but are guided and di- 
 rected to the Mediator, v:hofe blood alove reconcileth us to 
 God, and cleanfeth us from all fin. If I fhould never com- 
 mit a fin while I live, it is not this fimply in itfelf that 
 will make m.e have the anfwer of a good confcience in the 
 fight of God ; for there remains the guilt of fin contraded 
 in the days of unbelief, which is a bar and hinderance, that; 
 
 none 
 
Lite and Conversation. zjc^ 
 
 none can approach the Holy God, but in the atonement 
 and falvation that comes by Jefus Chrift ,* for all that be- 
 lieve and obey the gofpel are accepted in Chrift, and that 
 upon the account of Chrift's precious blood, that cleanfeth 
 us from all fin and unrighteoufnefs. Whom doth it cleanfe ? 
 Thofe only that forfake their fins, and by his power are 
 brought to a holy life ; they, by the virtue of his pow- 
 er, and the cleanfing of his blood, come to have their for- 
 mer fins removed from them, as far as the eaft is from 
 the weft. 
 
 But what is this to them that remain in their fins ? what 
 is this to tfiem that are not baptized for t/ie dead^ that 
 have not put off the old man, nor put on the new man^ but 
 have only put on the name and profcflion of Chrift, and 
 put on the outfide of him, his garment, but have not put 
 him on, they are not created again in Chrift Jefus unto 
 good ivorksy that they fnight walk in them ? No wonder 
 there remains a confcience of fin in them, there is a bar 
 that hinders them from the fight of the glory of God, 
 and from real and true fatisfaction, concerning their atone- 
 ment and reconciliation with God, and this hinders them 
 from the enjoyment of that peace that paffeth underfanding ; 
 and it is no wonder, becaufe they are not come to this 
 baptifm that brings the anfiier of a good confcience in the 
 fight of God; they are not rifen with Chrift; how fhould 
 they? for they are not buried with him. Know ye not 
 that fo many of us ( faith the apoftle ) as were baptized 
 into Chrift, were baptized into his death ; therefore we are 
 buried ivith him by baptifm into death ; that like as Chrift 
 was raifed from the dead by the glory of the Father, even. 
 fo ive alfo fhould walk in newnefs of .life, Rom. vi, 3, 
 Here is a change figured out between them that had par- 
 taken of the spiritual baptifm, and were come again to the 
 participation of life in the refurredion of Jeius Chrift, 
 and thofe that were not baptized. 
 
 So it is now with every one that cometh to believe 
 the truth, and make a profeiuon of it ; there is a way 
 caft up, and there is a door opened for falvation ; but 
 the grand queftion that every one ought to enquire about, 
 and put to themfelves, is, w4iat progrefs they have made 
 
 in 
 
240 The Necessity cf a Holy 
 
 in this way ? "Whether they are baptized yet or no ? whether 
 they have put off the old man ivith his deeds, and put on 
 the nevj man and the neiv yuan s deedsy ivhich are righteouf- 
 iiefs and hoUnefs ? They that find, that though they are 
 believers, they are fhort of this, they do alfo find that 
 their fliortnefs is their hinderance, their fliortnefs in not 
 coming up to the pattern that hath been fliev/ed them, is 
 their hinderance, To that they enjoy not the things here 
 fpoken of j the being under this ^Qn^Qy and really fitting 
 under this ^qvSq, in a meeting, though there ihould be no 
 man fpeaking to them outwardly, yet being come to this 
 faith, and made partakers of this baptilm, people would 
 find in their own bofoms the hidden word of life mini- 
 ftering to their condition ; they would have enough, there 
 would not be a famine of the word unto them, nor they 
 ihould not need to be in expectation of going out to this 
 or the other inftrument, but they would be fatisfied when 
 they are met together with the prefence of the Lord, that 
 the Lord is in the midil: of them, niiniftering unto them 
 the word of life, in his operating and working, fpeaking 
 in a tongue that every one can underiland, fpeaking with 
 a kind of voice and language, that every one may un- 
 derfcand his own frate and condition ; and this is the way 
 that God brought up people from the beginning, to the 
 knowledge of heavenly things, and opening of the myfte- 
 ries of lalvation ; we had it not of men, but of Jefus our 
 Lord ', he was our great minifter, we waited upon him, 
 and trufted in him, and he taught us himfelf ; he hath mi- 
 nillered to us at our filent and quiet waiting upon him, 
 thofe things that were convenient for us ', we might well 
 fay, he gave us our food in due fiafon ; he hath not only 
 given Jtrohg jneat unto jnen, but hath miniftered of the/in^ 
 cere milk of his word imto babes, that lived in fmcerity 
 and felf-denial, loving God above all things ,* and he taught 
 and conduced us in our way, this way of fimplicity, un- 
 til our underftandings came to be opened, until our fouls 
 came to be prepared to receive the myfteries of his king- 
 dom. 
 
 In thofe days there were feme that ftarted up in know- 
 ledge, and that built their nejls on hlghy a?id took flax and 
 
 ivool, 
 
Life and Convbrsatiot^, 241 
 
 WQoly and gold and filver^ and decked themf elves with them y 
 but the Lord found them out, and brought them down, 
 and took the crown from their head, and cloathed them 
 with dillionour. So God doth from age to age ; his judg- 
 ments >3(^ill begin at his own houfe : If you would grow 
 in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sail- 
 our Jefus Chr/Ji, then grow in humility and f elf-denial, 
 and keep a conftant watch upon your hearts ; examine 
 your hearts, and commune with yourfehes upon your beds^ 
 and be ftlll ; take heed left you fin again ft the Lord, and 
 provoke him. There were fome that provoked the Lord of 
 oldy and they committed tvco great evils : W-^hat be they t 
 They have gone avjay, and forfaken the fountain of liv- 
 ing water ; as much as to fay, they have not their de- 
 pendence upon an invifible pov/er, as they ought to have : 
 For I am a living fountain, and it is by an invifible pow- 
 er that I am able to counfel, teach, dired, purify, and 
 open their underftandings ; but they have forfaken mc, that 
 is one great evil ; and the other is, they would not be 
 without fomewhat ; they have forfaken the Lord, and they 
 would have fomewhat inftead of God ; they have digged 
 to themf elves broken ciflerns, that will hold no water. And 
 how many in this age have committed thefe two great 
 evils ! 
 
 My friends, examine yourfelves j are there not many that 
 have been guilty of thefe two great evils ? They do not 
 keep their clofe dependence, truft and reliance, upon the 
 invifible power of God, as they profefs they ought to do, 
 but are hurried away from it ; iome by the love of the 
 world, fome by lufts and pleafures, fome by paflions, aad 
 others by worldly interefts, are drawn away from the pow- 
 er, to do and fay that which the power is againft : Is 
 not this a forfaking 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 man's word^ 
 and digging to themfelves broken cijlerns ? And have they 
 not their truft and confidence in going to meetings, in 
 commending this and the other way ? Have they not their 
 truft in their profeflion outwardly, when it minifters no- 
 thing to their fouls, (o that they fecretlv wither for all 
 
 H h " this? 
 
z4^ The Necessity of a HoLy 
 
 this ? If you had all the men and angels that were ever 
 fent of God, appointed to preach to you, they could not 
 rniniiler life to you, unlefs there be that faith that Pcands 
 in the po\yer of God. The faith that ftands in any man's 
 words, will not overcome your lufts ; but the faith that 
 frauds in the power of God, purifies the heart ; it will 
 not fufFer any unclean thing there. As for preaching, let 
 a. man preach againfl this and the other luft and corrup- 
 tion, there it will remain for all his preaching, unlefs men 
 know God's power and life, in which there is righteouf- 
 nefs j for words and knowledge, and fight and fpeculati- 
 on, will never give people victory over their fins. 
 
 Therefore you know, every one who is fettled muft be 
 fettled where the foundation of religion is ; it is not com- 
 ing tD meetings, and owning this and the other doctrine 
 which is the foundation of our religion ; God hath re- 
 vealed his power to every one of us ; God hath not giv- 
 en his Spirit to preachers and prophets only, for then there 
 would be a fa?nme of the ivord, as was in Ifrae/, the jpriefl's 
 lips O'rtly prcTer-jecl knoivledge. If you did take away the 
 pried:, you did take away their knowledge. The prophets 
 had the word of God, and they only (pake the word of 
 God. If the prophet was taken away, then the word of 
 God was taken away. The Lord threatened to fend a 
 famine among them ; they grieved and vexed, and killed 
 and deuroyed, the priefls and prophets ; therefore, faith 
 the Lord, I vcill fend a famt'ne amohg youy not of bread, 
 hut of the ivord ; and they fiall go jrom city to city, and 
 enquire for the word of the Lord. 
 
 Thus it was in the Jeuiih church ', if there was a pro- 
 phet they would go thirtv, forty, or a hundred miles to 
 Lira that had the word of the Lord ', they fiall go from 
 city to city, to e?/quire for the word of the Lord : But 
 hleiTed be God we are com.e to another day, for now 
 the word of the Lord is manifefted in the hearts of all 
 that believe ; they know the word : I do not fay all that 
 believe do preach the v/ord, or ought to preach j bat the 
 Word preacheth to them^ ; they are not as broken ciflerns 
 that can hold no water ', when they find the word and 
 hear it, they fpeak it prefently ', \\'hat is miniflered to 
 
 their 
 
Life and Conversation. 24^ 
 
 their own condition, that they tell to other folks ', when 
 people come to the blefiing of this difpenfation that God's 
 word revealeth in their hearts, they then know what the 
 fignification of it is, they underftand the dodrine of it, 
 the dodrine preacheth holinefs to them ; not that they 
 fhould preach holinefs and yet remain unholy ; not that 
 they fhould preach humility, and yet remain proud : it 
 preacheth holinefs, humility and finglenefs of heart to a 
 remnant, that like good fcholars and difciples learn the 
 lefions and doctrine of the word of God. 
 
 Now when thou haft learned them well, and art come 
 to fee the effect of the word, and dofl bring forth the 
 deeds and works which are the fruits of holinefs, perfecling 
 holinefs in ihe fear of God, and with, humility known 
 and witneffed in Chrift Jefus, and art not only meek in 
 fhow^ but meek and low in heart ; when people come to 
 be meek and lowly, and of a clear confcience, purged frojn 
 all dead works to ferve the living God; then if the Lord 
 gives them a word of exhortation, of dodrine or counfel, 
 it is very welcome, and it hath a favour through the blefUng 
 of God, and they come by it to be built up in their mofi 
 holy faith, and this word is brought forth in holinefs and 
 righteoufnefs in their lives, and lliews itfelf in a life of 
 holinefs j then thou wilt fhine in thy converfation to all 
 that thou converfeft with, fo that they may fee thee to be 
 fuch a man or woman as haft been with Jefus, and learned 
 of Jefus, and received a word engrafted; v/hen thou doft 
 receive the word into thy heart, there is the engrafting of 
 it : If it hath not root there, then, faith Chrift, my word 
 doth not abide in you. If you feel fomething of thi$ invifible 
 word in your hearts, it brings you to a relolution to ferve 
 God, and to keep yourfelves from ftn, and to anfwer the 
 profefTion which you make of God ; this is the effed of 
 the word of God, if it doth abide in you. Doth it abide ? 
 You fhall know anon or to morrow, fo foon as a temptation 
 comes to ftir you up to pride or pafllon, to fraud or deceit, 
 then you will fee whether the v/ord abide ; If it abide, 
 you iln not. 
 
 This is fcripture, a certain fundamental doctrine, that may 
 be as fafely preached as any doctrine : If the word abide 
 
 in 
 
244 ^^^ Necessity of a Holy 
 
 in you, you fin not ; what of that ? let the word go, 
 and you will fin, when ever you are tempted to it. i 
 write to you young men, becaufe you have overcome the 
 ruickcd oney you are Jircng, and the word of God abides 
 in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. 'Wq Ihall 
 fee as foon as a temptation meets with thee, whether the 
 word abides in thee; if it abide, thou wilt not fin, but 
 refill: the tempter. Set thy foot upon the temptation, 
 and go over it, and thou wilt have the dominion ; and 
 this will make thee a free man or woman, and thou wilt 
 Jtand fafl in the liberty wherewith Chrift hath made thee 
 free. The apoftle fuppofeth them free, and that they have 
 got dominion , then Jtand fafl, faith he, in the liberty where- 
 with Chrift hath made thee free. It is a liberty not of 
 luft and fin, but a liberty of the foul ; the foul now is 
 not at the devil's will and call. 
 
 For it is a fname to the dodrine of Chridianity, that 
 we profefs things, and yet deny them in pradice : We 
 profefs that there is a power in Chrift to keep and preferve 
 us out of fin, and we profefs to believe this power is com^ 
 municated to them that do believe in the Lord Jefus Chrift 
 for their prefervation ; that is, he will not withhold it from 
 them : We profefs thefe things in the face of the whole 
 world; and yet when the devil calls one man to covetouf-* 
 nefs, and another to defraud his neighbour, and another to 
 defile himfelf, he is drawn away thereby ; what h} pocrify 
 is here to profefs this, and ad the contrary ? I do not wonder 
 that they that profefs they cannot live a day without fin, 
 that they fhould fall ; but they that profefs to befieve there 
 is power enough in Chrift, and that it is ofiered to them, 
 to live in fin and yield to temptation, this is horrid 
 wickednefs. They that are of an upright, fingle mjnd, 
 would die before they v/ould ^\x\, knowing that God is Al- 
 mighty, and gracious, and willing to bcftoY/ his power, and 
 Wiidom, and grace, upon them that ask it; they would 
 die rather than fin againit God prefumptuoufly : let it coft 
 me my goods, mv eftate, my liberty, or my life, how can 
 I do this great wickednefs J and fm againfl God? They love 
 God above all ; you never heard them complain that they 
 W^anted power, for the Lord is at their right hand, and they 
 
 fhall-^ 
 
Life and Conversatioij, ^4g 
 
 Jkall not he moved. They cannot fall ; though they are temp-r 
 ted, they will not fall into temptation. They have power 
 when they fee the devil before them, to put him behind 
 them ; the nobility of their extrad, of their new birth and 
 regeneration, puts fuch a temper and difpofition into their 
 fouls, that ihey fcorn to be at the devil's command, as if they 
 were his children. 
 
 Oh! it is a noble and honourable thing to be a child of 
 God, a very high digaity to be in fuch an honourable re- 
 lation to God, and to have a right to the heavenly manfions, 
 to fit down in bsavenly places in CJp-ift Jefus, I would to 
 God you were all ready for it, that you had the wedding 
 garment on, that vou might not be boiuid hand and foot ^ and 
 cafl into utter darknefs. X^^hat is the reafon that you do 
 not fit down in this heavenly frame and tem.per, and draw 
 the waters of falvation out of your own fouls; could the 
 Lord do any thing more than he hath done, and could his 
 fervants do any more than thev have done for your help ? 
 Are not their labours demonftrations of it ? "^^e have been 
 cs epifiUs of Chrijl written in your xonfclenceu We have 
 been teftifying that there is lomething wanting in too ma- 
 ny, the want of refigning up themfelves to the baptifm 
 of the crofs. People are willing to be counted friends; but 
 they are friends of God, that do wkatfoever he comrnandeth 
 them ; that is the Chriftian leffon, not to fay, I will be a 
 friend to you, and a friend to the church, and to fuch a fort 
 of people ; but I will be a friend of God, and do what- 
 foever he commandeth me ; whatfoever command God lays 
 upon you, either to take up a crofs, or to deny yqurfelves 
 and follow him. 
 
 Learn this leffon, and you will be difciples indeed, and 
 members of the church too; not members of a church privi- 
 leged outwardly only, but members of a church of the firji 
 born^ and yen will ha'-ce your names written i7t Heaven i 
 when one comes to have his name written in Heaven, he 
 comes to know his name, it is a white Stone^ not a fpeckled 
 one ,• they that have it, they know it, they are not ignorant 
 of one another's names, that are written in this book ; they 
 have a fellowlliip that nobody can declare ; their commu- 
 nion is in that bread and that cup : This is a cup of blef- 
 
 fmg 
 
1/fS The Necessity of a Holy 
 
 fing indeed, and this hath bleffed us, and will blefs us. God 
 V/ill preferve a people in this fellowlliip. You that are at a 
 diftance now, you muft come nearer to him j God will 
 choose a people by whom his name fnall be magnified ; be- 
 caufe the love of God is flied abroad in our hearts. We cannot 
 but defire this for all, efpeciaJly for the houficld of faith ; 
 we cannot but defire their perfection, their growing up in 
 the grace of God, that they might come to be partakers of 
 Heaven. And in the next place, our love is to all people, 
 everywhere; v/e would be glad that all ivere faved ; they 
 that def^pife us, when we are ipeaking of heavenly things, 
 fpeaking like a child, like a ilammering child, fpeaking of the 
 glorious excellencies of God, of the loving kindnefs of God, 
 fpeaking of thofe things which God hath fpoken to our 
 fouls, they that defpife thefe things, v/e would be glad that 
 they might be faved : If they were partakers of thefe things, 
 they would be glad as well as we, and they would be more 
 really happy in re; ped of this world, for the time that they 
 are to live here; they would live a happier life, even in this 
 world, and they would have everlafting life i'ri the world to 
 cowe. 
 
 The love of Chrift conftrains men thus to judge, that 
 every one that hath received like precious faith, ought to 
 anf\Y/er that grace and faith which God hath miniftered to 
 them in a Jioly life and converfation, and every one who 
 is a ftranger to this thing, ought to be of an enquiring 
 mind, and an open heart, to wait for the day when God 
 will vifit them with the fame grace ; when you give up 
 yourfelves to a daily crofs, as Chrift's difciples, you will 
 not be running after any one to teach you to know the 
 Lord, for you will all know the Lord, from the haft to the 
 great-eft ; I that have been but a little convinced, fhall I 
 knov/ the Lord ? Thou fnalt know the Lord, thou that 
 art dead in thy fins and trefpaj]}s, thou that haft not known, 
 the blood of clecnfing, thou (halt know the herd to be thy 
 judge, and thy law-giver, to teach thee how thou muft live, 
 walk and aft ; and is not that a good knowledge ? This is 
 the way they reckoned upon in old time, it is a notable 
 expreffion, the Lord is our judge ; there is the beginning, 
 he began there, judgment began at the hcufe of God ,* thofe 
 
 he 
 
Life a?2d CcjsrvERSATioi^. 2^y 
 
 tic brings into his houfe, he brings them under the difci- 
 pline of his houfe, the Lord is our judgCy he is our king 
 and law-givery and he will fave us', this fame exercife of 
 difciphne under judgm.ent brought to them the faith and 
 experience of his being their law-giver, and this brought 
 them to a faith of the lafl: fentence, we fhall be iaved ; 
 and the Lord anfwers fuch a people,* that he will bring 
 falvation to them, fahation fhall be for walls and bulwarks ; 
 Did the people of this nation but know falv^ation was 
 brought near to them, and that it was their bulwark, there 
 would not be a crying up this and the other rotten thing 
 for a bulwark. 
 
 We talk of a bulwark as well as others ; we have a 
 bulwark, blefled be the God of Heaven^ made of better 
 fluff than theirs ; for it is the falvation of God v/hich hath 
 kept us from the pollution of fm, and from a running mto 
 all excefs and riot that others have run into ; it hath kept 
 us from the evil, it hath kept evils out of us, and we have 
 found that certainly true, that all things work together for 
 goody to them that love God, and fear God ; that all the 
 providences of God together, have all wrought for our 
 good ; and this is the bulwark that we have trufted in, and 
 it hath ferved hitherto, and it will ferve us and our pofterity 
 to the end of the world : This is a bulwark that will 
 never be ftorm.ed, that will never be thrown down nor 
 laid wafte : Though all the powers on earth, and all the 
 potentates in this world (hould agree together, they fhall not 
 prevail againfl it ; we hdNQ falvation for walls and bulivarks • 
 if I -be within thefe walls, falvation is round about me ; 
 if I am got into this eternal bulwark, I am fafe from the 
 devil and his inflruments ; here is a bulwark to be re- 
 lied upon. 
 
 Many wonder we differ with them in fomc opinions ; 
 we have that confidence in this bulwark, that we defire 
 not another ; God will laft and abide forever, fo will 
 this bulwark ; all the care that I take, and all the care that 
 you fhould take, is to keep within thefe walls : Do not 
 fally out, if you go out, the devil i? watching, 2ind feeking 
 continually whom he may devour ; he will catch flraglers ; if 
 people will go out for profit, or for pleafure, or in- 
 
 terefl, 
 
s/fS The Necessity of a Holy 
 
 tereft, the devil will catch them ; how can fuch people talk 
 of falvation for wails and bulwarks ? the devil hath got 
 them in his fnare, and they are caught in drunkennefs, un- 
 cleannefs and other fins ; the rea(on is, they have gone out 
 of their bulwark, they have Tallied out of their walls, for 
 the devil could never have forced them out. 
 
 take heedy fays the apostle, hft there fpring up in 
 any of you an evil heart of imhe^iefy in departing from the 
 living God ; as if he had faid, you are Chriftians now, 
 you are a people come to a goo J ftate in Chrift j but 
 Confider you have no ftrength to viand but in him j no 
 power to keep yourfelves but in him ; take hted, at all 
 times, that there fpring not up in you an evil heart of un^ 
 belief y in departing from the livlvg God ; take heed left 
 there fpring up in you fuch a thought as this j I may 
 take this pleafure, and the other profit ; confider that thou 
 dieft and withereft if thou depart from the living God ; 
 take heed of taking liberty above the fear of God : It 
 is not our talk of falvation for walls and bulwarks, that 
 will do us good, but our keeping within thefe walls. 
 
 1 remember a notable faying of the apoftle, which hath 
 a great emphafis in it, and a great deal of dodrine , he 
 writeth to the church, after they were become a peopk 
 of profeffing Chriftians, take heed left you come to be be^ 
 glided by the ferpent, as he beguiled Eve ; he did not 
 fpeak of Jezabel, a wicked woman ; but he fpoke of Eve^ 
 a good woman, created after the image of God, in righ* 
 teoufnefs and hoUnefs ; they were come to a life of fanc- 
 tification, to a life that was hidden fro?n ages and g^^ne- 
 rations. You muft look to yourfelves, and look upon your-- 
 felves as in the ftate of your mother Eve, a woman brought 
 forth in righteoufnefs and holinefs, that might have ftood 
 in that primitive ftate, notwithftanding all the fubtilty 
 of all the ferpents in the world ,* but having hearkened 
 to this old ferpent, ftie was beguiled j there greW up a 
 confultation in her reafoning part ; it may be fo as he 
 faith, I will try. 
 
 So I lay to you that are come to a ftate of fandifica- 
 tion, and in fome meafure to know the cleanfing power 
 ©f God, that you have not believed in it in vain, but 
 
 it 
 
Life and Conversation'. 249 
 
 it hath efFeftually wrought fome change and alteration in 
 you, and is ftill carrying on the work of your falvation. 
 Many temptations will attend you, and many fnares will 
 be laid in your way ; but God hath preierved you to 
 this day : I know the devil's wiles and temptations are 
 manifold ; they are fitted to every one's inclinations, fit- 
 ted to every opportunity, and to every occafion in this 
 world : Men are tried every way by the tempter, to fee 
 which way he may enfnare ♦■hem ; he tries every \v'ay to 
 enf?iare and entangle the /Imple, that he may turn them to 
 the right hand or to the left, that their fouls may be deftroyed 
 and perilh. 
 
 I cannot fpeak to you by a more emphatical word, by a 
 more familiar exhortation than this, take heed ycu be not be- 
 guiled as Eve luas : Many will be tempted as fhe was, but 
 I would not have you do as Ihe did, and yield to the temp- 
 tation : Take heed that you do not defile yourfelves, but 
 keep your garments iihite ; you that have been wafhed and 
 cleanfed, labour to keep yourfelves uiifpotted frcm the vcorld ; 
 this is pure religion and undejiled, that which hath enlight- 
 ened many a nation, and (hall enlighten many of thoie whofe 
 religion is to be undefiled, and to keep thenifclves unfpotted 
 from the world, I pray God encrea^'e the number of them, 
 that fo the blefTed work of landification that hath begun 
 in this way, may be carried on to his praife, and the falva- 
 tion of our fouls, to the fpreading forth of his glory, and 
 the exalting of his name j that the ftrangcrs which are fcat- 
 tered and defolate, may be brought into his holy way, and 
 walk in it; that we all, in a fellowfhip together, walking 
 in that holy way, may through the eternal Spirit, offer 
 praiie and thankfgiving to God, who is worthy to receive 
 glory and honour^ power and dominion, forever and ever. 
 Amen, 
 
 SERMON 
 
S E R M O N XXIL 
 
 Baptism and the Lord's Supper 
 a/ferted. 
 
 'Preached at GrACE-ChuRCH-StrEET, April 15', 1688, 
 
 If any ma7i hath not the Spirit of Chrifly he is none 
 of his. 
 
 JF I fhould fay no more, there is that In every one's 
 conlcience that will make application ', if he that hath 
 not the Spirit of Chrift, is none of his, you may 
 fay, v/Lore is he then ? If they be none of Chrift's that 
 have not his Spirit, >x'ho^e are they ? They are all his 
 V/hofe Spirit rules them, every one of us doth belong to 
 Lim who e Spirit ruleth over us, unto whole power we 
 are fubjeded. You knov/ this diflinguifheth people in the 
 world, one king knoweth his fubjeds from another king's 
 fubjeds ; they are under the obedience of this, that, and 
 the other king or prince, his law is over them, they are 
 fubjecl to it; lo here is a decifion of all the people in 
 the world, whom they belong to. 
 
 \^e, all of us, I hope, do exped there will be a de- 
 cifion at the day of judgment, and believe the things wc 
 read concerning it, that there will be a decifion, and fome 
 will be placed on the right hand, and fome on the left j 
 fbme will have the fentence of, come ye Mejfed, and others 
 the fentence of, go ye cur fed ; but now there is a way 
 of finding out the decifion of the matter before we go 
 out of the world, before the day of judgment, when there 
 will be no remedy, what then is, muft be and abide fo; 
 now there is no need it fhould continue fo ; if it be 
 amil^, it may be mended ; if I do not belong to the right 
 prince, if I be not under the right power and fpirit, 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 par- 
 doned and taken into favour j it is far better for people 
 
 to 
 
Baptism and the Lord*s Supper, 2^1 
 
 to know their ftate now, than to know it then, -becaufe 
 then there will be no remedy. 
 
 The apoftle, in laying down fundamental, apoftolical 
 doclrines, that were to be believed and taken notice of, 
 and are in our age, fo that we may lay, tfungs written 
 of old time, were written for our learning ; he makes this 
 affirmation and polition of do(5lrine, he that hath not the 
 Spirit of Chrijly is none of his, he doth not belong to 
 him ; tho' he be called a Chriftian, he is not a Chriftian, 
 if he hath not the Spirit of Chrift j it is but a name he 
 hath got, he hath not that which makes him efientially 
 fo, for nothing can make a Chriftian, but having the Spi- 
 rit of Chrift J therefore when they would vindicate their 
 being Chriftians, they prove it thus ; for he (fpeaking of 
 God) hath fent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, and 
 we know the mind of Chrift ; we know him that is truey 
 or we are in him that is true ; thefe things, if they were 
 right, if they were true, were evident demonftrations that 
 they were a fort of men who depended more upon the 
 Spirit and fpiritual teachings, and Ipiritual guidance, than 
 upon all the rules and methods of teaching that were 
 in the world. 
 
 I fpeak of this, friends, becaufe you know as well as 
 I, hov/ averfe this age of ours hath been, to have any thing 
 fpoken of fpiritual difpenfations, or about fpiritual teach- 
 ings J though a man hath been counted formerly a wife 
 man, a learned man, or a man of parts, if once he come to 
 fmatter out a little about inward teaching, it is enough to 
 fpot him, and make him ridiculed of his acquaintance, as 
 if there v/ere no fuch thing in the world : Wq have a 
 book, called the bible, it is from one end to the other 
 full of fuch expreftions, of being led by the Spirit ', you 
 have an anointing which teacheth you all things : The whole 
 tenor of the New Teftament is about fpiritual teachings 
 and divine operations, and o£ faith being the operation of 
 God ; and the Old Teftament hath abundance of expreffions 
 by way of prophecy, that in the New Teftament days, if 
 people would look for the law of God, they muft look 
 for it in their hearts ; and if they would know God, they 
 muft look to the Mediator^ the Lord Jefus Chrift: The 
 
 New 
 
7.^2 Baptism and the 
 
 New Teflament alio directs us that way ', Chriftians (houlj 
 be the moft fpiritual people in the world, that is the 
 guide, the rule. 
 
 But, fay they, the fcripture is the foundation of faith and 
 manners, belief and pradice; this is too often but dilTimulation, 
 and I am afraid it is to be found in fome ; what, is the fcripture 
 the rule of faith ? and may people believe what they find in 
 fcripture ? Yes, but fay fome, it is beft be aware for fear of 
 error. "V^hat is in the fcripture is ferious, found and ortho- 
 dox, and did Quakers, think you, never find in fcripture that 
 people were to u^ait for the Spirit, and pray in the Spirit y 
 and ferve God in the Spirit, and that all religion that is 
 not in power, is not available, did they not find it in fcrip- 
 ture ? And you that are not Quakers, did you ever read the 
 New Teftament ? How came it to pafs that ye never found 
 theie texts ? But fome people read and read the New Tef- 
 tament twenty times over, and mock and deride, and perfe- 
 cute a man that (hall foeak o£ the Spirit's tcachinj?. 
 
 I have admired at it, how intclhgent men, to whom God 
 hath given a com.petent underftanding, iLould be fo blinded ; 
 they have learned to read Englifh, and they have read the 
 New Tcdament over feveral times, and the Old Teftament 
 too, and they have read thofe fcntences of Chrift's dodrine, 
 that do fo currently and unanimouily fpeak of divine teach- 
 ings and fpiritual operations, fpiritual v/orfhip and fpirituai 
 religion, that mufc have fome motion and ftirring of the Holy 
 Ghoft to be the original of it, and that all others are not ac- 
 ceptable to God ; doubtlefs they have read thefe things, but 
 I have often defired and do flill dcfire that they would 
 read it again once more, and try and fee what God will do ; 
 he hath oftentimes made ufe of the holy fcripture as a means 
 to awaken people and to open their underftandings, and let 
 them fee the mind of the fpirit by which the fcripture is 
 written, and the next time if they can find fcripture text and 
 apoftolical doclrine, to teach people to wait upon the Spirit, 
 I hope they will leave fcoffing and mocking. 
 
 It hath been hitherto looked upon as an invention, to fpeak 
 
 - of tlie teaching of the Spirit, and vjciitinQ' upon the Spirit^ 
 
 and being moved by the Spirit. This apofiolical dodrrine, 
 
 prayer and worihip, hath been looked upon as an invention 
 
 that 
 
LoRD*s Supper ajferted. 2^j 
 
 that we have brought in : To look for the Holy Ghoft in 
 that way that was never known to our fathers, is a fantaftical 
 conceit of the Quakers, fay they : To tell people they muft 
 be led by the Spirit in divine things, as in prayer and wor— 
 fhip, and the Hke, that in thefe things they muft wait for 
 the Spirit, was there ever any man that was counted good 
 for any thing that ever preached lo, before they came I Do 
 we read any fuch kind of thing in fcripture ? 
 
 ! the bUndnei^s that hath happened to this nation ! I 
 have confidered, not without admiration, how the devil (he 
 is a Spirit too, and a wicked one) how he fhould have pow- 
 er to prevent our acknowledging the belief, fenfe and feeling 
 of the Spirit of God nov/-a-days ; there are thoufands in this 
 nation that have formerly believed that it was as impofuble 
 for a man to believe the divine motions and ftrugglings of 
 the Spirit of God in this life, as to raife their fathers and 
 mothers out of their graves j fome of their learned teachers 
 have told us it is a whimfy and fancy, and that there was 
 no infpiration of the Spirit now-a-davs, but that it was a 
 fooiilli fancy in us to wait for fuch a thing, it is needlefs, 
 fay theyj there was an immediate teaching in the apoilles 
 days, and they had the fenfe of the Spirit of Chrift working 
 in them, to teach them to write letters and epiftles to the 
 church, which letters and epiftles were written by the moving 
 of the Holy Ghoft, but we have no need of it now, the Holy 
 Ghoft hath brought order and government into the church, 
 we have it now in black and white printed in our books, 
 therefore fay they, there is no need of the Spirit, and peo- 
 ple need not be acquainted with the operation of the Spirit 
 now-a-days, in regard they have it in their books what man- 
 ner of worftiip they muft perform. 
 
 1 grant them their due, that they have the diredion of the 
 fcripture ,' I am able to underftand that people are to wor- 
 fhip God, and pray to him, and are to meet together and to 
 obferve this and the other dodrinal precepts there laid down ; 
 I confefs I can make ftiift herev/ith to frame out a form of 
 religion, and if I do not miftake in the opening and expli- 
 cation of the dodrine, I could make a right form too, but 
 I am liable to miftake, another man that underftands Greek 
 better than I, faith that the Greek word ought to be tranflat- 
 
 ed 
 
^54 Baptism and the 
 
 ed fo, and the form ought to differ in fuch a rerpe(ft ; fome 
 fay the only way of government is by bifhops, and the 
 word bears it in the original, and another faith he hath 
 ftretched the word, for the word means prefbyter j another 
 faith prefbvter fignifies no more than choice of church elders 
 and deacons, and fuch like, and this is all out of one book, 
 the fettlemcnt of bifhops, prerbyters, and elders. 
 
 Here a number of form-makers all fall out about the mean- 
 ing of the word ; what remedy can any mortal man provide 
 for this ? We mufl: not be killing and flaying one another 
 about words ; if I be- an epifcopal man and fay the word 
 fignifies bilhops, I may be a wicked man ftill ; and if another 
 fay it mufl: be prefbyter, he may be a wicked man too, and 
 if another fay it fhould be paftor, elders, and deacons, he 
 may be a wicked man notwithftanding. 
 
 Thus they have rent and torn one another about church 
 government ; what remedy (hall we have for this, that 
 thefe quarrellings and contentions about terrns and words 
 may come to an end ? Could a man preQ:ribe a more certain 
 remedy for all thefe miftakes than this, if they had a meafure 
 of this Spirit which did work in the apoftles when they 
 wrote down thefe words, which the apoflles had in writing 
 them., then I fay they could tell you what the Spirit meant, 
 for the Spirit is the fame and not changed, and the words are 
 the fame to a fmall matter, fo that if a man had that, he 
 might end all the controverfy ; but where fhall v/e have a 
 man that hath this Spirit to end the controverfy ? There is 
 none now-a-days fay the Protefl:ants, and fay the Papifts 
 there is none but one that hath this infallibility ; and many 
 will not fuppofe that neither, for fome of them fay, that one 
 man is as infallible as another man ; there is a great difpute 
 whether any one man be infallible, or a great many men to- 
 gether are infallible about dodrine and worfhip : This might 
 be cured all at once if we could come to this conclufion. 
 Papifts, Proteftants and Quakers, here is an end of all 
 out-fide worfhip, he that hath not the Spirit of Chrift is none 
 of his : If there be not Spirit in it, it is not Chrift's religion 
 and worfhip. 
 
 So that they that jangle and bark and bite, are without, 
 among dogs and forcerns, that are ftrangers to the Spirit of 
 
 Chriil y 
 
Lord's Supper ajferted. 255' 
 
 Chrift; there is a fpirit in them that denies the Spirit of 
 Chrifl:, there is a Spirit that rules in them that are without 
 the Spirit, for nobody that I know of, ads things without a 
 fpirit, and without being moved. What, are good and bad 
 all moved by the Spirit, and yet are there no motions ? I 
 have fometimes turned the quefiion upon people, and asked 
 them if there were no motions of the evil fpirit, hath it no 
 fuch kind of influence that it can m.ove upon our fpirits, 
 that we can fenfibly feel ourfelves thruO: forth to fuch an 
 adion ? I never met any man that would deny it, they are 
 fo generally favourable to the wicked fpirit ; no man will 
 deny but the devil hath a way of m.oving and ftirring upon 
 the fpirit of a man, and to fuggeft to him fuch an evil thing, 
 and as I have fometimes faid, it is fo received an opinion, 
 that when the malefactor comes to be arraigned at the bar for 
 fome erievous crime, they lay the foundation of the indid- 
 ment, fuch a day he was moved and inftigated by the devil 
 to do fuch a thing ; here is a fettled motion for the devil, for 
 him to influence peoples fpirits, but no way for the good 
 Spirit of God to influence mens fpirits; here is nothing left 
 us but a bad inftigation ; but to know inward motions to 
 good things, it is not to be expeded now-a-days. 
 
 How ihould ever the cunning ferpent, that would have 
 power over the beft of; us all, be faid to v/innow us ? 
 Chrifl: fignified to Peter] a bold and refolute difciple, fa- 
 tan defires to have thee, and ivinnoiv thee as vcheat ; if the 
 devil had pov/er over every one, to m.ake them his fer- 
 vants and flaves, what remedy have we but we mufl: all 
 perifh and go headlong to hell with him, unlefs there be 
 fome way of refifl:ing him ? That is true, fay people, the 
 devil mufl: be refifted ; we find it in the New Tcftament, 
 reftjl the devil ; this is a good exercife ; but tell me one 
 thing, when I go about to reflfl: the devil, mufl: I refifl: 
 him in my own power ? If I was to fay you might do 
 fo, you would fay I was an erroneous preacher, and well 
 you might : This is an old free-will dodrine, that a man 
 may refifl: the devil by his own power, and efcape his fnares, 
 and do the will of Goil : This hath been cried down 
 by the dodors of the Church of England, and by rnofl: 
 of ail forts of Chrifl:ians j and for our parts, fince the 
 
 Lord 
 
2^^ BaptiS^vI and the 
 
 Lord hath opened our mouths, we did never fpeak a word 
 in favour of it, as if we went about to refift the devil in 
 our own ftrength ; if we did, the devil would make fools 
 of us : He that goes about to refift the devil in his own 
 ftrength, will be entrapped and enfnaredby him, in that men 
 have a propenfity to fin, and by his cunning and iubtilty, 
 may be led into a fnare before they are aware. 
 
 Thus it is agreed on all hands, that our pox^er, as men, is 
 too weak to refift fatan's temptation, fo that you fee we 
 muft have the aiuftance of the divine power, or all go to 
 hcii y there is no medium between thofe two extremes, 
 fome extraordinary power muft aiTift me, or elfe the devil 
 will have me. If you will not admit of a fupernatural 
 power to come in to help me and you, we muft all go 
 to hell, there is no remedy : I will fay my prayers, faith 
 one; do fo, yet in the beft of your prayers there will be 
 fin ; and if I regard iniquity i?i my hearty the Lord ivill 
 7iot hear me : I will go and hear fermons, fay you ; the 
 very man that preacheth will tell you, that hearing of 
 fermons will do you no good at all, unlefs there be mo- 
 tions of the Spirit of God, fo that you will be wrapt from one 
 thing to another, and have diverfity of dodrines, and come 
 to no fixednefs ; and v/hile you concern yourfelves about 
 dodrines, all the while the devil prevails upon you ; as for 
 the tongue, he hath the rule of that, and as for the hands, 
 he hath the rule of them, and makes you do thofe things 
 that by his perpetual fuggeftions he moves you to j fo that 
 your going to church and faying your prayers lignify nothing 
 to bring you from under the wrath of God, and from the 
 captivity of the devil : Hath not the devil thofe in captivity 
 that go to church, and fay their prayers, and give alms ? 
 Thefe are things that you can do by your own power, 
 the faying of your prayers, and fafting, and giving of alms, 
 thefe things thou mayeft do, the devil will not hinder 
 thee, for he knows that thefe will not bring thee out of 
 his clutches, nor out of his chains and fetters. 
 
 There is but one way and means by which the devil 
 may be effedually refifted, that is by taking to our help one 
 flronger than he; I have gone for help to many ftronger 
 than I, in my young days, that I thought to be ftronger 
 
 Chriftians, 
 
Lord's Supper aprted. 2^y 
 
 Chriftians, and many of them did afford their help in the 
 work, by coimfel, by perfuafion, by exhortation and by 
 dodrine, but all this did not do ; and the reafon was this, 
 becaufe the devil was too flrong for me, and fo he was for 
 them. As long as you go for help to this and the other 
 place, until you find one ftronger than the devil, expecft 
 no deliverance or help from any thing in the world, but 
 lay afide all cnnjidence in the flefli^ in any many man on 
 earth, or in all the doctors words and beft preaching you 
 fhall hear, lay afide your confidence in them, they will 
 never do you any good in this refped:, for they will never 
 break your chains off ', many are loaded with them, but 
 fome, I^ hope, are weary and hea'-jy ladeUy and feel the 
 weight of fin, I pray God increafe. the number; though it 
 be a ftate of forrow, it is better than the (late of fools, that 
 7nake a mock of fm ; I would have you weary and heavy 
 laden with your fins, and brought into this ftate, to fee 
 yourfelves captivated by the ftrong power of darknefs, 
 and to fee you are unable to deliver yourfelves out of it 
 by your own power. 
 
 For me to fall into the hands of a tyrant that is ftronger 
 than I, and no man to deliver me, how fad would it 
 be. If I could find a man ftronger than this tyrant, and that 
 would kill him, I fhould be his fervant, and have a better 
 mafter : No man can kill this tyrant, that hath led me captive 
 and made me a flave; if he fay, be drunk, I muft be drunk ; 
 if he bid me fwear, I muft fwear : This is the ilavery that 
 the devil hath got his fervants into, that whatfoever he faith, 
 that they muft do, if he bids them do it: 1 ivretched man 
 that lam, who fhall deliver me? I cannot deliver rnvfelf, 
 and no man can deliver me j I would be acquainted with all 
 Chriftians, if they could help me ; I would try all religions 
 that are this day in the world, to fee if there be help for me : 
 Many are opprelTed v/ith fin, and they go to and fro, to fee 
 what help can be given them, to free them from the bondage 
 that the devil hath them in : This fort of people are to be 
 pitied, and the Ibuis of all good people will pity them, for 
 fuch as thefe feek the living among the dead ', they feek 
 that to redeem them that cannot redeem them : "V^e have 
 fought, fay they, for power and ftrengtji from them that had 
 
 Kk ' not 
 
p^8 Baptism and the. 
 
 not enough for themfelves, they wete captivated as Well a§ 
 ^c, and all this becaufe we came not to him that is ftronger 
 than the devil. You will take the fame courfe, and flay till 
 grey hairs come, and you go down to the grave with forrow, 
 unlefs you come to oneftronger than the devil, and then truft 
 in him, believe in him, and expert deliverance by him. The 
 reafon why people do not exped deliverance is_, becaufe thefe 
 two things are Ihut out of their belief. 
 
 I. Thev believe not that a finful hfe will carry them 
 to deftruclion. 
 
 II. They think there is not any pofFibility in this world 
 to live any other than a finful life. 
 
 The devil hath brought men to this pafs, that they live 
 As eafily in a finful life, as a fifh in the flream : \>^e are in 
 the wav, fay they ; when we were baptized, we were initi- 
 ated into the Chriftian church, we Were baptized with the 
 lign of the crofs, that fheWs We are foldiers of Chrift and 
 bear his badge and banner upon us ; and the man faid at 
 that time, I was made a child of God and an inheritor of 
 the kingdom of Heaven ; if this be not true, then I am 
 cheated and deceived, for I am to beUeve this to be true ; 
 the church hath affirmed that thefe things are to be be- 
 lieved j and to queftion the veracity of the church, is to 
 quefrion ail. 
 
 I would queilion whether thoufands find the truth of 
 it. When thou wert baptized, there was a kind of co- 
 venant and bargain made for this child of God and heir 
 of eternal life, that he iliould forsake the devil and all 
 his works, and the pomps and vanities of this wicked 
 World, and the finful lufts of the flelh : And there is fe- 
 curity given that this child ihall never ferve the devil 
 and finful lufts, and never be proud, but ferve God and 
 keep his commandments : Now this fecurity being taken, 
 then thev fuppofe that this child will certainly be an 
 heir of the kingdom of God. It is very true, fland to 
 thy church j if this fecurity that is taken for a child be 
 but cffe'flual, then there is no doubt of being a child of 
 God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of Heaven. But if 
 this fecurity fail, is the church to blame if men's hopes to 
 eternal life fail \ ¥'as v: not my condition, that thou fhouldell- 
 
 forfake 
 
LoRD*s Supper affened, v^^ 
 
 devil and all his works, and the pomps and vanities 
 / 'icked world, and the finful lufts of the flefh, and if 
 
 I t%k the bargain, and thy part of the covenant, and 
 
 1 -^'eternal life, who is to blame ? Look to the fecurity, 
 
 xiat thou forfake the devil and all his works, and the 
 mps and vanities of the world. But thou mayeft rath^ 
 \ ay, I have enjoyed as many of them as I could ; and for tP^^g 
 lufts of the flefh, I have enjoyed as much of them as I ca;^ , 
 and what, doft thou believe thyfelf to be a child of Go;;^ ^^d 
 an heir of the kingdom of Heaven, notwithftandi-^g? 
 
 If I promife to deliver a man any particular kind of 
 goods, upon the payment of fo miich Mnoney, if I fail in 
 delivering the goods, he will n'ot" deliver the money ; a man 
 muft forfake the devil and all his works, and never luft after 
 the pomps and vanities oi' this world ; that is a child of 
 God, let us fee him gro^ up, and if he goes on to be faith- 
 ful in this covenant till^e die, I do not at all queftion but he 
 will be an heir of etfynal life ; but when all this is broken, 
 and the fecurity lig'^ifies nothing, and the man is given up 
 to ferve the devi', breaks all God's holy laws, erreth and 
 ftrayeth from the way of God's comm.andm.ents like a loft 
 fheep, and gra.ps at the pomps and vanities of the v/orld, 
 as much as he can, and thinks he gets no more than comes 
 to his fliar- ; and when he (hall indulge the lufts of his flefh, 
 this is n child of the devil j he is a child of that Spirit that 
 wa? a liar from ths beginning. Never talk of being a child 
 and an heir of God's kingdom, fuch a m.an is in fetters, he is 
 to go along with the devil and his angels, and there is a king- 
 dom prepared for them, and a kingdom of darknefs, and 
 he muft have his portion with them in everlafting mifery : 
 Tophet is prepared of old for all the workers of iniquity, 
 
 What for thofe that are baptized ? Yes, but do not you 
 deny baptifm ? 
 
 No, not I, I would have men and women baptized with 
 a baptifm that will do them fome good. Some have feen 
 the vanity and weaknefs of this kind of baptifm, and called 
 ij'baby baptifm i and therefore would go and be baptized arid 
 --plunged in the water over head and ears, but they came up 
 again with the fame heart and mind, and the fame polluted 
 foul John baptized in Jordan, and all Jsrvfalem and Judea 
 
 cam< 
 
*'^<' Baptism and the 
 
 came to be baptized oi mm : rhere were a fort cas Well as 
 
 penons then that crucified the Lord Jefus Chnft, r. ftronger 
 
 dKijneni harm in his life, but much good. ftay till 
 
 Ihis baptifm had never an apcfioTical patron, but prrow, 
 
 another baptifm that is To infallible a baptifm, that if atruft 
 
 ^uere lurelv baptized withal, he was fure of Heaven, he woAe 
 
 .never need any other afTurance of Heaven than to be bap> 
 
 tizt^d with the baptifm of Jefus Chrift : The lip of truth fpe?ks 
 
 or L>ii, lie that hdtoveth and is baptked, Jliail he faved : He 
 
 Ihah be i.-ved in fpite of the devil and all his temptations, 
 
 in ipite of pen --cutions and the ftumblino-blocks laid before 
 
 h.m. Here is a h^^-^fn^woyth a man's while, worth all his 
 
 labouis if he could obtain ,t. /,, ,4^, „,„^,,^ ^^^^^^ ^-^.^^ 
 
 John the Baptift, he flail bapt,z^ y^, ,,,,,,. .^,^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ 
 
 iv2tk pre ; here is a baptilm bt],.r.cTc tr» ru.-;a; ,. 
 
 nance ordained. Far be it from „„ ^_ j^^,, i '-r , 
 
 , , ,. , 01 . , r ^s to deny baptifm ; but 
 we would lii^ht ot the rimit, lince ^l_„^ ^ * r^ r 
 
 r^, . , T^ • r • T ^ 1 .^here are io many forts : 
 
 1 nis baptilm is to ridit ana certair ^l^^ • r ^ . 
 
 rV- ri • • • • J •> t^^^t ^t ascertains a 
 man or his lalvation, but it is done u., ,a. u- / r-/ « / 
 
 vcttn pre: It it be by tne Holy Gi.,,n ,i ^ • • r 
 
 u rr r r '1 • ti ' '^^^^^ ^^'C^ it is tar 
 
 enough orr trom usj tor there is no Hoiv v-^* n ■ , 
 
 r r r \' 1 -r ■ r i ,' ,:^nolt in our davs,. 
 
 lav lome, io this baptitm is ceaied, and inip-.. ■ ■ / ^ 
 ir\ TJT 1 r-t n i c T 1 rt ation IS ceaied. 
 
 it the Holy G/i'Jt and fire be the matter of oapl-r l i • 
 u • ^ -f J 1 "•- J 1 r ^^"^j the thinff 
 
 bein^ railed and ceaied, tne coniequencc can. ' r n ^ 
 ^1 J T ' 1 • J 1 V 1 • '^t follow ; 
 
 thou and i cannot be baptized becauie there is ni, ^ i • 
 
 of the Holy Ghoft in our days; fav fome, this bap.. ^ 'P 
 With the Holy GJioft and with jire ; with fire for buriin.^ 
 up our corruptions, and purifying our hearts. -But the Holy 
 Ghoft hatli done working upon men, fay they j why then 
 there is an end of baptifm : A man is hungry, and when his 
 tim.c comes to eat, he hath no viciuals, yet he fits him. down 
 as if he did eat ; will this feed and nouriili him ? So men now- 
 a-days, they have a baptifm wherewith they are baptized ; but 
 baptilm with the Holy Ghoft and voith fire, is the right bap- 
 tilm, therefore do not baptize until you find the Holy Ghoft, 
 this will be far better; this is the baptifm that they which 
 come to know it, are fi-irc of falvation by it ; for by tfcis 
 \baptirm, they are borne up and tindured in their fouls with 
 "he Divine Spirit of Chrift Jefus, proceeding from the Father 
 M the Son, till they receive his iikeneis and-fo die unto 
 
 lin : 
 
 1 \ 
 
Lord's Supper afPrtecL ^.or 
 
 death, TheV-^le openeth it, ^n that he ^-^/-^^ f/ ^ 
 fin . nee, but ^n :^ he Uveth he h.eth nntoGod, f hat they 
 
 that ..Ire bapt^L -^^'^ ^'^''^'' r'%^^%lf:^Uo^^ 
 you that are dea^nto fin, ho.v (liould you Ue any lo.g.i , 
 
 therem? without fm ;.can that be 
 
 The.e that ^^^rc h^^\^^^^ ^^^ ^^,^ Chnft only ? Yes, . 
 true that no one lived\~}^,^^ ^^.^,., .,^ J ,/,,, ,o 
 faith the apoftle, yo7i that,\i^ J- ^' ^^^ now that 
 ^.ghreouP^^fs ; their Ufe ftooct^^!^^ ^\ ,,;,l,,-e to Chrift, 
 life IS taken away by baptifm, ^,^^^ -^j^ ^1,^^ comes to be 
 and he that hveth he iiveth to Qk,[ i^^ 1^^^ ten, twenty, 
 partaker of the firft refurredion, i, Q^a he' Iiveth no 
 forty, or a hundred years, he Mr •c\h,-,.,vorld, and the 
 more in the pomps and vav '^ / , r^-V^ This bap- 
 finfbl lufts of d.e i^elh, but 1^''^ '"''\ ^^'v-^l b 1^- 
 tifm, whoever comes lo be [^^^^^^^^^ ^^' ^^^ .f 
 
 ed; fo that we do not d^^n^J \ j - K^Lioper. 
 
 P,,f. .vr^ ! r 1 -^ denv the Lor. - O^t A^r*-. 
 
 -but we iiear lav, tnat vol i 'V^ j i X v--^ is 
 
 • AY^V Ko,.^ ^..r u "at 1 -S Vht, God knows; theic\,/^ 
 V' e have never had luch a tho? i t i L - 
 
 Mori.;;,rr .u . r ^ ^ rr more i but people havi 
 
 «otmng that our iouls long afi t • i i i a 
 
 Kr.Ao rS^t.;^^ 1 • J r 1 Vheir own, thev have lolt 
 Deen makme a kind of work of> i •, ' ^ * i i 
 
 a realitv, and make fhado^s i^'"''^'-^." '*'^' ^^ '*''^^" 
 they fee things made in the hoK^°'' 'i'""!,'"'' '^'^ ""r'^ 
 n,ake the l.ke^in l>.nd and clay ^'"^1= '^<" ""' "1 Te 
 What a a-eat thing it is to at^a\' '" V ,'"??'' °^ 
 T r.",^ • 1^ ,!,; ,„ & '^ '^ 1-u '"•' (Mnee heal openine, we 
 i-o,a, as things come into an i 'i- .• d a ;j r 
 
 fpake then more lively and freflilv"^ ' '"^'- f 
 
 y/.«<^ <.f .£» door and^nock, ,f Z '"V" \Z\l 
 will co,„e ^n and [up ^ah h,n/anr '""' '"A'c^V^n 
 underftanding of thii text, go Ind exa?'"' ""^ ^''"^ '" 
 the commentators you can find, and '^'^ 
 ed men fay of it ; fee if they do novri 
 inward call of the Spirit and grace of 
 into our hearts; andwould one think thf, 
 thefe things ftiould be againft the fpiritu-' .^ .,,,,,, „. rne 
 things ? They fay that this knocking at .:! tol of he 
 heart iign fo the call of God's Spirft at t ^^^ ^^ 
 
 «h ■' t- e '' "■' ''^'l '"f °^ '""'"" *^'a man that is 
 all «t tiie door of their hearts ; one is, ^.^ary 
 
 apply this to the 
 
unto 
 e 
 
 . never fin more. As^Lon l^'l' ^^ ''''*"'' -hat he might 
 « called upon to let ,„ th. o ^''TA' ^e knock, and 
 aga.nft temptation, he Ljv In'" .°^ P''^' ^° '^^'P -™ 
 . «"J ^aith, w,th ail mv heZ.?'"',^^ ^eart to receive k, 
 the grace of God ; J iT i ""^ "^^'^■'t^" ^"'f ^^1^°"'^ 
 patience towards me • and fi ^VP^d l«th had fo much 
 
 ^■M embrace this ^rac'e o^ rnf ~-°'l ^^^^ 1^'^ g-"^"' I 
 
 ^•'Jl take it into.^v heaVi- '"*bove all pleafures, and I 
 
 greateft jewel that l" know ■ *^ S"''''" ""^ ^^"'^ '' *« 
 
 cour;e, and prayed, Lord '''" Honeft Paul, he took this 
 
 a temptation that trouble '^'^^^e a'^'a)' this tempter; here is 
 
 vield, for a!l the devi'''*^ 'i^h me, and I am not willing to 
 
 tiie Lord, and befo-^ o'j follows me with it ; he cried wit 
 
 av/^ the tempta'iQp .'\"j|'j(^'?/n t/iree times, eameflly, to tak 
 
 ^^j'lfflcient j\r fii^g' xj/ha*! '^'^e Lord anfwers him, my grace 
 
 thee, and tr^ , , l Kabtt matter if the tempter buffet 
 
 into rhv t, ■JWDie tn^e, na r 
 
 rr ^Seart? Thou art ' '" thou not received my grace 
 
 d^X-^li'my <yrace is fum^ believer, and thy truft is in 
 
 wn As worft, keep thou ''^amtfor ^//.. Let the tempter 
 
 .t Withftand and overco, to the grace of God, and thou 
 
 If a man openeth his Afe the temptation when it comes. 
 
 comes, then you fliall findf heart and rece.veth Chnft when he 
 
 «o and try him with th^- ^"^h an alteration in that man, that 
 
 Sver him the laft week, ir'e *ame temptation which prevailed 
 
 1 , ™,f»,- onrl a?*^ Will not do lO now ; though he be 
 as weak as watei , ana as ' . ? . 
 
 , r , w, V>'.win(* prone to corruption and iniquitv as 
 
 before, yet now navinr, ^ ^ . , , r . , . i ^ , 
 
 orace of God ^nW deP.' a faith begotten in hmi that the 
 fnares. Noxv this m?'^^^ ^.^"^> he keeps out of the devil s 
 iniquitv be purged ou ,^" trufting in this grace till his fin and 
 there is a cle.n hear^^' "^f |^ ^^e time to ipread the table ', 
 ^j 1 A^\,.^--<.c r^(-'U and the heavenlv euelt is now come, 
 and the dainties or , i • j t i l- r 
 
 , . iT.^ .-,,. ■ the Kinedom are broueht to him tor 
 
 his nourimment. . P t Ji - j 
 
 r -./ / ; ., ^...^iVtir, iaith Chrilt, 1 vjiLl co?ne in and 
 
 up ^vit/i fur/?, ancT > \ 
 
 -'^^ • / /• ^,1. ?ny tatier ai o vciU co?fie, and ive wiU 
 ■ Cup until luw, an'' , -^ . , ;4., . ,' 
 
 S ^, r , ^'ii he ivtth us. This never happens to any 
 
 body io lone as • r i r u 
 
 11 • a 1 .1^- the table and heart is foul; for the ta- 
 . ble mult be clcr j i j •, j r i j 
 
 1 -11 *u^ T-in» and the devil and lin thrown out, and 
 
 then Will the i ' ^ .^ j r i u 
 
 r< ^u--ord confarm and ratiiv, and leal the co- 
 venant ; lo^tr , . .,-''. ^ - , 
 
 , 1 j-kjo lat here is a leal with a witneis. when a 
 
 man a ^ teftiraony of the love of God, that God is 
 
 reconciled 
 
Lord's Supper ajjlrtecl, 26^ 
 
 reconciled to him in Chrift, then Chrift will come in, and 
 he will bring his Father, and they will flip with him ; 
 and this is that which will give complete latisfadion to 
 fuch a foul. 
 
 All the tongues of men and angels are too fhort to fpeak 
 pcthefe things, as they are in them.felves, but they are all 
 ilnifefted by the Spirit. All the myfteries of the kingdom of 
 ^od, are manifefted by the Spirit of God ; now to fay there 
 is no Spirit to be regarded now-a-days, that is as much as to 
 fay, v/e muft never regard the kingdom of God, for no man 
 can difcern the things of God hut the Spirit of Gody no man 
 can tell what they be ; as no man can know the things of a mai^ 
 but the fpirit of a man. 
 
 But I muft look to this and the other form, and mark, 
 and methodize them, for we can know nothing of the 
 things of God themfelves. 
 
 I hope you are all of another judgment, and believe 
 that this is a trick and cheat of the wicked onej 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 feparated one from ano- 
 ther ; when you feel the motions of this good Spirit, em- 
 brace them, and make them yours. This Spirit is a gift 
 that is given ; fo may a fhilling or a piece of bread be 
 held forth to a poor creature, but if he receive it not, 
 he may perifh for all thatj it is not his, tho' I have ap- 
 pointed it to be his, and have feperated it from my 
 other fubftance to be his. If he receive not what I offer 
 and would give him, he may periih for all that. 
 
 Here is grace and truth comes by Jcfus Chrift^ and God 
 hath offered it to all men, in that he hath raiftd up thrift from 
 the dead; the grace of God which bringeth falvatioh, hath 
 appeared unto all men ; but all men have not received it, 
 therefore all men have it notj and they that have not 
 the grace of Chrift, and the Spirit of Chrift^ are no72e of 
 his; but it doth not follow that they never will be no^e 
 of his. When they have received the gift by Chrift, a':d 
 fay, I will be his fheep or lamb, they will come into his 
 favour by that gift, and fhall partake of the good things 
 of his Father's kingdom j but till they have received this 
 
2^4 Christ the Way, 
 
 gift, they are not the better for it, they have not any 
 benefit by the death of Chrift ', they have no help, no 
 benefit by it, except it be the patience and long-i'ulfering 
 of God, who for Chrift's fake bears with their weakneis, 
 and waits to be gracious, and for Chrift's fake offers them 
 favour j but they are not come to the poffclTion of it, till 
 they open their hearts, and receive the grace of Chrift j 
 then they are convinced of Chrift's end, and that there is 
 a poUibihty of enjoying the Spirit of God, and of being 
 taught and led by it. 
 
 Take this along with you, that it is your abfolute and 
 indifpenfable duty to wait from day to day upon the great 
 God of Heaven, the gr.jer of every good and perfeB gifiy 
 that you may have that bleiied gift, that you may have 
 the affiftance of a greater power than your own to lead 
 you out of fin into righteoulnefs, that through Jefus Chirft 
 you may be acceptable to God. 
 
 SERMON XXIIL 
 
 Christ the Way, the Truth, and the 
 Life. 
 
 Preached at GrJCE-Church-Street^ April i8, iGSy, 
 
 I Fear the high places are not taken away ; it hath been 
 fo in all ages, and it is m.anifeftly fo in this day ; 
 where the heart is not rightly prepared for the Lord, 
 there the high places are not taken away : For all the 
 high places in the time of Ifrael's idolatry, they were 
 ever fet up when they departed from the Lord, and all the 
 high places now they are up in a time of ignorance of 
 God; when people have forgotten the Lord, then they ex- 
 alt themselves, then pride, and arrogance, and every evil 
 V/ay prevails upon us ', but when men come to feek the 
 Lord with uprightnefs, that brings down their high con- 
 ceits, that brings every one into humility ; for every one 
 comes to be convinced in themielves that none can find 
 
 the 
 
the Truth, and the LiFE. 26'^ 
 
 the Lord, but as they are brought to be humble ; nav, 
 indeed, none feek after him aright but fuch, none have 
 the promife of finding him but the humble. 
 
 Therefore it is the duty of every one that is a real en- 
 quirer and feeker after God, to know the right prepara- 
 tion of mind, to know themfclves in fuch a frame of 
 fpirit, that they may feek in hope, that they may have a 
 right and juil: expedation of finding him whom they are 
 feeking after; for this liath been the reafon that a great 
 many have been fruflrated in their endeavours, and in 
 their purpofes of feeking after the Lord, they have not 
 been rightly prepared for him to manifeft himxfelf unto 
 them, they have not known the preparation of his fanc- 
 tiiary ; there was a peculiar preparation that was requifite 
 to thofe that drew near unto 'the fanduary^ of God, they 
 Were hallowed, that is, made holy, ere they drew near to 
 the holy place ; but alas ! this hath been greatly ne^lccled 
 in our days, unholy people with unholy minds have been 
 feeking after the Holy God, they have been enquiring after 
 a holy way, and were not prepared to walk in it, there 
 was nothing raifed in their minds, that was fit to walk in 
 that way. 
 
 For fo long as men or women ftand in unity v/ith their 
 lufts and concupifcence, with the fpirit of this world, and 
 the way of it, they are not capable of receiving that which 
 fhould lead them into the way of holinefs ; nay, if it appears 
 to them, they cannot receive it, for it is with them as v/ith 
 other guefts, there be other , lovers already let in, which 
 employ the powers and faculties of their fouls, fo that if 
 the moft beloved of all, the moil: excellent, if the chief eji 
 of ten thoufand do appear, they cannot* /^^ a covielinefs in. 
 him. The prophet fpeaking of this flate and condition of 
 men, did prophefy concerning our Lord Jefas Chrift, ivheit 
 vje fliall fee him there is no cornelinefs in him vohy ive fhould 
 dffire him J and fo it hath happened to a great m.any now- 
 a-days, though the truth hath appeared to them, yet they 
 have not looked upon it as a pleafant way, as a way de- 
 flrable, but a way to be ihunned if pofTible. Xv'hat ihifts 
 have a great many people made to keep themfelves, if p>)fn- 
 ble, out of the wav of truth, arj^uini^ for this and that, 
 
 L 1 and 
 
zijS Christ the W'ay^ 
 
 a :d difpiuing for one V'ay and another that was out of 
 truth's v;ay, out of the way of hohneis. Vhat vas the 
 meaning of all their arguments, but to tell us they might 
 be happy, they might be faved, though they did not come 
 into truth's way, and walk in truth's way? And though 
 they did abide in tho^e things, that were contrary to the 
 teftimonv of truth in their own hearts, \et it misht eo 
 well with them. 
 
 This is the ftrength of the arguments of all forts, of all 
 perluafions in the World, that have been arguing them- elves 
 out of the truth, and would argue us out of the truth too, 
 and would take the liberty to do tho'e things which are not 
 agreeable therewith j but now the reafon of this is becaufe 
 the preparation is wanting, the)' are tho-e that have no need 
 of truth, and that have no. need of God, and of a Saviour; 
 but think they can make iMft without them ; he is not be- 
 come the chiefcil' to them, they can abide in the high places, 
 they can call upon the name of the Lord, and they can wor-' 
 f:ip in the groves, and in the high places both together, 
 like thoHe nations that were brought to inhabit the king- 
 dom of L^rael when the ten tribes aj( ere carried away, they 
 fent for pritlts to teach them, they fent back to the king 
 of Afjyria to lend them lome priefts, to teach them to 
 worlhip the God of their country, and when the pried 
 came to teach them, he taught them the ceremonies of the 
 law, and the divers ob ervations that the Jews ufed to 
 pradi^^e in that country, and fo they grew into a formality 
 of ierving the God of Israel, they called upon the name of 
 the Lo?'d, and every nation ivorjhipped their oivn Gods, 
 
 How is this nation, and the nations of Europe, now in- 
 habited with fuch a people that are called by the name of 
 the Lord, but every one worfliipping their own Gods; one 
 m kes gold and filver his God, another makes his pleafure 
 his God, another his honour, another this, that, and the other 
 luft, and they bow down to them, that is, they }ield them- 
 fejves to their lulls, concupifcence and corruptions, that 
 they (land in unity with, but they call upon the name 
 of the Lord too ; they do apply themielves to fome 
 kind of form of worihip, which they fay is unto the immor- 
 tal and invifible God j but alas ! they come not to the know- 
 ledge 
 
the Truth, and the Life, z6y 
 
 ledge of God by this. All that the priefts could do that the 
 king of Ajjyria fent back, could not bring the Samaritans 
 to the knowledge of the God of Ifrael^ they onlv brought 
 them to a report of fuch a God, that had fet up fuch a law : 
 They had the report of it, and for fear that the lions fhould 
 tear them in pieces, they would enter into that form, but they 
 Worihipped their own Gods ftiil. 
 
 So' it is now, people do not come to the knowledge of 
 the true God, the living God, by entering into anv form 
 of religion; for inftance, prayer, hearing of any ordinance 
 or chjrch-fellowlhip, the'e give not men the knowledge of 
 God, there is but one way to come to chat, but one onlv. 
 Men have found a great many, it is paft 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 knov/ledge 
 of God, and to peace and reconciUation with him \ but they 
 have onlv p!a' ed the fool, and fpent their time in vain, 
 efpecially thev that own the icriptures of truth to be a true 
 and faithful record of the mind and will of God, thev 
 play the fool abominably; for the fcripiure that they give 
 To much reputation to in their profelTion doth teilify the 
 way is but one, and there is no other wav for people to be 
 reconciled to God, than by coming into ChriO: ; to be 
 found in him, to be regenerated and born into his nature, 
 and have his qualities put upon them, that as he was purey^ 
 they may he pune ; that he that fanctifieth, and they ivho are 
 fanBified by hitn, way become both one^ and fo be reconciled 
 to the Father through him. This you know is the common 
 profeflion of Chrlftendom, or at leaft of our nation. And 
 in other nations, the common profeflion is, there is no Me^ 
 diator but one, no Reconciler but one. Indeed Tome 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 nations 
 are otherwife. 
 
 Now for people to fall out, and fay, my way is befl, and 
 thy way is not beft, and to fall into contefts about many 
 ways, when the fcripture concludes there is but one way, is 
 not well ; we had better all agree about this dodlrine, that there 
 is no poffibility of reconciliation with God, fince we are 
 
 fallen 
 
268 Christ the Way, 
 
 £illen out \{ith him, and fince lin hath made a reparation, 
 there is no way of being reconciled again to God, but by 
 and through our Lord Jeiiis Chrift ; nor by him neither, 
 unlefs we receive of his Spirit to quicken us ; nothing can 
 quicken us, enHven us, or recommend us to God, but the 
 Spirit of Chriit 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 ail labour, and toil, and jangUng about the right 
 way, for the confequence and conclufion would be this : 
 That the .man who doth not know himfelf the fandifying 
 power of the Spirit of Chrifl Jefus, he is out of the way to 
 reconcihation with God, let his form and profelTion be 
 vdiat it will : If therefore he be reconciled to God, it mufl: 
 be by and through the Mediator, and he will never recom- 
 mend him to the Father till he hath made him a temple to 
 let in the Spirit of ChriPt, to work in his heart, to fit him 
 for the kingdom of God : And men have no other way to 
 com.e to it ; for though they be zealous in every prayer 
 and form, it lignites nothing to any great 'purpofe, their 
 hope will be fruflrated y there is no other ivay^ faith Chrifi:, 
 of ccming to the Father, but by me ; I aw the ivay, the truth 
 and the life. If I am^ out of the truth, I am out of the way j 
 ?x.vA if I am out of the wav, then I cannot come to the end 
 of the way. This is plain reafoning among men : If I tell 
 a lie, that is out of the truth : If I have vain com.munication, 
 or deceive or wrong my neighbour, that is out of the truth; 
 if I am in that which is mzanifefted in my confcience to be con- 
 trary to the truth, I am out of the wav; thoueh I be ftrid 
 in that way, as to profeflion, vet I am out of. the way to 
 God, I am out of the truth ; there is no v/av to God but 
 by Chrifr, who is the v/av, the truth and the life ; whoever 
 is out of him, is out of the way ; which made the apoftle 
 fay, that his labour j endeavour and defire ivas, that he might 
 be found in Chrift, not having his own righteonfnefs, but 
 having on the righteoufnefs of Chrift Jefus. 
 
 Many men think to recommend themfelves to God by 
 their righteous, juft and honeft dealings, and doing wrong 
 to nobody. This is good in irfelf, but doth not recom- 
 mend us to God, unlcis i: be done bv the riehteous and 
 
 hoiv 
 
the Truth, and the Life. ^^9 
 
 holy Spirit of Chrift Jefus, unlefs it be of his working; 
 he muft have the working of righteoufnefs and truth in 
 us ; he muft plant it, and it muft grow by his working, 
 if it be acceptable to the Father ; for wit/iota me, faith 
 Chrift, you can do 72othing. A man out of Chrift, a ftran- 
 ger to his Spirit, may do fomething, bu: nothing avail- 
 able to the well-being of his foul, 'till he have reconciliation 
 by Chrift Jefus : If he be reconciled to God, this Mediator 
 muft be the Reconciler, and he rnuft fit and prepare him for 
 reconciliation with the Father. 
 
 All the divifions, forts and feds of religion, muft all come 
 to an end ; if this mieafurii:ig line be laid to them, they all 
 appear too (hort j and there is nothing v/ill do a man good, 
 but that religion that obligeth and ties him to the good 
 pleafure of God, through the Spirit of the Mediator, which 
 he feels working in him, by which he is raifed from death 
 to fome degree of life : "^hen he is fenfible what a burthen 
 fm is to his life, that godly life v/hich he hath, he is bur- 
 thened with every Cm, and oppreffed with every vain thought, 
 and every vain word, if he be not in fome meafure 
 quickened, he is not fenfible of this burthen j but being 
 quickened, he is fenfible of the burthen that lies upon his 
 life, by reafon of his fin j and then, being under the v/cight 
 of his fin, he.calls to God for his aftiftance; he cries to God 
 to help him ; he now knows that he hath ftriven and labour- 
 ed in vain. O God of all grace, if thou vouch fafeft not 
 help to my foul, if thou doft not interpofe by the afiiftance 
 of thy grace, I cannot overcome this fin. There is a con- 
 tinual cry to God for divine aftlftance, and as they cry to 
 God fc\^ aflifta-nce, he minifters afTiftance to them, by which 
 they are able to overcome the enemy of their fouls, and 
 all temptations v/hen they come : And when a man finds 
 fuch divine afTiftance, his faith is ftrengthened and con- 
 firmed, and fo \\Q fights the good fight ofi faith, and at laft 
 gets the victory; vidory over his iin, and his own lufts^ 
 and concupifcence, and vidory over the alTauIts and tern- 
 tations of the adverfary, and at laPc he conges, through the 
 grace of God, to dSiy all tmgcdlinefs and vjorldly ^fits, 
 and to live righteoifiy, foberly and godly in this prefent 
 ivorld. 
 
 Now 
 
2^0 Christ the Way, 
 
 Now when people do thus, it is by the grace of God. 
 This life of righteoirliers, fobriety and godhnefs, is not 
 the effed of their labour and exerci''e, and of their endea- 
 vours herein, but it is the eiFed of the holy Spirit that 
 hath been the teacher. When you fee a man has become a 
 good fcholar, eminent in all forts of learning, you will 
 conclude he did not attain to all this of himfelf, he did 
 not learn this and the other language, this and the other 
 art and fcience of himfelf; no, he had fome judicious and 
 able mailer and teacher, who communicate-d of his learn- 
 ing and knowledge to his difciple and fcholar: This is 
 the efficient caufe of his improvement. Now if a man, by 
 the grace and the Spirit of God, and the teachings of it, 
 live a holy, godly Kfe, this is the effed: of fomething; 
 he did not always live fuch a life, how comes he to live 
 iuch a life now ? Is it by his own induftry, labour and 
 exercife ? No, it is by being exercifed, taught and led by 
 the Spirit of God ; fo that it is the effed of the grace 
 of God that he fh.ould live fuch a holy life, this is the 
 meritorious caufe of it, as he is a creature, and by this 
 only acceptable to God in Chrift the Mediator. 
 
 Thus a man comes to be juftified and accepted, not 
 becaufe he is a godly man, but is made fo by the Spirit 
 of God : You are not under the law^ faith the apoflle, but 
 under grace : You are under the teachings of it, under 
 the diredions of it : Grace can reprove people ; for that 
 grace and that truth that comes by Chrift, and manifelts 
 itfelf as a hght in the hearts of tranrgreffors, reproves 
 their fin, and calls them out of it ; it reproves them for 
 it, and exhorts them to leave it, both at one time ; fo that 
 v/e muft acknowledge all our righteoufnefs, holinefs and 
 obedience to be of God, and all that we do in order 
 thereunto, as it is done by the teaching, by the influence 
 and operation of the grace of God given us in Chrift 
 Jefus ; it is the effed of him who is our Mediator, he 
 worketh it in us, and for us, of his good pleafure. 
 
 If we be juftified, we are not juftihed for a righteous, 
 hol^ife, and for our obedience ; but we are juftified through 
 Chrift, v/ho worketh a godly life in them that believe, fo that 
 a man is not juftified by any other way or means 7 and all 
 
 other. 
 
the Truth, and the Life, 2yt 
 
 other ways a man takes of being reconciled to God, are 
 vain and fruitlefs, and have been fpoken againft by all that 
 were moved by the Holy Ghoft in the New Teftament. 
 Saith the prophet, ivhat^Jhall I come before the Lord ivithal ? 
 I am fallen under death and fin, and in a reparation from 
 God, I would fain be reconciled to him j what (hall I do 
 to be reconciled to God ? He goes about to reckon without 
 Ghrift, and without faith and holiness. Shall I take a 
 thousand rams, and ten then fand rivers of oil f Shall I come 
 nearer ftill ? Shall I make an offerirg of the fruit of my 
 body, for the Jin of my foul? Shall I offer my frft-born to 
 God, that I may not be rejected and brought to a fepa- 
 ration from him ? Thus men when they come to be {qw- 
 fible, do feel in themselves that all this is to no purpofe : 
 The anfwer comes, thou mayeft live, but all thy contri- 
 vances about making an offering are vain : He hath Jhewed 
 thee O man I what to do. It is not thy finding this way 
 and that way, viz. thy ram.s, and thy oil, and thy firft-born ', 
 it is no way of thy devifmg and Imagining that can recon- 
 cile thee to me, / have /hewed thee, man, what is good, 
 What is this that is ihev/ed ? It is comprifed in a Ihort 
 compafs, h is to love mercy, to do jujtne, and to ivalk 
 humbly vjith thy God. Will this ferve without offering 
 rams and oil, and offering my firft born ? This will do 
 if thou canft but love mercy when it is ihewn thee ', that 
 is, embrace mercy, and love it. He hath (hewed mercy to 
 all men ; then love it and receive it ; do j'ftly, leave every 
 thing that is unrighteous, and do that which is juft in the 
 fight of God, but do not boafl of thy juftice and righ- 
 teou^^nefs, but walk humbly with thy God; here is the 
 whole duty of man. Here is no dependence on dead works, 
 or my own exertions, in order to my juftification. 
 
 Indeed the conlideration of theie kind of lefTons do 
 corrupt fome men, and put them upon doing this or that, 
 and upon forbearing this or that, and hath brought many 
 to confefiion and great abftinence, and put them upon 
 great doings, thinking this would anfwer the juflice of 
 Godj I have loved mercy, and given all I had to the 
 poor. If I do juf]:ly, and abftain from this and the other 
 liberty, if I walk humbly, that is, if I humble myfelf by 
 
 this 
 
:>'/2 Christ the Way, 
 
 this an<l the other manRer of pennance and contrition, then 
 I do what God requires, and then I have pleafed God. 
 
 Now all that have gone this way to work, to do juflly, 
 and love mercy, and to make themfelves humble, and hum- 
 bled themlelves in luch a low manner, they have miffed the 
 mark. He hath pieived thee, O ma?i 1 ivhat is good ; that 
 it is impoITible for fallen man to anfwer this himfelf j he 
 m.ay be convinced of his duty to do juftice, but by his ov/n 
 power and ftrength he cannot do it; there arefo many temp- 
 tations from without, and fo many from within, fuch a 
 propennty in nature, that will prevail againfc all the bonds 
 of charity that he can make. 
 
 Therefore is help laid upon one that is mighty ; without 
 the grace of God that comes by Chrill Jeius, a man can 
 never do right, though convinced: Tho' the Lord hath ihewed 
 him what is good, hefhews us that we are unable of ourfelves; 
 he hath taken care to fend his Son : God hath fo loved the 
 vjorld, that he hath feiit his Son into the luorld, that he 
 might help thofe that have need of help, that every one 
 that is in diftrefs might have an eye to Chrift, the author 
 and finifier of their faith ; when men have a reference to 
 their faith in Chrift, this makes their duty acceptable : I 
 cannot do it except the Lord ftrengthen me ; therefore I will 
 have refped to the Mediator, Chrift Jefus, who was fent for 
 a Uf?ht into the world. God fends forth his sjrace for every 
 one to lay hold on, who generally believe, that tho' they 
 are unable to do what God requires, yet he will enable 
 them to do it ; for as many as received liim, to them he 
 gave povcer to become the Sons of God, tho' they were the 
 devil's children before ; he is the fame yefterday, to-day, 
 and forever. He abides always the fame in his grace to 
 men, he is in his operation to them the fame; he offers 
 grace to them that are in a frame of mind to receive it; 
 they may know that his power will give them ability, and 
 that whatfoever they do of themfelves will prove fruitlefs, 
 becaufe it is not done in Chrift's name and power, and fo 
 'not ac\:eptable to God. 
 
 The greateft thing that v/e are to be concerned about, if 
 we will be religious, and concern ourfelves about divine 
 matters, about the kingdom of God and the world to come, 
 
 is. 
 
the Truth, and the Life. 2^^ 
 
 IS, to fee wliat frame of mind we are in at prefent, whe- 
 ther the high places are taken away, whether we are not 
 exalted in our own conceits of knowledge and wifdom, 
 and reckon not to be beholden to him for his grace. 
 If we be highly conceited, and think we can ftand upoa 
 our own legs, the high places are not taken away : Men 
 are not in this ftate p^repared to feek the God of their fa- 
 thers ; therefore, let every one turn to God, and fee how it 
 is with you j fee whether there be a mind brought low 
 enough to be fubjed to Chrift, and to the gracious teach- 
 ings of his Spirit. 
 
 A man may fay, I can make a fermon, I can make 
 a prayer and 'exhortation, and I can make a book, and 
 fend it abroad, I can do all this by my own parts and 
 abilities j To thou mayeft, and mayeft make it all full of 
 good words, but thou canft never make it acceptable to 
 God ; for without me, faith Chrift, you can do nothing. 
 Thou muil have the alTiftance of the Spirit of Chrift, elie 
 thou canft not make a good prayer, nor a good book, 
 nor any thing good ; God efteenas the very plowing ^ of 
 the wicked to be an al)0?nination to him. Where the mind 
 is not exercifed by the Spirit of God, if he fliould pray 
 from morning to night, and fpend all his "days in pen- 
 nance, it v/ill do him no good. If I, faith David, re- 
 gard iniquity ; you may think I am a man in favour with 
 God, a man after God's own heart ; yet if I regard ini- 
 quity in my hearty the Lord zvlll not hear my prayer. ^ What 
 fignifies prayers and fermons, made of good words, if they 
 come not from a heart feparate from iniquity ? If it be 
 not fo, it will do no good at all, in point of accep- 
 tance 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 ^o you may look to the 
 preparation of your hearts, that is a right preparati- 
 on ; when the "people are fo lov/, fo broken and lo 
 tender, that they are nothing in their own eyes, but what 
 the Lord will make them to be ', then they are as clay ia 
 the hands of the potter, they are fafhioned by his hands, 
 and made the workmanjhlp of God in Chrift Jefus^ the 
 
 Mm on? 
 
55^4 * CnnisT the Way, 8zc. 
 
 one MccUator betxveen God and man. They muft beat* 
 the hkenefs of Chrift Jefus, bear his Heavenly image, they 
 mud have his quahties, ancl have the fame mind in them 
 that was in him : 1 do always that vchich pleafeth my 
 Father, faith the Lord Jefus Chrift. Indeed he hath the 
 doing of things in the hearts of men, and God is pleaf- 
 ed with him, and where men have the doing of them 
 themfelves, they are thrown back as dung in their faces j 
 where any rightly dcfire juilincation, where men have 
 a right preparation of heart, fo to feek the God of their 
 fathers, as to find him and be accepted of him, it is 
 through Jefus Chrift, in whom he is well pleaied. 
 
 In all your aifemblies, prayers, exercifes and meditati- 
 ons, you muft be feparated and drawn off from your for- 
 mer iovers, and you rauft be joined to him that God hath 
 fent to be a leader and a guide unta you, then you will 
 find dailv his aftiftance j and as you have aftlftance from 
 him, you will find acceptance with God, and he will ihew 
 vou the Father, and that, and nothing elfe, will fatisfy 
 the foul hungering and thirfting after God. Shew us the 
 Father, and it fufficeth us. So when Chrift, the Media- 
 tor, comes to have wrought fo far as the purifying of 
 the foul, and the fanclifying thereof, and thereby fitted 
 it for his glory, fuch holy fouls ftiall behold his glory ; 
 for the Lord will give grace and glory, and tiQ good thing 
 will he ivithhold from tiiem that walk uprightly. 
 
 That vou may be brought to this ftate, and kept and 
 preferved in it ; that the Heavens may rain down fatnefs 
 upon VOU;, and that you may feel the living virtues that 
 fiow from Chrift to every member, is the labour and tra- 
 vel of the fervants of God, for their own fouls, and the 
 fouls of others that are in unity and fellowfhip with the 
 Holy Spirit. 
 
 SERMON 
 
SERMON XXIV. 
 
 Captive Sinners fet free by Jesus Christ, 
 Preached at Devonshire-House, April 2^1, 1688, 
 
 THERE is nothing will make people live to God, 
 but that which they receiye from God. For as 
 all men are by nature in a ftate of death, To there 
 mud be fom.ething beyond nature to make them alive again ; 
 and this is what every one ought to wait upon God 
 for, that you may feel fomething that is fupernatural, and 
 that you may be acquainted with God's gift ; the gift of 
 God^ faith the fcripture, is eter7ial life. Many find a life 
 in this world, that is not the gift of God. The life that 
 people have in fin, it is not the gift of God ; the delights 
 and pleafures of this world are become a life unto them. 
 The world is that to which every one muft die ; they 
 that are not dead to that, they all live to themfelves, 
 they do not hve to God, for none can live to God, but 
 by the life that comes from him. That which people re-* 
 ceive of man, gathers them unto m.an j that v/hich they 
 receive of God, carries them to God. 
 
 So men have m.ade gatherings, and have communicated 
 of what they have to one another, and by virtue there- 
 of, have made them a people: Many men have gathered 
 many people, many churches, and they live to them that 
 gathered them ', they do not live to God, for want of re- 
 ceiving fomething from God, but all they that come to re- 
 ceive the gift of God, they die to the world, and they 
 come to live fuch a life as the world doth not love, doth 
 not care for, and hath no pleafure in: If you ivere of the 
 ivorld, faith Chrift, the vjorld vjould love you ; hut becaiife 
 you are not of the world, they hate you. How fliould this 
 be underftood, were not they fome of the men of that 
 generation ? How doth he mean they were not of the 
 world I Why^ I have taken you out of ity faith he j and 
 yet they were there ftill, and they were named by certaia 
 names, the fons of fuch and fuch men i yet for all that^ 
 
 they 
 
2^/6 Captive Sinners 
 
 they v/ere not of the world ; and that which difiPercd in them 
 was, being made partakers of that life which the world 
 knev/ not. 
 
 And fo there will be an enmity in the world againft the 
 life of holinefs ; they will hate any body that lives in it ; 
 and as it was then, fo it is at this day, they that are of the 
 "World, they hear and receive thofe things that are of the world, 
 from the men of this world j but they that are of God, they 
 hear them that are of God, and they receive the things of 
 God, and their greateft comfort and joy that they have is 
 in their communion with God in Chrift Jefus, through 
 whom, as through a conduit, the blellings of the father 
 are miniftered to them, and through whom, as from the 
 fountain of life, their life is renewed from da v today. 
 
 But thefe things are hid from the world, from the unfe 
 mid prudent of it ; they cannot dig into the depth, nor 
 afcend to this height ; they cannot comprehend the length and 
 the breadth of the things of God, ivhich are in Chriji Jefus ; 
 they may reach unto ibmething of the love of God^ that 
 is in the creation y they can tell when the fun fhines upon 
 them, and when the rain falls upon their fields , and when 
 it falls in due feafon thev call it a blelTins; and while the 
 covenant with winter and fummer remains, they look upon 
 it as comfortable, and perhaps fometimes will beftow a fay- 
 ing, i tha?ik God for it. All thefe things are beneath us, 
 and there is neither love nor hatred known by them all. I 
 favj the voickedy faith one, I beheld his divelling place y and 
 he fiouriflied like unto a green bay-tree^ and was wicked ftill^ 
 iiotwithftanding all this. 
 
 But now, they that fee where they live, that live to God, 
 they can fay, that their leaf never withers, but they bring 
 jorth their fruit in due feafon ; but he did not fo. But 
 the wicked man that fLourifhed like a green bay-tree, behold 
 I locked y and he was rejtioved, and his place was no more to 
 be found: There came a blafting upon all his blelTmg and 
 his flourifhing came to an end ; his riches perilhed, and his 
 good things palled away from him. Bat the man whofe 
 delight is in the law of God, and makes it his pleafure both 
 night and day, he is like a tree planted by the rivers of 
 water, whofe leaf ne'-cer fades ^ and brings forth his fruit in 
 due feafon. But 
 
fet free hy Jesus Christ, 2yy 
 
 But this is hid \ there is no body in the world but would 
 have fomething of this Ufe too ; they would be fure of eternal 
 life, but they would not die to the other life, they would 
 not be crucitied to the world, they would not be feparated 
 from their lovers j if they could get into the ftate of a righ- 
 teous man, an hour or two before they die, when they are 
 fure they ihall die, it would pleafe them ; but to live that 
 life that is to God, is to die to the world, and to part 
 with that they have, their comfort, their joy, their peace 
 and honour, and all their worldly enjoyments in it, before 
 they can come to receive the gift of God, they think is 
 hard : But they that look after it, and have a mind to find it 
 out, without parting with the world's life, they deceive 
 themfelves. 
 
 Do not you fee how men have deceived themfelves in 
 thefe days ? They have fought after the kingdom of God 
 till they are fcattered in their own way ; they are quar- 
 relling about their own way, as if they never had any fcrip- 
 ture to be their rule : They cry the fcripture is their rule y 
 this is the way to eternal life, faith one j and this is the way, 
 faith another ; and the one and the other fay all thefe ways 
 are falle faving their own ; and all thefe contenders about 
 the way to eternal hfe, they all fay the fcripture is the rule. 
 
 And yet the fcriptures fpeak of the way too, and tell us 
 the way plainly, the way to reft, peace and life eternal. If 
 the fcriptures had been filent in it, and had faid nothing but 
 of genealogies and hiftories of armies and wars, it had been 
 fomething; but the fcriptures of the Old and New Tefta- 
 ment fpeak of a certain way to eternal life, and fay it is the 
 way of holinefs, a way fliall be caji up for the redeemed 
 and the ranfo:red of the Lord to walk iriy and the way- 
 fari?2g man, though a fool^ (hall not miftake in it. Though 
 he never took a degree at the univerlity, he fliall not err 
 in it y though he be a fool in the account of the world, 
 and never underftood Greek or Latin, yet he fhall not err 
 in this way. 
 
 The way that leads to the kingdom of God, is called the 
 way of holinefs ; but while many have been reading in 
 their books, they have been contending for a way of unho- 
 linefs 5 no vvonder then they have been quarrelling about 
 
^^/'S Captive SiixTArERs 
 
 it, and have all milTed it, and that in the main point of all : 
 Let them make a way, which way they will, and frame it 
 ever fo wifely, according to the beft ^x. it they have, be it a 
 way that hath all material qualifications that ihould make 
 it a way of holinefs, thefe men may walk in it, ^ but they 
 will never find the way to the kingdom of God, though 
 they have fought it out : Go to one place and another place, 
 znd ask them what is your way ? Our way, fay they, is 
 the right way, the moft fure and certain way that can be 
 found for people to walk in : But whither will it lead 
 me ? I: will lead thee to the kingdom of God : That is it 
 I would have ; but will it lead me to holinefs ? No, never 
 in this world, thou m.uft never come to holinefs; do the 
 heft thou can (I do here, it is but fm ; the beft day's v/ork 
 thou makefl is but iin ; the befl: child of God on earth 
 cannot live a day without fm : Do you hold out that in 
 your way ? Yes ; then I have done with that, and muft 
 go to another people. 
 
 So many have gone many ways to the kingdom of God, 
 and when the upihot is come, they have found every way 
 a polluted way, a fmful way ; I know this way will never 
 lead me to God ; Iin firft led me from God ; I had been 
 well enough as I was created at firfc, if I had never fmned 
 againft God; a linful way will lead m.e from God. It is 
 againft common fenfe, and againfl: rationality, to fay we 
 did firft go from God by fm, and muft go to God again 
 by a finful way. "Vi^ho will believe that fuch a way will lead 
 men to God's kingdom ? and that any way will lead men 
 to God, that will not lead them to holinefs ? 
 
 The Plalmift faith, if I regard iniquity in my heart ths 
 'Lord loill not hear me ; though a man keeps dole to meet- 
 ing, and ordinances, and duties, and performances, iniquity 
 it.feems remains dill ; there is no rooting it out in this 
 world. This continuing and remaining with a man, makes 
 all his performances, and duties, and prayers unacceptable 
 to God ; they are all turned back again upon him, and 
 caft as dung upon his face, and true enough too ; fo that 
 here is no coming unto God in this way ; the comers 
 thereunto know well enough they are not reconciled to 
 God, if they are men that are confcientious. 
 
 There 
 
fet free by JeSUS ChRIST. 2^9 
 
 There are a fort of people fo ftupid and fordid in their 
 judgment, that if a man tells them they are reconciled to 
 God, they will believe him though confcience reproves them 
 an hundred times a day. If the parfon of the parifli fay, 
 that he hath made this child an heir of the kingdom of God 
 and an inheritor of eternal life ; I know fome nave believ- 
 ed it forty years after, and have born themfelves up upon 
 this man's word all their life : Do you think there is any 
 danger of me, that in baptifm was made an inheritor of 
 eternal life, and an heir of the kingdom of God ? God 
 hath not appointed ordinances in his church for nothing. 
 I fpeak not of fuch fordid hard-hearted people, that never 
 entered into themfelves to know how it was with them, 
 whether they are converted ; but I fpeak of fober confci- 
 entious people, that do not defire to be cheated in a point of 
 falvation, though they have been deceived a great while, they 
 may be undeceived : Then they muft take this for certain 
 dodrine, that nothing can reconcile them to their Maker 
 but that which takes away fin. God hears not finners, he 
 will never be reconciled to a man in this world, as a fm- 
 ner , but there are many thoufands (bleflfed be God) m 
 this age, as well as in other ages, that were linners, ^nd 
 reconciled to God through Chrift, and had remifilon of 
 fin ', but never any man in his fm was reconciled to God, 
 though he did believe the truth, if he did not come to 
 the fandification of the fpirit, he could never be recon- 
 ciled to God. 
 
 So that there hath been, in all age?, a way of the work- 
 ing of the Spirit of God in the hearts of them that be- 
 lieve, to prepare them for the finlefs kingdom, for that 
 glorious kingdom, into which nothing that hurteth, de- 
 fileth or corrupteth, can enter. And becaufe we cannot 
 enter with corruption and defilement, he hath appointed 
 the miniftration of his Spirit to work out that which might 
 hinder the cleaning of us from fin, that we might have an 
 abundant entrance into his glorious kingdom ; fo that whilft 
 they fay there is an impoiTibility of living without fin, 
 I had as lief they had faid, there is an impofiibility of 
 entering into the kingdom of God ; for never any fhall 
 come into the kingdom of God, but thofe that are with- 
 out fm ; for there is no purgatory after death. The 
 
28o Captive Sinners 
 
 The Papifts have a better conceit than the Proteflants 
 in that refped : The Proteflants conceive fin to be ex- 
 pelled at the point of death ; and they fay, all the fins of 
 believers, all the guilt of fin, after we are believers, is par- 
 doned, forgiven and done away, by the death of Chrift 
 upon the crofs ; we will have it, if we can get it. If 
 men can imagine a way into the kingdom of God, they 
 \Y/ill have one. They believe that a man may fin and con- 
 trail no guilt ; and that he may fin till his dying day, and 
 then all fin ihall pafs away, and he fhall enter into God's 
 kingdom. The Papifts fay none can come to Heaven till 
 they be purged from fin ; and they fay God hath appointed 
 a place for that purpofe, and perfons mufl go into pur- 
 gatory, and they muft lie there till they are purged, and 
 purified, and fitted for Heaven. Now, fay the Proteftants, 
 truly j there is no fuch thing, we find no fuch thing men- 
 tioned in the fcripture, therefore fuch a thing as this can- 
 not be ; for the apoftle faid, ive have declared to you the whole 
 cou/ifel of God, and he fpeaks not a word of purgatory 
 In all the New Teftament. The Proteftants have got a way 
 to help themfelves, and the Papifi:s, alfo, to help themfelves, 
 and both lie under danger : As Tor the Papifi:s, if their 
 priefts mifi:ake, and there be no fuch place as purgatorVj^ 
 then they mufi: be brought back to the dodrine of the fcrip- 
 ture, which declares, that as death leaves us, fo judg- 
 7nent fhall find us ; and as we fow fo we mufl reap ; if we 
 fow to the fief I, then of the flefh we fhall reap corruption^ 
 Then the Protefiants, likewife, if they mifi:ake in faying, 
 a man may ad fin and yet contrad no guilt, then they mufl: 
 be brought back to the dodrine of the fcriptures, that tell 
 us, the foul that fumeth mufl die : If a righteous man for- 
 fake his righteoufnefs, and doth that winch is evily his 
 righteoufnefs fliall be remembered no more, but in the Jin 
 that he hath committed he fhall die. 
 
 This is found dodrine : I had rather truft the dodrine 
 of the prophets and apoftles than the dodrine of all others, 
 either Proteftants or Papifts y and had rather depend up- 
 on their dodrine for falvation, that were infpired by the 
 Holy Ghofi:, than upon thofe dodrines that fay, there is 
 no infpiration now-a-days. Some conceive this fcripture 
 
 may 
 
fet free by JeSUS ChRIST. 281 
 
 may be interpreted thus and thus ; and others conceive 
 it means fo and fo, but we muft, fay they, fubmit to 
 better judgment : I am a faUible man, I fubmit it to 
 better judgments. Now when people are concerned for 
 immortality and eternity, to have fuch things difhed out 
 in fuch a manner, what fouls are fo dull but they v/oukl 
 beftir themfelves, and confider and look about* them be- 
 fore they go hence, and how it Ihall go with them when 
 thev are eone ? 
 
 We are now to work out our own falvation, that is on 
 our part : None ever have wrought out this falvation, it is 
 wrought out on God's part already, and it is to be made 
 ours j he that is our Saviour, he hath fujfered for our fmSy 
 and rofe again for our jujlifi cation ; he ivas made to uSy 
 t)f God, wifdoniy rigkteoufnefs, fan6lif cation, and redemp- 
 tion. Now wifdom iignifies the opening of the counfel 
 of God ', righteoufnefs lignifies the fubjedion of our wills 
 to the will of God ; fandification fignilies 43bedience to 
 the Spirit of Chrift. Sandification fignifies obedience to 
 fomething j to what ? what fhall we be obedient unto ? 
 what is our rule ? He that is led by the Spirit of Chrifl^ 
 he is his ; but he that is not led by the Spirit of Chrifl is 
 none of his ; fo that it is plain, fandification figni(ies obe- 
 dience to the Spirit of Chrift, and redemption fignifies 
 buying again, or fetting free from bondage. 
 
 Y/e know when our friends are in captivity, as in Tur- 
 key, or elfewhere, we pay down our money foiM:heir re- 
 demption ', but we will not pay our money if they be kept 
 in their fetters flill. Would not any one think himfelf 
 cheated, to pay fo much money for their redemption, and 
 the bargain be made fo that he fhalj be faid to be redeemed, 
 and be called a redeemed captive, but he muft wear his 
 fetters ftill ? How long? as long as he hath a day to live. 
 
 This is for bodies ; but now I am i peaking of fouls, 
 Chrift muft be made to me redemption, and refcue me 
 from captivity. Am I prifoner any where? Yes; verily ^ 
 verily^ he that conirnitteth fin, faith Chrift, he is a fevjcint 
 of fin, he is a Have to fm : If thou haft finned, thou art a 
 flave, a captive, that muft be redeemed out of captivity y 
 who w'\\\ pav a price for me ? I am poor, I have nodiing, 
 
 N n " I 
 
-5;? Captive Sinners 
 
 1 cannot redeem myfelf, who will pay a price for me? 
 There is one come, who hath paid a price for me ; that 
 is well, that is good news, then I hope I fliall come out of 
 my captivity. What is his name, is he called a Redeemer ? 
 So then I do expe(51 the benefit of my redemption, and that 
 I ihall go out of my captivity. No, fay thev, you muft 
 abide in fin, as long as you live: W^hat benefit then have 
 I by my rcdem.ption ? I could have been in captivity no 
 lonf^er ; if I had not been redeemed, I miufi: wear my (hackles 
 licd fetters fall, and be fubjedi: to miy old m.after and patron, 
 and when he \rill have me be drunk, I muft be drunk ; 
 and when he will have me be unclean, I miuft be unclean. 
 
 Thus miany profeft Chrifnans there be (you fee it with 
 your eyes) that will tell you thev believe all the articles of 
 the creed, and they have been baptized into the Chrifcian 
 faith, and can rehearfe all the principles of the. Chriftian re- 
 ligion, and perform the duty of Chriftians in going to church, 
 laying their prayers, and giving alms too it mav be; they 
 are fuch as w'ouid be called Chriftians, thev w^ouid be called 
 Wy vet they i^re ?wt redacned from their lahi conversations '^ 
 for what makes their ihackies and fetters about them ? 
 When their old mafter bids them be drunk, they will be 
 drunk ; and when he bids them commit whoredom, or lie, 
 or cheat their neighbour, they will do it : You do believe 
 the devil leads you to this ; you will not fay the Spirit of 
 Cod led you to it. If one demand, how did you do it ? 
 You fav, the devil prevailed upon me : What, hath the devil 
 pov/er over men after they are redeemed ? What fort of re- 
 demption is this ? Then comes in the old fhift again, we 
 are redeemed from the punifament of our fm, but not from 
 the act of it. 
 
 How if thofe that are called ranters had told me this tale, 
 it had been like them ; but when dodors of divinity tell 
 us this tale, it is fo unlike divinity, that it is carnal^ fenfual 
 and devilifiu To tell believers they are redeemed from the 
 punifliment of fm, but not from the acl of fm ; that this is 
 tlie b-ncht which we receive from Chrift's fufferings ; that 
 wo m. '.v fin on, free coft ; that there is no guilt contra&d 
 by it J will any man or woman, that underiland they have 
 a ffjul, venture their immortal fouls on this divinity ? I 
 
 hope 
 
' fet free by JeSUS ChRIST. 28^ 
 
 hope not. They will not venture their foul on this founda- 
 tion-dodrine : I hope God will awaken the confciencies 
 of people, that they will not hazard their fouls upon fuch a 
 carnal, devilifh foundation ; that if the devil ihould preach, 
 he could not preach a worfe dodrine than this, to pcrfuade 
 Chriftians they may Uve in fin, and fin will not hurt them, 
 nor impair or break their peace with God, and recon- 
 ciliation with him. 
 
 I will tell you how it hath been with me ; in my child- 
 hood, if I had fpoken a vain word, or a falie word, I had 
 contraded fuch a guilt thereby, that I was afiiamed to draw 
 near to God, to pray to him ; I knew he would not hear 
 liars, I knew there was no way to be accepted without 
 repentance and amendment of life. I believe others have 
 met with the fame dealing from God, by the fecret ftrokes 
 of convidion that have come upon their hearts, when they 
 have finned againfi: God. 
 
 So that I am ilill of the mind, that the perfons that 
 depend upon this kind ofdodrine, do at fometimes, efpe- 
 cially when ficknefs comes, and death looks them in the 
 face, or in times of common contagion or peftilence, at 
 fuch a time they have a weight of guilt upon their con- 
 fciences; for thi's doclrine will not fupport them at death, 
 but that then they believe they have contracted guilt, or 
 committed fin. 
 
 I have wilhed many times that the Lord would open 
 the eyes and hearts of trie people of this city and of this na- 
 tion," to fee how miferably they have ventured^their fouls. 
 Will merchants in this city ever venture their goods at fuch 
 a rate as men commonly venture their fouls ? What, will 
 they venture their goods' in a fhip without a bottom, before 
 fhe goes to fea ? Now this dodrine hath not a foundation ; 
 fhall I believe a perfon that tells me I do not contrad guilt, 
 when I feel it upon my heart ; when I commit whoredom 
 and drunkennefs, and cheat my neighbours, Ihall any ofie 
 perfuade me that I do not contrad guilt ? 
 
 O friends ! we are fpeaking of great matters ; it is about 
 eternity, that we are fpeaking, it is about the hazard of 
 cternaf happinefs ; therefore I pray, let every one be ferious, 
 and confider what I fay, for I fpcak in God's name, and on 
 
 vour 
 
2S4 Captive Sinners 
 
 your behalf: Men are to come to a true fearch in them- 
 i elves, what a hfe it is that they live. Many fupport them- 
 felves by the doBri?ies and precepts of ?nen^ and they buoy 
 themfelves into conceits of falvation j let them examine 
 whether it be a life that hath its fupport from rhe Spirit 
 of God ; this is material for every one to confider. There 
 are none can live to God, but by the life they receive 
 from God ; the grace of God, which bringeth falvatlGn^ 
 hath appeared to all men. Now here is an univerfal doc- 
 trine. 
 
 There are a fort of men in this city and nation that tell 
 us, that faving grace is given only to the eled. Saving 
 grace is given to all men ; but you muft confrrue thofe 
 words, all the ele^fy where they are fomev/hat injurious, 
 and ^c('ould caft off the condition of the text, if they make 
 a diftindion in the latter part of the fentence, for it will 
 not be good fenfe : The grace of God that bringeth fal- 
 '■jation, hath appeared to all the elect, teaching us to deny all 
 -iingodlinefs^ &c. Here is us taken out of the all. The 
 fame grace, that is our teacher, appears to be the teacher 
 of others, though they turn it into lafavioufnefs. The 
 grace is the fame, though they make many fchool-diflinc- 
 tions between common and faving grace. The apoftle ex- 
 plains it, by telling what grace he means ; the grace of 
 God, which bringeth falvation, appeareth to all men, and that 
 is by teaching us ; what doth it teach ? 1 pray conllder it ; 
 it teacheth us to deny all nngodlinefs and all worldly hifts^ 
 and to live* foberly, righteonfly and godly in this prefenp 
 world, Where is fm now, if a man be taught by this 
 grace, and the diclates of it. Can a im.n live in lin, and 
 vet live righteoufly, foberly and godly too ? Can a man 
 live in fm, and yet deny all ungodlinei's at the fame time ? 
 W'hcre have men's underftanding been, that cannot under- 
 ihnd their mother tongue, and confider fenfe ? Where are 
 men's underftandings that will fay, I may deny all nngod- 
 linefs and worldly lifts, and yet follow the lulls of my 
 own heart? You would think I fpeak nonfcnfeifl ihould 
 fpeak thus ; and yet we have been put off with fuch nonfen- 
 ii'ral fluff as this. We muft pray to God to fend his holy 
 Spirit into cur hearts^ to enable us to live godly, righteous 
 
 and 
 
fet free by Jesus Christ. 28^ 
 
 nnd foher llveSy and at the fame time believe that we fhall 
 never do it, but that it is a bufinefs of impofTibiUty. 
 
 Now when men come to lay thefe things together, and 
 when they confider between God and their own fouls, 
 how it is with them, many are amazed to think they 
 fhould ever be put off with fuch incongruous, difagreeing, 
 and diifonant things, that are not confiftent with one 
 another. 
 
 But do you think it is pofTible for any man to live 
 without fm ? Yes, or elfe I would fay it is impoffible for 
 any to be reconciled to God ; for God will never be re- 
 conciled to finners, as fuch j for his bargain and covenant 
 is made of fuch kind of articles. Wajh ye, make ye clean^ 
 put aivay the evil of your doings from before inlne eyes, 
 Ceafe to do evil ; learn to do well, dec. Then 9^me and 
 let us reafon together, faith the Lord ; tho* your fins be as 
 fcarlet, they fliall be as ivhite as fnoiv ; tho' they be red 
 as crinifon, they fliall be as ivool^ Ifaiah i, 16, ty ; fliill 
 thefe are the terms, put away the evil of your doings, then 
 patience, mercy and long-fuffering, fhall be extended to 
 you j God will give grace and glory y and no good thing 
 will he withhold ; what, from thofe that fay their prayers, 
 or go to the church or meeting ? No, but but no good 
 thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly ^ 
 Plal. Ixxxiv, II. Thefe are the men. 
 
 And when the Lord diftinguifhes by his prophet whom he 
 would have among them, he fpeaks of a fort of people 
 that called upon the name of the Lord ; thofe that feared 
 the Lord, and fpake often one to another ; that is, of the 
 goodnefs of God j they were a fort of people that trem^ 
 bled at the ivord of Gcd ; a fort of people that did not 
 do as others did, hunt after pleafures, riches, and the ho- 
 nours of the world, but to be acquainted with the inv/ard 
 word that wrought upon their hearts ; in that day that 
 I make up my jewels^ they fliall be mine, faith the Lord. 
 Whofe fhall the others be ? Thou wilt own thefe for thine, 
 but whofe fhall the others be, that think not upon thy 
 name, and tremble not at thy word ? There is a place 
 for them too : Tophet is prepared of old, made both wide 
 and large ; the fuel thereof is fire and brimjione, and muck 
 
 vjood, 
 
2S6 Captive Sinners 
 
 ivood, and the breath of the Lord lundleth it. This Is for 
 
 all that are wicked, and that work iniquity. 
 
 This is in the Old Teftament ; then comes the New 
 Teftament, in Johns Revelations ; there is afeparation again ; 
 There are a fort of people which are called the true worihip- 
 pers, and the angel was commanded to go and meafure the 
 temple, and thole that worihipped therein : The outward 
 temple was not meafured, but left for the Gentiles to tread 
 in, and left without the meafure ; for ivithoiit are dogs and 
 forcerers, and ivhoremongers^ and murderers, and Idolaters^ 
 and zvhofoever loveth and maketh a lie. And then the Lord 
 fpeaks to his prophets in the Old Teftament again -, if thou 
 pit a dijference letiveen the precious and the vile, then thou 
 jlialt be as my mouth unto them ; but if thou huddle them 
 altoi^ether, and fevj pillovjs under elbows, then thou (halt 
 not be as my mouth. 
 
 So that in all ages God aimed at a feparation of the 
 flate and condition of his people ; and one fort of people 
 were purified, through the fanclification of the Spirit, and 
 belief of the truth ; and another fort were unfanctified and 
 unpurified, and remained in their fin ; and the end of Chrift's 
 coming into the world, it was to call people to repen- 
 tance ; he came not to call the righteous, but ftnners to re- 
 pd';2?^;^f^, and to leave oft their fin. To as many as received 
 him, to them, he gave* povjer to become the fons of God, to 
 as m.any as believed on his name. Whofe fons were the 
 other ? Thev made as high a rattle of profeifion as the 
 other: He tells them who is their father, you are of your 
 father the devil ; and he did orderly prove it, and that 
 was thus ; that they did the devil's works, ergo, they were 
 the devil's children. It was Chrift himfelf, the greateft 
 dodor of divinity that ever was in the world, that fpake 
 thefe words : And this is the manner of logic v/hereby he 
 argues with the Pharifees, to make them believe that they 
 were the devil's children ; they that do the devil's works 
 are the devil's children j but you do his works, therefore 
 you are his children ', fo they fought to kill him, they could 
 not bear fuch arguments. 
 
 If one fhould go and fearch out a people in this city 
 and nation, and iee one man of this religion, another of 
 
 that 
 
fet free by Jesus Christ. 28y 
 
 that religion, and pick them out, and ufe this argument 
 \x/ith them : There is a man profeiTeth high, he profefieth 
 a hght within ; if you look upon his deeds they are dead 
 and dark, why then he is one of the devil's children : If 
 you put me to prove this, I fay he doth the deviKs works, 
 he is an extortioner, a deceiver, and a drunkard and unclean 
 perfon, and doth the devil's works, and fo is none of God's 
 children. And fo' go to another fort and ufe this argu- 
 ment, it is fafe enough, you can never fiil in this kind of 
 argument which Chriil ufed; and if people would ufe it 
 with themfelves, and think themfelves no better, then we 
 fhould have people confefs themfelves the devil's children. 
 
 None come to be God's children, till they come to ac- 
 knowledge their loft eftate, their deplorable condition ; 
 that they are fallen from God, and through fm and ini- 
 quity are got into a nature that is at enmity with God ; 
 then thev will crv out, ivlio fkall deliver me from this bo- 
 dy of death, and childfhip of fatan, this heirfhip of wrath ? 
 I am an heir of an inheritance ; I am an heir of wrath, and 
 I would fain part with this inheritance and heirlhip, and 
 have an inherita?ice ivith the faints in light : We fhall 
 never know this, till we come to divinity without fophi- 
 ftry, and without tricks and quirks, and come to Chrift's 
 reafoning. He that doth the devil's work is the devil's 
 child ; then they will confefs this is of the devil, and the 
 other is of the devil. This is an evil work ; and I fee 
 that I have need to be brought into another condition. 
 
 X^hen people come to an acknowledgment of the truth, 
 and of their own condemnation, then they are one ftep 
 towards redemption and falvation. No one ever took a ftep 
 towards their falvation, till they acknowledged their own 
 condemnation. He that fanBifes, and they that are fanc- 
 tifiedy are all of one ; and they that are joined to the 
 Lord, are one Spirit, An evil tree, faith Chrift, cannot 
 bring forth good fruit, WYicn Chrift fpake this, he fpake 
 it to men and women, and he fpake it of men and wo- 
 men, and not of trees : And when he faid 
 
 no man can 
 
 gather grapes of thorns, nor figs of thiftles, he fpeaks of a 
 generation of men : As if he had faid, this thorn muft 
 be tranflated and changed into another nature before it can 
 
 bring 
 
:iS8 Captive Sinners . 
 
 bring forth grapes ; and this thiftle muft be changed into 
 another nature before it can bring forth figs. 
 
 There muft be a change in the nature of man before 
 there can be a change of the fruit and cfFecl of his do- 
 ings ; ivhatfoever he foivs^ that he fliall alfo reap ; what- 
 foe'-jer a man doth in the body, he intift give an account 
 thereof at the day of judgment ; for the hooks ivill he open- 
 ed, and rneyi fudged according to the things ivritten in thofe 
 books. If there be a book for thee and me, I will war- 
 rant thee there is a great deal in it ; there is a recorder 
 and a clerk for the book, which God hath opened in 
 every man's confcience ; and there is fet down every man's 
 tranigreffions and his fins : Saith one, thou hafl ivrittert 
 my tranfgrejjlons as with the point of a diamond ; thou 
 haft engraven it fo deep, that it fcems impoftible that it 
 (hould eva* be blotted out again : Some have had their 
 fins fo deeply engraven in their confcience, that they have 
 thought they would never be blotted out, they were writ- 
 ten as with the pen of a diamond. 
 
 When people fee and confider that they have ventured 
 their fouls upon fuch flight grounds, I hope they will be 
 awakened to feek after riG;hteoufnefs ', when they fee there 
 is nothing good in them : Where there is any thing good, 
 it is God that hath given it to them. Some will fay, if 
 I be perverfe, corrupt and wicked, I cannot help it, there- 
 fore I muft be beholden to my Maker to help me, elfe I 
 muft never be helped. Now, becaufe God knows that we 
 are helplefs, he hath laid help upon one that is mighty, that 
 is, our Lord Jefus Chrift y and Chrift hath fent forth his 
 Spirit into the world to co7ivince the world of fin, a7id to 
 lead his people into all truth : And this grace that comes 
 by Jefus Chrift hath been fo univerfally ftiewed, and fo 
 univerfally extended to all men, that I never met with a 
 man yet that had none of it : But let them be as bad and as 
 dark as they could, yet the light of Chrift lliined in that 
 darkncfs, into the darkeft heart, that ever I met with in all 
 my life : He fheweth m^en, that his light Jlnneth in dark- 
 nefsy and the darknefs cannot co?nprehend it. 
 
 Therefore the work that God hath fet us about, and 
 the fervice which he requires at the hands of many of 
 
 us. 
 
fet free hy JeSUS ChRIST, 28c} 
 
 Us, is to turn men from their own darknefs unto the light of 
 Chrift their Saviour, and from the devil's power, that hath 
 enflaved them, to the power of God that can redeem 
 them ; and yet we are far enough from that which they 
 call free ivill ; it is God's will t/mt every one fhould be 
 faved : But fome will not be faved, they will keep their 
 own wills and not refign them up to God ,• they have 
 •a free will to go to deftrudion. As for falvation, if they 
 will obtain it, they muft part with their own wills, and 
 they muft take a yoke and burthen upon them, before 
 they can be faved : If people can have their wills, they 
 will not take Chrift's yoke upon them : He that will be 
 Chrift's difciple muft deny his own will and take up his 
 daily crofs ^ thefe are the terms of the gofpel. 
 
 But you will fay, no man, by all the power he hath, 
 can redeem himfelf, and no man can live without ftn. 
 
 Wc will fay amen to it : But if men tell us, that when 
 Gods power comes to help us, and to redeem us out of 
 fin, that it cannot be effed:ed, then this dodrine we can- 
 not away with, nor I hope you neither. W'^ouid you ap- 
 prove of it if I Ihould tell you, that God puts forth his pow- 
 er to do fuch a thing, but the devil hinders him ? That 
 it is impoflible for God to do it, becaufe the devil doth 
 not like it ? That it is impoffible that any one Ihould be 
 free from fin, becaufe the devil hath got fuch a power in 
 them, that God cannot caft him out ? 
 
 This is lamentable dodrine : Hath not this been preached, 
 this dodrine of impoflibility of living without ftn ? It doth 
 in plain terms fay, though God doth interpofe his power 
 it is impoflible, becaufe the devil hath fo rooted fin in 
 the nature of man. Is not man God's creature, and can- 
 not he new-make him, and caft fin out of him ? If you 
 fay fin is rooted deeply in man, I fay fo too 5 yet not 
 fo deeply rooted but Chrift Jefus is entered fo deeply in- 
 to the root of the nature of man, that he hath received 
 power to deftroy the devil and his works, and to recover 
 and redeem man into his primitive nature of righteouf- 
 nefs and holinefs ; or elfe it is falfe, that he is able to 
 fave, to the uttermofl^ all thai come unto God hy htm. \)7e 
 muft throw av/av the bible, if we fay that it is impoHi- 
 
 O o bk: 
 
2^0 Captive Sinners fet frte, Sec. 
 
 ble for God to deliver man out of fin. Is not Chrift 
 entered into the root of our nature ? And hath he not 
 taken upon him the feed o£ Abraham, after the flefh ? Hath 
 he not entered into the root of all men's natures, and tajied 
 death for every nia7ij that he might quicken eijery one that ^ 
 is dead in fins and trefpajfes ? All thefe things fpeak the 
 love of God to mankind, in order to their falvation. 
 
 Much might be faid to there things, thefe clouds of error 
 and darknefs that have overspread the nation ; yet, this I 
 fay, if one were to fpeak of it ever fo long, it mull: be 
 by the eye that God gives you, that vou m.uft fee it ', it 
 is he that opens the hearts of men as he did Lydia's : If 
 there had not been the power of God that reached her heart, 
 Paul could not have opened it. 
 
 ^Fhen all is faid that can be faid, the counfel of God 
 which hath founded in your ears, is recommended to you, 
 that every one may retire in quietnefs and fiilnefs of mind 
 to wait fov the feeling of that quickening power of the 
 Spirit of ChriPt that is fent into the hearts of men ; that 
 it may open your eyes to fee your prefent ftatc ; then you 
 will fee a better flate, a further ftate, and when you fee 
 with your inward eye that your flate is not fo good as 
 vou would have it to be, then iruft and rely upon the all- 
 ruificicnt and powerful operation of God's Holy Spirit to 
 mend your ftate, and give you power over your corrup- 
 tions, and to go on from one ftep to another, towards 
 the cieanfijfg and fandification of your fouls, fo that vou 
 may receive fomething 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, v/ill help you to live to God ; that will purify 
 vou and fanclifv you, and make you clean through the word : 
 So through the word you will come to cleannefs, purity 
 and holinefs : And when you are come to the way of holi- 
 nefs, you may believe you have got mto the way of God's 
 kingdom, and never till then. 
 
 It is not enough to make a profeffion, but we muft live 
 up to the profeffion of that religion that we make y it is 
 not holding this tenet and the other tenet, and faying, this 
 rainificr, 1 am fure, preacheth the truth j thou mayeft be 
 
 a 
 
The Sheep of Christ hear his Voice, opi 
 
 a child of the devil for all that. I now (peak indilFercntly 
 to all people, without refped: to any fort : Thev that be- 
 lieve they are waHking towards the kingdom of God, and 
 yet their "way is not a holy way, they have cheated them- 
 felves, and deceived their own fouls, and they had need look 
 about them and take heed what they do ^ the glafs is run- 
 ning, and time is hading away, and our life maj end we 
 know not how foon. It is good to prize and improve time, 
 while you have it, and bring your deeds to the light ; fee 
 what reproofs, inftrudions, counfels and openings you have 
 met with from the Lord, and fee how you have anfwered 
 and been obedient to them, and fo you will come to take a 
 found and infallible account of your cor^dition ; and if it be 
 not To good as it ihould be, wait upon the Lord to mend it ; 
 he that made you can mend you, he that made your ears, 
 muft unflop your ears to hear the word of God. 
 
 To that power that carries on the works of fandification 
 and redemption by his word, to that word I muft leave vou, 
 and to his fpirit 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 houfes, and to your lliops, and 
 to your beds ; it will lie down with you at night, and rife 
 with you in the morning : To that end, Chrift is a leader 
 and governor, and the captain of our falvation, to lead the 
 van, and carry you on in the way of falvation ; and as ma- 
 ny as follow Chriji, and arc led by the fpirit of God, they 
 are the children of God. 
 
 SERMON XXV. ^ 
 
 The Sheep of Christ hear his \^ce. 
 
 "Preached at DEVON SHlRE-HouSEy May lo, 1688, 
 My flieep (faith the true fhepherd) hear my voice, 
 
 THE (heep of the true fold hear the voice of Chrift, the 
 good fhepherd, and know the voice of ftrangers too : 
 But, faith he, the ftranger they ivlll not follow. This 
 fcripture hath been a mark of diftindion in all ages, that 
 
 hath 
 
zgz The ShEEP of C JURIST hear his VoiCE, 
 
 hath been pecuUariy beftowed upon the people of God, 
 that they have had a difcerning knowledge to make a certain 
 diftinction between them that were of God, and thofe that 
 were of the world : Now they that are of God hear lis, faith 
 the apoule. 
 
 Now, that you may all find in yourfelves this peculiar gift 
 of God, to be able to underftand and difcern between the 
 frecious and the vile, that you might know the miniftration of 
 life from the miniftration of death, you muft all be gathered 
 inwardly into that which you have received of God ; for 
 they that are only exercifed with gifts and parts, and ac- 
 quirements that appertain to this world, they have been 
 always fubjed: to delufions, apt to be led away into a by- 
 path and crooked way, that leads to deflruclion : But they 
 that are under the government and direction of the gift 
 of God, they have been able thereby to make fuch a dif- 
 tindrion of voices, and of founds, that they have been pre- 
 ferved from the delufions of the age. 
 
 This was the difference of old between the prophets of 
 God and the falfe prophets, between the apoftles of our 
 Lord Jefus Chdft, and the falfe apoftles ; the difference 
 was not fo much in their words, for they had in a great 
 raeafure the fame words ; if the true prophets ufed to fay, 
 thus faith the Lord, the falfe prophets would fay fo too ; if 
 the true prophets declared againft fm, the falfe prophets 
 likewise would do fo ; for the falfe prophet ftole his word 
 from his neighbour : But the greater matter by which the 
 people of the Lord were preferved, was, that hidden and 
 divine wifdom they received of God, by which they dif- 
 cerned the voice of the fpirit from the voice of ftrangers, 
 from the voice of them that were of the flefh ; and that 
 was the caufe that the Chriftians in the primitive days did not 
 adhere to, and follow thofe falfe apoftles that came to 
 them in their own names, and held a form oj godlinefsy 
 but denied the power of it. 
 
 But they among them in whom their witch-crafts did 
 enter, they went away from the fpirit, and fought to be 
 viade perfecl in the fleJJi ; they went to the outward ob- 
 lervation, and to the beggarly rudiments of things that pe- 
 ri fh with the tfftngy and from the law of the fpint of life 
 in Chrifl Jefus, *" And 
 
The Sheep of Christ hear his Voice. 2g^ 
 And as it hath been in thofe ages of which we have read. 
 To it comes to pafs in this our age, in which a difpenfation 
 of the fpirit of truth is manifefted and revealed unto the 
 children of men ; there is a remnant that have received the 
 teftimony of eternal life, and have believed the teftimony, 
 and waited on him of whom the teftimony is born, not to 
 have life by the teftimony, but to have life in him ; fo they 
 receive their life by the miniftration of the Spirit of Chrift, 
 and they live to God, and others who have received no 
 life from him, but have a life in the words, and founds, 
 and noifes and terms, and diftinguilliing phrafes of things, 
 their life lies there, they hve not to God but to themfelves, 
 their glorying is not in the crofs of Chrift^ but in the words 
 and outfide of things ; fo that every one had need, at fuch a 
 time as this, to approve their hearts unto the Lord; who 
 knows the infide of people's profefTion, the infide of their 
 religion, that knows how the heart is concerned towards 
 God, and what they fay and do upon the account of his 
 fcrvice, fo that all that are met together might come to re- 
 ceive more and more of the life and virtue that fandifies 
 the foul of him that receiveth it. 
 
 For, alas! my friends, it is not the gathering together 
 of the moft excellent words about religion, and about 
 worfhip and fervice, which will approve any man in the 
 fight of Godj that is but the painting of a fepulchre, and 
 covering the rottennefs that is in many ; but the Lord fees 
 into the infide of every profeflbr, and whofoever names 
 the name of Chrifl and departeth not from iniquity, they do 
 but take his name in vain, and contract a guilt upon their 
 own fouls y fo that every one that feemeth to be religious, 
 ought to enquire whence their profeflion fprings ; if it 
 fpjrings from a real pofeffion of a meafure of that which 
 fandifies the Hfe, and fhews itfelf forth, in its working and 
 operation, many times abundantly more, than it doth in 
 word and profeffion ; it manifefteth itfelf in holinefs and 
 righteoufnefs, to the honour of God ; it is the aim and de- 
 fign of all fuch to exalt the name of him whom they pro- 
 fefs, by holinefs and righteoufnefs fhining forth in their 
 works, for it will never Ihlne through words alone ; many 
 good words may be fpoken, yet God not glorified, but his 
 
 name 
 
2c)4 The Sheep of Christ hear his Voice: 
 name may be difhonoured by them ; but whofoever comeJ 
 to feel that which is life in themfelves, they know what will 
 honour God, they feel the birth immortal that is of God, of 
 his own begetting by the word of truth. 
 
 This living birth is that which brings forth living praifes ; 
 the other is but flefh, that vjklch is born of the fleffi isflepi, 
 and it glorifies the flefh, and when the fielh is moft of 
 all glorified, mofl: of all exalted, it is then but as the 
 flovccr of the field, it is then cut do\v:i and ivithereth ; the 
 fun of right eoufnefs iuines with the beams of the ever- 
 lafting glory of God, and caufeth it to wither and come 
 to naught, 
 
 So friends, let your minds be gathered inward, that you 
 may be able in your own felves, by virtue of the divine 
 gift of God, to diftinguilli between the voice of the true 
 ihepherd, and the voice of a ftranger, fo that your minds 
 may not fellow a ftrange voice, that you may follow the 
 Lord v/ith your whole heart, with a full purpofe of heart ; 
 for there is a real word of prophcfy difcovered m the 
 inward parts, which doth diJHnguijh between the precious 
 and the vile in every one's particular ; and that which is 
 precious in one, it anfwereth to that which is precious in 
 another ; and that which is vile in one, it anfwereth to 
 that which is vile in another. 
 
 For there is an inward and fccret rnyftery of iniquity^ 
 as well as a myftery ofgodlinefs. The myfery of godlinefs 
 is when God is manifefed in the fie fh ; the myftery of ini- 
 quity is, when the wicked one is making himfelf manifeft, 
 and appears and difcovers himfelf in the fleih, that he 
 may rife up and glory in the flefh. 
 
 Now the etetnal truth, which never changcth, this is that 
 which giveth a difcerning, this hath always put a difference 
 between the true and falfe prophets, the true and falfe 
 apoftles, and between the true and falfe minifters ', the dif- 
 ference hath not been fo much in words as in power, as 
 the apoftle fpeaks concerning fome in his days, that had 
 endeavoured to deceive, and to draw men afide from the 
 fimplicity of the gofpel ', when I come, faith he, I will knoiv. 
 Now, he does not affert, that Ke will pay particular at- 
 tention to their words, whether they were judicious or no ; 
 
 for 
 
The Sheep of Christ hear his Voice, 2^^ 
 for he fays, I will not know their words, but their pow- 
 er. How (hould he know their power if he were not in 
 the power himfelf ? Now this divine power, as every one 
 acquaints himfeir with it, it worketh unto the fandification 
 of them, when they have fellowdiip with the ftirrings and 
 movings of all others that are partakers of it : This is that 
 which will eftablifh and confirm your minds in the true 
 faith and fimplicity of the truth, that you turn not afide 
 to the right hand or to the left. If you have regard to 
 the principle of divine truth that you have received from 
 God, then you can receive confirm.ation from any one that 
 hath a meaiure according to it. There is a meafuring line^ 
 and the reed of the fanchuary^ that ineaftireth the temple and 
 all that dvjell therein^ that meafures them with one reed 
 and one meafure, and every one anfwereth to that meafure, 
 according to the llature and degree of growth of the grace 
 of God they arrive to ', and now they are come to a fixed 
 foundation. 
 
 Others there are in the world, that have laid their foun- 
 dation upon this creaturcly help, and the other creaturcly 
 help, upon this man, and the other man ; but now true 
 Chriftians come to have their foundation, their rooting 
 and building upon Chrift Jefus, upon that word of life 
 that firft of all gathered their minds into a defire after holi- 
 nefs, into a defire after acquaintance with God that made 
 them. 
 
 You that are true Chriftians can remember, how you were 
 begotten, and that which did beget you j that word of God 
 that is incorruptible, that is immortal, that was not of a 
 dying quality, that need not be fupported by this, and that, 
 and the other means, but it hath its fupport in itfelf, it hath 
 its nouriihment in itfelf, and it grows up in itfelf, and every 
 one that receiveth it they grow up in it, until they come 
 more and more to partake of the life and qualities'of it ; that 
 as he is, fo they may be in the prefent world. 
 
 But this is never known, but where the word of God 
 hath its free paffage : Many have tafted of this ivord of 
 God, and by rafting of it, have been acquainted with the 
 poiver of the world to come ; they knew well enough the 
 power that would bring f^rth another world, a new Hea- 
 
 ijen. 
 
05/6 The Sheep of Christ hear his Voice* 
 veny and a new earth, and righteournefs in it ; many have 
 felt the power that have never continued to fee the work- 
 ing of it, never continued to fee and witnefs what this 
 poVv^er would work j going afide from the power of the 
 world that was to come, they have never feen the com- 
 ing of it, but their fooliJJi hearts have been darkened again^ 
 and their imaginations have grown vain, and they have con- 
 ceived to themfelves a falfe liberty to the flefh, and their 
 wills have been ftrong, and have prevailed over them j that 
 though they had tailed of the powers that did belong to 
 the world to come, they never faw the working and ope- 
 ration of that power to bring to pafs that which by fight 
 and vifion they did behold. 
 
 Therefore it' is needful for every one of you, in every 
 ftate and condition the Lord hath brought you into, to 
 keep vourfelves in a deep humility ; to know the affiicti- 
 ons, temptations and trials you are under, and to exercife your 
 minds, not only on account of what you have got over, but let 
 every one know the ftate and condition in which at pre- 
 fent they are labouring ; for when fome come to look at 
 what fuiferings and difficulties they have got over, they 
 are apt to be'^exalted above meafure, and lifted up in their 
 minds j let every one confider what is their prelent ftate 
 and work ', their help lies in that condition. Some have 
 always a foundation of their faith prefent with them, that 
 they' may feel the objed of their faith where they hope 
 for help, where they hope for comfort and ftrength to be 
 prefent with them. 
 
 Now every one that believeth in the word of God, their 
 care is, that they may know this word of God, that they 
 may hear it, feel it, and behold the beauty of it under the 
 exercifes of it ; how it conduds and leads, how it coun- 
 felleth and advifcth, that fo, in all things they are to pafs 
 through, they may not be as thofe that have run into it ; 
 as thofe that do this and that of their own wills, but may 
 be properly followers of fomething. 
 
 I go into this, or that, or the other thing, not to do 
 mine own will j I do not run into it, but I am led into 
 it y my leader goes before me, the word of God, that 
 -hath conduded me and led me : I am a follower of God 
 
 in 
 
The Sheep of Christ hear his Voice, ^p^r 
 
 in all his difpenfations, and in all his leadings and guid- 
 ings j I am to follow him, for he teacheth me his v/ay, 
 he inll:ru<fleth me in the true way : The bePc of all his 
 fcholars and difciples, they are to be led and guided into 
 that work and fervice they are to do, that they may run into 
 no irregularily or abfurdity, for he will lead you into holinefs, 
 righteouihefs and humitity, where all become the lervants 
 of God in Chriil: Jcius, and fervants to one another : 
 There is a mutual concord and harmony in the work of 
 this fpirit, in the fervice of this power, where every one 
 finds what they are appointed and direded to, and all the 
 members of the body of Chrift know thev ought not to 
 be disjointed and rent, and feparated one from another, 
 but tied together in joints and bands, to edify one another 
 in the love of God ; Co that here is one fpirit that hath 
 been the guide of this one people in all ages. 
 
 Many people have been guided by many guides, and 
 they have been fcattered, divided and feparated one from 
 another, and have been under this, that and the other name ; 
 but all God's people have been guided by the Spirit of 
 Chrift, that univerfal Spirit that is one v/ith God. In 
 the Old Teftament times, and the New Teftament times, 
 they were all led by the univerfal Spirit of Chrifr, and 
 they were of one heart, and of one mind^ ferving the Lord; 
 there was a concord and unity among them; and if at anv 
 time any difcord or divifion happened, it was bccaufe the 
 roaring lion that goes about continually feeking ivhom. he 
 may devour^ had found fome or other that he might de- 
 vour, and draw into his fnares and gins; for there are 
 fome that he may, and fome that he may not. "VS^'ho are 
 they that this roaring lion may defrroy ? The devil knov/s 
 who thofe are that he may prevail upon ; he knows that 
 thofe which are in the hands of God are out of his reach : 
 My Father, faith Chrift, is greater than all, and none fall 
 pluck them out cf my Father' s hands ', yet doubtlefs thofe 
 that are in the Father's hands are tempted and tried, the 
 roaring lion goes about feeking to devour them if he might ; 
 a man tiiat he devours, he fwallows up with prejudice, 
 enmity, covetoufnefs and pride, and he v/ill lead him into 
 any evil thing; he hath many gulphs to fwallow men up 
 
 P p in, 
 
^S)S The Sheep of Christ hear his Voice, 
 in, but if lie meet with one that is kept in God's handsj 
 he knows fuch a one is out of his reach, and he is not r.ble 
 to catch him. 
 
 If he meet with a man that he can prevail over, as he 
 did over our father Adam and mother Ei.t, fuch as are in 
 their own hands, that (land upon their wit and parts, and 
 knowledge and eloquence ; thofe that (land upon thefc* 
 things as their foundation, they are in their own keeping; 
 thefe are they whom he may devour and catch, and enfnare 
 in one or other of his gins, and fwaliow them up in one of 
 his gulphs and temptations : But feeing God hath opened 
 and manifefted thefe things by his Spirit, and feeing the 
 fecret wiles of fatan are difcovered and made known by 
 the Ihining-of his light, how ought every one that is a be- 
 liever of the truth, to depend upon God for his protedion, 
 and be careful that he goes not out of his Father's hands, 
 that he never trad himlelf to his own keeping for his fe- 
 curity and prefervation, left he meet with a temptation 
 that may Iwallow him and devour him. 
 
 I remember our Lord Jefus Chrift v/hen he was upon 
 earth, he pur bis diK-iples in mind of what happened long 
 before, nnn^mher Lot's ivife : You m^ay take notice of her, 
 th^power of God took hold of her and brought her out of 
 Sodow, and was leading her to a place of fafety, but Ihe had 
 jomething of Auinis apoftacy in her nature, Ihe looked 
 back, and was turned into a pillar of fait. Oiir Saviour 
 was pjea-ed to make ufe of this paifage that happened Ibme 
 hundreds of years before, lo lliew how fnc failed of coming 
 to the place of fafctv, though ilie was led out of Sodom by 
 the hands of one of the angels of God. Ol remember her, 
 ihe v/as turned into a pillar of fait, and this remains in- 
 llructivc to this day. 
 
 If we remember where our fafety is, and from whofe 
 hands we muil: exped it, we need not go to look at Lot's 
 wife. Wq have feen many in our days that have flood 
 fair for redemption, they have had a power revealed to 
 them, that is able to redeem them, and fave them to the 
 utcermoft ; but afterward by exalting themfelves above this 
 power, and taking the government of themfelves into their 
 uvv'ii hands, they have robbed God of his glory, and he 
 
 hath 
 
The Sheep of Christ hear his Voice* 2c^g 
 
 hath withdrawn himfelf from them, and then it was with 
 them as with Saul^ when the Lord departed from him, the 
 evil fpirit entred into him. 
 
 We have before our eyes from day to day, thofe that 
 have known the beginning of the redemption of God's pow- 
 er, and have been in a great meaiure brought out of So- 
 dom, and out of the way of Bg^vpt, and they have had 
 opened to them the myflery of the kingdom of God for their 
 encouragement, but at laft they have taken and arrogated 
 thofe gifts to themfelve^, and looking upon themfelves as 
 far excelhng others, magnifying their parts as if they were 
 their own, when they were the gifts of God. Then the 
 Lord hath J eft them, to Jet them i'ee whether they could ftand 
 of them- elves, and they have faJlen, and been taken in the 
 gins and fnares of the devil, who, like a roaring lion^ is 
 going about continually^ feeking ivhom he may devour. 
 
 Now, my friends, it greatly concerns us all to know 
 what refuge we have to fly to, in a time of trial ; we have 
 a time of trial now, tho' not a time of external fuffer- 
 ing and perfecution, and enduring hardihip yet upon us, 
 to try our faith and truft in God ; yet we have no reafon 
 to be fecure, carlefs nor remifs in our prefent duty, nor 
 to put the evil day far from us, but to be in the exercife 
 of humility and watchfulnefs as becomes Chriflians j for 
 there is now as much danger and peril in this time of liberty 
 and tranquillity, as there was before. 
 
 If any one in the time of perfecution and fuffering hath 
 faid within himfelf, I had better give over and part with 
 the truth, and forfake the ways of the Lord, and give over 
 my teftimony for his name, for I ihall be undone and ruined 
 in the world , this man by his carnal fears hath loft his 
 teftimony. 
 
 So hkewife if a man in this time of liberty and freedom 
 of ferving the Lord, and bearing teftimony to his name, 
 if he fhall not entirely truft in the Lord, to carry him on 
 in his work and fervice, and continue his dependence upon 
 him, and wait for the aftlftance of the Holy Spirit of God 
 to work in him to ivill and to do of his good pleajure, this 
 man ihall lofe his teftimony, as well as the other : There- 
 fore, let every one of you keep up a dependence upon God's 
 
 Holy 
 
joo The Sheep of Christ hear his Voice, 
 
 Holy Spirit for carrying on the work which he hath begun 
 in your fouls j confider v/hat work it is that Chrift is now 
 at in every one of you ; I know what his work was when 
 I was firft convinced, he was burning up and hewing down 
 every thing that hindered his carrying on the work of fanctifi- 
 cation and redemption, and firmnefs and (lability in the 
 covenant of life and peace. 
 
 And now our meeting together ought to be in the n'ame 
 of Chrif!: ; I hope it is fo with moll: of you : I hope it is 
 not to fee and hear what this or "that man faith, but to 
 know within yourfelves what part of the work of redemp- 
 tion the Lord Jefus Chrift is carrying on, that you may 
 join with him, and be a vcilUng feople in the day of his 
 poiver, and fay as Patily Lorcl^ ivhat will thou have me do ? 
 it thou wilt have me part with my all. Lord here it is, I 
 Oiler it up ', and if thou wilt have any fervice done, Lord 
 here I am, fpeak, for thy fervant heareth ; let there be in 
 every one of you an attentivenefs, and an humble waiting 
 upon the Lord, and fay as the Pfalmifl, behold, as the eyes 
 vf few ants lock unto the hands of their tnafters^ and as the 
 eyes of a maiden unto the hands of her mflrefs, fo our eyes 
 ivait I'pon the Lord our God until he have mercy upon us. 
 
 Whenever a Chriftian hath his dependence upon God's 
 wifdom and pov/er, fuch a one ihall never want wiidom, 
 the Lord will give him wiidora to prelerve him againil: 
 all the wiles of fatan ; and he Ihall never want power, for 
 the Lord will enable him to fulfil and perform what he re- 
 ciuiredi of him ; he (hall be repleniihed with judgment and 
 underRanding, ability and power, to direct him into the 
 good ways of God, and to enable him to walk in them. 
 
 It is the earneft defu'e of my ibul, that every one of you 
 may be exercifed in thofe things which are profitable for 
 }'ou, and which may be comfortabie to your friends and 
 brethren? that you may all grow up into a ftability and 
 ftcdnutncrs in tbi- good ways- of the Lord, that you may 
 not be ihaken and toiTed with every fcorm and tempefl: j 
 that when there comes a time for the trial of your patience, 
 and fortitude and courage, you may not be tcfied to and 
 fro like children, but be fedfajt and unmoveahle^ always 
 abounding in the work cf the Lord, that fo living in all holy 
 
 obedience 
 
iVv ^dUE Worship ivlthout, ^c. joi 
 
 obedience and patience, and contiiiuing in ivell-doing, you 
 may have a conftant fupply of ftrength and power from 
 God miniftered unto you by his Holy Spirit. 
 
 SERMON XXVI. 
 
 No True Worship zuithout the Right 
 Knowledge of God. 
 
 "Preached at GRACE-CnuRCH-STREETy May 24, 16BS, 
 
 ^iy 7riends^ 
 
 ^ I 1 HERE is no man can truly worfhip God, till he comes 
 I to a m.eafure of certain knowledge of him ; for all 
 -^ the woriliip in the world where the veil of igno- 
 rance ftill prevails upon the m.ind, is all abominable ; there 
 is no acceptance with God : There mufl: be a knowledge 
 of God before there can be a true worihipping of him ; 
 for they that worfhip before they know God, they ivor- 
 flip they no not ivhat ; they worfhip a God they have heard 
 of, but do not know ; fo every one that would be a true 
 worfhipper, muft firfl; come to that which giveth a true 
 knowledge, that raifeth up a certainty in the mdnd, this is the 
 Lord, we will triifl in him ; this is our God, and ive ivill 
 ferue him. 
 
 And that all people might come to this certainty of 
 knowledge, therefore it is that God hath fent forth his Spirit, 
 that the things of God might be communicated by the Spirit 
 of God, for without the affiftance of this Spirit, men feek 
 after the knowledge of God in vain ', if they feek after 
 the knowledge of God, they cannot find it, and if they 
 feek after the v/oriliip of God, and after acceptance with 
 God, they cannot find it ; fo that all religion, and religi- 
 ous performances, that people are exercifed in, v/here the 
 fpirit of truth hath not the beginning, they will all prove 
 fruitlefs in the Qr\^. 
 
 There are wife men in the world, who have employed 
 
 their 
 
i02 No True Worship ivltJSut 
 
 their wifdom to find out the true God ; but God in wif- 
 dom hath ordained, that the world by all their wifdom 
 fliall not know him ', To there is an end of all their labour : 
 How fhall they know him then ? As none can know the 
 things of a man, fave the fpirit of man that is in him^ Jo 
 none can knovc the things of God, but the Spirit of God ; 
 fo that they that refifc the guidance, diredion and coun- 
 fei of the Spirit of God, are like unto thofe that would 
 enter into a houfe or palace, and remember not the door 
 that leads into it. 
 
 People would fain come into the divine knowledge and 
 into the underftanding of divine myfteries, but they would 
 come by it another way; they v/ould ftudy for 'it, they 
 would learn it by arts and fciences, they would attain it 
 by their own induftry ', and herein they labour to excel 
 one another. If there comes a man among them that tells 
 them, friends you are all out of the way, then they are 
 angry, and inftead of enquiring what is the way, they are 
 angry that their way mull: be rejeded. Friencls, you will 
 never come to the knowledge of God but by the Spirit 
 of God ; then they mock, and then they feoff and fcorn 
 the dodrine of the Spirit, for the teaching of the Spirit 
 hath been the common fcorn and derifion of our age. 
 
 It is fo 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 ufc of that, to' be fubject to 
 that, and thefe put their truft in their own power and 
 induftry, to findout the myftery of the knowledge of God; 
 fo they are ever leamnig, hut are never able to come to the 
 knowledge of the truth : How fhould they ? How can a people 
 come to a knowledge of the truth, without the fpirit of truth 
 that reveals it ? Can any come to the knowledge of Chrift; 
 unlefs he that fent him reveals him ? Where are people's 
 books ? where are their bibles ? where is their rule (they 
 call it fo ) that all their endeavours for many ages have 
 proved fruitlefs in refped to the knowledge of God ? 
 
 This is but your fay fo, fome may fay; how doth it 
 appear that we have not attained to the true knowledc^e 
 of God? and to the true worfhip, and to the true religion ? 
 
 I will tell you how it appears ; for all, in ail ages, that 
 
 have 
 
the Right Knowledge of GOD, ^oj 
 
 have attained to the knowledge of God, they have been 
 made partakers of his divine nature and his divine qualities; 
 they have brought forth a fort of fruit in their lives and 
 converfations, that hath been of the fame nature, it hath 
 been holy and divine. They have known the fancfdfier, 
 and they have been a fan(5lified people, fo they have become 
 one with him, and have fhewn forth the beauty of holinefs 
 in their lives, that is a demonftration that may (hew the 
 knowledge of God, for without it they live another life, 
 an unholy one, a corrupt one, a life of felf-love, a life of 
 pride, vanity and enmity, and that they never had from 
 God, but from another root ', a hfe of iniquity and fin, it 
 came from another feed ; fo that they are ftiil without 
 the knowledge of God. 
 
 And again, all that have come to the knowledge of God, 
 they have trufted in him ; that people cannot do now-a- 
 days, except here and there a few that do know him ; the 
 generality of the age they cannot truft God ; they mud: 
 have fomething elfe to rely upon, and truft tb, for in him 
 they cannot truft. Now the Lord faid by the prophet of 
 old, they that know my na^ne ivill trujt in me ; that is enough 
 if people know God, luhom to know is eternal life y even to 
 knovj thee the only true God, and Jefus Chriji whom thou haft 
 fent : This is life eternal ; if people were come to this 
 divine knowledge, they would never take care or ftudy 
 for any refuge, or fet up this, or that, or the other thing 
 to lean upon. A rich man he trufteth in his riches, one 
 trufteth to one thing and another to another, but they 
 would truft in the living God, .and he ihould be their 
 God and their rock, and they would venture their con- 
 cerns upon him, both in this world and that which is to 
 come, if they did but know him. People may talk as much 
 as they will, but he can never, properly, be faid to be 
 my God, and thy God, till we caft our care upon him, 
 and can venture our concerns upon him, both in this 
 world and that which is to come ; and can fay, he is our 
 God, and our reliance and dependence is upon him. 
 
 Now this is the eifesft and confequence of this know- 
 ledge of God ; fuch as come to partake of it, they ftiali 
 have no need to be bid to worfhip him. You ihall have 
 
 no 
 
^04 ATo True JI^orship ivithont 
 
 no need to make a law, that this people ihall worihip the 
 God that they know ; there needs no law to command the 
 people of God to v/orfnip him ; his laiu is ivritten in their 
 hearts ; and they that know him, will worfhip him. There 
 was never any man on earth, that had the knowledge of 
 the true and hving God, that needed be put upon worfhip- 
 ping him, that needed a law to oblige him to it ; for the 
 very knowledge that is given of God through Chrift, this 
 brings forth naturally an adoration of the invifible power 
 which men put their truft in ; it produceth an adoration that 
 is true worihip j it cau^eth an humble reverence of that 
 power,' it brings the 'foul upon its knees, as it were j it 
 brings the foul to (loop and bend, and bow upon all occafi- 
 ons to God, as his God : It raifeth his expedations to 
 receive counfel, and judgment, and underftanding, from 
 him, as the fountain of wifdom j and hereby people are 
 taught to worfhip in the right divine knowledge. 
 
 But to tell men of the worfhip of God before they know 
 him ; though you make as many laws as you will to force 
 them to worlliip that God they do not know, yet you can 
 never do them any good, nor make their worfhip accep- 
 table, nor make them devout ; you can never bring devo- 
 tion, nor divine adoration into their hearts, by all the laws 
 that you can make. 
 
 But there is a fpirit of life that fets the foul at liberty 
 from its former bondage to fm and fatan j and when this 
 law comes to be revealed in my heart, what faith this law ? 
 W^orfliip God, give honour and glory to him. This law 
 faith, fubmit thyfelf to Jiim that redeemed thee, thou art 
 his, thou art no' more thine own j this law being written 
 in the heart obligeth a man to a true 'worfhip, and to vjor/Jiip 
 God in fpirit ajid truths for this man hath done imaginmg 
 among the Heathen, that there are Gods many, and Lords 
 many : He hath done imagining what God is, and where 
 he is, for he is now come to know him ; he is inftructed 
 beyond the bcft fchoiar in Athens, let him be ever fo 
 mean and defpicable in the v/orld ] if it be ever lo poor 
 a lad or lafs, they are beyond the beft fchoiar in Athens ; 
 for the bell: fchoiar there came only fo far as to contra- 
 did their fellow fcholars : Some of them were for Mars^ 
 
 and 
 
the Right Knowledge of GOD, joj< 
 
 and fome for Jupiter, fome for one God and fome for ano- 
 ther : Thefe fcholars, by fome beam of divine light fhin- 
 ing in them, had come to perceive that the influences 
 that were in Mars, Jupiter and Therms, and the Sim and 
 Moon, and other planets, they received them from an high- 
 er power, that is, God. They denied not that thefe pla- 
 ets had power and influences given to them ; fometimes 
 they are called heavenly bodies ; the sky, or canopy of 
 Heaven ', and fun, moon and fl:ars are called heavenly bodies, 
 they have power and influences ; but this was given them, 
 and that power mufl: be greater than theirs from v/hom 
 thev receive their power, virtue and influence, even that 
 God who is the maker of all things. The fcholars at 
 Athens iinderftood fo much, as to fee there v/as a God 
 greater than the planets which the nations worfhipped ; 
 they thought that God was to have an altar as well as 
 Jupiter and Mars, and thofe other Gods, and therefore 
 they built an altar to the unknown God, whom they igno- 
 rantly worfhipped. 
 
 If thou and I are come to the knowledge of the true God, 
 then we mufl: know more than thefe fcholars of Athens, who 
 ereded an altar to the unknoivn God : When the apoftle 
 came to preach divinity among thefe fcholars of Athens, 
 who were mafl:ers of arts and fciences, he preached to 
 them, faying, that unknown God, whom ye ignorantly 
 worfhip, him declare I unto you ; we do not need to declare 
 to you the Gods of the nations, for you worfliip them, 
 but to declare to you the unknown God whom ye ignorantly 
 worfhip ; theie were the great fcholars of Athens that the 
 apofl:le fpake to : W^hat doft thou declare of God ? He 
 is the God that made the world and all things therein, fee- 
 ing that he is Lord of Heaven and Earth, and dwelleth not 
 in temples made with hands, neither is worfhipped with mens 
 hands, as though he needed any things feeing he giveth to 
 all Ufe and breath, a?id all things, and hath made of one 
 blood all nations of men to divell upon the face of the earth, 
 and hath determined the titnes before appointed, and the bounds 
 of their habitations, that they Jhould feek 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^ move and 
 
 Q q. Imve 
 
^o6 No True 1^0 r ship without 
 
 have our being ; for as certain alfo of your own poets have 
 faid, for ive are alfo his offspring '^ for as much then as ive 
 are the Ojfspring of God, we ought not to thi?ik that the 
 Godhead is like unto gold, or Jllver, or Jtone graven by art 
 and man's device. 
 
 Here is away of learning, you need not turn overbooks 
 any more ; if I would know the true God, I muft know 
 who gave me life and motion, and wh'o created me, he is 
 not far from me j and how Ihould 1 find the knowledge 
 of him ? feel after hiniy if haply you -may find him ; for 
 he is not far from any of us ; in him we live^ and movcy 
 and have our being ; we cannot live without him one mo- 
 ment j he giveth Ufe, effence and power, to all creatures 
 in Heaven and Earth ; we muft have him with us, or we 
 cannot live j I die as foon as my life departs fi'om me, 
 fo do you ; if my breath and life continue with me, it 
 is by the power of him that giveth' it, in whom I live, 
 and move, and have m.y being j ftill it is in him that firft 
 gave it. 
 
 Here all the great fcholars and philofophers were coun- 
 felled to feci after him ; fo are all people now-a-days : 
 This is our buiinefs, when ve go to preach the know- 
 jledge of God to them that want it ; our commiflion runs 
 not, that we mud read fuch a book, fuch an author, and 
 turn over fuch a leaf, and there you ilial] have a difco- 
 very, and a fair demonPcration of the attributes of God, 
 of his wifdom, power, goodnefs^ mercy, omnipotence and 
 omnifcience ; our commiilion runs not that way, but our 
 commiflion runs thus j that we turn people from darknefs to 
 light ; and from the poiver of fata n to God ; to turn their 
 minds from that which may hinder the knowledge of Chrift, 
 from darknefs, blindnefs and ignorance ; God is not far 
 from them j perhaps they might find him, if they did feek 
 after him. 
 
 There are a fort of men now-a-days (fuch as were in 
 former times) that fay unto Gud, depart from us, voe de- 
 fire not the knowledge of thy ways ; fuch a fort of people 
 are dark^ and blind and ignorant, and are like to conti- 
 nue fo, that fav to God, depart from us ; God is come 
 to them, hut they bid him depart from them : We are 
 
 fent 
 
tJie Right Knowledge of GOD. ^o*y 
 
 fent to thefe people that are dark and ignorant, and have 
 not the true knowledge of God, though they have abun- 
 dance of notions, hear-fay knowledge, learning and fpecu- 
 lation j our bulinefs is to convince them of their igno- 
 rance, a?id to turn them from darhtefs to light. 
 
 There are a people that have mocked- and fcofFed at us ma- 
 ny years j what, fay they, is there a light within ? Mufl: 
 we go to the light within ? Hath every body a light 
 within ? 
 
 Yes, I believe fo j and you mud believe fo too, if you 
 will believe the fcriptures. Chrift is the true Ught, and he 
 hath enlightened every man that cometh into the ivorUL If he 
 did light them, how did he do it ? I will tell you, lay 
 they ; he fpake a great many gracious v/ords, and fom.e- 
 body hath writ them down. What, will this prove the 
 light within ? Becaufe v/e have got a New Teflament, 
 and Chrifl: hath fpoken a great many gracious words, and 
 they are written down and recorded, doth this prove the 
 light within \ No, people might have been in darknefs 
 ftill, for all the books of the New Teftament, and the. 
 Old Teflament too, and for all the books in the world ; 
 for they would never have conveyed light into the hearts 
 and confciences of men, if God had not placed it there. 
 
 Indeed thefe books may be inftrumental, and God doth 
 make ufe of them as a means for the conveying of light 
 and grace, and working of true converfion j but the holy 
 fcriptures cannot do it of themfelves, unlefs there be a co'- 
 acting and co-operation of the Spirit of Chrift with them j 
 without this fpirit they cannot convey faving light to us ; 
 how prove you then a Hght within ? The apoftle tells 
 you, if you will believe him, 2 Cor. iv, 6 ', God, vjho 
 co?nmandcth the light to Jhine out of darknefs, hath fhined 
 into our hearts^ to give the light of the knoiuledge of the 
 glory of God, in the face of Jefus Chrift ; fo that every one 
 that retireth into himfelf, will know quickly, and under- 
 ftand his error, and confefs that there is a light within, 
 and that by this rule, becaufe there is fomething in the 
 heart, that makes manifeft that which is reprovabie ; if they 
 do or fay a thing reprovabie, that which manifefteth a 
 thing is light j that which manifefteth dark words or v/orks, 
 is light. Now 
 
SoS No True Worship without 
 
 No^x^ when thev have found this light ivithin, the next 
 queftion in controverfy is, whether this will give men fuf- 
 ficient Hght for the true knowledge of God j \Y/hether this 
 be fufficient to bring a man to life and faivation ? 
 
 I am of that judgment, that it is fufficient ; and I be- 
 lieve it heartily, and preach it boldly in the name of the 
 Lord, that the light that lliines in your hearts, fhines 
 there to give you the true knowledge of God, in the face 
 of the Mediator, the Lord Jefus Chrift. You cannot be- 
 lieve this, you will fay, for you have had this ever fince 
 you was a child, and you know not the leaft good it 
 hath done you ; all our learned men and minifters, go to 
 what fort you will, they fpeak very flightly of it ; this 
 light within is nothing but natural confcience, a poor light, 
 it is but an 2g?2is fatuus, that will mi (lead us. But let 
 me tell thee, the reafon why it doth thee no more good, 
 is, becaufe thou haft been loofe and wanton, and vain, 
 and wouldeft not receive the reproofs of it ; reckon up 
 the time, and call to mind, when thou didft receive the 
 reproofs of it, then it did thee fome good, and brought 
 thee to remorfe, and brought anguifh and forrow, and trou- 
 ble into thy mind, and brought thee to a right fenfe of 
 what evil thou hadft done ; but if thou didft not reeard 
 it, no wonder it did thee no good ; its reproofs and coun- 
 lels were like the feed fown by the high way, the foivh 
 of the air gathered it up, and it did not grow ; that is, 
 the devil plucked it up, and then the foul lay as Cccd that 
 brought forth no fruit to God, and the devil might have 
 what advantage he would. 
 
 I \Y/iil tell you the reafon why fo many learned men, 
 men of great abilities, fpeak fo flightly and m.eanly of it, 
 becaufe it hath done them no good, inward nor outward, 
 chat they knov/ of: How fhould it do you good when 
 it harh done them none ? The reafon why it doth them 
 no good, is becaufe they do not believe in it ; and did 
 Chrift ever do any body good that did not believe in 
 l-'im ? He gaz-e men poiver indeed to become the fons of 
 Gody the greateft good that they "are capable of; but it 
 was to thofe that believed on his name : \>7ere all they the 
 fons of Goa that heard Chrift preach ? No, fom.e were 
 
 the 
 
the Right Knowledge of GOD. joj? 
 
 the devil's Tons ; our Saviour tells them, that they were 
 of their father the devil, and they did his works ; they 
 came to meetings and heard Chrift preach ', he difcourfed 
 to them, but it did them no good, for they did not be- 
 lieve on his name. 
 
 And then it appears in the next place, that if this light 
 be taken heed to, and if men come to be taught by it 
 and receive inftrudions, they would then have it all for 
 nothing, they would have it all for God's fake i all the 
 counfels and underftanding of divine myReries, all the open- 
 ings of God, and all their knowledge of God would be ob- 
 tained without charge : What then would become of the trade 
 of preaching Chrift, and the attributes of God ; then their 
 filver-fhrine-trade will be fpoiled, and then their Diana is 
 gone ; and this light hath done them no good inwardly 
 becaufe of their unbeHef ^ and it doth them no good out- 
 wardly, becaufe it fpoils their preaching trade, becaufe it 
 teacheth men for nothing, but teacheth them, for God's fake, 
 the light of the knoivledgs of God, that fliines in the face of 
 Jefus Chrift, wherein are the openings of the myfteries of the 
 kingdom of God. 
 
 So that if any come to know the virtue and the power 
 that turneth men from darknefs to light, they are come to 
 another ftate, and twned froni the power of fatan to the pow- 
 er of God; aud when the power of God is revealed in 
 them, then they fay, this is my God ; now I know the 
 true God ', they fpeak as thofe that are acquainted with 
 him ; this is life eternal to know thee the only true God^ 
 and Jefus Chrijt whom thou haft fent : It is not to know 
 him at a diftance, but as always prefent-: The foul comes 
 to be acquainted with God, as familiarly as a man is ac- * 
 quainted with his friend, and better too : A man that is 
 acquainted with his friend, only knows fome things per- 
 taining to him ', but thofe that are acquainted with their 
 Maker they know the whole counfel of God, fo far as be- 
 longs to their peace ; therefore it was not in vain faid of 
 old, acquaint thou thyfelf with him, and be at peace : 
 Be but acquainted with that inward power that knows thy 
 thoughts, and then nobody need to preach a fermon to 
 thee of the omniprefence of God y nobody need make 
 
 thee 
 
^10 No True IVorship zvit/wut 
 
 thee a dodrine of it, and offer reafons and motives for thee 
 to believe it j it is all foolifh labour j I know that God is 
 with me, and near me ; I feel him in me^ and with me, 
 at my down-lying and up-rifing ; when I am in my ihop 
 and about my bufmefs, he is with me in all places ; and 
 fuch a man is alio well inllrudled about the omnifcience 
 of God ; God's knowing every thing ; I have learned that 
 fmce I came to know him, all the doctors in Europe can 
 tell me no more than I know in that point ', the Lord ob- 
 fervetli all my goings ^ and nuinbereth all my fleps ; Lord, thou 
 inakejt tnamfefl the thoughts of my heart, thou fearchefl my 
 heart, and tryeft -my reins. Here is God's omnifcience and 
 knowing all things. Here is divinity growing out of the 
 life. 
 
 Then the wifdom of God is infinite j fo are all God's 
 attributes infinite, incomprel enfible and unfpeakable, they 
 are all fo in him, but he .Makes manifeft a meafure of 
 his xdfdom ; he brings a man from being fuch a fool as 
 he was before, to become a wife man ; he was fuch a fojt 
 and fool as to become drunk and tumble in the dirt ,- he 
 could not ftand upon his legs, but now he is become wife 
 and fober: Another was fo foolifh as to defile himfclf and 
 wallow in his uncleannefs ; now fuch a man comes to true 
 wifdom, it begins in the fear of God, the fear of the Lord 
 is the beginning of ivifdo?n : What doth his wiidom do ? 
 It keeps him out of the dirt ; it makes him live, firft as 
 a man then as a Chrilfian, to live rtghteoufly, foherly and 
 godly, in this prefent ivorld : It leads him into the knowledge 
 of the myfieries of the kingdom* of God ; to knoiv and 
 comprehend with all faints y what is the heighth, and lengthy 
 and breadth, and depth, and to knoiv the love of Chriji wJiick 
 paffeth knovjledge : This is more than bare fobriety and 
 moderate living ; fuch are taught to live foberly, righ- 
 teoufly and godly, to live by faith, and to be led into 
 the hi ovu ledge of the my fiery of the kingdo'm of God ; to 
 know the Lord lefus Chrifl: to their j unification. This 
 is the learned and the wife man j he hath got the fubftance 
 as well as the ihadow ; he hath the marrow as well as the 
 bone ; he is reconciled to God, through Chrifl ; he hath re- 
 inijjion of fi.ns through Chrifi Jefus, that died for him and 
 
 role a 
 
 gain. 
 
 Whea 
 
the Right Knowledge of GOD, jir 
 
 '^hen you come to be partakers of this, it will do you 
 good J notions will not do it ; when you come to know 
 God for yourfelves, and underftand him for yourfelves, 
 to know him as your Saviour and Redeemer, that hath ref- 
 cued you from the fnares of the wicked one ; whoever doth 
 this, they will worfhip God ; when they have this know- 
 ledge of him, they will bow to him, they will be Hke thofe 
 of old' that (aid, he is our judge, he is cur laiv-giver, he 
 is our king^ and he will fave us : There aroie a teftimony 
 in the hearts of good people of that age, that God was ^ 
 their judge that judged them, their law-giver that directed 
 them, how they fhould make their way to him ', that he 
 was their king, and ought to rule them, for he muPc fave 
 them. 
 
 So when people come to know God for themfelves, to 
 be inwardly acquainted with God for themfelves ; when 
 a com.pany of thefe fouls meet together, when they have 
 been at this fchool, and learned this leiTon of divinir37, they 
 then fit down and v/ait upon the Lord, that God thaP 
 fearcheth the heart and trieth the reins, and obferveth how 
 they do fervice for the honour of his name, and they receive 
 fpiritual gifts from him to their edification and comfort, 
 and they receive judgment from him when they do any 
 thing contrary to his mind. 
 
 The Lord Jefus Chrift is the Minifter of the Sanctuary 
 which .the Lord hath pitched : If men have a church, as 
 they call it, they muft have John or Thomas for their mini- 
 fter : We know who is the minifter of fuch a place j but 
 here is a minifter fet up in God's fanduary, this prieji's 
 lips fhall preferve knowledge. All that come to God's 
 church are taught of this prieft, he is a high one, the high 
 priejt of our profeffion, we have not fuch another ; he is 
 not fet up by a carnal commandment; his indud:ion came 
 not from any prieft in this world, but his induction came 
 from the God of Heaven and Earth ; his Father fet him 
 up for a prieft ; he comes by a Heavenly induclton and 
 commifiion, he is a prief fore%:er, after the order of Alel- 
 chifedeck, not after the order of Aaron : If vcu come to 
 God's church, you may hear this minifter. 
 
 Some have called a houfe of ftone, or wood, a church, 
 
 buL 
 
jri No True Worship xvithout 
 
 but that will not do now, therefore there are people that 
 know better than they^ who fee churches gathered of liv- 
 ing ftones ', men and women are gathered to thefe churches. 
 Now the apoftle faith, the church is in God, the Father of 
 our Lord Jefus Chrift : If you will come to church you 
 muft come to Jefus Chrift, the church is in God, the Fa- 
 ther of our Lord Jefus Chnft, the general alTembly, the 
 congregation of his faithful people. What do you mean 
 by a church ? Ask a learned man, that underftands Greek 
 and Hebre^y/, what is the meaning of the word? A church, 
 faith he, is the congregation of the faithful, it is an afiem- 
 blv of the faithful people co'.7grega];ed together. Where 
 muft they meet ? thev m.uft meet in the general ajfe?nMy 
 of the -firfl-borny vjhnfe naines are ivntccn in Heaven, 
 The Hebreivs were come to that church, though they lived 
 many hundred miles afunder, in AJia^ Cappadocia and 
 Bythima : You are ccme to the general affembly of the firji- 
 born; there is a prieft, there is the high-priejt of our pro-' 
 fejjion, the Lord Jefus Chrifi, ivho is a prieft after the 
 order of Melchifedeik^ not after the order of Aaron. How 
 long is this prieft like to ftay in his priefthood ? Forever ; 
 he is a prieft forever^ not after a earned commandment^ hut 
 according to the povcer of an endlefs life. 
 
 The priefts that were after Aaron s order, they could 
 not continue : Death fnatched one away, then they mufi: 
 have another prieft j but here is one that hath a priefthood 
 higher than the Heavens, by the power of an endlefs life : 
 Here is the prieft of God's church, and the teacher of 
 God's people ; fo that when God's people come to church, 
 that is, to God the Father, there Chrift teacheth them, 
 according to the old prophefy, I will teach my people 
 myfelf 
 
 We have laboured to bring people to this teaching, that 
 they might come to the knowledge of the living God. 
 Nov/ there needs none to teach them, for they are taught 
 of God ; blelTed be God, our labour hath not been in xain^ 
 voe fee the fruit of our labours^ and are fatisfied. We have 
 been labouring to bring men to know the Lord ', now 
 all jhall knoiv the Lord, from the greateft to the leaf:, and 
 bow before him, and worihip -him ; they hear that their. 
 
the RlGTiT Kl^OTVLEPGE of GOD. Jl^ 
 
 kigh prieft's lips fhall preferve knowledge. ^ If they do amifs, he 
 chaftifeth them for it j if they do well, then he comfort- 
 eth 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 ferve him, and worfhip him in hi^ 
 temple : Our bodies are a temple for that uie, to worfhip 
 God in ', know you not that your bodies are temples of the 
 Holy Ghoft ? you muft worfhip in yourfelves, you muft go 
 into yourfelves, you muft know the exercife of the grace 
 of God in yourfelves, and the workings of the ipirit 
 of truth in yourfelves, and that your fouls in your bo- 
 dies may be bowed to the power of the fpirit, and that 
 your worfhip muft be in the fpirit ; you muft prav in 
 the fpirit, and give thanks in the fpirit. 
 
 Though thofe that fet up worfhip in the church, talk 
 of divinity and rehgion in every part of it, yet the fubftance 
 of all the fhadows of the law are fulfilled in the gofpel ; 
 the fubftance of all the modes, and rites, and forms of reli- 
 gion, are fulfilled in the gofpel-way : So then let every 
 one compare and examine their ftate, and confider how the 
 cafe ftands between them and their Maker, what knowledge 
 they have of God, and what truft they have put in him, 
 that fo they may be perfuaded and prepared to come within 
 the pale of this church. But you muft firft come out of 
 the world, elfe you can never come into that church r^^at is 
 in God ; if you be in the world, you muft go to the 
 world's church, and be the members of the world's church y 
 and you fhall 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 canft never be fo good as 
 Chrift Jefus, and they loved him not, becaufe he was not of 
 the world j if you were of this vjorld, faith Chrift, the vjorld 
 would love Its own ; but Jlnce you are not of the world^ 
 I have taken you out of it^ therefore the ivorld hates yon ; 
 if they do fo to the green-tree, what will they do to the 
 branches? are you better than I<* faith our Saviour; the 
 fervant is not greater than his Lord: Thofe that are the 
 difciples of Chrift muft be content to he perfecuted, reviled 
 and hated for his nanus fake ; for thus they treated him 
 
 R r \X'ho 
 
jr4 No True Worship ruhhout 
 
 who ivas holy^ and karmlefs, 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 reafonable 
 to expe(ft that )'ou fhould fufFer from the world in the fame 
 manner, and bear it at their hands. 
 
 If you come to this church that is in God the Father, 
 and JefiLS the Mediator, the church of the firft-hirn that 
 are written in Heaven, and come out of the world's church, 
 then the world will be about your ears; all the x^/orld 
 will fet themfelves againft this church, againft the woman 
 that (hall bring forth a birth, that fhall rule over the na- 
 tions : There appeared a great xvonder in Heave?: ^ a wo?nau 
 cloathed with the fun, and the moon under her feety and up^ 
 072 her head a crcivn of twelve fiars, and flie being with 
 child cried, travelling in birthy and pained to he delivered. 
 And there alfo appeared another wonder in heaven (a terrible 
 tiling) and behold a great read dragon y having f even heads 
 and ten horns , and the dragon flood he fere the woman that 
 was ready to he delivered, to devour her child as foon as 
 it was born : And /he brought forth a man child, that 
 was to rule all nations with a rod of iron, and her child 
 was caught up to God, and to his throne. When the dra- 
 gon was ready to devour this birth, God took it into his 
 own care, in fpite of the devil and all his inflruments, 
 and he will fave the child and preferve^ the woman ; he 
 that fits in Heaven will laugh at his enemies and defeat 
 them. There is a place appointed for the woman in the 
 wildernefs, where Ihe is preferved by the Almighty Pow- 
 er ; where fhe is nourifhed for a time, and times, and half 
 a time, from the face of the ferpent ; but fhe muft come 
 out again after fome time, in fpite of the devil and all his 
 inftruments, of all his dragons and ferpents : The woman 
 muft come out of the wildernefs, and the man-child muft 
 come down with great power, to rule the nation. 
 
 This hath been accomplifhcd, fay fome, above fourteen 
 hundred years ago ; and if you will take their woid, the 
 church hath been come fo long out of the wildernefs. 
 But the church that they fpeak of, hath it not wanted 
 holinefs and righteoufnefs ? Hath it given glory to God on 
 hlghy with peace 07i earth and good will to men ? No, 
 
 their 
 
the Right Knowledge of GOD, ^jg 
 
 their church hath lived in tyranny and barbarous cruelty, 
 and (hcdding of blood. They fay the church was in the 
 wildernefs in Dioclefian's time, and when CGJiftantine came 
 to the empire then llie came out of the wildernefs. 
 
 If it had been a holy church, we fhould have feen the 
 maivchild come down from God, and holinefs and righ- 
 teoufnefs would have run down like a mighty fire am ^ and 
 truth would have filled the whole earth. All thefe things 
 have not yet been fulfilled, for we have feen the pro- 
 felTors of truth fallen in the ftreets ; they have been per- 
 fecuted and troubled, and thrown into prifons and dunge- 
 ons ; but there is a better church fomewhere to be found. 
 
 I read of the holy church, the lamb's wife, the fpoufe of 
 Chrift that hath been fhid fomewhere, a great while, in 
 fome corner or other in the wildernefs ; but ilie will come 
 forth again out of the ivildemefs, leaning upon her well- 
 beloved : She doth not come leaning on this prince and 
 the other potentate : She comes not out of the wildernefs 
 leaning on captains, generals and armies, but leaning on 
 Chrift her well-beloved, the immortal, invifible power of 
 the Son of Godj (he trufteth in it. 
 
 All the other churches, I have read of, they have leaned 
 upon one prince or potentate, or one emperor or another, 
 and they have relied on thefe great men as on their bul- 
 V/ark y but this church that comes out of the wildernefs, 
 will come leaning only upon her well-beloved, the Lord 
 Jefus Chrift, who is the author and finifher of her faith ; 
 fhe will put her truft in him, for he will deliver his church 
 from all her enemies : And though the ferpent caft out of 
 his mouth water as a flood, after the woman, that he might 
 caufe her to be carried away of the flood, yet the Lord 
 will caufe the earth to help the woman, and the earth 
 (hall open her mouth and fwallow up the flood which the 
 dragon caft out of his mouth. Let the dragon do what he 
 can to deftroy the woman and her feed, fhe knows what 
 her beloved can do, he will command the earth to open and 
 fwallow up the flood, and flie fhall go dry through it. 
 
 How happy are they that lean upon Chrift their well- 
 beloved ! The church of Chrift in all ages hath leaned up- 
 on him, and he hath founded his church upon a rock, fd 
 
 that 
 
^iS god's Wonderful Love to Mankind, 
 
 that the devil and all his inftruments, and the very gates 
 of hell JJiall not prevail againfl her. The members of this 
 church have Chrift Jefus for their teacher, and they receive 
 counfel and direcftion from him : He is their prieft and 
 teacher, and he teacheth them by his fpirit and his word, 
 which he hath placed in their hearts, and given them an un- 
 derftanding to know him that is true : Chrift's word you 
 mufl: keep to, if you v/ill be true fcholars. This \s true 
 divinity ', if you will have the myfteries of the kingdom 
 of God communicated and opened to you, give heed to his 
 wordy and that truth that is in ycur invjard parts : Attend 
 to that light and that grace that is manifefted in your 
 hearts, and the Lord will fhew you more of the power 
 and efficacy thereof j and if you be faithful in a little^ he 
 will make you rulers over much ; live anfwerable to the 
 underftanding and knowledge that God hath given you, 
 and if you be faithful in a little, he will communicate more 
 and more of his m.ind and will to you ; and if you be led 
 by the fpirit of truth, you will truft in it, and hearken to 
 it, and underiland the language of it in your own hearts ; 
 and if you be a voilling people in the day of God's power y 
 God will work all things iji you and for you, and ivork in, 
 you both to , will^ and to do. of his good pleafure, 
 
 S E R M O N XXVII. 
 
 G O D's Wonderful Love to 
 
 Mankind. 
 
 Preac/iQd at St, Martin' S-Le-Gr AND, November 
 
 IT is our great concern, while we are in this world, 
 to promxote the glory of God, and to voork cut our oven 
 falvationy to endeavour, as much as in us lies, to be fen- 
 iible, and to help one another to be fenfible of the love of 
 God to us : This is the only thing that can give us true 
 coiXifort, to have a fcnfe of the love of God to us in Chrift 
 
 Jeiiis : 
 
god's Wonderful Love to Mankind, jj^ 
 Jefus : There is nothing more certain than that all of us 
 are partakers of the love of God> which is imparted to us 
 daily, and we live not a day without it ; but we may, if 
 we have not a care, live many days without it, and without 
 the comfortable fenfe of it j and that is the reafon, that a 
 great many of the fons and daughters of men, do fliew forth 
 in their lives, fo little love to God, becaufe they have fo 
 little lenfe of his love to them ; for the apoftle John, that 
 had attained to a great knowledge and experience in Chrif- 
 tianity, plainly declarcth, that the reafon of that love that 
 we have to God is, becaufe he firfl loved us ; and I do not 
 believe that any man can have any true love to God, that 
 is not fenfible of the love of God to him. 
 
 And as for thofe temporal bleflings that we enjoy in 
 this life, as health and ftrength, and our very breath and 
 being, and well-being, that every day and hour are con- 
 tinued, they are from the love of God to us, and the 
 lengthening out of our lives and vouchfafing us opportuni- 
 ties for the good of our Ibuls, are evident tokens of God's 
 love and good-will to us. W^here thefe things are not con- 
 fidered and regarded, men live like the beajis that perifli^ 
 and regard not him that made them, but go on in difobe- 
 dience to him, and diihonouring of his great name, and 
 heaping up wrath upon their own fouls : And thus doth 
 every man, while he remains in his natural ftate and con- 
 dition j for there is in every man by nature the feed and 
 root of all fm and rebellion againit God, which makes him 
 return evil to God for the good he doth to us. 
 
 And I believe we are all of us fenfible, in fome mea- 
 fure, of the depravity that is fallen upon all mankind, 
 and of that enmity to God, and that averfion that is in 
 men to the doing the will of God, and that impoten- 
 .cy and inability that is in every man to the reforming 
 of his ways, and the changing of his heart, and leaving 
 off his corrupt and vicious inclinations, without the di- 
 vine help and afTiilance of the grace and Spirit of God. 
 
 Now they that are thus far lenfible of their alienation, 
 by nature, from the Lord, and are alfo fenfible, that the 
 time they have here, is the only time they have for their 
 preparation and being fitted for that everlafting kingdom, 
 
 which 
 
^i8 god's Wonderful Love to Mankind. 
 
 which we all would enjoy ; how ought this to affed the 
 mind of every one, that while they have time, they might 
 prize it and improve it, and come to an inward fenfe of 
 the love of God, that fo they might have a love raifed in 
 their hearts again to God ? For people will never be obe- 
 dient unto God, till they love him, nor ever love him, 
 till they are feniible of fiis love to them. 
 
 Therefore, that which is the means and way of God's 
 making himfelf known to the fons and daughters of men, 
 that means, and that way, every one ought to embrace ; 
 every one ought to be acG[uainted with it, and have the 
 cxercife of their minds in it, that fo we might come to 
 the knowledge of God, and might know, by an experi- 
 mental and fenfible feeUng, the kindnefs of God to us. 
 
 And truly friends, they that are minded to fpend their 
 time, and exercife themfelves, in the confideration of the 
 mercy and kindnefs of God, they have work enough for 
 their whole life-time, to confider and contemplate the ma- 
 nifold mercies of God beftowed upon them j for we have 
 our life and breath from him, whom the whole world 
 obeys, and ferves ; God, that made all living creatures, 
 hath created us, and preferved us ; he hath had long-fuf- 
 fering and patience towards us until now, and he is yet 
 mindful to do us good, which is evidently manifeft by 
 the invitations and promifes he hath made us, and the work- 
 ings of his Holy Spirit that he hath made us acquainted 
 withal. 
 
 For who is there in this affembly, that God hath not 
 made fenfible of the tenders of his grace, and invitations to 
 repentance and reformation, that they that live loofely and 
 vainly in the world, might turn to the Lord with all their 
 hearts, and confider their ways and doings ? God hath waited 
 to be gracious to the fons and daughters of men, and his 
 mercy and patience hath been beyond all human patience, 
 beyond the patience that ever you did beftow upon any, 
 this the Lord hath beftowed upon you ; therefore I entreat 
 you, in the love of God, let this confideration fink deeply 
 into your fpirits, that you may be affeded with the kind- 
 nefs of Goii, and his patience towards you, and his loug- 
 fujfering^ while you have been finning againft him. 
 
 But 
 
god's Wonderful Love to Mankind, jr^ 
 
 But fome will fay, how ftiall I know this ? After what 
 manner may I experience this love of God to me ? How 
 may I be fure that the Lord hath a love for me ? 
 
 My friends, it is not only temporal kindnefs that we 
 enjoy from God ; it is not only the lengthening out of 
 our days, that is an evident token of the love of God to 
 us ; but there is a demonftration and manifeftation of it, 
 that is univerfally extended to the fons and daughters of 
 men, in that he hath fown his word in them, and hath fown 
 his truth and his grace in their hearts, that every man, 
 tho' he may be ever fo wicked, ever fo foolifh and vain, 
 yet he hath many times checks and reproofs in his own 
 neart : I know it, and I doubt not but you do. 
 
 Pray whence comes that principle which doth flop you in 
 a courfe of (in, and check and reprove you for finning 
 againft the Lord ? If you attend to it, and confider it, 
 you will find it proceeds from God ; it comes from him, 
 from him comes our life and breath ; then people (hould 
 be incited to receive the grace of God ; the favour and 
 mercy of God which he hath befi:owed upon them, in order 
 to their falvation. The fcripture tells us, that grace and 
 truth came by Jefus Chrift, If thou haft any good, it 
 came by Jefus Chrift ^ and if thou haft any truth, it came 
 by Jefus Chrift, who is the fountain of truth, and the foun- 
 tain of the grace of God ; it is he by whom God hath 
 made himfelf known to the fons and daughters of men ; 
 it is Chrift alone, that God hath ordained to be a Medi- 
 ator between God and man^ that fo he might be the 7ninifter 
 of an everlafting covenant, which we are brought into with 
 God ; fo that now people ihould come to the confide- 
 ration of the way and means that God hath ordained for 
 their redemption, namely, that he hath given Jefus, that 
 great and unfpeakable gift of his love and kindnefs, to 
 the fons and daughters of men ; here is grace and truths 
 that ca^ne by Jefus Chrift : How is it come ? It is come 
 into my heart. Tho' fin, and lufts and corruptions, per- 
 haps, have a place in many, yet Chrift hath a place too ^ 
 he hath made his grave with the vjicked^ ar^d was numbered 
 with the tranfgreffors ; he was like the feed that lies un- 
 <ier the clods, and is the Icaft of all feeds, yet when it 
 
 comes 
 
j:>o god's Wondektul Love to Mankind. 
 
 comes out of the ground, it rifeth high, and fpreads abroad 
 its branches, and brings forth fruit ; this love of God, this 
 unchangeable holy truth, is in every one ; why then fhould 
 not every man be ruled and governed by it ? 
 
 But Tome men will fay, is truth better than falfhood, 
 and grace better than iufl: and corruption ? 
 
 You may fee that, by the light that is difcovered in the 
 inward parts : Let every man turn inward to the grace 
 of God, turn to that light that ihews itfelf in the crea- 
 ture, and fee what it will do for us : This is the dodrinc 
 that the apodle was fent withal , he was fent with a com- 
 miflion to turn me7i from darknefs to light, and from the 
 poiver of fatan to God : Why did he do it ? It was for 
 this end, that men fnigkt have remtjjion of fin, and that 
 they 7night cojne to an ttiheritance among them that are fanc^ 
 Ttfied by faith in Chrifl Jefus our Lord ; Co that this gofpel 
 is the fame that it ever was, though men have divers wavs 
 of preaching, and feveral methods and ways of declaring 
 the truths of the gofpel ; bleffed be God the apoftolical 
 dodrine is preached again, and the blefied gofpel hath the 
 fame power attending it that was in former days, and may 
 have the fame effect ; and that this may be the portion of 
 every one of you, is the end of our labour. And we 
 have in our eye but two things. 
 
 Firft, to difcharge a good confcience in the fight of 
 God, who hath given us his word to preach, and to turn 
 men from darknefs to light, and from the poiver of fatan 
 to God ; that we might keep ourfelves free from the blood 
 of all men. 
 
 Secondly, another end is, the defire that God hath plac- 
 ed in our hearts, that all 7nen every ivhere might he faved ; 
 this is God's will ', if any be damned it is their own will, 
 and the devil's will ; this is God's will, that 7tone fnould 
 ■perifh, but that all fiould come to repentance and be eter- 
 nally faved. Now in this work of your falvation, we 
 would have regard to him that fent us to preach the ever- 
 lafting gofpel, and we would difcharge ourfelves faith- 
 fully, and be made manifeji in your co'nfciences, that the 
 benefits of the gofpel rnight come to be yours ; that you 
 might anfwer the purpofe of God, in fending Chriil: to be 
 
 the 
 
GOD*s Wonderful Love to Mankind, j^r 
 the Saviour of mankind ; you mud turn from fin to God, 
 and then you will find the blefllng that comes by Jefus, 
 which is to turn every one from his evil ivays. 
 
 You may read this in a book, and you may alfo plain- 
 ly read it in your hearts : The Lord Jefus Chrifi hath 
 given you light to diftinguifh between good and evil ; if 
 you do good, you may make a comfortable refledion up- 
 on yourfelves, and this will be your rejoicing, the tejli^ 
 mony of your confcience on that account ; but if you do 
 evil, though all men do juftify you and commend you, 
 yet you will be condemned in yourfelves ; fo that you 
 have that in yourfelves which diftinguifheth between things 
 that differ in their nature and kind, and you have a little 
 enlightening by the knowledge and underifanding you have 
 received concerning the things that are pleafing and dif- 
 pleafing to God -, if after you know this, you will go on 
 in a way difpleafing to God, he will at length be too hard 
 for you, and plunge you down into the abyfs of his wrath 
 to all eternity. 
 
 After perfons are fatisfied and enhghtened with the light 
 of Chrift, and come to the experience of things in them- 
 felves, they will love the light and \x/alk in the light ; 
 but there are many in this age that have read the fcrip- 
 tures plentifully, and yet ftill go on in a way of fin, they 
 cannot love the light that reproves them , he that doth evil 
 he hates the Ught^ and the dawning of the day is as the 
 fiadoiv of death to him^ and it brings nothing but con- 
 demnation upon fuch perfons, fo that they do not love 
 the light, though it is evident they have it and enjoy it ; 
 and it fhall be their condemnation whether they will or 
 no ; if they do not love the light and embrace it, it will 
 never be to their falvation. 
 
 God hath given Chrift to be a light to the GentlleSy and 
 his falvation to the ends of the earth. He is the light that 
 enlightens every man that conies into the world ; the apoftle 
 John tells you the genealogy of the word of God ; in the 
 beginning was the wordy and the word was with Gody and 
 the word was God ; and the fame was ifi the beginning 
 ivith God ; all things were made by hun, and ivit/iout him 
 was not any thing made that was made ; in him was life^ 
 
 S f and 
 
^22 god's Wonderful Love to Mankind, 
 
 and the life vjas the light of men ; the life of the eternal 
 word was the light of men ; what men do you mean ? I 
 anfwer, he is the true light that li^hteth every man that 
 cometh into the ivorld. He extendeth his light to every 
 man, but it is condemnation to every man fo long as he 
 continues to be a finner againfl God : This is the condem- 
 nation, that light is co?fie i?ito the world, and men love dark- 
 nefs rather than light, becaufe their deeds are evil. 
 
 Now all men are by nature dead in iins and trefpafies ; 
 after our firft parents fell into fin they were dead to God ; . 
 in the day that thou eateft thereof thou fnalt die; when 
 they had eaten the forbidden fruit, they did not die as to 
 outward appearance, but they died as to that communion 
 they had with their Maker j in this dead ftate lie all the 
 fon's and daughters of Adam; but, as our Saviour fpeaks, 
 thoup'h they be dead, they fhall live again ; Chriji is the 
 Lord frdm Heaven, a quickening Spirit ; this is the ob- 
 ject of our faith that hath been extended and offered to 
 mankind ever iince the fall ; there is no name under Heaven y 
 no other power or fpirit hy vuhich a man can be faved ; 
 this great Mediator, the eternal Son of God, is the light that 
 lio-hteth every man that cometh into the ivorld : Faith in 
 Chrift is the fame that ever it was, notwithftanding the 
 m.any forms of worlhip among the fons of men; fome of 
 God's fctdng up, and fome of men's fetting up ; yet among 
 all thefe, the objed of faith is the fame, and faith the fame. 
 
 In the nth chapter of the Hebrevos, that little book of 
 martyrs, the apofiie there gives }^ou a catalogue of the 
 mi<^hty things that have been done by the faith of God's 
 people y he begins with Abel ', by faith Abel offered a more 
 exceUe?it facrijice than Cain, by which he obtained ivitnefs 
 thatheivasrighteousy God teftifying of his gifts; and by it, 
 he being dead, yet fpeaketh ; by faith Enoch ivas tranjlated 
 that he Jhould not fee death, and ivas not found, becaufe 
 God tranfiated him^ for before his tranflatiou, he had this 
 tejlimofiy, that he pleafed God ; and fo the apoftle there 
 goes to Noah, Abraham, Ifaac, Jacob, Jofeph and Mofes : 
 And vohat fiall 1 fay -more, faith he, for the time zvould 
 fail ?ne to tell 0/ Gideon, and 0/ Barak, and of Sampfon, 
 and Jeptha, of David, Saixiuel, and of the prophets, vcho 
 
 through 
 
god's Wonderful Love to Mankind: 32^ 
 
 through faith fuhdued ki72gdoms, wrought right eon f?iefsy 
 obtained promifes, /topped the mouths of lions, and quenched 
 ihe 'Violence of fir^, efcaped the edge of the fiuord, out of 
 iveaknefs were^nade firong, turned to flight the armies of 
 the aliens. All thefe great and noble things were done by 
 faith ; it was the afped their fouls had upon Chrift the 
 Mediator between God and man j it was their trufl: and 
 reliance upon God through Chrift the Mediator that did 
 fupport and uphold them in all they did and fuffered. This 
 faith is ftill the fame. 
 
 There are many faiths in the world befide, but they 
 will prove but the faith of hypocrites. Some have a faith, 
 that if they do this and the other work, they fay you may 
 truft your fouls upon thefe good v/orks ; but this is not 
 the faith of Abraham, the father of the faithful. But fome 
 called Chriftians are gone fo far in the dodrine of me- 
 rits, that they think they can do enough for their own 
 felvation, and for their friends and relations too ; that there 
 may be more merit ftill over and above, that others may 
 have benefit by the merit of their works of fupereroga- 
 tion : But this is not the faith of Abraham, and other 
 faints, by which they wrought fuch wonders in the world. 
 I would not have men truft at all in their own works 
 for falvation, but truft in Chrift alone, who is able to 
 fc2ve, to the uttermofl-, all that come to God by him. 
 
 But fome will objed that we are taught the doctrine of 
 faith in Chrift, and juftification by him. 
 
 WqW, for my part, my tongue fhall as foon drop out 
 of my mouth, as oppofe the dodrine of being juftified by 
 faith in Chrift, But, let me tell you, this may be mif- 
 applied : If a man believe that he is juftified by faith in 
 Chrift, and yet knows, in his^ own confcience, that he is 
 condemned, he believeth a lie ', he is feduced and de- 
 ceived. A man cannot be juftified by Chrift, when the 
 Spirit of Chrift condemneth him : Such a one, when he 
 comes to lay down his head upon his dying pillow, all 
 his faith will fty away. I have met with fome inftances, 
 lamentable inftances, of thofe that were called Chriftians, 
 that have made a profeftion of religion, and at laft have 
 laid down their heads in forrow. If this be your maf- 
 
 take, 
 
J24 god's Wondfrful Love to Mankind. 
 
 take, confider, while you have time, that you may die 
 in peace. 
 
 Now the propofition and tender of the love of God 
 to m.ankind, hath always carried that limitation with it, 
 that every one in the world ought to obferve ; if a man 
 hope to be faved by Chrift, he mud be ruled by him ; 
 It is contrary to all manner of reafon, that the devil 
 fhould rule a man, and Chrift be his Saviour : The whole 
 tenor of the New Teftament is againft it (pray read it 
 as oft as you pleafe, for it is a good exercife) you will 
 find the tme Chriftian's faith to be this, that he that hath 
 faith in Chrift hath an operation upon him for the clean- 
 ling his heart, and purifying and purging his confcience 
 from dead works, that he may ferve the living God ; though 
 he hath been a fervant of the devil, it will make him leave 
 his former fervitude, and bring him under the influence of 
 another law, the law of the fpirit of life in Chrift Jefus^ 
 which will make him free from the law of fn and death. 
 The apoftle fets down the feveral conditions he had palled 
 through j Iivas alive without the law once ; he thought him- 
 ielf a man, a brave man, a man of underrcanding, that 
 had profited amiong the Jews ; I was alive, having refped: 
 to that law which fnould have been my governor j but 
 when the commajtdment cayne, fin revived and I died. He 
 had read the law, the commandment, manytim.es, and had 
 been at the reading of it in the fynagogiie ; but there was 
 a commin^ of the commandment which he had not been 
 acquainted with ; there was a writing of the law of God 
 in his heart j when he came to this inVard work upon him, 
 where was then the life he lived I When the command- 
 ment came fin revived, and I died : There was a profef- 
 fing life he form.erly lived, .but he was flain by the power 
 of the commandment, it laid him in the duft as a flain man ; 
 vhen he was in a flain condition he found out that law in 
 him that was the law of iin and death, and this caufed a 
 combat and a war in him ; I find a lawy faith he, that 
 when I vjould do good, evil is prefent with me ; for I de^ 
 light in the law of God in the inner fuan ; but I fee an- 
 other law in my inew.bers warring againfl the law of my 
 ifiindy and bringing me into captivity to the law of ftn^ 
 
 which 
 
god's Wonderful Love to Mankind, j2^ 
 
 which is in my members : Now this brought him to a pover- 
 ty of fpirit, into a fenfe of his miferable condition, and 
 then he cries out, O wretched man that I am, who /hall 
 deliver me from this body of death I 
 
 Now Tome people in this day, they are like the apoftle, 
 they have a law in their 7neuibers warring againft the law of 
 their minds ; the good that they wotdd do they do not, and 
 they can go no further : But the apoftle Paul did reach 
 further, though he did not in that flate know deliverance, 
 yet he had a faith that he fhould be delivered, and that 
 he fhould not be miferable all his days. Thus having 
 led the Romans into the fcveral ftates through which he 
 pafl'ed, he brings them to a further ftate, the law of the 
 fpirit of life in Chrifl i^us hath made tne free from the 
 law of fin and death : ^^d now there is 7io co7idemnation 
 to them that are in Chrifl Jefus. How ihall we know this ? 
 They vjalk not after the flefh, hut after the fpirit. Now 
 Paid v/as come to that fandified ftate, that ftate of free» 
 dom and liberty which Chrift Jefus will bring all thofe 
 unto that believe in him. 
 
 Holy men, in former days, did experience and find a 
 great ftrife and warfare in their own hearts, they would 
 ail do well, and exercife a confcience, void of offence, to- 
 wards God and towards man ; but there is a law of fin 
 that wars in their members ; if we yield to it it leads to 
 fin and death ; but if wc yield ourfelves to the laiu of 
 the fpirit of life, there is a power that is derived from 
 the Mediator, that will tranflate the foul out of the king- 
 dom of darknefs and fin, which the devil is the prince of, 
 and bring it into the kingdom of God's dear Son, 
 
 There muft be a real change wrought in us before we 
 can come to God, and to fellowfhip and communion with 
 God, which alone can make the foul happy. Let this be 
 the exercife of every one of us to adore and magnify the 
 great mercy and the kindnefs of God, that he hath not 
 withdrawn his fpirit from you, but hath placed a monitor 
 in your bofom^s that calls upon you to ceafe to do evil, 
 and learn to do well, and to confider that the wages of 
 ftn is death : Here is a fin, I may commit it ; there is 
 a temptation before me, but I know there is a bait and 
 
 a 
 
^26 GOD*S WONDEKTUL LoVE tO AlANKINTf. 
 
 a hook y I may fwallow it if I will, but if I do, it will 
 be my ruin : Would I come to eternal death, and have 
 my portion with liars and wicked perfons in the kingdom 
 of darknefs, where the zvo?'m dicth not^ and the fire is not 
 quenched ^ Or would I have my portion with faints and 
 angels ? If I would have my portion with the blefled in 
 the kingdom of God when I die, I muft walk in the way 
 that leads to it ; but the gate is flrait and the way nar- 
 row^ and feiv there he that find it ; labour then to be one 
 of thofe few. 
 
 But what fignifies our labour (fome may fay) if we caa 
 do nothing that is goody not fo much as think a good 
 thought ? What fignifies our labour ? All the labours and 
 endeavours in the whole world cannot make a man happy. 
 
 I no7/ fpeak to a people to whom God doth vouch- 
 fafe the help and affiftance of his grace and Spirit, and the 
 vifitations of his love and power j vou mufi: now endea- 
 vour to do fomething ', if a m^an endeavour, with the help 
 of God, he may do a great deal of good, and Ihun a 
 great deal of evil : Though all our endeavours, in our 
 own power and ftrength can fignify nothing, yet they are 
 required by God, and by joining them with his grace, 
 and layin^r hold of opportunities, by divine afiiftance, we 
 may do what God will accept. But if a man do any 
 thing in his own power and ftrength, whether praver, hear- 
 ing, reading, meditation, or any other duty, he had as good 
 let it alone. 
 
 I would confider you as thofe that God hath followed 
 with his grace and the manifeftation of his fpirit ; this is 
 given to every man to profit withal, and every man hath 
 opportunity to work with it ; but he muft work while it 
 is day, for the night cometh when no man can work. 
 
 Let every one of us that are now met together, labour 
 to be fenfible of the love of God to us, and love him 
 above all, and cxprei's our love by a willing and persevering 
 obedience, that we may have the love of God fined abroad 
 upon our hearts by the Holy GhoJ^, and offer up living 
 praifes to him through Jefus Chrift, who hath loved uSy 
 and wafied us from our fiins in his own blood, and hatk 
 made us kings and priefts unto God and his Father : To 
 him be glory and dominion forever and ever* Amen. 
 
SERMON XXVIIL 
 
 Salvation from Sin hy Jesus Christ. 
 
 breached at Devon SUIRE-Hov SEy Auguft p, i6V;r. 
 
 IT is a general do^lrine in the world, that no man by 
 any means can ever be fet free from fm in this life : This 
 is univerfally received among almoft all Chriftians, in 
 all churches ; and though they differ ever fo much in other 
 things, yet they agree in this ', fo that this dodrine hath 
 got a fway in the world, and it is accounted a great delufion 
 and a herefy, and a grand error for any to <^ueftion the 
 truth of it. 
 
 Now while a man is of that beUef, that there is an im- 
 polTibility of living without fin, and of breaking down the 
 kingdom of fatan in any one foul in the world, how caa 
 men hope or believe that righteoufnefs ihould prevail irr 
 the heart of one man ? There is neither king nor beggar, 
 nor bifhop nor a gofpel minifter, but the devil muft have 
 a rule and government in him, fo long as he lives in the 
 world. As long as this is believed, it is not pofTible chat 
 the other belief ihould take place ', it is madnefs to think 
 that I muft be under the rule and government of fatan if I 
 am under the government of the Son of God, And it 
 is ftill greater madnefs to fay, that Chrift and the devil are 
 both my governors and rulers : It is prodigious folly and 
 madnefs to fpeak after this manner. 
 
 This belief prevails over all men ; over the wife, and 
 mighty, and noble, and learned, that they can never be 
 freed from the power of fin in this world, but thiit the 
 devil will lead them into fm every day ; let men be ever 
 fo fober, ever fo abftemious m their lives j let them fpend 
 ever fo many hours in prayer every day j let them come 
 to meetings and hear fermons, and write them, and re- 
 peat them, and do what they will, here is a bar of un- 
 belief that lies in the way, that makes men depart from 
 the living God, and his power, and lofe the benefit they 
 fhall receive from Chrift ; And therefore they go to ob- 
 tain 
 
^28 Salvation from Sin hy Jesus Christ, 
 
 tain it another way, that is, to have the righteoufnefs of 
 Chrift imputed to them, and they fhall be pure and holy 
 in the fight of God, when they are polluted in their own 
 eyes ; and when they fee their daily failings, infirmities 
 and corruptions, yet God may not fee them ; but that he 
 fees them holy, juft and righteous in his Son. 
 
 What ftrange kind of dodrine is this ? I mud prefume 
 that God will fee me in his Son, Jefus Chrift, when I 
 never was in Chrift : How can this be ? He that is in 
 Chrijly is a new ci-eatnre ; old things are done avoay^ and 
 all tki??gs are become new : But if there be old things re- 
 maining ftill, and I am not become new, fhall I prefume 
 that I am in Chrift, and that God will fee me in his 
 Son I AJ^hen people come to ufe the underftandine that 
 God hath given them, they will look upon themfelves as 
 barred out by their unbelief, that the nations have drunk 
 in ; and it is as fweet to them as the honey and the ho- 
 ney-comb. 
 
 But, blefted be God, many have vomited it up already ; 
 If they would have placed this doctrine upon man's na- 
 tural ability, I would have faid Amen to it. I know there 
 is none of us all have a natural ability and power to de- 
 liver his own foul from ftn and fatan ; but when they 
 come to place it upon God, that though the l^ord make 
 bare his arin^ and reveal h'u poiver ; though they come 
 to have the grace of God, that ftill they could not be de- 
 livered from fin, this hath blafphemy at the bottom of it. 
 The other refleded upon man's power ; this refleds upon 
 the power of God Almighty : That the devil hath got 
 fuch a power over us, that God hath not power over us, 
 nor can have power and dominion over us, fo that of a 
 whole nation he cannot have one man to ferve him. 
 
 Much might be faid in anfwer to this : AJ^hen men are 
 once willing to ferve God, they will be willing to leave 
 the fervice of the devil. There is no way to anfwer that 
 good wifh, but by wating upon God for the revealing of 
 his power : I pray God that when you come to a meeting, 
 you may fay. Lord, let thy power go forth upon my 
 heart j let thy arm be made bare, and deliver me from the 
 power and dominion of fni. Some will fay they feel God's 
 
 power 
 
Salvation from Sin by Jesus Christ, 2^S> 
 power in a meeting ; I feel the po>x^er of God working^ 
 upon my heart, in order to the taking away fin and tranf- 
 greflion, and giving me vidlory over it, through the Lord 
 Jefus Chrift. If they feel this power of God upon them, 
 it is their duty to believe it and depend upon it : If I be- 
 lieve it, I muft wait for the didates of it, and believe that 
 I fhall be able to do all things through Chrift that Jlrength- 
 ens me : Then fiith will come forth into works, and ap- 
 pear to be a living fiith. 
 
 You may remember what the apoftle James faith, as the 
 body without the Spirit is dead, fo faith without works is 
 dead alfo. As foon as a man comes to join with the mighty 
 power of God, he will be able to withftand temptation : 
 If he comes into evil company, he will deny them and not 
 comply with them ; he will find then fomething of a power 
 and ability to ferve God ; though he is not come to per- 
 fection, yet he is walking in the way of holinefs, and pref- 
 Jlng forward towards the jnark cf the high calling of God 
 in Chrift Jefus : He will fay, I have got a little nearer than 
 I was towards the place where I would be, tov/ards that 
 life which I would live and die ; then let death come when' 
 it pleafeth God, it fhall be welcome. 
 
 This is the wickednefs of many in the world, they will 
 not live fuch a life as they would be willing to die in. 
 They cannot come at it unlefs it be given them to believe, 
 for it is the gift of God ; they muft come to their governor 
 and leader, which goes before, to the gift of God, which is 
 eternal Hfe; then let death come when it will, if I have the 
 gift of eternal life. 
 
 It is a miferable thing to think that there are many that 
 have not laid hold of eternal life : It is manifefted, that we 
 may lay hold of it, there is a hand of faith joining with it. 
 When a man comes to lay hold of eternal life, this life 
 will purify him and fandify him, at leaf!: by degrees, till 
 he be wholly iandified in body, foul and fpirit : This is that 
 which the apoftle writes in one of his epiftles, your falvatioft- 
 is 7iearer than when you at firft believed. When they firft 
 believed, their falvation was a pretty way off. He de- 
 fcribes falvation to be the end of their faith and hope. 
 
 When a man comes to be dehvered from his fins, he 
 fhall ferve God Axithout fearj but when <i jQian womes to 
 
 T t live 
 
jjo Salvation from Sin by Jesus Christ. 
 
 live by faith, he lliall overcome ; he is a good foldier of 
 Jefus Chrift, and he mufl: fight valiantly under his banner, 
 till he gets a vidory over all his enemies, and then his fal- 
 vation is much nearer than when he at firft believed. 
 
 I would I could fay fo of fome of you ; for I fear 
 your falvation is farther off : Some go ftraggiing here and 
 there, as fneep not having a fhcpherd ; this is that v/hich 
 my fpirit is exercifed with. You that are travellers to- 
 wards the kingdom of God, it is the wonderful grace and 
 mercy of God, that ever it (hould come into your minds 
 to feek the kingdom of God, and the righteoufnefs there- 
 of. They that have obtained this mercy from God, Ihall 
 receive and enjoy other mercies, better mercies ', bleffed 
 are they that hunger and thirfl after righteoufnefs : That is 
 one mercy j but there is another mercy, they fhall be fil- 
 led 5 they ihall be fatisfied : W^hen a man comes to this, 
 he mud: take up a daily crofs, and exercile felf- denial ; 
 but if he follow Chrift, he fhall be fatisfied j he Ihall then 
 have nothing but peace and joy ; he fhall then fing praifes 
 and glory to God in the higheft, and to the Lamb for- 
 ever. 
 
 There is none can underftand the glory that is laid up 
 for thofe that take up their crofs and follow Chrift, and 
 love his appearing. Thi^s is the greateft blcffing that God 
 doth give unto his people, he hath fent his Son Jefus to 
 blefs us, and turn us from our iniquities. This is a blef- 
 iing indeed. Take heed that you do not admit of any new 
 terms : Do not think to bring God Almighty to new arti- 
 cles, the terms are declared and concluded on already : If 
 you will obtain the bleftlng, you muft be turned every one 
 of you from your iniquities : The terms are already made, 
 the law of God muft be written in the heart and inward 
 thoughts y and you muft clofe with that power that will write 
 the law in your hearts, and by travelling towards the king- 
 dom of God, you will fee the coming of that kingdom in 
 you. 
 
 It was the joy of my foul, that I faw the kingdom of 
 Chrift would be {tx. up in my heart, before it was fet up there ; 
 then I law the Lord's wonderful work, and there was a great 
 alteration in me, when the Lord was pleafed to wean me 
 
 from 
 
Salvation from Sin by Jesus Christ. ^ji 
 
 from the world's bread, and take off my heart, and wean 
 it from worldly lufts, from the world's joys^ and pieafures, 
 and fafhions, and the world's honour and reputation : I fay 
 the Lord was plcafed to wean me from, thefe things, and 
 brought me to a holy refignation, to give up my heart to 
 him : If I have joy, it muft be from the Holy S})irit , if t 
 have plcafure it muft be in the prefence of God, who in the 
 multitude of my thoughts within me made his comforts de- 
 light my foul ; and if he bring not comfort to you, you 
 will never have it j you cannot expect it till you do believe ; 
 and when you have faith, you can feel the kingdom of God 
 within you : There muft be the new birth, the work of 
 regeneration, for except a man be horn again he cannot 
 fee the kingdom jof God ; there muft be a tranflation from, 
 death to life, there muft be a turning out of the old bottom 
 and a fixing upon a new bottom, upon Chrifl Jefus the 
 rock of ages y there muft be a fubjedion to his holy power 
 and government, elfe you cannot fee the kingdom of God. 
 
 Many have gone on in a profelfion many years, and 
 never faw the beauty of it ', and every little trifle in the 
 world hath diverted them, and drawfi them away. This 
 and the other pleafure hath drawn away their hearts, they 
 have feen the glory of the world, which hath captivated 
 them : But thofe that make a profeftion of the truth, and 
 have feen the beauty and glory of the kingdom of Chrift, 
 they fhould be (hy of returning to the world again, for the 
 apoftle faith, it happejied to them according to the true pro- 
 verhy the dog is turned to his own vomit again, and the fow 
 that was wafied to her wallowing in the mire ; it had been better 
 for them never to have kiioxvn the way of right eoufnefs^ than af- 
 ter they have known it, to turn from the holy commayidment 
 delivered to them : They made a profefTion, and were mem- 
 bers of a vifible church, and had a name to live, but they 
 were inwardly dead, the fight of the kingdom of God is 
 not given to iuch, but unto babes, that have a divine birth, 
 and that deftre the ftncere milk of the word^ that they may 
 groiv thereby. God hath hid thefe things from the wife and 
 prudent, and revealed them unto babes. 
 
 I fpeak to thofe who are here this day, that would 
 receive fome kindnefs from God, and that defire the know- 
 ledge 
 
JJ2 Salvation from Sin by Jesus Christ* 
 
 ledge of his ways, and that the myfteries of his kingdom 
 may be revealed to you, let your minds be retired and 
 you fhall find the great things belonging to your peace 
 made known to you. We have fpoken much of this, 
 but I would not have you know it only by our fayings, 
 1 would have you go into yourfclves, to fee whether 
 God hath not beftowed this grace and blefiing upon you : 
 If God hath given you grace, do not turn it Into wanton- 
 nefs ; do not abufe the grace of God. What is it that 
 you do when the grace of God hath convinced you, that 
 iuch and fuch a thing is fin, and if you do it, it will 
 turn to your ruin ? Dare you venture to commit fin af- 
 ter you are convinced of it ? O take heed of doing def- 
 pite to the fpirit of grace, and of grieijing the Holy Spi~ 
 rit, ivlierehy you are fealed to the day of redemption, 
 
 I wifh that the weight of this confideration might lie 
 upon you, and that a holy dread and av/e of God might 
 be wrought in your hearts, that you might be kept from 
 finning againft God. You know there is a general out- 
 cry againft prefumptuous finning, finning againft fight : Why 
 fliould not we all cry out againfi: it ? It is a moft dread- 
 ful thing for any man to fin againft his knowledge and 
 conviction ,* if any of us have been guilty of finning aganfl: 
 light, let fuch a one fay, I have done iniquity, I will do 
 fo no more, but enter into covenant with the Lord, and 
 fay, O Lord, fo far as thou haft revealed thy will unto 
 me, I will obey it ; I will delight to do thv will, O 
 God, tho' I crofs mine own will. Whatever I crofs I will 
 not crofs God's Holy Spirit, by which I may be fealed 
 to the day of redemption ', I will never do this though I 
 hazard my chief intereft in the world : This is the tem- 
 per of a true Chriftian, and I pray God make you all of 
 this mind. 
 
 And now my friends, you that dcfire to fee this great 
 work wrought in yourielVes, commit the whole work to 
 God, and ti-ouble not yourfelves about it. I am fure God 
 will carry on his own work, and bring down the devil's 
 kingdom, and rebuke that unclean fpint that is gone forth 
 over the whole nation, and pour out abundantly of his 
 Holy Spirit to carry on a glorious reformation. This I 
 
 believe 
 
Salvation from Sin hy Jesus Cnnis-r. ^^^^ 
 
 believe God will certainly do, from what he hath wrought 
 in my own foul. I know not what mftruments are to be 
 employed in the work, I leave that to the Lord ; but the 
 kingdom of Chrift fhall be advanced, and it fhall be out- 
 wardly, and a befom of deftrudion fhall fweep away all 
 his enemies from the earth, and the wrath of God fhall burn 
 againft them ; but there is an obduration hath been upon 
 the nations of the world, and fomething hath flood in the 
 way in all generations. 
 
 But, however, I am fure we all may well fay, that 
 Chrift is the Saviour of all men, but efpecially of them that 
 believe. He hath faved this city and nation from the 
 plagues and vengeance that hang over us. Many years the 
 Lord hath fpared us, and waited to be gracious for a 
 long time, to fee if we will at laft turn to him. How 
 long the Mediator will intercede on our behalf, wc cah- 
 not tell ', there is a time when the long-fuffering of God 
 will come to an end. God hath brought a fcourge up- 
 on the nations round about us, and the flames of his 
 WTath hath kindled upon them, and deftrudion hath over- 
 taken them ; how foon it may be our lot, we know not | 
 all our money, our filver and gold, and valour and cou- 
 rage, will not be able to ward it off, if the Lord but 
 blow upon us. It is even at the door ; there is but one 
 way to fave us, and that is turning to the Lord, and 
 crying to the Lord for the continuance of his mercies and 
 long-fuffering, and patience towards us. In this cry to the 
 Lord, let us all unite, that are lovers of the nation, and 
 let us join our earneft fupplications in this work, feeing 
 the Lord hath made us the monuments of his mercy and 
 preferving goodnefs. 
 
 W^e have been continually furrounded with war and 
 blood, and flames and deftruclion ; and the cry of the or- 
 phans hath been heard from other nations. And while they 
 have been confumed with frames, and deluged in ftreams 
 of blood, we have fat under our own vines and fig-trees; 
 but judgments hang over the nation, and whether they 
 will fall or not, the Lord knows : But what fhall we do 
 for the good of our nation, and cities and families, but 
 labour every one, in the fear of God, to reform our lives, 
 
 and 
 
j^^ Salvation from Sin ly Christ Jesus* 
 and to take heed that we fin not again ft the light, left 
 we die, and perifh in the middle of thofe terrible judg- 
 ments that hang over us. 
 
 Let us turn from our evil ways, and depart from all 
 iniquity, that the kingdom of Chrift may be fet up in 
 ourfelves. It is the righteous in the nation that the Lord 
 looks at, and for their fakes he will fpare a nation. If there 
 be a people among us that walk in humility, and lament 
 and mxourn for the abo^ninations committed in the m.idft 
 of us, God will have regard to them, and he will hear the ' 
 cries and the fuppUcations of a praying people. 
 
 Friends, you that cannot make ufe of fword and fpear 
 for the faving of a nation, you may do good by your 
 prayers, and turning to the Lord with an unfeigned heart, 
 and let your (incerity appear before him. If I would take 
 a common prayer-book in my hands, and pray ever fo 
 devoutly and folemnly, if I be not fincere, what will that 
 do ? Or, if I pray without a book, or if I pray without a 
 form, or rejed the form that others have made for me, what 
 will this avail ? But the ay of the poor, and the fighing of 
 the needy, and the effeBual fervent prayer of the righteous^ 
 hath availed ?nuch for the faving of this nation many years. 
 
 Therefore, I exhort you all, as you love the nation, and 
 as you love youri^lves, and your families and relations, iin 
 not againft the Lord ; for he is now fetting up righte- 
 oufnefs, equity, and juftice, and it ftiall prevail in the na- 
 tion. God hath been pleafed to gather in many, that have 
 been enemies, that are now turned from fm to God, and 
 led by die truth : And it is their greateft joy, that now 
 they are no longer fervants of fin, but are now become the 
 fervants of God. 
 
 Now truth will prevail, and righteoufnefs go forth as 
 the morning fun, and we hope the Lord will ihew mercy 
 to us for the glory of hi§ own name, though we are an un- 
 worthy people: It will be matter of joy and gladnefs to 
 us, if the kingdom of God be come ; then we may fay our 
 prayer is anfwered. ^q have often prayed, thy kingdom come, 
 and thy ivill 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 fata n no longer j the devil will 
 
 have 
 
The Acceptable Sacrifice. ^^5* 
 
 have little power, if I do God's will on earth, as it is done 
 in Heaven ; then praifes will arife in the hearts of every 
 one that delights 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 Chrift may be preached for 
 falvation to the ends of the earth, 
 
 SERMON XXIX. 
 
 The Acceptable Sacrifice. 
 
 Preached at Grace-Church- Street^ July j, i6c)2. 
 
 AL L people that would worfhip God and meet 
 together for that purpofe, they had need have a 
 great reverence upon their minds, and a holy 
 fear upon their fpirits, that when they enter into the 
 houfe of the Lord, and draw nigh to the living God, 
 they might not ojfer the facrifice of fools ^ but may of- 
 fer to God that which may be acceptable to him. For 
 all worfhip, and all religion, and all offerings and oblati- 
 ons that ever were offered to God by any people, they 
 have had a return unto the offerers and worfhippers, either 
 of acceptance or rejedion. Many you know have been 
 rcjeded tho' they have offered, and many have been ac- 
 cepted of God, and their offerings have been a fweet fmel- 
 ling faiiour in his noftrils ; and, I hope, we are aJl of 
 that mind, that we would be glad to have our worfhip,. 
 aiud fervice and offerings to God, accepted in his fight, 
 and that our prefent affembling together might be for the 
 better, and that every one might have an aniVer of peace, 
 and of acceptance in their bofoms j but that can never be 
 unlefs men be qualified and prepared in their drawing nigh 
 to God, and in all our offerings and worfhip that we 
 perform, our hearts be prepared according to the preparatiou 
 of the fancluary, the preparation of God's clwelling and 
 holy place. 
 
 The worfhippers mufl be holy ; there muft be the fear 
 of God, and a. reverence of the great God upon their minds, 
 
 before; 
 
^j5* The Acceptable Sacrifice. 
 
 before people can offer an acceptable facrifice unto him, as 
 the holy apoftle faith, Heb. xi. 6 : He that comet k to 
 Gofly fnuft /relieve that he is ; which iignifies, that a pre- 
 paration ought to be in the minds and hearts of people 
 that would draw nij^h to God ; or perform any fervice or 
 worihip to God, they muft have the knowledge of the God 
 whom they worfhip, they muft lirft knoiv that he is, and 
 that he is a rewarder of them that diligently feek him. Here 
 is a qualification for worfhippers, for religious perfons ; as 
 they exped when they meet together to find the Lord in 
 the midft of them, they muft be quahfied accordingly, there 
 muft, be an awe ujgon their minds. 
 
 I am in the prefen-ce of God, I have an expedation from 
 God, that he will open his abounding treafury, and mi- 
 nifter fome good unto me, or elfe to what purpofe do 
 people drav/'^iigh to God ? It is becaufe they would have 
 fomethins; of him ; but they muft come in an humble pe- 
 titioning frame ; he giveth grace to the humble. It is the 
 lofty, the proud, thofe that exalt themfelves, the fat and 
 the full, that want nothing. Thefe, faith the prophet, the 
 Lord beholdeth afar off. A proud man or woman cannot 
 draw nigh to God, the Lord looks upon them afar off; 
 nor do they partake of thofe divine and heavenly com- 
 forts and bleflings, and counfels and inftrudions that the 
 humble mind hath the promife of and will certainly enjoy, 
 the humble, God will teach, he will InflriiB the meek in 
 his way ,* but what is this to the lofty mind ? What is 
 this to one that is exalted, and conceited and puffed up, 
 and reckons himfelf full and wanting nothing, while he is 
 fwimming in the ftreams of pleafures of this world, and 
 favours only the things of the earth, the pleafures of a 
 fenfual mind ? Thefe perfons are not hungry, and fo they 
 are not fed ; they are not thirfty, and fo they never ob- 
 tain that which can fatisfy the foul. Our Lord Jefus Chrift 
 pronounced a blefilng upon them that hunger and thirft ; 
 but what is that to them that are full and lack nothing ? 
 
 So my friends, in this and all other religious aflemblies, 
 a great care ought to be upon every one, that their com- 
 ing together to wait upon the Lord may be in that reve- 
 rence and fear, and that hope and expedation at the hands 
 
 of 
 
Th^ Acceptable Sacrifice. ^jy 
 
 of. G-'od, that they might be bettered by it, or elfe they 
 all ioTe their labour, as Cain did ; he v/ould be an offer- 
 er, he offered facrifice, but \^as not accepted ,* becaufe hi^ 
 mind and heart Was not rii^ht before the Lord, his lacrrficfe 
 was rejeded. It was before he had killed his brother ; ht 
 had great guilt upon him, before he had killed his brother j 
 he wanted the quaH^cation of well-doing ; if thou dojl ivell^ 
 /hah thou not be accepted ? But if thou dofl fiot ivell, fth 
 Ues at thy door. He was got into evil dom^^, and an evil 
 mind hindered his acceptance with God ; fo it doth with 
 all men and women in the world that meddle with relimous 
 Worfhip, and facrifice to God, if they meddle with evil 
 doing. There mull: be a taking off the mind from the 
 evil of fm and corruption, and the mind mud be brought 
 over to fomething that they have received from God be- 
 fore ever they can be accepted. 
 
 You know the general dcnfiiriae of all Protellants is, that 
 ^^e have no acceptance with God but through Jefus Chrift^ 
 We have no way to pleafe God, nor can do any thing 
 fliat (hall be acceptable in his fight, but thro' one only 
 Mediator. Now if I ihould go to v/orlhip God, or per- 
 form any reHgious duty without refped and deference to 
 the {tn^^Q and participation of the virtue and power of that 
 only Mediator, how can I be accepted ? And it hath plea- 
 {^^d God out of his infinite love to m.ankind, to fend this 
 great Mediator into the world, that every man that comes 
 into the world is made a participant of fomething of the 
 life and virtue of that Mediator. So you read, John i. 4, 
 iii Mfft wm- life:, and the life %vas the light of men, the true 
 light that lighteth every man that cometh into the vjorld ; 
 anil that with refpect to men whether they are good or 
 no, both good and bad, though all men are bad by 
 nature : So that tho' they are children of wrath, and 
 heirs of eternal damnation in their natural (late, by.jea- 
 fon of fin, yet for all that this one Mediator, \h whom 
 this Ifght hath fhined, hath fent foi;th his light among th^ 
 fons- and daughters of men, that is, the light of men, that 
 enlightens every one. So there is an" offer made of fome- 
 thing that prefents itfelf to the vie\x^ of every man that 
 is gbodj if he apply his mind to it, he rtic^y have that goo7\ 
 
 U u that 
 
^^B The Acceptable Sacrifice. 
 
 that comes by Jefus Chrifr ,* he may draw nigh to God ; 
 as bad as he is, he hath fome good, that God hath bellowed 
 upon men good and bad. There is no man fuch a bar, 
 but he hath fome truth in him ; there is no man fo ungodly, 
 but he knows that which is pure and holy, that v/hich hath 
 reproved him, checked and convinced him of his ungodlinefs. 
 This prefents itfelf to the view of every man and wo- 
 man, and calls them to repentance. 
 
 Now for men to make a (hew and pretence to worfhip, 
 and not have regard to the glory of God, how can they 
 draw nigh to God, or God draw nigh to them ? Our Lord 
 Jefus Chrift faith, that ivhere two or three are gathered to- 
 gether in my name^ I ivill be in the viidfi of them ; but if 
 people meet together in their fin and wickednefs, if they 
 have a loofe and vain mind, and intend to go on in wick- 
 ednefs and fin, if they meet, they meet not in Chrift's 
 name, but in the devii s name, and he is in the midft of 
 them, and he works and rules in the hearts of the children- 
 of dif obedience. So that this hath been the ground and rea- 
 fon why abundance of meetings upon this account have 
 been fruitlefs as to the benefit of their fouls, and the ex- 
 pectations of people have been fruftrated as to their falva- 
 tion ; they have not met with that in which the blefling 
 is, and to which the promife is made. The promife is not 
 made to people that the devil rules; there is no promife 
 to luch but the promife of eternal wrath to be executed upon 
 them, with the devil and his angels to all eternity; if you 
 can make that a promife. 
 
 The promife of life and falvation which is recorded by 
 the prophets and apoftles, it hath always relation to the 
 {Q(i:di that are in covenant with God. In this the covenant 
 flands, faith God to Abraham^ Gen. xvii. 7. I will eflab- 
 l:Jh my covena7tt befiveen me and thee, and thy feed after 
 thee in their ^ generations, for an everlajiing cove?ianty to be 
 a God unto thee, and to thy feed after thee. The cove- 
 nant is made to Abraham and his feed, that is, with Chrift 
 Jefus the Mediator. It is he that brings to God, thofe 
 that trufi: in him and come to him, he that cometh to him, 
 he ivill in no wife caft out ; they that do not come to 
 Chnfr, are caft off already. All men, by nature, are cad 
 
 a\c^ay 
 
The Acceptable Sacrifice. jj^ 
 
 a>X'ay already ; if any o'f them will be faved, it is by com- 
 ing to Chrift, ivho is aole to fave, to the uttermofi, and to 
 make peace for them, and of twain to make one new man ; 
 and to make peace between God and the loul. 
 
 There is a necelTity for all people, that have any fenfe 
 of their natural ftate and condition, that according to'na- 
 tm*e have no title to the kingdom of God, to be recon- 
 ciled to God. By nature they cannot make a claim to 
 righteoufnefs and life ; they connot reconcile themfelves 
 to God by all their works ; faith the prophet Mtcah, will 
 the Lord be pleafed ivLt/i a thoufand rams, or with ten 
 thoufand rivers of oil .<? Shall I give my jirft-born for my 
 tranfgrelfion, the fruit of my body for the fin of my foul ? 
 He hath fliewed thee, O man I what is good : And what 
 doth the Lord require of thee, but to do ju/tly, and love tner- 
 f y, and walk humbly with thy God ? They that will be 
 faved, muft lay hold of falvation in that way and method 
 that the Lord God of Heaven and Earth hath prefcrib- 
 cd. He hath prefcribed a v/ay for every body to be fav- 
 ed ; he would not have any one to perilh, but that all 
 fhould come to repentance, and obtain everlafting life. God 
 hath made a way that will ferve every body aUke y thou- 
 fands as well as ten j and all the world as well as one 
 man. Now the way that God hath made, is turning out 
 of the ftate into which they are fallen, and forfaking that 
 governor that rules in the hearts of the children of dif- 
 obedience, and clofing with Chrift, whom God hath ap- 
 pointed to reign in every ones heart. People in Chrif- 
 tendom will fay, they have clofed with Chrift. Do not 
 you hope to be laved by Chrift, on the terms of the co- 
 venant ? It is not crying. Lord, Lord, but doing the will 
 of God 'y the terms are, all men mufl •believe in Chrift, the 
 eternal Son of God ; and through the power of that faith 
 they have in him, he comes to rule over them, and they 
 become fubjed: to him. And if a beliver be not fubjed: 
 to Chrift, he is all one as if he was an unbeliever ; cir- f 
 cumcifion, or uncircumcifton, avails not any thing, but a new 
 creature ; and faith which worketh by love. 
 
 The covenant doth not ftand in meer words ; if I con- 
 form to fuch articles, then I am a Chriftian ; if I be- 
 lieve 
 
j4^ The Accept ABi'E S4CRITice. 
 
 lieve all the articles of the creed,' then I am a Chrifljafl, 
 and a child of God. If a man will fay, I believe, hij 
 fay fo is not fufHcient. The condition of the covenant 
 that God hath made, is, that Chrift (hall rule and havg 
 the government of thofe fouls that he prefents to God : 
 How fhould it be otherwife,' feeing he is not to prefent 
 any to Qod that are unclean ? Chrift hath no cojnniiilir- 
 on to prefent any to God in their uncleannefs and wick-r 
 iednefs. He that believeth, muft be cieanfed and purified 
 by him : If fo, then that cannot be done, but by ruling 
 over them. If they had the rule of themfelves, they wouH 
 be polluted, and be like water, whofe current is ftoppej 
 with dirt and mud, not running in its own proper ftream* 
 People will commit fin, when they have the rule of them^ 
 {elves ; but when Chrift prefents people to God, and wherj 
 they come to be led by him^ they are clean! ed and pu- 
 rified. 
 
 "V(^hen the apoftle defcribes true faith, he doth it by this 
 quality and property of it, it punjies the heart. All other 
 faith is hut the hope of the hypocrite ; bi^t real faith is the epe-^ 
 ration of God^ faith the apoftle ; and that faith worketh in 
 an unclean heart to the cleaniing of it, and in an impvire 
 heart to the purifying of it : If the heart comes to be puri- 
 fied, then it muft needs follow that the converfatipn muft 
 be pure alfo. No one doth an ill work, or fpeaks an 
 ill word, but it is from an evil heart. Now if the axe 
 come to be laid to the root cf the tree, and the word of the 
 i^ord operate in the heart powerfully, if ever fo much evil 
 be in it, the axe when laid to the root of the tree will cut 
 ix down ; the power of God will execute judgment upon 
 every thing that is contrary to him ; Chrift is holy, harm^ 
 Icfs, and undejiled, a^d fepar are from ftn and fmners y and 
 though he extend his Hfe and virtue to the life and foul of 
 the raoft wicked man in the world, it never joins with 
 their uneleannefs, but keeps immaculate and undefiled in 
 the heart of the worft of men. 
 
 Now this immaculate power that comes from Chrift, \t 
 will purify the hearts of men, and prcierve them from evil 
 thoughts, words and a^lions. This is the manifeftation of 
 the one Mediator that they muft- be gov^j-ned by, eife they 
 
 cannot 
 
The 4ccEPrABtE Sm^niTict. g^x 
 
 fannot be prefentecl fpotlefs to God the Father. There is 
 a necefllty of corning to a Saviour otherwi£c tliaji by 
 words aad. profeilion ; we muft come to him and bcartily 
 foin with huii ? we have all joined with the devil, he hath 
 fuggefted, moved, and inftigated, and people have followed 
 his infligations and motions ; there is no man but is fen- 
 fiblc of a devilifh motion, why not then of a divin-e mo- 
 tion ? Though now it is become a bugbear to fay, we are 
 xnoved by the Spirit of Chrift^ why not by that Spirit, as 
 well as by the fpirit of the wicked one ? No man doubts 
 but that there are motions of the devil which they are fen- 
 fibk of, that fometimes they have joined with him, aiid 
 fometimes they withftand him, "^'hat is the reafon that 
 men fhould join with evil motions ? There is no juft rea- 
 fon for it. The reafon why you and I withftand the 
 motions of the d^vil, is becaufe we find another motion 
 conveyed into our hearts by the Spirit of God ; if a man 
 hath one motion to commit uncleannefs, he hath another 
 motion to keep himfelf pure ; if he hath a motion to fpeak 
 a lie, he hath another motion to fpeak truth; there are 
 two movers at the fame time, in the fame heart, which ihali 
 WQ join with? Shall I join with the devil's motion? If 
 I find any thing of the love of God in my heart, it will 
 conflrain me to mind the good motion, and make me with- 
 ftand the evil motion ; fo that the moving of the Spirit 
 of God is not fuch a wonder. 
 
 There are none who have not had bad motions in them, 
 and they have alfo morions of the Spirit of truth ; they 
 have met with^" evil motions, and they have admired them 
 too much, then it is time to repent ; if there be a diftinc- 
 tion between a motion of the Spirit of truth, and a mo^ 
 tion of the fpirit of error, then I may boldly fay, it is our 
 duty to join with the Spirit of truth, and not with the 
 fpirit of error; if there be a defire in us to be faved fro?}^ 
 the wrath to come, then the way to be faved from God's 
 wrath is to be faved from the caufe of it; take away the 
 caufe and the efFeci: ceafeth. The caufe of God's wrath 
 being- kindled againft m.an is fin, fpr God had no wrath 
 ^gainfi: man when he firft made him; for he made him 
 after his ov/n image, and gave him powa' to continue ia 
 
J42 The Acceptable Sacrifice^ 
 
 that holinefs and righteoufnefs, wherein he created him y- 
 but he fell, and was caft out of paradife, and an angel was 
 fent with a flaming flword that turned every ivay, to keep 
 the way of the tree of life. Thus man fell under the wrath 
 of God by his fin ; but how fhall I have the wrath of 
 God allayed ? By breaking off from fin, and returning 
 to God again. 
 
 This looks like a covenant of works, fay fome ', do you 
 fay I muft break off from fin, and fo efcape the wrath of 
 God? 
 
 Yes, I do; but no mortal man can break off from fin 
 but by joining with the Mediator, he is the author of eter- 
 nal fahation, he worketh in ns to ivill and to do, and en- 
 ahleth us to work mit our own fahation ; it was fm that 
 drove man out of paradife, and brought upon him the 
 wrath of God. Sin is the devil's work; now that Chrift 
 might be a Saviour to us, he will deftroy the devil's work ; 
 for this purpofe, faith the apoftle, the Son of God was ma- 
 nifefled that he might deftroy the works of the devil. Now 
 the devil was not the defi;rud:ion of man limply in him- 
 it\£^ but by tempting him to fin, which is the devil's work ; 
 and Chrift ivas matiLfejled, to deftroy the devil's work ; 
 that propcnfity to fin that is in the nature of man, which 
 makes him rebel againft the mind and will of God. Chrift 
 the eternal Son of God became man ; he took the nature 
 of man, that he miight bring man again to his primitive 
 ftate, wherein he was created after the image of God. 
 
 Now how doth the devil perform his works ? doth he do 
 his works coercively ? No, he ufeth no irrefiftible force. 
 But doth Chrift the Mediator work coercively, with an 
 irrefiftible power and force, to bring a man again to God ? 
 No, no more than the devil did to beguile man from God. 
 Man might have ftood and continued in his ftate of in- 
 nocency if he would ; he might join with evil, and yield 
 to the temptation of the devil, if he had a mind ; he knew 
 if he gave over his mind to evil, he ftiould be ruined ; 
 and it proved fo. Man was refolved to try what it was 
 to yield to the devil, and obey him. He told them that if 
 they did eat of the forbidden fruit they ftiould be as Gods, 
 but they became more like the devil ; this they got by be- 
 ing 
 
The Acceptable Sacrifice. j4j 
 
 ing obedient unto him, not that the devil laid an irreliftiblc 
 force upon them, you fhali eat of the fruit of this tree ; 
 but there was only a prefentation of it to them, and with 
 that he prevailed, and fo came to the dcftruclion of mankind. 
 Chrift the Mediator, in order that he may prefent us to 
 God, comes himfelf and prefents his commands to us, 
 and his command is, that we muft break off from that fer- 
 vitude and fubjedion that the devil hath brought man into, 
 and there muft be a fubjedion unto Chrift ; we muft be- 
 lieve in Chrift, and hearken to the word of God, and break 
 off from fin ; but where is the power < If God would 
 have me holy, let him make me holy ; if he would have 
 me pure, let him make me fo, and give me ability to do 
 that which of myfelf I cannot do j when it pleafeth God 
 to give me grace and captivate my will, 1 Ihall become 
 a good Chriftian. Now here is a great miftake, that people 
 fhould think they muft wait for an irrefiftible power to 
 bring them back to God j there is a prefentation of love 
 and mercy, and earneft invitations, and the long-fufFering 
 and patience and goodnefs of God's long waiting upon 
 linners. God, iv/io cotujnanded light to fliine out of \dark- 
 7iefs, hath ftiined into our hearts, to give the light of the 
 k'/iowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jefus Chrift^ 
 % Cor, iv. 6. What fhall I do with the light that fhines 
 into my heart ? I will fhut mine eyes againft it j I love 
 darknefs rather than light, and evil more than good ; this 
 light will lead me to holinefs and righteoufnefs, I will 
 quarrel with it, it comes to bereave me. of my comforts 
 in this world, of my merry companions, and of all my bra- 
 very, I will not hearken to it. Alas ! for thefe; this is 
 the condemnation^ that light is come into the world, and 
 men love darknefs rather than light^ becaufe their deeds 
 are evil, faith our Saviour. If I had not co?ne and fpoken 
 to them, they had no fin ^ but now they have no cloak for 
 their fin. 
 
 Here is the gofpel preached by Chrift himfelf; here is 
 the prefentation of an opportunity for every man and wo- 
 man to return again ', but I muft be in the way of return- 
 ing, that is, by joining with that which prefents to me 
 holinefs, righteoufnefs, chaftity and humiiity, that prefents 
 
 and 
 
j4^ The Accept AntE Sacriftce. 
 
 and ofFens to the foul all the virtues and graces that ^d 
 in Chrifl:^ and fhews it the' light and grace that comes 
 from Chrift. Now this light- and grace inewing itfelf to 
 my foul)- I have a view of. Haft thou a view 6£ it ? H^ 
 thou fsen purity, humility, fobriety, meeknefs, and- felf- 
 denialy and an heavenly frame of fpirit in thyfelf or foilie- 
 body elfe ? How doft thou like it ? I like it not at all ;- 
 L love to have bdnour and dignity, power and dominion, 
 and my elbow-room in the world ; I- love not this meek^ 
 nefs, humility and ftri(5^nefs of life, that a man muft have 
 a care what he fpeaks, and fet a watch upoii his lips^ and 
 upon his heart,- tongue, and hands, I do not like tlli's kind! 
 of life. 
 
 If thou doft not like a good life, fomebody will like it,- 
 cttid live in it ; and notwithftanding all thy vapouring, thy* 
 hating, and defpifing it, when people come to live this kind? 
 of if^, tliey will outlive thee ; thy pro^d life,- they reign^ 
 ing life, and thy having elbow-room in the world, will 
 at laft come to be limited j the hand of God is againlB 
 it, and: iti will bring dowri t-h?e pride of man. When tliotf 
 comeft to lie upon thy dying pillow, cxpecling every rho- 
 ment to expire, and breathe thy laft, then thou wilt fay,- 
 O that I had been more ferioUs, aiid lived more like <t 
 Chriftian ; lived a godly life, and given up my heart' to 
 God, and been more watchful over my thoughts, words- 
 and adiions ! There is fuch a friend of mine, that hath' 
 lived better than I; if I had- lived fuch a lif<^ as he hatf^ 
 lived, I (hould have had more comfort ; and they that 
 are defpifers of the godly, tho' they do not like fuch a 
 life now, they will like it then. 
 
 Friends, you that are lovers of your fouls, and meet to-' 
 gether that you may become better, and have expedation"^ 
 and hope, that you ihail receive comfort and benefit by 
 your meeting together, I tell you, as a fervant- of God, 
 and a lover of yours, it is but a little while, and yoi* 
 will Wifh that you had chofen the moft holy, harmlefs, 
 innocent life, that ever you faw yourfelves, or heard of 
 from any body elfe ; and you will wifh that you had been 
 more watchful over your thoughts, words and adions. 
 There is a- day, a day approaching, when we muft give 
 
 an 
 
The Acceptable Sacrifice, ^45* 
 
 an account for every thing that we have done, vchether 
 
 food or evil ; you mufl: give an account for your curfed 
 ebauchery ', for your fwearing, lying, and inordinate paf- 
 lions ; you muft give an account far every vain thought, 
 and every idle word. 
 
 If this will certainly come to pafs, how fliall I prevent 
 thefe idle words and evil adions ? Wliereivith [iiall a yciwg 
 man ckanfe his ^vay, faith the Pfalmift ? By taking heed 
 thereto y according to thy worcL I am not as thole that fay 
 lo here and lo there : I do not fay, you muft come and 
 learn truth of m.e, but if you find it, you muft find it 
 in yourfelves : "^^hat if I live in the truth ? That will 
 not ferve thee ', and if I be a holy man, that will not 
 fandify thee ; thou muft hearken to truth's fpeaking ia 
 thyfelf j thou mayeft hear it fpeaking in thine own heart; 
 you may hear it call you to righteoufnefs and hoHnefs ; 
 and if you hear it, you may do it too, if you pleaie j 
 for there is a power that goes along with it. 
 
 I know enough, thou Wilt fay, but I cannot do what 
 I know; I have not power. 'W'^'hat ails thee that thou haft 
 not power ? If I had power, then would I abftain fi-om 
 ail fin, and break off from my evil ways ', but the devil 
 throws this objed and the other objed in my way, and by 
 his temptations he doth enfnare me, I have not power to 
 refift : Would you have me do more than I can do ? and 
 as long as I have not power I am to be excufed. 
 
 Now here is a device of the devil to keep people in his 
 net ftill. If men would be true to themfelves, they would 
 not be long without power : If thou art convinced of the 
 evil of thy ways, and that it is thy duty to break off 
 from fm, there is a power offered to thee, that, if thou 
 joineft with, thou mayeft overcome all temptations, and for- 
 fake thy fin : I would have you all prove, and fearch, and 
 fee whether I fpeak truth or no ; I am perfuaded there is 
 not a man or woman here but they have fometime ab- 
 ftained from an evil work, which they v/ere tempted to. 
 How were you reftrained ; becaufe you knew it was aa 
 evil work, you durft not do it ; the devil had not a coer- 
 cive pov/er to force you to do it ; I knew it was an evil 
 thing, and I joined with that in my mind which diffuaded 
 
 X X me 
 
j4^ The Acceptable Sackitice. 
 
 me from It ; and I prayed to God to give me po\vef to 
 abftain from it. The devil tem^pted thee on frill, who 
 helped thee againfl the temptation < God retrained thee by 
 his grace. Will not he be a prefent help unto thee ? he 
 is the fame yejlerday^ to-day^ and forever ; depend upon 
 him ftill, and he will be always ready to help thee, and 
 fiipport thee, and Rrengthen thee, and thou fhalt be kept 
 from fin in an hour of temptation : Gonfider that all 
 power in Heaven and Earth is given to Ghrift, and if he 
 be able to keep thee rhou fhalt not fall into it ? thofe that 
 come rmto tue^ faith Ghrift, 7ione Jhall pluck them cut of 
 my /lafidsy a?:d my Father is greater than all. If thou 
 comeft unto Chrift, he will in no wife caft thee out^ and if 
 thou depend upon him, he will preierve thee, and none 
 piall he able to fluck thee out of his hand. If thou join 
 with the truth, and with that which is holy, thou (halt 
 have urength and ability to withftand tem^ptation and over- 
 come it; and (I may fpeak with reverence) Ghrift hath 
 bound hirnielf to thofe that truft in iiim ; thofe that keep 
 the word of w.y patience^ I null keep them in the hour of 
 temptation. If I keep waiting upon his power, that is 
 ready to help me, and have a miind to be purified and 
 fandified, and to have righteoufnefs brought into my foul, 
 and have mine eyes unto God, and mv expectations from 
 him, he will work in ine to will and to do of his good 
 pleufure. 
 
 No\Y/ here people have a fixed foundation for their faith ; 
 but there is no working at this rate without bearing a 
 daily crofs. There are a great many can receive the truth 
 in words, and receive dodinnes, and tenets, and that with 
 dehght ; but there is no prac:tifing holinefs and righteouf- 
 nels without a daily crofs and i elf-denial. There are a great 
 many who have come to truth, as far as it ftands in words, 
 but when it comes to fomething that they muft do, to 
 fpeak the truth, and live in the truth, they meet with fo 
 much of the temptation of the devil, fo much luft and 
 corruption, and ungodlinefs in themfelves ; they meet with 
 fuch evil things that their fouls join with and yield to, 
 that thev cannot go on in the ways of holinefs, unlefs 
 tliey look up to Jefus, and have an eye to their Saviour, 
 
 and 
 
The Acceptable Sacrifice. ^4'/ 
 
 and take up his crofs and follow him. Vhatfoever re- 
 proaches, fiifFerings, and perfecutions they endure, they 
 muft have a godly refolution to follow the Lord Chrift, 
 and fay, I will obey his commands, he (hall have the rule 
 and government of my life, and be the guide of my way ; 
 whatfoever (lands in m.y way, I will take up my crofs 
 and deny myfelf j without this there is no good Chrif- 
 tianity in the world. 
 
 There are a great many that feem to be religious and 
 are profcflbrs of the truth : We all know there are many 
 profelTors of the truth in notion, and with fome zeal will 
 talk of it j but they do not know how to live and walk in 
 the truth, they do not live uprightly and honeftly in it ; 
 they do not keep their words i they do not live juftly 
 and honeftly with all men, nor do unto others as they would 
 have others do to them : They can tell how to fpeak and 
 ad ; then why do they not do it ? They have got a no- 
 tion that they are above the crofs of Chrift, and felf- 
 denial is far below them. People will not live in the 
 truth. 
 
 This is wanting in the whole world : If we look around 
 we (hall find a great many are illuminated -, there is abundance 
 of knowledge and underftanding among profedors, abun- 
 dance of learning, and great numbers of learned men : What 
 is the reafon that oaths, and curfes, and all manner of 
 wickedneis run down the ftreets like a river ; there is pride, 
 and wrath, and envy, and revenge, and violence to be 
 found among us, as if it would draw down vengeance up- 
 on us. They have heard preached in pulpits much o£ 
 holinefs, humility, patience and meeknefs, that a meek and 
 quiet fptrit is an ornament of great price : Men have heard 
 much preaching againft pride, prophanenefs, and drunk- 
 ennefs, and uncleannefs, but they have heard it like a tale 
 that is told^ not much concerned about it, and have giv- 
 en little credit or regard to what they have heard of thefe 
 things. Why are people fo wicked ? The reafon at laft 
 refults in this, men are lovers of fleafures more than lovers 
 of God, they are not the fervants of Chrift, but ferve di^ 
 vers lufls, and pleafures, and are led captive by the devil, 
 at his ivill ; and fo they go on in iniquity. No laws can 
 
 reftraia 
 
^4^ The Acceptable Sacrifice. 
 
 retrain and curb them, \rhen the law of Chrifl is not 
 written in their hearts ; but when men come to fee a ne- 
 ccffity of felf-denial and taking up the crofs, this will pro- 
 duce a reformation. 
 
 This is what I labour for, and all good men and women 
 will do it : It is timic to try for reformation. Vain 
 fafliions, and garbs, and pride have been cried up, why 
 ihould not we cry for reformation before the wrath of a 
 provoked God is kindled againft us, and his vengeance 
 poured down upon the nation ? We rnuft reform our lives. 
 How iliall men reform, you will uiy ? By getting the law 
 of God wii/un their hearts, that is pure, and holy, and 
 heavenly, that will be as a light to incus feet ^ a?id a lan- 
 thoTR to their paths : Now till people come to this they 
 will go on in fm and iniquity, till they be fwept away 
 Y/ith fonie overflowing and dreadful judgment. 
 
 So that, my friends, in the fear of God, and out of 
 love to you, I feek that you may be brought to God, 
 through Chrsil: y that you may live in the love and fear 
 of the Lord, and, when you come to die, you may have 
 reft and peace for your fouls. There is no reft for thofe 
 that are evil-doers ', there is no peace, faith my God, to 
 the voicked. The ungodly cry, peace^ peace, and talk of 
 peace, but there is no peace for them, but they Ihall have 
 for their portion tribulation, and wrath, and anguifh; this 
 fhall certainly come upon every one that doth evil. It 
 is no matter what religion you are of, if you do not 
 obey the truth, but live in unrighteoufnefs. 
 
 Now, friends, my exhortation to you all is, that you 
 will return to the truth in your own hearts, and do it 
 while you have time. I am not perfuading people to love 
 my. opinion, but to love God's truth in their own hearts, 
 to love it and obey it, and you cannot do this unlefs you 
 lelolve to take up a daily crofs, and be followers of Chrift, 
 who is gone before to prepare a place for them that are 
 his true difciples ; and then he v/ill prefent them to God, 
 as holy, harmlcfs, and nndefiledy for thefc are heirs of that 
 cverlafting kingdom, which God hath prepared for them that 
 love him, 
 
 SERMON 
 
SERMON XXX. 
 
 Christ the Way to Eternal Life. 
 
 Preached at Grace-Church-Struet, May 6", x6SS. 
 
 "1 H E deflre of all nations is come ; that which all 
 people defire in their own way, is come in God's 
 way J for all nations and all people on the earth 
 defire eternal life ; they would all be happy in the other 
 world, and in order thereunto, they have fitted themfelves 
 with divers ways and methods, in which they have pro- 
 po fed to themfelves the enjoymient of eternal Hfe j but by 
 reafon of the darknefs that is in them, they have erred, in 
 their ways, they have been Scattered, they have been driven 
 and toffed hither and thither, and can never agree about 
 the way that leads to eternal life. 
 
 This comes by reafon of the great darknefs that is over 
 the fons and daughters of men in general, in which they 
 have loft their way, and are endeavouring to find it again : 
 "But the fubtle adverfary led them out of the way, and as 
 long as he leads and they follow, they will never find the 
 right way : The great calamity that is come upon the world 
 in this refped, is very greatly to be lamented j for when 
 the eye of the mind is opened, to behold the univerfal 
 ftate of mankind, and to fee how they are fcattered hi- 
 ther and thither, and often left in confufion, by the craft 
 and delufion of the wicked one, and that none of the 
 ways that they have found, are like to bring them to the 
 propofed end, becaufe they are defiled, becaufe they are 
 unholy '■, this hath bowed down the fpirit of the Lord's 
 fcrvants many times, and a great cry hath arifen in the 
 hearts of thofe that have feen the fruition and enjoyment 
 of life eternal ; O, that the fons of men might hear ! and 
 O that they might confider their ways before thev come 
 to their latter end ! for mark friends, this you may take 
 for a certain dodrine, and a fure rule in judgment, con- 
 cerning all the ways that the fons and daughters of men 
 Walk in 3 if they be unholy ^ they v^ill be jmprofitable ; the 
 
 way 
 
j^o Christ the Way to Eternal Life. 
 
 way of the Lord was, and is, and ever will be the way 
 of holinefs, and the people that walk therein, they were, 
 and are, and they will always be a holy people ; now the 
 fons and daughters of men have not gone to meafare their 
 way by this rule, but the greatefl: endeavours that ever have 
 been in the world, from the beginning (the greatefl: en- 
 deavours that men did undertake) were to fee hov/ near 
 they could approve their dodrine and practice with the 
 fcriptures of truth, and that hath been the bone of con- 
 tention, that they have ftumbled about from one generation 
 to another, one crying my way is right ; and here they 
 have been contending, disputing, and jangling and deba- 
 ting one with another, and could never agree, and could 
 never come to that underfl:anding, which is given by the 
 Holy Spirit, that moved holy men to write the Holy 
 Scriptures of truth ; if they had, it is manifefl: they would 
 have agreed, for this one fpirit mufl; agree with itfelf, 
 and will give judgment according to its own righteous 
 judgment : Men being alienated from the life of God, by 
 evil works, and by the fuggefl:ions of fatan, they have not 
 known the way of peace, and have not come to that 
 which is the dcfire of all nations, as now in the fulnefs 
 of time, the Lord God eternal, who created the Heavens 
 and the Earth, the fea and the fountains of water, he hath 
 looked down and beheld the miferable calamitous fl:ate of 
 the fons and daughters of men, and he hath feen how 
 they have been fcattered and driven to and fro by idle Ihep- 
 herds, and how every one hath indulged himfelt in his 
 own way, though unholy and impure ; and it is becaufe 
 of the darknefs of the night of ignorance that hath been 
 over the people ; and therefore in his infinite love and 
 mercy, he is rifen, and hath brought forth his light and 
 his truth, that the nations mig] t be enlightened, that they 
 might come and fee with a divine eye that the truth is 
 but one, and the way but one, and all that do really defire 
 to be inheritors of eternal Hfe, muft come to walk in that 
 way. So that people are never brought back again out of 
 that way wherein they have been fcattered and driven 
 about, till they come to fee the way they pradife to bring 
 forth iniquity j they fee there is no light to be had in 
 
 them^ 
 
Christ the Way to Eternal Lite* j^i 
 ^em, they fee the anger of God kindled, and the indig- 
 nation of God poured out by reafon of fin and unholinefs. 
 
 Now when they come to be convinced by the light of 
 Chrift Jefus of their diiobedience, then they come to feel 
 and find a principle, a (ecd and root that gives them a law 
 which they fhouid obey, and hear the right law-giver, 
 and have refped unto him : Here is the revelation of 
 Chrift Jefus by his Spirit, and this extends itfelf in its 
 operation and working to the fons of men, to them that 
 are afar off, as well as to thofe that are nigh ; therefore 
 our continual exhortation, from time to time, according 
 as the fpirit hath given us utterance, is not fo much to 
 make profellion of this and the other dodrine of Chrilti- 
 anity, as to perfuade all men every where, that they be- 
 lieve in the light, and hearken to the voice of the light 
 in their own confciences, that they hearken to that which 
 is purely of God in themfelves, as we know, whofoever 
 comes to love the light of Chrift Jefus, wherewith they are 
 enlightened, it would difcover dodrine to them, and make 
 known faith and pradice too ; it will lead them in the way 
 everlafting, it will open their underftanding far above all 
 preaching this and the other doctrine and tenet. 
 
 What fignifies it to ihew colours to the blind, or to 
 fpeak words to the dead ; till men come to have their 
 fenfes opened, that they may difcern things belonging to 
 the fpirit of truth, the carnal man cannot underftand the 
 things of the gospel of Chrift, the carnal man is not fub- 
 jed to the law of God, neither indeed can be ; there muft 
 be fomething done in the foul, to bring it out of its car- 
 nality, and bring it to fomething that is fpiritual, before 
 it is capable of underftanding the things of the fpirit : 
 Therefore when our minds can witnefs what we came hither 
 for, when v/e meet to ferve and worftiip God, we ftiall 
 have a hope to receive fome illumination, fome refreihment, 
 fome comfort, or fome knowledge of things divine ; it is 
 in vain to attend religious dodrines with an irreligious mind. 
 It is my judgment of charity, that every one that comes 
 hither, hath fome expedation of illumination in their un- 
 derftandings, fome gift, or fome inftrudion ; this they may 
 receive from the God of Heaven, by the miniftry of thofe 
 
 whQ 
 
j5'2 Christ the Way to Etehmal Life* 
 
 who muft be the mouth of God, to fpeak to them in hi^ 
 name : When people are thus prepared, and their minds, 
 fixed to hear the truth ; if they do not find it in them- 
 felves, if they come not to a fenfe of the word of Hfe in 
 their own hearts, their hearing cannot give them life. Wc 
 are commending ourfelves to every man's cohfcience j let 
 vour minds be turned inward, fearch and confider, is there 
 a iii^it that enlightens every m.an that comes into the world ? 
 Is tliere a defire of eternal life manifefted in me ? Is there, 
 that in me that puts m.e upon obedience to God, to mend 
 my life and converfation, that I might be recommended 
 to God ? Is there fomething in me that checks me when 
 I fpeak amifs, and do amifs ? I do appeal to the witnefs 
 of God in you ; if that be fo, then beheve me for the 
 word's fake, the teftimony of God in your hearts. 
 
 Let us next confider, whether we had'beft agree on this 
 conclufion, that God hath enlightened us, and whether we 
 had not beft obey that light ; this is the beft way, let us 
 put the Gueftion, and wait for an anfwer from ourfelves. 
 There is much indeed to be faid on the other fide : If 
 I fliould hear and obey that by which I am enlightened, 
 if I fhould hearken to the reproof of my own confcience, 
 'I fhould lofe a great deal of the pleafure and of the com- 
 fort of the world, I Ihould lofe a great deal of the profit 
 which I gain in my trade and calling, and of the delight 
 and pleafure I have with my neighbour. 
 
 This is not to be denied ; I would have things put in 
 the balance ; I grant you will lofe fome pleafure, and un- 
 godly eain, and the friendfhip of the world ', but pray 
 confider, and let us go through the account : If thou 
 obeyeft this light of Chrift Jefus, this is God's way of 
 
 gain the whole world, and lofe thy own foul, what will 
 it profit thee ? Thou fnouldeft confider, why I am en- 
 lightened ; how comes it to pafs that my nature is evil, 
 and I am fallen from my primitive fi:ate, from the know- 
 ledge of God, and from the enjoyment of his prefence, 
 and communion with him ? How comes God to take no- 
 tice 
 
Christ the Way to Eternal Life. j^^ 
 
 tice of me, and to enlighten me and kindle in me a de- 
 lire of returing to him ? why fhould he 'do this for me ? 
 Thou wilt never find a reafon in thvfelf of this extraor- 
 dinary kindnefs, of this fingular mercy of God to thee ; 
 it is becaufe his mercy moved him, and it was his compaf- 
 iion that ftirred him up : He hath fent his Son Jcfus Chrifl: 
 into the world, that men might have light in and through 
 him, and have it abundantly. The mercy of God is a 
 fountain from whence all this fiows to us ; if this prevail 
 not upon thee, no argument will : \C^hat, was it meer mer- 
 cy, meer grace, that God was not willing to fte me pe- 
 ri(h, and run headlong to defl:ru(5lion ? He was loath to 
 execute his wrath upon me, therefore he found out a way 
 by which I might return to him. This made a good man 
 cry out, behold ! what manner of love is this,* wherewith 
 the Father hath loved us ? Here is the grace of God ; 
 here is the good will of God -, here is the way ', a w^jy 
 what way ? A way of qoming to God ', a v/ay of being 
 again reconciled unto God, whom we had provoked by 
 our fins ; a Vv^ay of enjoying eternal life again, after we 
 had loft all pretence to it. 
 
 The next queftion is, who will walk in the v/ay that 
 leads to eternal life ? We would all have eternal life; it 
 is the univerfal confent of all nations ; all would have 
 eternal life ; but the cjueftion is, who will walk in the way 
 that leads to it ? Some of the nations round about, and 
 many in this nation, they will walk in their own way, 
 and yet they would have eternal life ; but their way muft 
 be of the fame nature and quality ,with the life they would 
 have; if the way they walk in be not of the fame nature 
 and quality, it will not lead to it. Let every one exa- 
 mine their way ; let every one examine their progrefs, and 
 their lives and footfteps in this world ; if they fow to the 
 flefh, they fhall of the ^eih reap corruption ; and if they 
 fow to the fpirit, they (hall of the fpirit reap life ever- 
 lafting ; a fuitabie fruit to that life they live, and the way 
 they walk in. If we conclude with reafon ; with pure, 
 found reafon, we muft conclude it is better for us all to 
 walk in the way of holincfs ; and we ihall have mor^ 
 reafon to believe .that we ihall have life eternal, than in 
 
 Y J walking 
 
^^^ Christ the IFay to Eternal Life. 
 
 walkinf^ in an unholv wav, therefore v/e fhould be refolved 
 to walk in the \:'av of holine^'s ; and if people are brought 
 to this, it is an eafy thing to draw them to confefTion : You 
 fay true, it is better to walk in a holy way than an un- 
 holy way j but alas ! we have not power fo to do j we 
 arc feeble, weak, dark and ignorant ; and we have many 
 lufts, temptations and impediments, l}ing in our way, that 
 it is not pofiible for any to walk in that way j we know 
 the way, v/e underftand the way well enough'; you would 
 have us v/alk by the light of Chriil, and the didates of 
 our own confcicncics^ then we fhould never be condemned 
 for any thing wc do^ but we fnould ftand in an opennef^ 
 of accefs to God ; when a man fmneth againft God, fin 
 lies at the door ; but they that fm not, have an accefs 
 to God. Alas, thefe things cannot be done ! What can 
 a poor creature do that wants power ? 
 
 My friends, this excufe muft go no further ; let us try 
 snd confider in the prcfence of God this day, the pow- 
 erful God that is the affifler of his people; let us try how 
 far this will go, I have no power of m.yfelf ; all good men 
 errant it to be true, you have not power to walk in the way 
 of hohnefs : But let us ask another queifion ; doth God 
 require of thee and me to walk in the way of holinefs, 
 and doth he deny power to us to walk in it ? We can- 
 not xx^alk in the way of holinefs, but by the operation of 
 his power working in us, unto the extinguifhing of the 
 life of fm and corruption, that hath hindered us all this 
 \^hile; God knows we cannot do it ourfelves. Chrift tells 
 his difciples, without rn^e ye can do nothing, nothing good, 
 nothing that is right. This being concluded on, all power 
 comes from God ;" the next queftion is, how, and which 
 \i'£LY mufl: we receive power fro mi God greater than our 
 own power ? Which is the way of people's receiving pow- 
 er from God ? You have read how people came to have 
 po^'er ', to as many as bdiev-ed, to them he gave poiver to 
 iecomc the fo?is of God. What fignihes this to them that 
 do not beheve ? If believing be the way to obtain pov/- 
 er, it is nothing to thofe that do not believe; there faith 
 is ncceflary, in the Erft place, for obtaining of this pow- 
 er : This is a great myftery, fuch an odd faying, that the 
 
 world 
 
Christ the Way to Eternal Life. j^^ 
 
 World knows not what to make of it : Believers, we are 
 all believers ; I believe the truth of the principles of the 
 Chriftian religion, and I believe all the articles of the 
 creed : To talk of believing at this time of the dav, we 
 have believed this twenty, or thirty, or forty years, bur 
 the firft aiTt of faith is yet to be done after your fenfe : It 
 is true, with the greateft part of the nation ; the firft acl 
 of faith is not yet begun, for their faith is men's £aith : 
 "Wq are for the faith that was delivered to the faints ; it 
 is the gift of God, it comes from the operation of God ; 
 fo that I may conclude, whofoever remains a ftranger to 
 the operation of God, he is a ftranger to the true faith ; 
 and they who eftrange themfelves from that which God 
 worketh, are ftrangers to the operation of God. There- 
 fore, till people's minds are turned to Chrift, whoizi God 
 hath fent, who is appointed to be for falvation to the 
 ends of the earth ; till men come to reduce the govern- 
 ment both of the foul and body to him, as the captain 
 of their falvation ; till they come to be thus refigned, 
 they cannot come to the true faith. 
 
 Now when God worketh this relignation in us, a man 
 will refled: upon himfelf and fay, alas I have been mmc 
 own keeper too long, I fee I have gone off from God, 
 now I will return to him, and refign up myfelf to the 
 Lord, that he may work in me what he pleafeth to work : 
 "When men come to this refignation of foul, they have 
 £aith given them, they m.uft believe God will. never leave 
 them nor forfake them, but he v/ill magnify his power in 
 their wcaknefs ; I will reft my foul upon him, and caft 
 my care upon him that careth for me ', it is not faith bare- 
 ly in words, and in the articles of the creed, but it is a 
 faith in the Son of God, to whom all power in Heaven 
 and Earth is given ; I may exped a fhare of it, he will 
 give me a Httle, if I come to him for it ; and if I be faith- 
 ful in a little, he will give me more ; the reafon why you 
 want power, is, becaufe you want faith; and the reafon 
 of your want of faith, is, becaufe you want a relignation 
 to the will of God y you v/ill be your own carvers, and 
 your own keepers and guides. When you come to this 
 lefignation to the will of God, God will give you power, 
 
 and 
 
^^6 Christ All m All. 
 
 and then you will find him the God of all grace ; you 
 are what you are by the grace of God, and by his pov/er, 
 and by that power you will obey his will : Here is faith 
 that giveth glory to God, to that God that takes an un- 
 holy pjan and makes him holy y how doth he this ? By 
 his holy fpirit, which is as fire that burneth up that 
 which is corruptible ,* then the man is well (I fpeak ac- 
 cording to the dictates of the fpirit) when he is recon- 
 ciled to God by Chrifl: Jefus, the Mediator between God 
 and man, the Mediator of the new covenant, who maketh 
 our peace. That you may come to the knowledge of the 
 day of the Lord's vifitation, is what our fouls labour and 
 travel for, that you may be in the unity of the fame fpirit 
 after the defire of all nations is come ; he is come to you, 
 that vG^u may all fay within yourfelves, falvation this day 
 is come to our houfeSj and into our hearts., 
 
 S E R M O .N XXXI. 
 Christ All in All. 
 
 Vreached at DEVONSHiRE-HouSEy June lo, 1688, 
 
 f^"l~^HE Lord Jeius Chrift is the light, life and virtue 
 I that can only fatisfy. Chrift is all in all. 
 -^ There is nothing can latisfy the fouls of the up- 
 right, unlefs they feel life and virtue to flow from Chrift 
 Jcius ; and this, whether it flow infcrumentaliy or im- 
 mediately, always comforteth y it always refreiheth the up- 
 light in heart. 
 
 Therefore all they that defire fatisfa6tion to their fouls, 
 that meet together upon that account, they ought to have 
 their eyes turned to the Lord, that they may be capa- 
 ble to underlland the m.inifl:ration of the fpirit, whether 
 in thcmfelves, or through any other. For while they are 
 cxercifed outwardly, and the dependence of their fouls is 
 I'.pon that which is outward, there remains a ic-il upon 
 ::he mind, that they many times hear excellent things ipo- 
 ken of the kingdom of God, but they underftand them 
 
 not. 
 
Christ All in All. ^^y 
 
 not, becaufe they are alienated and eftrangcd in their minds 
 from that of God in themfelves, that fhould give them an 
 underflanding. >J^e never pretend to give people an un- 
 derftanding, we have always faid, that is the work of God. 
 We have fpoken many things of the kingdom of Gcd, ex- 
 cellent things have been revealed to us by his holy fpirit^ 
 and the fame fpirit hath given us utterance, to fpeak of 
 the great things of the law of God ', yet many, that have 
 been conftant hearers of thefe things, remain ignorant, 
 and are infenfible, becaufe they are not exercifed in their 
 own meafure of the grace and light of the Lord Jefus 
 Chrifl, by which they Ihould receive and underftand them. 
 This hath made me often lament the cafe of many 
 of the people of this city and nation, who are daily hear- 
 ers of the word of God preached, and retain it not in 
 their hearts : The fowers are gone out to fow, but ma- 
 ny receive it in the high-way-groimd ; the way that every 
 thing can pafs in, there they receive the word fown, 
 and the devil catcheth it away ; and though they have 
 heard excellent things, of the ftrength, ability and power 
 of God, that he miuiPcreth to his people, they remain fo 
 v/eak and fo feeble, that they are blown away with every 
 blaft of the adverfary, with every temptation, and with every 
 fnare and gin that is laid for them, they are catched, and 
 enfnared, and taken j and fo thefe come to meetings again 
 and again, one year after another : I might fay unto you, 
 wherefore do you come ? It may be you may fay, we 
 defire to be fatisfied ,• we defire fatisfaCtion for our fouls. 
 Do you fo ? Then I tell you, you may come all the days 
 of your life, and want it, and lay down your heads in 
 forrow at iaft for all that. For* all the words in the 
 world will never communicate that heavenly life and vir- 
 tue which brings true fatisfadion to the foul, unto any, 
 except to thofc that have an exercife in their own mind 
 and fpirits, in that which they have of God ', they mufl 
 firft be brought to know the way they fhould walk in, 
 and to believe that is the v/ay : \Vhen people believe this 
 is m.y way, the light within is my way, the grace of God 
 is my way ; that fearches and tries my heart, that is my 
 way I mufl walk in, fpeak in, and think in, and do ail 
 
 that 
 
^^8 Christ All in All, 
 
 that I have to do in ', when I believe this is that way, 
 then this belief obhgeth men to take heed to their ways, 
 to their footfteps. And here they that are thus exercifed, 
 are in a tender care every ftep they take in their way ; 
 and fo perhaps they may receive great benefits by hearing 
 the reports they do daily hear from thofe that were in 
 the way before them, and have travelled further in it, than 
 they ever yet have done. The experiences of the fervants 
 of the Lord, are daily helpful to them, and they are daily 
 comforted, ftrengthened, and confirmed, to hear how they 
 have fped, that have travelled through their condition, and 
 through their prefent ftate ', the helps and advantages they 
 have met with, will do thee good, and comfort thee : But 
 what is this to thofe that are not in the way, that have 
 not faith in the way ? Tho' they have a clear belief of the 
 dodrine and wav itfelf, vet they are not exercifmg them- 
 felves to walk therein j for they do but as the reft of the 
 world, faying, this good man, and the other good man, 
 made a good fermon. Why was it good ? Not for any 
 good they found by it, but becaufe he raifed his dodrine 
 well, and proved it from the fcripture, therefore we are 
 obhged to believe it. 
 
 But now this good doclrine, if it be ever fo good, and 
 ever fo firmly proved, it brings forth no fruit to the amend- 
 ment of life, faving in them that believe, faving in them 
 where there is an exercife in the fear of God, where peo- 
 ple are concerned for their foul's fatisfadion. For they that 
 look for true fatisfadion by this, or that, or the other 
 way of the world, they fpend their days without fatisfac- 
 tion, and fo at lafl they die in forrow ; and fo it will be 
 to the end of this, and all fucceeding generations. 
 
 And therefore, my friends, though I confefs it is not a 
 grief to me, but a joy, to fee people willing to hear the 
 truth, and to come together in great affemblies ; tho I fay, 
 this is not a grief, but a joy, for I am not about to difcou- 
 rage them that do fo : Yet I mnfl be plain with you y 
 I know what I fay, and you will know it too one day, 
 that all this meeting together, and gathering in great af- 
 femblies, and hearing what is preached to you, with ever 
 fo great delight to your minds, it will do you no good, 
 
 unlefs 
 
Christ All m All, j59 
 
 iinlefs you believe in the grace of God, that hath been 
 miniftered to you through Jefus Chrift. 
 
 And when people come to this foundation, and build 
 on it, and grow every day more and more diligent in the 
 exercife of their minds towards God, and examine their 
 way, and examine their footfteps, how they have walked 
 yefterday, how they have walked this day, and how their 
 minds are exercifed at this prefent time, whether they have 
 anfv/ered the grace of God ; v/hen they come to be thus 
 exercifed, they will look upon, themfelves as bound in duty 
 to give account to God every moment, for their thoughts. 
 Words and adtions. When they are thus exercifed, then let 
 them come to meetings in the name of God, and hear 
 the experiences of t-hem that have gone before them, and 
 treafured up fayings in their hearts for their encourage- 
 ment, and they will find this will be a help to thern : 
 But if people go and build a religion upon the fay- 
 ings of this and that man ; nay, were it upon the fayings 
 of Chriil: himfelf and his apoftles, if they were here to preach 
 to them, and build a religion upon their words, and fay- 
 ings, and dodrines, without the operations of the Spirit 
 of God upon their hearts, inclining them to holinefs and 
 righteoufnefs, this religion will do them no good : By this, 
 to make the beft of it, they might make a fhift to reach 
 to a form of godhnefs ; people conforming themfelves out- 
 wardly, to the outNjc'ard precept or command from with- 
 out, it might amount to a form of godlinefs ', yet it might 
 be fuppofed and granted, that the power of God, the pow- 
 er of divine life and virtue, where it comes, it doth fanc- 
 tify and feafon the mind, and bring men into an awful 
 reverence of the living God, their Maker, that they might 
 ftand in awe, and not fin againft him , for here is the 
 life of religion. 
 
 This hath a great difference from the manner of building 
 men in religion, that many have been acquainted withal. 
 They tell us, our fathers before us were built up in thefe 
 forms, and modes, and methods of religion j they received 
 fo many dodrines, ordinances, iacraments and articles ; 
 and when thefe are received, believed and profeffed, there's 
 a faint for you, there's a child of God, and a member of 
 
 the 
 
j.5b Christ All in All* 
 
 the church. How came he to be fo ? He was inftructed 
 in all the principles of the Chriftian religion, and fubjecl 
 to all the ordinances of the church, faith one ; and faith 
 another, he could fpeak excellently concerning the do(5lrine 
 of our religion j therefore he is certainly a child of God, 
 and a member of Chrifl: ', but all this acceptation of the 
 principles of the Chriftian religion, of dodrines, and ordi- 
 nances, and facraments ', all this will not amount to the 
 purifying of the heart, and cleanfing and purging of the 
 confcience ; nay, it would not come to a far lefs matter, 
 to the bridling of the tongue ; but they would be in a 
 paffion upon the leaft provocation, and upon the lead dif- 
 guil and diftaile given them, their tongues would run over 
 into wrath, and into wantonnefs, and prophanenefs ; and 
 upon any occafion and provocation given, their corrupted 
 words would prevail, and lead them into deceit and co- 
 vetous pradiices , and though the fruits and works of the 
 old man remain, yet they will follow the principle of the 
 regenerate, as far as they confift in words. 
 
 if our Lord Jefus Chrift fay, except a man he horn 
 again he cannot enter into the kingdom of God, then this 
 old corrupt birth will preach a fermon upon this text, 
 and profefs it. Hov/ many have taken upon them to preach 
 a fermon, upon fome excellent fayings of Chrift, that 
 never knew what regeneration was ; for the ?iew birth al- 
 ways hath a neiv life ; but they have lived the life of car- 
 nal corrupt fallen man, and yet preach a fermon upon 
 regeneration : Thus the minifter hath done, and the peo- 
 ple have believed him, and have been gathered into llich 
 and fuch a church ; for moft put themfelves into one church 
 or other ; they have been covenanted Chriftians, members 
 of a church ; but they have wanted that which makes a 
 Chriftian, a religious man, viz. the anfiver of a good 
 I'onfcience, 
 
 A true Chriftian, he is bound to be an obedient child 
 unto God, that begat him of his own will, by the word 
 of truth j and fuch a one mav be in expectation of an an- 
 fwer of peace from God, through Jefus Chrift, in whom 
 he hath believed, and by whom he is reconciled to God. 
 If you take away this new birth, and this new nature, 
 
 and 
 
Christ All in All* ^^i 
 
 and an anfwer of peace, from God to the foul, then tell 
 me what the ChrifHan religion is, more than the religion 
 of Heathens and Pagans^ that worfhip flocks and ftones ? 
 All the reft is but talk, and men are never a whit the 
 better for it : One man may excel another in talk and dif- 
 courfe : A debauched man many times hath been able to 
 talk at a great rate, and to fpeak notable things ; and fome 
 have been ready to fay, it is a pity a man of fuch ex- 
 cellent parts fhould lead a wicked life : But alas ! if fuch 
 a one can talk of the powe^' of God ftill, and the devil 
 hath power over him ', or if he fpeak highly of the wif- 
 dom of God, yet he himfelf plays the fool abominably; 
 fo that by fuch a kind of life, and fuch a kind of reli- 
 gion, people never attain to fatisfadrion j after forty, or 
 fifty, or fixty years fpent therein, they muft after all, lay 
 down their heads in forrow, when they have been con- 
 ftant keepers to the church, and fayers of their prayers, 
 and receivers of the facrament, and ftedfaftly believe the 
 articles of the creed, and make profeffion of all the parts of 
 the Chriftian religion ; yet after all, they muft lay down their 
 heads in forrow : "V^hy, what is the matter ? what did they 
 want ? They wanted faith in the power of God, that fhould 
 enable them to overcome their fm, and live in obedience 
 to God ; and they wanted to their outward profeffion, 
 the anfwer of a good conference, and juflificatioft through 
 Chrifi the Mediator* 
 
 They talked of redemption through Jefus Chrift, but 
 were never redeemed from their fins : This is fo evident and 
 plain, that there is no fpeaking to the contrary : If you 
 fee a drunkard, or a fwearer, or an unclean perfon, and 
 if he fhall preach, and make an excellent fermon of the 
 redemption that there is in Chrift, and therein tell you, 
 what great benefits they receive by Chrift, that are true 
 believers ', and that Chrift is a Redeemer, and redeemeth 
 them from the curfe of the law, and from the guilt of 
 fin, and reconcileth them to God; fo that he that was 
 . under the curfe of the law, and an heir of v/rath, is now 
 a child of God : Now if you come to examine this man, 
 and ask him, whether he is redeemed, and delivered from 
 fm, fo that fin hath no more dominion over him, he will 
 
 Z z tell 
 
^07. ' Christ All in All. 
 
 tell you, no : What not redeemed, w^hen thou haft been a be- 
 liever thus long ? Art thou flill under the bondage and cap- 
 tivity of fin ? Then thou art under the government of fome 
 other mafter than Chrift ', fome other mafter hath rule over 
 thee, if thou art not redeemed from thy fwearing, lying, drun- 
 kenne!s,and uncleannefs; if thou art led to thefe things, thou 
 art under the power and government of fome other mafter 
 than Chrift. Now this hath ftartled people, when they 
 have been thinking, that they have been baptized perlbns, 
 and profelling Chriftians, and they have flattered themfelves 
 with a groundlefs confidence, let me die when I will, 
 this night, or to morrow, I lliall be faved by Chrift ', I 
 am an heir of the kingdom of God : Let me tell thee, 
 thou diihonoureft the name of God by thy prefumption. 
 
 When people come to examine matters, and read over the 
 book of their confciences, and fee what fervants they have been 
 to the devil, how the devil hath led them up and down at 
 his will, thofe that w^ere covenanted Chriftians, followers 
 of Chrift ; when the devil hath faid to them, follov/ me, 
 then fayeft thou I will; when the devil faith, follow me 
 to this and the other evil thing, I fee I cannot refift j 
 1 cannot withftand the temptation ', I was overtaken, and 
 lurpriled, and led away by liich an allurement, and en- 
 fnared by it : I pray thee leave off profefting, for thou dif- 
 graceft the Lord Jefus Chrift j he and his difciples did 
 not fo : He was tempted as thou art, and his difciples 
 were tempted as thou art; fo were Chriftians of old time ; 
 and Chriftians that live in the prefent time do meet with 
 many temptations, but they are not at the devil's beck and 
 calL as thou art. 
 
 The apoftle Paul, in one palTage of his life, we ftnd 
 came to be awakened and ftartled : There was a light from 
 Heare'd fhone about him, he heard the voice of Chrift 
 fpeaking to him., Saul, Saul, why perfecuteft thou me ? and 
 he faid, ivho art thou Lord? and the Lord faid, 1 ajn Jesus 
 iv/iom then perfecutejl ; it is hard for thee to kick agawft 
 the pricks ; and he trembling and aftonifhed faid, Lord^ 
 ivhat vjilt thou have me to do ? Acts, ix. 4. He was brought 
 to this pafs after his convincement, but before that he was 
 overcome and led captive; and when he would do good, 
 
 €vil 
 
Christ All in All. ^6j 
 
 evil was prefent with him : To willy faith he, is prefent^ 
 but how to perform I know not ; but he did not call this 
 a happy ftatc. He did not fay then, I am in a good 
 condition, when I am led captive by the devil at his will : 
 The good that I would do, I do not, and 1 am carnal, 
 and fold under Tin : He doth not fay, this is a good con- 
 dition, I am fatisfied with it ; fee what he calls that con- 
 dition ; he gives it a more right name than many do now- 
 a-days, that fay, this is the ftate of God's children '-, that 
 the bed: of all God's children have not power to live with- 
 out lin, and overcome all their corruptions, that they fin 
 in their bed duties, and can do nothing but fm, and that 
 fin mixeth itfelf in all their holy duties and performances : 
 Many of their m^jiiilers tell them, that if they think they 
 can perform any duty without fm, they deceive themfelves, 
 and run the hazard of being accurfed. But they learned not 
 this of Chrift, but of fome other mafter. Paul gave this 
 ftate another name^ I would you were as wife when you 
 are in this ftate and condition. O vor etched tnan that I 
 am^ who fhall deliver me <* I fee a wretchednefs in this con- 
 dition ; .1 fee, if I be not delivered out of it, I muft perifti 
 to all eternity. This is not a ftate to live in ; who can 
 live at eafe in fuch a condition as this ? Who can but 
 cry out, who fliall deliver me from this body of fin and 
 death ? Alas ! we hear no fuch cry now among priefts or 
 people, and feparate congregations : I fear this cry is al- 
 moft loft among us, unlefs it be fome few that hear the 
 voice of God, and feel fuch a ftroke of the divine power 
 as Paul did, and anfwer to the heavenly voice. I confefs 
 that I myfelf have heard fuch a cry, and have been fenfiblc 
 of my woful captivity and bondage, by reafon of fin. 
 And though I had a mind to do good, I could not do it ; 
 it was my defire that I might fin no more, I would not fin 
 againft the Lord, if 1 could avoid it ; and when I would do 
 good, I found that evil was prefent with m.e ; but I was 
 far from fitting down there, and faying, this is the ftate 
 and condition of God's people ; it is as well with me as it 
 was with the apoftle Paul, therefore I will fit down in 
 this ftate: The people of God cannot find fatisfadlion in 
 fuch a ftate as this i though I confefs, that God's peculiar 
 
 people 
 
^<54 Christ All In All. 
 
 people at firft came to this flate, for their convidion ; and 
 the opening of their minds, and enUghtcning their under- 
 ftandings, to fee the evil of their ways ; but they do not 
 come to this ftate, as to their reft, and then perfuaGe them- 
 felves that they are in the condition of the children of 
 God y but they give their ftate a right name, and cry out, 
 
 xure'tched man that I am ! what a miferable condition am 
 
 1 fallen into ! I did not fee it before : Now my eyes are 
 opened, now my underftanding is illuminated, now I fee 
 that the corruption of my nature prevails againft the grace 
 of God ; and when I would join with the grace of God, 
 and the motions of his Holy Spirit, the enemy is prefent 
 to lead me away ; I am not now in a happy ftate, but I am 
 fo far advanced that I am convinced of my miferable and 
 wretched ftate and condition ; if fome way or other benotfound 
 for my deliverance, I lliall never fee the face of God with 
 com.fort. Then arifes that cry, who fliall deliver me ? 
 Thus the apoftle Faul (Ro?n. vii.) fets forth the ftr:t,e of 
 his convincement, and how miferable a condition he was 
 in : Then he goes further, and tells you how it was with 
 him : I t/iank GocL throuQ-Ji JcCus Chrifl our Lord, O ! I 
 have caufe enough to thank God, I am not a wretched man 
 now, I am not carnal, fold under fin ; I am not led cap- 
 tive by the devil at his will now. \^hy how fo ? the 
 apoftle faith,, 'tke lavj of the fplrit of life in Chrifl JefuSy 
 hath fet me free from the law of fin and death. Here is 
 fomcthinf? to elorv, and to comfort the foul in : The lav/ 
 of the Spirit of life triumphed in his foul, and delivered him 
 from the laxi^ of fm and death, and redeemed him from the 
 power of fin, and made him ferve God with freedom and 
 liberty. ' 1 thank God, through Jcfus Chrift our Lcrd : I 
 would have all come to this, to thank God ', not only in 
 words, but in reality, in deed and truth. For one may 
 teach a parrot to talk over thefe words ; but it is the law 
 of the fpirit of life in Chrift Jefus, that will make you free 
 from the law of fin and death. 
 
 Tliis is a hard left on, therefore you muPc go home into 
 vour own consciences, before you can mjake a right judg- 
 ment of things, and give a right anfwer to yourfelves. 
 The law of the fpint of life will fet thee free from the 
 
 law 
 
Christ All in All, ^6^ 
 
 law of thy paffion, and of thy pride and covetoufnefs, 
 and fenfuality, and the law of thy carnal inclinations. Art 
 thou fet free from thefe ? 
 
 Now when people come to examine themfelves, they have 
 no way to flee to, but they muft take up a daily crofs, and 
 truft to the Lord Jefus for their deliverance ', who hath 
 enlightened them, to fee their wretched and woful ftate ; and 
 illuminated their underftandings, that they might come to 
 him, in order to their being deUvered from the dominion 
 of fin. 
 
 The greateft part of the world think this is a thing im- 
 pollible, and therefore do not hope to be fet free from the 
 bondage of their fins. Which of thefe ways is it that thou 
 takeft ? I am afraid many of you have taken the wrong 
 way : I judge no one in particular, but I fpeak this in 
 faithfulnefs and love to your fouls. 
 
 If there be any here, that are fenfible of their fins, and 
 in a captivated ftate under fin and fatan, who have defpair- 
 ed of ever being fet at liberty, and have faid, it is a vain 
 thing to expect it ; for fome learned men have told them, 
 that there is no deUverance from fin in this world, there- 
 fore it is in vain for m.e to ftrive, in vain for me to en- 
 gage myfelf in a continual care and conflict, in a con- 
 tinual warring and watching againft fin ; for this deliver- 
 ance can never be obtained in this life : It is in vain to 
 feek for a thing that can never be found, and to ftrive 
 for that which can never be obtained. If there be any fuch 
 here prefent, I have this to fay to them, that the Lord, in 
 his infinite mercy, hath done two great things for you, to 
 help you out of this defpair, of obtaining a full deliver- 
 ance from the bondage of your fins. 
 
 Firft, God hath placed a witnefs for himfelf in your bo- 
 foms, in your confciences. Let me ask you, have ye not got 
 victory over many fins and temptations, that you have been 
 affaulted with, from your childhood to this day ? I might 
 challenge any perfon in this alTembly, when a temptati- 
 on hath been prefented before you, hath there not been 
 fomething within you, to tell you of the danger of com- 
 plying with it ? Hath not thy confcience warned thee, and 
 called" upon thee, O take heed, do not this evil thing, do 
 
 not 
 
^66 Christ All In All. 
 
 not cheat thy neighbour, do not commit this fin ; whe- 
 ther drunkennefs, or uncleannefs, or v/liatfoever fin thou 
 waft tempted to : Now, didft thou join to that voice in 
 thine own conlcience ? And did it not help thee over the 
 temptation ? And when thou didft efcape the fin, xxaft thou 
 not glad of it ? and diJft thou not rejoice that thou obtainedft 
 vidory over it ? Satan laid a inare, and an opportunity before 
 me, to commit fuch a fin : but I did not join with it, and now 
 I am glad of it. It was not only the devil's fault, for 
 he came to his own, but there was an evil inclination in 
 my heart to it : How came it to pafs thou didft not do 
 it ? i knew it was a fin againft the Lord. How didft 
 thou know that ? I knew in my confcience, that if I did 
 it, I muft fin againft- light, and againft conviction, and 
 againft grace received ; and that was the reafon I did not 
 do it. Thus thou acknowledgeft thine own confcience help- 
 ed thee againft the temptation. 
 
 Now 1 appeal to ail your confciences, that hear mc 
 this day, whether God hath not done this kindnefs for 
 you y and there is none here but hath been fome time helped 
 out of temptation ? I do not believe that ill of any, that 
 they comply with all the temptations they meet with, but 
 the light in their confciences hath fhewn them the evil of 
 fin, and they have been kept out of it, and they have 
 been glad of it afterwards. 
 
 Now this is one great kindnefs, which God hath done for 
 every one of you, in order to help you out of this defpair 
 of being delivered from your fins. 
 
 Defpair in the common notion of it, is that which makes 
 a man doubt of his eternal falvation : I jliall go to hell 
 when I die ; there is no mercy for vie. This defpair hath 
 fo wrought upon people, that many have loft their wits, and 
 common fenfe, and at laft made away with themfelves ; many 
 have been diftracled and undone in this world, while they 
 lived in it, and at laft have difpatchcd themfelves out of 
 it. And there is another defpair; a defpair of getting vic- 
 tory over their corruptions, and obtaining a freedom from 
 fin : This latter defpair, this nation is generally fallen into ; 
 though the eflFecls of the other defpair is lamentable to be- 
 hold, the effeds of this will be as bad one day, it not 
 
 prevented 
 
Christ All in All. ^(y/ 
 
 prevented by redifying that miftake men lie under. 'S^'hy 
 fhouldeft thou defpair of the power of God to help thee, and of 
 the grace of God, and of the good will of God for thy de- 
 liverance? if thou wilt not join with the grace of God, 
 and the power of God that is ready to help thee, and give 
 deliverance from thy fins, the confequence will be dreadful 
 at the laft. Therefore believe in that grace of God, which 
 hath helped thee againft fome temptations, and given thee 
 vidory over fome fins, that it will, if thou faithfully join 
 with it, give thee victory over all. 
 
 Secondly, Confider God hath done another kindnefs for 
 thee, he hath fent his light and truth into thy heart, to en- 
 gage thee in a war againft fin : There are a great many 
 faithful foldiers of Chrift, that have fought this battle be- 
 fore you, and have obtained the viclof-y, and they will tell 
 you, they never went out to war in their own names, but 
 in the name of the Lord JEHOVAH: When they relied 
 upon him, and in meeknefs and fear waited upon him, he 
 gave them power to overcome ,* and they were made con- 
 querors, and more than conquerors ; for they have overcome 
 thofe enemies, that fometimes overcame them ; and Chrift 
 hath fixed and fettled them in this conqueft, never to be over- 
 come more. Here is both an outward and an inward evi- 
 dence : The outward evidence will do you no good, till 
 you come to lay hold of the inward evidence in your own 
 hearts ; then the outward evidence that God fends, will 
 be ferviceable to you. 
 
 Therefore, my friends, I tell you (as I faid before) no- 
 thing will fatisfy the foul, but the virtue and life that flows 
 into it from the fountain of life ; here is the way to it. 
 If you fhould hear of a treafury, and ftore of bread laid 
 up for all that are willing to come to it ; if you knew not 
 the way to come to it, and were ready to perifh with 
 hunger, what a cry would there be among you ! If a man 
 fhould come and tell you where there is fuch a treafury 
 of hread^ when you are ready to perifh with hunger, and 
 tell you the way to it is intricate and narrow, but that 
 he himfelf hath been there, and that he can tell you the 
 ready way to it, and that he himfelf had relief and fup- 
 ply, and great plenty beftowed upon him, and that he 
 
 would 
 
^68 Christ All in All. 
 
 would bring you thither, O how v/elcome would fuch a 
 one be to you ! O that you were as wife in fpiritual things, 
 and as much concerned for your fouls, as you are for your 
 bodies, and would take the advice of Gods minifters ! They 
 would turn you to the light within ; the grace of God in 
 your own hearts, which you are partakers of j and fpeak- 
 ing to you in the name of God, defire you to follow the 
 duties of your own confciences, and you will come quickly 
 where there is bread enough. By that light withvn, you 
 will fee your ftate is not fo goocl as you imagined it was. 
 This orach within, is that which you muft live with, and 
 d\v/ell with ; you m.uft go home with it, and lie down with it, 
 and you muft rife with it, and follow the dictates of it ; 
 if you do fo, before the week be out, you will have ex- 
 perience to tell me, if I fhould come and ask you, I have 
 gvOt more vi(5lory over my fins, by following the dictates 
 of the light of the grace of God within my own bo(om, 
 than by all my reading, hearing and praying, and per- 
 forming other duties. 
 
 Make a trial of this, and you will find the prefence of 
 God with you, and that he is a God at hand, and not afar 
 off y and if you buckle on your fpiritual arm.our, the cap- 
 tain of your falvation will not be far off, but be prefent 
 before you. 
 
 Therefore keep your eve unto Jefus, the author and fi- 
 nilher of your faith, and you will be able to do all th'mgs 
 through Chrift that ftreiigthens you ; and you will be able to 
 conquer thofe fms and temptations that have conquered 
 you. 
 
 May the law of the fpirit of life in Chrift Jefus, break 
 down the body. of fm and death, and bring you into the 
 glorious liberty which God hath prepared for his chil- 
 dren. 
 
 SERMON 
 
SERMON XXXII. 
 
 Christians ^zow/a' often think on the Name 
 , of the LORD. 
 
 Preached at Devonshire-House, July ly, i%2. 
 
 THE, people of God in former ages, did often think 
 upon the name of the Lord : I v/ould it might be 
 the daily practice of all that make profefilon to be 
 the people of God in oi:r days, to think often upon the name 
 of the Lord. This you know is an inward exercife, in- 
 vifible and known to none but God ', he only knows 
 when you are met together, whether you are thinking up- 
 on his name, whether the exercife of your minds is up- 
 on his power, or upon whatfoever elfe your minds are en- 
 gaged. They whofe exercife c^nd defire is, to feel God's 
 power, and to be acquainted with his name, the Lord is 
 nigh to them, to reveal his mighty power, and his name 
 to them, and they are a people that partake of his goodnefs 
 and of his virtue, and have an experimental knowledge of 
 the divers adminiftrations of both his judgments and mer- 
 cies to their own fouls, and fo they can proceed from 
 thinking to fpeaking of the f^roodnefs of God from the ex- 
 perience that they have in themfelves, that the Lord is good 
 to them. 
 
 For all that fome do in their m.anner of fpeaking of 
 God and his goodnefs, and crying up the name of the 
 Lord, it is all worth nothing, it is buc noife : But every 
 one that partakes in his ov/n foul of fomething of the 
 divine virtue and goodnefs that ilows from God invifibly 
 to hi.m through Jefus Chrift, he hath alfurance in himfelf 
 that he fpeaks the truth : It is not meer wprds, made ready 
 to his hand, but it is his o^n knowledge and experience 
 of that which God hath wrought in him by his own Spirit ; 
 there are none that think upon the name of the Lord, and 
 his power, and the working of it, but they are able to 
 fpeak of it effedualiy and truly. 
 
 3 a' I 
 
S/0 Christians^ JJiouId often think 
 
 I know it hath been, and is the pra(flice among many, 
 that they are able to fpeak of God's gopdnefs from what 
 ^hey find in the writings and fayings of fome that Jived 
 before them, that did bear an honourable teftimony of God's 
 goodnefs in their religion ; and th'ey learn to fay it over 
 again in their particular age : But u-hat hath this tale that 
 they have told, wrought ? This report they have m.ade, ' 
 how God was with' the Chridians of old, the primitive 
 Chriftians and martyrs ,' they have told a tale of thefe things, 
 and what hath it effeded ? It hath either brought forth 
 Chriftians, or it hath not. 
 
 The way for people to be grounded and fettled in 
 divine knowledge, is for every one to fpeak what they 
 know : And if they know nothing of thele things, to 
 fay nothing of them. And the way for them to come 
 to receive divine knowledge, is, by thinking, by meditat- 
 ing, by confidering of that converfe that God hath with 
 tlieir own fouls ; for there is a way provided for all men 
 to converfe with God that made them : Every man and 
 woman may ask queftions of him, and may have anfwers 
 from him, if they have patience enough to wait for them ; 
 every foul here prefent, that with ferioufnefs of mind fhall 
 ask of God what their ftate and condition is, if they 
 were to die prefently, God will tell them, he will an- 
 iwer them ; he will fhine unto them by the light of his 
 Son Jefus Chrifl, and let them know whether they are in 
 the gall of bittcrnefsy and in the bonds of their iniquity ftill, 
 or whether they are redeemed out of it, and brought into 
 covenant with himfelf : But will you believe his anfwer ? 
 I would have no man go about to ask fuch a queftion 
 of God unlefs he hath a mind to believe the anfwer that 
 God giveth him. • To what purpofe fhould men ask, if 
 they ask amifs ? If they ask without faith, they do not 
 believe except the anfwer pleafe them. 
 
 Many, in our days, have put up their petitions and pray- 
 ers to God, that he would difcover to them the ftate and 
 condition of their fouls : The Lord hath anfwered them, 
 and notv/ithftanding all the profefiion that they have made 
 of his name, and of their faith in his Son Jefus Chrift, 
 and of the work of redemption, yet he hath often declared 
 
 thou 
 
on the Name of the LORD, , j^i 
 
 thou art ftill unredeemed, thou art ftill in thy fin, and 
 lufts, and concupifcence prevail over thee j thou art flill in 
 bondage. This is God's anfwer to many ; but there is 
 fomething arifeth in their minds, that they are not wil- 
 ling to believe this ; I would think better of myfelf than 
 this : What if thou doft think better of thyfelf ? Thou 
 art never the better, for the word of the Lord ftands fure. 
 There is no removing of it ; there is no denial of the 
 truth. If this truth condemn thee, all the world cannot 
 juftify thee ; and this truth by which God condem^ns the 
 iinner is in the Tinner's own heart : \^hat will he do with 
 it ? It is in the finner's confcience ; it doth not only con- 
 demn him by book, out of this chapter and that verfe, 
 out of this author and the other author, but he is con- 
 demned by God's true and faithful witnefs, in his ow;i 
 confcience. Thou wilt not believe it ; but if thou be- 
 lieved not this, then thou remained in thy unbelief of the 
 truth j and nothing clfe but believing it can fave thee ; 
 no counfei elfe can deliver or redeem thee. 
 
 So that the bed advice and counfei that I can give a 
 people in this cafe, is this ; that when they xome to fuch 
 a reUgious meeting as this is, they would come with a mind 
 prepared and fitted to think upon the Lord ; to think up- 
 on his name, and the way by which he brings people to 
 himfelf ; for no man can be called a child of God, that 
 doth not partake of his nature. If a man be ever fo wife, 
 and rich, and great in the world ; if he be a prince or an 
 emperor, without this he is 2i child of vjrath. Now if thefe 
 children of wrath meet with fomething that convinceth them ; 
 if they are touched and become a fenfible people, then 
 crowns and diadems are nothing to them. Such a one will 
 fay, if I be a child of vorath^ a captive to fin and my own 
 lufts and concupifcence, yet for all that I will go to a 
 religious meeting, where I hope the word of God will be 
 preached ; I hope to meet with fomething there that will 
 do me good ; and I have a defire that I may be tranf- 
 lated out of a natural ftate, from being a child of ivrath^ 
 to be brought i7tto the kingdom of God, If I have this de- 
 fire in me, God that made me, wrought it in me j for by 
 nature we cannot fo much as think a good thought, When 
 
 men 
 
^^2 Christians /Iiadd often thwk 
 
 men think of being better, and of amending their ways, 
 and doing their ioujs good, thefe are very good thoughts 
 in themfelves. "^hen fuch thoughts are begotten in' any 
 men's hearts, I would have them to afcribe them to the 
 grace of God, and nothing cile. Preachers may do much 
 where thefe dcfires are begotten ', but it is not in their 
 po\y cr to beget thefe defires. 
 
 Many have come to a meeting with loofe, p^'ophane and 
 wandering minds ; and though many good things have been 
 fpoken to them, it hath not reached fo far as to beget 
 good defires, their hearts have been fo ahenated from- the 
 grace of God in themfelves, which is the great fuperior 
 worker, to which we are but fervants and minillers ; there 
 is none can beget any thing, but he in whom all power 
 is. They that are under the power of darknefs, the de- 
 vil beeets in them wantonnefs and vanity, prophanenefs 
 and hardnefs of heart. Some go away from a meeting 
 without being touched and perfuaded, and they have dq 
 good hope of being better : But where people are really 
 touched in their fpirits, with a deiire after fomething that 
 will do them good, they muft come to the fountain of good, 
 the God tliat made them, and they muft think upon him j if 
 they cannot fee his glory ^ a??d hear his voice, yet they can 
 think upon him. This is the leaft duty of a Chriftian, 
 to think npofi the nnrne of the Lord, when their minds 
 are exercifed about divine matters, about the flate and conr- 
 dition of their poor iouls. If I die this night, what will 
 become of me. ? This and that fm I have committed ; how 
 ihall I be able to anfx^^er to God for one of a thoufand 
 of all m,y loofe thoughts, words and aclions ? Tbey that 
 come to a confideration of this, aaid a due fenfe of their 
 frate and condition, though it is fuch a Irate that they do 
 not like ', though it is not fuch as it ought to be, yet 
 notwithftanding it may be better ; they may be brought 
 out of it into a better condition. 
 
 Now this is the duty of all, to wait upon God, the foun- 
 tain of all eood, that thev mav receive fomethine from 
 Gc?d, for £-jcry good and perfcB gift comes from above, 
 from tJie Father of li^'hts, the Father of thy light aiid my 
 light, that light comes to iis from the Father of lights : If 
 
 "we 
 
on the Name of the LORD, . ^y^ 
 
 we have any perfed gift beftowed upon us, it is beftowed 
 by God j therefore you will grant that we are all obii«:ed, 
 from the greateft to the leaft, to wait upon him, if v/e 
 have the leaft expedation from God, by meeting, otherwife 
 we had better keep away. 
 
 But I am apt to judge that the moft here are come with 
 fome defire, that if it pleafe God they may receive benefit 
 by their meeting : • Where Ihali they have it t They fay, if 
 fuch a man prcacheth, then I can edify much by him : This 
 is a great miftake ', for, let who will preach, there is nobody 
 can receive any benefii:, but it muft be from the Lord, as 
 the fountain of good ; for the bed preachers in the world 
 are but inftruments in the hands of God j if God doth 
 not blefs his labours, the preacher can do nothing to the 
 fouls of people ; he can found the truth in their ears out- 
 wardly, but he can reach no further, God. only fpeaks to 
 the heart. If thou mind the preacher a«d not God that 
 made thee, all his preaching will do thee no good y it may 
 indeed help thee to s. notion or fpeculation, but that comes 
 not to the infide,, that will be no better, the iniide wants 
 mending. 
 
 There are great deformities, fears, fpots, fcaiiis, ^x/oun4s 
 and l^mcnefs upon the fouls of men, by reafon of their 
 fins, lulls and corruptions j and there wants a remedy, and 
 there is no .phyfician of value but God that made us after 
 his own image. The devil hath brought in deformity, 
 he hath made one proud, another cruel, another wanton, 
 .another an oppreflor, another malicious | this is all the 
 devil's work : And for this end Chrifl Jefus came into the 
 ivorldy that he might deflroy the ivarks of the deviL He 
 came to deftroy pride, malice and luft ,* there are the iievil's 
 works, that Chrift came to deftroy : Why doth he not do 
 it ? He will deftroy all th-e devil hath wrought in cverv 
 man that will be fubjed to him: Can a chirurgeon fet a 
 bone, if the patient be not fubjetl: to liis hand i 
 
 But -this is far beyond all comparifanj Chrift hath re- 
 cei'ued all poiver in Heaiepi and Karth, yet he always looks 
 for a willing people j he fends the day of his power up- 
 on a people, and he workethupon their hearts by an invin- 
 cible power j he makes them wilUng to be helped, and 
 : . • mended, 
 
j^4 Christians fliould often think 
 
 mended, and healed, and cured, and then he cures them. 
 I dare fay, there is not one here that is willing to be re- 
 formed, and to fubmit to Chriiu to be faved and redeemed 
 by him, but he will do it ; he that is ivilling and_obedtenty 
 (liall eat of the good of the land, and ihall know the good 
 of redemption. See whether it be come to a ftate of re- 
 demption ; here is univerfal grace offered j for the light 
 of Chrtfl Jefus enlighteneth every cfie of 'you ', it fhews you 
 your loft ftate and condition : "^^^hen we fee our condition 
 bad, that it is not as it ought to be, who would not have 
 it better ? 
 
 \Fhat means prayer, that Chriftian duty ? What fhall we 
 pray for? Muft not people be fenfible in themfelves what 
 they iliould pray for, before they come to pray ? And what 
 is it that will make them fenfible but the light and grace 
 of God ? They fee their own wants when God worketh 
 faith in their hearts, and they believe that God can fupply 
 thofe wants. Why fhould I go to a beggar, to pray him 
 to give me an hundred pounds ? I bjlieve he cannot do it, 
 therefore I will not pray to him for it : Now necefilty brings 
 people to prayer, but there muft be faith in him to whom 
 we pray, that he is able to fupply our wants, and relieve 
 our neceffities. Upon this account the apoftle fai<:h, he^ 
 that Cometh to God muft believe that he is, and that he is 
 a rewarder of them that diligently feek him. .He muft firft 
 know that there is a God to come unto, and then that he 
 is a rewarder. 
 
 Here is the foundation of all true religion and true wor- 
 fhipj they that goto God and fay their prayers, and join 
 with others in faying their prayers, if they have no fenfe 
 of God, they had as good hold their tongues, for their pray- 
 ing is to no purpofe : They that pretend to believe in God, 
 without an experimental power of God working upon their 
 hearts, their belief is not worth a ftraw ; without their re- 
 fped to the power of God, all their belief is nothing ; but 
 if they know that God hath fuch an operation upon them, 
 that no man or woman in the world can difcover that to 
 them, that God difcovereth, then they knov/ that God 
 is the fearcher of hearts and the trier of the reins^ Jere- 
 
 Suppofe 
 
on the Name of the LORD. j^^ 
 
 Suppofe I know that there is a God, and at the fame 
 time I believe that he will never hear me ; that I am a re- 
 probate creature, and that he kith caft me off forever, and 
 that he hath fealcd condemnation upon me, to all eternity. 
 "V^hat reafon hath fuch a one to pray ? This is a defperate 
 condition. But while we believe there is a God, and that 
 he is a rewarder of them that diligently feek him, it is not 
 in vain to prayj yet there is fomething antecedent too to 
 prayer ; there is knowledge, and faith by reafon of that know- 
 ledge, that God is a rev/arder: He that hath this, let him 
 pray in God's name. But what muft he pray for ? He 
 muft not ojfer the facrlfice of fools ; he muft have regard to 
 his lips ; if it be mental prayer, he muft pray for that he 
 ftands in need.of j it is for fomething he prays, that God 
 hath revealed by his Holy Spirit , this he ftands in need 
 of; it is fomething that he needs ; it is power to over- 
 come cd^Kiption, and power to overcome temptation, 
 that he ftands in need of; he ftands in need of a Mediator 
 to procure for him the pardon of his fins : Thefe things he 
 ftands in need of, then let him pray ; he that is affiicied^ 
 let htm pray. 
 
 So that if a man or woman go to prayer, they muft 
 pray to God, in the belief of his goodnefs and mercy, 
 that he will beftow fome blefling upon them, that may 
 be for the better, that may be for their good. When 
 they come to a meeting, to worihip God, and hear the 
 word fpoken outwardly, they muft pray for fomething 
 that may be for their good ; Lord give me fomething that 
 may fupport my foul, and fomething that may enable me 
 to withftand temptation. People (hould have their minds thus 
 exercifed, and they ftiould think upon the name of the Lord 
 according to their particular neceffity ; they fhould pour 
 out their fupplication to the Lord : This is fuch woriliip 
 as God looks for, and fuch as he is pleafed with ; -he 
 ^'ill deliver thofe that thus pray to him out of temptati- 
 ons, fo that they fhall not prevail over them : One man's 
 temptation is of one fort, and another's of another fort , 
 but they are all dehvered by the grace of God, and help- 
 ed over them, upon their prayer to God ', for- they find 
 by experience that he is a God hearing sprayers. 
 
 Now 
 
^yG Christians Jliould often think 
 
 Now, wh'en we have prayed, what is the next work ? 
 It is to wait for an anfwer of our prayer. I prayed the 
 other day to God for power to withftand fuch a tempta- 
 tion ; when that temptation comes again I do exped that 
 God w.ll anfwer m.y prayer. Doft thou fo ? Then I pray 
 thee have an eye to the fame grace of God that convinc- 
 ed thee, and lliewed thee the temptation j and have thy 
 fciith exerciled upon that grace of God, and thou wilt find 
 it fufficient for thee, I will v/arrant thee : Let the devil 
 come with a temptation ever fo fuitable and fubtil, keep 
 thine eye upon the grace of God, and it will dehver thee. 
 This was the cafe of Paul ; when a mejjhiger of fatatt was 
 fent to baifet hhu^ he befoitght the Lord thrice : The temp- 
 tation did attend him, and God gave him an anfwer of 
 his prayer ; 'iriy grace is fufficiejit for thee. As if he had 
 faid, let the devil come with ever fo much power he fhail 
 never overcom.e thee. 
 
 I fpeak to thofe that are well skilled in this kind of work, 
 and have met with fliarp tem.ptations, and fometimes per- 
 haps they have been overcome by them, and at other times 
 they have withftood them : "^^hat is the difiPerence '■, why, 
 one while they are loofe and carelefs, and did not pray for 
 the affiftance of divine grace ; another while they kept 
 ciofe to it, and were delivered. 
 
 Therefore when vou come to meeting, with a deflre to 
 receive benefit from God, with your expedations God- 
 ward, to receive comfort from the hands of the Lord, 
 let your eye be upon him, and the working of his grace in 
 your own hearts, and hearken to that voice that is within 
 you, and it will be more efFedual than mine. If you 
 find the work of grace in you to be the fame thing that I 
 fpeak of, then believe iTie for the truth's-fake ; believe me 
 bccaufe you find the fame work and teftimony within your- 
 felves. And I am perfuaded there is no one here, but 
 fometime or other have withftood that temptation whicia 
 they have met withal. Fray tell me how they did it ? 
 V7hy, the temptation came unto me, and it picafed God 
 to Ihew m.e the evil of it, that it was a bad thing if I 
 yielded to it. How didd: thou refid; it? had not the devil 
 a coercive power over thee, to force thee to it, whether 
 
 thou 
 
on the Name of the LORI>. j>7 
 
 thou wouldeft or not ? That God that (hewed me the evil- 
 of it, delivered me from the evil ; I was not judged and 
 condemned in myfelf, becaufe I found myfelf delivered 
 from it ; there are none of you, if you would not be lazy 
 and idle, but you might be delivered every day, and have 
 experience in your own fouls, that when the devil comes 
 and tempts, the Lord is at hand to deliver you by his 
 grace and power. 
 
 So that the only way for people to be preferved from 
 fin and iniquity, is to have a reverent refped to that grace 
 of God which they have already received. I would have 
 that vain conceit, that hath long reigned in the v/orld, taken 
 out of your head. W^hen you fee a wicked husband, wife, 
 or child, you fay, if they had grace they would be bet- 
 ter ', I fay they have fome degree of grace already ; God 
 hath fent forth his grace and truth, to teack men to deny 
 ungodliness^ fo that I would not pray that God would 
 give my husband, wife, or child, or friend grace, but that 
 he would break their hard hearts, that they may fubmiit ta 
 the grace of God that is already bcftowed upon them. I be- 
 lieve there is not a perfon here that is utterly void of ali 
 grace ; but they walk not according to it, they trample 
 upon it : For every one being endued with a meaiure of 
 grace, through Chrift, our duty therefore is to have a re- 
 verential regard to the grace of God, that we have received. 
 
 What grace have I received from God, may fome fay ? 
 I have received fo mxuch grace from God (thou mayeft 
 truly fay) that I can tell when the devil brings a tempta- 
 tion to me 'y when he tempts me to uncleannefs, theft, 
 wrath, malice, or to deceive my neighbour, I have fo much 
 grace that I can tell I am tempted in fuch a refpect; the 
 grace of God {hews me this is a temptation of the devil : 
 But the queftion is, whether I am fubjed to the grace of 
 God, and love his grace better than the profit or pleafure 
 of a temptation ? It comes as a bait, but the devil cannot 
 miake me do that which he tempts me to ; it is not in the 
 power of all the devils in hell, or of his fcrvants on earth, 
 to make me do this evil thing ; The light of my o-wn con- 
 fcience fhev/s it to be a temptation. Nov/ I am free and 
 at my choice, whether I will love the profit and pleafure 
 
 3 B ,^ that 
 
S73 Christians fhotdd often think 
 
 aiat comes with the temptation more than the grace of 
 God : I believe there is no one that hath been tried by a 
 temptation, but they can fay To : I leave it to him that 
 fearclies and tries all your hearts^ a7id knows your thoughts, 
 to judge whether you joined with the temptation, that 
 you might have the profit and pleafure of it, or joined with 
 liis grace, that thereby you mjght have refift<;d the temptation|: 
 You that have done the one and the other, tell me which 
 is the bed bargain ; when vou have joined with the 
 temptation, that yo'u might have the profit and pleafure 
 that cam.e along with it ; or when you joined with the 
 grace of God^ that Ibewed you die evil and danger of 
 ihe temptation. The fame God fpeaks to you that fpake 
 to Cai'f?., if thou doeft v:ell, /halt not thou be accepted ? and 
 if thou deft not ivell^ fin lies at the door. If thou haft yield- 
 ed to a temptation^ fin lies at the door^ there is a breach 
 made between God and thy foul. 
 
 The fame man at another time, having fmarted fo deeply 
 for it, being judged by his own confcience, when he meets 
 the temptation again, he faith, let the profit or pleafure 
 ^o where it will, if I yield to this temptation I cannot 
 go to God but as a criminal to a judge j let the profit or 
 pleafure be what it will, I will not join with this temp- 
 tation. Can the devil force thee to comply with this 
 temptation ? No, if thou be true to the grace of God in 
 thy own heart, it will make thee able to refift the (Irongeft 
 dcvii in hell. Chrift hath purchafed for the fons and daugh- 
 ters of men a power to withftand the deviTs power, and 
 ail his devices and temptations, and you (hail obtain vic- 
 tory, and have dominion over them. If you have a mind 
 to grow in this dominion, when the devil comes to tempt 
 vou, rcfift him, and you Ihall, through the power of Chrift, 
 be enabled to overcome. 
 
 If fatan tell thee of the profits and pleafures of this 
 world, remember that the world paffeth aivay, and the Uift 
 of it, but peace with God endures forever: By the grace 
 of God you will be able to overcome the devil and all his 
 angels. This power is given to all that believe and obey 
 the gofpel : If vou would have benefit by it, you muft be 
 exercifed in refifting of temptation, and have regard to the 
 
 grace 
 
m the Name of the LORD. ^X9 
 
 g^rac^ of God, and the workings of it in your o^^n hearts ; 
 and then you \x^iil be able to fay, when a temptation comes, 
 promifing profit and pleafure, hoiv can I do this great 
 wickedn^fsy and Jin againjl God ? Turn your eye to God's 
 favour^ ivJuch is better than life^ and you will he more 
 tlian conquerors ; you will fay the fear of God feized 
 upon my foul, and the grace of God came to my affiftance, 
 and was as a bulwark againft temptation. Here praifes will 
 go up to Godj here will be occafion for thee to fpeak 
 good of his name. Remember what David faid ', my fculy 
 fraife the Lord, that hath delivered me from the horrible pit. 
 Thus David and the faints of old praifed God in their 
 day, and why fhould not we? They breathed forth living 
 praifes and thankfgivings for the deliverances wrought for 
 them y and (hall not we do it ? 
 
 Now this cannot be done without thinking upon his 
 name, the name of that God that made us : Here I live 
 in the world, I live and breathe ftill, I have health, and 
 ftrength, and an eftate, how came I by all this ? Did I 
 make myfelf ? No, there is a God that gave me life, 
 a."d breath, and being ; he holds forth the hand of mer- 
 cy to gather me to himfelf, and to redeem ?ne from all in- 
 iquity, that I might ferve him -without fear, in holinefs and 
 righteoufnefsy all the days of my life : If I believe this, 
 I fhall rejoice in him, and love and praife him, and dai- 
 ly wait upon him for the accomplifhment of his work. 
 He defireth not the death of ftnners : If you believe the 
 Almighty, it is impojftble for him to lie, all things are 
 pojfible to him except that ; he faith, he would not the deatk 
 of him that dies : What would he have then ? He would 
 have you mm and live : What means doth he ufe ? What I 
 would have done I would ufe means to accomplifh it. You 
 would fay, what means hath he not ufed ? What is it that 
 God doth more wiih for than that men would repent, return 
 and live, and be happy forever ? He hath created them, 
 and given them life and breath, and continued his grace 
 to them, that they might have time to prepare for eter- 
 nity ; and he hath given his good fpirit to inftrud them, 
 but they have rebelled againfi h'wi. He hath fent forth 
 his word, the gofpel of iaivation, which hath been preach- 
 ed 
 
S^o Christians fnouU oftm think 
 
 ed to them ', and he hath vjaited to be graciouSy a?id ex-er-^ 
 ctfed much patience and long-fujfering towards them j fo 
 that I may fay, what means hath he omitted ? He hath 
 planted them as a vineyard, in a very fruitful hill ; and 
 he hath fenced it, and gathered out the Jlones thereof, and 
 planted it voith the chotceft vine, and built a tower in thf 
 midjl of it, and made a wine-prefs therein, and he looked 
 that it piould bring forth grapes, and it brought wild grapes. 
 Judge, I pray you faith the Lord, betiveen me and my vine- 
 yard : What could have been done more to my vineyard^ 
 that I have not done in it ? 
 
 But notwithftanding all your unfiTntfuhiefs, the day of 
 your vifitation is continued, the Lord is wilUng to Ihew 
 mercy to your fouls. This is all the Lord your God re- 
 quires of you, that you would think upon his name, be- 
 lieve in him and truft in him, and wait upon him for 
 the operations of his^ grace in the ufe of his ordinances, 
 and your attendance upon them, and hearkening to his voice, 
 and obeying it, and fo to hear that your fouls may live. 
 
 I will affirm, that there is none of yoii here pr-efent, 
 whether you be Quakers or no, but you may meet >^,ich 
 the divine operations of the power of God in your own 
 hearts, if you will regard it, and when you meet with thefe 
 operations and regard them not, I cannot help it ; if you will 
 refill: the good things of the Spirit of God, I cannot hclp.it ; 
 if you will be of that mind, always to refifl the Holy Ghojl ; if 
 as your fathers dtd fo do ye, then you muft all periih, 
 both you and your fathers j there is no efcaping but by be- 
 ing fubject to Chrift Jefus, and his quickening Spirit; if 
 there be any divine operations that you meet with in your 
 o\v/n hearts, let me perfuade you to fubmit and have re- 
 gard to them ; for I know the devil is near at hand rand 
 ^yhcn people meet with divine operations in their fouls, that 
 humble them and bring down their pride, and convince 
 them of the danger of their condition, he lies in the way 
 and fuggefcs fome poifonous thing that takes off the edge 
 of thefe operations, that they may difiike them : It is true, 
 they meet with the convidions of lin ; but they reckon 
 they have that fiith and belief in Chrift, that doth in the 
 fight cf God obUterate all their fins that can be laid to 
 
 their 
 
pn the Name x>f th LORD. ^8t 
 
 their charge, both paft and to come. If I would look, 
 fay they, to the divine operation, or any thing wrought 
 *in me, it were enough to make me mad ; I look wholly to 
 the merits of Chrift ; my mind is wholly fixed upon him who 
 is the author of eternal falvation ; his meritorious fufFerings 
 and obedience can obliterate and blot out all mv fins. 
 
 My friends, I tell you, many a poor foul hath Iplit uport 
 this rock by undervaluing the divine operations of the Spirit 
 upon their hearts ; they make a falfe and wrong applica- 
 tion of the merits of Chrift, which indeed are fo great that 
 nobody can overvalue them ; but we muft not make a 
 falfe application of them, for this purpofe ivas the Son of 
 God majiifefiedy that he might deflroy the works of tks 
 devil ; h^ takes away the .guilt of fin, not that you might 
 live in it flill : Whofoever believerh in Chrifl, fhall have 
 power over their fms and not be under the dominion and 
 power of fin ', fin faall not have dominion over you ; for 
 you are not under the law, but under grace. But God be 
 thanked, you were the fervants of Jin ; tho* you have obeyed 
 frotn the hearty the form of doctrine vohich was delivered 
 you : Being then made free from fin, ye became the fervants 
 of righteoufnefs, Rom. vi, 14, 18. 
 
 But thou wilt fay, I am guilty of a great deal of fin already, 
 what fhall become of me for the guilt I have contraded ? 
 
 If we confefs and forfake our fins, he is faithful and 
 )uji to forgive us our fins, and to cleanfe us from all un- 
 righteoufnefs ; and the blood of Jefus Chrift his Son clean- 
 feth us from all fit n ; i John, ix, 9. Here is a true appli- 
 cation of Chrift, his merits and righteoufnefs j when there 
 is a confefTing of fm to God, and a forfaking of it, here 
 is an offering and a facriiice made to God by our Lord 
 Jefus Chrift for the expiation of fin ; he hath by his pre- 
 cious blood purchafed the pardon of all my fins, that he 
 might prefent me to God without fpot or ble7nifh ; here is 
 a true application of the righteoufnefs of Chrift ', but how 
 can I apply it to myfelf while I live in fin ? 
 
 Here God's witnefs in the confcience of a finner pleads 
 againft the finner j when he endeavours to believe that his guilt 
 is taken away, and all his fins, paft, prefent and to come, 
 are pardoned, while he continues to live in fin, and fin 
 hath vet dominion over him. Take 
 
^82 Christians fiould often think, Sec, 
 
 Take heed you fplit not upon this rock ; it you be 
 humble Chriftians, you will t/ilnk upbn the name of the 
 Lord; and when ye find the operation of God's power 
 begetting good defires in you to hate fin and love righ- 
 teoufnefs, you will then believe ; you will then pray to 
 the God of all grace ; for the prayer of the faithful is 
 acceptable to him : The effeBual fervent prayer of a righte- 
 ous wan avails much, James v, i6. 
 
 Let your fupplication therefore be poured forth unto 
 God, to endow you with power and wifdom to fubduc 
 all your fpiritual enemies, and to conquer your concupi- 
 fcence, and the inordinate defnes and afFecftions of your 
 o\Y/n hearts, that you may take up the crofs of Chrift and fol- 
 low him as your great pattern, and in his name, and by 
 the help and afliftance of his Holy Spirit, you may know 
 how to overcome all temptations. 
 
 His 
 
His Prayer after SeriMon. 
 
 Ti jf ST glorious Lord God I xvonderfnl is thy gre&' \ oxvcr 
 JlVJL over, all, which thou haft revealed and made mani- 
 feft in this thy hlefftd day, Thy arm, thou Almighty 
 God I is ftr etched forth ; thou hajl touched a remnant with 
 a fenfe of thy divine love, ivhom thou hafl gathered unto 
 thy name ; thou haft revealed thy great falvation, and there^ 
 with thou haft made glad the fouls of thy children ; thou 
 haft endeared thyfelf unto us by the difcovery and manifef- 
 tation of thy abounding love^ who didft love us, when we 
 were ftrangers, and didji preferve us vjhen we were enemi es, 
 and brought a glorious day of vifttation upon us, and opened 
 our eyes to behold the light thereof, fo that we were a 
 people engaged to fpeak good of thy name. Thou hafl 
 declared and manifefted to the fons and daughters of men 
 thy good will, and thy univerfal grace that^thou art daily 
 extending to them, that all may be made partakers of the 
 riches of thy houfe, and of thy great falvation which by 
 the Lord Jefus Chrifl thou haft ordained. 
 
 And, O thou powerful God of Life 1 ftnce the . day that 
 thou firft gathered us, thou haft been with us, thou haft been 
 . our guide, and our eyes have been towards thee for inftru^Hon^ 
 thou haft taught us and led us in the way in which thou 
 wopldeft have us to walk ; thou haft led us, Lordy in the 
 way everlafting with the poor, the humble and the ?neek of 
 the earth ; and thou haft placed our feet, O Lordy near the 
 everlafting mountain, which thou haft exalted upon the high 
 hills of the earth, and thou haft revealed the glory and the 
 fplendor of thy houfe, thy holy dwelling place, and hafi raifed 
 breathings in the hearts of thy people, that they may dwell 
 in thy courts forever : And now. Holy Father I thou haft 
 gathered a remnant, and brought a peculiar people to truft in 
 thy name ; but fill we do all that ive do by thee ; thou 
 tnuft be our keeper, thou muft be our preferver, therefore we 
 wait upon thee ; ive expeO: all from thy hand, therefore cur 
 applications are unto thee, that from day to day, and frc?n 
 time to time, we may find thy living prefcnce in the ?nidft 
 of us, 
 
 Andy living God of Life ! thou haft given thy children 
 large experience that tho^ art a God nigh at hand to us, in 
 
 all 
 
?<^4 -^^"-f Prayer after Sermon. 
 
 II our trials , hi all our exercifes ; as our eyes have been 
 Vijfned irO theey thou haft preferved us, and revealed thy heavenly 
 power y Lord, in preferving and delivering thy church and 
 people, that they may bear a teftimony in ^heir generation for 
 thy great love, and the great falvation that thou haft ivrought 
 for them and made them partakers of 
 
 Noiv blejfed God of Life I the deftres and fupplications of 
 thy people are unto thee, for the glorifyi?ig of thy power, 
 and the exalting of thy glorious name, 
 
 O Lord ! let the tnighty operation of thy power bow down 
 all flout and ftubborn ones, that have rebelled againft thee, 
 and that have withftood the tenders of thy grace^ and the 
 fnotions and flrivings of thy Holy Spirit : Thou art able to 
 bow them, and to break their Jtony hearts ; thou art able 
 to fpeak effectually to their fouls, and to make them fubmit 
 themf elves to thee. 
 
 Holy and living Father I let the progrefs of thy word 
 and gofpel be great in our day ; let it have a free courfe 
 andjpread it f elf mightily to thofe that believe not^ to beget 
 a feed of faith in their fouls ^ that they may believe in thy 
 namcy and trufl in thy poiver, and wait to fee the great work 
 of redemption wrought ^f or the falvation of their immortal 
 fouls y before the day of their vifitation goes over. 
 
 Powerful God of Life I thy little remnant which thou 
 hafi redeemedy keep them by thy power, and preferve them in 
 iiprightnefs and cleMinefs of mind ; preferve the?n in the 
 places and flations vjJierein thou hafl appointed them to dwell, 
 that fo in all the trials, and tribulations, and diftreffes, 
 that may come upon them, they may be quiet and ftill, and 
 in patience pojfefs their fouls ; and let them have firong 
 confolation in that everlafting covenant which in thy Son 
 thou haft made with them, and revealed to them ; and let 
 them not be moved and toffed with the hurries of this world, 
 with the tumults and diforders that evil men make in it^ 
 and tho. forms and the tempefts that are raifed ; but let 
 their hearts and minds he ftayed upon thee^ that they w.ay 
 know how to behave themfelves towards thee and one another, 
 and towards all that are without, and thereby glorify and 
 magnify thy great name by the beauty of holinefs Jhini?ig 
 in their converfations, which may reach the confciences of 
 
 men^ 
 
His Prayer after Sermok. 3^S 
 
 ,.,„ that all that fee them may fay, thefe are the flam tht^ 
 tkerl^n hand of God hath planted, and fee the frut's 
 Zt are brought forth from that root of hje revealed m 
 
 ^MowertdGod of Life I carry on thine oxvn work in f/i» 
 aty and the whole nation, and in other faces ^mong the 
 Lople which thou hafi chofen and gathered to thyfelf on. 0/ 
 
 "ths ivovlf' ' 
 
 V. .Jeov:eM God of Life ! rememher thofe that groan m 
 
 of thv^akin^ their moan to thee, that they cannot lay hotc. 
 
 i/att.'\--tton for thetr fouls: Prepare them for that con^ 
 •a aay xvreJfUng vjtth thee by earneft prayer, but ivhat 
 
 ^M all their ivrejtiu7g Ugmfy, except thy ivord 'and the poiver 
 of thy grace affift them, and teach them to lay hold of thy 
 ftrefigth, that they may fight the good fight of faith, that 
 they may get the viBory, afid rejoice in thy fakation, and 
 fee the glory of it ? Thou feeft how the chtlclren of men are 
 working and contriving divers ways for their own falvatton ; 
 make them to know that all their 01 i ways and inventions 
 are in vain, 
 
 Bleffed God of Life I confound the devices of the ungodly 
 thatfeek to lay wafie thy heritage ; and all thofe that thcu 
 hafi gathered by thy word, do thou preferve them, that they 
 may ferve thee with fmcere and upright minds all the days 
 of their lives ; and offer up daily thank fgivings -and living 
 praifes to thee, the true and living God, and Jefus Chrtji 
 whom thou hafi fmt, through thy eternal Spirit, who alone 
 art worthy, God over all, Mefed forever and ever. Amen. 
 
 CONTE>^'^ 
 
CONTENT S. , ■ 
 
 S^RM. pW- \| 
 
 Ij^HE Great Mediator of the Everlafting Co- \' 
 
 venant, \ j 
 
 H. Heart Preparation for receiving the Gofpel, i- /' 
 
 HI. The Firft and Great Commandment, 12 
 
 IV. The Standard of Truth, 4^ 
 
 V. The Great Duty of remembering our Creator, ^6^, 
 
 VI. The Divine Monitor, or Light from Heaven, 70 
 
 VII. The Inward Preacher, or the Office of Con- 
 
 fcience, , 84 
 
 VIII. Saving Faith, the Gift of God alone, 96 
 
 IX. Truth's Tcftimony againft the Power of Sin and 
 
 Satan, 104/ 
 
 X. Bearing the Crofs of Chrift, the True Mark of 
 
 a Chriftian, iir 
 
 XI. The Spirit of Chrift, the only True Guide, I^6 
 
 XII. Pure and Spiritual Worfhip, i?8 
 
 XIII. The Divine Life of Chrift Jefus, 148 
 
 XIV. The Kingdom of God within, 156 
 
 XV. The undefiled W^j to Eternal Reft, 165 
 
 XVI. The Dawning of the Day of Grace and Salvation, 174 
 XVIL The Excellency of Peace with God, 185: 
 XVIII. True Chriftianity, 196 
 XIX. -The Great Work of Man's Redemption, 208 
 
 XX. The Word of God a Chriftian ^s Life, 222 
 
 XXI. The Neceflity of a Holy Life and Converfation, 2^4 
 
 XXII. Baptifm and the Lord's Supper, 25a 
 
 XXIII. Chrift the Way, the Truth, and the Life, 264 
 
 XXIV. Captive Sinners fet free by Jefus Chrift, 275- 
 ^,XV. The Sheep of Chrift, hear his Voice, 291 
 
 ^XVI. No True Worftiip without the Right Know- 
 ledge of God, ^or 
 ^VII. The Wonderful Love of God to Mankind, ^16 
 
 XXVIII. Salvation from Sin by Jefus Chrift, J27 
 
 XXIX. The Acceptable Sacrifice, 33^ 
 OL.AjChrift the Way to Eternal Life, 'rt-^'-.^rr 
 
 -XI. Chrift All in All, J^^''''% 
 
 •XII. Chriftian's (hould often think on the Namr.'l^^oP;^ 
 
 of the Lord. This laft Sermon was preacj^/ 0^ 
 
 ed at Devonftiire-Houfe, a fhort Titt- V 
 
 fore his Deceafe. '. /^