〈…〉 Works is the Devil's Child then â—â—ey wiâ—â—â—â—nfess this is of the Devil and â—he other 〈◊〉 the Devil This is an evil Wâ—â—k an◠〈◊〉 that I had need be brought into another condition When People come to an Acknowledgment of the Truth and of their own Condemnation then they are one Step towards Redemption and Salvation No one ever took one step towards their Salvation till they â—cknowledged their own Condemnation He that sanctifies and they that are sanctified are all of one and they that are joyneâ— to the Lord are one spirit An evil tree saith Christ cannot bring forth good fruit When Christ spake this he spake it to Men and Women â—nd he spake it of Men and Women and not of Trees And when he said No man can gather grapes of thorns nor figs of thistles he speaks of a Generation of Men as if he had said 〈◊〉 this Thorn must be translâ—â—â— changed into another nature before 〈◊〉 bring forth Grapes and this Thistle 〈◊〉 changed into another nature before 〈◊〉 forth Figs. There must be a Change in the naâ—â— Man before there can be a Change 〈◊〉 Fruit and Effect of his Doings Whaâ— he sows thâ—â— he shall also reap whatsoâ—â— man doth in the body he must give an 〈◊〉 thereof at the day of judgment for th◠〈◊〉 will be opened and men judged according to 〈◊〉 thinâ—â— written in those books If there be 〈◊〉 Booâ—â—or thee and me I le warrant thee thâ—â— is a great deal in it there is a Recorder anâ— a Clerk for the Book which God hath opened in every Man's Conscience and there 〈◊〉 set down every Manâ— Transgressions and hiâ— Sins Saith one Thâ—â— hast written my Transgressions as with the point of a diamond thou hast ingraven it so deep that it seems impossible that it should ever be blotted out again Some have had their Sins so deeply ingraven in their Consciences that they have thought they would never be blotted out they were written as with the Pen of a Diamond When People see and consider that they have ventured their Souls upon such 〈◊〉 Grounds I hope they will be awaked to 〈◊〉 after Righteousness when they see the 〈◊〉 nothing good in them Where there is 〈◊〉 thing good it is God that hath given it 〈◊〉 them Some will say If I be pervers◠〈◊〉 〈…〉 wicked I cannot hâ—lp it therefore 〈◊〉 be beholdenn to my Maker to help 〈◊〉 â—lse I must never be helped Now beâ—â—â—â— God knows that we are helpless he 〈◊〉 â—id help upon one that is mighty that is 〈◊〉 Lord Jesus Christ and Christ hath sent 〈◊〉 his spirit into the world to convince the 〈◊〉 of sin and to lead his people into all 〈◊〉 And this Grace that comes by Jesus â—â—â—ist hath been so universally shewed and 〈◊〉 universally 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 Christ shined â—o that Darkness into the darkest Heart that ever I met with in all my Life He sheweth Men That his light shineth in darkness and the darkness cannot comprehend Therefore the Worâ— that God hath set us about and the Service which he requires at the Hands of many of us is to turn Men from their own Darkness unto the Light of Christ their Saviour and from the Devil's Power that hath enslaved them to the Power of God that can redeem them and yet we are far enough from that which they call Free Will we are far enough from this We say a man can never be saved till he learn to deny his own Will it is God's Will that every one â—â—ould be saved But some will not be saved they will keep their Wills and not resign them up to God they have a Free-will to go to Destruction As for Salvation if they will obtain it they must part with 〈…〉 and they must take a Yoâ—◠〈…〉 on them before they can b◠〈…〉 â—â—â—ple can have theiâ— Wills they will 〈…〉 Christ's Yoke upon them He that 〈◊〉 Christ's Disciple must deny his own Wâ—â—â— take up his daily Cross These are â—he 〈◊〉 of the Gospel But you will say No Man by 〈◊〉 Power he hath can redeem himself 〈◊〉 Man can live without Sin We will say Amen to it But if Men teâ—â— us That when God's Power comes to help uâ— and to redeem us out of Sin that it canno◠〈◊〉 â—ffected then this Doctrin we cannot awaâ— with nor I hope you neither Would yoâ— like it well if I should tell you That God puts 〈◊〉 his Power to do such a thing buâ— the Devil hinders him That it is impossible for God to do it because the Devil doth not like it That it is impossible that any one should be free from sin because the Devil hath got such a Power in them that God cannot cast it out This is lamentable Doctrin hath not this been preached this Doctrin of Impossibility of living without Sin It doth in plain Terms say Though God doth interpose hiâ— Power it is impossible because the Devil hath so rooted Sin in the Nature of Man Is 〈◊〉 Man God's Creature and cannot he nevâ—â— make him and cast Sin out of him If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rooted deeply in Man I say 〈◊〉 〈…〉 deeply rooted but Christ Jesus is enâ—â—◠〈…〉 the Root of the Nature of 〈◊〉 that he hath received Power to destroy 〈◊〉 evil and his Works â—nd to recover and 〈◊〉 Man into his Primitive Nature of â—â—â—hteousness and Holiness or else that is 〈◊〉 That he is able to save to the utmost â—â—at come unto God by him We must throw 〈◊〉 the Bible if we say that it is impossible 〈◊〉 God to deliver Man out of Sin Is not â—â—â—ist entred into the root of our Nature And hath he not taken upon him the Seed of Abraham after the Flesh Is he not entred into the Root of all Men's Natures and tasted death for every man that he might quicken every one that is dead in sins and trespasses All these things speak the Love of God to Mankind in order to â—â—â—ir Salvation Much might be said to these things these Clouds of Error and Darkness that have overspread the Nation yet this I say if one were to speak of it never so long it must be by the Eye that God gives you that you must see 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 When all is said that can be said the Counsel of God which hath sounded in your Ears is recommended to you that every one may retire in quietness and stillness of Mind to 〈◊〉 for the feeling of that quickning Pâ—â—â—â—r of the Spirit of Christ that is sent inâ—◠〈◊〉 Hearts of Men that that may open 〈◊〉 Eyes to see your present state then you 〈◊〉 see a better state 〈◊〉 further
driven away in a cloudy and dark Night be brought to a glorious and blessed Day wherein they may enjoy the Gospel that brings Light to dark Souls that Praises and Thanksgivings may be offered up in thy House for thy Holy Presence with us that we may be fed there when we are assembled together in thy Name accordiâ—â— to thy Promise Continue to 〈◊〉 â—midst of us that living Praises and Thanksgivings may be offered up to thee through Jesus Christ for thou alone art Worthy who art God over all blessed for evermore Amen SERMON II. The Word of God a Christians Life Preached at Grace-Church-street March 14 1687. IT was the Doctrin of the great Master of the Christian Religion the Lord Jesus Christ while he was preaching and publishing and making known the way of Salvation among the Sons and Daughters of Men he then preached and declared That it was not Bread only by which Man lived but by everâ— Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of Goâ— Now the way and means of Mans Preservâ—tion in Life in a living state the Methâ—â— and Course that the God of Heaven doâ—â— open to keep the Sons and Daughters of Meâ— alive is by this Word Every Word 〈◊〉 proceedeth out of the Mouth of God hath a Ministration of Life in it and therefore all that are desirous of the enjoyment of the Immortal Life and of the preserving and encreasing of it they are diligently to wait to be made Partakers of this Divine Ministration Outward Bread is for our outward Preservation but Man is made inward as well as outward he hath a Soul as well as a Body Now Christ to signify to us what the inward Man is nourished and fed by tells us That Man liveth not by Bread only but by every Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God So now in this our day as well as in former Days it hath pleased God to give unto a Remnant an experimental knowledge of the Truth of this that they have been quickned and made alive by the Word of God that is they have heard and felt and tasted of the Word of Life that was with the Father before the World began that hath been divinely ministred to them by the mercy of God through Jesus Christ many that were dead in Sins and Trespasses he hath said unto them Live He hath given unto many an inward sense of their State who sometimes had it not he hath brought many a one to feel sin to b a Burden and an oppressing Load who sometimes before have taken Pleasure and Delight in it This is a great change that is wrought in a Mans Mind that he should come to be loaden with that burthened and oppressed by that which was before â—is Pleasure and Delight yet this great Châ—â—ge hath been wrought in many a Soul by the operation of the word of God of that inward Word that inward Voice when the Lord hath taken Men in hand himself There are many have taken Sinners 〈◊〉 hand and have gone about to convince theâ— and convert them but they were not able to do it but when the Lord hath taken Man in hand himself when his Creator hath undertaken to deal with him himself then the Man cries out I am a Worm and no Man then he cries out under the sense of the judgment of God then he cries out under the indignation of the Lord which he hath kindled by his Sins he cries out for Mercy then he prays for Remission then he wishes that he had never provoked the Lord for the Word that goes out of the Mouth of God hath â— mighty Force and Power upon the Spirit of â— Man so that he is converted and changed â—â— it as the Prophet said of old The Word â—â— God is pure converting the Soul Now where any come to an experimentaâ— knowledge of the Word of the Lord of thâ— inward Voice whereby God speaks to thâ— Sons and Daughters of Men they have râ—ceived thereby an infallible feeling of thâ— own State and Condition this is the firâ—â— Lesson learned by it They come to have certain infallible knowledge of their oâ—â— State and they are sure that they cannot 〈◊〉 deceived for it brings an Evidence with it in their Consciences so that whatsoever this Word of Life signifieth to a Man he hath the knowledge of the same thing evidencing it in his own Conscience as the Apostle saith If our Hearts condemn us God is greater than our Hearts and knoweth all things Now here is a way found out for Men to obtain divine Knowledge by a divine Means for the Lord speaks by his Spirit and if Men come to hearken to that Voice unto that Speaking they perceive readily what it saith unto them The Lord tells People as well now as in former Days what he hath against them and this every one in the Closet of their own Hearts come to understand We read in the Book of Revelations what our Lord Jesus Christ appointed John to write to the seven Churches in Asia that he had a few things against some and many things against others Now that which is the design of our Meetâ—ng when we are Assembled together is that we may know what the Mind and Judgment of God is concerning our Selves How shall we know that unless we ask him and come to wait upon him and enquire at the Oracle of Counsel that God hath appointed in the Bosome of every man For he signifies his mind unto the Children of men by that Light â—nd Grace which Jesus Christ hath Planted in â—hem he hath Enlightned every man that comes â—â—to the world with an undeceiving Light and he hath ministred of his truth and Grace to every man tho' the man be bad and untrue and in the Dark and there be Darkness in him yet the Light shineth in Darkness The Man may be a false Man yet there is true knowledg in him if this false Man harken to the Voice of Truth when the God of Truth signifies what his Mind and Judgment is concerning him and his present State So that here is an opportunity offered and if a Man believe the word of Truth which is administred to his own mind he cannot say such a Man hath deceived him for it is Truth it self which is signified to him which he believeth For the Truth is the object of 〈◊〉 Faith and he believeth it of himself he believeth that while he remains wicked in 〈◊〉 unrenewed state he is out of the Covenant of God and in the high Road to Destruction if he doth not get out of it and return to God and mind his Duty He believeth this and he believeth the Truth It hath been so with many it hath been so with us all this is the firâ—â— kind of Faith and Belief that ever we receive for when Truth signifies to us our fallen state our alinated state when Truth signifies and discovers to us the Partition Wall of Sin and iniquity which we
What dost thou declare of God He is the God that made the World and all things therein seeing that he is Lord of Heaven and Earth and dwelleth not in Temples made with hands neither is Worshipped with Mens Hâ—â—ds as though he needed any thing seeing he giveth to all Life and Breath and all things and hath made of one Blood all Nations of Mâ—n for to dwell on the Face of the Earth and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their Habitations that they should seek the Lord if haply they might feel after him and find him though he be not far from every one of us for in him we live and move and have our being for as certain also of your own Poets have said for we are also his off-spring for as much then as we are the offspring of God we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto Gold or Silver or Stone Graven by Art and Mans device Here is a way of learning you need not turn over Books any more if I would know the true God I must know who gave me Life and motion and who created me he is not far from me and how should I find the knowledge of him Feel after him if haply you may find him for he is not far from any of us in him we live and move and have our being we cannot live without him one Moment he giveth life essence and power to all Creatures in Heaven and Earth we must have him with us or we cannot live I die as soon as my Life departs from me so do you if my Breath and Life continue with me 〈◊〉 by the power of him that giveth it in whom I live and move and have my being still it is in him that first gave it Here all the great Scholars and Philosophers were counselled to feel after him 〈◊〉 are all People now a days this is our Business when we go to Preach the knowledge of God to them that want it our Commission runs not that we must read such a Book such an Author and turn over such a Leaf and there you shall have a discovery and a fair demonstration of the attributes of God of his Wisdom Power Goodness and Mercy Omnipotence Omniscience our Commission runs not that way but our Commission runs thus that we turn People from darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to God to turn their Minds from that which may hinder the knowledge of Christ from darkness blindness and ignorance God is not far from them perhaps they might find him if they did feel after him There are a sort of Men now a-days such as were in former times that say unto God depart from us we desire not the knowledg of thy wayes such a sort of People are dark and blind and ignorant and are like to continue so that say to God depart from us God is come to them but they bid him depart from them We are sent to these People that are dark and ignorant and have not the true knowledge of God though they have abundance of notions hear-say knowledg learning and speculation our business is to convince them of their ignorance and to turn them from Darkness to Light There are a People that have mocked and scoffed at us many Years what say they is there a light within must we go to the light within Hath every body a light within Yes I believe so and you must believe so too if you will believe the Scriptures Christ is the true Lighâ— and he hath lighted every Maâ— that cometh into the World If he did light them how did he do it I will tell you say they he spake a great many gracious words and some body hath writ them down What will this prove the light within because we have got a new Testament and Christ hath spoken a great many gracious Words and they are written down and recorded doth this prove the light within No People might have been in darkness still for all the Books of the New Testament and the Old Testament to and for all the Books in the World for they would never have conveyed light into the Hearts and Consciences of Men if God had not placed it there Indeed these Books may be instrumental and God doth make use of them as a means for the conveying of Light and Grace and working of true conversion but the holy Scriptures cannot do it of themselves unless there be a coacting and cooperation of the Spirit of Christ with them without this Spirit they cannot convey saving Light to us How prove you then a Light within the Apostle tells you if you will believe him 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commandeth the Light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our Hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ so that every one that retireth into himself will know quickly and understand his Error and confess that there is a Light within and that by this rule because there is something in the Heart that makes manifest that which is reprovable if they do or say a thing reprovable that which manifesteth a thing is Light that which manifesteth dark words or works is Light Now when they have found this Light within the next question in controversie is whether this will give Men sufficient Light for the true knowledg of God whether this be sufficient to bring a Man to Life and to Salvation I am of that judgment that it is sufficient 〈◊〉 and I believe it hartily and preach it boldly in the name of the Lord that the Light that shines in your Hearts shines there to give you the true knowledg of God in the Face of the Mediator the Lord Jesus Christ You cannot believe this you will say for you have had this ever since you was a Child and you know not the least good it hath done you all our learned Men and Ministers go to what sort you will they speak very slightingly of it this Light within it is nothing but natural conscience a poor Light it is but an Ignis Fatuus that will mislead us But let me tell thee the reason why it doth thee no more good is because thou hast been loose and wanton and vain and wouldst not receive the reproofs of it reckon but up the time and call to Mind when thou didst receive the reproofs of it then it did thee some good and brought thee to remorse and brought anguish and sorrow and trouble into thy Mind and brought thee to a right sense of what evil thou hast done but if thou didst not regard it no wonder it did thee no good its reproofs and counsels were like the seed sown by the high way the Fowls of the Air gathered it up and it did no good that is the Devil plucked it up and then thy Soul lay as seed that brought forth no Fruit to God and the Devil might have what
not believe except the Answer please them Many in our Days have put up their Petitions and Prayers to God that he would discover to them the State and Condition of their Souls The Lord hath answered them that notwithstanding all the Profession that they have made of his Name and of their Faith in his Son Jesus Christ and of the Work of Redemption yet he hath told a Man Thou art still unredeemed thou art still in thy Sin and Lusts and Concupiscence prevail over thee thou art still in Bondage This is God's Answer to many but there is something ariseth in their Minds that they are not willing to believe this I would think better of my self than this What if thou dost think better of thy self Thou art never the better for â—he word of the Lord stands sure There is no removing of it there is no â—â—nial of the Truth If this Truth condemn thee all the World canâ—ot justifie thee and this Trutâ— by which God condemns the Sinner is in the Sinner's own Heart What will he do with it It is in the Sinner's Conscience it doth not only condemn him by Book out of this Chapter and that Verse out of this Author and the other Author but he is condemned by God's true and faithful Witness in his own Conscience Thou wilt not believe iâ— but if thou believest not this then thou remainest in thy Unbelief of the Truth and nothing else but believing it can save thee No counsel else can deliver or redeem thee So that the best Advice and Counsel that I can give a People in this case is this That when they come to such a religious Meeting as this is they would come with a Mind prepared and fitted to think upon the Lord to think upon his Name and the way by which he brings People to himself for no Man can be called a Child of God that doth not partake of his Nature If a Man be never so wise and rich and great in the World if he be a Prince or an Emperour without this he is a Child of Wrath Now if these Children of Wrath meet with something that convinceth them if they are touched and become a sensible People then Crowns and Diadems are nothing to them Such a one will say If I be a child of wrathâ— a Captive to Sin and my own Lust and Concupiscence 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 something there that will do me good and I have a Desire that I may be translated out of a natural State from being a child of wrath and to be brought into the kingdom of God If I have this Desire in me God that made me wrought it in me for by Nature we cannot so much as think a good thought When Men think of being better and of amending their ways and doing their Souls good these are very good Thoughts in themselves When such Thoughts are begotten in any Men's Hearts I would have them to ascribe them to the Grace of God and nothing else Preachers may do much where these Desires are begotten but it is not in their Power to beget these Desires Many have come to a Meeting with loose prophane and wandring Minds and though many good things have been spoken to them it hath not reached so far as to beget good Desires their Hearts have been so alienated from the Grace of God in themselves which is the great superiour Worker to which we are but Servants and Ministers there is none can beget any thing but he in whom all Power is They that are under the Power of Darkness the Devil begets in them Wantonness and Vaniâ—â— Prophaneness and hardness of Heart Some go away from a Meeting without being touched and perswaded and they have no good Hope of being better But where People are really touched in their Spirits with a desire after something that will do them good they must come to the Fountain of Good the God that made them and think upon him if they cannot see his glory and hear his voice yet they can think upon him This is the least Duty of a Christian to think upon the Name of the Lord and where their Minds are exercised about divine Matters about the State and Condition 〈◊〉 their poor Souls If I die this â—ight what will become of me This and that Sin I have committed how shall I be able to answer to God for one of a thousand of all my loose Thoughts Words and Actions They that come to a Consideration of this and a due Sense of their State and Condition though it is such a State that they do not like of that it is not such as it ought to be yet notwithstanding it may be better they may be brought out of it into a better condition Now this is the duty of all to be waiting upon God the Fountain of all Good that they may receive something from God for every good and perfect gift comes from above from the Father of Lights the Father of thy Light and my Light that Light comes to us from the Father of Lights If we have any perfect Gift bestowed upon us it is bestowed by God therefore you will grant that we are all obliged from the great◠〈…〉 least to wait upon him if we have the 〈◊〉 Expectation from God by a Meeting otherwise we had better keep away But I am apt to judge that the most here are come with some Desire that if it please God they may receive Benefit by their Meeting Where shall they have it They say if such a Man preacheth then I can edifie much by him This is a great Mistake for let who will preach there is no Body can receive any Benefit but it must be from the Lord as the Fountain of Good for the best Preachâ—rs in the World are but Instâ—â—ments in the Hands of Godâ— if God doth not bless his Labours 〈◊〉 â—â—eacher can do nothing to the Souls of Pâ—â—ple bâ—â—â—an sound the Truth 〈◊〉 their Ears outwardly but he can reach no further God only speaks to the Heart If thou mind the Preacher and not God that made thee all his Preaching will do thee no good It may indeed help thee to a Notion or Speculation but that comes not to the Inside that will be no better the Insidâ— wants mending There are great Deformities Scars Spots Stains Wounds and Lamenesâ— upon the Soulâ— of Men by reason of their Sins Lusts and Corruptions and there wants a Remedy and thâ—â—â— is no Physician of value but God that 〈◊〉 us after his own Image The Devil hath brought in Deformity he hath made one proud another cruel another wanton another an Oppressor another malicious this is all the Devil's Work And for this end 〈◊〉 Jesus came into the world that he might destroy the works of the Devil He came to destroy Pride Malice and Lust these are the