asked our Saviour and said unto him Art thou the Christ the Son of the Blessed And Jesus said I am And ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right Hand of Power and coming in the Clouds of Heaven Then the High-priest rent his Cloths and saith What need we any further Witnesses Ye have heard the Blasphemy what think ye And they all condemned him to be guilty of Death A wonderful thing that Innocence it self should be condemned as Guilty and that the supream and righteous Judge of the World should have such an unrighteous Sentence passed against him and be crucified and slain by those he came to save and that for their sakes endured the pains of Death to purchase for them eternal Life He was made a Curse that they might inherit the Blessing When Pilate would have released Christ they cried Not this Man but Barrabas As they have treated the glorious Head of the Church so they have dealt with his Members this godly Man and the other godly Man have been reproached persecuted and put to Death for the sake of Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith the great Captain of our Salvation who was made perfect thro' Sufferings If we suffer with him we shall reign with him at the Day of hâ—s glorious Appearing and it will be a glorious Appearing indeed to them that look and long for it The new Covenant open'd IN A SERMON Preached by George Keith AT Harp-lane near Towerstreet London Sept. 2d 1694. Jeremiah xxxi 31 c. Behold the Days come saith the Lord That I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah Not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the Day that I took them by the Hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt which my Covenant they brake although I was an Husband to them saith the Lord But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel After those Days saith the Lord I will put my Law in their 〈…〉 write it in thâ—â—â— Hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People And they shall teach no more every Man his Neighbour and every Man his Brother saying Know the Lord For they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their Iniquity and I will remember their Sin no more THERE are diverse great and weighty things needful here to be opened for there are many Persons are very apt to mistake that have not a right Understanding of the Nature of the New Covenant and they make a great jumble and confusion between that common universal Illumination extended to all Mankind even the most barbarous Nations where the Gospel never came by any outward Ministry and that Illumination which is proper and peculiar to the new Covenant The Apostle speaking of the Gentiles to whom Christ was not outwardly preached and where his Name and Fame and the Sound of him was not come he writes thus Rom. 1.20 For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead so that they are without Excuse And again the Apostle speaking of the Dispensation of God that the Gentiles were under who had not a Law outwardâ—â— delivered to them Rom. 2.14 15. For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by Nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the Work of the Law written in their Hearts their Conscience also bearing Witness and their Thoughts in the mean while accusing or else excusing one another Here is Writing of the Law upon the Hearts of the Gentiles and to be sure God wrote this Law But with what Pen you may say did he write it You may read in John 1.1 2 3 4. In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made In him was Life and the Life was the Light of Men. Here is the Pen God's Light is this Pen God hath written his Law upon the Hearts of all Men both Jews and Gentiles Believers and Unbelievers for both Writings are God's Writings they are written by the Hand of God the Finger of God or with the Spirit of God But you may say What is the difference between these two Writings What is the difference between that Illumination which is common to all Mankind and that which is proper and peculiar to the new Covenant I answer the Differences and Distinctions may be branched forth into divers weighty particulars more than at present I shall have time to mention but I shall speak of some of the chief of them First The Law of God is universally writâ—en upon the Hearts of all Men but it doth not make a Change upon them so as to sofâ—en their Hearts We read of two Sorts of Hearts in the Holy Scripture Hearts of Stone â—nd Hearts of Flesh God hath promised to â—ake away the Heart of Stone and to give â—n Heart of Flesh This universal Law of God is written upon the Hearts of all Men â—pon the Hearts of the Wicked and Disobeâ—ient Let wicked Men do their worst and â—ndeavour never so much with all their wickedness and filthiness to obliterate and â—lot out the Law of God that is written â—pon their Hearts they cannot do it it remains to judge them and will judge them â—nd leave them without Excuse But the Law â—f the New Covenant is written upon a Heart â—f Flesh It is written upon the Hearts of â—one but those that are the People of God â—hat are true Israelites upon them that are â—ews inwardly in the Spirit not in the Letâ—er whose Praise is not of Men but of God This is one great difference between that Illumination that is common to all Mankind and â—hat which is proper and peculiar to the new Covenant Secondly The Law of God as he writes â—t upon the Hearts of all Men. It is his Law â—s he is the great Creator and Maker and Lord of Heaven and Earth All ought to be subject to his Law as he is their Maker aâ— they are obliged to serve him reverence hiâ— fear him and obey him and hereupon heâ— every Man and Woman's Teacher Hoâ— As he is the great Creator and Maker aâ— Lord of Heaven and Earth And here tâ— Relation between God and Men and Womâ—â— is that which is between a Master or Lord aâ—â— a Servant But now the Law of the neâ— Covenant it is the Law of a Parent towaâ—â— his Children now this far exceeds the otheâ— and God's Teachings here are fatherly Teacâ—ings they are God's Teachings as he is Father to his People and as they are his
Sin of Justification of Peace with God and of eternal Life and Happiness as Christ was held forth in the Promise we lay hold on Christ as his Doctrine is preached As we lay hold on a Man by taking hold of his Cloaths or a Lap or Skirt of his Garment so we lay hold on Christ by the precious things testified of him So that there is a great difference between common Illumination given to all Mankind and that special Illumination which is proper to Believers and whatsoever other Differences there are may be reduced to these three But though the common and special Illumination be differing yet they both come from one Fountain and Root God Christ and the Spirit according to 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6. And the common Illumination is of a saving tendency by way of introduction and preparation to the other But some may put the Question and say Of what Use is this common Illumination if it belong not to the new Covenant then of what use is it to us I answer it is of great use it is of the same use with the Law it is as a School-master to bring us unto Christ to point us unto Christ This common Illumination is like John the Baptist his Ministry and Baptism he was sent before to prepare the Way of the Lord. This common Illumination prepares Men and Women for Christ it will make them sensible that they are miserable Sinners miserable Offenders and Transgressors and that God is angry with them and that they deserve to die and that the Wages of Sin is Death they having sinned Death is their Wages I say this is of great Service to People to be thus far convinced that they are Sinners and that they need an Advocate and Mediator to come between God and them because they have offended him If we had offended a great Man we would be glad for some who had Interest in him and great favour and friendship to speak for us If we had offended the King and committed Treason would not we be glad of some Person that hath a great Interest in the King's favour to intercede for us If the King had a Son would not we be glad that he should mediate for us and interpose between us and the Wrath of the King and turn away his Indignation and make Reconciliation for us Would not we be glad that the King's Son should obtain a Pardon for us and restor◠us to the King's favour We have offended the King of Kings and the supream Lord of Heaven and Earth so that we need a great Mediator we need one to make our Peace and purchase Pardon and Salvation for us God hath laid help upon one that is mighty he hath given his dear Son Christ Jesus to be the great Mediator between God and Man to be the great Peace-maker and Reconciler and the Saviour of Sinners But it should not be thought that Christ hath greater tenderness and love for us than God the Father Who so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life And now in the next place there is another thing that is weighty upon my Spirit and it is of great concernment and that is to answer this Question Question How doth God do this great Work of putting his Law in our inward Parts and writing his Law in our Hearts Doth he do it without all outward Means Helps and Instruments I answer In God's ordinary way he doth this great VVork by outward Means Helps and Instruments tho' he can do it without them It may suffice us that God hath vouchsafed to us these outward Means and Helps of Instruction in the Preaching of the Gospel and in our Reading of the holy Scriptures It pleaseth the Lord by the mighty working of his 〈…〉 it to go along with the outward Ministry of the VVord and to make impression upon us and to write his Law in our Hearts this Law of the New Covenant This I testify from mine own Experience and I doubt not but divers here can witness the like to have been their Experience that God hath by the mighty power and operation of his holy Spirit accompanying the outward means and helps of Instruction made impression upon them and written his Law upon their Hearts This Law of the New Covenant here expressed in the singular Number is sometimes stiled Laws in the plural Number When it is stiled Law in the singular Number it signifies a Body of divine Laws consisting of many parts I will put my Law in their inward Parts and write it in their Hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my People Now the Laws and Precepts of God which he gave to his People the twelve Tribes of Israel some have computed their number to be above six hundred Laws many of which were typical and ceremonial How do these typical and ceremonial Laws which were given to them bind us that live under the Gospel Do they oblige us now I answer they do not bind us as to the typical and ceremonial part but they bind us as to the spiritual part as they have a spiritual and moral signification as the Law of the Sabbaths and Sacrifices and New Moons c. they bind us not as to the ceremonial part but as they have a spiritual and moral signification in them I shall now proceed to some few things that remain In the new Covenant God hath promised to his People To blot out their Iniquities and to remember their Sins no more The Law of the first Covenant doth not admit of Pardon of Sin The Soul that sinneth shall die but the new Covenant hath Pardon of Sin through the Mediator Christ Jesus upon the account of shedding his Blood for us This is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of Sins Mat. 26.28 Why doth not he say for Remission of the sins of all He died for all and shed his Blood for all but it is only effectual to those that believe in him Pray observe with me this weighty Matter of Doctrin which is this None hath his Sins blotted out but as he comes to God's Teachings the Father's Teachings but as he comes to be taught of God over and above all Mens Teaching whatsoever every one that is taught of God doth know more of God more of his Love more of his divine Grace more of his Power more of divine Enjoyment those that are taught of God know more of a divine Sweetness and Enjoyment and of Comfort than can be had by the Teachings of Man or in the Bible it self according to that Expression of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the Heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him The full fruition of these things is reserved to the World to come but the deep things of God are
clean Beasts and entered into the Holy place made with Hands It was not without Blood that the High-Priest offered Sacrifice for the Sins of the People and for his own Sins for almost all things wete purged with the blood of the Sacrifices which were offered and then he entred into the most Holy place made with Hands But Christ being come an High-Priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with Hands neither by the Blood of Goats and Calves but by his own Blood he entred in once into the Holy place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us Ye believe in God believe also in me He bids them believe in him as the Light of the World and follow the Dictates and Motions of the Spirit You do well to believe in this divine Appearance if so be you live in it and follow the divine Motions of it O then it will be a Sanctuary to you as the City of refuge was to the Manslayer under the Law There were six Cities of Refuge appointed in the most convenient places of the Land for the Man-slayer to fly to if any one had killed a Man at unawars against his Will there was a City of Refuge to have access to If he could get into that City of Refuge he was in safety from the Avenger of Blood from the Pursuer if he was over-taken by the Avenger of Blood then he might be slain then he might be destroyed but if he got into the City of Refuge there he was to remain in safety in safe custody under the safeguard and Protection of the Law But if he went out of the City of Refuge then the Man-slayer might take hold of him These things are written for our Learning the Lord hath provided a City of Refuge for his Children and for his Servants to fly unto And what is this City of Refuge It is the Light of Christ Jesus the Light of the World in its first Ministration of Gods Holy Spirit If so be you fly to it and come under the Protection of it it will preserve you in safety But if we depart from our Obedience to this Heavenly Light then the Man-slayer the Justice of God will take hold of us then we shall feel the Wrath of God to be kindled against us and smite us and cut us down And this we have known by living Experience while we have remained under the Protection of God and under the safe-guard of the Law and of God's Light in our Hearts we have been in safety from the Avenger from Gods severe Wrath and Justice God's wrath hath not been kindled against us to burn us up and consume us but if we have been rebellious and disobedient then the wrath of the Lord hath been kindled against us and his Judgments executed upon us But when we have run to the City of Refuge under the divine Protection we have strengthened our Hearts and Hands in the sight of God But if we have sinned at any time then our own Hearts have accused us and condemned us We are to remain under the safeguard of the Law until such time as the death of our great High-Priest Christ Jesus be revealed in our Hearts when we have heard the joyful sound when the tidings of the Death of the High-Priest comes to be sounded in our Ears when the Mystery of Christ crucified comes to be revealed unto us then we have a glorious inheritance to go unto a most desirable possession beyond all the Enjoyment of this World The state in Paradice wherein Man was at the beginning is not to bâ— compared to it it is in the Country we are travelling to the Spiritual and heavenly Canaan a Land flowing with heavenly Milk and Hony Joy unspeakable and full of Glory This is the Country which we are travelling to if we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and follow the great Captain of our Salvation Who was made perfect through sufferings we shall be made Heirs of Eternal life Let us believe in the Lord Jesus Christ who is gone to prepare a place for us In the time appointed of the Father he will come again and receive us to himself that where he is there we may be also O blessed are you that have a living Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and do follow him and the Conduct and leadings of his divine Spirit and he will lead you to this heavenly Country he will go before you and he hath made this Promise to all his faithful followers Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am sate down with my Father on his Throne He is the Bridegroom and you shall be the Bride the Lambs Wife And you shall be joyned to him in the heavenly Marriage Union and you shall be with him in Glory to all Eternity We Read Gen. 82.24 that Jacob being left alone there wrestled a Man with him all Night until the breaking of the Day and when he saw that he prevailed not against him c. He said let me go for the Day breaketh And Jacob said unto the Angel I will not let thee go except thou bless me And he said unto him what is thy Name And he said Jacob And the Angel said to him Thy Name shall no more be called Jacob but Israel for as a Prince hast thou Power with God and with Men and hast prevailed And he blessed him there So my Friends if you would have the Blessings of Jacob the Blessings of Abraham O then wrestle with the Man Christ Jesus and wrestle in Faith wrestle with this Angel of the Covenant all Night until the dawning of the Day until the Day-Star shall arise in your Hearts and not only so but persevere in the Faith until the Son of Righteousness arise As Jacob wrestled with the Angel of the Covenant Christ Jesus who is both God and Man he wrestled with him all Night until the dawning of the Day Then he blessed him And Jacob called the Name of lhat place Peniel For I have seen God Face to Face and my Life is preserved He said a Man appeared to him and he called him God How is this to he understood The Man Christ Jesus he is both God and Man None but he that is both God and Man can bless us with eternal Blessings therefore let us believe in him that can save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him for he hath obtained Eternal Redemption for us FINIS ERRATA PAge 16. line 26. after do read to trust in p. 21 l. 11. after again r. to the bodies of the saints and l. ult dele to the bodies of the saints p. 23. l. 25. r. Deut. 30.11 12. p. 30. l. 12. r. after Moses and from Moses to Christs coming in the Flesh p. 192. l. 14. dele like and r. it is a measure of the divine nature p. 47. l. 32. for held r. help Books lately Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultery near Cheap-side I. THE Doctrin of Christ crucified asserted in Three Declarations or Sermons by George Keith Exactly token in Shorthand as they were delivered by him at the Meetings of the Christian people called Quakers in London Price 6 d. II. The Concurrence and Unanimity of the People called Quakers in Owning and Asserting the principal Doctrines of the Christian Religion Demonstrated in the Sermons or Declarations of several of their Publick Preachers Namely Mr. Robert Barclay Mr. George Whitehead Mr. John Bowater Mr. Chacles Marshall Mr. William Bingley Mr. John Butcher Mr. James Park Mr. William Dewsberry Mr. Francis Camfield Mr. William Penn Mr. Richard Ashby Mr. Samuel Waldenfield Mr. John Vaughton and Mr. Francis Stamper Exactly taken in Short hand as they were delivered by them at their Meeting-houses in Grace-Church-street Devonshire-House St. Martins le-grand S. John's-street Wheeler-street and Ratcliff in and about London And now faithfully Transcribed and publâ—shed with the Prayer at the end of each Sermon Price one Shilling six pence
This Faith comes from this Living Fountain this Living Root and Foundation Christ within the Hope of Glory This would make Christendom as the Garden of Eden and the Paradice of God but Christendom is now become a barren Wilderness there is little true Faith found among them The Lord hath some even a remnant that love and fear him and that are near and dear to him that have a True and Living Faith in the Lord Jesus but they are as a Cluster of Grapes in a barren Wilderness but the rest are as a Thorn-Hedge My Friends Is Christ ascended into Heaven Let us by Faith ascend and dwell with Christ in Heaven let our Faith ascend to Christ in Heaven and let our Meditation ascend to Christ in Heaven and let our Hearts and our Affections ascend to Christ in Heaven while we are in the Body and in the Wilderness of this World yet in our Minds and Affections let us be with Christ in Heaven and let us witness with the Apostle That our Conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body according to the Working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself They looked for the last Appearance of his glorified Body and they looked for his daily coming into their Hearts I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you How will he come unto them By daily renewed Incomes of his Spiritual Life and Light and Divine Power He knew they would have but little Meetings at first yet he encourageth these little Meetings Where two or three are gathered together in my Name I will be in the midst of them It is not limited to a great number the Promise is to Two or three as well as to an hundred or many hundreds If a Man be in his House alone or if he be on the Top of a Mountain or by the Side of a River in Prayer if he be a true Disciple of Christ and takes up his Cross and follows him he shall find the Holy Spirit present with him If a Man love me saith Christ he will keep my Words John 14.23 and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our Abode with him So that here is a daily coming From whence From Heaven Here is a daily Coming from Heaven of Christ's Descending from Heaven The Father Son and Holy Spirit will come from Heaven to a true Believer and make their abode with him We must not understand this coming so grosly as if the Father Son and Holy Spirit should leave Heaven and come and dwell with the Sons of Men. What is this coming then It is the Heavenly Influences the Heavenly Powers and Heavenly Vertues like Heavenly Rains the Heavenly Gifts and Manifestations of the Lord Jesus by his Blessed Spirit in our Hearts So then Friends I beseech you observe these following Words which are of the like Import and concern to every one of us The Word is nigh thee this is the Command saith Moses which I command thee this Day this Word is not hidden from thee neither is far off it is not in Heaven that thou shouldst say Who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it How may we be sure it is God's Command as well as the most known and revealed Truth It was a Command to them I say to them to believe that Christ was to come in the Flesh they were to obey that Commandment the Word of Christ in their Hearts the word of Faith the word of Righteousness the word of Reconciliation to believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was to die for Sinners In the Time of the Law and before the Time of the Law they were to believe that Christ was to come and die for them and shed his Blood for them Heb. 11.1 Faith is the Substance of Things hoped for and the Evidence of things not seen Now from the beginning of the World all that long Trace of Time between Adam and Moses for about Four thousand Years they lived by that Faith they hoped for Christ's Coming and had got an infallible Assurance that God would forgive them their Sins and receive them graciously into his Hands when they should come to die and go out of this earthly Tabernacle of the Body and give them an abundant Entrance into his Everlasting Kingdom the Paradise above But why is this Word called the Commandment in the singular Number I will tell you because one Word not many is comprehensive of all God's Commandments be acquainted with this word in thy Heart and it will learn thee all God's Commandments It will teach you all that can be preached from the Holy Scriptures This Word of God that is in your Hearts is comprehensive of all Then you will object and say What need I have any outward Preaching I will sit at home and only mind the Light within the Word that is nigh and in my Heart No that is a great Mistake to say there is no need of outward Preaching many things are greatly profitable that are not of absolute necessity I do not say the Bible is of such absolute neceâ—sity that if Men should take the Bible from us we must perish for want of it God forbid If we should be banished into Turky and they should be so cruel as to take our Bibles from us as they do other Goods and think to bring us over to their Religion this word of Faith in our Hearts will bring to our Remembrance what is written in the Holy Scriptures so that the Bible is a necessary and profitable outward Help but not of such absolute Necessity that we must be undone for ever and perish without it This word of Life that is in thy Heart will preserve thee from perishing eternally O be acquainted with it If a Time should come that there should be no Meetings no outwatd Preaching or Hearing or that we should be shut up in Prison and see the Face of Man no more yet this word of God in our Hearts will teach us and witness the love of God to us in our dying Moments and we shall feel our departing Souls in the Hands of the Lord and may say with our Redeemer Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit O what Joy will this be to us in a dying Hour Now what is it that gives this Knowledge Understanding and Assurance to us The word of Faith in the Heart It may well be called the word of Faith An hypocritical Faith is a Faith without Charity Love and Obedience All Faith is false that is not grounded upon this Word of God it is needful to be preached this inward Word this Word of God within how doth it reconcile us to God It reconcileth us to God by opening of the Mysâ—ery of Christ Jesus and discovering to us
So Men and Women come to be cleansed â—rom the Defilements of Sin by the power of â— true and living Faith not that Faith which â—s so common in Christendom a traditional â—nd historical Faith What if all Men and Women in England should say They have â—he Faith of Christ within What if all Chriâ—endom should profess the Light within them â—nd yet live contrary to that Faith and cruâ—ifie the Lord Jesus Christ afresh with their Covetousness Strife Envy Fighting and â—uch things It is not every Profession of Faith â—f Christ within us or of Christ without us â—at is a true Faith The Enemy of our Souls â—ay creep in at that Door under a Profession of Christ within or the Light within whâ— there is neither a true Belief of Christ withiâ— nor of Christ without many have professe to be taught by the Light within and thâ— Spirit of Christ within It is not a traditional Faith nor an histâ—rical Faith of Christ without or of Chrâ— within that I preach but that evangelical â—â—ving and living Faith by which we come be dead with Christ and buried with hiâ— and risen with him according to the expreâ— Testimony of Scripture Rom. 6.3 4. Knâ— you not that so many of us as were baptized 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ were baptized into Death thâ—â—â—fore we are buried with him by Baptism in Death that like as Christ was raised up froâ— the Dead by the glory of the Father even so wâ— also should walk in newness of Life It is noâ— meant there of outward Baptism but of more excellent Baptism and you are not risen with Christ before Faith no but througâ— the Faith of the operation of God that Poweâ— that raised Christ from the Dead 1 Col. 2.12 And if you feel not a measure of that Poweâ— which raised Christ from the Dead to begeâ— Faith in your Hearts it is impossible yoâ— should be dead with Christ or risen witâ— him Why shall they profess Faith in Christ thaâ— have it not otherwise than the World hatâ— it If they have not a true and living Faith which is another kind of Faith than the Worlâ— hath or Christendom generally hath for the are Strangers to true Faith This true living â—aving Faith is as necessary to be preached at â—his Day as ever it was As to the manner of â—t I do not say It is needful to stand up from Morning to Evening to preach to People in a â—are historical way to convince them that the â—ternal Son of God came in that prepared Boâ—â— and by his Death was a Sacrifice for our â—edemption and Salvation that is not the â—â—ing I labour in I never Laboured a quarâ—er of an hour much less have I stood up in â— Meeting from Morning to Evening to conâ—ince People barely from the Letter that Câ—rist is come But I will tell you what I have laboured for I preach Christ as I am moved and as the Lord is pleased to open my Mouth to speak and I hope he hath opened the Ears and Hearts of People to 〈◊〉 I have laboured to prove That the 〈…〉 of that Faith in Christendom is a false Faâ—â—â— not a Faith of the operation of God I have demonstrated That the Faith that abounds in Christendom is an unprofitable dead Faith their Works do prove it so It is an absurd Doctrin to say That divine Revelation and divine Inspiration is ceased the true Faith comes by divine Revelation inward Revelation and Inspiration and also by outward Preaching and hearing instrumentally in God's ordinary way of working It is the Spirit of God that reveals the Mystery of Faith in our Hearts It s well known how I have laboured and what Books I have written for this Testimony that none have this true sincere Faith but they that have it by iâ—ward divine Revelation the Mystery of iâ— must be by Inspiration revealed within them I have laboured with all my Heart to proâ— this but a preparatory Work goes before hanâ— John Baptist was sent to prepare the way 〈◊〉 the Lord therefore it is no new Testimonâ— but it is the ancient Testimony of our Frienâ— that I have long since heard preached It is thâ— which answers John's Ministry that is a Mâ—nistration within Before Christ's Ministrâ—tion the Gospel Ministration there is the Mâ—nistration of the Law within and of Johâ— Baptist within and Mount Sinai within Thus I have pressed and preached O my Friends before you come to thâ— spiritual Sion you must pass by the spirituaâ— Sinai You must not take up your Rest iâ— Mount Sinai nor in the Wilderness but yoâ— must follow the Pillar of a Cloud by Day anâ— a Pillar of Fire by Night that God leads hiâ— People by Isa 4.5 6. And the Lord wiâ— create upon every Dwelling-place of Mount Zion and upon her Assemblies a Cloud and Smoaâ— by Day and the shining of a flaming Fire by Night for upon all the Glory shall be a Defence And there shall be a Tabernacle for a Shadow in the day-time from the Heat and for a place of Refuge and for a Covert from Storm and from Rain Here is a Cloud not without Christ's refreshing Rain it will shower down heavenly Rain and divine Influences from Heaven upon us and this Cloud shall likewise be as a Fire in a cold Night to warm us with heavenly Heat and Influence So we are not to â—it down at Mount Sinai but to pass through the several Ministrations of both the Law and the Gospel It is not my present Testimony to demonstrate to People these great important and weighty Truths That Christ is God That he is the true Messiah and Saviour of the World and That he is already come God manifest in Flesh I should think it almost needless to demonstrate these things to any but such as are ignorant of them as Jews and Heathens to demonstrate that Christ is outwardly come but it is a most necessary and profitable Labour and God hath blessed it with Success to all that labour in the Power of the Lord to demonstrate to People that it is a living Faith in the crucified Jesus that is absolutely necessary to Salvation to believe in him as he lived in the Body died and rose again and is ascended and is gone to Heaven in the Body The Heavens and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him as to his Godhead which fills Heaven and Earth but with respect to his Body he is only in Heaven The Heavens have received his Body until the appointed time of the restitution of all things when he shall come again to judge the World then all Nations shall see him and shall stand before the Son of Man God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the World by the Man Christ Jesus not by the Light within only tho' he shall judge Men here by the Light within and also hereafter All that are born of Women shall stand before Christ Jesus at his Tribunal the Saints shall behold him
revealed by the Spirit of God and the first Fruits and Earnest are given to the People of God here in this World the full enjoyment whereof is reserved for the next Life Now the first Fruits and Earnest are of the same nature and kind with the full Harvest in Glory If thou be a true Believer thou enjoyest a measure of the same Delight and Pleasure in Communion with God on Earth that the glorified Saints do enjoy in Heaven to all Eternity O the inward sweetness delight and satisfaction that the Soul of every true Believer enjoys in God in this Life it is of the same nature and kind that the Saints shall enjoy in Heaven to all Eternity this first Fruits and Earnest is but little in comparison of the full Harvest that is to come Those that are the People of God that have experienced God's Teaching know that which is beyond all the Teachings of the best of Men as the taste of Hony is beyond all Reports of it the Joys and Comforts of God's holy Spirit are beyond all that can be declared and expressed by Man concerning these things Whatsoever God's Servants have declared and reported concerning the great things that God hath promised to them that love him the Knowledge and Taste and Experience of God's People goes beyond it Yet this makes not void the outward Testimony and Teaching of holy Men for so far as any holy Man has greater Experience than I and a greater experimental Knowledge of God he is sit to teach me further than I at present know for the Children of God are gradually taught under the new Covenant None have Forgiveness of Sin vouchsafed to them but those that come under God's Teaching they believe not because of Man's Testimony only because Paul taught so and Peter taught so and James and John taught so but as they said to the Samaritan-woman John 4.42 Now we believe not because of thy Saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the World Those that are thus taught of God know the Truth and love the Truth as it is in Jesus they have heard himself preach he is not bodily present but he is present by his Spirit the Voice of the Spirit of Christ is the Voice of Christ and the Voice of God the Father you that hear the Voice of the Spirit in your Hearts you hear the Voice of the Father and the Son they that are taught of God they hear the Voice of God the Father Son and holy Ghost There is one thing further upon my Heart which I shall deliver as the Lord shall be pleased to enable me in a few Words concerning the new Covenant I hope you all know thus much that the nature of a Covenant is mutual it binds and obligeth both Parties so doth God's Covenant who ever comes under God's Covenant As God obligeth himself to be their Father and their God anâ— their Husband thy Maker is thy Husband So God's People that come under this Covenant are engaged unto God and God expects and requires that they should be faithful unto him And certainly God expectâ— and requires of every one in order to their coming into Covenant that they give up their Hearts and Souls to him and to take the Lord for their God We must dedicate our selves to his glory and service and say Lord thou shalt be my God I will have no other God but thee no other Lord or Master but thee Other Lords have had dominion over us but now we will make mention of thy Name only Isa 44.5 One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and surname himself by the name of Israel Is this only an outward Book an outward Writing and Subscription No that is but little to be accounted of thou must write with thy Soul thou must write with thy Heart There is a Bond between the Lord and thee and thou bindest thy self to him and it is written in thy Heart The Lord shall be my God Thus David engaged himself to the Lord Psal 119.94 Lord I am thine save me and he takes the Lord for his Portion Thou art my Portion O Lord I have said that I would keep thy Word How can you say That the Lord is your God unless you are his by Covenant God's Covenant hath a mutual stipulation or obligation there is a mutual engaging and promising The Lord promiseth to be our God and Father and Husband and our Preserver to be all in all to us and we promise to be his People to love him and serve him and obey him So my Friends I now commend you to the Lord and commend those things to you that I have declared at this present time I commit them to the Witness of God in all your Consciences I commit you to God and the Word of his Grace to open your Understandings that you may be inlightned to know him who is the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent which is Life eternal and that you may feel his mighty power to make impression upon your Hearts by those things that I have been testifying and declaring among you the Lord alone can teach you to Profit and make those great and precious Promises that have now sounded in your Ears to have a due impression upon your Hearts and to become effectual through the mighty Power of his blessed Spirit for the Salvation of your immortal Souls A SERMON Preached by George Keith At Harp-Lane London Septemb. 30th 1694. Cor xiii 5. Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your own selves Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Or as it may be better translated Vnless ye be unapproved disapproved or without a proof THis is a seasonable Exhortation of the Apostle Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith c. know ye not your own selves c. how that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates saith our Translation ' It were sad indeed if all they were Reprobates that know not Christ within them God forbid for there are thousands that know not that Christ is in them they have not that Knowledge Understanding Proof and Experience yet they are not Reprobate But who then are Reprobates may some say They are Reprobates of whom we may truly say God hath wholly left them utterly left them and ceaseth to be a Reprover to them and their Day of Mercy is expired the Day of God's Visitation and the striving of his Spirit is at an End towards them These are properly said to be Reprobates yet those that are not yet in Christ and know not that Chtist is in them so long as they are capable of Repentance and Conversion and of being turned to God and the Day of his Visitation being not yet expired it cannot
as the Sense and meaning of these words of the Apostle though I own there is more in it when he said to the Galatians I travel in Birth And it may well enough be understood as if he had said whereas formerly I traveled for my self that Christ might be formed in me now I travel again till Christ be formed in you We can neither rightly nor profitably and effectually Witness for the Salvation of others and be in labour or travail for the Salvation of others until Christ be formed in us until we know a travail for our own Salvation until we can witness our own Salvation to be wrought and carried on and not only begun in us and then we shall with good success preach the Gospel and without this no hope of success Let Men preach ever so much in a form of sound words yet they cannot preach with hope of success I say further it may have this further sense that whereas Paul had formerly laboured among these Galatians and God had blessed his labours so that there was a good degree of the Work of God begun in them there had been a good Foundation laid the Seed had not only been Sown but had taken Root and not only taken Roor but sprung up in some measure But some false teachers coming after Paul and gaining too much ground on the affections of the Galatians they had too much undone as it were that which he had been doing they had in some measure and degree marr'd and spoiled and â—s it were undone that which had been done â—efore therefore he complains and expostulates with them by way of Lamentation after this manner O Foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth before whose Eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth Crucified among you This only would I learn of you received ye the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the bearing of Faith Those that they had commended and esteemed as Ministers of Christ laboured to bring them back to the Law and to the observance of Jewish Rites and Ceremonies to observe days and times and such things I am afraid saith he I have laboured among you in vain lest that be marr'd and hurt in you and you suffer loss in that which I laboured for and made evident to you And therefore the Apostle laboured the second time that that might be recovered in them and gained which had suffered loss and detriment But now to speak somewhat more particularly to the Matter it self which shall be by answering a weighty question Which is this Quest What is it to have Christ formed in a Man or Woman Now in order to the answering of this Question it is in my Heart to make use of that Parable of our blessed Lord as we find â—t in one of the Evangelists where the Kingdom of God is likened unto a Grain of Corn unto Seed Wheat or other Grain which a Man Sows in his Field and it springeth first into the Blade then into the Ear and last of all it comes to ripe Fruit. Now as to the Seed of Corn to which he compares the Kingdom of God it is certain that which the Scripture calls incorruptible Seed is a Seed of God which comes from him immediately as I may say and yet comes to us through Christ 1 John 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot Sin because he is born of God Now the Seed of God which is called the Kingdom of God is compared to a Grain of Corn and all Seeds must have a Soil and Earth to grow in What is the Soil where the Seed of God grows It is the Hearts and Souls of Men and Women and their inward Parts Now you know the Earth is full of Weeds and of Bryars and Thorns therefore the Husband-man takes pains to cut up and root up those Weeds and Tares to keep his ground clean that so the clean Seed may grow and come to ripeness and maturity So it is very ordinary and usual for the Husband-Man to Weed his Corn when the Corn is young as I have seen it practiced and those that go to Weed the Corn must be very tender lest they ttead under Foot the Corn and tender Plants they must do it carefully tenderly and skilfully lest they do more hurt than good so they have their Weeding-Hooks and Instruments not only to cut down but to root out â—â—e Weeds and Tares Now I say God Almighty is the Heavenâ— Husband-man and our Lord Jesus Christ â—rincipally and primarily and also his Serâ—â—nts under him are the Ministers of Christ â—hich he makes use of to weed and cleanse â—is Field where the Seed is growing that 〈◊〉 the Hearts of Gods People How doth 〈◊〉 do this but by reproving what is reproâ—â—ble This is one part of the Work of the â—inisters of Christ as the Apostle writes to â—â—mothy I charge thee therefore before God â—â—d the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judg the â—ick and dead at his appearing and his Kingâ—â—m Preach the Word be instant in season â—t of season reprove rebuke exhort with all â—â—ng-suffering and Doctrin For the time will â—â—me when they will not endure sound Doctrin â—ut after their own Lusts shall they heap to â—â—emselves Teachers having itching Ears â—nd they shall turn away their Ears from the â—â—uth and be turned unto Fables But watch â—hou in all things endure afflictions do the â—ork of an Evangelist make full proof of â—y Ministry rebuke with all authority reâ—â—ove what is reproveable both in Doctrin and Manners All immoralities covetousness and â—oing after the World's customs the Lusts â—f the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the â—ide of Life and all that hinders the growth â—â—d fruitfulness of those Plants which are of â—ods planting A word of reproof in the Mouth 〈◊〉 Gods Servants is an Instrument to pluck up the VVeeds that hinder Gods precioâ—â— Plant from growing in the Hearts of hâ—â— Children Now according to this Parable of oâ— blessed Lord concerning the Kingdom of Goâ— he compareth it to a Grain of Corn when tâ—â— Husband-man rises up and lies down aâ— sleeps the Corn grows O what a singulâ—â— Mercy is it The Corn grows Night aâ—â— Day it grows and springeth up when tâ—â— Husband-Man laboureth not Now Chrâ—â—â— formed within is a measure of his diviâ—â— Life planted in us and united to us as tâ—â— Soul is to the Body in some manner it is liâ—â— a measure of divine Nature a divine Principâ—â— a divine and heavenly substance as it comes take root and spring up and grow in Mâ—â— and VVomen in their Souls and inwaâ—â— Parts that it may grow it needs not onâ— an heavenly divine influence from above bâ— it also requires the love of our Heart the affections of our Souls there must be feeling of love and desire in our Hearts tâ—wards it and a very tender care and conceâ—â— to cherish this