he would I will tell you the reason why so many learned Men Men of gâ—â—â—â— abilities speak slightly and meanly of it because it hath done them no good inward nor outward that they know of How should it do you good when it hath done them none The reason why it doth them no good is because they do not believe in it and did Christ ever do any Body good that did not believe in him He gave Men power indeed to become the Sons of God the greatest good that they are capable of but it was to those that believed on his name Were all they the Sons of God that heard Christ preach No some were the Devils Sons our Saviour tells them that they were of their Father the Devil and his Works they did do they came to Meetings and heard Christ preach he discoursed to them but it did them no good for they did not believe 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 instructions they would then have it all for nothing they would have it all for Gods sake all the counsels and understanding of Divine mysteries all the openings of God and all their knowledge of God would come for nothing What then would become of the trade of preaching Christ and the attributes of God then their Silver shrine trade will be spoiled and then their Diana is gone and this Light hath done them no good inwardly because of their unbelief and it doth them no good outwardly because 〈◊〉 spoils their preaching trade because it teacheth 〈◊〉 â—or nothing and for God's sake the light 〈◊〉 knowledge of God that shines in the face of Jesus Christ wherein are the Openings of the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God So that if any come to know the Vertue aâ—d the Power that turneth Men from Darkness to Light they are come to another state and turned from the power of Satan to the power of God and when the Power of God iâ— revealed in them then they say This is my God now I know the true God they speak as those that are acquainted with him This is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent It is not to know him at a Distance but as always present The Soul comes to be acquainted with God as familiarly as a Man is acquainted with his Friend and better too A Man that is acquainted with his Friend only knows some things pertaining to him but those that are acquainted with their Maker they know the whole counsel of God so far as belongs to their Peace therefore it was not in vain said of old Acquaint thou thy self with him and be at peace Be but acquainted with that inward Power that knows thy Thoughts and then no body needs to preach a Sermon to thee of the Omnipresence of God no Body needs make thee a Doctrine of it and offer Reasons and Motives to believe it it is all foolish labour I know that God is with me and near me I feel him in â—â—e and with me at my down-lying 〈◊〉 rising when I am in my Shop and abâ—â—◠〈◊〉 business he is with me in all Places and such a Man is also well instructed about the Omniscience of God God's knowing cvery thing I have learned that since I came to know him all the Doctors in Europe can tell me no more than I know in that Point The Lord observeth all my goings and numbreth all my steps Lord thou makest manifest the thoughts of my heart thou searchest my heart and tryest my reins Here is God's Omniscience and knowing all things Here is Divinity growing out of the Life Then the Wisdom of God is infinite so are all God's Attributes Infinite Incomprehensible and Unspeakable they are all so in him but he makes manifest a measure of his Wisdom he brings a Man from being such a Fool as he was before to become a wise Man He was such a Sot and Fool as to be drunk and tumble in the Dirt he could not stand upon his Legs but now he is become wise and sober Another was so foolish as to defile himself and wallow in his Uncleanness now such a Man comes to true Wisdom it begins in the fear of God The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom What doth his Wisdom do It keeps him out of the Dirt It makes him live first as a Man then as a Christian to live righteously soberly and godly in this present world It leads him into the Knowledge of the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God to know and comprehend with all saints what is the â—â—ighâ—h and length 〈◊〉 breadth and depth and 〈◊〉 know the love 〈◊〉 Christ which passeth knowledgâ— This is more than bare Sobriety and moderate Living such are taught to live soberly righteously aâ—d godlily to live by Faith and to be led into the knoâ—â—â—â—â—e of the mystery of the kingdom of God to know the Lord Jesus Christ to their Justification This is the learned and the wise Man he hath not the Substance as well as the Shadow 〈◊〉 â—â—th the Marrow as well as the Bone he is â—â—conciled to God through Christ he 〈◊〉 â—emission of sins through Christ Jesus tha◠〈◊〉 for him and rose again When you come to be partakers of this 〈◊〉 will do you good Notions will not do it 〈◊〉 when you come to know God for your selveâ— and under 〈◊〉 him for your sâ—lves to know him as your Saviour and Redeemer that hath rescued you from the Snares of the wicked 〈◊〉 whoever doth this they will worship God when they have this Knowledge of him they will bow to him they will be like those of old that said he is our judge he is our law-giver he is our king and he will save us There arose a Testimony in the Hearts of good People of that Age that God was their Judge that judged them their Law-giver thâ—t directed them how they should make their way to him that he was their King and ought to rule them for he must save them So when People come to know God for themselves to be inwardly acquainted with God for themselves when a Company of these Souls meet together when they have been at this School and learned this Lesson â—f Divinity they then sit down and wait â—â—on the Lord that God that seâ—â—â—â—th the heart and tryeth the reins and observeth how they do Service for the Honour of his Name and they receive Spiritual Gifts from him to their Edification and â—â—â—fort and they receive Judgment from him when they do any thing contrary to his 〈◊〉 The Lord Jesus Christ he is the Minister of â—he Sanctuary which the Lord hath pitched If Men have a Church as they call it they â—ust have John or Thomas for their Minister We know who is the Minister of such a Place but here is a Minister set
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
Spirit of errour then I may boldly say it 〈◊〉 our duty to joyn with the Spirit of Truth and not with the Spirit of errour if there be a desire in us to be saved from the wrath to come then the way to be saved from Gods wrath is to be saved from the cause of it take away the cause and the effect ceaseth The cause of Gods wrath being kindled against Man is Sin for God had no wrath against Man when he first made him for he made him after his own â—â—â—ge and gave him Power to conâ—inue in 〈◊〉 Holyness and Righteousness wherein he created him but he fell and was cast out of Paradise and an Angel was sent with a Flaming Sword 〈◊〉 turned every way to keep the Way of the Tree of Life Thus Man fell under the wrath of God by his sin but how shall I have the wrath of God allayed By breaking off from sin and returning to God again This looks like a covenant of Works say some do you say I must break of from Sin and so escape the wrath of God Yes I do but no mortal Man 〈…〉 off from Sin but by joyning with the 〈…〉 He is the Author of Eternal Salvation h◠〈…〉 in us to will and to do and enableth us to 〈◊〉 out our own Salvation it was Sin that dr◠〈◊〉 Man our of Paradise and brought upon him the wrath of God Sin is the Devils work now that Christ might be a Saviour to us 〈◊〉 will destroy the Devils work for this purâ—â—â—â— saith the Apostle the Son of God was manifested that he might Destroy the works of the Devil Now the Devil was not the destruction of Man simply in himself but by tempting him to Sin which is the Devils work now Christ was manifested to destroy the Devils work that Propensity to Sin that is in the Nature of Man which makes him rebel against the Mind and Will of God Christ the Eternal Son of God he became Man he took the Nature of Man that he might bring Man again to his primitive state wherein he was Created after the Image of God Now how doth the Devil work his works doth he do his works coercively No he useth no irresistible force But doth Christ the Mediator work coercively with an irresistible power and force to bring a Man again to God No no more than the Devil did to bring a Man from God Man might have stood and continued in his state of Innocency if he would he might joyn with evil and yield to the Temptation of the Devil if he had a Mind he knew if he gave over his Mind t◠〈…〉 â—e should be ruin'd and it proved so 〈…〉 â—as resolved to try what it was to yield 〈◊〉 Devil and obey him He told them that 〈◊〉 they did eat of the forbidden Fruit they should be as Gods but they became more like the Devil this they got by being obedient unto him not that the Devil laid an irresistible force upon them you shall eat of the Fruit of this Tree but there was only a presentation of it to them and with that he prevailed and so came the destruction of Mankind So Christ the Mediator that he may present us to God he comes and presents himself to us in his commands and his command is that we must break off from that servitude and subjection that the Devil had brought Man into and there must be a yielding of subjection unto Christ we must believe in Christ and harken to the word of God and break off from Sin 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 so and give me ability to do that which of my self I cannot do when it pleaseth God to give me Grace and captivate my Will I shall become a good Christian Now here is a great mistake that People should think they must wait for an irresistible power to bring them back to God there is a presentation of love and mercy and earnest invitations and the long-suffering and patience and goodness of God's long waiting upon Sinners 2 Cor. 4.6 God who Commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined into our Hearts to give the Light 〈◊〉 knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face oâ—â—â—sus Christ What shall I do with the Liâ— that shines into my Heart I will shut miâ— Eyes against it I love Darkness rather thaâ— Light and evil more than good this Light will lead me to Holyness and Righteousness I will quarrel with it it comes to bereave me of my Comforts in this World of my merry Companions and of all my Bravery I will not harken to it Who can help it This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather then Light because their deeds are evil saith our Saviour If I had not come and spoken to them they had not had Sin but now they have no Cloak for their Sin Here is the Gospel Preached by Christ himself here is the presentation of an opportunity for every Man and Woman to return again but I must be in the way of returning that is by joyning with that which presents it self with Holyness with Righteousness with Chastity and Humility that presents and offers to the Soul all the Vertues and Graces that are in Christ and shews it the Light and Grace that comes from Christ Now this Light and Grace shewing it self to my Soul I have a view of it Hast thou a view of it Hast thou seen Purity Humility Sobriety Meekness and Self-denyal and an Heavenly frame of Spirit in thy self or some body else How dost thou like it I like it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I love to have Honour and Dignity â—ower and Dominion and my Elbow-Room in the World I love not this Meekness Humility and strictness of Life that a man must have a Care what he speaks and set a Watch upon his Lips and upon his Heart and Tongue and Hands I do not like this kind of Life If thou dost not like a good Life some body will like it and live in it and for all your Vapouring and Hating and Despising it when People come to live this kind of Life they will out-live thee thy topping Life thy reigning Life and thy having Elbow-Room in the world will at last come to be limited the Hand of God is against it and it will bring down the Pride of Man When thou comest to life upon thy Dying Pillow expecting every moment to expire and breath thy last then thou wilt wish O that I had been more serious and lived more like a Christian lived a godly Life and given up my Heart to God and been more watchful over my Thoughts and Words and Actions There is such a Friend of mine that hath lived better than I if I had lived such a Life as he hath lived I should have had more Comfort And they that are despisers of
THe Works of this Author have obtain'd such general Esteem that many are desirous nothing of his should be lost I have already published two small Volumes of his Sermons the First containing Eight and the Second Ten of his Declarations and the acceptance they have gain'd from Persons of different Persuasions has induced me to emit this Third and Last Collection containing Twelve Sermons more upon several very necessary Subjects none of which have been yet Printed One of them being his last Sermon preached at Devonshire-house London a while before his Death So that now these are all of this Author's which are to be expected from N. C. THE Third and Last Volume OF THE Sermons OF Mr. STEPHEN CRISP Late of Colchester in Essex Deceased Containing XII DECLARATIONS upon several Divine Subjects Exactly taken in Short-hand as they were deliver'd by him at the Publick Meeting-Houses of the People called QUAKERS In Grace-Church-street Devonshire-house and S. Martin's le-grand London And now faithfully Transcribed and Publish'd with some of his Prayers after Sermon London Printed for Nath Crouch at the Bell in the Poultry near Cheap-side 1694. The Contents of the Three Volumes of the Sermons or Declarations of Mr. Stephen Crisp THe First Volume contains Eight Sermons upon the following Subjects I. The great Mediator of the Everlasting Covenant II. Heart Preparation for receiving the Gospel III. The First and Great Commandment IV. The Standard of Truth V. The necessary Duty of remembring our Creator VI. The Divine Monitor or Light from Heaven VII The Inward Preacher or the Office of Conscience VIII Saving Faith the Gift of God alone THe Second Volume contains Ten Sermons upon the following Subjects I. Truth 's Testimony against the Power of Sin and Satan II. Bearing the Cross the right Mark of a Christian III. The Spirit of Christ the only true Guide IV. Pure and Spiritual Worship V. The Divine Life of Christ Jesus VI. The Kingdom of God within VII The undefiled way to Eternal Rest. VIII The dawning of the Day of Grace and Salvation IX The Excellency of Peace with God X. True Christianity THE Third and Last Volume contains Twelve Sermons upon the following Subjects I. The mighty Work of Man's Redemption II. The Word of God a Christian's Life III. The necessity of an holy Life and Conversation IV. Baptism and the Lord's Supper asserted V. Christ the Way the Truth and the Life VI. Captive Sinners ransomed by Jesus Christ. VII The Sheep of Christ hear his Voice VIII No True Worship without the right Knowledge of God IX The wonderful Love of God to Mankind X. Salvation from Sin by Jesus Christ. XI The acceptable Sacrifice XII Christians should often think on the Name of the Lord Being his last Sermon preached at Devonshire-house a while before his Death And are all to be sold either single or bound up in one Volume by Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultry near Cheapside Price Three Shillings SERMON I. The mighty Work of Mans Redemption Preached at Grace-Church-street Feb. 8. 1687. My Friends WE are met upon the most 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 Souls for every ones Soul hath been lost and captivated and led away from the pure Presence of God all have been alienated by reason of Sin which hath become an universal Wall of Partition and hath excluded and shut out unholy Souls 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 Misery and of Distraction and Confusion to the Sons and Daughters of Men there hath been Anguish Tribulation and Wrath upon all their Souls and an insensibility hath happened unto many that they have not been apprehensive of the great Depravation they have lain under and they have not been sensible of the Glory of that State and Condition which they were to have enjoyed and in that State of Insensibility they have not sought after the Lord but have been captivated and led away by divers Lusts and Pleasures by which they have wounded their own Souls more and more And in such a State as this it is that the Lord hath found us he hath sought us out and he hath found us cast out into the open Field and wallowing as it were in our Blood and yet this hath been a time of Love and he hath manifested his Love to us in this respect in that he hath awakened us and brought us to a sense of our depraved and deplorable Condition and given unto a Remnant to perceive that there is a more excellent Glory a more excellent Enjoyment to be had than any this World can afford But a great many of those whose Eyes are so far opened that they can see and discern a more excellent Glory yet they cannot receive it for they are not in a capacity for the Enjoyment oâ— it many have the Glimmerings and some little sight of Heavenly Things but they themselves 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 Desires are begotten by the divine Word of Life in the Sons and Daughters of Men through the Lord Jesus Christ the Mediator by him Desires are begotten in People that they might come to enjoy that Life of Holiness that they might not only see a better State than what they do enjoy but that they might come to enjoy it and have iâ— for theirs There is an universal Desire in People that they might have Eternal Life and they believe there is an Eternal Life to be enjoyed but every one hath it not and the reason is because they are not fitted and prepared for the enjoyment of it for it is a kind of Treasure that is never put into an unclean Vessel there must be a cleansing and purifying that so earthen Vessels may come to retain and hold this heavenly Treasure and when it comes to this that People must be cleansed and purified here the World turns out to divers Means and Methods some have gone to outward Washings outward Cleansings and Observations of this and the other Ordinance and when all that hath been done they themselves being Judges were yet unclean when they have done all that lies in their Power and Ability towards their Washing and Cleaâ—sing and towards preparing themselves they have found some secret Testimony in their own Consciences that their Hearts were still unclean and that there was defilement still abiding and lodging in the Secret of their Souls and this hath put a great many to a stand what they should do when they have come to the end of all they know not what
Truth without the spirit of truth that reveals it Can any come to the Knowledge of Christ unless he that sent him reveals him Where are People's Books where are their Bibles where is their Rule they call it so that all their Endeavours for many Ages have proved fruitless in respect of the Knowledge of God This is but your say so may some say How doth it appear that we have not attained to the true Knowledge of God and to the true Worship and to the true Religion I will tell you how it appears for all in all Ages that 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 sort of Fruit in their Lives and Conversations that hath been of the same Nature it hath been Holy and Divine They have known the Sanctifier and they have been a sanctified People so they have become one with him and have shewn forth the Beauty of Holiness in their Lives that is a Demonstration that may shew the Knowledge of God for without it they live another Life an unholy one a corrupt one a Life of Self-love a Life of Pride Vanity and Enmity and that they never had from God but from another Root a Life of Iniquity and Sin it came from another Seed so that they are still without the Knowledge of God And again all that have come to the Knowledge of God they have trusted 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 trust God they must have something else to rely upon and trust to for in him they cannot trust Now the Lord said by the Prophet of old They that know my name will trust in me thaâ— is enough if People know God whom to know is life eternal even to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent This is Life Eternal if People were coâ—â— to this Divine Knowledge they would never take care or study for any Refuge or set up this or that or the other thing to lean upon A rich Man he trusteth in his Ricâ—es one trusteth to one thing and another to another but they would trust in the Living God and he should be their God and their Rock and they would venture their Concerns 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 said to be my God and thy God till we cast our care upon him and can venture our concerns upon him both in this World and that which is to come and can say He is our God and our Relyance and Dependance is upon him Now this is the Effect and Consequence of this Knowledge of God such as come to partake of it they shall not need to be bid to worship him You shall not need to make a Law that this People shall worship the God that they know there needs no Law to command the People of God to worship him his law is written in their hearts and they that know him will worship him There was never any Man on Earth that had the Knowledge of the true and living God that needed be put upon worshipping him that needed a Law to oblige him to it for the very Knowledge that is given of God through Christ this brings forth naturally an Adoration of the invisible Power which Men put their Trust in it produceth an Adoration that is true Worship it causeth an humble Reverence of that Power it brings the Soul upon its Knees as it were it brings the Soul to stoop and bend and bow upon all occasions to God as his God It raiseth his expectations to receive Counsel and Judgment and Understanding from him as the Fountain of Wisdom and hereby People are taught to worship in the right Divine Knowledge But to tell Men of the Worship of God before they know him though you make as many Laws as you will to force them to worship that God they do not know yet you can never do them any good nor make their Worship acceptable nor make them devout you can never bring Devotion nor Divine Adoration into their Hearts by all the Laws that you can make But there is a Spirit of Life that sets the Soul at liberty from its former Bondage to Sin and Satan and when this Law comes to be revealed in my Heart what saith this Law Worship God give Honour and Glory to him This Law saith Submit thy self to him that redeemed thee thou art his thou art no more thine own This Law being written in the Heart obligeth a Man to a true Worship and to worship God in spirit and truth for this Man hath done imagining 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 Knowledge he is come beyond the best Scholar in Athens let him be never so mean and despicable in the World if it be never so poor a Lad or Lass they are beyond the best Scholar in Athens for the best Scholar there came only so far as to contradict their fellow Scholars Some of them were for Mars and some for Jupiter some for one God and some for another These Scholars by some Beam of Divine Light shining in them had come to perceive that the Influences that were in Mars Jupiter and Venus and the Sun and Moon and other Planets they received them from an higher Power that is God They denyed not that these Planets had Power and Influences given to them sometimes they are called heavenly Bodies the Sky or Canoâ— of the Earth and Sun Moon and Stars 〈◊〉 called Heavenly Bodies they have Power and Influences but this was given them and that Power must be greater than theirs from whom they receive their Power Vertue and Influence even that God who is the maker of all things The Scholars at Athens were gotten so far as to see there was a God greater than the Planets which the Nations worshipped they thought that God was to have an Altar as well as Jupiter and Mars and those other Gods and therefore they built an Altar to the unknown God whom they ignorantly worshipped If thou and I are come to the knowledg of the true God then we must know more than these Scholars of Athens who erected an Altar to the unknown God When the Apostle comes to Preach Divinity among these Scholars of Athens there were Masters of Arts and sciences he begins to Preach to them about an unknown God whom ye ignorantly Worship saith he him declare I unto you we do not need to declare to you the Gods of the Nations for you Worship them but to declare to you the unknown God whom ye ignorantly Worship these were the â—reat Scholars of Athens that the Apostle sâ—â—ke to
and Wrath and Envy and Revenge and Violence to be found among us as if it would pull down Vengeance upon this City They have heard preached in Pulpits much of Holiness and Humility Patience and Meekness That a meek and quiet Spirit is an ornament of great price Men have heard much Preaching against Pride Prophaneness and Drunkenness and Uncleanness but they have heard it like a tale that is told not much concerned about it and have given little Credit or Regard to what they have heard of these things Why are People so wicked The Reason at last results into this Men are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God they are not the servants of Christ but serve diverse lusts and pleasures and are led captive by the devil at his will and so they go on in Iniquity All the Laâ— of Kings and Queens cannot â—â—â—train and curb them when the Law of Christ is not written in their Hearts but when Men come to see a Necessity of Self-denial 〈◊〉 taking up the Cross this will produce a Reformation This is that I labour for and all good Men and Womâ—n will do it It is time to cry for Reformation Vain Fâ—â—hioâ—s and Garbs and Pride have been cried up why should not we cry for Reformation before the Wrath of a provoked God is kindled agâ—inst us and his Vengeance poured down upon the Natioâ— We must reform our Lives How shall Men reform you will say By getting the law of God within their hearts that is pure and holy and heavenly that will be as a light to mens feet and a lanthorn to their paths Now till People come to this they will go on in Sin and Iniquity till they be swept away with some overflowing and dreadful Judgment So that my Friends in the Fear of God and out of Love to you I seek that you may be brought to God through Christ that you may live in the Love and Fear of the Lord and when you come to die you may have Rest and Peace for your Souls There is no Rest for those that are evil-doers There is no peace saith my God to the wicked The Ungodly cry Peace peace and talk of Peace but there is no Peace for them but they shall have for their Portion tribulation and wrath and anguish this shall 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 Unrighteousness Now Friends my Exhortation to you â—ll is That you will return to the Truth in your own Hearts and do it while you have time I am not pulling and persuading People to love my Truth but to love God's Truth in their oâ—n Hâ—arts to love it and obey it and you cannot do this unless you resolve to take up a daily Cross and be Followers of Christ who is gone before to prepare a Place for them that are his true Disciples and then he will present them to God as holy harmless and undefiled for these are Heirs of that evâ—â—lasting Kingdom which God hath prepared 〈◊〉 them that love him SERMON XII Christians should be often thinking on the Name of the Lord. Being his last Sermon â—â—eached at Devonshire-House July 17th 1692. a while before his Death THE People of God in former Ages did think upon the name of the Lord I would it might be the daily Practice of all that make Profession to be the People of God in our Days to think upon the Name of the Lord. This you know is an inward Exercise invisible and known to none but God he only knows when you are met together whether you are thinking upon his Name whether the Exercise of your Minds is upon his Power or upon whatsoever else your Minds are engaged They whose Exercise and Desire 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 Goodness and of his Vertue and 〈◊〉 an experimental Knowledge of the divers Administrations of both his Judgments and Mercies to their own Souls and so they can proceed from Thinking to Speaking of the Goodness of God from the Experience that they have in themselves that the Lord is gooâ— to them For all that some do in their manner of speaking of God and his Goodness and crying up the Name of the Lord it is alâ—â— worth nothing it is but Noise But every one that partakes in his own Soul 〈◊〉 somethiâ—â— of the Divine Vertue and Goodness that flows from God invisibly to him through Jesus Christ he hath Assurance in himself thaâ— he speaks the Truth It is not mere Words made ready to his hand but it is his owâ— Knowledge and Experience of that whâ— God hath wrought in him by his own Spirit there are none that think upon the Name oâ— the Lord and his Power and the workiâ—â— of it but they are able to speak of it eâ—â—â—ctually and truly I know it hath been and is the practiâ—â— among many that they are able to speak 〈◊〉 God's Goodness from what they find in 〈◊〉 Writings and Sayings of some that lived bâ—fore them that did bear an honourable Teâ—â—â—mony of God's Goodness in their Religâ—â—â— and they learn to say it over-again iâ— particular Age But what hath this Tale that they have told wrought This Report they have made How God was with the Christians of old the Primitive Christians and Martyrs they have told a Tale of these things and what hath it effected It hath either brought forth Christians or it hath not Therefore the way for People to be grounded and settled in Divine Knowledge is for every one to speak what they know And if they know nothing of these things to say nothing of them And the way for them to come to receive Divine Knowledge is by thinking by meditating by considering of that Converse that God hath with their own Souls for there is a way provided for all Men to converse with God that made them Every Man and Woman may ask Questions of him and may have Answers from him if they have Patience enough to wait for them every Soul here present that shall come to be serious and with seriousness of Mind shall ask of God what their State and Condition is if they were to die presently God will â—ell them He will answer them he will shine unto them by the Light of his Son Jesus Christ and let them know whether they are in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of their iniâ—uity still or whether they are redeemed out of it and brought into Covenant with himâ—elf But will you believe his Answer I would have no Man go about to ask such a Question of God unless he hath a mind to believe the Answer that God giveth him To what purpose should Men ask if they ask and ask amiss If they ask without Faith they do