among us that came in the likeness of sinful Flesh and for Sin condemned Sin in the Flesh We must believe in him as the true Light that lighteth every Man which cometh into the World There is a Sufficiency in this Light which is the Light of Life and the Arm of God's Salvation But the Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise say not in thy Heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring down Christ from above or who shall descend into the Deep that is to bring up Christ again from the Dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thy Heart saith the Apostle That is the Word of Faith which we preach that we might hear it and obey it And if thou shalt confess with thy Mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine Heart that God hath raised him from the Dead thou shalt be saved Here is the Means of Salvation the powerful Working of Faith in thy Heart and that is the Light within the Spirit within It is the Power and Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ that worketh this Living Faith in thy Heart This Faith in Christ Crucified when thou shalt be assured of Eternal Life in him of Eternal Salvation by him This Work of Faith with Power is wrought by Christ in all that believe on his Name He is the Dispenser of it This is the Word of Faith which we preach if thou shalt confess Christ with thy Mouth and believe in thy Heart that God raised Christ from the Dead who died for our Sjns and rose again for our Justification and ascended into Heaven and sitteth at thâ— Right-Hand of God and liveth for ever to make Intercession for us By this Living Faith in the Lord Jesus which worketh by Love which constraineth thee to live to him that died for thee thou shalt escape the Wrath to come and obtain Eternal Salvation by means of this Living Justifying Faith thou maist receive the Spirit of Adoption and call God Father Christ Jesus is become now thy High Priest and Elder Brother and thou maist walk by Faith in the narrow way that leads to Eternal Life And if thou hast received Christ Jesus the Lord then walk in him and follow his Example who was Holy Harmless and Undefiled and separate from Sinners and made higher than the Heavens by Faith in Christ thou shalt overcome the world and obtain Victory over thy Sins and Lusts And if we be once united to Christ by a Living Faith he will be a Light and a Leader to us and as a Pillar of a Cloud by Day and a Pillar of Fire by Night as he was to the Israelites when he conducted them out of the Land of Egypt through the Red Sea and the Wilderness and brought them safe into the Land of of Canaan a Land flowing with Milk and Hony O the Showers of Mercy that come from this Heavenly Cloud and fall down upon the believing Soul Who can declare the Showers of heavenly Joy and Consolation that are poured down upon those that are Childreâ— of Light that walk in the Light and have the Light of God's Countenance lifted up upon them O thou poor distressed sorrowful Soul that art clouded and at a distance from the Lord that art cast down and disquieted having all thy Sins set in order before thee thou art greatly afflicted and almost overwhelmed with Grief when thou remembrest how thou hast transgressed the righteous Law of God and sinned against the tender Love and Compassion of thy Heavenly Father that waiteth to be gracious rely upon his Grace and Mercy and pardoning Love and he will subdue thy Lusts and Corruptions and speak Peace unto thy disconsolate Soul If he appear unto thee as unto his Servant Moses in a Flame of Fire out of the midst of a Bush when the Bush burned with Fire and was not consumed If God appear terrible to thee as a Flame of Fire it is not to consume thee but to burn up and destroy thy Sins and Lusts which would destroy thy Soul When he appears as a consuming Fire he will purifie and refine thee from thy Dross and only burn up the combustible Matter in thee And when he appears as a Cloud to thee thou shalt feel Divine Showers of Joy and Refreshment to thy Soul which will make thee as a watered Garden to be green and flourishing Here is the Baptism of the Cloud of which the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 10.1 Moreover Brethen I would not that ye should be ignorant how that all our Fathers were under the Cloud and all passed through the Sea â—nd were all baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea When the Lord shall suddenly come into his Temple saith the Prophet Malachy even the Messenger of the Covenant who may abide the Day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like a Refiners Fire and like Fullers Soap and he shall sit as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver Here is a Refiner and Purifier indeed When he hath refined thee with Fire he will then water thee and cleanse thee and make the Cloud thou art under drop down divine Dews of Refreshing upon thy disconsolate Soul and he will lead thee in the way as he did Israel of old by the Pillar of Fire and of a Cloud both by Day and by Night so he will shine into thy Mind by the Light of his Dear Son When the Children of Israel were marching out of Egypt they were in a great strait Pharoah and his Host pursued after them to destroy them they saw no way to escape they must unavoidably go into the Sea or fall into their Enemies Hâ—nds Then the Lord appeared to deliver them by a mighty Arm of Power when the Egyptians pursued after them all the Horses and Chariots of Pharaoh and his Horsmen and his Army and overtook them encamping by the Sea And when Pharaoh drew nigh the Children of Israel lift up their Eyes and behold the Egyptians marched after them and they were sore afraiâ— and cryed out unto the Lord and they said unto Moses Because there were no Graves in Egypt hast thou taken us away to die in the Wilderness wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us to carry us out of Egypt And Moses said unto the People fear ye not stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord which he will shew to you this Day for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to Day ye shall see them again no more for ever So when thy Soul is brought into great Straits then stand still in a pure Resignation to the will of God and he will deliver thy Soul wait upon him and be resigned up to him and he will work Deliverance for thee from Time to Time when thou art in great Straits and Troubles and afflicted and distressed and seest nothing but a Sea of Trouble before thee that thou must pass through thy Faith
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
under a Divine preparation as many are 〈◊〉 our Days who are ready to say Lord havâ— mercy upon us among so many Religions 〈◊〉 would to God we knew how to chuse thaâ— which is right these are under a Heavenly preparation that earnestly enquire after the truâ— way and worship of the Lord wherein they may seek and serve him and find acceptance It is left upon record concerning Christ He gave his life a Ransom for many to be testified in due time If you speak of a Ransom to one that is a liberty he will not regard it being unconcerned but come and tell a poor captive in Algiers that he shall shortly be discharged from his slavery and sore bondage and set at liberty and that a noble Friend in England will pay his Ransom for him â—and his Heart will melt and leap for joy and he will be transported and greatly affected to hear such glad tidings As the Captives in Babilon when they sat down by the Rivers there and hanged their Harps upon the Willows and wept when they remembred Zion when they that carryed them away Captive required of them mirth saying sing us one of the songs of Sion They said How shall we sing the Lords Song in a strange land So it hath pleased the Lord in our Days to make Thousands sensible of their woful Captivity by reason of sin and to say after this manner alas I am where I would not be I am under bondage to sin and Satan I would be at liberty I am confined and shut up in a dark Dungeon I would be Discharged I am in Darkness and would have the light of Gods Countenance lifted up upon me and he refreshed with the Rays of the Sun of Righteousness I am labouring under weakness and I would receive strength and strugling under my many Infirmities I would receive Power from on high to do the will of God and never be a weary of well doing I am now at a distance from my Fathers House and as a stranger on this Earth I would have my conversation in Heaven and live unto Christ here that I may live with him hereafter and sit with him at Gods Right Hand in Heavenly places Now those that are made sensible of their state of Captivity and darkness and how they have been under the very region and shadow of Death to such as sit in darkness and as it were under the shadow of Death God hath caused light to spring up whereby the Soul comes to perceive that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses to them Christ gave his life a Ransom for many to be testified in due time The Soul hath its lodgment under fears and doubts questioning whether ever it shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living we have all sinned and come short of the Glory of God and we are all Children of wrath by nature as well as others the first step of quietness and comfort is like that of the Fathers running to meet his Prodigal Son when he saw him afar off It is when the Soul seâ— and apprehends that God is in Christ reconciling the World unto himself the Lord saith I have found a Ransom I have laid help upon one that is mighty that is able to save to the uttermost Now after we perceive there is a Ransom that there is mercy with the Lord that he may be feared then the light of that prophecy opens to us Isa 55.6 7. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call ye upon him while he is near Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Then the Soul begins to perceive this Morning of the Day of God and will say with the Psalmist return to thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Until the Soul comes to behold and tast of this Passover and to believe the record that God hath given of his Son it cannot be unlocked and unchained from its bondage and Captivity He that believeth not is condemned already and the wrath of God abideth on him because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son The believing this record and embracing the promise of God is that whereby we feel a spark of Divine hope kindled in us So that I say the greatest comfort that can be enjoyed in this life is to be assured by the spirit of God that we are saved from the wrath to come we must begin and go on gradually â—â—d work out our own Salvation with fear and â—embling till it appear to thee and thou art â—â—tisfyed that thy Faith stands not in the Wisâ—om of men but in the power of God and â—hat thy sins are remitted Psal 32.1 2. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven and â—hose Sin is covered Blessed is the Man unto whom the Lord imputeth not Iniquity and in whose Spirit there is no guil When you come â—o perceive the Benefit which you have received by Christ Jesus and that by a true belief in his name you receive Remission of Sins this kindles in your Souls a love to God and you will be ready to say What hath he paid my debt that I might be discharged from Prison Paid that debt which I could not pay I was in Captivity from which I could not Ransom my self and hath God given his Son and hath his Son Jesus Christ given himself to be a Ransom for me I was under a strange King as the Israelites of old under great slavery in the land of Egypt and house of Bondage hath the Lord brought me out from thence by a mighty Hand and out-stretched Arm and brought me as it were through the Red-Sea as on dry land hath he destroyed those Enemies that designed my Destruction and wrought a great deliverance and Salvation for me What shall I render to the Lord for all his Benefits Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his Holy Name who forgiveth all thine Iniquities who healeth all thy Diseases who Redeemeth thy life from Destruction and crowneth thee wiâ—â— lovingkindness and tender mercies When we apprehend that our sins are remâ—ted and that God is in Christ reconciling tâ— World to himself not imputing their trespassâ— to them then we have quietness and peace Rejoyce and beglad O Daughter of Zion thâ— Lord that is Righteous will bring Salvation and he will send forth thy Prisoners out of thâ— Pit where there was no Water Methinks I hear a sound in a Disconsolatâ— Soul saying I believe that God is mercifuâ— the Night is far spent and the Day is at hand yet notwithstanding this is my trouble that â— do not yet feel any Power to live to Christ thaâ— died for me and to walk worthy of my vocation the Soul may therefore cry out
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
fails and thou art ready to sink into this troubled Sea which doth with its proud waves threaten to overwhelm thee walk upon this Sea and fear not sinking thou fearest thou shalt not overcome the Tryal and Temptations that are before thee be not discouraged with any Danger but stand still and thou shalt see the Salvation of God and he will deliver thee out of all thy Troubles and Afflictions and lead thee safely through this raging troubled Sea as on dry Land Therefore mind thy Divine Guide look to the Divine Light and the Arm of God's Power the Spirit of God will conduct thee by his Divine Influences and though the way be difficult and dangerous he wilâ— carry thee through trust in the Mighty Arm of the Lord and in his Divine power and aid and he will lead thee through all troubles that attend thee in thy way to the Heavenly Canaan If so be thou dost return to Egypt's Land in thy Mind in thy desires and affections then thou wilt be overcome by the Adversary and be made to serve the King of Egypt again Therefore let me intreat thee to resign thy Heart and Soul to the Lord and go forward And the Lord said unto Moses wherefore cryest thou unto me Speak unto the Children of Israel that they go forward therefore my Advice Friends is that you go forward let us go Hand in Hand let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord for he is good and gracious who will teach us of his ways and enable us to walk in his Paths It is said that Moses stretched out his Hand over the Sea and the Lord caused the Sea to go back by a strong East Wind all that night and made the Sea dry Land and the Waters were divided and the Children of Israel went into the midst of the Sea upon the dry Ground and the Waters were a Wall unto them on their right Hand and on their left and the Egyptians pursued and went in after them And it came to pass that in the Morning-watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the Pillar of Fire and of the Cloud and troubled the Host of the Egyptians and took off their Charriot Wheels that they drove them heavily and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the Sea and the Waters returned and covered the Charriots and the Horsemen and all the Host of Pharaoh that came into the Sea and there remained not so much as one of them Now consider with thy self although thou hadst powerful Sins and Lusts that did beset thy Soul they have been destroyed in the Sea of Gods Judgments and the Lord hath given thee a Feast of Joy and Consolation to thy Soul and thou canst tell unto thy Neighbours what great things the Lord hath done for thee and hath made thee Witness of and thou canst now sing both of Mercy and Judgment And say Come all you that fear the Lord and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul Here is a living experience O thou canst speak experimentally thou needst not boast in another Mans Line and of things made ready to thy Hand thou speakest and declarest things thou hast found true and experimentally known When thou feelest it thus with thee be not secure after thy many deliverances the Lord hath wrought for thee of one kind and another do not think that thou art come to the end of thy Journey or that thou shalt never meet with trouble again but always feel these sweet Consolations For after God had brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt through the Red Sea and by his Almighty Arm had saved them and destroyed their Enemies he then brings them into the Wilderness to prove them and try them and after all to do them good in the latter end he brings them into straiâ—â— and necessities they want Bread to eat and Water to drink Thus God deals with his Spiritual Israel in the same manner as he did with outward Israel which was a figure of the Spiritual Israel travelling to the Heavenly Canaan as Israel was led to the Earthly Canaan a Land that flowed with Milk and Hony and abounded with all good things necessary for the nourishment and sustenance of Man as Corn Wine and Oil this was for the outward Israel so the Spiritual Israel is led into the Spiritual Canaan a Land flowing with Milk and Hony there is the sincere Milk of the Word and Hony out of the Rock to satisfy us this Blessed Land is worth all our pains Labour and Travel therefore persevere and go on with patience and courage and think not thou art come to the end of thy Journy notwithstanding all thy inlargements in Duites and sweet Enjoyments and strong Consolations of the Spirit thou hast been made partaker of God may bring thee into the Wilderness into mnay straits afflictions and distresses to prove thee and try thee and do thee good in thy latter end thou maist be brought into the Wilderness as thy Master Christ was and tryed to the utmost of thy strength Seeing it must be thus be contented with the will of the Lord though he should hide his Face and thou shouldst feel desertions and great distresses of Soul insomuch as thy Soul should be as the dry and parched Ground where no water is that is barren and brings forth no Fruit and thou thinkest with thy self that the Lord is angry with thee and delays his coming to thee and thou art affraid thou hast done something that hath displeased the Lord that he should so long hide his Face and not lift up the Light of his Countenance upon thee And this causeth great searchings of Heart and makes thee cry out what have I done why is it thus and why hath the Lord withdrawn himself and why do I want those Comforts that sometimes I have enjoyed I am now in a starving VVilderness and barren Desart O how shall I recieve again those sweet incomes of the love of God that sometimes I have enjoyed I will put my self now upon strict performances and exact walking Thou thinkest by this means to obtain Divine comfort and have the joy of thy Salvation which thou hast in some measure lost restored to thee but alas all this will not do What must I dâ— under these sad Circumstances If Obedience will not do If thou shalt receive no comfort or refreshment because of the Lords withdrawing and hiding his Face trust not to thy own Duties and Obedience but rely upon Christ's Obedience his compleat and perfect Obedience Look unto Jesus who is thy Advocate with the Father and Propitiation for thy Sins and not for thine only but for the sins of the whole World 1 John 2.1 My little Children saith the Apostle John these things I write unto you that ye sin not and if any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins
his coming down spiritually that we may witness and enjoy a further measure of him and of his spiritual and heavenly Presence and wait for his coming to us O saith David when shall thy Word come unto me How sweet are thy Words unto my taste yea sweeter than Hony to my Mouth He waited that the Word of God might come unto him Send forth thy Light and thy Truth send it forth from thy Zion from above from thy holy Hill from thy Dwelling-place above in Heaven Send forth thy Light and thy Truth that it may guide me to thy holy Habitation thy holy Hill of Zion He waited more and more for it These Words were first of all spoken by Moses Deut. 11.12 For this Commandment which I command thee this Day it is not hidden from thee neither is it afar of It is not in Heaven that thou should say Who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say Who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it unto us That we may hear it and do it But the Word is very nigh unto thee in thy Mouth and in thy Heart that thou maist do it This is the Word of Faith the Word of Life and Reconciliation the powerful Word of God that is within as a Hammer and a Sword and as Fire it breaks and melts the Heart and is helpful to every good Thing The Tribes of Israel had it This Word which I command thee this Day This Word of Righteousness and Salvation every Man and Woman hath it in all Ages and Generations blessed be the Lord it is more abundantly revealed now than in former Ages and Generations yet Moses saith This Commandment which I command you it is not hid from you But this Mystery of Christ was hid from Ages and Generations It is said to be hid because it was not so plentifully revealed as in latter Ages yet it was not so hid always but something of it was known in darkest Times Moses might well say to the Children of Israel It is not hidden from thee neither is it far off It is not in Heaven that thou shouldest say Who shall go up for us to Heaven that is to say to bring down Christ from above to bring him down to appear in a Body of Flesh he was not then come in the Flesh yet was expected in many Ages Moses and all the Holy Prophets and Holy Men of God they were contented with a Spiritual Sight of him they waited and prayed for his Coming yet he was not manifested in the Flesh in their Days and Generation they died in the Faith that Christ should come into the World in the fulness of Time and they obtained Remission of Sins for hiâ— sake Who hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us and died the accursed Death of the Cross that our Sins might be forgiven and that the Blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that we might receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith Before the coming of Christ God's Israel of old offered Sacrifices of Rams Bullocks and Goats not that they believed there was any Vertue in the Blood of those Sacrifices to take away Sin but this was a Testimony of their Thankfulness to God And so likewise it helped their Faith as a Symbol to preach Christ to them and their Posterity That in the fulness of Time Christ should descend from Heaven and take a Body of Flesh Gal. 4.4 The Apostle tells us But when the fulness of Time was come God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons Rom. 8.3 The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus â—â—th made us free from the Law of Sin and Dâ—â—th for what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his own Son in the likâ—nesâ— of sinful Flesh and for Sin condemned Sin in the Flesh tâ—â—t thâ—â—ighteousness of the Law might be fulâ—â—â—â— in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Christ was a Sacrifice for Sin he came to finish Transgression and make an end of Sin and bring in everlasting Righteousness Now it was in the fulness of Time thaâ— Christ should descend from Heaven and comâ— in the Form of a Servant and die for ouâ— Sins and rise again for our Justification Before Christ died and rose again from the Dead this Prophecy of Moses was not fulfilled Who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring down Christ to us or who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it to us before Christ died and rose again from the Dead He wenâ— over Lakes and Seas Here is a Prophecy given forth by the Spirit of God in Moses hiâ— Time and now fulfilled Christ went abouâ— doing good He went about by Land anâ— by Sea to do good unto People Sometimes he preached aboard a little Ship and sometimes on the Land He travelled both by Sea and Land and went about doing good and healeâ— all manner of Diseases for God was with him And that was the Time and Age of which Moses gave forth this Prophecy That Christ should die and rise again from the Dead and go over the Seas And the Apostle Paul was guided by the same Spirit when he wrote these Words Rom. 10.6 7. Say not in thy Heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring down Christ from above or who shaâ— descend into the Deep that is to bring up Chrisâ— again from the Dead the Word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thine Heart thaâ— is the Word of Faith which we preach This was declared and fulfilled in the Apostles Days Christ had descended into the lower parts of the Earth died and rose again and was ascended into Heaven This is the Word of Faith that we Preach I shall insist further upon this God willing if I have an Opportunity renewed to me If you have a right Faith and Belief that Christ died for you you will believe it was for us and not for himself he suffered the Death of the Cross he was cut off for our Sins not for his own he shed his precious Blood for our Sins not for his own he offered not a Sacrifice as other Priests did first for his own Sins and then for the Sins of the People for he had no sins of his own If you have fixed your Faith upon this and if you have a living Faith in your Heart iâ— will open to you and give you the Comfort of it I say It is a Lamentation and may be for a Lamentation that the true Faith of it is so little preached in Christendom Therefore Christendom is as a Wilderness which might have been as the Garden of the Lord.