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
cometh when no man can work Let every one of us that are now met together labour to be sensible of the Love of God to us and love him above all and express our Love by a willing and persevering Obedience that we may have the love of God shed abroad upon our hearts by the Holy Ghost and offer up living Praises to him through Jesus Christ â—ho hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made to kings and priests unto God and his father To him be Glory and Dominion for ever and â—ver Amen SERMON X. Salvation from Sin by Jesus Christ Preached at Devonshire-House August the 9th 1691. IT is a general Doctrine in the World That no man by any means in the World can ever be set free from Sin in this Life This is universally received almost among all Christians in all Churches one and another tho' they differ never so much in other things yet they agree in this so that this Doctrine hath â—ot a Sway in the World and it is accounted a great Delusion and a Heresie and a grand Error for any to question the Truth of it Now while a Man is of that Belief That there is an impossibility of living without Sin and of breaking down the Kingdom of Satan in any one Soul in the World How can Men hope or believe that Righteousness should prevail in the Heart of one Man Therâ— neither King nor Beggar if he be a Bishop 〈◊〉 a Gospel Minister the Devil must have a Rulâ— and Goverâ—â—ent in him so long 〈…〉 this World As long as this is believe 〈◊〉 not possible that the other Belief should tâ— place It is madness to think that I must bâ— under the Rule and Government of Satan if I am under the Government of the Son of God And it is still greater madness to say That Christ and the Devil are both my Governours and Rulers It is prodigious Folly and Madness to speak after this manner This Belief prevails over all Men over the Wise and Mighty and Noble and Learned that they can never be freed from the Power of Sin in this World but that the Devil will lead them into Sin every Day leâ— Men be never so sober never so abstemious in their Lives let them spend never so many Hours in Prayer every Day let them come to Meetings and hear Sermons and write them and repeat them and do what they will here is a Bar of Unbelief that lies in the way that makes Men depart from the living God and his Power and lose the Benefit they should receive from Christ And therefore they go to fetch it another way that is to have the Righteousness of Christ imputed to them and they shall be holy and pure in the sight of God when they are polluted in their own Eyes and when they see their daily Failings Infirmities and Corruptions yet God may not see them but that he sees them Holy Just and Righteous in his Son What strange kind of Doctrine is this I must prâ—sume that God will see me in his Son Jesus Christ when I never was in Christ How can this be He that is in Christ 〈◊〉 new creature old things are done away and 〈◊〉 things are become new But if there be Oâ— things remaining still and I be not becomâ— New shall I presume that I am in Christ and that God will see me in his Son When People come to use the Understanding that God hath given them the will look upon themselvâ—â— as barred out by their Unbelief that the Nations have drunk in and it is as sweet to them as the Honey and the Honey-Comb But blessed be God many have vomited it up already If they would have placed this Doctrine upon Man's Natural Ability I would have said Amen to it I know there is none of us all have a natural Ability anâ— Power to deliver his own Soul from Sin and Satan but when they come to place it upon God that though the Lord make bare his arm and reveal his power though they come to have the Grace of God that still they could not be delivered from Sin this hath Blasphemy at the bottom of it The other reflected upon man's Power this reflects upon the Power of God Almighty That the Devil hath got such a Power over us that God hath noâ— Power over us nor cannot have Power aâ— Dominion over us so that of a whole Nâ—tion he cannot have one Man to serve him Much might be said in answer to this When Men are once willing to serve Goâ— they will be willing to leave the Seâ—vice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Devil There is no way to answer that good Wish but by waiting upon God for the revealing of his Power I pray God that when you come to a Meeting you may say Lord let thy Power go forth upon my Heart Let thy Arm be made bare and deliver me from the Power and Dominion of Sin Some will say they feel God's Power in a Meeting I feel the Power of God workinâ— upon my Heart in order to the taking away Sin and Transgression and giving me Victory over it through the Lord Jesus Christ If they feel this Power of God upon them it is their Duty to believe it and depend upon it If I believe it I must wait for the Dictates of it and believe that I shall be able to do all things â—hrough Christ that strengthens me Then Faith will come forth into Works and appear to be a living Faith You may remember what the Apostle James saith As the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also As soon as a Man comes to joyn with the mighty Power of God he will be able to withstand Temptation If he comes into evil Company he will deny them and not comply with them 〈◊〉 will find then something of a Power 〈◊〉 Ability to serve God though he is â—ot come to Perfection yet he is walking 〈◊〉 the way of Holiness and pressing forward towards the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus He will say I am got a little â—â—arer than I was towards the place where I would be towards that Life which I wâ— live and die then let Death come wheâ— pleaseth God it shall be welcome This is the wickedness of many in thâ— World they will not live such a Life as they would be willing to die in They cannot come at it unless it be given them to believâ— for it is the Gift of God they must come to thâ—â— Governour and Leader which goes beâ— to the Gift of God which is eternal lâ—fe then let Death come when it will if I have the Gift of eternal Life It is a miserable thing to think that there arâ— divers that have not laid hold of eternal Life It is manifested that we may lay hold of it there is a Hand of Faith joyning with it When a Man comes to lay hold of
to do Many have cried secretly what shall we do to be saved For all what we can do cannot save us We have retained this and the other Doctrin follow'd this and the other Way and made many Observations but all this doth not cleanse our Soul nor purge our Consciences from dead Works this will not bring us to the Inheritance of that Immortal Life that will give us satisfaction We hear many speak of Satisfaction and of Joy unspeakable and full of Glory but here is a weight and burthen still lying upon our Souls Therefore my Friends that all such who are brought so far as to be under such a Burden and Oppression that they might be informed and come to understand where the true Rest is and where that Power can be found that is able to answer those tender Desires that are begotten in them for this cause hath the Lord our God communicated and given the Dispensation of the Gospel of his Son unto a Remnant whom he hath sanctified that they might Speak a word in Season to the weary Soul This is not a day to make a mock of Sin this is not a day to make a Covenaâ—â— with â—â—ath and Hell and to resolve to go on in a wicked Life and continue in it all their Days But yet there are a sort of People that desire to have a Word spoken in Season to them when they are weary How many are there in our Age and Generation that one may reckon of this number that are Sinners and overcome by their Lusts and Corruptions and by the Temptations of Satan and his Instruments But they are weary of it it is a burden to their Souls it costs them many a bâ—â—ter Tear many a Sigh and many a sad and sorrowful Thought in secret that they shouâ—â— have a sight of a more excellent Glory and of a better Life than that of their own and yet know not how to get into it My Friends that same Divine Word of Life by which any of the People of the Lord in any Age were ever restored redeemed and purchased again to the Lord That Word of Life must have been at work in their Hearts and hath been at work in them or else â—hou hadst never been so far opened there hath been something that hath unstopped thine Ears that thou might'st hear and the reason of thy Continuance in thy Bonds after thy knowing something that might have freed thee is because thou hast not heartily closed with that which hath begun the Work God bâ— his redeeming Power in the Hearts of them that believe in Christ to raise an inclination in People to seek after the Lord. You know what the Apostle saiâ—â— It is not of us so much as to think a good Thought But this all People will grant is a good Thought when a Sinner thinks of turning to God and leaving his evil Ways if he had Power and Ability and cries out If I knew how to stand against Tempation I would never sin against the Lord more this must be a good Thought in thy Mind How came it there Who is the Author of this Thought you will say This ought to be attribured to the Love of God in Christ that he hath convinced and persuaded us and that tho' there is Sin and Pollution yet he hath not so forsaken us utterly to cast us off he hath sent forth his quickening Spirit that is the Lord from Heaven that he might stir up and quicken People to consider their condition and bring them to a sense of their present State that they may come into a better State than they are in at present If this may be granted that the Spirit of God and the Grace of God is the Author of all these Desires then it will be granted at the same time that every one of you ought to be sensible that such spiritual Desires stirring in you are from the motion and operation of the Spirit of God that hath raised them in your Souls and then I hope you will grant that if you had but joined with that Spirit and with the assistance of that Spirit all things would have been possible thereunto So that here is the first thing that I would have every one satisfied about in their Understandings whether they arâ— totally exempted from any such Touches and Operations of God or no for it is said by some ignorantly That a great part of Mankind have never had any such Divine Workings of the Spirit of God upon them in order to their Conversion therefore it is not in vain for you to consider your state and condition for if you or I or any here be under such Circumstances that they never had nor are ever like to have any such Divine Operations or Touches of the Spirit of Life in order to Conversion then I am sure you and I had better never have been born If you will consider with your selves and lay aside the Disputes of Doctors and Learn'd men you may know the things pertaining to your selves Things relating to others I may let Disputes alone about them but as for things relating to my Salvation I must have a certain Knowledge of them It concerns you my Friends to know within your selves by an infallible Evidence of the Spirit of God whether you have had such Divine Touches Workings and Operations upon your Hearts as have inclin'd you to seek the Lord. I hope I may believ there are none here but have in their Heatrs an Answer I have had such Touches and Operations in me This is great Love from God more than my Tongue can set forth You will be ready to say I have not deserv'd this I have not so behaved my self towardâ— my Maker as to deserve that he should wait upon me and call upon me When wilt thoâ— turn and amend thy Life and hearken to him that made thee When wilt thou leave serving God's Enemy and serve him that is thy rightful Lord So that now this is a greater Aggravation of our Sin to continue in it and yet to have a Belief that God is still waiting upon us and that he hath such a kindness for us as now and then to touch our Hearts by the inward Operation of his Spirit and Grace in order to Conversion Now when this is agreed and Men settle themselves in the belief of this you know what the consequence will be When I consider with my self I that have been under these Workings have been rebellious wicked and disobedient to God yet the Lord is not so angry as utterly to cast me off but is still waiting to be gracious by the Operation of his Spirit to gather me to himself in order to sanctifie me and heal my my Backsliding to cure my Weakness and Infirmities and at the last to save me and make me an Heir of his Eternal Kingdom What is the consequence of this Love Why the next Resolve must be this I will rebel against his Grace and resist
his Power or I will submit to him Which of these is the best way the safest way Are there not a great many in this Age that are as sensible of the Workings of God's Grace for their Conversion as ever you and I were that are as sensible that God hath call'd them to Holiness and Righteousness as any of us can be and yet they have resisted the Grace of God They have said in their Hearts We will not submit to this Power that will make us so holy and so watchful and so careful diligent and obedient for this very reason because it will cross my Interest it will cross my Pleasure it will hinder my Preferment in the World and my Reputation among men and for this reason I will not bear this Yoke I would be glad to hope there are none such here that have made such a Covenant with Death and Hell and yielded themselves up to the Devil to serve him all their Dayes Let us who are at this Time and at this Meeting under the Operation of God's Grace and do feel the Lord calling us by his Grace and working upon us by his Spirit let us enter together into a holy solemn Resolution That we will obey this good Spirit and take him for our Leader and submit though it should be to a Cross Thus People will think they will come to this Resolution when the Work of Redemption is begun in their Souls and when they are convinced of their Sin and their Eyes are opened to see the way of Holiness and though they never take a Resolution to walk in it yet every one shall be convinced and see there was a better waâ— than their own and be convinced by the Grace of God one time or other that in respect of God's working of it it is a beginning but in respect of Man that should join with the operation of God it is not beginning for he haâ—â— no desire to those things which he doth not know he still depends upon himself but when the Soul comes to be satisfied that it is the Visitation of God and joins himself to him in a holy Resignation of his own will and saith This is the Lord he is come to work upon me he is come to change and alter the Frame of my Mind It is the Lord let him do what he will here is a Mind brought to submit to the Grace of God God is able to do that for him which he cannot do for himself When People come to the right Object of their Faith and act their Faith upon that Object they every Day find a Progress a going forward in the Work of Grace according to the Work of Faith in their Souls and there is a Power that inclines them to believe it is not for such to cry If they had Power they would do more he that hath the Spirit of Grace the Spirit of Christ that had all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him to put it forth on purpose for the bringing back of Men and Women home to God he that hath this Object of Faith before him he will not look for Power in his own Will and Affections to redeem him he expects a Power to be daily ministred and dispensed to him as he hath need of it through the Lord Jesus Christ who is present with him in all his Tryals and Temptations He cries Here is a Temptation that will carry me away O Lord help me Put forth the Arm of thy Power and save me plant thy Fear in my heart and deliver me Their Eyes shall see their Saviour saith the Prophet Thus when a Man comes to be joined to the right Object of Faith and doth exercise and put forth lively Acts of Faith upon Christ hi Eyes shall see his Saviour the light that shines into his Heart discovers to him the Temptation and it also shews him a Redeemer at hand his Saviour is nigh him and he trusteth in him and relies upon him and says This Word of God is in my Heart and I do really believe that although the Temptation that assaults me be strong yet it shall not prevail whether it be the Profits the Pleasures or the Honours of the World if I put my Trust in this Power I cannot go near the Evil I am a Christian I am entred into a Covenant in Christianity that I will joyn with nothing but what God approves of now when I have represented to my Mind the Temptation of the Devil and that evil which he sets before me and I know it is contrary to the Mind of God How can I go into that evil and break my Covenant with God after I am entred into Covenant with him to love him serve him and obey him the Power of Grace upon such Souls the Operation of Grace is so powerful that the Temptation comes and goes and they are saved and delivered out of it because God helpeth them but if they comply with the Temptation then Tribulation Wrath and Anguish pursues all such as are rebellious and disobedient to the Will of God Now this Redemption is carried on gradually from day to day the Truth that thou believest it operates by degrees thou art delivered first from one evil Practice and then from another evil Work but there is a great deal more thou rejoicest and art glad that thou art delivered from one sin but thou wouldest be more glad to be delivered from them all I speak to those that are serious for their immortal Souls when they see themselves delivered out of one Evil that they were ready to run into they would be glad that they were redeemed out of every evil that their crosness and perversness their frowardness and Wantonness were removed they should be glad to be delivered from all their Sins What do you think say some that a Man while he liveth here may come to see all Sin all Evil and Corruption brought under and nothing but Holiness and Righteousness and Truth remain in him and that there shall be nothing but Simplicity and Innocence Do you think that such a thing can be Why should not I think so You will grant me That the Power of Grace is able to get such Power and Victory over Sin and Corruption that you may come to hate it as much as ever you have loved it if you grant me that the Consequence will follow he that gave me Victory over Sin can give me Power over all Sin All Christians believe That God's Power is infinite the Scripture testifies All things to be possible to God with whom we have to do If all things be possible to God sure this is possible there is nothing so contrary to God as Sin is and God will not suffer the Devil always to rule his Masterpiece Man Mankind is God's Masterpiece the most eminent Creature in this lower World made after God's likeness and though the Devil hath brought Men into his own likeness now yet nothing can be more
contrary to the Mind of God than that the Devil should have the Rule of us for God would have the Government of us himself When we consider the infiniteness of God's Power for destroying that which is contrary to him who can believe that the Devil must ever stand and prevail I believe it is inconsonant and disagreeable with the true Faith for People to be Christians and yet to believe that Christ the Eternal Son of God to whom all Power in Heaven and Earth is given will suffer Sin and the Devil to have dominion over them There is no other Name under Heaven by which I can be saved therefore I have put my confidence in him If the Devil must have the Rule of me here then I cannot be subject to Christ in all things I may go to Meetings but I can never master the Devil and his Temptations this is as inconsisâ—ent with the Faith of a Christian as Light with Darkness and Christ with Belial If Christians think themselves true Believers then let them see how far their Faith will reach whâ—ther it be like that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints for by that Faith their Hearts were cleansed and they became free from Sin Rom. 6.22 But now being made free from sin and the servants of God saith the Apostle you have your Fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life you were Servants to Sin but now you are free from Sin so that this Faith is but one and if Men have got another it will do them no good Take heed thou art not mistaken about thy Faith I have heard some learned Men say That a Believer is a Servant of Sin and he is ever like to be so but he is not at the same time free from Righteousness for he hath the Righteousness of Christ imputed to him and God looks upon him as righteous in his Righteousness there cannot be a more Anti-apostolical Doctrin I may be a servant of Sin and yet have the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness I may be a Servant of Sin say they yet Christ is Righteous he is the Righteousness of God and he hath fulfilled the will of God and hath purchased salvation for me and he is the Object by which I am made righteous Consider this the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness will never do me good till I come to partake of his Righteousness till his Righteousness be made my Righteousness in me and for me Christ is made to us of God wisdom righteousness sanctification and reâ—emption so that if a Sinner one that was a Sinner the other Day come through Fâ—â—â—â— in Christ to have his Heart cleansed and purged and true Righteousness planted in him where Sin was planted there Sin through the Blood of Christ is cleansed and purged away So that Christ is made Righteousness to me and not his Righteousness barely imputed and reckon'd to me Christ is my Wisdom I am a Fool without him Christ is made Righteousness to me for my good Deeds and holy Living cannot be acceptable to God till they be done in him and commended to God by him the proper Work of Faith is to fix the Soul on him that worketh all things in us and for us that worketh in us both to will and to do according to his good pleasure and it is the good pleasure of God that we should live in 〈◊〉 Righteousness They that come to receive this Faith at first receive it from an inward Feeling they have the Operation of the Word of God in them so the Apostle reckons Faith not because such a Man heareth and such a Man believeth what such a Man preacheth but Faith is the operation of God you may hear me and a Thousand preach and you may die Unbelievers for all that except you come to thiâ— to know the Operation of God and the woâ—â— of Faith in you How doth my Heart close with this how doth my Soul joyn with this What Vertue and Power do I feel in my self It may be others that preach feel the Powâ—â— but do I feel it if not I come but to a Noise and Sound If People feel not their Hearts joyning with the Word preached there comes no advantage to them You read in Scripture That the word preached did not profit because it was not mixt with faith in them that heard it This is your Cafe you come to Meetings and you love to hear the Doctrin of Truth preached I tell you and I will speak plainly to you unless you come to feel the Operation of the Word of Truth in your Hearts you may hear the Gospel and the Word of Life preached to you but it will not profit you much How is it possible for a Man to have a Testimony against Drunkenness and yet be drunk a Testimony against Uncleanness and yet be unclean How can a Man hear such a Testimony and believe it and yet commit the Sin he heard it but did not feel the Vertue of it within himself and so he did not mortifie the Sin that he was inclinable to but they that come to joyn with Truth and with meekness receive the ingrafted word they find the Power and Ability of it they find how able it is to save their Souls they find how it worketh not only just when they hear it but it goes along with them and dwells with them and they feel the vertue of it overshadowing their Souls with the Dread and Terror of the Lord not with the Words that a Man speaks I do not trust to them but here is the Power â—â—d the Feaâ— of the Lord which will preserve my Soul and keep me in safety this is that which will keep my Mind fixed upon him and keep my Mind inward that I do not gaze about me so that every one may have an Infallible Testimony of what they have heard and known I have known the Doctrin of several Sects that have been among us and the main thing that many have gone from one People to another about is this that they might know what such a Man holds forth more than such a one and they think the truth is more perspicuous among such a People than other People if you examin the Matter it is this Who preached and proved his Doctrin beâ—â— Alas if they did all concur together and did preach as certain and infallible Doctrin as ever Chrâ—â—â—â— and his Apostles preached this will all â—â— thee and me no good unless we know the Power You know there were Thousands that heard Christ Preach as you now hear me and there were some so taken with him that they went away and said Never Man spake like this Man But were they all Christians did they partake of Life by him No some of them were ready to stone him Now bring this home and consider with your selves whether you are not some of yoâ— in the same State when you hear Trutâ— preached there is an assent and agreemenâ— with it in your
Corruption that was grown up in thy nature in the time of thy alienation prevails still upon thee contrary to thy Faith and there is no coming to obtain this Baptism but by sinking down into that which will slay thee that which will kill thee But there is such a shifting to save ones Life there are so many twistings and twinings of People to save their Lives that at last they lose them but there are none that could ever find that Life that is Eternal but those that are willing to be given up to the Dead and submit to this Baptism that is by the Holy Ghost and by Fire these only do come to Life they come to the Resurrection for you never knew any that dyed this Death but they rose again it is as impossible for Death to hold any one down that is buried in this Baptism as it was impossible to hold Christ down when he was in the Grave The same power that brought again our Lord Christ from the dead the same power it is that quickens us while we remain in these mortal Bodies after we have sustain'd this Death and Crucifiction But who can believe this Saying for this is a hard saying who can bear it Is it not enough that I am a Believer which makes me a Friend and entitles me to a Community among you and as long as I hold the Truth and profess the Truth I am looked upon as one of your Society This is very true this doth entitle People unto the outward Privivileges of the Church of Christ but there is another inner Court that lies under the Angel's Reed the measuring Reed that is to be measured the Temple is measured and every Worshipper in the Temple is measured there was an outward Court that was for representing the Church of God in general from the particular the outward Court was not measured that the Gentiles might come in the unbaptized People which were never regenerated they might come so far as the outward Court but this did not entitle them to the Privileges of the House of God nor to any Worship or Sacrifice that was accepted upon God's Altar It concerns you and me my Friends to be serious about Matters of this Moment and Importance and not spend your Dayes and as it were speak by rote under an airy Profession though of Truth it self without considering what Progress you have made what benefit you have obtained and whether you are come not only to the shadow of good things to come but to the very Substance of the heavenly things for the comers to the outward worship could never with those Sacrifices they offer'd be made perfect the comers thereunto were not made perfect as to things pertaining to the conscience speaking there of the outward worship Heb. 10.1 but coming to the heavenly things whereof the other were but a shadow they made People perfect as to the Conscience and did bring them to Salvation The Apostle alludes to this Baptism for he speaks in a Figure of the Eight persons that were saved in Noah 's ark then he brings down the Allegory to Christian Baptism not only to the Baptism of John the fore-runner of Christ that preached of Christ but to the Christian Baptism it self by the like figure whereof baptism now saveth us saith the Apostle not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience What doth he mean by Baptism saving us He means the answer of a good Conscience towards God through the resurrection of Christ from the dead so that Christian Baptism did bring along with it the cleansing and putting away of all sin out of the conscience that might bring them under Doubts and Scruples and then there is an arising of Jesus the Saviour in the Conscience the Mediator that brought them to answer for them in the Sight of God for if People be conscious of Sin and do leave off their Sin this doth not yet cleanse the Conscience for there still remains a Conscience of Sin 't is not the leaving off our Sin that makes our Attonement with God or that expiates our Guilt or doth away the Guilt of the Sins that we have committed but there must be a forsaking and a leaving off Sin by the Vertue and Power of the Spirit by which we are enabled not only to leave off Sin but are guided and directed to the Mediator whose blood alone reconcileth us to God and cleanseth us from all sin If I should never commit a sin while I live it is not this simply in it self that will make me have the answer of a good Conscience in the sight of God for there remains the guilt of sin contracted in the Days of unbelief which is a bar and hinderance that none can approach the Holy God but in the attonement and Salvation that comes by Jesus Christ for all that believe and obey the Gospel are accepted in Christ and upon the account of Christs precious Blood that cleanseth us from all sin and unrighteousness Whom doth it cleanse those only that forsake their sins and by his power are brought to a holy life they by the vertue of his power and the cleansing of his Blood come to have their former sins removed from them as far as the East is from the West But what is this to them that remain in their Sins what is this to them that are not baptised for the dead that have not put off the old Man nor put on the new Man but have only put on the name and profession of Christ and put on the outside of him his Garment but have not put him on they are not Created again in Christ Jesus unto good works that they might walk in them no wonder there remains a conscience of sin in them there is a Bar that hinders them from the sight of the glory of God and from real and true satisfaction concerning their attonement and reconcilation with God and this hinders them from the enjoyment of that peace that passeth understanding and it is no wonder because they are not come to this baptism that brings the answer of a good conscience in the sight of God they are not risen with Christ how should they for they are not buryed with him Rom. 6.3 know ye not that so many of us saith the Apostle as were baptised into Christ were baptised into his death therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life here is a change figured out between them that had partaken of the spiritual baptism and were come again to the participation of life in the resurrection of Christ Jesus and those that were not baptized So it is now with every one that cometh to believe the truth and maketh a profession of it there is a way cast up and there is a door opened for salvation
bad all moved by the spirit and yet are there no motions I have sometimes turned the Question upon People and asked them if there were no motions of the evil spirit hath it no such kind of influence that it can move upon our spirits that we can sensibly feel our selves thrusâ— forth to such an action I never met any Man that would deny it they are so generally favourable to the wicked spirit no Man will deny but the Devil hath a way of moving and stirring upon the spirit of a Man and to suggest to him such an evil thing and as I have sometimes said it is so received an opinion that when the malefactor comes to be arraigned at the Bar for some grievous crime they lay the foundation of the inditement such a Day he was moved and instigated by the Devil to do such a thing here is a setled motion for the Devil for him to influence peoples spirits but no way for the good spirit of God to influence Mens spirits here is nothing left us but a bad instigation but to know inward motions to good things it is not to be expected now a days How should ever the cunning Serpent that would have Power over the best of us all be said to winnow us Christ signified to Peter a bold and resolute Disciple Satan desires to have thee and winnow thee as wheat if the Devil had Power over every one to make them his Servants and Slaves whâ—â—â— Remedy have we but we must all perish and go headlong to Hell with him unless there be some way of resisting him That is true say People the Devil must be resisted we find it in the New Testament Resist the Devil This is a good Exercise but tell me one thing when I go about to resist the Devil must I resist him in my own Power If I said you might do so you would say I was an erroneous Preacher and well you might This is an old Free-will Doctrin that a man may resist the Devil by his own Power and escape his Snares and do the Will of God This hath been cryed down by the Doctors of the Church of England and by most of all sorts of Christians and for our parts since the Lord hath opened our Mouths we did never speak a Word in favour of it as if we went about to resist the Devil in our own Strength if we did the Devil would make Fools of us He that goes about to resist the Devil in his own Strength he will entrap and ensnare him in that Men have a propensity to sin and by his Cunning and Subtilty may be led into a Snare before they are aware Thus it is agreed on all Hands that our Power as Men is too weak to resist Satan's Temptation so that you see we must have the Assistance of the Divine Power or go all to Hell there is no medium between these two Extreams some extraordinary Power must assist me or else the Devil will have me If you will not admit of a supernatural Power to come in to help me and you we must all go to Hell there is no Remedy I will say my Prayers saith one do so yet in the best of your Prayers there will be Sin and if I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me I will go and hear Sermons say you the very Man that preacheth will tell you That hearing of Sermons will do you no good at all unless there be Motions of the Spirit of God so that you will be warpt from one thing to another and have diversity of Doctrines and come to no fixedness and while you â—â—ncern your selves about Doctrines all the while the Devil prevails upon you For the Tongue he hath rule of that and for the Mind he hath rule of that and as for the Hands he hath rule of them and makes you do those things that by his perpetual Suggestions he moves you to So that your going to Church and saying your Prayers signiâ—â—e nothing to bring you from under the Wrath of God and from the Captivity of the Devil Hath not the Devil those in Captivity that go to Church and say their Prayers and give Alms These are things that you can do in pour own Power the saying of your Prayers and Fasting and giving of Alms these things thou mayest do the Devil will not hinder thee for he knows that these will not bring thee out of his Clutches nor out of his Chains and Fetters There is but one Way and Means by which the Devil may be effectually resisted that 〈◊〉 by taking to my Help one stronger than he I have gone for Help to many stronger than I in my young Days that I thought to be stronger Christians and many of them did afford their Help in the Work by Counsel by Perswasion by Exhortation and by Doctrin but all this did not do and the Reason was this because the Devil was too strong for me and so he was for them As long as you go for Help to this and the other Place till you find one stronger than the Devil expect no Deliverance or Help from 〈◊〉 thing in the World but lay aside all conâ—â—â—â—â— in the flesh in any Man on Earth or in all the Doctors Words and best Preaching you shall hear lay aside your Confidence in them they will never do you any good in this respect for they will never break your Chains off many are loaded with them but some I hope are weary and heavy laden and feel the weight of Sin I pray God increase the Number though it be a state of Sorrow it is better than the state of Fools that make a mock of sin I would have you weary and heavy laden with your Sins and brought into this state to see your selves captivated by the strong Power of Darkness and to see you are unable to deliver your selves out of it by your own Power For me to fall into the Hands of a Tyrant that is stronger than I and never a Man to deliver me how sad would it be If I could â—â—nd a Man stronger than this Tyrant and that would kill him I should be his Servant and have a better Master â—o Man can kill tâ—â— Tyrant that hath led the Captive and made me a Slave if he say Be drunk I must be drunk if he bid me swear I must swear This is the Slavery that the Devil hath got his Servants into that whatsoever he saith that they must do if he bids them do it O wretcheâ— man that I am who shall deliver me I cannot deliver my self and no Man can deliver me I would be acquainted with all Christians if they could help me I would try all Religions that are this Day in the World to see if â—here be help for me Many are oppressed with Sin and they go to and fro to see what Help can be given them to freâ— them from the Bondage that the Devil haâ—â— them in
Bread be held forth to a poor Creature but if he receive it not he may perish for all that it is not his tho' I have appointed it to be his and have separated it from my other Substance to be his If he receive not what I offer and would give him he may Perish for all that Here is Grace and Truth comes by Jesus Christ and God hath offered it to all Men in that he hath raised up Christ from the Dead the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all Men but all Men have not received it therefore all Men have it not and they that have not the Grace of Christ and the Spirit of Christ are none of his but it doth not follow that they never will be none of his When they have received the Gift by Christ and say I will be his Sheep or Lamb they will come into his Favour by that Gift and shall partake of the good things of his Fathers Kingdom but till they have received this Gift they are not the better for it they have not any Benefit by the death of Christ they have no help no benefit by it except it be the Patience and long Suffering of God who for Christs sake bears with their Weakness and waits to 〈◊〉 â—ious and for Christs sake offers them Favoâ—r but they are not come to the Possession of it till they open their Hearts and receive the Grace of Christ then they are convinced of Christs end and â—hat there is a possibility of enjoying the Spirit of God and of being taught and led by it Take this along with you that it is your absolute and indispensible Duty to wait from day to day upon the great God of Heaven the Giver of every good and perfect Gift that you may have that blessed Gift that you may have the Assistance of a greater Power than your own to lead you out of Sin into Righteousness that through Jesus Christ you may be acceptable to God SERMON V. Christ the Way the Truth and the Life Preached at Grace-Church-street Apâ—â—â— 18 1687. I Fear the high Places are not taken away it hath been so in all Ages and it is manâ—festly so in this Day where the Heart is nâ—â— rightly prepared for the Lord there the higâ— Places are not taken away For all the higâ— Places in the time of Israel's Idolatry theâ— were ever set up when they departed from thâ— Lord and all the high Places now they arâ— up in a time of Ignorance of God when People have forgotten the Lord then they exalâ— themselves then Pride and Arrogance and every evil way prevails upon us but when Men come to seek the Lord with Uprightness that brings down their high Conceits thaâ— brings every one into Humility for every one comes to be convinced in themselves that none can find the Lord but as they are brought to be Humble nay indeed none seek after him aright buâ— such none have the promise of finding him but the Humble Therefore it is the duty of every one that is a real inquirer and seeker after God to know the right preparation of the Mind to know themselâ—â—â— in such a frame of spirit that they may see◠〈◊〉 hope that they may have a right and just expectation of finding him whom they are seeking after for this hath been the reason that a great many 〈◊〉 been frustrated in their endeavours and 〈◊〉 their purposes of seeking after the Lord 〈◊〉 have not been rightly prepared for him 〈◊〉 â—â—nifest himself â—â—to them they have noâ—â—â—wn the Preparaâ—ion of his Sanctuary there was a peculiar preâ—aration that was requisâ—â—â— to those that drew near unto the Sanctuary of God they were Hallowed that is made Holy ere they drew near to the Holy Place but alas this hath been greatly neglected in our Days unholy People with unholy Minds have been seeking after the Holy God they have been enquiring after a Holy way and were not prepared to walk in it there was nothing raised in their Minds in their Souls that was fit to walk in that way For so long as Men or Women stand in Unity with their Sins with their Lusts and Concupisence with the spirit of this World and the way of it they are not capable of receiving that which should lead them into the way of Holiness nay if it appears to them they cannot receive it for it is with them as with other guests there be other Lovers already let in which imploy thâ— Powers and faculties of their Souls so that if the most beloved of all the most excellent if the Chiefest of Ten Thousand do appear they cannot see 〈◊〉 comlyness in him The Prophet speakiâ—â— oâ— this state and condition of Men did prophecy concerning our Lord Jesus Christ when we shall see him there is no comlyness in him why we should desire him and so it hath happened to a great many now adays though the Truth hath appeared to them yet they have not looked upon it as a pleasant way as a way desirable but a 〈◊〉 be shun'd if possible What shifts have 〈◊〉 great many People made 〈◊〉 keep themselves if possible out of the way oâ— Truth arguing for this and that and dispâ—tâ—â— for one way and another that was out of Truths way out of the way of Holiness What was the meaning of all their arguments but to tell us they might be happy they might be saved though they did not come into Truths way and walk in Truths way and though they did abide in those things that were contrary to the Testimony of Truth in their own Hearts yet it might go well with them This is the strength of the arguments of all sorts of all persuasions in the World that have been arguing themselves out of the Truth and would argue us out of the Truth too and would take the liberty to do those things which are not agreeable therewith but now the reason of this is because the preparation is wanting they are those that have no need of Truth and that have no need of God and of a Saviour but think they can make shift without them he is not become the chiefest to them they can abide in the high places the can call upon the name of the Lord and they can worship in the Groves and in the high places both together like as those Nations that were brought to inhabit the Kingdon of Israel when the ten Tribes were carried away they sent for Priests to teach them they sent back to the King of Assyria to send them some Priests to teach them to worship the God of their Coâ—ntry and when the Priest came to teach them he taught them the Ceremonies of the Law and the divers observations that the Jews used to practise in that Country and so they grew into a formality of serving the God of Israel They called upon the Name of the Lord and every Nation Worshipped their own Gods How is this Nation and the
Nations of Europe now inhabited with such a People that are calling upon the Name of the Lord but every one worshipping their own Gods one makes Gold and Silver his God another makes his Pleasure his God another his Honour another this that and the other Lust and they bow down to them that is they yield themselves to their Lusts concupisence and corruptions that they stand in unity with but they call upon the Name of the Lord too they do apply themselves to some kind of form of worship which they say is unto the immortal and invisible God but alas they come not to the Knowledge of God by this All that the Priests could do that the King of Assyria sent back they brought not the Samaritans to the Knowledge of the God of Israel they only brought them to a Report of such a God that had set up such a Law They had the Report of it and for fear that the Lions should tear them in pieces they would enter into that Form but they worshipped their own Gods still So it is now People do not come to the Knowledge of the true God the living God by entring into any Form of Religion for instance Prayer Hearing or any Ordinance or Church-Fellowship these give give not Men the Knowledge of God there is but one way to come to that but only one Men have found a great many it is past your Skill and mine to reckon up the many ways that Men have found out upon the Face of the Earth how they might come to the Knowledg of God and to Peace and Reconciliation with him but they have only play'd the Fools and spent their Time in vain especially they that own the Scriptures of Truth to be a true and faithful Record of the Mind and Will of God they play the Fool abominably for the Scripture that they give so much Reputation to in their Profession doth testifie the way is but one and there is no other way for People to be reconciled to God than by coming in to Christ to be found in him to be regenerated and born into his Nature and have his Qualities put upon them That as he was pure they may be pure that 〈◊〉 that sanctifieth and they being sanctified 〈◊〉 him may become both one and so be recâ—â—ciled to the father through him This you know is the common Profession of Christendom or at least of our Nation And in other Nations the common Profession is There is no Mediator but one no Reconciler but one Indeed some others hold there may be other Mediators and that there are others that may contribute to them by their Mediation and by their Prayers and Merits but the generality of the Nation are otherwise Now for People to fall out and say my way is best and thy way is not best and to fall into Contests about many ways when the Scripture concludes but one Way is not well We were better all agree about this Doctrin That there is no possibility of Reconciliation with God since we are fallen out with him and since Sin hath made a separation there is no way of being reconciled again to God but by and through our Lord Jesus Christ nor by him neither unless we receive of his Spirit to quicken us nothing can quicken us enliven us or recommend us to God but the Spirit of Christ operating and working in our Hearts that he may prepare us for the Father's Kingdom If People would agree upon this there would be an end of all Labour and Toyl and Jangling about the right way for the Consequence and Conclusion would be thus That Man that doth not know in himself the â—anctifying Power of the Spirit of Christ Jesus he is out of the way to Reconciliation with God let his Form and Profession be what it will If therefore he be reconciled to God it must be by and through the Mediator and he will never recommend him to the Father till he hath made him a Temple to let in the Spirit of Christ to work in his Heart to fit him for the Kingdom of God And Men have no other way to come to it for though they be zealous in every Prayer and Form it signifies nothing to any great purpose their Hope will be frustrated There is no other way saith Christ of coming to the father but by me I am the way the truth and the life If I am out of the Truth I am out of the way and if I am out of the way then I cannot come to the end of the Way This is plain reasoning among Men If I tell a Lie that is out of the Truth If I have vain Communication or deceive or wrong my Neighbour that is out of Truth what is manifest in my Conscience to be contrary to the Truth if I am in it I am out of the way though I be strict in the way as to Profession yet I am out of the Way to God I am out of the Truth there is no way to God but by Christ who is the Way the Truth and the Life whoever is out of him is out of the Way which made the Apostle say That his labour endeavour and desire was that he might be found in Christ not having his own righteousness but having on the righteousness of Christ Jesus Many Men think to recommend themselves to God by their righteous just and honest Dealings and doing Wrong to no Body This is good in it self but doth not recommend us to God unless it be done by the righteous and holy Spirit of Christ Jesus unless it be of his Working he must have the working of Righteousness and Truth in us he must plant it and it must grow by his working if it be acceptable to the Father for without me saith Christ you can do nothing A Man out of Christ a Stranger to his Spirit may do something but nothing available to the well-being of his Soul till he have Reconciliation by Christ Jesus If he be reconciled to God this Mediator must be the Reconciler and he must fit and prepare him for Reconciliation with the Father All the Divisions Sorts and Sects of Religion they all come to an end if this Measuring Line be laid to them they all appear too short and there is nothing will do a Man good but that Religion that obligeth and tyes him to the good Pleasure of God through the Spirit of the Mediator which he feels working in him by which he is raised from Death to some degree of Life When he is sensible what a Burthen sin is to his Life and that godly Life which he hath is burthened with every Sin and oppressed with every vain Thought and every vain Word If he be not in some measure quickned 〈◊〉 â—ot sensible of this Burthen but being quickned he is sensible of the Burthen that lies upon his Life by reason of his Sin and then being under the Weight of his Sin he calls to God
for his Assistance he cries to God to help him he now knows that he hath striven and laboured in vain O God of all Grace if thou vouchsafe not Help to my Soul if thou dosâ— not interpose by the Assistance of thy Grace I cannot overcome this Sin There is a continual Cry to God for Divine Assistance and as they cry to God for Assistance he ministers Assistance to them by which they are able to overcome the Enemy of their Souls and all Temptations when they come And when a Man finds such Divine Assistance his Faith is strengthned and confirmed and so he fights the good fight of faith and at last gets the Victory Victory over his Sin and his own Lusts and Concupiscence and Victory over the Assaults and Temptations of the Adversary and at last he comes through the Grace of God to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously soberly and godlily in this present world Now when People do thus it is by the Grace of God This Life of Righteousness Sobriety and Godliness is not the effect of their Labour and Exercise and of their Endeavours herein but it is the effect of the Holy Spirit that hath been the Teacher When you see a Man is grown a good Scholar eminent in al◠〈…〉 â—â—â—ning you will conclude he di◠〈…〉 to all this of himself he could not leâ—â—n this and the other Language this â—nd the other Art and Science of himself No he had some judicious and able Master and â—eacher who communicated of his Leaâ—ning and Knowledge to his Disciple and Scholar This is the efficient cause of his Improvement Now if a Man by the Grace and the Spirit of God and the Teachings of it live a holy godly Life this is the effect of something he did not always live such a Life How comes he to live such a Life now Is it by his own Industry Labour and Exercise No it is by being exercised taught and led by the Spirit of God so that it is the effect of the Grace of God that he should live such a holy Life though it is not the meritorious cause of it as he is a Creature but acceptable to God in Christ the Mediator Thus a Man comes to be justified and accepted not because he is a godly Man but is made so by the Spirit of God You are not under the law saith the Apostle but under grace You are under the Teachings of it under the Directions of it Grace can reprove People for that Grace and that Truth that comes by Christ and manifests it self as a Light in the Hearts of Transgressors reproves their Sin and calls them out of it it reproves them for it and exhorts them to leave it both at one Time so that we must acknowledge all our Righteousness Holiness and Obedience to be o◠〈…〉 â—â—ll that we do in order thereunto a◠〈◊〉 done by the Teaching by the Influence and Operation of the Grace of God given us in Christ Jesus it is the effect of him who is our Mediator he worketh it in us and for us of his good pleasure If we be justified we are not justified for a righteous holy Life and for our Obedience but we are justified through Christ who worketh a godly Life in them that believe so that a Man is not justified by any other way or means and all other ways a Man takes of being reconciled to God are vain and fruitless and have been spoken against by all that were moved by the Holy Ghost in the New Testament Saith the Prophet What shall I come before the Lord with all I am fallen under Death and Sin and in a separation from God I would fain be reconciled to him what shall I do to be reconciled to God He goes about to reckon without Christ and without Faith and Holiness Shall I take a thousand Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oil Shall I come nearer still Shall I make an Offering of the Fruit of my Body for the sin of my Soul Shall I offer my first-born to God that I may not be rejected and brought to a separation from him Thus Men when they come to be sensible do feel in themselves that all this is to no purpose The Answer comes Thou maist live but all thy Contrivances about making an Offering are vain 〈…〉 â—â—ewed thee O Man 〈◊〉 â—o do It is noâ— thy findinâ— this way and tâ—â—â— way viz. thy â—â—â—â—s and thy Oil and 〈◊〉 first-born it is no way of thy devising and imagining that can reconcile thee to me I have shewed thee O Man what is good What is this that is shewed It is comprised in a short compass It is to love Mercy to do Justice and to walk humbly with thy God Will this serve without offering Rams and Oil and offering my first born This will do if thou canst but love Mercy when it s shewn thee that is embrace Mercy and love it He hath shewed Mercy to all Men then love it and receive it do justly leave every thing that is unrighteous and do that which is just in the sight of God but do not boast of thy Justice and Righteousness but walk humbly with thy God here is the whole Duty of Man This looks as if I should go to Works and forbear something in order to my Justification Indeed the consideration of these kind of Lessons do corrupt some Men and put them upon doing this or that and upon forbearing this or that and hath brought many to Confession and great Abstinence and put them upon great doings thinking this would answer the Justice of God I have loved Mercy and given all I had to the Poor If I do justly and abstain from this and the other Liberty if I walk humbly that is if I humble my self by this and the other manner of Pennance and Contrition then I do what God requires and then I have pleased God Now all that havâ— gone this waâ— of working to do justly and love mâ—â—cy and to make themselves humble and humbled themselves low in such a manner they have missed the Mark. He hath shewed thee O Man what is good that it is impossible for fallen Man to answer this himself he may be convinced of his Duty to do Justice but by his own Power and Strength he cannot do it there are so many Temptations from without and so many from within such a proâ—â—nsity in Nature that will prevail against all â—â—e â—onds of Charity that he can make Therefore is Help laid upon one thâ—t is mighty without the Grace 〈◊〉 God that comes by Christ Jesus a Man can never do it tho' Convinced Tho' the Lord hath shewed him what is good he shews us that we are unable of our selves he hath taken care to send his Son God hath so loved the World that he hath sent his Son into the World that he might help those that have need of help that every one that is in Distress might
elswhere we pay down our Mony for their Redemption but we will not pay our Mony if they be kept in their Fetters still Would not any one think himself cheated to pay so much Mony for their Redemption and the Bargain be made so that he shall be said to be redeemed and be â—â—lled a redeemed Captive but he must wear his Fetters still How long as long as he hath a day to live This is for Bodies but now I am speaking of Souls Christ must be made to me Redemption and rescue me from Captivity Am I a Prisoner any where Yes Verily verily he that committeth sin saith Christ he is a servant of sin he is a Slave to Sin If thou hast sinned thou art a Slave A Captive that must be redeemed out of Captivity who will pay a price for me I am poor I have nothing I cannot redeem my self who will pay a Price for me There is one come that hath paid a Price for me That is well that is good News then I hope I shall come out of my Captivity What is his Name is he called a Redeemer So then I do expect the Benefit of my Redemption and that I shall go out of my Captivity No say they you must abide in Sin as long as you live What benefit then have I by my Redemption I could have been in Captivity no longer if I had not been redeemed I must wear my Shackles and Fetters still and be subject to my old Master and Patron and when he will have me be drunk I must be drunk and when he will have me be unclean I must be unclean Thus many profest Christians there be you see it with your Eyes that will tell you they believe all the Articles of the Creed and they have been baptized into the Christian Faith and can rehearse all the Principles of the Christian Religion and perform the Duty of Christians in going to Church saying their Prayers and in giving Alms too it may be they are such as would be called Christians they would be called so yet they are not Redeemed from their vain Conversations for what makes their Shackles and Fetters about them When their old Master bids them be Drunk they will be Drunk and when he bids them commit Whoredom or Lie or Cheat their Neighbour they will do it You do believe the Devil leads you to this you will not say the Spirit of God led you to it If one demand How did you do it You say the Devil prevailed upon me What hath the Devil Power over Men after they are Redeemed What sort of Redemption is this Then comes in the old Shift again we are Redeemed from the Punishment of our Sin but not from the Act of it Now if those that are called Ranters had told me this Tale it had been like them but when Doctors of Divinity tell us this Tale it is so unlike Divinity that it is Carnal Sensual and Devilish To tell Believers they are redeemed from the Punishment of Sin but not from the Act of Sin that this is the benefit which we receive from Christ's Sufferings that we may sin on free Cost that there is no Guilt contracted by it will any Man or Woman that understands they have a Soul venture their Immortal Souls on this Divinity I hope not They will not venture their Soul on this Foundation-Doctrin I hope God will awaken the Consciences of People that they will not hazard their Souls upon such a carnal devillish Foundation that if the Devil should preach he could not preach a worse Doctrin than this to persuade Christians they may live in Sin and Sin will not hurt them nor impair or break their Peace with God and Reconciliation with him I will tell you how it hath been with me in my Childhood if I had spoken a vain Word or a false Word I had contracted such a Guilt thereby that I was ashamed to draw near to God to pray to him I knew he would not hear Liars I knew there was no way to be accepted without Repentance and Amendment of Life I believe others have met with the same dealing from God by the secret Strokes of Conviction that have come upon their Hearts when they have sinned against God So that I am still of the Mind that the Persons that depend upon this kind of Doctrin do at some times especially when Sickness comes and Death looks them in the Face or in times of common Contagion or Pestilence at such a time they have a weight of Guilt upon their Consciences for this Doctrin will not support them at Death but that then they believe they have contracted Guilt or committed Sin I have wished many times that the Lord would open the Eyes and Hearts of the People of this City and of this Nation to see how miserably they have ventured their Souls Will Merchants in this City ever venture their Goods at such a Rate as Men commonly venture their Souls What will they venture their Goods in a Ship without a bottom before she goes to Sea Now this Doctrin hath not a Foundation shall I believe a Person that tells me I do not contract Guilt when I feel it upon my Heart when I commit Whoredom and Drunkenness and Cheat my Neighbours shall any one persuade me that I do not contract Guilt O Friends we are speaking of great Matters it is about Eternity that we are speaking it is about the hazard of Eternal Happiness therefore I pray let every one be serious and consider what I say for I speak â—n Gods Name and on your behalf Men are â—o come to a true search in themselves what a Life it is that they live Many support themselves by the Doctrins and Precepts of Men and they buoy themselves into Conceits of Salvation let them examin whethâ—â— it be a Life that hath its supportation by tâ—â— Spirit of God this is material for every oâ—â— to consider There are none can live tâ—â—â—d buâ— by the Life they receive from God The grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all Men Now here is an universal Doctrin There are a sort of Men in this City and Nation that tell us That saving Grace is given only to the Elect. Saving Grace is given to all Men but you must construe those Words all the Elect where they are somewhat injurious and would cast off the condition of the Text if they make a distinction in the latter part of the Sentence for it will not be good Sense The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all the Elect teaching us to deny all Vngodliness c. Here is Vs taken out of the All. The same Grace that is our Teacher appears to be the Teacher of others tho' they turn it into Lasciviousness The Grace is the same tho' they make many School-distinctions between common and saving Grace The Apostle explains it by telling what Grace he means The grace of God which
〈…〉 Works is the Devil's Child then â—â—ey wiâ—â—â—â—nfess this is of the Devil and â—he other 〈◊〉 the Devil This is an evil Wâ—â—k an◠〈◊〉 that I had need be brought into another condition When People come to an Acknowledgment of the Truth and of their own Condemnation then they are one Step towards Redemption and Salvation No one ever took one step towards their Salvation till they â—cknowledged their own Condemnation He that sanctifies and they that are sanctified are all of one and they that are joyneâ— to the Lord are one spirit An evil tree saith Christ cannot bring forth good fruit When Christ spake this he spake it to Men and Women â—nd he spake it of Men and Women and not of Trees And when he said No man can gather grapes of thorns nor figs of thistles he speaks of a Generation of Men as if he had said 〈◊〉 this Thorn must be translâ—â—â— changed into another nature before 〈◊〉 bring forth Grapes and this Thistle 〈◊〉 changed into another nature before 〈◊〉 forth Figs. There must be a Change in the naâ—â— Man before there can be a Change 〈◊〉 Fruit and Effect of his Doings Whaâ— he sows thâ—â— he shall also reap whatsoâ—â— man doth in the body he must give an 〈◊〉 thereof at the day of judgment for th◠〈◊〉 will be opened and men judged according to 〈◊〉 thinâ—â— written in those books If there be 〈◊〉 Booâ—â—or thee and me I le warrant thee thâ—â— is a great deal in it there is a Recorder anâ— a Clerk for the Book which God hath opened in every Man's Conscience and there 〈◊〉 set down every Manâ— Transgressions and hiâ— Sins Saith one Thâ—â— hast written my Transgressions as with the point of a diamond thou hast ingraven it so deep that it seems impossible that it should ever be blotted out again Some have had their Sins so deeply ingraven in their Consciences that they have thought they would never be blotted out they were written as with the Pen of a Diamond When People see and consider that they have ventured their Souls upon such 〈◊〉 Grounds I hope they will be awaked to 〈◊〉 after Righteousness when they see the 〈◊〉 nothing good in them Where there is 〈◊〉 thing good it is God that hath given it 〈◊〉 them Some will say If I be pervers◠〈◊〉 〈…〉 wicked I cannot hâ—lp it therefore 〈◊〉 be beholdenn to my Maker to help 〈◊〉 â—lse I must never be helped Now beâ—â—â—â— God knows that we are helpless he 〈◊〉 â—id help upon one that is mighty that is 〈◊〉 Lord Jesus Christ and Christ hath sent 〈◊〉 his spirit into the world to convince the 〈◊〉 of sin and to lead his people into all 〈◊〉 And this Grace that comes by Jesus â—â—â—ist hath been so universally shewed and 〈◊〉 universally extended to all Men that I never met with a Man yet that had none of it But let them be as bad and as dark as they could yet the Light of Christ shined â—o that Darkness into the darkest Heart that ever I met with in all my Life He sheweth Men That his light shineth in darkness and the darkness cannot comprehend Therefore the Worâ— that God hath set us about and the Service which he requires at the Hands of many of us is to turn Men from their own Darkness unto the Light of Christ their Saviour and from the Devil's Power that hath enslaved them to the Power of God that can redeem them and yet we are far enough from that which they call Free Will we are far enough from this We say a man can never be saved till he learn to deny his own Will it is God's Will that every one â—â—ould be saved But some will not be saved they will keep their Wills and not resign them up to God they have a Free-will to go to Destruction As for Salvation if they will obtain it they must part with 〈…〉 and they must take a Yoâ—◠〈…〉 on them before they can b◠〈…〉 â—â—â—ple can have theiâ— Wills they will 〈…〉 Christ's Yoke upon them He that 〈◊〉 Christ's Disciple must deny his own Wâ—â—â— take up his daily Cross These are â—he 〈◊〉 of the Gospel But you will say No Man by 〈◊〉 Power he hath can redeem himself 〈◊〉 Man can live without Sin We will say Amen to it But if Men teâ—â— us That when God's Power comes to help uâ— and to redeem us out of Sin that it canno◠〈◊〉 â—ffected then this Doctrin we cannot awaâ— with nor I hope you neither Would yoâ— like it well if I should tell you That God puts 〈◊〉 his Power to do such a thing buâ— the Devil hinders him That it is impossible for God to do it because the Devil doth not like it That it is impossible that any one should be free from sin because the Devil hath got such a Power in them that God cannot cast it out This is lamentable Doctrin hath not this been preached this Doctrin of Impossibility of living without Sin It doth in plain Terms say Though God doth interpose hiâ— Power it is impossible because the Devil hath so rooted Sin in the Nature of Man Is 〈◊〉 Man God's Creature and cannot he nevâ—â— make him and cast Sin out of him If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rooted deeply in Man I say 〈◊〉 〈…〉 deeply rooted but Christ Jesus is enâ—â—◠〈…〉 the Root of the Nature of 〈◊〉 that he hath received Power to destroy 〈◊〉 evil and his Works â—nd to recover and 〈◊〉 Man into his Primitive Nature of â—â—â—hteousness and Holiness or else that is 〈◊〉 That he is able to save to the utmost â—â—at come unto God by him We must throw 〈◊〉 the Bible if we say that it is impossible 〈◊〉 God to deliver Man out of Sin Is not â—â—â—ist entred into the root of our Nature And hath he not taken upon him the Seed of Abraham after the Flesh Is he not entred into the Root of all Men's Natures and tasted death for every man that he might quicken every one that is dead in sins and trespasses All these things speak the Love of God to Mankind in order to â—â—â—ir Salvation Much might be said to these things these Clouds of Error and Darkness that have overspread the Nation yet this I say if one were to speak of it never so long it must be by the Eye that God gives you that you must see it it is he that opens the Hearts of Men as he did Lydia's If there had not been the Power of God that reached her Heart Paul could not have opened it When all is said that can be said the Counsel of God which hath sounded in your Ears is recommended to you that every one may retire in quietness and stillness of Mind to 〈◊〉 for the feeling of that quickning Pâ—â—â—â—r of the Spirit of Christ that is sent inâ—◠〈◊〉 Hearts of Men that that may open 〈◊〉 Eyes to see your present state then you 〈◊〉 see a better state 〈◊〉 further
according to the Preparation of the Sanctuary the Preparation of Gods Dwelling and holy Place The Worshippers must be holy there must be the Fear of God and a reverence of the great God upon their Minds before People can offer an acceptable Sacrifice unto him as the holy Apostle saith Heb. 11.6 He that cometh to God must believe that he is which signifies that a Preparation ought to be in the Minds and Hearts of People that would draw nigh to God or perform any Service or Worship to God they must have the knowledge of the God whom they worship they must first know that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Here is a qualification for Worshippers for religious Persons as they expect when they meet together to find the Lord in the midst of them they must be qualified accordingly there must be an Awe upon their Minds I am in the Presence of God I have an expectation from God that he will open his abounding Treasury and minister some good unto me or else to what purpose do People draw nigh to God It is because they would have something of him but they must come in an humble petitioning frame He giveth Grace to the Humble It is the Lofty the Proud those that exalt themselves the Fat and the Full that want nothing These saith the Prophet the Lord beholdeth afar off A proud Man or Woman cannot draw nigh to God the Lord looks upon them afar off nor do they partake of those divine and heavenly Comforts and Blessings and Counsels and Instructions that the humble Mind hath the Promise of and will certainly enjoy The humble God will teach he will instruct the Meek in his Way but what is this to the lofty Mind What is this to one that is exalted and conceited and puffed up and reckons himself full and wanting nothing while he is swimming in the Streams of the Pleasures of this World and savours only the things of the Earth the Pleasures of a sensual Mind These Persons are not hungry and so they are not fed they are not thirsty and so they never obtain that which can satisfie the Soul Our Lord Jesus Christ pronounced a Blessing upon them that hunger and thirst but that is nothing to them that are full and lack nothing So my Friends in this and all other religious Assemblies a great care ought to be upon every one that their coming together to wait upon the Lord may be in that reverence and fear and that hope and expectation at the Hands of God that they might be bettered by it or else they all lose their labour as Cain did he would be an Offerer he offered Sacrifice but was not accepted because his Miâ—â— and Heart wiâ—â—â—ot right before the Lord 〈◊〉 Sacrifice was rejected It was before he had killed his Brother â—he had great Guilt upon him before he had â—illed his Brother he wanted a well-doing If thou dost well â—â—â—lt thou not be accepted But if thou dost noâ— wâ—ll Sin lies at thy Door Hâ— was got into evil doing and an evil Mind hindered his acceptance with God so iâ— doth with all Men and Women in the World that meddle with religious Worship and Sacrifice to God if they meddle with evil doing There must be a taking off the Mind frâ—â—he evil of Sin and Corruption and the Min◠〈…〉 be brought over to something that they have received from God before ever they can be accepted You know the general Doctrin of all Protestants is That we have no acceptance with God but through Jesus Christ we have no way to please God nor can do any thing that shall be liked of in his sight but only through one only Mediator Now if so be I go to worship God or perform any religious Duty without respect and reference to the sense and participation of the vertue and power of that only Mediator how can I be accepted And it hath pleased God out of his infinite Love to Mankind to send this great Mediator into the World that every Man that comes into thâ— World is made a Participant of something of the Life and Vertue of that Mediator So you read John 1.4 In him was Life and the Life was the Light of Men the true Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World and that with respeâ—â— to Men whether they are good or no both to good and bad tho' Men are bad as all Men are by Nature So that tho' they are Children of Wrath and Heirs of Eternal Damnation and in their natural State by reason of Sin yet for all that this one Mediator in whom this Light hath shined he hath sent forth that Light among the Sons and Daughters of Men that is the Light of Men that enlightens every one So there is an Offer made of something that presents it self to the view of every Man that is good if he apply his Mind to it he may have that Good that comes by Jesus Christ he may draw nigh to God as bad as he is he hath some good that God hath bestowed upon Men good and bad There is no Man such a Liar but he hath some Truth in him there is no Man so ungodly but he knows that which is pure and holy that which hath reproved him checked convinced him of his Ungodliness This presents it self to the view of every Man and Woman and calls them to Repentance Now for Men to make a shew and pretence to Worship and not have regard to the glory of God how can they draw nigh to God or God draw nigh to them Our Lord Jesus Christ saith That where two or three are gathered together in my Name I will be in the midst of them but if People meet together in their Sin and Wiâ— me◠〈…〉 â—hey hâ—ve a looâ— and a vain Mind â—nd intend to 〈◊〉 Wicâ—edness and Sin if theâ— meet 〈…〉 â—et not in Christs Name but in the Devils Name and he is in the midst of them and he works and Rules in the Hearts of the Câ—â—â—dren of Disobedience So that this hath been the ground and reason why abundance of Meetings upon this account have been fruitless as to any Benefit to their Souls and Peoples Expectations have been frustrated as to their Salvation they have not met with that in which the Blessing is and to which the Promise is made The Promise is not made to People that the Devil rules there is no Promise to such but the Promise of Eternal Wrath to be executed upon them with the Devil and his Angels to all Eternity if you can make that a â—romise The Promise of Life and Salvation which is recorded bâ—â—â—â—e Prophets and Apostles it hath always relation to the Seed that are iâ— Covenant with God In this the Covenâ—â—â— stands saith God to Abraham Gen. 17â—â— I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting
not believe except the Answer please them Many in our Days have put up their Petitions and Prayers to God that he would discover to them the State and Condition of their Souls The Lord hath answered them that notwithstanding all the Profession that they have made of his Name and of their Faith in his Son Jesus Christ and of the Work of Redemption yet he hath told a Man Thou art still unredeemed thou art still in thy Sin and Lusts and Concupiscence prevail over thee thou art still in Bondage This is God's Answer to many but there is something ariseth in their Minds that they are not willing to believe this I would think better of my self than this What if thou dost think better of thy self Thou art never the better for â—he word of the Lord stands sure There is no removing of it there is no â—â—nial of the Truth If this Truth condemn thee all the World canâ—ot justifie thee and this Trutâ— by which God condemns the Sinner is in the Sinner's own Heart What will he do with it It is in the Sinner's Conscience it doth not only condemn him by Book out of this Chapter and that Verse out of this Author and the other Author but he is condemned by God's true and faithful Witness in his own Conscience Thou wilt not believe iâ— but if thou believest not this then thou remainest in thy Unbelief of the Truth and nothing else but believing it can save thee No counsel else can deliver or redeem thee So that the best Advice and Counsel that I can give a People in this case is this That when they come to such a religious Meeting as this is they would come with a Mind prepared and fitted to think upon the Lord to think upon his Name and the way by which he brings People to himself for no Man can be called a Child of God that doth not partake of his Nature If a Man be never so wise and rich and great in the World if he be a Prince or an Emperour without this he is a Child of Wrath Now if these Children of Wrath meet with something that convinceth them if they are touched and become a sensible People then Crowns and Diadems are nothing to them Such a one will say If I be a child of wrathâ— a Captive to Sin and my own Lust and Concupiscence yet for all that I will go to a religious Meeting where I hope the Word of God will be preached I hope to meet with something there that will do me good and I have a Desire that I may be translated out of a natural State from being a child of wrath and to be brought into the kingdom of God If I have this Desire in me God that made me wrought it in me for by Nature we cannot so much as think a good thought When Men think of being better and of amending their ways and doing their Souls good these are very good Thoughts in themselves When such Thoughts are begotten in any Men's Hearts I would have them to ascribe them to the Grace of God and nothing else Preachers may do much where these Desires are begotten but it is not in their Power to beget these Desires Many have come to a Meeting with loose prophane and wandring Minds and though many good things have been spoken to them it hath not reached so far as to beget good Desires their Hearts have been so alienated from the Grace of God in themselves which is the great superiour Worker to which we are but Servants and Ministers there is none can beget any thing but he in whom all Power is They that are under the Power of Darkness the Devil begets in them Wantonness and Vaniâ—â— Prophaneness and hardness of Heart Some go away from a Meeting without being touched and perswaded and they have no good Hope of being better But where People are really touched in their Spirits with a desire after something that will do them good they must come to the Fountain of Good the God that made them and think upon him if they cannot see his glory and hear his voice yet they can think upon him This is the least Duty of a Christian to think upon the Name of the Lord and where their Minds are exercised about divine Matters about the State and Condition 〈◊〉 their poor Souls If I die this â—ight what will become of me This and that Sin I have committed how shall I be able to answer to God for one of a thousand of all my loose Thoughts Words and Actions They that come to a Consideration of this and a due Sense of their State and Condition though it is such a State that they do not like of that it is not such as it ought to be yet notwithstanding it may be better they may be brought out of it into a better condition Now this is the duty of all to be waiting upon God the Fountain of all Good that they may receive something from God for every good and perfect gift comes from above from the Father of Lights the Father of thy Light and my Light that Light comes to us from the Father of Lights If we have any perfect Gift bestowed upon us it is bestowed by God therefore you will grant that we are all obliged from the great◠〈…〉 least to wait upon him if we have the 〈◊〉 Expectation from God by a Meeting otherwise we had better keep away But I am apt to judge that the most here are come with some Desire that if it please God they may receive Benefit by their Meeting Where shall they have it They say if such a Man preacheth then I can edifie much by him This is a great Mistake for let who will preach there is no Body can receive any Benefit but it must be from the Lord as the Fountain of Good for the best Preachâ—rs in the World are but Instâ—â—ments in the Hands of Godâ— if God doth not bless his Labours 〈◊〉 â—â—eacher can do nothing to the Souls of Pâ—â—ple bâ—â—â—an sound the Truth 〈◊〉 their Ears outwardly but he can reach no further God only speaks to the Heart If thou mind the Preacher and not God that made thee all his Preaching will do thee no good It may indeed help thee to a Notion or Speculation but that comes not to the Inside that will be no better the Insidâ— wants mending There are great Deformities Scars Spots Stains Wounds and Lamenesâ— upon the Soulâ— of Men by reason of their Sins Lusts and Corruptions and there wants a Remedy and thâ—â—â— is no Physician of value but God that 〈◊〉 us after his own Image The Devil hath brought in Deformity he hath made one proud another cruel another wanton another an Oppressor another malicious this is all the Devil's Work And for this end 〈◊〉 Jesus came into the world that he might destroy the works of the Devil He came to destroy Pride Malice and Lust these are the
except that he saith He would not the death of him that dies What would he have then He would have you turn and live What means doth he use What I would have done I would use means for it You will say What means doth God use I am ready to say What means hath he not used 〈◊〉 What is it that God doth more wish for thâ—n that Men would repent return and live and be happy for ever He hath created them and given them Life and Breath and continued them twenty thirty forty or fifty Years that they might have Time to prepare for Eternity and he hath given his good Spirit to instruct them but they have rebelled against him He hath sent forth his Word the Gospel of Salvation which hath been preached to them and he hath waited to be gracious and â—xercisâ—d much patience and long-suffâ—â—◠〈◊〉 towards them so that I may say what meâ— hath he omitted He hath planted them as a vineyard in a very fruitful hill and he haâ— fenced it and gathered out the stones thâ—â—â— and planted it with the choicest vine and 〈…〉 in the midst of it and made a win◠〈◊〉 therein and he looked that it should 〈◊〉 foâ—th grapes and it brought wild grapes 〈◊〉 I pray you saith â—he Lord between me 〈◊〉 my vineyard Whâ—â— could have been done 〈◊〉 to my vineyard that I have not done in it But notwithstanding all your unfruitfulness the Day of your Visitation is continued the Lord is willing to shew Mercy to your Souls This is all the Lord your God requires of you That you would think upon his Name believe in him and trust in him and wait upon him for the Operations of his Grace in the Use of his Ordinances and your Attendance upon them and hearkning to his Voice and obeying it and so to hear that your souls may live I will affirm that there is never a one of you here present whether you be Quakers or no but you may meet with the Divine operations of the Power of God in your own Hearts if you will regard it and when you meet with these operations and regard them not I cannot help it if you will resist the good things of the Spirit of God I cannot help it if you will be of that Mind always to resist the Holy Ghost If as your â—athers did so do ye then you must all perish both you and your Fathers there is no escaping but by being subject to Christ Jesus and his â—â—ickening Spirit if there be any Divine â—â—â—â—rations that you meet with in your own Hearts let me perswade you to s◠〈…〉 have regard to them for I know th◠〈◊〉 is near at Hand and when People 〈◊〉 with Divine operâ—â—ions in their Soul◠〈◊〉 humble them and bring down their Pâ— and convince them of the danger of their â—â—â—dition the lies in the way and suggests 〈◊〉 poysonous thing that takes off the edge oâ— these operâ—â—iâ—â—s that they may dislike them It is true◠〈◊〉 meet with convictions of Sin but they reckon they have that Faith and belief in â—hrist that doth in the sight of Goâ— obâ— all their Sins that can be laid to thâ— charge both past and to come If I would look say they to the Divine operations or any thing wrought in me it wâ—re enough to make me mad I look wholly for the meriâ— of Câ—rist my Mind is wholly fixed upoâ— him who iâ— the Auther of Eternal Salvâ— his merâ—â—â—â—ious sufferings and obedience 〈◊〉 obliterâ—â—â—nd blot out all my Sins My Mâ—â—ds I tell you many a Poor Soul hath spâ— upon this Roâ— by undervaluing the Divine operâ—tions of the Spirit upon 〈◊〉 Hearts they mâ—ke a false and wrong application of the merits of Câ—â—â—st which indeeâ— are so grâ—â—â— that no body can ovâ—â—value them but we must not make a false application 〈◊〉 them For this purpose was the Son of 〈◊〉 manifested that he might destroy the Worâ—â— the Devil He takes away the guilt o◠〈◊〉 noâ— that you might live in it still Whoâ— bâ—lieveth iâ— Christ shall hâ—ve Po◠〈…〉 〈◊〉 and not be 〈◊〉 the dominion and 〈◊〉 of Sin Sin shall not havâ— dominion over 〈◊〉 for you are not under the Law but under 〈◊〉 But God be thanked you were the servants 〈◊〉 Sin but you have obeyed from the Heart the form of Doctrine which was delivered you being then made free from Sin ye became the Servants of Righteousness Rom. 6.14 18. But you will say I am guilty of agre at deal of Sin already what shall become of me for the guilt that I have contracted If we confess and forsake our Sins he 〈◊〉 â—kfull and just to forgive us our Sins and to â—â—â—anst us from all unrighteousness and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin 1 John 9.9 Here is a true application of Christ his Merits and Righteousness when there is a confessing of Sin to Goâ— and a forsaking of it here is an offering and a Sacrifice made to God by our Lord Jâ—â—us Christ for the expiation of Sin he 〈◊〉 by his precious Blood pâ—â—â—hased the pardon of all my Sins that he might present me to God without Spot and Blemish here is a true application the Righteousâ—â—â—â— of Christ but how can I apply it to my self while I live in Siâ— Here Gods Witness in the Conscience of a Sinner pleads against the Sinner when he hath got a trick to believe that his guilt is taken away and all his S ns past present and to come are pardoned while he continue to live in 〈◊〉 and Sin hath yet dominion over him Take heed you split n◠〈…〉 if you be humble well grown Ch◠〈…〉 will think upon the Name of the 〈…〉 when ye find the operation of Gods 〈◊〉 begetting good desires in you to hate Sin 〈◊〉 love Righteousness you will then believâ— you will then Pray to the God of all Grace for the Prayer of the Faithful is acceptable to him The effectual fervent Prayer of a Righteous Man avails much Jam. 5.16 Let your supplications therefore be poured forth unto God to endue you with Power and Wisdom to subdue all your Spirituâ—â— Enemies and to conquer your concupiscence and the inordinate desires and affections of your own Hearts that you may take up the Crosâ— of Christ and follow him as your greaâ— Patrâ—n and in his Name and by the hâ— and Aâ—â—istaâ—ce of his Holy Spirit you mâ— know how to â—â—ercome all Temptations His Prayer after Sermon MOst Glorious Lord God wonderful is thy great Power over all which thou hast revealed and made manifest in this thy blessed Day Thy Arm O thou Almighty God is stretched forth thou hast touched a Remnant with a sense of thy Divine love whom thou hast gathered unto thy Name thou hast revealed thy great Salvation and therewith thou haâ— made glad the Souls of thy Children thou hast endeared thy self â—â—to us by the discovery and manifestation of thy abounding love