This Faith comes from this Living Fountain this Living Root and Foundation Christ within the Hope of Glory This would make Christendom as the Garden of Eden and the Paradice of God but Christendom is now become a barren Wilderness there is little true Faith found among them The Lord hath some even a remnant that love and fear him and that are near and dear to him that have a True and Living Faith in the Lord Jesus but they are as a Cluster of Grapes in a barren Wilderness but the rest are as a Thorn-Hedge My Friends Is Christ ascended into Heaven Let us by Faith ascend and dwell with Christ in Heaven let our Faith ascend to Christ in Heaven and let our Meditation ascend to Christ in Heaven and let our Hearts and our Affections ascend to Christ in Heaven while we are in the Body and in the Wilderness of this World yet in our Minds and Affections let us be with Christ in Heaven and let us witness with the Apostle That our Conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body according to the Working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself They looked for the last Appearance of his glorified Body and they looked for his daily coming into their Hearts I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you How will he come unto them By daily renewed Incomes of his Spiritual Life and Light and Divine Power He knew they would have but little Meetings at first yet he encourageth these little Meetings Where two or three are gathered together in my Name I will be in the midst of them It is not limited to a great number the Promise is to Two or three as well as to an hundred or many hundreds If a Man be in his House alone or if he be on the Top of a Mountain or by the Side of a River in Prayer if he be a true Disciple of Christ and takes up his Cross and follows him he shall find the Holy Spirit present with him If a Man love me saith Christ he will keep my Words John 14.23 and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our Abode with him So that here is a daily coming From whence From Heaven Here is a daily Coming from Heaven of Christ's Descending from Heaven The Father Son and Holy Spirit will come from Heaven to a true Believer and make their abode with him We must not understand this coming so grosly as if the Father Son and Holy Spirit should leave Heaven and come and dwell with the Sons of Men. What is this coming then It is the Heavenly Influences the Heavenly Powers and Heavenly Vertues like Heavenly Rains the Heavenly Gifts and Manifestations of the Lord Jesus by his Blessed Spirit in our Hearts So then Friends I beseech you observe these following Words which are of the like Import and concern to every one of us The Word is nigh thee this is the Command saith Moses which I command thee this Day this Word is not hidden from thee neither is far off it is not in Heaven that thou shouldst say Who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it How may we be sure it is God's Command as well as the most known and revealed Truth It was a Command to them I say to them to believe that Christ was to come in the Flesh they were to obey that Commandment the Word of Christ in their Hearts the word of Faith the word of Righteousness the word of Reconciliation to believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was to die for Sinners In the Time of the Law and before the Time of the Law they were to believe that Christ was to come and die for them and shed his Blood for them Heb. 11.1 Faith is the Substance of Things hoped for and the Evidence of things not seen Now from the beginning of the World all that long Trace of Time between Adam and Moses for about Four thousand Years they lived by that Faith they hoped for Christ's Coming and had got an infallible Assurance that God would forgive them their Sins and receive them graciously into his Hands when they should come to die and go out of this earthly Tabernacle of the Body and give them an abundant Entrance into his Everlasting Kingdom the Paradise above But why is this Word called the Commandment in the singular Number I will tell you because one Word not many is comprehensive of all God's Commandments be acquainted with this word in thy Heart and it will learn thee all God's Commandments It will teach you all that can be preached from the Holy Scriptures This Word of God that is in your Hearts is comprehensive of all Then you will object and say What need I have any outward Preaching I will sit at home and only mind the Light within the Word that is nigh and in my Heart No that is a great Mistake to say there is no need of outward Preaching many things are greatly profitable that are not of absolute necessity I do not say the Bible is of such absolute neceâ—sity that if Men should take the Bible from us we must perish for want of it God forbid If we should be banished into Turky and they should be so cruel as to take our Bibles from us as they do other Goods and think to bring us over to their Religion this word of Faith in our Hearts will bring to our Remembrance what is written in the Holy Scriptures so that the Bible is a necessary and profitable outward Help but not of such absolute Necessity that we must be undone for ever and perish without it This word of Life that is in thy Heart will preserve thee from perishing eternally O be acquainted with it If a Time should come that there should be no Meetings no outwatd Preaching or Hearing or that we should be shut up in Prison and see the Face of Man no more yet this word of God in our Hearts will teach us and witness the love of God to us in our dying Moments and we shall feel our departing Souls in the Hands of the Lord and may say with our Redeemer Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit O what Joy will this be to us in a dying Hour Now what is it that gives this Knowledge Understanding and Assurance to us The word of Faith in the Heart It may well be called the word of Faith An hypocritical Faith is a Faith without Charity Love and Obedience All Faith is false that is not grounded upon this Word of God it is needful to be preached this inward Word this Word of God within how doth it reconcile us to God It reconcileth us to God by opening of the Mysâ—ery of Christ Jesus and discovering to us
the Son the Father gives Life to the Son and the Son giveth Life unto Believers the Son is continually receiving from the Father and we are continually receiving from the Son through the Exercise of our Faith Would you know and feel an heavenly Vertue and Sap and vital Influence flowing â—â—om Christ into your Souls And would you now nothing of dryness barrenness nor unâ—â—uitfulness then live by the Faith of the Son â—f God and exercise your Faith upon Christ â—ontinually It is not enough to have Faith â—e by you as a Man hath an Instrument lying â—y and he doth not use it But know the Use and Exercise of Faith you must know â—he daily Operation of Faith elsâ— you cannot â—eceive continual Sap flowing 〈◊〉 you from Christ the heavenly Vine Gâ—â— 2.20 I am â—rucified with Christ saith the Apostle neverâ—heless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me â—nd the Life which I now live in the Flesh I â—ive by the Faith of the Son of God who loved â—ne and gave himself for me There is no â—iving but by the Faith of the Son of God Rom. 1.16.17 I am not ashamed of the Gospel â—f Christ for it is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek For therein is the Righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith as it is written Hab. 2.4 the Just shall live by his Faith Every Man and Woman are to live by their own Faith It is not the Faith and Holiness of another will serve our turn every one must have Faith of his own which is the Gift of God I once more warn you against that Faith that is only literal traditional and historical for that is not the Faith that will justifie and save you that is not the Faith which I preach I am much abused wronged and traduced by some that say I preach an unprofitable Faith and that the Faiâ—â— which I preach all England hath it and aâ— Christendom hath it If they had it wâ— should see the Fruits of it Love Joy Peace Longsuffering Gentleness Goodness Meekness and Temperance these are the Fruit of the Spirit and Concomitants of true Faith The Faith which I preach is indispensibly necessary to every one that expects Salvation and to live with God and Christ in Heaveâ— for ever It is a Faith that is wrought by thâ— mighty Power of God the powerful word oâ— God in the Heart Heb. 4.12 The Word oâ— God is quick and powerful sharper than anâ— two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Joyntâ— and Marrow and is a discerner of the Thoughtâ— and Intents of the Heart This Faith comeâ— from an inward Root this Root is the Lighâ— within the Power of God the Spirit of God within O how many thousands in Christendom have risen up against this Testimony Blessed be God that gave me a share in this Testimony there is a living Testimony that remains in my Mouth and Heart to this Day that the Lord Jesus Christ died for us performed the Office of an High Priest for us and upon the account of his precious Blood we receive Remission of Sins All this is by Faith in Christ we witness to his prophetical Office he is the great Prophet and Teacher of his Church and People and we witness to his Kingly Office he rules and governs in our Hearts by his Holy Spirit This Faith is not universally preached and known in all Christendom in the Root of it which is Christ within the Light within that Christ in his prepared Body did the Will of God and suffered Death for us This Faith whereby I believe Christ died for me and makes Intercession for me the Root of it is the Light within and Christ within Is this the Doctrine that is believed and professed all over Christendom No by no means This Faith I can prove out of our Friends Writings in Print that it respects Christ whole and entire Every true Exercise of Faith doth respect Christ as he is both God and Man It respects him as he came in the Flesh died and suffered for us in the Flesh and as he rose again from the Dead and ascended into Heaven and now appears in the Presence of God for us and as he will come again to judge the world as he is â—he Son of Man God hath appointed a Day wherein he will judge the World by the Man Christ Jesus whereof he hath given Assurance â—o all Men in that he hath raised him from â—he Dead Some will be ready to say Shall not the Light within judge all Men Shall not the words which Christ hath spoken judge us at â—he last Day Yes Christ shall judge all Men at the last Day both by his Light in their Hearts and â—s he is the Man Christ now if any think â—â—at the Light within is the Man Christ Jesus and nothing else and exclude the Person oâ— Christ the same Person that was crucified anâ— died for us and was buried This would bâ— a great Error and a contradiction to thâ— fundamental Principles of the Christian Faith I say that blessed Body which God prepareâ— for his dear Son to tabernacle in to be hâ—â— Temple that Body remains in Being and wiâ—â— remain a glorious Body to all Eternity Thâ— Apostle tells us Phil. 3.20 That our meaâ— and vile Bodies shall be made like unto Christâ— glorious Body For our Conversation is in Heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change ouâ— vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto hâ— glorious Body according to the working whereâ—â— he is able to subdue all things unto himself It will be the Happiness of the Saints thâ— they shall be made like unto Christ both iâ— Soul and Body We shall be made more likâ— to Christ in our Souls and Spirits then anâ— we must be cleansed from Sin and made liâ—â— him now for we expect no Purgatory aftâ—â— this Life therefore defer it not He that haâ— this Hope saith the Apostle purifyeth himseâ—â— even as he is pure My Friends I expect no cleansing after thâ— Life I expect all my cleansing here to 〈◊〉 cleansed from all filthiness both of Flesh aâ— Spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of Gâ—â— that so when I come to die I may be receivâ— into the Bosom of Christ that I may have measure of that holy Confidence to pray 〈◊〉 Stephen Lord Jesus receive my Spirit This â—lessed Martyr Stephen being full of the Holy Ghost he looked up stedfastly into Heaven and â—aw the Glory of God and Jesus standing on the â—ight Hand of God and when they were stonâ—ng him to Death he kneeled down and cried with a loud Voice Lord lay not this Sin to â—heir Charge and when he had said this he â—ell asleep Friends you that have a Life of Faith and â—eel Christ dwelling in your Hearts by Faith
hath laid upon him the Iniquity of us all He bare ouâ— sins in his own Body upon the Tree that wâ— being dead to Sin should live unto Righteousness by whose Stripes we are healed Greaâ— hath been the love of God to us he hatâ— given his Son to die for us and his Spirit tâ— live in us and he calls us in the Day of Visitation How may we know when he calls wilâ— some say When by his good Spirit he stirs in thâ— Heart and strives in thy Soul checks thee anâ— reproves thee for Sin as often as thou findesâ— anything in thy Conscience that reproves theâ— for what is evil this is the Voice of the Soâ— of God John 5.25 Verily verily I say unâ— you the hour is coming and now is when thâ— Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God anâ— they that hear shall live Even those that arâ— dead in Sins and Trespasses shall be quickeneâ— by the Voice of the Son of God For as thâ— Father hath life in himself he hath given untâ— â—he Son to have Life in himself And hath â—iven him Authority to execute Judgment alâ—o because he is the Son of Man Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in which all that are in their Graves shall hear his Voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that â—ave done Evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation Blessed be the Lord who hath made known â—s Mind and Will unto us we have the Spiâ—it of Truth within us and the holy Scriptures without us It is a great Mercy that â—hey are vouchsafed to all Nations and that â—hoy have been wonderfully preserved in all Ages and Generations from the Primitive â—imes to this day and have come to us safe through so many different Hands and all the Copies of Holy Writ agreeing in Words and Sense without any cousiderable difference Let us bless God for this singular Blessing and Mercy vouchsafed to us Tho' I would not Idolize the Scriptures â—et I do highly esteem and honour them We â—ead Luke 16.27 That in the Parable of the â—ich Man he speaks to Abraham after this manner I pray thee Father that thou wouldst send Lazarus to my Father's House for I have five Brethren that he may testify unto them lest they also come to this place of Torment Abraham saith unto â—im They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them And he said Nay Father Abraham but if one went unto â—hem from the Dead they will repent And he said vnto him If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be persuaded tho' one rose from the Dead therefore to the Law and the Testimony the Testimony is in our Consciences and the Law is written outwardly but effectually and inwardly upon the Hearts there is no disjoining what God hath joined Therefore if any one should bring any other Doctrin that is contrary to the Holy Scripture or if an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel we are not to receive it It hath been the Spirit of Antichrist in all Ages and the Man of Sin that hath endeavoured to undervalue the holy Scriptures who as the Apostle saith opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God This Spirit of Antichrist where-ever it is it secretly undermines the holy Scriptures therefore it concerns you to keep close to the Law and the Testimony Let me in true love to your immortal Souls desire every one of you to mind the work of your Salvation and to work it out with fear and trembling and God will work in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Examine your selves and prove your selves whether you are in the Faith take heed that you be not led by a Spirit of Error to the Law and to the Testimony If any Man think that he is wise in many things let him not presume to be wise above that which is written lest he need to come and learn again what he doth not know and hath been taught Great is the Mystery of Godliness and great also is the Mystery of Iniquity therefore you are concerned to examine your selves and to prove all things and hold fast that which is good You are a seeking and enquiring People else you would not have been here at this time And what can inform you better than the gift God hath been pleased to give unto you together with the holy Scriptures examine your selves whether when you have proved all things you hold fast that which is good Make it appear that you are good Christians by your righteous and heavenly Conversations and by your holy Walk make it appear that you are true Disciples of Christ that you are Followers of the Lord Jesus and endued with his Spirit by being holy in all manner of Conversation Take heed of indulging thy self in any sin take that Counsel which is given by our Lord Jesus to all his Followers Matth. 5.30 If thy right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy Members should perish and not that thy whole Body should be cast into Hell Live so as to be always ready for the coming of the Lord Jesus that you may be found among the wise Virgins The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto ten Virgins which took their Lamps and went forth to meet the Bridegroom and five of them were wise and five of them were foolish Here are abundance of Professors in this City that would be taken for Virgins and Followers of Christ but they are too like those five foolish Virgins that took their Lamps and took no Oil with them whereas the Wise took Oil in their Vessels with their Lamps while the Bridegroom carried they all slumbered and slept and at Midnight there was a Cry made behold the Bridegroom cometh go ye out to meet him then all those Virgins went and trimmed their Lamps and the foolish said unto the wise give us of your Oil for our Lamps are gone out but the wise answered not so lest there be not enough for us and you go you rather to them that sell and buy for your selves And while they went to buy the Bridegroom came and they that were ready went in with him to the Marriage and the Door was shut afterwards also came the other Virgins saying Lord Lord open to us but he answered and said Verily I say unto you I know you not O take heed that this be not your woful and deplorable Case at the coming of Christ to Judgment but prepare and be in readiness that you may have an abundant entrance into his everlasting Kingdom Take my words into consideration and lay aside every weight and the sin that doth easily beset you and run with Patience your heavenly Race that you may so
run as to obtain the Crown Let it plainly appear that you are Followers of Christ then you must deny your selves and take up his Cross and follow him Let it be our care not to love any thing not to love our selves more than we love the Lord Jesus Christ We live in a Day wherein there is so much Vanity and Pride Oppression Unholiness and Contempt of true Religion and the power of Godliness and other crying Sins that it seems to me as if the end of all things were at hand as our Saviour hath foretold that near the end of the World Iniquity should abound and the love of many wax cold If your love to Christ my Friends is sincere you will love one another If you love me saith Christ then keep my Commandments by this shall all Men know that you are my Disciples if you have love one to another John 13.35 If we have a sincere love to Christ we shall love one another and we shall find that love will cover a multitude of Sins When we see any Man falls short of what he ought to do we shall be concerned for him and pity him if he be wanting in his Duty towards God or towards Man we shall not be severe in censuring him but when we reprove him or admonish him it shall be in love and with a spirit of Meekness and as the Apostle speaks Rom. 12.10 We shall be kindly affectioned one to another with Brotherly love preferring one another This was the practice of the Primitive Christians who were inflamed with a holy zeal for God and love to one another shewâ—ng forth the Vertues of Christ in a Conversation becoming the Gospel let us follow them who were Followers of Christ who through Faith and Patience do inherit the Promises and then we shall say with the Apostle For us to live is Christ and to die is gain If I live in the Flesh saith Paul this is the fruit of my labour yet what I shall chuse I wot not for I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better 1 Tim. 4.6 I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought the good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing Thus if we fight the good Fight with the Apostle and follow the Captain of our Salvation we shall be more than Conquerors through him that loved us Jesus Christ the Righteous who is the blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who only hath Immortality dwelling in the Light which no Man can approach unto whom no Man hath seen nor can see to whom be Honour and Power everlasting Amen A SERMON Preached by Charles Harris At Harp-Lane November 4th 1694. There is nothing so comfortable in this lower world as to be satisfyed by the spirit of God that we are saved by the Lord Jesus from the wrath to come and therefore all who are waiting to dwell in the sense of this comfort they should work out their own salvation with fear and trembling knowing that it is God which worketh in them both to will and to do of his good pleasure There are many People desire to be saved from the wrath to come but they would be saved in their own wayes not considering rightly that There is no Name given under Heaven whereby men can be saved but the Name of Jesus This then have I found to be the great lesson which I and others ought to learn how we are saved by Jesus and delivered from the wrath to come the Angel that was sent from Heaven unto Joseph speaking concerning Mary the Mother of our Lord Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy Wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost And she shall bring forth a Son and thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his People from their Sins Now observe what the lesson is that we have in these words he shall save his People from their Sins it is a saying worthy to be observed and possibly may the inquirer say who is it that belongs to Christ Because the word saith he shall save his People from their Sins our Saviour is very intent upon this matter No man cometh unto me saith he except my Father which hath sent me draw him Here is one of the marks and tokens that thou belongst unto Christ that is one that the Angel spake of He shall save his People from their Sins Again saith our Saviour concerning his Church and People in his Prayer to his Father John 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me How shall we understand this saying Thine they were that is they were under thy preparation they were under the stirrings of thy power and under thy awakenings before they came to believe in me Observe again Thine they were and thou gavest them me How doth God the Father give Believers unto Christ he gave them unto Christ to receive the promise of the Father made in Christ For in him are all the promises yea and Amen Then again here is your comfort what our Saviour further expresseth in his Heavenly Prayer Those that thou gavest me I have kept â—nd none of them is lost but the Son of Perdition that the Scripture might be fullfilled Are you under or have you known the drawings of the Father to bring you unto Christ that is are you made sensible of the want of Christ The spouse was under the drawings of the Father before she found Christ I will rise now and go about the City saith the Spouse I will seek him whom my Soul loveth I sought him but I found him not The Watchmen found me to whom I said Saw ye him whom my Soul loveth I charge ye O ye Daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my Beloved that ye tell him that I am sick of Love What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved O thou fairest among Women what is thy Beloved more than another Beloved that thou dost so charge us My Beloved is White and Ruddy the chiefest of Ten Thousand Thus she was prepared for Christ who had inflamed her with his love and drawn her desires after him It is said concerning John the Baptist He Preached the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of Sins making ready a People for the Lord. This is he that was spoken of by the Prophet Esaias the Voice of one Crying in the Wilderness prepare ye the way of the Lord make his Paths straight There was a stirring from Heaven among the People when the Baptist came Preaching Repent for the Kingdom of Heâ—ven is at hand they were prepared to receiâ— his ministration so when People come to 〈◊〉
astonished what is the matter They find thâ— word of God quick and powerful and sharpeâ— than a two-edged Sword and it hath â—unded and pierced them they had rather â— touched with a naked Sword and receive â— Wound in their Bodies than feel that Anâ—ish in their Souls when the Sword of the â—â—irit the word of the Lord hath reached â—â—eir Hearts then they cry out Have pity on 〈◊〉 have pity on me for the hand of the Lord â—â—h touched me The Word of the Lord is â—ick and powerful and sharper than a two-â—ged Sword thou wilt find it like the Sword 〈◊〉 Gideon against thy spiritual Enemies When the Children of Israel were greatly â—poverished because of the Midianites they â—ed unto the Lord The Angel of the Lord â—eared to Gideon as he was threshing Wheat 〈◊〉 the Wine-press to hide it from the Midiaâ—â—tes and the Angel said unto him The Lord 〈◊〉 with thee thou mighty man of valour Judg. â— 14. And it is said The Lord looked upon â—n and said unto him Go in thy might and â—â—u shalt save Israel from the hands of the â—â—dianites have I not sent thee And he said 〈◊〉 my Lord wherewith shall I save Israel â—â—hold my Family is poor in Manasseh and I 〈◊〉 the least in my Father's House And the â—rd said unto him Surely I will be with thee â—d thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man â—â—deon desires a Sign he put a fleece of Wool â—on the Floor and the Dew was upon the â—eece and it was dry upon all the Earth â—sides And Gideon said unto God Let not thine Anâ— be hot against me and I will speak but this once let me prove I pray thee this once with 〈◊〉 Fleece let it now be dry only upon the Fleâ— and upon all the Ground let there be Dew 〈◊〉 God did so that Night and gave him a certâ— Token and Assurance that he would vouchsafe 〈◊〉 presence with him Gideon levies an Army thirty thousand And the Lord said to Gideâ—â— the People that are with thee are too many 〈◊〉 me to give the Midianites into their hands 〈◊〉 Israel vaunt themselves against me sayinâ— Mine own hand hath saved me And there 〈◊〉 turned of the People two and twenty thousanâ— and there remained ten thousand And the Loâ— said the People are yet too many bring thâ— down to the Water And they bowed down their Knees to drink Water only three hundrâ—â— Men lapped Water with their Tongues as 〈◊〉 Dog lappeth By these saith the Lord I wâ— save you And the Lord said to Gideon 〈◊〉 down to the Host of Midian for I have delâ—vered it into thy hand but if thou fearest 〈◊〉 go down go with Pharoah thy servant and thâ— shalt hear what they say and afterward shâ— thine hand be strengthened And when Gideâ—â— was come near to the Midianites that lay alonâ— in the Valley like Grashoppers for Multitude and their Camels were without number like thâ— sand of the Sea-side And behold there was â— man that told a Dream unto his Fellow sayinâ— Behold I dreamed a Dream and lo a Cake 〈◊〉 Barley-bread tumbled into the Host of Midiaâ— and came unto a Tent and smote it that it feâ— and overturned it that the Tent lay alone Anâ— his Fellow answered and said This is nothing elsâ— save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash a man 〈◊〉 Israel for into his hand hath God delivered â—idian and all the Host. And when Gideon â—ard the telling of the Dream and the interâ—retation of it he worshipped and returned inâ—o the Host of Israel and said Arise the Lord â—ath delivered them into our hands And he â—â—vided the three hundred men into three Comâ—â—nies and he put a Trumpet into every man's and with empty Pitchers and Lamps within â—he Pitchers And the three Companies blew â—he Trumpets and brake the Pichers and â—eld the Lamps in their left hands and the â—rumpets in their right hands to blow withal â—nd they cried The sword of the Lord and of Gideon And they stood every man in his place â—ound about the Camp and all the Host of Miâ—ian ran and cried and fled and the Lord set â—very Man's sword against his Fellow even â—hroughout all the Host of Midian and they â—estroyed one another These things are written for our Learning â—hat through patience and the comfort of the â—criptures we might have hope so that thou â—hat complainest of thy Weakness and want of â—ower thou shall be strengthened with all might and by the sword of the Spirit the word of God thou shalt prevail and put to â—light the Armies of the Aliens and say with â—he Apostle Thanks be to God that giveth us Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ And with Zacharias Luk. 1.67 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath visited and redeemâ—d his People and raised up a Horn of salvation for us And say as the Psalmist Praise ye the Lord praise God in his Sanctuary praise him in the Firmament of his Power praise him for his mighty Acts praise him according to his excellent Greatness let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. And as Moses praised God in his Song after the deliverance at the Red Sea I will sing unto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the Horse and his Rider hath he thrown into the Sea The Lord is my Strength and Song he is become my Salvation he is my God and I will prepare him an Habitation my Father's God and I will exalt him who is like unto thee O Lord among the Gods Who is like thee glorious in Holiness fearful in Praises doing Wonders But some will object and say Notwithstanding all the strength and power the Lord giveth his People here is a great Allay We have a subtle Adversary to deal with the Devil that old Serpent he beguiled our first Parents in Paradice in a state of Innocence He is the Prince of the power of the Air and a roaring Lion going about continually seeking whom he may devour I answer This Talk is begun to be laid aside when thou feelest the power of God and thou maist encourage thy self in this that greater is he that is in you than he that is in the World When the strong Man armed keeps the House his Goods are in peace but when a stronger than he comes to dispossess him he spoils him of his Goods When once you come to be acquainted with the power of God working mightily within you you will say The beloved of my Soul is come and hath strengthened me with all might in my inward Man and enabled mâ— to overcome the Enemy The Son of God is come and hath given us an Understanding that we may know him that is true This is very comfortable Here is light sown for the Righteous and gladness for the upright in Heart But methinks I hear another sound in another Soul speaking after this manner I have believed unto remission of Sins and in my waiting upon
clean Beasts and entered into the Holy place made with Hands It was not without Blood that the High-Priest offered Sacrifice for the Sins of the People and for his own Sins for almost all things wete purged with the blood of the Sacrifices which were offered and then he entred into the most Holy place made with Hands But Christ being come an High-Priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with Hands neither by the Blood of Goats and Calves but by his own Blood he entred in once into the Holy place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us Ye believe in God believe also in me He bids them believe in him as the Light of the World and follow the Dictates and Motions of the Spirit You do well to believe in this divine Appearance if so be you live in it and follow the divine Motions of it O then it will be a Sanctuary to you as the City of refuge was to the Manslayer under the Law There were six Cities of Refuge appointed in the most convenient places of the Land for the Man-slayer to fly to if any one had killed a Man at unawars against his Will there was a City of Refuge to have access to If he could get into that City of Refuge he was in safety from the Avenger of Blood from the Pursuer if he was over-taken by the Avenger of Blood then he might be slain then he might be destroyed but if he got into the City of Refuge there he was to remain in safety in safe custody under the safeguard and Protection of the Law But if he went out of the City of Refuge then the Man-slayer might take hold of him These things are written for our Learning the Lord hath provided a City of Refuge for his Children and for his Servants to fly unto And what is this City of Refuge It is the Light of Christ Jesus the Light of the World in its first Ministration of Gods Holy Spirit If so be you fly to it and come under the Protection of it it will preserve you in safety But if we depart from our Obedience to this Heavenly Light then the Man-slayer the Justice of God will take hold of us then we shall feel the Wrath of God to be kindled against us and smite us and cut us down And this we have known by living Experience while we have remained under the Protection of God and under the safe-guard of the Law and of God's Light in our Hearts we have been in safety from the Avenger from Gods severe Wrath and Justice God's wrath hath not been kindled against us to burn us up and consume us but if we have been rebellious and disobedient then the wrath of the Lord hath been kindled against us and his Judgments executed upon us But when we have run to the City of Refuge under the divine Protection we have strengthened our Hearts and Hands in the sight of God But if we have sinned at any time then our own Hearts have accused us and condemned us We are to remain under the safeguard of the Law until such time as the death of our great High-Priest Christ Jesus be revealed in our Hearts when we have heard the joyful sound when the tidings of the Death of the High-Priest comes to be sounded in our Ears when the Mystery of Christ crucified comes to be revealed unto us then we have a glorious inheritance to go unto a most desirable possession beyond all the Enjoyment of this World The state in Paradice wherein Man was at the beginning is not to bâ— compared to it it is in the Country we are travelling to the Spiritual and heavenly Canaan a Land flowing with heavenly Milk and Hony Joy unspeakable and full of Glory This is the Country which we are travelling to if we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and follow the great Captain of our Salvation Who was made perfect through sufferings we shall be made Heirs of Eternal life Let us believe in the Lord Jesus Christ who is gone to prepare a place for us In the time appointed of the Father he will come again and receive us to himself that where he is there we may be also O blessed are you that have a living Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and do follow him and the Conduct and leadings of his divine Spirit and he will lead you to this heavenly Country he will go before you and he hath made this Promise to all his faithful followers Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am sate down with my Father on his Throne He is the Bridegroom and you shall be the Bride the Lambs Wife And you shall be joyned to him in the heavenly Marriage Union and you shall be with him in Glory to all Eternity We Read Gen. 82.24 that Jacob being left alone there wrestled a Man with him all Night until the breaking of the Day and when he saw that he prevailed not against him c. He said let me go for the Day breaketh And Jacob said unto the Angel I will not let thee go except thou bless me And he said unto him what is thy Name And he said Jacob And the Angel said to him Thy Name shall no more be called Jacob but Israel for as a Prince hast thou Power with God and with Men and hast prevailed And he blessed him there So my Friends if you would have the Blessings of Jacob the Blessings of Abraham O then wrestle with the Man Christ Jesus and wrestle in Faith wrestle with this Angel of the Covenant all Night until the dawning of the Day until the Day-Star shall arise in your Hearts and not only so but persevere in the Faith until the Son of Righteousness arise As Jacob wrestled with the Angel of the Covenant Christ Jesus who is both God and Man he wrestled with him all Night until the dawning of the Day Then he blessed him And Jacob called the Name of lhat place Peniel For I have seen God Face to Face and my Life is preserved He said a Man appeared to him and he called him God How is this to he understood The Man Christ Jesus he is both God and Man None but he that is both God and Man can bless us with eternal Blessings therefore let us believe in him that can save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him for he hath obtained Eternal Redemption for us FINIS ERRATA PAge 16. line 26. after do read to trust in p. 21 l. 11. after again r. to the bodies of the saints and l. ult dele to the bodies of the saints p. 23. l. 25. r. Deut. 30.11 12. p. 30. l. 12. r. after Moses and from Moses to Christs coming in the Flesh p. 192. l. 14. dele like and r. it is a measure of the divine nature p. 47. l. 32. for held r. help Books lately Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultery near Cheap-side I. THE Doctrin of Christ crucified asserted in Three Declarations or Sermons by George Keith Exactly token in Shorthand as they were delivered by him at the Meetings of the Christian people called Quakers in London Price 6 d. II. The Concurrence and Unanimity of the People called Quakers in Owning and Asserting the principal Doctrines of the Christian Religion Demonstrated in the Sermons or Declarations of several of their Publick Preachers Namely Mr. Robert Barclay Mr. George Whitehead Mr. John Bowater Mr. Chacles Marshall Mr. William Bingley Mr. John Butcher Mr. James Park Mr. William Dewsberry Mr. Francis Camfield Mr. William Penn Mr. Richard Ashby Mr. Samuel Waldenfield Mr. John Vaughton and Mr. Francis Stamper Exactly taken in Short hand as they were delivered by them at their Meeting-houses in Grace-Church-street Devonshire-House St. Martins le-grand S. John's-street Wheeler-street and Ratcliff in and about London And now faithfully Transcribed and publâ—shed with the Prayer at the end of each Sermon Price one Shilling six pence
The Great DOCTRINES OF THE Gospel of Christ Owned Believed and Asserted In several DECLARATIONS OR Sermons Preached in London by Sundry Servants of Christ of the Society of Christian Quakers London Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultry near Cheap-side 1694. A SERMON Preached by Thomas Budd At Devonshirehouse London June 17th 1694. 1 Tim. 3.16 And without Controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifest in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into Glory A Great and Glorious Mystery indeed-it is beyond what Man can conceive or apprehend God manifest in the Flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ For in the fulness of Time the Word took Flesh The Word became Flesh The Word took Flesh in the Womb of the Virgin being over-shadowed by the Holy Ghost she conceived with Child and in the appointed Time of the Father she brought forth her First-born into the World and according as the Angel directed his Name was called Jesus for he shall save his People from their Sins And it is said This Child increased in Wisdom and Stature and in Favour with God and Man When he was Twelve Years old he disputed with the Doctors in the Temple in the Temple at Jerusalem He disputed wisely and they greatly admired his Wisdom and when the Time was come that he was to shew himself to Israel and to do the Work that was appointed him of the Father He came to John to be Baptized of him in Jordan but John forbad him saying I have need to be Baptized of thee and comest thou to me And Jesus answering said unto him Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all Righteousness Then he suffered him And Jesus when he was Baptized went up streightway out of the Water and lo the Heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him and lo a Voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And having received the Holy Ghost and being fitted for the Work which he was afterwards to accomplish He was led up of the Spirit into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil and when he had fasted Forty Days and Forty Nights he was afterward an hungred And when the Tempter came to him he saiâ—â— If thou be the Son of God command that these Stones be made Bread But Christ resisted the Temptation and told the Devil That Man doth not live by Bread alone but by every Word that proceedeth cut of the Mouth of God And then the Devil not prevailing by this Temptation He taketh him up into the Holy City and setteth him on a Pinacle of the Temple and saith unto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down for it is written He shall give his Angels charge concerning thee and in their Hands they shall bear thee up lest at any Time thou dash thy Foot against a Stone And he overcame the Devil in this Temptation also and said unto him It is written again Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God And the Devil taketh him up into an exceeding high Mountain and sheweth him all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them and said All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me Then said Jesus unto him Get thee behind me Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Here was a great Temptation indeed how apt are these things to prevail over Mankind The love of Riches Honours and Pleasures of the World but these could not prevail over our blessed Saviour who was the Holy One of God Therefore we that profess to be his Followers should tread in his Steps and follow his Example How can we be his Disciples except we deny our selves and take up his Cross and follow him who is the Captain of our Salvation Who is our High Priest who is ascended into Heaven and entred into the holiest of all made without Hands As the High Priest under the Law he entred into the Holy Place made with Hands not without Blood which he offered for himself and the Sins of the People But Christ being become an High Priest of good Things to come neither by the Blood of Goats and Calves but by his own Blood he entred in once into the Holy Place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us Christ is not entred into the Holy Places made with Hands saith the Apostle which are the Figures of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the Presence of God for us nor yet that he should offer himself often as the high Priest entred into the Holy Place every Year with the Blood of others for then must he often have suffered since the Foundation of the World but now once in the End of the World hath he appeared to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself Heb. 9.24 And he is able also to save them to the utmost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them And God the Father hath regard to the prevailing Intercession of his Son him he heareth always and if we pray in Faith and in the Name of Christ our Prayers shall enter into the Ears of the Father as the Father heareth the Son always so he heareth those that believe in him and pray in his Name they are sure to receive the Spirit of Adoption whereby they cry Abba Father Therefore ask in his Name and receive that your Joy may be full you shall receive fulness of Joy that will give Satisfaction to your Souls and you shall receive a double Portion of the Divine Spirit and come with a filial Confidence and humble Boldness to the Throne of Grace and obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in the Time of Need. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life John 3.16 They that receive the Dear and Well-beloved Son of God receive him as God's Gift and they that believe in him believe in both his inward and outward Appearance Ye believe in God saith our Saviour to his Disciciples believe also in me John 14.1 So that it is not enough to believe in Christ's Inward Appearance and to look only to the Spiritual Appearance and Operation of the Divine Word of Truth within us but we must look unto Jesus that is the Dispencer of Life and the giver of his Holy Spirit to them that ask him Look unto me and be ye saved all the Ends of the Earth We must look unto him that is the Giver of Grace and the Dispencer of Life and Salvation as the Author and Fountain of it We must believe in Christ the Eternal Word that came down from Heaven that took Flesh and dwelt
among us that came in the likeness of sinful Flesh and for Sin condemned Sin in the Flesh We must believe in him as the true Light that lighteth every Man which cometh into the World There is a Sufficiency in this Light which is the Light of Life and the Arm of God's Salvation But the Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise say not in thy Heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring down Christ from above or who shall descend into the Deep that is to bring up Christ again from the Dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thy Heart saith the Apostle That is the Word of Faith which we preach that we might hear it and obey it And if thou shalt confess with thy Mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine Heart that God hath raised him from the Dead thou shalt be saved Here is the Means of Salvation the powerful Working of Faith in thy Heart and that is the Light within the Spirit within It is the Power and Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ that worketh this Living Faith in thy Heart This Faith in Christ Crucified when thou shalt be assured of Eternal Life in him of Eternal Salvation by him This Work of Faith with Power is wrought by Christ in all that believe on his Name He is the Dispenser of it This is the Word of Faith which we preach if thou shalt confess Christ with thy Mouth and believe in thy Heart that God raised Christ from the Dead who died for our Sjns and rose again for our Justification and ascended into Heaven and sitteth at thâ— Right-Hand of God and liveth for ever to make Intercession for us By this Living Faith in the Lord Jesus which worketh by Love which constraineth thee to live to him that died for thee thou shalt escape the Wrath to come and obtain Eternal Salvation by means of this Living Justifying Faith thou maist receive the Spirit of Adoption and call God Father Christ Jesus is become now thy High Priest and Elder Brother and thou maist walk by Faith in the narrow way that leads to Eternal Life And if thou hast received Christ Jesus the Lord then walk in him and follow his Example who was Holy Harmless and Undefiled and separate from Sinners and made higher than the Heavens by Faith in Christ thou shalt overcome the world and obtain Victory over thy Sins and Lusts And if we be once united to Christ by a Living Faith he will be a Light and a Leader to us and as a Pillar of a Cloud by Day and a Pillar of Fire by Night as he was to the Israelites when he conducted them out of the Land of Egypt through the Red Sea and the Wilderness and brought them safe into the Land of of Canaan a Land flowing with Milk and Hony O the Showers of Mercy that come from this Heavenly Cloud and fall down upon the believing Soul Who can declare the Showers of heavenly Joy and Consolation that are poured down upon those that are Childreâ— of Light that walk in the Light and have the Light of God's Countenance lifted up upon them O thou poor distressed sorrowful Soul that art clouded and at a distance from the Lord that art cast down and disquieted having all thy Sins set in order before thee thou art greatly afflicted and almost overwhelmed with Grief when thou remembrest how thou hast transgressed the righteous Law of God and sinned against the tender Love and Compassion of thy Heavenly Father that waiteth to be gracious rely upon his Grace and Mercy and pardoning Love and he will subdue thy Lusts and Corruptions and speak Peace unto thy disconsolate Soul If he appear unto thee as unto his Servant Moses in a Flame of Fire out of the midst of a Bush when the Bush burned with Fire and was not consumed If God appear terrible to thee as a Flame of Fire it is not to consume thee but to burn up and destroy thy Sins and Lusts which would destroy thy Soul When he appears as a consuming Fire he will purifie and refine thee from thy Dross and only burn up the combustible Matter in thee And when he appears as a Cloud to thee thou shalt feel Divine Showers of Joy and Refreshment to thy Soul which will make thee as a watered Garden to be green and flourishing Here is the Baptism of the Cloud of which the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 10.1 Moreover Brethen I would not that ye should be ignorant how that all our Fathers were under the Cloud and all passed through the Sea â—nd were all baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea When the Lord shall suddenly come into his Temple saith the Prophet Malachy even the Messenger of the Covenant who may abide the Day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like a Refiners Fire and like Fullers Soap and he shall sit as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver Here is a Refiner and Purifier indeed When he hath refined thee with Fire he will then water thee and cleanse thee and make the Cloud thou art under drop down divine Dews of Refreshing upon thy disconsolate Soul and he will lead thee in the way as he did Israel of old by the Pillar of Fire and of a Cloud both by Day and by Night so he will shine into thy Mind by the Light of his Dear Son When the Children of Israel were marching out of Egypt they were in a great strait Pharoah and his Host pursued after them to destroy them they saw no way to escape they must unavoidably go into the Sea or fall into their Enemies Hâ—nds Then the Lord appeared to deliver them by a mighty Arm of Power when the Egyptians pursued after them all the Horses and Chariots of Pharaoh and his Horsmen and his Army and overtook them encamping by the Sea And when Pharaoh drew nigh the Children of Israel lift up their Eyes and behold the Egyptians marched after them and they were sore afraiâ— and cryed out unto the Lord and they said unto Moses Because there were no Graves in Egypt hast thou taken us away to die in the Wilderness wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us to carry us out of Egypt And Moses said unto the People fear ye not stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord which he will shew to you this Day for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to Day ye shall see them again no more for ever So when thy Soul is brought into great Straits then stand still in a pure Resignation to the will of God and he will deliver thy Soul wait upon him and be resigned up to him and he will work Deliverance for thee from Time to Time when thou art in great Straits and Troubles and afflicted and distressed and seest nothing but a Sea of Trouble before thee that thou must pass through thy Faith
fails and thou art ready to sink into this troubled Sea which doth with its proud waves threaten to overwhelm thee walk upon this Sea and fear not sinking thou fearest thou shalt not overcome the Tryal and Temptations that are before thee be not discouraged with any Danger but stand still and thou shalt see the Salvation of God and he will deliver thee out of all thy Troubles and Afflictions and lead thee safely through this raging troubled Sea as on dry Land Therefore mind thy Divine Guide look to the Divine Light and the Arm of God's Power the Spirit of God will conduct thee by his Divine Influences and though the way be difficult and dangerous he wilâ— carry thee through trust in the Mighty Arm of the Lord and in his Divine power and aid and he will lead thee through all troubles that attend thee in thy way to the Heavenly Canaan If so be thou dost return to Egypt's Land in thy Mind in thy desires and affections then thou wilt be overcome by the Adversary and be made to serve the King of Egypt again Therefore let me intreat thee to resign thy Heart and Soul to the Lord and go forward And the Lord said unto Moses wherefore cryest thou unto me Speak unto the Children of Israel that they go forward therefore my Advice Friends is that you go forward let us go Hand in Hand let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord for he is good and gracious who will teach us of his ways and enable us to walk in his Paths It is said that Moses stretched out his Hand over the Sea and the Lord caused the Sea to go back by a strong East Wind all that night and made the Sea dry Land and the Waters were divided and the Children of Israel went into the midst of the Sea upon the dry Ground and the Waters were a Wall unto them on their right Hand and on their left and the Egyptians pursued and went in after them And it came to pass that in the Morning-watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the Pillar of Fire and of the Cloud and troubled the Host of the Egyptians and took off their Charriot Wheels that they drove them heavily and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the Sea and the Waters returned and covered the Charriots and the Horsemen and all the Host of Pharaoh that came into the Sea and there remained not so much as one of them Now consider with thy self although thou hadst powerful Sins and Lusts that did beset thy Soul they have been destroyed in the Sea of Gods Judgments and the Lord hath given thee a Feast of Joy and Consolation to thy Soul and thou canst tell unto thy Neighbours what great things the Lord hath done for thee and hath made thee Witness of and thou canst now sing both of Mercy and Judgment And say Come all you that fear the Lord and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul Here is a living experience O thou canst speak experimentally thou needst not boast in another Mans Line and of things made ready to thy Hand thou speakest and declarest things thou hast found true and experimentally known When thou feelest it thus with thee be not secure after thy many deliverances the Lord hath wrought for thee of one kind and another do not think that thou art come to the end of thy Journey or that thou shalt never meet with trouble again but always feel these sweet Consolations For after God had brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt through the Red Sea and by his Almighty Arm had saved them and destroyed their Enemies he then brings them into the Wilderness to prove them and try them and after all to do them good in the latter end he brings them into straiâ—â— and necessities they want Bread to eat and Water to drink Thus God deals with his Spiritual Israel in the same manner as he did with outward Israel which was a figure of the Spiritual Israel travelling to the Heavenly Canaan as Israel was led to the Earthly Canaan a Land that flowed with Milk and Hony and abounded with all good things necessary for the nourishment and sustenance of Man as Corn Wine and Oil this was for the outward Israel so the Spiritual Israel is led into the Spiritual Canaan a Land flowing with Milk and Hony there is the sincere Milk of the Word and Hony out of the Rock to satisfy us this Blessed Land is worth all our pains Labour and Travel therefore persevere and go on with patience and courage and think not thou art come to the end of thy Journy notwithstanding all thy inlargements in Duites and sweet Enjoyments and strong Consolations of the Spirit thou hast been made partaker of God may bring thee into the Wilderness into mnay straits afflictions and distresses to prove thee and try thee and do thee good in thy latter end thou maist be brought into the Wilderness as thy Master Christ was and tryed to the utmost of thy strength Seeing it must be thus be contented with the will of the Lord though he should hide his Face and thou shouldst feel desertions and great distresses of Soul insomuch as thy Soul should be as the dry and parched Ground where no water is that is barren and brings forth no Fruit and thou thinkest with thy self that the Lord is angry with thee and delays his coming to thee and thou art affraid thou hast done something that hath displeased the Lord that he should so long hide his Face and not lift up the Light of his Countenance upon thee And this causeth great searchings of Heart and makes thee cry out what have I done why is it thus and why hath the Lord withdrawn himself and why do I want those Comforts that sometimes I have enjoyed I am now in a starving VVilderness and barren Desart O how shall I recieve again those sweet incomes of the love of God that sometimes I have enjoyed I will put my self now upon strict performances and exact walking Thou thinkest by this means to obtain Divine comfort and have the joy of thy Salvation which thou hast in some measure lost restored to thee but alas all this will not do What must I dâ— under these sad Circumstances If Obedience will not do If thou shalt receive no comfort or refreshment because of the Lords withdrawing and hiding his Face trust not to thy own Duties and Obedience but rely upon Christ's Obedience his compleat and perfect Obedience Look unto Jesus who is thy Advocate with the Father and Propitiation for thy Sins and not for thine only but for the sins of the whole World 1 John 2.1 My little Children saith the Apostle John these things I write unto you that ye sin not and if any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins
c. Look therefore unto Jesus how shall I look unto him Look unto him by Faith believe that he is an Advocate an Intercessor and Mediator and a Propitiation for thy sins This will give thee an entrance and admission into his Presence again and thou wilt have the Springs of Life that were stopped opened again the Wells of Salvation opened and thou wilt come to know Joy and Consolation again and then thou wilt declare what God by this living Faith hath wrought for thee when thou comest to know the overcoming of Unbelief If thou hast this living Faith thou canst say to this corrupt Tree of Unbelief that is grounded and rooted in thee be thou plucked up and it shall be so If thou hast Faith as a Grain of Mustard-seed a very small seed thou shalt say to this Mountain Be thou removed and it shall be so and to thiâ— Sicamore-tree Be thou plucked up and planted in the midst of the Sea and it shall be done O this living Faith this Faith unfeigned it works by Love and Charity which the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 1.5 Is the end of the Commandment out of a pure Heart and good Conscience This pure divine Faith doth witness the overcoming of Unbelief and it is more precious than Gold that perishes and will be found to Praise Glory and Honour at the appearing of Jesus Christ. This Faith will endure all Temptations Tryals Afflictions Buffetings O this pure living Faith that is wrought by God's powerful Word and declared by the Light within by the Arm of God's Salvation it doth do the Work that is appointed for it to do The Hand cannot do any thing without the Body or the Head no more will this Arm of God's Salvation within work without the power of the Man Christ Jesus that is the Giver of it nor without his Death and Sufferings but it is all-sufficient to save us with them with his Death and Sufferings Resurrection Ascention Mediation and Intercession Look not only to the Light within but look unto Jesus the Dispenser of it It pleased the Father that in his blessed Son Jesus Christ should all fulness dwell The fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily in him of his fulness we all received and Grace for Grace A Brief DECLARATION OF Thomas Budd AT The Close of a Meeting in Harp-lane October 14th 1694. Rom. 10.6 7 8 9 10 Say not in thine heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thy Heart That is the word of Faith which we preach That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart Man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation IT is not a bare litteral traditional or historical Faith or Knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ that he was raised from the Dead will save us but we must know a living Faith wrought in our Hearts by the living Word 〈◊〉 God that Word that is nigh that is in oâ— Hearts and in our Mouth we must know thâ— operation of the living Word of God to worâ— Faith in our Hearts in the Man Christ Jesuâ— This Faith must be wrought in our Hearts bâ— the living Word and by the Spirit of Chrisâ— by the same Power that raised up Christ froâ— the dead It is not a bare historical Faith or Knowledge that will save us but we must have living Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we muâ— believe in him that he died for our Sins anâ— rose again for our Justification and that he ascended into Heaven and sate down at the righâ— Hand of the Majesty on high and that thâ— Heavens received him and will retain him until the time of the restitution of all things according to the Testimony of the Angels aâ— his Ascension into Heaven Act. 1.9 10. It iâ— said That while the Disciples beheld he was takeâ— up and a Cloud received him out of their sight and while they looked stedfastly towards Heaveâ— as he went up behold two Men stood by them iâ— white Apparel which also said Ye Men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into Heaven This same Jesus which is taken up from you shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven The Apostle saith The Heavens have received him till the time of the Restitution of all things he will come again and restore all things and raise the dead to life He will open the Graves and cause the Dead to come forth then he will come to be glorified 〈◊〉 his Saints and to be admired in all â—em that believe in all them that â—elieve the divine Promises and that put â—heir Trust in him He will be glorified in all â—hat believe in him and expect Salvation by â—im Then Believers shall be restored to their â—rimitive State and to a greater dignity and â—lory than Adam enjoyed in Paradice when â—e was created in the Image of God That â—ost Image shall be restored again when the Lord Jesus himself shall descend from Heaven with a Shout and with the Voice of the Archâ—ngel and with the Trump of God and the Dead in Christ shall rise first they shall have â—he preference For as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive but every Man in his own order Christ the first Fruits afterward â—hey that are Christ's at his coming then he will change our vile Body that it may be fashiâ—ned like unto his glorious Body according to the Workings whereby he is able even to subdue all â—hings unto himself to the Bodies of the Saints A SERMON Preached by George Keith At Devonshire-house June 17. 1694. Rom. 10.6 7 8 But the Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine Heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring down Christ from above Or who shall descend into the Deep that is to bring up Christ again from the Dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thy Heart That is the Word of Faith which we Preach THE Apostle Paul by the Wisdom given him of God preached Salvation by Christ Jesus both within us and without us This is the true Gospel of Salvation the true Gospel-Doctrin which Christ Jesus himself preached and all the holy Prophets Evangelists and Apostles they preached Salvation by Jesus Christ by the Knowledge of him without dividing him It is not our Principle to divide these Christ within us and Christ without us but to join them I have fully preached â—saith the Apostle the Gospel of Christ Say not in thy Heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring down Christ from above But we may know
as a High Priest and Propitiation for Sin as an Advocate as an Intercessor and as the Attonement we must see our absolute need of him in order to our obtaining Eternal Salvation Christ is both the Priest and the Sacrifice the Priest that offers and the Attonement that is offered O glorious Mystery that he who is our great high Priest should offer himself The Priests under the Law offered other things â—s the Body and Blood of a Beast but Christ offered himself he gave himself a Ransom for us he offered his own Blood his own Life he made his Soul an Offering for Sin he offered himself Soul and Body a compleat Offering not his Body only but his Soul and Body also he offered himself through the eternal Spirit Before Christ can be thus embraced and sought after as a Hiding-place there must be a Preparation going before And it is prophesied of him A Man shall be a Hiding-place the Man Christ Jesus No Man but he can be a Hiding-place from the Storm and Tempest And as the Shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land And it is prophesied of him again He shall be our Peace when the Assyrian shall come into our Land What Man is this And who is this Assyrian It is an Allegory or Metaphor The King of Assyria you know invaded the Land and carried away the ten Tribes The King of Assyria by way of Metaphor or Allegory is he that seeks to destroy our Souls and make havock of them Christ shall be our Peace When the Assyrian comes into our Land to spoil us and destroy us the Man Christ Jesus shall be our Defence How through Faith in him he shall be our Hiding-place and our Defence and as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land We must fly unto him by Faith and our Faith must not stand in the wisdom of the words of Men but in the power of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the true Foundation he is the true Ground and sure Footing for every one of our Faith The mighty Power of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ opening and revealing to our Souls the great Mysteries of our Salvation Christ is called the Power of God and the Wisdom of God The Jews require a Sign and the Greeks seek after Wisdom but we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a Stumbling-block and unto the Greeks foolishness but unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God Doth Paul preach two Christs No by no means neither Prophet Apostle or Evangelist preach two Christs as if Christ within were one Christ and Christ without another Christ The Man Christ Jesus that died a painful and shameful Death upon the Cross in whom all Fulness dwells the Fulness of the Godhead bodily he is the living powerful eternal Word that had the Spirit without measure which is in measure in us he is but one Christ one compleat and intire Christ But some may say Why doth the Apostle Paul call Christ the Power of God and the wisdom of God I answer plainly because the fulness of the divine power and wisdom dwelt in Christ and dwells in him so that through our Faith in him we receive such a measure of the divine wisdom and power as we need in order to have the work of our Salvation wrough out to have it begun carried on and finish'd There are two things that we greatly need that we absolutely and indispensibly need Wisdom and Power We need a measure of God's Wisdom of heavenly and divine Wisdom to make known to us the whole Will Counsel and Mind of God for our Salvation for all that we can read in the holy Scriptures and other good Books and all that we have preached to us from time to time can never suffice to give us the true Knowledge of the will and mind of God in order to our Salvation unless we be supplied with divine Wisdom from above unless we be inwardly inspired endued and inlightned with the Spirit of Wisdom and Knowledge from God and Christ Jesus We need a measure of the divine Spirit and of the divine Wisdom to teach and instruct us concerning the Mind and Will and Counsel of God concerning our Salvation not by Piece-meal and in Parts but we must know the whole Mind and Counsel of God as much as is needful to our Salvation to have it wrought in us David was sensible of this when he thus prayed Teach me to do thy Will O God teach me thy Judgments Psal 119.108 And teach me thy Statutes vers 64. teach me by thy good Spirit But some there are that are ignorant and self-conceited which are ready to say What need we pray after this manner Did not David know God's Precepts and Statutes He had them upon his Memory and upon his Heart But for all the knowledge that he had of God's Precepts yet he needed further to be taught and instructed in the depth of the Mystery of divine Wisdom and Knowledge therefore in respect of the Commandments and Statutes of God he prays Lord teach me thy Precepts teach me thy Statutes and Testimonies and Judgments We need the Teachings of the Spirit of God which is called the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation The Apostle prays thus for the Ephesians 1 chapter 17 18. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and revelation in the knowledg of him The eyes of our understandings being enlightened that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his Power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty Power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead and set him at his own right Hand in the Heavenly places We need a measure of the Divine Wisdom that dwels in all fullness in Christ He that was Crucified and buryed rose again and Ascended into Heaven and is now there in that prepared Body wonderfully Glorified but not another Body it â— the same Body but now impassible not subject to suffering or Bodily weaknesses aâ— Hunger Thirst Sleep or Wearyness hiâ— Body is not now passible or obnoxious to any kind of Suffering Secondly Another thing we greatly need is Power these two Wisdom and Power do in a manner comprehend and contain all our needs We want the Instruction of Divine Wisdom to give us understanding and knowledge to know the Mind of God to know the whole Will and Counsel of God to know our Duty to God and what the Lord requires of us and what the Lord Christ requires of us in order to our Eternal Happyness And then we want Power as well as Wisdom if God should give us Wisdom and Understanding and Councel to know what we ought to do and withhold Power from
us to do it we should be at a great loss and disadvantage But God is so full of Grace and Bounty blessed be his Name that he giveth us both Wisdom to know his Will and Power to fulfil it Therefore the Spirit of God which was promised to rest upon Christ the Root and Stem of Jesse God promised that the Spirit should rest upon him and that a measure of it should be given to all the Members of that Body whereof he is the Noble and Holy Head he giveth it in one measure to one in another measure to another and in a suitable measure to all according to every ones Capacity to some more and some less as in the â—istribution of Talents he giveth to every â—ne according to their ability The state and â—ondition of Men with respect to Spiritual â—nd Divine gifts they are like the Capacity â—f Vessels some of a lesser and some of a greater quantity There are Cups and Flaggons and Barrels and other Vessels that contain greater and lesser quantities So for Vessels of the Sanctuary Vessels of the Lords House there are Cups and Flaggons and other Vessels A Cup is not capable of holding so much as a Flaggon nor will a Flaggon contain so much as a Barrel or Firkin herein appears the Wisdom of God in that he gives to every one according to their Capacity so that none have reason to repine and murmure and say Lord thou hast not given enough to me Grudge not at the gifts of God to others but consider that though God hath given thee but a little he hath given thee what is fit for thee to receive if he had given thee more there might have been more danger to thy Soul if thy Cup run over there is more than it is capable to receive and therefore God gives that measure to thee that is fittest for thee God gives to every Man and Woman a measure of his Grace which was purchased for them by the Son of his Love the Lord Jesus Christ by what he hath done and suffered even by his Obedience to the Death The Spirit of God which rests upon his dear Son Christ Jesus is said to be the Spirit of Might Isa 11.1 2. And there shall come forth a roâ— out of the stem of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots And the Spirit of the Lorâ— shall rest upon him the Spirit of wisdom anâ— understanding the Spirit of councel and might the Spirit of knowledg and of the seat of the Lord Here is a Spirit of might as well as a Spirit of VVisdom and Understanding here is I say a Spirit of might and of the fear of the Lord. The Holy Scripture saith perfect love casteth out fear what fear is it that it casteth out Slavish fear but Filial fear Evangelical fear perfect Love casteth not out for this Love and fear are Twins they are Inseparable they are of one kind of one nature our Lord Jesus Christ himself was filled with this Holy Spirit of fear it is said Hebr. 5.7 Who in the Days of his Flesh when he had offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from Death and was heard in that he feared Isa 11.3 The Spirit of the Lord saith the Prophet shall rest upon him c. The Spirit of knowledg and of the fear of the Lord. And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord and he shall not judge after the sight of his Eyes neither reprove after the hearing of his Ears but with righteousness shall he judge the Poor and reprove with equity for the meek of the Earth If we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ sincerely and truly by this belief we shall receive VVisdom and Power sufficiency of it plenty of it one measure and degree after another we shall have the Spirit of God to teach â—s and counsel us what we ought to do what â—s our Duty to God to our Neighbour and â—o our selves and all that is required of us in order to our Eternal Happiness and Salvation which is given by Christ Jesus and also Power to do what we ought to do and also Power to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ There are some have made such an Objection as this and I have sometimes made it my self in my own Thoughts O! say some we want a Power to believe we find it very difficult to believe It is good to be thus sensible of thy own Inability and it is good to be perswaded that it is not so easie a thing to believe as many hold it to be The generality of Christians here in Christendom they think it to be an easie thing to believe It is impossible for any Man or Woman rightly and truly and sincerely to believe in God or in Christ with the least Measure of true saving Faith unless the mighty Power of God work this Faith in us And this Faith begins in a very small beginning it is first sown in the Heart of Man or Woman as a grain of Mustard-seed he that soweth it will make it to grow he is not like an unskilful Husbandman that begins to plant or build and is not able to go through with it the Lord is wise and Powerful he will go through with his Work if thou dost not by the Obstinacy Subbornness and Carelesness of thine own Heart hinder it the Lord will carry on this Work of Faith by his mighty Power And if you have Faith but as Grain of Mustard-Seed you shall say to thâ— Mountain Be removed and it shall be removed This Faith is witnessed by a Blessed Remnant that know the removing of Mountains not earthly Mountains but all those inward Letts Impediments and Hindrances that thâ— poor Soul feels within it self even Mountainâ— of Sin and of the Powers of Darkness thaâ— stand between God and their Souls which intercept the Light of his Countenance from shining on them they would get near to the Lord they follow hard after him The Lord lifts up the Light of his Countenance in some lesser degree upon them which is like a little Beam of Light coming through a Cranny they have not that full and satisfactory Enjoyment of the Lord that they desire Act Faith upon the Lord 's Almighty Power that hath given thee a little Grain of Faith a small measure of it and in due Time thy Faith shall be strengthned and be able to remove all those Mountains of Sin and of the Powers of Darkness that are in thy Heart I say it hath often been an Objection to me O! I would fain believe I want Power to believe and I bless the Lord that let me see that I was not able of my self to believe that I had no might or Ability of my self to act Faith the Lord was pleased by the shining of his blessed Light into my Heart to enable me to act Faith and to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ
for Life and Salvation I would never speak a Word to diminish â—r lessen the great Work of Faith but we may easily see the Vanity and falsness and unprofitableness of that Faith that abounds in the World The vain Person 's Faith the worldly and covetous Man's Faith and the proud Man's Faith which greatly abounds in Christendom 3 Men say they believe in Christ and yet Covetousness earthly-mindedness Pride of Spirit and Envy and Malice and Strife and Contention abound among us I say If Faith had but room and Place in the Hearts of People here in Christendom the Lord grant that Time may come it would then remove these Mountains and had it taken Place it would have removed them long ago If any shall ask me What Time I will prefix or allow that this little Grain of Faith will remove all those Mountains of Sin and Unbelief and Unrighteousness and the Powers of Darkness that are in Peoples Hearts I answer No time is to be prefixed for the effecting of this wait the Lord's time for his time is the best time If thou desirest to make this time short then improve that little measure of Grace bestowed upon thee that little Grain of Mustard-seed pray with it and give Thanks to God for it pray with all the strength and ability that the Lord hath already given thee There is none of us to whom some measure of Grace and Held is not given there is no ground to complain that â—nough is not given but our Complaint should be That we have not made use of that Hâ— that is given us Do not despise the Dayâ— small things Who art thou that despisest 〈◊〉 day of small things Do not despise a litâ—â—â— Grace a little Help that God hath given 〈◊〉 thee let us make use of that little Strengâ—â— we have and God will give us more and 〈◊〉 will do it in due time in his own time whâ—â—â— is the best time I may be bold to say The time shall nâ—â— be long if thou wilt do thy utmost Endeavouâ—â— the time will not be long before the Lord râ—move these Mountains of Sin and Unbelieâ— and of the Powers of Darkness and give thâ— the sense of his Love and Mercy and refresâ—ment from his Presence then all those Cloud shall be scattered and vanish away whiâ—â— formerly interposed between the Presence 〈◊〉 God and thy 〈◊〉 I shall next â—â—me to shew how Paul preached Christ 1 C 1.23 24. We preach Chriâ—â— crucified saith he unto the Jews a Stumbling block and unto the Greeks Foolishness but untâ— them which are called both Jews and Greekâ— Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom oâ— God This Power and Wisdom of God diâ— dwell in Christ in all Fulness and out of thaâ— Fulness he distributes to every one a suitable measure Eph. 4.7 saith the Apostle Paul But unto every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the Gift of Christ Wherefore he saith When he ascended on high he leâ—â— Captivity Captive he received Gifts for Meâ— yea for the Rebellious also that the Lord Goâ— might dwell among them or inhabit them â—s the Word signifies I come not here to shew my self skilful in Hebrew Greek and Latin I hope it is no Ofâ—ence to tell you of a better Translation of a â—lace of Scripture as in the Margent of your â—ibles I come not hither to speak Hebrew â—reek and Latin and to shew my Skill in seâ—eral parts of Learning and Philosophy after â—he Rudiments of the World as one vainly â—uft up by a fleshly Mind I relinquished it â—â—ove thirty Years ago I never reckoned â—mane Learning a necessary Qualification to â—ake a Man meet to be a Preacher of the Gospel of Christ There is needful another Quaâ—ification for the preaching of Christ and him â—ucified preaching his Cross which is a Stumbling-block to some and Foolishness to others but unto them that are sâ—â—â—d it is Christ â—he Power of God and the Wâ—â—dom of God â—orasmuch as the Fulness dwellâ— in him and â—orasmuch as we receive our several Measures one after another and we receive them by him and through him and from him Christ is the Author or Beginner of our Faith and the Finisher of it he is the Light of every Man â—hat comes into the World a common Illumiâ—ation is given to all There are some that say That Lam gone from â—ny ancient Testimony to the Light within they have not said it to my Face though they insinuate and whisper against me I am bold not in mine own Ability and Strength but in â—he Lord to say None can justly charge me that I am gone from my ancient Testimony tâ— the Sufficiency of the Light within that therâ— is a Sufficiency in the least measure of it to profit withal tho' it be never so little if Meâ— labour to improve it God will not be wanting to give more I am yet to learn that there ever were any among our Friends in former Days or of thosâ— that are newly risen up among us will sayâ— Any have received so much that they need noâ— depend upon the Lord for more as if thaâ— was sufficient for all time to come we havâ— already received We are to pray for ouâ— daily Bread we are to pray for daily Supplies of the Spirit Lord give us more of thy Spirit and multiply thy Mercies and Blessings upon us saith the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 1.2 Grace and Peace be multiplied to you through the Knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord. But to proceed and speak a little further concerning that Doctrin which Paul and Silas preached to the Jailor and his Houshold Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy House I did not study a Text before I came hither I did not know what I should speak but waiting for the pure Motion of the Lord that Scripture was brought before me and a sweet Motion was upon my Spirit and yet continues with me Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Observe here that Paul nor Silas doth not say That he must witness Regeneration or Sanctification before he doth believe in the â—ord Jesus Christ He doth not say Thou â—ust have a pure Conscience before thou dost â—eceive the Mystery of Faith which is a Doâ—trin that some hold that a pure Conscience â—ust be witnessed before Faith Tho' the â—ords are true Faith is held in a pure Consciâ—ce But we must not say That the Conscience â—â—st be first pure and then Faith will be giâ—n to a pure Conscience Faith and a pure â—onscience go together I have experience of 〈…〉 â—lessed be God â— have known a defiled Coâ—â—â—â—ence and now â—o God's Praise I spea◠〈◊〉 I know in some â—easure a purified Conscience My Consciâ—nce was not purified before I did receive the Faith of Christ the very same moment that â— received a measure of this pure Faith this â—ure Faith purified my Conscience
â—ou feel his Life Power and Spirit in you to â—ead you in the way of Obedience You may die in Peace and with great Joy and Satisfaction you may die with great Courage and commit your Bodies to the Grave and with â—ulness of Assurance commit your departing Souls to the Lord Jesus to be received into his Bosom and to have an abundant entrance â—nto his everlasting Kingdom All the deceaâ—ed Saints tho' they have a greater Injoyment of God and Christ than we have now or thâ—â—â—hey had when tabernacled in a mortal Body â—et they wait and long for the Reward which â—hey shall receive at the Resurrection of the Dead then is the full Possession the joyful Harvest which our Saviour hath told us of When thou makest a Feast invite not thy Friends â—r the Rich that will invite thee again but the Poor and Needy that cannot recompence thee How few make such Feasts This was our Saviours Counsel and Advice Luke 14.12 13. When thou makest a Dinner or a Supper call â—ot thy Friends nor thy Brethren neither thy Kinsmen nor thy rich Neighbours lest they alsâ— bid thee again and Recompence be made to theâ— But when thou makest a Feast call the Poor the Maimed the Lame and the Blind anâ— thou shalt be blessed for they cannot recompencâ— thee for thou shalt be recompensed at the Resurrection of the Just. When is the Resurrection of the Dead when Men and Women die 〈◊〉 No when a good Man and Woman die they certainly go into Paradice there is a great fruition of the Lord's Presence and oâ— his Love and Life that they then receive anâ— enjoy But that is not the Resurrection oâ— the Dead Many were raised from the Deaâ— before Christ died but this is not the generaâ— Resurrection of the Dead And our Saviouâ— himself raised Lazarus and the Widow's Son this is not the Resurrection of the Dead Buâ— now Christ is risen from the Dead saith thâ— Apostle and become the first Fruits of them thaâ— sleep 1 Cor. 15.20 tho' some were raised from the Dead before Christ's Death and Resurrection yet none of them went bodily to Heaven but Christ himself As in Adam aâ— die even so in Christ shall all be made alive but every Man in his own Order Christ thâ— first Fruits afterwards they that are Christs aâ— his coming then cometh the end Friends I hope in this manner of Doctriâ—â— my Testimony is acceptable to some I warâ— you let none despise it I hope in God thaâ— this Doctrin of the Resurrection is acceptablâ— to many if the holy Scriptures have Weighâ— and Authority and Credit with you as I hopâ— they have with all here present then the Faith of the Resurrection of the Dead and the Faith of our own Resurrection and of Christ's Resurrection will be of Credit with you which is such an important Matter that all Preaching is vain without it and our Faith vain without it If you have not a true Belief of the Resurrection of the Dead you are yet in your Sins Pretend what you will of divine Injoyments if you have not a Belief of the Resurrection of the Dead I say you are yet in your Sins and your Faith is vain I prove this from the Testimony of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 15.14 But if there be no Resurrection of the Dead then is Christ not risen and if Christ be not risen then is our Preaching vain and your faith is also vain yea and we are found salse Witnesses of God because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ whom he raised not up if so be that the Dead arise not for if the Dead rise not then is not Christ raised and if Christ be not raised your faith is vain ye are yet in your sins 1 Cor. 15.16 17. Some ignorantly imagine that the Apostle Paul speaks of an inward Rising and of the new Birth as the new Birth is a most necessary preparation for a glorious Resurrection that better Resurrection but that is a great Mistake to say the Apostle speaks here of the new Birth for he is speaking of raising the Body out of the Grave He speaks of the same that Christ spake John 5.28 Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in which all that are in the Graves shall â—ear his Voice aâ—â— shall come forth they that have done good unâ—â— the Resurrection of Life and they that haâ—â— done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnatioâ— The Resurrection of the Just is a comfortablâ— Resurrection but that of the Unjust is 〈◊〉 dreadful Resurrection 2 Cor. 5.10 For 〈◊〉 must all appear before the Judgment-seat Christ that every one may receive the thinâ— done in his Body according to that he haâ— done whether it be good or bad You maâ— take notice of those Words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.14 If there be no Resurrection 〈◊〉 the Dead then is Christ not risen and if Chriâ—â— be not risen then is our Preaching vain anâ— your Faith is also vain These Words are linked together like sâ— many Links making a strong Chain that can not be broken The Resurrection of the Dead both of the Just and Unjust are linked witâ— Christ's Resurrection and Christ's Resurrection is linked with the Faith of it and thâ— Faith of it linked with the Preaching of it they that have not the true Faith of Christ Resurrection and of the Resurrection of thâ— Dead are yet in their Sins and let them pretend never so much to the Faith of Chriâ—â— within if they have not the Faith of Chriâ—â— without them they are yet in their Sins Take not things upon my Credit but searcâ— the Scriptures I hope the holy Scriptures havâ— Credit Esteem and Authority with you Leâ— me once more caution you to take thing rightly that you may not mistake me I say that a bare historical Belief of the Resurrection of the Dead or of the Resurrection of Christ will not prove a Man not to be dead â—n his sins but if we do really believe the Resurrection of the Dead and Christ's Resurâ—ection if we believe these great Truths and â—f our Faith be from an inward Work of the Spirit of God upon our Hearts this Belief will lay a Constraint upon us to live unto Christ that died for us and to have our Hearts in Heaven and our Conversation in Heaven If you are risen with Chrict saith the Apostle then seek those things that are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God and set your Affectons on things above and nor on things on the Earth What are those things above that we are to set our Hearts and Affections upon And what is it to set our Affections upon things above To set our Affections on things above it is to have our Thoughts and Meditations exercised after this manner Lord whom have I in Heaven but thee There is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee Lord my Desire is only unto thee and to the
remembrance of thy Name I am travelling through the Wilderness of this World this is the place of my Pilgrimage I am here in a strange Land I am passing through this Wilderness this Country that is earthly but I desire a better Country that is an heavenly Lord I am coming to thee and to be with thee and to enjoy fulness of Felicity with thee That which I have now is but an earnest and fore-taste of Heaven that divine Refreshment which I have now from thy Presence O Lord it is very sweet unto my Soul that followeth hard after thee and even faints and longs for thy Salvation Lord my Soul is satisfied as with Marrow and Fatness when thou drawest nigh to me and liftest up the Light of thy Countenance upon me this puts Gladness into my Heart more than in the time that worldly Men have their Corn and Wine encreased But what is all this in comparison of Heaven and the full Fruition of thee and that fulness of Joy and Rivers of Pleasures at thy right Hand for evermore I would not diminish those divine and spiritual Enjoyments and sweet refreshing Consolations which the Lord is pleased many times to vouchsafe to his People here they have large Enjoyments of the Lord's Presence and sweet Communion with him but all this is but a fore-taste and earnest of what is to come Therefore setting our Affections on things above is to be exercising our Faith our Hope and Meditations upon that Felicity which we shall enjoy after this Life I would not have any set their Imaginations on work so as to form Ideas in their Minds what sort of place Heaven is for those thoughts and conceptions that will profit you the Spirit of the Lord must give them to you and so help you to contemplate and meditate upon the joy and Glory of Heaven If ever you have any real benefit and advantage by the Exercise of your Thoughts it must be through the help and assistance of the Holy Spirit you can have no profitable Meditation concerning God and Christ and Heaven and Judgment to come except the Spirit of the Lord doth work in your Hearts and form your Thoughts and excite your desires and raise your affections to a spiritual and lively Exercise Friends you must labour to come to a Holy silence and stilness in your waiting upon the Lord and to deny your selves and take up the Cross of Christ and give up your selves intirely to the leadings of his Spirit and suppress the natural workings and actings of your own Spirits and let every Thought and Imagination be brought into subjection and into a Holy Captivity to the Lord Jesus Christ in your Meditations on God and Heaven and Glory in the VVorld to come these Thoughts must be given you by the Spirit of God you must form and frame and work them together with the Spirit The Life of a true Christian is to live above to have his conversation in Heaven and to look beyond all present Enjoyments unto that which is to come unto fruitions that are future and Everlasting The Apostle according to the VVisdom given him of God hath given us an excellent definition of Faith Hebr. 11.1 Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Hope looks to that which is future which is not presently enjoyed Rom. 8.24 saith thâ— Apostle We are saved by Hope but Hope thâ— is seen is not Hope for what a Man seeth wâ— doth he yet hope for it But if we hope for thâ— we see not then do we with patience wait fâ— it If any one say that this Doctrine drawes 〈◊〉 from the present enjoyment from the gift oâ— God in our selves to look to that which is beyond the grave I say it doth not Truâ— hope centers you in that which is the preseâ—â— measure and confirms and establishes you iâ— it it is the present measure that worketh truâ— hope in us a present measure of the gift oâ— God of the Grace and Spirit of God the effecâ— of Grace cannot lead us from Grace thereforâ— it is great weakness for any thus to argue 〈◊〉 am afraid my meditation will carry me from mâ— present measure I tell thee the Thoughts anâ— meditations that work in the Heart of a truâ— Christian that carry him beyond present enjoyments to those that are future will noâ— hinder the present measure of Grace received Let me add this one word further the mistery that hath been told us the Mystery that hath been hid from Ages and Generations which is Christ in us who is the hope of glory may we not say Christ in us is our glory and Christ in us is our Enjoyment VVe may say if we are true Believers Christ in me is Joy and Sweetness to my Soul and delight and satisfaction to my Soul beyond all the transient Joys and pleasures of this VVorld If I had the possession of them and were Master of them Christ within affords me that â—atisfaction and content that peace and joy that surpasseth all worldly Pleasures Christ within us is our hope of Glory but the present measure of Christ within is not our full possession of Glory I own it that Christ and his Grace is in every Saint and Grace is Glory begun it is the earnest and first Fruits of Glory The Apostle calls Christ within the Hope of Glory not the full possession of it Christ within leads us to that which is beyond the Grave and beyond Time which is to be enjoyed in a glorious Eternity The Apostle Paul tells us Tit. 2.11 12 13. The grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all Men teaching us that denying Vngodliness and worldly Lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World looking for that blessed Hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works When is the time of the appearance of this blessed Hope At the glorious appearing of the great God who is both God and Man and our Saviour When is that At the Resurrection of the Dead when all Nations shall stand before the Son of Man the Good and Bad the Just and the Unjust together What this glorious Appearing will be iâ— beyond the power and ability of any Man tâ— demonstrate but there is one thing I shalâ— mention which will make it a most glorious Appearing that all the unjust Judgments that have been passed against just Men against the Saints and People of God shall be reversed this will be very glorious and God will then before Men and Angels justify his righteous and faithful Servants that have been unjustly condemned by Popes Bishops and general Councils and Synods Thus our blessed Lord himself was unjustly condemned and charged with Blasphemy as you may read in the Evangelist Mark 14.62 The High-priest
Chiâ—dren So that God's People that are undâ—â— this New Covenant they have access to Goâ— as Children to a Father they come with a hoâ— Boldness and Freedom into his Presence Master of a Family hath in his House both Seâ—vants and Sons and Daughters and yoâ— know there is a greater Nearness and Affectâ—on between a Man and his Sons and Daugâ—ters than between him and his Servants Master of a Family loves his Children bettâ— than he loves his Servants so on the othâ—â— hand Children if they be dutiful love theâ— Parents with a purer Affection with a moâ— free kind generous and noble Affection thaâ— they that are Servants love their Masters The Love of a Servant towards God is meâ—cenary and for the Reward but the Love oâ— God's Children is a free and filial Affection they say unto God Lord I love thee for thâ— self because thou art good and the most exceâ—lent Being and there is none like or equal â—nto thee in Heaven or on Earth I love thee â—ecause thou hast given me a Heart to love â—ee thou hast made me partake of a Child's Nature thou hast given me the Heart of a Child that I might love thee My Friends the Love of those that are â—ervants is a mercenary Love and their Fear 〈◊〉 a servile Fear a Fear of Punishment The â—ove of God's Children is a filial Love a â—ee and generous Affection a Love whereby â—he Soul is changed and brought under the New Covenant a Love to God for his own â—ake not only for his Blessings and for his Gifts but chiefly and principally for himself â—ot only because they believe that when they â—lie they shall go to Heaven and that because Heaven is a blessed Place and that therefore â—hey are glad they have such a Place to go to but they love God above Heaven who is betâ—er to them than Heaven it self and they can â—ay with David Psalm 73.25 Lord whom â—ave I in Heaven but thee and there is none â—pon Earth that I desire besides thee Thirdly Another difference between that common Illumination which is common to all Mankind and that which is special and pecuâ—iar to those under the New Covenant may â—ppear in his Teaching them God teacheth Sinners saith the Psalmist Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach Sinners in the way God by his universal Illumination teacheth Men many things concerning himself and their Duâ—y to him in a general way but God teacheth his People under the New Covenant by râ—vealing and making known to them clearâ— and distinctly Christ Jesus the Mediator 〈◊〉 the New Covenant God giveth them tâ—â— Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God 〈◊〉 the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 Goâ— maketh known to his People this great Mâ—stery of Christ as he is the Mediator betweâ—â— God and them So we read in the Epistle 〈◊〉 the Hebrews Heb. 12.22 But ye are comâ— unto Mount Zion and to the City of the liâ—ing God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an iâ—numerable Company of Angels to the generâ—â— Assembly and Church of the First-born whicâ—â— are written in Heaven and to God the Judgâ— of all and the Spirits of just Men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Câ—venant and to the Blood of Sprinkling thâ— speaketh better things than that of Abel Theâ— is no approaching to God but through thâ— Man Christ Jesus But you may say How shall they comâ— unto God by the Man Christ Jesus the Mediator that never saw him with their bodilâ— Eyes nor never heard him with their Bodilâ— Ears How then can they come unto Jesâ—â— the Mediator of the New Covenant who they have neither thus heard nor seen Blessed be God that hath given thousand and ten thousands and hundreds of thousand to understand this great Mystery of cominâ— to God by the Man Christ Jesus whom the never saw with their Bodily Eyes nor hearâ— with their Bodily Ears The like Objectioâ— may be made against coming to God who â—annot be seen with bodily Eyes for he is a â—pirit and invisible yet there is a coming to God Heb. 11.6 He that cometh to God must â—elieve that he is We have now no Opporâ—unity nor occasion of seeing Christ with bodily Eyes or hearing him with our bodily Ears yet we may come to him by Faith Who worketh this Faith God's blessed Spirit When is it wrought and where and how is it wrought It is wrought in God's ordinary way by Preaching when Christ is preached by those that he hath qualified and fitted by his blessed Spirit when he is thus preached by the Power of his own Holy Spirit Faith is wrought in the Hearts of those that hear not of all for some believe the Gospel and â—ome believe not Thus it hath been all-a-long where-ever the Gospel hath been preached some believe and others do not believe I say the Word of the Gospel as it is preached and complied with it is like Rain and Snow that falls upon the Earth it returneth not in vain but hath a Service though it make not all the Parts of the Earth fruitful all Places are not alike fruitful some remain barren still Thus saith the Lord by the Prophet Isa 55.10 11. For as the Rain cometh down and the Snow from Heaven and returneth not thither but waterâ—eth the Earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give Seed to the Sower and Bread to the Eater so shall my Word be that goeth forth out of my Mouth it shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplishâ— that which I please and it shall prosper in thâ— thing whereto I sent it When the Gospel is preached in any Congregation in any City Town Country or Nation it cannot be expected that all should be converted it cannot be expected that the good seed should fall every where in good Ground No it may be one part is good Ground but where the seed is sown according to Christs Parable of the sower Mat. 13.3 4 5. Some seeds fell by the way side and the Fowls came and devoured them up some fell upon stony places where they had not much Earth c. And when the Sun was up they were scorched and because they had not root they withered away and some fell among Thorns and the Thorns sprung up and choked them but others fell into good Ground and brought forth Fruit. Blessed be God that hath taught us this great Mystery of coming unto God by Christ Jesus the Mediatour whom we have not seen with Bodily Eyes nor heard with Bodily Ears VVe have access to God by him and we have access to the Mediatour by his precious Blood and by his Blessed Spirit And Faith is a great mystery it well deserves to be called the mystery of Faith and the mystery of it is this it joyns Believing Souls to God through the Man Christ and to the Man Christ whom they have not seen with Bodily Eyes according to those words
of the Apostle Peter Pet. 1.1 8. Whom having not seen ye Love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with Joy unspeakaâ—le and full of Glory These words Import â—hat though now ye see not the Man Christ â—esus yet the time will come when you shall see him that is when he shall appear in his Glory at the great Day of Judgment when â—he Nations shall stand before him then they shall certainly see him though now they see him not and then Believers shall rejoyce with â—oy unspeakable and full of Glory I say Faith is a very great mystery in that it joyns the Souls of them that truly believe in him to Christ now in heaven Believers do not rejoyce Imaginarily but really True Faith is incomparably a more excellent thing than Imagination is Faith joyneth us to Christ it knitteth us to him and giveth us access unto God by him Remember what our Lord said to Thomas after he arose from the Dead when he appeared to his Disciples the Doors being shut the eleven had seen Christ before when Thomas was not present he would not believe that the Lord Jesus Christ had appeared to them John 20. When the other Disciples told him we have seen the Lord. He said unto them except I shall see in his Hands the Print of the Nails and put my Finger into the Print of the Nails and thrust my Hand into his Side I will not believe And after eight Days again his Disciples were within and Thomas with them then came Jesus the Doors being shut and stood in the midst and said peace be unto you then saith he to Thomas reach hither thy Finger and behold my Hands and reach hither thy Hand and thrust it into my Side and be Faithless but believing And Thomas answeâ—ed and said unto him my Lord and my Gâ—â— Jesus saith unto him Thomas because thou hâ— seen me thou hast believed Blessed are they thâ— have not seen and yet have believed O my Friends these VVords are preciouâ— my Heart is touched and tendered with theâ— Blessed are they that have not seen yet haâ— believed we have not seen him risen from thâ— Dead he appeared not to us as to them and 〈◊〉 he appeared to Paul outwardly this is oâ— case you are blessed if ye believe in him whoâ— ye have not seen in the Lord Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 the Man Christ Jesus and if they are Blesseâ— that have not seen yet have believed then follows by the Rule of contraries that theâ— were not blessed who did not believe in hiâ— though they saw him and heard him Preach I cannot say it is a Sin in them not to bâ—lieve in the Lord Jesus Christ who have nâ— heard him Preached to them outwardly nor Inwardly who have not heard of his Death Burial Resurrection and Ascension and sittinâ— at the Right-Hand of God I cannot say 〈◊〉 is a Sin in them not to believe who nevâ—â— heard of those things but those that have haâ— this Doctrine preached and also read in thâ— Holy Scriptures and yet do not believe Chrisâ— risen from the Dead that do not believe Chrisâ— died for their Sins nor believe that he is gonâ— to Heaven and liveth for ever to make intercession for us It is so great a Sin not to believe Christs Incarnation Death and Resurrection when it is preached that they bring a Curse upon themselves that believe not this Doctrin after it is plainly preached to them I do say it and am ready to prove what I say They that have an opportunity to hear this Doctrin preached and read it they have an obligation lying upon them to believe it not because of the outward Testimony barely for where-ever the Scriptures come and are read and preached there is an inward Witness and Testimony goes along with the outward Testimony and it cannot be supposed that the inward Testimony of God's holy Spirit will be wanting to them that enjoy the preaching of the Gospel of Christ to enable them to believe It is Unbelief that brings Men under the Curse and makes them guilty before God Our Saviour told the Jews Except you believe that I am he ye shall die in your Sins O this is most dreadful and whither I go ye cannot come It is not a bare literal traditional or historical Faith or Belief in Christ that I preach to the People which is a Faith of no Value or Worth for Hypocrites have this Faith but that Faith which I preach it is a living Faith wrought by the mighty Power of the Spirit of Christ accompanying the outward Teaching It is a living Faith a fruitful Faith and where-ever this Faith is Love is it is never without Love for Faith Hope and Love always go together and all the Fruits of the Spirit all evangelical Vertues Humility Meekness Temperance and Patience so that they that believe in the Lord Jesus Christ they have a Faith that worketh by Love Love to God and Man That Faith that they have in them is a pious devout religious consciencious Faith and this Faith is accompanied with a Desire that every one might partake of the like precious Faith Every one thaâ— hath it they feel an earnest Travel and concern upon their Spirits that all might be partakers of it they are zealous for the Faith of Christ's Doctrine for by the Faith of Christ's Doctrine we have the Faith of Christ himself So that I do not understand for my part how people can have the Faith of Christ that have not the Faith of his Doctrine A Man or Woman may have a measure of the true Faith of Christ and be short in some matter of Doctrine that is not fundamental they may be wanting in some measure but it were better that there was nothing wanting if possible I long to see you saith the Apostle Rom. 1.11 compared with 1 Thess 3.10 that I may perfect what is lacking in your Faith He did suppose those that were partakers of the Faith of Christ might have something lacking in their Faith that might be supplied to them Christ's Doctrine as it is powerfully preached hath this Service in it to help a Man to lay hold on Christ by Faith as you know we can more easily lay hold upon a Man that is cloathed than upon one that is naked we can more easily lay hold upon Christ by laying hold upon his Doctrine and upon his precious Promises the Promise of Remission of Sin and of his Holy Spirit John 7.38 He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Water These are exceeding great and precious Promises by which we may be made partakers of the Divine Nature I can tell you something of mine own Experience I was enabled to lay hold on Christ by laying hold on the Promise of Christ Christ comes cloathed with the precious Promises to believe the Promise of Salvation through Christ Jesus the Promise of Remission of
revealed by the Spirit of God and the first Fruits and Earnest are given to the People of God here in this World the full enjoyment whereof is reserved for the next Life Now the first Fruits and Earnest are of the same nature and kind with the full Harvest in Glory If thou be a true Believer thou enjoyest a measure of the same Delight and Pleasure in Communion with God on Earth that the glorified Saints do enjoy in Heaven to all Eternity O the inward sweetness delight and satisfaction that the Soul of every true Believer enjoys in God in this Life it is of the same nature and kind that the Saints shall enjoy in Heaven to all Eternity this first Fruits and Earnest is but little in comparison of the full Harvest that is to come Those that are the People of God that have experienced God's Teaching know that which is beyond all the Teachings of the best of Men as the taste of Hony is beyond all Reports of it the Joys and Comforts of God's holy Spirit are beyond all that can be declared and expressed by Man concerning these things Whatsoever God's Servants have declared and reported concerning the great things that God hath promised to them that love him the Knowledge and Taste and Experience of God's People goes beyond it Yet this makes not void the outward Testimony and Teaching of holy Men for so far as any holy Man has greater Experience than I and a greater experimental Knowledge of God he is sit to teach me further than I at present know for the Children of God are gradually taught under the new Covenant None have Forgiveness of Sin vouchsafed to them but those that come under God's Teaching they believe not because of Man's Testimony only because Paul taught so and Peter taught so and James and John taught so but as they said to the Samaritan-woman John 4.42 Now we believe not because of thy Saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the World Those that are thus taught of God know the Truth and love the Truth as it is in Jesus they have heard himself preach he is not bodily present but he is present by his Spirit the Voice of the Spirit of Christ is the Voice of Christ and the Voice of God the Father you that hear the Voice of the Spirit in your Hearts you hear the Voice of the Father and the Son they that are taught of God they hear the Voice of God the Father Son and holy Ghost There is one thing further upon my Heart which I shall deliver as the Lord shall be pleased to enable me in a few Words concerning the new Covenant I hope you all know thus much that the nature of a Covenant is mutual it binds and obligeth both Parties so doth God's Covenant who ever comes under God's Covenant As God obligeth himself to be their Father and their God anâ— their Husband thy Maker is thy Husband So God's People that come under this Covenant are engaged unto God and God expects and requires that they should be faithful unto him And certainly God expectâ— and requires of every one in order to their coming into Covenant that they give up their Hearts and Souls to him and to take the Lord for their God We must dedicate our selves to his glory and service and say Lord thou shalt be my God I will have no other God but thee no other Lord or Master but thee Other Lords have had dominion over us but now we will make mention of thy Name only Isa 44.5 One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and surname himself by the name of Israel Is this only an outward Book an outward Writing and Subscription No that is but little to be accounted of thou must write with thy Soul thou must write with thy Heart There is a Bond between the Lord and thee and thou bindest thy self to him and it is written in thy Heart The Lord shall be my God Thus David engaged himself to the Lord Psal 119.94 Lord I am thine save me and he takes the Lord for his Portion Thou art my Portion O Lord I have said that I would keep thy Word How can you say That the Lord is your God unless you are his by Covenant God's Covenant hath a mutual stipulation or obligation there is a mutual engaging and promising The Lord promiseth to be our God and Father and Husband and our Preserver to be all in all to us and we promise to be his People to love him and serve him and obey him So my Friends I now commend you to the Lord and commend those things to you that I have declared at this present time I commit them to the Witness of God in all your Consciences I commit you to God and the Word of his Grace to open your Understandings that you may be inlightned to know him who is the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent which is Life eternal and that you may feel his mighty power to make impression upon your Hearts by those things that I have been testifying and declaring among you the Lord alone can teach you to Profit and make those great and precious Promises that have now sounded in your Ears to have a due impression upon your Hearts and to become effectual through the mighty Power of his blessed Spirit for the Salvation of your immortal Souls A SERMON Preached by George Keith At Harp-Lane London Septemb. 30th 1694. Cor xiii 5. Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your own selves Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Or as it may be better translated Vnless ye be unapproved disapproved or without a proof THis is a seasonable Exhortation of the Apostle Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith c. know ye not your own selves c. how that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates saith our Translation ' It were sad indeed if all they were Reprobates that know not Christ within them God forbid for there are thousands that know not that Christ is in them they have not that Knowledge Understanding Proof and Experience yet they are not Reprobate But who then are Reprobates may some say They are Reprobates of whom we may truly say God hath wholly left them utterly left them and ceaseth to be a Reprover to them and their Day of Mercy is expired the Day of God's Visitation and the striving of his Spirit is at an End towards them These are properly said to be Reprobates yet those that are not yet in Christ and know not that Chtist is in them so long as they are capable of Repentance and Conversion and of being turned to God and the Day of his Visitation being not yet expired it cannot
be said that they are Reprobates But now as to the principal Subject Matter that is before me it is this That it is the Duty of every one that professeth himself to be a true Christian to examine himself whether he hath the true Faith of Christ or whether he be in the true Faith It is all one to have the Faith to be in us or for us to be in it It is one and the same thing I say we are in the Faith as well as it is in us I say too many deceive themselves many think they have the Faith or are in the Faith which have it not and are not in it This is great folly in Men and a most dangerous deceit to be deceived in this Case Which of us all would be willing to be deceived in Mony We are all very unwilling to take counterfeit Mony of Brass Silver or Gold and if we be deceived here the deceit may be an outward damage to us But this is nothing comparatively to the deceit of a counterfeit Faith When Men shall deceive themselves to their dying moment and fancy they have true Faith when they have it not they that die wanting the true Faith they die in their Sins If ye believe not saith our Lord Christ that I am he ye shall die in your Sins and whither I go ye cannot come Therefore examine your selves and examine effectually that ye may know whether ye have the true Faith and be in it It is in my Heart at this Time in a few Words to open this to you I have been often upon this Subject therefore I shall not now enlarge upon it Now in opening to you the true Nature of Faith first I will tell you what it is not that denominates a Man or Woman to be a ture Christian I shall God willing and assisting me first tell you what true Faith is not and then I shall tell you what it is I. It is not a bare historical literal or traditional Faith of God and Christ You say you believe in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and believe these great Truths as they are declared and recorded in the Holy Scriptures and you hear them preached to you by one Minister and another and because you read them in the Holy Scriptuers which good Men in all Ages have always had a great Esteem and Veneration for ever since they were written and therefore you believe this is the ground of your Faith the foundation of it and you know no other foundation but this O this is not enough for thousands have this Faith which have not the true Faith So much negatively what this Faith is not II. To speak something positively and affirmatively what this Faith is and how it is wrought First of all I say unto you that it is a supernatural thing the other Faith is but natural or human That Faith that is wrought in Men and Women only by an outward Testimony let it be never so true only because they hear it preached or read it or because holy and godly Men say these things are true you believe them because of an outward Testimony all this is but natural But a true saving justifying Faith that by which we are justified and saved and by which Christ cometh to dwell in our Hearts that Faith by which we overcome the World and come to be Children of God it is a supernatural Work an effect of God's mighty Power that Power which raised Christ from the dead That Power must quicken a Man that is naturally dead in Sins and Trespasses and work in him a true Faith a divine Faith the which Faith is wrought instrumentally by outward Preaching and Hearing in God's ordinary way Now to open a little further to you the Nature of this true Faith we must consider it both with respect to the Object of it and the Subject of it that is the Seat of it whether it be placed only in the Understanding Whether it be only an Assent in the Understanding That Christ Jesus came into the World to save Sinners And that God gave his Son to die for us that we might live through him Now first as to the Object of Faith What is it that we look to That our Faith hath a regard to What is it that we do believe in Is it in God the Father only or also in his dear Son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit Now here is a right belief in Christ We believe in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that he hath given his dear Son for us and to us and none have a right Belief in Christ the Eternal Son of God but they that believe he is both God and Man and believe that the Word was made Flesh and took our Flesh in the fulness of Time and came in a prepared Body and put an end to all the Offerings and Sacrifices under the Law which were Types and Figures of his offering up his Body upon the Cross Isa 53.10 It pleased the Lord to bruise him saith the Prophet he hath put him to Grief When thou shalt make his Soul an Offering for Sin c. He shall see the Travel of his Soul and shall be satisfied Our Lord Jesus Christ became a compleat Priest and Sacrifice both in his Soul and Body He offered himself both in his Soul and Body as a Sacrifice for Sin and both these must be effected by Faith in Christ viz. Justification and Sanctification Justification is attributed to Faith instrumentally and Sanctification also is attributed to Faith in the Blood of Christ which cleanseth from all Sin True Faith respects for its Object Christ as he is both God and Man as the Eternal Word took Flesh not the nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham It respects Christ inwardly and it doth respect his outward coming and appearance in a two-fold Sense 1. As he came and is already come in a state of Humiliation and Suffering And 2. It respects him as he is without us glorified and exalted in Heaven at the Right-hand of the Majesty on high God hath appointed him to be Judge of the World all Nations shall stand before him and every Eye shall see him and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divides his Sheep from the Goats the Sentence will pass and be pronounced outwardly by the Man Christ Jesus I do not deny but that there is also a Judgment within in the Conscience But now there is a weighty Matter or Point before me to insist upon and that is this That as Christ within us and Christ without us is but one Christ so the true Faith in Christ respects both Christ without us and Christ within us and the Faith of Christ within us and of Christ without us is but one Faith as Christ is but one that suffered for us and was nailed to the Cross and Christ within us so Faith in Christ within us and without us is
and Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ it is not the true Doctrin of the Gospel of Christ to preach Pardon of Sin and Justification through the Obedience that any Man or Woman can perform to or by the Light within the Spirit of God within or any inward Principle without Faith in the Man Christ Jesus It is by Faith in him that we witness Peace with God Being justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 It is not in my Heart to go into Niceties to answer that Question that hath more of Nicity than of Necessity in it Whether we are justified by Faith or by Faith and Works viz. by such Works as accompany Faith and go along with Faith and that flow from Faith as the effects of it We cannot be justified whatever any may â—irm without Faith in Christ crucified and â—hoever preach that we may be justified by â—y Works that we can perform any obediâ—nce to Christ within or without without â—ith in Christ crucified they preach another â—ospel and pervert the Gospel of Christ â—al 1.8 But though we or an Angel from â—eaven saith the Apostle preach any other â—ospel unto you than that which we have preachâ—â— unto you let him be accursed Now they preach another Gospel that preach â—ustification and Remission of Sins by our own â—orks and Obedience without Faith in Christ crucified The Apostle James saith â—deed Jam. 2.21 Was not Abraham our â—ather justified when he offered Isaac his Son â—pon the Altar Seest thou how Faith wrought â—ith his Works and by Works was Faith â—ade perfect And the Scripture was fulfilâ—â—d which saith Abraham believed God â—â—d it was imputeâ— to him for Righteousness â—â—d he was called the Friend of God And it is â—id concerning Rahab Was not Rahab the â—arlot justified by Works when she had receiâ—ed the Messengers and had sent them out anoâ—her way Josh 2.15 She let them down by a â—ord through the Window and she said unto â—hem Get ye to the Mountains lest the Pursuâ—rs meet you And the Spyes said unto her â—ehold when we come into the Land thou shalt â—ind this Line of Scarlet-Thred in the Window â—ich thou didst let us down by c. The â—carlet-Thred did typify and represent and shadow out the Blood of Christ by which shâ— should be saved she hid the Spyes and thâ— was a good Work her Faith that saved heâ— was as the Scarlet-Thred dipt and dyed iâ— the Blood of Christ which cleanseth from alâ— Sin So these Works were not without Faith but did accompany it and were the real Fruiâ— of it I have told you that the Object of Faitâ— is God the Father and Jesus Christ his Son both in his inward and outward coming anâ— appearance and as he is yet to come again and appear without us at the end of thâ— World at the great day of Judgment and also the holy Spirit Now to open to you briefly one Scripture John 1.12 But as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name The Exposition that some have given of this is the receiving of Christ inwardly that is so far good But that dotâ—â—ot comprehend the whole sense and meaning of the Words To receive him and believe on him is not only to receive his Light and Power and Spirit in our Hearts but to receive him as he died for us and shed his precious Blood for us and became both a Priest and Sacrifice for us and offered himself through the Eternal Spirit without spot to God We must believe thâ— worth and value of that Sacrifice to expiatâ— our Sins and to make attonement for us â— so that by Christ's Sacrifice and offering oâ— himself the justice of God haâ—h satisfactioâ— made to it as fully as if we our selves had sufâ—â—red and made full satisfaction So that to â—â—ceive Christ is not to receive him only in â—â—s inward Appearance but in his priestly Ofâ—â—ce as he died upon the Cross and shed his â—recious Blood for us I have said it divers times and it is in my Heart to say it again That Christ offered the Gift of his Manhood upon the Altar of his Godhead that sanctified it and made it so â—ighly valuable and acceptable How will â—ou prove this some might say This may â—ell be proved out of the holy Scripture Heb. 13.14 For if the Blood of Bulls and of Goats and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling â—he Vnclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the â—lesh how much more shall the Blood of Christ â—ho through the Eternal Spirit offered himself â—â—thout spot to God purge your Consciences â—im dead Works â—o serve the living God The â—â—â—rnal Spirit 〈◊〉 the eternal Power and Godâ—ead is the Altar tâ—â—â— is greater than the Gift â—â—d the Altar which sanctifieth the Gift and â—hich was that that gave value and merit to â—s precious Blood and to what his Body and â—oul suffered here I say is the Gift upon â—â—e Altar and the Altar sanctifieth the Gift 〈◊〉 Christ had been Man only then his Death â—â—d Sufferings and his precious Blood had â—t been of that great worth and value to exâ—â—te our Sin and make Attonement for us â—â—d reconcile us to God God hath had reâ—â—d to this in all Ages God looks favourable â—on us only through Christ our great Mediator and High-priest Christ's Blood is of meritorious Efficacy in all Ages since it was shed and before it was shed And as Christ is the Object of our Faith so is the Doctrin of Christ in all the parts of it in a secondary sense but more especially as it respects the Promises of Salvation and his Commandments these two the Promises of Christ and the Commands of Christ if we believe his Promises we believe his Precepts and obey them We are pardoned and sanctified and justified freely and all boasting is excluded If we believe in Christ we believe in his Person and we believe his Doctrin his Promises and all that is written That through the comfort of the Scriptures we might have Hope I will by a Similitude express and represent to you of what great use the Promises are unto us as I have found by experience blessed be God that the great and precious Promises of our Lord Jesus Christ and hiâ— sweet Invitations and Calls that are recorded in the holy Scripture are a mighty help to us in laying hold upon Christ We cannot take hold of a Man so well when he is naked as when he is clothed It is not so easy foâ— us to lay hold on Christ naked as when he iâ— preached in the Gospel and as when he iâ— clothed as it were with the precious Promâ—ses It is very hard for us to lay hold oâ— Christ and embrace him and come to him without a Promise The Apostle Peter holâ—ing forth this great Mystery tells us 2 Pet. 1. â— Whereby are given to
Way After you have proved all things and come to know that which is good that wherein your Peace with God and Comfort doth consist hold it fast let none beguile you the Enemy of your Souls will labour to lay something in your Way If the Lord had not been very merciful to us we might many of us long since have turned aside we might have fainted in our Minds and been weary of well-doing I do not question but many of you in your Pilgrimage-State do meet with many things in your way to everlasting Life Some put one thing into your Minds and some another let it be your Care that as you have received the Gift from above and by the Holy Scriptures are come to know what is good hold it fast How hold it fast By patient Watchfulness and Diligence taking heed to the Grace of God that hath appeared and brought Salvation to our Souls I pity those Souls that are in an unsettled State which are tossed to and fro that are sometimes for one thing and sometimes for another a double-minded Man is unstable in all his ways You are happy if you are come to that Settlement in your Minds as to be stable and fixed that when you have proved all things you hold fast that which is good As you have received an Understanding from the Lord let it be your Care in the Exercise of your Minds to live in obedience to the Lord in what you know to be the holy good and acceptable Will of God and not hold the Truth in Vnrighteousness Rom. 1.18 The Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness of Men who hold the Truth in Vnrighteousnesâ— What hath your Care been to hold fast thaâ— which is good You must hold it fast by living according to what you know all profession of Godliness will stand Men in no stead if they do not live according to their Light and Knowledge Therefore I greatly pity many in our Days to whom the Lord hath been pleased to give a large measure of his Grace that they certainly know their Duty towards God and how to live and carry themselves among Men but they are like those mentioned by the Apostle In Words they profess Christ but in Works they deny him There are many in our Days that have more Words to speak than a great many that can speak a great deal but live not answerably I speak not this to upbraid any but in pity to their Souls and that every one of us may be excited and stirred up to live according to what we have received What will it profit a Man if he know never so much and run to and fro till Knowledge be increased The Lord is about to seek out a People in all Places that may try all things and hold fast that which is good This I shall leave to your Consideration and I would ask every one of you that are before me What do you know of that which is good I hope none of you will say That you do not know that which is good for that person speaks contrary to what the Holy Ghost hath declared Micah 6.8 He hath shewed thee O Man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love Mercy and to walk humbly with thy God since the Lord hath been so merciful as to shew us what is good and what he doth require at our Hands it concerneth every one of us to know whether we live and act according to what God requires and do not sin against our own Light Knowledge and Conscience The Lord may bear with us a great while and his Patience and Long-suffering may be lengthned out a great while the Time will come when God will bear no longer it will be as it was with the old World and with Sodom and Gomorrah when Noah went into the Ark a Deluge of Wrath came upon them When Lot went out of Sodom it was destroyed by Fire The Lord sent a Flood to drown and destroy the old World And he sent Fire from Heaven to burn the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because they sinned against him And saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Knowing therefore the Terror of the Lord we persuade Men. When I consider these awakening Words and Sayings I think with my self How can sinful Men and Women go on in such a course when they must certainly appear at Christ's Tribunal and give an Account of their Deeds of whatever they have done in the Body whether good or bad If Men would take this into their Thoughts they would consider We must die and as Death leaveth us Judgment will find us and take hold of us Consider your Ways repent and turn to the Lord that you may appear before him with Joy at the great day of his Appearing Let your Religion be what it will I mind not for any Man 's private Persuasion or Opinion Prove all things prove Men's Words prove Men's Sayings and that which is of greatest concernment of all let us prove our own Ways and examine our own Actions how we have lived and what we have done if we have lived according to what we have received and done according to what we have known to be our Duty we are in a good condition but if we have lived contrary our own Consciences will condemn us if we be like those mentioned by the Apostle to Titus Chap. 1.10 That profess that they know God but in Works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and to every good Work reprobate I do greatly pity every Soul that is found in such a state and condition because he is in the broad Way that leads to Destruction Our Lord Christ's Saying was after this manner Matth. 7.13 14. Enter ye in at the strait Gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to Destruction and many there be which go in thereat because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto Life and few there be that find it The Lord is pleased to afford a Day of Visitation to all sinful Men and Women a day of grace and mercy a day wherein he is seeking of them â—y his dear Son Jesus Christ our Lord to â—ring them out of their sinful state that they may be saved from the Wrath to come So often as thou findest any thing in thee â—eproving and condemning thee for any evil thing that is the gift of God the spirit of Truth the holy Spirit the spiritual Appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ who is come to seek and save that which is lost Let me entreat you all that desire the salvation of your Souls that you will be careful to enter into the Examination of your Selves after this
the Lord I have found such strength and power given in that the Enemy hath given back When I awake in the morning and come to a Meeting I am in distress till I receive Bread from Heaven and Hony out of the Rock and Consolation from those precious Promises I will cause them to lie down and none shalt make them afraid and they shall have Bread in their own Houses and Water in their own Cisterns The more you wait upon the Lord the more you will find of supply from his heavenly helping-hand certainly God is carrying on the Work of your Redemption till you appear before him in Zion tho' at present it causeth trouble and exercise as it was with the Spouse when she was seeking after her Beloved with desires and breathings Cant. 6.8 I charge you Daughters of Jerusalem if you find my Beloved that ye tell him That I am sick of love To be sick of Love is a groaning mournful Exercise but when thy Saviour â—â—mes and opens his Mouth in blessing thou â—ilt be abundantly satisfied as with Marrow â—nd Fatness and sit under his shadow with â—â—â—t Delight and his Fruit will be sweet unâ—â— thy taste Thus it was with David When thou hidest thy face O God I am troubled and I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living One that is earnestly seeking after Christ will speak of his Excellencies as the Spouse did and thereby excite and stir up others to seek him also my Beloved is white and rudy the chiefest of ten thousand his Mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether Lovely This is my Beloved and this is my Friend O Daughters of Jerusalem whither is thy beloved gone they said whither is thy beloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee When thou art seeking after Christ he is not far from thee Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come unto him and will sup with him and he with me Some honest Country men will say one to another where is the Door Christ comes to It is the Door of the Heart What is this knocking of the beloved at the Door How shall I know when he knocks at the Door when the Spouse comes to have acquaintance with her beloved I sleep but my Heart waketh it is the Voice of my beloved that knocketh saying Open to me my Sister my love my dove my undefiled for my Head is filled with dew and mâ— locks with the drops of the Night My belovâ—â— saith she put in his hand by the hole of 〈◊〉 Door and my Bowels were moved for him I 〈◊〉 up to open to my Beloved and my hands droppeâ— with myrrh and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh upon the handles of the lock I opened to my Beloved but my Beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone my Soul failed when he spake When the Lord is pleased to give a tast of his love then after a dark Night of sorrow and affliction the Day will break and the shadows flee away then at the dawning of this blessed Morning Christ will come to the disconsolate enquiring Soul and his reward is with him and his work before him then there shall be joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall fly away Then saith the humble Soul I am sensible of the goodness of the Lord sensible of mercy and supporting and preserving power but I am still under trouble and disquietness of mind and I am as David when he cryed out Lord make hast to help me for the Waters are come unto my Soul great distress and trouble are come into my Soul now though I have believed in Christ and obtained mercy and assistance from divine power against my Spiritual Enimies yet I have not kept my watch and my adversary the Devil by his subtilty and wiles hath ensnared me and given me a snap at the Heel and I have relapsed â—nto sin sinned presumptuously nay I am afraid I have sinned the unpardonable sin the 〈◊〉 against the Holy Ghost for I have been enlightened and tasted of the Heavenly gift 〈◊〉 have been made a partaker of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the World to come The Apostle saith It is impossible for such if they fall away to be renewed again by Repentance I am affraid to die for I cannot triumph over Death as the Apostle did and say 1 Cor. 15.55 O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory the sting of Death is sin the strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ I Answer Notwithstanding all thy doubts and fears thou art still to hope in God who is merciful and gracious forgiving transgression and sin and who hath promised that if we confess and forsake sin we shall find mercy and if we forsake sin and turn from our evil ways he will abundantly pardon Remember for thy encouragment the words of the Apostle 1 John 2.12 My little Children these things write I unto you that ye sin not And if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole World If thou dost believe in Christ thou wilt be in a capacity to resist the Devil thy grand Enemy and to repel his temptations when he comes as an accuser to make shipwrack of thy Faith consider the tenderness and compassion of Christ toward broken and contrite sinners in 11 Mat. 28. in that sweet invitation Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest And also in that charge he giveth to Peter John 21 15. Simon Son of Jonaâ— lovest thou me He answered Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee then saith he feed my Lambs feed my Sheep c. Stephen when they were stoning him to Death did look unto Christ and had strong consolation triumphing over Death and the rage and fury of his Murderers Acts 17.55 He being full of the Holy Ghost looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the Right hand of God and they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit And he kneeled down and cryed with a loud Voice Lord lay not this sin unto their Charge Thus look up unto Jesus when thy Adversary the Devil doth accuse thee and by believing thou wilt overcome him and go on conquering and to conquer till all thy enemies be utterly subdued Believe in the Lord Jesus who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth committed to him who is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him and those that come unto him he will in no wise cast out
under a Divine preparation as many are 〈◊〉 our Days who are ready to say Lord havâ— mercy upon us among so many Religions 〈◊〉 would to God we knew how to chuse thaâ— which is right these are under a Heavenly preparation that earnestly enquire after the truâ— way and worship of the Lord wherein they may seek and serve him and find acceptance It is left upon record concerning Christ He gave his life a Ransom for many to be testified in due time If you speak of a Ransom to one that is a liberty he will not regard it being unconcerned but come and tell a poor captive in Algiers that he shall shortly be discharged from his slavery and sore bondage and set at liberty and that a noble Friend in England will pay his Ransom for him â—and his Heart will melt and leap for joy and he will be transported and greatly affected to hear such glad tidings As the Captives in Babilon when they sat down by the Rivers there and hanged their Harps upon the Willows and wept when they remembred Zion when they that carryed them away Captive required of them mirth saying sing us one of the songs of Sion They said How shall we sing the Lords Song in a strange land So it hath pleased the Lord in our Days to make Thousands sensible of their woful Captivity by reason of sin and to say after this manner alas I am where I would not be I am under bondage to sin and Satan I would be at liberty I am confined and shut up in a dark Dungeon I would be Discharged I am in Darkness and would have the light of Gods Countenance lifted up upon me and he refreshed with the Rays of the Sun of Righteousness I am labouring under weakness and I would receive strength and strugling under my many Infirmities I would receive Power from on high to do the will of God and never be a weary of well doing I am now at a distance from my Fathers House and as a stranger on this Earth I would have my conversation in Heaven and live unto Christ here that I may live with him hereafter and sit with him at Gods Right Hand in Heavenly places Now those that are made sensible of their state of Captivity and darkness and how they have been under the very region and shadow of Death to such as sit in darkness and as it were under the shadow of Death God hath caused light to spring up whereby the Soul comes to perceive that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses to them Christ gave his life a Ransom for many to be testified in due time The Soul hath its lodgment under fears and doubts questioning whether ever it shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living we have all sinned and come short of the Glory of God and we are all Children of wrath by nature as well as others the first step of quietness and comfort is like that of the Fathers running to meet his Prodigal Son when he saw him afar off It is when the Soul seâ— and apprehends that God is in Christ reconciling the World unto himself the Lord saith I have found a Ransom I have laid help upon one that is mighty that is able to save to the uttermost Now after we perceive there is a Ransom that there is mercy with the Lord that he may be feared then the light of that prophecy opens to us Isa 55.6 7. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call ye upon him while he is near Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Then the Soul begins to perceive this Morning of the Day of God and will say with the Psalmist return to thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Until the Soul comes to behold and tast of this Passover and to believe the record that God hath given of his Son it cannot be unlocked and unchained from its bondage and Captivity He that believeth not is condemned already and the wrath of God abideth on him because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son The believing this record and embracing the promise of God is that whereby we feel a spark of Divine hope kindled in us So that I say the greatest comfort that can be enjoyed in this life is to be assured by the spirit of God that we are saved from the wrath to come we must begin and go on gradually â—â—d work out our own Salvation with fear and â—embling till it appear to thee and thou art â—â—tisfyed that thy Faith stands not in the Wisâ—om of men but in the power of God and â—hat thy sins are remitted Psal 32.1 2. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven and â—hose Sin is covered Blessed is the Man unto whom the Lord imputeth not Iniquity and in whose Spirit there is no guil When you come â—o perceive the Benefit which you have received by Christ Jesus and that by a true belief in his name you receive Remission of Sins this kindles in your Souls a love to God and you will be ready to say What hath he paid my debt that I might be discharged from Prison Paid that debt which I could not pay I was in Captivity from which I could not Ransom my self and hath God given his Son and hath his Son Jesus Christ given himself to be a Ransom for me I was under a strange King as the Israelites of old under great slavery in the land of Egypt and house of Bondage hath the Lord brought me out from thence by a mighty Hand and out-stretched Arm and brought me as it were through the Red-Sea as on dry land hath he destroyed those Enemies that designed my Destruction and wrought a great deliverance and Salvation for me What shall I render to the Lord for all his Benefits Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his Holy Name who forgiveth all thine Iniquities who healeth all thy Diseases who Redeemeth thy life from Destruction and crowneth thee wiâ—â— lovingkindness and tender mercies When we apprehend that our sins are remâ—ted and that God is in Christ reconciling tâ— World to himself not imputing their trespassâ— to them then we have quietness and peace Rejoyce and beglad O Daughter of Zion thâ— Lord that is Righteous will bring Salvation and he will send forth thy Prisoners out of thâ— Pit where there was no Water Methinks I hear a sound in a Disconsolatâ— Soul saying I believe that God is mercifuâ— the Night is far spent and the Day is at hand yet notwithstanding this is my trouble that â— do not yet feel any Power to live to Christ thaâ— died for me and to walk worthy of my vocation the Soul may therefore cry out
from a State of Purity and Holiness which once they were possessors of and are come to be like the Prodigal Son who received his Portion from his Father and took his Journy into a far Country and there wasted his substance with riotous living O how glad should my Soul be that some of these Prodigals might be awakened that they might remember from whence they are fallen and call to mind how it was with them when they were in their Father's House when they were fed at their Fathers Table O my Soul is grieved with a Sense of their woful condition in a sense of that Famin of the Word of the Lord that is come over them in a Sense of that darkness and deadness and barrenness that is come over their immortal Souls O! that they might be awakened by the Power and Spirit of the Lord that they might come to themselves as the prodigal Son did when he had spent all and when there arose a mighty Famine in that Land and he began to be in want and went and joyned himself to a Citizen of that Country who sent him into the Fields to feed Swine and he would fain have filled his Belly with the Husks that the Swine did Eat and no man gave unto him It is not Husks that will satisfy thy hungry Soul when once thou art convinced and awakened to consider thy miserable condition it is not an empty talk of Religion which is but as Husks and cannot satisfy thy Hungry Soul If thou art awakened and come to thy self thou wilt repent and mourn for thy Sin and lament and grieve and mourn over him whom thou hast pierced by thy transgressions then thou wilt take up a Resolution with the Prodigal who when he came to himself he said How many hired Servants of my Fathers have Bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger I will arise saith he and go to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired Servants Say to thy heavenly Father in thy humble Confession of Sin Lord I have been a Prodigal I have wasted thy heavenly Treasure I have spent and trifled away my precious Time in a strange land and have fed among Swinish Sinners I cannot fill my belly with these Husks Now I remember the plenty of my Fathers House where I had Bread enough and to spare I will return and humble my self before my Father I will confess my sin and Folly unto my compassionate Father it may be he will be kind and merciful and gracious to me When good Desires were raised in the Heart of the returning Prodigal when he arose and came to his Father when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his Neck and kissed him then he humbled himself before his Father and said Father I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy Son I have spent that portion thou gavest me among Harlots in riotous living If thou returnest as the Prodigal did and if thou addressest thy self to thy heavenly Father as a true Mourner with a sincere repentance never to be repented of if thou settest thy self in good earnest to seek the Lord early and late thou shalt find him to thy Souls satisfaction For so the Prodigal returning to his Father and making these acknowledgments to his Father it moved his compassion and fatherly Bowels His father did not chide him and upbraid him but fell on his neck and kissed him And he said unto his Servants Bring forth the best robe and put it on him and put a Ring on his Hand and Shooes on his Feet and bring hither the fatted Calf and Kill it and let us eat and be merry for this my Son was dead and is alive again and he was lost and is found This was the joyful Entertainment that the returning Prodigal found with his indulgent Father so when we return to God our Heavenly Father by true repentance he will receive us into favour for the sake of his well-beloved Son in whom he is well pleased We shall be stript of our filthy Garments and be cloathed with the Garment of Salvation rhe Robe of Christs Righteousness and be found in him not having our own Righteousness and we shall be feasted with the fatted Calf we shall by faith feed upon the Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ the Lamb of God that was slain and Sacrificed for us His Flesh is Meat indeed and his Blood is Drink indeed Whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood saith our Lord Jesus Christ hath Eternal Life John 6.51 There is a feast of Fat things and of Wine upon the Lees well refined Thus true Penitent and returning Prodigals shall be entertained and welcomed to their Father's House he will take them into his Banqueting-House and his Banner on them shall be Love and he will speak kindly and comfortably to them Eat O Friends drink yea drink abundantly O beloved thus he will speak to us that our Joy may remain in us and that our Joy may be full that we may rejoyce in Christ Jesus and be eternally satisfied in the love of God in whose presence is fulness of Joy Joy unspeakable and full of glory A SERMON Preached by Thomas Budd At Harp-Lane November 4. 1694. John 14.1.2 Let not your Heart be oroubled ye believo in God believe also in me THe Disciples were greatly afflicted when our Saviour told them He must go away and that he must suffer at Jerusalem They being cast down and very sad and sorrowful at the thoughts of his Departure he speaks comfortably to them and bids them Believe in him ye believe in God believe also in me They had a Faith in God they believed in God they believed in the Light which came from God with which they were enlightened yet nevertheless the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ his Resurrection from the Dead and his Ascension into Heaven was not then so clearly and fully discovered unto them as afterward it was made known And it appears That it was not enough for them only to believe in God but he bids them believe in him also And he told them that he did go to prepare a place for them And if I go saith he to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also In my Fathers House are many Mansions where I am there ye shall be also O glorious promise indeed who can declare the large extent of it and the greatness of his Love That he should love them so intirely as to die for the Love of them as to die for their sakes and lay down his Life for them and as their High-Priest become a Sacrifice The High-Priests under the Law offered the Bodies of