do those things that are good and profitable and to avoid those things that are reproveable If thou wouldest hearken to the Spirit that is the Reprover that convinceth of Sin thou must turn away thy mind from that which will lead into those things that are reproveable otherwise thou wilt be under Condemnation in thine own bosome When the Spirit of God illuminates Men to see Sin the evil of Sin he will give them power against it but when they come to receive power against it â—nd stedfastness in the ways of God what will be the effect of that If I become Righteous and live a Holy Life and my Companions be wicked they will mock me and reproach me what profit and benefit shall I have by being Righteous I see evidently I shall lose many advantages which I might otherwise reap and reach with mine own hand I must forsake my Profits and Pleasures and all the Delights of this World The Disciples said to Christ we have forsaken all and followed thee what shall we have People before they would forsake all would see some thing they must have in the room of it Christ tells them that he that hath forsaken all Father and Mother Brothers and Sisters and House and Land for his Names sake shall have in this Life an hundred fold and in the World to come Eternal Life what is the meaning of that They shall have in this Life 100 fold Christ that is Truth it self that cannot Lie hath promised that they that forsake all shall receive an hundred fold now people are ready to grasp at it they think it must be something that will answer the loss of that they part withall that thou receivest in this promise must not be of the same sort and kind with those things â—hou didst part withall but when thou hast parted with all for Christs sake and the Gospel thou shalt receive that which thou shalt acknowledge is an hundred fold better and will make thee an hundred fold richer and happier and that it will give thee more an hundred fold than all that thou parted with could give thee If we part with Sin we part with that which brings bondage and fear of Death having parted with that when thy fear and bondage is gone and thou livest then the rest of thy Life time at liberty but this is not all thou livest in the enjoyment of the favour of God thou shalt have the sense of his Love and the Comforts of the Holy Spirit and you shall live in Peace and Righteousness and treasure up to your selves Glory Honour Immortality and Eternal Life whereas before you did treasure up only wrath against the day of wrath and the Revelation of the Righteous Judgment of God thou shalt receive an hundred fold that which is an hundred fold better Those that part with the things that are reproveable and do what Christ in his day performed the good and acceptable will of God the Enjoyments that he hath in Christ and the Comfort Peace and Tranquility he enjoys is an hundred fold better and more delightful than all the pleasures of Sin and the pleasures and delights of Shows and Sights and Plays and Comedies which vain Men entertain themselves with in their Carnal State A Carnal Man cannot understand and discern the things of God and the pleasures that are to be had in his holy ways he only looks at the things that are seen which are Temporal and not at the things which are not seen which are Eternal But my Friends those things which are unseen are not so unseen but that when a man hath an eye opened within him of the same Nature with those things he can see them blessed be God that we have an eye opened to see Spiritual things to see the Heavenly Treasure and enjoy it in these Earthen Vessels For all that have an ear to hear it would be a profitable change to part with all that is evil in the sight of God and put themselves under the Yoak of Christ and receive a Principle of Grace which he will Communicate to them that they may do the good and acceptable will of God and so may enjoy an hundred fold and have comfort peace and joy before they go hence and are no more seen You to whom God hath so graciously and mercifully appeared that have an understanding and a tast and feeling of those things which are Divine and Spiritual and which pertain to Life and Godliness Of all the People in the World you are an engaged People to serve the Lord great obligations lie upon you that you should abide and continue in that which God hath revealed and discovered to you I mean Grace for you will never grow till you be under the Government of the Grace of God that Grace that appeared to you before you came to the Knowledge of God and his ways that hath been with you in your travel from Death to Life and from Darkness to Light Prize it as a Heavenly Jewel as that which contains in it all those things that your Souls stand in need of If you have any strength to resist Temptation it is from the Grace of God that you receive Power to withstand Temptations if you have any living openings in your hearts it comes to you from that Grace that is in Christ When this and that and the other Prophecy of the Prophets of old is opened to you Prophecying and Foretelling that State and Condition which you are travelling towards how the Lord will subdue your Enemies under you you are encouraged hereby to go on cheerfully in your way to that Rest which you are travelling to There are many of those that believe the Truth who are not come to Establishment and they will find the Reason and Cause in themselves Do but ask and enquire how it comes to pass that such and such are established and not so subject to fear and horrour and perplexity as I am a little thing will turn me over and shake and unsettle my mind this hath been the cause want of keeping close to the grace of God in your Conversâ—tion in the World when you and your Children and Servants are governed by the grace of God in all you undertake then the Devil will endeavour to bring you into darkness and bring discomposure upon your Spirits for the purpose of Christ Jesus our Saviour is to settle you and the purpose of the Destroyer is to discompose and unsettle you and to marry you to this and the other changing thing if he can fix your hearts upon this and that Object then there is instability upon the Soul take away that thing and it brings disturbance upon you Hast thou any Objâ—ct that thy mind is set upon Thou wilt be much disturb'd at thy parting with it but whose fault is that The truth manifested to thee from the beginning of thy Conversion did engage thee to separate thy self from all visible sensible things that God might have
THE Second Volume OF Mr. Stephen Crisp's SERMONS THE acceptance which the First Volume of the Sermons of this Author has obtained from Persons of different Perswasions hath occasioned the Publishing a Second of which many seem very desirous I shall say no more of thew let the Works speak for themselves but will only add that the Writer is still willing to satisfie any Inquisitive Doubter none of whom he has hitherto met with that these as well as the former are the Genuine Declarations of Mr. Stephen Crisp without any addition or alteration he having used the utmost exactness in taking and Transcribing them and his care and acuracy therein has been acknowledged and confirmed by many Ear-Witnesses who have heard them from the mouth of the Preacher THE Second Volume OF THE Sermons OR DECLARATIONS OF Mr. Stephen Crisp Late of Colchester in Essex Deceased Exactly taken in Characters or Short-hand as they were Delivered by him at the Publick Meeting-Houses of the People called QUAKERS In Grace-Church-street and Devonshire-House London And now Faithfully Transcribed and Published With some of his Prayers after Sermon LONDON Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey near Cheapside 1693 Sermon I. Truths Testimony against the Power of Sin and Satan Preached in Grace-Church-Street June 13. 1688. My Friends GOD hath made you Witnesses of the great Work of this Day the Lord I say hath given you Eyes to see and Ears to hear and Hearts to understand the great Work of the Day he hath called you forth that you may be faithful Witnesses every one in your measure of that which he hath brought to pass in your sight for he hath revealed his Power the Eternal Power by which the World was made he hath revealed and manifested that power for the raising up of Life for the subjecting and bringing under death and the Power of it for a great while a Testimony that hath been born in the Nation hath been unto Death he that hath the Power of Death that is the Devil he hath had a great many to sound out his Power to declare the continuance of his Power how that Death must Reign and Darkness must continue and that the Kingdom of the Man of Sin will never be brought down But now in our Day Glory to God on high here is another sound come forth the Lord Jehovah hath uttered his voice and who can but Prophesie The word of Prophecy is given of God and many are raised up to publish it and to sound forth the Name of the Lord in the Expiration the Ruine and Destruction that is and shall be brought upon the Kingdom of Iniquity upon the Kingdom of the Man of Sin and to Prophesie and declare in the name of the Lord that Righteousness shall run down like a stream this is the Gospel the glad tidings that we receive from God and have ministred unto you that you might believe and that believing you might come to wait upon the Lord and behold the accomplishment of it For my Friends herein hath consisted all the labour and travel and exercise of the Servants of the Lord and for this cause have we suffered many things and gone through many Trials because we have stedfastly believed and therefore we have spoken it that the Lord will certainly by his Almighty Power lay waste destroy and bring to an end that Power that the Wicked one the Devil hath had upon the Minds and Spirits of the Sons and Daughters of Men and that he will set up and establish in the very same Soul a Law of Righteousness and a Law of Truth and will cause the Beauty of Holiness to shine forth through them where Iniquity hath Lodged where the wicked one hath Ruled Now you that have believed this Testimony you have received it as glad tidings unto you for you are weary of that old Service you are oppressed under the Power of that strange Prince there was a kind of Spirit and Power that had Ruled over you that neither gave you life nor breath nor had done any good thing and yet you were subject and many there were who through the grace of God that came to see that State and Condition of Sin and Iniquity was not a happy State and by a secret kindling of the Sparks of Gods Love in your Souls e'er you knew him there was a Cry raised to be delivered if it be possible If there be any Deliverance O why may not I be delivered If there be any Redemption why may not I be redeemed If there be a Power that can set me free from the Service of this Wicked one why may not I be set free Ah Friends remember the Days and Nights in which these Living Cries did run through you then you was poor indeed then you was humble and broken and the Lord beheld you in those days he saw your State and Condition he saw how helpless you were and did not he arise to help you Did not a Power spring forth in the Day of your humility in the day of tenderness by which you became able to make War against the Lusts of your own Hearts and did not you overcome and prevail in your War did not you make progress by the Power and by the Grace that first raised desires in you and as you made this progress and gained ground as I may say of your own Corruptions your Faith came to be strengthned and you were confirmed in the belief and in the obedience of the Truth and the more you trusted and relied upon him the more did he magnifie his Power in you he made known his ability and his strength in your weakness so that you did become Living Witnesses every one in your measure that there was such a Power and that that Power was able not only to save from a little or from a few but was able to save to the uttermost to save out of all that was polluted and defiled and to cleanse and purifie the Conscience from all dead Works and to enable you to serve the Living God Now the Lord having thus established you and confirmed you by his Power that you were sound in the Faith and firm in the believing of the Truth My Friends all the Labour and Travel and Doctrine and Exercises of the Preachers of the Gospel to those who were Converted and Confirmed became very acceptable So we preached and so you believed here was an Unity in our Faith here grew up a Fellowship a Communion in the Faith and the Lord became glorifiâ—d in the Assemblies both of them that preached and of them that heard because each one had a place in the Body and each one had a Saviour of the word of Life by which the Body was nourished Now my Friends that which lies particularly upon me to leave with you for my Testimony and I pray to God it may be placed in the hearts of all you that have believed that is that you may all wait
the evil of their ways that so he may bring forth holiness and righteousness and redeem a people from under the Bondage of Sin and fit them for the Kingdom of his Father and to use the Apostles words present them before the Throne of God without spot and blameless he will purifie them and sprinkle them from an evil Conscience their bodies being washed with pure Water he will sanctifie the Creature his Word is nigh them and in their Hearts he begins a good Work in many and will carry it on in one and in another Here lies the chief Work it is the good hand of God must work all our works in us and for us according to the good pleasure of his will work in you a willingness to bear the Cross of Christ and to deny your selves he will operate for you for this purpose therefore you must commit your selves to him It is not our Preaching which will Convert Men to God but it is the word of God that is pure which Converts the Soul to God and that cleanseth and fits and prepares it for the Kingdom of Heaven Psalm 19.7 We must come to the word of God that will convince us reprove us strengthen encourage illuminate us and do in us and for us all that we stand in need of to him be all the praise that worketh all in you and prepares you to be a Peculiar People to himself To the word of his Grace I commit you all take heed of doing any thing contrary to it if you do that which would be your Comfort will be your Condemnation His Prayer after Sermon BLessed God and Father of Life thou art Glorious in Holiness Infinite in Power the Eternal God thy Dominion is an everlasting Dominion thy Kingdom is without end O Lord we bless and praise thy Glorious Name that thou hast made known thy self among the Sons and Daughters of Men thou bast revealed to us in thy word the manner of the coming of thy Kingdom among us in setting up Righteousness and Truth and throwing down iniquity Powerful God of Life subject the Minds and Hearts of all thy People to thy Divine power and pleasure and let the dread of thy self rest upon our Spirits that every one of us may fear to Sin against thee and to do despite to thy Spirit the Spirit of thy Grace that we may every one of us turn from our iniquities the evil of our hearts and ways that we may praise thee in the Land of of the Living and may become faithful witnesses of that Salvation which thou hast wrought for us and for all them that believe Powerful God of Life the Souls of thy People which thou hast gathered out of the World do praise and magnifie thy Name for what they have seen and for what thou hast wrought thou hast wonderfully appeared in thy love and brought Salvation near and gathered many into it it is become a Wall and a Bulwark to them that they are defended from the Evil One and from the evils of the world O dearest God of Life raise up poor and needy Souls out of the dust that they may serve thee and obey thee and do thy will and shew forth thy power and strength in their weakness and infirmity that they may trust in thee and rely upon thee in the time of their distress Blessed Father of life and power give grace to the humble and meek and teach them in thy way We have had experience O Lord of thy fulfilling thy promises thou art still fulfilling of them to all that truly wait upon thee thou hast begun a good work wilt thou carry it on to the praise and exaltation of thy great name Blessed Father reveal thy Power more and more in the Nations round about that they that long after the life of the living God may come and find thee and behold thy Divine appearance through the Son of thy Love in their own Spirits that so they may receive thy word and thy word may quicken them to stand up from the dead and live for it is the living the living O Lord that praise thee that honour thy Name that offer praise and glorifie thee O Blessed Father of Life carry on thy great work with power throughout all the Earth gather a remnant of thy seed that are scattered and bring them home into the Kingdom of thy dear Son that we may praise thee together and rejoyce in thy Name Dear Father thou hast saved this Nation the Land of our Nativity to this day by a wonderful power by thy powerful arm our Souls are deeply sensible of the stretching forth of thy Almighty hand in our preservation at this day so living Father if it be thy heavenly pleasure lengthen forth our Tranquility and the enjoyment of thy mercy and goodness to the Inhabitants thereof that they may learn to fear thee and turn to thee with their whole hearts and break off by true Repentance from all those sins that grieve thy Holy spirit that so living Father of life they may come to walk in Love and in Vnion with the heavenly Power and have Concord one with another and shew forth the Power of thy Grace manifested to them and magnifie thy love and power and give thee honour and renown for that great salvation that thou hast wrought for them that so thy great name may be exalted and thy will may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven that the Souls of thy People may be refreshed with thy love and the joys of thy presence and the revelation of thy Heavenly power for this Living Praises and Christian Thanksgivings we offer up to thee in and through the Lord Jesus Christ for thou art worthy of all Praise and Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen FINIS A Catalogue of Books Printed for Nath-Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey near Cheapside History 1. ENglands Monarchs Or A Compendious Relation of the most remarkable Transactions from Julius Caesar to this present adorned with Poems and the Picture of every Monarch from K. Will. the Conqueror to K. Will. and Q. M. With a List of the Nobility and the number of the Lords and Commons in both Houses of Parliament Pr. one shilling 2. THE History of the House of Orange Or a Brief Relation of the Glorious Atchievements of his Majesties Renowned Predecessors and likewise of His own Heroick Actions till the late wonderful Revolution Together with the History of K. W. and Q. M. Being an impartial Account of the most Remarkable Passages from Their Majesties Happy Accession to the Throne to this time By R. B. Pr. 1 s. 3. THE History of the two late Kings Charles the II. and James the II. being an Impartial Account of the most remarkable Transactions and observable passages during their Reigns and the secret French and Popish Intrigues and Designs managed in those times Pr. one shilling 4. THE History of Oliver Cromwel being an Impartial Account of all
the first terms of Christianity and to reckon no man a Christian let him profess what he will saving such a one as doth know and witness that the long-suffering and patience and goodness of God doth lead him to Repentance and saving such a one as hath so much Faith towards God that for Love to God he will deny himself and take up his Cross and be a follower of Jesus in that way and Life he lived in It is high time for all of us to return again to the terms of Christianity that were set up by a higher Authority than ever Antichrist had and before Antichrist was revealed for though it is true that Antichrist hath obtained power on Earth to establish his sort of Christianity that is without the Cross and a sort of Religion whereby they indulge themselves in whatsoever pleaseth their Carnal Hearts and Corrupt Minds yet Antichrist hath not all Power he is not Almighty I hope Antichrist nor the Beast nor the Dragon nor the False Prophet nor the Whore they have not all Power on Earth though they have a great deal and by that Power they have establish'd Laws Decrees Canons and innumerable things about Religion and some cry this is the way you must walk in others cry the way to Heaven lies here and here you must travel if you will come thither Some cry this is the truth others say it is errour so that the World is divided Antichrists Government in the World is divided and when the House is divided against it self there is hopes that it will fall at last But there is one to whom all Power in Heaven and Earth is given and committed and his Christians are not divided among themselves but they are of one heart and of one mind and he that hath all Power in Heaven and Earth committed to him can crush and bruise that power that others have Herod had some and Pilate had some but saith Christ your Power is limited this is your hour and the power of Darkness and thou hadst not had Power saith Christ to Pilate were it not given thee from above here is power given to the Dragon to the False Prophet and the Beast to speak great things but this Power of Antichrist is going away but Christ Jesus was sent into the World in his day to bring people back again to God and to the Primitive Religion and Obedience and to the first terms of Society and Communion and to a fellowship in Christ Jesus through the Holy Ghost Now if we had set up a way of Religion as other Folks have done which is contained in some Canons Articles Doctrines and such and such Observations and Commandments of Men and if Men will confess these Articles and observe these Canons they shall be of our Society then we had done like the rest of the fallen Christians but we have declared from the beginning that professing our Doctrine and the Principles of Religion doth not give any Man Fellowship and Communion with us but our Communion is in the Self-denying Life and a daily Cross in opposition to sensual Lust Vanity Pride and bitterness of Spirit Corruption Enmity and Wrath this hath brought us to a Holy Fellowship and Communion in the Holy Ghost and to live in Unity from one Head which is Christ Jesus so that there is not this Mans Church and the other Mans Church among the People of God Do you read in the Primitive times that Paul had his Church and Peter his Church and James his Church and Jude his Church Indeed they had their Meetings as we have now in many Cities and Countries among the Jews and Gentiles but these Holy Apostles that were the first Publishers of the Everlasting Gospel after their Great Lord and Master Christ Jesus they never did appropriate any Church to themselves that was not their business but our Work and Business saith the Apostle is to gather you to Christ and present you as a Chast Virgin to Christ our work is to turn you from Darkness to Light that you may walk in it and be the Children of it our work is to build you up as a Spiritual House to be presented to Christ the Mediatour This is Primitive Christianity that hath its Foundation in Holiness and Righteousness sincerity and truth not in Words and Terms and Articles and Canons and Decrees and other Observances this is not the Foundation of true Christianity nor will be again when the Devils Kingdom is destroyed which is a shaking for he in whom we believe hath power from his Father to break the Devils head Antichrist and the Dragons head Christ Jesus is signified by divers Names The second Adam Lord from Heaven the Way the Truth and the Life but he is the same Christ so Antichrist is expressed by several Terms and Names but he is the same Power of Darkness he hath made the Nations drunk and to stagger and destroy and devour one another This hath been done in the fallen state of Christians and the design which the Lord Christ hath in sending his Ministers and Workmen to labour among you is to restore Men to the first Christianity and to bring Men to God that Religion is not made up of Doctrines Articles Canons and Decrees of Men but it hath the word of God for its Foundation he that hath an ear to hear let him hear there is some Spirit and Power and visible work in a true Christian which the false Christian never had The false Christians have taken the Name and the Profession of Christ and their Fruits have been dishonourable to him they might as well make profession of Antichrist and Satan they have a form of Godliness they have some of the Word but they deny the Power What is their Religion and outward Profession when they want the internal Life and the motions of the Holy Spirit if they bring forth the Cursed Fruits of the flesh enmity wrath Lust and Corruption which belongs to the fallen Nature and the unregenerate state The Apostle takes notice of this deceit and hypocrisie in Religion which was growing up before he died Men having 〈◊〉 form of Godliness and denying the Power thereof from such turn away If there be any Brethren that walk disorderly have no Company or Fellowship with them if you would have the holy Name of Jesus free from scandal This hath been the design of all the Faithful Ministers of Christ to keep their Holy Profession of the Name of Christ free from reproach that the holiness of Gods ways might be seen in the holy Lives of the Professors of them Till men come to know this and take up their Daily Cross and exercise Self-Denyal their Christianity is good for nothing I would not have you trust in it neither in Articles Tenents or Observations but see how with your Lives you answer your Profession Christ was Holy Harmless Undefiled Separate from Sinners And why should not Christians be so too How can Christians
be followers of Christ and not separate from Sinners Christ was so He went one way and Sinners went another they followed their Sins and Lusts but he followed the Work his Heavenly Father sent him about If thou art a follower of Christ thou art worthy of the Name of a Christian Do Drunkards and Swearers follow Christ Do the Wanton and Proud follow him Do the Unclean and Hypocrites follow Christ You know they do not why do you call them Christians This is a reproach and shame to the Holy Name of Jesus and to true Christianity that any of these Folks should be called Christians but such as are followers of Christ who are Holy Harmless and Undefiled and Separate from Sinners This is such a strange kind of Doctrine yet if it had been Preached in the Primitive Times there was People that would have received it as Apostolical Doctrine that a man should Crucifie the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts For saith the Apostle Mortifie your Members which are on Earth If you through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall Live but if ye Live after the Flesh ye shall die And to be Carnally minded is Death but to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace This was sound Doctrine then Now come and tell a man he shall certainly Perish and come to Damnation for all his Profession if he doth not mortifie the deeds of the Flesh If he lives in Sin and dies in it he is like to perish How many have been haled to Gaols and Dungeons only for Preaching this Doctrine and when we were first sent to Preach we durst not do otherwise And God did not send us to Preach till he had washed us and sanctified us and fitted us for the work of the Ministry Now when we saw in the Holy Scriptures that God did work upon others by his Spirit before he sent them to Preach the Gospel was not here sufficient Authority given to Preach the downfal of Sin and destruction of it One would think that such a one thus called and sent of God had as good Authority to Preach the Everlasting Gospel as the Laws enacted by all the Princes of the World could give him a man sure that had such Authority for Preaching the Gospel would not need to wait for Orders and Approbation he would not stay for an Induction The Apostle Paul took it for a Commission that was creditable when he tells you of his mission It was not by Man but by the will of God that he was called to Preach the Gospel If we should say we were made Preachers if you ask by whom never a man in the World can tell you but we were made Preachers many years ago Not by Man or by the Authority of Man but by the will of God What was your Commission to turn men from darkness that darkness we had formerly lived in To turn them from darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God The Apostle sums up his Commission in a few words the Lord told me I must turn men from darkness to light This is our Commission that we have received from God in this Age to turn men from darkness But some will say that we have not Humane Learning Qualifications for the work of the Ministry To this I answer If I heard a man Swear or tell a Lie I could tell him that this was not of God I had Learning enough to know and tell men and say that Whoring Drunkenness and Swearing and Lying were works of the Flesh and fruits of the Devils Power I would have you turn from these works to the Power of God What is that Power of God I will tell you it is a manifestation of Grace in your Hearts that will draw you away from the Love of all these things the Grace of God iâ— the Power of God to Salvation to them that believe To as many as received Christ to them he gave power to become the Sons of God to such as believe in his Name Such Christians will shew forth the Power and Life of Religion in their Conversations So that her is a sufficient Authority no want of Authority I have been sometime examined by what Authority do you Preach By the highest Authority in Heaven and Earth by the Authority of God that came by Christ the Redeemer What do you Preach Truth in the inward parts Grace and Truth and against all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit As long as Antichrist hath a Rule you must not Preach down Sin without Authority you must have power you must be Ordained and have an Induction before you undertake to preach the Gospel and preach down Sin and Wickedness the Devil hath got such Power and Rule that some tell us that no Man can live without Sin if it please God here and there to raise a Man and bring him to a Holy and Righteous Life this Man wants a Patent a Commission an Induction an Ordination to Preach and Cry down Sin in other Folks what Commission had the Psalmist when he said Come all ye that fear the Lord and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul Is it not high time for People that have Evidences of the Love of God shed abroad upon their hearts by the Holy Ghost to bear their Testimony against sin and wickedness Is it not high time for every bodies mouth to be opened that God hath been pleased to open to testifie against such a horrible mist of darkness that is come over Men to testifie against Hypocrisie Uncleanness and Unrighteousness It was the great design of the Primitive Preachers of the Gospel to cry down that which some Ministers cry up so that Christianity is not like what it was for then they told them that there was no Happiness but by breaking off from Sin by Repentance No possibility of Salvation without confessing and forsaking Sin and trusting in the Mercy of God through Christ for the Pardon of it Tell them of the mercy of God and the blood of Christ they will tell you that they cannot be cleansed from all Sin they cannot live without Sin How comes it to pass that there are Ministers that Preach an impossibility of Living without Sin when we are assured in the Holy Scriptures that without holiness no man shall ever see the Lord and that there shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of God any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a Lie Rev. 21.27 How comes this that Ministers preach an impossibility of living without Sin Will any of you saith he be so presumptuous as to say a man may live without sin I will prove it from good Authority both from Scripture and Fathers that no Man in the World can do it If any set themselves to it in their own strength the Devil will make a fool of them some indeed have gone about it in their own Power and Will and have Cloystered
his Life and great Miracles and of the great love he had to Mankind by which he laid down his Life for them We have been Conversing with Christ as to his Fleshly manifestation but consider whether there doth not till now remain an empty place in our Souls something that is not sufficed and satisfied What would you have Have you not Scripture Read you not there of the Birth Life Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ I would still have something more for that will not suffice me I would have Pardon of Sin and my Peace with God and the Light of his Countenance lifted up upon me and further manifestations of Christ to my Soul We can never see the Glory of God but in the face of Jesus Christ This is the discovery that Christ makes to the Soul that believeth in him this is that which gives satisfaction A Christians Work is to be Conversing with him and exercising his mind under the gathering and â—â—â—ching of him that can lead him to the Father none but Christ can do thaâ— lead them to the Father and shew 〈◊〉 the Father and he hath in our day revealâ—â— himself and made himself manifest by his Spirit that Spirit by which we come to know his Holy Teaching Reproof and Instruction daily discovered in our Souls the Spirit is our Guide that Spirit we are led by and are to walk in Let men go under what form and denomination they will They that have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his until they come to be guided by his Spirit People are not led into Sin by the Spirit of Christ they will tell you these are the Devils Temptations and the Frailty of our Nature and the Corruption of our Hearts by which we are led into Sin it is not the Spirit of Christ It would be a horrid thing for men to say that the Spirit of Christ led them into Sin there are few or none so wicked as to say so The business we are to do in the World is to obey the will of God and where the understandings of Men are so illuminated that they are satisfied in their minds that God hath been pleased to give them a manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal All those that have this Spirit of Christ are directed by it to do the Will of God and to deny their own Wills and the Will of others that would draw them from their Duty that they owe to God in their Generation It is an excellent state and condition for a man to be guided by the Spirit and to be brought under the Government of Christ who is The Way the Truth and the Life So that they that come under his Government are directed and Pointed out every day to do the will of God This thou must do and God will be pleased with thee and this thou maist not do for if thou do it the Lord will be angry with thee it is Sin against God So that we have a Heavenly advantage to be taught of God by his Spirit to have the Divine and Daily teaching of the Spirit of God revealed in us if we are at a loss or make a question or dispute about a matter the Spirit will lead us into all Truth if we give up our selves to his Guidance and Teaching This hath been our desire labour many years not to draw People to observe what we say for who can direct another Man in all things relating to the Service of God If we were never so certain our selves we cannot convey certainty and infallibility upon all occasions to another if we should speak never so much and be never so much conversant with them Therefore our work is that all People in all things relating to their Souls might have recourse continually to the infallible Teacher and Guide which God through Jesus Christ hath made known to them If People be ruled by this they cannot but live in Unity and Love one another they will not fall into malice contention and hatred one against another It is impossible for Nations to make War and Destroy one another if they would be guided by the unerring Spirit of Christ for how should it contradict it self For how can any thing that agrees with the Standard of Truth which Christ hath set up act in contradiction to it for nothing is Truth but what concurs with it therefore it must needs agree with it self If we be directed by the Spirit we shall call that good which is really good and that evil which is so If there be thousands directed by the Spirit of Christ which leads into all Truth that which is good to one is so to all and that which is evil to one is so to all We must first know what is good and then receive power to do it If we come to be instructed by the unerring Spirit To know what is the good and accepâ—able will of God We shall receive daily power from him to do the will of God we shall all speak the same thing and be of the same mind and live in Love and Unity There is no evil wilfully done against God where the Spirit of Christ the Gospel Spirit comes to prevail upon us it will bring us to a peaceableness of Spirit to live in Love and Unity And the great work we have in the World will be to do the good and acceptable Will of God both with respect to our solemn Worship of God and our Duties towards our Neighbour then there will be Tranquility Peace and Joy and Comfort to all the Churches of Christ that are under his Government And it is given to the Sons and Daughters of Men every where when they come under the Yoke of Christ and take up a Daily Cross and live in Self Denyal this will bring Peace and Concord among them Many will come to our Meetings and spend a little time to hear what we say We exhort them to give up themselves to the peaceable Government of the Spirit of Christ that will finish Transgression and make an end of Sin and bring into the Soul where Sin reigned Everlasting Righteousness Where there is a great deal of Pride Malice and Envy the Spirit of Christ will root it up and all that evil that the Enemy hath Planted in men he will pluck it up and bring in Everlasting Righteousness and Plant Love in the same Soul and establish and settle it such a one will have more Joy Pleasure and Delight under the Government of the Spirit of Christ in one day than any one can have that is governed by the Evil Spirit in a thousand days You say the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Man to profit withall what profit shall we get How doth it appear that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to profit withal Because there is that Life and Grace stirring in the heart that makes it profitable and Truth doth so prevail that it makes us to
Jesus is appointed of God for a Mediatour between God and Man and all the acceptance we have or desire to have must be through him and therefore if we Pray without him and perform this and the other Duty without him It is contrary to the Doctrine of Christianity to think that ever we shall have acceptance in Gods sight Therefore there is a necessity for every Man and Woman that desires to be Religious that hath a Religious mind and is willing to Worship God and Serve God aright there is a necessity that they come to the knowledge of Christ who tells us that he is The way to the Father They that go any other way go a wrong way but they that go unto God by Christ they do receive from him power to draw near to God and through him they receive from God all those blessings that their Souls stand in need of So here would be an end of all Religions the World is full of of all the several Worships that men have made they have invented and found out several ways for People to Worship and Serve God This and the other Ceremony this and the other observation and Method of Preaching and Praying If all this be without the Assistance and Divine Help of the Mediatour thro' whom alone we can justly expect acceptance at Gods hands it is all good for nothing Therefore the first Lesson of a Christian in point of Worship is that he come to the knowledge of Christ by whom and through whom he may expect favour with God Now say some People we are already come to the knowledge of Christ we have read the Relation in the Gospel of his Conception Birth Life and Death Resurrection and Assension now whether this Belie◠doth give a man this kind of Christian knowledge that doth open a Door and Way fo◠him into the Presence of God This is 〈◊〉 Question that ought seriously to be considered for if we err in this Question we err in all this is like stumbling at the threshold and never coming into the house If we mistake in laying hold of Christ we mistake in our Worship and in all matters that relate to Life and Salvation For if we must have another sort of knowledge of Christ than we can have from the reports of others if I must have Christ revealed in me before I can have the hope of Glory if I must have the Spirit of Christ in me to help me to put up my requests and supplications before he can present them to the Father then all literal knowledge and faith cannot stand Men in any stead but this is evident by the Testimony of all the Writers of the New Testament Christ and his Apostles did concurrently signifie that the hope of a Christian that the power and strength of a Christian it all lies in this in that they had known the revelation of Christ and the powerful operation of the Spirit working in them this was that which was well pleasing to God many Scriptures might be spoken of but you know the Scriptures and can read them and see in them the concurrent Testimony of all Holy Men to this day that the knowledge they had of Christ was a Divine Knowledge a Spiritual Knowledge it was a knowing him after the Spirit it was a Revelation of Christ in them that separated and distinguished them from Reprobates even the knowledge of God through Christ Jesus their Lord why should not we come to this Knowledge as well as they the Lord is the same and his Power is the same and his Arm is not shortned we may see as much need of Divine Assistance and Divine Love as ever men did we can perform no duty either of Prayer or Preaching without Divine Assistance nor so much as a sigh or a groan that may have acceptance with God without the help of his Spirit Rom. 8.26 The Spirit helpeth our Infirmities for we know not what we should Pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered If we go about the Duty of Prayer without Divine assistance we see what sad work we make of it if we Pray not in the Spirit and with understanding how can we receive the thing we pray for but if we Pray in the Spirit and with understanding also then the Spirit helpeth our infirmities the Spirit that came from God brings us the things that we stand in need of So that a Christian hath a foundation for his Worship and Christian performance what is that foundation Nothing that is corrupt if it be it is good for nothing for nothing that is corrupted and that defiles can be acceptable and pleasing to God we are all polluted and defiled by Nature how can Carnal Men Worship a Spiritual God Carnal Men that are in Death and Darkness cannot Worship that God that is Light and dwells in Light that is inaccessible that is of purer eyes than to behold Iniquity Carnal Men want a Foundation for their Worship and will do till they come to that foundation that God hath laid Now that I may speak intelligibly what the Lord hath laid upon my heart I would say thus There is an Universal benefit and priviledge distributed and given freely of God unto the Sons and Daughters of Men in their Natural State through his Son Jesus Christ in that he hath caused his Light to shine and his Grace to be extended to every Man for the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation for it is not by Works hath appeared to all Men and bringeth Light by which every Man may see how to Worship God God hath enlightned every Man and this Light comes by Christ the Mediatour this Mediatour is the way that Men must walk in if they will come back again to God for Men are run out and departed from God if Men will draw near to God and take some footsteps towards the Kingdom of God from the Kingdom of Sin and Satan they must mind the way the way must be their Director they must not go which way they list This is that which was prophesied of Christ saith God by the Prophet Isaiah I will give him for a Leader I would fain return to God and go out of the Kingdom of Sin and Satan to the Kingdom of God God hath given Christ to lead me if I knew that way he would lead me in I would go that way As soon as a man takes hold of Christ his Grace and Spirit and Life he will be ready to say I am corrupt my senses are corrupt my mind is depraved my Conscience defiled and polluted but I have found out something that God hath bestowed upon m◠that is essentially holy and pure that did never consent to my corruption but is a witness for God against it here now a Christian lays hold on Christ the Leader which way will he lead me If thou layest hold on this guide he will lead thee
Devil and to be led Captive and to be made to do his Will and to Rebel against God that gave us our Life and our Breath and Being how do we like that Government of Satan I hope we do none of us like it It was so with me and they that are under the Tyrannical Government of Satan have many Cries and Wishes in their Souls that they were freed and delivered from it and brought under the Government and Obedience of Christ Jesus and that they were able to serve God as they ought to do that they might be translated from the Kingdom of Sin and Satan into the Kingdom of the blessed and dearly beloved Son of God This hath been the cry of some ever since they have known the World and I am perswaded it is the cry of many at this day I have good news to bring you not that the day of your Redemption draws nigh but that it is come the day of Redemption is now come and there are a great many blessing and glorifying the Name of God that they are redeemed and delivered from the bondage of Corruption and have more joy and delight in the service of God that made them than ever they had in the service of the God of this World But may not some say how shall this great work be wrought for it is a great work and we verily think that nothing but an Almighty Power can effect it for there are many in this Assembly have been trying to no purpose and done what they could in their own strength to deliver their own Souls from Death and yet they find themselves in bondage still nay they have called in the help and assistance of those that they thought to be stronger than themselves and all have failed and they are yet weak and intangled and they cannot find themselves at liberty to serve the Lord as they ought to do I am of this mind that nothing but the Almighty power of God can do it and when you come to to my experience to know this as I have done then I hope you will seek after that and you will see good reason for it and you will then come to this Position if the Lord doth not help me I am undone if the Lord puts not forth his Almighty Power I must then perish for there is no other Power can deliver me when you come to know this what must you do Why you must wait for the Revelation of that power that will take you off from all trust and confidence that you have ever had in any thing else a Man that hath nothing to trust to but the Almighty Power and Mercy and Goodness of God he puts his whole trust and confidence therein or else he knows he must perish When a Man or Woman comes to this pass that they have nothing to rely upon but the Lord then they will meet together to wait upon the Lord and this was the first ground and motive of our setting up Meetings and I would to God that that was the use that every one would make of them that come to them then they would be justly and properly used according to the end of the institution of them at first we should use them as poor desolate helpless People that are broken off from all their own confidence and trust and have nothing to rely upon but the mercy and goodness of God and if he pleaseth ro reveal his power among us we know that he is able to save us and we have met with the Revelation of Gods Power and when we have met together in simplicity of Mind the Lord was pleased to communicate his Spirit to us and open a door for us and discover and reveal to us that it was the day of his Power And when we came to examine our selves whether we were willing in this day of Gods Power for the Prophet gives us a note of distinction between the People of God and other People Thy People shall be willing in the day of thy Power which is as much as to say God discovers and reveals his Power to them such a People are willing to give themselves over to the government of it when we found we were subject to it we had joy in believing before we attained the end of our hope it was gladness to us that we found our selves willing and I am perswaded that every one of you would be glad to find your selves willing to part with that which you cry out of What a cry is there of our Bondage and Corruption and of our being led Captive by our Lusts we may hear such a cry from one end of the Kingdom to the other People cry out of the Bondage of Corruption and of their subjection to Sin and Satan I would they were in earnest there is not that earnestness and reality in Men and Women that God looks for and so there comes nothing of it There is no redemption and no deliverance the Lord doth not hear them though they come now a days into his Presence to offer up their Prayers and Supplications I would have you be in good earnest I wish well to you all and it would be hard to say that you do not wish well to your selves Here lies your welfare that you find your selves willing to be subject to the Power that made you you have been subject doubless to the Power that destroyed you that Power that never gave you Life and Bâ—eath hath been instrumental of your Destruction The Power of the God of this World never did men good but destroyed them deceived them and deprived them of their Lives Now if there was but a willingness in every one of us freely to give up our selves to that Power that Created us to obey his will I am sure there is never a Man or Woman among us shall long be without the knowledge of it If I am but willing to be subject to the Law of him that made me it will not be long before he discover it to me and reveal his Power in me in the glory and excellency of it that Power which is more able to preserve me than all the Power of Men on Earth or all the Power of the Devils in Hell is able to destroy me When the Lord shall discover and reveal his Power in you you will be willing to be subject to it But methinks the sound and noise of Flesh and Blood grows loud here I would be subject to God but I would not have him cross mine interest and deprive me of that I love and thrist after I would not have him imbitter my Carnal Delights and Pleasures and undo me as to my Reputation in the World You may see whence this comes that you would make a bargain and draw a contract with the God of your Lives about these things this is a Nonsensical thing because of all People in the World you are a People that have had a veneration for the Holy
to God without the divine assistance of that Power that did beget them and alas the least they have sustained hath been that they have fallen into Evil and they have defiled their Way and run into Temptations though it hath pleased the Lord whose Mercy is Infinite to pull them many times back again out of the snare which they were fallen into and to take them up again and to wash them and cleanse them and purifie them and set their Feet on a sure place This was more than they deserved but his Mercy and Goodness and Tenderness is over all his Works This he hath wrought for many a one and not only once but many times it is hard venturing it had been better if such a one had never fallen or that their Foot-steps had never slid from the ways of the Lord than after they are fallen to be renewed again by Repentance It hath caused sore Judgment and Condemnation and Anxiety of Spirit And they have given their old Enemy an advantage to whisper in their Ears Thou hast lost thy ground thy Sins are gone over thy Head and thou shalt never find Repentance These are the Words of the Wicked one who seeks occasion against us and through our carelesness and not being watchful we put an advantage into his Hand Now seeing you know he is vigilant and seeks occasion that he may turn you out of your Way before you attain to the end of it you ough◠to be vigilant to keep occasions from him But some may say how may I keep occasions and advantages from the Enemy 〈◊〉 I answer the way hath been often told you and I dare say most of you have tryed it and found it to be true that so long a◠you have remained in a watchful State and Posture and have had your minds exercised by the Grace of God by which you wer◠convinced of your Sin and by which you◠Duty was manifested to you So long you gave the Enemy of your Souls no occasion but the Truth preserved you wherein you trusted and wherein you hoped and waited for the vertue and power of it Did you find want of ability then Did the Enemy prevail then He did not cease to Tempt when you was in the most watchful State of a Christian the Devil did not the◠cease to tempt you but you found in you a power that resisted him and said Get thee behind me Satan So long as you are upon your watch so far as you keep your mind fixed upon the Divine Power so long you are in a sure place and whosoever turns aside from this they suffer great harm and prejudice and if ever they be restored again it is with loss and damage and sore exercise and if they be not restored they are lost to all Eternity Then it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered to them And then they said within themselves this must be the way Sirs these things pertain to your Everlasting welfare I speak to you as to a People that God hath abundantly Loved and it hath been far beyond any thing of desert He hath made known his ways to you the Lord may say concerning you of this City as of old What could I have done more for my Vineyard that I have not done So he may say concerning you What could I have done more to make them a grown People a holy People an intire People that They may bear my Name and walk before me in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of their Lives What should hav◠been done more for them But this is an Exercise to us whom God hath blessed and set as watchmen to behold and see the state of his People and to fee◠and bear the burthens that are to be born and this is the great burden that after al◠that God hath done and that we do in the hands of God all that is necessary for the welfare of the People Yet here are some that turn aside and here are some that have defiled their way and we testifie in the name of the Lord that whosoever walks in a defiled Way shall never come to an undefiled Rest therefore that you do not attain to that undefiled Rest it is because ye have been defiled Seeing the Holy conversation of the People of God is the effect of the working of his own Power and Spirit Here comes the Rest by and through a Mediator even Jesus Christ the Righteous who is the Mediator between God and Man and the Leader of all his People in the way of Holiness and Righteousness which he hath made manifest to them that believe and obey the Power And He hath purchased Eternal Salvation for all that Believe and Obey the Gospel But the Transgressors do not obey the Gospel the Spirit of Christ doth not lead you to Transgression and the Power and Light that comes from Christ doth not lead you to Pride Vanity Envy and Bitterness Where-ever these things are led into there is another Spirit and that other Spirit hath another tendency and it leads into the wrath of God And my Friends this is that which my Soul desireth at your hands and it is for your good and advantage it is my Duty to discharge my Conscience and to speak plainly as the Lord shall give me utterance to warn you that you abide in the Truth for if so be you be not saved but will turn aside after your own Hearts Lusts after your Pride and the Vanity of the World and the Lusts thereof you may blame your selves and your Iniquity will be your Ruine We that have given up our selves to God for your sakes and for the Churches sake we speak these things which we have Learned of God and we earnestly press you that are convinced that you walk in the Truth which you have believed There is no great need of more knowledge and of the Vision of Heavenly and Divine things for abundance of you have seen more of the things of God than ever you have travelled and come up unto I would to God that every one of you that are convinced would come up To the measure of the knowledge you have received O! that you would answer the Lords Power in opening and discovering his Mind and Will concerning your Travel and the things that belong to your Everlasting Peace that your footsteps may be directed thereby If you will walk in this undefiled way you may lie down at Night and rise in the Morning with Peace and in the favour of the Lord and have the answer of a good Conscience in his sight The means that must help and conduct us in this way must be that familiar Converse that the Soul must have with something greater then it self the Familiar Converse that the Soul must have with the Divine Power with that manifestation of Divine Light and Grace which through Jesus
God that love any other way or think to come to God any other way than by Jesus the Mediatour their labour will be lost therefore I must exhort and perswade you that are out of the way that you would take Gods method and come into Gods way The torments I have told you are made already the bargain is not to make now I will give you so much to be at peace with God or I will part with this and the other thing that is dear to me No the Agreement is made between God and Christ and his Covenant is ordered in all things and sure and his Covenant stands sure with none but those that are in Christ Jesus There was a Covenant made with Abraham In thy seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed The promises made to the Seed that is to those that are in Christ the Faithful are counted the Seed now the Faithful art those that are obedient to Christ who is the seed of the promise in whom all the Families of the Earth are blessed They must come to Christ the seed they must not rebel against him they must come to him and believe in him be there never so many Nations and Families in the World the Promise is not to them but to as many as the Lord our God shall call Here is the way for People to lay hold of for coming into acquaintance with God which is of so great necessity before they die they must come to Christ himself by his Spirit in their own hearts We need not go to this and the other Learned Man and inquire of this and the other sort of People but we must cry to God for help and direction and come unto him and give up all the powers and faculties of our Souls to him to be governed by him God will have Servants that will be obedient to him if ever we come to obtain Salvation we must have another Master one is your Master even Christ I must come under the government of Christ and he must lead me and rule me if I will be a Child of God When People come to see there is no effectuaâ— way but submitting to the grace of God in theiâ— own hearts and yielding themselves up to the dictates of the Spirit of Christ in their Souls when they come to this there are many hazards and difficulties to be encounter'd with there is the appearance of the Cross of Christ and we must takâ— up this Cross if we will follow Christ and be obedient in all things unto him This is that which wiâ— kill all my pleasures lay wast all my Religion anâ— destroy all my hopes I must be like a Man thaâ— hath built a house without a good foundation must pull it all down again and I must come tâ— build again upon a new foundation Here many have turned aside the Cross of Christ hath seemed to them so sharp and hard and intollerable that they could not bear it they would not be at the charge of such a Religion what must I part with all my delights and my beloved lusts and pleasures and all my interests in the world for Christ I cannot part with these these things lie in my way I must rather lose my Soul than part with what is so grateful to me and joyn with the light of mine own Conscience and the truth in my inward parts What must not I have so much as liberty of thought What must my thoughts be regulated by that which is so cross and repugnant to my mind Must I throw out all evil thoughts out of my heart and suffer none but good thoughts to remain there Who can stand here Who can bear such strictness as this Rather than endure this I will chuse to lose my Soul many have lost the Truth on this account and many are in danger to lose their Souls If there be in you Sirs any desire of peace with God that you may not go hence before you have attained it take hold of the present opportunity hardness of heart is a desperate plague it comes from a long obstinate continuance in sin when we have withstood the day of Gods Patience and Long-Suffering and grieved the Holy Spirit of God then God giveth us up to our own Hearts Lusts because we will not hearken to the voice of the Charmer charm he never so wisely when we stop our ears and will not attend to the Calls of God when Men will go on and nothing can stop them in the career of their Lusts and Pleasures but they will retain their Carnal Delights and Friendship with the World this hardness of heart is a desperate plague take heed of it that it doth not overtake you and bring ruine and destruction upon you Consider the Patience and Long-suffering of God and let his goodness lead you to Repentance Consider God hath waited to be gracious to you he hath exercised much long-suffering and patience towards you whereas he might have cut you off long ago given you your Portion with the damned in Hell but he hath hearkned to the Mediatouâ— that hath pleaded for you he hath extended his patience and Long-suffering to the Wicked and Rebellious also and for this reason the Apostle tells us that Christ is the Saviour of all Men especially of them that believe Now the Patience and Long-suffering of God hath been lengthned out to us all and we have noâ— improved it Conscience hath been sensible of the inward stroaks and rebukes of God for sin and oâ— the inward calls of his Grace to bring us to Repentance but we have not regarded those Calls noâ— hearkned to the voice of God so as to hear that our Souls might live O let us not put off our Repentance any longer but to day while it is called to day let us hear his voice and not harden our hearts but be of a tender heart let our hearts be softned and entendered under the word of God and under the stroaks of his Judgments If ever the Lord bring you unto a tender frame you will receive the word of God with meekness and mix it with Faith then it will work effectually to the amendment of youâ— Lives it will work Faith in those that are Unbelievers and strengthen the Faith of those that Believe Then we shall have cause to bless the Lord and Praise and Magnifie his Great Name for hiâ— Patience Long-suffering and Mercy which at thiâ— Day he hath lengthned out and graciously extended to us Sermon X. True Christianity Preached at Grace-Church street April 10. 1692. THE Institution of the Christian Religion was for this purpose that Holiness and Righteousness might be brought forth in the Earth that God through his Son Jesus Christ might take delight in the Sons and Daughters of Men that they be reconciled to him For that which the Law could not do by reason of its weakness God hath had a purpose to do by his Son and to him he gave
are not taught by it Here is an object of Faith for all and God hath offered Faith to all men since he hath raised up Jesus from the Dead yet men have it not what is the reason that this Nation as well as other Nations have been puzzled about it to find out things that are so plain in Scripture in relation to the Love of God to Mankind and in relation to Christ Jesus the Saviour and yet so little of this work is wrought among us Some say there is never a man in the World turned from the evil of their ways they live in Sin and they are under a fixed necessity of continuing in it and lying under it all the days of their Life for all this belief of the Love of God and the Power of Christ and the Profession of it some say there is never a Christian in the World can live one day without Sin but will defile himself with one thing or other that the Devil will prevail over men and Sin will mixt it self with our Prayers and Alms and all our Holy Duties so that there is nothing clean nothing pure that we can perform to God There are others that are not so rash in their Judgment and not so inconsiderate but they will believe some Men and Women may come to a Power and Ability to withstand Satan and resist him in his Temptations and that there are those that have been turned from the evil of their ways but they are not What is the matter You have spent time about this what is the Reason you are not turned from the evil of your ways The Devil hath told the People in former Days that the reason why men live in sin is because God hath appointed it so to be and that hath stopt the mouths of many a plain-hearted tender Christian They have cried unto God under the weight of their Sin and they see no deliverance after all their Prayers and Tears because they have been told they cannot do it and that God hath appointed it should be so and required them to do that they cannot do and with some the Custom of Sin hath taken away the Sense of Sin and they go on to Perdition in their security I hope my friends that God hath opened your Eyes and that you have better thoughts of God than that he hath set you a Work and a Labour to do and by his Eternal Power and Decree hath Ordained that you should never do it but Damn you after all Consider there are Men and Women in Bondage and Captivity and God hath sent his Son into the World to redeem them from all Iniquity and turn them from their evil ways we are not turned what is the reason of it I beseech you in the Love of God be serious in this matter serious you must be one time or other when you come to the Tribunal of God there must be reason given or if not you must be speechless therefore find it out here What is the reason that I am not turned from my evil ways since God hath sent his Son Jesus to do it and given him power to do it why then is it not done Some persons upon enquiry and after their search have brought forth this reason They have alledged the great power the Devil hath The Devil is so strange and hath such a Power to darken their minds and inchant their affections He injects and brings things into their minds before they are aware of it I confess this and I would say a little to it I will confess as much as the argument will bear that the Devil hath great power and a way of injection of things into the Spirits and Affections of People He is Gods Enemy and ours too and he lies in wait and will do as much as he can against us that never a one shall get to Heaven if we come thither it shall be against his Will I have heard some magnifie the Devils Power to such a degree that he hath such power over a man or woman that he is able to keep them in sin all their Life though God hath put forth the exceeding greatness of his power for their Redemption This is hard to believe that the Devil is stronger than Christ Jesus Well as great as his power is we are in a capacity of knowing a greater power the Apostle did comfort Christians notwithstanding all the power the Devil used with them to defile them and keep them from inheriting the Kingdom of God 1 Joh. 1.4 You are of God little children and have overcome because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the World I would have you believe this I do believe it heartily the Devil only rules in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience and he that hath the Holy Ghost in him hath one greater than be that is in the World If you believe this then the question is thus far answered that we have a Saviour a Deliverer that is more able to Redeem us than the Devil is to keep us in Bondage I hope we are pretty well now we know we have a keeper We are assaulted with the Devils temptations and they are powerful How powerful He hath so much power as he finds in us an inclination to yield and joyn with his temptations If he comes with a temptation to a man or woman that hath no inclination to that thing he tempts them to if they hate that thing then there is an end of it The Devils power lyes in this when he brings a temptation that I have an inclination to then he hath a party within me if that be rooted out what signifies his power let him bring never so many temptations There are many of you that understand what I say if a temptation comes to a man to commit an act of uncleanness if he be a chast man there is no inclination in him to yield to it or joyn with it he hates it it is an abomination it self and grievous and provoking to God if he doth it a man abhors it then what powerful temptation is it If it light upon a man of an unclean mind that is defiled in his Heart he hath not only the Devil but his own Lust and corrupt inclination to contend with but if a man believeth in Christ he relies upon him and he will say Lord thou seest I am under a temptation here is a great and a powerful temptation I can never withstand it but I trust in thy name and power do thou arise and deliver me from it Thus when God doth arise his Enemies will be scattered Tho the Devils power be great yet there is a Deliverer that is stronger than he The reason of mens being overcome doth not lie in the greatness of the Devils power but in the frailty of our nature Some will say that our natures are so frail and weak and depraved that we can do nothing as we ought to do this