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
fit and prepare us for the everlasting Kingdom of God they that do wait upon God shall see this work wrought inwardly in them they know more by Faith than they can see by Sense I know and am certain that the Power the Devil hath in the World shall be broken down and Righteousness shall be exalted and justice and equity shall prevail in the Nations I shall not perhaps live to see it but I may see it by Faith I may see enough for my generation and they that live in the next generation shall see it also for the Church of God is the same from one generation to another Now unto us it is given to see the things that in former generations were Prophesied of God having saith the Apostle Provided some better thing for us â—hat they without us should no be made perfect The Church of God from one Generaâ—ion to another have their measure and deâ—ree of service and bear their proper Testiâ—ony and leave the rest to succeding Geneâ—ations it concerns us in our Generation to â—ee a change made inwardly in our Souls and â—he Kingdom of Christ set up within us and â—he Kingdom of Satan brought down in our â—elves This doth not concern my Son or Grandson only but it concerns me and when they grow up to mature Age in their â—ime it will concern them therefore that which is most profitable to us is that we have such a station and stand in such a place â—n our time where we may see the work of God carried on I have considered many a time that there are many brave Men and Women in this Age that might have been eminent Witnesses of God in the World and born their Testimony to his truth but their Faith hath been weak and ineffectual they have discovered their unbelieving hearts and have joyned with the common herd of the World because they thought such great things could never be done that the Kingdom of Satan could never be pulled down and destroyed and the Kingdom of Christ set up within us But I would hope better things of you things that accompany Salvation and that he that hath begun a good work in you will carry it on to perfection that Living Praises and joyful Thanksgivings may be rendered to him who alone is worthy who is God over all blessed for ever to whom be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen Sermon VII The undefiled Way to Eternal Rest Preached at Devonshire-House July the 29th 1691. My Friends THE Lord will be with all his People that are undefiled in the Way â—hat are Spiritual Travellers walking in â—hat undefiled Way that leads to an â—ndefiled Rest There are some that by â—his Way are enter'd into Rest that Rest â—hich God hath prepared for them We â—annot apply to our selves that promise that 〈◊〉 made to us of entring into Rest unless we â—e real and true Travellers in the Way that â—ads to it for if we do We deceive our â—wn Souls Therefore you that have had a Sight and Vision of the Way Everlasting that leadâ— unto a Holy Rest you are Engag'd Peoplâ— to make straight steps therein and to have iâ— your daily Care and make it your continual Business to look that your Goings and Foot-steps are of the same nature and kinâ— that the Rest is that you desire to enter into For it is an undefiled Rest that we all are or ought to be Travelling after thereforâ— every one of us must be undefiled in the Way and every Foot-step must be of the same kinâ— and nature and separate from all that whicâ— defileth it and polluteth it that so it maâ— have a tendency to the bringing of the Soâ— nearer to its Rest This Holy Rest many Travellers have aâ—tained by this Holy Travel and many aâ— still in hope to attain it But now they that are full of hope of â—taining this Rest but their Foot-steps aâ— Goings are not of the same nature and kind they are not holy and pure they are not uâ— defiled These have not their Faces truâ— Sion-ward though the Face of their Profâ—sion may stand that way but the Loâ— looks at the Heart of every one and 〈◊〉 knows which way the Heart stands thâ— who have their Hearts truly turned to tâ— Lord they have the mark of Holiness 〈◊〉 their Eye and the mark of purity and righteousness in all their Undertakings because they know there is no attaining to that Divine Rest but by a Holy Way and Travel therefore their trust and reliance is alone on the Lord that is to keep them in all their Way for if they be never so clearly convinced that Holiness and Righteousness is their Duty and is the way whereby they may attain to the Kingdom of God though they are never so fully convinc'd of it yet there lies an impossibility of any walking therein without the Divine Assistance of the Grace of God for though they have been convinc'd by the appearance of his Grace and have had a light that openeth to them a sight of these things it is not this Sight and Vision that will enable them To run the Race that is set before them For the manifold impurities and hindrances which are in our Way between our coming out of Egypts Land the Bondage of Corruption and our entring into the Kingdom of God are too mighty and too great for any Man with his knowledge and strength to overcome The Children of Israel might as well have gone through the Red Sea without the help of God as the Christian Traveller can go through the many difficulties and the many impediments that he is to meet with in his Way without the assistance of God's holy Spirit My Friends It hath been a Labour and Travel at this time upon my Mind that all whom God hath so signally Blessed with the Knowledge of the Truth that you may see your Way and most clearly know and understand that your Way leads to Life Eternal that all and every one of you in your particular Meetings are to have a dependance upon that which can help you in your Way For I have seen too many that have had a wrong dependance after they were rightly Convinc'd and after they have had a true knowledge of their Way wherein they should walk they have too much trusted to openings and sights which they have receiv'd they have thought their Mountain so sure and that their Feet have been past sliding that there hath grown up a state of presumption that they have thought they should never turn aside and have not had due regard to the renewing of the divine Power of God in their Souls that God's Children always musâ— have They have as I may so say forgotten what our Lord said Without mâ— ye can do nothing they have passed a Sentence upon that Doctrine in their minds and they have thought they could do something that they could withstand Temptation that they could do some Work for God and Service
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
so you and I are these Trees 'till we have something good in our selves we cannot bring forth good Fruit. Therefore you must have respect to the Principle of Sanctification in your own hearts and turn you to what you may feel an experience of in your selves some Principle of Grace and Light in your hearts that can distinguish between good thoughts and evil thoughts Is this good for me to do I will go on in it with faith and courage but if it be evil I will not touch with it though there be profit and pleasure to allure and draw me to it I will not touch with it though I might gain the World by it Here is Christianity with Life and Soul in it we have been scandalized as if we Preached up Errour for Justification We say there is no Justification without Sanctification so you that know the Power live it and you that desire to know turn your minds to the Light and Grace of God and you will feel the Power that will oppose Sin in its Motion and it will never trouble you in its Action and Workings If I would not do ill to my Neighbour and I judge such a Motion when it is suggested it will never troâ—ble my Conscience because when the Devil moâ—â—d me to it I rejected it I would not follow him It is no Sin to be tempted for our Saviour that was perfectly Holy and free from all Sin was yet tempted he had motions in his mind but he withstood them and resisted the Devil in all his Temptations Christ was tempted that he might be able to succour us when we are tempted and he will do it for all those that wait for him Therefore Friends trust in the Name of the Lord and you shall feel the stirrings of that Power that Hath called you out of darkness into the Marvellous light of the Sun of Righteousness wherein you live and which will shine to his Immortal Glory and Praise and the Everlasting comfort of your Immoral Souls Sermon III. The Spirit of Christ the only True Guide Preached at Grace-Church-Street October 29. 1690. YOU that are met together in the name of the Lord and have your expectation from God and are really waiting to receive a blessing from his Bountiful hand you are they to whom the Lord will communicate the good things of his kingdom and instruct you in the Divine knowledge which the wisdom of this World cannot find out you shall have your portion in the blessings prepared for you and laid up in Christ for you to be handed forth to you from Day to Day for your support And hereby you have been preserved kept alive unto this Day You have received your Nourishment Divine and Spiritual Refreshment always in the presence of God when you have been out of his Presence you have met with troubles and darkness hath Gendered upon your Minds and Vailed and Clouded your Understandings that you have been sometimes in danger to lose your way until you have returned again unto the Great Shepherd and Overseer of your Souls by whom you have had Access unto God You that have had these experiences O! Let your Hearts and Souls be engaged to continue together in one Heart and one Mind serving the Lord and waiting upon him for something that may do you good that may strengthen you and confirm you in the present Truth For there are a great many that are convinced that do yet want establishment there are a great many that know the Truth yet cannot be brought to abide in it but are sometimes drawn out of it and then they meet with trouble in their minds and Distress and Anguish lays hold upon them and they do not enjoy that Tranquility and Peace and that Inward Joy which they believe others do enjoy â—t the same time and which they might have enjoyed if they had abode stedfast in the Truth Now what is it that will establish such a one but their waiting upon God to receive Power from him to resist the Temptations and the manifold Wiles and Snares of their Souls Enemy whereby they are daily in danger to be drawn away from God drawn out of the way You know Friends how the Lord brought us into this Exercise of waiting upon him by making us sensible that there was none could help us but him Teachers we have always had and Men that have spoken of God spoken of his Power and spoken of his Wisdom but how to dwell in that Power and stand established in it as at all times to resist the Power of the wicked one this is that which no man can help us to and upon this account it was that the Lords People were fain to cleave close to him and by Faith to have their dependance upon him and cry in their Souls Lord unless thou establish me I shall never be established The confirming power that stayes and settles their minds upon the Lord it comes from him it is handed to us through the Lord Jesus Christ whom we have believed in they that kept their Faith in him have had longings and breathings of Soul that they might receive some Divine blessing by him through him So that they that meet together in this mind they feel a settlement in the Truth as it is manifested and revealed in them and goes down into thâ— deep where Unity is known where they are of one mind and the Soul is made capable of putting forth strong Cries to God and Living Breathings Prayers to God that he will teach them how they shall profit how they shall grow how they shall serve him and honour him in their Day that he will reveal his Power in them to expel any Darkness or Vail that hath been gathered upon their minds that doth hinder them from beholding so much glory and excellency in the Truth and in the Ways of God as at sometime they have beheld And so these are Travellers that are Travelling with the Lord in Faith to receive a blessing at his hands Their minds are not left to this or that or the other man or to meer words or visible things but they feel the word of Truth answering the Truth in themselves and they receive comfort and benefit because they find a blessing to arise in them These words reach my Soul these administer help to me and I am comforted in them because I find those works working in me or wrought in me For Alas my Friends you know many of you some hear the word and the Declarations in the Word are but sounds unto them that have no experience of the work that is signified by the word so many such people do hear the lovely sound and they are affected many times to hear talk of the work of Regeneration and of the enjoyments of Gods people and how they are born up in all their Tryals by an inward and divine Power and how they are always kept alive to God and preserved in his
Christ God hath given unto you For if a man prize and esteem the Truth never so much and suffer never so much for it and Love the Minister never so much if he keep not a Familiar Converse with the Truth notwithstanding all his Profession of Love to the Truths of the Gospel and the Preachers of it he will Reproach it Though he Profess and say I love thee I love thee though he hath suffered much in the way yet if he love not the Truth in his own Heart and desire not to feel the excellency and the vertue of it that man will certainly dishonour the Truth and grieve the Holy Spirit of God We warn you to take heed to your Way and to your Feet in your Christian walk that you may come to have an Abundant entrance into the Kingdom of God Pray to God that the work of Regeneration may be wrought upon you that you may be born into another seed and partake of the Divine Nature Then though the Devil assault you he cannot overcome you he will find nothing in you whereby to betray you into his hands when that change iâ— wrought and when God hath made an alteration and hath brought you out of the Love of the World and the Love of Earthly things And set your Affections on things above where Christ sits at the Right Hand of God Now you can say here comes a Temptation with this instrument and the other instrument and the Devil layes things before me that he would have me to do but I have no inclination to it I have no mind to be sucking at the Worlds breasts but my mind is set upon this that I may reach acquaintance with God Who will be a present help unto me and tread Satan under my Feet There is need of your continual care and vigilancy and that you Watch and Pray that you may not enter into Temptation It is not so easie a thing for a Man or Woman while they are in this World to do any thing without Sin but God hath called you to a Holy Profession which is that you should do all you can do to do every thing you do without Sin For whether you Eat or Drink or whatsoever you do you should do all to the glory of God Here is your Profession but where is the Life of it It is only The Children of God that are led by the Spirit of God This Spirit we would have in you and we would have all you That have received Christ Jesus the Lord to walk in him as you have received him Then you shall be kept undefiled in the Way and delivered from Temptation To this end you must be still waiting upon the Lord that you may have acquaintance with him from Day to Day you are in the World but you should not be of the World The Prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ to his Heavenly Father for his Disciples was not that he should Take them out of the World but keep them from the Evil. Merchants Tradesmen and Shop-keepers have always something to do in the World but they should Pray earnestly that they may Be kept from the Evil of the World There is nothing can be done in the World but there is evil in it which we shall be overcome by if we do not keep our watch In the Government of a Family there are occasions and provocations given men to be Passionate and Furious many occasions are offered to Men and Women but we should not be transported and overcome Our Profession obliges us that when a Child or a Servant gives a provocation we are not to behave our selves unseemly and unbecoming our Holy Profession for it is not in their Power nor in the Devils Power neither to kindle your Wrath and Anger into a Flame If you be upon your watch and wait upon the Lord he will give you Wisdom and Strength to stand against all Temptations whatsoever and To order your Conversation according to the will of God and as becomes the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ In Merchandize and Buying and Selling there are Snares and there is evil we may run into but here is our comfort and joy there is no coertion we cannot be forced to Sin the Devil can only lay a temptation before me if thou wilt tell a lye equivocate dissemble here is an advantage for thee but the Devil with all his subtilty power and allurements cannot say thou shalt run into this Sin and be overcome by this Tempation for though of our selves we can do nothing yet in the name and strength of our Lord Jesus Christ we can do all things we can do that which is just and stand over the Temptation and trample upon it and not be overcome of evil but overcome evil with good When we have bought and sold we may look back upon what we have done with pure Minds and clean Consciences in the sight of God and we may come off Victors and more than Conquerors over Temptations through Christ that hath loved us The more a Christian keeps himself unspotted and the more watchful he is in his walking he may go on from day to day and see the snares of the Devil that lies in this Vanity and the other Vanity and Temptation and escape it I would I could say of some of you that when the Devil laid a snare before you you did not run into it when you saw it I have known some that have had understanding enough that they need not to be told where the snare of the Devil lies yet so it hath been the Devil and their own hearts lusts have agrâ—ed together and they have run into the Snare This is from the Old Confederacy that Men have with Gods Enemy you are my Friends saith Christ if ye do whatsoever I command you if you are the Friends of Christ you will be his Subjects and yield Obedience to him When he shews them a Snare they will keep out of it this is the proof of a true Christian that he will be true in a time of Trial and will trust in that Divine Power that keeps him out of the Snare One thing more I would say that Divine Fellowship that you have with Christ Jâ—sus it consists in holiness of Life and Conversation and the exercise of a good Conscience towards God and towards Men. It is in vain to tell me that you will walk in Unity with the Truth unless you have Unity with the Truth in your own hearts you cannot deceive the Lord nor long deceive his People neither Here is the Fellowship that you are to live in all your days to live in Fellowship with the People of God and Communion of Saints can the Saints have Communion in any thing but Holiness and Holiness is a Blessed Sacred thing it becomes the House of God for ever they that are Saints are sanctified and made holy and he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one
for which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren Heb. 2.11 They that are sanctified are become Saints they bring forth the Fruits of Holiness and Sanctification and they are come into Fellowship with God and one another Every Branch in me saith Christ that beareth not Fruit he taketh away but every branch that beareth Fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more Fruit. That branch which beareth not Fruit is cast into the Fire and burned There are some that bring forth Fruit but it is Fruit to the Flesh and the Wicked one but I hope you are not of that number These separate themselves from the Life of the true Vine these have no Fellowship nor true Membership with the Church of Christ while they walk as Captives to the Devil and Sin these are of the World and not of the Church If you would have Fellowship with the Church do not think to have it by outward Conformity Do not think that this will maintain your Fellowship with Christ without a Life of inward Holiness and Righteousness for that day you break with the Truth in your selves you break off your Fellowship with the Church of God and break your peace with God and can no way be restored again to the favour of God but by an unfeigned Repentance For the Mystery of Faith is to be held in a pure Conscience how is my Conscience defiled if I wrong not this or the other Man or Woman some can hold the Mystery of Faith so far as it consists in a Profession they can profess it and they can Preach it but they have not held the Mystery of Faith in Christ so as to receive Life and Vertue and Comfort from him You have got the History of Words and Doctrines but as soon as you defile your Consciences by doing evil things and depart from a Principle of Grace as soon as you defile your Consciences you make Shipwrack of Faith But my Friends as you have a mind to continue and abide in the Faith and in this Travel and Heavenly Journey I would give you this as a certainty it may do you good when my head lies low The way to continue in the Church of God and Communion of Saints and to retain your Peace with God is to keep a Familiar Converse with the Truth in your own Souls and it will keep you from falling and lead and guide you in your Way in your Travel and Journey to Heaven As the Mother when her Child cries after her but cannot go she takes it by the hand and leads it so if you keep close to the Truth it can lead you through all Difficulties through great Business as well as little and deliver you from Snares and Temptations and when you are assaulted it can bring you off clear As for Communion with God and Communion with the Saints and People of God it stands in that Peace and Purity and keeping a Holy frame of mind in your Heavenly Travel in the undefiled Way that will at last bring you to the Undefiled Everlasting Rest that remains to the People of God Sermon VII The Dawning of the Day of Grace and Salvation Preached in Grace-Church-Street August 2. 1691. My Friends YOU cannot but know and be sensible that a Gospel Day a Day of Grace and Salvation hath Dawned upon you and that the Light of it hath broken through many Clouds of Darkness which sometime you could not see through This is an inestimable and unspeakable mercy of God unto us that the Light of the Gospel of Salvation shineth upon a People that without it must be miserable There hath been a very Dark and Cloudy Day upon our Fore-fathers and also upon us in the days of our Ignorance We are apt to wander hither and thither and to be turned aside with the wind of Mens Doctrine that we could not find a rest a home or a settlement for our Souls in order to Life Eternal And there be many have cryed unto God that he would please to reveal hiâ— Way and to make it known unto them and they have been apt to Covenant with the Lord that if once they could come to a certainty they would walk in it Unto such as these the Lord hath bowed his Ear and hath answered them and in his answering the cry of the Soul he hath brought Salvation near and hath revealed the Power by which he would bring it to pass in every particular Soul that receiveth the Gospel of his Son But now Friends you that are sensible of this Blessed Glorious Visitation of this Gospel Day in which Salvation is brought near It is needful for every one to examine their own Hearts whether they have really received the Gospel whether they have received and embraced the great bounty and unspeakable blessing of the Gospel with which the Lord God of Life hath visited us or whether they have rejected it For though it is our happiness to know the Visitation of Life yet it doth not follow that every one that is Visited will be made an Heir of it for There are many that fall short through their unbelief For there are many that have received the Gospel who do disobey the Gospel of Christ and so have not Eternal Life by it When People come to this serious Examination of themselves herein then the Light and Grace that comes from Christ unto every one of us both to him that rejects it as well as to him that receiveth it that will make known to them their State and Condition with respect to the Gospel of Christ For there be a great many that by an Alienation of their minds from the Light of Christ Jesus are apt to be mistaken in their State and to make a better judgment of themselves and of their state inwardly than really it will amount to in the day that the Lord searcheth and tryeth them But they that make a judgment of themselves by the openings and discoveries that they have through the Light of Christ Jesus for so we are to do in this weighty matter they make a judgment of ther state and condition according to the Evidence that the Spirit of God bears to their Spirits and this I hope you will all say is a most certain Way For if we go to compare our selves one with another and say I am better than thee and that man is better than I here we are liable and subject to a great many Errours where there ought to be none But if we come to measure and determine our present state and condition by the Evidence of the Spirit of God bearing witness with our Spirits here we have a foundation to place an infallible and certain judgment upon And they that are obedient to the Gospel of Christ are capable of giving a sound judgment of their state because they are made partakers through Christ of that Grace and Light and Truth which they should be obedient to and they are brought into
a kind of knowledge and understanding of their Duty whether they do it or no And this knowledge and this understanding that God doth give them makes them capable to pass a right judgment upon their own state They will not call it a good state if it be an evil state and they will not call it an evil state if it be a good one They know it is good by the principle of Truth in their judgment Therefore since there are so many uncertainties in the World and that men are so apt to take hold of an uncertain way of judging and determining even in matters relating to their Souls There is a greater aptness in People to take hold of uncertaâ—nt es in judging about the matters of their Souls than in those things that relate to their Bodies Seeing People are so liable to it it can do none of us harm to exhort one another and move and stir up one another to make a calculation of their state by something that will not deceive There are abundance deceived in this Countrey as well as other Countreys we shall not need to go into forreign parts to find People deceived and deluded It will not be amiss to say the Drunkard the Swearer and the Lyar and the Oppressor the Proud the Malicious are deceived If they were not so they would never be overcome by the wicked One the Author of all evil he hath deceived them in that they should think to go on in these things and cry peace peace to one another and in their own Souls this is a great Delusion and the Devil is the great Deluder that they are deluded by And it would be worth the while to find out that which should make a man think himself in a happy state and hope to enjoy Eternal Life with God and Christ while he goes on in Sin and Iniquity it would be worth the while to find out the Delusion There is nothing so proper to turn every one to the Grace of God as To search their own Hearts and try their Ways This is that which will discover their thoughts and make them known to themselves this is Gods Grace and Gift to men while they are yet sinners and disobedient he doth not with-hold his Grace but gives his Grace and Light and Truth Even to the Rebellious He giveth Gifts to men even to the Rebellious that he might have a Place and dwelling among them that they might know there is a God That searches the Heart and tries the Reynes and judgeth all Unrighteousness If God hath given thee so much Grace that he might have a dwelling in thy Heart Should not that restrain thee from Sin That the Devil by his Temptations might not defile thee and unfit thee for the Kingdom of God When the Lord comes to search the Heart it is in order to the purging of it and the taking away of Iniquity and Sin that would unfit thee for his Kingdom This is a better Way and more excellent than Living to the Flesh and fulfilling the Lusts thereof Let People live never so much to their own Corrupt Wills in Pride and Wantonness and Looseness and the Vanity of their Minds they will not find so much true satisfaction and delight as in living a Holy Life living in the fear of God and avoiding Sin and keeping themselves from the Temptations and Snares of the Devil This is a more excellent Way and it is our work and business to declare to People this more excellent Way which all one time or other will confess This is Irksome will some say this will abate my Pleasure and Delights in the World and spoil my Secular Interest if it were not for this reason they would grant it were better to Live a Holy Life and to Live in the Fear of God than Live in the Service of the Devil their carnal Interest lies in the way and â—â—igâ—â—â—own the Scale but it is because thou joinesâ— with it otherwise the Devil and all the Pâ—wers of Hell could not weigh it down Iâ— Pâ—ople would consider these things seriously they would say it is better to serve God that made them and gave them Life and Breath and Being than him that would destroy them And then when they meet with the Pleasures and Delights of the World that the Devil lays before them they would never weigh down the scale against a Divine Reason if thou wilt give thy Heart to it and seriously consider it it will weigh down the scale against all Temptations tâ— live in Sin and Pleasure and Jollity Iâ— thou wilt but joyn with this Divine Reasoâ— that tells thee these Carnal Pleasures and Enjoyments are not necessary for thy Soul but it is necessary to live a Holy Heavenly Life and to serve the Lord that gave thee Life and Breath and all Things that hath vouchsafed thee manifold Preservations If thou wilt but joyn with the Divine Reason and hearken to that which opens thâ— Truth in thy own Heart all the Devâ—â— can do cannot make thee serve him foâ— the Devil hath no Coercion no Power tâ— force thee to commit Sin he cannot makâ— a man to work wickedness against his Will He must first cloud the Understanding anâ— work upon the Will and allure and intiâ—â— the Affections by Earthly things So thoâ— canst not be forced by the Devil againâ—â— thy will to yield to his Temptations tâ— commit any Sin but thou must say I wiâ— do it I confess when the understanding is brâ—bed and the will allured and seduced by thâ— Devils Temptations there is no withstanding them But on the other hand if meâ— would give up themselves to the Power oâ— God they would have Divine assistance anâ— joyning with that Power they should Be more than Conquerours Therefore we cannot but be encouraged to keep in the way of the Lord and have acquaintance with the Power of God which will preserve you and give you victory over all the Temptations and Assaults of the Devil and without this Power you cannot overcome but if you have the assistance of this Power nothing will be too hard for you When you are in straits and in a helpless condition you say sometimes and are ready to cry out I shall not overcome my Spiritual Enemies I shall never get victory over Sin and the World and the Flesh and the Devil I shall never be able to withstand his Temptations but they will prevail over me all my days No wonder you make this conclusion when you have parted with your Trust and Dependance on that Power that is able to overcome the Devil and baffle him in your Thoughts Words and Deeds You may be ready to say alas of my self I can do nothing I am not able of my Self so much as to think a good Thought yet by Divine Assistance I do many times think good thoughts In me that is in my Flesh there dwells nothing that is good Not in my Flesh abstractly separate from the Power