for his Assistance he cries to God to help him he now knows that he hath striven and laboured in vain O God of all Grace if thou vouchsafe not Help to my Soul if thou dosâ— not interpose by the Assistance of thy Grace I cannot overcome this Sin There is a continual Cry to God for Divine Assistance and as they cry to God for Assistance he ministers Assistance to them by which they are able to overcome the Enemy of their Souls and all Temptations when they come And when a Man finds such Divine Assistance his Faith is strengthned and confirmed and so he fights the good fight of faith and at last gets the Victory Victory over his Sin and his own Lusts and Concupiscence and Victory over the Assaults and Temptations of the Adversary and at last he comes through the Grace of God to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously soberly and godlily in this present world Now when People do thus it is by the Grace of God This Life of Righteousness Sobriety and Godliness is not the effect of their Labour and Exercise and of their Endeavours herein but it is the effect of the Holy Spirit that hath been the Teacher When you see a Man is grown a good Scholar eminent in al◠〈…〉 â—â—â—ning you will conclude he di◠〈…〉 to all this of himself he could not leâ—â—n this and the other Language this â—nd the other Art and Science of himself No he had some judicious and able Master and â—eacher who communicated of his Leaâ—ning and Knowledge to his Disciple and Scholar This is the efficient cause of his Improvement Now if a Man by the Grace and the Spirit of God and the Teachings of it live a holy godly Life this is the effect of something he did not always live such a Life How comes he to live such a Life now Is it by his own Industry Labour and Exercise No it is by being exercised taught and led by the Spirit of God so that it is the effect of the Grace of God that he should live such a holy Life though it is not the meritorious cause of it as he is a Creature but acceptable to God in Christ the Mediator Thus a Man comes to be justified and accepted not because he is a godly Man but is made so by the Spirit of God You are not under the law saith the Apostle but under grace You are under the Teachings of it under the Directions of it Grace can reprove People for that Grace and that Truth that comes by Christ and manifests it self as a Light in the Hearts of Transgressors reproves their Sin and calls them out of it it reproves them for it and exhorts them to leave it both at one Time so that we must acknowledge all our Righteousness Holiness and Obedience to be o◠〈…〉 â—â—ll that we do in order thereunto a◠〈◊〉 done by the Teaching by the Influence and Operation of the Grace of God given us in Christ Jesus it is the effect of him who is our Mediator he worketh it in us and for us of his good pleasure If we be justified we are not justified for a righteous holy Life and for our Obedience but we are justified through Christ who worketh a godly Life in them that believe so that a Man is not justified by any other way or means and all other ways a Man takes of being reconciled to God are vain and fruitless and have been spoken against by all that were moved by the Holy Ghost in the New Testament Saith the Prophet What shall I come before the Lord with all I am fallen under Death and Sin and in a separation from God I would fain be reconciled to him what shall I do to be reconciled to God He goes about to reckon without Christ and without Faith and Holiness Shall I take a thousand Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oil Shall I come nearer still Shall I make an Offering of the Fruit of my Body for the sin of my Soul Shall I offer my first-born to God that I may not be rejected and brought to a separation from him Thus Men when they come to be sensible do feel in themselves that all this is to no purpose The Answer comes Thou maist live but all thy Contrivances about making an Offering are vain 〈…〉 â—â—ewed thee O Man 〈◊〉 â—o do It is noâ— thy findinâ— this way and tâ—â—â— way viz. thy â—â—â—â—s and thy Oil and 〈◊〉 first-born it is no way of thy devising and imagining that can reconcile thee to me I have shewed thee O Man what is good What is this that is shewed It is comprised in a short compass It is to love Mercy to do Justice and to walk humbly with thy God Will this serve without offering Rams and Oil and offering my first born This will do if thou canst but love Mercy when it s shewn thee that is embrace Mercy and love it He hath shewed Mercy to all Men then love it and receive it do justly leave every thing that is unrighteous and do that which is just in the sight of God but do not boast of thy Justice and Righteousness but walk humbly with thy God here is the whole Duty of Man This looks as if I should go to Works and forbear something in order to my Justification Indeed the consideration of these kind of Lessons do corrupt some Men and put them upon doing this or that and upon forbearing this or that and hath brought many to Confession and great Abstinence and put them upon great doings thinking this would answer the Justice of God I have loved Mercy and given all I had to the Poor If I do justly and abstain from this and the other Liberty if I walk humbly that is if I humble my self by this and the other manner of Pennance and Contrition then I do what God requires and then I have pleased God Now all that havâ— gone this waâ— of working to do justly and love mâ—â—cy and to make themselves humble and humbled themselves low in such a manner they have missed the Mark. He hath shewed thee O Man what is good that it is impossible for fallen Man to answer this himself he may be convinced of his Duty to do Justice but by his own Power and Strength he cannot do it there are so many Temptations from without and so many from within such a proâ—â—nsity in Nature that will prevail against all â—â—e â—onds of Charity that he can make Therefore is Help laid upon one thâ—t is mighty without the Grace 〈◊〉 God that comes by Christ Jesus a Man can never do it tho' Convinced Tho' the Lord hath shewed him what is good he shews us that we are unable of our selves he hath taken care to send his Son God hath so loved the World that he hath sent his Son into the World that he might help those that have need of help that every one that is in Distress might
bringeth Salvation appeareth to all Men and that is by teaching us What doth it Teach I pray consider it iâ— teacheth us To deny all Vngodliness and 〈◊〉 worldly Lusts and to live soberly righteoâ—â— and godly in this present World Where is 〈◊〉 Sin now if a Man be taught by this Gâ—â—â—â— and the Dictates of it Can a Man live Sin and yet live righteously soberly and godly too Can a Man live in Sin and yet deâ—y all Ungodliness at the same time Where â—ave Mens Understandings been that cannot understand their Mother Tongue and consider sense Where are Mens Understandings that will say I may deny all Vngodliness and worldly Lusts and yet follow the Lusts 〈◊〉 my own Heart You would think I speak Nonsense if I should speak thus and yet we â—â—ve been put off with such nonsensical Stuff as this We must pray to God to send his holy Spirit into our Hearts to enable us to live godly righteous and sober Lives and at the same time believe that we shall never do it but that it is a business of Impossibility Now when Men come to lay these things together and when they consider between God and their own Souls how it is with them many are amazed to think they should ever be put off with such incongruous disagreeing and dissonant things that are not consistent with one another But do you think it is possible for any Man to live without sin Yes or else I would say it is impossible for any to be reconciled to God for God will never be reconciled to Sinners as such for his â—argain and Covenant is made with such kind 〈◊〉 Articles Isa 1.16 17. Wash ye make ye â—â—ean put away the evil of your doings from before mine Eyes Cease to do evil learn to do well c. Then come and let us reason together saith the Lord tho' your Sins be as Scarlet thâ—â— shall be as white as Snow tho' they be Red 〈◊〉 Crimson they shall be as Wool still these 〈◊〉 the Terms Put away the evil of youâ— doingâ— then Patience Mercy and Long Sufferiâ—â— shall be extended to you God will give grace and glory and no good thing will he with-hold what from those that say their Prayers or gâ— to the Church or a Meeting No but no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Psal 84.11 These are the Men. And when the Lord is distinguishing by his Prophet who he would have among them he speaks of a sort of People that called upon the Name of the Lord Those that feared the Lord and spake often one to another that is of the goodness of God they were a sort of People that Trembled at the Word of God a sort of People that did not do as others did hunt after Pleasures Riches and the Honours of the World but to be acquainted with the inward Word that wrought upon their Hearts In that Day that I make up my Jewels they shall be mine saith the Lord Whose shall the others be Thou wilt own these for thine but whose shall the others be that think not upon thy Name and tremble not at thy Word There is a Place for them too Tophet is â—â—â—pared of old made both wide and large 〈◊〉 Fuel thereof is Fire and Brimstone and 〈◊〉 Wood and the breath of the Lord kindleâ—◠〈◊〉 This is for all that are Wicked 〈…〉 work Iniquity This is in the Old Testament then comes the New Testament in John's Revelations there is a separation again There are a sort of Folk which are called the true Worshippers and the Angel was commanded to go and measure the Temple and those that worshipped therein The outward Temple was not measured but left for the Gentiles to tread in and left without the measure For without are Dogs and Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murderers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a Lie And then the Lord speaks to his Prophets in the Old Testament again If thou put a difference between the Precious and the Vile then thou shalt be as my Mouth unto them but if thou huddle them altogether and sow Pillows under their Elbows then thou shalt be as my Mouth So that in all Ages God aimed at a separation of the state and condition of his People and one sort of People were purified through the sanctification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth and another sort were unsanctified and unpurified and remain'd in their Sin and the end of Christs coming into the World it was to call People to Repentance He came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to â—epentance and to leave off their Sin To as â—â—ny as received him to them he gave Power 〈◊〉 become the Sons of God to as many as beâ—â—â—ed on his Name Whose Sons were the other They made as high a rattle of Profession as the other He tells them who is their Father You are of your Father the Devil oâ— he did orderly prove it and that was tâ—â—â— That they did the Devils Works Ergo Tâ—â—â— were the Devils Children It was Christ himself the greatest Doctor of Divinity that evâ—â— was in the World that spake these Woâ—â—â— And this is the manner of Logick whereby 〈◊〉 argues with the Pharisees to make them believe that they were the Devils Children they that do the Devils Works are the Devil's Children but you do his Works therefore you are his Children so they sought to 〈◊〉 him they could not bear such Arguments If one should go and search out a People in thâ—â— City and Nation and see one Man of this Religion another of that Religion and pick them out and use this Argument with them There is a Man professeth high he professeth a Light within if you look upon his Deeds they are dead and dark why then he is one of the Devils Children If you put me to prove this I say he doth the Devil's Works he is an Extortioner a Deceiver and a Drunkard and unclean Person and doth the Devil's Works and so is none of God's Children And so go to another sort and use this Argument it is safe enough you can never fail in this kind of Argument which Christ used and if People would use it with â—â—eâ—selves and think themselves no better 〈◊〉 we should have People confess themselves 〈◊〉 Devil's Children None come to be God's Childrâ—◠〈…〉 come to acknowledge their lost estate 〈◊〉 deplorable condition that they are fallen from God and through Sin and Iniquity are got into a nature that is at â—â—mity with God then they will cry out Who shall deliver me â—rom this body of death and Childship of Saâ—â—â— this Heirship of Wrath I am an Heir oâ— an Inheritance I am an Heir of Wrath and I would fain lose my Inheritance and Heirship and have an Inheritance with the Saints in light we shall never know this till we come to Divinity without Sophistry and without Tricks and Quirks and come to Christ's Râ—â—â—â—ning He that doâ—â—
the godly they do not like such a Life now but they will like it then Friends you that are Lovers of your Souls and meet together upon that account of being better and having Expectation and Hope that you shall receive Comfort and Benefitâ— your meeting together I tell you as a Sâ—â—vant of God and a Lover of your Souls it is but a little while and you will wish that you had chosen the most holy harmless innocent Life that ever you saw your selves or heard of from any body else and you will wish that you had been more watchful over your Thoughts Words and Actions There is a day a Day a coming when we must give an Account for every thing that we have done whether good or evil you must give an account for your cursed Debauchery for your Swearing and Lying and inordinate Passions you must give an account for every vain Thought and every idle Word If this will certainly come to pass how shall I prevent these Idle Words and evil Actions Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way saith the Psalmist by taking heed thereto according to thy word I am not as those that say Lo here and lo there I do not say You must come and learn Truth of me but if you find it you must find it in your selves What if I live in the Truth that will not serve thee and if I be a holy Man that will not sanctifie thee thou must hearken to Truth 's speaking in thy self thou mayest hear it speaking in thine own Heart before thou be an Hour older you may hear it call you to Righteousness and Holiness and if you heâ—â— it you may do it too if you please for there is a Power that goes along with it I know enough thou wilt say but I cannot do what I know I have not Power What ails thee that thou hast not Power If I had Power then I would abstain from all Sin and break off from my evil Ways but the Devil throws this Object and the other Object in my Way and by his Temptations he doth insnare me I have not Power to resist Would you have me do more than I can do and as long as I have not Power I am to be excused Now here is a Device of the Devil to keep People in his Net still If Men would be true to themselves they would not be long without Power If thou art convinced of the Evil of thy Ways and that it is thy Duty to break off from Sin there is a Power offered to thee that if thou joyn with it thou mayest overcome all Temptations and forsake thy Sin I would have you all prove and search and see whether I speak Truth or no I am persuaded there is not a Man or Woman here but they have sometime abstained from an evil Work which they were tempted to How were you restrained because you knew it was an evil Work you durst not do it the Devil had not a coercive Power to force you to do it I knew it was an evil thing and I joyned with that in my Mind which dissuaded me from it and I prayed to God to give me Power to abstain from it The Devil tempted thee on still who helped thee against the Temptation God restrained thee by his Grace Will not he be a present help unto thee H◠〈◊〉 the same yesterday to day and for ever depend upon him still and he will be always ready to help thee and support thee and strengthen thee and thou shalt be kept from Sin in an Hour of Temptation Consider that all Power in Heaven and Earth is given to Christ and if he be able to keep thee thou shalt not fall into it 〈◊〉 â—hose that come unto me saith Christ noâ—â— shall pluck them out of my hands and my father is greater than all If thou comest unto Christ he will in no wise cast thee out and if thou depend upon him he will preserve thee and none shall be able to pluck thee out of his hand If thou joyn with the Truth and with that which is holy thou shalt have Strength and Ability to withstand Temptation and overcome it and I may speak with Reverence Christ hath bound himself to those that trust in him Those that keep the word of 〈◊〉 patience I will keep them in the hour of temptation If I keep waiting upon his Power that is ready to help me and have a mind to be â—urified and sanctified and to have Righteousness brought in to my Soul and have mine Eyes unto God and my Expectation from him he will work in me to will and to do of his good pleasure Now here People have a fixed Foundation for their Faith there is no working at this rate without bearing a daily Cross Theâ—â— are a great many can receive the Truth in Words and receive Doctrines and Teneâ—â— and that with Delight but there is no practising Holiness and Righteousness without a daily Cross and Self-denial There are a great many have come to Truth as far as it stands in Words but when it comes to something that they must do to speak the Truth and live in the Truth they meet with so much of the Temptation of the Devil so much Lust and Corruption and Ungâ—â—liness in themselves they meet with such evil things that their Souls joyn with and yield to that they cannot go on in the ways of Holiness unless they look up to Jesus and have an Eye to their Saviour and take up his Cross and follow him Whatsoever Reproaches and Sufferings and Persecutions they endure they must have a godly Resolution to follow the Lord Christ and say I will obey his Commands he shall have the Rule and Government of my Life and be the Guide of my way whatsoever stands in â—y way I will take up my Cross and deny my self Without this there is no good Christianity in the World There are a great many that seem to be religious and are Professors of the Truth We all know there are many Professors of the Truth in Notion and with some Zeal will talk of it but they do not know how to live and walk in the Truth they do not live uprightly and honestly in it they do not keep their Words they do not live justly and honestly with all Men nor do unto others as they would havâ— others do to them They can tell how to speak and act then why do they not do it They have got a Notion thaâ— they are above the Cross of Christ and Self-denial is far below them People will not live in the Truth This is wanting in the whole World If we look into this City we shall find a great many are illuminated there is abundance of Knowledge and Understanding among Professors â—bundance of Learning and great Nâ—â—â—â—rs of learned Men What is the Reason that Oaths and Curses and all manner of Wickedness runs down the Streets like a River there is Pride
be the same thing that I speak of then believe me 〈◊〉 the Truth's-sake believe me beâ—â—â—â—e you find the same Worâ— and Tâ—stâ—â—â—â— within your selves And I m perâ—â—adâ— there is never a one here but â—â—metime 〈◊〉 other they have withstood that Temptaâ—â—oâ— which they have met withal Prâ— tell â—e how they did it Why the Temptaâ—â—â—â— came unto me and it pleased God to shew me the evil of it that it was a bad thing if I yielded to it How didst thou resist it had not the Devil a coercive Power over thee to force thee to it whether thou wouldst or not That God that shewed me the Evil of it delivered me from the evil of it I was not judged and condemned 〈…〉 because I 〈…〉 delivered from it there are no◠〈…〉 you would not be lazy and id◠〈…〉 might be delivered every Day and h◠〈…〉 â—â—perience in your own Souls that w◠〈…〉 Devil comes and tempts the Lord is a◠〈◊〉 to deliver you 〈◊〉 his Grace and Power So that t◠〈…〉 way for People to be â—â—served from Sin and Iniquity is to haâ—â— a reverent respect to that Grace of God which they have alreaâ—â—â—â—ceived I would haâ—â— that taken out of your Head that vain Conceit that hath loâ—g reigned in 〈◊〉 World When you see a wiâ—ked Husband Wife or Child you say If they had Grace they would be better I say they have from degree of Grace already God hath sâ—nt forth his Grace and Truth to teach men to deny ungodliness 〈◊〉 â—at I wâ—uld not pray that God would give my Hâ—â—band Wife or Child or Friend Grace but tha◠〈◊〉 would break his hard Heart that he may submit to the Grace of God that is already â—estowed upon him I believe there is noâ— a graceless Person here that is utterly void of all Grace but they walk not according to it they trample upon it For everâ— one being endued with a measure of Grace through Christ our Duty therefore is to have a reverend regard to the Grace of God that 〈◊〉 have received What Gâ—â—ce have I received from God may some one say 〈◊〉 received so much Grac◠〈…〉 truly say that I can tell whâ—n the 〈…〉 â—gs a Temptation to me that when 〈◊〉 â—empts me to Uncleanness Theft Wrath 〈◊〉 â—ee or to deceive my Neighbour I have 〈◊〉 much Grace that I can tell I am tempted â—n such a respect the Grâ—â—e of God shews 〈◊〉 this is a Temptation of 〈◊〉 Devil But the Question is Whether I am subject to the Grace of God and do love his Grace better than the Profit or â—leasure of a Temptation It comes as a Bait but the Devil cannot make me do that which he tempts me to it is not in the Power of all the Devils in Hell or of his Servants on Earth to make me do this evil thing The Light of my own Conscience shews it to be a Temptation Now I am free and at my Choice whether I will love the Profit and Pleasure thâ—â— comâ—s with the Temptation more than the Grace of God I believe there is no â—â—â—ly that hath been tryed by a Temptation but they can say so I leave it to him that searcheth and tries all your hearts and knows your thoughts to judge whether you joined with the Temptation that you might have the Profit and Pleasure of it or joined with his Grace that might have resisted the Temptation You thâ—â— have done the one and the other tell me which is the best Bargain When you â—ave joined with the Temptation that you mâ—ght have the Profit and Pleasure of it that came alonâ— with it or when you joined with the Gracâ— of 〈…〉 â—hat sâ—â—wed you th◠〈…〉 â—â—ger of 〈◊〉 Temptation a◠〈…〉 speaks to you that spake to Cain 〈…〉 well shalt thou not bâ— accepted A◠〈…〉 dost not well sin lieâ— at the door 〈…〉 yielded to a Temptation sin lies 〈…〉 there is a Breach made between Go◠〈…〉 Soul The same Man at another time having â—â—ted so deeply for it being judged by his 〈◊〉 Conscience when he meets the Temptatiâ—â— again he saith Let the Profit or Pleasure go where it will if I yield to this Temptation I cannot go to God but as Thief to a Judge Let the Profit or Pleasure be what it will I will not touch with this Temptation Caâ— the Devil force thee to comply with his Temptation No if thou be true to the Grace of God in thy own Heart it will make thee able to resist the strongest Devil in Hell Christ hath purchased for the Sons and Daughters of Men a Power to withstand the Devils Power and all his Devices and Temptations and you shall obtain Victory and have Dominion over them If you have a mind to grow in this Dominion when the Devil comes to temâ—â— you resist him and you shall through the â—â—wer of Christ be enabled to oveâ—come If Satan tell thee of the Profits and Pleasures of this World tell him That the wâ— passeth away and the lust of it b◠〈…〉 with God endures for ever By the 〈…〉 〈…〉 will be able to overcome 〈◊〉 Devil 〈…〉 Angels This Power is given to 〈…〉 â—â—ve and obey the Gospel If you 〈…〉 â—ve Benefit by it you must be exer◠〈…〉 resisting of Temptation and have 〈◊〉 to the Grace of God and the Work◠〈◊〉 it in your own Hearts and then you will be able to say when a Temptation comes pâ—omising Profit and Pleasure How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God Turn your Eye to God's favour which is better than life and you will be more than conquerors you will say the Fear of God seized upon my Soul and the Grace of God came in to my Assistance and made me stand like a Bulwark against Temptation Here Praises will go up to God here will be occsion for thee to speak good of his Name Remember what David said My soul praise the Lord that hath delivered me from the horrible Pit Thus David and the Saints of old praised God in their Day and why should not we They breathed forth living Praises and Thanksgivings for the Deliverances wrought for them and shall not we do it Now this cannot be done without thinking upon his Name the Name of that God that made us Here I live in the World I live and breath still I have Health and Strength and an Estate how came I by all this Did I make my self No there is a God that gave me Life and Breath and Beâ—ng he holds forth the Hand of Mercy to gather me to himself and to redeem m◠〈…〉 iniquity that I might serve him wit◠〈…〉 in holiness and righteousness all the 〈…〉 life If I believe all this I shall re◠〈…〉 him and love and pâ—â—ise him and dai◠〈…〉 upon him for the Accomplishment o◠〈…〉 Work He desireth not the death of s◠〈…〉 If 〈◊〉 will believe the Almighty it is 〈◊〉 possible for him to lie all things are possible to him