THE Second Volume OF Mr. Stephen crisps SERMONS.   

THE acceptance which the First Volume of the Sermons of this Author has obtained from Persons of different Persuasions 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 satisfy 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 Shorthand, as they were Delivered by him at the Public 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 Poultry 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 Prophesy? 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 Ruin and Destruction that is and shall be brought upon the Kingdom of Iniquity, upon the Kingdom of the Man of Sin, and to Prophesy 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 ministered 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 steadfastly 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 God's 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, than you was poor indeed; than 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 strengthened, 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 magnify 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 purify 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 glorified 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 upon the Lord to see all that brought to pass which you have believed: For I take notice by the Eye that God hath opened in me, by which he hath made me to take care of his Flock, and sometime put his word in my mouth, that I might speak a word in due season. I say, by this Eye, I take notice of many that have received this precious Faith, and thereby have believed, thereby have believed the great and high state; their Faith reacheth so far, they know that Power is able to bring them into a perfect Dominion over their Lusts, and Passions, and Corruptions, and over the Spirit of the World, over Pride, over Anger, over all things that are opposite to the Divine Life; their Faith is as sound as we can Preach it in respect of the extent of it, but their Faith hath not reached thus far in its operation upon their hearts; they have not had the power going on, to accomplish and fulfil that which remains.  
Are there not some here and there that are settled in the belief of the Truth, but are got into an ease from the Labour of the truth? but if I be sound in the Faith, my Understanding is opened; I do not only believe this matter, but have inward Evidence and Demonstration that I am certain, past all doubt and question of it, that the Lord reveals the power in them that believe, that purifies them, and makes them every whit clean; and here I have a Fellowship and Communion with them that preach, and them that believe.  
But my Friends, all this will not give you Communion with God, though there is Communion with the Church of God with respect to Men who are come into one Faith and Doctrine, yet for fellowship with God it stands in a life beyond all Doctrines, and beyond all words and expressions; therefore your business and mine, and every one that we first undertaken when our faces were first turned to God, that we may be followers of Christ in the Regeneration. For many may be firm in point of Doctrine, and yet may not follow Christ Jesus: Many hold the Truth, but do not hold it in Righteousness, but unrighteousness.  
Now my Friends, have a care your Religion and your Souls Eternal Welfare are concerned. This Doctrine I leave you in Charge in the name of the Lord God: Flatter not yourselves never a one of you because of the soundness of your belief, but look for soundness of heart, and for a right Spirit to be created in you, a Spirit that can no way endure any thing that the light of Christ hath made manifest to be evil; if it be Truth, you own, then Exercise Faith upon it, and whatsoever Sin or Temptation assaults you, say, I shall overcome in the Name of the Lord Jehovah; I shall bring thee under, be what Lust Passion or Corruption soever thou wilt, in the name of the Lord, I shall overcome thee and bring thee under.  
Travel on in the Faith committed to you, and you will be more than Conquerors; you will not only grow into external Fellowship with the people of God in the sight of Men, but into fellowship with the Church of the first born, whose names are written in Heaven; and your Communion will not be in Words and Doctrine, and Principles of Faith; But your Communion will be with God the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ; and so in all your Meetings together, the joy of the Lord will be your strength, and the joy of his great Salvation your Covering, and he will manifest his gracious Presence with you; and that Power which hath kept you to this day from your Childhood, and preserved you in all your Battles and Conflicts with the World, and strengthened and encouraged you when you sometimes went sorrowing and mourning night and day, and fearing lest you should not overcome your Adversaries; that Power that hath kept you hitherto, will do greater things for you than you have yet been Witnesses of.  
Therefore Dear Friends, this I would leave with you, there is nothing will keep you and me in that little time that remains to us here to spend on Earth, but that which will keep us in the exercise of Faith towards God, and his Son Jesus Christ, who is able to save us to the uttermost; let us wait to see the power of God for Sanctification and Holiness, that will reach as far as saving us from our Sins.  
This hath been the greatest reproach that ever our Adversaries have thrown upon us, that there are some among us that talk of believing in the power of God, and talk of an ability for overcoming their sins, and living a Holy life, and living without sin, while they themselves live in it: This is the greatest reproach that ever our Adversaries have thrown upon us; Whosoever have been the cause of this reproach, God will require it of them, for the Lord is jealous of his Name and Glory, and he will have the Praise and Honour that is due to his Great Name for working in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure, saith the Apostle; though I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified. When you come so far as that, that you cannot charge yourselves, than the Lord will not charge you, but take heed that therein you place not your Justification, hereby you are not justified.  
Therefore have an eye to Jesus the Author and the Finisher of your Faith. He gins the work of Faith, and he will carry it on until he be the finisher of it, and the justifier of you; he is the Mediator of the New Covenant that alone justifies the Children of God: depend not upon your own Holiness and Righteousness for justification; keep your eye to Jesus the Author of your Faith, who will also be the finisher of it; keep your hearts with all diligence, and walk humbly with God, watching lest your Adversary that you have overcome prevail against you. By going from the Power there is no safety for the Flock, but only while they keep in the Shepherds Fold; be faithful and keep yourselves in the love of God, and he will be present with you, and keep you to be his Witnesses to the end of your days, and will raise up another Generation to be Witnesses to his Power when he hath taken you to himself.  
To that Mighty Power of God I commit you for preserving of you in humility of Mind and Soul, and my Prayer for you shall be, that you may go on and make a progress in the good ways of the Lord until his Work be finished in you.  

His Prayer after Sermon.  
HOly and Powerful God of Life, who art the Creator of us all, in whom we live, and move, and have our being, thou hast made us all for the purpose of thy Praise and Glory, that we might serve thee in the Land of the Living, among the Sons and Daughters of Men, and not only so, but thou hast given us thy Holy Spirit, as thou didst to thy People of old. O Living God of Life, thou hast ordained a remnant to give up themselves to be led by it, thou regardest them, and art with them, and they enjoy from time to time thy Holy Presence which makes glad their Souls, and they have Fellowship and Communion with thee, and thy Son, through thy Spirit, by which they are quickened to offer up pure and living Praises upon thine Altar. O living God of love and life! thou hast shed abroad thy love upon their hearts, by which they are enabled to pray for their Enemies that they may come to enjoy Salvation, and the pleasures which are at thy right hand, which are infinitely better than all the Pleasures of this vain World. Holy and powerful Father, have respect to all our Souls, and touch all our Hearts with a sense of thy Divine Love, that we may feel the Cords of thy Love drawing our Souls nearer to thyself, and assuring us that thou hast a gracious purpose to save us; O Powerful God of Life show forth thy Power, that our Hearts may be touched and quickened thereby to come to fear thee and reverence thy Name, and be acquainted with thy Operation in their own Hearts, that they may be humbled and broken before thee, and bow down and Worship in the sincerity and uprightness of their Hearts; so Holy God of Life, if it be thy pleasure none may departed out of this Assembly without some sense of thy Love, and feeling of the Powerful Drawings of thy Grace, and without being raised up to purity of Heart, and convinced of the evil of every thing that is contrary to thee, and serve thee in Holiness and Righteousness, and pursue it with all their Hearts and Minds, and Soul, and Strength, that thou mayst have mercy on them, and pardon their Iniquity, and love them freely, for so thou hast ordained in thy Son Jesus Christ, that we may receive Remission of Sins, through the Belief of thy Everlasting Truth; and Holy Powerful God of Life, that all thy People may partake of Holiness and Sobriety, to the praise of thy Name, and that they may all come to obtain a Victory over all those Spiritual Enemies that War against their Souls, that thy Holy Work of Redemption and Regeneration may be carried on, to the praise of thy Grace, and the exaltation of thy Holy Name, to whom Praise belongs, Honour belongs, and Wisdom belongs, and pure and humble Thanksgivings; and unto thee the Living God of Life we desire to offer our Praises and Adorations, for thou alone art Worthy; who art God over all, blessed for ever and ever, Amen.    

Sermon II. Bearing the Cross of Christ the true mark of a Christian. Preached at Devonshire-House Octob. 12. 1690.  
HE that knoweth 〈…〉 the Lord and the stretching forth of his Arm, is quickened to feel the Power that is in Christ Jesus, the Head of the Church; that so he may be enabled through his Power to bring forth Fruit unto God.  
The Eye of the Lord is upon you all, and he expects at the hand of every one that they bring forth Fruit unto God, that according to the aboundings of his Mercy towards you, and of his patience and long suffering concerning you, there might at last be an answer in the Soul of every one, unto the mercy and goodness of God; they that do not know and experience this, that the long suffering and patience of God leadeth unto Repentance, they know no part of Christianity; let them make their profession never so high, and proclaim their notions never so loud; they that know not the Work of Repentance wrought in their hearts, as yet, need to Learn the first Principles of the Christian Religion. You know it hath been the Custom of People to learn their Children Principles, and they that have learned their Principles, they go for Christians whether they repent or no, though they go on in Sin and Iniquity all their days, yet they go under the Reputation of Christians, and it is high time to examine and find out, if you can, a reason for this, that a Man should be accounted a Christian upon any other terms now in this age, than the Lord Christ did Preach and Publish in the days of his flesh; for he did absolutely deny that any Man could be his Disciple, without taking up a daily Cross, and without self-denial: Now how should a Man at this day be a Christian, or a Disciple of Christ, without taking up a daily Cross, and without self-denial?  
It may be some will tell me, that they are Baptised into the Christian Faith, and have been taught and have made a profession of Christian Principles, and associated themselves among those that make a profession of Christ, but here is not a word of a daily Cross in all this, nor of self-denial; so that they would have you to understand in this that the terms of Christianity are changed, and that Men may be Christians without the terms of Christ, or at least reputed so.  
And this hath been occasioned by the great Apostasy that hath been brought into the Church, by a long night of darkness, and by the revealing of Antichrist: Antichrist hath been discovered and revealed, and hath set up in despite of Christianity a false Christianity, and there came in the terms of a Man's being accepted and reputed a Christian upon Antichrists terms; and if you will conform to do thus, and say so, you shall be admitted into the Christian Society; now all these terms of Antichrist have been such things as an unregenerate Man could conform to and comply with.  
And the opening of this door hath let into the Church abundance of Hypocrites and Evil doers, because they were able in their unregenerate state to conform to those things that were required, for in the public Society of Christians it was not said you must be regenerate and take up a daily Cross, and deny yourselves, and walk as becometh Saints, and so behave yourselves that God may be glorified, and the profession of Christianity honoured by you; these were the terms of old, but there are other terms of a later date of being Christians.  
Now seeing this Apostasy hath prevailed and spread over whole Nations and Countries, not a few, so that whole Kingdoms have become Christians upon these later terms, and God is greatly dishonoured among us, and Christ the Holy one most horribly profaned among us. It is not so common among Heathens and Infidels; to find People wronging and deceiving one another, and killing and destroying one another, and yet it is the practice of many that are called Christians; these are the fruits and effects of those later times of Christianity. Now seeing it is thus, which no mortal man can deny, I have this Question to ask, and I desire that you would seriously weigh it in your Hearts and Souls, both while you are together, and when you are separate one from another, whether it is not high time for all of us to return again to 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 established 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 error; so that the World is divided, Antichrists Government in the World is divided; and when the House is divided against itself, 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 Selfdenying 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 Man's Church, and the other Man's 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 Judas 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  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 Mediator.  
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 Devil's head, Antichrist and the Dragon's 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 hypocrisy 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 God's 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-denial, their Christianity is good for nothing; I would not have you trust in it; neither in Articles, Tenants, 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 Crucify the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts: For, saith the Apostle, Mortify your Members which are on Earth; If you through the Spirit do mortify 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 mortify 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 downfall 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 Devil's 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, i● 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 show 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 body's mouth to be opened, that God hath been pleased to open, to testify against such a horrible mist of darkness that is come over Men: to testify against Hypocrisy, 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 than 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 Cloistered themselves up in Monasteries, and shut themselves up between two Walls, that they might be separated from all Society, and live without Sin, they would do it in their own power, and the Devil is stronger than they.  
Let me tell you, Men of the greatest Wisdom, Courage and Strength, of the most excellent natural parts that any Man can have, are not able to grapple with their Enemy the Devil by their own power; there are Seeds of all Sin, and Lust and Concupiscence sown in their hearts; so far this is right and sound Doctrine, that no man can do any thing in his own power and strength; but here is the mistake; a Man hath been a long time wrestling with his Sins and Lusts, to get the Victory over them, but by woeful experience he finds his weakness and insufficiency, he is sunk in his harness, and so hath given over the Battle, saying, I shall never overcome the Devil and his Temptations, my Sins and Lusts are too hard for me, I despair of ever overcoming them in my own strength, by all that I can do; that is true enough, but thou must needs perish because thou canst never overcome thy Corruptions: if ever I be saved it must be the free Grace of God that must save me. How canst thou come to lay hold on the free grace of God? I am told I must lay hold on Christ by Faith, who is the Mediator between God and Man, and he is my only Redeemer, there is no Salvation in any other; this is very well, now thou art a Believer, what dost thou expect, what dost thou hope that Christ will give thee? He will not give me power over my Corruptions so as to live without Sin, that is more than I hope for, but I expect that Christ will reveal his power in me, and give me so much strength and power against my Lusts and Corruptions, that they may not have Dominion over me; now if you tell me that you hope for strength and power from Christ against Sin, Satan, and Corruption, do you now tell me that it is still impossible? It was impossible before indeed to live without Sin when thou didst trust in thine own strength, but now when thou comest to have grace and assistance ●●om the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Saviour of the World, that giveth thee ability to withstand Temptation, and overcome thy Corruptions, and the Lusts of thy own heart What, is it impossible still to live without. Sin? then thou mayst say the Devil's Slave I am and must be, for there is no other Power in Heaven or Earth for thee to lay hold of, if thine own power, nor Christ's power neither can do; then thou dost say that the Devil is Almighty. Thus they tell us, when Christ hath revealed his power it is impossible still.  
If I should call this Antichristian Doctrine, I could make it out. Blessed be God, I do believe that Christ is able to preserve me from the Devils Temptations, and all his instruments, if I believe, though I could not do it in mine own Power, yet by Christ's power I may be preserved an hour without Sin: If so, than a day, and if one day, than a thousand days if I live so long; Christ hath promised that he will bruise Satan and tread him under feet, and destroy his works, and judge you whether Sin be not the Devils work, shall I despond, or despair to have the Devils work destroyed in me?  
Here is ground for you all to believe, he that hath Faith may lay hold of this Power which is offered of God, therefore lay hold of it, else your Religion will be good for nothing. This is the enjoyment of a true Believer, that he receives power from Christ to deny himself, therefore all their pretended Christianity and Profession at the day of Judgement will melt away like Snow. These Canons, Articles, Forms and Liturgies, these will melt away when the day of the Lord comes to burn upon them; none but they that feel the redeeming virtue of the blood of Christ, that have their Souls filled with the Love of God, and whatsoever they love in the World, they that will part with it for Christ's sake, shall be accepted.  
I am not for setting up this and the other Sect or Opinion; if it be among those of my own profession, if they profess holiness, and bring forth unrighteousness it is all one; I shall not value their Profession. There are many in this City and Nation that have sheltered themselves under the profession of Truth, and talk of perfection, and have brought their Lusts and imperfections with them: here Antichrist is trying another Game to bring them under a profession that will serve his turn; the Devil will allow men Profession if they will but live according to their own Hearts Lusts, so that they may save his head from the blow that God's power will bring upon it, so they may dishonour the Holy Name and Religion they make profession of; thus saith the Apostle, I have told you often, and now tell you weeping, they were Christians so called to whom he spoke, but they are Enemies to the Cross of Christ, not to the Profession of Christ; he did not say they were strangers to the Cross of Christ, but Enemies to it; they let it fall, they kept the Name Word and Doctrines up, but they let the Cross fall, how much were these Christians worth, sure but very little?  
Nay, Antichrist hath been so silly, that because the words are so put upon the Cross, No being Disciples of Christ without the Cross; the words of Scripture are so put upon it. Thinks Antichrist I shall never persuade the People to be at ease, unless I give them a Cross; therefore he sets them a making Crosses. They must be Baptised with the Cross; they say we deny not the Cross of Christ, we hang it about our necks, we set it up in all our Meetings and Academies, and many Princes and Wise Men, and Learned Men have been so bewitched and drunk with delusions, that they have called this the Christ which they have made with their own hands; they have made Christ's and prayed to them, and all their Religion hath been putting together Crosses, Crucifixes, Forms and Liturgies which they have made with their own hands.  
Here is Christianity in an empty profession, but where is the Soul of it? I would inquire for the life of it, I would see Christianity living in love to God above all, and loving our Neighbours as ourselves; When this Christianity comes, there will be no kill one another, nor persecuting one another, nor fulfilling the Lusts of the Flesh, nor pleading for it neither.  
Blessed be God, that our eyes have seen the Witnesses-raised, and life from Heaven come into them; and now Religion gins to have a Life and a Soul, and shows itself in a little remnant; there is a people raised by God that feel life in their Worship, in their Families, in their Conversations, and in their behaviour towards Relations, they do what they do as to God; many Lads and Lasses, Men-Servants, and Women Servants, they do their Work and Service not barely to please their Master and Mistress, but to please God: the life they live is by the Faith of the Son of God; they live as becomes the Members of his Body; Husbands love their Wives not simply because they are their Wives as the Men of the World do, but they do it upon the account of inward Religion, and of the Divine Fellowship and Communion they have in Christ Jesus. Husband's should love their Wives as Christ loved his Church and laid down his Life for it; so a Man should love his Wife, and be tender over her, and Minister to her.  
The Life of Christianity hath taught us to behave ourselves so as God may have Glory, and Christianity be restored to its ancient Lustre and Beauty that it had in former days.  
But some will say, do as well as you can, Men will never love you; if you have the Soul of Christianity you shall be reviled and scandalised: Men will make works against you, and strew Papers against you, and set the Magistrates against you; live as well as you can they will follow you, and disturb you.  
That is more than you know; if a Man once come to feel the life of Christianity working in him, and the power of it keeping him from doing evil and wishing evil to his Enemies, and disposing his mind to a frame of praying for them, inclining him to pity them; if a Man come to this state, he is at peace in himself, and enjoys tranquillity of mind; he looks up to the Mediator Christ Jesus, and feels an answer of peace in his own Soul, and is come to rest in himself.  
Now concerning Persecution, Hatred and Enmity between the Woman's Seed and the Serpentine Seed, and how long it will last; God whom we serve did say to the Devil in Paradise, I will put enmity between thee and the Woman, and between thy seed and her seed, it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. So that it is not to be expected that the Seed of the Serpent, that those that are born of that seed can love those that are born of the Woman's Seed; it is possible that those that are born of the Seed of the Serpent should be translated and brought out of that corrupt state, but it is impossible that those that are born of the Flesh, should love those that are born of the Spirit, while they continue in their unregenerate State, but will persecute them: it is like a natural instinct as for water to run downward, and fire to fly upward; were not all Men and Women born Children of wrath, and naturally Enemies in their minds to Christ Jesus? And did he die and suffer for them all? so that the very nature of the thing is the very reason why Christ died to Redeem those that were his Enemies to be his Friends.  
Suppose I or any other to be a Member of Christ, and Men do persecute me and revile me, and hate me, should I not love them, and do good unto them; when I see one infinitely better than either you or I, do it for us? when we were Enemies, Christ hath sent his Spirit into our Hearts that we might become Friends of him, and of him that sent him; this is the effect of the Righteousness of Christ, and of his innocence, that Enemies may become Friends; thus have many been brought to a Friendship of Truth that were Enemies of it; if we could not suffer for the Testimony we have received of God, what were it worth? but seeing God hath not only given us to believe, but to suffer for his Name, many have been turned by this means from darkness to light, and many more will; the light breaks forth apace, notwithstanding there hath been so much ado to stop it.  
It hath been the design of many Learned Men of this Nation, how shall we stop these men's mouths that preach the Doctrine of Truth in the inward parts, the Light within, and Christ within them? I will not repeat the many Laws that have been made against them that will not Preach Lies, but the power of Christ and his truth, now what will you do? You cannot lay hands on them as you used to do; no, but we will reproach them with the tongue, we will render them odious to the Government, as persons that will over-turn Church and State, and that preach false Doctrine; and when all is done, and they have said their worst, People will still believe that Sin and Wickedness is hateful to God, that God takes no delight in Sin, and that the Devil will lead us to Sin; he that keeps most from Sin, keeps most out of the Devils Clutches, and he that lives most Holy, is most like to God.  
These things we will Preach, and we will go on in this Testimony, that the best way that men can take is to break off their Sins by Repentance, and turn to God their Maker with their whole hearts, and that they will look to their ways, and search and try and examine their hearts, and if they see evil to keep out of it; this is such a thing as there is no withstanding of it, it will go through this Nation, and all the Nations of the Earth.  
What if a Company of People should combine together, and say, we will not have the Sun to shine upon the City of London, what course must we take? when the Sun is down we will build a Bank or high Wall to intercept its Light; but notwithstanding all their endeavours, when the Sun riseth it will get over all their high Banks and Walls; so all the Designs and all the Contrivances against the Light of the Gospel, and against Christ the Sun of Righteousness, and against the Spirit of Christ, the Light will ascend and get over the heads of them all; and it will confound them, and break through all opposition.  
I Exhort you all (my Friends) that laying aside all Doctrines and Tenants, and Controversies among Christians, to come to this simple Thesis and Position; it is no matter what I profess of Religion if my Life be not answerable to it, if there be not a love to God, and my Neighbour, and to mine own Soul; there is no Life nor Power in my profession of Religion: I will rest satisfied in the measure of Knowledge that God hath given me; I must not do to my Neighbour what I would not have my Neighbour do to me; I must be upright and sincere towards God; God will not accept of any Worship from me, when I am unclean in Body and in Mind too; we must see that we be Purified, for God will not accept of an Offering from an unclean heart; you cannot bring a clean thing out of an unclean, saith our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Preacher of Truth and Righteousness; I must first make the Tree good before the Fruit will be so; you, and I are these Trees, till we have something good in ourselves, 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 yourselves, 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 scandalised as if we Preached up Error 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 tro●ble my Conscience, because when the Devil mo●●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 secure 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 stir 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 Veiled 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 Tranquillity and Peace, and that Inward Joy which they believe others do enjoy ●t the same time; and which they might have enjoyed if they had abode steadfast 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 dependence upon him; and cry in their Souls, Lord, unless thou establish me, I shall never be established.  
The confirming power that stays 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 long and breathe 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 th● 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 Breathe & 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 Veil 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 mere 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 God's people, and how they are born up in all their Trials by an inward and divine Power, and how they are always kept alive to God, and preserved in his living presence; but this doth not bear them up in a time of Trial, but if a Trial or an Affliction comes they sink under it, and they are filled with anguish and perplexity, so that the word barely heard spoken, and heard, and not rooted in the mind, doth not minister to the work; the words spoken do not carry that kind of operation upon them as to witness an inward work wrought upon them.  
But where there is an effectual work and operation in the Soul, it continues in its labour and travel from Death to Life. And as those Heavenly things, those Divine operations of God's Power are spoken of, there is an Amen in your Souls, saying as far as you have traveled; thus hath God dealt with me, he hath indeed by his power carried some beyond my State and Condition, and my Faith is hereby strengthened, and my Hope is confirmed: he that hath begun a good work so graciously in my Soul, will carry on his own work, and bring me to higher attainments and further experiences that some of his Servants bear witness of.  
So that now being exercised, the work goes on, and the pleasure of the Lord prospereth in Christians, that when they meet together in the name of the Lord, they know for themselves that the Lord is present with them, they know what the word of the Lord is unto them; if they hear the word preached to another State and Condition then what is their State and Condition, yet they abide in and keep that which makes manifest to them their own State: and this suffers not the Soul to be carried away with the word, and sight and vision of a higher state than their Faith can witness to; and they keep low, and humble, and tender, and have a care of their own Souls; as the Apostle when he was come to glorious and high attainments in the work of the Lord, yet he would not glory of any thing, but what the grace of God wrought in him: We do not boast of things that are not wrought it us.  
It is possible for the Creature to gather in, and comprehend the form of things, that they have not the work of in them; and a great many have done so to their great damage, and some (it is to be feared) to their utter ruin. They have comprehended high things, and the notions of great attainments, they have heard them declared and spoken of thus, and so, and some have in their speculations declared to others their Conceptions about those things, yet those things were never wrought in them: they could Preach of humiliation when the root of Pride was not removed: they could Preach of Regeneration and the Old Man not put off, and the New Man Created in Righteousness not put on. All this kind of Preaching hath been in the World, and is still too much in World, but it hath not produced and brought forth any profit and advantage to the Soul, either to Preacher or Hearer; for it hath not been accompanied with a Divine and Heavenly Blessing, but the true Ministry Ordained of God brings forth a work of Holiness and Righteousness in the Soul.  
And therefore every one that God hath thus reached, and hath opened your understandings, and hath made you capable of comprehending and of understanding Divine Things, take heed lest by the subtlety of Satan and the wiles of your great Enemy, you be at any time lifted up, and exalted in your Minds in the notion of the things that you have not attained; not that you should not so understand the things of God that God openeth to you, as they are many times opened to the Creature, before the work of them is in the heart of the Creature: and why so? Why are they opened to me? It is for thy encouragement that if thou dost hold on, and be steadfast in waiting upon the Lord, these things God hath in store for thee.  
Now the Creature waits, and saith, though I have not attained such things as I have seen, yet the very sight of them encourageth me to wait upon the Lord, that I may experience the witness of them in myself: there are many that have had some taste of great joy, and apprehensions of Heavenly things which they have not attained, but they know what they are waiting upon God for; not that they may have a little joy which passeth through them, but come to have that joy and tranquillity which will accompany them in all their Do, and their whole Conversation. God hath opened many things to you, and you have seen the way of Righteousness which he hath cast up for you: and many have taken straight steps to themselves, till they have attained to sa●, Now my Salvation is nearer than when I at first believed. Let such go on and follow that Guide by which they have been directed, and they shall at last attain to a further State, not only to know that their Salvation is now nearer, than when they at first believed, but that they may come through the Divine Spirit of Grace that they followed, and so closely cleaved to, as their blessed Guide in their way, to have an entrance administered to them abundantly into the Salvation of God, whereby they may sit down in the Kingdom of God with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and have a Wall about them which is the Salvation of God.  
Here is a great encouragement for Sinners, and Upright ones to follow on to know the Lord, and then they are sure they shall know him, for they shall behold his Glory, and their Souls shall be satisfied, for nothing else will satisfy them.  
People may have great openings and great discoveries of things, and may have delight and joy in the opening of things, as it was with the Disciples, when Christ our Lord Conversed with them in the Flesh. he opened many things to them, and they had great J●y and Comfort in those things which he opened to them, yet there was something wanting to suffice them, John 14.8. Philip said unto Christ, Lord show us the Father and it sufficeth us: there was something further to be discovered and revealed, so that they could not find their Souls to be satisfied and sufficed, till they had it. Christ gave them such an Answer as relates to that Administration that we are now under; he that hath seen the Son, hath seen the Father. Now they had seen Christ daily, and conversed with him, and had eat and drank with him in that fleshly and bodily appearance wherein he Conversed with them; but they had not a sight of the Eternal Son of God in a Spiritual manner as he was the Son of God, and their Saviour, so they had not seen him. And he that had seen Christ in a Spiritual manner, he had seen the Father also.  
So it is with us in our day, we have in our Profession the Teachings of this and that Man: we have Conversed with Christ, as it were, as to his Fleshly Appearance: we have read the History of his Birth, and of 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 ●●●ching of him, that can lead him to the Father: none but Christ can do tha●, lead them to the Father, and show 〈◊〉 the Father, and he hath in our day reveal●● 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 own 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 mayst 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 ourselves 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 ourselves, 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 itself? 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 itself. 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 acceptable 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 Tranquillity, 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 Denial: 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 withal, 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 do those things that are good and profitable, and to avoid those things that are reprovable. If thou wouldst 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 reprovable, otherwise thou wilt be under Condemnation in thine own bosom.  
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, ●nd steadfastness 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 itself, 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 withal: that thou receivest in this promise must not be of the same sort and kind with those things ●hou didst part withal; but when thou hast parted with all for Christ's 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 yourselves 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 Judgement of God; thou shalt receive an hundred fold, that which is an hundred fold better. Those that part with the things that are reprovable, 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 Tranquillity 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 Yoke 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 taste 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. Prise 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, Prophesying 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 inquire how it comes to pass that such and such are established, and not so subject to fear, and horror, 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 Conversation in the World: when you and your Children and Servants are governed by the grace of God in all you undertake, than 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, than there is instability upon the Soul; take away that thing, and it brings disturbance upon you. Hast thou any Object that thy mind is set upon? Thou wilt be much disturbed 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 thyself from all visible sensible things, that God might have thy heart and thy chief Love. If he had been thy God, nothing could disquiet thee, when separated from thee: If ye will have other Gods besides him, you will lose your Gods, when they are taken from you, and you will be like Micah, and say, ye have taken away my Gods, and what have I more? (Judg. 18.24.) The reason of your discomposure, and anguish, and sorrow, was this; when you had some other Gods besides the Lord, and your hearts did cleave to some temporary thing, and that when the Trial comes, that thou must part with it, thou canst not bear it.  
If you would live a Serene Life, a Life of Tranquillity, set your minds upon nothing but upon the Lord, let him be the object of your Souls love, live in the light of his Countenance, and you may always rejoice: Consider, as for Temporals you hold them of the Lord, God gives you this Husband, that Wife, that Child, that Estate, God hath entrusted you with it; but not so, but he that hath it must part with it, and be bereft of it when God pleaseth. Now, if you give up your hearts to God, here will be your establishment and settlement, and you will have an an abundant entrance into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And would we seek to know and feel wherein the Communion of the Saints stands; doth it not stand in partaking together of the Bread of Life, which our Father giveth us from Heaven? The Father spreads a Table for us in the sight of our Enemies, and we are satisfied. They that come to partake of this Table of the Lord, find strength and refreshment, so do I, and also my Brethren and Sisters that sit at the same Table. We are daily confirmed and strengthened by what we receive from God, and enjoy there; here is our Heavenly Fellowship and Society; and where this is the root of Love, Love cannot be wanting in the branches. There must be a departing from the Bread of Life, before there can be any jarring and contention among the Members of the same body, for we receive Life from the same Head from which all the Body by joints and bands, having Nourishment ministered and knit together, increase with the increase of God, and are built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the Chief Cornerstone, in whom all the Building fitly framed together, groweth unto a Holy Temple in the Lord.  
Now that you may be all preserved in Christ, this is the end of our Labour, that so every one that hath begun in the Spirit, may go on in the Spirit, and never look for perfection in the Flesh. That you that have begun in humility, tenderness, and brokenness of heart, may in that meet together at times and seasons, and have daily the presence of God among you, and have that Bread of Life, which will nourish you to Life Everlasting, and that you may show forth to the World the Glory, Brightness, and Excellency of that Holy Life, which in Christ Jesus is manifested to you.   

Sermon IU. Pure and Spiritual Worship. Preached at Devonshire-House, Novemb. 12. 1690.  
THE Worship of God, of the Great God is Pure; he is a Holy God, Of Purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity: and all they who will Worship God, whose Souls are breathing to have the return of a Testimony in his sight, must offer Pure Worship, and it must come from that which is Pure. For that purpose the greatness of the Love of God is made manifest in Christ Jesus; and there is a diffusing of his Grace and Virtue in the Hearts of the Sons and Daughters of Men, whereby he hath laid a Foundation for his own Worship; because his Worship must be Pure. Therefore he hath freely given unto us through his Son, the knowledge of that Pure Principle of Life and Grace, from whence and out of which all true Worship doth Spring, and all true honour to God ariseth, and real obedience to his Holy Will springs forth out of that which is from himself.  
And therefore all that will be Worshippers of God aright, must first know and be sensible wherein the ability and capacity stands, that may enable them to so great and so good a work. Some have conceived it to stand in their own Will, and according to the working of their own Will they have framed Worships, Religions, and Observations; thinking thereby to please God: But you know the Apostle in a few short words lays down a positive Christian Doctrine, Without Faith it is impossible to please God.  
Now this doth declare and signify that there must be something upon which this Faith must work, that must be the Object and Foundation of it: Faith as it worketh in the Creature, worketh upon something: It lays hold upon something in which there is a capacity of pleasing God. Now if we are all by Nature Children of Wrath, and that no one of himself can please God, then there must be something that is Supernatural that must be the Object of that Faith by which men alone can please God; and this must be made manifest to the Creature for its help, for to be its director and supporter in that work that is too mighty for himself, too great a work for a Man or Woman, too deep, too profound for any Man's Abilities, Power, Wisdom and Acquirements that he can attain to in this World to Worship God aright: To Worship God, that is, to perform a Pure Worship to a Pure God: Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Now if we are all obliged to bring a clean Worship, a pure Worship to a Pure and Holy God who hath Created us and all things; where shall we have it? Not out of an unclean Heart, not out of a defiled Mind; there is no bringing of it forth from thence, for that is the state and condition that men are fallen into by Sin; in which their minds and Consciences are defiled, their Hearts are polluted, and their Affections depraved and set upon wrong Objects; and in this state none can serve God aright. That which is Pure and Holy must be first made known, revealed, discovered and believed before People can perform a Right Worship to God.  
And therefore in vain is it to go and drive People to this and that Worship, and force People to this and that Service and Conformity upon the account of the Worship of God. This is vain Worship, when they have done all it is not acceptable to God; the poor Creature hath no Return from the Lord, for God accepts no Service or Worship, but only through his Son. And if so be men cannot Pray and Preach in the Spirit of his Son, and cannot present their Complaints and Supplications to God, but by the assistance and help of his blessed Spirit, there is no reason in Religion why People should expect a return and answer from God of the Prayers they make. For it is the General Doctrine of Christendom that Christ Jesus is appointed of God for a Mediator 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 God's 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 Mediator, through whom alone we can justly expect acceptance at God's 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 ascension; 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, than 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 signify 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 shortened: 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 itself maketh intercession for us with groan 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, than 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 privilege 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 enlightened every Man, and this Light comes by Christ the Mediator, this Mediator 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 out of evil, he will teach thee to cease to do evil, and speak evil: This Light will lead thee to nothing that will dishonour God, or defile thy own Soul. But this is not all, we must not only cease to do evil, but we must be doing something; there must be a breaking off from Pride, Foolish Jesting, Evil Communication, but this is not all that he will lead me to; let us learn that lesson, cease to do Evil. This Doctrine was Preached before Christianity was Preached, as it is now Preached, the Prophets of old Preached this Doctrine to the Jews that were under an outward Administration, cease to do evil, and learn to do well, than I will plead with you, and discourse with you, saith the Lord; C●me now let us reason together, saith the Lord, though your sins be as Scarlet, they shall be as white as Snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.  
This is the first Lesson that a true Christian learns in his turning to God, in his change and translation, to cease from that which is evil: here is a Cessation of Rebellion, and here is some hopes of being reconciled to God; a man hath been a Rebel against his Maker, but he hath now received help to resist those Temptations that prevail over him: but there is no worshipping yet, there is a forward mind in men to do something that is pleasing to God, but there are som● that are not troubled at all for their evil ways, and dread not God's anger, but make a mock at sin, that draw others to it, and make themselves merry in it: but there is a sort so far touched with a Divine sense of God's Love to them, that they have also a sense of his anger and indignation, because of their Sin; and they would fain be out of his anger, and who can blame them? When a Man feels the anger of God burning like fire in his bosom, who can blame that Man if he desires peace with God? if he be under a sense of the displeasure and indignation of the Almighty, he must not hast too soon out of that Condition he is brought into; for this is God's purpose, and this is the fruit of all his troubles and afflictions, to take away Sin: God had no other end or design in the affliction that came upon him, than to take away Sin; when God hath brought a People into a distressed and dejected State for their Sin, the fruit that God expects is the taking away of their Sin, and he will hid Pride from them, and humble them before him; if this be the purpose of God that he intends to purge and purify his People, then saith the poor Creature, if God design to purify me from Sin, than I will pray to God to support me, and bear me up under his indignation: that is the cry of the Soul that he may not be brought too soon from under ●he judgement of God, but that he may be supported and hid in the hollow of God's hand until the time of remission and refreshing comes, that he may behold the light of God's Countenance.  
Here is encouragement for every one that ●s acquainted with this Divine Principle of Grace, that will be led by it, and follow it so far, as to be led out of evil; then they will be fitted to do something in the work of God; every sigh and groan that thou hast, ●he assistance of the Spirit of God to help ●hee in, is part of Worship; all thy brokenness of heart is part of worship; hereby ●hou acknowledgest the great God, that he is ●ble to help thee on in thy way, and to pardon thy iniquity, and blot out thy transgression, and give thee all those Heavenly blessings that thy Soul doth stand in need of: ●hen thy Soul will bow down to God in acts of holy Worship, and say, with an humble confidence and expectation, God will do all those things in me and for me that will promote my Salvation. It is nothing in Religion for People to go from Praying and Preaching to Sinning, but God must have a Holy Sacrifice, and that must come out of a pure heart; now when a Man is brought by the help of God, and by the Divine assistance of the Mediator Jesus Christ, to break off from his Sin, than he stands fair to become a Child of God, and to be a Servant of God, and to do something for God in his generation, and to offer to God Praise and Thanksgiving, and to perform all other Duties that God shall lead him into.  
But some will say, what, must we do any thing? I have deeply weighed that Question, what a poor Man or Woman must do, that is come out of bondage? there is a propensity in People to be doing, they would fain do something, they would be doing, they say, what shall I do? If I do something that pleaseth not God, I had better let it alone, and I can do nothing acceptable to God without Divine assistance: such a one that sees his own impotency and inability will cast his care upon God, and will say, the Lord is able to lead me and guide me, I am ready to do thy will, O God, make it clear to me that this is thy will, and that this is that which thou requirest, I am ready to do it, though it be cross to mine own will; he is ready to go on in God's way, in the way of Christianity; such an one that hath the true knowledge of Christ, if he speaks, the Spirit of Christ speaks in him, if he prays, it is through the assistance of the Spirit of Christ, through whom God alone is appeased and reconciled, and through whom they may receive a blessing from God's hand: but for Men to run on in their own wills, and to do a thing because they will do it, they had better sit still; this doing in their own wills hath filled the World with a sort of Christians that want acceptance with God, which is to be had alone through the Lord Jesus Christ, and the want of the Guidance of God's Holy Spirit is the misery and downfall of Christianity in our days.  
Therefore it is our Work and business to build upon that foundation which God hath laid; no Worship is pleasing to God but that which ariseth from that Spring that is pure and holy; if I cannot find that which will keep me from all Pollution and defilement, if I cannot find that, I must stay till I can; for to begin a Worship and a Religion without that which I know is acceptable to God, it is but lost labour, & time spent in vain.  
Therefore, Friends, let every one that desires to be Religious, turn their mind inward, wait for the gift of God which is essentially pure, that never did consent to evil, that never mixed with the corruption of Nature, but bears witness to the Light, that will guide you, and lead you, and conduct you, first out of Sin; than it will lead you into that Worship and Religion, and the performance of those things that are pleasing to God. They that are come thus to Worship, they do not only know what the Lord requires of them, and when he requires it of them, but they are given up into the hands of God; they Pray, Preach, Exhort, and Live according to the will of God.  
It is hard for People in a Carnal state to believe this, but you that are Believers, that are come to know the gift of God in yourselves, and the necessity of being ruled by him; you will believe us, for none else will believe us; let us Preach to as many People and Nations as we will, none will receive us as true Ministers, but those that have the truth in their own hearts; if there be any that despiseth the Grace of God in his own heart, he hates that which chides and reproves him; if there be such a Man, he will hate me because I am a Minister and a Witness of the Grace of God, and of that truth in the inward parts which is the ground and foundation that a Man hath of acceptance with God. A Wicked Carnal Wretch will say, I hate such a one, I hate the Light, that which checks me, and witnesseth against me; thou art such a one as bearest witness against me, therefore I hate thee: It is very true, it cannot be otherwise: now our desire and labour is, that Men may come to the love of the truth in themselves.  
You know there are a great many other Ministers, whose Labour is to persuade People to believe what they say; to lay down a Doctrine and prove it by Scripture and Reason, and set it home upon their Minds by such testimony as the Scripture affords, and hereupon they prevail upon the minds and judgements of People to believe what they lay down.  
It is easy to lay down a Position and prove it, and convince People that it must be according to Scripture; but when a Person is convinced of a Principle of Truth, he is not Regenerate thereby, and come to God; therefore though he cannot deny the Doctrine of Truth in words, yet he can deny it in works, and doth not rightly come to love it. If People would believe what we say, and observe what Arguments we bring for proving a Position, they may be convinced of the Doctrine of Truth, and come to a profession of it, and yet be strangers to it, till they come to love it in themselves; if it were not for this we would leave Preaching, if God had not given a measure and manifestation of the Spirit to every Man to profit withal: you have it in yourselves, we are but as Monitors to you to put you in mind of it; you have so much business in the World that you have not had leisure to take notice of it.  
A Man may have a Rich Jewel and be Poor notwithstanding, till he come to know the value of it.  
A Man hath a Rich and Precious Jewel, a Pearl bestowed upon him that would make him Rich in Faith and Love to God, and qualify him for the Kingdom of God, and make him an Heir of it, but he knows not nor understands the value of it, and esteems it not, therefore God hath raised up Ministers to put you in mind of it, that you may be happy for ever, and live in Blessedness to all Eternity; whoever hath an ear to hear let him hear, and when they hear what we say, let them take the benefit of it to their own Souls. We bring not truth to you, but God hath bestowed it upon you; you will be Rich indeed, if you do as a Man that bought a Field where the Precious Pearl was, and digged till he found it. Come to the foundation upon which you should build all your hopes of happiness, and depend not upon your own Works or Religious Performances for acceptance with God, for there is no acceptance with God but only through Christ, we are only accepted of God through him; those that will become Christians indeed, and worship God as he hath ordained and appointed himself to be worshipped; they must come to the Principle of Light and Grace in their own hearts, which they have in, and through Christ, and then they will find acceptance with God.   

Sermon V The Divine Life of Christ Jesus. Preached in Grace-Church-Street, March 16. 1691.  
THE Blessed Life of Christ is not of this World, and it ought to be your care in all your Religious Assemblies, that you be gathered into the inward feeling sense of this Divine Life; that you may feel your Fellowship and Communion in that Life of Christ, that is not of this World. And may all of you lay hold upon it, for this is the Nourishment and the Heavenly Bread with which the Children of the Kingdom are fed and nourished from day to day; there are many that feed upon words, that are not the Children of the Kingdom of God, but the begotten of God are come to know the virtue of the Divine Life of Christ Jesus, their feeding and their nourishment is by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, and they grow up to Life Eternal by that Divine and Heavenly Gift, that God the Father hath bestowed upon them, through his Son Jesus Christ; and they enjoy the Communion of Saints through this Divine Head of the Church that Communicates of his Life and Virtue through every Member, by which they are Sanctified, and every day more and more prepared for that Living and Eternal Inheritance, prepared for the Children of God.  
And where there are a People that are thus gathered into the Life of the Lord Jesus Christ, they are able to draw nigh to God, they feel the Power of Entrance, because their Sin is removed that did formerly lie at the door, and the way is opened and consecrated for them to draw nigh and partake of the Table of the Lord; by which they grow stronger and stronger in his Might and Power, and are thereby enabled to perform the whole will of God, and that Divine Worship and Religious Service, which God requireth at their hands in their day.  
For it is very certain, and we have found it by experience, the words of our Lord to his Disciples of old, without me (saith he) ye can do nothing. For though People may meet together, and may pretend and set up a Form of Worship and of Religion in their own will, yet it all amounts to nothing with respect to acceptance with the Lord; there is no return in their Souls, no addition of Life, nor increase and growth of Life; they are not nearer the Kingdom than when they first believed, but many times further off, by leaning upon a formality, and not really entering into the work of God, nor travelling out of Death into Life, for there must be Path, and a travelling in it; the Soul must have an exercise through the Power and Life of Jesus for the overcoming of Death, that did separate from God, and a preparing for Life, that Life that unites us to God again; and when People are in earnest in this travel, they are really resigned up to the government, direction, and leading of him that is gone before, that hath made a way for us, and will further our Progerss towards the Kingdom of God.  
And therefore, my Friends, you know the way, and know how the Power hath reached to you, and hath opened your understandings that you may be faithful to that power in your own Souls, and may have the true use and improvement of this, and all other such Metting as this; for the gathering of your Minds out of all visible and changeable Objects, unto that Life which God hath revealed, that so in the exercise of it, you may hold your fellowship with God, and with one another; here is the bond of Perfection, here is that in which God hath Created Peace and Rest, and Joy for his People, so far as every one is Partaker of this innocent Life, and feels himself changed into it, they are gathered into the Church, and they are gathered into fellowship with the head of it, and are comforted in their Membership, in their partaking together.  
Though I be but a little one, yet I partake of the same virtue which the Lord ad-administreth to the greatest Saints, while I am waiting upon him, and of the same Divine Consolation, and Operation, and Power that weaneth me more and more from the World, and that which is corruptible, and raiseth up in me daily more and more fervent desires after that Bread which perisheth not.  
Now herein Men and Women have an evidence of that Christianity in themselves, the Spirit of God bearing Record and Witness to their Spirits, which all the lose Professors of Christianity in the World are strangers to, their evidence in themselves, being against them; they seek to have evidence without them, and to gather up some kind of marks and tokens, and say, and sentences from without, to make them believe that they are in Covenant with God, and that they are in a state of Salvation by Christ; but he that ttuly believeth, hath an evidence of his Christianity, and of his Reconciliation with God: and he hath this evidence in himself, a Divine Spiritual Testimony that answereth to his own Spirit that witnesseth to him, that he is one of the Children of God.  
And my Friends, to this you are called, whether you are come to it or no, it is this you are called to with a Heavenly call; that you might no longer live in the Rudiments of this World, to be seeking and looking here and there, for a ground of Peace and of Rest; a ground of Hope, but may know and feel the same thing, the same ground of Eternal hope that the Saints of old had, what is that? What reason did they give and render of their hope of Eternal glory? The Apostle tells you plainly the ground or reason of their hope of being glorified in the World to come, was Christ in them the hope of Glory? they witnessed that Christ gave his Life for the World. Take the Glorious Testimony that the Apostle did bear in one of his Epistles, saith he, the life was manifested in me; it was not covered up or hidden that People could not find it: God was pleased to bring it to Light by the Gospel: When a thing is brought to light you may see it. This he affirmed in his day, and the same is affirmed in our day. The Life is manifested, what Life? Not the Life of this World, but a Life not defiled, not polluted, but the Life that is of God, a Heavenly Life that is Holy and Pure; that Life is manifested; we have seen it, and we exhort all to lay hold of it, to lay hold of Eternal Life; some had a sight of it, that had not laid hold of it; they saw it in a Vision, and they might say possibly, Oh that I could live such a Life, that there were no sin in me, in my words, or thoughts, or actions, what a gracious Life would that be! They had seen that Life, they had tasted of it, but they did not lay hold of it, but let it go by them: take heed of that, when you have seen it with open eyes. Blessed are your eyes for they have seen, and your ears for they have heard, saith Christ to his Disciples. They saw that Life that was holy, harmless, and undefiled; lay hold on this Life, especially when you are thus assembled together in a solemn manner in the presence of the Lord waiting to behold it, and to see it more and more discovered to you, and labour to have that gathering Power that will bring you to it, that you may know the strength, ●hat comes by it to the Soul.  
There is none of you but you will meet with Temptations in this World, that will draw you into Death and Darkness, to things That are Carnal, and Sensual, and Devilish sometimes. How shall I stand if I be not centred in that Life, that was before the World began, and before the Devil was? If I labour to feel the influence of that Divine Power, this is able to keep me; my Faith tells me so: I know that Power is able to keep me, if I keep in the exercise of it. The trust of a true Believer is, that whatsoever Temptations and Trials they are exercised with; they know one already come In whom they have trusted, who is both able and willing to deliver them. So by this means he is kept harmless, and innocent, and blameless in his Life and Conversation. Thus you might be kept if you would regard, and have respect to the Life that is manifested in you.  
Whosoever comes to know, and feel, and witness in their Souls the discovery and revelation of the Life of Jesus; they know there is in it a certain Dominion over that which is contrary to it, and you have many of you had experience of the exercise of the Power of God in your own Hearts; that hath enabled you to reign over those things, that have formerly ruled over you: That you can now subdue vain thoughts, and evil desires, that you can withstand Temptations that come from without and from within. Now if you could do this, and if ever you have done it; you did it by that Power that God discovered and revealed in you from Jesus Christ: You had not such hold of this once before you believed, but by believing the word of God sent unto you; it being fixed by Faith in the Heart, That Faith which is the operation of God; You could then do that which you could not do before, and forbear that which you was led away by. These experiences which God hath given you should encourage you to hold on in your Labour and Travel, and engage you To grow in the Grace of God, and in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Whatsoever is propounded by men in the Profession of Religion, this aught to be our design and end in the discovery that is made to us of the Life of Christ; that we may grow in it, and live in it; (indeed there is great talking of it) but we should labour to show forth the Resurrection of that Life in us.  
They that come to be baptised for the Dead, baptised into the Death of Christ: The Apostle tells you, In that he died he died unto Sin. There are none baptised for the Dead, made partakers of the Death of Christ, but those that die unto Sin as he did. Though Christ had no Sin, yet he died unto Sin. What use did he make of this? That Christ knew no Sin, but yet did take our Sin upon him; He died unto Sin, that they which did partake of his Death, might be partakers of his Resurrection. He Liveth again, and after Death Riseth again.  
Those that partake of this Death unto Sin, are Crucified unto this World, and have taken up Christ's Cross, and are Dead to all the Pleasures and Delights of the World, which are withered away and come to nothing. What do they Live to now? To Righteousness, Holiness, Chastity, Temperance; these are pleasant to them, these come to live to Righteousness through the Power of him that loved them. This shows the Glory and the Power of the Grace of God: It is the Grace of God that worketh such a change in a Man or Woman. They that delight in Sin and Wickedness, in that which is corrupt and ungodly, they have no delight in this, no delight in Sobriety, Chastity, Holiness and Purity of mind. Where did it work such a change? In all that are freely given up to it: Where any one is given up to that Life, the grace of God hath the praise of it: This is the Exaltation and Praise of the Power of God; so that others may find by this, they may by it come to believe, and by believing to be saved.  
Thus the Gospel hath gone forth, from one to many, and from many to many more, and is increasing more and more; for Grace, Mercy and Peace are multiplied, by which the Heritage of God, and so every Man and Woman that partake of this Life, are gathered into their Fellowship.  
So that your end in coming to these Meetings, is not so much to hear what this, and ●hat, and the other Friend saith; but what you have in yourselves to witness to: The Divine Operations of the Power of God in your Souls, bringing down something that is to be brought down, and raising up something that is to be raised. Temptation to Sin hath more prevalency upon me, than it hath upon this, and that, and the other man. I am not come to their degree, yet it is better with me than it was at my first convincement: If thou dost say this to deceive others, Cry to God, and Pray earnestly that all that may be brought down which is contrary to his Grace. If thou say and profess this, if at the same time there is a deceitful Heart to strengthen that which is known by the Light of Christ, to be against the truth of God: How will this appear at the Great Day of God? The Eye of God is upon thy Hypocrisy, He that Never Slumbers nor Sleeps, he beholds thee; if there be any Sin that thou wouldst keep and save alive, if thou make a Profession, and notwithstanding sayest, this Sin I wil● keep: The Lord Pardon me in this thing 〈◊〉 Like Naaman the Servant of the King of Assyria who said to the Prophet, Thy Servant henceforth will neither Offer Burnt Offering, nor Sacrifice to other Gods, but unto th● Lord. In this the Lord pardon thy Servant, that when my Master goes into the House o● Rimmon to Worship there, and he leaneth 〈◊〉 my hand, and I bow myself in the House of Rimmon: When I bow myself in the House of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy Servant in this thing. He knew if he bowed not, the King would take notice of the alteration of his gesture, therefore he would bow in the House of Rimmon: That Sin he would save alive under a Profession: That Hypocrisy the Lord did abominate.  
Be upright in the sight of God, and be faithful to your own Souls; if it be so, than every Sin will be a burden, and you will long to be rid of it; if it be so, you know whose hand it is that hath brought you so far; if you be real and cordial, and give up yourselves to Jesus, That Work which he hath begun in you, he will finish for you. He will finish it for you, stand out with him in nothing; you give up yourselves to him, and join not with his Enemies; take heed of harkening to them, take heed of every Sin that will at last be a burden and oppressive to your Souls.  
But if you Live this Heavenly Life of Jesus, you will be set at liberty, to have Dominion over Sin, and stand without Gild before the Throne of God. Friends, let your Hearts be deeply affected with the great mercies that God hath bestowed upon you, and for giving you that Divine Life that Is acceptable in his sight.  
Many things have been done upon the account of Religion, and we could never be satisfied whether they were acceptable to God; we could not be satisfied whether we did any thing pleasing to God; we may say of them as the Apostle Paul of the Jewish Sacrifices, there remains a conscience of Sin, an accusing Conscience that tells us that Gild is not removed, nor the Sin taken away, till the Lord opens this Divine Mystery to us, that our Justification must be by Faith in Jesus, that nothing could reconcile us to God but the Life of Jesus, and the merit of his Death.  
This Life of Jesus was a holy, blameless, harmless, and innocent Life, which Life he gave for the World, which Life is the Light of Men; and our Souls being turned to this Life, we see the Glory and the Excellency of it, and desires are kindled in our hearts after it. Many have pursued and laboured and traveled, that they might come to the enjoyment of it: the very discovery of this Life ought to be highly prized, and your Souls affected with it, and when you have obtained it, you will say, O what a blessed Condition am I come into! that Christ hath manifested his Divine Power in me, not only in Reconciling me to God, but taking away the Conscience of Sin; by that also the Accuser is cast out, and I may now sing to God Songs of Deliverance. Now you taste of the Mercies that God hath bestowed upon you, this will affect your Souls with a Childlike submission and subjection to him, that hath begun to save and deliver you, that so you may resign up yourselves to his will, and forsake the World, and the things of it.  
Now when they come to such a Meeting as this, their minds may be retired, and they may be sensible of the Power of Truth upon their hearts, but for want of keeping their subjection to the Divine Power that hath opened their Understandings when they come into the World again, they are ensnared and entangled, and many times, for want of watchfulness, through a looseness of mind, and unruliness of their tongue, they run into anger and passion, and this grieves the Holy Spirit of God. And how should you come to God through the Mediator, when you grieve his Spirit, and quench the motions of it?  
These things have been hurtful to many, that for their time might have been Pillars in the House of God. Take heed of this, and let the goodness of God dwell upon your minds, that you may feel and experience the inward administrations of it; there are many that are much affected with the outward Ministry, and are very desirous to hear the Servants of God declare the things that God hath wrought for them, and in them, and the wonderful things that God hath opened to them; yet when you have heard all that Men can say about it, if the Divine Ministry of the word of God doth not make powerful impressions upon you, and sanctify and renew your Souls, the outward Ministry of the Word will do you no good.  
Now that you may be established in the truth that you have been taught, this Testimony ariseth in me, to desire every one to heed and attend to the manifestation of this Life of Jesus in yourselves. Whatsoever God hath bestowed upon me or another, you may perish for all that, and I am not the better for what God hath bestowed upon you, but may perish notwithstanding; but that God hath manifested Eternal Life to my Soul, let that be every one's Centre: this will make you holy and blameless, and preserve you in every State, and in the hour of Temptation, and in the midst of Snares; this will be a Bulwark to you; this will 〈◊〉 as the Walls of Zion, which is the Salvation of the Lord. That so you may be preserved sensible of the goodness of the Lord: That Grace, Mercy, and Peace may be multiplied in your bosoms; this will make you dear and affectionate one to another.  
Though there may be an external Fellowship among those that Preach and profess the same Doctrine, yet when they break off from that, when once Men depart from the power of truth, they grow stubborn and rebellious; but when Men come to be gathered into the inward Fellowship that stands not in terms and words, but in the Revelation of Christ, and in the Participation of his virtue and goodness; the more you are united in this, the more you are Knit one to another, and become one, and useful and helpful one to another.  
The Lord vouchsafe to every one of you a taste of his goodness, and you will prefer it above all that the Devil and his Instruments can present; but if you retire more into this Heavenly and Divine Life of Jesus, you will feel and enjoy more Peace and Satisfaction, and true Consolation in your Souls, than I, or any Man in the World can tell you of.   

Sermon VI The Kingdom of God within. Preached at Grace Church Street, July 26. 1691.  
YOU have read and heard much concerning the Day of the Lord, as a Great and Notable Day; many of you are now Living Witnesses that the Great and Notable Day of the Lord is coming, in which the Accomplishment of Great and Notable Things, the Mighty Works of God, which have been Prophesied of may be lawfully expected. It is the work of every Christian to wait upon the Lord in the light of this Day, and to be acquainted with the Works of the Lord, both inwardly and outwardly; for the Day of the Lord is a Day of Power, and that Power of God worketh wonderful things; and if we are not kept in the light of that Day, the Lord may work great things, and we not know ●t; we shall be looked upon as careless and negligent Witnesses of the Works of the Lord, as those that do not regard them. If you would be Faithful Witnesses, you must have regard to the Works of the Lord, ●nd the Operation of his hands. One that ●s minded to be a Faithful Witness, he will ●ake notice of what is said and done: you ●re called to be Witnesses of the Works of ●he Lord Jesus Christ, and of his do; ●ou must stand where you may hear, and see, ●nd understand what the Lord is about ●o do at this time.  
In your Testimony and Witness-bearing, ●he greatest thing we have to expect in this Day of the Lord, is, that God will set up ●he Kingdom of his Son Christ Jesus: and ●nto this all the Prophets did bear witness ●n their time, and now it is our turn to bear witness of it by sensible and living expe●iences of the accomplishment of those things ●hat they Prophesied of, that the Lord will ●et up the Kingdom of Christ, and bring ●own and lay waste the Kingdom of Anti●hrist. This our Saviour taught his Disciples ●o pray for Sixteen Hundred Years ago, that the Kingdom of God might come: and all the true Disciples of Christ ever since have prayed for the coming of his Kingdom, and many of them have seen the coming of it, and rejoiced; and others have died in the Faith of it, and have been gathered into the Kingdom of Heaven.  
But, my Friends, that which chief concerns us at this Day, is to behold the Kingdom of Christ, the Eternal Son of God within us, to go forward and prosper; and the Kingdom of Antichrist suppressed and destroyed, and utterly laid waist; and this is wrought two ways, 1. inwardly, 2. outwardly.  
First, inwardly, there is a greater inclination in the minds of People to look more at the operation of God's power in this great work outwardly, than to look at it inwardly, but unto that there must be a daily Cross taken up, and it is my business at this time to tell you in the Name of the Lord, that your Duty and mine is to turn our minds to the working of the Power of God in ourselves, and to see that other Kingdom of the Man of Sin weakened and brought down within us, and the Kingdom of the Son of God set up within us; then there is no fear but he will carry on his work outwardly, and we shall see as much of that work as belongs to our Generation: but the great Matter and chief Concernment of you and me, is to see the Kingdom of God set up within us, which stands in Holiness and Righteousness; our business is to wait till we see the Righteousness of this Kingdom set up within us in our Hearts and Souls, and to have a real change made.  
We all know, and we must confess, that we have been subject to the Man of Sin, whatsoever we are now. We have seen the Reign and Government, the Rage and Tyranny of the Wicked one that hath led us into Rebellion and Disobedience to the Lord our Maker; how do we like that Government to be Ruled by the 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 persuaded 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 entangled, 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, than 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, than 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, than 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 God's 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 ourselves whether we were willing in this day of God's 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 ourselves willing, and I am persuaded that every one of you would be glad to find yourselves 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 yourselves: Here lies your welfare, that you find yourselves 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 B●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 ourselves 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 thirst after; I would not have him embitter 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 Scriptures, the Scriptures of Truth; and have been acquainted with them so familiarly as with any Book in the World, wherein you find Articles drawn, long ago fixed and sealed, and no new ones are to be drawn. If any one will be my Disciple, John or Thomas, James or Peter, or whoever he be, he must take up his Daily Cross and Deny himself, and Fellow me. Now here is a contract made, therefore turn aside from all kind of Reasoning and Consulting with Flesh and Blood.  
If you will become Spiritual, and partake of Spiritual Blessings and Benefits; I would advise you to turn from all kind of reasonings that come from the Pit of Darkness, that hath thus far deceived you, and will ruin you for ever, if you harken to them: For assure yourselves new Gospel terms no man can make, and if any come to Preach new Gospel terms, count him a deceiver; for there is no possibility of being a Disciple of Christ, but by taking up a Cross Daily, and Denying ourselves and Following him as our Leader and Guide. To him I must go, and go in no other way, speak nothing, or do nothing but what is Holy and Pure; he must conduct me in my walking, guide me in my way, and justify me in it: This is to be a true Disciple of Christ.  
As soon as he comes to adhere and join to the Power of God revealed in his Soul, he sees the coming of the Kingdom of God: he sees it at a distance, he saith within himself, and makes this conclusion, I will follow my Captain. I will become subject to the Kingdom of Christ. If I obey this Divine Principle of the Grace of God and the Gospel of Christ, I shall be his Disciple. I read in his blessed Book, That as many as are led by the Spirit of God, are the Children of God. I am not to propose new terms, but to accept of the old terms of the Gospel of Christ; I see that the Kingdom of God is to be set up, and the Kingdom of the Devil to be brought down in me: If I followed this Divine Principle, I should never follow the Devil more; if he would have me Lie, I shall refuse and say I cannot do it; if he would have me run into vain and corrupt Communication and foolish jesting, that will be a bridle to me that I cannot do it.  
I speak now to persons that live under the Light of the Gospel of Christ, and that are subdued by his Grace; I would speak that which all the Logic in the World cannot overthrow, that which the most cunning Logician with all his Wit and Quirks cannot refute and prove erroneous: If a man be ●ed by the Spirit of God he cannot Lie; this ●s a common cure for all men, if I be led by ●he Spirit of Truth, and hearken to the Principle of Truth in my own Soul; this will cure and heal me of the wounds and maladies of my corrupt Nature, and set me at liberty from my old Master; I do not like his Service.  
I hope if any of you like the Servitude and Bondage of Sin and Satan, you will desire Liberty before you die. Why do not you desire it now? It may be thou thinkest ●o enjoy a little Liberty, and Reputation, and Pleasure in Sin for many years, for Six or Seven, Nine or Ten years, and then break off from it, and repent and turn to God; How dost thou know that thou hast ten days ●o live? It is of high concernment to every ●ne of us to wait for a discovery of Gospel Liberty, and an ability and power in his Soul to enable him to break off from the Servitude and Bondage of Sin and Satan that he hath so long lived under; and to wait upon God with Patience for the setting of his Soul at Liberty, and setting up the Kingdom of Christ within him, and pulling down the Kingdom of Satan, that he may be brought into the Kingdom of Christ; that consists in Peace and Righteousness and Joy in the Holy Ghost. These are the things that follow one another: when Righteousness is set up in me, I shall not be disturbed, I shall have Peace; and if I have Peace I shall have Joy, and this Joy is in the Holy Ghost; the Apostle saith the Kingdom of God consists in these things.  
Now that every one mighe be persuaded that God hath given a measure of his Grace to them, as well as to other folks: Let them consider and say within themselves, God hath not shut me out of the number of his People. He hath knocked at the Door of my Heart, to bring me to Repentance, he hath waited upon me so long, surely he hath a mind to save me: Would he call upon me, but that he intends I should repent and turn to him?  
But where is the Power, You will say, Knocking at the door of the Heart? and checks of Conscience we understand them, but we understand not where the Power is to be conformable to the Will of God.  
People will never understand it while they are in the Kingdom of Satan, and under the the Power of the Prince of Darkness; the Apostle tells us, That the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them that believe not; lest the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine into them. If men saw the Beauty of the Gospel they would run after it, and embrace it; therefore ●he Devil blinds their minds that they should not see the Beauty and Amiableness of the Gospel, and like the terms of it: He hath the Rule and Government of the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience. So long as I live in Subjection to that Devilish Hellish Power which leads me forth into Sin; I shall be a stranger to God's Power that would enable me to break off from it.  
You never read in Scripture of any that ever came to be saved by the Power of God, but there was Faith mixed with it, that came to join with that Power of God. Our Saviour said to the impotent man, Thy Faith hath made thee whole; thy Faith joining with that Power of God: We shall be made strong in the Lord, and in the Power of his might; and be able to withstand Temptations.  
As soon as the Soul of Man joins with the Grace of God, he doth forsake the service of his old Master and Governor: Sin shall no longer have Dominion over him; though he may meet with the same Temptation, i● shall not have the same power over him but he will be enabled by the grace of Go● to withstand it, and overcome it. If you ask such a Man, how it is that he overcome that Temptation that formerly prevailed over him; he will tell you▪ I have now an● Helper, I am now joined to the Grace o● God in my Soul, therefore do I withstand Temptations, and have power over them. Thus comes the Kingdom of Christ to be set up in the Soul, and this is that which will 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, ●hat they without us should not be made perfect.  
The Church of God from one Genera●ion to another have their measure and de●ree of service, and bear their proper. Testimony, and leave the rest to succeeding Gene●ations: it concerns us in our Generation to ●ee a change made inwardly in our Souls, and ●he Kingdom of Christ set up within us, and ●he Kingdom of Satan brought down in our ●elves. This doth not concern my Son or Grandson only, but it concerns me, and when they grow up to mature Age, in their ●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 ●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 joined 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; ●hat are Spiritual Travellers walking in ●hat undefiled Way, that leads to an undefiled Rest. There are some that by ●his Way are entered into Rest, that Rest ●hich God hath prepared for them. We cannot apply to ourselves that promise that 〈◊〉 made to us of entering into Rest, unless we ●e real and true Travellers in the Way that ●ads to it, for if we do, We deceive our ●wn Souls.  
Therefore you that have had a Sight and Vision of the Way Everlasting, that lead● unto a Holy Rest, you are Engaged People to make strait steps therein, and to have i● your daily Care, and make it your continual Business, to look that your Go and Footsteps are of the same nature and kin● that the Rest is that you desire to enter into For it is an undefiled Rest, that we all are or aught to be Travelling after; therefore every one of us must be undefiled in the Way and every Foot-step must be of the same kin● and nature, and separate from all that whic● defileth it and polluteth it; that so it ma● have a tendency to the bringing of the So● nearer to its Rest.  
This Holy Rest many Travellers have attained by this Holy Travel, and many a● still in hope to attain it.  
But now they that are full of hope of staining this Rest, but their Footsteps a● Go are not of the same nature and kind they are not holy and pure, they are not u● defiled: These have not their Faces tru● Sionward, though the Face of their Profusion may stand that way; but the Lo● looks at the Heart of every one, and 〈◊〉 knows which way the Heart stands; th● who have their Hearts truly turned to t● Lord, they have the mark of Holiness 〈◊〉 their Eye, and the mark of purity and righteousness in all their Undertake, 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 convinced 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 convinced 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 Egypt's Land, the Bondage of Corruption and our entering 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 dependence upon that which can help you in your Way.  
For I have seen too many that have had a wrong dependence, after they were rightly Convinced, 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 received▪ 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 mus● have. They have (as I may so say) forgotten what our Lord said, Without m● 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 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 purify 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 Footsteps had never slid from the ways of the Lord, than after they are fallen to be renewed again by Repentance. It hath caused sore Judgement 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 carelessness, 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 aught 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 tried 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 virtue 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 entire 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 burdens 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 testify 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 Transgressor's 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:  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 yourselves, and your Iniquity will be your Ruin. We that have given up ourselves to God for your sakes, and for the Church's 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 traveled 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 than itself; the Familiar Converse that the Soul must have with the Divine Power, with that manifestation of Divine Light and Grace, which through Jesus 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 virtue 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 i● 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 lays 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 World's 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 easy 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 Shopkeepers 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 ourselves unseemly and unbecoming our Holy Profession; for it is not in their Power, nor in the Devil's 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 Merchandise 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 coercion, we cannot be forced to Sin, the Devil can only lay a temptation before me; if thou wilt tell a lie, equivocate, dissemble, here is an advantage for thee, but the Devil with all his subtlety, power, and allurements, cannot say, thou shalt run into this Sin, and be overcome by this Temptation; for though of ourselves 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 agreed together, and they have run into the Snare. This is from the Old Confederacy that Men have with God's 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 shows 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 J●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 yourselves, 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 Virtue, 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 departed from a Principle of Grace, as soon as you defile your Consciences; you make Shipwreck 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 Forefathers, 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 men's 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 cried unto God that he would please to reveal hi● 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, than 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 judgement 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 judgement 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 judgement of their 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 ourselves 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 Errors 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 judgement upon: And they that are obedient to the Gospel of Christ, are capable of giving a sound judgement 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 judgement 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 judgement.  
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 uncerta●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 Country as well as other countries'; we shall not need to go into foreign parts to find People deceived and deluded. It will not be amiss to say, the Drunkard, the Swearer, and the Liar, 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 God's Grace and Gift to men while they are yet sinners and disobedient; he doth not withhold 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 reins, 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 ●●ig●●●own the Scale, but it is because thou joinest with it, otherwise the Devil, and all the Pours of Hell could not weigh it down; I● People 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 t● live in Sin, and Pleasure, and Jollity. I● thou wilt but join with this Divine Reaso● 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 join with the Divine Reason, and hearken to that which opens th● Truth in thy own Heart, all the Dev●● can do cannot make thee serve him, fo● the Devil hath no Coercion, no Power t● force thee to commit Sin; he cannot mak● a man to work wickedness against his Will He must first cloud the Understanding, an● work upon the Will, and allure and inti●● the Affections by Earthly things: So tho● canst not be forced by the Devil against thy will to yield to his Temptations, t● commit any Sin; but thou must say, I wi● do it.  
I confess when the understanding is bribed and the will alured and seduced by th● Devils Temptations, there is no withstanding them: But on the other hand, if me● would give up themselves to the Power o● God; they would have Divine assistance, an● joining with that Power; they should Be more than Conquerors. 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 Dependence 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 myself 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 of God and the Divine assistance vouchsafed unto me. In my Flesh dwells nothing that is good. But if you take me as one that hath Faith in Christ the Mediator, this Faith embraceth the tender of the Love of God in the Redeemer. And when I have this Faith, there dwells a good thing in me; and from this good thing that dwells in me, there flows forth good words and good actions; than you come to be acquainted with a Power greater than your own, and if you will trust in it you will be able to withstand Temptations: And when you are Tempted to any Sin, you will not be only able to withstand the Temptation, but to overcome it too; and to be more than Conquerors in your Spiritual Warfare. This relying upon, and trusting in the Power of God, is that which we call Faith; and this Faith is the Operation of God.  
To speak in plain words, God will operate upon thy mind and make thee know that this is his Power, his Light, and Truth, and Grace, by which he would save thee. And after God hath wrought and operated upon thee in this manner, it is thy Duty then to believe in it, to put thy Trust and Confidence in it to be delivered. But though Faith be offered unto me, yet it is not forced upon me; God hath offered Faith to all all men, but he doth not force it upon all men: All have an opportunity offered to them if they will but join with it; they may have Faith wrought in them, and be fitted and prepared for the Kingdom of God.  
There are many that are convinced of the Truth of the Doctrine that we Preach to them, but they do not get into the Power of Truth; they will hear us Preach of the Power of Truth, and will hear what this man saith, and what the other man saith; and this will serve their turn, that they may talk of Religion, and make a Profession: But they do not seek after that Power that should enable them, To work out their own Salvation. These persons grow in knowledge, but they do not grow in Grace; they will embrace Truth as far as Doctrines and Words will go; they have Professed it, and they have suffered Reproach for it, and yet they have not received the Truth in the Love of it; they cannot reach to the Power of it; they glory in their knowledge and their understanding, but they come not to that which sanctifies them, they are not able to resist the Devil, and to stand against his Temptations; when a Temptation comes they join with it, but they cannot withstand it: They come to the knowledge of Truth in Words, but they come not to the knowledge of the Power of it in their Hearts and Minds so as to make them prepared vessels for God's Honour; God is more dishonoured by them, than by those that never Professed his Name. They fall into the Temptation of the Devil, and never discern the Operation of God's Power in their own Hearts.  
2. There is another Error as great as this; there are a great many that when the Lords Power hath wrought in their Hearts, and they have Truth opened to them in the Power of it, yet they have not believed in it, they have not had Faith wrought in their Hearts, they have not trusted in, nor relied upon the Power; so they are weak and feeble; they have little Faith, which is next to none at all. If they have never so much knowledge, how easily can the Devil tempt them to Sin if they have not true Faith? This is the Victory, saith the Apostle that overcomes the World, even your Faith. This is not my Victory, that I see the Subtlety and Wiles of Satan, and know much; but that which is my Victory is my Faith: My trust is in the Power of God, and my reliance upon him who is God mightier than all the strength of Men and Devils; that God who knows my Heart. If I be faithful to him, and rely upon him by Faith, I shall resist the Devil and withstand his Temptations, I might get Victory over them.  
This Power you may have by the Gospel, but than you must be true to the Power of it in yourselves, for I do distinguish between the Gospel, as it is a Doctrine and Word Preached, and an Invisible Divine Power working upon Men by the Preaching of the Gospel; you will all hear the Gospel Preached, though you be never so proud and huffy, and you will say it is true, but you can never come to the saving knowledge of the Gospel itself, till you find it working inwardly upon yourselves.  
We do not pretend to any power of opening men's hearts, as God opened the heart of Lydia; but when People come to wait upon God with a serious and religious Mind, you will find the Power of the Word working effectually upon you, and so the Gospel will become the Power of God to your Salvation. This is and shall be my Prayer for all Religious Assemblies, that the Lord will be pleased to teach them by his invisible word, and beget living desires in them towards himself, and bring them to an esteem of Holiness and Righteousness, that they may adorn the Gospel of Christ, by living Gospel Lives; for want of this what dishonour have Men brought to God, and what reproach upon the Gospel? O that People would come to hear the word Preached with desires to profit by it, and say, Lord do me some good this day, give me a powerful refreshing Visitation at this time; give me some living experience of thy Almighty Power working upon my heart, that I may not be led by this Man's Word, and that Man's Opinion, for if they mistake, I shall be mistaken; but if I build my Faith upon what God in his word reveals to me, I shall infallibly know what I am to Believe and Practice, and I shall receive from God some good thing, and shall know what is the good and acceptable will of God; I shall find that there is Power in the Gospel for building me up in my most Holy Faith, and that it is Mighty through God for the pulling down of strong holds of Sin and Satan, and I shall see the Salvation of God brought near to me.  
When the Gospel becomes the Power of God, and worketh upon the Hearts of Men by the operation of the Divine Power, they may distinguish between that Faith that is built upon the Declarations of Men, and that which is wrought by the Revelation and discovery of the mind of God in their own Souls; this is that which we may bottom upon, and have an Anchor sure and steadfast in our own Souls; when we depend upon Christ the Rock of Ages, both of this Age, and all other Ages; my Faith must be placed upon him; and when I hear the word of a Man, I must have an eye to God, that will reveal his power in my heart; this will make me believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and to receive that engrafted word which is able to save my Soul. I shall not only hear the word, but live in obedience to it. What signifies it to make a Profession that I have the Light within, if I do not give obedience to it? for without that, it is all Hypocrisy, all Pretence to Holiness, Righteousness, Mortification, is but Hypocrisy any further than we find the power of Truth making an impression upon our Hearts and Minds, bringing us to the obedience of Faith.  
Let them therefore that profess Righteousness, live Righteously, and they that hear the Gospel, live in obedience to it, and those that profess to be Christians, let them live like Christians indeed: When every one comes to know within himself so far as the Gospel has shined upon him, that they have received the Truth in the Love of it, and love the Truth as it is in Jesus, and are obedient to the Gospel, they shall know the Salvation of it. There is a discovery of God's Power in the Gospel, and there is a believing of it, and a hoping in it; this is that which belongs to a Christian; this is the beginning, and the first step to a Christian Life; we must believe in Christ, for without Faith it is impossible to please God. He that believeth, should be careful to walk in the truth that he hath received, and then he shall have a Testimony of the Power and Virtue of it in his own Soul. This Virtue and Power, if he joins with it, hath the Government of his Heart and Life, and gives him Victory over the World, and the Temptations of Satan.  
You know in the Primitive Times, there were Believers that not only had Faith, but lived by Faith, and by that Faith they got Victory over all the allurements, and pleasure, and vanities of the World. I have fought a good fight, saith the Apostle, 2 Tim 4.7, 8. I have finished my Course, I have kept the Faith, henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that Day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. I have got the victory, and there remains an Eternal Weight of Glory for me.  
My Friends, this is our ambition, and all our Labour among you, that you may be built up in your most Holy Faith, that you may be brought home to Christ, in all your Meetings, and gatherings together; you should desire to be enriched with Faith, and to have your own Storehouse filled with all the Fruits of the Spirit, and not only seek for the knowledge of the truth, but be subject and obedient to what you know, otherwise by your Religion you will but hurt yourselves. And the Apostle Peter, 2 Pet. 1.12. speaks of knowing the Truth, and of being established in it, and of some that, after they had escaped the Pollutions of the World through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, and the latter end with them is worse than the beginning; for it had beed 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. There is a Power goes along with the Preaching of the Gospel, that will enable you to do what you know; the Gospel is a powerful Doctrine, whether you know it or not; or whether you submit to it or not, yet pray remember that God's People are a willing People in the day of his Power, they are a certain sort of People that are devoted to God, and submit all their Worldly Honours, Interests, Profits, and Pleasures to the pleasure of God, and desire no other pleasure or happiness but to enjoy his presence and favour; they are satisfied with this, and they are a happy People, being made a willing People in the day of God's Power; they are willing to deny themselves, to take up their daily Cross, & to follow Christ, & have Salvation upon his terms.  
There are a great many Professors that have notions, and outside appearances, but they want that Virtue, and Life, and power that should settle them in Religion, and a love of the Truth. The Lord that knows our Hearts, knows that our Labour and Travel among you hath been designed for your good, and that our hearts desire is, that you may be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus. We would have People consider, and attend and hear what God speaks, and remember what he hath taught you by the Ministers of the Gospel: We have all ears to hear, let us thank God for that, blessed be God that there is a power and an ability of hearing with an outward ear, but there are many that will not so much as give the hearing to what might from the Lord be spoken to them; He that hath ears to hear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches; and what he saith to his own Soul; hear what the Spirit saith of your own State and Condition; if it be good, bless God for it; are you in so good a Condition that you have no trouble, no distress to lament, no wants to supply, blessed are you that have none; but if you find you have done amiss, and if the Lord should call you this Night to give up your account, the Lord hath a great deal against you I am sure; and I tell you it is your duty to turn to the Lord with unfeigned Repentance, that through Christ Jesus you may receive Pardon and Remission of all your Sins, and so hear what the Spirit saith to yourselves, and in yourselves.  
Pray come and make it your work and business the rest of the time that you have to live, to work out your Salvation with fear and trembling, that when Christ comes, you may say, come Lord Jesus come quickly, purfie me, and sanctify me, and prepare me to be presented to the Father without spot, and blameless; the day is coming that this will be the desire of every one of you.  
And it is the earnest breathing and desire of my Soul, that every one of you may have an eye unto the Lord, and he will look down from Heaven, and have regard to the cry and the sighing of the Needy Soul. God will arise, and find out the People that breath after him, and that desire to be reconciled to him through the Mediator Christ Jesus; the Lord loveth to find out such a People, and I am glad to Preach to such a People the glad tidings of the Gospel, and to teach them, as God hath taught me, Good and Upright is the Lord, therefore will he teach and guide you in the way which you should go. Walk humbly with God, he will resist the Proud, but he will give Grace unto the humble. Walk uprightly before the Lord in this Gospel Day that shines upon you; love the appearance of God, and prise it, though it hath not been so Glorious to you, as to some others, yet despise not the Day of small things, live in subjection to that Grace that the Lord hath given you, and the Lord will give you more Grace, and pour out his Spirit, and multiply his Blessings upon you; the Lord hath begun a good work in you, and he will carry it on to the day of Christ, and will vouchsafe to bring the Glorious Day of his Visitation upon you.  
To the Lord I leave you, to his Favour and Protection I commit you, remember that there is no Salvation but by Jesus Christ, and none to be had by Christ, till you come to Believe in him; to him that searcheth the Heart, and tries the Reins, that pardoneth Iniquity, Transgression, and Sin, for the sake of Christ Jesus the Mediator, to him I do commit you, not doubting but that he that hath begun a good work in you, will at last complete and finish it to his own Praise and your Salvation.   

Sermon IX. The Excellency of Peace with God. Preached at Devonshire-House, August 5. 1691.  
My Friends,  
IT is Man's great happiness in this World to have Acquaintance with God, with the Lord that made him, from whom he hath Life and Breath here, and his Eternal welfare hereafter; this doubtless every one will acknowledge one time or other, that peace with God is a great Jewel, and the best Estate and Riches. It is the great desire of every one that they may attain this one time or other and there is a great neglect of happiness among the Sons and Daughters of Men, in not seeking of it, and not labouring to attain it while it is to be had, Oh! how many trifle away their time about fading and perishing Objects, and they know at the same instant that they are yet destitute of the favour of God, and of peace with him. Oh, Friends, the very thoughts and consideration of the worth of this Jewel, and of the misery of being without it, and of the uncertainty of our time while it is to be attained, might put every one upon a serious, diligent enquiry after the way and means whereby they might attain it, that so they might have a resting place for their Souls, and satisfaction to their inward Man, that it shall go well with them, when time shall be no more.  
And they that come to this Consideration, and are resolved in their hearts and minds that they will labour after this, and set their whole endeavour after i●, they will in the first place seek the Kingdom of God, and the Righteousness thereof: These do need a daily encouragement in their way to Heaven, and there is nothing on the Lords part wanting to such Souls, but that they may attain their desire.  
But, alas, this hath been, and is still the misery of thousands, they are seeking after peace with God, but they err in the way to it, they do not seek in that way, nor take hold of those Methods by and through which God hath promised Peace; you shall scarce meet with any body, but they would have Eternal Life and Peace with God; we shall not need to persuade People to wish for, and to desire to have Peace with God when they shall come to die, and lay down their heads in the dust. There is not a Balaam but he desires to die the Death of the Righteous, and that his last end may be like his. There is not a Scribe, or Pharisee, or any that profess Religion, but they are seeking after Eternal Life. The Lord Jesus did witness concerning them, that they were an envious, proud, persecuting People, yet that they did seek after Eternal Life, and they pitched upon some Methods and Ways whereby they thought to get and enjoy it, but all this was error still, they were out of the way of attaining it, and so are a great many people at this very day; they are in a State and Condition wherein they are never like to enjoy it; the Methods and the ways that they have chosen to themselves to find Eternal Life by, and to obtain peace with God, will never answer the end.  
And God hath been pleased to discover to us the many by ways that People have chosen and seek after peace with God by, therefore we are willing at all times to show People their error in these great matters of highest concernment to them. If they did err in their way of seeking to obtain some earthly good, and miss of their end, they know the price of it, it is but a loss of so much, which if they had taken a right course they might have attained; but it is an unspeakable loss, an inestimable loss, if they lose peace with God, and all the pains and labour they are at to obtain it.  
I beseech you, Friends, consider these things, they are of great weight, and you will say so one day or other; for, saith our Saviour, what will it profit a Man to gain the whole World, and lose his own Soul, or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul? O how sad is it to consider that a Man hath not made provision for his Soul, that he hath not a place of rest for his immortal Soul, and that the arms of the Lord Jesus Christ are not open to receive his Soul, when his Body can retain it no longer. If this be a Man's state when he comes to die, it had been better for him that he had never been born; Men may live, and gather Riches, and enjoy a plentiful Estate, but if they be destitute of the favour of God, and peace with him, what will they do with these perishing enjoyments? they cannot possibly satisfy themselves with these Transitory visible things, but if these persons only mind their Bodies, and neglect their Souls, do they not live like the Beasts that perish? The Beast seeks after his Meat, and when he finds it he eats it with delight and pleasure, and in a little while he lies down and dies, and there is an end; so it is with careless Souls, that have no regard to their future State; but they say, Let us eat and drink and be merry, for to morrow we shall die.  
Oh that every one of us here did apply our hearts seriously to the consideration of the weight of these things that concern our Eternal State; if persons did this, than they might come to an enquiry in their own Souls, what method and way is most safe for the attaining of so blessed an end. For you know there are abundance of People if you look up and down in the World, you will see every body almost hunting up and down in some way of Religion or other, and are engaged in Religious Performances what is the matter? what would you have? We would have peace with God here, and everlasting Rest hereafter in the Kingdom of Heaven, that we would have. Thus have the Nations been scattered and driven up and down in the pursuit of Happiness and Satisfaction.  
There is a general Belief amongst people, that there is a Heaven and a Hell, and that they must have their part in one of them; there are none that desire a Portion in the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone. Those Profane Wretches that cry to God to damn them, they do not mean what they speak, they would be saved for all that; every one will cry at last, Lord have mercy upon me, if he hath but time to say so: Let us cry Lord have mercy upon me now, Lord bestow thy Favour upon me Lord lift up the light of thy Countenance upon me, Lord touch my hard heart, and soften it, and break it by the power of thy Spirit; open mine eyes that I may see the wonderful things of thy Law; open mine ears that I may hear thy voice. It is good for People to make use of time while they have it, for whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, and God will pour out his wrath upon those that call not upon his Name. He that calls upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved, and God gives great encouragement to People to seek after him.  
What mean you by seeking after God? I have gone to Church, and said my Prayers, I have gone in that way which my Fathers have lead me, and directed me, I hope I shall find mercy at last; I am a Believer, I believe in Jesus Christ that died for my Sins, and rose again for my Justification; I hope through the merits of Jesus Christ I shall be saved. What mean you by seeking after the Lord? Do not we all hear of him, and pray to him every day?  
Is there any thing more common than this that People speak to one another generally about? as for the general knowledge of God, you and I may see to our sorrow, that a great many cry Lord, Lord, that are never like to enter into the Kingdom of God. If all that take the name of God in their mouths should enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, it would be a very foul Kingdom: If all the Drunkards and Whoremongers of England, and all profane ungodly Persons ●hat will take the name of God in their mouths ●hould enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, it would be a very unclean and impure Kingdom; ●here is nothing enters there that is unclean, that is abominable, that loveth and maketh a lie. So that ●here must be some more peculiar People that ●hall have an abundant entrance into the Kingdom of God, and there must be something that will entitle them to it. For you may remember our Saviour saith, No Man knoweth the Father but ●he Son, and he to whom the Son shall reveal him. So much as may be known of God by works you and I may know without the Revelation of Christ, we need not wait for this knowledge, we can have it by Books, we can have it without Christ's Revelation. Nothing would serve some in our Saviour's time but Eternal Life, and our Lord Jesus bids them search the Scriptures, for in them (saith he) you think to have Eternal Life, and they are they which testify of me. Yet for all the profession they made, he tells them, No Man hath seen God at any time, neither seen his shape, nor heard his voice; they were strangers to God, though they had a general knowledge of God.  
So it is at this day, there is a general knowledge of God, and people hope to attain peace with God, and Eternal Life. Their Parents and their Tutors have instructed them in the Principles of Christianity, and about the Attributes of God, but all this will not bring a Man to a saving knowledge of God, and reconciliation with him. For a Man that is as wicked as the Devil can make him knows these things, and yet may be a Servant of the Devil, and do his work; he is not born again and become a Child by all his External knowledge. Now he that desires to come to the true saving knowledge of God, our Saviour hath told us, That none know the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him, that is a sure way to come to the true knowledge of God by Jesus Christ, he hath the Key that openeth the Heart, and he will bring us to the true knowledge of God the Father. Christ hath the Key of David which openeth and no Man shutteth, and shutteth, and no Man openeth. He can bring us to behold the glory of God in his own Face; without him we are never like to come to the saving knowledge of God.  
Poor Man is in a lapsed fallen state, he is fallen into Sin, and is in a state of alienation from God, and therefore he cannot come to him but by a Mediator; There is one Mediator between God and Man, the Man Christ Jesus, and he must make peace for him, else he will never have it; how then shall we come to Christ if he is the only means, and there is no other by which we may come to the knowledge or God, as the Scripture speaks? hearken to it, how may we come to Christ? I answer, you will never come to him, if he first come not to you, you will never be able to do it. It is not coming to Christ when you say you do believe that Christ died and risen again, and ascended up into Heaven, and sits at the Right hand of God, and lives for ever to make intercession for his People, and to read those words and Doctrines which he preached up and down at Meetings, and solemn Assemblies; but if you believe that he is the Eternal Son of God, and the Author of Eternal Salvation to all that obey him, you must come to him, and entirely give up yourselves to his Glory and Service; without this you cannot come to him, nor will he bring you to the Father; Christ is come near to us, he stands at the door of our hearts, and he stands and knocks; behold, that is a word that calls for attention, for People to take notice of. Behold I stand at the Door and knock; what dost thou knock for? saith Christ, that thou mayst open the door of thy heart; for if any Man open I will come in and Sup with him, and he with me, and my Father will come to him, and we will make our Abode with him.  
Now People are loath to be at this pains and trouble to open the door of their Hearts to Christ, or they will not believe it is Christ that knocks, and that rebukes and checks them when they refused to open to him; when they find something within that reproves them for their Sin, and doth condemn them that they cannot be quiet: They will never believe that this is Christ; How can this be Christ say they? He is Ascended up to Heaven, and he is at the Right Hand of God the Father: Will you make me believe that this is Christ knocking at the door of my Heart, I cannot believe it; but what saith our Saviour, Unless you believe that I am he, you shall Die in your Sins. For there is no body else can help you out of them.  
There is a twofold consideration that we are to have of Christ; one is as he is Made of a Woman, made under the Law; and another consideration of Christ is, as he is the Eternal Son of God. Men have very gross thoughts of Christ to think that because he is in Heaven, therefore he cannot be here too: They measure him by themselves; they know because a man is at London, therefore he cannot be at York at the same time. Thus these men object, Christ is in Heaven, How can he be here? His Doctrine and Precepts are here, let us make use of them all; he will come again at the Day of Judgement; but there is a Day of Judgement; Doth not he Judge you now? He is the Judge both of Quick and Dead, and he is the searcher of Hearts, and the tryer of the Reins; so that thou canst not think an ill thought but he will tell thee of it; he is nearer to thee than the Wife of thy bosom, or thy Husband that is near to thee: Husband and Wife may think an ill thought, but they cannot tell one another of it; but Christ is one that comes so near thee, that thou canst not conceive an ill thought against thy Neighbour but he will tell thee of it.  
This is the Lord Christ, as a Spirit, a quickening Spirit who is made manifest in the Flesh; He hath given to every man a measure of the Spirit to profit withal: The Grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men. Notwithstanding the distinction by Learned Men between Common Grace and Spiritual Grace; this Grace That brings Salvation hath appeared to all men: This manifestation of the Spirit and Light within we have from Christ. These are the Ways and Methods that the Lord Christ hath taken to approach near to us. Now your own reason will tell you, if this be the way and means that Christ takes to approach near to us, we cannot take another way to approach to him; if Christ hath taken (I say) this way to approach to us, by the Light and Manifestation of his own Spirit which convinceth us of Sin: If this be Christ's way of coming to us, there can be no other way of our coming to him, but by the same method of his Grace. He saith, If you have the Light, Believe in the Light. I have the Light, I am Enlightened, there is something that Discovereth my evil Thoughts; Why must I believe in the Light? That you may be the Children of Light, as our Saviour speaks, They that are the Children of Light shall have it for their Inheritance; and they that are Children of Darkness, must have Darkness for their Inheritance: While we have the Light, we must believe in it; and we shall be made Children of Light: God hath sent his Son, and the Son hath sent his Spirit and his Heavenly Grace into our Hearts, that we may draw near to him, and be directed how to attain acquaintance with him; and to do that which pleaseth God, and come to be in union with him, and do the works of God. This is that which God requires of us, That we will believe on him whom he hath sent: That we may embrace the Light, and believe in the Light, in the Lord Jesus Christ.  
Pray what do you mean by believing? there is something within me Checks and Reproves me for Sin, and calls me off from it, and bids me turn over a new Leaf: Must I hearken to this? Is this that which you mean by believing? As to this degree of believing, they that reject it now, shall believe hereafter; for all the World at last, and the Damned in Hell shall certainly confess, that there was Grace, and Light, and Means afforded to them, and they might have gone farther and have escaped that misery that they are fallen into.  
But there is a more precious Faith that I would have you partake of, a Faith that worketh by Love. Since the Lord hath been so gracious as to extend his mercy and Love to me, I am so taken with the Love of God that I will be obedient to him; this Faith that worketh by Love, is the Faith of God's Elect; that by which we may obtain Victory over our Passions and Lusts, and over Satan and the Snares of the World; when we are come to close with the Grace of God, and to believe in Christ; this is well: But we must also yield obedience and subjection. Yet when Faith hath brought forth obedience, you cannot be justified by it, you cannot be saved by your obedience, but by Christ alone: He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith, and a Mediator from first to last.  
Now all that come to close with the appearance of Christ in their own hearts, they have laid hold on the method appointed for their coming to him. It is Christ they must hear, he is come so near to Men that they may hear his voice, and hear him tell us our very thoughts. Why should not I hear him when he checks me and reproves me for Sin? he comes near and tells me I have done amiss; Lord, I have done iniquity, I will do so no more. Thus Christ Converseth with his People, and doth not only check and reprove them when they do that which is evil, but persuades them and enables them to do good. He is a Mediator, he is a middle Person, and hath taken Flesh upon him, that he might reconcile them to God, that do believe in him.  
Now, when we come to have acquaintance with God, and have chosen him to be our God, he teaches us to do what is good, and reproves us for what evil we have done. Who can choose a better guide to lead him into acquaintance with God, than Christ that is conversant with us, piercing into our thoughts, and speaking to us? I may hear him with the inward ear of my heart, when I do evil he checks me for it, and tells me the thing I should seek is of inestimable value, and if through my unbelief and carelessness I miss of it, it had been better for me that I had never been born; now we are in the way of coming to receive the end of our Faith, the Salvation of our Souls, let us not neglect so great Salvation. No Man can save himself, nor save the Soul of his Brother, nor find a Ransom, nor procure an Offering for the expiating of his Sin, therefore let every one that would have his Sin expiated and pardoned, and cannot be satisfied and quieted till he hath peace with God; let him come to Christ the Mediator, and come with Faith and Truth in the inward parts, and submit to him, and be willing to be ruled by him, than Christ will save him, and present him without spot and blemish to his Father.  
Consider that those that are the People of God are led by the Spirit of God, and they have miss their way to reconciliation with God, that love any other way, or think to come to God any other way than by Jesus the Mediator, their labour will be lost, therefore I must exhort and persuade you that are out of the way, that you would take God's method, and come into God's 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 effectual way but submitting to the grace of God in thei● 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 encountered with; there is the appearance of the Cross of Christ, and we must tak● up this Cross if we will follow Christ, and be obedient in all things unto him. This is that which wi● kill all my pleasures, lay waste all my Religion, an● destroy all my hopes; I must be like a Man tha● hath built a house without a good foundation; must pull it all down again, and I must come t● build again upon a new foundation.  
Here many have turned aside, the Cross of Christ hath seemed to them so sharp, and hard and intolerable, 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 join 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 choose 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 God's Patience and Long-Suffering, and grieved the Holy Spirit of God, than 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 ruin 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 harkened to the Mediator 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 lengthened out to us all, and we have no● improved it. Conscience hath been sensible of the inward strokes and rebukes of God for sin, and o● the inward calls of his Grace to bring us to Repentance; but we have not regarded those Calls, no● harkened 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 softened, and entendered under the word of God, and under the strokes of his Judgements. If ever the Lord bring you unto a tender frame, you will receive the word of God with meekness, and mix it with Faith, than it will work effectually to the amendment of you● 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 Magnify his Great Name for hi● Patience, Long-suffering, and Mercy, which at thi● Day he hath lengthened 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 all Power in Heaven and Earth: that thereby he might be enabled to perform the great work of God, in establishing Righteousness, and in bringing forth a Holy People, to serve a Holy God. This is the great blessing that is come to us, and to all Mankind, through our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, that came to turn every one from the evil of their ways. That is the way and method by which our Lord Jesus accomplished the end of his coming, and the Will of his Heavenly Father; Moses and all his Washings, and Offerings, and Sacrifices, could not make clean and purge the Conscience, and by all his Offerings and Sacrifices, he could not reconcile us to God: But Jesus by his once Offering himself did forever perfect them that are sanctified: and by one Offering reconciled us to the Father, and so brings forth a Holy Generation unto God, through Regeneration and the Sanctification of the Spirit.  
And seeing the Lord hath been pleased in the Riches of his Grace, to open this new and living way, for man's returning again into unity, and fellowship with his Maker. The Question my Friends that I would put to you on the behalf of God, is for all of you to consider, whether it is not best for every one of us to lay hold of Salvation, to lay hold of that blessing wherewith the Lord hath blessed us, that so the principal institution of Christianity, might not only be named and noised, but might come to be enjoyed and witnessed in every one of our own Souls; And that all might wait with expectation on the Lord Jesus Christ, for fulfilling of this great Work in themselves.  
There is a general Notion among People, that Heaven is a Holy Place, and that nothing that is unclean can enter into it to have a habitation there, when time in this World shall be no more with us, and that time which we have given us, I am sure is given us of God, as an opportunity of fitting and preparing us for his dwelling place, and every day and hour of it ought to be employed in that great Work, that so we might draw nearer and nearer to that state and condition that suits and befits that holy dwelling where Saints and Angels, for evermore praise the Great and Glorious God; So that I am persuaded you believe, that you and all of us, are to be accountable to God for all the time which he hath bestowed upon us, whether we use it to the purposes for which he hath given it, or whether we misspend our time upon those things that are not profitable to us, and upon these considerations we had need all of us to take heed to our present state that we are come to, and are arrived at in the present time. As for the future time, that we all know we are not sure of, and the future state that we may hope to come to: There is no certainty of it, unless there be an Improvement of the present time, and the opportunities of our present state, therefore every one should apply their Hearts unto the seeking of Wisdom and Understanding, and unto God that he may give us to understand our present state, and our present fitness or unfitness for the Kingdom of Glory and Happiness, and of that Holy dwelling we hope to enjoy for ever.  
If I will but turn my mind inward, to the serious consideration of my present state and condition, I can tell whether I am fit or unfit, to approach God's presence; And if I find I am unfit, I must have recourse to the Divine Working of that great Power, which God hath ordained and appointed for this purpose, I must come to him to work all my works in me, and for me according to his good pleasure; And that he never will do, unless it be by crossing me in my Carnal Pleasure and Corrupt Inclinations, for that which pleaseth man, doth not please God: And God will not revoke the Holy Scripture that tells us, That they which live in pleasure are dead while they live, they that are indulgent to their own Affections and their own Delights, and their own humours, they are not at all ready to please and glorify God, they are not fitted for it, therefore he never sanctifies, nor brings any into a true Christian state, but through a daily Cross, so that if I am not fitted and prepared to do that which is pleasing to God I may be fitted by taking up a daily Cross to Glorify God here, and enjoy him for ever.  
What those things are that you are to do, I need not tell you, nor what you have done, I judge no man: There is one that judgeth, he will tell you if you ask him, what your state and condition is: He will tell the Drunkard if he ask him, whether he is fit for Heaven, and also the Proud and Haughty person, whether they are fit for Heaven; Let such as are guilty of these or any other Sins, inquire of the Oracle in their own bosoms, am not I fit for Heaven, notwithstanding all this? He will tell thee not, there is no unclean thing shall enter there, nothing that defiles, nothing that hurts or oppresseth; The Proud, Peevish, Malicious person that is hurtful to others, that hurts his Neighbour, he is shut out, Rev. 21.27. There shall in no wise enter into Heaven any thing that defileth, and Rev. 22.15. For without are Dogs, and Sorcerers, and Whore-mongers, and Murderers, and Idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a Lie. None shall enter into the Holy City of God, but those that are purified and purged from all Iniquity: Therefore God hath sent his Son Jesus, seeing none else could do it: Moses and the Prophets could not do it, therefore he sent Jesus to bless us in turning every one of us from our iniquities, and from our evil ways; one man hath this evil way, another that evil way: It is all one to him, his Work is to turn every one of us from our evil ways.  
But why then (you may say) are so few turned from their evil ways throughout Christendom? Where Christ is Believed in, Professed, Read, and Herd, that yet so few are converted and turned, for we see great numbers of Liars, Swearers, Drunkards, Unclean Persons among us, where Christ is cried up at a mighty rate, and yet people are not turned from the evil of their ways, there is something sure that is the reason of it.  
I would have all of you consider what the reason of it is, that those that profess to be Christians are not turned from the evil of their ways, for Christ hath all Power in Heaven and Earth committed to him, and he is able to do it, and he was sent from God on purpose to do it, but this is a certain truth, it is not done, and what is the reason of it? He came to his own, and his own received him not, what is the reason? He hath caused his Grace to appear to every man in the World, and yet they 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 mixed itself 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 Judgement, 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 stopped the mouths of many a , 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 alleged 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 ware 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 God's 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 magnify the Devil's 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 hearty, 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, than 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 join 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 Devil's power lies in this, when he brings a temptation that I have an inclination to, than 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 chaste man, there is no inclination in him to yield to it, or join with it, he hates it, it is an abomination itself, 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 Devil's power be great, yet there is a Deliverer that is stronger than he; The reason of men's being overcome doth not lie in the greatness of the Devil's 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 is given for another reason, and there is truth in it, but that truth is but a delusion, they would excuse themselves when they have yielded to a Temptation, I am weak and frail, I cannot resist the Devil, though the Devil is not stronger than Christ, yet he is stronger than I, he worketh with all his might, power and subtlety to deceive me, and ensnare me, and overcome me, I am a poor frail Creature, therefore I must yield to him; This is a carnal reason, if I were to grapple with the Devil in mine own strength, and to deliver my Soul, as if God had left me to myself; If thou say Lord thou hast set me to grapple with the Devil, and to withstand his temptations, Lord I am not able to do it myself; God will answer thee, I have laid help upon one that is mighty, that is able to save to the uttermost, all that come to me by him; So that thou are not to overcome the Devil by thine own power and ability; If any man reason thus, the reason is out of Doors, for we are saved by Christ, therefore I cannot plead mine own frailty, seeing God hath provided a Rock for my defence that is stronger and higher than I, that I may trust and rely upon.  
So that you see the frailties of our nature is not a sufficient reason, we must seek further for it yet, and when we come to search narrowly, and to the bottom of our Hearts, I will tell you here it rests it hath its centre in the perverseness of the Will that is in man, that is contrary to the Will of God; It is the opposition of our Will to the Will of God, we may talk what we will of Salvation and Christianity, that we have a mind to be saved, and go unto God when we die, and to enjoy the happiness of Heaven to Eternity: We may talk thus, but as long as the perverseness of the Will continues, I am the cause of mine own ruin, if I grow in a profession, this perverse Will will grow up with me under that profession, and under any profession; change your judgement and opinion as often as you List, this will go along with you, the reason and the bottom of things will come to this none can overcome the Devil, nor be a Disciple of Christ without a daily cross. When people come to this to see a necessity of taking up the cross of Christ, and denying themselves: When it comes to this there are such shifts and evasions and arts that men have to cover themselves, to make themselves and others believe, that such and such a thing is consistent with the Will of God, and that they may do it, and save their own Souls, but they boast of their own deceit, and are glad that they can make a shift to save their own Souls, so that there is no hopes of their ever being purged and cleansed, and of having any holy work brought forth by them; but when a man comes to be sensible of his spititual condition, and is sincere and honest, he will be ready to say unto God, if I be deceived in any thing, open mine Eyes; Lord if I indulge myself in any thirg that hath a contrariety to thy holy Will: Lord I beseech thee discover it to me; such a man will lay aside his own Will, if it be contrary to Gods Will: Now here is one that is a very fit Object for Christ to work upon, he will not be long before he be savingly convinced; When a man comes to the Word, he is convinced of such an evil in his Conscience, where no body but God and himself were privy to it, or had any knowledge of it: It is discovered that he liveth in such a practice as is contrary to the mind of God: God hath convinced thee, that thou lovest it, and livest in it: And if thou wilt but break off that evil practice that hath sent his Son Jesus Christ to turn thee from every evil way, and to Redeem thee from all Iniquity.  
This truth hath a savour in it, and if thou art sincere and upright, there is nothing for thee to say or do, but to set thyself against every thing that is contrary to the mind of God, and thou wilt have light from Heaven sent to guide thee and direct thee in thy way thither, if thou wilt but receive that Grace that is freely given of God unto thee through Jesus Christ, he will certainly purge thee and cleanse thee from thy Sin, and turn thee from every evil way, notwithstanding the perverseness of thine own Will and Power of Satan; And he will work in thy Heart by his Grace, till it hath wrought thee off from thine iniquity, and wrought iniquity out of thee, and so bring forth a holy work to God.  
Without Faith it is impossible to please God; We cannot please God without Faith, nor with it neither, unless it be the gift of God; There is a great deal of Faith in this Nation, and in this City: But do you believe all their ways are pleasing to God? We must distinguish of Faith here; When the Apostle would give a description of saving Faith, he tells you that it is the Operation of God, if I have not that Operation, and a regard to it, how can I have that working? But since it is the dispensation of the Gospel of Christ, and design of Christ to turn people to the operation of God in their own hearts, we would have them believe it.  
If there be a drunkard or a profane person, if God work faith in his Heart, he will be convinced and say, what a stroke hath the Lord given upon my Conscience, and he will see it is the Lords work; Then believe whoever thou art, and lay hold of this, for this is the Operation of God for thy Salvation, this is the Operation of God upon a believing Soul, the stroke of God's hand and the Power of God, and then thou hast the work of Faith, by which Faith thou art enabled to keep thyself from that thing, that God smote thee for, and before he give thee over, the same hour thou wilt find the same hand, smiting thee for another sin, this will be like fire in thy bones kindling up thy zeal and hatred against thy sin, and will kindle in thee a holy fire of Love to God, that hath not let thee lie in thy misery, but minded thy condition and had compassion on thee; This love God will shed abroad, which will run over thy Heart, He hath shed abroad his Love, (saith the Apostle) Rom. 5. upon our hearts by the Holy Ghost, to constrain us to yield obedience when thou fallest into the way of Faith, which is the Operation of God, the Devil comes and knocks and bounceth on this side and that, and will tempt thee to walk in thy old course, but God will not fail to give thee the power to withstand temptation.  
The Lord Jesus Christ he worketh in people's Hearts to turn them from 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 purify them, and sprinkle them from an evil Conscience, their bodies being washed with pure Water, he will sanctify the Creature, his Word is nigh them and in their Hearts, he gins 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 yourselves; he will operate for you for this purpose, therefore you must commit yourselves 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 thyself among the Sons and Daughters of Men; thou baste 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 thyself 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 magnify 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 show 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 glorify 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 rejoice 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 Tranquillity, 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 Union with the heavenly Power, and have Concord one with another; and show forth the Power of thy Grace manifested to them, and magnify 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 Poultry; near Cheapside.  

History.  

1. Englands' Monarches: 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 Achievements of his Majesty's Renowned Predecessors, and likewise of His own Heroic 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 Majesty's 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 Cromwell being an Impartial Account of all the Battles, Sieges, and other Military Achievements, wherein he was engaged in England, Scotland and Ireland; and likewise of his Civil Administrations, while he had the Supreme Government, till his Death. Relating only matters of Fact, without Reflection or Observation. By R.B. pr. 1 s.  
5. THE Wars in England, Scotland and Ireland, containing a particular and impartial Account of all the Battles, Sieges, and other remarkable Transactions, Revolutions and Accidents, which happened from the beginning of the Reign of K. Charles I. With his Trial at large, and last speech; and the most considerable matters till 1660. With Pictures of several Accidents. Price one shilling.  
6. HIstorical Remarks and Observations of the Ancient and Present State of London and Westminster, showing the Foundations, Walls, Gates, Towers, Bridges, Churches, Rivers, Wards, Halls, Companies, Government, Courts, Hospitals, Schools, Inns of Courts, Charters, Franchises, and Privileges thereof; with the most remarkable Accidents, as to Wars, Fires, Plagues, and other occurrences, for above 900. years past, Pr. 1 s.  
7. ADmirable Curiosities, Rarities and Wonders in England, Scotland and Ireland; or an account of many remarkable persons and places; likewise of the Battles, Sieges, Tempests, Inundations, Thunders, Lightnings, Fires, Murders and other Occurrences and Accidents for many hundred years past: Together with the Natural and Artificial Rarities in every County in England With several curious Sculptures. Price one shilling.  
●. THE History of the Kingdom of Ireland, being an Account of the Ancient Inhabitants, and of all the Battles, Sieges, and other considerable Transactions both Civil and Military in that Country, from the first Conquest thereof, under King Henry II. till its entire Reduction by K. W. Together with the most remarkable Passages, that have since happened there to this time. By R. B Price one shilling.  
9 THE English Empire in America, or a prospect of His Majesty's Dominions in the West-Indies, namely, Newfoundland, New-England New-York, New-Jersey, Pensylvania, Mary-land, Virginia, Carolina, Bermudas, Barbuda, Anguilla, Monserrat, Dominica, St. Vincent, Antego, Mevis or Nevis, St. Christopher's, Barbadoss and Jamaica: With an account of their Discovery, Situation and Product: The Religion and Manners of the Indians, etc. Illustrated with Maps and Pictures. Price one shilling.  
10. A View of the English Acquisitions in Guinea and the East-Indies: With an Account of the Religion, Government, Wars, strange Customs, Beasts, Serpents, Monsters and other Observables in those Countries intermixed with Pleasant Relations. Price one shilling.  
11. THE English Hero: Or, Sir Francis Drake Revived. Being a full Account of the dangerous Voyages, admirable Adventures, notable Discoveries, and Magnanimous Achievements of that Valiant and Renowned Commander. By R. B. Pr. 1 s.  
12. TWo Journeys to Jerusalem, Containing first An Account of the Travels of two English Pilgrims some years since to Jerusalem, Grand Cairo, Alexandria, etc. 2. The Travels of 14 English Merchants in 1669. from Scanderoon to Tripoli, Joppa, Ramah, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho, the River Jordan, the Lake of Sodom and Gomorrah, etc. Beautified with Pictures. Price one shilling.  
13. EXtraordinary Adventures of several Famous Men: With the strange Events, and signal mutations and changes in the Fortunes of divers Illustrious places and persons in all Ages; being an account of a multitude of stupendious Revolutions, Accidents, and observable matters in divers States and Provinces throughout the World; with Pictures. Price 1 s.  
14. THE History of the Nine Worthies of the World: Three whereof were Gentiles; 1. Hector Son of Priamus. 2. Alexander the great. 3. Julius Caesar. Three Jews. 4. Joshua. 5. David. 6. Judas Maccabeus. Three Christians. 7. Arrhur K. of Britain. 8. Charles the Great. 9 Godfrey of Bullen. Illustrated with Poems and the Picture of each Worthy. By R. B. Price one shilling.  
15. FEmale Excellency, or the Lady's Glory, Illustrated in the Worthy Lives of nine Famous Women, who have been renowned in several Ages of the World: As 1. Deborah the Prophetess. 2. The valiant Judith. 3. Queen Esther. 4. The virtuous Susanah. 5. The  Lucretia. 6. Voadicia Q. of Britain. 7. Mariam Wife of King Herod. 8 Clotilda Q. of France. 9 Andegova Princess of Spain. The whole adorned with poems and pictures to each History. By R. B. Pr. 1 s.  
16. Wondered Prodigies of Judgement and Mercy discovered in above 300. memorable Histories; conraining, 1. Dreadful Judgements upon Atheists, etc. 2. The miserable ends of Magicians. 3. Remarkable predictions and presages of approaching Death. 4. Fearful Judgements upon bloody Tyrants. 5. Admirable Deliverances from dangers at Sea and Land. Lastly, Divine goodness to Penitents. Pr. 1 s.  
17. Unparallelled Varieties, or the matchless Actions and Passions of Mankind; displayed in near 400. notable Instances and Examples. Pr. 1 s.  
18. THE Kingdom of darkness: Or, the History of Demons, Spectres, Witches, Apparitions, Possessions, Disturbances, and other wonderful and supernatural Delusions, Mischievous Feats and Malicious Impostures of the Devil. Containing near 80 memorable Relations, Foreign and Domestic, both ancient and modern. Price one shilling.  
19 MEmorable Accidents and Unheard of Transactions, containing an account of several strange Events: As the Deposing of Tyrants, Lamentable Shipwrecks, Dismal Misfortunes, Stratagems of War, Perilous Adventures, Happy Deliverances, with other remarkable Occurences, and select Historical passages, which have happened in several Countries in this last Age. Printed at Brussels in 1691. And Dedicated to His present Majesty K. William Published in English by R. B. Pr. 1 s.  
20. Martyr's in Flames, or Popery in its true Colours, being a Brief Relation of the horrid Cruelties and Persecutions of the Pope and Church of Rome, for many hundreds of years past, to this time. Price one shilling.    

Miscellanies.  

22. DElights for the Ingenious, in above Fifty Select and Choice Emblems, Divine and Moral, Ancient and Modern, curiously engraven upon Copper Plates, with 50 delightful Poems and Lots, for the more lively Illustration of each Emblem, whereby instruction and good counsel may be promoted and furthered, by an honest and pleasant Recreation. Collected by R. B. Price 2 s. 6 d.  
23. EXcellent Contemplations Divine and Moral, written by the Magnanimous A. L. Capel Baron of Hadham; with some account of his Life, and his affectionate Letters to his Lady the day before his Death. As also the Speeches of D. Ham. and the E. of Holl. who suffered with him. Price. 1 s.  
24. WInter Evenings Entertainments, in two parts, Containing, 1. Ten pleasant Relations of many Rare and Notable Accidents and Occurrences: 2. Fifty Ingenious Riddles, with their Explanations, and useful Observations and Morals upon each. Enlivened with above 60. Pictures. Price one shilling.  
25. DElightful Fables in Prose and Verse, none of them to be found in Aesop, but collected from divers ancient and modern Authors, with Pictures and Morals. By R. B. Pr. 1 s.    

Divinity.  

26. THE Divine Banquet, or Sacramental Devotions, consisting of Morning and Eveni● Prayers, Contemplations and Hymns for every day▪ the Week, in order to a more worthy Receiving 〈◊〉 the Holy Communion, representing the several steps and degrees of the Sorrows and sufferings of our blessed Saviour, till he gave up the Ghost. Pr. 1 s.  
27. A Guide to Eternal Glory: Or, Brief Directions to all Christians how to attain Everlasting Salvation: To which are added several other small tracts. Price one shilling.  
28. Youth's Divine Pastime; Containing Forty Remarkable Scripture Histories, turned into English Verse. With Forty Pictures. Pr. 8 d.  
29. THE Young Man's Calling, or the whole Duty of Youth, in a serious and compassionate Address to all young persons to remember their Creator in the days of their Youth. With the Lives of several excellent young Persons of both Sexes; and twelve curious Pictures. Price 1 s. 6 d.  
30. MOunt Zion, or a draught of that Church that shall stand for ever. Together with a view of that World which shall be broken in pieces and consumed. By Will. Dyer, Author of Christ's Famous Titles. Price one shilling.  
31. JACOB Wrestling with GOD, and prevailing: Or, a Treatise concerning the Necessity and Efficacy of Faith in Prayer; Wherein divers weighty Questions and Cases of Conscience about praying in Faith, are stated and resolved. By Tho. Taylor formerly at Edmund's Bury, now Pastor to a Congregation in Cambridge. Price one shilling.    
FINIS.