A Sermon Preached at the Quakers Meeting House, in Gracechurch-Street, London, Eighth Month 12th, | Page 4

bad; and he will judge us at the great day of his appearing. Blessed are you, that receive the blessed Son of God, that now stands in Spirit at the door, and knocks: Open your heart, and make room for him, and let not the world keep him out, and he will come in, and sup with you, and you with him: And he will do that for you, which you cannot do for yourselves. "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak:" He will give thee power over sin, and over the world, and over the Devil: Whenever he shall assault thee with his temptations, say, "Get thee behind me Satan, thou savourest not the things that be of God." When people come to be spiritually minded they will taste and savour the things that are spiritual and heavenly: if they be not things of God, do not touch with them, have nothing to do with them; but walk in the Spirit, and savour the things of the Spirit. And hearken to the counsel of Christ, who speaks to you in the name of Wisdom; "O ye simple ones understand wisdom, and ye fools be of an understanding heart; hear, for I will speak of excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things: Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors: For whoso findeth me findeth life." Hearken to the blessed counsel of Christ, hear his voice and obey it: They that do his will, shall know his doctrine: "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his covenant."
They that have the saving knowledge of God, and Christ Jesus, which is life eternal, they will walk in a correspondent and suitable manner to that knowledge, and be holy in all manner of conversation: They will not be only nominal Christians, but true Christians, Israelites indeed in whom there is no guile; They will receive Christ Jesus who is God's gift, and knows [sic.] the operation of his power in their souls. These persons are fit to live and prepared to die; when Christ, who is their life, shall appear, they shall appear with him in glory. When the sound of the last trumpet shall be heard at the end of the world, Time shall be no more; Come away! that day shall not be terrible to them that have put off the old man, and put on the new man; and have begun to live a new life, and to have new affections, new thoughts and resolutions, and have laid up their treasure in heaven, where their hearts are also: They have that peace, which the world cannot give, and which death cannot take away. Blessed are they that take sanctuary in the name of Jesus, as in a strong tower; they shall get power over their sins, and over the vanity of their minds, that die to sin and live to God, and feel the constraining power and efficacy of the love of Christ, "who hath loved them, and washed them from their sins, in his own blood, and made them kings and priests to God."
My friends, hear the voice of Wisdom, who hath said, "Whoso findeth me, findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord: but he that sinneth against me, wrongeth his own soul." Be you early seekers: seek the kingdom of God in the first place. The Lord calls from heaven; "My son, give me thine heart:" Let thy answer be, Lord, take my heart, purify and cleanse it; break it, and make it new, make it fit for thy acceptance, that I may find favour in thy sight. "Without me (saith our Saviour) ye can do nothing:" Therefore desire him to do it for thee, and to work in thee both to will and to do of his own good pleasure. How dreadful is it to appear at the bar of God's justice as miserable sinners! Those that have not Christ, the great Mediator, to plead for them, are miserable indeed: Therefore lay hold on Christ now; believe in him, lay hold on his power and Spirit in this day of your visitation. If thou art under the power of sin and Satan, thou mayst [sic.] receive power from Christ, to overcome all the power of darkness: If the strong man armed hath got possession of thy heart, Christ will lay siege to it; and if thou be willing to open the door, Christ will come in and cast out the strong man, and spoil him of all his goods. He will cast out the grand enemy of thy soul, and take possession for himself; that thou mayest be