A Sermon Preached at the Quakers Meeting House, in Gracechurch-Street, London, Eighth Month 12th, | Page 5

delivered from the power of Satan, and from the bondage of corruption, and brought into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God: And if the Son of God make thee free, thou shalt be free indeed. For this end Christ came into the world, "for this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil:" And he will not lose the design of his coming, but will "finish transgression, and make an end of sin, and bring in everlasting righteousness."
Let us all come to Christ, and let none deceive themselves, and live in their sins, and yet think to come to heaven: "Be not deceived, (saith the Apostle,) God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap: He that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap everlasting life." Labour for a sure grounded hope, a just hope in the mercy of God for pardon and salvation; then you must know a work of Christ upon you, and the power of the Spirit of Christ within you, subduing your will to a holy subjection to the Divine will; that you may say with the Apostle; "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Then the call to judgment will be joyful to you; for you shall then be justified and acquitted before the whole world, at that great and general judgment, and have an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and it shall be well with you for ever. Now, "say to the righteous, it shall be well with him;" not that it doth so appear at present; for through many tribulations we must expect to enter into the kingdom of heaven; And many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord will deliver them out of them all. So that "if in this life only (saith the apostle) we have hope, we are of all men most miserable". Yet "say to the righteous, it shall be well with him;" Whatsoever their trials, troubles, and tribulations are, the Lord will deliver them in the best time; they have heaven in their eye and they look to the recompense of reward. Now what hast thou in thine eye? Is it the high calling in Christ? Is this the mark thou aimest at, and which thou hast in view? Is this the port and haven, that thou art sailing to, "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame?" Heb. xii 2. The apostle, after he had been speaking of the suffering and martyrdom of those great saints, of whom the world was not worthy; Heb. xi. How that "through faith they subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopt the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, and turned to flight the armies of the Aliens; of women, that received their dead to life again, and others were tortured, not accepting of deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection." Then he comes to speak of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, and bids us "Look unto him." Heb. xii. 1, 2, 3. Wherefore, "seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us; and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith: Who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross and despised the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God: For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." Blessed are they that can endure all these things, shame, reproach, contumely, and disdain, persecutions and afflictions that attend the testimony of Jesus! Blessed are they that can endure the cross, and despise the shame! It is an internal cross, which thou must endure for Christ, or thy own heart will reprove thee, check thee and condemn thee for it: But if thou comest to know a being crucified with Christ, thou shalt reign with him, and be raised up to eternal glory with him. Unless thou knowest a dying to the world, and