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

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
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