Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

tified by Christ? I testify to you on God's behalf, those persons that are condemned here, shall be condemned hereafter; and those that are now justified, shall be hereafter glorified; the same God that justifieth, condemneth also. Those that do well, shall be answered with a well done; and those that do evil, shall suffer evil, and be sentenced to the vengeance of eternal fire, and the wrath of God shall come upon them, to the uttermost. O blessed are they that believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and live righteously, soberly, and godly, in this present evil world, and escape the pollutions of it, and are holy in all manner of conversation; who so live, that the light of Christ in their own consciences doth not condemn them. They have no cause to despond at all though the Lord may hide his face. from them for a moment, they have enough to stay their souls upon; the Lord will be nigh to them when trouble is near, and lift up the light of his countenance upon them. If thou art not condemned by the light of Christ within, though thou art in a low and desolate state, in a helpless condition, be not discouraged, there is help laid upon one that is mighty, that is able to save to the uttermost, all that come unto God by him. O my Friends, if we have no stock of our own to trade with, or depend upon, let us covet and seek after the unsearchable riches of Christ, and let us rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Art thou poor and destitute, and hast nothing of thine own to rely upon? O keep in thy state of poverty, there is blessing pronounced to that state, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; he that is so poor as to have nothing at all, he that is stript of all, and hath nothing to live upon, he hath enough to live upon, he hath enough if he be rich in faith, for he is heir of the kingdom, and shall enjoy an inheritance with the saints in light. There are many that are poor in this world, and have nothing

[ocr errors]

3

at all, and know not what they shall subsist on by tomorrow. This is an emblem of that condition, that the Lord is bringing his people into; they have no stock of their own to live upon. No, not so much as may serve for a present supply. This is the lesson that they are to learn, to live by faith upon Divine Providence, for the just shall live by faith. The Lord God is a sun and a shield, he will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.'

It concerns you highly to be a believing people, to live by faith and not by sight; and to walk worthy of the Lord in all well-pleasing: You must lay aside all props, and wholly depend upon the Lord, for he will never fail you nor forsake you.

I have an exercise upon my spirit, and my soul is in travail for a people that are afflicted, shaken and tossed, as in a tempest, this very day I would not have such despond, nor be disquieted, nor their souls cast down within them; but hope in God, who will be a present help in trouble. O let such lay hold on that precious promise left upon record, that they might have strong consolation: 'Isa. liv. 11, 'O thou afflicted and tossed with a tempest, and not comforted; behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.' You know there is no foundation upon the sea (where the tossing is) for a man to build on, and in a tempest or storm there is no comfort; but God hath graciously promised to those that are so afflicted, tossed and shaken, as in a tempest, that 'he will comfort such, and lay their foundation with sapphires.' If you keep yourselves from selfcondemnation, and sinning against the light of Christ within you, you shall enjoy this privilege and blessing promised. He that feeds the young ravens that cry to him, and clothes the lillies of the field, that toil not, neither do they spin; yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. He

will take care of such as cast their care upon him: Therefore trust in him, and depend upon him, without whose providence a sparrow falls not to the ground. He will provide for those that love and fear him, and hope in his mercy, and he will give them all things richly to enjoy. The fear of God is an excellent grace, and a rich treasure. '0 fear the Lord, ye his saints, (saith the royal Psalmist,) for there is no want to them that fear him : The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing: The angel of the Lord encampeth round about those that fear him, and delivereth them.' The providence of God will surround them, and salvation shall be for walls and bulwarks round about them, and his almighty arm will uphold and defend them. There is no time to be without fear; I would have you put it home to yourselves: Consider how many hours in the day, and how many minutes in every hour, you have been without this holy fear of God. They that are one minute without this fear, do break that holy precept that commandeth us to fear always: Such persons lay themselves open to the enemy: Blessed are they that fear always. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.' This is that which will make us careful to please him, and fill us with a holy dread, lest we should offend him. Those that fear the Lord, he will encompass them with his favour as with a shield, he will speak peace to them at their down lying, and fill them with the joy of his salvation at their up-rising. It is our great duty to love the Lord with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our mind, and with all our might, and to fear the Lord not with a servile fear, but with a filial (child-like) fear, that is a concomitant of love, such a love as is ambitious to serve him, and will constrain us to keep his commandments. To such as are in a state of poverty, humility and holy fear, the Lord will dispense his blessings, and multiply

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

his mercies; and he will bless them, and their posterity after them, and they shall shew forth his praise from one generation to another. These are the sincere Christians, Israelites indeed, (like Nathaniel) in whom there is no guile. The apostle Paul tells us such are true Jews; 'For he is not a Jew that is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that which is of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men but of God.' These are such as rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.' These are the sheep of Christ, that hear his voice and follow him.' The great Shepherd of the sheep will feed them, and make abundant provision for them, and lead them unto living fountains of water, and they shall lie down in the pastures of life, and enjoy an everlasting rest.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Therefore, Fear not, little flock, (saith the good Shepherd,) it is your Father's good pleasure to give you a kingdom;' a kingdom that cannot be shaken, an everlasting kingdom, and a crown of life, a crown that is incorruptible, that fadeth not away. Now my Friends, all those that are chosen and sanctified by God the Father, preserved in Christ Jesus, and called of God, and led by the Spirit of God, as the children of God; these are such as glorify God on earth, and shall be for ever glorified in heaven, where they shall join with the general assembly and church of the first-born, who are written in heaven, and with the innumerable company of angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect, where they shall sing hallelujahs, and sound forth the praises of the eternal blessed God, saying, Blessing, honour, glory, power be unto him that sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb, for ever and ever.' Amen.

CHRIST

ALTOGETHER LOVELY.

A Sermon preached at the Quakers' Meeting-House, in Grace-Church-Street, London, March 11, 1693.

BY SAMUEL WALDENFIELD.

ALMIGHTY God, who hath made of one blood all nations, for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation: That they should seek the Lord, if happily they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.'

·

This is our time and our day to seek the Lord; and it will be a great happiness unto all those that find him; for whoso findeth him, findeth life;' and that will be very excellent and comfortable, and a precious thing to every one that cometh thus to find the Lordthey shall find life to their souls.' This great visitation of the Lord to mankind, is in order to their finding of life and salvation, which is only through the Lord Jesus Christ, who is given for salvation to all the ends of the earth : And it is required of all the ends of the earth, that they should look to the Lord God that they may be saved. It is our interest as well as our duty, to look unto the Lord God, and to be mindful of the day of his visitation unto our souls; for we are his

1

« AnteriorContinuar »