Page images
PDF
EPUB

SECT. I.

THE

HE Neceffity of the new Birth by the breathing
Winds

Page 4

6

8

CAV E's

EPISTLE to Gillingham,

His native Town, near Shaftsbury, in the County of Dorfet.

WHEREIN IS EXHIBITED

A TOUCH-STONE for the SOUL, the MARROW or QUINTESSENCE of the GOSPEL, and a Divine LOOKINGGLASS to the FAITHFUL, I Cor. xiii. 12.

BRETHREN fuck the HONEY from the following COMB S.

R

EMEMBER CHRIST came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God: even to them that believe on his Name, John i. 11, 12. As many as received me (in the Name of CHRIST) among you, had alfo Power to become the Children of GoD, for thofe that receive the Word receive the Bleffing. GOD has bound

[blocks in formation]

up his Testimonies (the Doctrine of CHRIST) among his Difciples: (fecured it) from Everlasting to them, tho' hid from the World. Accordingly, CHRIST has fulfilled the Law, (in Time) and fealed the Salvation of his Church, or felect People with his Blood, and reveal'd it by his Word and Spirit. Behold CHRIST and the Children in every Age, whom the LORD hath given him, are for Signs and Wonders in the Church, (especially to the unbelieving World) from the LORD, according to his Counsel who dwelleth in Mount Zion, Isa. viii. 16, 17, 18. Those that are taught of GOD fhould declare the Things of Gon: "As every one hath received the Gift, even fo minifter the fame one to another, as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of GoD," 1 Peter iv. 10. It is Wifdom to do as CHRIST did, "the Work of him that fent him, while it is Day: when Night or Death cometh, no Man can work," John ix. 4. Let thy Teftimonies be my counfellers, faith the Pfalmift, Pjal. cxix. 24. So fhall thy Judgments be fweeter to me than Hony, or the Honey-Comb, Pfal. xix. 9, 10. May the Language of my Soul be like his, O Lord, quicken me in thy Righteounes, AMEN, Pjal. cxix. 40.

1

EZEKIEL

米糕

[ocr errors]

EZEKIEL xxxvii. 9.

Then Jaid he unto me, Prophesy unto the Wind, prophefy, Son of Man, and Jay to the Wind, Thus faith the Lord God, Come from the four Winds, O Breath, and breathe upon thefe Slain, that they may live.

[blocks in formation]

All the Children of fallen Adam are spiritually and infenfibly dead in the Valley of dry Bones; and continue fo 'till the Spirit of the Lord convinces them of their Mifery.

W

HEREAS the Almighty hath, 1 truft, called me into his Vineyard, Matt. xx. 1. And made me his willing Child in the Day of his Power, Pfal. cx. 3. I am therefore not my own, but am bought with a Price, and ought to glorify God with my Body, and Spirit, which are God's, 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. I was bufy at my manual Employment on November 19th, 1752, when the Lord was pleafed to engage my Thoughts on writing the following Discourse, on the above Portion of Scripture ; and I was perfuaded that many a poor Soul in

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

my own Town, who being afhamed, like Nicodemus, would not come under the Doctrine of enlightened Minifters, might notwithstanding have the Curiofity to read it when published: I fay, many a poor Soul, for whether they are high or low with regard to Wealth, if they have not felt the Efficacy of thofe breathing Winds, they will find in a little Time that they are poor, and blind, and naked, Rev. iii. 17. And now my dear and well-beloved Neighbours, may the God of all Grace help you to confider whom thofe Winds were to breathe upon, even upon the whole Houte of Ifrael, the peculiar People of God, who were all circumcifed at that Time, and were in as fair a Profpect to be faved as we are now, being baptized. How little Danger did they fee themselves in, when the Almighty faw them all dry Bones? Why, they faw no more Danger in that Condition than most of us, and the rest of the unconverted, unrenewed, baptized Heathens, in this and other Nations do. But, O my Beloved, if you cannot see your Danger, turn to our Saviour's Difcourse to Nicodemus, John iii. 3. where you will find him declare, Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a Man be born again, be cannot fee the Kingdom of God. The fame heavenly Wind muft breathe on all our dead Souls, or we are loft and undone for ever. Our Lord fignified how thofe Winds operate on the new-born Soul: But his own Difciples were ignorant of the Scriptures, 'till they themselves received the breathing Winds of God's Holy Spirit, which gives Life to the Soul. He therefore breathed on them, and faid, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whofefoever Sins ye remit, they are remitted; and whofefoever 'Sins ye retain, they are retained, John xx. 22, 23. Now they were become the fpiritual Men who judge all Things; 'though

they

[ocr errors]
« PreviousContinue »