C o N T E N T T S. SECT. I. THE Necessity of the new Birth by the breathing Converted Souls are hated by the unregenerate World 6 Blind leading the Blind will both fall into the Ditch 8 The Blood of Christ converts the Soul. Some are comfort- ed by the Spirit, 'till they experience David's Joy 9, &c. Men by Nature are dead in Unbelief, and are obliged to The Wicked are Agents for Satan, 'till converted SECT. II. The Damn'd will curse blind Shepherds, who ad vised them to gain Salvation by Works 21, 22, 23 Chrift hath an Inkhorn to mark Mourners-in Sion God's Love can't fail those who know Christ's Voice 39, 40 SECT. III. Justification by Faith. See Church Article XI. 45 Naaman by dipping seven Times is healed : in allution to the seven Streans of Christ's Blood, which healeth the Church. Chrift the holy Seed in the Virgin's Womb, and the Ark of the Covenant, wherein is the hidden Manna 60, 62 Sect. IV. Ifrael passed through the Red Sea, being a Type of Christ's Blood, which faveth Believers God puts Moles, a Type of the Church, into the Rock, a God's Elect are created for his Glory, and drink of the TheChurch compar'd to a Lily, the Glory of wise Shepherds 82 SECT. V. Angels at the Harvest of the World shall cast the God's Chosen made joyful by Showers of Grace Sect. VI. The Church shall receive the white Stone, viz. Absolution, and fit in Judgment with Christ. They inust The Holy Ghost overshadowed the Virgin, so he must a Be- liever. As Adam's Wife was made of himself, so the Lamb's Sect.VII. The Covenant of Grace before Time began 114, 115 Names written in the Lamb's Book of Life 122, 123, 124 The Prodigal became penitent, and was received 126 SECT. VIII. Predestination vindicated No Works are acceptable before Faith Man should not trust to his own Works The Joys of the Spouse when wedded to Christ 136 The King of Glory openeth the Door by Love The Tree of Life in each side of the River of God's Love 139 All who are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life from the Foundation of the World, shall worship the Beast 144 His native Town, near Shaftsbury, in the County of Dorset. A TOUCH-STONE for the SOUL, the MARROW or QUINTESSÉN CE of the GOSPEL, and a Divine LOOKINGGLAȘs to the FAITHFUL, I Cor. xiii. 12. BRETHREN suck the Honey from the fol lowing COMBS. R As ma 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. ny as received me (in the Name of Christ) among you, had also Power to become the Children of God, for those that receive the Word receive the Blessing. God has bound А up up his Testimonies (the Doctrine of CHRIST) EZEKIEL EZEKIEL xxxvii. 9. prophesy, Son of Man, and say to the Wind, All the Children of fallen Adam are spiritually and in sensibly dead in the Valley of dry Bones ; and continue fo'till the Spirit of the Lord convinces them of their Misery. 1. COHEREAS the Almighty hath, i trust, called me into his Vineyard, W Matt. XX. And made me his willing Child in the Day of his Power, Psal. 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, I was busy at my manual Employment on November 19th, 1752, when the Lord was pleased to engage my Thoughts on writing the following Discourse, on the above Portion of Scripture ; and I was persuaded that many a poor Soul in my 20. A 2 my own Town, who being ashamed, like Nicodemus, would not come under the Doctrine of enlightened Ministers, might notwithstanding have the Curiosity to read it when published : I say, many a poor Soul, for whether they are high or low with regard to Wealth, if they have not felt the Efficacy of those 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 consider whom those Winds were to breathe upon, even upon the whole Houte of Israel, the peculiar People of God, who were all circumcised at that Time, and were in as fair a Prospect to be saved as we are now, being baptized. How little Danger did they see themselves in, when the Almighty saw them all dry Bones? Why, they saw 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 Discourse 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 see the Kingdom of God. The same heavenly Wind must breathe on all our dead Souls, or we are loft and undone for Our Lord fignified how those 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 said, Receive ye tbe Holy Ghost. Wholesoever Sins ye remit, they are remitted ; and whosesoever 'Sins ye retain, they are retained, John xx. 22, 23 Now they were become the spiritual Men who judge all Things ; 'though they ever. |