(1) By merely turning to the light within us we have a clearer evidence than all the books in the world can ever give us. (Sermon V, Germantown, p. 104.)

The first thing therefore that we mortals must do, in order to this salvation, is, to believe in this Light, and the power that dwelleth therein, "For without faith it is impossible to please God," or to be born of this Light, or become a child of God, who is Light. This Faith is called the Faith of the operation of God, because it is raised in the heart by the mani.. festation of the Light and Power of the Spirit of Christ in the mind. (m) There the Scriptures testify that He is: "The Word is nigh thee, in thy heart, and "in thy mouth, that thou mayest hear it, and do it," and again, saith Christ of Himself; " I am the Light of the "world, He that followeth me shall not abide in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life."

Again; we must believe in Him, and receive Him, as He is the word of God, and as He is God; for the Scriptures so testify of Him, "That in the beginning

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was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the "Word was God. In Him was Life, and the Life was "the Light of men." So then the Evangelist plainly declares the Lord Jesus Christ to be the true God, manifested in the proper nature of man. Does the Evangelist therefore teach that the Divine nature was changed into the human? No! Or that the human nature was become the Divine nature? No, truly! but that the human nature, a reasonable soul, clothed with a human body, was assumed by the Divine Word, the Wisdom and Power of God. (n)

And Jesus Christ, being the Eternal Son of God, is not made but begotten; neither was He made as he is man, with respect either to body or mind, but begotten by Divine Influence; and under this consideration, and by virtue of this union, the Lord Jesus Christ, as One with God, is properly and truly called

(m) This immortal spirit in man is what constitutes the Son of God. (Sermon II, North Meeting, pp. 32, 3.)

Have we indeed looked unto the only true and Living God, of whom we read in the Holy Scriptures, with desire and hope of salvation by Him? Have we looked, with sincerity, to the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom they testify? The Creation of God declares that He is, but we cannot find him there with all our search, we cannot Know Him thereby. "No man by searching can find out God to perfection." We all know, who have so searched, we cannot find Him thereby, we cannot see Him fully and clearly there. They testify of Christ, and are clear and full in their testimony of and concerning Him in all points; but alas! I am afraid the same charge is too true at this day, against the generality of people professing the Christian faith and religion, which was justly uttered against the Jews in that day, "You will not come unto Me;" You might, but you will not come to the Son of God that you may have life, and know the aboundings of it in you, by Him, “even as a well of living water, springing up unto life eternal."

The Scriptures give a sure report of Christ the Son of God, and that all that is to be known of the Father is revealed and manifest in Him. They testify that He is the Eternal Word, Wisdom, and Power of God; that He was born, as to his bodily appearance, of the holy Virgin Mary; that the power of the Highest overshadowed her, the holy Divine Influence came upon her by which she became pregnant, in order to that wonderful production conceived in her thereby, that holy thing called the Son of God: (h) of which she being premonished, by the Messenger of the Most High, she believed the message, and by faith conceived the true promised Seed, the Redeemer of the world; that all men might believe in Him, and be born of the Spirit

(h) We cannot suppose that it was the outward body of flesh and blood that was begotten of God, but a birth of the spiritual life in the soul-By the analogy of reason, spirit cannot beget a material body, because the thing begotten must be of the same nature with its Father. Spirit cannot beget any thing but Spirit; it cannot beget flesh and blood. What seems to be my mission, among my fellow ereatures, is to endeavour to lead the minds of my fellow creatures to the substance, and not to the shadow; and from every thing external, as nothing but shadow. (Sermon I, Mulberry Street, p. 10, 11, 12.)

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