power to become the children of God.

This was testified of old, John i. 12. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them who believe on his name." Men want power over their sins: When sin appears to be exceeding sinful, they would overcome it, and be rid of it, when it is troublesome: And when they are under a deep conviction of the evil of it, and see the woful and miserable state that sin hath brought mankind into how they have lost the image of God and the favour of God; they then desire to be restored, and brought back again into their primitive state. You that know the truth of God, see how the work goes on in your hearts, see how the image of God is carrying on upon you. Consider, that the Lord is a holy God, of purer eyes than to behold iniquity with approbation: "There is no peace to the wicked," that walk in the broad way, and grieve the Holy Spirit, and do not answer his divine call. There is a two-fold call concerning man, a call to repentance, and a call to judgment. The call to repentance is in this day of God's visitation; they that receive it now, that are so wise, as to answer God's call, and believe in the Son of God, and in his inward appearance, that obey his voice, when they hear his call, saying, Come away, come out of thy sins, come out of the wickedness, filthiness, and pollution of the world; come into the divine nature of the Son of God; come into his life: Into what life? Into the spiritual life, the divine life? Thou hast been dead to God and alive to the world: Now that thou mayst [sic.] be dead to sin, and alive to God, come unto him that hath all power in heaven and in earth committed to him. O come unto Christ, the dear and blessed Son of God, in this day of grace and salvation, and receive power to overcome thy sins! Then thou wilt be a conqueror, and overcome the Devil.

We are of ourselves altogether insufficient for these things, we are weak and impotent; and our Saviour hath told us, "Without me ye can do nothing:" We are justified freely by God's grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ; not justified by our own works. How great a contradiction is it to charge them with the contrary, that say, They cannot preach nor pray, but as the Spirit of God moveth them. Blessed be God that hath made us sensible of our own weakness, emptiness, and poverty. Our help hath been in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth, who hath given his Son to be an helper, and an all-sufficient Saviour to us; with him he hath given sufficient power and strength, whereby we are enabled to overcome the Devil, the enemy of our souls: So that we may be enabled to stand against principalities and powers, against spiritual wickedness, and conquer all the powers, of darkness, and fight the good fight of faith, and finish our course with joy, and keep the faith: seeing there is laid up for us a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give us at that day; "and not only to us, (saith the Apostle,) but unto all them that love his appearing." We have not an High-Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin: Christ, our Redeemer, was tempted, that he might succour those that are tempted. When the Devil tempted our Saviour in the wilderness, and could not prevail, he went away and left him: The prince of this world found nothing in him, upon which he could fasten his temptation. Christ will enable those that believe in him to overcome the Devil, and to be more than conquerors, through him that loved them: He came into the world to purge and purify his people, and to be the author of eternal salvation to all them that believe in him, and obey him. But it is said, "He did not many mighty works" among some to whom he preached the everlasting Gospel, because of their unbelief: Many will