Delivered by JOHN CROOK, Time and Place Unknown.
The Design of Christianity, With Other Books, Epistles, and Manuscripts of the Ancient Faithful Servant of Jesus Christ, John Crook. London: James Phillips, 1791.
This is The Quaker Homiletics Online Anthology, Part 1: The 17th Century.
His ministry was lively and demonstrative, and plenteously opening the scriptures, and they mysteries of life and salvation; preaching powerfully the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, in his spiritual appearance, and the work of sanctification and regeneration; the death of the old man, and the raising of the new birth; to serve the Lord, the Redeemer thereof, in righteousness and true holiness.
About three weeks before his death, I was at Hertford to visit him, and thou he was weak in body, yet did he powerfully declare, after a prophetical manner, "Truth must prosper, Truth must prosper: but a trying time should first come, and afterwards the glory of the Lord should more and more appear."
Among other his faithful brethren, he had a reverend esteem of the coming of Christ, and his sufferings, in the days of his flesh; and knew well how to distinguish his great work of redemption and salvation, as he died for all men, or was a sacrifice for sin: and also, as he was a sanctifier and redeemer out of sin: the fruit and benefit of the one, being not obtained without the other.
And were our adversaries duly sensible, what great things Christ both doth in us, as well as did for us, surely they would be humbled under his mighty hand, and leave off their slight esteem of this spiritual work in us, and not suppose the one to be in opposition to the other.
The apostle Peter saith "He bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead unto sin, should live unto righteousness."(1) And how can we die unto sin, and live unto righteousness, but by his assistance inwardly manifest in his light, grace, and holy spirit?
Our being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible,(2) by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever, doth not hinder his being made sin for us, who knew no sin,(3) that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.
Our owning we are sanctified by the work of his Spirit in our inward parts(4) hinders not our having remission of sins in his name.(5)
He having left us an example, that we should follow his steps(6) bars him not at all from being our King, and Caption of salvation: though he is a condemner of sin in the flesh,(7) yet he is also our advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.(8)
Our owning him a sacrifice for sin(9) hinders not at all his being our great High Priest.(10)
Our acknowledging, that he was tempted in all points, like as we are,(11) doth not prevent his being able to succour us, when we are tempted.
Thus our preaching him, the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world,(12)
doth not divest im of any of his blessed attributes, or offices, worthily bestowed upon him in Holy
Scripture; as the Seed of the woman,(13) the Word,(14) Emmanuel,(15) Interpreter, One among a
thousand,(16) Wonderful, Counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,(17) Lamb of
God,(18) Jesus,(19) Saviour,(20) the very Christ,(21) the Anointed,(22) and many more; yea, he becomes
all of these to us, as we walk in his light, who was given for a light to lighten the gentiles, that he
might be God's salvation to the ends of the earth.
THEODORE ECCLESTONE.
22. John 1:41, Isa. 41:1.