3 SmmphmHE *

sc5 ^lOia^*-

rl ~ *&*[

n J

J-

PRIMITIVE tf ULTIMA:

OR,

THE EARLY LABOURS

AND

LAST REMAINS

THAT WILL MEET THE PUBLIC EYE,
IN SEVERAL PRACTICAL DISCOURSES,

EMINENTLY CALCULATED FOR ALARMING SINNERS AND
HYPOCRITES IN ZION,

AND

AFFORDING INSTRUCTION, CORRECTION, AND CON SO LA

TION, TO GENUINE BELIEVERS,

OF THE LATE REV. AND LEARNED

Mr THOMAS BOSTON,

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL AT ETTRICK, AUTHOR OF

THE FOURFOLD STATE, ifc. Uc.

Now firft PubliHied from his Manuscripts.

Heb. xi. 4. — By it, be being dead,yttfpeaketh t

IN THREE VOLUMES.

:dinburgh

PRINTED BY AND FOR J. PILLANS St4°^#CKTtf COLLEGE

STREET: — SOLD BY THEM, AND BY^OST OE* fHE
BOOKSELLERS IN GREAT BRITAIN.

l80O.

Entered in Stationers Hall

CONTENTS

O F

THE SUBJECTS DISCOURSED UPON

IN

VOLUME SECOND.

Par-
SfcR. XXV. The evil and danger of halting
betwixt two opinions, - 5

X Kings, xvi. 21. — " Elijah faid, How long halt ye
betwixt two opinions ?"

XXVI. Creation's groans conlidered and im-
proved, - - - 21

Rom. viii. 22. — " For we know that the whole
creation groaneth, and travaiieth in pain toge-
ther until now."

XXVII. The fame fubje& continued, 38

XXVIII. Creation's travail and delivery, 57
Same text.

XXIX. Faithfulnefs towards God exempli-
fied and rewarded, - - 79

Numb. xiv. 24. — J But my fervant Caleb, becaufe
he had another fpirit with him, and hath followed
me fully, him will 1 bring into the land where-
unto he went, and his feed fhall poffefsit."

XXX. The fame fubjecl: continued, - ioi

XXXI. The Chriflian defcribed, the hypo-
crite detected, - - - 134

Rom. ii. 28. 29. — " For he is not a Jew which is
one outwardly," &c.

XXII. The fame fubjeft continued, 158

( 4

Pag.

XXXIII. The 'ftatute-law of difcfplemip, 189

Luke xiv. 76. — «« If any man come to me, and hate
not hit lather and mother/' 6cc.

XXXIV. The fame fubjecl continued, 202

XXXV". A rich reward to diligence in reli-
gion, - - - 216

Hof. vi.3. — " Then (hall ye know, if ye follow on
to know the Lord."

XXXVI. The fame fubjecT; continued, 228

XXXVII. The acceptable manner of draw-
ing near to God, - - 241

Heb. x. 22. — " Let us draw near with a true heart,
in the full affurance of faith," &c.

XXXVIII. The fame fubjeft continued, 255

XXXIX. The fame fubjecl continued, 280

XL. The faints God's fervants, and his pro-
perty, - - - 306

A 61s, xxvii. 43. — " For there flood by me this
night the angel of the Lord, whcfe I am, and
whom i ierve."

XLI. The fame fubjecT: continued, - 324

XLII. The fame fubjefl continued, - 347

XLIII. God's gracious call and precious
promit'e confide red, - - 376

Pfal. lxxxi. ?o. — " Open thy mouth wide, and I
will fill it."

XLIV. The nature and fource of the fpiri-
tual life, - - - 3$c

John, vi. 57.— *« He that eateth me, even he (hall
live by me.''

SERMON S.

THE EVIL AND DANGER OF HALTING
BETWIXT TWO OPINIONS.*

SER M O N XXV.

I Kings, xvi. 21. — Elijah {aid > How long halt
ye betwixt Hud opinions P

IN the ordinance of the Lord's fupper, there is
to be feen Jacob's ladder, with its foot fet on
the earth, and the top thereof reaching unto hea-
ven, Gen. xxviii. 12. "We truft ye have been
effaying to mount it, though perhaps ye are yet
not far from the ground. O that ye may have
freely entered upon the fir ft ftep ! I muft,
however, warn you, whoever ye be, that are look-
ing upwards towards the place to which the top
Vol. II. A reaches,

* This difcourfe was delivered immediately after the
oelebtation of the LovA^, ^tapper, in Marion, Augufi .-■,

: - iS.

I
THE EVIL AND DANGER OF

reaches, namely, heaven, that there is fuch a
voice to you from heaven in our text, as came
to David from the caftle of Zion, when he fet
himfelf to win it, 2 Sam. v. 6. " Except thou
take away the blind and the lame, thou (halt not
come in hither." 1/?, Unlefs the blind mind and
heart that is dill wavering in the choice betwixt
the Lord and idols be taken away, and thou canft
be determined abfolutely and finally for the Lord,
ye cannot come in hither. Of this we have dif-
courfed already*. — There is ■& fecond voice. Ex-
cept the lame feet whereby one is ilill going from
fide to fide in practice, betwixt the Lord and
idols, be taken away, you cannot come in hither.
To this we are now to attend, in confidering,

Doct. II. That an unequal and an unfleady walk,
here-away there-away, betwixt the Lord and
idols, is an unaccountable and abominable way
of walking through the world.

In difcourfing from this, it is propofed to fhew,

I. What is to be accounted fuch a walking.

II. The evil of this way of walking.

III. The caufes of this unfleady walking \ when
we {hall alfo point out fome remedies againft it.

IV. Make fome improvement. — I am,

I. To fhew what is to be accounted fuch a
walking.

i. Random- walking is fuch a walking : Lev.
xxvi. 21. " And if ye walk contrary to me, and
will not hearken unto me, I will bring kvtn
times more plagues upon you, according to your
fins." The original word, contrary, may be ren-
dered, as by accident, at random, at all adven-
tures.

* See Vol.1. p.jSp/.

HALTING BETWIXT TWO OPINIONS. 7

tures. There is a generation that are at befl but
random-cuftomers to religion, who take no more
of it than they readily meet with. Their religion
fits fo light on them, that in their way through
the world they take it as it comes to them. As
the fafhion of the time turns, they face as the
ilrcam runs about. They conform themfelves to the
tafte and humour of whatever company they fall in
with 5 they become a prey to every temptation, and
are picked up like {haying beafts by the firft finder.
Beware of this ; that day ye get to heaven in this
way, God and Baal fhall be reconciled. Set up
your mark in religion, and prefs unto it. Lay
down a principle for God, and hold by it, how-
ever times, companies, or temptations may fe*duce
you : Phil. iii. 15. " I prefs towards the mark for
the prize of the high-calling of God m Chrifc
Jefus." Acts, xi. 23. " And exhorted them all,
that with purpofe of heart they mould cleave
unto the Lord 5?' that is, abide by his fide with
full purpofe, laid down and determined before-
hand. — I obferve,

2. Wavering-walking is fuch a walking": Keb.
x. 23. " Let us hold fall: the profeffion of our
faith, without wavering." When men are .Hill
unfettled in their way, hither and thither, are
wavering in their purpofes and practice, one day
for God, another for the devil, and their hafts
like men in an ague, with their hot and cold fits
by turns, at one time defiioying what at another
time they were building up, they are never fixed.
Hence they will be one day at the table of the
Lord, another at the table of drunkards. Like
water-fowls, fometimes they will be foaring aloft
towards heaven in the exercifes of religion, and
quickly again fwimming in their lulls, and over
head and ears in the cares, profits, pleafures, and
A 2 vanities

O TKE EVIL AND BANGER 0.7

vanities of the world. Sometimes they will ap-
pear fo ferious in religion, that one would think
they would never go back again to their linfnl
■courfes ; anon, they give themfelves the fwing in
their fmful courfes, as they would never look back
again- to religion. Take head to this j waverers
will never get up the hill to Zion : Tarn. i. 6. JL 8.
14 But let him afk in faith, nothing wavering, fcr
he that wavereth is like a wave of the fea, driven
with the wind and toffed. For let not that man
think that he fhall receive any thing of the Lord.
A double-minded man is unliable in all his ways.'"*
Go ilraight forward in the Lord's way, as one
that is refolute for God and his way: Prov.
iv. 25. 26. 27. " Let thine eyes look right on,
and let thy eye-lids look ftraight before thee.
Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways
be eftablifhed. Turn not to the right hand nor to
the left, remove thy foot from evil." — I obferve,

3. Unequal walking is fuch a walking : Prov.
xxvi. 7. " The legs of the lame are not equal."
The parts of the converfation of many anfwer no
better than a long leg and a fhort one do. In the
church they are faints, at home they are devils ;
in their profefiion they are fair, in their practice
they are foul and falfe ; m their words the world
is nothing but in their auction it is their all.
Theifl practice is made up of contradictions.
They agree not with themielves, how can they
with God ? They pretend piety towards God, yet
make no confcKnce of duty, mercy, and juftice
towards man: Matth. xxiii. 23. " Woe to you,
Scribes and Pharifees, hypocrites, for ye pay tithe
of mint, anife, and cummin, and have omitted
the weightier matters of the law, judgement,
mercy, and faith : Thefe ought ye to have done,
atkj no : : ITt t}i$ others undone/' A wide con-
fidence

HALTING BETWIXT TWO OPINIONS. 9

fcience in fubftantials, and narrow in circumftan-
tials of religion, is a conscience of a profane make.
Beware of this ; fee the emblem of thcfe folk,
Prov. xxvi. 23. " Burning lips, and a wicked heart,
are like a potflierd covered with fdver drofs." The
potfherd will be broken in pieces at length. La-
bour to have your whole converfation of a piece,
if ever you would fee heaven : James, iii. 10.
" Out of the fame mouth proceedeth bleiTmg and
curfing. My brethren, thefe things ought not to
be fo." — I obferve,

4. Partial and divided walking is fitch a walk-
ing : Hof. x. 2. " Their heart is divided." They
keep not with one mailer, but in fome things ferve
the Lord, in other things their own lints. They
would make void the commands of God •, fome
they will comply with, others they will not regard.
They will drain at a gnat in fome things, and in
others fwallow a camel. At a communion, or un-
der a conviction, they fay, as in Deut. v. 27.
" Speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God
mall fpeak unto thee, and we will hear it, and do
it." Buc when it comes to a labouring in their
work, they will refolve to do, but they cannot :
Prov. xx. 4. " The fluggard will not plow, by
reafon of the cold." They have their particular
idols of jealoufy, which they can by no means part
with. Beware of this ; be univerfal in your re-
fpecl: to God's commandments, otherwife you will
be cloathed with Ihame at length : Pfal. cxix. 6.
" Then mall I not be afhamed, when I have a re-
fpecl: unto all thy commandments." The ftraight
foul fays, as in ver. 128. " I elieem all thy pre-
cepts concerning all things to be right, and I hate
every falfe way."— I iTiall now go on to fhew,

.A 3 II,

IO THE EVIL AND DANGER OF

II. The evil of this way of walking. I fliall
fum up this in thefe four things.

i. It is a walking highly difhonourable and of-
fenfive to God : Rev. iii 15. 16. "I know thy
works, that thou art neither cold nor hot •, I would
thou wert cold or hot. So then, becaufe thou art
lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will fpue
thee out of my mouth." How could an affection-
ate hufband take it, to have his wife gadding after
other lovers ? And, O how difhonourable is it to
God, that thofe who have given themfelves away
to him mould be found hanging about the dcors
cf the world, and their lufts ! Friends' wounds
pierce decpeil •, and therefore many do more dif-
honour God, and difgrace religion, by their un-
even walk, their halting betwixt two opinions,
than if they mould go over entirely to the devil's
f:de in the world : Ezek, xx. 39. " As for you, O
houfe cf Ifrael ! thus faith the Lord God, Go ye,
ferve ye every one his idols, but pollute ye my
hoiv name no more with your gifts and with your
idols."

2. It is a walking which is moil grievous and
offenfive to the ferious and godly. With what
concern does Elijah complain of it here ! They are
a heavy burden in the fhip of the church of God ;
and the lighter they are in their fleeting and flow-
ing, the heavier their cafe lies on ferious fouls :
Pfal. Iv. 12. 13. 14. " For it was not an enemy
that reproached me, then I could have borne it ;
neither was it he that hated me, that did magnify
himfelf againft me, then I would have hid myfelf
frcm him. But it was thou, a man, mine equal,
my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took fvveet
counfel together, and walked to the houfe of God
in company." And no wonder, confidering that
the name of God is blafphemed by reafon of fuch

walkers >

HALTING BETWIXT TWO OPINIONS. II

walkers ; and they are the worfl enemies religion
has : Phil, il i - 18. " For many walk, of whom I
have told you often, and now tell you even weep-
ing, that they are the enemies of the crofs of Chriit \
whole end is definition, whole god is their belly,
mid who mind earthly things." When two armies
are in the field, as is the cafe betwixt Chriit and
the devil, abfolute deferters are dangerous ; but
fuch as remain in the camp, yet keep up a corre-
fpondence with the enemy, are ftill more fo.

3. It is a walking which is hardening to the
wicked : Prov. xxviii. 4. " They that foriake the
law, praife the wicked." They betray the caufc
of religion to them, and open their mouths to blaf-
pheme and reproach the way of God : Rom. ii.
23. 24. " Thou that makeft thy boafl of the law,
through breaking the law difhonoureit thou God ?
For the name of God is biafphemed among the
Gentiles., through you, as it is written." Do you
think that your coming to a communion-table,
your waiting oil ordinances, public, private, or
fecret, will ever commend the way of the Lord to
onlookers, while you make not conscience of ten-
der walking in the whole of yosr converfation,
even in your natural and civil actions ? Nay, truly,
the finful liberty you take to yourfelves, even as
others, will make your religion loathfome to them.
I have found fome have been reftrained from the
table of the Lord by obferving the unfuitable walk
of others after a communion \ but woe to that man
by whom the Son cf man is betrayed.

LajVy^ It is a walking which is ruining to one's
own foul. The generation that wandered in the
wildernefs died there ; and waverers betwixt the
Lord and their idols fall into the mire at length :
Hof. vi. 4. 5. « What {hall I do unto thee, O Ju-
dah ? for your goodnefs is as a morningxloiid, and
1 as

12 THE EVIL AND DANGER OF

as the early dew, it goeth away. Therefore have
I hewed them by the prophets, I have ilain them
by the words of my mouth ; and my judgements
are as the light that goeth forth." It is to thofe
that are faithful unto the death only that the crown
of life is promifed, Rev. ii. ro. Inft ability in the
good ways of the Lord vexeth the Holy Spirit ;
whereupon he departs, then the foul withers, and
is caft over the hedge at length. Many walk in a
round betwixt their lulls and their duties while
they live ; and when they go out of the world,
they are juit where they were when they came in-
to it. As they were born in fin, fo they die in it,
and fo tumble down into the pit. — I lhall now
point out,

III. The caufes of this unfteady walking, going
from fide to fide betwixt the Lord and idols ; to-
gether with the remedies.

i . The want of a right fet of the heart at firft,
is one caufe : Pfal. lxxviii. 37. " For their heart
was not right with him, neither were they ftedfait
in his covenant." While thefe in the text had two
opinions, and ~^ere not determined to one of them,
they could not but halt betwixt the two. The heart
that is never once freely feparate from fin, fo as to
fee it to be an evil, and the greateft evil, and to
hate it for itfeif, that is, for its contrariety to God's
holy nature and law, will make at belt but a halt-
ing profeflbr. If the duties of religion be defire-
able to them for one reafon, the enjoyment of
their lufts is fo for another \ and thus the heart
being divided, the life is fotoo.

In this cafe the remedy is, to come once freely
away to the Lord Chrift, from all your lufts and
idols . 2 Cor. vi. 17. " Wherefore come out from
among them, and be ye feparate, faith the Lord,

and

HALTING BETWIXT TWO OPINIONS. I 3

and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive
vou." They who once thus part freely, will never
hah again betwixt the two. Though they may
have a weak fide by reafon of indwelling corrup-
tion, yet they have a found fide too, that is com-
bating v/ith that weakncfs : Gal. v. 17. " For the
fleih lufteth againit the fpirit, and the fpirit a-
gair.il the flefh ; and thefe are contrary the one to
the other, fo that ye cannot do the things that ye
would." And they are in confequence longing for
the victory : Rom. vii. 24. " O ! wretched man
that I am, who fhall deliver me from the body of
this death ?" Unite with Jefus Chrift, and you will
walk in him *, for where he is once freely chofen
for a pilot to the fhip, the finner's courfe through
the fea of this world will be completely managed ;
that foul will never be fhip wrecked.

And now, if ye be in earneff. not to halt any
more, I give you an advice:— As foonas ye get home
after this work is over, retire by yourfelves, and
confider where your weak fide lies, what is that
luft or lufts that is moil likely to draw you over
to its fide again •, and having feen it, confider how
your foul ftands affected to it, and labour by all
means to make fure a final parting with it in your
heart 5 that is, honefcly and refoiutely before the
Lord to give up with it again for ever. And as
for the void fpace which the renouncing that fweet
irorfel will make in your heart, fill it up with
Chrift himfelf, by taking him exprefsly in the room
of that idol : Mutth. xiii. 45. 46. " Again, the
kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant-man
locking goodly pearls, who, when he had found
one pearl of great price, werk and fold all that he
bad, -and bought it."

To this fome may object:, Is there any faint in
the world that is free of halting ? Jnfiv. There ir,

a

■

14 THE EVIL AND DANGER OF

a great difference betwixt the Chriftian's halting
through weaknefs, and the halting through wic-
ked nefs fpoken of in the text, which is really more
than halting, properly fo called. The one is a halt-
ing like him that is lame of one leg, the other like
him that is lame of both. — The Chriftian, what-
ever weaknefs he is attended with in his walk, is
abfolutely determined for God and holinefs, in op-
pofition to all his idols : the hypocrite wants this
resolution of heart. The former longs, fighs,
groans, and drives to get the victory over corrup-
tion ; is never for truce and reconciliation betv/ixt
the Lord and lufts, but for the extirpation o-f thefe
lufts* But the latter is at bottom for both together,
a reconciliation betwixt them, and cannot think
to hold with the Lord withput his lulls. — The
Chriftian fmneth not with that full fwing of heart
the hypocrite doth. The former hath a found fide,
a renewed part, which lufteth againft the fleih,
and fo far refills the fway to the weak fide j where-
as the latter has nothing found, and fo fmneth with
full confent of the will, however the confeience may
reclaim and repiove.

2. Another caufe is, unmortined lulls and light
meeting together in the foul. An enlightened con-
feience puts it forward to God ; unmortined, live-
ly, reigning lufts, draw it back again. Thus one
is toiled from fide to fide, as in the cafe of Pilate
and Balaam : Job, xxiv. 13. " They are of thofe
that rebel againft the light ; they know not the
ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof."
Lulls rife againft light, and thruft a man out of
the paths thereof. It is with them as with David,
in the battle againft Abfalom. Upon the one
hand, it was hard to lofe a kingdom ; on the other
hand, to lofe a Son : " Therefore deal gently,"
fays he, « with Abfalom." Even fo here, they

are

HALTING BLTWIXT TWO OPINIONS. I 5

are loth to lofe their fouls, yet loth alfo to lofe
their idols. Hence they mult do fomething for
each of them. — In this cafe there is this

Remedy -.—Mortify your lulls, that you may
trample on them, and follow the light : Col. iii. 5.
" Mortify, therefore, your memhers which are up-
on the earth," &c. Prune off the fe fuckers, that
ye may have a thriving foul. Deny their cravings,
that ye may weaken and ftarve them. And that
ye may be enabled to do this, let your confeience
and your heart both together take up their reft in
Chriit by faith. Know, O finner ! there is enough
in Chriit for the boundlefs defires of thy heart, as
well as for the cravings of thy confeience : Cant,
v. 16. " His mouth is molt fweet; yea, he is al-
together lovely." Col. ii. 9. 10. " For in him
dwelleth all the fulnefs of the Godhead bodily.
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of

all principality and power." Here fome may

reaion,

(1.) How can that be? for, alas! there are.
many defires in my wretched heart, that are of
fuch a carnal fort, that there can be nothing in
Chriit for them. Anjkv. Our Lord fatisfies the
defires of poor finners, by enlarging fuch of them .
as are holy, fulfilling thefe, and extinguifhing
others of them that a?e unholy : Pfal. lxxxi. 10.
" I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee up
out of the land of Lgypt ■ Open thy mouth wide,
and I will fill it." Though thou canft not have
in Chriit the unworthy thing thy falfe heart clefi-
reth, thou malt have in him what is a thoufand
times more deferable ; and then the defire of that
thing wiil die away. None complains of the want
of candles while the fun mines into the room, for
that more than fupplies the want of them all ; and
none will cry, " Who will mew us any good ?"

when

1 6 THE EVIL AND DANGER OF

when the Lord " lifts up upon them the light of
his countenance." A child may be fond of his
rattle, and will not part with it ; but put a more
pleafmg thing in his hand, and he will immediate-
ly let it go : Matth. xiii. 44. " The kingdom of
heaven is like treafure hid in a field, the which
when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy
thereof goeth and felleth all that he hath, and buy-
eth that field." — Another may inquire,

(2.) What way fhall I take to get Chrift to fill
my heart ? The anfwer, in a word, is, Believe.
— What fhall we believe ?

[1.] Believe that there is a complete fulnefs
in Chrift, fufficient to fatisfy the boundlefs defires
of your hearts: Col. ii. 19. " Holding the head,
from which all the body, by joints and bands, ha-
ving nourifhment miniftered, and knit together,
increafeth with the increafc of God." He is in-
finite in perfections ; and whatever is defirable in
all the creation, is eminently in him as the foun-
tain cf all.

[2.] Believe that he, with all his fulnefs, is
offered to you, in the way of exchange with all
your lulls and idols. Sincerely confent to the ex-
change. There is a full Chrift before you ; and
the lull of the eyes, the lull of the flefh, and the
pride of life, are with you. Give up with thefe
as exprefsly and folemnly as ye can, and take
Chrift in their room ; believing there fhall be no
miffing of them, and looking for the heart-fatis-
faction in him ye ufed to feek in them. And
believe it is a bargain unalterable for eternity :
Matth. xiii. 45. 46. Pfal. lxxiii. 25. " Whom have
I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon
earth that I defire befides thee. — God is the
ftrength of my heart, and mv portion for ever."

[30

HALTING BETWIXT TWO OPINIONS. I?

[3.] When your lufts come back, offering to
entertain you as formerly, believe ye have in
Chriit what is a thoufand times better : Pfal.
Ixxxiv. x. " For a day in thy courts is better than
a thoufand." Say in your fouls, as the olive,
Jud. ix. 9. Shall I come down from bread, and
lie down to eat hufks ? Shall I leave the milk and
honey, and fill my mouth with gravel-ftones ?
If the luft of Vanity fay, There is gaiety and
finery, the eyes of beholders are fixed on thee.
Let the foul fay, But I have in Chrift a never-fa-
ding beauty, glorious robes of unfpotted righ-
teoufnefs, Chrift's love and his Father's, &c. that
is folid and fubftantial, not to be exchanged for the
airy nothings of the world's vanity. If the luft
of Covetoufnefs fay, There is a good prize to be
had by a very little ftretch, let the foul fay, But I
have riches in Chrift, and that without any fting,
durable riches and righteoufnefs.

[3.] Another courfe of this walking is, men's
touching but very lightly on religion in its turn,
but digging deep in their lufts in their turn :
Pfal. lxxviii. 18. " And they tempted God in their
heart, by afking meat for their lufts." Ver. 36.
" Neverthelefs, they did flatter him with their
mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues."
They are as it were in jeft in the former, but in
deep earned in the latter j they fwim like feathers
in the waters of the fancl:uary, but fink as lead in
the mighty waters of their corrupt affections.

In this" cafe, I propofe this remedy : — Labour
to be experimental Chriftians : Pfal. xxxiv. 8,
" O tafte and fee that the Lord is good." A tafte
of the tranfeendent goodnefs of ood, the hidden
excellency of religion, would hold you faft to the
right fide : John, iv. 1 o. « Jefus anfwered, and faid
unto her, If thou kneweft the gift of God, and

Vol. II. B who

I 8 THE EVIL AND DANGER OF

who it is that faith to thee, Give me to drink,
thou wouldefl have afked of him, and he would
have given thee living water." O then prefs
eagerly into the inner court of religion ; there are
beauties there that will arreft your heart. Labour
that you may have your hearts in every duty ; break
through the {hell, till ye come to the kernel. Once
make religion your bufinefs, it will foon fill your
hands, as well as your hearts. — I fhall only mention,

4. Another caufe of this walking. They would
fain be at heaven, but have no heart for the rugged
way to it: Mark, x. 2 1. "Then Jefus beholding hiin,
loved him, and faid unto him, One thing thou
lackeil ; go thy way, fell whatfoever thou haft,
and give to the poor, and thou malt have treafure
in heaven ; and come, take up the crofs, and fol-
low me. And he was fad at that faying, and went
away grieved ; for he had great pofleflions." The
fluggard loves the gold, but will not dig for it.

In this cafe the remedy is, to put on a refolution,
a peremptory refolution for God, to cleave to him at
any rate, and to pafs through the wildernefs to the
heavenly Canaan, coft what it will : Numb. xiv. 24.
« But my fervant Caleb, becaufe he had another fpi-
rit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I
bring into the land whereinto he went -, and his
feed fhall pofTefs it." There ye may be, there ye
mull be, elfe you are ruined. And there are two
things, as to which I would caution you.

(1.) Have you not got that victory over your
idols you were expecting ? Do not give over, but
refolutely continue the ftruggle, looking to the Lord
for ftrength to accomplifh that in which you have
engaged : Rom. xvi. 20. " And the God of peace
fhall bruife Satan under your feet fhoitly." Have
you come to ChrilVs door, though you apprehend

you

HALTING EETWIXT TWO OTINIOtfS. IO

vou have got nothing yet ? Be peremptorily -resol-
ved you will not go back to the door of your lulls,
but hang on at his, though you ihould die at it,
and you (hall find, as in Cant. iii. 4. " It was but a
little that I paiTed from them, but I found him
whom my foul loveth."

(2.) Have you got your feet on the necks of
your idols ? Pray, do not think the war is over,
or that the Egyptian purfuers, who have been fome-
times heavy on you, that you will fee them no more ;
No, no •, the broken forces of corruption will rally
again, and the newly-baffled idols will lift up their
heads •, therefore be on your watch, and prepare
to renew the battle.

IV. I am now to make fome improvement,
which for the prefent (hall only be in an ufe of ex-
hortation.

Beware of wavering, and Rudy to be liable Chri-
flians.— To enforce this, confider,

i. That liability is the ground of fruitfulnefs :
Pfal. i. 3. " And he mall be like a tree planted by
the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit
in his feafon •, his leaf alfo mail not wither •, and
whatfoever he doth fhall profper. The ungodly
are not fo, but are like the chaff which the wind
driveth away." A tree, after being lifted, and
planted fometiraes here, fometimes. there, cannot
be fruitful : « The rolling-Hone gathers no fog.'
Unliable as water, can never prevail. Doubts,
fears, and drynefs in the foul's cafe, is a neceflary
conference of unfettlednefs. -Confider,

2. That (lability is the beginning of comfortable
experiences in religion. We cannot think to thrive
in a trade, till we fettle to it. A fool is always
beginning, leaves off, begins again, and fo on ;
he never bring? any thing to perfection. — Confider,
B 2 3. That

20 THE EVIL AND DANGER OF, &C.

3. That liability is a fence agairift temptations.
The wavering profefTor is a hopeful prey to temp-
tation. The town that begins to parley, is next
door to furrendering. The Jews faw Pilate begin
to waver, and then they plied him to condemn
Chrift, till they carried him off his feet. — Con-
sider,

Laftly, That lability is the foundation of fer-
viceablenefs for God. The veflels of the temple
were of gold, filver, brafs, &c. but none of glafs,
no cryftal ones ; thefe were too brittle for temple-
fervice. So wavering profefibrs will never be ho-
noured of God to be ferviceable for him, but they
will do much harm to the way of the Lord.

creation's

CREATIONS GROANS CONSIDERED AND
IMPROVED.*

S E R M O N XXVI,

Rom. vili. 2 2. For we know that the whole creation
groom thy and iravaileth in pain together until now.

TF we look abroad into the world, we cannot
mifs to perceive it in a feverifh condition ; the
whole head Tick, the whole heart faint •, good men
and God's good creatures alfo groaning under a
weight of mifery. If we look above us into hea-
ven, we cannot but fee that it is an holy God.
who has call them into, and keeps them in this
miferable condition. But withal we may conclude,
that it fhall not be always fo ; this fever of the crea-
tion will have a cool. A gracious God will not
fufFer it always to be ill with good men and his
good creatures. Therefore the apoilie, ver. iS.
of the chapter before us, taking a view of the fuf-
fering lot of the faints, of which himfelf had a
large ihare, by faith looks through the cloud of
B 3 miferics

* Delivered January 17 6.

22 CREATION'S GROANS

miferies into which the faints are now wrapt up,
and beholds a glory that is to be revealed in them,
a lightfome day that (hall fucceed this dark night,
when all the clouds fhall be fcattered, never more
to gather. He confirms the revelation of that
glory from two confiderations. i. The creatures,
ver. 19. with earned expectation wait for it. 2.
The faints, ver. 23. anxioufiy look and long for it.
And neither of thefe can be in vain, for they are
of God's implanting ; and juftice {lands not a-
gainfl the fatisfying of thefe appetites raifed by
the fan£tifying Spirit in the faints, and by the crea-
ting hand in the creatures.

As to the firft of thefe, the apoftle, 1. AiTerts
that longing of the creatures for the revelation of
that glory in the faints, ver. 19. 2. He fhews the
nailery they are under, from which they are fo an-
xious to be delivered, Vanity, ver. 20. ; Corruption,
ver. 21. 3. That their deliverance is connected
with, and muft be fufpended till the revelation of
that glory in the faints, ver. 21. 4. He fhews how
uncafy they are in the mean time, ver. 22. — Thus
much for the connection.

In the words of the text, we have,

1. The party whofe uneafinefs is here taken no-
tice of : " The whole creation," or every creature
in heaven and on earth, is uneafy. Yet this phrafe
is not fo univerfal, but that it admits of fome ex-
ceptions, as Mark, xvi. 15. " And he faid unto
them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the
gc pel to every creature j" yet not to the angels,
glorified faints, devils, &c. The limitation is
every creature made for the ufe of man, in heaven
or on earth, which, becaufe of their relation to
him, were made lubject to vanity on occafion of
his fin. This fhews a good reafon for that phrafe,
Mark, xvi. 15. « Preach the goipel to every crea-

'ture i\

CONSIDERED AND IMPROVED. 23

tore* that is, thegofpel, which is gofpel or good
tidings to every creature \ for not only man, but
the creatures that were funk in mifery with him,
fhall have the advantage of it. As they fmarted
by the firft Adam's finning, they (hall be reftored
by virtue of the fecond Adam's fuffering. A£ts,
iii. 21. " Whom the heavens muft receive, until
the times of reftitution of all things, which God
hath fpoken by the mouth of all his holy prophet*
fince the world began." So here are to be ex-
cepted,

( 1 .) The angels. For as they were not made for
man, lb they are already perfectly happy, as thecour-
tiers of the great King, who ftand before the throne
continually, as is fignified by that phrafe, Matth.
xviii. 10. " That in heaven their angels do always
behold the face of my Father who is in heaven."

(2.) The devils. For though they be mod un-
ealy, and carry their hell about with them, 2 Pet.
ii. 4. " For God fpared not the angels that finned,
but call them down to hell, and delivered them
into chains of darknefs, to be referved unto judge-
ment •" yet as they were not made for man, fo
man did not make them miferable, but they made
man fo. Befides, the creature here was fubjected
in hope, ver. 20.; but the cafe of devils is absolute-
ly hopelefs ; for them there is no Saviour, and to
them there is no promife.

(3.) Men themfelves. For as, 1 Cor. xv. 27.
" But when he faith all things are put under him,
it is manifeft, that He is excepted who did put all
things under him;" fo when it is faid, " The
whole creation groaneth," &c. it is manifeft he is
excepted, who was the caufe of the groaning of
them all. The reprobate, fome of them are in hell
already, others are polling on, both groaning, but
in vaitly different degrees. Yet they are not meant

here 3 .

24 CREATION S GROANS

here, for their groans fliall never have an end-
But all the effects of the curfe that are to be found
in the univerfe this day, fhall with them be fwept
out of the world into the lake at the great day,
there to be fettled on them as their proper bafe :
Rev. xx. 14. " And death and hell were call into
the lake of fire. This is the fecond death."

(4.) The elect. Some of them are in heaven, and
groan no more. The unconverted elect groan un-
der outward miferies ; but they are not meant here,
for, being immerfed in wickednefs with the reft
of the world, they are far from the earned expec-
tation which the creatures here have, ver. 19.
Believers groan moil fenfibly, but they mull alio
be excepted here, as being oppofed to this creation
or creature. Ver. 23. " And not only they, but
©urfelves alio, which have the firft-fruits of the
Spirit, even we ourfelves groan within ourieives,
waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption
of our body."

Now, thefe being excepted, it remains, that by
the whole creation we uiiderftand all the reft of
the creatures made at fir ft for the ufe of man.
They are ail uneafy. The vifible heavens were
made the roof of his houfe, the earth the floor \
the fun, moon, and ftars, were made to be his
lights, the air to breathe in, the wind to refrefh
him *, the various produce of the earth to afford
him neceifaries, conveniences, and delights. He
was lord of fea and land. Fifhes, fowls, and
beads of the earth, were all at his command.
"While he flood, they were all of them moft eafy
in his fervice. But now that matters are re ver fed
with him, their fituation is alio reveried •, none
of them failed to fhare in his mifery. For though
vanity, corruption, and mifery, firft fprang up in
man, they did not halt there, but fpread over the

face

CONSIDERED AND IMPROVED. 25

face of the whole earth, diffufed themfelves over
the briniih waters of the fea, and afcended through

the air to the very glorious lights in heaven.

In the words of the text we have,

2. The agony that the whole creation or crea-
tures are in, — a great agony. It is exprefled two
ways, both metaphorical.

(1.) They groan. This is a metaphor, taken
from a man, with a heavy burden on his back,
which fo ftraitens him, that he cannot freely draw
his breath ; and when he gets it, it is a groan. So
there is a heavy weight lying on the whole creation,
that makes it groan; or, in other words, creatures got
their death- wounds that day Adam got his, and fo
they are groaning {till with the groans of a deadly-
wounded man. His fin flung them to the heart,
and fo they groan . The weight they are lying un-
der is the weight of the curfe, which binds vani-
ty and corruption on them by virtue of the fin of
man: Gen. hi. 17. w Curfed is the ground for
thy fake." A weight under which, though ftupid
impenitent man groans not to God, yet his very
beafts, and the very earth on which he walks, do.

(2.) They travail in pain. A metaphor taken
from a woman bringing forth a child. The pains
of child-birth are exquifite pains, and put the pa-
tient both to groans and ftrong cries. And into
this condition is the whole creation brought by
man's fin. They are in pangs, and they cry out
of their pangs. But though birth-pains are fore
pains, yet they are hopeful. There is thus fome
hope that the creature will be delivered. They
are travailing in pain with the hinds, to caft
out their forrows, Job, xxxix. 3. They have con-
ceived vanity and mifery, and they have g nc
long with it, and they are travailing in pain to
be delivered of the unhappy birth. They groan,

an,d

26 creation's groans

and alfo they travail. One that has too heavy a
burden on his back, groans continually while it is
on. But bleffed be the holy and wife Cod, that has
made the pains of travail intermitting •, now and
then a fhower. So the creatures have their ordi-
nary pains that are never off them. But fome-
times, as at this day, they have extraordinary, and
as it were travaiiing-pains, which will off again,
though they will return : Joel, i. 1 8. " How do
the beads groan ! the herds of cattle are perplexed,
becaufe they have no pafture ; yea, the flocks of
fheep are made defolate." — In our text we have,

3. The mournful concert they make: They
groan together and travail together. Not toge-
ther with us, verfe 23. but together among them-
felves. Before fin entered into the world, they ail
looked biyth, and as it were fung together : But
now they have changed their tune, and groan to-
gether. The beafts and the fowls groan from the
earth, and the very heavens echo back to them
the fame drain. So many creatures as there are,
fo many groaners> each of them with their mourn-
ful note. — We have,

^. How long they have fung to the melancho-
ly tune : Until now. They began at Adam's fall,
and they have groaned ever line , and travailed
on till the apoftles days, Wt they had not done
with it then. Nay, they. have groaned and tra-
vailed till now in our days, long five thoufand
feven hundred years, and yet their burden is not
off their backs, nor have they yet got their for-
rows can: out. And how long it may be to their
delivery, we know not. But one thing we
know, it will never be till the world end by the
general conflagration, when the new heavens
and the new earth may rife, like the phcenix, out
of their owa allies. — We have,

Lojllyt

CONSIDERED AND IMPROVED. 27

Laftlyy The auditory that liltens to the mourn-
ful concert: 7AY, " wc know/' &c. ( We believers,
we ferious Chriftians, hear and certainly know the
mournful ditty." Can the fhepherd who is lent
to notice the fheep, not obferve when they make
their moan for lack of their food, efpecially when
the whole flock is crying together ? Were all the
men of a city groaning of their wounds, and all
the Women travailing in pains together, that per-
fon mud be deaf that would not hear the found,
and he mull have an heart of adamant that would
not be affected. But the whole creation, above
us and about us, are groaning and travailing to-
gether, and that for our fakes ; yet a finful gene-
ration has no ears to hear, no heart to be affected
with it, and with fin which is the caufe. But
ferious Chriftians, awake to it, cannot mifs to
hear, and their ears affect their hearts. You will
obferve, that they hear it diitin£tly, not confu-
fedly, as we apprehend fometimes we hear a thing,
which we are not fure whether it be a real voice,
or only an illufion of the fancy. We know, fays
the apoftle, we are fure, it is no fancy. Some crea-
tures have a voice that every body can hear.
But there is no creature fo mute, but a ferious
Chriftian, whofe fenfes are exercifed, can difcern
its voice. David could hear the filent heavens,
day and night, and alfo know their meaning,
Pfal. xix. 1. 2. *, and verfe 3. " Their is no fpeech
nor language where their voice is not heard. " O
that we could hear their voice this day ! and that
their groans and cries might pierce our hearts for
fin.

This fubjecl; is highly important. — There is
contained in it the three following Doctrines,
'which in their order we propofe to confider.

Doct.

28 creation's groans

Doct. 7. That the whole creation, made for the
life of man, groans under the fin of man.

Doct. II. That the creatures' pains, under the fin
of man, are travailing-pains, fore indeed, but
hopeful, they will in due feafon be delivered
from them.

Doct. III. That the whole creation makes a
mournful concert in the ears of ferious Chri-
ftians, by their groans under man's fin.

We begin with
Doct. I. That the whole creation made for the ufc
of man, groaneth under the fin of man.

What is to be offered on this do&rine fhall be
comprehended under the three following heads of
difcourfe.

I. In what refpects the creation, or creatures are
faid to groan ; for many of them, as the earth,
&c. are properly incapable of groaning.

II. What diftreffes the creatures fo much, that
they groan ? What has man's fin done to them,
to make them groan under it ?

III. How, and by what right, can the harmlefs
creatures be made to groan for our fakes ?
They have not finned. True, thefe poor fheep
what have they done ?

IV. I fhall add a practical improvement of the
fubjeft.

I. I am, then, to fhew in what refpects the
creation, or the creatures are faid to groan, for
many of them, as the earth, &c. are properly in-
capable of groaning. — Here I obferve,

i. That the fenfible part of the creation really
groans, each after its kind : Joel, i. 18. " How do
the beafts groan? the herds of cattle are perplexed,

becaufe

!

CONSIDERED AN"D IMPROVED. 2$

because ihey have no paflure ; yea, the flocks of
fheep are m.u!e deiblafe." The beafts, the birds,
all tliat can groan, do groan. And thele may be
admitted as the mouth of the reft ; they groan out
their own mifery, and the mifery of their mate-
fellows, that are in the fame condemnation with
them, while they ftand about, as it were, looking
on, like a company of foreigners, one of whom
only being capable of fpeaking our language, fpeaks
for the reft.

2. The whole creation appears in a mournful
mood and groaning pofture. The fun, the eye
of the world, has often a veil drawn over it for
many days ; and he with the reft of the lights of
heaven are covered with blacknefs, like mourners.
The earth, trees and plants upon it, lay afide their
ornaments, and every head among them is baid ;
becaufe man, whom they were appointed to ferve,
[s (lain by the great murderer, the devil j therefore
ail his fervants are gone into mourning.

3. The whole creation, if they could, would
gtoan, for they have good reafon, as we will fee
afterwards. As our Lord fays, Luke x. 40. (i If
thefe mould hold their peace, the ilones would im-
mediately cry out." The preiTure they are under
would make them groan, if they had fenfe or
reafon to miderftand it. It is God's goodnefs to
man that his fenfe of hearing is not more quick than
it is, otherwife he could never have reft, there be-
ing always fome noiie in the world. And it is well
for man that the creatures cannot reprefent their
mifery as it deferves, otherwife they would deafen
him with their complaints, and make him conti-
nually uneafy with their groans.

4. The Spirit of God is grieved, and groanetk
(fo to fpeak) in the creatures. God is every where
prefent, quickening, influencing, preferring, and

Vol. II. C governing

5*2 CREATION S GROAfIS

governing all the creatures, according to tlitlx
ieveral natures : Acts, xvii. 25. " Seeing he gi-
veth to all, life, and breath, and all things :" Heb.
i. 3. « Upholding all things by the word of his
power." The fun cannot fhine without him ;
nor the earth produce its fruits, nor its fruit?
be fervieeable to man, without him. What-
ever is profitable or pleafant in the creatures,
is but fome drops of the divine goodnefs diftilled
into them, for his glory and man's good. Hence
it is evident, that the abufe done to the crea-
tures rifeth to God himfelf. As if a mother ha-
ving fuitably fweetened the meat to a child, he
fhould, after all, throw it away, his doing fo is a
wrong to her as well as the abufed creature.
Therefore, the abufing of God's works is forbid-
den in the third commandment, under the notion
of taking God's name in vain. For the creature's
goodnefs is in effecl: God's goodnefs: " For there is
none good but one, that is, God," Matth. xix. 1 7.
And therefore (with reverence be it fpeken) God
groans from the creatures againft fmners : Amos,
ii. 13. " Behold, (fays God), I am prefled under
you, as a cart is prefTed that is full of (heaves. *"
And as the I ord from heaven cried to Saul, Acts,
ix. 4. " Saul, Saul, why perfecuteft thou me ?"
fo, if men had ears to hear, the drunkard, for
inftance, might hear God, from the creature, fay-
ing, * Man, why abufeft thou me ?' &c.

Laflly, Serious Chriftians groan in behalf of
the creatures. Man was made to be the mouth
of the creatures, to fpeak out what they could
not j for which caufe God gave him a tongue and
fpeech, therefore called his glory. When fin en-
tered, man's mouth was clofed in that refpedh
When grace comes into the foul, the Lord fays,
Ephphatha, that is, " be opened," Mark, vii. 34.

So

CONSIDERED AND IMPROVED. j r

So man becomes the mouth of the creation again,
PfaL xix. i. Thus believers, feeing the reafon
the creatures have to groan, groan out their cafe
for them, acknowledging, before God and the
world, the mifery and hard cafe they are brought
into by man's fm.

II. We. come now to inquire, what diflrefles
the creatures fo much, that they groan ? What
has man's fin done to them, to make them groan
under it ?

Why, truly, they got a large fhare of the
curfe to bear for man's fake: Gen. iii. 17. " Cur-
led," faid God to Adam, " is the ground for thy
fake." The curfe coming upon man is alfo felt
upon the earth. Wherefore, but becaufe of its
relation to man ? It bears him, and feeds him.
And if fo, that curfe would fpread to the vifible
heavens that cover him, and afford him light, and
that nourifh the earth which nourifhes him. If
this be not enough, remember they are all to go
to the fire together at length ; and furely that
makes it. So thus man's fm, as brimflone, is
fcattered on his habitation : 2 Petsr, iii. 10. " But
the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the
night ; in the which the heavens fliall pafs away
with a great noife, and the elements lhall melt
with fervent heat ; the earth alfo, and the works
that are therein, fliall be burnt up." Verfe ii e
«? Seeing, then, all thefe things fhall be diffolvecf,
what manner of perfons ought we to be, in all holy
converfation and godiinefs r"

This curfe has fubjecl.ed the creature to vanity.
It has fqueezed much of the fat out of it that was
put into it at the creation ; and from a full ear
has brought it to an empty hufk. And it is there-
by alio in bondage to corruption. It is made a
C 2 ftage

3? CREATIONS GROANS

ftage of fin, a fcene of mifery, and liable to de-
ftrudtion as fuch. But to come to particulars.

i. The whole creation, by man's fin, has fallen
far ftiort of its beneficial and nutritive quality, in
comparifon of what it originally was at its crea-
tion. Man has not that benefit of the creatures
for which they were appointed at firft. While he
flood, fuch lap and nourimment was in them,
that could have afforded him all things for necef-
fity, convenience, and delight, without toil. But
fin gave them fuch a fhock, that much of that fap
is fhakea out of them, and fo man muit now
wring hard to get but a very little nourifhment
from them. This makes fo much barrennefs in
the earth, which fo meanly rewards all the toil
of the hufbandman. It brings forth thorns and
thirties plentifully, under the influence of that
curfe, while it makes averyfober increafe otherwife.
And what is the procuring caufeof all this but fin?
Pfal.cvii. 34, "He turneth a fruitful land into
barrennefs, for the wickednefs of them that dwell
therein." We fee how it is bound up, that the
beafts of the field cannot get their food. And if the
influences of the heavens were not reftrained, it
would not be fo •, the earth would not be iron, if
the heavens were not brafs. Under this vanity the
whole creation groaneth.

2. The whole creation, by man's fin, has
come far fhort of its ultimate end, the honour
and glory of God. God's revenue of glory from
the creature is mightily diminifhed by the fin of
man. The whole creation was made to be a
book, wherein men might read the name of God y
a ftringed inftrument, by which men were to
praife him j a looking-glafs, in which to behold
his glory. But, alas ! fin has drawn a veil over
our eyes. Men may fay they are unlearned,

and

CONSIDERED AND IMPROVED. 33

cannoj read more than what may make them
inexcufable : " For the invifible thing6 of God,
from the creation of the world, are clearly feen,
being undcrftood by the things that are made,
even his eternal power and Godhead; fo that they
are without excuie," Rom. i. 20. The book is
as it were fealed. They have loft the art of prai-
fing ; hence the inftrument is hung by, being to
little purpofe in the poUelFion of fuch ptrfons,
They Care not for beholding his glory, .therefore
the looking-glafs is overlooked, and very little ufe
is made of hv Under this vanity they croan
alfo.

3. The nature of the whole creation is in feme'
fort altered. When God looked on his creatures,.
-he few that they were very good, Gen. i. 31.
And that is a fad alteration that makes them
groan. Sin has caft the whole creation into a fe-
verifh diforder. There is an evil which accom-
panies them now, that they long to be rid of.
Man complains and groans under the evil of the
creatures, and they complain and groan under
him. The tranfgrelhon of man is heavy on the
earth, and the cafe of the earth bound up from
his fervice is heavy upon him. Where is the crea-
ture that has no evil about it now ? The fun fome-
times fcorches man, and burns up the fruits of
the ground ; at other times his abfence makes
die earth as iron, that he cannot Hand before the
cold. The air often fickens and kills him. The
diflempered winds often fink him in the fea...
out of the earth, where he is to get his meat,,
fometimes he meets with poifonous herbs. What
is the caufe of all this ? Impute it not to the crea-
tures as they came from the creating hand of God,
but to the fall of man, whom nothing could have
had he flood in his integrity.

C 3 a- The

34

4. The creature has fallen into the hands of
God's enemies, and is forced to ferve them. When
man Hood, all the creatures were at his beck, and
were ready to come to him at his call. But when
he left Gcd, all the .creatures would have left him,
the fun would have mined no more on him, the
air would have refufed his breathing in it, the
earth would not have fed nor carried him more,
if God had not fubjected them anew to him : Rom.
viii. 20. " For the creature was made fubjecl: to
vanity, not willingly, but by reafon of him who
hath fubjected the fame in hope." We fee how
far ibme of them have gone in renouncing their
fervice to him, Job, xxxix. 7. 8. And ver. 9.
" Will the unicorn be willing to ferve thee, or a-
bide by thy crib ?" And they would all have left
their fervice, as a faithful fervant will leave his
mailer, when he goes cut in rebellion againft his
fovereign, but that they were forced to go along ;
and therefore they groan.

5. They are ufed by fmners to ends for which
God never made them. They fuffer violence,
they are abufed, and therefore they groan. God
made them for his honour, men abufe them to his
difhonour. Never did a bead fpeak but once, Ba-
laam's afs, Numb. xxii. 28. 30. and that was a
complaint on man for abufing it to an end for
which God never made it. The dumb afs rebu-
ked the madnefs of the prophet, that would have
it to carry him in a way God forbade him to go,
and where the angel flood to oppofe him. And,
could the creatures fpeak to us, we would hear
many complaints that way. God gave the crea-
tures to be fervants to man, but man has fold them
for Haves to his lulls ; and who would not groan
to be fo maltreated ? There are two things which
make hard fervice :

CONSIDERED AXD IMPROVED. 35

(1.) Labour in vain, continual toil, and yet no
profit by it. The creatures have no intermiffion in
their fervice : Ecclef. i. 5. 8. " Ail things are full
of labour." But O where is the profit of it all ?
The fun rifeth, and runs his race every day, and
never reileth. But what is the ifTue ? If it were
to let men fee to read God's word, to behold and
admire his works, to perform a£te of piety, to ac-
complish fubftantial good, all the toil would never
be grudged by the creatures. But, alas ! here is
the cafe, for the moil part men fee to fin more by
it, the worldling, the drunkard, &c. to purfue
their lufts by it. The night waits on in its turn,
and the thief, the adulterer, and the like, get their
lufts fulfilled with it. The air waits about us con-
tinually, and the fwearer gets fworn by it, the
liar lied by it, and the like. The earth and fea
wait on us with their produce ; and people get
their fenfuality, their vanity, pride, and the like,
nourifhed by it. What wonder they groan, to be
brought to this pafs ? Sun, moon, air, earth, and
fea, are groaning for this as they can. If our
very meat and drink could groan, they would
groan in the difli, cup, throat, and belly of the
drunkard, glutton, fenfualift, yea, of every one
with whom they are not employed to nourifh the
body for the Lord and his fervice, but for the
world, &c. There is,

(2.) Hard labour, and much lofs by it. We
have both thefe : Hab. ii. 13. " Behold, is it not
of the Lord of hofls, that the people ihall labour
in the very fire, and the people fhall weary them-
felves for very vanity ?" The creatures not only
toil for vanity, but as it were in the fire, where
they fmart for their pains. The covetous oppref-
for's money kept from the labourer, groans in the
corner of your cheft, and cries, " Behold, the

hire

36 creation's groans

hire of the hbourers which have reaped down your
fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth,
and the cries of them that have reaped are entered
into the ears of the Lord of fabaoth," James, v. 4.
* Why do you lock roe up here, where a heavy curfe
lies upon me? why wilt thou not let me away
to the labourer ?' The oppreflbr builds his houfe
by blood and oppremon, and the very (tones and
timber cry out, " Why have you laid me here,
where the curfe of God will not let me reft ?"
Hab. ii. 11. If a matter mould force his fervant
into the king's throne, and force the crown on his
head, and the fceptre into his hand, how would
he groan to think that he is abufed, and that his
life muft go for it too. Ah ! is it any wonder
that the beads, the paftures of the wildernefs,
groan this day, who have fo often been fct in God's
throne, the heart 5 have had room with him, yea,
more room than him, nay, many times the only
room there ? O ! would they not cry, if they could
fpeak, { Why get we the firft thoughts in the mor-
ning, and the laft at night? Why fet you that
love, joy, delight, and truft in us, that you ought
to place in God ? O let us out of this dangerous
place, let us out of your hearts, that is a danger-
ous place to us,' Ezek. xxiv. 25. 26. — I only add,
as a

6. And laft reafon of their groaning, that the
creatures partake w-ith man in his miferies. —
Though they do not fin with him, yet they furTer
with him. They that have life, live groaning with
him. They are liable to ficknefs, pains, and fores,
as well as he ; for not a few of the troops of dif-
eafes billeted on man, were quartered alfo on them.
Sinful man's neighbourhood infected them ; they
die groaning with him. In the deluge they periih-
£d with him, except a few preserved in the ark,

CONSIDERED AND IMPROVED. 37

as living in the fame element with him. The
beads in Sodom were deftroyed with lire and brim-
ftone, with the men. In the plagues of Egypt, the
cattle fmarted together with the owners, alfo their
fields, vines, fycomores, &c. The inanimate
creatures fufFer with him alfo. He fins, and the
very earth is laid in bonds for him ; but groan as it
will in that cafe, he cannot loofe them : Job,
xxxviii. 31. " Can ft thou bind the fweet influen-
ces of Pleiades, or loofe the bands of Orion ?"
Their iron-bands he cannot break : Deut. xxviii.
23. H And the heaven that is over thy head fhall
be brafs, and the earth that is under thee (hall be
iron." The very waters are ftraitly bound up on
his account : Job, xxxvii. ic. " By the breath of
God froft is given ; and the breadth of the waters
is ftraitened." Nay, they are muffled up with a
weight above them, like a (tone under ground •, for
as fwift as they rife to go, and as nimble as they
run, they are catched and held faff, like a wild
beaft, in God's trap. This is the true fenfe of
Job, in the Hebrew, chap, xxxviii. 30. " The wa-
ters are hid as with a ftone, and the face of the
deep is frozen." Nay, the very heavens are in
bonds too, Deut. xxviii. 23. And they cry out in
their bands, Hof. ii. 21. "I will hear, faith the
Lord, I will hear the heavens* and they fhall hear
the earth."

THE

THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED*,

SERMON XXVI I.

Rom. viii. 22. For we know that the whole creation
groaneth, and travaileth in pain together until now.

HAving confidered in what refpe&s the crea-
tion, or creatures, are faid to groan, and
what diftreffes the creatures fo much that they
groan, we now proceed to inquire,

III. How, end by what right, can the harmlcfs
creatures be made to groan for our fakes ? They
have not finned. True, thefe poor meep, what
have they done ? — Here I obferve,

1. That there is fovereignty in this groaning.
The creatures are all his own, and it is lawful for

him

* This Sermon was delivered on a Faff- day, appointed
by the Prefoytery of which the Author was a member, on
occasion of a fevere threatening norm winch then pre-
vailed. — In this difcourfe, and through the whole of this
fubjec~i, the Author has evidently a reference to the un-
natural rebellion which was then raging, and appears
deeply afte£ted with the fiate of the church and nation
at that period.

creation's groan?, &c. £<j

him to do with his own w ! at he will, Matth. xx.
ic. Solomon tells us, Ecclef, viii. 4. "Where
the word of a king is, there is power, (Heb. do-
minion), and who may fay unto him, What docf:
thou ?" God is the great More-mailer, to whom
all the flocks and herds in the world belong : " The
cattle upon a thouiand hills are his," Pfal. 1. 10.
He has given you the ufe of them, but has reser-
ved the abfolute property to himielf. You have
them in kain, and that is ill paid •, therefore no
wonder he take them out of your hand, and dif-
pofe of them in another way, whereby he may get
the ufe of them, that is, glory to himielf. — I ob-
ferve,

2. That the creatures are liable to this groaning,
becaufe of their relation to finful man, who has a
fubOrdinate, limited, providential intereft in them ;
and that by the fame juftice that the whole which
a malefactor has, fmarts with him •, as it was in the
cafe of Achan, and all that he had, Jofh. vii. 24.
The fun is a light to him, therefore it is overcloud-
ed ; it nourifhes his ground, therefore its influen-
ces are reftrained. The ground feeds his flocks
and herds, therefore it is inhibited. They furnifli
him with neccfraries, conveniences, and profits,
therefore they fuller. They Hand in a nearer re-
lation to him than other creatures •, they were made
the fame day, and of the fame earth, and live in
the lame element with him, and therefore they
fmart foreft, becaufe they are neareit to him.
They are nearer, and therefore it is harder with
them than with fillies and fowls, whiclvwere of the
water, and live, the one in the water, the other
in the air. — I obferve,

£3. ITi at the creatures groan becaufe of their
uKiulnefs to him, by the fame right that, in war,

one

4$ CREATION S GROANS

one takes from his enemy whatever may be of
uie to that enemy in the war. None fcruple to
take every thing fro/n an enemy, that fo he may
be difabled, and yield. Now, God is angry, and
carrying on a war with us, which we began ; and
to oblige us to yield, he falls on the creatures that
are ufeful to us. Pharaoh will not let Ifrael go, and
the cattle, and the very trees and water of Egypt,
fmart. They kill, fwear, lie, Ileal, commit adul-
tery : Hof. iv. 3. " Therefore ihall the land mourn,
and every one that dwelleth therein (hall languifh,
with the beails of the field, and with the fowls of
heaven ; yea, the fillies of the fea alfo (hall be ta-
ken away." Men are very indifferent about the
intereit of God, and if they get their own intereit
feen to, are little concerned as to any thing die ;
and therefore God Mails their profpe£ts ; a9 you

may fee, by confulting Haggai, i. 4. — 12 1

oblerve,

4. That the creatures groan, by the fame right
one takes a fword from a man wherewith he is
running at him. The creatures are idols of jca*
loufy often to provoke God, and therefore he
ftrikes them down. Often, and moft juftly, does
God punifh firmers in that wherein they have fin-
ned, fo as they may read their fin in their punifh-
ment, as in Eli's cafe, and m Ifaac's, Gen. xxv.
28. and xxvi. 35. The farm, and the care about
it, often keeps people from the marriage-fupper of
the King's Son, Matth. xxii. 5. The Gadarenes,
for their liking of fwine better than a Saviour, had
their wretched idols drowned in the fea. 1 ob-
lerve,

5. That the creatures groan by the fame right
one takes back his loan, when he gets no thanks
for it, but, on the contrary, it is improved againfc
himfeif : Hof, ii. 8.9. " For (he did not know that

I

CONSIDERED AN'D IMPROVED. 4 1

I give her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied
her filver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.
Therefore will I return, and take away my corn
in the time thereof, and my wine in the feafon
thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax
given to cover her nakednefs." Alas ! though
we are always in God's common, for every thing
we have, we are not thankful, we do not remem-
ber our holding, but facrifice to our own net. And
God's favours with refpe£t to the creatures, though
they make people more wealthy, they make them
not more holy.

Laftly, I obferve, That the creatures groan by
the lame right a prince levies a fine on a man,
when he might take his life. It is a mercy God
deals not with ourfelves, as with the creatures for
our fake : Sam. iii. 22. " It is of the Lord's mer-
cies that we are not confumed, becaufe his com*
paflions fail not." True, men feel the ftioke ; and
good reafon, for God makes the creatures groan
for that very end, that we may feel it. But we
feel only at the fecond hand, though it is we only
that are guilty. The bands lying on the earth
might have lain on us, and we pinched as fore
for our food as the beafts of the field for theirs ;
that as our flocks are forced to go to another
part of the country, leaving our own hills defo-
late, fo our houfes might have been defolate, fa-
milies fcattered, and fent through the country
begging bread. They have had more than any of
us, who yet have been brought to fuch trying cir-
cumflances. — ;It only remains,

IV. That we make fome improvement of this
doctrine.

1. In an ufe of information. Let us notice this
fcripture fulfilled iiji our days, in this day, and

Vol. II. D that

4?. CREATION'S GROAN'S

that in a remarkable manner. There is a mourn-
ful concert which the creatures have been making
in our ears now for many weeks together, for
which we are this day called to faft and humble
ourfelves. — Hear the groans of the creatures :

(i.) The earth is groaning under us,Deut.xxviii.
23. " And thy heaven that is over thy head mail be
brafs,and the earth that is under thee mail be iron."
God has laid a weight on it, and bound it fo ilrait,
that it can get no breathing, there is no perfpira-
tion ; it can get up nothing. It is run together
as lead does after it is melted ; Job, xxxviii. 38.
** When the dull groweth into hardnefs, and the
clods cleave fait together." Hebrew, « God has
pitched it up, or pitched it all over with froft, as
one would do a veflel to keep in the liquor, when
they have in view to prevent others drawing from
it."

(2.) The waters groan, for there is a weight on
them : Job, xxxviii. 30. " The waters are hid as
with a llone, and the face of the deep is frozen."
Men's fins have taken hold of them, and turned
them into dry land : Pfal. cvii. 33. " He turneth
rivers into a wildernefs, and the water-fprings
into dry ground." Verfe 34. "A fruitful field
into barrennefs, for the wickednefs of them that
dwell therein." We have bridges of God's ma-
king, but thefe are no more figns of God's favour,
than the turning of fea into dry land was to Pha-
raoh, for it proved his deftru£tion.

(3.) The wild beafts of the field groan for lack
of food. They that take the range of the moun-
tains for pafture, are forced into the valleys, and
this flrait brings them near the dwellings of men,
which otherwife they would fhun, Hof. iv. 3.

(4.) The fowls of the air groan, and are hard put
to it, to make fhift for their lives, and they mourn

after

CONSIDERED AND IMPROVED. 43

after their kind, for the hand of God is heavy upon
them : Hof. iv. 3. " Therefore fhall the land
mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein (hall
languifh •, with the beads of the held, and with
the fowls of heaven ; yea, the liflies of the fea
{hall be taken away."

(5.) The flocks groan, for God lias locked up
their paiture : Joel, i. 18. " How do the beads
groan ? the herds of cattle are perplexed, becaufe
they have no padure •, yea, the Hocks of iheep are
made defolate." They are — fruitful creatures,
but God threatens to pluck up the tree with its
fruit ; — harmlefs, yet they fadly fuffer for the fins
of men, their owners ; — ufeful creatures, and be-
caufe of their fmgular ufefulnefs, a lingular weight
of the droke lies en them. They cannot help
themfelves, and men cannot help them ; fo they
groan and cry unto the Lord : Joel, i. 20. " The
beads of the field cry alfo unto thee : for the rivers
of water are dried up, and the fire hath devoured
the padures of the wildernefs."

(6.) The heavens groan, Deut. xxviii. 23.
(quoted already), for God has laid them under
arred. They have been long crying that their in-
fluences are bound up, but God has not yet
heard them : Hof. ii, 2i. " And it fhall come to
pafs in that day, I will hear the heavens, and
they fhall hear the earth." The machine of the
world, in fome fort, has long dood •, becaufe God
has holden dill the heavens, the main fpring ; but
the heavens cannot help the earth, nor the earth
the grafs, nor the grafs the beads of the field, till
God ice meet.

2» We may learn, that when the whole crea-
tion groans for man's fake, it is no wonder God
make man himfelf to groan heavily. It has been
a groaning time through Scotland now for a long
D 2 time,

44

time, and thefe groans are not over yet. God
grant they be not but beginning !

(i.) The nation is groaning under the weight
of two armies, which, whether friends or foes,
rauft needs be heavy to a poor land, that has e-
nough ado to maintain itfelf. Befides, that as the
world is now diflempered by the corruptions of
men, it is morally impoflible but that violence, ra-
pines, and other diforders, will fall out in fuch a
cafe, which fome heavily feel, however eafy others
may live, and that whether the armies be for or
againft us. It is groaning under a molt caufelefs
rebellion, raifed by men of a perverfe, malignant,
Antichriltian fpirit, who, to get a limb of Anti-
chrift on the throne, and to ruin religion, have
made all this difagreeable work. Hence the nation

f roans under a drawn fword, deeply bathed in
lood, and thirfting for more. The. blood of
many has been fried in the field like water, many
precious fouls fent to eternity in a moment, in the
hurry of war, and the carcafes of men laid like
dung in the open field ; parents left childlefs, chil-
dren fatherlefs, and their mothers widows, while
the lives of many others are made to them more bit-
ter than death. Into what a wretched cafe have
many of the nobility and gentry of Scotland brought
themfelves ! which, though it be the juft judge-
ment of God upon them, for which we are to
praife him, yet it makes the nation groan, as the
cutting off a gangrened member is painful to the
whole body. Thus David lamented over Saul, 2
Sam. i. 1 7. The northern parts of the nation have
been long groaning, who have had many months of
that opprellion, of which the fouthern parts have
had but a few days, and yet made fo great anoutcry.
Some groaning there, becaufe their houfes are
made unpleafant to them •, fome, becaufe they and

their

CONSIDERED AND IMPROVED.' 4£

fh:;Ir families arc (battered ; fome groaning becanfc
they are handled j others, becaufc they are foli-
tary, &c.

(2.) The church is groaning for the weight of
die Lord's anger gone out againft her. Our mo-
ther is in mourning, and the gates of Zion lament.
She groans under the weight of thefe mifchievous
decrees laid on in the latter end of the laft reign,
not? yet removed, by which fhe is greatly oppreffed,
- under our own unchriftian diviiions, by which
(he is rent into many pieces ; — under the juft with-
drawing of her Lord, by which fhe is become heart-
lefs. Many congregations of the land are groaning
under the want of gofpel-ordinances, the weight of
filent Sabbaths. Her ferious minifters and members
are groaning, while they behold, on every hand,
matter of lamentation and woe. Nay, fhe is groan-
ing this day, to fee the great red dragon (landing
before her to fwallow her up. A limb of Anti-
chrift let up for a king, to be a captain, to lead
back the nation to Egypt, and to give the king-
dom, if he iiad it at his will, to the Roiniih bead
that fupports the whore. Her members are in no-
good cafe to give a draught of their blood to the
fcarlet-coloured whore, and therefore in hazard to
drink the cup of the wine of her fornication, if
fhe had once accefs to put it to them.

Thus the church and nation are groaning to-
gether. No fort of perfons, from the throne to
the dung-hill, are exempted. Our only rightful
and lawful Sovereign, our Proteftant King, whom
God, by an admirable ftep of favourable provi-
dence, brought feafonably to the throne, groans
for the unnatural rebellion raifed againft him. The
nobles and gentry, who ufed to efcape other ftrokes,
fmart under the confufions in the land by that
means. Minifters have a load of many weights to
D 3 groan

4<> creation's groans

groan under this day ; and to all the reft, not a few
of them are threatened with fuffering for a caufe
which their fouls abhor as much as any in the na-
tion. People of all forts groan ; the hufbandman,
becaufe the earth, being as iron, will not allow his
labouring ; and the ftore-mafters, becaufe of the
particular diftrefs of the beafts of the field.

3. This lets us fee what is the caufe of all this
groaning. Is there not a caufe ? Yes •, men's fins
are the caufe of all the diftrefs on the creatures,
and on themfelves. We have procured all our mi-
feries with our own hands. All ranks in the land
have gone out of courfe, and therefore the very
creation is put out of its courfe : Ifa. xxiv. 20.
" The earth fhall reel to and fro like a drunkard,
and fhall be removed like a cottage, and the tranf-
greffion thereof fhall be heavy upon it, and it fhall
fall, and not rife again." — The Lord is contending
with us,

(1.) Becaufe that the fins of our fathers have
not been fufficiently mourned over by the genera-
tion. National perjury and bloodfhed are crying
fins that are making the land to mourn this day*
Without controverfy, God is fulfilling that fcrip-
ture in our eyes this day, Lev. xxvi. 25. " And I
will bring a fword upon you, that fhall avenge the
quarrel of my covenant •, and when you are ga-
thered together within your cities, I will fend the
peftilence among you, and ye fhall be delivered in-
to the hand of the enemy." God is making in-
quifition for the blood of the flain witneffes of Je-
fus and it will be a wonder if, before the quarrel
be ended, God make not the lives of hundreds of
others go for one of theirs. I have fometimes
thought, < O ! why has God made choice of poor
Scotland, to be the field of blood ? Are there not
fins againft God in the neighbouring land, a 5 well

»s

CONSIDERED AND IMPROVED. 47

as amongfl us P But I have been filenced by this*
confideration, Scotland was the place where the
witnefles were flain, in a fpecial manner, in the
late times : " True and righteous are thy judge-
ments, O Lord !" — The Lord is contending with
us,

(2.) Becaufe of the atheifm and contempt of
God in the land. Matters were come to that pafs
under the light of the gofpel, that all religion was
laughed at by many •, fo that there was a neceflity
that God, by fome nesv argument, mould prove
the truth of his being, which he has already done,
to the coil of many that were deeply engaged in
thefe atheiftical ways. May God bear it home on
their confciences, that at lead they may get their
precious fouls for a prey ! — The Lord is contend-
ing*

(3.) Becaufe of the horrid profanity of the ge-
neration : Hof. iv. 1. — 3. " Hear the word of the
Lord, ye children of Ifrael ; for the Lord hath a
controverfy with the inhabitants of the land, be-
caufe there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge
of God, in the land. By fwearing, and lying,
and killing, and ftealing, and committing adultery,
they break out, and blood toucheth blood. There-
fore (hall the land mourn, and every one that
dwelleth therein (hall languifh, with the beafts of
the field, and with the fowls of heaven ; yea, the
filhes of the fea alfo fhall be taken away." How
many are there up and down the land, that glory
in their fhame, and take a pleafure to affront the
God that made them by their profane couries.
Can thefe things efcape a mark of God's difplea-
fure ? It has broken in like a flood, and gone
through the land ; fo that they are indeed but rare
perfons who have not entertained one branch or
another of it j either they are fwearers, or liars,

or

48 creation's groans

or fuch like ; and there is no reforming of them.
The word cannot do it. — The Lord is contending,
(4.) Becaufe of our abufe of mercies, and
God's good creatures. We have had long peace,
and God has wrought wonders for our deliverance.
But we were furfeited with peace ere the war
came. The good creatures of God proipering
and thriving, were but fuc:l to our lulls, and fo
fnares to lead us away from God, that it is no won-
der they get a ftroke, like idols of jealoufy, where-
with God has been provoked. The Lord is

contending,

(5.) Becaufe of that woful fecurity and uncon-
cernednefs for the public caufe of God and of re-
ligion which prevails. God is a jealous God, and
when he is going out againft a land, he calls all
the inhabitants thereof to fear and to tremble ; and
he cannot endure indifference when his caufe is
at flake. Thia provokes him to blafl people's pri-
vate concerns: Haggai, ii. 14. — 17. u Then an-
fwered Haggai, and faid, So is this people, and
fo is this nation, before me, faith the Lord ; and
fo is every work of their hands, and that which
they offer there is unclean. And now, I pray you,
confider from this day and upward, from oefore a
ilone was laid upon a flone in the temple of the
Lord. Since thofe days were, when one came to
an heap of twenty meafures, there were but ten :
when one came to the prefs-fat, for to draw out
fifty veffels out of the prefs, there were but twen-
ty. I fmote you with blafling, and with mildew
and hail, in all the labours of your hands, yet ye
turned not to me, faith the Lord." This woeful
fcjfifhnefs has prevailed in an amazing manner a-
Ebong us. Little were we concerned with the di-
ft.elTes which many others of the nation were un-
der j very indifferent were we as to what way public

matters

CONSIDERED AND IMPROVED. 49

matters fhould go, as if we had been fet here to be
idle fpe&ators of the reelings of the nation. But
we fee God has many arrows in his quiver, and will
even have us to groan with the reft. And if people
go lightly under the burden of the public, he will
give them a burden of their own to bear. God
knows, your diftrefs by this ftorm has lain near my
heart, as I bear a part in all your afflictions ; but
feeing, with grief of heart, your prevailing temper
to be fuch, that I could not call you together to
wreftle for the public caufe, I could not have con-
fidence before the Lord to do it upon an inferior
caufe, though in itfelf a very weighty one. — The
Lord is contending with us,

(6.) Becaufe of the contempt of the gofpel, and
unfruitfulnefs urider the means of grace. This
makes a land to groan, and the creatures in it to
Dcsr a iiisrc.

4. Let the groans of the creatures ftir us up to
repenting groans before the Lord. Shall we be
groaning under trouble, and the creatures groan-
ing for our fakes, and yet not groan for fin, which
is the caufe of all ? For the Lord's fake, firs, be
pliable to the word, and do not think yourfelves
above warnings, but receive convictions from the
word, and be humbled under the hand of God,
and take a look of your ways, and repent, and re-
form yourfelves and your families. Wrath is gone
out from the Lord againfl the land and us. Let
us try to quench it ere it go farther, left it break
out like fire, that none can quench it. Let us be
concerned for the public caufe, and take a lift of
Zion's burden this day. Be not indifferent in the
caufe of a Proteftant king, and a Popifh pretender.
Ye have had fair warning to prepare to meet the
Lord, and God followed the clofing of our fermons
•n that fubjecl: hard at the heels with the ftroke.

And

5« CREATIONS GROAN'S

And if this do us no good, take heed it come not
next fro'm the ftall to the hall, and men and wo-
men be as fere ftraitened as the poor dumb crea-
tures are this day.

5. Let us come here, and learn various other
leflbns. We know the book of the creation is an
inftrutKve book \ every day we may have a Ieflbn
from them, from the higheft, Pfal. viii. 3. 4. to
the loweft, Prov. vi. 6. 7. 8. namely, from the
heavens to the ant. But in fuch a day as this we
may learn more from them than ordinary •, now
they fpeak much and loud to us. God makes them
groan thus for our inftrucliion, as he cur fed the
fig-tree, for a lefibn of faith to his difciples •, and
flew the cattle of Egypt, to make the owners fee
what they might expect. The creatures groan out
thefe leflbns to us :

(1.) That God is angry with us. He is angry
with the land, has a controverfy with our mother,
and he is angry with the creatures, for they fmart
under it. We may fay, as in Hab- iii. 8. " Was
the Lord difpleafed againft the rivers ? was thine
anger againft the rivers ? was thy wrath againft
the fea ? that thou didft ride upon thine hones,
and thy chariots of falvation." Sure if it is fo,
it is for our fakes, and therefore he is angry much
more with us. Look now through the whole crea-
tion, above, under, and about us, and we will fee the
characters of the Lord's anger. It is true, thefe
things have natural caufes, but God guides thefe.
And this leflbn we may take for a certain evidence

of our fin -, fee fermon on Joel, i. 1 8 Another

Ieflbn is,

(2.) That ins not eafy to get the flame of wrath
quenched when once it is kindled. We may fay
this day, as in Pfal. lxv. 5. " By terrible things in
nghteoufnefs wilt thou anfwer us, O God of our

falvation."

CONSIDERED AST) IMPROVED. 5 I

falvation." Men's fins may bring that on the
creatures, which they will not foon get removed.
Learn here to beware of kindling the fire by pro-
voking God ! It is eafier to keep the fword of
vengeance in the llieath, than to get it fheathed
again when once drawn. It is dangerous to de-
pend on the praying for mercy on a death-bed,
delaying all till then, for then wrath may be gone
out, not to be quenched.

(3.) It is dangerous to be concerned with thofe
with whom God hath a controverfy ; thus, all that
belonged to Achan periihed with him : Join vii.
24. 25. " And Jofhua, and all Ifrael with him,
took Achan, the fon of Zerah, and the filver, and
the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his fons,
and his daughters, and his oxen, and his afles, and
his fheep, and his tent, and all that he had ; and
they brought them unto the valley of Achor. And
Jofhua faid, Why haft thou troubled us ? the Lord
mall trouble thee this day. And all Ifrael ftoned
him with Itones, and burned them with fire, after
they had (toned them with ftones." Had thefe
oxen and afles been another's than Achan's, they
had not perifhed in the manner they did. Thus
the poor creatures lament their relation to fmful
men ; and many fmart fore upon the occafion of
the controverfy God has with them with whom
they are nearly connected. A companion of fools
mall be deftroyed. Even thofe God has a kindnefs
for may fmart full forely for the fake of others ;

fee 1 Kings, xiv. 10. — 13, Another leflbn is,

(4.) That fin is a heavy burden, which none
are able to bear up under. O firs ! what think ye
of fin, that makes the very earth to groan under
it this day ? Ifa. xxiv. 20. " The earth fhaU reel
to and fro like a drunkard, and mail be removed
like a cottage, and the tranfgrelfion thereof fhall

be

5*

be heavy upon it, and it fhall fall, and not rife
again." Ye walk for the prefent full lightly under
it, but the weight of it, ere long, will be felt by
the moll ftupid finner •, a dreadful weight ! that
makes the whole creation groan. Are not the
bands of guilt ftrong and ftrait, that thus gird up
the heaven and earth, and bind down the creatures,
that they cannot get up their head ? It is an offence
to an infinite God, no wonder it doth lay an infi-
nite weight on the offender. — We are inftrutted,

(5.) That God is a jealous and juft God, who
will not fuffer fin to go unpunifhed. Deceive
not yourfelves with mifapprehenfions of God,
like the wicked, who, as in Pfal. 1. 21. think him
altogether fuch an one as themfelves ; for as
fweet as fin may be in the mouth, it will be bitter
in the belly: Job. xx. 12. — 14. " Though wic-
kednefs be fweet in his mouth, though he hide it
under his tongue •, though he fpare it, and for-
fake it not, but keep it ftill within his mouth : —
Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall
of afps within him." Therefore, Exod. xxiii. 21.
" Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke
him not ; for he will not pardon your tranfgref-
fions." He is true to his word, and it cannot fail.
He will reverfe the order of nature, turn the
heavens to brafs, and the earth to iron, rather
than one word of his fall to the ground. — We
may alfo learn,

(6.) That the creatures are ever weak pillars to
lean to. You have need of fomething elfe to bear
your weight, the weight of your comfort, much
more of your happinefs, for they are not able.
There is a vanity that they are under, by reafon
of which they cannot reach that end : Ecclef.
i. 2. " All is vanity." They that have not fome-
fhing elfe to lean to, may foon have nothing to

look

CONSIDERED AND IMPROVED. 5 j

loo^ to at all. O what a pitiful idol is the clay-
god of the world ! — We may farther learn,

(7.) That God is a fovereign King, agaittft whom
there is no rifing up. How can Gnners think to
efcape with their fins, when the whole creation
fmart for their fakes ? Can we think that the in-
nocent creatures fhould fuffer, and we go free ?
Can there be an out-braving him, who makes
the earth and heavens groan under his hand ? or
a fleeing from him, from whom the whole crea-
tion cannot make their efcape ? — We are inftrucl:-
ed farther,

(8.) That the fervice of the creatures to fmful
man, is animpofitionon them: Rom. vhi. 20. " For
the creature was made fubjecl: to vanity, not wil-
lingly," Man falling from God, loft the right he
had to them. But yet they are kept in his fervice,
which they grudge, and therefore they groan. —
Hence it comes to pafs, that thefe fervants fome-
times becoming matters, hurt him, and difpatch
him. The lead creature, having a commiiTion for
fuch a fervice, proves too hard for him, fuch as
a ftone in fruit, or a hair in milk. — I only add,

(9.) That the creatures are wearied of the
world lying in wickednefs, and would fain have it
brought to an end : Rom. viii. 19. " For the ear-
ner! expectation of the creature waiteth for the ma-
nifeftation of the fons of God." There is a happy
day for the reftitution of all things ; they are long-
ing for that day, when this world, that link of fin,
that flage of vanity, and fcene of mifery, fhall be
taken down ; and the wicked fhall have poured out
upon them, the deferved curfe, with all its effects,
centering in themfelves, without burdening others
with it in any meafure. — I come now,

2. To an ufe of exhortation. The groans of
the creatures are exciting, ftirring up groans. So

Vol. II. F. many

54

many of them as are about us this day, fo many
preachers have we to provoke us to the duty wc
profefs to be engaged in They cry to us,

(i.) Humble yourfelves under the hand of God.
He has laid them low, and {hall not we lie low be-
fore him, fince for our fake they are caft down.
The noify waters are now filent as a ftone under
his hand, the lofty mountains have laid afide their
ornaments, and every thing mourns after its kind.
Come down, then, from your pride and obftinacy ;
yield yourfelves to the God that made you, lie low
In the dud, and join ifiue with the reft of the crea-
tion. — They cry,

(2.) Repent, repent ; for he is a God that will
not be mocked, and though he long forbear, he
will be avenged on impenitent finners at laft. He
has been long pleading with us to let our fins go,
and he is faying now, as to Pharaoh, Exod. ix.
2. 3. " For if you refufe to let them go, and wilt
hold them ftill 5 behold, the hand of the Lord is
upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the
horfes, upon the affes, upon the camels, upon the
oxen, and upon the fheep ; there (hall be a very
grievous murrain." Harden not your hearts to
keep fad the bane of ftrife betwixt God and you,
left it fare with you as it did with Pharaoh, on
whofe perfon God's hand fell heavy at laft. — They
cry,

(3.) Pray, pray. When the heathen mariners
were at their prayers in a ftorm at fea, it was a
fhame for Jonah to be ileeping, Jon. i. 4. The
creatures, as they can, are crying to the Lord ;
fhall we be more brutifh than they, and be filent
at fuch a time ? We have been praying in the con-
gregation ; it would be a promifing thing, and no
more but duty, if families and particular perfons
Were fafting and praying: Zech. xii. 12. " And

the

CONSIDERED AND IMTROVED. 55

the land (hall mourn, every family apart." There
is much work in families otherwife, to take care
of them. O ! then, will you not do that which is fo
needful for yourfelves and them ? — I exhort you,

(4.) To reform, for the fake of thefe you would
not involve in ruin with yourfelves. For, Ecclef.
ix. 1 8. " Wifdom is better than weapons of war ;
but one finner deftroycth much good." We fee
how the poor creatures are ruined in this way.
But it is not them only : Achan troubled the camp
of Ifrael. God has threatened to purfue his quar-
rel to the third and fourth generations. If one in
the family be feized with the plague, it is enough
to carry away the whole. — Be exhorted,

(5.) To endeavour to reform others, for your
own fakes. The fire in your neighbour's houfe
may come to burn down yours, if you do not help
to quench it. It is thought that Achan's Cons pe-
rifhed with him, becaufe they concealed and la-
boured not to put away their father's fin-

(6.) Seek to lind your comfort and happinefs only
in the enjoyment of God and Chrift. Then in t A ie
time of famine you may rejoice in the God 01 fal-
vation, like the prophet Habakkuk, chap. iii. 17.
It is a fad matter we fhould again be fo read to
truft the deceiving world, and to lean again to that
broken reed that hath fo often failed us, and pier-
ced through our hand. Seek it in God, where it
can never fail, in the everlafting covenant, that will
be a portion of which ye may always be fure..

(7.) Fear God, and ftand in awe of him. As
the light of the drawn fword makes him in fome
meafure afraid that wields it, fo the fight of God's
judgements fhould fill us with the dread of his ma-
jefty : Pfal. cxix. 120. " My flefh trembieth for
fear of thee ; and I am afraid of thy judgement."
When the fea was raging, and Jonah awaked, he
E 2 was

56 creation's groans, &c.

was impreffed with fear and reverence of him that
made it, Jonah, i. 9, God would have the hearts
of people awed with his works ; and it is contempt
of God not to be fo.

(8,) Labour to get a renewed right to the crea-
tures. Our firft charter was loft by Adam at his
fall j and as the eftates of rebels fall of courfe to
the crown, fo our right to the^creatures was for-
feited, and they fell back into the hands of him
that gave them. We muil get a new right through
Jefus Chrift, by faith in him, if ever we would
have true comfort in the creatures. I own a wic-
ked man has a fort of right to the creatures : Pfal.
cxv. 16. " The earth hath the Lord given to the
fons of men." By the fame law that God has
faid, Thou fhalt not kill, he has made them over
to us. This is a providential right, but it is not
a covenant-right. It is but like the right the for-
feited condemned man has to his meat till the hour
of his execution.

Laftly, Ye that are godly, I would befeech you
to long for that bleffed day for which the creatures
are groaning. You have good reafon, as well as
they. Long for the day this ft age fhall be taken
down, whereon fo much fin and mifery are a£ted,
when all that Adam put wrong fhall be completely
righted by Jefus Chrift.

creation's

creation's travail, and delivery

SERMON XXVII.

Rom. viii. 2 2. For we know that the whole creation
groaneth, and travaileth in pain together until now,

HAving, in the preceding difcourfes, consider-
ed the groans of the creatures under the fin
of men, I now proceed to the illuflration of

Doct. II. That the creatures' pains under the fin.
of man are travailing-pains, fore indeed, but
hopeful, they will not laft always, they will be
delivered from them.

That this is the fenfe of this metaphor, appears
by comparing ver. 23. " And not only they, but
ourfelves alio, which have the nrft-fruits of the
Spirit, even we ourfelves groan within ourfelves,
waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption
of our body."

The creatures have now had a fharp fhower for
feveral weeks ; bleffed be the Lord it has in part in-
termitted, and that he has heard prayers in their be-
E 3 half,

5 8 creation's travail,

half. Many fuch fhowers they have had fince A-
dam's fall \ and though they have an intermiffion
of the exquifite pains, they are not well yet ; the
clouds will return after the rain. But the day will
come when they will be quite well, and fairly deli-
vered, and never groan more. What is clear from
the fcriptures in this nice point, I fhall briefly lay
before you, and a more curious inquiry is not fit
for the pulpit. — With this view, I fhall inquire,

I. When this delivery of the creatures is to come
to pafs.

II. What delivery fhall they then get ?

III. Confirm the doctrine of the creatures' de-
livery. — And then,

IV. Lead you to the practical improvement of
the fubje£t. We are, then,

I. To inquire when this delivery of the creatures
is to come to pafs.

God, that has appointed a fet time for every
thing, has alfo appointed the precife time for the
delivery of the groaning creation •, and this is plain-
ly revealed to be at the end of the world. For
then is that time, Rom. viii. 19. 21. ; fo Rev. xx.
11." And I faw a great white throne, and him
that fat on it, from whofe face the earth and the
heaven fled •, and there was found no place for
them." The apoflle Peter is very exprefs, that
then the) fhall have their bearing fhower, as it
were, the fharpeft ever they had, but it is the laft.
2 Pet. iii. 10. n But the day of the Lord will come
as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens
ihall pafs away with a great noife, and the ele-
ments fhall melt with fervent heat ; the earth alfo,
and the works that are therein, fhall be burnt up."
Ver. 13. " Neverthelefs, we, according to his

promife,

AND DELIVERY. 59

promife, look for new heavens and a new earth,
wherein dwelleth righteoufnefs." They have been
in their pangs ever iince Adam fell, and will not
be delivered till then. When that period (hall be,
I know not ; but it is plain the world is come to
its old age. The heaven and earth, that beautiful
garment, is grown old, as the pfalmift foretold
long ago, Pfal. cii. 6. ; therefore it cannot be very
long ere it will be changed. She that hath had
many children is waxed feeble •, I mean, our mo-
ther earth. It is evident fhe is not fo fruitful as
(he was ; neither do her fruits yield fuch nourifh-
ment as fometimes they did, they are both fewer
and weaker ; hence {till lefs and weaker bodies.
And why fo with the earth, but becaufe the hea-
vens are in the fame condition, and afford not fuch
influences as formerly, in the vigour of their youth ?
It is obferved by aftronomers, that the fun fhineth
more dimly, and appeareth more feldom than be-
fore, being much nearer to the earth than in an-
cient times. So much the nearer, fo much the
lefs influence, as appears by comparing fummer
and winter, the mid-day and evening ; fo that the
mighty giant, having fo long run his race, begins
alfo to wax feeble. It is long fince our Lord laid
he would come quickly, Rev. xxii. 20. Andmoft
of the prophecies of the holy fcripture are already-
fulfilled. All the feals are opened. Six of the
trumpets are already blown. In the time of the
feventh, the myftery of God is to be fmifhed, and
the world to end, Rev. x. 7. And there is no
doubt but it is long fince it began to found. Un-
der this trumpet are contained feven vials ; and if
thefe were poured out, then time is no more.
Thtre feems to be two of thefe vials paft, and that
we are now under the third, expecting the fourth,
So that there will be but four of them to come.

And

5o creation's travail,

And it is very agreeable to the difpenfations of
providence, that the nearer the end, the motion
will be the quicker \ as in the reigns of the kings
of Ifrael and Judah, before their refpe&ive capti-
vities, 2 Kings, xv. 1 6. & 23. and downwards.
Thus, without dipping further, it is evident we
are far advanced in the lafl times, and that the
world is in its old, if not decrepit age ; and at the
end is the delivery f . We now proceed,

IT. To inquire what delivery the creation (hall
then get. The creature conceived vanity and mi-
fery from the time of Adam's fin, then they fhall
be delivered of that burden, with which they have
been fo long big, Rom. viii. 20. 21. Now, ac-
cording to what I before faid on the firft general
head, we may foberly explain here.

1. They fhall fully anfwer their end, I mean not
the very end for which they were created at firft,
for fome of thefe are inconfiltent with the ftate of
glorified faints: 1 Cor. vi. 13. "Meats for the
belly, and the belly for meats, but God fhall de-
ftroy both it and them." But whatever is their
end, they fhall fully anfwer that, God fhall have
his glory by them ; and if he defign any benefit to
man by them, they fhall not be plagued by vanity
therein, Rom. viii. 20. 2 Pet. iii. 13.

2. They fhall be freed from all that evil that
cleaves to their nature now by reafon of man's fin.
For now they have undergone a fad alteration, but
then they fhall undergo another. They fhall be
changed : Pfal. cii. 26. " They fhall perifh, but
thou fhalt endure ; yea, all of them fhall wax old

like

* The author has, in this part of his manufcript, feve-
ral notes in ihort hand, which the transcriber could not
decypher, from the want of which this part of the fubjedl
is not fo complete.

AND DELIVERY. 6l

like a garment ; as a veflure (halt thou change
them, and they mall be changed." And that it
mall be to the better, is evident from Rev. xxi. I.
" And I faw a new heaven and a new earth, for
the firfl heaven and the firlt earth were palled a-
way, and there was no more fea."

3. They mall no more be abufed by finners ;
they mall never more ferve the lull of any man
whatfoever, Horn. viii. 21. They mall then be
recovered, the groaning creature refcued, never to
fuffer a relapfe any more. However the lulls of
the wicked may then be, they mull prey upon
their own bowels, but they (hall get no more of
the creation to feed them.

4. They fhall ferve God's enemies no longer.
Their long captivity fhall then be at an end : Rom.
viii. 21. The fun fhall no more below one
beam of its light on an ungodly wretch, nor fhall
the face of the earth bear him any longer. One
drop of water to cool the tongue, mail no more
be at his fervice. Then they u all bid an eternal
farewell to the maflers they ferved fo long againft
their will.

5. All their mifery, which was brought on them
by man's fin, fhall then be at an end. They have
fhared long with man in his plagues, but then they
will get the burden off their back, Rom. viii. 21.
The eating of the forbidden fruit call them into a
fever, they have groaned under it ever fmce ; but
then they fhall get a cool, and never relapfe more.
Now, as to the way this fhall be brought to pafs,
the fcriptures are clear in two things :

(1.) That the world fnall all go up in flames at
the laft day, which we call the general conflagra-
tion : 2 Pet. hi. 7. " But the heavens and the
earth which are now, by the fame word are kept
in flore, referved unto fire againft the day of judge-
ment,

62 creation's travail,

ment, and perdition of ungodly men." The a-
poftle is very particular on this, in the loth verfe :
U But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in
the night ; in the which the heavens fhall pafs a-
way with a great noife, and the elements (hall melt
with fervent heat, the earth alfo, and the works
that are therein, fhall be burnt up." The vifible
heavens by thefe means fhall pafs away with a great
noife. What a fearful noife would there be in a
burning palace ! what a noife, then, mull: there be
arifmg from a dilTolving world ! the elements of
air, water, and earth, fhall be melted down like
metal by that fire ; the habitable earth fhall be
burnt up, with the works therein ; men's works,
cottages, palaces, caftles, towns, and cities ', God's
works, all the creatures therein, birds, beafts,
plants, trets, filver, gold, coin, &c.

(2.) That upon the back of this conflagration,
there fhall be new heavens and a new earth, where-
in dwelleth righteoufnefs, as in 2 Pet. iii. 13. This
John fees, Rev. xxi. 1. To this purpofe the pial-
mifl fpeaks, telling us that the heavens and the
earth fhall be changed, which is quite another
thing than to be annihilated. So the apoftle Peter
calls it only a diffolution, 2 Pet. iii. 1 1. And to
this agrees what he fays of melting by fire, which,
we know, does not annihilate, but only purges the
metal from drofs.

So far the fcripture clearly goes. But what par-
ticular creatures fhall be renewed in the new earth,
their actions, properties, and ufes, I will not in-
quire into thefe things. It is certain that fome
creatures came in after fin. Anah found mules in
the wildernefs, as he fed the afles of Zibeon his
father, Gen. xxxvi. 24. The day will difcover
thefe things. But when one confiders the world
was made to be a looking-glafs, wherein to behold

God's

AND DELIVERY. 63

God's glorious perfections ; and that ever fince it
was made, it has been before linful man, blinded
with fin, except the fhort time Adam Rood, it may
occafion fome thoughts as to what the ftate of mat-
ters (hall be in a new heaven, and in a new earth.
We come now,

III. To confirm the doctrine of the creatures'
delivery. — As to this,

1. Confider, that the great day is the day of the
reftitution of all things : Acts, iii. 21. " Whom the
heaven mull retain, until the times of reftitution of
all things, which God hath fpoken by the mouth of
all his holy prophets, fince the world began." When
God made the world, there was nothing but har-
mony and orderlinefs in it. But as ever a rude
heedlefs perfon, by a rafh touch of his hand, de-
faced a fine picture, or disjointed and unframed a
curious piece of work ; fo did Adam's fin the

world. But there is a reftoration coming.

Confider,

2. That our Lord Jefus is the heir of all things,
Heb. i. 2. God gave Adam a charter, to hold of
him the great eftate of the world. But, rebelling
againft his God, his eftate was forfeited, and that
charter-right void, becaufe it depended en his good
behaviour. The fecond Adam coming in his room,
the forfeited eftate is made over to him, Pfal. viii.
5. 6. 7. compared with Heb. h\ 6. 7. 8. " But
now we fee not yet all things put under him/'
Ver. 9. " But we fee Jefus, who was made a
little lower than the angels, for the fufFering of
death, crowned with glory and honour, that he
by the grace of God mould tafte death for every
man." But ftill in fome fenfe he has not yet the
actual pofTeftiou of all, there are many of them
ftill in the hands of his enemies, Heb. ii. 8. As

Jefus

64 creation's travail,

Jefus Chrift has a right to all the elecT, though
fome of them are yet under the power of fin and
Satan, and all of them, except a few fmgular per-
fons, under the power of death, but Chrift at
that day will fully recover them all ; fo the crea-
tures yet in the hand of his enemies, he will then
reftore, feeing they are all his by his Father's gift ;
hence we are taught that he will come again out of
heaven for that reftoration : Acts, iii. 21. — Con-
fider,

3. That all the effects of the curfe are to be ga-
thered together, and confined for ever with the
wicked in the lake : Rev. xx. 14. 15. " And death
and hell were caft into the lake of fire. This is
the fecond death. And whofoever was not found
written in the book of life, was caft into the lake
of fire." Now, they lie fcattered up and down
through the whole creation, but they mall all meet
together there •, and therefore it evidently follows,
that as to the creatures, their fhare of them, which
makes them groan now, mall then be taken off
them, and they for ever made free. As the mud
and filthinefs that lies in every part of the ftreet
being fwept together, and caft into the common
fink, it is all there then, and in no place elfe. —
It remains,

IV. That we make fome improvement.

1 . In an ufe for information.

( 1.) This teaches us that every wicked man fhall
at length get all his own burden to bear himfelf a-
lone. Many one takes a light lift of the burden
of fin, becaufe there are fo many to bear a fhare
of it. Men provoke God, and God unites the
earth that 4 bears them with a curfe, makes their poor
beafts groan, &c. But thefe ftrokes are far from
their hearts ; thev notwithftanding keep their fins.

1 if

AND DELIVERY. 6;

If they groan at one time, they will recover again.
But remember, O impenitent finncr ! the day is
coming when the creature (hall efcape, and leave
thee in the lurch for all. The whole weight that
is on them and thee together now, fliall lie on
thyfelf alone, and prefs thee down through eter-
nity, while not one of the creatures (hall touch it
with the leaft of their fingers. — Learn,

(2.) That people had need to take heed how
they ufe the creatures while they have them. For
as much as they are under our feet now, their
ears are not nailed to our door-pofts to be our
flaves for ever. The day of their freedom is ap-
proaching. Let us not abufe them to the fervice
of our lufts, left they witnefs againft us at laft.
Let us not difhonour their Lord by them, left they
rejoice over us for ever in our mifery, when their
foot is out of the mare, and ours in it. Let us not
put them in God's room, left they fend all the ef-
fects of the curfe from off themfelves on us, and
fo put us in the fame place with devils. — We may
hence fee,

(3.) That this world, and what is therein, pafTeth
away : 1 John, ii. 17. " And the world paffeth
away, and the luft thereof." It is a ftage of vanity
that will be taken down, and the table of a dying
life will come to an end. What marvel is it that
man dies, feeing he lives by deaths, the death of
the creatures ; but this bondage of the creatures
will not continue, they will be delivered, and God
will fupport the life of man another way in eter-
nity.

(4.) We may learn what glorious things will
be the new heaven and the new earth ' When
the old cracked pewter veffel is melted down and
refined, and caft into a new mould, how unlike will
it be to what it was ! The heavens and earth are
now very glorious, yet fin has marred them. He

Vol. II. F that

66 CREATION'S TRAVAIL,

that made them is not pleafed with them, and
therefore will have them caft over again. If
they be fo glorious, even while fo far unmade by
fin, how great muft their glory be when they are
again new made ! — We learn,

(5.) However large a fhare the wicked may
have here, they will have neither part nor lot in
them. For " in the new heavens and new earth
dwelleth righteoufnefs," 2 Pet. iii. 13. For the
wicked to be there, would be inconfiftent with the
creatures. But as for the faints, they have a char-
ter, making over the earth to be theirs ; which,
feeing it is not fully put into their poffemon
now, it muft be in the other world : Matth.
v. 5. " Bleffed are the meek, for they fhall inhe-
rit the earth." But how and in what fenfe they
{hall poffefs it, I am not here to inquire.

2. From this fubjecl we have afforded an ufe
of terror to the wicked. How dreadful fhall
their cafe be at the end of the world ! Come, O
impenitent finner 1 behold here, as in a glafs, the
mifery that is abiding thee. Thou canft make a
fhift now for thy eafe, but what wilt thou do
then ? It is terrible news to thee, that the creature
ihall be delivered. — For,

(1.) The mifery that lies this day on any crea~
ture whatever for thy fake, fhall be taken off it,
and laid on thee thyfelf ; and when all is laid on
thee, thy burden will be infupportable. There is
a curfe on thee already, as a tranfgreffor of the
law, Gal. iii. 10. But a heavy end of the curfe
lies on the creatures for thy fake : Gen. iii. 17.
<c Curfed is the ground for thy fake, in forrow (halt
thou eat of it all the days of thy life." There is no
way to extinguifh the curfe but by faith in Chrift's
blood, which thou flighted. Therefore, feeing
there muft be a removal of it from the creatures,

it

AND DELIVERY. 6j

ih mil ft needs be turned over on thee, and with
thee turned out of the world: Matth, xxv. 41.
" Depart from me, ye curfed, into everlafting
fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." Com-
pare Rev. xiv. 10. " Thou lhaltalfo drink of the
wrath of God, which is poured out without mix-
ture,into the cup of his indignation, and thou (halt
be tormented with fire and brimftone, in the pre-
fence of the holy angels, and in the prefence of
the Lamb.". And wilt thou. not then cry out with
Cain, « My punifhment is greater than I can
bear ?" Gen. iv. 13.

(2.) As thou wilt be deferted of God, fo thou
wilt be deferted of the creatures in thy mifery.
No help from heaven, none from earth : Ifa. viii.
21. 22. " And they mall p3fs through it, hardly
beftead and hungry : And it {hall come to p*fs,
that when they fhall be hungry, they fhall fret
themfelves, and curfe their King, and their God,
and look upwards. And they mall look unto the
earth, and behold, trouble and darknefs, dimnefs
and anguifh ; and they fhall be driven to dark-
nefs." When thine enemy falls upon thee, all
thy friends will run away from thee. There are
two ways by which the ungodly get eafe in the
world, which will both fail them here.

[1.] Though they have no comfort or fatisfac-
tion in God, they can take it in the creature.
Though they fee no beauty in Chrift, they fee a
great deal in the world. Though the marriage*-
{upper of the King's Son be to them a light mat-
ter, yet the farm and the merchandife are not fo ;
Matth. xxii. 4. — 7. Though they have no heart
for the bargain of the everlafting covenant, Prov.
xvii. 16. yet they are eafy when they can win a
few pence or pounds. Though the promifes of
things unfeen are to them hungry things, empty
F 2 fhadows,

68 creation's travail,

fhadows, yet what they can fee with their eyes>
and get a hold of with their hands, are fubftan-
tial : Hof. xiii. 6. " According to their pafture,
fo were they filled -, they were filled, and their
heart was exalted, therefore have they forgotten
me." Though the man cannot lie on his right
fide, he can lie full well on his left •, though not
on his back, looking up to heaven, yet on his face,
looking down to the earth. But, ah ! firs, this
trade of yours will not laft ; you will not fhift long
this way *, the creature will be delivered, and what
wilt thou do then ? Thou wilt not have a whole
fide to turn thee to then ; thou fhalt have as little
comfort in the creature then as in God, and that
is none at all. He that has but one pillar to lean
to, had need to have it a durable one. But thou
haft but one, and it cannot lad.

[2.] If they cannot find it in one creature, they
take it in another. If Haman cannot have the com-
fort of Mordecai's bowing, he can take it in revenge.
If there be not fap enough in one creature, he can
go to another, and fo make fhift. But this trade
will not laft either. For the whole creation fhall
be delivered 5 and if all muft go, there will be no-
thing left thee to eafe thee in thy mifery. Was
not Job in a heavy cafe, when he was full of fores,
his whole body over, and all his friends deferted
him ? Job, xix. 13. — 19. But what was all this
to what fhall be thy cafe for ever ? If you call to
the fun that ferves you now, it will not beftow one
fingle gleam of light upon you ; — to the waters,
they will not afford thee one drop to cool thy
tongue ; — to all that ever thou pofleffed upon the
earth, it will not do thee the leaft fervice. For
then their term is out, and they will leave thee for
ever. — How heavy will all this be !

j/?, To be thus left by all thy gods that had

molt

< \

.

AND DELIVERY. 6$

mol of thy heart when thy days of ftrength were.
O faithlefs world ! is this thy kindnefs to thy
friends ? Is this the reward of the precious heart
and affections, time and foul, fpent on thee ?
Muft they that loved it heft, have leaft comfort of
it one day ? They whofe hearts idolized it, be
the only perfons abandoned by it in mifery ? Yes,
it muft be fo, and that juftly. For it was no
more pleafant to the creature to be fet in God's
room, than it was to a flave to be forced into the
king's throne by his mailer.

2flf/y, To be concluded under fuch mifery, when
the creature, thy fervant and Have, which thou
■didil ufe and abufe according to thy will and lull,
fhall be fet free. When the fuffering of the crea-
ture by thy hands fhall ceafe, then thy fuffering
(hall begin. As the heavens abufed by Antichriit
are called, on the fall of his kingdom, to rejoice,
Rev. xviii. 20. ; fo the abufed creatures will turn
their groans into fongs of triumph upon thy ruin.
And to be infulted in mifery by any, is fad ; but
faddeft of all to be infulted by thofe that fome-
time were our Haves. — This fubje£t, may be im-
proved,

3. In an ufe of comfort to the ferious and godly,
who notice the groans of the creatures under fin,
and join their own groanings with theirs. This
cloud, that has fo black and lowring a fide to
others, has a fair, white, lightfome fide to you. —
The creatures fhall be delivered.

(1.) The mournful fpeclacle of the creatures
which you fee to-day, if that day were come, ye
fhall fee no more for ever. You not long ago
faw tiie heaven as brafs, and the earth as iron,
and ycu heard an extraordinary groaning among
the creatures. But their groans are not gone,
though become lower ; as yet the fun muft ferve to
Y 3 let

70 creation's travail,

let wicked men fee to difhonour God •, the earth
and fea muft afford God's good creatures to be
fuel to men's lulls. Many a good creature muft
lofe its life, to preferve the lives of them who live
but to difhonour God •, and every creature, meat,
drink, and the like, is abufed, and groans under
the abufe. Well, the day is coming, when they
will groan no more ; nor fhall you need to groan
for them. The travailing Creation will call out
its forrows.

(2.) If that day were come, ye (hall alfo be de-
livered. You fhall groan no more under your
own burdens. This is the time of your travail,
then ye fhall be well : John, xvi. 20. " Verily,
verily, I fay unto you, that ye mail weep and la-
ment, but the world fhall rejoice : and ye fhall be
forrowful, but your forrow fhall be turned into
joy." Ver. 22. " And now ye therefore have for-
row, but I will fee you again, and your heart fhall
rejoice ; and your joy no man taketh from you."
May we not argue here as our Lord doth ? If God
io clothe the grafs, which to-day is, and to-mor-
row is call into the oven, will he not much more
clothe us ? And as the apoftle, " Doth God take
care for oxen, to deliver them, and will he not
take care for us ?" If God deliver the old groan-
ing creatuie, will he not deliver the new creature,
that is alfo groaning ? Yea, furely you fhall be de-
livered, — delivered from fin, the body of fin, you
now groan under ; the cords of guilt fhall be bro-
ken in pieces *, the iron-bands of fin's tyrannical
power fhall be burft afunder ; the old tenant, that
has fit long againft your will, fhall be cafl out,
never to fethis foot in again : 1 John, iii. 2. " Be-
loved, now are we the fons of God ; and it doth
not yet appear what we fhall be j but we know,
that when he fhall appear, we fhall be like him,

for

AND DELIVERY. 7 I

for we fhall fee him as he is." Your candle (hall
not burn dim any more, nor your fire be weakly. In
the garden, now fo much overgrown, there mall
not be one weed, nay, nor the lead feed of one
left : " The Egyptians, whom ye fee to-day, yc
{hall fee no more for ever." Ye fhall be delivered
from all the confequences of fin. Though you
are at prefent recovering of the deadly difeafe, yet
the effects of it hang about you ; miferies on your
foul, body, character, and the like •, but then all
of thefe (hall take wing, never to return. No
more complaints of a weak and crazy body ; no
more reproaches, croffes, and loffes •, no more
temptations, for when the carcafe is removed,
why fhould the eagles gather together ? The laft
enemy, death, fhall be deftroyed, I Cor. xv. 53.
Ye fhall have a perfect delivery.

There are four words Chrift fpoke of, or to La-
zarus, at raifmg him from the dead. Thefe he
fpeaks for the elecl.

The firfi word is, " Where have ye laid him r"
John, xi. 34. The old murderer took away the
elecl's life among the reft, and every elecl: foul he
has naturally buried in trefpaffes and fins. But
Our Lord, coming to feek what was loft, fends the
gofpel to rhe elecl: ; and though the party himfelf
cannot difcern the gofpel-language, yet others do
difcern it, and hear Chrift in the gofpel faying of
the elect foul, " Where have ye laid him ?"

The fecond word is, " Take ye away the ftone,"
ver. 39. This is fpoken for the work of convic-
tion. Though the dead foul cannot hear it, it is
heard : l My Spirit/ fays he, * let him alone no
more \ confidence, awaken and roufe him up ; law,
take him by the throat ; off with his ignorance of
God, of fin, and of himfelf; break his fecurity,

throw

72 CREATION S TRAVAIL,

throw by his felf-conceit and fig-leave coverings :
« Take ye away the ftone."

The third word is, " Lazarus, come forth !"
ver. 43. This is fpoken for tlie work of conver-
sion. It carries life along with it, the foul hears
this voice, and lives. Then the Spirit of Chriit
enters into the foul, and he that was dead in fin
lives to God, and is coming forth in the progrefs
of fan&ification. But, O how flowly does he
come forth ! For though the reigning power of
death be broken, yet the grave-cloaths are ftill a-
bout him, which entangle him. Though he can
move both hands and feet, which he could not do
before, yet there are bands on them both. This
is all that is heard in time. But good news to the
groaning Christian : At the laft day, ye ihall hear
the laft word, which is the

Fourth) " Loofe him, and let him go/* ver. 44.
Then not only fin, but all the confequences of it,
ihall be taken off. No more fin, pain, death, for*
row, or any fuch thing. Then comes the glorious
liberty of the fons of God, which Chriit has pur-
chafed, which God has promifed, which the whole
creation is earneftly expecling, and which the fpi-
ritual Chriftian is groaning and waiting for, Rom.
viii. 21. 23. — I come now to a

4. And laft ufe, of exhortation as to thefe things.

(1.) Let us believe, and give God the glory due
to his name. Man is changeable, and he that de*-
pends upon his promife may foon find that he
trufts to a broken reed. But not fo Math God's
promifes : Pfal. lvi. 1 o. " In God will I praife his
word : in the Lord will I praife his word." Abra-
ham had a promife of a very unlikely thing ; he
believed the promife, and it was accompliihed,,
Rom. iv. 17. — 21. Is it unlikely that the crea-
ture Ihall be delivered ? Yet God has faid it ; be-

liev-3

AN T D DELIVERY. 73

lieve, and give him the glory of his power, that
will perform this great thing. Should all the an-
gels and men in the univerfe conipire to free the
groaning creation, they could not effecl: it. It is
long fince they were nonplufTed in the cafe of re-
frefhing the weary earth with a fhower of rain :
Jer. xiv. 20. " Are there any among the vanities
of the Gentiles that can caufe rain ? or can the
heavens give mowers ?" Nay, men confpire to
hold down, to abufe the creatures, and keep the
hold they have got of them. And the earth is
made a field of blood for the maftery over them.
But God will end the quarrel, and deliver the
creature out of wicked hands. The fecond Adam
is as able to reftore, as the firft was to break in
pieces. Give him the glory of his goodnefs, that will
not allow it always to go ill with the good. God's
good creatures naffer for man's fake; but a good
God will not fufFer it always to be io. How much
more will he provide, that piety fhall not always
be afhamed, and wickednefs triumph ! The day
will come, when none will be high but they that
are holy. Give him the glory of being mindful
of his promife, and ftedfafl to his word. It is
more than five thoufand years fince he fubjecled
the creature to vanity in hope ; and fo, to this day,
they not only groan, but they travail, in the hope
of delivery •, and their hope fhall not make them
afhamed. O that it could make us afhamed of
our hope wearing out fo foon under afflictions ! to
whom a few years, months, days, nay, even hours,
are fufncient many times to make us hopelefs.

(2.) Let us believe this delivery, and walk an-
fwerable to the faith of it : 2 Pet. iii. 11." See-
ing, then, that all thefe things fhall be difTblved,
what manner of perfons ought ye to be, in all
holy converfation and godlinefs !"

74 creation's travail,

[r.] Let us ufe the creatures as fervants, not as
ilaves ; allowing them a regard fuitable to their
natures and ufe. God has given the creatures
into our hands, and they muft endure much mi-
fery for our profit \ and even that may be hum-
bling to us, as being the confequence of fin. But
that ever God allowed man to make a fport of the
proper effects of fin, to torment and put to pain,
any creature, merely for his pleafure, is what I
do not believe. And therefore grave divines do
condemn cock-fighting, and fuch like, as unlawful
recreations ; and I think not without good ground.
Sure I am Solomon fays, " A righteous man re-
garded! the life of his beaft ; but the tender mer-
cies of the wicked are cruel," Prov. xii. j o. And
to whom can the needlefs torment of the poor
creatures create pleafure, but to the cruel or un-
thinking ?

('2.] Let us labour to ufe the creatures foberly,
and in the fear of God, andnot abufe them to the
fervice of our lufts. God allows us them for our
neceffity, convenience, and delight, in fobriety, but
not to be fuel to our luffs. Let us ufe them fo as
we would wifh to have done in the clay when we
will fee them delivered \ that is, ufe them to the
honour of God.

[3.] Let us never build our nefl in that tree at
the root of which the axe is lying. The creature
is pafling, lay not the weight of your portion
upon it. Ye cannot abide with this world ; and
if ye could, it will not abide with you. He is a
fool, though he a£f. the part of a king on a ftage,
who looks not for a portion that will be more
abiding. For where is he when the ftage is taken
down ?

[4.] Look for your portion in another world,
where !s an enduring fubftance : Matth. vi. 19.

" Lay

AND DELIVERY. 75

* l Lay not up for yourfclves treafures upon earth,
where moth and ruft corrupt, and where thieves
break through and ileal :" Verfe 20. " But lay up
for yourfelves treafures in heaven, where neither
moth nor ruft doth corrupt, and where thieves
do not break through nor Real." This world is
no continuing city \ look out for one that is to
come. That is life, which begins after death is
fubdued, and when men fliall die no more. To
be eafy here is no great matter, but to be io then
is what mould be our chief concern.

[5.] Be holy in all manner of converfation,
2 Pet. iii. 1 1 . This is the time of God's forbear-
ance, wherein many confufions are fuffered in the
world : The holy and unholy are mixed : The
effects of fin lie on God's good creatures, as well
as finners : But this will draw to an end, and
there will be a fair feparation. It concerns you
now to fee on what fide you fliall be fet, to dif-
tinguifli yourfelves by holinefs now, from thofe
you would be diftinguifhed from by happinefs
hereafter.

(3.) And laft place. Believe thy delivery, and
help it forwards with your prayers. Cry for the
great deliverance, the reftitution of all things. It
is one of fix petitions our Lord has put into our
mouths, " Thy kingdom come -" and the laft in
the book cf God is, " Even fo come, Lord Jems,"
Rev. xxii. 20. — I would have you to confider,

[1.] That the churches are all groaning toge-
ther this day ; fome of them under temporal
plagues, being raifed by Antichrift ; all of them
under fpiritual plagues, a fearful decay of power
and purity among ihem, whereby the difeafe is
become general. The concern for the Proteftant
intereft is very little at the hearts of fome Prote-
ftant ftates. But a due concern for the Proteftant

religion,

76 creation's travail,

religion, the promoting truth and holinefs, by a
thorough reformation, appears to be very little at
the hearts of any of them : Ifa. lxiii. 5. " And I
looked, and there was none to help ; and I won-
dered that there was none to uphold : therefore
mine own arm brought falvation unto me, and
my fury it upheld me."

[2.] That the wheels of providence feem to be
running fpeedily forward to great changes in the
world. God is making the nations, and things
appear as in Luke, xxi. 10. 1 1. " Then faid he unto
them, Nation fhall rife againft nation, and king-
dom againfl kingdom •, and great earthquakes fhall
be in divers places, and famines and peftilences ;
and fearful fights, and great figns fhall there be
from heaven." And who knows what fhall be
the iflue ? But we may be fure that the myftery
of God is carrying on by them, and a way making
towards it being finifhed.

Let us then, by our prayers, help on the deli-
verance of the creation, from fin and its confe-
quences, by crying mightily to the Lord, that thefe
glorious things which are fpoken of the city of
God in the latter days may be fulfilled, and fo
the end may come. — I now proceed to

Doct. III. That the whole creation makes a
mournful concert in the ears of ferious Chri-
ftians, by their groans under man's fin. — Or,

That how deaf foever others be to the groans of the
creature under man's fin, ferious Chriftians will
not be fo, they will be arTe&ed with them. — In
fpeaking to this, I fhall be very fhort.

I Shall only, in a few words,

I. Mention the reafons why they fo affect ferious
Chriftians.

II. Make fome improvement.

AN r D DELIVI.iU. 77

I. 1 am to mention the reafons why they fo affect
ferious Chrifthns. — Among others, there are the
following.

1. They are the undoubted marks of m;
fall and apoftacy from God, which cannot fail to
affect, a ferious heart. Sin lias marred the beau-
ty of the creation ; and though blacknefs is no
deformity among blackamores, yet it is fo amongft
the whites. Some glory in their fhame, but they
will not do fo to whom fin has been truly fhame-
ful. Now, thefe groans are the memorials of the
fall.

2. They are the conflant evidences of God's in-
dignation againft, and hatred of fin, which* are
never wanting in the world. And it is a child-like
difpofition to be affe£ted with the tokens of their
father's anger •, though they who have no care to
pleafe God, can eaiily pafs the figns of God's dif-
pleafure, others cannot.

3. They bring their own fins to remembrance ;
and a tender confeience difpofes perfons to think,
4 This is for my fake, for my provocations, that
they fuiFer/ And fo the faints groan with the
groaning creatures, and long for the common de-
liverance.

4. God is dishonoured by the finner's abufe of
the creatures. This makes both the creature and
true Chriftians to groan, to fee God's good crea-
tures abufed, to the difhonour of their Creator.

II. I am now to make fome improvement ; and
all I propofe here, is an Exhortation — not to be deaf
to the groans of the creation under man's fin, but to
be fuitably affected with them. God has not onljf
made them groan with their ordinary, but with an
extraordinary groan ; and if you do not from hence
fee what an ill thing fin is, what a juft God the

Vol. IL G Lord

7$ creation's travail, &c.

Lord is, and how feverely he punifhes, and fo fet
forwards to reformation of life, you may allure
yourfelves you will fee thefe things more to your
coft, when you yourfelves fhall be made to groan
under the heavy hand of the Lord.

Alas ! for the fecurity and impenitency of Scot-
land •, nothing of all we hive yet met with, will
roufe us out of it. Take heed that God do not
create a new thing amongfl us, which whofo fhall
hear of, their ears fhall tingle, and thus groans of
another fort from houfes and fields fhall be heard.

O that we were fhewing ourfelves ferious Chri-
■ftians, by our being deeply affe&ed by the groans
of the creation under fin! If we were fo, we would
be,

(i.) Groaning under a fenfe of our own fin,
and the fins of the land ; mourning for the difho-
nour done to God by ourfelves and others, by which
we have grieved the Spirit of God, and burdened
the very earth that bears us.

(2.) We would be weaned from, and in a holy
manner wearying of the world, which is a com-
pound of fin, mifery, and vanity.

La/Ily, We would be longing for the glorious
day of the great change abiding the world, when
our Lord's kingdom fhall be fully come, — the
myftery of God finifhed, — fin and mifery fwept out
of the world, — and the faints arid the creatures per-
fectly delivered. Amen.

fAITH-

FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD EXEMPLIFIED
AND REWARDED*.

SERMON XXIX,

Numb. xiv. 14. But my fervant Caleb , becaufe he
had another fpirit with him, and bath followed me
fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he
went, and his feed Jhall pojjefs it.

1"**HE Lord being provoked with the murmur-
ing of the people, in confequence of the
ill report of the land brought by the fpies, though he
did not deftroy the people all at once \ yet, juft-
ly difpleafed, he threatened to cut off the whole
generation of murmurers, fo that not one of them
ihould come to Canaan. His anger at the rebels,
however, did not make him forget his faithful
fervant Caleb, who had acted a totally different part
from the reft of the fpies, together withjofhua, who
is not named here, becaufe now he was not num-
bered with the people, being for the prefent the
G 2 attendant

* Delivered after the difpenfdtion of the Lord's Sup-
per. Juiy 1712,

So FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD

attendant of Mofes, and afterwards his fucceflbr,
as captain to lead the children of Ifrael into Ca-
naan, This intimates to us, that God's own people
may get fpecial intimations of his love in a time
when God is angry with the generation. How-
ever great the darknefs may be, fome felecl: ones
will always have a Gofhen, a land of light to
dwell in. Joys may be their portion, while God
is diftributing forrows to others.

There were twelve fpies, all of them noblemen
or gentlemen, heads of the children of Ifrael, Num.
xiii. 3. There were two, and but two of them,
faithful to God and their country. Ten of them
brought up an ill report of the land, difhonoured
God, and ruined both their countrymen and them-
felves. They that are falfe to God, will never be
true friends to their country. Hence we fee, though
not many noble are called, yet fome are. Greatnefs
and goodnefs met in Caleb. — Goodnefs, that he
would not defert the caufe of God, notwithftand-
ing of ail the ill company with which he was af-
fociated. They have little religion, that will not
endure the (hock of ill company, be they never fo
great. In the text there is,

1. Caleb's character. — More generally, God
owned him as his fervant. This honour God put
upon him. It is an honour to the greateft to be
God's fervants ; though the greater part will rather
be the devil's Haves, and count that their honour.
But blacknefs is beauty among black men. — More
particularly, Caleb was a man of a truly gallant
and generous fpirit. His name fignifies all heart,
and his difpofition correfponded with his name.
He had another fpirit than that of the world, an-
other than his own, another than the reft of the
fpies. He pcllefTed a fpirit from heaven, calcu-
lated for the work to which he was appointed -,

and

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. 8 I

Liid that Spirit infpired him with courage, with un-
daunted reiblution, while the reft were milled by
a bafe, mean, fneaking fpirit. He was truly cou-
rageous in his actions ; his other fpirit made him
behave himfelf otherwife than the reft. He fol-
lowed the Lord fully •, he walked with the Lord,
kept clofe by his duty, in oppofition to all difficul-
ties and diieouragements. He was not afraid of
the Anakims, nor did his undaunted heart (brink
at the fight of their high walls. He knew that
towns, walls, armies, and giants, muft fall before
the Lord, when his promiie was engaged for it.
His companions deferted and contradicted him in
his good report. The people threatened him with
itoning, but he was all heart, would not yield,
but followed the Lord fully. (Hebrew, fulfilled
after the Lord). Whatever way the Lord led, he
followed. — In the text there is,

2. The gracious recompence which God pro-
mifed to his fteadinefs and faithfulnefs *, that is,
the pofleffion of that good land, while the carcafes
of the reft fell. Piety is the beft policy. They who
are careful of God's honour, he will fee to thei 1 *
intereft. Caleb was to fight for the land, but
God fays, I will bring him into it. The praife
of the fuccefs of our endeavours is due to the Lord
only ; this promife fecured his through-bearing
over all difficulties. — From, this fubjecl:, we may
draw the following doctrines, which we mall at-
tend to in their order, viz.

Doct. I. That the honeft fervants of Jefus Chrift
muft diftinguifh themfelves from others, by fol-
lowing the Lord fully.

Dgct. II. That they who would follow the Lord

fully muft have another fpirit, another than the

G 3 fpirit

82 FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD"

fpirit of the world, another than their own fpirit
naturally is.
Doct. IIL That thofe who, by following the Lord
fully in the time of great declining, diftinguiih
themfelves from others, God will diitinguifh
them, by fpecial marks of favour in a time of
great calamity. -The fcripture affords many in-
ftances in proof of this, as Noah, Lot, Jere-
miah, &c. We begin with

Doct. I. That the honefl fervants of Jefus Chrift
muit diftinguiih themfelves from others, by fol-
lowing the Lord fully. For illuftrating this

doctrine, it is intended,

I. To mew what it is to follow the Lord fully.

II. To give the reaibns of the point. And then,

III. To improve the fubjecl: We are then,

I. To mew what it is to follow the Lord fully.

i . It is to follow the Lord only as our great guide
and leader : Heb. xii. 2. " Let us run the race fet
before us, looking unto Jefus, the author and fi-
nifher of our faith." They that follow not the Lord
only, do not follow him fully, Hof. x. 2. " Their
heart is divided." Their heart was going, one
part after the Lord, another after their idols. He
muft have the whole man. Now, this implies
two things.

( 1 .) The foul's ceafing to follow all others who
do not lead in fubordination, but in contradiction
to him. We have eaten our golpel-pafibver, and
muft now fet forwards on our journey. We (land
as in a place where two ways meet, and at the
entrance to thele ways there are falte guides, who
cry, Follow us •, the Lord f ys, as in Song, iv. 8.
" Come with me from Lebanon, my fpoufe."—

We

EX I D AND REWARD! I 83

We muft not follow falfe guides. We muft not
follow our own fpirits : Prov. xxviii. 26. " He
that trulteth in his own heart is a fool." Mod
men's fpirits are quite blind : " Ye were fometimes
darknefs," Eph. v. 8. The bed of them are but
in their fpiritual child-hood, not to be truited to
themfelves, but (landing in need of a governor.
They are naturally biafTed guides, having a bent the
wrong way. There are many fnares which our fpi-
rits perceive not, till they are caught in them as a
bird ; they often grafp dtluhons inflead of light; and
men's thoughts in religion, not regulated by the
word, prove as falfe lights on the fea, that occa-
fion the (hip's darning on a rock. Let us look a-
bove us, rather than w r ithin us, for our way. — A-
gain, we mult not follow our own lufts : Rom.
viii. r. " Who walk not after the flefh." Lufts
are followed by many unto their own perdition ;
when they lead, the devil drives, becaufe they
lead the highway from God. Wind and tide
from hell go with the dream of corrupt lufts,
while the foul follows as an ox to the (laughter.
Much of the fpiritual warfare here lies in driving
againft this dream — Neither mud we follow
the world ; the world would have the leading of
all, and it gets the leading of its own. — We mud
not follow the men of the world : i Cor. vii. 23.
" Ye are bought with a price, be not ye the fer-
vants of men." No man mud be followed farther
than he follows Chrid. The dictates and com-
mandments of men, be they ever fo great, are no
rule for confcience and practice : " To the law
and to the tedimony •, if they fpeak not according
to this word, it is becaufe there is no light in
them." It was the fin of Ephraim, Hof. v. 11.
that "he willingly walked after the commandment."
They have little faith, or truth either, that will pin

their

$4 FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD

their faith to the fleeve of any. — Farther, Follow
not the courfe and way of the world : Rom. xii. 2,
" Be not conformed to the world." To be neigh-
bour-like is not the plain way to heaven, but a
plaufible way to hell, for the moft part of people's
neighbours are going the broad way. There will
none feek to heaven, but a peculiar people, a An-
gular fort of perfons, true feparatifts from the mul-
titude, who muft refolve to be men wondered at.
They that will follow the multitude muft perifh
with the multitude, and it will be cold comfort to
us, that we go to hell with a company. — Finally,
Follow not the fmiles of the world. If we will
follow the Lord fully, we muft lift our procefs,
and leave off to make our court to a bewitching
world, which treats its followers like the falfe ir-
regular lights that are fometimes feen in the night,
which pleafes the eye of the traveller, but leads
him off his way into fome quagmire, obliging him
to retire with fhame and forrow. How often does
the world repay our love with frowns, and kills
when it flatters. — This implies,

(2.) The foul's following the Lord in oppofition
to ail thefe. The fouls of men are ruined by an ex-
change of the living God for idols: Jer. ii. 13. " For
my people have committed two evils : they have
forfaken me, the fountain of living waters, and
hewed them out citterns, broken cifterns that can
hold no water." And their falvation is begun by
an exchange of idols for the true God. The devil,
the world, and the flefh, make many offers ; God
makes one, " I will be thy God," which, in a day of
power, downweighs all the offers of the world and
of hell. Hence, when the man is brought to follow
the Lord fully, then farewell all others, and the
Lord is welcome for all. There the eye of the foul
is fixed. You may take this in three things.

[1.] The

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. 8$

£i.] The Lord points out to his people the place
of eternal reft, a city where they may abide. This
they follow after as their grand proipect in the
world: Heb. xi. 14. — 16. "For they that fay
fuch things, declare plainly that they feek a coun-
try. And truly, if they had been mindful of that
country from whence they came out, they might
have had opportunity to have returned : But now
they deiire a better country, that is, an heavenly j
wherefore God is not aihamed to be called their
God ; for he hath prepared for them a city."
There they mull be, there they are refolved to be,
coft what it will : Matth. xi. 1 2. " The kingdom
of heaven fuffereth violence, and the violent take
it by force." Their great queftion is, " What
{hall we do to be faved ?" While others are fol-
lowing what is about them, they follow what is
above them for their happinefs ; they will not have
their portion in this world, nor can fuch fmall
things fatisfy them. They are infpired with holy
ambition to have a place among them that ftand
before the throne of God and the Lamb. Their
other fpirit fo ennobles them, as that they cannot reft
in thefe little views, which the ferpents' feed have
before their eyes. It is a holy flame which native-
ly afcends, and carries the foul upward : Phil. iii.
20. " For our converfation is in heaven, from
whence alfo we look for the Saviour, the Lord Je-
fus thrift."

[2.] The Lord points out the way leading to eter-
nal reft ; and they following the Lord fully, their
heart follows him, making choice of it. He points
out Chrift the perlbnal way, John, xiv. 6. Then the
foul that was knocking at, and working to win in
at Adam's bolted door, the covenant of works,
gives it over, and comes in by the door of the
iheep, renouncing the way of the law, that old,

dead,

86 FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD

dead, killing way, and chufing to enter by the
new and living way, Heb. x. 20. The Lord points
to the real way of holinefs, Ifa. xxxv. 8. That
way they chufe : Pfal. cxix. 30. " 1 have chofen
the way of truth." This is their choice, that they
may not be either among the faithlefs workers, or
the idle, indolent believers, neither of whom fol-
low the Lord fully. True, it is a difficult way ;
both the way of believing, and the way of holi-
nefs, lie up-hill, but they halt no more. Their
feet follow him, walking in it. He fets them to
the flrait gate, and they enter on the narrow way,
and they walk in it. Better a narrow way to hea-
ven, than a broad way to hell. Their choice is
followed with action, their purpofes iflue in fin-
cere endeavours, and their refolutions are crowned
with practice : Pfal. cxix. 106. " I have fworn,
and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous
judgements." Like Naphtali, they give goodly
words, and, like Jofeph, are as a fruitful bough.

[3.] The Lord goes before them, and they fol-
low his fteps. He is glorious in holinefs, and
their defign is to be like him, holy, as he is holy.
They labour to imitate him in his imitable perfec-
tions. They are " followers of God, as dear chil-
dren." There is a likenefs betwixt a man and his
God, and therefore the heathens, when they could
not be like God in holinefs, they made their gods
like themfelves in filthinefs ; and God, to fhew men
how they mould walk, fent his own Son in man-
hood, both to die for finners, and alio to leave them
an example, that men might fee with their eyes how
God walked, and fo learn how he would have them
to walk. Thus we muft write after his copy, 1
John, ii. 6. « He that faith he abideth in him,
ought himfelf alfo fo to walk, even as he walked."

And

EXEMPLIFIED AXI) REWARDED. 87

And no lefs pattern do they propofc to themfelvcs
who follow the Lord fully.

1. To follow the Lord fully, is to follow him
unkferfally : Pfal. cxix. 6. " Then fhall I not be
afhamed, when I have refpecl: unto all thy com-
mandments." Whofoever fays he will come after
me, they muft follow me in all things,- in all times,
in all places, with all their fouls. No exceptions
can be admitted in following the Lord ; but as the
refignation at firft was abfolute, if honeft, fo mud
the following be. This is to follow him fully,
to fulfil all the will of God. — More particularly,

They that would follow the Lord fully, muft
follow the Spirit of the Lord, and not follow
their own fpirit. It is an ordinary character of a
Chriftian in Paul's epiftles, that he walks after the
Spirit. It is the work of the Spirit to bring in
light, to difcover fin and duty; we muft entertain
it, and comply with it, we mult anfwerthe call: Pfal.
xxvii. 8. " When thou faidft, Seek ye my face,
my heart faid unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I feek."
To incline and fit the foulfor following, we muft be-
ware of quenching the Spirit, but rather, when the
wind blows, fpread out our fails, that they may be
filled by it. We muft be fpiritual in our hearts,
lips, and lives.

They muft follow the word of the Lord, Pfal.
cxix. 30. The Lord's written word is the Chri-
ftian's directory for heaven, the compafs by which
he is guided on the fea of this world, and by which
he is to fteer his courfe. It is the map of the coun-
try to which, and through which, he is travelling.
Thence muft he take his way-marks. What the
Bible fays, fhould feldom be out of the Chriftian's
heart. Thofe who ftudy the Bible, have the ad-
vantage above all others, they get their directors a-
way to heaven with them. " It is written," will be

enough

S8 FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD

enough to them that follow the Lord fully. They
will make the word of the Lord overcome their
prejudices. Ifa. xi. 6. " The wolf alfo fhall
dwell with the lamb, and the leopard fhall lie
down with the kid : And the calf, and the young
lion, and the fattling together : And a little child
{hall lead them."

They muft follow the providential will of the
Lord : " Thy will be done in earth, as it is in hea-
ven. " If we have faid, I am the Lord's, then we
muft have faid, Our will is the Lord's. It remains
that our will mould follow the Lord's, as the fha-
dow doth the body. If it be God's will that wc
ihould be poor, fick, crofTed, &c. that fhould alfo
be our will ; if not, we do not follow the Lord
fully. It is a fad matter we fhould give up our-
felves to be fervants, and yet ftill aim at being
mailers, to cut and carve for ourfelves. There
will be a crook in every lot of ours under the fun.
Ecclef. i. 15. " That which is crooked cannot be
made ftraight." That which is crooked, in refpect
of our will, is ftraight enough with God's, which
is the true rule, fo that if we follow the Lord fully,
our will Ihould be bended to the crook, and not
the crook ftraighted to our will.

Again, we muft follow the caufe and intereft
of the Lord in the world. There is always war
in the heaven of the church, between Michael
and the dragon, though it does not always come to
blood. The armies are always in the field, though
they are not always actually engaged in a ferious
battle. Ye muft be on the Lord's fide, whether
it be the higheft, or the loweft in the world.
There is no lying neutral here ; if we be not for
God and his caufe, then we are againft him.
This is a day wherein the enemy has difplayed
his banners ; and we alfo have a banner to be
2 difplayed

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED- Vj

difpl.iycd became of truth : « Who is on the
Lord's Ik'.c ? Who ?" It is time God's people were

taking courage to them, and cleaning to the Lord,
his way and work in this covenanted laud, i-i
of all oppofition.

In the next place, we mud follow the ordinances
and mititutionc of the Lord, that doctrine, wor-
ihip, difcipline, and government, which has the
Lord's (lamp on it, the preaching of his word,
and the facraments, &c. It is lamentahle to think
how that fpirit is gone, which fome time ago was
among people, for following the ordinances of the
Lord. We are even glutted and furfeited with
them. Opportunities of communion with God are
undervalued. People will deprive themfelves of
them, from reafons which, if they were to lofe a
iixpence by, they would quickly come over. It
was the commendation of the Levites, and godly
people through the ten tribes in Jeroboam's time,
that " they followed the ordinances of the Lord."
All thefe came to Jerufalem, to facrifice to the Lord
God of their fathers.

We muft alfo follow the worfhip of the Lord.
— The fecret worfhip of the Lord by ourfelves
alone : Matth. vi. 6. " But thou, when thou
prayeft, enter into thy clofet, and when thou haft
lhut thy door, pray to thy Father, which is in fe-
cret ; and thy Father, which feeth in fecret, (hall
reward thee openly." Secret prayer is a duty
which they who are exerciied unto godlinefs cannot
live without, a duty in which communion with God
is as readily to be had as in any other j and though
there may be prayers in your family, yet, if you
know your duty, you will alfo pray in your clofet.
— Family-prayer : " Pour out," fays the prophet,
" thy fury upon the heathen, and upon the families
that call not upon thy name." What do prayer lefs

Vol. II. H families

()Q FAITHFULNESS TO GOD

families but expofe themfelves to the wrath of God ?
Every houfe lliould be a church. We receive fami-
Jy-mercits, and are chargeable with many family-
fins; why not then family- worfhip ? And do they fol-
low the Lord fully that halve their family-worfhip ?
They will worfhip God at night, but not in the
morning. Complain not of want of time, others
in your circumftances get time when they have a

heart to it. Next, internal worfhip, without

which all your external worfhip will be to no pur-
pofe. There is no following of the Lord fully, if
that be wanting : Phil. xiii. 3. « We are thecircum-
cificn, that worfhip God m the fpirit j" that is,
in the exercife of grace with external worfhip ; fear,
reverence, faith, 'hope, love, and other holy af-
fections, which are the life and foul of worfhip.

Finally, they muft follow the Lord fo as that one
thing be not wanting : Mark x. 21. i( One thing
thou lackeft. " There is one thing ufually that is
the great thing which ftands betwixt every one
and heaven : It is as it were the Shibboleth they can-
not frame to pronounce. They can comply with
any duty, part with every fin, bear any crofs,
but fuch a duty, fuch a fin, fuch a crofs. And
therein they fay, as Naaman, 2 Kings, v. 18. " In
*his thing the Lord pardon thy fervant. When I
bow down myfelf in the houfe of Rimmon, the
Xord pardon thy fervant in this thing.** But this
is not to follow the Lord fully. People muft ei-
ther come over that aifo, or they cannot prove their
sincerity. The only courfe to take here is that, in.
Matth. v. 29. 30. " And if thy right eye offend
thee, pluck it out, and cart, it from thee ; for it is
profitable for thee, that one of thy members fliouM
perifh, and not that thy whole body fhould be call
into hell. And if thy right-hand offend thee, cut
it off, arid call it from thee." Herein lies the great

evidence

EXEMPLIFIED AXD REWARDED* f)\

eridence of fincerity ; and the victory over predo-
minant lufts is like that over the Anakifns, which
will cod many a fevere druggie.

3. To follow the Lord fully, is to follow him
uprightly. A hypocrite does but walk in a vain
mow. His feet only, not his heart, do follow the
Lord. God, who is the maker and the fcarcher
of the heart, will never reckon himfelf followed'
fully in a carcafe of duties; but notices the manner,
motive, principle, and end of actions, which, if
they be not right, all is wrong. — Then, to follow
the Lord fully, is to follow him honeftly in refpecl:
of our principle, not with a carnal felfith principle,
which can only fet us a-going, but with a fpiritual,
lial principle ; not as a mercenary foldier follows
his captain, but as a child follows his father : John,
vi. 26. " Ye follow me," faid Jefus, " not be-
caufe ye faw the miracles, but becaufe ye did eat
of the loaves, and were filled." There is a felfiih
religion, where felf is the chief wheel that fets all
a-going. — We mud follow him fmgly, in refpecl: of
our end ; following the Lord with a defign and
defire to pfcafe him, and not for carnal felfiih ends.
What is not done for the Lord, as the chief cnd>
he will never reward. Want of fmglenefs in the
end, maims the action ; as when a wife adorns her-
felf to pleafe an adulterer, hsr aim would make
her action abominable. — We mud follow the Lord
evangelically, in refpecl: of the manner *, follow-
ing the Lord, leaning on his, and not on our'
own drength. This is the life of faith in obe-
dience, by which the foul goes out of ftfelf to the
Lord for all drength, faying, as in Pfal. lxxi. 16.
" I will go in the drength of the Lord."

4. To follow the Lord fully, is to follow him
condantly : John, viii. 31. "Then faid Jefus to
thofe Jews which believed on him, If ye continue

H 2, in

r,2 faithfulness towards god

in my word, tlicn are ye my difciples indeed." If,
is a final] matter to begin well, but it is the con-
tinuing to follow the Lord which is true follow-
ing of him. It is a following the Lord habitually and
evenly^ fo that our fouls are fixed on this as their
ordinary bend. It is not to take up our religion by
fits and ilarts. "We muft delight ourfelves 'in the
Lord, and call always upon our God. This muft
be our daily bufmefs, not our by-hand work. It
was the fault of Rehoboam, 2 Chron. xii. 14. " He
did evil, becaufe he prepared not his heart to feek
the Lord." And it is the fault of many, that they
are unliable as water in matters of religion \ many
people's religion is like a tree-leg, which they can
lay by and put to as their conveniency requires.
We muft follow the Lord, fo as to end our journey
without defection and apoftacy : " Be thou faithful
unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." We
muft not follow the Lord as ordinary fervants, who
have their term-day, at which they give up with
their mailers. But our courfe of obedience muft
have its perfect work ; we muft go through with
the work of Chrift to the end. Apoftates are not
fit for heaven : " No man," faid Jefus, u having put
his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for
the kingdom of heaven," Luke ix. 62. But fearful
is their doom, if they apoftatife : " If any man,"
fays God, " draw back, my foul fhall have no
plea fu re in him," Heb. x. 38.

Finally, it is to follow the Lord refolutely, a3
Ruth did Naomi, in oppofition to all difcourage-
ments and impediments in the way. There is the
river of the evil example of the world, but they
muft drive againft the ftream ; there are corrupt
ftrong lulls of the heart, but they muft cut off right
hands, and pluck out right eyes •, and there is
the crofs that will be laid on their backs, which they

muft

rXE.MfLIFIED AND REWARDED. £3

mull go through with, and not turn their backs on
the Lord in a ftormy day, but trample on all
which they have in the world to follow the Lord.
They muff, not be as thofe who go to fea for ple3-
fure, but like hardy mariners, who ride out the
ftorm We now proceed,

II. To give the reafons of the point.

Among others, we fhall mention the following,

1. Becaufe the change made in regeneration i#-
a real change, though not perfect. Believers ar*
God's " workmanfhip, created in Chrift Jefus un-
to good works." The new creature, from the time
of its birth, is perfect in its parts, though not in
degrees. There is fomething a-wanting in every
part of the new man, but no part is altogether a--
wanting. Each gracious perfon has all the graces
of the Spirit, though fome of them are more emi-
nent than the reft, and are as top-branches. This
cannot but produce a following the Lord in a go-
fpel -fenfe.

2. In clofing with Chrift there is an univerfal
refignation. They give themfelves up wholly to
the Lord. No exception can be made, but the
moft difficult duty is undertaken, the deareft luft is
given up with. It remains that people's fincerity in
ciofmg with Chrift be evidenced by their walk, in
an unlimited refpecT to all his commandments, in
following the Lord whitherfocver he goes.

3. The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnefs,
and righteoufnefs, and truth, Eph. v. 9. When
there is not fomething of all goodnefs, there the Spi-
rit dwelleth not. Where the garden is only watered
by man's hands, there fome plants thrive, others
go back for lack of moifture ; but where the fhower
comes from heaven, it brings all forward together.
So where there is an artificial religion taken up by

H 3 mery

94 FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD

men, there may be fomc partial or external ap-
pearance of good fruits •, but where the Spirit is
at v/ork in the foul, real goodnefs, and righteouf-
nefs, and truth, will at once be brought forth in
the life and practice.

4. True mortification is univerfal. Where
death comes, it takes the life out of the whole body,
the foul departs from every part. So, Gal. v. 24.
" They that are ChrifVs have crucified the flefh,
with the affeclions and lulls." Sin keeps its do-
minion by one luft, as well as by many •, therefore
where any luft remains unfubdued, there is no
genuine mortification there. But where genuine
mortification to (m is, the foul will follow the Lord
fully.

£. Hypocrites may follow the Lord, but none
can fully follow him, but thofe that are fmcere.
Judas may be in Chrift's company, but the bag
.was always dearer to him than his matter. Demas,
Secaufe he loved the prefent world, apoftatifed ; fo
that, unlefs we follow the Lord fully, we go not
beyond the line of hypocrites. — I now go on,

III. To make fome improvement. — And this,

j . In an ufe of warning.

This may ferve to warn one and all of us, to
fake heed to our ways, and examine well our walk,
whether we follow the Lord fully or not. Much
depends upon it. None follow the Lord fully in
a Uriel: fe'rife, while out of heaven, but all honeft
Chrillians follow him hi a gofpel-fenfe. Therefore
ve may well fufpecl: your itates, if you do not fol-
low the Lord fully. This may ftrike a damp upon
the fpirits,

(1.) Of the more grofs fort of profeflbrs, whofe
religion appears plainly to be but half religion ;
who, even in the externals of religion, take fome

part^

parts

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. O^

and leave others which they know to be du-
ty ; like thefe, Zeph. i. 5. " who worfhip the hod
of heaven upon the houie-tops, and that fwea* by
the Lord, and that fwear by Malcham ;" that will
fometimes be praying, and fometimes curfing, ta-
king parts of religion only here and there.-- It may
ftrike a damp on the fpirits,

(2.) Of the more cleanly fort of profefibrr,, who
go a great length, only lack one thing. There is
one thing that is the great make-bate betwixt God
and them -, and they go through all the reft of re-
ligion, but there they are mired, there they flick.
That is the great gulf fixed between heaven and
them, through which they can by no means pafs.
But pafs it we muft, or we follow not the Lord
fully. Some do not fee it, then it is the more dan-
gerous ; but feen it mull be, and alfo overcome, or
men may bid farewell to heaven : Rev. iii. 21. u To
him that overcometh, will I grant to fit with me
on my throne, even as I alfo overcame, and am
fet down with my Father on his throne." — Here
fome may (late an

Objection, If following the Lord fully take in
all thefe things, who does it ? In Answer, Thefe
follow the Lord fully, in a gofpel-fenfe, who,

(1.) Obferve the Lord daily, and bear up after
him in every ftep, yet, like the weak child follow-
ing its mother, their eye folio ws him, their defire
goes out after him, they would be at him, and
with him, wherever he goes. — This implies two
things. — (1.) Their obferving all the prints of his
feet, they love all his footfteps, they love all the
duties of religion for his fake, and defire to per-
form all his commandments : Pfal. cxix. 5. "O
that my ways were directed to keep thy ftatutes !"
Their heart is in fome meafure reconciled to every
known duty, and at variance with every known

fin.

C)6 FAITHFULNESS TCWARDS GOD

fin. The fpirit is willing, though the flefli be
weak. Some fins lie nearer their hearts than others ;.
fome are as right eyes, others gnly but as left toes 5
but, O ! a right eye plucked out is good in their
fight, the contrary grace is beautiful and glorious,
and the defire of their fouls : Rom. vii. 12.
" Wherefore the law is holy, and the command-
ment holy, and jufr, and good." — (2.) Their obfer-
ving himfelf as the centre of all their defires. All
goodnefs, holinefs, and perfection, center in him.
That which is fcattered here and there in his word,
ordinances, and people, they take a view of, as
concentered in himfelf, and fo fee in him at one
view the whole of what they mould be ; they are
pleafed with it, and fincerely defire to be like him.
- — Thefe follow the lord fully,

(2.) Who aim after the Lord fully •, though they
cannot follow him precifely in every point, they aim
at, they endeavour it, as the child following its
mother, weeping, and making what way it can after
her. This implies two things. — (1.) They aim at
the performance of all duties, and warring againfl
every fin. They do not give goodly words, and
fo fold their hands together, wifhing they were bet-
ter ; but they even put their hands to roll up the
ftone, which yet perhaps may come down and down,
over and over again, upon them. They aim at be-
ing holy in all manner of converfation, 1 Pet. i. 15.
Grace infufes a principle in the heart, that turns
the man towards every thing to which God calls-
— (2.) They aim at the all of every duty, to get it
right as to the manner, as well as to the matter :
Phil. iii. 3. M They worfhip God in the fpirit, re-
joice in Chrift Jefus, and have no confidence in
the flefli." - I come now,

2. To an ufe of exhortation.
I exhort you to diftinguifh yourfelves from o-
thersj by your following the Lord fully. Sirs!

have

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. 97

have ye a defire for heaven or not ? If ve have no
defire, you may lit it ill at eafe, time v. ill carry you
down the ftream to an eternity of woe! If ye have a
d« iire for heaven, then up, follow the Lord, follow
him fully. Set your affections that way. You follow
duties; that is not enough, follow the Lord in thefe
fully, or you will never fee heaven. I hope you.
are not for bidding farewell to, and taking your
Fall fight of heaven. If then you be in earne'ir. to
get to heaven, let yourfelves to follow the Lord
fuliy. Before. I prefs this upon you by motives,
I exhort you to take. a folemn, grave, and ferious
confideration of what is lacking in your converfa-
tion, that you may fill it up by following the
Lord. We mult fee our defects before we can
fill them up. To aflift you in this, confider what
is wanting,

(1.) In your mortification of fin, what right eye
remains to be plucked out, left there may be fome
one leak or other that may fink the fhip : Pfal.
lxvi. 18. " If I regard iniquity in my heart, tli£
Lord will not hear me." Self-love prevails much,
and hence lufts, beloved lulls, find harbour, and
efcape the axe. — Confider,

(2.) What is wanting as to your compliance
with known duties, whether ye make confeience
of all ye know or not. Do you find that you pray,
but do not meditate nor examine yourfelves ?. then
fill up that want. Do you pray, but neglect to
watch ? then fill up this want alfo ; and fo on. —
Confider,

(3.) What is wanting in the duties ye perform.
For many times thefe are but the half of duties,
the outward part- only, wanting that faith, love,
zeal, and livelinefs, that fhouid be in all our du-
ties. — Confider,

(4.) What is wanting in your bearing the crofs.

Every

98 FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD

Every one has his daily crofs. Confider how ys
bear it, with what meeknefs and patience ye walk
under it.

(5.) Confider what is wanting in your graces,
1 f you have any ; and unto what you have you
fhould be ftill adding : 2 Pet. i, 5. « Add to your
faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge,
temperance, and to temperance patience, and to
patience godlinefs, and to godlinefs brotherly love
and charity." — Confider,

(6.) What is wanting in your relative converfa-
tion. A man is really what he is relatively. Con-
sider how thou anfwereft the duties of a huf-
band, wife, parent, child, mafler, or fervant. —
Having carefully obferved all thefe wants and de-
fects, be confcientious in filling them up ; follow
the Lord only, univerfally> uprightly, conflantly, and
refolutely. Follow him fully. — To conftrain you
to this, I Would mention the following Motives.

1 . All is full which is fet before you in the way
of following the Lord. God deals not by halves.

( 1 .) We bave a full law for our rule to walk by :
Pfal. cxix. 96. " Thy commandment is exceeding
broad." It is extended to all the parts of our
walk ; it reaches heart, lip, and life ; requires
not only duty to be done, but done aright. And
unlefs we have refpecl: to all God's commandments,
our obedience is not acceptable.

(2.) We have a full word for our light in our
walk, by which we may take up what is fin, and
what is duty, fee how to fleer our courfe in times
of the greateft darknefs : Pfal. cxix. 105. "Thy
word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my
path." It is the flar that is given to guide us
through this world, and we fhould be much con-
verfant with it.

(3.) We have a full covenant for provifion in

mix

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED* Op

•irr way. It is " an everlafting covenant, ordered
in all things, and lure," 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. What-
ever be our cafe, there is firitable proviiion in the
covenant for "it. There are in it precious pro-
mifes to the faints in all conditions of life. What-
ever ftorms and tempefts may blow in the world, the
faints may find fomething m the covenant to fhel-
ter them.

(4.) We have a full Chrift to lean to, He is
mighty to fave. In him there is both righteouf-
nefs and ftrength.

(5.) There is a full weight of glory for reward ;
fuch as will fill foul and body even thofe of the mod
enlarged Capacities. Shall we not then follow
him fully ?

2. The Lord Chrift, our leader, did not do the
work of our falvation by halves, but fully. He
obeyed the law fully, none of its commandments
wanted their full due of him. He fufiered and
paid the debt fully, its threats and curfes fell 011
him in full meafure. And what would have be-
come of us, if Chriil had halved the work of our
falvation ? Who would have done the reft ? Who
would have fatisfied for any of our (ins, or made
up for any deficiencies in our fervices ?

3. Our not following the Lord fully, makes the
following him in any inftance fo difficult; and to
follow him fully would be the high way to make
religion eafy. When the Christian has one foot
fixed to the earth, it is no wonder than that he
with difficulty mount upward. One lull unmodi-
fied is enough to mar all our duties, and make our
progrefs in religion very irregular, and therefore
difficult ; whereas it would be a great eafe if all
came away together, Luke, ix. 59.

4. If we do not follow him fully, we will lofe
the reward cf following him at all, in rcfpecl of

eternal

IOO FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD, &C.

eternal falvation, 2 John, viii. Look to yourfdves,
that we lofe not thofe things whicli we have
wrought, but that we receive a full reward;
otherwife we will lofe all the pains we have
been at in religion. That in which we follow
him not, will draw a black itroke through all in
which we have followed him.

Lajlly, Another motive is, if we follow him
not fully, we will fhare with them that have not
followed him at all, in a fullnefs of wrath : Pfal.
exxv. 5. " As for fuch as turn afide unto their
croaked v/ays, the Lord fhall lead them forth with
the workers of iniquity." God will fill them with
the wine of his wrath. He will " cut them in
funder, and appoint them their portion with un-
believers," Luke, xii. 46. as thofe who divided
themfelves betwixt the Lord and their own lulls.

THE

THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.

SERMON XXX.

Numb. xiv. 24. But my fervant Caleb, becaufe he
had another fpirit with him, and hath followed me
fully, him will I bring into the land whereunto he
went, and his feed fhall pcfjefs it.

I Now proceed to the confideration of
Doct. II. That they who would follow the
Lord fully, muft have another fpirit ; another
than the fpirit of the world, another than their
own fpirit naturally is.

In attending to which, I fhall,

I. Shortly point out, that it is another fpirit.

II. Shew what that fpirit is, which they who fol-
low the Lord fully have, and mult poflefs. — Illu-
ftrating, at the fame time, the nature and Be*
ceflity of fuch a fpirit.

III. Make fome practical improvement.

I. I am fhortly to point out, that it is another
fpirit which fuch poflefs.
Vol. II. I This

102 FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD

This other fpirit, which is fo neceiTary to fol-
lowing the Lord fully, is underftood, either of the
Holy Spirit of God, who dwells in all the faints,
Rom. viii. 9. or rather of a fpirit fan£tified by
-the Holy Spirit, and raifed above its natural fpirit
by the power of grace. Thus it feems here to
be underftood, though both amount to the fame
thing. Such a fpirit may well be called another
fpirit. For,

1 . It is another fpirit than that which the world
is pofTefled of, which is a mean and bafe fpirit, in-
fluencing them to grovel on this earth. The world
has what it calls a fine fpirit. But even that does
but grafp at fhadows, while the molt excellent
things are out of its view. But this is a fpirit
truly noble.

2. It is another fpirit than the moil refined hy-
pocrites have. By the common operations of the
Spirit, the fpirit of hypocrites may be raifed to
a£fc more nobly than before, but thefe change not
the nature of a man's fpirit, but only help it to
a£t in a natural way to a better purpofe ; whereas,
this fpirit raifes it to gracious actings.

3. It is another fpirit than what the faints had
before they were fan £tified. Another, not in fub-
itance, but in qualities. How does this other fpirit
make a man differ from himfelf ? How doth it
advance him to a higher fphere ? It made a preach-
ing Paul of a perfecuting Saul. It endows a man
with quite new principles, motions, ends, and aims,
and elevates him to new meafures for attaining
the fame.

II. I go on to (hew what that other fpirit is
which thefe who follow the Lord fully have and
muft poiTefs. — Uluftrating, at the fame time, its
nature and neceffity. — This fpirit is,

1. A

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. I C3

i. A noble elevated fpirit, aiming at high things,
and is not finished with thefe with which the
common herd of mankind are fatisficd. Thus Ca-
leb aimed at Canaan, Numb. xiii. 30. while the
reit were for Egypt again, chap. xiv. 4. Such an-
other fpirit have the faints, Phil. iii. 14. " They
prefs forward toward the mark, for the prize of the
high calling of God in Chrift Jefus." Were a
beggar's child adopted by a prince, he would
change his fpirit with his lot, and aim at things
fuitable to his new quality. Thus the children of
God rife in their aims and defigns, will not be con-
tent with the creatures, but with God himfelf ; not
with earth, but heaven, net the favour of men, but
of God, not with gold, but grace •, for they have ano-
ther fpirit, which can be contentwith nothing lefs.
They have high projects, not bounded within the
limits of this narrow world, but aiming at a greater
conqueft. New, fuch a fpirit they mud have that
would follow the Lord fully. — For, if lefs can fa-
tisfy, they will be content to take their portion en
this tide Jordan ; they will exchange heaven for
earth, and keep their grand profpecr. within the
bounds of this world : Phil. iii. 19. « Their God
is their belly, and they mind earthly things , ; ' and
fo will never follow the Lord fully, nay, they will
leave him where they cannot get their carnal inte-
reft along with them, as Demas did. — Again, if
they have not fuch a fpirit, they will continue
creeping on the earth, to get their food, as the
beafts among their feet, and never follow the Lord
in the way to true happinefs. They will fall
down before thefe three that are in the world :
" The lull of the flefh, the luft of the eye, and
the pride of life," 1 John, ii. jo. 'They will wrap
themfelves up in the world's proiits, or drench
themfelves in its pkafures, and, like beggars,
I 2. take

104 FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD"

take care of their cottages, having no eye to a palace.
Finally, if they have not fuch a fpirit, they will
never ufe means and endeavours iuitable to fuch
high aims. Noble fpirits will proportion their en-
deavours to their high defigns, while the mean
fpirit will go heartlefsly about them. Gold is not
got, like ftones, befide every brook ; nor is grace
and glory got, but in the way of hearty exertions :
Prov. ii. 3. — 5. " Yea, if thou crieft after know-
ledge, and liftefl up thy voice for underftanding,
if thou feekeft for her as filver, and fearcheft for
her as for hid treafures, then (halt thou underftand
the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of
God.

2. It is a fpirit of faith, as the apoftle fpeaks,
2 Cor. iv. 13. " We having the fame fpirit of
faith." Such a fpirit had Caleb, another than that
of the reft, who could not enter becaufe of unbelief.
Such another fpirit have the faints, while the reft,
of the world remain under the power of unbelief,
and if they had it not, could never follow the Lord
fully •, for unbelief will foon trip up a man's heels
in following the Lord : Heb. iii. 12. " Take heed,
brethren, left there be in any of you an evil heart
of unbelief, in departing from the living God."
Now, Caleb's other fpirit of faith thus discovered
itfelf.

(1.) It took part with thepromife, and hung by
it, while the unbelieving fpirits of the reft fided
with fenfe in oppofition to it. Thus, while the
unbelieving world, whatever they pretend, do
never folidly venture their happinefs on the pro-
mife, but feek it rather among thofe things which
are the objects of fenfe. The faints have another
fpirit, which rejects thefe, and by faith rolls the
weight of its eternal happinefs on the promife ;
which fpirit of faith realifes to them the things

whicji

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. IOJ

which arc not feen, Heb. xi. i. affords a view of
them, as matters of the greatest realities, and cf
the word of promife as fuflicient fecurity. "With-
out this, none will ever follow the Lord fully ;
— For, if that which is held out in the promife be
not realifed unto men, it will never make {cn-
iible things, the reality of which men certainly
know, to yield and give place to it ; for men will
not quit certainty for hope. Were men as much
perfuaded of the reality of the things contained in
the promife, as they are cfgold, and other metals
in the earth, think ye, they would flight the pro-
mife and take up with the objects of their fenfes
as their happinefs ? No. The truth is, all the;
glorious promifes are to the world but fair words
about fancies. — Again, if men cannot tiuft the
promife as fuflicient fecurity, they will never ven-
ture their all upon it, but our all muft be ventu-
red upon it, if we follow the Lord fully : 2 Sam.,
xxiii. 5. " This is all my falvation, and all my de-
fr;e." We muft glorify him by faith, hanging by
his bare word. All for another world mult be
laid upon it, and often it comes to this, that ail
for this world mud alfo be laid upon it>

(2.) This fpirit of faith took up the land of
promife, as a land well worth all the pains, toil,
and hardihips, which the conquering itwould incur:
Numb. xiv. 7. " It is an exceeding good land.'"'
Thus, while unbelievers cannot fee heaven worth
the pains and toil that muft be at the work, like
the falfe ipies, chap. xiii. 32. "they bring up
an evil report of it." But the faints have another
fpirit of faith, which makes them fee the glory of
that land to be fuch as to deferve their utmoft efforts
andendeavours. " Let us therefore labour," fay they,
Ileb. iv. 11. " to enter into that reft, left any man
fall after the fame example of unbelief." Nov/,
I 3 without

I06 FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD

without fuch a fpirit, men can never follow the
Lord fully ; beeaufe to work for nothing makes
us extremely averfe to engage. If the recompenfe
of reward be not feen as fufficient to counterba-
lance all the pains, perfons will never ftrive to en-
ter into God's reft, nor take heaven by force,
Heb. xi. 26. Whence do we fee, that men will
ftrain every nerve for a little of the world,
which they think worth the pains, who will not
bow a knee to God for heaven ? They will work
eagerly, who pray very heavily and carelefsly, be-
caufe they think the one worth their pains, the
other not. — Again, men are naturally very averfe
to fpiritual endeavours, and if they fee not fome-
thing that will provoke the fluggard to run, they
will not follow the Lord fully. There mult be a
glory feen by an eye of faith, to overcome this a-
verfion. Thus Chrifl propofed the treafure to the
man, Mark, x. 21. but he faw it not, therefore
he went away. — Farther, no man can reach heaven
with eafe, the way to it lies up-hill. It will coft
ftriving, wreftling, ufing violence, and the like.
There are right eyes to be plucked out, that is hard j
there are giant-like lufts to be mortified, who will
adventure upon that ? there is a combat, a fight to
be maintained, in which the perfon muft be a con-
queror. Will ever men, then, follow the Lord
fully, without fuch a fpirit as by faith difcerns hea-
ven as worth all that pains ? Moil men fee it not •>
they think lefs may ferve, for they want that other
fpirit, which accounts nothing too much here j and
fo, with Judas, they fay, Why all this wafte ?

(3.) This faith penetrates through all the diffi-
culties which the unfaithful fpies could not fee
through. Caleb's other fpirit took the glafs of the
word of promife, and faw thereby how their nu-
merous armies might be beat, their high walls

thrown

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. IO?

thrown down, the Anakims laid as low as ever
they were high : Numb. xiv. 9. « Only rebel not
ye againft the Lord, neither fear ye the people of
the land, for they are bread for us ; their defence
is departed from them, and the Lord is with us ;
fear them not." Such another fpirit have all the
faints in a greater or lefs meafure. The carnal pro-
feflbr, like the fluggard, cries, " There is a lion
in the way, I fhall be flain in the ftreets." There
is no meddling with fuch a duty, no mortifying
fuch a lull ; thus he gives over the attempt. But
the faints have another fpirit, which by faith dis-
covers how impoflibilities may be furmounted,
how hills may be made to fkip like lambs ; and
therefore falls a blowing his ram's horns, in hopes
that the walls of Jericho fhall fall down •, and, like
another David, with his fling, he fets upon Goliah,
and attacks even the children of Anak. I do not fay
but this faith fometimes may be ve^y weak, it may
be very low •, but it is fuch as makes them venture
on duty and difficulty, though trembling. Now,
without fuch a fpirit none will follow the Lord
fully. — For, the want of it cuts the finews of refo-
lute endeavours after univerfal holinefs. It is the
hope of victory that makes the foldier to fight j and
when he loies, he turns his back : 1 ThefT. v. 8.
" But let us, who are of the day, be fober, putting
on the breaft-plate of faith and love, and for an
helmet the hope of falvation." Faith muft go be-
fore and fee through difficulties, ere a perfon can
come up and break through them. — Again, the
want of it makes men, like Iflachar, to couch un-
der the burden, or as one who is upon an unruly
horfe, and finding there is no mattering of him, he
lays the reins on his neck. This is the reafon why
people, after fome druggie againft fin, turn worfe
than ever. They find difficulties in the way of

duty,

108 FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD

duty, they have no hope to furmount thefe, and
therefore give it over. But how can any reach the
promifed land, without the promife in their eye ?
How fhal! they go through in the fpirkual battle,
while they throw away the fword of the Spirit, the
word of -God, the word of promife, and leave them-
felves deftitute of the ihield of faith ? Without this
they cannot go out in the name of the Lord again (I
their enemies, and fo muft turn their back as foiU
ed.

(4.) Caleb's fpirit of faith looked to the Lord,
as fufficient to bear him over all difficulties. He
faw the Anakims as well as the red, and had as
little confidence in himfelf as they had •, but he
had confidence in the Lord, and fo would go a-
gainft them in the ftrength of the Lord. Such a
fpirit have all the faints: Pfal. lxxi. 16. «I will
go in the ftrength of the Lord." Ifa. xlv. 24..
" Surely fhall one fay, In the Lord have I righ-
teoufnefs and ftrength." This carries them to the
Lord as the fountain of ftrength; while as to the reft
of the world, their fpirit is as a pipe laid fhort of
the fountain, by which no water can be convey-
ed. Without fuch a fpirit, none can follow the
Lord fully. — For, there are difficulties in the way
to heaven, which none can overcome, but by di-
vine ftrength : 2 Cor, xii. 9. " My grace is fuffi-
cient for thee, for my ftrength is made perfect in
weaknefs." Unmortified corruptions will be as
heavy as a giant upon a child, till God himfelf
take part with the foul, and give the vi&ory,
They may lie under them and groan, but who {hall
roll away the ftone, if the angel come not from
heaven for that purpofe ? Wo to him that is alone
when he falleth ! without the Lord, the leaft work
of religion is above us. " Without me," faith he,
John xv. 5. "ye can do nothing," The flendereft
1 temptation

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. I09

temptation will be found a wind from hell fufficient
to blow over the man that is not fupported ; the
Jeaft duty, a talk which they cannot perform ac-
ceptably. Where the Spirit of the Lord does not
draw, we will never follow. Thus that fpirit of
dependence upon the Lord is neceflary.

3. This fpirit is a fpirit of holy courage and re-
solution, Numb. xiv. 9. Such a fpirit, in fome
meafure, have all the faints : Prov. xxviii. 1 . " The
wicked flee when no man purfueth, but the righ-
teous is bold as a lion." Their fpirit is peremptory
and refolute for following the Lord whitherfoever
he goeth, not to be diverted by any means from
their great intereft. And though the godly may
be naturally fearful and unfteady, yet this fpirit in
the things of God will prevail, feeing that their all
lies at the fl;ake •, without fuch a fpirit, none can
follow the Lord fully, for the following, among
other reafons. — Recaufe,

(1.) The work of religion is a great work,,
for which we had need of courage and refolution.
The outward work of religion is great work, the
inward work is ftill greater : Prov. xvi. 32. " He
that is flow to anger, is better than the mighty 5
and he that ruleth his fpirit, than he that taketh a
city." The labour of the hand is hard, the labour
of the head is harder, but the labour of the heart
hardeit of all ; and religion is work of that fort.
To work out our own falvation, to ferve our gene-
ration, to get heart, lip, and life cleanfed, is work
fufficient to fear cowards who have not another
fpirit. — Again, confider,

(2.) That our own ftrength is fmall. O how
weak is man at beft for the Work ! What a vaft
difproportion is there betwixt our ftrength and the
leaft duty, if done aright ! 2 Cor. iii. 5. " Not that
we are fufficient of ourfelves to think any thing as

of

IIO FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD

of ourfelves ; but our fufficiency is of God." When
we view our work, how far it is above us, we may
fay, " Who is fufficient for thefe things ?" 2 Cor.
ii. 1 6. Here is need of another fpirit to influence
men, in attempting to roll away the ftone, that
is fo far above their ftrength. But holy courage,
through faith in Chrift, will do it : Phil. iv. 13. "I
can do all things through Chrift that ftrengtheneth
me." — Confider,

(3.) That our oppofition is great. If ye have a
dehre for the heavenly Canaan, ye mult fight your
way thither over much oppofition, and fo have need
of another fpirit. He that overcometh fhall be
crowned. If you have a defire to follow the Lord
fully, you mull follow him over much oppofition,

1 . From the devil : Eph. vi. 12." For we wreftle
not againft fiefh and blood, but againft principali-
ties and powers, againft fpiritualwickednelfes inhigh
places." No fooner was man fet up in the world,
than the devil attacked and overcame him ; and as
ibon as a foul begins to fet heaven- ward again,
the devil then will be on his top. O it is much
to ftand, when hell is in arms againft us, when
the black bands of temptations make an attack !
Satan is a powerful and fubtle enemy. He will
be fure to attack you on your weak fide, and fuit
his temptations to your circumftances. Thus he
did with our Saviour j for when he had failed forty
days, the devil faid to him, « If thou be the Son
of God, command that thefe (tones be made bread,"
Matth. iv. 3. He has his temptations for the poor
and for the rich. He tempts the poor to (leal, and
the rich to deny God. Hence faid Agur, " Give
me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food
convenient for me •, left I be full, and deny thee,
and fay, Who is the Lord ? or left I be poor, and
fteal, and take the name of my God in vain," Prov.

EXEMPLIFIED A\D REWARDED III

ana. 8. 9. He has temptations for youth and for
age, for the joyful and lor the mournful Chriftian.
Sometimes he appears as a fox transforming him-
felf into a lamb. Sometimes he roars as a lion.
There is thus need of a fpirit of courage to oppofe
him.

2. We have great oppofition from the world.
(1.) From the things of the world. They col-
led!: their bands to encounter thofe who would
follow the Lord, to turn them back. — There is the
white band of the world's fmiles, itained already
with the blood of thoufands. Many have been
wounded, and many flain by thefe : Prov. i. 32.
" For the turning away of the Ample fhall flay
them, and the profperity of fools fhall deftroy
them." Many a foul has died by the embraces of
a fmiling world, for it does with men as the pan-
ther with other beafts, who draws them after him
with the fweet fmell of his breath, hiding his head,
while he afterwards devours them. Its profits and
pleafures are fyren fongs, which end in bitter lamen-
tations. They are filken cords, which afterwards
grow as iron fetters, which may cod a flood of
tears to get them off. Here is a trial for true cou-
rage of fpirit. O it is a great fpirit that rifes
above the world when it courts us ! while our own
fpirit naturally loves it, even when it gives us gall
to drink. — There is next the black band of the
world's frowns. The world often puts on the
lion's fkin, and brings a train of crofles again ft the
followers of the Lord : Acts, xiv. 22. " We muft
through much tribulation enter into the kingdom
of God." The world often turns ftepmother to
the godly, who may have enough ado to get their
bread, while plenty flows to its own darlings.
We fee how the world's, fun went down at noon
with Job. There is need of another fpirit to carry

112 FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD

a man above thefe, to give him another joy when
that of the world fails, and to make him fmg as
the nightingale when the very ftorm is at his
back. Thus did Habakkuk when the world
failed : Chap. iii. 1 8 . " Yet I will rejoice in the
Lord, and joy in the God of my falvation." —
Again, there is the mixed band of the world's
cares. Thefe are the world's thorn-hedge, which
the Chriflian mull break through, or elfe they
will choke the feed of the word in his heart,
Matth. xiii. 22. This is the thorny crown it fets
upon our heads fo foon as we fet out into the
world. How hard is it to keep our ground here !
The care of a family, the care of the body, is that
which has rendered many carelefs of eternity.
Yea, and care we muft : Our meat will not be
found among our feet, as that of the beafts, nor
will it drop into our mouths without care. But
O what need of another fpirit to ufe thefe things
as if we ufed them not ! But,

(2.) We have great oppofition from the men of
the world. The devil has his agents in the world,
factors for hell, that will give much ado to thofe
who would follow the Lord fully. And people may
lay their account to be attacked with their tongues.
They are not for heaven who cannot digeft the
mockings of a gracelefs generation ; nor are they
meet for it that will pafs over their duty, only for
the virulent reproaches they may meet with in
their way. Thefe fling feverely, but there muil
be a refolutenefs againft them, to pleafe God.
Let a generation of imbittered fpirits fay what
they will ; let Chriftians ftrive to have the tefti-
mony of God and their own confcience, which
will i>e a fecret fupport, condemn them who will.
— They will attack then* with their feet. The
example of an unholy life : Matth. xviii. 7. " Woe

unto

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. I 1 3

unto the world, becaufe of offences ! for it mud
be that offences come ; but woe to that man by
whom the offence cometh." The world lieth in
wickednefs ; it is hard to bear out, againft the
ftream of example fct before us. To be righ-
teous as Noah in his generation, to keep clean gar-
ments in Sardis, is not eafy: Matth. xxiv. 12.
" Becaufe iniquity mall abound, the love of many
(hall wax cold." Example ruins many, who like
fheep, when one gets into the water, the reft readily
follow. — They will attack them with their hands.
The hands of perfecutors are fometimes bound up;
the Lord feems now to be loofmg them ; and fome
are already finding the fmart of that. And it is
like it will not be fo eafy to follow the Lord as it
has been for fome time paft. But they who will
follow the Lord fully, mult have another fpirit,
which may urge them on to lofe all, rather than lofe
their foul by leaving off to follow the Lord.

Finally, The Chriftian has great oppofition
from his own lufts. He will not only find a war
without, but alfo a war within him : Gal. v. 17.
" For the flefh lufteth againfl the fpirit, and the
fpirit againft the flefh, and thefe are contrary the
one to the other - y fo that ye cannot do the things
that ye would." Our greateft enemies are within
our own bofoms. — Firft, there is the general of
this army, indwelling fin, the corrupt nature, the
old man, flefh, called fin by way of eminence :
Rom. vi. 12. " Let not fin, therefore, reign in your
mortal body, that ye fhould obey it in the lufl
thereof." The plague of the heart: i Kings, viii. 38
This is the curfed ground, bringing forth briars
and thorns. There muit be another fpirit to draw
this to the crofs : Gal. v. 24. " And they that
are Chrift's have crucified the flefh, with the af-
fections and hilts/*— --Next, there is a (warm of

Vol. II. K helliffl

114 FAITHFULNESS TO GOD

hellifli foldiers under him, particular lufts, as
pride, covetoufnefs, envy, malice, and the like,
that dog the man wherever he goes, and will give
him enough ado to refill : Rom. vii. 21. "I find
then a law, that when I would do good, evil is
prefent with me." If you afk their name, it may
be Legion, for they are many : Titus, iii. 3. " Ser-
ving divers lufts and pleafures, living in malice
and envy, hateful, and hating one another." All
fins are radically even in the beft. Look through
the world, and fee what appears there ; thefe
fwine, who are running on others, fhew that cor-
ruption which is within the whole. Who are
their allies ? Thefe are the devil, John, viii. 44. ;
the world, Tit. ii. 1 2. All the (pares and temp-
tations in the world are allied to fome one or
other lufts within us, that fuits them as tinder

the fire. There is, their quarters, the heart.

" Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders,"
&c. ; and the nearer to us, the more dangerous.
The heart is as a common inn, fo often thronged
with thefe, that the mailer is kept out. —There is,
their qualities. They are deceitful : Eph. iv. 22.
" The old man, which is corrupt according to the
deceitful lufts." Hurtful : 1 Tim. vi. 9. " But
they that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a
fhare, and into many foolifh and hurtful lufts,
which drown men in deftru£lion and perdition."

III. I now proceed to make fome improvement
of the fubjecl;. — And this,

1. In an ufe of information. — From this we
fee,

(1.) The great fpring of defection and apoftacy
from the good ways of the Lord. How is it that fo
many make fuch a bad account of religion ? They
have nof another fpirit. Many, at their firft taking up

of

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. I I ^

r>i religion, have great vigour ami brifknefs of fpirit;
but it is only like a blaze of itraw : Their oil fails,
aiul their lamps go out. Such appearances denote
only awakening, and not changing grace, which
they have got ; therefore it laits not. There is no
ipring of grace in the foul, only fome mowers
from the clouds, watering the old ground of their
natural fpirits, which is foon dried up. They
who thus drink, {hall foon thirft again, John, iv.
13. ; it decays by little and little, as the light after
t'm-fet, till it be quite dark. Again, becaufe
they have not another fpirit, that frame of their
fouls is not fed by nourifhment from Chrift, as
the fmcere foul is, who receives out of the fulnefs
of Chrift. Hence, for want of nourifhment, it
dies, and they wither as branches cut off from the
trunk, John, xv. 6. A branch newly cut off irom
its ftock, and ingrafted into another, may keep a
fhort time green ; but if it do not take with the
Rock, it will wither. Now, they cannot take with
tlie ftock, becaufe they have not another fpirit :
John, i. 12. 13. " He came to his own, and his
own received him not. But as many as received
him, to them he gave power to become the fens
of God, even to them that believe on his name :
Which were born, not of blood, ncr of the will
of the flelh, nor of the will of man, but. of God."
Farther, it is the newnefs of the thing, not the
nswncfs of their nature, that makes that ftir
among their afFeclaons. Hence, when they have
a little accuftomed themfelves to religion, and the
duties of it, the newnefs is gene, and fo their de-
light is gene, their afFectionb fettle, for they have
not another fpirit, to which religion would be its
"lenient : John, v. 35. " He was a burning and a
(hilling light, and ye were willing for a feafon to
n joice in his light." Hence old truths turn ftale
•K 2 with

m6 faithfulness towards god

with many, and nothing relifhes with them but
fome new thing. They are fprightly for a while,
but at length their metal is gone, their hearts are
deadened, their affections withered, and their con-
sciences feared. Hence, a fpirit of reigning floth,
which was only covered, not fubdued, rifes again,
as weeds in-the fpring, which, though nipped with
winter- frofts, yet were not plucked up by the
roots: Pf. lxxviii. 37. " For their heart was not
right with him, neither were they ftedfaft. in his
covenant." They are awakened as with noife a
little while, but, becaufe they have not another
fpirit, they fall afieep again. — Finally, hence a
fpirit of profanity fucceeds in many : 2 Pet. ii. 22.
" But it is happened unto them according to the
true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit
again, and the-fowthat was warned to her wallowing
in the mire." Their lulls, which were forcibly re-
trained before, break out again with greater vio-
Jence than ever. Trie devil returns with feven
fpirits worfe than the firfl •, and not being able to
follow the Lord fully, they turn back with the
greater violence.

(2.) This inftrudxs us as to the great fpring of a
divided religion, where there is [till one thing or
more lacking, Mark, x. 21. They have not ano-
ther fpirit ; the old fpirit may follow the Lord in
many Heps, but it will never carry a man through
with it. There are difficulties in the way to hea-
ven, which it is impoffible to pafs without another
fpirit. Thefe are fuch as,

It is a difficult Hep to advance into the heart
and life of duties, fpiritual worfhip, and the like.
Bodily exercife is the fartheft the old fpirit can carry
a man. A bird may as foon fly without wings, or
a beaft reafon, as one that has not another fpirit
can worfhip God in fpirit.

Another

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. II7

oilier difficult ftep is, to be denied to duties :
Matth. v. 3. " BleiTed ;ire the poor in fpirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The old fpirit is
a feliifh fpirit, that does all from and for felf. It
knows not to ftrip itfelf of its own robes fpun out
of its own bowels, and to go naked to Chrift for a
covering. A man {hall as icon rent out his own
bowels, pluck out his own heart, and cad it from
him, as one without another fpirit will lay the ftrefs
of his falvation on Chrift alone, counting as if
he had done nothing, when he has done all he
can.

A third difficult ftep is, to give up with bofom-
idols. Jefus laid the treafure in heaven, on the
other fide, to that man, Mark, x. 2 1 . and directed,
him to ftep over his idols, and he fhould have it;
but he was fad, and went away grieved, for he
had great pofleffions. Fire, fword, and gibbet,
will not affright fome people from following the
Lord, who will yet (tart back, when Chrift offers
them the knife of mortification, to cut off the of-
fending right hand : I Cor. xiii. 3. " And though,
I beftow all my goods to feed the poor, and though
I give my body to be burned, and have not charity,
it profiteth me nothing." Thou haft a hand, it
is a right hand, it rauft be cut off, it muft be done
with thy own confent, nay, thou muft put thy
own hand to the knife, and thou muft labour to
carry it through. This is language that will never
go down with a man that hath not another fpirit.
— Hence, men have a heart- averfion to encounter
heart-difficulties in religion. Few fee heaven.
Why ? Heaven's gate is (trait, eafe is fweet. They
are like the rich man in hell, fee heaven afar off^
but there is a great gulph fixed between them and
it. Their bafe fpirit from within, when the man
is looking over the guif, cries, Man, fpare thyfelf,
K 3 and

141 IfAltHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD

and then the heart ftarts back. They love the gold
but they do not dig for it. And they have not ano-
ther fpirit, a new fpirit, as Caleb had, to put them
forward. — Hence any attempts they make that way
are faint, and therefore fruitlefs : Luke, xiii. 24.
" Strive to enter in at the (trait gate : For many,
I fay unto you, will feek to enter in, and fhall not
be able." Like a cowardly man, offering to cut
off his own hand, which threatens the ruin of his
whole body, he takes up the knife, lays it to the
fkin, but always the heart mifgives, and he pulls
it back. Whereas a man of another fpirit, will
do it refolutely, becaufe he is reiblved not to die.
Hence fuch tampering with idols, in the way of
mortification. Then finding the fruitleflhefs of
thefe faint attempts, they even give over, lofmg
all courage. They fee it will not do that way, and
they defpair of getting any more pov/er over- them :
Jerem. ii. 25. " With-hold thy foot from being un-
fhod, and thy throat from thirft, but thou faidft,
There is no hope ; no ; for I have loved ftrSngers,
and after them will I go." Lulls are like an un-
manageable horfe, which therefore gets the reins
on his own neck. They have tried to roll the ftone
}v, r ay, but it comes down on them again; and there-
for they even let it lie, and leave it.- — Finally, their
^endeavours then are turned to the foothing of con-
fcience for peace. For this caufe the man pretends
he can do nothing, but Chrift muft do all. What
is left is but an infirmity, from which the beft can-
not be freed on this fide of the grave •, he will look
for pardon, and fo makes the blood of Chrift a de-
fence for his bofom-luft. For as great an enmity
as the natural man has to Chrift, the devil will
preach Chrift to ferve a turn ; and thus the grace
of God is turned into lafcivioufnefs.

(3.) This fubjecl points out to us, that the righ-
teous

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. lip

tcoub is more excellent than his neighbour. He
has another fpirit. O what a glorious difference
docs this other fpirit make between one man and
another ! I will inftance this in a few things.

How is it that one man contemns the world,
with all that is in it, the luft of the eyes, the lull
of the flefh, and the pride of life, while another
man adores the world, and drives after it as his
chief good and happinefs ? He drives a trade with
another world, looking beyond others. What is
it but that he has another fpirit, a finer fpirit, a
fpirit of a greater elevation and compafs than others,
which cannot take up with the little views of time.

How is it that a ferious holy Chriftian, appear-
ing in his own colours, ftrikes a damp upon the
profane, and even on the formal hypocrite ? Is it
not that another fpirit mines out of him, which
compels them to fear him, though they hate him,
to give him a fecret teftimony, though openly they
reproach him ? Is it not becaufe greater is that fpi-
rit which is in the faints, than that which is in the
world ?

How is it that when many are carried away
with the ftrong tide of an evil time, keeping but
one principle, which is to fave themfdyes on any
terms, others do refolutely row againft the ftream,
keeping one principle, which is, to pleafe God, to
follow the Lord, from which they will not be di-
verted, whatever they meet with in the way ? No
worldly advantage, the preventing of no worldly
lofs, do they think worth their going out of their
way, to attain it. O ! is it not another fpirit ?

How is it that one man enjoys fuch ferenity
and tranquillity of mind, amongft the fwelling
waves of outward trouble, which carry others
quite off their feet ? That one ftands as an unmove-
able rock, before the temptations which carry

others

120 FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD

others hither and thither, as the chaff before the
whirlwind ? Is it any thing but another fpirit, fix-
ed on the Lord, his word, his promife, which are
better tilings than what the world has, and the
tempter offers.

(4.) Hence we may fee, the ground and rife of
the fpiritual combat which is in the faints. They
have another fpirit. They have a fpirit in them,
naturally as the reft of the world, which ordinarily
takes the firft word ; but then they have another
fpirit, that contradicts and corrects it : Gal. v. 1 7.
" For the flefh lufleth againft the fpirit, and the
fpirit againft the flefh : and thefe are contrary the
one to the other." The natural man has one fpirit,
which is corrupt, and not another ; therefore he is
wholly corrupt, in heart, lip, and life. The faints
in glory have one fpirit, which is holy, and not
another •, therefore they are perfectly holy. But the
faints on earth have one fpirit that is corrupt 5 but
they have another fpirit alfo ; and therefore their
heart becomes a field of battle. — Hence we fee
how it comes to pafs that the faints are at war
with thefe lufts, with which the natural man can-
not but be at peace. He has another fpirit, which
is contrary to them, while the natural man's lufts
and his fpirit are of the fame nature, and he has
not another fpirit contrary to them. If a man have
a father a brother, or fon* in the oppofite army,
how can he find in his heart to lift up a fword a-
gainft him ? The natural man's fpirit, in the faint
mortification which he makes, fays to him, as Da-
vid faid to his three generals, " Deal gently for my
fake with the young man, even with Abfalom."
The man that has a wooden leg can take it off, and
caft it from him, but how can one do fo with his
limbs ? A man that has meat on his ftomach,
which loathes and diforders it, can vomit it up, but

how

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. 121

now can a man do this with a dainty morfel which
.he loves.— Hence we fee alio how there comes to
be fuch difficulty in dealing with thefe lulls •, there
is a refiftance made by one fpirit, which is oppofed
to another. Lulls have a friend within the bofom
of the faints, which takes part with them, and gives
that other fpirit fo much work. You will fee in
them, as it were, the company of two armies, —
twins ftruggling within them.

(5.) Hence we may fee the ground of that enmity
that is betwixt the feed of the woman and the feed
of the ferpent. There is a holy amity among the
faints as people of one fpirit, which is a moil clofe
knitting thing. They cleave to one Chiiit •, they
purfue one object ; they point towards one place ;.
becaufe they have all one fpirit. And what jars
are among them, flow from their own fpirits not
being fullkiently fubdued by that other fpirit. But
betwixt the godly and. the wicked, how can there
be but great enmity, feeing the godly have another
fpirit than they ? Thofe of different fpirits and tem-
pers are ill-yoked. This makes that enmity. — It is,

[[.] A fpiritual enmity, it breeds a natural an-
tipathy betwixt them, for they have not only other
actions, but another fpirit. Hence the man whom
the world carefTed, and embraced, while of the
fame fpirit with itfelf, when once he becomes
truly ferious, nhd gets another fpirit, he is quickly
turned out of the world's favour, he loathes them,
and they loathe him.

[2.] It is a mod difFufive enmity ; the fpirit of
the world is carried out after thefe things which
favour of the flefh, that other fpirit is carried out
after the things which favour of the .fpirit. The
fpirit of the world has things which it loves, and
hates thefe which the other fpirit loves. Hence
fuch an enmity againft holinefs of life, again ft di-
vine

122 FAITHFULNESS T0XVARDS GOD

vine ordinances, preaching the word, and other
duties of religion ; but trace all thefe to their foun-
tain, they will be found to meet in that of their
other : fpirit.

[3.] It is a mod violent enmity ; for the two fpi-
rits ftrike like two flints againft one another, to
raife the fire. No enmity like that which obtains
on account of religion -, it breaks over all bounds of
humanity, while no other reafon can be given for
it but religion. It fets the daughter againft the
mother, the fon againft the father, &c.

[4.] It is a mod rooted and fixed enmity. This
quarrel began fooner than any in the world ; Cain
and Abel were thus enemies. Many other quarrels
have begun fince this one, which have been long
fince rooted out. But no length of time can root
out this *, the wicked children continue the quarrel,
though they have feen the fathers fall in it.

(6.) This fubjecl: directs us to the great ob-
ject towards which fuch as would follow the Lord
fully are to look, it is to their fpirits. If our fpirit
be right, we will be carried through ; if not, we
will fall off. The great work of religion lies in-
ward. Take heed, therefore, to your fpirits ; fee
that thefe be of the right kind, that your hearts be
right with God, and found in his ftatutes.— I fhall
have done with,

2. An ufe of exhortation. Labour then to get
another fpirit, earnellly feek it, aim at, and pur-
fue after it. To obtain your compliance with this
exhortation, I would lay before you the following
Motives.

(1.) The prevailing fpirit among us is a fpirit
which is our plague, and therefore we have great
need to labour for another fpirit : Luke, xix. 55.
" Ye know not what manner of fpirit ye are of."
Thisis among the reft of our plagues. Men are little

at

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. I 23

at home, weigh not their fpirits in the balance of

the fan&uary -, but their fpirit of felf-love makes
all of high importance, and to appear well, which
is their own. There is a fixfold fpirit that is our
plague this day. — There is,

[1.] A carnal worldly fpirit : Phil. iii. 19.
" They mind earthly things." Our fpirits are
funk in the thick clay of a prefent world, and
have got into an earthly conftitution, as if, with
our bodies, they were only fprung of earth. From
communion and converfe with God, our fpirits are
greatly eftranged, but the world gets our firft,
middle, and lait thoughts \ fo that there feems need
of fome terrible alarm to make us lift up our heads
off that pillow. — There is,

[2.] A private narrow fpirit : Phil. ii. 21. " For
all feek their own, not the things which are Jefus
Chrift's." O what a rare thing is a public fpirit
among us this day, a kindly concern for the king-
dom and intereit of Chrift in the world, men na-
turally caring for thefe things as their Father's con-
cerns. Sirs, our wide mouths will not abfolve us
from the crime of a narrow fpirit in God's mat-
ters, more than Jehu's bravado, " Come fee my
zeal :" Prov. xxvi, 23. " Burning lips and a wicked
heart, are like a potfherd covered with filver
drofs." The Proteflant religion is in hazard abroad
and at home ; is there any thing of the care
of the churches lying upon you ? This church
is in hazard of falling into the enemy's hands ;
are your hearts, like good old Eli's, " trem-
bling for the ark?" 1 Sam. iv. 13. Nay, do not
many look upon our prefent privileges with fuch
a defpifmg eye, that it is all one to them whether
they fink or fwim. Have the attempts of our ene-
mies ever made you go alone to wreftle with God
againft them ? You profefs you would have mini-

fters

124 FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD

fters to keep honeft ; but are we obliged to your
wreftlings with God fox us on that account ? Have
we any larger fhare in ycur prayers than we were
wont to have ? Will the lofs of our honefty be to
you the lofs of many prayers for us in a difficult
time ? Pfal. cxxxii. 9. u Let thy priefts be clothed
with righteoufnefs, and let thy faints fhout aloud for
joy." It is a time of much finning ; are you figh-
ing and crying for all the abominations that are in
the midft of the land ? Ezek. ix. 4. Are you put-
ting to your hand, as you have aceefs, to (top the
flrearn of abounding fin ? — There is,

[3.] A flout, fturdy, fearlefs fpifit. I fear, if
God look to none but to thofe who are poor, of a
contrite fpirit, and who tremble at his word, If.
lxvi. 2. there will be few amongft us that will
get a look of him. How little are we affected
with the word, the difpenfations of the day, and
the Ijgns of the times ! Is not the word like a ball
thrown againft a wall ? The cuftom of hearing it
has ieffened the value of it. Who is hearkening
for the time to come ? Does that queftion lie near
your heart, How fhall I be carried through in
the evil day ? Are you putting matters in order
between God and you, and preparing an ark for
your fafety ? — There is,

[4.] A proud fiery fpirit, while the humble,
meek, and lowly fpirit does rarely appear. People
are fo puffed up with conceit of themfelves, there
is no dealing with them. If they make themfelves
vile, they will rather be more vile than fubmit to
admonition or reproof. And if they be in the
leaft ruffled, they are ready to call all ordinances
behind their backs. If the whole be not exactly
according to their mind, they will contemptuoully
reject all. Witnefs the contempt poured by fome
upon the laft faft. Humiliation of heart, ancfc
2 fclf-

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. t2$

fe If- denial would cure us of this irreligious he
which is the bane and ruin of religion among U! ,
and would kindle in us a more kindly warmth of
heart towards God and the tilings that bear his
{'camp. — There is,

[5.] A formal fpirit: 2 Tim. iii. 5. « Having
a form of godlinefs, but denying the power di
of." The bodily exercife of religion is much
amongfl many of us, but for exercife unto godli-
nefs among us, it appears to be very rare, 1 Tim.
iv. 7. 8. And many proclaim themfelvcs utter
ftrangcrs to it. In the eyes of any difcerning
Chriitian, they have fo little fenfe of the vitals of
practical godlirtefs, that thefe things are an abfo-
lute myftery to them. It would fare the better
with many of us, that we would begin again and
lay the foundation of our religion, and follow it
out in the great myfleries of the Chriftian life,
mortification of heart-corruptions, the life of faith,
and communion with God. — There is,

[6.] A profane fpirit, where the works of the
ilefh are manifeft. There is a lying fpirit, which
fo pofTefleth many, that they make no confeience
of fpeaking truth, but lend their tongues for lies.
There is a bitter fpirit of curling and fwearing,
railing and reproaching, amengft us, fo that fober
perfons may fay, as in Pfal. Ivii. 4. " My foul is
among lions ; and I lie even among them that are
fet on fire, even the fons of men, whofe teeth are
fpears and arrows, and their tongue a (harp fword."
See alfo Pfal. lxiv. 3. — 7. A bafe, fneaking, dif-
honeft fpirit, lodges in the bread of many, whole
covetous, unrighteous ways, in undermining, de-
ceiving, and wronging their.neighbours, will bring
a vengeance from heaven on their heads.

(2.) The cafe of our day requires another fpirit
than we have, God kerns to be fpeaking to the

Vol. II. L carnal

126 FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD

carnal worldly generation this day, as in Haggai,
i. 4. Jer. xlv. 4. 5. To the formal and profane,
as in Matth. iii. 1 o. To the private-fpirited, as in
Amos, vi. 1. And to all, as in Amos, iv. 12.
But O how unfuitable are our fpirits to the cafe of
the day ! How unmeet are our fpirits to a£t for
God ! They are too mean to do any thing great and
honourable for God and his glory. And doubt-
lefs, if we get not another fpirit, we will never be
honoured of God to perform any thing that is great
for him. Our work as Chriltians is at all times
difficult, but we are likely to have a fpeciai diffi-
culty in our time. Is the mean and bafe fpirit
wherewith we are plagued, meet to fet us to op-
jpofe the dream and tide of fin, that is going through
the generation ? Is our carelefs carnal fpirit meet
to wreftle with God, to keep him ft ill in our land ?
— Again, How unmeet are our fpirits for fuffer-
ing ? The foft and carnal fpirit which prevails, fuits
very ill with a time in which the Lord feems to
be about to pluck up and deftroy. That fpirit of
formality and profanity anfwers very ill with a time
in which people's religion may be put to the ut-
moft trial : Ifa. xxxiii. 14. " The finners in Zion
are afraid, fearfulnefs hath furprifed the hypo-
crites." Verily, if we get not another fpirit, a
time of trial will make a dreadful difcovery among
the profefied followers of the Lord.

(3.) Does not our own particular cafe, with re-
fpe<Sl to eternity, require another fpirit ? Eternity
is no dream, the wrath to come is no fcare-crow ;
thefe are the greateft of realities, and certainly
require our utmoft efforts. Does the prevailing
temper of our fpirits look like the eternal weight
of glory that is abiding thofe who ftrive, run,
wreftle, and fight the good fight of faith ? Alas !
our fpirits are as unlike the attaining it, as the

fluggard,

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. I 27

fluggard, who will not plow his field, is like to at-
tain a good crop. They who look for a treafure,
dig for it •, and they who wifh for the prize, run
for it ; but it is a loitering, not a labouring fpirit,
with which moft of us are poiTefied, who hafe
fmaJl probability of feeing heaven, unlefs it will
drop down into our mouths. — Again, Does our
fpirit look like flying from the wrath to come, that
infinite load of wrath which is abiding a perifhing
generation ? We feem to be creeping from it, ra-
ther than fleeing ; and therefore it is ready to over-
take us. O how would our fpirits ftir within us,
if we were duly afFe&ed with eternity, and the
danger that our fouls are in of the wrath to come !
— But farther, How unlike is our fpirit to the fub-
duing of ftrong corruptions within our own breafts !
How foft are our fpirits againft thefe our deadlieft
enemies ! We mult have another fpirit, or our fpi-
rits will foon be devoured by them. — Laftly, There
is no following of the Lord fully, and lb no hea-
ven, without another fpirit ; and therefore, as
ever we would be found Chriltians indeed, and
fafe through eternity, let us labour for that other
fpirit : " Create in us, O Lord, a clean heart, and
renew a right fpirit within us." — I fhall now very
briefly attend to

Doct. III. That thofe who, by following the Lord
fully in the time of general declining, diftinguifh
themfdves, God will diftinguifh them from o-
thers, by fpecial marks of favour in the time of
general calamity. — The fcriptures afford many
inftances in proof of this, as Noah, Lot, Jere-
miah, and many others.

For illuflrating this doctrine, we fhall,
I. Shew how thofe mud diftinguifh themfelvts
L 2 from

128 FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD

from others in the time of general declining, who
would have the Lord to diflinguilh them from
others in the time of general calamity. — We fhall
point out,

II. The marks of favour by which, in times of
great calamity, God ufes to diftinguifh fuch.

III. We fhall fubjoin fome reafons of the point,
to confirm it. — And,

IV. Make fome improvement.

We are then,

I. To (hew how thofe mull diftinguifh them-
fdves from others in the time of general declining,
who would have the Lord to diftinguifh them from
others in time of general calamity. — Here we ob-
ferve,

i. That they mull be beft, when others are
worit : Gen. vi. 9. " Noah was a jufl man, and
perfect in his generation 5 and Noah walked with
God." Their candle muft fhine brightefl, when
that of others is dying out. It is the property of
holy zeal for God and his way, to become more
vehement by oppofition •, fo that the declining of
others is as oil to their flame. It was better with
Lot when he dwelt among the Sodomites, than
when with his own children in the cave : 2 Pet. ii.
7. — 10. " And delivered jufl Lot, vexed with the
filthy converfation of the wicked, (for that righ-
teous man dwelling among them, in feeing and
hearing, vexed his righteous foul from day to day
with their unlawful deeds)." The Lord knoweth
how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and
to referve the unjufl unto the day of judgement,
to be punifhed." " It is time for thee, Lord, to
work -, for they have made void thy law. There-
fore I love thy commandments above gold, yea,
above fine gold." If religion be dying out among

others.

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. I 1>j

others, this will the more kindle an holy fire of
zeal, and increafe it in their own breads. — We ob-
ferve,

2. That they muft cleave to God, efpecially in
that article in which others are leaving him, as in
Caleb's cafe; that is to fay, they mult be careful that
they be not led away with the fins of the time, that
they do not enter into the general confpiracy of the
generation againft the Lord and his way, whether it
be againft truth or holinefs. Thus the promife
was to thofe who kept the life and power of god-
linefs in Sardis, where there was a great general
declining, a deadnefs and formality, and the bare
carcafe of religion : Rev. iii. 4. " Thou haft a few
names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their
garments ; and they {hall walk with me in white,
for they are worthy." — We obferve,

3. That they muft witnefs againft every decli-
ning, according to their ftations, and as they have
accefs, for the exoneration of their own confeien-
ces, and the honour of God. Thus did Noah,
that preacher of righteoufnefs, to that unrighteous
worl j. Thefe muft give a real teftimony by their
contrary practice, and, as they may have accefs,
labour to withdraw others from finfui courfes.
Thus did Caleb We obferve,

4. That they muft be mourners over the fins of
others, lamenting them before the Lord 5 fighing
and crying for all the abominations which are done
in the midft of the land, Ezek. ix. 4. They muft
mourn for thofe who cannot mourn for themfelves.
When the glory of God is impaired by the fins of
an apoftatifing generation, their love to the perfons
of the finners, and hatred of their fins, muft draw
tears of godly forrow from their eyes.

L 3 Let

130 faithfulness towards god

Let us now,
II. Point out the marks of favour by which, in
times of general calamity, God ufeth to diflinguifh
fuch. — There is,

1. Liberal furniture for duty, in a large commu-
nication of the Spirit, when the Spirit is withdrawn
from others : Matth. x. 19. " But when they de-
liver you up, take no thought how or what ye mail
fpeak, for it (hall be given you in that fame hour
what ye fhall fpeak." The Lord calls not his
people to ferve him for nought ; he even rewards
the will to his work, with ftrength for it. If they
be refolute to bear his burden, God will ftrengchen
the back for it. Hence it comes to pafs, that
God's people never make better fpeed, than when
rowing againft the ftream of oppofition. — There is,

2. Intimations of his fpecial love to their fouls.
Thus had Caleb in the text. The faints of God
have often golden days in the dregs of time upon
this account. When the deluge of public calami-
ty carries incorrigible tinners before it, with their
burden of guilt upon their back, the faints are
then made to reft in the evil day, by virtue of
that peace which they have with God and their
own confcience, Hab. iii. 16. — There is,

3. Special provifion in a time of calamity : Pfal.
xxxvii. 19. " They mall not be afhamed in the
evil time, and in the days of famine they fhall be
fatisfled." God rifeth often to fee well to the pro-
vifion of thofe whofe work it is to cleave to their
duty, and rely on the Lord for their provifion :
Pfal. xxxvii. 3. " Truft in the Lord, and do good ;
fo fhalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou
malt be fed." So that their faces are fatter and
fairer than thofe who eat of the defiled meat. — I
There is,

4. Special protection in an evil day. God fets

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. 131

a mark on their foreheads : Ezek. ix. 4. " And
the Lord laid unto him, Go through the midft of
the city, through the midft of Jerufalcm, and fct
a mark upon the foreheads of the men that figh,
and that cry for all the abominations that be done
in the midft thereof." They are always protected
from the evil of trouble ; but God fometimes, be-
fides this, affords them fpecial protection from
trouble, by fome furprifing providence removing
them out of the way of it ; fometimes by making
them find favour in the eyes of their enemies :
Jer. xv. 11. " The Lord faid, Verily, it {hall be
well with thy remnant ; verily, I will caufe the
enemy to intreat thee well in the time of evil, and
in the time of affliction." And fometimes by hi-
ding them in the grave before the calamity come
on : Ifa. lvii. 1.2. " The righteous man perifheth,
and no man layeth it to heart ; and merciful men
are taken away, none confidering that the righ-
teous is taken away from the evil to come. He
fhall enter into peace ; they fhall reft in their beds,
each one walking in his uprightnefs."

Laftly> He gives them the crown of glory : Rev.
ii. jl.o. " Fear none of thefe things which thou
malt fuffer •, behold, the devil fhall caft fome of
you into prilon, that you may be tried ; and ye
fhall have tribulation ten days : Be thou faithful
unto the death, and I will give thee a crown of
life." He brings them into Canaan above, and
crowns them, while others, who forfook God, are
for ever forfaken of him ; and they who finned with
the multitude, fuffer with them for ever : Luke,
xxii. 28. 29. 30. " Ye are they which have con-
tinued with me in my temptations. And I ap-
point unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath ap-
pointed unto me ; that ye may eat and drink at my
table in my kingdom, and fit on thrones, judging

the

I32 FAITHFULNESS TOWARDS GOD

the twelve tribes of Ifrael.". — We now proceed
very fhortly,

III. To fubjoin the reafons of the point, to con-
firm it. — Here we offer the following, viz.

1. It is hard work to follow fully in a declining
time, to drive againft the ftream which is 10 ready
to carry people away : Matth. xxiv. 12. " And
becaufe iniquity mall abound, the love of many
fhall wax cold." Hard to keep warm in cold Sar-
dis, Rev. iii. 4. To keep up the flame of religion,
when a deluge of fin comes on, is very hard work.
But hard work has always the greateft reward from
the Lord.

2. It is a piece of fpecial honour to God ; and
thofe who honour him he will honour. It is not
fo much to follow Chrift. when he hath a great
backing, as to cleave to him when many are drop-
ping off from him on every hand.

3. The Lord orders it fo for the encouragement
of his people, to follow him fully. He give6 them
the view of the recompence of reward, to encou-
rage and animate them in prefling forward towards
the mark for the prize of the high calling of God
in Chrift Jefus.

IV. "We are now to make fome brief improve-
ment of the whole ; and this,

1 . In an ufe of information. — We fee,

(1.) That none fhall be lofers at God's hand.
They that cleave to him, when others leave him,
God will cleave to them when he forfakes others.
Our errand will come in his way, and he will fhew
himfelf mindful of any refpecl; and love fhewn him
by them that walk uprightly We fee,

(2.) That he who walketh uprightly walks fure-
ly, come what will come. Whofo wanders from

God's

EXEMPLIFIED AND REWARDED. I 33

God's way, and follows the multitude to do evil,
their feet will Aide. But the bell preparation and
fecurity for a time of general calamity, is to walk
with God in a declining time. — We ihall only add,

2. An ufe of exhortation.

We exhort you, then, to follow the Lord fully
now. Our time is a declining time. There is a
declining from the purity of gofpel- doctrine and
gofpel-ordinances. There is a horrid declining in
practice ; the vail is falling off many faces, and the
maik of religion. There is a general declining from
holinefs, and the power of godlinefs, on the fpirits
of profeffors in our day. It is a day of approach-
ing calamity. Would you be fafe ? Return now,
and fet your face againil the dream ; and the more
you fee others going off from God, cleave the
more to him. If you do fo, you will be diftin-
guifhed by ipecial marks of favour in a day of pu-
blic calamity ; but if you alfo go away, your fin
will afterwards find you out.

Remember, now you have heard your duty ;
it is the duty of communicants, and alio of others.
Remember that it is not enough to fet fair off. It
is only he that follows fully who will be brought
fafely to the promifed land. It is only he that en-
dureth to the end who will be faved. Be not,
therefore, " weary in this well-doing, for in due
time ye Ihall reap, if ye faint not."

THE

THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED, THE HYPO-
CRITE DETECTED *.

SERMON XXXI.

Rom. ii. 28. 29. For he is ftot a Jew which is one
outwardly, neither is that circumcifion which is out-
ward in the jlejh. But he is a Jew, which is one
inwardly, and circumcifion is that of the heart, in
the fpirit, and not in the letter, whofe praife is not
of men, but of God,

HESE words are a reafon why no man
ought to value himfelf on the externals of
religion, for they will go but fhort way. How-
ever they pleafe men, they will never pleafe God.
The fcope of them is, to ihew who are the people
of God. The Jews of old were the people of
God ; the Chriftians are fo now, being come in
their room. The apoftle here diftinguifhes the
people of God into nominal and real ones, calling
them Jews, becaufe he was fpeaking to Jews ; the
cafe is the fame as to Chriftians. — In thefe words.,
he fhews two things.

1. Who

* Delivered in March and April, 17 19.

THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED, &C. 1 35

1. Who are not true Jews, real Chriftians, or
faints indeed, ver. 28. ; for thefe are they whom
he means by Jews, faying, « He is not a Jew."
Not thofe who are Jews outwardly, Chriftians and
faints by profelTion, that is, who are only fo, and
no more ; for God requires externals of religion as
well as internals, though the former, feparate from
the latter, avail nothing. But thofe who have no
more religion than what is outward, viz. what
men fee or may fee, they have nothing of the rea-
lity of it.

The Jews valued themfelves on circumcifion, as
Chrifaans on baptifm ; but true circumcifion is not
what is outward in the flefh, nor baptifm what is
by water ; that is, only fo. Thefe external rites
fignify an inward grace, without which they figni-
fy nothing before God. Circumcifion was in a hid-
den part of the body, yet it was on the body, and
what might be feen -, fo religion might be in faints ;
yet being only what may be feen, will not confti-
tute a perfon truly religious. — He fhews,

2. Who are true Jews, real Chriftians, or faints
indeed ? There are two characters of thefe, which
diftinguifhed them from the other. They are,

(1.) Thofe w r ho are fo inwardly, or in the hid-
den part, which is open to God alone, as well as
in the outward part, which appears to the world.
Thefe who have the hidden part of religion, which
being hid from the world's view, they cannot cer-
tainly judge of. Thofe who have the true circum-
cifion, the fpiritual baptifm, that is, the circum-
cifion of the heart, Dcut. x. 16. by which corrupt
luffs are cut off, and the body of fin put off, Col.
ii. 11. This is the fpiritual, not flellily circumci-
fion only. It touches on, reforms, and renews our
fpirit, our foul, the hidden, but moft valuable part
of a man. The carnal is but the cutting off a

bit

I36 THE CHRISTIAN" DESCRIBED,

bit of the flefh of the body, which might be done
while the fpirit remained overgrown with unmor-
tified lulls, and the foul quite defiled. The" fpirit is
here oppofed to the letter, which laft cannot be
well underftood of the body, but of circumcifion,
and therefore the fpirit alfo ; q. d. and circumci-
fion of the heart, which is circumcifion in the for-
rit or grace of it, (not in the letter, or external
rite of circumcifion), is the true circumcifion . So
they have the ipirituality of it, which is as the foul
thereof, as well as the letter, which is as the body
thereof. The fpirit of circumcifion is the invifible
grace fignified by it, and joined with it, when it
is effectual ; the letter of it is the fenfible fign or
external rite.

(2.) They are fuch as have God's approbation,
commendation, and praife, whether they have
men's or not. There is an allufion here to the
word Judah, from whom that people, now called
Jews, had their name ; it fignifies praifed, Gen,
xlviii. 8. Thefe are the true Judahs, whom not
only their brethren, but their Father, even God,
praifes. Outward religion may gain praife of men,
who cannot difcern what is within ; but the true
Jew, the real Chriftian, is one approved even by
the heart-fearching God, according to the reality,

and not the appearance.— From this fubjeel I

take this

Doctrine, That he is not a true Chriftian, who
only in the outward part, and in the letter of
religion, approves himfelf to men •, but he who,
by the inner part of religion, and the fpiritua-
lity thereof, alfo approves himfelf to the heart-
fearching God.

In illuftrating this important truth, I fhall,
I. Speak to this point generally.

Tflf Hi D.

Consider it more particularly. — I fhali,

I. Speak to this point mo -More i

propofc,

I. To (Shew that there is fuch a difference in the
vifible church, that there are fome who are only
Chriilians outwardly,, and that there are others
who are alio Chriftians inwardly.

I[. To inquire what are the caufes of this differ-
ence ?

III. To point out what is the outfide and letter of
religion, which only makes an outfide Chriftian,
and what the infide and fpirit of religion is which
makes a genuine Chriftian.

IV. To confirm the doclrine. — I am,

1. To (hew that there is fuch a difference in the
vifible church, that there are fome who are only
Chriftians outwardly, and that there are others
who are alfo Chriftians inwardly.

This difference appears many ways. It appears,
i. In the very different characters given thofe
who profefs the fame faith and true religion. The
preachers of the gofpel are fifhers of men, but they
are not all good that come by profeffion into the
net, Matth. xiii. 47. 48. The tares and the wheat
grow together in the field of the church, the goats,
and the fheep go together all the day, till the great
Shepherd feparate them. And as to virgin-profef-
fors, fome are wife, and have oil in their veffels,
with their lamps ; others are foolifh, Matth. xxv.
who mock God with fair promifes, befool even
the godly, who looked well upon them, and, worft
of all, befool themfelves in the latter end, when
the Bridegroom comerh, — This appears,

2. In the very different effects religion has on
Vol. II. M the

S38 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

the lives of thofe who are called Chrifcians. There
are fome whofe religion, has a powerful efficacy
on their hearts and lives to make them holy, others
who have nothing but an idle form, having no
more fan&ifying power with it, than a painted fire
has to burn : 2 Tim. iii. 5. « Having a form of
godlinefs, but denying the power thereof." The
knowledge of fome is confined to their heads, it
never gets down to their hearts : Tit. i. 16. " They
profefs that they know God, but in works they
deny him." Others, by reafon of their light, dare
not venture on an ill thing, more than on a preci-
pice. Religion makes fomeperfons godly, fober, and
righteous, binds powerfully on them their duty to
God, to themfelves, and to their neighbour. The
pretended religion of others, leaves them loofe as
to all thofe things. It never checks them when
neglecting fecret prayers, or prayers in the family,
or when difpofed to fwear, drink, lie, defraud,
&c. — This appears,

3. In the very different acceptance with God,
which perfons' prayers get. There are fome whofe
duties are very plea fing to God, they have a fweet
favour in his noftrils ; their words are regiflered
before him, their tears are bottled, their fighs and
groans are regarded, their will is accepted for the
deed. But there are others whom God abhors,
and alfo their duties. The word is preached to
them, but it never reforms them ; yet they hold on
with their attendance on ordinances, and it may be
alfo with their prayers. What fays the Lord of all
fuch ? " He that turneth away his ear from hear-
ing the law, even his prayer {hall be an abomina-
tion." " For all thefe things hath my hand made,
and all thofe things have been, faith the Lord;
but to this man will I look, even to him that is
poor, and of a contrite fpirit, and trembleth at my

word.

THE HYPOCRITE DETECTED. I 39

word. He that killeth an ox is as if he flew a
man ; he that facrihceth a iamb, as if he cut off a
dog's neck ; he that offereth an oblation, as if he
offered fwine's ilefh ; he that burnetii incenfe, as
if he blefTed an idol. Yea, they have chofen their
own ways, and their foul delighteth in their abo-
minations." " To what purpofe is the multitude
of your facrifices to me ? faith the Lord ; I am full
of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed
beads, and I delight not in the blood of bullocks,
or of lambs, or of he-goats," Prov. xxviii. 9. Ifa.
Ixvi. 2. 3. and i. 11. — This appears,

4. From the very different fenfe and feeling
which thofe have of the advantage of religion, the
ordinances and duties thereof. Some are acquaint-
ed with the gain of religion, and, from their own
experience, can give a fulid reafon why they follow
it : 1 Tim. vi. 6. " But godlinefs with content-
ment is great gain." They have tailed of com-
munion with God in duties, and of accefs to him,
of the fanctifying influences of the Spirit in ordi-
nances : Mic. ii. 7. " O thou that art named the
houfe of Jacob , is the Spirit of the Lord ftraiten-
ed ? are thefe his doings ? do not my words do
good to him that walketh uprightly ?" But unto
others all thefe things are in very deed but as emp-
ty hufks : Prov. xiv. 1 o. " The heart knoweth his
own bitternefs, and a Granger doth not intermeddle
with his joy." They abide in the outer court of
religion all their days ; they fee not its intrinfic
glory, nor tafte of its kernel or marrow. They
keep up a form of duties from cuftom, and an un-
enlightened confcience ; but they feel nothing in
them kindly to draw their hearts towards God. —
This appears,

5. In the very different effects of the religion
which thofe profefs. Grace is of a growing na-

M 2 ture,

I.40 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

tare ; and it will grow, though not vilibly at all
times : Prov. iv. 18. " But the path of the juft is
as the iliining light, that fhineth more and more
unto the perfect day." And die longer that faints
have a Handing in religion, they will be the more
firmly rooted *, though perhaps their affections be
not always fo vigorous, yet folid tendernefs will
difplay itfelf with them : Pfal. xcii. 13. 14. « Thofe
that are planted in the houfe of the Lord, ihall
grow up and flourifh in the courts of our God.
They ihall ftill bring forth fruit in old age ; they
ihall be fat and nourifning." And if they fall,
they will not lie {till, but recover again : Pfal.
xxxvii. 24. " Though he fall, he (hail not be ut-
terly caft down \ for the Lord upholdeth him with
his hand." But what are the effects which the re-
ligion of many has ? Some grow up to their falfe
pitch, and there they ftand without motion : Prov.
xxvi. 14. " As the door turneth on his hinges, fo
doth the flothful upon his bed." They think they
are right, and they feek no farther. Some, in-
ftead of growing better, grow worfe and worfe ;
the longer they live, they are the more unholy,
more untender in the fubftantials of moral duties 5
and fome throw a fide the mafk altogether, and, in
fight of the world, defert to the devil's camp, by
falling into feme profane ccurfe, apoftatifing upon
fome temptation or other, and fo, as they were
before loathfome before God, they become alfo
loathfome before his people : Rev. iii. 16. " So,
rhen, becaufe thou art lukewarm, and neither cold
nor hot, I will fpue thee of my mouth." — This ap-
pears,

LnJI/y, In the very different paflage which thofe
have out of time into eternity. True, all muft
die, that is the point in which we all meet •, but as
true is it, that it is the point where cutfide and in-

fide

THE HYPOCRITE DETECTED. 1 4

infule Chriftians part for ever : Pfal. xxxvii. 37. 38-
" Mark the perfect man, and beliold the upright,
for the latter end of that man is peace. But the
tranfgreffors fhall be deftroyed together ; the end
of the wicked (hall be cut off." Though they have
lived in the fame church together, under the fame
ordinances, gone to prayers together, to one com-
munion-table, when they come to that ftep where
their ways part, they feparate, never to meet mere.*
The out goes to the fociety of God, angels, and
faints -, and their unfeen religion terminates in a glo-
rious open reward, their grace in glory, their inward
beauty in mining as flars in the firmament. The
other gets his portion with reprobates, and- thofe
who had as little of the fhew, as of the reality of
religion : Pfal. exxv. 5. "As for fuch as turn aficle
unto their crooked ways, the Lord {hall lead them
forth with the workers of iniquity." — I fhall point
out,

II. What are the caufes of this difference,
which obtains betwixt Chriftians and others. — A-.
niong others, there is,

1. The very different way that perfons come by
their religion ; if we examine outiide and in-
fide Chriftians, how they came by the religion they
feverally have, it will be found, that the religion
which they have is anfwerable to the way they came
by it. — Thus,

(1.) There is a difference in the weight which
their entering on their religion had on their fpirits..
Some come very lightly by their religion ; hence it
fits lightly upon them, and often goes as lightly
from them. They venture upon building a tower,
without deliberately counting the coft. To others
it is not fo eafy, but they are brought to the ut-
moft ferioufnefs in the matter, Luke, xiv. 28. 20.;
M 3 hence

J42 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

hence they go to the bottom of the matter, while
others fatisiy themfeives with fuperficial work.

(z.) There is a difference in the depth of their
conviction and humiliation : Luke, vi. 48. 49.
" He is like a man which built an houfe, and dig-
ged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock, and
when the flood arofe, the itream beat vehemently
upon that houfe, and could not fhake it, for it
was founded on a rock. But he that heareth, and
doeth not, is like a man that, without a founda-
tion, built an houfe on the earth, againft which
the ftream beat vehemently, and immediately it
fell, and the ruin of that houfe was great." The
plough of conviction lightly going over the fallow-
ground of the heart, is fuflicient to make an out-
fide Chriftian : Matth. xiii. 5. 20. "Some fell
upon (tony places, where they had not much earth,
and forthwith they fprung up, becaufe they had
no deepnefs of earth. But he that received the
feed into Itony places, the fame is he that heareth
the word, and anon with joy receiveth it." If he
have as much of it as to let him fee the evil and
danger of a life quite profane, without fo much as
the form of godlinefs, it is fufficient to make him
put on the form. But it mult be carried deeper,
to make an infide Chriftian, even to the root of the
molt inward beloved luft, to the fin of one's na-
ture, and to the difcovery of Chriit for fanctifica-
iion, as well as juftification.

(3.) There is a vait difference in their light and
illumination in the knowledge of Chrift : John,
iv. 10. " Jefus anfwered, and faid unto her, If
thou kneweft the gift of God, and who it is that
faith unto thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldeft
have afked of him, and he would have given thee
living water." This is plainly intimated in the
wife and foolifh builders and virgins ; fo that an

(HitfidS

THE HYPOCRITE DETECTED- 143

outfide GhrJftian has never been ri^ht in the head.
All their iftfighl into the excellency of Chnlt and
religion, has left them fools, while others hive
been made really wife, their judgement rectified,
their taite purified, lb as to be capable to difcern
things concerning their fouls in their native co-
lours. Hence thai: glory in Chriit has been feeii
by the one, which has darkened all created glory,
made them content to part with all for him, while
the other has always fome luit or other more dear
to them than Chriit and religion. — There is,

(4.) A difference in the ilfue of their exercifes
about their foul's cafe. In the one they have if-
fued in the change of their nature, the taking a-
way of the heart of (tone, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. the
making -of them new creatures, putting olF the old
man, and putting on the new. liut in the other,
whoever itir has been made in the arrections,
whatever griefs or joys they hive had, the itony
heart has remained untaken away, Matth. xiii. 5.-,
fo, though they have become other men than they
were before, yet not new men. — Another caufe
of difference is,

2. The different w T ays in which profefTors fol-
low religion. This, if attended to, cannot fail to
make a mighty difference.

(1.) Some make religion their bufmefs, their
main bufmefs, in the world : Gen. v. 24. " And
Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God
took him." Religion is their all. They fee no-
thing they have to do in the world, but it is either
their falvation-work, or their generation-work, fo
that they mult obferve God in ail things. And
this makes aa infide Chriftian : Pfal. cxix. 6.
" Then fhall I not be aihamed, when I have are-
fpect unto all thy commandments." Others make
religion but a bye-work ; their main bufmefs is of
another kind, how to pleafe themfelves, how to

advance

144 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIEED,

advance their temporal intereft •, and this makes
an outfide Chriftian. In regard to the one, all
things elfe about him bow to his religion, he cuts
and carves them as may bed fuit God's honour,
and his foul's welfare ; whereas, as to the other,
he makes his religion bow to his other defigns,
takes fo much of it, and no more, as may leave
him in quiet poiTeilion of fome lull or other.

(2.) They follow religion from different prin-
ciples, motives, and ends.

[ 1 .] Some follow it from natural principles and
motives -, that which moves them to it is a natural
confcience, in fome fort enlightened by the word
and providence, which will give them no reft in
the utter neglecl: of religion. Fear of punifhment,
or hope of reward, are powerful enough to make
an outward Chriftian. But an infide Chriltian has
a gracious principle of love to God and holinefs
implanted in him, the law is written in his heart,
he has a new nature, which inclines him unto
univerfal holinefs, and thereby he is kindly drawn
to follow religion, upon a view of its inward
beauty ; and thus he fills up this character.

[2.] Some aim at approving themfclves to men
in their religion. They feek a name by it, they
defire thus to advance their credit and reputation
among the fober part of the world, Matth. vi. 2. ;
and ieeming' to be religious will fatisfy, becaufe
men can judge no farther than the outward ap-
pearance. But others ftudy to approve themfelves
to God : 2 Cor. v. 9. " Wherefore we labour, that
whether prefent or abfent, we may be accepted of
him." Now, fince God cannot be deceived with
outward appearances, this engages them to be
careful of the hidden man of the heart, and to.
value no approbation of any, if the Matter approve
them not. — From what has been obferved, we.
may learn,

That

THE HYPOCRITE DETECTED. I45

That there is fomething ui religion above na-
ture's reach. O ftudy to attain it ! The mvilery
of godlinefs is a great myfteiy. It is no eafy
tiling to be a Chriltian. The difference betwixt
the godly and others lies not in externals, but
in internals, things removed out of the view of the
world, and open to God only. O labour to ftudy
internal religion, and to approve yourfelves to God
who feareheth the hearts ! — Try yourfelves. Con-
iider to which of the two forts you belong, whe-
ther you be real Chriftians or not. Never value
yourfelves on the outward part or letter of reli-
gion, for you may have that and be flript of all by
•apoftacy to which you lie open, and will be turned
out with the workers of iniquity at lair., though you
(till keep on the m?fk. We muft all apoear before
tfie tribunal of Chriit. Study that religion which
will be approved by him there. — I now proceed to
confider,

III. What is the outfide and letter of religion,
which only makes an outfide Chriltian? and what is
the irifide and fpirit of it, which makes a Chri-
lfian 2 — Here I obferve,

1. That the outfide of religion is that part of
it which lies open to the view of the world, by
which men form their eitimate, not God : 1 Sam.
xv i. 7. " But the Lord faid unto Samuel, Look
not on his countenance, or on the height of his fta-
ture, becaufe I have refufed him ; for the Lord
feeth not as man feeth ; for man looketh on the
outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the
heart." It comprehends all church-privileges,
duties, whether of doing or fuffcring, and attain-
ments lying open to the view of men. Men may
come a great length in this, and yet be nought in
God's elteem.— I obferve,

2. That

I46 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

2. That the letter of religion is that part of it
which is agreeable to the letter of the law, whe-
ther in externals or internals. And it compre-
hends not only the outfide, which is open to man's
view, but alfo internal difpofitions, exercifes, and
attainments, as to the matter of them ; for example,
Judas's forrow for fin, the (tony ground's joy at
receiving the feed of the word, and the hypocrite's
delight in approaching to God, Ifo. lviii. which
have the matter, but not the form and manner,
and fo is like a body without the foul. — I obferve,

3. That the infide of religion is that part of it,
which is open to the all-feeing eye of God, Matth.
vi. 4. « That thine alms £ may be in fecret, and thy
Father which feeth in fecret, himfelf mall reward
thee openly." What perfons go about, out of
mere confcience towards God, as knowing that
the v/orld either is not, pr cannot be witnefs to it,
and though it was a v/itnefs, it does not know
right or wrong j but fuch fetting themfelves in the
prefence of God, are carried to their duty as if
the eyes of all the world were upon them, A£ts,
xxiv. 16. But this is not all.— I obferve,

La/ily, That the fpirit or fpirituality of religion
is the internal grace, joined to the external per-
formance ; it is the right manner, joined to the
right matter of religion : John, iv. 24. " God is
a Spirit, and they that worfhip him rauft wormip
him in Spirit and in truth." 1 Tim. i. 5* " Now,
the end of the commandment is charity out of a
pure heart, and of a good confcience, and of faith
unfeigned," as when heart-humiliation is joined
with bencjing of the knees to God in prayer, and
the duty is gone about from right principles, and
directed to a right end. — It remains that,

IV. I confirm the doctrine,

That

THE IIYFOCRITE DETECTED. 147

That not the former, but the latter fort of reli-
gion, marks a true Chriitian, is evident, if we con-
fid er,

1. That there is nothing in the outfide or let-
ter of religion, but what one may reach in an un-
regenerate flate, in which no man can ever pleafe
God, Rom. iii. 8. The hypocrite's mafk may
take in the whole outward man, and the devil's
goats may refemble Chrift's fheep, in all but the
hidden man of the heart. All thefe are but ads
of moral difcipline, not requiring a new nature
from whence to fpring, but may arife from the
old corrupt nature, affifted by external revelation,
and the common influences of the Spirit. — It will
be farther evident, if we confider,

2. That the outfide and letter of religion may
be without any true love to God in the heart,
which yet is the fubftance of practical holinefs,
and the comprehenfive duty of the whole law :
Ezek. xxxiii. 31. " And they come unto me, as
the people cometh, and they fit before thee as my
people, and they hear thy words, but they will
not do them ; for with their mouth they fliew
much love, but their heart goeth after their cove-
toufnefs." Love to God makes all duties run in a
right channel ; but how can this be found, when
the natural enmity is not overcome by regenera-
ting grace ? Self-love may fupply its place> fo far
as the outfide and letter of religion go, and that
upon this principle, Job, iii. " Skin for fkin, yea,
all that a man hath will he give for his life." —
This will alfo be evident, if we confider,

3. That the outfide and letter of religion may
confift with the reign of fin in the heart : 2 Tim.
iii. 5. " Having a form of godlinefs, but denying
the power of it." Such in thejnfdves are weak,

and

I 48 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

and can never turn fin off the throne in the foul.
Hence it is that every hypocrite is a Have to fome
luff or other ; whatever be his attainments, this
always remains true of him, Mark, x. 21. This
kind of religion is ever like the legs of the lame,
unequal. — This will be evident, if we confider,

4. That men are in religion only what they are
before God, net what they are before men. When
God directs Abraham to a holy walk, he fays,
H "Walk before me," Gen. xvii. 1. If God did
not obferve the hearts, the infides of men, the
principles of their actions, an outfide religion
would be fufficient. But what does it avail be-
fore the all-feeing God, to cleanfe the outfide of
the platter, while the in fide is full of ravening,
whib that is wanting which God chiefly requires
and delights in ? Pfal. li. 6. how is it poffible
that the man mould be approved of God ?-— This
will be evident, if we confider,

Laftly, That the great difference of accepted
and unaccepted performances, difpofitions, &c.
does not lie in the letter but in fomething dfe.
Cain and Abel both offered, the one accepta-
bly, the other not, Gen. iv. 3. 4. 5. where lay
the difference ? The apoftle (hews it, Heb. xi. 4.
« By faith Abel offered unto God a more excel-
lent facrifke than Cain, by which he obtained
witnefs, that he was righteous, God teftifying of his
gifts ; and by it he being dead yet fpeaketh." Pe-
ter and Judas both mourned, and we need not he-
fitate to fay, that the mourning of the latter in itfelf
was fully as hearty as that of the former, but they
differed in their kind, the one was godly forrow, the
other was the forrow of the world. The trial of
men's works is not only by nvhet they have wrough,
but how they have wrought: John, iii. 21. " But

he

THE HYPOCRITE DETECTED. I49

he that doth truth corrjeth to the light, that hit>
deeds may be made manifcft, that they are wrought
in God."

V. I now come to make fome brief improve-
ment. — We infer,

1. What are thofe Chriftians, who do not fo
much as' approve themfelves to men, by the out-
fide, and letter of religion. Thofe furely have no-
thing of God, and (hall never fee heaven, if they
change not their courfe of life : Matth. v. 2o»
" Except your righteoufnefs fhall exceed the righ-
teoufnefs of the Scribes and Pharifees, ye fhall in no
cafe enter into the kingdom of heaven." How many
are there among us this day, whofe way of life is
a fcandal to Chriftianity, who are in the church,
as boils, botches, and fores, are in the body, fer-
ving for nothing but to grieve the fpirits of others
who have any concern in them ! What fort of
Chriftians are prayerlefs perfons, liars, Sabbath-
breakers who loiter away whole Sabbaths, unclean
perfons, &c. ? i Pet iv. 18. " And if the righ-
teous fcarcely be faved, where fhall the ungodly
and finners appear ?" The day will come, when
fuch will fee that it had been their happinefs to
have lived and died among Pagans. — We infer,

2. That thofe alfo are a fad fort of Chriftians,
who, if they can approve themfelves to men, make
it none of their bufinefs to approve themfelves to
God : Rev. iii. i . " I know thy works, that thou
haft a name that thou liveft, and art dead." How
many are there, with whom their credit goes far-
ther than their confcience ! And therefore, if
they can carry their wickednefs, fo as none but
God may fee it, they value not his eye on them :
Numb, xxxii. 23. " But if you will not do fo, be-
hold you have finned againft the Lord ; and be fine

Vol. II. N vour

150 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

your fin will find you out." This practical atheifm
will be bitternefs in the end, when the day comes,
when God mail judge the fecrets of men by Jefus
Chrift according to the gofpel, Rom. xi. 16. Ah!
how many caft a fair cloak of profeffion over reign-
ing lufts ; but behold their end : Pfal. cxxv. 5.
« As for fuch as turn afidc unto their crooked ways,
the Lord fhall lead them forth with the workers
of iniquity ; but peace fhall be upon Ifrael."

II. I shall confider this point more particular-
ly, and fhew, in fome particulars, how far one
may go, and yet be an outride Chriftian, and in
what refpe&s the infide Chriftian goes beyond him,
and thefe jointly, in the following propofitions.

I. That he is not a true Chriftian, who only
bears the vifible badges of Chriftianity, but he who,
with the vifible badges, alfo partakes of the invi-
fible grace.

II. That he is not a true Chriftian, whofe out-
ward man is only cleanfed from the grofs pollutioas
of the world, but he whofe inward man is alfo
cleanfed.

III. That he is not a true Chriftian, who only
performs the duties of external obedience, but he
who, with them, joins the duties of internal obe-
dience.

IV. That he is not a true Chriftian, who has
infide religion qnly in the letter, but he who has
it alfo in its fpirituality. — Thefe I fhall illuftrate
in their order. — -I obferve,

I. That he is not a true Chriftian, who only
bears the vifible badges of Chriftianity, but he who,
with the vifible badges, alfo partakes of the invi-
fible grace.— Mark, xvi. 16. " He that believeth,

and

THE HYFOCRITE DETECTED. 15*

and is baptifed, fhall be faved ; but he that belie-
vetli not fhall be damned." The vifible badges of
Chriftianity are the facraments, baptifm, and the
Lord's Supper ; by partaking of thefe, we are dif-
tinguifhed from Pagans •, but there is an invifible
grace, without which thefe avail nothing to falva-
tion. — For,

1 . One may be baptifed in the name of Chrift,
and yet be no true Chriftian, but even at the lad
only an outfide one ; as in our text, " For he is not
a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that cir-
cumcifion which is outward in the flefh." We
find fome have been bred Jews or Pagans, and, by
their own free choice, have turned Chriftians, and
received the feal of the covenant, and after all been
naught: Acts, viii. 13. 21. " Then Simon him-
felf believed alfo ; and when he was baptifed, he
continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding
the miracles and figns that were done. But Peter
faid to him, Thou haft neither part nor lot in this
matter, for thy heart is not right in the fight of
God P' How much more may perfons amongft
us be fuch, who were baptifed in their infancy
with water, which was not their choice, but a be-
nefit they had by their parent's care, and from
Chriftianity's being the religion of our country !
And how little h avails many, and what good they
make of it, may be learnt from this, that the im-
preflions of their baptifmal engagements are fo
flight on them, that they never mind them, ma-
ny baptifed perfons pafs year after year, with-
out preparing themfelves for the Lord's table.
But he is a true Chriftian, who has the invifible
grace figniiied by baptifm. See the difference be-
twixt outfide and infide Chriftians in this, Matth.
iii. 11. "I indeed baptife you with water unto re-
pentance •, but he that cometh after me is greater
N 2 than

1^2 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

than I, 'whofe fhoesl am not worthy to bear ; he
ihall baptife you with the Holy Ghoft, and with
fire." 1 Pec. hi. 21. " The like figure where-
unto even baptifm doth alfo now fave us, (not the
putting away of the filth of the flefh, but the an-
fwer of a good conference towards God), by the
refurre&ion of Jefus Chrift." The outfide Chri-
ftian may be baptifed with water, but the infide
is baptifed with the Holy Ghoft, working like
fire, burning up the lufts of the flefh. He is
born of water, and the Spirit, working like wa-
ter, to the warning away of the natural filthinefs
of the fpirit with which he was born, on whofe
confeience Chrift's blood is fprinkled, on whofe
foul Chrift's fpirit has favingly operated to his
fpiritual clean fing. In this the infide goes be-
yond the outfide Chriftian.

2. In like manner, perfons may be admitted to.
the Lord's table, and yet not be true Chriftians.
Though this be only the privilege of faints, yet a
perfon may be a communicant, who is nothing
more than an outfide Chriftian. While others are
debarred, they may be admitted to an external par-
taking of the children's bread, and yet be but dogs
in the fight of the heart-fearching God : Luke,
xii. 26. " Then fhall ye begin to fay, We have
eaten and have drunk in thy prefence, and thou
haft taught inour ftreets." Matth.xxii. 13. « And
he faith unto him, Friend, how earned thou in
hither,- not having a wedding-garment ? and he
was fpeechlefs. Then faid the King to the fer-
vants> Bind him hand and foot, and take him a-
way, and caft him into outer darknefs, there fhall
be wailing and gnafhing of teeth." A competen-
cy of knowledge, with an appearance of feriouf-
nefs, of an holy life, will entitle perfons to this
privilege before the church, who can judge only

by

THE HYPOCRITE DETECTED. 153

by the outward appearance ; but he is a true
Chriitian, who is admitted to communion with
God in that ordinance : Cant. v. 1 . " I am come
into my garden, my filter, my fpoufe, I have ga-
thered my myrrh with my fpice, I have eaten my
honeycomb with my honey. Eat, O friends, drink,
yea, drink abundantly, O beloved." In this mat-
ter, the infide Chriftian goes beyond the outfide
one. The outfide Chriftian gets the token from
men, the infide ChriJtian has alfo the Lord's to-
ken. The one only eats the bread of the Lord,
the other, with it, eats that bread which is the
Lord : John, vi. 57. " He that eateth me, he (hall
live by me;" he feeds by faith on a crucified Chrift,
unites with him, as partaking of his Spirit, of
all the benefits of his purchafe, to his fpiritual nou-
rifhment, and growth in grace. The one is held
in the outer court, the other is admitted into the
inner, and is there feafted in greater or lefler mea-
fures. The lulls of the former are ftrengthened
by the abufe of that ordinance, thofe o! the latter
are weakened by the holy ufe of it. — I obferve,

II. That he is not a true Chriftian, whofe
outward man only is cleanfed from the grofs pol-
lutions of the world, but he whole inward man is
alfo cleanfed. Saving grace penetrates to the in-
fide, and ftays not in the outfide only : Pfal. xxiv.
34. " Who fhali afcend into the hill of the Lord ?
and who ihall ftaiid in his holy place ? He that
hath clean hands, and a pure heart, who hath not
lifted up his foul unto vanity, nor fwom deceit-
fully." A perfon may be clean from grofs pollu-
tions of the outward man, and yet be but an out-
fide Chriftian ; no fwearer, liar, Sabbath-breaker,
fornicator, &c. and yet no Chriftian, Luke, xxviii,
1 I . Negative holinefs and outfide religion, though
N3 the

154 *HE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

the want of it will damn the profane, I Cor. vi.
9. 10. yet the having it will not keep the outfide
Chriftian from ruin. A blamelefs life in the
world, though good in itfelf, yet comes not the
length of true Chriftianity. There are feveral
things befide faving grace, that may in fome mea-
fure cleanfe the converfation from grofs pollutions.
— Among others, there is,

1. Good education, and good company, as in
the cafe of Joafh under the tutorage of Jehoiada.
This may chain men's lufts, though it cannot
change their nature ; their heart is of an apifh
nature, apt to follow example. Though readily
the worft example is the mod taking, yet good
example has a mighty influence, efpecially when
perfons are brought up with itfrom their childhood,
— There is,

2. A good natural temper and difpofition. Ma-
ny a perfon is more indebted to his natural tem-
per, than to the tendernefs of his confcience, for
his cleannefs from grofs pollutions. It is evident,
that feveral perfons who have no real religion, nay,
nor even the form of it, may be fober, as it
would be a pain and a torment to them to go to the
extravagant courfes in which others indulge them-
felves. But no man is born a true Chriftian,
as he is with his natural temper ; religion in rea-
lity is a fupernatural temper : 2 Pet. i. 4. " Where-
by are given unto us exceeding great and precious
promifes, that by thefe ye may be partakers of the
divine nature, having efcaped the corruption that
is in the world through lull." — There is,

3. Their being kept out of the way of tempta-
tion. It is a mercy to be fo kept ; but while
people's corruptions are not tried with a fuitable
bait, they cannot fo well know what influence the
commandment has or has not upon them. The

cleannefs

THE HYPOCRITE DETECTED. I 5 £

cleannefs of the outward converfation of many is
owing more to thofc circumftances in which they
were placed in the world, than to any gracious
difpofition ; as may appear from the caie of fome
who kept right as long as they were not tried, but
fo foon as the trial of their corruptions comes,
they give way. — There is,

4. The workings of a natural conscience under
the common influences and convictions of the Spi-
rit, and a roufing miniftry : Mark, vi. 2.0. " For
Herod feared John, knowing that he was a juft
man, and an holy, and obferved him •, and when
he heard him, he did many things, and heard him
gladly." The preaching of the word fometimes
ferves to embalm dead fouls, who are never by it
quickened. It alfo fets the natural confeience a-
working to purify the outward man, while the inner
is never renewed. It brings on many fo far, as that
they are not far from the kingdom of God, who
yet never have power to go forward to it.

5. Self-love may do it, in fo far as a regard to
their foul or body, credit or reputation, may move
men to all this. Fear of punimment, and hope
of reward, are powerful incentives, where God's
authority is but little valued j nay, fome reigning
luft, as covetoufnefs, pride, or ambition : Matth.
vi. 2. " Therefore, when thou dolt thine alms,
do not found a trumpet before thee, as the hypo-
crites do in the fynagogues, and in the ftreets,
that they may have glory of men. Verily, 1 fay
unto you, they have their reward." But what
avails all this to falvation, while the hidden man
of the heart is funk in pollutions before the all-fee-
ing God, while the man is as a painted fepulchre,
fair without, but within full of rottennefs : Ezek.
viii. 12. " Then faid he unto me, Son of man,
haft thou feen what the ancients of the houfe of

Ifrael

I56 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

Ifrael do in the dark, every man in the chambers
of his imagery ? for they fay, The Lord feeth us
not ; the Lord hath forfaken the earth." It is
a weak evidence to lean to outward religion*
But the true Chriflian has this cleannefs of the
outward converfation, and befides goes farther
than the outward Chriflian in that point, in two
particulars.

(1.) The infide Chriflian joins internal purity
to external : Pfal. xxiv. 4. « He that hath clean
hands, and a pure heart, who hath not lifted up
his foul to vanity, nor fworn deceitfully." Mat.
v. 8. " Bleffed are the poor in heart, for they fhall
fee God." He does not fit down contented with
outfide purity, as the other does, but his chief
concern is the heart, the fountain of all impurity
of life. And though the world cannot charge him
with any grofs pollutions, he finds he has work
enough to do with the blind mind, the rebellious
will, and the carnal corrupt affections. He accord-
ingly flrives to get them mortified : Gal. v. 24.
" And they that are Chrifl's have crucified the
ilefh, with its affections and lulls." Though the
world fees not, yet, fince God fees the diforder of
his heart, that is enough to humble him, and give
him new errands to Chrift for his blood and Spirit.

(2.) Even his external purity is from religious
motives, fprings, and principles. Thus Jofeph,
Gen. xxxix. 9. " How can I do this great wic-
kednefs, and fin againfl God ?" In this he ferves
God, while in it the outward Chriflian does but
ferve himfelf. It is God's authority that fways
him to it j though his natural inclinations be to
break out, yet the fear of God in his heart does
reflrain him. And if he be furprifed into temp-
tations, the offence and difhonour to God weighs

more

THE HYPOCRITE DETECTED. I57

more with him than all the fhame and lofs in the
world which he incurs.

From all which we may learn, that certainly
they are not true Chriftians, who are profane in
their walk, whofe converfation is not fo much as
clean fed from grofs pollutions, fuch as curfers and
fwearers, drunkards, mockers at religion, obfcene
fpeakers, unclean perfons, &c. Gal. v. 19. 20. 21.
Thefe bear the devil's mark on their foreheads,
Ifa. iii. 19.; and have not fo much as the rude
draughts of the form of godlinefs. — Hence,

Let no man value himfelf on the cleaning of
the outward man from thofe pollutions, for a perfon
may go all that length, and much farther, and yet be
a caft-away. Religion is much deeper than this is 5
and is more inward. What the v/orld obferves
leaft, God looks mod to. Therefore fludy the
inwards of religion, truth and purity in the in-
ward parts.

THE

THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.

SERMON XXXII.

Rom. ii. 28. 29. For he is not a Jew 'which is one
outwardly, neither is that circumcifion which is out-
ward in the fiejh. But he is a Jew, which is one
inwardly, and circumcifion is that of the heart, in
the Spirit, and not in the letter, whofe praife is not
of men, but of God.

HAving, in the preceding difcourfe, confider-
ed the two firft propofitious which I laid
down for illuflrating the fecond doctrinal point,
I go on to the

III. That he is not the true Chriftian who only
performs the duties of external obedience, but
he who alfo with them joins the duties of internal
obedience. It is not the outward duties of obe-
dience, but thofe which are inward, which con-
ftitute a true Chriftian. A hypocrite may go the
whole round of outward duties, and thus have a
form of godlinefs, fo as, to the view of the world,
he appears nothing fhort of the true Chriftian. —
Thus, for inftance,

1. A

THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED, &C. 1 59

1 . A man may perform the external duties of
righteoufnefs and morality towards his neighbour,
and yet be no more than an outward Chriftian.
He may be juft in his dealings with men : Luke,
xviii. 11. " The Pharifee flood and prayed thus
with himfelf, God, I thank thee that I am not as
other men are, extortioners, unjuft, adulterers, or
even as this publican." He may be liberal and
abundant in mercy towards the needy, 1 Cor. xiii.3.
and yet after all no true Chriftian. True Chri-
ftianity makes a good neighbour, makes him ab-
hor every unjuft and difhoneft thing, it renders
him true to his word, and upright in his dealings
in the world ; but when a man has this and no
more, he has but one half, and hardly the half, of
what is neceflary to make a true Chriftian. — Be-
fides this,

2. A man may perform the outward duties of
piety towards God, yet after all be but an outfide
Chriftian For pointing out the hypocrite's at-
tainments in this refpecl:, I would have you con-
fider,

( 1.) That perfons may attend public ordinances,
and not only fo, but they may be very punctual in
their attendance ; they may be far from loitering
away Sabbaths at home, or from fatisfying them-
felves with a partial attendance, as in Ifa. lviii. 2.
" Yet they feek me daily, and delight to know my
ways, as a nation that did righteoufnefs, and for-
fook not the ordinance of our God." They may
behave themfelves gravely and attentively, and nei-
ther be fleepers nor gazers, far lefs laughers at ordi-
nances, and yet after all nought in God's efteem :
Ezek. xxxiii. 31. " And they come unto me as the
people, and they fit before thee as my people, and
they hear thy words, but they will not do them j
for with their mouth theyfhew much love, but their

heart

l60 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

heart goeth after their covetoufnefs." They may be
at much pains in following ordinances from place to
place : John, vi. 24. 26. " When the people, there-
fore, faw that Jefus was not there, neither his
difciples, they alfo took {hipping, and came to Ca-
pernaum, feeking for Jefus. — Jefus anfwered and
faid unto them, Verily, verily, I fay unto you, ye
feek me, not becaufe ye faw the miracles, but be-
caufe ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled."
They may talk well of wriat they hear, and after
all be but outfide Chriftians : 1 Cor. xiii. 1.
" Though I fpeak with the tongues of men or of
angels, and have not charity, I am become as a
founding brafs or a tinkling cymbal." — Confider,

(2.) That they may be praying perfons, and fo
carry religion into their families, and into their
clofets : Jer. xii. 2. " Thou haft planted, yea,
they have taken root ; they grow, yea, they bring
forth fruit ; thou art near in their mouth, and far
from their reins." Even fecret prayers, where no
eye but the Lord's doth fee, is a piece of bodily
exercife, not beyond the walk of a hypocrite, which
an awakened confcience may put a perfon upon
at firft, and other felfifh principles may keep them
at it. They may be perfons of many prayers,
not like thofe who pray fome, but who indeed
pray much : Heb. xii. 17. " For ye know how
that afterwards, when he would have inherited the
blefling, he was rejected, for he found no place
of repentance, though he fought it carefully with
tears." — Confider,

(3.) That they may not only do much, but they
alfo may be fufrerers for religion, fuffering not
only to the fpoiling of their goods, but even unto
death, and yet be naught in God's efteem :
1 Cor. xiii. 3. " And though I give my body to

be

THt \ I POCRtTE DEI EC n . j6i

be burned, and have not chanty, it prc.fiteth me
nothing." Hypocrify is fuch a iaiamandar, as can
live in the fire of perfecution, of which there have
been many inflances ; namely, of ftich whom the

violent wind of perfecution has not been able to
drive off the Lord's way, but the \v;irm fun of
profperity has done their bufinefs, to their un-
doing.

3. They may]oin both the outward of the firfl
and fecond tables, and yet be but outride Chri-
itians. There are fomc who are very upright in
their dealings with men, yet have not fo much as
a form in regard to the duties of piety. Others,
who do not neglecl duties of piety towards God,
but they make no conference of their duty to their
neighbour, but where they apprehend their worldly
intereft will drive to it, right or wrong. Perfons
may even join both together, and yet be naught in
God's efteem. " The Pharifee flood and prayed
thus with himfeif, God I thank thee that I am
not as other men are, extortioners, unjuft, adul-
terers, or even as this Publican ; I fail twice in the
week, I give tythes of all I poflefs," Luke, viii. 12.
" Concerning zeal, perfecuting the church, touch-
ing the righteoufnefs which is hi the law, blame-
lefs," Phil. iii. 6. - All this may be, and yet not
beyond the boundaries of Pharafaical righteouf-
nefs : Matth. v. 20. " Except your righteoufnefs
exceed the righteoufnefs of the Scribes and Phari-
fees, ye fhall in no cafe enter into the kingdom of
heaven." The reafon of this is manifeft, namely,
that all thefe things being but bodily exercifes, arc
within the compafs of nature, and do not require
any fupernatural grace to the bare performance
of them •, if the confeience be in any meafure
awakened, perfons may thus be influenced to per-
form them -, and cuitom may fo habituate them,

Vol. II. O that

I 62 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

that the performance may be confiftent enough
with the reign of fin in the heart. But he only is a
true Chriftian who joins internal to external obe-
dience -, fpiritual exercife to bodily exercife in
religion. The infide exceeds the outfide Chriftian
in various particulars. — As,

(i.) The iniide Chriftian performs the duties of
evangelical obedience, in fubj e£ting his whole
heart and foul to the Lord, as well as the outward
man. This is the fpiritual fervice which declares
a man to be a true Chriftian : " God is a fpirit,
and they that worfhip him muft worfhip him in
fpirit and in truth," John, iv. 23. " For we are the
circumcifion, that worfhip God in the fpirit, and
rejoice in Chrift Jefus, and have no confidence in
the flefli," Phil. iii. 3. The bulk of the hypo-
crite's religion lies in externals, but that of the
true Chriftian's lies in internals, in faith, loye,
relignation, and other parts of unfeen religion.
Their chief labour is with the heart, to notice the
rifings of corruptions, their bewailing the defects
which the world cannot perceive, and mourning
over the fin of their nature, the fpring of all evil :
Gal. v. 24. " And they that are Chrift's have cru-
cified the flefli, with its affeclions and lufts."

(2.) The infide Chriftian is unreferved and uni-
verfai in his obedience, which the outfide Chri-
ftian never is. They have ftill fome lufts with
which they can never part, they reign in them. —
Enmity againft the power of godlinefs : 1 John,
iii.' 1 2. "Not as Cain, who was of that wicked
cne, and flew his brother •, and wherefore flew he
him ? becaufe his own works were evil, and his
brother's righteous." — Self-feeking : John, v. 44.
<l How can ye believe, who feek honour one of
another, and feek not the honour that cometh
fronuGod only ?"— Bitternefs of fpirit, which can-
not

THE HYPOCRITE DETECTED. 163

not digeft the gofpel-commnnd, of doing good for
evil : Tit. iii. 3. " For we alfo ourfelves wen!
iometime fooliih, difobedient, deceived, ferving
divers lulls and pleafer.es, living in malice and
envy, hateful, and hating one another." — Reign-
ing love to the pleafures of this world, and covet-
oufnefs : Ezek. xxxhi. 31. " And they come unto
thee as the people cometh, and they fit before
thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but
they will not do them ; for with their mouth they
Ihew much love, but their heart goeth after their
covetoufnefs." But the gracious foul's obedience
is univerfal •, all fuch in fo far fincerely aim at every
known duty, approve the holy law in every point ;
defiring their fpirits to be conformed to it, not it
to be brought down to them ; lamenting from the
heart their fhortcoming in all points.

3. The in fide Ghriftian's obedience is fon-like
obedience, the other is fervile and flavifh. The high-
ell principle with the hypocrite is fear of punifh-
ment, and hope of reward, Hof. x. 11.; their
highefl end is themfelves, Hof. x. 1. Jehu pre-
ferred zeal for the Lord, but in effecl: it was but
zeal for a kingdom. The infide Chriftian ferves
God as a fon does his father. —Prompted by'love to
him, next to his command : 1 Tim. i. 5. " Now,
the end of the commandment is chanty, out of a
pure heart, and of a good confcience, and of faith
unfeigned.'"' — Leaning on him for itrength to per-
form his duty: Ccl. iii. 17. (( And whatsoever ye
do in word or deed, do all in the name of the
Lord Jefus, giving thanks to God and the Father
by him." — Aiming at his honour : 1 Cor. x. 31.
" Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or what-
foever ye do, do ail to the glory of God."

From this learn, that thole are inevitably expofed

to death, who come not the length of the outward

O 2 duties

164 THE C-R T STIAN T DESCRIBED, *

duties of religion, of mercy towards their neigh-
bours, or of piety towards God. Lay this to heart,
ye unrighteous, ye flighters of religion, prayerlefs
perfons, &c. Ye come not even the length of
fome who will fall fhort, and never fee heaven.
O ! if thofe who do all thefe things be loft, what
will become of you ? — Ye that even come that
length, lay no ftrefs upon it, it will be but a bro-
ken reed to trull to. Duties are by no means fuf-
ficient confidences ; nor in themfelves, without
internals joined to them, can they even be evidences
of your fafetv. Examine not only what ye do, but
how ye do ir, for this laft is that to which God
chiefly looks. — I now come to the

IV. And laft propofuion, That he is not a true
Chriftian, who has rnfide religion only in the letter
of it, but he who alio has it in its fpirituality.
We have purfued the nominal Chriftian through
his outfide religion, but we may not leave him
here ; for, as an hypocrite may go farther than
mere externals, fo the text purfues him for difco-
very, even in internals in the letter. — For explain-
ing which, I obferve,

1. That a man may carry his religion into in-
ternals, and yet be but a Chriftian in the letter.
He may do and have that in religion which no eye
but God fees or can fee, and yet be no true Chri-
ftian : Jer. xvii. 9. 10. " The heart is deceitful a-
bove all things, and defperately wicked, who can
know it ? I the Lord fearch the heart, I try the
reins, even to give every man according to his
ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."
A perfon may form fuch a fine thread of hypocrify,
as to beguile every eye but the all-feeing eye : Jer.
iii. 10. " And yet for all this, her treacherous fifter
Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole

hear tj

111L HYPOCRITE DETECTED. t6j

heart, but feignedly, faith the Lord." Do not
think that all hypocrify is grofs dilTiniulation, or
yet that all a hypocrite's religion lies only in his
outfide, and in nothing within. —For,

(i.) A natural conscience may check for heart-
fins, and fins that no eye fees but God'b : Rom.
ii. J 5. " Which fliew the work of the law written
on their hearts, their confeience alio bearing wit-
nefs, and their thoughts the mean time accufing,
or elfe ex cu ling, one another ;" and confequent-
ly mud preis to inward duties, according to the
light. Hence there may be forrow and grief for
what is hid from all the world ; fince the confeience
perceives that God fees it, and that he will write
his indignation on it. This fire has burned in
many an unfanctified breaft, yet it behoved it to
have a vent, though to their own fliame and
lois.

(2.) An unianctified defire of falvation, in the
way of the covenant of works, may carry a man
to internals in religion : Rom. x. 3. " For they
being ignorant of God's righteoufnefs, went about
to eftablifh their own righteoufnefs, have not fub-
mitted themfelves unto the righteoufnefs of God.
— The covenant of works is engraved on man's
heart naturally, and under the influence of it a
man may do his utmoil to conform to the letter
of the law, in the inward as well as outward du-
ties of it. Obferve the cafe of the young man in
Matth. xix. 1 6 — 20. It is no rare thing to fee men
eager to purchafe heaven by their .works.

(3.) Light may be (trong, and kept ilrong by
the common operations of the Holy Spirit, in an
unholy heart. Thus, Balaam durih not entertain
a thought of curfing Ifrael ; though he would fain
have gained the wages of unrighteoufnels, his
light would have fuffered him. Our Lord Chrift
O 3 breaks-

v66 fHE Christian described,

breaks up the outer door of our underflanding
often while the inner remains ihut. This cannot
mifs to have fome bond on the heart, as well as
on the outer man.

(4.) Even in the internals of religion, there is a
letter and a fpirit 5 there is the body or matter of
the thing, and the foul and fpirit of it lying in the
right manner of doing it. The former is not beyond
the power of nature, but the latter is ; and therefore
a hypocrite may come the length of the letter of in-
ternals of religion. He may have defires of good :
Prov. xiii. 4. " The foul, of the fiuggard defireth,"
&C. though not holy defires ; fo m other cafes.

2. The true Chriiiian has infide religion, not
in the letter only, but in the fpirituality thereof :
Phil. hi. 3. " We — -worlhip God in the fpirit,
and — have no confidence in the fleih." He does
not fatisfy himfelf with the thing itfelf, but labours
to get it, and maintain it as of the right ftamp,
inch as God will approve. Here lies fmcerity,
that ornament of all religion, or rather the fpirit
and life of all, John, i. 47. Now, this fpiricua-
II t y confifls in two things.

(1.) In the gracioufnefs of the principle, 1 Tim.
i. 5. Their inward religion is the fruit of their
new nature, influenced by the Lord the Spirit y it
is natural, and not violent or forced out by ter-
rors, or from neceffity, as fcreening them from
the wrath of God. The new nature makes it
rheir abfolute choice, in whatever circumftances
they may be ; whereas it is the choice of others,
only becaufe they cannot otherwife act fafely. — It
confifls,

(2.) In the holinefs of their aim -, their chief
aim is to pleafe the Lord, Col. i. 10. The itrefs
of their falvation is laid on the obedience of
Chrifl, not their own, whether outward or

inward ;

THE HYPOCRITE DETECTED. l6

inward ; and he nee their aim in all their duties,
is not to pleafe themtelvcs, but him who has call-
ed them to be partakers of his glory. The hypo-
crite is fervile in his aims to pleafe God, as he is
mercenary for his own profit, fo thathimfelf, and
not God, is his chief end ; but the fineere foul
acta like a fon, by virtue of the fpirit of adoption.
— From all this we may learn,

That this fhews they are riot true Chriftians,
whofe religion lies all in externals, and have no
concern about their hearts, Matth. xxiii. 25. A
whited fepulchre is the emblem of a hypocrite,
not of a true Chriftian. Perfons alfo may be at
much pains inwardly, who yet never come the
length of the fpirit of religion. What, then, will
become of thefe, whofe cafe is entirely confined
to the outward man ? — Let thofe who carry reli-
gion inwardly alfo examine well, what are the
principles and ends they act from, left their infide
religion be found a fpiritlefs lifelefs corpfe of reli-
gion, the mere product of their own exertions. Such
may perceive whether or not they have the fpirit
of religion, by,

1. Their endeavouring to approve themfelves to
the Lord, as an all-feeing holy God, not in fome
things only, but in all things, Col. i. 10. Being
content to know the w r hole word of God as to duty,
and what they know not to be difcovered to them,
ill order to their fetting about it, Job. xxxiv. 32.
Pfal. exxxix. 23. 24. They will know it by,

2. Their endeavouring to purge their inward,
as well as their outward religion, of all carnal and
felfiih motive?, principles, and ends, John, iii. 21.
Self is an infinuating thing, and much of our fpi-
rituality lies in perfons endeavouring to be fpiri-
tual in what they do. So fhort length do moil
tome, we mull be concerned to be purged from

hypocrify;

1 68 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

hypocrify ; it is a good fign with thofe who are
unfatisfied with their performance of duty, and
are lamenting that they are not fpiritual in it, Rom,
vii. 22. 23. — They will know it,

3. By being denied to their outward, and alfo
their inward religion, Phil. iii. Though they
endeavour to do all as if they were to gain hea-
ven by doing, yet they renounce all in point of
confidence before the Lord, as naked and bare.
This is a good fign, Matth. v. 3.

In purfuance of this point touching infide reli-
gion, I (hall offer the following observations touch-
ing the hypocrite's attainments in this refpecf., and
at the fame time fhew wherein the true Chriftian
goes beyond him.

1. A per fon may be under heavy exerciie of
foul after the commiilion of fome fin, efpecially a
grofs fin, and yet be but a Chriftian in the letter.
This is manifeft in the cafe of Judas. Though
there are fome fins, which every unian£lified heart
makes no bones of, yet there are fome which may
flick in the throat even of a perfon void of the
grace of God ; nay, more, in this exercife of foul
there may be, ( 1 .) Great reftlefinefs and anxiety of
mind, which the perfon cannot divert, as he was
wont to do. (2.) Indignation at himfelf, fordoing as
he has done. (3.) A taking fhame to himfelf before
men, by a plain and open confeffion of guilt, Mat.
xxvii. 3. 4. Laftly, Strong refolutions to guard
againft that fin in all time to come. Thus, Exod.
ix. 27. in which Pharaoh was morally ferious,
fpeaking as he thought in the time. — But here there
are four things wanting, which are to be found in
the exercifes of true Chriftians after their falls in-
to fin. — There is,

( 1 .) Kindly humiliation of foul before the Lord.
The Chriftian in fpirit fees not only an evil in fin

which

THE HYPOCRITE DETECTED. I 69

which affrights him, but a loathfomcnefs in it
which turns his ftomach at it, as being contrary
to God's holy nature and will : Job, xlii. 5. 6.
" I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear,
but now mine eye feeth thee; wherefore I abhor
myfelf, and repent in dull and alhes." He owns
himfelf unworthy of God's grace, and caits him-
felf down at the Lord's feet, (lopping his mouth
from quarrelling with God, however he diipofe of
him, Pfal. li. 4.

(2.) The difhonour done to God, and the grie-
ving his Spirit, is what does moil touch the heart
of the true Chriltian : Pfal. li. 4. " Againft thee,
thee only, have I finned, and done this evil in thy
fight ; that thou might ft be juflified when thou
fpeakeft, and be clear when thou judged." The
confederation of God's glorious majefty, his loving-
kindnefs and gracious benefits towards the perfon,
furnifli a quiver of arrows to pierce his heart, and
he calls himfelf beait and fool for thus requiting
the Lord.

(3.) No peace will that perfon have, but that
which God himfelf fpeaks, and what flows from
the application of the Redeemer's blood, Rom.
i. 5. Others may be for peace at any rate, build
up their peace on their forrows, repentance, and
con feffion ; but no peace for the true Chriltian,
till he get it under the covert of the blood of
Chrift, Heb. ix. 14.

(4.) Their exercifes under their trials drive them
out of themfelves to Chrilt for fan 61 ification : Pfal.
li. 10. 11. " Create in me a clean heart, O God ;
and renew a right fpirit within me. Call me not
away from thy pretence ; and take not thy holy
Spirit from me ;" whereas trials drive others into
themfelves, as refolved, that if God, for Chrift's
lake, will but pardon their fin, they will fee to their

own

170 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

own holinefs of life ; after which, in fome, they
ifTue in faithlefs blind vows againft fuch and fuch
fins, not fenfible of their own weaknefs, and not
fleeing to Chrift under a fenfe of it. But the true
Chriflian will be equally concerned for fan&ifica-
tion of his fpirit, as j unification of his peribn by
blood, knowing he equally needs both.— In like
manner,

2. A perfon may have a great druggie in him-
felf againft fm, and againft temptation to ic, and
yet be but only a Chriftian in the letter. It is a
dangerous miitake to think, that every inward
ftruggie againft fin is the combat between the
fleih and the fpirit. Herod had no fmall druggie
with himfelf, before he could yield to the behead-
ing of John, Matth. xiv. 9. Pilate alio, before
he could yield to the condemning of Chrift. Nay,
a hypocrite may not only have this ftruggle, but
may carry the day againft the temptation, m fo
much that he will not yield to it. This is clear
in the cafe of Balaam, when all Balak's intreaties
and rewards could not engage him to curfe Ifrael.
— There are five things wherein the true Chri-
ftian goes beyond the hypocrite in this refpeft. —
As,

(1.) His ftruggle arifes from the new nature,
with which he is endowed ; he has an habitual
bent to holinefs, and an averfion to evil : Gal. v.
17. " For the flefh lufteth againft the fpirit, and
the fpirit againft the flefh •, and thefe are contrary
the one to the other, fo that ye cannot do the things
that ye would." The hypocrite's ftruggle does
arife only from a ilavifh fear, or at beft from a ci-
vil difpoiirion, which is eafily overcome, as being
but a part of the old nature, and (o reaches but to
fome things. — Which brings me to obferve,
(2.) That a true Chriftian's ftruggle is againft

ail

THE HYPOCRITE DETECTED. I 7 I

all fin, every thing which is difcovered by him to
be fin, of whatever fort it be, whether it be of
thofe which are more grofs or more fubtile, thofe
that are brought to the light by fome external ac-
tion, or thofe that are in the foul or fpirit only :
Thus the pfalmift : Pfal. cxix. 128. "Therefore
I efteem all thy precepts concerning all things to
be right, and I hate every falfe way." Hence the
druggie of the true Chriftian is againft unbelief,
the actings and workings of felf in the various
fhapes which it affumes, and againft predominant
idols. But the ftruggle of others is confined to
the grofTer kinds of fin, and is never taken up a-
gainft ail known fin, but only againft fome one
lull or other, which has often at length a refpite
given to, or rather a league concluded with it. A
hypocrite gives evidence that the caufe of this war
is not a natural antipathy, as in the true Chriftian,
but an accidental quarrel.

(3.) The Chriftian's ftruggle tends to the mor-
tification and extirpation of fin, the plucking up
of it by the roots, the deftroying of the tree with
its fruit, Gal. v. 24. It tends to no lefs than the
perfection of fanclirication, and the utter abolition
of fin as the caufe of this war. This the new
nature lufteth and longeth after, and cannot be fa-
tisfied to lay down the fword while there is a Ca-
naanite in the land •, and fince it is not obtained in
this life, the war is continued till death make the
fword drop, and victory is obtained : Phil. iii. 13.
14. " Brethren, I count not myfelf to have appre-
hended ; but this one thing I do, forgetting thofe
things which are behind, and reaching forth unto
thofe things which are before, I prefs toward the
mark, for the prize of the high-calling of God in
Chrift Jefus." The other is not fo violent, but

ftrives

l~)l THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

ftrives~only to reprefs certain lufts which are troa-
blefome or difhonourable.

(4.) The Chriftian's ftruggle prevails, to the
conftituting of the habitual courfe of his life, a
holy courfe. This is the chief ftrain in which he
runs on, although mixed with many flips, John,
ill- 9. 10. ; fo that he has that noble teftimony
with the apoftle, " that with fimplicity, and god-
ly fincerity, not with flefhly wifdom, but by the
grace of God, we have had our converfntion in
the world," 2 Cor. i. 12. But the other ftill lives
a life habitually unholy.

(5.) The Chriftian's ftrnggle is betwixt a new
and gracious quality in the will, and the old corrupt
inclinations, its neighbours there, whofe reign is
broken, though their moleftation ftill continue :
Gal. v. 1 7. " For the flefh lufteth againft the fpirit,
and the fpirit againft the flefh : And thefe are
contrary the one to the other •, fo that ye cannot
do the things that ye would." But the ftruggle
of the hypocrite is betwixt his will and his par-
tially enlightened conference, which takes up the
cudgels againft the corrupt will, and fights againft
it with the fire and terror of a holy law ; or, at
molt, between a flight inclination of the will, and
the reigning corrupt inclinations. — There is farther
to be confideied,

3 That a perfon may be in great concern about
his ftate, and yet be but a Chriftian only in the
letter. How is it pofiible that men living under
the clear light of the gofpel, can but have fome
touches of this ? Felix was fo troubled with it,
that he trembled, Acts, xxiv. 25. Simon Magus,
A6ts, viii. 24. Converficn begins here in the work
of conviction ; but oftentimes it flops here, and
goes no farther, Hof. xiii. 13. But I will fay
more than this : A perfon may have fuch an ex-

ercife

THE HYPOCRITE DETECTED. I ;j

ercife on his fpirit about his date, and it may be
carried on from one ltep to another, in lb much
that, in his own eyes, and the eyes of others, it
may be taken for the work of converfion, and yet
rifter all he be a Chriftian only in the letter, and
not in the fpirit. — Thus, for inftance,

(i.) He may have a law- work on his fpirit, and
yet may be no true Chriftian. Had not Pharaoh and
Felix deep conviction ? and was not Judas ftung
and pricked at the heart under the fenfe of his
guilt ? Legal qualms of conference may fill a man
with terrors, forrow, and anxiety, on account of
fin, who notwithftanuing is never brought to
Chrift. The apoflle tells us, Gal. iv. 24. that
" the law gendereth to bondage.'* The covenant of
works bringcth forth children ; but they are only
bond-children, that is, flaves, not fons, in their
obedience to God. There are many pangs of con-
ference in the work!, which, though they may be
■ :ken for pangs of the new birth, are nothing
other than pangs of the fecond death. The mat-
ter lies here : Either the wound which the hypo-
crite gets, is over deep, as is the cafe when it
drives the perfon to utter defpair, as it did Ju-
das, fo that he neither clofed, nor pretended to
clofe, with Chrift ; or elfe it is not deep enough,
(o that the work is marred, being but fuperflcial ;
and he is like the perfon who* without a founda-
tion, built his houle upon the fand, and the ftorm,
whenever it arofe, fwept it away, Luke, vi. 48.-'
Betwixt ti.ef j two extremes, in the middle way,
the work is carried on for making a Chriftian in
fpirit, and not in the letter only. The cafe of
utter defpair is manifeft ; but to fhew that deep-
nefs of the foul's wound, which iflues in conver-
fion, which is wanting in that which only iilues in
a perfon's becoming a Chriftian in the letter, con-

Vol. II. P fider

J 74 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

fider the nature cf that wound which is given *;:
the work of grace.

[ i .] It brings the foul to be content to part with
all fin, and to take Ghrift on any terms : Hcf. xiv.
2. " Take with ycu words, and turn to the Lord -,
fay unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive
us gracicuily ; fo will we render the calves of our
lips." Acts, ix. 6. " Lord, what wilt thou have
me to do r" faid Paul, trembling and aftonifhed.
The man is content to expofe the right-eye fin,
that the Lord may pluck it out, and the right-
hand, that it may be cut off. But the hypocrite,
with all his foul-exercife, is never brought this
length. There is flill feme one bias of the heart
or other he is never content to have corrected.
There is always fome idol of je^loufy to be fpared,
fome particular or other in Chrifl's terms of fai-
va'tion to which he cannot fubmit, Mark, x. 21.

[2.] The wound goes to the root cf fin in the
foul, namely, the fin of cur nature : Jer. iv. 3. 4.
" For thus faith the Lord to the men of Judah
and Jerufalem, Break up your fallow-ground, and
fow not among thorns. Circumcife ycurfelves to
the Lord, and take away the forefkins of your
hearts, ye men of Judah, and inhabitants of Jeru-
falem." He that is only humbled for the fins cf
a wicked life, and feme particular lulls in the
heart, which is the utmcfl of the hypocrite's at-
tainment, in him the ferpent's heel may be brui-
fed, but not his head. The fin of our nature is
the great reigning fin, and in the work of grace
the Lord (Irikes at that particularly, and makes
the foul feel the intolerable weight of it : Rom.
vii. 24. " O wretched man that I am ! who (hall
deliver me from the body of this death ?" But as
long as heart- corruption is untouched, as the man
recovers his peace, his fin will recover its ftrength.

THE HYPOCRITE DETECTED. I ~ >

[3.] The wound brings the foul to a fciie of its
abfulute need of Chrift, and his whole falvation,
for juftifkation and alfo for fan&ificatiqn. This
is t!i« iiliie of kindly fouL-exercife, namely, that

thus a perfon becomes poor in fpirit, which the
exercffe of the hypocrite never brings him to :
Matth. v. 3. " B Idled are the poor in fpirit,
theirs is the kingdom of heaven/ 1 Right fjul-c:-
ercife carries a man out of himfelf to Chrift foi
righteoufnefe, roois up his confidence in hirnfejf,
in his bed duties and difpoiitions, Sec. breaks the
marriage between him and the law, that he may
be married ta Chriit, without any thing whatever
to recommend him: Gal. ii. 19. 20. "For I,
through the law, am dead to the law, that I might
live unto God. I am crucified with Chrift •> never-
ihelefs I live, yet not I, but Chrift liv^th in me j
and the life which I now live in the ileihj I live
by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me,
and gave himfelf for me." He alfo depends on
Chriit for fan deification, being perfuaded of his
utter inability to do any good : Rom. vii. 1 8.
u For I know that in me (that is, in my ilefh)
dwelleth no good thing." And under the fenfi
of this, ths foul lies down at the Lard's feet, as
in Jer. xxxi. 18. "Thou hail chadded me, and
I was chaitifed, as a bullock unaccu.tomed to the
yoke •, turn thou me, and I fhall be turned, for
thou art the Lord my God."

(2.) A perfon may have a cc-mxen illumination
in the knowledge of Chriit, and yet be but a Chri-
itian only in the letter: iieb. vi. 4. " For it is
imp viibie for thofe who were once enlightened,
and have tatted of the heavenly gift, &c. if they
fall away, to renew them again to repentance."
They may have fuch knowledge of Chriit in his
Q3tures, perfon, and offices, as may enable them
- P 2 even

176 SHE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

even to teach others, and edify them in the
knowledge of Chrift, and yet be no true: Chrift ians
themfelves. Such were Judas, Demas, and thou-
■fands of others in other ages of the church. Great
gifts may be without grace ; and there may be
much heat, where there is no fan£tified warmth.
■ — But there is a faving illumination, communi-
cated to all true converts, of which others never
partake: John, iv. 10. " Jefus anfwered and fa id
unto her, If thou kneweft the gift of God, and
who it is that faith to thee, Give me to drink ;
thou wouldeft have afked of him, and he would
have given thee living water." And it has thefe
three characters.

fi.] Saving illumination difcovers to the foul
fuch a fuitablenefs in the myftery of Chrift to the
divine perfections and the Tinner's cafe, that the
foul heartily falls in with, and acquiefces in the
glorious device of falvation by Infinite Wifdom :
i Cor. i. 24. " But unto them which are called,
both Jews and Greeks, Chrift the power of God,
•and the wifdom of God." They fee that there is
nothing wanting in it, which is necefiaryto promote
God's honour, or to anfwer their own miftrable
cale, but that it has a perfect fuitablenefs to both ;
£0 that their awakened consciences may find
complete reft there ; and hence they lay them-
felves wholly for reft upon it, while the con-
fciences of others, being awakened, and their minds
being ftill blinded, they never go to him cn/y for
reft, but at bell mix their own righteouinefs
with his, and dare not truft to his righteouinefs
alone. — Saving illumination,

u[2-"l Difcovers fuch a tranfeendent glory and
excellence in him, as that the foul is made content
and determined to part with all, for him : Phil,
iii. 8. " Yea, doubtlefs, and I count all things but

lofs.

HYrOCRJTE DETECTED. 1 77

ft 1 the excellence of the knowledge cf Jefus
Chriit my Lord, for whom I have fuffered the

lofs of all tilings, and do count them but dung,
that I may win Chrift." It is a fad, but common
queftion hr the hearts, though', it may be, not in
the mouths, of unrenewed finners, Song, v. 9.
" What is thy beloved more than another beloved,
O thou faireib among women ? what is thy belo-
ved more than another beloved, that thou do (I fo
charge us :" Certain it is, that the mod refined
hypocrite has always fomething that to him is
dearer than Chriit, and which has mere of his
heart than he has. But the foul, enlightened with
the light of life, beholds that in him which dark-
ens all created excellence, as the nfing fun makes
the liars hide their heads ; (o that they will part
with all lawful, as well as unlawful enjoyments,
to win him, Luke, xiv. 26.

[3.] Saving illumination difcovers fuch a fnl-
nefs in him, that the heart takes up its eveThfting
reft in him : Pfal. Ixxiii. 25. " Whom have I in
heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth
that I defire befides thee." The returning prodi-
gal fees bread enough and to fpare in his -father,
houfe ; and the true convert fees a reft to his
heart, as well as for his conscience,, in Chriit ; fp
that he is brought to be content with him alone,
as feeing him to be all in ail. But this the hypo-
crite never comes to ; the divided heart mult have
Chriit, and alfo fome lull or other, or el(e no
contentment.

(3.) A perfon may give a content to the cove-
nant, and in fome fort clofe with the Lord in his
covenant, while, afterall, he may be only a Chri-
ilian in the letter ; and thus the work of con-
verfion may feem to be completed, as it would
ieally be if they were fmcere in fo doing. A hy-
P 3 pocrite

178 THE CHRISTIAN ■DESCRIBED,

pocrite may expreTsly and folemnly covenant with
God> by word or by writ, and thus engage to be
the Lord's. This is evident from the practice of
the Israelites : Exod. xiv. 8. " And all the people
anfwered and faid, All that the Lord hath fpoken,
we will do. And Mofes returned the words of
the people unto the Lord." — Here we may obferve,
■how full they are in their confent and engagement,
" All that the Lord hath fpoken, we will do."
See alfo Exod. xx. 19. But mark the Lord's own
verdict, on this covenanting: Deut. v. 29. "O
that there were fuch an heart in them, that they
"would fear me, and keep my commandments al-
ways, that it might be well with them and their
children for ever !" Not only may all this be
claffed among the externals of religion, but'I fhall
add, for illuftration, that perfons may be morally
fcripus in their confent to the covenant, that is,
thinking and refolving in the time to do as they
fay. Moral ferioufnefs is oppofed to grofs difli-
mulation, which there was no place for here, Deut.
v. 24. Yet it may be where there is no fincerity,
Ffal. lxxviii. 37^ Of the fame people it is faid,
<c For their heart was not right with him, neither
were they ftedfaft in his covenant." Hypocrites,
in this cafe, are like thofe who, out of mere Sim-
plicity, and ignorance of the worth of a thing,
offer -jto buy it ; but if they really knew what it
could net be fold under, they would never once
bid for it. — They may aifo confent to the covenant
out of a Teal fenfe of their fin and mifery, and a
conviction of their need of a Mediator, as in Exod.
xx. 19. " And they faid unto Mofes, Speak thou
with us, and we will hear ; but let not God fpeak
with us, left we die." There was the mountain
on fire, for a tribunal ; the voice of a trumpet,
fummoning the criminals ; terrible thunders, to

pronounce

THE HYPOCRITE DETECTED.

pronounce the fentence of death againfl them.-
This filled them with horror and fear of death,
and fliewed them the need of a Mediator. But
there are three things in which the Chriftian in
fpirit goes beyond the Chriftian in the letter, in
this point.

[i.] He engages freely and heartily to the Lord
in his whole covenant. The hypocrite is but
dragged and forced into it, when the matter is fe-
rioufly confidered. They are not a willing people :
rial, lxxviii. 34. 36. & 37. "When he flew them,
then they fought him ; and they returned and in-
quired early after God. Neverthelefs, they did
flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto
him with their tongues. For their heart was not
right with him, neither were they fiedfaft in his
covenant." I doubt not but a hypocrite may be
very hearty in his confent to receive the comforts
of the covenant: Matth. xiii. 20. 21. " But he
that received the feed into (tony places, the fame
is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy re-
ceiveth it. Yet he hath not root in himfelf, but
dureth for a while." But if he eonfider the du-
ties of the covenant, there he flicks, and can come
no other way to the whole covenant, but as he is
dragged : Rom. viii. 7. " Btcaufe the carnal mind
is enmity againft God, for it is not fubject to the
law of God, neither indeed can be."

When the Spirit enters into a perfon's heart,
he takes fuch hold of it, that the perfon is over-
come by grace into willingnefs. Thus it is faid,
Jer. xxxi. 3. " Tea, I have loved thee with an
-everlafting love ; therefore, with losing kindnefs
have I drawn thee." Then the perfon pours' out
his heart like water : £fal. lxii. 8. " Pour out
your heart before him : God is a refuge for us."
Terror may begin the work, but love crowns it :

Hoi.

i50 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

Hof. ii. 14. " Therefore, behold I will allure her,
and bring her into the wildernefs, and fpeak com-
fortably unto her."

[2.] While the performs "heart confents to the cc-
venant with the Lord, it is divorced from fin *, but
the hypocrite confents to the covenant, with a
heart glewed to his lulls : Pfal. xlv. 10. u Hear-
ken, O daughter, and confider, and incline thine
ear; forget alfo thine own people, and thy fa-
ther's noufe." It is an ill-made fecond marriage,
where there is neither death nor divorce from the
firfl hufband ; and this is the caufe of apoftafy,
men going back to their lulls, becaufe they never
freely parted with them. What makes a man
and his lulls one, is, the greedy hold the heart
takes of them ; the heart cleaves to them : Jer,
viii. 5. " Why, then, is the people of Jeritfalem
Hidden back by a perpetual backfllding ? they hold
fad deceit, they refufe to return." But the bond
is locfed by divine grace, and their liking is turned
to loathing ; though fin cleaves to them, they
cleave not to it: Rom. vii. 21. 22. " I find then
a law, that when I would do good, evil is prefent
with me. For I delight in the law of God after
the inward man." In which cafe, it is not only
put out of the life, but out of the heart.

[3.] In covenanting with God,«the perfcm refigns
himfelf abfolutely to the Lord, the hypocrite never
without referves. The fincere fonl abfolutely
gives up itfelf, (1.) To the yoke of his command-
ments, Pfal. cxix. 128. " Therefore, I eiltem all
thy commandments concerning all things to be
right, and I hate every falfe way." But there is
fome one duty or other the hypocrite's heart can-
not digeft, as in Mark x. 21. (2.) The foul gives
up itfelf to the providential will of God, Luke
xrv. 26. He is content to bear his crofs, as well

£5

THE HYPOCRITE DETECTED. I 8 I

as to wear his crown •, but there is always fome-
thing in the crofs to which the hypocrite cannot
iubmit.

(4.) And laftly, A perfon may be in the exer-
tile of religious duties, may be much enlarged
and afTe&ed, and yet only a Chriitian in the letter,
Heb. vi. 4. Many get a tafte of gofpel-bencfits,
who never digeft them, this tafte arifing only from
common operations of the Spirit on an unrenewed
heart ; and a perfon may, at a time, get another
heart, who never gets a new heart. Thus it was
with Saul, j Sam. x. 9. — As to this, I would ob-
ferve,

1. In the general, that a hypocrite may have a
mighty enlargement in duties, and be much af-
fected in them. That there may be a great ftir
and motion among the affections, while the ftony
"heart does yet remain, is plain from the cafe of
the ftony-ground hearers, Matth. xiii. 20. and
the many inftances of joys and forrows raifed in
unrenewed hearts by the word. Many lay a
great deal of weight on this, that they are not
always alike in duties : Sometimes they are bou«id
up, fometimes enlarged ; fometimes they drive
heavily in them, fometimes they have a great
tleal or comfort and pleafure in them. But,
do not fuch fwallow dow*n this as an evidence
of the grace of God without examination ? —
To underfland this, confider, that there is an
enlargement in the txerciie of a gift, as well
as in the exercife of a grace ; and the one
may be mistaken for the other, 2 Cor. ii.
13. — 15. Thus aifo God both enlarged and
ftraitened king Saul in gifts : And as the gifts of
others, well exercifed in holy things, may greatly
delight a man, as in Ezek. xxxiii. 32. " And lo,
thou art unto them as a very lovely fong of one

that

I 82 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

that hath a pleafant voice, and can play well on
an inftrument ; ? ' C& much more may the exercife
of one's own gift with eafe and readinefs, delight
the perfcn's felf. — Confider alfo, that' the power
of a deluded fancy may produce this, as in the
(ton y- ground hearers, Matth. xiii. 20. As a
man may have a great deal of. pleaiure in a
dream, or in a mifconception, io a deceived
heart may make a perfon feed very f weedy
upon afhcs,.and never fufpecl: that there is a lie hi
his right hand, if. xiiv. 20. Do we not read of a
fire of men's own kindling, which, though it may
mightily comfort thorn for a time, yet ends in for-
row and datknefs, If. 1. 10. — Confider, in a word,
that there are common influences of the Spirit
which are not fanolifying, which may produce a
mighty commotion among the affections, Heb. vi;
4. 5.6. Even fignal providences will have this eiYcel
on unrenewed hearts, whether they be in rncrcy
or in judgement: Pfal. Ixxviii. 34. When he flew
them, then they fought him •, and they returned
and inquired early after God." Thefe things
c:«r,e like a fummer-fhower, which wets the fur-
face of the earth, and makes every channel run
for a while, but is quickly again dried up — Now,
the difference between the Chriftian in the fpirit
in his gracious enlargement in duties, and the
Chriftian in the letter in his delufive enlargements
in duty, may be feen in thefe two particulars.

(1.) Gracious enlargements tend always to the
killing and mortifying of felf, that grand compe-
titor with Chriit : 1 Chron. xxix. 14. " But who
?m I, and what is my people, that we fhould b^
able to offer fo willingly after this fort ? for all
things come of thee, and of thine own have we
gjyen thee." The hypocrite's enlargements feed
and riourifh it, fwcDin^ the heart with pride and

THI HYP iCRlTE DETECTED. I 83

conceit : If. Iviii. 3. " Wherefore have wc
failed, fey they, and thou iced net ? Wherefore
have we afflicted our fpuJ, and thou takeft no
knowledge ? Behold, in the day of your faft, ye
find pleafure, and exaft all your labours.' > The
more a perfon is gracioufly enlarged in duties, the
more his finfulnefs, weaknefs, wants, and nothing-
nefs appear, notwithstanding of ail his meltings*
mournings, humiliations, &c. But the hypoerite,
the more he is enlarged, appears to him Tel f the
more worthy that Chriit mould do great things
for him ; and he becomes the lefs felf-denied,

(2.) Gracious enlargements are fah£Hfying; thev
promote holinefs in heart and life ; Zech. xii. 10.
" And I will pour upon the houfe of David, and
upon the inhabitants of Jeruialem, the fpirit of
grace and fupplications ; and they fhall look upon
me whom they have pierced, and they mall mourn
for him, a ; one mourneth for his only fon, and
fhall be hi bitternefs for him, as one that is 111
bitternefs for his firft-born." They are a burning,
as well as a mining light, and make perfons more
tender in all moral duties to God and man. Ii
one has been taken into the temple of God in du-
ties, it will appear about him in the fubftantiab of
morality. He will fear fin more, and be more
exercifed to keep a conference void of offence to-
wards God and towards men. But delufive en-
largements have nor this effect. On the contrary,
they readily leave people more proud, peevifh,
and felfifh, often making them fuch fons of Be-
lial, that a perfon cannot fpeak to them ; and ne-
ver ftrike at inward beloved lulls to mortify them.

2. But to be more particular,

(1.) A hypocrite may be much affected with for-
row for fin in his duties. Ail mourners are not

true

184 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

true mourners, Zech. vii. 3. One may hear the
word, or pour out a prayer with wet cheeks, and
yet have a whole heart, a heart far from being
broken for (in. Efau was in a flood of tears, feek-
ing the bleffing. Many times, where water goes
out in their cafe, wind enters in. It is not always
humbling grace that produces tears. Some are
of foft difpofitions, and eafily wrought upon by a
melancholy object, without any efficacy of grace,
like the daughters of Jerufalem, Luke, xxiii. 27.
and downwards. Some, of mod rugged difpo-
fitions, becaufe their affections are vehement in
any cafe, may be thus touched and affected, and
yet there be nothing more than the product of na-
ture. Thus, when David (hewed him mercy, even
Saul lifted up his voice, and wept, 1 Sam. xxiv.
i 6. But the difference betwix't the Chriflian and
the hypocrite lies here, (i.)That the chief ground
of the true Chriftian's forrow for fin is, the offence
and difhonour done to a holy gracious God, as
an ingenuous child is moved with his father's
difpleafure and difhonour : Pfal. li. 4. " Againft
thee, thee only, have I finned, and done this evil
in thy fight ; that thou mighteft be juftified when
thou fpeakeft, and be clear when thou judged.'*
JBut the hypocrite's chief ground is felfifli, becaufe
of the evils to which he has thereby expofed him-
felf, whether in time or eternity. (2.) The hypo-
crite's forrow is foon over ; it is but a flafh, and
away ; and he goes back again, if not to the fame
fins, yet to others no lefs offenfive to God. His
forrow never goes the length to loofe the bonds of
wickednefs : J fa. Jviii. 5.6. " Is it fuch a faft that
I have chofen ? a day for a man to afflict his foul ?
Is it to bow down his head as a bulrufh, and to
fpread fackcloth and allies under him ? wilt thou
call this a faft, and an acceptable day to the Lord ?

Is

THE HYPOCRITE DETLCTLD. l?>$

f* not this the faft that I have chofen ? to loofe
the bands of wickednefs, to undo the heavy bur-
dens, and to let the oppreiicd go free, and that
ye break every yoke ?" It is not lb with the god-
ly : Lam. iii. 49. 5c. " Mine eye trickleth down,
and ceafeth not, without any intermiihon : Till
the Lord look down, and behold from heaven."
Their forrow for fin is habitual, becaufe the body
of fin it ill remains, and this forrow influences them,
to war againft all fin.

(2.) A hypocrite may havt a kind of love to God
and Chrift, and a defire after grace and good
things* Hence Paul prays for grace to " them
that love our Lord Jefus Chrift in fincerity," Eph.
vi. 24. The Chriftian in the letter may fay, " Lord,
evermore give us this bread," John, vi. 34. and
join the foolifh virgins in their defire to partake
of the oil of the wife. But the difference betwixt
the Chriftian and the hypocrite here lies :

[1. I That a hypocrite may love God as his be-
nefactor, as one who does him good every day,
and from whofe hands he looks for good in time
coming, either for time or for eternity, Mai. iii. 1.
This is to love God for one's felf. But the true
Chriftian loves him, not only becaufe of his be-
nefits, but becaufe of his lovely nature, his per-
fect holinefs, truth, hatred of lin, &c. This is
to love God for himfelf : Pfal. xxx. 4. " Sing
unto the Lord, O ye faints of his, and give thanks
at the remembrance of his holinefs." And this
the unholy heart can never do, Rom. viii. 7.
" Becaufe the carnal mind is enmity agamft God."
Now, they that love God thus, they love his
image, wherever it appears, and particularly in
the holy law, even where it ftrikes againft that
fin which moil eafily befets them : Rom. vii. 22.

Vol. II. Q^ « For

;l36 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBED,

<" For I delight in the law of God after the in-
ward man." — The difference lies,

[2.] That they may defire grace, for Its necef-
fity in order to fave them, but not for its intrinfic
beauty and likenefs to the Lord : Matth. v. 7.
" Bleffed are they which do hunger and third after
righteoufnefs, for they fhall be filled." It is the
chief thing the true Chriftian defires, grace to be
holy, as well as grace to be juftified and pardoned :
Pfal. xxvii. 4. " One thing have I defired of the
Lord, that will I feek after, that I may dwell in
the houfe of the Lord all the days of my life, to be-
hold the* beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in
his temple." — The difference lies,

Lajlly y That a hypocrite may have much joy and
delight in the duties of religion ; fo had the ftony-
ground hearers, Matth. xiii. 20. — If. lviii. 2.
" Yet they feek me daily, and delight to know
my ways, as a nation that did righteoufnefs, and
forfook not the ordinances of their God ; they
a(k of me the ordinances of juftice ; they take de-
light in approaching to God." There may be de-
lufive raptures of joy, ?■: well as unfound floods
of forrow. I fhewed very lately the difference be-
twixt genuine joy and thefe delufive raptures.
True joy rifeth orderly, after a preceding renting
effect on the heart, &c. - y delufive joy more quick-
ly, &c* — I now come,

III. To make fome {hort improvement. — I have
endeavoured to lay before you, the differences be-
twixt the hypocrite and the fincere Chriftian ; and
from the whole, I think you may carry away thefe
leflons. — We may hence fee,

1. That it is no eafy thing to be a real Chriftian.

A
* See Catechetical Sermons on Rom. v. 2.

THE HYPOCRITE DETECTED. 1 8'/

A parcel of external performances do not make a
Chriftian, nay, nor even internal things alfo, with-
out the genuine fpirit of duties, performances, and
attainments : That the^reat thing which makes the
difference is, not fo much what is done, as how it
is done, the principles, ends, manner, &c. of do-
ing it. — We may learn,

2. That a man may go a very great length in
religion, and notwithftanding be naught in God's
efteem. A perfon may look fo like a true Chri-
itian, that he may deceive both faints and finners,
like him who is laid to have made an image with
fuch motion, that others thought it had life. Nay,
I know not but he may deceive the devil himfelf :
Jer. xvii. o. " The heart is deceitful above all
things, and defperately wicked ; who can know
it ?" like him who is faid to have painted grapes
fo lively, that the birds came and picked at them.
He may deceive himfelf like the Laodiceans, and
go to death with the delufion, like the foolifh vir-
gins. — We may learn,

3. That however far the hypocrite goes, the
true Chriftian goes beyond him ; and therefore we
muft not, we ought not, to fatisfy ourfelves as to
the point of fincerity, unlefs there be fomething
in us which is not to be found in hypocrites. And
therefore I exhort you to put yourfelves to the trial.
Try yourfelves whether you be in Chrift or not,
whether you be fmcere Chriftians or not. — Con-
fider,

(1.) True religion is very rare at all times: Mat.
vii. 14. " Strait is the gate, and narrow is the
way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be
that find it." The miferable decay and un-
tendernefs among all forts of perfons, (hew it to
be efpecially rare at this time, in which we may
fay, " Help, Lord, for the godly man ceafeth ;
Qj* for

188 THE CHRISTIAN DESCRIBEE,

for the faithful fail from among the children of
men," Pfal. xir. I. — Confider,

(2.) That we are like to fee trying times, in
"which the Lord will {ei his furnace in Zion. God
has appeared often feafonably and wonderfully for
our deliverance •, but the generation is not bettered,
but rather growing worfe and worfe in all points.
This is a forerunner of a fearful ftroke. Now,
Sirs, a fiiew of religion may do in a time of eafe
and peace, but when that trial comes, it will be
hard to bear up without the reality. — Confider,

(3.) That death and judgement will try us all.
We may put off the trial as we will for a time,
there is however no ihifting of it altogether. God
will not be mocked.— Confider,

JLa/lIy, That it will be a terrible difappo'ntment
to be awakened out of dreams of heaven, by fall-
ing into hell. It will be no time to feek oil, when
the Bridegroom is come, and hath fhut the door.
We have in view an ordinance that calls to felf-
examination : 1 Cor. xi. 28. " But let a man exa-
mine himfelf, and fo let him eat of that bread,
and drink of that cup." Therefore beflir your-
telves, and confider your ftate. Study the fpi-
rituality of religion, that you may thus approve
voiu'felves to the heart-fearching God. Amen.

THE

THE STATUTE-LAW OF DISCIPLESHIP

SERMON XXXIII.

Luke, xiv. 26. If any man come to me, and hate
not his father, and mother, and wife, and chil-
dretiy and brethren, andftflers, yea, and his own
life alfo, he cannot be my difciple.

"J" TE is a fool who joins himfelf to any fociety,.
1~-, before he has weighed with himfelf how
he can comply with the laws and rules of that fo-
ciety. In vain do we propofe to be a difciple
to any perfon, if we are not difpofed, if we will
not fubmit to his difcipline. Man is born like a
wild afs's colt, naturally untraceable and unreach-
able *, the Son of God has fet up his fchool a-
rnongft us ; many who externally belong to it
fland at a diftance from him, as rude and unpo-
lifhed by grace as when they firft came to it.
There is a folemn and awful entry into the fchool
of Chrifl before us, and it cannot be unfuitable,
tfpecially on fuch a feafon as this, to fland and
0^3 hear r

* Delivered at Selkirk, Saturday, 061, 11. jyiz.

Ip th£ statute-law

hear, out of the mouth of the great Mailer, the
necefiary qualifications of all fuch as will be rec-
koned his difcipies indeed. This we have in the
text. — In which there is obfervable,

i. A ca[e fuppofed ; and there are two things
in it. For this cafe, though the cafe of many, is
like the legs of the lame, which are not equal. —
In it, firft, there is a fair profeffion. The man
€ometh to Chrift, not in the way of believing on
him, as this word is often fifed* the expreflion here
can by no means be thus explained ; but in the way
of an outward profeffion, joining himfelf with his
followers, taking on him the name of his party.
The occafion of the words clears this. Multi-
tudes went with him, and they were ready to va-
lue themfelves becaufe they kept good company.
The Lord turns to them, and tells them, that it
was another thing to be a difciple of his than moft
of them took it to be. He lays the matter fo
plainly before them, as would make it eafy to con-
clude, that moft who followed him now would
leave him afterwards ; and that when it came tt>
the trying pinch, he would have but a thin back-
ing ; therefore they fhould in time confider what
they were doing. — In the cafe there is, next, a foul
and falfe heart. The man comes to Chrift, and
X bring s not his heart with him, but leaves it at
heme with his father or mother, &c. or keeps it
ftill hugging and embracing his dear felf, his life,
fo that he cannot embrace Chrift, more than a man
can take both heaven and earth in his arms at
once. Chrift muft be dearer to his difcipies than
what is deareft to them in the world. The deareft
perfons are father, mother, &c. The deareft thing
is life. That which makes this cafe fo bad is,
that they* are dearer to the man than Chrift. He
hates not his father, mother, &c. He who taught us
2 in

OF DISCIPLESHlPi I9T

in the law, to love our neighbour as ourielves, does
not contradict this here, but fpeaks out what was
implied there, that we mud neither love our neigh-
bour nor ourfelves as our God. It is not an abfo-
lute, but a comparative hatred, which is here
meant; that is, a lefs love : Gen. xxix. 31. " And
when the Lord faw that Leah was hated ;" that is,
lefs loved than Rachel. Similar inftances occur,
as in Dent. xxi. 15. John, xii. 25. And thus it
is explained, Matth. x. 37. " He that loveth fa-
ther or mother more than me, is not worthy of
me." A man mult leave father and mother .to
cleave to his wife ; but he mud leave his wife,
yea, and his life alfo, to cleave to Chrift. Levi
gave a practical commentary on this text, Deut.
xxxiii. 9. « Who faid unto his father, and to his
mother, I have not feen, neither did he acknow-
ledge his brethren, nor knew his own children ;
for they obferved thy word, and kept thy cove-
nant." And fo did that difciple-like refolution
of Jerom : ■ If my father mould ftand before
me,' fays he, * my mother hang upon me, my
brethren prefs about me, I would break through
my brethren, throw down my father, tread under
feet my mother, to cleave to Jefus Chrift.' So
faid a certain Dutch fchoolmafter, being afked, if
he loved not his wife and children ? « Yes,' fays
he, * if all the world were gold, and mine to dif-
pofe of, I would give it all to live with them,
though but in a prifon ; yet is my foul and my
Lord Chrift dearer than all.' But perhaps this is
only the attainment of few. Miftake it not, but
hear,

2. Chrift's verdict upon the cafe, and venture
not to diftinguifli where the law makes no diftinc-
tion : « If any man come to me, and hate not,
&c. he cannot be my difciple." Be he or ihe who

they

192 THE STATUTE-LAW

they will, they cannot be Chrift's difciples, if
Chrift be not dearer than what is deareft to
them in a world. Nominal difciples they may
be indeed, but real they cannot be, they can-
not bear afflictions for Chrift, becaufe they want
fuch affeclions to him as are neceflary to make
them go in the itrait and narrow way which leads
unto life. — From this fubjecl: I would take this

Doctrine, That no man can be a true difciple of
Chrift, to whom Chrift is not dearer than what
is deareft to him in the world.

For illuftrating this fubje£t, I {hall,

I. Speak to the nature of this neceflary quali-
fication of a true difciple of Chrift.

II. Confirm the do&rine of the text.

III. Offer fome reafons why Chrift is dearer to
his true difciples, than what is deareft to them in
the world. And,

IV. Conclude with fome improvement.

We are then,

I. To fpeak to the nature of this neceflary qua-
lification of a true difciple of Chrift. — There are
in it,

1. An efteem of Chrift above all : Pfal. xlv. 2-
<* Thou art fairer than the children of men, grace
is poured into thy lips ; therefore God hath blef-
fed thee for ever." Chrift is the higheft and moft
glorious object in the practical judgement of all
his true difciples : Pfal. lxxiii. 25. " Whom have
I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon
earth that I defire befide thee." They do not only
think him the beft portion, considering things in
the general, in which fenfe he has even the com-
mendation of thofe who flight him ; but they look

upon-

OF DISCIPLESIIIF. I93

upon him as beft for them, in whatever circum-
ftances they may be ; this is the diameter of a true
dlfciple : Matth. xi. vi. « And bleffed is he, who-
foever fhall not be offended in me." As the fpark-
ling ftars hide their heads when the fun arifcth,
fo all things in the world Iofe their luftre when
the glory of God appeareth to them, fhining in
the face of Jefus ; though to others there is in
him no beauty.

2. The heart renounceth its property in afl
tilings of the world, in the day of its clofing with
Jefus Chrift. Asa rebellious fori, turned out of
his father's houfe into an uninhabited land, takes
that as his property which he falls upon by the
right of firlt-findirig -, but when he has accefs to
return, he quits it, that he may enjoy his father's
eftate : fo Adam and his children being driven out
of paradife, and bammed from the prefence and en-
joyment of the Lord himfelf, they take up with
what created comforts they (tumble upon in their
blind rambling through the wildcrnefs of this
world, as their own portion •, but returning and
taking Chrift, they part with thefe, their fouls re-
turning into their quiet reft. The natural man,
being alienated from the life of God, takes a dead
hold of created things, as fuited to his corrupt
ftate, and therefore his own by choice ; hence fo
many carnal wyV, but not a word of my God
amongft them : Hof. ii. 5. " She faid, I will go
after my lovers that give me my bread and my
water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my
drink." This is very unlike to Pfal. xviii. 1. 2.
" I will love thee, O Lord, my ftrength. The
Lord is my rock and my fortrtfs, and my de-
liverer > my God, my ftrength, in whom I will
trull ; my buckler, and the horn of my falvaticn,
and my high tower." Now, when the foul be-
gins

$94 THE STATUTE-LAW

gins to live, it quits that greedy grip of carnal
things, and begins to fall off from the world ; that
bond of iniquity which bound the heart and the
world together being broken ; fo that the difciple
of Chrift looks on all he has as no more his own.

3. The foul refigns all to the Lord, lays all
*lown at the Lord's feet, to be difpofed of as he
will : 1 Sam. iii. 18. " Eli faicl, It is the Lord, let
him do what feemeth him good." 2 Sam. xv. 26.
«* David faid, Behold, here am I, let the Lord do
with me as feemeth good unto him." If the
Lord have ufe for his comforts in the world, he,
and all that are his, are for his part at his fervice.
Thcugh they were his before, he now makes a
free-will offering of them all to the Lord ; fo
that, in very deed, all that a true difciple of Chrift
has, are dedicated things, confecrated to God.
He may not, he dare not, revoke the grant ; they
muft be ufed, as God who is the proprietor doth
flifc£i, whofe will muft not be difputed in the dif-
pofal of his own 5 they can be no more for pro-
fane, but holy ufes. And if, through the preva-
lence of corruption, he has put his hand to that
which is not holy, Chrift's difcipline will make
him bring it back with the tear in his eye. Never
a foul clofes with Chrift aright, that iayeth no$
all its enjoyments, even life itfeif, at his feet. 5

4. The foul accepts of Chrift for, and inftead
of the things refigned. God does not require us,

y nor will the heart ever part with thefe, but fcr a
better: Matth. xiii. -45. 46. iC Again, the king-
dom of heaven is 'ike uno a merchant-man feek-
ing goodly pearls, who, when he had round one
pearl of great price, went ?.nd fold ail thai he had,
and bought it." The man takes Chrift inftead
of -father, mother, and all things; for it is im-
pofTible that man can be felf-fufficienL The heart

of

or DisciPLKsmr. 195

of man is an empty, hungry thing, that mnfl needs
have fomething to feed upon ; and let men ply
their hearts with the utmofl diligence, they will
ftill find it impoffible to draw the hulks of the
world out of their hearts, unlefs fomething better
is fet before them. They mult fee heaven, be-
fore they will be drawn from earth ; therefore, the
great tranfacHon between Chrift and the foul is
held out under the notion of buying, in which a
man does indeed in one fenfe, namely, as to his
portion, give away his money; but he obtains
fomething inftead of it, which is better to him
than his money. He gets Chrift, the pearl of
great price, the one thing needful.

5. The foul is difpofed to part with them, when
the Lord calls for them ; has an habitual readinefs
to part with them for Chrift. It is true, indwelling
corruption is ready to hold the grip too faft, even
when the Lord calls for a delivery ; yet every foul
clofing with Chrift has an honeft refolution to part
with all for him actually, when he (hall pleafe
to put them to this trial. The grace of God
looleth them at the root, when it firft comes into
the foul, rooting and grounding them in love to
Chrift ; which root of the righteous fhall never be
moved.

6. There is in the foul a new power of living,
without them, on Jefus Chrift •, a life which is an
abfolute myftery to every Chriftlefs foul : John, vi.
57. " As the living Father hath fent me, and I
live by the Father, fo he that eateth me, even he
fhall live by me." If in this fpiritual bargain
they have quit with their money, on the purchafe
made, they can live without it, elfe would they
never have quit with it. Though all temporal
things fail them, yet can they rejoice in the Lord
as their portion, and joy in the God of their fal-

Tation,

I9& THE STATUTE-LAW

vation, Hab. iii. 18. If father and mother
fhould leave them, they can fatisfy themfelves in
the Lord's taking them up. If they mould iofe
all relations for him, his relation to them is, in
their eyes, more than fufficient to make up the
lofs. If they mould not know where to hide
their heads, or how to get food in a hiding-place,
he is to them, not only a refuge for protection,
but a portion for maintenance, Pfal. cxlii. 4. 5.
If all their fubftance fhould be taken from them,
vhe Almighty fhall be the gold and filver of their
itrength, Job, xxii. 25. Yea, though natural
life mould go in his caufe, himfelf is their life, a
life which cannot be taken from them ; for, Col.
iii. 4. " When Chrift, who is our life, mall ap-
pear, then fhall we appear with him in glory."—
We now proceed,

II. To confirm the doctrine of the text, or fhew,
that no man can be a true difciple of Chrift, to
whom Chrift is not dearer than what is deareft t©
him in the world. — For this purpofe, confider,

1 . That the foul cannot truly lay hold on Chrift,
but it muft of neceflity part with the world. The
embracing of Chrift infers naturally the loofmg
our hold of the world : Matth. vi. 24. " No man
can ferve two mafters. Ye cannot ferve God and
mammon." We may as loon grafp heaven and
earth at once in our arms, as fix on Chrift, and
not loofe our hold from all things befides him. If
you would look up to the heavens, you muft look
away from the earth. The world is the term
from which Chrift calls us : Song, iv. 8. " Come
with me from Lebanon, my fpoufe, with me from
Lebanon.*' Men may keep his company, with
the world under their feet, but not with the world
in their heart. — Confider,

2. It

OF DISCIPLESUIP. l.>7

-2. It is impoflible that the love of God, and
the love of the world, (the perform and thing
the world), can at the fame time be predomi;.
in the heart. One of them mull of neceffity be
uppermoit. If die love of God be predominant,
then it will command the love of all worldly
things to yield •, and thefe things will be difpofed
of, iu as may belt pleafe him that has the chief
room in our hearts. All the flreams of our love
to things below, will be fwallowed up in the
depth of our love to Chrift : but this will be
fwallowed up by none ; for this love is ftrong as
death. Many waters cannot quench it, neither
can the floods drown it. If a man fhould give
all the fubftance of his houfe for love, it would
be utterly contemned-, fee Heb. xi. 25. 26. If
the love of the world predominate, then it leaves
no love to the Lord, becaufe no predominant love
of the world is confident with the true love of
God : 1 John, ii. 15. " Love not the world, nei-
ther the things that are in the world. I|fcny man
Jove the world, the love of the Father is not in
him." This proves the man no difciple of Chrift.,
Match, vi. 24. James, iv. 4. 2 Tim. iii. 4. 5. —
Confider,

3. That if Chrift be not dearer to us than the
world, there is no univcrfal resignation, which is
neceflary to prove the fmcerity of the heart : A£rs,
ix. 6. " Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?"
2 Cor. viii. 5. — « But firft gave their ownfelves to
the Lord." — If this be wanting, there is nothing
done ; we give not to the Lord what he fecks,
namely, that we be all his. If we deal thus in
this folemn tranfaction, we do but lie to the
Holy Spirit, as Ananias and Sapphira, keeping
back part of the price. This is a fure evidence
that grace is not effectually at work with us, elfe

Vol. II. R we

298 THE STATUTE-LAW

we would have been a willing people ; we would
have made no referves in doling with Chrift. —
Confider,

4. That if Chrift is not loved fupremely, there
is a root wanting, the fruit of which is neceffary
to evidence fincerity. (1.) There is no root of
univerfal obedience, the want of which will leave
us afhamed, Pfal. cxix. 6. There will always be,
in this cafe, one thing lacking, that will marr all
other good things about us. There will always
be fome idol of jealoufy that gets Chrift's room ;
fome offending right hand fpared, that will bring
the whole body to hell at length. (2.) There is
no root for Chriftian fuftering, bearing the crofs
of Chrift, which is a crofs of Chrift's chufmg,
not of our own. Our part is, to take up the crofs
v' that Chrift lays down to us; and without this
we cannot be his difciples. And when Chrift
lays on his ciofs, it is found, that readily he will
have the man tried in that which of all thi»gs
lies neaiapft his heart, and bids faireft for Chrift's
room ; fo that, if any thing be dearer than Chrift,
the crofs readily difcovers it, and the man's hy-
pocrify with it.

You, then,- that are to fit down at the Lord's
table, may fee how you are to manage this folemn
transaction, fo as that it may be ratified in heaven.
If you take Chrift, let thefe go their way. Lay
down your all at Chrift's feet, with all folemn fe-
rioufnefs ; if there be ought kept back, you do
but ruin your own fouls. The laws of Chrift's
ichool are read before you. Examine yourfelves
this night, whether ye be content with Chrift on
thefe terms or not. If you be not, it will be un-
neceilary, and even criminal, for you to come to
his table ; you cannot be his difciples. If you be

content,

OF DISCI FLESHlP. I J)

content, then give up your all to him, and lay-
down your all at his feet. Becaufe of the deceit-
fulnefs of yoar heart, it will b^ good to be very di-
ltiiKt and particular in this point, on which eterni-
ty depends. — In confequence, I would advife you,

i. To give up with all your lulls. You have
held the grip long, let it now go : " Ephraim mall
fay, What have I to do any more with idols ?"
Hof. xiv. 8. Let none efcape, let there be no re-
ferved morfel, as you would not quit your lot and
portion in Chritt. Let every man give up with " the
iniquity he knoweth," as the phrafe is, I Sam.
iii. 13. If there be any bofom-luft, which has
been a fignal competitor for the heart with the
Lord, let it be given up with in a particular man-
ner. Sure, if lawful things mud be laid at the
Lord's feet, unlawful mull much more be laid
down. — I would advife you,

2. To lay down at the Lord's feet your neareft
arid deareffc relations, fo as that you may never
break with Chrilt. for them ; his favour, truths,
and ways, mull: be dearer to you than them.
And fure I am, if thou meeteft'with Chrilt at his
table, thou wilt fay, " Henceforth know we no
man after the flefh." ' I will love my father, mo-
ther, wife, children, brethren, and fillers \ but my
Lord Jefus more than all.'

3. Lay down at the Lord's feet your fubftance
in the world, be it great orfmall, houfes and lands,
goods, &c. that he may difpofe of them as he may
fee meet. Times have been, and they are like to
return, wherein the Lord has fent for thefe things
from profefibrs, even by wicked meffengers, as he
fent for the afs and colt, Matth. xxi. 3. " Saying,
The Lord hath need of them." And they that had
before fairly given them, with themfelves, to the
Lord, did not Hand to deliver him his own : " Go
thou, and do likewife."

R 2 4. Lay

200 THE STATUTE-LAW

4. Lay down at the Lord's feet, your credit
and efteem in the world. This is often a great
idol, and goes betwixt many a man and Chrift.
There are few that ever have it, but fuffer an e-
clipfe in it fome time or other. God even (cnda
for his people's credit, to be a ftepping-ftone for
his glory. But if thou makeft fure work in this
tranfadtion, thou wilt even be content at his call
to creep down, and lie among the pots, till he
himfelf bring thee cut again. Thou wilt be con-
tent to commence a fool to the world, that thou
mayeft be wife to God.

5. Lay down at the Lord's feet, your eafe
and liberty: A£rs, xxi. 13. "I am ready," faid
Paul, " not to be bound only, but alfo to die at
Jerufalcm, for the name of the Lord Jefus." The
nVfh will cry, * Man, fpare thyfelf f but the fpi-
rit mull offer all to the Lord. Thou wilt not
break with Chrift, though thou fhouldli never get
an eafy hour, but be hunted as partridges, till in
heaven. He to whom his eafe and liberty is dearer
than Chrift, is a Have to the devil, and cannot be
Chrifl's difciple.

6. Lay down at Chrifl's feet, your defires.
Your defires fhall be to your fpiritual Hufband,
who mall chufe for you your inheritance, Pf. xlvii.
4. If he fhall grant your lawful defires, it is well j
if he fee meet to refufe them, it mull even be well
^fo in your eye ; you are to take himfelf, and
give up with your own will, and fay, Thy will be
done.

Laftlyi Lay down at the Lord's feet, your life-
Let your bodies be given now to the Lord, not
only for fervice, but alfo for a facrifice, if he re-
quires it. The text makes it plain, none go to
heaven but martyrs, either in action or in affec-
tion. It may be the Lord may have ufe for your
ftrength, for your health, it may be for your

blood.

OF DISCIPLESHIP. 201

blood. Refign all to him now. If you lute not
your life, you cannot be his difeiple. Be not
deterred from the facrament by this, for, by
the word of God, the way to heaven is no tv.fier
But when the time comes, that the faints are to
be carried to the table above, they will not be
fuppofed to ftand and look on, as when they
prefent themfelves before the lower table ; the
fearful and unbelieving {hall be excluded from
that table, ReT. xxi. 8. It is neceflary at alljiimes
that people mould manage matters thus when they
fit down at the Lord's table, but efpecially at this
time, when the cloud of the church's trouble is
gathering fo faft, and our peace is flying from us.
That party has now got the afcendant, whofe
temper always has been to breathe out threatenings,
cruelty, and blood, and furioufly to drive their
plough over the back of the church, and to make
their furrows deep, till the righteous Lord do cut
the cords of the ungodly crew. They have
brought in their fuperltitions already, by the fa-
vour of a toleration which reflects (hame on them-
felves before the world, as if they were men of
no faith, but as to one article. By their means
we are threatened with idolatry, and with a French
government. But God fits in heaven, and can
bring order out of confufion. Let us prepare for
whatfoever may come, honeflly committing all to
the Lord, and he will raife the fincere foul above
itfelf, and give the back to bear its own burden,
if we be but willing to ftoop, and take it on for
his fake. He left all for us, and fhall we account
any thing too much for him ? However, this is
the fettled law of heaven, If any man come to we,
and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and
children, and ftjlers, yea, and his own life alfo, he
cannot be my difciple. Amen.

R 3 TK £

THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED. *

SERMON XXXIV.

LuKE, xvi. 26* If any man come unto me, and hate
not his father, and mother, and wife, and chil-
dren, and brethren, andfifters, yea, and his own
fife alfo, he cannot be my difciple*

HAving, in the preceding difcourfe, attended
to what was propofed as the firft and fe-
cond heads of method, I now proceed,

III. To offer fome reafons why Chrift is dearer
to his true difciples than what is deareft to them in
the world.— Among other reafons, the following
are mentioned.

1. Eecaufe to every true difciple, fin, of all
bitter things, is the bittereft. A man will get a
clearer view of the ftars from the bottom of a
deep pit, than from the top of a high mountain ;
and the lower that a man is laid in humiliation
for fin, Chrift will be the dearer to him. Many

things,

♦Delivered at Selkirk, Monday, 061. 12. 171*.

THE STATU IE-L.WV, &C, 2^3

things, nay, almoft any thing, is dearer to mofh
perfons than Chfift. Why fo ? Becailfe any bit-
ter thing is morcr bitter to their depraved tafle tl
fin. As when God intended to endear the pro-
mifed land to the Ifraelites, and make the:n con-
tent to leave the llefh-pots of Egypt, Exod. i. 14.
their lives then were made bitter to them ; fo
God gives his people deep wounds for fin, till
their confeiences be made to dread it, and their
hearts to loathe it ; he makes them fick at the heart
with it, and puts more and more bitternefs in the
cup to them, till it be of all things the bittereft,
to this very end, that Chrift may be the deareft to
them, and that whatever they may afterwards
meet with in his way, they may embrace it ra-
ther than fin. Sin has been bitter to many, but
not extremely bitter ; therefore th< y fay, as the
drunkard, Prov. xxiii. 35. " When fhall I awake ?
1 will leek it yet again." But the experience of
fin duly embittered quickly determines the Chri-
itian which fide to chufe, when they are brought
to this alternative, to fuller or fin. — Another rea-
fon is,

2. That God is man's chief end ; and when he
made him, he made him pointing towards him-
felf as his chief end : Ecclef. vii. 29. " God made
man upright." But man finning, turned off from
God, turned his intention, his love, and defire,
befide the mark fet before him, turned thefe in to
himfelf, made himfelf his chief end. So that the
whole of every natural man's religion, however re-
fined, refolves itfelf into that curfed principle, ■ Ma-
iler, fpare thyfelf.' Hence they chufe new gods,
father, mother, &c. fetting their heart on them
more than on God. Hence is their war in the
gates againft heaven, thofe things which were to
be fubordinate to God are fet in oppofition to him ;

thofe

2C4 THE STATUTE-LAW

thofe which were to be below him in their love and
efteem, are fet above him. If the grace of God
rectify not this diforder, it does nothing ; for it is
impoflible, while the foul is perverted as to its
chief end, that any thing can be right with that
perfon ; as a watch that is once wrong fet, though
it go never fo regularly, it is (till wrong, for it
never points right. But grace truly, though
not perfectly while here, brings back the Chri-
ftian to God as his chief end. It makes him fay,
" Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is
none upon the earth that I defire befides thee ?"
Pfal. lxxiii. 25. ; and again, (i For to me to live is
Chrift, and to die is gain," Phil. i. 21. It makes
him holy in all manner of converfation ; fo that
whatever way the Chriftian turns, he points ha-
bitually towards God. — Another reafon is,

3. That as there unqueftionably is, fo they have
feen, a vanity and emptinefs in all things of the
world, even the things that are deareft to them :
Pfal. cxix. 96. " I have feen an end of all perfec-
tion, but thy commandment is exceeding broad."
God has hung the fign of vanity at the door of all
the creatures, yet do men throng into the houfe,
every one calling and looking for a fill, and pro-
mifmg it to themfelves after a thoufand difappoint-
ments : Ifa. lyii. 1 o. " Thou art wearied in the
greatnefs of thy way ; yet faidfl thou not, There
is no hope . thou haft found the life of thine
hand •, therefore thou waft not grieved " They
fee not the fign by the light of grace, though they
may have a rational conviction of it, which will
be as far from producing a true weaning of the
heart from the world, as painted fire is from burn-
ing off a man's bands. But Chriftians are made
to fee it with the light of grace, which is the light
of life, which makes them go by the cjeatures

door

or DiscirLEsmr. 205

door to him, in whom " it hath pleafed the Fa-
ther that all fulnefs fhould dwell,' 1 Col. i. 19.
The Lord Squeezes the fap out of all things, be-
fides himfelf, to his own, fo as that when the heart
is feeking its reft, they are taitelefs to them as the
white of an egg : Phil. iii. 7. 8. " But what things
were gain to me, thofe I counted lofs for Chriit.
Yea, doubtlefs, and I count all things but lofs for
the excellency of the knowledge of Jefua Chriit
my Lord ; for whom I have furfered the lofs of all
things, and do count them but dung that I may
win Chriit." — Another reafon is,

4. Becaufe they find Chriit of all objecls the
molt fuitable to them, and therefore he cannot
but be dearer to them than the deareit thing in
the world. The foul which has long gone through
the dry places of the world, feeking reft, and
finding none, when it comes to Chriit, finds reft
to the confeience under the covert of his blood,
and reft to his heart in that all- fulnefs dwelling
in Chriit, which is commenfurate to the unbound-
ed defires of the heart, defires which can never be
fatisfied but by an infinite good •, and therefore of
necefiity, and from choice, fettles here, faying,
" This is my reit ;" and that foul is not to be
drawn away from Chriit by any means whatever .-
Rom. viii. 35. 38. " Who {hall feparate us from
the love of Chriit ? For I am perfuaded, thai nei-
ther death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things prefent, nor things to
come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other crea-
ture, fhall be able to feparate us from the love of
God, which is in Chriit Jefus our Lord " He is
fully fuited to their cafe •, and, what is more, he is
iuited to their mind, they have no fault whatever
lo him : Song, v. 16". " His mouth is moit fweet,
yea, he is altogether lovely j this is my beloved,

anal

206 THE STATUTE-LAW

this is my friend, O daughters of Jerufalem."
There is nothing in him they would have out of
him, and nothing out ot him they would have in
him ; whereas every created enjoyment is lame,
and defective to a great degree ; the faireit role
has fome iharp prickles about it. Now, that foul
which has traverfed all createdjenjoyments diilatis-
fied, and co^ld never find contentment, is com-
pletely fatisfied in him. How, then, can it other-
wife be, than that he is dearer to it than all other
perfons and things whatever ? — Another reafon is,

5. Becaufe he is their greateft benefactor •, his
unparalleled benefits command their hearts to be all
his ; he has done for them what none other could
do. "When Lebanon was not fufficient to burn,
nor the cattle on a thoufand hills for a facriflce,
when rivers of oil were too {hallow, and the fruit
of their bodies for the fin of their fouls would
have been reje&ed, he redeemed them with his
own blood ; he left the bofom of his Father, and
came and poured out his foul unto death for them,
when they deferved to have died for ever. He is
doing for them what none can do, he is their Re-
fident at the court of heaven, taking up emergent
differences betwixt God and them, preparing a
place for them in his Father's houfe of many man-
fions. And he will do for them what none but
he himfelf can do \ he will at laft bring them to
his glory, and make them perfectly blefled in the
full enjoyment of their God and Saviour through
all eternity. — Another reafon is, ■

6. Becaufe they are fenfible, that whatever they
have in the world, they have it through and by
him. And fo they behold him as the fountain of
all their mercies. — Thus,

(1.) They have the enjoyment of their bleffings
through him. It is by him they enjoy father and

mother 3

OF DISCirLESHIP. 207

mother, wife and children, &c. ; not only by his
common providence, ab the wicked enjoy their mer-
cies, but by his blood, whereby the malefactor is
not only pardoned, but ailo is fet down with thefe,
and far better things, as the purchafe of Chrilt's
blood ; whereas, had not the Mediator intervened
betwixt then and the itroke of juitice, they had
been dripped of all their enjoyments in the world,
even life itfelf, and (hut up for ever in the prifon
of hell *.

(2.) They have the comfort of them through
him. Every creature is to us what the Lord makes
it to be, and it is no more ; no more it can be.
The creature in itfelf is a mere nothing ; what
drops of fweetnefs are to be found in it, are di-
ftilled into it from himfelf, the fountain of good-
nefs •, none good but one, that is, God. And
furely the Lord never puts any fweetnefs in the
creature to arreft our hearts upon it, but rather
that, finding the fweetnefs of the ftreams, we
might thereby be drawn up to the Fountain, where ;
fweet water is always fweeteit. Let God call in
his own from our enjoyments, our deareit rela-
tions {hall be utterly uncomfortable *, yea, our very
life a burden. If it be by him only, then, that
our enjoyments are defirable, furely himfelf is
much more fo. And feeing the Chriftian loves
thefe things for what of God is in them, and with
them, and can never be fatisfied with them with-
out Chriii, fure Chrift himfelf muft be deareit of
all. — Another reafon is,

7. Be

* The worthy author is doubtlefs here to be under-
ftood as referring to that comfort and benefit which is
enjoyed in fiich" relations ; for it is only in the nature
and extent of this kind of enjoyment, that a difference
arifes between the Christian and the fuiner, or that the
former, with propriety, can contemplate the enjoyment
of thefe relations as the fruit of Chntt's blood — Edit.

2^8 TFIE STATUTE-LAW

7. Becaufe, if it were not fo, Chrift would
have no church in the world. His ftandard would
fall, and there would be none to take it up. There
is* an old inveterate enmity in the wicked againft
godlinefs ; the devil's Bartizans are always the mofl
numerous. If imprisoning, banifhing, fpoiling of
goods, fields and fcaffblds reeking with the blood
of the faints, would have deterred all perfons from
following Chrift, there had been no church in the
world this day. But God will have a church in
fpite of devils and wicked men. The fpark {hall
be kept alive, though in the midft of an ocean, and
« his name fhall endure for ever," Pfal. lxxii. 1 7.
A new feed (hall ever be rifing to enlift themfelves
under Chrift' s banner. God will not remove the
rocks for them, but the way to heaven, to the
world's end, (hall lie through many tribulations ;
for he will animate his people to quit with all that
is deareft to them in a world, rather than quit his
way, and make them overcome through the word
of his teftimony, 'and not love their lives even un-
to death. — I come now,

IV. To make fome practical improvement.

1. In an ufe of information. — You may hence
fee,

( r.) That Chrift will admit no rival in the heart'.
One throne cannoc receive two kings, and one heart
cannot admit both Chrift and any worldly thing
fet up befide him ; it muft needs lie at his feet, or
all is wrong in that heart : Matth. vi. 24. " No
man can ferve two mafters. — Ye cannot ferve God
and mammon." Chrift and the world have long
ftruggled together, it is hard to tell which of
them many of us have been chiefly following ; but
when Chrift and the world parts, it will be known
which of them is our mafter. — Hence fee,

(2.) How

OF DISCIPLESHIP.

How far thofe perfbns are from bein^
ChriiVs difciples, to whom a loathfcme luft is
dearer by far than the Lord Chrift. Though it

tends to ruin their bodies, their fouls, and con-
sciences, they notwithstanding will not part with
it for Chrift. When Chrift commands thee to
do fome great thing for him, how wilt thou do
it ? Is it a right hand, a right eye ? Thou mud
cut it off, pluck it out ; for wait thou parting
with all but one thing, this one will eternally fepa-
rate betwixt Chrift and thee, if thou canlt not alfo
part with it for him. — Hence fee,

(3.) That men are not out of danger, even when
walking within the bounds of lawful things. It
is a certain obfervation, that lawful things are a
ditch, in which many fouls are drowned, Matth.
xxiv. 38. 39. A man in the ufe of lawful things,
is like one walking on the brink of a ;reep preci-
piece ; the ground is firm, but his head is ready to
become giddy, and he may fall over. It is hard
to rejoice in them, and not to overjoy ; to have
them, and yet to fit loofe to them. Be often feel-
ing the pulfe of thy affection to them, how it
beats, left it be fo violent as to feparate Chrift and
thee.

(4.) This fhews what is the root of apoftacy
and defection from the truths and ways of Chrift,
in a time of the church's trials and troubles. It
is the things of the world being dearer than Chrift,
Ills truth and ways, this is the firft fpring of it :
" Demas hath forfaken me, having loved the pre-
fent world." If Chrift be dearer to us than all
things elfe, we will follow him wherever he goes,
and never break with him, for the world's frowns.
— -I fhall only add,

2. An ufe of exhortation.

Let me now exhort all of you, efpecially thofe
Vol. II. S who

2 10 THE STATUTE-LAW

who have been communicants, to evidence your-
ielves the true difciples of Chrift by your compa-
rative hating of father and mother, &c. for Chrift
and his caufe in the world. Let your hearts be
loofed from, and do you fit loofe to, all that is dear
to you in the world, refolving in the Lord's ftrength,
and (hewing yourfelves ready to part with all for
Chrift, if he lhall call you to it. In order to in-
fluence your complying with the exhortation, I
would lay before you the following Motives.

Mot. i . This is necefiary to fit you for trials ;
that you may be able to ftand in the evil day, arm
your fouls with this difpofition. — For this purpofe,
confider,

(i.) That the path-way to heaven lies by the
crofs, and all who have a real defire for heaven
muft lay their account with fuffering : John,
xvi. 33. "In the world ye (hall have tribulation :
but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
A£h, xiv. 22. " We muft through much tribula-
tion enter into the kingdom." 2 Tim. iii. 12.
<c Yea, and all that will live godly in Chrift Jefus
fhall fuffer perfecution." Therefore he who does
not lay his account thus is a foolifh builder, Luke,
xiv. 25. and downwards. There is always a hot
noon-tide in the church's day, Song, i. 7. and it
may as certainly be expected as the noon. — Con-
fider,

(2.) That the things which concern us appear
to be making hafte. You have enjoyed the dif-
penfation of the facrament after Chrift's inftitu-
tion in peace, we have no great ground to pro-
mife another fuch feafon in a hafte. There has
been much fad work wrought upon th4e church in a
little time, and it is the temper of our enemies to
drive more violently than deliberately. We have
had long peace, and the air is ufually quiet and

clear

oy discipli:skip. 21 1

clear before an earthquake, and the winds are
laid before great rains fall. The gofpel has been
doing little good for many years-, and where people
are net bettered, they are made worfe by it. I be-
lieve there was never a generation more difpofed
to root out ferious godlinefs from the earth, than
that which this time affords. Among the fafhion-
able people of the age, religion is beeome almoft
quite out of falkion. Miniilers and profeiTors,
through long eafe, have gathered much mud, they
need to be emptied from vefTcl to vefTel. And it
feerns that judgement, as ordinary, mud begin at
the houfe of God, to purge it, and prepare the na-
tions for a more dreadful vengeance ; fo that it is
probable it will be brought to this ere long, — fuf-
fer cr fin. — Confider,

(3.) That it is not eafy to Hand in a time
of trial. Many w4il venture to fea in a fair day,
that will never abide a ftorm. Many tall cedars
have been blown up from the root by the wind of
uerfecution, and they who have flood faflefl, their
towering branches have been made to fweep the
ground. Be not over confident ; though you have
endured a florm already, there may be a harder
yet before you, Heb. x. 34. compared with chap,
xil. 4. There is need, then, to be preparing. —
Confider,

(4.) That this will fit you for it. When the
things of the wodd hang loofe about us, like Jo-
seph's mantle, and Satan, by the hands of wicked
men, feizes them, to draw us to him by them, they
will flip off, and we will leave them in their hand,
and fo eicape, as he did. They who are Handing
ready to encounter, will refill the enemy, while
they who are furprifed will fall into confufion. It
is a fad thing to feel trouble before we fee it, to
be .paft hope before we have any fear. Troubles
S 2 that

212 THS STATUTE-LAW

that find men fecure, ordinarily leave them defpe-
rate.

Mot. 2. Apofisiy and defection from God in a
trying time, is dreadful and dangerous : Heb. x.
38. " Now the juft mail live by faith ; but if any
man draw back, my foul mail have no pleafure in
him." God punifhes men of this defcription
oftentimes remarkably. How has a fpirit of de-
fection been followed in the fearful judgement of
God with a fpirit of perfecution ; for when God
departs, the fpirit is imbittered. As the fharpeil
vinegar is made of the molt generous wine, fo
apellate profeffors oftimes become the bitterell
perfecutors. Befides, their gifts often wither, and
dry up. It has alio often been feen, that they
have quickly loft their all diihonourably, who have
gone out of God's way to fave it, while they who
have walked honeiuy, have walked furely. Dread-
ful above exprefiion will their doom be, if they
get not grace to repent: Matth. x. 33. " Who-
foever i]iall deny me before men, him will I alfo
deny before my Father which is in heaven." But,
Heb. x. 32. " Call to remembrance the former
days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye en-
dured a great fight of arrlicHons."

3. The truths and ways of God are more worth
than the whole of what we have to lofe for them.
It is a general rule: Prcv. xxiii. 23. " Buy the :ruth,
and feli it not." The profane fpirits of fonie influ-
ence the'r flighting feme lefs truths of religion ;
and they imagine, after doing fo, that they are
fecure from fuffering, while the foundation points
remain untouched. If thefe men valued their bo-
dies as little as they do the truths of God, they
would, in like manner, allow you to cut and
mangle them as you pleafe, provided ye did not
(tab "them in the heart •, but they who value fun-

(ki mental

OF DISC1PLESIIIP. 213

o.imental truths, bccaufe of Chriit's (lamp upon
them, will not dare to give up with circumftan-
tial truths which they know, feeing they alfo bear
the fame impreiTion of divine authority : So that
it is a bold venture for a man, on any pretence,
to quit the word of Chriit's patience in a time of
trial, and to flep out of God's way ; for he leaves
his foul in pawn for it, which is of more worth
than all he has in a world ; and it is one to a
thoufand, if ever he has power to -come back, and
loofe it by repentance.

Mot. 4. Death is approaching, and then you
mull part with all you have in the world. Cleave
as fail as you will to thefe things, you mufl let go
your hold at length. The ferious confideration
of the fhortnefs of our time, the certainty of
death, and the uncertainty of the time of it,
would difcover to us, that the whole we can make
by turning afide from God's way in a time of
trial, is not worth our trouble, not worth the
going off our road for it ; for it may be, what is
refufed for Chrifl may quickly be taken from
you at death. I am fure we will never part fo
eafily with what we have, as when we (it loofe
to it. Ripe fruit falls off the tree with a (hake,
when the unripe mud be rent off. When the
heart is loofed from what we have in the world ,
it is eafy parting with it, by what it is when the
heart holds by it till it be forced from it. — No-
thing is ever parted with fo honourably, as when
it is parted with for Chrifl. No thanks to you
that you part with what you have, when God takes
it from you whether you will or not. It is ho-
nourable to forfake the world at ChrihVs call, for
Chriit's fake, before we be foriaken of the world.

Mot. 5. You will be no lofers at Chriit's hands.

If you quit with them now to Chrifl, he probably

S3 will

214 THE STATUTE-LAW

will let you keep them, and accept of your will
for the deeu. This was the cafe with Abraham,
when called to offer up Ifaac ; and with David,
when it was in his heart to build a houfe to the
Lord. Thus you will have them with his blef-
fmg and favour. If he take them from you, with-
out them you will get a throughbearing : PfaL
xxxvii. 3. « Truft in the Lord, and do good; fo
ihalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou (halt
be fed." A little ferved up to you from the pro-
rnife, and brought to your hand by a particular
providence, -will have a double fweetnefs in it.
That bread will not be loft which is thrown upon
thefe waters ; after many days you fhall find it :
Matth. xix. 29. u And every one that hath forfa-
ken houfes, or brethren, or niters, or mother, or
wife, or children, or lands, for my name's fake,
fhall receive an hundred-fold, and mail inherit
eternal life." Himfelf will be to you inftead of
all, and better than all here ; and heaven will fully
make up all hereafter.

If any fhall fay, « But, O ! I fear I fhall never
be able to carry through,' I would fay to fuch,
You know that the foundation of your through-
bearing is laid, if your heart be loofed from all
things befides Chriit, and if he be dearer to you
than what is deareft to you in a world : Pfal. xlv.
10. 11. " Hearken, O daughter, and confider,
and incline thine ear ; forget alfo thine own
people, and thy father's houfe. So mail the king
greatly defire thy beauty •, for he is thy Lord, and
worfhip thou him." When the king thus greatly
Jefires thy beauty, he will fee to preferve it :
John, x. 28. 29. « I give unto them eternal life,
and they fhall never perifh, neither fhall any man
pluck them out of my hand. My Father, who
^gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is

able

of Disciri.csnip. 2i£

able to pluck rhem out of my Father's hand."
You have taken him for all, and it lies upon his
honour to fee you carried through. Live by-
faith, and draw your daily fupplies from him:
Hab. ii. 4. " The juft fhall live by his faith."
Ifa. xl. 31. " They that wait upon the Lord mail
renew their ftrength ; they fhall mount up with
wings as eagles ; they fhall run, and not be
weary, and they fhall walk, and not faint."
Amen.

A RICH REWARD TO DILIGENCE IN
RELIGION *.

SERMON XXXV,

Hos. vi. 3 — Thenjhall we know, if we follow on tt>
know the Lord.

IT is an obfervation of Solomon's, Prov. xii.
27. " The flothful man roafteth not that which
he took in hunting." Men are at fome pains to
get fomething, but when they have got it, they let
it flip through their fingers. Hence our religion,
good frames, attainments, resolutions, &c. turn
to fmall account. We are at fome pains to ac-
quire fomething when attending divine ordi-
nances, but then we put it in a bag with holes.
Now, the text tells us how to remedy this lofs,
and to bring our religion to fome good account ;
and that is, when once our hand is in, to follow on
eagerly : " Then {hall we know, if we follow on
to know the Lord." — In thefe words, confider,

I» What is the fum and fubftance of all religion.
It is " the knowledge of the Lord," that is, the

practical

• Delivered at Tweedfmuir, April 17 12.

A RICH REWARD] &C. 2:7

practical knowledge of him, who can only be
truly known in Jeius Chrift. That thus the
knowledge of the Lord is here to be underftocd,
is evident, not only from the nature of the thing,
but from other fcriptures : John, xvii. 3. " And
this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the
only true God, and Jefus Chriit whom thou haft
ibir." See alfo Hof. vi. 6. Jer. xxii. 16. — Con-

fld.T,

2. The beginning of religion fuppofed. This
is fuppofed in the particle theti^ namely, when we
have turned to the Lord ; and likewife in follow-
ing on to know the Lord. — Confider,

3. The purfuit of religion, or the knowledge
of the Lord propofed. We mail follow on, if we
fhail not content ourfelves with the meafure at-
tained, but go on {till farther, improving the be-
ginnings. (Heb. purfue) t which is an eager fort
of following, as is the cafe when we follow a flee-
ing enemy. — Confider,

4. The benefit of this purfuit : " Then {hall we
know," we (hall thrive in our religion, get a larger
meafure of it, even of a practical experimental
knowledge of the Lord. We ihaii be ilill adding
a cubit to our fpiritual future. The more we
purfue, the more we will gain. — From this fub-
je£t, I pbferve the following.

Doctrine, That the way to thrive in religion is
to follow on, to purfue, to hold our hand to it,
when once our hand is in it.

It is evident, this is a clay in which there is little
thriving in religion. It is long fmce the genera-
tion began to weary of God, and profeffors to de-
cline ; yet fomctimes there is a blowing up of the
park, be^ alas ! it dies always out again. Some-
times

2l8 A RICH REWARD TO

times people look fo well when attending upon or-
dinances, we would altnofl think it was a pity
they fhould ever go from them •, but when they
are away, and the communion -frame has wore
off, they look fo ill, that one would think it was a
pity that ever they fhould come to them again.
We would fhew you how to prevent this ; and,
that things may apply the more clofely to your
consciences, I mail,

I. Shew who they are whom we may call to
follow on.

II. I (hall fhew what it is to follow on, or how
you mud hold your hand to religion, that you
may thrive in it, now that your hand is in it.

III. I (hall confirm the doctrine, and fhew you,
that it is the true way to thrive ; and the belief of
it would be a great fpur to diligence. Then,

IV. Conclude with the improvement of the fub-
jed.

We are then,

I. To {hew who they are' whom we may call to
follow on.

There are fome we cannot call to follow on,
becaufe they have not yet ftirred a foot in re-
ligion. There are fome who, for all that they
have heard and feen, are quite ftupid and uncon-
cerned, lying afleep in their chains ; they have no
good motions on their fpirits, and iccl no concern
for the want of them. Our text calls us to leave
you, but a word or two before we part.

i. What would you think, if you faw the
jhowers of heaven, after a great drought, fall all
around your land upon your neighbour's ground,
but not one drop on yours ? would you not think
you were the mark at which God avms his arrows ?

Now,

DILIGENCE IN* RFUGTON. 2 [9

1 , what c-in you think of yourfelves, when
God touches the hearts of othera about you, but
never touches yours ? when he goes by you, and
comes by you, fpeaks to thefe on your right hand
and on your left, but not a word to you ? Does
not that look very like what is in Hof. iv. 17.
" Ephraim is joined to his idols, let him alone."
To fee a tree in the winter without leaves, is no-
thing ; but in the fpring, when all is fiourifhing
about it, fuch a tree is fit for the axe, and is near
to the fire.

2. Do you think the world will always laft with
you ? will you always fleep in a found fkin ? Nay,
fooner or later you fhall get an awakening, in
mercy, or in wrath : Ifa. xxxii. 9. 10. " Rife up,
ye women that are at eafe j hear my voice, ye
carelefs daughters, give ear unto my fpeech.
Many days and years fhall ye be troubled, ye
carelefs women ; for the vintage fhall fail, the ga-
thering (hall not come." If you mould fleep it
out all your days, you mail at laft awaken, Luke,
xvi. God will one time or another take the filthy
garments of your fins, wrap them up in brimftone,
and fet them on fire about your ears.

But there are feveral forts of perfons, whofe
hands we may fay are now in their work j and
their bufinefs is to purfue. — Such as,

1. There may be fome whom the King has
brought into his chambers, and aiTured them of his
love, and they have got the covenant fealed, not
only with the public feal of the ficrament, but
the privy feal of the Spirit. Your bufinefs is to
follow on, and improve the precious frafon for
the church of God, and for yourfelves : Exod.
xxxiv. 8.9." And Mofes made hafte, and bowed
his head toward the earth, and worfhipped. And
he faid, If now I have found grace in thy fight, O

Lord*

220 A RICH REWARD TO

Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us."*
Follow on to know. There is more in that God,
that Chrift, that covenant mariifefled to you, than
you have yet feen. —There are,

2. Others that have got but fome glimmer-
ings of folid hope from the Lord. It may be that
they come here in a dark night of defertion, fay-
ins, « My hope is perifhed from the Lord," Lam.
iiifi8. But now the day begins to break, and
they have fome hope, that there may be yet room
for a backfiider. Follow on, his going forth fhall
be as the morning, which grows lighter and lighter
to the perfeft day.— There may be,

3. Some who, it may be, Chrift has treated, as
Tofhua did his captains, when he made them fet
their feet upon the necks of the captive kings,
Joih. x. 24. Some lull that has long kept them
under, they have now got fubdued, the bonds of
wickednefs are broken, and the gates of brafs pull-
ed down ; fo that now they are conquerors over
their fpiritual foes. To fuch we would fay, Be-
ftir yourfelves, and purfue. Wounded lulls, wnen
they get time to recover, have made fad work at
a fecond onfet •, you are not yet there, where the
gates fhall not be fhut at all by day. You are,
however, flrong for the prefent ; follow on, and
you will be vet ftronger : Zech. xii. 8. « In that
day (hall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Je-
rufalem ; and he that is feeble among you at that
day, fhall be as David ', and the houfe of David
fhall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before
them." There may be,

4. Some who have not come fo far forward
yet, though they are come the length to be heartily
content that they and their lulls were freely parted,
though they cannot tell how it will be accomplish-
ed. Follow on, purfue, vou have them at a fair

advantage.

DILIGENCE IS RELIGION'. 22 1

Advantage. The throne of fin in the heart is fiia-
ken. Lufts fit loofer than they did. Prefs hard
upon the tottering fabric, and it may come to fall
altogether ; fo that you may foon be ready to lay
with Ephraim, " What have I any more to do
with idols ?" Hof. xiv. 18. — There may be,

5. Some who have not come fo far, but yet
they have fome defires after Chrift and religion.
They have a hungering after him, and they are
more fqueamifh as to their lufts than they were ;
though they cannot as yet fee, if they forego the
world and their lufts, how their lofs will be made
up. Truly this is not much ; but every thing muft
have a beginning. Follow on ; that cloud, like a
man's hand, may come to darken the heavens at
length. The converfion of Zaccheus had as {len-
der a beginning, Luke, xix. 3. You have ieen,
you were touched, look on, take a better look of
the Plant of Renown, and ye may come to be af-
fected, allured, and captivated. — There maybe,

6. Some who have not come even fo far, but
theyJiave got fome convictions of fin; and though
they have no will to part with their lufts, yet,
they cannot fee how to live with them, and as
little can they fee how to live without ;hem.
Their confeience is awakened, but their heart is
juft where it was. It is a fmall length this in-
deed; but follow on. If the confeience has got
the firft touch, the heart may get the next. If
fin is become uneafy to the confeience, it may
become a burden to the heart next, and fo the
fweet morfel may be vomited up. — There may be,

Laft/y, Some who have not come fo far as to
have any particular conviction, or quick touches
of confeience, only they have a fort of uneafinefs
with refpect to the cafe of their fouls, a fecret dif-
fatisfa&ion with their (late and cafe, which they

Vol. II. T fee

222 A RICH REWARD TO

fee is not good. This is even as little as can rea-
sonably be concluded to be any beginning of good ;
yet follow on, purfue this, think more attentive-
ly upon it. If the dry bones be but beginning to
move, they at laft may come together, and live. —
We now proceed,

III. To fhew what it is to follow on, how you
muft hold your hand to religion, that ye may thrive
in it, now that your hand is in it. The word im-
ports a violence and eagernefs, fuch as men have
in purfuing an enemy, perfecuting the people of
God, or in hunting for prey. — Wherefore, when
following on,

i. You muft make religion your great end.
As every man who purfues has fomething in view,
fo your great defign muft be to know the Lord :
" Not/* fays Paul, " as though I had already at-
tained, either were already perfect *, but I follow
after, if that I may apprehend that for which alfo
I am apprehended of Chrift Jefus." There was a
profpecl: which mifgave at firft with Adam, be-
caufe Satan laid the meafures for it, Gen. iii. 5.
But you muft take it up again, as the Lord him-
felf will have you : Matth. v. 48. "Be ye there-
fore perfetl, even as your Father who is in heaven
is perfect." When once grace touches the heart,
it produces a certain reftleflhefs there, till the foul
be perfectly united with God. You will never
make any good of religion, till you make it your
grand object in the world. You muft not be
merely occaiional cuftomers to religion, of which
fee an inftance, Judges, xviii. 5. but dated and
conftant. — When following on,

2. You muft be perfuaded of the weight and
worth of religion -, for no wife man will purfue
what he thinks not worth the pains. What is

the

DILIGENCE IN RELIGION. 223

the reafon that the men of the world do not follow
on to know the Lord ? Why, truly the moil part
are of Pharaoh's opinion, that religion is only for
thofe who have no other thing to do. Hence it
may be, they have got fomething to do here for
the prefent ; but if they were at home, they have
another thing to do than to follow it out : Matth.
xxii. 5. " But they made light of it, and went
their ways, one to his farm, another to his mer-
chandife." The fhadow of the world is fubftance
with them, Hof. xii. i. 8 ; and the fubftance' of
religion is a fhadow ; but, O ! confider, " what is
a man profited, if he (hall gain the whole worldj
and lofe his own foul ? or what mall a man give
in exchange for his foul r" A wedge of gold
would make a fluggard run, and fhall not a weight
of glory make us follow on ? — When following
on,

3. You muft hold fad what you have ; the pur-
fuer will be very loth to go back a ftep : Rev.
iii. 3. " Remember, therefore, how thou haft re-
ceived and heard, and hold faft, and repent." Be-
ware that the fpark does not go out, for thus you
may quickly have a cold coal to blow at. Make
much of any good motion put into your heart.
Say not, it is not much you have to hold ; for the
lefs it is, it will die out the eafier, and there is
thus the more need to keep it in. It cannot be
fo little, but Satan will think it worth his pains
to rob you of it. The kingdom of heaven in the
foul has a fmall beginning, like a grain of muf-
tard-feed, and muft be cherifhed. — When follow*.
ing on,

4. You muft not ftand ftill, but be moving for-
ward, labouring for more, be it much or little
which you have : Phil. iii. 12. " Not as though I
hajl already attained, either were already perfedfc;

T 2 but

224 A RICH REWARD TO

but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that
for which alfo I am apprehended of Chrift Jefus."
A man who fits down on his attainments, will
quickly be empty-handed. The fire will go out,
if conftant fuel be not furnifhed to it. Good
beginnings will be loft, if they be not cherifhed.
Haft thou but one conviction ? follow on to get it
more deeply rooted. Be earned that it fpread
further into thy heart and life, that thou mayeft
bring forth fruits meet for repentance. — When
following on,

5. You muft habitually attend upon religion,
and make it your chief bufinefs : 1 TherT. v. 15,
" See that none render evil for evil unto any
man, but ever follow that which is good, both
among yourfelves, and to all men." Fits and
(tarts of religion cannot be reckoned a following
on, or holding our hands to it. You muft labour
to weave the whole life into one continued web of
religion : 1 Pet. i. 15. « As he which hath called
you is holy, fo be ye holy in all manner of conver-
sation." Whatever way you may turn, you fhould
ftill be pointing towards God. You muft not be
fober at home, and loofe abroad ; not a church-
faint, and a houfe-devil ; a pretender to piety,
and a renouncer of honefty. You muft fay to all
temptations which would take you off your way,
as Joab, in his purfuit, 2 Sam. xviii. 14. " I may
not tarry thus with thee." — When following on,

6. You muft be refolute and vigorous in your
endeavours : Ecclef. ix. 10. " Whatsoever thy
hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." Mere
endeavours will not reach heaven : Matth. xi. 12.
" The kingdom of heaven fuftereth violence, and
the violent take it by force." Our iron is blunt,
we muft therefore apply the more ftrength. Our
work is great, our ftrength fmall, our oppofition

powerful ;

DILIGENCE IN RELIGION. 22$

powerful ; but we mud do or die. The work of
religion will not profper with only good wifhes and
folded hands. No ; we mud exert our hands,
and fet down our feet : Prov. ii. 4. 5. " If thou
feekeft her as filver, and fearcheft for her as for
hidden treafures ; then fhalt thou underftand the
fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God."
— When following on,

7. You mull entertain a hope of fuccefs. No
man will purfue but in hopes to overtake. We
will have difficulties to grapple with in this pur-
fuit ; but let us " who are of the day be fober,
putting on the breaft-plate of faith and love, and
for an helmet the hope of falvation." When the
heart grows hopelefs, the hands will hang down,
and the knees be feeble : Heb. x. 35. " Caft not
away, therefore, your confidence, which hath
great recompence of reward." You muft learn to
hope againft hope. You have the pfomife in the
text to encourage you. What though many at-
tempts mifgive ? The tree falls not down at the
firft or fecond ftroke of the axe ; and the water,
by continued dropping, wears the ftones.-r— When
following on,

Lajlly y If you fall, . you muft get up again, and
quicken your pace ; and the fooner the better.
The longer you lie, you will find it the harder to
get up. If you find the impreflions on your fpi-
rit begin to decay, take them in time, and go to
God with them for a revival : Rev. iii. 2. " Be
watchful, and ftrengthen the things that remain,
that are ready to die."

From what has been obferved, we may learn,

that the world fhall never be able to ruin religion,

as long as there are fome remaining who will ho-

neftly follow after it. The hoflile defigns againft

T 3 religion

226 A RICH REWARD TO

religion are plainly expofed at this day, and its
enemies have begun to put them in execution.
There are contrivances on foot to debauch men's
confciences, and mifchief is framed into a law.
Such a toleration of fuperflition, errors, and blas-
phemies, is fet on foot, as is a fhame to a Chri-
ftian country, no point of Chriftianity being pro-
tected from the infults of vile men, but the doc-
trine of the Holy Trinity ; and withal, patronages
are reftored to make way for introducing the moil
naughty men into the miniftry, while the mod
conscientious will find more difficult accefs.
The difcipline of the church is left to be trodden
under foot of profane men. And what is all this,
but to ruin religion, and the covenanted work of
reformation ? But while our text remains, reli-
gion fhall never be ruined, if we will follow after
it. Let men and devils do their utmoft, it fhall
ftand, till its followers abandon and give up with
it. And therefore, if it be ruined, the ruin will
lie at our own doors, in not cleaving to it ; but
woe be to that man by whom the Son of man is
betrayed !

You may fee here how to turn the cannon on
the enemies of religion this day. It is very natu-
ral for zeal to grow by oppofition. Now, the
friends of religion in Scotland have been long at a
ftand, and its enemies have begun to drive the work
back. Should we now awake, and follow it more
vigoroufly, then fhould we know. We mould dif-
cern the flame to fpread more and more, we fhould
fee the Lord going forth as the morning, his work
profpering over the belly of oppofition, fuperfli-
tion and profanity gliding away as the darknefs
of the night at the morning-dawn. We fhould
perceive him as a giant refrefhed with wine, rifmg
to defend and carry on his own work.

Be

DILIGENCE IN RELIGION. 227

Be exhorted, therefore, to hold your hands to
religion now when your hand is in it. As ever
you would do a good deed to the church of God,
and to your own fouls, follow religion clofely in
your practice. It is obferved of fome of the build-
ers of the wall of Jerufalem, that they repaired
each over againft his own houfe, Neh. iii. 23.
28. 30. Make it your endeavour, that your own
exercife be right ; this will be fo much reforma-
tion. If you have got never fo little, hold your
hands to it, labour to get it ftrengthened this
night.

THE

THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED*.

SERMON XXXVI.

Hos. vi. 3. Then Jhall ye know, if ye follow on to
know the Lord*

HAving, in the former difcourfe, attended to
the two firft heads of the method we laid
down, we now proceed,

III. To confirm the doctrine, or fhew you, that
the way to follow religion is, to follow on, to pur-
fue, to hold your hands to it, when once your
hand is in it. — And the belief of this would be a
great fpur to diligence. If a perfon, digging with
great labour in the earth, was almoft ready to give
it over, but another comes to him, and perfuades
him, that if he will hold on, he would afluredly
find a treafure, he would unqueftionably renew
his refolution, and vigoroufly follow it out. This
I would perfuade you of, in regard to religion ;.
however fmall your beginnings or hopes may now

be,.

* Delivered, Monday, Sept. i. 17,1a..

A RICH REWARD, &C. 229

be, yet perfevere : " Be not weary in well-doing,
for in due time ye fhall reap, if ye faint not." —
To convince you as to this, confider,

i. You have God's word of promife for it :
Matth. xxv. 29. " For unto every one that hath
(hall be given, and he (hall have abundance.'' A
man hath no more in God's account, than what
he kseps and improves for God's glory and his
own falvation. Now, God does not fet down all
his children with equal flocks. There are fathers,
youths, and babes in Chrift. Some get more,
ibme lefs ; but there is a promife of more given
to them all, on their holding their hands to what
they have got. It is God's goodnefs to moft of
us, that we are held fhort by the head, and that
any thing we get, we know well how we come
by it. This is necefTary that our light hearts may
not grow vain, and that our carelefs fpirits may-
be aroufed the more. But a little thing, with a
promife, will be like the five loaves that multi-
plied in the diitribution. — Confider,

2. That it is the Lord's ordinary way in his
works, to bring great things by degrees out of
fmall beginnings. He could have made the world
in a moment, but he took fix days to it ; at firil
there was but the rude mafs, which day by day
was brought to perfection. See an inltance,
1 Kings, xviii. 43. and dowmwards. See how
another great work began, Efther, vi. 1. Botli
which places confult. So alfo in the text : "His
going forth is prepared as the morning." In his
works of grace, as in the works of nature, he ordi-
narily keeps that way of advancing by degrees. —
Confider,

3. That the works of grace in the foul ordi-
narily arife from very fmall beginnings. The
grain of muftard-feed, called the fmalleit of feeds,

is

230 A RICH REWARD TO

is ufed as an emblem of this, Matth. xiii. 31. 32.
It is a feed fpringing fo leifurely, that the fpringing
of it cannot fometimes be difcerned in the time,
Mark, i'v. 27. It fpringeth and groweth up, we
know not how. See how low the beginning
of good may be, which the Lord will cherilh, and
bring to perfection : Ifa. xlii. 3. " A bruifed reed
mall he not break, and the fmoking flax fhall he
not quench ; he fhall bring forth judgement unto
truth." — Confider,

4. The bountiful nature of God, who furely
will not always flee from thofe who follow him,
but will at length be found of them. If at any
time he feem to flee from them, it is that they
may follow him the more vigoroufly ; if he hold
meat from them a while, it is that their ap-
petite may be the more fharpened, Luke, xxiv.
28. 29. But refolute following on cannot mifs to
find him. See an eminent inftance of this in the
Syrophenician woman, who befought Jefus to cafl
the devil out of her daughter, and perfeveied till
ihe obtained her requeft, Mark, vii. 25. — 29.
For good being in its nature communicative of it-
(di y goodnefs itfelf cannot fail to be fo. The
fpoufe had experience of this, Song, iii. 1. — 4.
— Confider,

5. That no perfon gets a refufal from heaven,
but thofe who court it by their own indifference :
and indeed a faint way of feeking is to beg a de-
nial. God is more ready to give, than we are to
feek : Pfal. lxxxi. 10. " Open thy mouth wide,"
fays he, " and I will fill it." He loves importu-
nity, and cannot deny an importunate fuitor ; and
though fome fuch have flood long at his door,
there was never a fingle individual who fell down
dead at it ; their long waiting was always made
up by the greater incomes of favour which they

experienced

DILIGENCE IN RELIGION. 2^1

experienced, Matth. xv. 21. and downwards.
The richeft treafure is that which lies deeped. —
Confider,

6. That as importunity is ufually in all cafes
the way to come fpeed, fo it has fpecial advantages
in this cafe which promife fuccefs. The Lord
gives much to importunity : Luke, xi. 9. « And I
fay unto you, Alk, and it fhall be given you ; feek,
and ye (hall find ; knock, and it fhall be opened
unto you." The word in the eighth verfe ren-
dered importunity, is in the Greek Jbamelejfnefs .
Pinching need makes people fhamelefs. It is not
here as with men, that a fhamelefs feeker muft
get a fhamelefs refufal \ they who will not, can-
not take a denial, fhall not be troubled with it :
And when there is enough and to fpare to the
needy, this and their condition makes them fhame-
lefs \ both concur to make them importunate.

7. But further confider, that fuch followers the
Lord does not bid them go back ; and is not this
very encouraging ? If a beggar be following a
man for an alms, and he knows it, there is always
hope while he does not command him away.
Now, you will follow long ere the Lord bid you
go away ; but if there were no hope, you would
Toon get your anfwer. Thus the foolifh virgins
were foon anfwered with a " Verily I fay unto
you, I know you not," Matth. xxv. 12. — Confider
alio,

8. That the Lord commands you to follow on :
Luke, xi. 19. " And I fay unto you, Alk, and it
ihall be given you •, feek, and ye fhall find ; knock,
and it fhall be opened unto you." And is not
that encouraging ? I know unbelief will be ready
to fhape an anfwer to the foul, taking God's delay
for a denial, that the foul may follow no further :
Jer. ii. 25. « With-hold thy foot from being un-

fhod,

232 A RICE REWARD TO

fhod, and thy throat from third •, but thou fa id ft,
There is no hope ; no." It is, however, better to
hang on about God's door, than go back to fill our
belly with the hufks which fwine devour. He
Commands you to follow on, and he would not do
it, if there was no hope. — Confider farther,

9. That it is the Lord who has given you the
foot to follow him : James, i. 17. " Every good
gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and co-
meth down from the Father of lights, with whom
is no variablenefs, neither fhadow of turning." If
you have any defire after him, or the leaft good
motion, it is from himfelf •, and though he fhould
have no regard for you, he will regard his own
work in you, if you do not put it away from you.
God opens not his children's mouth to put an
empty fpoon in it ; but he who forms the defire
will fatisfy it. — Confider,

Laflly i That the very nature of the thing con-
firms it, that the more we apply ourfelves to the
bufinefs of religion, we fhall bring it to the better
account. It is true, we own that religion in the
principle of it is infufed into the heart •, but the
Chriftian having both to will and to do wrought
in him by God, muft work .out his own falvation
with fear and trembling, Phil. ii. 12. 13. Grace,
by its exercife, increases. Whatever good mo-
tions the Lord has put into the heart, it is like a
fpring ; the more opening which it gets, and the
more it runs, the more water comes into it ;
whereas, if it be (topped, the water turns away,
and feeks another opening.

IV. We are now to make fome practical im-
provement,

1. In an ufe of information.
Is it fo that the way to profper in religion is to

follow

DILIGENCE IN RELIGION. 2JJ

follow on to know the Lord ? Then we may
learn,

(i.) That thofe who have not yet begun to look
and feek after the Lord, they are neither profper-
ing in their fouls, nor are they in the wav to it.
Hearken, O ye ftupid fouls, whole hearts within you
are this day dead as (tones, moving ftill towards
the earth, but having no motion in them towards
God. Your cafe is Hid, and there is no appear-
ance yet of its growing better ; it is dark night
with you, and there is no appearance of the morn-
ing-light. Your hearts are {hut againft Chrift,
and there is no putting in of his hand at the hole
of the door ; you have not the fmalleft profpecl: of
happinefs. — We may fee,

(2.) That it is no wonder though backiliders
have lean fouls. How many are there this day,
who, comparing their own cafe with what it has
been formerly, may cry out, as in Ifa. xxiv. 16.
u But I faid, my leannefs, My leannefs, woe unto
me." They have loft the delight they fometimes
had in God ; there is now little or no communi-
cation between heaven and them. Whence does
this take place ? Why, they did not follow on,
when they were once fet fair off, but went back-
ward. When the wind was fair for ImmanueFs
land, they trifled away their time, and were bufy
here and there about other things ; and their fair
occasions were loft. — We may fee,

(3.) That they are in no prOfpering cafe, who
are at a ftand in religion. There is a generation
who think they have got as much grace as will
carry them to heaven, and therefore they are not
prefling forward. Paul had more than ever they
could pretend to, yet fays he, Phil. iii. 12. " Not
as though I had already attained, either were al-
ready perfed ; but I follow after, if that I may

Vol. II. U apprehend

2,34 A RICH REWARD TO

apprehend that for which alfo I am apprehended
of Chrift Jefus." Truly, if you continue thus, it
will be an evidence that you have no grace at all ;
for, Prov. iv. 18. " The path of the jult is as the
ihlning light, that fhineth more and more unto the
perfect day." •

(4.) You may fee how the fmalleft fpark which
you now have, may be brought to a great flame.
Do but follow on to know the Lord, and then you
fhall know, you (hall make progrcfs j and though
your ftock be but fmall, you may come to make
that blefled account of it, which is ill Luke, xix.
16. " Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds."
Hold your hands to what you have got here, when
you are gone from this place, and. you will find it
will grow in your hands ; it will increafe in the
lifing.— But here fome may propofe an

Objection : " I am a fearful backflider, who
have walled my ftock which fome time mcreafed
with me in that way, and can I think ever to re-
cover it again ? Anf. Return, O prodigal ! there
is yet room for thee in thy Father's houfe. The
proraife in the text concerns you, as well as others.
See alfo Hof. v. 15. and chapter vi. 1. and down-
wards, where there is great encouragement to re-
turning backfliders. Are you convinced of your
iolly ? are you touched at the heart with your
backfliding ? are your fouls moving for a return ?
as in Jer. xxxi. 18. "I have furely heard Ephraim
bemoaning himfelf thus, Thou haft chaftiied me,
and I was chaftifed, as a bullock unaccuftomed to
the yoke : turn thou me, and I (hall be turned ; for
thou art the Lord my God." Then it may yet be
as well with you as ever it was, Joel, ii. 23. — 27.

Laftly, "We may hence fee what is the ruin of
many communicants, and others who attend upon
.ordinances. It is not fo much that they get no-
thing

DILIGENCE IN RELIQ] )S r . 255

thing at them, as that they carry nothing away
with them •, or if they do, they do not hold their
hands to it when they are at home. You who
think that your work is over when the commu-
nion is over, you will make no good account of
what you have been doing. Would you not think
him a foolifh man, who would employ himfelf on
the meadow (harping his fcythe, and then lay it
by when he has got it iharped ? Wherefore
came you here, but to get a meal for your journey
heaven-ward ; and if fo, then go in the ftrength of
it, go from ftrength to ftrength unweariedly, till
you appear before God in Zion. — I come,

2. To an ufe of exportation.

I would exhort you all to follow on, to hold
your hands at religion, however fmail the begin-
nings of it may be w r ith you ; and to prevail with
you, I would lr.y before you the following Mo-
tives.

Mot. t. The way to profper in religion is, when
we- find the lead moving, to beftir ourfelves, and
hold our hands to it, as David, 2 Sam. v. 24. 25.
We would all take meafures for improving, our
bodies and eftates, why not alio for improving our
fouls ? I am fure, there are fad fymptoms of a
fpiritual confumption and decay on the generation
in which we live ; we have need to ufe the re-
medy for ourfelves againft it. Thefe fymptoms are

fuch as the following The ftomach for our

fpiritual food is gone ; ordinances are not prized ;
we look generally as if we had got a furfeit of the
gcfpel ; farms and merchandiie go much nearer
people's hearts than opportunities of communion
with God, for which they will be loth to lofe a
day's work •, an evidence this that we may have to
fait till we find our ftomach s again.' — ■ — Another
fymptom i*, that profeiTors have generally lofh
U 2 their

2 3 6 A RICH REWARD TO

their colour ; their former beauty is gone. That
heaven] inefs, fpirituality, and tendernefs, that fa-
vour of godlinefs which was fometimes about
them, is alio gone j and formality, worldly-
mindednefs, deadnefs, and lifeleflhefs, have come
in their room ; fo that we may well fay, < O our
bones are dried !' Any growth there is, is in
pride and felf-conceit \ like rickety children, a
large head, but a poor lean body. Indeed, not a
few are even turned the colour of the earth, that
their profane neighbours may fay, Behold, the
man is become like one of us. It is a day in
which God is drawing the veil from off many
faces ; and all this is drawing on to a na-
tional apoftafy from the Lord. The alarm is
founded already to carry back this church into
Egypt. Breaches are made to let in a deluge of
uiperftition, error, and profanenefs. The ruin of
this church, and the covenanted work of refor-
mation, is threatened. It is high time we were
beftfrting ourfelves to hold our hands to the truths
and ways of the Lord, handed down to us from
our fore-fathers, that we may tranfmit them alfo
to our pofterity, by a faithful adherence to them,
over the belly of all oppofition, whether from open
enemies or profefled friends ; and for that end, to
be following on after the Lord's work in our own
fouls.

Mot. 2. Follow on, hold your hands to religion,
however fmall a meafure of it you have ; for you
(hall know, if you follow on to know.

You fliall know that a going foot in religion is
always getting : Ifa. xlv. 19. " I faid not unto the
feed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain/' They who
are hanging on about the Lord's hand, will always
find fome oft- fallings. Though they do not foon
get the very thing they would be at, they will al-
ways

DILJ&ENCE IN TxELIGIOV. 2±~J

ways get fomething in the mean time, well worth
all the pains. If you he following on for com-
fort, this may be denied for a while, but you will
he ready to get a deeper conviction to prepare the
way for it; if, for deliverance from temptation,
you may, like Paul, get grace to wreftle again ft,
and to overcome it. — Again,

You fhall know that religion is a reward to Itfelf :
Pfal. xix. 1 1 . " In keeping of them, (thy command-
ments), there is great reward." There is a pleafure
in attending the very ports of Wifdom's door :
Pfal. lxxxiv. 10. " For a day in tfry courts is bet-
ter than a thoufand : I had rather be a door-keeper
in the houfe of my God, than to dwell in the
tents of wickednefs." There is a fweet peace in
the Lord's way; the ftri&eft ways of religion arc.
a pleafure : Prov. iii. 1 7. " Her ways are ways
of pleafantnefs, and all her paths are peace."
There is a great pleafure in feeing the bofom-idol
on the crofs, fin dying, and grace reviving in the
foul.

You (hall know, that the more ycu follow on,
. it (hall be the eafitr ; the more you walk in this
way, you will be the more expert : Ifa. xl. 310
" They that wait upon the, Lord fhall renew their
ftrength ; they fhall mount up with wings as
eagles ; they fhall run and not be weary, and they
mall walk and not faint." That which makes re-
ligion fo difficult to us, is our not holding at it, .
our taking it but by fits and ftarts. Is it not al-
ways the eafier to you to ieek the Lord, the oftener
you are at his throne ? But omit one occafior,,
you will find yourfelves the leh> fit for the work.

You fhalL know, that fome difficulties in reli-
gion, which are like mountains afar off, fhall turn
to mole -hills, when you refolutely come up to*,
them. God will make iron gates open of their
U j own

*jB A RICH REWARD TO

own accord to his people who are refohite to be
through. Unbelief a»d carnality make difficulties
where there are none. " A lion," fays the flug-
gard, " is in the way." They make real difficul-
ties greater : Exod. xiv. 15. 16., " And the Lord
faid unto Mofes, Wherefore criefe thou unto me ?
Speak unto the children of Ifrael, that they go
forward. But lift thou up thy rod, and flretch
out thine hand over the fea, and divide it ; and
the children of Ifrael fhail go on dry land through
the midft of the fea." See David's experience,
Pfal. xviii. throughout.

You (hall know that his goings forth are pre-
pared as the morning. The manifeflations of
himfelf are certain. As the morning will certain-
ly follow the darken; night, fo the darkeft time
which a follower of the Lord has, will certainly
sfiue in a morning-light of refrefhment at length.
Thefe manifeflations are alfo gradual. There is
always more and more of God to be known, to be
given out, according to the foul's diligent waiting
and following on.

Mot. 3. You will be great lofers if you do not
follow on ; you will lofe what you have got. The
facred fire in your hearts will go out, if you do
not cherifh it, and if this fhould take place, you
will be a ftep farther from heaven than you were.
Nay, if you lofe it, who knows if ever you will
recover it again ; if ever the wind will blow as
fair for you to Immanuel's land, remember that
which is in Luke, xiv. 24- " For I fay unto you,
that none of thofe men which were bidden fhall
tafte of my fupper." And if it fhould recover it,
you will have to begin again,, and it is a fad mat-
ter for people always to be but beginning ; ever
learning, and never coming to the knowledge of
the truth, becaufe they forget as fait as they

karn.

£>ILIGEVCE IN RELIGION. 239

learn. You will lofe alio all the pains you have
been at to get what you have : Profv. xii. 27.
" The flothful man roafteth not that which he took
in hunting : but the iubftance of a diligent man is
precious." What a fad matter is it to bu at pains
for fomething, and then when it is got, juft to let
it flip through our fingers ! We have work enough
betides. There is no propriety in always doing
and undoing again. In a word, you will lofe
your fouls, if you do not follow on to know the
Lord : Luke, ix. 62. u And Jefus faid unto him,
No man, having put his hand to the plough, and
looking back, is fit for the kingdom of heaven."
Heb. x. 38. " Now, the juft fhall live by faith j
but if any man draw back, my foul fhall have no
pleafure in him." And it will be a bitter ingre-
dient of hell in your heart, that fometime you
was not far from the kingdom of God, and yet
milled it. — To this may be propofed thefe Obj c-

TIONS.

1. I have met with fo many difappointments,
how can I follow on further ? Anf. You are not
the firft who have met with difappointments, Job,
xxiii. Song, iii. And yet fuch have found him
at length. Difappointments are ufeful to the
people of God ; they fharpen their appetite ; they
are neceffary to give us honourable thoughts of,
and to learn us to ftoop to divine fovereignty, for
our time is always ready, while his time may be
not yet come. They make the enjoyment more
fweet, when we are favoured with it. And there-
fore follow on, and wait the Lord's time.

2. My cafe grows worfe and worfe. Anf. What
then ? his goings forth fhall be as the morning,
and the darkeft hour is ufually before day-break.

I fhall, in conclufion, offer the following Di-
rections,

z. Look

2J f O A RICH REWARD, &C

i. Look to God through Jefus Chriil:, from

whence muff, come all your ftrength. Let your

refolutions be taken up under a fenfe of weaknefs,

.and a perfuafion cf the fupply to be had from the

Lord himfelf.

2. Be much in prayer and meditation. Thefe
are fuited to keep the impreflions of God frefh
upon your fouls.

3. Make confeience of felf-examination, that
yc may the better know how it is with you, whe-
ther you be going backward or forward.

4. Beware of looking back, much more turning
back, to your old fin, efpecially the fin which has
been the great make-bate betwixt God and your
foul. Keep fpecial watch againft it.

5. Beware of evil company, and follow only
fuch as are following the Lord.

6. Live above the world while ye live in it.
It will not be poflible to follow on, if we come
not to an holy indifference about the world.

Laftly, Keep the prize in your eye, and remem-
ber how fliort a time it will be before you arrive
at your journey's end. This confideration will ani-
mate you to follow vigoroully, becaufe the time
will not laft, and the work muft be done. It will
difpofe you to recollect, that ere long you will be
at the end of every difficulty, that the days
of your forrow and mourning (hall be ended.
Amen.

THE

THE A.CCFPTABLE MANNER OF DRAWING
NEAR TO GOD *.

SERMON XXXIV.

Heb, x. 22. — Let us draw near with a true heart,
in the full affurance of faith, having our hearts
fpriukled from an evil conscience, and our bodies
wafhed with pure water.

1HAVE been, in our laft difcourfes, urging and
directing you to evidences for heaven ; and
we are fhortly to celebrate that ordinance which
is a fpecial evidence of the Lord's love to his
people, and appointed to evidence it to them.
That it may be fo in effect to us, let us hearken
to the advice in the text ; which is an improve-
ment of the doclrine as to the great privileges of
Chriftians. They have freedom of accefs to God
through Chrift. They have Chrifl as an High-
Priefl fet over the houfe of God ; therefore, let
us draw near, &c. — Here we have,

i. An exhortation and excitement to a duty cor-
refponding to the privileges which are through Je-
fus CJinft : Let us draw near, that is, to God.

Though
* Delivered May 1715.

242 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

Though he is great, and infinitely glorious, dwells
in the higheft heavens ; yet, feeing he is upon a
throne of grace, let us not (land at a diftance from
him, but draw near to him in the whole of our
converfation, and particularly in acls of worfhip
waiting on him. Let us do it, the weak together
with the ftrong •, let us prefs in at the door of
grace together. — We have,

2. The right way of managing this duty for
God's honour and our own comfort. This is laid
down in four particulars.

(i.) We mould draw near to God with a true
heart, that is, a fincere heart ; with the heart, and
not with the lips only ; not with a falfe hypocri-
tical heart, but a heart true to God, true to our
own real intereft.— We are to draw near,

(2.) hi full affurance cf faith. Let us come
beiievingly, come in faith, leaning upon his Son,
trufling in his blood. Let us not come doubt-
ingly, doubting whether we will be welcome or
not, whether there be accefs for us or not ; but
with full afluranee, like a (hip that is carried to-
wards the port with full fail before the wind. —
We are to draw near,

(3.) Having pur hearts fprinkled from an evil
confcience. An evil confcience is a guilty, accu-
fing, and condemning confcience. This vexes, dif-
quiets, and torments the heart. Guilt is the mo-
ther and nurfe of fears. The filing of guilt in the
confcience is like a thorn in a man's foot ; when
he is called to meet a friend, alas ! he cannot go,
he dare not ftt a foot to the ground, or every Itep
goes to His heart. The way to cure this is, by
fprinkiing with the blood of fprinkling, that is, by
faith applying the blood of Chrift for remiffion
of fin. 1 his makes the foul meet to draw near to
God, and that with full afluranee, even as the un-
clean

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 243

clean under the law were cleanfed by the fprink-
ling of blood. — We are to draw near,

(4.) Having our bodies nvajhed with pure water ;
that is, our outward man alfo purged •, that fo,
having clean hands, and a pure heart, we may
afcend to the hill of God, and (land in his holy
place, Tlal. xxiv. A blamelefs outward conver-
sation. Sin fo curbed and borne down within,
that it do not fcandaloufly break out into the life ;
and this mufl be done with the pure water of the
Spirit of fanelification, not with the muddy water
of Chriitlefs endeavours, as in painted hypocrites.
— From this fubjecT:, I would take the following

Doctrine, That Chriftians may, and ought to
draw near to God.

Let us draw near. This is the voice of the
gofpel founding in the ears of the vifible church
through our Lord Jefus Chrift ; and it is found-
ing in our ears more particularly this day, while
he gives us the hope of his coming fo near us in
the iacrament of the fupper next Lord's day.

In this difcourfe, I ihall attend mostly to the
following things.

I. Shew what is implied in this, Let us drain
year.

II. Shew that we may draw near.

III. Shew that we ought to draw noar.

IV. Add the practical improvement of the fub-
je£L— We are then,

I. To {hew what is implied in this, Let us draw
near. There are two things in it.

1. Sin has fet us at a diftance from God : Ifa.
lix. 2. " But your iniquities have feparated be-
tween you and vour God, and vour fins have hid

his

244 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

his face from you, that he will not hear." Si*
indeed could not remove us out of the place where
God is, for he is every where ; but it has fet us
out of his favour, out of his friendfhip, and that
is a fad outcaft. In Adam, while he flood, we
lived in the land of light, the light of God's coun-
tenance ; but he finned, and was baniflied from
the prefence of the Lord, after he had run away
from him with us in his loins ; and fo we come
into the world eftranged from God : Ffal. Iviii. 3.
" The wicked are eftranged from the womb ; they
go aftray as foon as they be born, fpeaking lies."

2. Sinners ftand at a diftance from God, till
they be called, and that powerfully : John, vi. 44.
" No man can come unto me, except the Father,
who hath fent me, draw him." They keep their
ground where their firft father left them. The
breach began on our fide, we left our father's
houfe, and ran away from it without all juft ground,
but we never come back again till worthlefs we
be fent for and fetched ; like the Levite's con-
cubine, Jude, xix. 2. 3. — And here lies the cafe :
Infenfible finners will not : John, v. 40. " And
ye will not come unto me, that ye might have
life." They are away, and they will not come
back. They have no eye upon the privileges of
them that are near ; they can do well enough
without it. They love the devil's common, where
they can ramble up and down at their own liber-
ty, better than God's inclofure, where they think
a man cannot get elbow-room. Hence they are
running away farther and farther from him, till,
I believe, not a few are fo far from him, that they
hardly ever hear from him ; nor is there one left
with them to difturb them in their wandering.

Senfible finners dare not: Luke, v. 8. " When
Simon Peter faw it, he fell down at Jefus' feet,

faying,

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 245

faying, Depart from me, for I am a finful man,
O hot&P They fee his glory and his feat, they
admire the happinefs of thole that (land before
him, as the queen of Sheba did the attendants
of Solomon, 1 Kings, x. 8. But the y date not
draw near, but ftand afar off, under a deep ienfe ot*
unworthinefs. Like the Publican, they cannot
lift up their eyes to heaven, but fmite upon theit
breafts, faying, God be merciful to us fmners,
Luke,xviii. 13. They cannot conceive how fuch vile
malefactors can face the Judge, how fuch prodi-
gals can fet their foot again in their Father's houfe,
how fuch filthy, loathfome, beggarly creatures,
can prefume to come forward to the throne. If
at any time they break forward, it is like offering
violence to themfelves. They take their life in
their hand, and, like Either, go in to the king,
chap. iv. 16. And then the legs of their confi-
dence tremble, the hands of faith fhake, and they
are ready to (tart back : But let us draw near. —
This brings us,

II. To (hew, that we may draw near to God.
Glad news this to poor fenfible finners ! Come
in, ye bleffed of the Lord ; why do you ftand back ?
you may draw near to God. — For,

1. God is on a throne of grace in Jefus Chriit :
2 Cor. v. 19. " To wit, that God was in Chrift
reconciling the world unto himfelf, not imputing
their trefpafles unto them, and 'hath committed
unto us the word of reconciliation." God has in
Chrift laid afide his red garments, being to purfue
the war no longer againft thole that come to him
through Chrift. He wears the white garment of
peace, and breathes nothing from hence, but
peace, love, and good- will. To look on an abfo-
lute God out of Chriit, is enough to make a devil

Vol. II. X tremble.

24<5 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

tremble. You are not called to draw near to him
as fuch. Indeed ibme prefumptuous finners will,
like beafts, touch the mountain ; but darts of
wrath will ftrike through their consciences, and
drive them back at length. But you are to draw
near to God, as on his throne of grace, in Chrift.

2. There is a way to the throne never trode,
nor defigned to be trode, by any but finners fuch
as you, and the like of you. This is no back-
entry, but the mod glorious way to the throne.
Adam had a way to it, but that is blocked up ;
there is a new and living way ccnfecrated for us,
Heb. x. 20. And may we not draw near by it ?
It lies through the vail of Chrift's flelh, and leads
into the holieft, the feat of God ! It is a way pa-
ved with glory to God, peace on earth, and good-
will to men. It will vail all your weaknefles, wants,
and blemifhes •, yea, it vails the fiery law, wraps
it up out of fight ; it vails the fword of juftice.
The fmiles of a reconciled God fhine through it,
to revive and refrefh the hearts of the guilty.

3. He is a friend of ours who is fet over the
houfe of God: Heb. x. 21. "And having an
JHigh-Prieft over the houfe of God," that is, Jefus
thrift. He was taken out from among us, being
« bone of our bone, and flefh of our flefh." Pfal.
Ixxxix. 19. " Thou fpakeft in vifion to thy Holy
One, and faidft, I have laid help upon one that
is mighty, I have exalted one chofen out of the
people." He is for us, in things pertaining to
God, to employ his power and intereft for us in
the court of heaven. He bears the keys of the
houfe, and admits whom he will, gives them what
he will, brings as far forward as he will : John, v.
22. " For the Father judgeth no man, but hath
committed all judgement to the Son." And lie is
a Prieft, a High-Prieft, who will take all our fer-

vices,

DRAWING NEAR TO GuD. 247

vices, wafh away all their pollution, and offer
them for us with the much incenfe of his merits
terceflion. — We now proceed,

III. To fhew, that we ought to <?raw near :
Lei us draw near. — For,

1. It is the command of God : James, iv. 8.
" Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to
you." God commands run-aways to return, and
draw near to him. He commands returning
fin .ers to come forward, and come near him.
He gives them no thanks for (landing afar off.
Though he can bear with them long, yet he is
not pleafed when a fenfe of fin makes poor fenfible
finners (land off from him as affrighted at him.
His fatherly bowels yearn toward them : Luke,
xv. 20. " And he arofe, and came to his fa-
ther ; but when he was yet a great way off, his
father faw him, and had companion, and ran and
fell on his neck, and kiffed him."

2. If we do not draw near to God, we difho-
nour his Son, and fo difhonour himfelf, in fo far
as we fruftrate the great defign of the myftery of
Chrift : John, v. 23. " That all men fhould honour
the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that
honoureth not the Son, honoureth net the Father
which fent him." Eph. ii. 13. 14. " But now in
Chrift Jefus, ye who fometimes were afar off, are
made nigh by the blood of Chrift. For he is our
peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken
down the middle- wall of partition between us."
So far as we ftand afar off from God, we difho-
nour the friendihip of God, the blood of the Son
of God in its efficacy and virtue, while we dare
not truft ourfelves in the new and living way,
and under the covert of the Redeemers blood.—
We now proceed,

X 2 IV.

24$ THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

IV. To a practical improvement of the fubjecl:,
in an ufe of exhortation.

Let us, then, draw near to God. Return, fin-
ners, and come back to God, ye whojiave gone a-
way from him ; and having come back, come for-
ward to him in Chrift, come forward even to his
feat ; the nearer you come the better, and always
the nearer the more welcome.

i. Come back, finners, draw near towards
God and duty. What have you gained by going
from him ? Satan, the world, and lufts, made you
fair promifes to get you away from God. But
what have you made of your rambling, wander-
ing life through the mountains of vanity ? You
have got a reltleflhefs in your hearts, a blindnefs
in your minds, a deadnefs in your affections to
what is good. You have get yourlufts ftrengtfrened,
and a conference full of guilt and itings, when you
ferioully reflect. Our Lord is ready to take run-
aways home again : Jer. iii. I. " Return again to
me, faith the Lord." Ver. 22. H Return, ye back-
iliding children, and I will heal your backflidings.
Behold, we come unto me, for thou art the Lord
our God." He is again calling open the doors of
his houfe to receive backfliders -, nay, his arms of
love and mercy are ready to receive you. Come
back, then, uniting on your bread, as grieved for
that backfliding heart of yours ; fmiting on your
thigh, as grieved at thofe wandering feet of yours,
which have not continued in the paths of rightecui-
nefs.

2. Not only draw towards God, but come for-
ward, and draw near to him as a God in Chrift.
You may get near him ere you come to heaven ; in
his ordinances in the lower houfe, there you may
have accefs to him. Particularly, let us draw
near him,

In

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 249

In prayer : Heb. iv. 16. " Let us therefore come
boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain
mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
This lhould be a praying time with us, a time of
wreitling for the blefling. It may be you have not
neglected the form of prayer •, but though God
was near you in your mouth, yet perhaps he was far
from your reins. But pray now, and draw near
in prayer, prefs forward even unto his feat, with
the arms of faith and love. Many have got very-
near him in that exercife ; they have broke the
fhell on which many gnaw all their days, while they
are never the better, and they have got into the
kernel ; like Jacob, they have fucceeded : " He
had power over the angel, and prevailed ; he wept,
and made fupplication unto him \ he found him hi
Bethel, and there he fpake with us."

Draw near in the holy facrament of the fupper.
God is again coming to us in that ordinance j an
ordinance appointed for the mod fpecial nearnels
out of heaven : 1 Cor. x. 16. " The cup of bleffing
which we blefs, is it not the communion of the
blood of Chriit ? the bread which we break, is it
not the communion of the body of Chrifb ?" Here
we may facramentally touch his precious body and
blood, and feed upon it. Oh ! let us be lure to
meet him there ; he will not break the appoint-
ment. Let us draw near, draw by the vail with
the hand of faith \ whatever be betwixt him and
us, let us clofely unite with God in his Son, and
come even to his feat, come forward, for we will
be welcome. But if we abide in the outward
court, contenting ourfelves with the bare ele-
ments, better we lit not down at this table. — Let
\is draw near in thefe ordinances,

1. As rebels accepting the King's peace, in-
X 3 demnity

%$0 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

demnity in the blood of his Son ; draw near, and
welcome : Ifa. xxvii. 5. " Let him take hold of
my ftrength, that he may make peace with me ;
and he fhall make peace with me.'' He holds
forth the golden fceptre to thee, though thou de-
fervedft the iron rod. Start not back by unbelief.
If it be too much for thee to expe£t when thou
looked to thyfelf, it is not too much for him to
give ; for he is infinite in goodnefs, and the blood
of Chrift purchafed it for the undeferving ; and
the price of blood will not be kept back. Then,
let us draw yet nearer,

2. As petitioners to the King. "While God fits
on the throne of his grace, he fays to all who have
accepted his peace, as Ahafuerus did to Either,
" What is thy petition, and it fhall be granted
thee :" Let us not, then, flight the feafon of pe-
titioning. Be fenfible of your foul-wants ; labour
to get defires of fupply wrought in your-hearts by
the Spirit of Chrift. And draw near with your
petitions as particular as you can make them.
Come, and welcome ; though there be blots in
them, they will be accepted out of the Mediator's
hand. Nay more,

3. Draw near as fervants of the houfe, to ferve
our Lord, to wait upon him, and behold his glory:
Pfal. cxvi. 16. " O Lord, truly I am thy fervant ;
I am thy fervant, and the fon of thine handmaid :
thou haft loofed my bonds," Rev. xxii. 3. " And
his fervants fhall ferve him. And they fhall fee
his face, and his name {hall be in their foreheads."
Though our ragged garments are very unlike our
Matter's honour, yet he allows us a livery in which
to appear, of which we need not be afhamed,
and which will cover all our filthy rags. He gives
us white raiment, that we may be clothed, that
the fhame of our nakednefs do not appear, Rev.

iii-

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 25 I

iii. 18. Lay thi •; over thy foul, wrap thyfelf in
it, ci^me thus forward, and welcome. — Draw near,

4. As friends; friends of God, to have fellowihip
with him, who may freely converfe with him ; to
unbofom ourfelves to him, and to be let into the fe-
rrets of the covenant : John, xv. 15." Henceforth,"
fays he, " I call you not fervants, for the fervant
knoweth not what his Lord doth ; but I have called
you friends, for all things that I have heard of my
Father I have made known unto you." He treats
you as fuch, fetting you down at his table ; and the
lefs referved you are, and the more you improve
the privileges through Chrift, the more welcome
you are. Does he approve the kneelers at the fa-
crament, when he has ordered them to fit ? as little
will he approve the Chriftian's carrying froward-
like, and Handing a^ar off from him at that table
which he has covered for his friends. Nay, draw
near,

5. As children to a Father in Chrift, to receive
the portion of children. Is not the foul which hath
clofed with Chrift a fon by adoption ? " To as
many as received him, to them he gave power to
become the fons of God, even to them that be-
lieve on his name." A child of the houfe by
marriage with the King's fon. Is not the chil-
dren's bread given them at the table ? Believe,
then, and fay to God in Chrift, " Abba, Father." If
he did not love the compellation from thofe that
are his, his Spirit would not put it into their
mouths, Rom. viii. 15. — Draw near,

LaJI/y, As a fpoufe to an Hufband, for our
Maker is our Hufband. Let us embrace him in
the arms of faith, give the love of the heart to
him a full vent : Song, viii. 6. " Set me as a feal
upon thine heart, as a feal upon thine arm j for
love is ftrong as death •, jealoufy is cruel as the
grave ; the coals thereof are coals of fire, which

hath

2£2 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

hath a moft vehement flame." Rejoice in him,
delight in him, and blefs ourfelves in our choice
of him. The facrament of the fupper is appointed
for that very end, that we may unite more ciofely
with him, have more intimate fellowfhip with our
Lord, and may joy in the bleiTed Hufband, while
at the feail of efpoufals. Think not ftrange of
drawing near at this rate j for, if ever we come to
heaven to be happy, we will be nearer than all
this, nearer God than we can now conceive. The
blood of God will be clofe cement betwixt God
and his own creatures ; and this is the only way
of our nearnefs.

But how muft the bufinefs of our drawing near
to God be managed ? The apoftle here lays down
four directions.

(1.) Draw near to God fmcerely. Hypocrify
is a difeafe in the vitals of religion ; it pretends
one thing, and intends another. The tongue and
external behaviour in gcfpel -ordinances are no
true interpreters of the hypocrite's mind. Beware
of this : Matth. xv. 8. " This people draweth
nigh unto me with their mouth, and honouretrr
me with their lips \ but their heart is far from
me." If you be to take Chrift, let thofe go away.
If you join hands with him in this ordinance, join
heart with him alfo. Seek out your fins impar-
tially, and fee if you be willing to part with them
without exception : Pfal. lxvi. 1 8. " If I regard
iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."
Confider and deliberate on the coll: of the cove-
nant, and fee if there be nothing at which your
heart ftands. Confider if you be for Chrift and
his falvation, for -his fan&ifying Spirit, as well as
his juftifying blood. If it be thus, you may war-
rantably come forward, even to his feat ; but if
otherwife, you will never get near to him.

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 253

(2.) Draw near in the /;/// affurance of faith.
Faith's fpecial object is the blood of Clin ft. Come
leaning and depending on the merit and efficacy
ci this blood. Would you be wafted over to the
y re fence of God, come fwimming through that
river which makes glad the city of our God.
Caft all your weight upon it. It bears the weight
of the Father's glory, and will bear the weight of
your faivation. If your affurance of welcome de-
pends on any thing in yourfelves, God will caft the
door of accefs in your face, as prefumptuous in-
fcnfible creatures. Labour to get your fouls
wrought up to a full affurance of faith, not doubt-
ing of your welcome to, and acceptance with him
through Chrift. Fix on the promife, he is faith-
ful who made it. Though a trembling hand may
reach a pardon, and God will not quench a fmo-
king flax, yet it is more to the honour of God, the
honour of the precicus blood of Chrift, and mere
to the fanctification, as well as comfort of the
foul, confidently, without hefitation, to lay held
upon the promife, and apply it, with all that is in
it : Matth. xxi. 22. " All tilings whatfoever ye
lhall aik: in prayer, believing, ye {hall receive."

(3.) Get your hearts before-hand fprinkled from
an evil confeience. Are you to come to his table ?
pray that ail controverfies be done away between
you and him. If you are to appear before the
Lord, go, dip, waft, bathe in the fountain opened
for fin and for uncleannefs, Zech. xiii. i. that you
may be clean. Take a back-look of your ways,
and be not fuperficial in it, left fome unrtmoved
guilt ftare you in the face when you are coming
forward, and drive jou back. Do not think your
repentance, reformation, vows, tears, (though of
"blood), will purge the confeience : Only ChrilVs
blood will do it ; for this only c<»n fatisfy the de-
mands

254 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER, &C.

mands of juftice and of the law. Now, lay the
weight of your remiffion on this blood, apply it
to yourfelves by faith, and this will purge your
conscience. This fea of Chrift's blood ftands be-
tween us and the throne for that efFe£t, Rev. iv 6..
Lajlly-) Let your outward converfation be blame-
lefs, free from fcandalous fins : " Pfal. xxiv. 4»
" He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart, who
hath not lifted up his foul unto vanity, nor fworn
deceitfully," is the perfon who fhall afcend into
the hill of God. Wafh your hands in innocence,
if you would encompafs God's altar. Repent,
and mourn over the fins of the outward man, and
apply to the fame blood for pardon. Forfakc. and
give up with thofe fins, whether againfl: the firft or
fecond table •, refolve, and endeavour fincerely to
perform. Amen.

'J HE

THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED*.

SERMON XXXV.

Heb. x. 22. — Let us draw near with a true heart 9
in full affiirance of faith) having our hearts fprinkled
from an evil confcience y and our bodies wajhed with
pure water.

IT will afford a beam of furprifing and heart- re-
viving light upon this text, to fenfible finners,
if we compare it with that in Gen. iii. 22. — 24.
Behold in thefe verfes the fruits of the firft
Adam's finning. Adam finned, and we in his
loins, as well as himfelf, were driven out from
the prefence of the Lord. Chrift fuffered, and
we are drawn in again, and farther in than ever
Adam was. Hear the fentence from Heaven call-
ing us out : " Behold the man !" fee what he
has brought himfelf to, " he is become as one of
us, to know good and evil." A holy taunt ! " And
now, left he put forth his hand, and take alio of
the tree of life, and eat and live for ever." There
is a deficiency in this fpeech, which is eafily fup-

plied

* Delivered immediately before the difpenfation of
the faciaiLcnt.

256 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OE

plied from what follows : " Let us drive him out,"
But hear the voice from heaven calling in again
the wretched outcafts. The apoftle here, as one
of the outcafts, manages the voice in effecl: thus,
* Behold God, the ftcond Perfon ! he is become
as one of us, has taken upon him our nature, to
know by his own feeling in fome fort, the good
we loll, the evil in which we are involved •, and
now, let us draw near, let us come back, come in,
come forward, nay, come near ; let us net only
put forth, but freely ftretch forth our hand, grafp,
and take of the tree of life ; eat freely, abundant-
ly, and live for ever.'

O that the reverfe may be carried yet farther !
God fent forth the man, bade him go, but he
would not : " So God drove him out." Now, God
bids us draw near, but we will not come. May
the Lord put forth his hand, and draw us in.

But here an inquiry occurs, How near may fin-
ners come to Jefus Chrift ?

1. They may come into the houfe of God,
ver. 21. " Having an High-Prieft over the houfe
of God." When Adam finned, he was driven out
of the houfe, as a divorced woman. The firft cove-
nant was broken •, but now, that the new,cove-
nant is made, the divorced finner, who is new-
married to his Maker in Chrift, may come in
again to the houfe. They may come to the lower
houfe in ordinances ; it is their own houfe ; by
that title, they may fit down at the table as in then-
own houfe: Ifa. lvii. 13. " He that putteth his
truft in me {hall poffefs the land, and fhall inherit
my holy mountain." They may come to the
higher houfe, even heaven, this is the houfe in the
context. They will come there at death, but the
text ^ims at a coming to it before death ; and
therefore, this drawing near is a fpiritual motion
1 upon

DRAW INT. HEAR TO GOD. C57

upon the wings of faith, carrying the foul out of
the body to heaven as its own houfe, becaufe it is
Chrift's houfe.

2. They come far forward in the houfe : Ver.
19. H Having, therefore, brethren, boMnefs to en-
ter into the holieft by the blood of Jefus." The
temple flood eaft and weft, the porch, or entry,
being in the eaft. Without the houfe were the
courts of the temple, in one of which ftood the
altar, before the porch of the houfe, in the open
air. In the temple was a vail, which divided the
eaft end, called " the holy place," (into which ordi-
nary priefts might go), from the weft end, called
" the holieft of all," into which only the High-
Prieft might enter once a-year. There was the
ark, with the mercy-feat and cloud of glory on it j
and it was a fpecial type of the higheft heavens,
the high and holy place, which is the glorious
dwelling of God.

Now, I fay, fmners may through Chrift come far
forward in the houfe, they may have Job's wifh to
come to God, even to his feat, Job, xxiii. 3.
Sinners, we have an altar, a crucified Saviour ; if
you defire to come into the houfe of God, come
by that altar, and* welcome, there is no other way ;
come into the holy place ; nay, come forward into
the holieft of all. Stand by no means only gazing on
the vail, the vail of ChrilVs flefh, but come through
the vail unto God, God in Chrift ; come even to
his feat. God is in Chrift as the cloud of glory
on the mercy-feat in the holieft of all ; come for-
ward through the vail of Chrift's flefh., fufficiently
rent and torn in his fufferings, to afford you ac-
cefs through it to God, fitting on his mercy-feat
in Chrift, that you may be refrefhed andcomforted,
your fouls fatisfied and fan&ified with breathings
of his love, with peace, and good-will from thence,

Vol. II. Y even

258 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

even through the wounds <*f our Redeemer. If
this do not kindle in you a defire to draw near,
what can we fay to kindle it ?

I told you laft Sabbath, that you may draw near
to God in Chrift, and that you ought to draw
near, &c. Is there any here who fo love their
outcaft condition, that they will not come back,
nor draw near to God, though they are invited ?
Then I mud leave you, to fpeak to others. But,
before we part, confider,

1. What a miferable {late you are in while far
from God. As God faid to Adam, Gen. iii. 9.
we may fay to you, " Where art thou ?" Like the
prodigal, Luke, xv. 13. thou art in a far country,
far from God, his covenant, his grace, his Chrift,
Eph. ii. 12. And while you will not come back,
you are far out of your fenfes. Tell me, (inner,
in fober earned, (if you be capable of a fober
thought), Are you not in want ? Is there not a
principle of reftleflhefs in that foul of thine, which
thou'canft find no way to quiet, but fometimes
by the fulfome breafts of lufts which may furfeit,
but at no time canfatisfy ? The dry breafts of the
world, fqueeze them as you will, can never give
full content, ftill there is fome thorn of uneafmefs
in your bed, make it where you will. Thou doft
hunger after happinefs, but {halt never find it till
thou come near to God in Chrift. — Confider,

2. If thou art able to hold on to the end with-
out coming- near to God. Though thou canft live
this way, wilt thou be able to die in this ftate, and
continue fo for ever ? Art thou ftill able to make
thypart good without him, yea, againft him, fo that
thou art refolved never to knock at his door ? If not,
thou art wretchedly foolifh, to flight a kind invi-
tation from him, to whom at length thou muft
bow. Therefore, Ifa. Iv. 6. " Seek ye the Lord,

while

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 2^

while he may be found, call ye upon him while
he is near." — Confider,

3. If thou wilt not draw near now, the time
will come, when God will drive thee from him
with a vengeance, and will give thee thy heart's
nil of diftance from him for ever : Matth. xxv. 4 r.
" Then (hall he fay to them on the left hand, De-
part from me, ye curfed, into everlafting fire, pre-
pared for the devil and his angels." Now he
bids thee draw near, and thou wilt not \ this voice
will draw to an end with thee, and thou wilt hear
that other voice, Depart from me ; and thou mud
go, though thou wouldft gladly ftay. As, then,
you would not be forced to depart for ever, draw
near to God now, while he is drawing near to
you. — Confider,

Laftiy, That the accefs to God, now in your
offer, will make your departure from him to hell
the more dreadful : Matth. xi. 24. " It will be
more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day
of judgement, than for you." Ye are guilty of a fin
of which heathens are not capable, nay, which devils
cannot commit it. They departed, but they never
got a call to come back again. It was never faid
to them, Let us draw near. There is a way open-
ed at the expence of the blood of Chrift, for you
to come back to God, and therefore your neglect-
ing to improve it muft be inexcufeable.

But now, as for you who defire to draw near
to God, ye have a fair occafion at all times for it,
there is a ready way from earth to heaven, through
Chrift, wherever you are. You have a fpecial oc-
cafion at this time in the holy facrament, an ordi-
nance in which the Lord comes very near to his
people, in which the greateft nearnels may be en-
joyed. The facraments and death refemble one
another. In the former, the Lord comes to us,
12 in

l6o THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

in death we go to him. We mould labour fo to
manage the former, as that a fure foundation may-
be laid for fafety and comfort in the latter. Here
God appears on a throne of grace in Chrift, the
vail of ChriiVs flefh appears facramentally rent,
that you through it may draw near to God. And
you muft by faith pafs through the vail this day,
that you may get forward even to his feat, draw-
ing near him as rebels accepting the King's peace,
the offered indemnity through the blood of his
Son, drawing near as fupplicants, as fervants of
the houfe, to ferve our Lord, to wait upon him,
and behold his glory.

In thefe circumftances, your qucftion, I pre-
fume, will now be, How {hail we fo manage this
LDDroach, as that it may be fuccefsful for the ho-
nour of God, our foul's good for time and eter-
nity ? If you manage right, you are made up for
ever, and therefore your mifmanagement will be
an unfpeakable lofs. I fhall farther explain unto
you the apoflle's directions in the text. I fear the
hints already given to you as to the nature of draw-
ing near to God, may not be fufficient to clear
you in this matter ; therefore, that ye may not
walk in the dark, know plainly, in a word, that
we draw near to God by faith, and our believing
in God is our drawing near to him. Hence the
apoftle's advice in the text is not, Come in by faith,
for this is the very coming itfelf, but, fays he, " in
full afTurance of faith." So the fcripture explains
it, while it (hews that that coming to the Lord,
which is fo much prefTed on finners in the Old
and New Teftament, is believing: John, vi. 35.
" And Jefus faid unto them, I am the bread of
life •, he that cometh unto me fhall never hunger,
he that believeth on me fhall never third." How
does the finner depart from God, but by unbe-
lief?

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 26 1

Hef ? Ileb. iii. 12. "Take heed, brethren, left
there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief,
in departing from the living God." Therefore it
is by believing we draw near (Grctk> come) to
God. This is the great uniting grace which joins
a (inner to the Lord while in this world. How
can we come to God, but by believing ? for this
drawing near is a fpiritual motion of the foul.
Our fouls indeed move towards God in fpiritual
defires *, but if thefe be not completed by faith,
which is the comprehenfive motion, the foul ilill
{rands off from God. So alfo in love, this is fet
a-going by faith, and its motion is towards God,
when the foul is brought near to God by faith :
1 John, iv. 16. " And we have known and be-
lieved the love that God hath to us. God is love ;
he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and
God in him."

Now, the object of faith is Jefus Chrift held
forth in the word of the gofpel, in whom the ful-
nefs of the Godhead dwells bodily, that is to fay,
God in Chrift. See the fum of the gofpel, 2 Cor.
v. 18. 19. " And all things are of God, who hath
reconciled us to himfelf by Jefus Chrift, and hath
given to us the miniftry of reconciliation ; to
wit, that God was in Chrift, reconciling the
world unto himfelf, not imputing their trefpafTes
unto them, and hath committed unto us the word
of reconciliation." Faith does not ftand ftill in
the vail, that is, his flefh, but goes through the
vail, Heb. x. 20. to the Godhead, that is, within
it, and there, only there, it refts, or can reft.
Now, the perfons of the Trinity being one, he
who believeth in Chrift the Son, believeth in the
Father and the Holy Ghoft : John, xiv. 9. " He
that hath feen me," faid Jefus, " hath feen the
Father." More particularly, that you may take.
Y 3 your;

202 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

your aim right in this matter, I think drawing
near by faith lies in three things, namely,

i. It lies in accepting God for our God in
Chrift. I fay in Chrift, for no other way have
we him offered to us, nor can a foul in any other
way accept him ; out of Chrift, he is a confu-
ming fire. Thus, from the mercy-feat in Chrift
he offers the covenant, which faith accepts : Heb.
viii. ie. " For this is the covenant that I will
make with the houfe of Ifrael after thofe days,
faith the Lord : I will put my laws in their mind,
and write them in their hearts ; and I will be to
them a God, and they fhall be to me a people."
And there, even in Chrift, the foul takes him for
its God, and gives itfelf away to him : Ifa. xliv. 5.
" One fhall fay, I am the Lord's, and another
fhall call himfelf by the' name of Jacob ; and an-
other (hall fubfcribe with his hand unto the Lord,
and furname himfelf by the name of Ifrael." Thus
the finner is joined to God in Chrift by a mar-
riage-union • Ifa. liv. 5. " For thy Maker is thy
Hufband." {Heb. thy Makers is thy hufband),
2 Cor. vi. 16. " For ye are the temple of the li-
ving God : as God hath faid, I will dwell in them,
and walk in them j and I will be their God, and
they fhall be my people ;" and then we are near
indeed Drawing near by faith lies,

2. In claiming God for our God in Chrift.
This is the very proper work of faith : Pfal. xvL
2. " O my foul, thou haft faid unto the Lord,
Thou art my Lord," at all times, but efpecially at a
communion-table. What fays the Lord to the foul
then, but as he did to Thomas? John, xx. 27.
" Be not faithlefs, but believing." Let us draw near,
then, by faith, and anfwer, ver. 28. " My Lord,
and my God." Faith has the wor<! of the ever-
laiting covenant to bear it out in its claim 5 it has

the

DRAWING NEAR TO COD. 26

the Redeemer's blood, which is the blefted cement
to knit a believer to a holy God. In the facra-
ment, the body of Chrift, in which dwells the ful-
nefs of the Godhead, is really and truly prelented
to their faith, by and with the facred iymbols.
Is any thing more natural than that faith fhould
claim as its own the gift which is thus put into
its hand ? — Drawing near by faith lies,

3. In improving according to our neceflities, for
time and eternity, the intereft in God thus claim-
ed, as in Pfal. cxix. 94. " I am thine, fave me,"
and throughout that pfalm. ^Thus the foul feeds
by faith, when perfons fuck in the fap of the
fruits growing on the tree of life, when by faith
they fit under his fhadow ; and this plainly lies
in confidence and truft in our God for all, accord-
ing to his word. It lies in believing the promifes
of the everlafting covenant, founded and ratified
in the blood of Chrift ; not as devils may believe
them, namely, that they fhall be made out to fome
perfon, but believing them with application,
namely, that they fhall be made out to me, be-
lieving over the belly of devils, and all the mafs of
vilenefs, filthinefs, and unworthinefs which hangs
about me. iielievers fhould fay, as in Gal. ii. 20.
" I am crucified with Chrift. Neverthelefs I live ;
yet not I, but Chrift liveth in me," &c.

It is the two laft of thefe, I think, that the
apoftle here chiefly aims at, fuppofing the firft as
the attainment of his Chriftian Hebrews.

In difcourfing farther on this fubjec~r, I intend
—To offer fome directions — Topropofe fome cafes
and queftions, and — To offer fuitable anfwers.
As to the directions, I begin with this,
I. Draw near with a true heart to God. If we
come not with the heart, we do not come to
God in a fuitable manner. To draw near to God,

is

264 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

is foul- work, heart-work ; if, therefore, we corns
not with a true heart, we come not at all to him.
A falfe heart in the matter of covenanting to God,
is no heart, is at bed but a half-heart to it ; and
this is no heart in God's account : Prov. xvii. 1 6.
" Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool
to get wifdom, feeing he hath no heart in it ?" If
you have not a heart for God in Chrift, you will
not get near him. Before Julius Crefar was mur-
dered, having ilain a fat ox for a facrifice, the
heart was not to be found among the entrails.
That communicant in whom a heart for the Lord
is wanting, will doubtlefV be guilty of the body
and blood of the Lord this day. Heartlefs facri-
fices involve murder. A true heart is not a fin-,
lefs heart, but a fincere heart. Let us draw neai - ,
then, with a fincere heart. Sincerity is not a
fingle grace, but it is the fum and foul of all the
graces. Take it away from faith itfelf, and it is
but a dead grace, as in Simon Magus, and thofe
in John, ii. 23. 24. " Now, when he was in Je-
rufalem at the paffover, in the feaft-day, many be-
lieved in his name, when they faw the miracles
which he did. But Jefus did not commit himfelf
to them, becaufe he knew all men." Sincerity is
like the firing in the beads about a perfon's neck j
when this is broke, then they fall all to the ground.
We need not, however, feek this truth of heart
through all the graces, for it is principally the
truth of faith which is here meant ; it is belie-
ving, which is in its nature our drawing near to
God ; and fo it may be explained by what you
have in Rom. x. 0. 10. " If thou fhalt confefs with
thy mouth the Lord Jefus, and fhalt believe in
thine heart that God hath raifed him from the
dead, thou fhalt be faved ; for with the heart man
believeth unto righteoufnefs, and with the moutlv

confefiion

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. l6$

confeffion is made unto ialvaiion " Poor foul !
if thou be coming back to thy great Matter,
though even laden with the ftclen goods you ran
away with fror . him, though you dare not fay
vou are an honeit fervant, yet if you dare fay be-
fore the Lord, you are honeftiy returning back
again, then we may fay to you, Draw near, and
welcome. — But here, perhaps fome will propofe
this

Question. In what does the truth of our
drawing near to God, or the fincerity of faith,
confift ? For anfwer, I would obferve a few
things.

1. The foul draws near to God with a true
heart, when it comes to God only in the true way,
through the rent veil of ChrifVs flefli ; that is,
when the foul has no confidence in believing, but
in the blood of Chrift : Phil. iii. 3. " For we are
the circumcifion which worfhip God in the Spirit,
and rejoice in Chrift Jefus, and have no confidence
in the flefli." The perfon will flop eyes and
ears, and fay, I cannot look on God but as in
Chrift, I defire to hear none other, I have nothing
whatever of my own to recommend me to Chrilt.
Though perhaps die beggar-raiment of their refor-
mation of life, what they have done and fufFered
for the caufe of Chrift, their earneit prayers, deep
exercife, bitter tears for fin, and the like, look as
well, and probably better than thofe of many of
their neighbours \ yet they dare not for their fouls
bring a rag of them with them, to cover or com-
mend them before the Lord ; but they leave them,
yea, flee out of them, and from them, as abfo-
lutely naked, to the Lord Jefus himfelf, to get a
covering under his righteoufnefs.

2. The foul draws near to God with a true

heart,

l66 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

heart, v/hen, upon a difcovery of the glory of the
Lord, it is thus fubdued to this obedience of faith:
Pfal. ex. 3. " Thy people fhall be willing in the
day of thy power •," when the practical under-
Handing cads the balance on the Lord's fide, fo
that the heart fays, " He is better to me than
thoufands of gold ;" or as in Phil. iii. 8. " Yea,
doubtlefs, and I count all things but lofs for the
excellency of the knowledge of Jefus Chrift, my
Lord •" in a word, when the foul draws near to
God, to take up its everlafting reft in him, as its
portion, to take him for all, and inflead of all.
With the heart man believes, when the perfon
takes God for his God in Chrift, not only for a
reft to the confeience, that it thus may be quieted
in him, but alfo for a reft to the heart, that thus it
may be fatisfied in him j and the perfon can ac-
cordingly fay, Farewell, vain world j farewell, fin-
ful lufts ; farewell, empty creation ; welcome,
welcome, God in Chrift, for a covering to mine
eyes, and a reft to mine heart. Pfal. Ixxiii. 25.
" Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is
none on the earth that I defire befides thee " The
gofpel holds out Chrift as the only fatisfying por-
tion ; £akh nrit believes this teftimony, then em-
braces him as fuch. They who are only acquaint-
ed with terror as dealing with them, may be driven
to God, but do not draw near to him with a true
heart. — To illuftrate this, I would propofe the
two following cafes.

Cafe 1. What will become of thofe, then, who
are driven to the Lord by terror ? Anfiv. What be-
comes of a ihip which is drove into an undefirable
harbour by ftrefs of weather ? When the ftorm
is calmed, ihe even leaves it, and puts to fea again,
as you fee in Pfal. cvii. 24. — 30. Terror may

bee'm

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 267

begin the work, which a willing choice may-
crown. The poor foul may be like Noah's dove,
drove away to the ark by a reftlefs conscience ;
but when it comes there, the Lord may open a
window, by which it may get fuch a view as to be
drawn into it, though it was before only drove.
Though the ftorm at firft drove thee to the har-
bour, yet if thou be now captivated by the beauty
of the place, fo as that you are heartily refolved
to make it the place of thy abode for ever, in fair
weather or foul, and would, with a thoufand good
wills, that the vefTel was burnt, that fo you might
never be in hazard of going again to the fea of
this world ; all is- well, you are welcome to the
fhore of Immanuel's land : " Hof. ii. 14. " There-
fore, behold I will allure her, and bring her into
the wildernefs, and fpeak comfortably unto her."

Cafe 2. But, alas ! I cannot purge myfelf of
backwardnefs in coming to the Lord. Anf. Is that
backwardnefs truly the burden of your fpirit ? do
ye loathe yourfelf on account of it ? Our Lord
allows you to draw near with your burden on your
back. The great Phyfician knows his patient
comes to him with heart and "good will, though
his ficklinefs makes him come very flowly, draw-
ing, as it were, his legs after him : Matth. xxvi.
41. " Watch and pray, that ye enter not into
temptation : the fpirit indeed is willing, but the
flefh is weak." Pfal. lxv. 3. " Iniquities prevail
againft us : as for our tranfgrefiions, thou (halt
purge them away." — I now go on to obferve,

3. That the foul draws near to God with a true
heart, when it comes to him for falsification,
as well as j unification, to be freed from the reign-
ing and indwelling power, as well as from the guilt
of fin : 1 Cor. i. 30. " But of him are ye in Chrift
Jefus, who of God is made unto us wifdom, and

righteoufnefs,

268 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

righteoufnefs, and falsification, and redemption."
This is a figri of that heart which is a true heart,
a heart truly divorced and alienated from fin,
though the poor foul cannot be wholly freed from
it ; an heart true to the great end of the myftery
of Chrift, his death, and his fufferings, which was
" to redeem us from all iniquity, and purify us
unto himfelf, a peculiar people, zealous of good
works," Tit. ii. 14. ; — true to the great end of all
gofpel-inftitutions, Acts, xxvi. 18. " To open
their eyes, and turn them from darknefs unto
light, and from the power of Satan unto God,
that they may receive forgivenefs of fins, and in-
heritance among them who are fanctified by faith
in Chrift Jefus j" — true to the great end of faith,
which is ".to purify the heart," Acts, xv. 9. ; — true
to its own beft intereft, and the honour of God,
which commences in time, and terminates in hea-
ven in likenefs to God : 1 John, iii. 2. " But we
know, that when he fhall appear, we fhall be like
him, for we (hall fee him as he is." When this
is obtained, the myftery of Chrift is finifhed.
Whofoever come in any other way, come with a
falfe heart. They who have only ufe for the
blood, and not for the water, which came out of
Chrift's fide ; who do not heartily defire univerfal
holinefs, but wifh to conceal fome fecret morfel
under their tongue ; who come to God to bind
themfelves to holinefs, if he will but fave their
fouls, and pardon their fins, as if they could make
themfelves holy, if he would but make them hap-
py ; the faith of fuch perfons is but a dream.

Thus the truth of faith is made out, the foul
draws near with a true heart ; for thus it comes
away from felf, the world, and fin, and draws
near to God in Chrift, and thus obeys the gofpel-
call. — As another direction, I would mention,

2. Draw

DRAWING NEAR TO COD. l6i)

2. Draw near to God in full ajfurance of faith.
Are you put upon the right road, having a true
heart ? then advance forward, without doubting or
wavering. Is your heart true ? let it next be
wrought up to full aflurance, for in this lies all
the importance of this fecond advice. It is a me-
taphor taken from a fhip, carried with full fail
before the wind. And thus, finner, if, after you
and I have been toffed up and down in the fea of
this world, (a world lying in wickednefs), by vio-
lent lulls, unfatisfied defires, and wearied out
with difappointed expectations, yet after all could
never find in it where to reft our foot, nay, not
fo much as fure anchor-ground for our hearts, but
dill an unfathomable depth of emptinefs prefent-
ing itfelf to us, and now have at length discovered
the port and harbour fuited to give reft to a weary
foul, even God in Chrift, have our eye on it, and
are iteering our courfe ftraight towards it, let us
fpread out our fails, let us draw near with the full
fail of faith, as our text might be read. This I
would confider as more particularly directing us
to thefe three important points.

i. To a taking God for our God in Chrift
freely.

2. To a claiming him for our own God boldly.

3. To an improving our claim of intereft in him
confidently, and without hefitation.

Thefe I fhall in their order a little enlarge upon.
I fay, then, that to draw near to God in full afTu-
rance of faith, is,

1 . To take God for your God in Chrift, without
doubting of your welcome. Stretch forth the hand
of faith, that ye may join hands with an incarnate-
God i the mere vigorous that your aim be, you will
take the better hold. Do not ftand at the door,
difputing and doubting whether to go forward or

Vol. II. Z not ?

2/0 THE ACCEfT^BLE MANNER OF

not ? if you cannot loofe doubts, cut them with
the fword of faith, and leap over them, Matth.
xv. 24. — 28. It is none other than Satan, and an
unbelieving heart, which entertains the finner be-
fore the vail, with difputes and doubts whether
to go through or not. And if thefe can hold them
up with that difcourfe till the door be fhut, as it
.will foon be, they have their defign. There are,
without queftion, good grounds for this full aflu-
rance of faith ; — fuch as,

(1.) God, in his infinite love and mercy, has
fuited himfelf for an approach by fuch as you.
Had he intended to keep you off, he had only to
have kept himfelf in his unvailed glory, and the
rays of it from afar would have ftruck the guilty
foul through with a thoufand arrows, and kept
him off for ever. But he has vailed himfelf with
our nature, and that for us : Heb. x. 19. 2©.
" Having therefore, brethren, boldnefs to enter
into the holieft by the blood of Jefus, by a new
and living way, which he hath confecrated for us,
through the vail, that is to fay, his flefh." Has
he put on the vail, then, that guilty wretches may
draw near him ? Has he rent the vail of the flefh
of his own Son in his crucifixion, that a door
might be opened through his wounds to come to
God ? Has he done all this in vain ? If not, why
will you doubt your welcome through this new
and living way ?

(2.) God's juftice is fatisfied, his honour is pro-
vided for, fo that juftice has nothing to object a-
gainft your putting your hand to this claim. It Is
abfolutely confiftent with the honour of God to
be thy God in Chrift, for the man that is the Fa-
ther's fellow has done all this by his blood ; and
therefore the angel's fong begins with glory to
God in the higheft •, after that follows peace on

earth,

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 27 1

earth* and good-will to men, Luke, ii. 1 4. Hear
the facramental words, 1 Cor. xi. 25- " This is
the New Teftament in my blood." Is not the
blood of the everlafting covenant fufficient to af-
fure you ? Is not the covenant in which God of-
fers himfelf to you as your God, drawn with the
blood of God ? Behold, then, the blood of the
covenant, and no more doubt your welcome.

(3.) You have his word for it. Kind invita-
tions are breathed out to you from the throne of
grace in Chrift. Hear the tenor of the covenant,
Heb. viii. 10. " For this is the covenant that I
will make with the hoivfe of Ilrael after tliofe days,
faith the Lord ; I will put my laws into their
mind, and write them in their hearts •, and I will
be to them a God, and they (hall be to me a
people." See how it is offered unto all to whom
the gofpel comes, Ifa. Ixv. i. 2. John, vi. 37.
Rev. xxii. 17. Nay, you are commanded to ac-
cept it : Luke, xiv. 23. « Compel them to come
in, that my houfe may be filled." 1 John, iii. 23.
" This is his commandment, that we mould be-
lieve on the name of his Son Jefus Chriit." Many
are in other cafes difputing, and doubting them-
felves out of their duty, but here falvation lies at
flake. Will you, then, doubt your welcome to
cbey the command of God ?

(4.) You mud take God in Chrift for your
God, or you are eternally ruined. Debate the
matter as long as you will, this is the courfe you
mult take, or the wrath' of God will lie on you
for ever. Mifs this hold, and you fink afliiredly
into the bottomlefs pit : John, iii. 36. " He that
believeth on the Son hath everlafting life •, and he
that believeth not the Son (hall not fee life, but
the wrath of God abideth on him." Now, if you
muft do it, it is weaknefs and folly not to do it
Z 2 with

272 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

with full aflurance of faith. If a drowning man
muft feize a rope to draw himfelf to land, does
not common fenfe fay, the firmer he feizes it, he
is the more fafe ? If the hand tremble, and be like
to let go the hold, will he not wreftle againft
death ? So, in like manner fhould we, with full
aflurance of faith, keep our hold of Chrift, and
thus draw near to God. — But here fome may pro-
pofe a

^htei-icfi, How may we be helped to this full
aflurance of faith in taking God for our God in
Chrift ? As to this I anfwer, Stedfaftly believe
the doctrine of the gofpel, which is the mean
which the Spirit makes ufe of to beget and in-
creafe faith : Rom. x. 1 7. " Faith cometh by
hearing, and hearing by the word of God." And
therefore ftill hold by the word. I apprehend, if
we would fearch to the root of the doubts, fears,
and uncertainty in the matter of believing in Chrift,
we would find the root of moft, if not all of
them, is an error in the firft concoction, an un-
certainty as to the doctrine of the gofpel. There-
fore labour to be fully and feelingly allured of the
doctrine of your loft (late by nature, on the tefti-
mony of the word. Begin there, and ply your
faith as to this doctrine. It is eafieft, becaufe an
unenlightened confcience even goes along with it ;
but if I believe my loll, ilate vpon the teftimony
of that word, I am helped the rather to believe
the way of my recovery on the teftimony of the
fame word.

Believe ye, then, with full aflurance, that you
are in yourfelves guilty creatures, bound over to
the wrath of God for time and eternity, and that
by no means ye are able to remove that guilt, by
all that ye are capable to do or fufler ? Believeft
thou this ? It is gofpel -doctrine, Eph. ii. 3.

« And

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 2 7 3

« And were by nature the children of wrath, even
\s others." Again, Do you believe that you are
tltogether corrupt and unholy, and are utterly un-
able to make for yourfelves either a holy heart or
life, that you are no more able to fubdue a luft,
than to procure yourfelf a pardon, that the break-
ing of the power of fin is as far above thy reach,
as the removing the guilt of it ? Eph. ii. i . " And
you hath he quickened, who were dead in tref-
palTes and fins." Do you believe the doctrine of
falvation through Jefus Chrift, held forth in the
gofpel ? You cannot believe in the Lord to falva-
tion, but as you give an affent to this doctrine by
faith. This is the bottom on which faith pro-
ceeds, when laying hold of God in Chrift. — Do
you believe, with full affurance, that there is no
way to make miferable man happy again, but by
the enjoyment of God as his own God ? O for
the full affurance of this ! it would effectually de-
termine thofe who are hanging on this day about
the world's door, and that of their lulls. — Do you
believe that there is no other way to come to the
enjoyment of God as our God, but through Jefus
Chrift, who was crucified without the gates of
Jerufalem ? Acts, iv. i?. " Neither is there fal-
vation in any other ; for there is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we muft
be faved." If fo, his name would be precious.
Do you believe that there is no way to be faved
from guilt, but by his righteoufnefs, and from
pollution, but by his Spirit ?

Do you believe that Jefus Chrift is the Son of
God, that he took upon him man's nature, and
fuffered in it to fatisfy the juftice of God, that he
might thus by his blood bring finners again to God,
to enjoy him as their God ? Eph. ii. 13. " But
now, in Chrift Jefus, ye who fometimes were far
Z3 off,

2 74 THE ACCEPTABLE M.lNtfER OF

off, are made nigh by the blood of Chrifl." — Do
you believe that the blood of Chrift is the blood of
God, and that therefore it is a cement truly dif-
fident to knit or join a holy jud God, and any
guilty finner whatsoever, who comes unto God
through him ? This is gofpel- truth : i John, i. 7.
" And the blood of Jefus Chrift his Son cleanfeth
us from all fin." — Heb. vii. 25. " Wherefore he
is able alfo to fave to the uttermod, all that come
unto God by him, feeing he ever liveth to make
irtercefiion for them." Believed thou this ? If
thou believed it not, how can it be expected that
thou fhouldft draw near to God, feeing the only
way of accefs to God is to thy unbelieving heart
not fufficient to bear the weight of a .guilty foul ?
If thou fayed thou dod believe, then, to try this,
I would afk thee, Dod thou believe that this blood
is a cement fufHcient to join thy guilty foul, even
thine, to God ? to bear thy weight, who perhaps
thinked there was never cne upon it with fuch a
load of guilt ? If not, then thou dod not believe
the doctrine of the gofpel, Heb. vii. 25. already
quoted. — If thou dod believe all this, then,

Do you alfo believe, that whatfeever guilty fin-
ner will come to God through him, may have the
benefit of that fufheiency of his blood, that is,
that God flrall be his God, that he dial! have the
lighteoufnefs of God, even God-man, to cover
all his fins, the Spirit of Chrid to fandtify him,
rind make him like God ? This is gofpel-truth,
Ifa. Iv. 1.— 3. Rev. iii. 18. and chap. xxii. 17.
Do you believe this ? If not, you cannot draw near
to God indeed ; it cannot be expected that you,
who give no credit to his word, will venture on
himfelf.— But if you fay you do believe, then
^lod thou alfo believe, that if thou comeft to God

through

DRVWING NEAR TO GOD. 2"j $

through him, thou, even thou, (halt have this be-
nefit ? If thou itoppeft here, then I do not know
but devils go farther in believing than thou doft,
namely, to believe this general proportion, with-
out excepting fo much as thee. But thou, mon-
ftrous difhoncurer of the blood of Chrift, and the
truth of God, read thy fin, tremble, and repent :
i John, v. 10. " He that believeth on the Son of
God hath the witnefs in himfelf ; he that belie-
veth not God, hath made him a liar, becaufe he
believeth not the record that God gave of his
Son." But if thou dolt, with full alTurance, believe
tins, then what remains, but that thou draw near
with full afiurance of faith ? Take God in Chrift
for thy God, without in the lealt doubting of thy
welcome. — This drawing near with full aifurance
of faith is in its nature,

2. To claim God in Chrift as your God, with-
out doubting of your title. Having taken him as
your God, do not (land debating whether or not
he is yours ; only believe, believe he is yours :
Jer. iii. 4. " Wilt thou not from this time cry un-
to me, My Father, thou art the guide of my
youth ?" What the better will you be of him, if
he be not yours ? John, i. 1 2^ " But as many as
received him, to them he gave power to become
the fons of God, even to them that believe on his
name." I muft content myfelf at this time, only
to offer two or three things on this exercife :
— As,

( 1 . ) When thou takeft God for thy God in Chrift
with a true heart, canft thou doubt thy title, with-'
out difhonouring the blood of Chrift and the truth
of God ? For thefe two do fecure it. Doft thou
not fo far difhonour him, who is fet over the

houfe

27<5 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

houfe of God, when he has given thee the bene-
fit of the covenant, even himfelf, in whom the
fulnefs of the Godhead dwells, if thou doubteft
cf thy tide to them, for fo thou dofl in effect
queftion his commiflion and right. Glorify the
Son of God, then, and honour the infinite virtue
and merit of his blood, by claiming God as your
God upon this ground. I know we are apt to
think, we do but doubt the truth of our taking
God in Chrifl as our God. But do we doubt of
the offer ? Do we doubt of our foul's faying Amen
to it on any terms ? Do we not ? Take heed, then,
that the doubt run not upon another ground, what-
ever our unbelieving heart may fuggeft.

(2.) When thou doll fit down at the table of the
Lord, thy foul hungering for Chrifl, the bread
and wine are given thee by his minifters in his.
name, and with his own words, " This is my
body," &c. doit thou believe thefe words ? If >
thou doft believe them, thou dared not, with many
profane fpe£tators and communicants, alfo look
upon thefe facred fymbols as naked figns oi" Chrifl's
body and blood, but n-iuft believe, that by, and
with thefe figns, the body and blood of Chrifl,
which were never feparated from his Godhead
fince they were firfl united, are really and truly
exhibited, and given to thee, to thy faith, and thou
receiving the fame in faith, art as really made par-
taker of his body and blood, as thou art of that
bread and wine: 1 Cor. x. 16. " The cup of
blefhng which we blefs, is it not the communion
of the blood of Chrifl? the bread which we
break, is it not the communion of the body of
Chrifl ?" What, then, mould hinder thee to .
claim God as thy God in Chrifl, without doubt-
ing of your title, when you have a fealed gift of
him made you by his authority before the world,

angels,.

DRAWING NEA& TO GOD. 277

angels, and men ? This drawing near with

full affurance of faith is in its nature,

3. To improve your intereft: chimed, without
doubting of fuccefs. Feed with a fear of circum-
fpeclion ; but the lefs unbelieving fear, the bet-
ter This you are to do dill in the way of be-
lieving, believing the promifes, without doubting
of their being accomplished to you for time and
for eternity, for grace and glory : Matth. xxi. 22.
u And all things whatfoever ye fhall alk in prayer,
believing, ye (hall receive." Rely on the word of
grace, the covenant in his blood, that for as poor
and mean as you may appear this day, ye fhall be
pillars in the temple of God, feeing he has faid it;
for as black and deformed as you are this day, ye
fhall mine as the ftars for ever and ever. Is there
a luft, or lulls, you would have fubdued, believe,
with full aliurance of faith, the promife fuited to
that cafe, as in Mic. vii. 19. " He will turn again,
he will have compalTion upon us •, he will fubdue
our iniquities ; and thou wilt caft all their fins into
the depths of the fea." And fo in other cafes.

What way can one imagine we mould fuck the
fap of thefe promifes, but by believing them, and
fo relying and trufting on the Lord according to
his word ? The heavenly treafures contained in
them are unfeen things, they are known to us only
by the teftimony of the word, and the inward fen-
fation which they experience upon believing them.
How, then, can we think to get the benefit of
them, but in the way of believing them ? Sup-
pofe fome rich prince beyond feas, who can, ne-
verthelefs, at any time convey his treafures hither,
mould find means to get proclaimed among a
company of poor people here, that, whofoever
will take him, and him only, for their Provider,

fhall

278 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

fhall be feafonably and fuitably fupplied out of his
treafures. They never faw the prince, they know
nothing of his treafures, but by the teftimony of
his word fent to them. The heralds commend
the prince, they aver it is the fureft way of fupply
to thefe who are poor. Some of thefe poor count
thefe thirds idle tales, and go thtir way, one to his
day-labour, to earn a penny, another to the beg-
ging through the country. When the fupply
conies to the country, have thefe any ground to
expect a fhare ? No ; they did not believe his
proclamation. But as for thofe who were fo foolifh
in the eyes of their neighbours, but fo truly wife,
as to believe the proclamation, and venture their
fupply upon an unfeen provider, and an unfeen.
treafure, it lies on his truth and honour to fee
them abundantly fupplied. I fhall no further ap-
ply txiis, than to fay, that God's truth and honour
is moll undoubted fecurity : Rom. ix. 33. « As it
is written, Behold, Hay in Zion a Humbling flone,
and rock of offence j and whofoever believeth on
him fhall not be afhamed."

To conclude, think not that I have been teaching
you to prefume, nay, but to draw vear with a true
he$rt x in the full ajfurance of faith ; not to lay afide
humility, for the greateil humility is to deny our-
felves, and obey the call of God, though it be an
high calling. It is not humility, but unbelief,
which is the fpring of the true heart's doubtings
in drawing near to God. They are but warts and
moles in the face of Chrift's bride, and fo far mar
her beauty; though he does not call her off for
them, if taith do but peep, as it were, out among
the crowd of thefe deformities, as if ihe could fee
only with one eye : Song, iv. 9. " Thou haft ra-
viihed my hearr, my filter, my fpoufe ; thou hail

ravifhed

DRAWING NEAR TO G D. 2~)

ravifhed my heart wifh one of thine eyes, with one
chain of thy neck." Matth. xiv. 31. « And im-
mediately Jefus ftretched forth his hand, and
caught him, and faid unto him, O thou of little
faith ! wherefore didft thou doubt ?" The rule is,
" According to thy faith, fo be it unto thee." So
little faith, little comfort ; but, what is worfe, little
faith, little fanctification. Amen.

THE

THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED *.

SERMON XXXVI.

Heb. x. 22. — Let us draw near with a true hearty
in full ajjurance of 'faith , having our hearts fprinkled
from an evil confcience^ and our bodies wafied with
pure water.

IT is by no means only at a communion-table
that we are to draw near to God, but alfo in
all other parts of his worfhip ; yea, in the whole
of our converfation we muft be drawing near, and
keeping near to God, till we at length appear be-
fore him in heaven : I fay keeping near \ for cer-
tainly, the text points not merely to a drawing
near, ju it for a ftart, and away again; but it is
to draw near to the houfe over which Chrift is (tt y
as a houfe where we are to abide ; and it is fuch
a drawing near, fo as not to draw back.

You may remember, I told you, drawing near
to God is by faith, and that this lies principally in
three things, i. Accepting God as our God in
Chrift. 2. Claiming God for our God in Chrilt.

3.1m-

* Delivered, June 171s.

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 2$ I

3. Improving, according to our nccHlmes, for tim *
and eternity, the intereft in God thus claimed.
Yc have had two directions offered for the right
managing of this : 1. That you mould draw near
with a true heart ; 2. With full afTurance of faith ;
which I explained to confift in, (1.) Taking God
for your God in Chrift, without doubting of vour
welcome ; (2.) Claiming God in Chrift. as your
God, without doubting of your title ; (3.) Im-
proving your intereft claimed, without doubting
of fuccefs. I fpoke upon the firft of thefe three
largely, namely, the taking God for your God in
Chrift, without doubting of your title. Upon the
other two, little was faid. I {hall now fpeak to
a cafe which I fhall propofe, and fo proceed.

Cafe. How {hall I know that I have drawn
near to God in Chrift with a true heart, and fin-
cerely taken him for my God in Chrift ? Anfw.
The difference between the true and falfe heart in
this point, may be difcerned in the following par-
ticulars, viz.

1. The falfe heart draws near to God, as a
neighbour only, as it were, to pay a vifit, ftays a
little, and then goes its way again: Ifa. xxvi. 16.
" Lord, in trouble have they vifited thee ; they
poured out a prayer when thy chsftening was upon
them." The hypocrite never takes up his ever-
lafting reft in God. 1 hough he leaves his own
houfe to come to the houfe of God, yet he leaves
his heart behind him ; and fo he cannot ftay.
With the mixed multitude who came out of
Egypt, Num. xi. 5. " They remember the fifh
which they did eat in Egypt freely •, the cucum-
bers, the melons, and the leeks, and the onions,
and the garlick j" and they found the retreat to
go back from whence they came.

2. The true heart draws rear to God in heaven,
Vol. II. A a as

2$2 tUK aCCLPTASLE MANNER OF

as the new-married wife comes home to her hus-
band's houfe to dwell there all her days, nevei to
go back again to her fathers houfe : Pfal. cxvh 7.
'< Return to thy reft, O my foul ! for the Lord
hath dealt bountifully with thee*" It was a cu-
ftom among the ancient Greeks, to burn, at the
bridegroom's door, the axle-tree of the coach in
which the bride came .home, to (hew (he was
never again to go away j and if ye have drawn
near to God with a true heart, taking him for your
God in Chrift, I will not fay, that the axle-tree of
the chariot in which you came to God is as yet
burnt to afhes, but fure I am, there is a fire fet to
it •, and if it is once fet in a flame at the door of
the houfe of yoisr new Hufband, it is fo becaufe
you had no mind to go again back. And whe-
ther this be fo or not, you will know,

(1.) By the fmoke which will be rifing there.
There will be a threefold fmoke rifing at the door
of the houfe you have come to, if the axle-tree be
on lire, and you have determined not to go back
again to your former houfe.

[ i .] There will be the fmoke of fear as to draw-
ing back. I mean not a faithlefs fear, which
feizes thofe who look to the duties to which they
are bound, but not to the flrong God, whofe
ftrength is engaged by covenant to his people, for
the performance of them. This is the fear which
takes heart and hand from people, making the
heart quaver, like a candle burnt to the focket,
till at lad it expires with a flench. This is the
fmoke of a fire from hell, blown up with hard
thoughts of God, and of the fweet yoke of Chrift,
Matth. xxv. 24. 25. Rev. xxi. 8. It is the fore-
runner of apoftafy ; but there is ? fear of circum-
fpe£tion in the true henrt, in oppofition to that
feif-confidence with which hypocrites are blown

up:

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 283-

u£ : Prov. xxviii. 14. « Happy is the man that
feareth alway, but he that hardeneth his heart
ihall fall into mifchief." He trembles to think of
going back from God, has a horror at the thought.
He walks foftly and warily, as one afraid to be
taken off his feet ; and he holds the falter, the
more he fees his hazard. — There is,

[2.] The fmoke of felf-loathing, for former fins
and departures from God: Ezek. xxxvi. 31.
" Then (hall ye remember your own evil ways,
and your doings that were not good, and 11 rail
loathe yourfelves in your own fight for your ini-
quities, and for your abominations." They that
are near will remember with felf-loathing what
they were when they were far off: Pfal. lxxiii. 22.
"■So foolifh was I and ignorant, I was as a bealt
before him." -They who have not feen their
wretched cafe while at a diftance from God, they
go back again quickly ; for the fore that is not
iulHciently probed, though fcurfed over, will
break out again. — There is,

[3.] The fmoke of diffatisfa&ion with the cor-
rupt nature, in that there fhould be fo much as a
principle of back-drawing, the lead inclination in
them to go away : Rom. vii. 24. " O wretched
man that I am ! who mail deliver me from the
body of this death ?" They will be looking with an
evil eye on the corruption of nature, which makes
them capable of departing, and will be longing to
be beyond the reach of temptations to depart from
the Lord.

(2.) You will know by the flame that will be
riling there- There being a live coal from the altar,
there will be a threefold flame.

[1.] A flame of love to the houfe they have

come to for the Mailer's fake, Luke, xxiv. 29. 32.

The glory of that houfe call open by the blood of

A a 2 Chrift,

284 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

Chrift, darkens all created excellency with them,
fo that their hearts fay, " This is my reft." Pfal.
Ixxiii. 25. " Whom have I in heaven but thee ?
and there is none on the earth that I defire befide
thee." They are like the fervant, Exod. xxi. 5.
who, from love to his mafter, would not go out
free. They have made choice of God in Chrift
for their God ; and when they reflect on the bar-
gain, they do not repent their choice. If they had
it to make a thoufand times, they would not alter.
— There is,

(2.) A flame of defires, defires to flay : Pfal.
cxix 10. " With my whole heart have I fought
thee ; O let me not wander from thy command-
ments !" They fee Satan and a corrupt heart
flanging reidy to yoke, to carry them back to
their father's houfe again •, but they are perfuaded
in their hearts, while they are with God, they are
where they are better, yea, where they are belt j
and they defire not to go back, they defire to ftay,
and therefore are denying the fuits of ungodlinefs
and worldly lufts, which would carry them back,
Tit. ii. 1 2. -There is,

(3.) A Same of hatred againft the fafhion of
their father's houfe : Pfal. ci. 3. " I will fet no
wicked thing before mine eyes -, I hate the work
of them that turn afide, it (hall not cleave to me."
They loathed them, they therefore left them, and
came away from them. They do not love them,
and therefore hate to go back to them. They have
abandoned the fweet morfel, and abhor to take it
up again : Pfal. xcvii. 10. " Ye that love the Lord,
h^te evil ; he preferveth the fouls of his faints, he
delivereth them out of the hands of the wicked."
Thofe fafhions wounded their confeienees, defiled
their fouls, grieved the Holy Spirit, contradicted
the law of righteoufnefs ; therefore they hate
them.

Thus.,

DRAWING NE VR TO GOD. 285

Thus, you fee, thofe who have drawn near to
God 111 heaven, have determined to abide there.
They have taken God as their God, to abide by,
and with him for ever. And hence we may con-
clude two things in regard to them.

1. That they are no more people of this world/
Heaven was call open to them by Jefus Chi ill, a
way was made for them into the holieit of all,
and they have drawn near by this way to God in
Chriit, to abide there. It is indeed true, they are
yet in the world, but they are not any more of it,
they are chofen out of the world, John, xv. 19.
Though their bodies be ftill in this world, their
fouls have by faith taken wing, have left this for
that world, which is not feen, and have got in
within the vail. — Thus it is, for the god of this
world is not their God. They have renouuced
the devil, no more to ferve and obey him to their
ruin, but to refill him as their enemy, and the
enemy of their God. They are to have an irre-
concilable war with him, till he be bruifed under
their feet. —The world's portion is not their por-
tion, 1 John, ii. 15. 16. They look beyond things
that are feen, which may fill the hand, but can
never fill the heart, - They feek after profits more
folid, pleafures more pure and fweet, than the
world can afford. They will not, like the men of
the world, cry, " Who will fhew us any good ?"
Ffal. iv. 6. ; but as anfwering Chrift's call, Song,
iv. 8. " Come with me from Lebanon, my fpoufe."
What others take upon their back, yea, place in 1
the chief room of the heart, they put under their
feet, and are fighting with it, that they may over-
come it. The way of the world is not their way :
Rom. xii. 2. " And be not conformed to this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind." To be only neighbour-like, is not
A a 3 their

286 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

their religion. They are pilgrims and ftrangers
in the world, who will be diftinguifhed by their way
from the natives, For they who take the way of
the world mult perifh with it.

2. They are people of another world, they are of
that world where life and immortality reign. They
have had aceefs into heaven while on earth, and
they have drawn near to it by faith. Wonder not
at this, for if there be a foul here who has drawn
near to God with a true heart, in the full aflu-
rance of faith, and taken God in Chrift for their
God, they may well be faid to be in heaven, and
to be creatures of another world. For,

(i.) Their Head is in heaven, even Jelus Chrift,
who is as really united to the believer, as the head
of a living man is to his body. There is as real
an union and communion betwixt Chrift and them,
as betwixt the head and the body: Col. ii. 19.
" He is the head, from which all the body, by
joints and bands, having nourifhment miniilered,
and knit together, increafeth with the increafe of
God." This union the Spirit defcending from
Chrift, and faith afcending from the true heart,
conftitutes ; and this the facrament feals.

(2.) Their heart is in heaven, for their treafure,
their ftock, and portion is there : Matth. vs. 21.
" For where your treafure is, there will your heart
be alfo." Their heart is divorced from the world
and their lufts, it is away before them, in fome
meafure, to the place where they themfelves are to
be for ever. They have got a view of the glory
and treafures of the upper houfe, and after thefe
their fouls are breathing.

(3.) Their life is there, for Chrift is there :
Col. iii. 3. 4. " For you are dead, and your life
*s hid with Chrift in God. When Chrift, who is
our life, (hall appear, then fhall we alfo appear

with

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 287

with him in glory." Their principle of life is the
Spirit of Chrilt., by whom they live. It is a hidden
life indeed, hid from the world, often from them-
felves. They fee not their dignity, it doth not yet
appear what they are, but as really as they have
taken God in Chrilt for their God, the Spirit of
Chrift dwells in them. And hence, their life can
never be extinguifhed, for it lies not in the grace
of God within them, but in that without them in
Chrilt.

(4.) Their hand is in heaven, even faith, that
long arm of the foul, by which it can reach from
earth to heaven, even to his feat ; for by it, as
was fhewn, we draw near to God. Faith pene-
trates through the vail, and refts not, till it reft
in God himielf, who draws near to us in his word,
the word of the ever 1 ailing gofpel.

(5.) Their converfation is in heaven, Phil. iii.
20. They are citizens there, their great trade is
there. The King of heaven is their King, their
Lord, Head, and Hufband ; and fo they wait their
orders from heaven, and do not take up with every
thing which offers, according to the inclinations
of their own corrupt hearts. The laws of heaven
are their rule, for they are put in their mind, and
written in their inward parts, Heb. viii. 10. They
are not difpofed to do as others do, but to hear
what the Lord fays to them. The word from
heaven is their oracle, with which to confult in
all their way. Their hope and expectation is from
heaven. The work of heaven is their work, which
is, to ferve and to do the will of Chrift's Father
which is in heaven. — So much for the firft thing,
taking God for your God in Chrift, without doubt-
ing of your welcome. — The

2. Thing in drawing near with full aflurancc
of faith was, That having taken God for your

God

£88 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

God in Chrift, you claim him as fuch, without'
doubting of your title. I gave two obfervations
on this, but it is too weighty a point briefly to pafs
over. It is a pity that a believer fhould fo long
ftand afar from God, with his wifhes, O that he
were mine ! and that he fhould not draw near with
full affurance, and fay, He is mine in Chrift. —
To promote this exercife, I would have you to at-
tend to the following confiderations.

(i.) God allows you to claim him as your God.
Satan, and an unbelieving heart, may contradict
the claim, but God will never do it. The cove-
nant runs in thefe terms, " I will be your God,"
Heb. viii. 10. ; and will he ever refill you when
you plead his covenant ? Did he not allow Tho-
mas, formerly an unbeliever, to claim this, and
fay, " My Lord, and my God?" John, xx. 28.
Seeing, therefore, you may do it, it is folly. to
flight fuch a glorious privilege. — Gonfider,

(2.) That God is wcll-pleafed with you if you *
make this claim : Jer.iii. 4. " Wilt thou not from
this time cry unto me, My Father, thou art the
guide of my youth ?" Is not a father well-pleafed
to hear his child call him fo ? God is more loving
than any father or mother upon earth. Though
.they may forget, yet he will not forget us, Ifa.
xlix. 15. 16. The Son of his bofom, who bed
knows what pleafes him, teaches us to pray, Our
Father; his Spirit, who fearcheth the deep things
of God, teaches the children to cry, Abba, Fa-
ther. It is true, that he is not plea fed when car-<
nal profeflbrs claim him as their God, Hof. viii.
2. 3. Pfal. 1. 16. 17. But why fhould the chil-
dren ftart back from their food, becaufe the dogs
are boafted away ? If you are carting off" the thing
that is good, and are hating in fir u6t ion, I am not ad-
■vifing you to call him Father ; but have you taken
a turn

DRAWiNG NEAR TO GOD. 289

him in Chrift for a reft to thine heart, to make
thee holy, as well as happy ? then claim him as
thy God : Hof. ii. 23. " And they (hall fay, Thou
art my God." — Confider,

(3.) That the faints of God, in former ages,
have claimed God as their God : Pfal. xvi. 2. " O
my foul ! thou haft faid unto the Lord, Thou art
my Lord." — Song, ii. 16. " My beloved is mine,
and I am his." And it is the ufual way of fcrip-
ture -faints, to plead their intereft in God by faith.
Thefe things are written for our imitation. I ob-
ferve the faints in fcripture not only claiming God
as their God in the funfliine days of their profpe-
rity, but alio in deep affli&ion ; when the hand of
God lay heavy on them, they expected good from
him : Pfal. xlii. 6. f * O my God ! my foul is caft
down within me, therefore will I remember thee
from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites,
from the hill Mizar." Was ever any more afflict-
ed than Job, tempted even by his friends to quit
his claim ? yet he refolutely maintained it. The
faints have done this alfo in deep defertion : Thus,
Pfal. xxii. 1. " My God, my God, why haft thou
forfaken me ?" The 88th Pfalm begins with a be-
lieving claim. "Why fhould it not be fo, feeing
afflictions and defertions are the trial of faith ?
nay, what is more, they claim God as their God
in the time when (in, guilt, and backiliding, are
flaring them in the face, Ezra, ix. 6. — 10. •, for
this opens the heart to kindly forrow for fin, while
unbelief locks it up. When the claim is altogether
given up with, the heart may be broken into a
thoufand hard pieces, but it will never melt into
godly forrow. — Confider,

(4.) That this claim honours God. Abraham
Wuo firong in faith, giving glory to God, Rom.
iv. 20. Faith honours the blood of Chrift, the

blood

KJC THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

blood of the everlafting covennnt, when the foul,
over the belly of felt uhworthinefs, claims God
as its God upon the title given by this blood. It
gives Chrift the honour of the infinite virtue, value,
and efficacy of his blood. Faith honours the truth
of God in the promifes of the gofpel, when the
foul, in view of the infinite difproportion betwixt
God and his finful creature, yet, on the credit of
the word, puts in its claim to God himfelf.— Con-
sider,

(5.) That it is in the ftrength of faith by which
perfons draw near when taking God as their God,
but they come "ftM nearer when claiming him as
fuch : Job, xiii. 15. 16. "Though he flay me,
yet will I truft in him. He alfo fhall be my fal-
vation." The ftronger that the man is, he holds
the harder, and the ftronger that faith is, it comes
the farther forward in the houfe of God. When
Thomas got in his fingers, he cried, " My Lord,
and my God," John, xx. 28. for then his faith
was as a giant refrefhed with wine. — Confider,

(6.) If you dare not claim God as your God,
how will you claim any benefit of the covenant ?
There is guilt lying on your foul, you come and
claim a pardon ; there is a lull too ftrong for you,
you claim firength againfl it ; in difficulties you
leek light and direction. Now, how can you
claim any of thefe, if you claim not God himfelf
as your God ? Can a man who has no claim to a
woman, claim the benefit of a contract: with her ?
" I will be their God," is the great promife of the
covenant, on which all the reft depend ; give up
your claim to this, and you can lay claim to none
of the reft. If God be not your God in Chriftj
you have no right to pardon, peace, ftrength, &c.
— Confider,

Laftfy, That faith greatly advances fanttifica-

fcion.

DRAWING NKAR TO GOD. l§4

rion. Faith is the great promoter of holinefs,
Acts, xv. 5.9. " Purifying their hearts by faith."
So the more faith which a man has, he will be the
more holy ; and with the more full atfurance that
he can claim God, he has the more faith, and fo
will be the more ianclified. Thus it is certain,
that that claim which does not advance holinefs,
is but a delufion •, for the claim of faith is it ill
of this nature, Pfal. xvi. 2. 3. Exod. 15. 2. " The
Lord is my ftrength and my fong, and he is be-
come my falvation ; he is my God, and I will pre-
pare him an habitation : my father's God, and I
will exalt him." This is a great gofpel-truth ;
I {hall not launch forth into it now, but only men-
tion you three things upon it. — I obferve,

(1.) That the way to attain true holinefs is, by
drawing it from its fountain, God in Chrift, Heb.
viii. 10. 1 Cor. i. 30. " But of him are ye in Chrift
Jefus, who of God is made unto us wifdom and
righteoufnefs, and fanctification, and redemption."
There is a baftard fanctification, confiding of
fome acTs of external obedience, wrought out of
our own natural powers •, but true fanctification
is by improving thofe treafures of holinefs which
are in Chrift, or God in Chrift : John, i. 16.
" And of his fulnefs have all we received, and
grace for grace." Now, how can we improve
or make ufe of thofe treafures which are in God,
if we cannot claim him for our God ? But if we
cannot claim him as fuch, we can come boldly to his
throne to find mercy and obtain grace to help us
in time of need, Heb. iv. 1 6. If the foul can fay,
God is mine, then may the perion- fay, Light,
life, and ftrength are mine, the promifes are mine.
They may fuck freely at the breafts of all the gra-
cious promifes on record. In a word, when
the foul can claim God by faith, it can come

freely

292 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

freely to him for fan&ification, and improve him
for that end. — I obferve,

(2.) That love to God is the fulfilling of the
law ; and the more love, the more holinefs. Now,
to claim God in Chrift as our God, is the true
way to attain true love to God ; for it is faith
which fets love a-going. Faith worketh by love,
and fo it fets all the graces of the Spirit in mo-
tion. Mine is a kindly word ; though you live
in a cottage, if you can fay, It is mine, it will be
fweeter to you than the king's palace, becaufe it
is not yours. See how the love of God is kindled
in the bread of a guilty creature, 1 John, iv. 19.
" We love him, becaufe he firft loved us." It is
a hard work (to fay no more) to love a God not
believed in, not embraced as our God ; for the
greater and more glorious he is, he is the more
dreadful an enemy. It is the word of the gofpel
which brings the glad news of the love of God in
Chrift. Is it not plain, then, that the more this
be believed with application, the more will that
love to God be inflamed, and confequently the foul
more fatisfied. — I obferve,

(3.) That our hearts muil have fomething of
their own to fatisfy themfelves with. The greater
part of the world hang on about the door of the
empty creation, and fuck the breads of their ful-
fome lufts. Why do they this ? Becaufe God is
not theirs, and they cannot want altogether. But
let the heart once take God in Chrift, and claim
him as its own God, then it has enough. And
the more the foul is perfuaded of this, the lefs it
will care for other things, but fays, in effect, " I
have ail, and abound." A man will keep in his
candles, if he be not perfuaded the fun is up ;
'but if the windows be opened, and he fees the

fhining

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 293

fluning iun, he puts out his candles, he needs
them no more. — Our heart has that piece of pru-
dence, that it mult fatten one foot before it loofe
another ; and therefore, according as the claim to
God is ftronger or weaker, the claim to the world
and lulls, will in like manner be proportioned. —
Here I would propofe, and fay a word or two to
three Cafes.

Cafe 1. I am afraid of prefumption. Anf.
Draw near with a true heart, prefs only through
die vail to make your claim. Claim for a reft to
your foul, and for fancStiflcaticn, as was faid be-
fore ; and there is no prefumption. Have you
taken him as your own God ? Avow your claim
to him as fuch : Difhonour not God by calling
a cloak of pretended humility over your unbe-
lief.

Cafe 2. But can fuch an unworthy creature as
I make fuch a claim ? Anf If you will not, then
I hope you will not claim pardon, grace, or heaven ;
but you will, you mud quit your claim to all thefe
at once, for you muft not think to claim thefe
from a God that is not yours in Chnft. Will
you then, without reluctance, quit your claim to
all thefe ? If not, then claim him, though unwor-
thy. Why talk of unworthinefs ? Will you ever
be worthy of him ? No, no ; the claim of faith
is over the belly of felt unworthinefs, and founded
on the blood of Chrift alone.

Cafe 3. I would have claimed God in Chrift as
my God, and I even did it ; but Satan has got
advantage already of me, and I had to quit the
hold. Who ordered you to quit your hold even
in that cafe ? Not God, I am fure ; for he faith,
Heb. x. 35. " Call not away therefore your con-
fidence, which has great recompence of reward ;"
therefore it has been Satan and your own unbelie-
Vol. II. B b ving

294 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

ing heart. And are you not in a poor cafe for
riling up again out of the mire now, when you
have let go your hold of God, as your God in
Chtift ? This is not the way to rife, your beft courfe
is, to act faith again, and renew that claim which
you have formerly made, for grace, in order both
to juftification and fan£tification, Ezra, ix. 6. Pfal.
Ixv. 3. Jonah, ii. 12. — I now come to the

3. Thing in drawing near to God with full
affurance, which was, that you improve your
claimed intereft for all your necemties, without
doubting of fuccefs. Chrift has opened heaven
to you ; and if you have come in through the
vail, taken God in Chrift as your God, and claim-
ed him as fuch, he would have you to be fa-
miliar in his Father's houfe, and want nothing
which is there fuitable to your condition ; but
to put out the hand of faith, with full aflurance,
that you are as welcome to the heavenly treafures
as the blood that purchafed them can make you ;
and that is, welcome to the full. I doubt not but
this is the import of the text. Poor empty crea-
ture, thou canft not fubfift without commu-
nion with heaven •, but thou muft drink of the
fountain, before thou canft meddle with the
ftreams ; himfelf muft be thine, before the leaft
article of the furniture of the houfe can be thine ;
therefore thou muft take God in Chrift for your
God, then you muft claim him, and, having
claimed him, be familiar with him, and all that
is his 5 *, in the way of believing. — In explaining
this, I (hall mew,

I. How the believer fhould be familiar in the
houfe over which Chrift is fet, and thus draw
near with full aflurance.

1J. Why he fhould be fo familiar.

I.

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 7(.)$

I. We are to fhew, how the believer fhould be
familiar in the houfe over which Chrift is let,
and thus draw near with full aflurance.- -Upon this
I obferve, that he fhould,

i. Come and tell him all his wants freely, with-
out concealing any thing from him, for this would
argue diftance and diftruft : Song, vii. 1 1. " Come,
my beloved, let us go forth into the field ; let us
lodge in the villages." Faith has a moll enlarged
defire, it is always in want of fomething, and its
work is to beg, to take freely without money swid
without price •, and for that reafon it is pitched
upon as the great mean of communion betwixt
God and (inner s •, Rom. iv. 16. " Therefore it is
of faith, that it might be by grace, to the end the
promife might be lure to all the feed." And the
ftronger faith is, it fpreads out the more wants,
and fpreads them out the more freely before the
Lord, ns to a friend. Do you want anything as.
to which you cannot tell the Lord ? It argues
either no real need, or elfe little faith. Strong-
faith is a free communer in heaven, and will con-
ceal nothing, but tell all: Ephef. iii. 12. "In
whom we have boldnefs and accefs, with confi-
dence, by the faith of him." (Boldnefs, Gr. telling
all) He mould,

2. Come and ieek all he needs, without blufh-
ing : Heb. iv. \6. "Let us therefore come boldly
to the throne of grace, that we may find mercy,
and obtain grace to help in time of need."
Faith coming in within the vail, comes into a
friend's houfe -, and the more free and familiar it
is there, and the lefs referved, the more welcome.
There are two feekers that do not blufh before the
Lord in their afking : 1. A proud unhumbled
heart, whofe fenfe of need is very (mail ; and
thefe, for their fhameleiTnefs, get the door cad on
B b 2 their

296 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

their face : 1 Peter, v. 5. '« For God refifteth the
proud." Luke, i. 5. " And the rich he fendeth
empty away." 2. A ftrong faith, whofe fenfe of
need is very great, which drives away the unbe-
lieving blufhes out of the face ; arid fuch fhame-
lefs ieekers never get a "denial in heaven: Luke,xi. 8.
" Yetbecaufe of his importunity, (Gr. fhameleff-
nefs), he will rife and give him as many as he
needeth."

There is a blefled fhamelefmefs in faith with
full afTurance •, it makes perfons very familiar in
God's houfe. It can come there at any time, it
keeps no fet hours, it can ftep forward at mid-
night, (Luke, xi. 5.) when doors ufed to be fliut,
and knock at the gates, without fear of giving
disturbance. It was a dark night to Job *, God
had drawn a fable covering over the face of his
throne to him ; yet faith goes forwards, and draws
it by, Job, xiii. 15. 16. (quoted above). See alfo
If. Ixiii. 15. 16. It can plead the relation of a
friend to the mafter of the houfe. The believer
{lands in many relations to the Lord, and faith
iixes on that relation which will ferve its plea
belt. If the foul be under particular neceflities,
where it mufl have a friend's help, the foul will
claim the help of God as its friend, notwithstand-
ing the infinite difproportion between the relatives.
And in this cafe, it can be very full in its de-
mands : Luke, xi. 5. " Lend me three loaves."
Poflibly lets might ferve a friend on a journey,
who is to tarry only a night, but ftrong faith
is not to be dealt with fcrimply. It mull: have
what will be enough and to fpare, for it defires
to be more than a conqueror.-- Faith thinks no
fhame to complain of an empty houfe at home,
Luke, xi. 6. and that it has nothing to fet before
this ftranger. The report faith brings to heaven,

is

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 297

is ftill of emptinefs, for they that live by faith
are always from hand to mouth, and never want
an errand to the God of heaven for fome fupply
or other. — Finally, It can confidently borrow,
without one word of paying again. See the whole
of our Saviour's parable, the defign of which is to
recommend importunity at the throne of grace,
Luke, xi. 5. — 10. This is the way of faith's
trading with heaven, without money in handj
and without price to be paid. For faith juft in-
volves the foul in the debt of free grace, and can
trade at no other market, for no other is fuited for
the bankrupt family of Adam.

3. He fliould even put out his hand, and draw
to him, by believing the promifes fuited to his
cafe, and this with a faith of application : Matth.
xxi. 22. " And all things whatfoever ye fhall alk
in prayer, believing, ye fhall receive them." It
is the bufmefs of faith, to read the perlbn's par-
ticular name in the general promife, and to fill up
his own name in thefe promifes, which are, as it
were, God's blank bills and bonds, and then come
forward with them even to his feat, with David's
plea : Pfal. cxix. 40. " Remember the word unto
thy fervant, upon which thou hall caufed me to
hope." And this without doubting. They can
never be familiar with heaven, who ftand afar ofF
from the promifes. — Thou fhouldft believe that the
promifes fhall be made out ; they are the words of
truth, which fhall have a certain accomplifhment.
And though the unbelieving world take them but
for fair words, thou takeft them for fure words,
which are full of mercy, and fhall not mifcarry,
but fhall furely be accomplifhed at the fet time :
Pfal. xii. 6. « The words of the Lord are pure
words, as filver tried in a furnace of earth, puri-
fied feven times." — Again, believe that they mail
Bb 3 be

2<)8 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

be made out to thee. "What canft thou be the
better of a falve not applied to thy fore, or of a
promife which is not applied by faith to thy own
foul. It is by the faith of application, that thefe
breads of confolation are fucked, and that the wa-
ter is drawn out of the wells of falvation. And
what other way can we be partakers of the fap which
flows from them, but by thus believing, as was be-
fore (hewn. And for this caufe it is necefTary to be
well acquainted with the Bible, and to mark the
promifes, that, whatever be thy cafe, thou mayeft
have a word fuited to it to plead with God, for
the word is that by which influences are conveyed.
And, feeing much lies in believing and applying
the promifes, take thefe two notes to clear your
way in this exercife. — I obferve,

(i.) That whofoever receives Chrift., and takes
God for his God in him, has a right to all the
promifes of the covenant fuited to his cafe, and
has a right to apply them. They meet all in
Chrift, for " all the promifes of God in him are
yea, and in him amen, unto the glory of God by
us." And fo all of them may be chimed in him,
even as he who manies a wife may plead all that
is promifed with her in the contract. It is with
him that God freely gives us all things, Rom. viii.
32. Take Chrift, then, and the promife is yours
in him. — I obferve,

(2.) That the promifes are made primarily to
Jefus Chrift : Gal. iii. 1 6. " Now, to Abraham
and his feed were the promifes made. He faith
not, And to feeds, as of many ; but as of one,
And to thy feed, which is Chrift." He is the fe-
cond Adam, the great contractor with the Fa-
ther in the covenant of grace, and through him
to all who are his, even as the promife of the firft
covenant was to Adam, and his feed in him.

And

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 299

And they were made to him on condition of his
fatisfying the demands of the law, which is now
done; fo that, with refpect to us, they are all ab-
folute and free ; properly fpeaking, none of them
are conditional. Some of them defcribc the qualifi-
cation of thefe to whom they mall be accomplish-
ed, as Matth. v. 3. — 10. which qualification is,
however, wrought in them, in accomplifhment of
the leading promifes, the promifes of grace, fuch
as Ezek. xxxvi. 26. 27. "A new heart alfo will I
give you, and a new ipirit will I put within you •,
and I will take away the (tony heart out of your
flefh, and I will give you an heart of fiefh. And
I will put my Spirit within you, and caufe you
to walk in my ftatutes, and ye fhall keep my judge-
ments, and do them." But both the one and the
other are pleadable only through Jefus Chrift, be-
ing through him made abfolute to thefe who are
his *, fo that in Chrift you have a right to all that
is fuited to your cafe. Hence it is that promifes,
made to fome particular faints, may be confidently
applied by others in their circumftances, as grow-
ing all upon one root, which is our common Lord.
Thus, God laid to Jofhua, chap. i. 5. " As I was
with Mofes, (o I will be with thee j I will not fail
thee, nor forfake thee." He fays to every be-
liever, Heb. xiii. 5. "I will never leave thee, nor
forfake thee "

Laftly, He mould hang on about the Lord's
hand till the fupply come, and that confidently.
This is that which in the fcriptures is celebrated
under the name of trufling, relying, flaying on
the Lord. The whok weight of all our wants is
to be laid over on the Lord, and a confident ex-
pectation maintained, that he will fupply them,
according to his word. Truft repofed in a gene-
rous man is a ftrong tie on him to help and anfwer

expectation.

3 CO THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

expectation. Lot, Gen. xix. 8. would have any-
ill done to himfelf rather than to his guefts, be-
caufe, fays he, " for this caufe they came under
the madow of my roof." And they that truit in
the Lord according to his word, fhall never be
aihamed. Thus, the believer mould be familiar
in the houfe over which Chrift is fet, and in thi$
way draw near with full affurance. — Let us now,

II. Shew why the believer fhould be fo fami-
liar in this houfe, improving his claimed intereft
for his neceflities, without doubting of the fuc-
cefs. — He fhould be fo,

i. Becaufe heaven is made home to him by the
blood of the Son of God, and therefore no reafon
to doubt of welcome, Heb. x. 19. 20. That is a
kindly word, which you have in John, xx. 17.
« Touch me not, for I am net yet afcended unto
my Father j but go to my brethren, and fay unto
them, I afcend unto my Father and your Father,
and to my God and your God." It is our Father's
houfe, becaufe it is Chrift's Father's houfe ; and
where may one be familiar, if not in their father's
houfe ? It is the houfe prepared for them firft by
Chrift's fatisfaclion, then by his intercefhon :
John, xiv. 2. " I go to prepare a place for you."
It is the houfe their Lord and Hufband is fet over ;
it is the houfe they came of, for they are born
from above ; and it is the houfe they are to dwell
in for ever, nay, the Lord himfelf is their home :
Pfal. xc. 1. " Lord, thou haft been our dwelling-
place in all generations." The Jewifh Doctors
called him place, becaufe the only refting-place of
the foul is in God, and to believers he is unque-
ftionably their reft.

2. It is a pleafure to have full breafts fucked.
The breafts of grace and goodnefs in God to fin-

ners

DRAWING NEAR To GOD. 3OI

ners through Chrift, are full, there is nothing
wanting, faith has only to fuck, and to be fatis-
fied. It is applied to the church, what you have
in Ifa. lxvi. 11. " That ye may fuck, and be fatis-
fied with the breads of her confolations ; that ye
may milk out, and be delighted with the abun-
dance of her gloiy." The breafts are, as it were,
held forth in the word of the gofpel, which is our
great privilege. There is all fulnefs in Chrift, the
fulnefs of the Godhead dwelleth in him, that fo
finners might have accefs to God through the vail
of his flefli, and be filled with all the fulnefs of
God. The fulnefs in him is not the fulnefs of a
vefTel, to ferve itfelf only, but the fulnefs of a
fountain to be communicated, which ftill gives,
and yet has enough. Well may we, then, draw

near to God with full afTurance of faith.. We

mould be thus familiar ; lor,

3. This is the great end for which finners are
at all brought to God through Chrift, namely, that
they may partake of his fulnefs. It is the great
end of all the promifes . 2 Pet. i. 4. " Whereby
are given unto us exceeding great and precious
promifes, that by thefe we might be partakers of
the divine nature, having efcaped the corruption
that is in the world through luit." The commu-
nication betwixt God and man was interrupted by
Adam's fall ; it is opened by Jefus Chrift, that in-
fluences from heaven may run freely, and that in
him they may get all their wants made up. They
may be afiiired of a cordial welcome when taking
for their neceffities thefe things which are brought
in for this very end, that they may be fupphed.

4. The Lord offers him fell in the gofpel for all,
and the (inner vA^io takes him aright, takes him
for all, and inftead of all, Matth. xiii. 45. 46.
Now, if he oiler himfelf for all, furely he intends

that

302 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

that his people fhould improve their intereft in him
for all, He has taken them from all their former
friends ; furely, then, as an affectionate hufband,
he will allow his wife to be familiar in his houfe,
and take it very ill if me hang on about others for
a fupply of her wants. This familiarity our Ma-
ker, our Hufband, allows us, and approves of.

5. Our Lord (if I may fo fpeak) makes very
familiar with his peopie, and this is a fign that he
would have them to be fo with him. Lodge they
ever fo meanly, he will lodge with them : Ifa. lvii.
15. " For thus faith the high and lofty One that
inhabiteth eternity, whofe name is holy, I dwell
in the hi^h and holy place ; with him alfo that is
of a contrite and humble fpirit, to revive the fpirit
of the humble, and to revive the heart of the con-
trite ones." He not only gives them, but he takes
from them ; what provision from heaven is with
them, he takes part of, though he needs nothing
from them : Song, v. 1 . " I am come into my
garden, my fifter, my fpoufe ; I have gathered
my myrrh with my fpice \ I have eaten my honey-
comb with my honey ; I have drunk my wine with
my nsilk: Eat, O friends, drink, yea, drink abun-
dantly, O beloved !" He fometimes even will take
from them what they would not part with to any
but himfelf, and they will make him welcome to
it, as he did with Job, chap. i. His fhtep, afies,
children, were taken from him, and little at all
was left him. And if they a£fc like themfelves,
they will rejoice that they have aaiy thing, liberty,
life, &c. to part with to him. But fure I am,
the bed of the faints can never fo freely part with

any thing to him, as he does to them. They

ihould be familiar \ for,

Laftiy, They who ufe mofl familiarity with
the Lord, improving their claimed intereft, with

greatelt

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 303

greateft confidence, come bell fpeed at this throne :
Matth. xv. 28. " Then Jefus anfwered and faid
unto her, O woman, great is thy faith : Be it un-
to thee even as thou wilt." Little faith is a nar-
row vefTel, which brings in little from the foun-
tain ; but great faith brings in much. What-
ever the Lord's people may think of their doubtings
of the promifes, the word of God never fpeaks a
good word of the believer's doubts : Matth. xiv. 3 1 .
" O thou of little faith, wherefore didft thou
doubt ?" Doubts are not pleafing to God, for
they fhew the weaknefs of faith, and always in
lefs or more contain fome reflections on the blood
of Chrifl, the truth and gracious nature of God.
Auguftus admitted the common people with their
petitions fo pleafantly, that it is reported he re-
proved a certain perfon, telling him that he pre-
fented his petition to him, as if he had been gi-
ving a halfpenny to an elephant. Humility may
well confift with the confidence and full afTurance
of faith.

Now, to conclude all this, ye who have taken
God in Chrifl as your God, learn this holy art of
living by faith, claiming your intereft and impro-
ving it for all your neceflities. Alas ! firs, for what
end have we taken God in Chrifl for our God, if
we do not live upon him ? John, vi. 57. " As the
living Father hath fent me, and I live by the Fa-
ther ; fo he that eateth me, even he ihall live by
me." Why have we profefled to enter into the
houfe of God, by embracing the covenant, if we
do not improve it for all we need ? Improve, then,
the claimed intereit for all ; and particularly,

1. For a reft to your coniciences. Here David
found a reft to his, when death and guilt together
flared him in the face : 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. " Al-
though,"

304 THE ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF

though," fays he, " my houfe be not fo with God,
yet he hath made with mc an everlafting cove-
nant, ordered in all things and fure : for this is
all my falvation, and all my defire, although he
make it not to grow." If God be thy God, the
righteoufnefs of God is thine to cover thee, the
righteoufnefs of Chrift, God-man. Thou art
within that vail where the fiery law is clofed up
in the ark, and cannot reach thee. Confeffing,
mourning, repenting, are bleiTed and holy exer-
cifes, well becoming the child of God, and the
more faith, the more of thefe, and the deeper w r ill
they be ; but they, after all, are wholly inefficient
for a reft to the conference. — Improve the claimed
intereft,

2. For a reft to your hearts : Pfal. cxvi. 7. " Re-
turn to thy reft, O my foul ; for the Lord hath
dealt bountifully with thee." Have you come to
God through Chrift ? then reft thy heart in enjoy-
ment of him. Is the world fmiling on thee ? be-
ware, reft not on it, thou wilt foon find thy reft
broken, thou wilt never reft foundly in the em-
braces of a fmiling world, for the bed is fhorter
than thou canft ftretch thyfelf upon. Is the world
frowning ? Are the cifterns dried up ? thy crea-
ted pillars taken away? Yet defpond not, faint not,
while God remains, Hab. iii. 17. 18. You who
have taken God for all, you have a poor bargain
of it, if you have not as much as can make you
live without thofe things which may be taken from
you. Look to your ftock in heaven, look to the
glorious promifes *, he who overcometh fhall inhe-
rit all things.

Lajlly> Improve it for fanclification, to be holy,
as God is holy, to get ftrength for duty, and a-
gainft corruption. Draw in your furniture for a
holy life, from the fulnefs of him that filleth all

in

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 305

in all. Eelieve, that you may be holy. Take, by
faith, the promifc with you, when you ufe the
means of holinefs. They know little of the pro-
perty of faith, who ufe it only for the pardon of
fin ; it is the inftrument of fan&ification, as well
as of juftification : Acts, xv. 9. " Purifying their
hearts by faith." If a luft is to be fubdued, or a
temptation refilled, &c. faith mufl run thy errand
to heaven. Believe the promife of fandtification
with application to thyfelf, believe it with full af-
furance that it {hall be made out to thee ; and in
that confidence ufe the means appointed of God
for thy fan&ification, and lb thou {halt fucceed. —
If any of you have fet about gathering evi-
dences for heaven,. and have got them, thefe things
may help you to keep them, and to increafe them.
Amen.

Vol, II. € c the

THE SAINTS GODS SERVANTS AND HIS
PROPERTY *.

SERMON XXXVII,

Acts, xxvii. 23. For there Jlood by me this night the
angel of the Lord, ivhofe I am y and whom Iferve.

THere are two queftions, which may be per-
tinently propofed to every one of you after
this communion ; and he who can fatisfyingly an-
fwer them, as Paul here does, and every child of
God may do, it will be a pafs which will carry him
fafely and comfortably through the world, by fea
or by land, at home or abroad, among friends or
enemies, and even at length into heaven. — The
firft queftion is,

Whofe are you ? Man, woman, to whom do
you belong ? Are youChrift's, or Satan's ? Are you
ftill your own, or are you the Lord's ? Are you a
child of God's family, or of the devils ? What
countryman are you ? Are you from above, and
do you belong to the Lord of the better country ?

or

* Delivered June 15. 1715, the Sabbath after the d
penfation of the Sacrament.

SAINTS god's SERVANTS, ^c.

rc you from below, and do you belong to the

god of this world ? What fay you to this que-
stion, Whofe are you ? — Tlie fecoiul queftion is,

What is your bufinefs r Certainly yuu have fome
bufinefs or other, you are either well or ill em-
ployed. What is your occupation ? What coiu-fe
of life do you follow ? What is the great defign
upon which you are fet ? Are you ferving the devil,
yourfelves, your lulls ? or are you ferving God ?
What fay you to this queftion, What is your bufi-
nefs*?

Paul, in the text, and in a few words, anfwers
thefe two queflions. He told thofe whom he ad-
dreiled, that he was God's, and that God's fervice
was his bufmefs ; that his Lord and Mafxer had
fent him a very comfortable mefTage in the dark
hour which was now come upon them. — He was
now in a fhip, with many others, failing for Rome j
but a florin rifes, continues many days, and all
hope of being faved was taken away. Paul, not-
withstanding, is eafy and chearful •, he brings good
news to them, that there mould not one life be
loft in the caufe. And, in the text, he fhews them
on what ground he went, namely, that of divine
revelation, by the miniftry of an angel. — You may
here obferve, that God's word of promife is fuffi-
eient fecurity and encouragement in the darkefh
hour. The ftorm ftill continued, and was to con-
tinue, they were to make a narrow efcape, the
fhip was to be loll: ; but amidil all this, the word
of promife kept up his heart ; and he had good
reafon for maintaining his confidence.

God is unchangeably true to his word. He can-
not alter it, it (hall not fail : Numb, xxiii, 19.
" God is not a man that he mould lie ; neither
the fon of man, that he fhould repent : Hath he
faid, and iliall he not do it ? or hath he fpoken, and
C c 2 {hall

308 THE SAINTS GODS SERVANTS*"

{hall he not make it good ?" There is an impoffibU
lity of his word failing : Titus, i. 12. " He is God
that cannot lie." So that faith has the fureft
bottom on which to (land, when (landing on
the promife, namely, the unchangeable truth of
God. — There is nothing fo difficult and hcpelefs,
but God can bring it to pafs : Luke, i. 37. " For
with God nothing mall be impoffible." There-
fore he is able to make good his promife, though
all creatures fhould confpire to render/ his work-
ing ineffectual, and whatever difficulties maybe
in his way. — In one word, the experience of the
faints in all ages confirms this confidence :
Pfal. xii. 6. " The words of the Lord are pure
words ; as fiiver tried in a furnace of earth, puri-
fied," Many and various have been the trials of
the faints, but they all held by the promife, and
have at length fet to their feal that God is true.
—From this we may learn,

That their falvation is fecured, who have been
gracioufly brought within the compafs of the cove~
nant and the promife of falvation. " This," Da-
vid faid, " is all my falvation and all my defire,"
51 Sam. xxiii. 5. Though they be in this world as
on a boiilerous fea, where iht waves of indwell-
ing corruption, temptation, affliction, defertion,
are threatening to fwallow them up ; yet they fhali
get fafe aihore ; and. though the body fall in pie-
ces by death, the foul fhali arrive fafe in Imma-
nuel's land. — If it fhould be inquired, How may.
a perfon know that he is brought within the com-
pafs of the covenant and promife ? I anfwer, If
you have truly and honeftly come to Chrift, and
laid hold of him in the covenant, taken him as
he offers himfelf in the gofpel, if you have given up
with ail other lovers, and have taken up with him
: his offices, with a view t$ free you from the

guilt.

AND HIS -FROrERTY. 309

guilt, from the power and pollution of fin, all is well ;
for he has laid, John, vi. 37. " All that the Fa-
ther giveth me, ihal! come unto me; and him
that cometh unto me, I will in nowife caft out."
PofTefling him as the chief benefit of the covenant,
you have all : 2 Cor. i. 20. " For all the promifes
of God in him are yea, and in him amen, unto
the glory of God by us." — We may further learn,
That it is true wifdom to live by faith in the
promife of God, whatever ftorm be blowing :
2 Cor. v. 7. " For we walk by faith, not by fight."
You muft lay your account with dorms. Never was
there one in a (hip, except the man Chrift, whom
the devil would more anxioufly have drowned,
than he would have done Paul at this time. But
Paul is eafy, even when on the boifterous fea, on the
promife of God, while the reft were in a terrible
alarm •, Satan was not fo much fet againft them.
Unbelief and difcouragement can in no cafe be
ufeful. It is good to believe, whether we be
toiled with a ftorm of raging corruption, as in
Tfal. Ixv. 3.; ftrong temptations, as in Luke,
xxii. 31. 32. ; — heavy affliction, as in Pfal xxvii,
13. ; — or defertion, as in Pfal. xxii. 1. Thus much ,
for the connection.

In the text, Paul declares to the fhip's crew, .
who for the moil part were pagans, two things,

(1.) His intercourfe with heaven: 'There flood
by me this flight the angel of the Lord. (2.) His
fpecial relation to the God of heaven : Whofe
I am> and whom I ferve. The delign of this de-
claration was, not only to comfort them, but to
commend his God unto them, that they might
rdfo chufe him for their God and mailer. No
doubt, in thefe days, ver. 20. there had
been many prayers in the (hip. They had call-
ed to their gods, but in vain ; Paul had cried to »
C c 3 his ;

310 THE SAINTS GOD'S SERVANTS,

his, and had got a comfortable anfwer. He
thence takes occafiori to reprefent him as the God
of falvation, who was able to make them all fafe,
notwithstanding the dorm ; as the Lord of an-
gels •, as one whofe fervant himfelf was, who was
now fo chearful, when they weie fo dejected. Pro-
per methods thefe to commend his God to them.
— I would accordingly take occafion to obferve,
that it is the duty of thofe who are the Lord's,
to commend their God to others, that they in
confequence may be prevailed on alfo to be hi's.
There are two ftrong bonds to bind this on thofe
who are the Lord's.— There is,

i. The love and duty they owe to God, who
has done fo much for them, and who would have
all men to be faved. It is the more for the ho-
nour of God in the world, the more there are who
join themfelves to his fervice. This is an accept-
able thing which we can do for God, to exprefs
our thankfulnefs, namely, to make confcience of
discharging our duty, to lay out ourfelves in ad-
vancing the interell of Chriil and of religion in the
world ; that fmce he has brought us into his fami-
ly, we exert our endeavours to bring others alfo in-
to it. — Another bond is,

2. The love and duty we owe to mankind ;
Rom. xiii. 9. " If there be any other command-
ment, it is briefly comprehended in this faying,
namely, " Thou fhalt love thy neighbour as thy-
felf." Thofe who are yet ftrangers to God, are
our fellow-creatures, lying in the ditch of fin,
fwimming to the ocean of wrath, in which condi-
tion we alfo were before we were the Lord's ;
which requires from us a very ferious concern to
help them out of that ftate, Titus, iii. 1. 2. 3.
And this is as natural as it is for one that has narrow-

'y

AND HIS PROPERTY. 3 1 1-

Jy efcaped drowning, to beftir himfelf to help his
fellow who is in hazard of perifhing.

The ufe and improvement I would make of this
is, to call upon you, O Chriftians and commu-
nicants ! whofoever of you are the Lord's, to put
your hand to this work, to recommend Chrift
and religion to others. You that are come out
from among the devil's family, make it your work
to prevail on others to come away alfo. Remem-
ber the Samaritan woman, who told her neigh-
bours of Chrift, and invited them to come to him :
John, iv. 29. " Go thou and do likewife." — To
ftir you up to this work, I (hall lay before you the
following Motives.

Mot. 1. What ufe are you for in this world,
if you be not ufeful for God, and your genera-
tion, in this work to which you are called ? If
you will do nothing for God, you but take up room
on God's earth, and cumber his ground. The
children of God are not fo fituated. They fay,
" For none of us liveth to himfelf, and no man
dieth to himfelf. For whether we live, we live
unto the Lord ; and whether we die, we die un-
to the Lord: Whether we live, therefore, or die, we
are the Lord's."

Mot. 2. It is a dangerous thing to be an un-
profitable fervant in God's houfe : Matth. xxv. 30.
" And caft the unprofitable fervant into utter dark-
nefs ; there fhall be weeping and gnafhing of
teeth." An unprofitable tree may ftand fafer in
a wood than in an orchard •, and what is quite un-
fit for the mailer's ufe, \s fuel for the fire.

Mot. 3. It is the nature of true grace, and has
been the practice of the faints, thus to lay them-
felves out for God and the good of others. Grace
is communicative ; it is a well of water, from
which many may be refreftied *, it is a holy fire

to

312 THE SAINTS GODS SERVANTS,

to warm others. Accordingly, we find Abra-
ham's grace working thus, Gen. xviii. 19. " For
I. know him," faid God, " that he will command
his children and his houfehold after him, and they
fhall keep the way of the Lord, to do juftice and
judgement, that the Lord may bring upon Abra-
ham that which he hath fpoken of him." Thus
alio, we find David's grace, Pfal. xxxiv. 8. " O
tafte and fee that the Lord . is good : BlefTed is
the man that trufleth in him." Thus alfo the
fpoufe's grace, Song, v. ; the woman of Samaria,,
John, iv. 29.

Mot. 4. You would thrive better yourfelves, if
you were more employed in this work: Prov.xi. 25.
/\" The liberal foul fhall be made fat ; and he that
watereth (hall be watered himfelf." The fpring
runs, and the fire burns, the more freely that they
get a vent ; and they that ufe their talents thus
for God, are in the high way to increafe them :
Matth. xxv. 28. 29. " Take therefore the talent
from him, and give it to him that hath ten ta-
lents. For unto every one that hath fhall be gi-
ven, and he fhall have abundance." A cold heart,
without zeal for God's intereft, and a fealed mouth,
which cannot open for God, produces a back-going,
withered condition.

Mot. 5. It is well laid out work. For either
finners are gained by it, as it often falls out :
Song, vi. 1. " Whither is thy Beloved gone, O
thou faireft among women ? Whither is thy Be-
loved turned a fide ? that we may feek him with
; thee." In this cafe, the woik is an abundant re-
ward for itfelf : James, i.27. "Pure religion and~
undefiled, before God and the Father, is this, to
vifit the fatherlefs and the widow in theii afflic-
tion." But it fhall not go fo ; for every foul thou
doeft good to, fhall be as a jeweJ in thy crown :

« Thev

I) HIS rROPERTV. 313

M llicy that turn many to righteoufnefs, mall^ihine
as the flars for ever and ever." Thou wilt gain
the bleflfing of thofe ready to perifh •, and if thou
iliouldit not gain thy point, yet thy work fhall not
be in vain : If. xlix. 4. " Then I faid, I have labour-
ed in vain, I have fpent my Itrength for nought
and in vain ; yet furely my judgement is with the
Lord, and my work with my God." — But here
fome who are under difficulties may propofe this

^ueftkti, How mail a perfon manage this duty ?
I anfwer, Follow after the copy we have in the
text, in thefe three particulars.

1. Speak to the commendation of him and
Lis fervice. The world have mean and low
thoughts of God \ fpeak to his greatnefs, that the
fouls of others may be awed by it ; to his good-
nefs and loving kindnefs, that their fouls may be
ftirred up to love him, hope in him, trufl him,.
Speak to the advantage of his fervice, how com-
fortable, pleafant, and beneficial it is, Pfal. xxxiv.
6. 7. 8.

2. Prudently communicate your experiences of
his goodnefs to you. Tell what you have feen,
heard, rafted, and felt of him, that others may be
excited to wait on him. Tell it to thofe who are
abfolute ftrangers to God, when there is any hope
of thus doing them good, as in the cafe of the
text ; but otherwife we mull beware of calling
thefe pearls before fwine. Tell it to fellow Chri-
flians who need to be ftrengthened : Pfal. lxvi. 10Y
" Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I
will declare what he hath done for my foul."
And tell it even to thofe who fee no beauty in or-
dinances : Zech. viii. 23. "Thus faith the Lord
of hofts, In thofe days it fhall come to pafs, that
ten men fhall take hold, out of all languages of
the nations, even fhall take hold of the fkirt of

him

3T4 THE SAINTS GOD'S SERVANTS,

him that is a Jew, faying, We will go with you,
for we have heard that God is with you."
I 3. Confidently avow your choice of God and
his fervice before the world. Let them fee that
I you have made your choice, and does not repent it.
Say, with Jofhua, chap. xxiv. 15. " As for me
and my honfe, we will ferve the Lord." The be-
jing afhamed of confeffing the Lord and his way
before an evil generation, does much hurt to reli-
gion ; but a confident profeflion is a practical te-
ftimony to it. — To thefe three may be added,

4. A converfation becoming the gofpel, and
thofe principles which you profefs. — In the text,

The ftrjl thing we have is, Paul's intercourfe
with heaven, his communion with God : There
flood by me y Sec.

The fecond thing is, Paul's fpecial relation to the
God of heaven : Whofe 1 am^ and whom Iferve. —
We begin with the

Firf thing in the text, Paul's intercourfe with
heaven, his communion with God : There flood by.
me this night, the angel of the Lord. — In th is- fever al
things offer themfelves to our notice, which we
fhall fhortly explain. — There is,

I. The party employed to bring him the com-
fortable meffage from God : The angel of the Lord.

II. The peculiarity of this manifeftation and in-
tercourfe with heaven.

III. The pofture of the angtl : He food.

IV. The time of this manifeftation :

Let us then attend,
I. To the party employed to bring him the com-
fortable menage from God : An holy angel, who
appeared to him in the (hip. This was often the
privilege of the faints in the Old Teftament, and.

fometimes

AND HIS rROTERTV. ^1$

fometimes in the New, in the firfl times of it. We
are not, however, now to expect fuch appearances.

The facred volume is complied, and we are not
to expect new revelations. Angels are employed
to ferve for the good and benefit of thofe that are
the Lord's. We know little of the miniftry of
angels, but the fcripturts are plain, that this is
the privilege of all who are his : Pfal. xxxiv. 7.
" The angel of the Lord encampeth round about
them that fear him, and delivereth them." Heb.
i. 14. " Are they not all miniftering fpirits, fent
forth to minifter to them who fhall be heirs of fal-
vation." And the angels being invifible, we know
not how much we are indebted to them for their
miniftry ; we will know it better afterwards, when
we will be in no hazard of abufing it.

The improvement I would make of this is, to
point out the dignity and advantage of the chil-
dren of God. Kings' children have honourable
attendants ; thefe, however, are only men. But
if thou be a child of the family of God, angels
attend thee. They have a concern for thy welfare,
to promote it, as devils are trying to hinder it.
And thefe angels will attend thee, — during thy life
in this world. The fcripture is plain, that God
gives his angels charge concerning thofe who are
his, to keep them while in the way. It is a pro-
mife of the covenant that has been fealed to us :
Pfal. xci. 11. 12. "For he (hall give his angels
charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
They (hall bear thee up in their hands, left thou
dafh thy foot againft a (tone." As a father of a
family charges the elder children with the care of
the younger ones ; fo does God the angels, with
the faints on earth, the young heirs of glory ; and
they diligently execute their charge, however little
we kno^- about it. This appears from the fcrip-

tures

3l6 THE SAINTS GOD 5 S SERVANTS,

tures already quoted. — The angels will attend thee
at thy death, they will wait on thy foul removing
from the body, and convey it away home to your
Father's houfe in glory : Luke, xvi. 22. " And it
came to pafs, that the beggar died, and was car-
ried by the angels into Abraham's bofom." When
the child comes out of its mother's belly into this
world, fome inhabitants here receive it, and take
care of it *, and when the foul of a believer comes
out of the body, and is born into another world.,
the angels, inhabitants there, take it, and convey
it away to their country. This honour have all
the faints. — Let us attend,

II. To the peculiarity of this manifeftation and
intercourfe with heaven. — The angel flood by me.
They were all in the fame fhip, but none knew
what pafled betwixt the Lord and Paul ; none
faw nor heard the angel but Paul himfelf. And
two things are here remarkable.

i. There were many ftrangers to God in the
fhip ; but Paul was his own, and with him God
keeps communion; but with none of them, though
in the fame fhip with him. — Whence obferve, that
there is a fecret conveyance of intercourfe with
heaven to thofe who are the Lord's, in the mid ft
of a crowd of perfons who know nothing of the
matter. Many a time matters go on betwixt God
and a gracious foul, as betwixt Jonathan and Da-
vid, when they only knew the matter, 1 Sam. xx.
39. The Lord knoweth who are his, and who
are not, however mixed the multitude may be, 2
Tim. ii. 19. Whatever fair appearances a hypo-
crite puts on, he can fee through the difguife ;
and however iniquity prevail in his own, he can
difcern the pearl of faith and love in a dunghill of
corruption. The arrow is fhot at a venture, but

the

-TV. 3I7

the Spirit of the Lord directs it. Communion
with God, and intercourfe with heaven, lies in
inward, not in external things : 1 Tim. iv. 8.
" For bodily exercife profiteth little, but godlinefs
is profitable unto all things, having the promife of
the life that now is, and of that which is to come."
Every peribn might fee who went to the table,
what vif.ble thing was done there, who received
the bread and wine. But what pafled in the retire-
ments of the heart there, whofe fpikenard fent
forth the fmcll, who received Chrift into their
hearts, whofe faith and love were exercifed, with
whom the idol of jealoufy was preferved, or who
put the knife to the throat of it ; the whole is a
iecret betwixt God and the foul itfelf. — The im-
provement of this is, to learn, that it is a fad thing
to have been where that intercourfe with heaven
was, and to have had no fhare of it ; to be perfons
whom God goes by, and comes by, manifests his
grace on the right hand, and on the left hand, while
theyhavenomare of it. We have no groundto doubt
but communion with God was enjoyed by fome
in that church-yard, and at the Lord's table. O !
what was your fhare of it ? If you have had none,
it is a token, either that you were dead in your fins,
and in a ftate of alienation from God, and not
come out of the devil's family, though you were
by profefiion among God's children : Amos, iii. ^.
" Can two walk together, unlefs they be agreed ?"
Dead folk cannot converfe with the living, nor dead
fouls have communion with the living God. Ha-
bitual eftrangement from communion with God,
is a black mark of a gracelefs ftate, 2 Cor. vi. 16.
Let that ftir you up yet to come out from among
them, and leave the congregation of the dead, while
yet there is hope. — Or it is a token, that ye were
afleep, and all out of cafe for communion with
Vol. II. D d God.

3 I B THE SAINTS GOD's SERVANTS,

■God. And if that was the cafe, Q but it was ill-
timed ! Song, v. i. 2. Ye have dipt a precious
feafon, ye know not if ever it may return. Re-
view, therefore, your carriage and way at this oc-
calion •, awaken timeoufly, and repent, elfe you
may come to get an awakening ftroke from the
Lord, which may go very deep : i Cor. xi. 30.
" For this caufe many are weak and fickly among
you, and many fleep." — Learn to blefs God, be
thankful, and walk worthy of your privilege, you
who have had the diftinguifhing mercy of commu-
nion with God. To whom much is given, much
alfo (hall be required. Did he bring you into his
banqueting -houfe ? Then follow on in the way of
holinefs, as (trengthened by what you have expe-
rienced. Let not his grace bellowed on you be
in vain. — Here a queflion maybe propofed, How
may a perfon know whether he had communion
with God or not ? Anf. Communion with God
coniifts in the Lord's vouchfafing the influences of
his grace to the foul, and the foul's returning them
again in the exercife of grace. There are many
marks of grace. I offer you two diftinguifhing
ones from the text.

Mark 1. The foul's giving itfelf wholly to the
Lord, without exception of any thing, and Hand-
ing to it : IVhofe I am. People may give their
hand, tongue, mairy things of theirs to the Lord,
but none but thefe who have communion with
him, will honeflly give themfelves wholly, without
exception of one luft, or one crofs, to him ; and
being deliberate, they (land to it. This is an evi-
dence that the Lord has given himfelf to them,
and they have received him by faith ; for man's
heart will never give their all to the Lord, till it
receive better.

Mark 2. Has religion now become yx>ur bufi-

nefs ?

AND HIS property. 3 1 r>

nelti ? Whom 1 fcrve. Have ye truly renounced
the fervice of the devil, and of lulls, taken on the
yoke of Chrift in all its parts, making religion no
more a by-hand work, to ferve yourfelvcs of it,
but your chief work, your continual work, to
ferve the Lord in it ? If you have had thefe,
you have had communion with God \ if dot, you
have not had it. — To this fome may reply, But,
alas ! I have not had what I would wifh to have
been at. In anfwer to this, confrder what is re-
markable here : There were others who were the
Lord's, befides Paul, in this {hip ; Luke, at lea ft,
whom, though the Lord left not without commu-
nion with himfelf in that dark hour, yet Paul only
had the vifion of the angel. You will accordingly
obferve, that every faint is not admitted to the
fame degree of communion with God, fome enjoy
more than others. All the difciples were not ta-
ken up to the moi»^ of transfiguration, but only
three of them. John was the beloved difciple,
though Jefus loved them all, except the ion ot*
perdition. Some may be brought farther forward
at one time, others at another time. Some may
be full to the brim, when the enjoyments of others
are very fcanty. There is no reafon to complain
here ; for,

(i.) Ordinarily God proportions his people's
prefent litting up to their former down-calling :
Ifa. xl. 4. " Every valley (hall be exalted." Some
need more communion with God in the way o:
conviction and humiliation, others in the way of
comfort j but the heavieit heart, and the mod hum-
bled fpirit, needs the greatefl outletting of com-
fortable manifeftations. And if God fpeak moil
comfortably to thofe who moil need it, it is un-
juft to complain.

(2.) The greateft privilege is ordinarily followed
D d 2 with

220 THE SAINTS GOD S SERVANTS,

with the greatefl piece of work, i Kings, xix. 7.
God has hard pieces of fervice to put into fome
people's hands beyond others. ■ Paul rauft' appear
before Caefar for the defence of the gofpel, and
therefore flood in moft need of this manifeftation
to comfort and fortify him.

(3.) The backs of God's people are ordinarily
ftrengthened in proportion to their burdens ; and
therefore the more liberal feaft that a faint gets,
he may expecl; the greater trial. If we compare
the life of Ifaac and Jacob, you will obferve, that
the latter had the greateft enjoyments of God ;
but fo alfo had he the greatefl trials of the two.

As a fuitable improvement of what has now
been obferved, let us, who have had communion
with God in any meafure, however fmall, not
overlook the mercy, but thankfully entertain it.
There is real communion with God in thefe two
things. (1.) In longing denres after Chrifl : Pfal.
xxvi. 9. " With my foul have I defired thee in the
night, yea, with my fpirit within me will I feek
thee early." When the foul is touched with a de-
fire of hina above all perfons and things, longing
for the enjoyment of him as their portion, longing
for his blood to fprinkle them, and his Spirit to
fanctify them, it is an evidence of the Lord's dis-
covering himfelf in fome meafure to that foul. —
There is real communion with God, (2.) In real
love to him, well-pleafednefs with his covenant :
Matth. xi. 6. " And bletTed is he, whofoever fhail
not be offended in me." There can be no true
love to Chrifl, which is not produced by his love
to the foul : 1 John, iv. 19. " We love him, be-
caufe he firft loved us." And no heart will be
truly fatisfied with the covenant, with the tenor,
benefits, and duties of it, but that which, by the
influences of the Spirit, is framed in conformity

to

AND HIS FR0PERTY. 321

to it : " Thy people (hall be willing in the day of
thy power," Pfal. ex. 3. If this has been your at-
tainment, then cherifh the fpark. Quench not
the Spirit. Satan will endeavour to rob you of it ;
but if it be tenderly watched and preferved, the
Spirit will break out into a flame : Hof. vi. 3.
" Then (hall we know, if we follow on to know
the Lord." — Let thofe who have had a more than
ordinary meeting with God, and have been filled
with confolation, admire God's mercy towards them,
and prepare themfelves for trials and temptations,
which will try their ftrength. God's children are
fuffered to eat no idle bread. Watch, therefore,
and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. Care-
fully cherim and preferve what God has done for
you, and improve it to your progrefs in fancTiifi-
cation. This is the true way to keep your candle
(hining. — Let us attend,

III. To the pofture of the Angel. Hey?o;^, he
did not fit down, becaufe he was not to flay.
This was an extraordinary vifit to Paul, he was
not to look for this as his ordinary entertainment
from heaven. Extraordinary manifeftations are
what we cannot expeci to be continued, without
interruption, while we are here. God will have
a difference betwixt heaven and earth. And as
two fummers are not to be looked for in one
year, fo a lafting heaven of comfort upon earth
will not be 'found. Though the Lord may fome-
times feed his people with ftrong fenfible manifef-
tations in this world, this is not their ordinary.
They mult for the moft part live by faith, with-
out extraordinary manifeftations : 2 Cor. v. 7.
"For we walk by faith, not by fight." Let Chri-
ftians then lay their account with a ftruggling and
D d 3 wreftling

322 THE SAINTS GOD'S SERVANTS,

wre filing life, with the clouds returning after the
rain. For we are as thofe who travel by night,
with the light of the moon, which fometimes
mines clear, at other times hides her head under
a cloud : Pfal, xxx. 7. « Thou didft hide thy face,
and I was troubled." — We are,

IV. To confider the time of this manifeflation :
'This night. It was a fad night in that fhip, all
hopes of being faved were loft, and then the Lord
appeared to help. — This may lead us to obferve,
that when things are brought to an extremity,
this is a fpecial opportunity which the Lord takes
to appear for thofe that are his. This is the pro-
mife : Deut. xxxii. 36. " For the Lord will pdge
his people, and repent himfelf for his fervants,
when he fees that their power is gone, and there
is none ihut up or left." And agreeable to this has
been the experience of the faints in many cafes.
Thus, as to the church of God in Egypt, their
bondage was moft hard, before the Lord delivered
them. The reafons why the Lord does this are
many. — Among others,

1 . By this the hand of God appears moft emi-
nent in the deliverance. The more defperate that
the cafe be, the love of God in thinking upon his
people, his wifdom in contriving their deliverance,
his power in bringing it to pafs, appear the more
conspicuous : Ifa. xxxiii. 10. " Now will I rife,
faith the Lord ; now will I be exalted, now will
I lift up myfelf." He has the greater revenue of
glory, by curing the difeafe when paft all hope. —
Another reafon is,

2. That it brings the greater advantage to the
faints : John, xi. 15. " And I am glad for your
fakes that I was not there, to the intent you may
believe." For hereby their eyes are opened to fee

their

AND HIS PROPERTY. 323

their own weaknefs more, their patience is tried,
their faith in God confirmed and ftrengthened,
and their high thoughts of God and his perfec-
tions railed to a higher pitch. — As an improvement
of this, I obferve, that this affords ground of hope
and comfort to the Lord's people, when matters
are come to the lowed ebb with them, Zech. xiv.
7. Faith has ground to (land upon, when all
things fail to fenie. It is God's fpecial time of
beginning to work, when men can do no more.
Thus Hagar at the well. Many a time the Lord
makes the wheel of providence drive downward
and downward, till we are almoft at its extremity ;
and then is the turning point.

THE

THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.

SERMON XXXVIII.

Acts, xxviii. 23. For there flood by me this night the
angel of the Lord, ivhofe lam, and whom Iferve.

HAVING explained and improved the firft
branch of the text, I now come to the

Second branch, namely, Paul's fpecial relation
to the God of heaven : Whofe I am, and whom I
ferve. And this is the chief thing I would infill
upon. And here Paul declares two things. 1.
To whom he belonged : ' I am God's, I own no
other Father, Lord, Matter, or Proprietor/ The
centurion might fay, < I am Csefar's ;' but Paul
avows a more honourable Proprietor. 2. What
was his bufinefs : Whom Iferve. He was on the
fervice of that God to whom he belonged.

This word, the Lord, ivhofe lam, is very impor-
tant. There were four things implied in it.

I. A comfortable view of God's fpecial injtereft
in him. He was convinced, that whoever others

belonged

THE SAINTS GOD'S SERVANTS, &C 325

belonged to, he belonged to God, that there was a
laving relation betwixt God and him. — There is,

2. A reeognifing God's fpecial intereit in him.
He had faid it before at his firlt aeeepting of the
covenant, < I am the Lord's •,' and lie did not re-
pent the bargain, but repeated it over again, < I
am his.' — There is,

3. An open profcfTion of his fpecial relation to
God. He was not afhamed of his Proprietor, his
Lord and Mafter ; but he gloried in it, account-
ing himfelf happy in the relation. — There is,

4. A rejoicing in it, particularly with refpect
to this fealbn of diftrefs. As if he had faid, The
fea rages, the waves threaten us with death j but
this is my happinefs, I am the Lord's, in whofe
hands all thefe are. — From this fubject I would
take the following Doctrines.

Doct. I. That it is the duty and interefl of thofe
I who have truly given themfelves away to the
/ Lord, to look on themfelves as his.
Doc r. II. That thofe who are the Lord's ought

to make, and will make, God's fervice their

bufinefs We begin with

Doct. I. That it is the duty and intereft of thofe
who have truly given themfelves away to the
Lord, to look on themfelves as his.

In treating this point, I mall,
I. Confirm this doctrine.

IL Shew in what refpecls thofe who have given
themfelves away to the Lord in his covenant are
to look upon themfelves as his.

III. Ailign reafons why it is the duty of thofe
who have truly given themfelves away to the Lord
in his covenant, thus to look on themfelves as his.

IV.

3 16 THE SAINTS GOD's SERVANIS,

IV. Shew how it is their intereft to look on
themfelves as the Lord's.

V. Conclude with fome practical improvement.
— We are then,

1. To confirm the do£trine, That it is the
duty and intereft of thofe who have truly given
themfelves away to the Lord, to look on them-
felves as his. This is evident, if you confider,

i. The laudable practice of the faints, who
had given themfelves away to the Lord. They
go over the bargain again, hold by it, and look
upon themfelves as the Lord's: Pfal. cxvi. i<5.
" O Lord, truly I am thy fervant, I am thy fer-
vant, and the fon of thy handmaid, thou haft
loofed my bonds." And Pfal. cxix. 94. " I am
thine, fare me." The fpoufe, Song, ii. 16." My
beloved is mine, and I am his."

2. The Spirit of God inftrucls them fo to do.
1 Ccr. vi. 19. 20. "What ? know ye not that your
body is the temple of the- holy Ghoft, which is
in you, which ye have of God ? And ye are not
your own, for ye are bought with a price : There-
fore glorify God in your body, and in your fpirit,
which are God's." There is great weight in it,
whofe we look on ourfelves to be. It is the fin
of many, that they fay, Pfal. xii. 4. " Our lips are
our own : Who is Lord over us ?" This proceeds
from Satan, and the corrupt heart. The Spirit
of the Lord teaches his own to look on themfelves
as his.

3. The Lord looks on fuch to be his, by a
fpecial relation : John, xvii. 0. 10. * I pray for
them : I pray not for the world, but for them
which thou haft given me •, for they are thine.
And all mine are thine, and thine are mine ; and

I

AND HIS PROPERTY. 327

1 am glorified in them." Yea, he takes a pleafure
to aflert his intereit in them ; he ealls them, and
pleads with them, to own the manual relation be-
twixt him and them : Jerem. iii. 4. « Wilt thou
not from this time cry unto me, My Father, thou
art the guide of my youth ?"

I aftly> The nature of the thing requires it, for
they are his indeed. Honeit covenanters with
God, give themfelves to the Lord : 2 Cor. viii. 5.
« But tirit gave their own felves to the Lord, and
unto us by the will of God." They yield them-
felves to him, fo that they are his, and therefore
Ihould look upon themfelves as fuch. — Let us now,

II. Shew in what refpects thofe who have
given themfelves away to the Lord in his cove-
nant, are to look upon themfelves as his.

1. They are to look upon themfelves as his, in
oppofition to all his competitors. The Lord will
not divide mare in his covenant-people with any
whatfoever : Jfa. xxvi. 13. "O Lord our God,
other lords befides thee, have had dominion
over us ; but by thee only will we make men-
tion of thy name." He will admit no rival with
him, but if ye take me, let thefe go. The foul,
till it comes within the covenant, is in a reftlefs
cafe, like a bee going from flower to flower, or a
bird from bufh to bum. The man has many ma-
ilers and lords. But when come into the covenant,
he breaks his league with them all, and is married
to Chrift, to live in undivided fociety with him :
Pfal. xlv. 10. " Hearken, O daughter, and confi-
dcr, and incline thine ear ; forget alfo thine own
people, and thy father's houfe."

Believers, ye are not your own, and you mufl: no
more look on yourfelves to be your own, 1 Cor.
vi. 19. (quoted above). Have you given yourfelves

away

328 THE SAINTS COd's SERVANTS,

away to him ? Then you are no more at your own
difpofal. Faith is the fouls coming out of itieJf
to the Lord, that he may be all to us, and we as
nothing. Away, then, with felf-wifdom, it is but
folly : Self-righteoufnefs, nothing other than rags ;
and felf-ftrength is pitiful weaknefs.

You muft no more look on yourfelves as the
children of your natural father the devil. You
have been too long at his beck, his captives, flaves,
and drudges. You muft now change mailers, you
muft renounce the prince of darknefs, having inlift-
ed with the Prince of peace. They are contrary
mafters, and ye cannot ferve both, Matth. vi. 24.
Anfwer all temptations to fin with this, that ye
have come out from among them, and therefore
have nothing to do with the work or entertain-
ment of the houfe of hell.

Believers, you are to look on yourfelves as no
more belonging to the world lying in wickednefs :
John, xv. 19. U Becaufe ye are not of the world ;
but I have chofen you out of the world, there-
fore the world hateth you." Have you come
away to Chrift in the covenant ? Then you have
turned your back on the world, on its courfes
and ways, you muft no more conform yourfelves
thereto, but to the heavenly Jerufalem: Rom. xii 2.
" And be not conformed to this world ; but be
ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good, and accept-
able, and perfect will of God." You have put
your hand to the plough, do not adventure to
look back. You have left the fociety of the wic-
ked, do not mix with them again : Pfal. xxii. 7.
" Thou (halt keep them, O Lord, thou malt pre-
ferve them from this generation for ever." — Ye are
no more for your lufts and idols, but for the Lord :
Rom. vi. 16. « His ferv ants ye are, to whom ye
obey." Have you given Chrift the throne ? Then

your

D HIS PR PERT V. 32()

lulls muit be mortified : " For they that arc
ChrifVs, have cruel tied the flcfti, with the affec-
tions and lulls," Gal. v. 24. The offending right
hand and eye mult be parted with. Thefe will re-
turn back to feek entertainment from you as for-
merly ; but remember, you mull be as obedient:
-children, " not fafhioning yourfelves according to
your former lulls in your ignorance," 1 Peter, i. 14.
— Finally, confider yourfelves as no more be-
longing to the law, or covenant of works, as a
hulband : Rom.vii. 4. "Wherefore, my brethren,
ye alio are become dead to the law by the body of
Chriil ; that ye mould be married to another, even
to him who is railed from the dead, that we ihould
bring forth fruit unto God." They who have laid
hold on Chrift, in the covenant of grace, are divor-
ced from the law. So that, though you are to per-
form all incumbent duties, you are not to perform
them under the influence of the firfl: covenant, as
feeking and procuring life and falvation by them ;
but to exprefs your thankfulnefs to him, whofe
you are, as being under Chriil's law of love.

2. They are to look on themfelves as his uni-
verfally, without exception or referve of any thing.
Whatever you are, whatever you have, whatever
you can do, or fuffer, all is the Lord's ; for in
that day in which the foul clofe3 honeftly witk
Chrift, all is made over to him together. To be
more particular. —Look, then, on your bodies a*
his, to be temples for his Spirit, 1 Cor. vi. 19.
with which to ferve him. Even ail the memb er s
of the body, are to be confecrated to the Lord, as
inftruments of righteoufnefs unto God, Rom
vi. 13. You are to ufe your tongues in fpeaking
for him, your hands in acting for him, your feer
in going his errands. To abufe the body by
intemperance, uncleannefs, and the like, is to *

Vol. IL ' E e di-

33* THE SAlKTS GOT)' 3 SERVANTS,

defile the temple of God. To exhauft the body
in worldly labour, fo as to unfit it for bearing its
part in the fervice of God, is facrilege, a de-
vouring that which is holy ; for your bodily
ilrength is the Lord's.- Look upon your fouls alfo
\ as his. The foul is the beft part of the man, and
it is given away to God when one enters into his
covenant. It is purchafed by Chrift, as a precious
thing j and ye are to have a peculiar care of it, and
muft not prefume to lay it at ftake, as many do,
for the fatisfying of a luft, who often forget to
loofe the precious pledge by repentance. — All the
faculties of your fouls are his. — Your hearts are
the Lord's : Prov.xxii.26. " My fon, give me thine
heart." The world and our lufts have long divided
our hearts betwixt them. They have been as a
common inn, fo throng with Grangers, that the
Mailer of the houfe had to lodge without. But,
O remember ! they are now the Lord's ; that he
mult be the object of your choice, your love, your
defire, and delight ; and that all your affections
muft center in him whofe your heart is. — Your
will is alfo the Lord's : A£ts, ix. 6. " Lord, what
wilt thou have me to do ?" You muft learn to fay,
Thy will be done. Put away your felf-will. The
will of his commandments muft determine your
practice ; the will o"f his providence, your lot.
The long quarrel betwixt the Lord and you muft
now be at an end, namely, whether your will
or hiS'fhall be done. His will muft ever govern
vour will, and yours ftoop to his. — Your con-
science is his. It ought to be fubjecl: to him in all
things, and to him only. Receive nothing in re-
ligion, in point of faith or practice, but upon the
authority of God, fpeaking in his word ; other-
wife, you proftitute confcience to your lulls and
the opinions of men: Matth. xxiii. 9. " And call no

mm

AND HIS PR0PE1 I « . 331

x our father upon earth : For one is your Fa-
ther which is in heaven." With whatever preten-

thefe things be fupported, fuch as antiqui-
iClucls, Sec, they are to be rejefted, Col. ii.

:i. 22. Receive everything held out in the
word, however oppofite it may be to your carnal
reafoning, interefts, &c. Your every thought ihould
be brought into captivity, to the obedience of
Chrift, 2 Cor. x. 5. -Again, you muft: confider
alfo, your worldly comforts and enjoyments as his.
If you have given yourfelves to the Lord, you have
laid them all down at his feet,- to be difpofed of
at his pleafure : Luke, xiv. 26. " If any man come
unto me, and hate not his father, and mother,
and wife, and children, and brethren, and fillers,
yea, and his own life alfo, he cannot be my dif-
ciple." You will look on them now as the Lord's
loan, which he may call back from you when
he will. Look on them as v/hat you are to im-
prove for God. Your life, your liberty, honour,
wealth, reputation, all is the Lord's, to be ufed
for his honour, and willingly parted with at his
call. — Your gifts and opportunities for ferving
God, are alfo his. The Lord has put them under
your care, for the ufe of them, while the property-
remains in himfelf. You are but the llewards,
and mull ufe thefe talents for his honour ; he
has given you them with this charge, Luke, xix.
13. " Occupy till I come." Have you a gift of
knowledge ? Do good by it, ufe all your gifts and
comforts, for your falvation-work, and for the
good of thofe with whom you are connected — Fi-
nally, your time is his, Eph. v. 16. " Redeeming
the time, becaufe the days are evil." Do not
think you may fill up your time as you pleafe in
purfuit of vanities, or in following your lulls.
No, you muft make confeience of fpending to
E e 2 good

\

332 THE SAINTS G0B*3 SERVANTS,

good purpofe every inch of your time ; you muft bt
careful that you trifle it not away, doing nothing,
or worfe than nothing.

3. They muft look on themfelves as his for
evermore ; not merely for a time, but for all
times, all cafes, and all conditions : Pfal. Ixxiii.
23. 26. " I am," fays the Pfalmift, " continually
with thee. — My ilefh and my heart faileth ; but
God is the ftrength of my heart, and my portion for
ever." Remember, that your ears are bored to
the Lord's door-polls, you have lifted up your hand
to the Lord, and cannot go back. — You muft,
then, be his, without interruption : Deut. v. 29.
" O that there were fuch an heart in them, that
they would fear me, and keep all my command-
ments always, that it might be well with them,
and with their children for ever !" You muft not
be one day for God, another for the devil, nor take
your religion by fits and ftarts, you muft not fuit
your religion, to times and companies. — You muft
be his, without apoftacy and defection : Pfal. cxix.
12. "I have inclined mine heart to perform thy
ftatures alv/ay, even unto the end. ,y You muft
make no term-day with Chrift, but having loved
your Matter, you muft refolve to abide with him
for ever, to live wjth him, and to die with him,
that thus you may be with him through the end-
lefs ages of eternity. And therefore your heart
muft reft in him, as an object which is complete-
ly fatisfying: Pfal. Ixxiii. 25. " Whom have I in
heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth,
that I defire befides thee." Have you not come
into the covenant, becaufe, having traverfed the
whole creation, you could not find reft to your
fouls there, and therefore had taken Chrift as a
covering to the eyes, and a complete portion to
the foul ? — Refolve. then, that nothing fhall part

betwixt

AND HIS TROPERTY. 333

x: the Lord and you •, that you will neither
be bonited nor bribed away from him by the words,
rhe {miles, the frowns, the reproaches, nor threaten--
inga of the world : Song, viii. 6. 7. " jSet me as
a feal upon thine heart, as a feal upon thine arm :
for love is ftrong as death ; jealcufy is cruel as
the grave : the coals thereof are coals of fire,
which hath a vehement flame. Many waters can-
not quench love, neither can the floods drown it :
If a man would give all the fubftance of his houie
for love, it would utterly be contemned." What-
ever ilorms blow, you are the Lord's, you mult
not leave him, you muft not be offended at his
crofs, but follow the Lamb whitherfoever he goeth,
through good report and bad report. — We now
proceed,

III. To give fome reafons, why it is the duty
of thofe who have truly given themfelves away
to the Lord in his covenant, thus to look on them-
felves as his. — They are to do fo,

1. Becaufe they are his, in a manner the reft
of the world are not. Our Lord has a peculiar
title and intereft in all who have honeftly entered
into covenant with him, John, xvii. 9. 10. (quo-
ted above \ and why mould not this be avowed ?
— They: are his, by a new creation : If. xliii. 21.
" This people have I formed for myfelf -, they
ihall (hew forth my praife." There is not one
foul, which has, in the way of believing, given it-
felf to Chrilt, but it is made. new by the power of
regenerating grace. Hence every believer, who
receives power to become a fon of God, is faid to
be " born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flefh,
nor of the will of man, but of God," John, i. 12.
13. So that the Lord has the fame right to the.
new creature, which he has to all by their firfl,
E e 3 creation,

334 TH - saints cob's servants,

creation. Thofe who are new creatures, are abiu-
Jutely his property : wlnt in confeq-uence they are
made to be, it is all intended to be for his glory.
- — Again, they are his by redemption, applied to
them. They are bought with a price. Jtfus
a gave himfelf for us, that he might redeem us from
all iniquity, and purify unto himfelf a peculiar
people, zealous of good works." They were cap-
tives to Satan, debtors to the law, and criminals
Co j uft ice : He has given his life a ranfom for
them ; and thus has bought them to himfelf.
They could contribute nothing to a making up the
price, he paid it all ; and thus they are, on the
bed grounds, his wholly.— Finally, they are his
by covenant : Heb. viii. 10. " For this is the cove-
nant that I will make with the houfe of Ifrael,
after thofe days, faith the Lord ; I will put my
Jaws into their minds, and write them in their
hearts : And I will be to them a God, and they
ihall be to me a people." He has offered this
covenant to them, they have accepted it -, in its na-
ture, it is a marriage-covenant, they are his fpoufe.
They have fubmitted to his royal fceptre, they are
Ids fubjecls. They have dedicated themfelves to
rhe Lord ; they have made a gift of themfelves to
the Lord, They have thus lifted up their hands
to the Lord, and fo cannot draw back, but mull
hi dutyconfider themfelves as his. — They are to do
fo •, for,

2. The honour of God requires it. Thofe who
are fervants to pcrfons of high rank, are ufuallyfub-
ie£t to bear the badge of their mailer ; and thofe
who are the Lord's are in the fame manner bound :
Rev. xiv. i. " And I looked, and lo ! a Lamb
ftood on the mount Sion, and with him an hun-
dred forty and four thoufand, having his Father's
name written in their foreheads." It is to the dif-

honour

AVC BIS TXOTEKTY- $$$

honour of our Lord, when we look on ourfelvec
as our own, or are afhamed of acknowledging our-
felves to be his : This cannot but reflect a di (ho-
nour on him ; even as the avouching ourfelves to
be his tends to his honour before the world. — We
fhould do fo ; for,

3. Our (landing to the covenant requires it :
Ffal. cxix. 94. " I am thine, lave me, for I have
fought thy precepts." If we do not repent the
bargain, but intend to hold by it, we muft of nc-
eeility look on ourfelves as his, having given away
ourfelves to him. If we refufe it, we do in efFecl
retract our confent, recall the gift we have made
of ourfelves to the Lord, and after vows, make
inquiry. We give up with the covenant, and de-
ny our indenting with Jefus Chrift. — We now
proceed,

IV. To mew, how it is their intereft to look on
themfelves as the Lord's. — It is fo, Firft, in re-
fpe£t of fan£ttfication. Secondly, in refpect of con-
folation.

Firjty In refpe£r. of fanttification. If you have
given yourfelves away to the Lord, you will hence-
forth look on yourfelves as his only, his wholly,
and his for ever ; and this will be of excellent ufe
to promote your fanctification, and fo be a notable
mean of real profperity to your fouls. - As,

1. It will be an antidote againft backfliding.
The confederation of your being the Lord's will
make you fay, with Jephthah, " I have opened my
mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back."
You will have many temptations to go back to
former lufts ; both hell's fmiles and frowns will
be ufed for that purpofe. And there is a back-
Aiding difpohtion in the beft : " My people," fays
God, Hof. xi. 7. « arc bent to backfliding from
me j though they called them to the Moft High,

none

336 THE SAIKTS GOD'S SERVANTS,

none at all would exalt him." But O it is dange-
rous ! " If any man draw back, my foul fhall have.
no pleafure in him," Heb. x. 38. Remember
Lot's wife ; look on yourfelves as the Lord's.
This will be a mean to keep you with him, as the
fervant is kept with his mailer, whole ear was.
bored, and nailed to his mafter's door-poft. This
will let you fee you may not, you mud not go
back.

2. It will afford an anfwer to every tempta-
tion. It will make you fay, with Jofeph, "How
can I do this great wickednei^, and fin againft
God ?" Gen. xxxix. 9. As long as you are in the
world, you will not want temptations ; and there
is not a .fnare in the world but has fome one friend
or other to it in our hearts, fome corruption which
is nearly allied to it. And when they meet, it will
be hard to keep the friends from clofe embraces, un-
lefs the foul will refolutely fay, « I am the Lord's,
I am not at my own difpofa! ; whatever others may
do, I cannot comply, for I have given myfelf a-
way to the Lord, to fight under his banner, a=
gainil the devil, the world, and the flefh. I am
married to Chrift, and therefore I cannot enter-
tain other lovers.

3. It will be a fpur to duty, 1 Cor. vi. 19. 20
(quoted already.) If we be the Lord's fervants, we
muft ferve him -, if we be married to Chrift, we
mult exert ourfelves to pleafe our Hufbmd •, if
planted in the houfe of God, we muft bring forth
fruit : MaL i. 6. " A fon honoureth his father,
and a fervant his mailer." Our relation to the
Lord will make us fee that more is expected and
looked for at our hands, than from thole who have
not entered into his covenant : Matth. v. 48. " Be*
ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which
is in heaven is perfect."

4. It

AND MS TROrERTY. 337

4. It will blow the coal of your zeal for God,
and make you of a public fpirit, to devote all you
are or have to the promoting of God's honour in
the world: Phil. i. 21. " For to mc to live is
Chrift, and to die is gain." Were the imprellion
that we are the Lord's more ftrong on our fpirits,
it would excite us effectually to take the part of
God more vigorously againit an ungodly genera-
tion, to Hand up for his honour, his truths, naul
for the caufe of holinefs. The fenfe of the obli-
gation of the covenants, by which thefe lands be-
came the Lord's, wearing off the fpirits of the
generation, (though the matter of them, being
moral duty, and nationally fworn to, leaves an
inviolable obligation on all fucceeding genera-
tions), is one great fpring of the lukewarmnefs,
the profanity, and backflidings of all ranks of per-
fons in church and ftate at this day. And if unto
this be added, the weakening of the impreflions
of our facramental engagements to be the Lord's,
which too evidently appears to take place, we may
well fay, What will the generation turn to ? Shall
men take bonds on them to be the Lord's, and
afterwards look on themfelves in effect as loofened
from them ? To this is owing the ufeleffnefs of
perfons for God, their infignificancy in the world
as to any fervice for God. Some have a tongue
which can fpeak well enough for themfelves, but
they will not move it in the caufe of holinefs.
Some have authority, credit, and wealth, fome-
thing or other by which they might be ufeful for
God in their families, in their neighbourhood, in
their congregation, to fupprefs fin, to encourage
piety, to advance Chriit's kingdom, the credit of
his word and ordinances ; but none of thefe things
are their bufinefs. If they had the deep impref-
£on cf themfelves, and all which is theirs, being

the

338 THE SAINTS GOD's SERVANTS,

the Lord's, they would fee themfelves obliged te
employ for God whatever they are or have.

5. It will be a preparative for the hardeft piece
of fervice God may put into your hand. He puts
into the hands of all, the cutting off of right-hand
lulls, and plucking out of right-eye fins. If this
impreflion wear oiF men's fpirits, they will then
ftand and difpute the divine orders j they will de-
bate with God, as if they had not already made
the bargain j they will preferve thefe, as if in their
covenant they had been exprefsly excepted. But,
c I am the Lord's,' would put an end to the dif-
pute, and learn us to obey without quarreling,
knowing we are in nothing mailers of ourfelves.
Thus it did with Abraham, Gen. xxii. Heb. xl.
17. " By faith Abraham, when he was tried, of-
fered up Ifaac, and he that received the promifes
offered up his only-begotten fon." You know not
what hard piece of work for God may be put into
your hand ; but O think ye are the Lord's wholly,
and therefore are to obey without referve. You
have put a blank into the Lord's hand, faying with
Paul, A£b, ix. 6. " Lord, what wilt thou have
me to do r" Whatever, then, he fills up muft be
welcome j and will be fo, if you look on yourfelves
as no more your own, but as the Lord's.

6. It will reconcile you to your lot in private
trials : Pial. xiviL 4. " He fhall chufe our inherit-
ance for us." It may be, God takes from you the
comfort you expected in your relations, he takes
away your health, your fubftance, in a greater or
lefs degree, your credit and reputation, in regard
they are laid under reproach. But the man who
can folidly fay, « I am the Lord's/ fits down re-
figned under all thefe, reafoning thus with him-
feif, < My comforts, my health, my wealth, and
reputation, are all the Lord's, he may do with

tbera

AND HIS PROPERTY. 339

them as he will, I have put them all in his hands,

to give or with-hold as lie fees good. I am the
Lord's, let him do with me as to him it feems
good.'

7. It will determine you to the right fide in
public or private trials. When the Lord lavs,
" Who is on my fide ?" while many are drawn
away to fide with fin and Satan, this will deter-
mine you to take part with Chrift, his people, and
caufe. When a generation is afibciating together
againft God, it is good for a perfon to think with
himfelf, that he is already difpofed of to the Lord,
while thofe who are not looking on themfelves as
the Lord's, are ready to fall in with the multitude
going the wrong way.

Laflly, It will help you to fuller for Chrift.
This was what bore up Paul's heart, when he was
a prifoner in that fhip which was ready to be fwal-
lowed up in the waves. If you be the Lord's,
your fubftance, your liberty, your life, are all the
Lord's, and at his difpofal. And the confideration
of God's intereft in them will help you to lay
them down at his feet. — We ihall now confider,

Secondly, This in refpeel: of confolarion. Your
looking on vourfelves as the Lord's wih be of nc*
table ufe for your confolation. He who can, on fo-
lid ground, fay, « I am the Lord's,' has thus a ftore-
houfe of comfort, more than if all the world was
his. He who can fay this, can expreis a great deal
more than he who can fay, A kingdom, a crown,
an empire, are mine. Three marks of perions
who can avow thus much (hall be offered.

1. He who can fay, My heart is the Lord's;
he has the chief room in my affections above all
perfons and all things, may fay, < I am the Lord's :'
Pfal. lxxiii. 25. " Whom have I in heaven but
thee ? and there is none upon earth that I defire

be fide

34° THE SAINTS GOD's SERVANTS,

befide thee." i Pet. ii. 7. " Unto you therefore
which believe he is precious." Haft thou feen a
glory in him, which has fo darkened all created ex-
cellency, that he reigns in thy affections ? Thy
heart is his captive, fo that he is dearer to thee,
than what is dearefl in the world. Say then, I
am his, for he has thine heart.

2. He who can fay, * My life is his,' fo that thou
makeft it thy habitual endeavours, to live to him,
not to thyfelf, not to thy lulls, Phil. i. 21. " For
to me to live is Chrift j" is it the great defign
thou haft in the world, to pleafe him, to walk be-
fore him, unto all well pleating in heart, lip, and
life ? and what is difpleafmg to him, is difplea-
fing, and a burden to thee, whether it be in thy-
felf or others : Say, * I am his,' for thy life is
his,

3. Pie who can fay, c My all is his 1 ,' art thou con-
tent rather to part with the whole of what is dear
to thee, i.han to part with him and his way ? and
art thou refolved honeftly to lay thy all down at his
feet, to be difpofed of in what way he orders ?
Say, then, ' I am his,' for thy all is his, Luke,
xiv. 26.

Thus, you fee who they are who may fay? as
Paul did, " God, whofe I am." And he who
can fay this, he may, in confequence of it, fpeak
thefe fix comfortable words.

1. He may fay, God is mine: Song, ii. 16.
« My beloved is mine, and I am his i" for the
covenant-relation is mutual : * The Father is my
Father, the Son is my Saviour, the Holy Ghoft is
my Sanctifler.' Nay, thou mayeft run over all
the attributes of God, and call them thine \ thou
mayeft fay, « His power is mine to defend me,
his wifdom to guide me, his mercy, grace, and
love, all are mine. Even as a wife, in her right
2 to

AND HIS TROrERTY. 341

to her huiband, may call every thing which is hk,
mn. — He m y
2. < All the promifes and benefits of the Cove-
nant are mine :' 2 Pet. i. 14. " "Whereby are given
unto us exceeding great and precious promifes,
that by thefe we might be partakers of the divine
re, having efcaped the pollution that is in the
world through Rift." In that day in which the foul
ghres itfelf to Chrift, Chrift gives himfelf to that
foul ; and with him they have all the promifes and
benefits of the covenant, as of the marriage-con-
tracl: ; fo that the foul may fay, « Peace with God
is mine ; pardon, and every blefhng, are mine.'
They may read ChriiYs Teiiament, and of all the
precious promifes in it, may fay, « They are mine :'
2 Cor. i. 20. " For all the promifes of God in
him are yea, and in him amen, unto the glory of
God by us." They may fay,

3. « I fhall get fafe through the world to the
other fide :' John, xvii. 1 2. " While I was with
them in the world, I kept them in thy name ;
thofe that thou gaveft me I have kept, and none
of them is loll but the fon of perdition, that the
fcripture might be fulfilled." Satan and the world
may get back their own, though they have been
pretending to leave them ; but they never can get
back fo much as one of thofe who are truly the
Lord's. The bond of the covenant, favingly en-
tered into, is a fure bond, it will keep them who
cannot keep it. — They may fay,

4. * I {hall be cared r.nd provided for in all cafes
and conditions.' Surely Cod will care for his own,
come of others what will. He will provide fcr
thofe of his own houfe. He who feeds his birds,
will not ftarve his babes : " Though the earth be
removed, and though the mountains be carried
into the mid ft of the fea ; though the waves there-

Vol. II. F f of

342 THE SAINTS GOD'S SERVANTS.

of roar, and be troubled ; though the mountains
fhake with the fweiling thereof : There is a river,
the ftreams whereof (hall make glad the city of
God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Moft
High," Pfal. xlvi.- — They may fay,

5. « All I meet with in the world ihall turn to
my good :' Rom. viii. 28. " And we know that
all things work together for good to them that love
God, to them who are the called according to his
purpofe." Art thou his ? Then every thing mail
be for thy advantage in the end. The ftones of
affliction thrown at thee fhall be as precious ftones,
and all the paths of God Ihall drop down fatncfs.
— They may fay,

Laftly, l All is mine:' 1 Cor. iil. 21. 22. 23.
« For all things are yours ; whether Paul, or A-
polios, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death,
or things prefent, or things to come ; all are yours,
and ye are Chrift's, and Chrift is God's." For,
having a right to Chrift, they have a right to all
things with and through him.

IV. I am now to make fome improvement. —
From what has been obierved, we may learn,

1. How foolifh thofe are who cannot be per-
fuaded to give themfelves away to the Lord in his
covenant. They neglecl: their great duty, they
are blind to their great intereft. Think on this,
you who will be your own, and fay, « Who is
Lord over us ?" You w ill have your own will to
be your law, and will not be the Lord's. It is but
a poor affair, even though thou couldft lay, J All
the world is mine/ for God will fay oi you,
« I never knew you/' He will difown you at
death, at judgement, and through eternity.
Learn,

2. That it is the duty of thofe who lay hold on

the

AND HIS TROPLRTr. 343

rhe covenant, to receive alio the feals of it ; for
ihus we publicly acknowledge ourfelves to be the
I ord's. It is (trange how thofe who plead their
accepting of the covenant fiiould live in the ne-
glect of improving its teals. Among nun, they
who are in earned for a bargain or contract, cer-
tainly will not refufe to ratify it. How is it, then,
that perfons are for the covenant of grace, and
yet will not ratify it, by receiving the feals of that
covenant ? — Learn,

3. That fuch as have given themfelves honeftly
away to the Lord, mould look on themfelves as
his. Imprefs it on your fpirits, ye are not your
own, but the Lord's. Have you given your con-
tent to Chriit in the covenant ? Then henceforth
reckon yourfelves to be his. — Look on yourfeives,

(1.) As his habitation : Eph. ii. 22. " In whom
ye alfo are builded together for an habitation of
God through the Spirit/' Chriit has called to 3-011
to open to him, promiilngto dwell in you. You
have given confent to him, now look on yourfelves
as his habitation, and exert yourfelves to drive out
the old inhabitants. Conlider yourfelves as no
more at liberty to harbour his enemies. Our Lord
has made a purchafe of two houfes, and has made
two journies, to take infeftment and pofleflion of
them : ( 1 .) Having purchafed heaven for his people,
he went thither in his afcenfion, to take pofleflion
of it for them : Heb. vi. 20. " Whither L he fore-
runner hath for us entered, even Jefus, made an
High-Prieft for ever after the order of Melchife-
dec." (2.) Having purchafed the [inner for himfelf
by his blood, he comes to the Tinner's heart, to
take pofleflion of it for himfelf : Rev. iii. 20.
" Behold," fays he, " I Hand at the door and
knock, it any man hear my voice, and open the
F f 2' door,

344 THE SAINTS GOX>'s SERVANTS,

door, I will come in to him, and will fup with
him, and he with me." To the former houfe he
has ready accefs, having to do with a holy and juft
God : But not fo to the latter ; often his enemies
are admitted in, and he is made to (land at the
door, as if the houfe were not his own, becaufe
here he has to do with fickle creatures : Song, v. 2 .
" I ileep, but my heart waketh ; it is the voice of
my Beloved that knocketh, faying, Open to me,
my lifter, my love, my dove, my undefiled ; for
my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the
drops of the night." — Look on yourfelves,

(2.) As his temple, 1 Cor. vi. 19. (quoted a-
bove) ; a temple confecrated and fet apart for the
Lord, which, therefore, it is moit dangerous to
defile. Before the foul comes into the covenant,
the man is Satan's work-houfe : Eph. ii. 2. u He
is the fpirit that row worketh in the children of
difobedience." His heart is a forge of evil ima-
ginations, a den of thieves. But, entering into
the covenant, he is confecrated for a holy temple
unto the Lord. Be careful, then, that your hearts
and lives be a continual facrifice of praife, Chrift
the altar, and thou the prieft. Feaft on the facri-
fice flain for you, feed daily on Jefus Chrift, and
guard againft pollutions of heart and life. — Look
pn yourfelves,

(3.) As his confederates, or covenant- people :
Heb. viii. 10. "I will be to them a God, and they
{hall be to me a people." Remember, the cove-
nant ye have entered into is an offenfive and de-
fenfive league. You are to have common friends
and common enemies with the Lord. Whofo are
the friends of God, they muft be your friends alfo,
as Ruth faid to Naomi, " Thy people mall be my
people." Pfal. cxix. 63. " I am a companion of
all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy

precepts."

AND HIS PROPERTY. j \j

■nts." If you defire heaven, you mud aflb-
ciate with thofe who are going thither, for a i
panion of fools fhall be deftroyed." — His enemies
mult alfo be yours: Pfal. exxxix. 21. 2:. " Do
not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee ? and am
not I grieved with thofe that rife up againft thee ?
I hate them with perfect hatred, I count them
mine enemies." So alfo Pfal. lxix. 9. « For the
zeal of thine houfe hath eaten me up, and the re-
proaches of them that reproached thee have fallen
upon me." — Look on yourfelves,

(4.) As his followers : Eph.v. 1. " Be ye, there-
fore, followers of God as dear children." Our
Lord is given for a Leader, Ifa. lv. 4. to lead his
people through the world to heaven. Now, you
are going through the wildernefs, where it is hard,
in many cafes, to difcern the right way, and where
there are many to lead us wrong. The multitude
goes the way to deitru&ion, but do you keep your
eye on your guide : Prov. iii. 6. " In all thy ways
acknowledge him, and he fhall direct thy paths."
Obfcrve his precepts, his example ; mark his foot-
fteps, and follow them : 1 John, ii. 6. " fie that
faith he abideth in him, ought himfelf alfo to walk
even as he walked." Follow alfo the footfteps of
his flock, and conform not to the world, to follow
them : Rom. xii. 2. " And be not conformed to
tills world ; but be transformed, by the renewing
of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good
and acceptable; and perfect will of God." — Look
on yourfelves,

(5.) As his fubjects, for he is your King and
Lord, yea, your God and King, to whom you owe
abfolute refignation and obedience : Pfal. xlv. 1 1.
1 c He is thy Lord, and worfhip thou him." Chrift
has a kingdom in the world, and whofo have en-
tered into Jiis covenant are the fubjects of that
F f 3 kingdom* ,

346 THE SAINTS GOD's SERVANTS, &C

kingdom. Obferve, therefore, to live according
to his laws, confederate not with his enemies, but
be true to your King and Lord. — Look on your-
felves,

(6.) As children of his family,: i Pet. i. 14.
" As obedient children, not fafhioning yourfelves
according to your former lulls in your ignorance ;
becaufe it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy."
Have you come out from among thofe of Satan's
family, and entered into the family of God ? then
walk as the children of God. Do not again mix
with Satan's family : Pfai. xii. 7. " Thou fhalt
keep them, O Lord, thou fhalt preferve them from
this generation for ever." Avoid them, their com-
pany, and their ways, as you would ihun a focie-
ty infefted with the plague : A£ts, ii. 40. u And
with many other words did he teilify, faying, Save
yourfelves from this untoward generation." Strive
to be like your heavenly Father ; fludy to be obe-
dient and dutiful children to him. — Look on your-
felves,

Laftly, As his fervants. So fays the text. Our
Lord has been amongfi: us, feeking fervants to
himfelf. Remember he is your Mafter, and you
cauft apply yourfelves to his work.

THE

THE SAME SUBJECT CONTIN

SERMON XXXIX.

Acts, xxviii. 23. For there ftood by me this night tkt
angel of the Lord, ivhofe I am, a?ulivhom Jftrve.

HAving confidered and improved the firft doc-
trine taken from thefe words, I now go
on to

Doct. II. That thofe who are the Lord's ought
to make, and will make, God's fervice their
•bufinefs. — For illuftrating this doctrine, I (hall
fhew,

I. What is that fervice of God, which is the
bufinefs of thofe who are the Lord's.

II. I am to fhew, what it is to make God's fer-
vice our bufinefs, or when one may be faid to do
fo.

III. I will confirm the doctrine. And then,

IV. We fhall add the practical improvement of
the fubjeft. — We are then,

L

34*> THE SAINTS GODS SERVANTS,

I. To fhew what is that fervice of God, which
is the bufmefs of rhofe who are the Lord's.

This is to be confidered in refpecl:, Firft, Of the
matter ; Secondly, Of the manner of this fervice.

Firft, We are to confider the fervice of God,
as to the matter of it. This is as wide and broad,
as is the broad Jaw of God *, therefore ferving
God, and keeping his commandments, are joined
together. The fervant's work is to do the mailer's
will : Luke, xii. 47. « And that fervant which
knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himfelf,
neither did according to his will, (hall be beaten
with many {tripes." I fhall offer you fome direc-
tions anent this fervice, that you may fee what it
is in refpecl: of the matter of it.

1. There is falvation-work, and generation-
work, which God puts in your hands, as the
matter of your fervice- — There is fa'lvation-
work : Phil. ii. 12. " Work out your own falva-
tion, with fear and trembling." You muft begin
this work, carry it on, and work it out. Sinner,
thou art in hazard of perifhing, God calls thee to
fee to thyfelf, that thou perifh not, and accounts
it fervice to him that thou art concerned, and lay-
eft out thyfelf for thy own falvation. It is mod
neceflary work, for the finner's cafe is in this re-
fpecl:, like theirs, whom fome punifh, and oblige
to work, by putting them into a houfe where the
water comes in on them, where they muft either
work at the pump, or be drowned — There is ge-
neration-work : A£te, xiii. 36. " For David, after
he had ferved his own generation, by the will of
God, fell on fleep, and was laid unto his fathers,
and faw corruption." There is fometh in g which God
has put into every one of our hands, to do for him
and his honour in the world ; the duty of our fta-
fcions and relations, and the duty arifing from fome

fpecial

and ms reopEHi r.' 34 J

fpecial occasions we have of honouring God. It
is our buGnefs to difccrn all this, to exert ourfelves,
and get it done before our time be done : Gal. vi.
10. " As toe have, therefore, opportunity, let us
do good unto all men, especially unto them who
are of the houfehold of faith." If we do not, we
are unprofitable fervants, cumberers of the ground,
and ufelefs for God in the world.

2. There is an external and internal fervice to
God. — External fervice, a fervice with the out-
ward man : i Ccr. vi. 20. " For ye are bought
with a price ; therefore glorify God in your body,
and in your fpirit, which are God's." The whole
man is God's, and therefore though internal fervice
be preferable to external, yet God muft have the
one as well as the other. Here are to be taken in
all external duties, of piety towards God, of
righteoufnefs and mercy towards our neighbour.
Thefe are a great part of our buiinefsin this world,
if we be the Lord's fervants. Our ears muft be
employed to hear his word, cur eyes to read it, our
tongues to fpeak to him in prayer ^and praife \ to
fpeak of him and for him tc men ; our hands and
all our members to act for him in the world. There
is — Internal fervice, we are to glorify him with
our fpirit, which is his : John, iv. 24. M God is
a fpirit ; and they that worfhip him, muft wcr-
ihip him in fpirit and in truth 5 ' This is the foul
of religion, and the chief part in the fervice of
God, without which the other is but a Hfelefs,
unacceptable carcafe ; and therefore the chai
of a true fervant is •: it : Phil. iii. 3. H We

ire the circumcision v. ■ God in

ipir : t, and rejoice in On.lt Jefus, and have no
confidence in the ilefh." Are you the Lord's ?
Then it muft be your bufine re him, to fear

him, to believe and depend upon him, to obey

and

25<3 THE SAINTS GOD'S SERVANTS,

and refign yourfelves unto him. In a word, it is
to keep the heart, and employ it in his iervice ; it
is to meditate on, rejoice and delight in him ;
fuiting your will to his in all things, and confecra-
ting the whole of your affections to him.

3. There is dated iervice and continual fervice.
— Stated fervices are to be performed to God, at
fuch and fuch times. Thus you are to ferve him
in fecret in your ciofets, in private in your fa-
milies, worshipping him morning and evening,
Matth. vi. 6. Jerem. x. 25. If you be the Lord's,
it is the lean: you can do, to pay thy homage to
him, by thyfelf in the morning, when he gives
thee a new day ; and at evening, when thou are
to enter into the darknefs of the night. And if
yourfelves be the Lord's, you will alio devote your
houfes to him, and pay him your homage in a fa-
mily-capacity : Jofh. xxiv. : 5. " But as for me
and my houfe, we will ferve the Lord." Look
on the morning-facrifice in your family as the
Lord's due, as well as the evening one. Job had
as great a family, as large a flock, and as much
work in hand, as any can pretend to, yet he duly
obferved the morning-facrifice. Thus did Job
continually, chap. i. -5. And then there is the
Lord's weekly fervice in his own day, in the pu-
blic duties and ordinances thereof. A piece of
fervice this which thofe who are the Lord's will
nnd themfelves obliged to make confcience of,
and not loiter away the day unneceffarily at home :
" Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy houfe,
and the place where thine honour dwelleth," Pfal.
xxvi. 8. It was the godly Shunamite's practice,
though (he had a good way to go, 2 Kings, iv. 23.
It was David's alio, fo that Saul knew, when he
v/as abfent, there was certainly fome extraordi-
nary thing kept him away, 1 bam; xx. 16. —

There

AND IHS PROPERTY. 351

There is continual fervice : A efts, xxvi. 71. " Un-
to which promife, our twelve tribes, inftantly
ferving God day and night, hope to come." A
Chriftian muft never be out of his Mailer's work,
he ferves God in the interval of duties, as well as
in duties. Hence we are ordered to pray always,
•and not to faint ; not that we are always to be on
our knees, but are always to be in a praying frame,
The Lord's fervants will find no time in which to be
idle, as long as the broad law is continually laying
work to his hands ; he defires to " walk in all the
commandments and ordinances of the Lord blame-
lefs," Luke, i. 6. Whatfoever we do, we are to
have an eye to God in it, and fo to manage our
worldly employments, as to tintture them all with
religion: Colof. iii. 17. " And whatfoever ye do
in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord
Jefus, giving thanks to God and the Father by
him." This is the walking with God recommend-
ed to us by the example of Enoch, Gen. v. 24.

4. There is doing-ferviceand fuffering- fervice. —
There is doing-fervice. The Lord calls his people
to act for him. As he faid to Saul, A£ts, ix. 6.
he fays to every one, " It mall be told thee what
thou muft do." He requires doing and working
from all who call him Lord : Luke, vi. 46. « And
why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things
which I fay ?" They have much to do that are
the Lord's. They have their hearts and lives to
purify. And do what they wi 1, they have always
more to do as long as they are here : " Brethren,"
fays Paul, Phil. iii. 13. 14. "I count not myfelf
to have apprehended : But this one thing 1 do,
forge ttingthofe things which are behind, and reach-
ing forth unto thofe things which are before, I prefs
towards the mark, £or the prize of the high call-
ing of Gcd in Chrift Jefus." They have a great

deal,

352 THE SAINTS GODS SERVANTS,

deal, which hath been wrong clone, to undo by re-
pentance. And in all, they have much oppofition,
little ftrength, and the Mailer urgeth hafte -, (o they
have bufinefs enough. — There is fuffering-fervice :
Phil. ii. 17. " Yea, and if I be offered upon the
facrifice and fervice of your faith, I joy and re-
joice with you all." The Lord calls his people to
ferve him in bearing of their burdens, taking up
their crofs and following him. And we will ne-
ver want bufinefs of that nature, every day will
have the evil thereof: Luke, ix. 23. " And Jefus
faid unto them all, If any man will come after
me, let him deny himfeif, and take up his croii
and follow me." The Mediator himfeif, who
was the Father's fervant, his great fervice was fuf-
fering fervice ; and thofe who are his mull not
think to mifs it. As he fufFered fatisfymgjulcice,
they muft fuffer for their trial, and the exercife
of their graces. Thus, when we are under the
crofs, we are on fervice, and ferve the Lord in a
Chriftian bearing of our trials.

Laftly^ There is ordinary and extraordinary fer-
vice, of all the kinds before named. — There is or-
dinary fervice. There are pieces of work, which
are the ordinary or every day's talk of thofe who
are the Lord's, as the bearing of ordinary trials,
Luke, ix. 23. (above quoted), and doing of the or-
dinary duties of religion. It is ordinary fervice to
fight the good fight of faith, every day grappling
i\ ■ h n : h ptations from the devil, the world, and the
fiefh. To be running the Chriflian race, making
progrefs in fa notification, mortifying lulls, and the
like. — There is extraordinary fervice, which God
only fomethnes calls his people to in holy provi-
de 1 :. Thus he called Abraham, Gen. xxii. to
ofre* up his fon. There are few fervants but
they are obliged fometimes to do fomething be-
1 yond

.

AN'D HTS PROPERTY. 353

\ond ordinary, which will try their ftrength in a
peculiar manner. Thus it is with God's fervants ;
fometimes they meet with extraordinary tempta-
tions, or fufferings, and are called to extraordinary
duties, to do for themfelvcs, or to do for God.
And truly there is the extraordinary duty of fe-
cret fading and prayer, without which in is haul
to live right : Zech. xii. i 2. " And the land (hall
mourn, every family apart." — We {hall now,

H. Confider the fervice of God, as to the man-
ner of it. And unlefs it be performed in the right
manner, God will not account it fervice to him,
though ever fo coftly. If what we do, we would
have the Lord to account it as fervice to him, we
mud perform it,

1 . In obedience to, and under the fenfe of the
commandment of God: Colof. in. 17. (quoted
above). What a perfon is prompted to, without any
refpecl to the commandment of God, cannot be
accounted as fervice to him, fmce it has no refpe£t.
to his authority in the commandment : Pfal. cxix.
6. " Then (hall I not be afhamed, when I have a
refpecl: unto all thy commandments." We mould
learn to do good •, and what we do, we fhould do it
becaufe God commands it to be done, if we would
fhew ourfelves his fervants. We fhould pray, be-
caufe God commands it. We fhould eat, be-
caufe he has faid, Thou fhalt not kill. We fhould
work, becaufe he hath faid, Thou fhalt not ileal
Now, doing what we do in this way, it will be
all counted God's fervice. — In ferving God, we
are,

2. To aim at his honour and glory in it : 1 Cor.
x. 31. " Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or
whatfoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."
We fhould make God, and not ourfelves, he

Vol, II. G g chief

354 THE SAINTS GOD'S SERVANT?,

chief end of all our performances, if we would
have them accounted fervice to God ; for God
will never he the rewarder of that work which
has not himfelf for the end of it : " Ye did not at
all," faid God unto his ancient people, " fail: unto
me, even unto me ; and when ye did eat, and
when ye did drink, did ye not eat for yourfelves,
and drink for yourfelves ?" Zech. vii. $.6. If we
feek ourfelves, our own profit and peace, as our
chief end in what we do, God will rejecl: our
fervices. For a fervant, if he mould work ever
fo diligently, if it be to himfelf, not to his matter,
it cannot be acceptable fervice ; fo alfo in this
cafe. In ferving God, we are to do it,

3. Out of love to him : Heb. vi. 10. " For God
is not unrighteous to forget your work, and la-
hour of love, which ye have fhewed towards his
name, in that ye have miniftered to the faints,
and do minifter." This love is to be the predo-
minant motive of our fervice, and fhould be
Itronger than the fear of punifhment, and hope of
reward. God fees the heart, and no fervice but
that which comes from the heart will be accepted
of him : Col. iii. 23. " And whatfoever ye do, do .
it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men." He
cares not for the fervice of flaves, who do not
ferve him, but through fear of his wrath ; nor
can he away with the hireling-fervice of thofe
who ferve him only that they may make their
own advantage by it. The heart mull: be in it
and at it, or it is no fervice in his efteem. — We
are to ferve God,

Laftly, In faith : Rom. xiv. 23. " For whatever
is not of faith, is fin." Faith is an ingredient ab-
folutely necefTary in all fervice to God : Heb. xi.
6. « Without faith, it is impomble to pleafe him ;
for he that cometh to God, mull believe that he i9,

and

AND 1113 PROPERTY. 355

and that he is a re-warder of them that diligently
feek him." And there is a threefold faith requi-
fite here, (i.) The faith of God's command, re-
quiring the duty, Rom. xiv. 23. ; for if perform
do not believe tli.it God requires fuch a duty of
them, it is not fervice to him. (2.) The faith of
the promife of itrength for the duty, by which the
foul is carried out of itfelf to the Lord, for flrength
to perform it. We are commanded to be ftrong
in the grace that is in Chrift Jefus, 2 Tim. ii. 1.
Thus God's fervice is called walking in the name
of the Lord : Zech. x. 12. " And I will tlrengthen
them in the Lord ; and they ihall walk up and
down in his name, faith the Lord." (3.) The faith
of acceptance through Chrift, by which the foul
is carried over the work itfelf to Chrift, to look
for its acceptance only for his fake. — I am now
to fhew,

II. What it is to make God's fervice our bufi-
nefs, or when a perfon may be faid to be thus
employed. This will delcribe to you the perfon who
may with confidence avow this claim, GW, nvhofe
I airi) and ivhom Iferve. — In regard to fuch a per-
fon, I obferve,

1. That God's fervice is his grand defign in the
world , he may have many works on the wheel ;
but this is the chief one : Pfal. xxvii. 4. " One
thing have I defired of the Lord, that will I feek
after, that I may dwell in the houfe of the Lord
all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of
the Lord, and to inquire in his temple." What-
ever employment or trade a perfon betakes him-
felf to, though he may at times put his hand to
many other things ; yet the work of his calling is
ftill his chief bufinefs. Thus he who betakes him-
i;l£ to the fervice of God, will make this his chief
Gg2 bufinefs.

35*5 THE SAINTS GOD's SERVANTS,

bufinefs. There are many things to be done ;
but there is one thing more needful beyond all
other things, and this is the perfon's great object
in the world. Like Mary, he attends to this, and
mate* choice of that good part which fhali not be
taken from him, Luke, x. 42.— Here, however,
there may be propofed this

^uefiicm. How may a perfon know whether
he makes God's fervice his grand defign in the
world or not ? As to this, I anfwer,

1 i.j What is it that- thou feckeft to obtain with
the greatefr. eagern^fs and concern ? Pfal. iv. 6. 7.
Th\s is thy erand defign, be what it will •, for
what the heart is moit fee upon, this the perfon will
be moil concerned about. Nov/, is it the fervice
of God, in its various parts as above defcribed,
that your heart is fet upon r then it is well, Pfal.
xxvii. 4 (quoted above). That perfon, whofe
heart runs like a hare in purfuit of the things of
this world, but moves like a fnail in the "things of
the world to come, is not (0. He fwims like a
feather m eternal concerns, never diving into
them •, but he finks like lead in worldly ones, for
thefe engrofs the whole of his attention.

(2). What is that the mifcarrying in which lies
neareft the heart ? The perfon whofe buGnefs is
God's fervice, the mifcarrying in foul-matters
will lie moll heavy upon him ; but the mifcarry-
ing of other matters will be heaviefl on others.
What the heart makes its chief bufinefs in a great-
er or lefs meafure, will be moft grievous. Thus
Job, when he loft all, chap, i. was diftrefled; after-
wards, when the Lord withdrew from him, he was
infinitely more affected.

(3). When God's fervice and other things come
in competition, which of thofe muft yield in thy
practice ? Luke, xiv. 26. " If any come to me,

and

AND HIS TROPE?. 357

Sid hate not his father, and mother, and wife*
andi children, and brethren, and fillers, yea, and
his own life alio, he cannot be my difejpfc." A

peribn who has got a fore leg, will difpofe of his
body as may bed fuit it ; but a perfon who h
tree leg, will cut and carve with it, as may bell fuit
his body. If a perfon has the unmorti'kd love of
the world in him, lb that it is to him like a living
limb, all things elfe mult yield to it ; he will dil-
pofe of his religion, as may belt fuit his worldly
intereft, and will facritice his Spiritual concerns to
his temporal ; and if God's fervice interfere with
his worldly intereft, he will juftle it by. But it:
is juft the contrary with thofe who make God's
iervice their bufinefsj in their practice, every thing
eLe mull yield to it. --I obferve,

2. That the ^perfon who makes God's fervice
his bufmefs, feives him with the whole man :
i Cor. vi. 20. " For ye are bought with a price :
Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your
fpirit, which are God's." He not only lends his
hand to the work, as a perfon would do who pafles
by accidentally ; but lets his heart to it, as a
peribn whole bufmefs it is. Ke looks on himfelf
as wholly the Lord's, and therefore devotes him-i
felf wholly to him, in foul and in body, to be at his
call. —It is the bufmefs of his mind, to knew
the Lord, and what belongs to his eternal peaee,
-Song, i. 7. This is the grand inquiry with winch
he is taken up, What is the way i mull e
for another world ? What is the duty God is
me to ? What mud I do to be faved ? — s
the bufmefs of his will, to conform to the will
-of God in all things : Pfal. cxix. 112. " I have
inclined mine heart to perform thy llatutes. I-
ways even unto the end," In that day in which the
G g 3 foul

$$0 ^^ SAINTS GOITS SERVANIG,

foul gives itfelf to the Lord, the perfon's will is
iiirrendered a captive to the obedience of faith; and
the great hufinefs afterwards is, to have it to fol-
low the will of God, as the fhadow does the body.
— It is the bufinefs of his affections, which do all
center in him : Matth. vi. 21. « For where your
treafure is, there will your heart be alfo." The
love of God is the comprehenfive duty of the
whole law ; and where love is fixed on God,
there all the other affections will draw after him.
The foul will hate evil, will forrow for what dif-
honours God, will rejoice in what is pleafing to
him, and chearfuliy obey what he commands. —
Finally, even the body itfelf is for the Lord
suae! -his fervice : 1 Cor. vi. 13. "Now the body
is not for formication, but for the Lord *, and the
Lord for the body." They who have truly given
themfelves to the Lord, will look en their bodies
ns for his fervice in life, to act: for him, yea, and
even in death to fufrer for him, if he call for it,
*< So now alio," fays Paul, " Ghrift (hall be magni-
fied in my body, whether it be by life, or by death,"
Phil. i. 20; — I obferve,

3. The perfon who makes God's fervice his
bufinefs, ferres him in all things -$ that is, what-
ever be his bufinefs to which he is called to, he
ftrives to ac~t in it as ferving the Lord. This is
imported in that phrafe : Pfal. cxvi. 18. "I have
fet the Lord always before me." And we are
called to it by thefe fcriptuves : Prov. iii. 6. " In
: h thy ways acknowledge him, and he fhall direct
thy paths." Col. iii. 37. " And whatfoever ye do,
in word or in deed } do all in the name of the Lord
J fus, giving thanks to God and the Father, by
him." A perfon who makes religion his bufinefs,
will feafon all his bufinefs with it, and thus caft
k into a religious mould. He will carry his reli-
gion

AND HJ* PROPERTY. 359

. not only to his religious duties, but diiTufe
a (train of it even through his natural and civH
bufinefs; and thus carry it with him to the held
where he works, and to the market where he
trades. — Here, again, may occur another

t,How may a peribn ferve the Lord in ma-
naging, and being employed about his worldly af-
fairs ? Anfwer, ( 1). A£r, from a fenfe of the com-

•d : 1 Cor. vii. 24. « Brethren, let every man
wherein he is called, therein abide with God."
(2). Depend on him for direction: Prov. iii. 6.
(quoted above). (3). Depend on him for fuccefs ;
Pfal. exxvii. 1. " Except the Lord build the houfe,
they labour in vain that build it : Except the Lord
keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."
(4). Acquiefce in his difpofing of you as may beft
fuit your fpiritual intereft. (5). Deal with men
as if you were under God's eye. (6). Be mode-
rate in your purfuits, 1 Cor. vii. 29. 30. Lajt/v,
Be fuitably affected with the difpenfations of provi-
dence, as they fall out to you. — I ob ferve,
^4. That the perfon who makes God's fervice his
bufmefs, fcruples at no piece of fervice which
God puts in his hand, but makes confeience of
universal obedience : Pfal. cxii. 6. " Then fhall I
not be afhamed, when I have refpect unto all thy
commandments." God's fervants are not allow-
ed to be chufers ; and a true fervant of God will
not chufe his work, but applies himfelf to whatever
God carves out for him, even to fulfil all his will,
Acts, xiii. 22. Be it doing or fufTenng work, his
Mailer's will being made known, he prepares him-
felf to do it. The fervant of God will not fcruple
at internal fervice, but apply himfelf to it, as well
as external : Phil. iii. 3. " We are the circumci-
ilon, that worfhip God in fpirit. that rejoice in Chrift
Jefus, and have no confidence in the flefh." Many

will

3'OQ THE SAINTS GOD S SERVANTS,

will go about bodily exercife in religion, who
are mere ftrangefs to heart-work, and the ferving
God in their fpirits. But this will never be ac-
ceptable, for thefe will always be accounted our
mailers who have our heart-fervice. — Such will
not itop at painful arad hard fervice. It is the mark
of a flothful fervant, to comply only with the eafy
pieces of religion: Prov. xx. 4. " The fluggard
will not plough by reafon of the cold." God com- .
mands thee to pluck out the right-eye lull ; if re-
ligion be thy bufinefs, ferve him in it. It v/as
painful for Abraham to put the knife to the
throat of Ifaac ; but it was his bufinefs to ferve
the Lord, therefore, when called, he was ready to
obey. — Such will not Hop at dangerous fervice,
for whofo will come after Chrift, muft take up
his crofs, and will be contented to follow the
Lord, whitherfoever he goeth, Rev. xiv. 4. The
Lord has fo ordered it, that the way toheaven has
many difficult fteps in it, fo that the fearful can-
not walk therein, Rev. xxi. 3. But thofe who
come there have courage for dangers in the way,
and will follow him through toe lea of this world,
in a ftorm as well as in a Catm. — Finally, fuch
will not (top at coilly fervice. The Lord calls his"
people fometimes in a fptcial manner to this duty :
Prov. iii 9. " Honour the Lord with thy fubltance,
and with the firft-fruits of ill thine increafe :" And
forafmuch as their all is the JLord's, it will be at
his fervice Sometimes they are ralied to fufTer
m thefe things, and to take joyful y che fpoiling
of their goods, Heb. x. 34. Sometimes to a£t for
God therewith, as David did, when he bought
the threfhing-floor of Araunah, to build an altar
unto the Lord upon it, 1 Sam. xxiv. 21. 24. — I
obferve,

5. That t e perfon who makes God's fervice

his

AND HIS PROPERTY. 361

his bufinefs, is conftant and pcrfevering in the
Service of God: Pfal. cxix. 112. " I have incli-
ned mine heart to perform thy fbtutes, always even
unto the end." A true fervant of God is for
his fcrvice at all times, in prosperity and in ad-
verfity. They who make God's Service their bufi-
nefs, will continue with it unto the end ; and this
is the character of a fervant : John viii. 31." Then
faid Jefus to thofe Jews which believed on him,
If ye continue in my word, then are ye my dif-
ciples indeed." It is to fuch only that the re-
ward of grace is promifed : Rev. ii. 10. " Be thou
faithful unto death, and; I will give thee a crown
of life.". They are conftant in tworefpe&s. — They
are fo,

(1.) In that they do not give over his work,
laying it down and taking it up when they pleafe.
They do not ferve him by fits and Harts, but la-
bour to go on evenly in their way, Pfal. cxvi. 8.
(quoted above). The religion of many is like an
ague, in which the patient has his hot and cold
iits. Thus they go to and fro, one day for God,
another for the devil. Whatever good mood they
may be in at a time, they do not abide at it. Their
goodnefs is as a morning cloud, and as the early
dew it goeth away. The whole of what they
have from heaven, is as flafhes, Pfal. lxxviii. 34.
The fpirit of holinefs refts not on them ; the whole
of what heaven has from them, is an over-leap
into the holy ground, Job, xxvii. 9. 10. But
though there are great changes in the frame of the
faint, yet the habitual bent of his heart is Hill to-
wards God. They are conftant in this ; for,

(2.) They never change mafters again : Heb-
x. 39. " But we are not of them that draw back
Unto perdition, but of them that believe to the

Saving

$62 THE SAINTS GOD'S SERVANTS,

faving of the foul." They never apoPcatife totally, -
nor finally. Fhofe who do fo will never fee hea-
ven : Luke, ix. 62. " And Jems faid unto him,
No man having put his hand to the plough, and
looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Lot's
wife was an emblem of apoftates ; God turned her
inte a pillar of fait, for a terror to . all apoftates.
Thofe who are the Lord's will not be flattered
away from him, by the allurements of the world
and the flefh, which is one engine by which Sa-
tan makes many cafl off God as a mafler, as did
Judas and Demas. And there are many who
have been blooming profefTors, who have by thefe
means been led afide, till they cafl off religion al-
together Nor will the true iervants of the Lord
be deterred from him, by the feverities which
they may meet with in the fervice of the Lord,
Song, viii. 7. "Many waters cannot quench'love,
neither can the floods drown it." We .read of fome
who, when they heard Chi id's dodrrine, faid, This
is a hard faying ; who can hear it ? John, vi. 60.
Ver 66. " From that time, many of his difciples
went back, and walked no more with him." But
where men have truly given themfelves away to
the Lord, and make religion their bufinefs, their
religion will laft to the end, whatever methods be
nfed to extinguifh it in any manner of way. We
now come to the

III. General head, namely, To confirm the
doctrine. Confider, there are two things here to
be diftinguifhed, namely, flight touches at the fer-
vice of God, which the devii's fervants may ibme-
times afford, who are far from God •, and the ma-
king religion, and the fervice of God, our bufi-
nefs and ordinary employment, which none will
(jtobut thofe who are truly and favinglythe Lord's.

When

AND HIS PROPERTY. 363

When Paul'gave this account of himfelf, who/el
.7;;/, and whom l/erve, did he mean that now and
then he was employed in the forvice of the Lord,
and that it was only his by-hand work ? No, fure-
ly he aims at no lefs than that it was the great
bufi'iefs of his life, and that he was as truly lixed.
to the fcrvice of God as his chief bufinefs, as ever
fervant was to his matter's work. Now, that God's
fervice is the bufinefs, of thole who are the Lord's,
is what I am to confirm; And therefore confider,

1. That the matter' fervice is the bufinefs of a
fervant as a fervant, lb that no perfon can be ac-
counted a fervant of a perfon who does not make
his fervice their bufinefs : Rev. xxii. 3. " And his
fervants fhail fcrve him." An hireling who works
one day to one, another to another, and another
to himfelf, is not accounted a fervant of his to
whom he works. But the chief bufinefs of a fer-
vant is his mailer's bufinefs, as long as he is in
his fervice. Now, they who are truly the Lord's
are really and properly his fervants ; not only of
right, but actually fo, fealed in their foreheads,
Rev. vii. 3 abiding by his fervice as their proper
bufinefs in the world ; and thofe who turn afide
from it were never properly his fervants : I John,
ii. 19. " They went out from us, but they were
not of us : Lor if they had been of us, they would
no doubt have continued with us : But they went
out, that they might be made manifeft, that they
were not of us " Confider,

2. That they who are his, are his fervants in a
mod ftridL fenfe, as being wholly and abfolutely
his, and in no fenfe their own, or at their own
diipofal : Whofe i am, and ivkom I ferve. They
are not hired fervants, who may go away at a
term ; but bought fervants (.by redemption), born
fervants (by regeneration.) Such Solomon had:

Ecclef.

3 64 TIIE SArNTS god's servants,

Ecclef. ii. 7. " I got me fervants and maidens, and
had fervants born in my houfe. , ' Thefe are they
we call fervants, who are wholly in their mailer's
power. And this relation to God, David, though
a king, powerfully pleads : Pfal. cxvi. 16. "O
Lord, truly I am thy fervant ; I am thy fervant,
and the fon of thine handmaid : Thou haft loofed
my bonds." But even thefe, among men, maybe
ranfomed and made free. So the Hebrew fervants
were to be free in the* feventh year, Exod. xxi. 2.
Or if he would not be free, then, ver. 6. he was
to ferve for ever, that is, to the Jubilee, Levit. xxv.
40. But there is no term of fervice here, no ran-
foming. Since they are then his fervants in this
fenfe, how can it be otherwife, but that his fervice
mud be their bufmefs ? — Confider,

3. That they cannot continue his fervants, and
yet have another mafter : Matth. vi. 24. " No man
can ferve two mailers ; for either he will hate the
one, and love the other •, or elfe he will hold to
the one, and defpife the other. Ye cannot ferve
God and mammon." They have chofen God for
their mailer, they have renounced and given up
with their old mafter the devil, they are kept by
the power of God, that they can never again re-
vive their old relation ; and it is impoffible that
they can ferve two contrary mafters at once ; but
having renounced the devil, they cleave unto the
Lord. And therefore, fince , every one makes ei-
ther the fervice of their lulls, or the fervice of God,
their bufmefs ; and as they do not make the for-
mer their fervice, the latter rauft of neceflity be it.
— Confider,

4. That if it were not fo, then the Lord would
fall fhort of the grand defign of their redemption,
and making them his own, which cannot be. He
has redeemed them by price, yea, and alfo by

power 5

avd His paoPEAT*. 365

power ; and the end of both I?, that they may
ferve God as his fervants : Titus, ii. 14. " Who
gave himfelf for us, that he might redeem us from
all iniquity, and purify unto himfelf a peculiar
people, zealous of good works." Luke, i. 74,
" That he would grant unto us, that we being de-
livered out of the hand of our enemies, might
ferve him without fear, in holinefs and righteouf-
itefs, before him, all the days of our life." When
the Lord fent Mofes, to bring the children of
Ifrael from the iervice of the Egyptians, it was not;
that they might live idly, and ferve no more, but
that they might change their matter, and their
work : Exod. iv. 23. " And I fay unto thee, Let
my fon go, that he may ferve me." Thus it is aifo
in the fpiritual delivery. — Confider,

Laftlyy That this making of God's fervice our
bufmefs, is a diflinguifhing character of a perfon
truly the Lord's. Of worldly men it is faid,
Phil. iii. 19. " Whofe end is deftrucHon, wliofe
God is their belly, and whofe glory is in their
il^me, who mind earthly things." But of the
faints it is faid, ver. 20. " For our converfation
is in heaven : From whence alfo we look for the
Saviour, the Lord Jefus Chrift." What is a per-
fon's buiinefs, diftinguifhes him from many others ;
and religion, being our bufinefs, diftinguifhes us
from the unconverted crowd, who are accounted
workers of iniquity, though they be perfons not
eflranged from religious exercifes ; becaufe, though
they do thefe duties, it is another thing that is
their great bufmefs in the world, Matth. vii. 2 1 .
23. — I come now,

IV. To make fome improvement ; and this,
1 . In an ufe of information. Hence we may
learn,
Vol. n. £ h (1.)

366 THE SAINTS GOD'S SERVANTS,

(1.) That whoever are the Lord's, muft apply
themfelves to the Lord's work and fervice : Luke,
vi. 46. " And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and
do not the things which I fay ?" You were
all baptifed into his name and fervice, and fome,
of late, have been dedicating themfelves to him
in the facrament of the fupper. Think not that
you are now at liberty, or that your work is over.
No *, you are to begin your work, and perform
your vows, and make out your fervice ; attend to
it, then, with heart and hand, for he is a mailer
who feeks ^nd will have the heart. — We may
learn,

(2.) That the hearts of God's honeft fervants,
are reconciled to his work and fervice. It is not
a force put on them ; but their choice, as that
which they like the bed. They are ready to re-
folve with Jofhua, that they and their houfes will
ferve the Lord, chap. xxiv. 15. It is not only
thr ir duty, that they muft do it ; but their pri-
vilege and intereft, that they have to do it. They
will value themfelves more on being God's fer-
vants, than they would on their being governors
of a kingdom. — We may learn,

(3.) That thofe who make not religion their bufi-
nefs, are none of the Lord's. They may be his by
an external covenant- relation, but they are not
members of his family, by a faving relation.
Many take on with the Lord as a mailer, but they
flight the bargain, and never entei home, but con-
tinue with their old mafter, which appears in not
making God's fervice their bufinefs, Pfal. lxxviii.
36. 37. God will purfue all fuch at fo dreadful
a rate, that it had been better for them, that they
had never come under engagements to be his :
2 Peier, ii. 21- " For it had been better for them,
not to have known the way of righteoufnefs,

than

AND HIS FROrERTY. 367

than after they have known it, to turn from the
holy commafldnlent delivered unto them." This
writes death upon many as none of his. — Such as,

(1.) Thofe whole great bufinefs in the w >rld is
to ferve themfelvcs. When felf-love is the predo-
minant principle, felf-feeking will be the great
bufinefs : 2 Tim. iii. 2. " For men flull be lovers
of their own felves, covetous," &c. Phil. ii. 21.
" For all feek their own, not the things which arc
Jefus Chiiit's." How unlike the fervice of God
are tliey, who will drive over the honour of God,
the good of their neighbour, and the duty they
owe to him, to ferve themfelves. Thefe are nar-
row fouls, not enlarged by God's grace, who make
themfelves their chief end, and lay not out them-
fefves for the honour of God, and the good of
their neighbours, as they have opportunity.

(2.) Thofe who are fervants of men, mftead of
ferving God: I'Cor, vii. 23. " Ye are bought
with a price 5 be not ye the fervants of men :"
They fubjecr, themfelves to men's lufts, fub-
je£ting their faith to other men's notions, and
fuiting their practice to other men's lufts. Thus
they makie i, 4 :ls of them, putting them in God's
room : Matth. xxiii. 9. " Call no man your father
upon the earth: For one is your Father, which is
in heaven." Thus perfons are time-fervers, turn-
ing with the wind, according as the times turn,
who think it their wifdom not to follow truth too
hard at the heels, left it clam out their brains.
And fuch are company-fervers, who will change
themfelves into any complexion in which the com-
pany is.

.1 Thofe who are fervants of fin : Rom. vi.

2c. " For when ye were the fervants of fin, ye

free from righteoufneiV The faints in-

H h 2 deed

36S THE SAINTS GOB'S SERVANTS,

deed often fin ; but they are not the fervants of fin.
Whofo are fuch are none of Chr ill's, but they
ferve the devil and their lufts. They fin againit
the gofpel-remedy, going on in a ftate of unbelief
and impenitency. They are not only infe&ed
with the plague of fin, but they flight the Phyfi-
cian with his remedies, namely, his blood and
Spirit ; they will not have this man to reign over
them, Luke, xix. 14. " Sin reigns in them like
a king ; they readily obey it in the lufts thereof,"
Rom. vi. 16. and fairly yield themfelves to it.
They are in the fnare of the devil, and are taken
captive by him at his will. Do not think you can
be fervants of God, who are thus fituated. No
man -can ferye two mailers.

. Laft/y, Thofe who make the Lord's fervice but
their by-hand work, not their chief employ. Theie
are religion's chance-cuftomers, who will never en-
rich themfelves with it. — And fuch are thefe who
never make religion their predominant concern.
The chief dream of their care and anxiety runs in
another channel than the grand inquiry, What {hall
I do to be faved ? The things of time lie neareft
their heart, not the matters of eternity. — Thofe
who fellow religion no farther than their other
ends will allow of, who make it yield to their
temporal interefts, and embrace it only when
thofe do not interfere with it, like the allowance
Pharaoh made for religion, by calling idlenefs the
fpring of it, Exod. v. 17. — Thofe who confine
their religion to their religious duties, and do not
weave it into the whole of their converfation.
Suppofe one to be very exacl: in a due perform-
ance of fecret and family -duties ; yet if he do not
walk with God in the interval of duties, and
carry his religion through his worldly bufmefs,

God's

ASxJ HIS TKOPERTV. 36V

God's fervice is not his bufinefs. — I would now
improve this fubject,

2. In an ufc of trial.

You may and (hould try yourfelves, whether you
be the Lord's or not. It" you can lay, < It is God
whomlferve,' ye may fay, 'It is God's, whofe lam.*
If religion be your bulinefs, you 3re God's fer-
vants, and he will own you to be fo. A fervant
of God moves two fteps, by which he advances
beyond others.

(i.) He ferves God, and fo goes beyond the
profane carelefs generation in the world, who
mind nothing but the world, the profits and plea-
fures which are in it : Phil. iii. 19. < k Whole end
is deitruction, whofe god is their belly, and whofe
glory is in their fhame, and who mind earthly
things." As for the fervice of God, they are free
of it, they are fons of Belial, and go without a yoke ->
they are the ferpent's feed, on their belly they go,
and duft is their only meat •, the duties of religion
they make no confidence of.

(2.) He makes God's fervice his bufinefs, and To
goes beyond the formaliit, who ferves God, but >
makes not God's fervice his chief work. The hy-
pocrite has always one thing, which goes above
all other things with him ; but that is the world,
or fome one lull or other, not the one thing need-
ful, which is the chief thing the fervant of God is-
ever in queft of.

We have heard already the marks of a perfon
who makes religion his bufinefs. Try yourfelves by
rhefe, whetherGod's fervicebe your grand object in
the world, and if you ferve him with the whole man
&c. as defcribed in the fecond head.- I come now,

3. To an ufe of exhortation. — I exhort you to
evidence vourfelves to be the Lord's fervants,

H h 3 . by

370 THE SAINTS GCU 's SERVANTS,

by ftrving him. — And with this defign I befeech
you, ■

( i .) To enter to his fervice, and ferve him. Serve
h\tn in your falvation and generation work, in
external' and internal fervice, in ftated and con-
tinual fervice, in doing or fuffering fervice, in or-
dinary and extraordinary fervice. Put your hand
and heart tc the feveral pieces of fervice to which
he calls you. And I would recommend in this
cafe to you,

[i.] Be attentive to your Mailer's orders, and
labour to know his mind, as to what may be your
duty : Pfai. cxxiii. 2. " Behold, as the eyes offers
vants look unto the hand of their mailers, and as
the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her miftrefs,
fo our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until
that he have mercy upon us." Confult his word,
which contains his orders to his fervants, and fead
the Bible as the book of your inilruclions. Take
the providential hints of duty he gives you ; for he
has laid, Pfal. xxxii. 8. " I will inllrucl thee, and
teach thee in the way which .thou (halt go : I will
guide thee with mine eye." Be always willing to
know his will, and make application to him by
prayer, for the difcovery of it in particular cafes,,
efpecislly fuch as are difficult ; do nothing with a
doubting confcience.

[2.] Be willing fervants, not refractory and wil-
ful. Follow the example of Abraham, who o-
beyed, and went out, not knowing whether he
went, Heb. xi. 8. The Mailer's orders being
known, do not difpute them, but readily obey
them. Choofe not the work you will do, whether
; t be fuftering or doing work, whatever the burden
be, which he lays on you, bow your moulders to
bear it j the crofs he lays down, do you be ready

to

kh.4

■:) His PROPERTY*. 371

to take it up. For ic becomes him to command,
and us to obey.

[3.] Weary not of your work : James, i. 4.
" Hut let patience have her perfect work, that ye
may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing ."
However hard you apprehend your talk to be,
give not way to wearying of it : Gal. vi. «;. " And
let us not be weary in well doing : for in due fea-
fon we fhall reap, if we faint not." We mould
think all light while we are out of hell. Impatience
betrays us into the hands of the adverfary, who is
ready to offer his hellilh help to thofe who are
weary of the talk Gcd has laid on them j of which
we have dreadful inftances, which may make all
of us tremble, and refolve through grace to bear
till himfelf give deliverance.

[4.] When you are checked for your mifma-
nagements, or corrected on account of them, learn
this property of a good fervant, not to anfwer a-
, Titus, ii. 9, Murmuring under the rebukes
of providence, is very unbecoming, and highly
provoking in God's fight : Lam. iii. 39. " Where-
fore doth a living man complain, a man for the
puniihment of his fins ?" They who enter into
the family of God, muft not think it ftrange that
they have to fubmit to the difcipline of thehouie.
— I would exhort you,

(2.) To hold by his fervice, as the great bufi-
nefs which you have to do in the world. Never
give it over, but purfue it as the grand bufinefs of
your life, for doing which you were lent into the
world. You have many things to do ; But this is
the one thing above all other things, O ! give it
the preference in your hearts and lives. Never
reckon that your other bufinefs goes well, when
this does not ; nor ill, when this goes well. Hold
oa it, till death loofe you, and you have accom-
plished,

3 72 TH E SAINTS GODS S E R V AN T S, %

plifhed, as an hireling, your days. — As to this j
would recommend to you,

[i.] Serve him houefily and uprightly: Jofli.
xxiv. 14. " Now, therefore, fear the Lord, and
ferve him in fincerity and in truth." Let him be
your only Lord and Mailer ; and while you pro-
fefs to ferve God, give not a fecret-fervice to any
idol ; for there is no hiding the matter from your
heavenly Mailer. You are in God's account,
what you are inwardly in heart.

[2.] Serve him chearfully with heart and good-
will. He is the bed of mailers, and defires none
to ferve him for nought. To be heartlels in his
fervice, as if it were a drudgery, is very difplea-
fing to him : Deut. xxviii. 47. 4?. " Becaufe thou
fervedft not the Lord thy God with joyfulnefs,
and with gladnefs of heart, for the abundance of
all things •, therefore (halt thou ferve thine enemies
which the Lord fhall fend againft thee in hunger
and in thirft, and in nakednefs, and in want of
all things : And he fhall put a yoke of iron upon
thy neck, until he have deilroyed thee."

[3.] Serve him fervently and zealoufly : Rom.
xii. 11. u Not flothful in bufinefs *, fervent in
fpirit, ferving the Lord." Our God is the living
God, and he requires his fervants to be lively,
their hearts {lining within them in his fervice.
The greateft love which ever appeared being
{hewed by our Lord, this doubtlefs requires fuch
a return.

[4.] Serve him diligently and laborioufly : Ads,
xxvi. 7. " Unto which hope, our twelve tribes,
inilantly ferving God day and night, hope to
come." Why fhould we grudge pains for him,
who thought not his ou n life too much for us ?
The fervants of fin and Satan are indefatigable,
alas ! that the fervants of God fhould be fo floth-
ful.

AND HIS TROPfcRTY. 373

fill. — To prevail with you in complying with this
exhortation) I (hall lay before you the following
Motives.

Mot. i. If you be not the fervants of God, you
are the fervants of the devil : John, viii. 44. " Ye
are of your father the devil, and the lulls of your
father ye will do." There is never a fpare
ferv'ant in this cafe. If the (inner depart from
God, whofe he is, and whom he ought to ferve,
prefently Satan picks him up as a ibay, and fets
him to his work ; and his fervice is fad fervice.
— To make this appear, you may coniider, — (1.)
His work is fin. Satan is the Egyptian tafk- ma-
iler, who feduces poor mortals, who will not work
out their own falvation. He puts another tafk in
their hand, to work out their own ruin and de-
And is not this the work about which
moil of the world are bufy, who are twilling
cords of guilt every day to bind their fouls iindejr
God's wrath? — (2.) His wages is death, eternal
death : " For the wages of iin is death," Rom.
vi. 22. Satan goes about, like a roaring lion,
feeking whom he may devour. He is the father
of lies, has had a long trade of it, deceiving poor
fihnerSj catching fomc with one bait, fome with
another \ that fiift he may be a prevailing tempter,
:md then a cruel tormentor, who, becaufe he is
beyond hope himfelf, would wiih to have all the
world as mifcrable as liimfelf.

Mot. 2. God is the beft of Maflers, and his
fervice is the bed of fervice. This have ail the
faints witnefled, ana fo Oiali all of you, upon a
full trial of ir. — To make this good, confider,

( 1.) That it is the moil honourable fervice. He
who lerves God, fcrves hini who is the fountain
or all honour : Pfal. xxxvi. 9. " For with thee is
the fountain of (i£e ; In thy light mail we fee

light.

374 THE saints god's servants,

light " Surely it is far more honourable to be a
fervant of the Lord, than to be a mighty king.
What great work is there at times to get into the
fervice of great men, efpecially of kings and prin-
ces ! but O ! why fo little to get into the fervice
of the King of kings ? — Confider,

(2.) That it is the moft rational fervice : Rom.
jfii. 1. " I befeechyou therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that ye prefent your bodies a
living facrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which
is your reafonable fervice." Is he not our Crea-
tor, our Redeemer, our SancTifler, our univerfal
Benefactor, and our covenanted God ? Is there
any who has that right to our fervice which he
has ? Can it be our intereft fo much to be in the
fervice of anv other as it is to be in his fervice ?
— Confider,

(3.) That it is the moft pleafant and comfort-
able fervice : Prov. iii. 17. " Her ways are ways
of pleafantnefs, and all her paths are peace."
There is a joy in the fervice of God, even the
hardeft of it all, which, whofo talies of, will not
exchange ChriiVs crofs for the world's crown.
Hear the pfalmift's judgement of it : Pfal. lxxxiv.
10. " For a day in thy courts is better than a
thoufand. I would rather be a door-keeper in the
houie of my God, than to dwell in the tents of
wickednefs." How did Hannah rejoice after a
prayer ! the Eunuch after a fealing ordinance !
If fome find it not to be fo pleafant, it is either
becaufe their nature is not renewed at all, or grac~
is low, and corruption Mrong.

(4.) Confider that it is the mod advantageous
fen ice. Never wasfervice forewarded, as God's fer-
vice is. There is a reward in hand, which accom-
panies the work: Pfal. xix. 11. " In keeping
of thy commandments, there is a great reward/'

There

AND HIS PROPERIV. 375

There is alfo a reward in hope, — the eternal
weight of glory. They ihail be Courtiers of the
King of heaven in glory for evermore : Rev. xxii.
3. " And there fhall be no more curfe, but the
throne of God and the Lamb fhall be in it ; and
his fervants fhall ftrve him : And they fhall fee
his face •, and his name fhall be on their foreheads."
Amen»

GOD'S

GOD'S GRACIOUS CALL AND PRECIOUS
PROMISE CONSIDERED *.

S E R M O N XL.

PsAL. lxxxi. i©. Open thy month ivide, and I will

/nut,

THE great defign of the gofpel, and of all go-
fpel-ordinances. is to make fouls happy, and
for this end to bring them to God through Chrift,
in whom they may find folid and complete fatis-
f action. Ali men defire to be happy ; they are
confcious to themfelves of wants, which the na-
tural defire of happirefs influences them to get
fupplied. But, das! they apply to improper
quarters, and fuck at thofe breafts which can
never fill them, even thofe of their lufts. Since
Adam forfook God for the creature, mankind have
been fo intoxicated with creature-fweetnefs, that
they (land as it were chained at the creature's

door,

* Delivered at Wamphray, Saturday, June. 30. 17 11.
immediately before the difpenfation of the Lord's fuppe r
there.

cud's gracious call, &c. 377

r, begging fatisfa&iqn, even after a thoufand

denials, They cannot lift their eyes to the Lord,

cannot move their feet towards him, tiil

e break the bands of iron and brafs with which

they are held.

In the text, the Lord conies to miners as thus
fituate, and outbids all others which they in their
hearts and lives are following after ; and he does
this even while they will not look over their moul-
der to him, from their madnefs on their idols.
This is the (cope of the text ; for in this verfe, the
Lord pleads the grand purpofe of love laid down,
ver. 9. which is, that they mould renounce all
others for him, give up with their idols, and take
him for and inftead of all. And to enforce this,
he thus reafons with them : 1. ( I have done for
you what all your idols never did, and never
could have done, " I am the Lord thy God, which
brought thee out of the land of Egypt." Where
were all your ftrange gods, when Pharaoh refu-
fed to let you go ? Deut. xxxii. 1 1 . «" So the
Lord alone did lead him, and there was no ftrange
god with him." Look to all the real good that
ever you met with, and fay, Was it the Lord or
your idols that did it for you ? — 2. I will do and
can do for you, what they cannot all do for you :
Open thy mouth wide, and I will Jill it abundantly.
Many a time you have opened your mouths, and
wide enough, to your idols ; fo wide that it has
been no fmall pain to get them fliut again \ and
yet they remain (till empty for them, they were
never filled. But fays the Lord, Open thy month
wide, and I will fill it. Where more particularly
obferve,

1. That there is an emptinefs fuppofed in poor
Tinners, which needs to be fillecL They have loft
God, and a thou fand worlds cannot fill up his

Vol. II. I i room.

3;o GODS GRACIOUS CALL AtfB

room. That man who has Chrift in his heart,
has enough to fatisfy him, want what he wilL
And let a man have what he will, if he has net
Chrift in him, he has not what can fatisfy him.
All the devil's trafh can never fill the heart ; many
an empty fpace is in that heart, where Chrift is
not ; which plagues them with a dog-like appetite,
which is never fatisfied.

2. There is a fill propofed and offered to empty
finners. This is a foul- fill ; a filling with all the
fulnefsof God. This is the only thing wiiich can
fill the mouth of the foul, which is the mouth
meant in the text ; for it is an eafy thing to find
among the creatures a fill to the mouth of the
body, which can hold but little ; but the whole
creation cannot fill the mouth of the foul. The
Lord only can fill it, he only can fatisfy and
(till the reftlefs foul, and fo make it, after many
years^difappear, and fall afleepinthe bofom of God ;
and after the mod pinching ftraits, to fay, " I have
all, and abound." — -We have,

3. The party communicating this foul-fill to the
firmer : /, more generally, 1 the Lord, in oppo-
fition to ftrange gods. That fill you could never
get from your idols, you fhall have from me. More
particularly, it is Jefus Chrift, the fecond perfon,
the great treafurer of heaven, and fteward of the
fulnefs of God. It is plain that it is the fame Lord
who brought the Ifraelites out of Egypt \ and this
was no other but Chrift, who was known under
the Old Teftament by the God of Ifrael, Exod.
iii. 2. — 8. It was he who wrought that deliver-
ance, as a type and pledge of the great redemp-
tion. It was he whom the pillar of cloud and
the pillar of fire did reprefent, even God vailed
with flefh. He who brought them out of the
Jand of Egypt, he whom they tempted in the

wildernefs,

PHEClOUS r\<OMISE CONSIDERED. 379

wildernefs, and this was Chrift : I Cor. x. 19.
«* Neither let us tempt Chrift, as fome of them alfo
tempted, and were deftroyed of ferpeats." — We
have,

4. The Tinner's duty in order to this communica-
tion: Open thy mouth wide. The word here ufed is, in
Gen. xxvi. 22. rendered making room. O the free-
dom of grace ! only make room for a fill, and ye
fhall have it. Let the foul only, as an hungry in-
fant, lay its mouth by faith on the breafts of
Chi ill's confolations, and they fhall flow abun-
dantly. If the fpiritual appetite be not wanting,
ye (hail have a fill ; and what can be defired more ?
unlefs we would have him to force it upon us.
Open thy mouth, do not keep it clofe, and fay you
will have none of him. Open to receive, and he
will give. Open it wide, the wider you open, the
more that your fouls defire of him, you fhall get the
more. I cannot think the widenefs in the text
is intended to ftraiten the offer, but rather informs
us, that there is a fulnefs in Chrift, fufficient to
fatisfy the moll extended dt fires of the foul.
— From this fubjeel:, I take the following

Doctrinf, That Chrift Jefus can and will fill die
foul whole mouth is opened wide to receive of and
from him. — Forilluftrating this doctrine, I fhall,

L Shew what it is to open the mouth of the foul
wide to Chrift.

II. How Chrift fills the foul, fo as no other
can do. And then,

III. Conclude with fome improvement. — We
are then,

I. To fhew what it is to open the mouth of the

foul wide to Chrift. — This opened mouth confifts,

1. In a fight of wants. The foul muft be

I i 2 brought

380 god's gracious call and

brought to a fight of its own emptinefs, ere it will
open its mouth for a fill from the Lord : Prov.
xxvii. 7 « The full foul loatheth an honey-comb :
But to the hungry foul, every bitter thing is fwcet."
The want of this was Laodicea's ruin. She
thought herfelf rich, and increafed in goods, and
having need of nothing, and- knew not that (he
was wretched, and miferable, and poor, and blind,
and naked. When Chrift comes to the foul, he
fays to it, as he did to the blind man, " What will
ye that I fhall do unto ycu ?" He makes perfons
fenfible of their difeafes, before he applies the re-
medy, that his free grace may thus be glorified.
Jefus, by his word and Spirit, gives the foul a view
of God in his glory •, and then the foul cries, I
want peace with God ; a Mediator, a Chrift to
Jtand betwixt me and his confuming fire. He
ftives the foul— a view of the tribunal of God, be-
fore which it muft foon appear : And then it cries,
Ah ! I want a righteOufnefs, a better righteoufnefs
than my own, a complete and everlafting righ-
teoufnefs, without which I can never appear with
acceptance before this tribunal. — A view of his
iins : And then he cries, Where fhall I find par-
don ? — A view of what the law requires, and of
what the finner is in himfelf : And then he cries,
Ah ! I am all wants. I have nothing of myfelf
good, and can do nothing. — This opened moutii
confifts,

2 In a fenfe of need, Perfons may fee their
want of thofe things, who are not pinched with
felt need, but reign as kings without Chrift, and
fay unto God, Job, xxi 14. 15. "Depart from
us, for we defire not the knowledge of thy ways.
What is the Almighty, that we fhould ferve him ?
And what profit fhould we have if we pray unto
him ?" But the foul whofe mouth is opened wide,

fays

miaous promise considered. 381

with the prodigal, " How many hired fcrvants
of my father have bread enough and to fpare,
and I perith with hunger I" Luke, xv. 17. They
find that they are undone without Chrift. The
foul is prefled with that queftion, V/hat mall I do
to be faved ? No happinefs to the foul without
the enjoyment of God, and no enjoyment of him,
but through Chiift the Mediator between God
and man. — This opened mouth confifts,

3. In a holy diflatisfacUon with all things be-
fides Chrift. Cloathe a ftarving man with fcarkt,
fill his pockets with gold, and advance him to the
higheft honours ; all this is not meat, and there-
fore he cannot be fatisfied. And to the hungry
foul there is none, nothing but Chrift which can
give fatisfattion. They loathe their lufts, which
they loved' before. A thoufand worlds will not
fatibfy the foul which fees its need of Chrift.
Vv 7 hen the foul comes to itfelf again, after it has
gone the round of the whole creation for fatif-
faclion, it returns with the report, Ecclef. i. 2.
« Vanity of vanities, faith the preacher, vanity of
vanities, all is vanity." It finds at length that
the bed is fhorter than that one can ftretch him-
felf upon it — This opened mouth confifts,

4. In the foul's removing its defires from off va-
nities, and fixing them oh Chrift for fatisfa&ion.
Like the hungry infant, which has been fucking
in vain at this and the other, object which was
neareft it, and could never reft ; when the breaft is
put in its mouth, it opens its mouth, and fixes there
to fuck. The foul gives over the purfuit of happi-
nefs in lufts, he finds that gall and wormwood are
now on thefe breafts. It ceafes from hammering
its happinefs out of the law, and finds that there
is no pleafing that rigorous hufband ; the ladder
of their duties has fo often broken with them,
that theydefpairof everclimbingto heaven thiswayv

I i 3 Ad4

3 8 2 trOD'S GRACIOUS CALL AND

And fo, like men out of breath, in feeking
their happinefs from other things than Chriii, they
lie down before the Lord, turning their eyes to-
wards him, that he may take them up," and give
them what in vain they have been. looking for eife-
where. Their language is, Jerem iii. 23. " Truly
in vain is falvation hoped for from the hills, and
from the multitude of mountains : truly in the
Lord our God is the falvation of Ifrael." — This
opened mouth con fids,

5. In an allured expectation of falvation from
Chriii : Hofea, x'.v. 3. « Asihur (hall not fave us ;
we will not ride upon horfes ; neither will we foy
any more to the works of our hands, Ye are our
gods : For in thee the fatherlefs findeth mercy."
Mat. xxi. 22. " And all things whatfoever yefhall
alk in prayer, believing, ye fhall receive." The
foul believes that Chrift can do it ; and fo far be-
lieves he will do it, as that it ventures on him.
Without this, the foul cannot open its mouth to
Chriii, but {huts it without hope. Though the
hopes may be very faint, yet the "trembling hand
may receive Clirilt, and the quivering mouth
may be ruled. — This opened mouth conliits,

Laftly 9 In a hearty willingnefs to receive Chriii
as he offers himfelf in the gofpel. Chriii fays,
u I am the bread of life ;" the foul is well content
to receive him as fuch, for all and inilead of all.
They fed on the hulks before, and loathed the
manna 5 now nothing reliihes fo well with them
as the bread which came down from heaven.
They are brought over all their objections againil
him, and are well content to venture their fouls
on him, as it is he alone who can fill them with
all the fulnefs of God. — We now proceed,

II. To fhew how Chriii iills the foul fo as no
•Other can do : Qpsti thy mouth wide, and I ivill fill

nusciftus promiss conidered. 383

1 h i s promife imports four things. — It imports,

1. Such a fuitablenefs in him to the nectffities
ci the ioul, as is to be found in no other. Sin-
ners feeking a fill of the creatures, are but feed-
ing on wind, which can never fati-,fy. There is
no fuitablenefs betwixt the defires of an immortal
foul, and the produce of this earth : Ifa. lv. 2.
" Wherefore do ye fpend money for that which is
not bread, and your labour for that which fatis-
fieth not ? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat
ye that which is good, and let your foul delight
itfelf in fatnefs." What avail riches, honours,
and pleafures, to a foul preffed with guilt ! But
Chrift is fuited to all the wants of the foul. Speak-
ing of the excellence, fuitablenefs, and fulnefs of
his falvation, he fays, " I counfel thee to buy of
me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayeft be rich ;
and white raiment, that thou mayeft be cloa.thed,
and that the fhame of thy nakednefs do not appear :
and anoint thine eyes with eye-falve, that thou
mayeft fee," Rev. iii. 18. His blood and Spirit
will anfwer all cafes which the foul can be in,—
The words import,

2. That there is a fufficiency in Chrift for all
their needs : Col. i. 19. " It pleafed the Father,
that in him mould all fulnefs dwell." There is
enough in him to fatisfy all the defires of the foul.
Perfons may travel through the whole creation, ere
they find an object, commenfurable to the defires
of -their fouls ; but when the foul comes to Chrift,
it then and there finds an object, than which the
foul, when extending its defires to the utmoft,
cannot crave more. Here, though our boundlefs
defires fhould launch forth into this ocean, they
fhall never be able to reach the bottom, or find
the fhore. — The words import,

3. That there is a communication of this fuit-

able

3 §4 G0D*3 GRACIOUS CALL AND

able fufficiency unto that foul which opens its
mouth wide to receive it. Thus,

(i.) Chrift gives himfelf to that foul, fo that
fuch an one may fay, Song, ii. 16. " My beloved
is mine, and I am his ;" or, with Thomas, cry,
" My Lord, and my God." They have him by
the fureft tenor of an indiiToluble union : John,
vi. 56. " He that eateth my fleih," fays Jefus,
«* and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I
in him." A wicked man may have many poor
inysy Dan. iv. 30. compare chap. ii. 47. But they
cannot call God theirs; and befides, they want
a thoufand things more than what they have.
But what want can they have who have Jefus,
who is all in all ?

(2.) Chrift giv:s them all good with himfelf:
R-om. viii. 32. " He that fpared not his own Son,
but delivered him up for us all, how ihall he not
with him alfo freely give us all things ?" Pfal.
Ixxxiv. 11. " For the Lord God is a fun and.
fhield ; the Lord will give grace and glory j no
good thing will he with-hold from them that walk
uprightly." Having a right to himfelf, they may-
write their names upon, and claim a title to, all
that are his. They are rich, feeing they are mar-
ried to Jefus, the heir of all things. No fooner
does the foul clofe with Chrift, than they get this
right ; and though they get not all prefently in
hand, yet they have all in hope -, a hope of which
they will never be afhamed. — The words import,

4. The foul's fatisfa&ion upon that communi- .
cation. In what meafure the foul opens its mouth
to Chrift, in that meafure Chrift communicates of 1
his fulnefs ; for this is the ftanding rule, " Ac-
cording to thy faith, fo be it unto thee." And in
what meafure Chrift communicates of himfelf to .
the foul, fo the foul has that fatisfa&ion. Ac-
cordingly the foul refts in Chrift, and having e-

nougb

TRECICUS PROMISE CONSIDERED. 385

nough in him, never goes out, as it was wont, to
beg at the world's door: John, iv. 14. « Whofo-
ever drinketh of the water that I fliaH give him,
ihall never thirit •, but the water that I (hall give
him fhall be in him a well of water, fpringing up
to everlafting life." " It is enough," faid Jacob,
" Jofeph is yet alive." When all the cifterns are
dried up, the believer has enough. He can re-
joice in the Lord, and joy in the God of his fal-
vation, Hab. iii. 17. He can fay alfo with Paul,
Phil. iv. 18. " But I have all, and abound." I
am full *, and no wonder, for the foul having
Chrift, has,

(1.) A fulnefs of merit to look to : 1 John, i.
7. " The blood of Jefus Chrift, God's Son, clean-
feth us from all fin." "When the foul looks with-
in itfelf, it fees a fulnefs of guilt, debt, mifery,
and poverty. It fees heart, lips, life, and duties,
all full of fin ; fins which tears of blood and ri-
vers of oil cannot wafh away. But, looking to
Chrift, it fees a fountain opened for fin and for
uncleannefs, Zech. xiii. 1. The rock ftruck by
the rod of juftice, and the waters gufhing out,
and following them through the wildcrnefs, a fea
to overwhelm all their guilt! Mic. vii. 19. " He
will turn again, he will have companion upon us ;
he will fubdue our iniquities ; and thou wilt call;
all their fins into the depths of the fea." — The foul
fees,

(2.) A fulnefs of fpirit in Chrift to take away
the power of fin. He hath the feven Spirits of
God, Rev. iii. 1. When they look within them-
felves, they fee a very fcanty meafure of the Spirit.
When they look above them to their Head, they
fee it there without meafure poured out upon their
Head, to that very end that it may go down to
the fkirts of his garments, even to every* member
of his myftical bodv. — The foul fees,

(30

386 cod's gracious call and

(3.) A fulnefs of grace in him, lodged in him
as the common ftorehoufe of all the faints : John,
L 16. l( And of his fulnefs have all we received,
and grace for grace." If they want wifdom, or
right eoufncfs, or fan£tification, they have it in
him : 1 Cor. i. 30 " But of him are ye in Chrift
Jefus, who of God is made unto us wifdom, righ-
teoti fuels, fa net incation, and redemption." They
have all in him ; and feeing God treats with them
no other way but as in him, they are complete in
bim, " For in him dwelleth all the fulnefs of the
Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him,
who is the Head of all principality and power." —
I come now,

III. To conclude with fome fhort improvement*
And this only in an ufe of exhortation.

I would exhort you, then, to come to Chrift
with enlarged defires, that your fouls may be filled.
I direct you to one who can give your fouls full
fatisfaction. Open your mouths wide, O com-
municants ! Open your mouths wide, one and
all of you, make enlarged demands from Chrift
the Saviour. — To prevail with you in complying
with this exhortation, I offer you the following
Motives.

Mot. 1. Ye have many times opened your
mouths wide to the world, and your lufts, but
were you to this day ever filled ? Prov xxiii. 5.
" Wilt thou fet thine eyes upon that which is
not ? For riches certainly make therafelves wings ;.
they fly away as an eagle towards heaven." Have,
you not enlarged your defines as hell ? If there had
been any fatisfaction which you could have got out
of Chrift, have you not fqueezed fo hard as that
you would certainly have prefied it out ? But you
have never got it, and never fliall get it there.
Come, then, to Chrift, and try him.

MqU

PRECIOUS PROMISE CONSIDERED. 387

Mot. 2 Has not the world and yourlufts oftlmcs
rewarded your love with hatred ? When you have
been hammering for fiuisfadtion at thefe things,
have you not (truck fire, inflead of water, out of
thefe barren rocks, and lain down in forrow ? O !
if you had beftowed that (Irength of affection and
defire on Chrift, which you have on thefe things,
ye had never been fo rewarded.

Mot. 3. If Chi iit fills you not, you fhall never
be filled. Many have fucked at thefe breads which
you are on, but never one came fpeed ; as little
fhall you : Ecclef. ii. 12 " And I turned myfelf
to behold wifdom, and madnefs, and folly : For
what can the man do that cometh after the king ?
even that which has been already done." There
was a fign of emptinefs hung out at the creature's
door in paradife, the tree of knowledge, of good
and evil. And has that vanity which fin fubjecl:-
ed them to fince filled up that emptinefs ? No,
no. Ah ! you fhall as foon grafp your arms full
of fhadows and dreams, as fill your fouls without
Chrift.

Mot. 4. Confider that Chrift can and will fill
your fouls, if you will only open your mouths
wide, and receive him. — For confider,

(1.) That all fulnefs is in him: Colof. i. 19.
" For it hath pleafed the Father that in him fhould
all fulnefs dwell." He is the ftorehoufe of all
fulnefs *, it dwells in him, it can never be mifTed
there. The fulnefs of the Godhead dwelleth in
him bodily, Col. ii. 9. Can there be ever any want
with him ?•— Confider,

(2.) That the fulnefs that is in him is to be com-
municated in him : John, i. 16. " And of his ful-
nefs have all we received, and grace for grace." It
is lodged theretobe communicated from him to poor
fouls : Zech. xiii. i . « In that day there fhall be

a

388 god's gracious call an t d

a fountain opened to the houfe of David, and to
the inhabitants of Jerufalem, for fin and for
uncleanneis." The fulnefs of Chrift is not the
fulnefs of a veflel, but of a fountain that cads
forth its waters, and yet hath ftilfenough. — Con-
fider,

(3.) That it belongs to him, and to him alone,
to diftribute that fulnefs : John v. 22. " For the
Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all
judgement unto the Son." He is the great fteward
of the fulnefs of God. The keys hang at his
girdle. Never any foul was filled, but whom he
filled. The Father direcls the hungry foul to his
Son: Matth.xvii.5. "This," fayshe, "is my beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleafed : Hear ye him."
The Spirit points you to Chrift. And thrift is
faying to you, what Jofeph faid to his father and-
brethren : Gen. xlv. 9. — 1 1. " Hade you, and go
up to my father, and fay unto him, Thus faith thy
fon Jofeph, God hath made me lord of ail Egypt ;
come down unto me, tarry not. And thou (halt
dwell in the land of Gofhen, and thou (halt be
near unto me, thou and thy children, and thy flocks,
and thy herds, and all that thou haft. And there
will I nourifli thee, (for yet there are five years of
famine), left thou, and thy houfehold, and all that
thou haft, come to poverty." — Confuler,

(4.) That you have his word for it, that he will
do it : If lv. 1. " Ho every one that thirfteth,
ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come
ye, buy and eat, yea, come, buy wine and milk,
without money, and without price." John, vi.
37. " All that the Father hath given me, lhall
come unto me, and him that cometh unto me, I
will in nowife call out." And you have the
teftimony of them who have gone before you :
Luke, i. 52. 53. "He has exalted them of low

degree.

GRACIOUS PROMISE CONSIDERED. 380

degree. He hath filled the hungry with good
things "

J lere, however, there may be propofed this On-
j ction. Is it poilible for a perfon to find fatif-
fa&ion in fuch a courfe, turning his back on the
world and its lulls ? Anfwer, Come and fee. The
faints have found, and do find fatisfaclion, and
this fuch as has made them defpife the fmiles
and frowns of the world : Pfal. iv. 7. " Thou haft
put gladnefs in my heart, more than in the time
that their corn and their wine increafed : Heb.
xi. 24. 25. 26. " By faith Mofes, when he was
come to years, iefufed to be called the fon of Pha-
raoh's daughter ; choofing rather to fuffer afflic-
tions with the people of God, than to enjoy the
pleafures of fin for a feafon. Efteeming the re-
proaches of Chrift greater riches than the trea-
fures of Egypt : For he had refpett. unto the re-
compence of reward." Is there any perfection or
fweetnefs in the creature but what comes from
God ? does not the whole creation (hine with bor-
rowed light ? If fo, then God muft be more fweet,
infinitely more fweet, than all the creatures, even if
combined together. And does not the natural
conftitution of the foul, call for the enjoyment of
an infinite good ? It muft then be the greateft rea-
lity.

Still, however, fome may prefs this Objlction.
But will he fill me who am full of fin ? Anf. Chrift
fills freely, as freely as the rain falls, and the fun
fhines, without hire, and his fulnefs will wear out
the fulnefs of fin : Ifa. i. 1 8. " Come now, and let
us reafon together, faith the Lord : Though your
fins be as fcarlet, they fhall be as white as fnow :
Though they be red as crimfon, they fhall be as
wool." Amen.

Kk

THE

THE NATURE AND SqURCE-OF THE
SPIRITUAL LIFE*.

SERMON XLT.

John, vi. 57. tie that eateth me, even he fcall live
by me.

YOU have been eating the bread of the Lord :
who thofe are who have done this may
be already known ; happy are thofe who have ate
that bread which is the Lord ; who thefe are mull
be difcovered by the effects. Perfons will readily
-look like their meat ; they who have ate Chrift
will look like Chrift, feeing this food has a trans-
forming virtue, there will be fuch a difference be-
twixt them and others, as that mentioned in Dan.
i. 15. " Their countenances appeared fairer and
fatter in flefh than all the children which did eat
the portion of the king's meat." Living bread
will make living lively fouls : He that eateth me,
even he fiall live by me.— In which words we have,
1. The character and privilege of a believer:
He Jha/I live, viz. the life of God, from -which
others are alienated. To his natural life, common
with others, by which he is diftinguifhed from
things without life, he fhall have another of a more
fublime nature, by which he fhall rife fupericr to
other men who are dead in fin, while they live a

natural

* De'ivered at Wamphray, Monday, July 2. 1711.
immediately after the ditpenfationof the Lord's iupper.

39 r

natural life : He fhall live fpiritually and eternally.
2. We have the fpring from whence the belie-
ver derives this fupernaturil life of his, in its be-
ginning, progrefs, and continuation. It is not
from himfelf, he is but a branch, not a rout ; it
is not immediately from God, as Adam's, but
from the Mediator, Jefus Chrift. The juftice and
holinefs of God refufed an intermediate union with
the finful creature, yet there could be no life but
as proceeding from God, the prime Fountain of
all, and there could be no communication of this
life without union with him ; wherefore itpleafed
God to unite the human nature to the divine in
the perfon of his Son, and fo to make him the Me-
diator, the mean of me Tinner's union and com-
munion with tne Father ; thai he deriving life from
his Father, they might again derive it from him.
This is the import of the former part of the verfe,
in which Chrift (hews how he comes to be living
bread, i. He is fitted for giving life, feeing he
lives by the Father, deriving lite from the Foun-
tain of life. 2. There is a divine appointment of
him by the Father, by which he was ordained and
fe: apart to be life-giving bread to his people.
/ 3. We have the way how this life is derived
from Chrift to the foul, and this is by eating of
hhif, that is, by faith. It cannot be underliood of
a corporeal eating, for this eating would net give
life : John, vi. 63. " It is the Spirit thatquicken-
eth, the fiefh profiteth nothing." Our Lord him-
felf determines it to be believing, vcr. 35. " He
that cometh to me fhall never hunger, and he that
believeth on me fhall never third." The word here
ufed properly hgnifies a keen. appetite, being the
lame as in Matth. xxiv. 38. and may denote unto
us that greedy appetite which the believer has after
Chnft, his foul-food, and that there is no hazard
of excefs here, either in the appetite which ob-
K k 2 ■ tains,

39^ THE NATURE AND SOURCE OF

tains, or in the continuance at this blefled work j
we may eat all the day long, and alfo in the night,
and welcome. Yea, it is remarkable that it is
not faid, He that hath eaten, that has got a talte
of Chrift, and is fatisfied ; but he that eateth, de-
noting a continuing action, fuch as he that breathes,
lives. There muft be a conftant improvement of
Chrift as the Fountain of life, a living by belie-
ving : Gal. ii. 20. "And the life which I now
live in the flefh, I live by the faith of the Son of
God, who loved me, and gave himfelf for me."

4. We have the peculiar interefl of the believer
in this life : " Even he (hall live by me." All
ethers are, and will be dead while they live ; he,
and only he, ihall live j for there is no life but
from Chrift, and none from him but by faith. —
From the words I take this

Doctrine, That the believer lives by Chrift, de-
riving his life from him by faith. — For illuftra-
ting this doctrine, 1 fhalJ,

J. Shew what is that life which the believer
lives hy Chrift, and derives from him.

II. How the believer derives this life from Chrift
hy faith. And then,

III. Conclude with fome improvement. — We
are,

I. To fliew what is that life which the believer
lives by Chrift, and derives from him. — As to this
I obferve,

1 . That the believer derives from Chrift a life
of grace, and lives by him, in oppofition to that
death in fin under which all unbelievers are : Eph.
ii, 1. " You hath he quickened, who were dead
in trefpafles and fins." The Reliever has infufed
into him an inward vital principle of action ;

formerly

THE SPIRITUAL LIFE^. 393

formerly the whole powers of his foul were bu-
ried in the grave of fin, devoid of all life and fenfc
in fpiritual things. Now the dead are railed, the
dry bones have come together, and Hand upon
their feet. The dead foul could never have infufed
life into itfelf, but would have eternally rotted in
the grave of fin, if the Spirit of Chrift had not
entered into it, and Chrift become the life of the
foul : Pfal. xvi. 1 1 . " Thou wilt {hew me the path
of life." As the life of the body lies in the union
of the foul with the body, fo the life of the foul
lies in its union with God through Chrift. And
.as it was by eating, Gen. iii. 6. that mankind
were feparated from God, and laid in the dud of
death, fo it is by eating that the foul comes to be
re-united to God, and to live again in Chrift :
John, vi. 53. 56. " Then Jefus faid unto them,
Verily, verily, I fay unto you, except ye eat the
flefli of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye
have no life in you. He that eateth my flefh, and
ilrinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him."
— The believer derives from Chrift,

2. A life of favour with God : Pfal. xxx. 5.
" In his favour is life." We are naturally dead
in law, under a fentence of condemnation, the
broken law has doomed us to eternal death :
Gal. iii. 10. " Curfed is every one that continueth
not in all things written in the book of the law to
do them." But the fentence againft the believer is
reverfed, he is no more a condemned man, but is
juftilied : Rom. viii. 1. " There is therefore now
no condemnation to them who are in Chrift Jefus.'*
Now he is a free man ; who can lay any thing to
his charge ? " It is God that juftifieth, who' is he
that condemneth ?" Can juftice fay any thing ? it
is fatisfied. Can the law ? it has got all its de-
mands upon them in Chrift : Gal. iii. 13. " Chrift
hath, redeemed us from the curfe of the law, ha-
K k 3 ving

394 THE MATURE AhTD SOURCE OF

ving been made a curfe for us." What is become
of thofe long accounts of their debts, fubfcribed
with their own hands ? Chrift has blotted them out
with his blood, put them out of the way, left the cri-
minal mould fear that they yet may be read. The
nails are driven through the writing, fo that it is
nailed to the crofs, and hence will never appear
more againft them, Col. ii. 14. What has be-
come of the face -covering, which was on the con-
demned man ? Chrift has deftroyed in this moun-
tain the face of the covering caft over all people,
and the vail that is fpreadover all nations, Ifa. xxv.
7. Whet is become of death which ftood before
him, ready to devour him ? Ver. 8. " Chrift has
i wallowed up death in victory." Glory, then, be to
the Lamb, by whom we live. Ver. 9. " Lo, this is
our God : We have waited for him, and he will
fave us : This is the Lord ; we have waited for
him, we v/ill be glad and rejoice in his falvation."
■ — The believer derives from Chrift,

3. The new life of gofpel-obedience and true
holmefs : Rom. vi. 4. 5. " Therefore we are buried
with him by baptifm into death : That likeas Chrift
was railed up from the c^ad by the glory of the
Father, even fo we alfo fhould walk in newnefs
of life. For if we had been planted together
in the likenefs of his death, we fhali be alfo in the
likenefs of his refurrection." The believer is not
now the man he once was, he is not only come
out of the grave of his natural (late, but he has
eaft off his grave-clothes : Col. iii. 8, " But now
ye alfo put off all thefe, anger, wrath, malice,
blafphemy, filthy communication out of your
mouth." Thefe reigning lufts are laid afide, for
the Lord hath faid, " Loofe him, and let him go."
He has put on Chrift, perfonates him, as the beg-
gar in borrowed robes reprefents a king on the
ftage. There is none rcfembles Chrift in his life

among

THE SHRITUAL MFL". 395

among men, fo near as the believer does ; for he
labours to walk, even as he alio walked. Now
his obedience is univerfal. He has refpect unto
all God's commandments, Pfal cxix. 9. His
heart is enlarged in breadth and length to the law
of Chrift. He loves thofe ways which he former-
ly hated, and hates thofe which he formerly loved.
His obedience is a duller of vital acts in the foul,
of all which Chriic is the principle : Gal. ii. 20.
" I am crucified," faith he, " with Chriit ; never-
thelefs I live ; yet not I, but Chriffc liveth in me :
and the life which I now live in the flefh, I live
by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and
gave himfelf for me." As Chriit is the principle,
fo he is alio the end of the believer's life : Phil. i.
21. " For to me to live," fays he, " is Chrift, and
to die, is gain." O ! whence comes this new
life ! fare it could never be (truck out of vows, re-
folutions, and Chriitlefs endeavours, nor hammer-
ed out of the united force of the whole powers of
the foul, called forth together as in a folemn day.
But they have been planted together with Chriit,
Rom. vi. 5. (quoted above). Therefore they rife
up with him, in the likenefs of his refurre£tion.
An eternal barrennefs had fhut up their womb ;
but being married to Chrift, who is rifen from the
dead, they now bring forth fruit unto God, Rom.
vii. 4. — The believer derives from Chrift,

4. A Hfe of activity in grace, as fpringing wa-
ter is accounted living water: Pfal. lxxx. 18.
" So will we not go back from thee : quicken us,
and we will call upon thy name." Sometimes tne
believer is at a low ebb with his graces. Faith,
the conduit-pipe, by which life comes into the
foul, is (lopped, and then all the flowers in his gar-
den, the believer's graces, begin to hang down
their heads, and wither. The weeds of corrup-
tion

39$ THE NATURE AND SOURCE OF

tion begin to thrive. What (hall become of the
foul then ? There is it ill one ground of hope, it is
not like the falfe path of the hypocrite, laid fliort
of the fountain, in which all communication is
cut off, and this is the reafon why their common
graces go back, and never rife again ; but the faith
of the true believer remains ftill a bond of union
betwixt Chrift and the foul, and therefore fays he,
John, xiv. 19. " Becaufe I live, ye lhall live alfo."
Chrift puts in his hand at the hole of the door,
his Spirit opens the means of conveyance, and in-
fluences again flow, which put quite a new face
upon the foul : Hof xiv. 7. "They that dwell un-
der his ihadow fhall return ; they (hall revive as
the corn, and grow as the vine : the fcent there-
of fhall be as the wine of Lebanon." Chrift
fpeaks life* and thus the coldrife foul begins "to
glow : Luke, xxiv. 32. " And they faid one to an-
other, Did not our hearts burn within us, while
he talked with us by the way, and while he open-
ed to us the fcriptures ?" Fire is brought from the
altar of burnt- ottering, and this is fet to the in-
cenfe of their prayers w r hich lay downwards before,
and then they mount up like pillars of fmoke. —
The believer derives from Chrift,

5. A life of growth in grace*, life, and more life :
John, x. 10. " I am come," fays Jefus, " that they
might have life, and that they might have it more
abundantly." Things which have life, grow in
the growing time, and grace is of a growing na-
ture : Prov. iv. 18. M The path of the juft is as
the fhining light, that fhineth mere and more un-
to the perfect day." The trees planted in the
houfe of God, even the righteous, fhall flouriih
like the palm-tree : he lhall grow like the cedar in
Lebanon. " TLofc that be planted in the houfe of
the Lord, {hall flouriih in the courts of our God,"

Pfa?

THE SPIRITUAL LIFC. 397

Pfal. xcii. 12. 13. They do not indeed growal-
i ; and why, but becaufe they do not eat al-
wa-ys ? they have their Tick fits, when they lofe
their appetite, and then may they lay, My lean*
nefs ! my leannefs ! neither is their growth always
difcernible ; they may notwithilanding be growing.
The kingdom of God in the ibul, is like feed caft
into the ground, which fprtngs and grows up, one
knows not how, Mark, iv. 26. 27. But they
grow fometimes ; there are golden ipots of time,
when the dew of heaven lies on their branches,
fo that they will be adding a cubit to their Spiri-
tual ftature. And all this is derived from Chrift :
Mai. iv. 2. " But unto you that fear my name,
{hall the Sun of righteoufnels arife with healing
in his wings ; and ye (hall go forth and grow up
as calves in the {tall." It is their being planted
by the Lord which produces this ; — their waiting
on him : Ifa. xl. 31. " They that wait upon the
Lord mail renew their ftrength ; they (hall mount
up with wings as eagles \ they lhall run, and not
be weary, and they ihall walk, and not faint."
And this growth which they have from him has
a beauty, which that wants which arifes from any
other quarter. It is univerlal, regular, and pro-
portionable : £ph. iv. 15. " But, ipeaking the truth
in love, may grow up to him in all things, which
is the head, even Chriit." They are not as others,
who, like the rickety child, have a big head, but a
llender bedy ; but all comes away together under
influences from Chrift. They grow inwardly in
clofe walking with God, the foul cleaving more
clofeiy ^yith Chriit : They grow outwardly in good
words and works, which are more communica-
tive and edifying to others : They grow upward-
ly in heaven) y-miiidednefs, and contempt of the
world j and in the mean time alio downwardly

in

39$ THE NATURE AND SOURCE OF

in humility and felf-loathing. — The believer de-
rives from Chrift,

6. A life of comfort : As I Sam. xxv. 26.
€i Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine
houfe, and peace be to all thou hail." — This
life of comfort may be confidered,

(1.) As it denotes the ordinary reft of the foul,
in having fomething which fatisries it. The foul
of man is a weak empty thing, which mult have
fomething to which it leans, and upon which it
feeds. Thofe who want Chrift, they lean to
other things. The believer has fomething alfo
upon which he ftays his foul, by which he lives,
and this is Chrift ; he feeds on him, fatisfVing Ms
foul in him ; and this, in oppofr.ion to the iufts
of the world, without which the carnal world
have no fa tisi action, having never relifhed ar> much
fwectnefs in Chrift as in their lufts : But, " who-
foever," fays Jefus, John, iv. 14. " drinketh of
the waters that I (hall give him, fhall never trrh ! i ;
but the water that I fhall give' him, (hall b
him a well of water, fpringing up into cverlafti: :
life." They fhall no more luck, as they were wont
to do, their comfort out of thefe breafts, as in the
day when their navel was not cut, Ez^,k. xvi. 4.
They feed on Chrift m opposition to outward com*
forts, or enjoyments in the world. I confefs the
believer may at a time lay over much ftreft
on thefe, and then the comfort foon runs b\itj
Pfal. cxiiii. 3. 4. But his great ftrefs lies always
on Chrift, and therefore he can ft and without
them on him, Though thev all fail, he can,
withHabakkuk, chap. iii. 18. " rejoice in theLord,
and joy in the God of their falvation." May
I add, believers feed on Chrift in oppofuion to
inward precious enjoyments they have from him ?
Ev en good frames, enlargements, inherent grace,
thefe are indeed too weak fupports for the foul,

which

THE SPIRITUAL LI IF. 399

which is fo weighty, upon which it may lean. The
great ftay of the believer is not the gi.ice of God
within him, which is a well whole ltreams are
often dry ; but the grace of God without him, in
Chriit, which is an everlafting fountain, to which
they can never come wrong ; therefore, Phil. iii.
3. " They rejoice in Chriit Jefus, and have no
confidence in the fleth." — This life of comfort
may be conlidered,

(2.) As it denotes the lifting up of the foul from
under difcouragements and breaking difpenfations,
with which the believer is fometimes tryited.
Sometimes they can fing in a prifon, and their
fouls leap within them under outward preiTures :
Heb. x. 34. " They took joyfully the ipoiling of
their goods, knowing in themfelves that they have
a better and an enduring fubftance." Whence is
this joy derived ? Paul tells us, 2 Cor. i. 5. " For
as the fufferings of Chriit. abound in us, fo our
<:onlolation alfo aboundeth by Chriit." Yea, but
they often feel inward preflures, their difcharge
falls by, they lofe fight of their pardon, and the
law raifes up a procefs againft them for a debt
already paid ; God hides his face, the foul is
wounded, and who can bear it? Yet after all, when
they get to their feet again, and rejoice in the hope
of the glory of God, the wounds of the foul are
healed. Whence is all this ? See Job, xxxiii. 23.
24. But what comes of the poor body ? ver. 2 J.
See ver. iz. Yea, the bones mult fay, Who is
like unto thee ? — The believer derives from ChriPt,

7. And laltly, Eternal life, which in efr! , £i is
nothing other than the prefentlife brought. to per-
fection, and extended to eternity : 2 Cor. iii. iS.
" But we all w'v.h open face, beholding as in a
glafs the glory of the Lord, are changed into the
fame image from glory to glory, even as by the.

Spirit

40O THE NATURE AND SOURCE OF

Spirit of the Lord." JThis is derived from Chrift :
" I am," fays Jefus, John, vi. 51. " the living
bread which came down from heaven : if any man
eat of this bread, he fhall live for ever." By him
it is they fhall live for ever in glory, feeing he fhall
remain the eternal bond of union betwixt God and
the faints, and the medium of communion : Heb.
vii. 26. " Wherefore he is able alfo to fave them
to the uttermoft, that come unto God by him, fee-
ing he ever liveth, to make intercefhon for them."
Rev. vii. ; 7. " For the Lamb which is in the midfl
of the throne fhall feed them, and mall lead them
•unto living fountains of waters : and God fhall
wipe away all tears from their eyes— We now
proceed,

II. To (hew how the believer derives this life
from Chrift by faith.— -For this purpofe confider,

1. That faith unites the foul to Chrift, recei-
ving Chrift into the heart, as the meat we eat is
received into our bodies, and incorporates with
them : John, vi. 56. " He that eateth my flefh,
and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in
him." Seeing, then, faith makes U3 members of
Chrift, it muft needs make us living fouls, parta-
kers of the fame Spirit which actuates the Head.
Faith knits the foul as a branch to the vine, where-
by it partakes of the fap. And it lays down the
foul at the Fountain of life, and knits it to Chrift
the Head of influences.

2. Faith applies Chrift and his fulnefs to the
foul for life according to its needs : He that eateth
me, even hefoall live by me, even as by eating, we
receive the fap and ftrength of the meat for our
nourifhment. Chrift offers hirrrfelf as the Foun-
tain of life, faith accepts, and on the acceptance
applies him. Faith, as the mouth of the foul,

, fucks

THE Spirit ja.\ tfrE, 401

lucks here, and fo lives by him, as he lives by the
Father, Gal. ii. 20. (quoted above).

3. Faith prefTes the promifes through which the
golden oil runs : Pfal. cxix. 49. " Remember the
word unto thy fervant, upon which thou hafl
caufed me to hope." All the influences of grace
run in the channel of the covenant, which is the
word of divine appointment, upon that bread
which we eat by faith : Ifa. lix. 2 • . "As for me,
this is my covenant with them, faith the Lord,
my Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which
I have put in thy mouth, ihall not depart out of
thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy feed, nor
out of the mouth of thy feed's feed, faith the Lord,
from henceforth and for ever." Each of thefe
promifes are full of the fulnefs of Chriit to the
believer. Sometimes they drop out at will to the
foul : Ifa. lxv. 1. "lam fought of them that afk-
ed not for me ; I am found of them that foughr.
me not : I faid, Behold me, behold me, unto a
nation that was not called by my name." But it
is not always fo. What fnould a pcrfon then do ?
He fhould go and prefs the fap out of them by
faith, and put God to the fulfilling of his word :
Ezek. xxxvi. 37. " Thus faith the Lord God, I
will yet for this be inquired of by the houfe of
Ifrael, to do it for them." — Againft a complying
with this advice, fome may propofe this

ObjeBiotiy But I dare not meddle with a promife.
Anfwer, Then meddle not with life. Is a drown-
ing man fo fearful, that he dare not catch hold of
a rope let out to draw him to land ? O no ! if
your foul be content with Chrifl, though the pro-
mife be in your eyes like Mofes's rod, which was
turned into a ferpent, take it by the tail, and it
will be a rod of life to you. — Still the objection
maybe, But the qualifications of the promife ftave

Vol. II, I i me

402 THE NATURE AND SOURCE OF

me off. Anjiver, Go to Chrift, in the free pre-
mife to all who will take him, Ifa. Iv. i. John, vi.
37. "All that the Father giveth me, fhall come
unto me : And him that cometh to me, I will in
no wife call out." Many bar the door of the
promifes with bars of tht-ir own making, and
then complain they cannot enter. Say not, If I
had fo much love, repentance, brokennefs of
heart, 1 would believe. If you be wife, you will
believe that you fhall get thefe things : Zech. xii.
10. " And I will pour upon the houfe of Da-
vid, and upon the inhabitants of Jerufalem, the
fpirit of grace and Amplications : And they mall
look upon me whom they have pierced, and they
ihall mourn for him, as one mourneth for an on-
ly fon, and fhall be in bitternefs for him, as one
that is in bitternefs for his firft-born." A6ts, v.
31. " Him hath God exalted with his right hand,
to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repent-
ance to Ifrael, and forgivenefs of fins."

4. Faith relifhes the fweetnefs of Chrift in ge-
neral, and the fweetnefs of every part of Chrift m
particular : « Hearken diligently unto me," fays
he, Ifa. Iv. 2. "and eat ye that which is good,
snd let ycur foul delight itfelf in fatnefs." And O
this is life to the foul ! it makes the whole foul
flee away from the world and lulls, after him.
" O !" fays faith, " thy fpirit is good !" " O ! then/*
adds the foul, " lead me to the land of uprightnefs."
(i Thy name is as ointment poured forth, there-
fore do the virgins love thee." His words are
good, and are as the bed of wine, when it goes
down fweetly, it caufes the lips of thefe that are
afleep to fpeak, Song, vii. 5. Faith difcovers
Chrift in his glory, — in the glory of his perfon ;
and then all the world is but lofs and dung for
the excellency of the knowledge of Jiim. — In tlie

e;lory

TilE- Sl'iiUTlAL LIFE. 4OJ

glory of his righteoufuefs; then who can lay

thing to their charge ? — In the glory of h :
'And then the itrongeft lufts will get an ui .
The foul will triumph over them. — 1 come now,

III. To make fome practical improvement of
the whole. Here I confine mylelf to a fhort ufe of
information and exhortation.

1. From this fubject we may learn, thatChriftlefs
finners are dead withered branches, ready to be
caft over the hedge. Ye live not at all, becaufe
ye live not by Chrift. Ye have not taken him for
the food of your fouls, arid therefore no other
profpe£f, prefents itfelf to you, but a fearful look-
ing for of judgement and of fiery indignation,
ready to devour the adverfaries.

2. This lets us fee, who thofe are who will perfe-
vere and not apoftatiie, even thofe who eat Chrift by
faith. Some there are, who appear very lively at
a communion or fo, but they quickly wither; why ?
becaufe they have not the living Spirit of God in.
them, they lie not at the fountain. The dreams
muft be dry, when communion with the foun-
tain is Hopped. But thofe who are knit to
Chrift, and cleave to him, (hall partake of his
fpirit, and fo (hall never fall away from grace,
John, iv. 14. (quoted above).

I would conclude, exhorting you to an eating
of Chrift by faith, in order to your living by him.
And therefore,

1 . Study to make it appear that your greedy ap-
petite after that duft, which is the ferpent's meat,
and the meat of the ferpent's brood, is now blunted.
Shew that you hunger and third no more after it.
You muft not now feed on the world and your
former lufts. True, Chrift finds his people with,
their navel cut, but he does not leave them fo.

If

404 THE NATURE AND SOURCE, &C.

If you have tailed that fweetnefs which is in Chrift,
your lulls will now have no fweetnefs at all.
But if indeed you find no fweetnefs in him, your
lufts, it is likely, will be ftrengthened, inftead of
being weakened by this communion j and this is
dreadful, Prov. vii.

2. Derive your life from Chrift, live by belie-
ving. It is a fad evidence of a decline, when there
is no communication of the life of grace from him.

3. Live on Chrift and learn to be content with
him alone.

Lafi/y, Study to live to His glory : Phil. i. 1.
" For to me to live is Chrift, and to die is gain,"
Amen*

end of vol. m

Edinburgh, — Printed by J. Pillans if Sons,

North College-Street

i

\

r

i