THE SUBSTANCE Of Several SERMONS, FROM JOHN, ix. 39  
PREACHED At the Request of a Friend, and now Published for the Benefit of the Public.  
By Nathanael Wyles, an Unworthy Labourer in Christ's Vineyard.  I am small and despised, yet do I not forget thy Precepts, Psal. 110. 141. 
LONDON, Printed for the Author, and sold at his Honse in Shadwel, 1698.   

THE SUBSTANCE OF Several DISCOURSES, From John IX, and XXXIX:  
And Jesus said, For Judgement I am come into this World; That they which see not, might see; and that they which see, might be made blind.  
IN this Chapter you have an Account of Christ's curing a man on the Sabbath Day, who was blind from his Birth, which wonderful and miraculous Cure is described three Ways, viz.  
First, By the Occasion and Precedent Circumstances of it, from the 1st. to the 6th. verse: In the last Verse of the former Chapter, you read, That the Jews and Pharisees took up Stones, to stone our dear Saviour; because he said, before Abraham was, I am, Verse 58. But Jesus hide himself, and went out of the Temple, going through the midst of 'em, and so passed by; and says the first verse of this 9th. Chapter, As Jesus passed by, he saw a 
Verse 1.  Man that was blind from his Birth.  
Where Christ passed by, the Evangelist doth not tell us; but the word imports, a passing by some way side, when he saw this poor man, who was born blind: His being blind from his Birth, is particularly named; because such Blindness is judged incurable as to the Art of Man. The Disciples upon this, came to Christ, and asked him; saying, Master who did sin, this man, or 
Verse 2.  his Parents', that he was born blind; Christ gave them this Answer, That neither this Man nor his Parents had sinned, but that the Works of God should be made manifest in him. 
Verse 3.  You must not understand our Saviour here, as either asserting, that this blind Man, or his Parents had no sin, and a degree of Sin, that justly deserved such a Punishment; for no man (since the Fall) was born, or lived without sin, except Christ, who was holy, harmless, and without sin. But the meaning of Christ's Answer is this, viz. That this Affliction came not upon this Man, either for any personal Sin of his own, (for he could not be guilty of actual sin, before he was born) nor yet for any sin that his Parents had committed, But that the Works of God might be manifested, and made glorious in 
John 11 4.  him; both his Work of Power, in afflicting of him, and his Works of Mercy, in Curing him; as there are Afflictions, which 
Note.  are Punishments from God, for sin; so there are some that are only Trials. For a season (if need be) says the Apostle, Ye are in Heaviness, thro' manifold Temptations, that the 
1 Pet. 1. 6, 7.  Trial of your Faith, being much more precious than of Gold that perisheth, etc. might be found unto Praise and Honour at the appearing of Christ.  
Tho' sin is the Cause of all Afflictions; 
Note.  yet God doth not always afflict his People for sin: Sometimes he doth it, to try their Faith and Patience, and to make known his Power, and Goodness, in helping and saving of them: But,  
Secondly. This Cure is described by the Manner and Means of it, And that was Clay and Spittle, a very unlikely Means to effect 
Verse 6 7.  such a great Cure. Verse 6, 7. Jesus spat upon the Ground, and made Clay of the Spittle, and he anointed the Eyes of the blind Man with the Clay; and said unto him, go wash in the Pool of Siloam, and he went his way therefore, and washed, and came away seeing. Observe this by the way, That true Faith, joined 
Note.  and accompanied with hearty and sincere Obedience, never faileth the Expectation of them that exerciseth it: He went to the Pool (believing the means would do,) and came away seeing  
Christ wrought this Miracle, to prove his Divinity and Godhead, which the Jews denied; and that he might do it effectually, He 1st. makes choice, not only of a Blindman, but one that was born blind, that was incurable to the Judgement of humane art. 2dly. He made use of such Means (to effect this Cure) that had not any appearance of Virtue in it; nay, the Means he used, was more like to put out the Eyes of one that saw, than give sight to one that was blind. This shows the Power and Godhead of Christ, who is able not only to work with 
Note.  little Means or without Means, but to effect great and strange things, even by contrary Means, as here.  
Thirdly. By the Consequents, or Events that ensued upon it which are these Four, Viz.  
1st. The man cured (being returned home to his Parents,) The Neighbours brought him to the Pharisees, informing them what a Cure Christ had done, and wrought, from the 8th. to 14th ver. This Cure was so miraculous, That the Neighbours when they saw the Man, they were at a stand, whether it was he, or not; some said, it was he, others said it was 
Ver. 8, 9  not he; but he said, I am he that was blind. Then they asked him, how his eyes were opened, and who opened them? and he said, a man that 
Ver. 10. 11.  is called Jesus, made clay, and opened mine eyes. He told them not only, who did this Cure, but the Means by which it was effected. But  
2dly. He being brought to the Pharisees, (whether in the Temple, or in some great Court, is not certain, nor material.) They enquired of him, how Christ cured him, and where he was? which at the present he could not tell: They chid him severely, for his confessing Christ, and cast him out upon that account; From the 14th. to 35th, The Pharisees seeing the Man, and the Cure, were in a debate among themselves, whether Christ was from 
Ver. 15. 16.  God, or not: Some of them said, He was; others said he was not, but he was a Sinner, (because he kept not the Sabaoth Day;) being in this debate, they asked the blind Man, what he thought of the Man that had opened his eyes? 
Ver 17.  and he said, he is a Prophet: Then they called his Parents, and asked them, if this were their Son, that was born blind, and who cured him, and how he was cured? to which his Parents 
Ver. 19, 20, 21.  answered discreetly & warily; they said, That he was their Son, & that he was born blind; but how, or by what means he was cured, they said, they could not tell; he is of Age (said they) ask him, he shall speak for himself; his 
Ver. 22, 23.  Parents spoke these Words, because they feared the Jews; for the Jews had agreed already, that if any Man did confess he was the Christ, he should be put out of the Synagogue.  
Observe, That Fear is often a temption 
Note.  to Men, to deny the Truth, or at least not to own it: Solomon says, That the fear of Man, bringeth a Sword: The Pharisees not being able to get any thing out of his Parents, calls for the Man that was blind, and said unto him, give God the Praise, for me know that this Man is a Sinner: Thus 
Ver. 24.  far they spoke well; for the Man had great Cause to praise God, by whose Power exerted by Christ his Son, he had received his sight: But the Design of these Wretches was to vilify Christ, in, through, and by whom God the Father is glorified: They told the poor Man that Christ had cured, that he which had opened his Eyes, was a sinner; here they maliciously defamed Christ, affirming that he was not only a Sinner, but a notorious scandalous Sinner: Well, says the poor Man, whether he be a sinner, or no, 
Ver. 25.  I know not; but this I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see: They could not by all their Skill, cause the Man to deny the Miracle wrought; he stood stoutly to affirm that he was born blind, and that Christ (whom they said was a Sinner) had cured him: Upon this, they reviled him, and said, th●u art one of his Disciples, but we are Moses' 
Ver. 27. 28.  Disciples: Here they oppose Christ, and Moses; whereas Moses was but the Type, Christ the Antype; they spoke honourably of Moses, but revilingly of Christ, who was above him, calling him Fellow, and said, they knew not whence he was: They might have 
Ver. 29.  known, that he was from God; for he did those things, which never Man did, and could not be effected by any thing less than by a divine Power; but their Eyes were blinded, and their Hearts judiciously hardened, as a just Judgement, for their wilful shutting their Eyes, and rejecting of Christ the Son of God: They studied all they could to ●hut out the Light, by which they should have seen and known from whence Christ was: The poor Man marvelled at their Ignorance, and blindness, in not knowing from whence Christ was, since he had done 
Ver. 30.  such a great thing, as to open the Eyes of one that was born blind: He goes on to prove 
Ver. 31.  that Christ came from Heaven, and was sent of God. As yet this poor Man did not apprehend, 
Note.  that Christ had opened his eyes by an immediate divine Power, but that he was a Prophet sent of God, who by his Power and Authority, had opened his eyes, if this Man were not of God; that is, if he had not 
Ver. 32, 33.  some special Power and Authority from God, and some special Presence of God with him, he could do nothing; that is, nothing of this Nature, to open the eyes of one born blind; this is a work (as if he had said) that is beyond the Power of Man, and beyond that Power that we read, God did ever betrust any Man with, therefore he must be from God; upon this they excommunicated him, casting him out of Communion with the Jewish 
Ver. 34.  Church: But,  
3 ldy. Christ, upon this their dealing thus with the Man, Meets him, and Reveals himself more fully to him, from the 35 th'. to 39 Jesus heard, that they had cast Him out; and when he had found Him (whether casually, or 
Ver. 35.  by diligent searching for Him, is not said.) He said unto him, dost thou Believe on the Son of God? art thou ready truly to Embrace Me the Saviour of Lost Sinners? who am not only the Son of Man, but the Son of 
Ver. 36.  God. The poor man (as yet being ignorant of Christ's God head) said, who is he, Lord, that I may Believe on him? As if he had said, Lord, I am ready to Believe on him, and give up myself in Obedience to him, 
Ver. 37.  may I but know who he is. Jesus said unto him, thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. As if Christ had said, I am here, thou hast not only seen him with the Eyes of thy Body, but thou hast had Experience of his Divine Power, in opening thine Eyes who wer● Blind. Miracles do not work faith, but Confirm it: This poor blind man, had experienced a Miracle wrought upon himself; but yet he was unbelieving, till Christ gave him the Revelation of his Word, and so revealed himself more fully to him: Upon this, the man's Faith was Terminated, and Confirmed in Christ; he said, Lord I believe. Now is the work of faith wrought with Power in his heart: He said, Lord, I acknowledge, and receive thee as the Son of God: I am fully persuaded thou art more than a mere man, I do give up myself to thee to be ruled, and governed by thee as my Lord: And says the Text, he Worshipped him: He fell down 
Ver. 38.  upon his face before him; and as a Testimony of his Faith in Him as the Son of God, he performed some external Act of Adoration to Him.  
But lastly, Christ upbraids the Jews, for their blindness, and unbelief; from the 39, to the end. The Pharisees being with Christ 
Ver. 39  (when he said) For Judgement I am come into this World, that they which see not, might 
Ver. 40.  see, etc. Said unto him, Are we blind also? They began to be angry, being proud, and not patiented to be thought, or called blind: They looked upon themselves as the Greatest Lights in the Jewish Church: Now, (says Christ) in answer to the Inquiry, Are we blind also? If you were blind, you should have no sin; that is, if your Ignorance of me, or of my Gospel, where simple, and not affected, which is the worst of Ignorance, you should not have so much sin, as you have upon you; but now ye say, we see your sin remaineth: Since you are opinionated, 
Ver. 41. Note.  that you see, and boast of your Knowledge in the Law, as if you were the only Persons that saw, or knew any thing, and upon this Presumption Reject me, and the Doctrine of Salvation, your sin remaineth, and is not pardoned to you.  
Whence observe, that without a true saving sight of sin, which carries the Soul 
Note.  out of its self to Christ for Pardon, and Remedy, There is no hope of Pardon, from all the Mercy that is in God.  
Thus I have brought you to the words of my Text, which are big with Mercy, and Judgement, in which words you have these three parts. viz.  
First, the Person speaking, and that is 
The parts of the Text.  Jesus Christ. And Jesus said: These words dropped out of the Sweet Mouth and Lips of Christ, who Taught not as the Scribes, 
Matt. 7. ult. 29.  but as one having Authority.  
2dly. The persons spoken to, namely the Jews, and Pharisees, a Wise and Learned 
Rom. 2. 19, 20. 21.  People in the Law; they boasted of their Wisdom, and Goodness, when indeed they were Blind and Ignorant, and in a miserable condition. Whence observe, that people's 
Note.  opinion of themselves, may be better than their states are: Solomon tells us of some, that are pure in their own eyes, and yet 
Pro. 30. 12.  were not washed from their filthiness: Many think and flatter themselves that they are Rich, and full, and have need of nothing, and know not that they are Poor, 
Rev. 3. 15, 16.  and Blind, Naked, Wretched, and Miserable: Thus, many deceive themselves, and put a dreadful cheat upon their precious Souls.  
But 3dly. you have the predicate, or thing spoken of, by Christ, to this People, in these words: For Judgmemt I am come into this World, that they which see not, might see; and that they which see, might be made Blind; a startling, and a wakening Word!  
Before I lay down the Proposition, I must a little open the word Judgement in the Text, which will give great Light into it.  
Judgement, is taken many ways in the Holy Scripture: 1st. It is sometimes taken for the Just Statutes, and Holy Commandments of God, Ps. 19 9 the Judgements of the Lord (says 
Ps. 19 9  David) are Pure, and Righteous altogether: 2dly. For punishments Inflicted upon Christ by God, for our sins, which we must have suffered in Hell, had not he born them for us on Earth: Acts. 8, and 33. In his Humiliation, his Judgement was taken away, and who can declare his Generation? By humiliation here, is meant the Grave, and the bands of Death, which Christ suffered, and lay under for our Sins; and by Judgement is meant, the Hand (says one) and Counsels of God, justly afflicting, and punishing his Son, our Surety, for our Sins, and sakes; but this is not meant in our Text. 3dly. It is taken sometimes, for the moderation, or measure which God keeps in Chastizing of his People: O Lord Correct me, (says the Prophet) but with Judgement; let it be with measure, and moderation, not in thine 
Jer. 10. 24.   
Anger, lest thou bring me to nothing. God hath not tied himself, not to Afflict his people; he will debate with them, but it shall be in measure he keeps time and measure with his in afflicting of them, so that they cannot enter into Judgement with God: But 4th. for the Wrath, and Vengeance of God, which he 
Mat. 8. 28.  will Execute upon Wicked Men, at the last day; the Lord, says the Apostle,) will Come 
Judas. 5. 15.  with Ten thousand of his Saints; to do what? To Execute Judgement upon all that are Ungodly etc. The day of Judgement,; will be a passing of an Irrevocable Sentence, and Condemnation, upon all that shall then be found Enemies to Christ, and his Pure Gospel: But lastly: It is also sometimes taken for the Spirit of Wisdom, and Justice, to know and discern what is Right, what is wrong, what is Good, and what is Evil. Give the King (says the Pfalmist) thy Judgements, and thy Righteousness 
Psal. 72. 1, 2.  to the King's Son; but neither of these senses are meant in the Text.  
Quest. What is then meant by Judgement?  
Answ. 1st. Some by Judgement here understand the Eternal Counsel and Decree of God, as if Christ had said, I am come into this World, to Execute the Righteous Will, and Counsels of my Father; and the Event of it is this, viz. that some, who saw not, see; and some who see, in a sense are made blind: This I conceive, is not primarily meant here; 'tis true, Christ came into the World, to do the Will of his Father, and 
John 6. 38. 39  to Execute his Eternal Purposes of Grace, in the Salvation of Sinners, by his Death; but yet I cannot think, that this is meant primarily by Judgement here; tho' some great Men, would have it so: But,  
Secondly. Others by Judgement here, understand the Sentence of Condemnation; as if Christ had said, I am come to execute the Judgement of Condemnation; but this is not meant by it, for if you take it in this Sense, you'll find it hardly reconcileable with what is said; John 3. 18. God sent not his 
John 10. 10.  Son to condemn the World, but that the World through him might have life: Christ's first coming was not as a Judge, but as a Saviour; he came not in the days of his Flesh, to condemn Sinners, but by his Death and bloody 
Luke 19 10.  Agony. to save them from Hell, and Wrath: I had rather Fall in, and acquiesce with those Divines, that by Judgement here, understand the spiritual Government of the World by Christ, committed to him as Mediator, by Christ, committed to him as Mediator, by God his Father, and managed by him with perfect Equity and Righteousness: Thus Judgement is sometimes taken in Scripture; The Father (says Christ,) judgeth no man, that is, but by his Son, for he has committed all 
John 5. 22. 16. 11.  Judgements to him, thus it is understood in my Text: God governs and judges the World now by his Son Christ, that all men may honour him, as they honour the Father, and great part of this Government of the World by Christ, was his promulging, and publishing his everlasting Gospel, which is called the word of Life, the Power of God, 
Phil. 2. 15. Rom. 1. 16.  to the saving of them that believe, and the Law of Faith: The Effect of this is twofold, 1st, That they which see not, might see, i. e. that those poor Souls who are spiritually blind, and so utterly unable to see, and find the way that leads to Life, might through the Spirit (as this Man born blind saw clearly) be enlightened into the saving Knowledge of Christ, and of the divine Truths of the Gospel.  
The second Effect is, and a dreadful one too, that they which See might be made Blind; that is, that those who think they see, and boast of their Knowledge (as these did) might through their prejudice to the Gospel, & Infidelity, be more Blind, than they were from their Birth: There are two things signified, in making persons blind; first, to keep men from seeing, and knowing the Truth, when the Light of it is set before them; this is a dreadful judgement, and how many are there, in this miserable case, they have the Light of the Word, shining in the midst of them, and yet they discern it not: The Bible is a sealed Book to many, they know nothing savingly, and feelingly, of the truths and mysteries of the Gospel: Their eyes are blinded, 
Psal. 69. 23.  (that tho' the Light shine,) they cannot behold it; is not the case of such Souls dreadful, to whom the Gospel is hid? yes (says Paul) if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. But 2dly. To make blind, is to increase Ignorance, for the great Abuse of former Knowledge and Light; this happened to them, spoken of by Paul, 2 Thes. 2. 11, 12. For this Cause God shall send them 
2 Cor. 4. 4.  strong Delusions, that they should believe a Lie, that they all might be damned, who believe not the Truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness: This is a dreadful Judgement; but what is the Cause of it? Verse 10th tells you, Because they received not the Love of the Truth, that they might be saved: By Truth is meant 
Eph. 1. 13. Rom. 1. 18.  the saving Truth of the Gospel, which is called the Word of Truth: There is a Truth natural which the Heathens had, and detained in Unrighteousness, which brought God's Wrath down from Heaven upon them: There is a supernatural Truth from divine Revelation: This is here meant, the Abuse of which Truth highly provokes God to give up men judicially to the Delusions of Sin and the Devil; and at last (as the just Event and Effect of their rejecting the truth, and believing Lies) are damned: These Wretches, that receive not the Love of the truth, are first punished with spiritual Judgements, and then with eternal ones; they are first blinded here judicially, and then as the just Reward, (of their rejecting Christ, & the truth as it is in Jesus) they are damned. Having divided, and opened the Text, I shall lay down this one general Proposition, viz.  
Doct. That God by Christ, in just Judgement, gives over such as are enemies to his Gospel, to the Delusions of the Devil, and their own Hearts, to be hardened and blinded, while others in Mercy are enlightened, and converted by it.  
That Gospel which makes the way of Salvation by Christ, clear and evident to many souls who are in darkness, and sit as in the shadow of Death; too others (through their Ignorance, Prejudice and Malice, and the righteous Judgement of God, for their Perverseness and Infidelity) proves a means to blind and harden their Hearts: That Word and Gospel, which to some is a Savour of Life unto Life, to others through their Pride and Unbelief, is a Savour of Death 
2 Cor. 2. 15, 16.  unto Death. In this sense, these words agree with what was prophesied by the Prophet Isaiah, He shall be for a sanctuary, 
Isaiah 8. 14, 15.  (speaking of Christ,) but for a stone of stumbling, and for a Rock of Offence to both the Houses of Israel: For a Gin, and for a Snare to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, and many among them shall stumble and fall, and be broken, snared, 
Luke 2. 34.  and taken: And with the words of good old Simeon, to Mary the Mother of our Lord, This Child is set (says he) for the Fall, and Rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign to be spoken against. By the Fall and Rising again, is here meant undoubtedly, the Salvation and Damnation of many. Christ will be the occasion of many People's Damnation, even of all that reject him, and his precious Gospel, and believe not in him: As Christ is the Cause of many People's Salvation, even of all that believe, and shall be saved; 
Acts 4. 12.  (for there is no other Name, by which men can be saved, but by his): So he is the Cause of their Damnation, eventually and accedentually, who oppose his Gospel, and believes not in him; for he that believeth not shall be damned: This is the thing, which 
Mark 16. 16.  Christ tells us of, in my Text, and is spoken of by Paul, Behold I lay in Zion a stumbling stone, and rock of Offence, whosoever believeth 
Rom. 9 33.  on him, shall not be ashamed, nor confounded.  
For the opening of this weighty Point, I shall first show you what those sins are, which provoke God and Christ to such adegree, as to blind and harden men by that means, by which others are enlightened and softened.  
Secondly, Lay down some Conclusions, for the better clearing up this great Truth.  
Thirdly, show you, how this stands with the Holiness and Goodness of God, to give Men up to Blindness of Mind, and Hardness of Heart, to believe Lies; that as Paul saith, 
2 Thes. 2. 10, 11.  they may be damned.  
Fourthly, Then I shall sum up the whole with some practical Application.  
O Lord, God, the Father of the Spirits of all Flesh, help thy poor sinful Dust, (the meanest of all employed in thy Vineyard.) Give him thy holy Spirit, and Wisdom from above to manage this great Point, for thy Glory, & the good of Souls. O! let him not darken Counsel, by words without Knowledge, but be led into all truth, and cause it to shine transparently, to the Convincing of the erroneous World, the Conversion of sinners, and the est ablishing thy Children in their most holy Faith, etc. for Jesus Christ's sake, to whom with thyself, and eternal Spirit of Truth, be Honour and Glory for ever. Amen.  
First, I shall show you what those sins are, which provoke God to such a high degree, as to give men over to Blindness under the Gospel.  
Would you know what those sins are, that provoke God to blind and harden many by the Word? I'll tell you in general, They are sins against Knowledge and Light.  
1st. Sins against the Light of Nature: There are such sins, which Paul speaks of, that are of a provoking Nature, and highly displeasing 
Rom. 1. 21, 22.  unto God: When they knew God; that is, by the Light of Nature; for the Light of the Word they had not; as for his Judgements and his Statutes, (says the Psalmist) they have not known them; they glorified him 
Ps. 147. 20.  not as God, but became vain in their Imaginations, and their foolish Hearts were darkened: These Heathens had the Light of Nature, which was sufficient to let 'em know that there was a God, and that He was not like a Man, or a Beast, or a creeping thing, as they foolishly imagined; for that which might be known of God, is manifest 
Ver. 29. Ver. 20.  in them, for God hath showed it unto them; for the invisible things of him, from the Creation of the world, are clearly seen. What is seen? Even his eternal Power and Godhead: But how is this seen and understood? Why, by the things that are made: So that they are without Excuse, the Heavens declare God's 
Psal. 19 1, 2. Ver. 23.  Glory, and the Firmament shows his handy Work. Now this Light they abused and misimproved; they changed the Glory of the incorruptible God, into an Image made like to corruptible Man, and to Birds, and four footed Beasts, thus they became vain in their own Imaginations: For which cause God gave 
Ver. 24.  them up to uncleanness, through the Lusts of their own Hearts; yea, he gave them up to vile Affections, and to a reprobate Mind; or. 
Ver. 26.  to a mind void of Judgement, to do those things which are not convenient: Now, if sins against the Light of Nature, be of such an aggravating Nature, as to provoke God, to give up Persons to blindness of Mind. What will sins against the Light of the Gospel do? the greater the Light is that persons sin against, the greater must their Sin be, and the more provoking in the Sight of God. Which brings me to the  
Second thing, Namely, sins against the Light of the Gospel; these are great sin, and provoke God highly to Anger; to reject Christ, and his Gospel, and not receive the Love of the Truth, as it in Jesus, is the ready way to be judicially hardened and blinded, and to be given up by the holy God, to believe Lies, that we may be damned: 
2 Thes 2. 10, 11.  If you read the Scriptures in the margin, you will plainly see, that God's judicial 
Mat. 13. 14 Mark 4. 12 Acts 28. 26, 27.  giving over this People to blindness, etc. was consequent to their sinful stopping of their Ears, shutting of their Eyes, and sinning against the light of the Word, & of their own Consciences received from it: It is dreadful sinning against the Light of Conscience, (which is God's spy, and Man's Overseer) and the Light of the holy Word; for this cause many are blinded, and judicially hardened by God the Judge of all: God hath given them, (says St. Paul) the Spirit of slumber, Eyes that they should not see, and 
Rom. 11. 8. 9  Ears that they should not hear unto this day.  
Quest. But who are they, that thus sin against Light? The Light of the Word, and of Conscience, which so highly provoke God to anger against them?  
Answer. First, They are such as sin after the many Warnings, and Admonitions given them by God, in his holy Word. God's Trumpet (viz. his Word,) is blown in Sinners ears daily, which calls them to retreat and break off from sin: (God saith) My Son, if Sinners entice you, (if they would 
Prov. 1. 10, 11.  have partake with them in their Sins) consent thou not; give no way to them, nor to their Temptations; they that sin with others, must look to suffer with others in their plagues, without true Repentance. They that like Simeon and Lovi, Brethren in Iniquity, shall also be Brethren in Misery: Therefore (says God) enter not into the Path of the wicked, go not in the way of evil 
Prov. 4. 14. 15. 16, 17.  Men: Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away; for they sleep not, except they have done Mischief, and they eat the Bread of Wickedness, etc. Oh! how cautelous is this Caution, to have a Care of sin, and of being led away by the Wicked into the evil Ways of it: Forsake (says God) the way of the 
2 Cor. 6. 17, 18.  Foolish, and walk in the way of Understanding, and come out from amongst them; and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and be your God, and you shall be my Sons and Daughters, saith the Lord. Sinners! You cannot plead Ignorance, as an Excuse for your sins, who live under the Gospel: You have heard the Word of God preached often by a many of God's Servants, which call you to break off Sin by Repentance; to blow up the fallow Ground of your Hearts, and not sow among Thorns; lest the Fury of the 
Jer. 4. 3, 4.  Lord come forth like Fire, and none can quench it, because of the evil of your Do. The Word calls you to deny all Ungodliness and worldly Lust; and to live soberly, righteously and 
Tit. 2. 11. 12.  godly in this present World: You have (you Wretches) been told often of Sin, and warned against it; and yet you will venture upon it: You have been told of your Pride, and Malice, and Swearing, calling God to damn your Souls; and of your Drunkenness, and Sabboth-Breaking, and yet you live in these 
Tim. 3. 13. 1 Tim. 6. ●, 12.  Sins. This is indeed to sin against Light; Oh! have a Care, you provoke not God to give you up to blindness of Mind, to deceive and to be deceived. Flee these things, and follow after Righteousness and Godliness, Faith, Patience, Love and Meekness: But,  
2dly. Such sins against Light, etc. as Live in the total neglect of those Holy duties, which God calls for, and that they know well, they should be found in the practice of: You have been told often, that 
Gal. 4. 2. 1 Thes. 5. 19, 20.  you ought to Pray, to continue in Prayer, and to Pray always; that is, always to have your hearts in a praying frame for God, and yet you Live in the neglect of it; there are many prayerless persons, who mind not this Work, which is their privilege as well as duty: You have been told also, that it is your duty to hear God's Word often, and to live the Sermons in your Lives, which you hear with your Ears, out of the Pulpit; and to read the Scriptures much, which are able to make you Wise unto Salvation: But Oh! how is this Work neglected by many? if they do hear, and read now and then, they mind it not, but cast the Word of God behind them: What wretches are these, not to mind what the Great King of Heaven, and Earth says to them: I have called (says God) but they have 
Prov. ●. 25, 29.  refused, and have set at nought all my Counsels, and would not be reproved by me; they hate knowledge, and have not chose the Lord; this is matter of Lamentation, and it shall be for a Lamentation, that the great God should call after sorry sinful man, and he refuse to hear and regard; Is not this provoking? what will God do to such? Will he let them go unpunished? No, he'll lay his Ireful Rod upon them, and Laugh when their Calamity comes. Many are convinced, that it is their 
Ver. 27. 28.  duty to pray in their Families, and yet can go Days, Weeks, and Months without it, and God never hear of them. I fear many professors are guilty in this point; let me tell you, in the Name, and Fear of the dreadful God, that these are dreadful sins, and a ready way to bring Gods Curse down upon you: Pour out (says the Prophet) thy Fury upon 
Jer. 10. ult.  the Heathen, and the Families, which call not upon thy Name: Here Heathens, and prayerless Families, and Persons, are reckoned together, as being nothing better than they. Think often upon that word of the Apostle, He that knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to 
Jam. 4. 18.  him it is a sin. But,  
3dly. Such persons sin greatly against Light, that Live in the practice of those sins which they condemn in others; it is the trick of Hypocrites, and wicked Men, to condemn that in others, which they allow, and practise themselves: But what saith Paul to such kind of men, Art thou inexcusable 
Rom. ●. 1, 2, 3.  O man, whosoever thou art, that Judgest? For wherein thou Judgest another, thou Condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest, dost the same things. But we are sure (says he) that the Judgement of God is according to Truth, against such, as commit such things; thinkest thou this, O man! That judgest them which do such things, and dost the same; that thou shalt escape the Judgement of God? Seneca wrote against Superstitions, and the Superstitious, and yet worshipped Images himself: Many condemn that as sinful in others, which they allow in themselves; is not this to sin against Light? Let such persons have a care, they be not left of God, to blindness of Mind, and hardness of Heart: One he Condemns for Covetousness, and yet he is Covetous; another for Pride, and yet he is Proud; such were these in my Text; they said, men must not commit Adultery, and yet 
Rom. 2. 19 20, to 24.  they committed Adultery; they pretended to abhor Idols, and yet committed Sacrilege: They taught, that a man must not Steal, and yet they Stole; so, while they boasted of the Law, they became Transgressor's of it, and Dishonoured God: But,  
4thly. They sin against Light, that sin against the express Threaten of God in his Word against sin. Hath not God said, that to be sure your sins shall find you out? i. e. the punishments due to you for them. Has not the Lord said expressly, that the Wicked 
Psal. 9 17.  shall be turned into Hell, and all the Nations that forget God? and yet you go on, as if God were but in jest, and did not mean as he spoke. God hath thundered out his Judgements against Sin, and Sinners; he hath said, that he will wound the Head of his Enemies, and 
Psal. 68 21.  the hairy Scalp of him that remaineth still in his sins: And yet you go on, and hold your sins fast; tho' God sets the point of the Sword at your Breast, yet you will go on in your sins, and Rebellion against him. Is not this (think you) to sin against Light? doth not this argue that the pleasures of sin doth: more delight and please you, than the Threaten of God affright you? Are not many sinners like the Leviathan, 
Job. 41. 29.  that Laughs at the shaking of the spear? many Laugh when they hear of Hell, but they will not when they come there; there be many so bold, that they deride Gods threaten; they say as them (who draw Iniquity with Cords of Vanity) Let him 
Isaiah 5. 19, 20.  make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it, etc. As if they had said, we have heard that God will do much against sinners, and that his Judgements will Light upon them: Why do not he do it? We would fain see it.  
Let the Counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it. What wretches are these, thus to deride Gods threaten! Let such vile ones remember this, that for men to see Gods Flaming Sword as it were, drawn against sin and sinners, and yet strengthen themselves in sin, is to sin against Light and Knowledge, and the way highly to provoke God.  
But Lastly, such sin indeed against Light, as sin after many Promises, and Vows made against it. How many have promised God fairly, to amend and leave sin, and yet they go on in it? What says Solomon to such? When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it: For he hath no pleasure in fools; pay that 
Eccl. 5. 4, 5, 6.  which thou hast vowed: Better is it, that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow, and not pay: Suffer not thy Mouth to cause thy Flesh to sin, etc. Many put God off, with a many good morrows, and fair promises to Repent, and amend their-ways, but mind not to perform'em. A Vow is a religious promise 
What a Vow is,  made to God, to dedicate ourselves to him, and to be for him, and for no other but him. Now, how greatly do they sin, that have not only purposed, but promised to leave sin, and yet they Live in it? Every man that vows, makes himself a debtor; he binds himself to God, in a solemn manner: Now for a man to sin after a vow, to vow himself to God, and yet give himself to Sin, and the Devil, is to sin against Light, with a witness. Let men have a care what they do in this point, and especially professors, who have the vows of God upon them. It is dangerous to Leave God, when we have vowed ourselves to him: Thus much for the first general.  
2dly. I shall now lay down a few propositions, for the better clearing of the Doctrine; and they are, these six following, viz.  
First Prop. That God sometimes punisheth sin, with sin; for sin, he gives men up often to be led Capuve by their base Lusts. God gave them up (says Paul) to uncleanness, 
Rom. 1. 24, 26.  through the Lust that were in their Hearts. When men harden their hearts wilfully, God often hardens them judicially: Pharaoh would not let 
Exod. 7. 3, 4.  the People go: Well (says God) with he not let my Son go to serve me? I will Harden his Heart, that he shall not let them go, etc. They that will not Repent when God would have them, but harden their Hearts, and say they will do so again, shall not have a Heart, nor Grace to Repent to purpose; when for Fear of Judgements, they with Esau, seek a place for Repentance. It is a dreadful Judgement, for God to Punish sin with sin. But,  
2dly. Spiritual Judgements, of all, on this 
Prop. 2.  side Hell, are the worst; a Judicial Blindness of Mind, and Hardness of Heart, (of all 
Rev. 22. 17 Hos. 4. 19  Plagues) are the worst. For God to say, Let him that is Filthy, be Filthy still, and he that is Unjust, be Unjust still, is very dreadful. Spirit, strive not with him any more, he is joined to Idols, let him alone: What can be more dreadful on this side Hell, than for God to say 
Ez.. 24. 13.  to Sinners, because when I have Purged thee, thou wast not Purged; thou shalt not be Purged from thy Filthiness, till I cause my Fury to rest upon thee? Spiritual Judgements, and Plagues, are the worst, and that for these three Reasons.  
First Reason is, in respect the Subject upon whom they Fall; and that is the Soul which 
Mat. 16. 26.  is a rare, and precious Jewel. The Soul of Man is worth more than all the World; for the World cannot with all its Riches, save, nor redeem it. The Soul is a spiritual substance in Man, Created by God the Father of Spirits, which can exist, when separated from the Body. Now, by how much the Soul 
What the Soul is. Ecc. 12. 7.  is better than the Body, by so much must it be worse; for the Soul to be afflicted, as mercies to the Soul, are the greatest, so judgements upon it, must be the greatest. But,  
2dly. Because these plagues are the greatest Evidences of Eternal Wrath; What surer mark for Hell can there be than this? for a Person judicially to be left of God here, 
John 3. 36.  and given up to Blindness of Mind, to believe Lies, is a sure mark of eternal ruin, and destruction.  
3dly. Spiritual judgements are the worst, because they hinder, and withhold from us the best good, which is God, and Christ: Now that which restrains and keeps from us the best, and chief good, (without which our Souls cannot be happy) must needs be the worst kinds of restraints, and judgements: What plagues are like those of Hardness of Heart, a Spirit of slumber, taking away the gifts of the Mind, and giving men over to the power of Satan, and to the love of Sin, withholding that good by the Gospel, which our Souls need, and others in mercy enjoy? But,  
3dly. The sins of a Person and People, may provoke God to curse their very Blessings, 
Prop. 3.  and cause those things which are Mercies in themselves, to prove Judgements to them: As for instance, Rain is a great mercy; to have the former, and the latter Rain in 
Jer. 5. 24.  its Season, is no small Blessing: Yet how has sin turned this into a Judgement to many? In every drop of Rain, there is an Ocean of 
Isa. 42. 21, 26.  Wisdom, Goodness and Mercy; but sin often makes it a Judgement to many: Fire is a Mercy; Yet how often for sin has it been sent in a way of Judgement; it overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and laid them in 
Mark 9 43.  Ashes for their sins. How many dreadful Fires hath sin kindled in this Nation and City? And there is one Fire kindled by it, that will never go out, and that is the Fire of Hell? etc. To have the Gospel, is a great Mercy; but how shall we escape, (if we refuse to hear Christ, that speaketh in it) and neglect 
Heb. 2. 3, 12 25.  so great a Salvation: Sin provokes God to curse our blessings, and turn them into Judgements. If ye will not hear, and if ye 
Mal. 2. 2, 3.  will not lay it to heart, to give Glory unto my Name, (saith the Lord of Host) I will even send a curse upon you; and I will curse your Blessings; yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to Heart. Here is the Cause of the Curse, and it is a Cause so just, (as they upon whom it falls) have no Reason to complain of Gods too severe proceeding against them. God (beloved) is the Author and Inflicter of all Judgements; he sends his Curse for sin, but especially for 
Amos 6 3.  Corruptions in Religion, and Contempt of his holy Word. When God's Word and Gospel is heard and preached, it must be 
Prov. 13. 13. Jam. 1. 22, 23. Ps, 119. 9 Luke 2. 19 Heb. 6. 8.  attended upon, and obeyed. For without this, Hearing is counted no hearing; we had as good not hear, as not lay the Word to our hearts, and practise it in our lives. God's word must be hid in our Hearts, and Christ's sayings must be pondered there, or else we hear not to purpose. Careless and fruitless Hearers are nigh unto Cursing, whose end (Paul tells us) is at last dying so, to be burned: But,  
Fouthly, From one and the same Cause, may arise divers and contrary Effects; that 
Prop. 4.  which softens one, may harden another; that which enlightens one, may be a means to blind another. Christ that is a Stone of Foundation to a believer, is a Stone of stumbling to the Unbeliever. The Gospel of Peace, 
Mat. 3. 12. 2 Cor. 2. 15, 16.  and glad Tidings to a wicked Man, is a fire, a sword and a fan; but to the godly, it is a savour of Life, and a means to bring 'em to God through Christ, and to Salvation. As the Sun melteth the wax, and hardeneth the clay; so the Gospel accidentally (by the corruption that is in wicked men, and by the fearful Judgements of God) hardens and blinds them, while others are softened, and made anew by it. The Gospel to some is the Power of God, but to others a Stone of stumbling, and very foolishness. The Gospel 
1 Cor. ●. 23, 24.  that is a blessing to some, (through sin and unbelief) proves a Judgement to many. Oh!  
Let Persons have a care, that they do not rest in the having barely the means of Salvation, as the preaching of the Word, etc. It is a Mercy indeed, to enjoy the Gospel; but it is not to be rested in by any; for through their Corruption and Sin, it may be a greater means of Damnation: Bless God for the means of Grace, be thankful to him for his holy Word; but be sure you be not satisfied, without the Grace of means, lest 
Rom. ●. 16.  you be blinded, etc. Say, when you go to hear the Word preached, Lord, let it be thy power, to the saving of my poor Soul: But,  
Fifthly, The Judgements which fall upon 
Prop. 5.  particular wicked men, for their Sins and Unbelief, are to be accounted the Punishments of the whole Body of Unbelievers. This Judgement of Blindness in our Text, which happened to many of the Jews and Pharisees, for their rejecting Christ and his Gospel, is the Punishment of all Persons, that shall be found such Offenders: And that for four Reasons,  
Because all the Judgements that sell upon Reas. 1 them (for their rejecting Christ, and stumbling at him) all wicked men have, and do deserve: Are not they worthy of the same Strokes, and of the same Judgements, that slight the same Christ, and trample upon the same Blood and Gospel, which they did? What saith Paul to this? If they (says he) that despised Moses' Law, died without Mercy, etc. Of how much forer Punishments shall they be thought worthy, who have 
Heb. 10. 28.  trodden under Foot the Son of God, and have counted the Blood of the Covenant an unholy thing? etc. Surely, such Wretches cannot think at last, to escape the deserved Judgements of God, who undervalue Christ, and trample upon his Blood and Merits: Vengeance 
Ver. 30.  is mine (says God) and I will repay it. I will ease me of mine Adversaries, and be avenged on all them, that despise my Son, and cast my Word behind them. Oh! Let Sinners hear and tremble, and lay this 
Ver. 31. Psal. 2. 12.  to heart, that'tis a fearful thing, to fall into the bands of an angry God: For while his Wrath is kindled but a little; blessed are they that trust in him: But secondly,  
Because when God threatens some, he Reas. 2 threatens all, that are such gross Offenders: As the Promises run general to all that repent and believe in Christ; so the threaten run to all that are, and shall be found at last Rejecters of Christ, and his Word. Were the Jews and Pharisees blinded, who stumbled at Christ, and his precious Word? Were they offended because of him, and so were cut off, and punished for their Unbelief? So shall all as are offended at Christ and his Word, and shall at last be found Unbelievers; for as he that believeth shall be saved, and not at last confounded; so, he 
Mar. 16. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 6.  that believeth not shall be damned. Christ, the Judge of all, will come at last in staming Fire (that is, in a terrible Manner) to take Vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not his Gospel, who shall be punished with 
2 Thes 1. 7, & 9  everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord, etc. Let all Persons have a Care (Young and Old, Rich and Poor) they be not found at last Rejecters of Christ, and his Gospel. For remember, that the Judgements inflicted others, God means to you; Who so despiseth the Word, (let him 
Prov. 13. 13.  be who he will, and as great as he will) shall be destroyed: it is not said, they may, but they shall be destroyed.  
3dly. Because no ungodly Men in the Reas. 3 World, can be sure for the time to come, that they shall not fall upon him. What Assurance have you, O Sinners, who live in sin and despise the Word! that you (who think you see, and boast of your Knowledge) shall not be blinded and turned into Hell, as 
Psalm 9 17. Mat. 24. 48. to the end.  others for their Disobedience and Unbelief are. Doth not the word of the holy God say, that all the wicked shall be turned into Hell? and are you sure this shall not be your Portion? Were these wretches in my Text, blinded for their Unbelief, and despising dear Jesus and his precious word? And are you sure (Sinners!) that this Judgement will not fall upon you, if you thus continue to sin, and reject the Grace of the Gospel? Have many for their sins, (as a just Judgement from God) been blinded and damned by the Word, which have been a means through Grace, to save others? Oh! Co●●●er this, you that forget God, lest he tear 
Psal 50. 21, 22, Prov. 29. 1, 2.  you in Pieces, and there be none to deliver you. Remember what the word saith, that he, who is often reproved, and yet hardens his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. But,  
4dly. It is thus, because the Judgements Reas. 4 in this Life, are typical to wicked men. Of what (if they die in Unbelief and Rebellion against Christ and his word) shall be their Portion in the next? Despair to a wicked man is a typical Hell, (for Hell is a Place of eternal despair) and so all other Punishments and Judgements here, are but little Hells. Let Sinners tremble at this, who are Rejecters of Christ, and take unjustly Offence at his word. Oh! You wretches, consider 
Mat. 13. 21.  this, that any fearful Judgements that fall upon others for their sins, may fall up: on you; and that God is as well displeased with your sins, as with those that he has plagued, and sent to Hell; this our blessed Lord Jesus tells you is a truth. Think ye (says Christ,) That they upon whom the 
Luke 13. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.  Tower of Siloam fell, and slew them, that they were sinners above all men that dwelled in Jerusalem? Were there none in that City to be parallelled with them for their sins? I tell you, except ye repent, you shall all likewise perish: It is no matter what Sinners they were, if you do not repent, and leave your sins, you shall all perish as well as they: But so much for the fifth Proposition.  
6thly. God by Christ is just and righteous, 
Prop. 6.  in this dispensation of his, in causing some to see, and others by the same means, to be hardened and made blind. None shall have aught to say against him at the Last day; but all than shall be made to say, Righteous art 
Jer. 12. 1.  thou O Lord. Christ will have enough to lay to the Charge of wicked Men, for their rejecting of Him, and the tenders of his Grace to them, in and by his Word. But their Mouths shall then be all stopped & muzzled; for none shall enter into Judgement with God, nor have 
Mat. 22. 12.  any thing to say for themselves, nor against God: Some now say, that God will not turn them, & that he has reprobated them to Hell; and if they pine away in their Sins, how con they help it? Thus many quarrel with God here, but no such complaints shall 
Ez. 33. 10, 11.  be heard against God at the Last day; for then all sinners shall see that their Damnation is Just, and so shall clear God, and forever Condemn themselves. One will say, (when in Hell) God is Just in sending of me hither, for by my sins I have deserved to come to this place of Torments. Another will say, my Pride hath brought me hither; another, my Swearing and Prodigality; a third, my Unbelief, and rejecting of Christ, and his Word, has sunk me into this abyss of misery. Oh! What complaints will sinners make against themselves? How will they reiterate again and again those good Sermons, and wholesome Instructions they have heard, and misimproved here on earth? each one will say, How have I hated Instruction, and my Heart despised reproof; and have not Obeyed the ways of 
Prov. 4. 11, 12, 13, 14.  my Teachers, nor Inclined my Ear to them that Instructed me. The Lord (will every one then say) is Just and Righteous, in sending me here to this place of endless, and easless Misery: For by my sins, I have deserved it a Thousand times over. Thus much for the Propositions:  
I shall now 3dly, show you, how this stands with the Holiness and Kindness of God, to 
3d. Head 2 Thes. 2. 10, u.  give Men up to Blindness of Mind and Hardness of Heart, to believe Lies (that as the Apostle says) they may be damned.  
This I must confess, sounds harsh at the first, and seems to be Inconsistent with that goodness and kindness, that God hath expressed in his Word to sinner: But I hope anon, you will see clearly, that in these tremendous dispensations, God is both Good and Just. Before I speak directly to this case, I shall premise two things, that will give you great Light in this matter.  
First, that God in all his dispensations of Grace and Providence, acts in a way of Sovereignty 
Prem 1.  like himself, as not being bound to his Creatures: He hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy; and whom he will, he hardeneth. Why doth God write some Names in 
Rom. 9 18.  the Book of Life, and leave out others? Why doth he save some, and Condemn others at last? Why are some Enlightened, and others Blinded by the same Word? Why doth not God Accompany it with the Efficacy, of his Spirit in some, as well as in others? What (beloved) will you resolve these things into, but the Sovereign Will and Pleasure of God, Who giveth no Account of his matters 
Job. 33. 13.  unto any? Why are some Rich and others Poor? some Noble, and others Ignoble? some Strong and Healthy, and others Sickly and Weakly? etc. Why, it is the Will and Pleasures of God it should be so. God giveth Grace when and to whom he pleases, as well as other things. Why doth not God mould the Heart to a Gospel frame, when he fills the Ear with a Gospel sound? Why are not all Converted by the Word, as well as some? Why doth God strike off the Chains from some, and tear off the Veil from the Heart; while he leaves others in Slavery, and Egyptian darkness? Why do some lie under the bands of Death, while others are raised to spiritual Life? There is no reason for these things, but the Sovereign Will of the Great God, who worketh in us both to will, and to do, 
Phil. 2. 13.  of his own good pleasure.  
Secondly, tho' God Blinds some, and causeth 
Prem. 2.  others to See, Save some and Condemn others; soften some by the word, and hardens others by it; yet he is Just and Righteous. 
Gen. 18. 25.  Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right? Yea surely, he that is all righteousness cannot Act contrary to himself, tho' God doth terrible things in the way of his providence, yet he doth them all in Righteousness; He is righteous 
Psal. 65. 5.  in all his Ways, and holy in all his Works, 
Ps. 145. 17.  both in his Works of Judgement, as well as Mercy. He that Acts in a way of Sovereignty (remember it) always Acts in a way of perfect Righteousness and Equity. Who can charge God with sin, and say that he is not Just and Righteous in what he doth? Oh! be sure, that in all things you acknowledge God to be Just, tho' you understand not well the reason of things done by him: Remember tho' you may want a reason for God's deal in the World, yet he hath always a reason for what he doth; and that is his Will, which is the Rule of Perfection, and the supreme Reason. He worketh all things according to the Council of his own Will, that 
Eph. 1. ●●. 12. Mat. 11. 25. 26.  the Mysteries of the Gospel are revealed to Babes, and hid from the Wise and Learned ones of the Age, is from God's Will, who Acteth Righteously in all he doth: Inquire not then, into the reason of God's Will, but submit yourselves to it: Say not, why are some softened, and others hardened; some elected, and others reprobated; some saved, and others damned? Remember that God is Good and Just; tho' the manner of God's deal, may sometimes be hidden, yet it never is, nor can be unjust: If God reprobate sinners, it is because it agreeth with their deservings; and if he elects the sinful, it is because it agrees with his goodness: So that, be sure you retain this as a great Truth, that God is Righteous in all he doth: Let God be true (says the Apostle) but every man a Lyar. Having thus premised these two things, I shall now come to the point, and show you how this stands with the holiness and kindness of God, etc.  
That I may clear and open this to you, we must first consider what God doth in the tremendous dispensations, of blinding some by that means, by which others in Mercy are made to see; this I shall speak to these two ways, viz. 1st. By way of Negation, 2dly. Affirmation.  
1st. I shall speak to it Negatively, and show you what God doth not: In these 3 things,  
First, when God is said to blind or harden any, he doth not Infuse any malice into their 
James. 1. 44. 18.  Hearts: To assert this, were to make God the Author of sin, which he is not. He is the Author of all Good, and of his own Judgements, but not of sin; for he tempteth no man to Evil. The Papists and the Arminians brand us with this falsely, of making God the Author of sin, which we abhor. All that we say is this, that the Holy God, is the Author of all his own Judgements: When God judicially blinds or hardens any, he doth not put nor excite malice in them: Sin is the abominable 
Jer. 44. 18.  thing that God hates; therefore he cannot be the Author of it.  
2dly. This blinding, etc. is not by the patience of God only, in sparing to punish sinners for their sins: In this sense, wicked men are said to blind and harden themselves, in the abuse of Gods long suffering and patience. Paul tells us of some who through the hardness of their Hearts despised the goodness, and 
Rom. 2. 4, 5.  long forbearance of God, which leadeth to Repentance; and so they treasured up Wrath, against the day of Wrath, and the revelation of the Righteous Judgement of God; God in this sense (beloved) is not said to blind any; but as sinners are said to blind and harden themselves by his Patience and Goodness to 
Eccles. 8. 11.  them. Some sin because Grace abounds, and are the more sinful, because God is kind to them, and patiented with them. But,  
3dly. This blinding, etc. is not by bear permission only, as some think and assert: God blinds and hardens; that is, he permiteth and suffereth sinners to be hardened, sayeth some, etc. 'Tis true, there is God's permission in this dispensation; but you must know, that there is more than that in this action. Permission in the sense of some Men, doth suppose God either to be idle, and negligent, or against his will to suffer things to be done in the World. To assert this, is to cast upon the Great God,  
First, an imputation of negligence, or indulgence; as Old Eli permitted his Sons to sin; that is, Indulged them in their sins. But who dare be so bold, as to charge God with Negligence, or Indulgence, who is always Ruling, and overruling all things in the World for his own Glory? His Throne is 
Psal. 103. 9  prepared in the Heavens, and his Kingdom Ruleth over all. But,  
2dly. Of impotency, in permitting things which he cannot hinder. If God (beloved) only barely permitteth this, than it is either by way of Indulgence, or for want of Power to prevent it; but it is not from either of these, therefore there is more than God, bare permission in it. Beloved, God is said Seven or eight times over, to harden Pharoahs' heart; and it is observable, that the words which the Scripture maketh use of, to signify Gods 
Exod. 4. 21. 7. 3. 10. 3.  penal action in blinding sinners, are such, as cannot be expounded by a bare permission, or dissertion only. God in these tremendous dispensations, (acting as a Judge by way of punishment) must Act not merely privitively, but positively: And I prove it this way; namely, that an Insliction of Punishment always argues a positive Judgement of God; he Acteth as a Judge in it, and therefore must do something positively. We need not be over solicitous and curious, to examine the manner how God Acteth; for whither we be able, or not able to open the manner, etc. God is Just and Righteous in it: Wheu God giveth persons over to vile affections, and a reprobate mind, as Acts of Punishment; he doth it always by a Just, tho' it be by a secret providence; so, that tho' his ways are sometimes in the Deep, that we cannot well search them out, yet they are never unjust. Thus you see in short, that God doth more than permit this, etc. for he is the Author of his own Judgements. Paul tells us (speaking of the Jews) that God hath given them the Spirit of slumber 
Rom. II. 7, 8, 10, 11.  (not as it is a sin) but as it is a Judgement, which he is Author of, and yet most Just and Righteous ●ur. 2dly. by way of affirmation in these three things.  
First, when God doth judicially blind Persons, and give them over to believe Lies, etc. he doth undoubtedly withdraw those means which should enlighten their Minds, and keep them effectually from the reigning Power of their Lusts. God doth not harden and blind by imparting Malice, or putting Hardness into the Heart; but by withholding or withdrawing that means and grace, that should soften and enlighten. Now, is God unrighteous in this? surely no; (for as Christ saith) he may do what he will with his own: 
Matt. 20. 15.  Had not God withheld his Grace from the Angels, and from our first Parents, (saith a learned Man) the first had not fallen from their glorious state, nor the second from their state of Innocency; by which (says he) 
D. E. on Providence.  it appears, that this is no more than God might have done, if man had not sinned, etc. To say the contrary, is to make God a debtor to the Creature, which he is not; who can say, God owed him any thing? We are debtors to him, but he is not to us; he gives, or withholds his grace, when and to whom he pleases, and none must, nor dare say to him, what dost thou? All the Inhabitants of the Earth are reputed as nothing, 
Dan. 4. 35.  and he doth according to his Will in the Army of Heaven, and among the Inhabitants 
Job. 9 12. Isa. 45. 9 Jer. 18. 6. 7.  of the Earth, and none can stay his Hand, or say to him, what dost thou? Behold! he taketh away, who can hinder him, who will say unto him, what dost thou? But,  
2dly. When God judicially blinds Persons, he delivers them up to the power of the Devil, to be more blinded, seduced and hardened; he suffers them to be led away captive by the devil at his will: The Lord thus blinds many, by giving them up to the power of Satan, for him to work upon; thus wicked Saul and Ahab were hardened, and those mentioned in 2 Thes. 2. 10. 11. Satan seduceth Souls by command from the holy God, as appeareth in the story of wicked Ahab; the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the month of all these thy Prophets, etc. The God 
2 Kings 22. 22. 23. 2 Cor. 4. 5. 6.  of this World (saith Paul) hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, etc. But,  
3dly, When God blinds and hardens Persons judicially, he leaves them to the Impetus and force of their Lusts and Corruptions: Thus God hardens them by themselves, giving them up to the power of their own Lusts: He gave the Heathens up to vile Affections, 
Rom. 1. 26.  and permitted them to sin yet more and more; proud Pharaoh by his sin and own freewill, hardened his heart, and God hardened 
Exo 1. 4. 21, 22.  it by his Judgements, giving him up to his Lusts. This (Beloved) is a general way of God in this dispensation; for all that perish, are thus left to themselves, to act according to the Impetus of that original Corruption and Lust that is in their hearts. Now none can deny, but this is consistent with the Justice and Kindness of God: For if Gods leaving and suffering men to walk in their own ways, not quenching the original Lust that is in their Hearts, but suffering them to put it forth in actual Wickedness: I say, if Gods doing this, would make him the Author of sin, than he must be concluded to be the Author of all sin that is committed in the World. But that he is not, for Wickedness proceedeth from the Wicked; as saith 
1 Sam. 24. 13.  the Proverb of the Ancients: The word of God telleth us, that he will have Mercy on whom he will; and his Grace could not be Grace, were it not free. Now, pray consider, Man being by the Fall a sinner, and full of Corruption, and so justly worthy of eternal Death, (for by one man's Sin, Judgement hath passed upon all men to Condemnation, and the Wages of Sin is death. I say, it being thus, etc. God is not unjust in saving some, and leaving others to the Force of their own Lusts, when for sin he might have damned all. I hope there is none will doubt, but that if a Traitor justly deserved to die, and to be starved to death, (tho' the Prince had it in his Power to Pardon, or supply him with Bread to keep him from dying in this manner; Yet the Prince were just if he did neither, but suffered him to perish according to his deserts. Surely, than God is not unjust in so doing, since all men are Traitors and deserve to die eternally: This as I think, is denied by none; but that which is greatly disputed and controverted by learned Men, is, whether God in blinding Sinners, doth not act something positively. Bellarmine and the Arminians deny this in opposition to whom, our Divines (not without good ground) say this, viz. That tho' God doth not positively blind, or harden any Sinners, yet he doth some positive Acts, that relate to the hardening of them; 'tis true, God doth not positively harden any, i. e. he doth not make their soft Hearts hard, nor shut their Eyes, and of seeing, maketh them blind: This, (I say) God doth not, yet he is not a mere Spectator, or an idle Looker on, upon the Works of his Providence. In all Acts of Punishments, God doth something positively. The Scripture speaks of him, as giving up some men to vile Affections, and to a reprobate Mind, as Acts of Punishment; therefore God, as to them, doth something positively, tho' he positively hardens none.  
The Sum of all then, in short, is this; God may judicially give many up to their Lusts and to Satan, to be seduced at his Pleasure, and be righteous in it. But he cannot punish the former sins of any, by putting any Lust or Malice into their hearts, by which they become more evil and vile. This I say, God cannot do any otherwise, than accidentally, stirring up that Lust and Malice that is in their hearts: This is the Sum (as far as I know) of what our Divines say, as to God's Acts in the Punishments of Sin, etc. Blindness then in short, is caused, 1st. By the Word occasionally. 2dly. By his own Malice meritoriously. 3dly. By the Devil efficiently. And lastly, by God judicially. So that Satan is the Tormentor, sinful Man the guilty Person, and the holy God the Judge. Thus far we have seen, so far as we are able to comprehend of what God doth by Christ, in this Act of punishing Sin with Sin, and how just and righteous he is in it. We shall now,  
2dly, Consider the Circumstances those 
2 Bron. of the Answer.  are under, whom God bringeth under such a severe dispensation.  
1st. These Persons whom God in a way of Justice thus deals with, are not only sinners; 
Rom. 3. 23. 1 Pet. 2. 9  (for God doth not deal thus severely with every sinner) all are sinners against God; but all are not blind and hardened sinners; some are enlightened and called out of darkness into marvellous light: Therefore,  
2dly, These sinners thus blinded, etc. are such as have provoked the Most High to a very great degree, shutting their eyes against the Light which shined upon them, and contemning the means which he used to reclaim them; such a Wretch was proud Pharaoh: first he hardened his heart, and blinded his 
Exod. 7. 3. 4.  own mind, and then God said, as a just punishment upon him) that he would harden his heart, etc. Such Wretches were the Heathens mentioned by Paul, they sinned prodigiously against the Light of Nature, for which, God (in a way of judgement, as have been hinted) gave them up to Uncleanness, 
Rom. 1. 28.  through the Lusts of their own hearts, and to a reprobate mind, to do those things which were not convenient: These People in my Text mentioned, had sinned greatly against Light, and trampled upon Christ, and his Righteousness; therefore God in a way of just Judgement upon them for their monstrous wickedness, suffered them to be blinded, while others in mercy were brought into Christ, and savingly enlightened.  
Now (beloved) this being rightly understood, I appeal to all your Consciences that hear me this day, That (tho' this be a most tremendous Dispensation of God) yet whether it be not very consistent, both with the Holiness, Justice and Kindness of God. What do you think, is it not just with God to punish Sinners, to avenge him of his Adversaries? Especially such, as have wilfully shut their eyes, lest the Light of the Gospel should shine upon them, and they should convert, and Christ heal them: What saith Christ of such wretches, I spoke to them in Parables, in dark say, because in seeing they see not, and in hearing they hear 
Mat. 13. 13, 14, 15  not, neither do they understand: This People's heart is waxed gross, and their Ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and be converted, and I should heal them. Such Sinners as these, you will say, deserved to be punished, and sent to Hell for their abominable wickedness. Now if it be just and righteous in God, to turn such Rebels into Hell for their Sins; Why should it not be just in him, to seal them up now to that Damnation? Why may not God leave such destitute of his Grace, and give them over to a reprobate Mind, and to a hard Heart, and yet be just and righteous? Are there any of you that doubt, whether this be consistent with the Goodness and Holiness of God? Let me ask you this one Question, viz.  
May not God deny the means of grace, to whom he pleaseth, and yet be a holy and Question a righteous God? you will say Yes; For he is not bound to give it to any. Why then, may not God deny it to, and withdraw it from them in Judgement, that have abused his patience, and turned the Doctrine of Grace into wantonness? Doth God give up men to Satan, and to their Lusts to be seduced and hardened? Are not these his Instruments in punishing Sinners? And may not the just and holy God, use what Instruments he please, for the Execution of his wrath for Sin? But here you will multiply Objections against what I have said, which I shall briefly Answer.  
Some of you will say, Is not Blindness of Ob. 1 Mind, and Hardness of Heart, Sin? How then can the holy God blind and harden any, and not be the Author of sin?  
Hardness and Blindness is not of God, Ans. 1 simply, or as it is sin; but only accidentally, as it is the Punishment of sin: If Sin be considered in its self in its true Nature, as it is a Defect, and a Transgression of God's 
1. John 3. 4.  holy and righteous Law; surely none can be the Author of it, but he that doth it, and persuades and invites to the doing of it. 
James 1. 14. 15  Now God, he neither doth evil, nor commandeth, nor infuseth that Lust and Sin, that is exercised and committed by ungodly men; therefore he is not the Author of it: But if you consider sin, as the Punishment of sin, so the Permission of it, is but a just Dispensation of God, and a judicial Act. Now, surely, God may be the Author of his own Judgements, without being the Author of Sin: But,  
2dly. You must know, that there is a difference between Hardness and Hardening, Ans 2 Blindness and Blinding; Blindness and Hardiness is a sin; but to blind and harden is not always so: Remember, that Blindness is not from God as a sin, but as a just Judgement upon some, for hardening their own Hearts. It is not possible (saith 
Hos. 13. 9 Rom. 14. 4.  one) that we should sin by him, by whom we repent, and rise from sin; it is from God that we stand, from ourselves that we fall. So that God is not the Author of Sin, in giving men up to blindness of mind, to believe Lies.  
God (say some) is not angry with his own works, but he is with men for their Ob. 2 blindness and hardness; therefore he can no ways be said, to harden and blind:  
Hardness and Blindness, as it is a sin and Answer. the cause of Sin, so it is not of, nor from God, but as it is a just Punishment of sin; so it is of, and from him, who (being highly provoked) is pleased, that the Obstinacy of the wicked should be thus punished. So, that tho' this be not God's Work as it is sin, yet it is his Work, as it is a Judgement: But,  
3dly. God (saith others) giveth Occasions Ob. 3 to men, that their Hearts may be blinded and hardened, etc.  
This is true in a sense; but remember Answer. it is through the Lusts and Corruptions of men's Hearts, that they became such Occasions: Like as a rebellious Son is the more hardened by the Kindness and Benignity of his Parents: The Miracles which God shown in Egypt, and which Christ wrought before the Jews and Pharisees, and the Sermons which he, and the Apostles preached, had not in themselves any Tendency to produce such an Effect as this, of blindness: Yet these (you see) through the Lusts of their hearts, were occasions of their hardening. The Mistress of a house (says one) does not think that she is accessary to her servants Theft, because she suffereth Plate to go freely about the House, for the use of the Family; which possibly is a Temptation to the Lust of her Servant, to make him, or her steal. God (beloved doth great things 
Psal. 145. 17.  in the world, and shows much Kindness to the Sons of men; he gives them freely of his Mercies, and sends his word unto them, 
Psal. 105. 25.  which to many through their Corruption, is an Occasion of their hardening: The Egyptians hated Gods people, because he blessed them; and in this sense it is said, That God turned their Hearts to hate his people, to deal subtly with his Servants: God (says David) turned their Hearts to hate his people, etc. That is, by the Occasion of those Benefits which he bestowed upon them: Thus many are blinded, by the Preaching 
Let such consider this Text well. Luk. 29. 19, 20.  of the word, they through their Corruptions, pervert it to their own Destruction. As the middle region of the Air, (says one) is more cold by the Antiporistasis; so, the hearts of many are more hardened, not properly but accidentally, by the preaching of the Gospel. Now, will you call these Occasions, viz. God showing of mercy, and giving his holy word? Is he unrighteous in this? Surely, no: Are not they 
Rom. 6. 1. 2.  wicked indeed, who sin because Grace abounds. How many People's Eyes are evil, because Gods are good; they are sinsul, because he is merciful and long suffering. Solomon telleth us of some, who are so vile, that because Sentence against an evil work, is not 
Ecc. 8. 11. Rom: 2. 4, 5.  executed speedily, therefore their hearts are set in them fully to do evil. There be many, who because God takes them not at their word, and damn them in the Act of sin, that are the more vile, and so presume upon that mercy and Goodness that should lead them to true Repentance: But,  
4thly. God (saith some) knew, that these Ob. 4 Sinners would take Occasions, by the means he gave them, to grow worse, etc.  
This must be granted, for God knows all things that have been, are, and shall be Answer. in the world: For he is an omniscient God, and there is nothing that is, or can be hid from his allseeing Eye. But what if God did know this, must he therefore be charged with Injustice, in giving the means of Grace? Surely, no. Suppose beloved, any of you knew, that your Counsels, Corrections or Instructions, given to your Children, would make them the worse; Must you not therefore use these Medinms, which are indeed good Methods to make them better: I think I need say no more, to show and evince to you, that it is neither contrary to the pure Justice and Kindness of God to punish Sin with Sin, giving up stubborn and rebellious Sinners to vile Affections, and a reprobate mind. Therefore  
Fourthly, I shall wind up all by way of Application. 4 Application.  
By way of Information, in these three Use. 1 things.  
You may see here, that as an ill Stomach Ans 1 turns good meat into bad Humours, so good things prove hurtful to wicked men, especially to the Contemners of the Gospel. Solomon telleth us, That riches are kept for the 
Eccl. 5. 13.  owners thereof, for their hurt; make some men rich, and then they will be proud, covetous, and profane. If Saul be a King, he will run from God to the Devil; if Judas 
Matt. it. 21, 22, 23, 24. Consider this Text well.  be an Apostle, it will be a Snare to him. Oh! How doth Sin turn our Mercies into Judgement, and makes those things which are Blessings, to be Curses to us, and prove means to our greater Condemnation. But,  
2dly. See here, what cause you have that believe, infer. 2 to admire discriminating Grace. Why are you taken, and others left? You enlightened, and others blinded; is not this free distinguishing 
1 Cor. 4. 7. 8. Matt. ●● 11, 12.  Grace? who says Paul, hath made thee to differ? Or what hast thou, that thou hast not received? Why dost thou boast, as if thou hadst not received? Oh! Admire the free Grace of God, in Christ; for to you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, but to others it is hid. Blessed are your Eyes, for they see, and your Ears, for they Hear; for many Prophets, and Righteous Men have desired to hear those things which you heard, and to see those things which you have seen, and have not seen them. Oh wonderful Grace! You may, and aught all that believe, to say with Paul who was a great admirer of free Grace: By the Grace of God, 
1. Cor. 15. 10.  I am what I am; by the Grace of God, I am out of Hell; by the Grace of God, I that was a Persecutor, am now a Preacher of Christ, and his Gospel. I that was a Child of Wrath, and an Heir of Hell, am now an Heir of Glory; I that was a Rebel, am now made a Saint; I that was in the gall of bitterness, and in the Devil's Kingdom, am now by rich Grace translated into the Kingdom of Christ. Thus may you all say, who through Grace have believed, and do believe in Christ: For 'tis by Grace (from first to last) that you 
Eph. 2. 5. 8.  are Saved.  
But, 3dly, see here, and Learn, that you Infer. 3 aught to justify God in all his dispensations in the World. Thus did holy David, when God had deserted, and afflicted him, and seemed not to hearken to the voice of his roaring. Thou art O Lord (saith he) holy thou that 
Psal. 22. 1, 2. 3.  Inhabitest the praises of Israel. God, I have told you is not unjust in any thing that he doth. Who art thou O Man, that repliest against 
Rom. 9 20.  God? Shall the thing form, say to him that form it, why hast thou made me thus? Shall the Wood quarrel with the Carpenter? The Iron with the Smith? Shall sorry sinful man quarrel with God? Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker. Let the Potsherd 
Isaiah 45. 9, 10.  strive with the Potsherds of the Earth. Oh reverence the secrets of God, and do not quarrel with him! Inquire not into the reason of his do which thou canst not understand; if you could understand it, you would understand much more, that you have no just reason to complain against God: Oh, be sure that you acknowledge that to be Just which the holy God doth! There be many things, 
Deut. 29. 39  which the Wise God hath not revealed: Oh do not search them, nor censure them; for he is Just in all! God suffered the Gentiles, about 2000 Years (saith one) to walk in darkness, and then he revealed the Gospel to them. What is the reason? Is there more merit in us than in our fore Fathers? Surely no, our Impiety is a like: Who can understand the reason? We see the thing, but 
Psal. 39 9 Jer. 12. 1, 2.  we understand not the cause. O! be dumb with David under the rod of God, and say with Jeremiah, the Lord is Righteous in all his ways. Corrupt man is not to dispute with the Holy and Just God about his Judgements; 
Job 9 1. 2, 3, 4, 5.  he is Wise in Heart, and Mighty in Strength who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered: Thus much for Information: The,  
2d. Use is by way of examination: What good O Christians have you received by the 
2. Use of Trial. 2 Cor. 2. 15. 16. Rom. 2. 16, 17. Mie. 2. 12.  Word? Have you sound it to be a saviour of Life unto Life, and the power of God to the saving of your Souls? Doth not my word saith God, do good to the upright: O examine what good you have found by the Gospel? You have been hearers of it many Years; what! Have you received no Soul-benefit by it? Let me ask you two, or three questions, and do you ask them seriously your own Souls.  
Have you been savingly enlightened by the Quest 1 Spirit in the Word? Can you say with the blind man, upon good grounds, I was born blind, but now I see? Are your Eyes beloved, opened, and Illuminated to see the evil of sin, and the good that is in Jesus Christ? Every 
Eph. i 18. 19  one that is brought to Christ, & Interested in him, are Spiritually Illuminated; their understandings, which were darkened, are enlightened by the Spirit: Is it thus with you? Have the Spirit by the Word, set up a divine Light in your Souls? Is the Veil taken from off your Eyes? Are you that were darkness 
2 Cor. 3. 16. Eph. 5. 8. Acts 26. 18 1 Cor 4. 5, 6.  in the abstract, made Light in the Lord? Are you turned from Darkness to Light, and from the power of Satan, to God. In a Word, Hath God commanded the Light to shine into your Souls, and shown you his Glory, in the face of Jesus Christ? God (saith Paul) that commandeth the Light to shine out of Darkness, hath shined into our hearts: to give the Light of the Knowledge, of the glory of God in the face of Christ: Is it thus with you? Have you found God dealing thus with your Souls?  
Are your hard and frozen Hearts, softened Quest, 2 by the Word? Have any of you in good earnest, been made to cry out with them 3000 that were pricked at the Heart, under Peter's Sermon? Men and Brethren, what shall we do? That beloved, which neither can be bruised, nor broken with any strokes, nor softened with any Moisture, is hard indeed: By this you may know your Hearts: Will no means, and monitions of the Word, break your Hearts? Will no exhortations, entreaties, nor promises in it melt you? Surely thy heart, O sinner! Must be hardened indeed, that nothing will move, nor melt it. Oh! have the Word, or rather the Spirit by the Word, broken, and melted any of your Hearts? Have you found it a hammer, and a fire? A hammer to break your rocky Hearts, 
Jer. 23. 29.  and a fire, to burn up your Lusts, and melt down your hearts into Godly Sorrow. Can you mourn for sin, as sin? And are you grieved that you can love Christ no better, nor bring forth no more Fruit for his Glory? are you concerned for his absence? And do you greatly rejoice in his presence? If it be thus, 'tis a good sign your hearts are softened.  
Are you transformed by the Gospel, into the Image of Christ? Is the Old man put off, Quest. 3 
Eph. 4. 22, 23.  with is deeds, and the New man put on? Can you truly say with Paul, from good experience, we all with open face, beholding as in 
2 Cor 3. 18.  a glass, the Glory of the Lord, are changed into the same Image, from Glory to Glory? Even by the Spirit of our God, have you had transforming sights of Christ, in the pure Glass of the Gospel: Are you become new Creatures? Can you remember, it was not with you once, as it is now? Is sin Loth some, and Christ Lovely to you? Then you have received good by the Word; and it is not a Judgement, but a Mercy to you.  
3d. Use is by way of exhortation. Oh! Use 3 Let me exhort you all in the Name, and Fear of the dreadful God, to these few following things, and I shall soon have done.  
First, be exhorted and persuaded to abstain from all sin, but especially from sins against Light, and Knowledge. A good Man through the violence of temptation, or Infirmity, may sin against knowledge, as David and Peter did: But have a care (as one says) of cold blood, and continuing in known sins: Remember that knowledge taketh away all excuse of sin. If I had not come (says Christ to the Jews) and spoken to them, they had not had 
John 12. 22.  sin; but now they have no Cloak, or Excuse for their sin: Ignorance (if not affected) may excuse a tanto, but not a toto; but Knowledge will not excuse any. Dost thou know that drunkenness O Man! is a sin? And that Lying, Whoredom, and Sabboth-breaking, are abominable sins; and yet Live in them? Alas! what hope canst thou have? A willing practice of known sins, and true repentance, cannot stand together: Nay remember it, 'tis the ready way to a reprobate Mind, and to Eternal Ruin: Tho' (while in this mortal State) you cannot but sin; yet beware of two things.  
First, of being willingly Ignorant of that, which God gives you the means to know: This O sinner! Is the mark of a Reprobate Wretch. Peter tells us of some that are willingly Ignorant of this; that by the Word of the Lord, the Heavens were of Old. There 
2 Pet. 3. 5, 6.  be many that do not know Christ savingly; and this is their misery; they do not desire to know him: They say unto God, depart from 
Job. 21. 4.  us, we desire not the Knowledge of thy ways: Oh! beware of this, for to be Ignorant, and not desire to know, is a sad sign of a hardened Heart, and a blinded Mind.  
But, 2dly. beware of doing contrary to your knowledge; For to him that knoweth to 
2. James 4. 18  do good, and doth it not, to him it is a sin. His knowledge aggravates his fault. To sin against Light, and Knowledge, is a crimson sin; a sin, of a deep dye. Every infirmity, every thing that falls short of the Rule, is sin; but much more, that which contradicts the Rule. This Man's sin is a heinous sin, a capital sin; 'tis a sin with a witness, and will be punished with a vengeance: If he that sins Ignorantly, will be damned, surely then, he that doth not what he knows, but contrary, shall be double 
Luk. 12. 47.  damned. He that knoweth his Master's Will, and doth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes.  
But, 2dly, be exhorted to comply and fall in with the motions of the Blessed Spirit in the Word. Do not the Spirit at no time move upon your Hearts, and cause some convictions in your Consciences? etc. Oh! see, that when the Spirit move, you do not resist; For his Spirit (God hath said) shall 
Gen. 3. 6.  not always strive with Man. Oh! quench not the Spirit, turn not a deaf Ear to his Calls; do not drown his convictions (as some in a Cup of Ale, or in merry Company. But I must not enlarge: Therefore in the  
Third and last Place; Be exhorted and persuaded daily to fear and dread, being hardened by the Gospel; a hardened Heart is a most heavy Judgement; the more it is upon a man, the less he feels it; and the further he is from a possibility of repenting truly, and believing in Christ for Salvation; he must needs run headlong to evil, and to Hell, whom the Devil drives. But,  
Some may ask me, what they must do Quest. to escape this Judgement, of being blinded and hardened by the Word. Answer.  
First, When ever you hear the Word preached, hear it with Reverence and Attention, Keep thy Foot when thou goest to 
Eccles. 5. 1, 2. Psal. 119. 11.  the house of God, be reverend in his Presence, and hear the word with due Attention, as it is the word of God: Let it not go in at one Ear, and out of the other, but hid it in your hearts, that you may not sin against God.  
2dly. Meditate upon the Grace of God in Christ, to poor sinners; think daily on the freeness, fullness and riches of it: If the serious Thoughts of Grace and Love to undone Sinners, will not melt you, and constrain you to leave your sins and love Christ, who have loved you to the Death; I know not what will: The prodigal Son when he thought of the fullness of Bread, that was in his Father's House; then he resolved to return home, and fell down at his Father's Feet, and said, Father, I have sinned 
Luk. 15. 18, 19  against Heaven, and before thee, and am not worthy to be called thy Son. Nothing like Grace and Love to constrain, melt, and humble the Sinner. Oh! Think much on God's Love and Grace.  
But lastly, For I must not enlarge; pray earnestly to God for a soft and tender heart; plead his Covenant Promise; who hath said, That he will take away the Heart of Stone, and 
Ezek: 36. 26.  give a heart of Flesh: Oh! Pray that every Sermon may soften your Heart, and melt it 
Gal. 4. 2.  down into godly Sorrow: Many cry God damn me, but there's few in good earnest; Pray for Grace, and for a tender Heart: Oh! 
1. Thes. 5. 17. Luk. 18. 1. 6.  Turn the word preached into Prayer; and say, Lord, make this and every word of 〈◊〉, a good word unto my Soul.  
I shall add do more, but leave what hath been said to the Blessing of the GREAT GOD.  
SOLIDEO GLORIA.  
FINIS.   

ERRATA.  
Pray, Courteous Reader, mend with your Pen these following Faults.  
PAge 7. line 32. for Sword read Fear. In the same Page, for Temption read Temptation. Page 13. line 23. for Means read Meant. Page 9 line 3. for Judiciously read Judicially. Page 15. line 32. for Promulging read Promulgation. Page 38. line 3. for Ways read Voice. Page 39 line 10. for Pleasures read Pleasure. In the same, for To read Into.   

A FUNERAL SERMON.  2 Tim. iv. Verse seven. viij. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the Faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that Day: And not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 
SOlomon the Wise tells us; To every thing there is a Season, and a Time, a Time to be Born, and a Time to Die, a Time to Mourn, and a Time to Rejoice, Eccles. 3. 1. etc.  
I doubt not, All the Godly and the Serious, and Sensible here present, will readily acknowledge with me, That this is a Time to Mourn: But will it not look like the adventuring on a Paradox, to affirm to you, That it is also a Time to Rejoice?  
A Time it is indeed to Mourn for the loss of so dear a Relation, and so Pious and Christian a Friend: But are we not Christians as well as Men? And while Nature seeles, sighs, nay sinks at the dismal Loss of Friends, or Relations; Grace should triumph over Nature, and Faith over Sense. While we are bemoaning their loss, we should be Rejoicing in the Crown and Glory of Saints, of which number she was we have so great Reason to be assured. Our Deceased Friend was one of their Number, who by their Holy Conversation give a plain, and sensible demonstration of the Power of the Principles of our Holy Profession, both by their Life, and their Death; For Words have not that Energy and Force, that Action and Conversation hath; a shining Life, and a triumphant Death, persuade beyond all the Power of Argument, or charms of Rethoric.  
And concerning the not only unblameableness, but Piousness of her Life, for whose Death we now Mourn, it was so well known to all that knew her, that she hath therein a better Character, than I can give her; for modesty of Style, and Reserves of Expression become me, when I consider the Modesty and Humility of her Deportment, through the whole of her Life.  
I come therefore now to the Text I have proposed to Discourse upon. The whole Text is drawn in Figures, borrowed from the Olimpic Games, well known in the Times, and Places in which the Apostle wrote. Games appointed for all the activities of Persons, prepared by Frame, and Constitution of Body, Vigour of Mind, and Inclination, and strictly Disciplined, Dieted, and Exercised thereunto: Such an allusion is at other times made use of by the Apostle, as 1 Cor. 9 24. And being Sanctified by the Divine Spirit, is most elegant and expressive of holy Senses.  
In this Place The Apostle of the Gentiles gives us under these Emblems a threefold Character of himself; and then sets out the Prize.  
1. His Encountering, and Combating all the Temptations of Satan within, and of the World without; wherein he Fought, not as one that beateth the Air, but at sharps (as they say) with great effect for Offence and Defence, as those Combatants alluded to used to do.  
2. He (who received the Prize) Finished his Course. Therein he alludes to those, who Run in a Race that they might Obtain: He Ran not as in certainly: He Ran the whole Course of Doing and Suffering, and of his Ministry, and Apostleship, the whole Race set before him to the very Mark.  
3. He kept the Faith, the great Faith of the Gospel, in union to the Crucified Jesus, which was the scandal of the Jews and Gentiles; even the Cross of Christ, and the Obedience of Faith in all the Holiness, Mortification to the World, and the Lusts of it within, and without; and doth extend to all kinds of Suffering, Heavenlyness of Mind, and Conversation: Hereby he behaved himself, as a mighty Champion, that by no means would let go his Hold, or Deposium, the Pearl of great Prize, or surrender it to the violence against it.  
And so he leads us to the second Part of this great Text, under the same allusion, The Crown, or the Prize; not the Corruptible Crown of those Games, but the Incorruptible; to which the Apostle refers, a Man is not Crowned except he strive Lawfully; and herein he thus expresses himself; Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which the Righteous Lord shall give me.  
Before I begin with the First Character, I would consider the Apostles Expression of himself; I have Fought, I have Finished, I have Kept. Now it is certain the Apostle, who acknowledges himself chief of Snners, and least of Saints, would not speak of himself, as in, or of, or by himself; but is to be interpreted by 1 Cor. 15. 10. etc. By the Grace of God I am what I am; and not I, but the Grace of God that was with me. And Gal. 2. 10. I Live, yet not I; but Christ Liveth in me. Although therefore at the first view, the Apostle may appear, as a self-Subsisting, a self-Confident Person in that three fold (I:) Yet when we duly weigh what he says in those places, Not I: It shows, when he speaks thus, he considers himself as in Christ the Head, and Saviour of the Body, who represented his, in all he Did and Suffered. But further, He is in all his united to him by Faith, He doth all their Works in them, and for them, and thus in him, by the Power they receive from him, by being strong in the Grace, that is, in Jesus Christ. They do all, They do, so that the Apostle when he saith, (I) does not mean himself, by (I) as single, solitary, divided from Christ; but as in him, by him; as to the Strength, Life, Principle he acted from. He did all in Christ; and not only so, but as the Power, and the Action flowing from it was in Christ; So the acceptance, the making up the Imperfections, the taking away the Gild, the Corruption; The setting him free from the Law of Sin and Death; In regard of condemnation falling upon Sin dwelling in him. In all this, he looks wholly to Christ; and so his Fight, Finishing his Course, keeping the Faith, Are to be limited; Not I, but Christ alone did all in me and was accepted for me  
This is therefore, the not only Encouragement, but the very support, nay more, the subsistnce of Saints in all their holy Action and Motion: All is in Christ.  
And this is their consolation in the midst of so many Clouds of Gild, and Imperfection; that they have a faithful and merciful high Priest who makes Reconciliation; and perfumes their Persons, and services with his much Incense. And tho' many are ignorant of this great Gospel Doctrine, this was the consolation of our Friend in her Dying Hours.  
Now this Explication of the Apostles as it shuts out on one side all the Pharisaie Boasts in ourselves, all the Self-righteousness and Selfsufficiency of Legalists; so it utterly condemns all the Licentious pretensions of Carnalists, to live as they please; or to be Slothful, Negligent, Careless, Unactive in these great Transactions: For though they live all in Christ, depend wholly on Him for acceptance; yet all His are under the Holy Constraints of Love, and the Obligations of Filial Obedience; and Christ in them is a Principle of Spiritual Life, and Highest Activity. So that they can neither be lose or plead Liberty as a Cloak of Wickedness, nor be dull, and stupid in the ways of Christ. And herein our Deceased Friend had learned Christ; In all things sensible of Duty; but Living as to Justification and Acceptance with God above. With those, who are the Circumcision, Worshipping God in the Spirit, rejoicing in Christ Jesus; and having no confidence in the Flesh, and so she was able, though so young a Person, to sing the Song of Victory: O Death Where is thy Sting? Oh Grave! Where is thy Victory? I thank God through Jesus Christ my Lord, who hath given me the Victory. This made Her earnestly desire a remove out of the Body, and to be with Christ.  
Thus I have given the True Evangelical sense of the Apostle placing so much upon himself, I have Fought, and Finished, and Kept. 'Tis but as if he had said, I have, I can do all things through Christ strengthneing me: and I can look look upon all with Joy and Triumph, because all my Impurities and Imperfections are answered for, and my Person is washed with the pure Water of his Sacrificing Blood.  
Let us then consider the great sense of the Apostle; I have fought a good Fight. Wherein he comes forth in the strength of Jehovah Jesus Christ the Lord of Hosts. As David the Warrior of the Lord, under the Captain of Salvation. Resolved, and armed at all Points; and that had with Courage and Fidelity, almost now to the very last, carried on so far, as his Station reached, the full Conquest and Victory of Jesus Christ, he is now triumphing over all Enemies.  
For the Explaining of this warfare, in the wars of the Lord, as they are styled, Numb. 21. 14. We are to consider the Great Lord mighty in Battle, who arms all his; even the Lord Jesus, who appoints them; who are therefore styled Good Soldiers of Jesus Christ, who hath Redeemed them, from being slaves of Justice, of Wrath, of Satan; and they therefore are said to overcome by the Blood of the Lamb. So their very setting out is by his Blood; They are Armed by him with Courage, Spirit, and Might within. He teaches their hands to War, and their Fingers to Fight; by him they run through a Troop, by him they leap over a Wall; it is he that Girdeth them with strength to the Battle, that they may help the Lord against, the mighty; and that all Enemies may be subdued to him; and trherefore the Fight is called a good Fight with great Reason.  
1. The Apostle had to Fight with himself, his carnal Reason to Throw down the strong holds of that, to bring every thought into Captivity to Christ, all those high Thoughts of self-Righteousuess, to slight all conferences with Flesh and Blood, and to repel them, when tempted to such disloyal Treaties; to bring under the Law of his Members that warred against the Law of his Mind, and would bring him into Captivity to the Law of Sin, and Death, to bring under subjection that carnal Mind; that is enmity to God; not subject to the Law of God, nither indeed can be; that in dwelling Sin. All those Willings and Lustings against the Spirit; In regard of which, the Apostle Expresses himself in the Language of a Combatant in those Games, that deals the most subduing, and mortifying Strokes and Blows; so he upon all Bodily Inclinations and Lusts. And this is one great Point of the good Fight, the Apostle reviews with so much comfort: But it is in Christ, and through Christ, by whom, in whom as Crucified with him, the Flesh with its Lusts and Affections are Crucified and not in, or by himself.  
2. The Apostle had to Fight with the World, in all both its enticements and blandishments, and in regard of its Threats, Rages, and Persecutions; In both regards saith He, I am Crucified to the World, and the World to me, Gal. 6. 14. But it is in Christ, and his Cross alone enabled Him.  
3. He had to Fight with all the Enemies of the Gospel of Christ, in resistance to the Grace of Christ in the Hearts of all, to whom He Preached; For speaking of the Preaching of the Gospel, He saith, The Weapons of our Warfare are mighty: So with the open professed Oppositions to the Truth of Christ in his Redemption. To the Jews a Scandal; as it it was contrary to all the Revelation of God, in the Old Testament; and to the Gentiles Foolishness as if it had no Agreement with the Reason, Learning, and Wit of Men of Understanding, and Accomplishment, 1 Cor. 1. 23.  
4. He had to Fight with the Powers of Darkness, Spiritual Wickednesses in high Places; as every Christian hath, For as He says, we War not; That is, not principally; against Flesh, and Blood, but against Principalities and Powers, the Rulers of the Darkness of this World. And for the maintaining this Fight, He had the same necessity with all Saints; To take to himself the whole Armour of God, that he might stand in the evil day, and having drne all to stand, Eph. 6. 10.  
5. All the Persecutors, and their cruelty, like the Beasts of Ephesus, in what Sense soever taken, He had to Fight with; wherein He suffered, as an evil doer; and was Killed all the Day long. But in all, He was more than a conqueror, through him who Loved him.  
6. He had to Fight with Gild, Death and the Grave, the Wrath to come; and with all the unbelief of his own Heart; But he over came by the continual Application He made to the Death and Resurrection of Christ Jesus, who Loved him, and gave himself for him, in whom he desired to be Found. So that he Ran up to that assurance, to make that challenge, who shall lay any thing to my charge, as one of God's Elect; to be assured, ●hat neither Life, nor Death, Things present, nor Things to come, should be able to separate him from the Love of Christ; and so he could Sing that Triumphant Song; Oh Death where is thy Sting? Oh Grave where is thy Victory? The Sting of Death is Sin; the Strength of Sin is the Law, but thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord, as in the case of the Body of Sin and Death. All he places still in Christ; and thus we see on all accounts, The Apostle Fought a good Fight, and through Christ had the Prospect of a High and Noble End of the War, that is, of Victory.  
Head 2. I come then to the Second Point of the Apostles Triumphing Declaration of his own State in Christ; I have finished my course; That we may rightly apprehend, Here are two things to be understood by it.  
I. The General course of a Christian State in its own Motion, Action, Conversation, from the Time of Conversion unto the very Hour of Death. This was one thing the Apostle understood by his course, for God having drawn out the Line of Life, as he hath seen fit for every one of his Servants; Their course of Christian Action is by him drawn out proportionable; So that there is no part to be unadorned; Something of Public, Private, Secret, Unholy Action is to be applied to every part of it; There must be a Running to obtain: It is called therefore Running the Race, that is set before us; Looking to Jesus; to show in whose strength the whole Race is run; So, It is expressed concerning David, by his serving his Generation according to the will of God; and of John's fulfilling his course, as a Servant of God in a Holy Conversation, besides his Ministerial service: How many great concernments hath every Christian to look to; His Implantation into Christ, Renovation, New Creation; The Indwelling of the Spirit, the Graces, and Fruits of it; His Living, walking in the Spirit; The work of Faith with Power; Sorrow after God working Repentance to Salvation never to be Repent of. The constraining Love of Christ, the living to him, the dying Daily; Converse with the Word of God, Hearing, Reading, Meditation, Holy Discourse, Prayer, Thanksgiving; Self-denial, Sufferings, being made meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light: All these with much more set before us in Scripture, show us, what the Race of a Christian is; what his course is; Now to find our Heart engaged herein, with all earnestness Pressing forward to reach the mark by the utmost stretch and extending ourselves to it, is what the Apostle speaks of himself: He had run on in this Christian course, on this Line, to very near the End of his Line of Life; and it is a Glorious Review of a sincere, much more of an Eminent Christian; while he can behold Christ, the Alpha, and Omega, the Beginning, and End of All; All the Halting, the Falls, False-steps, the many Linger, made up, Answered, and Attoned for by the Author, and Finisher of our Faith, who for the Joy set before Him, ran the whole course, the Father Lined out to Him, Doing always the things pleasing in his sight; Who set every step according to his Obediential Love to the Father, and therefore went forth to his Death with highest Resolution; Let us Arise (saith he) and (John 14. 31.) Go hence: He endured the Cross, despised the shame, and is set down on the right hand of the Majesty on High: And thus his servants follow his steps, and so we have reason to hope of this his Servant, that she was swift, she Finished her course, she Finished the course she was set in, though a more private, and retired one, before she was Prohibited, as the true sense of that word, we Translate (Not suffered) signifies, Heb. 7. 21. To continue any longer therein.  
2. There is yet a higher, and more exalted sense of the Apostle Finishing his course; not a more substantial or Fundamental sense; For that is indeed the Fundamental; All the redeemed of Christ in, and by him, running their course, and so entering into their Master's Joy; but there was also in all times a more Public, and high sphere of Action; Into which God hath been pleased to raise some of his servants; and there hath not been a higher, than the Ministry of the Gospel; and most particularly, the Apostolic; and to this undoubtedly the Apostle had regard, when he here saith, I have Finished my course.  
For herein the Apostle had a Line given to him and a measure, the measure of the Line, which he would not stretch himself, nor into other men's Labours, but according the Rule or Line prescribed him by God, 2 Cor. 10. 13, etc. And this was so abundant, that he Laboured more abundanily, than any other, 1 Cor. 15. 10. He was the Apostle of the Gentiles, Ministering the Gospel of God so to them, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be a Sacrifice, Acceptable to God by Jesus Christ, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit; which was indeed a high sphere of Christian Gospel-Activity; and whereof he saith, He might Glory; And the Line was so every way enlarged, that he Preached the Gospel round about from Jerusalem to Illyricum, Rom. 15. 16, etc. He did fully, or Fulfil to Preach the Gospel of Christ, and He strove to Preach where Christ had not been Named; And all this was made efficacious, by Mighty Signs, and Wonders, by the Power of the Spirit of God. So that it was best for the Churches, and more needful he should continue, though to his loss, Phil. 1. 21. In all this Notwithstanding; He was most mindful to ascribe all to Grace, 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the Grace of God be was All, that He was; and after all his Discourse of his Line, and measure, He concludes; He that Glorieth, Let him Glory in the Lord, 2 Cor. 10. 17. The Apostle Finished this course, under and by the High Priest, and Apostle of our Profession, whose the fupreme Glory in all is; Inasmuch as He, who Built the House hath more Honour, than the House; whose House with all Prophets, Apostles, and Saints, Heb. 3. 1. The Apostle was; For He, who Built All Things in his Church, is God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.  
Head 3. I come now to the third Head, or Character, the Apostle gives of himself. I have kept the Faith: This Completes the whole: Herein the Apostle speaks again, as a mighty Champion, that retained the Riches of Faith, Much more precious, then of Gold, that Perisheth: The Faith he retained with such a Might, and would by no means suffer it to be forced out of his Hand.  
1. That Great Principal, and most essential Faith, the Apostle kept, or held fast, is Jesus Christ Himself, and his Righteousness, who is pleased, because he himself is indeed the All of Faith, to be styled Faith itself, Gal. 3. 23.  
2. It is the whole Truth of the Gospel, as the Apostle Judas gives it the Honourable Title of the Faith once, at once, once for All; Delivered to the Saints, Judas 3. Comprising the Righteousness of Faith by which the Just Live, and receive even full assurance of understanding: The Righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith; The Faith embracing the truth that is after Godliness, which whoever walks contrary to, denies the Faith; The Faith that looks to the Eternal State and Condition; which Hymeneus and Philetus, denying by saying, The Resurrection was passed already, overthrew the Faith of some. This the Apostle held, fast in all the senses of it, now given, and would by no means part with, or betray to any Seducers, or Adversaries of one sort, or other; as was before asserted under the first Character of Fight a good Fight.  
3. The inward Grace of Faith in the Heart, and Holy confession of which the Apostle saith. Rom. 10. With the Heart, Man believes unto Righteousness, and with the Mouth confession is made to salvation; The Life, he lived by the Faith of the Son of God, who loved him and gave himself for him. The Faith even the Plerophory of it, sprinkling the Heart from an Evil Conscience by the Blood of Jesus, the Faith, by which we have Peace with God, the faith that embraces the Promises, by which we cleanse ourselves from all Filthiness of Flesh, and Spirit; the shield of faith, The Apostle Exhorts above all to take, to quench the fiery Darts of the Devil; The faith, by which the Elders obtained so Honourable a Testimony, and Memory, Heb. 11. In all those their great Acts; The faith that passes through all afflictions, temptations, and trials, till those Pillars are set up with this Inscription, Rev. 13. Here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints, here are they, who keep the Commandments of God, and hold the Testimony of Jesus; Lastly the faith, the very presence of things hoped for, raiseth to that Plerophory of hope, that enters within the Veil. All Saints with the Apostle who by faith have died, and slept in, and by Jesus, and are entered into rest with him, even as this servant of the Lord hath done by the same faith; and whom God even our Lord Jesus will bring with him, the Living remaining Saints shall not Anticipate; The Lord my God will come, and all his Saints with him: But in all this faith, our whole subsistence is in, and by the Author, and Finisher of Faith.  
And so we are come to the second part of the Text; Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness; This is the Prize of the High Calling of God in Jesus Christ; Eternal Glory, the Eternal Inheritance, Eternal Redemption; the whole Excellency, Glory, and Blessedness of the Eternal State is the Inheritance of the Saints in Light; which is alone by Jesus Christ in us, the Hope of Glory reserved in Heaven: This the Lord as a Righteous Judge gives, and he gives as a Crown of Righteousness; Because Jesus Christ hath purchased it with his own Blood, and Obedience; And in him, it is that Saints are able to subsist in this Eternal Glory; Being made like him, by seeing him as he is; but most Glorious, herein is that State, He in the Father, the Father in Him; and Saints hereby in Christ, and in the Father; and the Love wherewith the Father Loved Him, even before the Foundation of the World is in them, because He is in them, and in all this the Son Intercedes with the Father, as a Righteous Father, John 17. 24, etc.  
To open this part of the Text, according to the Tenor of the present Discourse, so far, as we have proceeded.  
1. That expression of the Apostle; Henceforth, or as the word in the Greek signifies, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, That which remaineth is, there is laid up for me, etc. An expression suitable to this is that, Heb. 4. 9 There remaineth a rest for the People of God; This hath an Immutable certainty; If the Judgement of wicked Men be laid up in store with God, and Sealed among his treasures, Deut. 32. 34. How much more the Salvation, the Glory, and Blessedness of his Saints: It is as cerrain, and much more certain, then as in themselves, the precedent Fight the good Fight, etc. For their assurance is not in themselves; They would fail and come behind, as Combatants not obtaining the Prize, If all the certainty were in themselves; as the Angels not Elect, and Adam failed, or fell short: But the Prize itself to be given to them, who do Fight, and Run, is in the nature of the thing out of themselves, and in God alone; and is assured by his Righteousness, and Veracity, that cannot fail. This remainder is so Connexed, as not possible to be separated, from what went before; and more Impossible by far to fail, than what went before, as in us, but as all is sure in the Great surety, It is to be fulfilled in all his; Even as the Debt He paid for them is set far above all doubts.  
2. In this assurance of the Prize, the Apostle speaks so triumphingly of, he says, The Lord, the Righteous Judge shall give me; He Styles the Lord, the Judge, and the Righteous Judge, in agreement with the custom of those Games; In which there was a Person, solemnly constituted, who should adjudge the Prizes, and Determine the Lawfulness of the striving, as the Apostle says, a Man is not Crowned, except he strive Lawfully. And it was expected from such a Person in that State of Honour, that he should be Fair, Equal, and Just in all his Judgement, and Determination; and it assures the Judgement of the Lord to be in all things, admirable for its greatest Equity, Righteousness, and Judgement; For the Righteous Lord Loveth Righteousness, Psal. 11. 7. And thus in allusion to this in that so known Seat of allusion to these Games, the Apostle says; I keep under my Body, and with the Austerest methods, Bring it into subjection; Lest while I Preach to others; I myself should become one Rejected, to whom the Prize is not Judged; one unworthy the Prize; Because he who Determines, is a Righteous Judge, and will not be Imposed upon with outsides, or Formalities.  
But here the great doubt is, where is the Saint to be found, who can stand before a Judge, a Righteous Judge, such a Righteous Judge as the Lord is?  
And the alone Answer is, according to what hath been said already; That it depends wholly upon what hath been done by the Captain of their salvation; His Obedience and his Sacrifice, the Author, and Finisher of Faith; What he hath done without them; That, in which he was wholly alone, and none of his with him; and that which he works in all his, as their Head of Life, and Influences; making them strong in the Grace, that Resides supremely, and vitally in Himself, and flows continually into them; and that by way of inward Residence and Possession, by his Dwelling in them, John 6. 57 And they in him; Even as the Living Father sent him, and he Lives by the Father, so all Believers live by Him and in Him;  
This then being the Fundamental Meritorious Account; Christ All, and in All, there is a Glorious, Resplendent Justice, and Equity in God's Adjudication of the Prize to all Saints in Him; Because there is an exact Balance, between what is Christ's, and the Glory of the Crown, and of the Prize; So that Scripture delights in the use of the Word, Just, Righteous, Righteousness in the Admensuration to all in Christ at that Day Just, and the Justifier of Him that believes in Jesus; He is Just to forgive us our Sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousuess, by way of Acquittance, and Judiciary discharge; because, The Blood of Jesus Christ his Son hath by satisfaction, and Sacrifice for sin, first cleansed from all unrighteousness, 1 John 1. 10. And there is an Illustrious Ensign of Justice, and Righteousness, in the Judgement of God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; And a Flag of Defiance against all Adversaries, the Calumnies of Malicious Devils, and enraged Spiof wicked Men, 2 Thes. 1. 5, etc. Hung out; (we translate a manifest token) in that Day, a Day of Adjudging the Prizes; That Day of the Revelation of the Righteous Judgement of God, Rom. 2. 5.  
And therefore the Crown is called, as in some places a Crown of Glory, 1 Pet. 5. 4. And a Crown of Life; So here a Crown of Righteousness, as due to Christ in his; though to us, as in ourselves, It is a Crown give● the Gift of Free Grace; as Eternal Life, opposed to Death the wages, due demerit, desert of Sin: It is Free Gift in Jesus Chri●● upholding the Glory of Justice, and Rigteousness in that Gift.  
3. The Crown (says the Apostle) shall be given at that Day; There are two Times eminently Styled in Scripture, that Day.  
1. The Day of the first opening of the Glory of the Gospel; and after a time of Eclipse by the Anti-christian Apostasy, shining out again in Glory; In which first and last the great Prophecies of Scripture are Fulfilled; we find therefore often in the Prophet; In those Days, and In that Day, as all Comprised under that great Point of time, the Fullness of time; the appearance of Christ in the Flesh, Gal. 4. 4. And the time from thence running to his appearance.  
2. The, that Day of the Appearance of Jesus Christ, and of his Kingdom; as they are joined a little before the Text; that Fullness of All Times, when all shall be placed, that is Happy and Blessed under their Head, Eph. 1. 10. And so that Day is often used in the Epistles of the New Testament; as here, and continually; that Great Day, that Day, wherein shall be so Gl●●●us an Unveiling, a Revelation of the things, that have now been kept secret, but shall then be set out in the truest, and most Glorious Light; The Beauty of every thing in its own proper season, to which God hath referred in that General Table of time, God hath drawn, and that Solomon gives in short the Heads off, in that so wise Book, the Book of Ecclesiastes, or of the Preacher. At the End of the several events, there recorded; saying, God hath made every thing Beautiful in its season; But, because it does not, or may not without wise References to that Eternal World be understood to be so; He says, God hath set Eternity, or the Eternal World in their Hearts, Eccl. 3. 1, etc. Then also are all the Great Mysteries of the Gospel shall be clearly unfolded, and laid open; All the various deal of God with his own, and with the Men of his present Hand, and might; the Men of this World; shall be unriddled, and disengaged from all their Darks, and Intricacies, and the Crown set with Glory, and the Glory of Righteousness on all his Saints: And this because it is the Revelation of the Righteous Judgement of God; And then as the wicked shall be all in Horror, Tribulation, Anguish, and Amazement; So Christ will be Glorified in the Saints, and Admired, in all them, who believe, who have Fought the Good Fight, so as not to beat the Air; They have run not as Incertainly, and as in Naval Contests, have not Shipwrecked, but held fast the Faith: And so the Crown Adjudged to them by the Righteous Judge of the Combatants, and their Activities in and through their great Agonothetes, Jesus Christ and the suprme Agonistes, Master of All, and chief Combatant.  
4. The Apostle joins with himself all those, who, Love the appearing of Jesus Christ, as those, whom the Righteous Judge will give the Crown of Righteousness unto, And this expression offers two considerations to us.  
1. That seeing, the Apostle gives this short Character of Saints in General, and not so particularly, (as Fight the good Fight; Finishing all their course, and keeping the Faith,) but Loving the appearance of Jesus Christ; It shows, there may be; and there is a different eminency of Saints; But as they all meet in the Head, Root, Corner Stone; So whatever their different measures are in making up the full stature in Christ, yet they are all alike in the Glory, the Crown of Righteousness; Because it is all given by grace in Christ and so the Least, as well as the greatest are Crowned in Him; He gives the same Crown to the Last, as to the First, even as in the Parable, Mat. 20.  
2. In that all Saints Love the Appearance of Christ, it is made certain; They are those, that have Fought, Run, hell fast the great Depositum, Committed to them, so as to obtain, and not to be rejected; the Faith, which gives them the assurance, and lifting up of the Head at the appearance of the great Judge, and Arbitrator of the Prize; and so they desire, long for, and Love his Appearance; And thus I have given a brief View, and Examination of the words of this Great Text.  
Applic. That which I would now infer from the whole discourse by way of Doctrinal conclusion, by way of Practical enforcement, by way of Consolation, relating to the particular occasion, shall be.  
First, That we would look to it; To hold the Faith of Jesus Christ in its own Purity; For the Gospel is so pure, separate from all mixtures, as Silver Purified in a Furnace of Earth, Purified seven Times, that we must not pervert it any way; Every Word of God, Prov. 30. 5, 6. Much more the Great Gospel-Points: Whoever add to it, or diminish from it, will be found Liars unto it; Blessed are they that trust in it, It will be to them a Shield of Salvation. As to that Great Point, Righteousness by Faith in Christ without works; How suddenly do Men slide down to Another Gospel under the Apostles Anathema; and yet It is not another, but the clear, pure streams of Gospel-Truth and Grace are hereby troubled; and the satisfaction, and comfort of Believers disturbed, and the Invitingness of it to strangers much obscured and defiled: Now here in the subtlety of the Enemies of the pure Doctrine of the Gospel is seen; That they being afraid to take up the Insolent, Anti-christian Word; Merit, or as the Apostle calls it, Debt. They would yet Privily bring in such a supposed presence of works after Grace, as sincere obedience, though not perfect into Justification, as the condition of that Covenant, upon which it justifies; even as perfect obedience was the condition of the Covenant of Works; and yet merit not once Named nor Allowed; Because Adam's strength to work by, if he had rightly applied it, was indeed from the Bounty and Goodness of the Creator; yet as in a way of Condecency, of such a Creator to such a Creation, as the Humane Nature; that came pure and perfect out of His Hand: But what Believers do is from Grace in Christ, by and from His Spirit, Vouchsafed to Sinners, and so cannot Merit: Now this hath indeed very great Truth in it; Yet it doth not Answer the High Expression of the Gospel, excluding all Created, or Creature-Righteousness in the Court of Righteousness, or Justification; and placing all in the Righteousness of God by Faith in Jesus Christ; In his obedience, in his Expiation, Filling up, and so replenishing that Court; That nothing else can enter, but is kept out by the Flaming Sword of the Fiery Law: Yea, Angels that never sinned, yet Cover their Faces, Esa. 6. and their Feet, their Excellency and the Nakedness, and Folly of all Created Being before Increated and consist in and by Christ: Christ, as the Head of Amity, and Perseverance in their Glorious State; and Adam, not Flying to it upon those tenders of it signifid to Him, as by that real evidence of it; That he was, and could be no more, than the Figure of Him that was to come, Rom. 5. 12. And that His, and His Posteritys standing in Him, was only their standing in Christ; as this was also represented in those Sacramental Types, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, Gen. 2. Warning Him against subsisting in Himself, as a God knowing, or able to determine Good and Evil, but to look to the Tree of Life, so great a Type of Christ; as we find in the Revelation; Nothing therefore can enter into the Court of Justification, but Poor empty single Faith Receiving, Owning, Acknowledging, Grace; Receiving Grace in Abundance, (excluding all else,) and the Gift of Righteousness by Jesus Christ alone; And to this it is enabled by Grace, and Accepted only for that Righteousness sake it does receive.  
As to the enforcement by way of Action, and Practice, we see in this Great Portraiture, the Apostle gives of a Man in Christ; that Fights the Good Fight, Finishes his Course, keeps the Faith; That a Believer in Christ is not a Lose, or an Idle, Slothful, Unactive Person; but shall appear in that Day, as of the Overcomers in those so Famed Games, or Exercises of all Prowess, Courage, Action; so as to be judged worthy of those Crowns of which they were so Ambitious, though but corruptible, by the justest Judges, or Arbitrators of them; So the Saints shall be presented before the Father, the Lord Jesus, the Eternal Spirit of Holiness and before Saints, and Angels, to the Terror, and Amazement of all the Lost, as Persons of distinct Excellency; and the Overcomers, as in the Apocalyptic Expression is repeated; and yet all in Christ, and to the Glory, and Praise of Grace in Him; So that the Doctrine of Free Grace is indeed the most Powerful, Effective, Fruitful Doctrine of Holiness, and so is most Discriminative of Persons in Christ, and with greatest severity on those, who are not; and of those, who shall be thought worthy of the Crown, and who not; and yet without the least Injury to Free Grace in Christ.  
3. Great Consolation have they, who knew our Deceased Friend; who had always Admiring, Adoring thoughts of Free Grace; and thereby a great sense of Perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God, but all through Christ strengthening Her; and in Fight, Running, holding fast, an Eye to the Crown, but as purchased for her by Jesus Christ; and that therefore she Loved the Appearance of Jesus; When the Crown already received, shall with Glory be set upon her at that Day.  
That we may yet enter into the deeper enquiry into, and consideration of all this Triumphant Declaration of the Apostle concerning Himself, and all Saints in that supreme Point; their receiving the Crown of Righteousness; I will propose to give a brief resolution of these following Points.  
1. How in the lost undone State of the Children of Adam, there can arise such a Generation of Servants of God, both more eminent and smaller in this World.  
2. How, or why they fall all under the Prohibition of serving God any longer here in the World, than the Finishing such a Course of service on such a Measure of their Line Prescribed by God.  
3. Why this Prohibition is served upon them by Death; Two Persons only, Enoch and Elias, and why they only excepted.  
Herein I shall with all the care and Caution according to the understanding given to me by, and from the Word of God Discourse each of these.  
Point. 1. It is indeed the wonder of Divine Grace, and Power; That there should have been, and are such a Generation of the Servants of God in the World, in every Age down to the present Time, in the midst of such a World of Men, Ignorant of God, Alienated from his Life, without God in the World, without Christ and Enemies in their Minds; so much given up to the World, and the Lusts of it, as to be called; The World and the Men of this World, in a State of Enmity to God, and his Kingdom; the Seed of the Serpent, the Dragon, Haters of his Servants, and on all opportunities Slaying them; as Cain, the Seed of the Wicked one, Did Abel in the very Beginning; That yet in the midst of all these, there should be a Generation of Men and Women, that should be in an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a course, a Lincal succession of the Saints and Servants of God, like the succession, as in the House of Levi, of the Preisthood; and of the High Preisthood in the Family of Aaron; the more Eminent, and the less Eminent among the Servants of God; but all a Royal Priesthood; or like the Stars of the First Magnitude in the Regions above, and those they call, the Sporades, the Multitude of the lesser Stars.  
Now the very Root, and Foundation and Corner Stone of all this is; That Grand Elect Servant of God, in whom His Soul delighteth; who in Raising up a Generation of the Servants of God, dealeth with all mildness, A Bruised Reed shall He not break, nor smoking Flax shall He quench, but shall send forth Judgement unto Truth of Victory, Esa. 42. 1. That Servant of the Lord, with the Key of David on his shoulder, and strengthened with the Girdle of Faithfulness and Righteousness; The Nail sastened in a sure place, Esa. 22. 20, etc. Upon whom is Hung all the Glory of his Father's House, the offspring, and the Issue; All Vessels of Greater and smaller Quantity, from the Vessels of Cups, even to All the Vessels of Flagons; Had not He been a Servant in the Foundation, There had never been a Servant of God in the World. It is He, who hath Loved, and washed in His Blood; and constituted Kings and Priests unto God and His Father, Rev. 1. 5.  
Now the Charter of His making Servants to God among the Children of Men, was given to the Second Adam: Immediately upon the Fall of the First Adam, so quick and immediate as to surprise the Power of Satan in the First Effort; when God in a Judiciary process upon Satan, says, to Him, under the disguise of the Serpent; I will put enmity between thy Seed and of the Woman; and this Seed of the Woman, the one Seed, Christ shall break the Head of the Serpent, Gen. 3. unto perfect Victory; and Thou shall bruise His Heel; (of which is presently to be spoken;) There must be therefore a Seed of the Second Adam; Servants of God in every Generation, who shall Fight, Finish their course, Hold the Faith of the Seed of the Woman, the Second Adam, the Lord from Heaven, the Quickening Spirit, the Saviour to the uttermost, who Lives for ever to make Intercession, and so sustains all the Servants of God, coming to God by Him; He Bears them up in their State of Preisthood, as the Priest for ever; Constituted after the Power of an Endless Life, consecrated by the word of the Oath for evermore; the High Priest and Apostle of our Profession, the Captain of our salvation; This supports the whole State of the Servants of God in all the Service here recounted here by the Apostle; Fight, Running, Finishing their course in order to the Receiving the Crown: And thus the Line of the succession of the Servants of God hath been continued from Adam through all Ages. From Adam by the Patriarches, to Moses, Joshuah, the Judges, Kings, Prophets, Zerubbabel, and Ezra, so to the Great Lord appearing in his Temple, Malach. 3. 1. Then the Apostles, and successive Ministers of the Gospel, and the Witnesses, Revel. 11. 3. in the Time of the Apostasy; who being the Last course of the Servants of God; There is an express mention of that First Representation of things; the Serpent early appearing, as a Dragon in the Slaying Abel; and the Seed of the Woman, He endeavoured to devour by making War with them, by the Beast. Who kills them, and they Lie Dead in the street of the Great City; Till the Spirit of Life from God enter into them; And then the course of things goes on to the Binding the Dragon, Satan, the Old Serpent, Chaining and Sealing up in the Abyss, in his own Hell and Chains of Darkness; and then after a short Losing to show his ever remaining Diabolick Spirit, we have with all his Dead His Final Casting into the Lake, which is the Second Death: And thus we have the First Point cleared, How comes there to be such a Line and Succession of the Priests, or Servants of the Most High God in so Degenerate a Humane Nature? And how Long? Even till they come into the Glorious State of being Priests of God and Christ, and Reigning with Him a Thousand Years; seeing His Face, as His Servants serving Him with His Name on their Foreheads, and at Last delivered up with the Kingdom to God All in All; which is the State of pure, and perfect Eternity, Eternal Life in its Highest Orb.  
Point. 2. I come therefore now to the second Point; How comes it to pass, there is such a strict Limitation of the Servants of God: First under such an Honourable Limitation, as Fight the Good Fight, even unto Victory; their Finishing their course, even unto obtaining the Prize; and their Keeping the Faith, without betraying, Basely surrendering, or having made Shipwreck of it; and so presenting it before the Righteous Judge, and receiving the Crown at that Day; All these are Honourable, and yet Limitations; Their Fight, Course, Keeping the Faith are not Lengthened out to that very Day; Now of this there are very Great Reasons.  
1. The Great Lord of Time hath drawn the whole time with such exactness of Wisdom, and Holiness; That every thing is in its own Place, Season, and Time; and as it fills that up, and nothing is wanting, so it cannot exceed, nor reach beyond it; And thus Every thing is Beautiful in its season; Thus from the very Beginning; Abel the First Martyr Finished his Course, though short; Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, theirs; In the midst of whom appeared Melchisedec, made like to the Son of God, without Beginning of Days, or End of Life, Abridgeth a Priest continually; He was not a Type of the Son of God in some particular excellency, but He was made like to the Son of God throughout; And thus is the Line of every Saint's service drawn out, nothing can crowd into it; and this Line can by no Violence be cut shorter, nor can any Zeal for Service draw it out longer; The only Elect Servant is He, whose Service hath no Limitation; but, as was said, The Son Consecrated by the Word of the Oath for evermore; and constituted after the Power of an Endless Life: Melchisedec therefore, who was made like Him, was under no Limitation of Service in the History we have of Him: jacob's Patriarchal Line reached even to Moses, and there ceased; Moses Faithful in All his House Run that whole, and very Great Line of Service in the Wilderness; but was so Limited, He must by no means enter into Canaan, but must Die in the Borders; And Joshuah must enter upon his Course; and having settled the People of Israel in Canaan, and after the Lord had given them rest round about; He Finished his course. Then came on the Days of the Judges, and their course with Samuel reached (with the Intervention of Saul) unto David, who served his Generation according to the Will of God; And so the Line came down to John Baptist Fulfilfilling his course, as a Forerunner; and so to our Lord Jesus, who walked, as He said in his course here on Earth, (though as the Son, an Eternal Priest) this Day, and to Morrow; and the Third Day should be perfected. Then the course of the Apostles, and the Witnesses under a most Definitive Line, as hath been said: This therefore gives great satisfaction in the Term of Life; Calls for Great self-Resignation, and to have our Eye Fixed on the Great End of Life, the Line of Faith and Service.  
It is true, There is a Line allowed to Evil Men in their Wickedness, and in their Enjoyments of their Lusts, and Pleasures of this World; and they cannot exceed it; But this is not of the present consideration; But it is most necessary here to remember; That the Lowest and Meanest, even the Infant Servants of God have their Line and Service, and the Just Times of it Fixed by God; even as their Reward; because it is wholly the Reward of Free Grace, It is in the essence of the Reward equal, as hath been argued.  
2. The Time of the Servants of God is therefore Defined, and Limited; That it may be seen, God hath no need of this, or that Servant, or Generation of Servants; but that He hath successive Servants, or Generations of Servants; and He is so Far off being in want of them; That He can allow them no longer Time, how Eminent, how Excellent soever, than He hath appointed, and resolved with Himself; and of Free Grace, as their Honour and Privilege, chosen them unto.  
3. The Servants of God are many; That they may reach through, and unto the Time of his Kingdom; And each must have His Time; and each must therefore, of those, who go before, give way to those, who are to follow after; and so every one is Limited to his own Time; For though it may be thought; They might be together; The Wise God having appointed Times more Dark, and more Glorious; How many of his Servants are proportioned to each, He sees, and knows, and so Limits accordingly: There was one Noah, and no more in the Old World; One Elijah only in view, in that so Fowl Apostasy of the Ten Tribes; And when the Light is clearest and most High, It must not be clear Light till his Kingdom. The General Assembly cannot be before, so each Time hath such, and such Numbers of Stars, which He telleth the Number of, and calleth them All by their Names, and knoweth, what Lustre of Rays and Beams each and together shall cast; There is a Counterpoizing consideration of Wicked Men in the World, and the Darkness, and Fire of Hell, they spread; But that is not within the present purpose.  
4. There is a Gracious Pleasure of God; There should such Numbers of his Servants be all along from Age to Age with Jesus Christ their Lord, Philip. 1. Dissolved from Body, and with Him in Spirit; Absent from the Body, and present with the Lord, 2 Cor. 5. 1, etc. And in their House not made with Hands, Eternal in the Heavens; And that our God may come and All His Saints with Him, Zech. 14. He cometh with Ten Thousand of his Saints, as the Armies of Heaven on white Horses, bodies of the Resurrection washed in the Blood of Jesus, in fine Linen, clean, and white, Rev. 19 14. To show, This hath been all along from the former Times of the World; There is a Reception in Heaven Styled, Abraham's Bosom; A Jerusalem above, the Mother of us All, that shall come down from Heaven, Gal. 4. With all its Children, Rev. 21. There is the State of the Spirits of Just Men, Heb. 12. Who shall be made perfect in bodies, made like to his Glorious Body, Phil. 3. ult. There must be therefore a Limitation of their Time of Service here below; That they may be taken within the Veil and made acquainted with the Glory, that is to be Revealed; And the Apostle Intimates; These Dead in Christ shall have some precedency; For the Dead in Christ, shall not be prevented by the Living Remaining, as we Translate; but shall not be so much, as overtaken according to the true force of the Original; we shall not attain, or come equal with those asleep, 1 Thes. c. 4. v. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Nullo Modo Assequemur; Now in all such Particularities, God is pleased to be at Liberty in dealing with His own Servants; The essential Glory, the Crown of Righteousness, the Crown of Life, the Crown of Glory being alike, sure to all: And so I have opened the second Point proposed; The Limitation of the Time of the Servants of God, continuing in His Service here on Earth; I come to the Point 3d.  
3. That the Limitation of their Time is made known to them in the manner of a severe, and angry Process, in the way of, what we Call, a Prohibition, the proper sense of what we Translate, not saffered, Heb. 7. 23. And this is a Point worthy to be enquired into for the removing the fears of Death, and for the Consolation of Saints in Death  
1. It must then be Acknowledged, that the outward Face, and appearance of Death, bears the Resemblance of a Judgement, and of that Denunciation, In the Day thou Eatest, thou shalt Die; Dust thou Art, and to Dust thou shalt return. It comes, as a King of Terrors, Flesh and Blood is ready to be affrighted at it; Life is naturally Dear, even to the Servants of God; who desire not to be unclothed; They desire to continue in the Service of God here; but when they are raised by Higher Considerations of being present with the Lord, Clothed upon with their House from Heaven, they even desire to be Dissolved. And it cannot be denied; That God doth in the Dying of his Servants bear a Regard to that Justice, and Truth of His Word; That when Sin came in, Death came in and passed upon All, because All have sinned, Rom. 5. 12. Wheu the Servants of God therefore are warm and zealous, and lively in His Service, Often there comes a Prohibition; Thou mayest no longer continue in my Service here; like the command to Moses, to anoint Eleazar and to strip Aaron of his Priestly Garments, who was presently to Die; A Prohibition to Moses, to carry Israel over Jordan, but to come up to Mount Nebo and to Die; Deut. 33. God plainly sent to Hezekiah, to set His House in Order and to Die; against which Prohibition that it might be under, as it were an Arrest of Judgement, He so earnestly Prayed.  
It is therefore to be duly considered; That for the Display of the Judgement, and Indignation of God against sin, and because of the present State of the Saints under a Remaining Body of Sin, and so of Death; and in the present State of this World, full of Sin and Evil, and of so many of the Children of Adam, Children of Death, even of the Second Death; In the Wisdom and Holiness of God, It was by the Counsel of the Father, and the Son, that Death should continue, and have the Face of a Judgement, and of a Legal Prohibition to continue in the Service of God any longer on Earth; Till the Kingdom of Christ, the Kingdom of Redemption should bring in a State of the Living Saints, then Remaining being changed, and not to Die.  
2. Jesus Christ our Lord, Because the Children were Partakers of Flesh and Blood, He took part of the same, that through Death, He might subdue Him, that had the Power of Death; that is, the Devil; and Deliver them, who all their Life were subject to Bondage by reason of the Fear of Death; and now therefore Death came upon Him with the Violence, and Terror of a Judgement from which He was taken and from Prison, Esa. 53. 8. By the Mighty Power of his Resurrection; It becomes all His to submit then to the Face of a Judgement in Dying, that they may be conformed to their Captain and from the First Born, Heb. 2. 14.  
Obj. It may be Objected against this necessity of Dying, How were those two Enoch, and Elias, exempted from that sentence of the Righteous, and Holy Law that is stretched out so upon all; seeing sin had extended itself on them, as well, as on others?  
Answ. The Death of Jesus Christ, stood as a Full Ransom, and Price of Redemption from the very first promise, so that it is not indeed a Point of Justice, or of the Truth of God; That Believers in Jesus Christ are served (as I may so speak) with a Prohibition by Death; but a Wise, and Holy Dispensation of Government with Relation to the Servants of God in the present World; where therefore, in that wise Government God thinks fit; there might be such an exemption from the General Statute of Dying, or Prohibition by Death, as of Enoch and Elijah; and many more Examples of such Exemptions, there might have been, if He had seen Good, having received such full satisfaction to his Law, and to his Justice; and He hath it in reserve an Universal Exemption at the Kingdom of Christ, the Kingdom of Redemption; when the Apostle says, We shall not all dye, but we shall all be changed; and he prefaces before it: Behold I show you a mystery; And I am much persuaded and even assured; These two were Types of the Living, Remaining caught up to meet the Lord in the Air, 1 Cor. 15. He delivers up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, and hath put down all Rule Authority, and the last Enemy and cast it into the Lake, Rev. 20. ult. When the Gentle Hand of Power shall Transpose the Saints; as the Great Prophet Enoch, of the Lord coming with Ten Thousand of his Saints, and the Living Remaining changed, and the Flames of Fire upon All Enemies, shall convey them as in Elijahs Chariot to Heaven.  
3. The Judiciary part of Death is absolutely removed; For the Sting of Death is Sin, and the strength of Sin is the Law, but thanks be to God who hath given us the Victory through Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 15. 12. So that Death is to Saints, a sleeping in Jesus, a Resting from Labours, an entering into Rest, a becoming present with the Lord; A being with Christ, a being in Paradise, a being clothed upon with our House from Heaven. And to show, It was not a Deadly stroke; Before the Pronunciation of that Universal Prohibition of continuing here; Dust thou Art, and to Dust thou shalt Return; Death was more gently expressed, and with assurance of Victory; The Woman's Seed shall break the Serpents, Head, but the Serpent shall only Bruise the Heel of the Woman's Seed.  
Applic. I will now by way of Applicatory Review, close the whole; How fit this Context of the Apostle is to a Discourse with Relation to the Death of one, or more of the Servants of God, appears by the Apostles Preface to it; I am even now as it were already, as in Conformity to my Great Lord Offered, and Sacrificed, as a Martyr, and the Time of my Dissolution is at Hand; and so He goes on, I have Fought, etc. As if He Preached his own Funeral Sermon, while Living, and a Great one it is; but it hath its Principal sense in Christ; and in God; as appears in the following Part of the Chapter, v. 17. wherein we have this Great acknowledgement, that in his Fight the Good Fight, and Finishing his Course, the Lord stood with Him, strengthened Him; that by Him the Preaching might be Fully known, and the Gentiles hear, and the Lord Delivered Him, out of the Mouth of the Lion, the Lord would deliver Him from every Evil Work, and preserve Him unto His Heavenly Kingdom, and to Him he ascribes the Glory of All for Ever; And He Includes all Saints; Even all, who Love the appearing of Jesus Christ, this High Elogium, or Speech of Praise, else I must acknowledge, I have no Opinion of the Large Encomiums, or Praisings used in Funeral Sermons, observing the Grand Exemplar of them; Gods Gracious Remembrance of Moses, John 1. Moses my Servant is Dead and no more, and yet that Fixed so Dashing a Character of Honour upon Him; that He is remembered by it to the Last, Rev. 15. They Sang the Song of Moses the Servant of God, and of the Lamb: But this of the Apostle Joined with that of Heb. 7. 23. Gives me such a History of the Life and Death of Saints; That I cannot, but Recommend it to all the Servants of Christ, as the most excellent Rule of Life, and as the Ground of the most Consolatory Hope in Death, and that the very Discourse of it may be upon the Deceased Christian Friend a Memorial of Honour; And so I most Humbly Recommend it to the Relations of all the Friends of the so many lately Removed Servants of God, and of this Particular one, the occasion of whose Death it is Published; through Him, who though the Eternal Liver, as the Son of God without Beginning, or End of Days, yet in our Nature Became Dead for our sakes, but behold He is Alive for Evermore; Even so have all his Servants Reason to say, Even so Amen. And He hath the. Keys of Hell, and Death; Let Him Lay His Hand on his Servants of God in this Discourse, and Bless it to Them and to his Servants of all States and Conditions; saying unto them, Fear not. And to Him be Glory for Ever.  
FINIS.