QS.& /r. 'Sirs/.'
- 7
(: { ^xsx^t^f
Sc-.s*
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2012 with funding from
Princeton Theological Seminary Library
http://www.archive.org/details/redeemersteOOhowe
4m
'/S22
SELECT K
CHRISTIAN AUTHORS,
INTRODUCTORY ESSAYS.
THE
REDEEMER'S TEARS
WEPT OVER
LOST SOULS:
TWO DISCOURSES
ON SELF-DEDICATION, AND ON YIELDING
OURSELVES TO GOD.
BY THE
REV. JOHN HOWE, M. A.
WITH
AN INTRODUCTORY ESSAY.
BY THE
REV. ROBERT GORDON,
EDINBURGH.
GLASGOW:
PRINTED FOR CHALMERS AND COLLINS;
WAUGH & INNES, EDINBURGH ; R. M. TIMS, DUBLIN ;
AND G. & W. B. WHITTAKER, LONDON.
1822.
,--■
Printed by W. Collins & Co.
Glasgow.
INTRODUCTORY ESSAY.
It can hardly have escaped the observation of any-
one who has read the Bible with attention, that
in all the communications which the Almighty has
been pleased to make to his rebellious subjects, he
has employed language the best calculated to make
its way to the heart and affections of mankind — that
while his remonstrances with the impenitent present
a lamentable picture of the most unreasonable hos-
tility, and unprovoked aggression on their part, they
bear testimony, at the same time, to the most com-
passionate forbearance on his — and that as often as
he directly addresses the penitent and believing,
whether it be in the way of reproof or of consola-
tion, it is still in terms that breathe all the affection-
ate tenderness of a father's love. That such is the
language of Scripture nobody can for a moment dis-
pute, and that the design of such language is to
remove those unworthy suspicions of the divine cha-
racter, which go to array the feelings and affections
of the human heart in hostility to its Maker, and
perpetuate the enmity of the carnal mind against
God, is equally obvious and incontrovertible. It
VI
will readily be admitted too, that if any thing ap-
proaching to such generosity and unmerited forbear-
ance, could be manifested by one human being to-
wards another, it could not fail to extort a universal
tribute of admiration and respect, and that the com-
mon consent of mankind would pronounce that man
to have reached the very last stage of moral insensi-
bility, who could remain unaffected by such treat-
ment on the part of one whom he had injured, or
whose hostility that treatment would fail to disarm.
And yet, is not such, in point of fact, the reception
that the compassion of God has met with on the part
of not a few of his offending creatures? Are there
not multitudes who are conscious that they have
never been deeply or permanently affected by all the
tenderness of that commiseration which God has min-
gled with the very severest of his denunciations against
the workers of iniquity — that if, at any time, their
conscience is alarmed on contemplating the rigorous
requirements, and inviolable sanctions of his law, as
necessarily demanding a full and perfect satisfaction,
they receive at such a moment, with suspicion and
distrust, the solemn declarations of his word, that he
lias no pleasure in the death of the sinner — and that
even when they succeed in suppressing that anxiety,
and take refuge in those views of the divine mercy?
which represent him as looking on sin with too in-
dulgent an eye, ever to carry into effect against it
the award of a righteous retribution, instead of feel-
ing their heart captivated by such an idea of the
divine goodness, they acknowledge it, (if indeed
they acknowledge it at all) with a heartlcssness and
Vll
an indifference which they would be ashamed to offer
in return for the slightest expressions of kindness
and goodwill on the part of a fellow-creature? And
what is the necessary inference that we are compelled
to draw from such a fact? Is it not just virtually
saying, that they attach no credit at all to any part
of the divine testimony— that they are obstinately
and systematically labouring to exclude any thing
like a sober and serious conviction of its reality and
truth — that the solemn declarations of Scripture,
regarding the inevitable ruin which awaits an im-
penitent rebel against the holy and righteous govern-
ment of God, have never produced any more per-
manent or salutary impressions on their minds, than
if they were so many idle threats that are never
seriously intended to be carried into execution — and
that all the expressions of pity and compassion which
the Almighty has condescended to employ, in urging
upon them their infatuation and guiltj have affected
their hearts just as little, as if there were no sincerity^
and no meaning in such expressions ? They must
be conscious in fact, though they might not be very
willing to acknowledge it, that they would be better
pleased to be let altogether alone, and permitted to
enjoy a state of undisturbed indifference regarding
spiritual things, than to be assailed by any entreaty,
however earnest, or any remonstrance however ten-
der — and that they feel towards the effusions of
divine pity and commiseration, which the Scriptures
pour out over the impenitence and unbelief of an
ungodly world, very much as an alienated and disobe-
dient child would feel towards the tears and entreaties
of an affectionate but virtuous father, who should
vm
seek to detach him from his profligate associates,
and win him over from the paths of folly and of
shame.
There is no difficulty then in accounting for the
indifference with which one class of men peruse the
the language of compassion and pity, in which God
has vouchsafed to address sinners in the Bible. That
indifference is the consequence of their having no
serious conviction of the reality of any such compas-
sion on the part of God, as that language would
seem to imply — -and they doubt or question it, be-
cause they are unwilling to believe that the Gospel
method of extending mercy to sinners, is the only
one that is consistent with the unalterable principles
of the divine government. But there is reason to
believe, even with respect to such as have felt the
winning influence of the love of Christ, and who
can testify, from what they have experienced, that
nothing but this influence could ever have dislodged
the spirit of aversion to God and holiness, which they
once cherished, and which, in the days of their un-
belief, gathered strength from the very representations
of the divine character, which were intended to over-
throw it, there is reason, we say, to believe, even
with regard to such persons, that they do not al-
ways surrender themselves so unreservedly as they
are both warranted and required to do, to those feel-
ings of love, and gratitude, and confidence, which
the affectionate tenderness of Scripture language, as
addressed to them, is we conceive both fitted and
intended to awaken. To the condescension of that
language, they cannot indeed be insensible, nor can
they fail to draw consolation and encouragement from
IX
it, as often as they peruse it in the simplicity of
faith, and with the firm persuasion that it promises
nothing that will not be fulfilled far beyond what it
is possible for them to conceive. But there are
many, we are persuaded, who will be ready to ac-
knowledge, that they have sometimes attached to
such expressions of Scripture as we now allude to, a
vagueness of meaning which has marred not a little
the comfort that they might otherwise have derived
from them — that they have felt as if it were an en-
croachment on the majesty and dignity of the divine
character, to understand that language in any sense
approaching to a literal interpretation — and that
though they are persuaded it is the only language
that could convey to the understanding a distinct
idea of the compassion and mercy of God toward
sinners, yet they have often regarded it as referring
rather to the effects of the divine procedure, than
to any thing corresponding to it as actually existing
in the divine mind. Now it is certainly true, that
it never was the design of revelation to lower the
character of God in the conceptions of his intelli-
gent creatures, and it would be a most impious per-
version of the language of Scripture, to understand
it in such a sense, as to invest the divine nature
with any of the weaknesses of created and imperfect
beings, or to ascribe to him those emotions and
feelings that are inconsistent with unchangeable ex- k
cellence and felicity, and which necessarily imply
something painful and imperfect on the part of those
in whom they exist. But is it not equally true,
that when God himself, vouchsafes to address his
A3
people in language of affection and tenderness, and
does so without one -qualifying clause to forbid them,
understanding him in the plain and obvious sense of
the expressions which he employs, it is not for them
to weigh that language with the hesitancy, and to
put upon it the cautious and measured interpretation,
that would go to divest it of almost all its meaning,
and rob it of not a little of its practical energy and
force ; for when he is pleased to call himself their
father, and to clothe his communications to them in
all the attractions of a father's love, is it not for the
plain and the obvious purpose of calling forth on their
part, the affectionate submission, and the unsuspect-
ing confidence of children. The Christian, indeed,
can never cease to contemplate the majesty and per-
fections of God, with holy and reverential awe, and
in every approach that he makes to the throne of
grace, he cannot but feel and acknowledge his un-
worthiness to appear there. But such sentiments
were never designed to interfere with that confidence
towards God, as his reconciled father, which it is
the design of the spirit of adoption to impart to the
believer, nor can they furnish any grounds to doubt,
that there is, in the divine mind towards him, all
that complacency and kindness which the simple and
impressive language of Scripture appears obviously
to imply; and as often, therefore, as he indulges
in metaphysical speculations on the precise sense in
which that language is to be understood, when ap-
plied to the divine nature, he withdraws himself from
the salutary influence which it is designed to exer-
cise over him, and relinquishes not a little of the
comfort which it is fitted to impart.
XI
But clearly and emphatically as the Scriptures
every where express the compassion of God, towards
sinners, it is not in this way alone that he has gra-
ciously accommodated his procedure to the weak-
nesses of our nature. The reality of that compas-
sion has been demonstrated by the manner in which
he has vouchsafed his communications to the chil-
dren of men, as well as by the language in which
these communications are clothed — and among ma-
ny other passages to which we might appeal in proof
of this remark, we would refer to that in which our
Lord is represented as weeping over the approaching
ruin of Jerusalem, and which has been so clearly
illustrated, and powerfully enforced, by the Author
of the following Treatise. Not only has the Al-
mighty declared and repeated that declaration in
every possible variety of expression, "as I live I
have no pleasure in the death of the wicked;" but
as if to remove all that indistinctness of conception
which might cleave to our limited understanding,
and all that faithless distrust which aguilty conscience
is so ready to awaken, he has furnished, in the pas-
sage to which we allude, as distinct and unequivocal
proofs of his pity, even for those who obstinately
rejected all his counsel, and would none of his re-
proof, as one human being could give in token of
his compassion, for the misfortunes or the miseries
of another. This indeed is the tendency of the
whole scheme of the Gospel, for we cannot doubt
that one of the purposes for which God was mani-
fested in the flesh, was to exhibit to sinners, by
addressing them through the medium of the sympa-
Xll
thies and feelings of our common nature, a more
palpable and impressive demonstration of divine mer-
cy, than could have been given by the statement of any
abstract truth or doctrine which inspired men might
have been commissioned to reveal. But the obser-
vation is especially applicable, we conceive, to the
fact stated in the verses referred to; and were we
required to single out any one passage of Scripture,
in confirmation of the remarks that have now been
offered, we know not any to which we should sooner
appeal, than that which presents to us the Son of
God weeping over the coming desolation of that in-
fatuated city, on which the day of grace had for ever
closed — -whose hour of retribution could no longer,
in consistency with the rectitude and wisdom of the
divine administration, be delayed — and the measure
of whose iniquity was to be filled up by consigning
the compassionate Redeemer of the world to all the
tortures of a cruel and ignominious death. For a
full exposition of the passage itself, we would re-
fer to the following able and eloquent Treatise, but
we^may be permitted to offer a few remarks on it as
strikingly illustrative of the subject to which we have
been adverting. And in doing so, it will not be
necessary to enter at great length on the considera-
tion of the fact stated by the evangelist, as referring
to the persons who were the immediate subjects of
our Lord's interesting and impressive lamentation.
To those who are disposed to peruse the passage
with that simplicity of view, and docility of mind,
with which it becomes a fallen creature to receive a
message from the God whom he has offended, and a
Xlll
message, too, which conveys to him a tender of par-
don and reconciliation, the narrative of the inspired
writer will scarcely require any explanation : and
with regard to such as may be inclined to make it a
subject of idle speculation, and to draw from it ma-
terials on which to exercise a perverted ingenuity,
we would observe, that it is not consistent with our
present purpose, and would minister but little to
their profit, to attempt meeting and combating every
cavil that they might advance, or allow such cavils to
divert our attention from the practical lesson, which,
the subject so obviously and powerfully inculcates.
In the course of our Lord's personal ministry he
had exhibited in Jerusalem, as well as in every other
quarter of Judea, manifold and indisputable evidences
of his Messiahship — he had proved, that in his per-
son were fulfilled the predictions of ancient prophecy
concerning the frequently promised, and long ex-
pected deliverer — he had urged the Jews to believe
on him, by all the motives that could be supposed to
influence immortal creatures, and warned them, at
the same time, of the fatal and inevitable conse-
quences of rejecting him — and he had given, in a
series of miracles, as beneficent in their tendency as
they were striking in their nature, every conceivable
attestation to his divine authority, by which a com-
munication from God to the children of men can be
authenticated. This work of mercy and grace he
continued for years to prosecute, in the face of in-
gratitude and unbelief — -he patiently endured the
calumnies and contradiction of sinners, against him-
self — he manifested, on all occasions^ a heart feel-
XIV
ingly alive to the bodily sufferings, and spiritual des-
titution of mankind — his beneficence suffered no re-
laxation, and his compassion refused to be wearied
out, with all the indignities and insults with which
he had been loaded; and when he found that no-
thing would avail to remove the blindness of their
understandings, or soften the obduracy of their hearts
— when he contemplated the fearful extremity to
which they were about to carry their enmity and un-
belief, and foresaw their obstinate resistance to the
testimony that was yet to be borne to his divinity,
by his resurrection from the dead, and the effusion
of the Holy Ghost on his disciples; even then, he
shed tears of compassion over the subjects of his own
holy and righteous retribution. That, in the la-
mentation which our Lord uttered over Jerusalem,
he contemplated the spiritual desolation that was
coming on the finally impenitent, as well as the de-
struction of the city itself, cannot, we apprehend,
admit of a moment's dispute. The very ground of
that lamentation was obviously their rejection of him,
as the promised Messiah— a rejection so obstinate
and invincible that the Spirit of God had ceased to
strive with them, and had already abandoned them to
all the blindness and obduracy of a reprobate mind:
and we cannot doubt, therefore, that the terrible
consequences of this necessary abandonment were
full in our Saviour's view when he lamented that
the things belonging to their peace were for ever
hid from their eyes. We are aware that these re-
marks have, brought us to the very threshold of a
profound and inscrutable mystery, and are reminded
XV
of the solemn awe with which it becomes us to ap-
proach a subject which involves the hidden counsels
of unsearchable wisdom, and before which our un-
derstanding is summoned, to prostrate its every fa-
culty in holy and humble acquiescence in truths, which
God has been pleased to reveal, but which no streteh
of created intelligence is adequate fully to compre-
hend. But may we not be permitted to observe,
without travelling beyond the limits of legitimate in-
vestigation, or entering the forbidden ground of in-
quiry, into the secret things of the Most High, that
while the compassion of God would prompt him to
extend mercy to every apostate child of Adam, there
are infinitely wise and righteous reasons that forbid
such an indiscriminate exercise of that mercy — that
though, in one sense, he wills the repentance and
salvation of every sinner, inasmuch as the returning
allegiance of a rebel subject must be regarded by
him with complacency, as accordant with the holiness
and unbounded beneficence of his nature; yet there
is to him who comprehends at once all the purposes
of his holy administration, a limit beyond which his
spirit must cease to strive with the obstinacy and
perverseness of the carnal mind; and that, in every
case, therefore, where his grace is withheld, or where
his Spirit is withdrawn, it is because the holy, but,
to us, unsearchable purposes of his moral govern-
ment lay a restraint, as it were, on the exercise of
his compassion, and fix a point, beyond which his
forbearance cannot extend. All this, we conceive,
is obviously intimated to us in the passage referred
to; and is it not sufficient to silence every such pre-
XVI
sumptuous question as that which has sometimes
been proposed on the subject, Why our Lord should
have lamented an evil, which it was not beyond his
power, as God, to have averted ? May we not ask,
in reply, Whether it is befitting arraigned and con-
demned criminals to meet with a question like this,
the most affecting manifestation that can be con-
ceived, of the unmerited compassion of our righteous
Judge? — whether the tears, which the Redeemer
shed over the infatuation of Jerusalem, merit such a
reception as to be made the subject of inquiry by a
daring curiosity ?i — whether the impenitent, and the
unbelieving, whose ruin he lamented, will hereafter
venture to charge upon him, the misery which they
deliberately and wilfully brought upon themselves?
and whether, that very lamentation will not fearfully
aggravate their guilt, and impart unspeakable bitter-
ness to the anguish of their remorse ?
We do not think it necessary to dwell at greater
length on the examination of the subject, as imme-
diately referring to the character and condition of
the Jews; and we are not very willing, we confess,
to enter more minutely on the inquiry to which it
has sometimes given rise, and from which one may
gather more to gratify a propensity for idle specula-
tion, than of what will minister to practical and pro-
fitable instruction. However mysterious the subject
may appear to the humble and anxious inquirer, he
will see nothing but what is perfectly intelligible in
the simple fact, that the Son of God wept over the
ruin of the finally impenitent; the very mystery, with
which this fact stands connected, will serve to ren-
XV11
der it, in his estimation, more impressive and affect-
ing; and he will have no difficulty in perceiving the
solemn and important lesson which it is fitted, and
obviously designed, to inculcate. Though no direct
reference is made, in the language of our Saviour, to
any but the unbelieving Jews of that time, we can-
not doubt that what is here written, was written for
our admonition; and, indeed, various considerations
forbid us to limit the application of this subject to
unbelievers of that or any other age. In the last
intercessory supplication which our Lord offered up
on behalf of his disciples, before he suffered, we find
him praying, not for them alone, but for those also
which should believe on him through their word;
and if, in recommending his followers to the holy
keeping of his heavenly Father, he contemplated the
successive generations of his people through every
subsequent age, may we not infer that his lamenta-
tion over the miseries of his irreconcilable enemies
was equally extended and comprehensive? But, in-
dependent of this consideration, there is another
view of the subject which brings it directly to bear
on men of every age, and renders it universally ap-
plicable to the condition of the impenitent and un-
believing. When our Lord lamented the approach-
ing desolation of the guiltiest, because the most
highly favoured community on earth, and shed tears
of commiseration over the irremediable wretchedness
of men whom he had so often laboured to convert
and reclaim, and with whose perverse obstinacy he
had so long and so patiently borne, it was because
he contemplated, in their final destruction, an evil
XV111
which, considered in itself, was most abhorrent to
his holy nature. It presented to him the melan-
choly spectacle of guilty creatures rejecting every
proposal of mercy, and repelling every approach to
reconciliation, on the part of their offended Creator;
he beheld in their final impenitency immortal spirits,
on whom he had sought to impress the divine image,
and whom he would have quickened with the prin-
ciples of a divine life, consigned to all the debase-
ment and degradation of spiritual death; and he saw
perpetuated in them, beyond the possibility of
change, or the hope of mitigation, that enmity
against God, which must necessarily bring upon re-
probate spirits an eternal accumulation of guilt, and
an endless aggravation of suffering. Such were,
without doubt, the evils which our Lord contem-
plated when he uttered his compassionate lamenta-
tion over Jerusalem; and though they are evils of
which we can form but a very inadequate conception,
does not the simple fact that the Son of God wept,
as they presented themselves to the eye of his omni-
science, convey an overwhelming idea of their incon-
ceivable magnitude? But do not the same evils
accompany the final ruin of every impenitent sinner?
Are not these evils just as abhorrent as ever they
were to the principles of holiness, and purity, and
peace, which characterize the government of an in-
finitely wise and righteous sovereign? And must
they not still present the same aspect of malignity to
the eye of him who is the same yesterday, to-day,
and for ever? We must not indeed imagine that
our exalted and glorified Redeemer looks upon these
XIX
evils with any thing of the painful emotions which
his language and his tears indicated in the days of his
flesh; or that, when the high and inscrutable purposes
of his wisdom require him to withdraw divine influences
from those who have resisted and grieved the Holy
Spirit, beyond what it is befitting his rectitude and
truth to endure, his doing so can ever disturb that
infinite complacency with which he can never cease
to contemplate the execution of his sovereign decrees.
But neither are we to imagine, that the ruin of im-
mortal spirits presents to his all-seeing eye any thing
different from what it has always done, and, from
the very immutability of his nature, must necessarily
do: or that there is nothing in his mind towards
those who perish now, corresponding to what there
was towards those who rejected him in the days of
his flesh. He has expressly assured his followers
that he has carried with him, even into the abodes
of ineffable glory and blessedness, all the tenderness
of which he gave so many unequivocal proofs during
his ministry on earth — that he is not a high priest
who cannot be touched with the feeling of their in-
firmities, or who can remain an insensible spectator
of the temptations which he himself endured: and
this assurance is in perfect accordance with the whole
tenor of his communications to the Old Testament
church. And can we suppose then, that he has for-
gotten the compassion with which he once looked
on the infatuation of sinners? or that any change
has taken place in his mind towards those who still
continue deliberately to reject the counsel of God
against themselves? The careless and the unbeliev-
XX
ing may, indeed, make their escape from such re-
flections, and plead the mysteriousness of this com-
passion, in excuse for their remaining unmoved and
unaffected by it. But, mysterious as it may be, if it
were competent for us to single out one hopeless and
impenitent sinner, should we not be warranted to
tell him, that he is pitied at the very moment that
he is forsaken — that he perishes, not because God
was unwilling to be reconciled unto him, but because
he would not be reconciled unto God- — that his
turning, by penitence and faith, from his rebellious
courses, would have been regarded with infinite com-
placency by that Almighty Sovereign whom he has
compelled to arm against him all the terrors of his
displeasure — and that the ruin which he has wil-
fully and deliberately chosen, is the very evil over
which the Son of God did, in the days of his flesh,
shed tears of commiseration and pity.
The object of these remarks, as we have already
observed, is to remove, if possible, from the plain
and impressive language of Scripture, that indis-
tinctness in which we are so apt to envelop it, and
which so frequently prevents it from making its way
to the heart — to place distinctly before the sinner's
eye the fact recorded in the gospel history, that the
Saviour wept over the ruin of those who lived and
died in a state of unbelief — to show that, in as far
as the divine compassion is concerned, it is still the
same as that which dictated the pathetic lamentation
over Jerusalem — and to bring the persuasive influ-
ence of this simple fact to bear on the affections of
all; of those who have, as well as those who have
XXI
not yet yielded to the constraining power of trie love
of Christ. It is to the latter indeed, that the
solemn admonition, suggested by our Saviour's lan-
guage, is more immediately applicable, and it is on
them, therefore, that we would more especially urge
it — nor do we know, within the whole range of
Scripture argument and motive, any one considera-
tion so well fitted, through the agency of the Holy
Spirit, to vanquish the hostility of the natural man;
or should it fail to accomplish this, any one that so
fully elicits, in all its deformity, the desperate wick-
edness of the human heart. The sinner may at
times be arrested by the solemn declaration, that
there is an appointed day in which God will judge
the world in righteousness, and be compelled, by
his apprehension of the procedure of that day, to
pause before he enters on what, his conscience tells
him, is in direct opposition to the revealed will of his
Judge. But however powerful such a restraint may
be, and whatever struggle it may cost him again to
throw it off, the principle of enmity within him, will
have lost nothing of its malignant energy — nay the
very restraint, which fear imposes, will arm it with
a power before unfelt — and melancholy as the fact
unquestionably is, yet it accords with all that we
know of the constitution of our nature to believe,
that such will be the effect of apprehensions like
these, so long as sinners regard God as their enemy,
and as prescribing limits to gratifications which they
are determined at all hazards to indulge. But when
that very God, whose commandments they are thus
transgressing, appeals to them in the language of
xxu
earnest entreaty — when he addresses them as he
addressed the backsliding Jews of old, " O do not
this abominable thing which I hate;" and when he
employs every possible expression that can intimate
his merciful forbearance, and his willingness to re-
ceive them into his favour, to heal their backslidings
and love them freely — then the opposition that is
not disarmed by treatment like this, assumes a char-
acter of more hopeless and hardened impiety than
even the desperate defiance of the divine displeasure;
and the man who has so resisted, and who is con-
scious that he still continues so to resist, has travelled
to an alarming length on the way towards that point,
where others have become the subjects of the
Saviour's compassionate lamentation. But often as
such men may have evaded the force of that appeal,
we would still continue to make it; for if ever they
are to relinquish the unequal contest — if ever they
are to be convinced of the unreasonableness of that
suspicious dislike with which they eye every sub-
ject of a spiritual nature — and brought to see that
they have been all along resisting the advances of a
gracious Father towards reconciliation, it must be
by the persuasive eloquence of such arguments as
that in the passage to which we refer. Every be-
liever can bear witness that thus it has been with
him—- that the love of God in Christ Jesus has
melted and subdued the obstinacy which no dread
of punishment ever could have vanquished — and
that the small still voice of the gospel, is the only
melody that can expel from the human soul, the evil
spirit of distrust and of unbelief. And where is this
xxm
melody to be heard, if it is not in the simple, and
unadorned narrative of the inspired writer, when he
tells us, that on our Lord's approach to Jerusalem,
the place where, above all others, he had been
calumniated and reviled — where his doctrines had
been misrepresented, and his miracles ascribed to
the power of devils — and where he was so soon to
suffer the ignominious death, by which he was to
expiate the sins of a guilty world — even with all
these recollections of the past, and with the most
perfect foreknowledge of the future, he beheld the
city, and he wept over it? Could sinners be but
persuaded of the reality of the compassion that was
then manifested — could they be made to see, that
there was a depth and an intenseness in that com-
passion, which the most complicated affliction never
awakened in the bosom even of the most benevolent
and humane of the children of men — and could they
be convinced that this very pity is flowing forth to-
wards themselves, in the midst of all the folly and
infatuation by which they are permitting themselves
to be duped and deceived— is it possible to suppose
that they could summon up hardihood enough to
treat such forbearance with contempt or with uncon-
cern? And if they did venture so to treat it, could
they arraign either the rectitude or the beneficence
of God, if he should for ever withdraw from them
his Holy Spirit — would they not be compelled to
acknowledge, that indulgence to ingratitude like this,
would be a departure from the unchangeable principles
of justice and truth — and whatever plea they might
be disposed to urge in their own defence, when sis-
XXIV
ted at the tribunal of God, could it require any thing
more, than merely reminding them of the long-suffer-
ing patience which they had experienced and abused,
to awe them at once into silence and shame?
But we are aware it may be urged by many who,
though they are in reality still in a state of alienation
from God, have, nevertheless, the credit and. re-
spectability of a Christian profession to plead, that
there is no sort of parallel between their condition
and that of the unbelieving Jews — that they have
never shown any such enmity to Christ, as the latter
often manifested — and that they have no reason,
therefore, to dread their ever arriving at that state
of hardened impenitency, in which the persons,
whose ruin our Lord lamented, were given up to
the blindness of a reprobate mind. They may allege
too, that they have never questioned, as the Jews
did, the testimony which the Spirit of God bears to
the truth of the gospel; either by a miraculous
agency without, or the operation of his influence
within them — that they have given their assent to
the truth which he formerly attested, and are en-
deavouring, in some measure, to regulate the or-
dinary tenor of their life, by the laws and precepts
which he has sanctioned- — and that they cannot
therefore in justice, or in fairness, be ranked among
those, who have resisted and grieved the Holy
Spirit, whereby the believer is sealed unto the day
of redemption. Now, in reply to all this, we would
observe, that we are not seeking to establish any
parallel between those who avowedly believe the
gospel, and such as openly rejected it; nor does the
XXV
force of the remarks that have been offered depend
on any similarity, with regard to external condition
and character, between the one class and the other.
But we would remind those, who may be most for-
ward to repel any such charge, that it is not enough
that they have never openly denied the truth, nor
publicly renounced the faith of the gospel — and that
it proves but little with regard to their spiritual safe-
ty, that they have never been placed in circumstances,
where they could be guilty of such complicated of-
fences, as those that stand recorded in the Gospel
History against the inhabitants of Jerusalem. The
question is not in what way, or to what extent they
have rejected Christ, but whether they have received
him — whether they have surrendered their hearts
to the influence of his love, and devoted, by a willing
obedience, their lives to his glory — and if they are
conscious that they have not done, and have no desire
to do so — that they would gladly live with as little
reflection on the subject as they possibly can — and
that their aversion to the spirituality of the serviee
which he requires, is still unsubdued and unabated —
then they must be held as having turned a deaf ear
to all the affectionate earnestness of his remon-
strances with sinners, and opposed a callous heart
to all the tenderness with which he has assailed
them. Nor can they, without belying their own
experience, allege that they have never resisted the
direct operation of the Spirit's influence on their
hearts^ — for where is the individual among professing
Christians, who has not had his seasons of suspicion
and fear regarding his ; eternal interests — whose
B
XXVI
heart lias not at times misgiven him, in spite of all
the arguments by which he may have laboured to
set himself at ease, on the subject of his spiritual
concerns — who has not, occasionally at least, felt
the depressing weight of doubts, from which he
could with difficulty make his escape — and who has
not been, at one period or another, under something
approaching to a conviction, that all was not right
with regard to the state of his soul? And can they,
who are conscious of having suppressed such awaken-
ings, or rid themselves of such fears, in any other
way than that which the gospel has provided, still
maintain that they have never quenched or resisted
the Spirit's influence — or can they still venture to
calculate on his renewing his operation upon them,
with more power and efficiency at some future pe-
riod? This may, perhaps, be the condition and
the sentiments of some— and they may be ready
with what they conceive to be a satisfactory reply to
all that has now been urged. They may oppose to
the danger which these remarks would represent, as
awaiting them, the unbounded mercy of God— they
may flatter themselves that he will never institute so
rigorous an inquiry into their character, as the
statement now made would seem to insinuate— and
they may even gather encouragement to their indif-
ference, from the view that has just been exhibited
of the Redeemer's compassion. But can they re-
quire to be again reminded, that the very persons
whose condition called forth the Saviour's lamenta-
tion, had shut themselves out from all share in the
blessed effects of that compassion which their wretch-
xxvn
edness had awakened — and will they venture to rely
on this compassion, while they deliberately keep out
of view, the principles of holiness, and justice, and
truth, according to which it must ever be exercised?
Is it not saying, that they will take encouragement
to sin from the very mercy that is seeking to deliver
them from the pollution and misery which sin has
entailed upon them — is it not to calculate on their
experiencing the pity, which the Saviour manifested
for sinners, while they are deliberately resisting the
very influence with which that pity is designed to
operate — is it not to degrade this principle from its
lofty pre-eminence, as an attribute of the Godhead,
to a level with the weakness and imperfection of
humanity. O let not sinners so trifle with the so-
lemn declarations of Scripture, as at one time to
treat the divine compassion with indifference, on the
ground of its being too far removed from their or-
dinary conceptions, either to influence their under-
standing, or impress their heart— and at another
time to presume on its being exercised towards
them, without any reference to the essential perfec-
tions of the divine nature, and the honour and dig-
nity of the divine government. While they seek
to be persuaded of its reality, let them not wilfully
misunderstand its nature, or mistake its design—
and let them bear in mind, that the object of every
gracious invitation which the gospel contains, is to
urge and persuade them, in this the day of their
most merciful visitation, to remember the things
that belong to their peace, before they are for ever
hid from their eyes.
B 2
xxvm
It will not, we think, be disputed, that one of the
most powerful and persuasive arguments, by which
the enmity of the carnal mind can be assailed, is
furnished by the. simple fact, that God has left no
conceivable means unemployed, whereby to demon-
strate the reality of his compassion for sinners, and
of his unwillingness that they should continue in a
state of impenitence and of unbelief; and of the many
proofs of this fact to be found in Scripture, there
are none, perhaps, either more decisive or more af-
fecting, than our Lord's weeping over the fate of
Jerusalem. We are aware, that in the preceding
remarks, we have done little more than hinted at
this argument; but for the farther illustration of the
subject, we gladly refer to the following Treatise, as
containing one of the most powerful appeals to the
conscience with which we are acquainted. It would
be difficult, indeed, to point out any work, in which
so much important matter has been condensed into
so small a compass. Within the limits of a few
pages, the reader will find exhibited in a very strik-
ing and impressive light, the true state of the contro-
versy, which sinners are maintaining with God — the
nature of faith and genuine repentance — the respon-
sibility of those who live under the gospel dispensa-
tion, as enjoying a day of grace, which may, in va-
rious ways terminate, while they are still in a state
of alienation from their Maker — the folly of the
arguments by which the unregenerate will sometimes
seek to justify their indolence and indifference, on
the ground that no anxiety or efforts of theirs, will
avail any thing, till God is pleased to put forth upon
XXIX
them the efficacious influences of his Holy Spirit,
the unreasonableness, as well as the mischievous
tendency of those painful suspicions by which the
awakened sinner sometimes permits himself to be
perplexed, when he sets about determining whether
his day of grace may not already be over— and a
vindication of the rectitude of the divine procedure
in those cases, where, in consequence of the sinner's
obstinacy, the . influences of the Holy Spirit are
withheld, or finally withdrawn. We can hardly
conceive it possible, that the most indifferent should
attentively peruse this Treatise, without rinding
some suspicions of their safety, and some misgivings
about the validity of the plea which, they may have
been accustomed to. urge in their own defence, and
by which they have hitherto contrived to reconcile
their conscience to a life of thoughtlessness and folly.
And should any such begin to feel uneasiness, on
the recollection . of the ingratitude and neglect with
which they have treated the mercy and forbearance
of God, we would earnestly recommend to their
serious perusal the discourses on " Self-dedication,"
and " Yielding ourselves to God," which have been
selected as an appropriate accompaniment to the
Treatise, which it is the more immediate object of
this publication to bring within the reach of those,
who may not have access to the full edition of our
Author's works.* These discourses are characterized
by the same spirit of earnest and affectionate solici-
* The public are indebted to the Rev. John Hunt, of Chi-
chester, for a uniform edition of the whole of Howe's Works, in
eight volumes, 8vo. commenced in 1810, and completed in 1822.
XXX
tude, for the salvation of sinners, which breathes
throughout the Treatise on our Lord's Lamentation
over Jerusalem — and if any salutary impressions
are made by the perusal of the one, it will be found
that in the other, the Author never for a moment, re-
linquishes his hold of the conscience of his readers,
till he brings them to the point where every reflect-
ing mind must be compelled to acknowledge the ne-
cessity of coming to an immediate decision on the
question, which more than any other, the natural
man is anxious to evade. Of the sublimity of con-
ception, the ardour of feeling, and energy of lan-
guage which distinguish the following Treatises, it
is unnecessary for us to speak : but we would en-
treat those, into whose hands they may come, not
to lay them aside with a single reading, for we may
venture to assure them, that however much of their
excellence they may discover on a first perusal, every
subsequent one, will more than confirm the estimate.
It is matter of regret, that these, as well as the other
works of Howe, have for a long period been so lit-
tle known; and we should rejoice to be in any de-
gree instrumental in bringing into wider circulation,
what through the divine blessing, is so eminently
calculated to promote the cause of vital godliness.
May the Spirit of God give efficiency to the pre-
sent feeble effort for awakening the thoughtless
and self-secure, and seal on the hearts of all who
shall peruse the following pages, the momentous
truths which they contain.
R. G.
Edinburgh, October, 1822.
CONTENTS.
Page
THE REDEEMER'S TEARS WEPT OVER LOST
SOULS, , . . 33
Preface, 35
The Redeemer's Tears, &c. . . . . . 51
Appendix — Concerning the Blasphemy against the Holy
Ghost ; and how God is said to will the Salvation of them
that perish. • 153
ON SELF-DEDICATION, ... 171
ON YIELDING OURSELVES TO GOD, . . 231
THE
REDEEMER'S TEARS
WEPT OVER
LOST SOULS.
B3
PREFACE.
When spiritual judgments do more eminently be-
fall a people, great outward calamities do often ensue.
We know it was so in the instance to which the text
here insisted on refers. But it is not always so :
the connexion between these two sorts of judgments
is not absolutely certain and necessary, yea, is more
frequent with the contraries of each. For this
reason, therefore, and because judgments of the for-
mer kind are so inexpressibly greater, and more
tremendous, and about which serious monitions both
have a clearer ground, and are of greater impor-
tance; this Discourse insists only upon them, and
wholly waves the latter.
Too many are apt first to fancy similitudes between
the state of things with one people and another, and
then to draw inferences; being, perhaps, imposed
upon by a strong imagination in both, which yet
must pass with them for a spirit of prophecy: and
perhaps they take it not well, if it do not so with
others too. It were indeed the work of another pro-
36
pliet, certainly to accommodate and make application
of what was spoken by a former, to a distinct time
and people. It is enough for us to learn, from such
sayings as this of our Saviour, those rules of life
and practice, such instructions and cautions as are
common to all times, without arrogating to ourselves
his prerogative, of foretelling events that shall happen
in this or that. The affectation of venturing upon
futurity, and of foreboding direful things to king-
doms and nations, may, besides its being without
sufficient ground, proceed from some very bad prin-
ciple or other. Dislike of the present methods of
Providence, weariness and impatience of our present
condition, too great proneness to wish what we take
upon us to predict, the prediction importing more
heat of anger than certainty of foresight, a wrathful
spirit, that would presently fetch down fire from
heaven upon such as favour not our inclinations and
desires, so that, as the Poet speaks, "whole cities
should be overturned at our request," if the " hea-
venly powers would be so easy" as to comply with
such furious imprecations; — a temper that ill agrees
with humanity itself, not to care at what rate of com-
mon calamity and misery a purchase be made of our
own immunity from sufferings. Nay, to be willing to
run the most desperate hazard in the case, and even
covet a general ruin to others, upon a mere appre-
hended possibility that our case may be mended by
it, when it may be more probable to become much
worse. But O how disagreeable is it to the spirit
of our merciful Lord and Saviour, whose name we
bear, upon any terms, to delight in human miseries !
37
The greatest honour men of that complexion are
capable of doing the Christian name, were to disclaim
it. Can such angry heats have place in Christian
breasts, as shall render them the well-pleased spec-
tators, yea, authors of one another's calamities and
ruin ! Can the tears jhat issued from these com-
passionate blessed eyes, upon the foresight of Jerur
salem's woful catastrophe, do nothing towards the
quenching of these flames !
But I add that the too-intent fixing of our
thoughts upon any supposable events in this world,
argues, at least, a narrow, carnal mind, that draws
and gathers all things into time, as despairing of
eternity: and reckons no better state of things con-
siderable, that is not to be brought about under their
own present view, in this world; as if it were un-
certain or insignificant, that there shall be unexcep-
tionable, eternal order, and rectitude in another.
It is again as groundless, and may argue as ill
a mind, to prophecy smooth and pleasant things, in
a time of abounding wickedness. The safer, middle
course is, without God's express warrant, not to pro-
phecy at all, but, as we have opportunity, to warn*
and instruct men, with all meekness and long-suffer-
ing; for which the Lord's ordinary messengers can
never want his warrant; and, after our blessed Sa-
viour's most imitable example, to scatter our tears
over the impenitent, even upon the (too probable)
apprehension of the temporal judgments which hang
over their heads, but most of all upon the account
of their liableness to the more dreadful ones of the
other state ; which, in the following Discourse, I
hope it is made competently evident this lamentation
38
of our Saviour hath ultimate reference unto. For
the other, though we know them to be due, and most
highly deserved; yet, concerning the actual inflic-
tion of them, even upon obstinate and persevering
sinners, we cannot pronounce. We have no settled
constitution or rule, by which we can conclude it,
any more than that outward felicity or prosperity
shall be the constant portion of good men in this
world. The great God hath reserved to himself a
latitude of acting more arbitrarily, both as to pro-
mises and threatenings of this nature. If the ac-
complishment of either could be certainly expected,
it should be of the promises rather; because as to
promised rewards, God is pleased to make himself
debtor, and a right accrues to them to whom the
promise is made, if either the promise be absolute,
or made with any certain condition that is actually
performed. But Qod is always the creditor pcence
— the right to punish remains wholly in himself;
the exacting whereof he may therefore suspend, with-
out any appearance of wrong, as seemeth good un-
to him. If, therefore, he may withhold temporal
blessings from good and pious men, to which they
have a remote and fundamental right, as having re-
served to himself the judgment of the fit time and
season of bestowing them; much more doth it be-
long to his wisdom to fix the bounds of his patience
and long-suffering; and determine the season of ani-
madverting upon more open and insolent offenders
by temporal punishments, according as shall make
most for the ends of his government, and finally
prove more advantageous to the dignity and glory
of it. The practice, therefore, of our Saviour, in
39
speaking so positively, concerning the approaching
fall and ruin of Jerusalem, is no pattern unto us.
He spake not only with the knowledge of a prophet,
but with the authority of a judge: and his words
may be considered both as a prediction and a sen-
tence. We can pretend to speak in neither capa-
city, touching things of this nature.
But for the everlasting punishments in another
world,. that belong to unreconciled sinners, who re-
fuse to know the things of their peace, the gospel-
constitution hath made the connexion firm and unal-
terable, between their continuing, unrepented wicked-
ness, and those punishments. When, therefore, we
behold the impudent, provoking sins of the age
wherein we live, against the natural, eternal law of
our Creator, persisted in, with all the marks of infi-
delity and obduration against the truth and grace
that so gloriously shine forth in the gospel of our
Redeemer, we may, after him, speak positively,
" He that believeth not shall be damned, — is con-
demned already; — shall not see life, — but the wrath
of God abideth on him. If ye believe not that I
am he, ye shall die in your sins. Except ye repent
ye shall all likewise perish." And here, how doth
it become us too, in conformity to his great example,
to speak compassionately, and as those that in some
measure, " know the terror of the Lord !" O how
doleful is the case, when we consider the inconsistent
notions of many, with, not this or that particular doc-
trine, or article of the Christian Faith, but with the
whole sum of Christianity; the Atheism of some;
the avowed mere Theism of others ! The former
sort far outdoing the Jewish infidelity: which people,
40
besides the rational means of demonstrating a Deity,
common to them with the rest of mankind, could,
upon the account of many things peculiar to them-
selves, be in no suspense concerning this matter.
How great was their reverence of the books of the
Old Testament, especially those of Moses ! their
knowledge most certain of plain and most convincing
matters of fact. How long the government of their
nation had been an immediate Theocracy ! What
evident tokens of the divine presence had been among
them from age to age ! in how wonderful a manner
they were brought out of Egypt, through the Red
Sea, and conducted all along through the wilderness!
how glorious an appearance and manifestation of him-
self God afforded to them, at the giving of the law,
upon Mount Sinai! and by how apparent exertions
of the Divine power the former inhabitants were ex-
pelled, and they settled in the promised land ! Upon
all this they could be in no more doubt concerning
the existence of a Deity, than of the sun in the fir-
mament. Whereas, we are put to prove, in a
Christian nation, that this world, and its continual
successive inhabitants, have a wise intelligent Maker
and Lord, and that all things came not into the state
wherein they are, by (no man can imagine what)
either fatality or casualty.
But both sorts agree in (what I would principally
remark) the disbelief of Christ's being the Messiah.
And so, with both, the whole business of Christian-
ity must be a fable and a cheat. And thus it is de-
termined, not by men that have made it their busi-
ness to consider, and examine the matter, (for the
plain evidence of things cannot but even obtrude a
41
conviction upon any diligent inquirer) but by such
as have only resolved not to consider; who have be-
fore hand settled their purpose, never to be awed by
the apprehension of an invisible Ruler, into any
course of life that shall bear hard upon sensual incli-
nation; have already chosen their master, enslaved
themselves to brutal appetite, and are so habituated
to that mean servility, made it so connatural, so deep-
ly inward to themselves, so much their very life, as
that, through the pre-appreh ended pain, and uneasi-
ness of a violent rupture, in tearing themselves from
themselves, it is become their interest not to admit
any serious thought. Any such thought they are
concerned (they reckon) to fence against as against
the point of a sword; it strikes at their only life; the
brute must die, that (by a happy 7ra.Kiyyovvi<rioL) they
may be again born men. That is the design of
Christianity, to restore men to themselves again;
and because it hath this tendency, it is therefore not
to be endured. And all the little residue of human
wit which is yet left- them (which because the sensual
nature is predominant, is pressed into a subserviency
to the interest and defence of the brutal life), only
serves them to turn every thing of serious religion
into ridicule, and being themselves resolved never to
be reasoned into any seriousness, they have the con-
fidence to make the trial whether all other men can
be jested out of it.
If this were not the case, if such persons could
allow themselves to think, and debate the matter,
how certain would the victory, how glorious would
the triumph be, of the Christian religion, over all
42
the little cavils they are wont to allege against it !
Let their own consciences testify in the case, whether
ever they have applied themselves to any solemn
disquisition concerning this important affair, but
only contented themselves with being able, amidst
transient discourse, to cast out, now and then, some
oblique glance, against somewhat or other, that was
appendant, or more remotely belonging to the
Christian profession, (in so much haste as not to
stay for an answer) and because they may have sur-
prised, sometimes, one or other, not so ready, at a
quick repartee, or who reckoned the matter to re-
quire solemn, and somewhat larger discourse, (which
they have not had the patience to hear) whether
they have not gone away puffed and swollen with
the conceit that they have whiffled Christianity
away, quite off the stage, with their profane breath ;
as if its firm and solid strength, wherein it stands
stable, as a rock of adamant, depended upon this
or that sudden, occasional, momentary effort on the
behalf of it. But if such have a mind to try
whether any thing can be strongly said in defence of
that sacred profession, let them considerately peruse
what hath been written, by divers, to that purpose.
And not to engage them in any very tedious, long-
some task, if they like not to travel through the
somewhat abstruser work of the most learned Hugo
Grotius, concerning the truth of the Christian Reli-
gion, or the more voluminous Huetius' Demonstratio
Evangelica, or divers others that might be named, let
them but patiently and leisurely read over, that later
very plain and clear, but nervous and solid discourse,
43
of Dr. Parker, upon this subject; and judge, then?
whether the Christian religion want evidence, or
whether nothing can be alleged why we of this age,
so long after Christ's appearance upon the stage of
the world, are to reckon ourselves obliged to profess
Christianity, and to observe the rules of that holy
profession.
And really, if, upon utmost search, it shall be
found to have firm truth at the bottom, it makes it-
self so necessary (which must be acknowledged part
of that truth) that any one that hath wit enough to
be the author of a jest, might understand it to be
a thing not to be jested with. It trifles with no
man. And where it is once sufficiently propounded,
leaves it no longer indifferent whether we will be of
it or no. Supposing it true, it is strange if we can
pretend it not to be sufficiently propounded to us :
or that we are destitute of sufficient means to come
by the knowledge of that truth ! Was this religion
instituted only for one nation or age? Did the
Son of God descend from heaven, put on flesh, and
die? had we an incarnate Deity conversant among
men on earth, and made a sacrifice for the sins of
men? and hath he left the world at liberty, whether,
upon any notice hereof, they should inquire and
concern themselves about him or no? being incar-
nate, he could not, as such, be every where; nor
was it fit he should be long here; or needful (and
therefore not fit) he should die often. It was con-
descension enough that he vouchsafed once to appear
in so mean and self-abasing a form, and " offered
himself to put away sin, by the sacrifice of himself."
44
And whereas he hath himself founded a dominion
over us in his own blood, " did die, and revive, and
rise again, that he might be Lord of the living and
of the dead:" and the eternal Father hath hereupon
" highly exalted him, given him a name above every
name, that at his name every knee should bow, and
that all should confess that he is Lord, to the praise
and glory of God:" and hath required " that all
should honour the Son as himself is to be honoured;
hath given him power over all flesh; and made him
head of all things to the church:" Was it ever in-
tended men should, generally, remain exempt' from
obligation to observe, believe, and obey him? Was
it his own intention to wave, or not insist upon his
own most sacred, and so dearly acquired rights? to
quit his claim to the greatest part of mankind? why
did he then issue out his commission as soon as he was
risen from the dead, " to teach all nations," to pro-
selyte the world to himself, " to baptize them into his
name," with that " of the Father and the Holy
Ghost," O the great and venerable names that are
named upon professing Christians ! Could it be his
intention, to leave it lawful to men to choose this, or
any, or no religion, as their humours or fancies, or
lusts, should prompt them ; to disregard and deride his
holy doctrines, violate and trample upon his just and
equal laws, reject and contemn his offered favours and
mercy, despise and profane his sacred institutions!
When he actually makes his demand, and lays his
claim, what amazing guilt, how swift destruction must
they incur, that dare adventure to deny the Lord
that bought them ! And they that shall do it among
45
a Christianized people^ upon the pretended insuffi-
ciency of the revelation they have of him, do but
heighten the affront and increase the provocation.
It is to charge the whole Christian institution with
foolery, as pretending to oblige men, when they
cannot know to what, how, or upon what ground they
should be obliged; to pronounce the means and
methods inept and vain, which he hath thought
sufficient, and only fit for the propagating and con-
tinuing Christianity in the world; to render the
rational reception of it from age to age, impossi-
ble, in his apppointed way : or unless men should
be taught by angels, or voices from heaven, or
that miracles should be so very frequent and
common, as, thereby also to become useless to
their end; and so would be to make the whole
frame of Christian religion an idle impertinency ;
and in reference to its avowed design, a self-repug-
nant thing, and consequently were to impute folly
to him who is the wisdom of God.
And how are other things known, of common
concernment, and whereof an immediate knowledge
is as little possible? Can a man satisfy himself,
that he hath a title to an estate, conveyed down to
him by very ancient writings, the witnesses whereof
are long since dead and gone ? or that he is obliged
by laws made many an age ago ? Or could any re-
cords be preserved with more care and concern, than
those wherein our religion lies ? or be more secure
from designed, or material deprivation ? . But this is
no place to reason these things. Enough is said by
others referred to before. I only further say, if any
46
that have the use of their understandings, living in
a Christian nation, think to justify their infidelity
and disobedience to the Son of God, by pretending
they had no sufficient means to know him to be so,
the excuse will avail them alike, as that did him who
insolently said, " Who is the Lord, that I should
obey his voice ? I know not the Lord, neither will
I." For have not we as good means to know who
Christ is, as the Egyptians at that time had to know
" who was the God of Israel," though afterwards
he was more known by the judgments which he exe-
cuted? Although the knowledge of the only true
God be natural, and the obligation thereto com-
mon to men ; yet, the indisposition, to use their un-
derstanding this way, is so great and general, and
" the express revelation that Jesus Christ was
the Son of God," requires so much less labour to
understand it, than there is in arguing* out the ex-
istence and attributes of God, by an inhabile, slug-
gish mind, that the difference cannot be great, if
any, on that side. This latter only needs the in-
quiry whence the Revelation comes, which, as it is
not difficult in itself, so this occasion, namely, of its
being proposed, doth invite and urge to it; whereas
the generality of the Pagan world have little of ex-
ternal inducement, leading them into inquiries con-
cerning the true God. Therefore, all circumstances
considered, I see not how they that live under the
gospel, can be thought to have less advantage and
obligation to own Jesus of Nazareth to be the Son
of God, than the rest of the world, to own the only
living and true God ; or, that, the former should
47
be less liable to the " revelation of the wrath of God
from heaven," for holding supernatural truth in
unrighteousness, than the other for doing so injuri-
ous violence to that which is merely natural. Unto
what severities then, of the divine wrath and justice,
even of the highest kind, do multitudes lie open in
our days !
For besides those, much fewer, mental or notional
infidels, that believe not the principles of the Christian
religion, against the clearest evidence, how vastly
greater is the number of them that are so, in heart
and practice, against their professed belief ! that live
in utter estrangement from God, as without him, in
the world, or in open enmity against him, and con-
trariety to the known rules of the religion they pro-
fess ! How many that understand nothing of its
principle and plainest doctrines ! as if nothing were
requisite to distinguish the Christian from the Pa-
gan world, more than an empty name ; or as if the
Redeemer of sinners had died upon the cross, that
men might more securely remain alienated from the
life of God, not to reconcile and reduce them to
him ! or that they might with safety indulge appe-
tite, mind earthly things, make the world their god,
gratify the flesh, and make provision to fulfil the
lusts of it, defy heaven, affront their Maker, live
in malice, envy, hatred, to one another ! not to bless
them, by turning them from these impieties and ini-
quities ! As if it were so obscurely hinted, as that
it could not be taken notice of, that " the grace of
God,- which briugeth salvation to all men, hath ap-
peared, teaching them to deny ungodliness and
48
worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and
godly in this present world, so looking for the bles-
sed hope." And that " Christ gave himself for
us, to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify us
to himself, a peculiar people, zealous of good works !"
How many, again, are Christians, they know not
why ! upon the same terms that others are Maho-
metans, because it is the religion of their country,
by fate or by accident, not by their own choice and
judgment ! the same inconsideration makes them to
be Christians, that makes others to be none.
And now, shall our Redeemer be left to weep
alone, over these perishing souls ■? have we no tears
to spend upon this doleful subject ! " O that our
heads were waters, and our eyes fountains !" It is
nothing to us, that multitudes are sinking, going
down into perdition, under the name of Christian,
under the seal of baptism, from under the means
of life and salvation ! perishing, and we can do no-
thing to prevent it ! We know they must perish
that do not repent and turn to God, and love him
above all, even with " all their hearts and souls,
and mind and might; that do not believe in his Son,
and pay him homage, as their rightful Lord, sin-
cerely subjecting themselves to his laws and govern-
ment. But this they will not understand, or
not consider. Our endeavours, to bring them to
it, are ineffectual, it is but faint breath we utter.
Our words drop and die between us and them ! We
speak to them in the name of the eternal God
that made them, of the great Jesus who bought
them with his blood, and they regard it not.
49
The Spirit of the Lord is, in a great degree, de-
parted from among us, and we take it not to heart !
We are sensible of lesser grievances, are grieved
that men will not be more entirely proselyted to our
several parties and persuasions, rather than that they
are so disinclined to become proselytes to real Chris-
tianity; and seem more deeply concerned to have
Christian religion so or so modified, than whether
there shall be any such thing; or whether men be
saved by it, or lost !
This sad case, that so many were likely to be lost
under the first sound of the gospel; and the most
exemplary temper of our blessed Lord in reference
to it, are represented in the following Treatise; with
design to excite their care for their own souls, who
need to be warned, and the compassions of others,
for them, who are so little apt to take warning.
The good Lord grant it may be, some way or other,
useful for good !
JOHN HOWE.
THE
REDEEMER'S TEARS
WEPT OVER
LOST SOULS.
Luke xix. 41, 42.
And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and
wept over* it, saying, If thou hadst known, even
thou, at least in this thy day, the things which be-
long unto thy peace ! but now they are hid from
thine eyes.
We have here a compassionate lamentation in the
midst of a solemn triumph. Our Lord's approach
unto Jerusalem at this time, and his entrance into
it, as the foregoing history shows, carried with them
some face of regal and triumphal pomp, but with such
allays, as discovered a mind most remote from osten-
tation ; and led by judgment, not vain glory, to
transmit through a dark umbrage, some glimmerings
only of that excellent majesty which both his son-
ship and his mediatorship entitled him unto : a very
modest and mean specimen of his true indubious
royalty and kingly state. Such as might rather
C 2
52
intimate than plainly declare it, and rather afford an
after instruction to teachable minds, than beget a
present conviction and dread, in the stupidly obsti-
nate and unteachable. And this effect we find it
had, as is observed by another evangelical historian,
who, relating the same matter, how in his passage
to Jerusalem, the people met him with branches of
palm-trees, and joyful hosannas, he riding upon an
ass's colt, as princes or judges, to signify meekness
as much as state, were wont to do, Judges v. 10.
tells us, " These things his disciples understood
not at the first ; but when Jesus was glorified, then
remembered they that these things were written of
him, and that they had done these things unto
him." For great regard was had in this, as in all
the other acts of his life and ministry, to that last
and conclusive part, " his dying a sacrifice upon the
cross for the sins of men;" to observe all along that
mediocrity, and steer that middle course between
obscurity and a terrifying over-powering glory, that
this solemn oblation of himself might neither be
prevented, nor disregarded. Agreeably to this de-
sign, and the rest of his course, he doth, in this
solemnity, rather discover his royal state and dignity
by a dark emblem, than by an express representation ;
and shows in it more of meekness and humility,
than of awful majesty and magnificence, as was for-
merly predicted, Zech. ix. 9. " Rejoice greatly, O
daughter of Zion ! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem !
Behold, thy King come unto thee : he is just, and
having salvation, lowly, and riding upon an ass, and
upon a colt, the foal of an ass."
53
And how little he was taken with this piece of
state, is sufficiently to be seen in this paragraph of
the chapter. His mind is much more taken up in
the foresight of Jerusalem's sad case ; and therefore
being come within view of it, (which he might very
commodiously have in the descent of the higher op-
posite hill, Mount Olivet,) he beheld the city, it
is said, and wept over it.
Two things concur to make up the cause of this
sorrow.
1. The greatness of the calamity: Jerusalem,
once so dear to God, was to suffer, not a scar, but
a ruin; " The days shall come upon thee, that thine
enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass
thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall
lay thee even with the ground, and thy children
within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one
stone upon another." Luke xix. 43, 44.
2. The lost opportunity of preventing it: " If thou
hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the
things which belong unto thy peace ! but now they
are hid from thine eyes," ver. 42. And again,
" thou knewest not the time of thy visitation."
1st, The calamity was greater in his eyes than it \/
can be in ours. His large and comprehensive mind
could take the compass of this sad case. Our
thoughts cannot reach far, yet we can apprehend
what may make this case very deplorable; we can
consider Jerusalem as the city of the great King,
where was the palace and throne of the Majesty of
Heaven, vouchsafing to dwell with men on earth.
Here the divine light and glory had long shone.
54
Here was the sacred Shechinah, the dwelling place
of the Most High, the symbols of his presence,
the seat of worship, the mercy seat, the place of
receiving addresses, and of dispensing favours : the
house of prayer for all nations. To his own peo-
ple, this was the city of their solemnities, " Whi-
ther the tribes were wont to go up, the tribes of
the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give
thanks unto the name of the Lord: for there were
set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house
of David." He that was so great a lover of the
souls of men, how grateful and dear to his heart
had the place been where, through the succession
of many by-past ages, the great God did use,
though more obscurely, to unfold his kind propen-
sions towards sinners, to hold solemn treaties with
them, to make himself known ; to draw and allure
souls into his own holy worship and acquaintance!
And that now the dismal prospect presents itself of
desolation and ruin, ready to overwhelm all this glo-
ry ! and lay waste the dwellings of divine love I
His sorrow must be conceived proportionable to the
greatness of this desolating change.
2d, And the opportunity of prevention was quite
lost ! There was an opportunity : he was sent to
the lost sheep of the house of Israel: he came to
them as his own. Had they received him, O how
joyful a place had Jerusalem been ! How glorious
had the triumphs of the love of God been there,
had they repented, believed, and obeyed ! These
were the things that belonged to their peace; this
was their opportunity, their day of visitation ; these
55
were the things that might have been done within
that day: but it was now too late, their day was
over, and the things of their peace hid from their
eyes. And how fervent were his desires, they had
done otherwise! taken the wise and safe course!
" If thou hadst known !" The words admit the
optative form, e/ being put, as it is observed to be
sometimes with other authors, for e'/3-e, utinam ; O
that thou hadst known, I wish thou hadst. His
sorrow must be proportionable to his love. Or other-
wise we may conceive the sentence incomplete, part
cut off by a more emphatical aposiepesis, tears in-
terrupting speech, and imposing a more speaking
silence, which imports an affection beyond all words.
They that were anciently so over-officious as to eraze
those words " and wept over it," out of the Canon,
as thinking it unworthy so divine a person to shed
tears, did greatly err, not knowing the Scriptures,
which elsewhere speak of our Lord's weeping, nor
the power of divine love, now become incarnate,
nor indeed the true perfections and: properties of hu-
man nature: otherwise, they had never taken upon
them to reform the gospel, and reduce not only
Christianity, but Christ himself to the measures
and square of their Stoical philosophy. But these
have also met with a like ancient confutation.
One thing, before we proceed, needs some dis-
quisition, namely, Whether this lamentation of our
blessed Lord do refer only or ultimately to the
temporal calamity he foresaw coming upon Jerusa-
lem? Or whether it had not a further and more
principal reference to their spiritual and eternal mi-
56
series, that were certain to be concomitant, and
consequent thereunto?. Where let it be consid-
ered,
1. That very dreadful spiritual plagues and judg-
ments did accompany their destruction very generally;
which every one knows who is acquainted with their
after-story; that k> that takes notice what spirit
reigned among them, and what their behaviour was
towards our Lord himself, and afterwards towards
his apostles and disciples, all along to their fearful
catastrophe, as it may be collected from the sacred
records, and other history; what blindness of mind,
what hardness of heart, what mighty prejudice, what
inflexible obstinacy, against the clearest light, the
largest mercy, the most perspicuous and most gra-
cious doctrine, and the most glorious works, wrought
to confirm it, against the brightest beams and evi-
dences of the divine truth, love and power; what per-
severing impenitency and infidelity against God and
Christ, proceeding from the bitterest enmity; " Ye
have both seen and hated me and my Father;" what
mad rage and fury against one another, even when
death and destruction were at the very door. Here
were all the tokens imaginable, of the most tremen-
dous infatuation, and of their being forsaken of God :
here was a concurrence of all kinds of spiritual
judgments in the highest degree.
2. That the concomitancy of such spiritual evils
with their temporal destruction, our Lord foreknew,
as well as their temporal destruction itself. It lay
equally in view before him ; and was as much under
his eye. He that knew what was in man, could as
57
well tell what would be in him. And by the same
light by which he could immediately look into hearts,
he could as well see into futurities, and as well the
one futurity as the other. The knowledge of the
one he did not owe to his human understanding; to
his divine understanding, whereby he knew all
things, the other could not be hid.
3. The connection between the impenitency and
infidelity that prove to be final; and eternal mi-
sery is known to us all. Of his knowledge of it
therefore, (whose law hath made the connection,
besides what there is in the nature of the things
themselves) there can be no doubt.
4. That the miseries of the soul, especially such
as prove incurable and eternal, are, in themselves,
far the greatest, we all acknowledge. Nor can we
make a difficulty to believe, that our Lord appre-
hended and considered things according as they were
in themselves, so as to allow every thing its own
proper weight and import, in his estimating of them.
These things seem all very evident to any eye.
Now though it be confessed not impossible, that
of things so distinct from one another, as outward
and temporal evils, and those that are spiritual and
eternal, even befalling the same persons, one may
for the present, consider the one, without attending
to the other, or making distinct reflection thereon at
the same time ; yet how unlikely is it, these things
bordering so closely upon one another as they did,
in the present case; that so comprehensive a mind
as our Saviour's was, sufficiently able to enclose
them both; and so spiritual a mind, apt, no doubt,
C 3
58
to consider most what was in itself most considera-
ble, should, in a solemn lamentation of so sad a
case, wholly overlook the saddest part ! and stay
his thoughts only upon the surface and outside of
it !
That he mentions only the approaching outward
calamity, ver. 43, 44. was that he spake in the
hearing of the multitude, and upon the way, but in
passing, when there was not opportunity for large
discourse ; and therefore he spake what might soon-
est strike their minds, was most liable to common
apprehension, and might most deeply affect ordinary
and not yet enough prepared hearers.
And he spake what he had no doubt, a deep sense
of himself. Whatever of tender compassions might
be expected from the most perfect humanity and
benignity, could not be wanting in him, upon the
foresight of such a calamity as was coming upon that
place and people. But yet, what was the sacking
of a city, the destroying of pompous buildings, that
were all of a perishable material, the mangling of
human flesh, over which the worm was otherwise
shortly to have had dominion; to the alienation of
men's minds from God, their disaffection to the only
means of their recovery, and reconciliation to him,
and their subjection to <his wrath and curse for ever !
When also it is plain he considered that perverse
temper of mind and spirit in them, as the cause of
their ruin ! which his own words imply; that " the
things which belonged to their peace were hid from
their eyes;" and that the things he foretold, should
befall them, because " they knew not the day of
59
their visitation." For what could the things be that
belonged to their peace, but turning to God, believ-
ing in himself, as the Messiah, bringing forth of
fruits meet for repentance? Whence also there
must be another latent, and concealed meaning of
their peace itself; than only their continued amity
with the Roman state; their peace with heaven; their
being set right, and standing in favour and accep-
tance with God. For was it ever the first intention
of the things enjoined in the gospel, but to entitle
men to earthly secular benefits?
Nor can we doubt but the same things lay deep
in the mind of our blessed Lord, when he uttered
these words, as when he spake those so very like
them, Matthew xxiii. 37, 38. " O Jerusalem, Je«-
rusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest
them which are sent unto thee, how often would I
have gathered thy children together, even as a hen
gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye
would not ! Behold, your house is left unto you
desolate." These other were not spoken indeed at
the same time, but very soon after. Those we are
considering, in his way to the city, — these, when he
was come into it; most probably, by the series of
the Evangelical History, the second day, after his
having lodged the first night at Bethany. . But it is
plain they have the same sense, and that the same
things lay with great weight upon his spirit ; so that
the one passage may contribute much to the enligh-
tening and expounding of the other.
Now, what can be meant by that, " I would have
gathered you as the hen her chickens under her
60
wings?" Could it intend a political meaning? that
he would have been a temporal Prince and Saviour
to them? which he so earnestly declined and dis-
claimed? professing to the last, " his kingdom was
not of this world?" It could mean no other thing,
but that he would have reduced them back to God;
have gathered and united them under his own gra-
cious and safe conduct, in order thereto; have se-
cured them from the divine wrath and justice, and
have conferred on them spiritual and eternal bles-
sings. In a like sense, their peace here, was no
doubt more principally to be understood; and their
loss and forfeiture of it, by their not understanding
the things belonging thereto, considered and la-
mented.
Therefore the principal intention of this lamen-
tation, though directly applied to a community, and
the formed body of a people, is equally applicable
unto particular persons living under the gospel, or
to whom the ordinary means of their conversion and
salvation are vouchsafed, but are neglected by them
and forfeited.
We may therefore thus sum up the meaning and
sense of these words : — That it is a thing in itself
very lamentable, and much lamented by our Lord
Jesus, when such as living under the gospel, have
had a day of grace, and an opportunity of knowing
the things belonging to their peace, have so outworn
that day, and lost their opportunity, that the things
of their peace are quite hid from their eyes.
Where we have these distinct, heads of discourse
to be severally considered and insisted on.
61
I. What are the things necessary to be known by
such as live under the gospel, as immediately belong-
ing to their peace.
II. That they have a day or season wherein to
know, not these things only, but the whole compass
of their case, and what the knowledge of those things
more immediately belonging to their peace supposes,
and depends upon.
. III. That this day hath its bounds and limits, so
that when it is over and lost, those things are for
ever hid from their eyes.
IV. That this is a case to be considered with
deep resentment and lamentation, and was so by
our Lord Jesus.
I. What are the things necessary to be known
by such as live under the gospel, as immediately be-
longing to their peace. Where we are more parti-
cularly to inquire.
1. What those things themselves are.
2. What sort of knowledge of them it is that is
here meant and made necessary.
1st, What the things are which belong to the
peace of a people living under the gospel ? The
things belonging to a people's peace, are not through-
out the same with all. Living, or not living under
the gospel, makes a considerable difference in the
matter. Before the incarnation, and public appear-
ance of our Lord, something was not necessary
among the Jews, that afterwards became necessary.
It was sufficient to them before, to believe in a Mes-
siah to come, more indefinitely. Afterwards he
plainly tells them r if if ye believe not that I am he,
62
ye shall die in your sins." Believing in Christ can-
not be necessary to pagans, that never heard of him,
as a duty, however necessary it may be as a means.
Their not believing in him cannot be itself a sin,
though by it they should want remedy for their other
sins. But it more concerns us who do live under
the gospel, to apprehend aright what is necessary for
ourselves. That is a short and full summary which
the Apostle gives, Acts xx. 21. " Repentance to-
wards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ/'
The gospel finds us in a state of apostacy from God,
both as our sovereign Ruler, and sovereign good:
not apt to obey and glorify him, as the former, nor
enjoy him, and be satisfied in him, as the latter. Re-
pentance towards God cures and removes this disaf-
fection of our minds, and hearts towards him, under
both these notions. By it the whole soul turns to
him, with this sense and resolution. I have been a
rebellious disloyal wretch, against the high authority,
and most rightful government of him who gave me
breath, and whose creature I am, I will live no lon-
ger thus. Lo, now I come back unto thee, O Lord,
thou art my Lord and God. Thee I now design to
serve and obey as the Lord of my life, thee I will
fear, unto thee I subject myself, to live no longer
after my own will, but thine ; I have been hitherto
a miserable, forlorn, distressed creature, destitute
of any thing that could satisfy me, or make me hap-
py ; have set my heart upon a vain and thorny world,
that had nothing in it answerable to my real neces-
sities, that hath flattered and mocked me often, ne-
ver satisfied me, and been wont to requite my pur-
63
suits of satisfaction from it with vexation and trou-
ble, and pierce me through with many sorrows. I
have borne, in the mean time, a disaffected heart to-
wards thee, have therefore cast thee out of my
thoughts, so that amidst all my disappointments and
sorrows, it never came into my mind to say, Where
is God my Maker ? I could never savour any thing
spiritual or divine, and was ever ready in distress to
turn myself any way than that which I ought to-
wards thee. I now see and bemoan my folly, and
with a convinced, self-judging heart, betake myself
to thee ; " The desires of my soul are now unto
thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. Whom
have I in heaven but thee, or on earth that I can de-
sire besides thee."
This is repentance towards God ; and is one thing
belonging, and most simply necessary to our peace.
But though it be most necessary, it is not enough.
It answers to something of our wretched case, but
not to every thing. We were in our state of apos-
tacy, averse and disaffected to God. To this evil,
repentance towards him is the apposite and only pro-
per remedy. But besides our being without incli-
nation towards him, we were also without interest
in him. We not only had unjustly cast off him,
but were also most justly cast off by him. Our in-
justice had set us against him, and his justice had
set him against us ; we need, in order to our peace
with him, to be relieved as well against his justice,
as our own injustice. What if now we would return
to him, he will not receive us ? And he will not
receive us for our own sakes. He must have a re-
64
eompense, for the wrong we had done him by our
rebellion against his government, and our contempt
of his goodness. Our repentance is no expiation.
Nor had we of our own, or were capable of obliging
him to give us the power and grace to repent. Our
high violation of the sacred rights and honour of the
Godhead, made it necessary, in order to our peace
and reconciliation, there should be a sacrifice and a
Mediator between him and us. He hath judged it
not honourable to him, not becoming him to treat
with us, or vouchsafe us favours upon other terms.
And since he thought it necessary to insist upon
having a sacrifice, he judged it necessary too, to
have one proportionable to the wrong done, lest he
should make the Majesty of Heaven cheap, or oc-
casion men to think it a light matter to have fun-
damentally overturned the common order which was
settled between himself and men. The whole earth
could not have afforded such a sacrifice, it must be
supplied from heaven. His co-eternal Son made
man, and so uniting heaven and earth in his own
person, undertakes to be that sacrifice, and, in the
virtue of it, to be a standing continual mediator be-
tween God and us; through him, and for his sake,
all acts and influences of grace are to proceed to-
wards us. No sin is to be forgiven, no grace to
be conferred be but upon his account. It is reckoned
most God-like, most suitable to the divine greatness,
once offended, to do nothing that shall import favour
towards sinners, but upon his constant interposition.
Him hath he set over us, and directed that all our
applications to himself, and all our expectations from
65
him, should be through him. " Him hath he ex-
alted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give us re-
pentance and remission of sins." Now to one so
high in power over us, he expects we should pay a
suitable homage. That homage the holy Scripture
calls by the name offaith, believing on him. " God
hath set him forth to be a propitiation, through faith
in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the re-
mission of sins that are past, through the forbear-
ance of God ; to declare his righteousness, that he
might be just, and the justifier of him which believ-
eth in Jesus." So that when by repentance we
turn to God, as our end, we must also apply our-
selves by . faith, to our Lord Jesus Christ, as our
way to that end. Which till we do, we are in re-
bellion still, and know not what belongs to our peace.
He insists that his Son, into whose hands he hath
committed our affairs, should be honoured by us, as
he himself requires to be.
Now these two things sum up our part of the
covenant between God and us. By repentance we
again-take-God far. our God. Repenting we return
to him as our God. By faith we take his Son for
our Prince and Saviour. These things, by the
tenor of the_exarigelical covenant, are required of us.
Peace is settled between God and us (as it is usually
with men towards one another after mutual hostili-
ties) by striking a covenant. And in our case, it is
a covenant by sacrifice,- as you have seen. Nor are
harder terms than these imposed upon us. Dost
thou now, sinner, apprehend thyself gone off from
God? and find a war is commenced, and on foot, be*
66
tween God and thee ? He can easily conquer and
crush thee to nothing, but he offers thee terms of
peace, upon which he is willing to enter into cove-
nant with thee. Dost thou like his terms ? Art
thou willing to return to him, and take him again
for thy God ? to resign and commit thyself with un-
feigned trust and subjection, into the hands of his Son
thy Redeemer ? These are " the things which be-
long to thy peace." See that thou now know them.
2d, But what knowledge of them is it that is here
meant. The thing speaks itself. It is not a mere
contemplative knowledge. We must so know them
as to do them; otherwise the increase of knowledge
is the increase of sorrow. Thy guilt and misery
will be the greater. To know any thing that
concerns our practice, is to no purpose if we do
not practise it. It was an Hebrew form of speech,
and is a common form, by words of knowledge to
imply practice. It being taken for granted that in
matters so very reasonable and important, if what we
are to do, once be rightly known, it will be done.
Thus, elsewhere, the same great requisites to eter*
nal life and blessedness are expressed by our Lord.
" This is life eternal, to know thee the only true
God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." It
being supposed and taken for granted, that a true
vivid knowledge of God and Christ will immediately
form the soul to all suitable dispositions and deport-
ments towards the one and the other; and conse-
quently to all men also, as Christian precepts do
direct to all the acts of sobriety, justice, and charity,
unto which the law of Christ obliges. An habitual
67
course of sin, in any kind, is inconsistent with this
knowledge of the things of our peace, and therefore
with our peace itself. All sin is in a true sense re-
ducible to ignorance; and customary sinning into
total destitution of divine knowledge. According
to the usual style of the sacred writings, 1 Cor. xv.
34. " Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for
some have not the knowledge of God. 3 John 11.
" He that sinneth," that is, that is a doer of sin, .
OX.XK07TOIOOV, a worker of iniquity, " hath not seen
God."
II. Such as live under the gospel have a day, or
a present opportunity, for the obtaining the know-
ledge of these things immediately belonging to their
peace, and of whatsoever is besides necessary there-
unto. I say nothing of what opportunities they have
who never lived under the gospel; who yet no doubt
might generally, know more than they do; and
know better what they do know. It suffices us who
enjoy the gospel, to understand our own advantages
thereby. Nor, as to those who do enjoy it, is every
one's day of equal clearness. How few in compari-
son, have ever seen such a day as Jerusalem at this
time did ! made by the immediate beams of the Sun
of Righteousness ! Our Lord himself vouchsafing to
be their Instructor, so speaking as never man did,
and with such authority as far outdid their other
teachers, and astonished the hearers. In what
transports did he use to leave those that heard him,
wheresoever he came, " wondering at the gracious
words that came out of his mouth!" And with
what mighty and beneficial works was he wont to
68
recommend his doctrine, shining in the glorious
power, and savouring of the abundant mercy of hea-
ven, so as every apprehensive mind might see the
Deity was incarnate ; God was come down to treat
with men, and allure them into the knowledge and
love of himself. " The word was made flesh!"
What unprejudiced mind might not perceive it
to be so ? He was there manifested and veiled
at once; both expressions are used concerning the
same matter. The divine beams were somewhat
obscured, but did yet ray through that veil; " so
that his glory was beheld as the glory of the only
begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth,"
John i. 14. This sun shone with a mild and benign,
but with a powerful vivifying light. " In him was
life, and that life was the light of men." Such a
light created unto the Jews this their day. Happy
Jews, if they had understood their own happiness !
And the days that followed to them, for a while,
and the Gentile world were not inferior, in some re-
spects brighter and more glorious, (the more copious
gift of the Holy Ghost being reserved unto the
crowning and enthroning of the victorious Re-
deemer) when the everlasting gospel flew like light-
ning to the utmost ends of the earth; and the word
4i which began to be spoken by the Lord himself,
was confirmed by them that heard him, God also
himself bearing them witness, with signs, and won-
ders, and gifts of the Holy Ghost." No such day
hath been seen this many an age. Yet whitherso-
ever the same gospel, for substance comes, it also
makes a day of the same kind, and affords always
69
true, though diminished light; whereby, however,
the things of our peace might be understood and
known. The. written gospel varies not; and if it
be but simply and plainly proposed, (though to some
it be proposed with more advantage, to some with
less,) yet still we have the same things immediately
relating to our peace, extant before our eyes, and
divers things besides, which it concerns us to be ac-
quainted with, that we may, the more distinctly, and
to better purpose, understand these things. For
instance,
1. We have the true and distinct state of the
quarrel between God and us. Pagans have under-
stood somewhat of the apostacy of man from God;
that he is not in the same state wherein he was at
first. But while they have understood that some-
thing was amiss, they could scarcely tell what. The
gas^eJLre veals the universal depravity of the degene-
rate nature even of all men, and of every faculty in
man. " That there is none that doeth good, no
not one," Rom. ii. 1. "and that everyone is altoge-
ther become filthy and impure, that there is an en-
tire old man to be put off; wholly corrupt by deceiv-
able lusts," Eph. iv. that the clk^ottokk;, the noblest
powers are vitiated, the mind and conscience defiled;
that the spirit of the mind needs renewing, is sunk
into carnality; and that " the carnal mind is enmity
against God, and is not subject to his law, nor can
be ;" Rom. viii. nor capable of savouring the things
of God; that the sinner is in the flesh under the do-
minion and power, and in the possession of the flesh-
ly sensual nature, and can therefore neither obey
70
God, nor enjoy him; that it is become impossible to
him, either to please God, or to be pleased with him;
that the sinner's quarrel therefore with God, is about
the most appropriate rights of the Godhead. The
controversy is, who shall be God, which is the su-
preme authority, and which is the supreme good.
The former peculiarity of the Godhead, the lapsed
creature is become so insolent, as to usurp and arro-
gate to himself. When he is become so much less
than a man, a very beast, he will be a God. His
sensual will shall be his only law. He lives and
walks after the flesh, serves divers lusts and plea-
sures, and says, Who is Lord over me ? But be-
ing conscious that he is not self-sufficient, that he
must be beholden to somewhat foreign to himself
for his satisfaction, and finding nothing else suita-
ble to his sensual inclination ; that other divine pe-
culiarity, to be the supreme good, he places upon
the sensible world ; and for this purpose that shall
be his God; so that between himself and the world?
he attempts to share the undivided Godhead. This
is a controversy of a high nature, and about other
matters than even the Jewish Rabbins thought of,
who, when Jerusalem was destroyed, supposed God
was angry with them for their neglect of the reci-
tation of their philacteries morning and evening; or
that they were not respectful enough to one another;
or, that distance enough was not observed between
superiors and inferiors. The gospel impleads men
as rebels against their rightful Lord; but of this
treason against the Majesty of Heaven, men little
suspect themselves till they are told. The gospel
71
tells them so plainly, represents the matter in so
clear a light, that they need only to contemplate
themselves in that light, and they may see that so it
is. Men may indeed, by resolved, stiff, winking,
create to themselves a darkness amidst the clearest
light. But open thine eyes, man ; thou that livest
under the gospel, set thyself to view thine own soul,
thou wilt find it is day with thee ; thou hast a day,
by being under the gospel, and light enough to see
that this is the posture of thy soul, and the state of
thy case Godward. And it is a great matter towards
the understanding the things of thy peace, to know
aright what is the true state of the quarrel between
God and thee.
2. The gospel affords light to know what the issue
of this quarrel is sure to be, if it go on, and there be
no reconciliation. It gives us other and plainer ac-
counts of the punishments of the other world; more
fully represents the extremity and perpetuity of the
future miseries, and state of perdition appointed for
the ungodly world, speaks out concerning the Tophet
prepared of old, Isa. xxx. 33. " the lake of fire and
brimstone," Rev. xxi. 8. shows the miseries of that
state to be the immediate effects of divine displea-
sure: " that the breath of the Almighty, as a river
of brimstone, always foments those flames," Rom. ii. 8.
that " indignation and wrath" cause the " tribula-
tion and anguish" which must be the portion of
evil-doers; and how " fearful a thing it is to fall
into the hands of the living God !" Heb. x. 31. gives
us to understand what accession men's own unaltered
vicious habits will give to their miseries; their own
72
outrageous lusts and passions, which here they
made it their business to satisfy, becoming their in-
satiable tormentors; that they are to receive " the
things done in the body, according to what they
have done," 2 Cor. v. and that " what they have
sowed the same also they are to reap," Gal. yi. and
what their own guilty reflections will contribute, the
bitings and gnawings of the worm that dies not, the
venomous corrosions of the viper bred in their own bo-
soms, and now become a full-grown serpent; what the
society and insults of devils, with whom they are
to partake in woes and torments, and by whom they
have been seduced and trained into that cursed part-
nership and communion; and that this fire wherein
they are to be tormented together is to be everlast-
ing, " a fire never to be quenched." If men be
left to their own conjecture only, touching the dan-
ger they incur by continuing and keeping up a war
with heaven, and are to make their own hell, and
that it be the creature only of their own imagination;
it is like they will make it as easy and favourable as
they can; and so are little likely to be urged earnestly
to sue for peace by the imagination of a tolerable
hell. But if they understand it to be altogether
intolerable, this may make them bestir themselves,
and think the favour of God worth the seeking.
The gospel imports favour and kindness to you,
when it imports most of terror^ in telling you so
plainly the worst of your case, if you go on in a sin-
ful course. It makes you a day by which you may
make a truer judgment of the blackness, darkness,
and horror of that everlasting night that is coming
73
upon you ; and lets you know that black and end-
less night is introduced by a terrible preceding
day, that day of the Lord, the business whereof is
judgment. They that live under the gospel cannot
pretend they are in darkness, so as that day should
overtake them as a thief; and that, by surprise, they
should be doomed and abandoned to the regions of
darkness. The gospel forewarns you plainly of all
this: which it does not merely to fright and torment
you before the time, but that you may steer your
course another way, and escape the place and state
of torment. It only says this, that it may render
the more acceptable to you what it hath to say be-
sides; and only threatens you with these things if
there be no reconciliation between God and you.
But then, at the same time,
3. It_abo--repx.es ents God to you as reconcilable
through a Mediator. In that gospel " peace is
preached to you, by Jesus Christ." That gospel
lets you see " God in Christ reconciling the world
unto himself, that sin may not be imputed to them."
That gospel proclaims " glory to God in the highest,
peace on earth, good will towards men." So did the
voices of angels sum up the glad tidings of the gos-
pel, when that Prince of Peace was born into the
world. It tells you, " God desireth not the death
of sinners, but that they may turn and live;" that
he would have " all men be saved, and come to the
knowledge of the truth ;" that he is "long-suffering
towards them, not willing that any should perish,
but that all should come to repentance;" that he " so
loved the world* that he gave his only-begotten Son,
D
74
that whosoever believes on him should not perish,
but have everlasting life." The rest of the world
cannot but collect, from darker intimations, God's
favourable propensions towards them. He spares
them, is patient towards them, that herein his
goodness might lead them to repentance. He sus-
tains them; lets them dwell in a world which they
might understand was of his making, and whereof
he is the absolute Lord. " They live, move, and
have their being in him, that they might seek after
him, and by feeling find him out." He doeth them
" good; gives them rain from heaven, and fruitful
seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladness."
He lets his sun shine on them, whose far extended
beams show forth his kindness and benignity to
men, even to the utmost ends of the earth. " For
there is no speech or language whither his line and
circle reaches not." But those are but dull and
glimmering beams in comparison of those that shine
from the Sun of Righteousness through the gospel-
revelation, and in respect of that divine glory which
appears in the face of Jesus Christ. How clearly
doth the light of this gospel-day reveal God's de-
sign of reducing sinners, and reconciling them to
himself by a Redeemer ! How canst thou but say,
sinner, thou hast a day of it? and clear day-light,
showing thee what the good and acceptable will of
God towards thee is? Thou art not left to guess
only; thou mayest be reconciled and find mercy;
and to grope and feel thy way in the dark, unless it
be a darkness of thy own making. And whereas a
sinner, a disloyal rebellious creature, that hath af-
15
fronted the Majesty of heaven, and engaged against
himself the wrath and justice of his Maker, and is
unable to make him any recompense, can have no
reason to hope God will show him mercy, and he
reconciled to him for his own sake, or for any thing
he can do to oblige or induce him to it: the same
gospel shows you plainly, it is for the Redeemer's
sake, and what he hath done and suffered to procure
it. But inasmuch, also, as the sinner may easily
apprehend, that it can never answer the necessities of
his state and case, that God only be not his enemy;
that he forbear hostilities towards him; pursue him
not with vengeance to his destruction. For he finds
himself an indigent creature, and he needs some-
what beyond what he hath ever yet met with to make
him happy; that it is uneasy and grievous to wander
up and down with craving desires among varieties of
objects that look speciously, but which, either he
cannot so far compass as to make a trial what there
is in them, or wherewith, upon trial, he finds him-
self mocked and disappointed, and that really they
have nothing in them: He finds himself a mortal
creature, and considers that if he had all that he can
covet in this world, the increase of his present en-
joyments doth but increase unto him trouble and
anguish of heart, while he thinks what great things
he must shortly leave and lose for ever; to go, he
knows not whither, into darksome gloomy regions;
where he cannot so much as imagine any thing sui-
table to his inclinations and desires. For he knows
all that is delectable to his present sense, he must
here leave behind him; and he cannot divest himself
D 2
76
of all apprehensions of a future state, wherein if
God should make him suffer nothing, yet if he hath
nothing to enjoy, he must he always miserable.
4. The gospel, therefore, further represents to
him the final, eternal blessedness, and glorious state,
which they that are reconciled shall be brought into.
They that live under the gospel are not mocked
with shadows, and empty clouds, nor with fabulous
elysiums: Nor are they put off with some unintelli-
gible notion of only being happy in the general:
but are told expressly wherein their happiness is to
consist. " Life and immortality are brought to
light in the gospel." It is given them to understand
" how great a good is laid up in store." The
" things which eye hath not seen, and ear not heard,
and which otherwise could not have entered into the
heart of man;" the things of God's present and
eternal kingdom are set in view. It shows the fu-
ture state of the reconciled shall consist not only in
freedom from what is evil, but in the enjoyment of
the best and most delectable good. That God
himself, in all his glorious fulness, will be their
eternal and most satisfying portion: that their bles-
sedness is to lie in the perpetual fruitive vision of his
blessed face, and in the fulness of joy, and the
everlasting pleasures, which the divine presence it-
self doth perpetually afford. And whereas their
glorious Redeemer is so nearly allied to them, flesh
of their flesh, and bone of their bone, who, " inas-
much as the children were made partakers of flesh
and blood, he also himself likewise took part of
the same," and is become, by special title, their
77
authorised Lord, they are assured (of that, than
which nothing should be more grateful to them)
" they shall be for ever with the Lord;" that " they
are to be where he is, to behold his glory;" and
shall be joint-heirs with Christ, and be glorified
together with him; shall partake according to their
measure and capacity, in the same blessedness which
he enjoys. Thou canst not pretend, sinner, who
livest under the gospel, that thou hast not the light
of a day to show thee what blessedness is ! Heaven
is opened to thee. Glory beams down from thence
upon thee, to create thee a day, by the light whereof,
thou mayest see, with sufficient clearness, what is
the inheritance of the saints in light. And though
all is not told thee, and it do not in every respect
appear what we shall be; so much may be foreknown,
" that when he shall appear, we shall be like him,
and shall see him as he is." And because the heart,
as yet carnal, can savour little of all this, and find-
ing itself strange and disaffected to God, affecting
now to be without Christ and without God in the
world, may easily apprehend it impossible to it to be
happy in an undesired good, or that it can enjoy
what it dislikes; or, in the mean time, walk in a
way to which it finds in itself nothing but utter
averseness and disinclination.
5. The gospel further shows us what is to be
wrought and done in us to attemper and frame our
spirits to our future state, and present way to it.
It lets us know we are to be "born again; born
from above; born of God; made partakers of a divine
nature," that will make the temper of our spirits
78
connatural to the divine presence: That whereas
" God is light, and with him is no darkness at all;"
we, " who were darkness, shall be made light in the
Lord:" That we are to be " begotten again to a
lively hope; to the eternal and undefiled inheritance
that is reserved in the heavens for us :" That we are
thus to be made " meet; to be made partakers of
that inheritance of the saints in light:" And, as we
are to be eternally conversant with Christ, we are
here to put on Christ; to have Christ in us, the
hope of glory. And, whereas, only the way of ho-
liness and obedience leads to blessedness, that we
are to be " created in Christ Jesus to good works;
to walk in them;" and shall thereupon find the ways
prescribed to us by him, who is the Wisdom of
God, to be " all ways of pleasantness and paths of
peace." That he will " put his Spirit into us, and
cause us to walk in his statutes," and to account that
" in keeping them there is great reward." And
thus all that is contained in that mentioned summary
of the things belonging to our peace, " Repentance
towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ,"
will all become easy to us, and as the acts of nature;
proceeding from that new and holy nature imparted
to us.
And whosoever thou art that livest under the
gospel, canst thou deny that it is day with thee,
as to all this? Was thou never told of this great
necessary heart-change? Didst thou never hear
that the " tree must be made good that the fruit
might be good?" that thou must become a " new
creature; have old things done away, and all things
79
made new?" Didst thou never hear of the neces-
sity of having a new heart, and a right spirit created
and renewed in thee ; that except thou wert bom
again, or from above, (as that expression may be read)
thou couldst " never enter into the kingdom of
God ?" Wast thou kept in ignorance that a form
of godliness, without the power of it, would never
do thee good? that a name to live, without the
principle of the holy divine life, would never save
thee? that a specious outside, that all the external
performances, while thou wentest with an unrenewed,
earthly, carnal heart, would never advantage thee as
to thy eternal salvation and blessedness ? And this
might help thine understanding concerning the na-
ture of thy future blessedness, and will be found
most agreeable to it, being aright understood; for
as thou art not to be blessed by a blessedness with-
out thee, and distant from thee, but inwrought into
thy temper, and intimately united with thee; nor
glorified by an external glory, but by a glory reveal-
ed within thee : So, neither canst thou be qualified for
that blessed, glorious, state, otherwise than by hav-
ing the temper of thy soul made habitually holy and
good. As what a good man partakes of happiness
here, is such, that he is satisfied from himself; so
it must be hereafter, not originally from himself,
but by divine communication made most intimate to
him. Didst thou not know that it belonged to thy
peace, to have a peace-maker? and that the Son of
God was he? and that he makes not the peace of
those that despise and refuse him, or that receive
him not; that come not to him, and are not willing
80
to come to God by him? Couldst thou think,
living under the gospel, that the reconciliation be-
tween God and thee was not to be mutual? that he
would be reconciled to thee while thou wouldst not
be reconciled to him, or shouldst still bear towards
him a disaffected implacable heart? For couldst
thou be so void of all understanding as not to appre-
hend what the gospel was sent to thee for? or why
I it was necessary to be preached to thee, or that thou
shouldst hear it? Who was to be reconciled by a
gospel preached to thee but thyself? Who was to
be persuaded by a gospel sent to thee; God, or thou?
Who is to be persuaded but the unwilling? The
gospel, as thou hast been told, reveals God, willing
to be reconciled, and thereupon beseeches thee to
be reconciled to him ! Or could it seem likely to
thee, thou couldst ever be reconciled to God, and
continue unreconciled to thy reconciler? To what
purpose is there a day's-man, a middle person be-
tween God and thee, if thou wilt not meet him in
that middle person? Dost thou not know that
Christ avails thee nothing, if thou still stand at a
distance from him; if thou dost not unite and join
thyself to him, or art not in him? And dost thou
not again know that divine power and grace must
unite thee to him? and that a work must be wrought
and done upon thy soul by an Almighty hand; by
God himself; a mighty transforming work to make
thee capable of that union? that " whosoever is in
Christ is a new creature ?" that thou must be (of
God) in Christ Jesus, " who then is made unto
thee (of God also) wisdom, righteousness, sane-
81
tification, and redemption ;" every way answering
the exigency of thy case, as thou art a foolish,
guilty, impure, and enslaved, or lost creature?
Didst thou never hear, that none can come to
Christ but whom the Father draws? and that he
draws the reasonable souls of men, not violently, or
against their wills, (he draws, yet drags them not)
but makes them willing in the day of power, by
giving a new nature, and new inclinations to them?
It is sure, with thee, not dark night; not a dubious
twilight, but broad day as to all this.
Yes, perhaps thou mayest say, but this makes
my case the worse, not the better; for it gives me
at length to understand, that what is necessary to
my peace and welfare is impossible to me: and so
the light of my day doth but serve to let me see
myself miserable and undone, and that I have nothing
to do to relieve and help myself. I therefore add,
6. That, by being under the gospel, men have
not only light to understand whatever is any way
necessary to their peace, but opportunity to obtain
that communication of divine power and grace where-
by to comply with the terms of it. Whereupon, if
this be made good, you have not a pretence left you
to say your case is the worse, or that you receive
any prejudice by what the gospel reveals of your
own impotency to relieve and help yourselves; or
determines touching the terms of your peace and sal-
vation, making such things necessary thereto, as are
to you impossible, and out of your own present
power; unless it be a prejudice to you not to have
your pride gratified; and that God hath pitched upon
D3
82
such a method for your salvation, as shall wh oily-
turn to the praise of the glory of his grace, or that
you are to be (of him) in Christ Jesus, 1 Cor. i.
30, 31. " that whosoever glories, might glory in the
Lord." Is it for a sinner that hath deserved, and is
ready to perish, to insist upon being saved with re-
putation? or to envy the great God, upon whose
pleasure it wholly depends whether he shall be saved
or not saved, the entire glory of saving him? For
otherwise, excepting the mere business of glory and
reputation, is it not all one to you whether you have
the power in your own hands of changing your
hearts, of being the authors to yourselves, of that
holy new nature, out of which actual faith and re-
pentance are to spring, or whether you may have it
from the God of all grace, flowing to you from its
own proper divine fountain; your case is not sure
really the worse, that your salvation from first to
last is to be all of grace, and that it is impossible to
you to repent and believe, while it is not simply
impossible; but that he can effectually enable you
thereto, " unto whom all things are possible;" sup-
posing that he will (of which I shall afterwards speak):
nay, and it is more glorious and honourable, even to
you, if you understand yourselves, that your case is
so stated as it is. The gospel, indeed, plainly tells
you that your repentance must be given you. Christ
is exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give re-
pentance and remission of sins. And so must your
faith, and that frame of spirit, which is the princi-
ple of all good works. " By grace ye are saved,
through faith, not of yourselves, it is the gift of
83
God: not of works, lest any man should boast: for
we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto
good works, which God hath before ordained that
we should walk in them." Is it more glorious to
have nothing in you but what is self-sprung, than
to have your souls the seat and receptacle of divine
communications; of so excellent things as could have
no other than an heavenly original? If it were not
absurd and impossible you should be self-begotten,
is it not much more glorious to be born of God?
as they are said to be that receive Christ. " But
as many as received him, to them gave he power to
become the sons of God, even to them that believe
on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of
the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God."
And now, that by being under the gospel, you
have the opportunity of getting that grace, which is
necessary to your peace and salvation; you may see,
if you consider, what the gospel is, and was designed
for. It is the ministration of the Spirit; that Spirit,
by which you are to be born again, John iii. 3, 5,
6. The work of regeneration consists in the im-
pregnating, and making lively and efficacious in you
the holy truths contained in the gospel. " Of his
own good will begat he us with the word of truth, that
we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures."
And again, " being born again, not of corruptible
seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God."
So our Saviour prays : " Sanctify them through thy
truth, thy word is truth." The gospel is, upon
this account, called "the word of life," Phil. ii. 16.
84
as by which the principles of that divine and holy it
life are implanted in the soul, whereby we live tot b f
God, do what his gospel requires, and hath made
our duty, and that ends at length in eternal life.
But you will say, Shall all then that live under
the gospel obtain this grace and holy life? or if they
shall not, or if, so far as can be collected, multitudes
do not, or perhaps in some places that enjoy the
gospel, very few do, in comparison of them that do
not; what am I the better? when perhaps it is far
more likely that I shall perish notwithstanding, than
be saved?
In answer to this, it must be acknowledged, that
all that live under the gospel do not obtain life and
saving grace by it. For then there had been no
occasion for this lamentation of our blessed Lord
over the perishing inhabitants of Jerusalem, as
having " lost their day," and " that the things of
their peace were now hid from their eyes," and by
that instance it appears too possible that even the
generality of a people living under the gospel, may
fall at length into the like forlorn and hopeless con-
dition.
But art thou a man that thus objectest ? a rea-
sonable understanding creature? or dost thou use
the reason and understanding of a man in objecting
thus? Didst thou expect that when thine own
wilful transgression had made thee liable to eternal
death and wrath, peace and life, and salvation should
be imposed upon thee whether thou wouldst or not,
or notwithstanding thy most wilful neglect and con-
tempt of them, and all the means of them? Could
85
it enter into thy mind, that a reasonable soul should
be wrought and framed for that high and blessed end,
whereof it is radically capable, as a stock or a stone
is for any use it is designed for; without designing
its own end or way to it ? Couldst thou think the
gospel was to bring thee to faith and repentance
whether thou didst hear it or not? or ever apply thy
mind to consider the meaning of it, and what it did
propose and offer to thee? or when thou mightest so
easily understand that the grace of God was neces-
sary to make it effectual to thee, and that it might
become his power (or the instrument of his power)
to thy salvation ; couldst thou think it concerned thee
not, to sue and supplicate to him for that grace,
when thy life lay upon it, and thy eternal hope?
Hast thou lain weltering at the foot-stool of the
throne of grace in thine own tears (as thou hast been
formerly weltering in thy sins and impurities) crying
for grace to help thee in this time of thy need?
And if thou thinkest this was above thee, and with-
out thy compass, hast thou done all that was within
thy compass, in order to the obtaining of grace at
God's hands?
But here, perhaps, thou wilt inquire, Is there
anything then to be done by us, whereupon the
grace of God may be expected certainly to follow?
To which I answer, 1. That it is out of ques-
tion nothing can be done by us to deserve it, or for
which we may expect it to follow. It were not
grace if we had obliged, or brought it by our desert
under former preventive bonds to us. And 2.
What if nothing can be done by us upon which it
86
may be (certainly) expected to follow? Is a cer-
tainty of perishing better than a high probability of
being saved? B. Such as live under the gospel,
have reason to apprehend it highly probable they
may obtain that grace which is necessary to their
salvation, if they be not wanting to themselves.
For 4. There is generally afforded to such, that
which is wont to be called common grace. I speak
not of any further extent of it, it is enough to our
present purpose, that it extends so far, as to them
that live under the gospel, and have thereby a day
allowed them wherein to provide for their peace.
Now though this grace is not yet certainly saving,
yet it tends to that which is so. And none have
cause to despair, but that being duly improved and
complied with, it may end in it.
And this is that which requires to be insisted on,
and more fully evinced: In order thereto, let it be
considered, That it is expressly said to such, they
are to work out their salvation with fear and trem-
bling, for this reason, that God works (or is work-
ing ivTiv b Mfyav) in them, that is, is statedly, and
continually at work, or is always ready to work in
them, " to will, and to do, of his own good plea-
sure." The matter fails not on his part. He will
work on in order to their salvation, if they work in
that way of subordinate co-operation with his com-
mand, and the necessity of their own case oblige
them unto. And it is further to be considered, that
where God had formerly afforded the symbols of his
gracious presence, given his oracles, and settled his
church, though yet in its nonage, and much more
87
imperfect state, there he however communicated
those influences of his Spirit, that it was to be im-
puted to themselves if they came short of the saving
operations of it. Of such it was said, " Thou gav-
est thy good Spirit to instruct them." And to such,
" Turn ye at my reproof; I will pour out my Spirit
to you; I will make known my words unto you.
Because I called and you refused, I stretched out
my hand and no man regarded, but ye set at nought
my counsel, and despised all my reproof, I also will
laugh at your calamity," &c. We see whence
their-destruction came, not from God's first restraint
of his Spirit, but their refusing, despising, and set-
ting at nought his counsels and reproofs. And
when it is said, " they rebelled and vexed his Spirit,"
and he therefore " turned and fought against them,
and became their enemy," Isa. lxiii. 10. it appears,
that before his Spirit was not withheld, but did
variously, and often make essays and attempts upon
them. And when Stephen, immediately before his
martyrdom, thus bespeaks the descendants of these
Jews, " Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised, ye do
always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did,
so do ye," Acts vii. it is implied, the Holy Ghost
has been always striving, from age to age, with that
stubborn people; for where there is no counter-striv-
ing there can be no resistance, no more than there
can be a war on one side only. Which also appears
to have been the course of God's dealing with the
old world, before their so general lapse into idolatry
and sensual wickedness, from that passage, Gen, vi.
8. {according to the more common reading and
sense of those words.)
88
Now, whereas the gospel is eminently said to be
the ministration of the Spirit, in contradistinction
not only to the natural religion of other nations,
but the divinely instituted religion of the Jews also,
as is largely discoursed, 2 Cor. iii. and more largely
through the epistle to the Galatians, especially chap,
iv. and whereas we find that in the Jewish Church,
the Holy Ghost did generally diffuse its influences,
and not otherwise withhold them, than penally, and
upon great provocation, how much more may it be
concluded that under the gospel, the same blessed
Spirit is very generally at work upon the souls of
men, till by their resisting, grieving, and quench-
ing of it, they provoke it to retire and withdraw
from them.
And let the consciences of men living under the
gospel testify in the case. Appeal, sinner, to thine
own conscience; Hast thou never felt any thing of
conviction, by the word of God? hadst thou never
any thought injected of turning to God, of reform-
ing thy life, of making thy peace? have no desires
ever been raised in thee, no fears ; hast thou never
had any tastes and relishes of pleasure in the things
of God? whence have these come? what from thy-
self? who art not sufficient to think any thing as of
thyself, that is, not any good or right thought !
All must be from that good Spirit that hath been
striving with thee; and might still have been so
unto a blessed issue for thy soul, if thou hadst not
neglected and disobeyed it.
And do not go about to excuse thyself by saying,
that so all others have done too; it is like, at one
89
time or other; and if that therefore be the rule and
measure that they that contend against the strivings
and motions of God's Spirit must be finally deserted,
and given up to perish, who then can be saved?
Think not of pleading so for thy neglecting and
despising the grace and Spirit of God. It is true,
that herein the great God shows his sovereignty,
when all that enjoy the same advantages for salva-
tion deserve by their slighting them to be forsaken
alike; he gives instances and makes examples of just
severity, and of the victorious power of grace as
seems him good, which there will be further occasion
to speak more of hereafter. In the mean time the
present design is not to justify thy condemnation,
but procure thy salvation ; and therefore to admon-
ish and instruct thee, that, though thou art not
sure, because some others that have slighted and
despised the grace and Spirit of God are notwith-
standing conquered and saved thereby, it shall there-
fore fare as well with thee; yet thou hast reason to
be confident, it will be well and happy for thee, if,
now, thou despise and slight them not. And
whether thou do or do not, it is however plain that
by thy being under the gospel, thou hast had a day
wherein to mind the things of thy peace (though it
is not told thee it would last always, but the con-
trary is presently to be told thee.)
And thou mayest now see it is not only a day in
respect of light, but influence also; that thou
mightest not only know notionally what belonged
thereto, but efficaciously and practically, which you
have heard is the knowledge here meant. And
90
the concurrence of such light and influence have
made thee a season wherein thou wast to have been
at work for thy soul. The day is the proper season
for work; when the night comes working ceases,
both because that then light fails, and because
drowsiness and sloth are more apt to possess men.
And the night will come. For which is the next
thing we are to speak to.
III. This day hath its bounds and limits, so that
when it is over, and lost with such, the things of
their peace are for ever hid from their eyes. And
that this day is not infinite and endless, we see in
the present instance. Jerusalem had her day ; but
that day had its period, we see it comes to this at
last, that now the things of her peace are hid from
her eyes. We generally see the same thing, in
that sinners are so earnestly pressed to make use of
the present time. " To-day if you will hear his
voice, harden not your hearts," Psal. xcv. quoted
and urged, Heb. iii. 7, 8. They are admonished
to " seek the Lord while he may be found, to call
upon him while he is nigh," Isa. lv. 6. It seems
some time he will not be found, and will be afar oft'.
They are told, " this is the accepted time, this is
the day of salvation." Isa. xlix. 8. 2 Cor. vi. 6.
This day, with any place or people, supposes a
precedent night, when the " day spring from on
high" had not visited their horison, and all within
it " sat in darkness, and in the region and shadow
of death. Yea, and there was a time, we know,
of very general darkness, when the gospel day, the
day of visitation had not yet dawned upon the
91
world ; times of ignorance, wherein God, as it were,
winked-ttpon... the nations of the earth; the beams
of his eye did in a sort overshoot them, as the word
vTrifilaY imports. But when the eyelids of the
morning open upon any people, and light shines to
them with direct beams, they are now commanded
to repent, Acts xvii. 30. limited to the present point
of time with such peremptoriness, as that noble Ro-
man used towards a proud prince : asking time to
deliberate upon the proposal made to him of with-
drawing his forces that molested some of the allies
of that state, he draws a line about him with the
end of his rod, and requires him now, out of hand,
before he stirred out of that circle, to make his
choice, whether he would be a friend or enemy to
the people of Rome. So are sinners to understand
the state of their own case. The God of thy life,
sinner, in whose hands thy times are, doth with
much higher right, limit thee to the present time,
and expects thy present answer to his just and mer-
ciful offers and demands. He circumscribes thy day
of grace; it is enclosed on both parts, and hath an
evening as well as a morning: as it had a foregoing,
so it hath a subsequent night, and the latter, if not
more dark, yet usually much more stormy than the
former ! For God shuts up this day in much dis-
pleasure, which hath terrible effects. If it be not
expressly told you what the condition of that night
is that follows your gospel-day ; if the watchman
being asked, What of the night ? do only answer, It
cometh as well as the morning came; black events are
signified by that more awful silence. Or it is all one
92
if you call it a day; there is enough to distinguish
it from the day of grace. The Scriptures call such
a calamitous season indifferently either by the name
of night or day : but the latter name is used with
some or other adjunct to signify, that day is not meant
in the pleasant or more grateful sense: a day of
wrath, an evil day, a day of gloominess and thick
darkness, not differing from the most dismal night ;
and to be told the morning of such a day is coming,
is all one, as that the evening is coming of a bright
and a serene day.
And here, perhaps, reader, thou wilt expect to
be told what are the limits of this day of grace ? It
is, indeed, much more difficult punctually to assign
those limits, than to ascertain thee there are such :
but it is also less necessary. The wise and merciful
God doth in matters of this nature little mind to
gratify our curiosity ; much less is it to be expected
from him, that he should make known to us such
things, whereof it were better we were ignorant, or
the knowledge whereof would be much more a pre-
judice to us than an advantage. And it were as
bold and rash an undertaking, in this case, as it
would be vain and insignificant, for any man to take
upon him to say, in it, what God hath not said, or
given him plain ground for. What I conceive to
be plain and useful in this matter I shall lay down
in the following propositions, insisting more largely
where the matter requires it, and contenting myself
but to mention what is obvious, and clear at the first
sight.
1. That there is a great difference between the
93
ends and limits of the day or season of grace as to
particular persons, and in reference to the collective
body of a people, inhabiting this or that place. It
may be over with such or such a place, so as that
they that dwell there shall no longer have the gos-
pel among them, when as yet it may not be over with
every particular person belonging to it, who may be
providentially cast elsewhere, or may have the in-
grafted word in them, which they lose not. And
again it may be over with some particular persons in
such a place, when it is not yet over with that peo-
ple or place, generally considered.
2. As to both there is a difference between the
ending of such a day, and intermissions, or dark
intervals, that may be in it. The gospel may be
withdrawn from such a people, and be restored.
And God often, no doubt, as to particular persons,
either deprives them of the outward means of grace,
for a time (by sickness, or many other ways) or
may for a time forbear moving upon them by his
Spirit, and again try them with both.
3. As to particular persons, there may be much
difference between such, as, while they lived under
the gospel, gained the knowledge of the principal doc-
trines, or, of the sum and substance of Christian-
ity; though without any sanctifying effect, or im-
pression upon their hearts, and such as through
their own negligence, lived under it in total igno-
rance hereof. The day of grace may not be over
with the former, though they should never live under
the ministry of the gospel more. For it is possible,
while they have the seeds and principles of holy
94
truth laid up in their minds, God may graciously
administer to them many occasions of recollecting and
considering them, wherewith he may so please to
co-operate, as to enliven them, and make them
vital and effectual to their final salvation. Where-
as, with the other sort, when they no more enjoy
the external means, the day of grace is like to be
quite over, so as that there may be no more hope in
their case than in that of Pagans in the darkest parts
of the world ; and perhaps much less, as their guilt
hath been much greater by their neglect of so great
and important things. It may be better with Tyre
and Sidon.
4. That yet it is a terrible judgment to the most
knowing, to lose the external dispensation of the
gospel, while they have yet no sanctifying impres-
sion upon their hearts by it, and they are cast upon
a fearful hazard of being lost for ever, being left by the
departed gospel, in an unconverted state. For they
need the most urgent inculcations of gospel truths,
and the most powerful enforcing means, to engage
them to consider the things which they know. It
is the design of the gospel to beget not only light in
the mind, but grace in the heart. And if that was
not done while they enjoyed such means, it is less
likely to be done without them. And if any slight-
er, and more superficial impressions were made upon
them thereby, short of true and thorough conver-
sion, how great is the danger that all will vanish,
when they cease to be pressed, and urged, and called
upon by the public voice of the gospel ministry any
more. How naturally desident is the spirit of man,
95
and apt to sink into deadness, worldliness and car-
nality, even under the most lively and quickening
means ; and even where a saving work hath been
wrought; how much more when those means fail,
and there is no vital principle within, capable of
self-excitation and improvement. O that they would
consider this, who have got nothing by the gospel
all this while, but a little cold, spiritless, notional
knowledge, and are in a possibility of losing it be-
fore they get any thing more !
5. That as it is certain death ends the day of
grace with every unconverted person, so it is very
possible it may end with divers before they die; by
their total loss of all external means, or by the de-
parture of the blessed Spirit of God from them, so
as to return and visit them no more. How the day
of grace may end with a person, is to be understood
by considering what it is that makes up and consti-
tutes such a day. There must be some measure
and proportion of time to make up this or any day
which is as the substratum, and ground forelaid.
Then there must be light superadded, otherwise it
differs not from night, which may have the same
measure of mere time. The gospel revelation, some
way or other, must be had, as being the light of such
a day. And again there must be some degree of
liveliness, and vital influence, the more usual con-
comitant of light ; the night doth more dispose men
to drowsiness. The same sun that enlightens the
world disseminates also an invigorating influence.
If the spirit of the living God do no way animate
the gospel revelation, and breathe in it, we have no
96
day of grace. It is not only a day of light, but a
clay of power, wherein souls can be wrought upon,
and a people made willing to become the Lords, Psal.
ex. As the Redeemer revealed in the gospel, is
the light of the world, so he is life to it too, though
neither are planted, or do take root every where.
" In him was life, and that life was the li^ht of men."
That light that rays from him is vital light in it-
self, and in its tendency and design, though it be
disliked, and not entertained by the most.
Whereas, therefore, these things must concur to
make up such a day : if either a man's time, his life
on earth expire, or if such light quite fail him, or if
all gracious influence be withheld, so as to be com-
municated no more; his day is done, the season of
grace is over with him. Now it is plain that many
a one may lose the gospel before his life end; and
possible that all gracious influence may be restrained,
while as yet the external dispensation of the gos-
pel remains. A sinner may have hardened his
heart to that degree, that God will attempt him no
more, in any kind, with any design of kindness to
him, not in that more inward, immediate way at all,
that is, by the motions of his Spirit, which peculiarly
can import nothing but friendly inclination, as where-
by men are personally applied unto, so that another
cannot be meant; nor by the voice of the gospel,
which may either be continued for the sake of others,
or they continued under it, but for their heavier
doom at length. Which though it may seem se-
vere, is not to be thought strange, much less un-
righteous.
97
It is not to be thought strange to them that read
the Bible, which so often speaks this sense, as when
it warns and threatens men with so much terror, as
Heb. x. 26, 27, 28, 29. " For if we sin wilfully
after that we have received the knowledge of the
truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but
a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery
indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
He that despised Moses' law died without mercy,
under two or three witnesses. Of how much sorer
punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought wor-
thy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God,
and hath counted the blood of the covenant, where-
with he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done
despite unto the Spirit of grace ?" And when it tells
us, after many overtures made to men in vain, of his
having given them up. " But my people would
not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of
me : so I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust;
and they walked in their own counsels;" and pro-
nounces, "Let him that is unjust, be unjust still;
and let him which is filthy, be filthy still :" and
says, " In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I have
purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt
not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I
have caused my fury to rest upon thee." Which
passages seem to imply a total desertion of them,
and retraction of all gracious influence. And when
it speaks of letting them be under the gospel, and
the ordinary means of salvation, for the most dire-
ful purposes : as that, " This child Jesus was set for
the fall, as well as for the rising of many in Israel,"
98
Luke ii. 34. As to which text the very learned
Grotius, glossing upon the words kutoli and £/V 5T7w/k,
says, Accedo Us qui non necdum eventum, sed et con-
silhcm, that he is of their opinion who think that
not the naked event, but the counsel or purpose of
God is signified by it, the same with rlS-irai ; and
alleges several texts where the active of that verb
must have the same sense, as to appoint, or ordain;
and mentions divers other places of the same import
with this so understood; and which therefore to re-
cite will equally serve our present purpose, as that
Rom. ix. 33. " Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling
stone, and rock of offence." And 1 Pet. ii. 8.
" The stone which the builders refused, is made a
stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to
them which stumble at the word, being disobedient,
whereunto also they were appointed," With that
of our Saviour himself, John ix. 39. " For judg-
ment, I am come into this world, that they which
see not, might see ; and that they which see, might
be made blind." And most agreeable to those for-
mer places is that of the prophet Isaiah xxviii. 13.
" But the word of the Lord was unto them precept
upon precept, precept upon precept ; line upon line,
line upon line ; here a little, and there a little; that
they might go, and fall backward, and be broken,
and snared, and taken." And we may add, that our
Lord hath put us out of doubt, that there is such a
sin as that which is eminently called " the sin against
the Holy Ghost;" that a man may, in such circum-
stances, and to such a degree, sin against that bles-
sed Spirit, that he will never move or breathe upon
99
them more, but leave them to a hopeless ruin; though
I shall not, in this discourse, determine or discuss the
nature of it: but I doubt not it is somewhat else than
final impenitency and infidelity; and that every one
that dies, not having sincerely repented and believ-
ed, is not guilty of it, (though every one that is
guilty of it, dies impenitent and unbelieving) but
was guilty of it before ; so as it is not the mere
want of time that makes him guilty. Whereupon,
therefore, that such may outlive their day of grace,
is out of question.
But let not such, as, upon the descriptions the
gospel gives us of that sin, may be justly confident
they have not, perhaps, committed it, therefore think
themselves out of all danger of losing their season
of making their peace with God before they die.
Many a one may, no doubt, that never commit-
ted the unpardonable blasphemy against the Holy
Ghost, as he is the witness, by his wonderful
works, of Christ's being the Messiah : as one may
die, by neglecting himself, that doth not poison
himself, or cut his own throat. You will say, but
if the Spirit retire from men, so as never to return,
where is the difference? I answer, the difference
lies in the specific nature, and greater heinousness
of that sin, and consequently, in the deeper degrees
of its punishment. For though the reason of its
unpardonableness lies not, principally, in its greater
heinousness, but in its direct repugnancy to the way
of obtaining pardon, yet there is no doubt of its be-
ing much more heinous than many other sins for
which men perish: and therefore it is in proportion
E2
100
more severely punished. But is it not misery
enough to dwell in darkness and woe for ever, as
every one that dies unreconciled to God must do,
unless the most intense flames and horror of hell be
your portion? as his case is sufficiently bad that
must die as an ordinary felon, though he is not to
be hanged, drawn, and quartered.
Nor is there any place, or pretence for so profane
a thought, as if there were any colour of unrighte-
ousness in this course of procedure with such men.
Is it unjust severity, to let the gospel become dead-
ly to them, whose own malignity perverts it, against
its nature and genuine tendency, into a " savour of
death," as 2 Cor. ii. 16. which it is ro7^ cl7tokkv}Avoh; 9
that is, to them, (as the mentioned author speaks)
who may be truly said to seek their own destruction ;
or that God should intend their more aggravated
condemnation, even from the despised gospel itself,
who, when such light is come into the world, hate
it, show themselves lucifagce teneb?*iones 9 as he also
phrases it, speaking further upon that first mentioned
text, " such as fly from the light, choose and love
to lurk in darkness ?" He must have very low
thoughts of divine favour and acceptance of Christ,
and grace, and glory, that can have hard thoughts
of God, for his vindicating, with greatest severity,
the contempt of such things. What could better
become his glorious majesty and excellent greatness,
than, as " all things work together for good towards
them that love him," so to let all things work for
the hurt of them that so irreconcilably hate him,
and bear a disaffected and implacable mind towards
101
him ? Nor doth the addition of his designing the
matter so, make it hard: For if it be just to punish
such wickedness, is it unjust to intend to punish it?
and to intend to punish it according to its desert,
when it cannot be thought unjust actually to render
to men what they deserve?
We are, indeed, to account the primary intention
of continuing the gospel to such a people, among
whom these live, is kindness towards others, not
this higher revenge upon them; yet nothing hinders
but what this revenge upon them may also be the
fit matter of his secondary intention. For should
he intend nothing concerning them ? Is he to be
so unconcerned about his own creatures that are un-
der his government? While things cannot fall out
to him unawares, but that he hath this dismal event
in prospect before him, he must at least intend to
let it be, or not to hinder it. And who can expect he
should ? for, that his gracious influence towards them
should, at length, cease, is above all exception : that
it ceasing, while they live still under the gospel,
they contract deeper guilt and incur heavier punish-
ment, follows of course. And who can say he
should not intend to let it follow ? For should he
take away the gospel from the rest, that these might
be less punished? that others might not be saved,
because they will not?
Nor can he be obliged to interpose extraordinarily,
and alter, for their sakes, the course of nature and
Providence, so as either to hasten them the sooner
out of the world, or cast them into any other part
of it, where the gospel is not; lest they should, by
102
living still under it, be obnoxious to the severer pun-
ishment. For whither would this lead ? he should,
by equal reason, have been obliged to prevent men
sinning at all, that they might not be liable to any
punishment: and so not to have made the world, or
have otherwise framed the methods of his govern-
merit, and less suitably to a whole community of
reasonable creatures ; or to have made an end of the
world long ago, and have quitted all his great de-
signs in it, lest some should sin on and incur pro-
portionable punishment ! or to have provided ex-
traordinarily that all should do and fare alike ; and
that it might never have come to pass, that it should
be less tolerable for Capernaum, and Chorazin, and
Bethsaida, than for Tyre, and Sidon, and Sodom, and
Gomorrah. But is there unrighteousness with God?
or is he unrighteous in taking vengeance ? or is he
therefore unjust, because " he will render to every one
according to his works; to them who, by patient con-
tinuance in well doing, seek glory, honour and im-
mortality, eternal life : but unto them that are con-
tentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey un-
righteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and
anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil, of
the Jew first, and also of the Gentile?" Doth righ-
teousness itself make him unrighteous ? O sinner,
understand how much better it is to avoid the stroke
of divine justice, than accuse it ! God will be found
true, and every man a liar, " that he may be justi-
fied when he speaks, and be clear when he judges."
6. Yet are we not to imagine any certain fixed rule,
according whereto (except in the case of the unpardon-
103
able sin) the divine dispensation is measured in cases
of this nature, namely, That, when a sinner hath
contended just so long, or to such a degree, against
his grace and Spirit in his gospel, he shall be finally
rejected; or if but so long, or not to such a degree,
he is yet certainly to be further tried, or treated
with. It is little to be doubted, but he puts forth
the power of victorious grace, at length, upon some
more obstinate and obdurate sinners, and that have
longer persisted in their rebellions; (not having
sinned the unpardonable sin) and gives over some
sooner, as it seems good unto him. Nor doth he
herein owe an account to any man of his matters.
Here sovereign good pleasure rules and arbitrates,
that is tied to no certain rule. Neither, in these
variations, is there any show of that blameable n-j>o<r-
utokw^ioc, or accepting of persons, which, in his
own word, he so expressly disclaims. We must
distinguish matters of right, (even such as are so by
promise only, as well as others) and matters of mere
unpromised favour. In matters of right, to be an
accepter of persons is a thing most highly culpable
with men, and which can have no place with the holy
God: that is, When a human judge hath his rule
before him, according whereto he is to estimate
men's rights, in judgment; there, to regard the per-
son of the rich, or of the poor, to the prejudice of the
justice of the cause, were an insufferable iniquity;
as it were also in a private person to withhold an-
other's right, because he hath no kindness for him:
so even the great God himself, though of mere grace
he first fixed and established the rule, fitly therefore
104
called the covenant, or law of grace, by which he
will proceed in pardoning and justifying men, or in
condemning and holding them guilty, both here and
in the final judgment; yet, having fixed it, he will
never recede from it, so as either to acquit an im-
penitent unbeliever, or condemn a believing peni-
tent. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just
to forgive. None shall be ever able to accuse him
of breach of faith, or of transgressing his own rules
of justice. We find it therefore said, in reference
to the judgment of the last day, " when God shall
render to every man according to his works," whe-
ther they be Jews or Gentiles, that " there is no re-
spect of persons with God,'' Rom. ii. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11. Yet qui promisit pcenitenti veniam, non pro-
misit peccanti pcenitentiam, he who has promised par-
don to the penitent, has not promised penitence to
the sinner — whereas he hath, by his evangelical law,,
ascertained pardon to one that sincerely obeys it, but
hath not promised grace to enable them to do so; to
them that have long continued wilfully disobedient
and rebellious, this communication of grace is, there-
fore, left arbitrary, and to be dispensed, as the mat-
ter of free and unassured favour, as it seems him good.
And, indeed, if in matters of arbitrary favour, respect
of persons ought to have no place, friendship were
quite excluded the world, and would be swallowed up
of strict and rigid justice. I ought to take all men
for my friends alike, otherwise than as justice should
oblige me to be more respectful to men of more merit.
7. Wherefore no man can certainly know, or
ought to conclude, concerning himself or. others, as
105
long as they live, that the season of grace is quite
over with them. As we can conceive no rule God
hath set to himself to proceed by, in ordinary cases
of this nature; so nor is there any he hath set
us to judge by, in this case. It were to no purpose,
and could be of no use to men, to know so much;
therefore it were unreasonable to expect God should
have settled and declared any rule, by which they
might come by the knowledge of it. As the case is
then, namely, there being no such rule, no such thing
can be concluded; for who can tell what an arbi-
trary, sovereign, free agent will do, if he declare not
his own purpose himself? How should it be known,
when the Spirit of God hath been often working
upon the soul of a man, that this or that shall be
the last act, and that he will never put forth another?
And why should God make it known? To the per-
son himself whose case it is, it is manifest it could
be no benefit. Nor is it to be thought the Holy
God will ever so alter the course of his own pro-
ceedings, but that it shall finally be seen to all the
world, that every man's destruction was, entirely, and
to the last of himself. If God had made it evident
to a man, that he were finally rejected, he were ob-
liged to believe it. But shall it ever be said, God
hath made any thing a man's duty which were incon-
sistent with his felicity. The having sinned him-
self into such a condition wherein he is forsaken of
God, is, indeed, inconsistent with it. And so the
case is to stand, that is, that his perdition be in im-
mediate connexion with his sin, not with his duty : as
it would be in immediate, necessary connexion with
E 3
106
his duty, if he were bound to believe himself finally
forsaken, and a lost creature. For that belief makes
him hopeless, and a very devil; justifies his unbelief
of the gospel, towards himself, by removing and
shutting up, towards him, the object of such a faith,
and consequently brings the matter to this state, that
he perishes, not because he doth not believe God
reconcilable to man, but because, with particular
application to himself, he ought not so to believe.
See more to this purpose in the Appendix.
And it were most unfit, and of very pernicious
consequence, that such a thing should he generally
known concerning others. It were to anticipate the
final judgment, to create a hell upon earth, to tempt
them whose doom were already known, to do all the
mischief in the world, which malice and despair can
suggest, and prompt them unto; it were to mingle
devils with men ! and fill the world with confusion !
How should parents know how to behave themselves
towards children, a husband towards the wife of
his bosom, in such a case, if it were known they were
no more to counsel, exhort, admonish them, pray
with or for them, than if they were devils?
And if there were such a rule, how frequent mis-
applications would the fallible and distempered minds
of men make of it? So that they would be apt to
fancy themselves warranted to judge severely, or
uncharitably, and, as the truth of the case perhaps
is, unjustly concerning others, from which they are
so hardly withheld, when they have no such pre-
tence to embolden them to it, but are so strictly for-
bidden it: and the judgment-seat so fenced, as it is,
107
by the most awful interdicts, against their usurpation
and encroachments.
We are therefore to reverence the wisdom of the
divine government, that things of this nature are
among the arcana of it: Some of those secrets which
belong not to us. He hath revealed what was fit
and necessary for us and our children, and envies to
man no useful knowledge.
But it may be said, when the apostle (1 John v.
16.) directs to pray for a brother whom we see sin-
ning a sin that is not unto death, and adds, " there
is a sin unto death, I do not say he shall pray for it."
Is it not implied that it may be known when one
sins that sin unto death, not only to himself, but
even to others too? I answer, it is implied there
may be too probable appearances of it, and much
ground to suspect and fear it concerning some, in
some cases. As when any, against the highest evi-
dence of the truth of the Christian religion, and
that Jesus is the Christ, or the Messiah, (the pro-
per and most sufficiently credible testimony, whereof
he had mentioned in the foregoing verses, under
heads to which the whole evidence of the truth of
j . Christianity may be fitly enough reduced) do, not-
withstanding, from that malice which blinds their
understanding, persist in infidelity, or apostatize and
relapse into it, from a former profession, there is
great cause of suspicion, lest such have sinned that
sin unto death. Whereupon yet it is to be ob-
served, he doth not expressly forbid praying for the
persons whose case we may doubt; only he doth not
enjoin it, as he doth for others, but only says, " I
108
do not say ye shall pray for it;" that is, that, in his
present direction to pray for others he did not intend
such, but another sort, for whom they might pray
remotely from any such suspicion: namely, that he
meant now such praying as ought to be interchanged
between Christian friends, that have reason, in the
main, to be well persuaded concerning one another.
In the mean time, intending no opposition to what
is elsewhere enjoined, the praying for all men, 1 Tim.
ii. 1. without the personal exclusion of any; as also
our Lord himself prayed indefinitely for his most
malicious enemies, " Father, forgive them, they
know not what they do;" though he had former-
ly said, there was such a sin as should never be
forgiven; whereof, it is highly probable, some of
them were guilty: yet such he doth not expressly
except; but his prayer being in the indefinite, not
the universal form, it is to be supposed it must
mean such as were within the compass and reach I
of prayer, and capable of benefit by it. Nor doth
the apostle here direct, personally, to exclude any,
only that indefinitely, and in the general such must
be supposed not meant as had sinned the sin unto
death; or must be conditionally excluded, if they
had; without determining who had, or had not.
To which purpose it is very observable, that a more
abstract form of expression, is used in this latter
clause of this verse. For whereas, in the former
positive part of the direction, he enjoins praying for
him or them that had not sinned unto death, (namely,
concerning whom there was no ground for any such
imagination or suspicion that they had;) in the ne-
109
gative part, concerning such as might have sinned it,
he doth not say for him or them, but for it, (that is
concerning, or in reference to it), as if he had said,
the case in general only is to be excepted, and if per-
sons are to be distinguished (since every sin is some
one's sin, the sin of some person or other) let God
distinguish, but do not you; it is enough for you to
except the sin, committed by whomsoever. And
though the former part of the verse speaks of a par-
ticular person, " If a man see his brother sin a sin
that is not unto death," which is as determinate to
a person as the sight of our eye can be, it doth not
follow the latter part must suppose a like particular
determination of any person's case, that he hath sin-
ned it. I may have great reason to be confident
such and such have not, when I can only suspect
that such a one hath. And it is a thing much less
unlikely to be certain to one's self than another, for
they that have sinned unto death, are no doubt so
blinded and stupified by it, that they are not more
apt or competent to observe themselves, and consi-
der their case, than others may be.
8. But though none ought to conclude that their
day or season of grace is quite expired, yet they
ought deeply to apprehend the danger lest it should
expire, before their necessary work be done, and
their peace made. For though it can be of no use
to them to know the former, and therefore they have
no means appointed them by which to know it; it is
of great use to apprehend the latter; and they have
sufficient ground for the apprehension. All the
cautions and warnings wherewith the holy Scripture
abounds, of the kind with those already mentioned,
110
have that manifest design. And nothing can be
more important, or apposite to this purpose, than
that solemn charge of the great apostle, Phil. ii. 12.
a Work out your own salvation with fear and trem-
bling;" considered together with the subjoined
ground of it, verse 13. " For it is God that worketh
in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."
How correspondent is the one with the other: work,
for he works; there were no working at all to any
purpose, or with any hope, if he did not work. And
work with fear and trembling, for he works of his
own good pleasure. As if he had said, it were the
greatest folly imaginable to trifle with one that
works at so perfect liberty, under no obligation,
that may desist when he will; to impose upon so
absolutely sovereign and arbitrary an agent, that
owes you nothing, and from whose former gra-
cious operations, not complied with, you can draw
no argument unto any following ones, that be-
cause he doth, therefore he will. As there is
no certain connexion between present time and fu-
ture, but all time is made up of undepending, not
strictly coherent moments, so as no man can be sure,
because one now exists, another shall; there is also
no more certain connexion between the arbitrary acts
of a free agent within such time: so that I cannot
be sure, because he now darts in light upon me, is
now convincing me, now awakening me, therefore he
will still do so, a^ain and again. Upon this ground,
then, what exhortation could be more proper than
this, " work out your salvation with fear and trem-
bling?" What could be more awfully monitory,
and enforcing of it, than that he works only of
Ill
mere good will and pleasure? How should I trem-
ble to think, if I should be negligent, or unduti-
ful, he may give out the next moment, and let the
work fall, and me perish I
And there is more especial cause for such an ap-
prehension, upon the concurrence of such things as
these,
1. If the workings of God's Spirit upon the soul
of a man have been more than ordinarily strong
and urgent, and do now cease. If there have been
more powerful convictions, deeper humiliations, more
awakened fears, more formed purposes of a new life,
more fervent desires, that are now all vanished and
fled, and the sinner is returned to his old, dead, and
dull temper.
2. If there be no disposition to reflect and consi-
der the difference, no sense of his loss, but he appre-
hends such workings of spirit, in him, unnecessary*
troubles to him, and thinks it well he is delivered and
eased of them.
3. If, in the time when he was under such work-
ings of spirit, he had made known his case to his
minister, or any godly friend, whose company be now
shuns, as not willing to be put in mind, or hear any
more of such matters.
4. If hereupon he hath more indulged sensual
inclination, taken more liberty, gone against the
checks of his own conscience, broken former good
resolutions, involved himself in the guilt of any
grosser sins.
5. If concience, so baffled, be now silent, lets him
alone, grows more sluggish and weaker, which it
must, as his lusts grow stronger.
112
6. If the same lively, powerful ministry, which
before affected him much, now moves him not.
7. If, especially, he is grown into a dislike of
such preaching, if serious godliness, and what tends
to it are become distasteful to him, if discourses of
God and Christ, of death and judgment, and of an
holy life, are reckoned superfluous and needless, are
unsavory and disrelished; if he have learned to put
disgraceful names upon things of this import, and
the persons that most value them, and live accord-
ingly; if he hath taken the seat of the scorner, and
makes it his business to deride what he had once a
reverence for, or took some complacency in.
8. If, upon all this, God withdraw such a minis-
try, so that he is now warned and admonished, ex-
horted and striven with, as formerly, no more. O,
the fearful danger of that man's case ! Hath he no
cause to fear lest the things of his peace should be
for ever hid from his eyes? Surely he hath much
cause of fear, but not of despair. Fear, would, in
this case, be his great duty, and might yet prove
the means of saving him: Despair would be his
very heinous and destroying sin. If yet he would
be stirred up to consider his case, whence he is fal-
len, and whither he is falling, and set himself to se-
rious seeking of God, cast down himself before him,
abase himself, cry for mercy, as for his life, there is
yet hope in his case. God may make here an in-
stance what he can obtain of himself to do for a
perishing wretch ! But
IV. If, with any that have lived under the gos-
pel, their day is quite expired, and the things of
113
their peace now for ever hid from their eyes, this is,
in itself, a most deplorable case, and much lamented
by our Lord Jesus himself.
That the case is in itself most deplorable, who
sees not? A soul lost! a creature capable of God!
upon its way to him ! near to the kingdom of God I
shipwrecked in the port ! O sinner, from how high
a hope art thou fallen ! into what depths of misery
and woe !
And that it was lamented by our Lord, is in the
text. He beheld the city, (very generally, we have
reason to apprehend, inhabited by such wretched
creatures) and wept over it. This was a very affec-
tionate lamentation; we lament often, very heartily,
many a sad case, for which we do not shed tears.
But tears, such tears, falling from such eyes ! the
issues of the purest, and best governed passion that
ever was, showed the true greatness of the cause.
Here could be no exorbitancy or unjust excess, no-
thing more than was proportionable to the occasion.
There needs no other proof, that this is a sad case,
than that our Lord lamented it with tears, which,
that he did, we are plainly told, so that touching
that, there is no place for doubt. All that is liable
to question is, whether we are to conceive in him any
like resentments of such cases, in his present glori-
fied state?
Indeed, we cannot think heaven a place or state
of sadness or lamentation; and must take heed of
conceiving any thing there, especially on the throne
of glory, unsuitable to the most perfect nature, and
the most glorious state. We are not to imagine
114
tears there; which, in that happy region, are wiped
away from inferior eyes; no grief, sorrow, or sigh-
ing, which are all fled away and shall he no more:
as there can be no other turbid passion of any kind.
But when expressions that import anger or grief are
used, even concerning God himself, we must sever
in our conception every thing of imperfection, and
ascribe every thing of real perfection. We are not
to think such expressions signify nothing, that they
have no meaning, or that nothing at all is to be at-
tributed to him under them.
Nor are we again to think they signify the same
thing with what we find in ourselves, and are wont
to express by those names. In the divine nature,
there may be real, and yet most serene complacency
and displacency, that is, that are unaccompanied
with the least commotion, and that import nothing
of imperfection, but perfection rather, as it is a per-
fection to apprehend things suitably to what in them-
selves they are. The holy Scriptures frequently
speak of God as angry, and grieved for the sins of
men, and their miseries which ensue therefrom.
And a real aversion and dislike is signified thereby,
and by many other expressions, which in us would
signify vehement agitations of affection, that we are
sure can have no place in him. We ought, there-
fore, in our own thoughts, to ascribe to him that
calm aversion of will, in reference to the sins and
miseries of men in general; and, in our own appre-
hensions, to remove to the utmost distance from him,
all such agitations of passion or affection, even
though some expressions that occur carry a great
115
appearance thereof, should they be understood ac-
cording to human measures, as they are human forms
of speech: as (to instance in what is said by the
glorious God himself, and very near in sense to what
we have in the text) what can be more pathetic,
than that lamenting wish, " O that my people had
hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my
ways ! "
But we must take heed, lest, under the pretence
that we cannot ascribe every thing to God that such
expressions seem to import, we therefore ascribe
nothing. We ascribe nothing, if we do not ascribe
to him a real unwillingness that men should sin on
and perish; and consequently a real willingness that
they should turn to him and live; which so many
plain texts assert. And therefore it is unavoidably
imposed upon us, to believe that God is truly un-
willing of some things, which he doth not think fit
to interpose his omnipotence to hinder; and is truly
willing of some things, which he doth not put forth
Jhis omnipotence to effect. That he most fitly makes
this the ordinary course of his dispensations towards
men, to govern them by laws, and promises, and
threatenings, (made most express to them that live
under the gospel) to work upon their minds, their
hope, and their fear, affording them the ordinary
assistances of supernatural light and influence, with
which he requires them to comply, and which, upon
their refusing to do so, he may most righteously
withhold, and give them the victory to their own
ruin, though oftentimes he doth, from a sovereignty
of grace, put forth that greater power upon others,
116
equally negligent and obstinate, not to enforce, but
effectually to incline their wills, and gain a victory
over them, to their salvation.
Nor is his will towards the rest altogether ineffec-
tual, though it have not this effect. For whosoever
thou art that livest under the gospel, though thou
dost not know that God so wills thy conversion and
salvation, as to effect it, whatsoever resistance thou
now makest, though thou art not sure he will finally
overcome all thy resistance, and pluck thee as a
firebrand out of the mouth of hell; yet thou canst
not say his good will towards thee hath been without
any effect at all tending thereto. He hath often
called upon thee in his gospel, to repent and turn to
him through Christ; he hath waited on thee with
long patience, and given thee time and space of re-
pentance; he hath within that time, been often at
work with thy soul. Hath he not many times let
in beams of light upon thee ? shown thee the evil of
thy ways? convinced thee? awakened thee? half-
persuaded thee? and thou never hadst reason to
doubt, but that if thou hadst set thyself with seri^
ous diligence to work out thy own salvation, he
would have wrought on, so as to have brought things
to a blessed issue for thy soul.
Thou mightest discern his mind towards thee to
be agreeable to his word, wherein he hath testified
to thee " he desired not the death of sinners, " that
he hath " no pleasure in the death of him that
dieth," or in the " death of the wicked," but that
he should M turn and live;" exhorted thee, expos-
tulated with thee and others in thy condition, " turn
117
ye, turn ye, why will ye die?" he hath told thee
expressly, thy stubbornness and contending against
him, did " grieve him," and " vex his Spirit," that
thy sin, wherein thou hast indulged thyself, hath
been an "abomination to him," that it was the
" abominable thing which his soul hated," that he
was " broken with the whorish heart of such as thou,
and pressed therewith, as a cart that was full of
sheaves."
Now such expressions as these, though they are
borxowed from man, and must be understood suit-
ably, to God, though they do not signify the same
thing with iiim as they do in us, yet they do not
signify nothing. As when hands and eyes are at-
tributed to God, they do not signify as they do
with usj i yei they signify somewhat correspondent,
as active and visive power; so these expressions, .
though they signify not, in God, such unquiet mo-
tions and passions as they would in us, they do
signify a mind and will, really; though, with the
most perfect calmness and tranquillity, set against
sin, and the horrid consequences of it, which yet,
for greater reasons than we can understand, he may
not see fit to do all he can to prevent.
And if we know not how to reconcile such a will
in God, with some of our notions concerning the
divine nature, shall we, for what we have thought
of him, deny what he hath so expressly said of him-
self, or pretend to understand his nature better than
he himself doth ?*
* See the Appendix.
118
And when we see from such express sayings in
Scripture, reduced to a sense becoming God, how
God's mind stands in reference to sinners, and their
self-destroying ways, we may thence apprehend what
temper of mind our Lord Jesus also bears towards
them in the like case, even in his glorified state.
For can you think there is a disagreement between
him and the Father about these things?
And whereas we find our blessed Lord, in the
days of his flesh, one while complaining " men
would not come to him that they might have life,"
John v. 40. elsewhere " grieved at the hardness of
their hearts," Mark iii. 5. and here scattering tears
over sinning and perishing Jerusalem ; we cannot
doubt but that the (innocent) perturbation, which
his earthly state did admit, being severed, his mind
is still the same, in reference to cases of the same
nature; for can we think there is any disagreement
between him and himself? We cannot therefore
doubt but that,
1. He distinctly comprehends the truth of any
such case. He beholds, from the throne of his
glory above, all the treaties which are held and
managed with sinners in his name, and what their
deportments are therein. " His eyes are as a flame
of fire," wherewith he " searches hearts, and trieth
reins." He hath seen, therefore, sinner, all along,
every time an offer of grace hath been made to thee,
and been rejected; when thou hast slighted counsels
and warnings that have been given thee, exhortations
and entreaties that have been pressed upon thee for
many years together, and how thou hast hardened
^v
119
thy heart against reproofs and threatenings, against
promises and allurements; and beholds the tendency
of all this, what is like to come of it, and that, if
thou persist, it will be bitterness in the end.
2. That he hath a real dislike of the sinfulness
of thy course. It is not indifferent to him whether
thou obeyest or disobeyest the Gospel; whether
thou turn and repent or no; that he is truly displeas-
ed at thy trifling, sloth, negligence, impenitence,
hardness of heart, stubborn obstinacy, and contempt
of his grace, and takes real offence at them.
3. He hath real kind propensions towards thee,
and is ready to receive thy returning soul, and ef-
fectually to mediate with the offending Majesty of
heaven for thee, as long as there is any hope in thy
case.
4. When he sees there is no hope, he pities
thee, while thou seest it not, and dost not pity thy-
self. Pity and mercy above are not names only; it
is„JLgxeat reality that is signified by them, and that
hath_plae£L there, in far higher excellency and per-
fection, than it can with us poor mortals here below.
Ours is but borrowed and participated from that first
fountain and original above. Thou dost not perish
unlamented, even with the purest heavenly pity,
though thou hast made thy case uncapable of remedy.
As the well-tempered judge bewails the sad end of
the malefactor, whom justice obliges him not to
spare, or save.
And now let us consider what use is to be made of
all this. And though nothing can be useful to the
120
persons themselves, whom the Redeemer thus laments
as lost, yet that he doth so, may be of great use to
others; which will partly concern those who do
justly apprehend this is not their case; and partly
such as may be in great fear that it is.
I. For such as have reason to persuade themselves
it is not their case. The best ground upon which
any can confidently conclude this, is that they have
in this their present day, through the grace of God,
already effectually known the things of their peace,
such, namely, as have sincerely, with all their hearts
and souls, turned to God, taken him to be their
God, and devoted themselves to him, to be his;
entrusting and subjecting themselves to the saving
mercy and governing power of the Redeemer, ac-
cording to the tenor of the gospel-covenant^ from
which they do not find their hearts to swerve or de-
cline, but resolve, through divine assistance, to
persevere herein all their days.
Now for such as with whom things are already
brought to that comfortable conclusion, I only say
to them,
1. Rejoice and bless God that so it is. Christ,
your Redeemer rejoices with you and over you ;
you may collect it from his contrary resentment of
their case who are past hope; if he weep over them,
he, no doubt, rejoices over you. There is joy in
heaven, concerning you. Angels rejoice, your glo-
rious Redeemer presiding in the joyful consort.
And should not you rejoice for yourselves. Con-
sider what a discrimination is made in your case !
121
To how many hath that gospel been a deadly savour,
which hath proved a savour of life unto life to you !
How many have fallen on your right hand and on
your left, stumbling at that stone of offence, which
to you is become " the head-stone of the corner,
elect and precious!" Whence is this difference?
Did you never slight Christ? never make light of
offered mercy? was your mind never blind or vain V
was your heart never hard or dead? were the terms
of peace and reconciliation never rejected or disre-
garded by you ? How should you admire victorious
grace, that would never desist from striving with
you till it had overcome ! You are the triumph of
the Redeemer's conquering love, who might have
been of his wrath and justice ! Endeavour that
your spirits may taste, more and more, the sweet-
ness of reconciliation, that you may more abound in
joy and praises. Is it not pleasant to you to be at
peace with God? to find that all controversies are
taken up between him and you? that you can now
approach him, and his terrors not make you afraid?
that you can enter into the secret of his presence,
and solace yourselves in his assured favour and love?
How should you " joy in God through Jesus
Christ, by whom you have received the atonement !"
What have you now to fear? If, when you were
enemies, you were reconciled by the death of Christ,
how much more, being reconciled, shall you be
saved by his life ? How great a thing have you to
oppose to all worldly troubles? If God be for
you, who can be against you ? Think how mean
it is for the friends of God, the favourites of heaven,
F
122
to be dismayed at the appearance of danger that
threatens them from the inhabitants of the earth!
What if all the world were in a posture of hostility
against you, when the mighty Lord of all is your
friend? Take heed of thinking meanly of his
power and love ! Would any one diminish to him-
self, whom he takes for his God? All people will
walk, every one in the name of his God; why should
not you much more in the name of yours, glorying
in him, and making your boast of him all the day
long? O the reproach which is cast upon the glori-
ous name of the great God, by their diffidence and
despondency, who visibly stand in special relation to
him, but fear the impotent malice of mortal man
more than they can trust in his almighty love ! If
indeed you are " justified by faith," and have peace
with God, it becomes you so to rejoice in the hope
of the glory of God, as also to glory in tribulation,
and tell all the world that in his favour stands your
life, and that you care not who is displeased with
you, for the things wherewith you have reason to
apprehend he is pleased.
2. Demean yourselves with that care, caution,
and dutifulness that become a state of reconciliation.
Bethink yourselves that your present peace and
friendship with God is not original, and continued
from thence, but hath been interrupted and broken;
that your peace is not that of constantly innocent
persons. You stand not in this good and happy state
because you never offended, but as being reconciled,
and who, therefore, were once enemies. And when
you were brought to know, in that your day which
123
you have enjoyed, the things belonging to your
peace, you were made to feel the smart, and taste
the bitterness of your having been alienated, and
enemies in your minds by wicked works. When
the terrors of God did beset you round, and his
arrows stuck fast in you, did you not then find trou-
ble and sorrow? Were you not in a " fearful ex-
pectation of wrath and fiery indignation to consume
and burn you up as adversaries?" Would you not
then have given all the world for a peaceful word or
look? for any glimmering hope of peace? How
wary and afraid should you be of a new breach !
How should you study acceptable deportments, and
to "walk worthy of God unto all well-pleasing!"
How strictly careful should you be to keep faith
with him, and abide steadfast in his covenant ! How
concerned for his interest! and in what agonies of
spirit, when you behold the eruptions of enmity
against him from any others ! not from any distrust,
or fear of final prejudice to his interest, but from the
apprehension of the unrighteousness of the thing
itself, and a dutiful love to his name, throne, and
government. How zealous should you be to draw
in others ; how fervent in your endeavours, within
your own sphere, and how large in your desires,
extended as far as the sphere of the universe, that
" every knee might bow to him, and every tongue
confess to him." They ought to be more deeply
concerned for his righteous cause, that remember
they were once most unrighteously engaged against
it. And ought besides to be filled with compassion
towards the souls of men, yet in an unreconciled
F2
124
state, as " having known the terrors of the Lord,"
and remembering the experienced dismalness and
horror of that state; what it was to have divine wrath
and justice armed against you with almighty power !
And to have heard the thunder of such a voice, " I
lift my hand to heaven, and swear I live for ever:
if I whet my glittering sword, and my hand take
hold on vengeance, I will recompense fury to mine
adversaries, vengeance to mine enemies." Do you
not know what the case is like to be, when " pot-
sherds, that should strive but with the potsherds of
the earth," venture to oppose themselves as antago-
nists to omnipotency? and when "briars and thorns
set themselves in battle array" against a consuming
fire, how easily it can " pass through, and devour,
and burn them up together ?" and how much more
fearful is their condition that know it not ! but are
ready to " rush like the horse into the battle!"
Do you owe no duty, no pity to them that have the
same nature with you, and with whom your case was
once the same? If you do indeed know the things
of your peace Godward, so as to have made your
peace, to have come to an agreement, and struck a
covenant with him; you have now taken his side,
are of his confederates, not as equals but subjects.
You have sworn allegiance to him, and associated
yourself with all them that have done so. There
can hereupon be but one common interest to him
and you. Hence therefore you are most strictly
obliged to wish well to that interest, and promote it
to your uttermost, in his own way, that is, according
to his openly avowed inclination, and design, and
'
125
the genuine constitution of that kingdom which he
hath erected, and is intent to enlarge and extend
further in the world. That you do well know is a
kingdom of grace; for his natural kingdom already
confines with the universe, and can have no enlarge-
ment, without enlarging the creation. Whosoever
they are that contend against him, are not merely
enemies, therefore, but rebels. And you see he
aims to conquer them by love and goodness; and
therefore treats with them, and seeks to establish a
kingdom over them, in and by a Mediator, who, if
he were not intent upon the same design, had never
lamented the destruction of any of them, and wept
over their ruin, as here you find. So therefore,
should you long for the conversion of souls, and the
enlargement of his kingdom this way, both out of
loyalty to him, and compassion towards them.
II. For such as may be in great fear, lest this
prove to be their case. They are either such as
may fear it, but do not; or such as are deeply af-
flicted with this actual fear.
1. For the former sort, who are in too great dan-
ger of bringing themselves into this dreadful de-
plorable condition, but apprehend nothing of it. All
that is to be said to them apart by themselves, is only
to awaken them out of their drowsy, dangerous
slumber and security; and then they will be capable
of being spoken to, together with the other sort.
Let me therefore
(1.) Demand of you: Do you believe there is a
Lord over you, yea or no ? Use your thoughts; for,
about matters that concern you less, you can think.
126
Do you not apprehend you have an invisible owner
and ruler, that rightfully claims to himself an inter-
est in you, and a governing power over you? How
came you into being? You know you made not
yourselves. And if you yet look no higher, than to
progenitors of your own kind, mortal men, as you
are, how came they into being? You have so much
understanding about you, if you would use it, as to
know they could none of them make themselves
more than you, and that therefore human race must
have had its beginning, from some superior Maker.
And did not he that made them make you and all
things else? Where are your arguments to prove
it was otherwise, and that this world, and all the
generations of men, took beginning of themselves,
wit! 1 out a wise and mighty Creator? produce your
strong reasons, upon which you will venture your
souls, and all the possibilities of your being happy
or miserable to eternity! Will your imagination
make you safe? and protect you against his wrath
and justice, whose authority you will not own? Can
you, by it, uncreate your Creator, and nullify the
Eternal Being? or have you any thing else, besides
your own blind imagination, to make you confident,
that all things came of nothing, without any Maker?
But if you know not how to think this reasonable,
and apprehend you must allow yourselves to owe
your being to an Almighty Creator, let me
(2.) Ask of you, how you think your life is main-
tained? Doth not he that made you live, keep you
alive? Whereas you have often heard that " we all
live, and move, and have our beings in him," doth it
127
not seem most likely to you to be so? Have you
the power of your own life? Do you think you can
live as long as you will? At least, do you not find
you need the common helps of meat, and drink, and
air, and clothing for the support and comfort of your
lives? And are not all these his creatures as well as
you? And can you have them, whether he will or not?
(3.) And how can you think that he that made and
maintains you, hath no right to rule you ? If it were
possible any one should as much depend upon you,
would you not claim such power over him? Can you
suppose yourselves to be under no obligation to
please him, who hath done so much for you? and to
do his will, if you can any way know it?
(4.) And can you pretend you have no means to
know it? That book that goes up and down under
the name of his word, can you disprove it to be his
word? If such writings should now first come into
the world, so sincere, so awful, so holy, so heavenly,
bearing so expressly the divine image, avowing them-
selves to be from God, and the most wonderful works
are wrought to prove them his word, the deaf made
to hear, the blind to see, the dumb to speak, the
sick healed, the dead raised, by a word only com-
manding it to be so, would you not confess this to
be sufficient evidence that this revelation came from
heaven. And are you not sufficiently assured they
are so confirmed ? Do you find in yourselves any
inclination to cheat your children in any thing that
concerns their well-being ? Why should you more
suspect your forefathers' design to cheat you, in the
mere reporting falsely a matter of fact ? Was not
128
human nature the same, so many hundred years ago?
Did ever the enemies of the Christian name, in the
earlier days of Christianity, when it was but a no-
velty in the world, and so much hated, and endea-
voured to be rooted out, as ever any profession was,
deny such matters of fact? Have not some of the
most spiteful of them confessed it? Did not Chris-*
tians then willingly sacrifice their lives by multitudes,
upon the assured truth of these things? Have they
not been ever since most strictly careful to preserve
these writings, and transmit them, as wherein the
all of themselves, and their posterity was contained?
And where is now your new light? where are your
later discoveries, upon which, so many ages after,
you are able to convict these writings of falsehood, or
dare venture to disbelieve them ?
(5.) But if you believe these writings to be divine,
how expressly is it told you, in them, what the state
of your case is Gpdward, and what he requires of
you? You may see you have displeased him, and
how you are to please him, as hath been shown
before in this discourse. You know that you
have lived in the world mindless, and inobservant
of him, not trusting, fearing, loving, or delight-
ing in him, declining his acquaintance and con-
verse; seeking your own pleasure, following your
inclination, doing your own will, as if you were su-
preme, never minding to refer your actions to his
precepts as your rule, or to his glory as your end.
And from that word of his you may understand all
this to be very displeasing to him: and that you can
never please him by continuing this course, but by
129
breaking it off, and returning to him as your Lord
and your God: that since your case did need a Re-
deemer and Reconciler, and he hath provided and
appointed one for you; you are to apply yourselves
to him, to commit and subject your souls to him,
to trust in his merits and blood, and submit to his
authority and government. And
(6.) Are you not continually called hereto by the
gospel, under which you have lived all this while?
so that you are in actual, continual rebellion against
him all the while you comply not with this call:
Every breath you draw is rebellious breath. There
is no moment wherein this lies not upon you, by
every moment's addition to your time. And that
patience of his which adds by moments to your life,
and should lead you to repentance, is, while you re-
pent not, perverted by you, only to the " treasuring
up of wrath against the day of wrath, and the revela-
tion of his righteous judgment."
(7.) And do you not find, as his word also plainly
tells you, a great averseness and disinclination in you
to any such serious, solemn applying yourself to him,
and your Redeemer ? Try your own hearts ! Do
you not find them drawback and recoil? if you urge
them, do they not still fly off? How loath are you
to retire ! and set yourselves to consider your case !
and unto serious seeking of God in Christ ! both
from a reluctancy and indisposition to any such em-
ployment as this is itself, and from disaffection to
that whereto it tends; the breaking off your former
sinful course of life, and entering upon a better.
And does not all this show you the plain truth of
F3
130
what the word of God hath told you, " that the
-/Ethiopian may as soon change his skin, or the leo-
pard his spots, as they do good who are accustomed
to do evil," — that you have a heart that cannot re-
pent, " till God give you repentance to life,"—
that you " cannot come to Christ till the Father
draw you." Do you not see your case then, that
you must perish if you have not help from heaven;
if God do not give you his grace, to overcome and
cure the averseness and malignity of your nature?
That things are likely thus to run on with you as they
have from day to day, and from year to year; and
you that are unwilling to take the course that is ne-
cessary for your salvation to day, are likely to be as
unwilling to-morrow, and so your lives consume in
vanity, till you drop into perdition? But
(8.) Dost thou not also know, sinner, (what hath
been so newly shown thee from God's word) that, by
thy being under the gospel, thou hast a day of
grace? not only as offers of pardon and reconcilia-
tion are made to thee in it, but also as through it
converting heart-renewing grace is to be expected,
and may be had? that what is sufficient for the turn-
ing and changing of thy heart, is usually not given
all at once; but as gentler insinuations (the injec-
tion of some good thoughts and desires) are complied
with, more powerful influences may be hoped to
follow? That, therefore, thou art concerned, upon
any such thought cast into thy mind, of going now
to seek God for the life of thy soul, to strive, thy-
self, against thy own disinclination; that if thou do
not, but yield to it, and still defer, it may prove mor-
131
tal to thee? For is it not plain to thee in itself,
and from what hath been said, that this day hath its
limits, and will come to an end? Dost thon not
know thou art a mortal creature, that thy breath is
in thy nostrils? Dost thou know how near thou art
to the end of thy life? and how few breaths there
may be for thee between this present moment and
eternity? Dost thou not know thy day of grace
may end before thy life end? that thou mayest be
cast far enough out of the sound of the gospel? and
if thou shouldst carry any notices of it with thee,
thou who hast been so unapt to consider them while
they were daily pressed upon thee, will most probably
be less apt when thou nearest of no such thing?
that thou mayest live still under the gospel, and the
Spirit of grace retire from thee, and never attempt
thee more, for thy former despiting of it? For
what obligation hast thou upon that blessed Spirit ?
Or why shouldst thou think a Deity bound to at-
tend upon thy triflings? And
(9.) If yet all this move not, consider what it will
be to die unreconciled to God! Thou hast been
his enemy: he hath made thee gracious offers of
peace, waited long upon thee : thou hast made light
of all. The matter must at length end either in
reconciliation or vengeance ! The former is not
acceptable to thee: art thou prepared for the latter?
Canst thou sustain it ? Is it not a " fearful thing
to fall into the hands of the living God?" Thou
wilt not do him right, he must then right himself
upon thee: Dost thou think he cannot do it ?
Canst thou doubt his power? Cast thine eyes
132
about thee, behold the greatness (as far as thou
canst) of this creation of his, whereof thou art but a
very little part. He that hath made that sun over
thine head, and stretched out those spacious heavens,
that hath furnished them with those innumerable
bright stars, that governs all their motions, that hath
hung this earth upon nothing, that made and sus-
tains that great variety of creatures that inhabit it,
can he not deal with thee? a worm? Can thine
heart endure, or thine hands be strong, if he plead
with thee ? if he surround thee with his terrors, and
set them in battle array against thee ? Hell and de-
struction are open before him; and without covering,
how soon art thou cast in and ingulphed ? Sit
down, and consider whether thou be able, with thy
impotency, to stand before him that comes against
thee with Almighty power ? Is it not better to sue
in time for peace ?
But perhaps thou mayest say I begin now to fear
it is too late : I have so long slighted the gospel,
resisted the holy Spirit of God, abused and baffled
my own light and conscience, that I am afraid God
will quite abandon me, and cast me off for ever. It
is well if thou do indeed begin to fear. That fear
gives hope. Thou art then capable of coming into
their rank who are next to be spoken to, namely,
2. Such as feel themselves afflicted with the ap-
prehension and dread of their having out-lived their
day, and that the things of their peace are now irre-
coverably hid from their eyes. I desire to counsel
such faithfully, according to that light and guidance
which the gospel of our Lord affords us in reference
to any such case.
133
(1.) Take heed of stifling that fear suddenly, but
labour to improve it to some advantage, and then to
cure and remove it by rational-evangelical means and
methods. Do not, as thou lovest the life of thy
soul, go about suddenly, or by undue means, to
smother or extinguish it. It is too possible, when
any such apprehension strikes into a man's mind,
because it is a sharp or piercing thought, disturbs
his quiet, gives him molestation, and some torture,
to pluck out the dart too soon, and cast it away.
Perhaps such a course is taken, as doth him un-
speakably more mischief, than a thousand such
thoughts would ever do. He diverts, it may be, to
vain company, or to sensuality; talks, or drinks away
his trouble; makes death his cure of pain; and, to
avoid the fear of hell, leaps into it. Is this indeed
the wisest course? Either thy apprehension is rea-
sonable, or unreasonable. If it should prove a rea-
sonable apprehension, as it is a terrible one, would
the neglect of it become a reasonable creature, or
mend thy case? If it should be found unreasonable,
it may require time, and some debate to discover it
to be so; whereby, when it is manifestly detected,
with how much greater satisfaction is it laid aside!
Labour then to inquire rightly concerning this mat-
ter.
(2.) In this inquiry, consider diligently what the
kind of that fear is that you find yourselves afflicted
with. The fear that perplexes your heart, must
some way correspond to the apprehension you have
in your mind, touching your case. Consider what
that is, and in what form it shows itself there. Doth
134
it appear in the form of a peremptory judgment,
a definitive sentence, which you have past within
yourself concerning your case; that your day is over,
and you are a lost creature ; or only of a mere doubt,
lest it should prove so. The fear that corresponds
to the former of these, makes you quite desperate,
and obstinately resolute against any means for the
bettering of your condition. The fear that answers
to the latter apprehension hath a mixture of hope in
it, which admits of somewhat to be done for your re-
lief, and will prompt thereunto. Labour to discern
which of these is the present temper and posture of
your spirit.
(3.) If you find it to be the former, let no thought
any longer dwell in your mind (under that form)
namely, as a definitive sentence concerning your state.
You have nothing to do to pass such a judgment;
the tendency of it is dismal and horrid, as you may
yourself perceive. And your ground for it is none
at all. Your conscience within you is to do the
office of a judge; but only of an under-judge, that
is, to proceed strictly by rule, prescribed and set by
the sovereign Lord and arbiter of life and death :
There is one Lawgiver who is " able to save and to
destroy." Nor is your conscience, as an under-
judge, to meddle at all, but in cases within your cog-
nizance. This about your final state is a reserved,
excepted case, belonging only to the supreme tri-
bunal, which you must take heed how you usurp.
As such a judgment tends to make you desperate,
so there will be high presumption in this despair.
Dare you take upon you to cancel and nullify to
135
yourself the obligation of the evangelical law ? and
whereas that makes it your duty to " repent, and
believe the gospel," to absolve yourself from this
bond, and say, it is none of your duty, or make it
impossible to you to do it ! you have matter and
cases enough within the cognizance of your con-
science, not only the particular actions of your life,
but your present state also, whether you be as yet
in a state of acceptance with God, through Christ,
yea or no? And here you have rules set you to
judge by. But concerning your final state, or that
you shall never be brought into a state of accep-
tance, you have no rule by which you can make such
a judgment; and therefore this judgment belongs
not to you. Look then upon the matter of your
final condition, as an exempt case, reserved to the
future judgment; and the present determination
whereof, against yourself, is without your compass
and line, and most unsuitable to the state of proba-
tion, wherein, you are to reckon, God continues, you
here with the rest of men in this world; and there-
fore any such judgment you should tear, and re-
verse, and, as such, not permit to have any place
with you.
(4.) Yet since, as hath been said, you are not quite
to reject, or obliterate any apprehension or thought,
touching this subject, make it your business to cor-
rect and reduce it to that form, that is, let it only
for the present remain with you, as a doubt, how
your case now stands, and what issue it may at length
have. And see that your fear thereupon be answer-
able to your apprehension, so rectified. While as
136
yet it is not evident you have made your peace with
God upon his known terms, you are to consider God
hath left your case a doubtful case ; and you are to
conceive of it accordingly; and are to entertain a
fear concerning it, not as certainly hopeless, but as
uncertain. And as yours is really a doubtful case,
jt is a most important one. It concerns your souls,
and your eternal well-being, and is not therefore to
be neglected, or trifled with. You do not know how
God will deal with you ; whether he will again afford
you such help as he hath done, or whether ever he
will effectually move your heart unto conversion and
salvation. You therefore are " to work out your
salvation with fear and trembling," because, as was
told you, " he works but of his own good pleasure."
Your fear should not exceed this state of your case,
so as to exclude hope. It is of unspeakable con-
cernment to you, that hope do intermingle with your
fear. That will do much to mollify and soften your
hearts, that after all the abuse of mercy, and impos-
ing upon the patience of God, your neglects and
slights of a bleeding Saviour, your resisting and
grieving the Spirit of grace, he may yet, once for
all, visit your forlorn soul with his vital influence,
and save you from going down to perdition ! How
can your hearts but melt and break upon this appre-
hension ! And it is not a groundless one. He that
" came not to call the righteous, but sinners to re-
pentance," will not fail to treat them well, whom he
sees beginning to listen to his call, and entertaining
the thoughts that most directly tend to bring them
to a compliance with it. Your hope insinuating it-
137
self and mingling with your fear, is highly grateful
to the God of all grace. " He takes pleasure in
them that fear him, and in them that hope in his
mercy."
(5.) But see to it also that your fear be not slight
and momentary, and that it vanish not, while as yet it
hath so great a work to do in you, namely, to engage
you to accept God's own terms of peace and reconcili-
ation, with all your heart and soul. It is of conti-
nual use, even not only in order to conversion, but to
the converted also. Can you think those mentioned
words were spoken to none such. " Work out your
own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is
God which worketh in you both to will and to do of
his good pleasure." Or, those, " Let us therefore
fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his
rest, any of you should seem to come short of it?" And
do we not find a holy fear is to contribute all along
to the whole of progressive sanctification? " Hav-
ing therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us
cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and
spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." And
that by it he preserves his own, that they never de-
part from him ? " And I will make an everlasting
covenant with them, that I will not turn away from
them, to do them good ; but I will put my fear in
their hearts, that they shall not depart from me."
Much more do you need it in your present case,
while matters are yet in treaty between God and
you. And as it should not exceed the true ap-
prehension of your case, so nor should it come
short of it.
138
(6.) You should therefore, in order hereto, aggra-
vate to yourselves the just causes of your fear. Why
are you afraid your day should be over, and the
things of your peace be for ever hid from your eyes ?
Is it not that you have sinned against much light,
against many checks of your own consciences, against
many very serious warnings and exhortations, many
earnest importunate beseechings and entreaties you
have had in the ministry of the gospel, many motions
and strivings of the Spirit of God thereby? Let
your thoughts dwell upon these things. Think
what it is for the great God, the Lord of Glory, to
have been slighted by a worm ! Doth not this de-
serve as ill things at the hands of God as you can
fear ? It is fit you should apprehend what your de-
sert is, though perhaps mercy may interpose, and
avert the deserved dreadful event. And if he have
signified his displeasure towards you hereupon, by
desisting for the present, and ceasing to strive with
you as he hath formerly done ; if your heart be
grown more cold, and dead, and hard, than sometime
it was, if you have been left so as to fall into gros-
ser sin; it is highly reasonable you should fear being
finally forsaken of the blessed Spirit of God, and
greatly fear it, but with an awful fear, that may
awaken you most earnestly to endeavour his return
to you, not with a despairing fear that will bind you
up from any further endeavour for your soul at all.
And if upon all this, by death or otherwise, such
a ministry be withdrawn from you, as God did work
by, in some degree, upon you, and you find not, in
that kind, what is so suitable to your state and case;
139
take heed lest you be stupid under such a stroke.
Think what it imports unto you, if God have, as it
were, said concerning any servant of his, as Ezek.
iii. 26. " I will make his tongue cleave to the roof
of his mouth, that he shall not be a reprover to you
anymore!" Consider that God may, by this, be
making way that " wrath may come upon you to the
uttermost," and never let you have opportunity to
know more the things of your peace. Perhaps you
may never meet with the man more, that shall speak
so accommodately to your condition, that shall so
closely pursue you through all the haunts and sub-
terfuges, and lurking holes, wherein your guilty
convinced soul hath wont to hide itself, and falsely
seek to heal its own wounds. One of more value
may be less apt, possibly, to profit you; as a more
polished key doth not therefore alike fit every lock.
And thy case may be such, that thou shalt never
hear a sermon, or the voice of a preacher more.
(7.) And now in this case recollect yourselves,
what sins you have been formerly convinced of, un-
der such a ministry, and which you have persisted
in notwithstanding. Were you never convinced of
your neglecting God, and living as without him in
the world? of your low esteem and disregard of
Christ? of your worldliness, your minding only the
things of this earth ? of your carnality, pride, self-
seeking, voluptuousness, your having been lovers of
pleasures more than lovers of God ? of your unpro-
fitableness in your station, wherein you ought to
have lived more conformably to Christian rules and
precepts, according to the relations wherein God
140
hath set you? Were you never convinced how very
faulty governors you have been, or members of fami-
lies? parents or masters, children or servants?
What will this come to at last, that convictions have
hitherto signified and served for nothing but increase
of guilt?
(8.) Under all this weight and load of guilt, con-
sider what you have to do for your souls ! Bethink
yourselves; are you to sit down and yield yourselves
to perish ? Consider, man, it is the business of thy
soul, and of thine eternal state, that is now before
thee. Thou hast the dreadful flaming gulf of ever-
lasting horror and misery in view: hast thou nothing
left thee to do but to throw thyself into it? Me-
thinks thou shouldst sooner reconcile thy thoughts
to any thing than that; and that, if any thing at all
be to be done for thine escape, thou shouldst rather
set thyself about it, and do it. Thou art yet alive,
not yet in hell, yet the patience of God spares thee :
thou hast yet time to consider, thou hast the power
to think yet left thee, and canst thou use it no other
way than to think of perishing ! Think rather how
not to perish. A great point is gained, if thou art
but brought to say, " What shall I do to be saved?"
which doth imply thou dost both apprehend the dis-
tressedness of thy case, and art willing to do any
thing that is to be done for thy relief. And if thou
art brought to this, thy circumstances may perhaps
be such that thou canst only put this question to thy-
self, and art only thyself to answer it, without a liv-
ing, present guide, which may therefore make such
a help as this needful to thee. Possibly some ir-
141
resistible providence may have so cast thy lot, that
thou art only now to be thy own preacher; though
it sometime was otherwise with thee; and things
were said to thee most suitable to the condition of
thy soul, which thou wouldst not then consider. It
is yet pressed upon thee to consider now, with some
design to direct thy thoughts, that they run not into
useless and troublesome confusion only. And your
subject being what course you are now to take, that
you may escape eternal wrath and ruin? It is ob-
vious to you to apprehend nothing is to be done
against, or without God, but with him, and by him.
Your utmost consideration can but bring the matter
to this short point, that whereas you have highly
offended the God that made you, incurred his wrath,
and made him your enemy; either to resist, or treat
and supplicate. That madness which would let you
intend the former, is not capable of consideration at
all. For, if you consider, will you contend with
Omnipotency, or fight with an all-devouring flame?
And as to the latter, it is well for you, that it can
be the matter of your consideration, that you have
any encouragement to turn your thoughts that way.
You might have enemies, that, being provoked, and
having you in their power, would never admit of a
treaty, nor regard your supplications, but fall upon
you with merciless fury, and leave you nothing to
think of but perishing. Here it is not so with you.
The merciful God hath graciously told you " fury
is not so in him," but that (though " if briars and
thorns will set themselves in battle against him, he
will easily pass through, and burn them up together,
142
yet) if any will take hold of his strength, that they
may make peace with him, they shall make peace
with him." Isaiah xxvii. 4, 5. You are to consi-
der there is danger in your case; and there is hope,
that your sin is not so little as to need no forgive-
ness, nor too great to be forgiven. Wherefore,
whose case soever this is, since you may be forgiven,
if you duly apply yourselves, and must be forgiven,
or you are undone, my further advice to you is, and
you may, as to this, advise yourself, having nothing
else left you to do.
(9.) That you cast yourselves down before the
mercy-seat of God, humble yourselves deeply at his
foot-stool, turn to him with all your soul, implore his
mercy through Christ, make a solemn covenant with
him, taking him to be your God, and devoting your-
self to him, to be his, accepting his Son as your Lord
and Saviour, and resigning your soul with submission
and trust entirely to him, to be ruled and saved by
him. That you are to do this the case is plain, and
even speaks itself: How you are to do it may need
to be more particularly told you.
1. Take heed that what you do in this be not the
mere effect of your present apprehended distress, but
of the altered judgment and inclination of your mind
and heart. The apprehension of your distressed
dangerous condition, may be a useful means and
inducement to engage you more seriously to listen
and attend to the proposals made to you in the gos-
pel. But if, upon all this, it should be the sense of
your heart that you would rather live still as with-
out God in the world, and that you would never
143
come to any such treaty or agreement with him, if
mere necessity and the fear of perishing did not
urge you to it, you are still but where you were.
Therefore, though the feared danger was necessary
to make you bethink yourself, and consider what
God propounds to you; that consideration ought to
have that further effect upon you, to convince you
of the equity and desirableness of the things them-
selves which he propounds, summarily, of your be-
taking yourselves to him as your sovereign Lord, and
supreme good, to fear and love, obey and enjoy him,
in Christ Jesus, and accordingly ought to incline
your heart thereto.
2. You are to consider, in your entering into this
covenant with God in Christ, that it is not a trans-
action for the present only you are about, but for
your whole life. " This God is to be your God,
for ever and ever, your God and your guide even to
the death." Psalm xlviii. 14. You are to live in
his fear and love, in his service and communion all
your days, and must understand this to be the mean-
ing and tenor of the covenant which you make with
him.
3. And hence, therefore, it is plain that your
whole transaction in this matter must proceed from
a new nature, and a new vital principle of grace and
holiness in you. What you do herein will other-
wise neither be sincere nor lasting. You can never
embrace religion for itself, without this, nor con-
tinue on in a religious course. What you do only
from a temporary pang of fear upon you, is but from
a kind of force that is for the present upon you, and
144
will come to nothing, as soon as the impression of
that fear wears off. The religion which is true, and
durable, is not from a spirit of fear, " but of love,
power, and a sound mind." You must be a new
creature, God's workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus unto good works — that you may walk in them.
The life of the new creature stands in love to God,
as its way and course afterwards is a course of walk-
ing with God. If your heart be not brought to love
God, and delight in him, you are still but dead to-
wards God, and you still remain alive unto sin, as
before. Whereas, if you ever come to be a Chris-
tian indeed, you must be able truly to " reckon your-
self dead to sin, and alive to God through Jesus
Christ," Rom. vi. 11. Whereupon, in your mak-
ing the mentioned covenant, you must " yield your-
self to God, as one that is alive from the dead,$* as
it is verse 13, of the same chapter. A new nature
and life in you, will make all that you do, in a way
of duty, (whether immediately towards God or rnan,
the whole course of godliness, righteousness, and
sobriety) easy and delightful to you. And because
it is evident, both from many plain Scriptures, and
your own, and all men's experience, that you can-
not be, yourselves, the authors of this holy new life
and nature, you must therefore, further, in enter-
ing into this covenant,
4. Most earnestly cry to God, and plead with
him for his Spirit, by whom the vital unitive bond
must be contracted between God in Christ and your
souls. So this will be .the covenant of life and
peace. Lord ! how generally do the Christians of
145
our age deceive themselves with a self-sprung reli-
gion ! Divine indeed in the institution, but merely
human, in respect of the radication and exercise.
In which respects also it must be divine or nothing.
What, are we yet to learn that a divine power
must work and form our religion in us, as well as
divine authority direct and enjoin it ? Do all such
Scriptures go for nothing that tell us, (i It is God
that must create the new heart, and renew the right
spirit in us;" that he must turn us if ever we be
turned; that we " can never come to Christ, except
the Father draw us." Nor is there any cause
of discouragement in this, if you consider what hath
before been said in this discourse. " Ask, and you
shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock, and
it shall be opened to you." Your heavenly Father
will give his Spirit to them that ask, more readily
than parents do bread to their children, and not a
stone. But what if you be put to ask often, and
wait long, this doth but the more endear the gift,
and show the high value of it. You are to remem-
ber how often you have grieved, resisted, and vexed
his Spirit, and that you have made God wait long
upon you. What if the absolute sovereign Lord of
all expect your attendance upon him? " He waits to
be gracious : — and blessed are they that wait for
him." Renew your applications to him. Lay
from time to time that covenant before you, which
yourselves must be wrought up unto a full entire
closure with. And if it be not done at one
time, try yet if it will another, and try again and
again. Remember it is for your life, for your soul,
G
146
for your all. But do not satisfy yourself with
only such faint motions within thee, as may only be
the effects of thy own spirit, of thy dark, dull, list-
less, sluggish, dead, hard heart, at least not of the
efficacious regenerating influence of the divine Spirit.
Didst thou never hear what mighty workings there
have been in others, when God hath been trans-
forming and renewing them, and drawing them into
living union with his Son, and himself through
him? what an amazing penetrating light hath struck
into their hearts. " For God, who commanded the
light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our
hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Such
as when he was making the world, enlightened the
chaos: such as hath made them see things that con-
cerned them as they truly were, and with their own
proper face, God, and Christ, and themselves, sin
and duty, heaven and hell, in their own true appear-
ances ! Flow effectually they have been awakened !
how the terrors of the Almighty have beset and
seized their souls ! w r hat agonies and pangs they
have felt in themselves, when the voice of God hath
said to them, " Awake thou that sleepest, and arise
from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light !"
How he hath brought them down at his feet, thrown
them into the dust, broken them, melted them,
made them abase themselves, loathe and abhor them-
selves, filled them with sorrow, shame, confusion,
and with indignation towards their own guilty souls,
habituated them to a severity against themselves,
unto the most sharp, and yet most unforced self-
147
accusations, self-judging, and self-condemnation; so
as even to make them lay claim to hell, and confess
the portion of devils belonged to them, as their own
most deserved portion. And if now their eyes have
been directed towards a Redeemer, and any glim-
mering of hope hath appeared to them; if now they
are taught to understand God saying to them, Sin-
ner, art thou yet willing to be reconciled, and
accept a Saviour? O the transport into which it
puts them ! this is life from the dead ! What, is
there hope for such a lost wretch as I? How taste-
ful now is that melting invitation? how pleasant an
intimation doth it carry with it, " Come unto me
all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will
give you rest." If the Lord of heaven and earth do
now look down from the throne of glory, and say,
What, sinner, wilt thou despise my favour and
pardon, my Son, thy mighty merciful Redeemer,
my grace and Spirit still! — What can be the
return of the poor abased wretch, overawed by the
glory of the divine Majesty, stung with compunc-
tion, overcome with the intimation of kindness and
love? " I have heard of thee, O God, by the
hearing of the ear, now mine eye seeth thee; where-
fore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."
So inwardly is the truth of that word now felt, " that
thou mayest remember and be confounded, and never
open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame,
when I am pacified towards thee, for all that thou
hast done, saith the Lord God." Rut, sinner,
wilt thou make a covenant with me, and my Christ?
wilt thou take me for thy God, and him for thy
G 2
148
Redeemer and Lord? And may I, Lord! yet,
may I ? O admirable grace ! wonderful sparing
mercy ! that I was not thrown into hell at my first
refusal ! Yea, Lord, with all my heart and soul.
I renounce the vanities of an empty cheating world,
and all the pleasures of sin: In thy favour stands
my life : Whom have I in heaven but thee ? whom on
earth do I desire besides thee ? And O thou blessed
Jesus, thou Prince of the kings of the earth, who hast
loved me, and washed me from my sins in thy blood,
and whom the eternal God hath exalted to be a
Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and remis-
sion of sins, I fall before thee, my Lord, and my
God; I here willingly tender my homage at the
footstool of thy throne. I take thee for the Lord
of my life. I absolutely surrender and resign my-
self to thee. Thy love constrains me henceforth n©
more to live to myself, but to thee who diedst for
me, and didst rise again. And I subject and yield
myself to thy blessed light and power, O Holy
Spirit of grace, to be more and more illuminated,
sanctified, and prepared for every good word and
work, in this world, and for an inheritance among
them that are sanctified in the other. Sinner, never
give thy soul leave to be at rest till thou find it
brought to some such transaction with God (the
Father, Son, and Spirit) as this; so as that thou
canst truly say, and dost feel thy heart is in it. Be
not weary or impatient of waiting and striving, till
thou canst say, this is nOw the very sense of thy
soul. Such things have been done in the world
(but O how seldom of latter days!) So God hath
149
Wrought with men to save them from going down to
the pit, having found a ransom for them. And
why may he not yet be expected to do so? He
hath smitten rocks ere now, and made the waters
gush out ; nor is his hand shortened, nor his ear
heavy. Thy danger is not, sinner, that he will be
inexorable, but lest thou shouldst. He will be
entreated, if thou wouldst be prevailed with to
entreat his favour with thy whole heart.
And that thou mayest, and not throw away thy
soul, and so great a hope through mere sloth, and
loathness to be at some pains for thy life; let the
text, which hath been thy directory about the things
that belong to thy peace, be also thy motive, as it
gives thee to behold the Son of God weeping over
such as would not know those things. Shall not
the Redeemer's tears move thee! O hard heart !
Consider what these tears import to this purpose.
1. They signify the real depth, and greatness of
the misery into which thou art falling. They drop
from an intellectual and most comprehensive eye,
that sees far, and pierces deep into things, hath a
wide and large prospect ; takes the compass of that
forlorn state into which unreconcilable sinners are
hastening, in all the horror of it. The Son of
God did not weep vain and causeless tears, or for a
light matter; nor did he for himself either spend his
own, or desire the profusion of others' tears.
" Weep not for me, O daughters of Jerusalem."
He knows the value of souls, the weight of guilt,
and how low it will press and sink them; the severity
of God's justice, and the power of his anger, and
150
what the fearful effects of them will be, when they
finally fall. If thou understandest not these things
thyself, believe him that did, at least believe his
tears.
2. They signify the sincerity of his love and
pity, the truth and tenderness of his compassion.
Ganst thou think his tears deceitful? his, who never
knew guile? was this like the rest of his course?
And remember that he who shed tears, did, from
the same fountain of love and mercy, shed blood
too! Was that also done to deceive? Thou
makest thyself some very considerable thing indeed,
if thou thinkest the Son of God counted it worth
his while to weep, and bleed, and die, to deceive
thee into a false esteem of him and his love. But
if it be the greatest madness imaginable to entertain
any such thought, but that his tears were sincere
and inartificial, the natural genuine expressions of
undissembled benignity and pity, thou art then to
consider what love and compassion thou art now
sinning against; what bowels thou spurn est; and
that if thou perishest, it is under such guilt as the
devils themselves are not liable to, who never had a
Redeemer bleeding for them, nor, that we ever
find, weeping over them.
3. They show the remedilessness of thy case, if
thou persist in impenitency and unbelief till the
things of thy peace be quite hid from thine eyes.
These tears will then be the last issues of (even
defeated) love, of love that is frustrated of its kind
design. Thou mayest perceive in these tears the
steady unalterable laws of heaven, the inflexibleness
151
of the divine justice, that holds thee in adamantine
bonds, and hath sealed thee up, if thou prove in-
curably obstinate and impenitent, unto perdition;
so that even the Redeemer, himself, " he that is
mighty to save," cannot at length save thee, but
only weep over thee, drop tears into thy flame,
whieli -assuage it not; but (though they have another
design, even to express true compassion) do yet un-
avoidably heighten, and increase the fervour of it,
and will do so to all eternity. He even tells thee,
sinner, thou hast despised my blood, thou shalt yet
have my tears. That would have saved thee, these
do only lament thee lost.
But the tears wept over others as lost and past
hope, why should they not yet melt thee, while as
yet there is hope in thy case; if thou be effectually
melted in thy very soul, " and looking to him whom
thou hast pierced, dost truly mourn over him," thou
mayest assure thyself the prospect his weeping eye
had of lost souls, did not include thee. His weep-
ing over thee would argue thy case forlorn and hope-
less. Thy mourning over him will make it safe and
happy. That it may be so, consider further that
4. They signify how very intent he is to save
souls, and how gladly he would save thine, if yet
thou wilt accept of mercy while it may be had. For
if he weep over them that will not be saved, from
the same love that is the spring of these tears, would
saving mercies proceed to those that are become
willing to receive them. And that love that wept
over them that were lost, how will it glory in them
that are saved? There his love is disappointed and
152
vexed, crossed in its gracious intentions; but her*
having compassed it, how will he joy over thee witl
singing, and rest in his love ! And thou also, in-
stead of being involved in a like ruin with the un-
reconciled sinners of the Old Jerusalem, shalt
enrolled among the glorious citizens of the New,
and triumph together with them in eternal glory.
APPENDIX
CONCERNING THE BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE HOLY
ghost; AND HOW GOD IS SAID TO WILL THE
§ALYATION OF THEM THAT PERISH.
Because some things, not fit to be wholly omitted,
were as little fit to come into the body of a practi-
cal discourse, it was thought requisite to subjoin here
the following additions, that will, severally, have re-
ference to distinct parts of the foregoing discourse.
As to what was said, p. 104, of the unreasonable-
ness, and ill consequence of admitting it to be any
man's duty to believe himself utterly rejected, and
forsaken of God, inasmuch as it would make that
his duty which were repugnant to his felicity. This
is to be evinced by a consideration, which also, even
apart by itself, were not without its own great weight,
namely, that such a belief were inconsistent with his
former stated and known duty: It were therefore in-
consistent with his felicity, inasmuch as it would
make that duty impossible to be performed, which,
before, was, by the constitution of the evangelical
law, made necessary to it; namely, " Repentance
towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ,"
The hope of acceptance is so necessary to both these,
G3
154
that the belief of a man's being finally rejected, or
that he shall never be accepted, cannot but make
them both impossible, equally impossible, as if he
were actually in hell; as much impossible to him, as
to the devils themselves. Nor is this impossibility,
merely, from a moral impotency, or that obduration
of heart which were confessedly vicious, and his
great sin, but from the natural influence of that be-
lief of his being for ever rejected, which, upon the
mentioned supposition, were his duty. Besides, in-
asmuch as it is the known duty of a sinner under
the gospel, " to turn to God through Christ," and
it is also declared in the same gospel, sufficiently to
make it the common matter of faith to Christians,
that none can " of themselves turn to God, and
believe in his Son," without the help of speeiaLeffi-
caeious grace; it must hereupon be a man's duty
also to pray for that grace which may enable him
hereto. How deep in wickedness was Simon Magus,
even in the "gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity,"
when yet Peter calls him to repentance, and puts
him upon praying for forgiveness, which must im-
ply also his praying for the grace to repent ; but how
can a man pray for that, which, at the same time, he
believes shall not be given him ? yea, and which is
harder, and more unaccountable, how can he stand
obliged in duty, to pray for that, which, at the same
time, he stands obliged in duty to believe he shall
not obtain? How can these two contrary obligations
lie upon a man at the same time; or is he to look
upon the former as ceased ? should he reckon the
gospel as to him repealed ? or his impenitency and
155
infidelity, even when they are at the highest, no
sins ?
I know it is obvious to object, as to all this, the
case of the " unpardonable blasphemy against the
Holy Ghost ;" which will be supposed to be stated
and determined in the sacred Scriptures, and being
so, the person that hath committed it, may equally
be thought obliged, (by a mixed assent, partly of
faith to what is written, partly of self-knowledge,
which he ought to have of his own acts and state)
to conclude himself guilty of it; whereupon all the
former inconvenience and difficulty will be liable to
be urged as above. But even as to this also, I see
not but it may fitly enough be said, that though the
general nature of that sin be stated, and sufficiently
determined in thesi, yet that God hath not left it
determinable in hypothesis by any particular person,
that he hath committed it. For admit that it gener-
ally lies in imputing to the devil those works of the
Holy Ghost, by which the truth of Christianity was
to be demonstrated, I yet see not how any man
can apply this to his own particular case, so as justly
and certainly to conclude himself guilty of it. I take
it for granted, none will ever take the notion of blas-
phemy in that strictness, but that a man may possibly
be guilty of this sin as well in thought, as by speech.
I also doubt not but it will be acknowledged on all
hands, that prejudice and malice against Christianity,
must have a great ingrediency into this sin ; not such
malice as whereby, knowing it to be true religion,
a man hates and detests it as such (which would sup-
pose these Pharisees, whom our Saviour charges
156
with it, or cautions against it, to have been, at that
time, in their judgments and consciences, Christians)
but such malignity, and strong prejudice as darkens
and obstructs his mind, that he judges it not to be
true, against the highest evidence of its being so:
It will also be acknowledged, that some enmity and
disaffection to true religion, is common to all men ;
more especially in their unregeneracy, and unconvert-
ed state.
Now let it be supposed that some person or other,
of a very unwarrantably sceptical genius, had oppor-
tunity to know certainly the matter of fact, touching
the miraculous works wrought by our Saviour, and
understood withal somewhat generally of the doc-
trine which he taught; and that he sets himself as
a philosopher to consider the case. Suppose that,
partly through prejudice against the holy design of
Christianity, whereof there is some degree in all;
and partly through shortness of discourse, not hav-
ing thoroughly considered the matter, he thinks it
possible that some demon or other, with design, un-
der a specious pretence, to impose upon, or amuse
the credulous vulgar, may have done all those
strange things. Suppose his judgment should for
the present more incline this way. What, if think-
ing this to be the case in the instance of Apollonius
Tyanaeus, he hath not yet, upon a slighter view,
discerned enough to distinguish them, but thinks
alike of both cases? Yea, and suppose he have
spoken his sentiments to some other ; perhaps, upon
further inquiry and search, he might see cause to
alter his judgment. And now, setting himself to
157
inquire more narrowly, he perceives the unexcep-
tionable excellent scope and tendency of our Saviour's
doctrine and precepts, considers the simplicity and
purity of his life, contemplates further the awful
greatness of his mighty works; but amidst these
his deliberations, he finds among the rest of Chris-
tian constitutions this severe one, " Wherefore I
say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall
be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against
the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of
man, it shall be forgiven him : but whosoever speaketh
against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven
him, neither in this world, neither in the world to
come," — and begins to fear lest, supposing the truth
of this excellent religion, he have precluded him-
self of all the advantages of it by that former judg-
ment of his : What is he to do in this case ? what
were he to be advised unto? What, to pass judg-
ment upon himself, and his case as desperate? or
not rather to humble himself before the God of hea-
ven, ask pardon for his injurious rash judgment, and
supplicate for mercy, and for further illumination,
" in the mystery of God, of the Father, and of Christ?
WTiich course, that it may have a blessed issue with
him, who dare venture to deny or doubt? And
what have we to say hereupon, but that in great
wisdom and mercy, our §aviour hath only told us
there is such a sin, and what the general nature of
it is, or whereabouts it lies : but the judgment of
particular cases wherein, or of the very pitch and de-
gree of malignity wherewith it is committed, he hath
158
reserved to himself; intending further to strive with
persons by his Spirit, while he judges them yet with-
in the reach of mercy, or withhold it, when he sees
any to have arrived to that culminating pitch of ma-
lignity, and obstinacy, wherein he shall judge this
sin specially to consist? And what inconvenience
is it to suppose he hath left this matter, touching
the degree, humanly undeterminable. The know-
ledge of it can do them who have committed it no
good: and probably they have by it so blinded and
stupified their own souls, as to have made themselves
very little capable of apprehending that they have
committed it, or of considering whether they have
or not. But they are sunk into a deep abyss of dark-
ness and death, so as that such knowledge may be
as little possible, as it would be useful to them.
All their faculties of intellection, consideration, and
self-reflection, being, as to any such exercise, bound
up in a stupifying dead sleep.
And to what purpose should they have a rule by
which to determine a case, who, 1. Can receive no
benefit by the determination, and 2. Who are sup-
posed, when they are to use it, to have no faculty
sufficiently apt to make this sad, but true judgment
of" their case by it? But for them who have not
committed it, and who are, consequently, yet capable
of benefit by what should be made known about it,
there is, therefore, enough made known for their
real use and benefit. It will
1. Be of real use to many such, to know their
danger of running into it. And it is sufficient
to that purpose, that they are plainly told wherein
159
the general nature of it consists, or whereabouts
it lies; without showing them the very point that
hath certain death in it; or letting them know just
how near they may approach it, without being sure
to perish, when there is danger enough in every
step they take towards it. As if there were some
horrid desert, into any part whereof no man hath
any business to come, but in some part whereof there
is a dreadful gulf, whence arises a contagious va-
pour, which, if he come within the verge of it, will
be certainly poisonous and mortal to him. What
need is there that any man should know just how
near he may come, without being sure to die for it?
He is concerned to keep himself at a cautious awful
distance.
2. It may be of great use to others, that are af-
flicted with very torturing fears lest they have com-
mitted it, to know that they have not. And they
have enough also to satisfy them in the case. For
their very fear itself, with its usual concomitants
in such afflicted minds, is an argument to them that
they have not. While they find in themselves any
value of divine favour, any dread of his wrath, any
disposition to consider the state of their souls, with
any thought or design of turning to God, and mak-
ing their peace: they have reason to conclude God
hath hitherto kept them out of that fearful guilt;
and is yet in the way, and in treaty with them. For
since we are not "sufficient to think any thing (that
good is) of ourselves," it is much more reasonable to
ascribe any such thoughts or agitations of spirit that
have this design to him, than to ourselves, and to
160
account that he is yet at work with us (at least in the
way of common grace) though when our thoughts
drive towards a conclusion against ourselves, that we
have committed that sin, and towards despair there-
upon, we are to apprehend a mixture of temptation
in them, which we are concerned earnestly to watch
and pray against. And yet even such temptation is
an argument of such-a-one's not having committed
that sin. For such as the devil may apprehend more
likely to have committed it (and it is not to be
thought he can be sure who have) he will be less apt
to trouble with such thoughts, not knowing what the
issue of that unquietness may prove, and apprehend-
ing it may occasion their escaping quite out of his
snares. And I do conceive this to be a safer me-
thod, of satisfying such as are perplexed with this
fear in our days, than to be positive in stating that
sin so, or limiting it to such circumstances, as shall
make it impossible to be committed in this age of
the world. For let it be seriously considered, whe-
ther it be altogether an unsupposable thing, that,
with some in our days, there may be an equivalency,
in point of light and evidence of the truth of Chris-
tianity, unto what these Jews had, whom our Saviour
warns of the danger of this sin, at that time when he
so warned them; his warning and cautioning them
about it, implies that he judged them, at least in a
possibility, at that time, of incurring the guilt of it:
If the text Matt. xii. do not also imply that he rec-
koned them, then, actually to have committed it.
For it is said, verse 25, he " knew their thoughts,"
that is, considered the temper of their minds, and
161
thereupon said to them that which follows concern-
ing it. Let us consider wherein their advantage
towards their being ascertained of the truth of the
Christian religion, Was greater than we now can have:
It was, chiefly, in this respect greater, that they had
a nearer, and more immediate knowledge of the mat-
ter of fact, wherein that evidence which our Saviour
refers to did consist. A more immediate way of
knowing it they had; the most immediate the per-
sons whom he warns, or charges, seem not to have
had. For those Pharisees, it is said, heard of the
cure of the demoniac, not that they saw it. They
took it upon the, no doubt sufficiently credible, re-
port of others. Now let it be further considered,
what we have to balance this one single advantage.
We have, to intelligent considering persons, ration-
ally sufficient evidence of the same matter of fact.
But how great things, that have since followed, have
we the sufficiently certain knowledge of besides, be-
yond what they had in view, at that time : as, the
wonderful death of our Lord, exactly according to
prediction, in many respects, together with all the
unforetold amazing circumstances that attended it !
—his more wonderful resurrection, upon which so
great a stress is laid for demonstrating the truth of
the religion he taught — the destruction of Jerusa-
lem, as he foretold, and the shattered condition of the
Jewish nation, as was also foretold, ever since — the
strange success of the gospel in the first, and some
following ages, by so unlikely means, against the
greatest opposition imaginable, both of Jews and
Pagans, Not to insist on the apostacy foretold, in th§
16-2
Christian church, with many more things that might
be mentioned, let it be considered whether the want
of a so immediate way of knowing some of these
things, be not abundantly compensated by the great-
ness of the other things that are however sufficiently
known. And if such as have wit and leisure to con-
sider these things in our days, are often pressed to
consider them, have them frequently represented, and
laid before their eyes, if such, I say, have in view as
great evidence, upon the whole, of the truth of
Christianity, as these Pharisees had; it is then fur-
ther to be considered, whether it be not possible that
some such may equal the Jewish malice, against the
holy design of our religion. To which I only say,
the Lord grant that none may. But if there be
really cause to apprehend such a danger, some other
way should be thought of to cure the trouble of
some, than by the danger, and too probable ruin of
others.
However, none should themselves make their own
case incurable, by concluding that they have sinned
that sin, or by believing they are, otherwise, for-
saken and rejected of God; so as that he will never
more assist their endeavours to repent, and turn to
him through the Mediator.
If it be inquired here, Since, as hath been shown,
some may be quite forsaken of God, while yet they
live in the world; ought such to believe then they
are not forsaken, and so believe an untruth that they
may make it true, or try if they can better their con-
dition by it? I answer, nor that neither. For that
God will further assist an obstinate sinner, that hath
m
long resisted his Spirit, and despised his mercy, is
no matter of promise to him, and so no matter of
faith. When he doth conquer, at length, any such,
it is of mere unpromised favour; (as was also shown)
whereof therefore he gives others no ground to de-
spair; and for which they are deeply concerned, with
great earnestness, to supplicate. But if it be said,
how can they pray for that whereof they have no pro-
mise? and can have no faith, since " what is not of
faitbJ^Lsin," Rom. xiv. 23. I answer, that passage
of Scripture would, in this case, be much misapplied.
It speaks not of faith concerning the certainty of any
event to be expected, but the lawfulness of a work to
be done, and of doubting, not concerning the event,
but my own act. Can any man in his wits doubt
concerning; his own act in this case? whether it be
better to pray for the grace of God to save him, than
slight it and perish? nor are they without very en-
couraging promises concerning the event " that God
will be a rewarder of them that diligently seek him,"
and " that whosoever shall call upon the name of
the Lord shall be saved;" which promises, it is true,
the context of both shows, do speak of believing
prayer. They are to faith, not of it, and import,
that God will reward and save the believer: not that
he will give faith to the obstinate contemptuous un-
believer. If he do this, it is, as was said, of unpro-
mised bounty. But though they are not promises
to give faith, they should induce it; and incline sin-
ners to cast themselves down before the throne of so
gracious a God, and seek grace to help them in their
need, in confidence that he will never reject penitent
164
believing prayer. They* indeed, that for their for-
mer wilful sinning, are utterly forsaken of God, will
not thus apply themselves; but our question is not
what they will do, but what they should. Because
they would not, therefore they were forsaken, and
because they yet will not, they are still, and finally
forsaken. Their refusal proceeds not from any dis-
couragement God hath given them, but from the
malignity of their own hearts. God hath not re-
pealed his gospel towards them. The connection
continues firm between the preceptive and promissory
parts of it. Their infidelity is not become their duty,
but remains their heinous sin, and the more deeply
heinous by how much their own malignity holds them
more strongly in it.
Unto what also is discoursed, p. 117, concerning
anger and grief, (or other passions) ascribed to God,
it will not be unfit here to add, that unless they be
allowed to signify real aversion of will, no account
is to be given what reality in him they can signify
at all. For to say (what some do seem to satisfy
themselves with) that they are to be understood ac-
cording to the effects, not according to the affections,
though true as to the negative part, is, as to the affir-
mative, very defective and short; for the effects of
anger and grief, upon which those names are put,
when spoken of God, are not themselves in him, but in
us. But we are still at a loss what they signify in him.
Such effects must have some cause. And if they be
effects which he works, they must have some cause in
himself that is before them, and productive of them.
This account leaves us to seek what that cause is,
165
that is signified by these names. That it cannot
be any passion, as the same names are wont to sig-
nify with us, is out of question. Nor indeed do those
names primarily, and most properly signify passion
in ourselves. The passion is consequent only, by
reason of that inferior nature in us, which is suscep-
tible of it. But the aversion of our mind and will
is before it, and, in another subject, very separable
from it, and possible to be without it. In the bles-
sed God we cannot understand any thing less is sig-
nified than real displacency at the things whereat he
is said to be angry or grieved.
Our shallow reason indeed is apt to suggest in
these matters, why is not that prevented that is so
displeasing? And it would be said, with equal rea-
son in reference to all sin permitted to be in the
world, why was it not prevented? And what is to
be said to this? shall it be said that sin doth not
displease God? that he hath no will against sin?
it is not repugnant to his will? Yes: it is to his
revealed will, to his law. But is that an untrue re-
velation? His law is not his will itself, but the
sign, the discovery of his will. Now, is it an in-
significant sign ? a sign that signifies nothing ? or
to which there belongs no correspondent significa-
tion? nothing that is signified by it? Is that which
is signified (for sure no one will say it signifies no-
thing) his real will, yea or no? Who can deny it?
that will, then, (and a most calm, sedate, impasskm-
ate will it must be understood to be) sin, and con-
sequently the consequent miseries of his creatures,
are repugnant unto. And what will is that? it is
166
not a peremptory will concerning the event, for the
event falls out otherwise; which were, upon that
supposition, impossible : '" For who hath resisted his
will?" as was truly intimated by the personated
questionist, Romans ix. 19; but impertinently, when
God's will of another (not a contrary) kind, that is,
concerning another object, was in the same breath
referred unto, " why doth he yet find fault?" It is
not the will of the event that is the measure of
faultiness: for then there could not have been sin in
the world, nor consequently misery, which only, by
the Creator's pleasure, stands connected with it.
For nothing could fall out against that irresistible
will. The objector then destroys his own objection,
so absurdly, and so manifestly, as not to deserve any
other reply than that which he meets with. " Nay,
but who art thou, O man, that repliest against
God?"
And what is the other object about which the di-
vine will is also conversant? matter of duty; and
what stands in connexion with it, not abstractly and
separately, but as it is so connected, our felicity.
This is objectively another will, as we justly distin-
guish divine acts, that respeet the creature, by their
different objects. Against this will falls out all the
sin and misery in the world.
All this seems plain and clear, but is not enough.
For it may be further said, that when God wills this
or that to be my duty, doth he not will this event,
namely, my doing it? otherwise wherein is his will
withstood, or not fulfilled in my not doing it? He
willed this to be my duty, and it is so. I do not,
167
nor can hinder it from being so, yet I do it not, ant!
that he willed not. If all that his will meant was,
that this should be my duty, but my doing it was
not intended; his will is entirely accomplished: it
hath its full effect, in that such things are constituted,
and do remain my duty, upon his signification of
this his will; my not doing it, not being within the
compass of the object, or the thing willed.
If it be said, he willed my doing it, that is, that
I should do it, not that I shall, the same answer will
recur, namely, that his will hath still its full effect*
this effect still remaining, that I should do it, but
that I shall he willed not.
It may be said, I do plainly go against his will
however; for his will was that I should do so, or
so, and I do not what he willed I should. It is
true, I go herein against his will, if he willed not
only my obligation, but my action according to it.
And indeed it seems altogether unreasonable, and
unintelligible, that he should will to oblige me to
that, which he doth not will me to do.
Therefore it seems out of question, that the holy
God doth constantly and perpetually, in a true sense,
will the universal obedience, and the consequent
felicity of all his creatures capable thereof. He
doth will it with simple complacency, as what were
highly grateful to him, simply considered by itself.
Who can doubt, but that purity, holiness, blessed-
ness, wheresoever they were to be beheld among his
creatures, would be a pleasing and delightful spec-
tacle to him, being most agreeable to the perfect ex-
168
eellency, purity, and benignity of his own nature,
and that their deformity and misery must be conse-
quently unpleasing? But he doth not efficaciously
will every thing that he truly wills. He never
willed the obedience of all his intelligent creatures
so, as effectually to make them all obey, nor their
happiness, so as to make them all be happy, as the
event shows. Nothing can be more certain, than
that he did not so will these things; for then no-
thing could have fallen out to the contrary, as we
see much hath. Nor is it at all unworthy the love
and goodness of his nature not so to have willed,
with that effective will, the universal sinlessness,
and felicity of all his intelligent creatures. The
divine nature must comprehend all excellences in it-
self, and is not to be limited to that one only of benig-
nity, or an aptness to acts of beneficence. For then
it were not infinite, not absolutely perfect, and so
not divine. All the acts of his will must be conse-
quently conform and agreeable to the most perfect
wisdom. " He doth all things according to the
counsel of his will." He wills, it is true, the recti-
tude of our actions, and what would be consequent
thereto, but he first, and more principally wills the
rectitude of his own. And not only not to do an
unrighteous, but not an inept, or unfit thing. We
find he did not think it fit efficaciously to provide
concerning all men, that they should be made obe-
dient and happy, as he hath concerning some. That
in the general he makes a difference, is to be attri-
buted to his wisdom, that is, his wisdom hath in the
169
general made this determination, not to deal with all
alike, and so we find it ascribed to his wisdom that
he doth make a difference. And in what a trans-
port is the holy Apostle in the contemplation and
celebration of it upon this account ! " O the depth
of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of
God ! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his
ways past finding out !" But now, when in parti-
cular he comes to make this difference between one
person, and another, there being no reason in the
object to determine him this way, more than that,
his designing some for the objects of special favour,
and waving others (as to such special favour) when
all were in themselves alike ; in that case wisdom
hath not so proper an exercise, but it is the work of
free, unobliged sovereignty here to make the choice:
" Having predestinated us unto the adoption of
children, by Jesus Christ, to himself, according to
the good pleasure of his will."
Yet, in the mean time, while God doth not effi-
caciously will all men's obedience introductive of
their happiness, doth it follow he wills it not really
at all? To say he wills it efficaciously, were to con-
tradict experience, and his word: to say he wills it
not really, were equally to contradict his word. He
doth will it, but not primarily, and as the more prin-
cipal object of his will, so as to effect it notwithstand-
ing whatsoever unfitness he apprehends in it, namely,
that he so overpower all, as to make them obedient
and happy. He really wills it, but hath greater
reasons than this or that man's salvation, why he
H
170
effects it not. And this argues no imperfection in
the divine will, but the perfection of it, that he wills
things agreeably to the reasonableness and fitness of
them.
ON
SELF-DEDICATION.
H 2
TO
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
JOHN, EARL OF KILDARE,
BARON OF OPHALIA,
FIRST OF HIS ORDER IN THE KINGDOM OF IRELAND.
MY LORD,
I little thought when, in so private a way, I
lately offered much of the following Discourse to
your Lordship's ear, I should receive the command
(which I am not now, so far as it proves to me a
possible one, to disobey or further to dispute) of
exposing it thus to the view of the world, or so much
as to present it to your Lordship's own eye. It
was indeed impossible to me to give an exact account
of what was then discoursed, from a memory that
was so treacherous, as to let slip many things that
were prepared and intended to have been said that
day; and that could much less (being assisted but by
very imperfect memorials) recollect every thing that
was said, several days after. Yet I account, upon
the whole, it is much more varied by enlargement.
174
than by diminution; whereby, I hope, it will be
nothing less capable of serving the end of this en-
joined publication of it. And I cannot doubt but
the injunction proceeded from the same pious grati-
tude to the God of your life, which hath prompted,
for several years past, to the observation of that
domestic annual solemnity, iii memory of your great
preservation from so near a death.* That the re-
membrance of so great a mercy might be the more
deeply impressed with yourself, and improved also
(so far as this means could signify for that purpose)
to the instruction of many others.
Your Lordship was pleased to allow an hour to
the hearing of that Discourse. What was proposed
to you in it, is to be the business of your life. And
what is to be done continually, is once to be
thoroughly done. The impression ought to be very
inward, and strong, which must be so lasting as to
govern a man's life. And were it as fully done as
mortality can admit, it needs be more solemnly re-
newed at set times for that purpose. And indeed,
that such a day should not pass you without a fall,
nor that fall be without a hurt, and that hurt pro-
ceed unto a wound, and that wound not to be mor-
tal, but even next to it, looks like an artifice and
contrivance of providence to show you how near it
could go, without cutting through that slender thread
of life, that it might endear to you its accurate
superintendency over your life, that there might
By a fall from a horse, December 5, 1674.
175
here be a remarkable juncture in that thread, and
that whensoever such a day should revolve in the
circle of your year, it might come again, and again,
with a note upon it under your eye, and appear
ever to you as another birth-day, or as an earlier day
of resurrection.
Whereupon, my honoured Lord, the further
design of that providence is to be thoroughly studied,
and pondered deeply. For it shows itself to be, at
once, both merciful and wise, and as upon the one
account it belonged to it to design kindly to you, so,
upon the other, to form its design aptly, and so as
that its means and method might fitly both serve and
signify its end. If therefore your Lordship shall be
induced to reckon the counsel acceptable which hath
been given you upon this occasion, and to think the
offering yourself to God, a living sacrifice, under
the endearing obligation of so great a mercy is, in-
deed, a reasonable service; your life by that dedica-
tion acquires a sacredness, becomes a holy, divine
life. And so by one and the same means is not
only renewed and prolonged in the same kind of
natural life, but is also heightened and improved to
a nobler and far more excellent kind. And thus,
out of that umbrage only and shadow of death, which
sat upon one day of your time, springs a double
birth and resurrection to you. Whereby (as our
apostle speaks in another place of this epistle) you
come to yield yourselves to God, as one alive from
the dead.
So your new year (which shortly after begins)
will always be to you a fresh setting forth in that
176
new and holy course of life, which shall at length
(and God grant it to be, after the revolution of
many fruitful years, wherein you may continue a
public blessing in this wretched world) end, and be
perfected in a state of life not measured by time,
wherein you are to be ever with the Lord. Which
will answer the design of that merciful providence
towards you; and of this performance, how mean
soever, of
Your Honour's most obedient,
Humble Servant,
JOHN HOWE,
ON
SELF-DEDICATION.
Romans xii. 1.
/ beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of
God, that you present your bodies a living sacri-
Jice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your
reasonable service.
Two things are more especially considerable in these
words: — The matter of the exhortation, that we
would " present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God, our reasonable service." And
the pathetic form of obtestation that is used to en-
force it. " I beseech you by the mercies of God."
The former I intend for the principal subject of the
following Discourse, and shall only make use of the
other for the purpose unto which the holy apostle
doth here apply it. Our business therefore must
be, to show the import of this exhortation. In the
doing whereof we shall — Explain the terms wherein
the text delivers it. And— Declare more distinctly
the nature of the thing expressed by them.
H3
178
I. We shall explain the terms which the text
employs in this exhortation.
By " bodies," we are to understand our whole
selves, expressed here (synecdochically) by the name
of bodies, for distinctions sake. It having been
wont heretofore, to offer in sacrifice the bodies of
beasts, the apostle lets them know they are now to
offer up their own: meaning, yet, their whole man,
as some of these following words do intimate; and
agreeably to the plain meaning of the exhortation,
" Glorify God in your bodies and spirits, which are
his."
" Sacrifice" is not to be understood in this place
in a more restrained sense, than as it may signify
whatsoever is by God's own appointment dedicated
to himself. According to the stricter notion of a
sacrifice, its more noted general distinction (though
the Jewish be variously distributed*) is into propi-
tiatory and gratulatory or eucharistical. Christian-
ity in that strict sense, admits but one, and that of
the former sort. By which One (that of himself)
our Lord hath perfected for ever them that are
sanctified. We Ourselves, or any service of ours,
are only capable of being sacrifices by way of analogy,
and that chiefly to the other sort. And so all sin-
cere Christians are " as lively stones, built up a
spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiri-
tual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ,"
(1 Pet. ii. 5.) being both temple, priests, and sa-
See Sigonius de Repub. Heb. Dr. Outr. de Sacr.
179
orifices, all at once; as our Lord himself, in his
peculiar sacrificing, also was.
In the addition of " living," the design is carried
on of speaking both by way of allusion and opposi-
tion to the ritual sacrificing. By way of allusion.
For a morticinum, any thing dead of itself, the
Israelites were not to eat themselves, (Deut. xiv.
21.) because they were a holy people; (though they
might give it to a stranger;) much more had it been
detestable, as a sacrifice to God. The beast must
be brought alive to the altar. Whereas then we
are also to offer our bodies, a living sacrifice, so far
there must be an agreement. Yet also, a difference
seems not obscurely suggested. The victim brought
alive to be sacrificed, was yet to be slain in sacrific-
ing: but here, living may also signify continuing to
live. You, as if he should say, may be sacrifices,
and yet live on. According to the strict notion we
find given of a sacrifice, it is somewhat to be in the
prescribed way destroyed, and that must perish in
token of their entire devotedness to God who offer
it. When we offer ourselves,* life will not be
touched by it or at all impaired, but improved and
ennobled highly by having a sacredness added to it.
Your bodies are to be offered a sacrifice, but an
unbloody one. Such as you have no cause to be
startled at, it carries no dread with it, life will be
still whole in you. Which shows by the way, it is
not an inanimate body, without the soul. But the
Cloppenburg. Schol. Sacrific. and others.
180
bodily life is but alluded to and supposed, it is a
higher and more excellent one that is meant; the
spiritual, divine life, as chapter vi. .13. "Yield your-
selves to God, as those that are alive from the dead."
And verse 11. shows what that being alive means,
" Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin,
but alive unto God through Jesus Christ." Alive
by a life which means God, which aims at him,
terminates in him, and is derived to you through
Christ. As he also speaks, Gal. ii. 19-, -20. " I am
dead to the law, that I might live to God. I am
crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live, yet not
I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now
live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of
God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
" Holy," though it be included in the word sacri-
fice, is not in the Greek Sw/a, and was therefore
added without verbal tautology. And there were,
however, no real one. For there is a holiness that
stands in an entire rectitude of heart and life, by
which we are conformed in both, to the nature and
will of God, besides the relative one which redounds
upon any person or thing by due dedication to him.
And which former is pre-required, in the present
sacrifice, that it may be, as it follows,
" Acceptable to God," not as though thereby it
became acceptable, but as that without which it is
not so. Yet also holiness, in the nature of the
thing, cannot but be grateful to God or well-pleas-
ing, (as the word here used signifies, tvaf>i<i70Y,) but
not so as to reconcile a person to him, who was be-
fore a sinner, and hath still sin in him. But sup-
181
posing the state of such a person first made and
continued good, that resemblance of himself cannot
but be pleasing in the eyes of God, but fundamentally
and statedly in and for Christ, as 1 Peter ii. 5.
(before quoted.) This therefore signifies, both how
ready God is to be well pleased with such a sacrifice,
and also signifies the quality of the sacrifice itself,
that it is apt to please.
" Reasonable service," or worship, as the word
signifies. This "also is spoken accommodately, to
the notion given before of offering ourselves, in op-
position to the former victims wherein beasts were
the matter of the sacrifice. Those were brute sacri-
fices. You are to offer reasonable ones. And it
signifies our minds and understandings the seat of
reason, with our wills and affections that are to be
governed by it, must all be ingredient as the matter
of that sacrifice; implying also the right God hath
in us, whence nothing can be more reasonable than
to offer ourselves to him.
" Present," that is, dedicate, devote yourselves,
set yourselves before God, as they sistere ad altar e^
present at the altar, the destined sacrifices, make
them stand ready for immolation. You are so to
make a tender of yourselves, as if you would say,
" Lord, here I am, wholly thine. I come to sur-
render myself, my whole life and being, to be en-
tirely and always at thy disposal, and for thy use.
Accept a devoted, self-resigning soul!" Thus we
are brought to the thing itself. Which now,
II. In the next place, with less regard to the al-
lusive terms, we come more distinctly to open and
182
explain. It is briefly but the dedicating of ourselves :
or, as it is 2 Cor. viii. 5. the giving our ownselves to
the Lord. So those Macedonian converts are said
to have done. And there is a special notice to be
taken therein of the word first, which puts a remark-
ableness upon that passage. The apostle is com-
mending their liberal charity towards indigent ne-
cessitous Christians: and shows how their charity
was begun in piety. They did not only, most freely
give away their substance for the relief of such as
were in want, but first gave their ownselves to the
Lord.
But that we may not misconceive the nature of
this act, of giving ourselves, we must know it is not
donation in the strict and proper sense, such as con-
fers a right upon the donee, or to him to whom a
thing is said to be given. We cannot be said to
collate, or transfer a right to him who is before, JDo-
minus absolutus; the only proprietor and supreme
Lord of all. It is more properly but a tradition, a
surrender or delivery of ourselves, upon the supposal
and acknowledgment of his former right; or the put-
ting ourselves into his possession, for his appointed
uses and services, out of which we had injuriously
kept ourselves before. It is but giving him his
own, " All things come of thee, and of thine own
have we given thee." It is only a consent, and
obedience to his most rightful claim, and demand of
us, or a yielding ourselves to him, as it is signifi-
cantly expressed in the mentioned Rom. vi. 13.
Though there the word is the same with that in
the text, 7Toif(<rTHfju 9 or #r&fflF&ou®f) which here we read
" present."
183
And now, that we may more distinctly open the
nature of this self-dedication, we shall show what
ought to accompany and qualify it, that we may be a
suitable and grateful present to him, in evangelical
acceptation, worthy of God, such as he requires and
will accept.
1. It must be done with knowledge and under-
standing. It cannot but be an intelligent act. It
is an act of religion and worship, as it is called in
the text. Service we read it, which is much more
general, but the word is k&Tfu'ot, " worship." It is in-
deed the first and fundamental act of worship. And
it is required to be a rational act. Your reasonable
service. Religion cannot move blindfold. And
though knowledge and reason are not throughout
words of the same signification and latitude ; yet the
former is partly presupposed upon the latter, and
partly improved by it, nor can therefore be severed
from it. In the present case, it is especially neces-
sary that we distinctly know and apprehend the state
of things between God and us : that we understand
ourselves to have been, with the rest of men, in an
apostacy, and revolt from God, that we are recalled
unto him, that a Mediator is appointed on purpose
through whom we are to approach him, and render
ourselves back unto him : that so this may be our
sense in our return, " Lord, I have here brought
thee back a stray, a wandering creature, mine own-
self. I have heard what the Redeemer, of thy own
constituting, hath done and suffered for the recon-
ciling and reducing of such, and, against thy known
design, I can no longer withhold myself."
184
2. With serious consideration. It must be a de-
liberate act. How many understand matters of
greatest importance, which they never consider, and
perish by not considering what they know ! Consi-
deration is nothing else but the revolving of what we
knew before: the actuating the habitual knowledge
we had of things: a more distinct reviewing of our
former notices belonging to any case, a recollecting
and gathering them up, a comparing them together;
and, for such as appear more momentous, a repeat-
ing, and inculcating them upon ourselves, that we
may be urged on to suitable action. And this,
though of itself without the power and influence of
the Divine Spirit, is not sufficient, yet being the
means he works by, is most necessary to our becom-
ing Christians, that is, if we speak of becoming so,
not by fate or by chance, as too many only are, but
by our own choice and design: which is the same
thing with dedicating ourselves to God through
Christ, whereof we are discoursing. For upon our
having thus considered and comprehended the whole
compass of the case in our thoughts, either the
temper of our hearts would be such that we would
hereupon dedicate ourselves, or we would not; if we
would, it is because we should judge the arguments
for it more weighty than the objections, which, with-
out such pondering of both, we are not likely to
apprehend, and so, for want of this consideration,
are never likely to become Christians at all. Or,
if we would not, it is because to the more carnal
temper of our hearts, the objections would out-
weigh. And then, if we do seem to consent, it is
185
because what is to be objected came not in view : and
so we should be Christians to no purpose. Our
cojitract with the Redeemer were void in the mak-
ing, we should only seem pleased with the terms of
Christianity, because we have not digested them in
our thoughts. So our act undoes itself' in the very
doing. It carries an implicit, virtual repentance in
it, of what is done. We enter ourselves Christians,
upon surprise or mistake. And if we had considered
what we are, consequently, to do, what to forbear,
what to forego, what to endure, would not have done
it. And, therefore, when we do come distinctly to
apprehend all this, are like actually to repent and re-
volt. As they, John vi. who, while they under-
stood not what it was to be a Christian, seemed very
forward followers of Christ. But when they did
more fully understand it, upon his telling them
plainly, went back and walked no more with him.
And he lets them go; as if he should say, " Mend
yourselves if you can ; see where you can get a bet-
ter master."
3. With a determinate judgment, at length, that
this ought to be done. There are two extremes in
this matter. Some will not consider at all, and so
not do this thing; and some will consider always,
and so never do it. Stand, Shall I ? Shall I? Halt
between two opinions. These are both of them
very vicious and faulty extremes in reference to the
management even of secular affairs, both of them
contrary to that prudence which should govern our
actions, that is, when men will never consider what
is necessary to be done, and so neglect their most
186
important concernments ; or, when they will never
have done considering, which is the same thing, as
if they had never taken up any thought of the mat-
ter at all. Indeed, in the present case, it is a re-
proach to the blessed God to consider longer, than
till we have well digested the state of the case. As
if it were difficult to determine the matter, between
him and the devil, which were the better, or more
rightful Lord ! We must at last be at a point, and
come to a judicious determination of the question,
as those sincerely resolved Christians had done,
John vi. 68, 69. who also express the reasons that
had, before that time no doubt, determined them :
" Lord, whither shall we go? Thou hast the words
of eternal life. And we believe, and are sure, that
thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God."
4. With liberty of spirit, having thrown off all
former bonds, and quite disengaged ourselves from
other masters. As they speak, Isa. xxvi. 13. " Oth-
er lords besides thee have had dominion over us;
but by thee only will we make mention of thy name."
For our Saviour expressly tells us, " No man can
serve two masters." When those Dedititii, the
people of Collatia, (Livius, 1. 1.) were about the
business of capitulating in order to the surrender of
themselves, the question put, on the Romans' part,
was, Estne populus Collatinus in sua potestate ?
Are the Collatine people in their own power? Where-
in satisfaction being given, the matter is concluded.
In the present case of yielding ourselves to God,
the question cannot be concerning any previous tie
in point of right, or that could urge conscience.
187
There cannot be so much as a plausible pretender
against him. But there must be a liberty, in oppo-
sition to the pre-engaged inclinations and affections.
And this must be the sense of the sincere soul, en-
treating the matter of its self-surrender, and dedica-
tion, with the great God, to be able to say to the
question, Art thou under no former contrary bonds?
" Lord, I am under none, I know, that ought to
bind me, or that justly can, against thy former so-
vereign right. I had indeed suffered other bonds
to take place in my heart, and the affections of my
soul, but they were bonds of iniquity, which I scru-
ple not to break, and repent that ever I made, I took
myself indeed to be my own, and have lived to my-
self, only pleased, and served, and sought myself, as
if I were created and born for no other purpose, and
if the sense of my heart had been put into words,
there was insolence enough to have conceived such
as these; not my tongue only, but my whole man,
body and soul, all my parts and powers, my estate
and name, and strength, and time, are all my own ;
who is Lord over me ? And while I pleased myself
with such an imagined liberty and self-dominion, no
idol was too despicable to command my homage. I
have done worse than prostrated my body to a stock,
my soul hath humbled itself, and bowed down to a
clod of clay. My thoughts and desires, and hopes,
and joys, have all stooped to so mean trifles, as wealth,
or ease, or pleasure, or fame, all but so many frag-
ments of earth, or, the less consistent, vapours
sprung from it. And whereas this world is nothing
else but a bundle of lusts, none of them was too
188
base to rule me. And while I thought myself at li-
berty, I have been a servant to corruption. But
now Lord I have through thy mercy learned to aban-
don and abhor myself. Thy grace appearing, hath
taught me to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts.
Thou hast overcome ; enjoy thine own conquest. I
am grieved for it, and repent from my soul that ever
I did put thee to contend for, and conquer thine
own." And so doth this self-dedication carry in it
repentance from dead works, and towards God.
5. With a plenary full bent of heart and will.
As that, " I have sworn, and will perform, that I
will keep thy righteous judgments." Or, that,
" I have inclined my heart to keep thy statutes al-
ways unto the end." And herein doth this self-de-
dication more principally consist, namely, in a resolved
willingness to yield myself, as God's own property,
to be for him and not for another. Which resolved-
ness of will, though it may in several respects admit
of several names, or be clothed with distinct notions,
is but one and the same substantial act. It may be
called, in respect of the competition which there
was in the case, choice : or in respect of the propo-
sal made to me of such a thing to be done, consent.
But these are, abstracting from these references, the
same act, which, in itself considered, is only a reso-
lute volition. " I will be the Lord's." Which
resolution, if one do, whether mentally or vocally,
direct to God or Christ, then it puts on the nature
of a vow; and so is fitly called devoting one's self.
It carries in it, as a thing supposed, the implant-
ed divine life and nature, whereby we are truly said
189
" to present ourselves living sacrifices," as in the text,
or as it is expressed in that other place, chap. vi.
13. To " yield ourselves to God, as those that are
alive from the dead;" as verse 11. " alive to God
through Christ Jesus our Lord." Which life is
not to be understood simply, but in a certain re-
spect. For before, we were not dead simply, we
were not dead, disinclined, or disaffected to every
thing, but peculiarly towards God and his Christ.
That way we were without any inclination, mo-
tion, tendency, or disposition. And so were dead
quoad hoc, as to this thing, or in this respect : were
alienated from the life of God. Now we come to
live this life, and are made by his grace to incline
and move towards him, of our own accord. Dead
things, or destitute of life, may be moved by ano-
ther, are capable of being moved violently, without,
or against inclination, hither or thither. But a liv-
ing creature can spontaneously move itself, as of its
own accord it inclines.
And whereas there are two more noble principles,
that belong to this divine life and nature, faith and
love. A great and noted pair, as may be seen in
divers places of the New Testament. These have
both an ingrediency into this self-dedication. The
nature of each of them runs into it, and may be per-
ceived in it. And it is hereupon a mixed act, par-
taking an influence and tincture, as it were, from
the one and the other of them.
Faith respects the promises of God, and what we
are thereupon to expect from him. And so our
dedicating ourselves to God, is a self-committing.
190
We give up ourselves to him as a trust, as the
apostle's emphatical expression intimates, " I know
whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that
he will keep that which I have committed unto
him," 7roLqcL)L<x.TctSY}x.v\v jbiov, my pawn or pledge,
my jidei commissum against that day. The soul
flies to God as in a distress, not knowing to be
safe another way. As once a people, not able to
obtain tutelage on other terms, surrendered them-
selves to them whose help they sought, with some
such expression, Si no?i nostros, saltern vestros^ If
not as ours, yet at least as your own, save, protect,
and defend us. Nor, in our surrendering ourselves
to God, is this any way unsuitable either to us or to
him. Not to us; for we are really distressed, ready
to perish; it is agreeable to the state of our case.
Not to him ; for it is glorious to him ; a thing worthy
of God to be a refuge, and sanctuary to perishing
souls; and is thereupon a pleasant thing, a godlike
pleasure, suitable to a self-sufficient, and all-sufficient
Being, who hath enough for himself and for all
others, whom he shall have taught not to despise
the riches of his goodness. He " taketh pleasure
in them that fear him, and them that hope in his
mercy." He waits that he may be gracious, and
is exalted in showing mercy, Isa. xxx. 18. He lifts
up himself when he does it, and waits that he may;
expects the opportunity, seeks out meet and suitable
objects, (as with thirst and appetite, an enterprising,
valiant man is wont to do encounters, for none were
ever so intent to destroy, as he is to save,) yea,
makes them, prepares them for his purpose. Which
191
he doth not, and needs not do, in point of misery, so
they can enough prepare themselves; but in point
of humility, sense of their necessity and unworthi-
ness, great need, and no desert, nor disposition to
supplicate. These are needful preparations, make
it decorous and comely to him to show mercy. A
God is to be sought, with humble, prostrate venera-
tion. And such an opportunity he waits for. It is
not fit for him; not great, not majestic, to throw
away his mercies upon insolent and insensible
wretches : for, as there it follows, he is the God of
judgment, a most accurate, judicious wisdom and
prudence conducts and guides all the emanations of
his flowing goodness. The part of which wisdom
and judgment is to nick the opportunity, to take the
fit season when mercy will be most fitly placed; best
attain its end; relish best; be most acceptable to
them that shall receive it, and honourable to him
that shows it. And therefore, as is added, " blessed
are they that wait for him," that labour to be in a
posture to meet him on his own terms and in his own
way.
Let such as have a mind to surrender and yield
themselves to him consider this. Apprehend you
have undone yourselves, and are lost. Fall before
him. Lie at the foot-stool of the mercy-seat.
Willingly put your mouths in the dust, if so be
there may be hope. And there is hope. He seeks
after you, and will not reject what he seeks, he only
waited to bring you to this. It is now a fit time
for him, and a good time for you. And you may
now* in resigning, intrust yourselves also to him:
192
for his express promise is your sufficient ground for
it. " I will receive you, and be a Father to you,
and ye shall be my sons and daughters." Under-
stand the matter aright; your presenting, and yield-
ing yourselves to him is not to be a desperate act.
It is not casting yourselves away. You are not
throwing yourself into flames, but upon tender mer-
cies, thither you may commit yourself. The thing
that is pleasing to him, and which he invites you to,
(as he x invites all the ends of the earth to look to
him that they may be saved,) cannot be unsafe, or
unhappy to you.
Again, love hath a great ingrediency into this
self-resignation. And as it hath, so it more admits
to be called dedicating, or devoting ourselves. This
holy, ingenuous principle respects more the commands
of God, as the other doth his promises, and eyes his
interest, as the other doth our own. This dedi-
tion of ourselves, as it is influenced by it, designs
the doing all for him we can, as by the other it doth
the receiving all. As by the other we resign our-
selves to him for safety and felicity; so we do by
this for service and duty to our uttermost. And an
ardent lover of God thinks this a little oblation.
Myself! Alas! What am I? Too small a thing
for him who is all love, and who, though he hath it
in hand to transform and turn me into love too, such
as so drossy, and limited a thing was capable of be-
ing made, how mean yet, and little is the subject he
hath to work upon ! An atom of dust ! Not com-
bustible, or apt to be wrought upon to this (to a di-
vine and heavenly love) by any, but his flame. And
193
now therefore but a minute spark from the element
of love, that must, however, thus transformed, tend
towards its own original and native seat ! It shall
now flame upward. And this is all the flame, in
which it is universally necessary, thy sacrifice should
ascend: which will refine only, not consume it.
Though, that it may he offered up in other flames,
is not impossible; nor will it be much regretted by
you; if the case should so require, nor shall be de-
spised by him, if he shall so state the case. To
give the body to be burned, without love, goes for
nothing; but if in that way, we were called to offer
up our bodies, living sacrifices to God, it would (in
an inferior sense) be an offering of a sweet-smelling
savour, would even perfume heaven, and diffuse fra-
grant odours on earth: nor would be grudged at by
that love that first made our bhbxKnfov, the whole
of ourselves, an offering to God; and whose property
it is to be all things, to do all things, to bear all
things, to endure all things for him, whose we
wholly are. So that if he design any of us to be an
bj^oxayaTCojuci too, a whole burnt offering, and will
have us to glorify him in the fire, love will not re-
tract its vow, but say, after our great Pattern, " Not
my will, but thine be done:" and as he, in his pecu-
liar case and design, (not communicable with us,
though the temper of spirit should be,) " Lo, I
come to do thy will, O God ! A body hast thou (it
now appears for this very purpose) prepared for me."
— " He loved us, and gave himself for us." So
are we, from our love of him, to give ourselves for
him, and his use and service, in whatsoever kind he
194
shall appoint and prescribe. Every true Christian
is, in the preparation of his mind, a martyr; but
they are few whom he actually calls to it. Our love
is ordinarily to show itself in our keeping his com-
mandments; and with that design we are to present
ourselves to him, as the resolved, ready instruments
of his service and praise. " Neither yield ye you?
members as instruments of unrighteousness unto
sin; but yield yourselves unto God as those that are
alive from the dead, and your members as instru-
ments of righteousness unto God." Thus having
been more large upon what was more essential in
this dedication of ourselves, I shall be more brief
in most of the other things belonging to it.
6. It must further be done with a concomitant
acceptance of God. His covenant (which is now
entered) is oftentimes summed up, " I will be your
God, and you shall be my people:" and is resembled
and frequently represented by the nuptial contract,
in which there is mutual giving and taking. We
are to resign and accept at the same time: to take
him to be our God, when we yield ourselves to be
his.
7. With an explicit reference to the Lord Christ.
We are to dedicate ourselves, after the tenor of a
covenant whereof he is the Mediator. God doth
not upon other terms treat with sinners. You are
not to offer at such a thing as dedicating your-
selves to him, but in the way and upon the terms
upon which you are to be accepted. The di-
vine pleasure is declared and known, how great a
one He must be in all the transactions of God with
195
men; yea, and towards the whole creation, Eph. i.
6 — 10, " He hath made us accepted in the be-
loved: in whom we have redemption through his
blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches
of his grace; wherein he hath abounded towards us
in all wisdom and prudence; having made known
unto us the mystery of his will, according to his
good pleasure, which he had purposed in himself:
that, in the dispensation of the fulness of times, he
might gather together in one all things in Christ,
both which are in heaven, and which are on earth,
even in him." We must take heed how we neglect
or overlook Him who is by divine appointment so
high in power, and with whom we have so great a
concern.
$. With deep humility and abasement of our-
selves, in conjunction with a profound reverence and
veneration of the Divine Majesty. There ought
to be the lowliest self-abasement, such as that good
man expresses, Ezra ix. 6. (varied to one's own case,)
" O my God, I am ashamed, and blush to lift up
my face to thee, my God: for mine iniquities are
increased over mine head, and my trespass is grown
up into the heavens." And indeed this is naturally
consequent upon what was last said, of the regard
that ought to be had in this matter to the Media-
tor; for surely that very constitution is in itself a
humbling thing to us; and we cannot apply ourselves
to God suitably to it, but with a self-abasing sense
of our own state and case. Our coming and ten-
dering ourselves to God in a Mediator, is in its very
nature a humiliation, and carries with it a tacit con-
I 2
196
fession, that in ourselves we have nothing, deserve
nothing, are nothing, are worse than nothing; and
that only this constitution of his could justify our
offering ourselves to him, with any hope of accep-
tance; or make it less than an insolent presumption,
for sinners to approach him, and expect to be re-
ceived into his presence and service. It is not for
such as we, to behave ourselves towards him as if
we either had not offended, or were capable of ex-
piating our own offence. Yea, and if there had been
nothing of delinquency in the case; yet great humi-
lity becomes such applications to him, and that in
conjunction with the profoundest reverence and ven-
eration of him; for our very business in this self-
dedication, is worship, as the word in the text hath
been noted to signify. And it is the first and most
principal part of all the worship we owe to him, (as
was noted from 2 Cor. viii. 5.) fundamental to all the
rest. We must have before our eyes the awful
majesty and glorious greatness of God; which Scrip-
ture often speaks of, as one notion of his holiness,
and which we are to have principal reference unto in
all the solemn homage we pay to him; as sacrifices
(Outr. de Sac.) are well observed to have been offer-
ed to him so considered. And therefore, by this
consideration, their suitableness to him is to be mea-
sured, as he doth himself insist. " Cursed be the
deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth,
and sacriflceth unto the Lord a corrupt thing; for I
am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my
name is dreadful among the heathen."
9. With great joy and gladness of heart. It
197
ought to be accompanied with the highest gusts and
relishes of pleasure, both from the apprehensive con-
gruity of the thing, and the expectation we have of
acceptance. The thing itself should be pleasant to
us. We are to do it as tasting our own act, as they
did, 1 Chron. xxix. 9. " The people rejoiced, for
that they offered willingly." The self-devoting per-
son should be able to utter this as his sense, " Glad
am I, that I am any thing, that I have a being, a
soul, a reasonable intelligent being, capable of be-
coming a sacrifice to him." And that there is hope
of being accepted: how great a joy is that? The
apostle makes so great a thing of it, that he speaks
(2 Cor. v. 8, 9.) as if he cared not whether he was
in the body, or out of the body, so he might be ac-
cepted. Nuptials (that resemble, as hath been said,
this transaction between God and the soul, wherein
there is mutual giving^ and accepting) are wont to be
seasons of great festivity and gladness. The great
God himself rejoices in this closure, with such a joy,
(Isa. lxii. 5. As a bridegroom rejoiceth over his bride,
so will thy God rejoice over thee,) and shall not we?
How infinitely more aimable and delectable is the
object of our choice than his ! when we are to rejoice
in the supreme and most perfect excellency; He, in
what is clothed over (if he did not superinduce an-
other clothing) with most loathsome deformity.
10. With an ingenuous candour and simplicity,
with that sincerity which is to be as the salt of our
sacrifice : Mark ix. without latent reserves, or a hid-
den meaning, disagreeing to his; which were both
unjust and vain. Unjust ; for we may not deceive
198
any. And vain; for we cannot deceive him. Th(
case admits not of restrictions, it must be done al
solutely, without any limitation or reserve. Yoi
have heard this self-dedication is, in part, an act of
love. And what limit can be set to a love, whose
object is infinite? A natural limit, it is true, as it
is the love of a creature, it cannot but have; but a
chosen one it ought never to have, as if we had loved
enough. You know what kind of love is, and can-
not but be, due to the all-comprehending God. With
all thy heart, soul, mind, and might, &c. So with-
out exception, that Maimonides,* reciting those
words, adds, etiamsi tollat animam tuam. The
stream of thy love to him must not be diverted, or
alter its course, though he would take away thy very
life, or soul.
11. With the concomitant surrender to him of
all that we have. For they that, by their own act
and acknowledgment, are not themselves their own,
but devoted, must also acknowledge they are owners
of nothing else. In that mentioned form of sur-
render in Livy, when Egerius, on the Romans' part,
had inquired, " Are you the ambassadors sent by
the people of Collatiathat you may yield up yourselves
and the Collatine people? and it was answered, "We
are:" and it was again asked, " Are the Collatine
people in their own power? and answered, " They
are :" it is further inquired, " Do you deliver up
yourselves, the people of Collatia, your city, your
* De fund, legis. p. 64.
199
fields, your water, your bounds, your temples, your
utensils, all things that are yours, both divine and
human, into mine, and the people of Rome's power ?"
They say, " We deliver up all." And he answers,
" So I receive you." So do they who deliver up
themselves to God, much more, all that they called
theirs. God indeed is the only Proprietor, men are
but usufructuaries. They have the use of what his
providence allots them; He reserves to himself the
property; and limits the use so far, as that all are to
be accountable to him for all they possess; and are
to use nothing they have, but as under him and for
him, as also they are to do themselves. Therefore
as they are required to " glorify him with their
bodies and spirits, which are his," so they are to
" honour him with their substance," upon the same
reason. But few effectually apprehend his right in
their persons; which as we are therefore to recog-
nise in this dedication of ourselves to him, so we are,
in a like general sense, to devote to him all that we
enjoy in the world. That is, as all are not to de-
vote themselves specially to serve him in a sacred
office, but all are obliged to devote themselves to his
service in the general; so, though all are not re-
quired to devote their estates to this or that parti-
cular pious use, they are obliged to use them wholly
for his glory in the general, and for the service of
his interest in the world. We are obliged neither
to withhold from him, nor mispend, these his mer-
cies: but must " live righteously," (wherein charity
is comprehended,) " soberly, and godly" in it; de-
cline no opportunities that shall occur to us, within
200
the compass of oar own sphere and station, of doing
him (though never so costly and hazardous) service;
must forsake all and follow him, when our duty, and
our continued possessions of this world's goods, come
to be inconsistent; must submit patiently to our lot,
when that falls out to be our case, or to any provi-
dence by which we are bereaved of our worldly com-
forts, with that temper of mind, as to be able cheer-
fully to say, " The Lord hath given, the Lord hath
taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord."
It is indeed the greatest absurdity imaginable,
that they who are not masters of themselves, should
think it permitted them, to use what comes to their
hands, as they list; for the service of their own
lusts, and the gratifying of a rebel flesh, that hath
rejected the government of their own reason, and of
all divine laws at once: or that he who hath so ab-
solute a right in them, should not have that right in
what he hath committed to them, as to prescribe
rules to them, by which to use and employ it.
At the same time, and in the same sense, where-
in we make a dedication of ourselves, we do the
same thing as to all that we have. Even according
to common, human estimate, according to what in-
terest men have in others, or power over them, they
have a correspondent interest in what they possess.
They that absolutely surrender themselves to the
power of another, leave not themselves capable of
proper dominion as to any thing. Therefore says
the civil law, Non licet dedititiis testamenta facer e,
Those who have surrendered themselves, are not al-
lowed to dispose of their own property. They were
201
so under several notions, it is true; but they that
were strictly so, had not power to make a will, as
having nothing to dispose of. No man has certainly
a power to dispose of any thing (and when they sur-
render themselves by their own act and deed to God,
they acknowledge so much) otherwise than as divine
rules direct or permit. They have a right in what
is duly theirs, against the counter-claim of man, but
none, sure, against the claim and all-disposing power
of God, whether signified by his law or by his pro-
vidence. Therefore with this temper of mind should
this self-dedication be made : " Lord, I here lay my-
self, and all that belongs to me, most entirely at thy
feet. All things are of thee:" (as they are brought
in saying, who make that willing, joyful offering,
1 Chron. xxix.) " What I have in the world is
more thine, than mine. I desire neither to use nor
possess any thing, but by thy leave and for thy
sake."
12. With befitting circumstantial solemnity; that
is, it ought to be direct, express, and explicit; not
to be huddled up in tacit, mute intimations only.
We should not content ourselves that it be no more
than implied, in what we do otherwise, and run on
with it as a thing that must be supposed, and taken
for granted, never actually performed and done. It
is very true indeed, that a continued, uniform course
and series of agreeable actions, a holy life and
practice, carry a great deal more of significancy
with them, than only having once said, without
this form of words, " Lord, I will be thine."
Practice, whether it be good or bad, more fully
13
202
speaks our sense, and expresses our hearts, than bare
words spoken at some particular time, can do, for
they at the most speak but our present sense at that
time, and perhaps do not always that; but a course
of practice shows the habitual posture and steady
bent of our spirits. Nor do I think that a formal,
explicit transaction, in this matter, whether vocal or
mental, with circumstantial solemnity, is essential to
a man's being a Christian, or a holy man. A fixed
inclination and bent of heart towards God, followed,
as it will be, with a course of practice becoming them
that are his, will no doubt conclude a man's state to
be safe and good God- ward; as one may, on the
other hand, be the devil's servant all his days, with-
out having made a formal covenant with him. But
yet, though so explicit and solemn a transaction of
this matter be not essential to our Christianity, (as
what is said to belong only to the solemnity of any
thing, is therein implied not to be of the essence of
it,) yet it may be a great duty for all that, and I
doubt it not to be so.
And it may here be worth the while, to insist a
little; that if this indeed be a duty, it may obtain
more in our practice, than perhaps it doth. Some,
through mere inadvertency, may not have considered
it; others, that have, may possibly think it less need-
ful, because they reckon it was formerly done for
them. They were born of Christian parents, who
dedicated them to God from their birth; and they
were, with solemnity, presented to him in their bap-
tism. What need we then do over again a thing
already done? Let us reason this matter therefore a
203
while, and consider whether notwithstanding any
such allegation, our personal dedicating ourselves to
God in Christ be not still reasonable and necessary
to be performed by ourselves also, as our own so-
lemn act and deed? It were indeed much to be
wished that our baptismal dedication to God were
more minded and thought on than it commonly is:
when with such sacred solemnity we were devoted to
the triune Deity, and those great and awful names
were named upon us, the name of the Father, the
name of the Son, and the name of the Holy Ghost.
Baptisms are, it is to be feared, too often in the
Christian world turned into a mere pageantry, and
the matter scarce ever thought on more, when the
show is over ; and very probably because this great
succedaneous duty is so unpractised among Chris-
tians.
(1.) And let it be considered, Are there no like
cases? Do we not know, that though all the in-
fants in a kingdom are born subjects, yet when they
arrive to a certain age they are obliged, being called,
to take the oath of allegiance, and each one to come
under personal obligation to their prince? And do
we owe less to the God that made us, and the Lord
that bought us with his blood?
Again, Though all the sons of Israelites were in
their infancy dedicated to God by the then appointed
rite for that purpose, yet how frequent were their
solemn, personal recognitions of his covenant; their
avouching themselves to be his people, as he also
avouched himself to be their God: which we see
Deut. xxvi. and in many other places. It is remote
2G4
from me to intend the pressing of a covenant that
contains any disputable or doubtful matters, or any
other than the substance of our baptismal covenant
itself, consisting of the known essentials of our
Christianity, all summed up in taking God in Christ
for our God, and resigning ourselves to him to be
inviolably his: no more is meant than that this may
be done as our own reasonable service and worship;
as our intelligent, deliberate, judicious act and choice.
(2.) And consider further, to this purpose, the
great importance of the thing itself, compared with
the lesser concernments wherein we use to deal most
explicitly. Is it fit that a man's religion should be
less the matter of his solemn choice, than his inferior
concerns? that when he chooses his dwelling, his
calling, his servant, or master, he should seem thrown
upon his God and his religion by chance? and that
least should appear of caution, care, and punctual
dealing, in our very greatest concernment? How
great a day in a man's life doth he count his mar-
riage-day ! How accurate are men wont to be, in
all the preparations and previous settlements that are
to be made in order to it! And since the great
God is pleased to be so very particular with us, in
proposing the model and contents of his covenant,
the promises and precepts which make his part and
ours in it; how attentive should we be to his propo-
sals, and how express in our consent ! especially,
when we consider his admirable condescension in it,
that he is pleased, and disdains not, to capitulate
with the work of his hands, to article with dust and
ashes. Is it reasonable we should be slight and su-
205
perficial in a treaty with that great Lord of heaven
and earth, or scarce ever purposely apply and set
ourselves to mind him in it at all?
. (3.) Moreover it is your own concernment, and
therefore ought to be transacted by yourself. So
far as there is any equity in that rule, What con-
cerns all should be transacted by all — it resolves into
this, and supposes it; that which concerns myself
should be transacted by myself.
Again, your being devoted by parents, no more
excuses from solemn, personal, self-devoting, than
their doing other acts of religion for you, excuses
you from doing them for yourselves. They have
prayed for you, are you therefore never to pray for
yourselves? They have lamented your sin, are you
never therefore to lament your own?
(4.) Consider further, Scripture warns us not to
lay too much stress upon parental privilege, or place
too much confidence in it, which it supposes men
over apt to do, Matth. iii. 7 — 9. Abraham's seed
may be a " generation of vipers." John viii. 37, 44.
" I know you are Abraham's seed," yet he finds them
another father.
(5.) Consider moreover, the renewing work of
God's grace and Spirit upon souls, consists in sanc-
tifying their natural faculties, their understandings,
consciences, wills, affections. And what are these
sanctified for, but to be used and exercised? And
to what more noble purpose? If there be that holy
impress upon the soul, that inclines all the powers
of it God-ward, what serves it for, but to prompt
and lead it on to the correspondent acts? to appre-
206
hend and eye God, to admit a conviction of duty,
and particularly, how I owe myself to him; to choose,
love, fear, and serve him; and what doth all this
import less, than an entire self-resignation to him?
So that the genuine tendency of the holy new na-
ture is in nothing so directly answered and satisfied
as in this. And it ought to be considered, that the
faculties of our reasonable souls have a natural im-
provement and perfection, as well as a gracious.
And for their highest and noblest acts, it is fit they
should be used in their highest perfection. It is
possible, that in the children of religious parents,
there may be some pious inclinations betimes; and
the sooner they thereupon choose the God of their
fathers, the better, that is, if you compare doing it
and not doing it, it is better done than not done.
But because this is a thing that cannot be too often
done, nor too well; the more mature your under-
standing is r the better it will be done, the grace of
God concurring. Our Lord himself increased in
wisdom, &c.
(6.) Moreover, let it be seriously thought on
(what it is dreadful to think) the occasion you will
give, if you decline this surrendering yourselves, to
have your neglect taken for a refusal. It is impos-
sible, when you once understand the case, you can
be in an indifferency about it. You must either
take or leave.
(7.) Nor can it be denied but personal self-de-
voting, one way or other, (more or less solemn,) is
most necessary to the continuing serious Christianity
in the world. Without it, our religion were but
207
res iinius cetatis — the business of an age: for how
unlikely were it, and absurd to suppose, that a man
should seriously devote his child to God, that never
devoted himself? And if that were done never so
seriously, must one be a Christian always, only by
the Christianity of another, not his own? Some
way or other then, a man must devote himself to
God in Christ, or be, at length, no Christian.
And since he must, the nature of the thing speaks,
that the more solemn and express it is, the better,
and more suitable to a transaction with so great a
Majesty.
And hath not common reason taught the world to
fix a transitiiS) and settle some time or other, where-
in persons should be reckoned to have past out of
their state of infancy or minority, into the state of
manhood or an adult state; wherein, though before
they could not legally transact affairs for themselves,
yet afterwards they could? This time, by the
constitutions of several nations, and for several pur-
poses, hath been diversely fixed. But they were
not to be looked upon as children always. Some
time they come to write man. Is it reasonable one
should be a child, and a minor in the things of God
and religion, all his days? always in nonage?
Sometime they must " be men in understanding,"
and " have their senses exercised to discern between
good and evil."
Yea, and there is far greater reason we should
personally and solemnly transact this great affair
with God, than any concern we have with men.
For, among men we may have a right by natural
208
descent, or by valuable considerations, to what we
enjoy, which may be clear and little liable to ques-
tion: from God we have no right, but by his favour
and vouchsafement. You are his children, if ever
you come to be so, but by adoption. And human
adoption has been wont to be completed by a so-
lemnity; the person to adopt, being publicly asked
(in that sort of adoption which was also called arro-
gation) whether he would have this person to be
as his own very son? And again; he that was
to be adopted, whether he was contented it should
be so?
Nor again is there that disinclination towards
men, as towards God, or that proneness to revolt
from settled agreements, with the one, as with the
other. Whereas love sums up all the duty of both
the tables; or which we owe both to God and man;
it is evident that, in our present lapsed state, our
love to God is more impaired, than to man. Indeed
this latter seems only diminished, the other is de-
stroyed, and hath, by nature, no place in us; grace
only restores it. Where it is in some measure re-
stored, we find it more difficult to exercise love to-
wards God, than man; which the apostle's reason-
ing implies, " He that loveth not his brother whom
he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath
not seen?" Who sees not that sensuality hath
hurried the rational world ! Unregenerate man is
said to be in the flesh, not as being only lodged in
it, as all are alike, but* governed by it, under its
power: as the holy apostle is said to have been in
the Spirit on the Lord's day, Rev. i. To be in
209
the flesh is expounded by being and walking after
it, Rom. viii. Hence men only love and savour
the things within this sensible sphere. They that
are after the flesh, do savour only the things of the
flesh. Where the regenerate, divine life is im-
planted, it is ill lodged, in conjunction with a strong
remaining sensual inclination : so that where the
soul is somewhat raised by it, out of that mire
and dirt, there is a continual decidency, a prone-
ness to relapse, and sink back into it. Impres-
sions therefore of an invisible Ruler and Lord, as
of all unseen things, are very evanescent ; soon, in a
great degree worn off; especially where they were
but in making, and not yet thoroughly inwrought
into the temper of the soul. Hence is that insta-
bility in the covenant of God. We are not so
afraid before, nor ashamed afterwards, of breaking
engagements with him, as with men, whom we are
often to look-in the face, and converse with every
day.
Therefore there is the more need here of the
strictest ties, and most solemn obligations, that we
can lay upon ourselves. How apprehensive doth
that holy, excellent governor, Joshua, (Josh, xxiv.)
seem of this, when he was shortly to leave the peo-
ple under his conduct ! And what urgent means
doth he use, to bring them to the most express,
solemn dedication of themselves to God, that was
possible; first representing the reasonableness and
equity of the thing, from the many endearing won-
ders of mercy (as here the apostle beseeches these
Romans by the mercies of God) which he recounts
210
from the beginning, to the 14th verse of the xxivth
chapter : then, thereupon exhorting them to " fear
the Lord and serve him in sincerity.," &c. in that
14th verse, telling them, withal, if they should all
resolve otherwise to a man, what his own resolution
was, (verse 15.) " And if it seem evil unto you to
serve the Lord, choose you this day whom we will
serve; whether the gods which your fathers served,
that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods
of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for
me and my house, we will serve the Lord;" taking
also their express answer, which they give, verse
16 — 18. But fearing they did not enough consider
the matter, he, as it were, puts them back (esteem-
ing himself to have gotten an advantage upon them)
that they might come on again with the more vigour
and force. " Ye cannot serve the Lord: for he is
a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive
your transgressions nor your sins. If you forsake
the Lord: and serve strange gods, then he will turn
and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he
hath done you good," verse 19, 20. Hereupon,
according to his expectation and design, they rein-
force their vow, <c Nay, but we will serve the Lord."
And upon this, he closes with them, and takes fast
hold of them, " Ye are witnesses," saith he, " against
yourselves, that he have chosen the Lord to serve
him." And they say, " We are witnesses," verse
22. He exhorts them afresh, and they engage
over again, verse 23, 24. Thus a covenant is made
with them, verse 25. After all this, a record is
taken of the whole transaction; it is booked down,
211
(verse 26.) and a monumental stone set up, to pre-
serve the memory of this great transaction. And
the good man tells them, " Behold, this stone shall
be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words
of the Lord which he spake unto us: it shall there-
fore be a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God."
So he dismisses them, and lets them go every one
to his inheritance.
Nor is it to be neglected, that Isa. xliv. 5. (which
is generally agreed to refer to the times of the gos-
pel) it is so expressly set down, " One shall say, I
am the Lord's; and another shall call himself by the
name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his
hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the
name of Israel." In the rendering of which words,
" subscribe with the hand," the versions vary.
Some read, " inscribe in their hands," the Lord's
name; counting it an allusion to the ancient custom,
as to servants and soldiers, that they were to carry,
stamped upon the palm of their hands, the name of
their master or general. The Syriac read to the
same sense as we — Shall give an hand writing to be
the Lord's. That the thing be done, and with
great seriousness, distinctness, and solemnity, is no
doubt highly reasonable and necessary; about the
particular manner I prescribe not.
Nor can I imagine what any man can have to
object, but the backwardness of his own heart to any
intercourse or conversation with the invisible God :
which is but an argument of the miserable condition
of depraved mankind; and none, that the thing is
not to be done. For, that backwardness must pro-
212
ceed from some deeper reason than that God is in-
visible: a reason, that should not only convince, but
amaze us, and even overwhelm our souls in sorrow
and lamentation, to think what state the nature and
spirit of man are brought into! For is not the
devil invisible too? And what wretch is there so
silly and ignorant, but can by the urgency of dis-
content, envy, and an appetite of revenge, find a
way to fall into a league with him ? Is this, that
God is less conversable with men? less willing; to
be found of them that seek Him? No surely,*
but that men have less mind and inclination to seek
Him ! And is this a posture and temper of spirit
towards the God that made us, (the continual spring
of our life and being ! ) in which it is fit for us to
tolerate ourselves? Shall not the necessity of this
thing, and of our own case, (not capable of remedy
while we withhold ourselves from God,) overcome
all the imagined difficulty in applying ourselves to
Him?
Use. And upon the whole, if we agree the
thing itself to be necessary, it cannot be doubted,
but it will appear to be of common concernment to
us all; and that every one must apprehend it is ne-
cessary to me, and to me, whether we have done it
already, or not done it. If we have not, it cannot
be done too soon; if we have, it cannot be done too
often. And it may now be done, by private, silent
ejaculation, the convinced, persuaded heart saying
Read considerately, Heb. xi. 6.
213
within itself, " Lord, I consent to be wholly thine,
I here resign and devote myself absolutely and en-
tirely to thee." None of you know what may be
in the heart of another, to this purpose, even at
this time. Why then should not every one fear to
be the only person of those who now hear, that dis-
agrees to it? If any find his heart to reluctate
and draw back, it is fit such a one should consider,
" I do not know but this self-devoting disposition
and resolution is the common sense of all the rest,
even of all that are now present but mine." And who
would not dread to be the only one in an assembly,
that shall refuse God ! or refuse himself to him !
For, let such a one think, " What particular reason
can I have to exclude myself from such a consenting
chorus ? Why should I spoil the harmony, and give
a disagreeing vote ? W 7 hy should any man be more
willing to be dutiful and happy than I ? to be just
to God, or have him good to me? W T hy should any
one be more willing to be saved than I; and to make
one hereafter, in the glorious, innumerable, joyful
assembly of devoted angels and saints, that pay an
eternal, gladsome homage to the throne of the ce-
lestial King ?" But if any find their hearts inclin-
ing, let what is now begun, be more fully completed
in the closet; and let those walls, as Joshua's stone,
hear, and bear witness !
Lest any should not consent, and that all may
consent more freely, and more largely ; I shall in a
few words show, what should induce to it, and what
it should induce to.
214
1. What should induce to it? You have divers
softs of inducements.
(1.) Such as may be taken from necessity. For
what else can you do with yourself? You cannot
be happy without it, for who should make you so
but God? and how shall he, while you hold off
yourselves from him ? You cannot but be misera-
ble, not only as not having engaged him to you,
but as having engaged him against you.
(2.) Such as may be taken from equity. You
are his right. He hath a natural right in you as he
is your Maker, the Author of your being: and an
acquired right as you were bought by his Son, who
hath redeemed us to God, and who died, rose again,
and revived, that he might be Lord of the liv-
ing and the dead, here, to rule, hereafter, to judge
us. Both which he can do whether we will or not :
but it is not to be thought he will save us against
our wills. His method is, whom he saves, first to
overcome, that is, to make them "willing in the day
of his power." And dare we, who " live, move, and
have our being in him," refuse to be, live, and move
to him ? or, " deny the Lord who bought us ?"
(3.) And again, such as may be taken from in-
genuity, or that should work upon it, namely, what
we are besought by, in the text, " the mercies of
God." LIow manifold are they ! But they are the
mercies of the gospel especially, mentioned in the
foregoing chapter, which are thus referred unto in
the beginning of this, the transferring what the Jews
forfeited and lost, by their unbelief, unto us Gen-
215
tiles; that " mystery" as this apostle elsewhere calls
it, " which in other ages was not made known unto
the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy
apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gen-
tiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body,
and partakers of his promise in Christ, by the gos-
pel :" in reference whereto he so admiringly cries
out a little above the text, chap. xi. 33. 'XX /SaOoc,
" O the depth both of the wisdom and knowledge
of God ! How unsearchable are his judgments,
and his ways past finding out !" the mercies of
which it is said, Isa. lv. 1 — 3. " Ho, every one
that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that
hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come,
buy wine and milk without money, and without price.
Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which
is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth
not ? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that
which is good, and let your soul delight itself in
fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me : hear,
and your soul shall live ; and I will make an ever-
lasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of
David." Which free and sure mercies are heigh-
tened, as to us, by the same both endearing and
awful circumstance, that these mercies are offered to
us, namely, in conjunction with the setting before
our eyes the monitory, tremendous example of a
forsaken nation that rejected them, intimated, ver.
5. " Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou
knowest not; and nations that knew not thee shall
run unto thee :" a case whereof our apostle says,
in the foregoing chapter, Isaiah was very bold; when,
216
speaking of it in another place, lie uses these words,
" I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am
found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold
me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called
by my name." He was bold in it indeed, to mention
such a thing to a people, unto whom a jealous glo-
riation in the peculiarity of their privileged state,
their being without partners or rivals, for so long a
time, in their relation and nearness to God, was
grown so natural : and who took it so impatiently,
when our Saviour did but intimate the same thing to
them by parables, Matt. xxi. 33 — 46. as that they
sought immediately to lay hands on him for that
very reason. So unaccountable a perverseness of
humour reigned with them, that they envied to
others, what they despised themselves.
But on the other hand, nothing ought more high-
ly to recommend those mercies to us, or more engage
us to accept them with gratitude, and improve them
with a cautious fear of committing a like forfeiture,
than to have them brought to our hands, redeemed
from the contempt of the former despisers of them ;
and that, so terribly, vindicated upon them at the
same time; as it also still continues to be. That
the natural branches of the olive should be torn
off, and we inserted: that there should be such an
instance given us of the severity and goodness of
God, chap. 11. To them that fell, severity; but to
us, goodness, if we continue in his goodness, to
warn us that, otherwise, we may expect to be cut
off too ! and that we might apprehend, if he spared
not the natural branches, he was as little likely to
217
spare us ! that when he came to his own and they
received him not, he should make so free an offer
to us, that if we would yet receive him, (which if
we do, we are, as hath been said, to yield up and
dedicate ourselves to him at the same time) we should
have the privilege to be owned for the sons of God !
what should so oblige us to compliance with him,
and make us with an ingenuous trembling fall before
him, and, crying to him, "My Lord and my God," j
resign ourselves wholly to his power and pleasure?
And even his mercies more abstractly considered, ;
ought to have that power upon us. Were we not
lost ? Are we not rescued from a necessity of per-
ishing, and being lost for ever, in the most costly
way ? costly, to our Redeemer, but to us, without
cost. Is it a small thing, that he offers himself to
us as he doth when he demands us, and requires that
we offer ourselves to him: that he, in whom is all
the fulness of God, having first offered himself for
us, doth now offer himself also to us : that he hath
treated us, hitherto, with such indulgence, waited
on us with so long patience, sustained us by so large
bounty? And now upon all, when it might be
thought we should be communing with our own
hearts, discoursing the matter with ourselves, " What
shall we render ?" that he should say to us so short-
ly and compendiously, Render yourselves. Is that
too much ? Are we too inconsiderable to be his, or
his mercies too inconsiderable to oblige us to be so?
the mercies that flow so freely from him, for he is
the Father of mercies : the mercies that are so suit-
able to us, pardon to the guilty, light to them that
K
218
dwell in darkness, life to the dead, a rich portion and
all-sufficient fulness for the poor, indigent, and ne-
cessitous : the mercies that we are encouraged to
expect as well as what we enjoy : the great good
laid up in store ! the mercies of eternity to be added
to those of time : the mercies of both worlds, meet-
ing upon us ! that here, we are to " keep ourselves
in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our
Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life !" that, looking
for that blessed hope, our life may here, in the mean
time, be transacted with him, that we may abide in
the secret of his presence, and dwelling in love, may
dwell in God who is love ; till the season come, when
we shall be able more fully to understand his love,
and return our own !
Nor are the favours of his providence to be thought
little of in the time of our earthly pilgrimage. And
now, if all this do effectually induce us to dedicate
ourselves,
2. We are next to consider, what our having done
it ought further to induce us unto.
In the general, it ought to be an inducement to
us, as we may well apprehend, to behave ourselves
answerably to such a state, as we are hereby brought
into, if we now first dedicated ourselves to him, and
are confirmed in, by our iterations of it. For he
takes no pleasure in fools, therefore, having vowed
ourselves to him, to serve, and live to him, let us pay
what we have vowed. Better it had been not to vow,
than to vow and not pay; and instead of the reason-
able sacrifice he required of us, to give him only
the sacrifice of fools. We are, upon special terms,
219
and for special ends, peculiar to the most high God*
They that are thus his, are " a royal priesthood,
He hath made us kings and priests." Both those
offices and dignities have sometime met in the same
person. And to God and his Father, that is, for
him. Not that both those offices do terminate upon
God, or that the work of both is to be performed
towards him, but our Lord Jesus, it being the de-
sign of his Father we should be brought into that
high and honourable station, hath effected it, in com-
pliance with his design, and hath served his pleasure
and purpose in it. He hath done it to, that is, for
him. So that, to God and his Father may be re-
ferred to Christ's action, in making us kings and
priests, not to ours, being made such. Yet the
one of these refers to God immediately, the other
to ourselves. Holy and good men are kings in re-
ference to themselves, in respect of their self-domi-
nion into which they are now restored, having been,
as all unregenerate persons are, slaves to vile and
carnal affections and inclinations. The minds of the
regenerate are made spiritual, and now with them
the refined, rectified, spiritual mind, is enthroned;
lifted up into its proper authority over all sensual
inclinations, appetites, lusts and passions. A glo-
rious empire ! founded in conquest, and managed
afterwards, when the victory is complete, and in the
meantime, in some degree, while " judgment is in
bringing forth unto victory,'' by a steady, sedate
government in most perfect tranquillity and peace.
But they are priests in reference to God; the
business of their office, as such, terminates upon
K2
220
him: for him they worship and serve. Worship m
either social, external and circumstantial, that of
worshipping societies 5 considered according to its
exterior part, wherein one is appointed by special
office to do the part of a priest for the restj (in this
sense all are not priests;) or else it is solitary, inter-
nal, substantial and spiritual, wherein they either
worship alone, and apart by themselves, or being in
conjunction with others, yet their own spirits within
them work directly, and aspire upwards to God.
And as to this more noble part of their worship,
every holy man is his own priest.
And this is the double dignity of every holy, de-
voted soul. They are thus kings, and priests; go-
vern themselves, and serve God. While they go-
vern, they serve; exercise authority over themselves,
with most submissive veneration of God: crowned,
and enthroned; but always in a readiness to cast down
their crowns at the footstool of the supreme, celestial
throne. Into this state they come by self-dedication.
And now surely, it is not for such to demean them-
selves at a vulgar rate. They are of " the church
of the first-born written in heaven;" that is, the
church of the first-born ones; that is, all composed
and made up of such; (as that expression signifies;)
first-born, in a true (though not the most eminent)
sense, being sons by the first, that is, the prime and
more excellent sort of birth, in respect whereof they
are said to be begotten again " by the word of truth,
that they should be a kind of first-fruits of the crea-
tures of God." And this twofold dignity is the
privilege of their birthright, as anciently it was.
221
Are you devoted to God? Have you dedicated
yourselves? Hereby you are arrived to this dig-
nity. For in the above-mentioned place (Heb. xii.)
it is said, " Ye are come;" you are actually, already,
adjoined to that church, and are the real present
members of that holy community. For you are
related and united to him of whom the family of
heaven and earth is named; are of the house-
hold, and the sons of God, his, under that peculiar
notion, when you have dedicated yourselves to him.
You cannot but apprehend there are peculiarities of
behaviour in your after-conduct and management of
yourselves that belong to you, and must answer and
correspond to your being, in this sense, his. Some
particulars whereof I shall briefly mention.
(1.) You should each of you often reflect upon
it, and bethink yourself what you have done, and
whose you now are. " I am the devoted one of the
most high God." It was one of the precepts given
by a Pagan (Epict.) to his disciples, " Think with
yourself, upon all occasions, I am a philosopher."
What a world of sin and trouble might that thought,
often renewed, prevent, " I am a Christian, one de-
voted to God in Christ." Your having done this
thing, should clothe your mind with new apprehen-
sions, both of God and yourselves: that he is not
now a stranger to you, but your God, that you are
not unrelated to him, but his. " I was an enemy,
now am reconciled. I was a common, profane thing,
now holiness to the Lord." It is strange to think
how one act doth sometimes habit and tincture a
man's mind; whether in the kind of good or evil.
222
To have committed an act of murder ! What a
horrid complexion of mind did Cain upon this bear
with him. To have dedicated one's self to God, if
seriously and duly done; would it have less power
to possess one with a holy, calm, peaceful temper of
mind?
(2.) You should, hereupon, charge yourself with
all suitable duty towards him; for you have given
yourself to him to serve him; that is your very busi-
ness. You are his, and are to do his work, not
your own, otherwise than as it falls in with his, and
is his. You are to discharge yourself of all unsuit-
able cares : for will not he take care of his own, who
hath put so ill a note upon them that do not? He
that provideth not for his own, (his domestics,) those
of his own house, hath denied the faith, and is worse
than an infidel? Will you think, he can be like
such a one ? Who, if not the children of a prince,
should live free from care ?
You should most deeply concern yourself about
his concerns, without any apprehension or fear
that he will neglect those that are most truly yours :
and are not to be indifferent how his interest thrives,
or is depressed in the world ; is increased, or dimi-
nished. They that are his, should let his affairs
engross their cares and thoughts.
You should abandon all suspicious, hard thoughts
of him. When in the habitual bent of your spirits
you desire to please him, it is most injurious to him,
to think he will abandon, and give you up to perish,
or become your enemy. It is observable what care
was taken among the Romans, that no hostility might
223
be used towards them that had surrendered themselves.
Can men excel God in praise-worthy things? You
can think nothing of God more contrary to his gos-
pel, or his nature, than to surmise he will destroy
one that hath surrendered to and bears a loyal mind
towards him. And what a reproach do you cast
upon him, when you give others occasion to say,
" His own, they that have devoted themselves to
him, dare not trust him ?" You are taught to say,
" I am thine, save me ;" not to suspect he will ruin
you. They do strangely misshape religion, consi-
dering in how great part it consists in trusting God,
and living a life of faith, that frame to themselves a
religion made up of distrusts, doubts, and fears.
You should dread to alienate yourselves from him,
which, as sacrilege is one of the most detestable of
all sins, a robbing of God, is the most detestable
sacrilege. You are to reserve yourselves entirely
for him. Every one that is godly he hath set apart
for himself.
Yea, and you are not only to reserve, but to your
uttermost, to improve and better yourselves for him
daily : to aspire to an excellency, in some measure,
suitable to your relation : " to walk worthy of God,
who hath called you to his kingdom and glory," re-
membering you are here to glorify him, and hereafter
to be glorified with him. And who is there of us
that finds not himself under sufficient obligation, by
the mercies of God, unto all this? or to whom he
may not say, in a far more eminent sense, than the
apostle speaks it to Philemon, " Thou owest even
2%i<
thyself also unto me?" Shall we refuse to give
God what we owe? or can we think it fit, itself,
" we should be no otherwise his, than (as one well
says) fields, woods, and mountains, and brute beasts?"
And I may add, can it be comfortable to us, that he
should have no other interest in us than he hath in
devils? Is there no difference in the case of reason-
able creatures and unreasonable? their's who profess
devotedness to him, and their's who are his pro-
fessed enemies? The one sort, through natural
incapacity, cannot, by consent, be his, and the other,
through an invincible malignity, never will. Are
there no mercies, conferred or offered, that do pecu-
liarly oblige us more? Let us be more frequent and
serious in recounting our mercies, and set ourselves
on purpose to enter into the memory of God's great
goodness, that we may thence, from time to time,
urge upon ourselves this great and comprehensive
duty. And at this time, being here together on
purpose, let us consider and reflect afresh upon that
eminent mercy which you are wont to commemorate
in the yearly return of this day.
And that I may, more particularly, direct my
speech the same way, that the voice of that memor-
able providence is especially directed; you are, my
Lord, to be more peculiarly besought by the mer-
cies of God, that you would this day dedicate your-
self to him. I do therefore beseech you, by the
many endearing mercies which God hath so plenti-
fully conferred upon you, by the mercies of your
noble extraction and birth, by the mercies of your
225
very ingenious and pious education, by the mercies
of your family, which God hath made to descend to
you from your honourable progenitors; which, as
they are capable of being improved, may be very
valuable mercies; by the blood and tender mercies
of your blessed and glorious Redeemer, who offered
up himself a Sacrifice to God for you, that you would
now present yourself to God, a holy, living sacrifice,
which is your reasonable service. I add, by the
signal mercy which hath made this a memorable day
to you, and by which you come, thus long, to enjoy
the advantages of all your other mercies. How
came it to pass that this day comes not to be re-
membered by your noble relatives, as a black and a
gloomy day, the day of the extinction of the present
light and lustre of your family, and of quenching
their coal which was left? You had a great Pre-
server, who we hope delivered you because he de-
lighted in you. Your life was precious in his sight.
Your breath was in his hand; he preserved and re-
newed it to you, when you were ready to breathe
your last. And we hope he will vouchsafe you that
greater deliverance, not to let you fall under the
charge which was once exhibited against a great
man, (Dan. v. 23.) " The God in whose hands thy
breath is — hast thou not glorified:" and make you
rather capable of adopting those words, " Yet the
Lord will command his loving kindness in the day
time, and in the night his song shall be with me,
and my prayer unto the God of my life." Your
acknowledgments are not to be limited to one day
in the year; but from day to day his loving kindness,
K3
226
and your prayer and praise, are to compose your
day and night; the one, to show you, the other,
to be unto you your morning and evening exer-
cise. Let this be your resolution, "Every day
will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for
ever and ever;" or that, " I will sing unto the Lord
as long as I live : I will sing praise unto my God
while I have my being."
Yet your more solemn acknowledgments are justly
pitched upon this day. God hath noted it for you,
and made it a great day in your time. You have
now enjoyed a septennium, seven years of mercies.
And we all hope you will enjoy many more, which
may all be called the posterity of that day's mercy.
It was the parent of them all; so pregnant and pro-
ductive a mercy was that of this day. You do owe
it to the mercy of this day, that you have yet a life
to devote to the great Lord of heaven and earth, and
to employ in the world for him: and would you
think of any less noble sacrifice?
iEschines the philosopher, out of his admiration
of Socrates, when divers presented him with other
gifts, made a tender to him of himself. Less was
thought an insufficient acknowledgment of the worth
and favours of a man! Can any thing less be
thought worthy of a God ? I doubt not you intend,
my Lord, a life of service to the God of your life.
You would not, I presume, design to serve him
under any other notion, than as his. By dedicating
yourself to him, you become so in the peculiar sense.
It is our part in the covenant which must be between
God and us. " I entered into covenant with thee,
227
and thou becamest mine." This is the ground of a
settled relation, which we are to bear towards him,
as his servants. It is possible I may do an occa-
sional service for one whose servant I am not; but
it were mean that a great person should only be
served by the servants of another lord. To be
served but precariously, and as it were upon courtesy
only, true greatness would disdain; as if his quality
did not admit to have servants of his own.
Nor can it be thought a serious Christian, in
howsoever dignifying circumstances, should reckon
himself too great to be his servant, when even a
heathen (Seneca) pronounces, Deo servire est reg-
nare — to serve God is to reign. A religious noble-
man of France (Monsieur de Renty, whose affec-
tion I commend more than this external expression
of it) tells us he made a deed of gift of himself to
God, signing it with his own blood. He was much
a greater man, that so often speaks in that style,
" Thy servant," that it is plain he took pleasure in it,
and counted it his highest glory. " Stablish thy
word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear."
" Thy servant, thy servant, O Lord, the son of
thy handmaid ;" (alluding to the law by which the
children of bond-servants were servants by birth,)
" thou hast broken my bonds ;" hast released me
from worse bonds, that I might not only be patient,
but glad to be under thine.
Nor was he a mean prince* in his time, who at
* Cantacuzenus, whose life also, among many other remark-
able things, was once strangely preserved in the fall of his horse.
228
length abandoning the pleasures and splendour of
his own court, (whereof many like examples might
be given,) retired and assumed the name of Christo-
dulus — a servant of Christ, accounting the glory of
that name did outshine, not only that of his other
illustrious titles, but of the imperial diadem too.
There are very few in the world, whom the too
common atheism can give temptation unto to think
religion an ignominy, and to count it a reproach to
be the devoted servant of the most high God; but
have it at hand to answer themselves, even by hu-
man, not to speak of the higher angelical, instances,
that he hath been served by greater than we.
You are, my Lord, shortly to enter upon the
more public stage of the world. You will enter
with great advantages of hereditary honour, fortune,
friends; with the greater advantage of, I hope, a
well cultivated mind, and, what is yet greater, of a
piously inclined heart : but you will also enter with
disadvantages too. It is a slippery stage ; it is a
divided time, wherein there is interest against inter-
est; party against party. To have seriously and
with a pious obstinacy dedicated yourself to God,
will both direct and fortify you.
I know no party in which nothing is amiss. Nor
will that measure, let you think it advisable, to be
of any, further than to unite with what there is of
real, true godliness among them all. Neither is
there any surer rule or measure for your direction,
than this; to take the course and way which are
most agreeable to a state of devotedness to God.
Reduce all things else, hither. Wheresoever you
229
believe, in your conscience, there is a sincere design
for the interest and glory of God, the honour or
safety of your prince, the real good and welfare of
your country, there you are to fall in, and adhere.
And the first of these comprehends the rest. You
will not be the less inclined, but much the more, to
give Cesar the things that are Cesar's, for your giv-
ing God the things that are God's. And that is,
as hath been said, principally and in the first place
yourself; and then all that is yours to be used ac-
cording to his holy rules, and for him whose you
are.
And what can be to you the ground of a higher
fortitude ? Can they be unsafe that have devoted
themselves to God? Dedicate yourself, and you
become a sanctuary, as well as a sacrifice, inviolably
safe in what part, and in what respects, it is consi-
derable to be so. And who can think themselves
unsafe, being, with persevering fidelity, sacred to
God; that understand who he is, and consider his
power and dominion over both worlds, the present,
and that which is to come; so as that he can punish
and reward in both, as men prove false or faithful to
him. The triumphs of wickedness are short, in this
world. In how glorious triumphs will religion and
devotedness to God end in the other !
ON
YIELDING OURSELVES
TO GOD.
TO
THE MUCH-HONOURED
BARTHOLOMEW SOAME, of Thurlow, Esq.
AND
Susanna, his Pious Consort.
MY WORTHY FRIENDS,
I have at length yielded to your importunity, and
do here offer this Discourse to public view, and your
own: which was, one day last summer, preached
under your roof; attributing more to your pious de-
sign herein, than to my own reasons against it. I
no farther insist upon the incongruity, having several
years ago published a small Treatise on Self-dedica-
tion, now again to send abroad another on the same
subject. For the way of tractation is here very dif-
ferent; this may fall into the hands of divers who
have never seen the other; and however, they who
have read the other, have it in their choice whether
they will trouble themselves with this or not. And
though your purpose which you urged me with, of
lodging one of these little books in each family of
the hearers, might have been answered by so dispos-
ing of many a better book, already extant, yet
having told me how greatly you observed them to
be moved by these plain discourses, considering the
peculiar advantage of reading what had been, with
some acceptance and relish heard before (through
that greater vigour that accompanies the ordinance
of preaching to an assembly, than doth usually the so-
litary first reading of the same thing) I was not willing
234
to run the hazard of incurring a guilt, by refusing a.
thing so much desired, and which, through God's
blessing, might contribute something, though in never
so low a degree, to the saving of men's souls. I
could not, indeed, as I told you, undertake to recol-
lect every thing that was spoken, according to that
latitude and freedom of expression, wherewith it was
fit to inculcate momentous things to a plain country
auditory: But I have omitted nothing I could call
to mind: being little concerned that the more curious
may take notice, with dislike, how much, in a work
of this kind, I prefer plainness, though they may
call it rudeness, of speech, before that which goes
for wisdom of words, or the most laboured periods.
May you find an abundant blessing on your
household, for the sake of the ark, which you have
so piously and kindly received; and whereas, by
your means, the parts about you have a help for the
spreading the knowledge of God among them, added
to what they otherwise more statedly enjoy; may
the blessing of Heaven succeed all sincere endea-
vours of both sorts; to the more general introducing
of the " new man which is renewed in knowledge—
where there is neither Jew nor Greek, circumcision
nor uncircumcision, but Christ is all, and in all:"
To whose grace, you are, with sincere affection and
great sense of your kindness, earnestly recom-
mended, by
Your much obliged,
Faithful Servant in Christ,
JOHN HOWE.
ON
YIELDING OURSELVES
TO GOD.
Romans vi. 13.
Yield yourselves unto God.
These are but a few words, but I can speak to you
of no greater or more important thing than I am to
press upon you from them this day. We are above
taught how absurd it is to continue in sin, whereto
we are avowedly dead, ver. 1, 2. as is signified by our
baptism; together with our entrance into a new state
of life, and that in both we are to be conformed unto
the death and resurrection of Christ, ver. 3, 4, 5. so
that sin ought now no more to have a new dominion
over us, than death can again have over him, v. 6,
7, 8, 9, 10. We are therefore exhorted so to ac-
count of ourselves, and of our present state, " That
we are dead to sin, but alive to God through Jesus
Christ our Lord;" and thereupon never more to let
sin govern us, or reign over us, or yield to it, ver.
1 1, 12, 13. former part.
236
But what then? How are we otherwise to dis-
pose of ourselves? If we may not yield ourselves to
the service of sin, what are we then to do with our-
selves : The text tells us, and the very reason of
the thing shows it ; " but yield yourselves to God,"
&c.
The subject to be discoursed of is an express pre-
cept, charging it upon us all as our unquestionable
duty, to "yield ourselves to God;" which therefore,
it can only be our business, in speaking to this text,
to explain and apply.
I. We are to explain it. Whosoever shall charge
upon others such a duty, not obvious, perhaps, at
the first view, in the full extent of it, to every one's
understanding, may well expect to be asked: but
what do you mean by this precept? or what doth
this "yielding ourselves to God" signify?
And here are two things to be opened to you.
1. How, or under what notions, we are to consi-
der God and ourselves in this matter.
2. What our yielding ourselves to him, so consi-
dered, must include.
1. How we are to consider or look upon God in
this affair? You are to consider him both as he is
in himself, and according to the relations he bears to
you; whether before your yielding yourselves to
him, or in, and upon your so doing.
1. As he is in himself. You that have heard,
or now read what I have said, and do write, here
make a stand, and bethink yourselves a while !
What ! Are you about yielding yourselves to
God ! Sure you ought to be thinking of it as soon
as you hear his claim laid to you.
237
But do you now know with whom you have to
do? Too many have the name of God, that great
and awful name ! in their mouth or ear, and have no
correspondent thought in their mind; it passes with
them as a transient sound, as soon over as another,
common word, of no greater length; and leaves no
impression. Perhaps there is less in their minds to
answer it, than most other words which men use in
common discourse. For they have usually distinct
thoughts of the things they speak of; otherwise they
should neither understand one another nor them-
selves, but might speak of a horse, and mean a
sheep: or be thought to mean so. And it would
no more move a man, or impress his mind, to hear
or mention a jest, than a matter of life and death.
But the holy and reverend name of God is often so
slightly mentioned, as in common oaths, or in idle
talk is so merely taken in vain, that if they were on
the sudden stopped, and asked what they thought on,
or had in their mind, when they mentioned that
word, and were to make a true answer, they cannot
say they thought of any thing : As if the name of
God, the All ! were the name of nothing ! Other-
wise had they thought what that great name signifies,
either they had not mentioned it, or the mention of
it had struck their hearts ! and even overwhelmed
their very souls ! I could tell you what awe and
observance hath been wont to be expressed in re-
ference to that sacred name, among a people that
were called by it; and surely the very sound of that
name ought ever to shake all the powers of our souls,
and presently form them to reverence and adoration.
Q3S
Shall we think it fit to play or trifle with it, as is
too common? My friends, shall we now do so,
when we are called upon " to yield ourselves to
God?" Labour to hear and think, and act intel-
ligently, and as those that have the understandings
of men. And now especially in this solemn transac-
tion, endeavour to render God great to yourselves:
Enlarge your minds, that as far as is possible and
needful, they may take in the entire notion of him.
As to what he is in himself, you must conceive of
him as a Spirit, John iv. 24. as his own word, which
can best tell us what he is, instructs us; and so as a
Being of far higher excellency than any thing you
can see with your eyes, or touch with your hands,
or that can come under the notice of any of your
senses. You may easily apprehend spiritual being
to be the source and spring of life, and self-moving
power. This world were all a dead unmoving lump,
if there were no such thing as spirit; as your bodies
when the soul is fled. You must conceive him to
be an eternal, self-subsisting Spirit, not sprung up
into being from another, as our souls are; but who,
from the excellency of his own being, was necessar-
ily of, and from himself: comprehending originally
and eternally in himself the fulness of all life and
being. I would fain lead you here, as by the
hand, a few plain and easy steps. You are sure
that somewhat now is, of this you can be in no
doubt; and next you may be as sure that somewhat
hath, of itself, ever been: For if nothing at all now
were, you can easily apprehend it impossible that
any thing should ever be, or of itself now begin to
239
be, and spring up out of nothing. Do but make
this supposition in your own minds, and the matter
will be as plain to you as any thing can be, that if
nothing at all were now in being, nothing could
ever come into being; wherefore you may be sure,
that because there is somewhat now in being, there
must have been somewhat or other always in being,
that was eternally of itself. And then to go a little
farther, since you know there are many things in
being that were not of themselves, you may be sure
that what was always of itself, had in it a sufficiency
of active power to produce other things, otherwise
nothing that is not of itself could ever be. As you
know that we were not of ourselves; and the case
is the same as to whatsoever else our eyes behold.
You must conceive of God, therefore, as com-
prehending originally in his own being, which is most
peculiar to himself, a power to produce all whatso-
ever being, excellency and perfection is to be found
in all the whole creation. For there can be nothing
which either is not, or arises not from what was of
itself. And therefore that he is an absolutely, uni-
versally, and infinitely perfect being, and therefore
that life, knowledge, wisdom, power, goodness, holi-
ness, justice, truth, and whatsoever other conceiv-
able excellencies, do all in highest perfection, belong,
as necessary attributes, unchangeably and without
possibility of diminution unto him. And all which
his own word, agreeable to the plain reason of
things, doth in multitudes of places ascribe to him;
as you that are acquainted with the Bible cannot but
know. You must therefore conceive of him, as the
240
All in All. So great, so excellent, so glorious a
One he is, to whom you are to surrender and yield
yourselves.
You are to conceive of him as most essentially
One, for there can be but one All. And so his
word teaches you to conceive. " Hear, O Israel !
the Lord our God is one Lord." — " We know
there is no other God but one. For though there
be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in
earth, as there be gods many, and lords many, but
to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom
are all things, and we by him." Your thoughts
therefore need not be divided within you, nor your
minds hang in doubt, to whom you are to betake and
yield yourselves: there is no place or pretence for
halting between two opinions. He most righteously
lays the sole claim to you; " a just God and a Sa-
viour, and there is none besides him." And so
we are told often in that and the foregoing chapters.
He whose far discerning eye projects its beams every
way, and ranges through all infinity, says, " he
knows not any," Isa. xliv. 8.
Yet again you are to conceive of him as Three
in One; and that in your yielding yourselves to
him; as the prescribed form, when this surrender is
to be made in baptism, directs ; which runs thus,
" In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."
You are not to be curious in your inquiries beyond
what is written ^n this matter, how far the subsistence
in the Godhead are three, and in what sense one ;
they cannot be both in the same sense. But there
is latitude enough to conceive, how they may be
241
distinct from each other, and yet agree in one na-
ture ; which in none of thern depending upon will
and pleasure, sets each of them infinitely above all
created beings : which for the divine " pleasure only
was and is created." And that we so far conceive
of them as three, as to apprehend some things spo-
ken of one, that are not to be affirmed of another
of them, is so plain, of so great consequence, and
the whole frame of practical religion so much depends
thereon; and even this transaction of yielding up
ourselves, which must be introductive and funda-
mental to all the rest, that it is by no means to be
neglectedin our daily course, and least of all in this so-
lemn business, as will more appear anon. In the mean
time, set this ever blessed, glorious God, the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost before your eyes, as to whom,
thus in himself considered, you are now to yield
yourselves.
2. You must conceive of him according to the
relations which he bears towards you, partly before
your yielding yourselves to him, and partly in and
upon your doing it. That is,
1. Before you do any such thing, you must con-
ceive of him, as
(1.) Your Creator, the author of your being, " of
whom and through whom, and to whom are all
things." He that made you, demands you for him-
self. You are required to yield yourselves to him
that gave you breath.
(2.) As the continual sustainer of your being; and
who renews your life unto you every moment; " in
whom you live, and move, and have your being,"
242
continually; so that if he should withdraw his sup-
ports, you immediately drop into nothing.
But these are things common to you with all oth-
er creatures; and signify, therefore, his antecedent
right in you, before you have yielded yourselves,
upon which you ought to do it, and cannot without
great injustice to him decline doing it. There are
other considerations also you ought to entertain con-
cerning him in this your yielding yourselves to him,
namely, of some things which are partly and in some
sense before it, and which it supposes, but which
partly also, and in a more especial sense would fol-
low, and be inferred by it. Therefore you are to
consider the relations which he bears to you in your
actually doing this. Principally, this fourfold con-
sideration you should have of him in your yield-
ing yourselves to him, namely, as your Owner, your
Teacher, your Ruler, and your Benefactor, and all
these with the addition of Supreme ; it being im-
possible he should have a superior; or that there
should be any one above him in any of these. And
he is in some sense all these to you before you can
have yielded yourselves, as may, in great part, be
collected from what hath been already said; but
when you yield yourselves to him, he will be all these
to you in a far higher, nobler, and more excellent
sense ; and you are to yield yourselves to him as
such, or that in your so doing, he may actually be-
come such to you.
1. As your Owner: the God whose you are (as the
Apostle speaks, Acts xxvii. 23. and whom, as it there
follows, and is naturally consequent, you are to serve.)
243
You were his by a former right, as all things, being
made by him, are. But you are to yield yourselves
to him, that you may be more peculiarly his, in a
sense more excellent in itself, and more comfortable
to you; as Exod. xix. 5. " If you will obey — you
shall be to me a peculiar treasure above all people,
for all the earth is mine." Of such as fear him, the
great God says, " They shall be mine in the day
when I make up my jewels." Your yielding your-
selves adds nothing to his right in you; you therein
only recognize, and acknowledge the right he had in
you before, but it adds to you a capacity and a quali-
fication, both by the tenor of his gospel-covenant,
and in the nature of the thing, for such nobler uses
as otherwise you cannot serve for. As the more
contemptible lumber about a man's house may be as
truly his, as the most precious things; but neither
doth he intend, nor can such meaner things admit
to be the ornaments, either of his person, or his
house. The great God intends his devoted peculiar
people to be to him " a crown and royal diadem,"
when " he puts away the wicked of the earth like
dross." " In a great house there are not only ves-
sels of silver and gold, but also of wood, and of
earth." But it is only the purged and sanctified
soul (which is also a self-devoted one) that shall be
the vessel unto honour, being made meet for the
master's use, and prepared to every good work.
Persons and things acquire a sacredness by being
devoted to God. Persons especially, that can and
do devote themselves, are highly ennobled by it; he
hereupon, besides their relative holiness, really more
and more sanctifies and frames them for his own more
L2
244
immediate service and communion. Of such a peo-
ple he tells us, that he hath formed them for himself,
and they shall praise him: and to them he saith (in-
tending it manifestly in the more eminent sense)
if Thou art mine," Isaiah xliii. 1, 7, 21. Such may
with a modest and humble, but with a just confidence
freely say, " I am thine, save me." In yielding
yourselves consider therefore first, that he is your
Owner by an unquestionable former right, and let
that effectually move you to do it with all your hearts.
For will you not give him his own ? When you
account duty to your prince obliges you to " give to
Cassar the things that are Cassar's," will you not
" give to God the things that are God's?" And
will you not know him for your Owner? " The ox
knows his owner." Or will it satisfy you to be in
no other kind his, than brutes and devils are, that
either through an incapacity of nature cannot ac-
knowledge him, or through a malignity of nature will
not ? O yield yourselves, with humble desire and
expectation that he will vouchsafe otherwise to own
you !
2. As your Teacher; so indeed he also is to all
men, though they never yield themselves to him.
He that " teaches man knowledge," shall not he
know? There is a spirit in man, and the inspiration
of the Almighty gives him understanding. Yea,
and inferior creatures, as they all owe their natures,
and peculiar instincts to him, may be said to have
him for their teacher too. But will it content you
to be so only taught by him? There is another sort
of teaching, which, if you yield yourselves to him as
your great instructor, he will vouchsafe unto you.
245
The things you know not, and which it is necessary
you should know, he will teach you, that is, such
things as are of real necessity to your true and final
welfare, not which only serve to please your fancy,
or gratify your curiosity. For his teaching respects
an appointed, certain end, suitable to his wisdom and
mercy, and to the calamity and danger of your state.
The teaching requisite for perishing sinners, was,
" what they might do to be saved." And when
we have cast about in our own thoughts never so
much, we have no way to take but to yield ourselves
to God, who will then be our most undeceiving
guide. To whom it belongs to save us at last, to
him only it can belong to lead us in the way to that
blessed end.
Many anxious inquiries, and fervent disputes
there have been, how one may be infallibly assured
of the way to be saved. They are to be excused
who think it not fit, but upon very plain grounds,
to venture so great a concern; or to run so great a
hazard in a mere compliment to any man, or party
of men. Confident expressions, as, my soul for
yours, and such like, signify nothing with a cautious
considering man, except that such as them care as
little for his soul as their own. The papal infalli-
bility some would have us trust to at a venture, and
would make us think it rudeness to doubt it; when
no body stands upon good manners in endeavouring
to escape a ruin: when a great part of their own
communion trust not to it. (The Gallican Church,
&c.) And some of them have written strongly
against it. (Du Pin, &c.) The accurate stating
246
and discussing of the controversy, how far, or in
what sense any such thing as infallible light may
belong to the Christian church, are not fit for this
place, nor for a discourse of this nature. It is
enough now to say that this claim hereof to the
Pope or Bishop of Rome, as such,
1. Cannot be proved.
2. May be plainly disproved.
1. It cannot be proved. For since no principles
of common reason are pretended sufficient to prove
it of any man, or of him more than another, it must
be proved by supernatural Revelation, if at all. But
in the written word of God there is no such thing.
Pretences from thence are too vain to be refuted or
mentioned. And if any other Revelation should
be pretended, it will be a new, and as impossible a
task to prove the Divinity of that Revelation, so as
to infer upon the world an obligation to believe it.
Nor is it necessary to insist upon this; because,
2. It may be plainly disproved: for the same
thing cannot be both true and false. And it suf-
ficiently disproves such a man's infallibility, or the
impossibility of his erring, that it can be evidently
proved he hath erred.
As when he hath determined against the express
word of Christ, forbidding them (to take one or two
instances among many) to drink of the eucharistical
cup, whom he hath commanded to drink of it. Or^
to mention a more important one, when believers in
Christ, or lovers of him, are pronounced damned,
who he hath said shall not perish, but have everlas-
ting life, and the crown of righteousness. Or when,
247
on the other hand, pardon of sin and eternal life are
pretended to be given to such, whom the evangelical
law condemns to death.
When one to whom this privilege hath been as-
serted to belong, hath determined against another,
to whom, upon the same grounds, it must equally
belong. As it is well known in the Christian church,
that Pope might be alleged against Pope, and one
papal constitution against another. Not to insist on
what might be shown out of their own history, that
the same Pope hath, being so, changed his judg-
ment in a point of doctrine, and left us to divine
when he was the fallible, and when the infallible
Pope. And again,
When there have been determinations against the
common uncorrupted senses of mankind, as that
what their sight, and touch, and taste assures them
is bread, is said to be the flesh of a human body.
For if you cannot be sure of what both your own,
and the sound senses of any other man would tell
you, you can be sure of nothing at all. You can-
not be sure you see one another, and hear me speak-
ing to you ; nor be sure when you heard the trans-
forming words, " this is my body;" or much less
that they were ever spoken, if you heard them not;
or that that was bread and not a stone, or a piece of
clay that is pretended to be transubstantiated by
them. The foundation of all certainty were upon
these terms taken away from among men on earth;
and upon the same common grounds upon which it
is pretended you ought to believe that which is
shown or offered you to be the flesh of a man, and
248
not bread any longer, you must believe or judge the
quite contrary, that it is bread still, and not flesh,
and consequently that he is far from being infallible,
but doth actually err, upon whose authority you are
directed to believe otherwise.
And indeed the claimed infallibility is by this suf-
ficiently disproved, that there is no imaginable way
of proving it. For if there were any such thing, it
must be by God's own immediate gift, and vouch-
safement; How otherwise should a man be made in-
fallible? And if so, it must be for an end worthy of
a wise and a merciful God; whereupon for the same
reason, for which he should have made such a man
infallible, he should have made it infallibly certain to
other men, that he hath made him so. Whereas
there is no one point wherein his infallible determi-
nation can be pretended to be necessary, against
which there is more to be said than against the pre-
tence itself of his infallibility; nor for which, less is
to be said than can, with any colour, or without
highest and most just contempt, be said for it. The
most weighty thing that I have known alleged is,
the great expediency of an infallible judge. But if
we will think that a good way of arguing, that things
are, in fact, so or so, because we can fancy it would
be better if they were; we may as well prove that
all mankind are sincere Christians, or there is no sin
in the world, nor ever was, and a thousand things
besides in the natural world, that never were, or will
be, because it appears to us it would be for the bet-
ter. So much is the foolishness of man wiser than
God.
249
Besides, that sanctity must be judged as necessary
to the final salvation and felicity of the souls of men
as orthodoxy, or exemption from doctrinal error, by
all with whom either Christian religion, or common
reason signifies any thing. For the same reason,
therefore, for which it can be thought necessary God
should have put it into the power of any man to make
others not err, he should have put it equally into his
power to make them holy, to renew and change their
hearts and lives. But what man hath this power?
And one would reasonably expect, if either were,
that both powers should be lodged in the same man;
which if they should pretend, who assert the other
unto one man, their own histories might make them
blush, unless they can think it more probable that
he can and will effectually sanctify another, and make
him holy, who is himself most infamously impure and
unholy, than that he can secure another from erring
in matters of doctrine, who cannot secure himself.
But then it may be said, If such sure light and
guidance is not to be found or had from one man, it
must be from some community or body of men in the
Christian church. For, can it be thought God
should have taken care to settle a religion in the
world, on purpose for the saving of men's souls, that
yet affords no man any certainty of being saved by
it?
I answer, yes, there is a certain, undeceiving light
afforded by it to the whole body of sincere Christians
sufficient, and intended, not to gratify a vain humour,
but to save their souls, and which you can only, and
may confidently expect by yielding yourselves to God
L3
250
as your Teacher. As it cannot agree with the ab-
solute perfection of his nature to be himself deceived
in any thing, it can, you may be sure, as little agree
with it to deceive you, or let you mistake your way,
in the things wherein he hath encouraged and in-
duced you to commit and intrust yourselves to his
conduct and guidance : Will he let a soul wander
and be lost, that hath entirely given up itself to be
led and taught by him ? His word hath at once
expressed to you his nature, and his good-will towards
you, in this case. " Good and upright is the Lord,
therefore will he teach sinners in the way." But
what sinners? the next words tell you, " the meek
(self-resigned ones, humble, teachable learners) he
will guide in judgment," or with judgment, (as that
particle admits to be read) he will guide them judi-
ciously, and surely, so that your hearts need not mis-
give, or suspect, or doubt to follow; " The meek will
he teach his way." Who would not wish and be
glad to have such a teacher? "You shall know
(how express is his word!) if you follow on to know
the Lord;" for, " his going forth is prepared as the
morning." You do not need to devise in the morn-
ing how to create your own light, it is prepared and
ready for you ; the sun was made before you were,
and it keeps its course, and so constantly will God's
own light shine to you, without your contrivance or
care, for any thing but to seek it, receive it, and be
guided by it.
Know your advantage in having such a teacher.
1. He will teach you inwardly; even your very
hearts, and so as his instructions shall reach the
251
centre, the inmost of your spirits. " God that
made 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 Jesus Christ."
And when that holy good man had been solacing him-
self with highest pleasure in considering this, that
God was his portion, so contented and satisfying a
one, that he cannot forbear saying, " The lines are
fallen to me in pleasant places, and I have a goodly
heritage." He presently adds, " I will bless the
Lord who hath given me counsel." I should never
else have thought of such a thing: it had never come
into my mind to think of choosing God for my por-
tion. I should have done like the rest of the vain
world, have followed shadows all my days. My
reins also instruct me in the night season. He will
so teach you, as to make you teach yourselves, put
an abiding word into you, that shall talk with you
when you sit in your houses, and walk by the way,
and when you lie down, and when you rise up, and
whereby you shall be enabled to commune with your
own hearts upon your beds, while others sleep, and
revolve, or roll over in your minds, dictates of life.
You will not need to say, Who shall ascend into
heaven, to bring down Christ from above? Or,
Who shall descend into the deep, to bring Christ
again from the dead? For the word will be nigh thee,
not in thy mouth only, but in thine heart. You
will have an engrafted word, and the law of your
God will be in your heart, so as none of your steps
shall slide. This is our Lord's own interpretation
of divers words of the prophets, that in the days of
252
the general diffusion of holy, vital light, which was
to be after his own appearance in the world, " They
shall he all taught of God," that is, so as to have
their hearts inclined towards himself, and drawn to
him, as the reference of these words to those of the
foregoing verse shows. Wherein,
2. Lies your further advantage, that by him you
shall be taught effectually. Other teaching, as it
doth but reach the ear, or only, at the most, beget
some faint notions in the mind, that you are little
the better for, his shall produce real fruit; he is the
Lord your God who teaches you to profit; and who
by gentle and unforcible, but by most prevailing in-
sinuations, shall slide in upon your spirits, win them
by light and love, and allure them to a compliance
with what shall be in the end safe and happy for
yourselves. He will instruct you, though not with
a violent, yet with a strong hand, so as not to lose
his kind design. Others teach you, and leave you
what they found you; convinced, perhaps, but not
changed; unable to resist any ill inclination, or your
disinclination to that which was good. Power will
accompany his teaching; a conquering power that will
secretly constrain and captivate your hearts ; and how
pleasant a victory will that be to yourselves ! O
the peace and joy you will find springing up within
you, when once you feel yourselves overcome ! The
most that a man can say to you is, what the prophet
Samuel once said, (so great and so good a man)
" God forbid I should sin against the Lord in
ceasing to pray for you ; but I will teach you the
good and the right way." He could only show that
Q53
way, and pray that God would do the rest ; which
implies God only can so teach it you, as to make
you walk in it.
I am not persuading you to slight human teach-
ing; you will need it; and it is among the gifts
which your glorious Redeemer " being ascended on
high," hath given to men, that is, pastors and teach-
ers. But understand their teaching to be only sub-
ordinate, and ministerial. Without, or against
God, you are to call no man master, or teacher upon
earth.
And thus far their teaching is to be regarded, as
it agrees,
1. With what God doth inwardly teach you, by
that common light which shines in every man's own
bosom, that with a sincere mind, attends to it, and
which is too little attended to. There are truths
too commonly held in unrighteousness, seated gen-
erally in the minds and consciences of men; by which,
though they have not another law, " they are a law
to themselves;" and for the stifling and resisting
of which, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against them. And from such truths they might
infer others, and where God affords external helps,
come to discern a sure ground whereupon to under-
stand that what is contained besides in the frame of
Christian doctrine is true ; being enabled to judge
of the evidences that prove the whole revelation
thereof to be from God; and nothing being in itself
more evident than that what he hath revealed is
true. And withal God is graciously pleased to
shine into minds that with upright aims set them-
254
selves to inquire out and understand his mind; and
so farther light comes to be superadded to that which
is common. Now take heed how you neglect what
a man teaches you, agreeably to that inward light
which is already, cne way or other, in your own
minds and consciences. To this in some part, and
in great part we are to appeal in our teaching you:
So the more early Christian teachers did. " Not
handling," say they, " the word of God deceitfully*
but by manifestation of the truth commending our-
selves to every man's conscience in the sight of
God." In the most deeply fundamental things that
concern your practice every day, we may appeal to
yourselves, and your own consciences. If we say to
you, ought you not to live according to his will that
gave you breath? Should you not above all things
fear and love, and trust, and obey him that made you
and all things? Should you not do as you would
be done unto? Should you not take more care for
your immortal souls, than for your mortal flesh?
You must every one say, I believe in mine own con-
science this is so. If I appeal to you in the very
thing I am speaking of, should you not yield your-
selves to God, whose creatures you are? I doubt
not any of you will say, I think in my very con-
science I should. We have you witnesses against
yourselves, if you will not hear us in such things.
And again, it being a matter very capable of plain
proof, that those writings which we call the Holy
Scriptures, were from God, our teaching ought so
far to be regarded by you, as,
2. We can manifest to you that it agrees with
Q55
the Scriptures. And we are sure he will never
teach you inwardly against what he hath there
taught. Will the God of truth say and unsay the
same thing? That were to overthrow the design
of all his instructions, and to subvert the authority
which he requires men to reverence. No man could
expect to be regarded on such terms. And by this
rule freely examine all that we teach you, as our
Saviour directed the Jews to do, John v. 39. And
for the doing whereof, the apostle commended the
Berean Christians, Acts xvii. 11. And we have
here the same advantage at length, though not so
immediately upon your consciences; which cannot
but judge that whatsoever is found in that word
which you confess to be divine, must be most cer-
tainly true.
And if within such limits you take the help of
men for you instruction; having yielded yourselves
to God as your supreme and highest teacher, you
are upon safe terms. Only be sincere in listening
to his dictates, whether internal or external. Let
not a prepossessed heart, or vicious inclination be
their interpreter. " If any man will do his will, he
shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God."
3. You must consider God, in your yielding
yourselves, as your Sovereign Ruler. " For to
whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his ser-
vants you are to whom you obey;" as by ver. 16.
Though teaching and ruling may be diversely con-
ceived of, they cannot be separate in this case. The
nobler and final part of God's teaching you, is teach-
ing you your duty; what you are to practise and do.
256
And so when he teaches you, he commands you too;
and leaves it not arbitrary to you whether you will
be directed by him or not. What is his by former
right, and by after-consent, and self-resignation,
shall it not be governed by him ? if it be a subject
capable of laws and government, as such consent
shows it to be ? Your yielding yourselves to God
is not an homage but a mockery, if you do it not
with a resolution to receive the law from his mouth;
and that wherein soever he commands, you will to
your uttermost obey. But in this, and the other
things that follow, my limits constrain me to more
brevity. Only let not this apprehension of God be
frightful, yea, let it be amiable to you, as in itself
it is, and cannot but be to you, if you consider the
loveliness of his government, the kind design of it$
and how suitable it is to the kindest design ; that it is
a government first and principally over minds, pur-
posely intended to reduce them to a holy and peace-
ful order, wherein it cannot but continue them, when
that kingdom comes to be settled there, which stands
" in righteousness, peace, and joy, in the Holy
Ghost," and all the laws whereof are summed up in
love; being such " also as in the keeping whereof
there is great reward."
4. You are to consider him, and accordingly to
yield yourself, as your greatest benefactor, or rather
as your best and supreme good. Indeed you can-
not sever his being your ruler from his being your
benefactor, more than his being your teacher from
his being your ruler, when the tendency and design
of his government are understood. For it is a very
257
principal part of our felicity to be under his govern-
ment, and he doth you the greatest good by ruling
you, when otherwise nothing is more evident than
that you would run yourselves into the greatest of
evil, and soon be most miserable creatures. You
are now so far happy as you are subject to his go-
vernment, and that which it aims at is to make you
finally and completely happy. For it is the design
of his government, not only to regulate your ac-
tions, but your inclinations, and principally towards
himself. You have been (i alienated from the life
of God," were become strangers to him, yea, and
" enemies in your very minds," " for the carnal
mind is enmity against God." The very business
of his government is, in the first place, to alter the
temper of your minds; for continuing carnal, they
neither are subject to the law of God, nor can be,
as the same place tells you. Therefore if his go-
vernment take place in you, and you become sub-
ject, you " become spiritual, the law of the Spirit
of Life," having now the possession and the power
of you. Nor was it possible he should ever be an
effectual benefactor to you, without being thus an
overpowering ruler, so do these things run into one
another. To let you have your own will, and fol-
low your carnal inclination, and cherish and favour
you in this course, were to gratify you to your ruin,
and concur with you to your being for ever misera-
ble : which you may see plainly if you will under-
stand wherein your true felicity and blessedness must
consist, or consider what was intimated concerning
it, in the proposal of this head ; that he is to be
your benefactor, in being to you himself, your su-
preme and only satisfying good. He never doth
you good effectually and to purpose, till he overcome
your carnal inclination. For while that remains,
will you ever mind him? Can you love him ? desire
after him ? or delight in him ! The first and most
fundamental law which he lays upon you is, that
" you shall love the Lord your God with all your
heart, and soul, and mind, and might." What
will become of you if you cannot obey this law?
This world will shortly be at an end, and you must,
it is like, leave it sooner; you are undone, if your
hearts be not before-hand so framed as that you
can savour and take complacency in a better and
higher good. You will shortly have nothing left
you but himself; you will be plucked away from
your houses, and lands, and friends, and all your out-
ward comforts; and now in what a case are you, if
you can take no pleasure or satisfaction in God !
You are therefore to yield up yourself to him in full
union, as with your most grateful and delectable
good ; with this sense possessing your soul, " Whom
have I in heaven but thee ? or whom on earth can
I desire besides thee !"
And thus you are to look upon God in your yield-
ing yourselves to him.
You are to yield yourselves to his claim as your
rightful owner.
To his instruction, as your undeceiving teacher.
To his government, as your gracious, sovereign
ruler. And
To the enjoyment of him, as your best and most
259
satisfying good. Or your self-communicating bene-
factor.
But it also concerns you to have distinct and
right thoughts of the state of your case, and how
things are between him and the sons of men, that
you may duly apply yourselves to him in so great a
transaction. The gospel under which you live tells
you, he treats with men in and by a mediator, his
own Son, who came down into this wretched world
of ours, in great compassion to our miseries, and
took our nature, was here on earth among us an in-
carnate God. God manifested in the flesh. Be-
cause we were partakers of flesh and blood, he took
part with us likewise of the same, and in that na-
ture of ours died for us, to make way that we might
yield ourselves to God, and be accepted. " No man
now comes to the Father, but by him." He must
be acknowledged with great reverence, and a most
profound homage must be rendered to him. " He
that denieth the Son, hath not the Father." And
it being his pleasure to treat with us by his Son, and
the case requiring that we apply ourselves to him,
we are to take notice of him according to those ca-
pacities wherein Scripture represents him to us.
And it represents him agreeably to those same no-
tions according to which we have shown we are to
consider God the Father in this matter; so as that
Christ being the Mediator between him and us, when
we yield ourselves to him ultimately, and finally, un-
der the notions that have been mentioned, we are
first to yield ourselves to his Son, Christ Jesus our
Redeemer, under the like notions. For,
260
1. Being to yield ourselves to God as our owner,
we must know, the Father hath " given all things
into the hands of the Son," and that " he is Lord
of all," which, in the first sense, signifies him to
be, by the Father's constitution, the owner of all
things, even as he is the Redeemer. For, he
therefore died and rose again, " that he might be
Lord of the dead and living," that is, of both
worlds ; agreeably to what he himself speaks imme-
diately upon his resurrection from the dead; " All
power is given to me both in heaven and earth."
2. And for those other notions of God under
which we have shown, we are to yield ourselves to
him, as our teacher, ruler, and benefactor, they
correspond to that threefold office of Christ, of which
you cannot but have heard much, namely, of Pro-
phet, King, and Priest, so that we are to commit
ourselves to him, when we yield ourselves to God,
as a teacher come forth from God, and who reveals
him to us whom no man hath seen at any time:
as one that must reign over us, and over the great-
est on earth, Luke xix. 14 — 27. Psal. ii. 6, 7, 8,
9, 10. and by whom we are to be reconciled to
God, and restored to the enjoyment of him.
And because our blind minds and perverse hearts
need light and grace from above, to direct and in-
cline us hereto, therefore hath the Spirit of the
Father and the Son a great work to do in us to
this purpose. Whereupon we are to yield ourselves
to that blessed Spirit also, as our enlightener and
sanctifier ; which our being directed to " walk in
the Spirit," and our being told that " they that
261
have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his," and,
" that as many as are the sons of God, are led by
his Spirit," do plainly show.
You see then we are to yield ourselves to God,
the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, which also our
having those great names named upon us in our bap-
tism (as we before told you) doth import.
And how necessary all this is, you will see, if,
II. We consider how we are to look upon our-
selves in this transaction; that is,
1. We are to consider ourselves as God's crea-
tures, being, as you have heard, to consider him,
as our Creator; and so we must reckon we owe our-
selves to him, and do but yield him what we owe,
and what was his before. For, how can you but be
his, who of his mere pleasure hath raised you out of
nothing?
2. We must remember we have been apostate
creatures, such as had fallen, and revolted from him;
and so our yielding ourselves to him is a giving our-
selves back to him, having injuriously withdrawn and
withheld ourselves from him before. And because
the injury was so great as we could never make any
recompense for, therefore it was necessary such a
Mediator should be appointed between God and us>
for whose sake only we can expect to be accepted
when we yield ourselves. So great a Majesty was
not to be approached by offending creatures without
so great a days-man, and peace-maker.
3. We must consider ourselves as impure, and
every way unfit for the divine presence, service, and
converse, and who did therefore need the power of
262
the Holy Ghost to be put forth upon us to make us
fit; and that therefore our case required we should
put ourselves into such hands for that purpose.
4. We are to consider ourselves as under the
gospel, as sinners invited and called back to God;
as such whose case is not desperate; or who need to
abandon ourselves to ruin, though we have greatly
offended, as if there were no hope. We are to
consider ourselves with distinction from the condition
of other fallen creatures. The angels that fell and
kept not their first station have no gospel sent to
them to invite them back, and persuade them again
to yield themselves to God, as you have. Into
what a transport should this thought put you ! how
should it mollify you ! O what a yielding temper and
disposition of spirit should it work in you towards
this gracious call, and just challenge, which the
great God now gives you, and makes unto you !
Thus far then you see how you are to consider
God and yourselves in this your yielding yourselves
to him. You are now next to consider,
2. What your yielding yourselves to God accord-
ing to such considerations, must include, or be ac-
companied with. For it is not reasonable to think
you have no more to mind in this matter, than only
what is contained in the bare abstract nature of such
an act; but looking upon your case in its circum-
stances, and considering the state of things between
God and you, it greatly concerns you to see to it,
that the matter be suitably carried to this state of
your case. Whereupon,
1. Your yielding yourselves to God must be ac-
263
companied with very deep and serious repentance.
It is a most penitential surrender you are now to
make of yourselves to him; for you are to remember
that you are but now coming back out of a state of
apostacy from your Sovereign and most rightful
Lord. Yea though you are but renewing your sur-
render of yourselves, having done somewhat herein
before, you are yet to consider this was your case;
and perhaps some never have yet seriously thought
of any such thing, but lived in this world hitherto
as if you were your own, and there were no Lord
over you: O then with what inward remorse, with
what brokenness of heart, with what relentings and
self-accusings should this thing now be done ! you
should come, smiting upon the thigh, and saying
within yourselves, What have I done? So long
Lord have I lived in this world of thine, which thou
madest, and not I, as if I might do in it, and with
myself, what I pleased? I have usurped upon thy
unquestionable right in me, have lived to myself
and not to thee; I am now convinced this w r as a
very undutiful, unlawful way of living. Let him
hear you (as he once heard Ephraim, or shall do)
bemoaning yourselves, and saying, " Turn me and
I shall be turned, thou art the Lord my God."
How can you think of yielding yourselves now at
length to God, without being deeply sensible of
your having deferred it so long, and that you have
not £ done it sooner? and how great the iniquity was
of your former course? that you have all this while
committed a continual robbery upon him that gave
you breath. Will a man rob God? And if you
264
say, Wherein have I robbed him? you have robbed
him of yourself, a greater thing than of tythes and
offerings. And this robbery was sacrilege. For
every thing due and devoted to God, hath a sacred-
ness upon it; and consider, were you not, upon his
just claim, in your baptism devoted to him? how
should this startle you? you have constantly aliena-
ted from him a sacred thing ! You have been in a
continual contest with him about one of the highest
rights of his Sovereignty, yea, and of his Godhead,
for to that, nothing is more peculiar than to be
Lord of all. So that the controversy between him
and you hath been, who shall be God? You have
refused him his own creature: How high a crime
was this ? Know then you have been a great trans-
gressor, a grievous revolter, and now therefore yield
yourself to him with a melting broken heart, or you
do nothing.
2. It must be done with great deliberation; not
as the mere effect of a sudden fright. What is done
in a rash haste may be as soon undone. Leisurely
consider, and take the whole compass of the case;
weigh with yourselves the mentioned grounds upon
which you are to yield yourselves, and the ends you
are to do it for, that things may be set right between
him and you, that you may return into your own
natural place and station, that you may be again
stated in that subordination to your Sovereign Lord
which fitly belongs to you ; that he may have his
right which he claims, and you the mercy which you
need. Llere is place for much consideration. And
when Israel is complained of as less willing to ac-
265
knowledge God for his owner and master, than the
ox and ass were to acknowledge theirs, all is resolv-
ed into this, that the people did not consider, Isa. i.
3. It must be done with judgment, which is the
effect of such consideration. When all things have
been well weighed that belong to this case, then let
this formed judgment pass, Lord, I ought to be
thine, and no others. Say to him hereupon, with
a convinced judgment and conscience, O God, I
surrender myself, as now seeing none hath that
right in me that thou hast; when the love of Christ
becomes constraining upon souls, it is because they
thus judge, that " they ought no longer to live to
themselves, but to him." These things last men-
tioned will imply a rectified mind, which must be
ingredient into this transaction, else it will be defec-
tive throughout.
4. It must be done with a fulness of consent;
and herein it chiefly consists, when the soul says,
Lord, I am now most entirely willing to be thine :
This is your " yielding yourselves." And hereby
the covenant is struck between God and you, which
consists in the expressed consent of the parties cov-
enanting in the matters about which the covenant is.
This covenant is about the parties themselves, who
covenant, as the conjugal covenant is, which resem-
bles it; namely, that they shall be one anothers.
God hath expressed his consent in his word and
gospel, making therein the first overture to you.
When you rejoin your own consent, the thing is
done: this being the sum of his covenant, " I will
be your God, and you shall be my people," as in
M
266
many places of Scripture it is gathered up. When
therefore, as God hath openly testified his willing-
ness to be their God who shall accept and take him
to be so, you also are willing and do consent too, you
do now " take hold on his covenant," matters are
agreed between him and you; and you may take
those words as spoken to you particularly; " I have
entered into covenant with thee, and thou art become
mine, Ezek. xvi. 8.
But then you must take notice that this is to be
done with a full consent, which that is said to be
which determines you, though it be not absolutely
perfect. No grace in any faculty is perfect in this
life. But as in human affairs, that will is said to be
full, which is the spring of answerable following ac-
tions, so it is here. If a man have some inclination
to do this or that, and do it not, it goes for nothing;
if he do it, his will is said to be full, though he have
some remaining disinclination. You may be said to
yield yourselves to God, with a full consent, when
you live afterwards as one devoted to him.
5. Your yielding yourselves to God must carry
life in it, as the following words signify: " Yield
yourselves to God as those that are alive from the
dead." It must be a vital act, and have vigour in
it. You must be capable of making that true judg-
ment of your case, as it is verse 11. " of reckoning
truly that you are dead to sin, but alive to God
through Jesus Christ." Do it as feeling life to
spring in your souls towards God in your yielding
yourselves to him. What ! will you offer God a
carcass ? not the " living sacrifice," which you see
267
is required, Rom. xii. 1. Beg earnestly for his own
Spirit of life and power, that may enable you to offer
up a living soul to the living God.
6. There must be faith in your yielding your-
selves. For it is a committing, or intrusting your-
selves to God, with the expectation of being saved,
and made happy by him. So Scripture speaks of it,
" I know whom I have believed, (or trusted) and
that he is able to keep what I have committed to
him against that day." It is suitable to the gra-
cious nature of God, to his excellent greatness, to
his design, to the mediatorship of his Son, to his
promise and gospel-covenant, and to your own neces-
sities, and the exigency of your own lost, undone
state, that you so yield yourselves to him, as a poor
creature ready to perish, expecting, not for your sake,
but his own, to be accepted, and to find mercy with
him. You do him the honour which he seeks, and
which is most worthy of a God, the most excellent,
and a self-sufficient being, when you do thus. You
answer the intention of the whole gospel-consti-
tion, which bears this inscription, " to the praise of
the glory of his grace,'' &c. It is honourable to him
when you take his word, that they that believe in his
Son, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.
You herein set to your seal that he is true, and the
more fully, and with the more significancy, when
upon the credit of it you yield yourselves, with an
assurance that he will not destroy nor reject a poor
creature that yields to him, and casts itself upon his
mercy.
7. Another ingredient into this yielding of your-
M2
268
selves must be love. As faith, in your yielding
yourselves to God, aims at your own welfare and
salvation; so love, in doing it, intends his service,
and all the duty to him you are capable of doing him.
You must be able to give this as the true reason of
your act, and to resolve it into this principle; I yield
myself to God, because I love him, and from the
unfeigned love I bear to him: to tell the world, if
there were occasion, he hath captivated my heart
with his excellencies and his love, and hereupon
having nothing else, I tender myself to him, to tell
himself, " Lord, thou knowest all things, thou
knowest that I love thee;" and because I do, I pre-
sent myself to thee; it is all I can do. I wish my-
self ten thousand times better for thy blessed sake;
and if I had in me all the excellencies of many thou-
sand angels, I were too mean a thing, and such as
nothing but thy own goodness could count worthy
thine acceptance; because I love thee, I covet to be
near thee, I covet to be thine, I covet to lead my life
with thee, to dwell in thy presence ; far be it from
me to be as without thee in the world as heretofore.
I love thee, O Lord, my strength, because thine own
perfections highly deserve it, and because thou hast
heard my voice, and hast delivered my soul from
death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from fall-
ing, and I yield myself to thee, because I love thee.
I make an offer of myself to be thy servant; thy
servant, O Lord, thou hast loosed my bonds; and
now I desire to bind myself in new ones to thee,
that are never to be loosed." And you can make
no doubt but that it ought to be done therefore with
269
dispositions and a temper suitable to the state you
are now willing to come into, that of a devoted ser-
vant; namely,
8. With great reverence and humility. For,
consider to whom you are tendering yourself; to the
" high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity:"
To him that hath " Heaven for his throne, and
Earth for his footstool;" and in comparison of whom
all the inhabitants of the world are but as grasshop-
pers, and the " nations of the earth as the drop of
a bucket, and the dust of the balance." Yea to him
against whom you have sinned, and before whose
pure eyes, you cannot, in yourself, but appear most
offensively impure; so that you have reason to be
ashamed and blush to lift up your eyes before him.
9. And yet it surely ought to be with great joy
and gladness of heart, that he hath expressed him-
self willing to accept such as you, and that he hath
made you willing to yield yourselves. The very
thought should make your heart leap and spring
within you, that he should ever have bespoken such
as we are to yield ourselves to him ! when he might
have neglected us, and let us wander endlessly, with-
out ever looking after us more. How should it
glad your hearts this day, to have such a message
brought you from the great God, and which you
find is written in his own word, to yield yourselves
to him ! Should not your hearts answer with won-
der; " And blessed Lord ! Art thou willing again
to have to do with us ! who left thee having no cause,
and who returning can be of no use to thee !" O
blessed be God that we may yield ourselves back
270
unto him ! that we are invited and encouraged to it.
And you have cause to bless God, and rejoice, if
this day you feel your heart willing to yield your-
selves to him, and become his. Do you indeed
find yourselves willing? You " are willing in the day
of his power." This is the day of his power upon
your hearts. Many are called and refuse; he f* of-
ten stretches out his hands, and no man regards."
Perhaps you have been called upon often before this
day to do the same thing, and neglected it, had no
heart to it; and he might have said to you : Now I
will never treat with you more; if you should call, I
will not hear; if you stretch out your hands, I will
not regard it, but laugh at your destruction, and
mock when your fear cometh. But if now he is
pleased to call once more> your hearts do answer:
Lord, here we are, we are now ready to surrender
ourselves ; you may conclude he hath " poured out
his Spirit upon you :" The Spirit of the Lord is now
moving upon this assembly: this is indeed a joyful
day, the day which he hath himself made and you
ought to rejoice and be glad in it. When the
people in David's days offered of their substance to
God for the service of his house, it is said, " the
people rejoiced for that they offered willingly." And
David, we are told, " blessed God before all the
congregation" — saying, " Thine, O Lord, is the
greatness and the power — But who am I, and what
is my people, that we should be able to offer so wil-
lingly after this sort ? for all things come of thee,
and of thine own have we given thee." If you are
this day willing to offer yourselves, how much is
271
this a greater thing ! and it comes of him, and it is
of his own you are now giving him; for he had a
most unquestionable right in you before.
10. You should do it with solemnity. For have
you ever had a business of greater importance to
transact in all your days ? If you were to dispose
of an estate, or a child, would you not have all
things be as express, and clear, as may be; and
would not they insist to have it so, with whom you
deal in any such affair? And is there not a solem-
nity belonging to all such transactions ? especially if
you were to dispose of yourself; as in the conjugal
covenant? though that is to be but for this short
uncertain time of life; so as that the relation you
enter into to-day, may be by death dissolved and
broken off again to-morrow : How much more ex-
plicit, clear, and solemn, should this your covenant-
ing with God in Christ be? wherein you are to
make over your soul to him ? and for eternity. You
are to become his, under the bond of an everlasting
covenant. You are entering a relation never to be
broken off. This God is to be your God for ever
and ever, and upon the same terms you are to be his.
Is your immortal soul of less account with you than
the temporal concerns of a mortal child, that you
are placing out but for a term of years that soon ex-
pires ? yea, or than a piece of ground, or a horse,
or a sheep, about which how punctual and express
are your bargains and contracts wont to be ? Or are
only the matters of your soul, and wherein you have
to do with the great God, to be slightly managed?
or to be huddled up in confusion ? or to be slid over
272
in silent intimations ? It is true, that so express and
solemn dealing in yielding and giving up yourselves
to God, is not needful on his part, who understands
sincerity without any expression of yours ; but it is
needful on your part, that a deep and lasting im-
pression may be made upon your spirits ; which if
you be sincere, you will not only feel yourselves to
need, but your own temper and inclination will
prompt you to it; accounting you can never be un-
der bonds strong and sure enough to him. You will
not only apprehend necessity, but will relish and
taste pleasure in any such transaction with the bles-
sed God, in avouching him to be your God, and
yourself to be his. The more solemn it is, the more
grateful it will be to you.
Do so then: fall before his throne; prostrate
yourself at his footstool; and having chosen your fit
season, when nothing may interrupt you; and having
shut up yourself with him, pour out your soul to
him; tell him you are now come on purpose to offer
yourself to him as his own. O that you would
not let this night pass without doing so ! Tell him
you have too long neglected him, and forgotten to
whom you belonged ; humbly beseech him for his
pardon, and that he will now accept of you, for your
Redeemer's sake, as being through his grace re-
solved never to live so great a stranger to him, or be
such a wanderer from him more. And when you
have done so, remember the time; let it be with you
a noted memorable day, as you would be sure to keep
the day in memory when you became such-a-one's
servant or tenant, or your marriage-day : renew this
your agreement with God often, but forget it never.
273
Perhaps some may say, But what needs all this?
were we not once devoted and given up to God in
baptism? and is not that sufficient? To what pur-
pose should we do again a thing that hath once been
so solemnly done?
But here I desire you to consider, Are you never
to become the Lord's, by your own choice? Are
you always to be Christians, only by another's
Christianity, not by your own? And again, have
you not broken your baptismal vow? have you not
forgot it for the most part ever since? I am afraid
too many never think of any such a matter at all,
that ever they were devoted to God by others, but
only upon such an occasion as this, to make it an
excuse that they may never do such a thing them-
selves. And consider, were these Christian Ro-
mans, on whom the apostle presses this duty, never
baptized, think you ? Read over the foregoing part
of the chapter, wherein you find him putting them in
mind that they had been baptized into Christ's death,
and buried with him in baptism, and that therefore
this was to be an argument to them why they should
yield themselves to God; not why they should not.
Wherefore our way is now plain and open to
what we have further to do, namely,
2. To apply this practical doctrine, and press the
precept further upon you, which hath been opened
to you, and pressed by parts in some measure al-
ready, in our insisting on the several heads, which
you have seen do belong to it ; and are one way or
other comprehended in it. Which will therefore
make this latter part of our work the shorter, and
274
capable of being despatched in the fewer words; and
with blessed effect, if the Spirit of the living God
shall vouchsafe to co-operate, and deal with your
hearts and mine. Shall we then all agree upon this
thing ? shall we unite in one resolution, We will be
the Lord's ? shall every one say in his own heart,
for my part, I will, and so will I, and so will I ?
Come now, one and all. This is no unlawful con-
federacy, it is a blessed combination ! " Come
then, let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpe-
tual covenant, not to be forgotten." With what-
soever after-solemnity, you may renew this obliga-
tion, and bond of God upon your souls, as I hope
you will do it, every one apart, in your closets, or in
any corner, and you cannot do it too fully, or too
often : yet let us now all resolve the thing; and this
assembly make a joint surrender, and oblation of it-
self to the great God our Sovereign rightful Lord,
through our blessed Redeemer and Mediator, by the
eternal Spirit, (which I hope is breathing and at
work among us,) as one living sacrifice, as all of us,
alive from the dead, to be for ever sacred to him?
O blessed assembly ! O happy act and deed ! With
how grateful and well-pleasing an odour will the
kindness and dutifulness of this offering ascend, and
be received above! God will accept, heaven will
rejoice, Angels will concur, and gladly fall in with
us. We hereby adjoin ourselves in relation, and
in heart and spirit, to the general assembly, to the
church of the first-born ones written in heaven, to
the innumerable company of angels, and to the spirits
of just men made perfect, and within a little while
shall be actually among them. Is it possible there
should be now among us any dissenting vote? Con-
sider,
1. It is a plain and unquestionable thing you are
pressed unto. A thing that admits of no dispute,
and against which you have nothing to say, and
about which you cannot but be already convinced.
And it is a matter full of danger, and upon which
tremendous consequences depend, to go on in any
practice, or in any neglect, against a conviction of
judgment and conscience. For your own heart and
conscience must condemn you if you consider, and
it betrays you if you consider not. How fearful a
thing is it for a man to carry his own doom in his
own bosom ! to go up and down the world with a
self-condemning heart, if it be awake, and which if
it be not, yet cannot sleep always, and must awake
with the greater terror at length. And in so plain
a case it is most certainly God's deputy, and speaks
his mind; " If our hearts condemn us, God is
greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things."
2. It is that, therefore, the refusal whereof none
of you would avow. Who among us can have the
confidence to stand forth and say, " I will be none
of the Lord's?" Would any man be content to
go with this writ upon his forehead from day to day ?
And doth not that signify such a refusal to be a
shameful thing? That must needs be an ill temper
of mind which one would be ashamed any one should
know.
3. And it is a mean thing to dissemble, to be
willing to be thought, and counted what we are not,
or to do what in truth we do not.
276
4. And considering what inspection we are under,
it is a vain thing. For do we not know that " eyes
which are as a flame of fire," behold us, and pierce
into our very souls ? Do we not know, " all things
in us are naked and manifest to him with whom we
have to do ?" And that he discerns it, if there be
any heart among us that is not sincere in this thing ?
5. Consider that this is the very design of the gos-
pel you live under. What doth it signify or intend,
but to recall apostate creatures back again to God?
What is the Christian Religion you profess, but a
state of devotedness to God, under the conduct,
and through the mediation of Christ ? You frus-
trate the gospel, and make your religion a nullity,
and an empty name, till you do this.
6. And how will you lift up your heads at last in
the great day? and before this God the judge
of all ? You cannot now plead ignorance. If per-
haps any among you have been formerly so expressly
called, and urged to this yielding yourselves to
God ; now you are : and from his own plain word
it is charged upon you. Will not this be remem-
bered hereafter ? What will you say, when the
great God, whose creature you are, speaks to you
with the voice of thunder, and bids you gird up your
loins, and give him an answer ? " Were you not,
on such a day, in such a place, demanded and claim-
ed in my name ? Were you not told, were you not
convinced you ought to yield yourselves to me, and
yet you did it not ? Are you prepared to contest
with your Maker? Where is your right, where is
your power, to stand against me in this contest ?"
277
7. But if you sincerely yield yourselves, the main
controversy is at an end between the great God and
you. All your former sins are pardoned and done
away at once. Those glad tidings you have often
heard that import nothing but " glory to God in
the highest, peace on earth, and good will towards
men," plainly show, that the great God whom you
had offended, hath no design to destroy you, but
only to make you yield, and give him back his own.
Though you have formerly lived a wandering life,
and been as a vagabond on the earth from your true
owner, it will be all forgotten. How readily was
the returning prodigal received ! and so will you.
How quiet rest will you have this night, when
upon such terms there is a reconciliation between
God and you ! You have given him his own, and
he is pleased, and most of all for this, that he hath
received you now to save you. You were his to de-
stroy before, now you are his to save. He could
easily destroy you against your will, but it is only
with your will, he having made you willing, that he
must save you. And his bidding you yield, implies
his willingness to do so. O how much of gospel is
there in this invitation to yield yourselves to God !
consider it as the voice of grace. Will he that
bids a poor wretch yield itself, reject or destroy
when it doth so?
8. And how happily may you now live the rest
of your days in this world. You will live under
his care, for will he not take care of his own, those
that are of his own house ? An Infidel would.
You are now of his family, under his immediate
government, and under his continual blessing.
278
And were you now to give an account where you
have been to day, and what you have been doing :
if you say, you have been engaged this day in a
solemn treaty with the Lord of heaven and earth,
about yielding yourselves to him: And it be further
asked ? Well, and what was the issue ? Have you
agreed? Must you, any of you be obliged by the
truth of the case to say, No: astonishing answer!
What ! hast thou been treating with the great
God, the God of thy life, and not agreed ! What,
man! Did he demand of thee any unreasonable
thing ! Only to yield thyself. Why that was *in
all the world the most reasonable thing. Wretch-
ed creature, whither now wilt thou go? W^hat
wilt thou do with thyself? Where wilt thou lay thy
hated head? But if you can say, Blessed be God,
I gladly agreed to the proposal : he gave me the
grace not to deny him: then may it be said this
was a good day's work, and you will have cause to
bless God for this day as long as you have a day
to live.
FINIS.
Printed by W. Collins & Co. Glasgow.
h
I
J