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BODY 
 
 OF 
 
 PRACTICAL  DIVINITY, 
 
 CONSISTING     OF    ABOVE 
 
 ONE  HUNDRED  AND  SEVENTV-S1X  SERMONS 
 
 ON    THE 
 
 SHOETEK.  CATECHISM, 
 
 COMPOSED     BY 
 
 THE  REVEREND  ASSEMBLY  OF  DIFINES 
 AT  WESTMINSTER, 
 
 WITH 
 
 A  SUPPLEMENT  OF  SOME  SERMONS 
 
 ON  SEVERAL   TEXTS  OF  SCRIPTURE. 
 
 Si  iPcto  (Edition: 
 
 TO  WHICH  IS  NOW  ADDED,    BY   THE  SAME   AUTHOR, 
 
 THE  ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT; 
 
 AND 
 
 CHRIST'S  VARIOUS  FULNESS. 
 
 By  the  Rev.  THOMAS  IV  AT  HON, 
 
 Formerly  Minister  at  St.  Stephen'?,  Walbrook,  London. 
 
 Recommended  to  Masters  of  Families,  and  Others,  bxj  Several  Aiinisters. 
 
 IN  TWO  VOLUMES. 
 VOL.  I 
 
 HE  BEING  DEAD,    YET  SPEAKETH.       HEB.  xii.  4« 
 
 LONDON : 
 PRINTED    FOR    W.   BAYNES,   54,    PATERNOSTER- ROW, 
 
 isor. 
 
 W.  Nuholsori)  Warner  Street,  Printer.    . 
 
TO  THE 
 
 READER. 
 
 THESE  catechetical  Lectures  of  the  late  Reverend  Mr. 
 Thomas  Watson,  all  but  one,  written  with  his  own 
 hand,  I  have  read  over,  together  with  fome  Sermons  annexi .! 
 to  them;  and  fince  my  teftimony  is  defired  concerning  them,  I 
 do  hereby  declare,  that  (though  I  will  not  undertake  to  juftify 
 every  expreflion  or  fentence  in  them,  or  in  any  human  writing,) 
 I  find  them,  in  the  main,  agreeable  to  the  doctrinal  articles  of 
 this  Church,  and  unto  the  Weftminfter  Affembly's  Confeflion 
 of  Faith  and  Catechifms :  and  I  believe,  that,  through  the 
 bleffing  of  God,  they  may  be  profitable  unto  the  edification  of 
 all  that  read  them,  with  an  honed  defire  to  know  and  do  the 
 will  of  God  ;  for  certainly  there  are  many  excellent  things  in 
 them,  which,  if  they  meet  with  a  well  d  if  poled  ferious  mind, 
 are  very  apt  to  have  a  good  effect,  upon  it ;  and  if  it  prove  other- 
 wife  with  any  that  happen  to  read  this  book,  it  will  be  their 
 own  fault  more  than  the  book's.  Moil  writers  have  different 
 ftyles ;  and  it  is  well  known  that  Mr.  \flfatfon  had  one  peculiar 
 to  himfelf,  which  yet  hath  found  good'  acceptance  with,  and 
 has  been  ufeful  unto  ferious  people  ;  and  I  hope  this  (by  reafon 
 of  the  great  variety  of  excellent  matter)  may  be  more  generally 
 ufeful  than  any  other  thing  he  ever  wrote.  1  little  doubt  but 
 every  fober  Chriftian  will  be  of  this  mind,  after  he  has  read  his 
 lectures  on  God's  attributes,  the  ten  commandments,  Lord's 
 prayer,  &c.  I  ilncerely  profefs,  I  have  no  other  end  in  giving 
 this  teftimony  of  this  book,  but  thereby  to  ferve  the  common 
 good  of  ChrilVs  church,  and  not  the  private  intereft  of  any  per- 
 fon  or  party  in  the  world  :  if  my  conlcience  did  not  bear  me 
 witnefs,  that  this  book  may  be  uleful  to  that  excellent  end,  no 
 man  fhould  ever  have  prevailed  with  me,  thus  to  prefix  my 
 teftimony  and  name  to  it.  That  it  may  anfwer  the  main  end 
 for  which  it  was  at  firft  written  by  the  author,  (whom  I  always 
 took  to  be  a  grave,  ferious,  modeft,  good  man)  and  for  which, 
 I  hope,  it  is  now  publiiTied,  to  wit,  the  edification  of  the  church 
 of  Chrift  in  faith,  holinefs,  and  comfort,  is  the  hearty  defire  of 
 one  of  the  meaueft  fervants  of  our  molt  blefied  Lord  Jesus. 
 
 William  Lorimer. 
 
4  TO  THE  READER. 
 
 We  whofe  names  are  fubfcribed,  having  feen  the  teftimony 
 of  our  worthy  brother,  Mr.  William  Lorimer,  after  his  perufal 
 of  this  book,  doubt  not  but  it  may  be  of  ufe  to  many  ;  as  the 
 former  writings  of  Mr.  Thomas  Watfon  have  been  ;  and,  with 
 that  defire  and  hope,  we  recommend  it  to  the  mailers  of  families 
 and  others. 
 
 William  Bates, 
 Matthew  Barker, 
 John  Howie, 
 Matthew  Mead, 
 Edward  Lawrence, 
 Samuel  Slater, 
 Richard  Mayo, 
 Matthew  Sylvejler, 
 Daniel  Burges, 
 Jofeph  Cawthorne, 
 Daniel  Williams, 
 Richard  Wavel, 
 Timothy  Crufo, 
 Timothy  Rogers, 
 
 Nalhaniel  Oldjield, 
 Richard  Adams, 
 Richard  Steel, 
 Samuel  Stancliff, 
 John  Raynolds, 
 Nathaniel  Vincent, 
 John  Hughes, 
 Jofeph  Read, 
 Abraham  Hume, 
 Richard  S  tret  ton, 
 John  Shoiver, 
 Francis  Glqfcock, 
 Daniel  Williams, 
 
A 
 
 SHORT  ACCOUNT 
 
 OF    THE 
 
 AUTHOR. 
 
 IT  is  fufficiently  known  to  all  that  have  any  acquaintance  with 
 the  hiftories  of  the  church,  that  many  valuable  and  uleful 
 minifters  were  ejected  for  non-conformity,  by  the  act  of  uni- 
 formity in  the  reign  of  King  Charles  II.  which  took  place, 
 Auguti24th,  1662.  Among  others,  the  Reverend  Mr.  Thomas 
 Waison  was  ejected  from  his  charge,  at  St.  Stephen's,  Wal- 
 brook,  London;  whofe  character  is  given  by  the  Reverend  Dr. 
 Edmond  Calamy,  in  his  Abridgments,  Vol.  II.  p.  37  ;  and  is 
 as  follows: 
 
 "  From  St.  Stephen's,  Walbrook.  Mr.  Thomas  Watfon; 
 "  he  was  of  Emanuel  College  in  Cambridge,  where  he  was  noted 
 "  for  being  a  hard  ftudent;  one  fo  well  known  in  the  city,  viz. 
 "  London,  for  his  piety  and  ufefulnefs,  that  though  he  was 
 "  fingled  out  by  the  Friendly  Debate,  he  yet  carried  a  general 
 •*  refpect  for  all  l'ober  perfons  along  with  him  to  his  grave.  A 
 "  memorable  paflage,  which  I  have  from  good  hands,  muft  not 
 "  be  palled  by:  When  Mr.  Watfon  was  in  the  pulpit,  on  a 
 "  lecture-day,  before  the  Bartholomew  act  took  place,  among 
 "  other  hearers,  there  came  in  that  Reverend  and  learned  Pre- 
 "  late,  Bifhop  Richardfon,  who  was  fo  well  pleafed  with  his 
 "  fermon,  but  efpecially  with  his  prayer  after  it,  that  he  follow- 
 "  ed  him  home,  to  give  him  thanks,  and  eameftly  defired  a 
 "  copy  of  his  prayer.  Alas!  faid  Mr.  Watfon,  that  is  what 
 "  I  cannot  give;  for  I  do  not  ufe  to  pen  my  prayers  ;  it  was 
 M  no  ftudied  thing,  but  uttered  as  God  enabled  me  from  the 
 "  abundance  of  my  heart  and  affections,  pro  re  nata.  Upon 
 M  which  the  good  Bifhop  went  away,  wondering  that  any  man 
 "  could  pray  in  that  manner,  extempore.  After  his  ejectment, 
 "  he  continued  in  the  exercife  of  the  miniltry  in  the  city, 
 "  as  providence  gave  opportunity,  for  many  years:  but  his 
 "  ftrength  wearing  away  he  retired  into  Eflex,  and  there  died 
 u  fuddenly,  in  his  clofet,  at  prayer." 
 
A 
 
 PRELIMINARY   DISCOURSE 
 
 TO 
 
 CATECHISING. 
 
 Col.  i.  23. 
 If ye  continue  in  the  faith  grounded  and  fettled. 
 
 INTENDING  the  next  Lord's  day  to  enter  upon  the  work 
 of  catechihng,  it  will  not  be  amifs  to  give  you  this  prelimi- 
 nary difcourfe,  as  preparatory  to  it ;  fhewing  you  how  needful 
 it  is  for  Chriltians  to  be  well  inftructed  in  the  grounds  of  religion, 
 '  If  ye  continue  in  the  faith  grounded  and  fettled,'— Two  pro- 
 pofitions : 
 
 Firfi,  It  is  the  duty  of  Chriftians  to  be  fettled  in  the  do&riue 
 of  faith. 
 
 Second,  The  bed  way  for  Chriftians  to  be  fettled,  is  to  be 
 well  grounded. 
 
 Doct.  I.  That  it  is  the  duty  of  Chriftians  to  be  fettled  in  the 
 dodirtne  of  faith.  It  is  the  apoftle's  prayer,  1  Pet.  v.  10. 
 €  The  God  of  all  grace,  ftablifh,  Itrengthen,  fettle  you.'  That 
 they  might  not  be  meteors  in  the  air,  but  fixed  ftars.  The 
 apollle  Jude  fpeaks  of  *  wandering  ftars,'  verfe  13.  They  are 
 called  wandering  ftars,  becaufe,  as  Ariftotle  faith,  '*  They  do 
 leap  up  and  down,  and  wander  into  feveral  parts  of  the  heaven ; 
 and  being  but  dry  exhalations,  not  made  of  that  pure  celeftial 
 matter  as  the  fixed  ftars  are,  they  often  fall  to  the  earth." 
 Now,  fuch  as  are  not  fettled  in  religion,  will,  at  one  time  or 
 other,  prove  wandering  ftars ;  they  will  lofe  their  former  ftri&- 
 nefs,  and  wander  from  one  opinion  to  another.  Such  as  are 
 unfettled  are  of  the  tribe  of  Reuben,  *  unliable  as  water,'  Gen. 
 xlix.  4.  like  a  fhip  without  ballaft,  overturned  with  every  wind 
 of  doctrine.  Beza  writes  of  one  Belfectius,  whofe  religion 
 •changed  as  the  moorj,*  The  Arians  had  every  year  a  new  faith. 
 Thefe  are  not  pillars  in  the  temple  of  God,  but  reeds  fhaken 
 every  way.  The  apoftle  calls  them  *  damnable  herefies/ 
 2  Pet.  ii.  1.  A  man  may  go  to  hell  as  well  for  herefy  as  adul- 
 tery. To  be  unfettled  in  religion,  argues  want  of  judgment: 
 if  their  heads  were  not  giddy,  they  would  not  reel  lb  fall  from 
 one  opinion  to  another.     It  argues  lightnefs :  feathers  will  be 
 
8  A  PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE 
 
 blown  every  way ;  fo  will  feathery  Chriflians :  Trilicum  non 
 rapit  ventus  inanes  palce  jaftantur,  Cypr.  Therefore  fuch  are 
 compared  to  children,  Eph.  iv.  14.  '  That  we  be  no  more 
 children,  toiled  to  and  fro.'  Children  are  fickle,  fometimes  of 
 one  mind,  fometimes  of  another  ;  nothing  pleafes  them  long  : 
 fo  unfettled  Chriflians  are  childifh  ;  thofe  truths  they  embrace 
 at  one  time,  they  reject  at  another  ;  fometimes  they  like  the 
 Protefbmt  religion,  and  foon  after  they  have  a  good  mind  to 
 turn  Papifts.  Now,  that  you  may  labour  to  be  fettled,  (as 
 Ignatius)  in  the  faith,  in  unfettled  times  of  fettled  judgments. 
 
 1.  It  is  the  great  end  of  the  word  preached,  to  bring  us  to  a 
 fettlement  in  religion  :  Eph.  iv.  11,  13.  ■  And  he  gave  fome, 
 evangeliits,  and  fome,  paftors  and  teachers,  for  the  edifying  of 
 the  body  of  Ch rift ;  that  we  henceforth  be  no  more  children.' 
 The  word  is  called  an  hammer,  Jer.  xxiii.  29.  Every  blow 
 of  the  hammer  is  to  fallen  the  nails  of  the  building ;  the 
 preacher's  words  are  but  to  faften  you  the  more  to  Chriil;  they 
 weaken  themfelves  to  firengthen  and  fettle  you.  This  is  the 
 grand  defign  of  preaching,  not  only  for  the  enlightening,  but 
 for  the  eftablilhing  of  fouls  ;  not  only  to  guide  them  in  the  right 
 way,  but  to  keep  them  in  it.  Now,  if  you  be  not  fettled,  you 
 do  not  anfwer  God's  end  in  giving  you  the  miniftry. 
 
 2.  To  be  fettled  in  religion  :  it  is  both  a  Chrittian's  excellency 
 and  honour :  it  is  his  excellency ;  when  the  milk  is  fettled,  it 
 turns  to  cream  ;  now,  he  will  be  fomething  zealous  for  the  truth, 
 walk  in  clofe  communion  with  God.  And  his  honour,  Prov. 
 xvi.  31.  5  The  hoary  head  is  a  crown  of  glory,  if  it  be  found 
 in  the  way  of  righteoufnefs.'  It  is  one  of  the  bed  fights,  to 
 fee  an  old  difciple ;  to  fee  filver  hairs  adorned  with  golden 
 virtues. 
 
 3.  Such  as  are  not  fettled  in  the  faith,  can  never  fuffer  for  it ; 
 fceptics  in  religion  will  hardly  ever  prove  martyrs  ;  they  that  are 
 not  fettled  do  hang  in  fuf  pence  ;  when  they  think  of  the  joys  of 
 heaven,  then  they  will  efpoufe  the  gofpel ;  but  when  they  think 
 of  perfecution,  then  they  defert  it.  Unfettled  Chriftians  do  not 
 confult  what  is  beft,  but  what  is  fafeft :  "  The  apoftate  (faith 
 Tertullian)  feems  to  put  God  and  Satan  in  balance,  and  having 
 weighed  both  their  fervices,  prefers  the  devil's  fervice,  and  pro- 
 claims him  to  be  the  beft  mafter :  and,  in  this  fenfe,  may  be 
 (aid  to  putChriitto  open  fhame,"  Heb.  vi.  6.  They  will  never 
 fuffer  for  the  truth,  but  be  as  a  foldier  that  leaves  his  colours, 
 and  runs  over  to  the  enemy's  fide  ;  he  will  fight  on  the  devil's 
 fide  for  pay. 
 
 4.  Not  to  be  fettled  in  the  faith,  is  highly  provoking  to  God  : 
 to  efpoufe  the  truth,  and  then  to  fall  away,  brings  an  ill  report 
 upon  the  gofpel,  which  will  not  go  unpuniflied  :  Pfal.  lxxviii. 
 57,  59.      '  They  turned  back,  and  dealt  unfaithfully ;  when 
 
I  H  3D  JE  X . 
 
 »*«iO!®»«»~ 
 
 NoTE. — The  Figures  refer  to  the  Page  ;  and  the  Roman  Capitals  i. 
 
 Volumes. 
 
 Abstaining  from  external  acts 
 
 of  fin  not  fufficient  to  entitle  us 
 
 to  falvation,  p.  381.  Vol.  II. 
 Acts  of  fin,  how  we  may  be  kept 
 
 from  them,  368. 
 Adam,  how  long  he   continued  in 
 
 paradife  before  he  fell,  145.  I. 
 Adam's  fin,  how  made  ours,  150. 
 Adoption,  what  it  is,  239. 
 From  what,  and  to  what 
 
 it  is,  ibid. 
 Adopted  fon,  how  free,  240. 
 Adoption,  the  inftrumental  caufe 
 
 of  it,  ibid. 
 
 figns  of  it,  243. 
 
 Adultery,  the  heinoufnefs    of  it, 
 
 wherein  it  appears,  489. 
 ! how    we  may   abflain 
 
 from  it,  494. 
 Afflictions  of  the  godly,  how  they 
 
 differ  from  thofe  of  the  wicked, 
 
 356. 
 Afflicted,   how   they  are   happy, 
 
 357. 
 Affliction,  what  kindnefs  there  is 
 
 in  it,  when  God  feems  mofl  un- 
 kind, 214.  II. 
 ■  what  profit  is  in  it,  215. 
 
 Afflictions,  how   they  contribute 
 
 to  our  happinefs,  221. 
 how  they  magnify  us, 
 
 357. 
 Aggravations  of  Adam's  fin,  148, 
 
 I. 
 Aggravations  of  the  lofs  of  the 
 
 kingdom  of  heaven,  148.  II. 
 
 Angels,  their  fociety,  how  can  it 
 
 add  to  the  happinefs  of  fouls, 
 
 when  God  is  infinite  to  fill  the 
 
 foul  witli  delight  ?    123. 
 Anthropomorphites  Objection  an- 
 
 fwered,  51.  I. 
 Aphorifms  about  fin  and  forgive- 
 
 nefs,  257.  II. 
 Apoftacy  from  religion,  whence  it 
 
 proceeds,  142. 
 Appearance  of  evil,  the  mifchief 
 
 of  it,  368. 
 Arguments  to  perfuade  us  to  feek 
 
 after  obtaining  the  kingdom  of 
 
 heaven,  175. 
 Arians*   error    about    the     Holy 
 
 Ghoft,  confuted,  119.  I. 
 Arminians*  objections  againfl  per- 
 
 feverance,  ^90. 
 
 deny    faints    perfever- 
 
 ance,  and  why,  169.  II. 
 
 AfTurance,  what  it  is,  257.  I. 
 
 the  difference  between 
 
 it  and  prefumption,  258. 
 
 its  excellency,  i;."9. 
 
 how  to  know  if  we  have 
 
 a  right  to  it,  26% 
 
 what  we  mint  do  to  get 
 
 it,  264. 
 
 they  that  have  it,  how 
 they  muft  carry  themfelves,  265. 
 Atheift,    the    wickedeft    creaturj 
 that  lives,  46. 
 
 B 
 Baptifm,  what  it  is,  4.  II. 
 its  benefits,  ibid. 
 
Index. 
 
 Believers,  why  they  have  not  all 
 the  full  enjoyment  of  peace, 
 270.  I. 
 
 privileges  at  death,  298. 
 
 I how  they  come  to  have 
 
 thefe  privileges,  300. 
 
 privileges,    what    they 
 
 are,  302. 
 »  privileges,  how  (hall  we 
 
 know  that  we  mall  gain  them  at 
 
 death?  306. 
 , privilege   after   death, 
 
 307. 
 i when  they  enter  upon 
 
 pofiefiion  of  glory,  309. 
 Benefits  of  Believers  at  the  refur- 
 
 reaion,  313. 
 ■  of  God's  children,  what 
 
 they  are,  245. 
 Bodies,  how  (hall  we   know  that 
 
 they  {hall  be  raifed  at  the  refur- 
 
 re&ion:  316. 
 fince  they  mud  lie  long  in 
 
 the  grave,  what  mall  fupport  us 
 
 till  then  ?  ibid. 
 
 of  the  faints  (hall  be  glo- 
 
 behave  themfelves  to  fuch  a  Fa- 
 ther, 61. 
 
 Chrift,  the  feveral  names  given  to 
 him  in  fcriptiire,  168.  I. 
 
 why   called    o   XoyS*,  the 
 
 rious  at  the  refurrection,  317« 
 
 Cain  went  out  from  the  prefence 
 
 of  the  Lord  ;  what  meant  by  it, 
 
 60. 
 Call,  twofold,  227. 
 
 effectual,  the  means  of  it,  ib. 
 
 . thecaufeofit,228. 
 
 . the     qualifications 
 
 of  it,  229. 
 Corinthian  Heretics,  their  error, 
 
 170. 
 Change    in    the     new     creature, 
 
 wherein  it  confifts,  412.  II. 
 Charity,  the  excellency  of  it,  483, 
 
 I. 
 Children,  wherein  they  are  to  (hew 
 
 refpect  to  their  parents,  461. 
 Child  of  God,  how  it  appears  that 
 
 he  has  worldly  things   in   love, 
 
 46.  II. 
 Children  of  God,  how  they  fhould 
 
 Word,  169. 
 
 is  eternal,  170. 
 
 a  Prophet,  173. 
 
 what  he  teaches,  1 74. 
 
 how    his    teaching    differ* 
 
 from  that  of  others,  ibid. 
 
 what  we  mould  do  to  have 
 
 him  for  our  teacher,  ]  77. 
 
 the  parts  of  his  prieftly  of- 
 fice, 179.  . 
 
 how  he  could  fuffer,  being 
 
 God,  ibid. 
 
 wherein    the    greatnefs    of 
 
 his  fufferings  did  appear,  180. 
 
 why  he  fuffered,  ibid. 
 
 for    whom    he    intercedes, 
 
 and  what  he  does  in  the  work 
 of  intercefiion,  185. 
 
 how  he  intercedes,  187. 
 
 how    we    may    know   that 
 
 Chrift  intercedes  for  us,  191. 
 how  he  comes  to  be  a  King, 
 
 194. 
 
 where,  and  how  he  rules, 
 
 195. 
 
 when  he   will   deliver 
 
 his 
 
 people,  196. 
 
 how  he  came  to  be  made 
 
 flefh,  199. 
 
 — -  why  born  of  a  woman,  ibid. 
 
 why  born  of  a  virgin,  200. 
 
 being  thus  born,   how  he 
 
 could  be  free  from  fin,  ibid. 
 
 why  made  flefh,  201. 
 
 how  we  fhall  know  that  he 
 
 is  formed  in  us,  206. 
 
 in  what,  fince  God  exalted 
 
 him,  and  in  how  many  ways, 
 211. 
 
 what  is  meant  by  his  fitting 
 
 at  the  right  hand  of  God,  212. 
 
 how,  and  from  what  he  re- 
 deems us,  217. 
 
 to  what  he  redeems  us,  218. 
 
I  N  D 
 
 Chrift,  how  he  was  made  a  curfe 
 
 .   For  us,  371. 
 
 ■  how   he   will  prcferve    the 
 
 faints'  graces  till  they  come  to 
 heaven,  59.  II- 
 
 *.  glory  in  heaven,  how  it  can 
 
 ftand  with  it,  to  have  a  fellow- 
 feeling  in  our  miferies,  332. 
 
 ..  how  he  fuccours  them  that 
 
 are  tempted,  334. 
 Commandments  of  God,  408.  I. 
 ■  ■ how  we  fliall  keep 
 
 them,  413. 
 Comforts  of  a  pardoned  foul,  2S8, 
 
 II. 
 i  for  thofe    that    bewail 
 
 their  want  of  growth,  1 15. 
 Convictions,    what    makes   them 
 
 prove  abortive,  101. 
 Covenant  of  works,  136.  I. 
 ■  why  God  made  it  with 
 
 Adam  and  his  pofterity  in  a  flatc 
 
 of  innocency,  ibid. 
 
 why  he  gave  it'to  Adam, 
 
 fince  he  faw  that  he  would  tranf- 
 grefs  it,  ibid. 
 of    grace,    what    it    is, 
 
 161. 
 
 names  given  to  it,  ibid. " 
 
 why  God  mould  make  it 
 
 with  us,  162. 
 how  it  differs  from  that 
 
 made  with  Adam,  ibid. 
 
 163. 
 
 if  works  be  required  in  it, 
 
 -  what 
 165. 
 
 we  muft  do  to  be 
 
 in  it, 
 
 To  Covet,  what  it  is,  511. 
 Covetoufnefs,  its  danger,  513. 
 how    may    it    be 
 
 cured?  516.  j 
 Creation,  what  it  is,  121. 
 different  from  generation, 
 
 122. 
 ■  two  things  to  be  confi- 
 
 dered  in  it,  ibid. 
 
 D 
 
 Darling  fin,  otherwife  called  or.r 
 
 E  X. 
 
 own,  how  it  may  be   known, 
 &66.  II. 
 Day  of  Judgment,  how  it  appears 
 
 there  fliall  be  one,  318.  I. 
 ■ why  there  muft 
 
 be  one,  319. 
 
 «  who    fliall    be 
 
 judge,  ibid. 
 
 Deceit,  how  many  forts  of  it  there 
 are,  380.  II. 
 
 Decrees  of  God,  what  they  are, 
 and  execution  of  them,  121.  I. 
 
 Deliverance  of  Ifrael  out  of  Egypt, 
 why  God  mentions  it  in  the 
 preface  to  the  ten  command- 
 ments, ''.49. 
 
 Deliverances  of  the  godly  and 
 wicked,  how  they  differ,  362. 
 
 Deliverance,  when  we  are  fitted 
 for  it,  SG3. 
 
 how  we  fhould  praife 
 
 God  in  a  right  manner  forit,  364. 
 
 D:!ires  unfeigned,  how  they  may 
 be  known,  102.  II. 
 
 Dignity  of  fuch  as  have  God  for 
 their  father,  where  it  lies,  37. 
 
 Directions  to  obtain  pardon  of  fin, 
 292. 
 
 to  fuch  as  have  over- 
 come temptation,  348. 
 
 Doing  of  God's  will,  why  fo  re- 
 quifite,  192. 
 
 duty  unfeafonably,  an  effect 
 
 of  Satan's  temptation,  324. 
 
 Doves,  we  fhould  be  like  them  in 
 three  refpects,  397. 
 
 Drunkennefs  defaces  God's  image 
 as  much  as  any  fin,  393. 
 
 Duty  of  Chriflians  to  be  fettled  in 
 the  doctrine  of  faith.  Prelimi- 
 nary Dif.  1.  I. 
 
 Duty  of  fuchas  have  their  fins  for- 
 given, 292.  II. 
 
 Earth,  whether  it  did  bear  thorns 
 
 in  innocency,  125.  I. 
 Elect  people,  how  fhall  we  know 
 
 that  we  are  of  it,  284.  II. 
 
I  N  D 
 
 Encouragements  to  faith  in  prayer, 
 
 68. 
 to  the  hallowing 
 
 of  God's  name,  84. 
 Encouragement    to    perfeverance, 
 
 172. 
 End,   (chief)  of  man,  what  it  is, 
 
 12.  I. 
 Enjoying  of  God  twofold,  27. 
 Eternity  of  God,  68. 
 comfortable     to 
 
 the  godly,   and  terrible  to  the 
 
 wicked,  69,  71- 
 Evidence  of  pardon,  why  it  may 
 
 not  appear  for  a  time,  281.  II. 
 Evil,  what,  we  fhould  pray  to  be 
 
 delivered  from,  350. 
 Examine,  we   mull,  our  fins  and 
 
 graces,  21. 
 
 F 
 taith,  more  the  condition  of  the 
 
 new  covenant,  than  any  other 
 
 grace,  163.  I. 
 
 —  the  kinds  of  it,  221. 
 
 juftifying,  ibid. 
 
 how  it  is  wrought,  223. 
 
 theprecioufnefs  of  it,  where- 
 in it  lies,  ibid. 
 
 how  it  juftifies,  223. 
 
 why  it   mould  juftify,  and 
 
 fave'more  than  any  other  grace, 
 
 224. 
 — —  to  know  if  it  be  true,  225. 
 how  to  judge  of  the  growth 
 
 of  it,  226. 
 .— - -  a  moft  precious  grace,  how 
 
 it  comes  to  be  fo,  539. 
 true,  how  it  may  be  known, 
 
 541. 
 how  it  comes  to  be  ftrong, 
 
 174.  II. 
 
 Fallen  man  could  be  reftored  no 
 other  way  but  by  God's  afrum- 
 ing  flefh,  199.  I. 
 
 Falfe  witneffing,  what  is  condemn- 
 ed under  it,  506. 
 
 the  evil  of  it,  508. 
 
 Father,  what  meant  by  it  in  the 
 fifth  commandment,  455. 
 
 E  X. 
 
 Father  in  heaven,  how  we  mew  our 
 
 honour  to  him,  42.  II. 
 Forgivenefs  of  fin,  what  it  is,  257. 
 the  neceffity  of 
 
 it,  270. 
 Forgive  others,  how  can  we,  when 
 
 God  only  forgives  fin,  297. 
 Forgive,  how  we  muft,  302. 
 
 Gifts,  whether  fufficient  for  the 
 
 minifterial  office,  385. 
 Give  us  this  day,  &c.  the  meaning 
 
 of  it,  237. 
 Give  us,  why  in  the  plural,  243. 
 
 Why  our  bread,  245. 
 
 Bread,  what  meant  by  it, 
 
 246. 
 Glory,  what,  307.  T. 
 God's  glory,  what,  12. 
 Glorify,  to,  God,  what,  13. 
 Glorify  God,  why  we  muft,  15. 
 how  it  mull  be  done, 
 
 17. 
 Glory,  God's,  how  we  fhall  aim 
 
 at  it,  ibid. 
 
 who  "bring  none  to  God,  24. 
 
 God's,   who  fight  againft 
 
 it,  25. 
 of  God  ought  to  be  prefer- 
 red   to    our  perfonal  concerns, 
 
 236    II. 
 God  the  chief  good,  30.  I. 
 •  proved  to  exift,  48. 
 
 what  he  is,  52. 
 
 is  a  fpirit,  what  is  implied,  ib. 
 
 how  he  differs  from  other 
 
 fpirits,  ibid. 
 —  how    we 
 
 may  conceive 
 
 his 
 
 being  a  fpirit,  without  making 
 
 any  refemblance  of  him,  54. 
 — —  what  kind  of  fpirit  he  is,  57. 
 
 there  is  but  one,  111. 
 
 from  what,  and  to  what  he 
 
 calls  men,  228. 
 
 how  we  fhall  fee  him,  308. 
 
 is  a  king,  88.  II. 
 
 what  his  fovereignty  requires 
 
 of  us,  89. 
 
I  N  D 
 
 God,  his  power  is  a  comfort  to  the 
 godly  ;  but  a  terror  to  the 
 wicked,  92. 
 
 what  it  is  to  make  him  our 
 
 God,  373.  I. 
 
 what  it  is  to  have  other  gods 
 
 befide  him,  382. 
 
 — —  fpake  all  thefe  words,  how 
 we  are  to  underftand  them,  when 
 he  has  no  bodily  organs  to  de- 
 liver them,  3:56. 
 
 how  he  comes  to  be  ourGod, 
 
 and  what  is  implied,  34-1. 
 
 how  we  may  know.  342. 
 
 .  in  what  fenle  a  Father,  35. 
 
 II. 
 
 ■  being  father  to  Chrift,  and 
 to  the  ele£t,  different,  ibid. 
 
 ■  how  our  father,  36. 
 
 ■  how  the  beft  father,  ibid. 
 ^— —  what  we  are  to  learn  from 
 
 his  being  in  heaven,  65. 
 God's  name,  what  meant  by  it, 
 
 72. 
 name  dimonouredby  all  forts 
 
 of  perfons,  80. 
 Grace,   how  a  Chriftian  may  be 
 
 faid  to  grow  in  it,  230.  I. 
 
 ■  the  right  manner  of  growing 
 
 in  it,  ibid. 
 
 why  it  mult  grow,  281. 
 
 why  we  mould  grow  in  it, 
 
 ibid. 
 
 -  how  to  know  when  we  grow 
 in  it,  283. 
 
 -  how  to  comfort  them  that 
 
 do'not  grow  in  it,  285. 
 . why  called  a  kingdom,  97. 
 
 II 
 Greatnefs  of  fin,  an  argument  for 
 
 pardon,  280. 
 
 H 
 
 Happinefs  of  having  God  for  our 
 father,  wherein  it  lies,  48. 
 
 Hallowing  of  God's  name,  what, 
 72. 
 
 when  we  may  be  faid  to 
 
 do  it,  73. 
 
 E  X. 
 
 Hallower  of  God's  name,  the  cha- 
 racter of  a  godly  pcrioii,  | 
 
 How  we  may  hallow  God's  name, 
 88. 
 
 Heart,  how  it  may  be  bettered, 
 506. 
 
 Hell,  how  \vc  mall  know  we  are 
 delivered  from,  370.  J. 
 
 Hell's  torments,  359.  II. 
 
 Holinefs  of  God,  what,  90.  L 
 
 ■  ours,  wherein  it  co 
 92. 
 
 how  we  may  refcir.ble 
 
 God  in  it,  95. 
 Holy  Ghoft,  what  is  meant  b-   its 
 
 power  overshadowing  the  virgin, 
 
 200. 
 Honour  due  to  political  fathers, 
 
 455. 
 
 ■  to    fpiritual   fathers, 
 
 ■  456. 
 
 Houfe  of  bondage,  a  type  of  If- 
 rael's  deliverance  from  fin,  365. 
 
 Houfe,  why  put  before  wife  in  the 
 tenth  commandment,  519. 
 
 Humiliation  comes  ftiort  of  grace, 
 101. 
 
 Idolatry,  how  we  may  be   kept 
 
 from' it,  390. 
 Idolatrous  places,  a  great  blefTing 
 
 to  be  delivered  from  them,  350. 
 Idolatry,  why  we  are  fo  prone  to 
 
 351. 
 Illumination  and  conviction,  how 
 
 many  ways  a  man  fins  againil 
 
 them,  5_7. 
 when  it  comes  fhort 
 
 of  grace,  101.  II 
 Image  worfhip,  the  evil  of  it, 
 
 I. 
 
 of  Chrift  unlawful,  389. 
 
 of  God,  if  not  lawful,  how 
 
 (hall  we  conceive  of  him  aright, 
 
 389. 
 Impotency,  why  God  fuffers  it  to 
 
 lye  on  man  that  he  cannot  keep 
 
 the  law,  523. 
 
I  N  D 
 
 Indwelling  prefence  of  the  Spirit, 
 
 how  known,  262. 
 Infallibility   of   the    kingdom    of 
 
 glory,  why,  131.  II. 
 Infant  baptifm  proved,  5. 
 
 the  benefit,  6. 
 
 Interceflion  of  Chriil :  fruits  of  it, 
 
 188.  I. 
 Invocation  of  faints  unlawful,  382, 
 
 II. 
 Joy   in    the    Holy   Ghoft,  what, 
 
 274.  I. 
 Joys  divine,  when  does  God  give 
 
 them  ?  275. 
 
 to  be  fought  for,  278. 
 
 worldly  and  fpiritual  ;    their 
 
 difference,  276. 
 Joy,  how  to  comfort  thofe  who     ■ 
 
 want  it,  279- 
 Judgment  general ;    when,  319. 
 ■  how  it  will  be  perform- 
 
 ed, 320. 
 Juftice  of  God,  wThat,  95. 
 — - — — — —   how    confiftent  in 
 
 punifhing  a    momentary    crime 
 
 with  eternal  torment,  369. 
 Juftified    perfons,    in    what    fenfe 
 
 they  are  redeemed  from  fin,  21 7. 
 Juftification,  what,  2S2. 
 the  ground  of  it,  233. 
 
 -  its  material,  merito- 
 rious, and  efficient  caufe,  ibid. 
 
 its  effence,  ibid. 
 
 its  inftrument,  ibid. 
 
 its  end,  234-. 
 
 whether   from   eter- 
 
 nity, ibid. 
 
 its  pofitions,  ibid. 
 — — different  from  falsi- 
 fication, 264.  II. 
 
 K 
 
 Kingdom,    what,   in  the    Lord's 
 
 prayer,  93. 
 . of  darknefs,  how  many 
 
 ways  the  natural  man  is  in  it,  95. 
 of   grace,   why   fhould 
 
 we   pray   that  it  fhould  come 
 into  our  hearts,  97. 
 
 E  X. 
 
 Kingdom  of  grace,  how  we  may 
 know  when  it  is  in  our  hearts, 
 100. 
 
 ■ how    fhall    we 
 
 obtain  this  kingdom,  110. 
 
 when    it    iu- 
 
 creafes  in  the  foul,  1 1 2. 
 
 of  glory,  what,  116. 
 
 of  heaven,  what,  117. 
 
 of  heaven,  its   bleffed- 
 
 nefs,  123. 
 
 of  heaven,  wherein  it 
 
 excels  all  others,  127. 
 
 of  heaven,  when  it  fhall 
 
 be  bellowed,  131, 
 
 of    heaven,    why    we 
 
 mould  pray  for  it,  133. 
 
 of  heaven,  how  we  fhall 
 
 know  our  right  to  it,  143. 
 
 of  heaven,  what  advan- 
 
 ces a  man  may  make  towards  it, 
 without  reaching  it,  146. 
 
 of  heaven,    what    we 
 
 mould  do  not  to  mifs  it,  150. 
 Knowledge  of  God,  62.  I. 
 ■         the  chief  work  of  con- 
 
 verfion,  517.  II. 
 
 to  do  good,  why  not 
 
 followed  with  practice,  518. 
 
 Law,  whether  we   may  go  to  it 
 
 for  debt,  298. 
 Lead  us  not  into  temptation,  the 
 
 meaning  of  it,  304. 
 Live  to  God,  what,  20.  I. 
 Lord's  fupper,  what,  11.  II. 
 
 its  ends,  13. 
 
 death,  how  to  be  com- 
 memorated in  the  Sacrament, 
 14. 
 
 fupper,  why  we  are  to  re- 
 
 ceive it,  15. 
 
 flered,  16. 
 it,  ibid. 
 
 ceiveit  worthily,  17. 
 
 to  be  oft  admini- 
 who  are  to  receive 
 how  we    may   re- 
 
I  N  D 
 
 Lofs  will  befal  us.  if  we  give  over 
 
 doing  God's  will,  20  k 
 Love,  what,  890,  I. 
 . wherein    its    formal    nature 
 
 confifts,  331. 
 .  to  God,  how  it  mud  be  qua- 
 
 lified, ibid. 
 
 its  vifible  figns,  332. 
 
 how    to   perform  it 
 
 aright,  335. 
 to  any  thing  more  than  to 
 
 God,  is  preferring  it  to   God, 
 
 382. 
 
 to  God,  how  qualified,  403. 
 
 — — how  we  may  know 
 
 whether  we  do  it,  ibid. 
 
 M 
 Man,  being  in  honour,  abode  not, 
 
 how  the  Rabbins  read  it,  146. 
 . why  he  does  not  obey  God, 
 
 though    he    knows    his    duty, 
 
 323. 
 Mafter,  how  he  muft  demean  to- 
 wards his  fervants,  460. 
 Means  to  bring  our  will  to  God 
 
 in  affliaion,  232.  II. 
 ■  for  obtaining  the  kingdom 
 
 of  heaven,  150. 
 ' conducing  to  perfeverance, 
 
 174.  ( 
 Meditation,  a  means  to  help  us  to 
 
 heaven,  169. 
 on    the    kingdom    of 
 
 glory,  what  effects  it  has,  1S6. 
 Mercy  of  God,  what,  101.  I. 
 what  we  muft  do 
 
 to  be  interefted  in  it,  105. 
 how  many  wavs  God  may 
 
 be  faid  to  (hew  it,  397. 
 
 how  we  may  know  if  it  be- 
 
 long to  us,  401. 
 « what  (hall  we  do  to  get  an 
 
 intereft  in  it  ?  ibid. 
 Mifery  of  man  twofold,  156. 
 Miftakes  of   fin    being    pardoned 
 
 when  it  is  not,  294.  II. 
 Moderation,    in   what  cafes  it  is 
 
 good,  403. 
 
 E  X. 
 
 Moral  law,   dill  in  force  to   Bc- 
 
 lirvers,  U71.  I. 
 Moral  perfuaiion,  not  fufficicnt  ta 
 
 convert  a  finner,  109.  II. 
 Motions  of  the  Spirit,  how  they 
 
 may  be  known  from  a  deiulion, 
 
 166. 
 Motion,  how  to  know  whether  it 
 
 comes  from  our  own  heart,  or 
 
 from  Satan,  306. 
 Murder,  how  many  ways  it  is  com- 
 mitted, 473.  I. 
 its  heinoufnefs,  474. 
 
 N 
 Name  of  God,  how  taken  in  vain, 
 
 414. 
 Natural  man's  oppofing  fin,  how 
 
 it  differs  from  the  new  creature'* 
 
 oppofing  it,  414.  II. 
 Neceffity    why    the    kingdom    of 
 
 grace  fhould  be  increafed,  114. 
 Neighbour,  how  we  may  keep  from 
 
 coveting  what  is  his,  520.  I. 
 New  creature,  what,  406.  II. 
 
 its  feveral  caufes,  ib. 
 
 has  it  a  new  foul? 
 
 ibid. 
 
 it  is,  407. 
 
 what  kind  of  work 
 counterfeits   of  it, 
 
 409. 
 
 .  how  far  one  mud 
 
 put  off  the  old  man,  that  he  may 
 be  one,  ibid. 
 
 •the  neceffity  of  being 
 
 one,  417. 
 be  fo?  419. 
 
 what  (hall  we  do  to 
 
 Obedience,  how  it  muft  be  quali- 
 fied, fo  as  to  be  acceptable, 
 326.  I. 
 
 incentives  to  it,  328. 
 
 perfect,  cannot  be  given, 
 
 521. 
 
 Original  fin,  its  names,  150. 
 
 has  fomething  priva- 
 
 vative  and  pofitive,  151. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Original  fin,  its  univerfality,  ibid. 
 
 why  God  leaves  it  in 
 
 after  regeneration,  154*. 
 
 Pardon  of  fin,  why  fo   few  feek 
 
 after  it,  268.  II. 
 Parents,  how  they  mould  carry  it 
 
 towards  their  children,  468.  I. 
 Participation    of    the    facraments 
 
 confifts  in  three  things,  17.  II. 
 Peace,  the  feveral  kinds  of,  c268.  I. 
 fpiritual,  whence  it  comes, 
 
 ibid. 
 
 ■  whether  gracelefs  perfons 
 
 have  it,  269. 
 
 ■  falfe  ;  its  figns,  ibid. 
 
 true  ;  its  figns,  270. 
 
 how  to  attain  it,  272. 
 
 Perfeverance,  how  effected,  287. 
 — — —  of    faints,  how    we 
 may  prove  it,  288. 
 
 — — motives  to  it,  293. 
 
 ■  means  to  be  ufed  for 
 
 it,  294. 
 
 its  three  -grand  pil- 
 lar?, 170.  II. 
 
 People  of  God,  why  fo  frequently 
 in  an  affli&ed  ftate,  355.  1. 
 
 — how   he    delivers 
 
 them  out  of  their  troubles, 
 360. 
 
 why  brought  out 
 
 of  trouble,  361. 
 
 Pleafing  God,  what,  113. 
 
 Prayer,  what,  27    II. 
 
 why  to  God  only,  28. 
 
 its  parts    ibid. 
 
 feveral  forts  of  it,  ibid. 
 
 what  fort  is  moft  likely  to 
 
 prevail,  ibid. 
 
 in  what  order  it  muft  be 
 
 dire^ed  to  Pod,  30. 
 Praying  in  faith,  what  it  implies, 
 
 67. 
 how    we    may 
 
 know  when  we  do  fo,  ibid. 
 Pray  in  faith,  how  we  mav  do  fo, 
 
 71. 
 
 Prayer,  a  means  to  elude  tempta- 
 tions, 345. 
 
 Power  of  God,  how  it  is  feen,  85L 
 I. 
 
 Prefumptuous  finning,  what,  528. 
 
 Promifes  of  God,  two  thing  in, 
 them  to  comfort  us,  107 
 
 Properties  of  bad  debtors,  252.  II, 
 
 Prosperity  dangerous,  224. 
 
 Providence  of  God,  what,  127.  I. 
 
 pofitions  about  it,  128* 
 
 how  exercifed  towards 
 
 fin,  130. 
 
 Prudence  and  holinefs,  how  united 
 in  the  real  Chriftian,  399.  II. 
 
 Punimment  of  fabbath  breakers, 
 452.  I. 
 
 Qualifications  of  our  Intereefibr, 
 
 185.  I. 
 '  of  the  kingdom  erf 
 
 heaven,  117.  II. 
 
 of    God's    mercy, 
 
 396.  I. 
 
 R 
 
 Redeemed,  how  we  mall  know 
 that  we  are  of  the  number,  22Q. 
 
 Regenerate  perfon,  what  comfort 
 he  may  have  under  the  imper- 
 fections of  his  obedience,  525. 
 
 Repentance,  the  counterfeit  of  it, 
 544. 
 
 its  advantages  547. 
 
 How  we  may  attain  to  a  peniten- 
 tial frame  of  mind,  549. 
 
 Repentance,  its  ingredients,  260. 
 II.  . 
 
 Refignation  to  the  will  of  God  in 
 affliaion,  212. 
 
 Refurre&ion,  by  what  arguments 
 it  may  be  proved,  313.  I. 
 
 Righteous,  mall  not  only  be  railed, 
 314. 
 
 Rule  of  obedience,  what,  325. 
 
 Sabbath,  why  God  appointed  it, 
 424. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Seventh  day,  fabbath,  why  we  do 
 
 not  keep  it,  42.5. 
 Sabbath,  why  the  firft  day  of  the 
 
 week,  is  changed  to  the  feventh, 
 
 ibid. 
 how  we  are  to  fan&ify  it, 
 
 429. 
 Sacrament,  what  names  and  titles 
 
 are  given  it  in  fcripture,  9.  II. 
 Saints  in  glory,  whether  they  know 
 
 each  other,  309.  I. 
 why  God  fuffers  them  to 
 
 be  buffetted  by  Satan,  329.  II. 
 San&ification,  what,  247.  I. 
 
 its  counterfeit,  249. 
 
 its  neceflity,  250. 
 
 its  figns,  252. 
 
 how  attained,  255. 
 
 Sanctified  perfons,   have  they   all 
 
 aflui 
 
 >    9R 
 
 Oi 
 
 have  they  fuch 
 
 afiurance  as  to  exclude  all 
 
 an 
 
 doubting  ?  258. 
 ■  whether  they  all 
 
 have  true  peace,  270. 
 Satan's  temptations,  the  fubtilty 
 
 of  them,  146. 
 
 < malice  in  tempting,  304.  IL 
 
 diligence    and    power    in 
 
 tempting,  306. 
 
 fubtilty  in  tempting,  307. 
 
 comes  upon  us  at  two  times 
 
 in  our  weaknefs,  308. 
 
 tempts  five  forts  of  perfons 
 
 more  than  others,  311. 
 
 my   does   he   attack 
 
 faith  ?  320. 
 difturbs  the  faints' 
 
 our 
 
 3-27. 
 
 peace, 
 
 why  called  the  evil   one, 
 
 377. 
 Scriptures,  why  the  word  of  God, 
 
 34.   I. 
 why  called  canonical, 
 
 37. 
 
 a  complete  rule,  ibid, 
 their  fcope  and  end,  ib. 
 who  has  the  power  of 
 
 interpreting  them,  38. 
 
 Scriptures,  mould  fearch  them,  as 
 
 finding  life  in  them,  42. 
 Senfons  when  fatan  tempts,  30$. 
 
 II. 
 when    God    delivers    his 
 
 people  from  trouble,  361.  I. 
 Self-murder,    its    various     kinds, 
 
 479. 
 Self-examination,  17.  II. 
 the  rule  by  which 
 
 it  muft  be  done,  18. 
 muft  be  previous 
 
 to  our  approaching  the  Lord's 
 
 table,  ibid. 
 Servant  muft  honour  his  mafter, 
 
 458.  I. 
 Serpents,    how    we    muft  be  like 
 
 them,  and  wherein  not,  402.  II. 
 Sin   committed   in    time,    why  it 
 
 mould  be  punifhed  to  eternity, 
 
 70.1. 
 the  evil  of  it  obvious  in  its 
 
 original,  140. 
 — -  in  the  price  paid  for  it,  and 
 
 theeffeasof  it,  113. 
 of  our  firft  parents,  what  it 
 
 was,  144. 
 why  called  a  debt,  253.  II. 
 
 in  what  fenfe  it  is  the  word 
 
 debt,  254. 
 
 how  we  may  know  that  it  is 
 
 forgiven,  282. 
 
 the  evil  of  it,  350. 
 
 worfe  than  affliction,  354. 
 
 how  we  may  reprove  it,  and 
 
 love  the  perfon,  400. 
 to  know  when  pardoned,  399, 
 
 I. 
 
 -  of  God's  people  provoke  him 
 more  than  thofe  of  the  wicked, 
 375.   II. 
 
 worfe  than  death  and  hell,  358. 
 
 we  mould  particularly    take 
 
 heed  to  fome,  363. 
 
 Socinians' error,  118.  I. 
 
 Sorrow    goes   before    forgivenefs, 
 
 260.  II. 
 Soul-murder,  481.  I. 
 
 ■  its  excellency,  251.  II. 
 
I  N  D 
 
 Soul,  drefs  for  receiving  the  ordi- 
 nance, 23. 
 
 Souls  deferted,  that  want  comfort, 
 how  they  mufl  get  it,  262.  I. 
 
 Spiritual,  what  meant  by  it,  52. 
 
 State  of  nature,  bad,  140. 
 
 Submiflion  to  God's  will,  207. 
 II. 
 
 wanting  at  times,  211. 
 
 Subtilty  of  fatan,  307. 
 
 E  X. 
 
 U 
 
 Temptations,  whence  they  come, 
 
 304. 
 
 two  cafes  dated,  337. 
 
 of  fatan,  means    to 
 
 defeat  them,  346 
 
 ■  —  what  good  may  come 
 out  of  them,  348. 
 
 Theft,  whence  it  arifes,  500.  I. 
 
 how  many  forts,  ibid. 
 
 its  aggravations,  502. 
 
 Thoughts,   vain,  how  they  come 
 in  when  hearing  the  word,  439. 
 
 ■  the  evil  of  them, 
 
 Vifiting  iniquity,  what,  394. 
 Unchangeablenefs  of  God,  79. 
 Unchangeable  God,  75. 
 Unpardoned  foul,  how  miferable, 
 
 276.  II. 
 Vortfius,  objections  againft  Godrs 
 
 ubequity,  anfwered,  53. 
 
 W 
 
 Ways  of  Satan  to  tempt  man,  33. 
 Will  of  God,  what,  191. 
 
 ■ how  we  are  to  do  it, 
 
 and  find  acceptance,  196. 
 
 how  we  may  evan- 
 
 gelically do  it,  199. 
 
 how  we  may  do  it 
 
 aright,  206. 
 
 Wifdom  of  God,  wherein  it  ap- 
 pears, 79.  I. 
 
 — —  and  innocency,  neceflary 
 qualifications  of  a  Chriftian, 
 386.  II. 
 
 where  it  chiefly  confifts, 
 
 387. 
 
 440. 
 
 to  overcome  them,  30.  II. 
 Tongue,  how  it  is  evil,  500. 
 — evil,  the   feveral   forts, 
 
 501, 
 
 Word's,  the,  effectually  working, 
 how  we  may  get         what  is  meant  by  it,  549.  I. 
 
 Word,  how  it  may  be  read  effec- 
 tually, 550. 
 
 —  how  it  may  be  heard  effec- 
 tually, ibid. 
 World,  why  God  made  it,  123. 
 — —  in  what  fenfe   it  is  evil, 
 
 help  againft  them,  441. 
 
 in  prayer,    how 
 
 508. 
 
 rules  for  governing   it, 
 fins,  motives  to  beware 
 
 of  them,  509. 
 Torments  of  hell,  149. 
 Trinity  of  perfons,  117.  I. 
 Truth  of  God,  107. 
 
 378.  II. 
 Worfhip,  what  kind  is  moft  fait- 
 
 able  to  God,  55.  I. 
 Worfhip,   to,   God  in  the  Spirit, 
 
 what,  ibid. 
 Wrath  to  come  ;  what  {hall  we  do 
 
 to  efcape  ?  533. 
 
TO  CATECHISING.  9 
 
 God  heard  this,  he  was  wroth,  and  greatly  abhorred  Ifrael.' 
 The  apoftate  drops  as  a  windfall  into  the  devil's  mouth. 
 
 5.  If  ye  are  not  fettled  in  religion,  you  will  never  grow  :  we 
 are  commanded  '  to  grow  up  into  the  head,  Chrift,'  Eph.  iv. 
 14.  But  if  we  are  unfettled,  no  growing  :  *  the  plant  which  is 
 continually  removing  never  thrives.'  He  can  no  more  grow  in 
 godlinel's,  who  is  unfettled,  than  a  bone  can  grow  in  the  body 
 that  is  out  of  joint. 
 
 (j.  What  great  need  is  there  to  be  fettled  ?  becaufe  there  are 
 fo  many  things  to  unfettle  us,  and  make  us  fall  away  from  the 
 truth.  Seducers  are  abroad,  whofe  work  is  to  draw  away  peo- 
 ple from  the  principles  of  religion,  1  John  ii.  26.  '  Thofe 
 things  have  I  written  unto  you  concerning  them  that  feduce 
 you.'  Seducers  are  the  devils  factors  ;  they  are  of  all  others  the 
 greateft  felons,  that  would  rob  you  of  the  truth:  feducers  have 
 iilver  tongues  ;  a  fair  tongue  can  put  off  bad  wares  ;  they  have 
 a  flight  to  deceive,  Eph.  iv.  14.  The  Greek  word  there  is  taken 
 from  thofe  that  can  cog  a  die,  and  caft  it  for  the  belt  advantage : 
 fo  feducers  are  impoftors,  they  can  cog  a  die  ;  they  can  fo  dif- 
 femble  and  fophiiticate  the  truth,  that  they  can  deceive  others. 
 Now,  the  ftyle  by  which  feducers  ufe  to  deceive,  is, 
 
 1.  By  wifdom  of  words,  Rom.  xvi.  18.  ■  By  good  words 
 and  fair  fpeeches  they  deceive  the  hearts  of  the  Ample.'  They 
 have  fine  elegant  phrafes,  flattering  language,  whereby  they 
 work  on  the  weaker  fort,  as  being  chrifted  with  Chrift,  and  the 
 light  within  them. 
 
 2.  Another  flight,  is  a  pretence  of  extrordinary  piety,  that 
 fo  people  may  admire  them,  and  fuck  in  their  doctrine.  They 
 feem  to  be  men  of  Zealand  fan6tity,  and  to  be  divinely  infpired  : 
 they  pretend  revelations,  as  Munfter,  Michael  Servetus,  and 
 other  of  the  Anabaptifts  in  Germany,  though  they  were  tainted 
 with  pride,  lull,  and  avarice. 
 
 3.  A  third  flight  or  cheat  feducers  have,  is  a  labouring  to 
 vilify  and  nullify  found  orthodox  teachers;  they  would  ecJipfe 
 thofe  that  bring  the  truth,  like  unto  the  black  vapours  that 
 darken  the  light  of  heaven  :  they  would  defame  others,  that 
 themfelves  may  be  more  admired.  Thus  the  falfe  teachers 
 cried  down  Paul,  that  they  might  be  received,  Gal.  iv.  17. 
 
 4.  The  fourth  flight  or  cheat  of  feducers,  is  by  "  preaching 
 "  doctrine  of  liberty :"  as  the  Antinomian  preacheth,  that  men 
 are  freed  from  the  moral  law,  the  rule  as  well  as  thecurfe.  He 
 preacheth  that  Chrift  hath  done  all  for  them,  and  they  need  to 
 do  nothing.  So  he  makes  the  doctrine  of  free  grace  a  key  to 
 open  the  door  to  all  licentioufnefs. 
 
 5.  Another  thing  to  unfettle  Chriftians,  is  perfecutors,  9  Tim. 
 iii.  12.  Thegol'pel  is  a  role  cannot  be  plucked  without  prickles. 
 The  legacy  Chrift  hath  bequeathed  is  the  Crofs :  while  there  is 
 
 Vol.  I.  no.  I.  B 
 
10  A  PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE 
 
 a  devil  and  a  wicked  man  in  the  world,  never  expect  a  charter 
 of  exemption  from  trouble  ;  and  how  many  fall  away  in  an  hour 
 of  perfecution  ?  Rev.  iii.  4.  '  There  appeared  a  great  red 
 dragon,  having  feven  heads  and  ten  horns;  and  his  tail  drew 
 the  third  part  of  the  (lars  of  heaven :'  the  red  dragon,  the  hea- 
 thenifh  empire;  and  his  tail,  viz.  his  power  and  iubtilty,  drew 
 away  liars,  viz.  eminent  profellors,  that  feemed  to  mine  asftars 
 in  the  firmament  of  the  church.  Therefore  we  fee  what  need 
 there  is  to  be  fettled  in  the  truth,  for  fear  the  tail  of  the  dragon 
 call  us  to  the  earth. 
 
 6.  To  be  unfettled  in  good,  is  the  fin  of  the  devils,  Jude  6. 
 They  are  called  ■  morning  (tars,'  Job  xxxviii.  7.  but  «  falling 
 ftars;'  they  were  holy,  but  mutable.  As  the  veifel  is  over- 
 turned with  the  fail,  fo  their  fails  being  fwelled  with  pride,  were 
 overturned,  1  Tim.  iii.  6.  By  unfettlednefs,  who  doil  thou 
 imitate  but  lapfed  angels  ?  The  devil  was  the  firft  apoftate.  So 
 much  for  the  firft  proportion,  that  it  is  a  great  duty  of  Chril- 
 tians  to  be  fettled  :  the  fons  of  Sion  fhould  be  like  mount  Sion, 
 which  cannot  be  removed. 
 
 Second,  The  fecond  propofition  is,  that  the  way  for  Chris- 
 tians to  be  fettled,  is  to  be  well  grounded  :  ■  if  ye  continue 
 grounded  and  fettled.'  The  Greek  word  for  grounded,  a  meta- 
 phor, it  alludes  to  a  building  that  hath  the  foundation  well  laid  ; 
 fo  Chriftians  lhould  be  grounded  in  the  eifentiai  point  of  re- 
 ligion, and  have  their  foundation  well  laid. 
 
 Here  let  me  fpeak  to  two  things  :  1.  That  we  fhould  be 
 grounded  in  the  knowledge  of  fundamentals.  2.  That  this 
 grounding  is  the  beft  way  to  fettling. 
 
 (1.)  That  we  fhould  be  grounded  in  the  knowledge  of  funda- 
 mentals :  the  apoitle  fpeaks  of  the  *  firft  principles  of  the  oracles 
 of  God,'  Heb.  v.  13.  In  all  arts  and  fciences,  logic,  phyfic, 
 mathematics,  there  are  fome  prcecognita,  fome  rules  and  prin- 
 ciples that  muft  neceffarily  be  known  to  the  practice  of  thofe 
 arts  ;  fo,  in  divinity,  there  muft  be  the  firft  principles  laid  down : 
 the  knowledge  of  the  grounds  and  principles  of  religion  is  ex- 
 ceeding ufeful. 
 
 1.  Elfe  we  cannot  ferve  God  aright;  we  can  never  worfhip 
 God  acceptably,  unlefs  we  worfhip  him  regularly  ;  and  how  can 
 we  do  that,  if  we  are  ignorant  of  the  rules  and  elements  of  re- 
 ligion ?  We  are  bid  to  give  God  a  *  reafonable  fervice,'  Rom. 
 xii.  1.  If  we  underftand  not  the  grounds  of  religion,  how  can 
 it  be  a  reafonable  fervice  ? 
 
 2.  Knowledge  of  the  grounds  of  religion  much  enricheth  the 
 mind  :  it  is  a  lamp  to  our  feet ;  it  directs  us  in  the  whole  courfe 
 of  Chriltianity,  as  the  eye  directs  the  body.  Knowledge  of 
 fundamentals  is  the  golden  key  that  opens  the  chief  myfteries  of 
 religion  ;  it  gives  us  a  whole  iyftem  and  body  of  divinity,  ex- 
 
TO  CATECHISING.  11 
 
 a&ly  drawn  in  all  its  lineaments  and  lively  colours:  it  helps  119 
 to  underfland  many  of  t hole  difficult  thing9,  which  do  occur  in 
 the  reading  of  the  Word  ;  it  helps  to  untie  many  fcripture 
 knots. 
 
 3.  Armourof  proof;  it  doth  furniih  us  with  weapons  to  fight 
 againil  the  adverlaries  of  the  truth. 
 
 4.  It  is  the  holy  feed  of  which  grace  is  formed  :  It  is  the 
 femenjidei,  the  feed  of  faith,  Pfal.  ix.  10.     It  is  radix  amor  is  9 
 
 the  root  of  love,  Eph.  iii.  17-  '  Being  rooted  and  grounded  in 
 love.'  The  knowledge  of  principles  conduceth  to  the  making 
 of  a  complete  Chriltian. 
 
 (2. )  That  this  grounding  is  the  bed  way  to  fettling :  c  ground- 
 ed and  fettled.'  A  tree,  that  it  may  be  well  fettled,  muit  be 
 well  rooted  i  fo,  if  you  be  well  fettled  in  religion,  you  mult  be 
 rooted  in  the  principles  of  it.  He,  in  Plutarch,  fet  up  a  dead 
 man,  and  he  would  not  (land.  O  faith  he,  "  there  muft  be 
 "  fomething  within  :"  fo,  that  we  may  (land  in  (baking  times, 
 there  mult  be  a  principle  of  knowledge  within  ;  (irlt  grounded, 
 and  then  fettled.  That  the  (hip  may  be  kept  from  overturning, 
 it  muft  have  its  anchor  (aliened  ;  kuowledge  of  principles,  is  to 
 the  (bul  as  an  anchor  to  the  (hip,  that  holds  it  Heady  iu  the 
 midft  of  all  the  rolling  waves  of  error,  or  the  violent  winds  of 
 perfecution.     Firit  grounded  and  then  fettled. 
 
 Use  I.  See  the  reafon  why  fo  many  people  are  unfettled, 
 ready  to  embrace  every  novel  opinion,  and  drefs  themfelves  in 
 as  many  religions  as  they  do  fafliions  ;  it  is  becaufe  they  are  un- 
 grounded. See  how  the  apoftle  joins  thefe  two  together,  ■  un- 
 learned and  unliable,'  2  Pet.  iii.  16.  Such  as  are  unlearned 
 in  the  main  points  of  divinity,  will  be  unliable.  As  the  body 
 cannot  be  (trong  that  hath  the  finews  (hrunk ;  fo  neither  can 
 that  Chriftian  be  {trong  in  religion,  who  wants  the  grounds  of 
 knowledge,  which  are  the  (mews  to  flrengthen  and  iiablifli 
 bim. 
 
 Use  II.  See  then  what  great  neceffity  there  is  of  laying  dowu 
 all  the  main  grounds  of  religion  in  a  way  of  catechife,  that  the 
 weakeft  judgment  may  be  inltru&ed  in  the  knowledge  of  the 
 truth,  and  (lengthened  in  the  loveof  it;  catechiiing  is  the  belt 
 expedient  for  the  grounding  and  fettling  of  people.  I  fear,  one 
 reafon  why  there  hath  been  no  more  good  done  by  preaching, 
 hath  been  becaufe  the  chief  heads  and  articles  in  religion  have 
 not  been  explained  iu  a  catechiltical  way  ;  catechiiing  is  the 
 Jaying  the  foundation,  Heb.  vi.  7.  to  preach,  and  not  to  cate- 
 chife, is  to  build  without  a  foundation.  This  way  of  catechiiing, 
 is  not  novel,  it  is  apollolical :  the  primitive  church  had  their 
 forms  of  catechifm  :  fo  much  thofe  phrafes  imply  a  '  form  of 
 found  words,'  c2  Tim.  i.  13.  and  *  the  firft  principles  of  the 
 oracles  of  God,'   Heb.  vi.  1.     And  fince  the  church  had   their 
 
 B2 
 
12  man's  chlef  end 
 
 catechimonoi,  asGrotiusand  Erafmus  obferve ;  many  of  the  an- 
 cient lathers  have  written  for  it,  Fulgentius,  Aufiin,  Theodoret, 
 Laclantius  and  others.  God  hath  given  great  fuccefs  to  it.  By 
 this  laying  down  of  grounds  of  religion  catechiftically.  Chrii- 
 tians  have  been  clearly  inftru&ed,  and  wondroufly  built  up  in 
 the  Chriftian  faith,  infomuch  that  Julian  the  apoilate,  feeing 
 the  great  fuccefs  of  catechifing,  did  put  down  all  fchools  and 
 places  of  public  literature,  and  inftru&ing  of  youth.  It  is  my 
 defign  therefore  (with  the  blefling  of  God)  to  begin  this  work 
 of  catechifing  the  next  fabbath-day  :  and  I  intend  every  other 
 fabbath,  in  the  afternoon,  to  make  it  my  whole  work  to  lay  down 
 the  grounds  and  fundamentals  of  religion  in  a  catechillical  way. 
 If  I  am  hindered  in  this  work  by  men,  or  taken  away  by  death, 
 I  hope  God  will  raife  up  fome  other  labourer  in  the  vineyard 
 among  you  that  may  perfect  this  work  which  I  am  now  begin- 
 ning. 
 
 MAN'S  CHIEF  END  IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD. 
 
 Q.  1 .    WHA  T  is  the  chief  end  of  man  9 
 
 Anf  Man's  chief  end  is  to  glorify  God  and  to  enjoy  him 
 for  ever. 
 
 Here  are  two  ends  of  life  fpecified,  1.  The  glorifying  of  God 
 2.  The  enjoying  of  God. 
 
 Firjly  1  begin  with  the  firft,  the  glorifying  of  God,  1  Pet.  iv. 
 11.  •  That  God  in  all  things  may  be  glorified?'  the  glory  of 
 God  is  a  filver-thread  which  mutt  run  through  all  our  aclions  : 
 1  Cor.  x.  31.  '  Whether  therefore  ye  eat,  or  drink,  or  whatfo- 
 ever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God.'  Every  thing  works 
 to  fome  end  in  things  natural  and  artificial ;  now  man  being  a 
 rational  creature,  muft  propofe  fome  end  tohimfelf,  and  that  is, 
 that  he  may  lift  up  God  in  the  world  ;  and  better  lofe  his  life, 
 than  lofe  the  end  of  his  living  :  fo  then,  the  great  truth  afierted 
 is  this,  that  the  end  of  every  man's  living,  is  to  glorify  God  ; 
 this  is  the  yearly  rent  that  is  paid  to  the  crown  of  heaven. 
 (Glorifying  of  God  hath  refpe6t  to  all  the  perfonsin  the  Trinity  ; 
 it  refpe&s  God  the  Father,  who  gave  us  our  life  ;  it  refpecls 
 God  the  Son,  who  loft  his  for  us;  it  refpeds  God  the  Holy 
 Ghoft,  who  produceth  a  new  life  in  us  ;  we  muft  bring  glory 
 to  the  whole  Trinity. 
 
 When  we  fpeak  of  God's  glory,  the  queftion  will  be  moved, 
 phat  are  ice  to  underjiand  by  God's  glory  ? 
 
 Anf.  There  is  a  twofold  glory  :  1 .  The  glory  that  God  hath 
 in  himfelf,  his  intrinfical  glory.  Glory  is  effential  to  the  God- 
 head, as  light  is  to  the  fun  :    he  is  called  the  *  God  of  glory/ 
 
IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD.  13 
 
 Acts  vii.  2.  Glory  is  the  fparkling  of  the  Deity  j  glory  is  fo  co- 
 natural  to  the  Godhead,  that  God  cannot  be  God  without  it. 
 The  creature's  honour  is  not  effential  to  bis  being  ;  a  king  is  a 
 man  without  his  re^al  ornaments,  when  his  crown  and  royal 
 robe  are  taken  away  :  but  God's  glory  is  fuch  an  eflentiaj  part 
 or  his  being,  that  lie  cannot  be  God  without  it  :  God's  very 
 life  lies  in  his  glory.  This  glory  can  receive  no  addition,  be- 
 caufe  it  is  infinite  ;  this  glory  is  that  which  God  is  molt  tender 
 of,  and  which  he  will  not  part  with,  Ifa.  xlviii.  8.  *  My  glory 
 I  will  not  give  to  another.'  God  will  give  temporal  blellin^s, 
 to  his  children,  fuch  as  wifdom,  riches,  honour;  he  will  give 
 them  fpiritual  blelhngs,  he  will  give  them  grace,  he  will  give 
 them  his  love,  he  will  give  then)  heaven  ;  but  his  effential  glory 
 he  will  not  give  to  another.  King  Pharaoh  parted  with  a  ring 
 off  his  finger  to  Jofeph,  and  a  gold  chain,  but  he  would  not  part 
 with  his  throne.  Gen.  xli.  40.  ■  Only  in  the  throne  will  I  be 
 greater  than  thou.'  So  God  will  do  much  for  his  people  ;  he 
 will  give  them  the  inheritance,  he  will  put  fome  ofChrift's 
 glory,  as  mediator  upon  them  :  but  his  effential  glory  he  will 
 not  part  with ;   4  in  the  throne  he  will  be  greater.' 
 
 2.  The  glory  which  is  afcribed  to  God,  or  which  his  creatures 
 labour  to  bring  to  him,  1  Chron.  xvi.  29.  *  Give  unto  the  Lord 
 the  glory  due  unto  his  name.'  And,  1  Cor.  vi.  20.  '  Glorify 
 God  in  your  body  and  in  your  fpirit.'  The  glory  we  give  God, 
 is  nothing  elfe  but  our  lifting  up  his  name  in  the  world,  and 
 magnifying  him  in  the  eyes  of  others,  Phil.  i.  20.  '  Chrift  fhall 
 be  magnified  in  my  body.' 
 
 Q.    IV hat  is  it  to  glorify  God,  or  wherein  doth  it  confift  ? 
 
 A.  Glorifying  of  God  conlilts  in  four  things  :  (1.)  Appretia- 
 tion.  (2.)  Adoration.  (3.)  Affection.  (4.)  Subjection.  This  is 
 the  yearly  rent  we  pay  to  the  crown  of  heaven. 
 
 1.  Appretiation  :  is  to  glorify  God,  to  let  God  highefl;  in  our 
 thoughts,  to  have  a  venerable  efteem  of  him,  Pial.  xcii.  8. 
 1  Thou,  Lord,  art  molt  high  for  evermore,'  Pfal.  xcvii.  9. 
 '  Thou  art  exalted  far  above  all  gods.'  There  is  in  God  all  that 
 may  draw  forth  both  wonder  and  delight  ;  there  is  in  him  a 
 conitellation  of  all  beauties  ;  heis  prima,  cau/a,  the  original  and 
 fpring-head  of  being,  who  fheds  a  glory  upon  the  creature. 
 This  is  to  glorify  God,  when  we  are  God-admirers  ;  we  admire 
 God  in  his  attributes,  which  are  the  glittering  beams  by  which 
 the  divine  nature  mines  forth  ;  we  admire  him  in  his  promiles, 
 which  are  the  charter  of  free-grace,  and  the  fpiritual  cabinet 
 where  the  pearl  of  price  is  hid  ;  we  admire  God  in  the  noble 
 effects  of  his  power  and  wiidom,  viz.  the  making  of  the  world  ; 
 this  is  called  «  the  work  of  his  fingers,'  Pfal.  viii.  3.  Such  curi- 
 ous needle-work  it  was,  that  none  but  a  God  could  work.  This 
 
14  MAN'S  CHIEF  END 
 
 is  to  glorify  God,  to  have  God-admiring  thoughts;  we  efteem 
 him  moft  excellent,  and  fearch  for  diamonds  only  in  this  rock. 
 
 2.  Glorifying  of  God  confifis  in  adoration,  or  worfhip,  Pfal. 
 xxix.  2.  ■  Give  unto  the  Lord  the  glory  due  unto  his  name ; 
 worfhip  the  Lord  in  the  beauty  of  holinefs.'  There  is  a  twofold 
 worfhip:  1.  A  civil  reverence  we  give  to  perfons  of  honour, 
 Gen.  xxiii.  7.  '  Abraham  ilood  up  and  bowed  himfelf  to  the 
 children  of  Heth  :'  Piety  is  no  enemy  tocourtely,  2.  A  divine 
 worfhip,  which  we  give  to  God,  is  his  prerogative  royal,  Neh. 
 viii.  6.  *  They  bowed  their  heads,  and  worshipped  the  Lord 
 with  their  faces  towards  the  ground.'  This  divine  worfhip 
 God  is  very  jealous  of;  this  is  the  apple  of  his  eye,  this  is  the 
 pearl  of  his  crown,  which  he  guards,  as  he  did  the  tree  of  life, 
 with  cherubims  and  a  flaming  fvvord,  that  no  man  may  come 
 near  it  to  violate  it;  divine  worfhip  mud  be  fuch  as  God  him- 
 felf hath  appointed,  elfe  it  is  ■  offering  ftrange  fire,'  Lev.  x.  2. 
 The  Lord  would  have  Mofes  make  the  tabernacle,  *  according 
 to  the  pattern  in  the  Mount,'  Exod.  xxv.  40.  he  muft  not  leave 
 out  any  thing  in  the  pattern,  nor  add  to  it.  If  God  was  fo 
 exact  and  curious  about  the  place  of  worfhip,  how  exact  will  he 
 be  about  the  matter  of  his  worfhip  ?  Surely  here  every  thing 
 mull  be  according  to  the  pattern  prefcribed  in  his  word. 
 
 3.  Affections :  this  is  a  part  of  the  glory  we  give  to  God  ; 
 God  counts  himfelf  glorified  when  he  is  loved,  Deut.  vi.  5. 
 *  Thou  fhalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with 
 all  thy  foul.'  There  is  a  twofold  love  :  1 .  Amor  Concupifcentice, 
 a  love  of  concupifcence,  which  is  felf-love  ;  when  we  love  ano- 
 ther, becaufe  he  doth  us  a  good  turn  :  thus  a  wicked  man  may 
 be  faid  to  love  God,  becaufe  he  hath  given  him  agood  crop,  o 
 filled  his  cup  with  wine  ;  and,  to  fpeak  properly,  this  is  rather 
 to  love  God's  bleffing  than  to  love  God.  2.  Amor  amicitice,  a 
 love  of  delight,  as  a  man  takes  delight  in  a  friend;  this  is  in- 
 deed to  love  God  :  the  heart  is  fet  upon  God,  as  a  man's  heart 
 is  fet  upon  his  treafure.  And  this  love  is,  1.  Exuberant,  not  a 
 lew  drops,  but  a  ftream.  2.  It  is  fuperlative  ;  we  give  God 
 the  beft  of  our  love,  the  cream  of  it,  Cant.  viii.  2.  «  I  would 
 cauie  thee  to  drink  of  fpiced  wine,  of  the  juice  of  my  pomegra- 
 nate.' If  the  fpoule  had  a  cup  more  juicy  and  fpiced,  Chrift 
 rouit  drink  of  it.  3.  It  is  intenfe  and  ardent ;  true  faints  are 
 feraphims  burning  in  holy  love  to  God.  The  fpoufe  was  amore 
 perculj'a,  in  fainting  fits,  *  lick  of  love,'  Cant.  ii.  5.  Thus  to 
 iove  God  is  to  giorify  him  ;  he  who  is  the  chief  of  our  happinei's, 
 hath  the  chief  of  our  affections. 
 
 4.  Subjection,  when  we  dedicate  ourfelves  to  God,  and  (land 
 ready  preifc  for  his  fervice.  Thus  the  angels  in  heaven  glorify 
 him  ;  they  wait  on  his  throne,  and  are  ready  to  take  a  commil- 
 fion  from  him  ;  therefore  they  are  refembled  by  the  cherubims 
 
IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD.  15 
 
 with  their  wings  difplayed,  to  (hew  how  fwift  the  angels  are  in 
 their  obedience.  This  is  to  glorify  God,  when  wt  ate  dtl 
 to  hisiervice;  our  head  ftudies  for  God,  our  tungue  pleads  for 
 him,  our  hands  relieve  his  members  i  The  wife  mm  that  carne 
 to  Chrift,  did  not  only  bow  the  knee  to  him,  but  prefented  him 
 with  gold  and  myrrh,  Matth.  ii.  11.  So  we  muft  not  only  how 
 the  knee,  give  God  wormin,  but  bring  preftnts,  golden  obedi- 
 ence. This  is  to  glorify  God,  when  we  ilickat  no  lervice  ;  we 
 will  fight  under  the  banner  ofhis  gofpel,  againlt  regiments  =md 
 fay  to  him,  as  David  to  King  Saul,  I  Sam.  xvii.  3L2.  ■  Thy 
 i'ervant  will  go  and  fight  with  this  Philiftine.'  Thus  yon  lee 
 wherein  the  glorifying  of  God  doth  eonfift,  in  appret.iation,  ado- 
 ration, affedion,  lubjeclion. 
 
 A  good  Chriltian  is  like  the  fun,  which  doth  not  only  fend 
 forth  heat,  but  goes  its  circuit  round  the  world  ;  thus,  he  who 
 glorifies  God,  hath  not  only  his  affections  heated  with  love  to* 
 (God,  but  he  goes  his  circuit  too;  he  moves  vigoroufly  in  the 
 inhere  of  obedience. 
 
 Q.    Why  muft  we  glorify  God  f 
 
 Anf.  1.  Becaute  he  gives  us  our  being,  Pfal.  c.  3.  'It  is 
 he  that  made  us.'  We  think  it  a  great  kindnefs  in  a  man  to 
 fpare  our  life,  but  what  kindneis  is  it  in  God  to  give  us  our  life? 
 We  draw  our  breath  from  him  ;  and  as  life,  to  all  the  comforts 
 of  life  are  from  God  :  he  gives  us  health,  which  is  the  fauce  to 
 iweeten  our  life ;  he  gives  us  food,  which  is  the  oil  that  nourifh- 
 eth  the  lamp  of  life  :  now,  if  all  we  receive  is  from  the  hand  of 
 his  bounty,  is  it  not  good  reafon  we  fhould  glorify  him,  and  live 
 to  him,  feeing  we  live  by  him?  Rom.  xi.  36.  *  For  of  him, 
 and  through  him  areall  things.'  Of  him  are  all,  all  we  have  is 
 ofhis  fulnefs ;  through  him  are  all,  all  we  have  is  through  his 
 free-grace;  and  therefore  to  him  mould  be  all  :  fo  it  follows, 
 '  To  him  be  glory  for  ever.'  God  is  not  only  our  benefactor, 
 but  our  founder ;  the  rivers  come  from  the  fea,  and  they  empty 
 their  fi'.ver  ilreams  into  the  fea  again. 
 
 c2.  Becaufe  God  hath  made  all  things  for  his  own  glory,  Prov. 
 xvi.  4.  *  The  Lord  hath  made  all  things  for  himfelf;'  that  is, 
 '  for  his  glory.'  As  a  king  hath  exciie  out  of  commodities. 
 God  will  have  his  glory  out  of  every  thing :  he  will  have  glory 
 out  of  the  wicked,  the  glory  of  hisjuftice  ;  they  will  not  give  him 
 glory,  but  he  will  get  his  glory  upon  them,  Exod.  xiv.  17.  *  I 
 will  get  me  honour  upon  Pharaoh.'  But  efpecially  he  haih 
 made  the  godly  for  his  glory  ;  they  are  the  lively  organs  of  hi* 
 praife,'  I  fa.  xliii.  12 1  -  ■  This  people  have  I  formed  for  myfelf, 
 and  they  mail  (hew  forth  my  praife.'  If  a  true,  they  cannot 
 add  to  his  glory,  but  they  may  exalt  it;  they  cannot  faife  him 
 in  heaven,  but  they  may  raiie  him  in  theelleem  of  others.  God 
 hath  adopted  the  faints  into  his  family,  and  made  them  a  royal 
 
16  man's  chief  end 
 
 priefthood,  that  they  fhould  (hew  forth  the  praifes  of  him  who 
 hath  called  them,  1  Pet.  ii    .0. 
 
 3.  Becaufe  the  glory  of  God  hath  fuch  intrinfic  value  and 
 excellency  in  it  ;  it  tranfcends  the  thoughts  of  men,  and  the 
 tongue  of  angels.  God's  glory  is  his  treafure,  all  his  riches  lie 
 here  ;  as  Micah  faid,  Judges  xviii.  24.  *  What  have  I  more  ?* 
 So  of  God,  what  hath  God  more?  God's  glory  is  more  worth 
 than  heaven,  more  worth  than  the  falvation  of  all  men's  fouls : 
 better  kingdoms  he  thrown  down,  better  men  and  angels  be 
 annihilated,  than  God  mould  lofe  one  jewel  of  his  crown,  one 
 beam  of  his  glory. 
 
 4.  Creatures  below  us,  and  above  us,  bring  glory  to  God  ; 
 and  do  we  think  to  (it  rent-free  ?  Shall  every  thing  glorify  God, 
 but  man  ?  It  is  a  pity  then  that  ever  man  was  made !  1.  Crea- 
 tures below  us,  glorify  God,  the  inanimate  creatures  :  the  hea- 
 vens glorify  God,  P(al.  xix.  1.  *  The  heavens  declare  the 
 glory  of  God.'  The  curious  workmanfliip  of  heaven  lets  forth 
 the  glory  of  its  Maker  ;  the  firmament  is  beautified  and  penciled 
 out  in  blue  and  azure  colours,  where  the  power  and  wifdom  of 
 God  may  be  clearly  feen.  ■  The  heavens  declare  his  glory  ;' 
 we  may  fee  the  glory  of  God  blazing  in  the  fun,  twinkling  in 
 the  (tars.  2.  Look  into  the  air,  the  birds,  with  their  chirping 
 mufic,  fing  hymns  of  praife  to  God,  faith  Anfelm.  Every  bead 
 doth  in  its  kind  glorify  God,,  [fa.  xliii.  20.  '  The  beads  of  the 
 field  (hall  honour  me.'  (2)  Creatures  above  us  glorify  God  : 
 *  the  angels  are  minidring  (pints,'  Heb.  i.  14.  They  are  dill 
 waiting  on  God's  throne,  and  bring  fome  revenues  of  glory  into 
 the  exchequer  of  heaven.  Then  furely  man  fhould  be  much 
 more  itudious  of  God's  glory  than  the  angels;  for  God  hath 
 honoured  him  more  than  the  angels,  in  that  Chrift  took  man's 
 nature  upon  him,  and  not  the  angels  :  fay,  though  in  regard  of 
 creation,  God  hath  made  man  ■  a  little  lower  than  the  angels,' 
 Heb.  ii.  7-  yet,  in  regard  of  redemption,  God  hath  fet  him 
 higher  than  the  angels;  he  hath  married  mankind  to  himfelf; 
 the  angels  are  Chrift's  friends,  but  not  his  fpoufe  ;  he  hath 
 covered  us  with  the  purple  robe  of  his  righteoufnefs,  which  is  a 
 better  righteoufnefs  than  the  angels  have,  2  Cor.  v.  20.  So 
 that  if  the  angels  bring  glory  to  God,  much  more  (hould  we, 
 being  dignified  with  honour  above  the  angelical  fpirits. 
 
 5.  Anj\  We  mud  bring  glory  to  God,  becaufe  all  our  hopes 
 hang  upon  him,  Pfal.  xxxix.  j.  *  My  hope  is  in  thee.'  And 
 Pfal.  Ixii.  5.  '  My  expectation  is  from  him  ;'  I  expect  a  king- 
 dom from  him.  A  child  that  is  good-natured  will  honour  his 
 parent,  as  expecting  all  that  ever  he  is  like  to  be  worth  from 
 him,  Pfal.  lxxxvii.  8.  'All  my  frefh  fpringsarein  thee.'  The 
 iilver  fprings  of  grace,  the  golden  fprings  of  glory. 
 
 Q .  How  many  ways  may  we  glorify  God  f 
 
Ifl  to  clority  cod.  17 
 
 /inf.  (I.)  It  is  a  glorifying  God,  when  we  aim  purely  at  God's 
 glory  ;   it  is  one  thing  to  advance  God'a  glory,  another  tiling  to 
 
 aim  at  it.  God  mult  he  the  Terminus  ad  quem,  the  ultimate 
 end  of  all  actions.  Thus  C Drift,  John  viii.  .a).  '  1  feck  not 
 mine  own  glory,  hut  tin-  glory  of  him  that  feat  ate.'  It  i|  the 
 note  ofan  hypocrite,  be  hath  a  iijmnt  eye,  be  looks  more  to  his 
 own  glory  than  God's  glory.  Our  Saviour  aVcynberi  liuh,  and 
 giv.  it  againti  thorn,  Matth.  vi.  8.   *  wood  thou  givoft 
 
 aim?,  do  not  found  a  trumpet.'  A  ftranger  would  alk,  •■  What 
 means  the  noile  of  this  trumpet  ?"  Then  it  was  anfvvered, 
 '  they  are  going  to  give  to  the  poor.'  And  ib  thevdid  not  give 
 aims,  hut  fell  them  for  honour  and  applauie,  that  they  may  have 
 glory  of  men  :  the  breath  of  men  was  the  wind  that  blew  the 
 fails  of  their  charity;  *  verily  they  have  their  reward.'  The 
 hypocrite  may  make  his  acquittance  and  write,  *  received  in 
 full  payment.'  Chrylbltom  calls  vain-glory  one  of  the  devil's 
 great  nets  to  catch  men.  And  Cyprian  lays,  U  whom  Satan 
 cannot  prevail  againft  by  intemperance,  thole  he  prevails  againtt 
 by  pride  and  vain-glory."  Oh  let  us  take  heed  of  felf- wor- 
 shipping! aim  purely  at  God's  glory. 
 
 Q.  How  jhall  tve  know  iue  aim  at  God's  glory  ? 
 An  fa.  1 .  When  we  prefer  God's  glory  above  all  other  things  ; 
 above  credit,  eltate,  relations;  when  the  glory  of  God  conies 
 in  competition  with  them,  we  prefer  his  glory  before  them.  If 
 relations  lie  in  our  way  to  heaven,  we  mult  either  leap  over 
 them,  or  tread  upon  them  i  a  child  mull  unchild  himltlf,  and 
 forget  he  is  a  cbild  ;  he  muft  know  neither  father  nor  mother  in 
 God's  caufe,  Deut.  xxxiii.  9.  *  Who  laid  unto  his  father  and 
 mother,  I  have  not  feen  him  ;'  neither  did  he  acknowledge  his 
 brethren.     This  is  to  aim  at  God's  glory. 
 
 8,  Then  we  aim  at  God's  glory,  when  we  can  be  content 
 that  God's  will  Ihould  take  place,  though  it  croft  ours :  Lord, 
 I  am  content  to  be  a  lofer,  if  thou  be  a  gainer ;  to  have  lefs 
 :irh,  ifl  have  more  grace,  and  thou  more  glory  ;  whether  it 
 be  food  or  bitter  phytic  thou  give  ft  me,  Lord,  1  deiire  that  which 
 may  be  molt  for  thy  glory  :  thus  our  blelled  Saviour,  *  not  as  L 
 will,  but  as  thou  wilt,'  Matth.  xxvi.  3n.  So  God  might  have 
 more  glory  by  his  fuiierings,  he  was  content  to  lutler,  John  xii. 
 2S.   ■  Father,  glorify  thy  name.* 
 
 3.  Then  we  aim  at  God's  glory,  when  we  can  be  content  to 
 be  out-lhined  by  others  in  gifts  and  efteem,  lb  God's  glory  may 
 be  increafed  :  a  man  that  hath  God  in  his  heart,  and  God's 
 glory  in  his  eye,  defires  that  God  fliouldbe  exalted  ;  and  if  this 
 be  efteeted,  let  who  will  he  the  intirument,  he  rejoiceth,  Phil, 
 i.  15.  *  Some  preach  Chrift  of  envy  :  notwithstanding  Chrift  is 
 preached,  and  I  therein  do  rejoice,  yea,  and  will  rejoice  ;'  they 
 iched  Chrift  of  envv,  thev  envied  Paul  that  concourie  of 
 Vol.  I.  No.  1.  C 
 
18  man's  chief  end 
 
 people,  and  they  preached  that  they  might  outfhinehimin  gift?, 
 and  get  away  i'ome  of  his  hearers:  well,  faith  Paul,  Chrift  is 
 preached,  and  God  is  like  to  have  glory,  therefore  I  rejoice; 
 let  my  candle  go  out,  if  the  Sun  of  Righteoufnefs  may  but  fhine. 
 
 (2.)  We  glorify  God  by  an  ingenuous  confefiion  of  fin  :  the 
 thief  on  the  crofs  had  diihonoured  God  in  his  life,  but  at  his 
 death  he  brings  glory  to  God  by  confeffion  of  fin,  Luke  xxiii. 
 41.  •  We  indeed  fulfer  juftly.'  He  acknowledged  he  deferved 
 not  only  crucifixion,  but  damnation,  Jofh.  vii.  19.  '  My  foil, 
 give,  I  pray  thee,  glory  to  God,  and  make  confefiion  unto  him.' 
 An  humble  confefiion  exalts  God  :  how  is  God's  free-grace 
 magnified  in  crowning  thole  who  deferve  to  be  condemned  !  as 
 the  excufing  and  mincing  of  fin  doth  cafta  reproach  upon  God. 
 Adam  denies  not  he  did  tafte  the  forbidden  fruit,  but  intlead  of 
 a  full  confefiion,  he  taxes  God,  Gen.  iii.  19.  '  The  woman 
 whom  thou  gaveft  me,  the  gave  me  of  the  tree,  and  I  did  eat.' 
 It  is  long  of  thee,  if  thou  hadft  not  given  me  the  woman  to  be  a 
 tempter,  I  had  not  finned.  So  confefiion  glorifies  God,  it  clears, 
 it  acknowledged)  he  is  holy  aud  righteous,  whatever  he  doth. 
 Nehemiah  vindicates  God's  righteoufnefs,  ch.  ix.  33.  '  Thou 
 artjult  in  all  that  is  brought  upon  us.'  A  confefiion  then  is 
 ingenuous,  when  it  is  free,  not  forced,  Luke  xv.  18.  '  I  have 
 finned  againft  heaven,  and  before  thee/  He  chargeth  himfelf 
 with  fin  before  ever  his  Father  chargeth  him  with  it. 
 
 (3.)  We  glorify  God  by  believinsr,  Rom.  iv.  90.  ■  Abraham 
 was  itrong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God.'  Unbelief  affronts  God, 
 it  gives  him  the  lie ;  ■  He  that  believeth  not,  maketh  God  a 
 liar,'  1  John  v.  10.  So  faith  brings  glory  to  God,  it  fets  to  its 
 feal  that  God  is  true,  John  iii.  33.  He  that  believes,  flies  to 
 God's  mercy  and  truth,  as  to  an  altar  of  refuge;  he  doth  not 
 ingarrifon  himfelf  in  the  promifes,  he  truftsall  he  hath  with  God, 
 Pi'al.  xxxi.  5.  '  Into  thy  hands  I  commit  my  fpirit.'  This  is 
 a  great  way  of  bringing  glory  to  God,  therefore  God  honours 
 faith,  becaufe  faith  honours  God.  It  is  a  great  honour  we  do  to 
 a  man,  when  we  trult  him  with  all  we  have,  we  put  our  lives  and 
 eftates  into  his  hand  ;  a  fign  we  have  a  good  opinion  of  him. 
 The  three  children  glorified  God  by  believing,  *  The  God  whom 
 we  ferve,  is  able  to  deliver  us,  and  will  deliver  us,'  Dan.  iii. 
 17-  Faith  knows  there  are  no  impoflibilities  with  God,  and  will 
 truft  him,  where  it  cannot  trace  him. 
 
 (4.)  We  glorify  God  by  being  tender  of  God's  glory  ;  God's 
 glory  is  dear  to  him,  as  the  apple  of  his  eye  •  now,  when  we 
 are  tender  of  his  glory,  by  laying  to  heart  his  dilhonours,  this  is 
 a  glorifying  of  him.  An  ingenuous  child  weeps  to  fee  a  difgrace 
 done  to  his  father,  Pfal.  lxix.  9.  *  The  reproaches  of  them  that 
 reproach  thee  are  fallen  upon  me.'  When  we  hear  God  re- 
 proached,  it  is  as  if  we  were  reproached ;  when   God's  glory 
 
IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD.  1<) 
 
 flitters,  it  is  as  if  we  fuffered.     This  is  to  be  lender  of  God's 
 glory. 
 
 (5.)  We  glorify  God  by  fruitfulnefs,   John  xv.  8.   '  Hereby 
 is  my  father  glorified,  if  ye  bring  forth  much  irnit.'     An  j| 
 dilhonour  to  God  to  be  barren,  fo  fruitfulnefs  ddth  honour  him  : 
 Phil.  i.  11.   *  Filled  with  the  fruits  of  righteoulnefs,  which  are 
 to  the  praiie  of  his  glory.'     We  mull  not  be  like  tin-  fig-tree  in 
 the  gofpel,  which  had  nothing  but  leaves,  but  like  the  pome- 
 citron,  that  is  continually  either  mellowing  or  blollbming  ;   it  is 
 never  without  fruit.     It  is  not  profeffion,  but  fruit  glorifies  God  ; 
 God  experts  to  have  his  glory  from  us  this  way,  I  Cor.  ix.  7. 
 •  Who  planted  a  vineyard,  and  eateth  not  of  the  fruit  of  it  r * 
 Trees  in   the  forelt  may  be  barren,  but  trees  in  the  garden  are 
 fruitful :  we  mult  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  love  and  good  works, 
 Matth.  v.  16.   •  Let  your  light  fo  fhine  before  men,  that  they 
 may  fee  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in 
 heaven.'     Faith  doth  fanclify  our  works,  and  works  do  teftify 
 our  faith :    to  be  doing  good  to  others,   to  be  eyes  to  the  blind, 
 feet  to  the  lame,  doth  much  glorify  God.     And  thus  Chrift  did 
 glorify  his  Father;   *  he  went  about  doing  good,'  A6ts  x.   38. 
 By  being  fruitful,  we  are  fair  in  God's  eyes,  Jer.  xi.  lt>.   ■  The 
 Lord  called  thy  name  a  green  olive-tree,  fair  and  of  goodly  fruit.' 
 And  we  mult  bear  much  fruit,   it  is  muchneis  of  Iruit  glorifies 
 God  ;   ■  if  ye  bear  much  fruit.'     The  fpouie's  breafts  are  com- 
 pared to  clullers  of  grapes,  Cant.  vii.  7.  to  (hew  how  fertile  fhe 
 was.     Though  the  lowed  degree  of  grace  may  bring  falvation 
 to  you,  yet  not  fo  much  glory  to  God  ;   it  was  not  a  fpark  of 
 love  Chrilt  commended  in  Mary,   but  much  love,   *  flie  loved 
 much,'  Luke  vii.  47. 
 
 (0*.)  We  glorify  God,  by  being  contented  in  that  date  where 
 his  providence  hath  let  us  ;  we  give  God  the  glory  of  his  wifdom, 
 in  that  we  reft  fatisfied  with  what  he  carves  out  to  us  :  Thus 
 did  holy  Paul  glorify  God  ;  the  Lord  did  eaft  him  into  as  great 
 variety  of  conditions  as  any  man,  *  in  prifons  more  frequent, 
 in  deaths  oft,'  c2  Cor.  xi.  23.  yet  he  had  learned  to  be  content: 
 St.  Paul  could  fail  either  in  a  ilorm  or  a  calm  ;  he  could  be  any 
 thing  that  God  would  have  him  ;  he  could  either  want  or 
 abound,  Phil.  iv.  13.  A  good  Chriftian  argues  thus  :  It  is  God 
 that  hath  put  me  in  this  condition;  he  could  have  railed  me 
 higher,  if  he  pleated,  but  that  might  have  been  a  liiare  to  me  ; 
 God  hath  done  it  in  wifdom  and  love  ;  theretore  I  will  lit  down 
 iatisfied  with  my  condition.  Surely  this  doih  much  glorify  G<>d  ; 
 God  counts  himfelf  much  honoured  by  fuch  a  Chnliian  :  faith 
 God,  Here  is  one  after  my  own  heart;  let  me  do  what  I  will 
 with  him,  I  hear  no  murmuring,  he  is  content:  this  flie  wd 
 abundance  of  grace.  When  grace  is  crowning,  it  is  not  fo  much 
 to  be  content;  but  when  grace  is  conflicting  with  inconveniences, 
 
 C2 
 
$0  man's  chief  end 
 
 then  to  be  content,  is  a  glorious  thing  indeed  :  for  one  to  be 
 content  when  he  is  in  heaven,  is  no  wonder;  but  to  be  content 
 under  the  crofs,  is  like  a  Chriftian :  this  man  muft  needs  bring 
 glory  to  God  ;  for  he  (hews  to  all  the  world,  that  though  he 
 hath  little  meal  in  barrel,  yet  he  hath  enough  in  God  to  make 
 him  content;  he  faith,  as  David,  Plal.  xvi.  5.  *  The  Lord  is 
 the  portion  of  mine  inheritance  ;  the  lines  are  fallen  to  me  in 
 pleafant  places.' 
 
 (7.)  We  glorify  God  in  working  out  our  own  falvation  :  God 
 hath  twilled  thefe  two  together,  his  glory  and  our  good  ;  we 
 glorify  him,  by  promoting  our  own  falvation  :  it  is  a  glory  to 
 God  to  have  multitudes  of  converts;  now,  his  defign  of  free 
 grace  takes,  and  God  hath  the  glory  of  his  mercy  ;  fo  that, 
 while  we  are  endeavouring  our  falvation,  we  are  honouring  God. 
 What  an  encouragement  is  this  to  the  fervice  of  God,  to  think, 
 while  I  am  hearing  and  praying,  I  am  glorifying  God  ;  while 
 I  am  furthering  my  own  glory  in  heaven,  I  am  increafing  God's 
 glory  ?  Would  it  not  be  an  encouragement  to  a  fubject,  to  hear 
 his  prince  fay  to  him,  You  will  honour  and  pleafe  me  very 
 much,  if  you  will  go  to  yonder  mine  of  gold,  and  dig  as  much 
 gold  for  yourfelf  as  you  can  carry  away?  So,  for  God  to  fay, 
 Go  to  the  ordinances,  get  as  much  grace  as  you  can,  dig  out  as 
 much  falvation  as  you  can  ;  and  the  more  happinefs  you  have, 
 the  more  I  (hall  count  my felf  glorified. 
 
 (8.)  We  glorify  God,  by  living  to  God,  2  Cor.  v.  15.  '  that 
 they  which  live,  (hould  not  live  to  themfelves,  but  unto  him 
 who  died  for  them.'  Rom.  xiv.  8.  '  Whether  we  live,  we  live 
 unto  the  Lord.'  The  Mammomnift  lives  to  his  money,  the 
 Epicure  lives  to  his  belly  ;  the  defign  of  a  finner's  life  is  to 
 gratify  lull.     But  then  we  glorify  God,  when  we  live  to  God. 
 
 Q.    What  is  it  to  live  to  God? 
 
 Anfw.  When  we  live  to  his  fervice,  and  lay  out  ourfelves 
 wholly  for  God  :  the  Lord  hath  fent  us  into  the  world,  as  a 
 merchant  fends  his  factor  beyond  the  feas  to  trade  for  him  :  then 
 we  live  to  God,  when  we  trade  for  his  intereft,  and  propagate 
 his  gofpel.  God  hath  given  every  man  a  talent ;  now,  when 
 he  doth  not  hide  it  in  a  napkin,  but  improves  it  for  God,  this  is 
 to  live  to  God.  When  a  mailer  in  a  family,  by  counfel  and 
 good  example,  labours  to  bring  his  fervants  to  Chrift ;  when  a 
 minifter  doth  exhauft  himfelf  in  the  labours  of  his  holy  calling, 
 when  he  fpends  himfelf,  and  is  fpent,  that  he  may  win  fouls  to 
 Chrift,  and  make  the  crown  flourifli  upon  Chrift's  head  ;  when 
 the  magiftrate  doth  not  wear  the  fword  in  vain,  but  labours  to 
 cut  down  fin,  and  fupprefs  vice  ;  this  is  to  live  to  God,  and  this 
 is  a  glorifying  of  God  :  Phil.  i.  20.  ■  That  Chrift  might  be 
 magnified,  whether  by  life  or  by  death.'     Three  wifhes  St.  Paul 
 
IS  TO  GLORIFY   GOD.  21 
 
 had,  and  they  were  all  about  Chrilt,   tha'  Iio  nnv  be  found  in 
 Chrift,  be  with  Chrift,  and  that  be  night  n  (  brill. 
 
 (.0.)  We  l:  lorit'y  God  by  walking  cheerfully.  It  h,i  -I, 
 God,  when  t lie  world  ices  a  Chriltian  bulb  tb.it  wiihin  him, 
 that  can  make  trim  cheerful  in  the  worlt  times;  he  can,  with 
 the  nightingale,  ling  with  a  thorn  at  U\>  breaft.  The 
 God  have  ground  of  cbeerfulnefs  ;  they  are  juititied,  and  inflat- 
 ed into  adoption  ;  and  this  creates  inward  peace  ;  it  makes 
 mufic  within,  whatever  itorms  are  without,  <J  Cor.  i.  4.  1 
 ThelT  i.  &  if  we  confider  what  Chi  ill  bath  wrought  for  us  by 
 his  blood,  and  wrought  in  us  by  his  Spirit,  it  i>  a  ground  of 
 great  cheerfulneis,  and  this  cbeerfulnefs,  glorilies  God  ;  it  re- 
 flets upon  a  mailer  when  the  lervant  is  always  drooping  and 
 lad,  lure  he  is  kept  to  hard  commons,  his  matter  doth  not  give 
 him  what  is  fitting  ;  io,  when  God's  people  hang  their  harps 
 on  willows,  fure  they  do  not  iervea  good  mailer,  repent  of  their 
 choice;  this  reflects  dilhonour  on  God.  As  the  grofs  fins  of 
 the  wicked  bring  a  fcandal  on  the  golpel,  lb  do  the  uncheerful 
 lives  of  the  godly,  Pf.  c.  2.  'Serve  the  Lord  with  gladnefs.' 
 Your  ferving  him  doth  not  glorify  him,  unlefs  it  be  with  glad- 
 A  Chriftian's  cheerful  looks  glorify  God  ;  religion  doth 
 not  take  away  our  joy,  but  refine  and  clarify  it ;  it  doth  not 
 break  our  viol,  but  tunes  it,  and  makes  the  mulic  fweeter. 
 
 (tO.)  We  glorify  God,  by  Handing  up  for  his  truths  :  much 
 of  God's  glory  lies  in  his  truth  ;  God  hath  entrulted  us  with  Ins 
 truth,  as  a  mailer  entrulls  bis  fervant  with  his  purfe  to  keep. 
 We  have  not  a  richer  jewel  to  truil  God  with,  than  our  fouls, 
 God  hath  not  a  richer  jewel  to  truft  us  with,  than  his  truth  : 
 truth  is  a  beam  that  (bines  from  God,  much  of  his  glory  lies  in 
 his  truth  :  now,  when  we  are  advocates  for  truth,  this  is  to  glo- 
 rify God  ;  fo  Atbaualius,  the  bulwark  for  truth,  Judeo.  '  That 
 ye  mould  contend  earneftly  for  the  truth,'  viz.  the  doctrine  of 
 faith.  The  Greek  word  to  contend,  hgniliesa  Gfreat  contending, 
 as  one  would  contend  for  his  land,  and  not  tuife r  bis  right  to  be 
 taken  from  him  ;  fo  we  lhould  contend  for  the  truth ;  were  there 
 more  of  this  holy  contention,  God  would  have  more  glory. 
 Some  can  contend  earneltly  for  trifles  and  ceremonies,  but  not 
 for  the  truth  :  we  fhould  count  him  indifcreet,  that  would  con- 
 tend more  for  a  picture,  than  for  his  land  of  inheritance  ;  for  a 
 box  of  counters,  than  for  his  box  of  evidences. 
 
 (II.)  We  glorify  God,  by  praifing  of  hirn.  Doxolo^v,  or 
 praife,  is  a  God-exalting  work  :  Plal.  1.  93.  '  Whofo  otferoth 
 praife  glorifieth  me.'  The  Hebrew  word  Bara,  to  create,  and 
 Barak,  to  praife,  are  little  different,  becaule  the  end  of  creation 
 is  to  praife  God.  David  was  called  the  tweet-  finger  of  Ifrael, 
 and  his  praifing  God,  was  called  a  glorifying  of  God,  PikL 
 
22 
 
 lxxxvi.  12.  'I  will  praife  thee,  O  Lord  my  God,  and  I  will 
 glorify  thy  name.'  Though  nothing  can  add  to  God's  efi'ential 
 glory,  yet  praife  exalt*  hint  in  the  eyes  of  others  :  when  we 
 praife  God,  we  fpread  his  fame  and  renown,  we  difplay  the 
 trophies  of  his  excellency  ;  in  i i»:s  manner  the  angels  glorify 
 God,  and  they  are  the  choirifters  of  heaven,  and  do  trumpet 
 forth  God's  praife.  And  praifing  of  God  is  one  of  the  higheft 
 and  pureit  acts  of  religion  ;  in  prayer  we  a6t  like  men  ;  in  praife 
 we  act  like  angels;  this  is  an  hic?h  degree  of  glorifying  God. 
 Believers  are  called  *  temples  of  God,'  1  Cor.  iii.  16.  When 
 our  tongues  praife,  then  the  organs  in  God's  1  pi  ritual  temple 
 are  going.  How  fad  is  it,  that  God  hath  no  more  of  his  glory 
 from  us  this  way!  Many  are  full  of  murtnurmgs  and  difcon- 
 tents,  but  feldom  do  they  bring  glory  to  God,  by  giving  him 
 the  praife  due  to  his  name.  We  read  of  the  faints  having  harps 
 in  their  hand,  Rev.  v.  8.  the  emblems  of  praife.  Many  have 
 tears  in  their  eyes,  and  complaints  in  their  mouth,  but  few  have 
 harps  in  their  hand,  blefling  and  glorifying  of  God  :  let  us 
 honour  God  this  way.  Praife  is  the  quit-rent  we  pay  to 
 God  ;  while  God  renews  our  leafe,  we  mult  renew  our  rent. 
 
 (12.)  We  glorify  God,  by  being  zealous  for  his  name,  Numb. 
 xxv.  11.  *  Phineas  hath  turned  my  wrath  away,  while  he  was 
 zealous  for  my  fake.'  Zeal  is  a  mixed  affection,  a  compound 
 of  love  and  anger;  it  carries  forth  our  love  to  God,  and  anger 
 againft  fin  in  a  moft  intenfe  manner  :  Zeal  is  impatient  of  God's 
 difhonour  ;  a  Chriftian  fired  with  zeal,  takes  a  difhonour  done 
 to  God,  worfe  than  an  injury  done  to  himfelf :  Rev.  ii.  2. 
 *  Thou  canlt  not  bear  them  that  are  evil.'  Our  Saviour  Chrifl 
 did  thus  glorify  his  Father :  he,  being  baptized  with  a  fpirit  of 
 zeal,  drove  the  money-changers  out  of  the  temple,  John  ii.  14, 
 17.  "  The  zeal  of  thine  houle  hath  eaten  me  up.' 
 
 (13.)  We  glorify  God,  when  we  have  an  eye  at  God,  both 
 in  our  natural  and  in  our  civil  actions :  1.  In  our  natural  ac- 
 tions; in  eating  and  drinking,  I  Cor.  x.  31.  '  Whether  there- 
 fore ye  eat  or  drink,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God.'  A  gracious 
 perfon  holds  the  golden  bridle  of  temperance ;  he  takes  his 
 meat  as  a  medicine  to  heal  the  decays  of  nature,  and  that  he 
 may  be  the  fitter,  by  the  ftrength  he  receives,  for  the  fervice  of 
 God,  he  makes  his  food,  not  fuel  for  luft,  but  help  to  duty. 
 2.  In  buying  and  felling,  we  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God.  The 
 wicked  live  upon  unjuft  gain,  either  by  falfifying  the  balance, 
 Hof.  xii.  7.  *  The  balances  of  deceit  are  in  his  hands:'  While 
 men  make  their  weights  lighter,  they  make  their  fins  heavier  ; 
 or,  by  exacting  more  than  the  commodity  is  worth,  they  do  not 
 for  fourfcore  write  down  fifty,  but  for  fifty,  fourlcore  ;  they  ex- 
 act double  the  price  that  a  thing  is  worth  :  but  then  we  buy 
 and  fell  to  the  glory  of  God,  when  in  our  buying  and  felling, 
 
IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD.  23 
 
 we  obferve  that  golden  maxim,  *  To  do  to  others,  as  we  would 
 have  them  to  do  to  us,'  Mattb.  vii  I  J.  Wmi  we  do  fell  our 
 commodities,  that  we  do  not  fell  our  con fcience,  .Acts  xxiv.  10*. 
 ■  Herein  do  I  exercife  myfelf,  to  liavt  always  a  con&ieoj  i 
 
 of  offence  toward  God,  and  toward  men.'  This  is  to  glorify 
 God,  when  we  have  an  eye  at  God  in  all  our  civil  and  na'uial 
 actions,  and  will  do  nothing  that  may  reflect  any  blemiih  on  re- 
 ligion. 
 
 (I  t.)  We  glorify  God,  by  labouring  to  draw  others  to  God  ; 
 we  convert  others,  and  lb  make  them  initruaienta  pf  glorifying 
 God.  Weflioull  be  both  diamonds  and  loaa  (Ion  es ;  diamonds 
 for  the  lultre  of  grace,  and  loadftones  tor  our  attractive  virtues 
 in  drawing  others  toChrilt:  Gal.  iv.  19.  '  My  little  children, 
 of  whom  I  travel,'  &c.  This  is  a  great  way  ot'  glorifying  God, 
 when  we  break  the  devil's  prifon,  and  turn  men  from  the  power 
 of  Satan  to  God. 
 
 (15.)  We  glorify  God  in  a  high  manner,  when  we  futfer  for 
 God,  and  leal  the  gofpel  with  our  blood  ;  John  xxi.  18,  1<). 
 *•  When  thou  (hall  be  old,  another  (hail  tird  thee,  and  carry 
 thee,  whether  thou  wouldett  not  :  This  l'pake  he,  figmfying 
 by  what  death  he  fhould  glorify  God.'  God'sglorv  mines  in  the 
 allies  of  his  martyrs:  I  fa.  xxiv.  15.  *  Wherefore  glority  the 
 Lord  in  (ires.'  Micaiah  was  in  the  prifon,  Ilaiah  was  lawn 
 afunder,  Paul  beheaded,  Luke  hanged  on  an  olive-tree;  thus 
 did  they,  by  their  death,  glorify  God.  The  fuflferings  of  the 
 primitive  faints  did  honour  God,  and  make  the  gofpel  famous 
 in  the  world  :  what  would  others  fay  ?  See  what  a  good  mailer 
 they  i'ewe,  and  how  they  love  him,  that  they  will  venture  the 
 lofs  of  all  in  his  fervice.  The  glory  of  Chrift's  kingdom  doth 
 not  Hand  in  worldly  pomp  and  grandeur,  as  other  kings;  but 
 it  is  feen  in  the  cheerful  iu  tie  rings  of  his  people  ;  The  faints  of 
 old  *  loved  not  their  lives  to  the  death,'  Rev.  xii.  11.  They 
 (hatch  up  torments  as  fo  many  crowns.  God  grant  we  may 
 thus  glorify  him,  if  he  calls  us  to  it.  Many  pray,  ■  Let  this  cup 
 pals  away,'  but  not,  f  thy  will  be  done.' 
 
 (16.)  We  glorify  God,  when  we  give  God  the  glory  of  all 
 we  do.  Herod,  when  he  had  made  au  oration,  and  the  people 
 gave  a  fliout,  faying,  *  it  is  the  voice  of  a  God,  and  not  of  a 
 man  ;'  and  lie  took  this  glory  to  himfelf,  the  text  faith,  '  Im- 
 mediately the  angel  of  the  Lord  fmote  him,  becaufe  he  gave 
 not  God  the  glory,  and  he  was  eaten  of  worms,'  Acts  xji. 
 Then  we  glorifyGod,  when  we  facrifice  the  praife  and  glory  of 
 all  to  God,  1  Cor.  xv.  10.  ■  I  laboured  more  abundantly  than 
 they  all,'  a  fpeech,  one  would  think,  favoured  of  pride  ;  but 
 the  apoltle  pulls  the  crown  from  his  own  head,  and  lets  it 
 upon  the  head  of  free-grace,  *  yet  not  1,  but  the  grace  of  God 
 which  was  with  me;'  as  Joab,  when  he  fought  againft  Rabbah 
 
24  man's  chief  end 
 
 Cent  for  king  David,  that  he  might  carry  away  the  crown  of  the 
 victory,  2  Sam.  xii.  28.  So  a  Christian  when  he  hath  gotten 
 power  over  any  corruption,  or  tentation,  fends  for  Chrift,  that 
 lie  may  carry  away  the  crown  of  the  victory  ;  as  the  filk  worm, 
 when  (he  weaves  her  curious  work,  (he  hides  herielf  under  the 
 filk,  and  is  not  feen ;  fo  when  we  have  done  any  thing  praife- 
 worthy,  we  muft  hide  ourlelves  under  the  vail  of  humility,  and 
 transfer  the  glory  of  all  we  have  done  to  God.  Conftantine  did 
 ufe  to  write  the  name  of  Chrift  over  his  door,  fofhould  we  write 
 the  name  of  Chrilt  over  our  duties  ;  let  him  wear  the  garland 
 of  praife. 
 
 (17.)  We  glorify  God,  by  an  holy  life.  As  a  bad  life  doth 
 difhonour  God,  1  Pet.  ii.  Q.  '  Ye  are  an  holy  nation,  that  ye 
 fhould  fhew  forth  the  praifesof  him  that  hath  called  you.'  Rom. 
 ii.  24.  '  The  name  of  God  is  blafphemed  among  the  Gentiles 
 through  you.*  Epiphanius  faith,  "  That  the  loolenefs  of  fome 
 Chriftians,  in  his  time,  made  many  of  the  heathen  fhun  the 
 company  of  the  Chriftians,  and  would  not  be  drawn  to  hear 
 their  fermons."  So,  by  our  exact  Bible- converfation  we  glorify 
 God.  Though  the  main  work  of  religion  lies  in  the  heart,  yet 
 our  light  muft  fo  fhine,  that  others  may  behold  it;  the  chief  of 
 building  is  in  the  foundation,  yet  the  glory  of  it  is  in  the  fron- 
 tifpiece,  fo  beauty  in  the  converfation  :  when  the  faints,  who  are 
 called  jewels,  caft  a  fparkling  luftreof  holinefs  in  the  eyes  of  the 
 world  ;  then  they  c  walk  as  Chrift  walked,*  1  John  ii.  6.  when 
 they  live  as  if  they  had  feen  the  Lord  with  bodily  eyes,  and 
 been  with  him  upon  the  mount ;  then  they  adorn  religion,  and 
 bring  revenues  of  glory  to  the  crown  of  heaven. 
 
 life  1.  It  fhews  us  what  fhould  not  be  our  chief  end,  not  to 
 get  great  eftates,  not  to  lay  up  treafures  upon  earth  ;  this  is  the 
 degeneracy  of  mankind  fince  the  fall,  their  great  defign  is  to 
 com pafs  the 'earth- and  grow  rich  ;  and  this  they  make  their 
 chief  end  :  thole  never  think  of  glorifying  God,  they  trade  for 
 the  world,  but  are  not  factors  for  heaven  :  Ecclef.  ix.  3.  '  Mad- 
 nefs  is  in  their  heart  while  they  live/  Sometimes  they  never 
 arrive  at  an  eftate,  they  do  not  get  the  venifon  they  hunt  for; 
 or  tho*  they  do,  what  have  they  t  that  which  will  not  fill  the 
 heart,  no  more  than  the  mariner's  breath  will  fill  the  fails  of  a 
 fliip  ;  like  a  picture  drawn  on  the  ice,  and  to  fpend  all  one's 
 time,  as  Ifrael,  in  gathering  itravv,  but  remember  not  the  end 
 of  living  to  glorify  God  :  Ecclef.  v.  16.  *  What  profit  hath  he 
 that  laboureth  for  the  wind  ?'  And  thefe  things  are  foon  gone. 
 
 Uje  Q.  It  reproves  fuch,  1 .  As  bring  no  glory  to  God  :  They 
 do  not  anfwer  the  end  of  their  creation,  their  time  is  not  true 
 lived,  but  time.loft;  they  are  like  the  wood  of  the  vine,  Ezek. 
 xv.  <2.  Their  lives  are,  as  St.  Bernard  fpeaks,  '*  Either  finful- 
 nef>  or  barrennels.      An  ufelefs  burden  on  the  earth."      God 
 
IS  TO  CLORIFY  GOD.  25 
 
 will  one  day  afk  fuch  a  qucllion  asking  Ahafuerus  did,  Efth. 
 Yi.  3.  '  What  honour  and  dignity  hath  been  done  to  Mord< 
 So  will  the  Lord  fay,  What  honour  luuh  been  done  to  DM  } 
 what  revenues  of  glory  have  you  brought  into  my  exchequer? 
 There  is  none  here  prel'ent  but  God  hath  put  you  in  fume  capa- 
 city  of  glorifying  him  ;  the  health  he  hath  given  you,  the  parts, 
 eltate,  feafons  of  grace,  thefe  all  are  opportunities  put  into  your 
 hand  to  glorify  him  ;  and,  be  allured  God  will  call  you  to  ac- 
 count,  to  know  what  you  have  done  with  the  mercies  he  hath 
 intruited  you  with,  what  glory  you  have  brought  to  him.  The 
 parable  of  the  talents,  Mat.  xxv.  15,  where  the  man  with  the 
 five  talents,  and  the  two  tafents  are  brought  to  a  reckoning, 
 doth  evidently  (hew  that  God  will  call  you  to  a  ltrict  account, 
 to  know  how  you  have  traded  with  your  talents,  and  what  glo- 
 ry you  have  brought  to  him.  Now  how  lad  will  it  be  with 
 them  who  hide  their  talents  in  a  napkin,  that  bring  God  no  glo- 
 ry at  all  ?  ver.  30.  ■  Call  ye  the  unprofitable  fervantinto  utter 
 darkneis.'  It  is  not  enough  for  you  to  lay,  that  you  have  not 
 dishonoured  God,  you  have  not  lived  in  grots  fin  ;  but  what 
 good  have  you  done  ;  what  glory  have  you  brought  to  God  ?  It  is 
 not  enough  for  the  lervant  of  the  vineyard,  that  he  do  no  hurt 
 in  the  vineyard,  he  doth  not  break  the  trees,  or  deftroy  the 
 hedges;  if  he  doth  not  do  fervicein  the  vineyard,  he  loofeth  his 
 pay  ;  if  you  do  not  good  in  your  place,  not  glorify  God,  you 
 will  lofe  your  pay,  mils  of  fulvation.  Oh  think  of  this,  all  you 
 that  live  unferviceably  !  Chrift  curftd  the  barren  fig-tree. 
 
 6.  It  reproves  fuch  as  are  fo  far  from  bringing  glory  to  God, 
 that  they  rob  God  of  his  glory,  Mai.  iii.  8.  ■  Will  a  man  rob 
 God  ?  yet  ye  have  robbed  me.'  They  rob  God,  who  take  the 
 glory  due  to  God  to  theml'elves  :  1.  If  they  have  gotten  an 
 eilate,  they  afcribe  all  to  their  own  wit  and  induilry,  they  let  the 
 erown  upon  their  own  head,  not  confidering  that,  Deut.  viii. 
 18.  *  Thou  (halt  remember  the  Lord  thy  God,  for  it  is  he  that 
 giveth  thee  power  to  get  wealth.'  9.  If  they  do  any  duty  of  re- 
 ligion they  look  a  fquintto  their  own  glory,  Mat.  vi.  5.  *  That 
 they  may  be  feen  of  men,'  That  they  may  be  let  upon  a  theatre, 
 that  others  may  admire  and  canonize  them.  The  oil  of  vain 
 glory  feeds  then  lamp.  How  many  hath  the  wind  of  popular 
 breath  blown  to  hell  ?  Whom  the  devil  could  not  deitroy  by  in- 
 temperance, he  hath  by  vain-glory. 
 
 3.  It  reproves  them  who  fight  againlt  God's  glory,  Ads  v. 
 29.     '  Lett  ye  be  found  to  fight  againll  God.' 
 
 Q.  But  who  do  fight  againji  God's  glory? 
 
 Avf.  Such  as  do  oppole  that,  whereby  God's  glory  is  promo- 
 ted :  God's  glory  is  much  promoted  m  the  preaching  of  the 
 word,  becaufe  it  is  his  engine  whereby  he  converts  fouls.  Now, 
 Inch  as  would  hinder  the   preaching   of  the  word,  thefe  fight 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  1.  D 
 
9,6  man's  chief  end 
 
 againft  God's  glory,  1  ThefT.  ii.  16.  f  Forbidding  us  to  fpeak  to 
 the  Gentiles,  that  they  might  be  fayed.'  Diocletian,  who 
 railed  the  10th  persecution  againtt  the  Chriftians,  did  prohibit 
 church  meetings,  and  would  have  the  temples  of  the  Chriftians 
 razed  down  ;  Such  as  hinder  preaching,  do  as  the  Philiitines 
 that  ftop  the  wells,  they  flop  the  well  of  the  water  of  life ; 
 they  take  away  the  phyficians  that  fhould  heal  fin-fick  fouls  ; 
 minifters  are  lights,  Matth.  v.  14.  and  who  but  thieves  hate  the 
 light  ?  thefe  perfons  do  directly  ftrike  at  God's  glory  ?  and  what 
 an  account  will  they  have  to  give  to  God,  when  he  (hall  charge 
 the  blood  of  men's  fouls  upon  them?  Luke  xi.  52.  '  Ye  have 
 taken  away  the  key  of  knowledge  ;  ye  entered  not  in  yourfelves 
 and  them  that  were  entering  in  ye  hindered.'  If  there  be  either 
 jutlice  in  heaven,  or  fire  in  hell,  they  (hall  not  go  unpunifhed. 
 Ufe.  4.  Exhortation,  let  us  every  one,  in  our  place,  make  this 
 our  chief  end  and  defign  to  glorify  God  :  1.  Let  me  fpeak  to 
 magiftrates;  God  hath  put  much  glory  upon  them,  Pf.  lxxxii. 
 6.  '  I  have  laid  ye  are  gods  ;  and  will  they  not  glorify  him 
 whom  he  hath  put  lb  much  glory  upon  ?  Magiftrates  fhould  be 
 zealous  for  God's  worfhip  and  day  ;  they  fhould  not  let  the 
 fword  ruftin  the  fcabbard,  butdraw  it  out  for  the  cutting  down 
 of  fin.  2.  Minifters  how  fhould  they  ftudy  to  promote  God's 
 glory  ;  God  hath  entrufted  them  with  two  of  the  moft  precious 
 things,  his  truths,  and  the  fouls  of  his  people.  Minifters  are, 
 by  virtue  of  their  office,  to  glorify  God  :  1.  They  muft  glorify 
 God  by  labouring  in  the  word  and  doctrine  ;  2  Tim.  iv.  1.  'I 
 charge  thee  before  God,  and  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  who  fhall 
 judge  the  quick  and  the  dead  :  preach  the  word,  be  inftant  in 
 feafon,  out  of  feafon,'  &c.  It  was  Aguftine's  wifh,  "  that 
 Chrift  at  his  coming,  might  find  him  either  praying  or  preach* 
 ing."  2.  Minifters  muft  glorify  God  by  ther  Zealand  fan&ity. 
 The  priefts  under  the  law  before  they  ferved  at  the  altar,  did 
 wafh  in  the  laver :  filch  as  ferve  in  the  Lord's  houie,  muft  firlt 
 be  warned  from  grofs  fin  in  the  laver  of  repentance.  It  is  mat- 
 ter of  grief  and  fhame,  to  think  how  many,  who  call  themfelves 
 minifters,  do,  inftead  of  apparently  bringing  glory  to  God,  dis- 
 honour God,  c2  Chron.  xi.  15.  Their  lives,  as  well  as  doclrines, 
 are  heterodox,  they  are  not  free  from  the  fins  which  they  re- 
 prove in  others.  Plutarch's  fervant  upbraided  him,  "  It  is  not 
 as  my  matter  Plutarch  faith  ;  he  hath  written  a  book  againft 
 wrath,,  anger,  et  ipji  mihi  irafcitur,  yet  he  falls  into  a  paflion 
 of  anger  with  me  :"  So  this  miniiter  preacheth  againft  drunken- 
 nefs,  yet  he  will  be  drunk  ;  he  preacheth  againft  fwearing,  yet 
 he  will  fwear  ;  this  reproacheth  God,  and  makes  the  offering  of 
 the  Lord  to  be  abhorred.  3.  Mailers  of  families,  do  ye  glorify 
 God,  feafon  your  children  and  fervants  with  the  knowledge  of 
 the  Lord  ;  your  houfes  fhould  be  little  churches,  Gen.  xviii.  19. 
 
IS  TO  GLORIFY  GODi  27 
 
 *  I  know  that  Abraham  will  command  his  children  that   they 
 may  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord.'       Von  that  art-  mailers,  know 
 you  have  a  charge  of  fouls  under  von  ;    tor  want  of  the  bridle  of 
 family  difcipline,  youth  runs  wild  ;   well,  let  me  lay  down  fo 
 motives  to  glorify  God. 
 
 1.  Mot.  It  will  be  a  great  comfort  in  a  dying  hour,  to  think 
 we  have  glorified  God  in  our  lives;  it  wasClmlt'.N  comfort  be- 
 fore his  death  :  John  xvii.  3.  '  I  haveglorilied  thee  on  earth.' 
 At  the  hour  of  death,  all  your  earthly  comforts  will  vanilh  :  if 
 you  think  how  rich  you  have  been,  what  pleafures  you  have  had 
 on  earth  ;  this  will  be  fo  far  from  comforting  you,  that  it  will 
 but  torment  you  the  more :  what  is  one  the  better  for  an  ettate 
 that  is  fpent  ?  But  now,  to  have  confeience  telling  you,  that  you 
 have  glorified  God  on  earth,  what  fweet  comfort  and  peace  will 
 this  let  into  your  foul!  how  will  this  make  you  long  for  death  ! 
 The  fervant  that  hath  been  all  day  working  in  the  vineyard, 
 longs  till  evening  comes,  when  he  lhall  receive  his  pay.  They 
 who  have  lived,  and  brought  no  glory  to  God,  how  can  they 
 think  of  dying  with  comfort  ?  They  cannot  expect  an  harveft, 
 that  never  lowed  any  feed  :  how  can  they  expect  glory  from 
 God,  that  never  brought  any  glory  to  him  ?  O  in  what  horror 
 will  they  beat  death!  the  worm  of  Confeience  will  knaw  their 
 fouls,  before  the  worms  are  knawing  their  bodies. 
 
 2.  Mot.  If  we  glorify  God,  he  will  glorify  our  fouls  for  ever ; 
 by  railing  God's  glory,  we  increafe  our  own  ;  by  glorifying  God, 
 we  come  at  laft  to  the  blelfed  enjoying  of  him.  And  that 
 brings  me  to  the  2d,  '  The  enjoying  of  God.' 
 
 2d/y,  Man's  chief  end  is  to  enjoy  God  for  ever,  Pf.  lxxiii.  25. 
 Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ?  that  is,  what  is  there  in  hea- 
 ven I  defire  to  enjoy  but  thee  ?  There  is  a  twofold  fruition,  or 
 enjoying  of  God  ;  the  one  is  in  this  life,  the  other  in  the  life  to 
 come. 
 
 lit,  An  enjoying  of  God  here  in  this  life  :  The  enjoying  of 
 od's  piefence  ;  it  is  a  great  matter  to  enjoy  God's  ordinances 
 (a  mercy  that  fome  do  envy  us)  but  to  enjoy  God's  prefence; 
 in  the  ordinances,  is  that  which  a  gracious  heart  afpires  after, 
 Pfal.  lxiii.  2.  '  To  fee  thy  glory  fo  as  I  have  feen  thee  in  the 
 fanctuary.'  This  fweet  enjoying  of  God,  is,  when  we  feel  his 
 Spirit  co-operating  with  the  ordinance,  and  diftilling grace  upon 
 our  hearts  :  1.  When  in  the  word  the  Spirit  doth  quicken  and 
 raife  the  affections,  Luke  xxiv.  32.  '  Did  not  our  hearts  burn 
 within  us?'  2.  When  the  f pirit  doth  transform  the  heart,  leav- 
 ing an  imprefs  of  holinefs  upon  it,  2.  Cor.  iii.  8.  *  We  are 
 changed  into  the  fame  image,  from  glory  to  glory.'  When  the 
 Spirit  doth  revive  the  heart  with  comfort,  it  comes  not  only 
 with  its  anointing,  but  its  feal  ;  it  iheds  God's  love  abroad  in 
 the  heart,  Rom.  v.  o.     This  is  to  enjoy  God  in  an  ordinance, 
 
 D  2 
 
58  man's  chief  end 
 
 1  John  v.  3.  *  Our  fellowfhip  is  with  the  Father,  and  with 
 his  Son  JefusChrift.'  In  the  word,  we  hear  God's  voice,  and 
 in  thefacramentwe  have  his  kifs  ;  this  is  enjoying  of  God  :  and 
 what  infinite  content  doth  a  gracious  foul  rind  in  this  !  The  heart 
 being  warmed  and  inflamed  in  a  duty,  this  is  God's  anfwering 
 by  fire.  When  a  Chriftian  hath  the  fweet  illapfes  of  God's  Spi- 
 rit, thefe  are  the  firft  fruits  of  glory,  when  God  comes  down  to 
 the  foul  in  an  ordinance  :  Now,  Chrift  hath  pulled  off  his  vail, 
 and  fhowed  his  lhiiling  face  ;  now,  he  hath  led  a  believer  into 
 the  banqueting-houfe,  and  given  him  of  the  fpiced  wine  of  his 
 love  to  drink  ;  he  hath  put  in  his  finger  at  the  hole  of  the  door  ; 
 he  hath  touched  the  heart,  and  made  it  leap  for  joy  :  O  how 
 fweet  is  it  thus  to  enjoy  God !  The  godly  have,  in  the  ufe  of 
 the  ordinances,  had  fuch  divine  raptures  of  joy,  and  foul  transfi- 
 gurations, that  they  have  been  carried  above  the  world,  and 
 have  defpifed  all  things  here  below. 
 
 Ufe  1.  Is  the  enjoying  of  God  in  this  life  fo  fweet?  How 
 prodigioufly  wicked  are  they  that  prefer  the  enjoying  of  their 
 lulls,  before  the  enjoying  of  God!  2  Pet.  iii.  3.  ■  The  lull  of 
 the  flefh,  the  lull  of  the  eye,  the  pride  of  life,'  is  the  Trinity 
 they  worfhip.  Lull  is  an  inordinate  defire  or  impulfe,  provok- 
 ing the  foul  to  that  which  is  evil ;  there  is  the  revengeful  luft, 
 and  the  wanton  luft.  Luft  is  like  a  feverim  heat,  it  puts  the 
 foul  into  a  flame.  Ariltotle  calls  fenfual  lufts  brutiih,  becaufe, 
 when  any  luft  is  violent,  reafon  or  confcience  cannot  be  heard, 
 the  bead  rides  the  man  :  thefe  lufts,  when  they  are  enjoyed,  do 
 belbt  and  difpirit  perfons,  Hof.  iv.  11.  '  Whoredom  and  wine 
 take  away  the  heart ;'  they  have  no  heart  for  any  thing  that  is 
 good.  How  many  make  it  their  chief  end,  not  to  enjoy  God, 
 but  to  enjoy  their  lufts;  as  that  Cardinal  faid,  M  Let  him  but 
 keep  his  cardinal-fhip  of  Paris,  and  he  was  content  to  lofe  his 
 part  in  Paradife."  Luft  firft  bewitcheth  with  pleafure,  and 
 then  comes  the  fatal  dart,  Prov.  vii.  23.  ■  Till  a  dart  ftrike 
 through  his  liver.'  This  fliould  be  as  a  flaming  fword  to  flop 
 men  in  the  way  of  their  carnal  delights.  Who  woald  for  a  drop 
 of  pleafure,  drink  a  fea  of  wrath  ? 
 
 Ufe  2.  Let  it  be  our  great  care  to  enjoy  God's  fweet  prefence 
 here,  which  is  the  beauty  and  comfort  of  the  ordinances.  En- 
 joying fpiritual  communion  with  God,  is  a  riddle  and  myftery 
 to  moft  people  ;  every  one  that  hangs  about  the  court  doth  not 
 fpeak  with  the  King.  We  may  approach  to  God  in  ordinances, 
 and,  as  it  were,  hang  about  the  court  of  heaven,  yet  not  enjoy 
 communion  with  God  :  we  may  have  the  letter  without  the 
 Spirit,  the  vifible  fign  without  the  invifible  grace  :  it  is  the  en- 
 joying of  God  in  a  duty  we  fhould  chiefly  look  at,  Pfal.  xlii, 
 2.  '  My  foul  thirftethfor  God,  for  the  living  God.'  Alas! 
 What  are  all  our  worldly  enjoyments  without  the  enjoying  of 
 
IS  TO  GLORIFY  COD.  CO 
 
 God  ?  What  is  it  to  enjoy  a  great  deal  of  health,  a  brave  cfinte, 
 and  not  to  enjoy  God  ?  Job  xxx.  3S.  *  I  went  mourning  with- 
 out the  run.'  So  mayeft  thou  lay  in  the  enjoyment  of  all  crea- 
 tures without  God,  '  I  went  mourning  without  the  fun.'  I  have 
 the  liar- light  of  outward  enjoyments,  but  I  cannot  enjoy  God, 
 I  want  the  Sun  of  Righteoufnefs.  *  I  went  mourning  without 
 the  fun.'  This  ihould  be  our  great  defign,  not  only  to  have 
 the  ordinances  of  God,  but  the  God  of  the  ordinances  :  the  en- 
 joying of  God's  fweet  pretence  with  us  here,  is  the  moil  con- 
 tented life  :  he  is  an  hive  of  fweetnefs,  a  magazine  of  riches,  a 
 fountain  of  delight,  Pi'al.  xxxvi.  8,  <).  The  higher  the  lark 
 flees,  the  tweeter  it  fings;  and  the  higher  we  fly  by  the  wing 
 of  faith,  the  more  of  God  we  enjoy,  the  tweeter  delight  we  feel 
 in  our  fouls.  How  is  the  heart  inflamed  in  prayer  and  medita- 
 tion ?  What  joy  and  peace  in  believing?  Is  it  not  comfortable 
 being  in  heaven  ?  He  that  enjoys  much  of  God  in  this  life,  carries 
 heaven  about  him.  O  let  this  be  the  thing  we  are  chiefly  am- 
 bitious of,  the  enjoying  of  God  in  his  ordinances  ;  remember, 
 the  enjoying  of  God's  fweet  pretence  here,  is  an  earneit  of  our 
 enjoying  him  in  heaven. 
 
 And  that  brings  us  to  the  fecond  thing,  viz. 
 
 2d,  The  enjoying  of  God  in  the  life  to  come:  Man's  chief 
 end  is  to  enjoy  God  for  ever.  Before  this  plenary  fruition  of 
 God  in  heaven,  there  mult  be  fomething  previous  and  antece- 
 dent ;  and  that  is,  our  being  in  a  ftate  of  grace  :  We  mud  have 
 conformity  to  him  in  grace,  before  we  can  have  communion 
 with  him  in  glory,  grace  and  glory  are  linked  and  chained  to- 
 gether; grace  precedes  glory,  as  the  moming-ftar  ufhers  in  the 
 fun.  God  will  have  us  qualified  and  fitted  for  a  ftate  of  bleifed- 
 nefs  :  drunkards  and  i wearers  are  not  fit  to  enjoy  God  in  glory  ; 
 the  Lord  will  not  lay  fuch  vipers  in  his  bofom  ;  only  the  *  pure 
 in  heart  fhall  fee  God  :'  we  muftflrft  be,  as  the  king's  daughter, 
 glorious  within,  before  we  are  clothed  with  the  robes  of  glory. 
 As  king  Ahafuerus  firlt  caufed  the  virgins  to  be  purified  and 
 anointed,  and  they  had  their  fweet  odours  to  perfume  them, 
 aud  then  they  went  to  (land  before  the  king,  Ellh.  ii.  lc2.  ib 
 mult  we,  we  mult  have  the  anointing  of  God,  and  be  perfumed 
 with  the  graces  of  the  Spirit,  thofe  fweet  odours,  and  then  we 
 fhall  Hand  before  the  king  of  heaven  :  now,  being  thus  divinely 
 qualified  by  grace,  welhall  be  taken  up  to  the  mount  of  vilion, 
 and  enjoy  God  for  ever :  this  enjoying  God  tor  ever,  is  nothing 
 elie  but  to  be  put  to  a  Hate  of  happinels.  As  the  body  cannot 
 have  life,  but  by  having  communion  with  the  foul ;  fo  the  foul 
 cannot  have  bleflednefs,  but  by  having  immediate  communion 
 with  God.  God  is  the  fummum  bonum,  the  chief  good  ;  there- 
 fore the  enjoying  of  him  is  the  higheit  felicity ;  he  is,  I  fay,  the 
 chief  good. 
 
30  man's  chief  end 
 
 1 .  He  is  an  univerfal  good  ;  bonum  in  quo  omnia  bona,  "  A 
 good,  in  which  are  all  goods."  The  excellencies  of  the  crea- 
 ture are  limited.  A  man- may  have  health,  not  beauty  ;  learn- 
 ing, not  parentage  ;  riches,  not  wifdom  :  but  in  God  are  emi- 
 nently contained  all  excellencies  :  He  is  a  good,  commenfurate 
 fully  to  the  foul  ;  he  is  a  fun,  a  portion,  an  horn  of  falvation  ; 
 in  him  dwells  ■  all  fulnefs,'  Col.  i.  1ft  2.  God  is  an  unmixed 
 good  :  no  condition  in  this  life  but  hath  its  mixture  ;  for  every 
 drop  of  honey  there  is  a  drop  of  gall.  Solomon,  who  gave  him- 
 felf  to  find  out  this  philofopher's  ftonc*  to  fearch  out  for  an  hap- 
 pinefs  here  below,  he  found  vanity  and  vexation,  Eccl.  i.  2. 
 But  God  is  a  perfect,  quintessential  good.  He  is  fweetnefs  in 
 the  flower.  3.  God  is  a  fatisfying  good.  The  foul  cries  out, 
 I  have  enough,  Pfal.  xvii.  15.  ■  I  ihall  be  fatisfied  with  thy 
 likenefs.'  A  man  that  is  thirfty,  bring  him  to  the  ocean,  and 
 he  hath  enough.  If  there  be  enough  in  God  to  fatisfy  the  an- 
 gels, then  fure,  enough  to  fatisfy  us.  The  foul  is  but  finite, 
 but  God  is  an  uncreated  infinite  good.  And  yet  though  God 
 be  inch  a  good  as  doth  fatisfy,  yetnotfurfeit.  Frefhjoys  fpring 
 continually  from  God's  face  ;  and  God  is  as  much  to  be  defired 
 after  millions  of  years  by  glorified  fouls,  as  at  the  firft  moment. 
 There  is  fo  much  fulnefs  in  God  as  fatisfies,  yet  fo  much  fweet- 
 nefs, that  the  foul  ftill  defires  ;  it  is  fatisfaclion  without  furfeit. 
 4.  God  is  a  delicious  good.  That  which  is  the  chief  good  muft 
 raviih  the  foul  with  pleafure  ;  there  muft  be  in  it  fpirits  of  de- 
 light and  quinteffence  of  joy  ;  and  this  is  to  be  enjoyed  only  in 
 God.  In  Deo  quadam  du/cedine  delectatur  anima,  immo  rapitar : 
 The  love  of  God  drops  fuch  infinite  luavity  into  the  foul  as  is 
 unfpeakable  and  full  of  glory.  If  there  be  fo  much  delight  in 
 God,  when  we  fee  him  only  by  faith,  I  Peter  i.  8.  what  will 
 the  joy  of  vifion  be,  when  we  (hall  fee  him  face  to  face  ?  If  the 
 faints  have  found  fo  much  delight  in  God  while  they  were  fuf- 
 fering,  O  then  what  joy  and  delight  will  they  have  when  they 
 are  crowning!  If  flames  are  beds  of  rofes,  O  then  what  will  it 
 be  to  lean  on  the  bofom  of  Jefus  !  what  a  bed  of  rofes  will  that 
 be  !  5.  God  is  a  fuperlative  good.  He  is  better  than  any  thing 
 you  can  put  in  competition  with  him  ;  he  is  better  than  health, 
 riches,  honour.  Other  things  maintain  life,  he  gives  life.  But 
 who  would  go  to  put  any  thing  in  balance  with  the  Deity  ?  who 
 would  weigh  a  feather  with  a  mountain  of  gold  ?  God  excels  all 
 other  things  more  infinitely  than  the  fun  the  light  of  a  taper. 
 6.  God  is  an  eternal  good  :  He  is  the  ancient  of  Days,  Dan. 
 vii.  9.  yet  never  decays,  nor  waxes  old.  The  joy  he  gives  is 
 eternal,  the  crown  fadeth  not  away,  1  Peter  v.  4.  The  glorified 
 foul  Ihall  ever  be  iblacing  itfelf  in  God ;  it  (hall  be  fealting  on 
 his  love,  and  funning  itfelf  in  the  light  of  his  countenance.  We 
 read  of  the  river  of  pleafure  at  God's  right  hand  ;   but  will  uot 
 
18  TO  GLORIFY  GOD.  31 
 
 this  in  time  be  dried  up  ?  Xo,  there  is  a  fountain  at  the  bottom 
 which  feeds  it  :  Pfal.  xxxvi.  u.  ■  With  the  Lord  b  the  fmm- 
 tain  of  life.'  Thus  God  is  the  chief  good;  and  the  enjoying 
 God  for  ever  is  the  fupreme  felicity  the  lbul  is  capable  of. 
 
 1.  I  <  o J  Exhortation.  Let  it  be  the  chief  end  of  our  living 
 to  enjoy  this  chief  good  hereafter  ;  this  is  that  which  will  crown 
 us  with  happinefs,  Aullin  reckons  up  288  opinions  among  the 
 philofophers  about  happinefs,  but  all  did  (hoot  fhortof  the  mark. 
 The  higheft  elevation  of  a  reaibnable  foul  is  to  enjoy  God  for 
 ever.  It  is  the  enjoying  God  that  makes  heaven,  1  Theft  iv. 
 17.  '  Then  fhall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord.'  The  foul  trembles, 
 as  the  needle  in  the  compafs,  and  is  never  at  reft  till  it  comes 
 to  God.  To  let  out.  this  excellent  irate  of  a  glorified  (bul's  en- 
 joying God  :  1.  This  enjoying  of  God  mud  not  be  underllood 
 in  a  fenl'ual  manner;  we  muft  not  conceive  any  carnal  pleafn 
 in  heaven.  The  Turks  in  their  Alcoran  lpeak  of  a  paradife  of 
 pleafure,  wdiere  they  have  riches  in  abundance,  and  red  wine 
 i'erved  in  golden  chalices.  Here  is  an  heaven  confifting  of  plea- 
 Cures  for  the  body  ;  the  epicures  of  this  age  would  like  fuch  an 
 heaven  when  they  die.  Though  indeed  the  ftate  of  glory  be 
 compared  to  a  feall,  and  is  fet  out  by  pearls  and  precious  (lones, 
 yet  thefe  metaphors  are  only  to  be  helps  to  our  faith,  and  to 
 lhow  us  that  there  is  iuper-abundant  joy  and  felicity  in  the  em- 
 pyivan  heaven  ;  but  thofe  are  not  carnal,  but  (acred  delights  : 
 as  our  employment  (hall  be  fpiritual,  it  will  contiit  in  adoring 
 and  praifmg  of  God  :  So  our  enjoyment  ihall  be  fpiritual,  it 
 (hall  confiit  in  having  the  perfection  of  hollnefs,  in  feeing  the 
 pure  face  of  Chrdt,  in  feeling  the  love  of  God,  in  converting 
 with  heavenly  (pints:  thefe  delights  will  be  more  adequate  and 
 proper  for  the  (oul,  and  infinitely  exceed  all  carnal  voluptuous 
 delights.  &  We  lhall  have  a  lively  teni'eof  this  glorious eliate. 
 A  man  in  a  lethargy,  though  he  be  alive,  yet  lie  i>  as  ^ood  as 
 dead,  becaufe  he  is  not  fenfible,  nor  doth  he  take  any  pleafure 
 in  his  life  ;  we  (hall  have  a  quick  and  lively  fenie  of  the  infinite 
 pleafure  which  arifeth  from  enjoyment  of  God  ;  we  fhall  know 
 ourfelves  to  be  happy,  we  (hall  reflect  with  joy  upon  our  dig- 
 nity and  felicity  ;  we  (hall  jtafte  every  crumb  of  that  t'weet- 
 nel's,  every  drop  of  that  pleafure  which  tlows  from  God.  S.  We 
 ihall  be  made  able  to  bear  a  [\^\\i  of  that  glory  :  we  could  not 
 now  bear  that  glory,  it  would  overwhelm  us:  as  a  weak  eye 
 cannot  behold  the  fun;  but  God  will  capacitate  us  for  glory  ; 
 our  fouls  fhall  be  lb  heavenly,  Mid  pi  netted  with  holiuels,  that 
 they  may  be  able  to  enjoy  the  bieiled  vifion  of  God.  Moles  in 
 a  cleft  of  the  rock  law  the  glory  of  God  palling  by,  Exod. 
 xxxiii.  21.  Through  that  bleiied  rock  Chrift,  we  fhall  behold 
 the  beatifical  fight  of  God.  4.  This  enjoyment  of  God  (hall  be 
 more  than  a  bare  contemplation  of  him.     Some  of  the  learned 
 
32  man's  chief  end 
 
 move  the  queftion,  Whetherthe  enjoyment  of  God  mall  be  only 
 by  way  of  contemplation  ?  Ani".  That  is  fomething,  but  it  is  but 
 one  half  of  heaven  ;  there  mall  be  a  loviug  of  God,  an  acquief- 
 cence  in  him,  a  tailing  his  l'weetnefs  ;  not  only  infpeclion  but 
 poffefiion,  John  xvii.  24.  ■  That  they  may  behold  my  glory  ;' 
 there  is  infpection :  Ver.  22.  ■  And  the  glory  thou  halt  given 
 I  me,  have  given  them ;'  there  is  poil'eifion.  *  Glory  fhall  be  re- 
 vealed in  us/  Rom.  viii.  18.  not  only  revealed  to  us,  but  in  us. 
 To  behold  God's  glory,  there  is  glory  revealed  to  us ;  but  to  par- 
 take of  his  glory,  there  is  glory  revealed  in  us.  As  the  l'punge 
 fucks  in  the  wine,  fb  (hall  we  fuck  in  glory.  There  is  no  inter- 
 million  in  this  itate  of  glory.  We  (hall  not  only  have  God's  glo- 
 rious prefence  at  certain  fpecial  feafons,  but  we  ihall  be  conti- 
 nually in  his  prefence,  continually  under  divine  raptures  of  joy. 
 There  mall  not  be  one  minute  in  heaven,  wherein  a  glorified 
 foul  may  fay,  I  do  not  enjoy  happinefs.  The  itreams  of  glory 
 are  not  like  the  water  of  a  conduit,  often  flopped,  that  we  can- 
 not have  one  drop  of  water;  but  thole  heavenly  ftreams  of  joy 
 are  continually  running.  O  how  mould  we  defpiie  this  valley 
 of  tears,  where  we  now  are,  for  the  mount  of  transfiguration  I. 
 how  mould  we  long  for  the  full  enjoyment  of  God  in  paradife  '. 
 Had  we  a  fight  of  that  land  of  promile,  we  mould  need  patience 
 to  be  content  to  live  here  any  longer. 
 
 2.  Let  this  be  a  fpur  to  duty.  How  diligent  and  zealous 
 fhould  we  be  in  glorifying  God,  that  we  come  at  laft  to  enjoy 
 him  ?  If  Tully,  Demofthenes,  Plato,  who  had  but  the  dim 
 watch-light  of  reafbn  to  fee  by,  and  did  but  fancy  an  elyfiura 
 and  happinefs  after  this  life,  did  take  fuch  Herculean  pains  to 
 enjoy  it;  O  then  how  mould  Chriftians,  who  have  the  light  of 
 Scripture  to  fee  by,  beftirthemfelves,  that  they  mayattendat  the 
 eternal  fruition  of  God  and  glory !  If  any  thing  may  make  us 
 rife  off  our  bed  of  tloth,  and  feive  God  with  all  our  might,  it 
 fhould  be  this;  the  hope  of  our  near  enjoyment  of  God  forever, 
 "What  made  Paul  fo  active  in  the  fphere  of  religion  ?  1  Cor.  xv. 
 10.  *  I  laboured  more  abundantly  than  they  all.'  His  obedience 
 did  not  move  flow,  as  the  fun  on  the  dial ;  but  fwift,  as  the  fun 
 4n  the  firmament.  Why  was  he  fo  zealous  in  glorifying  God, 
 but  that  he  might  at  laft  centre  and  terminate  in  him  ?  1  Theff, 
 iv.  17.   '  Then  fhall  we  be  ever  with  the  Lord.' 
 
 3d,  life  of  Conjbfation.  Let  this  comfort  the  godly  in  all  the 
 prefent  miferies  they  feel.  Thou  complainefl,  Chriitian,  thou 
 doft  not  enjoy  thyfelf,  fears  difquiet  thee,  wants  perplex  thee  ; 
 in  the  day  thou  canlt  not  enjoy  eafe,  in  the  night  thou  canit  not 
 enjoy  fleep  :  thou  doft  not  enjoy  the  comforts  of  thy  liie.  Let 
 this  revive  thee,  that  fhortly  thou  (halt  enjoy  God,  and  then 
 (halt  have  more  than  thou  canit  afk  or  think  ;  thou  lhalt  have 
 
OF  THE  SCRIPTURES.  S3 
 
 angels  joy,  glory  without  intermiffion  and  expiration.      We 
 ihall  never  enjoy  ourlelves  fully,    till  we  enjuy  God  eternally. 
 
 OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 
 
 Q.  II.   WHAT  rule  hath  God  given  to  direcl  us  how  we 
 may  glorify  and  tnjoy  him  ? 
 
 Anf.  The  word  of  God  (which  is  contained  in  the  fcriptures 
 ef  the  Old  and  New  Teftament)  is  the  only  rule  to  direct  us 
 how  we  may  glorify  and  enjoy  him. 
 
 2  Tim.  iii.  16.  ■  All  fcripture  is  given  by  the  infpiration  of 
 God,'  &c.  By  fcripture  is  underftood  the  lacred  book  of  God. 
 — It  is  given  by  divine  infpiration  ;  that  is,  the  fcripture  is  not 
 the  contrivance  of  man's  brain,  but  of  a  divine  original.  The 
 image  of  Diana  was  had  in  veneration  by  the  Ephefians,  be- 
 caufe they  did  fuppofe  it  fell  from  Jupiter,  Actsxix.  35.  This 
 book  then  of  the  hojy  fcripture  is  to  be  highly  reverenced  and 
 efteemed,  becaufe  we  are  fure  it  came  from  heaven,  2  Pet.  i. 
 21.  The  two  Teftaments  are  the  two  lips  by  which  God  hath 
 fpoken  to  us. 
 
 Q.  How  doth  it  appear  that  the  fcriptures  have  a  Jus  Divinum, 
 a  divine  authority  Jiamped  upon  them? 
 
 Anf.  Becaufe  the  Old  and  New  Teftament  are  the  foundation 
 of  all  religion.  If  their  divinity  cannot  be  proved,  the  founda- 
 tion is  gone  on  which  we  build  our  faith.  I  fliall  therefore  en- 
 deavour to  evince  this  great  truth,  that  the  lcriptures  are  the 
 very  word  of  God.  I  wonder  whence  the  lcriptures  lhould 
 come,  if  not  from  God.  1.  And  bad  men  could  not  be  the 
 authors  of  fcripture  ;  would  their  minds  be  employed  in  indict- 
 ing fuch  holy  lines?  would  they  declare  lb  fiercely  againli  fiu  ? 
 2.  Good  men  could  not  be  the  authors  of  fcripture.  Could  they 
 write  in  fuch  a  drain  ?  or  could  it  Hand  with  their  grace  to  coun- 
 terfeit God's  name,  and  put,  Thus  faith  the  Lord,  to  a  book  of 
 their  own  deviling  ?  3.  Nor  could  any  angel  in  heaven  be  the 
 author  of  fcripture,  becaufe,  1.  The  angels  pry  and  fearch  into 
 the  abyfs  of  gofpel  myfteries,  1  Pet.  i.  12.  which  implies  their 
 nefcience  of  fome  parts  of  fcripture ;  and  lure  they  cannot  be 
 authors  of  that  book  which  themfelves  do  not  fully  underlfcmd. 
 Befides,  2.  What  angel  in  heaven  durft  be  fo  arrogant  as  to 
 perfonate  God,  and  fay,  ■  I  create,'  Ifa.  Ixv.  17.  and  ■  I  the 
 Lord  have  faid  it?'  Numb.  xiv.  35.  So  that  it  is  evident,  the 
 pedigree  of  fcripture  is  lacred,  and  itcould  come  from  none  but 
 God  himfelf. 
 
 Not  to  fpeak  of  the  harmonious  confent  of  all  the  parts  of 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  1.  E 
 
34  OF  THE  SCRlPTUftES. 
 
 fcripture,  there  are  feven  cogent  arguments  which  may  evince 
 it  to  be  the  word  of  God. 
 
 1.  By  its  antiquity:  It  is  of  ancient  ftanding.  The  grey 
 hairs  of  fcripture  make  it  venerable.  No  human  hiftories  ex- 
 tant reach  further  than  fince  Noah's  flood  ;  but  the  holy  fcrip- 
 ture relates  matters  of  fa6l  that  have  been  from  the  beginning  of 
 the  world  ;  it  writes  of  things  before  time.  Now,  that  is  a  fure 
 rule  of  Tertullian,  ■•  That  which  is  of  the  greateft  antiquity, 
 id  verum  quod  primum,  is  to  be  received  as  moil  facred  and 
 authentic.0 
 
 2.  We  may  know  the  fcriptures  to  be  the  word  of  God,  by 
 the  miraculous  prefervation  of  it  in  all  ages.  The  holy  fcrip- 
 tures are  the  richeft  jewel  that  Chrift  hath  left ;  and  the  church 
 of  God  hath  keptthefe  public  records  of  heaven,  that  they  have 
 not  been  loft.  The  word  of  God  hath  never  wanted  enemies 
 to  oppofe,  and,  if  poffible,  to  extirpate  it.  They  have  given 
 out  a  law  concerning  fcripture,  as  Pharaoh  did  the  mid  wives 
 concerning  the  Hebrew  women's  children,  to  ftrangle  it  in  the 
 birth ;  yet  God  hath  preferved  this  bleifed  book  inviolable  to 
 this  day.  The  devil  and  his  agents  have  been  blowing  at  fcrip- 
 ture-light,  but  could  never  prevail  to  blow  it  out;  a  clear  fign 
 that  it  was  lighted  from  heaven.  Nor  hath  the  church  of  God, 
 in  all  revolutions  and  changes,  only  kept  the  fcripture  that  it 
 fhould  not  be  loft,  but  that  it  fhould  not  be  depraved.  The 
 letter  of  fcripture  hath  been  preferved,  without  any  corruption, 
 in  the  original  tongue.  The  fcriptures  were  not  corrupted  be- 
 fore Chrift's  time,  for  then  Chrift  would  never  have  fent  the 
 Jews  to  the  fcriptures ;  but  he  fends  them  to  the  fcriptures, 
 John  v.  39.  ■'  Search  the  fcriptures.'  Chrift  knew  thefe facred 
 fprings  were  not  muddied  with  human  fancies. 
 
 4.  The  fcripture  appears  to  be  the  word  of  God,  by  the 
 matter  contained  in  it.  (I.)  By  its  profundity.  The  myftery 
 of  fcripture  is  fo  abftrufe  and  profound,  that  no  manor  angel 
 could  have  known  it,  had  it  not  been  divinely  revealed.  That 
 eternity  fhould  be  born  ;  that  he  who  thunders  in  the  heavens 
 Jhould  cry  in  the  cradle  ;  that  he  who  rules  the  ftars,  fhoHld  fuck 
 the  breafts  ;  that  the  Prince  of  life  fhould  die  ;  that  the  Lord  of 
 glory  fhould  be  put  to  fhame ;  that  fin  fhould  be  punifhed  to 
 the  full,  yet  pardoned  to  the  full ;  who  could  ever  have  con- 
 ceived of  fuch  a  myftery,  had  not  the  fcripture  been  the  oracle 
 to  reveal  it  to  us?  So,  for  the  doctrine  of  the  refurre&ion,  that 
 the  fame  body  which  is  crumbled  into  a  thoufand  pieces,  fhould 
 rife  idem  numero,  the  fame  individual  body,  (for  elfe  it  were  a 
 creation,  not  a  refurrection.)  How  could  fuch  a  facred  riddle, 
 above  all  human  difquifition,  be  known,  had  not  the  fcripture 
 made  adifcovery  of  it?  (2.)  By  its  purity.  It  is,  for  the  mat- 
 ter of  it,  fo  full  of  goodnefs,  jultice  and  fan&ity,  that  it  could  be 
 
OF  THE  SCRIPTVBE8.  35 
 
 breathed  from  none  but  from  God  ;   the  holinefs  of  it  fliews  it 
 
 to  be  of  God,  it  bears  his  very  in  1  he  fcripture  is  com- 
 
 pared  to  filver  refined  leven  times,   Pial.  xii.  0.     This  book  of 
 
 God  hath  no  errata  in  it :   it  is  a  beam  of  the  Sun  of  Kighteoul- 
 
 nels,  a  crythl  (tream  flowing  from    the   fountain  of  life.     All 
 
 Jaws  and  edicts  of  nun  have  had  their  corruptions,  but  the  word 
 
 of  God  hath  not  the  lead  tincture,  it  is  of  a  meridian  fplendor, 
 
 Pial.  cxix.  140.   '  Thy  word  is  very  pure,'  like  wine  that  comes 
 
 from  the  grape,    which  is  not  mixed  nor  adulterated.     It  ii  i'o 
 
 pure,  that  it  purifies  everything  elle,  John  xvii.  17.   *  Sanctify 
 
 them  through  thy  truth.'     The  ienpture  prell'eth   holinefs,  lb 
 
 as  never  any  book  did  :   it  bids  us  '  live  lbberly,    righteoufly, 
 
 godly,'  Tit.  ii.  12.    Soberly,  in  a£ts  of  temperance;  righteoufly, 
 
 in  acts  of  jultice  ;   godly,  in  the  a6ts  of  zeal  aud  devotion.     It 
 
 commends  to  us,   *  whatever  is  juft,  lovely,  and  of  good  report,' 
 
 rhil.  iv.  8.     This  (word  of  the  Spirit,  Eph.  vi.  17.  cuts  down 
 
 vice.     Out  of  this  tower  of  fcripture  is  thrown  down  a  milftone 
 
 upon  the  head  of  fin.     The  lcripture  is  the  royal  law,  which 
 
 commands   not  only   the  actions,    but  attentions ;   it  binds  the 
 
 heart  to  its  good  behaviour.     Where  is  there  fuch  holinefs  to  be 
 
 found,  as  is  digged  out  of  this  facred  mine  ?  who  could  be  the 
 
 author  of  fuch  a  book  but  God  himfelf  ? 
 
 4.  That  the  fcripture  is  the  word  of  God,  is  evident  by  its 
 predictions  ;  it  propheheth  of  things  to  come.  This  (hows  the 
 voice  of  God  fpeaking  in  it ;  it  was  foretold  by  the  prophet, 
 *  A  virgin  mall  conceive,'  Ilk.  vii.  14.  and,  the  '  Mefliah  (hall 
 be  cut  off,'  Dan.  ix.  20*.  The  fcripture  foretels  things  that 
 mould  fall  out  many  ages  and  centuries  after  ;  as  how  long  Ifrael 
 fhould  ferve  in  the  iron  furnace,  and  the  very  day  of  their  de- 
 liverauce,  Exod.  xii.  41.  *  At  the  end  of  the  four  hundred  and 
 thirty  years,  even  the  felf-fkme  day,  it  came  to  pafs,  that  the 
 holt  of  the  Lord  went  out  of  Egypt.'  This  prediction  of  future 
 things,  merely  contingent,  and  not  depending  upon  natural 
 caufes,  is  a  clear  demonftration  of  its  divine  original. 
 
 5.  The  impartiality  of  thofe  men  of  God,  who  wrote  the 
 fcriptures;  they  do  not  fpare  to  let  down  their  own  failings. 
 Wiiat  man  that  writes  an  hiliory,  would  black  bis  own  lace, 
 viz.  record  thofe  things  of  himielf,  that  might  (lain  his  reputa- 
 tion ;  Moles  records  his  own  impatience  when  he  (truck  the 
 rock,  and  tells  us,  therefore  he  could  not  enter  into  the  land  of 
 promiie.  David  writes  of  his  own  adulLery  and  bloodfhed, 
 which  ftands  as  a  blot  in  his  fcutcheon  to  fucceeding  ages, 
 Peter  relates  his  own  pufillanimity  in  denying  Chriit.  Jonah 
 fets  down  his  own  pafiions,  *  I  do  well  to  be  angry  to  the  death.' 
 Surely,  had  uot  their  pen  been  guided  by  God's  own  hand,  they 
 would  never  have  written  that  which  did  reflect  di  (honour  upon 
 theuifelvcs.      Men  do  uiuallv  rather  hide  their  Uleuiilh.es,  than 
 
 ES 
 
36  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 
 
 publifh  them  to  the  world  :  but  thefe  penmen  of  holy  fcripture 
 ecliple  their  own  name  ;  they  take  away  all  the  glory  from  them- 
 felves,  and  give  the  glory  to  God. 
 
 6.  The  mighty  power  and  efficacy  the  word  hath  had  upon 
 the  fouls  and  confciences  of  men.     (1.)   It  hath  changed  their 
 hearts.      (2.)  Some  by  reading  of  fcripture  have  been  turned 
 into  other  men,  they  have  been  made  holy  and  gracious.     By 
 reading  other  books  the  heart  may  be  warmed,  but  by  reading 
 this  book  it  is  transformed,  2  Cor.  iii.  3.   ■  Ye  are  manifeftly 
 declared  to  be  the  epiftle  of  Chrift,   written  not  with  ink,  but 
 with  the  Spirit  of  the  living  God.'     The  word  was  copied  out 
 into  their  hearts,  and  they  were  become  ChriiVs  epiltle,  fo  that 
 others  might  read  Chrilt,  in  them.     If  you  fhould  let  afeal  upon 
 marble,  and  it  fhould  make  an  impreilion  upon  the  marble,  and 
 leave  a  print  behind,  there  were  a  itrange  virtue  in  that  feal : 
 fo,  when  the  feal  of  the  word  leaves  a  heavenly  print  of  grace 
 upon  the  heart,  there  mull;  needs  be  a  power  going  along  with 
 that  word  no  lefs  than  divine.     (<2.)  It  hath  comforted  their 
 hearts.     When  Chriftians  have  fitten  by  the  rivers  weeping,  the 
 word  hath  dropped  as  honey,   and  fweetly  revived  them.     A 
 Chriftian's  chief  comfort  is  drawn  out  of  thefe  wells  of  falvation ; 
 Rom.  xv.  4.   '  That  we  thro*   comfort  of  the  fcriptures  might 
 have  hope.'     When  a  poor  foul  hath  been  ready  to  faint,   he 
 hath  had  nothing  to  comfort  him  but  a  fcripture  cordial.     When 
 he  hath  been  fick,  the  word  hath  revived  him ;  2  Cor.  iv.  17. 
 '  Our  light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh  for 
 us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory.'     When 
 he  hath  been  deferted,  the  word  hath  dropped  in  the  golden  oil 
 of  joy  into  his  heart,  Lam.  iii.  31.     ■  The  Lord  will  not  caft 
 off  for  ever.'     He  may  change  his  providence,  not  his  purpofe ; 
 he  may  have  the  look  of  an  enemy,  but  the  heart  of  a  father. 
 Thus  the  word  hath  a  power  in  it  to  comfort  the  heart;  Pfal. 
 cxix.  50.  ■  This  is  my  comfort  in  mine  affliction  ;  for  thy  word 
 hath  quickened  me.'     As  the  fpirits  are  conveyed  through  the 
 arteries  of  the  body  ;  fo  divine  comforts  are  conveyed  through 
 the  promifes  of  the  word.     Now  the  fcriptures  having  fuch  an 
 exhilarating  heart- comforting  power  in  them,  it  fhows  clearly, 
 that  they  are  of  God,  and  it  is  he  that  hath  put  this  milk  of  con- 
 ization into  thefe  breafts. 
 
 7.  The  great  miracles  wherewith  the  Lord  hath  confirmed 
 fcripture.  Miracles  were  ufed  by  Moles,  Elijah,  Chrift,  and 
 continued  many  years  after  by  theapoftles,  to  confirm  the  verity 
 of  the  holy  fcripture?.  As  props  are  let  under  weak  vines,  fo 
 thefe  miracles  were  fet  under  the  weak  faith  of  men,  that  if  they 
 would  not  believe  the  writings  of  the  word,  yet  they  might  be- 
 lieve the  miracles.  We  read  of  God's  dividing  the  waters, 
 making  a  caufeway  in  the  fea  for  his  people  to  go  over,  the  iron 
 
OF  THE  SCRIPTURES.  37 
 
 fwimming,  the  oil  increafing  by  pouring  out,  Chritt's  making 
 wine  of  water,  his  curing  the  Mind,  and  railing  the  dead  :  thus 
 God  hath  let  a  leal  to  the  truth  and  divinity  oi  the  Icripture  by 
 miracles. 
 
 Object.  The  Papijis  indeed  cannot  demj  but  that  the  fcripture 
 is  divine  and  j acred ;  but  they  affirm,  that  quoad  noe,  with  re* 
 fpe6l  to  us,  it  receives  its  divine  authority  from  the  church ,  and  they 
 bring  that  fcripture,  I  Tim.  iii.  15.  where  the  church  is  J aid  to 
 be  the  ground  and  pillar  of  truth. 
 
 Anf.  It  is  true,  the  church  is  the  pillar  of  truth  ;  but  it  doth 
 not  therefore  follow,  that  the  icripture  hath  its  authority  from 
 the  church.  The  king's  proclamation  is  fixed  on  a  pillar,  the 
 pillar  holds  it  out,  that  all  may  read,  but  the  proclamation  doth 
 not  receive  its  authority  from  the  pillar,  but  from  the  king ;  (6 
 the  church  holds  forth  the  fcripture* ,  but  they  do  not  receive 
 their  authority  from  the  church,  but  from  God.  If  the  word 
 of  God  fhould  be  divine  becaule  the  church  holds  it  forth,  then 
 it  will  follow,  that  our  faith  is  to  be  built  upon  the  church,  and 
 not  upon  the  word  ;  contrary  to  that,  Kph.  ik  SO.  *  Built 
 upon  the  foundation  (that  is  the  doctrine)  of  the  apofiles  and 
 prophet-  . 
 
 Qu.  Are  all  the  books  in  the  Bible  of  the  fame  divine  crw- 
 thoritij  ? 
 
 Anf  Thofe  which  we  call  canonical. 
 
 Qu.    Why  are  the  fcriptures  called  canonical? 
 
 Anf.  Becaute  the  word  is  a  rule  of  faith,  a  canon  to  direct  our 
 lives.  The  word  is  the  judge  of  controverfies,  the  rock  of  in- 
 fallibility ;  that  only  is  to  be  received  for  truth,  which  is  con- 
 fonant  to,  and  agrees  with  fcripture,  as  the  tranfeript  with  the 
 original.  All  maxims  in  divinity  are  to  be  brought  to  the  touch- 
 itone  of  fcripture,  as  all  meafures  are  brought  to  the  (tandard. 
 
 Qu.   Are  the  fcriptures  a  complete  rule  9 
 
 Anf  The  Icripture  is  a  full  and  perfect  canon,  containing  in 
 it  all  things  necellary  to  i'alvation,  c2  Tim.  iii.  to.  'From  a 
 child  thou  halt  known  the  holy  fcriptures,  which  are  able  to 
 make  thee  wife  unto  falvation.'  It  Ihews  the  Credenda,  what 
 we  are  to  believe;  and  Agenda,  what  we  are  to  praciife.  It 
 gives  us  an  exact  model  ot  religion,  and  perfectly  internets  us  in 
 the  deep  things  of  God.  The  Papifts  therefore  make  them- 
 ielves  guilty,  who  go  to  feek  out  fcripture  with  their  traditions, 
 to  which  they  equallize  it.  The  council  of  Trent  faith,  That 
 the  traditions  ot  the  church  of  Rome  are  to  be  received  pari 
 pielatus  affeftn,  with  the  tame  devotion  that  fcripture  is  to  be 
 received  with  ;  fo  bring  themfelves  under  that  curie,  Rev.  xxii. 
 18.  ■  If  any  man  mall  add  unto  thele  things,  God  ihall  add 
 unto  him  the  plagues  that  are  written  m  this  book.' 
 
 Q.    What  is  the  main  fcope  and  end  ofjeriptun  - 
 
33  OF  THE  SGRIPTUBES* 
 
 Anf.  To  chalk  out  a  way  to  falvation.  It  makes  a  clear  dis- 
 covery of  Chi  ill,  John  xx,  ol.  ■  Thefe  things  are  written,  that 
 ye  might  believe  that  Jefus  is  the  Chrift,  and  that  believing  ye 
 might  have  life  through  his  uame.'  The  defign  of  the  word  is 
 to  be  an  examine,  whereby  our  grace  is  to  be  tried  ;  a  fea-mark 
 to  (how  us  what  rocks  we  are  to  avoid.  The  word  is  to  iublw 
 mate  and  quicken  our  affections  :  it  is  to  be  our  directory  and 
 coniblatory  ;  it  is  to  waft  us  over  to  the  land  of  promife. 
 
 Q.    Who  (hall  have  the  power  of  interpreting  fcriptnres  ? 
 
 The  Papilts  do  aflVrt,  that  it  is  in  the  power  of  the  church. 
 If  you  afk  who  they  mean  by  the  church,  they  lay,  the  Pope 
 who  is  head  of  it,  and  he  is  infallible  ;  fo  Bellarmine.  But  that 
 aifertion  is  falfe,  becaufe  many  of  the  Popes  have  been  ignorant 
 and  vicious,  as  Platina  affirms,  who  writes  of  the  lives  of  Popes : 
 Pope  Liberius  was  an  Aiian,  and  Pope  John  XII.  denied  the 
 immortality  of  the  foul ;  therefore  Popes  are  not  fit  interpreters 
 of  fcripture  :  who  then  ? 
 
 Anf.  The  fcripture  is  to  be  its  own  interpreter,  or  rather  the 
 Spirit  fpeaking  in  it ;  nothing  can  cut  the  diamond  but  the 
 diamond;  nothing  can  interpret  fcripture,  but  fcripture;  the 
 fun  beft  difcovers  itfelf  by  its  own  beams  ;  the  fcripture  inter- 
 prets itfelf  in  eafy  places  to  the  underftanding.  But  the  ques- 
 tion is  concerning  hard  places  of  fcripture,  where  the  weak 
 Chriftian  is  ready  to  wade  beyond  his  depth,  who  mall  interpret 
 here? 
 
 Anf  In  the  church,  God  hath  appointed  fome  to  expound 
 and  interpret  fcripture  ;  therefore  he  hath  given  gifts  to  men  ; 
 the  feveral  pallors  of  churches,  like  bright  conftellations,  give 
 light  to  dark  fcriptures,  Mai.  ii.  7.  '  The  prieits  lips  (hould 
 keep  knowledge,  and  they  fhould  feek  the  law  at  his  mouth.* 
 
 Q.  But  this  is  to  pin  our  faith  upon  men  ? 
 
 Anf  We  are  to  receive  nothing  for  current  but  what  is  agree- 
 able to  the  word ;  as  God  hath  given  to  his  minillers  gifts  for 
 the  interpreting  obfcure  places,  fo  be  hath  given  to  his  people 
 fo  much  of  the  fpirit  of  decerning,  that  they  can  tell  (at  lealt  in 
 things  neceffary  to  falvation)  what  is  conionant  to  fcripture, 
 and  what  is  not ;  1  Cor.  xii.  10.  •  To  one  is  given  a  fpirit  of 
 prophecy,  to  another  difcerning  of  fpirits  :*  God  hath  endued  his 
 people  with  fuch  a  meaiure  of  wifdom  and  difcretion,  that  they 
 can  difcern  between  truth  and  error,  and  judge  what  is  found, 
 and  what  is  fpurious,  Ads  xvii.  11.  *  The  Bereans  fearched 
 the  fcriptures  daily,  whether  thole  things  were  {o :'  They 
 weighed  the  doctrine  they  heard,  whether  it  was  agreeable  to 
 fcripture,  though  Paul  and  Silas  were  their  teachers,  c2  Tim. 
 iii.  16. 
 
 Ul'e  I.  See  the  wonderful  goodivefs  of  God,  who,  befides  the 
 light  of  nature,  hath  committed  to  us  the  facred  fcriptures. 
 
of  rm  icmirYtrmflB.  30 
 
 The  heathens  arc  inveloped  with  ignorance,  Pfal.  clxvii.  20. 
 4  V>  f<»r  hit  judgment*  they  havr  not  known  them.'  They  have 
 the  oracles  of  the  Sybils,  but  not  the  writing  ot"  Mofesand  the 
 apoltles.  How  many  live  in  tlie  region  of  death,  wheiv  this 
 bright  Ibir  of  fcripture  never  appeared  !  We  have  this  b 
 book  of  God  to  relblve  all  our  (ales,  to  chalk  out  a  way  of  lite 
 to  us.  John  xiv.  iJ,\  *  Lord,  how  is  it  thou  wilt  inanifeft  thy- 
 felf  unto  us,  and  not  unto  the  world  ?' 
 
 (l2.)  Seeing  God  hath  given  us  his  written  word  to  he  our  di- 
 rectory, this  takes  away  all  excufes  from  men.  No  man  can 
 fay,  1  went  wrong  tor  want  of  a  lighl  ;  no,  God  hath  i^ivrn  thee 
 his  word  as  a  lamp  to  thy  feet;  therefore  now,  it  thou  goetl 
 wrong,  thou  doll  it  wilfully.  No  man  can  fay,  If  I  had  known 
 the  will  of  God,  I  would  have  obeyed  ;   no,  thou  art  inexcufable, 
 
 0  man,  God  hath  given  thee  a  rule  to  go  by,  he  hath  written 
 his  law  with  his  own  tinker;  therefore  now,  if  thou  obeyeft  not, 
 thou  hall  no  apology  left,  if  a  mailer  leaves  his  mind  in  writ- 
 ing with  his  fervant,  and  tells  him  what  work  he  will  have  done, 
 yet  the  fervant  negledts  the  work,  that  fervant  is  left  without 
 excufe,  John  xv.  *>2.  *  Now  you  have  no  cloke  for  your  fins.' 
 
 (J/e  *£.  Is  all  fcripture  ofdivine  infpiration  ?  is  it  a  book  made 
 by  God  him  ft  If?  Then  this  reproves,  I.  The  Papifts,  who  take 
 away  part  of  lcripture,  and  fo  clip  the  King  of  heaven's  coin  ; 
 they  expunge  the  fecond  commandment,  out  of  their  catechifms, 
 becaufe  it  makes  againlt  images  :  it  is  ulual  with  them,  If  they 
 meet  with  any  thing  in  fcripture  which  they  diflike,  either  they 
 put  a  falfe  glofs  upon  it,  or,  if  that  will  not  do,  pretend  it  is 
 corrupted  ;  tliefe  are  like  Ananias,  who  kept  back  part  of  (he 
 money,  Acts  v.  2.  fo  they  keep  back  part  of  the  fcripture  from 
 the  people.  This  is  an  high  affront  to  God,  to  deface  and  ob- 
 literate any  part  of  his  word:  by  this  they  bring  themfelves 
 under  that  premunire,  Rev.  xxii.  y.  ■  It  any  man  fhall  take 
 away  from  the  words  of  the  book  of  this  prophecy,  God  fhall 
 take  away  his  part  out  of  the  book  of  iife.'  Is  all  fcripture  of 
 divine  inlpiration  ?  2.  It  condemns  the  Antinomians,  that  lay 
 afide  the  Old  Tetlament  as  ufelels,  and  out  of  date;  they  call 
 them  Old-Teftament  Chriilians:  God  hath  Ham  peri  a  divine 
 majt  fty  upon  both  Teftaments  ;  and  till  they  can  fhew  me  where 
 
 1  hath  given  a  repeal  to  the  Old,  it  ftands  in  force.  The 
 two  Teftaments  are  the  two  wells  offalvation;  the  Antino- 
 mians would  lh>p  up  one  ot  thefe  wells,  they  would  dry  up  one 
 of  the  breafts  of  fcripture.     'Flu-re  is  much  golpel   in   the  Old 
 
 i  w  nt ;   the  comforts  of  the  gofpel  in  the  New  Teftamtnt 
 
 have  their  i  a  the  Old.     The  irreat  promile  of  the  MelTiah 
 
 is  in  the  Ok!  i  cftament,  •  A  virgin  (hall  conceive  and  bear  a 
 fon  :' — Nay,  I  lay  more,  the  moral  law,  in  tome  parts  of  it, 
 fpeaks  gofpel,  *  l  am  the  Lord  thy  God  ;*  here  is  the  pure  wine 
 
40  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 
 
 of  the  gofpel.  The  faint's  great  charter,  where  God  promifeth 
 to  *  fprinkle  clean  water  upon  them,  and  put  his  Spirit  within 
 them,'  is  to  be  found  primarily  in  the  Old  Teftament,  Ezek. 
 xxxvi.25,  2b\  So  that  they  who  take  away  the  Old  Telta- 
 ment,  do,  as  Samfon,  pull  down  the  pillars,  they  would  take 
 away  the  pillars  of  a  Chritlian's  comfort.  3.  It  condemns  the 
 En thu flails,  who,  pretending  the  Spirit,  lay  afide  the  whole 
 Bible  ;  they  fay  the  fcripture  is  a  dead  letter  and  they  live  above 
 it.  What  imprudence  is  this  ?  Till  we  are  above  fin,  we  fhall 
 not  be  above  fcripture.  Let  not  men  talk  of  a  revelation  from 
 the  Spirit,  fufpeci  it  to  be  an  impoilure  ;  the  Spirit  of  God  a6ts 
 regularly,  it  works  in  and  by  the  word  ;  and  he  that  pretends 
 to  a  new  light,  which  is  either  above  the  word,  or  contrary  to  it, 
 abuleth  both  himfelf  and  the  Spirit :  his  light  is  borrowed  from 
 him  who  transforms  himfelf  into  an  angel  of  light.  4.  It  con- 
 demns the  flighters  of  fcripture:  fuch  are  they,  who  can  go 
 whole  weeks  and  months  and  never  read  the  word.  They  lay 
 it  afide  as  rufty  armour ;  they  prefer  a  play  or  romance  before 
 fcripture,  the  magnalia  legis  are  to  them  minutula.  O  how 
 many  can  be  looking  their  faces  in  a  glafs  all  the  morning,  but 
 their  eyes  begin  to  be  fore,  when  they  look  upon  a  Bible!  hea- 
 thens die  in  the  want  of  fcripture,  and  thefein  the  contempt  of 
 it.  They  furely  mud  needs  go  wrong  who  flight  their  guide  ; 
 fuch  as  lay  the  reins  upon  the  neck  of  their  lulls,  and  never  ufe 
 the  curbing  bit  of  fcripture  to  check  them,  are  carried  to  hell, 
 and  never  flop.  5.  It  condemns  the  abulers  of  fcripture  :  (1.) 
 Who  do  mud  and  poifon  this  pure  cryftal  fountain  with  their 
 corrupt  gloffes  ;  who  wreft  fcripture,  2  Pet.  iii.  16.  The  Greek 
 word  is,  they  let  it  upon  the  rack  ;  they  give  wrong  interpreta- 
 tions of  it,  not  comparing  fcripture  with  lcripture :  as  the  An- 
 tinomians  pervert  that  fcripture,  Numb,  xxiii.  21.  •  He  hath 
 not  beheld  iniquity  in  Jacob;'  hence  they  infer,  God's  people 
 may  take  liberty  in  fin,  becaufe  God  fees  no  fin  in  them.  It  is 
 true,  God  fees  no  fin  in  his  people  with  an  eye  of  revenge,  but 
 he  fees  it  with  an  oblervation.  He  fees  not  fin  in  them,  fo  as 
 to  damn  them  ;  but  he  fees  it,  fo  as  to  be  angry,  and  feverely  to 
 punifh  them.  Did  not  David  find  it  fo2  when  he  cried  out  of 
 his  broken  bones  ?  In  like  manner  the  A  rminians  wreft  fcripture, 
 John  v.  40.  ■  Ye  will  not  come  to  me  ;'  here  they  bring  in  free 
 will.  This  text  fhows  1.  How  willing  God  is  that  we  fhould 
 have  life  ;  2.  That  finners  may  do  no  more  than  they  do  ;  they 
 may  improve  the  talents  God  hath  given  them  :  but  it  doth  not 
 prove  the  power  of  free-will,  for  it  is  contrary  to  that  lcripture, 
 John  vi.  44.  ■  No  man  can  come  to  me,  except  the  Father 
 which  hath  lent  me  draw  him.'  Thefe  therefore  writing  the 
 text  fo  hard,  as  they  make  the  blood  come  ;  they  do  not  com- 
 pare lcripture  with  lcripture.     (2.)  Who  do  jell  with  fcripture  ? 
 
OF  THE  SCRIPTURES.  41 
 
 When   they  are  fad,   tin  \  \\w  fcripture  as  tlieir  lute  or 
 
 minltrel  to  play  with,  and  fo  drive  away  the  lad  fpirit  ;  as  that 
 drunkard  I  have  read  of,  who,  bating  drunk  oH'hi>cups,  called 
 to  tome  of  his  fellows,  G.ve  ns  of  your  oil.  lor  our  lamps  are 
 gone  out.  In  the  fear  of  God,  tnlct  hr«d  of  this.  h.ut<  bius  tells 
 us  of  one,  who  took  a  piece  of  lenplure  to  make  a  jell  of,  who 
 tH  prefently  ft  ruck  with  a  frenzy  and  ran  mad.  And,  it  is  a 
 faying  of  Luther,  Quos  Dens  vult  perdere,  &c.  M  Whom 
 God  intends  to  dellroy,  he  gives  them  leave  to  play  with  fcrip- 
 ture." 
 
 I  I.  Of  exhortation.  If  the  fcripture  be  of  divine  in- 
 fpiration,  then  be  exhorted,  1.  To  lludy  the  fcripture;  it  is  a 
 copy  of  God's  will  :  be  fcripture-men,  Bible-ehriliians.  M  I 
 adore  the  fulnefs  of  Icripture,"  faith  rrertullian.  In  the  book 
 of  God  are  Icattered  many  truths  as  to  many  pearls,  John  v. 
 .So.  '  Search  the  fcriptures  i  Search  as  for  a  vein  of  lilver  :  this 
 blelfed  book  will  fill  your  head  with  knowledge,  and  your  heart 
 with  grace.  God  wrote  the  two  tables  with  his  own  fingers; 
 and  if  God  took  pains  to  write,  well  may  we  take  pains  to  read. 
 Appollos  was  mighty  in  the  fcriptures,  Acts  xviii.  24.  The 
 word  is  our  magna  chart*  for  heaven;  fliall  we  be  ignorant  of  our 
 charter ;  Col.  iii.  If).  c  Let  the  word  of  God  dwell  in  you  rich- 
 ly.' The  memory  mull  be  a  table-book  where  the  word  is  writ- 
 ten. To  make  us  read  the  word,  con fider,  I.  There  is  majefty 
 fparkling  in  every  line  of  fcripture  :  take  but  one  inltance,  Ifa. 
 Ixiii.  I.  '  Who  is  this  that  cometh  from  Edom,  with  dyed  gar- 
 ments from  Bozrah  ?  This  that  is  glorious  in  his  apparel,  tra- 
 velling in  the  greatnefs  of  his  ftrength  ?  I  that  fpeak  in  righte- 
 oulhefs,  mighty  to  lave.'  Behold  here  a  lofty  magnificent  if  vie  ? 
 What  angel  could  fpeak  after  this  manner?  Junius  was  con- 
 verted by  reading  one  verfe  of  John  :  he  beheld  a  maj<  itv  in  it 
 beyond  all  human  rhetoric.  £.  There  is  a  melody  in  fcripture. 
 This  is  that  bleifed  harp  which  drives  away  fadnels  of  fpirit  : 
 hear  the  ibunding  of  this  harp  a  little,  1  Tim.  i.  15.  '  This  is 
 a  faithful  laving,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Chi  ill  Jefus 
 came  into  the  world  to  lave  tinners  ;'  he  took  not  only  our  flefh 
 U|x>n  him  but  our  fins.  And  Mat.  xi.  28.  *  Come  unto  me, 
 all  ye  that  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  reft.'  How 
 fweetly  doth  this  harp  of  fcripture  found,  what  heavenly  mu- 
 (ic  doth  it  make  in  the  ears  ofa  diilreifed  linner,  efpecially  when 
 the  linger  of  God's  Spirit  toucheth  upon  this  inltrument?  3. 
 There  in  divinity  in  fcripture.  It  contains  the  marrow  and 
 quintelfence  of  religion  :  The  fcripture  is  a  rock  of  diamonds, 
 a  myftery  of  piety  ;  the  lips  of  icripture  have  grace  poured  into 
 them.  The  Icripture  fpeaks  of  faith,  felf-denul,  and  all  the 
 graces,  which,  asachaiu  of  pearl  adorn  a  Chriftian.  The  fcrip- 
 ture excites  to  holiness,  it  treats  of  another  world,  it  gives  a 
 Vol.  I.  No.  1.  F 
 
43  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 
 
 profpect  of  eternity  :  Oh  then  fearch  the  fcripture!  make  rM 
 word  familiar  to  yon.  Had  I  the  tongue  of  angels,  I  could  not 
 futhViently  fet  forth  I  he  excellency  of  fcripture  :  it  is  a  f pi  ritual 
 optic- glafs,  in  which  we  behold  God's  glory  :  it  is  the  tree  of 
 life,  the  oracle  of  wifdom,  the  rule  of  manners,  the  heavenly 
 feed  of  which  the  new  creature  is  formed,  James  i.  18.  "  The 
 two  Teltaments  (faith  Auttin)  are  the  two  breafts  which  every 
 Chriitian  mutt  fuck,  that  he  may  get  fpirilual  nourifhment.*' 
 The  leaves  of  the  tree  of  life  were  for  healing,  Rev.  xxii.  2.  So 
 thefe  holy  leaves  of  fcripture,  like  thofe  leaves,  are  for  the  heal- 
 ing of  our  fouls.  The  fcripture  is  profitable  for  all  things:  if 
 we  are  deferred,  here  is  fpiced  wine  that  chears  the  heavy  heart ; 
 if  we  are  purfued  by  Satan,  here  is  the  fword  of  the  Spirit  to  re- 
 fill him  :  if  we  are  difeafed  with  fin's  leprofy,  here  are  the  wa- 
 ters of  the  fanctuary,  both  to  cleanfe  and  cine.  Oh  then,  fearch 
 the  iicriptures!  there  is  no  danger  in  tatting  this  tree  of  know- 
 Jedge  :  there  was  a  penalty  laid  at  firft,  that  we  might  not  tafte 
 of  the  tree  of  knowledge,  Gen.  iii.  17-  *  In  the  day  that  thou 
 eatefl  thereof,  thou  (halt  furely  die  :'  but  there  is  no  danger  of 
 plucking  this  tree  of  holy  fcripture  ;  if  we  do  not  eat  of  this  tree 
 of  knowledge,  we  (hall  furely  die  :  oh,  then,  read  the  fcrip- 
 tures! — Time  may  corns,  when  the  fcriptures  may  be  kept 
 from  us. 
 
 Q.  How  fh  on  Id  ice  fo  fearch  the  fcriptures,  as  to  find  life  ? 
 
 Anf  I.  Read  the  Bible  with  reverence  ;  think  every  line  you 
 Tead  God  is  (peaking  to  you.  The  ark  wherein  the  law  was 
 put  was  overlaid  with  pure  gold,  and  was  carried  on  bars,  that 
 the  Levites  might  not  touch  it,  Exod.  xxv.  14.  And  why 
 was  this,  but  to  breed  in  the  people  reverence  to  the  law  ?  2. 
 Read  with  ferioufnefs.  It  is  matter  of  life  and  death  :  by  this 
 word  you  mult  be  tried  ;  conicience  and  fcripture  are  the  jury 
 God  wiJl  proceed  by,  in  judging  of  you.  3.  Read  the  word 
 with  affection.  Get  your  hearts  quickened  with  the  word  ;  go 
 to  it  to  fetch  fire,  Luke  xxiv.  3L2.  •  Did  not  our  hearts  burn 
 within  us?*  Labour  that  the  word  may  not  only  be  a  lamp  to 
 direct,  but  a  fire  to  warm.  Read  the  fcripture,  not  t»nly  as  an 
 hiftory,  but  as  a  love-letter  fent  to  you  from  God,  which  may 
 afteci  your  hearts,  4.  Pray  that  the  fame  Spirit  that  wrote  the 
 word,  may  affift  you  in  the  reading  of  it;  that  God's  Spirit 
 would  (hew  you  the  wonderful  things  of  his  law.  Go  near, 
 faith  God  to  Philip,  'join  thyielfto  this  chariot,'  A6ts  viii.  19. 
 So,  when  God's  Spirit  joins  himfelf  with  this  chariotof  theword, 
 then  it  becomes  effectual. 
 
 c2.  Be  exhorted  to  prize  the  word  written,  Job  xxiii.  12.  Da- 
 vid valued  the  word  more  precious  than  gold.  What  would 
 the  martyrs  have  given  for  a  leaf  of  the  Bible  !  The  word  is 
 the  field  where  Chrift  the  pearl  of  price  is  hid.     In  this  facred 
 
OF  THE  SCRIPTURES.  43 
 
 mhie  we  dig,  not  for  a  wedge  of  gold,  but  a  weight  of  glory. 
 1.  The  fcriptureii  a  tacred  colly  hum,  or  ey&»(alveto  illuminate 
 us.  Prov.  vi.  c2:i.  *  The  commandment  is  a  lamp,  and  the  law 
 is  light.'  The  fcripture  is  the  chart  and  compata  by  which  we 
 Jail  to  the  new  Jemfalem.  The  fcripture  is  a  fov«  reign  cordial 
 in  all  dillreifes.  What  are  the  promiiesbut  the  water  ofljfi  to 
 renew  fainting  fpirits?  Is  it  fin  troubles?  There  is  a  fcriptuuce 
 cordial,  Plal.  Ixv.  &.  ■  Iniquities  prevail  againft  me  :  ;»s  for 
 our  tranfgrellions  thou  (halt  purge  them  away  ;'  or  as  it  is  in 
 the  Hebrew,  *  thou  fhaltcover  them.*  Is  it  outward  afflictions 
 difquiet  thee?  There  is  a  lcriptural-cordial,  Pi',  xci.  lo.  *  I 
 will  be  with  him  in  trouble  ;'  not  only  to  behold,  but  to  uphold. 
 Thus,  as  in  the  ark  was  laid  up  manna,  promifes  are  laid  up 
 as  manna  in  the  ark  of  lcripture.  3.  The  fcripture  will  make 
 us  wife  :  wifdom  is  above  rubies  ;  Plal.  cxix.  104.  ■  By  thy  pre- 
 cepts I  get  underitanding.'  What  made  Eve  fodefire  the  tree 
 of  knowledge?  Gen.  iii.  6.  '  It  was  a  tree  to  make  one  wife.' 
 The  fcriptures  teach  a  man  to  know  himfelf :  they  difcover  Sa- 
 tan's fnares  and  ftratagems,  2  Cor.  ii.  II.  They  make  one  wife 
 to  falvation,'  2  Tim.  iii.  15.  O  then  highly  prize  the  fcrip- 
 tures 1  I  read  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  at  her  coronation,  (he  receiv- 
 ed the  Bible  prefented  to  her,  with  both  her  hands,  and  killing 
 it,  laid  it  to  her  breaft,  laying,  that  that  book  had  ever  been  her 
 chiefeft  delight. 
 
 3.  If  the  fcripture  is  of  divine  infpiration,  believe  the  word. 
 The  Romans,  that  they  might  gain  credit  to  their  laws,  report- 
 ed that  they  were  infpired  by  the  gods  at  Rome.  O  give  cre- 
 dence to  the  word  I  it  is  breathed  from  God's  own  mouth. 
 Hence  arifeth  all  the  profanenefs  of  men,  they  do  not  believe 
 the  fcripture,  If.  liii.  1.  '  Who  hath  believed  our  report?* 
 Did  you  believe  the  glorious  rewards  the  lcripture  fpeaks  of, 
 would  you  not  give  diligence  to  make  your  election  lure?  Did 
 youbelieve  the  infernal  torments  the  lcripture  fpeaks  of,  would 
 not  this  put  you  into  a  cold  fweat,  and  caufe  a  trembling  at  heart 
 for  fin  ?  But  people  are  in  part  Atheilts,  they  give  but  little 
 credit  to  the  word,  therefore  they  are  lb  impious,  and  draw  luch 
 dark  lhadows  in  their  lives.  Learn  to  realize  lcripture,  get  your 
 hearts  wrought  to  a  firm  belief  of  it.  Some  think,  if  God  Ihould 
 fend  an  angel  from  heaven,  and  declare  hi>  mind,  then  they 
 (hould  rather  believe  him,  or  if  he  Ihould  lend  one  Irom  the 
 damned,  and  preach  the  torments  of  hell  all  in  flames,  then  they 
 would  believe.  But  Luke  xvi.  31.  *  If  they  believe  not  Aides 
 and  the  prophets,  neither  will  they  be  perl'uaded  though  one 
 arole  from  the  dead.'  God  is  wife,  and  he  thinks  this  way 
 iitteit  to  make  his  mind  known  to  us  by  writing;  and 
 will  not  be  convinced  by  the  word,  (hall  be  judged  by  the  \ord. 
 The  belief  of  the  fcripture    is  of  high  importance  :    it  is  the  be- 
 
 F  2 
 
44  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 
 
 lief  of  fcripture,  that  will  enable  us  to  refi ft  temptation  ;  1  John 
 ii.  1 1.  ■  7'he  word  of  God  abideth  in  you,  and  ye  have  over- 
 come the  wicked  one.'  It  is  the  belief  of  fcripture  conduceth 
 much  to  our  fancti  fixation  ;  therefore  thefe  two  are  put  toge- 
 ther, fanctification  of  the  Spirit,  and  belief  of  the  truth,  SThcff. 
 ii.  13.  If  the  word  written  be  not  believed,  it  is  like  writing 
 on  the  water,  which  takes  no  im predion. 
 
 4.  Love  the  word  written  :  Pf.  cxix.  P7.  '  O  how  love  I 
 thy  law  !'  «*  Lord  (faith  Auguftine)  let  the  holy  llriptures  be 
 my  chade  delight."  Chryfoftom  compares  the  fcripture  to  a 
 garden  ;  every  truth  is  a  flagrant  flower,  which  we  fhould  wear, 
 not  on   our  bofom,   but  our  heart.      David  tatted   the  word 
 
 •  fweeterthan  honey  and  the  honey-comb,'  Pfal.  xix.  10.  There 
 is  that  in  fcripture  may  breed  delight :  it  (hows  us  the  way  to 
 riches,  Deut.  xxviii.  5.  Prov.  iii.  10.  To  long  life,  Pf.  xxxiv. 
 12.  To  a  kingdom,  Heb.  xii.  28.  Well  then,  may  we  count 
 thofe  the  fweeteft  hours  which  are  fpent  in  reading  the  holy 
 fcriptures  :  well  may  we  lay  with  the  prophet,  Jer.  xv.  l(j. 
 '  Thy  words  were  found,  and' I  did  eat  them;  and  they  were 
 the  joy  and  rejoicing  of  my  heart.' 
 
 5.  Conform  to  fcripture,  let  us  lead  fcripture- lives.  O  that 
 the  Bible  might  be  feen  printed  in  our  lives  !  do  what  the  word 
 commands.  Obedience  is  an  excellent  way  of  commenting 
 upon  the  Bible,  Pfal.  Ixxxvi.  11.  'I  will  walk  in  thy  truth.' 
 Let  the  word  be  the  fun-dial  by  which  you  let  your  life.  What 
 are  we  the  better  for  having  the  fcripture,  if  we  do  not  direct 
 all  our  fpeeches  and  actions  according  to  it  ?  What  is  a  carpen- 
 ter the  better  to  have  his  rule  about  him,  if  he  fticks  it  at  his 
 back,  and  never  makes  ufe  of  it  for  the  meafuring  and  fquaring 
 his  work  ?  So,  what  are  we  the  better  for  the  rule  of  the  word, 
 if  we  do  not  make  ufe  of  it,  and  regulate  our  lives  by  it  ?  How 
 many  fvverve  and  deviate  from  the  rule  ?  The  word  teacheth  to 
 be  fober  and  temperate,  but  they  are  drunk;  to  be  chade  and 
 holy,  but  they  are  profane  ;  they  go  quite  from  the  rule.  What 
 a  dishonour  is  this  to  religion,  for  men  to  live  in  contradiction  to 
 fcripture !  The  word  is  called  a  *  light  to  our  feet.'  Pf.  cxix. 
 105.  It  is  not  only  a  light  to  our  eyes  to  mend  our  fight,  but  to 
 our  feet  to  mend  our  walk.     O  let  us  lead  Bible  conventions. 
 
 6.  Contend  for  fcripture.  Though  we  fhould  not  be  of  con- 
 tentious fpirits,  yet  we  ought  to  contend  for  the  word  of  God  ; 
 this  jewel  is  too  precious  to  be  parted  with  ;  Prov.   iv.   13. 
 
 •  Keep  her,  for  fhe  is  thy  life.'  The  fcripture  is  befet  with 
 enemies;  heretics  fight  againft  it,  we  mult  therefore  ■  contend 
 for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  faints,'  Jude  3.  The  fcrip- 
 ture is  our  book  of  evidences  for  heaven  ;  (hall  we  part  with  our 
 evidences!  The  faints  of  old  were  both  advocates  and  martyrs 
 
THAT  THERE  IS  A  COO.  45 
 
 for  truth;  they  would  hold  fad  fcripture,  though  it  were  with 
 the  lot's  of  their  li\ 
 
 7.  Be  thankful  to  God  for  the  fcriptures.      What  a  mer< 
 
 it  that  God  hath  not  only  acquainted  us  what  Ins  will  Ls,  but 
 that  he  hath  made  it  known  by  writing!  In  the  Old  tii, 
 God  did  reveal  his  mind  by  revelations,  but  the  word  written  is 
 a  furer  trey  of  knowing  God's  mind  than  by  revelation,  '2  Pet. 
 i.  17.  '  This  voice  which  came  from  heaven  we  heard,  we  have 
 alio  a  more  fure  word  of  prophecy.'  The  devil  is  God's  ape, 
 and  he  can  transform  himfelf  into  an  angel  of  light  ;  he  can  de- 
 ceive with  falfe  revelations  :  as  I  have  heard  of  one  who  had, 
 as  he  thought,  a  revelation  from  God  to  facrifice  his  child,  as 
 Abraham  had  :  whereupon  he  following  this  impuife  of  the 
 devil,  did  kill  his  child.  Thus  Satan  oft  deceives  people  with 
 delufion,  inftead  of  divine  revelations;  therefore  we  are  to  be 
 thankful  to  God  for  revealing  his  mind  to  us  by  writing  :  we 
 have  a  more  fure  word  of  prophecy.  We  are  not  left  under  a 
 doubtful  fufpence  that  we  Ihould  not  know  what  to  believe,  but 
 we  have  an  infallible  rule  to  go  by.  The  fcripture  is  our  pole- 
 Oar  to  direct  us  to  heaven,  it  thews  us  every  ttep  we  are  to 
 take  ;  when  we  go  wrong,  it  inftrucls  us  ;  when  we  go  right  it 
 comforts  us  ;  and  it  is  matter  of  thankfulnelV,  that  the  fcriptures 
 are  made  intelligible,  by  being  tranflated. 
 
 8.  Adore  God's  diftinguithing  grace,  if  you  have  felt  the 
 power  and  authority  of  the  word  upon  your  confcience  ;  if  you 
 can  fay  as  David,  Pfal.  cxix.  50.  *  Thy  word  hath  quickened 
 me.*  Chrilhan,  blefs  God  that  he  hath  not  only  given  thee  his 
 word  to  be  a  rule  of  holiuefs,  but  his  grace  to  be  a  principle  of 
 hoiinefs:  blefs  God  that  he  hath  not  only  written  his  word, 
 but  fealed  it  upon  thy  heart,  and  made  it  effectual.  Can  ft 
 thou  lay  it  is  of  divine  infpiration,  becaufe  thou  halt  felt  it  to 
 he  of  lively  operation  ?  O  free  grace !  that  God  ihould  fend 
 out  his  word,  and  heal  thee  ;  that  he  fhouki  heal  thee,  and  not 
 others?  that  the  fame  fcripture,  which  is  to  them  a  dead  letter, 
 ihould  be  to  thee  a  lavour  of  life. 
 
 THAT  THERE  IS  A  GOD. 
 
 Q.  III.    WHAT  do  the  fcriptures  principally  teach  ? 
 
 An/.  The  icriptures  principally  teach,  what  man  is  to  believe 
 concerning  God,  and  what  duty  God  requires  of  man. 
 
 Q.    What  is  God* 
 
 Anj\  God  is  a  Spirit,  infinite,  eternal,  and  unchangeable,  in 
 
46  THAT  THERE  IS  A  GOD. 
 
 his  being,  wifdom,  power,  holinefs,  juftice,  goodnefs,  and 
 truth. 
 
 Here  is,  I.  Something  implied,  That  there  is  a  God.  2.  Ex- 
 preiied,  That  he  is  a  Spirit.     3.  What  kind  of  Spirit. 
 
 1.  Implied,  That  there  is  a  God:  The  queilion,  What  is 
 God?  takes  it  for  granted  that  there  is  a  God;  the  belief  of 
 God's  effence  is  the  foundation  of  all  religious  worfhip,  Heb. 
 xi.  6\  '  He  that  comes  to  God,  muft  believe  that  he  is.'  There 
 muft  be  a  firft  caufe,  which  gives  a  being  and  exitience  to  all 
 things  befides.  We  come  to  know  that  there  is  a  God,  1 .  By  the 
 book  of  nature,  the  notion  of  a  Deity  is  engraven  on  man's 
 heart,  it  is  demonltrable  by  the  light  of  nature.  I  think  it  hard 
 for  a  man  to  be  a  natural  Atheift:  he  may  wifh  there  were  no 
 God,  he  may  difpute  againli  a  Deity,  but  he  cannot  in  his  judg- 
 ment believe  there  is  no  God,  unlets  by  accumulated  fin  hiscon- 
 fcience  be  feared,  and  he  hath  fuch  a  lethargy  upon  him,  that 
 he  hath  finned  away  his  very  fenfe  and  reaibn.  2.  We  come 
 to  know  that  there  is  a  God  by  his  works,  and  this  isfo  evident 
 a  demonftration  of  a  Godhead,  that  the  moil  atheiftical  fpirits, 
 when  they  have  confidered  thefe  works  of  God,  have  been 
 forced  to  acknowledge  fome  wife  and  iupreme  power  the  maker 
 of  thefe  things  ;  as  it  is  reported  of  Galen  and  others.  ( 1 . )  We 
 will  begin  with  the  greater  world,  (1.)  The  creation  of  the 
 glorious  fabric  of  heaven  and  earth  ;  fure  there  mult  be  fome 
 architect  or  firft  caufe,  the  world  could  not  make  itfelf ;  who 
 could  hang  the  earth  on  nothing,  but  the  great  God  ?  Who 
 could  provide  fuch  rich  furniture  for  the  heavens,  the  glorious 
 conflellations,  the  firmament  befpangled  with  fuch  glittering 
 lights  ?  All  this  fpeaks  a  Deity  :  we  may  fee  God's  glory  blazing 
 in  the  fun,  twinkling  in  the  ftars.  Who  could  give  the  earth 
 its  clothing,  cover  it  with  grafs  and  corn,  adorn  it  with  flowers, 
 enrich  it  with  gold  ?  Only  God,  Jobxxviii.  4.  Who  but  God 
 could  make  the  fweet  mufic  in  the  heavens,  caufe  the  angels  to 
 join  in  concert,  and  found  forth  the  praiies  of  their  Maker  ?  Job 
 xxxviii.  7.  '  When  the  morning  ftars  fang  together,  and  all  the 
 ions  of  God  (houted  for  joy.'  If  a  man  mould  go  into  a  far 
 country,  and  fee  ftately  edifices  there,  he  would  never  imagine 
 that  thefe  could  build  themfeives,  but  that  iome  greater  power 
 built  them:  to  imagine  that  the  work  of  the  creation  was  not 
 framed  by  God,  is  as  if  we  fhould  conceive  a  curious  landfcape 
 to  be  drawn  by  a  pencil  without  the  hand  of  a  limner ;  Acts 
 xvii.  24.  '  God  that  made  the  world,  and  all  things  therein.' 
 To  create,  is  proper  to  the  Deity.  2.  The  wife  government 
 of  all  things,  evinces  there  is  a  God  :  God  is  the  great  Super- 
 intendent of  the  world,  he  holds  the  golden  reins  or  government 
 in  his  hand,  guiding  all  things  moft  regularly  and  harmonioufly 
 to  their  proper  end  ;  who  that  eyes  providence,  but  mull  be 
 
THAT  THERE  19  A  GOD.  47 
 
 forced  to  acknowledge  there  is  a  God  ?  Providence  is  the  queen 
 and  governeis  of  the  world  ;  it  is  the  hand  that  turns  the  wh 
 of  the  whole  creation  :  providence  lets  the  fun  its  race,  the  Pea 
 its  bounds.  If  God  fhould  not  guide  the*  world,  things  would 
 run  into  diforder  and  confufion  :  when  one  looks  on  a  clock, 
 and  lees  the  motion  of  the  wheels,  the  linking  of  the  hammer, 
 the  hanging  of  the  plummets,  he  would  lav,  there  wen-  fome 
 artificer  did  make  it,  and  put  it  into  that  order:  fo,  when  we 
 fee  the  excellent  order  and  harmony  in  the  univerfe,  the  fun, 
 that  great  luminary,  difpenfim,'  its  light  and  heat  to  the  world, 
 without  which,  the  world  were  but  a  grave  or  a  prifon  ;  the 
 rivers  lending  forth  their  filver  ftreams  to  refrefh  trie  bodies  of 
 men,  and  prevent  a  drought;  and  every  creature  acting  within 
 its  fphere,  and  keeping  its  due  bounds  ;  we  mutt  needs  acknow- 
 ledge there  is  a  God,  who  wifely  orders  and  governs  all  thefe 
 things.  Who  could  fet  this  great  army  of  the  creatures  in  their 
 feveral  ranks  and  fquadrons,  and  keep  them  in  their  conltant 
 march,  but  He,  whole  name  is  The  Loud  of  hosts?  And  as 
 God  doth  wifely  difpofe  all  things  in  the  whole  regiment  of  the 
 creatures,  fo,  by  his  power,  lie  doth  fupport  them  :  did  God 
 fufpend  and  withdraw  his  influence  never  fo  little,  the  wheels 
 of  the  creation  would  unpin,  and  the  axle-tree  break  afunder. 
 (3.)  The  motion  of  the  creatues :  all  motion,  as  the  philofo- 
 phers  fay,  is  from  fomething  that  is  uumoveable.  As  for  ex- 
 ample, the  elements  are  moved  by  the  influence  and  motion  of 
 the  heavenly  bodies  ;  the  tun  and  moon,  and  thefe  planets,  are 
 moved  by  the  higheft  orb,  called  Pritnum  Mobile:  now,  if  one 
 fhould  aik,  Who  moves  that  highelt.  orb,  or  the  firit  mover  of 
 the  planets?  fure  it  can  be  no  other  hand  but  God  himfelf. 
 
 (2. )  Let  us  (peak  of  Man,  who  is  a  microcofm  or  lelfer  world  : 
 the  excellent  contexture  and  frame  of  his  body,  which  is  wrought 
 curiouily  as  with  needle-work,  Plal.  exxxix.  15.  ■  I  was  curi- 
 oufly  wrought  in  the  loweft  parts  of  the  earth  :'  and  the  endow- 
 ment of  this  body  with  a  noble  lbul ;  who  but  God  could  make 
 fucli  an  union  of  different  fubftances,  flefh  and  fpirit ;  in  him  we 
 live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being.  The  quick  acute  motion 
 of  every  part  of  the  body,  (hews  that  there  is  a  God  :  we  may 
 fee  tbrnething  of  him  in  the  fparkling  of  the  eye  :  and  if  the 
 cabinet  of  the  body  be  fo  curioufly  wrought,  what  is  the  jewel  ? 
 The  foul  hath  a  celeltial  brightnefs  in  it;  as  Damafcene  faith, 
 M  It  is  a  diamond  let  in  a  rin^  of  clay."  What  noble  faculties 
 is  the  foul  endowed  with?  Underltandincr,  Will,  AffecYions, 
 which  are  a  glafs  of  the  Trinity,  as  Plato  fpeaks.  The  matter 
 of  the  foul  is  fpiritual,  it  is  a  divine  fparlde  lighted  from  heaven: 
 and  being  fpiritual,  is  immortal,  as  Scaliger  notes;  auhna  nun 
 Jenefcit,  the  foul  doth  not  wax  old,  it  lives  for  ever:  and  who 
 could  create  a  foul  ennobled  with  iuch  rare  angelical  properties. 
 
48  THAT  THERE  IS  A  GOD, 
 
 but  God  ?  We  mufl  needs  fay  as  the  Pfalmifl,   ■  It  is  he  that 
 hath  made  us,  and  not  we  ourfelves,'  Pfal.  c.  3. 
 
 £.  We  may  prove  a  Deity  by  our  confcience.  Confcience 
 is  God's  deputy  or  vicegerent.  Confcience  is  a  witnefs  of  a 
 Deity:  if  there  were  no  Bible  to  tell  us  there  is  a  God,  yet 
 confcience  might.  Confcience,  as  the  apoftle  faith,  '  either 
 accufeth,'  or  *  excufeth,'  Rom.  ii.  15.  Confcience  a6ts  in 
 order  to  an  higher  judicatory.  1.  Natural  confcience,  being 
 kept  free  from  grofs  fin  excufeth.  When  a  man  doth  virtuous 
 actions,  lives  foberly  and  righteoufly,  obferves  the  golden  maxim, 
 doing  to  others  as  he  would  have  them  to  do  to  him  ;  then  con- 
 fcience approves,  and  faith,  Well  done  :  confcience,  like  a  bee, 
 gives  honey.  2.  Natural  confcience  in  the  wicked  doth  accufe  : 
 when  men  go  againft  the  light  of  confcience,  then  they  feel  the 
 worm  of  confcience.  Eheu  quisinlusfcorpio  ?  Sen.  Confcience, 
 being  finned  againft,  fpits  fire  in  men's  faces,  fills  them  with 
 fhame  and  horror  :  when  the  finnerfeesan  hand- writing  on  the 
 wall  of  confcience,  his  countenance  is  changed.  Many  have 
 hanged  themfelves  to  quiet  their  confcience.  Tiberius  the  em- 
 peror, a  bloody  man,  felt  the  lafhes  of  his  confcience  ;  he  was 
 ib  haunted  with  that  fury,  that  he  told  the  Senate,  he  frittered 
 death  daily.  And  what  is  it  fhould  put  a  man's  confcience  into 
 fuch  an  agony,  but  the  impreflion  of  a  Deity,  and  the  thoughts 
 of  coming  before  God's  tribunal?  Thofe  who  are  above  all  hu- 
 man laws,  yet  are  fubject  to  the  checks  of  their  own  confcience. 
 And  it  is  obfervable,  the  uearer  the  wicked  approach  to  death, 
 the  more  they  are  terrified,  and  confcience  gives  a  louder  alarm 
 to  them  ;  and  whence  is  this,  but  from  the  apprehenfion  of 
 judgment  approaching?  The  foul,  being  fenfible  of  its  immortal 
 nature,  trembles  at  him,  who  never  ceafeth  to  live,  and  there- 
 fore will  never  ceafe  to  punifh. 
 
 3.  That  their  is  a  God,  appears  by  the  confent  of  nations,  by 
 the  univerfal  vote  and  futfrage  of  all.  Nulla  gens  tarn  barbara 
 cuinon  injideat  ha?c  perfiutfio  Deum  effe.  Tully  :  No  nation  fo 
 barbarous,  faith  Tully,  as  not  to  believe  there  is  a  God.  Though 
 the  heathen  did  mi  flake  in  their  devotion,  thev  did  not  worfhip 
 the  true  God,  yet  they  worfhipped  a  god.  They  fet  up  an  al- 
 tar, *  To  the  unknown  God.'  Acts  xvii.  22.  They  knew  a 
 God  fhould  be  worfhipped,  though  thpy  knew  not  the  God 
 whom  they  worfhipped.  Some  did  worfhip  Jupiter,  fome  Nep- 
 tune, fome  Mars  ;  rather  than  not  to  worth ip  fomething,  they 
 would  worfhip  any  thing. 
 
 4.  That  there  is  a  God,  appears  by  his  prediction  of  future 
 things.  He  who  can  foretel  things  which  fhal!  furely  come  to 
 pafs,  is  the  true  God  :  God  foretold,  that  a  virgin  fhould  con- 
 ceive ;  he  prefixed  thetinie  when  the  Mefiias  fhould  be  cut  off, 
 Dan.  ix.  66.     He  foretold  the  captivity  of  the  Jews  in  Baby- 
 
THAT  THERE  13  A  HOD.  49 
 
 Ion,  and  whoihould  be  their  deliverer,  Ha.  xlv.  1.  Thisisfuch 
 a  firoiiL<  argument  to  prove  a  Deity,  as  God  himfelf  ufeth  it  to 
 prove  he  is  the  true  God,  and  that  all  the  godi  of  tlie  heathens 
 were  ('unions  and  nullities,  Ha.  xli.  lJ-2.  'Icjiimonium  divinita- 
 tis  eft  Veritas  divinationis,  Tertull.  To  foretel  things  contin- 
 gent, and  which  depend  upon  no  natural  caufes,  is  proper  to  a 
 Deity. 
 
 5.  That  there  is  a  God,  appears  by  God's  unlimited  power 
 and  favereignty.  He  who  can  work,  and  none  hinder  him,  is 
 the  true  God  :  but  God  can  do  fo,  Iia.  xliii.  13.  ■  I  will  work, 
 and  who  fhall  let  it.'  Nothing  can  hinder  action  but  fome  lu- 
 perior  power;  but  there  is  no  power  above  God:  all  power 
 that  is,  is  by  him,  therefore  all  power  is  under  him  :  he  hath  a 
 1  mighty  arm,'  Pfal.  lxxxix.  13.  He  fees  the  defigns  men 
 drive  on  a^ainil  him,  and  plucks  off  their  chariot-wheels;  he 
 niaketh  diviners  mad,  Iia.  xliv.  25.  He  cutteth  off  the  fpirit  of 
 princes  :  he  bridleth  the  fea,  gives  check  to  the  leviathan,  binds 
 the  devil  in  chains  ;  he  a6ts  according  to  his  pleafure,  he  doth 
 what  he  will ;   I  will  work,  and  who  fhall  let  it. 
 
 6.  There  are  devils,  therefore  there  is  a  God.  Atheifts  can- 
 not deny  but  there  are  devils,  and  then  they  mult  grant  there  is 
 a  God.  We  read  of  divers  poffeffed  with  the  devil.  The  de- 
 vils are  called  in  (cripture,  Hairy  Ones,  becaufe  they  often  ap- 
 peared in  the  form  of  goats  or  fatyrs.  Gerfon,  in  his  book  de 
 probcit'wne  fpirituum,  tells  us  how  Satan  on  a  time  appeared  to 
 an  holy  man  in  a  moft  glorious  manner,  profeffmg  himielf  to  be 
 Chriit :  the  old  man  anfwered,  "  I  defire  not  to  tee  my  Saviour 
 here  in  this  defart,  it  (hall  futfice  me  to  fee  him  in  heaven." 
 Now,  if  there  be  a  devil,  then  there  is  a  God.  Socrates  an  hea- 
 then, when  he  was  accufed  at  his  death,  confeffed,  that,  as  he 
 thought,  there  was  a  malus  genius,  an  evil  fpirit,  fo  he  thought 
 there  was  a  good. 
 
 Ufe  I.  Seeing  there  is  a  God,  this  reproves  fuch  atheiflical 
 foolsas  deny  it.  Epicurus  denied  there  was  a  providence,  fay- 
 ing; that  all  things  fell  out  by  chance,  Diagoras.  He  that  laith 
 there  is  no  God,  is  the  wickedelt  creature  that  is  ;  he  is  worfe 
 than  a  thief,  who  doth  but  take  away  our  goods  from  us,  but  the 
 Atheiit  would  take  away  our  God  from  us,  John.  xx.  '  They 
 have  taken  away  my  Lord.'  So  we  may  fay  of  Atheifts ,  they 
 would  take  away  our  God  from  us,  in  whom  all  our  hope  and 
 comfort  is  laid  up,  Pfal.  xiv.  1.  ■  The  fool  hath  faid  in  his 
 heart,  their  is  no  God.'  He  durlt  not  fpeak  it  with  his  tongue, 
 but  faid  it  in  his  heart  ;  he  wifhed  it.  Sure  none  can  be  fpecu- 
 lative  Atheifts,  *  The  devils  believe  and  tremble.'  Jamesii.  lfj. 
 I  have  read  of  one  Arthur,  a  profeffed  Atheift,  who  when  he 
 came  to  die,  cried  out,  he  was  damned  :  but  though  there  are. 
 jew  found  who  fav,  There  is  no  God  ;    vet  many  denv  him  in 
 
 Vol.  I,  No.  9.  G 
 
50  ,  THAT  THERE  IS  A  GOD. 
 
 their  practices,  Tit.  i.  1(5.  '  In  works  they  deny  him.'  Cicero 
 faid  of  Epicurus,  verbis  reliquil  Deos  refijiulit  :  The  world  is 
 full  of  practical  atheifm  ;  molt  people  live  as  if  they  did  not  be- 
 lieve their  was  a  God.  Durlt  they  lie,  defraud,  be  unclean,  if 
 they  believed  there  were  a  God  who  would  call  them  to  an  ac- 
 count? If  an  Indian,  who  never  heard  of  a  God,  (hould  come 
 among  us,  and  have  no  other  means  to  convince  him  of  a  Deity, 
 but  the  lives  of  men  in  our  age,  furely  he  would  be  of  Protago- 
 ra's  mind,  who  did  hang  in  a  doubtful  fu (pence,  and  did  quef- 
 tion  whether  there  were  a  God  ;  utmm  Diijint  non  aiifim  ajfir- 
 mare. 
 
 Ufe  2.  Seeing  there  is  a  God,  he  will  deal  righteoufly,  and 
 givejuft  rewards  to  men.  Things  feem  to  be  carried  in  the 
 world  very  unequally  ;  the  wicked  flourifh,  PI*.  Ixxiii.  They 
 who  tempt  God  are  delivered,  Mai.  iii.  15.  the  ripe  clutters  of 
 grapes  are  iqueezed  into  their  cup,  and,  in  the  mean  while,  the 
 godly,  who  weep  for  (in,  and  ferved  God,  are  afflicted  ;  PC.  cii. 
 9.  *  I  have  eaten  a(hes  like  bread,  and  mingled  my  drink  with 
 weeping.'  Evil  men  enjoy  all  the  good,  and  good  men  endure 
 all  the  evil.  But  feeing  there  is  a  God,  he  will  deal  righteoufly 
 with  men,  Gen.  xviii.  25.  '  Shall  not  the  judge  of  all  the  earth 
 do  right?'  Offenders  muftcome  to  punifhment.  The  finger's 
 death-day  and  dooms  day  is  a-coming  ;  Pfal.  xxxvii.  13. 
 *  The  Lord  feeth  that  his  day  is  coming.'  While  there  is  an 
 hell,  the  wicked  fhall  be  ficourged  enough  ;  and  while  there  is 
 eternity,  they  (hall  lie  there  long  enough  ;  and  God  will  abun- 
 dantly compenfate  the  faithful  fervice  of  his  people.  They 
 lhall  have  their  white  robes  and  crowns  :  Pfal.lviii.il.  Verily 
 there  is  a  reward  for  the  righteous  ;  verily  he  is  a  God  that  judg- 
 etli  in  the  earth.'  Becauie  God  is  God,  therefore  he  will  give 
 forth  glorious  rewards  to  his  people. 
 
 Ufe  3.  Seeing  there  is  a  God,  woe  to  all  fuch  as  engage  this 
 God  againft  them  ;  he  lives  for  ever  to  be  avenged  upon  them, 
 Ezek.  xxii.  14.  ■  Can  thine  heart  endure,  or  can  thine  hands 
 he  ftrong  in  the  day  that  I  (hall  deal  with  thee  ?'  Such  as  pol- 
 lute God's  fabbath,  oppoie  his  faints,  trampling  the  jewels  in 
 the  duft  ;  fuch  as  live  in  a  contradiction  to  God's  word  :  thefe 
 do  engage  the  infinite  majefty  of  heaven  againft  them  ;  and  how 
 difrnal  will  their  cafe  be  !  Deut.  xxxii.  1.  ■  If  £1  whet  my 
 glittering  (word,  and  mine  hand  take  hold  of  judgment,  I  will 
 render  vengeance  to  mine  enemies  :  I  will  make  mine  arrows 
 drunk  with  blood,'  &c.  If  it  be  fo  terrible. to  hear  the  lion  roar, 
 what  is  it  when  he  begins  to  tear  his  prey  ?■  Pfal.  lv.  22.  f  Con- 
 fider  this,  ye  that  forget  God,  left  1  tear  you  in  pieces.'  O  that 
 men  would  think  or  this,  who  go  on* in  (in  !  Shall  we  engage 
 the  great  God  againft  us?  God  (trikes  flow  but  heavy  ;  Job  xl. 
 9.  ■  Haft  thou  an  arm  like  God  ?  Canft  thou  ftrike  fuch  a 
 
THAT  THERE  19  A  COD.  5l 
 
 Wow  ?  God  is  the  hell  friend,  hut  the  worlt  enemy.      I  The  can 
 look  men  into  their  grave,  bow  far  can  he  throw  then  ?  '  Who 
 
 knows  the  power  of  his  wrath  I1   MM.  xc.  1 1.     What  tools  are 
 they,  who,  for  a  drop  of  pteafure,  drink  a  fea  of  wrath  !   Para- 
 
 cell'us  fpeaks  of  a  phrenzv  tome  have,  which  will  make  them  die 
 dancing  :   tinners  go  dancing  to  hell. 
 
 Ufe  4.  Seeing  there  is  a  God,  let  CM  firmly  helieve  this 
 article  of  our  creed.  What  religion  can  their  he  in  men,  if  they 
 do  not  helieve  a  Deity  ?  *  He  that  cometh  to  God,  mult  helieve 
 that  he  is.'  To  worlhip  God,  and  pray  to  him,  and  not  be- 
 lieve there  is  a  God,  is  to  put  a  high  fcorn  and  contempt  upon 
 God.  Believe  that  God  is  the  only  true  God  ;  f'uch  a  God  as 
 he  hath  revealed  himlelf  in  his  word,  *  A  lover  of  righteoufneis, 
 and  hater  of  wickednefs,'  Pfal.  xlv.  7-  The  real  belief  of  a 
 Deity  gives  life  to  all  religious  worfhip:  the  more  we  believe 
 the  truth  and  in  finite  nefs  of  God,  the  more  holy  and  angelical 
 We  are  in  our  lives.  Whether  we  are  alone,  or  in  company, 
 God  fees  us  :  he  is  the  heart-fearcher  :  the  belief  of  this  would 
 make  us  live  always  under  God's  eye,  Pfal.  xvi.  8.  ■  I  have  let 
 the  Lord  always  before  me.'  The  belief  of  a  Deity  would  be  a 
 bridle  to  (in,  a  fpur  to  duty  ;  it  would  add  wings  to  prayer,  and 
 oil  to  the  lamp  of  our  devotion.  Tlie  belief  of  a  Deity  would 
 caufe  dependance  upon  God  in  all  our  itraits  and  exigencies ; 
 Gen.  xvii.  1.  *  I  am  God  all  fufticient;'  a  God  thatcan  iupply 
 all  your  wants,  (batter  all  your  fears,  refolve  all  your  doubts, 
 conquer  all  your  temptations;  the  arm  of  God's  power  can 
 never  be  fhrunk;  he  can  create  mercy  for  us,  and  therefore  can 
 help,  and  not  be  beholden  to  the  creature.  Did  we  believe 
 there  is  a  God,  we  ihould  fo  depend  on  his  providence  as  not 
 to  ufe  any  indirect  means  :  we  would  not  run  ourfelves  into  fin 
 to  rid  ourfelves  out  of  trouble  :  c2  Kings  i.  3.  '  Is  it  not  becaufe 
 there  is  not  a  God  in  Ifrael  that  ye  go  to  inquire  of  Beelzebub 
 the  God  of  Ekron?'  When  men  run  to  finful  fhifts,  is  it  not 
 becaufe  they  do  not  believe  there  is  a  God,  or  that  he  is  all- 
 fuihcient  ? 
 
 2.  Seeing  there  is  a  God,  let  us  labour  to  get  an  inttreilin  him, 
 Pf.  xlviii.  14.  *  This  God  is  our  God.'  Two  things  will  com- 
 fort  us,  Deity  and  propriety  ;  lince  the  hill  we  have  loll  like- 
 nets  to  God  and  communion  with  God  ;  let  us  labour  to  reaver 
 this  loft  intereft,  and  pronounce  this  Shibboleth,  '  My  God,' 
 Pf.  xliii.  5.  It  is  little  comfort  to  know  there  is  a  God,  unlets  he 
 be  ours;  God  oilers  himlelf  to  be  our  God,  Jer.  xxxi  ,'io.  *  I 
 will  be  their  God.'  And  faith  catcheih  hold  of  the  i-ller,  it  ap- 
 propriates God,  and  makes  ail  that  is  in  him  over  to  us  to  be 
 ours;   his  wifdom  to  be  ours,  to    i  his  holineis  ours  to 
 
 iandify  us,  nis  fpirit  ouis,  to  comfort  u» ;  his  mere)  outs,  to 
 
 G  * 
 
ht  GOD  IS  A  SPIRIT. 
 
 fave  us.     To  be  able  to  fay,  God  is  mine,  is  more  than  to  have 
 all  the  mines  of  gold  and  (ilver. 
 
 3.  Seeing  there  is  a  God,  let  us  ferve  and  worfhip  him  as 
 God  :  it  was  an  indictment  brought  in  againft  them,  Rom.  i. 
 21.  '  They  glorified  him  not  as  a  God.'  1.  Let  us  pray  to  him 
 as  to  a  God.  ■  Pray  with  fervency/  Jam.  v.  16.  An  *  effec- 
 tual fervent  prayer  prevails  much.'  This  is  both  the  fire  and 
 the  incenfe  ;  without  fervency  it  is  no  prayer.  2.  Love  him  as 
 a  God,  Deut.  vi.  5.  '  Thoufhalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
 all  thy  heart.'  To  love  him  with  all  the  heart,  is  to  give  him 
 a  precedency  in  our  love,  defire  to  let  him  have  the  cream  of 
 our  affections ;  to  love  him  not  only  appretiatively,  but  inten- 
 fively,  as  much  as  we  can.  As  the  fun-beams  united,  in  a  burn- 
 ing-glafs,  burn  the  hotter,  fo  all  our  affections  fhould  be  united, 
 that  our  love  to  God  may  be  more  ardent.  3.  Obey  him  as  a 
 God.  All  creatures  obey  him,  the  ftars  fight  his  battles,  the 
 wind  and  fea  obey  him,  Mark  iv.  41.  much  more  fhould  man, 
 whom  God  hath  endued  with  a  principle  ofreafon  :  he  is  a  God, 
 and  hath  a  fovereignty  over  us ;  therefore  as  we  received  life 
 from  him,  fo  we  mult  receive  a  law  from  him,  and  fubmit  to  his 
 will  in  all  things  :  this  is  to  kifs  him  with  a  kifs  of  loyalty,  and 
 it  js  to  glorify  him  as  God. 
 
 GOD  IS  A  SPIRIT. 
 
 Q.  IV.  WHAT  is  GOD? 
 
 Anf  God  is  a  fpirit. 
 
 2.  The  thing  expreffed,  John  iv.  24.  '  God  is  a  fpirit,1  God 
 is  effentia  fpiritualijfima,  Zanchy. 
 
 Q.    What  do  you  mean  xchen  you  fay,  God  is  a  fpirit? 
 
 Anf  By  Spirit  I  mean,  God  is  an  immaterial  fubflance,  of  a 
 pure,  fubtil,  unmixed  eifence,  not  compounded  of  body  and 
 foul,  without  all  extenfion  of  parts.  The  body  is  a  dreggifli 
 thing .-  the  more  fpiritual  God's  effence  is,  the  more  noble  and 
 excellent.     The  fpirits  are  the  more  refined  part  of  the  wine. 
 
 Q.   Wherein  doth  God  differ  from  other  fpirits  ? 
 
 1.  The  angels  are  fpirits. 
 
 Anf  We  muft  diftinguifh  of  fpirits.  1.  The  angels  are  cre- 
 ated, God  is  a  fpirit  uncreated.  2.  The  angels  are  fpirits,  but 
 they  are  finite,  and  capable  of  being  annihilated  ;  the  fame 
 power  which  made  them,  is  able  to  reduce  them  to  their  firft 
 nothing  ;  but  God  is  an  infinite  fpirit.  3.  The  angels  are  con- 
 fined fpirits,  they  cannot  be  duobos  locis  Jimul ,  they  are  confined 
 to  a  place:  but  God  is  an  immenfe  fpirit,  and  cannot  be  con- 
 fined, being  in  all  places  at  once.    4.  The  angels,  though  they 
 
COD  IS  A  SPIRIT.  53 
 
 are  fpirits,  yet  they  arc  but  miniftring  fpirits,  ITeb.  i.  11. 
 Though  they  are  fpirits,  yet  are  they  (enraots,  God  is  a  fuper- 
 excellent  fpirit,  the  '  Father  of  fpiriti/  II* -b.  xii.  <). 
 
 8.  The  tbul  is  a  fpirit,  Fcclef.  xii.  7.  *  The  1'pirit  fliall  return 
 unto  God  that  gave  it.' 
 
 Q.   How  doth  Cod,  hems;  uJ)pifUt  differ  from  the  foul  f 
 
 St-rvetus  and  Ofumder  thought,  that  the  foul  being  infufed, 
 did  convey  into  man  the  very  fpirit  and  fubftance  ot  God  ;  an 
 ablurd  opinion,  for  the  elfence  of  God  is  incommunicable. 
 
 Anf.  Therefore,  when  it  is  laid,  the  foul  is  a  fpirit,  it  is 
 meant,  God  hath  made  it  intelligible,  and  hath  ftamped  upon 
 it  his  likenefs,  not  his  elfenee. 
 
 Q.  But  is  it  not  f aid i  That  ice  are  made  partakers  of  the  di~ 
 vine  not} ire  ? 
 
 Anf.  By  divine  nature,  there  is  meant  divine  qualities,  2  Pet. 
 i.  4.  We  are  made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature,  not  by 
 identity  or  union  with  the  divine  efTence,  but  by  a  transforma- 
 tion into  the  divine  likenefs.  Thus  you  fee  how  God  dillers 
 from  other  fpirits,  angels  and  fouls  of  men.  He  is  a  fpirit  of 
 tranfeendent  excellency,  the  ■  Father  of  fpirits.' 
 
 Obj.  Againft  this  Vorjihts  and  the  Anthropomorthites  ohjeel, 
 that,  inferipture,  an  human  fh  ape  and figure  is  given  to  Cod;  he 
 is  f aid  to  have  eyes  and  hands? 
 
 Anf.  It  is  contrary  to  the  nature  of  a  fpirit  to  have  a  corpo- 
 real fubftance  ;  Luke  xxiv.  3<).  ■  Handle  me,  and  fee  me  ;  for 
 a  fpirit  hath  not  flefh  and  bones,  as  ye  fee  me  have.'  Bodily 
 members  are  alcribed  to  God,  not  properly,  but  metaphorically, 
 and  in  a  borrowed  fenfe;  he  is  only  let  out  to  our  capacity  :  by  the 
 right-hand  of  the  Lord  is  meant  his  power  ;  by  the  eyes  of  the 
 Lord  is  meant  his  wifdom.  Now  that  God  is  a  fpirit,  and  is 
 not  capable  of  bodily  ftiape  or  fubftance,  is  clear.  I.  A  body 
 is  vifible,  but  God  is  invilible  ;  therefore  he  is  a  fpirit,  I  Tim. 
 vi.  16.  whom  '  no  man  hath  feen,  ior  can  fee,'  not  by  an  eye 
 of  fenfe.  2.  A  body  is  terminated,  can  be  but  in  one  place  at 
 once  ;  but  God  is  every  where,  in  all  places  at  once  ;  therefore 
 he  is  a  fpirit,  PC.  exxxix.  7,  S.  God's  centre  is  every  where, 
 and  his  circumference  is  no  where.  3.  A  body  being  compound- 
 ed of  integral  parts  may  be  ditfulved  ;  quicquid  divjfibile  eft  cor- 
 Tuptihile  :  but  the  Godhead  is  not  capable  of  d involution  ;  he  can 
 have  no  end,  from  whom  all  things  have  their  beginning.  So 
 that  it  clearly  appears  that  God  is  a  fpirit,  which  adds  to  the 
 perfection  of  his  nature. 
 
 life  I.  If  God  be  a  fpirit,  then  he  is  impaflible;  be  is  not 
 capable  of  being  hurt.  Wicked  men  fet  up  their  banners,  and 
 bend  their  forces  againft  God  ;  they  are  laid  to  light  againft  God , 
 Acts  v.  39.  But  what  will  this  lighting  avail  ?  What  hurt  ran 
 they  do  to  the  Deity?  God  is  a  fpirit,  and  therefore  cannot  re- 
 
54  GOD  IS  A  SPIRIT. 
 
 ceive  any  hurtful  imprefiion  :  wicked  men  may  imagine  evil 
 againft  the  Lord  ;  Nahum  i.  9.  '  What  do  ye  imagine  againft 
 the  Lord?'  But  God,  being  a  fpirit,  is  impenetrable.  The 
 wicked  may  eclipfe  his  glory,  but  cannot  touch  his  effence. 
 God  can  hurt  his  enemies,  but  they  cannot  hurt  him.  Julian 
 might  throw  up  his  dagger  into  the  air  againft  Heaven,  but  could 
 not  touch  the  Deity.  God  is  a  fpirit,  invifible.  How  can  the 
 wicked  with  all  their  forces  hurt  him,  when  they  cannot  fee  him  ? 
 Hence  all  the  attempts  of  the  wicked  againft  God  are  foolifh, 
 and  prove  abortive  ;  Pfal.  ii.  3,  4.  '  The  kings  of  the  earth  fet 
 themfelves  againlt  the  Lord,  and  againft  his  anointed.  He 
 that  fits  in  heaven  (hall  laugh.*  He  is  a  fpirit,  he  can  wound 
 them,  but  they  cannot  touch  him. 
 
 Ufe  2.  If  God  be  a  fpirit,  then-  it  (hews  the  folly  of  the  Pa- 
 pifts,  who  worfhip  him  by  pictures  and  images.  Being afpirit, 
 we  cannot  make  any  image  to  reprefent  him  by  ;  Deut.  iv.  12. 
 *  The  Lord  fpake  to  you  out  of  the  midft  of  the  fire,  ye  heard 
 the  voice  of  the  words,  but  law  no  fimilitude., 
 
 1.  God  being  a  fpirit  is  imperceptible,  cannot  be  difcerned  ; 
 how  then  can  there  be  any  refemblance  made  of  him ;  Ifaiah 
 xl.  IS.  '  To  whom  then  will  ye  liken  God,  or  what  likenefs  will 
 ye  compare  unto  him  V  How  can  you  paint  the  Deity  ?  Can  we 
 make  an  image  of  that  which  we  never  faw  ?  Ye  faw  no  fimili- 
 tude.  God  is  a  fpirit.  It  were  a  folly  to  go  to  make  the  picture 
 of  the  foul,  becaufe  it  is  a  fpiritual  thing ;  or  to  paint  the  angels, 
 becaufe  they  are  fpirits. 
 
 Obj.  Are  not  the  angels  in  fcripture  reprefented  by  the  che- 
 rubims  ? 
 
 Anf.  There  is  Imago  per/once  et  officii ;  there  is  the  image  of 
 the  perfon,  and  the  image  thatreprefents  the  office.  The  che- 
 rubims  did  not  reprefent  the  perfons  of  the  angels,  but  their  of- 
 fice. Thecherubims  were  made  with  wings,  to  Ihew  the  ivvift- 
 nefs  of  the  angels  in  difcharge  of  their  office  :  and  if  we  cannot 
 picture  the  foul,  nor  the  perfons  of  angels,  becaufe  they  -are 
 fpirits,  much  lefs  can  we  make  an  image  or  picture  of  God,  who 
 is  infinite  and  the  Father  of  fpirits. 
 
 2.  God,  being  a  fpirit,  is  omniprefent ;  he  is  prefent  in  all 
 places,  Jer.  xxiii.  24.  ■  Do  not  1  fill  heaven  and  earth?  faith 
 the  Lord.'  Therefore,  being  every  where  prefent,  it  is  abfurd 
 to  worfhip  him  by  an  image  :  were  it  not  a  foolifh  thing  to  bow 
 down  to  the  king's  picture,  when  the  king  is  prefent  ?  So  to 
 go  to  worfhip  God's  image,  when  God  himfelf  is  prefent. 
 
 Q.  But  how  then  fliall  we  conceive  of  God,  being  a  fpirit,  if 
 we  may  make  no  image  or  refemblance  of  him  ? 
 
 Anf.  We  muft  conceive  of  him  fpiritually,  viz.  (1.)  In  his 
 attributes  :  his  holinels,  juftice,  goodnel's,  which  are  the  beams 
 by  which  his  divine  nature  (nines  forth.     (2.)   We  mult  con- 
 
GOD  IS  A  SPIRIT.  53 
 
 re  of  him  as  he  is  in  Chrift  ;  Chrift  ■  is  tlic  image  of  the  in- 
 vifibleGod:'  Col.  i.  15.  Set  the  eyes  of  your  faith  on  Chrilt, 
 God-man.  In  Chrift  we  fee  tome  fporklmgsof  the  divine  glory  ; 
 in  him  there  is  the  exact  refemblance  ol  all  his  Father's  eie<  1- 
 
 leucies.  The  wifdom,  love  and  holinefs  of  God  the  Father 
 fhine  forth  in  Chrilt  ;  John  xiv.  p.  ■  He  that  hath  feeo  me 
 hath  feen  the  Father.' 
 
 Infer,  If  God  be  a  fpirit,  it  (hews  us,  that  the  more  fpiri- 
 tual  we  grow,  the  more  we  grow  like  to  God.  How  do  earth 
 and  fpirit  agree?  Phil.  hi.  <).  Earthly  ones  may  give  for  their 
 crett,  the  mole  or  tortoife  that  live  in  ihe  earth.  What  refem- 
 blance is  there  between  an  earthly  heart,  and  him  who  is  a 
 fpirit?  The  more  fpiritual  any  one  is,  the  more  like  God. 
 
 Q.   What  is  it  to  be  fpiritual  ? 
 
 Anf,  To  be  refined  and  fublimated,  to  have  the  heart  (till  in 
 heaven,  to  be  thinking  of  God  and  glory,  and  to  be  carried  up 
 in  a  fiery  chariot  of  love  to  God  ;  this  is  to  be  fpiritual  :  Pfal. 
 Ixxiii.  'Jj.  *  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee?'  On  which 
 Beza  paraphrafeth  thus,  J  page  terra ,  ntinam  tecum  in  cwlo 
 effem  !  "  O  that  I  were  in  heaven  with  thee  I"  a  Chriltian,  who 
 is  taken  off  thefe  earthly  things,  as  the  ipirits  are  taken  off  from 
 the  lees,  hath  a  noble  fpiritual  foul,  and  doth  moll  retemble  him 
 who  is  a  fpirit. 
 
 4.  Infer.  It  (hews  us  what  that  worfhip  is  God  requires  of 
 us,  and  is  molt  acceptable  to  him,  viz.  fuch  a  worfhip  as  is  fuit- 
 able  to  his  nature,  '  fpiritual  worfhip,'  John  iv.  24.  ■  They 
 which  worfliip  him,  mult  worfhip  him  in  fpirit  and  in  truth.' 
 Spiritual  worfhip  is  the  virgin-worthip.  Though  God  will  have 
 the  fervice  of  our  bodies,  our  eyes  and  hands  lifted  up,  to  teliify 
 toothers  that  reverence  we  have  of  God's  glory  and  majefty, 
 yet  chiefly  he  will  have  the  worfhip  of  the  foul,  1  Cor.  vi.  20. 
 4  Glorify  God  in  your  body  and  in  our  fpirit.*  Spirit-worfhip 
 God  prizeth,  becaufe  it  comes  fb  near  to  his  own  nature,  who 
 is  a  fpirit. 
 
 Q.    What  is  it  to  worfliip  God  in  the  fpirit  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  To  worfhip  him  without  ceremonies.  The  ceremo- 
 nies of  the  law,  which  God  himfelf  ordained,  arenowr  abrogated, 
 and  out  of  date  ;  Chrift  the  fubltance  being  come,  the  fhadows 
 fly  away  ;  and  therefore  the  apoftle  calls  the  legal  ceremonies 
 carnal  rites,  Heb.  ix.  10.  and  if  we  may  not  ufe  thofe  Jewifh 
 ceremonies  which  God  did  once  appoint,  then  not  thofe  which 
 he  did  never  appoint. 
 
 Anf.  L.  To  worfhip  God  in  fpirit,  is  to  worfhip  him,  (1.) 
 With  faith  in  the  blood  of  tiie  Mefliah,  Hebi  xi.  9.  And  (c2.) 
 To  worfhip  him  with  the  utmoft  zeal  and  intenfenefs  of  foul, 
 Acts  xxvi.  7.  *  Our  twelve  tribes  iniiantlv  fervingGod  day  and 
 nighty'  with  intenfenefs  of  fpirit ;    not  only  tonltuntly,  but  in- 
 
56  COD  IS  A  SPIRIT. 
 
 flantly.  This  is  to  worfhip  God  in  the  fpirit.  The  more  fpr- 
 ritual  any  fervice  is,  the  nearer  it  comes  to  God,  who  is  a  fpirit, 
 and  the  more  excellent  it  is;  the  fpiritual  part  of  the  duty  b 
 the  fat  of  the  facrifice,  it  is  the  foul  and  quinteflence  of  religion. 
 The  richeft  cordials  are  made  of  fpirits,  and  the  bed  duties  are 
 fuch  as  are  of  a  fpiritual  nature.  God  is  a  fpirit,  and  will  be 
 worfliipped  in  fpirit:  it  is  not  pomp  of  worfliip,  but  purity, 
 which  God  accepts.  Repentance  is  not  in  the  outward  feve- 
 rities  ufed  to  the  body,  penance,  fading,  and  chaftifing  the  body, 
 but  it  confifts  in  the  facrifice  of  a  broken  heart :  thankfgiving 
 doth  not  itand  in  church-mufic,  the  melody  of  an  organ,  but 
 rather  in  making  melody  in  the  heart  to  the  Lord,  Eph.  v.  19. 
 Prayer  is  not  the  tuning  the  voice  into  a  heartlefs  confeflion, 
 or  telling  over  a  few  beads,  but  it  confifts  in  fighs  and  groans, 
 Rom.  viii.  26.  When  the  fire  of  fervency  is  put  to  the  incenfe 
 of  prayer,  then  it  afcends  as  a  fweet  odour  ;  that  is  the  true 
 holy  water,  not  that  which  the  Pope  fprinkles,  but  what  is  dif- 
 tilled  from  the  limbec  of  a  penitent  eye.  Spirit- worfhip  beft 
 pleafeth  that  God  who  is  a  fpirit,  John  iv.  23.  '  The  Father 
 ieeketh  fuch  to  worfhip  him  ;'  to  fhew  the  great  acceptance  of 
 fuch,  and  how  God  is  delighted  with  fpiritual  worfliip.  This 
 is  the  favoury  meat  God  loves.  How  few  mind  this  !  Wor- 
 fhipping  him  who  is  a  Spirit,  in  the  fpirit;  they  give  him  more 
 dregs  than  fpirits  ;  they  think  it  enough  to  bring  their  duties, 
 but  not  their  hearts,  which  hath  made  God  difclaim  thefe  very 
 fervices  he  himfelf  appointed,  Ifa.  i.  12.  Ezek.  xxxiii.  31.  Let 
 us  then  give  God  fpirit- worfhip,  this  beftfuits  with  his  nature  ; 
 a  fovereign  elixir  full  of  virtue  may  be  given  in  a  few  drops ; 
 a  little  prayer,  if  it  be  with  the  heart  and  fpirit,  may  have  much 
 virtue  and  efficacy  in  it.  The  publican  made  but  a  fhort  pray- 
 er, *  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  finner,'  Luke  xviii.  13.  but  it 
 was  full  of  life  and  fpirit ;  it  came  from  the  heart,  therefore  it 
 was  accepted. 
 
 Ufe  2.  Of  exhortation.  Pray  to  God,  that  as  he  is  a  fpirit, 
 fo  he  will  give  us  of  his  fpirit.  The  eifence  of  God  is  incom- 
 municable ;  but  the  motions,  the  prefence  and  influences  of  his 
 Spirit.  When  the  fun  fhines  in  a  room,  not  the  body  of  the 
 fun  is  there,  but  the  light,  heat,  and  influence  of  the  fun.  God 
 hath  made  a  promife  of  his  Spirit,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  27.     *  I  will 
 
 £ut  my  Spirit  within  you.'  Turn  promifes  into  prayers.  ••  O 
 ord,  thou  who  art  a  fpirit,  give  me  of  thy  fpirit ;  I  flelh,  beg 
 thy  fpirit,  thy  enlightning,  fau6tifying,  quickning  fpirit. "  Me- 
 lanchon's  prayer,  **  Lord,  inflame  my  foul  with  thy  Holy 
 Spirit."  How  needful  is  his  Spirit?  We  cannot  do  any  duty 
 without  it  in  a  lively  manner  ;  when  this  wind  blows  upon  our 
 tails,  then  we  move  fvviftly  towards  heaven.     Pray  therefore, 
 
GOD  IS  INFINITE.  &7 
 
 that  God  would  give  us  of  the  rclidue  of  his  Spirit,  Mai.  ii.  15. 
 that  we  may  move  more  Figorouflv  In  the  fphere  of  religion. 
 
 life  3.  Of  comfort.  As  God  ii  ■  fpirit,  fo  the  reward  that 
 bfl  Liivis  is  fpiritual  ;  that  is  the  excellency  ot  it.  A-  thechief 
 blelliugs  lie  gives  us  in  this  life  are  fpiritual blellings,  Kph.  i. 
 not  <;oid  and  Giver  ;  he  gives  Chrift  his  love  ;  he  tills  us  wi;U 
 grace  :  (b  the  main  rewards  he  gives  us  after  this  life  are  fpiri- 
 tual, *  a  crown  of  glory  that  fad eth  not  away,'  1  Pet.  v.  L 
 Earthly  crowns  fade,  hut  the  believer's  crown,  being  fpiritual, 
 is  immortal,  a  never-fading  crown.  M  It  is  impollibie  (faith 
 Julius  Scaliger)  for  that  which  is  fpiritural  to  be  fubjeet  to  change 
 or  corruption."  This  may  comfort  a  Chriftian  in  all  his  labours 
 and  (otferinga  ;  lie  lays  out  himfelf  for  God,  and  hath  little  or 
 oo  reward  here;  but  remember,  God,  who  is  a  fpirit,  will  give 
 fpiritual  rewards,  a  fight  of  his  face  in  heaven,  white  robes,  a 
 weight  of  glory.  Be  not  then  weary  of  God's  fervice  ;  think 
 of  the  fpiritual  reward,  a  crown  of  glory  which  fadeth  not 
 away. 
 
 GOD  IS  INFINITE. 
 
 Q.    WUA  T  kind  of  fpirit  is  God  ? 
 
 Anf.  He  is  infinite  ;  fo  he  differs  from  all  created  beings 
 which  are  finite.  Tho*  infinite  maybe  applied  to  all  God's 
 attributes,  he  is  infinitely  merciful,  infinitely  wife,  infinitely 
 holy  ;  yet,  if  we  take  infmitenefs  properly  fo,  it  implies, 
 
 I.  God's  omniprefence  ;  the  Greek  word  for  inlinite,  figni- 
 fies  ■  without  bounds  or  limits:'  God  is  not  confined  to  any 
 place,  he  is  infinite,  and  fo  is  prefent  in  all  places  at  once. 
 His  centre  is  every  where,  Divina  effentia  nujquam  mclufa  ant 
 exclnfa,  Aug.  1  Kings  viii.  27.  '  Behold,  the  heaven,  and  hea- 
 ven of  heavens  cannot  contain  thee.'  This  the  Turks  have  a 
 notion  of,  they  build  their  temples  open  on  the  top,  to  Ihew 
 that  God  cannot  be  confined  to  their  temples,  or  circumfcribed, 
 but  is  in  all  places  by  his  prefence.  God's  eifence  is  not  limit- 
 ed either  to  the  regions  above,  or  to  the  terreftrial  globe,  but 
 his  whole  eilence  is  every  where  ;  this  is  to  be  infinite.  As 
 philofophers  fay  of  the  foul,  it  is,  Totain  tola,  ettota  in  qaulibet 
 parte  :  the  foul  is  in  every  part  of  the  body,  in  the  eye,  heart, 
 foot :  lb  we  may  lay  of  God,  he  is  ubujne,  his  eflence  is  every 
 Where,  bis  circuit  is  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  and  fea,  and  he  is 
 in  all  places  of  his  circuit  at  once  :  '  This  is  to  be  infinite.' 
 God,  who  bounds  every  thing  elle,  is  himfelf  without  bounds  ; 
 he  fe£  bounds  tothefea,  Hue  uj'que,  ■  Hitherto  fhalt  thou  come, 
 and  no  further.'     He  lets  bounds  to  the  angels  ;   they,  like  the 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  2.  H 
 
58  GOD  IS  INFINITE. 
 
 cherubims,  move  and  (land  at  his  appointment,  Ezek.  x\  16, 
 but  he  is  infinite,  without  bounds.  He  who  can  fpan  the  hea- 
 vens, and  weigh  the  earth  in  a  pair  of  leaks,  muft  needs  be  in- 
 finite, Iia.  xl.  22. 
 
 Ohj.  Vorjiius,  That  God  is  in  all  places  at  once ,  but  not  in 
 regard  of  his  effence,  but,  Virtute  et  potentia,  by  Jus  virtue  and 
 influence  ;  as  the  body  of  the  fun  is  in  heaven,  it  only  fends  forth 
 its  beams  and  influences  to  the  earth  ;  or  as  a  king,  icho  is  in  all 
 places  of  his  kingdom  authoritative,  by  his  power  and  authority, 
 but  he  is  perfonally  in  his  throne. 
 
 Anf  But  to  anfwer  ;  God,  who  is  infinite,  is  in  all  places  at 
 once,  not  only  by  his  influence,  but  by  his  effence  ;  for,  if  hi& 
 eifence  fills  all  places,  then  he  muft  needs  be  there  in  perfon. 
 But,  Ergo,  minor  in,  Jer.  xxiii.  24.  «  Do  not  I  fill  heaven  and 
 earth.' 
 
 Object.  But  doth  not  Gad  fay,  heaven  is  his  throne?  Ifaiah 
 lxvi.  1. 
 
 Anf.  It  is  alfo  faid,  that  an  humble  heart  is  his  throne,  Iftu 
 lvii.  15.  The  humble  heart  is  his  throne,  in  regard  of  his  graci- 
 ous prefence;  and  yet  neither  of  thefe  thrones  will  hold  hira, 
 for  the  heaven  of  heavens  cannot  contain  him. 
 
 Object.  But  if  God  be  infinite  in  all  places,  then  he  is  in  places 
 impure,  and  mingles  icith  that  impurity  f 
 
 Anf.  Though  God  be  in  all  places,  in  the  heart  of  a  finner  by 
 his  infpection,  and  in  hell  by  his  juftice,  yet  he  doth  not  mingle 
 with  that  impurity,  or  receive  the  leaft  tincture  of  evil.  Divina 
 natura  non  eft  immifia  rebus  aut  fordibus  inquinota,  Aug.  No 
 more  than  the  fun  fhining  on  a  dunghill  is  defiled,  or  its  beauty 
 fpotted,  or  than  Chrift  going  among  finners  was  defiled,  his 
 Godhead  was  a  fufficient  antidote  againft  infection. 
 
 Reafon  why  God  muft  needs  be  infinite  in  all  places  at  once, 
 not  only  in  regard  of  the  fimplicity  and  purity  of  his  nature,  but 
 in  regard  of  his  power,  which  being  fo  glorious  who  can  fethim 
 bounds,  or  prefcribe  him  a  circuit  to  walk  in  ?  It  is  as  if  the  drop 
 fhouid  go  to  limit  the  ocean,  or  the  ftar  to  fet  the  fun  its  bounds. 
 Ufe  1.  It  condemns  the  Papifts,  who  would  make  more  things 
 infinite  than  the  Godhead  :  They  hold  that  Chrift' s  body  is  in 
 many  places  at  once,  that  it  is  in  heaven,  and  in  the  bread  and 
 wine  in  the  facrament.  Though  Chrift  as  he  is  God  is  infinite, 
 and  in  all  places  at  once,  yet  as  man  he  is  not:  Chrift,  when 
 he  was  on  earth,  his  manhood  was  not  in  heaven,  though  his 
 Godhead  was;  and  now  he  is  in  heaven,  his  manhood  is  not 
 on  earth,  though  his  Godhead  be;  Heb.  x.  5.  it  is  fpoken  of 
 Chrift,  ■  A  body  thou  haft  prepared  me.'  This  body  cannot  be 
 in  all  places  at  once  ;  for  then  it  is  no  more  a  body,  but  a  fpirit; 
 Chrilt's  body  in  heaven,  though  it  be  glorified,  it  is  not  deified  ; 
 
GOD  IS  INFINITE.  50 
 
 it  is  not  infinite,  for  lb  it  mult  be,  if  it  bo  both  in  heaven,  and 
 in  the  bread  and  wine  by  traufubiiautiation. 
 
 If  God  be  infinite,  prelent  in  all  places  at  once,  tben  it  is  cer- 
 tain he  governs  all  thing!  in  his  own  perlon  ;  h<-  Heeds  no  proxies 
 or  deputies  to  help  him  to  carry  on  his  government.  He  if  in 
 all  places  at  an  inllant,  and  manageth  all  atlair.s  both  in  the 
 earth  and  heaven.  A  king  cannot  be  in  all  places  of  hi>  king- 
 dom in  his  own  perlon,  therefore  he  i*  fain  to  govern  by  deputies 
 and  vicegerents,  and  they  often  pervert  juliice ;  butGod,  being 
 infinite,  needs  no  deputies,  he  is  prelent  in  all  places,  he  fees  all 
 with  his  own  eyes,  and  hears  all  with  his  own  ears ;  he  is  every 
 where  in  his  own  perlon,  therefore  is  lit  to  be  the  judge  of  the 
 world,  he  will  do  every  one  right. 
 
 If  God  be  infinite  by  hisomniprefence,  then  fee  the  greatnefs 
 and  immentenefs  of  the  divine  Majelly  !   What  a  great  God  do 
 we  ferve?   I  Chron.  xxix.  1L.   *   Thine,  O  Lord,  is  the  great- 
 nefs, and  the  glory,  and  the  majefty,  and  thou  art  exalted  as 
 head  above  all.'     Well  may  the  Icripture  difplay  the  greatnefs 
 of  his  glory,  who  is  infinite  in  all  places.     He  tranlcends  our 
 weak  conceptions ;   how  can  our  finite  underftanding   compre- 
 hend him  who  is  infinite?   He  is  infinitely  above  all  our  praifes, 
 Neh.  ix.  b.  *  Bleifed  be  thy  glorious  name,   which  is  exalted 
 above  ail  blefling  and  praife.'     O  what  a  poor  nothing  is  man, 
 when  we  think  of  God's  inlinitenefs!   As  the  (tars  difappear  at 
 the   riling  of  the   fun,  O  how  doth  man  (hrink  into   nothing, 
 when  infinite   Majefty  Ihines  forth  in   his  glory  !   Ifa.  xl.  13. 
 *  The  nations  are  as  a  drop  of  the  bucket,  or  the  imall  dull  of 
 the  balance  V  O  what  a  little  of  that  drop  are  we  !   The  heathens 
 thought  they  had  fulficiently  praifed  Jupiter,  when  they  called 
 him  Great  Jupiter.     Of  what  immenfe  majefty  is  God,  who 
 fills  all  places  at  once  !   His  excellent  greatnels,  Plal.  cl.  2.     If 
 God  be  infinite,  filling  heaven  and  earth,  fee  what  a  full  portion 
 the  faints  have  ;   they  have  him  for  their  portion,  who  is  infinite. 
 His  tulnefs  is  an  infinite  fulnefs ;  and  he  is  infinitely  fweet,   as 
 well  as  infinitely  full :   if  a  conduit  be  filled  with  wine,  here  is  a 
 fweet  fulnefs,  but  ilill  it  is  finite ;   but  God  is  a  fweet  fulnefs, 
 and  it  is  an  infinite.     He  is  infinitely  full  of  beauty,  of  love; 
 his  riches  are  called  uniearchable,  Eph.  iii.  S.  becaufe  they  are 
 infinite.     Stretch  your  thoughts  as  much  as  you  can,  there  is 
 that  in  God  exceeds;   it  is  an  infinite  fulnefs.     He  is  laid  to  do 
 abundantly  for  us,  above  all   that  we  can  all:,   Eph.    iii.   ^0. 
 What  can  an  ambitious*  fpiritaik  ?   He  can  a<k  crowns  and  king- 
 doms, millions  of  worlds  ;  but  God  can  give  more  than  we  can 
 afk,  becaufe  he  is  infinite,  nay,   or  think  :   we  can  think,  what 
 if  all  the  duft  were  turned  to  iiiver,  if  every  flower  were  a  ruby, 
 every  land  in  the  lea  a  diamond  :  yet  God  can  give  more  than 
 we  can  think,  becaufe  he  is  infinite!  O  how  rich  are  they  who 
 
 H2 
 
00  «0D  IS  INFINITE. 
 
 have  the  infinite  God  for  their  portion  !  Well  might  David  fay, 
 •  The  Lord  is  the  portion  of  mine  inheritance,  the  lines  are  fallen 
 unto  me  in  pleafant  places,  and  I  have  a  goodly  heritage,'  Pfal. 
 xvi.  5,  6.  We  may  go  with  the  bee  from  flower  to  flower, 
 but  we  (hall  never  have  full  fatisfacYion  till  we  come  to  the  in- 
 finite God.  Jacob  (aid,  '  I  have  enough  ;'  in  the  Hebrew, 
 "  I  have  all,"  Gen.  xxxiii.  II.  becaule  he  had  the  infinite  God 
 for  his  portion.  God  being  an  infinite  fulnefs,  there  is  no  fear 
 of  want  for  any  of  the  heirs  of  heaven  ;  though  there  be  millions 
 of  faints  and  angels,  which  have  a  (hare  in  God's  riches,  yet  he 
 hath  enough  for  them  all,  becaufe  he  is  infinite.  Though  a 
 thoufand  men  behold  the  fun,  there  is  light  enough  in  the  fun 
 for  them  all :  put  never  (b  many  buckets  into  the  fea,  ihere  is 
 water  enough  in  the  fea  to  fill  them.  Though  an  innumerable 
 company  of  faints  and  angels  are  to  be  filled  out  of  God's  ful- 
 nefs, yet  God,  being  infinite,  he  hath  abundantly  enough  to 
 fatisfy  them.  God  hath  land  enough  to  give  to  all  his  heirs, 
 there  can  be  no  want  in  that  which  is  infinite. 
 
 If  God  be  infinite,  he  fills  all  places,  is  every  where  prefent ; 
 this  is  fad  to  the  wicked,  God  is  their  enemy,  and  they  cannot 
 efcape  him,  nor  flee  from  him,  for  he  is  every  where  prefent : 
 they  are  never  out  of  his  eye,  nor  out  of  his  reach,  Pfal.  xxi. 
 8.  '  Thy  hand  (hall  find  out  all  thy  enemies.'  What  caves  or 
 thickets  can  men  hide  in,  that  God  cannot  find  them  :  go  where 
 they  will,  he  is  prefent,  Pfal.  cxxxix.  7-  '  Whither  (hall  I  flee 
 from  thy  prefence?'  If  a  man  owes  a  debt  to  another,  he  may 
 make  (bme  efcape,  and  flee  into  another  land,  where  the 
 creditor  cannot  Find  him.  '  But  whither  (hall  I  flee  from  thy 
 prefence  ?'  God  is  infinite,  he  is  in  all  places  ;  fo  that  he  will 
 find  out  his  enemies  and  punifh  them. 
 
 Object.  But  is  it  not  faid,  Cain  went  out  from  the  prefence  of 
 the  Lord?  Gen.  iv.  16. 
 
 Anf.  The  meaning  is,  he  went  out  from  the  church  of  God, 
 where  were  the  vifible  figns  of  God's  prefence,  and  where  God 
 did  in  a  fpecial  manner,  manifeft  his  fweet  prefence  to  his  peo- 
 ple :  but  Cain  could  not  go  out  of  God's  fight ;  for  God  being 
 infinite,  is  every  where  prefent.  Sinners  can  neither  go  from 
 an  accufingconfcience,  nor  a  revenging  God. 
 
 If  God  be  every  where  prefent,  then  for  a  Chriflian  to  walk 
 with  God  is  not  impofiible.  God  is  not  only  in  heaven,  but  he 
 is  in  earth  too,  Ifa.  lvi.  1.  Heaven  is  his  throne,  there  he  fits  ; 
 the  earth  is  his  footftool,  there  he  ftands.  He  is  every  where 
 prefent,  therefore  we  may  come  to  walk  with  God  :  '  Enoch 
 walked  with  God,'  Gen.  v.  21.  If  God  was  confined  to  hea- 
 v<n,  a  trembling  foul  might  think,  How  can  I  converle  wi  h 
 God,  how  can  L  walk  with  him  who  lives  in  exceljts,  above  the 
 upper  region  ?  but  God  is  not  confined  to  heaven,  he  is  omni- 
 
GOD  Is  INFINITE.  61 
 
 prefent ;  he  fa  above  us,  yet  he  M  about  us,  le  is  near  to  us, 
 Acts  xvii.  27.  '  Though  lie  be  not  for  From  the  alfeinbly  of  the 
 faints.       He  frauds   ill  the  i  utien  ol    the  mighty,'    Pt*k 
 
 Iwii.  I.      He  is  prefent  with  us,  God  is  in  every  one  ot'  n 
 that   here  on  earth  we   may   walk   with  God.     In   heaven   the 
 faints  rell  with  him,  on   earth  they  walk  with  him.     To 
 with  God,    is  to  walk  by  faith  ;   we  are  laid  to  draw    wkw/k   to 
 God,    Heb.  x.   W.  ami  to  lee  bun,    lie!),  xi.  27.    *  A.I  u 
 bun  who  is  invilible  ;'  and  to  have  feilowlhip  with  him,    I  Inf. 
 i.  3.   *  Our  feilowlhip  is  with  the  Father*'     Thus  we  may  take 
 a  turn  with  him  every  day  by  taith  :    (It  is  a  flighting  ot   God 
 not  to  walk  with  him  :  if  a  king  be  in  pretence,  it  is  a  flighting1 
 him,  to  negled  him,  and  walk  with  the  page)  there  is  no  walk 
 in  the  world  lb  tweet  as  to  walk  with  God  :   Plahii  Ixxxix.  \b. 
 *  They   tball   walk  in   the   light  of  thy  countenance,'    PdJ. 
 cxwviii.  5.     *  Yea,  they  tball  ting  in  the  ways  of  the  Lord;* 
 it  is  like  walking  among  beds  of  fpices,  which  lend  forth  a 
 fragrant  perfume. 
 
 Lie  2.  If  God  be  infinite  in  his  glorious  etfence,  learn  toad- 
 mire,  where  you  cannot  fathom.  The  angels  wear  a  vuil,  they 
 cover  their  faces,  if  adoring  this  intinite  majeliy,  I  fa.  vi.  3. 
 Eli  is  wrapped  bimtelf  in  a  mantle  when  God's  glory  patfed  by. 
 Admire  where  you  cannot  fathom,  Job  xi.  7.  '  Canft  thou  by 
 leurching  find  out  God  ?  Here  we  fee  fome  beams  of  his  glory, 
 we  fee  him  in  the  glafs  of  the  creation  ;  we  fee  him  in  his  picture, 
 his  image  thines  in  the  taints;  who  can  but  fearch  out  all  his 
 elfential  glory?  What  angel  can  meafure  thele  pyramidb? 
 1  Cantt  thou  by  fearching  tiud  out  God  ?'  he  is  infiuite.  We 
 can  no  more  fearch  out  his  intinite  perfections,  than  a  man  upon 
 the  top  of  the  higheft  mountain  can  reach  the  firmament,  or 
 take  a  liar  in  his  hand.  O  have  God-admiring  thoughts! 
 Adore  where  you  cannot  fathom  :  there  are  many  myfteries  in 
 nature  which  we  cannot  fathom  ;  why  the  fea  (liould  be  higher 
 than  the  earth,  yet  not  drown  it ;  why  Nilus  (houid  overflow  in 
 fummer,  when,  by  the  courte  of  nature,  the  waters  are  loweft ; 
 how  the  bones  grow  in  the  womb  ;  Bock.  xi.  5.  If  thele  things 
 oppole  us,  how  may  the  infinite  myfteryof  the  Deity  tranfeend 
 our  molt  railed  intellectuals:  Aik  the  geometrician,  if  he  can, 
 with  a  pair  of  ccmpalfes,  meafure  the  breadth  of  the  earth.  So 
 unable  are  we  to  meafure  the  infinite  perfections  of  God.  In 
 heaven  we  fhall  lee  God  clearly,  but  not  fully,  for  he  is  intinite: 
 he  will  communicate  himfelf  to  us,  according  to  the  biguels  of 
 our  vellel,  but  not  the  immenfenefs  of  his  nature.  Adore  then 
 where  you  cannot  fathom. 
 
 If  God  be  infinite  in  all  places,  then  let  us  not  go  to  limit 
 God,  Plkl.  lxxxviii.  41.  '  They  limited  the  holy  One  of  Ifrael.' 
 It  is  a  limiting  God  to  confine  him  within  the  narrow  com  pals 
 
B!< 
 
 62  OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD. 
 
 of  our  reafon.  Reafon  thinks  God  muft  go  fuch  a  way  to  work, 
 or  the  bufinefs  will  never  be  effected.  This  is  to  limit  God  to 
 our  reafon  :  whereas  he  is  infinite,  and  his  ways  are  pati  finding 
 out,  Rom.  xi.  33.  In  the  deliverance  of  the  church,  it  is  a 
 limiting  God,  either  to  fet  him  a  time,  or  prefcribehima  method 
 for  deliverance.  God  will  deliver  Zion,  but  he  will  be  left  to 
 his  own  liberty  ;  he  will  not  be  tied  to  a  place,  to  a  time,  to  an 
 inftrument :  this  were  to  limit  him,  and  then  he  fhould  not  be 
 infinite.  God  will  go  his  own  way,  he  will  pole  and  nonplus 
 reafon,  he  will  work  by  improbabilities,  he  will  lave  in  fuch  a 
 way,  as  we  think  he  will  defiroy  ;  now  he  acts  like  himfelf,  like 
 an  infinite  wonder-working  God. 
 
 OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD. 
 
 *  For  the  Lord  is  a  God  of  knowledge,  and  by  him 
 actions  are  weighed,'  1  Sam.  ii.  3.  Glorious  things  are  fpoken 
 of  God  ;  he  tranlcends  our  thoughts,  and  the  angels  praites. 
 God's  glory  lies  chiefly  in  his  attributes,  which  are  the  ieveral 
 beams  by  which  the  divine  nature  fhines  forth.  Among  other 
 of  his  orient  excellencies,  this  is  not  the  haft,  The  Lord  is  a 
 God  of  knowledge;  or  as  the  Hebrew  word  is,  •  A  God  of 
 knowledges.'  Through  the  bright  mirror  of  his  own  elience, 
 he  hath  a  full  idea  and  cognifance  of  all  things  ;  the  world  is  to 
 him  a  tranfparent  body.  He  makes  an  heart-anatomy  ;  Rev. 
 ii.  25.  '  I  am  he  which  fearcheth  the  reins  and  the  heart.' 
 The  clouds  are  no  canopy,  the  night  is  no  curtain  to  draw  be- 
 tween usand  his  fight,  Pfal.  cxxxix.  12.  '  The  darkneis  hideth 
 not  from  thee.'  There  is  not  a  word  we  whifper,  but  God 
 hears  it,  Pfal.  cxxxix.  4.  '  There  is  not  a  word  in  my  tongue, 
 but  lo,  O  Lord,  thou  knoweft  it  altogether.'  There  is  not  the 
 moft  fubtil  thought  comes  into  our  mind,  but  God  perceives  it, 
 lfa.  Ixv.  8.  *  I  know  their  thoughts.'  Thoughts  fpeak  as  loud 
 in  God's  ears,  as  words  do  in  ours.  All  our  actions,  though 
 never  lb  fubtilly  contrived,  and  fecretly  conveyed,  are  vifible  to 
 the  eye  of  omnifciency,  lfa.  lxvi.  18.  '  I  know  their  works.' 
 Achan  hid  the  Babylonifh  garment  in  the  earth,  but  God  brought 
 it  to  light,  Jo(h.  vii.  21.  Minerva  was  drawn  in  fuch  curious 
 colours,  and  fo  lively  penciled,  that  which  way  foever  one  turn- 
 ed, Minerva's  eyes  were  upon  him  ;  fo,  which  way  foever  we 
 turn  ourfelves,  ftill  God's  eye  is  upon  us,  Jobxxvii.  16'.  ■  Dolt 
 thou  know  the  balancing  of  the  clouds ;  the  wondrous  works  of 
 him  that  is  perfect  in  knowledge  ?-'  God  knows  whatever  is 
 knowable  ;  he  knows  future  contingencies.  He  foretold  III  ael's 
 coming  out  of  Babylon,  and  the  virgin's  conceiving.     By  this 
 
OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD.  63 
 
 the  Lord  proves  the  truth  of  his  Godhead  sgaaofl  idol-gods,  I  fa. 
 xli.  iJJ.  4  Shew  the  things  that  are  to  come  hereafter,  that  we 
 may  know  ye  are  gods.'  The  perfection  of  God's  knowled 
 is  primary.  He  is  the  original,  the  pattern  and  prototype  I 
 all  knowledge;  others  borrow  their  knowledge  of  him;  the 
 angels  light  their  lamps  at  this  glorious  fun.  (9. )  God's  know- 
 ledge is  pure.  It  is  not  contaminated  with  the  object  Dnmia 
 natura  man  cji  immij'ta  rebus  ant  Jbrdibui  mqumata,  Auguit. 
 Though  God  knowns  fin,  yet  it  is  to  hate  and  pumlli  it.  No 
 evil  can  mix  or  incorporate  with  his  knowledge,  no  more  than 
 the  fun  can  he  defiled  with  the  vapours  which  arife  from  ihe 
 earth.  (3.)  God's  knowledge  is  facile;  it  is  without  any  dif- 
 ficulty. We  ftudy  and  fearch  for  knowledge,  Prov.  ii.  4.  *  If 
 thou  feekelt  for  her  as  for  diver.'  But  the  lamp  of  God's 
 knowledge  is  fo  infinitely  bright,  that  all  things  are  intelligible 
 to  him. 
 
 (4.)  God's  knowledge  is  infallible  ;  there  is  no  miftake  in  his 
 knowledge.  Human  knowledge  is  fubject  to  error  and  mifpri- 
 fion.  A  phyfician  may  miftake  the  caufe  of  a  difeafe  :  but 
 God's  knowledge  is  unerring;  he  can  neither  deceive,  nor  be 
 deceived  ;  he  cannot  deceive,  becaufe  he  is  truth  ;  nor  be  de- 
 ceived, becaufe  he  is  wifdom.  (&•)  God's  knowledge  isinltan- 
 taneous.  Our  knowledge  is  fuccefiive,  one  thing  after  another. 
 We  argue  from  the  effect  to  the  caufe.  God  knows  things  pall, 
 prefent,  and  to  come,  una  untuitu,  at  once,  they  are  all  before 
 him  in  one  entire  profpect. 
 
 (I.)  God's  knowledge  is  retentive  ;  he  never  lofeth  any  of  his 
 knowledge ;  he  hath  remintjbentia,  as  well  as  intelligentia  ;  he 
 remembers  as  well  as  underftands.  Many  things  elapfe  out  of 
 our  mind,  but  God's  knowledge  is  eternized.  Things  tranlacted 
 a  thoufand  years  ago,  are  as  frefh  to  him,  as  they  were  done 
 but  the  lall  minute.     Thus  he  is  perfect  in  knowledge. 
 
 Object.  Bat  is  it  not  fetid,  Gen.  xviii.  21.  /  will  go  down 
 find  fee  whether  they  have  dune  according  to  the  cry  which  is 
 come  up  unto  me,  and  I  will  /enow  f 
 
 An/.  It  could  not  be  a  nefciency,  or  that  God  was  ignorant ; 
 becaufe  there  is  mention  made  of  a  cry  ;  but  the  Lord  fpeaks 
 there  after  the  manner  of  a  judge,  who  will  firft  examine  the 
 caufe  before  he  palfeth  the  fentence.  God,  when  he  is  upon  a 
 work  of  j  aft  ice,  is  not  in  a  riot,  as  if  he  did  not  care  where  he 
 hits;  but  he  goes  in  a  way  of  circuit  againft  offenders  '  He  lays 
 judgment  to  the  line,  and  righteoulhefs  to  the  plummet,  ll'a. 
 xxviii.  17. 
 
 Object.  Hof.  xiii.  13.  The  iniquity  of  Ephraim  is  bound  up, 
 their  Jin  is  hid? 
 
 Anf.  Xot  that  his  fin  was  hid  from  God,  but  his  fin  is  hid ; 
 that  is,  it  is  recorded,  it  is  laid  up  againit  a  day  of  reckoning. 
 
64  OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD. 
 
 That  this  is  the  meaning,  is  clear  by  the  foregoing  words,  his 
 iniquity  is  bound  up:  as  the  clerk  of  the  affizes  binds  up  the 
 indictments  of  malefactors  in  a  bundle,  and,  at  the  affizes, 
 brings  out  the  indictments,  and  reads  them  in  court ;  ib  God 
 bind's  up  men's  (ins  in  a  bundle,  and,  at  the  day  of  judgment, 
 this  bundle  (hall  be  opened,  and  all  their  (ins  brought  to  light 
 before  men  and  angels. 
 
 That  God  is  thus  infinite  in  his  knowledge:  1.  It  cannot  but  be 
 fo  ;  for  he,  who  is  the  original  caufe ,  and  gives  a  being  to  things, 
 muft  needs  have  a  clear  infpection  into  them,  Pfal.  xciv.  t). 
 *  He  that  planteth  the  ear,  (hall  he  not  hear  ?  He  that  formed 
 the  eye,  (hall  he  not  fee  ?'  He  who  makes  a  watch  or  engine, 
 knows  all  the  workmanfhip  in  it.  God,  that  made  the  heart, 
 knows  all  I  he  motions  and  fallacies  of  it :  He  is  like  Ezekiel's 
 wheels,  full  of  eyes,  and,  as  Auftin  faith,  Totus  ocidus,  te  All 
 eye."  2.  It  ought  to  be  fo  :  for  he  is  to  be  '  Judge  of  all  the 
 world,'  Gen.  xviii.  25.  There  are  fo  many  caufes  to  be  brought 
 before  him,  and  fo  many  perfons  to  be  tried,  that  he  muft  have 
 a  mod  exquifite  perfect  knowledge,  or  he  could  not  do  juitice. 
 An  ordinary  judge  cannot  proceed  without  a  jury,  the  jury  mutt, 
 fearch  the  caufe,  and  give  in  their  verdict ;  but  God  can  judge 
 without  a  jury.  He  knows  all  things  in  and  ofhimfelf,  and 
 needs  no  witneffes  to  inform  him.  A  judge  judgeth  only  mat- 
 ters of  fact,  but  God  judgeth  the  heart.  He  not  only  judgeth 
 wicked  actions,  but  wicked  defigns.  He  fees  the  treaibn  of  the 
 heart,  and  punifheth  it. 
 
 life  1.  Is  God  infinite  in  knowledge,  1  John  i.  5.  c  He  is 
 fight,  and  in  him  is  no  darknefs  ;'  then  how  unlike  are  they 
 to  God,  who  are  darknefs,  and  in  them  is  no  light,  who  are  des- 
 titute of  knowledge,  fuch  as  the  Indians  who  never  heard  of 
 God  ?  And  are  there  not  many  among  us,  who  are  no  better 
 than  baptized  heathens?  who  are  to  feek  in  the  firft  principles 
 of  the  oracles  of  God.  It  is  fad,  that  after  the  fun  of  the  gof- 
 pel  hath  mined  fo  long  in  our  horizon,  yet  to  this  day  the  veH 
 (hould  be  upon  their  heart.  Such  as  are  inveloped  with  igno- 
 rance, cannot  give  God  a  reafonable  fervice,  Rom.  xii.  i.  "  Ig- 
 norance is  the  nurfe  of  impiety  :"  The  fchoolmen  fay,  Omne 
 peceatum  fundatur  in  ignorantia.  Jer.  ix.  3.  *  They  proceed 
 from  evil  to  evil,  and  know  not  me,  faith  the  Lord.'  Where 
 ignorance  reigns  in  the  underftanding,  lull  rageth  in  the  affec- 
 tions; Prov.  xix.  2.  *  That  the  mind  be  without  knowledge, 
 it  is  not  good  ;  neither  faith  nor  fear  :  no  faith  ;  for  knowledge 
 carries  the  torch  before  faith.  Pfal.  ix.  10.  '  They  that  know 
 thy  name  fhall  put  their  trull  in  thee.'  A  man  can  no  more 
 believe  without  knowledge,  than  the  eye  can  fee  without  light. 
 Nor  fear  of  God  ;  how  can  they  fear  him  whom  they  do  not 
 know  !    The  covering  of  Hainan's  face  was  a  fad  prefage  of 
 
OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD.  65 
 
 death.     When  people's  minds  are  covered  with  ignorance,  this 
 covering  of  the  face  is  a  fatal  forerunner  of  definition. 
 
 2.   If  God  be  a  God  of  knowledge,  then   ice  the  folly  of  hy- 
 pocrify.     Hypocrites  do  not  virtuUm  facere,  but  Jingere.    Me- 
 lancl.     They  carry  it  fair  with  men,  but  care  not  how  bad  their 
 hearts  are ;    they  live  in  fecret  fin,  Pf.   lxxiii.   11.    '  They  fay 
 how  doth  God  know  ?'    PC  x.  11.     ■  God  hath   forgotten,   he 
 hideth  his  face,  he  will  never  fee  it.'     But,  Pf.  cxlvii.  5.  •  His 
 underftanding  is  infinite  ;'    He  hath  a  grate  [crates']  that  looks 
 into  men's  breails,  he  hath  a  key  for  the  heart,    he  beholds  all 
 the  finful  workings  of  men's  fpirits  ;    as  in  a  glafs-hive  we  can 
 fee  the  bees  working  in  their  combs,  Mat.  vi.  4.   '  He  fees  in 
 fecret;    in  impios  habet,  Rivet.     As  a  merchant  enters  down 
 debts  in  his  book,  fo  God  hath  his  diary  or  day-book,  and  he 
 enters  down  every  fin  into  the  book  :    he  makes  a  critical  def- 
 cant  upon  men's  actions.     Jeroboam's  wifedifguifed  herfelfthat 
 the  prophet  fhould  not  know  her  ;   but  he  difcerned  her,  1  Kings 
 .xiv.  b\     '  Why  feignefl  thou  thyfelf  to  be  another  ?'    The  hy- 
 pocrite thinks  to  prevaricate  and  juggle  with  God,  but  God  will 
 unmafk  him,  Eccl.  xii.  14.   *  God   fhall  bring  every  work  iuto 
 judgment,   with  every  fecret  thing,'   Jer.   xxix.   32.     ■  They 
 have  committed  villany  in  Ilrael,  even  1  know,  and  am  a  wit- 
 nefs,   faith  the  Lord.'     Ay,   but  the  hypocrite   hopes  he  fliall 
 colour  over  his  fin,  and  make  it  look  very  fpecious.     Abfalom 
 mafks  over  his  treafon  with  the  pretence  of  a  religious  vow. 
 Judas  diffembles  his  envy  at  Chrirt,  and  covetoufnefs,  with  the 
 pretence  of  *  charity  to  the  poor,'  John  xii.  5.    Jehu  makes  re- 
 ligion a  fiirrup  to  his  ambitious  defign,  1  Kings  x.  16.     But 
 God  fees  through  thefe  fig-leaves.     You  may  fee  a  jade  under 
 his  gilt  trappings,  Jer.  xvi.  17.    '  Their  iniquities  are  not  hid 
 from  mine  eyes.'     And  he  that  hath  an  eye  to  fee  will  find  an 
 hand  to  punifh. 
 
 Ufe  2.  Of  exhortation.  Is  God  fo  infinite  in  his  knowledge  ? 
 Then  we  fhould  always  fet  ourfelves  as  under  his  omnifcient 
 eye.  Sic  vivendum  eft  tanquam  in  confpeclu,  Seneca.  Let  us 
 let  David's  profpecl.  before  our  eye,  Pfal.  xvi.  8.  '  I  have  fet 
 the  Lord  always  before  me.'  Seneca  counfelled  Lucillius,  that 
 whatever  he  was  doing,  he  fhould  imagine  fome  of  the  Roman 
 worthies  before  him,  and  then  he  would  do  nothing  dilhonour- 
 able.  The  confederation  of  God's  omnifciency  would,  1.  Be 
 preventive  of  much  fin.  The  eye  of  man  will  reftrain  from  fin  ; 
 and  will  not  God's  eyes  much  more  ?  Efth.  vii.  8.  ■  Will  he 
 force  the  queen  before  me,  when  I  ftand  and  look  on  ?'  Will 
 we  fin  when  our  judge  looks  on  ?  Would  men  fpeak  fo  vainly, 
 if  they  confidered  God  over-heard  them  ?  Latimer  took  heed  to 
 every  word  in  his  examination,  when  he  heard  the  pen  go  be- 
 hind the  hangings  :  fo,  what  care  would   perfons  have  of  their 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  2.  I 
 
66  OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD. 
 
 words,  if  they  remembered  God  heard,  and  the  pen  is  going  fa 
 heaven?  Would  men  go  after  ftrange  flefh,  if  they  believed 
 God  was  a  fpe&ator  of  their  wickednefs,  and  would  make  them 
 dc  penance  in  hell  for  it?  Would  they  defraud  in  their  dealings, 
 and  ufe  falfe  weights,  if  they  thought  God  law  them,  and  for 
 making  their  weights  lighter  would  make  their  damnation  hea- 
 vier ?  2.  The  fetting  ourfelves  as  under  the  eye  of  God's  omnif- 
 ciency,  would  caufe  reverence  in  the  worfhip  of  God.  God 
 fees  the  frame  and  carriage  of  our  hearts  when  we  come  before 
 him  !  how  would  this  call  in  our  draggling  thoughts  ?  How 
 would  this  animate  and  fpirit  duty  ?  It  wouid  make  us  put  fire 
 to  the  incenfe,  Acls  xxvi.  7.  '  The  tribes  inftantly  ferved  God 
 day  and  night,'  omnibus  venibvs,  with  the  utmoft  zeal  and  in- 
 tenfenefs  of  fpirit.  To  think  God  is  in  this  place,  he  beholds 
 us,  would  add  wings  to  prayer,  and  oil  to  the  flame  of  our  de- 
 votion. 
 
 2.  Is  God's  knowledge  infinite  ?  Study  fincerity,  be  what 
 you  feem,  1  Sam.  xvi.  7.  '  The  Lord  looketh  upon  the  heart,' 
 Men  judge  of  the  heart  by  the  a6tions,  God  judgeth  of  the  ac- 
 tions by  the  heart ;  if  the  heart  be  fmcere,  God  will  fee  the 
 faith  and  wink  at  the  failing.  Afa  had  his  blemifhes,  but  his 
 heart  was  right  with  God,  2  Chron.  xv.  17.  God  faw  his  fin- 
 cerity, and  pardoned  his  infirmity.  Sincerity  in  a  Chriftian,  is 
 like  chaftity  in  a  wife,  which  doth  excufe  many  failings.  Sin- 
 cerity makes  our  duties  acceptable,  like  mufk  among  linen, 
 that  perfumes  it.  As  Jehu  laid  to  Jehonadab,  2  Kings  x.  13. 
 '  Is  thy  heart  right  with  me?  And  he  faid,  It  is.  If  it  be, 
 faid,  he,  give  me  thy  hand  ;  and  he  took  him  up  into  the  cha- 
 riot :'  fo,  if  God  fee  our  heart  is  right,  that  we  love  him,  and 
 defign  his  glory,  now  faith  he,  give  me  your  prayers  and  tears ; 
 now  you  (hall  come  up  with  me  into  the  triumphant  chariot  of 
 glory.  Sincerity  makes  our  fervices  to  be  golden,  and  God  will 
 not  caft  away  this  gold  though  it  may  want  fome  weight.  Is 
 God  omnifcient,  and  his  eye  chiefly  upon  the  heart?  Wear  this 
 girdle  of  truth  about  you,  and  never  leave  it  off. 
 
 Ufe  3.  Of  comfort.  Is  God  a  God  of  infinite  knowledge? 
 Then  there  is  comfort,  1.  To  the  faints  in  particular,  2.  To  the 
 church  in  general,  in  three  refpe6ls. 
 
 1.  In  cafe  of  private  devotion,  Chriftian,  thou  fetteft  hours 
 apart  for  God,  thy  thoughts  run  upon  him  as  thy  treafure : 
 God  takes  notice  of  every  good  thought,  Mai.  iii.  17.  He  had 
 a  book  of  remembrance  written  for  them  that  thought  upon  his 
 name.  Thou  entereft  into  thy  clofet,  and  prayeft  to  thy  Fa- 
 ther in  fecret  ;  he  hears  every  figh  and  groan,  Pfal.  xxxviii.  9. 
 '  My  groaning  is  not  hid  from  thee.'  Thou  watered  the  feed 
 of  thy  prayer  with  tears,  God  bottles  every  tear,  Pfal.  lvi.  8. 
 c  Put  thou  my  tears  into  thy  bottle.'     When  the  fecrets  of 
 
OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD.  67 
 
 all  heart?  (hall  be  opened,  God  will  make  an  honourable  men- 
 tion of  the  zeal  and  devotion  of  his  people,  and  he  himfelf  will 
 be  the  herald  of  their  praifes,  1  Cor.  iv.  5.  *  Then  fliall  every 
 man  have  praife  of  God.' 
 
 8.  The  infinitenefa  of  God's  knowledge  is  a  comfort,  in  cafe 
 the  faints  have  not  fo  clear  a  knowledge  of  themfelves.  They 
 iind  fo  much  corruption,  that  they  judge  they  have  no  grace, 
 Gen.  xxv.  22.  *  If  it  be  fo  why  am  I  thus?  If  1  have  grace, 
 why  is  my  heart  fo  dead  and  earthly  a  frame  !  O  remember, 
 God  is  of  infinite  knowledge,  he  can  fpy  grace  where  thou  canft; 
 not;  he  can  fee  grace  hid  under  corruption,  as  the  liars  may 
 be  hid  under  a  cloud.  God  can  fee  that  holinefs  in  thee  which 
 thou  canft  not  difcern  in  thyfelf ;  he  can  fpy  the  flower  of  grace 
 in  thee,  though  overtopped  with  weeds,  1  Kings  xiv.  13.  '  Be- 
 caufe  there  is  in  him  fome  good  thing.'  God  fees  fome  good 
 thing  in  his  people,  when  they  can  fee  no  good  in  themfelves  ; 
 and  though  they  judge  themfelves,  he  will  give  them  an  abfo- 
 lutioo. 
 
 3.  It  is  comfort  in  refpecl;  of  perfonal  injuries.  It  is  the 
 faints'  lot  to  fuller ;  the  head  being  crowned  with  thorns,  the 
 feet  mult  not  tread  upon  rofes.  If  faints  find  a  real  purgatory, 
 it  is  in  this  life;  but  this  is  the  comfort,  God  fees  what  wrong 
 is  done  to  them  ;  the  apple  of  his  eye  is  touched,  and  is  not  he 
 fenfible  ;  St.  Paul  was  fcourged  by  cruel  hands,  1  Cor.  xi.  35. 
 *  Thrice  was  I  beaten  with  rods  ;'  as  if  you  fhould  fee  a  fcullion 
 whip  the  king's  fon.  God  beholds  it,  Exod.  iii.  7-  '  I  know 
 their  ibrrows.'  The  wicked  make  wounds  in  the  backs  of  the 
 faints,  and  then  pour  in  vinegar  ;  God  writes  down  their  cruelty. 
 Believers  are  part  of  Chrift's  myftical  body  ;  and  for  every  drop 
 of  a  faint's  blood  fpilt,  God  puts  a  drop  of  wrath  in  his  vial. 
 
 4.  Comfort  to  the  church  of  God  in  general.  If  God  be  a 
 God  of  knowledge,  he  fees  all  the  plots  of  the  enemies  againlt 
 Zion,  and  can  make  them  prove  abortive.  The  wicked  are 
 fubtile,  having  borrowed  their  (kill  of  the  old  ferpent ;  they 
 dig  deep,  to  hide  their  counfels  from  God,  but  he  fees  them, 
 and  can  ealily  counter- work  them.  The  dragon  is  defcribed 
 with  feven  heads,  Rev.  xii.  3.  to  fhew  how  he  plots  againlt  the 
 church  :  but  God  is  defcribed  with  feven  eyes,  Zech.  iii.  9.  to 
 fhew,  that  he  fees  all  the  plots  and  ftratagems  of  the  enemies  ; 
 and  when  they  deal  proudly,  he  can  be  above  them.  Come, 
 faith  Phiraoh,  *  let  us  deal  wifely,'  Ex.  i.  10.  and  he  never 
 played  the  fool  more  than  when  he  thought  to  deal  wifely,  Jilx. 
 xiv.  23.  *  In  the  morning-watch  the  Lord  looked  to  the  holt 
 of  the  Egyptians,  by  the  pillar  of  lire,  and  troubled  the  holt.* 
 How  may  this  be  as  lap  in  the  vine,  and  may  comfort  the 
 church  of  God  in  her  militant  ftate.     The  Lord  iiatli  an  eye  in 
 
 I  3 
 
68  OF  THE  ETERNITY  OF  GOD. 
 
 all  the  councils  and  combinations  of  the  enemy ;  he  fees  them 
 in  their  train,  and  can  blow  them  up  in  their  own  mine. 
 
 OF  THE  ETERNITY  OF  GOD. 
 
 THE  next  attribute  is,    '  God   is  eternal/  Pf.   ex.   2. 
 '  From  everlafting  to  everlafting  thou  art  God.'     The  fchool- 
 men  diftinguifti  between  cevum  eteternum,  to  explain  the  notion 
 of  eternity.     There  is  a  three-fold  being  :   1ft,  Such  a  being  as 
 had  a  beginning,  and  (hall  have  an  end  ;  fo  all  fenfitive  creatures, 
 the  beafts;  fowls,  fifties;  thefe  at  death  are  deftroyed,   and  re- 
 turn to  duft ;  their  being  ends  with  their  life.  2d,  Such  a  being 
 as  had  a  beginning,  but  (hall  have  no  end,  as  the  angels  and 
 fouls  of  men  ;  they  are   eternal  a  parte  pojl;  they  abide  for 
 ever.     3d,  Such  a  being  as  is  without  beginning,  and  without 
 ending,  and  that  is  proper  only  to  God.     He  is  Jemper  exiftems, 
 viz.  from  everlafting  to  everlafting:  it  is  God's  title,  a  jewel  of 
 his  crown:   (I.)  Heis  called  ■  the  King  eternal/  1  Tim.  i.  17. 
 (2.)  Jehovah,  a  word  that  properly  fets  out  God's  eternity  ;  a 
 word  fo  dreadful,  that  the  Jews  trembled  to  name  or  read  it ; 
 therefore  ufed  another  word,   Adonai,  Lord.     Jehovah  con- 
 tains in  it  time  pad,  prefent,  and  to  come,  Rev.  i.  14.  '  Which 
 is,  and  which  was,  and  which  is  to  come/  it  interprets  the 
 word  Jehovah.  ( Which  is  J  Hefubfifts  of  himfelf,  having  a  pure 
 and  independant  being..  ( Which  was  J  God  only   was  before 
 time.       There  is  no  fearching  into   the  records  of  eternity. 
 ( Which  is  to  come  J  His  kingdom  hath  no  end  :  his  crown  hath 
 no  fucceifors,  Heb.  i.  8.   '  Thy  throne,  O  God,  is  for  ever  and 
 ever.'     The  doubling  of  the  word  ratifies  the  certainty  of  it,  as 
 the  doubling  of  Pharaoh's  dream  did.     I  fhall  prove  that  God 
 only  could  be  eternal,  without  beginning.     Angels  could  not ; 
 they  are  but  creatures,  though  fpirits ;  they  were  made  ;  and 
 therefore  their  beginning  may  be  known  ;   their  antiquity  may 
 be  fearched  into ;  if  you  afk  when  they  were  created?   Some 
 think  before  the  world  was  ;  but  not  fo  :  for  what  was  before 
 time  was  eternal :  the  angels'  firft  rife  and  original  reacheth  no 
 higher  than  the  beginning  of  the  world.     It  is  thought  by  the 
 learned,  that  the  angels  were  made  that  day  on  which  the  hea- 
 vens were  made,  Job  xxxviii.  7.  ■  When  the  morning  (tars  fang 
 together,  and  all  thefons  of  God  ftiouted  for  joy.'    St.  Hierom, 
 Gregory,  and  venerable  Bede,  underftandsit  of  the  angels,  when 
 God  laid  the  foundation-ftone  of  the  world,  the  angels  being 
 then  created,  did  fing  the  anthems  ofjoy  and  praife  ;  the  angels 
 could  not  be  before  time  ;  for  what  was  before  time  was  eter- 
 nal.    It  is  only  proper  to  God  to  be  eternal,  without  begin- 
 
OF  THE   ETERNITY  OF  GOD.  69 
 
 nine::  He  is  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  firfl  and  the  laft,  Rev.  i. 
 8.  No  creature  can  write  itielf  Alpha,  that  is  only  a  flower  of 
 the  crown  oi  heaven,  Kxod.  in.  11.  *  lain  that  I  am,' viz.  He 
 who  exilis  from  and  to  eternity. 
 
 Ufe  I.  Here  is  thunder  and  lightning  to  the  wicked;  God  is 
 eternal,  therefore  the  torments  of  the  wicked  are  eternal.  God 
 lives  tor  ever  ;  and  as  long-  as  God  lives  he  will  he  punilhing  the 
 damned. — This,  methinks,  fhould  he  as  the  hand-writing  upon 
 the  wall,  Dan.  v.  5.  it  fhould  *  make  their  joints  to  be  loolt-d,' 
 &c.  The  (inner  takes  liberty  to  fin  ;  he  breaks  God's  laws, 
 like  a  wild  beatt  that  breaks  over  the  hedge,  and  leaps  into  tor- 
 bidden  palture;  he  (ins  with  greedinels,  Kph.  iv.  W.  as  it*  he 
 thought  he  could  not  fin  fait  enough.  But  remember,  this  is 
 one  of  God's  names,  Eternal ;  and  as  long  as  God  is  eternal,  he 
 hath  time  enough  to  reckon  with  all  his  enemies.  To  make 
 finners  tremble,  let  them  think  of  thefe  three  things  ;  the  tor- 
 ments of  the  damned  are  without  intermillion,  without  mixture, 
 and  eternal. 
 
 1.  Without  intemvjjion.  Their  pains  fhall  be  acute  and 
 fharp,  and  no  relaxation  ;  the  fire  lhall  not  be  flackened  or 
 abated,  Rev.  xiv.  11.  *  They  have  no  rett  day  nor  night;' 
 like  one  that  hath  his  joints  llretched  continually  on  the  rack, 
 and  hath  noeaie:  therefore  the  wrath  of  God  is  compared  to  a 
 ftream  of  brimflone,  Ifa.  xxx.  33.  Why  to  a  flream  ?  Becaufe 
 a  llream  runs  without  intenniflion  ;  it  runs,  and  doth  not  (lop  ; 
 fo  God's  wrath  runs  like  a  itream,  and  pours  out  without  any 
 intermillion.  In  the  pains  of  this  life,  there  is  fome  abatement 
 and  intermiffion  ;  the  fever  abates,  after  a  fit  of  the  ftone,  the 
 patient  hath  fome  eafe :  but  the  pains  of  hell  are  intenfe  and 
 violent,  in  fummo  grudu  ;  the  damned  foul  never  laith,  I  am  now 
 more  at  eafe. 
 
 2.  Without  mixture.  Hell  is  a  place  of  pure  juftice.  In  this 
 life,  God  in  anger  remembers  mercy,  he  mixeth  companion  with 
 fullering,  Deut.  xxxiii.  c25.  A  frier's  fhoe  was  of  iron,  but  his 
 foot  was  dipt  in  oil.  Affliction  is  the  iron-fhoe,  but  mercy  is 
 mixed  with  it;  here  is  the  foot  dipt  in  oil.  But  the  torments 
 of  the  damned  have  no  mixture,  Rev.  xiv.  10.  *  They  fhall 
 drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured  out 
 without  mixture.'  No  mixture  of  mercy.  How  is  the  cup  of 
 wrath  faid  to  be  full  of  mixture,  Pfal.  fxxxv.  S.  ■  They  fhall 
 drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured  out 
 without  mixture.'  No  mixture  of  mercy.  How  is  the  cup  of 
 wrath  faid  to  he  full  of  mixture,  Pfal.  lxxxv.  8.  '  The  wine  is 
 red,  it  is  full  of  mixture;'  yet  in  the  Revelation  it  is  faid  to  be 
 without  mixture?  It  is  full  of  mixture,  that  is,  it  is  full  of  all 
 the  ingredients  that  may  make  it  bitter ;  the  worm,  the  tire, 
 the  curie  of  God,  all  thefe  are  bitter  ingredients.     It  is  a  cup 
 
*70  OF  THE  ETERNITY  OF  GOD. 
 
 mixed,  yet  it  is  without  mixture,  viz.  there  fliall  be  nothing  to 
 afford  the  leait  comfort,  no  mixture  of  mercy  ;  fo  it  is  a  cup 
 without  mixture.  In  the  facrifice  of  jealouly,  Numb.  v.  15. 
 there  was  no  oil  put  to  it;  fo,  in  the  torments  of  the  damned, 
 there  is  no  oil  of  mercy  to  abate  their  fufterings. 
 
 3.  Without  cejfation,  eternal.  The  pleature  of  fin  are  but 
 for  a  feafon,  but  the  torments  of  the  wicked  are  for  ever.  Sin- 
 ners have  a  fliort  feait,  but  a  long  reckoning.  Origen  errone- 
 ously thought,  that  after  a  thoufand  years  the  damned  fhould 
 be  releafed  out  of  their  milery  :  but  the  worm,  the  fire,  the  pri- 
 fon  are  all  eternal,  Rev.  xiv.  11.  '  The  fmoke  of  their  tor- 
 ment afcendeth  for  ever  and  ever.'  Pcenoe  gehennales  punint, 
 nonfiniunt.  Profper.  Eternity  is  a  fea  without  bottom  and 
 banks.  After  millions  of  years,  there  is  not  one  minute  in  eter- 
 nity wafted  ;  and  the  damned  mull  be  ever  burning,  but  never 
 confuming,  always  dying,  but  never  dead,  Rev.  ix.  6  ■  They 
 fhall  feek  death,  but  (hall  not  find  it.'  The  fire  of  hell  is  fuch, 
 as  multitudes  of  tears  will  not  quench  it,  length  ot  time  will 
 not  finifh  it ;  the  vial  of  God's  wrath  will  be  always  dropping 
 upon  a  finner.  As  long  as  God  is  eternal,  he  lives  for  ever  to 
 be  avenged  upon  the  wicked.  O  eternity  !  eternity!  who  can 
 fathom  it?  Mariners  have  their  plummets  to  meafure  the 
 depths  of  the  fea;  but  what  line  or  plummet  (hall  we  ufe  to 
 fathom  the  depth  of  eternity  ?  The  breath  of  the  Lord  kindles 
 the  infernal  lake,  Ifa.  xxx.  33.  and  where  mail  we  have  engines 
 or  buckets  to  quench  that  fire ;  O  eternity !  if  all  the  body  of 
 the  earth  and  fea  were  turned  to  fand,  and  all  the  air  up  to  the 
 flarry  heaven  were  nothing  but  fand,  and  a  little  bird  fhould 
 come  every  thoufand  year,  and  fetch  away  in  her  bill,  but  the 
 tenth  part  of  a  grain  of  all  that  heap  of  fand,  what  a  number- 
 lefs  number  of  years  would  be  lpent  before  that  vaft  heap  of 
 land  would  be  fetcht  away  ?  Yet  if  at  the  end  of  all  that  time, 
 the  finner  might  come  out  of  hell  (tho'  long)  yet  there  would 
 be  fome  hope  :  but  this  word  Ever,  breaks  the  heart,  '  The 
 fmoke  of  their  torment  afcendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever,'  What 
 a  terror  is  this  to  the  wicked,  enough  to  put  them  into  a  cold 
 fweat,  to  think,  as  long  as  God  is  eternal,  he  lives  for  ever  to 
 be  avenged  upon  finners. 
 
 Q.  Here  aqueftion  may  be  moved,  Why  Jin  that  is  coynmitted 
 in  a  JJtort  time,  fhould  be  puni/hed  eternally  ? 
 
 Anj\  We  muft  hold  with  St.  Agultine,  "  that  God's  judg- 
 ments on  the  wicked,  ocult  ejfe  pojjimt,  injujia  effe  non  pojfunt, 
 may  be  fecret,  but  never  unjuft."  The  reafon  why  fin  com- 
 mitted in  a  fliort  time  is  eternally  punilhed,  is  becaufe  every 
 fin  is  committed  againlt  an  infinite  eifence,  and  no  lefs  than 
 eternity  of  punilhment  can  fatisfy.  Why  is  treafon  punilhed 
 with  confiscation  and  death,  but  becaufe  it  is  againft  the  king's 
 
OF  THE  ETERNITY  OF  GOD.  71 
 
 perfon,  which  isfacred  ?  much  more  tint  of  Vence  which  is  ftgainft 
 God's  CfOWIl  and  dignity,  is  of  an  heinous  and  infinite  nature, 
 and  cannot  be  fattened  with  left  than  eternal  puoiftinx 
 
 2.  Of  comfort  to  the  godly:   God    is   eternal    then 
 lives  for  ever  to  reward  the  godly,  Rom.  ii.  7.  *  To  them  who 
 leek  for  glory  and  honour,  eternal  life.1      The  pioplr  of  God 
 here  are  in   a  t uttering  condition,  Acts    xx.   23.  k    Bonds   and 
 afflictions  abide  me.'       The  head  being  crow  h   thorns, 
 
 the  feet  mult  not  tread  upon  roles.  The  wicked  alec  ad  in  pur- 
 ple, and  fare  delicioufly,  while  the  t^odly  fuller.  G:»uts  ciimb 
 upon  high  mountains,  while  Chnlt's  lheep  are  in  the  valley  of 
 (laughter.  But  here  is  the  comfort,  God  is  eternal,  and  he 
 hath  appointed  eternal  re-corn  pences  for  the  faints  :  in  heaven 
 are  freih  delights,  Iweetnefs  without  forfeit  ;  and  that  which  is 
 the  crown  and  zenith  of  heaven's  happinefs,  is,  it  is  eternal,'  1 
 John  ii.  15.  Were  there  but  the  lealt  fufpicion  that  this  glory 
 mull  ceafe,  it  would  mucheclipfe,  yeaimbitter  it  :  but  it  is  eter- 
 nal. What  angel  can  (pan  eternity?  2  Cor.  iv.  17.  *  An  eter- 
 nal weight  of  glory.*  The  faints  lhall  bathe  themfelves  in  the 
 rivers  of  divine  pleafure  :  and  thefe  rivers  can  never  be  dried  up, 
 Plal.  xvi.  11.  'At  thy  right  hand  are  pleafures  for  evermore.' 
 This  is  the  Elah,  the  higbeft  ltrain  in  the  apoftle's  rhetoric,  1 
 Their,  iv.  17.  ■  Ever  with  the  Lord.'  There  is  peace  without 
 trouble,  eafe  without  pain,  glory  without  end,  '  Ever  with  the 
 Lord.'  Let  this  comfort  the  faints  in  all  their  troubles;  their 
 fuiferings  are  but  fhort,  but  their  reward  is  eternal,  Eternity 
 makes  heaven  to  be  heaven  ;  'tis  the  diamond  in  the  ring  :  O 
 blefled  day,  that  (hall  have  no  night!  the  fun  light  of  glory 
 (hall  rife  upon  the  (bul,  and  never  let !  O  blefled  fpring,  that 
 (hall  have  no  autumn,  or  fall  of  the  leaf!  the  Roman  Emperors 
 have  three  crowns  fet  upon  their  heads,  the  firft  of  iron,  the  (e- 
 cond  of  (ilver,  the  third  of  gold  :  lb  the  Lord  fets  three  crowns 
 on  his  children,  grace,  comfort  and  glory  ;  and  this  crown  is 
 eternal,  1  Peter  v.  4.  ■  Ye  lhall  receive  a  crown  of  glory  that 
 fadeth  not  away.'  The  wicked  have  a  never-dying  worm,  and 
 the  godly  a  never- fading  crown.  O  how  Ihouldthis  beafpur  to 
 virtue !  How  willing  lhould  we  be  to  work  for  God  ?  Though 
 we  had  nothing  here,  God  hath  time  enough  to  reward  his  peo- 
 ple;  the  crown  of  eternity  (hall  be  let  upon  their  head. 
 
 Ufe  3.  Of  exhortation.  1.  In  general,  ltudy  eternity.  Our 
 thoughts  (hould  chiefly  run  upon  eternity.  We  are  all  for  the 
 prefent,  (omething  that  may  delight  the  fenfea.  If  we  could 
 have  lived  (as  Aguftine  taith)  a  cunabulis  Mauds,  from  the  in- 
 fancy of  the  world  to  the  world's  old  uije,  what  were  this  ? 
 What  is  time,  meafured  with  eternity  ?  As  the  earth  is  but  a 
 fmall  point  to  the  heaven,  fo  time  is  but,  nay  fcarce  a  minute 
 to  eternity  !  And,  then,  what  is  this  poor  life  which  crumbles 
 
72  OF  THE  ETERNITY  OF  GOD. 
 
 away  fo  fad  ?  O  think  of  eternity!  Anvos  cclernos  in  mente 
 habe^:  Brethren,  we  are  every  day  travelling  to  eternity  :  and 
 whether  we  wake  or  fleep,  we  are  going  our  joyrney  ;  ibme  of 
 ns  are  upon  the  borders  of  eternity.  O  ftudy  the  (hortnefs  of 
 life  and  length  of  eternity. 
 
 2.  More  particularly  ;   think  of  God's  eternity,  and  the  foul's 
 eternity.       1.  Think  of  God's  eternity.      He  is  the  Ancient  of 
 days,  who  was  before  all  time.      There  is  a  figurative  defcrip- 
 tion  of  God ,  Dan .  vii.  9,     •  The  Ancient  of  days  did  fit,  whofe 
 garment  was  white  as  fnow,  and  the  hair  of  his  head  like  the 
 pure  wool.'      His  white  garment,  wherewith  he   was  clothed, 
 fignified  his  majelly  ;  his  hair,  like  the  pure  wool,  his  holinefs  ; 
 and  the  Ancient  of  days,  his  eternity.     The  thoughts  of  God's 
 eternity  would  make  us   have   high  adoring  thoughts  of  God. 
 We  are  apt  to  have  mean,  irreverent  thoughts  of  him,  Pfal.  1. 
 21.       ■  Thou  thoughteft  I  was  fuch  an  one  as  thyfelf ;'    weak 
 and  mortal,  but  if  we  would  think  of  God's  eternity,  when  all 
 power  ceafeth,  heis  King  eternal,  his  crown  flouriftiethfor  ever, 
 who  can  make  us  happy  or  miferable  for  ever,  this  would  make 
 us  have  adoring  thoughts  of  God  ;   Rev.   iv.  10.       •  The  four 
 and  twenty  elders  fall  down  before  him  that  fat  upon  the  throne, 
 and  worfhip  him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever;    and  call  their 
 crowns  before  the  throne.*     The  faints  fall  down,  to  fignify  by 
 that  humble  poilure,  that  they  are  not  worthy  to  (it  in  God's 
 prefence.      They  fall  down  and   they  worfhip  him  that  liveth 
 for  ever  and  ever  ;  they  do  as  it  were  kifs  his   feet,   and  they 
 cafl  their  crowns  before  the  throne,  they  lay  all  their  honour  at 
 his  feet :  thus  they  (hew  humble  adoration  to  the  eternal  efience. 
 Study  God's  eternity,  it  will  make  us  adore  where  we  cannot 
 fathom.     2.  Think  of  the  foul's  eternity.      As  God  is  eternal, 
 fo  he  hath  made  us  eternal.      We  are  never-dying  creatures; 
 we  are  fiiortly  entering  upon  an  eternal  ftate,  either  of  happinefs 
 or  mifery.       Have  ferious   thoughts  of  this  :    fay,  O  my  foul, 
 which  of  thefe  two  eternities,  is  like  to  be  thy  portion  ?  I  muft 
 fhortly  depart  hence,  and  whether  then  (hall  I  go,  to  which  of 
 thefe  eternities,  either  of  glory  or  mifery  ?  The  ferious  medita- 
 tion of  the  eternal  ftate  we  are  to  pafs  into,  fhould  work  ftrong- 
 ly  with  us. 
 
 1.  Thoughts  of  eternal  torments  are  a  good  antidote  againft 
 fin,  fin  tempts  with  its  pleafure  ;  but,  when  we  think  of  eter- 
 nity, it  may  cool  the  intemperate  heat  of  luft.  Shall  I,  for  the 
 pleafure  of  fin  for  a  feafon,  endure  eternal  pain?  Sin,  like  thofe 
 locults,  Rev.  ix.  7.  feems  to  have  on  its  head  a  crown  like  gold, 
 but  it  hath  in  it  a  tail  like  a  fcorpion,  ver.  10.  and  a  (ling  in  its 
 tail,  and  this  fting  can  never  be  plucked  out.  Shall  I  venture 
 eternal    wrath  ?  Is  fin  committed  lb  fweet,  as  lying  in  hell  for 
 
god's  unchangeadleness.  73 
 
 ever  is  bitter?    This  would    make  us   flee   from  fin,  as  Moles 
 from  the  ferpent. 
 
 2.  The  ferious  thoughts  of  eternal  happineffl  would  very 
 much  take  usotffrom  thele  worldly  things;  we  lliould  not 
 efteem  much  of  them  :  what  are  thele  luhl  unary  things  to  eter- 
 nity? they  are  quickly  gone,  they  fakute  us,  aud  take  tbeirfare- 
 wel.  But  I  am  to  enter  upon  an  everlalling  eftate  ;  1  hope  to 
 live  with  him  who  is  eternal  :  what  is  the  world  to  me  ?  They 
 who  Hand  upon  the  top  of  the  Alps,  the  great  cities  of  Campa- 
 nia teem  as  l'mall  things  in  their  eyes  ;  ib  he  who  hath  his 
 thoughts  fixed  on  his  eternal  ftate  after  this  life,  all  thele  things 
 ieem  as  nothing  in  his  eye.  What  is  the  glory  of  this  world  ? 
 how  poor  and  contemptible,  compared  with  an  eternal  weight 
 of  glory  ? 
 
 3.  To  conclude;  The  ferious  thoughts  of  an  eternal  ftate, 
 either  of  happinefs  or  mifery,  fhould  have  a  powerful  influence 
 upon  whatlbever  we  take  in  hand  :  every  work  we  do,  pro- 
 motes either  a  blefled  or  curfed  eternity  ;  every  good  action  fets 
 |U  a  ilep  nearer  to  an  eternity  of  happinefs  ;  every  bad  action 
 lets  us  a  ftep  nearer  to  an  eternity  of  mifery.  O  what  influ- 
 ence would  the  thoughts  of  eternity  have  upon  our  religious  du- 
 ties? It  would  make  us  do  them  with  all  our  might:  a  duty 
 well  performed,  lifts  a  Chriftian  higher  towards  heaven,  and  fets 
 a  Chriftian  a  iiep  nearer  to  ablelied  eternity. 
 
 GOD'S  UNCHANGEABLENESS. 
 
 The  next  attribute  is  God's  unchangeablenefs,  Mai.  iii. 
 6.  ■  I  am  Jehovah,  I  change  not.'  1.  God  is  unchangeable  in 
 his  nature.     2.   In  his  decree. 
 
 lft,  Unchangeable  in  his  nature  :  1.  There  is  no  eclipfe  of 
 his  brightnefs.     2.  No  period  put  to  his  being. 
 
 I.  No  eclipfe  of  his  brightnefs  :  his  elience  Ihines  withafixed 
 luftre,  James  i.  17.  '  With  whom  is  no  variablenefs,  neither 
 fhadow  of  turning,'  Pial.  cii.  27.  ■  Thou  art  the  fame.'  All 
 created  things  are  full  of  viciifitudes  :  1.  Princes  and  emperors 
 are  fubject  to  mutation.  Sefotlris,  an  Egyptian  prince,  having 
 fubdued  divers  kings  in  war,  made  them  draw  like  nodes  in  his 
 chariot,  as  if  he  intended  to  turn  them  to  eat  grals,  as  God  did 
 King  Nebuchadnezzar.  The  crown  hath  many  fucceflbrs.  2. 
 Kingdoms  have  their  eclipies  and  convuliions  :  what  is  become 
 of  the  glory  of  Athens  ?  The  pomp  of  Troy  ?  Jamjeges  eft  ubi 
 Trojafiut.  Kingdoms,  though  they  have  a  head  of  gold,  yet 
 feet  of  clay.  3.  The  heavens  change,  Plal.  cii.  26.  'Asa 
 vefture  (halt  thou  change  them,  and    they  (hall  be  changed.' 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  2.  K 
 
74  god's  unchangeableness. 
 
 The  matter  of  the  elements,  as  it  is  more  pure,  fo  more  firm 
 and  folid  ;  the  heavens  are  the  mod  ancient  records,  where  God 
 hath  written  his  glory  with  a  fun-beam,  yet  there  (hall  change ; 
 though  I  do  not  think  they  fhall  be  deftroyed  as  to  their  fub- 
 ftance,  yet  they  (hall  be  changed  as  to  their  qualities  ;  they  (hall 
 melt  with  fervent  heat,  2  Peter  iii.  12.  and  fo  be  more  refined 
 and  purified.  Thus  the  heavens  fhall  be  changed,  but  not  he 
 who  dwells  in  heaven;  'With  him  there  is  no  variablenefs, 
 nor  (hadow  of  turning.'  4.  The  beft  faints  have  their  eclipfes 
 and  changes.  Look  upon  a  Chriftian  in  his  fpiritual  eftate,  and 
 he  is  full  of  variation  :  Though  the  feed  of  grace  doth  not  die, 
 yet  the  beauty  and  activity  of  it  doth  often  wither.  A  Chriftian 
 hath  hisanguifh  (its  in  religion  ;  fometimeshisfaithisatan  high 
 tide,  fbmetimes  low  ebb ;  fometimes  his  love  flames,  and  at 
 another  time  like  fire  in  the  embers,  and  he  hath  loft  his  firft 
 love.  How  (trong  was  David's  grace  at  one  time?  2  Sam, 
 xxii.  3.  '  The  God  of  my  rock,  in  him  will  I  truft.'  And  at 
 another  time,  *  I  (hall  one  day  perifh  by  the  hand  of  Saul.' 
 What  Chriftian  can  fay,  he  doth  not  find  a  change  in  his  graces  ; 
 that  the  bow  of  his  faith  doth  never  unbend,  the  firings  of  his 
 viol  do  never  flacken  ?  Sure  we  (hall  never  meet  with  fuch  Chrif- 
 tians  till  we  meet  with  them  in  heaven.  But  God  is  without 
 any  (hadow  of  turning.  5.  The  angels  were  fubje6t  to  change  ; 
 they  were  created  holy,  but  mutable,  Jude  6.  ■  The  angeb 
 which  kept  not  their  firft  eftate.'  Thefe  morning  ftars  of  hea- 
 ven were  falling  ftars.  But  God's  glory  (hines  with  a  fixed 
 brightnefs.  In  God  there  is  nothing  looks  like  a  change,  no 
 better  or  worfe  :  no  better  in  him,  becaufe  then  he  were  not 
 perfect;  nor  worfe  in  him,  for  then  he  fhould  ceafe  to  be  per- 
 fect :  he  is  immutably  holy,  immutably  good  ;  there  is  no  (hadow 
 of  change  in  him. 
 
 Object.  Chrift,  who  is  God,  qfliimed  the  human  nature,  here 
 was  a  change. 
 
 Anf.  If  indeed  the  divine  nature  had  been  converted  into  the 
 human,  or  the  human  into  the  divine,  here  had  been  a  change, 
 but.  not  fo.  The  human  nature  was  diftin6t  from  the  divine, 
 therefore  there  was  no  change.  As  fuppofe  a  cloud  cover  the 
 fun,  this  makes  no  change  in  the  body  of  the  fun  ;  fo,  though 
 the  divine  nature  be  covered  with  the  human,  this  makes  no 
 change  in  the  divine  nature. 
 
 2d,  There  is  no  period  put  to  his  being;  1  Tim.  vi.  16. 
 '  Who  only  hath  immortality.'  The  Godhead  cannot  die  :  1. 
 An  infinite  eflence  cannot  be  changed  into  a  finite  ;  but  God  is 
 infinite.  2.  He  is  eternal,  ergo,  he  is  not  mortal ;  to  be  eternal, 
 and  mortal,  is  a  contradiction. 
 
 Ufe  1.  See  here  the  excellency  of  the  divine  nature  in  its  im- 
 mutability :  this  is  the  glory  of  the  Godhead.     Mutablenefs  de- 
 
GOD^  UNriUNCEABLENESJ^  75 
 
 notes  weaknefs  ;  it  is  not  fo  in  Got],  he  is  the  fame,  yefterday, 
 and  to-day,  and  for  ever,  J  let),  xiii.  8.  Men  are  fickle  and 
 mutable,  like  Reuben,  *  unliable  as  water,'  Gen.  xlix.  4. 
 They  go  in  changeable  colours. 
 
 1.  They  are  changeable  in  their  principles,  (fmnctimes  pro- 
 teftant,  lbmetimes  papift)  it*  their  faces  altered  a>  lait  as  their 
 opinions,  we  (hould  not  know  them. 
 
 g.  Changeable  in  their  relblutions ;  like  the  wind  that  blows 
 in  the  eait,  prefently  turns  about  to  the  weil.  They  refolve  to 
 be  virtuous,  but  quickly  repent  of  their  resolutions  :  their  minds 
 are  like  a  Tick  man's  pulfe,  alters  every  half-hour ;  thefe  the 
 apoftle  compares  to  waves  of  the  fea,  and  wandering  liars,  Jude 
 13.  they  are  not  pillars  in  God's  temple,  but  reeds. 
 
 3.  Others  are  changeable  in  their  friendfhip,  quickly  love, 
 and  quickly  hate  ;  foruetimes  will  put  you  in  their  bofom,  then 
 excommunicate  you  out  of  their  favour;  thus  they  change  as 
 the  camelion,  into  feveral  colours.     But  God  is  immutable. 
 
 life  2.  See  the  vanity  of  the  creature ;  there  are  changes  in 
 every  thing  but  in  God,  Pfal.  lxii.  9.  ■  Men  of  high  degree  are 
 vanity,  and  men  of  low  degree  are  a  lie.'  We  look  for  more 
 from  the  creature,  than  God  hath  put  into  it.  The  world  brings 
 changes  ;  the  creature  hath  two  evils  in  it ;  it  promifeth  more 
 than  we  find,  and  it  fails  us  when  we  molt  need  it :  there  is  a 
 failure  id  omni.  A  man  detires  to  have  his  corn  grinded,  the 
 water  fails,  and  then  his  mill  cannot  go ;  the  mariner  is  for  a 
 voyage,  the  wind  either  doth  not  blow,  or  it  is  contrary,  and 
 he  caunot  fail ;  one  depends  upon  another  for  the  payment  of 
 a  promife,  and  he  fails,  and  is  like  a  foot  out  of  joint.  Who 
 would  look  for  a  fixed  (lability  in  the  vain  creature  1  As  if  one 
 (hould  build  houfes  on  the  land,  where  the  fea  comes  in  and 
 overflows.  The  creature  is  true  to  nothing  but  deceit,  and  is 
 conllant  only  in  its  difappointments.  It  is  no  more  wonder  to 
 fee  changes  fall  out  here  below,  than  to  fee  the  moon  drefling 
 itfelf  in  a  new  lhape  and  figure;  look  to  meet  with  changes  in 
 every  thing  but  God. 
 
 Ufe  3.  Comfort  to  the  godly  :  1.  In  cafe  of  lodes,  if  an  eflate 
 be  almoft  boiled  away  to  nothing ;  if  you  lole  dear  friends  by 
 death,  here  is  a  double  eclipfe  ;  but  this  is  the  comfort,  God  is 
 unchangeable ;  I  may  lole  thefe  things,  but  I  cannot  lole  my 
 God  ;  he  never  dies.  When  the  fig-tree,  and  olive-tree  failed, 
 yet  God  did  not  fail,  Heb.  iii.  17.  *  I  will  joy  in  the  God  of 
 my  falvatiou.*  The  flowers  in  the  garden  die,  but  a  man's 
 portion  remains:  fo  outward  things  die  and  change,  but,  Pfal. 
 lxxiii.  12(i.  *  Thou  art  the  ftrength  of  my  heart,  and  my  portion 
 for  ever.' 
 
 2.  In  cafe  of  (adnefs  of  fpirit,  when  God  feems  to  call  off  the 
 foul  in  defertion,  Cant.  v.  (5.   *  My   beloved  had   withdrawn 
 
 K2 
 
76  god's  unchangeableness. 
 
 himfelfV  yet  God  is  unchangeable.  He  is  immutable  in  his 
 love;  he  may  change  his  countenance,  but  not  his  heart,  Jer. 
 xxxi.  3.  '  I  have  loved  thee  with  aneverlafting  love,*  Hebrew, 
 Gnolam,  a  love  of  eternity.  If  once  God's  electing  love  rifeih 
 upon  the  foul,  it  never  lets,  Ifa.  liv.  10.  '  The  mountains  (hall 
 be  removed,  but  my  loving-kindnefs  (hall  not  depart  from  thee, 
 neither  the  covenant  of  my  peace  be  removed.'  God's  love 
 Hands  falter  than  the  mountains :  God's  love  to  Chrift  is  un- 
 changeable ;  and  he  will  no  more  ceafe  loving  believers,  than 
 he  will  ceafe  loving  Chrift. 
 
 life  4.  Of  exhortation.  Get  an  intereft  in  this  unchangeable 
 God,  then  thou  art  as  a  rock  in  the  fea,  immoveable  in  midll  of 
 all  changes. 
 
 Q.  How  JJiall  I  get  a  part  in  this  unchangeable  God? 
 
 Anf.  By  having  a  change  wrought  in  thee,  I  Cor.  vi.  1!. 
 '  But  ye  are  warned,  but  ye  are  fan6tified.'  Whence  we  are 
 changed,  a  tenebris  ad  lucem,  fo  changed,  as  if  another  foul  did 
 live  in  the  fame  body ;  by  this  change  we  are  intereftcd  in  the 
 unchangeable  God. 
 
 Truft  to  this  God  only,  who  is  unchangeable,  Ifa.  ii.  29. 
 *  Ceafe  from  men ;  leave  trufting  to  the  reed,  but  truft  to  the 
 Rock  of  ages/  He  that  is  by  faith  ingarrifoned  in  God,  is  fafe 
 in  all  changes  ?  he  is  like  a  boat  that  is  tied  to  an  immoveable 
 rock.  He  that  trufts  in  God,  trufts  in  that  which  cannot  fail 
 him  ;  he  is  unchangeable,  Heb.  xiii.  5.  '  I  will  never  leave  thee 
 nor  forfake  thee.'  Health  may  leave  us,  riches,  friends  may 
 leave  us;  but,  faith  God,  I'll  not  leave  thee;  my  power  (hall 
 fupport  thee  ;  my  Spirit  (hall  fanctify  thee  ;  my  mercy  (hall  fave 
 thee :  I  will  never  leave  thee.  O  truft  in  this  unchangeable 
 God.  God  is  jealous  of  two  things,  of  our  love,  and  of  our 
 truft :  He  is  jealous  of  our  love,  left  we  love  the  creature  more 
 than  him  ;  therefore  he  makes  it  prove  bitter  <  and  of  our  truft, 
 left  we  (hould  place  more  confidence  in  it  than  him,  therefore 
 he  makes  it  prove  unfaithful.  Outward  comforts  are  given  us 
 as  baits  by  the  way  to  refrefh  us,  but  not  as  crutches  to  lean 
 on  ;  if  we  make  the  creature  an  idol,  what  we  make  our  truft, 
 God  makes  our  fhame.  O  truft  in  the  immortal  God.  We, 
 like  Noah's  dove,  have  no  footing  for  our  fouls,  till  we  get  into 
 the  ark  of  God's  unchangeablenefs,  Pfal.  cxxv.  1.  *  They  that 
 truft  in  the  Lord,  (hall  be  like  mount  Sion,  which  cannot  be  re- 
 moved. ' 
 
 God  is  unchangeable  in  his  decree  ;  what  he  hath  decreed 
 from  eternity  is  unalterable,  Ifa.  xlvi.  10.  '  My  couniel  (hall 
 Hand.'  Argument,  that  God's  eternal  counfel  ordecree  is  im- 
 mutable :  If  God  changed  his  decree,  it  muft  be  from  lbme  de- 
 fed  of  wifdom  or  forefight  in  God  :  for  that  is  the  reaibn  why 
 men  do  change  their  purpofes  :  through  a  want  of  forefight. 
 
god's  cncuanoeableness.  77 
 
 they  fee  fomethin<j  after,  which  thev  did  not  fee  before:  but 
 this  cannot  be  tin*  caufe  why  God  mould  alter  his  decree,  be- 
 caufe  his  knowledge  i>  perfect,  he  feea  all  things  in  one  entire 
 profpect  before  hun. 
 
 Object.  Bill  If  not  God  J  aid  to  repent  f  There  feems  to  he  a 
 change  in  his  decree,  Jonah  iii.  10.  '  'The  Lord  repented  of  the 
 evil  that  he  feud  lie  would  </<>  unto  them.' 
 
 Anf.  Repentance  is  attributed  to  God  figuratively  and  impro- 
 perly, Num.  xxiii.  19.  *  He  is  not  man  that  he  (hould  re- 
 pent.'  There  may  be  a  change  in  God's  work,  but  not  in  his 
 will :  God  may  will  a  change,  out  not  change  his  will.  "  God 
 may  change  his  fentence,  but  not  his  decree."  As  fuppofe  a 
 king  lhall  caufe  a  fentence  to  be  palled  upon  a  malefactor  whom 
 he  intends  to  lave ;  notwithstanding  this  fentence,  the  king 
 doth  not  alter  his  decree  :  lb  God  threatened  dettruction  to  Ni- 
 neveh, Jonah  iii.  4.  but  the  people  of  Nineveh  repenting,  God 
 ipared  them  ;  here  God  changed  his  fentence,  but  not  his  de- 
 cree ;  it  was  what  had  lain  in  the  womb  of  his  purpole  from 
 eternity. 
 
 Object.  But  if  God's  decree  be  unchangeable,  and  cannot  be 
 reverjed,  then  to  what  purpofe  /hould  ice  nje  the  means  t  Our 
 endeavours  towards  falvation  cannot  alter  his  decree, 
 
 Anf  This  decree  of  God  doth  not  take  off  my  endeavour  ; 
 for  he  that  hath  decreed  my  falvation,  hath  decreed  it  in  the 
 ufe  of  means;  and  if  I  neglect  the  means,  I  go  about  to  repro- 
 bate myfelf.  No  man  argues  thus  :  God  hath  decreed  how 
 long  I  lhall  live,  therefore,  I  will  not  ufe  means  to  preferve  my 
 lite,  not  eat  and  drink.  God  hath  decreed  the  time  of  my  life 
 in  the  ufe  of  means ;  fo  God  hath  decreed  my  falvation  in  the 
 ufe  of  word,  prayer,  facraments  :  and  as  a  man  that  refuleth 
 his  food  murders  himfelf,  fo  he  that  refufeth  to  work  out  his  fal- 
 vation doth  deltroy  himfelf.  The  veffels  of  mercy  are  faid  to 
 be  prepared  unto  glory,  Rom.  ix.  2$.  How  are  they  pre- 
 pared, but  by  being  lanctified  ?  and  that  cannot  be  but  in 
 the  ufe  of  means  ;  therefore  let  not  God's  decree  take  thee  off 
 from  holy  endeavours,  A  good  faying  of  Dr.  Prefton,  ■•  Halt 
 thou  an  heart  to  pray  to  God  ?  it  is  (ign  no  decree  of  wrath 
 has  palled  againft  thee." 
 
 Ufe  1.  If  God's  decree  be  eternal  and  unchangeable,  then 
 God  doth  not  elect  our  faith  forefeen,  as  the  Annmians,  Rom. 
 ix.  11,  14.  '  The  children  being  not  yet  born,  that  the  pur  pole 
 of  God  according  to  election  might  ftand,  it  was  (aid,  Jacob 
 have  I  loved,  Efau  have  1  hated.'  We  are  not  elected  for  ho- 
 linefs,  but  to  hoiinefs;  Eph.  i.  4.  If  we  are  not  jullified  for 
 our  faith,  much  lef>  elected  for  our  faith  ;  but  we  are  not  jui- 
 tiiied  for  it  :  we  are  laid  to  be  jultitied  through  faith  as  an  in- 
 itrument,  Eph.  ii.  S.  but  not  for  faith  as  a  caufe  ;    and,  if  not 
 
78  god's  unchangeableness. 
 
 juftified  for  faith,  then  much  lefs  elected  :  God's  decree  of  elec- 
 tion is  eternal  and  unchangeable,  therefore  depends  not  upon 
 faith  forfeen,  Ads  xiii.  48.  ■  As  many  as  were  ordained  to 
 eternal  life,  believed.'  They  were  not  ele6ted ,  becaufe  they  be- 
 lieved, but  they  believed  becaufe  they  were  elected. 
 
 Ufe  2.  If  God's  decree  be  unchangeable,  it  is  comfort  in  two 
 cafes,  2.  Concerning  God's  providence  towards  his  church. 
 We  are  ready  to  quarrel  with  providence,  if  every  thing  doth 
 not  jump  with  our  defire  :  remember  God's  work  goes  on,  and 
 nothing  falls  out  but  what  he  hath  decreed  from  eternity.  2. 
 God  hath  decreed  troubles  for  the  church's  good  ;  the  trou- 
 bling of  God's  church  is  like  the  angels  troubling  the  water, 
 John  v.  4.  which  made  way  for  healing  his  people.  He  hath 
 decreed  troubles  in  the  church  ;  'His  fire  is  in  Sion,  and  his 
 furnace  in  Jerufalem,'  I  fa.  xxxi.  {).  The  wheels  in  a  watch 
 move  crofs  one  to  another,  but  they  all  carry  on  the  motion  of 
 the  watch  :  fo  the  wheels  of  providence  often  move  crofs  to  our 
 defires,  but  ftill  they  carry  on  God's  unchangeable  decree,  Dan. 
 xii.  10.  •  Many  (hall  be  made  white.'  God  lets  the  waters  of 
 affliction  be  poured  on  his  people,  he  doth  but  lay  them  a 
 whitening.  Therefore  murmur  not  at  God's  dealings;  his  work 
 goes  on,  nothiug  tails  out  but  what  he  hath  wifely  decreed  from 
 eternity  ;  every  tiling  (hall  promote  God's  defigu,  and  fulfil  his 
 decree. 
 
 2.  Comfort  to  the  godly  in  regard  of  their  falvation,  2  Tim. 
 ii.  19.  *  The  foundation  of  God  ftandeth  fure,  having  thisieal, 
 The  Lord  knoweth  who  are  his.'  God's  counfel  of  election  is 
 unchangeable  :  once  elected,  and  for  ever  elected,  Rev.  iii.  5. 
 '  I  will  not  blot  his  name  out  of  the  book  of  life.'  The  book 
 of  God's  decree  hath  no  errata  in  it,  no  blottings  out :  once  juf- 
 tified never  unjuftified,  Hof.  xiii.  14.  '  Repentance  fhall  be 
 hid  from  mine  eyes.'  God  never  repents  of  his  electing  love, 
 1  John  xiii.  1.  'He  loved  them  to  the  end.'  Therefore,  if  thou 
 art  a  believer,  comfort  thyfelf  with  this,  the  immutability  of 
 God's  decree. 
 
 Ufe  3.  To  conclude,  a  word  to  the  wicked,  who  march  furi- 
 oufly  againft  God  and  his  people :  let  them  know,  God's  de- 
 cree is  unchangeable,  God  will  not  alter  it,  nor  can  they  break 
 it;  and  while  they  refill  God's  will,  they  fulfil  it.  There  is  a 
 twofold  will  of  God,  Voluntas  pracepti  et  decreti ;  the  will  of 
 God's  precept,  and  of  his  decree.  While  the  wicked  refill  the 
 will  of  God's  precept,  they  fulfil  the  will  of  his  perm  i  (five  de- 
 cree. Judas  betrays  Chritt,  Pilate  condemns  him,  the  foldiers 
 crucify  him,  while  they  refitted  the  will  of  God's  precept,  they 
 fulfilled  the  will  of  his  permillive  decree,  Acts  iv.  28.  Such  as 
 are  wicked,  God  commands  one  thing,  they  do  the  quite  con- 
 trary ;  to  keep  the  iabbath  they  profane  it;  while  they  difobey 
 
of  Tin:  WISDOM  OF  GOD.  79 
 
 lux  command,  they  fulfil  his  permilfivc  decree.  If  a  man  let 
 Up  tw<»  ii«  tf,  one  of  (ilk,  the  other  of  iron,  the  filken  net  rimy 
 be  broken,  not  the  iron  :  God's  commands  are  the  (ilken  net ; 
 white  men  break  the  (ilken  nets  of  God's  command,  th» 
 faktn  in  the  iron  net  of  his  decree  j  while  they  (it  backward  to 
 God's  precepts,  they  row  forward  to  his  decree  ;  his  decree  to 
 permit  their  (in,  and  to  punith  them  for  their  (in  permitted. 
 
 OF  THE  WISDOM  OF  GOD. 
 
 The  next  attribute  is  God's  wifdom  ;  which  is  one  of 
 the  brighett  beams  of  the  Godhead,  Job  ix.  4.  ■  He  is  wife  in 
 heart.'  The  heart  is  the  feat  of  witdom  ;  Cor  in  Hebrcro  fumi- 
 tnr  pro  judicio,  Pineda.  Among  the  Hebrews,  the  heart  is  put 
 "for  wifdom,  Job  xxxiv.  34.  *  Let  men  of  underltanding  tell 
 me  :'  in  the  Hebrew  ■  let  men  of  heart  tell  me.'  God  is  wife 
 in  heart,  that  is,  he  is  moil  wife  :  I .  God  is  only  wife  ;  he  doth 
 folely  and  wholly  po(fefs  all  wifdom  ;  therefore  he  is  called 
 •  the  only  wife  God,'  1  Tim.  i.  17-  All  the  treafures  of  wif- 
 dom are  locked  up  in  him,  and  no  creature  can  have  any  wil- 
 doni,  but  as  God  is  pleafed  to  give  it  out  of  his  treafury.  9. 
 God  is  perfectly  wife;  there  is  no  deleft  in  his  wifdom.  Men 
 may  be  wife  in  fome  things,  but  in  other  things  may  betray  im- 
 prudence and  weaknefs.  But  God  is  the  examplar  and  pattern 
 of  wifdom,  and  the  pattern  muft  be  perfed,  Matth.  v.  4S.  God's 
 wifdom  appears  in  two  things,  1ft,  His  infinite  intelligence. 
 2dly,  His  exact  working. 
 
 1.  His  infinite  intelligence.  He  knows  the  mod  profound, 
 abftrufe  (ecrets,  Dan.  ii.  28.  He  knows  the  thoughts,  which  are 
 the  moll  intricate  fubiil  things,  Amos  iv.  13.  ■  He  declareth 
 to  man  what  is  his  thought.'  Let  (in  be  contrived  never  fo  po- 
 liticly, God  will  pull  oil*  all  matks  and  difguifes,  and  make  an 
 heart-anatomy.  He  knows  all  future  contingencies,  et  ante  in- 
 tuitu, all  things  are  before  him  in  one  clear  profpefct. 
 
 2.  His  exact  curious  working.  He  is  wife  in  heart ;  his  wif- 
 dom lies  in  his  works.  Thefe  works  of  God  are  bound  up  in 
 three  cfreat  volumes,  where  we  may  read  is  wifdom. 
 
 1 .  The  work  of  creation.  The  creation,  as  it  is  a  monument 
 of  God's  power,  fo  a  looking-glafs  in  which  we  may  fee  his  wif- 
 dom. None  hut  a  wife  God  could  fo  curioufly  contrive  the 
 world.  Behold  the  earth  decked  with  variety  of  flowers,  which 
 are  both  for  beauty  and  fragrancy  :  the  heaven  b:  fpangled  with 
 lights ;  we  may  fee  the  glorious  wifdom  of  God  blazing  in  the 
 fun,  twinkling  in  the  (tars.  His  wifdom  is  feen  In  the  marfhal- 
 ling  and  ordering  every  thing  in  its  proper  place  and  fphere : 
 
80 
 
 OF  THE  WISDOM  OF  GOD, 
 
 if  the  fun  had  been  fet  lower,  it  would  have  burnt  us*,  if  higher, 
 it  would  not  have  warmed  us  with  its  beams.  God's  witdom 
 is  feen  in  appointing  the  feafons  of  the  year,  Pfal.  lxxiv.  17. 
 •  Thou  haft  made  fummer  and  winter.'  If  it  had  been  all  fum- 
 mer,  the  heat  would  have  fcorched  us,  if  all  winter,  the  cold 
 would  have  killed  us.  The  wifdom  of  God  is  feen  in  chequer- 
 ing the  dark  and  the  light:  if  it  had  been  all  night,  there  had 
 been  no  labour,  if  all  day,  there  had  been  no  reft.  Wifdom  is 
 feen  in  mixing  the  elements,  the  earth  with  the  lea  :  if  it  had 
 been  ail  fea,  then  we  had  wanted  bread  ;  if  it  had  been  all  earth, 
 then  we  had  wanted  water.  The  wildom  of  God  is  feen  in  pre- 
 paring and  ripening  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  the  wind  and  frofts 
 prepare  the  fruits,  the  fun  and  rain  ripen  the  fruits.  God's  wif- 
 dom is  feen  in  fetting  bounds  to  the  fea,  and  fo  wifely  con- 
 triving it,  that  though  the  fea  be  higher  than  the  earth,  yet  it 
 fhould  not  overflow  the  earth  ;  fo  that  we  may  cry  out  with  the 
 Plalmift,  Pfal.  civ.  24.  '  O  Lord,  how  manifold  are  thy  works  ! 
 in  wifdom  haft  thou  made  them  all.'  There  is  nothing  to  be 
 feen  but  miracles  of  wifdom.  God's  wifdom  is  feen  in  ordering 
 things  in  the  body  politic,  that  one  (hall  have  need  of  another: 
 the  poor  need  the  rich  man's  money,  and  the  rich  need  the  poor 
 man's  labour.  God  makes  one  trade  depend  upon  another, 
 that  one  may  be  helpful  to  another,  and  that  mutual  love  may 
 be  prefer ved. 
 
 (2.)  The  fecond  work  wherein  God's  wifdom  fhines  forth,  is 
 the  work  of  redemption  :  I .  Here  was  the  mafter-piece  of  divine 
 wifdom,  to  contrive  a  way  to  happinel's,  between  the  fin  of  man, 
 and  the  juftice  of  God.  We  may  cry  out  with  the  apoftle, 
 Rom.  xi.  33.  *  O  the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wifdom 
 and  knowledge  of  God.'  This  pofed  men  and  angels.  If  God 
 had  put  us  to  find  out  a  way  of  ialvation  when  we  were  loft, 
 we  could  neither  have  had  an  head  to  devife,  nor  a  heart  to 
 defire,  what  God's  infinite  wifdom  had  found  out  for  us.  Mercy 
 had  a  mind  to  (ave  tinners,  yet  loth  that  the  juftice  of  God  fhould 
 be  wronged  :  It  is  a  pity,  faith  mercy,  that  l'uch  a  noble  creature 
 as  man  fhould  be  made  to  be  undone  ;  and  yet  no  realbn  that 
 God's  juftice  fhould  be  a  lofer.  What  way  then  fhall  be  found 
 out  ?  Angels  cannot  fatisfy  for  the  wrong  done  to  God's  juftice, 
 nor  is  it  fit  that  one  nature  fhould  fin,  and  another  nature  fuller : 
 what  then?  Shall  man  be  for  ever  loft?  Now,  while  mercy 
 was  thus  debating  with  itfelf,  what  to  do  tor  the  recovery  of 
 fallen  man,  here  the  wifdom  of  God  ftepped  in  ;  and  thus  the 
 oracle  fpake,  Let  God  become  man  ;  let  the  fecond  ptrfon  in 
 the  Trinity  be  incarnate,  and  fuller;  and  fo  for  fitnefs  he  fhall 
 be  man  ;  and  for  ability  he  fhali  be  God  :  thus  juluce  may  be 
 fatisfied,  and  man  faved.  O  the  depih  of  the  riches  of  the  wif- 
 dom of  God,  thus  to  make  juftice  and  mercy  to  kifs  each  other! 
 
OF  THE  WISDOM  OF  COD.  81 
 
 great  is  this  myftery,  ■  God  maniftfied  in  the  flefli/  1  Tim. 
 lii.  o\  What  wifdom  was  this,  that  Chriil  ihould  be  made  fin, 
 yet  knew  no  fin  ;  that  God  mould  condemn  tin-  (in,  \vl  lave 
 the  (inner  ?  Here  was  wifdom,  to  find  out  the  way  of  falvatiou. 
 2.  The  means  by  which  ialvation  is  applied  let  forth  God's 
 wifdom,  that  Ialvation  Ihould  be  by  faith,  not  by  woii. 
 is  an  humble  grace,  it  gives  all  to  thrill ;  it  is  an  adorer  of  free 
 grace  :  and  free  grace  being  advanced  here,  God  hath  his  glory  I 
 and  it  is  his  higheft  wifdom  to  exalt  his  own  glory.  3.  The 
 way  of  working  faith  declares  God's  witdom  ;  it  is  wrought  by 
 the  word  preached,  Rom.  x.  17.  *  Faith  comes  by  hearing.' 
 What  is  the  weak  breath  of  a  man  to  convert  a  foul  ?  It  is  like 
 whifpering  in  the  ears  of  a  dead  man  ;  this  is  foolifhnefs  in  the 
 eye  of  the  world  :  but  the  Lord  loves  to  (hew  his  witdom,  by 
 that  which  items  folly,  1  Cor.  i.  97.  *  He  hath  chofen  the 
 fuolifh  things  of  the  world  to  confound  the  wife.'  Why  fo  ? 
 ver.  <2V.  *  That  no  rlefh  ihould  glory  in  his  prefence.'  Should 
 God  convert  by  the  miniftry  of  angels,  then  we  (hould  have  been 
 ready  to  have  gloried  in  angels,  and  have  given  that  honour  to 
 them  which  is  due  to  God  ;  but  when  God  works  by  weak  tools, 
 makes  ule  of  men  who  are  of  like  pafiions  with  ourfelves,  and 
 by  them  converts  ;  now  the  power  is  plainly  feen  to  be  of  God, 
 2  Cor.  iv.  7-  *  We  have  this  treafure  in  earthen  veflels  that  the 
 excellency  of  the  power  may  be  of  God,  and  not  of  us.'  Here- 
 in is  God's  wifdom  feeD,  that  no  fleih  may  glory  in  his  pre- 
 fence. 
 
 (3.)  The  wifdom  of  God  wonderfully  appears  in  the  works 
 of  his  providence.  Every  providence  hath  either  a  mercy  or  a 
 wonder  wrapt  up  in  it.  The  wifdom  of  God,  in  his  works  of  pro- 
 vidence, appears,  1.  By  effecting  great  things  by  fmall,  con- 
 temptible means.  He  cured  the  ftung  Ifraelites,  by  a  brazen 
 ferpent.  If  fome  fovereign  antidote  had  been  ufed,  if  the  balm 
 of  Gilead  had  beeu  brought,  there  had  been  fome  likelihood  that 
 this  mould  have  healed  :  but  what  was  there  in  a  brazen  fer- 
 pent? It  was  a  mere  image,  and  not  applied  to  him  that  was 
 wounded,  only  he  was  to  look  upon  it,  yet  this  wrought  a  cure. 
 The  lefs  probability  in  the  inftrument,  the  more  is  God's  wif- 
 dom feen.  9.  The  wifdom  of  God  is  feen  in  doing  his  work 
 by  that  which  to  the  eye  of  fleih  feems  quite  contrary  :  God  in- 
 tended to  advance  Jojjeph,  and  make  all  his  brethren's  (heaves 
 bow  to  his  (heaf :  now  what  way  doth  he  take  ?  Jirit  Jofeph  is 
 thrown  into  the  pit,  then  fold  into  Egypt;  then  after  that  put 
 in  prilbn,  Gm.  xxxix.  SO.  And  by  his  impiifoument,  God 
 made  way  for  his  advancement.  For  God  to  lave  in  an  ordinary 
 way,  wifdem  would  not  be  fo  much  taken  notice  of.  But  then 
 he  goes  ftrarigely  to  work,  and  faves  in  that  very  way  in  which 
 we  think  he  wiil  defuov  ;  now,  his  wifdom  Alines  forth  in  a 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  «.  h 
 
8$  OF  THE  WISDOM  OF  GOD. 
 
 mod  glorious  confpicuous  manner.  God  would  make  Ifrael 
 victorious,  and  what  way  doth  he  go  in?  He  lelfens  Gideon's 
 army,  Judg.  vii.  2.  ■  The  people  that  are  with  thee  are  too 
 many  :'  he  reduceth  the  army  of  two  and  thirty  thoufand  to 
 three  hundred  ;  and  by  taking  away  the  means  of  victory, 
 makes  Ifrael  victorious.  God  had  a  defign  to  bring  his  people 
 out  of  Egypt,  and  a  ftrange  courfe  he  takes  to  effect  it :  he 
 furred  up  the  hearts  of  the  Egyptians  to  hate  them,  Pfal.  cv. 
 25.  *  He  turned  their  heart  to  hate  his  people.'  The  more 
 they  hated  and  opprefled  Ifrael,  the  more  God  plagued  the 
 Egyptians,  and  the  more  glad  they  were  to  let  Ifrael  go,  Exod. 
 xil  33.  The  Egyptians  were  urgent  upon  Ifrael,  that  they 
 might  fend  them  out  of  the  land  in  haite.  God  had  a  mind  to 
 fave  Jonah  when  he  was  caft  into  the  fea,  and  he  lets  the  fifh 
 fwallow  him  up,  and  fo  bring  him  to  the  fhore.  God  would 
 fave  Paul,  and  all  that  were  in  the  (hip  with  him,  and  there 
 was  no  way  to  fave  them,  but  the  (hip  mult  break,  and  they  all 
 came  fafe  to  land  upon  the  broken  pieces  of  the  (hip,  Acts 
 xx vii.  44.  In  reference  to  the  church,  God  oft  goes  by  con- 
 trary means,  makes  the  enemy  do  his  work;  he  can  ftrike  a 
 ftraight  ftroke  by  crooked  (licks.  God  hath  oft  made  his  church 
 grow  and  flouri(h  by  perfecution.  "  The  fhowers  of  blood 
 have  made  her  more  fruitful,"  Julian.  Exod.  i.  10.  '  Come 
 let  us  deal  wifely  with  them  left  they  multiply ;'  and  that  way 
 they  took  to  fupprefs  them,  made  them  multiply,  ver.  12.  *  The 
 more  they  afflicted  them,  the  more  they  multiplied:'  like 
 ground,  the  more  it  is  harrowed,  it  bears  the  better  crop.  The 
 apoftles  were  fcattered  by  reafon  of  perfecution,  and  their  fcat- 
 tering  was  like  the  fcattering  of  feed  ;  they  went  up  and  down, 
 and  preached  the  gofpel,  and  brought  daily  converts.  Paul 
 was  put  in  prifon,  and  his  bonds  were  a  means  to  enlarge  the 
 gofpel,  Phil.  i.  12. 
 
 2.  The  wifdom  of  God  is  feen  in  making  the  mod  defperate 
 evils  turn  to  the  good  of  his  children.  As  feveral  poifonable  in- 
 gredients, wifely  tempered  by  the  fkill  of  the  artift,  make  a 
 fovereign  medicine,  fo  God  makes  the  moft  deadly  afflictions,  co- 
 operate for  the  good  of  his  children.  He  purifies  them,  and 
 prepares  them  fur  heaven,  2  Cor.  iv.  17.  Thefe  hard  frofts 
 batten  the  fpring  flowers  of  glory.  The  wife  God,  by  a  divine 
 chymiltrv,  turns  afflictions  into  cordials.  God  makes  his  peo- 
 ple gainers  by  loiles,  and  turns  their  croifes  into  bleffings. 
 
 4.  The  wifdom  of  God  is  feen  in  this,  that  the  (ins  of  men 
 (hall  carry  on  God's  work  ;  yet  that  he  (hould  have  no  hand  in 
 their  fin.  The  Lord  permits  fin,  but  doth  not  approve  it.  He 
 hath  an  hand  in  the  action  in  which  lin  is,  but  not  in  the  fin  of  the 
 action.  As  in  the  crucifying  ofChriil,  {o  far  as  it  was  a  na- 
 tural action,  God  did  concur :  if  he  had  not  given  the  Jews  life 
 
OF  THE  WISDOM  OF  GOD.  83 
 
 and  breath,  they  could  not  have  done  it :  but,  as  it  was  a  finful 
 action,  To  God  abhorred  it.  A  muliciau  plays  upon  a  viol  out 
 of  tune  ;  the  mufician  is  thecaufe  of  the  found,  but  the  jarring 
 and  dilcord  is  from  the  viol  itlelt  :  lb  men's  natural  motion  is 
 from  God,  but  their  finful  motion  is  from  themielves.  A  man 
 that  rides  on  a  lame  horle,  his  riding  is  the  caule  why  'he  horle 
 goes,  but  the  lamenefs  is  from  the  horle  itfelf.  Herein  is  God's 
 wifdom,  the  (ins  of  men  fliall  carry  on  his  work,  yet  he  hath  no 
 hand  in  them. 
 
 5.  The  wifdom  of  God  is  feen  in  helping  in  defperate  cafes. 
 God  loves  to  fhew  his  wifdom  when  human  help  and  wifdom 
 fail.  Exquifite  lawyers  love  to  wreftle  with  niceties  and  diffi- 
 culties in  the  law,  to  fhew  their  (kill  the  more.  God's  wifdom 
 is  never  at  a  lofs  ;  but  when  providences  are  darkeil,  now  ap- 
 pears the  morning- ftar  of  deliverance,  Plalmcxxxvi.  23.  *  Who 
 remembered  us  in  our  low  condition.'  Sometimes  God  melts 
 away  the  ipirits  of  his  enemies,  Jofli.  ii.  24.  Sometimes  he 
 finds  them  other  work  to  do,  and  founds  a  retreat  to  them,  as 
 he  did  to  Saul  when  he  was  purfuing  David  ;  '  The  Philiftines 
 are  in  the  land.'  ■  In  the  Mount  will  God  be  feen.'  When  the 
 church  feems  to  be  upon  the  altar,  her  place  and  liberty  ready 
 to  be  facrificed,  now  comes  the  angel. 
 
 6.  God's  wildom  is  feen  in  befooling  wife  men,  and  making 
 their  wifdom  a  means  of  their  overthrow.  Ahithophel  had 
 deep  policy,  2  Sam.  xvi.  23.  •  The  counfel  of  Ahithophel, 
 which  he  counfelled,  was  as  if  a  man  had  inquired  at  the  oracle 
 of  God  :'  but  he  confulted  his  own  fhame.  *  The  Lord  turned 
 his  counfel  into  foolifhnefs,'  2  Sam.  xvii.  23.  Job  v.  13.  ■  God 
 taketh  the  wife  in  their  own  craftinefs;'  that  is,  when  they 
 think  to  deal  wifely,  he  not  only  difappoints  them,  butinihares 
 them.  The  fnares  they  lay  for  others  catch  themielves  Pf.  ix. 
 1&  ■  In  the  net  which  they  hid,  is  their  own  foot  taken.'  God 
 loves  to  counterplot  politicians;  he  makes  ute  of  their  own  wit 
 to  undo  them,  and  hangs  Haman  upon  his  own  gallows. 
 
 Ufe  1.  Adore  the  wifdom  of  God  ;  it  is  an  infinite  deep  the 
 angels  cannot  (earch  into,  Rom.  xi.  32.  '  His  ways  are  paft 
 finding  out.'  And  as  we  fhould  adore,  fo  we  ihould  reft  in  the 
 witclom  of  God  :  God  fees  what  condition  is  belt  for  us.  Did 
 we  believe  the  wifdom  of  God,  it  would  keep  us  from  murmur- 
 ing. Reft  in  God's  wifdom  in  feveral  cafes  :  1.  In  want  of 
 fpiritual  comfort  :  God  is  wife,  he  fees  it  good  fometimes  we 
 ihould  be  without  comfort.  Perhaps  we  fhould  be  lifted  up 
 with  fpiiitual  enlargements,  as  Paul  with  his  revelations,  2  Cor. 
 xii.  7-  It  is  hard  to  have  the  heart  low,  when  comfort  jv  high. 
 God  fees  humility  is  better  for  us  than  joy.  It  is  better  t  a  want 
 comfort,  and  be  humble,  than  to  have  it,  and  be  proud.  2.  In 
 want  of  bodily  ilrength,  reft  in  God's  wildom  ;  he  fees  what  is 
 
 h  2 
 
84  OF  THE  WISDOM  OF  GOD. 
 
 beft.     Perhaps  the  lefs  health  the  more  grace  ;   weaker  in  body, 
 the  ftronger  we  are  in  faith,  2  Cor.  iv.  1(5.  •  Though  our  out- 
 ward man  perifh,  yet  the  inward  man  is  renewed  day  by  day.' 
 At  Rome  there  were  two  laurel  trees :   when  the  one  withered, 
 the  other  flourilhed.    The  inward  man  is  renewed.    When  God 
 ihakes  the  tree  of  the  body,  he  is  now  gathering  the  fruits  of 
 righteouihefs,  Heb.  xii.  1 1.     Sicknefs  is  God's  lance  to  let  out 
 the  impofthume  of  fin,Ifa.  xxvii.  9.     3.  In  cafe  of  God's  pro- 
 vidences to  his  church  :   we  wonder  what  God  is  doing  with  us, 
 and  are  ready  to  kill  ourfelves  with  care  :   reft  in  God's  wifdom  ; 
 he  knows  beft  what  he  hath  to  do,  Pfal.  Ixxvii.  19.   "  His  foot- 
 fteps  are  not  known.*     Truft  him  where  you  cannot  trace  him. 
 God  is  molt  in  his  way,  when  we  think  he  is  raoft  out  of  the 
 way  ;  when  we  think  God's  church  is,  as  it  were,  in  the  grave, 
 and  there  is  a  toinb-ftone  laid  upon  her,  God's  wifdom  can  roll 
 away   the  ftone  from  the  fepulchre.    '  Chrift  cometh  leaping 
 over  mountains/  Cant.  ii.  8.     Either  his  power  can  remove 
 the  mountain,  or  his  wifdom  knows  how  to  leap  over  it.    4.  In 
 cafe  we  are  low  in  the  world,  or  have  but  little  oil  in  our  crufe ; 
 reft  in  God's  wifdom,  he  fees  it  beft;  it  is  to  cure   pride  and 
 wantonnefs.     God  knew,  if  thy    eftate  had  not  been  loft,  thy 
 foul  had  been  loft.     God,  he  faw  riches  would  be  a  fnare  unto 
 thee,  1  Tim.  vi.  9.    Art  thou  troubled  that  God  hath  prevented 
 a  fnare  ?  God  will  make  thee  rich  in  faith  ;  what  thou  lackeft 
 in  temporals  fhall  be  made  up  in  fpirituals :  God  will  give  thee 
 more  of  his  love.     Thou  art  weak  in  eftate,  yet  God  will  make 
 thee  ftrong  in  alfurance.  O  reft  in  God's  wifdom  !  he  will  carve 
 the  beft  piec*  for  thee.     5.     In  cafe  of  the  lofs  of  dear  friends, 
 a  wife,  or  child,  or  hufband ;  reft  fatisfied  in  God's  wifdom. 
 God  hath  taken  away  thefe,  becaufe  he  would   have  more   of 
 your  love  :  he  breaks  thefe  crutches,  that  we  may  live  more  upon 
 him  by  faith.  God  would  have  us  learn  to  go  without  crutches. 
 Ufe  2.   If  God  be  infinitely  wife,  then  let  us  go  to  him  for 
 wifdom;  as  Solomon,  1  Kings  iii.   9.  ■  Give  thy  fervant  an 
 underftanding  heart  ;  and  the  fpeech  pleafed  the  Lord.'     And 
 there  is  encouragement  for  us,  *  If  any  one  lack  wifdom  let  him 
 afk  of  God,  who  giveth  liberally,  and   upbraideth  not.'  James 
 i.  5.  Wifdom  is  in  God,  tanquam  infonte,  as  in  the  fountain  ; 
 his  wifdom  is  imparted,  not  impaired;  his  ftock  is  not  fpent  by 
 giving.     Go  then  to  God  :  Lord,  do  thou  light  my  lamp  ;   in 
 thy  light  fhall  I  fee  light ;  give  me  wifdom,  to  know  the  fallacy 
 of  my  heart,  the  fubtilties  of  the  old  ferpent;  to  walk  jealoufly 
 towards   myfelf,    religioufly  towards   thee,   prudently  towards 
 others :  guide  me  by  thy  counfel,  and  afterwards  receive  me  to 
 glory. 
 
<i)'s  lowtn.  85 
 
 OF  GOD'S  POW1.R, 
 
 The   next  attribute  is  God's  power,  Job   ix.   1.0.   ■  If  I 
 fpeak  of  ftrcngth,  lo,  he  is  firong.'     In  this  i  a  magni- 
 
 ficent d*r-ti:ription  ot  "God's  power;  *  Lo,  be  ia  ffcaoog.'  'I  iK* 
 Hebrew   word  for  ftrtong,    Ggoifie*  a  conquering,   prevailing 
 
 ■th.  4  He  is  ftrong;*  the  liiperlaUve  ocgre#  it*  ini  i 
 I  viz.  He  is  molt  ttrong,  Ik-  ia  called,  lU-fhaddai,  God  Al- 
 
 ly, Gen.  xvii.  1.  Ihs  almightmefc  lies  in  this,  be  can  do 
 whatever  is  feasible.  Divines  diitmguiih  between  authority  and 
 power.     God  hath  both. 
 
 1.  He  hath  a  (overeign  right  and  authority  over  man.  He 
 ran  do  with  his  creature  as  he  pleafes.  Who  (hall  dilpute  with 
 God  ?  who  (hall  alk  him  a  reai'on  ot  his  doings?   Dan.  iv.  35. 
 
 ■  He  doth  according  to  his  will  In  the  army  ot  heaven,  and  among 
 the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  ;  and  none  can  flay  his  hand,  or 
 fay  unto  him,  What  doit  thou  ?'  God  fits  jud-e  in  the  bigheft 
 court ;  he  calls  the  monarchs  of  the  earth  to  the  bar,  and  is  not 
 bound  to  grve  a  reafon  of  his  proceedings,  PI'.  Ixxv.  5,  7.  ■  He 
 putteth  down  one,  and  raileth  up  another.'  He  hath  lalvation 
 and  damnation  in  his  power.  He  hath  the  key  of  juftice  in  his 
 hand,  to  lock  up  whom  he  will  in  the  fiery  pnfon  of  hell ;  and 
 he  hath  the  key  of  mercy  in  his  hands  to  open  heaven's  gate  to 
 whom  he  pleafes.     This  is  the  name  engraven  upon  his  vefture, 
 
 ■  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords,1  Rev.  xix.  l(i.  He  fits 
 Lord  paramount,  and  who  can  call  him  to  an  account?  lfa. 
 xlvi.  10.  *  I  will  do  all  my  pleafure.'  The  world  is  God's 
 diocefe,  and  (hall  not  he  do  what  he  will  in  his  own  diocci'e  ? 
 He  it  was  that  turned  king  Nebuchadnezzar  to  eat  grafs,  and 
 threw  the  angels  to  hell  when  they  finned  ;  that  broke  the  head 
 of  the  BabylonUh  empire,  lia.  xiv.  lc2.  f  How  art  thou  fallen 
 from  heaven,  O  Lucifer!  Thy  pomp  is  brought  down  to  the 
 grave.'  ■  Who  fets  bounds  to  the  fea,  and  bridles  the  proud 
 waves,'  Job  xxxviii.  II.  God  is  the  fupreme  monarch,  all 
 power  is  feated  originally  in  him  ;  '  And  the  powers  that  be 
 are  of  God,'  Rom.  xiii.  1.  Kings  hold  their  crowns  of  htm, 
 Prov.  viii.  15.   *  By  me  kings  reign.' 
 
 (2.)  As  God  hath  authority,  fo  he  hath  infinite  power. 
 What  is  authority  without  power?  •  He  is  mighty  in  ftrength/ 
 Job  ix.  4.     This  power  of  God  is  feen. 
 
 1.  In  the  creation.  To  create,  requires  infinite  power  ;  all 
 the  world  cannot  make  a  fly.  God's  power  in  creating  is  evi- 
 dent, I.  Becaufe  he  needs  no  inftrumeuts  to  work  with;  it  is 
 proper  to  God  to  work  without  tools.  (2.  He  needs  no  matter 
 to  work  upon  ;  firft,  he  creates  matter,  and  then  works  upon  it. 
 
S6  of  god's  power. 
 
 3.  He  works  without  labour,  Pi',  xxxiii.  9.  ■  He  fpake,  and  it 
 was  done.' 
 
 2.  The  power  of  God  is  feen  in  the  converfion  of  fouls.  Sure- 
 ly a  mighty  power  went  to  raife  Chrift  from  the  grave,  Eph.  i. 
 20.  (1.)  The  fame  power  goes  to  draw  a  finner  to  God,  as 
 drew  Chriit  out  of  the  grave  to  heaven.  Greater  power  is  put 
 forth  in  converfion,  than  in  creation.  When  God  made  the 
 world,  he  met  with  no  oppolition  :  as  he  had  nothing  to  help 
 him,  fo  he  had  nothing  to  hinder  him  :  but  when  he  comes 
 to  convert  a  finner,  here  he  meets  with  oppofition  :  Satan  op- 
 pofeth  him,  and  the  heart  oppofeth  him  :  a  finner  is  angry 
 with  converting  grace.  (20  The  world  was  the  *  Work  of 
 God's  fingers,'  Pf.  viii.  3.  Converfion  is  the  '  Work  of  God's 
 arm,'  Luke  i.  5.  (3.)  In  the  creation,  God  wrought  but  one 
 miracle,  he  fpake  the  word  :  hut,  in  converfion,  he  works  many 
 miracles  :  The  blind  is  made  to  fee,  the  dead  is  railed,  the  deaf 
 hears  the  voiceof  the  Sou  oi  God.  O  the  infinite  power  of  Je- 
 hovah !  Before  his  fceptre,  angelsvail  and  proitrate  themfelves ; 
 kings  caft  their  crowns  at  his  feet.  Amos  ix.  5.  *  He  touch- 
 eth  the  mountains  and  they  melt.'  Job  ix.  6.  '  He  removeth 
 the  earth  out  of  her  place.'  An  earthquake  makes  the  earth 
 tremble  upon  her  pillars,  but  God  (hakes  it  out  of  its  place; 
 he  can  remove  the  earth  from  its  centre.  God  can  do  what  he 
 will,  his  power  is  as  large  as  his  will.  Were  men's  power  as 
 large  as  their  will,  what  work  would  they  make  in  the  world  ! 
 God's  power  is  of  equal  extent  with  his  will.  God  can  with  a 
 word  unpin  the  wheels,  and  break  the  axle-tree  of  the  creation. 
 He  can  do  '  more  than  we  can  think,'  Eph.  iii.  c20.  He  can 
 fufpend  natural  agents  :  he  fealed  up  the  lions  mouth,  made 
 the  fire  not  to  burn  :  he  made  the  waters  to  (land  upon  an  heap  : 
 he  caufed  the  fun  to  go  ten  degrees  backward  in  Ahaz's  dial, 
 Ifa.  iii.  8.  What  can  pofe  omnipotency  ?  '  The  Lord  cuts  off 
 the  fpiritof  princes.'  Pf.  Ixxvi.  12.  He  counter-works  his  ene- 
 mies ;  he  pulls  down  their  flags  and  banners  of  pride,  infatuates 
 their  counfels,  breaks  their  forces  ;  and  he  doth  it  with  eafe, 
 with  the  turning  of  his  hand,  Pfal.  lxxxi.  24. '  with  his  breath,' 
 Ifa.  xl.  24.  '  with  a  look.'  That  is  all  it  needs  coft  God  to 
 deftroy  his  enemies;  a  look,  a  caft  of  his  eye,  Exod.  xiv.  24. 
 •  The  Lord  looked  into  the  holt  of  the  Egyptians,  through  the 
 pillar  of  fire,  and  troubled  their  hoft.,  Who  (hall  flop  him  in 
 his  march?  God  commands,  and  all  creatures  in  heaven  and 
 earth  obey  him.  Xerxes,  -the  Perfian  monarch,  threw  fetters 
 into  the  fea,  when  its  waves  f welled,  as  if  he  would  have  chained 
 up  the  waters  ;  but  when  God  fpeaks,  the  wind  and  fea  obey 
 him  ;  if  he  fay  but  the  word,  the  ftars  fight  in  their  couries 
 againft  Sifera  ;  if  he  (tamp  with  his  foot,  an  army  of  angels 
 (hall  prefently  be  in  battalia.     What  cannot  omnipotent  power 
 
87 
 
 do?  •  The  Lord  is  a  man  of  war,'  Kxod.  xv.  3  ■  He  hath  a 
 mighty  arm,1  Pf.  lxxxix.  13.  *  God'>  power  it  a  glorious  pow- 
 er,   Col.  i.  11.      1.    It  is  an   invliftible  power,  Eton),    ix.    1<>. 
 
 '  Who  hath  refilled  his  will?'  To  conteli  with  him,  is  as  if  the 
 thorns  mould  fet  themfelves  in  battU  array  agaraft  the  fir.-  ;  or 
 as  dan  infirm  child  ihould  Qght  with  an  arch  an^el.  Ii'  the 
 finner  be  once  taken  in  God's  iron  net,  there  is  no  efcaping,  Ha. 
 xliii.  13.  *  There  is  none  that  can  deliver  out  of  my  hand.'  2 
 God's  power  is  an  inexhauftible  power  ;  it  la  never  fpent  or 
 wafted.  Men,  while  they  exeicile  their  ftreogtb,  weaken  it; 
 but  God  hath  an  everlaiting  fpring  of  ftrength  in  him,  lla. 
 xxvi.  4.  Tho'  he  fpends  his  arrows  upon  his  enemies,  Deut. 
 xxxii.  c23.  yet  he  doth  not  fpend  his  itrength,  lfa.  xl.  CJ3.  *  lie 
 fainteth  not,  neither  is  weary.' 
 
 ObjeCi.   Can  God  do  all  things?  he  cannot  deny  himfelf. 
 
 AnJ\  Though  God  can  do  all  things,  he  cannot  do  that  which 
 ftains  the  glory  of  his  Godhead  :  he  cannot  fin  ;  he  cannot  do 
 that  which  implies  a  contradiction.  To  be  a  God  of  truth,  and 
 yet  deny  himfelf,  is  a  contradiction. 
 
 Uj'e  I.  If  God  be  fo  infinite  in  power,  fear  this  great  God. 
 We  are  apt  to  fear  fuch  as  are  in  power  ;  Jer.  v.  32.  ■  Fear  ye 
 not  me?'  faith  the  Lord  :  ■  Will  ye  not  tremble  at  my  pre- 
 sence ?'  He  hath  power  to  caft  our  ibuls  and  bodies  into  hell, 
 Pfal.  xc.  11.  '  Who  knows  the  power  of  his  wrath  ?'  God  can 
 with  the  lame  breath  that  made  us,  dillolve  us  ;  *  His  eyes  are 
 as  aflame  of  fire  ;  the  rocks  are  thrown  down  by  him,'  Nah. 
 i.  6.  Solomon  faith,  ■  Where  the  word  of  a  king  is,  there  is 
 power,'  Keel.  viii.  4.  much  more  where  the  word  of  a  God 
 is.  O  let  us  fear  this  mighty  God  !  The  fear  of  God  will  drive 
 out  all  other  bafefear. 
 
 Uj'e  2.  See  the  deplorable  condition  of  wicked  men:  1.  This 
 power  of  God  is  not  for  them  :  2.  It  is  againft  them. 
 
 1 .  This  power  of  God  is  not  for  them  :  they  have  no  union 
 with  God,  therefore  have  no  warrant  to  lay  claim  to  his  power. 
 His  power  is  no  relief  to  them.  He  hath  power  to  forgive  fins, 
 but  he  will  not  put  forth  his  power  towards  an  impenitent  fin- 
 ner. God's  power  is  on  eagle's  wings,  to  carry  the  faints  to 
 heaven  ;  but  what  privilege  is  that  to  the  wicked  ;  though  a 
 man  will  carry  his  child  in  his  arms  over  a  dangerous  water, 
 yet  he  will  not  carry  an  enemy  in  his  arms.  Gods  power  is 
 not  engaged  to  help  thole  that  6ght  againlt  him.  Let  miferks 
 come  upon  the  wicked,  they  have  none  to  help  them  ;  they  are 
 like  a  fhipin  a  ftorm  without  a  pilot,  driven  upon  the  rocks. 
 
 8.  This  power  of  God  is  againlt  the  wicked.  God's  power 
 will  not  be  the  finners  (hield  to  defend  him,  but  a  fword  to 
 wound  him.  God's  power  will  bind  the  finner  in  chains.  God's 
 power  ferves  to  revenge  the  wrong  done  to  his  mercy.      God 
 
88 
 
 OF  GOD  S  POWER. 
 
 will  be  Almighty  to  damn  the  (inner.  Now,  it)  what  condi- 
 tion is  every  unbeliever  ;  God's  power  is  engaged  agaiuft  hint, 
 and  ■  if  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God/ 
 Heb.  x.  31. 
 
 Ufe  3.  It  reproves  fuch  as  do  not  believe  this  power  of  God. 
 We  fay,  we  do  not  doubt  of  God's  power,  but  his  will.  But 
 indeed  it  is  God's  power  that  we  queilion.  '  Is  any  thing  too 
 hard  for  God?'  Jer.  xxxii.  27.  yet  we  ftagger  through  unbe- 
 lief as  if  the  arm  of  God's  power  were  fhrunk,  and  he  could  not 
 help  in  defperate  cafes.  Take  away  a  king's  power,  and  we  un- 
 king him  ;  take  away  the  Lord's  power,  and  we  un-god  him  ; 
 yet  how  guilty  of  this  are  we!  Did  not  Ifrael  queftion  God's 
 power  !*  Can  he  prepare  a  table  in  the  wildernefs?'  Pial.  lxxviii. 
 19.  they  thought  the  wildernefs  was  a  fitter  place  for  making 
 of  graves,  than  fpreading  of  a  table.  Did  not  Martha  doubt  of 
 Chrift's  power?  John  xi.  39.  *  He  hath  been  dead  four  days.' 
 If  Chrift  had  been  there  while  Lazarus  was  fick,  or  when  he  had 
 been  newly  dead,  Martha  did  not  queftion  but  Chrill  could  have 
 railed  him  ;  but  he  had  lain  in  the  grave  four  days,  and  now 
 flie  feemed  to  queilion  his  power.  Chrift  had  as  much  ado  to 
 raife  her  faith,  as  to  raife  her  dead  brother.  And  Mofes, 
 though  an  holy  man,  yet  limits  God's  power  through  unbelief, 
 Numb.  xi.  21.  ■  The  people  among  whom  I  am,  are  fix  hun- 
 dred thoufand  footmen  ;  and  thou  haft  (aid,  I  will  give  them 
 flefh  for  a  whole  month  :  fhall  the  flocks  and  the  herds  be  (lain 
 for  them  to  fuffice  them  ?  or  (hall  all  the  fifli  of  the  fea  be  ga- 
 thered for  them  to  fuffice  them  ?  And  the  Lord  faid  unto  Mofes, 
 *  Is  the  Lord's  hand  waxed  fhort?'  This  is  a  great  affront  to  God, 
 to  go  to  deny  his  power.  That  men  doubt  of  God's  power,  ap- 
 pears, 1.  By  their  taking  indirect  couries.  Would  they  defraud 
 in  their  dealings,  ufe  falfe  weights,  if  they  believed  the  power 
 of  God,  that  he  could  provide  for  them?  0.  By  their  depending 
 more  upon  fecond  caufes  than  upon  God,  2  Chron.  xvi.  12.  'In 
 hisdifeafe,  he  fought  not  to  the  Lord,  but  to  the  phyficians.' 
 
 Ufe  1.  It  God  be  infinite  in  power,  then  let  us  take  heed  of 
 hardening  our  hearts  againll  God,  Job  ix.  4.  '  Who  hath  har- 
 dened himfelf  againfl  him,  and  profpered  ?'  Job  fends  a  chal- 
 lenge to  all  creatures  in  heaven  and  earth,  Who  is  he  did  ever 
 take  up  the  bucklers  a^ainft  God,  and  came  oft* conqueror  ?  For 
 a  perlbn  to  go  on  daringly  in  any  fin,  is  to  harden  his  heart 
 againitGod,  and,  as  it  were,  to  raife  a  war  againll  heaven  ;  and 
 let  him  remember  God  is  El-jliaddai,  almighty ;  he  will  be  too 
 hard  for  them  that  oppofe  him,  Job  xl.  9.  *  Haft  thou  an  arm 
 like  God  ?'  Such  as  will  not  bow  to  his  golden  iceptre,  fhall  be 
 broken  with  his  iron  rod.  Julian  hardened  his  heart  againfl 
 God,  he  oppofed  him  to  his  face ;  but  what  got  he  at  laft  ?  did 
 he  profper  ?  Being  wounded  ia  battle,  he  threw  up  his  blood 
 
of  ood's  power.  89 
 
 into  the  air,  and  faid  to  Chriit,  I'icijii  Calilcve,  *  O  Galilean, 
 I liou  haft  overcome  ;'  I  acknowledge  thy  power,  whole  name 
 and  truth  I  have  oppofed.  Will  lolly  contend  with  wifdom  ? 
 AVeaknefs  with  power  \  finite  with  infinite?  ()  take  heed  of 
 hardening  your  heart  againft  God  !  He  can  lend  legions  of  angels 
 to  avenge  his  quarrel  It  is  hetter  to  meet  God  with  tears  in 
 your  eyes,  than  weapons  in  your  hand.  You  may  overcome 
 God  wooer  by  repentance,  than  by  refiitance. 
 
 Ufe  5.  Get  an  intereft  in  God,  and  then  this  glorious  power  is 
 engaged  for  you.  Gud  gives  it  under  his  hand,  that  he  will  put 
 forth  the  whole  power  of  his  Godhead  for  the  good  of  his  people, 
 1  Chron.  xvii.  24.  ■  The  Lord  of  holts  is  the  God  of  Ifrael, 
 even  a  God  to  Iirae!.'  -This  almightincfs  of  God's  power  is  a 
 wonderful  fupport  and  comfort  to  every  believer.  It  was  Sam- 
 Ion's  riddle,  Judg.  xiv.  14.  '  Out  of  the  itrong  came  forth 
 IVveetuefs  :'  So  out  of  the  attribute  of  God's  power,  out  of  this 
 itrong  comes  forth  fweetnefs  :  It  is  comfort  in  feveral  cafes, 
 
 1.  In  cafe  of  ftrong  corruption.  My  fins,  faith  a  child  of 
 God,  are  potent ;  I  have  no  power  againit  this  army  that  comes 
 againft  me  :  I  pray,  and  humble  my  foul  by  fading,  but  my  (ins 
 return  upon  me.  Ay,  but  dolt  thou  believe  the  power  of  God? 
 The  ftrong  God  can  conquer  thy  ftrong  corruption  ;  though  fin 
 be  too  hard  for  thee,  yet  not  for  him  ;  he  can  foften  hard  hearts, 
 quicken  the  dead.  *  Is  any  thing  too  hard  for  the  Lord?' 
 Gen.  xviii.  14.  Set  God's  power  on  work.  By  faith  and  prayer, 
 lay,  Lord !  it  is  not  for  thy  honour  that  the  devil  fhould  have 
 ib  ftrong  a  party  within  me  ;  O  break  the  head  of  this  leviathan  ; 
 Abba,  Father,  all  things  are  pofiible  to  thee. 
 
 2.  In  cafe  of  ftrong  temptation.  Satan  is  called  the  ftrong 
 man:  O  but  remember  the  power  of  God;  Chrift  is  called, 
 '  The  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,'  he  hath  broken  the  ferpent's 
 head  upon  the  crofs.  Satan  is  a  chained  enemy,  and  a  con- 
 quered enemy  :   Michael  is  lironger  than  the  dragon. 
 
 3.  Comfort  in  cafe  of  weaknels  of  grace,  and  fear  of  falling 
 away.  I  pray,  but  I  cannot  fend  out  ftrong  cries  ;  I  believe,  but 
 hand  of  my  faith  doth  (hake  and  tremble.  Cannot  God 
 itrengthen  weak  grace?  9  Cor.  xii.  9.  ■  My  ftrength  is  made 
 perfect  in  weaknefs :  molt  gladly  therefore  will  I  rather  glory 
 in  mine  infirmities,  that  the  power  of  Chrift  may  reft  upon  me.' 
 I  fear  I  fhall  not  hold  out.  Chriftiau,  doit  thou  believe  the 
 power  of  God?  Hath  not  God  preferred  thy  grace  thus  far? 
 Mayeft  thou  not  let  up  thy  Ebenezer?  God  hath  kept  thy  grace 
 hitherto  as  a  fpark  in  the  main  ocean.  And  is  not  he  able  ltill 
 to  keep  thy  grace?  1  Pet.  i.  o.  ■  We  are  kept  by  the  power 
 of  God,'  &c.  God's  mercy  pardons  us,  but  his  power  pielerves 
 us.  He  who  by  his  power  keeps  the  liars  that  they  do  not  fall 
 ©ut  of  their  orb,  keeps  our  grace  that  it  doth  not  fail  or  annihilate. 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  2.  M 
 
90  OF  TFE  HOLINESS  OF  GOD. 
 
 4.  Comfort  in  cafe  of  the  deficiency  in  thy  eftate,  God  can; 
 multiply  the  oil  in  the  cruife ;  miraculoufly  he  can  raife  up  fup- 
 plies:  God,  who  provides  for  the  birds  of  the  air,  cannot  he 
 provide  for  his  children  ?'  He  that  clothes  the  lilies,  cannot  he 
 clothe  his  Iambs  ? 
 
 5.  Comfort  in  regard  of  the  refurrection.  This  feems  dif- 
 ficult to  believe,  that  the  bodies  of  men  when  eaten  up  by  worms, 
 devoured  by  beads  and  fifties,  or  confumed  to  allies,  fhould  be 
 raifed  the  fame  numerical  bodies ;  but  if  we  believe  the  power 
 of  God,  it  is  no  great  wonder ;  which  is  harder!;,  to  create,  or 
 raife  the  dead  :  he  that  can  make  a  body  of  nothing,  can  refiore 
 it  to  its  parts,  when  mingled  and  confounded  with  other  lub- 
 ftances,  Mat.  xix.  26.  «  With  God  all  things  are  poffible*'  If 
 we  believe  the  firft  article  of  the  creed,  That  God  is  almighty, 
 we  may  quickly  believe  the  other  article,  The  refurrection  of 
 the  body.  God  can  raife  the  dead  becaufe  of  his  power,  and  he 
 cannb*-  but  raife  them,  becaufe  of  his  truth. 
 
 6  It  is  comfort  in  reference  to  the  church  of  God  :  he  can 
 fave  and  deliver  it  when  it  is  brought  low.  The  enemies  have 
 power  in  their  hand,  but  the  remainder  of  wrath  God  will  re- 
 itrain,  Pfal.  lxxvu  lO.  God  can  either  confine  the  enemies 
 power  or  confound  it:  '  IfGodbefor  us,  who  can  beagainftus?' 
 God  can  create  Jerufalem  a  praife,  Ifa.  lxv.  8.  The  church  in 
 Ezekiel,  is  compared  to  dry  bones,  but  God  made  breath  to 
 enter  into  them,  and  they. lived,  Ezek.  xxxvii.  10.  The  (hip 
 of  the  church  may  be  totfed,  becaufe  fin  is  in  it,  but  it  fhall  not 
 be  overwhelmed,  becaufe  Chrifi  is  in  it,  Pfalm  xlvi.  5.  Deiis 
 in  medeo.  All  the  church's  pangs  fhall  help  forward  her  de- 
 liverance. 
 
 OF  THE  HOLINESS  OF  GOD. 
 
 The  next  attribute  is  God's  hohnefs,  Exod.  xv.  11. 
 1  Glorious  in  holinefs.'  Hohnefs  is  the  moft  fparkling  jewel  of 
 his  crown;  it  is  the  name  by  which  God  is  known,  Pfal.  cxi. 
 9.  *  Holy  and  reverend  is  his  name.'  ■  He  is  the  Holy  One,' 
 Job  vi.  10.  «  Seraphims  cry,  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  of 
 hofts,  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory,'  Ifa.  vi.  3.  His 
 power  makes  him  mighty,  his  hohnefs  makes  him  glorious : 
 God's  holinefs  confifis  in  his  perfect  loving  of  righteoufnefs,  and 
 abhorrency  of  evil,  Hab.  i.  13.  '  Of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold 
 evil,  and  cannot  look  on  iniquity.' 
 
 1/2,  God  is  holy  intrinfically :  I.  He  is  holy  in  his  nature; 
 his  very  being  is  made  up  of  holinefs,  as  light  is  of  the  effence 
 of  the  fun.     2.  He  is  holy  in  his  word  ;  the  word  bears  aftamp 
 
OF  THE  HOLINESS  OF  GOD.  91 
 
 of  his  holinefs  upon  it,  as  the  wax  boars  an  imprefiion  of  the 
 Peal,  Plal.  CX1X.  140.  '  Thy  word  i*  very  pure;'  it  is  compart  J 
 to  (ilver  refined  liven  times,  Plal.  xii.  o\  Every  line  in  the 
 word  breathes  fan&ity,  itencourgeth  nothing  but  holinefs.  8. 
 God  is  holy  in  his  operations,  all  God  doth  is  holy  :  lie  cannot 
 act  but  like  himtelf ;   he  can  no  more  do  an  unrighti  >n, 
 
 than  the  fun  can  darken,  Piiil.  cxlv.  17.  '  The  Lord  is  holy  in 
 all  his  works.' 
 
 c2dly,  God  is  holy  primarily  :  he  is  the  original  and  pattern 
 of  holinefs;   holinefs  be^an  at  him  who  is  the  Ancient  of  days. 
 
 Sdty,  God  is  holy  efficiently  :  he  is  the  caufeof  all  that  holi- 
 nefs it)  others,  James  i.  17-  '  Every  good  and  perfect  gift  comes 
 from  above.'  He  made  the  angels  holy  ;  he  infufed  all  that 
 holinefs  into  ChnlVs  human  nature  :  all  the  holinefs  we  have 
 is  but  a  cryltal  dream  from  this  fountain.  We  borrow  all  our 
 holinefs  from  God  ;  as  the  lights  of  the  fanctuary  were  lighted 
 from  the  middle  lamp,  ib  all  the  holinefs  of  others  is  a  lamp 
 lighted  from  heaven,  Lev.  xx.  8.  *  I  am  the  Lord  which 
 ianctify  you.'  God  is  not  only  a  pattern  of  holinefs,  but  he  is 
 a  principle  of  holinefs  :  his  tyring  feeds  all  our  citterns,  he  drops 
 his  holy  oil  of  grace  upon  us. 
 
 -ith/y,  God  is  holy  tranfeendently,  1  Sim.  ii.  2.  *  There  is 
 none  ib  holy  as  the  Lord  :'  no  angel  in  heaven  can  take  the  jult 
 dimenfions  of  God's  holinefs.  The  highelt  feraphim  is  too  low 
 of  ftature,  to  meafure  thei'e  pyramids:  the  hoiinels  in  God  is 
 far  above  the  hoiinels  in  faints  or  angels. 
 
 1.  It  is  above  the  holinefs  in  faints,  1.  It  is  a  pure  holinol> : 
 the  faints'  holinefs  is  like  gold  in  the  ore,  imperfect;  their 
 humility  isftained  with  pride  ;  he  that  hath  molt  faith  had  need 
 pray,  ■  Lord,  help  my  unbelief,'  but  the  hcliuefs  of  God  is 
 pure,  like  wine  from  the  grape  :  it  hath  not  the  lealt  dalh  or 
 tincture  of  impurity  mixed  with  it.  2.  A  more  unchangeable 
 hoiinels  :  the  faints,  though  they  cannot  lofe  the  habit  of  holi- 
 nefs (for  the  feed  of  God  remains),  yet  they  may  lofe  tome  de- 
 grees of  their  holinefs,  Rev.  ii.  4.  *  Thou  haft  left  thy  Brit 
 love.'  Grace  cannot  die,  yet  the  flame  of  it  may  go  out ;  holi- 
 nefs in  the  faints  is  fubjeot  to  ebbing,  but  holinefs  in  God  is  un- 
 changeable ;  he  never  lolt  a  drop  of  his  hoiinels  :  as  he  cannot 
 have  more  holinefs,  becaufe  he  is  perfectly  holy  ;  fo  he  cannot 
 have  lefs  holinefs,  becaufe  he  is  unchangeably  holy. 
 
 2.  The  holinefs  in  God   is  above  the  holinefs  in  the  an 
 holinefs  in   the  angels  is  only  a  quality,    which  may  be  lolt,  as 
 we  fee  in  the  fallen  angels  :   but  hoiinels  in  God  is  his  eiTeuce, 
 he  is  all  over  holy,  and  he  can  as  well  lofe  his  Godhead,  as  his 
 holinefs. 
 
 Object.  But  is  he  not  privy  to  all  the  fins  of  men  f  He  beholds 
 their  impurities  ;  how  can  this  be,  and  he  not  be  dejiled  :-J 
 
 M  ti 
 
92  OF  THE  HOLINESS  OF  GOD. 
 
 Anf.  God  fees  all  the  fins  of  men,  but  is  no  more  defiled  with 
 them,  than  the  fun  is  defiled  with  the  vapours  that  arife  out  of 
 the  earth  :  God  lees  fin,  not  as  a  patron  to  approve  it,  but  as  a 
 judge  to  punilh  it. 
 
 Ufe  1.  Is  God  fo  infinitely  holy?  Then  fee  how  unlike  to 
 God  fin  is:  Sin  is  an  unclean  thing,  it  is  hyperbolically  evil, 
 Rom.  i.  13.  It  is  called  an  abomination,  Deut.  vii.  25.  God 
 hath  no  mixture  of  evil  in  him  :  fin  hath  no  mixture  of  good  ; 
 it  is  the  fpirit  and  quintelfence  of  evil ;  it  turns  good  into  evil ; 
 it  hath  deflowered  the  virgin-foul,  made  it  red  with  guilt,  and 
 black  with  filth  :  it  is  called  the  accurfed  thing,  Jofh.  vii.  11. 
 No  wonder,  therefore,  that  God  doth  fo  hate  fin,  being  fo  un- 
 like to  him,  nay,  fo  contrary  to  him  :  it  ftrikes  at  his  holinefs  ; 
 fin  doth  all  it  can  to  fpite  God  ;  fin  would  not  only  unthrone 
 God,  but  ungod  him  ;  if  fin  could  help  it,  God  (hould  be  God 
 no  longer. 
 
 Ufe  2.  Is  God  the  Holy  One,  and  is  his  holinefs  his  glory  ? 
 Then  how  impious  are  they,  (1.)  That  are  haters  of  holinefs? 
 As  the  vulture  hates  perfumes,  fo  they  hate  this  fweet  perfume 
 of  holinefs  in  the  faints  ;  their  hearts  rife  againit  holinefs  :  as  a 
 man's  ftomach  at  a  difh  he  hath  an  antipathy  againit.  There 
 is  not  a  greater  fign  of  a  perfon  devoted  to  hell,  than  to  hate 
 one  for  that  thing  wherein  he  is  moft  like  God,  his  holinefs. 
 (2.)  That  are  defpifers  of  holinefs:  they  defpife  the  glory  of 
 the  Godhead,  •  Glorious  in  holinefs.'  The  defpifing  of  holinefs 
 is  feen  in  the  deriding  of  it;  is  it  not  fad,  men  mould  deride 
 that  which  fhould  fave  them  ?  Sure  that  patient  will  die  that 
 derides  the  phyfic.  The  deriding  the  grace  of  the  Spirit  comes 
 near  to  thedefpiting  the  Spirit  of  grace.  Scoffing  Ifhmael  was 
 call  out  of  Abraham's  houfe,  Gen.  xxi.  9.  Such  as  feoff' at  holi- 
 nefs, (hall  be  cad  out  of  heaven. 
 
 Ufe  2.  Of  Exhortation :  Is  God  fo  infinitely  holy,  then  let 
 us  endeavour  to  imitate  God  in  holinefs,  1  Pet.  i.  16.  '  Be  ye 
 holy  for  I  am  holy.'  There  is  a  twofold  holinefs,  an  holinefs 
 of  equality,  and  an  holinefs  of  fimilitude  :  an  holinefs  of  equality 
 no  man  or  angel  can  reach  to;  who  can  be  equally  holy  with 
 God  ?  Who  can  parallel  him  in  fan6tity  ?  But,  2.  There  is  an 
 holinefs  of  fimilitude,  and  that  we  mult  afpire  after,  to  have 
 fome  analogy  and  refemblance  of  God's  holinefs  in  us  ;  be  as 
 like  him  in  holinefs  as  we  can  :  though  a  taper  doth  not  give 
 fo  much  light  as  the  fun,  yet  it  doth  refemble  it.  We  muft 
 imitate  God  in  holinefs. 
 
 Qu.  Muji  we  be  like  God  in  holinefs,  wherein  doth  our  holinefs 
 conjift? 
 
 Anf.  In  two  things,  1ft,  In  our  fuitablenefs  to  God's  nature. 
 Qdly,  Our  fubjection  to  his  will. 
 
 1.  Our  holinefs  (lands  in  our  fuitablenefs  to  the  nature  of 
 
OF  THE  HOLINESS  OT  HOD.  03 
 
 God  :  hence  the  faints  are  (aid  to  partake  of  the  divine  nature, 
 2  Pet.  i.  4.  which  is  not  a  partaking  of  his  eflence,  but  his 
 image.  Herein  is  the  faints  holinefs,  u  ht  Q  tin  y  art  the  lively 
 pictures  of  God  :  they  bear  the  image  oi  God's  meeknefs,  merci- 
 fulnefs,  heavenlinefs ;  they  are  of  the  fame  judgment  with  God, 
 of  the  tame  difpofilion  ;  they  love  what  he  loves,  and  hate  what 
 he  hater. 
 
 2.  Our  holinefs  con  fills  in  our  {(injection  to  the  will  of  God: 
 as  God's  nature  is  the  pattern  of  holinefs,  fo  his  will  is  the  rule 
 of  holinefs.  This  is  our  holinefs,  (I.)  When  we  do  his  will, 
 Acts  xiii.  22.  ('J.)  When  we  bear  his  will,  Mic.  vii.  {).  what 
 he  inflicts  wifely,  we  fuller  willingly.  This  is  our  holinefs, 
 when  we  are  fuitable  to  God's  nature,  and  fubmiflive  to  his  will ; 
 this  fhould  be  our  great  care,  to  he  like  God  in  holinefs;  our 
 holinefs  fhould  be  fo  qualified  as  God's  ;  God's  is  a  real  holinefs, 
 fuch  lhould  ours  be,  Eph.  iv.  24.  '  Righteoufnefs  and  true 
 holinefs  :*  It  fhould  not  be  only  the  paint  of  holinefs,  but  the 
 life  of  holinefs  ;  it  fhould  not  only  be  like  the  Egyptian  temples, 
 beautified  without,  but  like  Solomon's  temple,  gold  within, 
 Pfal.  xlv.  13.  ■  The  king's  daughter  is  all  glorious  within/ 
 That  I  may  prefs  you  to  refemble  God  in  holinefs,  confider 
 
 1.  How  illuilrious  every  holy  perfon  is;  he  is  a  fair  glafs  in 
 which  fbme  of  the  beams  of  God's  holinefs  fhines  forth.  We 
 read,  Aaron  put  on  his  garments  for  glory  and  beauty,  Exod. 
 xxviii.  2.  When  we  wear  the  embroidered  garment  of  holi- 
 nefs, it  is  for  glory  and  beauty.  A  good  Chriitian  is  ruddy, 
 being  fprinkled  with  Chrift's  blood  ;  and  white,  being  adorned 
 with  holinefs.  As  the  diamond  to  a  ring,  fo  is  holinefs  to  the 
 foul,  that,  as  Chryfoiiom  faith,  they  that  oppofe  it,  cannot  but 
 admire  it. 
 
 2.  I tis  the  great  defign  God  carries  on  in  the  world,  to  make 
 a  people  like  himfelf  in  holinefs  :  what  are  all  the  mowers  of 
 the  ordinances  for,  but  to  rain  down  righteoufnefs  upon  us,  and 
 make  us  holy  ?  What  are  the  proinifes  for,  but  to  encourage 
 holinefs?  What  is  the  fending  of  the  Spirit  into  the  world  for, 
 but  to  anoint  us  with  the  holy  un&ion  ?  1  John  ii.  20.  What 
 are  all  afflictions  for,  but  to  make  us  partakers  of  God's  holi- 
 nefs ?  Heb.  xii.  10.  What  are  mercies  for ;  but  loadftones  to 
 draw  us  to  holinefs  ?  What  is  the  end  of  Chrift's  dying,  but  that 
 his  blood  might  wafh  away  our  unholinefs?  Tit.  ii.  14.  '  Who 
 gave  himfelf  for  us,  to  purify  unto  himfelf  a  peculiar  people.' 
 So  that  if  we  are  not  holy,  we  crofs  God's  great  defign  in  the 
 world. 
 
 3.  It  is  our  holinefs  draws  God's  heart  to  us:  Holinefs  is 
 God's  image  :  God  cannot  choofe  but  love  his  image  where  lie 
 fees  it.  A  king  loves  to  fee  his  effigies  upon  a  piece  of  coin  : 
 Pfal.  xlv.  *  Thou  loveft  righteoufnefs.'     And  where  doth  righ- 
 
94  OF  THE  HOLINESS  OF  GOD. 
 
 teoufnefs  grow,  but  in  an  holy  heart?  Ifa.  lxii.  4.  '  Thou  fhalt 
 be  called  Hephzibah,  for  the  Lord  delighted  in  thee;'  It  was 
 her  holinefs  drew  God's  love  to  her,  verte  12.  '  They  fhall  call 
 them  the  holy  people.'  God  values  not  any  by  their  high  birth, 
 but  thtir  holinefs. 
 
 4.  Holinefs  is  the  only  thing  that  differenceth  us  from  the  re- 
 probate part  of  the  world  :  God's  people  have  his  feal  upon 
 them,  2  Tim.  ii.  19.  ■  The  foundation  of  God  ftandeth  fure, 
 having  this  feal,  the  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his.  And  let 
 all  that  name  the  name  of  Chrilt,  depart  from  iniquity.'  The 
 people  of  God  are  fealed  with  a  double  feal,  U  Election,  ■  The 
 Lord  knows  who  are  his.'  2.  Sanctification,  '  Let  every  one 
 depart  from  iniquity.'  As  a  nobleman  is  diftinguifhed  from 
 another  by  his  filver  (tar  ;  as  a  virtuous  woman  is  diftinguifhed 
 from  an  harlot  by  her  chaftity  ;  fo  holinefs  diftinguifheth  between 
 the  two  feeds  :  ail  that  are  of  God,  as  they  have  Chrift  for  their 
 captain,  Heb.  ii.  10.  fo  holinefs  is  the  white  colour  they  wear. 
 
 5.  Holinefs  is  our  honour.  Holinefs  and  honour  put  together, 
 1  ThefT.  iv.  4.  Dignity  goes  along  with  fanclification,  Rev.  i. 
 6.  ■  He  hath  wafhed  us  from  our  iins  in  his  blood,  and  hath 
 made  us  kings  unto  God.'  When  we  are  wafhed  and  made 
 holy,  then  we  are  kings  and  priefts  to  God.  The  faints  are 
 called  veifels  of  honour  ;  they  are  called  jewels,  for  the  fparkling 
 of  their  holinefs,  becaufe  filled  with  wine  of  the  Spirit :  this 
 makes  them  earthly  angels. 
 
 6.  Holinefs  gives  us  boldnefs  with  God,  Job  xxiii.  26.  <  Thou 
 fhalt  put  away  iniquity  far  from  thy  tabernacle,  and  (halt  lift  up 
 thy  face  unto  God.'  Lifting  up  the  face  is  an  emblem  of  bold- 
 nels.  Nothing  can  make  us  fo  afhamed  to  go  to  God,  as  fin  : 
 a  wicked  man  in  prayer  may  lift  up  his  hands,  but  he  cannot 
 lift  up  his  face.  When  Adam  had  loft  his  holinefs,  he  loft  his 
 confidence ;  he  hid  himfelf.  But  the  holy  perfon  goes  to  God, 
 as  a  child  to  his  father ;  his  confidence  doth  not  upbraid  him 
 with  allowing  .any  fin,  therefore  he  can  go  boldly  to  the  throne 
 of  grace,  and  have  mercy  to  help  in  time  of  need,  Heb.  iv.  1& 
 
 7-  Holinefs  gives  peace  :  fin  raifeth  a  ftorm  in  the  confidence, 
 Ubi  peccatum  ibi  procella,  Ifa.  Ivii.  21.  ■  There  is  no  peace  to 
 the  wicked.'  Righteoufnefs  and  peace  are  put  together.  Ho- 
 linefs is  the  root  which  bears  this  fweet  fruit  of  peace  ;  righteouf- 
 nefs and  peace  kifs  each  other. 
 
 8.  Holinefs  leads  to  heaven  :  holinefs  is  the  king  of  heaven's 
 high-way,  Ifa.  xxxv.  8.  '  An  high-way  fhall  be  there,  and  it 
 fhall  be  called  the  way  of  holinefs.'  At  Rome  there  was  the 
 temple  of  virtue  and  honour,  and  they  were  to  go  through  the 
 temple  of  virtue  to  the  temple  of  honour:  fo  we  mull  go 
 through  the  temple  of  holinefs  to  the  temple  of  heaven.  Glory 
 begins  in  virtue,  2  Pet.  1.  3.     '  Who  hath  called  us  to  glory  and 
 
of  god's  justice.  95 
 
 virtue?'  happinefs  is  nothing  elle  but  tbe^quin tdfancfe of hffttn 
 hotinel  >ry  militant,  and  happineft  holioeft  triumphant. 
 
 Q.    What  /ha//  we  do  to  rcjemble  God  in  koiim  I 
 
 :   Have  recourfe  toChrift's  blood  by  faith  ;   it  i>  town 
 p,  legal  purifications  :    wen  types  ami  emblems  of  it,    I 
 John  i.  7.     The  word  is  a  dial's  to  fliew  us  our  fpots,  and  C  Drift's 
 blood  is  a  fountain  to  walh  them  aw 
 
 2.  Pray  for  an  holy  heart,  Pf.  li.  10.  ■  Create  in  me  a  clean 
 heart,  O  God.'  Lay  thy  heart  before  the  Lord,  and  fay, 
 Lord  my  heart  is  full  of  leprofy  ;  it  defiles  all  it  toucheth  : 
 Lord,  I  am  not  fit  to  live  with  fuch  an  heart,  for  I  cannot  ho- 
 nour thee  ;  nor  die  with  fuch  an  heart,  for  I  cannot  fee  thee. 
 O  create  in  me  a  dean  heart ;  fend  thy  Spirit  unto  me,  to  re- 
 fine and  purify  me,  that  I  may  be  a  temple  fit  for  thee  the  holy 
 God  to  inhabit. 
 
 3.  Walk  with  them  that  are  holy,  Prov.  xiii.  20.  '  He  that 
 walketh  with  the  wife  (hall  be  wife.'  Be  among  the  fpices, 
 and  you  will  fmell  of  them.  Atfociation  begets  affimulation  : 
 nothing  hath  a  greater  power  and  energy  to  effect  holinefs  then 
 the  communion  of  faints. 
 
 OF  GOD'S  JUSTICE 
 
 The  next  attribute  is  God's  juflice:  all  God's  attributes 
 are  identical,  and  are  the  fame  with  his  effence.  Though  he 
 hath  feveral  attributes  whereby  he  is  made  known  to  us,  yet  he 
 hath  but  one  effence.  A  cedar  tree  may  have  feveral  branches, 
 yet  it  is  but  one  cedar.  So  there  are  feveral  attributes  of  God 
 whereby  we  conceive  of  him,  but  one  entire  effence.  Weil 
 then,  concerning  God's  jultice,  Deut.  xxxii.  4.  *  Juft  and 
 right  is  he.*  Job  xxxvii.  23.  *  Touching  the  Almighty  ;  we 
 cannot  find  him  out  ;  he  is  excellent  in  plenty  ofjuftice.'  God 
 is  laid  to  dwell  in  jultice,  Pfal.  lxxxix.  14.  *  Juftice  and  judg- 
 ment are  the  habitation  of  thy  throne.'  In  God  power  and 
 juftice  meet.  Power  holds  the  fceptre,  and  jultice  holds  the 
 balance. 
 
 Q.  What  is  God's  juft  ice? 
 
 Anf,  "  Juftice  is  to  give  every  one  his  due."  God's  juftice 
 is  the  rectitude  of  his  nature,  whereby  he  is  carried  to  the  doing 
 of  that  which  is  righteous  and  equal  ;  Prov.  xxiv.  12.  '  Shall 
 not  he  render  to  every  man  according  to  his  works  ?'  God  is  an 
 impartial  judge;  he  judgeth  the  caufe  :  men  oft  judge  the  per- 
 fon,  but  not  the  caufe  ;  which  is  not  jultice,  but  malice  :  G<»d 
 judgeth  the  caufe,  Gen.  xviii.  21.  *  I  will  go  down  and  fee 
 whether  they  have  done  according  to  the  cry  which  is  come  up 
 
96  of  god's  justice- 
 
 unto  me.'  When  the  Lord  is  upon  a  punitive  act,  he  weighs 
 things  in  the  balance,  he  doth  not  punilh  rafhly  ;  he  doth  not 
 go  in  the  way  of  a  riot,  but  a  circuit,  againft  offenders.  Con- 
 cerning God's  juftice,  I  (hall  lay  down  theie  fix  pofitions. 
 
 1.  God  cannot  but  bejutt.  His  holinefs  is  the  caufe  of  his 
 juftice.  Holinefs  will  notfuffer  him  to  do  any  thing  but  what 
 is  righteous.     He  can  be  no  more  unjufl  than  he  can  be  unholy. 
 
 2.  God's  will  is  the  fupreme  rule  of  juftice  ;  it  is  the  ftandard 
 of  equity.  His  will  is  wifeand  good.  God  wills  nothing  but 
 what  is  juft  ;  and  therefore  it   is  juft  becaufe  he  wills  it. 
 
 3.  God  doth  juftice  voluntarily  :  juftice  flows  from  his  nature. 
 Men  may  a&  unjuftly,  becaufe  they  are  bribed  or  forced  :  God 
 will  not  be  bribed,  becaufe  of  his  juftice  ;  he  cannot  be  forced, 
 becaufe  of  his  power.  He  doth  juftice  out  of  love  to  juftice, 
 Heb.  i.  9.     ■  Thou  loveft  righteoufnefs.' 
 
 4.  Juftice  is  the  perfection  of  the  divine  nature.  Ariftotle 
 laith,  "juftice  comprehends  in  it  all  virtues."  To  fay  God  is 
 juft,  is  to  fay,  he  is  all  that  is  excellent  :  perfections  meet  in 
 him,  as  lines  in  a  centre.  He  is  not  only  juft,  but  juftice  it- 
 felf. 
 
 5.  God  never  did,  nor  can  do  the  leaft  wrong  to  his  creature. 
 God's  juftice  hath  been  wronged,  but  never  did  any  wrong. 
 God  doth  not  go  according  to  the  fummum  jus,  or  rigour  of  the 
 law  ;  he  abates  fomething  of  his  feverity.  He  might  inflict  hea- 
 vier penalties  than  he  doth,  Ezra  ix.  14.  '  Tho  haft  punifhed 
 us  lefs  than  our  iniquities  deferve  ;'  our  mercies  are  more  than 
 we  deferve,  and  our  punifhments  lefs. 
 
 6.  God's  juftice  is  fuch,  that  it  is  not  fit  for  any  man  or  an- 
 gel to  expoftulate  with  God,  or  demand  a  reafon  of  his  actions. 
 God  hath  not  only  authority  on  his  fide,  but  equity  :  *  He  lays 
 judgment  to  the  line,  and  righteoufnefs  to  the  plummet/  Ifa. 
 xxviii.  17.  and  it  is  below  him  to  give  an  account  to  us  of  his 
 proceedings.  Which  of  theie  two  is  fitteft  to  take  place,  God's 
 juftice  or  man's  reafon  ;  Rom.  ix.  20.  '  Who  art  thou,  O 
 man,  that  replieft  againft  God  ?'  The  plumb  line  of  our  rea- 
 fon is  too  fhort  to  fathom  the  depth  of  God's  juftice,  Rom.  xi. 
 33.  '  How  unfearchable  are  hisjudgments?'  We  are  to  adore 
 God's  juftice,  where  we  cannot  fee  a  reafon  of  it. 
 
 Now  God's  juftice  runs  in  two  channels  :  It  is  feen  in  two 
 things,  the  diftribution  of  rewards  and  punifhments. 
 
 1.  In  rewarding  the  virtuous;  Pf.  lviii.  11.  *  verily  there  is 
 a  reward  for  the  righteous.'  The  faints  (hall  not  ferve  him  for 
 nought,  he  will  reward  prceces  et  lachrymas  \  though  they  may 
 be  loofers  for  him,  they  (hall  not  be  loofers  by  him,  Heb.  vi. 
 10.  ■  God  is  not  unrighteous  to  forget  your  work  and  labour 
 of  love  which  you  have  (hewed  to  his  name.'      He  gives  a  re- 
 
of  cod's  justice.  .07 
 
 ward,  not  that  we  have  deferved  it,  but  becaufe  he  hath  pro- 
 mifed  it. 
 
 %  Tie  is  ju ft  in  punifhing  offenders.  And  he  isjuft,  1.  Be- 
 caufe  he  punimeth  tinners  by  a  law.  '  When  there  is  no  law 
 there  is  no  tranfgredion,'  Rom.  iv.  15.  But  God  hath  given 
 men  a  law,  and  tiny  break  it,  therefore  he  punifheth  them  juft- 
 ly.  L2.  God  isjufl  in  punching  the  wicked  ;  becaufe  he  never 
 punifhed  them,  but  upon  full  proof  and  evidence.  What  grea- 
 ter evidence  than  for  a  man's  own  conicience  to  be  witnefs 
 againft  him?  rI'here  is  nothing  God  chargeth  upon  a  liuner, 
 but  conicience  doth  fet  feal  to  the  truth  of  it. 
 
 life  1.  See  here  another  flower  of  God's  crown,  he  is  juftand 
 righteous.     He  is  the  exampler  and  pattern  of  juitice. 
 
 Obj.  But  how  doth  it  feem  to  ltand  with  God's  juilice,  that 
 the  wicked  mould  profper  in  the  world  ?  Prov.  xii.  I.  ■  Where- 
 fore doth  the  way  of  the  wicked  profper'  This  hath  been  a 
 great  (tumbling,  and  been  ready  to  make  many  queftion  God's 
 juitice.  Such  as  the  higheft  in  fin,  are  highelt  in  power.  Di- 
 ogenes feeing  Harpalusa  thief  goon  profperoufly,  faid,  "  Sure 
 God  hath  caitoft'  the  government  of  the  world,  and  minded  not 
 how  things  went  here  below." 
 
 Anf.  I.  The  wicked  may  be  fometimes  initruments  to  do 
 God's  work;  though  they  do  not  defign  his  glory,  yet  they 
 may  promote  it.  Cyrus,  (Ezra  i.  7.)  was  initrumentul  in  the 
 building  of  God's  temple  in  Jerufalem.  There  is  i'ome  kind 
 ofjuftice,  that  they  mould  have  a  temporal  reward  :  God  lets 
 them  profper,  under  whofe  wing  his  people  are  fheltered.  God 
 will  not  be  in  any  man's  debt,  Mai.  i.  10.  ■  who  halh  kindled 
 a  fire  on  my  altar  for  nought  ?' 
 
 2.  God  lets  men  go  on  in  fin,  and  profper,  that  he  may  leave 
 them  more  inexcufeable,  Rev.  ii.  21.  *  I  gave  her  fpace  to  re- 
 pent of  her  fornication.'  God  adjourns  the  ielfions,  fpinsout  his 
 mercies  towards  tinners:  and  if  they  repent  not,  his  patience 
 will  be  a  witnefs  againft  them,  and  his  juitice  will  be  more 
 cleared  in  their  condemnation,  Pf.  Ii.  4.  *  That  thou  mightelt 
 bejuftified  when  thou  (peaked,  andbeclear  when  thou  judge  ft.! 
 
 3.  God  doth  not  always  let  the  wicked  profper  in  their  tin  ; 
 fome  he  doth  punifh  openly,  that  his  juitice  may  be  taken  no- 
 tice of,  Pfal.  ix.  1(5.  *  The  Lord  is  known  by  the  judgment 
 which  he  executeth  :'  that  is,  his  juitice  is  feen  by  linking  men 
 dead  in  the  very  act  of  Cm.  Thus  he  ltruck  Zimri  and  Cozbi  in 
 the  act:  of  uncleannefs. 
 
 4.  If  God  let  men  profper  a  while  in  their  fin,  his  vial  of 
 wrath  is  all  this  while  tilling  ;  his  (word  is  all  this  time  whet- 
 ting :  and  though  God  may  forbear  men  a  while,  yet  long  fore- 
 bearance  is  no  forgivtnels.      The  longer  God  is  in  taking  his 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  3.  N 
 
98  OF  GOD*S  JUSTICE. 
 
 blow,  the  heavier  it  will  be  at  laft  :  as  long  as  there  is  eternity, 
 God  hath  time  enough  to  reckon  with  his  enemies. 
 
 Juftice  may  be  as  a  lion  afleep,  but  at  laft  this  lion  will 
 awake,  and  roar  upon  the  (inner.  Do  not  Nero  and  Julian  and 
 Cain  now  meet  with  God's  juftice. 
 
 Ob;'.  But  God's  own  people  fuller  great  afflictions,  they  are 
 injured  and  perfecuted,  Pf.  lxxiii.  14.  All  the  day  long  have  I 
 been  plagued  and  chaftened  every  morning.  How  doth  this 
 (land  with  God's  juftice  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  That  is  a  true  rule  of  St.  Auftin,  Jndicia  Dei  pojjunt 
 eJJ'e  occulta,  non  injufta :  M  God's  ways  of  judgment  are  Ibme- 
 times  fecret,  but  never  unjuft."  The  Lord  never  afflicts  his 
 people  without  a  caufe  ;  fo  that  he  cannot  be  unjuft.  There 
 is  fome  good  in  the  godly,  therefore  the  wicked  afflict  them  ; 
 there  is  tome  evil  in  them,  therefore  God  afflicts  them.  God's 
 own  children  have  their  blemifhes,  2  Chron.  xxviii.  10.  «  Are 
 there  not  with  you,  even  with  you,  fins  againft  the  Lord?' 
 Thefe  fpiritual  diamonds  have  they  no  flaws  ?  Do  we  not  read 
 of  the  *  fpots  of  God's  children?'  Deut.  xxxii.  10.  Are  not 
 they  guilty  of  much  pride,  cenforioufnefs,  paflion,  worldlinefs? 
 Tho'  by  their  profeflion,  they  feem  to  refemble  the  birds  of  pa- 
 radife,  to  fly  above  and  feed  upon  the  dew  of  heaven  :  yet,  as 
 the  ferpent,  they  lick  the  dull.  And  thefe  (ins  of  God's  peo- 
 ple do  more  provoke  God  than  others,  Deut.  xxxii.  19.  'Becaufe 
 of  the  provoking  of  his  ions  and  daughters.'  The  fins  of  others 
 pierce  Chrift's  (ide,  thefe  wound  his  heart :  therefore  is  not  God 
 juft  in  all  the  evils  that  befal  them?  Amos  iii.  2.  ■  You  only 
 have  I  known  of  all  the  families  of  the  earth,  therefore  will  I 
 punifh  you  for  your  iniquities.'  I  will  punifh  you  fooner,  furer, 
 (brer  than  others. 
 
 3.  The  trials  and  fufferings  of  the  godly  are  to  refine  and  pu- 
 rify them.  God's  furnace  is  inSion,  Ila.  xxxi.9.  Is  it  any  injuf- 
 tice  in  God  to  put  his  gold  into  the  furnace  to  purify  it  ?  Is  it  any 
 injuftice  in  God,  by  afflicting  his  people,  to  make  them  partakers 
 of  his  holinefs?  Heb.  xii.  10.  What  doth  more  proclaim 
 God's  faithfulnefs,  than  to  take  a  courfe  with  them  as  may  make 
 them  better?  Pf.  cxix.  75.  ■  In  faithfulnefs  thou  haft  corrected 
 me.' 
 
 3.  What  injuftice  is  it  in  God  to  inflict  a  leffer  punifhment, 
 and  prevent  a  greater  ?  The  bed  of  God's  children  have  that  in 
 them,  which  is  meritorious  of  hell :  now,  I  pray,  doth  God  do 
 them  any  wrong,  if  he  ufeth  only  the  rod,  where  they  have  de- 
 ferved  the  fcorpion  ?  Is  the  father  unjuft,  if  he  only  corrects  his 
 child,  who  hath  defer  ved  to  be  difinherited  ?  If  God  deals  fo  fa- 
 vourably with  his  children,  he  only  puts  wormwood  in  their  cup, 
 whereas  he  might  put  fire  and  brimftone  :  they  are  rather  to 
 admire  his  mercy,  than  complain  of  his  injuftice. 
 
of  god's  justice.  99 
 
 Obj.  How  can  it  itand  with  God's  juftice,  that  all  men,  be- 
 ing  equally  guilty  by  nature,  God  (hould  pals  by  one  and  lave 
 another  ?    Why  doth  not  he  deal  with  all  alike  ? 
 
 Anf.  Rom.   ix.  14.     *  Is  there   unrighteoufoefi  with  God? 
 God  forbid.'  Johviii.  3.   ■  Doth  the  Almighty  pervert  juftice?' 
 1.   God  is  not  bound  to  give  an  account  of  his  actions  to  his 
 creatures.     It  none  may  lay  to  a  king,    '  What  doelt  thou?' 
 Eccl.  viii.  4.   much  lefs  to  God.     It  is  fufficient:   God  is  Lord 
 paramount,  he  hath  a  fovereign  power  over  his  creatures,  there- 
 fore can  do  no  injuftice,  Rom.   ix.  91.    *  Hath  not  the  potter 
 power  over  the  clay,  of  the  fame   lump  to    make  one  velfel  to 
 honour,  and   another  to  dilhonour?'    God  hath  a  liberty  left  in 
 his  own  bread,  to  fave  one,  and  not  another  ;   and  his  juftice  is 
 not  at  all  impeached  or  blemifhed.     If  two  men  owe  you  money, 
 you  may,  without  any  injuftice,  remit  the  debt  to  one,  and  ex- 
 acl  it  of  the  other.     If  two  malefactors  be  condemned  to  die, 
 the  king  may  pardon  the  one,  and  not  the  other  :  he  is  not  un- 
 juft  if  he  lets  one  fuller,  becaufe  he  offended  the  law  ;   nor  if  he 
 lave  the  other,  becaufe  he  will  make  ufe   of  his  prerogative  as 
 he  is  king.     2.  Though  fome  are  laved  and  others  perifh,  yet 
 there  is  no  unrighteoufnefs  in  God  ;   becaufe,  whoever  perilheth, 
 his  deftruclion  is  of  himfelf,  Hof.  xiii.  9.     ■  O  Ifrael,  thou  halt 
 deftroyed  thyfelf.'     God  oilers  grace,  the  finner  refufeth  it  ;    is 
 God  bound  to  give  grace  ?  If  a  chirurgeon  comes  to  heal  a  man's 
 wound,  he  will  not  be  healed,  but  bolts  out  his  chirurgeon  ;   is 
 the  chirurgeon  bound  to  heal  him  ?  Prov.  i.  24.   ■  I  have  called, 
 and  ye  refuted.'  Pfal.  lxxxi.  11.     *  Ifrael  would  none  of  me.' 
 God  is  not  bound  to  force  his  mercies  upon  men  :  if  they  wil- 
 fully oppofe  the  offer  of  grace,  their  fin   is  to  be  taxed  as  the 
 caufe  of  their  perifhing,  and  not  God's  juliice. 
 
 2.  See  the  difference  between  God  and  a  great  part  of  the 
 world.  They  are  unjuft,  1.  In  their  courts  ofjudicature  ;  they 
 pervert  juftice,  Ifa.  x.  1.  *  They  decree  unrighteous  decrees.' 
 The  Hebrew  word  for  a  judge's  robe,  fignilies  prevarication, 
 deceit,  or  injuliice  :  it  is  often  truer  of  the  judge  than  of  the 
 robe;  the  judge  deferves  rather  to  have  that  name  than  the 
 robe.  What  is  a  good  law,  without  a  good  judge  ?  Injuftice 
 lies  in  two  things,  either  not  to  punifli  where  there  is  a  fault, 
 or,  to  punifh  where  there  is  no  fault !  how  frequent!  again, 
 (2.)  Unjult  in  their  dealings.  This  is,  1.  Either  in  ufing  falfe 
 weights,  Hoi',  xii.  7.  *  The  balances  of  deceit  are  in  his  handV 
 It  is  fad,  to  have  the  Bible  in  one  hand,  and  falfe  weights  in 
 the  other.  Or,  2.  In  adulterating  commodities,  Ifa.  i.  22. 
 1  Thy  wine  is  mixed  with  water  ;'  when  they  mix  bad  grain 
 with  good,  yet  lell  it  for  pure  grain.  I  can  never  believe  he  is 
 good  in  the  iirft  table,  who  is  not  good  in  the  fecoud.     He  cun- 
 
100  or  god's  JUSTICE. 
 
 not  be  godly  who  is  not juft.     Though  God  doth  not  bid  you 
 be  omnipotent,  as  he  is,  yet  be  juft,  as  he  is. 
 
 Ufe  2.  Imitate  God  in  juftice.     Let  ChrifVs  golden  maxim 
 beobferved,  Mat.  vii.  <22.    *  What  you  would  have  men  to  do 
 to  you,  do  ye  even  fo  to  them.'     You  would  not  have  thein 
 wrong  you,  neither  do  you  them  ;  rather  fuller  wrong,  than  do 
 wrong,  l  Cor.  vi.  7.  ■  Why  do  ye  not  rather  take  wrong?'  O 
 be  exemplary  for  juftice  !    Let  juftice  be  your  ornament,  Job 
 xxix.  14.    *  I  put  on  righteouihefs  (viz.  juftice)  as  a  robe  and 
 a  diadem.'     A  robe,  for  its  graceful  beauty  ;    and  I  put  it  on, 
 et  enduebam  jnjiitiam,     A  judge  puts  on  his  robe,  and  puts  it 
 off  again  at  night,  but  Job  did  fo  put  on  juftice,  as  he  did  not 
 put  it  off  till  death,  femper  veftiti.     We  muft  not  lay  oft*  this 
 robe  of  juftice,  till  we  lay  down  our  tabernacle.     If  you  have 
 any  thing  of  God  in  you,  you  will  be  like  him.     By  every  uu- 
 juft  action  you  do  deny  yourfelves  to  be  Chriftians,  you  ftain 
 the  glory  of  your  profeftion  ;  heathens  will  rife  up  in  judgment 
 againft  you  :   the  fun  might  fooner  alter  his  courfe  than  he  could 
 be  turned  from  doing  juftice. 
 
 Ufe  3.  If  God  be  juft,  there  will  be  a  day  of  judgment.  Now 
 things  are  out  of  courfe  ;  fin  is  rampant,  faints  are  wronged, 
 they  are  often  caft  in  a  righteous  caufe,  they  can  meet  with  no 
 juftice  here,  juftice  is  turned  into  wormwood  ;  but  there  is  a 
 day  coming,  when  God  will  fet  things  right ;  he  will  do  every 
 man  juftice  ;  he  will  crown  the  righteous,  and  condemn  the 
 wicked,  Acts  xvii.  31.  ■  He  hath  appointed  a  day,'  &c.  If 
 God  be  a  juft  God,  he  will  take  vengeance.  God  hath  given 
 men  a  law  to  live  by,  they  break  it ;  there  muft  be  a  day  for 
 the  execution  of  offenders:  a  law  not  executed,  is  but  like  a 
 wooden  dagger,  for  a  (hew.  At  the  laft  day,  God's  fword 
 fhall  be  drawn  out  againft  offenders  ;    then  his  juftice  fhall  be 
 
 revealed  before  all  the  world, '  God  will  judge  in  righteouf- 
 
 nefs,'  Acts  xvii.  31.  *  Shall  not  the  Judge  of  all  the  eaith  do 
 right?'  Gen.  xviii.  25.  The  wicked  fhall  drink  afea  of  wrath  ; 
 but  not  ftp  one  drop  of  injuftice.  At  that  day  fhall  all  mouths 
 be  ftopt,  and  God's  juftice  fhall  be  fully  vindicated  from  all  the 
 cavils  and  clamours  of  unjuft  men. 
 
 Ufe  4.  Comfort  to  the  true  penitent ;  as  God  is  a  juft  God, 
 he  will  pardon  him.  Homo  agnofcitt  Deus  ignofcit.  1  John  i. 
 9.  '  If  we  confefs  our  fins,  (i.  e.  confefs  and  forfake)  he  is  juft 
 to  forgive  us  our  fins.'  Not  only  merciful  but  juft  ?  Why  juft  ? 
 Becaufe  he  hath  promifed  to  forgive  fuch  ?  Prov.  xxviii.  13. 
 If  thy  heart  hath  been  broken  for  and  from  fin,  thou  mayeft  not 
 only  plead  God's  mercy,  but  his  juftice  for  the  pardoning  thy 
 fin.     Shew  him  his  hand  and  feal,  he  cannot  deny  himfeliV 
 
THE   MERCY   OF  GOD.  K'l 
 
 THE  MERCY  OF  GOD. 
 
 The  next  attribute  is  God's  goodnefs  or  mercy  :  mercy 
 is  the  refult  and  effect  of  God's  goodnefs,  Pf.  xxxiii.  5.  Pf. 
 cxiv.  04.  So  then  this  is  the  next,  attribute,  God's  gondii 
 mercy.  The  moil  learned  of  the  heathens  thought  the} 
 their  god  Jupiter  two  golden  characters,  when  tiny  fry  led  him 
 Good  and  Great ;  both  thefe  meet  in  God,  Goodnefs  and  Great- 
 nels,  majefty  and  mercy. 
 
 God  is,  l.  Eirentially  good  in  himfelf.  And  2.  Relatively 
 good  to  us.  They  are  both  put  together,  Pf.  cxix.  §8.  ^Thou 
 art  good,  and  doit  good.'  This  relative  goodnefs  is  nothing 
 elfe  but  his  mercy,  which  is  an  innate  propentenefs  in  God,  to 
 pity  and  luccour  fuch  as  are  in  mifery.  Concerning  God's 
 mercy. 
 
 lit,  I  (hall  lay  down  thefe  twelve  portions,  1.  It  is  the  great 
 defign  of  the  fcripture  to  reprefent  God  as  merciful.  This  is  a 
 loadltone  to  draw  (inners  to  him,  Exod.  xxxiv.  (j.  ■  The  Lord 
 merciful,  gracious,  long- fullering,  abundant  in  goodnefs,'  <Scc. 
 Here  are  fix  expreffions  to  fet  forth  God's  mercy,  and  but  one 
 t->  i«  t  forth  his  juftice  :  who  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty, 
 Pi'.  Ivii.  10.  ■  God's  mercy,  is  far  above  the  heavens,'  cviii.  4. 
 God  isreprefentedasaKing  and  a  rainbow  was  about  his  throne, 
 lit  v.  iv.  c23.  The  rainbow  was  an  emblem  of  mercy,  the  lcrip- 
 ture doth  oftner  reprefent  God  in  his  white  robes  of  mercy  than 
 with  his  garments  rolled  in  blood  ;  oftner  with  his  golden  fcep- 
 tre,  than  his  iron  rod. 
 
 Po/ition  2.  God  is  more  inclinable  to  mercy  than  wrath. 
 Mercy  is  his  darling  attribute,  which  he  molt  delights  in,  Mic. 
 vii.  13,  '  Mercy  pleafeth  him.'  It  is  delightful  to  the  mother, 
 faith  Chryibftom,  to  have  tier  breafts  drawn  :  (b  it  is  to  God, 
 to  have  the  breafts  of  his  mercy  drawn,  Ila.  xlvii.  4.  *  Fury 
 is  not  in  me  ;'  that  is,  I  do  not  delight  in  it.  Acts  of  feveriry 
 are  rather  forced  from  God,  he  doth  not  afflicl;  willingly,  Lam. 
 iii.  33.  The  bee  naturally  gives  honey,  it  (tings  only  when  it 
 is  provoked  ;  God  doth  not  punifli  till  he  can  bear  no  longer, 
 Jer.  xliv.  2(2.  *  bo  that  the  Lord  could  bear  no  longer,  becaule 
 of  the  evil  of  your  doings.'  Mercy  is  God's  right  hand,  that 
 he  is  moll  tiled  to  ;  indicting  of  pun  i  foment  is  called  God's 
 ftrange  work,  Ifa.  xxviii.  91.  He  is  not  ufed  to  it.  And  when 
 the  Lord  would  (have  oil"  the  pride  of  a  nation,  he  is  laid  to  hire 
 a  razor,  as  if  he  had  none  of  his  own,  Ila.  vii.  £0.  ■  He  (hall 
 ihave  with  a  razor  that  is  hired.'  ■  He  is  flow  to  anger,'  Plal. 
 ciii.  '28.     '  But  ready  to  forgive,'  Pfal.  lxxxvi.  5. 
 
 Pojition  3.     There  is  no  condition,  but  we  may  fpy  mercy 
 
102  THE  MERCY  OF  GOD. 
 
 in  it :  when  the  church  was  in  captivity,  (he  cries  out,  '  It  is 
 of  the  Lord's  mercies  that  we  are  not  confumed,'  Lam.  iii.  ^2. 
 Geographers  write  of  Syracufe  in  Sicily  ;  it  is  fo  fituated,  that 
 the  fun  is  never  out  of  light.  In  all  afflictions  we  may  fee  fome 
 fun-fhine  of  mercy.  That  outward  and  inward  troubles  do  not 
 come  together,  is  mercy. 
 
 Pojition  4.  Mercy  fweetens  all  God's  other  attributes  :  God's 
 holinefs  without  mercy,  and  his  juftice  without  mercy,  were 
 terrible.  When  the  water  was  bitter,  and  Ifrael  could  not 
 drink,  Mofes  cad  a  tree  into  the  water,  and  then  they  were  made 
 fweet.  How  bitter  and  dreadful  were  the  other  attributes  of 
 God,  did  not  mercy  fweeten  them  !  Mercy  fets  God's  power  on 
 work  to  help  us  ;  it  makes  hisjuflice  become  our  friend  ;  it  (hall 
 avenge  our  quarrels. 
 
 Po/ition  5.  God's  mercy  is  one  of  the  mod  orient  pearls  of 
 his  crown  :  it  makes  his  Godhead  appear  amiable  and  lovely  : 
 When  Mofes  faid  to  God,  ■  I  befeech  thee  (hew  me  thy  glory  ;' 
 the  Lord  anfwered  him,  '  I  will  make  all  my  goodnefs  pafs  be- 
 fore thee,  and  I  will  (hew  thee  mercy,'  Exod.  xxxiii.  to. 
 God's  mercy  is  his  glory  ;  his  holinefs  makes  him  illuftrious ; 
 his  mercy  makes  him  propitious. 
 
 Pojition  Q.  Even  the  word  tafte  of  God's  mercy ;  fuch  as 
 fight  again  (I  God's  mercy,  tafte  of  it:  the  wicked  have  fome 
 crumbs  from  mercy's  table;  '  The  Lord  is  good  to  all,'  Pfal. 
 cxlv.  5.  The  fweet  dew  drops  on  the  thidle,  as  well  as  the 
 rofe.  The  diocefe  where  mercy  vifits  is  very  large  :  Pharaoh's 
 head  was  crowned  though  his  heart  was  hardened. 
 
 .  Pojition  7.  Mercy  coming  to  us  in  a  covenant  is  fweeteft  :  it 
 was  mercy  that  God  would  give  Ifrael  rain,  and  bread  to  the 
 full,  and  peace,  and  victory  over  their  enemies,  Lev.  xxvi.  4, 
 5,  o\  But  it  was  a  greater  mercy  that  God  would  be  their  God, 
 ver.  12.  To  have  health  is  a  mercy,  but  to  have  Chrift  and 
 falvation  is  a  greater  mercy  ;  this  is  like  the  diamond  in  the  ring, 
 it  cafts  a  more  fparkling  luftre. 
 
 Pojition  8.  One  a6t  of  mercy  engageth  God  to  another.  Men 
 argue  thus,  I  have  (hewn  you  kindnefs  already,  therefore  trouble 
 me  no  more :  but,  becaufe  God  hath  fhewn  mercy,  he  is  more 
 ready  dill  to  (hew  mercy ;  his  mercy  in  election  makes  him 
 juftify,  adopt,  glorify  ;  one  a<5t  of  mercy  engageth  God  to  more. 
 A  parent's  love  to  his  child,  makes  him  always  giving. 
 
 Pojition  9.  All  the  mercy  in  the  creature  is  derived  from 
 God,  and  is  but  a  drop  of  this  ocean:  the  mercy  and  pity  a 
 mother  hathto  her  child  is  from  God  ;  he  that  puts  the  milk  in 
 her  bread,  puts  the  compaflion  in  her  heart:  therefore  God  is 
 called  *  The  Father  of  mercies,'  2  Cor.  i.  3.  becaufe  he  begets 
 all  the  mercies  in  the  world.     If  God  hath  put  any  kindnefs 
 
the  Mrn<  y  of  non.  101 
 
 into  the  creature,  how  much  kifufneffl  is  in  him  who  is  the  Fa- 
 ther of  mercy  ? 
 
 Pofifion  10.  God's  mercy,  as  it  makes  ihe  faints  happy,  To 
 it  (hould  make  them  humble.     Mercy  is  not  the  fruit  of  our 
 goodnefs  :  hut  the  fruits  of  God's  goodnefs.     Mercy  is  an  el  ma 
 that  God  befiows ;   they  have  no   Caufe  to   be  proud, 
 upon  the  aim*  of  God's  mercy.  Job  x.  15.    4  If  I  be  n 
 yet  will  I  not  lift  up  my  head  :'   ail  my  righteoufnefs  is  tb<  « 
 of  God's  mercy,  therefore  I  will  be  humble,  and  will  not  lift  up 
 my  head. 
 
 Po/Stion  II.  It  is  mercy  (toys  the  fpeedy  execution  of  God's 
 juftice.  Sinners  continually  provoke  God,  and  make  '  the  fury 
 come  up  in  his  face,'  Ezek.  xxxviii.  18.  Whence  is  it  God 
 doth  not  prefently  arreft  and  condemn  them?  It  is  not  that 
 God  cannot  do  it,  for  he  is  armed  with  omnipotence,  but  it  is 
 from  God's  mercy  ;  mercy  *?els  a  reprieve  for  the  (inner,  and 
 (tops  the  lpeedy  procefs  of  juftice.  God  would,  by  his  good- 
 nels,  lead  finners  to  repentance. 
 
 Po/ition  12.  It  is  dreadful  to  have  mercy  witnefs  againfl 
 one:  how  fad  was  it  with  Hainan,  when  the  queen  herfelfao 
 cufed  him  ?  Efth.  vii.  (5.  So,  when  this  queen  of  mercy  (hall 
 (tand  up  againlt  a  perfon  and  accufe  him,  it  is  only  mercy  that 
 Caves  a  tinner.  Now,  how  tad  to  have  mercy  become  an  enemy  ? 
 if  mercy  be  an  accufer,  who  mail  be  our  advocate  ?  The  (inner 
 never  efcapes  hell,  when  mercy  draws  up  the  indictment. 
 
 I  might  (hew  you  feveral  ipecies  or  kinds  of  mercy  ;  prevent- 
 ing mercy,  (paring  mercy,  lupplying  mercy,  guiding  mercy, 
 accepting  mercy,  healing  mercy,  quickening  mercy,  fupporting 
 mercy,  forgiving  mercy,  correcting  mercy,  comforting  mercy, 
 delivering  mercy,  crowning  mercy:  but  I  fliall  fpeak  of  the 
 qualifications  or  properties  of  God's  mercy. 
 
 1.  God's  mercy  is  free.  To  fet  up  merit  is  to  deftroy  mercy: 
 nothing  can  deferve  mercy,  becaufe  we  are  polluted  in  our  blood  ; 
 nor  force  it ;  we  may  force  God  to  punifb  us,  not  to  love  us, 
 Hof.  xiv.  4.  *  I  will  love  them  freely.'  Every  link  in  the  chain 
 of  falvation,  is  wrought  and  interwoven  with  free  grace.  Elec- 
 tion is  free,  Eph.  i.  4.  ■  He  hath  chofen  us  in  him,  according 
 to  the  good  plcafure  of  his  will.'  J  unification  is  free,  Rom. 
 iii.  24.  *  Being  juftified  freely  by  his  grace.'  Salvation  is  free, 
 Titus  iii.  5.  ■  According  to  his  mercy  he  faved  us.'  Say  not 
 then,  I  am  unworthy;  for  mercy  is  free:  if  God  fhould  (hew 
 mercy  only  to  fuch  as  are  worthy,  he  would  (hew  none  at  all. 
 
 Q.  God's  mercy  is  an  overflowing  mercy  ;  it  is  infinite,  Pi. 
 Ixxxvi.  5.  ■  Plenteous  in  mercy,'  Eph.  ii.  4.  ■  Rich  in  mercy,' 
 Pfal.  Ii.  1.  *  Multitude  of  mercies.'  The  vial  of  wrath  doth 
 but  drop,  but  the  fountain  of  mercy  runs.  The  fun  is  not  fo  full 
 of  light,  as  God  isoi  mercy  :  God  hath  morning  mercieSjLam. 
 
104  THE  MERCY  OF  GOD. 
 
 ii.  24.  c  His  mercies  are  new  every  morning;'  and  night  mer- 
 cies, Pfalm  xlii.  8.  '  In  the  night  his  fong  (hall  be  with  me.' 
 God  hath  mercies  under  heaven,  thofe  we  tafte  of;  a»d  in  hea- 
 ven, thofe  we  hope  for. 
 
 3.  God's  mercy  is  eternal,  Pfal.  ciii.  17»  f  The  mercy  of  the 
 Lord  is  from  everlafting  to  everlafting.'  It  is  repeated  twenty- 
 fix  times  in  one  Pfalm,  '  His  mercy  endureth  for  ever  :'  Pialm 
 cxxxvi.  The  fouls  of  the  blefled  (hall  be  ever  bathing  them- 
 felves  in  this  fweet  and  pleafant  ocean  of  God's  mercy.  God's 
 anger  to  his  children  lafts  but  a  while,  Pfalm  ciii.  9.  ■  But  his 
 mercy  lafts  for  ever.'  As  long  as  he  is  God  he  will  be  (hewing 
 mercy  ;  as  his  mercy  is  overflowing,  lb  ever  flowing. 
 
 Uj'e  1.  Of  Information.  It  (hews  us  how  we  are  to  look  upon 
 God  in  prayer,  not  in  his  judge's  robes,  but  clothed  with  a  rain- 
 bow, full  of  mercy  and  clemency  ;  add  wings  to  prayer,  When 
 Jefus  Chrift  afcended  up  to  heaven,  that  which  made  him  go 
 up  thither  with  joy  was,  ■  I  go  to  my  Father  ;'  fo  that  which 
 fhould  make  our  hearts  afcend  with  joy  in  prayer,  is,  '  We  are 
 going  to  the  Father  of  mercy,  who  fits  upon  the  throne  of  grace;* 
 go  with  confidence  in  this  mercy  ;  as  when  one  goes  to  a  fire, 
 it  is  not  doubtingly,  perhaps  it  will  warm  ye,  perhaps  not. 
 
 Ufe  2.  Believe  in  his  mercy,  Pfalm  Hi.  8.  ■  I  will  truft  in 
 the  mercy  of  God  for  ever.'  God's  mercy  is  a  fountain  opened, 
 let  down  the  bucket  of  faith,  and  you  may  drink  of  this  foun- 
 tain of  falvation.  What  greater  encouragement  to  believe  than 
 God's  mercy  ?  God  counts  it  his  glory  to  be  fcattering  pardons  ; 
 he  is  defirous  that  finners  fhould  touch  the  golden  fceptre  of  his 
 mercy  and  live.  And  this  willingnefs  to  (hew  mercy  appears 
 two  ways : 
 
 1.  By  his  entreating  of  finners  to  come  and  lay  hold  on  his 
 mercy,  Rev.  xxii.  17.  '  Whomever  will,  come,  and  take  the 
 water  of  life  freely.'  Mercy  woos  finners,  it  even  kneels  down 
 to  them.  It  were  ftrange  for  a  prince  to  intreat  a  condemned 
 man  to  accept  a  pardon.     God  faith,  Poor  (inner,  futfer  me  to 
 
 ove  thee,  be  willing  to  let  me  fave  thee. 
 
 2.  By  his  joyfulnefs  when  finners  do  lay  hold  on  his  mercy. 
 What  is  God  the  better  whether  we  receive  his  mercy,  or  not  ? 
 What  is  the  fountain  profited,  that  others  drink  of  it?  Yet, 
 fuch  is  God's  goodnefs,  that  he  rejoiceth  at  the  falvation  of 
 finners,  and  is  glad,  when  his  mercy  is  accepted  of.  When  the 
 prodigal  fon  came  home,  how  glad  was  the  father?  and  he 
 makes  a  feaft,  toexprefs  his  joy  :  this  was  but  a  type  or  emblem, 
 to  (hew  how  God  rejoiceth  when  a  poor  ftnner  comes  in,  and 
 lays  hold  of  his  mercy.  What  an  encouragement  is  here  to  be- 
 lieve in  God  ?  He  is  a  God  of  pardons,  Nth.  ix.  17.  Mercy 
 pleafeth  him,  Mic.  vii.  18.  Nothing  doth  prejudice  us  but 
 unbelief.      Unbelief  (tops  the  current  of  God's  mercy  from 
 
THE  MERCY  OF  GOD.  105 
 
 running;  it  (huts  up  God's  bowels,  cloleth  the  orifice  of  Chrift's 
 wounds,  that  no  healing  virtue  will  coma  out,  Mat.  xin.  58. 
 *  He  could  do  no  mighty  works  there,  becaufe  of  their  nobs* 
 
 lief.'  Why  doll  thou  not  believe  in  God's  mercy  ?  Is  it  tin  lins 
 dilbourage  ?  God's  mercy  cm  pardon  great  lins,  nay,  becaufe 
 they  are  great,  Pfal.  xxv.  11.  The  lea  covers  great  rocks  as 
 well  as  lelfer  lands  ;  tome  that  had  an  hand  in  crucifying  Chrilt, 
 found  mercy.  As  far  as  the  heavens  are  above  the  earth,  lb 
 far  is  God's  mercy  above  our  lins,  [fa.  Iv.  i).  What  will  tempt 
 us  to  believe,  if  not  the  mercy  of  God. 
 
 U/e  3.  Of  caution.  Take  heed  of  abufing  this  mercy  of  God. 
 Suck  not  poilbn  out  of  the  fweet  tlower  of  God's  mercy  :  do 
 not  think,  that  becaufe  God  is  merciful,  you  may  goon  in  fin  ; 
 this  is  to  make  mercy  become  your  enemy.  None  might  touch 
 the  ark  but  the  prielts,  who  by  their  oiHce  were  more  holy : 
 none  may  touch  this  ark  of  God's  mercy,  but  fuch  asarerelblved 
 to  be  holy.  To  fin  becaufe  mercy  abounds,  is  the  devil's  logic. 
 He  that  fins  becaufe  of  mercy,  is  like  one  that  wounds  his  head, 
 becaufe  he  hath  a  plailter:  he  that  fins  becaufe  of  God's  mercy, 
 fhall  have  judgment  without  mercy.  Mercy  abufed  turns  to 
 fury,  Deut.  xxix.  19,  20.  '  It*  he  blefs  himlelf,  faying,  I  (hall 
 have  peace  though  I  walk  after  the  imaginations  of  my  heart, 
 to  add  drunkennels  to  thirft,  the  Lord  will  not  fpare  him,  but 
 the  anger  of  the  Lord ,  and  hisjealoufy,  fhall  lmoke  again  ft  that 
 man.'  Nothing  tweeter  than  mercy,  when  it  is  improved; 
 nothing  fiercer,  when  it  is  abufed  ;  nothing  colder  than  lead, 
 when  it  is  taken  out  of  the  mine:  nothing  more  (balding  than 
 lead,  when  it  is  heated.  Nothing  blunter  than  iron,  nothing 
 iharper,  when  it  is  whetted,  Plal.  ciii.  17-  '  The  mercy  of  the 
 Lord  is  upon  them  that  fear  him.'  Mercy  is  not  for  them  that 
 fin  and  fear  not,  but  for  them  that  fear  and  fin  not.  God's 
 mercy  is  an  holy  mercy  ;   where  it  pardons,  it  heals. 
 
 Q.    What  /hall  we  do  to  be  interefted  in  God's  mercy  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  Be  fenlible  of  your  wants.  See  how  you  Hand  in 
 need  of  mercy,  pardoning,  laving  mercy.  See  yourlelf  orphans  ; 
 Hof.  hit.  3.  ■  In  thee  the  fatherlefs  findeth  mercy.'  God  be- 
 llows the  alms  of  mercy  only  on  fuch  as  are  indigent.  Be 
 emptied  of  all  opinion  of  felf-worthinels.  God  pours  the  golden 
 oil  of  mercy  into  empty  veil'els. 
 
 2.  Go  to  God  for  mercy,  Pfal.  li.  i.  *  Have  mercy  upon  me, 
 O  God  !'  Put  me  not  oil  with  common  mercy  that  rep 
 may  have;  give  me  not  only  alcorns,  but  pearls  ;  give  me  not 
 only  mercy  to  feed  and  clothe  me,  but  mercy  to  lave  me  :  ive 
 me  the  cream  of  thy  mercies:  Lord!  let  me  have  men.)  and 
 loving-kindnefs,  Plai.  ciii.  4.  *  Who  crowned  thee  With 
 kinduets  and   tender  mercies.     Give  me  inch  men  aks 
 
 thy  electing  love  to  my  foul.     O   pray  for  mercy  !   God  hath 
 
 Vol.  1.  No.  3.  O 
 
106 
 
 THE  MERCY  OF  GOD. 
 
 treafures  of  mercy  ;  prayer  is  the  key  that  opens  thefe  treafures ; 
 and  in  prayer,  be  fure  to  carry  Chrift  in  your  arms ;  all  the 
 mercy  comes  through  Chrift;  I  Sam.  vii.  9.  Samuel  took  a 
 fucking  lamb;  carry  the  Lamb  Chrift  in  your  arms,  go  in  his 
 name,  prefent  his  merits :  fay,  Lord  !  here  is  Chrili's  blood, 
 which  is  the  price  of  my  pardon  :  Lord,  (hew  me  mercy,  be- 
 caufe  Chrift  hath  purchased  it.  Though  God  may.  refute  us 
 when  we  come  for  mercy  in  our  own  name,  yet  not  when  we 
 come  in  Chrift's  name:  plead  ChritVs  fatisfa&ion,  and  this  is 
 fuch  an  argument  as  God  cannot  deny. 
 
 life  4.  It  exhorts  fuch  as  have  found  mercy,  to  three  things  : 
 1.  To  be  upon  Gerizzbn,  the  mount  of  blefling  and  praifing* 
 They  have  not  only  heard  the  King  of  heaven  is  merciful,  but 
 they  have  found  it  fo  :  the  honey- comb  of  God's  mercy  hath 
 dropt  upon  them  ;  when  in  wants,  mercy  fupplied  them  ;  when 
 they  were  nigh  unto  death,  mercy  raifed  them  from  the  fick-bed  ; 
 when  covered  with  guilt,  mercy  pardoned  them,  Pfal.  ciii.  1. 
 '  Blefs  the  Lord,  O  my  foul,  and  all  that  is  within  me,  blefs  his 
 holy  name.'  O  how  fhould  the  veffels  of  mercy  run  over  with 
 praife!  1  Tim.  i.  13.  ■  Who  was  before  a  pertecutor,  and  in- 
 jurious :  but  I  obtained  mercy.'  I  was  bemiracled  with  mercy  ; 
 as  the  fea  overflows  and  breaks  down  the  banks,  fo  the  mercy 
 of  God  did  break  down  the  banks  of  my  fin,  and  mercy  did 
 fweetly  flow  into  my  foul.  You  that  have  been  monuments  of 
 God's  mercy,  (hould  be  trumpets  of  praife  ;  you  that  have  tafted 
 the  Lord  is  gracious,  tell  others  what  experiences  you  have  had 
 of  God's  mercy,  that  you  may  encourage  them  to  feek  to  him 
 for  mercy,  Pfal.  lxvi.  16.  ■  I  will  tell  you  what  God  hath  done 
 for  my  foul;'  when  I  found  my  heart  dead,  God's  Spirit  did 
 Come  upon  me  mightily,  and  the  blowing  of  that  wind  made 
 the  withering  flowers  of  my  grace  revive.  O  tell  others  of 
 God's  goodnefs,  that  you  may  fet  others  a  blefling  him,  and 
 that  you  may  make  God's  praifes  live  when  you  are  dead. 
 
 c2.  To  love  God.  Mercy  mould  be  the  attractive  of  love  ; 
 Pfal.  xviii.  1.  '  I  will  love  thee,  O  Lord,  my  ftrength.'  The 
 Hebrew  word  for  love,  fignifies  love  out  of  the  inward  bowels. 
 God's  juftice  may  make  us  fear  him,  his  mercy  may  make  us 
 love  him.  If  mercy  will  not  produce  love,  what  will  ?  We  are 
 to  love  God  for  giving  us  our  food,  much  more  for  giving  us 
 grace  ;  for  fparing  mercy,  much  more  for  faving  mercy.  Sure 
 that  heart  is  made  of  marble,  which  the  mercy  of  God  will  not 
 diffolvein  love.  N  I  would  hate  my  own  foul,  (faith  St.  Au- 
 guftine)  if  I  did  not  find  it  loving  God." 
 
 3.  To  imitate  God  in  (hewing  mercy.  God  is  the  Father  of 
 mercy  ;  (hew  yourfelves  to  be  his  children,  by  being  like  him. 
 St.  Ambrofe  faith,  The  fum  and  definition  of  religion  is,  Be 
 rich  in  works  of  mercy,  be  helpful  to  the  bodies  and  fouls  of 
 
OF  THE  TRUTH  OF  GOD.  1Q7 
 
 others.  Scatter  your  golden  ieeds  ;  let  the  lamp  of  your  pro- 
 fellion  be  tilled  with  the  oil  of  charity.  Be  merciful  iu  riving 
 and  forgiving.  •  Be  ye  merciful  as  your  heavenly  Father  n 
 merciful.' 
 
 OF  THE  TRUTH  OF  GOD. 
 
 TfiE  next  attribute  is  God's  truth  ;  Deut.  xxxii.  4.  '  A 
 God  of  truth,  and  without  iniquity  ;  juft  and  right  is  he,'  Pfal. 
 Ivri.  10.  *  For  thy  mercy  is  great  unto  the  heavens,  and  thy 
 truth  unto  the  clouds.'  A  God  of  truth,  Pfal.  Ixxxvi.  16. — 
 4  Plenteous  in  truth.'  God  is  the  truth.  He  is  true,  1.  In  a 
 phyfical  feul'e  ;  true  in  his  being  :  he  hatha  real  fubfilience,  and 
 gives  a  being  to  others.  2.  He  is  true  in  a  moral  fenfe ;  he  is 
 true  fine  errore,  without  errors  ;  et  fine  fallacia,  without  deceit. 
 God  is  Prima  Veritas,  the  pattern  and  prototype  of  truth.  There 
 is  nothing  true  but  what  is  in  God,  or  comes  from  God.  I  fhall 
 now  fpeak  of  God's  truth,  as  it  is  taken  from  his  veracity  in 
 making  good  his  promifes,  1  Kings  viii.  5(5.  '  There  hath  not 
 failed  one  word  of  all  his  good  promife:'  the  promife  is  God's 
 bond,  God's  truth  is  the  feal  fet  to  his  bond.  This  is  the  thing 
 to  be  explicated  and  dilcufied,  God's  truth  in  fulfilling  his  pro- 
 mifes. 
 
 There  are  two  things  to  be  obferved  in  the  promifes  of  God 
 to  comfort  us:  1.  The  power  of  God,  whereby  he  is  able  to 
 fulfil  the  promife.  God  hath  pro  mi  fed  tofubdue  our  corruption, 
 Mic.  vii.  19.  '  He  will  fubdue  our  iniquities.'  O!  faith  a  be- 
 liever, my  corruption  is  fo  ftrong,  that  fure  I  fhall  never  get  the 
 mattery  of  it :  Thus  Abraham  looked  at  God's  power,  Rom. 
 iv.  21.  ■  Being  fully  perfuaded  that  what  God  had  promiled  he 
 was  able  to  perform.'  He  believed,  that  that  God,  who  could 
 make  a  world,  could  make  dry  breads  give  luck.  This  is  faith's 
 fupport,  there  is  nothing  too  hard  for  God .  He  that  could  bring 
 water  out  of  a  rock,  is  able  to  bring  to  pais  his  promifes. 
 
 2.  The  truth  of  God  in  the  promifes  :  God's  truth  is  the  feal 
 fet  to  the  promife,  Tit.  i.  2.  '  In  hope  of  eternal  life,  which 
 God  that  cannot  lie  hath  promifed.'  Eternal  life,  there  is  the 
 fweetnefs  of  the  promife  :  God  ichich  cannot  lie,  there  is  the 
 certainty  of  it.  Mercy  makes  the  promife,  truth  fulfils  it. 
 God's  providences  are  uncertain,  but  his  promifes  are  the  *  fure 
 mercies  of  David/  Acts  xiii.  24.  *  God  is  not  a  man  that  he 
 fliould  repent,'  1  Sam.  xv.  2').  The  word  of  a  prince  cannot 
 always  be  taken,  but  God's  promiie  is  inviolable.  God's  truth 
 is  one  of  the  richelt  jewels  of  his  crown,  and  he  hath  pawned 
 this  jewel  in  a  promife,  2  Sam.   xxiii.  £.  ■  Altho'  ow  houfe  be 
 
 O  2 
 
10S  OF  THE  TRUTH  OF  GOD. 
 
 not  fo  with  God,  yet  he  hath  made  with  me  an  everlafting  cove- 
 nant, ordered  in  all  things,  and  fure.'  [Although  my  houje  be 
 notJ'o~\  that  is,  though  1  fail  much  of  that  exact  purity  the  Lord 
 requires,  yet  he  hath  made  with  mean  everlafting  covenant ,  that 
 he  will  pardon,  adopt,  and  glorify  me;  and  this  covenant  is 
 ordered  in  all  things  and/nre:  \  The  elements  fhall  melt  with 
 fervent  heat ;'  but  this  covenant  abides  firm  and  inviolable,  being 
 fealed  \\  ith  the  truth  of  God  :  nay,  God  hath  added  to  his  word, 
 his  oath,  Heb.  vi.  17-  wherein  God  pawns  his  being,  life,  righ- 
 teoulhefs  to  make  good  the  promife.  If,  as  oft  as  we  break  our 
 vows  with  God,  he  fhould  break  promife  with  us,  it  would  be 
 very  fad  ;  but  his  truth  is  engaged  in  his  promife,  therefore  it 
 is  like  the  law  of  the  Merles  and  Perfians,  which  cannot  be  al- 
 tered. t(  We  are  not  (faith  Chryfoftom)  to  believe  our  fenfes 
 fo  much,  as  we  are  to  believe  the  promiies,  &c."  Our  fenfes 
 may  fail  us,  but  the  promife  cannot,  being  built  upon  the  truth 
 of  God;  God  will  not  deceive  the  faith  of  his  people,  nay,  he 
 cannot ;  *  God,  who  cannot  lie,  hath  promiied  :'  hecanas  well 
 part  with  his  Deity,  as  his  verity.  God  isfaid  to  be  '  abundant 
 in  truth,'  Excd.  xxxiv.  6.  What  is  that  ?  viz.  If  God  hath 
 made  a  promife  of  mercy  to  his  people,  he  will  be  fo  far  from 
 coming  fhort  of  his  word,  that  he  will  be  better  than  his  word  ; 
 God  often  doth  more  than  he  hath  faid,  never  lefs.  He  is 
 abundant  in  truth. 
 
 1.  The  Lord  may  fometimes  delay  a  promife,  but  he  will 
 not  deny  :  he  may  delay  a  promife  :  God's  promife  may  lie  a 
 good  while  as  feed  under  ground,  but  at  laft  it  will  fpring  up 
 inio  a  crop.  God  promifed  to  deliver  Ifrael  from  the  iron  fur- 
 nace, but  this  promife  was  above  four  hundred  years  in  travail 
 before  it  brought  forth.  Simeon  had  a  promife  that  he  fhould 
 not  depart  hence,  '  till  he  had  feen  the  Lord's  ChrinV  Luke 
 ii.  C2G  but  it  was  a  long  time  firft,  but  a  little  before  his  death, 
 that  he  did  fee  Chrift.  But  though  God  delay  the  promife,  he 
 will  not  deny.  Having  given  his  bond,  in  due  time  the  money 
 will  be  paid  in. 
 
 2.  God  may  change  his  promife,  but  he  will  not  break  his 
 promife.  Sometimes  God  cloth  change  a  temporal  promife  into 
 a  fpiritual,  Pfal.  Ixxxv.  12.  '  The  Lord  (hall  give  that  which 
 is  good  :'  perhaps  this  may  not  be  fulfilled  in  a  temporal  fenfe, 
 bin  a  1  pi  ritual.  God  may  let  a  Chriftian  be  cut  fhort  in  tem- 
 porals, but  God  makes  it  up  in  fpirituals.  If  he  doth  not  in- 
 creafe  the  bafket  and  the  ftore,  he  gives  increafe  of  faith,  and 
 inward  peace  :  here  he  changeth  his  promife,  but  he  doth  not 
 break  it,  he  gives  that  which  is  better.  If  a  man  promifeth  to 
 pay  me  in  farthings,  and  he  pays  me  in  a  better  coin,  in  gold, 
 he  doth  not  break  his  promife  ;  Pfal.  lxxxix.  33.  *  I  will  not 
 fuiFer  my  faithfulnefs  to  fail ;'  In  the  Hebrew  it  is,  to  lie. 
 
OF  THE  TRUTH  OF  GOD.  lt>9 
 
 Ohj.  1.   lint  how  (lotk  thiscnn/iji  with    the  truth  of  God  '    11 
 faith.   He   trill  have   all   to  be  laved,    1  Tim.   ii.    \.    >jtt  fume 
 perijh . 
 
 Anf.  St.  Aufiin  underftands  it,  not  of  every  individual  per- 
 fun,  but  lomeofall  Torts  (hall  be  Paved  :  ask)  the  ark,  Gn.l  | 
 all  the  living  creatures;  not  every  bird  or  (iih  were  laved,  for 
 many  perifhed  in  the  Hood  ;  but  all,  that  is,  Pome  of  every  kind 
 were  faved  ;  fo  God  will  have  all  to  be  faved,  that  is,  lbine  of 
 all  nations. 
 
 Obj.  It  isfaid,  Chrift  died  for  all;  ■  he  is  the  Lamb  of  God, 
 that  takes  away  the  fins  of  the  world,'  John  i.  c2i).  how  doth 
 this  con/iji  with  God's  truth,  when  fome  are  velfels  of  wrath, 
 Horn.  ix.  Q-2. 
 
 Anf.  1.  We  mud  diftinguifli  of  world.  The  world  is  taken 
 either  in  a  limited  fenfe,  for  the  world  of  the  elect.;  or  in  a 
 larger  fenfe,  for  both  elect  and  reprobates.  ■  Chrift  takes  away 
 the  fins  of  the  world,'  that  is,  the  world  of  the  elect. 
 
 2.  We  mult  diftinguifli  of  Chrift's  dying  for  the  world.  Chrift 
 died  fufficiently  for  all,  not  effectually.  There  is  the  value  of 
 Chrift' 8  blood  and  the  virtue  :  Ch rill's  blood  hath  value  enough 
 to  redeem  the  whole  world,  but  the  virtue  of  it  is  applied  only 
 to  fuch  as  believe:  Chrift's  blood  is  meritorious  for  all,  not 
 efficacious.  All  are  not  faved,  becaufelbme  put  away  falvation 
 from  them,  Acts  x'ui.  4(j.  and  vilify  Chrift's  blood,  counting  it 
 an  unholy  thing,  Heb.  x.  C2V. 
 
 1.  Here  is  a  great  pillar  for  our  faith,  the  truth  of  God. 
 Were  not  he  a  God  of  truth,  how  could  we  believe  in  him  ? 
 our  faith  were  fancy ;  but  he  is  Truth  itfelf,  and  not  a  word 
 which  he  hath  fpoken  fhall  fall  to  the  ground.  ■  Truth  is  the 
 object,  of  truft.'  The  truth  of  God  is  an  immoveable  rock,  we 
 may  venture  our  falvation  here,  I  fa.  fix;  15.  ■  Truth  faileth  :' 
 truth  on  earth  doth,  but  not  truth  in  heaven.  God  can  as  well 
 ceafe  to  be  God,  as  ceafe  to  be  true.  Hath  God  faid,  he  *  will 
 do  uood  to  the  foul  that  leeks  him,'  Lam.  iii.  25.  He  will 
 ■  give  reft  to  the  weary?'  Mat.  xi.  (2S.  Here  is  a  fafe  anchor- 
 hold,  he  will  not  alter  the  thing  which  is  gone  forth  of  his  lips. 
 The  public  faith  of  heaven  is  engaged  for  believers  :  can  we  have 
 i  fecurity  ?  The  whole  earth  hangs  upon  the  word  of  God's 
 power,  and  lhall  not  our  faith  hang  upon  the  word  of  God's 
 truth  ?  where  can  we  rell  our  faith  but  upon  God's  faithfulnefs? 
 There  is  nothing  elle  we  can  believe  in,  but  the  truth  of  God  : 
 we  cannot  trull  in  an  arm  of  fleih,  we  cannot  trull  in  our  own 
 hearts:  this  is  to  build  upon  the  quick-fands;  but  the  trutli  of 
 God  is  a  golden  pillar  for  faith  to  ltay  upon  :  God  cannot  deny 
 himfelf,  2  Tim.  ii.  14.  '  If  we  believe  not,  yet  he  abideth  faith- 
 ful, he  cannot  deny  himfelf.'  Not  to  believe  God's  veracity, 
 is  to  affront  God,  1  John  v.  10.  '  He  that  believeth  iiot,  hath 
 
110  OF  THE  TRUTH  OF  GOB. 
 
 made  God  a  liar.'  A  perfon  of  honour  cannot  be  more  affronted 
 or  provoked,  than  when  he  is  not  believed.  He  that  denies 
 God's  truth,  makes  the  promife  no  better  than  a  forged  deed  ; 
 and  can  there  be  a  greater  affront  offered  to  God  ? 
 
 life  2.  Of  terror  to  the  wicked.  God  is  a  God  of  truth,  and 
 he  is  true  in  his  threatenings?  the  threatenings  are  a  flying  roll 
 againft  finners.  God  hath  threatened  to  «  wound  the  hairy 
 fcalp  of  every  one  that  goes  on  ilill  in  his  trefpaffes,'  Pfal. 
 lxviii.  91.  He  hath  threatened  to  judge  adulterers,  Heb.  xiii. 
 3.  To  be  avenged  upon  the  malicious,  Pfal.  x.  14.  •  Thou 
 beholdeil  mifchief  and  fpite,  to  requite  it  with  thine  own  hand  :' 
 To  ■  rain  fire  and  brimflone  upon  the  firmer,'  Pfal.  xi.  6\ 
 And  God  is  as  true  in  his  threatenings  as  his  promifes :  God 
 hath  oft,  to  fhew  his  truth,  executed  his  threatenings,  and 
 let  his  thunderbolts  of  judgment  fall  upon  finners  in  this  life  : 
 he  ftruck  Herod  in  the  a6l  of  his  pride  ;  he  hath  punifhed 
 blafphemers  :  Olympius,  an  Arian  bifhop,  reproached  and  blaf- 
 phemed  the  bleffed  Trinity  ;  immediately  lightning  fell  clown 
 from  heaven  upon  him,  and  confumed  him.  God  is  as  true  in 
 his  threatenings  as  in  his  promifes  :  let  us  fear  the  threatening, 
 that  we  may  not  feel  it. 
 
 Ufe  3.  Is  God  a  God  of  truth  ?  let  us  be  like  God  in  truth. 
 1.  We  mufl  be  true  in  our  words.  Pythagoras  being  afked  what 
 made  men  like  God?  anfwered,  "  When  they  fpeak  truth." 
 It  is  the  note  of  a  man  that  fhall  goto  heaven,  Pf.  xv.  2.  *  He 
 fpeaketh  the  truth  from  his  heart.'  Truth  in  words  is  oppofed, 
 (1.)  To  lying,  Eph.  iv.  25,  '  Putting  away  lying,  fpeak  every- 
 one truth  to  his  neighbour.'  Lying  is  when  one  fpeaks  that  for 
 a  truth,  which  he  knows  to  be  falfe.  A  liar  is  mofl  oppofite  to 
 the  God  of  truth.  There  is  (as  Auflin  faith)  two  forts  of  lies, 
 1.  An  officious  lie,  when  a  man  tells  a  lie  for  his  profit;  as, 
 when  a  tradefman  faith  his  commodity  coft  him  fo  much,  when 
 perhaps  it  did  not  coft  him  half  fo  much  :  he  that  will  lie  in  his 
 trade,  fhall  lie  in  hell.  (2.)  A  je/iing  lie  ;  when  a  man  tells  a 
 lie  in  fport,  to  make  others  merry,  he  goes  laughing  to  hell. 
 When  you  tell  a  lie,  you  make  yourfelves  like  the  devil,  John 
 Viii.  44.  ■  The  devil  is  a  liar,  and  the  father  of  it.'  He  deceived 
 our  firft  parents  by  a  lie.  Some  are  fo  wicked,  that  they  will 
 not  only  fpeak  an  untruth  but  will  fwear  to  it ;  nay,  they  will 
 wifh  a  curfe  upon  themfelves,  if  that  untruth  be  not  true.  As 
 I  have  read  of  a  woman,  one  Anne  A  varies,  1575.  who  being 
 in  a  lhop,  wifhed  that  fhe  might  fink,  if  (he  had  not  paid  for 
 the  wares  fhe  took  ;  fhe  fell  down  Ipeechlefs  immediately,  and 
 died  in  the  place.  A  liar  is  not  fit  to  live  in  a  commonwealth. 
 Lying  takes  away  all  fociety  and  converfe  with  men  ;  how  can 
 you  converfe  with  him,  whom  you  cannot  believe  what  he  faith  ? 
 Lying  fhuts  men  out  of  heaven,  Rev.  xxii.  25.    ■  Without  are 
 
BUT  OKE  GOD.  Ill 
 
 dogs,  and  whomever  loveth  and  mnketh  a  lie.'  And  it  is  a 
 great  I'm  to  tell  ■  lie,  In  it  is  a  worte  fin  to  teach  a  lie,  Ilii.  ix. 
 15.  '  The  prophdt  that  teacheth  lie*'  He  who  broacheth. 
 error,  teacheth  lies  ;  he  fpreads  the  plague  ;  he  not  only  damns 
 himfelf,  but  helps  to  damn  others.  (2.)  Truth  in  words  is  op- 
 poled  to  diflembling.  The  heart  and  tongue  fliould  go  together, 
 as  the  dial  goes  exactly  with  the  fun.  To  fpeak  fair  to  one'i 
 face,  and  not  to  mean  what  one  (peaks,  is  no  better  than  a  lie  : 
 Pf.  Iv.  c21.  '  his  words  were  fiuonther  than  oil,  but  war  was  in 
 his  heart.'  Some  have  an  art  at  this,  they  can  flatter  and  hate. 
 Hierom,  f peaking  of  the  Arians,  faith,  M  they  pretended  friend- 
 /hip,  they  killed  my  hands,  but  plotted  mifchief  again  (I  me." 
 Pf.  xxix.  5.  ■  A  man  that  flattereth  his  neighbour,  l'preadetli  a 
 net  for  his  feet.*  Imp'mfub  dulci melle  venena  latent — '*  Falfe- 
 hood  in  friendship  is  a  lie."  Counterfeiting  of  friend  (hip  is 
 worfe  than  counterfeiting  of  money.  This  is  contrary  to  God, 
 who  is  a  God  of  truth. 
 
 2.  We  muft  be  true  in  our  profeflion  of  religion.  Let  prac- 
 tice go  along  with  profeflion  ;  Eph.  iv.  24.  ■  Righteoufnefsand 
 true  holinefs.'  Hypocrily  in  religion  is  a  lie:  the  hypocrite  is 
 like  a  face  in  a  glafs,  there  is  the  (hew  of  a  face,  but  no  true 
 face :  fo  he  makes  fliew  of  holinefs,  but  hath  no  truth  of  it;  it 
 is  but  the  face  in  the  glafs.  Ephraim  pretended  to  be  that 
 which  he  was  not;  and  what  faith  God  of  him  ?  Hof.  xi.  V2. 
 *  Ephrairn  compafleth  me  about  with  lies:'  By  a  lie  in  our 
 words  we  deny  the  truth  ;  by  a  lie  in  our  profeflion  we  dilgrace 
 it.  Not  to  be  what  we  profefs  to  God,  is  telling  a  lie;  and 
 the  fcripture  makes  it  little  better  than  blafphemy,  Rev.  ii.  <j. 
 ■  I  know  the  blafphemy  of  them  that  fay  they  are  Jews,  and 
 are  not.'  O!  I  befeech  you,  labour  in  this  to  be  like  God,  he 
 is  a  God  of  truth  :  he  can  as  well  part  with  his  Deity  as  his 
 Verity :  be,  I  fay,  like  God,  be  true  in  your  words,  be  true  in 
 your  profeflion  ;  God's  children  are  children  that  will  not  lie, 
 Ita.  lxiii.  9-  When  God  fees  *  truth  in  the  inward  parts,'  and 
 '  lips  which  is  no  guile,'  now  he  fees  his  own  image  in  you : 
 this  draws  God's  heart  towards  you;  likeucls  draws  love. 
 
 BUT  ONE  GOD. 
 
 Qu.  V.  The  fifth  queftion  is,  Are  there  more  Gods  than 
 one  ? 
 
 AnJ\  There  is  but  one  only,  the  living  and  true  God. 
 
 That  there  is  a  God,  hath  been  proved  ;  and  thofe  that 
 will  not  believe  the  verity  of  his  eflence,  (hall  feel  the  ieventy 
 of  his  wrath,  Deut.  vi.  4.  *  Hear,  O  Ifrael,  the  Lord  our  God 
 
112  BUT  ONE  GOD. 
 
 is  one  Lord.'  He  is  the  '  only  God/  Deut.  iv.  30.  '  Know 
 therefore  this  day,  and  confider  it  in  thy  heart,  that  the  Lord 
 he  is  God  in  heaven  above,  and  upon  the  earth  beneath  there  is 
 none  elfe.'  Ita.  xlv.  91',  A  juft  God  and  a  Saviour  ;  ■  there 
 is  none  befide  me.'  There  are  many  titular  gods  :  kings  repre- 
 sent God  :  their  regal  fceptre  is  an  emblem  of  his  power  and 
 authority.  Judges  are  called  gods,  Pf.  lxxxii.  6\  *  I  have 
 faid,  ye  are  gods,'  viz.  fet  in  God's  place  to  do  juftice  ;  but 
 dying  gods,  ver.  6.  ■  Ye  (hall  die  like  men.'  1  Cor.  viii.  5,  6\ 
 •  They  be  that  are  called  gods  ;  but  to  us  there  is  but  one  God.' 
 
 Argument  1.  There  is  but  one  Firft  Caufe  that  hath  its  Being 
 of  itielf,  and  on  which  all  other  beings  depend.  As  in  the  hea- 
 vens, the  primitm  mobile  moves  all  the  other  orbs,  fo  God  gives 
 life  and  motion  to  every  thing  exiftent.  There  can  be  but  one 
 God,  becaule  there  is  but  one  Firft  Caufe. 
 
 2.  There  is  but  one  infinite  Beinsj,  therefore  there  is  but  one 
 God.  There  cannot  be  two  infinites,  Jer.  xxiii.  ^4.  ■  Do  not 
 I  fill  heaven  and  earth,'  faith  the  Lord  ?  If  there  be  one  infinite, 
 filling  all  places  at  once,  how  can  there  beany  room  for  another 
 infinite  to  fubfift? 
 
 2.  There  is  but  one  Omnipotent  Power.  If  there  be  two 
 Omnipotents,  then  we  mud  always  fuppofe  a  conteft  between 
 thefe  two ;  that  which  one  would  do,  the  other  power  being 
 equal,  would  oppofe,  and  fo  all  things  would  be  brought  into 
 confufion.  If  a  (hip  mould  have  two  pilots  of  equal  power, 
 one  would  be  ever  eroding  the  other  :  when  one  would  fail,  the 
 other  would  call  anchor :  here  were  a  confufion  and  the  (hip 
 muft  needs  perifh.  The  order  and  harmony  in  the  world,  the 
 con  (Ian  t  and  uniform  government  of  all  things,  is  a  clear  argu- 
 ment that  there  is  but  one  Omnipotent,  one  God  that  rules  all, 
 Iia.  xliv.  6\  '  I  am  the  firft,  and  I  am  the  laft,  and  befide  me 
 there  is  no  God.' 
 
 Uje  1.  Of  information.  If  there  be  but  one  God,  then  it  ex- 
 cludes all  other  gods.  Some  have  feigned  that  there  were  two 
 gods  ;  fo  the  Valentinians  :  others,  that  there  were  many  gods  : 
 16  the  Polytbeites.  The  Perfians  wor(hipped  the  fun  ;  the 
 Egyptians  the  lion  and  Elephant ;  the  Grecians  worfhipped 
 Jupiter;  thefe,  I  may  fay,  ■  err,  not  knowing  the  Scriptures,' 
 Mat.  xxii.  29.  Their  faith  is  a  fable.  ■  God  hath  given  them 
 up  to  ftrong  delufions,  to  believe  a  lie,  that  they  may  be  dam- 
 ned,' 2  Theif.  ii.  11. 
 
 2.  If  there  be  but  one  God,  then  there  can  be  but  one  true 
 religion  in  the  world,  Eph.  iv.  5.  '  One  Lord,  one  faith.'  If 
 there  were  many  gods,  then  there  might  be  many  religions, 
 every  god  would  be  worfhipped  in  his  way  ;  but  if  there  be  but 
 one  God,  there  is  but  one  religion  ;  one  Lord,  one  faith.  Some 
 fay,  we  may  be  faved  in  any  religion  :  it  is  abfurd  to  imagine, 
 
BUT  ONE  GOO.  1 13 
 
 that  God  who  is  One  in  ejjence,  fhould  appoint  feveral  religions 
 in  which  he  will  be  worshipped.  It  is  as  dangerous  to  let  up  a 
 falfe  religion,  as  to  fet  up  a  fa  There  are  many  ways 
 
 to  hell :   men  go  thither  which  way  their  fancy  leads  them  ;  hut 
 there  is  but  one  direft  road  to   heaped,  fiz.    faith  and  liolm 
 There  is  no  way  to  be  fared  but  this  :   as  there  is  but  one  God, 
 lb  there  is  but  one  true  religion. 
 
 3.  If  there  be  but  one  God,  then  you  have  but  One  that  you 
 need  chiefly  to  itudy  to  pleafe,  and  that  is  God.  If  there  were 
 divers  gods,  we  fhould  be  hard  put  to  it  how  to  pleafe  them 
 all;  one  would  command  one  thing,  another  the  mute  con- 
 trary :  and  to  pleafe  two  contrary  matters,  is  impollible  :  but 
 there  is  but  one  God,  therefore  you  have  but  One  to  pleafe. 
 As  in  a  kingdom  there  is  but  one  king,  therefore  every  one 
 feeks  to  ingratiate  himfelf  into  his  favour,  Prov.  xix.  6.  ib  there 
 is  but  one  true  God  ;  therefore  here  lies  our  main  work  to 
 pleafe  him.  Be  lure  to  pleateGod,  whoever  elfe  you  difpleafe. 
 This  was  Enoch's  wifdom,  Heb.  jri.  5.  he  had  this  teltimony 
 before  he  died,  that  *  lie  pleated  G«>d.' 
 
 Qu.  What  doth  this  pkttfing  God  imply  f 
 
 Anf.  I.  We  pleal'e  God  when  we  comport  with  his  will. 
 '  It  was  Chriit's  meat  and  drink  to  do  his  Father's  will,'  John 
 iv.  34.  and  fo  he  plealed  him,  Mat.  iii.  17.  *  A  voice  came 
 from  heaven,  faying,  this  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am 
 well  pleafed.'  It  is  the  will  of  God  that  we  fhould  be  holy, 
 1  Their,  iv.  11.  Now,  when  we  are  befpangled  with  holinefs, 
 our  lives  are  walking  bibles  ;  this  is  according  to  God's  will 
 and  it  pleafeth  him. 
 
 2.  We  pleafe  God,  when  we  do  the  work  that  he  fets  us 
 about,  John  xvii.  4.  *  I  have  finimed  the  work  which  thou 
 gaveft  me  to  do,'  viz.  my  mediatory  work.  Maey  lin.lh  their 
 lives  but  do  not  fimfti  their  work.  Our  work  God  hath  cut 
 out  for  us,  is  to  oblerve  the  lirft  and  lecond  table.  In  the  lint, 
 is  let  down  our  duty  towards  God  ;  in  the  fecond  our  duty  to* 
 wards  man.  Such  as  make  morality  the  chief  and  fole  part  of 
 religion,  let  the  lecond  table  above  the  tirtt  ;  nay,  they  take 
 away  the  lirft  table:  for,  if  prudence,  juftice,  temperance,  be 
 enough  to  lave,  then  what  needs  the  lirlt  table  ?  and  lb  our 
 worihip  towards  God  fhall  be  quite  left  out ;  but  thofe  two  ta- 
 bles, which  God  hath  joined  together,  let  no  man  put  aibneler. 
 
 3-  We  pleafe  God,  when  we  dedicate  our  heart  to  aive  him 
 the  belt  of  every  thing.  Abel  gave  God  the  tat  of  the  otfering, 
 Gen.  iv.  4.  Domitian  would  not  have  his  image  carved  in  wood 
 or  iron,  but  in  gold.  Then  we  pleafe  God  when  we  ferve  him 
 with  love,  fervencv,  alacrity ;  we  give  him  golden  fervices: 
 herein  lies  our  wifdom  and  piety,  to  praiie  God.     There  is  but 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  3.  *     P 
 
114  BUt  ONE  GOD. 
 
 one  God,  therefore  there  is  but  One  whom  we  have  chiefly  td 
 pleafe,  namely,  God. 
 
 4.  If  there  be  but  one  God,  then  we  muft  pray  to  none  but 
 God.  The  Papifts  pray  to  faints  and  angels:  1.  To  faints  :  a 
 Popifh  writer  faith,  "  when  we  pray  to  the  faints  departed, 
 they  being  touched  with  companion,  fay  the  like  to  God  for 
 us,  as  the  difciples  did  to  Chrift  for  the  CanaanitWh  woman." 
 Mat.  xv.  23  '  Send  her  away,  for  fhe  cryeth  after  us.'  The 
 faints  above  know  not  our  wants,  Ifa.  lxiii.  16.  *  Abraham 
 is  ignorant  of  us  ;*  or,  if  they  did,  we  have  no  warrant  to  pray 
 to  them.  Prayer  is  a  part  of  divine  worfhip,  which  muft  be 
 given  only  to  God.  2.  They  pray  to  angels  :  angel  worlhip  is 
 forbidden,  Col.  ii.  18,  19.  and  that  we  may  not  pray  to  angels, 
 is  clear  from  Rom,  x.  14.  ■  How  (hall  they  call  upon  him  in 
 whom  they  have  not  believed  ?'  We  may  not  pray  to  any  but 
 whom  we  may  believe  in  ;  but  we  may  not  believe  in  any  an- 
 gel, therefore,  we  may  not  pray  to  him.  There  is  but  one  God. 
 and  it  is  a  fin  to  invoke  anv  but  only  God. 
 
 5.  If  there  be  but  one  God,  who  is  ■  above  all,*  Eph.  iv.  6. 
 then  he  muft  be  loved  all.  1 .  We  muft  love  him  with  a  love  of 
 appretiation  ;  fet,  the  higheft  eftimate  on  him,  who  is  the  only 
 fountain  of  being  and  blifs.  2.  We  muft  love  him  with  a  love 
 of  complacency  :  amor  eji  complacent'w  amantis  isamato,  Aquin. 
 Our  love  to  other  things  muft  be  more  indifferent ;  fome  drops 
 of  love  may  run  betide  to  the  creature,  but  the  full  ftream  muft 
 run  towards  God  :  the  creature  may  have  the  milk  of  our  love, 
 but  we  muft  keep  the  cream  of  our  love  for  God  :  God  who  is 
 above  all,  muft  be  loved  above  all,  Pfal.  lxxiii.  c2o.  *  There  is 
 none  on  earth  whom  I  defire  in  companion  of  thee.' 
 
 life  2.  Of  caution.  If  there  be  but  one  God,  then  let  us  take 
 heed  offetting  up  more  gods  than  one;  Pfal.  xvi.  4.  ■  Their 
 forrows  fhall  be  multiplied,  thathaften  after  another  god  ;  their 
 drink-offerings  of  blood  will  I  not  offer,  nor  take  up  their  names 
 into  my  lips.'  God  is  a  jealous  God,  and  he  will  not  endure 
 that  we  fhould  have  other  gods  :  it  is  eafy  to  commit  idolatry 
 with  the  creature  :  1.  Some  made  a  God  of  pleafure,  2  Tim. 
 iii.  4.  •  Lovers  of  pleafure,  more  than  lovers  of  God.'  What- 
 ever we  love  more  than  God,  we  make  a  god.  2.  Others  make 
 money  their  god  :  the  covetous  man  worlhips  the  image  of  gold, 
 therefore  he  is  called  an  idolater,  Eph.  v.  5.  That  which  a  man 
 trufts  to,  he  makes  his  god  :  but  he  makes  the  wedge  of  gold 
 his  hope:  he  makes  money  his  creator,  redeemer  and  comforter  : 
 it  is  his  creator  ;  if  he  hath  money,  then  he  thinks  he  is  made: 
 it  is  his  redeemer ;  if  he  be  in  danger,  he  trufts  in  his  money  to 
 redeem  him  out :  it  is  his  comforter  ;  if  at  any  time  he  be  fad, 
 the  golden  harp  drives  away  the  evil  fpirit  :  lb  that  money  is 
 his  god.     God  made  man  of  the  duft  of  the  earth;  and  mao 
 
BUT  ONE  GOD.  US 
 
 makes  a  god  of  the  dull  of  the  earth.  3.  Another  makes  a  god 
 of  his  child,  lets  his  child  in  God's  room,  and  Co  provokes  God 
 to  take  it  away.  If  yon  loan  too  hard  upon  a  i^tals,  it  will 
 break  ;  many  break  their  children  by  leaning  lo  hard  upon  them. 
 4.  Others  make  a  pod  of  their  belly,  Phil.  iii.  l[).  *  Whole  god 
 is  their  belly.'  Clemens  A  lexandrinus  writes  of  a  fifhthat  bath 
 lis  heart  in  its  belly  ;  an  emblem  of  Epicures,  their  heart  is  in 
 their  belly,  they  mind  nothiog  but  indulging  the  fenfual  appe- 
 tite ;  they  dofacrificara  Ian  ;  their  belly  is  their  god,  and  to 
 this  they  pour  driuk-oiferings ;  thus  men  make  many  gods. 
 The  apollle  names  the  wicked  man's  trinity,  I  John  ii.  10'. 
 *  The  lull  of  the  flefh,  the  lult  of  the  eye,  and  the  pride  of  life:' 
 the  lull  of  theflelh,  plealure;  the  lull  of  the  eye,  money;  pride 
 of  life,  honour:  O  take  heed  of  this!  whatever  you  deify  be- 
 fides  God,  will  prove  a  bramble,  and  fire  will  come  out  of  this 
 bramble,  and  devour  you,  Judg.  Lx.  15. 
 
 Uje  3.  Of  reproof.  If  the  Lord  Jehovah  be  the  only  true 
 God,  then  it  reproves  thole  who  renounce  the  true  God  ;  I  mean, 
 fuch  as  leek  to  familiar  fpirits  :  this  is  too  much  pracVifed  among 
 them  that  call  themfelves  Chnliiaus.  It  is  a  tin  condemned 
 by  the  law  of  God,  Deut.  xviii.  11.  *  There  (hall  not  be  found 
 among  you  any  that  confults  with  familiar  (Spirits.'  How  ordi- 
 nary is  this?  If  people  have  loll  any  of  their  goods,  they  fend 
 to  wizards  to  know  how  they  may  come  by  their  goods  again. 
 What  is  this  but  conlulting  with  the  devil  ?  and  fo  you  renounce 
 God  and  your  baptifm.  What,  becaufe  you  have  lolt  your 
 goods,  will  you  lole  your  fouls  too?  2  Kings  i.  Cf.  ■  Thus  laith 
 the  Lord,  is  it  not  becaufe  there  is  not  a  God  in  Ifrael,  that 
 thou  fendeft  to  enquire  of  Beelzebub  ?'  So,  is  it  not  becaufe 
 you  think  there  is  not  a  God  in  heaven,  that  ye  afk  counfel  of 
 the  devil?  If  any  here  be  guilty,  be  deeply  humbled,  ye  have 
 renounced  the  true  God  ;  better  be  without  the  goods  ye  have 
 loft,  than  have  the  devil  help  you  to  them  again. 
 
 Ufe  4.  Of  exhortation.  If  there  be  but  one  God  ;  as  God  is 
 one,  fo  let  them  that  ferve  him  be  one.  This  is  that  Chrift 
 prayed  fo  heartily  for,  John  xvii.  21.  ■  That  they  all  may  be 
 one,'  Chriftians  Ihould  be  one,  1.  In  judgment;  theapollle  ex- 
 horts to  be  ail  of  one  mind,  1  Cor.  i.  10.  How  fad  is  it  to  fee 
 religion  wearing  a  coat  of  diveis  colours  ;  to  fee  Chriltians  of  fo 
 many  opinions,  and  going  fo  many  different  ways?  It  is  Satan 
 hath  town  thefe  tares  of  divifion,  Mat.  xiii.  39.  He  firft  di- 
 vided men  from  God,  and  now  divides  one  man  from  another. 
 2.  One  in  atfeclion.  They  mould  have  one  heart,  Acts  i v.  3"2. 
 1  The  multitude  of  them  that  believed  were  of  one  heart,  and 
 of  one  foul.'  As  in  mafic,  though  there  be  feveral  firings  of  a 
 viol,  yet  all  make  one  tweet  harmony:  fo,  though  there  are 
 feveral  Chriltians,  ytt  there  thould  be  one  fweethariaouv.  of  af- 
 
 P  3 
 
116  Or  THE  TRINITY. 
 
 fection  among  them.  There  is  but  one  God ,  and  they  that  ferre 
 him  mould  he  one.  There  is  nothing  would  render  the  true 
 religion  more  lovely,  or  make  more  profelytes  to  it,  than  to  fee 
 the  profefibrs  of  it  tied  together  with  the  heart-firings  of  lover 
 Pf.  cxxxiii.  I.  ■  Behold  how  good  and  how  pleafant  a  thing  it 
 is,  to  fee  brethren  live  together  in  unity  !'  It  is  as  thefweet  dew 
 or  Hermon,  and  the  fragrant  ointment  poured  on  Aaron'shead. 
 If  God  be  one,  let  all  that  profefs  him  be  of  one  mind,  and 
 one  heart ;  this  fulfils  Chriit's  prayer  '  that  they  all  may  be  of 
 one.' 
 
 2.  If  there  be  but  one  God,  let  us  labour  to  clear  the  title, 
 that  this  God  is  ours,  Pf.  xlviii.  14.  '  This  God  is  our  God/ 
 What  comfort  can  it  be  to  hear  that  there  is  a  God,  and  that  he 
 is  the  only  God,  unlefs  he  be  our  God  ?  What  is  Deity  without 
 property  ?  O  let  us  labour  to  clear  the  title.  Beg  the  Holy 
 Spirit:  the  Spirit  works  by  faith ;  by  faith  we  are  one  with 
 Chrift,  and  through  Chrift  we  come  to  have  God  for  our  God, 
 and  fo  all  his  glorious  fulnefs  is  made  over  to  us  by  a  deed  of 
 gift. 
 
 Ufe  5.  What  caufe  have  we  to  be  thankful,  that  we  have 
 the  knowledge  of  the  only  true  God  ?  How  many  are  brought 
 up  in  blindnefs?  Some  wormip  Mahomet ;  divers  of  the  Indians 
 worfhip  the  devil  ;  they  light  a  candle  to  him,  that  he  (hould 
 not  hurt  them.  Such  as  know  not  the  true  God,  mult  needs 
 tumble  into  hell  in  the  dark.  O  be  thankful  that  we  are  born  in 
 fuch  a  climate  where  the  light  of  the  gofpel  hath  fhined  !  to  have 
 the  knowledge  of  the  true  God,  is  more  than  if  we  had  mines 
 of  gold,  rocks  of  diamonds,  iflands  of  fpices  ;  efpecially  if  God 
 hath  favingly  revealed  himfelf  to  us  ;  if  he  hath  given  us  eyes  to 
 fee  the  light ;  if  we  fo  know  God,  as  to  be  known  of  him,  as 
 to  love  him,  and  believe  in  him,  Matth.  xi.  25.  we  can  never 
 be  enough  thankful  to  God,  that  he  hath  hid  the  knowledge  of 
 himfelf  from  the  wife  and  prudent  of  the  world,  and  hath  re- 
 vealed it  unto  us. 
 
 OF  THE  TRINITY. 
 
 Q.  IV.  HOW  many  perfons  are  there  in  the  Godhead? 
 
 Anf.  Three  perfons,  yet  but  one  God. 
 
 1  John  v.  7.  '  There  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven, 
 the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Gholt,  and  thefe  three  are 
 but  one.' 
 
 God  is  but  one,  yet  there  are  three  diftin6l  perfons  fubfifting 
 in  one  Godhead.  This  is  a  facred  myftery,  which  the  light 
 withiu  could  never  have  difcovered.     As  the  two  natures  in 
 
OF  THE  TRINITY.  117 
 
 Chrift,  yet  but  one  perfon,  is  a  wonder,  lb  three  perfons,  yet 
 hut  one  Godhead.     lamina  tep>  the  Father  God,  the 
 
 Seat  God,  the  Holy  Gholl  God  ;  yet  net  three  Gods,  hut  one 
 Cod.  The  three  perfons  in  the  blelfed  'limits  are  diUin^nilhed, 
 but  not  divided  ;  three  fubftances,  hut  one  etiuue.  J'htt  is 
 a  divine  riddle,  where  one  makes  three,  and  thr»  <•  make-tat 
 one.  Our  narrow  thoughts  Can  no  more  comprehend  the  Tri- 
 nity in  Unitx  ,  than  a  little  nut-(hell  will  hold  all  the  water  in 
 the  tea.  Let  me  fhadow  it  out  by  this  limilitude  :  in  the  body 
 of  the  fun,  there  is  the  iubftance  of  the  fun,  the  beams,  and  the 
 heat;  the  beams  are  begotten  offcbe  fun,  the  heat,  proceeds 
 both  from  the  fun  and  the-  iieiuns;  but  thefe  three,  though  dif- 
 rit  are  not  divided  ;  they  ail  three  make  but  one  fun  :  ib  in 
 the  hleifed  Trinity,  the  Son  is  begotten  of  the  Father,  the  Holy 
 Gholi  proceeds  from  both;  yet  though  they  are  three  diitinct 
 perlbns,  yet  but  one  God.  Firfr,  let  me  i'peak  of  the  Unity  in 
 Trinity  ;   then  of  the  Trinity  in  Unity. 
 
 lit,  Ot  the  Unity  in  Trinity.  The  Unity  of  the  perfons  in 
 the  Godhead  coniitts  in  two  thmgi 
 
 1.  The  identity  ofeilence.  In  the  Triuity  there  is  an  one- 
 nets  in  eiience  :  the  three  perfons  are  of  the  fame  divine  nature 
 and  fubttance  ;  fo  that  in  Deo  non  eft  ?nagis  el  minus,  there  are 
 no  decrees  in  the  Godhead  ;  one  peitbn  is  not  God  more  tJ>an 
 anot!: 
 
 9.  'j'he  Unity  of  the  perfons  in  the  Godhead,  contltls  in  the 
 mutual  in-being  of  them,  or  their  being  in  one  together.  The 
 three  perlbns  are  fo  united,  that  one  peifon  is  in  another,  and 
 with  another,  John  xvii.  91.  *  Thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and 
 I  in  thee.' 
 
 L'diy,  Let  me  fpeak  of  the  Trinity  in  Unity.  1.  The  firft 
 perfon  in  the  Trinity  is  God  the  Father  :  he  is  called  the  firft 
 perfon,  in  refpeft  of  order,  not  dignity;  for  God  the  Father 
 hath  no  efTential  perfection  which  the  other  perlbns  have  not; 
 he  is  not  more  wife,  more  holy,  more  powerful,  than  the  other 
 perlbns  are,  a  priority,  not  a  fuperioniy. 
 
 9.  The  lecond  perlbn  in  tiie  Trinity  is  Jefus  Chrift,  who  is 
 >tten  of  the  Father  before  all  time,  Pro*,  viii.  SB,  S 
 *  1  was  let  up  from  tverlaiiing,  from  :he  beginning,  or  ever  the 
 earth  was.  When  there  were  no  depths,  1  was  brought  Forth  ; 
 when  there  were  no  fountains  abouuejing  with  water.  Before 
 the  mounta:  fettled;  before  the  hills,    was  I  brought 
 
 forth.'  Which  fcrinture  declares  the  eternal  generation  of  the 
 S.m  ot  God.  This  lecond  perfon  in  the  Trinity,  who  is  Jeho- 
 vah, is  become  our  Jefus.  The  Icripture  call*  him  the  branch 
 of  David;  Jer.  xxiii.  ft.  and  I  may  call  him  the  flower  of  the 
 virgin,  having  atiumed  our  natuie.  '  I3\  him  all  that  believe 
 are  jut  tilled/  Acts  xih. 
 
118  OF  THE  TRINITY. 
 
 3.  The  third  perfon  in  the  Trinity,  is  the  Holy  Ghoft,  who 
 proceeds  from  the  Father  and  the  Son  :  his  work  is  to  illuminate 
 the  mind;  and  inkindle  facred  motions.  The  eflence  of  the 
 Spirit  is  in  heaven,  and  every  where;  but  the  influence  of  it  is 
 in  the  hearts  of  believers  :  This  is  that  blefied  Spirit,  who  gives 
 us  the  holy  un6lion,  1  John  ii.  20.  Though  Chrift  merits  grace 
 for  us,  it  is  the  Holy  Ghoft  works  it  in  us  :  Though  Chriil  makes 
 the  purchafe,  it  is  the  Holy  Ghott  makes  the  aifurance,  and 
 ieals  us  up  to  the  day  of  redemption.  Thus  I  have  fpoken  of 
 all  the  three  perfons  :  the  Triuity  of  perfons  may  be  proved  out 
 of  Mat.  iii.  lo\  '  Jefus,  when  he  was  baptized,  went  up  ftraight- 
 way  out  of  the  water,  and  he  faw  the  Spirit  of  God  deicending 
 like  a  dove,  and  lighting  upon  him  ;  and  lo,  a  voice  from  hea- 
 ven, faying,  This  is  my  beloved  Son.'  Here  are  three  names 
 given  to  the  three  perfons.  He  who  fpake  with  a  voice  from 
 heaven,  was  God  the  Father  ;  he  who  was  baptized  in  Jordan, 
 was  God  the  Son ;  he  who  defcended  in  the  likenefs  of  a  dove, 
 was  God  the  Holy  Ghoft.  Thus  I  have  (hewn  you  the  unity  of 
 eflence,  and  the  Trinity  of  perfons. 
 
 Uj'e  1.  It  confutes  the  Jews  and  the  Turks,  who  believe  only 
 the  firft  perfon  in  the  Godhead  :  this  cuts  afunder  the  finews  of 
 our  aftnfort.  Take  away  the  diftin&ion  of  the  perfons  in  the 
 Trinity,  and  you  overthrow  man's  redemption,  for  God  the 
 Father  being  offended  with  man  for  fin,  how  (hall  he  be  pacified 
 without  a  mediator?  This  Mediator  is  Chrift,  he  makes  our 
 peace!  And  Chrift  having  died,  and  thed  his  blood,  how  {hall 
 this  blood  be  applied,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghoft?  Therefore,  if 
 there  be  not  three  perfons  in  the  Godhead,  man's  falvation  can- 
 not be  wrought  out  :  if  there  be  no  fecond  perfon  in  the  Trinity, 
 then  there  is  no  redeemer :  if  no  third  perfon,  then  there  is  no 
 comforter.  And  fo  the  plank  is  taken  away  by  which  weftiould 
 get  to  heaven. 
 
 2.  It  confutes  the  execrable  opinion  of  the  Socinians,  who 
 deny  the  divinity  of  the  Lord  Jefus;  they  make  him  only  to  be 
 a  creature  of  an  higher  rank.  As  the  Papifts  blot  out  the  fecond 
 commandment,  fo  the  Socinians  would  the  fecond  part  of  the 
 Trinity.  If  to  oppofe  Chrift' s  members  be  fuch  a  fin,  what  is 
 it  to  oppofe  Chriit  himfelf?  (i.)  Jefus  Chrift  is  co-equal  with 
 God  the  Father,  Phil.  ii.  (5.  '  He  thought  it  no  robbery  to  be 
 equal  with  God.'  (2.)  He  is  co-eternal  with  God  the  Father, 
 Prov.  viii.  23.  «  I  was  from  the  beginning;'  for  elfe  there  was 
 a  time  when  God  was  without  a  Son,  and  fo  he  ihould  be  no 
 Father;  nay,  elfe  there  was  a  time  when  God  was  without  his 
 glory,'  for  Chrift  is  ■  the  brightnefsof  his  Father's  glory,'  Heb. 
 i.  3.  (3.)  He  is  co-eflential  with  God  the  Father.  The  God- 
 head fubfifts  in  Chrift,  Col.  ii.  <).  f  In  whom  dwells  all  the  ful- 
 neft  of  the  Godhead  bodily.'     It  is  faid,  not  only  Chriit  was 
 
OF   THE  TRINITY.  110 
 
 with  God  before  the  beginning,  but  ho  was  God,  John  i.  1 .  and 
 1  Tim.  iii.  W.  4  God  main, Ht  in  the  hVih.'  The  title  of  Lord, 
 To  often  given  to  Chrift,  in  the  New  Teftamrnt,  dothanfwer  to 
 the  title  of  Jehovah  in  the  Old  Tettament,  Deut.  vi.  5.  Mat. 
 xxii.  37.  to  that  Cnriil  hath  a  co-eternity,  and  con-fubllantialify 
 with  his  Father,  John  x.  30.  '  I  and  my  Father  are  one.'  It. 
 were  blafphemy  for  any  angel  to  fpeak  thus!  Yet  further,  to 
 prove  Chrift's  Godhead,  confider  1ft,  The  glorious  incommuni- 
 cable attributes  belonging  to  God  the  Father,  are  atcribed  to 
 Chrift,  1.  Is  God  the  Father  omnipotent?  So  is  Jefus  Chrift. 
 He  is  the  Almighty,  Rev.  i.  S.  he  creates,  Col.  i.  1().  c2.  Is 
 God  the  Father  infinitely  immenfe,  filling  all  places  ?  Jer.  xxiii. 
 £4.  fo  is  Jefus  Chritt.  'While  Chrift  was  on  the  earth  by  hi* 
 bodily  pretence,  he  was  at  the  fame  time  in  the  bolbm  of  the 
 Father,  John  iii.  13.  in  regard  of  his  divine  prefence.  £dly, 
 The  fame  jura  regatta,  or  prerogatives  royal,  which  belongs  to 
 God  the  Father,  belong  alio  to  Chrift  :  (I.)  Doth  God  the  Fa- 
 ther feal  pardons,  this  is  a  flower  of  Chrift's  crown,  Mat.  ix.  2. 
 •  Thy  tins  be  forgiven  thee:'  Nor  doth  Chritt  only  remit  fin 
 organice,  as  mimlters  do,  by  virtue  of  a  power  delegated  to  them 
 from  God  :  but  Chrift  doth  it  by  his  own  power  and  authority. 
 (c2.)  Is  God  the  Father  the  adequate  object  of  faith?  Is  he  to  be 
 believed  in?  So  is  his  Son,  John  xiv.  I.  (3.)  Doth  adoration 
 belong  to  God  the  Father?  So  it  doth  to  the  Son,  Heb.  i.  6\ 
 '  Let  all  the  angels  of  God  worfhip  him.'  How  facrtlegious 
 therefore  is  the  Socinian,  who  would  rob  Chrift  of  the  beftflower 
 of  his  crown,  his  Godhead  ?  They  that  deny  Chrift  to  be  God, 
 muft  greatly  wrelt,  or  elle  deny  the  icripture  to  be  the  word  of 
 God. 
 
 2.  It  confutes  the  Arians,  who  deny  the  Holy  Ghoft  to  be 
 God.  The  eternal  Godhead  fubfifts  in  the  Holy  Ghoft,  John 
 xvi.  13.  '  He  fhall  guide  you  into  all  truth.'  Chrift  fpeaks  not 
 there  of  an  attribute,  but  of  a  perfon  :  and  that  the  Godhead 
 fublilts  in  the  perfon  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  appears  thus  :  the 
 Spirit,  who  gives  diverfity  of  gifts,  is  laid  to  be  the  fame  Lord, 
 and  the  fame  God,  1  Cor.  xii.  5,  6.  The  black  and  unpardo- 
 nable (in  is  faid,  in  a  fpecial  manner,  to  be  committed  againft 
 the  Godhead  fubfifting  in  the  Holy  Ghott,  Matth.  xii.  3<2.  The 
 mighty  power  of  Gxl  is  made  manifelt  by  the  Holy  Ghoft;  he 
 chaogeth  the  hearts  of  men.  The  devil  would  have  Chrift 
 prove  himfelfto  be  God,  by  turning  ftones  into  bread  :  but 
 thus  the  Holy  Ghoft  Ihews  his  Godhead,  by  turning  ftones  into 
 fleth,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  '20'.  *  I  will  take  away  the  ftony  heart  :  and 
 give  you  a  heart  ot  flefh.*  Yet  further,  the  power  and  God- 
 head of  the  Holy  Ghoft  appeared  in  the  effecting  the  glorious 
 conception  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  ;  the  very  (hadow  of  the 
 Holy  Guoit  made  a  virgin  conceive,  Luke  i.  3j.     The  Holy 
 
120  OF  THE  TRINITY. 
 
 Ghoft  works  miracles,  which  tranfcend  the  fphere  of  nature ;  as 
 railing  the  dead,  Rom.viii.ll.  To  him  belongs  divine  worfhip, 
 our  fouls  and  bodies  are  the  temples  of  the  Holy  Gholt.  1  Cor. 
 vi.  19,  in  which  temples  he  is  to  be  worshipped,  ver.  20.  We 
 are  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Holy  Gholt;  therefore  either 
 we  mult  believe  his  Godhead,  or  renounce  our  baptifm  in  his 
 name.  Me  thinks,  it  were  enough  for  fuch  men,  as  have  not  fo 
 much  as  heard  whether  there  be  an  Holy  Ghoft,  Acts  xix.  2. 
 to  deny  his  Deiry ;  but  ihat  any  who  go  for  Chriftians,  fhould 
 deny  this  article  of  their  creed,  feems  to  me  very  ftrange.  They 
 who  would  wittingly  and  willingly  blot  out  the  third  perfon, 
 ihall  have  their  names  blotted  out  of  the  book  of  life. 
 
 Ufe  2.  Of  exhortation.  1ft,  Believe  this  doclrine,  the  Tri- 
 nity of  peribns  in  the  unity  ofeifence.  The  Trinity  is  purely 
 an  object  of  faith  :  the  plumb-line'of  reafon  is  too  thort  to  fathom 
 this  myftery  :  but  where  reafon  cannot  wade,  their  faith  mult 
 fwim.  There  are  fome  truths  in  religion  may  be  demonftrated 
 by  reafon  ;  as  that  there  is  a  God  :  But  the  Trinity  of  perfons 
 in  the  unity  of  efTcnce  is  wholly  fupernatural,  and  muft  be  be- 
 lieved by  faith.  This  facred  doctrine,  though  it  be  not  againft 
 reafon,  yet  it  is  above  reafon.  Thofe  illuminated  philofophers, 
 that  could  find  out  the  caufes  of  things,  and  diicourfe  of  the 
 magnitude  and  influence  of  the  ftars,  the  nature  of  minerals, 
 could  never,  by  their  deeped  fearch,  find  out  the  myftery  of 
 the  Trinity:  This  is  of  divine  revelation,  and  muft  be  adored 
 with  humble  believing.  We  can  be  no  good  Chriftians,  with- 
 out the  firm  belief  of  the  Trinity.  How  can  we  pray  to  God 
 the  Father,  but  in  the  name  of  Chrift,  and  through  the  help  of 
 the  Spirit  ?  Believe  the  glorious  Trinity.  How  are  the  Quakers 
 to  be  abhorred,  who  go  under  the  name  of  Chriftians,  yet 
 undervalue  and  renounce  Jefus  Chrift.  1  have  read  of  fome  of 
 the  Quakers,  who  (peak  thus;  *f  We  deny  the  perfon  of  him 
 whom  you  call  Chrift,  and  affirm,  That  they  who  expe6t  to  be 
 faved  by  that  Chrift  without  works,  will  be  damned  in  that 
 faith?"  Could  the  devil  himfelf  fpeak  worfe  blafphemy  ?  They 
 would  pull  up  all  religion  by  the  roots,  and  take  away  that  cor- 
 ner-ftone,  on  which  the  hope  of  our  falvation  is  built. 
 
 2<%,  If  there  be  one  God  fubfifting  in  three  perfons,  then  let 
 us  give,  (I.)  Equal  reverence  to  all  the  perfons  in  the  Trinity. 
 There  is  not  more  or  lefs  in  the  Trinity ;  the  Father  is  not 
 more  God  than  the  Son  and  Holy  Ghoft.  There  is  an  order  in 
 the  Godhead,  but  no  degrees;  one  perfon  hath  not  a  majority 
 or  fupereminency  above  another,  therefore  we  mull  give  equal 
 worth ip  to  all  the  Perfons,  John  v.  23.  '  That  all  men  fhould 
 honour  the  Son,  even  as  they  honour  the  Father.'  Adore  unity 
 in  Trinity. 
 
 (4.)  Obey  all  the  Perfons  iu  the  bkffed  Trinity ;  for  all  of 
 
OF  THE  CREATION.  191 
 
 them  are  God.  1.  Obey  Got!  the  Father;  his  words,  either 
 perceptive  or  minatory,  mult  be  obferved.  Chrilt  bimfelf,  as 
 man,  obeyed  God  the  Father,  John  if.  :>l.  much  more  then 
 muft  we,   Deut.  xxvii.  10. 
 
 «J.  Obey  God  the  Son,  Pfal.  ii.  12.  *  Kit's  the  Son,  left  lie 
 be  angry  ?'  Kit's  him  with  a  kits  of  obedience  :  Chilli's  com- 
 mands are  not  grievous,  1  John  v.  3.  Nothing  he  commands, 
 but  is  for  our  intereft  and  benefit :  O  then  kit's  the  Sun  !  Whv 
 do  the  elders  throw  down  their  crowns  at  the  feet  of  Chrift,  and 
 fall  down  before  the  Lamb?  Rev.  iv.  10,  11.  but  to  teftify 
 their  fubje6lion,  and  to  profefs  their  readinefs  to  ferve  and  obey 
 him. 
 
 3.  Obey  God  the  Holy  Ghoft.  Our  fouls  are  breathed  into 
 us  by  the  glorious  Spirit,  Job  xxxiii.  4.  '  The  Spirit  of  God 
 hath  made  me.'  Our  fouls  are  adorned  by  the  blelfed  Spirit ; 
 every  grace  is  a  divine  fparkle  lighted  in  the  loul  by  the  Holy 
 Ghoft.  Nay  more,  the  Spirit  of  God  fan6tified  Chrift's  human 
 nature  :  he  united  it  with  the  divine,  and  fitted  the  man  Chrilt 
 to  be  our  Mediator.  Well  then  doth  this  third  perfon  in  the 
 Trinity,  the  Holy  Ghoft,  deferve  to  be  obeyed  ;  he  is  God, 
 and  this  tribute  of  homage  and  obedience  is  to  be  paid  him 
 by  us. 
 
 OF  THE  CREATION. 
 
 Q.  VII.   WHAT  are  the  decrees  of  God  f 
 
 Anf  The  decrees  of  God  are  his  eternal  purpofe,  according 
 to  the  counfel  of  his  will,  whereby,  for  his  own  glory,  he  hath 
 fore-ordained  whatfoever  fhall  come  to  pafs. 
 
 I  fhould  now  come  to  (peak  concerning  the  decrees  of  God, 
 but  I  have  already  fpoken  fomcthing  to  this  under  the  attribute 
 of  God's  immutability.  God  is  unchangeable  in  his  eilence, 
 and  he  is  unchangeable  in  his  decrees ;  his  counfel  (hall  ftand  : 
 he  hath  decreed  the  iifue  of  all  things,  and  carries  them  on  to 
 their  period  by  his  providence ;  and  therefore  I  (hull  proceed  to 
 the  execution  of  his  decrees. 
 
 Q.  VIII.  The  next  quellion  is,  What  is  the  work  of  crea- 
 tion ? 
 
 Anf,  It  is  God's  making  all  things  of  nothing,  by  the  word 
 of  his  power,  &c. 
 
 Gen.  i.  1.  In  the  bcgbming  God  created  the  heaven  and  the 
 earth. 
 
 The  creation  is  glorious  to  behold,  it  is  a  pleafant  and  fruit- 
 ful ltudy.  Some  think  that  Ifaac,  when  he  went  ab.oac!  into 
 the  field*  to  meditate,  it  was  in  the  book  of  the  creatures.     The 
 
 Vol.  1.  No.  3.  Q 
 
122  OF  THE  CREATION*. 
 
 creation  is  the  heathen  man's  bible,  the  plowman's  primer,  the 
 traveller's  perfpective-glafs,  through  which  he  receives  the 
 fpecies  and  reprefentation  of  thole  infinite  excellencies  which 
 are  in  God.  The  creation  "rs  a  large  volume,  in  which  God's 
 works  are  bound  up  ;  and  this  volume  hath  three  great  leaves 
 in  it,  heaven,  earth  and  fea. 
 
 The  author  of  the  creation  is  God,  fo  it  is  in  the  text,  '  God 
 created.'  The  world  wns  created  in  time,  and  could  not  be 
 from  eternity,  as  Ariitotle  thought.  The  world  mutt  have  a 
 maker,  it  could  not  make  itfelf.  If  one  fhould  go  into  a  fat 
 country,  and  fee  ftately  edifices  there,  he  would  never  imagine 
 that  thefe  could  build  themfelves,  but  that  there  had  been  fbme 
 artificer,  there  to  raifefuch  goodly  ftru&ures,  fo  this  great  fabric 
 of  the  world  could  not  create  it  It  if,  it  mull:  have  Come  builder 
 and  maker,  and  that  is  God  ;  ■  In  the  beginning  God  created.* 
 To  imagine  that  the  work  of  the  creation  was  not  framed  by 
 the  Lord  Jehovah,  is  as  if  we  fhould  conceive  a  curious  land  lea  pe 
 to  be  drawn  without  the  hand  of  a  limner,  Actsxvii.  24.  *  God 
 that  made  the  world  and  all  things  therein.' 
 
 la  the  vork  of  creation  there  are  two  things  to  be  confidered  : 
 I.  The  making.  II.  The  adorning  of  it. 
 
 1.  The  making  of  the  world.  Here  confider,  I.  God  made 
 the  world  without  any  pre-exiftent  matter.  This  is  the  dif- 
 ference between  generation  and  creation.  In  generation  there 
 is  materia  habilis  et  difpofita,  fome  matter  to  work  upon  :  but 
 in  creation  there  is  no  pre-exiftent  matter.  God  brought  all 
 this  glorious  fabric  of  the  world  out  of,  the  womb  of  nothing. 
 We  fee  our  beginning,  it  was  of  nothing.  Some  brag  of  their 
 birth  and  anceitry  ;  you  fee  how  little  caufe  they  have  to  boaft, 
 they  came  of  nothing. 
 
 2.  God  made  the  world  with  a  word.  When  Solomon  was 
 to  build  a  temple,  he  needed  many  workmen,  and  they  all  had 
 tools  to  work  with,  but  God  wrought  without  tools,  Pfal. 
 xxxiii.  6\  *  By  the  word  of  the  Lord  were  the  heavens  made.' 
 The  difciples  wondered  that  Chrift  could  with  a  word  calm  the 
 fea,  Matth.  viii.  26\  27.  But  it  was  more  with  a  word  to  make 
 the  lea. 
 
 3.  God  made  all  things  at  firft  very  good,  Gen.  i.  31.  no 
 defect  nor  deformity.  The  creation  came  out  of  God's  hands  a 
 curious  piece;  it  was  a  fair  copy,  without  any  blot,  written 
 with  God's  own  fingers,  Pfal.  viii.  3.  So  perfect  was  God's 
 work. 
 
 II.  The  adorning  of  the  world,  firft,  God  made  this  great 
 lump  and  mafs,  Rudis  indigefiaque  moles,  and  then  beautified 
 it,  and  put  it  into  a  drefs.  He  divided  the  fea  and  the  earth, 
 he  decked  the  earth  with  flowers,  the  trees  with  fruit :  But  what 
 is  beauty  when  it  is  mafked  over?  Therefore,   that  we  might 
 
Or  THE  CREATIOIf.  123 
 
 behold  this  glory,  Ood  made  the  light.  The  heavens  were  be- 
 fpangled  with  the  fun,  moon,  and  lrar^.  tliat  fo  the  world's 
 beauty  might  be   beheld  and    admired.      Ctad,  in  the  creation, 
 
 in  with  things  lei's  noble  and  excellent,  vegetables,  and  lenfi- 
 tives  ;  and  then  the  rational  creatures,  angels  and  men.  Man 
 wa-  the  moft  exquifite  piece  m  the  creation  :  lie  is  a  microcolon, 
 or  little  world.  Man  was  made  with  deliberation  and  counfel, 
 Gen.  i.  26.  '  Let  us  make  man.'  It  is  the  manner  of  artificers 
 to  be  more  than  ordinary  accurate,  when  they  are  about  their 
 matter  pieces.  Man  was  to  be  a  mafter-piece  of  this  vifible 
 world,  therefore  God  did  confult  about  the  making  of  lb  rare  a 
 piece.  A  folemn  counfel  of  the  facred  perlbns  in  the  Trinity 
 was  called,  *  Let  us  make  man,  and  let  us  make  him  in  our 
 own  imam'.'  On  the  kind's  com  his  image  or  effigies  is  Itampt ; 
 fo  G^d  flam pt  his  image  on  man,  and  made  him  partake  of  many 
 divine  qualities. 
 
 I  (hall  (peak,  1.  Of  the  parts  of  man's  body:  (I.)  The 
 Head,  the  molt  excellent  architeCtonical  part,  it  is  the  fountain 
 of  fpirits,  and  the  feat  of  reafon.  In  nature  the  head  is  the  belt 
 piece,  but  in  grace  the  heart  excels.  (9.)  The  Eye,  it  is  the 
 beauty  of  the  face  ;  it  mines  and  fparkles  like  a  lelfer  fun  in  the 
 body.  The  eye  occafions  much  (in,  and  therefore  well  may  it 
 have  tears  in  it.  (3.)  The  Ear,  which  is  the  conduit- pipe 
 through  which  knowledge  is  conveyed.  Better  lofe  our  feeing 
 than  our  hearing;  for  '  faith  cometh  by  hearing,'  Rom.  x.  17. 
 To  have  an  ear  open  to  God,  is  the  belt  jewel  on  the  ear.  (4.) 
 The  Tongue.  David  calls  the  tongue  his  glory,  Pfal.  xvi.  9. 
 becaufe  it  is  an  inftrument  to  fet  forth  the  glory  of  God  :  the 
 foul  at  firft  was  a  viol  in  tune  to  praife  God,  and  the  tongue  did 
 make  the  mufic.  God  hath  given  us  two  ears,  but  one  tongue, 
 to  (hew  that  we  mould  be  fwift  to  hear,  but  flow  to  fpeak.  God 
 hath  fet  a  double  fence  before  the  tongue,  the  teeth  and  the  lips, 
 to  teach  us  to  be  wary  that  we  offend  not  with  our  tongue. 
 (5.)   The  Heart,  this  is  a  noble  part,  and  feat  of  life. 
 
 c2.  The  Soul  of  man  :  This  is  the  man  of  the  man.  Man,  in 
 regard  of  his  foul,  partakes  with  the  angels  ;  nay,  as  Plato  faith, 
 The  underftanding,  will,  and  coufcienee  are  a  giafs  that  refemble 
 the  Trinity.  The  foul  is  the  diamond  in  the  ring,  the  foul  is  a 
 vefl'el  of  honour;  God  himfelf  is  ferved  in  this  veiled.  It  is  a 
 fparkle  of  celellial  brightuefs,  faith  Damafcene.  U  David  did 
 fo  admire  the  rare  contexture  and  workmanfhip  of  his  body, 
 Pfal.  exxxix.  14,  13.  '  I  am  wonderfully  made,  I  was  curi- 
 outly  wrought  in  the  loweft  parts  of  the  earth.'  If  the  cabinet 
 be  fo  curioufly  wrought,  what  is  the  jewel  ?  How  richly  is  the 
 foul  embroidered?  thus  you  fee  how  glorious  a  work  the  cre- 
 ation is,  and  man  efpecially,  who  is  the  epitome  of  the  world, 
 
 Qu.  lint  whu  did  God  make  the  world  ? 
 
124  OF  THE  CREATION. 
 
 Anf.  1.  Negatively:  Not  for  himfelf:  he  did  not  need  it, 
 being  infinite.  He  was  happy  before  the  world  wa«,  in  reflect- 
 ing upon  his  own  fublime  excellencies  and  perfections.  2. 
 God  did  not  make  the  world  to  be  a  place  of  manfion  for  us,  we 
 are  not  to  abide  here  for  ever.  Heaven  is  the  manfion- 
 houfe,  John  xiv.  2.  The  world  is  only  a  paffage-room  to  eter- 
 nity ;  the  world  is  to  us  as  the  wildernefs  was  to  Ifrael,  not  to 
 reft  in,  but  to  travel  thro'  to  the  glorious  Canaan.  The  world 
 is  a  tiring-room  to  drefs  our  fouls  in,  not  a  place  where  we  are 
 to  ilay  for  ever.  The  apoftle  tells  us  of  the  world's  funerals, 
 2  Pet.  iii.  10.  •  The  elements  fhall  melt  with  fervent  heat,  the 
 earth  alfo  and  the  works  that  are  therein  (hall  be  burnt  up.' 
 
 2.  Pofitively.  God  made  the  world  to  demonftrate  his  own 
 glory.  The  world  is  a  looking-glafs,  in  which  we  may  fee  the 
 power  and  goodnefs  of  God  fhine  forth  ;  *  The  heavens  declare 
 the  glory  of  God,'  Pf.  xix.  1.  The  world  is  like  a  curious  piece 
 of  arras  or  tapeftry,  in  which  we  may  fee  the  fkill  and  wiidom 
 of  him  that  made  it. 
 
 Ufe  I.  Did  God  create  the  world  ?  This  convinceth  us  of 
 the  truth  of  his  Godhead  :  to  create  is  proper  to  a  deity,  Acts 
 xvii.  24.  This  convinced  Plato  of  a  Deity,  when  he  faw  all 
 the  world  could  not  make  a  fly.  Thus  God  proves  himfelf  to 
 be  the  true  God,  and  diftinguilheth  himfelf  from  idols,  Jer.  x. 
 11.  It.  is  written  in  Chaldee,  '  Thus  fhall  ye  fay  to  them,  The 
 gods  that  have  not  made  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  even  they 
 fhall  perifli.'  Who  but  God  can  create?  The  creation  is 
 enough  to  convince  the  heathen  that  there  is  a  God.  There  are 
 two  books  out  of  which  God  will  judge  and  condemn  the  hea- 
 then, viz.  the  book  of  Confcience,  Rom.  iii.  5.  '  Who  have  the 
 law  written  in  their  heart:'  and  the  book  of  the  Creation, 
 Rom.  ii.  20.  '  The  invifible  things  of  him  are  clearly  feen  by 
 the  things  that  are  made,  even  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead.' 
 The  world  is  full  of  emblems  and  hieroglyphics;  every  (tar  in 
 the  fky,  every  bird  that  flies  in  the  air,  is  a  witnefs  againft  the 
 heathen.     A  creature  could  not  make  itfelf. 
 
 2.  Here  is  a  mighty  fupport  for  faith,  God  creates.  He  that 
 made  all  things  with  a  word,  what  cannot  he  do  ?  He  can 
 create  ftrength  in  weaknefs ;  he  can  create  a  fupply  of  our 
 wants.  What  a  foolifh  queftion  was  that,  Pf.  lxxviii.  IP. 
 '  Can  he  prepare  a  table  in  the  wildernefs?'  Cannot  he  that 
 made  the  world  do  much  more?  Pf.  cxxiv.  8.  ■  Our  help 
 ftandeth  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  who  madeheavenand  earth.' 
 Reft  on  this  God  for  help,  who  made  heaven  and  earth.  The 
 work  of  creation,  as  it  is  a  monument  of  God's  power,  fo  it  is  a 
 (lay  to  faith.  Is  thy  heart  hard  ?  he  can  with  a  word  create 
 foftnefs.  Is  it  unclean,  he  can  create  purity  ?  Pfal.  Ii.  10.  '  Cre- 
 ate in  me  a  clean. heart,  O  God.'  Is  the  church  of  God  low, 
 
or  THE  CREATION.  125 
 
 he  can  create  Jerufalcm  a  praife,  Ha.  lxv.  18.    No  fuch  golden 
 pillar  for  faith  to  (lay  upon,  as  a  creating  power. 
 
 Did  God  make  this  world  full  of  beauty  and  glory,  I 
 thing  very  good  ?  then,  what  an  evil  thing  is  fin,  that  hath  put 
 out  of  frame  the  whole  creation  ?  Sin  hath  much  edipfed  the 
 beauty,  loured  the  fweetnels,  and  marred  the  harmony  of  the 
 world.  How  bitter  is  that  gall,  a  drop  whereof  can  embitti  r  a 
 whole  lea?  Sin  hath  brought  vanity  and  vexation  into  the 
 world,  yea,  a  curfe.  '  God  curled  the  ground  lor  man's  fake,' 
 Gen.  iii.  There  were  feveral  fruits  of  the  curfe. 
 
 1.  ■  In  forrow  thou  (halt  eat  it ,'  verfe  17-  By  that  word  Sor- 
 row, is  to  be  underftood  all  the  troubles  and  cares  of  this  life. 
 2.  '  In  the  lweat  of  thy  face  (halt  thou  eat  bread,'  ver.  19.  In 
 innocency  Adam  did  till  the  ground,  (he  mult  not  live  idly) 
 but  it  was  rather  a  delight  than  a  labour ;  that  tilling  was  with- 
 out toiling.  The  eating  in  forrow,  and  the  lweat  of  the  brow, 
 came  in  after  (in.  3.  '  Thorns  and  Thirties  fhall  the  ground 
 bring  forth,'  verfe  IS. 
 
 Q.  Whether  in  innoceneij  did  not  the  earth  Lear  thorns,  becanfe 
 it  is  threatened  as  a  punijhment  ? 
 
 Anf.  It  is  likely  it  did  bear  thorns  ;  for,  when  God  had  done 
 creating,  he  made  no  new  fpecies  or  kinds  of  things  :  but  the 
 meaning  is,  Now,  after  fin  the  earth  fhall  bring  forth  more 
 plenty  of  thorns,  and  now  thole  thorns  ihould  be  hurtful,  and 
 choke  the  com,  which  hurtful  quality  was  not  in  them  before. 
 Ever  fince  the  fall,  all  the  comforts  of  this  life  have  a  thorn  and 
 a  thiftle  in  them.  4.  The  fourth  fruit  of  the  curfe  was  the  driv- 
 ing man  out  of  paradife,  ver.  24.  ■  So  he  drove  out  the  man.* 
 God  at  firit  brought  Adam  into  paradife,  a^s  into  an  houfe  ready 
 furnifhed,  or  as  a  king  into  his  throne,  Gen.  i.  98.  •  Have 
 dominion  over  every  living  thing  that  moveth  ;'  now  God's 
 driving  Adam  out  of  paradife,  Ggnified  his  dethroning  and  ba- 
 nifhing  him,  that  he  might  look  after  an  heavenly  and  a  better 
 paradife.  5.  A  fifth  fruit  of  the  curfe  was  death,  ver.  I*). 
 ■  To  dull  thou  lhalt  return.'  Death  was  not  natural  to  Adam, 
 it  came  in  after  Cm.  Jofephus  is  of  opinion,  man  mould  have 
 died  tho'  he  had  a  longer  term  of  years  added  to  his  life  ;  but 
 out  of  queftion  death  grew  out  of  the  root  of  fin  ;  the  apoftle 
 faith,  Rom.  v.  \L2.  *  By  fin  came  death.'  See  then  how  curled 
 a  thing  fin  is,  that  hath  brought  lb  many  curies  upon  the  cre- 
 ation. If  we  will  not  hate  fin  for  its  deformity,  let  us  hate  it 
 for  the  curie  it  brings. 
 
 4.  Did  God  make  this  glorious  world  ?  Did  he  make  evcrv 
 thing  good  ?  Was  there  in  the  creature  lb  much  beauty  and 
 fweetnefs  ?    Oh!  then  what  fweetnef:  in  God  ?   Q<ic- 
 
 quid  efficit  tale  Ufa  (Jl  magis  tale  ;   the  caufe  is  always  more  no- 
 ble than  the  effect.     Think  with  youfelves,  is  there  lb  much  ex- 
 
126  Or  THE  CREATION. 
 
 cellency  in  houfe  and  lands?  then  how  much  more  13  there  in 
 God  that  made  thefe  ?  Is  there  beauty  in  a  rofe  ?  what  beauty 
 then  is  there  in  Chrift,  the  role  of  Sharon  ?  doth  oil  make  the 
 face  thine?  Pi',  civ.  15.  How  will  the  li^ht  of  God's  counte- 
 nance make  it  mine?  Doth  wine  cheer  the  heart  ?  O  what  vir- 
 tue is  there  in  the  true  vine  !  how  doth  the  blood  of  this  grape 
 cheer  the  heart  ?  Is  the  fruit  of  the  garden  lweet  ?  how  delici- 
 ous are  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit  ?  Is  a  gold  mine  fo  precious  ?  how 
 how  precious  is  he  who  founded  this  mine  ?  What  is  Chritt, 
 in  whom  are  hid  all  treafures  ?  Col.  ii.  3.  We  mould  afcend 
 from  the  creature  to  the  Creator.  If  there  be  any  comfort  here 
 below,  how  much  more  is  there  in  God,  who  made  all  thefe 
 things?  How  unreafonable  is  it,  that  we  mould  delight  in  the 
 world,  and  not  much  more  in  him  that  made  it  ?  How  fhould 
 our  hearts  be  fet  on  God,  and  how  fhould  we  long  to  be  with 
 God,  who  hath  infinitely  more  fweetnefs  in  him  than  any  crea- 
 ture ? 
 
 Ufe  2.  Of  exhortation.  1.  Did  God  create  the  world  ?  Let  us 
 wifely  obferve  thofe  works  of  creation  ?  God  hath  given  us  not 
 only  the  book  of  the  fcriptures  to  read  in,  but  the  book  of  the 
 creation  :  look  up  to  the  heavens,  they  fhew  much  of  God's 
 glory  ;  the  fun  gilds  the  world  with  its  bright  beams  :  behold 
 the  tins,  their  regular  motion  in  their  orbs,  their  magnitude, 
 their  light,  their  influence.  We  may  fee  God's  glory  blazing 
 in  the  fun,  twinkling  in  the  ilars.  Look  into  the  lea,  and  fee 
 the  wonders  of  God  in  the  deep,  Pfal.  cvii.  24.  Look  into  the 
 air,  there  the  birds  make  melody,  and  fing  forth  the  praifes  of 
 their  Creator.  Look  into  the  earth,  there  we  may  wonder  at 
 the  nature  of  minerals,  the  power  of  the  loadflone,  the  virtue 
 of  herbs;  fee  the  earth  decked  as  a  bride  with  flowers;  all 
 thefe  are  the  glorious  effects  of  God's  power.  God  hath 
 wrought  the  creation  as  with  curious  needle- work,  that  we  may 
 obferve  his  wifdom  and  goodnefs,  and  give  him  the  praife  due 
 to  him,  Pfal.  civ.  24.  ■  O  Lord,  how  manifold  are  thy  works! 
 in  wifdom  halt  thou  made  them  all.' 
 
 2.  Did  God  create  all  things?  Let  us  obey  our  Maker.  We 
 are  his  Jure  Creationis  ;  we  owe  ourfelves  to  him  :  If  another 
 gives  us  our  maintenance,  we  think  ourfelves  bound  to  ferve 
 him  ;  much  more  fhould  we  ferve  and  obey  God  who  gives  us 
 our  life,  Acls  xvii.  2S.  '  In  him  we  live  and  move.'  God 
 hath  made  every  thing  for  man's  fervice,  the  corn  for  nourifh- 
 ment,  the  beafts  for  ufefulnefs,  the  birds  for  mulic,  that  man 
 fhoukl  be  for  God's  fervice.  The  rivers  come  from  the  fea, 
 and  they  run  into  the  fea  again.  All  we  have  is  from  God  ; 
 let  us  honour  our  Creator,  and  live  to  him  that  made  us. 
 
 3.  Did  God  make  our  bodies  out  of  the  duit,  and  that  duft 
 out  of  nothing?  Let  this  keep  down  pride.     When  God  would 
 
THE  PROVIDENCE  OF  GOD.  1  ?7 
 
 humble  Adam  be  tifeth  this  exprefBort,  ■  Out  of  the  dud  waft 
 thou  taken,'  Geo.  lii.  10*.  Why  art  thou  proud  O  dull  an<l 
 afhes?  Thou  ait  made  out  of  coarfe  metal  ;  Cum  (U  /mini, 
 //inns,  cnr  mm  Immihmns  f  Ber.  David  faith,  ■  1  was  curioully 
 wrought,'  Pf,  cxxxix.  Thy  beiog  curioully  wrought,  may 
 make  thee  thankful ;  but  being  made  of  the  dult,  Buy  keep 
 thee  humble.  It  thou  halt  beauty,  it  is  but  well-coloured  earth. 
 Thy  body  is  but  air  and  dult  mingled  together,  and  this  dull 
 will  drop  into  the  dult.  When  the  Lord  had  laid  of  the  judges, 
 they  were  gods,  Plal.  Ixxxii.  0'.  Lett  they  mould  grow  proud, 
 he  tells  them,  they  were  dying  gods,  ver.  7.  '  Ye  (hall  die 
 like  men.' 
 
 4.  Did  God  create  our  fouls  after  his  image,  but  we  loft  it? 
 (el  us  never  leave  it  till  we  are  reltored  to  God's  image  igiuju 
 We  have  now  got  the  devil's  image  in  pride,  malice,  envy,  let 
 us  get  God's  hnage  reltored,  which  conlilts  in  knowledge  and 
 righteouibeja,  Col.  iii.  10.  Grace  is  our  belt  beauty,  it  makes  us 
 like  God  and  angels:  as  the  fun  is  to  the  world,  fo  is  holinefs 
 to  the  foul.  Let  us  go  to  God  to  repair  his  image  in  u^  :  Lord  ! 
 thou  halt  once  made  me,  make  me  anew,  fin  hath  defaced  thy 
 image  in  me,  O  draw  it  again  by  the  pencil  of  the  Holy  GholL 
 
 THE  PROVIDENCE  OF  GOD. 
 
 Q.   XI.    WHA  T  are  God's  woris  of  providence  ? 
 
 Anf.  God's  works  of  providence  are  his  molt  holy,  wife,  and 
 powerful  preferring  and  governing  all  his  creatures,  and  all  their 
 actions. 
 
 The  work  of  God's  providence,  John  v.  97»  *  My  Father 
 worketh  hitherto,  and  I  work.*  The  great  God  hath  retted 
 from  the  works  of  creation,  he  doth  not  create  any  new  fpecies  of 
 things,  Gen.  i.  7.  He  refted  from  all  his  works  :  and  there- 
 fore this  fcripture  mult  needs  be  meant  of  God's  works  of  pro- 
 vidence, ■  iMy  Father  worketh,  and  I  work.'  Pfal.  ciii.  117. 
 V His  kingdom  ruleth  over  all ;'  j.  e.  His  provideutial  kingdom. 
 Now,  for  the  clearing  of  this  point,  I  (hall, 
 
 i.  Shew  you  that  there  is  a  providence.  £.  What  that  pro- 
 vidence is.  3.  Lay  down  fome  maxims  or  proportions  con- 
 cerning the  providence  of  God. 
 
 \Jl,  That  there  is  a  providence :  there  is  no  fuch  a  thing  as 
 blind  fate,  but  there  is  a  providence  that  guides  and  governs  in 
 the  world,  Prov.  xvi.  33.  ■  This  lot  is  call  into  the  lap,  but  the 
 whole  difpofing  thereof  is  of  the  Lord.* 
 
 Qdly,  What  this  providence  is?  Ianfwer,  Providence  is  God's 
 ordering  all  iffues  and  events  of  things,  after  the  counfel  of  his 
 
128  THE  PROVIDENCE  OF  GOD. 
 
 will,  to  bis  own  glory :  1.  I  call  providence  God's  ordering  of 
 things,  to  diftinguifti  it  from  his  decrees  :  God's  decree  ordains 
 things  that  (hail  fall  out,  God's  providence  ordereth  them. 
 
 1 .  I  call  providence  the  ordering  of  things  after  the  counfel 
 of  his  own  will. 
 
 3.  God  ordereth  all  events  of  thinsrs  after  the  counfel  of  his 
 will,  to  his  own  glory  ;  the  glory  of  God  being  the  ultimate  end 
 of  all  God's  aclings,  and  the  centre  where  all  the  lines  of  pro- 
 vidence do  meet.  The  providence  of  God  is  Regina  mirndi ,  the 
 queen  and  governefs  of  the  world  :  it  is  the  eye  that  fees,  and 
 the  band  that  turns  all  the  wheels  in  the  univerfe.  God  is  not 
 like  an  artificer  that  builds  a  houfe,  and  then  leaves  it,  and  is 
 gone  ;  but  like  a  pilot,  that  does  with  a  great  deal  of  care,  fleer 
 on  the  (hip  of  the  whole  creation. 
 
 3<//y,  Pofitions  about  God's  providence. 
 
 1.  God's  providence  reaches  to  all  places,  perfons  and  occur- 
 rences: 1.  To  all  places,  Jer.  xxiii.  23.  ■  Ami  a  God  at  hand, 
 and  not  a  God  afar  oft?'  The  diocefe  where  providence  vifiti 
 is  very  large;  it  reaches  to  heaven,  earth,  and  fea,  Pfal.  cvii. 
 S3,  24.  *  They  that  go  down  to  the  fea,  fee  the  wonders  of  God 
 in  the  deep.'  Now  that  the  fea,  which  is  higher  than  the  earth, 
 fhould  not  drown  the  earth,  is  a  wonder  of  providence  :  and  the 
 prophet  Jonah,  he  faw  the  wonders  of  God  in  the  deep,  when 
 the  very  fifti  which  did  devour  him  and  fwallow  him,  did  bring 
 him  fate  to  ftiore.  2.  God's  providence  reaches  to  all  perfons, 
 efpecially  the  perfons  of  the  godly,  they  are  in  a  fpecial  manner 
 taken  notice  of;  God  takes  care  of  every  faint  in  particular,  as 
 if  he  had  none  elfe  to  take  care  for,  1  Pet.  v.  7.  *  He  careth  for 
 you,'  2.  e.  Elecl  in  a  fpecial  manner.  Pfal.  xxxiii.  IS,  1<). 
 ■  The  eye  of  the  Lord  is  upon  them  that  fear  him  ;  to  preferve 
 them  from  death,  and  to  keep  them  alive  in  famine.'  God,  by 
 his  providential  care,  fhields  off  dangers  from  his  people,  hefets 
 a  life-guard  of  angels  about  them,  Pfal.  xxxiv.  7.  God's  pro- 
 vidence keeps  the  very  bones  of  the  faints,  Pfal.  xxxiv.  10. 
 In  bottles  their  tears,  Pfal.  lvi.  S.  It  llrengthens  the  laints  in 
 their  weaknefTes,  Heb.  xi.  34.  It  fupplies  all  their  wants  out 
 /of  its  alm-bafket,  Pfal.  xxiii.  5.  Thus  providence  doth  won- 
 derfully fupply  the  wants  of  the  ele&.  When  the  Proteftants 
 in  Rochelle  were  befieged  by  the  French  king,  God,  by  his 
 providence,  fent  in  a  great  number  of  fmall  fifties  that  fed  them, 
 i'uch  as  were  never  feen  before  in  that  haven.  So  the  raven, 
 that  unnatural  creature  (that  will  hardly  feed  its  own  young, 
 yet)  providentially  brought  fuftenance  to  the  prophet  Elijah, 
 I  Kings  xvii.  6.  The  virgin  Mary,  though  by  bearing  and 
 bringing  forth  the  Meftiah,  fhe  helped  to  make  the  world  rich, 
 yet  fhe  herfelf  was  very  poor;  and  now,  being  warned  of  the 
 angel  to  go  into  Egypt,  Matth.  ii.  13.  the  virgin  hud  fcarce 
 
THE  TROVIDENCE  OF  GOD.  159 
 
 enough  to  bear  her  charges  thither  :  lee  now  how  God  provides 
 for  ber  before-hand  ;  he,  by  his  pitwkk  nee,  fend*  ibe  wile  nun 
 from    the?    e.ilt,    and  they  bring  colily  'Id,    myrrh,  and 
 
 frankincenfe,  and  prefent  thele  to  CUrUli  and  now  tin-  virgin 
 I  enough  to  defray  her  charges  into  Egypt,     God's  children 
 lbiuetim  know  how    they  are  fed,  and  yet  providence 
 
 is  them,  Plal.  xxxvii.  3.  *  Verily  thou  limit  be  fed.'  If 
 God  will  give  his  people  a  kingdom  when  they  die,  he  \uil  not 
 deny  them  daily  bread  while  they  live.  3.  God's  provid. 
 ivaches  to  all  affairs  and  occurrences  in  the  world  ;  there  is 
 nothing  that  (lira  in  the  world,  but  God  hath,  by  his  providence, 
 the  over-ruling  of  it.  The  raiting  of  a  man  to  honour,  Plal. 
 ixxv.  7.  'lie  puts  down  one,  and  raifes  up  another.'  Succets 
 and  victory  in  battle  is  the  relult  of  providence  :  Saul  had  the 
 victory,  but  God  wrought  the  lalvation,  L  Sam.  xi.  13.  That 
 among  all  virgins  that  were  brought  before  the  king,  that  Either 
 ihould  find  favour  in  the  eyes  of  the  king,  was  not  without 
 God's  fpecial  providence;  tor,  by  this  means,,  the  Lord  laved 
 the  Jews  alive  that  were  deftinatcd  to  deftru&iou.  Providence 
 reache*  to  the  leait  of  things,  to  the  birds  and  pifmires  ;  pro- 
 Is  the  young  raven,  when  the  dam  for  lakes  it,  and 
 give  it  no  food,  Plal.  cxlvu.  0.  Providence  reaches  to  the 
 very  haiis  of  our  head,  Mat.  x.  30.  *  The  hairs  of  your  head 
 are  all  numbered  ;'  and  furely  if  providence  reaches  to  our  hairs, 
 then  much  more  to  our  fouls.  And  thus  you  have  feen,  that 
 God's  providence  reaches  to  all  places,  to  all  perfons,  to  all  oc- 
 currences and  affairs.  Now  there  are  two  objections  againlt  this 
 doctrine. 
 
 Obj.  1.  But  h»ne  may  /«//,  There  are  many  things  done  in 
 the  wor/d  ichich  are  excentrical,  they  are  very  dij'orderly  and  ?;- 
 regular  ;   andj'ure/y  God' $  providence  doth  not  reach  thefe  thn 
 
 Am'.  Yes,  thefe  things  that  teem  to  us  irregular,  God  makes 
 ufe  of  to  hi*  own  glory.  For  inltance  :  fuppofe  you  were  in  a 
 fmith's  (hop,  and  there  lliould  tee  ieveral  ibrts  of  tools,  tome 
 crooked,  fome  bowed,  others  hooked,  would  you  condemn  all 
 tin  le  things  for  nought,  becaufe  they  do  not  look  handfome  ? 
 the  tmiih  makes  ufe  of  them  all  for  the  doing  of  his  work. 
 Thus  it  is  with  the  providences  of  God,  they  feem  to  us  to  be 
 Very  crooked  and  ft  range,  yet  tiny  all  carry  on  God's  work.  I 
 ihall  clear  this  to  you  in  two  particular  cafes: 
 
 Hi,  God's  people  are  low  ;  why,  this  feems  to  be  very  much 
 >f  ordtr,  that  thefe  that  are  heft,  Ihould  be  it)  the  loweit  con- 
 »n  :  but  there  is  much  wildom  to  be  teen  in  this  provider  e, 
 as  appears  thus  ;  1.  Perhaps  the  hearts  of  the  godly  were  lifted 
 up  with  riches,  or  with  fuoceffl  :  now  God  comes  vi  i?h  an  humb- 
 ling providence  to  afflict  them  and  fleece  them  ;  better  is  the 
 lofs  that  makes  them  humble,  than  the  fuccefs  that  makes  them 
 
 Vvl.  I.  No.  3.  R 
 
130  THE  PROVIDENCE  OF  GO0. 
 
 proud.  Again,  2.  If  the  godly  were  not  fometimes  afflicted, 
 and  {uttered  an  eclipfe  in  their  outward  comforts,  how  could 
 their  graces  be  feen,  their  faith  and  patience  ?  If  it  were  always 
 funfhine,  we  fhould  fee  no  (tars  ;  if  we  fhould  have  always  pro- 
 fperity,  it  would  be  hard  to  fee  the  actings  of  men's  faith.  Thus 
 you  fee  God's  providences  are  wife  and  regular,though  to  us 
 they  feem  very  it  range  and  crooked. 
 
 2f//?/,  Here's  another  cafe,  the  wicked  flourifh  ;  this  feems 
 to  be  very  much  out  of  order ;  ay,  but  God,  in  his  providence,. 
 fees  good  fometimes  that  the  worlt  of  men  fhould  be  exalted  ; 
 they  may  do  tome  work  to  God,  though  againit  their  will,  Ifa. 
 x.  7.  God  will  be  in  no  man's  debt.  God  makes  ufe  of  the 
 wicked  fometimes  to  protect  and  fhield  his  church  :  he  makes 
 ufe  of  them  to  refine  and  purify  his  people,  Hab.  i.  19.  '  Thou 
 haft  ordained  them  for  correction. '  As  if  the  prophet  had  laid, 
 thou  haft  ordained  the  wicked  to  correct  thy  children.  And  in- 
 deed, as  Auftin  faith  well,  "  We  are  beholden  to  wicked  men, 
 who  againft  their  wills  do  us  good."  As  the  corn  is  beholden 
 to  the  flail  to  threfh  off  its  hufks,  or  as  the  iron  is  beholden  to  the 
 file  to  brighten  it,  fo  the  godly  are  beholden  to  the  wicked, 
 though  it  be  againit  their  will,  to  brighten  and  refine  their  graces. 
 Now,  then  if  the  wicked  do  God's  own  work,  though  againft 
 their  will,  God  will  not  let  them  be  lofers  by  it ;  he  will  raife 
 them  in  the  world,  exalt  them,  and  wring  out  the  waters  of  a 
 full  cup  to  them.  Thus  you  fee  thefe  providences  are  wife  and 
 regular,  which  to  us  feem  ftrange  and  crooked. 
 
 Object.  2.  But ,  may  fome  Jay ,  If  God  hath  a  hand  in  ordering 
 all  things  that  fallout,  why  then  he  hathahand  in  thejins  of  men* 
 
 I  anfwer,  no,  by  no  means,  he  hath  no  hand  in  any  man's 
 fin.  God  cannot  go  contrary  to  his  own  nature,  he  cannot  do 
 any  unholy  action,  no  more  than  the  fun  can  be  faid  to  be  dark- 
 ened. Here  you  muft  take  heed  of  two  things  ;  as  you  muft 
 take  heed  of  making  God  ignorant  of  men's  fins,  fo  you  mult 
 take  heed  of  making  God  to  have  a  hand  in  men's  fins :  Is  it  a 
 thing  likely,  that  God  is  the  author  of  fin,  that  is  an  avenger 
 of  it?  Is  it  a  likely  thing  that  God  fhould  make  a  law  againft 
 fin,  and  then  have  a  hand  in  breaking  his  own  law  :  is  that 
 likely  ?  and  therefore  to  anfwer  the  objection,  God  in  his  pro- 
 vidence doth  permit  men's  fins,  Acts  xiv.  16.  '  He  fuffered 
 all  nations  to  walk  in  their  own  ways.'  God  permitted  their 
 fin,  and  he  would  never  permit  their  fin,  it  he  could  not  bring 
 good  out  of  it ;  as  the  apothecary  can  make  a  treakle  of  poifon. 
 Had  not  fin  been  at  all  permitted,  God's  juftice  in  punifhing 
 fin,  and  his  mercy  in  pardoning  fin,  had  never  been  fo  well 
 known.  The  Lord  is  pleafed  to  permit  it,  but  he  had  no  hand 
 in  fin. 
 
THE  PROVIDENCE  OF  GOD.  131 
 
 Object.  Hut  is  it  not  j'aul,  that  God  hardetied  Pharaoh's 
 heart  f  Herts  more  than  God's  bare  permitting  of  Jin, 
 
 An/.  God  doth  not  iofofe  evil  into  men,  only  he  withdraws 
 the  influence  of  his  graces,  and  then  the  heart  hardens  of  itlelf ; 
 even  as  the  light  being  withdrawn,  darkneil  prefently  foil* 
 in  the  air:  but  it  were  abturd  to  lay,  that  therefore  the  li<;ht 
 darkens  the  air  ;  and  therefore  you  will  obferve,  that  Pharaoh 
 is  laid  to  harden  his  own  heart,  Exod.  viii.  15.  God  is  the 
 caufe  of  no  man's  Gil  ;  it  is  true  God  hath  a  hand  in  the  action 
 where  (in  is,  but  no  hand  in  the  fin  of  the  action.  He  that 
 plays  upon  a  jarring  inllrument,  but  the  jarring  is  from  itfelf : 
 lb  it  is  here,  the  actions  of  men,  Co  far  as  they  are  natural,  are 
 from  God  ;  but  16  far  as  they  are  finful,  they  are  from  men 
 themielves,  and  God  has  no  hand  at  all  in  them.  And  fo  much 
 for  the  firlt  position,  that  God's  providence  reaches  to  all  places, 
 to  all  perlbns,  and  to  all  occurrences. 
 
 2.  A  (econd  pofition  is  this,  there  are  providences  that  are 
 cafualand  accidental  to  us  that  are  pre-determined  by  the  Lord  : 
 the  falling  of  a  tyle  upon  one's  head,  the  breaking  out  of  a  fire 
 to  us,  is  cafual,  but  it  is  ordered  by  a  providence  of  God.  You 
 have  a  clear  inftance  of  this,  1  Kings  xxii.  34.  *  A  certain  man 
 drew  a  bow  at  a  venture,  and  l'mote  the  King  of  Il'rael  between 
 the  joints  of  the  harnel's.'  This  accident  was  cafual  as  to  the 
 man  that  drew  the  bow  ;  but  it  was  divinely  ordered  by  the  pro- 
 vidence of  God  ;  God's  providence  directed  the  arrow  to  hit 
 the  mark.  Things  that  feem  to  fall  out  cafual,  and  by  chance,  they 
 are  the  iilues  of  God's  decrees,  and  the  interpretation  of  his  will. 
 
 3.  God's  providence  is  greatly  to  be  oblerved,  but  we  are 
 not  to  make  it  the  rule  of  our  actions,  P(al.  cvii.  43.  ■  Whofo 
 is  wife  will  obferve  thefe  things.'  It  is  good  to  obferve  provi- 
 dence, but  we  muft  not  make  it  our  rule  to  walk  by  ;  providence 
 is  a  Chriflian's  diurnal,  but  not  his  bible.  Sometimes  a  bad 
 caufe  prevails  and  gets  ground  ;  it  is  not  to  be  liked  becaufe  it 
 doth  prevail  :  we  mult  not  think  the  better  of  v\hat  is  finful, 
 becaufe  it  is  fuccefsful  ;  here  is  no  rule  for  oui  actions  to  be  di- 
 rected by. 
 
 4.  Divine  providence  is  irrefiftible,  there  is  no  (landing  in  the 
 way  of  God's  providence  to  hinder  it  :  when  God's  time  was 
 come  for  Jofeph's  releafe,  the  prifon  could  hold  him  no  longer. 
 ■  The  king  fent  and  loofed  him,'  Pfal.  cv.  90.  When  God 
 would  indulge  the  Jews  with  liberty  in  their  religion,  Cyrus  by 
 a  providence,  puts  forth  a  proclamation  to  encourage  the  Jews 
 to  go  and  build  their  temple  at  JeruftUm,  ajuJ  wo. (hip  God, 
 Ezra  i.  2,  3.  If  God  will  fhieldand  protect  Jeremiah's  perfon  in 
 captivity,  the  very  king  of  Babylon  mall  uurfe  up  the  prophet, 
 give  charge  concerning  him  that  he  want  nothiug,  Jer.  xxxix. 
 11,  12. 
 
 R9 
 
133  THE  PROVIDENCE  OF  GOD. 
 
 5.  God  is  to  be  trufted  when  his  providences  Peeiri  to  run 
 contrary  to  his  promiles.  God  promiled  David  to  give  him  the 
 crown,  to  make  him  king;  hut  providence  runs  contrary  to  his 
 prcmife  :  David  was  purfued  by  Saul,  wasiu  danger  of  his  lite  ; 
 but  all  this  while  it  was  David's  duty  to  truit  God.  Pray  ob- 
 serve, the  Lord  doth  oftentimes  by  croi's  providence,  bring  to  pais 
 his  promife.  God  promifed  Paul  the  lives  of  all  that  were 
 with  him  in  the  fhip;  but  now  the  providence  of  God  ftdms  Id 
 run  quite  contrary  to  his  promife,  the  winds  blew,  the  (flip 
 fplits  and  breaks  in  pieces  ;  and  thus  God  fulfilled  his  promife; 
 upon  the  broken  pieces  of  the  fhip,  they  all  came  fate  to  more. 
 Truit  God  when  providences  feem  to  run  quite  contrary  to  pro- 
 mifes. 
 
 6  The  providences  of  God  are  chequer- work,  they  are  in- 
 termingled ;  in  the  life  to  come,  there  (hall  be  no  more  mix- 
 ture ;  in  hell  there  is  nothing  but  bitter ;  in  heaven  there  is  no- 
 thing butfweet;  but  in  this  life  the  providences  of  God  are 
 mixed,  there  is  fomething  of  the  fweet  in  them,  and  ibmething 
 of  the  bitter.  Providences  are  juft  like  Ifrael's  pillar  of  cloud, 
 that  conducted  them  in  their  march  ;  it  was  dark  on  one  fide, 
 and  light  on  the  other ;  fo  the  providences  of  God  are  a  dark 
 part  and  a  light  part.  In  the  ark  there  was  laid  up  the  rod  and 
 manna,  fo  are  God's  providences  to  his  children  ;  therein  Ibme- 
 thing of  the  rod,  and  fomething  of  the  manna  ;  fo  that  we  may 
 fay  with  David,  *  I  will  fing  of  mercy  and  judgment.'  Joieph 
 was  in  prifon,  there  was  the  dark  fide  of  the  cloud  ;  but  God 
 was  with  Jofeph,  there  was  the  light  fide  of  the  cloud.  Afher's 
 fhoes  were  of  brafs,  but  his  feet  were  dipt  in  oil,  Deut.  xxxiii. 
 24.  So  affliction  is  the  fhoe  of  brafs  that  pinches  ;  ay,  but  there 
 is  mercy  mingled  with  the  affliction,  there's  t.he|footdipt  in  oil. 
 
 7.  The  very  fame  action,  as  it  comes  from  God's  providence, 
 may  be  good,  which,  as  it  comes  from  men,  may  be  evil.  For 
 instance,  Jofeph  being  fold  into  Egypt,  as  he  was  ibid  by  his 
 brethren,  it  was  evil,  very  wicked,  for  it  was  the  fruit  of  their 
 envy  ;  but  as  it  was  an  act  of  God's  providence,  fo  it  was  good, 
 for  by  this  means  Jacob  and  all  his  family  were  preferved  alive 
 in  Egypt.  Another  inftance  is  in  Shimei'scurfing  David  :  now, 
 as  Shimei  curfed  David,  it  was  wicked  and  finful,  for  it  was  the 
 fruit  of  his  malice;  but  as  his  curling  was  ordered  by  God's 
 providence,  fb  it  was  an  a6t  of  God's  juftice  to  punilh  David, 
 and  to  humble  him  for  his  adultery  and  murder.  The  cruci- 
 fying of  Chrilt,  as  it  came  from  the  Jews,  is  an  a6t  of  hatred 
 and  malice  to  Chrift:  fo  Judas'  betraying  him  was  an  act  of 
 covetoufnefs  ;  but  as  it  was  an  act:  of  God's  providence,  fo 
 there  was  good  in  it,  for,  fee  it  was  an  acl;  of  God's  love  in 
 giving  Chrift  to  die  for  the  world.     Thus  1  have  cleared  to  you 
 
THE   PROVIDENCE  OF   GOD.  189 
 
 the   doctrine  of  God 'fl  prot  in  thefe  feveral  pofitious  : 
 
 lei  me  now  fpeak  fomeining  by  way  of  application. 
 
 I.  By  way  of  exhortation  m  ibefe  particular^     (I.)  Ad- 
 mire Gods  providence  :  the  providence  of God  keeps  the  whoii 
 
 em t ion  upon  Uie  u  heels,  or  ell'e  it  would  loon  be  dijl'nlvtd, 
 and  the  very  axle-tree  would  break  in  pit  res:  it  God's  providence 
 lhould  he  withdrawn  but  for  awhile,  creatures  wrould  bedill< 
 and  run  into  their  ftrft  nothing.  \\  i  hout  this  wife  provi- 
 dence of  God,  there  would  be  anxiety  and  confuhon  in  the 
 whole  world,  jolt  like  an  army  when  it  is  routed  and  Mat- 
 tered. The  providence  of  God  infulVs  comfort  and  virtue  into 
 every  thin^  we  enjoy  ;  our  clothes  would  not  warm  us,  our 
 food  would  not  nourifh  us,  without  the  fpecial  providence  of 
 God.  And  doth  notall  this  delerve  your  admiration  of  providence? 
 
 (2. )  Learn  quietly  to  i'ubmit  to  divine  providence  ;  do  not 
 murmur  at  things  that  are  ordered  by  divine  wil'dom.  We 
 may  no  more  find  fault  with  the  works  of  providence,  than  we 
 may  with  the  works  of  creation  :  It  is  a  fin  as  well  to  quarrel 
 with  God's  providence,  as  to  deny  God's  providence.  Ji  mui 
 do  not  ad  as  we  would  have  them,  they  (hall  act  as  God  would 
 have  them.  His  providence  is  his  mailer- wlitd  that  turns  theft 
 letter  wheels,  and  God  will  bring  his  glory  out  of  all  at  laft : 
 Pfal.  xxxix.  y.  *  I  was  dumb,  and  opened  not  my  mouth,  be- 
 caufe  thou,  Lord,  didft  it.'  It  may  be,  we  think  lbmetimes  we 
 could  order  things  better  if  we  had  the  government  of  the  world 
 in  our  hands  :  but,  alas!  mould  we  be  left  to  our  own  choice, 
 we  fhould  chool'e  thole  things  that  are  hurtful  for  us.  David 
 did  earnettly  defire  the  life  of  his  child,  which  was  the  fruit  of 
 his  (in  ;  now,  had  the  child  lived,  it  had  been  a  perpetual  monu- 
 ment of  his  lhame.  Let  us  be  content  God  (hould  rule  the 
 world,  learn  to  acquiefce  in  his  will,  and  lubmit  to  his  provi- 
 dence :  doth  any  affliction  befal  you  ?  Remember  God  fees  it  is 
 that  which  is  fit  for  you,  or  it  lhould  not  come  ;  your  clothes 
 cannot  be  lb  fit  for  you,  as  your  erodes.  God's  providence  may 
 lometimes  be  fetret,  but  it  is  always  wile  ;  though  we  may  not 
 he  filent  under  God's  didionour,  yet  we  fhould  learn  to  be  iileiit 
 under  his  difplealure. 
 
 (d.)  Vou  that  are  Chriftians,  believe  that  all  God's  provi- 
 dences lhall  conlpire  for  the  good  at  lalt.  The  providence*  of 
 God  are  lometimes  dark,  and  our  eyes  dim,  and  we  can  haidiy 
 tell  what  to  make  of  them  :  but  when  we  cannot  unriddle  pro* 
 Vldence,  believe  it  fhall  work  together  for  the  good  of  the  i 
 Rom.  viii.  28.  The  wheels  in  a  watch  leem  to  move  crolsoue  to 
 another,  but  they  help  forward  the  motion  of  the  watch,  and 
 make  the  larum  ltrike  :  lb  the  providences  of  God  feem  to  be 
 croft  wheels  ;  but,  for  all  that,  they  fhall  carry  on  the  good  of 
 the  elect.     The  pricking  of  a  vein  is  in  itieif  evil  and  hurtful  ; 
 
134  THE  PROVIDENCE  OF  GOD. 
 
 but  as  it  prevents  a  fever,  and  tends  to  the  health  of  the  patient, 
 fo  it  is  good  :  to  aftli&ion  in  itfelf  is  not  joyous,  but  grievous  : 
 but  the  Lord  turns  this  to  the  good  of  his  faints.  Poverty  (hall 
 itarve  their  fins,  afflictions  fhall  prepare  them  for  a  kingdom. 
 Therefore,  Chriftians,  believe,  that  God  loves  us,  that  he  will 
 make  the  mod  crofs  providences  to  promote  hisglory  and  ourgood. 
 
 (4.)  Let  this  be  an  antidote  againft  immoderate  fear ;  for  no- 
 thing comes  to  pals  but  what  is  ordained  by  God's  decree,  and 
 ordered  by  his  providence.  We  fometimes  fear  what  the  iffue 
 of  things  will  be  ;  men  grow  high  in  their  actings:  let  us  not 
 make  things  worfe  by  our  fear.  Men  are  limited  in  their  power, 
 and  (hall  not  go  one  hair's- breadth  further  than  God's  provi- 
 dence will  permit :  he  might  let  Sennacherib's  army  march  to- 
 wards Jerulalem,  but  he  (hall  not  (hoot  one  arrow  againft  it, 
 Ifa.  xxxviii.  3b\  '  Then  the  angel  of  the  Lord  went  forth,  and 
 imote  in  the  camp  of  the  Aifyrians  an  hundred  and  fourfcore 
 and  five  thoufand.'  When  lfrael  was  compaffed  in  between 
 Pharaoh  and  the  red-fea,  no  queflion,  fome  of  their  hearts  did 
 begin  to  tremble,  and  they  looked  upon  themfelves  as  dead  men; 
 but  providence  ib  ordered  it,  that  the  fea  was  a  fafe  pafiage  to 
 lfrael,  and  a  fepulchre  to  Pharaoh  and  all  his  hoft. 
 
 Ufe  2.  Comfort  in  refpectof  the  church  of  God:  God's  pro- 
 vidence reacheth  in  a  more  fpecial  manner  to  his  church,  Ifa. 
 xxvii.  2.  «  Sing  ye  unto  her,  a  vineyard  of  red  wine.'  God 
 waters  this  vineyard  with  his  bleffings,  and  watcheth  over  it  by 
 his  providence,  •  I  the  Lord,  keep  it  night  and  day.'  Such  as 
 think  totally  to  ruin  the  church,  mud  do  it  in  a  time  when  it  is 
 neither  day  nor  night  ;  for  the  Lord  keeps  it  by  his  providence 
 night  and  day.  What  a  miraculous  conduct  of  providence  had 
 lfrael !  God  led  them  by  a  pillar  of  fire,  gave  them  manna  from 
 heaven,  fet  the  rock  abroach.  God  by  his  providence  preferves 
 his  church  in  the  mid(i  of  enemies  ;  which  is  as  to  fee  a  fpark 
 kept  alive  in  the  ocean,  or  a  flock  of  fheep  among  wolves.  God 
 faves  his  church  ftrangely  :  1.  By  giving  unexpected  mercies  to 
 his  church,  when  (he  looked  for  nothing  but  ruin,  Pfal.  exxvi. 
 1.  '  When  the  Lord  turned  the  captivity  of  Sion,  we  were  like 
 them  that  dreamed.'  How  ftrangely  did  God  raife  up  queen 
 Either  to  preferve  alive  the  Jews,  when  Haman  had  got  a 
 bloody  warrant  figned  for  their  execution  ?  2.  Strangely,  by 
 laving  in  that  very  way  in  which  we  think  he  willdeftroy  :  God 
 works  fometimes  by  contraries.  He  raifeth  his  church,  by 
 bringing  it  low.  The  blood  of  the  martyrs  hath  watered  the 
 church,  and  made  it  more  fruitful,  Exod.  i.  42.  The  more 
 they  afflicted  them,  the  more  they  multiplied:  the  church  is 
 like  that  plant  Gregory  Nazianzen  fpeaks  of,  it  lives  by  dying, 
 and  grows  by  cutting.  3.  Strangely,  in  that  he  makes  the  ene- 
 my todo  his  work  :  when  the  people  of  Amnion  and  Moab,  and 
 
THE  COVENANT  OF  WORK?.  135 
 
 mount  Siercame  again  ft  Judab,  God  let  the  enemy  one  againft 
 another,  2  Chron.  xx.  23.  ■  The  children  ot'Aiiimoii  and  Moab 
 iiood  up  againlt  them  of  mount  Sier  to  flay  them  ;  and  when 
 they  had  made  an  end  of  the  inhabitants  of  Sier,  every  one  helped 
 to  deftroy  another.'  In  the  powder-treafon  he  made  the  traitors 
 to  be  their  own  betrayers  :  God  can  do  his  work  by  the  enemy's 
 hand.  God  made  the  Egyptians  fend  air  ay  the  people  oflf- 
 rael  laden  with  jewels,  Exod.  xii.  36.  The  church  is  the  apple 
 of  God's  eye,  and  the  eye-lid  of  his  providence  doth  daily  cover 
 and  defend  it. 
 
 5.  Let  the  merciful  providence  of  God  caufe  thankfulnefs : 
 we  are  kept  alive  by  a  wonderful  working  providence.  Provi- 
 dence makes  onr  clothes  warm  us,  our  meat  nourifh  us.  We 
 are  fed  every  day  out  of  the  alms-bafket  of  God's  providence, 
 That  we  are  in  health  ;  that  we  have  an  eitate  ;  it  is  not  our 
 diligence,  but  God's  providence,  Deut.  viii.  18.  '  Thou  (halt 
 remember  the  Lord  thy  God,  for  he  it  is  that  gives  thee  power 
 to  get  wealth.'  Efpecially  if  we  go  a  ftep  higher,  we  may  fee 
 caufe  of  thankfulnefs  :  that  we  (hould  be  born  and  bred  in  a  go£» 
 pel  climate  ;  that  we  fhould  live  in  i'uch  a  place  where  the  Sun 
 of  righteoufnefs  (hi  Dei  ;  this  is  a  fignal  providence  :  why  might 
 we  not  have  been  born  in  l'uch  places  where  Pagan i ten  prevails? 
 That  Chrift  fhould  make  himfelf  known  to  us,  and  touch  our 
 hearts  with  his  Spirit,  when  he  patfeth  by  others :  whence  is 
 this,  but  from  the  miraculous  providence  of  God,  which  is  the 
 e fleet  of  his  free  grace  ? 
 
 U/'e  3.  See  here,  that  which  may  make  us  long  for  that  time 
 when  the  great  myftery  of  God's  providence  (hall  be  fully  un- 
 folded to  us.  Now  we  fcarce  know  what  to  make  of  God's 
 providence,  therefore  are  ready  to  cenfure  what  we  do  not 
 underftand  ;  but  in  heaven  we  (hall  fee  how  all  God's  provi- 
 dences (ficknefs,  loifes,  futFerings)  carried  on  our  faivation. 
 Here  we  fee  but  fome  dark  pieces  of  God's  providence,  and  it 
 is  impoflible  to  judge  of  God's  works  by  pieces;  but  when  we 
 come  to  heaven,  and  fee  the  full  body  and  pourtaiture  of  God's 
 providence  drawn  out  into  its  lively  colours,  it  will  be  a  glorious 
 iiLrht  to  behold  :  then  we  (hall  fee  how  all  God's  providences 
 helped  to  fulfil  his  promifes.  Never  a  providence  but  we  (hall 
 fee  had  either  a  wouder  or  a  mercy  in  it. 
 
 THE  COVENANT  OF  WORKS. 
 
 Q.  XII.  I  Proceed  to  the  next  queftion,  What  fpecial 
 providence  did  God  exercife  towards  man  in  the  ej'tate  wherein  he 
 leas  created  ? 
 
136  THE  COVENANT  Ot  WORKS. 
 
 Anf.  When  God  had  created  man,  he  entered  into  a  cove- 
 nant of  life  with  him,  upon  condition  of  perfect  obedience,  for- 
 bidding him  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  knowledge,  upon  pain  of  death. 
 
 For  this,  confult  with  Gen.  ii.  16,  17-  *  And  the  Lord  com- 
 manded the  man,  faying,  Of  every  tree  of  the  garden  thou  may  ft 
 freely  eat;  hut  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil, 
 thou  Qialt  not  eat ;  for  in  the  day  thou  eateft  of  it,  thou  (halt 
 furely  die.'  The  fubjedt  then  of  our  next  dilcourfe  i.s,  the  cove- 
 nant of  ivories.  This  covenant  was  made  with  Adam  and  all 
 mankind  ;  for  Adam  was  a  public  perfon,  and  the  reprefenta- 
 tive  of  the  world. 
 
 Q.  For  what  reafon  did  God  make  a  covenant  with  Adam  and 
 his  pofterity  in  iimocency? 
 
 Anf.  1.  To  inew  his  fovereignty  over  us  ;  we  were  his  crea- 
 tures, and  as  God  was  the  great  monarch  of  heaven  and  earth, 
 God  might  impofe  upon  us  terms  of  a  covenant.  2.  God  made 
 a  covenant  with  Adam,  to  bind  him  fait  to  God  :  as  God  bound 
 himfelf  to  Adam,  fo  Adam  was  bound  to  God  by  the  covenant. 
 
 Q.    What  was  the  covenant? 
 
 Anf.  God  commanded  Adam  not  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  know- 
 ledge ;  God  gave  Adam  leave  to  eat  of  all  the  other  trees  of  the 
 garden.  God  did  not  envy  him  any  happinefs  ;  only  meddle 
 not  with  this  tree  of  knowledge,  becaufe  God  would  try  Adam's 
 obedience.  As  king  Pharaoh  made  Jofeph  chief  ruler  of  his 
 kingdom,  and  gave  him  a  ring  orThis  linger,  and  a  chain  of 
 gold,  only  he  muftnot  ■  touch  his  throne,'  Gen.  xli.  40.  In  like 
 manner  God  dealt  with  Adam,  he  gave  him  a  fparkling  jewel, 
 knowledge  ;  and  arrayed  him  with  a  fine  vefiure,  put  upon  him 
 the  garment  of  original  righteoufnefs  :  only,  faith  God,  touch 
 not  the  tree  of  knowledge,  for  that  is  afpiring  after  omnifciency. 
 Adam  had  power  to  have  kept  this  law  ;  Adam  had  the  copy 
 of  God's  law  written  in  his  heart.  This  covenant  of  works  had 
 a  promife  annexed  to  it,  and  a  threatening.  1.  The  promife, 
 '  Do  this  and  live.'  In  cafe  man  had  iiood,  it  is  probable  he 
 had  not  died,  but  had  been  tranflated  to  a  better  paradife.  2. 
 The  threatening,  *  Thou  (halt  die  the  death  ;'  Heb.  ■  In  dying 
 thou  (halt  die  ;'  that  is,  thou  (halt  die  both  a  natural  death,  and 
 an  eternal,  unlefs  fome  other  expedient  be  found  out  for  thy  re- 
 ftoration. 
 
 Q.  But  why  did  God  give  Adam  this  law,  feeing  God  did  fore- 
 fee  that  Adam  would  tranfgrefs  it? 
 
 Anf.  1.  It  was  Adam's  fault  that  he  did  not  keep  the  law ; 
 God  gave  him  a  ftock  of  grace  to  trade  with,  but  he  of  himfelf 
 broke.  2.  Though  God  forefaw  Adam  would  tranfgrefs,  yet 
 that  was  not  a  fufiicient  reafon  that  Adam  mould  have  no  law 
 given  him  :  for,  by  the  fame  reafon,  God  fhould  not  have  given 
 his  written  word  to  men,  to  be  a  rule  of  faith  and  manner*,  be- 
 
THE  COVENANT  OF  WORKS.  137 
 
 caufe  li-  that  fome  would  not  believe,  and  others  would 
 
 be  profane.  Shall  not  laws  be  made  in  the  land,  becaufe  Come 
 break  them?  3.  God,  though  he  fore&w  Adam  would  break 
 the  law,  he  knew  how  to  turn  it  to  a  greater  good,  in  feodiog 
 
 Chrilt.  The  firft  covenant  being  broken,  he  knew  how  to 
 eftablifh  a  fecond,  and  a  better.  Well,  concerning  the  lirft 
 covenant,  confider  theft  four  thin 
 
 1.  The  form  of  the  firfi  covenant,  in  innocence,  was  working; 
 ■  do  this  and  live.'  Working  was  the  ground  and  condition  of 
 our  justification,  Gal.  iii.  K\  Not  but  that  working  is  required 
 in  the  covenant  of  grace  :  we  are  bid  to  work  out  our  lalvation, 
 and  be  rich  in  good  works.  But  works  in  the  covenant  of  grace 
 are  not  required  under  the  fame  notion,  as  in  the  firii  covenant 
 with  Adam.  Works  are  not  required  to  the  justification  of  our 
 pcrfons,  but  as  a  teftification  of  our  love  to  God  ;  not  as  a  caufe 
 of  our  lalvation,  but  as  an  evidence  of  our  adoption.  Works 
 are  required  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  not  lb  much  in  our  own 
 ftrength,  as  in  the  ftrength  of  another  :  •  It  is  God  which 
 worketh  in  you,'  Phil.  ii.  13.  As  the  fcrivener  guides  the 
 child's  hand,  and  helps  him  to  form  his  letters,  fo  that  is  not  fo 
 much  the  child's  writing,  as  fo  much  our  working  as  the  Spirit's 
 co- working. 
 
 2.  The  covenant  of  works  was  very  ftrict.  God  required  of 
 Adam  and  all  mankind,  1.  Perfect  obedience.  Adam  muftdo 
 all  things  written  in  the  ■  Book  of  the  law,'  Gal.  iii.  10.  and 
 not  fail,  either  in  the  matter  or  manner.  Adam  was  to  live  up 
 to  the  whole  breadth  of  the  moral  law,  and  go  exactly  according 
 to  it,  as  a  well  made  dial  goes  with  the  fun  ;  a  linful  thought 
 had  forfeited  the  covenant.  2.  Perlbnal  obedience  :  Adam  mult 
 not  do  his  work  by  a  proxy,  or  have  any  furety  bound  for  him; 
 no,  itmuft  be  done  in  his  own  perfon.  3.  Perpetual  obedience: 
 he  muft  continue  in  all  things  written  in  the  *  book  of  the  law,' 
 Gal.  iii.  10.  Thus  it  was  very  ftrict.  There  was  no  mercy  in 
 cafe  of  failure. 
 
 3.  The  covenant  of  works  was  not  built  upon  a  very  firm 
 baiis  :  therefore  it  muft  needs  leave  men  full  of  fears  and  doubts. 
 The  covenant  of  works  refted  upon  the  ftrength  of  men's  in- 
 herent righteoufnefs  ;  which  though  in  innocency  was  perfect, 
 yet  was  lubjeft  to  a  change.  Adam  was  created  holy,  but 
 mutable  :  he  had  a  power  to  ftand,  but  not  a  power  not  to  fall. 
 Adam  had  a  ftock  of  original  righteoufnefs  to  begin  the  world 
 with,  but  he  was  not  fure  he  would  not  break.  Adam  was  his 
 own  pilot,  and  could  freer  right  in  the  time  of  innocency  ;  but 
 he  was  not  fo  fecured,  but  that  he  might  dafh  againft  the  rock 
 of  a  temptation,  and  he  and  his  pofterity  futfer  fhipwreck,  fo 
 that  the  covenant  of  works  muft  needs  leave  jealoufies  aud  doubt- 
 
 Vol.  I.  Xu.  3.  S 
 
138  THE  COVENANT  OP  "STORK?. 
 
 ings  in  Adam's  heart,  he  having  no  fecurity  given  him,  that  he 
 fliould  not  fall  from  that  glorious  (late. 
 
 4.  The  covenant  of  works  being  broken  by  fin  ;  man's  con- 
 dition was  very  deplorable  and  defperate.  He  was  left  in  him- 
 felf  helplefs  ;  there  was  no  place  for  repentance  ;  the  juftice  of 
 God  being  offended,  fets  all  the  other  attributes  againft  man- 
 kind. When  Adam  loft  his  righteoofuefs,  he  loft  his  anchor 
 of  hope,  and  his  crown  :  there  was  no  way  for  man's  relief,  un- 
 lefs  God  would  find  out  fucha  way,  that  neither  man  nor  angel 
 could  devife. 
 
 Ufe  1.  See  the  condefcenfion  of  God,  who  was  pleafed  to 
 ftoop  fo  low,  as  to  make  a  covenant  with  us.  For  the  God  of 
 glory  to  make  a  covenant  with  dull:  and  afhes  ;  for  God  to  bind 
 himielf  to  us,  to  give  his  life  in  cafe  of  obedience  :  entering  into 
 a  covenant  was  a  fign  of  God's  friendfhip  with  us,  and  a  royal 
 act  of  his  favour. 
 
 9.  See  what  a  glorious  condition  man  was  in,  when  God  en- 
 tered into  a  covenant  with  him.  1 .  He  was  placed  in  the  gar- 
 den of  God,  which  for  the  pleafure  of  it  was  called  paradife, 
 Gen.  ii.  8.  He  had  his  choice  of  all  the  trees  (one  only  except- 
 ed) he  had  all  kinds  of  precious  ftones,  pure  metals,  rich  cedars; 
 he  was  a  king  upon  the  throne,  and  all  the  creation  did  obeif- 
 ance  to  him,  as  in  Jofeph's  dream,  all  his  brethren's  (heaves  did 
 bow  to  his  (heaf.  Man,  in  innocency,  had  all  kinds  of  pleafure 
 that  might  ravifhhisfenfes  with  delight,  and  be  as  baits  to  allure 
 him  to  ferve  and  worfhip  his  Maker.  2.  Befides,  he  was  full 
 of  holinefs ;  paradife  was  not  more  adorned  with  fruit,  than 
 Adam's  foul  was  writh  grace.  He  was  the  coin  on  which  God 
 had  (lamped  his  lively  image  ;  light fparkleth  in  his  underftand- 
 ing,  he  was  like  an  earthly  angel ;  his  will  and  affections  were 
 full  of  order,  tuning  harmonioufly  to  the  will  of  God.  Adam 
 was  a  perfect  pattern  of  fanctity.  3.  Adam  had  intimacy  of 
 communion  with  God,  and  converted  with  him,  as  a  favourite 
 with  his  prince.  Adam  knew  God's  mind,  and  had  his  heart : 
 he  not  only  enjoyed  the  light  of  the  fun  in  paradife,  but  the 
 light  of  God's  countenance.  This  condition  was  Adam  in,  when 
 God  entered  into  a  covenant  with  him  :  but  this  did  not  long 
 continue :  *  man  being  in  honour  abideth  not,'  Pfal.  xiix.  tilt. 
 lodged  not  for  a  night ;  his  teeth  watered  at  the  apple,  and  ever 
 fince  it  hath  made  our  eyes  water. 
 
 3.  Learn,  from  Adam's  fall,  how  unable  we  are  to  (land  in 
 our  own  ftrength.  If  Adam,  in  the  itate  of  integrity,  did  not 
 ftand,  how  unable  are  we  now,  when  the  lock  of  our  original 
 righteoulhefs  is  cut?  If  purified  nature  did  not  ftand,  how  then 
 fhall  corrupt  nature?  We  need  more  ftrength  to  uphold  us  than 
 our  own. 
 
 4.  See  in  what  a  fad  condition  all  unbelievers  and  unpenitent 
 
THE  COVBN4MT  OF  WORKS.  139 
 
 perfonsare;  fo  long  as  they  continue  in  their  fins,  they  con- 
 tinue under  the  curie  of  the  firft  covenant.  Faith  intitles  us  to 
 the  mercy  of  the  fecond  covenant:  but,  while  men  are  under 
 the  power  of  their  fins,  they  are  under  the  curie  of  the  lirft 
 covenant;  and  if  they  die  in  this  condition,  they  are  damned 
 to  eternity. 
 
 5.  See  the  wonderful  good  net's  of  God,  who  was  pleafed, 
 when  we  had  forfeited  the  firft  covenant,  to  enter  into  a  new 
 covenant  with  us.  Well  may  it  be  called  fardus  gratice,  a  cove- 
 nant of  grace;  it  is  befpangled  with  promifes,  a«s  the  heaven 
 with  ftars.  When  the  angels  thofe  glorious  fpirits  fell,  God 
 did  not  enter  into  a  new  covenant  with  them  to  be  their  God, 
 but  let  thole  golden  vefiels  lie  broken  ;  but  hath  entered  into  a 
 fecond  covenant  with  us,  better  than  the  firft,  Heb.  viii.  6.  It 
 is  better,  becaufe  it  is  furer :  it  is  made  in  Chrift,  and  cannot 
 be  reverfed  ;  Chrift  hath  engaged  his  ftrength  to  keep  every  be- 
 liever. In  the  lirft  covenant  we  had  a  poj/e  Jtaie,  a  power  of 
 (landing:  in  the  fecond  we  had  a  non  pojje  cadere,  an  impof- 
 fibility  of  falling  finally,  1  Pet.  i.  5. 
 
 6.  Whomever  they  are  that  look  for  righteoufnefs  and  falva- 
 tion  by  the  power  of  their  free-will,  or  the  inherent  goodnefs 
 of  their  nature,  or  by  virtue  of  their  merit,  as  the  Socinians  and 
 Papifts,  theie  are  all  under  the  covenant  of  works  :  they  do  not 
 fubmit  to  the  righteoufnefs  of  faith,  therefore  they  are  bound  to 
 keep  the  whole  law,  and  in  cafe  of  failure  they  are  condemned. 
 The  covenant  of  grace,  is  like  a  court  of  chancery,  to  relieve 
 the  finner,  and  help  him  who  is  call  by  the  firlt  covenant :  it 
 iaith,  Believe  in  the  Lord  Jefus  and  be  laved  ;  but  fuch  as  will 
 ftand  upon  their  own  inherent  righteoufnefs,  free-will  aud  merit 
 they  fall  under  the  firlt  covenant  of  works,  and  are  in  a  penlh- 
 ing  eftate. 
 
 Ufe  l2.  Let  us  labour  by  faith  to  get  into  the  fecond  covenant 
 of  grace,  and  then  the  curie  of  the  firft  covenant  is  taken  away 
 by  Chrift.  If  we  ouce  get  to  be  heirs  of  the  covenant  of  grace, 
 we  are  in  a  better  ftate  than  before.  Adam  ftood  on  his  own 
 legs,  therefore  fell;  we  ftand  in  the  ftrength  of  Chrift:  under 
 the  firft  covenant,  the  juftice  of  God,  as  an  avenger  of  blood, 
 purfues  you  ;  but  if  you  get  into  the  fecond  covenant,  you  are 
 got  into  the  city  of  refuge,  you  are  fafe,  and  the  juftice  of  God 
 is  pacified  towards  you. 
 
 S  2 
 
140  CONCERNING  SIN\ 
 
 CONCERNING  SIN. 
 
 Q.  XIV.  WHAT  is  fin? 
 
 Anf.  Sin  is  any  want  of  conformity  unto,  or  tranfgrefiion  of 
 the  law  of  God. 
 
 1  John  iii.  4.  ■  Sin  is  a  tranfgreffion  of  the  law.'  Of  fin  in 
 general. 
 
 1.  Sin  is  a  violation  or  tranfgreffion  :  the  Latin  word,  tranf- 
 gredior,  to  tranfgrefs,  fignifies  to  go  heyond  one's  bounds  :  the 
 moral  law  is  to  keep  us  within  the  bounds  of  our  duty  ;  fin  is  a 
 going  beyond  our  bounds. 
 
 2.  The  law  of  God  ;  it  is  not  the  law  of  an  inferior  prince 
 that  is  broken,  but  of  Jehovah,  who  gives  laws  as  well  lo  angels 
 as  men  ;  it  is  a  law  that  is  juft,  and  holy,  and  good,  Rom.  vii. 
 12.  It  is  juft,  there  is  nothing  in  it  unequal ;  holy,  nothing  in 
 it  impure  :  good,  nothing  in  it  prejudicial.  So  that  there  is  no 
 reafon  to  break  this  law,  no  more  than  for  a  beaft  that  is  in  a 
 fat  pafture,  to  break  over  the  hedge,  to  leap  into  a  barren  heath 
 or  quagmire. 
 
 I  fhall  fhew  what  an  heinous  and  execrable  thing  fin  is.  It 
 is  malorum  colluvies,  the  complication  of  all  evil ;  it  is  the  fpirits 
 of  mifchief  diftilled  :  the  fcripture  calls  it  f.  the  accurfed  thing,' 
 Jofti.  vii.  13.  it  is  compared  to  the  venom  of  ferpents,  the  flench 
 of  fepulchres.  The  apoftle  ufeth  this  expreffion  of  fin,  '  Out 
 of  meafure  finful,'  Rom.  vii.  13.  or,  as  it  is  in  the  Greek, 
 '  Hyperbolically  finful.'  The  devil  would  paint  over  fin  with 
 the  vermillion  colour  of  pleaiure  and  profit,  that  he  may  make 
 it  look  fair  :  but  I  fhall  pull  off  the  paint  from  fin,  that  you  may 
 fee  the  ugly  face  of  it.  We  are  apt  to  have  flight  thoughts  of 
 fin,  and  fay  to  it,  as  Lot  of  Zoar,  Gen.  xix.  20.  '  Is  it  not  a 
 little  one  ?'  But  that  you  may  fee  how  great  an  evil  fin  is,  con- 
 fider  thefe  four  things  : 
 
 I.  The  original  of  fin,  from  whence  it  comes :  it  fetcheth  its 
 pedigree  from  hell ;  fin  is  of  the  devil,  1  John  iii.  8.  '  He  that 
 committeth  fin  is  of  the  devil.'  Satan  was  the  firft  actor  of  fin, 
 and  the  firft  tempter  to  fin  :  Sin  is  the  devil's  firft-born. 
 
 II.  Sin  is  evil  in  the  nature  of  it. 
 
 1.  It  is  a  defiling  thing.  Sin  is  not  only  a  defection,  but  a 
 pollution.  It  is  to  the  foul  as  ruft  is  to  gold,  as  a  ftain  is  to 
 beauty.  It  makes  the  foul  red  with  guilt,  and  black  with  filth. 
 Sin  in  fcripture  is  '  compared  to  a  menftrous  cloth,'  Ha.  xxx. 
 22.  to  a  ■  plague-fore,'  1  Kings  viii.  38.  Jofhua's  filthy  gar- 
 ments, in  which  he  ftood  before  the  angel,  Zech.  iii.  3.  were 
 nothing  but  a  type  and  hieroglyphic  of  fin.     Sin  hath  blotted 
 
CONCr.RNINC    SIN".  1  li 
 
 God's  image,  and  ftained  the  orient  brightnefs  of  the  foul. 
 makes  God  lothea  (inner,  Zech.  xi.  S.  and  when  a  (inner  fees 
 his  (in,  he  lothes  himfelf,  Ezek.  xx.  I  .  Sin  drops  poifon  on 
 our  holy  things,  ii  infects  our  prayers.  Che  high  priefl  w 
 rriake  atonement  for  iin  on  the  altar,  Exod.  \xix.  36.  to  typify 
 that  our  ho  lie  ft  fervices  need  Chrrft  to  make  an  atonement  for 
 thetn.  Duties  of  religion  in  themfeives  are  good,  but  (in  corrupts 
 them,  as  the  pureft  water  is  polluted ,  running  through  muddy 
 ground.  The  leper  under  the  law,  it' he  had  touched  the  altar, 
 the  altar  had  not  cleani'ed  him,  but  he  had  defiled  the  altar. 
 The  apoille  calls  (in,  *  Filthinefs  of  flefti  and  fpirit,'  g  Cor. 
 vii.  1.  Sin  (lamps  the  devil's  image  on  a  man  :  malice  is  the 
 devil's  eye,  hypocrily  his  cloven  foot.  It  turns  a  man  into  a 
 devil,  John  vi.  70.  *  Have  not  I  chol'en  twelve,  and  one  of  you 
 is  a  devil.' 
 
 2.  Sin  is  a  grieving  of  God's  Spirit,  Eph.  iv.  30.  ■  Grieve 
 not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God.'  To  grieve,  is  more  than  to 
 anger. 
 
 Q.  How  can  the  Spirit  be  J aid  to  he  grieved  ?  For,  feeing  he 
 is  God,  he  cannot  befubject  to  any  paj/iun. 
 
 An/.  This  is  (poken  metaphorically  :  Sin  is  faid  to  grieve  the 
 Spirit,  becaule  it  is  an  injury  otfered  to  the  Spirit,  and  he  takes 
 it  unkindly,  and,  as  it  were,  lays  it  to  heart.  And,  is  it  not 
 much  thus  to  grieve  the  Spirit?  The  Holy  Ghofl  defcended  in 
 the  likenel's  of  a  dove  ;  (in  makes  this  bletled  dove  mourn.  Were 
 it  only  an  angel,  we  fhould  not  grieve  him,  much  lefs  the  Spirit 
 of*  God  :   Is  it  not  fad  to  grieve  our  comforter. 
 
 3.  Sin  is  an  act  of  contumacy  againft  God  ;  a  walking  anti- 
 podes to  heaven,  Lev.  xxvi.  27.  '  If  ye  will  walk  contrary  to 
 me.'  A  finner  tramples  upon  God's  law,  crofleth  his  will,  doth 
 all  he  can  to  affront,  yea,  to  fpite  God.  The  Hebrew  word 
 for  (in,  Pa/Jiang,  (ignifies  rebellion  :  there  is  the  heart  of  a  rebel 
 in  every  (in,  Jer.  xliv.  1(5.  ■  We  will  do  whatsoever  proceedeth 
 out  of  our  mouth,  to  burn  incenfe  to  the  queen  of  heaven.'  Sin 
 itrikes  at  the  very  Deity  ;  Peccatnm  eft  deicidum :  Sin  would 
 not  only  unthrone  God,  but  un-god  him.  If  the  finner  could 
 help  it,  God  would  no  longer  be  God. 
 
 4.  Sin  is  an  act  of  ditingenuity  and  unkind nefs :  God  feeds 
 the  finner,  keeps  oif  evils  from  him,  bemiracles  him  with  mercy ; 
 but  the  (inner  not  only  forgets  God's  mercies,  but  abufeth  them  : 
 he  is  the  worfe  for  mercy  ;  like  Abfalom,  who,  as  loon  as  David 
 had  killed  him,  and  taken  him  into  favour,  plotted  trealbn  againlt 
 him,  2  Sam.  xv.  10.  Like  the  mule,  who  kicks  the  dam  after 
 fhe  hath  given  it  milk,  vas  pertufum,  2  Sam.  xvi.  17.  Is  this 
 thy  kindnefs  to  thy  friend?  God  may  upbraid  the  finner:  I  have 
 given  thee  (may  God  fay)  thy  health,  ftrength,  and  eftate  ; 
 thou  requiteft  me  evil  for  good,  thou  woundeit  me  with  my 
 
142  CONCERNING  SIN. 
 
 own  mercies;  is  this  thy  kindnefs  to  thy  friend?  Did  I  give 
 thee  life  to  fin  ?  Did  I  give  thee  wages  to  ferve  the  devil  ? 
 
 5.  Sin  isadifeafe,  Ifa.  i.  5.  '  The  whole  head  is  fick  ;'  fome 
 are  lick  of  pride,  others  of  lull,  others  of  envy.  Sin  hath  dif- 
 tempered  the  intelle&ual  part,  it  is  a  leprofy  in  the  head,  it  hath 
 poiloned  the  vitals,  Tit.  ii.  10.  ■  Their  confcience  is  defiled/ 
 It  is  with  a  finner  as  with  a  fick  patient,  his  palate  is  diftempered, 
 the  fweeteft  things  tafte  bitter  to  him.  The  word  which  is 
 '  fweeter  than  the  honey-comb,'  Ifa.  v.  20.  taltes  bitter  to  him, 
 they  put  fvveet  for  bitter.  This  is  a  difeafe,  and  nothing  can 
 cure  this  difeafe  but  the  blood  of  the  phyiician. 
 
 6.  Sin  is  an  irrational  thing;  it  makes  a  man  a6t  not  only 
 wickedly,  but  fooliihly.  It  is  abfurd  and  irrational  to  prefer  the 
 lefler  before  the  greater,  the  pleafures  of  life,  before  the  rivers 
 of  pleafures  at  God's  right-hand  for  evermore.  Is  it  not  irrational 
 to  lofe  heaven,  for  the  fatisfying,  or  indulging  of  lull?  As 
 Lyfimachus,  who,  for  a  draught  of  water,  loft  a  kingdom.  Is 
 it  not  irrational  to  gratify  an  enemy  ?  In  fin  we  do  fo.  When 
 luft  or  ralh  anger  burns  in  the  foul,  Satan  warms  himfelf  at  this 
 fire.     Men's  fins  feaft  the  devil. 
 
 7.  Sin  is  a  painful  thing ;  it  cofts  men  much  labour  in  pur- 
 fuing  their  fins.  How  do  men  tire  themfelves  in  doing  the 
 devil's  drudgery  ?  Jer.  ix.  5.  '  They  weary  themfelves  to  com- 
 mit iniquity.'  What  pains  did  Judas  take  to  bring  about  his 
 treafon?  He  goes  to  the  high-prieft,  and  then  after  to  the  band 
 of  foldiers,  and  then  back  again  to  the  garden.  St.  Chryfoftom 
 faith,  4*  Virtue  is  ealier  than  vice."  It  is  more  pains  to 
 fome  to  follow  their  fins,  than  to  others  to  worfhip  their  God. 
 While  the  finner  travels  with  his  fin,  in  forrow  he  brings  forth ; 
 it  is  called  ■  ferving  divers  lulls,'  Tit.  iii.  2.  Not  enjoy,  but 
 ferve  ;  Why  fo  ?  becaufe  not  only  of  the  flavery  in  fin,  but  the 
 hard  labour ;  it  is  '  ferving  divers  lulls.'  Many  a  man  goes  to 
 hell  in  the  fweat  of  his  brows. 
 
 8.  Sin  is  the  only  thing  God  hath  an  antipathy  againft  :  God 
 doth  not  hate  a  man  becaufe  he  is  poor,  or  defpifed  in  the 
 "world  ;  you  do  not  hate  your  friend  becaufe  he  is  fick,  but 
 that  which  draws  forth  the  keennefs  of  God's  hatred,  is  fin,  Jer. 
 xliv.  4.  *  O  do  not  this  abominable  thing  which  I  hate.'  And 
 fure,  if  the  finner  dies  under  God's  hatred,  he  cannot  be  admit- 
 ted into  the  celeftial  manfions  :  will  God  let  him  live  with  him 
 whom  he  hates  ?  God  will  never  lay  a  viper  in  his  bolbm. 
 The  feathers  of  the  eagle  will  not  mix  with  the  feathers  of  the 
 other  fowls  ;  God  will  not  mix  and  incorporate  with  a  finner. 
 Till  fin  be  removed,  there  is  no  coming  where  God  is. 
 
 III.  See  the  evil  of  fin,  in  the  price  paid  for  it  ;  it  cod  the 
 blood  of  God  to  expiate  it.  *  O  man  (faith  St.  Auiline)  con- 
 fider  the  greatneis  of  thy  fin,  by  the  greatnefs  of  the  price  paid 
 
CONCERNING  SIN.  14  3 
 
 for  fin,'  AH  the  princes  on  earth,  or  angels  in  heaven,  could 
 not  fatisfy  for  fin  ;  only  Chi  ill.  Nay,  CbrUl'f  active  obedience 
 was  not  enough  to  make  atonement  for  (in,  hut  he  mutt  (utter 
 upon  thecrofs;  for,  ■  without  hlood  is  no  remiUioo,'  llrb.  ix. 
 8$,  O  what  an  accurfed  thing  is  (in,  that  Oh  rid  fhould  die  for 
 it  !  The  evil  of  fin,  is  not  Co  much  teen  in  that  one  thouland  are 
 damned  for  it,  as  that  Chi  ill  died  for  it. 
 
 IV.    Sin  is  evil  in  the  effects  of  it. 
 
 9*  Sin  hath  degraded  us  of  our  honour.  Reuben  by  inccft 
 loll  his  dignity  ;  and  though  he  were  the  firft-born,  he  could 
 not  excel,  Gen.  xlix.  4.  God  made  us  in  our  own  image,  a 
 little  lower  than  the  angels  ;  but  tin  hath  dehafed  us.  Before 
 Adam  finned,  he  was  like  an  herald  that  hath  his  coat  of  arms 
 upon  him :  all  reverence  him,  hecaufe  he  carries  the  king's 
 coat  of  arms  ;  but  let  this  coat  be  pulled  off,  and  he  is  defpifed, 
 no  man  regards  him.  Sin  hath  done  this,  it  hath  plucked  off 
 our  coat  of  innocency,  and  now  it  hath  debafed  us,  and  turned 
 our  glory  into  fhame,  Dan.  xi.  131.  "  And  there  fhall  Hand  up 
 a  vile  perfon.'  This  was  fpoken  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  who 
 was  a  king,  and  his  name  fignifies  illuiirious  ;  yet  fin  had  de- 
 graded him,  he  was  a  vile  perfon. 
 
 2.  Sin  difquiets  the  peace  of  the  foul  ;  whatever  defiles,  dis- 
 turbs ;  as  poilbn  tortures  the  bowels,  corrupts  the  blood,  io  fin 
 doth  the  lbul,  U*.  lvii.  c2i.  Sin  breeds  a  trembling  at  the 
 heart;  it  creates  fears,  and  there  is  *  torment  in  fear,'  1  John 
 iv.  18.  Sin  makes  fad  convulfions  in  the  confeience.  Judas 
 was  fo  terrified  with  guilt  and  horror,  that  he  hangs  himielf  to 
 quiet  his  confeience.  And  is  not  he  like  to  be  well  cured,  that 
 throws  himfelf  into  hell  for  eafe  ? 
 
 3.  Sin  produceth  all  temporal  evil,  Lam.  i.  8.  Jerufalem 
 hath  grievoufly  finned,  therefore  fhe  is  removed.  It  is  the 
 Trojan-horfe,  it  hath  fword  and  famine,  and  peflilence  in  the 
 belly  of  it.  Sin  is  a  coal,  that  not  only  blacks,  but  burns.  Sin 
 creates  all  our  troubles;  it  puts  gravel  into  our  bread,  worm- 
 wood in  our  cup.  Sin  rots  the  name,  confumes  the  eilate,  bu- 
 ries relations.  Sin  fhoots  the  flying  roll  of  Gods  curfes  into  a 
 family  and  kingdom,  Zech.  v.  4.  It  is  reported  of  Phocas, 
 having  built  a  wall  of  mighty  ftrength  about  his  city,  there  was 
 a  voice  heard,  '  Sin  is  within  the  city,  and  that  will  throw 
 down  the  wall.' 
 
 4.  Sin  unrepented  of  brings  final  damnation.  The  canker 
 that  breeds  in  the  role  is  the  caufe  ru0  its  perilhing;  and  corrup- 
 tions that  breeds  in  men's  fouls  are  the  caufe  of  their  damning. 
 Sin,  without  repentance,  brings  the  '  fecond  death,'  Rev.  xx. 
 14.  that  is  morsjine  Morta,  Bern.  "  a  death  always  dying." 
 Sin's  pleafure  will  turn  to  forrow  at  lad  ;  like  the  book  the  pro- 
 phet did  eat,  Ezek.  iii.  3.  lweet  in  the  mouth,  but  bitter  iu  die 
 
144  adam's  sin. 
 
 belly.  Sin  brings  the  wrath  of  God,  and  what  buckets  or  engines 
 can  quench  that  fire  ;  Mark  ix.  44.  '  Where  the  worm  never 
 dies,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched/ 
 
 Ufe  1.  See  how  deadly  an  evil  fin  is,  how  ftrange  is  it  that  any 
 one  thould  love  it  ?  Pfalm  iv.  3.  •  How  long  will  ye  love  va- 
 nity ?'  Hof.  iii.  1.  *  Who  look  to  other  gods  and  love  flagons 
 of  wine.'  Sin  is  a  difh  men'cannot  forbear,  though  it  make 
 them  fick;  who  would  pour  rofe-water  into  a  kennel?  What 
 pity  is  it  fo  fvveet  an  affection  as  love  fhould  be  poured  upon  fo 
 filthy  a  thing  as  fin  ?  Sin  brings  a  (ling  in  the  confcience,  a 
 curfe  in  the  eflate  ;  yet  men  love  it.  A  (inner  is  the  greateft 
 felf-denier;  for  his  fin  he  will  deny  himfe-lf  a  part  in  heaven. 
 
 Ufe  2.  Do  any  thing  rather  than  fin.  O  hate  fin  !  there  is 
 more  evil  in  the  lead  fin,  than  in  the  greateft  bodily  evils  that 
 can  befal  us.  The  Ermyn  rather  choofeth  to  die,  than  defile 
 her  beautiful  fkin.  There  is  more  evil  in  a  drop  of  fin,  than 
 in  a  fea  of  affliction  :  affliction  is  but  like  a  rent  in  a  coat,  fin  a 
 prick  at  the  heart.  In  affliction  there  is  aliquie  honi,  fome 
 good  ;  in  this  lion  there  is  fome  honey  to  be  found,  Plal.  cxix. 
 71.  '  It  is  good  for  me  that  I  was  afflicted.'  Utile  eft  anima 
 fi  in  hac  area  mundiflagellis  trituretnr  corpus,  Aug.  "  Afflic- 
 tion is  God's  flail  to  threfh  off  our  hufks  ;  not  to  confume,  but 
 refine."  There  is  no  good  in  fin,  it  is  the  fpirit  and  quinteft- 
 ence  of  evil.  Sin  is  worfe  than  hell ;  for  the  pains  of  hell  only 
 are  a  burden  to  the  creature  ;  but  fin  is  a  burden  to  God,  Amos 
 ii.  13.  '  I  am  preffed  under  your  iniquities,  as  a  cart  is  preffed 
 under  the  (heaves. ' 
 
 Ufe  ulu  Is  fin  fo  great  an  evil  ?  Then  how  thankful  mould  ye 
 be  to  God,  if  he  hath  taken  away  your  fin  ?  Zech.  iii.  3.  'I 
 have  caufed  thy  iniquity  to  pafs  from  thee.'  If  you  had  a 
 difeafe  on  your  body,  plague  or  dropfy,  how  thankful  would 
 you  be  to  have  it  taken  away  ?  Much  more  to  have  fin  taken 
 away.  God  takes  away  the  guilt  of  fin  by  pardoning  grace, 
 and  the  power  of  fin  by  mortifying  grace.  O  be  thankful  that 
 this  ficknefs  is  '  not  unto  death  ;'  that  God  hath  changed  your 
 nature,  and  by  grafting  you  into  Chrift,  made  you  partake  of 
 the  fweetnefs  of  that  olive;  that  fin,  though  it  live,  doth  not 
 reign,  but  the  elder  ferves  the  younger,  the  elder  of  fin  ferves 
 the  younger  of  grace. 
 
 ADAM'S  SIN. 
 
 Q.  XV.  WHATicas  the  Jin  whereby  our firft  parents  fell 
 from  the  eftate  wherein  they  were  created  f 
 
 Anf  The  fin  was  their  eating  the  forbidden  fruit. 
 
145 
 
 Gen.  iii.  (>.  c  She  took  of  the  fruit  thereof,  and  did  eat,  and 
 e  alfo  to  her  huiband. 
 
 Here  is  implied,  1.  That  our  full  parents  f«-U  from  their  efute 
 of  innocency.  9.  The  (in  by  which  they  fell,  eating  the  for- 
 bidden fruit. 
 
 (1.)  Our  fir  ft:  parents  fell  from  their  glorious  Rate  of  inno- 
 cency, Eccl.  vii.  99.  *  God  made  man  upright,  but  they  have 
 fought  out  many  inventions.'  Adam  was  perfectly  holy,  he 
 had  rectitude  of  mind,  and  liberty  of  will  to  good  ;  but  his  head 
 ached  till  he  had  invented  his  own  and  our  death,  he  fought 
 out  many  inventions,  1.  Adam's  fall  was  voluntary  ;  he  had  a 
 po/J'e  non  peccare,  a  power  not  to  fall.  Free-will  was  a  fuifi- 
 cient  fhield  to  repel  temptation  :  The  devil  could  not  have 
 forced  him,  unlefs  he  had  given  his  content :  Satan  was  only  a 
 fuiter  to  woo,  not  a  king  to  compel :  but  Adam  gave  away  his 
 own  power  and  fullered  himielf  to  be  decoyed  into  fin  :  like  a 
 young  gallant,  who  atone  throw,  lofeth  a  fair  lordfhip.  Adam 
 had  a  fair  lord  (hip,  he  was  lord  of  the  world,  Gen.  i.  28.  '  Have 
 dominion  over  the  fifh  of  the  lea,  and  over  the  fowl  of  the 
 air,  and  over  every  living  thing  that  moveth.'  But  he  loll  all 
 at  one  throw.  As  foon  as  he  had  finned,  he  forfeited  paradife. 
 &  Adam's  fall  was  fudden,  he  did  not  long  continue  in  his 
 royal  majefty. 
 
 Q.  How  long  did  Adam  continue  in  paradife  before  he  fell  ? 
 
 Anf.  Toltatus  faith,  he  fell  the  next  day,  Pererius  (kith,  he 
 fell  the  eight  day  after  his  creation.  But  the  moft  probable  and 
 received  opinion  is,  That  Adam  fell  the  very  lame  day  in 
 which  he  was  created  :  fo  Irenaius,  Cyril,  Epiphanius,  and 
 many  others.     The  reafons  which  incline  me  to  believe  fo,  are, 
 
 1.  It  is  faid,  Satan  was  a  murderer  '  from  the  beginning,' 
 John  viii.  44.  Now,  whom  did  he  murder?  Not  the  bleiled 
 angels,  he  could  not  reach  them ;  nor  the  curled  angels,  for 
 they  had  before  deftroyed  themfelves.  How  then  was  Satan  a 
 murderer  from  the  beginning  ?  as  foon  as  Satan  fell,  he  began 
 to  tempt  mankind  to  lin  ;  this  was  a  murdering  temptation. 
 By  which  it  appears  Adam  did  not  flay  long  in  paradife  ;  foon 
 after  his  creation  the  devil  let  upon  him  ;  and  murdered  him 
 by  his  temptation. 
 
 2.  Argument  to  prove  that  Adam  fell  the  fame  day  he  was 
 created:  Adam  had  not  yet  eaten  of  the  tree  of  life,  Gen.  iii. 
 22,  23.  '  And  now  left  he  put  forth  his  hand,  and  take  alfo 
 of  the  tree  of  life,  and  eat ;  the  Lord  fent  him  forth  of  the  gar- 
 den.' This  tree  of  life  being  one  of  the  choiceii  fruits  in  the 
 garden,  and  being  placed  in  the  mid  ft  of  paradife,  it  is  very 
 like  Adam  would  have  eaten  of  this  tree  of  life  one  of  the  firft, 
 bad  not  the  ferpent  beguiled  him  with  the  tree  of  knowledge. 
 So  that  hence  1  conclude,  Adam  fell  the  very  day  of  his  cre- 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  4.  T 
 
146  adam's  sin. 
 
 ation,  becaufe  he  had  not  yet  tailed  the  tree  of  life,  that  tree 
 that  was  mod  in  his  eye,  and  had  fuch  delicious  fruit  growing 
 upon  it. 
 
 3.  Argument  from  Pfal.  xlix.  12.  ■  Man  being  in  honour, 
 abideth  not.'  The  Rabbins  read  it  thus  ■  Adam  being  in  ho- 
 nour, lodged  not  one  night."  The  Hebrew  word  for  abide,  fig- 
 nifies,  "  To  flay  or  lodge  all  night.'  Adam  then,  it  feems, 
 did  not  take  up  one  night's  lodging  in  Paradife. 
 
 1.  Inference.  From  Adam's  fudden  fall,  he  fell  the  fame 
 day  in  which  he  was  created,  learn,  1.  The  weaknefs  of  hu- 
 man nature  :  Adam  in  a  (late  of  integrity,  quickly  made  a  de- 
 fection from  God,  he  foon  loft  the  robe  of  innocency,  and  the 
 glory  of  Paradife.  And,  was  our  nature  thus  weak  when  it 
 was  at  the  bed?  What  is  it  now  when  it  is  at  the  worft?  If 
 Adam  did  not  Hand  when  he  was  perfectly  righteous,  how  un- 
 able are  we  to  (land,  when  (in  hath  cut  the  lock  of  our  original 
 righteoufnefs  ?  If  purified  nature  did  not  (land,  how  then  fhall 
 corrupt  nature  ?  If  Adam,  in  a  few  hours,  finned  himfelf  out 
 of  Paradife,  how  quickly  would  we  fin  ourfelves  into  hell,  if  we 
 were  not  kept  by  a  greater  power  than  our  own  !  but  God  puts 
 underneath  his  everlafling  arms,  Deut.  xxxii.  17. 
 
 2.  From  Adam's  fudden  fall,  he  fell  the  fame  day;  learn 
 how  fad  it  is  for  a  man  to  be  left  to  himfelf.  1.  Adam  being 
 left  to  himfelf,  fell :  O  then,  what  will  become  of  us,  how  foon 
 fall,  if  God  leave  us  to  ourfelves?  A  man  without  God's  grace 
 left  to  himfelf,  is  like  a  fhip  in  a  florm,  without  pilot  or  anchor, 
 and  is  ready  to  dam  upon  every  rock.  Make  this  prayer  to 
 God,  "  Lord  do  not  leave  me  to  myfelf :  If  Adam  fell  fo  foon 
 who  had  flrength,  how  foon  fhall  I  fall  who  have  no  flrength  ?" 
 O  urge  God  with  his  hand  and  leal,  2  Cor.  xii.  9.  *  My 
 flrength  fhall  be  made  perfect  in  weaknefs.' 
 
 (2.)  The  fin  by  which  our  firft  parents  fell  was,  c  eating  the 
 forbidden  fruit;'  where  confider  two  things  ;  1.  The  occafion 
 of  it.     2.  The  fin  itfelf. 
 
 1.  The  occafion  of  it ;  the  ferpent's  temptation  ;  the  devil 
 did  creep  into  the  ferpent,  and  fpakein  theferpent,  as  the  an- 
 gel in  Balaam's  afs;  where  confider,  1.  The  fubtilly  of  Satan's 
 temptation  ;  his  wiles  are  worfe  than  his  darts.  Satan's  fubtilty 
 in  tempting  ;  1.  He  deals  all  along  as  an  impoftor,  he  ufhered 
 in  his  tentation  by  a  lie,  Gen.  iii.  4.  *  Ye  fhall  notfurely  die.' 
 2d.  Lie,  That  God  did  envy  our  firft  parents  their  happinefs, 
 ver.  5.  *  God  knows,  that  in  the  day  ye  eat,  your  eyes  fhall  be 
 opened  ;'  q.  d.  It  is  God's  envying  your  felicity,  that  he  for- 
 bids you  this  tree.  3d.  Lie,  That  they  fhould  be  thereby  made 
 like  unto  God,  ver.  5.  *  Ye  fhall  be  as  gods.'  Here  was  his 
 fubtilty  in  tempting :  The  devil  was  firft  a  liar,  thea  a  mur- 
 derer. 
 
adam's  sin.  147 
 
 (2.)  In  that  he  fet  upon  our  firit  parents  fo  quickly,  before 
 they  were  confirmed  in  their  obedience;  the  angels  in  heaven 
 are  fully  confirmed  in  holinefs;  they  are  rpUtrl  itar^  of  the 
 morning,  Job  xxxviii.  7.  and  they  are  fixed  fur.-.  But  our 
 firlt  parents  were  not  confirmed  in  their  obedience,  they  wt  re 
 not  fixed  in  their  orb  of  holinefs  :  though  they  had  a  pollibility 
 of  Handing,  they  had  not  an  impoflibility  of  falling  ;  they  were 
 holy,  but  mutable  ;  here  was  Satan's  fubtilty,  in  tempting  our 
 firft  parents  before  they  were  confirmed  in  their  obedience. 
 
 (3.)  His  fubtilty  in  tempting  was,  That  he  fet  upon  Eve 
 firft ;  1.  becaufe  he  thought  (lie  was  lefs  able  to  refill.  Satan 
 did  break  over  the  hedge,  where  it  was  weakeft;  he  knew  he 
 could  more  eafily  infinuate  and  wind  himfelf  into  her  by  a  temp- 
 tation. An  expert  foldier,  when  he  is  to  llorm  or  enter  a  caf- 
 tle,  obferves  warily  where  there  is  a  breach,  or  how  he  may 
 enter  with  more  facility  ;  fo  did  Satan  the  weaker  veflel.  c2.  He 
 tempted  Eve  firft,  becaufe  he  knew,  if  once  he  would  prevail 
 with  her,  (he  would  eafily  draw  her  hufband.  Thus  the  devil 
 handed  over  a  temptation  to  Job  by  his  wife,  Job  ii.  9.  '  Curfe 
 God  and  die.'  Agrippina  poifoned  the  emperor  Commodus 
 with  wine  in  a  perfumed  cup  ;  the  cup  being  perfumed  and  given 
 him  by  his  wife,  it  was  the  lefs  fufpected.  Satan  knew  a  temp- 
 tation coming  to  Adam  from  his  wife,  would  be  more  prevailing, 
 and  would  be  lefs  fufpected:  O  bitter!  fometimes  relations 
 prove  temptations  :  a  wife  may  be  a  (hare,  when  fhe  difTuades  her 
 hufband  from  doing  his  duty,  or  enticeth  him  to  evil.  ■  A  nab 
 fold  himfelf  to  work  wickednefs,  whom  his  wife  Jezebel  itirred 
 up,'  1  Kings  xxi.  25.  She  blew  the  coals  and  made  his  fin 
 flame  out  the  more.  Satan's  fubtilty  was  in  tempting  Adam 
 by  his  wife,  he  thought  (he  would  draw  him  to  fin. 
 
 (4.)  Satan's  fubtilty  in  tempting,  was  in  alfaulting  Eve's 
 faith  :  he  would  perfuade  her  that  God  had  not  l'poken  truth, 
 1  Ye  (hall  not  furely  die,'  Gen.  iii.  4.  This  was  Satan's  mat- 
 ter-piece, to  weaken  her  faith  :  when  he  had  fliaken  that,  and 
 had  wrought  her  once  to  diftruft;  then  *  (he  yielded,'  (he  pre- 
 fently  put  forth  her  hand  to  evil. 
 
 2<%,  Satan's  cruelty  in  tempting  :  as  foon  as  Adam  was  in- 
 verted in  all  his  glory,  the  devil  cruelly,  as  it  were  on  the  day 
 of  Adam's  coronation,  would  dethrone  him,  and  bring  both  him 
 and  all  his  pofterity  under  a  curie  :  we  fee  how  little  love  Satan 
 hath  to  mankind  ;  he  hath  an  implacable  antipathy  ugainlt  us, 
 and  antipathies  can  never  be  reconciled.  So  much  for  the  oo 
 cafion  of  Adam's  fin,  tempted  by  the  ierpent. 
 
 II.  The  fin  itfelf,  '  Eating  the  forbidden  fruit.'  This  was 
 very  heinous,  and  that  appears  three  ways  ;  1.  In  refpect  of  the 
 perfon  that  committed  it.  2.  The  aggravation  of  the  fin.  3.  The 
 dreadful nefs  of  the  effect. 
 
 lft,  Very  heinous  in  refpect  of  the  peribn  that  committed   it: 
 
 T  S 
 
148  Adam's  sin. 
 
 Adam  had  excellent  and  noble  endowments;  he  was  illuminated 
 with  knowledge,  embellifhed  with  holinefs  ;  he  knew  his  duty, 
 and  it  was  as  eafy  to  him  to  obey  God's  command,  as  to  know 
 it  ;  he  might  have  cholen  whether  he  would  fin  or  no,  yet  he 
 wilfully  did  eat  of  the  tree  which  he  was  forbidden. 
 
 2dly,  The  aggravation  of  Adam's  (in. 
 
 Q.  Wherein  did  it  appear  to  be  fo  great?  yTwas  but  raptus 
 pomi  ;  was  thisfuch  a  great  matter  to  pluck  an  apple  ? 
 
 Anf.  Befides  that,  it  was  againft  an  infinite  God ;  it  was 
 malum  complexum,  a  voluminous  fin,  there  were  many  fins 
 twilled  together  in  it ;  as  Cicero  faith  of  parricide,  "He  who 
 is  guilty  of  it,  Plurima  commitit  peccata  in  vno,  he  commits 
 many  fins  in  one  ;"  fo  there  were  many  fins  in  this  one  fin  of 
 Adam.  A  big  bellied  fin,  a  chain  with  many  links.  Ten  fins 
 in  it. 
 
 1.  Incredulity.  Our  firft  parents  did  not  believe  what  God 
 had  fpoken  was  truth.  God  faid,  They  (hall  die  the  death,  in 
 the  day  they  ate  of  that  tree.  They  believed  not  that  they 
 mould  die  ;  they  could  not  be  perfuaded  that  fuch  fair  fruit 
 had  death  at  the  door.  Thus,  by  unbelief  they  made  God  a 
 liar ;  nay,  which  was  worfe  they  believed  the  devil  rather  than 
 God. 
 
 2.  U n thank fulnefs,  which  is  the  epitome  of  all  fin.  Adam's 
 fin  was  committed  in  the  midfl  of  Paradife  :  God  had  enriched 
 him  with  a  variety  of  mercies  :  he  had  (lamped  his  own  image 
 upon  him;  he  had  made  him  lord  of  the  world,  gave  him  of 
 all  the  trees  of  the  garden  to  eat  (one  only  excepted)  and  now 
 to  take  of  that  tree  !  This  was  high  ingratitude  ;  this  was  like 
 the  dye  to  the  wool,  which  made  it  crimfon.  When  Adam's 
 eyes  were  opened,  and  he  faw  what  he  had  done,  well  he  might 
 be  a(hamed,  and  hide  himfelf :  to  fin  in  the  midft  of  Paradife, 
 how  could  he  look  God  in  the  face  without  blufliing. 
 
 3.  In  Adam's  fin  was  difcontent :  had  he  not  been  difcon- 
 tented,  he  would  never  have  fought  to  have  altered  his  condi- 
 tion. Adam,  one  would  think,  had  enough,  he  differed  but 
 little  from  the  angels,  he  had  the  robe  of  innocence  to  clothe 
 him,  and  the  glory  of  paradife  to  crown  him  ;  yet  he  was  not 
 content,  he  would  have  more  ;  he  would  be  above  the  ordinary 
 rank  of  creatures.  How  wide  was  Adam's  heart,  that  a  whole 
 world  could  not  fill  it ! 
 
 4.  Pride,  in  that  he  would  belike  God  :  this  worm,  that  was 
 but  newly  crept  out  of  the  duft,  now  afpires  after  a  Deity; 
 •  Ye  (hall  be  as  gods,'  faith  Satan,  and  Adam  hoped  to  have 
 been  fo  indeed  ;  he  fuppofed  the  tree  of  knowledge  would  have 
 anointed  his  eyes,  and  made  him  omnifcient.  But,  by  climb* 
 ing  too  high,  he  got  a  fall. 
 
 5.  Difobedience :    God  faid,    <  Thou  (halt  not  eat  of  the 
 
adam's  siv.  149 
 
 tree  ,'  he  would  eat  of  it,  though  it  coft  him  his  life.  Difohe- 
 dience  is  a  (in  ■  gain  (I  equity  :    a  i>  equal  we  (hould  fenre  him 
 
 from  whom  we  have  our  (ubfiftence;  God  gave  Adam  his  al- 
 lowance, therefore  it  was  but  equal  he  (hould  give  God  Ins  alle- 
 giance :  therefore  difobedience  was  againft  equity.  How  could 
 God  endure  to  fee  his  laws  trampled  on  before  his  face  ?  This 
 made  God  place  a  flaming  fword  at  the  end  of  the  garden. 
 
 (i.  Curiofity  :  to  meddle  with  that  which  was  out  of  his  fphere, 
 and  did  not  belong  to  him.  God  imote  the  men  of  Beth- 
 fhemefii  but  for  looking  into  the  ark,  1  Sam.  vi.  1<).  Adam 
 would  be  prying  into  God's  fecrets,  and  tailing  what  was  for- 
 bidden. 
 
 7.  Wantonnefs  :  though  Adam  had  a  choice  of  all  the  other 
 yet  his  palate  grew  wanton,  and  he  mud  have  this  tree. 
 
 Like  Ifrael,  God  lent  them  manna,  angels'  food,  ay,  but  they 
 had  an  hankering  after  quails  ;  it  was  not  enough  God  did  i'up- 
 ply  their  wants,  unlets  he  (hould  fatisfy  their  lulls.  Adam  had 
 not  only  for  neceflity,  but  for  delight ;  yet  his  wanton  palate 
 lufted  after  forbidden  fruit. 
 
 8.  Sacrilege  :  the  tree  of  knowledge  was  none  of  Adam's, 
 yet  he  took  of  it,  and  did  iacrilegioufiy  rob  God  of  his  due.  It 
 was  counted  a  great  crime  in  Harpalus  to  rob  the  temple,  and 
 ileal  the  filver  vedels  ;  fo  in  Adam  to  ileal  fruit  from  that  tree, 
 which  God  hath  peculiarly  enclofed  for  himfeif.  Sacrilege  is 
 double  theft. 
 
 9.  Murder :  Adam  was  a  public  perfon,  and  all  his  pofterity 
 were  involved  and  wrapped  up  in  him  ;  and  he  (inning,  did  at 
 once  dellroy  all  his  pofterity,  if  free  grace  did  not  interpofe.  If 
 Abel's  blood  did  cry  fo  loud  in  God's  ears,  Gen.  iv.  10.  ■  The 
 voice  of  thy  brother's  blood  crieth  unto  me  from  the  ground  ;' 
 then  how  loud  did  the  blood  of  all  Adam's  pofterity  cry  againft 
 him  for  vengeance  ? 
 
 10.  Prelum ption  :  Adam  prefumed  of  God's  mercy  ;  he 
 blefled  himfeif,  laying,  he  mould  have  peace  :  he  thought, 
 though  he  did  tranigrefs,  he  mould  not  die  ;  God  would  (boner 
 reverie  his  degree,  than  punilh  him.  High  prefumption,  what 
 an  heinous  (in  then  was  Adam's  breach  of  covenant. 
 
 I  .  One  (in  may  have  many  (ins  in  it.  We  are  apt  to  have 
 flight  thoughts  of  fin,  it  is  but  a  little  one.  How  many  Tins 
 were  in  Adam's  fin  ?  O  take  heed  of  any  fin  !  as  in  one  volume 
 there  may  be  many  works  bound  up,  fo  there  may  be  many  (ins 
 in  one  fin. 
 
 ScrVy.  The  dread fulnefs  oftheefYeel:  :  it  hath  corrupted  man's 
 nature.  Hcflf  rank  is  that  poilbn  a  drop  whereof  could  poifon 
 a  whole  lea  ?  And  how  deadly  is  that  tin  of  Adam,  that  could 
 poilbn  all  mankind,  and  bring  acurfe  upon  them,  till  it  be  taken 
 away  by  him,  who  was  made  a  curie  for  us. 
 
150  ORIGINAL  SIM. 
 
 ORIGINAL  SIN. 
 
 Q.  XVI.  DID  all  mankind  fall  in  Adam's  frft  tranf- 
 grejjion. 
 
 An/.  The  covenant  being  made  with  Adam,  not  only  for 
 himfelf,  but  for  his  pofterity,  all  mankind  defcendingfrom  him, 
 by  ordinary  generation,  finned  in  him,  and  fell  with  him  in  his 
 firft  tranfgreffion. 
 
 Rom.  v.  xii.  ■  By  one  man  fin  entered  into  the  world,  and 
 death  by  fin/  &c. 
 
 Adam  being  a  reprefentative  perfon,  he  Handing,  we  flood  ; 
 and  he  falling,  we  fell.  We  finned  in  Adam  ;  fo  it  is  in  the 
 text,  ■  In  whom  all  have  finned.' 
 
 Adam  was  the  head  of  mankind,  and  he  being  guilty,  we  are 
 guilty,  as  the  children  of  a  traitor  have  their  blood  flained  : 
 Unities  unus  tile  Adamfuerunt,  Aug.  M  All  of  us  (faith  Auftin) 
 finned  in  Adam,  becaufe  we  were  part  of  Adam. " 
 
 Obj.  If,  when  Adam  fell,  all  mankind  fell  with  him;  why 
 then,  when  one  angel  fell,  did  not  all  fall? 
 
 Anf.  The  cafe  is  not  the  fame.  The  angels  had  no  relation 
 to  one  another  ;  they  are  called  morning-ftars  ;  the  ftars  have 
 no  dependence  one  upon  another:  but  it  is  otherwife  with  us, 
 we  are  in  Adam's  loins ;  as  a  child  is  a  branch  of  the  parent, 
 we  were  part  of  Adam  ;  therefore,  he  finning,  we  finned. 
 
 Q.  How  is  Adam  s Jin  made  ours? 
 
 Anf.  l.  By  imputation.  The  Pelagians  of  old  held,  that 
 Adam's  tranfgreffion  is  hurtful  to  pofterity  by  imitation  only, 
 not  by  imputation.  But  the  text  confutes  that  '  in  whom  all 
 have  finned.' 
 
 2.  Adam's  fin  is  ours  by  propagation.  Not  only  is  the  guilt 
 of  Adam's  fin  imputed  to  us,  but  the  pravity  and  corruption  of 
 his  nature  is  derived  to  us,  as  poifon  is  carried  from  the  foun- 
 tain to  the  ciftern.  This  is  that  which  we  call  original  fin,  Pf. 
 li.  5.  '  In  fin  did  my  mother  conceive  me.'  Adam's  leprofy 
 cleaves  to  us,  as  Naaman's  leprofy  did  cleave  to  Gehazi, 
 2  Kings  v.  27-  This  original  concupifcenee  is  called, 
 
 1.  The  ■  old  man,'  Eph.  iv.  22.  It  is  faid  to  be  the  old  man, 
 not  that  it  is  weak,  as  old  men  are,  but  for  its  long  ftanding, 
 and  of  its  deformity.  In  old  age  the  fair  blofToms  of  beauty 
 fall ;  fo  original  fin  is  the  old  man,  becaufe  it  hath  withered  our 
 beauty,  and  made  us  deformed  in  God's  eye. 
 
 2.  Original  concupifcenee  is  called  the  law  of  fin,  Rom.  vii. 
 25.  Original  fin  hath  vim  coaciivem,  the  power  of  a  law  :  a  law 
 binds  the  fubjecl  to  allegiance.  Men  muft  needs  do  what  fin 
 will  have  them,  wheu  they  have  both  the  love  of  fin  to  draw 
 
ORIGINAL  SIW.  1  H 
 
 them,  and  the  law  of  fin  to  force  them.  In  original  fin  there 
 is  fomething  privative,  and  fomething  pofitive. 
 
 (I.)  Something  privative.  Carcntia  Jufiitia>  debit<c,  we  have 
 loll  that  excellent  quintt  il'tntial  frame  of  foul  which  once  we 
 had.  Sin  hath  cut  the  lock  of  original  purity,  where  our  llrength 
 lay. 
 
 (2.)  Something  pofitive.  Original  fin  hath  contaminated 
 and  defiled  our  virgin  nature.  It  was  death  among  the  Romans 
 to  poifon  the  fprings.  Original  (in  haih  poilbned  the  fpriog 
 of  our  nature,  it  hath  turned  beauty  into  leprofy  ;  it  hath  turned 
 the  azure  brightnefs  of  our  fouls  into  a  midnight  darknei^. 
 
 Original  fin  hath  become  co-natural  to  us.  A  man  by  nature 
 cannot  but  fin  ;  though  there  were  no  devil  to  tempt,  no  bad 
 examples  to  imitate,  yet  there  is  fuchan  innate  principle  in  him, 
 that  he  cannot  forbear  finning,  2  Pet.  ii.  14.  A  peccato  ceffare 
 tielamit,  who  cannot  ceafe  to  fin,  as  an  horfe  that  is  lame  can- 
 not go  without  halting.— -In  the  original  fin  is, 
 
 1.  An  averfion  fiom  good  :  man  hath  a  defire  to  be  happy, 
 yet  oppofeth  that  which  Ihould  promote  his  happinefs  ;  he  hath 
 a  difguft  of  holinfes,  he  hates  to  be  reformed.  Since  we  fell 
 from  God,  we  have  no  mind  to  return  to  him. 
 
 2.  A  propenfion  to  evil.  If,  as  the  Palagians  fay,  there  is 
 fo  much  goodnefs  in  us  fince  the  fall,  then  why  is  there  not  as 
 much  natural  pronenefs  to  good,  as  there  is  to  evil  ?  Our  own 
 experience  tells  us,  that  the  natural  bias  of  the  foul  hath  a 
 tendency  to  that  which  is  bad.  The  very  heathens  by  the  light 
 of  nature  faw  this;  Hierocles  the  philofopher  faid,  '*  it  is  graf- 
 ted in  us  by  nature  to  fin  :"  men  roll  fin  as  honey  under  their 
 tongue — *  They  drink  iniquity  as  water,'  Job  xv.  16.  Like  an 
 hydroplical  perfon,  that  thirds  for  drink,  and  is  not  fatisfied  :  fo 
 they  have  a  kind  of  drought  on  them,  they  third  for  fin.  They 
 fin,  Eph.  iv.  ly.  though  they  are  tired  out  in  committing  fin, 
 yet  they  fin,  Jer.  ix.  5.  ■  They  weary  themielves  to  commit 
 iniquity  ;'  as  a  man  that  follows  his  game  while  he  is  weary, 
 yet  he  delights  in  it,  and  cannot  leave  otf.  Though  God  hath 
 let  fomany  flaming  fwords  in  the  way  to  (lop  men  in  their  fin, 
 yet  they  go  on  in  fin  ;  which  all  (hews  what  a  ftrong  appetite 
 they  have  to  the  forbidden  fruit. 
 
 That  we  may  further  fee  the  nature  of  original  fin,  confider 
 (1.)  The  univerfaliry  of  .t  ;  it  hath,  as  a  poifon  diffufed  itfelf 
 into  all  the  parts  and  powers  of  our  foul,  Ifa.  i.  5.  *  The  whole 
 head  is  fick,  and  the  whole  heart  is  faint.'  Like  a  fick  patient, 
 that  hath  no  part  found,  his  liver  fwelled,  his  feet  gangrened, 
 his  lungs  perifhed  ;  tuch  infected,  gangrened  fouls  have  we, 
 till  Chrift  (who  hath  made  a  medicine  of  his  blood)  do  cure  us. 
 
 I.  Original  fin  hath  depraved  the  intellectual  part.  As  in 
 the  creation,  ■  darkneia  was  upon  die  face  of  the  deep,*  Gen* 
 
152  ORIGINAL  siy. 
 
 i.  2.  So  the  underftanding ;  darknefs  is  upon  the  face  of  this 
 deep.  As  there  is  fait  in  every  drop  of  fea,  bitternel's  in  every 
 branch  of  wormwood,  fo  there  is  fin  in  every  faculty,  the  mind 
 is  darkened,  we  know  little  of  God.  Ever  fince  Adam  did  eat 
 of  the  tree  of  knowledge,  and  his  eyes  were  opened,  we  ioft  our 
 eye-fight.  Befides  ignorance  in  the  mind,  there  is  error  and 
 miftake  ;  we  do  not  judge  rightly  of  things,  we  put  bitter  for 
 iweet,  and  fweet  for  bitter,  Ifa.  20.  Befides  this,  there  is  much 
 pride,  fupercilioufnefs  and  prejudice,  many  flefhly  reafonings, 
 Jer.  iv.  14.   '  How  long  fhall  vain  thoughts  lodge  in  thee  ?' 
 
 2.  Original  fin  hath  defiled  the  heart  :  the  heart  is  niortife- 
 rum  Junius,  deadly  wicked,  Jer.  xvii.  y.  it  is  a  leller  heft.  In 
 the  heart  are  legions  of  luffs,  obduratenefs,  infidelity,  hypocrify, 
 finful  eftuations  ;  it  boils  as  the  fea  with  paffion  and  revenge. 
 Madnefs  is  in  their  heart  while  they  live,  Eccl.  ix.  3.  The 
 heart  is  Officina  diaboli,  the  devil's  fhop  or  work-houfe,  where 
 all  mifchief  is  framed. 
 
 3.  The  Will.  Contumacy  is  the  feat  of  rebellion  :  The  fin- 
 ner  croffeth  God's  will,  to  fulfil  his  own,  Jer.  xliv.  17.  ■  We 
 will  burn  incenfe  to  the  queen  of  heaven.'  There  is  a  rooted 
 enmity  in  the  will  againff  holinefs ;  it  is  like  an  iron  finew,  it 
 refufeth  to  bend  to  God.  Where  is  then  the  freedom  of  the 
 will  ?  when  it  is  fo  full  not  only  of  indifpofition,  but  oppofition 
 to  what  is  fpirrtual. 
 
 4.  The  affections.  Thefe,  as  the  firings  of  a  viol,  are  out  of 
 tune.  Thefe  are  the  leffer  wheels,  which  are  ftrongly  carried 
 by  the  will,  the  mafter- wheel.  Our  affections  are  mifplaced  ; 
 fet  on  wrong  objects.  Our  love  is  fet  on  fin,  our  joy  on  the 
 creature.  Our  affections  are  naturally  as  a  fick  man's  appetite, 
 he  defires  things  which  are  noxious  and  hurtful  for  him  ;  he 
 calls  for  wine  in  a  fever :  So  we  have  impure  hidings,  inftead  of 
 holy  longings. 
 
 (2.)  The  adherency  of  original  fin.  It  cleaves  to  us,  as  black- 
 nefs  to  the  fkin  of  the  Ethiopian,  we  cannot  get  rid  of  it.  Paul 
 fhook  off  the  viper  on  his  hand,  but  we  cannot  fhake  off  this  in- 
 bred corruption  :  It  may  be  compared  to  a  wild  fig-tree  grow- 
 ing on  a  wall,  though  the  roots  of  it  are  pulled  up,  yet  there  are 
 fome  firings  of  it  in  the  joints  of  the  {tone- work,  which  will  not 
 be  eradicated,  but  will  fprout  forth  till  the  wall  be  pulled  in 
 pieces.  Original  concupifcence  comes  not  as  a  lodger,  for  a 
 night,  but  is  an  indweller,  Rom.  vii.  17.  '  Sin  which  dwelleth 
 in  me.' 
 
 It  is  a  mains  genius,  an  evil  fpirit,  that  haunts  us  wherefoever 
 we  go,  Join.  vii.  12.  ■  The  Canaanite  would  dwell  in  the 
 land.' 
 
 (3.)  Original  fin  retards  and  hinders  us  in  the  exercifes  of 
 God's  worfhip.     Whence  is  all  that  dulnefs  and  deadneis  in  re- 
 
ORICINAL  .six.  1     I 
 
 iou  :  It  is  the  fruit  of  original  Go  i  It  is  this  rocks  us  afleep 
 jn  duty,  Rom*  vii.  19*  *  The  good  that  I  would,  I  do  not.* 
 Sin  is  compared  to  a  weight,  Heb.  xiii.  l.  A  man  that  hath 
 weights  tied  to  h^  legs,  cannot  run  ib  fait ;  It  is  like  that  lilh 
 Pliny  fpeaks  of,  a  l'e.i-lanmrcy,  that  cleaves  to  the  keel  of  a 
 (hip,  and  hinders  its  progrefs  when  it  is  under  (ail. 
 
 (4.)  Original  fin,  though  it  lies  latent  in  the  foul,  and  he  as 
 a  i'pring  which  runs  under  ground,  yet  oft  it  breaks  forth  un- 
 expectedly. Chriftian,  thou  canlt  not  believe  that  evil  which 
 is  in  thy  heart,  and  which  will  break  forth  fuddenly,  if  God 
 leave  thee,  -2  Kings  viii.  13,  15.  *  Is  thy  fervant  a  dog,  that 
 he  (hould  do  this  great  thing?'  Hazael  could  not  believe  he  had 
 fuch  a  root  of  bitternefs  in  his  heart,  that  he  fhould  rip  up  the 
 women  with  child  :  *  Is  thy  fervant  a  dog  ?'  Yes,  and  worts 
 than  a  dog,  when  that  original  corruption  within  was  furred  up. 
 If  one  had  come  to  Peter,  and  laid,  Peter,  within  a  few  hours 
 thou  wilt  deny  Chrilt;  he  would  have  laid,  *  Is  thy  fervant  a 
 dog?'  But  alas!  Peter  did  not  know  his  own  heart,  nor  how 
 far  that  corruption  within  would  prevail  upon  him.  The  fea 
 may  he  calm,  and  look  clear;  but  when  the  wind  blows,  how 
 doth  it  rage  and  foam  ?  lb  though  now  thy  heart  feems  good, 
 yet,  when  temptation  blows,  how  may  original  fin  difcover  it- 
 felf,  making  the  foam  with  lull  and  paflion.  Who  would  have 
 thought  to  have  found  adultery  in  David,  and  drunkennefs  in 
 Noah,  and  curfing  in  Job  ?  If  God  leave  a  man  to  himfelf,  how 
 fuddenly  and  fcandaloufly  may  original  fin  break  forth  in  the 
 holiell  men  alive  ? 
 
 (5.)  Original  fin  doth  mix  and  incorporate  itfelf  with  our 
 duties  and  graces. 
 
 1.  \Vrith  our  duties.  As  the  hand  which  is  paralytica!  or 
 palfy,  cannot  move  without  lhaking,  as  wanting  fome  inward 
 ltrength  ;  lb  we  cannot  do  an  holy  action  without  finning,  as 
 wanting  a  principle  of  original  righteoufnefs.  As  the  leper, 
 whatever  he  touched  became  unclean  :  if  he  touched  the  altar, 
 the  altar  did  not  fan&ify  him,  but  he  polluted  the  altar;  fuch  a 
 leprofy  is  original  fin,  it  defiles  our  prayers  and  tears  ;  we  can- 
 not write  without  blotting.  Though  I  do  not  fay,  that  the  holy 
 duties  and  good  works  of  the  regenerate  are  fins,  for  that  were 
 to  reproach  the  Spirit  of  Chrift,  by  which  they  are  wrought; 
 yet  this  I  fay,  that  the  heft  works  of  the  godly  have  (in  cleav- 
 ing to  them  ;  only  Chrift' s  blood  makes  atonement  for  our  holy 
 things. 
 
 l2.  With  our  graces.  There  is  fome  unbelief  mixed  with 
 faith,  lukewarmnefs  with  zeal,  pride  with  humility.  As  bad 
 lungs  caufe  an  allhma,  or  Ihortnefs  of  breath,  ib  original  cor- 
 ruption, having  infected  our  heart,  our  graces  breathe  now  very 
 faintly. 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  4.  U 
 
154  OKIGINAL  SIW. 
 
 (6.)  Original  fin  is  a  vigorous  a<5tive  princfpte  within  us  ;  ft 
 doth  not  lie  Hill,  but  is  ever  exciting  and  ftirring  us  up  to  evil ; 
 it  is  an  inmate,  very  unquiet;  Rom.  vii.  15.  *  What  I  hate, 
 that  do  I.'  How  came  Paul  to  do  fo  ?  Original  fin  did  irritate 
 and  (tir  him  up  to  it.  Original  fin  is  like  quick-filver,  always 
 in  motion  ;  when  we  are  afleep,  fin  is  awake  in  the  fancy. 
 Original  fin  lets  the  head  a  plotting  evil,  and  the  hands  a  work- 
 ing it :  it  hath  in  it  principium  motus,  not  quietis  ;  it  is  like  the 
 pulle  ever-beating. 
 
 (70  Original  fin  is  the  caufe  of  all  actual ;  it  is  fomes  peccati, 
 it  is  the  womb  in  which  all  actual  fins  are  conceived.  Hence 
 come  murders,  adulteries,  rapines;  it  is  the  Trojan  horfe,  out 
 of  which  a  whole  army  of  impieties  come.  Though  actual  fins 
 may  be  more  fcandalous,  yet  original  fin  is  more  heinous  ;  the 
 caufe  is  more  than  the  effe6fc. 
 
 (80  It  is  not  perfectly  cured  in  this  life.  Grace,  though  it 
 doth  fubdue  fin,  yet  doth  not  wholly  remove  it.  Though  we 
 are  like  Chrift,  having  the  firft  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  yet  we  are 
 unlike  him,  having  the  remainders  of  the  flefh.  There  are  two 
 nations  in  the  womb.  Original  fin  is  like  that  tree,  Dan.  iv. 
 23.  though  the  branches  of  it  were  hewn  down,  and  the  main 
 body  of  it,  yet  the  (lumps  and  root  of  the  tree  were  left:  Though 
 the  Spirit  be  ttill  weakening  and  hewing  down  fin  in  the  godly, 
 yet  the  (lump  of  original  fin  is  (till  left :  It  is  a  fea  that  will  not, 
 in  this  life,  be  dried  up. 
 
 Q.  But  why  doth  God  leave  original  corruption  in  ns  after  re- 
 generation ?  He  could  quite  free  us  from  it,  if  he  pleafed. 
 
 Anf.  He  doth  it,  to  (hew  the  power  of  his  grace  in  the 
 weakelt  believer.  Grace  (hall  prevail  againft  a  torrent  of  cor- 
 ruption. Whence  is  this  ?  the  corruption  is  ours,  but  the  grace 
 is  God's. 
 
 2.  God  leaves  original  corruption,  to  make  us  long  after  hea- 
 ven ;  when  there  (hall  be  no  fin  to  defile,  no  devil  to  tempt. 
 When  Elias  was  taken  up  to  heaven,  his  mantle  dropped  off; 
 fo,  when  the  angels  (hall  carry  us  up  to  heaven,  this  mantle  of 
 fin  (hall  drop  oil:  We  (hall  never  more  complain  of  an  aching 
 head,  or  an  unbelieving  heart. 
 
 life.  I.  If  original  fin  be  propogated  to  us,  and  will  be  in- 
 herent in  us  while  we  live  here,  then  it  confutes  the  Libertines 
 and  Quakers,  who  (ay  they  are  without  fin  ;  they  hold  perfec- 
 tion ;  they  (hew  much  pride  and  ignorance;  but  we  fee  the 
 feeds  of  original  fin  remain  in  the  belt,  Eccl.  vii.  20.  ■  There  is 
 not  a  jult  man  lives,  and  fins  not.'  And  St.  Paul  complained 
 of  a  ■  body  of  death,'  Rom.  vii.  24.  Grace,  though  it  doth 
 purify  nature,  it  doth  not  perfe6t  it. 
 
 Objedt.  But  doth  not  the  apoftle  fay  of  believers,   that  their 
 
ORIGINAL  SIN.  155 
 
 ■  old  man  h  crucified,'  Rom.  vi.  d.  and  they  are  *  dead  to  fit  V 
 Rom.  vji.  1 I. 
 
 An/.  They  are  dead,  1.  Spiritually.  They  are  dead  as  to 
 the  reatns,  the  guilt  of  it ;  and  as  to  the  regnum,  the  power  of 
 it  ;   the  love  of  fin  is  crucified. 
 
 2.  They  are  dead  to  fin  legally.  Asa  man  that  is  fentenced 
 to  death  is  dead  in  law,  To  they  are  legally  dead  to  im  ;  the  i 
 a  fentence  of  death  gone  out  againlt  (in,  it  ihall  die  and  drop 
 into  the  grave  :  But  at  the  prelent,  fin  hath  its  lite  lengthened 
 out ;  nothing  but  the  death  of  the  body  can  quite  free  us  from 
 the  body  of  death. 
 
 Ufe  2.  Let  us  lay  to  heart  original  fin,  and  be  deeply  humbled 
 for  it ;  it  cleaves  to  us  as  a  difeale,  it  is  an  active  principle  m  us, 
 dining  us  up  to  evil.  Original  (in  is  worfe  than  all  actual  (in  ; 
 the  fountain  is  more  than  the  dream.  Some  think,  as  long  as 
 they  are  civil,  they  are  well  enough;  ay,  but  thy  nature  is 
 poilbned  :  A  river  may  have  fair  ft  reams,  but  vermin  at  bottom. 
 Thou  carried  an  hell  about  thee,  thoucand  do  nothing  but  thou 
 defiled  it;  thy  heart,  like  muddy  ground,  defiles  the  pureft 
 water  that  runs  through  it.  Nay,  though  thou  art  regenerate, 
 there  is  much  of  the  old  man  in  the  new  man.  O  how  fliould 
 original  fin  humble  us !  This  is  one  reafon  God  hath  left  original 
 fin  in  us,  becaufe  he  would  have  it  as  a  thorn  in  our  fide  to 
 humble  us.  As  the  bi(hopof  Alexandria,  after  the  people  had 
 embraced  Chridianity,  deliroyed  all  their  idols  but  one,  that  the 
 fight  of  that  idol  might  make  them  lothe  themfelves  for  their 
 iormer  idolatry  ;  fo  God  leaves  original  fin  to  pull  down  the 
 plumes  of  pride.  Under  our  filver  wings  of  grace  are  black 
 feet. 
 
 2.  Let  the  fenfe  of  this  make  us  daily  look  up  to  heaven  for 
 help  ;  beg  Chrid's  blood  to  wa(h  away  the  guilt  of  fin,  and  his 
 Spirit  to  mortify  the  power  of  it ;  beg  further  degrees  of  grace; 
 gratiam  Chrifti  eo  obnoxious  ambiamus.  Though  grace  cannot 
 make  fin  not  to  be,  yet  not  to  reign  ;  though  grace  cannot  ex- 
 pel fin,  it  can  repel  it :  And  for  our  comfort,  where  grace  makes 
 a  combat  with  (in,  death  Ihall  make  a  conqueit. 
 
 3.  Let  original  (in  make  us  walk  with  continual  jealoufly  and 
 watchfulnefs  over  our  hearts.  The  (in  of  our  nature  is  like  a 
 fleeping  lion,  the  lead  thing  that  awakens  it  makes  it  ragQ, 
 The  fin  of  our  nature,  though  it  feems  quiet,  and  lies  as  fire  hid 
 under  the  embers,  yet  if  it  be  a  little  dirred  and  blown  up  by  a 
 temptation,  how  quickly  may  it  flame  forth  into  Icandalous 
 £vil*?  Therefore  we  had  need  always  to  walk  watchfully, 
 Mark  xiii.  37-  '  I  fay  to  you  all,  Watch.'  A  wandering  heart 
 needs  a  watchful  eye. 
 
 us 
 
166  man's  misery  by  the  fall. 
 
 MAN'S  MISERY  BY  THE  FALL. 
 
 Q.  XIX.  WHAT  is  the  mifery  of  that  eftate  whereinto 
 man  fell  ? 
 
 Anf  All  mankind  by  their  fall  loft  communion  with  God, 
 are  under  his  wrath  and  curfe,  and  fb  made  liable  to  all  the  mi- 
 feries  in  this  life,  to  death  itfelf,  and  to  the  pains  of  hell  for 
 ever. 
 
 Eph.  ii.  3.  *  And  were  by  nature  children  of  wrath.'  Adam 
 left  an  unhappy  portion  to  his  pofterity,  Sin  and  Mifery.  We 
 have  already  confidered  the  firft  of  thefe,  original  fin,  now  the 
 mifery  of  that  eftate  ;  in  the  firft,  we  have  feen  mankind  offend- 
 ing, in  the  fecond,  we  (hall  fee  him  fullering.  The  mifery  en- 
 fuing original  fin  is  two-fold. 
 
 Privative.  By  this  firft  hereditary  fin  we  have  loft  commu- 
 nion with  God.  Adam  was  God's  familiar,  his  favourite  ;  but 
 fin  hath  put  us  all  out  of  favour  :  when  we  loft  God's  image, 
 we  loft  his  acquaintance.  God's  banifhing  Adam  out  of  para- 
 dife,  hieroglyphically,  it  fhewed  how  fin  hath  banifhed  us  out 
 of  God's  love  and  favour. 
 
 II.  Pojitive.  In  four  things.  1.  Under  the  power  of  Satan. 
 2.  Heirs  of  God's  wrath.  3.  Subject  to  all  miferies  in  this  life. 
 4.  Obnoxious  to  hell  and  damnation. 
 
 Ift.  The  firft  mifery  is,  By  nature  we  are  '  under  the  power  of 
 Satan,'  whoiscalled,  'The  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,'  Eph. 
 ii.  2.  Before  the  fall  man  was  a  free  denifon,  now  aflave  ;  be- 
 fore a  king  on  the  throne,  now  in  fetters.  And  who  is  man  en- 
 flaved  to  ?  To  one  that  is  an  hater  of  him.  This  was  an  aggra- 
 vation of  Ifrael's  fervitude,  Pfal.  cvi.  41.  '  They  that  hated 
 them  ruled  over  them.'  By  fin  we  are  enflaved  to  Satan,  who 
 is  an  hater  of  mankind,  and  writes  all  his  laws  in  blood.  Sin- 
 ners before  converfion  are  under  Satan's  command,  as  the  afs 
 at  the  command  of  the  driver,  he  doth  all  the  devil's  drudgery. 
 No  fooner  Satan  tempts,  but  he  obeys  :  as  the  fhip  is  at  the 
 command  of  the  pilot,  he  fleers  it  which  way  he  will,  fb  is  the 
 finner  at  the  command  of  Satan,  he  may  fteer  him  which  way 
 he  will  ;  and  he  never  fleers  the  fhip  but  into  hell's  mouth. 
 The  devil  rules  all  the  powers  and  faculties  of  a  finner. 
 
 1 .  He  rules  the  underftanding  :  he  blinds  men  with  ignorance, 
 and  then  rules  them  ;  as  the  Philiftines  firft  put  out  Samfbn's 
 eyes,  and  then  bound  him.  Satan  can  do  what  he  will  with  an 
 ignorant  man  :  he  doth  not  fee  the  error  of  his  way,  therefore 
 the  devil  can  lead  him  into  any  fin  ;  you  may  lead  a  blind  man 
 any  whither  :   Omne  peccatum  fundutur  in  ignorantia. 
 
 2.  Satan  rules  the  will :  though  he  cannot  force  the  will,  yet 
 
hy  run  r  \Lr..  1 '  V 
 
 he  can,  by  temptation,  draw  it,  John  viii.  41.  '  The  luti 
 your  father  ye  will  do.'  He  hath  got  your  hearts,  and  him  ye 
 wilt  obey,  .]er.  xliv.  17.  '  VVe  will  burn  inoenfe  to  the  queen 
 of  heaven.'  When  the  devrl  fpurs  a  (inner  by  a  temptation, 
 be  will  over  hedge  and  ditch,  break  all  God's  law*,  that  he  may 
 obey  Satan  :  Where  then  is  free-will  ?  When  Satan  hath  fuch 
 power  OVW  the  will,  4  his  lulls  ye  will  do.'  There's  not  ;uiv 
 member  of  the  body  but  is  at  the  devil's  ferries  :  the  head  in 
 plot  (in,  the  hands  to  work  it,  the  feet  to  run  the  devil's  errand. 
 Grave  jugiim  fervitutiSj  Cicero.  Slavery  is  hateful  to  a  noble 
 fpirit.  Satan  is  the  wor ft  tyrant ;  the  cruelty  of  Canibal,  or 
 Nero,  is  nothing  to  his.  Other  tyrants  do  but  rule  over  the 
 bodies,  he  over  the  conference:  other  tyrants  have  tome  pity  on 
 their  (laves,  though  they  work  in  the  galley,  they  give  them 
 meat,  let  them  have  hours  for  reft  ;  but  Satan  is  a  mercilefs 
 tyrant,  he  lets  them  have  no  reft.  What  pains  did  Judas  take  ? 
 The  devil  would  let  him  have  no  reft  till  he  had  betrayed  Chrift, 
 and  afterwards  imbrued  his  hands  in  his  own  blood. 
 
 Ufe  1.  See  here  our  mil'ery  by  original  fin,  enflaved  to  Satan, 
 Epb.  ii.  ^.  Satan  is  laid  to  work  effectually  in  the  children  of 
 dilobedience.  What  a  fad  plague  is  this  for  a  (inner  to  be  at 
 the  will  of  the  devil?  Jutt  like  a  (lave,  if  the  Turks  bid  him  di^ 
 in  the  mines,  hew  in  the  (marries,  tug  at  the  oar,  the  flave  mull 
 do  it,  he  dares  not  refute.  If  the  devil  bids  a  man  lie  or  cozen, 
 he  doth  not  refute;  and,  which  is  worle,  men  are  enflaved, 
 and  they  willingly  obey  this  tyrant:  other  (laves  are  forced 
 againft  their  will:  '  Ifrael  fighed  by  reafon  of  their  bondage,* 
 Exod.  ii.  23.  But  finners  are  willing  to  be  flaves,  they  will 
 not  take  their  freedom  ;  they  kil's  their  fetters. 
 
 Ufe  f2.  Let  us  labour  to  get  out  of  this  deplorable  condition 
 fin  hath  plunged  us  into;  get  from  under  the  power  of  Satan  : 
 if  any  of  your  children  were  flaves,  you  would  give  great  fnms 
 of  money  to  purchafe  their  freedom  :  your  fouls  are  enflaved, 
 and  will  you  not  labour  to  be  fet  free?  Improve  the  gof  pel ;  the 
 gofpel  proclaims  a  jubilee  to  captives  :  fin  binds  men,  the  pot- 
 pel  looteth  them,  Paul's  preaching  was  ■  to  turn  men  from  the 
 power  of  Satan  to  God.'  Acts  xxvi.  IS.  The  golpel-ltar  leads 
 you  to  Chriit ;  and  if  you  get  Chrift,  than  you  are  made  free, 
 though  not  from  the  being  of  (in,  yet  from  Satan's  tyranny, 
 John  viii.  36.  '  If  the  Son  make  you  free,  ye  (hall  be  free  in- 
 deed.' You  hope  to  be  kings  to  reign  in  heaven,  and  u  ill  you 
 let  Satan  reign  in  you  now  ?  never  think  to  be  kings  when  you 
 die,  and  Haves  while  you  live  :  the  crown  of  glory  is  for  con- 
 querors, not  captives.  Oh!  get  out  of  Satan's  jurifdidtion  ;  get 
 your  fetters  of  fin  tiled  oft'  by  repentance. 
 
 t}d,  Mifery.  [IVe  are  heirs  of  God's  wrath.'}  In  the  text,  and 
 icere  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath.     Tertuilian's  expohtion 
 
158  man's  misery  by  the  f/lll. 
 
 here  is  wrong,  children  qfivrath,  he  underftands  fubjective,  that 
 is,  fubject  to  wrath  and  pafiion  ;  offending  often  in  the  irraf- 
 cible  faculty  of  a  wrathful  fpirit.  But,  by  children  of  wrath* 
 the  apoftle  paflively  means  heirs  of  wrath,  expofed  to  God's 
 difpleafure.  God  was  once  a  friend,  but  fin  broke  the  knot  of 
 friendship;  now  God's  fmile  is  turned  into  a  frown;  we  are 
 now  bound  over  to  the  feflions,  and  become  children  of  wrath  ; 
 '  And  who  knows  the  power  of  God's  wrath?'  PC.  xc.  11. 
 4  The  wrath  of  a  king  is  as  the  roaring  of  a  lion,'  Prov.  xix.  19. 
 How  did  Hainan's  heart  tremble,  when  the  king  rofe  up  from 
 the  banquet  in  wrath?  Efth.  vii.  7.  But  God's  wrath  is  infi- 
 nite, all  other  is  but  as  a  (park  to  a  flame ;  wrath  in  God  is  not 
 a  pafiion,  as  in  us  ;  but  it  is  an  act  of  God's  holy  will,  whereby 
 he  abhors  fin,  and  decrees  to  punifh  it.  This  wrath  is  very  dif- 
 mal ;  it  is  this  wrath  of  God  that  imbitters  afflictions  in  this 
 life  ;  when  ficknefs  comes  attended  with  God's  wrath,  it  puts 
 confcience  into  an  agony.  The  mingling  of  the  fire  with  the 
 hail  made  it  fo  terrible,  Exod.  ix.  24.  So  mingling  God's 
 wrath  with  affliction,  makes  it  torturing;  it  is  the  nail  in  the 
 yoke.  God's  wrath,  but  when  in  a  threatening  (as  a  fhower 
 hanging  in  the  cloud)  made  Eli's  ears  to  tingle;  what  is  it 
 then,  when  this  wrath  is  executed  ?  It  is  terrible  when  the  king 
 rates  and  chides  a  traitor ;  but  it  is  more  dreadful  when  he 
 cauleth  him  to  be  fet  upon  the  rack,  or  to  be  broke  upon  the 
 wheel:  ■  Who  knows  the  power  of  God's  wrath?'  While  we 
 are  children  of  wrath,  1.  We  have  nothing  to  do  with  any  of 
 the  promifes  ;  they  are  as  the  tree  of  life,  bearing  feveral  forts 
 of  fruit,  but  no  right  to  pluck  one  leaf,  Eph.  ii.  3.  '  Chil- 
 dren of  wrath.'  ver.  12.  '  Strangers  to  the  covenant  of  pro- 
 mife.'  The  promifes  are  as  a  fountain  fealed.  While  we  are 
 in  the  ftate  of  nature,  we  fee  nothing  but  the  flaming  fword  ; 
 and,  as  the  apoftle  faith,  Heb.  x.  27.  '  There  remains  nothing 
 but  a  fearful  looking  for  a  fiery  indignation.'  2.  While  chil- 
 dren of  wrath  we  are  '  heirs  to  all  God's  curfes,'  Gal.  iii.  10. 
 How  can  the  finner  eat  and  drink  in  that  condition?  Like  Da- 
 mans' banquet,  he  fat  at  meat,  and  there  was  a  fword  hanging 
 over  his  head  by  a  fmall  thread  ;  one  would  think  he  could  have 
 little  ftomach  to  eat ;  fo  the  fword  of  God's  wrath  and  curfe 
 hangs  every  moment  over  a  finners  head.  We  read  of  a  flying 
 roll  written  with  curfes,  Zech.  v.  3.  There  is  a  roll  written 
 with  curies  goes  out  againft  every  perfon  that  lives  and  dies  in 
 lin  :  God's  curfe  blafts  wherever  it  comes.  A  curfe  on  the  (in- 
 ner' s  name,  a  curie  on  his  foul,  a  curfe  on  his  eftate,  pofterity, 
 a  curfe  on  the  ordinances.  Sad,  if  all  a  man  did  eat  mould 
 turn  to  poifon  :  the  finner  eats  and  drinks  his  own  damnation  at 
 God's  table.     Thus  it  is  before  convei  lion.     As  the  love  of  God 
 
MAN'S  MISERY   BY   TltL  FALL. 
 
 makes  every  bitter  thing  fweet,  (b  the  curie  of  God  makes  every 
 fweet  tiling  bitter. 
 
 -  e  our  mifery  by  the  fall,  Heirs  of  wrath  :  and  n 
 eftate  to  be  relied  in?  If  a  man  be  fallen  under  the  king's  dif- 
 pleal'ure,  will  lie  not  labour  to  re-ingratiate  himfelf  into  his  fa- 
 vour! O  let  us  flee  from  the  wrath  of  God  !  And  whither  lliould 
 we  fly  but  to  Jefus  Chritt  ?  there's  none  elfe  to  (hield  oil"  the 
 wrath  of  God  from  us,  1  Their,  i.  10.  ■  Jefus  hath  delivered 
 us  from  the  wrath  to  come.' 
 
 I  Subject  to  all  outward  naileries  :  all  the  troubles  incident 
 to  man's  life  are  the  bitter  fruits  of  original  (in.  The  fin  of 
 Adam  hath  *  (ubje&ed  the  creature  to  vanity,'  Rom.  viii.  20. 
 Is  it  not  a  part  of  the  creature's  vanity,  that  all  the  comforts 
 here  below  will  not  fill  the  heart,  any  more  than  the  mariner's 
 breath  can  fill  the  fails  of  a  (hip  ;  Job  xx.  2£2.  *  In  the  midft 
 of  his  furticienry  he  (hall  be  in  ltraits.'  There  is  dill  fomething 
 wanting,  and  a  man  would  have  more:  the  heart  is  always 
 hydropical ;  it  thirils  and  is  not  fatistied.  Solomon  put  all  the 
 creatures  into  a  lembic  ;  and  when  he  came  to  extract  the  fpirit 
 and  quintellence,  there  was  nothing  but  froth,  *  all  was  vanity,' 
 Eccl.  i.  i?.  Nay,  it  is  vexing  vanity  ;  not  only  emptinefs,  but 
 bitternels.  Our  life  is  labour  and  forrow  ;  we  come  into  the 
 world  wrth  a  cry,  go  out  with  a  groan,  Pfal.  xc.  10.  Some  have 
 faid,  that  they  would  not  be  to  live  the  life  they  have  lived  over 
 again,  becaufe  their  life  hath  had  more  water  in  it  than  wine  ; 
 more  water  of  tears,  than  wine  of  joy  :  Qn;d  eft  din  revere  nfi 
 diu  torqtteri,  Aug.  ■  Man  is  born  to  trouble,'  Job  v.  7.  Every 
 one  is  not  born  heir  to  land,  but  he  is  born  heir  to  trouble  ;  as 
 well  feperate  weight  from  lead.  We  do  not  fini(h  our  troubles 
 in  this  life,  but  change  them.  Trouble  is  the  vermin  bred  out 
 of  the  putrid  matter  of  (in.  Whence  are  all  our  fears,  but  from 
 fin?  1  John  iv.  18.  'There  is  torment  in  fear.'  Fear  is  the 
 ague  of  the  foul,  fets  it  a  (halting ;  fome  fear  want,  others  alarms, 
 others  fear  lots  of  relations  ;  If  we  rejoice,  it  is  with  trembling. 
 Whence  are  all  our  difappointments  of  hopes  but  from  fin? 
 Where  we  look  for  comfort,  there  a  crofs :  where  we  ex: 
 honey,  there  we  talle  wormwood.  Wiience  is  it  that  the  earth 
 is  tilled  with  violence,  that  the  wicked  oppretfeth  the  man  which 
 is  more  righteous  than  he  ?  Hab.  i  13.  Whence  is  it  that  fo 
 much  fraudulency  in  deaiing,  fo  much  falfenel's  in  friendfhip, 
 lucli  erodes  in  relations?  Whence  is  it  children  prove  Mdutiful? 
 They  that,  fhould  be  as  the  ftarfof  the  parent's  age,  are  a  (word 
 to  pierce  their  hearts:  whence  is  it  fervants  are  unfaithful  to 
 their  mailers  ?  Theapoltle  (peaks of  fome  who  have  entertained 
 angels  in  their  houfes,  Heb.  xiii.  9.  But  how  oft,  inftead  of 
 entertaining  angels  in  their  houfes,  do  fome  entertain  devils? 
 Whenceareallthemutiniesanddivilionsina  kingdom  ?  3Chron. 
 
160  man's  misery  by  the  fall. 
 
 xv.  5.  ■  In  thofe  clays  there  was  no  peace  to  them  that  went 
 out,  nor  to  him  that  came  in.'  All  this  is  but  the  four  corn  in 
 that  apple  our  firlt  parents  ate,  viz.  fruit  of  original  fin.  Befides 
 all  the  deformities  and  diieafes  of  the  body,  fevers,  convulsions, 
 catarrhs,  Macies  et  nova  fehrium  terris  incubuit  editors — Thefe 
 are  from  fin.  There  had  never  been  a  ftone  in  the  kidneys,  if 
 it  had  not  been  firlt  a  ftone  in  the  heart.  Yea,  the  death  of 
 the  body,  is  the  fruit  and  refult  of  original  fin,  Rom.  v.  12. 
 *  Sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  fin.*  Adam  was 
 made  immortal,  conditionally,  if  he  had  not  finned  ;  fin  digged 
 Adam's  grave.  Death  is  terrible  to  nature  :  Lewis  king  of 
 PVance  forbade  all  that  came  into  his  court,  to  mention  the  name 
 of  death  in  his  ears.  The  Socinians  fay,  that  Death  comes  only 
 from  the  infirmnefs  of  the  conttitution.  But  the  apoftle  faith, 
 Sin  ufhered  in  death  into  the  world  :  by  fin  came  death.  Cer- 
 tainly, had  not  Adam  ate  of  the  tree  of  knowledge,  he  had  not 
 died,  Gen.  ii.  17.  -  In  the  day  thou  eateft,  thou  (halt  furely 
 die,'  implying,  if  Adam  had  not  eaten,  he  fhould  not  have 
 died.  O  then  fee  the  mifery  enfuing  upon  original  fin  !  Sin 
 diffolves  the  harmony  and  good  temperature  of  the  body,  it  pulls 
 this  frame  in  pieces. 
 
 4.  Original  fin  without  repentance  expofeth  to  hell  and  dam- 
 nation. This  is  the  fecond  death,  Rev.  xx.  14.  Two  things 
 in  it  ; 
 
 (1.)  Poena  damni,  Punifhment  of  lofs  :  The  foul  is  banifiied 
 from  the  beatifical  prefence  of  God,  in  whofe  pretence  is  fulnefs 
 of joy. 
 
 (2.)  Poena  fenfus,  Punifhment  of  fenfe  :  The  finnerfeels  the 
 fcalding  vials  of  God's  wrath;  It  is  penetrating,  abiding,  John 
 iii.  3(5.  Referved,  2  Pet.  ii.  17.  If,  when  God's  anger  be 
 kindled  but  a  little,  and  a  fpark  or  two  of  it  flies  into  a  man's 
 confeience  here  in  this  life,  it  be  fo  terrible  ;  what  then  will  it 
 be  when  God  ftirs  up  all  his  anger?  In  hell  there  is  the  worm 
 and  the  fire,  Mark  ix.  44.  Hell  is  the  very  accent  and  empha- 
 iis  of  mifery:  there's  judgment  without  mercy.  O  what  flames 
 of  wrath,  what  feas  of  vengeance,  what  rivers  of  brimftone,  are 
 poured  out  here  upon  the  damned  !  Bellarmine  is  of  opinion, 
 That  one  glimpfe  of  hell-fire  were  enough  to  make  the  molt 
 flagitious  tinner  to  turn  Chriftian  ?  nay,  live  like  an  hermit,  a 
 moft  ftrict  mortified  life.  What  is  all  other  fire  to  this,  but 
 painted  fire?  Ejus  adejje  intolerable  ejus  abejje  impoflibile :  to 
 bear  it  will  be  intolerable,  to  avoid  it  will  be  impollible  ;  and 
 thefe  hell-torments  are  for  ever,  have  no  period  put  to  them, 
 Rev.  ix.  ().  '  They  fhall  feek  death,  and  (hall  not  find  it.'  Ori- 
 gen  fancied  a  fiery  dream  in  which  the  fouls  of  finful  men  were 
 to  be  purged  after  this  life,  and  then  to  pafs  into  heaven  ;  but 
 it  is  for  ever.      The  brealh  of  the  Lord  kindles  that  fire  ;  and 
 
or  th;  \nt  of  grace.  161 
 
 where  Hull  we  fiiul  cnj  ines  or  buckets  to  queacfa  it  ?  Rev.  xiv. 
 II.*  And  the  fmoke  of  their  torment  afcendelh  ap  for  ever  and 
 •  v>  r,  and  they  have  no  reft  night  nor  day,1     Thank  original  Gn 
 
 U>v  all. 
 
 I.  What  fad  thoughts  fhould  we  have  of  this  primitive 
 original  Gn,  that  hath  created  (b  many  mife/lts  ?    What  honey 
 
 can  he  got  out  of  this  lion  ?  What  grapes  can  W€  gather  offthtS 
 thorn  ?    It  lets  heaven  and  earth  againft  us  :    while  we  chute 
 
 tins  bramble  to  rule,  fire  comes  out  of  the  bramble  to  devour  us. 
 9.  How  are  all  In  lit  vers  hound  to  Jefttfl  (..'in  ill,  who  hath 
 freed  them  from  that  milery  to  which  tin  hath  expofed  them? 
 Eph.  i.  7-  '  In  whom  we  have  redemption  through  his  blood.' 
 Sin  hath  brought  trouhle  and  a  curie  into  the  world  :  Chrilt 
 hath  fanctilied  the  trouhle,  and  removed  the  curfe.  Nay,  he 
 hath  not  only  freed  believers  from  milery,  but  purchai'ed  for 
 them  a  crown  of  ^lory  and  immortality,  1  Pet.  v.  4.  *  When 
 the  chief  fhepherd  iliall  appear,  ye  (hall  receive  a  crown  of  glory 
 that  fadeth  not  away.* 
 
 OF  THE  COVENANT  OF  GRACE. 
 
 Q.  XX.  DID  God  leave  all  mankind  to  perijli  in  this 
 ejlate  of/hi  and  mi/evif  f 
 
 An/.  Xo,  he  entered  into  a  covenant  of  grace  to  deliver  the 
 eit  el  out  of  that  eftate,  and  bring  them  into  a  itate  of  grace  by 
 a  Redeemer. 
 
 I  fa.  lv.  3.  c  I  will  make  an  everlafling  covenant  with  you.' 
 Man  being  by  his  fall,  plunged  into  a  labyrinth  of  mifery,  and 
 having  no  way  left  to  recover  himfelf,  God  was  pleafed  to  enter 
 into  a  new  covenant  with  him,  and  fo  reftore  him  to  life  by  a 
 Redeemer. 
 
 The  great  propofition  I  (hall  go  upon  is,  that  there  is  a  new 
 covenant  ratified  between  God  and  the  eleCt. 
 
 Q.    What  is  the  new  covenant  I 
 
 An/.  It  is  a  folemn  compact  and  agreement  made  between 
 God  and  fallen  man,  wherein  the  Lord  undertakes  to  be  our 
 God,  and  to  make  us  his  people. 
 
 Q.    What  names  are  given  to  the  covenant  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  It  is  called  a  covenant  of  peace,  Ezek.  xxxvii.  2(5. 
 becaul'e  it  feals  up  reconciliation  between  God  and  humble  Tin- 
 ners. Before  this  covenant  there  was  nothing  but  enmity  : 
 God  did  not  love  us;  a  creature  that  ollends  cannot  be  loved 
 by  a  holy  God  :  and  we  did  not  love  him  ;  a  God  that  con- 
 demn?, cannot  be  loved  by  a  guilty  creature  ;  ib  that  theie  was 
 war  on  both  tides.     But  God  hath  found  out  a  way  in  the  ne\y 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  4.  X 
 
162  OF  THE  COVENANT  OF  GRACE. 
 
 covenant  to  reconcile  differing  parties,  fo  that  it  is  fitly  called  a 
 covenant  of  peace. 
 
 2.  It  is  called  a  covenant  of  grace,   and  well  it  may  :  For, 
 
 1.  It  was  with  grace,  that,  when  we  had  forfeited  the  firft cove- 
 nant, after  we  had  caftaway  ourfelves.  The  covenant  of  grace 
 is  tabula  poft  naufragium,  as  a  plank  after  fhipwreck.  O  the 
 free  grace  of  God,  that  he  mould  parly  with  finners,  and  let  his 
 wifdom  and  mercy  a- work  to  bring  rebels  into  the  bond  of  the 
 covenant. 
 
 (2. )  It  is  a  covenant  of  grace,  becaufe  it  is  a  royal  charter, 
 all  made  up  of  terms  of  grace;  that  *  God  will  call  our  fins  behind 
 his  back:'  that  *  he  will  love  us  freely,'  Hof.  xiv.  4.  That 
 *  he  will  give  us  a  will  to  accept  of  the  mercy  of  the  covenant, 
 and  ftrength  to  perform  the  conditions  of  the  covenant/  Ezek. 
 xxxvii.  96.     All  this  is  pure  grace. 
 
 Q.   Why  would  God  make  a  covenant  with  us  ? 
 
 Anf.  It  is  out  of  indulgence,  favour,  and  refpecl  to  us.  A 
 tyrant  will  not  enter  into  a  covenant  with  (laves,  he  will  not 
 {hew  them  fuch  refpecl.  God's  entering  into  covenant  with 
 us,  to  be  our  God,  is  a  dignity  he  puts  upon  us.  A  covenant 
 is  infigne  honoris,  a  note  of  diftinclion  between  God's  people  and 
 heathens,  Ezek.  xvi.  22.  ■  I  will  eftablifh  my  covenant  with 
 thee.'  When  the  Lord  told  Abraham  that  he  would  enter  into 
 covenant  with  him,  ■  Abraham  fell  upon  his  face,'  Gen.  xvii. 
 
 2.  as  being  amazed  that  the  God  of  glory  mould  bellow  fuch  a 
 favour  upon  him. 
 
 2.  God  makes  a  covenant  with  us,  to  tie  us  faft  to  him  ;  it  is 
 called  in  Ezekiel,  the  '  bond  of  the  covenant.'  God  knows  we 
 have  flippery  hearts,  therefore  he  will  have  a  covenant  to  bind 
 us  :  it  is  a  horrid  impiety  to  go  away  from  God  after  covenant. 
 If  one  of  the  veflal  nuns,  who  had  vowed  herfelf  to  religion,  was 
 deflowered,  the  Romans  caufed  her  to  be  burnt  alive.  It  is 
 perjury  to  depart  from  God  after  folemn  covenant. 
 
 Q.  How  doth  the  covenant  of  grace  differ  from  thefirfi  cove- 
 nant made  with  Adam  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  Difference,  The  terms  of  the  firft  covenant  were 
 more  ttricl  and  fevere.  For,  1.  The  lead  failing  would  have 
 made  the  covenant  with  Adam  null  and  void,  but  many  failings 
 do  not  null  the  covenant  of  grace :  I  grant,  the  leaft  fin  is  a 
 trefpafs  upon  the  covenant,  but  it  doth  not  make  it  null  and 
 void.  There  may  be  many  failings  in  the  conjugal  relation, 
 but  every  failing  doth  not  break  the  marriage-bond.  It  would 
 be  fad,  if,  as  oft  as  we  break  covenant  with  God  he  mould  break 
 covenant  with  us;  but  God  will  not  take  advantage  of  every 
 failing,  but  in  •  anger  remember  mercy.' 
 
 2.  The  firft  covenant  being  broken,  allowed  the  finner  no 
 remedy,  all  doors  of  hope  were  (hut ;  but  the  new  covenant 
 
OF  THE  COVENANT    OF  (iRACr.  163 
 
 allows  the  firmer  a  remedy  :  it  loaves  room  for  repentance,  it 
 provides  a  mediator,  Heb.  xii.  84,  *  Jefua  the  mediator  of  the 
 new  covenant.' 
 
 Sd  Differ.  The  firft  covenant  did  run  all  upon  '  working,'  the 
 fecond  upon  *  believing,'  Jtom.  iv.  5. 
 
 Q.  But  are  not  works  required  in  the  covenant  of  grace  ? 
 
 An/.  Ves;  Tit.  ill.  8.  '  This  is  a  faithful  laying,  that  they 
 which  believe  in  God,  be  careful  to  maintain  good  works.'  But 
 the  covenant  of  grace  doth  not  require  works  m  the  lame  man- 
 ner as  the  covenant  of  works  did.  In  the  (hit  covenant,  works 
 were  required  as  the  condition  of  life  ;  in  the  fecond,  they  are 
 required  only  as  the  ligns  of  a  man  that  is  alive.  In  the  hi  it 
 covenant,  works  were  required  as  grounds  of  falvation  ;  in  the 
 new  covenant,  they  are  required  as  evidences  of  our  love  to  God. 
 In  the  firft,  they  were  required  to  the  juftification  of  our  peribus; 
 in  the  new,  to  the  teftification  of  our  grace. 
 
 Q.    What  is  the  condition  of  the  covenant  of  grace  ? 
 
 Anf.  The  main  condition  is  faith. 
 
 Q.  But  why  is  faith  more  the  condition  of  the  new  covenant 
 than  any  other  grace  f 
 
 Anf.  To  exclude  all  glorying  in  the  creature;  faith  is  an 
 humble  grace.  If  repentance  or  works  were  the  condition  of 
 the  covenant,  a  man  would  lay,  It  is  my  righteouihefs  hath 
 iaved  me  :  but  if  it  be  of  faith,  where  is  boaiting  ?  Faith  fetcheth 
 all  from  Chriit,  and  gives  all  the  glory  to  Chrift;  it  is  a  molt 
 humble  grace.  Hence  it  is  God  hath  fiiigled  out  this  grace  to 
 be  the  condition  of  the  covenant. 
 
 And  if  faith  be  the  condition  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  it  ex- 
 cludes defperate  prelum ptuous  tinners  from  the  covenant.  They 
 fay  there  is  a  covenant  of  grace,  and  they  fhall  be  laved  :  but 
 did  you  ever  know  a  bond  without  a  condition  ?  The  condition 
 of  the  covenant  is  faith,  and  if  thou  haft  no  faith,  thou  halt  no 
 more  to  do  with  the  covenant  than  a  foreigner  or  a  country  far- 
 mer with  the  city  charter. 
 
 life  1.  Of  information.  See  the  amazing  goodnefs  of  God, 
 to  enter  into  covenant  with  us  :  he  never  entered  into  cove- 
 nant with  the  angels  when  they  fell.  It  was  much  condefcenfion 
 in  God  to  enter  into  covenant  with  us  in  a  itate  of  innocencv, 
 but  it  was  more  to  enter  in  a  ltate  of  enmity.  In  this  covenant 
 of  grace,  we  may  fee  the  cream  of  God's  love,  and  the  working 
 of  his  bowels  to  linners.  This  is  a  marriage  covenant,  Jer.  iii. 
 14.  '  I  am  married  to  you,  faith  the  Lord.'  In  the  new  cove- 
 nant, God  makes  himlelf  over  to  us,  and  what  can  he  give  more? 
 And  he  makes  over  his  promiles  to  us,  and  what  better  bond  can 
 we  have  ? 
 
 Ufe  2.  Of  trial.  Whether  we  are  in  covenant  with  God. 
 There  are  three  charaft 
 
 X9 
 
164  OF  THE  COVENANT  OP  GRACE. 
 
 1.  God's  covemnt-people  are  an  humble  people,  1  Pet.  v. 
 5.  *  Be  ye  clothed  with  humility.'  God's  people  efteem  of 
 others  better  than  themfelves  ;  they  fhrink  into  nothing  in  their 
 own  thoughts,  Phil.  ii.  3.  David  cries  out,  '  I  am  a  worm, 
 and  no  man,'  Pfal.  xxii.  6.  though  a  faint,  though  a  king,  yet 
 a  worm.  When  Mofes'  face  fhined,  he  covered  it  with  a  veil : 
 God's  people,  when  they  fhine  molt  in  grace,  are  covered  with 
 *  the  veil  of  humility.'  Pride  excludes  from  the  covenant;  'God 
 refifteth  the  proud,'  1  Pet.  i.  3.  and  fure  fuch  are  not  in  cove- 
 nant with  God,  whom  he  refills. 
 
 2.  A  people  in  covenant  with  God,  area  willing  people ; 
 though  they  cannot  ferve  God  perfectly,  they  ferve  him  willingly. 
 They  do  not  grudge  God  a  little  time  fpent  in  his  worfhip; 
 they  do  not  hefitate  or  murmur  at  fufferings ;  they  will  go 
 through  a  fea  and  a  wildernefs,  if  God  call ;  Pial.  ex.  3.  '  Thy 
 people  mail  be  a  willing  people:'  Heb.  ■  a  people  of  willing- 
 nefs.'  This  fpontanity  and  willingnefs,  is  from  the  attractive 
 power  of  God's  Spirit :  the  Spirit  doth  not  impellere,  force,  but 
 trahere,  fweetly  draw  the  will ;  and  this  willingnefs  in  religion, 
 makes  all  our  lervices  accepted.  God  doth  fometimes  accept  of 
 willingnefs  without  the  work,  but  never  the  work  without  wil- 
 lingnefs. 
 
 3.  God's  covenant- people  are  a  confecrated  people,  they  have 
 holinefs  to  the  Lord  written  upon  them,  Deut.  vii.  6.  •  Thou 
 art  a  holy  people  to  the  Lord  thy  God.'  God's  covenant- people 
 are  feparated  from  the  world,  and  fan&ified  by  the  Spirit.  The 
 prlefts  under  the  law  were  not  only  to  wafh  in  the  great  laver, 
 but  were  arrayed  with  glorious  apparel,  Exod.  xxviii.  2.  This 
 was  typical,  to  (hew  God's  people  are  not  only  warned  from 
 grols  fins,  but  adorned  with  holinefs  of  heart;  they  bear  not 
 only  God's  name,  but  image.  Tamerlane  refufed  a  pot  of  gold, 
 when  he  faw  it  had  not  his  father's  (ramp  upon  it  but  the  Ro- 
 man (lamp.  Holinefs  is  God's  ftamp,  if  he  doth  not  fee  this 
 ftamp  upon  us,  he  will  not  own  us  for  his  covenant- people. 
 
 Uje  3.  Of  Exhortation.  To  fuch  as  are  out  of  covenant,  la- 
 bour to  get  into  covenant,  and  have  God  for  your  God.  How 
 glad  would  the  old  world  have  been  of  an  ark  ?  How  induftrious 
 fhould  we  be  to  get  within  the  ark  of  the  covenant?  Confider, 
 1.  The  mifery  of  fuch  as  live  and  die  out  of  the  covenant  with 
 God.  (L.)  Such  have  none  to  go  to  in  an  hour  of  diftreis. 
 When  conference  accufeth,  when  ficknefs  approacheth,  (which 
 is  but  an  harbinger  to  befpeak  a  lodging  for  death)  then  what 
 will  you  do?  Whither  will  you  flee  ?  Will  you  look  to  Chrift 
 for  help?  He  is  a  mediator  only  for  fuch  as  are  in  covenant. 
 O  how  will  you  be  filled  with  horror  and  defpair  !  and  be  as 
 Saul,  1  Sam.  xxviii.  15.  ■  The  Philiitines  make  war  againft  me, 
 and  the  Lord  is  departed.'     (c2.)  Till  you  are  in  covenant  with 
 
TIIF,  rOVr.N.VN'T  OF  CRAfC. 
 
 God,  tin  10  is  no  rnency.  The  rtiercy-feat  was  placed  upon  the 
 ark,  ami  the  n  than  the  ark;  to  (hew, 
 
 thai  the  on  rev  "I  God  rea<  heth  no  Further  than  the  covenant. 
 I  \     l'  the  covenant  ol  :   it  m  i  better 
 
 covenant  than  tin  covenant  made  with  Adam.  I  ft,  Bccaufe 
 it  is  more  friendly  and  propitious.      Thai  §  which  would 
 
 have  been  rejected  in  tin-  lirii  covenant,  are  accepted  in  the  fe- 
 cond.  Here  God  accepts  ot  the  \v;ll  for  the  deed,  (2  Cor.  viii. 
 10.  here  (inceritv  i  I  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  wherein 
 
 we  are  Weak,  t^>d  will  give  ftrengili ;  and  wherein  we  come 
 fhort,  God  will  accept  or  a  tnr<t\.  ScHy,  It  is  a  better  cove- 
 nant, becaufe  it  is  furef,  2  Sam.  xxiu.  :>.  '  Thou  halt  made 
 with  mean  everlafting  covenant,  ordered  in  all  things,  and  lure.' 
 The  tirft  covenant  was  not  lure,  it  flood  upon  a  tottering  foun- 
 dation, works;  Adam  had  no  fooiur  a  (lock  of  righteoufti 
 trade  with,  hut  he  broke  :  hut  the  covenant  of  grace  is  l'u: 
 is  confirmed  with  God's  decree,  and  it  relts  upon  two  mighty 
 pillars,  the  oath  of  God,  and  the  blood  of  God.  3dly ,  It  hath 
 better  privileges.  The  covenant  of  grace  brings  preferment. 
 Our  nature  is  new  more  ennobled,  we  areraifed  to  higher  glory 
 than  in  innocencv,  we  are  advanced  to  (it  upon  Chrili's  throne, 
 iii.  LJI .  We  are  by  virtue  of  the  covenant  of  grace  nearer 
 to  Chrilt  than  the  angeh  :  they  are  his  friends,  we  his  f[>oufe. 
 3.  God  is  willing  to  be  in  covenant  with  you.  Why  doth  God 
 woo  and  befeech  you  by  his  ambalfadors  to  be  reconciled,  if  he 
 were  not  willing  to  be  in  covenant. 
 
 Ohj.  /  would  fain  he  in  covenant  with  God,  but  I  have  been  a 
 great  /inner,  and  I  '/  will  not  admit  me  into  covenant. 
 
 Ai<i\  If  thou  feeft  thy  (ins,  and  loiheft  thyfelf  for  them,  yet 
 God  will  take  thee  into  covenant,  lla.  xliii.  L2\.  *  Thou  halt 
 wearied  me  with  thy  iniquities,  I,  even  I,  am  he,  that  blotteth 
 out  thy  tranlgiellions.'  As  the  lea  covers  great  rocks,  fo  God's 
 covenant-mercy  covers  great  fins.  Some  of  the  Jews  that  cru- 
 cified Chrilt,  yet  had  their  (ins  warned  away  in  his  blood. 
 
 Obj.  But  lam  not  worthy  that  ever  God jhould  admit  me  into 
 cove 
 
 An/.  It  never  came  into  God's  thought  to  make  a  new  cove- 
 nant upon  terms  of  worth inefs.  If  God  lhould  (hew  mercy  to 
 none  but  fuch  as  are  worthy,  then  he  mult  (hew  mercy  to  none 
 at  all.  But  it  is  God's  delign  in  the  new  covenant  to  advance 
 the  riches  of  grace,  to  love  us  freely  :  and  when  we  have  no 
 worthinefs  of  our  own,  to  accept  us  through  Chrili's  worthinefs. 
 Therefore  let  not  nnworthinets  difcourage  you  ;  it  is  not  un- 
 wortliinels  excludes  any  from  the  covenant,  but  unwiilingnefs. 
 
 Q.    What  fliall  we  do  that  we  may  he  in  covenant  with  God9 
 
 An/.  1.  Seek  to  God  by  prayer.  Exige  a  Domino  mi/ericor- 
 dium,  Aug.  «•  Lord,  be  my  God  in  covenant."    The  Lord  hath 
 
166  OF  TJIE  COVENANT  OF  GRACE, 
 
 made  an  exprefs  promife,  that,  upon  our  prayer  to  him,  the 
 covenant  mould  be  ratified,  he  will  be  our  God,  and  we  (hall 
 be  his  people,  Zech.  xiii.  0.  «  They  (nail  call  upon  my  name, 
 and  I  will  hear  them  ;  I  will  fay  it  is  my  people  ;  and  they  mail 
 %,  the  Lord  is  my  God.'  Only  it  mull  be  an  importunate 
 prayer;   come  as  earneft  fuiters,  refolve  to  take  no  denial. 
 
 2.  If  you  would  be  in  covenant  with  God,  break  off  the  cove- 
 nant with  fin  ;  before  ihe  marriage  covenant  there  mult  be  a 
 divorce,  I  Sam.  vii.  3.  '  If  ye  return  to  the  Lord  with  all  your 
 hearts,  put  away  the  ftrange  gods  ;  and  they  put  away  Alhta- 
 roth  ;'  viz.  their  female  gods.  Will  any  King  enter  into  cove- 
 nant with  that  man  who  is  in  league  with  his  enemies? 
 
 3.  If  you  would  enter  into  the  bond  of  the  covenant,  get 
 faith  in  the  blood  of  the  covenant.  Chrift's  blood  is  the  blood 
 of  atonement  ;  believe  in  this  blood,  and  you  are  lafely  arked 
 in  God's  mercy  ;  Eph.  ii.  13.  ■  Ye  are  made  nigh  by  the  blood 
 ofChrift.' 
 
 Ufe  4.  Of  comfort  to  fuch  as  can  make  out  their  covenant- 
 intereft  in  God.  (L.)  You  that  are  in  covenant  with  God,  all 
 your  fins  are  pardoned.  Pardon  is  the  crowning  mercy,  Pfalm 
 ciii.  3.  *  Who  forgiveth  thy  iniquity,  who  crowneth  thee,  &c.' 
 This  is  a  breach  of  the  covenant,  Jer.  xxxi.  33.  ■  I  will  be 
 their  God,  and  I  will  forgive  their  iniquity.'  Sin  being  pardoned, 
 all  wrath  ceafeth.  How  terrible  is  it  when  but  a  fpark  of  God's 
 wrath  flies  into  a  man's  confcience?  But  (in  being  forgiven,  no 
 more  wrath.  God  doth  not  appear  now  in  the  fire  or  earth- 
 quake, but  covered  with  a  rain-bow  full  of  mercy. 
 
 2.  All  your  temporal  mercies  are  fruits  of  the  covenant. 
 Wicked  men  have  mercies  by  providence,  not  by  virtue  of  a 
 covenant;  with  God's  leave,  not  with  his  love.  But  fuch  as 
 are  in  covenant  have  their  mercies  fweetened  with  God's  love, 
 and  they  fwim  to  them  in  the  blood  of  Chrift.  As  Naaman 
 (aid  to  Gehazi,  2  Kings  v.  23.  «  Take  two  talents,'  fo  faith 
 God,  to  fuch  as  are  in  covenant,  take  two  talents  ;  take  health, 
 and  take  Chrift  with  it :  take  riches,  and  take  my  love  with 
 them ;  take  the  venifon,  and  take  the  blefiing  with  it :  Take 
 two  talents. 
 
 (3.)  You  may  upon  all  occafions,  plead  the  covenant.  If 
 you  are  hunted  with  temptations,  plead  the  covenant;  Lord, 
 thou  haft  promifed  to  bruife  Satan  under  my  feet  (hortly  ;  wilt 
 thou  fuller  thy  child  to  be  thus  worried  ?  Take  off  the  roaring 
 lion.  If  in  want,  plead  the  covenant;  Lord,  thou  haft  faid, 
 *  I  (hall  want  no  good  thing  ;'  wilt  thou  fave  me  from  hell,  and 
 not  from  want?  wilt  thou  give  me  a  kingdom,  and  deny  me 
 daily  bread  ? 
 
 (4.)  If  in  covenant  with  God  all  things  (hall  co-operate  for 
 your  good  :  Etiam  mala  cedunt  in  bonum,  Pial.  xxv.  10.     Not 
 
OF  THE  COVENANT  0F  GRACE.  167 
 
 only  golden  paths,  but  his  bloody  paths.  Every  wind  of  pro- 
 vidence (hall  blow  them  nearer  heaven.  Affliction  (hall  humble 
 and  purify i  1Kb.  xii.  10.     Out  of  the  bittereft  drug,  God  dif- 
 
 tils  your  lalvation.  AfflicTion*  add  to  the  faints  glory.  The 
 more  the  diamond  is  cut,  the  more  it  fparklefl  ;  the  heavier  the 
 faints  crofs  is,  the  heavier  ihall  be  their  crown. 
 
 (5.)  It' thou  art  in  covenant  once,  then  for  ever  in  covenant. 
 The  text  calls  it,  ■  an  everlafting  covenant.'  Such  aa  are  in 
 covenant  are  elected  ;  God's  electing  love  is  unchangeable,  Jer, 
 xxxii.  40.  *  1  will  make  an  everlafting  covenant  with  them, 
 that  I  will  not  turn  away  from  them  ;  but  I  will  put  my  fear 
 in  their  heart,  that  they  (hall  not  depart  from  me.'  God  will 
 fo  love  the  faints  that  he  will  not  forlake  them  :  And  \he  taints 
 fhall  fo  fear  God,  that  they  mall  not  forfake  him.  'Tis  a  cove- 
 nant of  eternity  :  It  muft  be  fo  ;  for  who  is  this  covenant  made 
 with?  Is  it  not  with  believers?  and  have  not  they  coalition  and 
 union  with  Chiilt?  Chrilt  is  the  head,  they  are  the  body,  Eph. 
 i.  2.3.  This  is  a  near  union,  much  like  that  union  between  God 
 the  Father  and  Chrift,  John  xvii.  21.  *  As  thou,  Father,  art 
 in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  alio  may  be  one  in  us.'  Now 
 the  union  between  Chrilt  and  the  faints  being  fo  inseparable,  it 
 can  never  be  diifolved,  or  the  covenant  made  void  ;  you  may 
 die  with  comfort. 
 
 (o\)  Thou  art  in  covenant  with  God,  and  thou  art  going  to 
 thy  God  :  Behold  a  death-bed  cordial ;  death  breaks  the  union 
 between  the  body  and  the  foul,  but  perfects  the  union  between 
 Chrift  and  the  foul.  This  hath  made  the  faints  defire  death  as 
 the  bride  the  wedding-day,  Phil.  i.  21.  Cupio  difulvi,  Lead  me, 
 Lord,  to  that  glory,  (laid  one)  a  glimpfe  whereof  1  have  feen, 
 as  in  a  glafs  darkly. 
 
 Ufe  5.  Of  Direction.  To  (hew  how  you  fhould  walk  who 
 have  tailed  of  covenant-mercy,  live  as  a  people  in  covenant 
 with  God.  As  you  differ  from  others  in  refpect  of  dignity,  fo 
 you  muft  in  point  of  carriage. 
 
 lft,  You  mull  love  this  God.  God's  love  to  you  calls  for 
 love.  1.  It  is  Amor  gratiatus,  a  free  love.  Why  (hould  God 
 pafs  by  others,  and  take  you  into  a  league  of  friend  (hip  with 
 himfelf?  In  the  law,  God  paifed  by  the  lion  and  eagle,  and 
 chofe  the  dove:  So  he  palfes  by  the  noble  and  mighty.  2.  It 
 is  Amorplenus,  a  full  love.  When  God  takes  you  into  covenant, 
 you  are  his  Hepkzibah,  Ifa.  Ixii.  5.  his  delight  is  in  you  ;  he 
 gives  you  the  key  of  all  his  treafure,  lie  heaps  pearls  upon  you, 
 he  fettles  heaven  and  earth  upon  you  ;  he  gives  you  a  bunch  of 
 grapes  by  the  way,  and  faith  ■  Son,  all  I  have  is  thine.'  And 
 doth  not  all  this  call  for  love  ?  who  can  tread  upon  thefe  hot 
 coals,  and  his  heart  not  burn  m  love  to  Gud. 
 
 c2dly,  Walk  holily.     The  covenant  hath  made  you  a  royal 
 
IG8  CHRIST  THE   MEDIATOR 
 
 nation,  therefore  be  an  holy  people.  Shine  as  lights  in  the 
 world  ;  live  as  earthly  angels.  God  hath  taken  you  into  cove- 
 nant, that  you  and  he  may  have  communion  together,  and 
 what  is  it  keeps  up  your  communion  with  God,  but  holinefs; 
 
 3dly,  Walk  thankfully,  Pfal.  ciii.  1.  God  is  your  God  in  co- 
 venant ;  he  hath  done  more  for  you,  than  if  he  had  made  you 
 ride  upon  the  high  places  of  the  earth,  and  given  you  crowns 
 and  Iceptres.  O  take  the  cup  of  falvation,  and  blel's  the  Lord. 
 Eternity  will  be  little  enough  to  praife  him.  Muficians  love  to 
 pl&y  on  their  mufic  where  there  is  the  loudeTt  found  ;  and  God 
 loves  to  bellow  his  mercies  where  he  may  have  the  loudeft 
 praifes.  You  that  have  angels  reward,  cioangels  work.  Begin 
 that  work  of  praife  here,  which  you  hope  to  be  always  doing 
 in  heaven. 
 
 — -««i»»- — 
 
 CHRIST  THE  MEDIATOR  OF  THE  COVENANT. 
 
 II  lb.  xii.  24.  Jefus  the  Mediator  of  the  New  Covenant,  &c. 
 
 Jesus  Christ  is  the  fum  and  quintefTence  of  the  gofpel ; 
 the  wonder  of  angels;  the  joy  and  triumph  of  faints.  The 
 name  of  Chriit  is  fweet,  it  is  as  mufic  in  the  ear,  honey  in  the 
 mouth,  and  a  cordial  at  the  heart. 
 
 I  (hall  wave  the  context,  and  only  fpeak  of  that  which  con- 
 cerns our  prefent  purpofe  :  having  difcourfed  of  the  covenant 
 of  grace,  I  (hall  fpeak  now  of  the  Mediator  of  the  covenant,  and 
 the  reftorer  of  lapfed  finners,  '  Jefus  the  mediator  of  the  cove- 
 nant. ' 
 
 There  are  feveral  names  and  titles  in  fcripture  given  to  Chrift, 
 as  the  great  reitorer  of  mankind  :  1.  Sometimes  he  is  called  a 
 Saviour,  Mat.  i.  $1,  '  His  name  (hall  be  called  Jefus.'  The 
 Hebrew  word  for  jesus,  llgnifies  a  Saviour,  and  whom  hefaves 
 from  hell,  he  faves  from  fin  :  where  Chrift  is  a  Saviour,  he  is  a 
 fan&ifier,  Malta,  i.  21.  *  He  (hall  fave  his  people  from  their 
 fins.'  There  is  no  other  Saviour,  A<5is  iv.  12.  *  Neither  Is 
 there  falvation  in  any  other.'  As  there  was  but  one  ark  to  fave 
 the  world  from  drowning,  fo  there  is  but  one  Jefus  to  fave  fin- 
 ners from  damning.  As  Naomi  (aid  to  her  daughters-in-law, 
 Ruth  i.  11.  '  Are  there  yet  any  more  fons  in  my  womb  ?  So 
 hath  God  any  other  fons  in  the  womb  of  his  eternal  decree,  to 
 be  iaviours  to  us,  befides  Chrift?  Job  xxviii.  14.  ■  Where 
 ihall  wifdooi  be  found?  the  depth  faith,  it  is  not  in  me;  and 
 the  lea  faith,  it  is  not  in  me.'  Let  me  allude,  Where  ihall  fal- 
 vation be  found  ?  The  angel  faith,  it  is  not  in  me;  morality 
 faith,  it  is  not  in   me  :    the  ordinance  faith,  it  is  not  in  me  : 
 
OF  THE  COVENANT.  169 
 
 Chrift  alone  is  the  well-faring  of  life  ;   the  ordinance  is  the  con- 
 duit-pipe that  conveys  lalvation,  but  Chrift   is  th«r  fpflDg  that 
 feeds  It.      *  Neither  is  there  falvatioo  ID  any  other.' 
 9.  Sometimes  Chrift  is  called  ■  Redeemer,  ll'a.  tix.  80.  ■  The 
 
 Redeemer  mall  come  to  Sion.'  Some  underhand  it  of  Cyrus, 
 others  of  an  angel  :  but  the  mod  ancient  Jewift]  doctors  under* 
 (land   it  of  Chi  ill,  the  Redeemer  of  the  elect  :    Job  xix. 
 
 *  My  Redeemer  liveth.'  The  Hebrew  word  for  Redeemer, 
 Ggaifies  fuch  an  one  as  is  near  a-kin,  and  hath  right  to  redeem 
 a  mortgage  ;  fo  Chrift  is  near  of  kin  to  us,  being  our  elder  bro- 
 ther, therefore  hath  the  belt  right  to  redeem  us. 
 
 3.  Chrift  is  called  a  Mediator  in  the  text,  *  Jefus  the  Medi- 
 ator of  the  new  covenant.'  The  Greek  word  for  Mediator,  fig- 
 nifies  a  middle  peribn,  one  that  doth  make  up  the  breach  be- 
 tween two  dilagreeing  parties.  God  and  we  were  at  variance 
 by  fin,  now  Chrift  doth  mediate  and  umpire  between  us  ;  he 
 reconciles  us  to  God  through  his  blood,  therefore  he  is  called 
 the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant.  There  is  no  way  of  com- 
 munion and  intercourfe  between  God  and  man,  but  in  and 
 through  a  Mediator  :  Chrift  takes  away  the  enmity  in  us,  and 
 the  wrath  of  God,  and  fo  makes  peace.  Nor  is  Chrift  only 
 a  Mediator  of  reconciliation,  but  interceflion,  Heb.  ix.  24. 
 1  Chrift  is  entered,  not  into  the  holy  place  made  with  hands, 
 but  into  heaven  itfelf,  now  to  appear  in  the  prefence  of  God  for 
 us.'  The  prieft,  when  he  had  (lain  the  facrifice,  was  to  go 
 with  the  blood  before  the  altar  and  mercy- feat,  and  (hew  it  to 
 the  Lord.  Now,  in  Chrift  our  bleiled  Mediator,  conlider  two 
 things.     (1.)  His  perfon  :     (2.)  His  graces. 
 
 A.  His  perfon  :  His  perfon  is  amiable;  he  is  all  made  up  of 
 love  and  beauty.      He  is  the  eftigies  of  his  Father,  Heb.  i.  3. 
 
 •  The  exprefs  image  of  his  perfon.'     Confider, 
 
 (1.)  Chrill's  perfon  in  two  natures. 
 
 (2  )  His  two  natures  in  one  peribn. 
 
 (I.)  ChrihVs  perfon  in  two  natures  :  1.  Look  upon  his  human 
 nature  as  incarnate.  The  Valentiniansdeny  his  human  nature  ; 
 but  John  i.  14.  ■  the  Word  was  made  flefh  :'  It  is  fpoken 
 of  Chrift  the  promifed  Median.  Chrift  took  our  flelh,  that  the 
 fame  nature  which  finned  might  Curler  ;  and  *  The  Word  was 
 made  flefh,'  that  through  the  glafs  of  his  human  nature  we 
 might  look  upon  God. 
 
 Q.  Why  is  Chrift  called  the  Word? 
 
 Anf.  Becaufe,  as  a  word  is  the  interpreter  of  the  mind,  and 
 reveals  what  is  in  a  man's  breaft;  fo  Jefus  Chrift  reveals  his 
 Father's  mind  to  us,  concerning  the  great  matters  of  our  falva- 
 tion,  John  i.  18.  Were  it  not  for  Chi  ill's  manhood,  the  fight 
 of  the  Godhead  would  be  formidable  to  us :  but  through 
 Chrift's  flefh   we  may  look  upon  God  without   tenor.      A  ad 
 
 Vol.  I.   No.  4.  V 
 
170  CHRIST  THE  MEDIATOR 
 
 Chrift  took  our  flefh,  that  he  might  know  how  to  pity  us;  he 
 knows  what  it  is  to  be  faint,  tbrrowful,  tempted,  Plal.  ciii. 
 14.  *  He  knows  our  frame.'  And  he  took  our  flefh,  that  he 
 might  (as  ^uttin  faith)  enoble  our  human  nature  with  honour. 
 Chrift  having  married  our  flefh  hath  exalted  it  above  the  angeli- 
 cal nature. 
 
 2.  Look  upon  Chrift's  divine  nature.  Chrift  may  be  fitly 
 compared  to  Jacob's  ladder,  Gen.  xxviii.  19.  which  reacheth 
 from  earth  to  heaven  :  Chrift's  human  nature  was  the  foot  of 
 the  ladder,  which  ftood  upon  earth  ;  his  divine  nature  the 
 top  of  the  ladder,  which  reacheth  to  heaven.  This  being 
 a  grand  article  of  our  faith,  I  fhall  amplify  :  I  know  the  Ari- 
 ans,  Socinians,  Ebionites  would  rob  Chrift  of  the  bed  jewel 
 of  his  crown,  his  Godhead;  but  the  Apoftolical,  Nicene, 
 Athanafian  creed,  affirm  Chrift's  Deity  ;  to  this  the  churches 
 of  Helvetia,  Bohemia,  Wittembergh,  Tranfilvania,  &c.  give 
 their  full  content ;  and  the  fcripture  is  clear  for  it.  He  is  cal- 
 led the  *  mighty  God,'  Ifa.  ix.  6.  *  And  in  him  dwells  the 
 fulnefsof  the  Godhead,'  Col.  ii.  9.  He  is  of  the  fame  nature 
 and  eifence  with  the  Father.  So  Athanafius,  Bafil,  Chryfoltom  : 
 1.  Is  God  the  Father  called  Almighty  ?  fo  is  Chrift,  Rev.  i.  8. 
 g  The  Almighty.'  2.  Is  God  the  Father,  the  heart- fearcher  ? 
 fo  is  Chrift,  John  ii.  25.  ■■  He  knew  their  thoughts.'  3.  Is 
 God  the  Father  omniprefent?  fo  is  Chrift,  John  iii.  13.  ■  The 
 Son  of  man  which  is  in  heaven.'  Chrift  as  God  was  then  in  hea- 
 ven, when  as  man  he  was  upon  the  earth. 
 
 Q.  Is  God  eternal  ? 
 
 An/.  Chrift  is  the  everlafting  Father,  Ifa.  ix.  6.  which  fcrip- 
 ture may  be  urged  againft  the  Corinthian  hereticks,  who  denied 
 the  pre-exiftency  of  Chrift's  Godhead,  and  held  that  Chrift  had 
 no  being  till  he  derived  it  from  the  Virgin  Mary. 
 
 4.  Doth  divine  worfhip  belong  to  the  firft  perfon  in  the  Tri- 
 nity ?  fo  it  doth  to  Chrift,  John  v.  23.  Heb.  i.  6.  *  Let  all  the 
 angels  of  God  worfhip  him.'  5.  Is  creation  proper  to  the  Deity  ? 
 this  is  a  flower  of  Chrift's  crown,  Col.  i.  16.  '  By  him  were  all 
 things  created.'  6.  Is  invocation  proper  to  the  Deity  ?  this  is 
 given  to  Chrift,  Acls  vii.  57.  '  Lord  Jefus,  receive  my  fpirit.' 
 7.  Is  recumbency  and  truft  peculiar  to  God  the  Father  ?  this 
 this  is  given  to  Chrift,  John  xiv.  1.  ■  Ye  believe  in  God,  believe 
 alfo  in  me.'  Chrift  muft  needs  be  God,  not  only  that  the  di- 
 vine nature  might  fupportthe  human  from  finking  under  God's 
 wrath,  but  alfo  to  give  value  and  weight  to  his  fufterings. 
 
 Chrift  being  God,  hisdeath  and  pallion  is  meritorious  ;  Chrift's 
 blood  is  called  /unguis  Dei,  the  blood  of  God,  Acls  xx.  28.  be- 
 caufe  the  perfon  who  was  offered  in  facrifice  was  God  as  well  as 
 man.     This  is  an  invincible  fupport  to  believers  ;  it  was  God 
 
OF  THE  COVENANT.  171 
 
 who  was  offended,  and  it  was  God  who  fatisfied.  Thus  Chrift's 
 perlbn  in  two  natm 
 
 (2.)  Consider  Chrift's  two  natures  in  one  perlbn,  God-man, 
 1  Tin.  iii.  10'.  '  God  maniftll  in  thelleth.'  Chritt  had  a  two- 
 fold fubitance,  divine  and  human  ;  yet  not  a  t  wofold  fuhfiftence, 
 both  natures  make  but  one  Chrill.  A  icion  may  !)•■  -ziat'h  d 
 into  another  tree,  a  pear-tree  into  an  apple,  which  ihouuh  it 
 bear  different  fruits,  is  but  oue  tree;  fo  Chrift's  manhood  is 
 united  to  the  Godhead  m  an  ineffable  manner  ;  yet  though 
 there  are  two  natures,  yet  but  one  perfon.  This  union  of  the 
 two  natures  in  Chrilt  was  not  by  tranfmutation,  the  divine  na- 
 ture changed  into  the  human,  or  the  human  into  the  divine; 
 nor  by  mixture,  the  two  natures  mingled  together,  as  wine  and 
 water  are  mixed  :  both  the  natures  ot  Chrill  remain  diitinct,  yet 
 make  not  two  diitinct  perfons,  but  one  perfon  ;  the  human  na- 
 ture not  God,  yet  one  with  God. 
 
 3<////,  Conlider  Chrilt,  our  Mediator,  in  his  graces  :  thefe  are 
 the  fweet  favour  of  his  ointments,  that  make  the  virgins  love 
 him.  Chrilt,  our  bleifed  Mediator,  is  laid  to  be  full  *  of  grace 
 aud  truth,'  John  i.  14.  He  had  the  anointing  of  the  Spirit 
 without  meafure,  John  iii.  35.  Grace  in  Chritt  is  after  a  more 
 eminent  and  glorious  manner  than  it  is  in  any  of  the  Iaints. 
 
 1.  Jefus  Chrilt  our  Mediator,  hath  perfection  in  every  grace, 
 Col.  i.  W.  He  is  a  panoply,  magazine  and  ftore-houfe  of  all  hea- 
 venly treafure,  all  fulnefs  :  This  no  faint  on  earth  hath  ;  he  may 
 excel  in  one  grace,  but  not  in  all ;  as  Abraham  was  eminent  for 
 faith,  Moles  for  meeknels  ;   but  Chrilt  excels  in  every  grace. 
 
 2.  There  is  a  never-failing  fulnels  of  grace  in  Chrilt:  grace 
 in  the  faints  is  ebbing  and  flowing,  it  is  not  always  in  the  tame 
 degree  and  proportion  ;  at  one  time  David's  faith  was  itrong, 
 at  another  time  fo  faint  and  weak,  that  you  could  hardly  feel 
 any  pulfe,  Pfal.  xxxi.  22.  *  1  faid,  1  am  cut  oft* from  before  thine 
 eyes.'  But  grace  in  Chrilt  is  a  never  failing-fulnefs,  it  did  never 
 abatein  the  lead  degree,  he  never  loll  a  drop  of  his  holinefs.  What 
 was  faid  of  Joleph,  may  more  truly  be  applied  to  Chrilt,  Gen. 
 xhx.  23.  *  The  archers  fliot  at  him,  but  his  bow  abode  in 
 itrength  :'  Men  and  devils  lhot  at  him,  but  his  grace  remained 
 in  its  full  vigour  and  itrength  ;    *  his  bow  abode  in  itrength.' 
 
 3.  Grace  in  Chrilt  is  communicative,  his  grace  is  for  us  :  the 
 holy  oil  of  the  Spirit  was  poured  on  the  head  of  this  blelled 
 Aaron,  that  it  might  run  down  upon  us.  The  taints  have  not 
 grace  to  beitow  on  others  :  When  the  foolifh  virgins  would  have 
 bought  oil  of  their  neighbour  virgins,  Mauh.  xxv.  9.  ■  Give 
 us  of  your  oil,  for  our  lamps  are  gone  out :'  The  wife  virgins 
 anfwered,  *  Xot  iby  left  there  be  not  enough  for  us  and  you.' 
 The  faints  have  uo  grace  to  i'pare  to  others  ;  but  Chtift  diifufeth 
 his  grace  to  others  :  grace  in  the  iaints  is  as  water  m  tiie  veilel, 
 
 Y  2 
 
172  CHRIST  THE  MEDIATOR,  &C* 
 
 grace  in  Chrift~is  as  water  in  the  fpring,  John  i.  16.  '  Of  his 
 fulneis  have  we  received  grace  for  grace.  *  Set  a  glafs  under  a 
 dill  or  limbeck,  and  it  receives  water  from  the  limbeck  drop  by 
 drop  ;  fo  the  faints  have-  the  drops  and  influences  of  ChrifYs 
 grace  diftilling  upon  them.  What  a  rich  confolation  is  this  to 
 thofe  who  either  have  no  grace,  or  their  ftock  is  but  low  !  They 
 may  go  to  Chrift,  the  Mediator,  as  a  treafury  of  grace  :  Lord, 
 I  am  indigent;  but  whither  fhall  I  carry  my  empty  veffel,  but 
 to  a  full  fountain  ?  Pfal.  Ixxxvii.  7.  ■  all  my  frefh  fprings  are  in 
 thee;  lam  guilty,  thou  haft  blood  to  pardon  me  ;  I  am  polluted, 
 thou  haft  grace  to  cleanfe  me  ;  I  am  fick  unto  death,'  thou  halt 
 the  ■  balm  of  Gilead'  to  heal  me,  Gen  xli.  56.  Jofeph  opened 
 all  the  ftore-houfes  of  corn :  Chrift  is  our  Jofeph,  that  opens  all 
 the  treafuries  and  ftore-houfes  of  grace,  and  communicates  to 
 us.  He  is  not  only  fweet  as  the  honey-comb,  but  drops  as  the 
 honey-comb:  this  is  a  great  comfort,  in  Chrift  our  Mediator 
 there  is  a  cornucopia,  and  fulnefs  of  all  grace;  and  Chrift  is 
 defirous  that  we  mould  come  to  him  for  grace,  like  the  full  bread 
 that  aches  till  it  be  drawn. 
 
 life  1.  Admire  the  glory  of  this  Mediator;  he  is  God-man, 
 he  is  co-effentially  glorious  with  the  Father.  All  the  Jews  that 
 faw  Chrift  in  the  flefli,  did  not  fee  his  Godhead  ;  all  that  faw  the 
 man  did  not  fee  the  Mefliah  ;  the  temple  of  Solomon  within  was 
 embellifhed  with  gold  ;  travellers,  as  they  paffed  along,  might 
 fee  the  outfide  of  the  temple,  but  only  the  priefts  faw  the  glory 
 which  fparkled  within  the  temple ;  only  believers,  who  are 
 made  priefts  unto  God,  Rev.  i.  6.  fee  Chrift' s  glorious  infide, 
 the  Godhead  mining  through  the  manhood. 
 
 life  2.  If  Chrift  be  God-man  in  one  perfon,  then  look  unto 
 Jefus  Chrift  alone  for  falvation.  There  mult  be  fomething  of 
 the  Godhead  to  faften  our  hope  upon  ;  in  Chrift  there  is  God- 
 head and  manhood  hypoftatically  united.  If  we  could  weep 
 rivers  of  tears,  out-faft  Mofes  on  the  mount,  if  we  were  exa6t 
 moralifts,  touching  the  law  blamelefs,  if  we  could  arrive  at  the 
 higheft  degree  of  fanctification  in  this  life,  all  this  would  not 
 fave  us,  without  looking  to  the  merits  of  him  who  is  God  :  our 
 perfect  holinefs  in  heaven  is  not  the  caufe  of  our  falvation,  but 
 the  righteoufnefs  of  Jefus  Chrift.  To  this  therefore  did  Paul 
 flee,  as  to  the  horns  of  the  altar,  Phil.  hi.  9.  '  That  I  may  be 
 found  in  him,  not  having  my  own  righteoufnefs.'  It  is  true,  we 
 may  look  to  our  graces  as  evidences  of  falvation,  but  to  Chrift' s 
 blood  only  as  the  caufe.  In  time  of  Noah's  flood,  all  that 
 trufted  to  the  high  hills  and  trees,  and  not  to  the  ark,  were 
 drowned,  Heb.  xii.  2.  *  Looking  unto  Jefus  ;'  and  fo  look  unto 
 him,  as  to  believe  in  him,  that  fo  Chrift  may  not  only  be  united 
 to  our  nature,  but  to  our  perfons,  John  xx.  31.  '  That  believ* 
 ing,  you  may  have  life  through  his  name.' 
 
CHRIST  A  PROPHET.  I7> 
 
 fus  Chrift  God  and  man  in  one  pr-rfon  r  This,  as 
 it  (hews  the  digs  it  y  of  believers,  thai  thej  are  nearly  related  to 
 one  ol  Uk*  greatefl  peifons  that  is,  Col.  ii.  <'.  4  In  Inm  dwells 
 the  fulneis  of  the  Godhead  bodily  -.'  fo  it  is  ol  unfpeakable  com- 
 fort. Gn rift's  two  natures  being  married  together,  the  divioe 
 and  luunan  ;  all  that  Chrift  in  either  of  his  natures  can  do  for 
 believers,  be  will  do  I  Ln  his  human  nature  he  prays  for  them, 
 in  his  divine  nature  he  merits  for  them.  This  for  the  perloU  of 
 our  Mediator. 
 
 4.  Admire  the  love  of  Chrift  our  Mediator!  that  he 
 fhould  humble  himl'elf,  and  take  our  flelh,  that  he  might  redeem 
 US*  Believers  mould  put  Chrilt  in  their  befom,  as  the  fpoufe 
 did,  Cant.  i.  13.  '  Lie  betwixt  my  breads.1  What  was  laid 
 ot  Ignatius,  that  the  name  of  Jet  us  was  found  written  in  his 
 heart,  ihould  be  verified  of  every  taint,  he  ihould  have  Jefus 
 Cliriii  written  in  his  heart. 
 
 CHRIST  A  PROPHET. 
 
 Dlut.  xviii.  15.     The  Lord  thy  God  ici/l  ra/fe  up  unto  thee  a 
 Prophet,  &c. 
 
 II  wing  fpoken  of  the  perfon  of  Chrift,  we  are  next  to 
 fpeak  of  the  othces  of  Chrilt,  Prophetical,  Prieltly,  Regal. 
 
 I.  Prophetical,  *  The  Lord  thy  God  will  raii'e  up  unto  thee 
 a  Prophet.'  Enunciator  hie  locus  de  Chrifto,  It  is  fpoken  of 
 Chrilt.  There  are  leveral  names  given  to  Chrift  as  a  Prophet  : 
 He  is  called  *  the  Counfellor,'  lia.  vi.  9.  In  uno  Chrifto, 
 Angdus  foederis  comp/etur,  Fagius.  ■  The  Angel  of  the  Cove- 
 nant,' Mai,  iii.  1.  ■  A  Lamp,'  2  Sam.  xxii.  19.  *  The  Morn- 
 ing-ftar,'  Ilev.  xxii.  Jo.  Jefus  Chrilt  is  the  great  Prophet  of 
 his  church  ;  the  woman  of  Samaria  gave  a  Ihrewd  gueis,  John 
 \v.  1().  He  is  the  belt  teacher,  he  makes  all  other  teaching 
 effectual,  Luke  xxiv.  45.  *  Then  opened  he  their  undemand- 
 ing.' lie  did  not  only  open  the  fcriptures,  but  opened  their 
 underftanding :  He  teacheth  to  profit,  [fla.  xlviii.  17.  *  I  am 
 the  Lord  thy  God,  who  teacheth  thee  to  profit.' 
 
 Q.    How  "Chrift  teacheth? 
 
 Anf.  1.  Externally,  by  his  word,  Plal.  cxix.  105.  '  Thy 
 word  is  a  lamp  to  my  feet.'  Such  as  pretend  to  have  a  light  or 
 revelation  above  the  word,  or  contrary  to  it,  never  had  their 
 teaching  from  Chrilt,  Ifa.  viii.  20. 
 
 9.  Chrift  teacheth  thefe  lacred  myfteries,  inwardly,  by  the 
 Spirit,  John  xvi,  13.  The  world  knows  not  what  it  is,  I  Cor. 
 ii.  14.  *  The  natural  man  receive*  uot  the  things  of  God,  neither 
 
174  CHRIST  A  PROPHET. 
 
 can  he  know  them.'  He  knows  not  what  it  is  to  be  transformed 
 by  the  renewing  of  the  mind,  Rom.  xii.  9.  or  what  the  inward 
 workings  of  the  Spirit  mean  ;  theie  are  riddles  and  paradoxes 
 to  him.  He  may  have  more  infight  into  the  things  of  the  world 
 than  a  believer,  hut  he  doth  not  lee  the  deep  things  of  God.  A. 
 fwine  may  fee  an  acorn  under  a  tree,  but  he  cannot  fee  a  (tar  ; 
 he  who  is  taught  of  Chrift,  fees  the  arcana  imperii,  the  fecrets 
 of  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
 
 Q.   What  are  the  lejjbns  Chrift  teacheth  P 
 
 Anf  1.  He  teacheth  us  to  fee  into  our  own  hearts.  Take 
 the  mod  mercurial  wits,  the  greatell  politicians,  that  underftand 
 the  mylteries  of  itate,  yet  they  know  not  the  myfteries  of  their 
 own  hearts,  they  cannot  believe  there  is  that  evil  in  them  as  is, 
 9  Kings  viii.  13.  '  Is  thy  fervant  a  dog?'  Grande  profnndum 
 eft  homo,  Aug.  The  heart  is  a  great  deep,  which  is  not  eafily 
 fathomed.  But  Chrift  when  he  teacheth,  removes  the  veil  of 
 ignorance  ;  and  lights  a  man  into  his  own  heart :  And  now  he 
 fees  f warms  of  vain  thoughts,  he  blufheth  to  fee  how  fin  min- 
 gles with  his  duties,  his  Itars  are  mixed  with  clouds  ;  he  prays, 
 as  Auftin,  that  God  would  deliver  him  from  himfelf. 
 
 9.  The  fecond  leffon  Chrift  teacheth,  is  the  vanity  of  the 
 creature.  A  natural  man  fets  up  his  happinefs  here,  worfhips 
 the  golden  image;  but  he  that  Chrift  hath  anointed  with  his 
 eye-falve,  hath  a  fpirit  of  difcerning  ;  he  looks  upon  the  creature 
 in  its  night-drefs,  lees  it  to  be  empty  and  unfatisfying,  not  com- 
 menfurate  to  an  heaven-born  foul.  Solomon  had  put  all  the 
 creatures  into  a  limbeck,  and  when  he  came  to  extrael  the  fpirit 
 and  quinteflence,  all  was  vanity,  Eccl.  ii.  1 1.  The  apoftle  calls 
 it  a  (how  or  apparition,  1  Cor.  vii.  31.  having  no  intrinfical 
 good  nets. 
 
 3.  The  third  leffon  is  the  excellency  of  things  unfeen.  Chrift 
 gives  the  foul  a  fight  of  glory,  a  profpeel;  of  eternity,  9  Cor.  iv. 
 18.  «  We  look  not  at  things  which  arefeen,  but  at  things  which 
 are  not  feen.'  Mofes  faw  him  who  is  ■  invifible,'  Heb.  xi.  91. 
 And  the  Patriarchs  faw  a  better  country,  viz.  an  heavenly,  Heb. 
 xi.  1(5.  where  delights  of  angels,  rivers  of  pleafure,  the  ilower 
 of  joy,  fully  blow  and  ripen. 
 
 Q.  Hoic  doth  Chrift' s  teaching  differ  from  others  teaching? 
 
 Anf.  Several  ways. 
 
 1.  Chrift  teacheth  the  heart.  Others  may  teach  the  ear, 
 Chrift  the  heart.  Acts  xvi.  14.  '  Whofe  heart  the  Lord  open- 
 ed.' All  that  the  difpenfers  of  the  word  can  do,  is  but  to  work 
 knowledge,  Chrift  works  grace  ;  they  can  but  give  you  the 
 light  of  the  truth,  Chrift  gives  you  the  love  of  the  truth  ;  they 
 can  only  teach  you  what  to  believe,  Chrift  teacheth  how  to  be- 
 lieve. 
 
 9.  Chrift  gives  us  a  tafte  of  the  word.     Minifters  may  fet  the 
 
CHRIST  A  PROPHET.  17"; 
 
 food  of  the  word  before  you,  and  carve  it  out  to  you  ;  but  it  is 
 only  Chrilt  caufeth  you  to  tatle  it,  1  Pet.  ii.  3.  ■  lffob< 
 have  tailed  that  the  Lord  is  gracious, '  Plal.  xxxiv.  8.  *  Tafte 
 and  fee  that  the  Lord  is  good.'  It  is  one  thing  to  hear  a  truth 
 preached,  another  thing  to  tafte  it ;  one  thing  to  real  a  prouiife, 
 another  thing  to  tatle  it.  David  had  got  a  tafte  of  the  word, 
 Pf.  cxix.  10 J,  183.  '  Thou  haft  taught  me  :  How  fweet  are  thy 
 words  unto  my  tafte!  yea,  tweeter  than  honey  to  my  mouth.' 
 The  apoftle  calls  it  the  favour  6f  knowledge,  2  Cor.  ii.  14.  The 
 light  of  knowledge  is  one  thing,  the  favour  another.  Chrilt 
 makes  us  tafte  a  favoriuefs  in  the  word. 
 
 3.  Chrilt,  when  he  teacheth,  makes  us  obey.  Others  may 
 inltru6t,  but  cannot  command  obedience  :  they  teach  to  be 
 humble,  but  men  remain  proud.  The  Prophet  had  been  de- 
 nouncing judgments  againft  the  people  of  Judah,  but  they  would 
 not  hear,  Jer.  xliv.  17.  ■  We  will  do  whatfoever  goeth  out  of 
 our  own  mouth,  to  bake  cakes  to  the  queen  of  heaven.'  Men 
 come  quaji  armed  in  coat  of  mail,  that  the  fword  of  the  word 
 will  not  enter ;  but  when  Chrilt  comes  to  teach,  he  removes 
 this  obftinacy,  he  not  only  informs  the  judgment,  but  inclines 
 the  will.  He  doth  not  only  come  with  the  light  of  his  word, 
 but  the  rod  of  his  (trength,  and  makes  the  ftubborn  finner  yield 
 to  him  :   His  grace  is  irrefiftible. 
 
 Chrilt  teacheth  eafily.  Others  teach  with  difficulty. 
 Difficulty  in  finding  out  a  truth,  and  in  inculcating  it,  Ifa. 
 xxviii.  40.  ■  Precept  mult  be  upon  precept,  and  line  upon  line.* 
 Some  may  teach  all  their  lives,  and  the  word  take  no  impref- 
 Oon  :  They  complain,  as  Ifa.  xlix.  4.  *  I  have  fpent  my  lalx>ur 
 in  vain  ;'  plow  on  rocks :  But  Chrilt  the  great  Prophet  teacheth 
 with  eafe.  He  can  with  the  lealt  touch  of  his  Spirit  convert; 
 he  can  fay,  *  Let  there  be  light ','  with  a  word  he  conveys 
 grace. 
 
 5.  Chrilt,  when  he  teacheth,  makes  men  willing  to  learn. 
 Men  may  teach  others,  but  they  have  no  mind  to  learn,  Prov. 
 i.  7.  *  Fools  defpife  inltruetion  ;'  they  rage  at  the  word,  as  ifa 
 patient  mould  rage  at  the  phyfician,  when  he  brings  him  a  cor- 
 dial ;  thus  backward  are  men  to  their  own  falvation.  But 
 Chrift  makes  his  people  a  '  willing  people,'  Pfal.  ex.  3.  They 
 prize  knowledge,  and  hang  it  as  a  jewel  upon  their  ear.  Thofe 
 that  Chrift  teacheth,  fay,  as  Ifa.  ii.  3.  *  Come  let  us  go  up  to 
 the  mountain  of  the  Lord,  and  he  will  leach  us  of  his  way-. 
 and  we  will  walk  in  them  ;'  and  as  Ads  x.  33.  ■  We  are  all 
 here  prelent  before  God,  to  hear  all  things  commanded.' 
 
 0*.  Chrift,  when  he  teache'th,  doth  not  only  illuminate,  hut 
 animate.  He  doth  fo  teach,  as  he  doth  quicken,  John  viii.  1  _>. 
 *  I  am  the  light  of  the  world  ;  he  that  follows  me  (hall  have 
 lumen  vita,  the  light  of  life.'     By  nature  we  are  dead,  there- 
 
176  CHRIST  A  PROPHET. 
 
 fore  unfit  for  teaching  ;  who  will  make  an  oration  to  the  dead  ? 
 But  Chi  ill  teacheth  them  that  are  dead,  he  gives  the  light  of 
 life.  As  when  Lazarus  was  dead,  Chrift  faid,  *  Come  forth/ 
 and  he  made  the  dead  to  hear,  Lazarus  came  forth  :  So  when 
 Chrift  faith  to  the  dead  foul,  come  forth  of  the  grave  of  unbelief, 
 he  hears  Chrift's  voice,  and  comes  forth,  it  is  the  light  of  life. 
 The  philofophers  fay,  calor  ex  lux  conferecunt,  light  and  heat 
 increale  together.  'Tis  true  here,  where  Chritt  comes  with  his 
 light,  there  is  the  heat'of  fpiritual  life  going  along  with  it. 
 
 Uj'e  1.  Of  information.  Branch  1.  See  here  an  argument  of 
 Chrift's  divinity  :  had  he  not  been  God,  he  could  never  have 
 known  the  mind  of  God,  or  revealed  to  us  thofe  arcana  cwli, 
 thofe  deep  myfteries,  which  no  man  or  angel  could  find  out. 
 "Who  but  God  can  anoint  the  eyes  of  the  blind,  and  give  not 
 only  light,  but  fight  ?  who  but  he  who  hath  the  key  of  David, 
 can  open  the  heart  ?  who  but  God  can  bow  the  iron  finew  of 
 the  will  ?  He  only  who  is  God  c#.n  enlighten  the  confeience, 
 and  make  the  ftony  heart  bleed. 
 
 Branch  2.  See  what  a  cornucopia,  or  plenty  of  wifdom  is  in 
 Chrift,  who  is  the  great  doctor  of  his  church,  and  gives  laving 
 knowledge  to  all  the  elect.  The  body  of  the  fun  muft  needs  be 
 full  of  clarity  and  brightnefs,  which  enlightens  the  whole  world  : 
 Chrift  is  the  great  luminary ;  in  him  are  hid  all  treafures  of 
 knowledge,  Col.  ii.  3.  The  middle  lamp  of  the  fanctuary  gave 
 light  to  all  the  other  lamps  :  Chrift  diffufeth  his  glorious  light 
 to  others.  We  are  apt  to  admire  the  learning  of  Ariftotle  and 
 Plato ;  alas  !  what  is  this  poor  fpark  of  light  to  that  which  is 
 in  Chrift,  from  whofe  infinite  wifdom  both  men  and  angels  light 
 their  lamp. 
 
 Branch  3.  See  the  mifery  of  man  in  the  ftate  of  nature.  Be~ 
 fore  Chrift  come  to  be  their  prophet,  they  are  inveloped  with 
 ignorance  and  darknefs.  Men  know  nothing  in  a  ialvifical, 
 fanctified  manner,  they  know  nothing  as  they  ought  to  know, 
 1  Cor.  viii.  2.  This  is  fad:  1.  Men  in  the  dark  cannot  difcern 
 colours  ;  fo  in  the  ftate  of  nature  they  cannot  difcern  between 
 morality  and  grace  :  they  take  one  for  the  other,  pro  dea  nubem, 
 2.  In  the  dark  the  greateft  beauty  is  hid  :  let  there  be  rare 
 flowers  in  the  garden,  and  pictures  in  the  room,  yet  in  the 
 dark  their  beauty  is  veiled  over ;  fo,  though  there  be  fuch  trans- 
 cendent beauty  in  Chrift  as  amazeth  the  angels,  a  man  in  the 
 ftate  of  nature  fees  none  of  this  beauty.  What  is  Chrift  to  him? 
 or  heaven  to  him  ?  The  veil  is  upon  their  heart.  3.  A  man  in 
 the  dark  ia  in  danger  every  ftep  he  goes  ;  fo  a  man  in  the  ftate 
 of  nature  is  in  danger,  every  ftep,  of  falling  into  hell.  Thus  it 
 is  before  Chrift  teacheth  us  ;  nay,  the  darknefs  in  which  a  fin- 
 ner  is,  while  in  an  unregenerate  ftate,  is  worfe  than  natural 
 daiknds  ;   for  natural  darknefs  affrights,  Gen.  xv.  12.    '  An 
 
CHRIST  A  PROPHET.  1?7 
 
 horror  of  great  darknefsfell  upon  Abraham.'  But  the  fpiritual 
 darkneis  is  not  accompanied  with  horror,  men  tremble  not  at 
 their  condition;  nay,  they  like  their  condition  well  enough, 
 John  iii.  19.  *  Men  loved  darkneis.'  This  is  tin  ir  lad  condi- 
 tion, till  Jefus  Chrift  comes  as  a  prophet  to  teach  tln-m,  and  to 
 turn  them  from  darkneis  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan 
 to  God. 
 
 Branch  4.  See  the  happy  condition  of  the  children  of  God, 
 they  have  Chrift  to  he  their  prophet,  Iia.  liv.  13.  *  All  thy 
 children  fhall  be  taught  of  the  Lord,'  1  Cor.  i.  30.  ■  He  is  made 
 to  us  wilcJom.'  One  man  cannot  fee  by  another's  eyes  :  but 
 believers  iee  with  Chrift' a  eyes,  '  In  his  light  they  lee  light:* 
 Chriit  gives  them  the  light  of  grace,  and  light  of  glory. 
 
 Ufe  2,  Labour  to  have  Chriit  for  your  prophet :  he  teacheth 
 favingly  :  he  is  an  interpreter  of  a  thouland,  he  can  untie  thofe 
 knots  which  puzzle  very  angels.  Till  Chriit  teach,  never  learn 
 any  leflbn  ;  till  Chriit  is  made  to  us  wifdom,  we  (hall  never  be 
 wife  to  falvation. 
 
 Q.  Whatjliall  ice  do  to  have  Chrijlfor  our  teacher? 
 Anf.  See  your  need  of  Chrift' s  teaching-  ;  you  cannot  fee  your 
 way  without  this  morning-itar ;  fome  fpeak  much  of  the  l|gh£ 
 of  reafon  improved  ;  alas  !  the  plumb-line  of  reaibn  is  too  ihort 
 to  fathom  the  deep  things  of  God  :  the  light  of  reaibn  will  no 
 more  help  a  man  to  believe,  than  the  light  of  a  candle  will  help 
 him  to  underftand.  A  man  can  no  more,  by  the  power  of  na- 
 ture reach  Chrift,  than  an  infant  can  reach  the  top  of  the  pyra- 
 mids, or  the  oitrich  fly  up  to  the  ftars  ;  iee  your  need  of  Chrift'? 
 anointing  and  teaching,  Rev.  iii.  18. 
 
 2dly,  Go  to  Chrift  to  teach  you,  Pfal.  xxv.  5.  «  Lead  me 
 in  thy  truth,  and  teach  me.*  As  one  of  the  difciples  faid, 
 '  Lord,  teach  us  to  pray,'  Luke  xi.  1.  fo,  Lord,  teach  me  to 
 profit.  Do  thou  light  my  lamp,  O  thou  great  prophet  of  thy 
 church  !  Give  me  a  fpirit  of  wiidorn  and  revelation,  that  I  may 
 fee  things  in  another  manner  than  ever  I  faw  them  before  ; 
 teach  me  in  the  word  to  hear  thy  voice,  and  in  the  facrament  to 
 difcem  thy  body,  Pf.  xiii.  3.  *  Lighten  mine  eyes,'  .Sec.  Cathe- 
 dram  habet  in  ccelo  qui  cor  da  docet  in  terra.  Aug.  "  He  hath 
 his  pulpit  in  heaven  who  converts  fouls.''  And  that  we  may 
 be  encouraged  to  go  to  our  great  prophet : 
 
 1.  Jefus  Chriit  is  very  willing  to  teach  us.  Why  elfe  did  he 
 enter  into  the  calling  of  the  miniftry,  but  to  teach  the  myiteries 
 of  heaven  ?  Matth.  iv.  23.  *  Jefus  went  about  teaching  and 
 preaching  the  gofpel  of  the  kingdom,  and  healing  all  manner 
 of  ficknefs,  and  all  manner  of  difeafes  among  the  people.'  Why 
 did  he  take  the  office  prophetical  upon  him  ?  Why  was  Chriit 
 fo  angry  with  them  that  kept  away  the  key  of  knowledge? 
 Luke  xi.  52.  Why  was  Chriit  anointed  with  the  Spirit  without 
 Vol.  I.  No.  4.  Z 
 
178  CHRIST  A  PROPHET. 
 
 meafure  ?  but  that  he  might  anoint  U9  with  knowledge.  Know- 
 ledge is  in  Chrift  as  milk  in  the  breait  for  the  child.  O  then  go 
 to  Chrift  to  teach.  None  in  thegofpel  came  to  Chrift  for  fuht, 
 but  he  reftored  their  eye-fight;  and  lure  Chrift  is  more  willing 
 to  work  a  cure  upon  a  blind  ibul,  than  ever  he  was  upon  a  blind 
 body. 
 
 2.  There  are  none  fo  dull  and  ignorant  but  Chrift  can  teach 
 them.  Every  one  is  not  fit  to  make  a  philofopher's  fcholar  of ; 
 ex  omni  tigno  nonjit  Mercnrius;  but  there  is  none  fo  dull,  but 
 Chrift  can  make  a  good  fcholar  of  fuch  as  are  ignorant,  and  of 
 low  parts.  Chrift  teacheth  them  in  fuch  a  manner,  that  they 
 know  more  than  the  great  fages  and  wife  men  of  the  world. 
 Hence  that  faying  of  St.  Auguiime,  furgunt  indofti,  et  rapiuut 
 ccelum  ;  the  unlearned  men  rife  up,  and  take  heaven  ;  they 
 know  the  truths  of  Chrift  more  favingly  than  the  great  admired 
 Rabbies.  The  duller  the  fcholar,  the  more  is  his  (kill  feen  that 
 teacheth.  Hence  it  is,  Chrift  delights  in  teaching  the  ignorant, 
 to  get  himfelf  more  glory,  Ifa.  xxxv.  5.  *  The  eyes  of  the 
 blind  (hall  be  opened,  and  the  ears  of  the  deaf  lhall  be  un- 
 (lopped/  Who  would  go  to  teach  a  blind  or  a  deaf  man  ?  Yet 
 fuch  dull  fcholars  Chrift  teacheth.  Such  as  are  blinded  with 
 ignorance,  they  (hall  fee  the  myfteries  of  the  gofpel,  and  the 
 deaf  ears  (hall  be  unftopped. 
 
 3.  Wait  upon  the  means  of  grace  which  Chrift  hath  appoint- 
 ed. Though  Chrift  teacheth  by  his  Spirit,  yet  he  teacheth  in  the 
 ufe  o(  ordinances.  Wait  at  the  gates  of  wifdom's  door  ;  mini- 
 fters  are  teachers  under  Chrift,  Eph.  iv.  11.  '  Pallors  and 
 teachers.*  We  read  of  pitchers  and  lamps  within  the  pitchers, 
 Judges  vii.  16.  Minifters  are  earthen  veiiels,  but  thefe  pitchers 
 have  lamps  within  them  to  light  fouls  to  heaven.  Chrift  is 
 laid  to  fpeak  to  U9  from  heaven  now,  Heb.  xii.  2o.  viz.  by  his 
 minifters,  as  the  king  fpeaks  by  his  ambailador.  Such  as  wean 
 themfelves  from  the  breaft  of  ordinances,  feldom  thrive;  either 
 they  grow  light  in  their  head,  or  lame  in  their  feet.  The  word 
 preached  is  Chritl's  voice  in  the  mouth  of  the  minifter  ;  and 
 they  that  refufe  to  hear  Chrift  fpeaking  in  the  miniftry,  Chrift 
 will  refufe  to  hear  them  fpeaking  on  their  death-bed. 
 
 4.  If  you  would  have  the  teachings  of  Chrift,  walk  according 
 to  that  knowledge  which  you  have  already.  Ufe  your  little 
 knowledge  well,  and  Chrift  will  teach  you  more,  John  vii.  17. 
 ■  If  any  man  will  do  his  will,  he  (hall  know  of  my  doctrine, 
 whether  it  be  of  God,  or  whether  I  fpeak  of  myfelf.'  A  matter 
 feeing  his  fervant  improve  a  little  (lock  well,  gives  him  more 
 to  trade  with. 
 
 Ufe  3.  If  you  have  been  taught  by  Chrift  favingly,  be  thank- 
 ful :  it  is  your  honour  to  have  God  for  your  teacher,  and  that 
 he  ihould  teach  you,  and  not  others,  is  matter  of  admiration 
 
Christ's  priestly  office.  179 
 
 and  gratulation.  O  how  many  knowing  men  are  ignorant! 
 They  are  not  taught  of  God  ;  they  have  Chrift's  irord  to  en- 
 lighten them,  but  not  his  Spirit  to  lunetify  them.  But  that  you 
 llinulcJ  have  the  inward  as  well  as  the  outward  teaching,  that 
 Chrill  ihould  anoint  you  with  the  heavenly  unction  of  his  Spirit, 
 that  you  can  fay  as  he,  John  ix.  23.  *  Que  thing  I  know,  that 
 whereas  I  was  blind,  I  now  fee  :'  O  how  thankful  mould  you 
 be  to  Chrilt,  who  hath  revealed  his  Father's  bofom-fecrets  unto 
 }ou!  John  i.  IS.  ■  No  man  hath  fecn  God  at  any  time;  the 
 only  begotten  Son  which  is  in  the  bolbm  of  the  Father,  he  hath 
 declared  him.'  If  Alexander  thought  himfelf  fo  much  obliged. 
 to  Arillotle,  for  the  philofophical  iulr.rucT.iou3  he  learned  from 
 him  ;  O  how  are  we  bound  to  Jelus  Chrilt,  this  great  prophet, 
 for  opening  to  us  the  eternal  pur  poles  of  his  love,  and  revealing 
 to  us  the  mylleries  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ! 
 
 CHRIST'S  PRIESTLY  OFFICE. 
 
 Q.  XXKV.  HOW  doth  Chrijl  execute  the  office  of  a 
 prieft  / 
 
 An/.  In  his  once  offering  up  of  himfelf  a  facrifice  to  fatisfy 
 divine  juftice,  and  reconcile  us  to  God,  aud  in  making  continual 
 intercelfion  for  us. 
 
 Heb.  ix.  2(j.  *  Now  once  in  the  end  of  the  world  hath  ha 
 appeared  to  put  away  fin  by  the  facrifice  of  himfelf.' 
 
 Q.    What  are  the  parts  of  ChrijVs  prieftiy  office  f 
 
 Aitf.  Chrift's  prieftiy  office  hath  two  parts,  his  fatisfaction 
 and  interceffion. 
 
 1.  His  Satisfaction,  and  this  confifts  of  two  branches: 
 1.  His  active  obedience,  Mat.  iii.  15.  *  He  fulfilled  all  righ- 
 teoufnefs.'  Chrilt  did  every  thing  which  the  law  required  ;  his 
 holy  life  was  a  perfect  commentary  upon  the  law  of  God  ;  and 
 he  obeyed  the  law  for  us. 
 
 2.  His  palfive  obedience.  Our  guilt  being  transferred  and 
 imputed  to  him,  he  did  undergo  the  penalty  which  was  due  to 
 us  ;  4  he  appeared  to  put  away  fin  by  the  facrifice  of  hiinlelf.' 
 The  pafchal  lamb  (lain,  was  a  type  oi  Chrill  who  was  offered  up 
 in  facrifice  for  us.  Sin  could  not  be  done  away  without  blood, 
 Heb.  ix.  22.  *  Without  blood  is  no  remiflion.'  Cluift  was  not 
 only  a  lamb  without  fpot,  but  a  lamb  llain. 
 
 Q.    Why  icus  it  reani/ite  there  fhould  be  a  prieft  ? 
 An/.  There  needed  a  prieft  to  be  an  umpire,  to  mediate  be- 
 tween a  sruilty  creature,  and  an  holy  God. 
 Q.    iliivcanid  Chri/t  j'uff'er,  being  God? 
 Ani\  Chrilt  fufferad  only  in  the  human  nature. 
 
 Z  9 
 
ISO  Christ's  priestly  office. 
 
 Q.  But  if  only  Chrift's  humanity  fuffered,  how  could  this 
 fuffermg  fatisfy  for  Jin  ? 
 
 Anf.  The  human  nature  being  united  to  the  divine,  the 
 human  nature  did  furfer,  the  divine,  did  fatisfy.  Chrift's  God- 
 head, as  it  did  fupport  the  human  nature  that  it  did  not  faint, 
 i'o  it  did  give  virtue  to  his  fufferings.  The  altar  famStifies  the 
 thing  oifered  on  it,  Matth.  xxiii.  19.  fo  the  altar  of  Chrift's  di- 
 vine nature  fan&ified  the  facrifice  of  his  death,  and  made  it  of 
 infinite  value. 
 
 Q.  Wherein  doth  the  great  nefs  of  Chrift's  fufferings  appear? 
 Anf.  In  the  fufferings  of  his  body.  He  futfered  truly,  not 
 only  in  appearance;  the  apoftle  calls  it  mors  cruris,  the  death 
 of  the  crofs,  Phil.  ii.  8.  Tully,  when  he  fpeaks  of  this  kind  of 
 death,  quid  dicam  in  crucem  tollere?  Though  he  was  a  great 
 orator  he  wanted  words  to  exprefs  it.  The  thoughts  of  this 
 made  Chrift  fweat  great  drops  of  blood  in  the  garden,  Luke 
 xxii.  44.  It  was  an  ignominious,  painful,  curfed  death ;  Chrift 
 futfered  in  all  his  fenles  :  1.  -In  his  eyes  ;  they  beheld  two  fad 
 objects,  he  law  his  enemies  infulting,  and  his  mother  weeping. 
 2.  In  his  ears ;  his  ears  were  filled  with  the  revilings  of  the 
 people,  Mat.  xxvii.  42.  '  He  faved  others,  himfelf  he  cannot 
 fave.'  3.  In  his  fmell  ;  when  their  drivel  fell  upon  his  face. 
 4.  In  his  tafte  ;  when  they  gave  him  gall  and  vinegar  to  drink, 
 bitternefs  and  fharpnefs.  5.  In  his  feeling  ;  his  head  fuffered 
 with  thorns,  his  hands  and  feet  with  the  nails, — Totum  pro 
 vulnere  corpus  :  now  was  this  white  lily  died  of  a  purple  colour. 
 (2-)  In  the  fufferings  of  his  foul.  He  was  preffed  in  the  wine- 
 prefs  of  his  Father's  wrath.  This  caufed  that  vociferation  and 
 out-cry  on  the  crofs,  '  My  God,  my  God,'  cur  deferuifti  ? 
 Chrift  fuffered  a  double  eclipfe  upon  the  crofs,  an  eclipfe  of  the 
 fun,  and  an  eclipfe  of  the  light  of  God's  countenance.  How 
 bitter  was  this  agony !  the  evangelitls  ule  three  words  to  ex- 
 prefs it,  '  he  began  to  be  amazed,'  Mark  xiv.  33.  *  He  began 
 to  be  faint.'  '  To  be  exceeding  forrowful,'  Mat.  xxvi.  37. 
 Chrift  felt  the  paius  of  hell  in  his  foul,  though  not  locally,  yet 
 equivalently. 
 
 Q.    Why  did  Chriflfuffer  ? 
 
 Anf.  Surely  not  for  any  defert  of  his  own,  Dan.  ix.  26.  '  The 
 Mefliah  fhall  be  cut  oft",  but,  not  for  himfelf;.'  it  was  for  us,  Ifa. 
 liii.  6.  Unus  peccat  alius pleciitur  ;  he  fuffered,  that  he  might 
 fatisfy  God's  juftice  for  us.  We,  by  our  fins,  had  infinitely 
 wronged  God  ;  and,  could  we  have  (bed  rivers  of  tears,  offered 
 up  millions  of  holocaufts  and  burnt-offerings,  we  could  never 
 have  pacified  an  angry  Deity  :  therefore  Chrift  muft  die,  that 
 God's  juftice  may  be  fatisfied. 
 
 It  is  hotly  debated  among  divines,  whether  God  could  not 
 have  forgiven  fiu  freely  without  a  facrifice-     Not  to  difpute 
 
Christ's  priestly  offi<  181 
 
 what  God  could  have  done,  but  when  we  confider  God  was  re- 
 solved to  have  the  law  fatisfied,  and  to  have  men  laved  in  a  u iy 
 of  juftice  as  well  as  mercy;  then,  I  lay,  it  was  necellary  that 
 Chrift  fhould  lay  down  his  life  as  a  lacrifice. 
 
 1.  To   fulfil   the   predictions  of  fcripture,  Luke  xxiv.    4(7. 
 
 *  Thus  it  behoved  Chrift  to  Puffer.' 
 
 8.  To  bring  us  into  favour  with  God  ;  It  is  one  thing  for  a 
 traitor  to  be  pardoned,  and  another  thing  to  be  made  a  fa- 
 vourite. Chrilt's  blood  is  not  only  called  a  lacrifice  whereby 
 God  is  appealed,  but  a  propitiation  whereby  God  becomes 
 gracious  and  friendly  to  us.  Chrift  is  our  mercy-teat,  from  which 
 God  gives  anfwers  of  peace  to  us. 
 
 3.  Chrift  died,  that  he  might  make  good  his  lad- will  and 
 teftament  with  his  blood  :  there  were  many  legacies  which  Chrift 
 bequeathed  to  believers,  which  had  been  all  null  and  void,  had 
 not  he  died,  and  by  his  death  confirmed  the  will,  Heb.  ix.  17- 
 A  teftament  is  in  force  after  men  are  dead  :  the  million  of  the 
 Spirit,  the  promifes,  thole  legacies,  were  not  in  force  till  Chrift' s 
 death  ;  but  Chrift  by  his  blood  hath  l'ealed  them,  and  believers 
 may  lay  claim  to  them. 
 
 4.  He  died ,  that  he  might  purchafe  for  us  glorious  manfions ; 
 therefore  heaven  is  called  not  only  a  promifed,  but  a  '  purchafed 
 polleflion/  Eph.  i.  14.  Chrift  died  for  our  preferment;  he  Suf- 
 fered that  we  might  reign  ;  he  hung  upon  the  crols  that  we 
 might  fit  upon  the  throne.  Heaven  was  Ihut,  &c.  crux  Chrifii 
 davis  Paradi/i  :  the  crols  of  Chrift  is  the  ladder  by  which  we 
 alcend  to  heaven.     His  crucifixion  is  our  coronation. 
 
 U/e  I.  In  the  bloody  facrifice  of  Chrift,  fee  the  horrid  nature 
 of  (in  ;  fiu,  it  is  true,  is  odious,  as  it  banifhed  Adam  out  of  pa- 
 radife,  and  threw  the  angels  into  hell;  but  that  which  doth  molt  of 
 all  make  it  appear  horrid,  is  this,  that  it  made  Chrift  veil  his  glory, 
 and  lofe  his  blood.  We  fhould  look  upon  fin  with  indignation, 
 and  purfue  it  with  an  holy  malice  ;  and  fhed  the  blood  of  thole 
 fins  which  fhed  Chrilt's  blood.  The  light  of  Cajfar's  bloody 
 robe,  incenfed  the  Romans  againft  them  that  flew  him.  The 
 fight  of  Chrilt's  bleeding  body  fhould  incenfe  us  againft  fin  :  let 
 us  not  parley  with  it;  let  not  that  be  our  joy,  which  made 
 Chrift  a  man  of  forrow. 
 
 U/e  2.  Is  Chrift  our  prieft  facrificed  ?  See  God's  mercy  and 
 juftice  dilplayed.       I   may  lay  as  the  apoltle,    Rom.    xi.   97. 
 
 *  Behold  the  goodnefs  and  feverity  of  God.'  I.  The  goodncfs 
 of  God  in  providing  a  facrifice  :  had  not  Chrift  fullered  upon 
 the  crols,  we  mult  have  lain  iu  hell  for  ever  latisfying  God's 
 juftice. 
 
 2.  The  feverity  of  God  :  though  it  were  his  own  Son,  the  Son 
 of  his  love,  and  our  fins  were  but  imputed  to  him,  yet  God  did 
 not  fpare  him,  Rom.  viii.  o2.  but  his  wrath  did  flame  agaipft 
 
182  CHRlSl's  PR1ESILV  6FFICE. 
 
 him.  And  if  God  were  thus  fevere  to  his  own  Son,  how  dread- 
 ful will  he  be  one  day  to  his  enemies?  Such  as  die  in  wilful  im- 
 penitency,  mult  feel  the  lame  wrath  as  Chrilt  did  ;  and  becaule 
 they  cannot  bear  it  at  once,  therefore  they  mull  be  enduring  it 
 for  ever. 
 
 life  3.  Is  Chrift  our  pried,  who  was  facrificed  for  us?  Then 
 fee  the  endeared  affection  of  Chrilt  to  us  iiuners.  "  The  crofs 
 (faith  Auftin)  was  a  pulpit,  in  which  Chrilt  preached  his  love 
 to  the  world."  That  Chrilt  (hould  die,  was  more  than  if  all  the 
 angels  had  been  turned  to  dull;  and  that  Clirift  fhould  die  as  a 
 malefactor,  having  the  weight  of  all  mens  (ins  laid  upon  him  ; 
 that  he  fhould  die  for  his  enemies,  Rom.  v.  10.  The  balm-tree 
 ■weeps  out  its  precious  balm,  to  heal  thofe  that  cut  and  mangle 
 jt :  Chrilt  fhed  his  blood,  to  heal  thofe  that  crucified  him.  And 
 that  he  fhould  die  freely  ;  it  is  called  the  '  offering  of  the  body 
 of  Jefus,'  Heb.  x.  10.  And  though  his  fufferings  were  lb  great, 
 that  they  made  him  figh  and  weep,  and  bleed  ;  yet  they  could 
 not  make  him  repent,  Ifa.  liii.  11.  ■  He  fhall  fee  the  travail  of 
 his  foul  and  be  fatisfied.'  Chrift  had  hard  travail  upon  the  crofs, 
 yet  he  doih  not  repent  of  it,  but  thinks  hisfweat  and  blood  well 
 bellowed,  becaule  he  fees  redemption  brought  forth  to  the 
 world.  O  infinite,  amazing  love  of  Chrift!  a  love  that  paffeth 
 knowledge!  Eph.  iii.  19.  that  neither  man  nor  angel  can  pa- 
 rallel. How  fhould  we  be  affected  with  this  love?  If  Saul  was 
 fo  affected  with  David's  kindnefs  in  fparing  his  life,  how  mould 
 we  be  affected  with  Chrift's  kindnefs  in  parting  with  his  life  for 
 us?  At  Chrift's  death  and  paffion,  the  very  ftones  did  cleave 
 afunder,  Matth.  xxvii.  5.  ■  The  rocks  rent.'  Not  to  be  affected 
 with  Chrift's  love,  in  dying,  is  to  have  hearts  harder  than  rocks. 
 Uj'e  4.  Is  Chrift  our  facrifice  ?  then  fee  the  excellency  of  his 
 facrifice:  It  is  perfect,  Heb.  x.  4.  *  By  one  offering  he  hath 
 perfected  them  that  are  fanctified.'  Therefore,  how  impious 
 are  the  Papilts,  in  joining  their  merits,  and  the  prayers  of  faints 
 with  Chrift's  facrifice?  They  offer  him  up  daily  in  the  mafs,  as 
 if  Chrift's  facrifice  on  the  crofs  were  imperfect:  this  is  a  blaf- 
 phemy  againft  Chrift's  prieltly  office. 
 
 c2.  Chrift's  facrifice  is  meritorious;  he  not  only  died  for  our 
 example,  but  to  merit  falvatiou  ;  the  perfon  who  fuftered  being 
 God  as  well  as  man,  did  put  virtue  into  his  fufferings  ;  and  now 
 our  fins  are  expiated,  and  God  appealed.  No  (boner  did  the 
 naeffengers  fay,  *  Uriah  is  dead ,'  but  David's  anger  was  pacified, 
 %  Sam.  xi.  21.  No  fooner  did  Clirift  die,  but  God's  anger  was 
 pacified. 
 
 3.  This  facrifice  is  beneficial.  Out  of  the  dead  lion  Samfon 
 had  honey:  it  procures  juiiification  of  our  perfons,  acceptance 
 of  our  (ervice,  accefs  to  God  with  boldnefs,  entrance  into  the 
 holy  place  of  heaven,  Heb.  x.   19.     Per  latus  Chrifti  patefcit 
 
Christ's  priestly  ornrE.  183 
 
 nobis  in  caditm,  I iV.it  I  palled  through  the  R<  d'fea  to  Canaan  ;  fo 
 t liroii^h  the  Red- lea  6f  Chrilt' 9  blood,  we  enter  into  the  hea- 
 venly Canaan. 
 
 9.  IJ/'e  Of  Exhortation,  liranch  1.  Let  ns  fidurially  apply 
 this  blood  of  Chrill;  all  the  virtue  of  a  medicine  is  in  tin-  im- 
 plying; though  the  medicine  be  made  of  the  blood  of  God,  it 
 will  not  heal,  unlets  by  faith  applied.  As  lire  is  to  the  chymift, 
 fo  is  faith  to  the  Chriltian,  the  chymift  ran  do  nothing  wit  hour. 
 fire,  lb  there  is  nothing  done  without  Faith.  Faith  makes  Clirilt's 
 facrifice  ours,  Phil.  iii.  8.  ■  Chrilt  Jefus  my  Lord.'  It  is  not 
 gold  in  the  mine,  that  enricheth,  but  gold  in  the  hand  :  faith 
 is  the  band  that  receives  Clirilt's  golden  merits.  It  is  not  a 
 cordial  in  the  llefh,  refrefheth  the  fpirit,  but.  a  cordial  drunk 
 down.  l*ur  fidem  Chtffli  fatigttitem  filgimtis,  Cypr.  Faith 
 opens  the  orifice  of  Clirilt's  wounds,  and  drinks  the  precious 
 cordial  of  his  blood.  Without  faith  Chrift  hinilelf  will  not 
 avail  us. 
 
 Branch  9.  Let  us  love  a  bleeding  Saviour,  and  let  us  fliow 
 our  love  to  Chrilt,  by  being  ready  to  futFer  for  him.  Many  re- 
 joice at  Clirilt's  (uttering  for  them,  but  dream  not  of  their  fuf- 
 fering  for  him  :  Joleph  dreamed  of  his  preferment,  but  not  of 
 his  imprifonment.  Was  Chrilt  a  (acrifice  ?  Did  he  bear  God's 
 wrath  for  us?  We  fhould  bear  man's  wrath  for  him.  Chrift's 
 death  was  voluntary,  Pl'al.  xl.  7«  '  Lo,  I  come  to  do  thy  will, 
 
 0  God.'  Luke  xii.  50.  •  1  have  a  baptifm  to  be  baptized  with, 
 and  how  am  I  ftraitened  till  it  be  accomplished  ?'  Chrilt  calls 
 hid  furferings  a  baptifm  :  he  was  to  be  (is  it  were)  baptized  in 
 his  own  blood  ;  and  how  did  he  thirft  for  that  time?  '  How  am 
 
 1  ftraitened!'  O  then,  let  us  be  willing  to  fuller  for  Chrilt! 
 Chrift  hath  taken  away  the  venom  and  Iting  of  the  faints  Puffer* 
 logs  :  there  is  no  wrath  in  their  cup.  Our  fufterings  Chrift  can 
 make  fweet.  As  there  was  oil  mixed  in  the  peace-offering,  fo 
 God  can  mix  the  oil  of  gladnefs  with  our  fufterings.  •'  The 
 ringing  of  my  chain  is  fweet  mnfic  in  my  ears,"  Lan^reve  of 
 Heffe.  Life  mult  be  parted  with  fhortly  ;  what  is  it.  to  part 
 with  it  a  little  fooner,  as  a  facrifice  to  Chrilt,  as  a  leal  of  fincerity, 
 and  a  pledge  of  thankfulnels  ? 
 
 3d  (lie  of  Covfo/ation.  This  ficrifice  of  Chrift's  blood  may 
 infinitely  comfort  us.  This  is  the  blood  of  atonement :  Chrift's 
 crofs  is  cardo  fahitis,  Calv.  M  The  hinge  and  fountain  of  our 
 comfort." 
 
 ljl,  This  blood  comforts  in  cafe  of  guilt :  O,  faith  the  foul, 
 my  fins  trouble  me!  why,  Chrift's  blood  was  fhed  for  the  re- 
 million  of  fin,  Mat.  xxvi.  28.  Let  us  fee  our  fins  laid  on  Chrift, 
 and  then  they  are  no  more  ours,  but  his. 
 
 9dlyt  In  cafe  of  pollution  :  Chrift's  blood  is  an  healing  and 
 clean 6 ng  blood  :  1.  It  is  healing,  Ifa.  liii.  j.  *  With  his  (tripe* 
 
1S4  Christ's  priestly  office. 
 
 we  are  healed.'  It  is  the  bed  weapon-falve,  it  heals  at  a  dis- 
 tance :  Though  Chrift  be  in  heaven,  we  may  feel  the  virtue  of 
 his  blood  healing  our  bloody  iffue.  2.  And  it  is  cleanfing  :  It 
 is  therefore  compared  to  fountain-water,  Zech.  xiii.  1.  The 
 word  is  a  glafs  to  fho\v  us  our  fpots,  and  Chrift' s  blood  is  a  foun- 
 tain to  warn  them  away  ;  it  turns  leprofy  into  purity,  1  John 
 i.  7.  '  The  blood  of  Jefus  cleanfeth  us  from  all  our  fin.'  There 
 is  indeed  one  fpot  lb  black,  that  Chrift' s  blood  doth  not  wafti 
 away,  viz.  the  fin  a^ainft  the  Holy  Ghoft.  Not  but  that  there 
 is  virtue  enough  in  Chrift' s  blood  to  warn  it  away  ;  but  he  who 
 hath  finned  that  Gn  will  not  be  warned,  he  contemns  Chrift' s 
 blood,  and  tramples  it  underfoot,  Heb.  x.  29.  Thus  we  fee 
 what  a  ftrong  cordial  Chrift' s  blood  is  ;  it  is  the  anchor- hold  of 
 our  faith,  the  fpring  of  our  joy,  the  crown  of  our  defires,  and 
 the  only  fupport  both  in  life  and  death.  In  all  our  fears  let  us 
 comfort  ourfelves  with  the  propitiatory  facrifice  of  ChrifYs 
 blood  :  Chrift  died  both  as  a  purchafer  and  as  a  conqueror  :  1. 
 As  a  purchafer,  in  regard  of  God,  having  by  his  blood  obtained 
 our  falvation.  2.  And  as  a  conqueror,  in  regard  of  Satan,  the 
 crofs  being  his  triumphant  chariot,  wherein  he  hath  led  hell  and 
 death  captive. 
 
 Ufe  alt.  Blefs  God  for  this  precious' facrifice  of  Chrift' s  death, 
 Pf.  ciii.  I.  i  Blefs  the  Lord,  O  my  foul.'  And  for  what  doth 
 David  blefs  him  ?  *  Who  redeemeth  thy  life  from  deftruction  ?' 
 Chrift  gave  himfelf  a  fin-offering  for  us,  let  us  give  ourfelves  a 
 thank-offering  to  him.  If  a  man  redeem  another  out  of  debt, 
 will  not  he  be  grateful  ?  How  deeply  do  we  ftand  obliged  to 
 Chrift,  who  hath  redeemed  us  from  hell  and  damnation?  Rev. 
 v.  9.  '  And  they  fung  a  new  fong,  faying,  thou  art  worthy  to 
 take  the  book,  and  open  the  feals;  for  thou  waft  flain,  and  haft 
 Tedeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood.'  Letourrheartsand  tongues 
 join  in  concert  to  blefs  God,  and  let  us  fhew  thankfulnefs 
 to  Chrift  by  fruitfulnefs  ;  let  us  bring  forth  (as  fpice  trees)  the 
 fruits  of  humility,  zeal,  good  works.  This  is  to  live  unto  him 
 who  died  for  us,  2  Cor.  v.  15.  The  wife  men  did  not  only 
 worfhip  Chrift,  but  prefented  him'with  gifts,  gold,  and  frank- 
 incenfe,  and  myrrh,  Mat.  ii.  11.  Let  us  prefent  Chrift,  with 
 the  fruits  of  righteoufnefs,  which  are  unto  the  glory  and  praife 
 of  God. 
 
CM  ion.  183 
 
 CHRIST'S  INTERCESSION. 
 
 Rom.  viii.  34.      Who  aljb  maketh  interceffionfor 
 
 Wilts    Aaron  entered  into  the  holy   place,    his  bolltf 
 1  a  foil  ml  ;  to  Chrilt  having  entered   into  heaven,   his  inter- 
 im makes  a  melodious  found  in   the  ears  of  God.     Chrift, 
 though' he  be  exalted  to  glory,  hath  not  laid  alide  his  bowels  of 
 npaflQott,  but  iattill   mindful  of  his  body  myitical;    as  Jo- 
 l'eph  \v\xi  mindful  of  his  father  and  brethren,  when  he  was  ex- 
 1  to  the  court.     '  W1k>  alio  maketh. intercettion  for  us,'— 
 To  intercede,   is    to  make  requeft  in  the  behalf  of  another. 
 Chrilt  h  it  matter  of  requefts  in  heaven  ;    Chrillns  eft  ea- 
 
 >s  Sacerdos,  Tertul. 
 
 Q.  What  are  the  qualifications  of  our  intcrcpJJUr? 
 
 I.  lie  is  holy,  Heb.  vii.  90,  ■  for  fuch  an  High-pried 
 became  us,  who  is  holy,  undefiled,  fcparated  from  tinners.* 
 1  Chrilt  knew  no  fin,'  2  Cor.  v.  21*  He  knew  no  fin  in  Weight, 
 not  in  the  act.  It  was  requifite  that  he,  who  was  to  do  away 
 the  (ins  of  others  fhould  himfelf  be  without  fin.  Holinefsis  one 
 of  the  precious  ftones  which  (bines  on  the  breatt-plate  of  our 
 Ili^h-prieft. 
 
 9.  He  is  faithful,  Heb.  ii.  17.  '  It  behoved  him  to  be  like 
 unto  his  brethren,  that  he  might  be  a  faithful  High-prieft.' 
 Motes  was  faithful  a8  a  fervant,  Chrift  as  a  Son,  Heb.  iii.  5. 
 He  doth  not  forget  any  caufe  he  hath  to  plead,  nor  doth  he  ufe 
 any  deceit  in  pleading.  An  ordinary  attorney  may  either  leave 
 out  fome  word  which  might  make  for  the  client,  or  put  in  a 
 word  againft  him,  having  received  a  fee  on  both  tides;  but 
 Chrilt  is  true  to  the  caufe  he  pleads  :  we  may  leave  our  matters 
 with  him,  we  may  truft  our  lives  and  fouls  in  his  hand. 
 
 3.  He  never  dies.  The  priefts  under  the  law,  while  their 
 office  lived,  they  themfelves  died,  Heb.  vii.  23.  ■  They  were 
 not  i uttered  to  continue  by  reafon  of  death  :'  But  '  Chrill  ever 
 lives  to  make  intercettion,'  Heb.  viii.  125.  He  hath  no  i'ue- 
 ceilion  in  his  prielthood. 
 
 Q.    Who  Chrift  intercedes  for? 
 
 Anf.  Not  for  all  promifcuoufly,  John  xvii.  f).  but  for  the 
 elect.  The  efficacy  of  Chrift's  prayer  reacheth  no  further  than 
 the  efficacy  of  his  blood  ;  but  his  blood  was  flied  only  for  the 
 elect,  therefore  his  prayers  only  reach  them-  The  high-prieft 
 went  into  the  fanctuary  with  the  names  only  of  the  twelve  tribes 
 upon  his  breaft ;  to  Chrilt  goes  into  heaven  only  with  the  names 
 of  the  elect  upon  his  breafb     Chrift  intercedes  for  tb«  weakeft 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  4.  A  a 
 
186  Christ's  intercession. 
 
 believers,  John  xvii.  20.  and  for  all  the  fins  of  believers.  Tn 
 the  law  there  were  ibme  fins  the  high-prieft  was  neither  to  otter 
 facrifice  for,  nor  yet  to  offer  prayer,  Numb.  >:v.  30.  ■  The  foul 
 that  doth  ought  prelum ptuoufly  fhali  be  cut  of}'.'  The  prieft 
 might  offer  up  prayer  for  fins  of  ignorance,  but  not  of  preemp- 
 tion :  but  Chi  ill's  intercelTion  extends  to  all  the  fins  of  the  ele6t. 
 Of  what  a  bloody  colour  was  David's  fin  ?  yet  it  did  not  ex- 
 clude Chrift's  interceflion. 
 
 Q.    What  doth  Chrift  in  the  icork  of  inter ceffion  ? 
 
 Anf.  Three  things. 
 
 1.  He  prefents  the  merit  of  his  blood  to  his  Father,  and,  in 
 the  virtue  of  that  price  paid,  pleads  for  mercy.  The  high-prieil 
 was  herein  a  lively  ty  pe  of  Chrift  :  Aaron  was  to  do  four  things : 
 1.  Kill  the  beafts:  2.  To  enter  with  the  blood  into  the  holy  of 
 holies:  3.  To  fprinkle  the  mercy- feat  with  the  blood  :  4.  To 
 kindle  the  incenie,  and  with  the  f  moke  of  it,  caufe  a  cloud  arife 
 over  the  mercy- feat;  and  fo  the  atonement  was  made,  Lev. 
 xvi.  11,  12,  13,  14,  15,  16.  Chrift  our  high-prieft  did  exadly 
 anfwer  to  this  type  :  he  was  offered  up  in  facrifice,  thatanfwers 
 to  the  prieft's  killing  the  bullock  :  and  Chrift  is  gone  up  into 
 heaven,  thatanfwers  to  the  prieft's  going  in  to  the  holy  of  holies ; 
 and  he  fpreads  his  blood  before  his  Father,  that  anfwers  to  the 
 prieft's  fprinkling  the  blood  upon  the  mercy-feat :  and  he  prays 
 to  his  Father,  that  for  his  blood's  fake,  he  would  be  propitious 
 to  finners  ;  that  anfwers  to  the  cloud  of  incenfe  going  up  :  and 
 through  his  interceflion  God  is  pacified,  that  anfwers  to  the 
 prieft's  making  atonement. 
 
 2.  Chrift,  by  his  intercelTion,  anfwers  all  bills  of  indictment 
 brought  in  againft  the  elect.  Believers,  do  what  they  can,  fin, 
 and  then  Satan  accufeth  them  to  God,  and  confcience  accufeth 
 them  to  themfelves :  now,  Chrift  by  his  interceflion,  anfwers 
 all  thele  accufations,  Rom.  viii.  33.  ■  Who  fhall  lay  any  thing 
 to  the  charge  of  God's  elect  ?  it  is  Chrift  that  maketh  interceflion 
 for  us.'  When  Efculus  was  accufed  for  fome  impiety,  his  bro- 
 ther ftood  up  for  him,  and  fhewed  the  magiftrates  how  he  had 
 loft  his  hand  in  the  fervice  of  the  ftate,  and  fo  obtained  his  par- 
 don :  thus,  when  Satan  accufeth  the  faints,  or  when  the  juftice 
 of  God  lays  any  thing  to  their  charge,  Chrift  fhews  his  own 
 wounds,  and  by  virtue  of  his  bloody  l'ufterings,  he  anfwers  all 
 the  demands  and  challenges  of  the  law,  and  counterworks  Satan's 
 accufations. 
 
 3.  Chi  ift,  by  his  interceflion,  calls  for  acquittance  ;  Lord,  let 
 the  finner  be  abfolved  from  guilt :  and  in  this  fenfe  Chrift  is 
 called  an  advocate,  1  John  ii.  1.  He  requires  that  the  finner 
 be  let  free  in  the  court.  An  advocate  differs  much  from  an 
 orator ;  an  orator  uleth  rhetoric  to  perfuade  and  intreat  the 
 judge  to  fliew  mercy  to  another ;  but  an  advocate  tells  the  judge 
 
Christ's  intercession.  1S7 
 
 what  is  law.  Thus  Chrilt  appears  in  heaven  as  an  advocate, 
 he  reprefents  what  is  law  :  when  God's  jultice  opens  the  debt- 
 book,  Chrilt  opens  the  law  book  :  Lord,  iaith  be,  thou  art  a  jult 
 God,  and  wilt  not  be  pacified  without  blood  ;  lo,  here  the  blood 
 is  Ihed,  therefore,  in  juftice,  give  me  a  dilcharge  of  theft  dif- 
 trefled  creatures  :  it  is  equal,  that  the  law  being  feiisfied,  the 
 6DDer  mould  be  acquitted.  And,  upon  Chrift's  plea,  God  lets 
 his  hand  to  the  tinner's  pardon. 
 
 Q.   In  what  manner  Cliriji  intercedes  9 
 
 Anf.  1.  Freehj  :  he  pleads  our  caufe  in  heaven,  and  takes  no 
 fee.  An  ordinary  lawyer  will  have  his  fee,  and  fometim. 
 bribe  too  :  but  Chrilt  is  not  mercenary  :  how  many  caufes  doth 
 he  plead  every  day  in  heaven,  and  will  take  nothing?  As  Chrilt 
 laid  down  his  life  freely,  John  x.  15,  18.  fo  he  intercedes 
 freely. 
 
 2.  Feelingly  :  he  is  as  fenfible  of  our  condition  as  his  own, 
 Heb.  vi.  1").  *  We  have  not  an  high-prieft  which  cannot  be 
 touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmity.'  Asa  tender-hearted 
 mother  would  plead  with  a  judge  for  a  child  ready  to  be  con- 
 demned ;  O  how  would  her  bowels  work  !  how  would  her  tears 
 trickle  down  !  what  weeping  rhetoric  would  (he  ufe  to  the  judge 
 for  mercy  !  Thus  the  Lord  Jefus  is  full  of  fympathy  and  tender- 
 nels,  Heb.  ii.  17.  that  he  might  be  a  merciful  high-prieft: 
 though  he  hath  left  his  paflion,  yet  not  his  companion.  An 
 ordinary  lawyer  is  not  affected  with  the  caufe  he  pleads,  nor 
 doth  he  care  which  way  it  goes ;  it  is  profit  makes  him  plead, 
 not  affection  :  But  Chrilt  intercedes  feelingly  :  and  that  which 
 makes  him  intercede  with  affection  is,  it  is  his  own  caufe  which 
 he  pleads.  He  hath  fhed  his  blood  to  purchafe  life  and  falva- 
 tion  for  the  ele6t ;  and  if  they  fliould  not  be  laved,  he  would 
 lofe  his  purchafe. 
 
 2.  Ejjicacioujly  :  It  is  a  prevailing  intercefhon.  Chrilt  never 
 lolt  any  caufe  he  pleaded,  he  was  never  non-fuited.  Chrilt's 
 intercelhon,  mult  needs  be  effectual,  if  you  confider, 
 
 (1.)  The  excellency  of  his  perfon.  If  the  prayer  of  a  faint 
 be  lb  prevalent  with  God,  (Moles'  prayer  did  bind  God's  hand, 
 Exod.  xxxii.  10.  ■  Let  me  alone  :'  And  Jacob  as  a  prince, 
 prevailed  with  God,  Gen.  xxxii.  28.  And  Elijah  did  by 
 prayer  open  and  fhut  heaven,  James  v.  17-)  Then  what  is 
 Chrilt's  prayer?  He  is  the  Son  of  God,  the  Son  in  whom  he  is 
 weli  pleafed,  Matth.  iii.  17.  What  will  not  a  father  grant  a 
 fon  ?  John  xi.  42.  *  I  know  that  thou  always  heareft  me.'  If 
 God  couldforget  that  Chrilt  were  a  prielt,  yet  he  cannot  forget 
 that  he  is  a  fon. 
 
 (2.)  Chrilt  prays  for  nothing  but  what  his  Father  hath  a  mind 
 to  grant.  There  is  but  one  will  between  Chrilt  and  his  Father : 
 Chnit  prays,  *  Sauctify   them  through  thy  truth  ;'  and  *  This 
 
 A  a  2 
 
188  Christ's  intercession. 
 
 is  the  will  of  God,  even  your  fancYincation,'  1  ThefT.  iv.  3.  So 
 then,  if  Chrift  prays  for  nothing  but  what  God  the  Father  hath 
 a  mind  to  urant,  then  he  is  like  to  fpeed. 
 
 (3.)  Chrift  prays  for  nothing  but  what  he  hath  power  to 
 give  :  what  he  prays  for  as  he  is  man,  that  he  hath  power  to 
 give  as  he  is  God,  John  xvii.  24.  *  Father,  I  will' — Father, 
 there  he  prays  as  a  man  ;  J  up!/,  there  he  gives  as  God.  This 
 is  a  great  comfort  to  a  believer,  when  his  prayer  is  weak,  and 
 he  can  hardly  pray  for  bimfelf,  Chrift's  prayer  in  heaven  is 
 mighty  and  powerful.  Though  God  may  refufe  prayer  as  it 
 comes  from  us,  yet  not  as  it  comes  from  Chrift. 
 
 4.  Chrift's  interceffion  is  always  ready  at  hand.  The  people 
 t>f  God  have  fins  of  daily  incurfion  ;  and,  befides  thefe,  fome- 
 times  they  lapfe  into  great  fins,  and  God  is  provoked,  and 
 his  juftice  is  ready  to  break  forth  upon  them  ;  But  Chrift's  in- 
 terceflion is  ready  at  hand,  he  daily  makes  up  the  breaches 
 between  God  and  them  ;  he  prefents  the  merits  of  his  blood  to 
 his  Father,  to  pacify  him.  When  the  wrath  of  God  began  to 
 break  out  upon  Ifrael,  Aaion  prefently  ftepped  in  with  his 
 cenfer,  and  offered  incenfe,  and  fo  the  plague  was  ftayed, 
 Numb.  xvi.  47-  fo,  no  fooner  doth  a  child  of  God  offend,  and 
 God  begin  to  be  angry,  but  immediately  Chrift  fteps  in  and 
 intercedes:  Father,  it  is  my  child  hath  offended;  though  he 
 hath  forgotten  his  duty,  thou  haft  not  loft  thy  bowels;  O  pity 
 him,  and  let  thy  anger  be  turned  away  from  him.  Cljriii's 
 interceffion  is  ready  at  hand;  and,  upon  the  lead  failings  of 
 the  godly,  he  (lands -up  and  makes  requeft  for  them  in  heaven. 
 
 Q.    What  are  the  fruits  of  Chrift's  interceffion  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  Juftf  cation.  In  juftification  there  are  two  things  : 
 1.  Guilt  is  remitted.  2.  Righteoufnefs  is  imputed,  Jer.  xxiii. 
 6.  '  The  Lord  our  righteoufnefs.'  We  are  reputed  not 
 only  righteous,  as  the  angels,  but  as  Chrift,  having  his  robes 
 put  upon,  us,  2  Cor.  v.  21.  But  whence  is  it  that  we  are 
 juftified?  It  is  from  Chrift's  interceffion,  Rom.  viii.  33,  34. 
 Lord,  faith  Chrift,  thefe  are  the  perfons  I  have  died  for; 
 look  upon  them  as  if  they  had  not  finned,  and  repute  then! 
 righteous. 
 
 c2d  Fruit.  The  unaion  of  the  Spirit,  1  Jphn  ii.  20.  «  Ye  have 
 an  unclion  from  the  holy  One.'  This  un&ion  or  anointin 
 nothing  elfe  but  the  work  of  fanclification  in  the  heart,  whereby 
 the  Spirit  makes  us  partake  of  the  divine  nature,  2  Pet.  i.  4. 
 Such  as  fpeakof  the  Philofopher's  ftone,  fuppofeit  to  have  fuch 
 a  property,  that  when  it  toucheth  the  metal,  it  turns  it  into 
 gold  :  Such  a  property  hath  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  the  foul ; 
 when  it  toucheth  the  foul,  it  puts  it  into  a  divine  nature,  it 
 makes  it  to  be  holy,  and  to  refemble  God.  The  fanctifying 
 work  of  the  Spirit  is  the  fruit  of  Chrift's  interceflion,  John  vii. 
 
ci/k  rERCESSio*.  189 
 
 SP-     '  Tlu*  Holy  Ghoft  was   n«  I  yet  given,  becaufe  Jefus  was 
 Dot  itied.'     Chriit  I)-  i  how 
 
 he  prays  the  Father,  and  the  Father  feud*  the Spirit,  who  pours 
 
 out  tlit-  holy  aoouuing  u|w>n  the  el<  ft. 
 
 3d  /tm/7.  The  purification   of  our  Uojy  lhing<.      It  is  ChfUTi 
 work  in  hmavrn.  not  only  to  prefect  his  own  prayers  to  his 
 ther,  hut  he  prays  over  our  prayers  agatQ,  Rev.  tilt.  3,   4  Aoo* 
 
 ther angel  came,  having  a  golden  center,   and  tluiv  u,, 
 to  him   much  incenfe,  that,  he  lhould  oiler   it   with  the  pi ■;•.;. 
 of  all    faints  upon  the  golden  altar.'       This  angel   was  Chi  lit ; 
 he  ta^es  the  golden  eeuf'er  of  his  merits,   and  puts  our  praj 
 into  this  center,  and  with  the  incenfe  of  his  interceflion  m.i 
 our  prayers  go  upas  a  fweet  perfume  in  heaven.     It  is  obfel 
 ble,  Lev.  xvi.  10*.     *  Aaron  lhall  make  atonement  for  the  holy 
 pla.ee>'      This  was  typical,  to -Ihew  that  our  holy  duties  need  to 
 one  roe  nt   made  for  them.       Our  belt  fervices,  as   they 
 
 t»e  from  us,  are  mixed  with  corruption,  as  wine  that  taftes  of 
 the  calk,  Ifa.   Ixiv.  (j.     *   I  e  filthy  rags ;'  but  Chriit  pu- 
 
 rm\  >  aad  (Weetens  thefe  fervices,  mixing  the  fweet  odours  of 
 his  inteicr ;hon  with  them  ;  and  now  God  accepts  and  crowns 
 them.  What  would  become  of  our  duties  without  an  hi 
 pri.  i:  :  Christ's  interceflion  doth,  to  our  prayers,  as  the  fan  to 
 the  cilaiK,  it  winnows  it  from  the  corn  ;  fo  Chrift  winnows  out 
 tin?  chaif  which  intermixeth  with  our  prayers. 
 
 ilk  Fruit.  Accel's  with  boldnels  unto  the  throne  of  grace, 
 Ueb.  iv.  l(j.  We  have  a  great  Hi^h-prieit  that  is  pafled  into 
 the  heavens,  let  us  go  ;  come  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace ; 
 we  have  a  friend  at  court  that  fpeaks  a  good  word  for  us,  and  is 
 following  our  caufe  in  heaven,  therefore  let  this  animate  and 
 encourage  us  in  prayer.  We  think  it  too  much  boldnefs; 
 what?  fuch  tinners  as  we  to  come  for  pardon!  we  lhall  he  de- 
 nied ;  this  is  a  (inful  modeftv  :  did  we  indeed  come  in  our 
 name  in  prayer*  it  wrere  prelumption,  but  Chriit  intercedes  for 
 us  in  the  force  and  efficacy  of  his  blood:  Now,  to  be  afraid  to 
 come  to  God  in  prayer,  is  a  di (honour  toChrilt's  interceffion. 
 
 btk  F.'/.'V.  The  fending  the  Comforter,  John  xiv.  16.  '  I 
 will  pray  the  Father,  and  he  will  give  you  another  Comforter.' 
 Thft  comfort  of  the  Spiiit  is  diltinct  from  the  anointing;  this 
 comfort  is  very  fweet <  tweeter  that  the  honey-drops  from  the 
 comb  ;  it  is  the  manna  in  the  golden  pot,  it  is  riiium  in  peciure  ; 
 a  drop  of  this  heavenly  comfort  is  enough  to  fweeten  a  lea  of 
 worldly  ibrrow  :  it  is  called  the  '  earuelt  of  the  Spirit,'  4  ( 
 i.  92.au  earuelt  a(fures  one  of  the  whole  fum.  The  Spirit 
 gives  us  an  eameit  of  heaven  in  our  hand.  Wheno 
 comforting  work  oj  the  Spirit?  Than!:  Chriit's  interceflion  for 
 it  :   '  4  will  pray  ilit  Father,  and  he  lhall  (end  the  Comforter.' 
 
 Oth  Fmit.  Geneve  ranee  in  grace,  John   xvii.    U.     '  Keep 
 
190  CHRIST^  INTERCESSIONS 
 
 through  thine  own  name  thofe  which  thou  haft  given  me.'  It 
 is  not  our  pnyer,  or  watchfulnefs,  or  grace  that  keeps  us,  but  it 
 ir.  God's  care  and  manutenaney  ;  he  holds  us,  that  we  do  not 
 fall  away.  And  whence  is  it  God  preferves  us?  It  is  from 
 Chrift's  intercefiion  ;  ■  Father  keep  them.'  That  prayer  of 
 Chrift  for  Peter,  is  the  copy  of  his  prayer  now  in  heaven,  Luke 
 xxii.  32.  ■  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith  fail  not.' 
 Peter's  faith  did  fail  in  fome  degree,  when  he  denied  Chrifl; 
 but  Chrift  prayed  that  it  might  not  totally  fail.  The  faints 
 perfevere  in  believing,  becaufe  Chrift  perfeveres  in  praying. 
 
 1th  Fruit.  Abfolution  at  the  day  of  judgment.  Chrift  fhall 
 judge  the  world,  John  v.  22.  *  God  hath  commited  all  judg- 
 ment to  the  Son.'  Now  fure ;  thofe  that  Chrift  hath  fo  prayed 
 for,  he  will  abfolve  when  he  fits  upon  the  bench  of  judicature. 
 Will  Chrift  condemn  thole  he  prays  for?  Believers  are  his 
 fpoufe,  will  he  condemn  his  fpoufe  ? 
 
 Ufe  1.  Branch  I.  See  here  the  conftancy  of  Chrift's  love  to 
 the  elect.  He  did  not  only  die  for  them,  but  intercedes  for 
 them  in  heaven  ;  when  Chrift  hath  done  dying,  he  hath  not 
 done  loving  :  he  is  now  at  work  in  heaven  for  the  faints,  he 
 carries  their  names  on  his  breaft,  and  will  never  leave  praying 
 till  that  prayer  be  granted,  John  xvii.  24.  ■  Father,  I  will, 
 that  thofe  whom  thou  haft  given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am.' 
 
 Branch  2.  See  whence  it  is  that  the  prayers  of  the  faints  are 
 fo  powerful  with  God.  Jacob,  as  an  angel,  prevailed  with 
 God  :  Mofes'  prayer  tied  God's  hands;  Precibiusfuis  tanqnam 
 vinquam  vinculis  Ugatum  tenuit  Deum  ;  ■  Let  me  alone,'  Exod. 
 xxxii.  10.  Whence  is  this  ?  It  is  Chrift's  prayer  in  heaven 
 makes  the  faints  prayers  fo  available.  Chrift's  divine  nature  is 
 the  altar  on  which  he  offers  up  our  prayers,  and  fo  they  pre- 
 vail :  prayer,  as  it  comes  from  the  faints  is  but  weak  and  lan- 
 guid ;  but  when  the  arrow  of  a  faint's  prayer  is  put  into  the 
 bow  of  Chrift's  intercefiion,  now  it  pierceth  the  throne  of  grace. 
 
 Branch  3.  It  (hews  where  a  Chriftian  muft  chiefly  fix  his 
 eye  when  he  comes  to  prayer,  viz.  on  Chrift's  intercefiion. 
 We  are  to  look  up  to  the  mercy-feat,  but  to  hope  for  mercy 
 through  Chrift's  intercefiion.  We  read,  Lev.  vi.  that  Aaron 
 made  the  atonement  as  well  by  the  incenfe  as  by  the  "blood  : 
 We  muft  look  to  the  cloud  of  incenfe,  viz.  the  intercefiion  of 
 Chrift.  Chriftian,  look  up  to  thy  advocate,  one  that  God  can 
 deny  nothing  to  :  a  word  from  Chrift's  mouth  is  more,  than  if 
 all  the  angels  in  heaven  were  interceding  for  thee.  If  a  man 
 had  a  luit  depending  in  the  court  of  chancery,  and  had  a  fkilful 
 lawyer  to  plead,  this  would  much  encourage  him.  Chrift  is 
 now  at  the  court  appearing  for  us,  Heb.  ix.  24.  and  he  hath 
 great  potency  in  heaven  :  this  fiiould  much  encourage  us  to 
 look  up  to  him,  and  hope  for  audience  in  prayer.     We  might 
 
191 
 
 indeed  be  afraid  to  prefent  our  petitions,  if  we  had  not  Chrift 
 
 to  deliver  them. 
 
 Branch  4.  The  fad  condition  of  an  unbeliever;  he  hath  none 
 in  heaven  to  fpeak  a  word  for  him,  John  xvii.  9.  *  I  pray  Hot 
 for  the  world  ;'  as  j^ood  be  (hut  out  of  heaven,  as  be  Hint  out 
 of  Chi  ill's  prayer.  Chrift  pleads  for  the  faints,  as  queen  Eftl 
 did  for  the  Jews,  when  they  Ihould  have  been  destroyed  ;  *  Let 
 my  people  be  given  me  at  my  requeit,'  Efth.  vii.  3.  When  the 
 devil  (hews  the  blacknefs  of  their  (ins,  Chrift  Qiewa  the  rednefi 
 of  his  wounds.  But  how  fad  is  the  condition  of  that  man, 
 Chrift  will  not  pray  for,  nay,  that  he  will  pray  againft?  As 
 queen  Either  petitioned  againft  Hainan,  and  then  his  face  was 
 covered,  Efth.  vii.  (j.  and  he  was  led  away  to  execution.  It 
 18  lad  when  the  law  (hall  be  againft  the  finner,  and  conlcience, 
 and  judge,  and  no  friend  to  (peak  a  word  forJiim  :  there  is  no 
 way,  then,  but,  jailor,  take  the  prifoner. 
 
 Branch  5.  If  Chrift  makes  intercedion,  then  we  have  nothing 
 to  do  with  other  incerceflbrs.  The  church  of  Rome  diftinguifh- 
 eth  between  mediators  of  redemption  and  intercefnon,  and  (ay, 
 the  angels  do  not  redeem  us,  but  intercede  for  us:  and  pray  to 
 them  :  but  Chrift  only  can  intercede  for  us  ex  officio.  God  hath 
 confecrated  him  an  high-prieft,  Heb.  v.  0.  *  Thou  art  a  prieft 
 for  ever.'  Chrift  intercedes  vi  pretii,  in  the  virtue  of  his  blood, 
 he  pleads  his  merits  to  his  Father;  the  angels  have  no  merits 
 to  bring  to  God,  therefore  can  be  no  interceflbrs  for  us  ;  who- 
 ever is  our  advocate  muft  be  our  propitiation  to  pacify  God, 
 1  John  ii.  1.  *  We  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  v.  2.  And 
 he  is  our  propitiation.'  The  angels  cannot  be  our  propitiation, 
 therefore  not  our  advocates. 
 
 2d  life  of  trial.  How  fhall  we  know  that  Chrift  intercedes 
 for  us  ?  They  have  little  ground  to  think  Chrift  prays  for  them, 
 who  never  pray  for  themlelves  :  well,  but  how  (lull  we  know  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  If  Chrift  be  praying  for  us,  then  his  Spirit  is  praying 
 in  us,  Gal.  iv.  (j.  *  He  hathfent  forth  his  Spirit  into  your  heart, 
 crying,  Abba,  Father  ;'  and  Rom.  viii.  €6.  the  Spirit  helps  us 
 with  tighs  and  groans  ;  not  only  with  gifts  but  groans.  We 
 need  not  climb  up  into  the  firmament  to  fee  if  the  fun  be  there, 
 we  may  fee  the  beauty  of  it  upon  the  earth  ;  fo  we  need  not 
 go  up  into  heaven  to  fee  if  Chrift  be  there  interceding  for  us  ; 
 let  us  look  into  our  hearts,  if  they  are  quickened  and  inflamed 
 in  prayer,  and  we  can  cry,  Abba,  Father :  By  this  interceding 
 of  the  Spirit  within  us,  we  may  know  Chrift  is  interceding  above 
 for  us. 
 
 Anf.  2.  If  we  are  given  to  Chrift  then  he  intercedes  for  us, 
 John  xvii.  9,   4  I  pray  for  them  whom  thou  haft  given  me  ;' 
 
192  Christ's  intercession. 
 
 'tis  one  thing  for  Chrift  to  be  given  to  us,  another  for  us  to  bd 
 given  to  Chrift. 
 
 Q.  Hoic  hnoiv  you  that  9 
 
 Anf.  If  thou  art  a  beJiever,  then  thou  art  one  given  to  Chrifty 
 and  lie  prays  for  thee  :  faith  is  an  acl  of  recumbency,  Ave  do 
 reft  on  Chrift,  as  the  (tones  in  the  building  reit,  upon  the  corner-1 
 itone.  Faith  throws  itfelf  into  Cln  ill's  arms  ;  it  faith,  Chrift  is 
 my  prieft,  his  blood  is  my  facrihce,  jus  divine  nature  is  my  altar, 
 and  here  I  reft.  This  faith  is  feen  by  the  effects  of  it,  a  refining 
 work,  arid  a  refigning  work  :  it  purifies  the  heart,  and  there  is*" 
 the  refining  work  ;  it  makes  a  deed  of  gift  to  Chrift,  it  gives  up 
 its  ufe,  its  love  to  him,  1  Cor.  vi.  19.  there  is  the  refigning 
 work  of  faith.  Thefe  that  believe  are  given  to  Chrift,  and  have 
 u  part  in  his  prayer,  John  xvii.  20.  *  Nor.  do  I  pray  for  thefc 
 alone,  but  for  all  them  that  (hall  believe  on  me.' 
 
 3d  Ufe  of  exhortation.  Branch  1.  It.flirsus  up  to  feverol 
 duties  :  1.  If  Chrift  appears  for  us  in  heaven,  then  we  muft  ap- 
 pear for  him  upon  earth  :  Chrift  is  not  afh&med  to  carry  our 
 names  on  his  breaft,  and  (hall  we  be  afhamed  of  his  truth  ?  Doth 
 he  plead  our  caufe,  and  fhall  we  not  ftand  up  in  his  caufe  ? 
 What  a  mighty  argument  is  this  to  ftand  i>p  for  the  honour  of 
 Chrift  in  times  of  apoftafy  ?  Chrift  is  interceding  for  us  :  doth 
 he  prefent  our  names  in  heaven,  and  fhall  not' we  profefs  his 
 name  on  earth  : 
 
 Branch  2.  If  Chrift  lays  out  all  his  intereft  for  us  at  the  throne 
 of  grace,  we  mull  lay  out  all  our  intereft  for  him,  Phil.  i.  20.' 
 *  That  Chrift  may  be  magnified.'  Trade  your  talents  for 
 Chrift's  glory;  there's  no  man  but  hath  Tome  talent  to  trade, 
 one  parts,  another  eftate  :  Oh  trade  for  Chrift's  glory  !  fpend 
 and  be  fpent  for  him  :  let  your  head  ftudy  for  Chrift,  your  hands 
 work  for  Chrift,  your  tongue  fpeak  for  him  ;  if  Chrift  be  an  ad- 
 vocate for  us  in  heaven,  we  muft  be  factors  for  him  on  earth, 
 every  one  in  his  fphere  muftacl  vigorously  for  Chrift. 
 
 Branch  3.  Believe  in  this  glorious  interceflion  of  Chrift  !  That 
 he  now  intercedes  for  us,  and  that  for  his  lake  God  will  accept 
 us  :  in  the  text,  «'  Who  maketh  interceffion  for  us.'  If  we  be- 
 lieve not,  we  difhonour  Chrift's  intercelTion.  If  a  poor  finner 
 may  not  go  to  Chrift  as  his  High- prieft,  believing  in  his  inter- 
 ceffioTi;  then  are  we  Chriflians  in  avvorfe  condition  under  the 
 gofpel,  than  the  Jews  were  under  the  law  :  they,  when  they 
 had  finued,  had  their  high-prieft  to  make  atonement ;  and  fhall 
 not  we  have  our  high-prieft?  is  not  Chritt  our  Aaron,  who  pre-* 
 fents  his  blood  and  incenfe  before  the  mercy-feat?  O  look  up. 
 hy  faith  to  Chrift's  interceffion !  Chrift  did  not  only  pray  for  his 
 difciples  and  apotijes,  but  for  the  weakeft  believer- 
 
 Branch  4.  Love  your  inlerceffor,  1  Cor.  xv'i.  29.  '  If  any  man 
 love  not  the  Lord  Jeius  Chrift,  let  him  be  Anathema.'     Kind- 
 
Christ's  intercession.  193 
 
 fiefs  invites  love ;  had  you  a  friend  at  court,  who,  when  you 
 were  queftioned  for  delinquency  or  debt,  lhould  plead  with  the 
 judge  for  you,  and  bring  you  oil' your  troubles,  would  you  not 
 love  that  friend  ?  So  it  is  here,  how  oft  doth  Satan  put  in  his 
 hills  againft  us  in  the  court?  Now  Chrift  is  at  the  judge's  hand, 
 he  fits  at  his  Father's  right  haud,  ever  to  plead  tor  us,  and  to 
 make  our  peace  with  God  :  O  how  fliould  our  hearts  be  fired 
 with  love  to  Chrilt!  Love  him  with  a  hncere  and  fuperlative 
 love,  above  etlate,  relation  ;  Bern.  Plufqnam  tua,  tuos.  And 
 our  fire  of  love  lhould  be  as  fire  on  the  altar,  never  to  go  out, 
 Lev.  vi.  13. 
 
 4th  Ufe,  of  comfort  to  believers.  Chrift  is  at  work  for  you  in 
 heaven,  he  makes  intercefiion  for  you.  Oh!  but  I  am  afraid 
 Chrift  does  not  intercede  for  me. 
 
 Q.   lam  a  /Inner  ;  who  doth  Chriji  intercede  for  ? 
 Anf.  Ifa.  liii.  12.    ■  He  made  intercefiion  for  the  tranfgref- 
 fors.'     Did  Chrift  open  his  fides  for  thee,  and  will  he  not  open 
 his  mouth  to  plead  for  thee  ? 
 
 Q.  But  I  have  offended  my  high-prieft,  by  dlftrufling  his 
 Hood,  abujing  his  love,  grieving  his  Spirit ;  and  will  he  ever  pray 
 for  me  ? 
 
 Anf.  Which  of  us  may  not  fay  fo  ?  But,  Chriftian,  doft  thou 
 mourn  for  unbelief?  Be  not  difcouraged,  thou  may  ell  have  a 
 part  in  Chrift's  prayer.  Numb.  xvi.  '  The  congregation  mur- 
 mured againft  Aaron ;'  yet,  though  they  had  finned  againft 
 their  high-prieft,  ver.  46.  '  Aaron  ran  in  with  his  cenfer,  and 
 flood  between  the  dead  and  the  living.*  If  fo  much  bowels  in 
 Aaron,  who  was  but  a  type  of  Chrift,  how  much  more  bowels 
 are  in  Chrift,  who  will  pray  for  them  who  have  finned  againft 
 their  high-prieft?  Did  not  he  pray  for  them  that  crucified  him, 
 •  Father,  forgive  them  ?' 
 
 Q.  But  I  am  unworthy;  what  am  I,  that  Chriji  fliould  inter' 
 cede  for  me  ? 
 
 Anf.  The  work  of  Chrift's  intercefiion  is  a  work  of  free  grace; 
 Chrift's  praying  for  us,  is  from  his  pitying  of  us  ;  Chrift  looks 
 not  at  our  worthinefs,  but  our  wants. 
 
 Q.  But  I  am  followed  with  fad  temptations  ? 
 Anf.  But,  though  Satan  tempts,  Chrift  prays,  and  Satan 
 /hall  be  vanquilhed;  though  thou  mayeft  lole  a  tingle  battle, 
 yet  not  the  victory  :  Chrift  prays  that  thy  faith  fail  not ;  there- 
 fore, Chriftians,  lay,  *  Why  art  thou  calt  down,  O  my  foul  ?' 
 Chrift  intercedes,  it  is  man  that  fins,  it  is  God  that  prays  ;  the 
 Greek  word  for  advocate,  fignifies  comforter.  This  is  a  fove- 
 rei^n  comfort,  Chrift  makes  intercefiion. 
 Vol.  I.  No.  5.  B  b 
 
104  cmrist's  kingly  office, 
 
 CltRISTS  KiNGLY  OFFICE. 
 
 Q.  XXVI.    HOlVdoth   Chrift  execute  the  ojfice  of  a 
 king  f 
 
 A.  In  fubduing  us  to  himfelf,  in  ruling  and  defending  us, 
 and  in  re  firaining  and  conquering  all  his  and  our  enemies. 
 
 Now  of  Chrift' s  regal  office,  Rev.  xix.  16.  c  And  he  hath 
 on  his  veliure,  and  on  his  thigh,  a  name  written,  King  of  kings, 
 and  Lord  of  lords.' 
 
 Jetus  Chrift  is  of  mighty  renown,  he  is  a  king  ;  he  hath  a 
 kingly  title,  ■  High  and  Mighty,'  I  fa.  Ivii.  15.  2.  He  hath 
 his  hi/ignia  regatta  his  enfigns  of  royalty,  corona  eft  infigne  re- 
 pa?  pote ftatis :  His  crown,  Rev.  vi.  2.  "  His  fword,  Ptalm  xlv. 
 3.  '  Gird  thy  fword  upon  thy  thigh/  His  fceptre,  Heb.  i. 
 8.  '  A  fceptre  of  righteoufneis  is  the  fceptre  of  thy  kingdom.' 
 3.  His  efciiteheon,  or  coat-armour  ;  he  gives  the  lion  in  his 
 arms,  Rev.  v.  5.  '  The  lion  Of  the  Iribe  of  Judah.'  And  he 
 is,  the  text  faith,  '  King,  of  kings.'  He  hath  a  pre-eminence 
 oFall  other  kings,  he  is  called,  •  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the 
 earth,'  Rev.  i.  5.  He  mud  needs  be  fo,  for,  *  by  him  kings 
 reign,'  Prov.  viii.  15.  They  hold  their  crowns  by  immediate 
 tenure  from  this  great  king.  Chrift  infinitely  outvies  all  other 
 princes  ;  he  hath  the  higheft  throne,  the  largeft  dominions,  and 
 the  longeft  poffeffion,  Heb.  i.  8.  '  Thy  throne  ,  O  God,  is  for 
 ever  and  ever.'  Chi  ill  hath  many  heirs,  but  no  fucceftbrs. 
 Well  may  h?  be  called  King  of  kings,  for  he  hath  an  unlimited 
 power  ;  the  power  of  other  kings  is  limited,  but  Chrift' s  power 
 is  unlimited,  Pfal.  exxxv.  6.  f  Whatfoever  he  pleafed,  that 
 did  he,  in  heaven  and  earth,  and  in  the  fea.'  ChritVs  power 
 is  as  large  as  his  will.  The  angels  take  the  oath  of  allegiance 
 16  him,  Heb.  i.  6.     '  Let  all  the  angels  of  God  Worthip  him.' 
 
 Q.    How  Chrift  comes  to  be  King  ? 
 
 A.  Not  by  usurpation,  but  legally?  Chrift  holds  his  crown 
 by  immediate  tenure  from  heaven.  God  the  Father  hath  decreed 
 httw  to  be  king,  Plal.  ii.  5,  (5.  '  I  have  fet  my  king  upon  my 
 holy  hill  :  I  will  declare  the  decree.'  God  hath  anointed  and 
 fealtd  him  to  his  regal  office,  John  vi.  27.  *  Him  hath  God 
 the  Father  fealed.'     God  hath  fet  the  crown  upott  his  head. 
 
 Q.   Jn  what  fenfe  is  Chrift  Wnfe  ? 
 
 A.  Two  ways,  1.  In  reference  to  his  people.  And,  2.  In 
 reference  to  his  enemies. 
 
 1.  In  reference  to  his  people:  (I.)  To  govern  them.  It  was 
 prophefied  of  Chrift  before  he  was 'oorn,  Mat.  ii.  6.  *  And 
 thou,  Bethlehem,  art  m>t  the  leaft  among  the  princes  of  Judah ; 
 
CHIUSl'b  KINGLY  OFFICE.  1^5 
 
 fur  out  of  ihee  fliall  cqme  a  governor  thut  fiiall  rule  my  people 
 lfrael.'  It  is  a  vain  tiling  for  a,  king  to  lime  a  crown  on  his 
 head,  unlets  he  have  a  iceptre  in  his  hand  to  rule. 
 
 ft.   Wh.rvihll,  (V.H/M/// 
 
 His  kingdom  is  1'piritual  I  He  rules  in  the  1.  rpeo. 
 
 He  lets  up  his  throne  where  no  oilier  king  cloth,  he  rules  the 
 w|H  ami  iilhctions,  his  power  hinds  the  conlcience  :  he  I'ubdues 
 men's  hn'is,  Mie.  vii.  10,   '  He  will  fubdue  our  iniquih 
 
 Q.    What  doth  C/iriji  rule  by  S 
 
 A.  By  /pip,  and  by  love;  I.  tie  rules  by  law.  It  is  one  of 
 the  jura  rc^alta,  the  flowers  of  the  crown  to  enact  laws  ;  Chrilt 
 as  king  makes  laws,  and  by  his  laws  he  rules  :  the  law  of  faith, 
 4  believe  in  the  Lord  Je(us  ;'  the  law  of  fanetity,  1  Pet.  i.  15. 
 1  Be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation.'  Many  would  admit 
 Chrilt  tpbe  their  advocate  to  plead  for  them,  but  not  their  king 
 to  ruje  them. 
 
 12.  fie  rules  by  love  :  he  is  a  king  full  of  mercy  and  clemen- 
 cy ;  as  he  hath  a  fee pt re  in  his  hand,  lb  an  olive  branch  of 
 peace  in  his  m.outh.  Thouuh  he  be  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of 
 Judah  for  majeily,  yet  the  Lamb  of  God  for  meeknets.  His 
 regal  rod  hath  honey  at  the  end  of  it.  He  fheds  abroad  his 
 love  into  the  hearts  of  his  lubj&cts  ;  he'rules  them  with  promifes 
 as  well  as  precepts.  This  makes  all  his  luhjecls  become  vo- 
 lunteers ;  they  are  willing  to  pay  their  allegiance  to  him,  Pial. 
 ex.  3.     ■  Thy  people  (hall  be  a  willing  people.' 
 
 (2.)  Chrilt  is  a  King  to  defend  his  people  :  as  Chrift  hath  a 
 iceptre  to  rule  them,  fo  a  fhiejd  to  defend  them,  Pt'.  iii.  3. 
 ■  Thou,  O  Lord,  art  a  fhield  for  me.'  When  Antiochus  did 
 rage  furioufly  againft  the  Jews,  he  took  away  the  veflels  of  the 
 Lord's  houle,  fet  up  an  idol  in  the  temple;  then  this  great 
 king,  called  Michael,  did  (land  up  for  them  to  defend  them, 
 Dan.  xii.  I.  Chi  ill  preferves  his  church  as  a  fpark  in  the  ocean, 
 as  a  (lock  of  (heep  among  wolves.  That  the  lea  fhould  be 
 higher  than  the  earth,  and  yet  not  drown  it,  is  a  wonder:  fo, 
 that  t)ie  wicked  fliould  be  fo  much  higher  than  the  church  in 
 cr,  and  not  devour  it,  is,  becaufe  Chrill  hath  this  inlcrip- 
 tion  qn  liis  vefture  and  his  thigh,  KING  of  Kings  ;  Pf.  exxiv. 
 9.  '  If  it  had  not  been  die  Lord,  who  was  on  our  fide,  they 
 had  fwallowed  us  up-'  They  fay,  lions  are  infumnes,  ihey 
 have  little  or  no  deep  ;  it  is  true  of  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Ju- 
 dah, he  never  (lumbers  nor  (Jeeps,  but  watcheth  over  his  church 
 tu  defend  it  :  I  fa.  xxvji.  J,  3.  *  Sing  ye  unto  her,  a  vineyard 
 of  red  wine;  1  the  Lord  do  keep  it,  jell  any  hurt  it,  I  will 
 keep  it  night  and  day.'  If  the  enemies  deliroy  ibe  church,  it 
 nmft  be  at  a  time  when  it  is  neither  night  nor  day,  for  Chnfc 
 keeps  it  day  and  night.  Chriil  is  laid  to  carry  his  church,  as 
 tli£  eagle  her  yoims  ones  upun  her  wings,  Exod.  xix.  4.     The 
 
 B  b  8 
 
196  Christ's  kingly  office:. 
 
 arrow  mud  firft  hit  the  eagle  before  it  can  hurt  the  young  one*, 
 and  (hoot  through  her  wings :  the  enemies  muft  firft  ftrike^ 
 through  Chrift,  before  they  can  deftroy  his  church.  Let  the 
 wind  and  ftorms  be  up,  and  the  church  almoft  covered  with 
 waves,  yet  Chrift  is  in  the  (hip  of  the  church,  and  fo  long  there 
 is  no  danger  offhipwreek.  Nor  will  Chrift  only  defend  his 
 church,  as  he  is  king,  but  deliver  it,  2  Tim.  iv.  17.  '  He  de- 
 livered me  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  lion,'  viz.  Nero.  2  Cor. 
 xi.  14.  *  The  Lord  faved  them  by  agreat  deliverance.'  Some- 
 times Chrift  is  faid  to  command  deliverance,  Pf.  lxiv.  4.  Some- 
 times to  create  deliverance,  Ifa.  xlv.  18.  Chrift  as  a  king  com- 
 mands deliverance,  and  as  a  God  creates  it.  And  deliverance 
 fhall  come  in  his  time.  Ifa.  Ix.  22.  '  I  the  Lord  will  haften 
 it  in  his  time.' 
 
 Q.  When  is  the  time  that  this  King  will  deliver  his  people  9 
 J.  When  the  hearts  of  his  people  are  humbleft,  when  their 
 prayers  are  ferventeft,  when  their  faith  is  ftrongeft,  when  their 
 forces  are  weakeft,  when  their  enemies  are  higheft,  now  is  the' 
 ufual  time  that  Chrift  puts  forth  his  kingly  power  in  their  de- 
 liverance, Ifa.  xxxiii.  2,  8,  9. 
 
 3.  Chrift  is  a  king  to  reward  his  people,  there's  nothing  loft 
 by  ferving  this  king  :  I.  He  rewards  his  fubje&s  in  this  life  : 
 lit,  He  gives  them  inward  peace  and  joy  ;  a  bunch  of  grapes  by 
 the  way  ;  and  oftentimes  riches  and  honour.  '  Godlinefs  hath 
 the  promife  of  this  life,'  1  Tim.  iv.  8.  Thefe  are,  as  it  were, 
 the  iaints  vails.  But  befides  the  great  reward  is  to  come,  *  An 
 eternal  weight  of  glory,'  2  Cor.  iv.  17.  Chrift  makes  all  his 
 fubje&s  kings,  Rev.  ii.  10.  '  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life/ 
 This  crown  will  be  full  ofjewels,  and  it  will  '  never  fade,'  1  Pet. 
 v.  5. 
 
 2.  Chrift  is  a  king  in  reference  of  his  enemies,  in  fubduing 
 and  conquering  them  :  he  pulls  down  their  pride,  befools  their 
 policy,  reftrains  their  malice.  That  ftone  cut  out  of  the  moun- 
 tain without  hands,  which  fmote  the  image,  Dan.  ii.  34.  was 
 an  emblem,  (kith  Auftin,  of  Chrrft's  monarchical  power,  con- 
 quering and  triumphing  over  his  enemies.  Chrift  will  make  his 
 enemies  his  footftool,  Pf.  ex.  I .  He  can  deftroy  them  with  eafe, 
 2  Chron.  xiv.  11.  'It  is  nothing  for  thee,  Lord,  to  help.'  He 
 can  do  it  with  weak  means,  without  means.  He  can  make  the 
 enemies  deftroy  themlelves ;  he  fet  the  Perfians  againft  the 
 Grecians  :  and,  2  Chron.  xx.  22.  the  children  of  Ammon 
 helped  to  deftroy  one  another.  Thus  Chrift  is  king  in  vanquish- 
 ing the  enemies  of  his  church. 
 
 This  is  a  great  ground  of  comfort  to  the  church  of  God  in 
 the  midft  of  all  the  combinations  of  the  enemy,  ■  Chrift  is 
 king;'  and  he  can  not  only  bound  the  enemies  power,  but 
 break  it.      The  church  hath  more  with  her,  than  againft  her, 
 
Christ's  KttraiY  office.  l!>7 
 
 fne  hath  Emmanuel  on  her  fide,  even  that  great  Kisr.  to  whom 
 all  knees  mult  bend. 
 
 Chrilt  is  called  *  a  man  of  war,'  Exod.  xv.  S,  ho  under* 
 foods  all  the  policy  of  chivalry  ;   he  is  defcribed  with  (even  I 
 
 and  (even  horns,  Rev.  v.  ti.  The  l'even  eves  arc  to  diliern  the 
 confpiracies  of  his  enemies,  and  the  feven  horns  are  to  puih  and 
 vex  his  enemies. 
 
 Chrift  is  defcribed  with  a  crown  and  a  how,  Rev.  vi.  Q.  *  He 
 that  fat  on  the  white  horfe  had  a  how,  and  a  crown  was  given 
 unto  him,  and  he  went  forth  conquering  and  to  conquer.'  A 
 crown  is  an  enfign  of  his  kingly  otlice,  and  the  bow  is  to  Ihoot 
 his  enemies  to  death. 
 
 Chritt  is  defcribed  with  a  vefture  dipt  in  blood,  Rev.  xix.  IS. 
 He  hath  a  golden  lceptre  to  rule  his  peoj>le,  biit  an  iron  rod  to 
 break  his  enemies,  Rev.  xvii.  12,  14.  '  The  ten  horns  thou 
 ik welt  are  ten  kings  ;  thel'e  Oiall  make  war  with  the  Lamb,  but 
 the  Lamb  (hall  overcome  them  ;  for  he  is  the  King  of  kings.' 
 The  enemies  may  let  up  their  ltandard,  but  Chrilt  will  let  up 
 his  trophies  at  lalt,  Rev.  xiv.  IS,  19.  ■  And  the  angel  gathered 
 the  vine  of  the  earth,  and  call  it  into  the  great  wine-prefs  of  the 
 wrath  of  God,  and  the  wine- prefs  was  trodden,  and  blood  came 
 out  of  the  wine-prefs.'  The  enemies  of  Chrilt  (hall  be  but  as 
 ib  many  clutters  of  ripe  grapes,  to  be  cait  into  the  great  wine- 
 prefs  of  the  wrath  of  God,  and  to  be  trodden  by  Chrilt  till  their 
 blood  came  out.  Chrilt  will  at  laft  come  off  victor,  and  all  his 
 enemies  (hall  be  put  under  his  feet ;  gaudeo  quod  Chrift u s  Dom'i- 
 nus  eji  alioqui  defperujjem  %  "  I  am  glad  Chritt  reigns,  elfe  I 
 fhould  have  defpaired  :"  (aid  Miconius  in  an  epiftle  to  Calvin. 
 
 Uj'e  1.  Branch  1.  See  hence,  it  is  no  difparagement  to  ferve 
 Chrift :  he  is  a  king,  and  it  is  no  diihonour  to  be  employed  in  a 
 king's  fervice.  Some  are  apt  to  reproach  the  faints  for  their 
 piety  ;  they  ferve  the  Lord  Chrift,  he  who  hath  this  infeription 
 upon  his  vefture,  KING  of  Kings.  Theodofius  thought  it  a 
 greater  honour  to  be  a  fervant  of  Chrift,  than  the  head  of  an 
 empire,  Scrvire  eft  regnare.  Chrift's  fervants  are  called  vefiels 
 of  honour,  c2  Tim.  ii.  SI.  and  a  royal  nation,  I  Pet.  ii.  9- 
 Serving  of  Chrilt  ennobles  us  with  dignity  :  it  is  a  greater 
 honour  to  ferve  Chrilt,  than  to  have  kings  ferve  us. 
 
 Branch  2.  If  Chrilt  be  king,  it  informs  us,  that  all  matters 
 of  fact  mult  one  day  be  brought  before  him.  Chrift  hath  Ji>S' 
 vita?  et  necis,  the  power  of  life  and  death  in  his  hand,  John  v. 
 22.  '  The  Father  hath  committed  all  judgment  to  the  Son.' 
 He  who  once  hung  upon  the  crofs,  (hall  tit  upon  the  bench  of 
 judicature:  kings  mult  come  before  him  to  be  judged;  they 
 who  once  fat  upon  the  throne,  mutt  appear  at  the  bar.  God 
 hath  committed  all  judgment  to  the  Son,  and  Chrilt  is  the  high- 
 
193  Christ's  singly  off ie*. 
 
 ell  court  of  judicature  ;  if  this  king  once  condemns  mrx,  there 
 is  no  appeal  to  any  other  court. 
 
 Branch  3.  See  whither  we  are  to  go,  when  we  are  foiled  by 
 corruption  ;  go  to  Chrift,  he  is  king  ;  defire  him,  by  his  kingly 
 power,  to  fubdue  thy  corruptions,  to  bind  thefe  kings  with 
 chains,  Pi*,  cxlix.  S.  We  are  apt  to  fay  of  our  fins,  *  Thefe 
 fons  of  Zeruiah  will  be  ftrong  for  us  :'  we  (hall  never  overcome 
 this  pride  and  infidelity  :  ay,  but  go  to  Chrift,  he  is  king  ; 
 though  our  lulls  are  too  ftrong  for  us,  yet  not  for  Chrift  to  con- 
 quer: he  can  by  his  Spirit  break  the  power  of  fin.  Joftuia, 
 when  he  had  conquered  fjve  kings,  caufed  his  fervants  to  jet 
 their  feet  on  the  necks  of  thofe  kings  ;  lb  Chrift  can  and  will  let 
 Lis  feet  on  the  necks  of  our  lulls. 
 
 2d  Ule,  of  caution  :  Is  Chrift  King  of  kings?  Let  all  great 
 ones  take  heed  how  they  employ  their  power  againft  Chrift: 
 Chrift  gives  them  their  power,  and  if  this  power  fhall  be  made 
 ule  of  for  the  fup  pre  fling  of  hjs  kingdom,  and  ordinances,  thejr 
 account  will  be  heavy.  God  hath  laid  the  key  of  Government 
 upon  Chrift's  moulders,  Ifa.  ix.  7.  and  to  go  to  oppofe  Chrift 
 in  his  kingly  office,  it  is  as  if  the  thorns  fhould  fet  themfeives  in 
 battalia  againft.  the  fire,  or  a  child  fight  with  an  archangel. 
 Chrift's  fword  on  his  thigh  is  able  to  avenge  all  his  quarrels  :  it 
 is  not  good  to  ftir  a  lion  ;  let  no  man  provoke  the  '  Lion  of  the 
 tribe  of  Judah,  whofe  eyes  are  as  a  lamp  of  fire,  and  the  rocks 
 are  thrown  down  by  him,'  Nah.  i.  6.  '  He  mall  cut  ofi'tho 
 ijpirit  of  princes,'  Pfal.  lxxvi.  19. 
 
 Ufe  3.  If  Chrift  be  a  great  king,  fubmit  to  him.  Say  not, 
 as  thofe  Jews,  S  We  have  no  king  but  Cgefar,'  no  king  but  our 
 lufts.  This  is  tochufe  the  bramble  to  rule  over  yon,  and  ?  out 
 of  the  bramble  will  come  forth  a  fire/  Judg.  jx.  Submit  to 
 Chrift  willingly  :  all  the  devils  in  hell  fubmit  to  Chrift,  but  it  is 
 againft  their  will  ;  they  are  hjs  Oaves,  not  his  fubje&s.  Submit 
 cheerfully  to  Chrift's  perlbn  and  his  laws.  Many  would  have 
 Chrift  their  Saviour,  but  not  their  Prince;  Inch  as  will  not 
 have  Chrift  to  be  their  king  to  rule  them,  fhall  never  have  his 
 blood  to  fave  them.  Obey  all  Chrift's  princely  commands  ;  if 
 he  commands  love,  humility,  good  works,  be  as  the  needle 
 which  points  which  way  foever  the  loa.ljtone  draws. 
 
 Branch  2.  Let  Juch  admire  God's  free  grace,  who  were  once 
 under  the  power  aud  tyranny  of  Satan,  and  now  Chrift  hatb 
 made  them,  of  flaves,  to  become  the  fubjecls  of  his  kingdom. 
 Chrift  did  not  need  fgbjects,  he  hath  legions  of  angels  number- 
 ing to  him  ;  but  in  his  love,  he  hath  honoured  you  to  make  you 
 his  fuhjects.  O  how  long  was  it  ere  Chrift  could  prevail  with 
 you  to  come  under  his  banner !  how  much  oppofirion  did  he 
 meet  with,  ere  you  would  wear  this  Prince's  colours  ?  gut  at 
 laft  omnipotent  grace  overcame  you.     When  Peter  was  fleep- 
 
CttfciST's  nrMTMATioS,  &c.  109 
 
 vo  foldlers,  an  angel  came  and  bent  ofT his  chains, 
 
 \ii.  7-  (b,  when  thou  wert   flerpiug  ni  the   d.vil's   arni<, 
 
 rtrifi  Ihould,  b\  hi>  Spirit,  finite  thy  hoart,  and  Cauft  the 
 
 ofiln  to  tall  fill*,  and  make  thcea  i  dorn  : 
 
 O  admire  five  I'hou  who  art  a  i'ubject  of  Chnlt,  art  lure 
 
 ign  with  Chrilt  tor  ever. 
 
 CHRIST'S  HUMILIATION  IN  HIS  INCARNATION. 
 
 1  Tim.  iii.  10\   Great  is  the  mij/teiy  ofGodlinefs,  God  manifejl 
 
 in  the  flefli. 
 
 Q.  XXVir.  WHEREIXdid  Choi's  hnrhWafion  eonffl  ? 
 
 An/.  In  his  being  born,  and  that  in  a  low  condition,  made 
 mi  ler  the  law,  undergoing  the  miferies  of  this  life,  the  wrath  of 
 God,  and  the  cur  fed  death  of  the  croft. 
 
 Chriit's  humiliation  confilted  in  his  incarnation,  his  taking 
 flelh,  and  being  horn.  It  was  real  flefh  Chrift  took  :  not  the 
 Iftiage  of  a  body  (as  the  Manichees  erroneoufly  held)  but  a  true 
 body  ;  therefore  Chrilt  is  laid  to  be  ■  made  of  a  woman,'  Gal. 
 iv.  4.  As  the  bread  is  made  of  the  wheat,  and  the  wine  is 
 made  of  the  grape  ;  lb  Chrift  is  made  of  a  woman,  his  body  was 
 part  of  the  flefli  and  fubttance  of  the  virgin.  This  is  a  glorious 
 myitery,  *  God  manifelt  in  the  flefh.'  In  the  creation,  man 
 was  made  in  God's  image  ;  in  the  incarnation,  God  was  made 
 in  man's  image. 
 
 Q.   How  came  it  about  that  Chrifl  teas  made  flefli  ? 
 
 An/.  It  was  by  his  Father's  tpecial  delignation,  Gal.  iv.  4. 
 God  lent  forth  his  Son  made  of  a  woman.'  God  the  Father  did, 
 in  a  fpecial  manner,  appoint  Chrilt  to  be  incarnate;  v\hidi 
 fhews  how  needful  a  call  is,  to  any  bufinefs  of  weight  and  im- 
 portance :  to  act  without  a  call,  is  to  aft  without  a  blefling. 
 Chrift  himfelf  would  not  be  incarnate,  and  take  upon  him  the 
 work  of  a  Mediator  till  he  had  a  call.  *  God  lent  forth  his  Son 
 made  of  a  woman.' 
 
 Q.  But  iras  there  no  other  tray  for  the  refloring  of  fallen  matt 
 but  this,  that  God  jhould  take/,' 
 
 An/.  We  mutt  not  aJk  a  reat'on  of  God's  will  ;  it  is  dangerous 
 to  pry  into  God's  ark:  we  are  not  to  difpute  but  adore.  The 
 wiie/God  law  this  the  belt  way  for  our  redemption,  that  Chrift 
 (hould  be  incarnate ;  it  was  not  tit  for  any  to  futisfy  G 
 juilice,  but  man  ;  none  could  do  it  but  God  ;  therefore,  Chrilt 
 being  hoth  God  and  man,  he  is  the  fittelt  to  um!  his  *\  ork 
 
 of  redemption. 
 
 Q.    Why  was  Chrifl  born  of  a  icon    I 
 
900  Christ's  humiliation 
 
 Anf  I.  That  God  might  fulfil  that  promife,  Gen.  iii.  15. 
 '  The  feed  of  the  woman  (hall  break  the  lerpent's  head.'  2. 
 Chrift  was  born  of  a  woman  that  he  might  roll  away  that  re- 
 proach from  the  woman,  which  fhe  had  contracted  by  being 
 leduced  by  the  lerpent.  Chrift,  in  taking  his  flefh  from  the  wo- 
 man, hath  honoured  her  fex  ;  that  as  at  the  firlt  the  woman  had 
 made  man  a  (Inner,  lb  now,  to  make  him  amends,  fhe  fhould 
 bring  him  a  Saviour. 
 
 Q.    Why  was  Chrift  born  of  a  virgin  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  For  decency  :  it  became  not  God  to  have  any  mo- 
 ther but  a  maid,  and  it  became  not  a  maid  to  have  any  other 
 ion  but  a  God. 
 
 2.  For  ntcefiUy  :  Chrift  was  to  be  an  high-pried,  moll  pure 
 and  holy.  Had  he  been  born  after  the  ordinary  courfe  of  nature, 
 he  had  been  defiled  ;  (all  that  f'pring  out  of  Adam's  loins  have 
 a  tincture  of  fin)  but,  that  ■  Chrift's  fubftance  might  remain 
 pure  and  immaculate/  he  was  born  of  a  virgin. 
 
 3.  To  anfwer  the  type.  Melchifedec  was  a  type  of  Chrift  ; 
 he  is  faid  to  be  ■  without  father  and  without  mother.'  Chrift 
 being  born  of  a  virgin,  anlwered  the  type  :  he  was  without  fa- 
 ther and  without  mother :  without  mother  as  he  was  God, 
 without  father,  as  he  was  man. 
 
 Q.  How  could  Chrift  be  made  of  the  flefli  and  blood  of  a  vir- 
 gin yet  without  fin  ?  The  pureft  virgin  that  is,  her  foul  isftained 
 w  ith  o  rig  in  a  I  Jin . 
 
 Anf  This  knot  the  fcripture  unties,  Luke  i.  35.  ■  The  Holy 
 Ghoft  fhall  come  upon  thee,  and  overfhadow  thee:  therefore 
 that  holy  thing,  which  (hall  be  born  of  thee,  fhall  be  called  the 
 Son  of  God.'  ■  The  Holy  Ghoft  fhall  come  upon  thee,'  that  is, 
 the  Holy  Ghoft  did  conlecrate  and  purify  that  part  of  the  virgin's 
 flefh  whereof  Chrift  was  made.  As  the  alchymift  extracts  and 
 draws  away  the  drofs  from  the  gold,  fo  the  Holy  Ghoft  did  re- 
 fine and  clarify  that  part  of  the  virgin's  flefh  feparating  it  from 
 fin.  Though  the  virgin  Mary  herfelf  had  fin,  yet,  that  part  of 
 the  flefh,  whereof  Chrift  was  made,  was  without  fin  ;  otherwife 
 it  muft  have  been  an  impure  conception. 
 
 Q.  What  is  meant  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  overfliadow- 
 ing  the  virgin  ? 
 
 Anf.  Bafil  faith,  "  It  was  the  Holy  Ghoft' s  bleffing  the  flefh 
 of  that  virgin,  whereof  Chrift  was  formed."  But  there  is  a 
 further  myftery  in  it;'  the  Holy  Ghoft  having  framed  Chrift  in 
 the  virgin's  womb,  did,  in  a  wonderful  manner,  unite  Ch rift's 
 human  nature  to  his  divine,  and  fo  of  both  made  one  perfon. 
 This  is  a  myftery,  which  the  angels  pry  into  with  adoration. 
 
 Q.    When  was  Chrift  incarnate? 
 
 Anf.  In  the  fulnef>  of  time,  Gal.  iv.  4.  '  When  the  fulnefs 
 of  time  was  come,  God  lent  forth  his  Son  made  of  a  woman.' 
 
IN  HIS  INCARNATION.  501 
 
 By  the  fulnefs  of  time,  we  mull  uttderftaad  tonpus  a  patre 
 praefinitum  \  lb  Ambrofe,  Luther,  Omh.i  Lap.  the  determi- 
 nate lime  that  God  had  let.  More  particularly,  this  fulnefs  of 
 tin,.  lien  all  the  prophecies  <>i  the  coining  of  the  Melliah 
 
 were  eocom  pi  idled  ;  and  all  legal  ihadows  and  nguree,  whereby 
 he  was  typified,  were  abrogated  :  '  in  the  fulnefs  of  time  God 
 lent  his  Son.'  And,  by  the  way,  oblerve,  this  may  comfort  us, 
 in  regard  of  the  church  of  God,  though  at  prefent  we  do  not  fee 
 that  peace  and  purity  in  the  church,  as  we  could  defire,  yet  in 
 the  fulnefs  of  time,  when  God's  time  is  come,  and  mercy  is  ripe, 
 then  fhall  deliverance  fpringup,  and  God  will  come  riding  upon 
 the  chariots  of  (alvation  :  •  When  the  fulnefs  of  time  was  come, 
 then  God  lent  forth  his  Son  made  of  a  woman.' 
 
 Q.    Why  was  Jejus  Chrifl  made  flefli  ? 
 
 Anf.  I.  The  cau/a  pri?na,  and  impulfive  caufe,  was  free 
 grace ;  it  was  love  in  God  the  Father  to  fend  Chriil,  and  love 
 in  Chrifl;  that  he  came  to  be  incarnate.  Love  was  the  intrinfical 
 motive.  Chrifl;  is  God-man,  becaufe  he  is  a  lover  of  man. 
 Chrifl  came  out  of  pity  and  indulgence  to  us ;  non  mevita  nojlra, 
 fed  mijera  no/ha,  Aug.  Not  ourdeferts,  but  our  mifery  made 
 Chrifl;  take  rlefli.  Chriil' s  taking  flefli,  was  a  plot  of  free 
 grace,  and  a  pure  defign  of  love.  God  himtelf,  though  Al- 
 mighty, was  overcome  with  love.  Chrifl  incarnate  is  nothing 
 but  love  covered  with  flefli.  Chrift's  afiuming  our  human  na- 
 ture, as  it  was  a  mafter- piece  of  wifdom,  lb  a  monument  of  free- 
 grace. 
 
 2.  Chrifl;  took  our  flefli  upon  him,  that  he  might  take  our  fins 
 upon  him.  He  was,  faith  Luther,  maximus  peccatur,  the 
 greateft  (inner,  having  the  weight  of  the  fins  of  the  whole  world 
 lying  upon  him.  He  took  our  flefli  that  he  might  take  our  fins, 
 and  ib  appeaie  God's  wrath. 
 
 3.  Chriil  took  our  flefli,  that  he  might  make  the  human  na- 
 ture appear  lovely  to  God,  and  the  divine  nature  appear  lovely 
 to  man. 
 
 (I.)  That  he  might  make  the  human  nature  lovely  to  God. 
 Upon  our  fall  irom  God,  our  nature  became  odious  to  him  ;  no 
 vermin  is  fo  odious  to  us,  as  the  human  nature  was  to  God. 
 When  once  our  virgin  nature  was  become  finful,  it  was  like 
 flefli  impollhumated,  or  running  into  fores,  loathfome  to  be- 
 hold :  fuch  was  our  nature,  when  corrupt,  odious  to  God,  he 
 could  not  endure  to  look  upon  us.  Now,  Chrifl  taking  our 
 flefli,  makes  this  human  nature  appear  lovely  to  God.  As  when 
 the  fun  (bines  on  theglafs,  it  calls  a  bright  luftre,  fo  Chrilt  being 
 clad  with  our  flefli  makes  the  human  nature  lhiue,  and  appear 
 amiable  in  God's  eyes. 
 
 (2.)  A.8  Chrilt  being  clothed  with  our  flefli,  makes  the  human 
 nature  appear  lovely  to  God,  lb  he  makes  the  divine  nature  ap- 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  5/  C  c 
 
202  Christ's  humiliation 
 
 pear  lovely  to  man.'  The  pure  Godhead  is  terrible  to  behold, 
 we  could  not  fee  it  and  live  :  but  Chrift  clothing  himfelf  with 
 our  flefh,  makes  the  divine  nature  more  amiable  and  delightful 
 to  us.  Now  we  need  not  be  afraid  to  look  upon  God,  leeing 
 him  thro*  Chrift's  human  nature.  It  was  a  cultom  of  old  among 
 the  fhepherds,  they  were  wont  to  clothe  themfelves  with  fheep- 
 fkins,  to  be  more  plealing  to  the  fheep ;  Co  Chrift  clothed  him- 
 felf with  our  flefh,  that  the  divine  nature  may  be  more  pleafing 
 to  us.  The  human  nature  is  a  glafs,  through  which  we  may  fee 
 the  love  and  wifdom,  and  glory  of  God  clearly  reprefented  to 
 us.  Through  the  lantern  of  Chrift's  humanity,  we  may  behold 
 the  light  of  the  Deity  mining.  Chrift  being  incarnate,  he  makes 
 the  fight  of  the  Deity  not  formidable,  but  delightful  to  us. 
 
 4.  Jefus  Chrift  united  himfelf  to  man,  *  that  man  might  be 
 drawn  nearer  to  God.'  God  before  was  an  enemy  to  us,  by 
 reafon  of  fin  ;  but  Chrift  taking  our  flefh,  doth  mediate  for  us, 
 and  bring  us  into  favour  with  God.  As  when  a  king  is  angry 
 with  a  fubjec-t,  the  king's  fon  marries  the  daughter  of  this  fub- 
 jecl,  and  fo  mediates  for  this  fubject.,  and  brings  him  into  favour 
 with  the  king  again  :  So,  when  God  the  Father  was  angry  with 
 us,  Chrift  married  himfelf  to  our  nature,  and  now  mediates  for 
 us  with  his  Father,  and  brings  us  to  be  friends  again,  and  now 
 God  looks  upon  us  with  a  favourable  afpe6t.  As  Joab  pleaded 
 for  Abfalom,  and  brought  him  to  king  David,  and  David  kiffed 
 him,  fo  doth  Jefus  Chrift  ingratiate  us  into  the  love  and  favour 
 of  God.  Therefore  he  may  well  be  called  a  peace-maker,  hav- 
 ing taken  our  flefli  upon  him,  and  lb  made  peace  between  us  and 
 his  angry  Father. 
 
 Ufe  1.  Branch  1.  See  here,  as  in  a  glafs,  the  infinite  love  of 
 God  the  Father,  and  when  we  had  loll  ourfelves  by  fin,  then 
 God  in  the  riches  of  his  grace,  did  fend  forth  his  Son  made  of 
 a  woman  to  redeem  us.  And  behold  the  infinite  love  of  Chrift, 
 that  he  was  willing  thus  to  condefcend  to  take  our  flefh.  Surely 
 the  angels  would  have  difdained  to  have  taken  our  flefh,  it  would 
 have  been  a  difparagement  to  them.  What  king  would  be  wil- 
 ling to  wear  fackcioth  over  his  cloth  of  gold?  but  Chrift  did  not 
 difdain  to  take  our  flefh.  O  the  love  of  Chrift !  had  not  Chrift 
 been  made  flefh,  we  had  been  made  a  curfe  ;  had  not  he  been 
 incarnate,  we  had  been  incarcerate,  and  had  been  for  ever  in 
 p  17 fan.  Well  might  an  angel  be  the  herald  to  proclain  this  joy- 
 ful news  of  Chrift's  incarnation,  Luke  ii.  10.  *  Behold  I  bring 
 you  good  tidings  of  great  joy  ;  for  unto  you  is  born  this  day  a 
 Saviour  which  is  Chrift  the  Lord.'  The  love  of  Chrift  in  being 
 incarnate,  will  the  more  appear  if  we  confider; 
 
 1.  Whence  Chrift  came.  He  came  from  heaven,  and  from 
 the  richeft  place  in  heaven,  his  Father's  boi'om,  that  hive  of 
 fweetnefs. 
 
IN  HIS  INCARNATION.  90S 
 
 £.  To  whom  Chrift  came.  Was  it  to  his  friends  ?  No,  he 
 came  tofinful  man.  Man  that  had  defaced  Ins  image,  ahuled 
 his  love  ;  man  who  was  turned  rebel ;  yet  became  to  man,  re- 
 lieving to  conquer  obftinacy  with  kindnefs.  It  he  would  come 
 to  any,  why  not  to  the  angels  that  fell  ?  Ileb.  ii.  1(5.  ■  lie  in  no 
 wife  took  upon  him  the  nature  of  angels.'  The  angels  are  of  a 
 more  noble  extract,  more  intelligible  creatures,  more  able  for 
 fervice;  ay,  but  behold  the  love  of  Chrift,  he  came  not  to  the 
 fallen  angels,  but  to  mankind.  Among  the  feveral  wonders  of 
 the  loadltone,  this  is  not  the  leaft,  that  it  will  not  draw  gold  or 
 pearl,  but  defpiOng  thefe,  it  draws  the  iron  to  it,  one  of  the 
 mod  inferior  metals;  thus  Chriit  leaves  the  angels,  thofe  noble 
 fpirits,  the  gold  and  the  pearl,  and  he  comes  to  poor  finful  man, 
 and  draws  him  into  his  embraces. 
 
 3.  In  what  manner  he  came.  He  came  not  in  the  majefty 
 of  a  king,  attended  with  his  life-guard,  but  he  came  poor:  not 
 like  the  heir  of  heaven,  but  like  one  of  an  inferior  defcent.  The 
 place  he  was  born  in  was  poor  :  not  the  royal  city  Jerufalem, 
 but  Bethlehem,  a  poorobfcure  place.  He  was  born  in  an  inn, 
 and  a  manger  was  his  cradle,  the  cobwebs  his  curtains,  the 
 beafts  his  companions  ;  he  defcended  of  poor  parents.  One 
 would  have  thought,  if  Chriit  would  have  come  into  the  world, 
 he  would  have  made  choice  of  ibme  queen  or  perfonage  of  ho- 
 nour to  have  defcended  from  :  but  he  comes  of  mean  obfcure 
 parents  ;  that  they  were  poor,  appears  by  their  offering,  Luke 
 ji.  24.  ■  A  pair  of  turtle-doves,'  which  was  the  ufual  offering 
 of  the  poor,  Lev.  xii.  8.  Chrift  was  lb  poor,  that  when  he 
 wanted  money,  he  was  fain  to  work  a  miracle  for  it,  Matth. 
 xvii.  27.  He,  when  he  died,  made  no  will.  He  came  into 
 the  world  poor. 
 
 4.  Why  he  came.  That  he  might  take  our  flefh,  and  re- 
 deem us;  that  he  might  inflate  us  into  a  kingdom.  He  was 
 poor,  that  he  might  make  us  rich,  2  Cor.  viii.  y.  He  was  bora 
 of  a  virgin,  that  he  might  be  born  of  God.  He  took  our  flefh, 
 that  he  might  give  us  his  Spirit.  He  lay  in  the  manger,  that 
 we  might  lie  in  paradife.  He  came  down  from  heaven,  that 
 he  might  bring  us  to  heaven.  And  what  was  all  this  but  love  ? 
 If  our  hearts  be  not  rocks,  this  love  of  Chrift  fhould  affect  us  : 
 behold  love  that  paifeth  knowledge!   Eph.  iii.  1<). 
 
 Branch  2.  See  here  the  wonderful  humility  of  Chrift  :  Chrift 
 was  made  flefh,  ()  f'anchi  kumiUtas,  tn  filiam  Dei  def'cendere 
 fecifti  in  uterum,  Maricc  llrginis,  Auftin.  That  Chrift  lhould 
 clothe  himfelf  with  our  flefh,  a  piece  of  that  earth  which  we 
 tread  upon  ;  O  infinite  humility  !  Chrift' s  taking  our  flefh,  was 
 one  of  the  lowelt  fteps  of  his  nun  Chrift  did  humble 
 
 himfelf  more  in  lying  in  the   V  -   womb,  than  in  hanging 
 
 upon  the  crols.      It  was  no'  ;h  for  man  to  die,  but  for 
 
 C  i 
 
204  cpmsi's  humiliation 
 
 God  to  become  man,  that  was  the  wonder  of  humility,  Phil.  ii. 
 7.  '  He  was  made  in  the  likenefs  of  man.'  For  Chrift  to  be 
 made  flefli,  was  more  humility,  than  for  the  angels  to  be  made 
 worms.  Chrift's  flefh  iscalled  a  vail,  Hebrews  x.  20.  '  Through 
 the  vail,'  that  is,  his  flelh,  ChritVs  wearing  our  flefh,  vailed  his 
 glory.  For  him  to  be  made  flefli,  who  was  equal  with  God,  O 
 humility  !  Phil.  ii.  (j.  ■  Who  being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought 
 it  no  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God.*  He  ilood  upon  even 
 ground  with  God,  he  was  co-efTential  and  eon-fubftantial  with 
 his  Father,  as  Auftinand  Cyril,  and  the  council  of  Nice  exprcfs 
 it;  yet,  for  all  this,  he  takes  flefli.  Chrift  ftript  himfelf  of  the 
 robes  of  his  glory,  and  covered  himfelf  with  the  rags  of  our  hu- 
 manity. If  Solomon  did  fo  wonder  that  God  fhould  dwell  in 
 the  temple,  which  was  enriched  and  hung  with  gold,  how  may 
 we  wonder  that  God  fhould  dwell  in  man's  weak  and  frail  na- 
 ture ?  Nay,  which  is  yet  more  humility,  Chritt  not  only  took 
 our  flefli,  but  took  it  when  it  was  at  the  worft,  under  di (grace  ; 
 as  if  a  lervant  fliould  wear  a  nobleman's  livery,  when  he  is  im- 
 peached of  high  treafon.  Nay,  befides,  Chrift  took  all  the  in- 
 firmities of  our  flefli.  There  are  two  forts  of  infirmities  !  Such 
 as  are  finful  without  pain,  or  fuch  as  are  painful  without  fin. 
 The  firft  of  thefe  infirmities  Chrift  did  not  take  upon  him,  fin- 
 ful infirmities,  to  be  covetous  or  ambitious,  Chrilt  never  took 
 thefe  upon  him  :  But  Chrift  took  upon  him  painful  infirmities  ; 
 as,  1.  Hunger,  Matth.  xxi.  18.  He  came  to  the  fig-tree,  and 
 would  have  eaten.  2.  Wearinefs  ;  as  when  he  fat  on  Jacob's 
 well  to  reft  him,  John  iv.  6.  3.  Sorrow,  Matth.  xxvi.  38, 
 f  My  foul  is  exceeding  forrowful,  even  unto  death.'  It  was  a 
 forrow  guided  with  reaibn,  not  difturbed  with  paflion.  4.  Fear, 
 Heb.  v.  7.  ■  He  was  heard  in  that  he  feared.'  Nay,  yet  a  fur- 
 ther degree  of  Chrift's  humility,  he  not  only  was  made  flefh, 
 but  in  the  likenefs  of  finful  flefli,  '  He  knew  no  fin,  yet  he  was 
 made  fin,'  2  Cor.  v.  21.  He  was  like  a  (inner  ;  he  had  all  fin 
 laid  upon  him,  but  no  fin  lived  in  him.  Ifa.  liii.  12.  '  He  was 
 numbered  among  tranfgrefibrs.'  He  who  was  numbered  among 
 the  perfons  of  the  Trinity,  he  is  faid  to  bear  the  *  fins  of  many/ 
 Heb.  ix.  28.  Now,  this  was  the  lowed  decree  ot  Chrift's  hu- 
 miliation :  For  Chrift  to  be  reputed  as  a  tinner,  never  fuch  a 
 pattern  of  humility.  That  Chrift,  who  would  not  endure  fin 
 in  the  angels,  fliould  himfelf  endure  to  have  fin  imputed  to  him, 
 it  is  the  moft  amazing  humility  that  ever  was. 
 
 From  all  this  learn  to  be  humble.  Doft  thou  fee  Chrift  hum- 
 bling himfelf,  and  art  thou  proud  ?  'Tis  the  humble  faint  that 
 is  Chrift's  picture.  Chriiiians,  be  not  proud  of  your  fine  fea- 
 thers :  1.  Flaft  thou  an  eftate  !  be  not  proud,  the  earth  thou 
 treadeft  on  is  richer  than  thou  :  it  hath  mines  of  gold  and  (ilver 
 in  the  bowels  of  it.     2.  Haft  thou  beauty  ?    be  not  proud  :    it 
 
IN  HIS  INCARNATION.  £05 
 
 is  but  air  and  duft  mingled.  3.  Hall  thou  fkill  and  parts  :  he 
 humble:  Lucifer  hath  more  knowledge  than  thou.  4.  Halt 
 thou  grace  ?  be  humble:  thou  haft  it  not  of  thy  own  growth, 
 it  is  borrowed.     Were  it  not  lolly  to  be  proud  of  a  ring  that  is 
 
 lent  r  1  Cor.  iv.  7-  Thou  hull  more  (in  than  grace,  fpoti  than 
 beauty.  O  look  on  Chrilt,  this  rare  pattern,  and  be  humbled  ! 
 It  is  an  unfeemly  fight  to  lee  God  humbling  himfelf,  and  man 
 exalting  himfelf  ;  to  fee  an  humble  Saviour,  and  a  proud  huner. 
 God  hates  the  very  refembiauce  ol  pride,  Lev.  ii.  II.  He  would 
 have  no  honey  in  thefacriliee.  Indeed  leaven  is  four  ;  but  why 
 no  honey  ?  becaule,  when  honey  is  mingled  with  meal  or  flour, 
 it  makes  the  meal  to  rife  and  lwell ;  therefore  no  honey.  God 
 the  refembiauce  of  the  fin  of  pride;  better  want  parts, 
 comforts  of  Spirit,  than  humility.  Si  Deus  fuperbientibus  ange- 
 ls -non  pepercit :  If  God,  faith  Auftin,  fpared  not  the  angels, 
 when  they  grew  proud,  will  he  l'pare  thee,  who  art  but  dull  and 
 rottennefs? 
 
 Branch  3.  Behold  here  a  facred  riddle  or  paradox  ;  '  God 
 man i fell  in  the  flefli.'  The  text  calls  it  a  myftery.  That  man 
 fliould  be  made  in  God's  image,  was  a  wonder  ;  but  that  God 
 ihould  be  made  in  man's  image,  is  a  greater  wonder.  That  the 
 Ancient  of  days  fliould  be  born,  that  he  who  thunders  in  the 
 heaven  fliould  cry  in  the  cradle  :  Qui  tomtruat  in  ccelis,  clumat 
 in  ciinabulis  ;  qui  regit Jidera,fugit  ubera  ;  that  he  who  rules 
 the  Itars,  fliould  fuck  the  breaft ;  that  a  virgin  Ihould  conceive, 
 that  Chi  ill  fliould  be  made  of  a  woman,  and  of  that  woman 
 which  himfelf  made;  that  the  branch  fliould  bear  the  vine ; 
 that  the  mother  fliould  be  younger  than  the  child  flie  bare,  and 
 the  child  in  the  womb  bigger  than  the  mother ;  that  the  hu- 
 man nature  fliould  not  be  God,  yet  one  with  God  :  this  was 
 not  only  mirum  but  miraculum.  Chrilt  taking  flefli  is  a  my£ 
 tery  we  fliall  never  fully  underfland  till  we  come  to  heaven, 
 when  our  light  fliall  be  clear,  as  well  as  our  love  perfect. 
 
 Branch  4.  From  hence,  ■  God  mauifeft  in  the  flefli,  Chrifl 
 born  of  a  virgin,'  a  thing  not  only  ft  range  in  nature,  but  im- 
 poflible,  learn,  '  That  there  are  no  impoffibilities  with  God  :' 
 God  can  bring  about  things  which  are  uot  within  the  fphere  of 
 nature  to  produce;  thtt  iron  Ihould  iwim,  that  the  rock  fliould 
 gufh  out  water,  that  the  fire  fliould  lick  up  the  water  in  the 
 trendies,  I  Kings  xviii.  L2S.  'Tis  natural  for  the  water  to 
 quench  the  fire,  but  for  the  fire  to  confume  the  water,  this  is 
 impoflible  in  the  couife  of  nature  :  but  God  can  bring  about  all 
 this,  Jer.  xxxii.  27-  *  There  is  nothing  too  hard  for  thee.' 
 Zech.  viii.  ().  '  If  it  be  marvellous  in  your  eyes,  fliould  it  be 
 marvellous  in  my  eyes?  faith  the  Lord.'  How  Ihould  God  be 
 united  to  our  flefli  ?  it  is  impoflible  to  us,  but  not  with  God  ; 
 lie  can  do  what  traulcends  reafon,  and  exceeds  faith.     He 
 
£06  Christ's  humiliation 
 
 would  not  be  our  God,  if  he  could  not  do  more  than  we  can 
 think,  Eph.  lii.  20.  He  can  reconcile  contraries.  How  apt 
 are  we  to  be  dii'couraged  with  feeming  impoflibilities  ?  How  do 
 our  hearts  die  within  u»,  when  things  go  crofs  to  our  fenfe  and 
 reatbn  ?  We  are  apt  to  fay  as  that  prince,  2  Kings  vii.  1,  2. 
 •  If  the  Lord  would  make  windows  in  heaven,  might  this  thing 
 be  ?'  It  was  a  time  of  famine,  and  now  that  a  meaiure  of  wheat, 
 which  was  a  good  part  of  a  bufhel,  fhould  be  fold  for  a  fhekel, 
 viz.  half  an  ounce  of  filver,  how  can  this  be?  So,  when  things 
 are  crofs,  or  ftrange,  God's  own  people  are  apt  to  queftion, 
 how  they  fhould  be  brought  about  with  fuccefs  ?  Moles,  who 
 was  a  man  of  God ,  and  one  of  the  blighted  ftars  that  ever  mined 
 in  the  firmament  of  God's  church,  yet  he  was  apt  to  be  dii- 
 couraged with  fecmiug  impoflibilities,  Numb.  xi.  21.  '  And 
 Mofes  laid,  the  people  among  whom  I  am,  are  fix  hundred 
 thoufand  footmen,  and  thou  haft  laid,  I  will  give  them  flefh, 
 that  they  may  eat  for  a  whole  month  :  (hall  the  flocks  and 
 herds  be  flail)  for  them  to  fuftice  them  ?  or  (hall  all  the  fifh  of 
 the  lea  be  gathered  for  them,  to  fuftice  them  ?'  As  if  he  had 
 faid,  in  plain  language,  he  did  not  fee  how  the  people  of  Ifrael, 
 being  fo  numerous,  could  be  fed  for  a  month,  ver.  23.  '  And 
 the  Lord  faid,  Is  the  Lord's  hand  waxed  fhort  ?'  Surely,  that 
 God  who  brought  Ifaac  out  of  a  dead  womb,  and  the  Mefliah 
 out  of  a  virgin's  womb,  what  cannot  he  do?  O  let  usreit  upon 
 the  arm  of  God's  power,  and  believe  in  him,  in  the  midft  of 
 feeming  impoflibilities.  Remember,  *  there  are  no  impoflibili- 
 ties with  God.'  He  can  fubdue  a  proud  heart,  He  canraife  a 
 dying  church.  Chriit  born  of  a  virgin,  that  wonder-working 
 God  that  wrought  this,  can  bring  to  pais  the  greateft  feeming 
 impoflibilities. 
 
 life  2.  Of  exhortation.  Branch  1.  Seeing  Chrift  took  our 
 flefh,  and  was  born  of  a  virgin,  let  us  labour  that  he  may  be 
 fpiritually  born  in  our  hearts.  What  will  it  profit  us,  that 
 Chrift  was  born  into  the  world,  unlefs  he  be  born  in  our  hearts  ; 
 that  he  was  united  to  our  nature,  unlefs  he  be  united  to  our 
 perfons?  Marvel  not  that  I  fay  to  you,  Chrift  muft  be  born 
 again,  viz.  in  our  hearts,  Gal.  iv.  19.  '  Till  Chrift  be  formed 
 in  you.'     Now,  then,  try  if  Chrift  be  born  in  your  hearts. 
 
 Q.  How  fi  all  we  know  that  ? 
 
 Avj\  1.  There  are  pangs  before  the  birth  ;  fo,  before  Chrift 
 be  born  in  the  heart,  there  are  fpiritual  pangs.  Some  pangs  of 
 conference,  deep  convictions,  Acts  ii.  37*  '  They  were  prick- 
 ed at  their  heart.'  I  grant  the  new-birth  doth  recipere  wagis  et 
 minus — all  have  not  the  fame  pangs  of  forrow  and  humiliation, 
 yet  all  have  pangs.  If  Chrift  be  born  in  thy  heart,  thou  halt 
 been  deeply  afflicted  for  fin.  Chrift  is  never  born  in  the  heart 
 without  pangs.      Many  thank  God  they  never  had  any  trouble 
 
IK  HIS  IHCAMAflOITi  tQT 
 
 of  fpirit,  they  were  always  quiet ;  a  ligu  Chrift  is  not  yet  form- 
 ed in  them. 
 
 \s,  when  Chrift  was  born   into  the  world,  be  in 
 fielh  ;   to,  if  he  be  born  in  thy  heart,  he  makes   thy  heart  an 
 heart  of  fiefli,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26.     Is  thy  heart  incarri 
 fore  it  was  a  rocky  heart  and  would  not  yield   to  God,   or  take 
 the    imprellions  ot'  the  word  ;  durum  eft  quod  mm  Ctdil  tactui; 
 now  it   is   ilelhly  and   tender,    like  melted  wax,   to    take   any 
 ilamp  of  the  Spirit.     This  is  a  fign  Chrili  is  born  in  our  he 
 when  they  are  hearts  of  flefh,  they  melt  in  tears  and    in  love. 
 What  is  it  the  better  Chrili  was  made  ilelh,  unlets  he  hath  given 
 thee  an  heart  of  flelh  ? 
 
 3.  Chrift  was  conceived  in  the  womb  of  a  virgin  ;  fo,  if  he  be 
 born  in  thee,  thy  heart  is  a  virgin-heart,  in  ret'pedl  of  fmcerity 
 and  fanctity.  Art  thou  purified  I  om  the  love  of  fin  ?  If 
 Chrift  be  born  in  thy  heart,  it  is  a  i'<(nihimj'anctoni:ny  an  holy 
 of  holies.  If  thy  heart  be  polluted  with  the  predominant  love 
 olTm,  never  think  Chrift  is  born  there  ;  Chrift  will  never  lie  any 
 more  in  a  liable.  If  lie  be  born  in  thy  heart,  it  is  conlecrated 
 by  the  Holy  Ghoft. 
 
 4.  If  Chrift  be  born  in  thy  heart,  then  it  is  with  thee  as  in 
 a  birth  :  1.  There  is  life.  Faith  19  princip'mm  vivens,  it  is  the 
 vital  artery  of  the  foui,  Gal.  ii.  c20.  '  The  life  that  I  live  in 
 the  rlelh,  is  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God.'  2.  TheTe  is  appe- 
 tite, I  Pet.  ii.  7.  '  As  new  born  babes,  defire  the  fincere  milk 
 of  the  word.'  The  word  is  like  breaft-milk,  pure,  (weet,  nou- 
 rifhmg;  the  foul  in  which  Chrilt  is  formed,  defires  this  breaft- 
 Diilk.  St.  Bernard,  in  one  of  his  foliloquies,  comforts  himl'elf 
 with  this,  That  fure  he  had  the  new  birth  in  him,  becaufe  he 
 found  in  his  heart  t'ueh  ttrong  anhelations  and  th liftings  after 
 God.  3.  Motion.  After  Chrilt  is  born  in  the  heart,  there  is 
 a  violent  motion ;  there  is  .driving  *  to  enter  in  at  the  ftrait 
 gate,'  and  ottering  violence  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  Matth. 
 xii.  11.  By  this  we  may  know  Chrilt  is  formed  in  us.  This 
 is  the  only  comfort,  that  as  Chrift  was  born  into  the  world,  lo 
 he  is  born  in  our  hearts ;  as  he  was  united  to  our  flelh,  fo  lie  is 
 united  to  our  perlbn. 
 
 Branch  2.  As  Chrift  was  made  in  our  image,  let  us  labour  to 
 he  made  in  his  image  :  Chrilt  being  incarnate  was  made  like  us, 
 let  us  labour  to  be  made  like  him.  There  are  three  thin 
 which  we  Ihould  labour  to  be  like  Chrift.  I.  In  difpofition.  fie 
 was  of  a  moft  I'vveet  dilpoiition  cleliciie  lutmani  generis,  Tit. 
 Vefpilian.  He  invites  finners  to  come  to  him.  He  hath 
 bowels  to  pity  us,  breafts  to  feed  us,  wings  to  cover  us.  He 
 would  not  break  our  heart,  but  with  mercy.  Was  Chrift  mule 
 in  our  likenefs?  let  us  labour  to  be  made  in  his  likenels.  Let 
 us  be  like  him  in  this  fweetnefs  of  dilpoiition  :   be  not  of  a  mu- 
 
SOS  CHItISTfS  HTJMlLIATIOlf 
 
 rofe  fp'uit.  It  was  Paid  of  Nabal,  1  Sam.  xxv.  18.  f  He  iy 
 fueh  a  fon  of  Belial,  that  a  man  cannot  fpeak  to  him.'  Some 
 are  fo  barbarous,  as  if  they  were  a-kin  to  ttie  ollrich,  they  are 
 fired  with  rage,  and  breathe  forth  nothing  but  revenge;  like 
 thofe  two  men  in  the  gofpel  *  pofleiTed  with  devils,  coming  out 
 of  the  tombs,  exceeding  fierce,'  Matth.  viii.  28.  Let  us  be 
 like  Chrift  in  mildnefs  and  fweetnefs.  Let  us  pray  for  our  ene- 
 mies, and  conquer  them  by  love.  David's  kindnefs  melted 
 Saul's  heart,  1  Sam.  xxiv.  1(5.  A  frozen  heart  will  be  thawed 
 with  the  fire  of  love. 
 
 2.  Be  like  Chrift  in  grace.  He  was  like  us  in  having  our 
 flefh,  let  us  be  like  him  in  having  his  grace.  In  three  graces 
 we  fhould  labour  to  be  like  Chrift  :  1.  In  humility,  Phil.  ii.  8. 
 *  He  humbled  himfelf ;'  he  left  the  bright  robes  of  his  glory, 
 to  be  clothed  with  the  rags  of  our  humanity  :  a  wonder  to  hu- 
 mility !  Let  us  be  like  Chrift  in  this  grace.  Humility,  faith 
 St.  Bernard,  is  contemptus  propria?  excel/entia\  a  contempt  of 
 felf-excellency,  a  kind  of  felf-armihilation.  This  is  the  glory 
 of  a  Chriftian.  We  are  never  fo  comely  in  God's  eyes,  as  when 
 we  are  black  in  our  own.  In  this  let  us  be  like  Chrift.  True 
 religion  is  to  imitate  Chrift.  And  indeed,  what  cauie  have  we 
 to  be  humble,  if  we  look  within  us,  about  us,  below  us,  above 
 us  ? 
 
 (1.)  If  we  look  intra  nos,  within  us,  here  we  fee  our  fins  re- 
 prefented  to  us  in  the  glafs  of  confcience  ;  lull;,  envy,  palTion. 
 Our  fins  are  like  vermin  crawling  in  our  fouls,  Job  xiii.  23. 
 ■  How  many  are  my  iniquities  ?'  Our  fins  are  as  the  fands  of 
 the  fea  for  number,  as  the  rocks  of  the  fea  for  weight.  Auftin 
 cries  out,  Vae  mihi ,  fcecibus  peccatorum  pollnitur  templum  Do- 
 mini.— My  heart,  which  is  God's  temple,  is  polluted  with  fin. 
 
 (2.)  If  we  \ooVjuxta  nos,  about  us  ;  here  is  that  may  humble 
 us.  We  may  fee  other  Chriftians  out-ihining  us  in  gifts  and 
 graces,  as  the  fun  out-fhines  the  leller  planets.  Others  are 
 laden  with  fruit,  perhaps  we  have  but  here  and  there  an  olive- 
 berry  growing,  to  fhew  that  we  are  of  the  right  kind,  Ifa. 
 xvii.  6. 
 
 (3.)  If  we  look  infra  nos,  below  us;  here  is  that  may  hum- 
 ble us.  We  may  fee  the  mother  earth,  out  of  which  we  came. 
 The  earth  is  the  moft  ignoble  element,  Job  xxx.  S.  *  Thou  art 
 viler  than  the  earth.'  Thou  that  doft  fet  up  thy  fcutcheon, 
 and  blaze  thy  coat  of  arms,  behold  thy  pedigree  ;  thou  art  but 
 pu/vis  animaltts,  walking  allies :  and  wilt  thou  be  proud  ! 
 What  is  Adam  ?  He  is  the  fon  of  dull  ;  and  what  is  dult  ?  the 
 fon  of  nothing. 
 
 (4.)  If  we  look  fnpranos,  above  us  ;  here  is  that  may  humble 
 us.  If  we  look  up  to  heaven,  there  we  may  fee  God  refifting 
 the  proud,   Superbos  fequitur  ultor  a  tergo  Dens — The  proud 
 
0  IN  HIS  IJtCARNATIOX.  900 
 
 munis  the  mark  which  God  (hoot*  at,  and  he  never  mines  the 
 
 mark.     He  threw  proud  Lucifer  out  of  heaven  ;   he  thrult  proud 
 
 tbnchadnezzar  out  of  his  throne,  and  turned  him  to  eat  grafs, 
 
 Dan  iv.  '.?<).     Otheu  be  like  Chrilt  in  humility. 
 
 3.  Did  Chrift  take  our  flelh  ?    was  he  made  like  to  u 
 
 be  made  like  to  him  in  zeal,  John  ii.  id.  4  The  zeal  of  thy 
 houie  hath  eaten  me  up.'  He  was  zealous  when  his  Father  was 
 dilhonoured.  In  this  let  us  he  like  Chrift,  zealous  for  God's 
 truth  and  glory,  which  are  the  two  orient  pearls  of  the  crown 
 of  heaven.  Zeal  is  as  needful  for  a  Chriltian,  as  fait  for  the  fa- 
 crifiee,  or  fire  on  the  altar.  Zeal  without  prudence,  is  rafh- 
 net's  ;  prudence  without  zeal,  is  cowardlinefs.  Without  zeal, 
 our  duties  are  not  acceptable  to  God.  Zeal  is  like  rofin  to 
 the  bow-ftrings,  without  which  the  lute  makes  no  mufic. 
 
 4.  Be  like  Chrift,  in  the  contempt  of  the  world.  When 
 Chrilt  took  our  flefh,  he  came  not  in  the  pride  of  ilefh,  he  did 
 not  defcend  immediately  from  kings  and  nobles,  but  was  of 
 mean  parentage.  Chrilt  was  not  ambitious  of  titles  of  honour. 
 Chrilt  did  as  much  decline  the  worldly  dignity  and  greatnels,  as 
 others  feek  it.  When  they  would  have  made  him  a  king,  he 
 refufed  it;  he  chofe  rather  to  ride  upon  the  foal  of  an  afs,  than 
 to  be  drawn  in  a  chariot ;  and  to  hang  upon  a  wooden  crofs, 
 than  to  wear  a  golden  crown.  Chrift  fcorned  the  pomp  and 
 glory  of  the  world;   he   waved  fecular  affairs,   Luke  xii.    13. 
 
 *  Who  made  me  a  judge  ?'  His  work  was  not  to  arbitrate  mat- 
 *     ters  of  law  ;  he  came  not  into  the  world  to  be  a  magiftrate,  but 
 
 a  Redeemer.  Chrift  was  like  a  ftar  in  an  higher  orb,  he  mind- 
 ed nothing  but  heaven.  Was  Chrift  made  like  us  ?  let  us  he 
 made  like  him,  in  heavenlinefs  and  contempt  of  the  world. 
 Let  us  not  be  ambitious  of  the  honours  and  preferments  of  the 
 world  ;  let  us  not  purchafe  the  world  with  the  lot's  of  a  good  . 
 confeience.  What  wife  man  would  damn  himielf,  to  grow 
 rich?  or  pull  down  his  foul,  to  build  up  an  eftate  ?  Be  like 
 Chrift  in  an  holy  contempt  of  the  world. 
 
 5.  Be  like  Chrift  in  converfation.  Was  Chrift  incarnate? 
 was  he  made  like  us?  let  us  be  made  like  him  in  holinefs  of 
 life.     No  temptation  could  fatten  upon  Chrift.     John  xiv.  30. 
 
 •  The  prince  of  this  world  cometh,  and  hath  nothing  in  me.* 
 Temptation  to  Chrift  was  like  a  fpark  of  tire  upon  a  marble 
 pillar,  which  glides  off.  Chrift's  life,  faith  Chrylbftom,  was 
 brighter  than  the  fun  beams.  Let  us  be  like  him  in  this,  2  Pet. 
 i.  16.  *  Be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  converfation. '  We  are 
 not,  fdith  Auftin,  to  be  like  Chrift  in  working  miracles,  but  in 
 a  holy  life.  A  chriftian  (hould  be  both  a  loadftone  and  a  dia- 
 mond :  a  loadftone,  in  drawing  others  to  Chrift  ;  a  diamond, 
 catting  a  fparkling  luftre  of  holinefs  in  bis  life.  O  let  us  be  fo 
 juft  in  our  dealings,  fo  true  in  our  proimies,  fo  devout  in  our 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  S,  D  d 
 
210  Christ's  exaltation. 
 
 worfhip,  fo  unblameable  in  our  lives,  that  we'may  be  the  walk- 
 ing pictures  of  Chrift.  Thus  as  Chrift  was  made  in  our  like- 
 uefs,  let  us  labour  to  be  made  in  his  likenefs. 
 
 Branch  3.  If  Jefus  Chrilt  was  fo  abafed  for  us ;  be  took  our 
 flefh,  which  was  a  difparagement  to  him  ;  it  was  mingling  duft 
 with  gold  :  if  he,  I  fay,  abafed  himfelf  fo  for  us,  let  us  be  will- 
 ing to  be  abafed  for  him.  If  the  world  reproach  us  for  ChriiVs 
 lake,  and  call  duft  on  our  name,  let  us  bear  it  with  patience. 
 The  Apoftles;  Acts  v.  41.  departed  from  the  council  *  rejoic- 
 ing that  they  were  counted  worthy  to  fufYer  fliame  for  Chrift's 
 name  :'  that  they  were  graced  tobedifgraced  for  Chrift.  That 
 is  a  good  faying  of  St.  Auftin,  Quid  fuit  detrahitfamce,  meoB 
 addet  mercedi  mece  ;  they  who  take  away  from  a  faint's  name, 
 fhall  add  to  his  reward  ;  and  while  they  make  his  credit  weigh 
 lighter,  they  make  his  crown  weigh  heavier.  O  was  Chrift 
 content  to  be  humbled  and  abafed  for  us,  to  take  our  flefh,  and 
 to  take  it  when  it  was  in  difgrace  I  Let  us  not  think  much  to  be 
 abated  for  Chrift.  Say  as  David,  2  Sam.  vi.  22.  *  If  this  be 
 to  be  vile,  I  will  yet  be  more  vile.'  If  to  ferve  my  Lord  Chrift, 
 if  to  keep  my  confcience  pure,  if  this  be  to  be  vile,  I  will  yet 
 be  more  vile. 
 
 life  3d,  of  comfort.  Jefus  Chrift  having  taken  our  flefh,  bath 
 ennobled  our  nature,  naturam  noftrum  nobilitavit.  Our  nature 
 is  now  invefted  with  greater  royalties  and  privileges  than  in 
 time  of  innocency.  Before,  in  innocency,  we  were  made  in  the 
 image  of  God  ;  but  now,  Chrift  having  aiiumed  our  nature,  we 
 are  made  one  with  God  ;  Our  nature  is  ennobled  above  the  an- 
 gelical nature.  Chrift  taking  our  flefh,  hath  made  us  nearer  to 
 himfelf  than  the  angels.  The  angels  are  his  friends,  believers 
 are  flefh  of  his  flefh,  his  members,  Eph.  v.  30.  and  chap.  i.  23. 
 And  the  fame  glory  which  is  put  upon  Chrift's  human  nature, 
 fhall  be  put  upon  believers. 
 
 CHRIST'S  EXALTATION. 
 
 Phil.  ii.  9.     Wherefore  God  alfo  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and 
 given  him  a  naine  above  every  name,  &c. 
 
 Before,  we  have  fpoken  of  Chrift's  humiliation,  now 
 of  his  exaltation  :  before  you  faw  the  Sun  of  righteoufnefs  in  the 
 eclipfe;  now  you  fhall  fee  it  coming  out  of  the  eclipfe;  and 
 fhining  in  its  full  fpendor  and  glory  :  ■  Wherefore  God  hath 
 highly  exalted  him  ;'  fnper  exaltavit,  Ambr.  "  Above  all  ex- 
 altation." 
 
 Q.  XXVIII.   Wherein  confifis  Chrift's  exaltation  f 
 
Christ's  exaltation.  $lt 
 
 Ar\f.  In  his  riling  from  the  dead,  his  afceuding  into  heaven  , 
 and  iittiug  ut  the  right  hand  of  God  the  Father,  fi 
 Q.    Iu  wliatj'etife  hath  G*d  cuiltetl  Cliriji  f 
 Anf.   Not  in  refpect  of  Chrilt's   Godhead,  for  that  cannot  he 
 exalted   higher   than  it  is:  as  in  Chrili's  humiliation  the  God- 
 head was  not  lower :   lb  in  his  exaltation,  the  Godhead  is  not 
 higher:   hut  Chi  ill  is  exalted  as  Mediator,  his  human  nature  is 
 exalted. 
 
 Q.   How  many  ways  is  Chrijl  exalted? 
 
 Anf.  Five  ways:  God  hath  exalted  Chrift.  1.  In  his  titles. 
 2.  In  his  ollice.  3.  In  his  afcenfion.  4.  In  his  fellion  at  God's 
 right  hand.  o.   In  coullituting  him  the  judge  of  the  world. 
 
 Firjt  title.  1.  God  hath  exalted  Chrift  in  his  titles,  1.  He  is 
 exalted  to  be  a  Lord,  Acts  ix.  17.  '  The  name  of  the  Lord  Jefus 
 was  magnified/  He  is  a  Lord  in  refpedtof  his  fovereignty ;  he 
 is  Lord  over  angels  and  men,  Mat.  xxviii.  IS.  ■  AH  power  is 
 ^iven  to  him.'  Chrill  hath  three  keys  in  his  hand,  the  key  of 
 the  grave,  to  open  the  graves  of  men  at  the  refurre&ion  ;  the 
 key  of  heaven,  to  open  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  whom  he  will ; 
 the  key  of  hell ;  Rev.  i.  18.  to  lock  up  the  damned  in  that  fiery 
 prilou. 
 
 To  this  Lord  all  knees  muft  bow,  Phil.  ii.  10.  ■  That  at  the 
 name  of  J  el  us  every  knee  fhould  bow  /  Name,  is  put  here  for 
 per/on  ;  to  that  holy  thing  Jefus,  to  the  lceptre  of  that  divine 
 perlbn  every  knee  llia.ll  bow.  Bowing  is  put  for  J'ubjeclion  ;  all 
 mull  be  fubdued  to  him  as  Ions  or  captives,  fubmit  to  him  as  to 
 tile  Lord  or  judge  ;  f  Kifs  the  Son,'  Pl'al.  ii.  12.  with  a  kifs  of 
 Jove  and  loyalty.  We  muft  not  only  caft  ourfelves  into  Chrift*  s 
 arms  to  be  faved  by  him,  but  we  mult  call  ourfelves  at  his  feet, 
 to  ferve  him. 
 
 Second  title,  Chrill  is  exalted  to  be  a  prince,  Dan.  xii.  1, 
 •  There  fhall  Hand  up  Michael  the  great  prince;'  Some  think 
 it  was  a  created  angel,  but  it  was  Angelus  Foederis,  Chrill  the 
 angel  of  the  covenant.  He  is  a  great  prince,  Rev.  i.  o*  ■  The 
 Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth  /  they  hold  their  crowns  by 
 immediate  tenure  from  him  ;  his  throne  is  above  the  liars,  he 
 hath  angels  and  archangels  for  his  attendants.  Thus  he  is  ex- 
 alted in  his  titles  of  honour. 
 
 2dly,  God  hath  exalted  Chrift  in  his  office  ;  he  hath  honoured 
 him  to  be  Sal  v  a  tor  mundi,  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  Acls  v. 
 31.  *  Him  hath  God  exalted  with  his  right  hand  to  be  a  priuce, 
 aud  a  Saviour.'  It  was  a  great  honour  to  Mofes  to  be  a  tem- 
 poral Saviour ;  but  what  is  it  to  be  the  Saviour  of  fouls  ?  Chrift 
 is  called  the  horn  of  lalvation,  Luke  i.  Q0.  He  laves  from  fiu, 
 Matth.  i.  24.  From  wrath,  I  Thel".  i.  10.  To  fave  is  a  flower 
 belongs  only  to  his  crown,  Acts  iv.  12.  '  Neither  is  there  lalva- 
 tion iu  any  other/      What  an   honour  is  this  to  Chait  ?  ho«r 
 
 Dd2 
 
212  Christ's  exaltation. 
 
 doth  this  make  heaven  ring  of  faints  praifes?  They  fing  hallelu- 
 jahs to  Chrift  their  Saviour,  Rev.  v.  9.  *  They  fung  a  new 
 long,  laying,  thou  art  worthy  to  take  the  book  and  open  the 
 feals ;  for  thou  waft  {lain,  and  haft  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy 
 blood.' 
 
 3dly,  God  hath  exalted  Chrift  in  his  afcenfion,  if  he  be  af- 
 cended,  then  he  is  exalted.  Auftin  faith  •'  Some  were  of 
 opinion  that  Chrift's  body  afcended  into  the  orb  and  circle  of 
 the  fun  :"  fo  the  Hermians.  But  the  fcripture  is  plain,  he 
 afcended  into  heaven,  Luke  xxiv.  51.  and  Eph.  iv.  10.  '  Far 
 above  all  heavens;'  therefore  above  the  firmament.  He  is 
 afcended  into  the  higheft  part  of  the  empyrean  heaven,  which 
 Paul  calls  the  third  heaven.  Concerning  Chrift's  afcenfion,  two 
 things : 
 
 1.  The  manner  of  Chrift's  afcenfion:  1ft,  Chrift  being  to 
 afcend,  blefled  his  difciples,  Luke  xxiv.  50.  •  He  lift  up  his 
 hands,  and  blefTed  them,  and  while  he  blefled  them,  he  was 
 parted  from  them,  and  carried  up  into  heaven.'  Chrift  did 
 not  leave  his  difciples  houfes  and  lands,  but  he  left  them  his 
 blefting. 
 
 Qdly,  Chrift  afcended  as  a  conqueror,  in  a  way  of  triumph, 
 Pfal.  lxviii.  18.  •  Thou  haft  led  captivity  captive/  &c.  He 
 triumphed  over  fin,  hell,  and  death  ;  and  Chrift's  triumph  is  a 
 believer's  triumph  :  Chrift  hath  conquered  fin  and  hell  for  every 
 believer. 
 
 Sdly,  The  fruit  of  Chrift's  afcenfion  :  Chrift's  afcenfion  to 
 heaven  caufeth  the  defcenfion  of  the  holy  Spirit  into  our  hearts, 
 Eph.  iv.  8.  ■  When  he  afcended  up  on  high,  he  gave  gifts  to 
 men.'  Chrift  having  afcended  up  in  the  clouds,  as  his  trium- 
 phant chariot,  gives  the  gift  of  his  Spirit  to  us :  as  a  king  at 
 his  coronation  beftows  gifts  liberally  to  his  favourites. 
 
 Athly,  God  hath  exalted  Chrift  in  his  fefiion  at  God's  right 
 hand,  Mark  xvi.  16.  *  After  the  Lord  had  fpoken  to  them,  he 
 was  received  up  into  heaven,  and  fat  upon  the  right  hand  of 
 God.'  Eph.  i.  20.  '  He  raifed  him  from  the  dead,  and  fet  him 
 at  his  own  right  hand,  far  above  all  principality,  and  power,  and 
 every  name  that  is  named.' 
 
 Q.   What  is  meant  by  Chrift's  Jit  ting  at  God's  right  hand  ? 
 
 Anf.  To  fpeak  properly,  God  hath  no  right-hand  or  left ; 
 for  being  a  i'pirit,  he  is  void  of  all  bodily  parts  :  but  it  is  a  bor- 
 rowed fpeech,  a  metaphor  taken  from  the  manner  of  kings, 
 who  were  wont  to  advance  their  favourites  next  to  their  own 
 perfons,  and  fet  them  at  their  right-hand  :  Solomon  caufed  a 
 feat  to  be  fet  for  the  queen  his  mother,  and  placed  her  at  his 
 right-hand,  2  Kings  ii.  10.  So  for  Chrift  to  fit  at  the  right-hand 
 of  God,  is  to  be  in  the  next  place  to  God  the  Father  in  dignity 
 and  honour.     The  human  nature  of  Chrift,  being  personally 
 
Christ's  exaltatton*  CIS 
 
 united  to  the  divine,  is  now  fit  down  on  a  royal   throne  in  hea- 
 ven, and  adored  evert  of  an 
 
 By  virtue  of  the  per  Ion  a  I  union  of  ChriiVs  human  nature  with 
 the  divine,  there  ta  a  communication  of  all  that  glory  from  the 
 Deity  of  Chriti  as  his  human  nature  is  capable  of.  Not  that 
 the  manhood  ol  Chriti  is  advanced  to  an  equality  with  the  God- 
 head, but  the  divine  nature  being  joined  with  the  human,  the 
 human  nature  is  wonderfully  glorified,  though  not  deified. 
 Chriti  as  mediator  is  filled  with  all  majefly  and  honour,  beyond 
 the  comprehenfion  of  the  higheft  order  of  angels  :  Chrift  in  his 
 humiliation  defeended  fb  low,  that  it  was  net  fit  to  go  lower  ; 
 and  in  his  exaltation  he  attended  fo  high,  that  it  is  not  pottible 
 to  go  higher.  In  his  relurrection  he  was  exalted  above  the 
 grave,  in  his  afcenfion  he  was  exalted  above  the  aery  and  ftarry 
 heaven  ;  in  his  fitting  at  God's  right-hand,  he  is  exalted  above 
 the  higheft  heavens  far,  Fph.  iv.  10.   !  Far  above  all  heavens.' 
 
 btkhf%  God  hath  exalted  Chrift  in  conflicting  him  judge  of 
 the  whole  world,  John  v.  22.  ■  The  Father  hath  committed  all 
 judgment  to  the  Son.'  At  that  day  of  judgment  mail  Chrift 
 he  exalted  fuperemineutly,  *  He  (hall  come  m  the  glory  of  his 
 Father,'  Mark  viii.  3S.  He  (hall  wear  the  fame  embroidered 
 robes  of  majefty,  as  the  Father  ;  and  he  (hall  come  with  all  his 
 holy  angels,  Mat.  xxv.  31.  He  who  was  led  to  the  bar  with  a 
 hand  of  foldiers,  (hall  be  attended  to  the  bench  with  a  guard  of 
 angels:  Chrift  fhall  judge  his  judges,  He  fhall judge  Pdate 
 that  condemned  him  :  kings  mult  leave  their  throne,  and  come 
 to  his  bar.  And  this  is  the  higheft  court  of  judicature,  from 
 whence  is  no  appeal. 
 
 \ft  Ufe  of  information,  Branch  1.  See  ChrifTs  different 
 ftate  on  earth,  and  now  in  heaven  :  O  how  is  thefeene  altered  ! 
 when  he  was  on  earth,  he  lay  in  a  manger,  now  he  fits  on  a 
 throne  ;  then  was  he  hated  and  fcorned  of  men,  now  he  is 
 adored  of  angels  ;  th^n  his  name  was  reproached,  now  *  God 
 hath  given  him  a  name  above  every  name,'  Phil.  ii.  P.  Then 
 he  came  in  the  form  of  a  fervant,  and  as  a  fervan',  (tood  with 
 his  bafon  and  towel,  and  warned  his  difciples  feet,  John  xiii.  4, 
 5.  now  lie  is  clad  in  his  prince's  robes,  and  the  kings  of  the 
 earth  call  their  crowns  before  him  ;  on  earth  he  was  a  man  of 
 forrow,  now  he  is  anointed  with  the  oil  of  cladnefs;  on  earth 
 was  his  crucifixion,  now  his  coronation  ;  then  his  Father  frown- 
 ed upon  him  in  del'ertion,  now  he  hath  fet  him  at  his  right-hand  ; 
 before  he  feemed  to  have  no  form  or  beauty  in  him,  11a.  liii.  3. 
 now  he  is  the  brightnel's  <)t"  his  Father's  glory,  Heb.  i.  3.  O 
 what  a  change  is  here  !   *  him  hath  God  highly  exalted.' 
 
 Branch  12.  Was  Chrift  tirit  humble,  and  then  exalted  ?  hence 
 learn,  ■  the  way  to  true  honour  is  humility,'  Luke  xiv.  11. 
 •  He  that  humbleth  hirafelf  (hall  be  exalted.'     The  world  looks 
 
214  Christ's  exaltation. 
 
 upon  humility  as  that  which  will  make  one  contemptible,  but  it 
 is  the  ready  way  to  honour :  the  way  to  rife  is  to  fall,  the  way 
 to  afcentl  is  to  defcend.  Humility  exalts  us  in  the  efteera  of 
 men,  and  it  exalts  us  to  an  higher  throne  in  heaven,  Mat.  xviii. 
 4.  «  Whofoever  (hall  humble  himfelf  as  this  little  child,  the 
 lame  is  the  greatett  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven/  viz.  He  (hail 
 have  a  greater  degree  of  glory  in  it. 
 
 Branch  3.  Chrift  fuffered,  and  then  was  exalted  :  fee  hence, 
 that  furle  rings  muft  go  before  glory.  Many  defire  to  be  glori- 
 fied with  Chrift,  but  they  are  not  content  to  futfer  for  Chrift, 
 2  Tim.  ii.  12.  *  If  we  futfer  with  him,  we  (hall  reign  with  him.' 
 The  wicked  firft  reign  and  then  futfer  ;  the  godly  tirft  fuller  and 
 then  reign  :  there  is  no  way  to  Constantinople,  but  through  the 
 Straits  ;  no  way  to  heaven,  but  through  fufferings  ;  no  way  to 
 the  crown  but  by  the  way  of  the  crofs.  Jerufalem  above  is  a 
 pJeafaut  city,  (ireets  of  gold,  gates  of  pearl ;  but  we  mull  travel 
 through  a  dirty  road  to  this  city,  through  many  reproaches  and 
 fufferings.  Acts  xiv.  22.  We  muft  enter  into  glory  as  Chriit 
 did  ;  firft  he  fuffered  (hame  and  death,  and  now  is  exalted  to 
 (it  at  God's  right-hand. 
 
 <Zd  Uj'e,  of  comfort,  Bmnch  I.  Chrift,  being  fo  highly  exalted, 
 hath  ennobled  our  nature  ;  he  hath  crowned  it  with  glory,  and 
 lifted  it  above  angels  and  archangels  ;  though  Chrift,  as  he  was 
 man,  was  made  a  little  lower  than  the  angels,  Heb.  ii.  i).  yet 
 as  the  human  nature  is  united  to  the  divine,  and  is  at  God's 
 right-hand,  fo  the  human  nature  is  above  the  angels.  And  if 
 God  hath  fo  dignified  our  human  nature,  what  a  (hame  is  it  that 
 we  (hould  debafe  it?  God  hath  exalted  the  human  nature  above 
 the  angels,  and  the  drunkard  abafeth  the  human  nature  below 
 the  beatis. 
 
 Bi-anch  2.  Chrift  being  exalted  at  God's  right-hand,  the  key 
 of  government  is  laid  upon  his  (houlders ;  he  governs  all  the 
 affairs  of  the  world  for  his  own  glory.  Do  you  think  when 
 Chriit  is  fo  highly  advanced,  and  hath  all  power  in  heaven  and 
 earth  in  his  hand,  he  will  not  take  care  of  hisele6t,  and  turn  the 
 nioft  allonifhing  providences  to  the  good  of  his  church?  In  a 
 clock,  the  wheels  move  crois  one  to  another,  but  all  make  the 
 clock  ftrike  ;  fo  Chrift  being  at  his  Father's  right-hand,  he  will 
 make  the  moil  crofs  providences  tend  to  the  falvation  of  his 
 church. 
 
 Branch  3.  Chrift  being  at  God's  right-hand,  we  may  be 
 allured  he  hath  now  fmifhed  the  work  of  man's  redemption, 
 Heb,  x.  12.  ■  This  man,  after  he  had  offered  one  facrifice  for 
 fins,  for  ever  fat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  God.'  If  Chrift 
 had  not  fully  expiated  fin,  and  fatisfied  God's  law,  he  had  not 
 fitlen  down  at  God's  right-hand,  but  had  (till  lain  in  the  grave: 
 but  now  lie  is  exalted  to  glory  :  this  is  an,  evident  token  he  hath 
 
Christ's  exaltation.  213 
 
 done  and  fufFered  all  that  was  required  of  him,  for  the  working 
 out  of  our  redemption. 
 
 Rraiich  4.  Though  Jefus  Chrift  is  fo  highly  exalted  in  glory, 
 yet  he  is  not  forgetful  of  us  on  earth.  Some,  when  th< 
 railed  to  places  of  honour  forget  their  friends  ;  when  tin?  chief 
 hutler  was  reftored  to  his  place  at  court,  then  he  forgot  poor 
 Jofeph  in  prifon  :  hut  it  is  not  fo  with  Chnit  ;  though  he  he 
 exalted  to  fuch  glory  in  heaven,  yet  he  is  not  unmindful  of  Ins 
 faints  on  earth.  Our  high  prieft  hath  all  the  names  and  wants 
 of  his  people  written  upon  his  breaft  plate  :  art  thou  templed? 
 Though  Chrift  be  in  glory,  he  knows  how  to  pity  and  fuccour 
 thee,  Heb.  ir.  25.  '  We  have  not  an  high-prieit  that  cannot  be 
 touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities/  Doit  thou  mourn 
 for  fin  }  Chrift,  though  in  a  glorified  itate,  he  hears  thy  hghs, 
 bottles  thy  tears. 
 
 Brunch  5.  Chrift  being  exalted  at  God's  right-hand,  this  is 
 for  the  comfort  of  believers,  that  they  (hall  one  day  be  exalted 
 to  that  place  of  glory  where  he  is  :  Chrift' s  exaltation  is  our  ex- 
 altation. Chrift  hath  prayed  for  this,  John  xvii.  24.  ■  Father, 
 I  will  that  all  thofe  whom  thou  haft  given  me,  be  with  me 
 where  I  am.'  And  he  is  faid  to  go  before,  to  ■  prepare  a 
 place'  for  believers,  John  xiv.  2.  Chrift  is  called  the  head,  the 
 church  is  called  his  body,  Eph.  i.  22,  23.  The  head  being 
 exalted  to  honour,  the  body  m\  ftical  ftiall  be  exalted  too  ;  as 
 lure  as  Chrift  is  exalted  far  above  all  heavens,  fo  lure  will  he  in- 
 flate believers  in  all  that  glory  which  his  human  nature  is  adorn- 
 ed wiih,  John  xvii.  22.  As  he  here  puts  this  grace  upon  the 
 faints,  fo  Ihortly  will  he  put  his  glory  upon  them.  This  is  com- 
 fort to  the  pooreft  Chriftian  :  perhaps  thou  haft  fcarce  an  houie 
 to  put  thy  head  in,  yet  thou  mayeft  look  up  to  heaven,  and  lay, 
 there  is  my  houle,  there  is  my  country  ;  and  I  have  already 
 taken  poffeifion  of  heaven  in  my  head  Chrift ;  he  (its  there,  and 
 it  will  not  be  long  before  I  Avail  fit  there  with  him  ;  he  is  upon 
 the  throne  of  glory,  and  I  have  his  word  for  it,  I  ihall  fit  upon, 
 the  throne  with  him,  Rev.  hi.  21. 
 
 3d  Ule,  Of  exhortation  :  Hath  God  highly  exalted  Chrift? 
 Let  us  laboui-  to  exalt  him.  Let  us  exalt,  1.  His  perlbn.  2. 
 His  truths. 
 
 1.  Let  us  exalt  Chrift  in  our  hearts  ;  believe,  O  adore  and 
 love  him.  We  cannot  lift  Chrift  up  higher  in  heaven,  but  we 
 may  in  our  hearts.  2.  Let  us  exalt  him  in  our  lips;  let  us 
 praife  him.  Our  bodies  are  the  tern  pies  of  the  Holy  G4ioii,  our 
 tongues  muft  be  the  organs  in  thele  temples  ;  by  praifmjj  and 
 commending  Chrift,  we  exalt  him  in  the  efteem  of  others.  ;{. 
 Let  us  exalt  him  in  our  lives,  by  living  holy  lives  :  vera  reiigio 
 har,  fine  macula  vivere  laciant.  It  is  not  all  thedoxologiesand 
 prayers  in  the  world  do  lb  exalt  CUrift,  as  an  holy  lite  :   tins 
 
216  CHRIST  THE  REDEEMER. 
 
 makes  Chrift  renowned,  and  lifts  him  up  indeed,  when  his 
 followers  walk  worthy  of  Chrift. 
 
 2.  Let  us  exalt  Chrift's  truths.  Bucholcerus,  in  his  chrono- 
 logy, reports  of  the  nobles  of  Polonia,  that  when  ever  the  gofpel  is 
 lead,  they  lay  their  hands  upon  their  f words,  by  that  intimating 
 they  are  ready  to  maintain  the  gofpel  with  the  hazard  o  ft  heir 
 lives.  Let  us  exalt  Chrift's  truths  ;  maintain  the  truthsof  Chrift 
 againft  error  ;  maintain  the  doctrine  of  free  grace  again  ft  merit ; 
 the  Deity  of  Chrift  againft  Socinianifm. 
 
 Truth  is  the  moft  orient  pearl  of  Chrift's  crown  ;  contend  for 
 the  truth,  as  one  would  for  a  fum  of  money,  that  it  fhould  not 
 be  wrefted  out  of  his  hand  :  this  Chrift  takes  to  be  an  exalting 
 of  him,  when  we  exalt  his  truth,  wherein  his  glory  is  fo  much 
 concerned. 
 
 CHRIST  THE  REDEEMER. 
 
 Q.  XXX.  HOW  doth  the  Spirit  apply  to  us  the  redemp- 
 tion purchafed  by  Chrift  ? 
 
 A*  The  Spirit  applies  to  us  the  redemption  purchafed  by 
 Chrift,  by  working  faith  in  us,  and  thereby  uniting  us  to  Chrift 
 in  our  effectual  calling. 
 
 Here  are  in  this  anfwer  two  things  :  1  Something  implied, 
 viz,  that  Chrift  is  the  glorious  purchafer  of  our  redemption,  in 
 thefe  words,  ■  The  redemption  purchafed  by  Chrift.' 
 
 2.  Something  expreffed,  viz.  that  the  Spirit  applies  to  us 
 this  redemption  purchafed,  by  working  faith  in  us,  &c. 
 
 (I.)  The  thing  here  implied,  that  Jefus  Chrift  is  the  glorious 
 purchafer  of  our  redemption.  The  do&rine  of  redemption  by 
 Jefus  Chrift  is  a  glorious  doctrine  ;  it  is  the  marrow  and  quint- 
 eftence  of  the  gofpel  :  in  this  all  a  Chriftian's  comfort  lies. 
 Great  was  the  work  of  creation,  but  greater  the  work  of  redemp- 
 tion ;  it  colt  more  to  redeem  us  than  to  make  us ;  in  the  one 
 there  was  but  the  f peaking  of  a  word,  in  the  other  (bedding  of 
 blood,  Luke  i.  51.  The  creation  was  but  the  work  of  God's  fin- 
 gers, Pf.  viii.  3.  Redemption  the  work  of  his  arm,  Heb.  ix.  12. 
 •  Having  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us.'  Chrift's  pur- 
 chafing  redemption  for  us,  implies,  that  our  fins  did  mortgage 
 and  iell  us  ;  had  there  not  been  fome  kind  of  mortgaging,  there 
 had  been  no  need  of  redemption  :  redimere  g.  rurfus  emere, 
 Hierom.  Now  Chrift,  when  we  were  thus  mortgaged,  and  fold 
 by  fin,  did  purchafe  our  redemption  :  Chrift  had  the  belt  right  to 
 redeem  us,  for  he  is  our  kinfman.  The  Hebrew  word  for  Re- 
 deemer, Goel,  fignifies  a  kinfman  one  that  is  near  in  blood  :  in 
 the  old  law  the  neareft  kinfman  was  to  redeem  his  brother's  land, 
 
CHRIST  THE  REDEEMER.  £17 
 
 Ruth  iv.  4.     Thus  Chrift  being  near  a-kin  to  us,  '  Flefli  of  our 
 ilelh,'  is  the  fitted  to  redfeni  us. 
 Q.    flute  doth  (.'linft  rt  deem  ?< 
 
 A.  By  his  own  precious  blood,  Eph.  i.  7.  'In  whom  we 
 have  redemption  through  his  blood.'  Among  the  Romans,  he 
 w.t>  laid  to  redeem  another,  that  laid  down  a  pine  equivjdent 
 for  the  ranlbm  of  the  prilbner.  In  this  fenfe  Chrift  is  a  Re- 
 deemer, he  hath  paid  a  price,  Never  fuch  «i  price  paid  to  ran- 
 lbm pnlbners,  I  Cor.  vi.  20.  ■  Ye  arepretioempti,  bought  with 
 a  price:  and  this  price  was  his  own  blood.*  So,  in  the  text, 
 '  by  his  own  blood  he  entered  in  once  into  the  holy  place,  hav- 
 ing obtained  eternal  redemption  lor  us,  this  blood  being  the 
 blood  of  that  perfon  who  was  God  as  well  as  man,  is  a  price 
 fufficient  for  the  ranlbm  of  millions. 
 
 Q.   From  what  doth  Chriji  redeem  its? 
 
 A.  From  tin  to  be  redeemed  from  Turkifli  flavery  is  a  great 
 mercy,  but  it  is  infinitely  more  to  be  redeemed  from  fin.  There 
 is  nothing  can  hurt,  the  foul,  but  fin  :  It  is  not  affliction  hurts 
 it,  it  often  makes  it  better,  as  the  furnace  makes  gold  the  purer  ; 
 but  it  is  fin  that  doth  damnify.  Now,  Chrift  redeems  us  from 
 (in,  Heb.  ix.  2(5.  *  Now  once  in  the  end  of  the  world  hath  he 
 appeared  to  put  away  fin  by  the  facrifice  of  bimfelf.' 
 
 Q.   But  how  are  ice  redeemed  from  fin  f    Do  ice  not  fee  cor« 
 ruption  furring  in  the  regenerate  /  Much  pride  and  mortifed  paf- 
 fon  f 
 
 Anf.  We  mud  diftinguifh  of  redemption  :  redemption  is 
 either  inchoata  ox  plena  ;  i.  e.  a  redemption  but  begun,  and  per- 
 fect ;  fin  cannot  iiand  with  a  perfect  redemption  :  but  here  it 
 is  begun  ;  fin  may  (land  with  an  imperfect  redemption.  There 
 may  be  tome  darknefs  in  the  air,  at  the  fun's  firft  rifing,  but 
 not  when  the  fun  is  at  the  full  meridian  :  while  our  redemption 
 is  but  begun,  there  may  be  fin  ;  but  not  when  it  is  perfect  in 
 glory. 
 
 Q.  But  in  ichat  fenfe  hath  Chrifi  redeemed  juftified  perfons 
 from  fin  f 
 
 Anf  1.  reaiu,  from  the  guilt  of  fin,  though  not  the  ftain. 
 Guilt  is  the  binding  a  perfon  over  to  punifhment.  Now  Cliriit 
 hath  redeemed  a  jutliiied  perfon  from  the  guilt  of  fin  ;  he  hath 
 dilcharged  his  debts.  Chritt  faith  to  God's  juftice,  as  Paul  to 
 Philemon,  ■  If  he  hath  wronged  thee  any  thing,  or  owes  thee 
 ought,  put  that  on  my  account,'  ver.  18. 
 
 2.  A  juftified  perfon  is  redeemed  a  dominio,  from  the  power 
 and  regency  of  fin,  though  not  the  pretence.  Sin  may  furere, 
 but  not  regnare ;  it  may  rage  in  a  child  of  God,  but  not  rei^n  ; 
 lull  did  rage  in  David,  fear  in  Peter,  but  it  did  not  reign  ;  they 
 recovered  themfelves  bv  repentance,  Rom.   vUi4.     *  bin  (hill 
 
 Vol.  L  No.  5.  E  e 
 
318  CHRIST  THE  REDEEMER. 
 
 not  have  dominion  over  you.'  Sin  lives  in  a  child  of  God,  but 
 is  depofed  from  the  throne  ;  it  lives  not  as  a  king,  but  a  captive. 
 
 3.  A  believer  is  redeemed  a  maledictione ,  from  the  curie  due 
 to  fin,  Gal.  iii.  13.  '  Chriit  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curfe  of 
 the  law,  being  made  a  curfe  for  us.'  Chriit  laid  to  his  Father, 
 as  Rebecca  to  Jacob,  *  upon  me,  upon  me  be  the  curfe  ;  let 
 the  blefling  be  upon  them ,  but  upon  me  be  the  curfe.'  And 
 now,  there  is  no  condemnation  to  believers,  Rom.  viii.  1.  An 
 unbeliever  hath  a  double  condemnation  ;  one  from  the  law 
 which  he  hath  tranfgreffed,  and  the  other  from  the  gofpel  which 
 he  hath  defpifed.  But  Chriit  hath  redeemed  a  believer  from 
 this  malediction,  he  hath  fet  him  out  of  the  power  of  hell  and 
 damnation. 
 
 Q.   To  what  hath  Chrift  redeemed  us  ? 
 
 A.  He  hath  redeemed  us  to  a  glorious  inheritance,  I  Pet.  i. 
 4.  (  To  an  inheritance  incorruptible  and  undefiled,  and  that 
 fadeth  not  away,  referved  in  heaven  for  you.' 
 
 1.  To  an  inheritance  :  Chrift  hath  not  only  redeemed  us  out 
 of  prifon,  but  he  hath  redeemed  us  to  a  llate  of  happinefs,  to 
 an  inheritance  ;  heaven  is  not  a  leafe  which  loon  expires,  but 
 an  inheritance  ;  and  a  glorious  inheritance,  Col.  i.  12.  An  in- 
 heritance in  light.  Lumen  acluat  colores  ;  light  adorns  and 
 •gilds  the  world  :  what  were  the  world  without  light  but  a  pri- 
 fon ?  The  heavenly  inheritance  is  irradiated  with  light:  Chrift, 
 as  a  continual  fun,  enlightens  it  with  his  beams,  Rev.  xxi.  23. 
 
 2.  To  an  inheritance  incorruptible :  It  doth  not  moulder  away, 
 or  fuller  diflolution.  Earthly  comforts  are  fhadowed  out  by 
 the  tabernacle,  which  was  tranfient  ;  but  heaven  is  fet  out  by 
 the  temple  which  was  fixed  and  permanent,  built  with  (lone, 
 overlaid  with  gold.  This  is  the  glory  of  the  celeftial  inheritance ; 
 it  is  incorruptible.  Eternity  is  written  upon  the  frontifpiece  of  it, 
 
 3.  Undefiled.  The  Greek  word  for  undefiled,  alludes  to  a 
 precious  Rone  called  Amiantus,  which  cannot  be  blemifhed  : 
 i'uch  a  place  is  heaven,  undefiled,  nothing  can  ftain  it  ;  there's 
 no  fin  there  to  eclipfe  its  purity.  For  the  holinefs  and  unde- 
 filednefs  of  it,  it  is  compared  to  pure  gold,  and  to  the  fapphire 
 and  emerald,  Rev.  xxi.  "  The  Sapphire  hath  a  virtue  (laith 
 Pliny)  to  preferve  chaftenefs  ;  the  Emerald  to  expel  poiion." 
 Thele  are  the  lively  emblems  of  heaven,  to  (hew  the  limciity  of 
 it ;  no  fever  of  luft ;  no  venom  of  malice  ;  there  are  none  but 
 pure  virgin-fpirits  inhabit  it. 
 
 4.  It  fadeth  not  away:  The  Greek  word  is  the  name  of  a 
 flower  Amarantus  which  keeps  a  long  time  frefli  and  green,  as 
 Clem.  Alexandrinus  writes.  Such  is  the  heavenly  inheritance, 
 it  doth  not  lofe  its  orient  colour,  but  keeps  its  frefhnefs  and 
 greennefs  to  eternity  ;  the  beauty  of  it  fadeth  not  away.  •  To 
 this  glorious  inheritance  hath  Chrift  redeemed  the  faints  :'  an 
 
CHRIST   THE   REDEEMER.  919 
 
 inheritance  which  cannot  be  Fully  deicribed  off  fot  forth  by  all 
 the  lights  oi'  heaven,  tho'  every  liar  wi-rc  a  lun.  And  that 
 which  is  the  diamond  in  the  ring,  the  [  this  inheritance, 
 
 is  the  eternal  light  and  fruition  of  the  blefled  God  ;  the  light  of 
 God  will  be  a  molt  alluring,  heart-ravilhing  object  :  the  km 
 prefence  makes  the  court,  John  iii.  ?.  '  We  (hall  fee  hmi  as  he 
 is.'  It  is  comfortable  to  fee  God  (hewing  himlelf  through  the 
 lattice  of  an  ordinance,  to  fee  him  in  the  word  and  facrament : 
 the  martyrs  thought  it  comfortable  to  fee  him  in  a  prifon  :  O 
 then,  what  will  it  be  to  fee  him  in  glory,  Ihinmg  ten  thoufand 
 times  brighter  than  the  fun  !  and  not  only  fee  him,  but  enjoy 
 him  forever;  Fnuminm  quodjide  mm  qttwgitur,  Aug.  Faith  it- 
 felf  is  not  able  fully  to  comprehend  this  reward.  And  all  this 
 blelleduefs  hath  Chrill  purchafed  through  the  redemption  of  his 
 blood. 
 
 I.  {[ranch  1.  See  into  what  a  wretched,  deplorable  con- 
 ditionVe  had  brought  ourfelves  by  (in  :  we  had  (inned  ourfelves 
 into  flavery  ;  lb  that  we  needed  Chrift  to  purchaie  our  redemp- 
 tion :  nih'il dnrius  fervitute  ;  Cicero.  "  Slavery  is  the  worli  con- 
 dition ;"  iuch  as  are  now  priloners  in  Algiers  think  it  lb.  But 
 by  iin  we  are  in  a  worfe  flavery,  flaves  to  Satan,  a  mercilefs  ty- 
 rant, who  fports  in  the  damnation  of  fouls.  In  this  condition 
 we  were  when  Chrift  came  to  redeem  us. 
 
 Branch  2.  See  in  this,  as  in  a  traufparent  glafs,  the  love  of 
 Chrilt  to  the  ele6t;  became  to  redeem  them  :  theft'  he  died  in- 
 tentionally for.  Were  it  not  great  love  for  a  king's  Ion  to  pay 
 a  great  fum  of  money  to  redeem  a  captive  ?  But  that  he  fhould 
 be  content  to  be  a  prifoner  in  his  Head,  and  die  for  his  ranfom  ; 
 this  were  matter  of  wonder.  Jefus  Chrift  hath  done  all  this,  he 
 hath  written  his  love  in  characters  of  blood  : — It  had  been 
 much  for  Chrift  to  (peak  a  good  word  to  his  Father  for  us,  but 
 he  knew  that  was  not  enough  to  redeem  us  :  though  a  word 
 fpeaking  made  a  world,  yet  it  would  not  redeem  a  (inner,  Heb. 
 ix.  82.   '  Without  ffiedding  of  blood,  there  is  no  remitlion.' 
 
 l2d  Ufet  Of  Trial.  If  Chrilt  came  to  purchafe  our  redemp- 
 tion, then  let  us  try  whether  we  are  the  perfons  whom  Chrill 
 hath  redeemed  from  the  guilt  and  curie  due  to  (in.  This  i  a 
 needful  trial  \  for,  let  me  tell  you,  there  is  but  a  certain  number 
 whom  Chrift  hath  redeemed.  O,  fay  (inners,  Chrift  is  a  redeem- 
 er, and  we  (hall  be  laved  by  him  !  Beloved,  Chrift  came  not 
 to  redeem  all;  then  we  overthrow  the  decrees  of  God.  Re- 
 demption is  not  as  large  as  creation.  I  grant  there  is  a  fufii- 
 ciency  of  merit  in  Chnlt's  blood  to  lave  all  ;  but  there's  differ- 
 ence between  fulheiency  and  efficiency.  Chrift's  blood  is  a 
 fullicient  price  for  all,  but  it  is  effectual  only  to  them  that  be- 
 lieve. A  plaifter  may  have  ajbvereigu  virtue  in  it  to  heal  any 
 wound,  but  it  doth  not  heal  unlefs  applied  to  the  wound.  And 
 
 Ee2 
 
220  CHRIST   THE  REDEEMER. 
 
 if  it  be  fo,  that  all  have  not  the  benefit  of  Chrift' s  redemption, 
 only  Tome;  then  it  is  a  neceflary  queftion  to  afk  our  fouls, 
 Whether  ice  are  in  the  number  of  them  that  are  redeemed  by 
 Chriji  or  not  ? 
 
 Q.  How  jhall  we  know  that  ? 
 
 Anf.  Such  as  are  redeemed,  are  reconciled  to  God  ;  the  en- 
 mity is  taken  away:  their  judgments  approve,  their  wills  in- 
 cline ad  honnm,  Col.  i.  21.  Are  they  redeemed  that  are  un- 
 reconciled to  God  ?  who  hate  God  and  his  people,  (as  the  vine 
 and  laurel  have  an  antipathy)  who  do  all  they  can  to  difparage 
 holinefs?  Are  thele  redeemed  who  are  unreconciled?  Chrift 
 hath  purchaied  a  reprieval  for  thefe  :  but  a  finner  may  have  a 
 reprieve,  and  yet  goto  hell,  John  v.  ri. 
 
 2.  Such  as  are  redeemed  by  Chrift  are  redeemed  from  the 
 world,  Gal.  i.  4.  ■  Who  gave  himfelf  for  our  fins,  that  he 
 might  deliver  (or  redeem)  us  from  this  prefent  evil  world.* 
 Such  as  are  redeemed  by  Chrift,  are  rifen  with  Chrift,  Col.  iii. 
 1.  As  the  birds,  though  they  light  upon  the  ground  to  pick  up 
 a  little  feed,  yet  immediately  they  take  their  wings  and  fly  up 
 to  heaven  again  :  lb  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord,  though  they  ufe 
 the  world,  and  take  the  lawful  comforts  of  it,  yet  their  hearts 
 are  prefently  off  thefe  things,  and  they  afcend  to  heaven  ;  live 
 here,  and  trade  above.  Such  as  Chrift  hath  died  for,  are  '  dead 
 to  the  world  ;'  to  the  honours,  profits,  and  preferments  of  it. 
 What  fhall  we  thinkof  them  who  fay,  they  are  redeemed  of  the 
 Lord,  yet  are  lovers  of  the  world  ?  Like  the  tribes  who  defired 
 to  have  their  portion  on  this  fide  Canaan  :  Phil.  iii.  9.  '  Who 
 mind  earthly  things.'  They  pull  down  their  fouls  to  build  up 
 an  eftate.  They  are  not  redeemed  by  Chrift  who  are  not  re- 
 deemed from  the  world. 
 
 3c?  Ufe,  Of  comfort,  to  fuch  as  are  redeemed  :  you  are 
 happy,  the  lot  of  free  grace  is  fallen  upon  you  ;  you  who  were 
 once  in  the  devil's  prifon,  you  have  broke  this  prifon  :  you 
 that  were  once  bound  in  the  chains  of  fin,  God  hath  begun  to 
 beat  oft' your  chains,  and  hath  freed  you  from  the  power  of  fin, 
 and  curie  due  to  it.  What  a  comfort  is  this  ?  And  is  there  any 
 confolation  in  Chrift  ?  It  is  thine  ;  is  there  any  fweet  fruit 
 growing  upon  the  promife  ?  thou  may  eft  gather  it  :  are  there 
 any  glorious  privileges  in  the  gofpel  ?  they  are  thy  jointure, 
 juftification,  adoption,  coronation  :  is  there  any  glory  in  hea- 
 ven ?  thou  (halt  fhortly  drink  of  that  river  of  pleafure :  haft 
 thou  any  temporal  comforts  ?  thefe  are  but  a  pledge  and  ear- 
 ned of  more  :  thy  meal  in  the  barrel  is  but  a  bait  by  the  way, 
 and  an  earned  of  that  angels'  food  which  God  hath  prepared 
 for  thee.  How  mayeft  thou  be  comforted  in  all  worldly  afflic- 
 tions, though  the  fig-tree  flourifh  not?  Nay,  in  cafe  of  death, 
 death  hath  loft  its  fting,  Mors  ebiit  morte  Chrijli.     Death  (hall 
 
OF  FAITH.  221 
 
 rarry  thee  to  thy  Redeemer  :  fear  not  dying,  not    happy   but 
 by  d\ 
 
 ult.  Of  exhortation.  Long  for  the  time  when  you  fhall 
 have  a  full  and  perfect  redemption  in  heaven,  an  etc  rnal  jubi- 
 lee; when  you  (hall  be  treed  not  only  from  the  power  but  from 
 the  pretence  of  hni  Here  a  believer  is  aft  a  prifooei  that  hath 
 broken  prifon,  but  walks  with  a  fetter  on  his  leg  :  when  the 
 banner  of  glory  lhall  be  difplayed  over  you,  you  (hall  beasthe 
 angels  of  God,  you  fliall  never  have  a  finful  thought  more; 
 no  pain  or  grief,  no  aching  head  or  unbelieving  heart.  You 
 (hall  fee  Chrilt's  lace,  and  lie  forever  in  his  arms  :  you  (hall  be 
 as  Jofeph,  Gen.  xli.  14.  They  brought  him  baftily  out  of  the 
 dungeun,  and  he  (haved  himtelf,  and  changed  his  raiment,  and 
 came  in  unto  Pharaoh.  Long  for  that  time,  when  you  mall 
 put  off  your  prifon-garments,  and  change  your  raiment,  and 
 put  on  the  embroidered  garment  of  glory.  O  long!  yet  be 
 content  to  wait  for  this  full  and  glorious  redemption,  when  you 
 ihall  be  more  happy  than  you  can  defire,  when  yon  (hall  have 
 '  that  which  eye  hath  not  leen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  can  it  enter 
 into  man's  heart  to  conceive.' 
 
 OF  FAITH 
 
 Gal.  ii.  20.      The  life  that  I  now  live  in  thefejh,  I  live  by  the 
 faith  of  the  Son  of  God. 
 
 The  Spirit  applies  to  us  the  redemption  purchafed  by 
 Chrifi,  by  working  faith  in  us. 
 
 CinusT  is  the  glory,  and  faith  in  Chrift  the  comfort  of  the 
 gofpel. 
 
 Q.  What  are  the  kinds  of  faith  ? 
 
 Anf.  Fourfold:  1.  An  hittorical  or  dogmatical  faith,  which 
 is  the  believing  the  truths  revealed  in  the  word,  becaufe  of  di- 
 vine authority. 
 
 2.  There  is  a  temporary  faith,  which  lafteth  but  for  a  time, 
 and  vanilheth,  Matth.  xiii.  21.  *  Yet  hath  he  no  root  in  him- 
 ielf, but  dureth  for  a  while.'  A  temporary  faith  is  like  Jonah's 
 go. ad,  wh.ch  came  up  in  a  night  and  withered,  chap.  iv.  10. 
 
 3.  A  miraculous  faith,  which  was  granted  to  the  apoftles, 
 to  work  miracles  for  the  confirmation  of  the  gofpel  :  This  Ju- 
 das had  ;   he  call  out  dtviU,  yet  was  call  out  to  the  devil. 
 
 4.  A  true  justifying  faith,  which  is  called,  'A  faith  of  the 
 
 ion  of  God,'  Col.  ii.  12.    and  is  a  jewel  hung  only  upon 
 U      le6t. 
 Q.     IV hat  is  jujiifytng  faith  f 
 
255  or  jaith, 
 
 Anf.  I  (hall  (hew,  (I.)  W/iat  it  is  not.  It  is  not  a  bare  ac- 
 knowledgement that  Chrift  is  a  Saviour  ;  indeed  there  muft  be 
 an  acknowledgement,  but  that  is  not  fufticient  to  jultify.  The 
 devils  acknowledged  ChrihYs  Godhead,  Matth.  viii.  29-  *  JefuS 
 the  Son  of  God.'  There  may  be  an  aifent  to  divine  truth,  yet 
 no  work  of  grace  on  the  heart  :  many  affent  in  their  judgments, 
 that  fin  is  an  evil  thing,  but  they  go  on  in  fin,  their  corruptions 
 are  (tronger  than  their  convictions  ;  and  that  Chriit  is  excellent : 
 they  cheapen  the  pearl,  but  they  do  not  buy. 
 
 (S.)  What  juftifying  faith  is?  I  anfwer,  true  juftifying  faith 
 confiits  in  three  things. 
 
 1.  Self-renunciation  :  faith  is  a  going  out  of  one's  felf ;  a 
 man  is  taken  off  from  his  own  bottom,  he  lees  he  hath  no  righ- 
 teoufneis  of  his  own  to  fave  him,  Phil.  iii.  9.  *  Not  having  my 
 own  righteoufneis.'  Self-righteoufnefs  is  a  broken  reed,  the  foul 
 dares  not  lean  on.  Repeutance  and  faith  are  both  humbling 
 graces  ;  by  repentance  a  man  abhors  himfelf;  by  faith  he  goes 
 out  of  himfelf.  It  is  with  a  finner  in  the  firil  a6t  of  believing, 
 as  with  Ifrael  in  their  wildemefs  march  ;  behind  them  they  law 
 Pharaoh  and  his  chariots  purfuing  them,  before  them  the  Red- 
 fea  ready  to  devour  them  :  fo  the  foul  behind  fees  God's  juftice 
 purfuing'him  for  fin,  before,  hell  ready  to  devour  him  ;  and,  in 
 this  forlorn  condition,  he  fees  nothing  in  himfelf  to  help  him, 
 but  he  muft  perilh  unlefs  he  can  find  help  in  another. 
 
 2.  Recumbency:  the  foul  cafts  itfelf  upon  Jefus  Chrift ; 
 '  faith  reds  on  Chrift's  perfon.'  Faith  believes  the  promife  ; 
 but  that  which  faith  refts  upon  in  the  promife,  is  the  perfon  of 
 Chrift :  therefore  the  fpoufe  is  faid  to  ■  lean  upon  her  beloved,' 
 Cant.  viii.  5.  '  And  faith  is  defcribed  to  be  a  believing  on  the 
 nameof  the  Son  of  God,'  John  iii.  23.  viz.  on  his  perfon.  The 
 promife  is  but  the  cabinet,  Chrift  is  the  jewel  in  it  which  faith 
 embraceth  ;  the  promife  is  but  the  difh,  Chrift  is  the  food  in  it 
 which  faith  feeds  on.  And  as  faith  jeils  on  Chrift's  perfon,  fo 
 on  his  perfon  under  this  notion,  *  as  he  was  crucified.'  Faith 
 glories  in  the  crofs  of  Chrift,  Gal.  vi.  14.  To  confider  Chrift 
 as  he  is  crowned  with  all  manner  of  excellencies,  doth  rather  ftir 
 up  admiration  and  wonder ;  but  Chrift  looked  upon  as  bleeding 
 and  dying,  is  the  proper  object  of  our  faith ;  therefore  it  is 
 called  *  faith  in  his  blood,'  Rom.  iii.  25. 
 
 3.  Appropriation,  or  the  applying  Chrift  to  ourfelves  :  a 
 medicine,  though  it  be  never  fo  fovereign,  yet  if  not  applied  to 
 the  wound,  will  do  no  good,  though  the  plaifter  be  made  of 
 Chrift's  own  blood,  yet  it  will  not  heal,  unlefs  it  be  applied  by 
 faith  ;  the  blood  of  God,  without  faith  in  God,  will  not  fave. 
 This  applying  of  Chrift  is  called  a  receiving  of  him,  John  i.  12. 
 The  hand  receiving  of  gold,  enricheth  ;  fo  the  hand  of  faith  re- 
 ceiving Chrift's  golden  merits  with  falvation  enricheth  us. 
 
OF  TAITH.  223 
 
 Q.   Hoto  is  faith  wrought? 
 
 A.  By  the  blellWl  Spirit ;  it  is  called  the  *  fpirit  of  grace/ 
 Zecb.  xii.  10.  becailfe  it  is  the  fpring  and  efficient  of  all  g\ 
 Faith  i^  the  chief  work  which  the  Spirit  of  God  works  in  a  man's 
 In  nuking  the  world  God  did  but  fpeak  a  word,  but  in 
 working  faith  he  puts  forth  his  arm.  Luke  i.  51.  The  Spirit's 
 working  faith  is  called,  '  The  exceeding  greatnel's  of  God's 
 power.'  What  a  powjr  was  put  forth  in  railing  Chrilt  from 
 .  when  Inch  a  tomb-ftone  lay  upon  him,  '  the  (ins  of 
 all  the  world!'  yet  he  was  raifed  up  by  the  Spirit:  the  lame 
 power  the  Spirit  of  God  puts  forth  in  working  faith,  the  Spirit 
 irradiates  the  mind,  fubdues  the  will :  the  will  naturally  is  like 
 a  garrilbn,  which  holds  out  againftGod  ;  the  Spirit  with  a  fweet 
 violence  conquers,  or  rather  changeth  the  will,  making  the  Tin- 
 ner willing  to  have  Chrilt  upon  any  terms,  to  be  ruled  by  him 
 as  well  as  faved  by  him. 
 
 Q.    Wherein  lies  the  precioufnefs  of  faith  ? 
 
 A.  As  faith  is  the  chief  gofpel-grace,  the  head  of  the  graces  ; 
 as  gold  among  the  metals,  lb  is  faith  among  the  graces,  Clem. 
 Alexandrinus  calls  the  other  graces  the  daughters  of  faith.  In- 
 deed, in  heaven,  love  will  be  the  chief  grace  ;  but,  while  we  are 
 here  militant,  love  muft  give  place  to  faith  ;  love  takes  poffeflion 
 of  glory,  but  faith  gives  a  title  to  it.  Love  is  the  crowning 
 grace  in  heaven,  but  faith  is  the  conquering  grace  upon  earth, 
 
 1  John  v.  4.  ■  This  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the  world, 
 even  our  faith.' 
 
 2.  As  faith  hath  influence  upon  all  the  graces,  and  fets  them 
 a-work,  not  a  grace  furs  till  faith  let  it  a-work.  As  the  clothier 
 i'ets  the  poor  a-work,  he  fets  their  wheel  a  going  :  faith  fits  hope 
 a-work.  The  heir  mult  believe  his  title  to  an  eftate  in  rewrlion, 
 before  he  can  hope  for  it  ;  faith  believes  its  title  to  glory,  and 
 then  hope  waits  tor  it.  Did  not  faith  feed  the  lamp  of  hope 
 with  oil,  it  would  loon  die.  Faith  lets  love  a-work,  Gal.  v.  & 
 '  Faith  which  worketh  by  love  ;'  believing  the  mercy  and  merit 
 of  Chrift  caufeth  a  flame  of  love  to  ale  end.  Faith  fets  patience 
 a-work,  Heb.  vi.  12.  '  Be  followers  of  them,  who  through  f.ntli 
 and  patience  inherit  the  protnifes.'  Faith  believes  the  glorious 
 rewards  given  to  fuifering.  This  makes  the  foul  patient  in  fuf- 
 fering.     Thus  faith  is  the  mafter-wheel,    it  fets  all  the  other 
 
 s  a-running. 
 
 3.  As  faith  is  the  grace  which  God  honours  to  juftify  and 
 fav«  :   thus  indeed  it  is  *  precious  faith,'  as  the  apoltle  cails  it, 
 
 2  Pet.  i.  1.  The  other  gaces  help  to  t'ancTity,  hut  it  is  faith  that 
 jultifies,  Rom.  v.  1.  *  Being  juitihed  by  faith.'  Repentance 
 or  love  do  not  juftify,  but  faith. 
 
 Q.    How  fto)h  fuihjafl 
 
 A.  Faith  doth  not  juftify,   I.  As  it  is  a  work,  that  were  to 
 
224  OF  FAITH. 
 
 make  Chrift  of  our  faith  ;  but  faith  juftifies,  as  it  lays  hold  of 
 the  object,  viz.  Chrift's  merits.  If  a  man  had  a  precious  ftone 
 in  a  ring  that  could  heal,  we  fay  the  ring  heals  ;  but  properly  it 
 is  not  the  ring,  but  the  precious  ftone  in  the  ring  heals.  Thus 
 faithfavesandjuftifies,  but  it  is  not  any  inherent  virtue  in  faith, 
 but  .a*  it  lays  hold-on  Chrift,  fo  it  juitiies. 
 
 2.  Faith  doth  not  juftify  as  it  exerciieth  grace  :  it  cannot  be 
 denied,  faith  doth  invigorate  all  the  graces,  it  puts  ftrength  and 
 Jivelineis  into  them,  but  it  doth  not  juftify  under  this  notion. 
 Faith  works  by  love,  but  it  doth  not  jultify  as  it  works  by  love, 
 but  as  it  applies  Chrift's  merits. 
 
 Q.  Why  Jhould  faith  J'ave  and  juftify  more  than  any  other 
 grace ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  Becaufe  of  God's  fanclion  :  he  hath  appointed  this 
 grace  to  be  juftitying:  and  he  doth  it,  becaufe  faith  is  a  grace 
 that  takes  a  man  off  himfelf,  and  gives  all  the  honour  to  Chrift 
 and  free  grace,  Rom.  iv.  20.  *  Strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to 
 God.'  Therefore  God  hath  put  this  honour  on  faith,  to  make 
 it  fav'mg  and  juftify ing  :  The  king's  ftamp  makes  the  coin  pafs 
 for  current ;  if  he  would  put  his  ftamp  upon  leather,  as  well  as 
 filver,  it  would  make  it  current :  foGod  having  put  hisfanclion, 
 the  ftamp  of  his  authority  and  inftitution  upon  faith,  this  makes 
 it  to  be  juftifying  and  faving. 
 
 2.  Becaufe  faith  makes  us  one  with  Chrift,  Eph.  iii.  17.  It 
 is  the  efpoufing,  incorporating  grace  ;  it  gives  us  coalition  and 
 union  with  Chrift's  perfon  :  other  graces  make  us  like  Chrift, 
 faith  makes  us  members  of  Chrift. 
 
 Ift  life,  Of  exhortation.  Let  us  above  all  things  labour  for 
 faith  ;  Fides  eft  janclijjimum  humani  pectoris  bunum:  Eph.  vi. 
 19.  *  Above  all  taking  the  fliield  of  faith.'  Faith  will  be  of 
 jnore  ufe  to  us  than  any  grace  :  as  an  eye  though  dim,  was  of 
 more  ufe  to  an  Ifraelite  than  all  the  other  members  of  his  body  ; 
 not  a  ftrong  arm,  or  a  nimble  foot;  it  was  his  eye  looking  on 
 the  brazen  ferpent  that  cured  him .  It  is  not  knowledge,  though, 
 angelical,  not  repentance,  though  we  could  flied  rivers  of  tears, 
 could  juftify  us  :  only  faith,  whereby  we  look  an  Chrift.  *  With- 
 out faith  it  is  impoffible  to  pleafe  God,'  Heb.  xi.  6  and  if  we 
 do  not  pleafe  him  by  believing,  he  will  not  pleafe  us  in  faving 
 of  us.  Faith  is  the  condition  of  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  without 
 faith,  without  covenant;  and  without  covenant,  without  hope, 
 Eph.  ii.  12. 
 
 2d  Ufe,  Of  trial :  Let  us  try  whether  we  have  faith.  There 
 is  fomething  looks  like  faith,  and  is  not ;  a  Briilol-ftoue  looks 
 like  a  diamond.  Some  plants  have  the  fame  leaf  with  others, 
 but  the  herbalift  can  diftinguiih  them  by  the  root,  and  tafte. 
 Something  may  look  like  true  faith,  but  it  may  be  diOiuguifhed 
 by  the  fruits.     Let  us  be  ferious  in  the  trial  of  our  faith ;  there 
 
OF  FAITH.  Q<25 
 
 is  much  depends  upon  our  faith ;  if  our  faith  be  not  good, 
 there  is  nothing  good  comes  from  us  ;  our  duties  and  graces  are 
 adulterate. 
 
 Q.    Weil  then,  how  fliall  we  know  it  is  a  true  faith  ? 
 
 A.  By  the  noble  effects  :  1.  Faith  is  a  Chrilt  prizing  grace, 
 it  puts  an  high  valuation  upon  Chrilt,  1  Pet.  ii.  7.  '  To  you  that 
 believe  he  is  precious,'  St.  Paul  did  bed  know  Chrilt,  <2  Cor. 
 ix.  1.  ■  Havel  not  (eenjefus  Chrilt  our  Lord?'  Paul  faw  Chrilt 
 with  his  bodily  eyes  in  a  vifion,  when  he  was  wrapped  up  into 
 the  third  heaven  ;  and  faw  him  with  the  eye  of  his  faith  in  the 
 holy  fupper:  therefore  he  belt  knew  Chrilt.  And  fee  how  he 
 ltyles  all  things  in  comparifon  of  him,  Phil.  iii.  8.  '  I  count  all 
 things  but  dung,  that  I  may  win  Chrift?'  Do  we  fet  an  high 
 eltimate  upon  Chrilt?  could  we  be  willing  to  part  with  the 
 wedge  of  gold  for  the  pearl  of  price  ?  Greg.  Nazianzen  blefled 
 God,  he  had  any  thing  to  lofe  for  Chrift' s  fake. 
 
 2.  Faith  is  a  refining  grace,  1  Tim.  iii.  9.  '  Myftery  of  faith 
 in  a  pure  confeience.'  Faith  is  in  the  foul,  as  fire  among 
 metals  ;  it  refines  and  purifies :  morality  may  wafti  the  outfide, 
 faith  wafheth  the  infide,  A6ts  xv.  y.  '  Having  purified  their 
 hearts  by  faith.1  Faith  makes  the  heart  a  facrary  or  holy  of 
 holies.  Faith  is  a  virgin-grace  ;  though  it  doth  not  take  away 
 the  life  of  fin,  yet  it  takes  away  the  love  of  fin.  Examine  if 
 your  hearts  be  an  unclean  fountain,  fending  out  mud  and  dirt, 
 pride,  envy :  if  there  be  legions  of  lulls  in  thy  foul,  there  is  no 
 faith.  Faith  is  an  heavenly  plant,  which  will  not  grow  in  au 
 impure  foil. 
 
 3.  Faith  is  an  obediential  grace,  Rom.  xvi.  26.  '  The  obedi- 
 ence of  faith.*  Faith  melts  our  will  into  God's  :  faith  runs  at 
 God's  call ;  if  God  commands  duty  (tho'  crofs  to  flefh  and  blood) 
 faith  obeys,  Heb.  xi.  8.  ■  By  faith  Abraham  obeyed.'  Faith 
 is  not  an  idle  grace  ;  as  it  hath  an  eye  to  fee  Chrilt,  fo  it  hath 
 an  hand  to  work  for  him.  Faith  doth  not  only  believe  God's 
 promile,  but  obey  his  command.  It  is  not  your  having  know- 
 ledge, will  evidence  you  to  be  believers  ;  the  devil  hath  know- 
 ledge, but  wants  obedience,  and  that  makes  him  adevil.  And 
 the  true  obedience  of  faith  is  a  chearful  obedience  ;  God's  com- 
 mands do  not  feem  grievous.  Have  you  the  obedience,  and 
 obey  chearfully  ?  what  lay  you  to  this?  Do  you  look  upon 
 God's  command  as  your  burden,  or  privilege  ;  as  an  iron  fetter 
 about  your  leg,  or  a  gold  chain  about  your  neck  ? 
 
 4.  Faith  is  an  ailimilating  grace  ;  it  changeth  the  foul  into 
 the  image  of  the  object,  it  makes  it  like  Chrilt.  Never  did  any 
 look  upon  Chrift  with  a  believing  eye,  but  he  was  made  like 
 Chi  lit.  A  deformed  perfon  may  look  on  a  beautiful  object,  but 
 not  be  made  beautiful  ;  but  faith  looking  on  Chrilt  transforms  a 
 man,  and  turns  him  into  his  limiUtude.     Faith  lookine  on  a 
 
 Vol.1.  No.  5.  i'i 
 
226  Ot  FAITH. 
 
 bleeding  Clirift,  cnufeth  a  foft  bleeding  heart :  looking  on  an 
 holy  Chrift,  cauferh  fan&ity  ot"  heart  ;  looking  on  an  humble 
 Chrift,  makes  the  foul  humble.  As  the  camelion  is  changed 
 into  the  colour  of  that  which  it  looks  upon  ;  fa  faith  looking  on 
 Chrilt,  changeth  a  Chriftian  into  the  fimilitude  of  Chrift. 
 
 3.  By  the  growth  of  it ;  if  it  be  a  true  fiith,  it  grows  :  living 
 things  ijrow,  Rom.  i.  17-   '  From  faith  to  faith.' 
 
 Q.  How  may  we  judge  of  the  growth  of  faith  ? 
 
 A.  Growth  of  faith  is  judged,  1/2,  By  ftrength.  We  can 
 do  that  now,  which  we  could  not  do  before.  When  one  is 
 man-grown,  he  can  do  that  which  he  could  not  do  when  he 
 was  a  child  ;  he  can  carry  a  heavier  burthen ;  fo  thou  carift 
 bear  croffes  with  more  patience. 
 
 Qdly,  Growth  of  faith  is  feen  by  doing  duties  in  a  more  fpiri- 
 tual  manner,  viz.  with  fervency;  we  put  coals  to  the  incenfe, 
 from  a  principle  of  love  to  God.  When  an  apple  hath  done 
 growing  in  bignefs,  it  grows  in  fweetnefs  ;  thou  doft  duties  in 
 love,  and  now  art  fweeter,  and  come  off  with  a  better  rehfh. 
 
 Obj.  But  I  fear  I  have  no  faith? 
 
 Anf.  We  mull  diftinguifh  between  weaknefs  of  faith  and 
 nullity  ;  a  weak  faith  is  true.  The  bruifed  reed  is  but  weak, 
 yet  it  is  fuch  as  Chrift  will  not  break.  Though  thy  faith  be 
 but  weak,  yet  be  not  difcouraged. 
 
 1.  A  weak  faith  may  receive  a  ftrong  Chrift  :  a  weak  hand 
 can  tye  the  knot  in  marriage,  as  well  as  a  ftrong :  a  weak  eye 
 might  have  feen  the  brazen  ferpent.  The  woman  in  the  gofpel, 
 that  but  touched  Chrift,  received  virtue  from  him.  The  touch 
 of  faith. 
 
 2.  The  promife  is  not  made  to  ftrong  faith,  but  to  true.  The 
 promife  doth  not  fay,  whoibever  hath  a  giant-faith,  that  can  re- 
 move mountains,  that  can  flop  the  mouths  of  lions,  fhali  be 
 laved  ;  but  whomever  believes,  be  his  faith  never  fo  fmall. 
 Though  Chrift  fometimes  chides  a  weak  faith  ;  yet  that  it  may 
 not  be  difcouraged,  he  makes  a  promife  to  it,  Mat.  v.  3.  Beati 
 qui  efuriunt. 
 
 3.  A  weak  faith  may  be  fruitful.  Weakeft  things  multiply 
 moft  ;  the  vine  is  a  weak  plant,  but  it  is  fruitful.  WeakChrif- 
 tians  may  have  ftrong  affections.  How  ftrong  is  the  firft  love, 
 which  is  after  the  firft  planting  of  faith  ! 
 
 4.  Weak  faith  may  be  growing.  The  feeds  fpring  np  by 
 degrees  ;  firft  the  blade,  then  the  ear,  then  the  full  corn  in  the 
 ear.  Therefore  be  not  difcouraged  ;  God  who  would  have  us 
 receive  them  that  are  weak  in  faith,  Rom.  xiv.  1.  will  not  him- 
 felf  refufe  them.  A  weak  believer  is  a  member  of  Chrift  ;  and 
 though  Chrift  will  cut  off  rotten  members  from  his  body,  yet 
 not  weak  members. 
 
EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  £C7 
 
 EFFECTUAL    CALLING. 
 Rom.  viii.  SO.    Them  he  alfo  called. 
 
 Q.  XX  KI.    WHAT  is  effetiual  calling? 
 
 A.  It  is  a  gracious  work  of  the  Spirit,  whereby  he  caufeth  us 
 to  embrace  Chrill,  freely  offered  to  us  in  the  gol'pel. 
 
 In  this  verfe  is  a  golden  chain  of  lalvation,  made  up  of  four 
 links;   this  p  one,  vocation  ;   'Them   he  alfo  called.'     Calling 
 
 is  nova  creatio,  a  new  creation,  the  fir  ft  refurre&ion. There 
 
 is  a  two- fold  call  :  1.  An  extrinfic  or  outward  call  :  2.  An  in- 
 tiinfic,  or  inward  effectual  call. 
 
 J .  An  extrinfic  or  outward  call,  which  is  God's  offer  of  grace 
 to  tinners,  inviting  them  to  come  in  and  accept  of  Chrill  and 
 falvation,  Mat.  xx.  1(#.  ■  Many  are  called,  but  few  chofen.' 
 'J  his  outward  call  (hews  men  what  they  ought  to  do  in  order 
 to  lalvation,  and  renders  them  inexcufable  in  cafe  ofdifobedi- 
 ence. 
 
 l2.  There  is  an  intrinfic  or  effectual  call  when  God  with  the 
 oiler  of  grace  works  grace  :  by  this  call  the  heart  is  renewed, 
 and  the  will  etfectually  drawn  to  embrace  Chrift.  The  out- 
 ward call  brings  men  to  a  profelfion  of  Chrill,  the  inward  to  a 
 poifeHion  of  Chrill. 
 
 Q.    What  are  the  means  of  this  effectual  call  P 
 
 Anf.  livery  creature  hath  a  voice  to  call  us.  The  heavens 
 call  to  us  to  behold  God's  glory,  Pf.  xix.  II.  Confcience  calls 
 to  us,  God's  judgments  call  to  us,  repent,  Mic.  vi.  i).  *  Hear 
 ye  the  rod.'  But  every  voice  doth  not  convert.  There  are  two 
 means  of  our  effectual  call : 
 
 1.  The  ■  Preaching  of  the  word,'  which  is  the  founding 
 God's  lilver  trumpet  in  men's  ears ;  God  doth  not  fpeak  by  an 
 oracle,  he  calls  by  his  minifters.  Samuel  thought  it  had  been 
 only  the  voice  of  Eli,  that  called  to  him  ;  but  it  was  '  God's 
 voice,'  1  Sam.  iii.  (j.  So  perhaps  you  think  it  is  only  the  mi- 
 niiler  fpeaks  to  you  in  the  word,  but  it  is  God  himfelf  fpeaks. 
 Therefore  Chrill  is  laid  (now)  to  fpeak  to  us  from  heaven,  Heb. 
 xii.  £,>.  How  doth  he  fpeak  but  by  his  miniilers?  as  a  king 
 fpeaks  by  his  ambatfadors :  know,  that  in  every  fermon  preach- 
 ed, God  calls  to  you  ;  and  to  refufe  the  melfage  we  bring,  is 
 to  refufe  God  himfelf. 
 
 g.  The  other  means  of  our  effectual  call,  is  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 The  miniftry  of  the  word  is  the  pipe  or  organ  ;  the  Spirit  of 
 God  blowing  in  it,  doth  effe&uallv  change  men's  hearts,  Acls 
 x.  44.  "  While  Peter  fpake  the  Holy  Ghoit  fell  on  all  them 
 that  heard  the  word  of  God.'     Minifters  knock  at  the  door  of 
 
 FfS 
 
228  EFFECTUAL   CALLING?. 
 
 men's  hearts,  the  Spirit  comes  with  a  key  and  opens  the  door, 
 Acts  xiv.  6.  ■  A  certain  woman  named  Lydia,  whole  heart  the 
 Lord  opened.' 
 
 Q.  From  what  doth  God  call  men  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  From  fin;  he  calls  them  from  their  ignorance  and 
 unbelief,  1  Pet.  i.  14.  By  nature  the  undertlandirig  is  inveloped 
 with  darknefs,  God  calls  men  ■  from  darknefs  to  light,'  Eph. 
 v.  8.  as  if  one  mould  be  called  out  of  a  dungeon  to  behold  the 
 light  of  the  fun. 
 
 2.  From  danger.  As  the  angel  called  Lot  out  of  Sodom, 
 when  it  was  ready  to  rain  fire ;  fo  God  calls  his  people  front 
 the  fire  and  brimilone  of  hell,  and  from  all  thofe  curfes  they  were 
 expofed  to. 
 
 3.  He  calls  them  out  of  the  world  ;  asChrift  called  Matthew 
 from  the  receipt  of  cuftom,  John  xvii.  16.  *  Ye  are  not  of  the 
 world.'  Such  as  are  divinely  called,  are  not  natives  here,  but 
 pilgrims  ;  they  do  not  conform  to  the  world,  or  follow  its  fin- 
 ful  fafhions  :  they  are  not  of  the  world  ;  though  they  live  here, 
 yet  they  trade  in  the  heavenly  country ;  the  world  is  a  place 
 where  Satan's  throne  is,  Rev.  ii.  13.  A  (lage  on  which  fin 
 every  day  acts  its  part.  Now  fuch  as  are  called,  are  in,  but 
 not  of  the  world. 
 
 Q.   To  what  God  calls  men  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  He  calls  them  to  holinefs,  1  ThefT.  iv.  7-  'God 
 hath  not  called  us  unto  uncleannels,  but  unto  holinefs.'  Holi- 
 nefs is  the  livery,  or  filver  fiar  the  godly  wear,  Ifa.  lxiii.  18. 
 Knam  kod/Jieca,  '  The  people  of  thy  holinefs.'  The  called  of 
 God  are  anointed  with  the  confecrating  oil  of  the  Spirit,  1  John 
 ii.  20.  ■  Ye  have  an  unction  from  the  Holy  One.' 
 
 2.  God  calls  them  to  glory,  as  if  a  man  were  called  out  of  a 
 prii'on  to  fit  upon  a  throne,  1  ThefT.  ii.  12.  ■  Who  hath  called 
 you  to  his  kingdom  and  glory.'  Whom  God  calls,  he  crowns  ; 
 *  it  is  a  weight  of  glory,'  2  Cor.  iv.  17.  The  Hebrew  word  for 
 glory  (Kauod)  fignifies  pondus,  a  weight  ?  the  weight  of  glory 
 adds  to  the  worth,  the  weightier  gold  is,  the  more  it  is  worth. 
 And  this  glory  is  not  tranfient,  but  permanent,  an  eternal 
 weight  ;   it  is  better  felt  than  expreiled. 
 
 Q .    What  is  the  canfe  of  the  effectual  call  ? 
 
 Anf.  God's  electing  love,  Rom.  viii.  30.  '  Whom  he  pre- 
 deltinated,  them  he  alfo  called.'  Election  is  the  fountain- caufe 
 of  our  vocation  ;  it  is  not  becaufe  fome  are  more  worthy  to  par- 
 take of  the  heavenly  calling  than  others  (as  the  Arminians)  we 
 were  '  all  in  our  blood,'  Ezek.  xvi.  0.  And  what  worthinefs 
 in  us?  What  worthinefs  was  there  in  Mary  Magdalene,  out  of 
 whom  feven  devils  were  call?  WThat  worthinefs  in  the  Corin- 
 thian.-;, when  God  began  to  call  them  by  his  gofpel?  they  were 
 fornicators,  effeminate,  idolaters,   1  Cor  vi.  11.  '  Such  were 
 
EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  929 
 
 fome  of  you,  but  ye  are  warned,'  &c  Before  effectual  calling, 
 wearenotonly  '  without  ftrength,'  Rom.  v.  (>.  but  '  enemies, ' 
 Col.  i.  21.     So  that  the  foundation  of  vocation  i-  election. 
 
 Q.    What  are  the  epithets  or  qualifications  of  this  call  ? 
 
 Anf.  lit,  It  is  a  powerful  call ;  verba  Deifunt opera,  Luther. 
 God  puts  forth  infinite  power  in  calling  home  a  (inner  to  him- 
 felf,  he  doth  not  only  put  forth  his  voice,  but  his  arm.  The 
 apofHe  fpeaksof  the  exceeding  greatnefs  of  his  power,  *  heexer- 
 cifeth  towards  them  that  believe,1  Eph.  i.  1<).  God  rides  forth 
 conquering  in  the  chariot  of  his  gofpel  ;  he  conquers  the  pride 
 of  the  heart,  and  makes  the  will,  which  ilood  out  as  a  fort-royal, 
 to  yield  and  ttoop  to  his  grace  ;  he  makes  the  ftony  heart  bleed  : 
 it  is  a  mighty  powerful  call.  Why  then  do  the  Arminians 
 leem  to  talk  of  a  moral  perfuaGon  ?  that  God,  in  the  convert! on 
 of  a  tinner,  doth  only  morally  perfuade,  and  no  more.  He  lets 
 his  promil'es  before  them,  to  allure  them  to  good,  and  his  threat- 
 en ings  to  deter  them  from  evil ;  and  here  is  all  he  doth.  But 
 lure  moral  perfualions  alone  are  ini'ulticient  to  the  effectual  call : 
 how  can  the  bare  propoial  of  promil'es  and  threatening^  convert 
 a  foul  ?  This  amounts  not  to  a  new  creation,  or  that  power 
 which  railed  Chriit  from  the  dead  ;  God  doth  not  only  per- 
 fuade, but  enable,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  87.  If  God,  in  converfion, 
 fhould  only  morally  perfuade,  that  is,  i'et  good  and  evil  before 
 men,  then  God  doth  not  put  forth  fo  much  power  in  feting 
 men,  as  the  devil  doth  in  deftroying  them.  Satan  doth  not  only 
 propound  tern pting  objects  to  men,  but  doth  concur  with  his 
 temptations  ;  therefore  he  is  laid  to  ■  work  in  the  children  of 
 difobedience,'  Eph.  ii.  2.  The  Greek  word,  to  work,  hgnifies 
 imperii  vim,  Cameron,  the  power  Satan  hath  in  carrying  men 
 to  fin.  And  lhall  not  God's  power  in  converting,  be  greater 
 than  Satan's  power  in  Inducing?  The  effectual  call  is  mighty  and 
 powerful;  God  puts  forth  a  divine  energy,  nay,  a  kind  of  om- 
 nipotency  :  it  is  iuch  a  powerful  call,  that  the  will  of  man  hath, 
 no  power  to  refiit. 
 
 2.  It  is  an  high  calling,  Phil.  iii.  14.  *  I  prefs  toward  the 
 mark  of  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God.'  It  is  an  high  call- 
 ing, lit,  Becaufe  we  are  called  to  high  exercifes  of  religion  ;  to 
 be  crucified  to  the  world,  to  live  by  faith,  to  do  angeN  work,  to 
 love  God,  to  be  living  organs  of  his  prarfe,  to  hold  communion 
 with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  1  John  i.  3. 
 
 2dly,  It  is  an  high  calling,  becaufe  we  are  called  to  high  pri- 
 vileges ;  to  justification  and  adoption,  to  be  kings  and  priefts 
 unto  God  ;  ■  We  are  called  to  the  fellowship  of  angels,  to  be 
 co-heirs  with  ChrihV  Rom.  viii.  17-  They  who  are  effectually 
 called,  are  candidates  of  heaven,  they  are  princes  in  all  lands, 
 Pf'al.  xlv.  16.  though  princes  in  difguife. 
 
 3dly,  It  is  an  immutable  call,  Rom.  xi.  9.    *  The  gifts  and 
 
930  EFFECTUAL  CALLING* 
 
 calling  of  God  are  without  repentance  ;'  that  is,  thofe  gifts  that 
 flow  from  election,  (as  vocation  and  juftification)  thefe  are  with- 
 out repentance.  God  repented  he  called  Saul  to  be  a  king;  but 
 ne  never  repents  that  he  calls  a  Tinner  to  be  a  faint. 
 
 Ufe  1.  See  the  necelfity  of  the  effectual  call,  a  man  cannot 
 go  to  heaven  without  it.  Firft,  we  mult  be  called  before  glori- 
 fied, Rom.  viii.  30.  A  man  uncalled  can  lay  claim  to  nothing 
 in  the  Bible,  but  threatenings :  a  man  in  the  (late  of  nature  is 
 not  fit  for  heaven,  no  more  than  a  man  in  his  filth  and  his  rags 
 is  fit  to  come  into  a  king's  prefence :  a  man  in  his  pure  naturals, 
 is  a  God  hater,  Rom.  i.  30.  and  is  he  fit  for  heaven  ?  will  God 
 lay  his  enemy  in  his  bofom  ? 
 
 Ufe  3.  Of  trial.  Whether  we  are  effectually  called  ?  we  may 
 know  it  by  the  antecedent  and  confequent  of  it. 
 
 1.  By  the  antecedent.  Before  this  effectual  call,  an  hum- 
 bling work  paffeth  upon  the  foul  :  a  man  is  convinced  of  fin, 
 lie  fees  he  is  a  (inner,  and  nothing  but  a  finner:  the  fallow- 
 ground  of  his  heart  is  broken  up,  Jer.  iv.  3.  As  the  hulband- 
 man  breaks  the  clods,  then  cafts  in  the  feed  ;  fo  God,  by  the 
 convincing  work  of  the  law,  breaks  a  finner's  heart,  and  makes 
 it  fit  to  receive  the  feeds  of  grace.  Such  as  were  never  con- 
 vinced, were  never  called,  John  xvi.  8.  'He  fhall  convince 
 the  world  of  fin.'     Conviction  is  the  firlt  itep  to  converfion. 
 
 2.  By  the  confequents,  two,  (1.)  He  who  is  favingly  called, 
 anfwers  to  God's  call  :  when  God  called  Samuel,  he  anfwered, 
 '  Speak,  Lord,  thy  fervant  heareth,'  1  Sam.  iii.  10.  When 
 God  calls  thee  to  an  act  of  religion,  thou  doft  run  at  God's  call, 
 Acts  xxvi.  19.  ■  I  was  not  difobedient  to  the  heavenly  vifion.' 
 If  God  calls  to  duties  contrary  to  flefh  and  blood,  we  obey  his 
 voice  in  every  thing;  true  obedience  is  like  the  needle  which 
 points  that  way  which  the  loadltone  draws.  Such  as  are  deaf 
 to  God's  call,  a  fign  they  are  not  called  by  grace. — 
 
 (c2.)  He  who  is  effectually  called  doth  itop  his  ears  to  all  other 
 calls  which  would  call  him  off  from  God.  As  God  hath  his 
 call,  fo  there  are  other  contrary  calls  :  Satan  calls  by  a  tempta- 
 tion, luff  calls,  evil  company  calls  :  but,  as  the  adder  (tops  its 
 ear  againlt  the  voice  of  the  charmer  ;  fo  he  who  is  effectually 
 called,  (tops  his  ear  againft  all  the  charms  of  flefh  and  devil. 
 
 Ufe  3.  Of  comfort  to  them  icho  are  the  called  of  God.  This 
 call  evidenceth  election,  Rom.  viii.  30.  '  Whom  he  predefti- 
 nated,  them  he  alio  called.'  Election  is  the  caufe  of  our  voca- 
 tion, and  vocation  is  the  fign  of  our  election.  Election  is  the 
 firft  link  of  the  golden  chain  of  falvation,  vocation  is  the  fecond  ! 
 he  who  hath  the  fecond  link  of  the  chain  is  fureof  the  firft  link  : 
 as  by  the  ttream  we  are  led  to  the  fountain,  fo  by  vocation  we 
 afcend  to  election.  Calling  is  an  earneft  and  pledge  of  glory, 
 2  Theif.  li.  13.  ■  God  hath  chofen  you  to  falvation,  through 
 
EFFECTUAL  CALLING.  231 
 
 fmrtifieation.*     We  may  read  God's  predeftinating  love  in  the 
 work  of  grace  in  our  heart. 
 
 nick  3.  To  foch  ta  are  called,  to  he  thankful  to  God  for 
 this  onfpeakable  Moiling  ;  be  thankful  to  all  the  perfooa  in  the 
 Trinity,  to  the  Father's  mercy,  to  the  Son's  merit,  t<»  the 
 Spirit  s  efficacy.  To  make  you  thankful,  confide?,  when  vou 
 had  offended  God,  that  he  fhould  call  you ;  that,  win  n  God 
 needed  you  not,  he  had  millions  of  glorified  faints  and  angels 
 to  praile  him,  yet  he  called  you.  Again,  confider  what  von 
 were  before  God  called  you  ;  you  were  in  your  fins ;  when  God 
 called  Paul,  lie  found  him  perfecuting  ;  when  he  called  Mat- 
 thew, he  found  him  at  the  receipt  ofcuftom;  when  he  called 
 Zaccheus,  he  found  him  ufing  extortion.  When  God  calls  a 
 man  by  his  grace,  he  finds  him  feeking  after  his  Infta  :  as  when 
 Satll  was  called  to  the  kingdom,  he  was  feeking  the  alles  :  that 
 God  fhould  call  thee  when  thou  art  in  the  hot.  purfuit  of  fin,  ad- 
 mire God's  love,  exalt  his  praile.  Again,  that  God  Ihouldcall 
 you,  and  pals  by  others,  what  mercy  is  this?  Mat.  xi.  26\ 
 ■  Even  fo,  Father,  for  lb  it  Teemed  good  in  thy  fight.'  That 
 God  fhould  pals  by  the  wife  and  noble  perfons,  of  Tweeter  dif- 
 pofition,  accuter  parts,  guilty  of  lefs  vice,  and  that  the  lot  of 
 free  grace  fhould  fall  upon  you  ;  O  aflonifiiing  love  of  God  ! 
 It  was  a  great  favour  of  God  to  Samuel,  that  God  called  to  him, 
 and  revealed  his  mind  to  him,  and  palled  by  Eli,  though  a  judge 
 and  pried;  in  Ifrael,  I  Sam.  iii.  6.  fo,  that  God  fhould  call  to 
 thee,  a  flagitious  tinner,  and  pafs  by  others  of  higher  birth,  and 
 better  morals,  here  is  that  which  calls  aloud  for  praile.  As 
 God  fo  governs  the  clouds,  that  he  makes  them  rain  upon  one 
 place,  and  not  upon  another.  Two  at  a  fermon,  one  his  heart 
 the  Lord  opens,  the  other  is  no  more  affected  with  it,  than  a 
 deaf  man  with  the  found  of  mufic  :  here  is  the  banner  of  free 
 grace  difplayed,  and  here  fhould  the  trophies  of  praife  be  erected. 
 Elijah  and  Elilha  were  walking  together  ;  on  a  fudden  there 
 cune  a  chariot  of  fire,  and  carried  Elijah  up  to  heaven,  but 
 left  Elifha  behind  :  fo,  when  twoare  walking  together,  hufband 
 and  wife,  father  and  child,  that  God  fhould  call  one  by  his  grace, 
 but  leave  the  other,  carry  up  one  in  a  triumphant  chariot  to 
 heaven,  but  let  the  other  perilh  eternally  ;  O  infinite  rich  grace ! 
 how  fhould  they  that  are  called  be  affected  with  God's  discrimi- 
 nating love  ?  how  fhould  the  vefiels  of  mercy  run  over  with 
 thankfulnefs  ?  how  fhould  they  ttand  upon  mount  (yerizzim, 
 blelhng  and  praifing  God  ?  O  begin  the  work  of  heaven  here  ! 
 fuch  as  are  patterns  of  mercy  fhould  be  trumpeters  of  praile. 
 Thus  St.  Paul  being  called  of  God,  and  feeing  what  a  debtor  he 
 was  to  free  grace,  breaks  forth  into  admiration  and  gratulatiow, 
 1  Tim.  i.  13. 
 
 Ufe  4.   To  the  called.     Walk  worthy  of  your  high  calling, 
 
232  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 Eph.  iv.  I.  'I  befeech  you,  that  you  walk  worthy  of  the  voca- 
 tion wherewith  ye  are  called  ;'   in  two  things. 
 
 L.  Walk  compaflionately.  Pity  fuch  as  are  yet  uncalled  : 
 haft  thou  a  child  that  Gad  hath  not  yet  called,  a  wife,  afervant  ? 
 vveep  over  their  dying  fouls:  they  are  in  their  blood,  ■  under 
 the  power  of  Satan  :'  O  pity  them  !  let  their  fins  more  trouble 
 you  than  your  own  furferings :  if  you  pity  an  ox  or  afs  going 
 aftray,  will  you  not  pity  a  foul  going  altray  ?  Shew  your  piety 
 by  your  pity. 
 
 2.  Walk  holily.  Your's  is  an  holy  calling,  2  Tim.  i.  9. 
 You  are  called  to  be  faints,  Rom.  i.  7.  Shew  your  vocation 
 by  a  Bible  converfation.  Shall  not  flowers  fmell  fweeter  than 
 weeds?  ihall  not  they  who  are  ennobled  with  grace,  have  more 
 fragrancy  in  their  lives  than  finners?  i  Pet.  i.  15.  •  Ashe  who 
 hath  called  you  is  holy,  ib  be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  converfa- 
 tion. O  dishonour  not  your  high  calling  by  any  fordid  carri- 
 age :  when  Antigonus  was  going  to  defile  himfelfwith  women, 
 one  told  him,  '  he  was  a  king's  fon.'  O  remember  your  dig- 
 nity,'called  of  God!'  ofthe  blood-royal  of  heaven  :  donothing 
 unworthy  of  your  honourable  calling.  Scipio  refuted  -the  em- 
 braces of  an  harlot,  becaufe  he  was  general  of  an  army.  Abhor 
 all  motions  to  fin,  becaufe  of  your  high  calling.  It  is  not  fit 
 for  them  who  are  the  called  of  God,  to  do  as  others  ;  though 
 others  ofthe  Jews  did  drink  wine,  it  was  not  fit  for  the  Naza- 
 rite,  becaufe  he  had  a  vow  of  feperation  upon  him,  and  had  pro- 
 mifed  abftinence;  though  Pagans  and  loofe  Chriftians  take 
 liberty  to  fin,  yet  it  is  not  fit  for  them  who  are  called  out  of  the 
 "world,  and  have  the  mark  of  election  upon  them  to  do  fo  :  you 
 are  confecrated  perfons,  your  bodies  are  the  temples  of  the 
 Holy  Ghofi,  and  your  bodies  mult  be  a  facrary,  or  holy  of 
 holies. 
 
 OF  JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 Rom.  iii.  24.    Being  jujiified freely  by  his  grace, 
 
 Q.  XXXIII.   Whatisjuftification} 
 
 A.  It  is  an  a6t  of  God's  free  grace,  whereby  he  pardoneth 
 all  our  fins,  and  accepts  us  as  righteous  in  his  fight,  only  for  the 
 righteoufnefs  of  Chrifl  imputed  to  us,  and  received  by  faith 
 alone. 
 
 J  unification  is  the  very  hinge  and  pillar  of  Chriftianity ;  and 
 an  error  about  j  unification  is  dangerous,  likea  crack  in  the  foun- 
 dation, or  an  error  in  the  firit  concoction.  Juliification  by 
 Chrift,  is  a  fpring  of  the  water  of  life ;  and  to  have  the  poifon 
 
OF  JUSTIFICATIONS  233 
 
 of  corrupt  doctrine  call  into  this  fpring,  is  damnable.     It  was  a 
 laying  of  Luther,  "  that  after  his  death  the  doctrine  ofjuili fixa- 
 tion would  be  corrupted."  As  it  hath  been  in  theft  latter  tim 
 the  Armenians  and  Socinians  have  call  a  dead  fly  into  this  box 
 of  precious  ointment. 
 
 I  (hall  endeavour  to  follow  the  ftar  of  fcripture  to  light  me 
 through  this  myfterious  point. 
 
 Q.  What  is  meant  by  justification? 
 
 Anf.  It  is  verbumforenje,  a  word  borrowed  from  law-courts, 
 wherein  a  pcrlon  arraigned  is  pronounced  righteous,  and  is 
 openly  abfolved  in  the  court.  Thus  God,  in  justifying  a  perfon, 
 pronounceth  him  to  be  righteous,  and  looks  upon  him  as  if  he. 
 tiad  not  finned. 
 
 Q.   What  is  the  ground  of  juftification  ? 
 
 Anf.  The  caufa,  the  inward  impellent  motive  or  ground  of 
 juftification,  is  the  free  grace  of  Cod  ;  fo  in  the  text,  ■  juftified 
 freely  by  his  grace.'  Which  Ambrofe  expounds,  ■•  not  of  the 
 grace  wrought  within  us,  but  the  free  grace  of  God."  The  firft 
 wheel  that  fets  all  the  reft  a-running,  is  the  love  and  favour  of 
 God  :  ■  being  juftified  by  his  grace  ;  as  a  king  freely  pardons  a 
 delinquent,  juftification  is  a  mercy  fpun  out  of  the  bowels  of 
 free  grace.  God  doth  not  juftify  us  becaufe  we  are  worthy, 
 but  by  juftify ing  us  makes  us  worthy. 
 
 Q.  What  is  the  material  caufe,  or  that  by  ivhich  a  Jinner  is 
 juftified  ? 
 
 Anf,  The  matter  of  our  juftification,  is  ChrihYs  fatisfaclion 
 made  to  his  Father.  If  it  be  afked,  how  can  it  (land  with 
 God's  juftice  and  holiuefs  to  pronounce  us  innocent  when  we 
 are  guilty  ?  This  anfwers  it,  Chrift  having  made  fatisfaction  for 
 our  fault,  now  God  may,  in  equity  and  juftice,  pronounce  us 
 righteous.  It  is  a  juft  thing  for  a  creditor  to  diicharge  a  debtor 
 of  the  debt,  when  a  fatisfaction  is  made  by  the  lurety, 
 
 Q.  But  how  was  ChrijV s  fatisfadlion  meritorious  >  and  fo  fujfi* 
 cient  to  juftify  ? 
 
 Anf.  In  refpect  of  the  divine  nature :  as  he  was  man  he  fuf- 
 fered,  as  God  he  fatisfied  ;  by  ChrihYs  death  and  merits,  God's 
 juftice  is  more  abundantly  fatisfied,  than  if  we  had  lunered  the 
 pains  of  hell  for  ever. 
 
 Q.  Wherein  lies  the  formality  or  effence  of  our  juftification  ? 
 
 Anf.  In  the  imputation  of  ChrihYs  righteoufnefs  to  us,  Jer. 
 xxiii.  6.  *  This  is  the  name  whereby  he  lhall  ue  called  Jehovah 
 TzidkennUy  *  the  lord  our  righteousness,'  2  Cor  i.  40. 
 •  He  is  made  to  us  righteoufnefs.'  This  righteoufnefe  of  Chrilt, 
 which  doth  juftify  us,  is  better  righteoufnefs  than  the  angels; 
 there's  is  the  righteoufnefs  of  creatures,  this  of  God. 
 
 Q.  What  is  the  means  or  injirument  of  our  jnjhficalion  ? 
 
 Anf.  Faith,  Rom.  v.  1,  '  Being  juftified  by  faith.'     Thedig- 
 
 Tol.  I.  No.  5.  G  g 
 
134  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 nity  is  not  in  faith  as  a  grace,  but  relatively,  as  it  lays  hold  ©a 
 ChrirVs  merits. 
 
 Q.  What  is  the  efficient  caitfe  of  our  juftification? 
 
 Anf.  The  whole  Trinity,  all  the  perfuns  in  the  bleffed  Tri- 
 nity have  an  hand  in  the  j  unification  of  a  finner  :-  opera  Tri- 
 nitatis  ad  extra  junt  indivifa.  God  the  Father  is  (aid  to  juftify, 
 Rom.  viii.  33.  '  It  is  God  that  juftifieth/  God  the  Son  is 
 faid  to  juftify,  A  els  xiii.  39*  *  By  him  all  that  believe  are 
 juftified/  God  the  Holy  Ghoft  is  laid  tojuftify,  1  Cor.  vi.  11. 
 '  But  ye  are  juftified  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God/  God  the  Fa- 
 ther juftifie«,  as  he  pronounceth  us  righteous :  God  the  Son 
 juftifies  as  he  imputes  his  righteoufnels  to  us  ;  and  God  the 
 Holy  Ghoft  juftifies,  as  he  clears  up  our  juftification,  and  feals 
 us  up  to  the  day  of  redemption. 
 
 Q.  What  is  the  end  of  our  juftification  ? 
 
 Anf.  The  end  is,  1.  That  God  may  inherit  praife,  Eph.  i.  6. 
 '  To  the  praife  of  the  glory  of  his  grace/  Hereby  God  raifeth 
 the  everlafting  trophies  of  his  own  honour  :  how  will  the  juf- 
 tified finner  proclaim  the  love  of  God,  and  make  heaven  ring 
 of  his  praifes  ? 
 
 2.  That  the  juftified  perfon  may  inherit  glory,  Rom.  viii.  30. 
 '  Whom  he  juftified,  them  he  alio  glorified/  God,  in  juftify- 
 ing,  doth  not  only  abfolve  a  foul  from  guilt,  but  advance  him  to 
 dignity  ;  as  Jofeph  was  not  only  loofed  from  prifon,  but  made 
 lord  of  the  kingdom.    Juftification  is  crowned  with  glorification. 
 
 Q .  Whether  are  we  juftified  from  eternity  ? 
 
 Anf.  No  :  for  1.  By  nature  we  are  under  a  fentence  of  con- 
 demnation, John  iii.  18.  But  we  could  not  be  at  all  condem- 
 ned, if  we  were  juftified  from  eternity. 
 
 9.  The  fcripture  confines  juftification  to  thofe  who  believe 
 and  repent,  Acts  iii.  19.  '  Repent  that  your  fins  may  be  blot- 
 ted out/  Therefore  their  fins  were  uncancelled,  and  their  per- 
 fons  unjuftified,  till  they  did  repent:  Though  God  doth  not 
 juftify  us  for  our  repentance,  yet  not  without  it.  The  Antino- 
 rnians  erroneoufly  hold,  that  we  are  juftified  from  eternity. 
 This  doctrine  is  a  key  which  opens  the  door  to  all  licentiouf- 
 nefs  ;  what  fins  do  they  care  they  commit,  fo  long  as  they  hold 
 they  are,  ah  ceterno,  juftified,  whether  they  repent  or  not  ? 
 
 Before  I  come  to  the  ufes,  I  (hall  lay  down  four  maxims  or 
 pofiticns  about  juftification. 
 
 Pofition  1.  That  juftification  confers  a  real  benefit  upon  the 
 perfon  juftified.  The  acquitting  and  difcharging  of  the  debtor, 
 by  virtue  of  the  fatisfaction  made  by  the  furety,  is  a  real  benefit 
 to  the  debtor  ;  a  robe  of  righteoulhels,  and  a  crown  of  righte- 
 oufnefs,  are  real  benefits. 
 
 Pq/ition  <2.  All  believers  are  alike  juftified  ;  juftificatio  nonre* 
 cipit  majis  et  minus :  though  there  are  degrees  in  grace,  yet 
 
•  F  JUSTIFICATION.  t35 
 
 not  in  juftification  ;  one  is  notjuilified  more  than  another,  the 
 is  as  perfectly  juftified  as  the  (trongeft ;  Mary 
 muchjuf  This  may 
 
 be  cordial-water  to  a  weak  believer ;  though  thou  halt  but  a 
 drachm  of  faith,  thou  art  as  truly  juliilied  as  he  who  is  of  the 
 bigheft  llature  in  Chrift. 
 
 Po/ition  3.  Wliolbever  God  juftifies,  he  fancYifies,  1.  Cor.  vi. 
 11.  '  But  ye  arc  fanctified,  but  ye  are  juftified.'  The  Papula 
 calumniate  the  Proteftants  ;  they  report,  we  hold  that  m<  u 
 continuing  in  fin  are  juftified  ;  whereas  all  our  proteftant  wri- 
 ters affirm,  that  righteoufnefs  imputed,  viz.  J  unification,  and 
 righteoufnefs  inherent,  viz.  San6tification,  mult  be  infeperably 
 united.  Holinefs  indeed  is  not  the  caule  of  our  justification, 
 but  it  is  the  concomitant;  the  heat  in  the  fun  is  not  the  caule 
 of  its  light,  but  it  is  the  concomitant.  It  is  ablurd  to  imagine, 
 that  God  fhould  juftify  a  people,  and  they  go  on  in  fin.  if 
 God  fhould  juftify  a  people  and  not  fanctify  them,  he  (hould 
 juftify  a  people  whom  he  could  not  glorify.  God,  as  he  is  an 
 holy  God,  cannot  lay  a  (inner  in  his  bofom.  The  metal  isfirft 
 refined,  before  the  king's  ftamp  is  put  upon  it :  firft,  th.e  foul  is 
 refined  with  holinefs,  before  God  puts  the  royal  ftamp  of  j uni- 
 fication upon  it. 
 
 Pofition  4.  Juftification  is  inami/Jibilis  ;  it  is  a  fixed  perman- 
 ent thing,  it  can  never  be  loft.  The  Arminians  hold  an  apoftacy 
 from  juftification:  to-day  juftified,  to-morrow  unjuftified  ;  to- 
 day a  Peter,  to-morrow  a  Judas  ;  to-day  a  member  of  Chrift, 
 to-morrow  a  limb  of  Satan  :  a  molt  uncomfortable  doctrine. 
 Indeed  juftified  perfons  may  fall  from  degrees  of  grace,  they 
 may  leave  their  firft  love,  they  may  lofe  God's  favour  for  a  time, 
 but  not  lofe  their  juftification.  If  they  are  juftified,  then  they 
 are  elected  ;  they  can  no  more  fall  from  their  juftification,  than 
 from  their  election.  If  they  are  juftified,  then  they  have  union 
 with  Chrift;  and,  can  a  member  of  Chrift  be  broken  off?  If 
 one  juftified  perfon  may  fall  away  from  Chrift,  then  all  may; 
 and  lb  Chrift  fhould  be  an  head  without  a  body. 
 
 Vie  i.  See  from  hence,  that  there  is  nothing  within  us  could 
 juftify  us,  butfbmething  without  us;  not  any  righteoufnefs  in- 
 herent, but  imputed  :  we  may  as  well  look  for  a  ftar  in  the 
 earth,  as  for  juftification  in  our  own  righteoufnefs.  The  papifts 
 fay  we  are  juftified  by  works.  But  the  apoftle  confutes  it,  *  not 
 of  works,  ieft  any  man  (hould  boaft,'  Eph.  ii.  9.  But  the  papifts 
 fay  ■•  the  works  done  by  an  unregenerate  man  indeed  cannot 
 juftify  him,  but  works  done  by  a  regenerate  man  may  juftify." 
 This  is  raoft  falfe,  as  may  be  proved  both  by  example  and 
 reafon. 
 
 1.  By  example.  Abraham  was  a  regenerate  man;  but 
 Abraham,  was  not  juftified  bv  works,  but  by  faith,  Rom.  iv.  3. 
 
 Gg2 
 
236  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 Abraham  ■  believed  God,  and  it  was  counted  to  him  for  righ- 
 teoufnefs.' 
 
 2.  By  reafon.  How  can  thofe  works  juftify  us,  which  defile 
 us?  Ifa.  lxiv.  o\  *  Our  righteoufnefies  are  as  filthy  rags.'  Bona 
 operation  prcecedunt  juftijicationem,  fed  fequntur  juftificatum : 
 good  works  are  not  an  u(her  to  go  before  j unification,  but  an 
 hand-maid  to  follow  it. 
 
 Obj.  But  doth  not  the  apoftle  James  Jay,  Abraham  xcasjufii- 
 fied  by  works  ? 
 
 A.  The«nfwer  is  eafy  :  works  declare  us  to  be  righteous  be- 
 fore men,  but  they  do  not  make  us  righteous  before  God. 
 Works  are  evidences  of  our  j unification,  notcaufes.  This  name 
 only  mull  be  graven  upon  the  golden  plate  of  our  High  Pried 
 Chrift,  The  Lord  our  Righteousness. 
 
 2d  UJe,  of  Exhortation.  Branch  1.  Adore  the  infinite  wifdom 
 and  goodnefs  of  God,  to  find  out  fuch  a  way  to  juftify  us  by 
 •  rich  grace  and  precious  blood.'  We  were  all  involved  in  guilt ; 
 none  of  us  could  plead  not  guilty ;  and  being  guilty,  we  lay  un- 
 der a  fentence  of  death:  now  that  the  judge  himfelf  fhould  find 
 out  a  way  to  juftify  us,  and  the  creditor  himfelf  contrive  a  way 
 to  have  the  debt  paid,  and  not  diftrefs  the  debtor ;  this  may  fill 
 us  with  wonder  and  love.  The  angels  admire  the  myftery  of 
 free  grace  in  this  new  way  of  j unifying  and  faving  loft  man, 
 1  Pet.  i.  12.  and  fhould  not  we,  who  are  nearly  concerned  in  it, 
 and  on  whom  the  benefit  is  devolved,  cry  out  with  the  apoftle, 
 '  O  the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wifdom  and  knowledge 
 of  God  V  &c. 
 
 Branch.  2.  Labour  for  this  high  privilege  of  j  unification  : 
 there  is  balm  in  Gilead  ;  Chrift  hath  laid  down  the  price  of  our 
 juftification,  viz.  his  blood  ;  and  he  offers  himfelf  and  all  his 
 merits  to  us,  to  juftify  ;  he  invites  us  to  come  to  him  ;  he  hath 
 promifed  to  give  his  Spirit,  to  enable  us  to  do  what  is  required. 
 Why  then,  tinners,  will  ye  not  look  after  this  great  privilege  of 
 juftification?  Do  not  ftarve  in  the  midft  of  plenty;  do  not 
 perifh  when  there  is  a  remedy  to  fave  you.  Would  not  he  be 
 thought  to  be  diftracted,  if  having  a  pardon  offered  him,  only 
 upon  the  acknowledgment  of  his  fault,  and  promifing  amend- 
 ment, he  fhould  bid  the  prince  keep  his  pardon  to  himfelf;  for 
 his  part,  he  was  in  love  with  his  chains  and  fetters,  and  would 
 die  ?  Thou  who  negle&eft  juftification  offered  thee  freely  by 
 Chrift  in  the  gofpel,  art  this  diftra&ed  perlbn.  Is  the  love  of 
 Chrift  to  be  flighted  ?  Is  thy  foul  and  heaven  worth  nothing  ? 
 O  then  look  after  juftification  through  Chrift's  blood  1 
 
 Confider,  1.  The  neceffity  of  being  juftified  :  if  we  are  net 
 juftified,  we  cannot  be  glorified,  Rom.  viii.  30.  '  Whom   he 
 uftified,  them  he  alfo  glorified. '     He  who  is  outlawed,  and  all 
 is  goods  confifcated,  mull  be  brought  into  favour- with  his 
 
 t 
 
OF  JUSTIFICATION.  fS7 
 
 prince,  before  he  can  be  rrftored  to  his  former  rights  and  liberties: 
 i'owc  muftfiril  have  our  fins  forgiven,  and  be  brought  into  God's 
 favour  by  justification,  before  we  ran  be  reflored  to  the  liberty 
 of  the  (ons  of  God,  and  have  right  to  that  happiueis  we  have 
 forfeited  in  Adam. 
 
 9,  The  utility  and  benefit:  by  jufiification  we  enjoy  peacrin 
 our  confcience  ;  a  richer  jewel  than  any  prince  wears  in  his 
 crown,  Rom.  v.  1.  '  Being  juflified  by  faith,  we  have  peace 
 with  God.'  Peace  can  fweeten  all  our  afflictions,  it  turns  our 
 water  into  wine.  How  happy  is  a  juftified  perfbn  who  hath 
 the  power  of  God  to  guard  him,  and  the  peace  of  God  to  com- 
 fort him?  Peace  flowing  from  j  unification,  is  an  antidote  agamft 
 the  fear  of  death  and  hell,  Rom.  viii.  34.  ■  It  is  God  that  jufti- 
 fies,  who  is  he  that  condemneth  ?'  Therefore  labour  for  this  j unifi- 
 cation by  Chrift ;  this  privilege  is  obtained  by  believing  in  Chrift, 
 Acts  xiii.  3<).  '  By  him  all  that  believe  are  juftified.'  And 
 Rom.  iii.  25.  '  Whom  God  hath  let  forth  to  be  a  propitiation 
 through  faith  in  his  blood.'  Faith  unites  us  to  Chrift;  and 
 having  union  with  his  perfon,  we  partake  of  his  merits  and  the 
 glorious  falvation  which  comes  by  him. 
 
 U/e  3.  Comfort  to  the  juftified,  (1.)  It  is  comfort  in  cafe  of 
 failings  :  alas !  how  defective  are  the  godly  !  they  come  fhortin 
 every  duty :  but  though  believers  mould  be  humbled  under 
 their  defects,  yet  not  defponed  ;  they  are  not  to  be  juftified  by 
 their  duties  or  graces,  but  the  righteoufnefs  of  Chrift.  Their 
 duties  are  mixed  with  fin,  but  that  righteoufnefs  which  juftifies 
 them  is  a  perfect  righteoufnefs. 
 
 (2.)  Comfort  in  cafe  of  hard  cenfures :  the  world  cenfures 
 the  people  of  God  for  proud  and  hypocritical,  and  the  troublers 
 of  Ifrael ;  but  though  mencenfureand  condemn  the  godly  ;  yet 
 God  hath  juftified  them,  and  as  he  hath  now  juftified  them,  fo 
 at  the  day  of  judgment  he  will  openly  juftify  them,  and  pro- 
 nounce them  righteous  before  men  and  angels.  And  God  is  fo 
 juft  and  holy  a  judge,  that  having  once  juftified  his  people,  he 
 will  never  condemn  them.  Pilate  juftified  Chrift,  '  I  find  no 
 fault  in  him  ;'  yet  after  this  he  condemned  him  :  but  God  hav- 
 ing publicly  juftified  his  faints,  he  will  never  condemn  them  ; 
 '  whom  he  juftified,  them  healfo  glorified.' 
 
%3&  6F  ADOPTION. 
 
 OF  ADOPTION. 
 
 John  i.  19.     To  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the  fons  df 
 
 God. 
 
 Having  fpoken  of  the  great  points  of  faith  and  juftifica- 
 tion,  the  next  is  adoption. 
 
 1.  The  qualification  of  the  perfons.  '  As  many  as  received 
 him.*  Receiving  is  put  for  believing,  as  is  clear  by  the  laifc 
 words,  '  to  them  that  believe  in  his  name.* 
 
 2  The  fpeciiication  of  the  privilege;  '  to  them  he  gave 
 power  to  become  the  fons  of  God.'  The  Greek  word  for  power, 
 exiifia,  fignifies  dignity  and  prerogative  ;  he  dignified  them  to 
 become  the  fons  of  God. 
 
 Our  fonfhip  differs  from  Chrift's  fonfhip  ;  Chrift  was  the  fon 
 of  God  by  eternal  generation,  a  fon  before  time;  but  our  fon- 
 fhip is,  1.  By  creation,  Acts  xvii.  28.  '  We  are  his  offspring.* 
 This  is  no  privilege;  men  may  have  God  for  their  father  by 
 creation,  yet  have  the  devil  for  their  father. 
 
 2.  Our  fonfhip  is  by  adoption  s  fo  in  the  text,  '  He  gave 
 them  power  to  become  the  ions  of  God.*  Adoption  is  two- 
 fold. 
 
 (1.)  External  and  federal:  fo  thofe  who  live  in  a  vifibte 
 church,  and  make  a  profeffion  of  God,  are  fons,  Matth.  viii. 
 12.  ■  The  children  of  the  kingdom  Ihali  be  caft  out.' 
 
 (2.)  Real  and  gracious :  fo  they  are  fons,  who  are  God's  fa- 
 vourites, and  are  heirs  of  glory.  Before  I  proceed  to  the  ques- 
 tions, I  ihali  lay  down  three  pofitions. 
 
 Pofition  1 .  Adoption  takes  in  all  nations :  at  firft  adoption 
 was  confined  to  the  people  of  the  Jews,  they  only  were  grafted 
 into  the  true  olive,  and  were  dignified  with  glorious  privileges, 
 Rom.  ix.  4.  *  Who  are  lfraelites :  to  whom  pertaineth  the 
 adoption  and  the  glory.'  But  now,  in  the  time  of  the  gofpel,  the 
 charter  is  enlarged,  and  the  believing  Gentiles  are  within  the 
 line  of  communication,  and  have  a  right  to  the  privileges  of 
 adoption  as  well  as  the  Jews,  Ads  x.  35.  *  in  every  nation  he 
 that  feareth  God,  and  worketh  righteoufnefs,  is  accepted  with 
 him.' 
 
 Pofition  9.  Adoption  takes  in  both  fexes,  females  as  well  as 
 males,  2  Cor.  vi.  18.  '  I  will  be  a  Father  unto  you,  and  ye 
 (hall  be  my  fons  and  daughters.'  I  have  read,  in  fome  coun- 
 tries, females  are  excluded  from  the  fupreme  dignity  :  as  by 
 the  Salique  law  in  France,  no  woman  can  inherit  a  crown  :  but. 
 
OP  ADOFTIOlf.  tSI 
 
 if  we  fpeak  of  fpiritual  privileges,  females  are  as  capable  as 
 males.  Every  gracious  foul  (of  wharevcr  fex)  lays  claim  to 
 adoption,  and  hath  an  interefl  in  God  as  a  father  :  *  ye  llia.ll  be 
 my  fons  and  daughters,  faith  the  Lord  Almighty*' 
 
 3.  Adoption  ia  an  act  of  pure  grace.  Eph.  i.  5. 
 '  Having  predeflinated  us  to  the  adoption  of  children,  according 
 to  the  good  pleafure  of  his  will.'  Adoption  is  a  mercy  Ipun 
 out  of  the  bowels  of  free  grace  :  all  by  nature  are  ftrangers, 
 therefore  have  no  right  to  fon  (hip  ;  only  God  is  plcafed  to 
 adopt  one,  and  not  another;  to  make  one  avefiel  of  glory,  ano- 
 ther a  wild  of  wrath.  The  adopted  heir  may  cry  out,  €  Lord, 
 how  is  it,  that  thou  wilt  (hew  thyfelf  to  me,  and  not  unto  the 
 world?' 
 
 Q.  What  this  filiation  or  adoption  is? 
 
 Anf.  Adoption  is  the  taking  a  flranger  into  the  relation  of  a 
 fon  and  heir  :  fo  Mofes  was  the  adopted  fon  of  king  Pharaoh's 
 daughter,  Exod.  ii.  10.  And  Efther  was  the  adopted  child  oF 
 her  uncle  Mordecai,  Efth.  ii.  7.  Thus  God  adopts  us  into 
 the  family  of  heaven;  and  God,  in  adopting  us,  doth  two 
 things  : 
 
 1.  He  ennobles  us  with  his  name  :  he  who  is  adopted,  bears 
 his  name  who  adopts  him,  Rev.  iii.  12.  ■  I  will  write  on  him 
 the  name  of  my  God.' 
 
 2.  God  confecrates  us  with  his  Spirit :  whom  he  adopts,  he 
 anoints ;  whom  he  makes  fons,  he  makes  faints.  When  a  man 
 adopts  another  for  his  fon  and  heir,  he  may  put  his  name  upon 
 him,  but  he  cannot  put  his  difpofition  into  him ;  if  he  be  a 
 morofe  rugged  nature,  he  cannot  alter  it ;  but  whom  God  adopts 
 he  fan6tifies :  he  doth  not  only  give  them  a  new  name,  but  a 
 new  nature,  2  Pet.  i.  4.  God  turns  the  wolf  into  a  lamb  ;  he 
 makes  the  heart  humble  and  gracious ;  he  works  fuch  a  change 
 as  if  another  foul  did  dwell  in  the  fame  body. 
 
 Q.  From  whatftate  doth  God  take  us  when  he  adopts  us  ? 
 
 Anf.  From  a  Hate  of  (in  and  mifery.  K  ing  Pharaoh's  daugh- 
 ter took  Mofes  out  of  the  ark  of  bulrufhes  in  the  water,  and 
 adopted  him  for  her  fon.  God  did  not  take  us  out  of  the  water, 
 but  out  of  our  blood,  and  adopted  us,  Ezek.  xvi.  God  adopted 
 us  from  flavery  :  it  is  a  mercy  to  redeem  a  Have,  but  is  it  more 
 to  adopt  him. 
 
 Q.   To  what  God  adopts  us  ? 
 
 Anf.  He  adopts  us  to  a  tiate  of  excellency.  It  were  much 
 for  God  to  take  a  clod  of  dult,  and  make  it  a  ftar ;  it  is  more 
 •for  God  to  take  a  piece  of  clay  and  (in,  and  adopt  it  for  hit 
 heir. 
 
 1.  God  adopts  us  to  a  fhteof  liberty.  Adoption  is  a  Rate  of 
 freedom  ;  a  (lave  being  adopted,  is  made  a  freeman,  Gal.  iv.  7. 
 *  Thou  art  no  more  a  l'ervant,  but  a  ion.' 
 
240  Of  adoption. 
 
 Q.  flow  is  an  adopted  Son  free  ? 
 
 Anf.  (1.)  Not  to  do  what  he  lifts  :  he  is  free  from  the 
 dominion  of  fin,  the  tyranny  of  Satan,  the  curfe  of  the  law. 
 
 2.  He  is  free  in  the  manner  of  worth  ip  ;  he  hath  God's  free 
 Spirit,  which  makes  him  free  and  chearful  in  the  fervice  of  God  ; 
 he  is  ■  joyful  in  the  houfe  of  prayer,*  Ifa.  Ivi.  7. 
 
 (2.)  God  adopts  us  to  a  (late  of  dignity  :  God  makes  us  heirs 
 ofpromiie;  God  inftals  us  into  honour,  Ifa.  xliii.  4.  'Since 
 thou  waft  precious  in  my  fi^ht,  thou  haft  been  honourable.' 
 The  adopted  are  God's  treafure,  Exod.  xix.  5.  His  jewels, 
 Mai.  iii.  17.  His  firft- born,  Heb.  xii.  23.  They  have  angels 
 for  their  life-guard,  Heb.  i.  14.  They  are  of  the  blood-royal  of 
 heaven,  1  John  iii.  9.  The  fcripture  hath  fet  forth  their  fpi- 
 ritual  heraldry  ;  they  have  their  efcutcheon  or  coat-armour ; 
 fometimes  they  give  the  lion  for  their  courage,  Prov.  xxviii.  1. 
 Sometimes  the  dove  for  their  meeknefs,  Cant.  ii.  14.  Some- 
 times the  eagle  for  their  fublimenels,  Ifa.  xi.  31.  Thus  you 
 fee  their  coat  of  arms  difplayed  :  but  what  is  honour  without  in- 
 heritance? God  adopts  all  his  fonsto  an  inheritance,  Luke  xii. 
 32.  ■  It  is  your  Father's  good  pleafure  to  give  you  a  kingdom.' 
 It  is  no  difparagement  to  be  the  fons  of  God.  To  reproach  the 
 faints,  is  as  if  Shimei  had  reproached  David  when  he  was  going 
 to  be  made  king  ;  adoption  ends  in  coronation.  The  kingdom 
 God  gives  his  adopted  fons  and  heirs,  excels  all  earthly  mo- 
 narchies. 
 
 1 .  In  riches,  Rev.  xxi.  21 .  The  gates  of  pearl,  and  the  ftreets 
 of  pure  gold,  and  as  it  were  tranlparent  glafs. 
 
 2.  In  tranquility.  It  is  peaceable,  the  white  lily  of  peace  is 
 Hie  beft  flower  in  a  prince's  crown  :  Pax  una  triumphis  innumeris 
 melior.  No  divifions  at  home,  or  invafions  abroad  ;  no  more 
 the  noife  of  the  drum  or  cannon,  but  the  voice  of  harpers  harp- 
 ing, the  hieroglyphic  of  peace,  Rev.  xiv.  2. 
 
 3.  In  liability.  Other  kingdoms  are  corruptible;  though 
 they  have  heads  of  gold,  yet  feet  of  clay  :  but  this  kingdom  into 
 which  the  faints  are  adopted,  runs  parallel  with  eternity  :  it  is 
 a  kingdom  that  cannot  be  fhaken,  Heb.  xii.  28.  The  heirs  of 
 heaven  reign  for  ever  and  ever,  Rev.  xxii.  5. 
 
 Q.    What  is  the  organical  or  injlrumental  caufe  of  adoption  ? 
 
 A.  Faith  interefts  us  in  the  privilege  of  adoption,  Gal.  iii. 
 26.  '  Ye  are  all  the  children  of  God  by  faith  in  Chnft  Jefus.' 
 Before  faith  be  wrought,  we  are  fpiritually  illegitimate,  we  have 
 no  relation  to  God  as  a  father  :  an  unbeliever  may  call  God 
 judge,  but  not  father  ;  faith  is  the  filiating  grace,  it  confers 
 upon  us  the  title  of  fonfhip,  and  gives  us  right  to  inherit. 
 
 Q.  Why  is  faith  the  inftrument  of  adoption,  more  than  any 
 (jiher  grace  f 
 
CUE1  ADOPTION.  £li 
 
 An/t  1.  Faith  is  a  quickening  grace,  it  is  the  vital  artery  uf 
 the  foul,  Hab.  ii.  4.  *  The  jut't  (hall  live  by  faith.'  Life  makes 
 us  capable  of  adoption,  dead  children  a,  adopted. 
 
 8.  Faith  makes  us  Chriil's  brethren,  and  fo  God  comes  to  be 
 our  rather. 
 
 I//,  Branch  1.  See  the  amazing  love  of  God  in  making 
 us  his  ions.  Plato  gave  God  thanks  that  he  had  made  him  a 
 man,  and  not  only  a  man  but  a  philofopher:  but  it  is  infinitely 
 more,  that  he  fliould  inveit  us  with  the  prerogative  of  fons.  It 
 is  love  in  God  to  iacd  us,  but  more  to  adopt  us,  1  John  iii.  1. 
 '  Behold  what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  bellowed  upon 
 us,  that  we  fliould  be  called  the  fons  of  God!1  It  is  an  ecce 
 adtnirantis,  a  behold  of  wonder. 
 
 The  wonder  of  God's  love  in  adopting  us,  will  appear  the 
 more  if  we  confider  thefe  fix  things? 
 
 1.  That  God  mould  adopt  us  when  he  had  a  fon  of  his  own. 
 Men  adopt  becaule  they  want  children,  and  deli  re  to  have  fome 
 to  bear  their  name  :  but  that  God  fliould  adopt  us  when  he  had 
 a  fon  of  his  own,  the  Lord  Jefus  ;  here  is  the  wonder  of  love. 
 Chrift  is  called  *  God's  dear  fon,'  Col.  i.  13.  ■  A  ion  more 
 worthy  than  the  angels,'  Heb.  i.  4.  *  Being  made  fo  much  bet- 
 ter than  the  angels.'  Now,  when  God  had  a  fon  of  his  own, 
 fuch  a  fon,  here  is  the  wonder  of  God's  love  in  adopting  us. 
 Wc  needed  a  Father,  but  he  did  not  need  fons. 
 
 2.  Confider  wihat  we  were  before  God  did  adopt  us:  we 
 were  very  deformed  ;  a  man  will  fcarce  adopt  him  for  his 
 heir  that  is  crooked  and  ill-favoured,  but  that  hath  fome  beauty. 
 Mordecai  adopted  Either,  becaufe  (Tie  was  fair.  But  we  were 
 in  our  blood,  and  then  God  adopted  us,  Ezek.  xvi.  6\  '  When 
 I  faw  thee  polluted  in  thy  blood,  it  was  the  time  of  love.'  God 
 did  not  adopt  us  when  we  were  befpangled  with  the  jewels  of 
 holinefs,  and  had  the  angels  glory  upon  us;  hut  when  we  were 
 black  as  Ethiopians,  di leafed  as  lepers,  then  it  was  the  time  of 
 love. 
 
 3.  That  God  fliould  be  at  fo  great  expence  in  adopting  us  : 
 when  men  adopt,  they  have  only  fome  deed  fealed,  and  the 
 thing  is  eilected  ;  but  when  God  adopts,  it  puts  him  to  a  tar 
 greater  expence,  it  lets  his  wifdorn  a- work  to  find  out  a  way  tc* 
 adopt  us  ;  it  was  no  eafy  thing  to  make  the  heirs  of  wrath,  heirs 
 of  the  promife.  And  when  God  had  found  out  a  way  to  adopt, 
 it  was  no  eafy  way  ;  our  adoption  was  purchal'ed  at  a  dear  rate  ; 
 when  God  was  about  to  make  us  fons  and  heirs,  he  could  not 
 feal  the  deed  but  by  the  blood  of  his  own  Son.  Here  is  the 
 wonder  of  God's  love  in  adopting  us,  that  he  fliould  be  at  all 
 this  expence  to  bring  this  work  about. 
 
 4.  That  God  fliould  adopt  his  enemies  ;    if  a  man  adopts 
 Vol.  I.  No.  6\  H  h 
 
242  OF  ADOPTION. 
 
 another  for  his  heir,  he  will  not  adopt  his  mortal  enemy  ;  but 
 that  God  mould  adopt  us,  when  we  were  not  only  ftrangers,  but 
 enemies,  here  is  the  wonder  of  love,  for  God  to  have  pardoned 
 his  enemies,  had  been  much  ;  but  to  adopt  them  for  his  heirs, 
 this  lets  the  angels  in  heaven  a-wondering. 
 
 5.  That  God  fhould  take  great  numbers  out  of  the  devil's  fa- 
 mily, and  adopt  them  into  the  family  of  heaven.  Chrift  is  faid 
 to  bring  many  fons  to  glory,  Heb.  ii.  10.  Men  adopt  ufually 
 but  one  heir,  but  God  is  refolved  to  increafe  his  family,  he  brings 
 many  fons  to  glory.  God's  adopting  millions,  is  the  wonder 
 of  love.  Had  but  one  been  adopted,  all  of  us  might  have  des- 
 paired ;  but  he  brings  many  fons  to  glory,  this  opens  a  door  of 
 hope  to  us. 
 
 6,  That  God  fhould  confer  fo  great  honour  upon  us,  in  adopt- 
 ing us  :  David  thought  it  no  fmall  honour  that  he  fhould  be  a 
 king's  fon-in-law,  1  Sam.  xviii.  18.  But  what  honour  to  be  the 
 fons  of  the  high  God  ?  And  the  more  honour  God  hath  put 
 upon  us  in  adopting  us,  the  more  he  hath  magnified  his  love  to- 
 wards us,  What  honour,  that  God  hath  made  us  lb  near  in  alli- 
 ance to  him,  Ions  of  God  the  Father,  members  of  God  the  Son, 
 temples  of  God  the  Holy  Ghoft  ?  that  he  hath  made  us  as  the 
 angels,  Matth.  xxii.  30.  nay,  in  fome  fenfe,  fuperior  to  the 
 angels  :  all  proclaims  the  wonder  of  God's  love  in  adopting  us. 
 
 Branch  2.  See  the  fad  condition  of  fuch  as  live  and  die  in  un- 
 belief ;  they  are  not  the  fons  of  God  :  *  To  as  many  as  received 
 him,  he  gave  power  to  become  the  fons  of  God,  even  to  them 
 that  believe  in  his  name.'  No  faith,  no  fonfhip  ;  unbelievers 
 have  no  fign  of  fonfhip,  they  know  not  God  ;  all  God's  chil- 
 dren know  their  Father,  but  the  wicked  do  not  know  him,  Jer. 
 ix.  3.  '  They  proceed  from  evil  to  evil,  and  know  not  me,  faith 
 the  Lord.'  Unbelievers  are  '  dead  in  trefpaffes,'  Eph.  ii.  1. 
 God  hath  no  dead  children  ;  and  not  being  children,  they  have 
 no  right  to  inherit. 
 
 2d  life  of  trial.  Try  whether  we  are  adopted.  All  the 
 world  is  divided  into  thefe  two  ranks,  either  the  fons  of  God,  or 
 the  heirs  of  hell,  John  i.  12.  '  To  them  he  gave  power  to  be- 
 come the  fons  of  God.'  Let  us  put  ourlelves  on  a  trial.  It  is 
 no  fign  we  are  adopted  fons,  becaufe  we  are  fons  of  godly  pa- 
 rents: the  Jews  boatled  that  they  were  of  Abraham's  feed,  John 
 viii.  33.  they  thought  they  mult  needs  be  good,  becaufe  they 
 came  of  fuch  an  holy  line.  But  adoption  doth  not  come  by 
 blood  :  we  fee  many  godly  parents  have  wicked  fons;  Abraham 
 had  an  fthmael  ;  Ifaac  an  Efau.  The  corn  that  is  fown  pure, 
 yet  brings  forth  grain  with  an  hulk  ?  he  who  himlelf  is  holy, 
 yet  the  child  that  fprings  from  his  loins  is  unholy.  So  that,  as 
 Hierom,  non  najcimurjilii:    we  are  not  God's  ions  as  we  are 
 
OF  ADOPTION.  543 
 
 born  of  godly  parents,  but  by  adoption  and  crrace.     Well,  then, 
 let  us  1 1 \  it  we  are  the  ad  ms  and  i.  rod. 
 
 I  nii  ngn  of  adoption,  obedience  A  foo  obeys  Im>  father, 
 Jer.  xxxv.  5.  ■  I  fet  before  toe  ions  of  th  bouie  <>t  tin-  Re- 
 onabites,  pots  full  of  wine,  and  cops,  and  laid  unto  then,  drink 
 ye  wine.  But  they  laid,  we  will  drink  no  wine  :  fur  Jonadab 
 the  fon  of  Rechab  our  father  commanded  us,  laying,  ye  lhall 
 drink  no  wine.*  So,  when  God  faith,  drink  not  in  tin's  en- 
 chanted cup  ;  an  adopted  child  faith,  my  heavenly  Father  hath 
 commanded  me,  I  dare  not  drink.  A  gracious  foul  doth  not 
 only  believe  God's  promife,  but  obey  his  command.  And 
 true  child-like  obedience  mull  be  regular,  which  implies  three 
 things  : 
 
 1.  It  muft  be  done  by  a  right  rule  :  obedience  mull  have  the 
 word  for  its  rule  ;  Lyd'ms  lapis,  I  fa.  viii.  20.  *  To  the  law,  to 
 the  tefiimony.'  If  our  obedience  be  not  according  to  the  word, 
 it  is  offering  up  flrange  fire  ;  it  is  will-worfhip  :  and  God  will 
 fay,  who  hath  required  this  at  your  hand  ?  theapoftle  condemns 
 worftiipping  of  angels,  which  had  a  fhew  of  humility,  Col.  ii. 
 18.  The  Jews  might  lay,  that  they  were  loth  to  be  fo  bold,  as  to 
 go  to  God  in  their  own  perfons  ;  they  would  be  more  humble, 
 and  proftrate  themfelves  before  the  angels,  defiring  them  to  be 
 their  mediators  to  God.  Here  was  a  (hew  of  humility  in  their 
 an  gel-  w  or  (hip  ;  but  it  was  abominable,  becaufe  they  had  no 
 word  of  God  to  warrant  it :  it  was  not  obedience,  but  idolatry. 
 Child-like  obedience  is  that  which  is  conibnant  to  our  Father's 
 revealed  will. 
 
 2.  It  mud  be  done  from  a  right  principle,  L  e.  the  noble 
 
 principle  of  faith,  Rom.  xvi.  26.    '  The  obedience  of  faith* 
 
 Quicquid  decorum  eft  ex  fide  prqficj/fitur,  Aug.  A  crab-tree  may 
 bear  fruit  fair  to  the  eye,  but  it  is  lour,  becaufe  it  doth  not  come 
 from  a  good  root.  A  moral  perfon  may  give  God  outward  obe- 
 dience, and  to  the  eyes  of  others  it  feems  glorious  ;  but  his  obe- 
 dience is  four,  becaufe  it  comes  not  from  that  fweet  and  plea- 
 fant  root  of  faith.  A  child  of  God  gives  him  the  obedience  of 
 faith,  and  that  meliorates  and  fweetens  his  fervices,  and  makes 
 them  come  off  with  a  better  relifh,  Heb.  xi.  4.  ■  By  faith  Abel 
 offered  a  better  facrifice  than  Cain.' 
 
 3.  It  mult  be  done  to  a  right  end  :  Finis  fpecificat  aclionem  ; 
 the  end  of  obedience  is  glorifying  God.  That  which  hath 
 fpoiled  many  glorious  fervices,  is,  when  the  end  haih  been 
 wrong,  Mat.  vi.  2.  ■  When  thou  dofl  thine  alms,  do  not  found 
 a  trumpet,  as  the  hypocrites  do,  that  they  may  have  glory  of 
 men.'  Good  works  fhould  lhine,  but  not  blaze.  'If  I  give 
 my  body  to  be  burnt,  and  have  not  charity,  it  profits  me  no- 
 thing,' 1  Cor.  xiii.  3.  The  fame  I  may  lay  of  a  fincere  aim  ; 
 if  I  obey  never  ib  much,  and  have  not  a  fincere  aim,  it  profits 
 
 Hh2 
 
244  OF  ADOPTION. 
 
 me  nothing.     True  obedience  looks  at  God  in  all,  Phil.  i.  20. 
 
 *  That  Chrift  may  be  magnified.'  Though  a  child  of  God 
 {hoots  fliort,  yet  lie  takes  a  right  aim. 
 
 (2. )  True  child-like  obedience  is  uniform  :    a  child  of  God 
 makes  confcience  of  one  command,  as  well  as  another  :    Qak- 
 
 quid  propter  Deumjit,  cequaliter  fit All  God's  commands 
 
 have  the  fame  ftamp  of  divine  authority  upon  them  ;  and  if  I 
 obey  one  precept  becaufe  my  heavenly  Father  commands  me, 
 then  by  the  fame  rule  I  muft  obey  all :  as  the  blood  runs  through 
 all  the  veins  of  the  body,  and  the  fun  in  the  firmament  runs 
 through  all  the  figns  of  the  zodiac  :  fo  the  true  child  like  obedi- 
 ence runs  through  the  firft  and  fecond  table,   Pfal.  cxix.  6. 
 
 *  When  I  have  a  refpect  unto  all  thy  commandments.'  To 
 obey  God  in  fome  things  of  religion,  and  not  in  others,  (hews 
 an  unfound  heart ;  like  Efau,  who  obeyed  his  father  in  bringing 
 him  venifon,  but  not  in  a  greater  matter,  viz.  the  choice  of  his 
 wife.  Child-like  obedience  moves  towards  every  command  of 
 God,  as  the  needle  points  that  way  which  the  loadftone  draws. 
 If  God  call  to  duties  which  are  crofs  to  flefh  and  blood,  if  we 
 are  children,  we  obey  our  Father. 
 
 Q.  But  who  can  obey  God  in  all  things  ? 
 
 A,  An  adopted  heir  of  heaven,  though  he  cannot  obey  every 
 precept  perfectly,  yet  he  doth  evangelically:  1.  He  approves 
 of  every  command,  Rom.  vii.  16.  '  I  content  to  the  law,  that 
 it  is  good.'  2.  A  child  of  God  delights  in  every  command,  Pfal. 
 cxix.  97.  '  O  how  love  I  thy  precepts!'  3.  Hisdefireis  toobey 
 every  command,  Pfal.  cxix.  5.  c  O  that  my  ways  were  directed 
 to  keep  thy  itatutes!'  4.  Wherein  he  comes  fhort,  he  looks  up  to 
 Chrift's  blood  to  make  fuppiy  for  his  defects.  This  is  evange- 
 lical obedience  ;  which,  though  it  be  not  to  fatisfaction,  it  is  to 
 acceptation. 
 
 (3.)  True  child-like  obedience  isconftant,  Pfal.  cvi.  3.  c  Blef- 
 ied  is  he  that  doth  righteoufnefs  at  all  times.'  Child- like  obe- 
 dience is  not  like  an  high  colour  in  a  fit,  which  is  foon  over  ; 
 but  like  a  right  fanguine  complexion,  it  abides  ;  it  is  like  the 
 fire  on  the  altar  which  was  kept  always  burning,  Lev.  vi.  13. 
 
 Second  fign  of  adoption,  to  love  to  be  in  our  Father's  pre- 
 fence.  The  child  who  loves  his  Father,  is  never  fo  well  as  when 
 he  is  near  his  father.  Are  we  children  ?  we  love  the  prefence 
 of  God  in  his  ordinances.  In  prayer  we  fpeak  to  God,  in  the 
 preaching  of  his  word  he  fpeaks  to  us  :  and  how  doth  every 
 child  of  God  delight  to  hear  his  Father's  voice?  Pfal.  lxiii.  1,  2. 
 '  My  foul  thirtieth  for  thee,  to  fee  thy  glory  fo  as  I  have  feen 
 thee  in  the  fanctuary.'  Such  as  difregard  ordinances,  are  not 
 God's  children,  becaufe  they  care  not  to  be  in  God's  prefence  : 
 Gen.  iv.  17.  f  Cain  went  out  from  the  prefence  of  the  Lord.' 
 Not  that  he  could  go  out  of  God's  fight,  but  the  meaning  is, 
 
OF  ADOPTION. 
 
 rc  Cain  went  out  from  the  church  and  people  of  God,  where 
 the  Lord  gave  vifible  tokens  of  his  pretence." 
 
 'I'ljird  fign  of  adoption,  to  have  the  conduct  of  Goal's  Spirit, 
 Rom.  viii.  J\.  '  As  many  as  are  led  hy  the  Spirit  ot  God, 
 the  fons  of  God.'  It  is  not  enough  that  the  child  have  life,  hut 
 it  mult  be  led  every  ftep  by  the  nurfe  :  lb  the  adopted  child 
 mult  not  only  be  born  of  God,  but  have  the  manuductiou  of 
 the  Spirit  to  lead  him  in  a  courfe  of  holinefs,  Hof.  xi.  3.  '  I 
 taught  Ephraim  alio  to  go,  taking  them  by  their  arms.'  As 
 Ifrael  was  led  by  the  pillar  of  lire,  lb  God's  children  are  led  by 
 the  conduct  of  his  Spirit  :  the  adopted  ones  need  God's  Spirit 
 to  lead  them,  they  are  apt  to  go  wrong.  The  fleftily  part  in- 
 clines to  fin  ;  the  underftanding  and  conlcience  are  to  guide  the 
 will,  but  the  will  is  imperious  and  rebels  ;  therefore  God's  chil- 
 dren need  the  Spirit  to  check  corruption,  and  lead  them  in  the 
 right  way.  As  wicked  men  are  led  by  the  evil  fpirit ;  thefphit 
 of  Satan  led  Herod  to  incelt,  Ahab  to  murder,  Judas  to  trea- 
 fon  :  fo  the  good  Spirit  leads  God's  children  into  virtuous  ac- 
 tions. 
 
 Obj.  But  enthufafts  pretend  to  be  led  by  the  Spirit,  when  it  is 
 an  ignis  fatuus,  a  delation. 
 
 A.  The  Spirit's condoft  is  agreeable  to  the  word  ;  enthufiafU 
 leave  the  word,  *  The  word  islruth,'  John  xvi.  13.  And,  '  the 
 Spirit  guides  in  all  truth,'  John  xvi.  13.  The  word's  teaching, 
 and  the  Spirit's  leading  asree  together. 
 
 Fourth  fign,  if  we  are  adopted,  we  have  an  entire  love  to  all 
 God's  children,  1  Peter  ii.  17.  '  Love  the  brotherhood.'  We 
 bear  atitction  to  God's  children,  though  they  have  Ibme  infir- 
 mities: there  are  the  lpots  of  God's  children,  Deut.  xxxii.  5. 
 But  we  mult  love  the  beautiful  face  of  holinefs,  though  it  hath 
 a  fear  in  it.  If  we  are  adopted,  we  love  the  good  we  fee  in 
 God's  children,  we  admire  their  graces,  we  pal's  by  their  im- 
 prudencies  :  if  we  cannot  love  them,  becaule  they  have  Ibme 
 tailings,  how  do  we  think  God  can  love  us?  can  we  plead  ex- 
 emption ?  By  thefe  figns  we  may  know  our  adoption. 
 
 Q.    IVhat  are  the  benefits  ichich  accrue  to  God's  children  : 
 
 A,  They  have  gnat  immunities  :  King's  children  have  great 
 privileges  and  freedoms;  they  do  not  pay  cuftom,  Matth.  xvii. 
 0".  God'a  children  are  privileged  perl'ons,  they  are  privile 
 from  the  hurt  of  every  tiling,  Luke  x.  19.  *  Nothing  lhull  by 
 any  means  hurt  you.'  Hit  you  it  may,  not  hurt  vou,  Pfalm 
 X(  i.  10.  ■  There  (hall  no  evil  befal  thee.'  God  faith  not,  No 
 affliction  (hall  b.  al  his  children,  but,  No  evil;  the  hurt  and  poi- 
 fon  t  it  la  taken  away.  Affliction  to  a  wicked  man  hath  evil  in 
 it,  :  ma!  e&  u.m  woiie  it  makes  him  curie  and  blafpheme, 
 v  xv..  y.  4  Men  were  Iborched  with  great  heat,  and  blaf- 
 pnetiicd  the  name  of  God.'     Jbut  no  evil  bei'als  a  child  of  God, 
 
2-L6  OF  ADOPTION. 
 
 he  is  bettered  by  affli&ion,  Heb.  xii.  10.  The  furnace  make 
 gold  purer.  Again,  no  evil  belals  the  adopted,  becaufe  no  con- 
 demnation. Rom.  viii.  33.  '  It  is  God  that  juftifieth,  who  is 
 he  that  condemneth  ?'  What  a  bleffed  privilege  is  this,  to  be 
 fitted  from  the  (ling  of  aftli&ion,  and  the  curfe  of  the  law  ?  to  be 
 in  fuch  a  condition,  that  nothing  can  hurt  one  ?  When  the 
 dragon  hath  poifoned  the  water,  the  unicorn  with  his  horn  doth 
 extract  and  draw  out  the  poifon  ;  fo  Jefus  Chrift  hath  drawn 
 out  the  poifon  of  every  affliction,  that  it  cannot  prejudice  the 
 faints. 
 
 Second  benefit,  if  we  are  adopted,  then  we  have  an  intereft 
 in  all  the  promiies  :  the  promiies  are  children's  bread  :  ■  Be- 
 lievers are  heirs  of  the  promifes,'  Heb.  vi.  17.  The  promiies 
 are  fure  :  God's  truth,  which  is  the  brighteft  pearl  in  his  crown, 
 is  laid  to  pawn  in  a  promife.  The  promifes  are  fuitable  ;  like 
 a  phv fie- garden,  there  is  no  difeafe,  but  there  is  fome  herb  in 
 the  phyfic-garden  to  cure  it.  In  the  dark  of  defertion,  God 
 hath  promifed  to  be  a  fun  ;  in  temptation,  to  tread  down  Satan, 
 Rom.  xvi.  20.  Doth  fin  prevail?  he  hath  promifed  to  take 
 away  its  kingly  power,  Rom.  vi.  14.  O  the  heavenly  comforts 
 which  are  deftilled  from  the  limbec  of  the  promifes!  But  who 
 hath  a  right  to  thefe  ?  Believers  only  are  heirs  of  the  promife. 
 There  is  never  a  promife  in  the  Bible,  but  a  believer  may  fay, 
 this  is  mine. 
 
 Ufe  ult.  Extol  and  magnify  God's  mercy,  who  hath  adopted 
 you  into  his  family ;  who,  of  (laves,  hath  made  you  fons ;  of 
 heirs  of  hell,  heirs  of  the  promife.  Adoption  is  a  free  gift.  He 
 gave  them  power,  or  dignity,  to  become  the  fons  of  God.  Asa 
 thread  of  filver  runs  through  the  whole  piece  of  work,  fo  free 
 grace  runs  through  this  whole  privilege  of  adoption.  Adoption 
 is  a  greater  mercy  than  Adam  had  in  paradife  ;  he  was  a  fonby 
 creation,  but  here  is  a  further  fonfhip  by  adoption.  To  make 
 us  thankful,  confider,  in  civil  adoption  there  is  fome  worth  and 
 excellency  in  the  perfon  to  be  adopted  ;  but  there  was  no  worth 
 in  us,  neither  beauty,  nor  parentage,  nor  virtue ;  nothing  in  us 
 to  move  God  to  beflovv  the  prerogative  of  fonfhip  upon  us.  We 
 have  enough  in  us  to  move  God  to  correct  us,  but  nothing  to 
 move  him  to  adopt  us;  therefore  exalt  free  grace,  begin  the 
 work  of  angels  here ;  blefs  him  with  your  praifes,  who  hath 
 bleffed  you  in  making  you  his  fons  and  daughters. 
 
OF  SANCTIFICATIOK.  247 
 
 OF  SANCTIFICATIOX. 
 
 1  Thess.  iv.  3.  For  this  is  the  will  of  God,  even  your  fan&r 
 
 tion. 
 
 Tun  notion  of  the  word  fanclification,  fignifies  to  confo- 
 crate  and  let  apart  to  an  holy  ule  :  thus  they  are  tan&ified  pre- 
 Ibns,  who  are  fcparated  from  the  world,  and  fet apart  for  God's 
 fervice.     Sanclification  hath  a  privative  and  a  pofitive  part. 
 
 1.  A  privative  part,  mortification,  which  lies  in  the  purging 
 out  of  fin.  Sin  is  compared  to  leaven,  which  fours  ;  and  to 
 leprofy,  which  defiles  ;  fantti  fixation  doth  purge  out  '  the  old 
 leaven,'  1  Cor.  ix.  7.  Though  it  takes  not  away  the  life,  yet 
 it  takes  away  the  love  of  fin. 
 
 2.  A  pofitive  part,  vivification,  which  is  the  fpiritual  refining 
 of  the  foul;  which  in  fcripture  is  called  a  *  renewing  of  our 
 mind,'  Rom.  xii.  2.  and  a  *  partaking  of  the  divine  nature,* 
 2  Pet.  i.  4.  The  priefts  in  the  law  not  only  were  warned  in  the 
 great  laver,  but  adorned  with  glorious  apparel,  Exod.  xxviii.  ft 
 lb  in  fanclification,  not  only  waflied  from  fin,  but  adorned  with 
 purity. 
 
 Q.    What  is  fanflif  cation  ? 
 
 An/.  It  is  a  principle  of  grace  favingly  wrought,  whereby  the 
 heart  becomes  holy,  and  is  made  after  God's  own  heart.  A. 
 fanclified  peribn  bears  not  only  God's  name,  but  image.  For 
 the  opening  the  nature  of  ianOtification,  I  fhall  lay  down  thete 
 feven  pofitions. 
 
 1.  Sanclification  is  a  fupernatural  thing:  it  is  divinely  infufed. 
 We  are  naturally  polluted,  and  to  cleanfe,  God  takes  to  be  his 
 prerogative  ;  Lev.  xxi.  8.  *  I  am  the  Lord  which  fanctifieth 
 you.'  Weeds  grow  of  themfelves.  Flowers  are  planted.  Sanc- 
 tification  is  a  flower  of  the  Spirit's  planting,  therefore  it  is  called, 
 The  fanclification  of  the  Spirit,'    1  Peteri.  L2. 
 
 8.  :>jiu  tification  is  an  intrinfical  thing  :  it  lies  chiefly  in  the 
 heart.  It  is  called  ■  the  adorning  the  hidden  man  of  the  heart,' 
 1  Peter  iii.  4.  The  dew  wets  the  leaf,  the  lap  is  hid  in  the 
 root  :  the  religion  of  ibme  confifts  only  in  externals,  but  fanc- 
 tification  is  deeply  rooted  in  the  foul,  Pfal.  li.  (>.  '  In  the  hidden 
 p.,rt  thou  malt  make  me  to  know  wifdom.' 
 
 3.  Salification  is  an  extenfive  thing  :  it  fpreads  into  the 
 whole  man,  1  ThefT.  v.  <23.  ■  The  God  of  peace  fancYify  you 
 wholly.'  As  original  corruption  hath  depraved  all  the  faculties, 
 the  whole  '  head  is  fick,  the  whole  heart  faint,'  no  part  found, 
 as  if  the  whole  mafs  of  blood  were  corrupted  :  fo  fanclification 
 jroes  over  the  whole  foul.     After  the  fall,  there  was  ignorance 
 
24S  OF  SANCTIFICATION. 
 
 in  the  mind  ;  now  in  fanctification,  we  are  '  light  in  the  Lord,' 
 Eph.  v.  8.  After  the  fall,  the  will  was  depraved  :  there  was 
 not  only  impotency  to  good,  but  obftinacy :  now,  in  fanctifica- 
 tion,  there  is  a  bleiied  pliablenefs  in  the  will  ;  it  dothfymbolize 
 and  comport  with  the  will  of  God.  After  the  fall,  the  affections 
 were  mii'placed  on  wrong  objects;  in  fanctification,  they  are 
 turned  into  a  fweet  order  and  harmony,  the  gnef  placed  on  fin, 
 the  love  on  God,  the  joy  on  heaven.  Thus  fanctification  fpreads 
 itfelf  as  far  as  original  corruption  :  it  goes  over  the  whole  foul ; 
 *  the  God  of  peace  fanclify  you  wholly.*  He  is  not  a  fanctified 
 perfon  who  is  good  only  in  fome  part,  but  who  is  all  over  fanc- 
 tified :  therefore  in  fcripture,  grace  is  called  a  '  new  man,'  Col. 
 iii.  10.  not  a  new  eye  or  a  new  tongue,  but  a  '  new  man.'  A 
 good  Chriftian,  though  he  be  fanctified  but  in  part,  yet  in  every 
 part. 
 
 4.  Sanctification  is  an  intenfe  ardent  thing,  Qualitatisfunt  in 
 fubjeclio  inten/ive,  Rom.   xii.  11.   ■  Fervent  in  Spirit.*     Sanc- 
 
 tification  is  not  a  dead  form,  but  it  is  inflamed  into  zeal.  We 
 call  water  hot,  when  it  is  fo  in  the  third  or  fourth  degree  :  he  is 
 holy,  whofe  religion  is  heated  to  fome  degree,  and  his  heart 
 boils  over  in  love  to  God. 
 
 5.  Sanctification  is  a  beautiful  thing  ;  it  makes  God  and 
 angels  fall  in  love  with  us,  Pfal.  ex.  3.  *  The  beauties  of  holi- 
 nefs.* As  the  fun  is  to  the  world,  fo  is  fanctification  to  the 
 foul,  beautifying  and  befpangling  it  in  God*s  eyes.  That  which 
 makes  God  glorious,  muft  needs  make  us  fo.  Holinefs  is  the 
 moll:  fparkling  jewel  in  the  Godhead,  Exod.  xv.  11.  'Glori- 
 ous in  holinefs.'  Sanctification  is  thefirft  fruit  of  the  Spirit  ;  it 
 is  heaven  begun  in  the  foul  ;  fanctificition  and  glory  differ  only 
 in  degree  ;  fanclification  is  glory  in  the  feed,  and  glory  is  fanc- 
 tification  in  the  flower.  Holinefs  is  the  quinteffence  of  happi- 
 nefs. 
 
 0.  Sanctification  is  an  abiding  thing,  1  John  iii.  9.  *  His  feed 
 remaineth  in  him.*  He  who  is  truly  fanctified  cannot  fall  from 
 that  ftate.  Indeed  feeming  holinefs  may  be  loft,  colours  may 
 wafh  off,  fanctification  may  fufferan  eclipfe,  Rev.  ii.  4.  '  Thou 
 haft  left  thy  firft  love  :*  but  true  fanclification  is  a  bioffom  of 
 eternity,  1  John  ii.  27.  *  The  anointing  which  ye  have  received 
 abideth  in  you.*  He  who  is  truly  fanctified,  can  no  more  fall 
 away,  than  the  angels  which  are  fixed  in  their  heavenly  orbs. 
 
 7.  Sanctification  is  a  progrefiive  thing,  it  is  growing  ;  it  is 
 compared  to  feed  which  grows  ;  firft  the  blade  fprings  up,  then 
 the  ear,  then  the  ripe  corn  in  the  ear ;  fuch  as  are  already  fanc- 
 tified, may  be  more  fanctified,  2  Cor  vii.  1.  Juftihcation  doth 
 not  admit  of  degrees  ;  a  believer  cannot  be  more  elected  or  jus- 
 tified than  he  is,  but  he  may  be  more  fanctified  than  he  is: 
 fanctification  is  ftiil  increafing,  like  the  morning  fun,  which 
 
OF  SANCTIFK  A  |  I 
 
 grows  brighter  to  the  full  meridian.      Knowled  i  in* 
 
 creafe,  Col.  i.  10.  and  faith  to  increafe,  2  Cor.  \-  La.  A  Chris- 
 tian is  continually  adding  a  cubit  to  his  fpiritual  ftature.  It  i> 
 rot  with  us  as  it  was  with  Chriit,  who  received  the  Spirit  with- 
 out meafure  :  Chrift  could  not  he  more  holy  than  he  was.  But 
 we  have  the  Spirit  only  in  meafure,  and  may  he  full  augment- 
 ing our  grace  :  As  Appelles,  when  he  had  drawn  a  picture,  he 
 would  be  (till  mending  it  with  bis  pencil.  The  image  of  God 
 is  drawn  hut  imperfectly  in  us,  therefore  wo  mull  be  (till  mend- 
 ing it,  and  drawing  it  in  more  lively  colours;  fan&ification  is 
 progreflfive  ;  if  it  doth  not  grow,  it  is  hecaufe  it  doth  not  live. 
 Thus  you  lee  the  nature  of  lancli fixation. 
 
 Q.    What  are  the  counterfeits  of  fanctification  ? 
 
 A.  There  is  lbmething  looks  like  tanctilication,  which  is  not. 
 
 1.  The  firft  counterfeit  of  fancYdicut ion  is  moral  virtue.  To 
 be  juft,  temperate,  to  be  of  a  fair  deportment,  not  having  one's 
 fcutcheon  blotted  with  ignominious  (band  a  I  :  this  is  good  but 
 not  enough  :  this  is  not  fanctification .  A  field  flower  differs 
 from  a  garden  flower  :  1.  Heathens  have  attained  to  morality  ; 
 Cato,  Socrates,  Ariftides.  Civility  is  but  nature  refined  ;  there 
 is  nothing  of  Chriit  there  ;  the  heart  may  be  foul  and  impure: 
 under  thefe  fair  leafs  of  civility,  the  worm  of  unbelief  may  be  hid. 
 2.  A  moral  perfon  hatha  fecret  antipathy  againlt  grace;  he 
 hates  vice,  and  he  hates  grace  as  much  as  vice.  The  make  hath. 
 a  fine  colour,  hut  a  fting.  A  perfon  adorned  and  cultivated  with. 
 moral  virtue,  hatha  fecret  fpleen  againft  fanclity  :  thole  Stoics, 
 which  were  the  chief  of  the  moralized  Heathens,  were  the 
 bittereft  enemies  St.  Paul  had,  Acts  xvii.  IS. 
 
 2.  The  fecond  counterfeit  of  fanctification,  is  fuperftitious 
 devotion  :  this  abounds  in  Popery,  adorations,  images,  altars, 
 veltments,  holy  water,  which  I  look  upon  as  a  religious  frenzy  ; 
 this  is  far  from  fanctification.  1.  It  doth  not  put  any  iatriafj- 
 cal  goodnefs  into  a  man,  it  doth  not  make  a  man  better.  If  the 
 legal  purifications  and  warnings,  which  were  of  God'sowu  ap- 
 pointing, did  not  make  them  that  ufed  them  more  holy,  (the 
 prielts,  who  wore  holy  garments,  and  had  holy  oil  poured  ou 
 them,  were  never  the  more  holy,  without  the  anointing  of  the 
 Spirit)  then  furely  thofe  fuperltitious  innovations  in  religion, 
 which  God  never  appointed,  cannot  contribute  any  holioefs  to 
 men.  2.  A  fuperftitious  hoiinels  coils  no  great  labour ;  there 
 is  nothing  of  the  heart  in  it  ;  if  to  tell  over  a  few  beads,  or  bow 
 to  an  image,  to  fprinkle  themielves  with  holy  water  ;  if  this 
 were  fandtdication,  and  were  all  that  were  required  of  them 
 that  mould  be  faved,  then  hell  would  be  empty,  none  would 
 come  there. 
 
 3.  The  third  counterfeit  of  fanctification,  is  hy  pocrify  ;  when 
 men  make  a  pretence  of  that  holiuefs  which  they   have  not. 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  6.  I  i 
 
950  OF  SAXCTiriCATlO*. 
 
 A  comet  may  fliine  like  a  (tar  ;  fuch  a  luftre  fhines  from  their 
 profeflion,  as  dazzleth  the  eyes  of  the  beholders,  2  Tim.  iii.  5. 
 '  Having  a  form  of  godliuels,  but  denying  the  power.'  Thefe 
 are  lamps  without  oil;  whited  fepulchres,  like  the  Egyptian 
 temples,  which  had  fair  out  tides,  but  within  fpiders  and  apes. 
 The  apottle  f peaks  of  true  bolinefs,  Eph.  iv.  24.  implying  that 
 there  is  hoiineis  which  is  lpurious  and  feigned,  Rev.  iii.  1. 
 '  Thou  haft  a  name  to  live,  but  art  dead  :'  like  pictures  and 
 ftatues  which  are  deftitute  of  a  vital  principle,  J  ude  xii.  ■  Clouds 
 without  water.'  They  pretend  to  be  full  of  the  Spirit,  but 
 empty  clouds.  This  (hew  of  fan&ification  (when  it  is  nothing 
 elf'e)  is  felf-delufion.  He  who  takes  copper  initead  of  gold, 
 wrongs  himfelf;  the  moft  counterfeit  faint  deceives  others  while 
 he  lives,  but  deceives  himfelf  when  he  dies.  To  pretend  holi- 
 nefs,  when  there  is  none,  is  a  vain  thing :  what  were  the  foolifh 
 virgins  better  for  their  blazing  lamps,  when  they  wanted  oil  ? 
 What  is  the  lamp  of  profeifion  without  the  oil  of  faving  grace? 
 What  comfort  will  a  lhew  ofholinefs  yield  at  laft?  Will  painted 
 gold  enrich  ?  Painted  wine  refrefti  him  that  is  thirtly?  Will 
 painted  holinefs  be  a  cordial  at  the  hour  of  death  ?  A  pretence 
 of  fanclification  is  not  to  be  relied  in.  Many  fhi  ps,  thathave 
 had  the  name  of  the  Hope,  the  Safeguard,  the  Triumph,  yet 
 have  been  caft  away  upon  the  rocks  ;  fb,  many  who  have  had 
 the  name  of  faintfhip,  have  been  caft  into  hell. 
 
 4.  The  fourth  counterfeit  of  fanclification,  is  reftraining  grace. 
 When  men  forbear  vice,  though  they  do  not  hate  it ;  this  may 
 he  the  Tinner's  motto,  '  Fain  I  would,  but  I  dare  not.'  The 
 dog  hath  a  mind  to  the  bone,  but  is  afraid  of  the  cudgel;  men 
 have  a  mind  to  luft,  but  confcience  ftands  as  the  angel,  with  a 
 flaming  fword,  and  affrights ;  they  have  a  mind  to  revenge, 
 but  the  fear  of  hell  is  a  curb-bit  to  check  them.  Here  is  no 
 change  of  heart ;  fin  is  curbed,  but  not  cured  ;  a  lion  may  be  in 
 chains,  but  is  a  lion  ftill. 
 
 4.  The  fifth  counterfeit  of  fanclification,  is  common  grace, 
 which  is  a  flight,  tranfient  work  of  the  Spirit,  but  doth  not 
 amount  to  conversion.  There  is  fome  light  in  the  judgment, 
 but  it  is  not  humbling;  fome  checks  in  the  confcience,  but 
 they  are  not  awakening  :  this  looks  like  fanclification,  but  is 
 not.  Men  have  convictions  wrought  in  them,  but  they  break 
 lofe  from  them  again,  like  the  deer,  which,  being  (hot,  ihakes 
 out  the  arrow  :  after  conviction,  men  go  into  the  houfe  of 
 mirth,  take  the  harp  to  drive  away  the  fpirit  of  fadnefs,  and  ib 
 all  dies  and  comes  to  nothing. 
 
 Q.  Wherein  appears  tlieneceffity  offandlification  ? 
 
 A.  In  fix  things  :  1.  God  hath  called  us  to  it,  2  Pet.  i.  4. 
 •  Who  hath  called  us  to  glory  and  virtue  ;'  to  virtue  as  well 
 as  glory,  ■  God  hath  not  called  us  to  uncleanneis,  but  unto  ho" 
 
OP  SANCTIFICATIOM.  251 
 
 linefs,'  1  TheflT.  iv.  7.  We  have  no  call  to  fin,  we  may  have 
 a  temptation,  but  no  call  ;  no  call  to  be  proud,  or  unclean,  but 
 we  have  a  call  to  be  holy. 
 
 •J.  The  necellity  appears  in  this  :  without  fanotilication  there 
 no  evidencing  our  juliification  ;  juliification  and  lauctiliea- 
 tion  go  together,  1  Cor.  vi.  1  1 .  *  But  ye  are  laiutilnrd,  but  ye 
 are  juftified.'  Mic.  vii.  18.  '  Pardoning  iniquity,'  then 
 jnltitication  ;  ver.  19*  '  He  will  lubdue  our  iniquities,'  there 
 is  (anclilication.  *  Out  of  Clnilt's  (ides  came  blond  and 
 water,'  I  John  v.  7-  Blood,  viz.  juttitication ;  water,  vi/. 
 fanctification.  Such  as  have  not  the  water  out  of  Chrift's  fido 
 to  cleanle  them,  fliall  never  have  the  blood  out  of  his  fides  to 
 lave  them. 
 
 3.  Without  fanciification  we  have  no  title  to  the  new  cove- 
 nant. The  covenant  of  grace  is  our  charter  for  heaven;  the 
 tenure  of  the  covenant  is,  *  that  God  will  be  our  God'  (the 
 crowning  blefling.)  But  who  are  intereiied  in  the  covenant,  and 
 may  plead  the  benefit  of  it?  Only  fanciified  perlbns;  Ezek. 
 xxxvi.  <2o\  '  A  new  heart  will  I  give  you,  and  I  will  put  my 
 Spirit  within  you,  and  I  will  be  your  God.'  If  a  man  makes  a 
 will,  and  (ettles  his  eltate  upon  fuch  perfons  as  he  names  in  the 
 will ;  none  elfe  but  they  can  lay  claim  to  the  will  :  fo  God 
 makes  a  will  and  teltament,  but  it  is  restrained  and  limited  to 
 fuch  as  are  Ianclified  ;  and  if  is  high  preemption  for  any  elfe 
 to  lay  claim  to  the  will. 
 
 4.  There  is  no  going  into  heaven  without  fanclification,  Heb. 
 xii.  14.  ■  Without  holinefs  no  man  (hall  fee  the  Lord.'  God 
 is  an  holy  God,  and  he  will  fuller  no  unholy  creature  to  come 
 near  him  ;  a  king  will  not  fuffer  a  man  with  plague-fores  to  ap- 
 proach into  his  prefence.  Heaven  is  not  like  Noah's  ark, 
 where  the  clean  beads  and  the  unclean  entered  ;  no  unclean 
 bead  comes  into  the  heavenly  ark  :  though  God  fuffer  the  wick- 
 ed to  live  a  while  on  the  earthi  he  will  never  fuffer  heaven  to 
 be  peftered  with  fuch  vermin  :  are  they  fit  to  fee  God,  who  wal- 
 low in  wicked nefs  ?  Will  God  ever  lay  fuch  vipers  in  his  bofom  ? 
 •  Without  holinefs  no  man  fliall  fee  the  Lord.'  It  muft  be  a 
 clear  eye  that  fees  a  bright  objed  ;  only  an  lioly  heart  can  fee  God 
 in  his  glory.  Sinners  may  fee  God  as  an  enemy,  but  not  as  a 
 friend  ;  may  have  an  affrighting  vifion  of  God,  but  not  a  bea- 
 tifical vifion  :  they  may  fee  the  flaming  fword,  but  not  the  mer- 
 cy-feat.    O  then  what  need  is  there  of  fanclihcation  ? 
 
 5.  Without  fanctification,  all  our  holy  things  are  defiled. 
 Tit.  i.  5.  *  Unto  them  that  are  defiled  is  nothing  pure.'  Un- 
 der the  law,  if  a  man  who  was  unclean  by  a  dead  body,  had 
 carried  a  piece  of  holy  flefh  in  his  Ikirt,  the  holy  flelh  had  not 
 cleanfed  him,  but  he'  had  polluted  that,  Hag.  i.  1*2,  13.  An 
 emblem  of  a  finner's  polluting  his  holy  offering.      A  foul  fto- 
 
 I  i2 
 
252  OF  SANCT1FICATI0N. 
 
 mach  turns  the  beft  food  into  ill  humours  ;  an  unfan&ified 
 heart  pollutes  prayers,  alms,  facraments.  This  evinceth  the 
 neceffity  of  fanCtification  :  fanctification  makes  our  holy  things 
 accepted  ;  an  holy  heart  is  the  altar  which  fanftifies  the  offer- 
 ing ;  his  duties  though  they  are  not  to  fatisfaction,  yet  to  ac- 
 ceptation. 
 
 6.  Without  fanctification  we  can  (hew  no  fign  of  our  elec- 
 tion, 2  Theff.  ii.  J3.  Election  is  the  caufe  of  our  falvation, 
 fanctification  is  our  evidence ;  fanctification  is  the  ear  mark  of 
 Chriit's  elect  fheep. 
 
 Q.   What  are  thej?gns  of  fanctification  ? 
 
 A.  I.  Such  as  are  fanctified,  can  remember  a  time  when  they 
 were  un  fanctified,  Tit.  iii.  3.  We  were  in  our  blood,  and  then 
 God  warned  us  with  water,  and  anointed  us  with  oil,  Ezek. 
 xvi.  9.  Thofe  trees  of  righteoufhefs  that  bioffom  and  bear  al- 
 monds, can  remember  when  they  were  like  Aaron's  dry  rod, 
 not  one  bioffom  of  holinefs  growing :  a  fanctified  foul  can  re- 
 member when  he  was  enllranged  from  God  through  ignorance 
 and  vanity,  and  when  free  grace  planted  this  flower  of  holinefs 
 in  him. 
 
 Second  fign  of  fancYification  is  the  indwelling  of  the  Spirit,  2 
 Tim.  i.  14.  ■  The  Holy  Ghoft  which  dwelleth  in  us.*  As 
 the  unclean  Spirit  dwells  in  the  wicked,  and  carries  them  to 
 pride,  luft,  revenge  ;  the  devil  hath  entered  into  thefe  fwine, 
 Acts  v.  3.  Co  the  Spirit  of  God  dwells  in  the  elect,  as  their  guide 
 and  comforter.  The  Spirit  poffeffeth  the  faints.  God's  Spirit 
 fanctifies  the  fancy,  caufing  it  to  mint  holy  thoughts ;  it  fancti- 
 fies the  will,  putting  a  new  bias  upon  it,  whereby  itis  inclined 
 to  good.  He  who  is  fanctified  hath  the  influence  of  the  Spirit, 
 though  not  the  effence. 
 
 The  third  fign  of  fan6lification  is  an  antipathy  againft  fin, 
 Pfal.  cxix.  104.  an  hypocrite  may  leave  fin,  yet  love  it  ;  as  a 
 ferpent  cafls  its  coat  but  keeps  its  (ling  :  but  a  fanctified  perfon 
 can  fay,  he  not  only  leaves  fin,  but  loathes  it.  As  there  are 
 antipathies  in  nature,  between  the  vine  and  laurel,  fo  in  a  fan- 
 ctified foul  there  is  an  holy  antipathy  againft  fin  :  and  antipa- 
 thies can  never  be  reconciled.  Becaufe  he  hath  an  antipathy 
 againft  fin,  he  cannot  but  oppofe  it,  and  feek  the  deftruction 
 of  it. 
 
 Fourth  fign  of  fan  edification  is,  the  fpiritual  performance  of 
 duties,  viz.  with  the  heart,  and  from  a  principle  of  love.  The 
 fanctified  foul  prays  out  of  a  love  to  prayer,  he  *  calls  the  fab- 
 bath  adelight,'  Ifa.  lviii.  13.  A  man  may  have  gifts  to  admi- 
 ration, he  may  fpeak  as  an  angel  dropped  out  of  heaven,  yet 
 may  be  carnal  in  fpiritual  things  ;  his  fervices  do  not  come  from 
 a  renewed  principle,  nor  is  he  carried  upon  the  wings  of  de- 
 light in  duty.     A  fanctified  foul  worfhips  God  in   the  Spirit, 
 
OF  SANCTIFIfATIOy.  253 
 
 1  Pet.  ii.  5.  God  doth  not  judge  of  oiu  duties  by  the  length,  but 
 by  (he  low. 
 
 Fifth  fign,  a  well  ordered  life,  1  IVt.  i.  \:>.  *  Be  ye  holy  in 
 .'ill  manner  of  convolution  :'  Where  tin  heart  ifl  ianctified  the 
 life  will  be  lb  too  ;  the  temple  had  gold  without,  as  u oil  as 
 within.  As  in  apiece  of  coin,  there  is  not  only  the  king's 
 image  within  the  ring,  but  his  fuperlcription  too  without;  lo 
 where  there  is  ianctilication,  there  is  not  only  God's  image  in 
 the  heart,  but  a  fuperlcription  ot  holinels  written  in  the  lite  ; 
 fome  lay  they  hate  good  heaits,  but  their  lives  are  vicious, 
 Prov.  xxx.  llJ.  *  There  is  a  generation  that  are  pure  in  their  own 
 eyes,  yet  is  not  wafted  from  their  iilthinefs.'  If  the  water  be 
 foul  in  the  bucket,  it  cannot  be  clean  in  the  well,  Plal.  xlv.  13. 
 4  The  king's  daughter  is  all  glorious  within  ;'  there  is  holinels 
 of  heart  ;  *  her  clothing  is  of  wrought  gold.'  Holinefs  of  life. 
 Grace  is  molt  beautiful  when  its  light  doth  fo  fhine,  that  others 
 may  fee  it  ;  this  adorns  religion,  and  makes  profelytes  to  the 
 faith. 
 
 Sixth  fign,  ftedfaft  refolution.  He  is  refolved  never  to  part 
 with  his  holinels  ;  let  others  reproach  it,  he  loves  it  the  more  ; 
 let  water  be  t'piinkled  on  the  fire,  it  burns  the  more.  He  faith, 
 as  David,  when  Mich  a!  reproached  him,  for  dancing  before  the 
 ark,  c2  Sam.  vi.  fti.  *  If  this  be  to  be  vile,  I  will  yet  be  more 
 vile.'  Let  others  perfecute  him  for  his  holinefs,  helaith  as  Paul, 
 Acts  xx.  ^4.  *  None  of  thole  things  move  me;'  he  prefers 
 fanctily  before  fafety,  and  had  raiher  keep  his  confcience  pure, 
 than  his  (kin  whole.  He  faith  as  Job,  *  my  integrity  I  will 
 bold  fall,  and  not  let  it  go,'  ch.  xxvii.  (j.  He  will  rather  part 
 with  his  life  than  his  confcience. 
 
 Ufe  1.  See  what  is  the  main  thing  a  Chriftian  fliould  look  af- 
 ter, viz.  ianctilication  ;  this  is  the  unum  nece[jar'nmiy  the  one 
 thing  needful.  Sanctitication  is  our  purelt  complexion,  it 
 makes  us  as  the  heaven,  befpangled  with  i'tars  ;  it  is  our  nobi- 
 lity, by  it  we  are  born  of  God,  and  partake  of  the  divine  na- 
 ture :  it  is  our  riches,  therefore  compared  to  rows  of  jewels, 
 and  chains  of  gold,  Cant.  i.  10.  It  isour  belt  certificate  for  hea- 
 ven :  what  evidence  have  we  elle  to  fliew  ?  Have  we  know- 
 ledge? fo  hath  the  devil  :  do  we  profefs  religion  ?  Satan  often 
 appears  in  Samuel's  mantle,  and  transforms  himfelf  into  an  an- 
 gel or  n-'it  :  but  here  is  our  certificate  to  (hew  for  heaven, 
 l'aiictilicdLion.  Sa u&ification  is  the  lirlt  fruits  of  the  Spirit ; 
 the  only  co.n  will  pal's  current  in  the  other  world.  Sanctitica- 
 tion i>  he  evidence  of  God's  love  ;  we  cannot  guefs  of  God's 
 love  by  giving  us  health,  riches,  fuccefs,  but  by  drawing  his 
 image  u.  fanctificatioo  on  us  by  the  pencil  of  the  Holy  Gholt. 
 
 Branch  2.  It  mews  ihe  mil'ery  of  Inch  as  are  dtftitule  of  a 
 principle  of  ianctification  ;  they  are  fpiiitually  dead,  Eph.  ii.  i. 
 
264  OF  SANCriFICATIOCT. 
 
 •  though  they  breathe,  yet  they  do  not  live/  The  greateft 
 part  of  the  world  remain  unfanctified,  1  John  v.  IP.  The 
 world  lies  in  wiekednefs,  that  is  the  major  part  of  the  world. 
 Many  call  themfelves  Chriitians,  yet  blot  out  the  word  faints: 
 you  may  as  well  call  him  a  man  who  wants  reafon,  as  him  a 
 Chriiiian-  who  wants  grace  ;  nay,  which  is  worte,  fbme  are 
 buoyed  up  to  fuch  a  height  of  wicked nel's,  that  they  hate  and 
 deride  fa  n6ti  fixation  :  They  hate  it ;  it  is  bad  to  want  it,  it  is 
 worfe  to  hate  it :  they  embrace  the  form  of  religion,  but  hate 
 the  power.  I.  The  vulture  hates  fweet  fmells,  fo  do  they  the 
 perfumes  of  holinefs.  2.  Deride  it  ;  thefe  are  your  holy  ones. 
 To  deride  fancYification,  argues  an  high  degree  of  atheifm,  and 
 is  a  black  brand  of  reprobation  :  fcofting  lihmael  was  caft  out 
 of  Abraham's  family,  Gen.  xxi.  9.  fuch  as  icoifat  holinefs  fhall 
 be  caft  out  of  heaven. 
 
 Ufe  c2.  Of  Exhortation.  Above  all  things  purfue  after  fanc- 
 tification  ;  feek  grace  more  than  gold,  Prov.  iv.  13.  '  Keep 
 her,  for  (he  is  thy  life.' 
 
 Q.  What  are  the  chief  inducements  tofanftification? 
 
 A.  \fit  It  is  the  will  of  God  that  we  mould  be  holy :  in  the 
 text,  '  This  is  the  will  of  God,  your  fa  n&i  fixation.'  As  God's 
 word  muft  be  the  rule,  ib  his  will,  the  reafon  of  our  actions  : 
 ■  this  is  the  will  of  God,  our  fanctification.'  Perhaps  it  is  not 
 the  will  of  God  we  fhould  be  rich,  but  it  is  his  will  that  we 
 ihould  be  holy.     God's  will  is  our  warrant. 
 
 L2dlyt  Jefus  Chrift  hath  died  for  our  fanctification.  Chrift: 
 fhed  his  blood  to  wafh  off  our  impurity.  The  crofs  was  both 
 an  altar  and  a  laver,  Tit.  ii.  14.  •  Who  gave  himfelf  for  us,  to 
 redeem  us  from  all  iniquity.'  If  we  could  be  faved  without  ho- 
 linefs, Chrift  needed  not  have  died.  Chrift  died,  not  only  to 
 fave  us  from  wrath,  but  from  fin. 
 
 3dty9  SancYification  makes  usrefemble  God.  It  was  Adam's 
 fin  that  he  afpired  to  be  like  God  in  omnifciehcy,  but  we  muft 
 endeavour  to  be  like  him  in  fan6tity.  It  is  only  a  clear  glafs  in 
 which  we  can  fee  a  face  ;  it  is  only  an  holy  heart  in  which  fome- 
 thing  of  God  can  be  feen  ;  there's  nothing  of  God  to  be  feen  in 
 an  unfan&ified  man  :  you  may  iee  Satan's  picture  in  him  : 
 envy  is  the  devil's  eye,  hypocrify  his  cloven  foot;  but  nothing 
 of  God's  image  can  be  feen  in  him.  You  can  fee  no  more  of 
 God  in  him,  than  you  can  fee  a  man's  face  in  a  glafs  that  is 
 dufty  and  foul. 
 
 Athly,  SancYification  is  that  which  God  bears  a  great  love  to. 
 Not  any  outward  ornaments,  high  blood,  or  worldly  grandeur, 
 draws  God's  love,  but  an  heart  embellifhed  with  holinefs. 
 Chrift  never  admired  any  thing,  but  the  beauty  of  holinefs; 
 he  flighted  the  glorious  buildings  of  the  temple,  but  admired 
 the  woman's  faith,  ■  O  woman  great  is  thy  faith  ;'  amorfunda- 
 
OF  SANCTIFICATIOlf. 
 
 tnr  flmil'ititdine.  A  kin^  delights  i<»  fee  hit  img*  upon  a  piece 
 of  coin  :  where  G  >d  feet  hie  lilteueii,  th<re  he  4iv»'>,  his  love. 
 The  Lord  bath  two  heavens  he  dwells  in,  and  the  holy  heart  is 
 one  of  them, 
 
 Sikiyt  SanotiuYatfon  is  the  only  tiling  doth  difference  on  from 
 the  wicked  :  God's  people  hive  hie  leal  upon  them,  C  Tun.  li. 
 lM.  *  The  foundation  of  God  ft  andeth  Hire,  h  iriog  this  1r.il,  the 
 the  Lord  knoweth  them  that  Ofe  hit J  and  let  every  one  that 
 n.un.ih  the  name  of  Chriit  depart  from  iniquity.'  The  godly 
 fealed  with  a  double  leal:  I.  A  feal  of  election,  'The 
 Lord  knoweth  who  are  his  :'  2.  A  feal  of  fa  ncYificat  ion,  ■  Let 
 every  one  that  nanieth  the  name  of  Chriit  depart  from  iniquity.' 
 This  is  the  name  by  which  God's  people  are  known,  Ha.  lxiii. 
 18.  *  The  people  of  thy  holinefs.'  As  chaflity  dillin^uifheth  a 
 virtuous  woman  from  a  harlot,  fo  fanctification  diftinguimeth 
 God's  people  from  others,  1  Johu  ii.  £7.  Ye  have  received  an 
 unction  from  the  holy  One. 
 
 Gthfy,  ItisasgreatafhametohavethenameofaChriftian,  yet 
 want  fan&ity,  as  to  have  the  name  of  a  Reward,  and  yet  want 
 fidelity  ;  the  name  of  a  virgin,  yet  want  chaltity.  It  expofeth 
 religion  to  reproach,  to  be  baptized  into  the  name  of  Chriit,  yet 
 unholy  ;  to  have  eyes  full  of  tears  on  a  fabbath,  and  on  a  week 
 day  eyes  full  of  adultery,  2  Pet.  ii.  14.  To  hefo  devout  at  the 
 Lord's  table,  as  if  men  were  ftepping  into  heaven  ;  and  fo  pro- 
 fane the  week  after,  as  if  they  came  out  of  hell.  To  have  the 
 name  of  Chriftians,  yet  unholy,  is  a  fcandal  to  religion,  and 
 makes  the  ways  of  God  evil  fpoken  of. 
 
 7thly,  San&ification  fits  for  heaven,  9  Pet.  i.  S.  '  Who  hath 
 called  us  to  glory  and  virtue;'  glory  is  the  throne,  and  fanctifi- 
 cation is  the  Hep  by  which  we  afcend  to  it.  Firft,  you  cleanfe 
 the  veffel,  and  then  you  pour  in  the  wine  ;  firft,  God  cleanleth 
 us  by  fancYification,  and  then  pours  in  the  wine  of  glory.  Solo- 
 mon was  firft  anointed  with  oil,  and  then  he  was  a  king,  I  Kings 
 i.  3i).  Firft,  God  anoints  us  with  the  holy  oil  of  his  Spirit,  and 
 then  he  lets  the  crown  of  happinefs  upon  our  head.  Pureneft 
 of  heart  and  feeing  God  are  linked  together,  Mat.  v.  8. 
 
 Q .   Ho w  m a y  fa ji elifica tion  be  attained  to  ? 
 
 A,  1.  Be  converiant  in  the  word  of  God,  John  xvii.  17. 
 '  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth.'  The  word  is  both  ajglafs  to 
 mew  us  the  fpots  of  our  foul,  and  a  laver  to  wafh  them  away  ; 
 the  word  hath  a  transforming  virtue  in  it,  it  irradiates  the  miud, 
 and  confecrates  the  heart. 
 
 2.  Get  faith  in  Chrift's  blood,  Acts  xv.  C).  *  Having  purified 
 their  hearts  by  faith.'  She  in  the  gofpel  that  touched  the  hem 
 of  Chrift's  garment  was  healed;  a  touch  of  faith  purifies.  No- 
 thing can  have  a  greater  force  upon  the  heart,  to  fanclify  it, 
 than  faith  ;  if  I  believe  Chriit  and  his  merits  are  mine,  how  caa 
 
256  OF  SANCTIFICATION. 
 
 I  fin  againft  him  ?  Juftifying  faith  doth  that  in  a  fpiritual  fenfe, 
 which  miraculous  faith  doth,  it  removes  mountains,  the  moun- 
 tains of  pride,  lull,  envy.  Faith,  and  the  love  of  fin  are  incon- 
 fiftent. 
 
 3.  Breath  after  the  Spirit ;  it  is  called  *  the  fancYification  of  the 
 Spirit,*  2  Then",  ii.  13.  The  Spirit  fanetifies  the  heart,  as  light- 
 ning purifies  the  air,  as  fire  refines  metals.  Umne  agens  generat 
 Jibi jimile:  The  Spirit  (tamps  the  impreffion  of  its  own.lanctity 
 
 upon  the  heart,  as  the  leal  prints  its  effigies  and  likenefs  upon 
 the  wax.  The  Spirit  of  God  in  a  man  perfumes  him  with  holi- 
 nefs,  and  makes  his  heart  a  map  of  heaven. 
 
 4.  AH'ociate  with  fanctified  perfons.  They  may,  by  their 
 counfel,  prayers,  holy  example,  be  a  means  to  make  you  holy  : 
 as  the  communion  of  faints  is  in  our  creed,  fo  it  mould  be  in  our 
 company,  Prov.  xiii.  20.  ■  He  that  walketh  with  the  wife,  (hall 
 be  wife.'     Affociation  begets  affimulation. 
 
 5.  Pray  for  fanctification.  Job  propounds  a  queflion,  '  Who 
 can  bring  a  clean  thing  out  of  an  unclean?'  Job  xv.  14.  God" 
 can  do  it.  Out  of  an  unholy  heart  he  can  produce  grace.  O ! 
 make  David's  prayer,  Pfal.  Ii.  10.  ■  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart, 
 O  God.'  Lay  thy  heart  before  the  Lord,  and  fay,  Lord,  my 
 unfan6lified  heart  pollutes  all  it  toucheth.  I  am  not  fit  to  live 
 with  fuch  an  heart,  for  I  cannot  honour  thee  :  nor  die  with  fuch 
 an  heart,  for  I  cannot  fee  thee.  O  create  in  me  a  clean  heart ; 
 Lord,  confecrate  my  heart,  and  make  it  thy  temple,  and  thy 
 praifes  (hall  be  fung  there  for  ever. 
 
 Ufe  3.  Of  thankfulnefs.  Hath  God  brought  a  clean  thing 
 out  of  an  unclean  :  hath  he  fanclified  you  ?  wear  this  jewel  of 
 ianclification  with  thankfulnefs,  Col.  i.  12.  •  Giving  thanks  to 
 the  Father,  who  hath  made  us  meet  for  the  inheritance,'  &c. 
 Chriftian,  thou  couldeft  defile  thy  (elf,  but  not  fanctify  thyfelf  : 
 but  God  hath  done  it,  he  hath  not  only  chained  up  fin,  but 
 changed  thy  nature,  and  made  thee  as  a  king's  daughter  all  glo- 
 rious within.  He  hath  put  upon  thee  the  breaft- plate  of  holi- 
 nefs,  which,  though  it  may  be  (hot  at,  can  never  be  (hot 
 thorough.  Are  there  any  here  that  are  lan&ified  ?  God  hath 
 done  more  for  you  than  millions  :  they  may  be  illuminated,  but 
 not  fan6tified.  He  hath  done  more  for  you,  than  if  he  had  made 
 you  the  fons  of  princes,  and  caufed  you  to  ride  upon  the  high 
 places  of  the  earth.  Are  you  lanclitied  ?  heaven  is  begun  in 
 you  ;  happinefs  is  nothing  but  the  quinteilence  of  holinels.  O 
 how  thankful  fhould  you  be  to  God  !  Do  as  that  blind  man  in 
 the  gofpel,  after-he  had  received  his  fight,  *  lie  followed  Chrift , 
 glorifying  God,'  Luke  xviii.  43.  Make  heaven  ring  of  God's 
 praifes. 
 
OF  ASSURANCE.  £37 
 
 OF  ASSURANCE. 
 
 Q.  XXXVI.  WHA  T  are  the  benefits  which  fioic  from  fane 
 t iflcatiun  / 
 
 A.  Aflurance  of  God's  love,  peace  of  confcience,  joy  in 
 the  Holy  Ghoft,  increaie  of  grace,  and  perfeverance  therein  to 
 the  end. 
 
 The  firft  benefit  flowing  from  fan&ification,  is  aflurance  of 
 God's  love. 
 
 2  Pet.  i.  10.  *  Give  diligence  to  make  your  calling  and  elec- 
 tion lure.'  Sanctification  is  the  feed,  alfu  ranee  is  the  flower 
 which  grows  out  of  it :  aflurance  isaconlequent  of  fan&ification, 
 the  faints  of  old  had  it,  I  John  ii.  3.  '  We  know  that  we  know 
 him,'  2  Tim.  i.  12.  *  1  know  whom  I  have  believed.'  Here 
 was  f e7if us  fdei,  the  reflex  a&  of  faith  :  and,  Gal.  ii.  20.  ■  Chrift 
 hath  loved  me.'  Here  was  faith  flourifhing  into  aflurance. 
 Aecolamhadias,  when  he  was  lick,  pointed  to  his  heart,  Hie 
 /at  lucis,  Here  I  have  light  enough,  meaning  comfort  and  af- 
 lurance. 
 
 Q.   1 .  Have  all  fan6tified  perfons  ajfurance  ? 
 
 A,  They  have  a  right  to  it,  and  1  do  incline  to  believe  that 
 all  have  it  in  fome  degree  before  their  lad  expiring ;  though 
 their  comfort  may  be  fo  (Irong,  and  their  vital  fpirits  fo  weak, 
 that  they  cannot  exprefs  what  they  feel.  But  I  dare  not 
 pofitively  aftirm  that  all  have  aflurance  in  the  firft  moment  of 
 their  fancYification  :  a  letter  may  be  written,  which  is  not  fealed; 
 fo  grace  may  be  written  in  the  heart,  yet  the  Spirit  may  not  fet 
 the  feal  of  aflurance  to  it.  God  is  a  free  agent,  and  may  give 
 or  fufpend  aflurance  pro  Ucito  as  he  pleafes.  Where  there  is 
 the  fan&ifyiug  work  of  the  Spirit,  he  may  withhold  the  fealing 
 work,  partly  to  keep  the  foul  humble  ;  partly  to  punifti  ourcare- 
 lefs  walking:  we  negle6t  our  fpiritual  watch,  grow  remifs  in 
 duty,  and  then  walk  under  a  cloud  ;  we  quench  the  graces  of 
 the  Spirit,  and  God  withholds  the  comforts :  and  partly  to  put 
 a  difference  between  earth  and  heaven.  This  I  the  rather  fpeak, 
 to  bear  up  the  hearts  of  God's  people,  who  are  dejecled  becaufe 
 they  have  no  aflurance  :  you  may  have  the  water  of  the  Spirit 
 poured  on  you  in  fancYification,  though  not  the  oil  of  gladuels 
 in  aflurance  ;  there  may  be  faith  of  adherence,  and  not  of  evi- 
 dence ;  there  may  be  life  in  the  root,  when  there  is  no  fruit  in 
 the  branches  to  be  feen  ;  fo  faith  in  the  heart,  when  no  fruit  of 
 aflurance. 
 
 Q    $     What  is  affurance  ? 
 
 Anf.  It  is  not  vocal,  any  audible  voice,  or  brought  to  us  by 
 
 Vol.  1.  No.  0.  K  k 
 
258  OF  ASSURANCE. 
 
 the  help  of  an  angel  or  revelation.  Afiurance  confiflsofa 
 practical  fyllogifm,  where  the  word  of  God  makes  the  major, 
 confcience  the  minor,  the  Spirit  of  Cod  the  concluflon.  The 
 word  faith,  ■  He  that  fears  and  loves  God,  is  loved  of  Cod  ;' 
 there  is  the  major  propofition  :  then  confcience  makes  the  mi- 
 nor, •  But  I  fear  and  love  God  ;'  then  the  Spirit  makes  the  con- 
 clusion, *  Therefore  thou  art  loved  of  God.'  And  this  is  that 
 which  the  apollle  calls,  '  The  witnefiing  of  the  Spirit  with  our 
 fpirits,  that  we  are  his  children,'  Rom.  viii.  16. 
 
 Q.  3.  Whether  hath  a  fanclifiedfou!  fuch  an  affurance  as  ex- 
 cludes all  doubtings? 
 
 Anf.  He  hath  that  which  bears  up  his  heart  from  finking,  he 
 hath  fuch  an  earned  of  the  Spirit,  that  he  would  not  part  with 
 it  for  the  richeit  prize ;  but  his  afiurance,  though  it  be  infalli- 
 ble, it  is  not  perfecl.  There  will  be  lbmetimes  a  trepidation 
 or  trembling  ;  he  is  fafe,  yet  not  without  fears  and  doubts;  as 
 a  (hip  lies  fafe  at  anchor,  yet  may  be  a  little  (haken  by  the  wind. 
 If  a  Chriftian  had  no  doubtings,  there  would  be  no  unbelief  in 
 him  ;  had  he  Ho  doubtings,  there  would  be  no  difference  be- 
 tween grace  militant  and  grace  triumphant.  Had  not  David 
 his  ebbings  fometimes  as  well  as  flowings  ?  Like  the  mariner, 
 who  fometimes  cries  out,  ftellam  video ,  I  fee  a  ftar  ;  fometimes 
 the  flar  is  out  of  fight.  Sometimes  we  hear  David  fay,  ■  Thy 
 loving-kindnefs  is  before  mine  eyes,'  Pfal.  xxvi.  3*  But  at 
 another  time  he  Was  at  a  lofs,  Pfal.  Ixxxix.  49.  '  Lord,  where 
 are  thy  former  loVing-kindneifes?'  And  there  may  fall  out  an 
 eclipfe  in  a  Chriftian's  afiurance,  to  put  him  upon  longing  after 
 heaven  ;  then  there  fhall  not  be  the  lead  doubting  ;  then  the 
 banner  of  God's  love  fhall  be  always  difplayed  upon  the  foul ; 
 then  the  light  of  God's  face  fhall  be  Without  clouds,  and  have  no 
 fun-fetting;  then  the  faints  dial  I  have  an  uninterrupted  afiur- 
 ance, and  be  ever  with  the  Lord. 
 
 Q.  4.  What  are  the  differences  between  true  affurance  and 
 prefumption  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  They  differ  in  the  method  or  manner  of  working  : 
 divine  afiurance  flows  from  humiliation  for  fin  (I  fpeak  not  of 
 the  meafure  of  humiliation,  but  the  truth.)  There  are  in  Pa- 
 lermo, reeds  growing,  in  which  there  is  a  fugared  juice  :  a  foul 
 humbled  for  fin  is  the  bruifed  reed,  in  which  grows  this  fweet 
 affurance.  God's  Spirit  is  a  fpitit  of  bondage,  before  it  be  a 
 fpirit  of  adoption  ;  but  prefumptionarifeth  without  any  humbling 
 work  of  the  Spirit :  4  How  cameft  thou  by  thy  venifon  fo  foon  ?' 
 The  plow  goes  before  the  feed  be  fovvn  ;  the  heart  mult  be 
 plowed  up  by  humiliation  and  repentance,  before  God  fow  the 
 feed  of  affurance. 
 
 2.  He  who  hath  a  real  afiurance,  will  take  heed  of  that  which 
 Will  weaken  and  darken  his  afiurance ;    he  is  fearful  of  the  for- 
 
OF  ASSURANCE.  9&9 
 
 bidden  fruit  :  he  knows,  though  he  cannot  fin  away  his  foul, 
 yet  be,  ma\  lin  away  his  alfurance  :  l>ut  he  who  hath  the  tgftif 
 j'atuus  of  prelum ption,  doth  not  fear  defiling  his  garments,  h 
 bold  in  fin,  jer.  lii.  4,  5.  '  Wilt  thou  not  cry  unto  me,  my  Fa- 
 ther, Behold,  Thou  halt  done  evil  things  as  thou  couldft.'  Ba- 
 laam laid,  My  God,  yet  a  ibrcerer.  A  fign  he  hath  no  money 
 about  him,  who  fears  not  to  travel  all  hours  in  the  night;  a 
 fign  he  hath  nut  the  jewel  of  alfurance,  who  fears  not  the  works 
 of  darkuefs. 
 
 3.  True  alfurance  is  built  upon  a  fcripture-bafis  ;  the  word 
 faith,  *  TJie  elfecr  of  rightequfoefs  (hall  be  quietnefs  and  affur- 
 ance  for  ever.'  Iia.  xwii.  17-  A  Chriilian  s  alfurance  is  built 
 upon  this  feripture  ;  God  hath  lbwn  the  feed  of  righteoufnels 
 in  his  foul,  and  this  feed  hath  brought  forth  the  harvell  of  al- 
 furance :  but  prelum  ption  is  a  fpurious  thing,  it  hath  no  fcrip- 
 ture to  (hew  for  its  warrant  :  it  is  like  a  will  without  leal  and 
 witneiles,  which  is  null  and  void  in  law  j  prcfumption  wants 
 both  the  witnefs  of  the  word,  and  the  leal  of  the  Spirit. 
 
 4.  Aiiurmee  flowing  from  fanctification  always  keeps  the 
 heart  in  a  lowly  pofture  :  Lord,  faith  the  foul,  what  am  1,  that, 
 palling  by  lb  many,  the  golden  beams  of  thy  love  fliould  fhine 
 upon  me  ?  St.  Paul  had  alfurance  :  is  lie  proud  of  this  jewel  ? 
 No,  Lph.  iii.  8.  *  To  me  who  am  lets  than  the  leatt  of  all 
 taints.'  The  more  love  a  Chriftian  receives  from  God,  the  more 
 he  fees  himlclf  a  debtor  to  free  grace,  and  the  fenfe  of  his  debt 
 keeps  his  heart  humble  ;  but  prefumption  is  bred  of  pride.  He 
 who  pre  fumes,  difdains  ;  he  thinks  himfelf  better  than  others, 
 Luke  xviii.  11.  '  God,  I  thank  thee  I  am  not  as  other  men  are, 
 nor  as  this  Publican.'  Feathers  fly  up,  hut  God  defcends  ;  he 
 who  hath  this  golden  alfurance,  his  heart  dtlcends  in  humility. 
 
 Q.  5.    What  is  it  may  excite  us  to  look  after  affurancc  f 
 
 An/.  To  confider  how  fweet  it  is,  and  the  noble  and  excel- 
 lent eiiV'cts  it  produceth  : 
 
 1.  How  fweet  it  is.  This  is  the  manna  in  the  golden  pot , 
 the  white  (tone,  the  wine  of  paradife  which  cheers  the  heart. 
 How  comfortable  is  God's  fmile  !  the  fun  is  more  refreshing 
 when  it  thines  out,  than  when  it  is  hid  in  a  cloud  ;  it  is  a  proh- 
 ibition and  a  foretafte  of  glory,  it  puts  a  man  in  heaven  before 
 his  time  :  none  can  know  how  delicious  and  ravifhing  it  is,  but 
 fuch  as  have  felt  it :  as  none  can  know  how  fweet  honey  is,  but: 
 they  who  have  tailed  it. 
 
 CJ.  The  noble  and  excellent  effects  it  produceth  :  1.  Aflur- 
 ance will  make  us  love  God,  and  praile  him  :  (1.)  Love  hhm 
 Love  is  the  foul  of  religion,  the  fat  of  the  facritke  :  and  wiio 
 can  love  God  to,  as  he  who  hath  alfurance?  The  fun  relied  in/ 
 its  beams  on  a  burning-glafs,  makes  the  glafs  burn  that  which  is 
 near  to  it:    fo  alfurance  (which  is  the  reflexion  of  God's  iuve 
 
260  OF  ASSURANCE. 
 
 upon  the  foul)  makes  it  burn  in  love  to  God.  St.  Paul  was  af- 
 fured  of  ChrifVs  love  to  him,  Gal.  ii.  20.  ■  Who  hath  loved 
 me  :'  and  how  was  his  heart  fired  with  love  ?  he  valued  and  ad- 
 mired nothing  butChrift,  Phil.  iii.  8.  As  Chrid  was  fattened  to 
 the  crofs,  fo  he  was  fattened  to  Paul's  heart.  (2.)  Praife  him. 
 Praifeis  the  quit-rent  we  pay  to  the  crown  of  heaven  :  who  but 
 he  who  hath  affurance  of  his  j unification,  can  blefs  God,  and 
 give  him  the  glory  of  what  he  hath  done  for  him  ?  can  a  man 
 in  a  fwoon  or  apoplexy,  praife  God  that  he  is  alive  ?  can  a  Chrif- 
 tian,  daggering  with  fears  about  his  f pi  ritual  condition,  praife 
 God  that  he  is  ele&ed  and  juftified  ?  No,  ■  The  living,  the  liv- 
 ing, he  (hall  praife  thee/  I(a.  xxxviii.  \Q.  Such  as  are  enliv- 
 ened with  affurance,  they  are  the  fitted  perfons  to  found  forth 
 GodTs  praife. 
 
 Effect  2.  Affurance  would  drop  fweetnefs  into  all  our  crea- 
 ture enjoyments  :  it  would  be  as  fugar  to  wine,  an  earned  of 
 more  :  it  gives  a  blefling  with  the  venifon  :  as  guilt  imbitters 
 our  comforts,  it  is  like  drinking  out  of  a  worm-wood  cup  :  fo 
 affurance  would  ind ulcerate  and  fweeten  all  health,  and  the  at- 
 furance  of  God's  love  are  fweet  riches,  and  with  the  affurance 
 of  a  kingdom  are  delectable  :  nay,  a  dinner  of  green  herbs,  with 
 the  affurance  of  God's  love,  is  princely  fare. 
 
 Effect  3.  Affurance  would  make  us  active  and  lively  in  God's 
 fervice  :  it  would  excite  prayer,  quicken  obedience.  As  dili- 
 gence begets  affurance,  fo  affurance  begets  diligence.  Affurance 
 will  not  (as  Papids  fay)  breed  fecurity  in  the  foul,  but  induitry  : 
 doubting  does  difcourage  us  in  God's  fervice,  but  the  affurance 
 .of  his  favour  breeds  joy,  ■  And  the  joy  of  the  Lord  is  our 
 ftrength,'  Neh.  viii.  10.  Affurance  makes  us  mount  up  to 
 heaven,  as  eagles,  in  holy  duties  :  it  is  like  the  Spirit  in  Eze- 
 kiel's  wheels,  that  moved  them,  and  lifted  them  up.  Faith 
 would  make  us  walk,  but  affurance  would  make  us  run  :  we 
 fhould  never  think  we  could  do  enough  for  God.  Affurance 
 would  be  as  wings  to  the  bird,  as  weights  to  the  clock,  to  fet 
 all  the  wheels  of  obedience  a-running. 
 
 Effect  4.  Affurance  would  be  a  golden  fhield  to  beat  back 
 temptation  :  affurance  triumphs  over  temptation.  There  are 
 two  forts  of  temptations  Satan  ufeth  :  1.  He  tempts  to  draw 
 us  to  fin  :  now  the  being  affured  of  our  judication  would  make 
 this  temptation  vanifh.  What,  Satan,  fhall  I  fin  againft  him 
 who  hath  loved  me,  and  wafhed  me  in  his  blood  ?  Shall  I  re- 
 turn to  folly  after  God  hath  fpoken  peace  ?  Shall  I  weaken  my 
 affurance,  wound  my  confcience,  grieve  my  comforter?  Avoid 
 Satan,  tempt  no  more.  2.  Satan  would  make  us  quedion  our 
 intered  in  God  ;  he  tells  us  we  are  hypocrites,  and  God  doth 
 not  love  us.  Now  there  is  no  fuch  fhield  againd  this  tempta- 
 tion as  affurance  ;  what,  Satan,  have  I  real  work  of  grace  in  my 
 
of  AssuRAxrr.  C61 
 
 heart,  and  tlic  f^al  of  the  Spirit  to  trttnefs  it,  and  doft  llmu  tell 
 me  God  doth  not  love  me?  Now  I  know  thou  ait  an  im  potior, 
 who  goefl  about  to  d  if  prove  what  I   feofil  11  faith  ie- 
 
 lills  1  ho  devil,  a  durance  would  put  him  to  ttftght. 
 
 Effect  .").    A  durance  would    make    u*  contented,    though  we 
 have  hut  a  little  in  the  world  :    lie  who  hath  em  tit; 
 
 he  who  hath  Pun- light,  is  content,  though  he  want  torch-light. 
 A  man  that  hath  allurance,  hath  enough  :  m  tmmjkhat 
 Hesjioreut \  genmm  ad  J'alntcm  :  He  hath  the  riches  «>:  ChrihVa 
 merit,  a  pledge  of  Ins  love,  an  eaniclt  of  his  glory,  he  is  tilled 
 with  the  fulnefs  of  God  ;  here  is  enough  and  having  enough  he 
 is  content,  Pf.  xvi.  .i.  *  The  Lord  is  the  portion  of  my  inheri- 
 tance ;  the  lines  are  fallen  to  me  in  pleaiant  places,  and  1  havea 
 goodly  heritage.'  Allurance  will  rock  the  heart  quiet ;  the  realbu 
 of  di  Icon  tent,  is  either  becaufe  men  have  no  Hi  tef eft  in  God,  or  do 
 not  know  their  intereft.  St.  Paul  faith,  '  I  know  whom  I  have  be- 
 lieved,' gTtat.  i.  1.  There  was  the  allurance  of  his  inter*  ft.  And, 
 S2  Cor.  vi.  10.  *  As  forrowful,  yet  always  rejoicing,'  &c.  There 
 was  his  contentment.  Get  but  allurance,  and  you  will  be  out 
 of  the  weekly  bill  of  murmurers,  you  will  be  difcontented  no 
 more.  We  cannot  come  araifa  to  him  that  hath  allurance  : 
 God  is  his ;  hath  he  left  a  friend  ?  his  father  lives  ;  hath  he  loft 
 his  only  child?  God  hath  given  him  his  only  Son;  hath  he 
 icarcity  of  bread  ?  God  hath  given  him  the  fine  ft  of  the  wheat, 
 the  bread  of  life;  are  his  comforts  gone?  He  hath  the  comfor- 
 ter; doth  he  meet  with  llorms  on  the  lea?  He  knows  where  to 
 put  in  for  harbour;  God  is  his  portion,  and  heaven  is  his  haven. 
 Thus  allurance  gives  fvveet  contentment  in  every  condition. 
 
 Effect  6.  Allurance  would  bear  up  the  heart  in  futl'erings,  it. 
 would  make  a  Chriltian  endure  troubles  with  patience  and 
 cheerfulnels.  With  patience,  Heb.  x.  36.  Ye  *  have  need  of 
 patience.'  There  are  fome  meats  (we  fay)  are  hard  of  digeltton, 
 and  only  a  good  Itomach  will  conco6t  them  :  affliction  is  a  meat 
 hard  of  digeition,  but  patience  (like  a  good  ftomach)  will  be  able 
 to  digeft  it;  and  whence  comes  patience  but  from  allurance? 
 Rom.  v.  j.  '  Tribulation  worketh  patience,  becaufe  the  love 
 ofGodisfhed  abroad  in  our  hearts,'  with  cheerfulnels.  Al- 
 lurance is  like  the  mariner's  lantern  on  the  deck,  which  gives 
 light  in  a  dark  night.  Affurance  gives  the  light  of  CO  in  f pet  in 
 affliction,  Heb.  x.  34.  ■  Ye  took  joyfully  the  fpoiling  of  your 
 goods,  knowing  in  yourfelv.  >,'  ,vr.  then:  was  allurance.  He 
 that  hath  allurance,  can  rejoice  in  tribulation  ;  he  can  gather 
 grapes  of  thorns,  and  honey  out  of  the  lion's  carcale.  Latimer, 
 •*  When  I  fit  alone,  and  can  have  a  fettled  allurance  of  the  ltate 
 of  my  foul,  and  know  that  God  is  mine,  I  can  laugh  at  all 
 troubles,  and  nothing  can  daunt  me." 
 
 Eject  7.  Allurance  would  pacify  a  troubled  conlcience  i  he 
 
269  OF  ASSURANCE. 
 
 who  hath  a  difturbed  vexatious  confcience,  carries  an  hell  about 
 him,  Eheu  quis  intus  J'corpio  /  but  aiiu ranee  cures  the  agony, 
 and  allays  the  fury  of  confidence:  confcience,  that  before  was 
 turned  into  a  ferpent,  now  is  like  a  bee  that  hath  honey  in  its 
 mouth,  it  fpeaks  peace;  tranquillus  dens  Iranquillat  omnia, 
 Tertul.  When  God  is  pacified  towards  us,  then  confidence  is 
 pacified.  If  the  heavens  are  quiet,  and  there  are  no  winds  ftir- 
 ring  thence,  the  fea  is  quiet  and  calm  ;  fo,  if  there  be  no  anger 
 in  God's  heart,  if  the  tempeft  of  his  wrath  do  not  blow,  con- 
 fcience is  quiet  and  ferene. 
 
 EffeSt  8.  Affurance  would  ftrengthen  us  againft  the  fears  of 
 death  ;  inch  as  want  it,  cannot  die  with  comfort;  they  are  in 
 (Equilibria,  they  hang  in  a  doubtful  fufpenfe,  what  fhould  be- 
 come of  them  after  death  :  but  he  who  hath  affurance,  hath  an 
 happy  and  joyful  paffage  out  of  the  world  ;  he  knows  he  is 
 palled  from  death  to  life,  he  is  carried  full  fail  to  heaven  : 
 Though  he  cannot  refift  death,  yet  he  overcomes  it. 
 
 Q.  6.    What  flail  they  do  that  want  affurance  ? 
 
 Anf  1.  Such  as  want  affurance,  let  them  labour  to  find 
 grace.  When  the  fun  denies  light  to  the  earth,  it  may  give 
 forth  its  influence  :  when  God  denies  the  light  of  his  coun- 
 tenance, he  may  give  the  influence  of  his  grace. 
 
 Q.  How  fliall  we  know  ice  have  a  real  work  of  grace,  andfo 
 have  a  right  to  affurance  ? 
 
 Anf.  If  we  can  refolve  two  queries,  1.  Have  we  high  a r> 
 pretiations  of  Jefus  Chrift?  1  Pet.  ii.  7.  '  To  you  that  believe 
 he  is  precious.'  Chrift  is  all  made  up  of  beauties  and  delights ; 
 our  praifes  fall  fhort  of  his  worth,  and  is  like  fpreading  canvafs 
 upon  cloth  of  gold.  How  precious  is  his  blood  and  incenfe  ? 
 The  one  pacifies  our  confcience,  the  other  perfumes  our  prayers. 
 Can  we  fay  we  have  endearing  thoughts  of  Chrift?  Do  we 
 efteem  him  our  pearl  of  price,  our  bright  morning-ftar  ?  Do  we 
 count  all  our  earthly  enjoyments  but  as  dung  in  companion  of 
 Chrift?  Phil.  iii.  8.  Do  we  prefer  the  worft  things  of  Chrift, 
 before  the  beft  things  of  the  world  ;  the  reproaches  of  Chrift 
 before  the  world's  embraces?  Heb.  xi.  2(3.  Quer.  2.  Have 
 we  the  indwelling  of  the  Spirit?  2  Tim.  i.  14.  'The  Holy 
 Ghofl  which  dwelleth  in  us.' 
 
 Q.  How  may  we  know  that  we  have  the  indwelling  prefence  of 
 the  Spirit? 
 
 Anf.  Not  by  having  fometimes  good  motions  ftirred  up  in  us 
 by  the  Spirit;  it  may  work  in  us  yet  not  dwell  :  but  by  the 
 fanctifying  power  of  the  Spirit  in  our  heart :  the  Spirit  infufeth 
 divinem  indolem,  a  divine  nature  ;  it  ftamps  its  own  imprefs  and 
 -effigies  on  the  foul,  making  the  complexion  of  it  holy.  The 
 Spirit  ennobles  and  raifeth  the  heart  above  the  world.  When 
 Nebuchadnezzar  had  his  underftauding  given  him,  he  grazed  no 
 
of  khM  26*3 
 
 longer  anion?  thcheaOs,  but  returned  to  his  throne,  and  minded 
 the  affairs  of  Ins  kingdom  :  when  the  spirit  of  God  dwell*  in  a 
 man,  it  carries  his  heart  above  the  vilible  orbs  ;  it  makes  him 
 fuperim  anhulere,  tliirll  after  Chril't  and  glory*  It  we  can  Rod 
 this,  then  we  h;i\  ,  and  lb  have  a  right  \o  aliurance. 
 
 H.  It*  you  want  aliurance,  wait  for  it.  It*  the  figures  are 
 graven  on  the  dial,  it  is  hut  waiting  a  while,  and  the  inn  Hi  n 
 when  grate  is  engraven  in  the  heart,  it  is  but  waiting  a  while, 
 and  we  (ball  hate  the  funlhine  of  aliurance.  ■  He  that  belt, 
 makes  not  hafte,'  Ilii.  xxviii.  15.  lie  will  Hay  God's  leifnre. 
 Say  not,  God  bath  forlaken  yon,  be  will  never  lift  up  the  light 
 of  hi*  countenance  ;  but.  rather  lay,  as  the  church,  lfa.  viii.  17. 
 '  I  will  wait  upon  the  Lord,  which  hideih  his  face  from  the 
 houfe  of  Jacob.'  I.  Hath  God  waited  for  your  converfion, 
 and  will  not  you  wait  for  his  conization  ?  How  long  did  he 
 come  a-wooiug  to  you  by  bis  Spirit?  He  waited  till  bis  bead 
 was  filled  with  dew  :  he  cried,  as  Jer.  xiti.  27-  '  Wilt  thou  not 
 be  made  clean?  When  (ball  it  once  be?'  O!  ChnOian,  did 
 God  wait  for  thy  love,  and  canlt  not  thou  wait  for  his?  2.  Af- 
 furance is  lb  l\veet  and  precious,  that  it  is  worth  waiting  for; 
 the  price  of  it  is  above  rubies,  it  cannot  be  valued  with  the  gold 
 of  Ophir.  Aliurance  of  God's  love  is  a  pledge  of  election,  it  is 
 the  angels'  banquet :  what  other  joy  have  they  !  as  Micab  faid, 
 Judg.  xviii.  24.  *  What  have  I  more;'  fo,  when  God  allures 
 the  foul  of  his  eternal  purpofes  of  love,  what  hath  he  more  to 
 give?  Whom  God kiifeth,  he  crowns.  Alfurance  is  the  firlt 
 fruits  of  paradife  :  one  fmile  of  God's  face,  one  glance  of  his 
 ,  odc  crumb  of  the  hidden  manna  is  fo  fweet  and  delicious  ; 
 that  it  deferves  our  waiting.  3.  God  bath  given  a  promile  that 
 we  fhould  not  wait  in  vain,  lfa.  xlix.  23.  ■  They  mall  not  be 
 afhatned  that  wait  for  me.'  Perhaps  God  referves  this  cordial 
 of  affurancefor  a  fainting  time",  be  keeps  fometitnes  his  belt  wine 
 ti!l  laft.  AiTurance  fhallbe  referved  as  an  ingredient  tofweeten 
 the  bitter  cup  of  death. 
 
 Q.  7.  How  may  defer  ted  fords  be  comforted,  who  are  cafl 
 down  for  leant  of  affurance  ?  The)/  have  the  day-fur  of  grace 
 rifen  in  their  fouls ;  but  as  Job  complains,  ■  I  went  mourning 
 without  the  fun?  Job  xxx.  28.  They  go  mourning  for  want  of 
 the  Jim-light  of  God's  face :  their  jog  is  eclipjed,  they  walk  in 
 darlcnefs,  and  fee  no  tight,  lfa.  I.  IS.  How  /hall  we  comfort 
 fuch  as  lie  bleeding  in  dejertion,  and  arc  cafi  down  for  want  of 
 affurance  9 
 
 A.  1.  Want  of  afTurance  fhall  not  hinder  the  fuccefs  of  the 
 faints'  prayers.  Sin  lived  in,  doth  put  a  bar  to  our  prayer  j  but 
 want  of  affurance  doth  not  binder  prayer  ;  we  may  go  to  God 
 ftill  in  an  humble,  fiducial  manner.  A  Cbriftian  perhaps  may 
 think,  becaufe  he  doth  not  fee  God's  finding  face,  therefore 
 
&34  OF  ASSURANCE, 
 
 God  will  net  hear  him  :  this  is  a  miftake,  Pfal.  xxxi.  22.  f  I 
 faid  in  my  halte,  I  am  cut  off  from  before  thine  eyes,  neverthe- 
 less thou  heard (t  the  voice  of  my  fup plication.'  If  we  pour  out 
 fighs  to  heaven,  God  hears  every  groan  ;  though  he  doth  not 
 fhew  us  his  face,  he  may  lend  us  his  ear. 
 
 2.  Faith  may  be  ftrongeit  when  aliurance  is  weakeft ;  the 
 woman  of  Canaan  had  no  auurance,  but  a  glorious  faith  ;  '  O 
 woman,  great  is  thy  faith,'  Mat.  xv.  28.  Rachel  was  more 
 fair,  but  Leah  was  more  fruitful,  Aliurance  is  more  fair  and 
 Jovely  to  look  upon,  but  a  fruitful  faith  God  feeth  it  better  for 
 us,  John  xx.  l28.   '  BleiTed  are  tin  y  that  believe,  and  feel  not.' 
 
 3.  When  God  is  out  of  fight,  yet  he  is  not  out  of  covenant, 
 Pfal.  Ixxxix.  98.  4  My  covenant/mall  ftand  fait/  Though  a 
 wife  doth  not  fee  her  hufband's  face  in  many  years,  yet  the 
 marriage- relation  holds,  and  he  will  come  again  to  her  after  a 
 k>ng  voyage.  God  may  be  gone  from  the  foul  indefertion,  but 
 the  covenant  Itands  fall,  11a.  liv.  10.  '  The  covenant  of  my 
 peace  (hall  not  be  removed.'  Quer.  But  this promife  teas  made 
 to  the  Jews,  and  doth  not  belong  to  us.  Yes,  ver.  17-  *  This  is 
 the  heritage  of  the  fervants  of  the  Lord.'  This  is  made  to  all 
 the  fervauts  of  God,  thofe  who  are  now  Jiving,  as  well  as  thofe 
 who  lived  in  the  time  of  the  Jews-. 
 
 Q.  8.  What  JJiould  we  do  to  get  affurance  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  Keep  a  pure  confeience,  let  no  guilt  lie  upon  the 
 confeience  unrepented  of.  God  feals  no  pardons  before  repent- 
 ance :  God  will  not  pour  in  the  wine  of  ailurance  into  a  foul 
 veflel,  Heb.  x.  22.  *  Let  us  draw  near  in  full  afTurance  of  faith, 
 having  our  hearts  fprinkled  from  an  evil  confeience.'  Guilt 
 clips  the  wings  of  comfort  :  he  who  is  confeious  to  himfelf  of 
 iecret  fins,  cannot  draw  near  to  God  in  full  aliurance  ;  he  can- 
 not call  God  father,  but  judge  :  keep  confeience  as  clear  as  your 
 eye,  that  no  duit  of  (in  fall  into  it. 
 
 2.  If  you  would  have  auurance,  be  much  in  the  actings  of 
 grace,  1  Tim.  iv.  7.  '  Exercife  thyfelf  unto  godlinefs.'  Men 
 grow  rich  by  trading  ;  by  trading  in  grace,  we  grow  rich  in 
 afTurance,  2  Pet.  i.  10.  '  Make  your  election  lure.'  How  ? 
 '  Add  to  your  faith  virtue,  and  to  virtue  knowledge,'  Keep 
 grace  upon  the  wing,  it  is  the  lively  faith  flourifheth  into  aiTur- 
 ance.  No  man  will  let  up  a  great  fail  into  a  fmall  boat,  but  iu 
 a  large  veffel  :  God  fets  up  the  fail  of  afTurance  in  an  heart  en- 
 larged with  grace. 
 
 3.  If  you  would  have  afTurance,  cherifh  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
 God.  When  David  would  have  aliurance,  he  prays,  '  take 
 not  away  thy  Spirit  from  me,'  Pfal.  li.  11.  He  knew  that  it 
 was  the  Spirit  only  that  could  make  him  hear  the  voice  of  joy  ; 
 the  Spirit  is  the  Comforter,  he  feals  up  aliurance,  2  Cor.  i.  22. 
 Therefore  make  much  of  the  Spirit ;  do  not  grieve  it ;  as  Noah 
 
OF  ASSURANCE.  265 
 
 opened  the  ark  to  receive  the  (low,  lo  fhould  we  open  our  hearts 
 to  receive  the  Spirit;  this  is  the  blelfcd  dove  which  brings  an 
 alive-branch  of  ailurance  in  its  mouth. 
 
 4.  Let  uslie  at.  the  pool  of  the  ordinances,  frequent  the  word 
 and  (acrament,  Cant.  ii.  2.  '  He  brought  roe  to  the  banqueting- 
 
 houfe,  and  his  banner  over  me  was  love*'  The  bletTed  ordi- 
 nances are  the  banqueting- houfe,  where  God  dil'plays  the  ban- 
 ner of  afTurancc.  The  iacrament  is  a  (eating  ordinance ;  Chrift 
 made  himfelf  known  to  his  difciples  in  the  breaking  of  bread  ; 
 fo,  in  the  holy  fupper,  in  the  breaking  of  bread,  God  makes 
 himfelf  known  to  us,  to  be  our  God  and  portion. 
 
 Q.  9.  How  fhould  they  tarry  tlicmfelvcs  who  have  affurance  ? 
 Auf.  1.  If  you  have  ailurance  of  your  juiiification,  do  not 
 abufe  afi'urance  :  1.  It  is  an  abufing  of  ailurance,  when  we  grow 
 more  remits  in  duty  ;  as  the  mulician,  having  money  thrown 
 him,  leaves  oil*  playing.  By  remififnefs,  or  intermitting  the 
 exercifes  of  religion,  we  grieve  the  Spirit,  and  that  is  the  way 
 to  have  an  embargo  laid  upon  our  fpiritual  comforts.  2.  We 
 abufe  ailurance,  when  we  grow  prefumptuous  and  lefs  fearful  qf 
 (in.  What,  becaufe  a  father  gives  his  ton  an  affurance  of  his 
 love,  and  tells  him  he  will  entail  his  land  upon  him,  thall  the 
 ion  therefore  be  wanton  and  diifolute  ?  This  were  the  way  to 
 loi'e  his  father's  aifeCtion,  and  make  him  cut  off  the  entail  :  it 
 was  an  aggravation  of  Solomon's  fin,  *  his  heart  was  turned 
 away  from  the  Lord,  after  he  had  appeared  to  him  twice,' 
 1  Kings  xi.  9.  It  is  bad  to  fin,  when  one  wants  ailurance,  but 
 it  is  worfe  to  fin  when  one  hath  it.  Hath  the  Lord  fealed  his 
 love  with  a  kifs  ?  Hath  he  left  a  pledge  of  heaven  in  your  hands, 
 and  do  you  thus  requite  the  Lord  ?  Will  you  fin  with  manna 
 in  your  mouth  ?  Doth  God  give  you  the  fweet  clutters  of  ai- 
 lurance to  feed  on,  and  will  you  return  him  wild  grapes  ?  It 
 much  pleafeth  Satan,  either  to  fee  us  want  ailurance,  or  abufe 
 it  :  this  is  to  abufe  ailurance,  wheu  the  pulfe  of  our  fouls  beats 
 fafter  in  fin,  and  flower  in  duty. 
 
 2.  If  you  have  ailurance,  admire  this  ftupendous  mercy. 
 You  deferved  that  God  ihould  give  you  gall  and  vinegar  to 
 drink,  and  hath  he  made  the  honey-comb  of  his  love  to  drop 
 upon  you  ?  O  fall  down  and  adore  his  goodnefs;  fay,  Lord, 
 how  is  it  that  thou  fhouldeft  manifeit  thyfelf  to  me,  and  not  to 
 other  believers!  thofe  whom  thou  loveit  as  the  apple  of  thine 
 eye,  yet  thou  holdeit  them  in  fufpence,  aud  giveft  them  no  af- 
 furance of  thy  love  ;  though  thou  haft  given  them  the  new  uame, 
 yet  not  the  white  itone  ;  though  they  have  the  feed  of  srace, 
 yet  not  the  oil  of  gladnels;  though  they  have  the  Holy  Ghoft, 
 the  fanetitier,  yet  not  the  Holy  Gholt,  the  Comforter.  Lord, 
 whence  is  it  that  thou  fhouldeft  manifeit  thyfelf  to  me,  and 
 
 Vol.  1.  No.  0\  L  I 
 
26'f5  OT  ASSVRANCtr 
 
 make  thy  golden  beams  of  affurance  fhine  upon  my  foul  ?  O 
 admire  God  !  this  will  be  the  work  of  heaven. 
 
 3.  Let  your  hearts  be  endeared  in  love  to  God.  If  God  gives 
 his  people  correction,  they  muft  love  him  ;  much  more  when 
 he  gives  them  affurance,  Pf.  xxxi.  23.  *  O  love  the  Lord,  ye 
 his  faints.'  Hath  God  brought  you  to  the  borders  of  Canaan, 
 given  you  a  bunch  of  grapes,  crowned  you  with  loving-kindnefs, 
 confirmed  your  pardon  under  the  broad  feal  of  heaven  ?  How 
 can  you  be  frozen  at  fuch  a  fire  ?  How  can  you  chufe  but  to  be 
 turned  into  feraphims  burning  in  divine  love  ?  Say,  as  St.  Auftin, 
 animam  meam  in  odio  haberem,  I  would  hate  my  own  foul,  if  I 
 did  not  find  it  loving  God.  Give  God  the  cream  and  quintef- 
 fence  of  your  love,  and  fhew  your  love  by  being  willing  to  lofe 
 all  for  his  fake. 
 
 4.  If  you  have  affurance,  improve  it  for  God's  glory,  feverat 
 ways:  I.  By  encouraging  fuch  as  are  yet  unconverted;  tell 
 them  how  fweet  this  hidden  manna  is  ;  tell  them  what  a  good 
 mailer  you  ferve,  what  vials  you  have  had  ;  tell  them,  God 
 hath  carried  you  to  the  hill  of  myrrh,  to  the  mountains  of  fpices: 
 he  hath  given  you  not  only  a  profpeft  of  heaven,  but  an  earneft. 
 O  perfuade  miners,  by  all  the  love  and  mercy  of  God,  that  they 
 would  enroll  their  names  in  his  family,  and  caflthemfelves  upon 
 him  for  falvation  ;  tell  them,  God  hath  met  with  you,  and  un- 
 locked the  fecrets  of  free  grace,  and  affured  you  of  a  land  flow- 
 ing with  thofe  infinite  delights  which  the  eye  hath  not  feen. 
 Thus,  by  telling  others  what  God  hath  done  for  your  foul,  you 
 may  make  them  in  love  with  the  ways  of  God,  and  caufe  them 
 to  turn  profelytes  to  religion.  2.  Improve  qjjiirance,  by  comfort- 
 ing fuch  as  want  it :  Be  as  the  good  Samaritan,  pour  wine  and 
 oil  into  their  wounds.  You  who  have  affurance,  are  gotten, 
 as  it  were,  to  the  haven  ;  you  are  fure  of  your  happinefs :  but 
 do  you  not  fee  others  who  are  flruggling  with  the  waves  of  temp- 
 tation and  defertion,  and  are  ready  to  fink  ?  O  nowfympathize 
 with  them,  and  do  what  you  can  to  comfort  them  when  they 
 are  in  this  deep  ocean,  2  Cor.  i.  6.  '  Whether  we  be  comfort- 
 ed, it  is  for  your  confolation.'  The  comfortable  experience  of 
 one  Chriftian,  being  communicated  to  another  doth  much  re- 
 vive and  bear  up  his  fainting  heart :  '  Our  comfort,'  faith  the 
 apoflle,  'is  for  your  confolation.'  3.  Improve  affurance,  by 
 walking  more  heavenly.  You  fhould  fcorn  thefe  things  below  ; 
 you  who  have  an  earneft.  of  heaven,  fhould  not  be  too  earneft 
 for  the  earth  :  you  have  angels'  food  ;  and  it  becomes  not  you 
 with  the  ferpent  to  lick  the  duft.  The  wicked  are  all  for  corn, 
 wine  and  oil ;  but  you  have  that  which  is  better  :  God  hath 
 lifted  up  the  light  of  his  countenance  ;  will  you  hanker  after  the 
 world,  when  you  have  been  feeding  upon  the  grapes  and  pome- 
 granates of  the  holy  land  ?  Do  you  now  luft  after  the  garlic  and 
 
OF  ASSURANCE.  967 
 
 anions  of  Egypt  ?  When  you  are  clothed  with  the  fan,  will  you 
 fet  the  moon  and  liars  above  you  ?  O  let  them  lcramble  for  the 
 world,  who  have  nothing  elfe  but  hulks  to  feed  on.  Have  you 
 affurance  of  heaven,  and  is  not  that  enough?  Will  not  a  king- 
 dom fatisfy  you  ?  Such  as  are  high  in  aliurance,  mould  be  in  the 
 altitudes,  live  above  the  world.  4.  Improve  ajj'urance  by  a 
 cJieerful  walking :  It  is  for  condemned  perfons  to  go  hanging 
 down  their  heads  :  but  hail  thou  thy  ablblution  ?  Doth  thy  God 
 (mile  on  thee  ?  Cheer  up,  c2  Sam.  xiii.  4.  ■  Why  art  thou,  being 
 the  king's  fon,  lean  ?'  Art  thou  the  king's  ion  ?  Hath  God 
 allured  thet:  of  thy  adoption?  And  art  thou  fad?  Affurance 
 fhould  be  an  antidote  againlt  all  trouble  :  what  though  the  world 
 hate  thee  ?  Yet  thou  art  allured  that  thou  art  one  of  God's  fa- 
 vourites. What  though  there  is  but  .little  oil  in  the  cruife,  and 
 thou  art  low  in  the  world  ?  Yet  thou  art  high  in  affurance  :  O 
 then  rejoice!  How  mufical  is  the  bird  ?  How  doth  it  chirp  and 
 (ing,  that  knows  not  where  to  pick  up  the  next  crumb!  and 
 fhall  they  be  fad  and  dilcontented,  who  have  God's  bond  to  affure 
 them  of  their  daily  bread,  and  his  love  to  affure  them  of  hea- 
 ven ?  But  certainly  thole  who  have  affurance,  cannot  be  but 
 of  a  languine  complexion. 
 
 5.  If  you  have  an  affurance  of  falvation,  let  this  make  you 
 long  after  a  glorified  ilate  :  he  who  hath  an  earned  in  his  hand, 
 defires  the  whole  fum  to  be  paid  :  that  foul  who  hath  tailed  how 
 fweet  the  Lord  is,  mould  long  for  a  fuller  enjoyment  of  him  in 
 heaven.  Hath  Chrilt  put  this  ring  of  affurance  on  thy  hand, 
 and  fo  efpoufed  thee  to  himfelf?  how  fhouldft  thou  long  for  tfie 
 marriage- fupper  of  the  Lamb  ?  Rev.  xix.  9.  OChriltian,  think 
 with  thyfelf,  if  a  glimpfe  of  heaven,  a  fmile  of  God's  face  be  lb 
 fweet,  what  will  it  be,  to  be  ever  funning  thyfelf  in  the  light  of 
 God's  countenance  !  certainly,  you  who  have  an  affurance  of 
 your  title  to  heaven,  cannot  but  defire  poffeGion.  Be  content 
 to  live,  but  willing  to  die. 
 
 rj.  If  you  have  affurance,  be  careful  you  do  not  lofe  it ;  keep 
 it  ;  for  it  is  your  life,  viz.  Bene  ejfe,  the  comfort  of  your  life. 
 Keep  affurance,  lit,  By  prayer,  Pf.  xxxvi.  10.  ■  O  continue 
 thy  loving-kindnefs :'  Lord,  continue  affurance;  do  not  take 
 away  this  privy-feal  from  me.  2dly,  Keep  affurance  by  humi- 
 lity :  pride  enilrangeth  God  from  the  foul  ;  when  you  are  high 
 in  affurance,  be  low  in  humility.  St.  Paul  had  affurance,  and 
 he  baptizeth  himfelf  with  this  name,  ■  Chief  of  finuers,'  I  Tim. 
 i.  15.  The  jewel  of  affurance  is  bell  kept  in  the  cabinet  of  an 
 humble  heart. 
 
 LI  2 
 
2(53  OF  PEACE, 
 
 OF  PEACE. 
 
 1  Pet.  i.  2.      Grace  unto  you,  and  Peace  be  multiplied. 
 
 Having  fpoken  of  the  firft  fruit  of  fancYification,  af- 
 furance;  I  proceed  to  the  fecond,  viz.  peace,  '  Peace  be  multi- 
 plied. ' 
 
 Q.    What  are  the  fevera! /pedes  or  kinds  of  Peace  ? 
 
 Anf.  Peace,  in  fcripture,  is  compared  to  a  river,  Ifa.  Ixvi. 
 12.  this  river  parts  itfelf  into  two  filver  dreams. 
 
 \ft,  There  is  an  external  peace,  and  that  is  either,  1.  Econo- 
 mical, peace  in  a  family.  2.  Political,  peace  in  the  date. 
 Peace  is  the  nurfe  of  plenty,  Pfal.  cxlv'fi.  14.  'He  maketh 
 peace  in  thy  borders,  and  filleth  thee  with  the  fined  of  the 
 ■wheat. *  How  pleafant  is  it  when  the  waters  of  blood  begin  to 
 aifuage,  and  we  can  fee  the  windows  of  our  ark  open,  and  the 
 dove  returning  with  an  olive  branch  of  peace  ?  3.  Ecclejiaftical, 
 peace  in  the  church.  It  is  Unity  in  Trinity  is  the  greatelt 
 mydery  in  heaven,  and  Unity  in  Verity  the  greateft  mercy  on 
 earth.  Peace  ecclehaftical  dands  in  oppolition  to  fchifm  and 
 perfecution. 
 
 2dly,  A  Spiritual  peace,  which  is  twofold  ;  peace  above  us, 
 or  peace  with  God  ;  and  peace  within  us,  or  peace  with  con- 
 fcience :  this  is  fuperlative;  other  peace  maybe  lading,  but 
 this  is  everlafting. 
 
 Q.  2.   Whence  comes  this  peace  ? 
 
 Anf.  This  peace  hath  the  whole  Trinity  for  its  author,  (1.) 
 God  the  Father  is  '  the  God  of  peace,'  1  ThefT.  v.  23.  (2.) 
 God  the  Son  is  the  e  Prince  of  peace,'  Ifa.  ix.  9.  (3.)  Peace 
 is  faid  to  be  the  ■  fruit  of  the  Spirit,'  Gal.  v.  22. 
 
 1.  God  the  Father  is  the  God  of  peace.  As  he  is  the  God  of 
 order,  1  Cor.  xiv.  33.  fo  the  God  of  peace,  Phil.  iv.  9.  This 
 was  the  form  of  the  pried' s  bleffing  the  people,  Numb.  vi.  27. 
 ■  The  Lord  give  thee  peace.' 
 
 2.  God  the  Son  is  the  purchafer  of  peace.  He  had  made 
 peace  by  his  blood,  Col.  i.  20.  '  Having  made  peace  by  the 
 blood  of  his  crofs.'  The  atonement  Aaron  made  for  the  people, 
 when  he  entered  into  the  holy  of  holies  with  blood,  was  a  type 
 of  Chrid  our  high-pried,  who  hath  by  his  facrifice  pacified  his 
 angry  Father,  and  made  atonement  for  us.  Chrid  purchafed 
 our  peace  upon  hard  terms  ;  his  foul  was  in  an  agony,  while  he 
 was  travailing  to  bring  forth  peace  to  the  world. 
 
 3.  Peace  is  a  fruit  of  the  Spirit.  He  feals  up  peace  to  the 
 confcience  :  The  Spirit  clears  up  the  work  of  grace  in  the  heart, 
 
of  rrvrc.  269 
 
 from  whence  ariieth  peace.  There  was  a  well  of  water,  near 
 Hagar,  but  Hie  did  not  fee  it,  therefore  wept.  A  Clmftian 
 hath  but  doth  no!  fee  it,  therefore  w« .  low  the 
 
 Spirit  difcovcrs  this  well  ot'  water,  it  enables  conliience  to  wit- 
 ness to  a  man  that  hath  the  real  work  of  grace,  and  fo  peace 
 flows  into  the  foul.  Thus  vou  lee  whence  this  peace  comes, 
 the  Father  decrees  it,  the  Son  purcbafeth  it,  the  IJoly  Ghoit 
 applies  it. 
 
 Q.  3.    Whether  fuch  as  arc  dcititutc  of  grace  may  have  peace  ? 
 
 A.  No.  Peace  llows  from  laurtification  ;  but  they,  being 
 unregenerate,  have  nothinj;  to  do  with  peace,  Il'a.  Ivii.  21. 
 •  There  is  no  peace,  faith  my  God,  to  the  wicked.'  They  may 
 have  a  truce,  but  no  peace.  God  may  forbear  the  wicked  a 
 while,  and  Hop  the  roaring  of  his  cannon  ;  but  though  there  be 
 a  truce,  yet  no  peace.  The  wicked  may  have  fornething  which 
 looks  like  peace,  but  it  is  not.  They  may  be  fearlefsand  flupid  ; 
 but  there  is  a  great  difference  between  a  ftupified  confeience,  and 
 a  pacified  conscience,  Luke  xi.  21.  *  When  a  ftrong  man  keeps 
 his  palace,  his  goods  are  in  peace.'  This  is  the  devil's  peace  ; 
 he  rocks  men  in  the  cradle  of  Security  ;  he  cries,  peace,  peace, 
 when  men  are  on  the  precipice  of  hell.  The  Teeming  peace  a 
 finner  hath,  is  not  from  the  knowledge  of  his  happineis  but  the 
 ignorance  of  his  danger. 
 
 Q .   4 .    What  are  the  /igns  of  a  falfe  p eace  ? 
 
 A.  1.  A  falfe  peace  hath  much  confidence  in  it,  but  this  con- 
 fidence is  conceit.  The  linner  doth  not  doubt  of  God's  mercy  ; 
 from  which  prefumptuous  confidence  arifeth  fome  kind  of  quiet 
 in  the  mind.  The  fame  word  in  the  Hebrew,  cafal,  fignifies 
 both  confidence  and  folly,  indeed  a  (inner' s  confidence  is  folly  ; 
 how  confident  were  the  fooliih  virgins? 
 
 8.  Falfe  peace  feparates  thole  things  which  God  hath  joined 
 together :  God  j  jins  hohnefs  and  peace,  but  he  who  hath  a  falfe 
 peace  feparates  thefe  two.  He  lays  claim  to  peace,  but  banilheth 
 holniels,  Deut.  xxix.  ly.  ■  I  (hall  have  peace,  though  I  walk 
 in  the  imagination  of  my  heart,  to  add  drunkennefs  to  third.' 
 The  wicked  are  loofe  and  vain,  and  yet  thank  God  that  they 
 have  peace  :  a  delufion.  You  may  as  well  fuck  health  out  of 
 poilbn,  as  peace  out  of  (in. 
 
 3.  Falfe  peace  is  not  willing  to  be  tried  ;  a  fign  they  are  bad 
 wares  which  will  not  endure  the  light ;  a  fign  a  man  hath  ftolen 
 goods,  when  he  will  not  have  his  houfe  fearched.  A  falfe  peace 
 cannot  endure  to  be  tried  by  the  word  :  the  word  f peaks  of  an 
 humbling  and  refining  work  upon  the  foul  before  peace;  falfe 
 peace  cannot  endure  to  hear  of  this  :  the  leaft  trouble  will  (liake 
 this  peace  ;  it  will  end  in  defpair.  In  a  falfe  peace,  confeience 
 is  afleep ;  but,  when  this  lion  of  confeience  fhall  be  awakened 
 
270  OF  PEACE. 
 
 at  death,  then  it  will  roar  upon  a  man,  he  will  be  a  terror  to 
 himfelf,  and  be  ready  to  lay  violent  hands  upon  himfelf. 
 
 Q.  5.   How  flail  toe  know  that  ours  is  a  true  peace? 
 
 Anf  1 .  True  peace  flows  from  union  with  Chrift  ;  Com- 
 munio  fundalur  in  unione.  The  graft  or  fcion  mud  firft  be  in- 
 oculated into  the  tree  before  it  can  receive  fap  and  nourishment 
 from  it ;  fo  we  mull  firft  be  ingrafted  into  Chrift,  before  we  can 
 receive  peace  from  him.  Have  we  faith  ?  By  holinels  we  are 
 made  like  Chrift ;  by  believing  we  are  made  one  with  Chrift, 
 and  being  in  Chrift  we  have  peace,  John  xvi.  33. 
 
 2.  True  peace  flows  from  fubje&ion  to  Chrift ;  where  Chrift 
 gives  peace,  there  he  lets  up  his  government  in  the  heart,  I  fa. 
 ix.  7.  ■  Of  his  government  and  peace  there  (hall  be  no  end.' 
 Chrift  is  called  ■  a  prieft  upon  his  throne,'  Zech.  vi.  13.  Chrift 
 as  a  prieft  makes  peace  ;  but  he  will  be  a  prieft  upon  his  throne, 
 he  brings  the  heart  in  fubjeclion  to  him.  If  Chrift  be  our  peace, 
 he  is  our  prince,  Ifa.  ix.  6*.  Whenever  Chrift  pacifies  the  con- 
 science, he  fubdues  the  lull. 
 
 3.  True  peace  is  after  trouble.  Firft,  God  lets  loofe  a  fpirit 
 of  bondage,  he  convinceth  and  humbleth  the  foul ;  then  he 
 fpeaks  peace.  Many  fay  they  have  peace,  but  is  this  peace  be- 
 fore a  ftorm,  or  after  it?  True  peace  is  after  trouble.  Firft, 
 there  was  the  earthquake,  and  then  the  fire,  and  then  the  ftill 
 fmall  voice,  1  Kings  xix.  11.  Thou  who  never  hadft  any  legal 
 bruifings,  mayft  fulpedt  thy  peace;  God  pours  the  golden  oil 
 of  peace  into  broken  hearts. 
 
 Q.  6.    Whether  have  all  fanclified  perfons  this  peace  9 
 
 Anf.  They  have  a  title  to  it ;  they  have  the  ground  of  it ; 
 grace  is  the  feed  of  peace,  and  it  will  in  time  turn  to  peace  ;  ag 
 the  blolfoms  of  a  tree  to  fruit,  milk  to  cream.  They  have  a 
 promife  of  it,  Pfal.  xxix.  It.  '  The  Lord  will  blefs  his  people 
 with  peace  :'  they  may  have  peace  with  God,  though  not  peace 
 in  their  own  conscience;  they  have  the  initials  and  beginnings 
 of  peace.  There  is  a  fecret  peace  the  heart  hath  in  ferving  God  ; 
 fuch  meltings  and  enlargements  in  duty  as  do  revive  the  foul, 
 and  bear  it  up  from  (inking. 
 
 Q.  7.  But  why  have  not  all  believers  the  full  enjoyment  and 
 pojjeffion  of  peace?  why  is  not  this  flower  of  peace  fully  ripe  and 
 blown  ? 
 
 Anf.  Some  of  the  godly  may  not  have  fo  full  a  degree  of 
 peace.  1 .  Through  the  fury  of  temptation  ;  the  devil,  if  he  can- 
 not deftroy  us,  he  will  difturb  us;  Satan  difputes  againft  our 
 adoption  ;  he  would  make  us  queftion  the  work  of  grace  in  our 
 hearts,  and  fo  troubles  the  waters  of  our  peace  :  Satan  is  like  a 
 fubtile  cheater,  who,  if  he  cannot  make  a  man's  title  to  his  land 
 void,  yet  he  will  put  him  to  many  troublefome  fuits  in  law. 
 If  Satan  cannot  make  us  ungodly,  he  will  make  us  unquiet : 
 
OF  PEACE.  271 
 
 violent  winds  make  the  fca  rough  and  ftormy;  the  winds  of 
 temptation  blowing,  difturb  peace  of  fpirit,  and  put  the  foul  into 
 a  commotion.  2.  The  godly  may  not  enjoy  peace,  through 
 miltake  and  mifapprehenlion  about  fin.  They  find  fo  tnnch 
 corruption,  that  lure,  if  there  were  grace,  there  would  not  he 
 iuch  itrong  workings  of  corruption  :  whereas  this  ihould  he  fo 
 far  from  difcouraging  Chriitians,  and  hindering  their  peace, 
 that  it  is  an  argument  for  them.  Let  me  alk,  Whence  is  it  that 
 you  feel  fin?  No  man  can  feel  fin,  but  by  grace.  A  wicked 
 man  is  infeulible  :  lay  an  hundred  weight  upon  a  dead  man,  he 
 doth  not  complain:  but  the  being  fenfible  of  corruption,  argues 
 a  gracious  principle,  Rom.  vii.  91.  Again,  ■  Whence  is  it  that 
 there  is  acornbat  with  fin,  but  from  the  life  of  grace?'  Gal.  v. 
 17-  Dead  things  cannot  combat.  Whence  is  it  that  the  faints 
 weep  for  fin  ?  what  are  thel'e  tears  but  feeds  of  faith?  The  not 
 underftandmg  of  this,  hinders  a  Chriltian' s  peace.  3.  The  £od- 
 \y  may  not  enjoy  peace,  through  remiiliiels  in  duty  :  they  leave 
 their  firil  love.  W'hen  Chriitians  abate  their  fervency,  God 
 abates  their  peace:  If  you  flacken  the  firings  of  a  viol,  the  mu« 
 fie  is  fpoiled  ;  if  a  Chriltian  flack  in  duty,  they  lpoil  the  i\veet 
 mufic  of  peace  in  their  fouls.  As  the  fire  decays,  fo  the  cold 
 increaleth  ;  as  fervency  in  duty  abates,  lb  our  peace  cools. 
 
 Uj'e.  Labour  for  this  bleil'ed  peace,  peace  with  God  and  con- 
 fcience.  Peace  with  neighbour-nations  is  fweet,  Pax  una  tri- 
 umpkis  innumeris  meitor.  The  Hebrew  word  fchalom,  peace, 
 comprehends  all  bleilings,  it  is  the  glory  of  a  kingdom;  a 
 prince's  crown  is  more  beautiful  when  it  is  hung  with  the  white 
 lily  of  peace,  than  when  it  is  let  with  the  red  rofes  of  a  bloody 
 war.  O  then,  how  fweet  is  peace  of  confeience!  It  is  a  bul- 
 wark again  ft  the  enemy,  Phil.  iv.  7-  it  (hall  keep  you  as  in  a 
 garrifon  ;  you  may  throw  out  the  gauntlet  and  bid  defiance  to 
 the  enemies  :  it  is  the  golden  pot  and  the  manna  ;  it  is  the  firlt 
 fruits  of  paradife.  It  is  Hill  mulic  ;  for  want  of  this  a  Chriltian 
 is  in  continual  fear,  he  doth  not  take  that  comfort  in  ordinan- 
 ces. Hannah  went  up  to  the  feaft  at  Jerufaiem,  but  fhe  wept, 
 and  did  not  eat,  1  Sam.  i.  7.  So,  a  poor  dejected  foul  goes  to 
 an  ordinance,  but  doth  not  eatof  the  fealt  ;  he  weeps  and  doth 
 not  eat.  He  cannot  take  that  comfort  in  worldly  bleilings, 
 heal'h,  eftate,  relations;  he  wants  that  inward  neace,  which 
 fhouid  be  a  lauce  to  fweeten  his  comforts.  O  therefore  labour 
 for  this  bleil'ed  peace.  Conlider  the  noble  and  excellent  efrecla 
 of  it.  I.  It  gives  boldnefs  at  the  throne  of  grace  :  guilt  of  con- 
 feience clips  the  wings  of  prayer,  it  makes  the  face  blufh,  and 
 the  heart  taint:  but  when  a  Chriftian  hath  fome  lively  appre- 
 heniions  of  God's  love,  and  the  Spirit  whifpering  peace,  theu 
 he  goes  to  God  with  boldnefs,  a«^  a  child  to  his  father,  Pial. 
 xxv.  1.  *  Unto  thee,  O  Lord,  I  lift  my  foul.'     Time  was  when 
 
272  OF  PEACE. 
 
 David's  foul  was  bowed  down,  Pfal.  xxxviii.  6.  '  I  am  bowed 
 down  greatly;'  but  now  the  cafe  is  altered,  he  will  lift  up  his 
 foul  to  God  in  a  way  of  triumph,  whence  was  this  ?  God  hath 
 fpoken  peace  to  his  ibul,  Pfal.  xxvi.  3.  '  Thy  loving-kindnefs 
 is  before  mine  eyes.'  2.  This  divine  peace  fires  the  heart  with 
 love  to  Chrift.  Peace  is  the  refult  of  pardon  ;  he  who  hath 
 a  pardon  fealed,., cannot  chufe  but  love  his  prince.  How  en- 
 deared is  Chrift  to  the  foul  !  Now  Chrift  is  precious  indeed. 
 ■  O,  faith  the  foul,  how  fweet  is  this  role  of  Sharon  !  Hath 
 Chrift  waded  through  a  fea  of  blood  and  wrath  to  purchafe  my 
 peace  ;  Hath  he  not  only  made  peace,  but  fpoke  peace  to  me  ? 
 How  fhould  my  heart  afcend  in  a  fiery  chariot  of  love !  How 
 willing  fhould  I  be  to  do  and  fuffer  for  Chrift  ?'  This  peace 
 quiets  the  heart  in  trouble,  Mic.  v.  5.  *  This  man  fhall  be  the 
 peace,  when  the  Aifyrian  fhall  come  into  our  land,  and  tread 
 in  our  palaces.'  The  enemy  may  invade  our  palaces,  but  not 
 our  peace ;  this  man  Chrift,  fhall  be  the  peace.  When  the 
 head  aches,  the  heart  may  be  well  ;  when  worldly  troubles 
 affault  a  Chriftian,  his  mind  may  be  in  peace  and  quiet,  Pfal. 
 iv.  8.  ■  I  will  lay  me  down  in  peace,  and  deep.'  'Twas  now 
 a  fad  time  with  David,  he  was  fleeing  for  his  life  from  Abfa- 
 lom  :  it  was  nofmall  affliction  to  think  that  his  own  fon  mould 
 feek  to  take  away  his  Father's  life  and  crown  :  David  wept  and 
 covered  his  face,  2  Sam.  xv.  30.     Yet  at  this  time,  faith  he, 
 
 *  I  will  lay  me  down  in  peace,  and  deep.'  He  had  trouble 
 from  his  fon  but  peace  from  his  confcience ;  David  could  fleep 
 upon  the  foft  pillow  of  a  good  confcience  :  this  is  a  peace  worth 
 getting. 
 
 Qu.  8.  What  fliallice  do  to  attain  this  bleffed  peace  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  Let  us  afk  it  of  God  ;  he  is  the  God  of  peace,  he 
 beats  back  the  roaring  lion,  he  (tills  the  raging  of  confcience  ; 
 if  we  could  call  all  the  angels  out  of  heaven,  they  could  not 
 fpeak  peace  without  God.  The  liars  cannot  make  day  with- 
 out the  fun  ;  none  can  make  day  in  a  dark  deferted  ibul,  but 
 the  Sun  of  righteoufnefs.  As  the  wildernefs  cannot  water  it- 
 felf,  but  remains  dry  and  parched,  till  the  clouds  drop  their 
 moifture  ;  fo  our  hearts  cannot  have  peace,  till  he  infuie  it  and 
 drop  it  upon  us  by  his  Spirit.  Therefore  pray,  '  Lord,  thou 
 who  art  the  God  of  peace,  create  peace,  thou  who  art  the 
 Prince  of  peace,  command  it.  Give  me  that  peace  which  may 
 lweeten  trouble,  yea,  the  bitter  cup  of  death.' 
 
 2.  If  you  would  have  peace,  make  war  with  fin  ;  fin  is  the 
 Achan  that  troubles   us,  the  Trojan  horle,    1    Kings  ix.    22. 
 
 •  When  Joram  faw  Jehu,  he  faid,  is  it  peace,  Jehu  ?  And  he 
 anfwered,  What  peace,  fo  long  as  the  whoredoms  of  thy  mother 
 Jezebel,  and  her  witchcrafts  are  fo  many  ?'  What  peace  as 
 long  as  (in  remains  unmortified  ?  if  you  would  have  peace  with 
 
OF  PEACE. 
 
 God,  break  the  league  with  fu\  ;  give  battle  to  fin,  it  is  a  molt 
 jult  war,  God  hath  proclaimed  ii  :  nay,  he  bath  promifed  us 
 
 vU"tor\ ,  *  Sin  (hall  Dot  have  dominion,  Rom.  vi.  No  way  to 
 peace  but  by  maintaining  a  war  with  fin.  Pax  nojlra  helium 
 cotitre  d&monem,  Tertul.  When  Sainton  had  (lain  the-  li»»n, 
 there  came  hooey  out  of  the  lion  :  by  flaying  tin,  we  get  this 
 honey  of  peace. 
 
 S.  Go  to  Quid's  blood  for  peace.  Some  go  to  fetch  their 
 peace  from  their  own  righteoulhefs,  not  Chriit's,  they  go  lor 
 peace  to  their  holy  life,  not  Chnlt's  death  ;  if  conference  be 
 troubled,  they  itrive  to  quiet  it  with  their  duties.  This  is  not 
 the  right  way  to  peace:  duties  mult  notbe  neglected,  nor  yet 
 idolized.  Look  up  to  the  blood  of  iprinkling,  lleb.  xii.  (24. 
 That  blood  of  Chi  ill  which  pacified  God,  mult  pacify  conlcience  ; 
 Chrtit's  blood  being  lucked  in  by  faith,  gives  peace,  Rom.  v.  I. 
 *  Being  jultified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God.'  No  balm 
 to  cure  a  wounded  conlcience,  but  the  blood  ofChrift. 
 
 4.  Walk  clolely  with  God.  Peace  flows  from  purity,  Gal. 
 vi.  lo\  *  As  many  as  walk  according  to  this  rule,  peace  be  on 
 them.'  In  the  text,  grace  and  peace  are  put  together  ;  grace 
 is  the  root,  and  peace  is  the  flower.  As  balm-water  drops  from 
 the  limbec,  lb  divine  peace  comes  out  of  trie  limbec  of  a  gra- 
 cious heart.  Walk  very  holily  ;  God's  Spirit  is  licit  a  refiner 
 before  a  comforter. 
 
 Branch  Q:  You  who  have  this  peace,  peace  above,  peace 
 within,  labour  to  keep  it :  it  is  a  precious  jewel,  do  not  lofe  it  : 
 it  is  fad  to  have  the  league  of  national  peace  broken,  but  it  is 
 worfe  to  have  the  peace  of  conlcience  broken  :  O  pieferve  this 
 peace.  Firft>  Take  heed  of  relapfes  j  hath  God  l'poken  peace  ? 
 do  not  turn  again  to  folly,  Plal.  Ixxxv.  8.  Bolides  the  ingra- 
 titude, there's  folly  in  relaples.  It  was  long  ere  God  was  re- 
 conciled and  the  breach  made  up  ;  and  you  will  again  eclipfe 
 and  forfeit  your  peace?  hath  God  healed  the  wound  or'  con- 
 lcience, and  will  you  tear  it  open  again  ?  will  you  break  another 
 vein  ?  will  you  cut  a  new  artery  ?  this  is  returning  indeed  to 
 folly.  What  madnefs  is  it  to  meddle  again  with  that  lin, 
 which  will  breed  the  worm  of  conlcience !  Secondly,  Make  up 
 your  fpiritual  accounts  daily  ;  fee  how  matters  ttand  between 
 God  and  your  fouls,  Plal.  Ixxvii.  6.  ■  I  commune  with  my 
 own  heart.'  Often  reckonings  keep  God  and  conlcience  friend.^ ; 
 do  with  your  hearts  as  you  do  with  your  watches  wind  them 
 up  every  morning  by  prayer,  and  at  night  examine  whether 
 your  hearts  have  gone  true  all  that  day,  whether  the  wheels  of 
 your  affections  have  moved  fwiftly  toward  heaven  :  Oh  call 
 yourfeives  often  to  account;  keep  your  reckonings  even,  and 
 that  is  the  way  to  keep  vour  peace. 
 Vojl.  I.  No.  0.  '  _M  m 
 
$74  OF  JOY. 
 
 OF  JOY. 
 
 Gal.  v.  22.   The  Fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  Joy. 
 
 The  third  fruit  of  j  unification,  adoption,  and  fan&ifica- 
 tion,  is  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghoft.  Joy  is  the  letting  the  foul  upon 
 the  fop  of  a  pinnacle,  'tis  the  cream  of  the  fincere  milk  of  the 
 word. 
 
 Q.    What  is  this  Joy  ? 
 
 Anf.  Spiritual  joy  is  a  fweet  and  delightful  paflion,  arifing 
 from  the  apprehention  and  feeling  offome  good,  whereby  the 
 foul  is  fupported  under  prefent  troubles,  and  fenced  againft  fu- 
 ture fear. 
 
 1.  It  is  a  delightful  pajjion.  So  it  is  contrary  to  forrow, 
 which  is  a  perturbation  of  mind,  whereby  the  heart  is  perplexed 
 and  caft  down.  Joy  is  a  fweet  and  pleafant  affection  which 
 eafes  the  mind,  exhilarates  and  comforts  the  fpirits. 
 
 2.  It  ar'ffethfrom  the  feeling  offome  good.  Joy  is  not  a 
 fancy,  or  bred  of  conceit ;  but  is  rational,  and  arifeth  from  the 
 feeling  offome  good,  viz.  the  fenfe  of  God's  love  and  favour. 
 Joy  is  fo  real  a  thing,  that  it  makes  a  fudden  change  in  a  per- 
 fon  ;  it  turns  mourning  into  melody.  As  in  the  fpring-time, 
 when  the  fun  comes  to  our  horizon,  it  makesa  fudden  alteration 
 in  the  face  of  the  univerfe,  the  birds  fing,  the  flowers  appear, 
 the  fig-tree  puts  forth  her  green  figs ;  every  thing  feems  to  re- 
 joice and  put  off  its  mourning,  as  being  revived  with  the  fweet 
 
 nfluence  of  the  fun  ;  fo  when  the  Sun  of  Righteoufnefs  arifeth 
 on  the  foul,  it  makes  a  fudden  alteration,  and  the  foul  is  infi- 
 nitely rejoiced  with  the  golden  beams  of  God's  love. 
 
 3.  By  it  the  foul  is  fupported  under  prefent  troubles.  Joy 
 ftupifies  and  fwallows  up  troubles  ;  it  carries  the  heart  above 
 them,  as  the  oil  fwims  above  the  water. 
 
 4.  The  heart  is  fenced  againft  future  fear.  Joy  is  both  a  cor- 
 dial and  an  antidote  ;  it  is  a  cordial  which  gives  prefent  relief 
 to  the  fpirits  when  they  are  fad  ;  and  an  antidote,  it  fenceth  off 
 fear  of  approaching  danger,  Pfal.  xxiii.  4.  *  I  will  fear  no  evil, 
 for  thou  art  with  me,  thy  rod  and  thy  ftaff  comfort  me.' 
 
 Q.  Hoiv  is  this  joy  wrought  ? 
 
 Anf.  I.  It  arifeth  partly  from  the  promife  :  as  the  bee  lies  at 
 the  breaft  of  the  flower,  and  fucks  out  the  fweetnefs  of  it  ;  fo 
 faith  lies  at  the  breaft  of  a  promife,  and  fucks  out  the  quintef- 
 ence  of  joy,  Pfalm  xciv.  iy.  ■  Thy  comforts  delight  my  foul ;' 
 that  is  the  comforts  which  diltil  from  the  limbec  of  the  pro- 
 miles. 
 
of  joy.  27 
 
 9.  The  Spirit  of  God  (who  is  railed  the  'Comforter,'  John 
 xiv.  <26.)  doth  fometimes  drop  in  tin*  golden  oil  of  joy  into  the 
 foul  ;  the  Spirit  whifpers  to  a  believer  the  n million  of  his  (in, 
 and  fheds  God's  love  ahroad  into  the  heart,  Rom.  v.  5.  whence 
 flows  infinite  joy  and  delight. 
 
 Q.  3.  What  are  the  feafons  when  God  doth  ujual/y  gice  his 
 people  the/e  die  hie  joys  ? 
 
 A.  Five  feafons  :  lit  feafon.  Sometimes  at  the  bleilVd  fuj>- 
 per;  the  foul  oft  comes  weeping  after  Chriil  in  the  facrament, 
 and  God  fends  it  away  weeping  for  joy.  The  Jews  had  a  cuf- 
 tom  at  their  fealis,  they  poured  ointment  on  their  guelt>,  and 
 kitted  them  ;  in  the  Euchanit,  God  often  pours  the  oil  of  glad- 
 nefs  on  the  faints,  and  kiffeth  them  with  the  kdfes  ol*  ins  lips. 
 There  are  two  grand  ends  of  the  facrament,  he  ttrengihening 
 of  faith,  and  the  tlourifhing  of  joy.  Here,  in  this  ordinance, 
 God  d  it  plays  the  banner  of  his  love  ;  here  believers  tafte  not 
 only  facramental  bread,  but  hidden  manna.  [Caution,  not 
 that  God  always  meets  the  foul  with  joy.]  He  may  give  increale 
 of  grace,  when  not  increale  of  joy  ;  but  oftentimes  he  pours  in 
 the  oil  of  gladnefs,  and  gives  the  foul  a  privy  feal  of  his  love  ; 
 as  Chriit  made  him  fell"  known  in  the  breaking  of  bread. 
 
 2d  Seafon.  Before  God  calls  his  peopje  to  fullering,  Acts 
 xxiii.  11.  'Be  of  good  cheer,  Paul.*  When  God  was  about  to 
 give  Paul  a  cup  of  blood  to  drink,  he  fpiced  it  with  joy,  £  Cor. 
 i.  5.  '  As  the  fuiferings  of  Chiili  abound  in  us,  fo  our  coniza- 
 tion alfo  aboundeth  :'  this  made  the  martyrs'  flames  beds  of 
 roles  ;  when  Stephen  was  itoning,  he  faw  heaven  open,  and  the 
 Sun  of  Righteoufnefs  fhined  in  his  face.  God  candies  our  worm- 
 wood with  fugar. 
 
 3d  Seafon.  After  fore  conflicts  with  Satan.  Satan  is  the  red 
 dragon  who  troubleth  the  waters  ;  he  puts  the  foui  into  frights, 
 makes  it  believe  that  it  hath  no  grace,  and  that  God  doth  not 
 love  it;  though  Satan  cannot  blot  out  a  Chriitian's  evidence* 
 yet  he  may  call  fuch  a  mitt  before  his  eyes,  that  he  cannot  read 
 it.  Now,  when  the  foul  hath  been  bruited  with  temptations, 
 God  will  comfort  this  bruited  reed  :  he  now  gives  joy,  adcoiro- 
 borandum  titulum,  to  confirm  a  Chntiian's  title  to  heaven.  Af- 
 ter Satan's  fiery  darts,  comes  the  white  ftone,  no  better  bann 
 to  heal  a  tempted  foul,  than  the  oil  of  gladnefs  :  as  after  Chidfc 
 was  tempted,  then  came  an  angel  to  comfort  him. 
 
 4th  Seafon.  After  defertion  :  defertion  is  a  poifoned  arrow 
 which  flioots  to  the  heart,  Job  vi.  4.  God  is  called  a  fire  and  a 
 light :  the  delerted  lbul  feels  the  tire,  but  doth  not  fee  the  light ; 
 it  cries  out,  as  Afaph,  Pfal.  Ixxvii.  8.  '  Is  his  mercv  clean 
 gone  ?'  Now,  when  the  foul  is  iu  this  cafe,  and  ready  to  faint 
 away  in  defpair,  God  fhines  upon  the  foul,  ami  give-  it  tome 
 appreheniion  of  his  favour,  and  rums  the  ihadow  of  death  into 
 
 M  m  2 
 
276  of  joy. 
 
 the  light  of  the  morning.  God  keeps  his  cordials  for  a  time  of 
 fainting.  Joy  after  defertion  is  like  a  refurreotion  from  the 
 dead. 
 
 5th  Seafon.  At  the  hour  of  death,  fuch  as  have  had  no  joy 
 in  their  life-time,  God  puts  in  this  fugar  in  the  bottom  of  the 
 cup,  to  make  their  death  fweet.  Now,  at  the  laft  hour,  when 
 all  other  comforts  are  gone,  God  fends  the  comforter  ;  and 
 when  their  appetite  to  meat  fails,  God  feeds  them  with  hidden 
 manna.  Sure,  as  the  wicked,  before  they  die,  have  forne  ap- 
 prehenfions  of  hell  and  wrath  in  their  confcience  ;  fo  the  godly 
 have  fome  fore-taftes  of  God's  everlafting  favour,  though  iome- 
 times  their  difeafes  may  be  fuch,  and  their  animal  fpirits  fo  op- 
 preifed,  that  they  cannot  exprefs  what  they  feel.  Jacob  laid 
 himfelf  to  flee p  on  a  ftone,  where  he  faw  a  vifion,  a  ladder,  and 
 the  angels  afcending  and  defcending ;  fo,  when  the  faints  lay 
 themf  elves  down  to  deep  the  deep  of  death,  they  have  often  a 
 vifion  :  they  fee  the  light  of  God's  face,  and  have  the  evidences 
 of  his  love  fealed  up  to  them  for  ever. 
 
 Q.  4.  What  are  the  differences  between  worldly  joys  and  f pi- 
 ritual  ? 
 
 Anf.  The  gleanings  of  the  one  are  better  than  the  v  intage  of 
 the  other. 
 
 (1.)  Spiritual  joys  help  to  make  us  better,  worldly  joys  do 
 often  make  us  worfe,  Jer.  xxii.  21.  'I  fpake  to  thee  in  thy  pros- 
 perity, and  thou  faidft,  1  will  not  hear.'  Pride  and  luxury  are 
 the  two  worms  bred  of  worldly  pleafures,  Hof.  iv.  11.  '  Wine 
 takes  away  the  heart ;'  it  is f omentum  lihidinisy  A  ug.  the  inflamer 
 of  luft.  As  Satan  entered  in  the  fop,  fo  often  in  the  cup  ;  but 
 fpiritual  joy  makes  one  better  ;  it  is  like  cordial  water,  which 
 (as  phyficians  fay)  doth  not  only  cheer  the  heart,  but  purges 
 out  the  noxious  humours  :  fo  divine  joy  is  cordial  water,  which 
 doth  not  only  comfort;  but  cleanfe  ;  it  makes  a  Chriftian  more 
 holy  ;  it  caufeth  an  antipathy  againft  fin  :  it  infufeth  ftrength 
 to  do  and  iirffer,  Neh.  viii.  10.  'The  joy  of  the  Lord  is  your 
 ftrrngth.'  As  fome  colours  do  not  only  delight  the  eye,  but 
 ftrengthen  the  fight  :  fo  the  joys  of  God  do  not  only  refrefh 
 the  foul,  but  ftrengthen  it,  ■  The  joy  of  the  Lord  is  .your 
 ftrength/ 
 
 (2.)  Spiritual  joys  are  inward,  they  are  heart-joys,  John  xvi. 
 22.  '  Your  heart  fhall  rejoice.'  Seneca  faith,  true  joy  latet  in 
 profnndo,  it  is  hidden  within,  worldly  joy  is  in  fnperjicie ,  it  lies 
 in  the  outfide,  like  the  dew  that  wets  the  leaf,  2  Cor.  v.  I2J  who 
 '  rejoice  in  appearance,'  (in  the  Greek)  in  the  face.  It  goes  no 
 farther  than  the  face,  it  is  not  within  ;  in  f  laughter  the  heart  is 
 fid.'  Like  a  houfe  which  hath  a  gilded  frontifpiece,  but  all  the 
 rooms  within  are  hung  in  mourning.  But  fpiritual  joy  lies 
 moft  within,  '  Your  heart  fhall  rejoice.'     Divine  joy  is  like  a 
 
of  joy.  277 
 
 fprincr  of  water  which  runs  under  ground  i  a  Chriftian,  others 
 can  lee  his  lull,  rimrs  but  they  fee  not  hit  joy,  Pro*,  xiv.  10. 
 '  A  flranger  intenneddleth  bot  with  bis  joy.'  This  joy  is  hid- 
 den manna,  hid  from  the  eye  ot  the  world  ;  he  hath  ttill  mufic, 
 which  others  hear  not:  the  marrow  lies  within,  the  beft  joy  is 
 within  the  heart. 
 
 (3.)  Spiritual  joys  are  fweeter  than  others,  better  than  wine, 
 Cant.  i.  c2.  They  are  a  Chrillian's  feftival ;  they  are  the  golden 
 pot  and  the  manna,  they  are  lb  fweet,  that  they  make  every 
 thing  elfe  fweet  ;  fweeten  health,  eflate,  as  fweet  water  poured 
 on  flowers  make  them  more  fragrant  and  aromatical.  Divine 
 joys  are  lb  delicious  and  ravifhing,  that  they  do  very  much  put 
 our  mouth  out  of  taile  to  earthly  delights  ;  as  he  who  hath  been 
 drinking  fpirits  of  alkermes,  talles  little  fweetnefs  in  water.  St. 
 Paul  had  tailed  thefe  divine  joys,  and  his  mouth  was  outoftafle 
 to  worldly  things:  the  world  was  crucified  to  him,  Gal.  vi.  14. 
 it  was  like  a  dead  thing,  he  could  find  no  fweetnefs  in  it. 
 
 (4.)  Spiritual  joys  are  more  pure,  they  are  not  tempered  with 
 any  bitter  ingredients  ;  a  tinner's  joy  is  mixed  with  dregs,  it  is 
 imbittered  with  fear  and  guilt  ;  the  wolf  feeds  in  the  breafts  of 
 his  joy,  he  drinks  wormwood  wine:  but  fpiritual  joy  is  not 
 muddied  with  guilt,  but  like  a  cryftaliiream,  runs  pure;  it  is 
 all  fpirits  and  quinteilence  ;  it  is  joy,  and  nothing  but  joy,  it  is 
 a  role  without  prickles,  it  is  honey  without  the  wax. 
 
 (5.)  Thefe  are  latisfv  inland  fillingjoys,  John  xvi.  24.  f  Afk 
 that  your  joy  may  be  full.'  Worldly  joys  can  no  more  fill  the 
 heart,  than  a  drop  can  till  a  cifteru  ;  they  may  pleafe  the  pallate 
 or  fancy,  (Plato  calls  them  pictures  of  joy)  not  fatisfy  the  foul, 
 Eccl.  i.  8.  *  The  eye  is  not  iatisfied  with  feeing,  nor  the  ear 
 with  hearing  ;'  but  the  joys  of  God  fatisfy,  Pf.  xciv.  1<).  *  Thy 
 comforts  delight  my  foul.*  There  is  as  much  difference  be- 
 tween fpiritual  joys  and  earthly,  as  between  a  banquet  that  is 
 eaten,  and  one  that  is  painted  on  the  wall. 
 
 (o\)  Thefe  are  ltronger  joys  than  worldly,  Heb.  vi.  18.  '  Strong 
 conlblation.'  They  are  ttrong  indeed,  that  can  bear  up  a  Chril- 
 tian's  heart  in  trials  and  afflictions,  1  Theif.  i.  (j.  '  Having  re- 
 ceived the  word  in  much  affliction,  with  joy.'  Thefe  are  rofes 
 that  grow  in  winter,  thefe  joys  can  fweeten  the  waters  of  Marah  ; 
 he  that  hath  theie  can  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  and  fetch  honey 
 cut  ot  the  carcafe  of  a  lion,  2  Cor.  vi.  10.  ■  As  forrowing  yet 
 always  rejoicing.'  At  the  end  of  the  rod  a  Chriftian  taites 
 honey. 
 
 (7.)  Thefe   are  unwearied  joys:  other  joys,  when  in  excefs, 
 
 oft  caujfe  a  loathing,  we  are  apt  to  furfeit  on  them  ;   too  much 
 
 h«   ley  naufeats  i   one   may  be   tired    with"   pleafure  as  well   as 
 
 Xerxes  ottered  a  reward  to  him  that  could  find  out  a 
 
 liew  pleafure  :  but  the  joys  of  God,  though  they  fatisfy,  yet 
 
27S  OF  JOY. 
 
 they  never  forfeit ;  a  drop  of  joy  is  fweet,  but  the  more  of  this 
 wine  the  better  ;  fuch  as  drink  of  the  joys  of  heaven,  are  never 
 cloyed  ;  the  fatiety  is  without  loathing,  becaufe  they  ilill  defire 
 the  joy  wherewith  they  arefatiated. 
 
 (8.)  Thefe  are  more  abiding  joys.  Worldly  joys  are  foon 
 gone;  fuch  as  crown  themlelves  with  role- buds,  and  bathe  in 
 the  perfumed  waters  of  pleafure,  yet  thefe  joys  which  feera  to 
 be  fweet  are  fwift  ;  like  meteors  they  give  a  bright  and  Judder* 
 fldfh,  and  then  difappear:  but  the  joys  which  believers  have, 
 are  abiding  ;  they  are  a  bloffom  of  eternity,  a  pledge  and  earner! 
 of  thofe  rivers  of  pleafure  which  run  at  God's  right  hand  for 
 evermore. 
 
 Q.  5.    Why  is  this  joy  to  be  laboured  for  ? 
 
 Anf.  Becauie  itiisjo}  isfeli-exiltent,  it  can  fubfift;  in  the  want 
 of  all  other  carnal  joy.  This  joy  depends  not  upon  outward 
 things  :  as  the  philofbphers  once  faid,  when  themuficians  came 
 to  inert;  *'  philofbphers  can  be  merry  without  mufic;"  he 
 that  hath  this  joy  can  be  chearful  in  the  deficiency  of  carnal 
 joys  ;  he  can  rejoice  in  God,  in  fure  hope  of  glory,  '  though 
 the  fig-tree  doth  not  flourim,'  H#b.  iii.  17.  Spiritual  joy  can 
 go  without  fiiver  crutches  to  fupport  it.  Spiritual  joy  is  higher 
 built  than  upon  creatures,  it  is  built  on  the  love  of  God,  on  the 
 promiles,  on  the  blood  of  Chrift. 
 
 2.  Becaufe  fpiritual  joy  carries  the  foul  through  duty  cheer* 
 fully  ;  the  fabbath  is  a  delight,  religion  is  a  recreation.  Fear 
 and  forrow  hinder  us  in  the  dilcharge  of  duty  ;  but  aCnriftian 
 ierves  God  with  activity,  when  he  ferves  him  with  joy.  The 
 oil  of  joy  makes  the  wheels  of  obedience  move  falter.  How 
 fervently  did  they  pray,  whom  God  made  joyful  in  the  houfe  of 
 prayer  ?  I  fa.  lvi.  7- 
 
 3.  Joy  is  the  beginning  of  heaven  here  ;  it  is  called  the  king- 
 dom of  God,  Rom.  xiv.  17.  becaufe  it  is  a  tafte  of  that  which 
 the  faints  have  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  What  is  the  heaven 
 of  the  angels  but  the  fmiles  of  God's  face,  the  fenfible  percep- 
 tion and  feeling  of  thole  joys  which  are  infinitely  ravifhing  and 
 full  of  glory  ?  And,  to  encourage  and  quicken  us  in  feeking after 
 them,  confider,  that  Chrift  died  to  purchafe  this  joy  for  the 
 faints  :  he  was  a  man  of  forrows,  that  we  may  be  full  of  joy,  he 
 prays  that  the  faints  may  have  this  divine  joy,  John  xvii.  13. 
 ■  And  now  1  come  to  thee,  that  they  may  have  my  joy  fulfilled 
 in  themfelves.'  And  this  prayer  he  now  prays  over  in  heaven  ; 
 he  knows  we  never  love  him  fo  as  when  we  feel  his  love  :  which 
 may  encourage  us  to  feek  after  this  joy  ;  we  pray  for  that  which 
 Chrift  himfelf  is  praying  for,  that  his  joy  may  be  fulfilled  in  us. 
 
 Q.  6.    What  (liall  me  do  to  obtain  this  fpiritual  joy  f 
 Anf.   Walk  accurately  and  heavenly  ;  God  gives  it  after  a 
 long  and  dole  walking  with  him.     (1.)  Obferve  your  hours: 
 
OF  JOY.  279 
 
 fet  time  every  Hay  apart  for  Go<l.  (?.)  Mourn  for  fin  :  mourn- 
 ing is  the  (Ved  (as  Balil  faith)  out  of  which  the  flower  ot'  fpi- 
 ntual  joy  prows,  Ifa.  lvii.  18.  *  I'll  rcltore  comfort  to  my 
 mourners.'  (J.)  Keep  the  bookofconfcience  fair  written  :  do  not 
 by  prelum  ptuou*  (ins  blur  your  evidences  :  a  good  Con&iei* 
 the  ark  where  God  puts  the  hidden  manna.  (I.)  Be  oi'hu 
 upon  your  knees,  pray  with  life  and  fervency.  The  lame  Spirit 
 that  fills  the  heart  with  fight,  fills  it  with  joys.  The  lame  Spi- 
 rit that  indites  the  prayer,  ieals  it.  When  Hannah  had  pray- 
 ed, lur  countenance  was  no  more  lad,  1  Sam.  i.  18.  Pmyitlg 
 Chriltians  have  much  intercourfe  with  God  ;  and  none  are  fo 
 like  to  have  the  fecrets  of  his  love  imparted,  as  thofe  who  hold 
 eorrefpondence  with  him  :  by  dole  walking  with  God,  we  get 
 thef'e  bunches  of  grapes  by  the  way,  which  are  an  earnctt  of  fu- 
 ture happinefc. 
 
 Q.  7-  How  flia/l  ire  comfort  them  that  want  joy? 
 
 An/,  lucli  as  walk  in  ciole  communion  with  God,  have  more 
 than  others. 
 
 1.  Initial  joy,  joy  in  femine  in  the  feed,  Pfal.  xcvii.  II. 
 '  Light  (a  metaphor  for  joy)  is  ibwn  for  the  righteous.*  Grace 
 in  the  heart  is  a  feed  of  joy  ;  though  a  Chriitian  wants  the  fun, 
 he  hath  a  day-ftar  in  his  heart. 
 
 2.  A  believer  hath  real,  though  not  royal  comforts  ;  he  hath, 
 as  Aquinas  faith,  gaudium  in  Deo,  tho'  not  a  Deo  :  joy  in  God, 
 though  not  from  God.  Joy  in  God  is  the  delight  and  compla- 
 cency the  foul  takes  in  God,  Pfalm  civ.  34.  '  My  foul  iliall 
 be  glad  in  the  Lord.'  He  that  is  truly  gracious,  is  fo  far  joy- 
 ful, as  to  take  comfort  in  God  :  though  he  cannot  fay,  God  re- 
 joiceth  in  him,  yet  he  can  fay,  he  rejoiceth  in  God. 
 
 3.  He  hath  fupporting,  though  not  tranfporting  comforts ; 
 he  hath  fo  much,  that  keeps  him  from  finking,  Pfal.  exxxviii. 
 3.  ■  Thou  ftrengthenedft  me  with  ltrength  in  my  foul.'  Ifa 
 Chrillian  hath  not  God's  arm  to  embrace  him,  yet  to  uphold 
 him:  thus  a  Chriitian,  who  walks  with  God,  hath  fomething 
 that  bears  up  his  heart  from  finking  ;  and  it  is  but  waiting  a 
 while,  and  he  is  fure  of  thole  joys  which  are  unfpeakable,  and 
 full  of  glory. 
 
 Ufe  1.  Then  fee  that  religion  is  no  melancholy  tlfmg  ;  it 
 brings  joy  :  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  joy  ;  Mutatur  non  tollitnr. 
 A  poor  Chriitian,  that  feeds  ou  bread  and  water,  may  have 
 purer  joy  than  the  greateft  monarch  ;  though  he  fates  hard,  he 
 feeds  high  :  he  hath  a  table  fpread  from  heaven,  angels  food, 
 hidden  manna  :  he  hath  fometimes  thole  fvveet  raptures  of  joy, 
 as  a  caufe  of  jubilation  of  fpirit,  2  Cor.  xii.  J.  he  hath  that 
 which  is  better  felt  than  can  he  exprelied. 
 
 Ufe  Q.  If  God  gives  his  people  fuch  joy  in  this  life  :  O  then 
 what  glorious  joy  will  he  give  them  in  heaven,   Mat.  xxv.   $U 
 
280  GROWTH  IN   GRACE. 
 
 ■  Enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord  :*  Here  joy  hegins  to  en- 
 ter into  us,  there  we  ihall  enter  into  joy  :  God  keeps  his  heil 
 wine  till  lad.  Heliogabalus  bathed  himfelf  in  fvveet  perfumed 
 waters  :  What  joy  when  the  foul  (hall  forever  bathe  itiell  in  the 
 pure  and  pteafant  fountain  of  God's  love?  What  joy  to  fee  the 
 orient  brightnefs  of  Chntt's  face,  and  have  the  kitf'es  of  thofe 
 lips  which  drop  i'weet  i'melling  myrrh  ?  Laetabitur  fponj'a  in 
 amplexibus  Domini,  Aug.  Oh!  if  a  clufter  of  grapes  here  be 
 fo  tweet,  what  will  the  full  vintage  be  ?  How  may  this  fet  us 
 all  a-longing  for  that  place,  where  forrow  cannot  live,  and  where 
 joy  cannot  die. 
 
 GROWTH  IN  GRACE. 
 
 2  Pet.  iii.  18.     But  grow  in  grace. 
 
 FRUIT  IV. 
 
 GROWTH  of  grace.  True  grace  is  progreffive,  of  a 
 fpreading,  growing  nature.  It  is  with  grace,  as  with  the  light: 
 Firft,  There  is  the  Crepnfculum,  or  day-break  :  then  it  fbines 
 brighter  to  the  full  meridian.  A  good  Chriftian  is  like  the  cro- 
 codile, quamdiu  vivit  crefcit;  he  hath  never  done  growing. 
 The  faints  are  not  only  compared  to  ftars  for  their  light,  but  to 
 trees  for  their  growth,  Ifa.  lxi.  3.  Hof.  xiv.  5.  A  good  Chris- 
 tian is  not  like  Hezekiah's  fun  that  went  backward,  nor  Jofhua's 
 fun  that  ftood  ftill,  but  it  is  always  advancing  in  holinels,  and 
 increafing  with  the  increafe  of  God,  Col.  ii.  16.  Now,  to  am- 
 plify and  illuftrate  this  ? 
 
 Q.  1.  How  many  ways  may  a  Chriftian  be  f aid  to  grow  in 
 grace ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  He  grows  vigoret  in  the  exercife  of  grace  ;  his  lamps 
 are  burning  and  mining :  therefore  we  read  of  a  lively  hope, 
 1  Pet.  i.  3.  Here  is  the  activity  of  grace  ;  the  church  prays  for 
 the  blowing  of  the  Spirit,  that  her  l'pices  might  flow  forth, 
 Cant.  iv.  61. 
 
 9.  A  Chriftian  grows  gradu,  in  the  degree  of  grace  ;  he  goes 
 from  ftrength  toftrength,  Pial.  lxxxiv.  7.  viz.  from  one  degree 
 of  grace,  to  another.  A  faint  goes  from  faith  to  faith,  Rom.  i. 
 17.  and  his  love  abounds  more  and  more,  Phil.  i.  9.  Here  is 
 growing  in  the  degree. 
 
 Q.  2.   What  is  the  right  manner  of  a  Chriftian' s  groicth  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  The  right  manner  of  growth,  is  to  grow  lei's  in  one's 
 own  eyes,  Plal.  xxii.  6.  'I  am  a  worm,  and  no  man/  The 
 fight  of  corruption  and  ignorance  make  a  Chriftian  grow  into  a 
 
GROWTH  IN  CRACE.  981 
 
 dillike  of  himfelf,  he  doth  vauilli  in  his  own  eyes.  Job  abhorred 
 himlelf  in  the  duit,  ch.  xlii.  6.  This  is  good  to  grow  out  of  con- 
 ceit with  one's  fell". 
 
 ft  The  right  manner  of  growth,  is  to  grow  proportionally, 
 when  a  Chhftian  grows  in  one  grace  m  well  as  another,  2  Pet. 
 j.  .").  To  grow  in  knowledge,  but  not  in  neekneft,  brotherly 
 love,  good  works,  this  is  nut  the  right  growth  ;  a  thing  may 
 fwell,  and  not  grow;  a  man  may  be  fwelled  with  knowled 
 yet  may  have  no  fpiritual  growth  :  the  right  manner  of  growth 
 is  uniform,  growing  in  one  grace  as  well  as  another.  As  the 
 beauty  of  the  body  is,  when  there  is  a  fymmetry  of  parts,  not 
 only  the  head  grows,  but  the  arms  and  breait ;  ib  fpiritual 
 growth  is  molt  beautiful,  when  there  is  a  iymmetry  and  propor- 
 tion, eveiy  grace  thrives. 
 
 3.  The  right  manner  of  growth  is,  when  a  Chriftian  hath 
 grace  iuitable  to  his  feveral  employments  and  occafions ;  when 
 corruptions  are  llrong,  and  lie  hath  grace  able  to  give  check  to 
 them  ;  burdens  are  heavy,  and  he  hath  patience  able  to  bear 
 them  ;  temptations  fierce,  and  he  hath  faith  able  to  refill  them  : 
 here  is  grace  growing  in  the  right  manner. 
 
 Q.  3.    Whence  is  it  that  true  grace  cannot  but  grow  f 
 
 Anf.  1.  It  is  proper  for  grace  to  grow  ;  it  is  femen  manens, 
 the  feed  of  God,  1  John  iii.  9.  It  is  the  nature  of  ieed  to  grow; 
 grace  doth  not  lie  in  the  heart,  as  a  Hone  in  the  earth,  but  as 
 feed  in  the  earth,  which  will  fpring  up,  firft  the  blade  and  then 
 the  ear,  and  then  the  full  corn  in  the  ear. 
 
 9.  Grace  cannot  but  grow,  from  the  fweetnefsand  excellency 
 of  it ;  he  that  hath  grace,  is  never  weary  of  it,  but  frill  would 
 have  more;  the  delight  he  hath  in  it,  caufeth  third;  grace  is 
 the  image  of  God,  and  a  Chriftian  thinks  he  can  never  be 
 enough  like  God.  Grace  inllils  peace  ;  therefore  a  Chriltian 
 cannot  but  drive  to  increafe  in  grace,  becaufe,  as  grace  grows, 
 ib  peace  grows. 
 
 3.  Grace  cannot  but  grow,  from  a  believer's  ingrafting  into 
 Chrift;  he  who  is  a  fcion,  ingrafted  into  this  noble,  generous 
 ftock,  cannot  but  grow.  Chrilt  is  fo  full  of  lap,  and  vivificai 
 influence,  that  he  makes  all  inoculated  into  him,  grow  fruitful* 
 Hot',  xiv.  S.   ■  From  me  is  thy  fruit  found.' 
 
 Q.  4.  What  motives  or  incentives  are  there  to  make  us  grow 
 in  grace  ? 
 
 .■inf.  1.  Growth  is  the  end  of  the  ordinances.  Why  doth  a 
 man  lay  out  coft  on  ground,  manure  and  water  it,  but  that  it 
 ma\  grow  ?  The  fincere  milk  of  the  word  is,  that  we  may 
 grow  thereby,  1  Pet.  ii.  2.  The  table  of  the  Lord  is  on  pur- 
 pole  for  our  fpiritual  nourifliment  and  increafe  of  grace. 
 
 '2.  The  growth  of  grace  is  the  belt  evidence  of  the  truth  of 
 it:   things  that   have  no  life  will  not  grow,  a  picture  will  not 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  6.  N  n 
 
2S2  GROWTH  IN  GRACE. 
 
 grow,  a  (lake  In  the  hedge  will  not  grow  ;  but  a  plant  that  hath 
 a  vegetative  life  grows.  The  growing  of  grace  fhews  it  to  be 
 alive  in  the  foul. 
 
 3.  Growth  in  grace  is  the  beauty  of  a  Chriftian.  The  more 
 a  child  grows,  the  more  it  comes  to  its  favour  and  complexion, 
 and  looks  more  ruddy  ;  fo,  the  more  a  Chriftian  grows  in  grace, 
 the  more  he  comes  to  his  fpi ritual  complexion,  he  looks  fairer. 
 Abraham's  faith  was  beautiful  when  in  its  infancy,  but  at  lalt  it 
 grew  fo  vigorous  and  eminent,  that  God  himfelf  was  in  love  with 
 it,  and  crowned  Abraham  with  his  honour,  to  be  the  *  father 
 of  the  faithful/ 
 
 4.  The  more  we  grow  in  grace,  the  more  glory  we  bring  to 
 God  :  God's  glory  is  more  worth  than  the  falvation  of  all  men's 
 fouls.  This  Should  be  our  defign,  to  raife  the  trophies  of  God's 
 glory  ;  and  how  can  we  do  it  more,  than  by  growing  in  grace  ? 
 John  xv.  8.  '  Hereby  is  my  Father  glorified,  if  ye  bring  forth 
 much  fruit.'  Though  the  leait  drachm  of  grace  will  bring  fal- 
 vation to  us,  yet  it  will  not  bring  io  much  glory  to  God,  Phil. 
 i.  11.  '  Filled  with  the  fruits  of  his  righteoulhefs,  which  are  to 
 the  praife  of  his  glory.'  It  commends  the  (kill  of  the  hufband- 
 man,  when  his  plants  grow  and  thrive  ;  it  is  a  praife  and  ho- 
 nour to  God,  when  we  thrive  in  grace. 
 
 5.  The  more  we  grow  in  grace,  the  more  will  God  love  us. 
 Is  it  not  that  we  pray  for  ?  the  more  growth,  the  more  will  God 
 Jove  us.  The  hufbandman  loves  his  thriving  plants;  the  thriv- 
 ing Chriftian  is  God's  Hephzibah,  or  chief  delight.  Chrift  loves 
 to  fee  the  vine  flourifhing,  and  the  pomegranates  budding,  Cant. 
 vi.  11.  Chrift  accepts  the  truth  of  grace,  but  commends  the 
 growth  of  grace,  Matth.  viii.  10.  '  I  have  not  found  fo  great 
 faith,  no  not  in  Ifrael.'  Would  you  be  as  the  beloved  dilciple 
 that  lay  in  Chrift' s  bofom  ?  would  you  have  much  love  from 
 Chrift?  labour  for  much  growth,  let  faith  flourilh  with  good 
 works,  and  love  increafe  into  zeal. 
 
 6.  What  need  we  have  to  grow  in  grace.  There  is  ftill  fome- 
 thing  lacking  in  our  faith,  1  Theff.  iii.  10.  Grace  is  but  in  its 
 infancy  and  minority,  and  we  muft  be  ftill  adding  a  cubit  to  our 
 ipiritual  ftature  ;  the  apoftles  faid,  'Lord,  increafe  our  faith,* 
 Luke  xvii.  5.  Grace  is  but  weak,  2  Sam.  iii.  39.  *  I  am  this 
 day  weak,  though  anointed  king.'  So,  though  we  are  anoint- 
 ed with  grace,  yet  we  are  but  weak,  and  had  need  arrive  at  fur- 
 ther degrees  of  l'anctity. 
 
 7.  The  growth  of  grace  will  hinder  the  growth  of  corruption. 
 The  more  health  grows,  the  more  the  diftempers  of  the  body 
 abate  ;  fo  it  is  in  fpirituals  ;  the  more  humility  grows,  the  more 
 the  fwelling  of  pride  is  alTuaged  ;  the  more  purity  of  heart 
 grows,  the  more  the  fire  of  lull  is  abated .  The  growth  of  flowers 
 in  the  garden  doth  not  hinder  the  growing  of  weeds;  but  the 
 
GROWTH  IN  GRACE. 
 
 growing  of  this  flower  of  grace  binders  t  he  fptouting  of  corrup- 
 tion. As  Rhd€  plants  bare  an  antipathy,  and  will  not  thrive  if 
 they  grow  near  together ,  astrn  rineand  the  bay-tree ;  lb,  where 
 grace  grows,  (in  will  not  thrive  lb  fali. 
 
 8.  We  cannot  grow  too  much  in  grace  ;  there  is  no  nimium, 
 no  excels  there.  The  body  may  grow  too  great,  as  in  the 
 droply;  but  faith  cannot  grow  too  great,  fcTheff.  i.  3,  *  Your 
 faith  groweth  exceedingly;'  liere  was  exceeding,  yet  not  ex- 
 cels. As  a  man  cannot  have  too  much  health,  lb  not  too  much 
 grace.  Grace  is  the  beauty  of  holinefs,  Plal.  ex.  3.  We  can- 
 not have  too  much  fpiritual  beauty  ;  it  will  be  the  only  trouble 
 at  death,  that  we  have  grown  no  more  in  grace. 
 
 9.  Such  as  do  not  grow  in  grace,  decay  in  grace  :  Non  pro- 
 green'  mi  via  eft  regredi,  Bern.  There  is  no  (landing at  a  Itay  in 
 religion,  either  we  go  forward  or  backward  :  if  faith  doth  not 
 grow,  unbelief  will  ;  if  heavenly  mindednefs  doth  not  grow, 
 covetoufnefs  will.  A  man  that  doth  not  increale  his  Itock, 
 diminilheth  it ;  if  you  do  not  improve  your  ftock  of  grace,  your 
 flock  will  decay.  The  angels  on  Jacob's  ladder  were  either 
 afcending  or  defcending;  if  you  do  not  afcend  in  religion,  you 
 delcend. 
 
 10.  The  more  we  grow  in  grace,  the  more  we  fhall  flourifh 
 in  glory.  Though  every  vefTel  of  glory  ihall  be  full,  yet  tome 
 reflets  hold  more :  he  whofe  pound  gained  ten,  was  made  ruler 
 over  ten  cities,  Luke  xix.  17.  Such  as  do  not  grow  much, 
 though  they  do  not  Iofe  their  glory,  yet  they  lelien  their  glory. 
 If  any  ihall  follow  the  Lamb  in  whiter  and  larger  robes  of  glory 
 than  others,  they  fhall  be  fuch  as  have  (hone  moil  in  grace 
 here. 
 
 Lie.  Lament  we  may  the  want  of  growth  :  religion  in  many 
 is  grown  only  into  a  form  and  profellion  ;  this  is  to  grow  in 
 
 ve8i  not  hi  fruit  ;  many  Chriftians  are  like  a  body  in  an 
 atrophy,  which  doth  not  thrive  ;  they  are  not  nourifhed  by  the 
 iermons  they  hear :  like  the  angels  who  allumed  bodies,  they 
 did  eat,  but  did  not  grow.  It  is  very  iulpicious  where  there  is 
 no  growth,  there  wants  a  vital  principle.  Some  inftead  of  grow- 
 ing better,  grow  worfe  ;  they  grow  more  earthly,  more  profane, 
 %  Tim.  iii.  13.  Evil  men  proficient  in  pejus,  Ihall  wax  worle 
 and  worle.  Many  grow  hell- ward,  they  grow  palt  fliame,  Eph. 
 ii.  o,  o.  they  are  like  tome  watered  itutfs,  which  grow  more 
 rotten. 
 
 Q.  5.  How  flmll  we  know  whether  we  grow  in  grace? 
 
 A.  For  the  deciding  of  this  queftion,  1  fhall,  First,  Shew  the 
 fi^ns  of  our  not  growing  ;   Secondly,  Of  our  growing. 
 
 bfti  The  figus  of  our  not  growing  in  grace,  but  rather  falling 
 into  a  fpiritual  confumption. 
 
 Sign  1.  When  we  have  loft  our  fpiritual  appetite.     A  con* 
 
 Nn  9 
 
284  GROWTH  IN  GRACE. 
 
 fumptive  perfon  hath  not  that  ftomach  to  his  meat  as  formerly. 
 Perhaps,  Chriftian,  thou  canit  remember  the  time  when  thou 
 didli  hunger  and  thirft  after  rig hteoufnefs,  thou  didft  come  to 
 the  ordinances  with  fuch  a  ftomach  as  to  a  feaft :  but  now  it  is 
 otherwife,  Chrift  is  not  ib  prized,  nor  his  ordinances  fo  loved  : 
 a  tad  prefage,  grace  is  on  the  declining  hand  ;  thou  art  in  a  deep 
 coni'umption.  A  fign  David  was  near  his  grave,  when  he 
 covered  him  wiih  clothes,  and  got  no  heat,  1  Kings  i.  1.  So, 
 when  a  perfon  is  plied  with  hot  clothes,  I  mean  ordinances,  yet 
 he  hath  no  heat  of  affection  to  ipiritual  things  ;  this  is  a  fign  he 
 is  declining  in  grace. 
 
 Sign  2.  When  we  grow  more  worldly.  Perhaps  once  we 
 were  mounted  into  higher  orbs,  we  did  fet  our  hearts  on  things 
 above,  and  fpeak  the  language  of  Canaan  ;  but  now  our  minds 
 are  taken  off  heaven,  we  dig  our  comfort  out  of  theie  lower 
 mines,  and  with  Satan  compafs  the  earth  :  a  fign  we  are  going 
 down  the  hill  apace,  and  our  grace  is  in  a  coni'umption.  It  is 
 obfervable,  when  nature  decays,  and  people  are  near  dying, 
 they  grow  more  ftooping ;  and  truly,  when  men's  hearts  grow 
 more  ftooping  to  the  earth,  and  they  can  hardly  lift  up  themielves 
 to  an  heavenly  thought,  if  grace  be  not  dead,  yet  it  is  ready  to 
 die,  Rev.  iii.  2. 
 
 Sign  3.  When  we  are  lefs  troubled  about  fin.  Time  was 
 when  the  leait  fin  did  grieve  us,  (as  the  leaft  hair  makes  the  eye 
 weep)  but  now  we  can  digelt  fin  without  remorle.  Time  was 
 when  a  Chriftian  was  troubled  if  he  neglected  clofet-prayer  ; 
 now  he  can  omit  family- prayer.  Time  was  when  vain  thoughts 
 did  trouble  him  :  now  he  is  not  troubled  for  loofe  practices. 
 Here  is  a  fad  declenfion  in  religion  ;  and  truly  grace  is  fb  far 
 from  growing,  that  we  can  hardly  perceive  its  pulle  to  beat. 
 
 2(%,  The  figns  of  our  growing  in  grace. 
 
 1.  The  firft  fign  of  our  growing  is,  when  we  are  got  beyond 
 our  former  meafures  of  grace  :  a  fign  a  child  thrives,  when  he 
 hath  outgrown  his  clothes,  his  clothes  are  too  little  for  him. 
 That  knowledge  which  would  ferve  us  before,  will  not  f'erve  us 
 now  ;  we  have  a  deeper  infight  into  religion,  our  light  is  clearer, 
 our  fpark  of  love  is  increaled  into  a  flame ;  there  is  a  fign  of 
 growth.  That  competency  of  grace  we  once  had,  is  too  lcanty 
 for  us  ;   we  have  outgrown  ourfelves. 
 
 2.  When  we  are  more  firmly  rooted  in  religion,  CoJ.  ii.  7. 
 '  Rooted  in  him,  and  eftablifhed  :  the  fpreading  of  the  root 
 fhews  the  growth  of  the  tree.  When  we  arefo  ftrongly  faften- 
 ed  on  Chrift,  that  we  cannot  be  blown  down  with  the  breath  of 
 heretics,  a  blelled  fign  of  growth.  Athanafius  was  called  Adamas 
 eccle/ke,  an  adament  that  could  not  be  removed  from  the  love 
 of  the  truth. 
 
 3.  The  third  fign  of  growth;  When  we  have  a  more  fpiritual 
 
ORG 
 
 frame  of  heart,   ift,  We  are    more  spiritual  in  our  prn 
 
 ife  (in  out  of  love  to  God,  and  as  it  llrikes  loli- 
 
 _»////,  We  arc  more  fpiritual  in  our  aff<  ctiona  :  m  - 
 the  firlt  riling  of  corruption,  for  the  bubbling  up  of  vaiu 
 thoughts,  the  Ipriog  that  runs  under  ground.  \\  e  mourn  not 
 only  for  the  penalty  of  (in,  but  the  pollution.  It  is  not  only  a. 
 coal  that  burns,  but  blacks,  odly,  We  are  fpiritual  m  the  per- 
 formance of  duty  ;  we  are  more  In  ions,  reverent,  ferv<  nt ; 
 have  more  life  in  prayer,  we  put  tire  to  the  facrifice,  Rom.  xii. 
 •Fervent  in  fpirit.'  We  ferve  God  with  more  love,  which 
 ripens  and  mellows  our  duty,  and  makes  it  come  oil  with  a  bet- 
 ter relifli. 
 
 4.  The  fourth  fign  of  growth ;  When  grace  gets  ground  by 
 oppolition.  The  tire,  by  an  aatiperiftafia,  burns  hotted  in  the 
 coldelt  feafon.  Peter's  courage  increafed  by  the  oppolition  of 
 the  high-prieft  and  the  rulers,  Acts  iv.  8,  11.  The  mart} 
 zeal  was  increafed  by  perfecution.  Here  was  grace  of  the  firft 
 magnitude. 
 
 Q .  6\    What  /hall  we  do  to  grate  in  grace  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  Take  heed  of  that  vs  Inch  will  hinder  growth,  the  love 
 of  any  fin  :  the  body  may  as  well  thrive  in  a  fever,  as  grace  can 
 where  any  fin  is  cherilhed. 
 
 l2.  Ufe  all  means  for  growth  in  grace.  1ft,  '  Exercife  your- 
 f elves  to  godlinefs,'  1  Tim.  iv.  7.  The  body  grows  ftronger  by 
 exercife.  Trading  of  money  makes  men  grow  rich  ;  the  more 
 we  trade  our  faith  in  the  promifes,  the  richer  in  faith  we  grow. 
 2d/y,  If  you  would  be  growing  Chriftians,  be  humble  Chriitians. 
 It  is  obferved  in  Tome  countries  (as  in  France)  the  belt  and 
 largeft  grapes  which  they  make  their  wine  of,  grow  on  the 
 lower  fort  of  vines ;  the  humble  faints  grow  moil  in  grace, 
 1  Pet.  v.  5.  ■  God  giveth  grace  to  the  humble.'  o<////,  Pray  to 
 God  for  fpiiitual  growth.  Some  pray  that  they  may  grow  in 
 gifts.  It  is  better  to  grow  in  grace  than  gifts  :  gifts  are  for 
 ornament,  grace  is  for  nourifhment ;  to  edify  others,  to  faveour- 
 felves.  Some  pray  that  they  may  grow  rich  ;  but  a  fruitful 
 heart  is  better  than  a  full  purle.  Pray  that  God  would  make 
 you  grow  in  grace,  though  it  be  by  affliction,  Heb.  xii.  10. 
 The  vine  grows  by  pruning.  God's  pruning-kmfe  is  to  make 
 us  grow  more  in  grace. 
 
 Q.  7  •   How  may  we  comfort  fuch  as  complain  they  do  not 
 in  grace  f 
 
 Anf.   They  may  miftake ;   they  may  grow,   when  they  think 
 they  do   not,  Prov.    xiii.  7-   *  There   is  that   maketh   himfelf 
 poor,  yet  he  is  rich.'     The  Gght  Chriftians  have  of  their  defi 
 in  grace,  and  their  third  after  greater  meafures  of  grace,  m 
 them  think  they  do  not  grow  when  they  do.     He  who  covets  a 
 ^reat  eltale,   becaufe  he  hath  not  lb  much  as  he  defires,  there- 
 
£8(>  OF    PERSEVERANCE. 
 
 fore  he  thinks  himfelf  to  be  poor.  Indeed  Chriflians  fhould  feek 
 after  the  grace  they  want,  but  they  mult  not  therefore  over- 
 look the  grace  they  have.  Let  Chriftians  be  thankful  for  the 
 leaf!  growth  ;  if  you  do  not  grow  fo  much  in  alfurauce,  blefs 
 God  if  you  grow  in  fincerity  ;  if  you  do  not  grow  fo  much  in 
 knowledge,  blefs  God  if  you  grow  in  humility.  If  a  tree  grows 
 in  the  root,  it  is  a  true  growth  ;  if  you  grow  in  the  root-grace  of 
 humility,  it  is  as  needful  for  you  as  any  other  growth. 
 
 OF  PERSEVERANCE. 
 
 1  Pet.  i.  5.    Who  are  kept  by  the  Power  of  God,  through  Faith 
 unto  Salvation. 
 
 The  fifth  and  laft  fruit  of  fanctification,  is  perfeverance 
 in  grace.  The  heavenly  inheritance  is  kept  for  the  faints,  1  Pet. 
 i.  4.  and  they  are  kept  to  the  inheritance;  in  my  text,  ■  Who 
 are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  falvation.' 
 The  apoftle  afferts  a  faint's  (lability  and  permanency  in  grace. 
 The  faint's  perfeverance  is  much  oppunged  by  Papilts  and  Ar- 
 minians  ;  but  it  is  not  the  lets  true,  becaufe  it  isoppof'ed.  A 
 Chriftian's  main  comfort  depends  upon  this  doctrine  of  perfeve- 
 rance :  take  away  this,  and  you  much  prejudice  religion,  and 
 cut  the  fmews  of  all  chearful  endeavours.  Before  I  come  to  the 
 full  handling  and  difcuffwg  this  great  point,  let  me  firft  clear 
 the  fenfe  of  it,  which  I  fhall  do  by  way  of  conceflion  or  grant. 
 
 When  I  fay,  believers  do  perfevere :  Iji,  1  grant,  that  fuch 
 as  are  fo  only  in  profeflion,  may  fall  away,  2  Tim.  iv.  10. 
 *  Demas  hath  forfaken  us.'  Blazing  comets  foon  evaporate. 
 A  building  on  fand  will  fall,  Matth.  vii.  c26.  '  Seeming  grace 
 may  be  loft.'  No  wonder  to  fee  a  bough  fall  from  a  tree  that 
 is  only  tied  on.  Hypocrites  are  only  tied  on  Chrift  by  an  ex- 
 ternal profeflion,  they  are  not  ingrafted.  Who  ever  thought 
 artificial  motions  would  hold  long  ?  the  hypocrites'  motion  is 
 only  artificial,  not  vital.     All  bloffoms  do  not  ripen  into  fruit. 
 
 2clly,  I  grant,  that,  if  believers  were  left  to  Hand  upon  their 
 own  legs,  they  might  fall  finally.  Some  of  the  angels,  who 
 were  ftars  full  of  light  and  glory,  yet  did  actually  lofe  their 
 grace;  and  if  thole  pure  angels  fell  from  grace,  much  more 
 would  the  godly,  who  have  lb  much  fin  to  betray  them,  if  they 
 were  not  upheld  by  a  fuperior  power. 
 
 Sa'ly,  1  grant,  true  believers,  tho'  they  do  not  fall  away  ac- 
 tually, and  lofe  all  their  grace,  yet  their  grace  may  fail  in  the 
 degree,  and  they  may  make  a  great  breach  upon  their  fanclifi- 
 cation.      Grace  may  be  meritura,  non  mortua ;  dying,  but  not 
 
OF    PERSEVERANCE.  £37 
 
 lead,  Ref*  8L  ?•  *  Strengthen  the  ihingi  which  IW  ready  to 
 dif.'  Grace  may  be  like  fire  io  the  ember*,  though  Dotojueecb- 
 ed,  yet  the  flame  is  gone  out.      This  decay  I    (haU 
 
 fiirw  in  two  particulate;  (l.)  The  lively  actings  of  grace  may 
 befnfpended,  Rev.  ii.  4.  '  Thou  hail  left  thy  firil  love.'  Grace 
 may  he  like  a  lleepy  habit  ;  the  godly  may  a&  faintly  in  religH 
 on,  the  pnlfe  of  their  affections  may  beat  low.  The  wife  rim 
 gins  (lumbered,  Matth.  xxv.  5.  T'lie  exercife  'of  grace  in  ty  he 
 hindered  ;  as  when  the  courfe  of  water  is  (topped,  and  doth  not 
 run.     (1.)  In  Head  of  xercifing  in  the  godly,  corruption 
 
 may  exercife  ;  iniiead  of  patience,  murmuring;  inltead  of  bee* 
 venlinel's,  earthlinefs.  He, w  did  pride  put  forth  itfelf  in  the 
 difciplea.  when  they  drove  who  Ihould  be  the  greateft: !  how  did 
 lull  put  forth  itfelf  in  David?  Thus  lively  and  vigorous  may 
 corruption  be  in  the  regenerate  ;  they  may  fall  into  enormous 
 /ins.  But  though  all  this  be  granted,  yet  they  do  not  penilns 
 rdere,  fall  away  finally  from  grace.  David  did  not  quite 
 lofe  bis  grace  ;  for  then,  why  did  he  pray,  '  Take  not  away 
 thy  Holy  Spirit  from  me!'  He  had  not  quite  loft  the  Spirit. 
 As  Eutyches,  when  he  fell  from  a  window,  Acts  xx.  and  all 
 thought  he  was  dead  ;  *  No.  faith  Paul,  there  is  life  in  him  :* 
 ib  David  fell  foully,  but  there  was  the  life  of  grace  in  him. 
 Though  the  faints  may  come  to  that  pafs,  they  have  but  little 
 faith,  yet  not  to  have  no  faith  ;  though  their  grace  may  be 
 drawn  low,  yet  not  drawn  dry  :  though  grace  may  be  abated, 
 not  abolilhed  ;  though  the  wife  virgins  ilumbered,  yet  their 
 lamps  were  not  quite  gone  out.  Grace,  when  it  is  at  the  low- 
 ell,  (hall  revive  and  flourifh  ;  as  when  Sami'on  had  loft  his 
 (trength,  his  hair  grew  again,  and  he  renewed  his  flrength. 
 Having  thus  explained  the  propohtion,  I  come  now  to  the  am- 
 plifying this  great  doctrine  of  the  faints  perfeverance. 
 
 Q.   I.  By  what  means  do  Chrijiiuns  come  to  perfevere? 
 
 Anf.  1.  By  the  manuduction  and  help  of  ordinances,  pray- 
 er, word,  facraments.  Chriltians  do  not  arrive  at  perfeverance 
 when  they  fit  (till  and  do  nothing.  It  is  not  with  us  as  with 
 paffengers  in  a  fhip,  who  are  carried  to  the  end  of  their  voya 
 and  they  fit  Hill  in  the  Oiip  ;  or,  as  it  is  with  noblemen,  who 
 have  their  rents  brought  in  without  their  toil  or  labour:  but  we 
 arrive  at  t'alvation  in  the  ufe  of  means  ;  as  a  man  comes  to  the 
 end  of  a  race  by  running,  to  a  victory  by  fighting,  Matth.  xxvi. 
 41.  '  Watch  and  pray.'  As  Paul  laid,  Acts  xxvii.  31.  ■  K» 
 cept  ye  abide  in  the  ihip,  ye  cannot  be  laved.'  Believers  (hall 
 come  to  (hore  at  laft,  arrive  at  heaven  ;  but,  *  except  they  abide 
 in  the  (hip,'  viz.  in  the  ufe  of  ordinances,  *  they  cannot  be 
 laved.'  The  ordinances  cherifh  grace  :  as  they  beget  grace,  fo 
 they  are  the  breaft-milk  by  which  it  is  nourifhed  and  preferred 
 to  eternity. 
 
£88  OF    PERSEVERANCE. 
 
 2.  Anx'ilio  fpiritus,  by  the  facred  influence  and  concurrence 
 of  the  Spirit.  The  Spirit  of  God  is  continually  at  work  in  the 
 heart  of  a  believer,  to  carry  on  grace  to  perfeverence  ;  it  drops 
 on  iieih  oil,  to  keep  the  lamp  of  grace  burning.  The  Spirit  ex- 
 cites, ftrengthens,  increafeth  grace,  and  makes  a  Chriitian  go 
 from  one  ftep  of  faith  to  another,  till  he  comes  to  the  end  of  his 
 faith,  falvation,  1  Pet.  i.  9.  It  is  a  fine  exprelTion  of  the 
 apoiile,  2  Tim.  i.  14.  ■  The  Holy  Ghoft  which  dwelleth  in  us.' 
 He  who  dwells  in  an  houfe,  keeps  the  houfe  in  repair ;  the 
 Spirit  dwelling  in  a  believer,  keeps  grace  in  repair.  Grace  is 
 compared  to  a  river  of  the  water  of  life,  John  vii.  38.  This 
 river  can  never  be  dried  up,  becaufe  God's  Spirit  is  a  fpring 
 which  continually  feeds  it. 
 
 3.  Grace  is  carried  on  to  perfeverance,  by  Chrift' s  daily  in- 
 terceflion.  As  the  Spirit  is  at  work  in  the  heart,  fo  is  Chrift  at 
 work  in  heaven.  Chrift  is  ever  praying  that  the  faints'  grace 
 may  hold  out,  John  xvii.  11.  Conferva  illos ;  '  Father,  keep 
 thole  whom  thou  haft  given  me ;'  keep  them  as  the  ftars  in 
 their  orbs:  keep  them  as  jewels,  that  they  may  not  be  loft. 
 *  Father,  keep  them.'  That  prayer  Chrift  made  for  Peter,  was 
 the  copy  of  iiis  prayer  he  now  makes  for  believers,  Luke  xxii. 
 32.  '  I  have  prayed  for  thee  that  thy  faith  fail  not,'  that  it  be 
 not  totally  eclipied  ?  how  can  the  children  of  fuch  prayers 
 perifh  ? 
 
 Q.  2.  By  what  arguments  may  we  prove  the  faints  perfever- 
 an  ce  ? 
 
 Anf.  2.  A  veritate  Dei,  from  the  truth  of  God.  God  hath 
 both  aflerted  it,  and  promifedit:  (I.)  God  hath  aflerted  it, 
 1  John  ii.  9.  '  His  feed  remaineth  in  him.'  1  John  ii.  27. 
 '  The  anointing  ye  have  received  of  him  abideth  in  you.'  (2.) 
 As  God  hath  aflerted  it,  fo  he  hath  promiiedit:  the  truth  of 
 God,  the  moft  orient  pearl  of  his  crown,  is  laid  a  pawn  in  the 
 promife,  John  x.  28.  ■  I  will  give  unto  them  eternal  life,  and 
 they  (hall  never  perifh.'  Jer.  xxxii.  40.  '  I  will  make  an  ever- 
 lafting  covenant  with  them,  that  1  will  not  turn  away  from 
 them  to  do  them  good,  but  I  will  put  my  fear  in  their  hearts, 
 that  they  (hall  not  depart  from  me.'  God  will  fo  love  his  peo- 
 ple, that  he  will  not  forfake  them  ;  and  they  (hall  fo  fear  him, 
 that  they  thall  not  forfake  him.  If  a  believer  mould  not  per- 
 fevere,  God  ihould  break  his  promife,  Hof.  ii.  19.  '  I  will  be- 
 trothe  thee  unto  me  for  ever,  in  righteoufnefs  and  loving-kind- 
 nefs.'  God  doth  not  marry  his  people  unto  himfelf,  and  then 
 divorce  them  :  he  hates  putting  away,  Mai.  ii.  16.  God's  love 
 ties  the  marriage  knot  fo  fait,  that  neither  death  nor  hell  can 
 break  it  afunder. 
 
 2.  The  fecond  argument  is,  a  potentia  Dei,  from  the  power 
 
OF    PEIISEVERA!1(  K.  289 
 
 of  God.  In  the  text,  we  «  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  unto 
 ialvation.'  Every  perfba  in  the  Trinity  hath  an  hand  in  mak- 
 ing a -believer  perfevere.  God  the  Father  eftablifheth,  1  Cor. 
 H.  God  the  Son  confirms,  1  Cor.  i.  8.  God  the  Holy  Gholt 
 Teals,    Eph.  i.  IS.   lb  that  it  is  tin  -t  God  that  keeps  us. 
 
 A  la>,  we  are  not  kept  by  our  own  power.  The  Pelagians  held, 
 that  man,  by  his  own  power,  Might  overcome  temptation,  and 
 pcrfevere.  But  St.  Aultin  confutes  him.  M  Man,  faith  lie, 
 prays  unto  God  for  perfeverance,  which  would  be  abiurd,  if  he 
 had  power  of  himfelfto  perfevere."  And,  faith  St.  Aultin, 
 11  if  all  the  power  be  inherent  in  a  man's  (elf,  then  why  fhould 
 not  one  perfevere,  as  well  as  another?  Why  not  Judas  as  well 
 as  Peter?"  So  that  it  is  not  by  any  other  than  the  power  of 
 Go«l  that  we  are  kept:  as  the  Lord  preferved  I  frae  I  from  peri  fil- 
 ing in  the  wildernefs,  till  he  brought  them  to  Canaan  :  the  fame 
 will  he  take,  if  not  in  a  miraculous  manner,  yet  in  a  fpin- 
 tual  in vifible  manner,  in  preserving  his  people  in  attateof  grace, 
 till  he  bring  them  to  the  celettial  Canaan.  As  the  Heathens 
 feigned  of  Atlas,  that  he  did  bear  up  the  heavens  from  falling  ; 
 the  power  of  God  is  that  Atlas  which  bears  up  the  faints  from 
 falling.  It  is  difputed,  whether  grace  of  itfelf  may  not  perilh, 
 as  Adam's  ;  yet  fure  I  am,  grace  kept  by  the  power  of  God, 
 cannot  penlh. 
 
 3.  The  third  argument  is  taken  :  ab  eleciione,  from  God's 
 ting  love.     Such  as  God  hath  from  all  eternity  elected  to 
 
 glory,  cannot  fall  away  finally  :  but  every  true  believer  is  elected 
 to  glory,  therefore  he  cannot  fall  away.  What  can  fruftrate 
 election,  or  make  God's  decree  void  ?  This  argument  Hands  like 
 mount  Sion,  which  cannot  be  moved  ;  inlbmuch  that  fome  of 
 the  Papilts  hold,  that  thofe  who  have  abfolute  election  cannoT 
 fall  away,  2  Tim.  ii.  \9.  '  The  foundation  of  God  (lands  fure, 
 having  this  feal,  the  Lord  knows  them  that  are  his.'  The 
 foundation  of  God  is  nothing  elfe  but  God's  decree  in  election  ; 
 and  this  ftauds  fure,  God  will  not  alter  it,  others  cannot. 
 
 4.  The  fourth  argument  is  taken,  ab  uniune  cum  Chrifto,  from 
 believers  uuion  with  Chrilt.  They  are  knit  to  Chriil  as  the 
 members  to  the  head  by  the  nerves  and  ligament  of  faith,  ib  that 
 they  cannot  be  broken  otf,  Eph.  iii.  23.  What  was  once  laid 
 of  Chrift's  natural  body,  is  true  of  his  myftical,  ■  A  bone  of  it 
 ihall  not  be  broken.'  As  it  is  not  pothole  to  fever  the  leaven 
 and  the  dou^ii  when  they  are  once  mingled  and  kneaded  toge- 
 ther ;  fo  it  is  impolfible,  when  Chnit  and  believers  are  once 
 united,  ever  to  be  (epa rated  :  Chrilt  and  his  members  make  one 
 Chrilt.  Now,  is  it  pothole  that  any  part  ofChrift  fhould  perifh  ? 
 How  can  Chrift  lote  any  member  of  his  body  myltical,  and  be 
 perfect  ?  In  fhort,  Si  unas  excidat,  quare  non  et  alter  f  If  one 
 believer  mav  be  broken  off  from  Chriti,  then,  by  the  fame  rule, 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  7.  O  o 
 
290  OF  PERSEVERANCE. 
 
 why  not  another  ?    why  not  all  ?    And  fo  Chrift  fhould  be  an 
 head  without  a  body. 
 
 o.  The  fifth  argument  is  taken,  ab  emptione,  from  the  nature 
 of  a  purchafe.  A  man  will  not  lay  down  his  money  for  a  pur- 
 chafe  which  may  be  loft,  and  the  fee-fimple  alienated.  Chrift 
 died,  that  he  might  purchafe  us  as  a  people  to  himfelf  for  ever, 
 Heb.  ix.  12.  •  Having  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us/ 
 Would  Chrift,  think  we,  have  fhed  his  blood,  that  we  might 
 believe  in  him  for  a  while,  and  then  fall  away  ?  Do  we  think 
 Chrift  will  lofe  his  purchafe  ? 
 
 (5.  The  fixth  argument  is,  a  victoria  fnpra  mundurfi,  from  a 
 believer's  victory  over  the  world.  The  argument  ftands  thus  : 
 He  who  overcomes  the  world,  doth  perfevere  in  grace:  but  a 
 believer  doth  overcome  the  world,  therefore  he  perfeveres  in 
 grace,  1  John  v.  4.  *  This  is  the  victory  over  the  world,  even 
 our  faith.'  A  man  may  lofe  a  Tingle  battle  in  the  field,  yet  at 
 laft  win  the  victory.  A  child  of  God  may  be  foiled  in  a  (ingle 
 battle  againft  temptation  (as  Peter  was)  but  at  laft  he  is  victori- 
 ous. Now,  if  a  faint  be  crowned  victor,  if  the  world  be  con- 
 quered by  him,  he  muft  needs  perfevere.  I  come  next  to  anf- 
 wer  fome  objections  of  the  Arminians. 
 
 lft,  The  firft  objection  of  Arminians,  is,  If  a  believer  ftiall 
 perfevere  in  grace,  then,  toichat  purpoj'e  are  all  thofe  admonitions 
 in  fcripture?  '  Let  him  take  heed  left  he  fall,*  1  Cor.  x.  12. 
 And,  Heb.  iv.  1 .  '  Let  us  fear,  left  any  ofyonfeem  to  comefhort.9 
 Thefe  admonitions  feem  to  be  fuperftuous  and  vain,  if a  J  hint f)i  all 
 certainly  perfevere, 
 
 Anf  No,  thefe  counfels  and  admonitions  are  necefTary  to 
 caution  believers  againft  carelefsnefs ;  they  are  as  goads  and 
 fpurs  to  quicken  them  to  a  greater  diligence  in  working  our  fal- 
 vation.  Thefe  admonitions  do  not  imply  the  faints  can  fall 
 away,  but  they  are  prefervatives  to  keep  them  from  falling 
 away.  Chrift  told  fome  of  his  difciples,  they  fhould  abide  in 
 him,  yet  he  exhorts  them  to  abide  in  him,  John  xv.  His  ex- 
 horting them  was  not  jn  the  leaft  to  queftion  their  abiding  in 
 him,  but  to  awaken  their  diligence,  and  make  them  pray  the 
 harder,  that  they  might  abide  in  him. 
 
 2tf/y,  The  fccond  objection  is,  Heb.  vi.  4.  It  is  impoffible 
 for  thofe  icho  ivere  once  enlightened,  and  have  tafied  of  the  hea- 
 venly gift,  and  were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghoji,  and  have 
 felt  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come,  if  they  fliall fall  away,  to 
 renew  them  again  to  repentance. 
 
 Anf  This  place  oficripture  hath  no  force  in  it  ;  for  theapof- 
 tle  here  [peaks  of  hypocrites,  he  fhews  how  far  they  may  go, 
 yet  fall  away.  1.  I  hey  who  were  once  enlightened :  Men  may 
 have  great  illuminations,  yet  fall  away.  Was  not  Judas  en- 
 lightened '?  2.  They  have  been  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghoji ; 
 
OF  PERSEVERANCE.  £Q1 
 
 ilie  common  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  not  the  fpeciil  grace.  3.  They 
 har^  tui'ud  tlie  good  word  of  God.  Tailing  here  is  oppofed  to 
 eating;  the  hypocrite  may  ba?e  a  kind  oftafie  of  the  fweetnefs 
 
 of  religion,  but  his  tafte  doth  not  nourilli.  There  is  a  great 
 ileal  of  difference  between  one  that  takes  a  gargle,  and  a  tor- 
 dial  ;  the  gargle  only  waiheth  his  month,  he  tali,  s  it,  and  puts 
 it  out  a^ain  ;  hut  a  cordial  is  drunk  down,  which  nourilheth 
 and  cherifheth  the  fpirits.  The  hypocrite,  who  hath  only  lome 
 fmack  or  tafte  of  religion  (as  one  taftes  a  gargle)  may  fall  away. 
 4.  And  have  felt  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come  :  that  is,  they 
 may  have  iuch  apprehenfions  of  the  glory  of  heaven,  as  to  he 
 aile&ed  with  it,  and  feem  to  have  fome  joy  in  the  thoughts  oi 
 it,  yet  fall  away  ;  as  in  the  parable  of  the  ftony  ground,  Mat. 
 xiii.  20.  All  this  is  fpoken  of  the  hypocrite  ;  but  it  doth  not 
 therefore  prove,  that  the  true  believer,  who  is  effectually  wrought 
 upon,  can  fall  away.  Though  comets  fall,  it  doth  not  there- 
 fore follow,  that  true  (lars  fall.  That  this  fcripture  (peaks  not 
 of  found  believers,  is  clear  from  ver.  9.  *  But  we  are  perfuaded 
 better  things  of  you,  and  things  that  accompany  falvation.' 
 
 OF  PERSEVERA]SXE. 
 
 1  Pet.  i.  5.    Who  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God,  through  faith 
 unto  falvation. 
 
 life  1.  See  the  excellency  of  grace,  it  perfeveres  :  other 
 things  are  but  for  a  feafon  :  health  and  riches  are  fweet,  but 
 they  are  but  for  a  feafon  :  but  grace  is  a  bloffom  of  eternity. 
 The  feed  of  God  remains,  I  John  iii.  9.  Grace  may  fuffer  an 
 eclipfe,  not  a  diffolution.  It  is  called  fubftance,  for  its  folidity, 
 Prov.  viii.  21.  and  duarble  riches,  for  its  permanency,  Prov. 
 vii.  IS.  It  latts  as  long  as  the  foul,  as  heaven,  lafts.  Grace  is 
 not  like  a  leafe  which  foon  expires,  but  it  runs  parallel  with 
 eternity. 
 
 2-  See  here  that  which  may  excite  in  the  faints  everlafting 
 love  and  gratitude  to  God.  What  can  make  us  love  God  more 
 than  the  iixednefs  of  his  love  to  us  ?  He  is  not  only  the  author 
 of  grace,  hut  finifher  :  his  love  is  perpetuated  and  carried  on  to 
 our  falvation.  John  x.  27.  *  My  fheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I 
 know  them,  and  they  follow  me:  and  I  give  unto  them  eter- 
 nal life.'  My  fheep,  there  is  election  ;  hear  my  voice,  there  is 
 vocation  ;  and  I  know  them,  there  is  juitiheation  ;  and  J  give 
 unto  them  eternal  life,  there  is  gloriiication.  How  may  this 
 make  us  love  God,  and  let  up  the  monuments  and  trophies  of 
 his  praife!  how  much  have  we  done  tocaule  God  to  withdraw 
 
 O  o2 
 
292  OF  PERSEVERANCE. 
 
 his  Spirit,  and  fuffer  us  to  fall  finally !  yet  that  he  mould  keep 
 us,  let  his  name  he  blefled,  and  his  memorial  eternized,  who 
 keepeth  the  feet  of  his  faints,  1  Sam.  ii.  <>. 
 
 3.  See  whence  it  is  that  faints  do  perfevere  in  holinefs  :  it  is 
 folely  to  be  afcribed  to  the  power  of  God  ;  we  are  kept  by  his 
 power,  kept  as  in  a  garriibn  :  it  is  a  wonder  any  Chriilian  per- 
 feveres,  if  you  confider,  (I.)  Corruption  within.  The  tares  are 
 mingled  with  the  wheat  ;  there  is  more  fin  than  grace,  yet  grace 
 is  habitually  predominant.  Grace  is  like  a  fpark  in  the  fea,  a 
 wonder  it  is  not  quenched  :  a  wonder  fin  doth  not  deftroy  grace, 
 that  it  doth  not  do,  as  fometimes  the  nurfe  to  the  infant,  over- 
 lay it,  and  it  dies  ;  fo  that  this  infant  of  grace  is  not  fmothered 
 by  corruption.  (2.)  Temptations  without.  Satan  envies  us 
 happinefs,  and  he  raifeth  his  militia,  ftirs  up  perfecution  :  he 
 ihoots  his  fiery  darts  of  temptation  ;  they  are  called  darts  for 
 their  fwiftnefs,  fiery  for  their  terriblenefs.  We  are  every  day 
 befet  with  devils  :  as  it  was  a  wonder  Daniel  was  kept  alive  in 
 the  midft  of  the  roaring  lions  ;  fo,  that  there  are  many  roaring 
 devils  about  us,  and  yet  we  are  not  torn  in  pieces.  Now, 
 whence  is  it,  we  (land  again  ft  thefe  powerful  temptations  ?  We 
 are  kept  by  the  power  of  God.  (3.)  The  world's  golden  fnares, 
 riches  and  pleafure ,  Luke  xviii.  24.  '  How  hardly  fhall  they 
 that  have  riches  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God  ?'  How  many 
 have  been  caft  away  upon  thefe  golden  fands,  2  Tim.  iv.  10.  as 
 Demas?  What  a  wonder  any  foul  perfeveres  in  religion,  that 
 the  earth  doth  not  choke  the  fire  of  all  good  affections  ?  Whence 
 is  this  but  from  the  power  of  God  ?  We  are  kept  by  his  power. 
 
 Ufe  2.  Confolation.  This  doctrine  of  perfeverauce  is  as  Be- 
 zoar  ftone  ;  it  is  a  fovereign  cordial  to  keep  up  the  fpirits  of  the- 
 godly  from  fainting.  There  is  nothing  doth  more  trouble  a 
 child  of  God  than  this,  he  fears  he  fhall  never  hold  out ;  thefe 
 weak  legs  of  mine  will  never  carry  me  to  heaven.  But  perfever- 
 ance  is  an  infeparable  fruit  of  fanc\ification  ;  Once  in  Chriji,  and 
 for  ever  in  Chriji.  A  believer  may  fall  from  fome  degrees  of 
 grace,  but  not  from  the  (bate  of  grace  :  an  Ifraelite  could  never 
 wholly  fell  or  alienate  his  land  of  inheritance,  Luke  xxv.  23. 
 A  type  of  our  heavenly  inheritance,  which  cannot  be  wholly 
 alienated  from  us.  How  defpairing  is  the  Arminian  doctrine 
 of  falling  from  grace  ?  To-day  a  faint,  to-morrow  a  reprobate  ; 
 to-day  a  Peter,  to-morrow  a  Juda?.  This  muft  needs  cut  the 
 finews  of  a  Chriftian's  endeavour,  and  be  as  the  boring  an  hole 
 in  the  vetTel,  to  make  all  the  wine  of  his  joy  run  out.  Were 
 the  Arminian  doctrine  true,  how  could  the  apoftle  fay,  the  feed 
 of  God  remains  in  him  ;  1  John  iii.  9.  and  the  anointing  of 
 God  abides  ?  1  John  ii.  27-  What  comfort  were  it  to  have  one's 
 name  written  in  the  book  of  life,  if  it  might  be  blotted  out  again  ? 
 but,  be  afiured,  for  your  comfort,  grace,  if  true,  though  never 
 
or  PERSEVERANCE.  293 
 
 ft   weak,   ftiall  perfevere  :   though  a  Chrillian   hath  hut  little 
 
 !»»'  nerd  not  it  ar  breaking,  becaufe  G 
 doth  not  only  give  him  a  Itock  of  greet,  but  will  keep  his  itock 
 iorhim.  Gratia  concutitur,  now  cActitilur,  Aul;.  Grace  maybe 
 fhaken  with  tears  and  doubts,  but  it  cannot  he  plucked  up  by 
 the  roots.  Fear  not  falling  away.  It  any  thing  ihonld  hind*  r 
 the  taints  perfeverance,  then  it  mull  be  either  tin  or  temptation  ; 
 but  neither  of  theft  :  I.  Not  the  (ins  of  believers.  That  which 
 humbles  them  lhall  not  damn  them  :  but  their  (ins  are  a  mean 
 to  humble  them  ;  they  gather  irrapes  of  thorns  ;  from  the  thorn 
 of  fin,  they  gather  the  grape  of  humility.  2.  Xot  temptation  : 
 the  devil  lays  the  train  of  his  temptation  to  blow  up  the  fort  of 
 a  faint's  grace;  but  this  cannot  do  it.  Temptation  is  a  medi- 
 cine for  i'ecurity  ;  the  more  Satan  tempts,  the  more  the  faints 
 pray.  When  Paul  had  the  meirenger  of  Satan  to  buffet  him, 
 2  Cor.  xii.  8.  *  For  this  I  befbugbt  the  Lord  thrice,  that  it 
 Might  depart  from  me.'  Thus  nothing  can  break  oft' a  believer 
 from  Chrilt,  or  hinder  his  perfeverance.  Let  this  wine  be  given 
 to  luch  as  are  of  an  heavy  heart:  this  perfeverance  is  comfort, 
 1.  In  the  lols  of  worldly  comforts.  When  our  goods  maybe 
 taken  away,  our  grace  cannot,  Luke  x.  -\~2.  '  Mary  hath  chofen 
 the  better  part,  which  cannot  be  taken  from  her.'  12.  In  the 
 hour  of  death.  When  all  things  fail,  friends  take  their  farewel 
 of  us;  yet  ttill  grace  remains.  Death  may  feparate  all  things 
 elfe  from  us  but  grace:  a  Chrillian  may  lay  on  his  death  bed, 
 as  Olevian,  once,  M  Sight  is  gone,  fpeech  and  hearing  are  de- 
 parting, but  the  loving-kindnefs  of  God  will  never  depart." 
 
 Q.   I.    What  motives  and  incentives  are  there  to  make  Chrif- 
 tians  perfevere  f 
 
 ■'.  I.  It  is  the  crown  and  glory  of  a  Chrillian  to  perfevere, 
 In  Ckriftianis  non  initia Jed  fide  iaudantur,  Prov.xvi.  91.  '  The 
 hoary  head  is  a  crown  of  glory,  if  found  in  the  way  of  righteouf- 
 nefs.'  When  grey  hairs  fhine  with  golden  virtues,  this  is  i 
 crown  of  glory.  The  church  of  Thyatira  was  heft  at  lad,  Rev. 
 ii.  19*  '  1  know  thy  patience  and  thy  works,  and  the  lail  to  he 
 more  than  the  lirlt.'  The  excellency  of  a  building  is  not  in 
 having  the  irft  itone  laid,  but  when  it  is  finiihed.  The  glory 
 and  excellency  of  a  Chrillian  is,  when  he  hath  finiihed  the  work 
 of  faith. 
 
 L2.  You  are  within  a  few  days  march  of  heaven.  Salvation 
 is  near  to  you,  Rom.  xiii.  It.  *  Now  is  your  falvation  nearer 
 than  when  we  believed.'  Chriftians,  it  i>  but  a  while,  and  you 
 lhall  have  done  weeping  and  praying,  and  be  triumphing  ;  you 
 lhall  put  off  your  mourning,  and  put  on  white  robes :  you  (hall 
 put  off  your  armour,  and  put  on  a  victorious  crown  :  you  who 
 have  made  a  good  progrefs  in  religion,  you  are  almolt  ready  to 
 commence  and  take  your  degree  of  glory  ;   now  is  your  falvation 
 
394  OF  PERSEVERANCE. 
 
 nearer  than  when  you  began  to  believe.  When  a  man  is  almoft 
 at  the  end  of  a  race,  will  he  now  tire,  or  faint  away  ?  O  labour 
 to  perfevere,  your  falvation  is  now  nearer  ;  you  have  but  a 
 little  way  to  go,  and  you  will  fet  your  foot  in  heaven.  Though 
 the  way  be  up-hill  and  full  of  thorns,  viz.  lufrenngs,  yet  you 
 have  gone  the  greateft  part  of  your  way,  and  ihortly  you  (hall 
 reft  from  your  labours. 
 
 3.  How  fad  is  it  not  to  perfevere  in  holinefs  ?  You  expofe 
 yourfelves  to  the  reproaches  of  men,  and  the  rebukes  of  God. 
 Firji,  to  the  reproaches  of  men.  They  will  deride  both  you 
 and  your  profeQion,  Luke  xiv.  28.  '  This  man  began  to  build, 
 and  was  not  able  to  finifh.'  Such  is  he  who  begins  in  religion, 
 and  doth  not  peifevere  :  he  is  the  ludibrium ,  and  derifion  of  all. 
 Secondly,  to  the  rebukes  of  God.  God  is  moll  fevere  againft 
 fuch  as  fall  off,  becaufe  they  bring  an  evil  report  upon  religion. 
 Apoltacy  breeds  a  bitter  worm  in  confcience  ;  what  a  worm  did 
 Spira  feel  !  and  it  brings  fwift  damnation  ;  it  is  a  drawing  back 
 to  perdition,  Heb.  x.  48.  God  will  make  his  fword  drunk  with 
 the  blood  of  apoitates. 
 
 4.  The  promifes  of  mercy  are  annexed  only  to  perfeverance, 
 Rev.  iii.  5.  *  He  that  overcometh,  fhall  be  clothed  in  white 
 raiment,  and  I  will  not  blot  out  his  name  out  of  the  book  of 
 life.'  Non  pugnanti,fed  vincenti  dabitur  corona,  Aug.  The 
 promife  is  not  to  him  that  fights,  but  that  overcomes,  Luke 
 xxii.  28.  ■  Ye  are  they  which  have  continued  with  me,  and  I 
 appoint  unto  you  a  kingdom.'  The  promife  of  a  kingdom,  faith 
 Chrylbftom,  is  not  made  to  them  that  heard  Chrift  or  followed 
 him,  but  that  continued  with  him.  Perfeverance  carries  away 
 the  garland  ;  no  man  hath  the  crown  fet  upon  his  head,  but  he 
 who  holds  out  to  the  end  of  the  race.  O  therefore,  by  all  this, 
 be  perfuaded  to  perfevere;  God  makes  no  account  of  fuch  as  do 
 not  perfevere.  Who  eiteems  of  corn  that  fheds  before  harveft, 
 or  fruit  that  falls  from  the  tree  before  it  be  ripe  ? 
 
 Q.  2.  What  expedients  or  means  may  be  ajedfor  a  Chriftian's 
 perj'everance  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  Take  heed  of  thofe  things,  which  will  make  you  de- 
 filt  and  fall  away.  ]Jt,  Take  heed  of  prefumption.  Do  not 
 prefurae  upon  your  own  itrength ;  exercife  an  holy  fear  and 
 jealoufy  over  your  own  hearts,  Rom.  xi.  12.  •  Be  not  high- 
 minded,  but  fear.'  1  Cor.  x.  12.  '  Let  him  that  thinketh  he 
 ftandeth,  take  heed  leil  he  fall.'  It  was  Peter's  fin,  he  leaned 
 more  upon  his  grace  than  upon  Chrift,  and  then  he  fell.  A 
 Chriftian  hath  caufe  to  fear  left  the  lufts  and  deceit  of  his  heart 
 betray  him  :  take  heed  of  prefuming  ;  fear  begets  prayer,  prayer 
 begets  ftrength,  and  itrength  begets  ftedfaftnefs.  c2dly>  Take 
 heed  of  hypocrify.  Judas  was  firft  a  fly  hypocrite,  and  then  a 
 traitor,  Pfal.  lxxviii.  37.  *  Their  heart  was  not  right  with  God, 
 
or  PBBSKYBBAN  595 
 
 neither  were  they  (ledfaft  in  his   covenant.'     If  there   he  any 
 venom  or  malignity  in  the  blood,    it  will   break   forth  into  a 
 plague-fore.     The  venom  of  bypocrify  is  in  d 
 out  into  the  plague-fore  of  fcandal.     ,'3r//y,  of  a  vile 
 
 heart  of  unbelief,  Heb.  hi.  12.  ■  Take  herd  left  there  be  in  any 
 of  you  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  in  departing  from  the  living 
 God.'  Whence  is  apollacy  but  from  incredulity  ?  men  do  not 
 believe  the  truth,  and  then  they  fall  from  the  truth.  UnbeTier- 
 ittg  and  unliable  go  together,  PI'al.  lxxvui.  92.  *  They  believed 
 not  in  G<>d,'  ver.  41.   *  They  turned  back.' 
 
 9.  If  you  would  be  pillars  in  the  temple  of  God,  and  perfevere 
 in  l.inctity. 
 
 Fkftt  Look  that  you  enter  into  religion  upon  a  right  ground  : 
 be  well  grounded  in  the  diftinct  knowledge  of  God  :  you  muft 
 know  the  love  of  the  Father,  the  merit  of  the  Son,  and  the 
 efficacy  of  the  Holy  Ghoit.  Such  a.s  know  not  God  aright,  will 
 by  degrees  fall  oft*.  The  Samaritans  fometimes  fided  with  the 
 when  they  were  in  favour,  afterwards  difclaimed  all  kin- 
 dred with  them,  when  Antiochus  perfecuted  the  Jews  :  and  no 
 wonder  the  Samaritans  were  no  more  fixed  in  religion,  if  you 
 confider  what  Chriit  faith  of  the  Samaritans,  John  iv.  89.  *  Ye 
 worlhip  ye  know  not  what:'  they  were  ignorant  of  the  true 
 God.  Let  your  knowledge  of  God  be  clear,  and  ierve  him 
 purely  out  of  choice,  and  then  you  will  perfevere,  Pfal.  cxix. 
 30.  4  I  have  cholcii  the  way  of  truth,  I  have  ltuck  unto  thy 
 tefti  monies.' 
 
 Secondly,  Get  a  real  work  of  grace  in  your  heart,  Heb.  xiii. 
 P.  «  It  is  a  good  thing  that  the  heart  is  eftabliflied  with  grace.' 
 Nothing  will  hold  out  but  grace  :  it  is  only  this  anointing  abides  ; 
 paint  will  fall  otF.  Get  an  heart-changing  work,  I  Cor.  vi.  II. 
 4  But  ye  are  wafhed,  but  ye  are  fanc-tiried.'  Be  not  content 
 with  baptilm  of  water,  without  baptifm  of  the  Spirit  :  the 
 reafon  men  perfevere  not  in  religion,  is  for  want  of  a  vital  prin- 
 ciple :  a  branch  muft  needs  wither,  that  hath  no  root  to  grow 
 upon. 
 
 "  Thirdly,  If  you  would  perfevere  be  very  flncere.  Perfeverance 
 grows  only  upon  the  root  of  hncerity,  Plat,  xxv.  21.  *  Let  in- 
 tegrity and  uprightnefs  preferve  me.'  The  breaft-plate  of  lin- 
 earity can  never  be  fhot  through.  How  many  ftorms  was  Job 
 in?  the  devils  let  againft  him,  his  wife  tempted  him  to  curie 
 God,  his  friends  acculed  him  of  being  a  hypocrite  ;  here  was 
 enough,  one  would  think,  to  have  made  him  to  d<  lift  from  re- 
 ligion :  yet  for  all  this,  he  perfeteres.  What  prelerved  him  ? 
 it  was  his  fmcerity,  Job  xxvii.  6.  '  My  rightenufiieft  1  hold 
 faft,  and  will  not  let  it  go  ;  my  heart  Avail  not  reproach  me  fo 
 lou-  as  I  live.' 
 
 Fourthly,  If  you  would  perfevere,  be  humble,  St,  Chryfoftom 
 
§96  OF  PERSEVERANCE. 
 
 calls  it  the  mother  of  all  the  graces.  God  lets  a  poor  humble 
 Chriitian  (land,  when  others  of  higher  parts,  and  who  have 
 higher  thoughts  of  themfelves,  fall  otfby  apoftacy.  They  are 
 likefl;  to  perievere,  whom  God  will  give  moli  grace  to :  ■  But 
 he  gives  grace  to  the  humble,'  1  Pet.  v.  5.  They  are  likefl  to 
 perievere,  who  have  God  dwelling  in  them  :  *  But  God  dwells 
 in  the  humble  foul,'  Ifa.  lvii.  15.  Non  reqniefcit  Spiritusfanc- 
 tvs  nififuper  humilem,  Bern.  The  lower  the  tree  roots  in  the 
 earth,  the  firmer  it  is;  the  more  the  foul  isrcoted  in  humility, 
 the  more  eftablifhed  it  is,  and  is  in  lefs  danger  of  falling  away. 
 
 Fifthly,  If  perieverance  cherifti  the  grace  of  faith.  Faith  doth 
 fiabilere  animum,  2  Cor.  i.  24.  ■  By  faith  ye  ftand.'  1.  Faith 
 knits  us  to  Chrift,  as  the  members  are  knit  to  the  head  by  nerves 
 and  finevvs.  2.  Faith  fills  us  with  love  to  God  ;  •  it  works 
 by  love,'  Gal.  v.  6.  J\nd  he  who  loves  God,  will  rather  die 
 than  delert  him  :  the  foldier  who  loves  his  general,  will  die  in 
 his  fervice.  3.  Faith  gives  us  a  proPpect  of  heaven,  it  (hews  us 
 an  invifible  glory  ;  and  he  who  hath  Chrift  in  his  heart,  and 
 a  crown  in  his  eye,  will  not  faint  away.  O  cherifti  faith,  keep 
 your  faith,  and  your  faith  will  keep  you  :  while  the  pilot  keeps 
 his  (hip,  his  (hip  keeps  him. 
 
 Sixthly,  If  perfevere,  let  us  engage  the  power  of  God  to  help 
 us;  we  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God.  The  child  is  fafelt 
 when  it  is  held  in  the  nurfe's  arms,  fo  are  we,  when  we  are 
 held  in  the  arms  of  free  grace.  It  is  not  our  holding  God,  but 
 his  holding  us,  preferves  us.  When  a  boat  is  tied  to  a  rock,  it 
 is  fecure  :  fo,  when  we  are  faft  tied  to  the  Rock  of  Ages,  then 
 we  are  impregnable.  O  engage  God's  power  to  help  us  to  per- 
 fevere. We  engage  his  power  by  prayer:  let  us  pray  to  him 
 to  keep  us,  Pf.  xvii.  5.  *  Hold  up  my  goings  in  thy  path,  that 
 my  footfteps  (lip  not.'  It  was  a  good  prayer  of  Beza,  Domine, 
 quod  cepifti  perjice ,  ne  in  portu  naufragium  ace  id  at ;  "  Lord, 
 perfect  what  thou  hail  begun  in  me,  that  I  may  not  furTer  (hip- 
 wreck  when  I  am  almoft  at  the  haven." 
 
 Seventhly,  If  perfevere,  fet  often  before  your  eyes  the  noble 
 examples  of  thoi'e  who  have  perfevered  in  religion  ;  Quod  mar- 
 tyres,  quod  fideles  in  cwlis,  jam,  triumphant  f  What  a  glorious 
 army  of  faints  and  martyrs  have  gone  before  us  ;  how  coniiant 
 to  the  death  was  St.  Paul?  A6ts  xxi.  13.  How  perfevering  in 
 the  faith  were  Ignatius,  Polycarp,  Athanafius  ?  Thefe  were 
 ftars  in  their  orb,  pillars  in  the  temple  of  God.  Let  us  look  on 
 their  Zealand  courage,  and  be  animated,  Heb.  xii.  1.  '  See- 
 ing we  are  compafTed  about  with  fo  great  a  cloud  of  witneiles, 
 let  us  run  with  patience  the  race  that  is  fet  before  us.'  The 
 crown  is  fet  at  the  end  of  the  race  ;  if  we  win  the  race,  we  fliull 
 wear  the  crown. 
 
a  believer's  privilege  at  DEATH.  2f/7 
 
 A  BELIEVER'S  PRIVILEGE  AT  DEATH. 
 
 Phil.  i.  21.  For  me  to  live  is  Chrift,  and  to  die  it  gfl 
 
 Saint  Paul  was  a  great  admirer  of  Chi  ill,  he  defired  to 
 know  nothing  but  Chrift,  and  him  crucified,  I    Cor.  ii. 
 julep  to  the  blood  of  Chrift ;  and  in  the  text,  *  To  me  to  live  is 
 Chrift,  and  to  die  is  gain.' 
 
 Firlt,  To  me  to  live  is  Chrift.  We  mufi  underitand  Paul  ofa 
 •  fpiritual  life.  To  me  to  live  is  Chriftt  i.  e.  Chrilt  is  my  life  ;  fo 
 Greg.  Nyllen.  Or  thus,  my  life  is  made  up  of  Chrilt  ;  as  a 
 wicked  man's  life  is  made  up  of  Go  ;  fo  Paul's  life  was  made 
 up  of  Chrilt,  he  was  full  of  Chrilt.  But,  that  I  may  give 
 you  the  fenfe  of  the  text  more  fully,  take  it  in  thele  three  par- 
 ticulars ; 
 
 J.  Chrift  is  the  principle  of  my  life. 
 
 2.  Chrift  is  the  end  of  my  life. 
 
 3.  Chrilt  is  the  joy  of  my  life. 
 
 1.  To  me  to  live  is  Chrift,  i.  e.  Chrift  is  the  principle  of  my 
 life.  I  fetch  my  fpiritual  life  from  Chrift,  as  the  branch  fetch- 
 eth  its  lap  from  the  root,  Gal.  ii.  20.  ■  Chrilt  liveth  in  me.' 
 Jefus  Chrilt  is  an  head  of  influence;  he  lends  forth  life  and 
 fpirits  into  me,  to  quicken  me  to  every  holy  action.  Thus,  To 
 me  to  live  is  Chrift ;  Chrilt  is  the  principle  of  my  life  :  from  his 
 fulnels  I  live,  as  the  vine  branch  lives  from  the  root. — 
 
 2.  To  me  to  live  is  Chrift ,  i.  e.  Chrift  is  the  end  of  my  life  ; 
 I  live  not  to  mylelf  but  to  Chrift.  So  Grotius  and  Caufabon, 
 Chriftofervio,  "  To  me  to  live  is  Chrift,"  all  my  living  is  to  do 
 fervice  to  Chrift,  Rom.  xiv.  8.  *  Whether  we  live,  we  live 
 unto  the  Lord.'  When  we  lay  out  ourfelves  wholly  for  Chrift ; 
 as  the  factor  trades  for  the  merchant,  fo  we  trade  for  Chrift's 
 intereft,  we  propagate  his  gofpel ;  the  dehgn  of  our  life  is  to  exalt 
 Chrilt,  and  make  the  crown  upon  his  head  rlouriih.  Now,  it  may 
 be  faid,  To  us  to  live  is  Chrift,  our  whole  life  is  a  living  to  Chrift. 
 
 3.  To  me  to  live  is  Chrijl,  i.  e.  Chrift  is  the  joy  of  my  life, 
 Plal,  xlii.  4.  ■  God  my  exceeding  joy,'  or  the  cream  of  my  joy. 
 A  Chriftian  rejoiceth  in  Chrift' s  righteoufnefs  ;  he  can  rejoice 
 in  Chrift,  when  worldly  joys  are  gone  :  when  the  tulip  in  a 
 garden  withers,  a  man  rejoiceth  in  his  jewels  ;  when  relations 
 die,  a  Taint  can  rejoice  in  Chrift  the  pearl  of  price.  In  this 
 fenfe,  To  me  to  live  is  Chrifl,  he  is  the  joy  of  my  life  ;  if  Chrilt 
 were  gone,  my  life  would  be  a  death  to  me. 
 
 life.  It  fliould  exhort  us  all  to  labour  to  fay  as  the  Apoftle, 
 To  me  to  live  is  Chri/i.  Chrift  is  the  principle  of  my  life,  the 
 end  of  my  life,  the  joy  of  my  life,  To  me  to  live  is  Chrift  :  and 
 then  we  may  comfortably  conclude,  that  to  die  fhall  be  gain. 
 
 Vol.  1.  No.  7-  •  Pp 
 
296  a  believer's  PRIVILEGE  at  death* 
 
 Secondly,  And  that  brings  me  to  the  fecond  part  of  the  text, 
 
 •  And  to  die  is  gain.'  ' 
 
 Doft.  To  a  believer  death  is  great  gain.  A  faint  can  tell 
 what  his  loffes  for  Chrift  are,  but  he  cannot  tell  how  great  his 
 gains  are  at  death  ;  ■  To  me  to  die  is  gain.'  Death  to  a  belie- 
 ver, is  crepvj'culum  giorio?,  the  day-break  of  eternal  brightnefs. 
 To  fhew  fully  what  a  believer's  gains  are  at  death,  were  a  tafk 
 too  great  for  an  angel  ;  all  hyperboles  fall  fhort,  the  reward  of 
 glory  exceeds  our  very  faith  :  only  let  me  give  you  fome  dark 
 views  and  imperfect  lineaments  ot  that  infinite  glory  the  faints 
 fhall  gain  at  the  hour  of  death  ;   •  To  me  to  die  is  gain.' 
 
 1.  Believers  at  death  fhall  gain  a  writ  ofeafe  from  all  fins  and 
 troubles  ;  they  ihall  be  in  a  itate  of  impeccability  ;  fin  expires 
 with  their  life.  I  think  fometimes  what  an  happy  ftate  that 
 wi]l  be,  never  to  have  a  finful  thought  more  :  and  they  fhall 
 have  a  quietus  eft  from  their  troubles.     Here  David  cryed  out, 
 
 *  My  life  isfpent  with  griefs,  and  my  years  with  fighing,'  Pfal. 
 xxxi.  10.  Quid  eft  diu  vivere  nifi  dm  torqueri,  Aug.  Life  be- 
 gins with  a  cry,  and  ends  with  a  groan  ;  but  at  death  all  trou- 
 bles die. 
 
 2.  Believers  at  death  fhall  gain  the  glorious  fight  of  God. 
 They  fhall  fee  him  ;  Firji,  Intellectually  with  the  eyes  of  their 
 mind,  which  Divines  call  the  beatifical  vifion  ;  if  there  were 
 not  fuch  an  intellectual  fight  of  God,  how  do  the  fpirits  of  juft 
 men,  made  perfect,  fee  him?  Secondly,  They  fhall  behold  the 
 glorified  body  of  Jefus  Chrift ;  and  if  it  be  pleafant  to  behold 
 the  fun,  then  how  bleffed  a  fight  will  it  be  to  fee  Chrift  the  Sun 
 of  righteoufnefs  clothed  with  our  human  nature,  fhining  in  glo- 
 ry above  the  angels  ?  Through  Chrift'sflefh,  as  through  a  trans- 
 parent glafs,  fome  bright  rays  and  beams  of  the  Godhead  fhall 
 difplay  themfelves  to  glorified  eyes  :  the  fight  of  God  through 
 Chrift  will  be  very  complacential  and  delightful  ;  the  terror  of 
 God's  effence  will  be  taken  away  ;  God's  majeily  will  be  mixed 
 with,  beauty,  and  fweetened  with  clemency  ;  it  will  be  infi- 
 nitely delightful  to  the  faints  to  fee  the  amiable  afpects  and 
 fmiles  of  God's  face.     "Which  brings  me  to  the  third  thing. 
 
 3.  The  faints  at  death  fhall  not  only  have  a  fight  of  God,  but 
 fhall  enjoy  the  love  of  God  ;  there  fhall  be  no  more  a  vail  on 
 God's  face,  nor  his  fmiles  chequered  with  frowns,  but  God's 
 love  fhall  difcover  itfelf  in  all  its  orient  beauty  and  fragrant 
 fweetnefs.  Here  the  faints  pray  for  God's  love,  and  they  have 
 a  few  drops  ;  but  there  they  fhall  have  as  much  as  their  vefiel 
 can  receive.  To  know  this  love  that  paffeth  knowledge,  this 
 will  caufe  a  jubilation  of  fpirit,  and  create  fuch  holy  raptures  of 
 joy  in  the  faints,  as  are  fuperlative,  aud  would  foon  overwhelm 
 them,  if  God  did  not  make  them  able  to  bear. 
 
a  believer's  privilege  at  death.  999 
 
 4.  Believer*  at  death  (ball  gain  a  celeflial  palace,  an  houfe 
 not  made  with  bands,  2.  Cor.  v.  1.     Here  the  faints  art-  flrait- 
 
 ened  for  room,  they  have  but  mean  cottages  to  live  in  ;  btrt 
 they  (hall  have  a  royal  palace  to  live  m  :  here  is  but  there  l>- 
 journing  houfe,  there  in  heaven  is  there  manfion-houfe,  an  houfe 
 built  high  above  all  the  vifible  orbs,  an  houfe  befpangled  with 
 light,  Col.  i.  12.  enriched  with  pearls  and  precious  (tones, 
 Rev.  xxi.  19.  And  this  is  not  their  landlord's  houfe,  but 
 their  father's  houfe,  John  xiv.  2.  and  this  houfe  Hands  all  upon 
 confecrated  ground  ;  it  is  fet  out  by  tranfparent  glafs,  to  (hew 
 the  holinefs  of  it,  Rev.  xxi.  27 . 
 
 5.  Believers  at  death  fliall  ^ain  the  fweet  fociety  of  glorified 
 faints  and  angels  ;  this  will  add  fomething  to  the  felicity  of  hea- 
 ven, as  every  liar  adds  fomelulire  to  the  firmanent.  F/V/2,  The 
 fociety  of  the  glorified  faints;  we  (hall  fee  them  in  their  fouls, 
 as  well  as  in  their  bodies:  their  bodies  (hall  be  fo  clear  and 
 bright,  that  we  fhall  fee  their  fouls  mining  through  their  bodies, 
 as  the  wine  through  theglafs  ;  and  believers  at  death  (hall  have 
 converfe  with  the  faints  glorified.  And  how  delightful  will  that 
 he,  when  they  (hall  be  freed  from  all  their  finful  corruptions, 
 pride,  envy,  paflion,  cenforioufnefs,  which  are  fears  upon  them 
 here  to  disfigure  them  ?  in  heaven  there  lhall  be  perfect  love 
 among  the  faints;  they  fliall,  as  the  olive  and  myrtle,  fweet ly 
 embrace  each  other  ;  the  faints  (hall  know  one  another  (as  Lu- 
 ther fpeaks).  If  in  the  transfiguration  Peter  knew  Moles  and 
 Elias,  which  he  never  law  before,  Matth.  xvii.  3.  then  much 
 more,  in  the  glorified  ftate,  the  faints  lhall  perfectly  know  one 
 another,  though  they  never  faw  them  before.  Secondly,  The 
 faints  at  death  (hall  behold  the  angels  with  the  glorified  eye  of 
 their  underftanding.  The  wings  of  the  cherubim s  (reprefenting 
 the  angels)  were  made  of  fine  gold,  to  denote  both  their  fanc- 
 tity  and  fplendor  ;  the  angels  are  compared  to  lightning,  Mat. 
 xxviii.  3.  becaufe  of  thofe  fpark ling  beams  ofmajefty,  which  as 
 lightning  (hoot  from  them.  And  when  faints  and  angels  (hall 
 meet  and  fing  together  in  concert  in  the  heavenly  choir,  what 
 divine  harmony,  what  joyful  triumphs  will  it  create? 
 
 6.  Believers  at  death  (hall  gain  perfection  of  holinefs.  Here 
 grace  was  but  ih  cunabulis  in  its  cradle,  very  imperfect  ;  we 
 cannot  write  a  copy  of  holinefs  without  blotting  ;  believers  are 
 faid  to  receive  but  primitias  Spirit**,  the  tirlt  fruits  of  the  Spirit, 
 Rom.  viii.  23.  But  at  death  the  faints  (hall  arrive  at  perfection, 
 their  knowledge  clear,  their  fanctity  perfect ;  their  fun  (hall  be 
 in  its  full  meridian  fplendor.  They  need  not  then  pray  for  in- 
 creafe  of  grace  ;  they  (hall  love  God  as  much  as  they  would  love 
 him,  and  as  much  as  he  defirea  to  have  them  love  him:  they 
 lhall  be  then,  in  refpect  of  holinefs,  as  the  angels  of  God. 
 
 7.  At  death;  the  faints  fliall  gain  a  roval  magnificent  feaft. 
 
300  a  believer's  privilege  at  deatk- 
 
 I  told  you  before  what  a  glorious  palace  they  fhall  have  ;  but  a 
 man  may  ftarve  in  a  houfe,  if  there  be  no  cheer.  The  faints  at 
 death  fhall  have  a  royal  banquet,  fhadowed  out  in  fcripture  by 
 a  marriage-fupper,  Rev.  xix.  9.  Bullinger  and  Gregory  the 
 great  underftand,  by  that  marriage-fupper  of  the  lamb,  the 
 itately,  magnificent  feftival  the  faints  fhall  have  in  heaven  ;  they 
 fhall  feed  on  the  tree  of  life,  Rev.  xxii.  They  (hall  have  the 
 heavenly  neclar  and  ambrofia,  'the  fpiced  wine,  and  the  juice 
 of  the  pomegranate,  Cant.  viii.  2.  This  royal  fupper  of  the  Lamb 
 will  not  only  latisfy  hunger  but  prevent  it,  Rev.  vii.  16.  •  They 
 fhall  hunger  no  more.'  Nor  can  there  be  any  furfeit  at  this 
 feaft,  becaufe  a  frefh  courfe  will  be  continually  ferving  in  :  new 
 and  frefh  delights  will  fpring  from  God  ;  therefore  the  tree  of 
 life  in  paradile  is  faid  to  bear  twelve  forts  of  fruit,  Rev.  xxii.  2. 
 
 8.  Believers  at  death  fhall  gain  honour  and  dignity,  they 
 fhall  reign  as  kings  ;  therefore  we  read  of  the  enfigns  of  their 
 royalty,  their  white  robes  and  crowns  celeftial,  1  Tim.  iv.  7. 
 We  read  that  the  doors  of  the  holy  of  holies  were  made  of  palm- 
 trees  and  open  flowers,  covered  with  gold,  1  Kings  vi.  35.  An 
 emblem  of  that  victory  and  triumph,  and  that  golden  garland  of 
 honour  wherewith  God  hath  invented  the  faints  glorified.  When 
 all  worldly  honour  fhall  lie  in  the  duft,  the  mace,  the  ftar,  the 
 robe  of  ermine,  the  imperial  diadem,  then  fhall  the  faints'  honour 
 remain  ;  not  one  jewel  fhall  be  plucked  out  of  their  crown  ; 
 they  fhall  gain  at  death  a  bleffed  eternity.  If  the  faints  could 
 have  the  leaft  fufpicion  or  fear  of  lofing  their  glory,  it  would 
 much  cool  and  imbitter  their  joy;  but  their  crown  fades  not 
 away,  1  Pet.  v.  4.  As  the  wicked  have  a  worm  that  never  dies, 
 fo  the  ele6t  have  a  crown  that  never  fades.  Ever,  is  a  fhort 
 word,  but  hath  no  ending  :  In  fine,  erit  gaudium  fine fine ,  Bern. 
 2  Cor.  iv.  18.  '  The  things  which  are  not  feen  are  eternal.' 
 Pfal.  xvi.  11.  'At  thy  right  hand  are  pleafures  for  evermore.' 
 Who  can  fpan  eternity  ?  millions  of  ages  ftand  but  for  cyphers 
 in  eternity.  This  is  the  elah,  or  higheft  ftrain  of  the  faint's 
 glory  ;  ever  in  Chrift's  bofom. 
 
 Q.  How  come  the  faints  to  have  all  this  gain  f 
 
 Anf.  Believers  have  aright  to  all  this  gain  at  death,  upon 
 divers  accounts  :  by  virtue  of  the  Father's  donation,  the  Son's 
 purchafe,  the  Holy  G holt's  earneft,  and  faith's  acceptance. 
 Therefore  the  (late  of  future  glory  is  called  the  faints'  proper 
 inheritance,  Col.  i.  12.  They  are  heirs  of  God,  and  have  a 
 right  to  inherit. 
 
 Ufe  I.  See   the  great  difference  between  the  death  of  the 
 godly  and  the  wicked  ;    the  godly  are   gainers  at  death,  the 
 wicked  are  great  lofers  at  death.     They  lofe  four  things  : 
 '    ( I . )  They  lole  the  world ;  and  that  is  a  great  lofe  to  the 
 
a.  believer's  privilege  at  death.  301 
 
 wicked  :  they  laid  up  their  treafure  upon  earth  ;  and  to  be  turned 
 out  of  it  all  at  once,  is  a  mat  lols. 
 
 (2.)  They  lole  their  fouls,  Matth.  xvi.  26,  27.  Thfoul 
 was  at  hrlt  a  noble  piece  of  coin,  which  God  (tamped  his  own 
 upon  :  this  celeflial  fpark  is  more  precious  than  the 
 whole  globe  of  the  world  ;  but  the  (inner' s  ibul  is  loll ;  not 
 that  the  lbuls  of  the  wicked  are  annihilated  at  death,  but  dam- 
 nilied. 
 
 (o.)  They  lofe  heaven.  Heaven  is  Cedes  beatorum,  the  royal 
 feat  of  the  bleffed  ;  it  is  the  region  of  happinefs,  the  map  of 
 perfection.  There  is  that  manna  which  is  angels  food  ;  there 
 is  the  garden  of  (pices,  the  bed  of  perfumes,  the  river  of  plea- 
 lure.      Sinners,  at  death,  lofe  all  this. 
 
 (4.)  They  lofe  their  hopes;  for  though  they  lived  wickedly, 
 yet  they  hoped  God  was  merciful,  and  they  hoped  they  fhould 
 go  to  heaven.  Their  hope  was  not  an  anchor,  but  a  fpider's 
 web.  Now,  at  death,  they  lofe  their  hopes,  they  fee  they  did 
 but  flatter  themfelves  into  hell,  Job  viii.  14.  ■  Whofe  hope 
 fhall  be  cut  off.'  That  is  fad,  to  have  a  man's  life  and  his  hope 
 cut  off  together. 
 
 Ufe  2.  If  the  faints  gain  fuch  glorious  things  at  deatb ;  then 
 how  may  they  defire  death?  doth  not  every  one  defire  prefer- 
 ment? Nemo  ante  funera  fcelix.  Faith  gives  a  title  to  hea- 
 ven, death  a  potiefiion.  Though  we  fhould  be  defirous  of  do- 
 ing fervice  here,  yet  we  fhould  be  ambitious  of  being  with  Chrift, 
 Phil.  i.  S3.  We  fhould  be  content  to  live,  but  willing  to  die. 
 Is  it  not  a  blefied  thing  to  be  freed  from  fin,  and  to  lie  for  ever 
 in  the  bofom  of  divine  love  ?  is  it  not  a  bleffed  thing  to  meet 
 our  godly  relations  in  heaven,  and  to  be  tinging  divine  anthems 
 of  praife  among  the  angels  ?  doth  not  the  bride  defire  the  mar- 
 e-day, efpecially  if  the  were  to  be  matched  unto  the  crown  ? 
 what  is  the  place  we  now  live  in,  but  a  place  of  ban ifh men t  from 
 God  ?  we  are  in  a  wildemefs,  while  the  angels  live  at  court. 
 Here  we  are  combating  with  Satan,  and  fhould  not  we  defire 
 to  be  out  of  the  bloody  field,  where  the  bullets  of  temptation  fly 
 fo  fait,  and  to  receive  a  victorious  crown  ?  think  what  it  will  be 
 to  have  always  a  fmilingafpect  from  Chrift's  face  ;  to  be  brought 
 into  the  banqueting-houfe,  and  have  the  banner  of  his  love  dis- 
 played over  you.  O  ye  faints,  defire  death,  it  is  your  afcention- 
 day  to  heaven.  Egredere  an'nna  Egredere,  (aid  Hilarion  on  his 
 death-bed  ;  "  Go  forth,  my  foul,  what  feared  thou  ?"  Another 
 holy  man  laid,  "  Lord,  lead  me  to  that  glory  which  I  havefeen 
 as  through  a  glafs ;  hafie,  Lord,  and  do  not  tarry. "  Some 
 plants  thrive  belt  when  they  are  tranfplanted  :  believers,  when 
 they  are  by  death  tranfplanted,  cannot  choofe  butthrive,  becaufe 
 they  have  Chrift's  fweet  fun-beams  ihining  upon  them  :  and 
 what  though  the  paiTage  through  the  valley  of  the  ihadovv  of 
 
302  a  believer's  privilege  at  death. 
 
 death  be  troublefome  ?  who  would  not  be  willing  to  pafs  a 
 tempeftuous  fea,  if  he  were  fure  to  be  crowned  fo  foon  as  he 
 came  to  fhore. 
 
 Ufe  3.  Comfort  in  the  lofs  of  our  dear  and  pious  relations. 
 They,  when  they  die,  are  not  only  taken  away  from  the  evil  to 
 come,  but  they  are  great  gainers  by  death  ;  they  leave  a  wilder- 
 nefs,  and  go  to  a  paradife ;  they  change  their  complaints  into 
 thankfgivings ;  they  leave  their  forrows  behind,  and  enter  into 
 the  joy  of  their  Lord  :  why  mould  we  weep  for  their  preferment  ? 
 believers  have  not  their  portion  paid  till  the  day  of  their  death  : 
 God's  promife  is  his  bond  to  make  over  heaven  in  reverfion  to 
 them  ;  but  though  they  have  his  bond,  they  do  not  receive  their 
 portion  till  the  day  of  death.  Oh!  rejoice  to  think  of  their 
 happinefs  who  die  in  the  Lord  ;  to  them  *  to  die  is  gain  :'  they 
 are  as  rich  as  heaven  can  make  them. 
 
 A  BELIEVER'S  PRIVILEGE  AT  DEATH. 
 
 Phil.  i.  21.     For  me  to  live  is  Chriji,  and  to  die  is  gain. 
 
 Hope  is  a  Chriftian's  anchor,  which  he  calls  within  the 
 vail,  Rom.  xii.  12.  '  Rejoicing  in  hope.'  A  Chriftian's  hope 
 is  not  in  this  life,  but  he  ■  hath  hope  in  his  death,'  Prov.  xiv. 
 32.  The  be  ft  of  a  faint's  comfort  begins  when  his  life  ends: 
 the  wicked  have  all  their  heaven  here,  Luke  vi.  28.  '  Wo  unto 
 you,  rich,  you  have  received  your  confolation.'  You  may  make 
 your  acquittance,  and  write  M  Received  in  full  payment;" 
 Luke  xvi.  25.  *  Son,  remember  that  thou  in  thy  life-time  re- 
 ceivedft  thy  good  things.'  But  a  faint's  happinefs  is  in  rever- 
 sion ;  '  The  righteous  hath  hope  in  his  death.'  God  keeps  the 
 bell  wine  till  laft.  If  Cato  the  heathen  laid,  "  To  me  to  die 
 is  gain  :  he  faw  mortality  to  be  a  mercy  :"  then,  what  may  a 
 believer  fay  ?  Eccl.  vii.  1.  •  The  day  of  death  is  better  than  the 
 day  of  one's  birth.'  Nemo  ante  funera  f&lix,  Solon.  A 
 queen  of  this  land  faid,  fhe  preferred  her  coffin  before  her 
 cradle. 
 
 Q.   1.   What  benefits  do  believers  receive  at  death  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  They  have  great  immunities.  2.  They  pafs  imme- 
 diately into  a  (late  of  glory.  3.  Their  bodies  are  united  to 
 Chriil  in  the  grave  till  the  refurre&ion. 
 
 1.  The  faints,  at  death,  have  great  immunities  and  freedoms. 
 An  apprentice,  when  out  of  his  time,  is  made  free:  when  the 
 faints  are  out  of  their  time  of  living,  then  they  are  made  free  ; 
 not  made  free  till  death.  1.  At  death  they  are  feed  from  a  body 
 of  fin.     There  are  in  the  beft  reliquice  peccati ;  fome  remainders 
 
A  BELIEVEIt's  PRIVILEGE  AT   DEATH.  303 
 
 an«l  cliques  of  corruption,  Rom.  vii.  £!.  ■  O  wretched  man 
 that  I  am,  who  (hall  deliver  me  from  this  body  of  death!'  By 
 the  body  of  death  is  meant  the  congeries,  the  mafs  and  lump  of 
 iin.  It  may  well  be  called  a  body  for  its  weightinefs,  and  a 
 body  of  death  for  its  noifomnefs.  (I.)  It  weighs  us  down  ;  fin 
 hinders  us  from  doing  good.  A  Chriftian  is  like  a  bird  that 
 would  be  flying  up,  but  hath  a  firing  tied  to  its  legs  to  hinder 
 it;  fo  he  would  be  flying  up  to  heaven  with  the  wings  of  defire, 
 but  fin  hinders  him,  Rom.  vii.  15.  '  The  good  that  I  would,  [ 
 do  not.*  A  Chriftian  is  like  a  ihip  that  is  under  fail,  and  at 
 anchor;  grace  would  (ail  forward,  but  fin  is  the  anchor  that 
 holds  it  back.  (2.)  Sin  is  more  active  in  its  fphere  than  grace  : 
 how  furring  was  lull  in  David,  when  his  grace  lay  dormant? 
 (3.)  Sin  fometimes  gets  the  mattery,  and  leads  a  faint  captive, 
 Rom.  vii.  iy.  ■  The  evil  that  I  would  not,  that  I  do.'  Paul 
 was  like  a  man  carried  down  the  dream,  and  could  not  bear  up 
 againft  it.  How  oft  is  a  child  of  God  overpowered  with  pride 
 and  pallion?  Therefore  Paul  calls  fin,  a  law  in  his  members, 
 Rom.  vii.  24.  it  binds  as  a  law;  it  hath  a  kind  of  jurifdiction 
 over  the  ibul,  as  Caefar  had  over  the  fenate.  (4.)  Sin  defiles 
 the  ibul,  it  is  like  a  itain  to  beauty,  it  turns  the  foul's  azure 
 brightnefs  into  fable.  (5.)  Sin  debilitates  us,  it  difarms  us  of 
 our  ftrength,  2  Sam.  iii.  39.  '  I  am  this  day  weak,  though 
 anointed  king:'  fo,  though  a  faint  be  crowned  with  grace,  yet 
 he  is  weak,  though  anointed  a  fpiritual  king.  (6.)  Sin  is  ever 
 relllefs,  Gal.  v.  17.  '  The  flefli  lulls  againft  the  fpirit.1  It  is 
 an  inmate  that  is  always  quarreling  ;  like  Marcellus,  that  Ro- 
 man captain,  of  whom  Hannibal  faid,  whether  he  did  beat,  or 
 was  beaten,  he  would  never  be  quiet.  (7.)  Sin  adheres  to  us, 
 we  cannot  get  rid  of  it;  it  may  be  compared  to  a  wild  fig-tree 
 growing  on  a  wall;  though  the  roots  are  pulled  up,  yet  there 
 are  fome  fibres,  foikie  firings  of  it  in  the  joints  of  the  iione-work, 
 which  cannot  be  gotten  out.  (8.)  Sin  mingles  with  our  duties 
 and  graces  ;  we  cannot  write  a  copy  of  holineis  without  blotting. 
 This  makes  a  child  of  God  weary  of  his  life,  and  makes  him  water 
 his  couch  with  his  tears,  to  think  fin  fo  ftrong  a  party,  and  he 
 Ihould  often  offend  that  God  whom  he  loves  ;  this  made  Paul 
 cry  out,  Mifer  ego  homo!  O  wretched  man  that  1  am  !  Hence 
 Paul  did  not  cry  out  of  his  aftli&ion,  of  his  prifon-chain,  but  of 
 the  body  of  fin.  Now  a  believer  at  death  ihall  be  freed  from 
 fin  :  he  is  not  taken  away  in,  but  from  his  fins ;  he  (hall  never 
 have  a  vain,  proud  thought  more;  he  (hall  never  grieve  tin* 
 Spirit  of  God  any  more  :  fin  brought  death  into  the  world  ;  and 
 death  (hall  carry  fin  out  of  the  world.  The  Perfians  had  a 
 certain  day  in  the  year  in  which  they  killed  all  ferpents  and  ve- 
 nomous creatures  ;  fuch  a  day  will  the  day.  of  death  be  to  a  be- 
 liever: it  will  deftroy  all  his  iius,  which,  like  fo  many  ferpents, 
 
S04  a  believer's  privilege  at  death. 
 
 have  (lung  him.  Death  fmites  a  believer,  as  the  angel  did 
 Peter,  he  made  his  chains  fall  off:  fo  death  makes  all  the  chains 
 of  fin  fall  off,  A<5ts  xii.  7.  Believers  at  death  are  made  perfect 
 in  holinefs,  Heb.  xii.  23.  '  The  fpirits  of  jutt  men  made  per- 
 feci;/  At  death  the  fouls  of  believers  recover  their  virgin- 
 purity  :  O  what  a  bletfed  privilege  is  this,  to  he  fine  macula  et 
 ruga,  without  fpot  or  wrinkle  !  Eph.  v.  97.  to  be  purer  than 
 the  fun-beams,  to  be  as  free  from  fin  as  the  angels.  This  makes 
 a  believer  fo  defirous  to  have  his  pafs  to  be  gone  ;  he  would 
 fain  live  in  that  pure  air,  where  no  black  vapours  of  fin  arife. 
 
 2.  At  death  the  faints  (hall  be  freed  from  all  the  troubles  and 
 incumbrances  to  which  this  life  is  fubjeCl.  "  Sin  is  the  feed 
 fown,  and  trouble  is  the  harveft  reaped,"  Eurip.  lifeand  trouble 
 are  married  together ;  there  is  more  in  life  to' wean  us  than  to 
 tempt  us.  Parents  divide  a  portion  of  forrow  to  their  children, 
 and  yet  leave  enough  for  themfelves,  Job  v.  7.  *  Man  is  born 
 to  trouble,'  he  is  heir  to  it,  it  is  his  birth-right,  you  may  as 
 well  feparate  weight  from  lead,  as  trouble  from  the  life  of  man. 
 Quid  eji  din  vivere,  nifi  dm  torqueri  f  Aug.  King  Henry's 
 emblem,  a  crown  hung  in  a  bufh  of  thorns :  there  is  a  far 
 greater  proportion  of  bitternefs  than  pleafure  in  this  life,  Prov. 
 vii.  17.  •  I  have  perfumed  my  bed  with  myrrh,  aloes  and  cin- 
 namon.' For  one  fweet  ingredient  there  were  two  bitter;  for 
 the  cinnamon,  there  were  myrrh  and  aloes.  A  man's  grace 
 will  not  exempt  him  from  troubles,  Gen.  xlvii.  P.  '  Few  and 
 evil  have  the  days  of  the  years  of  my  life  been.'  Though  he 
 was  a  godly  patriarch,  though  he  had  met  with  God,  Gen. 
 xxxii.  30.  He  named  *  the  name  of  the  place  Peniel ;  for  I 
 have  feen  God  face  to  face :'  yet  he  had  his  troubles  ;  '  Few 
 and.  evil,'  &c.  There  are  many  things  to  imbitter  life  and 
 caufe  trouble,  and  death  frees  us  from  all.  1.  Care.  The  mind 
 is  full  of  perplexed  thoughts,  how  to  bring  about  fuch  a  defign  : 
 how  to  prevent  fuch  an  evil :  the  Greek  word  for  care,  comes 
 from  a  primitive  in  the  Greek,  that  fignifies  To  cut  the  heart  in 
 pieces.  Care  doth  difcrutiate  the  mind,  wade  the  fpirits  :  no 
 fuch  bitter  bread  as  the  bread  of  carefulnefs,  Ezek.  xii.  19. 
 Care  is  a  fpiritual  canker,  which  eats  out  the  comfort  of  life  : 
 death  is  the  cure  of  care.  2.  Fear.  Fear  is  the  ague  of  the 
 foul,  which  fets  itafhaking,  1  John  iv.  14.  '  There  is  torment 
 in  fear.'  Fear  is  like  Prometheus'  vulture,  it  gnaws  upon  the 
 heart.  There  is  a  diftruflful  fear,  a  fear  of  want;  and  a  dif- 
 tracling  fear,  a  fear  of  danger;  and  a  difcouraging  fear,  a  fear 
 God  doth  not  love  us.  Thefe  fears  leave  fad  impreffions  upon 
 the  mind  ;  now  at  death  a  believer  is  freed  from  thefe  torturing 
 fears  ;  he  now  knows  he  is  patted  from  death  to  life,  he  is  as  far 
 from  fear,  as  the  damned  are  from  hope :  the  grave  buries  a 
 Chriftian's  fear.     3.  Labour,  Eccl.  i.  18.  *  All  things  are  full 
 
A  believer's  pnivir  i.f.r.  at  death.  305 
 
 of  Itbour.'  Some  labour  in  the  mint,  others  among  theMufea; 
 Cod  hall)  made  u  law,  *  In  the  (Wet*  of  thy  brows  thou  (halt 
 eat   bread;'   but   death   gives  a  b  •   quietus  eft;   it  t> 
 
 him  oft'  from  his   day-labour,   Rev.    xiv.  18.    '  Bl  the 
 
 dead  that  die  in  the  Lord,  they  reil  from  their  labours.'  What 
 needs  working,  when  they  have  their  reward  ?  What  n< 
 fighting,  when  the  crown  is  fet  on  their  >it-a«l  ?  they  reft  from 
 their  labours.  4.  Suffering:  Believers  are  as  a  lily  among 
 thorns:  o<  the  dove  among  the  birds  of  prey.  The  wicked 
 have  an  antipathy  againft  the  righteous:  and  lecret  hatred  will 
 break  forth  into  open  violence,  Gal.  iv.  29.  ■  He  that  was  born 
 after  the  flclh,  perfecuted  him  that  was  born  after  the  Spirit.* 
 The  dragon  is  ddcribed  with  feven  heads  and  ten  horns,  Rev. 
 xii.  3.  lie  plotteth  with  the  one,  and  pufheth  with  the  other. 
 But  at  death  the  godly  (hall  be  freed  from  the  moleftations  of 
 the  wicked  ;  they  fliall  never  be  peilered  with  thefe  vermin 
 more,  Job  iii.  17-  '  There  (viz.  in  the  grave)  the  wicked  ceai'e 
 from  troubling.*  Death  doth  to  a  believer,  as  Jofeph  of  Ari- 
 lnatbea  did  to  Chrift,  it  takes  him  down  from  the  crol's,  and 
 gives  him  a  writ  of  cafe  :  the  eagle,  that  flies  high,  cannot  be 
 (lung  with  the  ferpent:  Death  gives  the  foul  the  wing  of  the 
 eagle,  that  it  flies  above  all  thefe  venemous  ferpents  here  below. 
 Temptation  :  though  Satan  be  a  conquered  enemy,  yet  he  is 
 a  reftlefs  enemy,  1  Pet.  v.  8.  He  walketh  about  j  the  devil  is 
 always  goiug  his  diocefe,  he  hath  his  fnares  and  his  darts  ;  one 
 he  tempts  with  riches,  another  with  beauty.  It  is  no  fmall 
 trouble  to  be  continually  followed  with  temptations;  it  is  as 
 bad  as  for  a  virgin  to  have  her  chaftity  daily  affaulted  ;  but  death 
 will  free  a  child  of  God  from  temptation,  he  (hall  never  be  vexed 
 more  with  the  old  ferpent.  After  death  hath  thot  its  dart  at 
 U6,  the  devil  fliall  have  done  (hooting  his;  though  grace  puts  a 
 believer  out  of  the  devil's  poifeifion,  only  death  frees  him  from 
 the  devil's  temptation,  u.  Sorrow:  a  cloud  of  for  row  gathers 
 in  the  heart,  and  drops  into  tears,  Pi'al.  xxxi.  10.  *  My  life  is 
 fpent  with  grief,  and  my  years  with  (igh'mg. '  It  was  a  curie, 
 Gen.  iii.  1(5.  '  In  forrow  thou  (halt  bring  forth.'  Many  thing* 
 occafion  forrow  ;  (icknefs,  law-fuits,  treachery  of  friends,  dis- 
 appointment of  hopes,  lols  of  eftate,  Ruth  i.  20.  ■  Call  me  not 
 Naomi,  call  me  Mara:  I  went  out  full,  and  the  Lord  hath 
 brought  me  home  again  empty.'  Sorrow  is  the  evil  (pint  that 
 haunts  us ;  the  world  is  a  Bochimt  Rachel  wept  for  her  chil- 
 dren ;  fome  grieve  that  they  have  no  children,  and  others  grieve 
 that  their  children  are  undutiful.  Thus  we  ipend  our  years 
 h  fighing  ;  it  is  a  valley  of  tears:  but  death  is  the  funeral  of 
 our  forrows,  Rev.  vii.  17.  '  And  God  ihali  wipe  away  all 
 i.'  Then  Chritt's  fpoute  puts  off  her  mourning:  how  can 
 the  children  ot  the  bride  chamber  mourn,  when  the  bnde-grcoin 
 Vol. I.  No.  7.  Q  q 
 
306  a  believer's  privilege  at  death. 
 
 fhall  be  with  them ;  Matth.  ix.  15.  Thus  death  gives  a  be- 
 liever his  quietus  eji :  it  frees  him  from  fin  and  trouble  :  though 
 the  apoftle  calls  death  the  laft  enemy,  1  Cor.  xv.  11.  yet  it  is 
 the  bed  friend  :   '  To  me  to  die  is  gain.' 
 
 life  I.  See  here  that  which  may  make  a  true  faint  willing  to 
 die  :  death  will  fet  him  out  of  gun-fhot;  free  him  from  fin  and 
 trouble  :  there  is  no  caufe  of  weeping,  to  leave  a  valley  of  tears ; 
 the  world  is  the  ftage  on  which  fin  and  mifery  are  acted.  Be- 
 lievers are  here  in  a  ftrange  country,  why  then  fhould  they  not 
 be  willing  to  go  out  of  it  ?  Death  beats  off  their  fetters  of  fin, 
 and  fets  them  free,  who  go  weeping  of  a  goal :  befides  our  own 
 fins,  the  fins  of  others.  The  world  is  a  place  where  Satan's 
 feat  is;  a  place  where  we  fee  God  daily  dishonoured.  Lot 
 (who  was  a  bright  ftar  in  a  dark  night)  his  righteous  foul  was 
 vexed  with  the  unclean  converfation  of  the  wicked,  2  Pet.  iii. 
 7.  To  fee  God's  fabbaths  broken,  his  truths  adulterated,  his 
 glory  eclipfed,  is  that  which  wounds  a  godly  heart:  this  made 
 David  cry  out,  Pfal.  cxx.  5.  *  Wo  is  me  that  I  dwell  in  Mefech, 
 that  I  fojourn  in  the  tents  of  Kedar :'  Kedar  was  Arabia,  where 
 were  lfhmael's  pofterity  ;  this  was  a  cut  to  David's  heart,  to 
 dwell  there.  O  then  be  willing  to  depart  out  of  the  tents  of 
 Kedar. 
 
 2.  The  bodies  of  believers  are  united  to  Chrift  in  the  grave, 
 and  (hall  reft  there  till  the  refurreclion.  They  are  faid  to  fleep 
 in  Jelus,  1  Theff.  iv.  14.  The  dull  of  believers  is  part  of 
 Ch rift's  body  myftical.  The  grave  is  a  dormitory  or  place  of 
 reft  to  the  faints,  where  their  bodies  quietly  fleep  in  Chrift,  till 
 they  are  awakened  out  of  their  fleep  by  the  trumpet  of  the  arch- 
 angel. 
 
 Qu.  2.  But  how  Jliall  we  know  that  we  fhall  gain  all  this  at 
 death,  to  he  freed  from  Jin  and  trouble,  and  to  have  our  bodies 
 united  to  Chrift  in  the  grave  9 
 
 Anf.  If  we  are  believers,  then  we  gain  all  this  at  death.  '  To 
 me,  faith  Paul,  to  die  is  gain :'  tome,  quatenus,  a  believer. 
 Are  we  fuch  ?  Have  we  this  bleffed  faith?  Faith,  wherever  it 
 is,  is  operative.  Lapidaries  fay,  there  is  no  precious  ftone  but 
 hath  virtutem  uifitam,  fbme  hidden  virtue  in  it :  io  I  may  fay 
 of  faith,  it  hath  fome  fecret  virtue  in  it:  it  anchors  the  foul  on 
 Chrift  :  it  hath  both  a  juitifying  and  fanctifying  virtue  in  it;  it 
 fetcheth  blood  out  of  Chrift' s  fides  to  pardon,  and  water  out  of 
 his  fides  to  purge:  it  works  by  love;  it  conftrains  to  duty,  it 
 makes  the  head  ftudy  for  Chrift,  the  tongue  confefs  him,  the 
 hands  work  for  him.  1  have  read  of  a  father  who  had  three 
 Ions,  and,  being  to  die,  left  in  his  will  all  his  eftate  to  that  foil 
 who  could  find  his  ring  with  the  jewel  which  had  an  healing 
 virtue.  The  cafe  was  brought  before  the  judges  ;  the  two  elder 
 ions  counterfeited  a  ring,  but  the  younger  lbn  brought  the  true 
 
a  believer's  privilege  at  death.  307 
 
 which  was  proved  by  the  virtue  of  it :  whereupon  li 
 
 effete  went  to  him.     To  thu  rim;  I  may  compare  faith  : 
 
 is  a  counterfeit  faith  in  the  world  ;   but  if  we  can  find  this 
 
 of  faith  which  hath  the  healing  virtue  in  it,   to  purify  the 
 
 heart,  this  is  the  true  faith  which  gives  us  an  intcreft  iu  Chriit, 
 
 and  entitles  us  to  all  thefe  privileges  at  death,  to  be  freed  from 
 
 fin  and  ibrrow,   and  to  have  our  bodies  united  to  Chriit,  while 
 
 they  are  in  the  grave. 
 
 3.  I  mould  now  come  to  the  third  privilege  at  death,  the  fouls 
 of  believers  pals  immediately  into  glory.  Where  I  mall  lead 
 you  to  the  top  of  mount  Piigah*  and  give  you  a  fhort  view  of 
 the  glory  of  heaven. 
 
 A  BELIEVER'S  PRIVILEGE  AT  DEATH. 
 
 Phil.  i.  SI.     And  to  die  is  gain. 
 
 At  death  the  fouls  of  believers  pafs  into  glory :  death 
 brings  malorum  omnium  ademptionem  :  omnium  ademptionem  : 
 death  is  the  day-break  of  eternal  brightnefs.  And  here  I  mail 
 lead  you  to  the  top  of  mount  Piigah,  and  give  you  a  glimpfe  of 
 the  holy  land. 
 
 Q.  1.    What  is  comprehended  in  glory? 
 
 AnJ\  Glory  is  ftatus  omnium  bonorum  aggregatione  perfeclus, 
 Boetius.  It  is  a  perfect  ftate  of  blifs  which  confifls  in  the  ac- 
 cumulation and  heaping  together  all  thofe  good  things  which 
 immortal  fouls  are  capable  of.  And  truly  here  I  am  at  a  lots  ; 
 all  that  I  can  fay  falls  mort  of  the  celeftial  glory.  A  pelles'  pen- 
 cil cannot  delineate  it;  angels'  tongues  cannot  exprefs  it :  we 
 fhall  never  underftand  glory  fully,  till  we  are  in  heaven:  only 
 let  me  give  you  fome  dark  views,  and  fome  imperfect  lineaments 
 of  that  ftate  of  glory  faints  ihall  arrive  at  after  death. 
 
 1.  The  firft  and  moft  fublime  part  of  the  glory  of  heaven,  is 
 the  full  and  fweet  fruition  of  God  :  ipfe  Deus  J'ufficit  ad  premium, 
 Aug.  We  are  apt  to  think  the  happinefs  of  heaven  is  in  being 
 free  from  pain  and  mifery  :  but  the  very  quiutelfence  of  happi- 
 nels,  is  the  enjoyment  and  fruition  of  God  ;  this  is  the  diamond- 
 ring  of  glory  :  God  is  an  infinite  inexhautlible  fountain  of  joy  ; 
 and  to  have  him,  is  to  have  all.  Now  the  enjoyment  of  God 
 implies  three  thin^ 
 
 1.  It  implies  our  feeing  of  God. 
 
 2.  Our  loving  of  God. 
 
 3.  God's  loving  us. 
 
 1.  The  enjoying  of  God  implies  our  feeing  of  God,  1  John 
 
 Qq2 
 
308  a  believer's  privilege  at  death. 
 
 iii.  2.  '  We  (hall  fee  him  as  he  is :'  Here  we  fee  him  as  he  is 
 not :  not  mutable,  mortal  ;   there  as  he  is. 
 
 Q.  2.  How  fliall  ice  fee  God? 
 
 Anf.  I.  We  fhall  lee  him  intellectually,  with  the  eyes  of  our 
 mind.  This  divines  call  the  beatifical  vifion  ;  we  fliall  have  a 
 full  knowledge  of  God,  though  not  know  him  fully.  II"  there 
 were  not  fuch  an  intellectual  fight  of  God,  then  how  do  the 
 fpirits  of juft  men  made  perfect  fee  God?  This  fight  of  God 
 will  be  very  glorious;  as  when  a  king,  on  his  coronation  day, 
 fhew?  himlelf  in  all  his  royalty  and  magnificence. 
 
 c2.  We  fhall  corporally  behold  the  glorified  body  of  Jefus 
 Chrift:  and  if  it  be  a  pleafant  thing  to  behold  the  fun,  Bed. 
 xi.  7-  then,  how  bleffed  a  fight  will  it  be  to  behold  the  Sun  of 
 righteoufnefs  ;  to  fee  Chrilt  clothed  in  our  human  nature,  fitting 
 in  glory  above  the  angels!  Solomon  faith,  *  the  eye  isnotfatis- 
 fied  with  feeing,'  Eccl.  i.  8.  But  lure  the  eyes  of  faints  will  be 
 fatisfied  with  feeing  that  orient  brightnefs  which  fhall  fhine 
 from  the  beautiful  body  of  Chrilt.  It  muft  needs  be  fatisfying, 
 becaufe  through  Chriii's  flefh  fome  rays  and  beams  of  the  God- 
 head fliall  glorioufly  difplay  themfelves.  God's  excellent  majefty 
 would  overwhelm  us  ;  but  through  the  vail  of  ChrihVs  flefh  we 
 fhall  behold  the  divine  glory. 
 
 3.  Our  feeing  God  will  be  transforming.  We  fhall  fo  fee 
 him,  as  to  be  in  fome  meafure  affimulated  and  changed  into  his 
 image,  1  John  iii.  2.  ■  We  fhall  be  like  him.'  If,  whenMofes 
 was  with  God  on  the  mount,  and  had  but  fome  imperfect  fight 
 of  his  glory,  •  Mofes'  face  mined,'  Exod.  xxxiv.  33.  How 
 fhall  the  faints  glorified  fhine,  being  always  in  God's  prefence, 
 and  having  fome  beams  of  bis  glory  put  upon  them  ?  '  We  fhall 
 be  like  him.'  One  that  is  deformed,  may  look  on  beauty,  and 
 not  be  made  beautiful ;  but  the  faints  fhall  fo  fee  God,  as  that 
 fight  fliall  transform  them  into  his  likenefs,  Plal.  xvii.  15. 
 *  When  I  awake  I  fhall  be  fatisfied  with  thy  likenefs.'  Not 
 that  the  faints  fhall  partake  of  God's  effence  :  for  as  the  iron  in 
 the  fire  is  made  fiery  yet  remains  iron  flill  ;  fo  the  faints,  by  be- 
 holding God's  majefty,  fhall  be  made  glorious  creatures,  but 
 yet  creatures  ftill. 
 
 4.  Our  feeing  of  God  in  heaven  will  be  unweariable.  Let  a 
 man  fee  the  rarelt  fight  that  is,  he  will  be  foon  cloyed  ;  when 
 he  comes  into  a  garden,  and  fees  delicious  walks,  fair  arbours, 
 pleafant  flowers,  within  a  little  while  he  grows  weary  ;  but  it  is 
 not  fo  in  heaven  ;  there  is  nofurfeit,  ibi nee  fames  nee  faftidium, 
 Bern.  The  faints  will  never  be  weary  of  their  profpeCt,  viz.  of 
 feeing  God  ;  for,  God  being  infinite,  there  fhall  be  every  mo- 
 ment new  and  frefh  delights  fpringing  from  God  into  the  fouls 
 of  the  glorified. 
 
a  believer's  privilege  at  death.  309 
 
 II.  The  fecond  thing  implied  in  our  enjoying  God,  is  our  lor- 
 >f  God.     It  is  a  faint's  griefj  that  liis  heart  is  like  the  frozen 
 
 in  that  he  can  melt  no  more  in  love  to  God  :  but  in  beat 
 the  faints  (hall  tie  like  feraphims  burning  in  divine  love  :  love  is 
 a  pleafant affection  ;  *  liar  hath  a  torment  in  it,'  I  John  iv.  is. 
 Love  hath  joy  in  it.  To  love  beauty,  is  delightful  :  God's 
 amazing  beauty  will  attract  the  faint's  love,  and  it  will  be  their 
 heaven  to  lore  him. 
 
 III.  The  thini  thing  implied  in  enjoying  God,  is  God's  loving 
 us.  Were  there  glory  in  God,  yet  if  there  were  not  love,  it 
 would  much  ecli pie  the  joys  of  heaven  :  but  '  God  is  love,' 
 1  John  iv.  l(i.  The  Taints  glorified  cannot  love  fo  much  as 
 they  are  loved.  What  is  their  love  to  God's?  What  is  iheir 
 liar  to  this  fun  ;  God  doth  love  his  people  on  earth,  when  they 
 are  black  as  well  as  comely  :  they  have  their  imperfections  ;  O 
 how  entirely  will  he  love  them,  when  they  are  without  '  fpot, 
 or  wrinkle  ?'  Eph.  v.  87. 
 
 1.  This  is  the  felicity  of  heaven,  to  be  in  the  fweet  embraces 
 of  God's  love  ;  to  be  the  Uephzibah,  the  delight  of  the  King  of 
 glory  ;  to  be  funning  ourfelves  in  the  light  of  God's  counlenan 
 Then  the  iaints  (hall  know  that  love  of  Chrilt  which  pailetii 
 knowledge,  Eph.  iii.  19-  From  this  glorious  manifeftation  of 
 God's  love,  will  flow  infinite  joy  into  the  ibuls  of  the  blell'ed  : 
 therefore  heaven  is  called  ■  entering  into  the  joy  of  our  Lord,' 
 Mat.  xxv.  21.  The  feeing  of  God,  the  loving  of  God,  and  be- 
 ing beloved  of  God,  will  caufe  a  jubilation  of  fpirit,  and  create 
 iuch  holy  raptures  of  joy  in  the  faints,  as  is  unfpeakable  and  full 
 of  glory,  I  Pet.  i.  8.  In  Deo  quadam  dulcedine  delevlatur  ani- 
 7)10,  imo  rapitnr,  Aug.  Now  the  faints  fpend  their  years  with 
 fighing,  they  weep  over  their  (ins  and  afflictions  ;  then  their 
 water  (hall  be  turned  into  wine,  then  the  vellels  of  mercy  (hall 
 be  (illed  and  run  over  with  joy  ;  then  they  (halt  have  their  palm- 
 branches  and  hafps  in  their  hand,  Rev.  xiv.  Q.  in  token  of  their 
 triumphs  and  rejoicing. 
 
 8.   The  fecond  thing  comprehended  in  glory,  is  the  good  fo- 
 
 :iety  there.  Firft,  There  are  the  angels  ;  every  itaradds  to  the 
 light,  thole  blell'ed  cherubims  will  welcome  us  to  paradife.  If 
 the  angels  rejoiced  fo  at  the  converlion  of  the  elect  ;  how  will 
 they  rejoice  at  theircoronation  !  Secondly,  There  is  the  company 
 
 >fthe  faints,  Heb.  xii.  23.  *  The  fpirits  of  juft  men  made 
 perfect.' 
 Q.  Whether  fliall  the  faints  in  glori/  fcftOto  each  other  ? 
 Anf.  Ceitainly  they  (hall  j  for  our  knowledge  in  heaven  (hall 
 not  be  diminilhed  but  increafed.  We  fliall  not  only  know  our 
 friends  and  godly  relations,  but  thofe  glorified  faints  which  we 
 never  faw  before  :  it  mutt  be  lb  ;  for  fociety  without  acquaint** 
 ance  is  not  comfortable:  and  of  this  opinion  were  St  Auftiu, 
 
310  A  BELIEVER'S  PRIVILEGE  AT  DEATfl. 
 
 Anfelm,  Luther.  And  indeed  the  fcripture  feems  to  hint  fo 
 much  to  us;  for,  if  Peter  in  the  transfiguration  knew  Mofesand 
 Elias,  whom  he  never  faw  before,  Mat.  xvii.  4.  then  furely  in 
 heaven  the  faints  (hall  know  one  another,  and  be  infinitely  de- 
 lighted in  each  other's  company. 
 
 S.  The  third  thing  comprehended  in  glory,  is  perfection  in 
 holinefs.  Holinefs  is  the  beauty  of  God  and  angels,  it  makes 
 heaven  :  What  is  happinefs  but  the  quinteffence  of  holinefs? 
 Here  a  Chriftian's  grace  is  imperfect,  he  cannot  write  a  copy  of 
 holinefs  without  blotting.  He  is  laid  to  receive  but  primitias 
 fpiritus,  the  firnV fruits  of  the  fpirit,  grace  in  fieri,  Rom.  viii.  23. 
 But  at  death  believers  fhall  arrive  at  perfection  of  grace  :  then 
 this  fun  (hall  be  in  its  meridian  fplendor  ;  then  they  fhall  not 
 need  to  pray  for  increafe  of  grace,  for  they  fhall  be  as  the  angels  ; 
 their  light  (hall  be  clear  as  well  as  their  joy  full. 
 
 4.  The  fourth  thing  in  glory  is  dignity  and  honour;  they 
 fhall  reign  as  kings :  therefore  the  faints  glorified  are  faid  to 
 have  their  injignia  regalia,  their  enfigns  of  royalty,  their  white 
 robes  and  their  crown,  2  Tim.  iv.  7.  Caefar,  after  his  victories, 
 in  token  of  honour,  had  a  chair  of  ivory  fet  for  him  in  the  fenate, 
 and  a  throne  in  the  theatre ;  the  faints,  having  obtained  their 
 victories  over  fin  and  Satan,  fhall  be  enthroned  with  Chrift  ia 
 the  empyrean  heaven.  To  fit  with  Chrift  denotes  fafety ;  to 
 fit  on  the  throne,  dignity,  Rev.  iiL  21.  ■  This  honour  have  all 
 the  faints.' 
 
 5.  The  fifth  thing  in  glory,  is  the  harmony  and  union  among 
 the  heavenly  inhabitants.  The  devil  cannot  get  his  cloven  foot 
 into  heaven  ;  he  cannot  conjure  up  any  ftorms  of  contention 
 there  :  there  fhall  be  perfect  union  :  there  Calvin  and  Luther 
 are  agreed  ;  there  is  no  jarring  firing  in  the  heavenly  mufic  ; 
 there  is  nothing  to  make  any  difference,  no  pride  or  envy  there. 
 Though  one  ftar  may  differ  from  another,  one  may  have  a  grea- 
 ter degree  of  glory,  yet  every  veffel  fhall  be  full :  there  fhall  the 
 faints  and  angels  fit  as  olive-plants  round  about  their  father's 
 table  in  love  and  unity.  Then  fhall  they  join  together  in  con- 
 cert, then  fhall  the  loud  anthems  of  praife  be  fung  in  the  hea- 
 venly choir. 
 
 6\  The  fixth  thing  in  glory,  is  a  blefTed  reft,  Heb.  iv.  9. 
 *  There  remains  a  reft.'  Fcelix  traufitus  a  labore  ad  requiem. 
 Here  we  can  have  no  reft,  toffed  and  turned  as  a  ball  on  racket, 
 2  Cor.  iv.  8.  '  We  are  troubled  on  every  fide.'  How  can  a 
 fhip  reft  in  a  ftorm  ?  But  after  death  tl*e  faints  get  into  their 
 haven.  Every  thing  is  quiet  in  the  centre  ;  God  is  centrum 
 quietativum  animae,  as  the  fchoolmen,  "  The  centre  where 
 the  foul  doth  fweetly  acquiefce."  A  Chriftian,  after  his  weary 
 marches  and  battles,  fhall  put  off  his  bloody  armour,  and  reft 
 himlelf  upon  the  bofom  of  Jefus,  that  bed  of  perfume:  when 
 
A  BEL1EV£RTS  PRIVILEGE  AT  DEATH.  311 
 
 death  bath  given  the  Hunts  the  wings  of  a  dove,  then  they  (hall 
 fly  away  to  paradife  and  he  at  reft. 
 
 7.  Thefetenth  ihing  in  glory,  is  eternity,  2  Cor.  iv.  17. 
 1  An  eternal  weight  of  glory* '  w/,  Glory  1^  a  weight:  the 
 Hebrew  word  for  glory  (quod  Jignificat  pondusj  ia  a  weight: 
 God  muft  make  ufl  able  to  bear  it.  9rf/y,  An  eternal  weight. 
 Glory  is  l'uch  a  manna  a  not  breed  worms.     It  the  Hunts* 
 
 glory  in  heaven  were  but  tor  a  time,  ami  they  were  in  fear  of 
 loiing  it,  it  would  eclipfe  and  embitter  the  joys  of  heaven  ;  but 
 eternity  is  written  upon  th«-  irjoyg.  The  garland  made  ol  flow- 
 ers of  paradife  fades  not,  i  Pet.  v.  4.  I  have  read  of  a  river 
 which  they  call  the  day-river,  in  which  time  it  runs  with  a  full 
 torrent,  butat  night  itisdried  up;  fuch  are  all  earthly  comforts, 
 they  run  with  a  full  ft  ream  all  the  day-time  of  life,  but  at  the 
 night  of  death  they  are  dried  up  ;  but  the  faints  glorified  fhall 
 drink  of  the  rivers  of  pleafure  for  evermore,  Pfal.  xvi.  11. 
 Eternity  is  the  heaven  of  heavens  :  in  fine  gaudium  erit fine  fine , 
 Bern.     The  joys  of  heaven  as  overflowing,,  lb  everflowing. 
 
 Qu.   2.    When  do  believers  enter  upo?i  pn/Jej/ion  of  gloi  > 
 
 An/.  They  pals  immediately  after  death  into  glory.  Some 
 hold,  with  the  Platoniitsand  Lucianifts,  that  the  foul  dies  :  but 
 many  of  the  lober  heathens  believed  the  foul's  immortality. 
 The  Romans,  when  their  greafc  men  died,  caufedan  eagle  to  be 
 let  lool'e,  and  fly  about  in  the  air,  fignifying  hereby  that  the 
 foul  was  immortal,  and  did  not  die  with  the  body,  thrift  tell* 
 us  the  foul  is  not  capable  of  killing,  Luke  xii.  4.  therefore  not  of 
 dying.  And  as  the  foul  doth  not  die,  lb  neither  doth  it  fleep 
 in  the  body  for  a  time :  if  the  foul  be  at  death  ablent  from 
 the  body,  2  Cor.  v.  8.  then  it  cannot  fleep  in  the  body.  There 
 is  an  immediate  paffage  from  death  to  glory,  it  is  but  winking, 
 and  we  (hall  fee  God,  Luke  xxiii.  43.  '  This  day  fhalt  thou  be 
 with  me  in  paradii'e.'  By  paradife  is  meant  heaven  ;  the  third 
 B  into  which  Paul  was  wrapped  (which  all  hold  to  be  the 
 heaven  of  the  blefled)  was  called  paradii'e,  c2  Cor.  xii.  4.  Xow 
 faith  Chrill  to  the  thief  on  the  crofs,  *  This  daV  fhalt  thou  be 
 with  me  in  paradife.'  His  body  could  not  be  there,  for  it  was 
 laid  in  the  grave,  but  it  was  fpoken  ot  his  foul,  that  it  fhould  be 
 immediately  after  death  in  heaven.  Let  none  be  Co  vain  as  to 
 talk  of  purgatory  ;  a  foul  purged  by  Chrift's  blood,  needs  no 
 fire  of  purgatory,  but  goes  immediately  from  a  death-bed  into  a 
 glorified  ftate. 
 
 Uje.  1.  See  what  little  caufe  believers  have  to  fear  death, 
 when  it  brings  fuch  glorious  benefits;  *  to  me  to  die  is  gain.' 
 Why  fhould  the  faints  fear  their  preferment  ?  Is  it  not  a  hi 
 thing  to  fee  God,  to  love  God,  and  to  lie  forever  in  the  bolbiu 
 of  divine  love  ?  Is  it  not  a  bletled  thing  to  meet  our  £odly  rela- 
 tions in  heaven  ?   Why  fhould  the  faints  be  afraid  of  their  bltil- 
 
312  A  believer's  privilege  at  death. 
 
 ings  ?  Is  a  virgin  afraid  to  be  matched  into  the  crown  ?  Now 
 is  but  the  contract,  at  death  is  the  marriage  fupper  of  the  Lamb, 
 Rev.  xix.  9.  What  hurt  doth  death,  but  takes  us  from  among 
 fiery  ferpents,  and  places  us  among  angels  ?  What  hurt  doth  it 
 do,  but  to  clothe  us  with  a  robe  of  immortality  ?  hath  he  any 
 wrong  done,  that  hath  his  fackcloth  pulled  off,  and  hath  cloth 
 of  gold  put  upon  him  ?  fear  not  dying,  who  cannot  live  but  by 
 dying. 
 
 Ufa.  2.  Y  ou  who  are  real  faints,  whofe  hearts  are  purified  by 
 faith,  lpend  much  time  in  mufing  upon  thefe  glorious  benefits 
 which  you  (hall  have  by  Chrift  at  death.  Thus  might  you, 
 by  a  contemplative  life,  begin  the  life  of  angels  here,  and  be  in 
 heaven  before  your  time.  Eudoxius  was  to  affe&ed  with  the 
 glory  of  the  fun,  that  he  thought  he  was  born  only  to  behold 
 it:  What  mould  we  contemplate  but  celeitial  glory,  when  we 
 fhall  fee  God  face  to  face  ?  David  was  got  above  the  ordinary 
 fort  of  men,  he  was  in  the  altitudes,  Pfal.  cxxxix.  18.  '  I  am 
 ever  with  thee.'  A  true  laint  every  day  takes  a  turn  in  heaven, 
 his  thoughts  and  defires  are  like  cherubims  flying  up  to  para- 
 dife.  Can  men  of  the  world  (o  delight  in  looking  upon  their 
 bags  of  gold,  and  fields  of  corn,  and  ihall  not  the  heirs  of  hea- 
 ven take  more  delight  in  contemplating  their  glory  in  reverfion  ? 
 Could  we  fend  forth  faith  as  a  i'py,  and  everyday  view  the  glo- 
 ry of  the  Jerufalem  above,  how  would  it  rejoice  us,  as  it  doth 
 the  heir  to  think  of  the  inheritance  which  is  to  come  into  his 
 hand  fhortly  ? 
 
 Ufe  3.  Confolation.  This  is  that  which  may  comfort  the 
 faints  in  two  cafes. 
 
 ,  1.  Under  their  wants  ;  they  abound  only  in  wants  ;  the  mea 
 is  aim  oil  fpent  in  the  barrel :  but  be  patient  in  death,  and  you 
 /hall  have  a  fupply  of  all  your  wants  ;  you  fhall  have  a  kingdom, 
 and  be  as  rich  as  heaven  can  make  you.  He  who  hath  the  pro- 
 mife  of  an  eftate,  after  the  expiring  of  a  few  years,  tho*  at  pre- 
 fent  he  hath  nothing  to  help  himfelf,  yet  comforts  himfelf  with 
 this,  that  ihortly  he  fhall  have  an  eftate  come  into  his  hand,  1 
 John  ii.  3.  *  It  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  (hall  be  :'  we 
 fhall  be  enamelled  with  glory,  and  be  as  rich  as  the  angels. 
 
 2.  A  true  faint  is,  (as  Luther)  Hacres  cruets :  but  this  may 
 make  us  go  cheerfully  through  our  fuiferings  ;  there  are  great 
 things  laid  up  in  (tore  :  there  is  glory  coming,  which  eye  hath 
 not  icen  ;  we  fhall  drink  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine  in  the  kingdom 
 ot  heaven.  Though  now  we  drink  in  a  wormwood  cup,  yet 
 here  is  fugar  to  fvveeten  it  :  we  fhall  tafte  of  thofe  joys  of  para- 
 dife  which  exceed  our  faith,  and  may  be  better  felt  than  they 
 can  be  expreiled. 
 
Or  THE  RESURRECTION.  3l3 
 
 OF  THE  RESURRECTION'. 
 
 John  v.  28,  2.0.  Marvel  not  at  this,  for  the  hour  is  coming  in 
 the  which  all  that  are  in  the  graves  fhall  hear  his  voice,  und 
 fiall  come  forth,  they  that  have  done  good,  unto  the  rcfur- 
 reclion  of  life  ;  and  they  that  have  done  evil,  unto  the  refur- 
 reclion  of  damuation, 
 
 Qu.  XXXVIII.   WHAT  benefits  Jhall  believers  receive 
 from  Chrift  at  the  rej'urrecfion  f 
 
 Anf.   I.  Their  bodies  (hall  be  raifed  up  to  glory. 
 
 2.  They  (hall  be  openly  acquitted  at  the  day  of  judgment. 
 
 3.  They  (hall  be  made  perfectly  bleifedin  the  full  enjoyment 
 of  God  for  ever. 
 
 I.  The  bodies  of  believers  fhall  be  raifed  up  to  glory.  The 
 doctrine  of  the  refurre6Uon  is  a  fundamental  article  of  our  faith  ; 
 the  apoftle  puts  it  among  the  principles  of  the  doctrine  of 
 Chrift,  Heb.  vi.  2.  The  body  (hall  rife  again  :  we  are  not  lb 
 fure  to  rife  out  of  our  beds,  as  we  are  to  rile  out  of  our  graves. 
 The  laved  body  (hall  rife  again.  Some  hold  that  the  ibul  (hall 
 be  clothed  with  a  new  body  ;  but  then  it  were  improper  to  call 
 it  a  refurrection,  it  would  be  rather  a  creation,  Job  xix.  26\ 
 '  Though  worms  deftroy  this  body,  yet  in  my  fle(h,  (hall  I  fee 
 God.'  Not  in  another  flefh,  but  my  fle(h,  1  Cor.  xv.  53. 
 •  This  corruptible  (hall  put  on  incorruption.' 
 
 Qu.  2.  By  what  arguments  may  the  refurreciion  be  proved? 
 
 Anf.  Argument  1.  By  icripture,  John  vi.  44.  '  I  will  raife 
 him  up  at  the  laft  day.'  Ila.  xxv.  8.  '  He  will  fwallow  up 
 death  in  victory.'  That  is,  by  delivering  our  bodies  from  the 
 captivity  of  the  grave,  wherein  death  for  a  time  had  power 
 over  them,  1  TheiT.  iv.  14.  '  Them  which  deep  in  Jefus,  will 
 God  bring  with  him.' 
 
 Arg.  2.  Chrift  is  rij'en  :  therefore  the  bodies  of  the  faints  mu(t 
 rife.  Chrift  did  not  rife  from  the  dead  as  a  private  perlbn,  but 
 as  the  public  head  of  the  church  ;  and  the  head  being  raifed, 
 the  reft  of  the  body  (hall  not  always  lie  in  the  grave.  Chrift's 
 rifiug  is  a  pledge  of  our  refurrection,  2  Cor.  iv.  14.  *  Know- 
 ing that  he  which  railed  up  the  Lord  Jefus,  (hall  raife  us  up 
 alfo  by  Jefus.'  Chrilt  is  called  the  firft-fruits  of  them  that  deep, 
 1  Cor.  xv.  20.  As  the  fir  ft-  fruits  is  a  fure  evidence  that  the 
 harveft  is  coming  on  ;  fo  the  redirection  of  Chrilt  is  a  fure  evi- 
 dence of  the  riling  of  our  bodies  out  of  the  grave.  Chrift  can- 
 not be  perfect  as  he  is  Chrilt  myftical,  umefs  his  members  be 
 raifed  with  him. 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  7.  Rr 
 
314  OF  THE  RESURRECTION. 
 
 Arg.  3.  In  refpeft  of  God's  juftice.  If  God  be  a  juft;  God, 
 then  he  will  reward  the  bodies  of  the  faints  as  well  as  the  fouls. 
 It  cannot  be  imagined,  that  the  fouls  of  believers  fhould  be  glo- 
 rified, and  not  their  bodies  :  they  have  ferved  God  with  their 
 bodies,  their  bodies  have  been  members  of  holinels ;  their  eyes 
 have  dropped  tears  for  fin,  their  hands  have  relieved  the  poor, 
 their  tongues  have  fet  forth  God's  praife  ;  therefore  juftice  and 
 equity  require  that  their  bodies  fhould  be  crowned  as  well  as 
 their  fouls :  and  how  can  that  be,  unlefs  they  are  raifed  from 
 the  dead  ? 
 
 Arg.  4.  If  the  body  did  not  rife  again,  then  a  believer  mould 
 not  be  completely  happy;  for  though  the  foul  can  fubfift  with- 
 out the  body,  yet  it  hath  apetium  wiionis,  a  defire  of -re-union 
 with  the  body ;  and  it  is  not  fully  happy  till  it  be  clothed  with 
 the  body  :  therefore  undoubtedly  the  body  fhall  rife  again. 
 If  the  foul  fhould  goto  heaven,  and  not  the  body,  then  a  be- 
 liever fhould  be  only  half-faved. 
 
 Ohj.  1.   But  fome  fay,  as  the  Virgin  Mary  to  the  angel 
 •  How  can  this  be  V  fo,  how  can  it  be,  that  the  body,  which  is 
 con  fumed  to  afhes,  fhould  rife  again  ? 
 
 Anf.  It  doth  not  op  pole  reafon,  but  tranfcend  it:  there  are 
 fome  refembiances  of  the  refurre6tion  in  nature.  The  corn, 
 which  is  fown  in  the  ground,  dies  before  it  fprings  up,  1  Cor. 
 xv.  3Q.  (  That  which  thou  fowefl  is  not  quickened,  except  it 
 die.'  In  winter  the  fruits  of  the  earth  die,  in  fpring  there  is  a 
 refurrection  of  them  :  Noah's  olive-tree  fpringing  after  the 
 flood,  was  a  lively  emblem  of  the  refurre&ion.  After  the  paf- 
 fion  of  our  Lord,  many  of  the  faints  which  flept  in  the  grave 
 arofe,  Matth.  xxvii.  5^.  God  can  more  eafily  raife  the  body 
 out  of  the  grave,  than  we  can  awake  a  man  out  of  fleep. 
 
 Obj.  g.  But  when  the  duft  of  many  are  mingled  together; 
 how  is  it  poflible  that  a  feparation  fhould  be  made  and  the  fame 
 numerical  body  arife? 
 
 Anf.  If  we  believe  God  can  create,  then  he  can  diftinguifh 
 the  duft  of  one  body  from  another  :  do  we  not  fee  the  chymilt 
 can,  out  of  feveral  metals  mingled  together,  as- gold,  filver,  al- 
 chimy,  extract  the  one  from  the  other,  the  filver  from  the  gold, 
 the  alchimy  from  filver,  and  can  reduce  every  metal  to  its  own 
 kind  ?  And  fhall  we  not  much  more  believe,  that  when  our 
 bodies  are  mingled  and  confounded  with  other  fubftances,  the 
 wife  God  is  able  to  make  an  extraction,  and  re-inveft  every  ibul 
 with  its  own  body? 
 
 Q.  3.   Shall  none  but  the  bodies  of  the  righteous  be  raifed? 
 
 Anf.  Yes,  all  that  are  in  the  graves  fhall  hear  Chrift's  voice, 
 and  thall  come. forth.  Acts  xxiv.  15.  There  fhall  be  a  refur- 
 reclion  of  the  dead,  both  of  the  juft  and  unjuft.  Rev.  xx.  12. 
 '  I  faw  the  dead  both  fmall  and  great,  Hand  before  God.'    But 
 
Or  THE  RESURRECTION.  315 
 
 though  all  fliall  be  railed  out  of  their  graves,  yet  all  fliall  not  be 
 raili.il  alike. 
 
 1.  Hie  bodies  of  the  wicked  (hall  he  railed  with  ignominy  ; 
 thole  bodies  which  00  the  earth  did  tempt  and  allure  others 
 with  their  beauty,  (hail  be  at  the  re  furred  ion  loathibnu  to  be- 
 hold ;  they  (hall  be  i^haltly  lpectades,  as  the  phsafc  is,  lia.  Ixvi. 
 134.  *  They  lliall  he  an  abhorring  unto  all  flefb.'  But  the  bodies 
 of  the  faints  (hull  be  raifed  with  honour,  I  Cor.  xv.  43.  '  It  is 
 fown  in  di (honour,  it  is  railed  in  glory.'  The  faints  bodies 
 then  thall  Ihiue  as  fparklin^  diamonds,  Mat.  xiii.  53.  ■  Then 
 (hall  the  righteous  fhine  forth  as  the  fun.' 
 
 <J.  The  bodies  of  the  faints  (hall  arife  out  of  their  graves  vr ith 
 triumph  :  the  bodies  of  the  wicked  (kail  come  out  of  the  grave 
 with  trembling  ;  a>  being  to  receive  their  fatal  doom  ;  but  the 
 godly,  when  they  awake  out  of  the  dud,  (hall  fing  for  joy,  Ifa. 
 xxvi.  l<).  '  Awake  and  (ing,  ye  that  dwell  in  the  duhV  When 
 the  archangel's  trumpet  founds,  then  the  faints  (hall  (ing  ;  the 
 bodies  of  believers  (hall  come  out  of  the  grave  to  be  made 
 happy,  as  the  chief  butler  came  out  of  the  prifon,  and  was  re- 
 ftored  to  all  his  dignity  at  the  court ;  but  the  bodies  of  the 
 wicked  (hall  come  out  of  the  grave,  as  the  chief  baker  out  of 
 prilbn,  to  be  executed,  Gen.  xl.  2  2. 
 
 CJfc  I.  Believe  this  dodrine  of  the  refurre&ion  ;  and  that  the 
 fame  body  that  dies  (hall  rife  again,  and  with  the  foul  be 
 crowned.  Without  the  belief  of  this,  tola  corruit  religio,  "all 
 religion  foils  to  the  ground,"  1  Cor.  xv.  14.  •  If  the  dead  rile 
 not,  then  Chrift  is  not  rifen,  and  then  our  faith  is  vain.' 
 
 Ul'e  2.  Comfort,  The  body  fliall  rife  again  ;  this  was  Job's 
 comfort,  Job  xix.  26.  '  Though  worms  defiroy  this  body,  yet 
 in  my  flelh  (hall  I  fee  God.'  The  body  is  fenfible  of  joy,  as 
 well  as  the  foul  ;  and  indeed  we  ihall  not  be  in  all  our  glory, 
 till  the  bodies  are  re-united  to  our  fouls.  O  confider  what  joy 
 there  will  be  at  the  re-uniting  of  the  body  and  the  foul  at  the 
 refurredion  ;  look  what  fweet  embraces  of  joy  were  between 
 old  Jacob  and  Jofeph,  when  they  tirft  law  one  another,  Gen. 
 xlvi.  89,  fuch,  and  infinitely  more,  will  there  be,  when  the 
 body  and  foul  of  a  faint  (hall  meet  together  at  the  refurredion. 
 How  will  the  body  and  foul  greet  one  another  ?  what  a  wel- 
 come will  the  foul  give  to  the  body  ?  O  blelfed  body  !  when  I 
 prayed,  thou  didlt  attend  my  prayers  with  hands  lifted  up,  and 
 knees  bowed  down  ;  thou  wert  willing  to  (offer  with  me,  and 
 now  thou  (halt  reign  with  me  ;  thou  wert  fown  in  dishonour, 
 but  now  art  railed  in  glory.  O  my  dear  body  !  I  will  enter  into 
 thee  again,  and  be  eternally  married  to  thee. 
 
 Ufe  3.  The  refurredion  of  the  body  is  a  cordial  when  a  Chrif- 
 tian  lies  a-dying.  Thy  body,  though  it  drop  into  the  fepul- 
 chre,  it  (hall  revive  and  ilourith  as  an  hejb  ia  the  refurredion: 
 
 Ex* 
 
316  OF  THE  RESURRECTION. 
 
 the  grave  is  a  bed  of  dull,  where  the  bodies  of  faints  fleep  ;  but 
 they  (hall  be  awakened  by  the  trump  of  the  arch-angel.  The 
 grave  is  your  long  home,  but  not  your  laft  home  :  though  death 
 ftrip  you  of  your  beauty  yet  at  the  refurreciion  you  (hall  have  it 
 reftored  again.  As  David,  when  he  found  Saul  afleep,  took 
 away  his  1'pear  and  crufe  of  water,  but  when  he  awoke  he  re- 
 ftored them  again,  1  Sam.  xxvi.  22.  lb,  tho'  at  death  all  our 
 ftrength  and  beauty  be  taken  away,  yet  at  the  refurreciion  God 
 will  reftore  all  again  in  a  more  glorious  manner. 
 
 ,Qu.  4.  But  how  Jhall  ice  know  that  our  bodies  fliall  be  ra  fed 
 to  a  glorious  refurreciion  ? 
 
 Anf.  If  we  have  a  part  in  the  firft  refurreciion,  Rev.  xx.  6. 
 '  Blefled  is  he  that  hath  a  part  in  the  firft  refurreciion. '  Qu. 
 What  is  meant  by  this?  Anf.  It  is  a  riling  by  repentance  out  of 
 the  grave  of  fin  :  he  who  lies  buried  in  fin,  can  have  little  hope 
 of  a  joyful  refurreciion  ;  his  body  (hall  be  raifed,  but  not  in 
 glory.  O  then,  afk  confidence,  have  you  a  part  in  the  firft  re- 
 furreciion ?  hath  the  Spirit  entered  into  you,  and  lifted  you  up  ? 
 hath  it  raifed  you  out  of  your  unbelief?  hath  it  raifed  your 
 hearts  above  the  earth  ?  this  is  the  firft  refurreciion  ;  and  if 
 your  fouls  are  thus  fpiritually  raifed,  then  your  bodies  fhall  be 
 glorioufly  raifed  ;  and  fhall  fhine  as  ftars  in  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven.     Regeneration  makes  way  for  a  glorious  refurreciion. 
 
 Ufe.  Seeing  you  expecl  your  bodies  fhould  arife  to  glory, 
 keep  your  bodies  unfpotted  from  fin.  Shall  a  drunken  body 
 rife  to  glory  ?  fliall  an  unclean  body  rife  to  glory  ?  fhall  a 
 thievilh  body  Ileal  into  heaven  ?  O  keep  your  bodies  pure  : 
 keep  your  eyes  from  unchafte  glances,  your  hands  from  bribes, 
 your  tongues  from  flander  :  defile  not  your  bodies,  which  you 
 hope  fhall  rife  one  day  to  glory.  Your  bodies  are  the  members 
 ofChrift:  and  hear  what  the  apoille  faith,  1  Cor.  xi.  15.. 
 *  Shall  I  take  the  members  of  Chrift,and  make  them  the  mem- 
 bers of  an  harlot?  God  forbid.'  O  keep  your  bodies  unfpotted, 
 let  them  be  inftruments  of  righteouinefs,  I  Cor.  vi.  20.  ■  Glo- 
 rify God  in  your  body.'  If  your  bodies  glorify  God,  God  will 
 glorify  your  bodies. 
 
 Qu.  5.  But  feeing  our  bodies  muft  be  laid  in  the  grave,  and 
 they  may  lie  many  years  a  rotting  there  before  the  refurreciion  ; 
 what  may  J'upport  and  comfort  us  in  this  cafe? 
 
 Anf.  ] .  That  God  will  not  leave  his  people  in  the  grave. 
 'Our  friends  bring  us  to  the  grave  and  leave  us  there,  but  God 
 will  not ;  God  will  go  to  the  grave  with  us,  and  watch  over  our 
 dead  bodies,  and  take  care  of  our  afhes,  Rizpah  watched  over 
 the  dead  bodies  of  thefons  of  Saul,  and  guarded  them  againft  the 
 ravenous  fowls  of  the  air,  9  Sam.  xxi.  10.  Thus  the  Lord 
 watcheth  over  the  dead  bodies  of  the  faints,  and  looks  to  it, 
 that  none  of  their  duft  be  milling.  Chriftian,  thou  haft  a  God 
 to  watch  over  thy  body  when  thou  art  dead. 
 
OP  THE  RESURRECTION.  317 
 
 9.  The  bodies  of  the  faints  in  the  grave,  UlOUgh  feparated 
 from  their  fouls,  are  united  to  Chilli.  The  dull  of  a  believer 
 is  part  of  Chrilt's  myftical  body. 
 
 :i.  When  the  bodies  of  the  faints  are  in  the  fepulchre,  their 
 Ibuls  are  in  paradife;  the  foul  doth  not  fleep  in  the  body,  '  but 
 returns  to  God  that  gaffe  it,'  Keel.  XII,  7.  The  foul  immediately 
 partakes  of  thofe  tjoys  the  bleifed  angels  do  :  when  the  body- 
 returns  to  dull,  the  loul  returns  to  rrlt :  when  the  body  is  ileep- 
 ing,  the  foul  is  triumphing;  when  the  body  is  buried,  the  foul 
 is  crowned  :  as  the  fpies  were  lent  before  to  tafte  of  the  fruits 
 of  the  land,  Numb.  xiii.  lb  at  death  the  foul  is  lent  before  into 
 heaven,  to  tafte  of  the  fruit  of  the  holy  land. 
 
 4.  When  God's  time  is  come,  the  ■  graves  fhall  deliver  up 
 their  dead,'  Rev.  xx.  13.  When  the  judge  fends,  the  goaler 
 mult  deliver  up  his  prifonera,  as  God  faid  to  Jacob,  Gen.  xlvi. 
 4.  *  I  will  go  down  with  thee  into  Egypt,  and  I  will  furely 
 bring  thee  up  again.'  So  the  Lord  will  go  down  with  us  into 
 the  grave,  and  will  furely  bring  us  up  again. 
 
 5.  Though  the  bodies  of  the  faints  (hall  rot  and  be  loathfome 
 in  the  grave,  yet  afterwards  they  fhall  be  made  illuftrious  and 
 glorious.     Concerning  this,  conhder, 
 
 1.  The  bodies  of  the  faints,  when  they  arife,  fhall  be  comely 
 and  beautiful.  The  body  of  a  faint  in  this  life  may  be  deform- 
 ed :  thole  whofe  minds  are  adorned  with  virtue,  yet  may  have 
 mis- ftiapen  bodies  ;  as  the  fined  cloth  may  have  the  coarfefl 
 lid ;  but  this  deformed  body  fhall  be  amiable  and  beautiful. 
 This  beauty  confifts  in  two  things;  1.  Perfection  of  parts. 
 There  (hall  be  a  full  proportion  of  all  the  members ;  in  this  life 
 there  is  oft  a  defect  of  members  ;  the  eye  is  loft,  the  arm  is  cut 
 oiV;  but  in  the  refurrection  all  part3  of  the  body  fhall  be  reflored 
 again  :  therefore  the  refurrecYion  is  called  the  time  of  reftoring 
 alt  things,  Acts  iii.  10.  Malchus'  ear  cut,  reftituit.  2.  Clarity 
 and  fplendor  :  the  bodies  of  the  faints  fhall  have  a  graceful  ma- 
 jelly  in  them  ;  they  fhall  be  like  Stephen,  whofe  face  fhone  as 
 if  it  had  been  the  face  of  an  angel,  Acts  vi.  15.  Nay,  they  fliall 
 be  made  like  Chrift's  glorious  body,  Phil.  iii.  21. 
 
 2.  The  bodies  of  the  faints,  when  they  arife,  fhall  be  free 
 from  the  neceflities  of  nature,  as  hunger  and  third,  Rev.  vii. 
 In.  ■  They  ihall  hunger  no  more.'  Mofes  on  the  mount  was 
 lb  filled  with  the  glory  of  God,  that  he  needed  not  the  recruits 
 of  nature.  Much  more  in  heaven  fhall  the  bodies  of  the  faints, 
 lb  filled  with  God's  glory,  be  upheld  without  food. 
 
 3.  The  bodies  of  the  faints,  when  they  arife,  fliall  be  fwift 
 and  nimble.  Our  bodies  on  earth  are  dull  and  heavy  in  their 
 motion  ;  then  they  fliall  be  fwift,  and  made  fit  toafcend,  as  the 
 body  of  Elias,  in  the  air.  Now  the  body  is  a  clog  ;  in  heaven 
 it  fliall  be  a  wing :  we  fliall  be  as  the  angels,  Mat.  xxii.  30. 
 
31S  OF  THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT. 
 
 And  how  nimble  are  they  ?  The  angf  1  Gabriel  in  a  fhort  time 
 came  from  heaven  to  the  earth,  Dun.  ix.  M.  As  the  helm 
 turns  the  fhip  iniiantly  whither  the  Iteei (man  will :  fo  the  body 
 in  an  inftant  will  move  which  way  the  foul  will. 
 
 4.  The  bodies  of  the  faints,  at  the  refurre&ion,  (ball  be 
 very  firm  and  ftrong-,  I  Cor.  xv.  43.  '  It  is  raifed  in  power.' 
 Through  frequent  labour  and  ficknefs,  the  ftrongett  body  begins 
 to  languish  :  but  at  the  refurre&ion  we  fhall  be  of  a  ilrong  con- 
 ftitution  ;  then  there  will  be  no  wearinefs  in  the  body,  norfaint- 
 nefs  in  the  fpirits.  This  may  comfort  you  who  now  conflict 
 with  many  bodily  weakneffes.  This  weak  body  fhall  be  raifed 
 in  power ;  the  body,  which  is  now  a  weak  reed,  fhall  be  like  a 
 rock. 
 
 5.  The  bodies  of  the  faints  at  the  refurre&ion  (hall  be  im- 
 mortal, I  Cor.  xv.  53.  *  This  mortal  fhall  put  on  immortality;' 
 our  bodies  (hall  run  parallel  with  eternity,  Luke  xx.  36.  ■  Nei- 
 ther can  they  die  any  more.'  Heaven  is  an  healthful  climate, 
 there  is  no  bill  of  mortality  there.  If  a  phyfician  could  give 
 you  a  receipt  to  keep  you  from  dying,  what  fums  of  money 
 would  you  give  ?  At  the  refurreclion  Chrift  (hall  give  the  faints 
 fuch  a  receipt,  Rev.  xxi.  4.   *  There  (hall  be  no  more  death.* 
 
 II.  The  tecond  privilege  believers  (hall  have  at  the  refurrec- 
 tion,  is,  They  (hall  be  openly  acquitted  at  the  day  of  judg- 
 ment. 
 
 OF  THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT. 
 
 Qu.  XXXV I  IT.  WHAT  benefits  do  believers  receive  from 
 Chrift  at  the  refurreclion  ? 
 
 Anf.  I.  Their  bodies  (hall  be  raifed  up  to  glory,  and  (hall 
 be  openly  acquitted  at  the  day  of  judgment,  and  crowned  with 
 thefuLI  and  perfect  enjoyment  of  God  to  all  eternity. 
 
 2.  They  flail  be  openly  acquitted  at  the  day  of  judgment. 
 This  is  to  be  laid  down  for  a  pofition,  that  there  (hall  be  a  day 
 of  judgment,  1  Cor.  v.  10.  *  For  we  mult  all  appear  before  the 
 judgment-feat  of  ChrihV  This  is  the  grand  affizes  ;  the  greateft 
 appearance  that  ever  was  :  Now  Adam  (hall  fee  all  his  pofterify 
 at  once.  We  muft  all  appear  ;  the  greatnefs  of  men's  perfons 
 doth  not  exempt  them  from  Chrift' s  tribunal:  kings  and  cap- 
 tains are  brought  in  trembling  befcrre  the  Lamb's  throne,  Rev. 
 vi.  15.  We  muft  all  appear,  and  appear  in  our  own  perfons; 
 not  by  a  proxy. 
 
 Q.  1.  How  doth  it  appear  that  there  fliall  be  a  day  of  judg* 
 ment? 
 
 Anf.  fwo  ways.     1.  By  the  fuffrage  of  fcripture,  Eccl.  xii. 
 
OF  T?1H  DAY  07  JUBrtMENT.  319 
 
 P,  1?.  14.   '  For  God    fliall  bi  ry  work   into  judgment, 
 
 with  every  fecret  thing.'  I'fd.  se«i.  13.  '  For  he  Cometh,  for 
 be  cometli  to  judge  the  earth.'     The  reduplicfttioe  denote*  the 
 
 certainty,  [)au.   vii.  9.  '  I  beheld   nil   1  lie  thrones  w< 
 down,    and   the    Ancient  of  days   did  fit,   whole  garment  WW 
 
 white  as  (now.     The  judgment  was  let,   and  the  books  were 
 opened.' 
 
 9.  It  appears  from  the  petty  feflmns  kept  in  a  man's  own 
 conference  ;  when  a  man  doth  virtuoufiy,  coulciencedoth  o\cufe 
 him,  when  evil  conlcience  doth  arraign  and  condemn  him. 
 Now,  what  is  this  private  felliou  kept  in  the  court  of  conlcience, 
 but  a  certain  fore-runner  of  that  genera!  day  of  judgment,  when 
 all  the  world  (hall  be  fummoncd  to  God's  tribunal? 
 
 Q.    Why  mnfi  there  be  a  day  of judgment? 
 
 Anf.  That  there  may  be  a  day  of  retribution,  when  God  may- 
 render  to  every  one  according  to  his  work.  Things  feem  to  be 
 carried  very  unequally  in  the  world  :  the  wicked  do  fo  profper, 
 as  if  they  were  rewarded  for  doing  evil  ;  and  the  godly  do  fo 
 iuft'er,  as  if  they  were  punilhed  for  being  good.  Therefore,  for 
 the  vindicating  of  God's  juitice,  there  mult  be  a  day,  wherein 
 there  (hall  be  a  righteous  diliribution  of  punilhments  and  re- 
 wards to  men,  according  to  their  actions. 
 
 Q.  3.    Who  fftall  bejttd're? 
 
 Anf.  The  Lord  JefusChrift,  John  vi.  2-2.  «  The  Father  hath 
 committed  all  judgment  to  the  Son.'  It  is  an  article  in  our 
 creed,  that,  Chrift  lhall  come  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead. 
 It  is  a  great  honour  put  upon  Chrift;  he  who  was  hirafetf 
 judged,  (hall  now  be  judge,  he  who  once  hung  upon  the  crofs, 
 (hall  fit  upon  the  bench.  Chrilt  is  fit  to  be  judge,  as  he  par- 
 takes both  of  the  manhood  and  Godhead. 
 
 1.  Of  the  manhood  :  being  clothed  with  the  human  nature, 
 he  may  be  vifibly  feen  of  all.  It  is  requiiite  the  judge  Ihouid 
 be  feen,  Rev.  i.  7.  *  Behold,  hecometh  with  clouds,  and  every 
 eye  (hall  fee  him.' 
 
 &  As  he  partakes  of  the  Godhead  :  he  is  of  infinite  prudence 
 to  underftand  all  c aufes  brought  before  him  ;  and  of  infinite 
 power  to  execute  offenders.  He  is  defcribed  with  (even  ^ 
 Zech.  iii.  9.  to  denote  his  prudence;  and  a  rod  of  iron,  Pr*al. 
 ii.  9.  to  denote  his  power  :  he  is  lb  will-,  that  he  cannot  be  de- 
 luded ;  and  fo  ftrong,  that  he  cannot  be  refilled. 
 
 Q.  4.  When  will  the  court  Jit,  when  will  the  time  of  judgment  he  ? 
 
 Anf.  For  the  quando,  or  the  time  of  the  general  judgment, 
 it  is  a  fecret  kept  from  the  angels,  Mat.  xxiv.  3(i.  *  Of  that 
 day  and  hour  knows  no  man,  no  not  the  angels  of  heaven.* 
 But  this  is  fure,  it  cannot  be  far  off :  one  great  fign  of  the  ap- 
 proach of  the  day  of  judgment,  is,  '  That  iniquity  lhall  abound, 
 Mat.  xxiv.  fure  then  this  day  is  near  at  hand,  for  iniquity  did 
 
320  OF  THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT. 
 
 never  more  abound  than  in  this  age,  and  lull  grows  hot,  and 
 love  grows  cold.  This  is  certain,  when  the  ele6l  are  all  con- 
 verted, then  Chrift  will  come  to  judgment:  as  he  that  rows  a 
 ferry-boat,  ftays  till  all  the  paflengers  are  taken  into  his  boat, 
 and  then  he  rows  away  i  fo  Chrift  ftays  till  all  the  elect  are 
 gathered  in,  and  then  he  will  halten  away  to  judgment. 
 
 Q.  5.    What  fliall  be  the  modus  or  manner  of  trial? 
 
 Anf.  1.  The  citing  of  men  to  the  court.  The  dead  are 
 cited  as  well  as  the  living.  Men,  when  they  die,  avoid  the 
 cenfure  of  our  law-courts ;  but  at  the  laft  day,  the  dead  are 
 cited  to  God's  tribunal,  Rev.  xx.  12.  ■  I  faw  the  dead  fmall 
 and  great  ftand  before  God.'  This  citing  of  men  will  be  by 
 the  found  of  a  trumpet,  1  TherT.  iv.  96\  And  this  trumpet 
 will  found  fo  loud,  that  it  will  raife  men  out  of  their  graves, 
 Mat-  xxiv.  31.  Such  as  will  not  hear  the  trumpet  of  the  gof- 
 pel  found  in  their  ears  repent  and  believe,  fhall  hear  the  trumpet 
 of  the  archangel  founding,  arife  and  be  judged. 
 
 2.  The  approach  of  the  judge  to  the  bench. 
 
 Firji,  This  will  be  terrible  to  the  wicked.  How  can  a  guilty 
 prifoner  endure  the  fight  of  the  judge  ?  If  Felix  trembled  when 
 Paul  preached  of  judgment,  Acts  xxiv.  25.  how  will  finners 
 tremble  when  they  fhall  fee  Chrift  come  to  judgment?  Chrift 
 isdefcribed  (fitting  in  judgment)  with  a  fiery  itream  hTuing  from 
 him,  Dan.  vii.  10.  Now  the  Lamb  of  God  will  be  turned  into 
 a  lion  ;  the  fight  of  Chrift  will  ftrike  terror  into  finners.  As 
 when  Jofeph  laid  to  his  brethren,  ■  I  am  Jofeph  whom  ye  fold 
 into  Egypt,  they  were  troubled  at  his  prefence,'  Gen.  xlv.  4. 
 Now  how  did  their  hearts  fmite  them  for  their  fin!  fo,  wheu 
 Chrift  fhall  come  to  judgment,  and  fay,  ■  I  am  Jefus  whom  ye 
 finned  againft,  I  am  Jefus  whofe  laws  ye  have  broken,  whofe 
 blood  ye  defpifed  ;  I  am  now  come  to  judge  you  :'  O  what  hor- 
 ror and  amazement  will  take  hold  of  finners!  they  will  be  trou- 
 bled at  the  prefenceof  their  judge. 
 
 Secondly,  The  approach  of  Chrift  to  the  bench  of  judicature 
 will  be  comfortable  to  the  righteous.  (1.)  Chrift  will  come  in 
 fpiendor  and  great  glory.  His  firft  coming  in  the  flefh  was  ob- 
 fcure,  Ifa.  liii.  2.  He  was  like  a  prince  in  difguife :  but  his 
 fecond  coming  will  be  illuitrious,  *  he  {hall  come  in  the  glory 
 of  his  Father,  with  the  holy  angels/  Mark  vii.  3S.  O  what  a 
 bright  day  will  that  be,  when  fuch  a  number  of  angels,  thofe 
 morning  ftars,  (hall  appear  in  the  air,  and  Chrift  the  Sun  of 
 righteoufnels  (hall  (nine  in  fpiendor  above  the  brighteft  cherub? 
 (2.)  Chrift  will  come  as  a  friend.  Indeed,  if  the  faints' judge 
 with  their  enemy,  they  might  fear '-condemning :  but  he  who 
 loves  them,  and  prayed  for  them,  is  their  judge  :  he  who  is  their 
 hufband  is  their  judge,  therefore  they  need  not  fear  but  all 
 things  (hall  go  well  on  their  fide. 
 
OP  THE  DAY  OF  .1 1:  a  c;  >!£  3  T .  321 
 
 Thirdly,  The  trial  itfelf,   whieh  hath  a  dark  and  a  light  fide. 
 (1.)    A  dark  fide.     It  will  fall  heavy  on  the  wicked  :   the  judge 
 being  let,  the  books  are  opened,   Rev.  \x.  \'2.  the  hook  df< 
 icience,  and  the  book  of  God's  remembrance  ;  and  now  the  fin- 
 ner's  charge  being  read,  and  all  their  (ins  laid  open,  their  mur- 
 der,   drunkennefs,  uneleannefs,  Chrift  will  fay,  Turners,    what 
 can  you  plead  for  yourfelves,  that  the  fentence  of  death  fhould 
 not  pals?  The  wicked  being  convicted  will  be  fpecchlefs.  Then 
 follows  that  dilmal   fentence,   Mat.    xxv.  41.      lie  muled 
 *  depart  from  me,  ye  curled,  into  everlafting  fire,  prepared  fur 
 the  devil  and  his  angels.'      He  that  laid  to  God,  ■  depart  from 
 me;'    Job  xxi.    14.  and    to  religion,   depart  from  me ;    mult 
 now  hear  that  word   pronounced  from  his  judge,  depart  from 
 me;  a  dreadful  fentence,  but  righteous,  Pfal.  li.  4.     The  finner 
 hirnfelf  mall  cry,  guilty  :   though  the  wicked  have  a  fea  of  wratb, 
 yet  not  one  drop  of  injuftice.     And  when  once  the  fentence  i» 
 pad,  it  is  irreverfible,  there  is  no  appealing  to  an  higher  court. 
 (2.)   The   trial   hath  a  light  fide  :   it  will  be  for   increafing  the 
 joy  and  happinefs  of  the  righteous.     The  day  of  judgment  will 
 be  a  day  of  jubilee  to  them. 
 
 I.  At  that  day  Chrift  their  judge  will  own  them  by  name, 
 Thofe  whom  the  world  (corned,  and  looked  upon  as  precifians 
 and  fools,  Chrilt  will  take  by  the  hand,  and  openly  acknowledge 
 them  to  be  his  favourites.  What  is  ChrihVs  *  confelfing  of 
 men,*  Luke  xii.  S.  but  his  openly  acknowledging  them  to  be 
 precious  in  his  eyes  ? 
 
 II.  Chrilt  as  judge  will  plead  for  them.  It  is  not  ufual  to  be 
 both  judge  and  advocate,  to  fit  on  the  bench  and  plead  ;  but  it 
 (hall  be  fo  at  the  day  of  judgment. 
 
 Firft,  Chrilt  will  plead  his  own  blood  for  the  faints.  Tkefe 
 perfons  I  have  paid  a  price  for  >  they  are  the  travail  of  my  foul, 
 they  have  Jinn  ed,  but  my  foul  teas  made  an  offering  for  their  Jin. 
 
 Secondly ,  Chrift  will  vindicate  them  from  all  unjuft  cenfures. 
 Here  they  were  ftrangely  mifreprefented  to  the  world,  as  proud, 
 hypocritical,  factious;  Paul  was  called  a  feditious  man,  the 
 head  of  a  faction,  A6ts  xxiv.  5.  But  at  the  day  of  judgment 
 Chrift  will  clear  the  faints'  innocency,  then  he  will  *  bring  forth 
 their  righteoufnefs  as  the  light.'  Pfal.  xxxvii.  (y.  As  he  will 
 wipe  oft'  tears  from  their  eyes,  fo  duft  from  their  name.  Moles, 
 when  he  was  charged  with  ambition,  that  he  took  too  much 
 upon  him,  comforted  hirnfelf  with  this,  *  To-morrow  will  the 
 Lord  fhew  who  are  his,'  Numb.  xvi.  5.  So  may  the  faints, 
 when  reproached,  comfort  themfelves  with  the  day  of  judgment; 
 then  will  Chrift  fay  who  are  his ;  then  (hall  the  faints  come 
 forth  as  the  wings  of  a  dove  covered  with  lilver. 
 
 Thirdly,  Chrift  af  judge  will  abfolve  ♦.hem  before   men  and 
 
 Vol. 'I.  No.  7-  S  f 
 
322  OF  THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT, 
 
 angels,  as  Pilate  faid  of  Chrifl,  '  I  find  no  fault  in  this  man/ 
 John  xviii.  38.  So  will  Chrift  fay  of  the  elect,  I  find  no  fault 
 in  them,  I  pronounce  them  righteous.  Then  follows,  ■  come 
 ye  bletfed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom.'  Mat.  xxv.  34. 
 As  if  Chrift  ihould  fay,  O  ye  happy  ones,  the  delight  of  my  foul, 
 the  fruit  of  my  fufferings,  ftand  no  longer  at  the  bar.  Ye  are 
 heirs  apparent  of  the  crown  of  heaven,  enter  and  take  pojfejfwn. 
 At  the  hearing  of  this  fentence,  with  what  ravilhing  joy  will 
 the  faints  be  filled  ?  This  word,  Come,  ye  bleffed,  will  be  mufic 
 to  their  ear,  and  a  cordial  to  their  heart. 
 
 Fourthly,  Chrift  will  mention  before  men  and  angels  all  the 
 good  deeds  the  faints  have  done.  Mat.  xxv.  35.  '  I  was  an 
 hungered,  and  ye  gave  me  meat ;  I  was  thinly  and  ye  gave  me 
 drink.'  You  that  have  wept  in  fecret  for  fin,  that  have  (hewn 
 any  love  to  Ch rift's  name,  that  have  been  rich  in  good  works, 
 Chrift  will  take  notice  of  it  at  the  laft  day,  and  fay,  ■  well  done, 
 good  and  faithful  fervants.'  He  himfelf  will  be  the  herald  to 
 proclaim  your  praifes  ;  thus  it  fhall  be  done  to  the  man  whom 
 Chrift  delights  to  honour. 
 
 Fifthly,  Chrift  will  call  his  faints  from  the  bar,  to  fit  upon 
 the  bench  with  him  to  judge  the  world,  Jude  14.  '  Behold  the 
 Lord  cometh  with  ten  thoufand  of  his  faints,  to  execute  judg- 
 ment upon  all.'  1  Cor.  vi.  2.  •  Know  ye  not  that  the  faints 
 fhall  judge  the  world  ?'  The  faints  (hall  fit  with  Chrift  in  judi- 
 cature, as  juftices  of  peace  with  the  judge  :  they  fhall  applaud 
 Chrift' s  righteous  fentence  on  the  wicked,  and,  as  it  were,  vote 
 with  Chrift.  This,  as  it  is  a  great  honour  to  the  faints,  fb  it 
 muft  needs  add  to  the  forrows  of  the  wicked,  to  fee  thole  whom 
 they  once  hated  and  derided,  fit  as  judges  upon  them. 
 
 Sixthly,  The  faints  fhall  be  fully  crowned  with  the  enjoyment 
 of  God  for  ever.  They  (hall  be  in  his  fweet  prefence,  *  in 
 whofe  prefence  is  fulnefs  of  joy,'  Pfal.  xvi.  11.  and  this  fhall 
 be  for  ever :/  the  banner  of  God's  love  fhall  be  eternally  dis- 
 played :  the  joys  of  heaven  are  without  intermiftion  and  expira- 
 tion, 1  Theii*.  iv.  17.  '  And  fo  fhall  we  be  ever  with  the  Lord.' 
 life.  As  it  is  fad  news  to  the  wicked,  they  fhall  ■  not  ftand  in 
 judgment,'  Pf.  i.  5.  They  (hall  come  to  judgment,  but  they 
 fhall  not  ftand  in  judgment,  viz.  they  fhall  not  ftand  acquitted, 
 they  fhall  not  (land  with  boldnefs,  but  fneak  and  hang  down 
 their  head,  and  not  be  able  to  look  their  judge  in  the  face  :  fo 
 it  is  great  confolation  to  the  godly.  When  the  apoftle  had 
 laid,  '  The  Lord  fhall  defcend  from  heaven  with  a  (hout,  with 
 the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  the  trump  of  God  ;'  he  prefently 
 adds,  *  Wherefore  comfort  one  another  with  thefe  words,' 
 1  -ThefT.  iv.  16,  18. 
 
 1.  The  day  of  judgment  is  comfort,  in  refpecl  of  weaknefs 
 of  grace.     A  Chriitian  is  ready  to  be  troubled,  to  fee  his  grace 
 
OF  THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT.  323 
 
 lb  minute  and  imperfect;  but,  at  the  laftday,  if  Chrift  find  but 
 a  drachm  of  true  grace,  it  (hall  be  accepted.  If  thine  be  true 
 gold,  though  it  be  many  grains  too  light,  Chrift  will  put  his 
 Hit  rits  into  the  tcales,  and  make  it  pais  current. 
 
 CJ.  It  is  a  comfort  to  fuch  of  the  taints  who  have  met  with 
 unrighteous  judgment  in  the  world,  who  have  been  wronged 
 of  their  etlates  in  law  iuits,  or  had  their  lives  taken  away  by  an 
 unrighteous  Ientence  ;  Chritt  will  judge  over  things  again,  and 
 will  give  a  righteous  Ientence.  If  your  eftates  have  been  taken 
 away  wrongfully,  you  (hall  be  reitored  a  thouiand-fold  at  the 
 day  of  judgment.  If  you  have  loft  your  lives  for  Chritt,  yet 
 you  (hall  not  lofe  your  crown  ;  you  (hall  wear  a  garland  made 
 of  the  flowers  of  paradiie,  which  fade  not  away. 
 
 Branch  I.  Meditate  much  upon  the  day  of  judgment.  Fea- 
 thers i \vim  upon  the  water,  but  gold  finks  into  it :  light  feathery 
 Chriftians  float  in  vanity,  they  mind  not  the  day  of  judgment; 
 but  ferious  fpirits  fink  deep  into  the  thoughts  of  it. 
 
 2.  The  meditation  of  this  latt  day  would  make  us  very  fincere. 
 We  would  then  labour  to  approve  our  hearts  to  God,  the  great 
 judge  and  umpire  of  the  world.  It  is  ealy  to  carry  it  fair  be- 
 fore men,  but  there  is  no  diflembling  or  prevaricating  with 
 God  ;  he  fees  what  the  heart  is,  and  will  accordingly  pafs  his 
 verdict. 
 
 2.  The  meditation  of  Chrift' s  coming  to  judge  us,  would 
 keep  us  from  judging  our  brethren.  We  are  apt  to  judge  others 
 as  to  their  final  (tate ;  which  is  for  men  to  ftep  into  Chrift's 
 place,  and  take  his  work  out  of  his  hand,  James  iv.  19. 
 '  Who  art  thou  that  judged  another?'  Thou  that  pafieth  a 
 ra(h  ientence  upon  another,  thou  muft  come  thyfelf  (hortly  to 
 be  judged,  and  then  perhaps  he  may  be  acquitted,  and  thou 
 condemned. 
 
 Branch  II.  So  demean  and  carry  yourfelves,  that  at  the  day 
 of  judgment  you  may  be  fure  to  be  acquitted,  and  have  thole 
 glorious  privileges  the  faints  (hall  be  crowned  with. 
 
 Q.  How  is  that? 
 
 Anf.  1 .  If  you  would  (land  acquitted  at  the  day  of  judgment, 
 then,  l/J,  Labour  to  get  into  Chrift,  Phil.  iii.  9.  '  That  1  may 
 be  found  in  him.'  Faith  implants  us  into  Chrift,  it  ingarriions 
 us  in  him,  and  then  *  there  is  no  condemnation,'  Rom.  viii. 
 1.  There  is  no  (landing  before  Chritt,  but  by  being  in  Chriit. 
 2tf/y,  Labour  for  humility.  It  is  a  kind  of  felf-anmhilation, 
 9  Cor.  xii.  11.  *  Though  I  be  nothing.'  Chriltian,  haft  thou 
 parts  and  abilities,  and  doft  thou  cover  them  with  the  vail  of 
 humility?  as  Mofes,  when  his  face  (hone,  put  a  vail  over  it. 
 If  thou  art  humble,  thou  (halt  be  acquitted  at  the  day  of  judg- 
 ment, Job  xxii.  £9.  '  He  (hall  fare  the  humble  peribn.'     An 
 
 Sf8 
 
324  OF  THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMNET. 
 
 bumble  man  judgeth  himfelf  for  his  fins,  and  Chrift  will  acquit 
 them  who  judge  themfelves. 
 
 2.  If  you  would  fund  acquitted  at  the  lad  day,  then  keep  a 
 clear  conscience.  Do  not  load  yourfelves  with  guilt,  and  fur- 
 ni(h  your  judge  with  matter  againtl  you.  '  The  Lord,  iaith 
 Paul  hath  appointed  a  day  in  which  he  will  judge  the  world,' 
 A6ts  xvii.  21.  And  how  would  Paul  fit  himfelf  for  that  day  ? 
 Acts  xxvi.  16.  *  Herein  I  exerciie  myfelf  to  have  always  a  con- 
 ference void  of  offence,  towards  God  and  towards  man.'  Be 
 careful  of  the  firft  and  fecond  table,  be  holy  and  juft.  Have 
 hearts  without  falle  aims,  and  hands  without  falfe  weights. 
 Keep  confeience  as  clear  as  your  eye,  that  no  duff  of  fin  fall 
 into  it :  they  that  fin  againft  confeience,  will  be  fhy  of  their 
 judge  :  fuch  as  take  in  prohibited  goods,  cannot  endure  to  fee* 
 the  fearchers  that  are  appointed  to  open  their  packs.  Chrif- 
 tian,  thy  pack  will  be  opened  at  the  lait  day,  I  mean  thy  con- 
 feience ;  and  Chrift  is  the  fearcher,  to  fee  what  fins,  what  pro- 
 hibited goods  thou  halt  taken  in  ;  and  then  he  proceeds  to 
 judgment.  O  !  be  fure  to  keep  a  good  confeience  ;  this  is  the 
 beft  way  to  fland  with  boldnefs  at  the  day  of  judgment.  The 
 voice  of  confeience  is  the  voice  of  God  :  if  confeience  doth, 
 upon  juft  grounds,  acquit  us,  God  will  acquit  us,  1  John  iii.  21. 
 *  If  our  hearts  condemn  us  not,  then  have  we  confidence  to- 
 wards God.' 
 
 3.  If  you  would  fland  acquitted  at  the  laft  day,  then  trade 
 your  talents  for  God's  glory  ;  lay  out  yourfelves  for  God,  ho-, 
 nour  him  with  your  fubftance  :  relieve  Chrift' s  members;  this 
 is  the  way  to  be  acquitted.  He  that  had  five  talents  traded 
 with  them,  and  made  them  five  talents  more  ;  '  his  lord  faid 
 unto  him,  well  done  good  and  faithful  fervant,  Mat.  xxv.  21. 
 
 4.  If  you  would  ftand  acquitted  at  the  day  of  judgment,  get 
 an  entire  love  to  the  faints,  1  John  iii.  14.  ■  We  know  we  are 
 paffed  from  death  to  life,'  &c.  Love  is  the  trued  touch-done  of 
 fincerity.  To  love  grace  for  grace,  fhewrs  the  fpirit  of  God  to 
 be  in  a  man.  Doth  confeience  witnefs  for  you  ?  Are  you  per- 
 fumed with  this  tweet  fpice  of  love  ?  Do  you  delight  mod  in 
 thole  in  whom  the  image  of  God  fhines  ?  Do  you  reverence 
 their  graces  ?  Do  you  bear  with  their  infirmities  ?  A  bleifed 
 evidence  that  you  fliall  be  acquitted  in  the  day  of  judgment. 
 c  We  know  that  we  have  paffed  from  death  to  life,  becaufe  we 
 love  the  brethren.' 
 
OF  OBEDIENCE  TO  GOD  S  REVEALED    WILL, 
 
 OF  OBEDIENCE  TO  GOD'S  REVEALED  WILL. 
 
 Deut.  xxvii.  9,  10.  Take  heed  and  hearken,  O  Iihut,  tldsday 
 thou  art  become  the  people  of  the  Lord  tin/  God  ;  thou  lhalt 
 therefore  obey  the  voice  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  do  his  com* 
 mandments. 
 
 Q.  XXXIX.    WHAT  is  the  duty  that  God  re  quire  th  of 
 man  ? 
 
 Anj\  Obedience  to  his  revealed  will. 
 
 It  is  not  enough  to  hear  God's  voice,  but  we  muft  obey. 
 Obedience  is  a  part  of  that  honour  we  owe  to  God,  Mai.  i.  6\ 
 -  It' I  be  a  Father,  where  is  my  honour?*  Obedience  carries  in 
 it  the  life-blood  of  religion.  *  Obey  the  voice  of  the  Lord  God, 
 and  do  his  commandments.'  Obedience  without  knowledge  is 
 blind,  and  knowledge  without  obedience  is  lame.  Rachel  was 
 fair  to  look  upon  ;  but,  being  barren,  laid,  '  Give  me  children, 
 or  I  die  :'  fo,  if  knowledge  doth  not  bring  forth  the  child  of 
 obedience,  it  will  die,  1  Sam.  xv.  L2'2.  ■  To  obey  is  better  than 
 facrifice.'  Saul  thought  it  was  enough  for  him  to  oiler  facri- 
 fices,  though  he  diibbeyed  God's  command  :  no,  '  to  obey  is 
 better  than  facrifice.'  God  difclaims  lacrifice,  if  obedience  be 
 wanting,  Jer.  vii.  22.  '  1  fpake  not  to  your  fathers  concerning 
 burnt-offerings,  but  this  thing  commanded  I  them,  faying, 
 obey  my  voice.'  Not  but  that  God  did  enjoin  thofe  religious 
 rites  of  worfhip  ;  but  the  meaning  is,  God  looked  chiefly  at 
 obedience  ;  without  which,  facrifice  was  but  devout  folly.  The 
 end  why  God  hath  given  us  his  laws,  is  obedience,  Lev.  xviii. 
 4.  '  Ye  lhall  do  my  judgments,  and  keep  my  ordinances.* 
 What  doth  a  king  publiih  an  edi6t  but  that  it  may  be  oblerved  ; 
 
 Q.   1.  What  is  the  rule  of  obedience  ? 
 
 Anf.  The  written  word,  that  is,  proper  obedience  which  the 
 word  requires  ;  our  obedience  mult  correipond  with  the  word, 
 as  the  copy  with  the  original.  To  feenj  to  be  zealous,  if  it  be 
 not  according  to  the  word,  is  not  obedience,  but  will-wor/hip, 
 Popifti  traditions,  which  have  no  footing  in  the  word,  are 
 abominable  ;  and  God  will  fay,  Qnis  qmejicet  hcec  9  Who  hath 
 required  this  at  your  hand  ?  Iia.  i.  12.  The  apoftle  condemns 
 the  worfhipping  of  angels,  which  had  a  (hew  of  humility,  Col. 
 ii.  18.  The  Jews  might  fay  they  were  loth  to  be  fo  bold  as  to 
 go  to  God  in  their  own  perfons,  they  would  be  more  humble, 
 and  proftrate  themfelves  before  the  angels,  and  defire  them  to 
 prefent  their  petitions  to  God  ;  this  Ihew  of  humility  was  hate- 
 ful to  God,  becaule  there  was  no  word  to  warrant  it. 
 
326      OF  OBEDIENCE  TO  GOD*S  REVEALED  WILL* 
 
 Q.  2.  What  are  the  right  ingredients  in  our  obedience  to  make 
 it  acceptable ?  how  muji  it  be  qualified? 
 
 Ah  I'.  1.  Obedience  muft  be  cum  animi  prolubio,  free  and 
 cheerful,  elfe  it  is  penance,  not  facrifice,  Ifa.  i.  ly.  *  If  ye  be 
 willing  and  obedient.*  Tho*  we  ferve  God  with  weaknefs,  let 
 it  be  with  willingnefs.  You  love  to  fee  yourfervants  go  cheer- 
 fully about  your  work.  Under  the  law,  God  would  have  a 
 free-will  offering,  Deut.  xvi.  10.  Hypocrites  obey  God  grudg- 
 ingly, and  again  ft  their  will  ;  they  do  facere  bonum,  but  not 
 velle.  Cain  brought  his  facrifice,  but  not  his  heart.  'Tis  a 
 true  rule,  Quicquid  cor  nonfacit,  nonjit:  what  the  heart  doth 
 not,  is  not  done.  Willingnefs  is  the  foul  of  obedience  ;  God 
 fometimes  accepts  of  willingnefs  without  the  work,  but  never 
 of  the  work  without  willingnefs.  Cheerfulnefs  (hews  that  there 
 is  love  in  the  duty  ;  and  love  doth  to  our  fervices,  as  the  fun 
 doth  to  the  fruit,  mellow  and  ripen  them,  and  make  them  come 
 oil  with  a  better  relifh. 
 
 2.  Obedience  muft  be  devout  and  fervent,  Rom.  xii.  if. 
 €  Fervent  in  fpirit,'  &c.  Quo?  ebullit  pro?  ardore ;  it  alludes  to 
 water  that  boils  over  :  fb  the  heart  muft  boil  over  with  hot  af- 
 fections in  the  fervice  of  God.  The  glorious  angels,  who,  for 
 their  burning  in  fervour  and  devotion,  are  called  Seraphims ; 
 thefe  God  chufeth  to  ferve  him  in  heaven.  The  fnail  under  the 
 law  was  unclean,  becaufe  a  dull  flothful  creature  :  obedience 
 without  fervency,  is  like  a  facrifice  without  fire.  Why  fhould 
 notourobedience  be  lively  and  fervent?  God  defervesthe  flower 
 and  ftrength  of  our  affections.  Domitian  would  not  have  his 
 flatue  carved  in  wood  or  iron,  but  in  gold  ;  lively  affections  make 
 golden  fervices.  It  is  fervency  makes  obedience  acceptable  ; 
 Elijah  was  fervent  in  fpirit,  and  his  prayer  opened  and  (hut 
 heaven  :  and  again  he  prayed,  and  fire  fell  on  his  enemies, 
 9  Kings  i.  10.  Elijah's  prayer  fetched  fire  from  heaven,  becaufe, 
 being  fervent,  it  carried  fire  up  to  heaven  :  quicquid  decorum 
 exfideproficitur.     Aug. 
 
 3.  Obedience  muft  be  extenfive,  it  muft  reach  to  all  God's 
 commands,  Plal.  cxix.  b\  '  Then  (hall  I  not  be  afhamed,  (or, 
 as  it  is  in  the  Hebrew,  lo  Ehqfh,  blufh)  when  I  have  refpeci;  to 
 all  tby  commandments.  Quicquid  propter  Deum  fit  equaliter 
 fit.  There  is  a  (lamp  of  divine  authority  upon  all  God's  com- 
 mands ;  and,  if  I  obey  one  precept  becaufe  God  commands,  I 
 muft  obey  all  :  true  obedience  runs  through  all  duties  of  reli- 
 gion, as  the  blood  through  all  the  veins,  or  the  fun  through  all 
 the  figns  of  the  zodiac.  A  good  Chriftian  makes  gofpel-piety 
 and  moral  equity  kit's  each  other.  Herein  fome  difcover  their 
 hypocrify,  they  will  obey  God  in  fome  things  which  are  more 
 facile,  and  may  raife  their  repute  ;  but  other  things  they  leave 
 undone,   Mark  x.  21.    '  One  thing  is  lacking,'  unum  deeji* 
 
OF  OBEDIENCE  TO  GOd's  REVEALED  WILL.  327 
 
 TTerod  would  hear  John  Baptift,  but  dot  loave  his  inn-It  :   fome 
 will  pray,   but  not  give  alms;    others  will  girealmsj  but  not 
 
 {>ray,  Mat.  xxiii.  l23.  *  Ve  pay  tithes  of  mint  and  roife,  and 
 iave  negle&ed  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law,  judgment, 
 mercy  and  faith.'  The  badger  hath  one  foot  fhorter  than  the 
 other:  lb  tbefe  are  ihorter  in  fome  <i nt it*s  than  in  others.  God 
 likes  not  luch  partial  iervants,  that  will  do  Come  part  oi  the  work 
 he  fets  them  about,  and  leave  the  other  undone. 
 
 4.  Obedience  mult  be  fincere,  viz.  We  mult  aim  at  the  glory 
 of  God  in  it.  Finis  fpecificat  adtionem  ;  in  religion  the  end  is 
 all.  The  end  of  our  obedience  muit  not  be  to  Hop  the  mouth 
 of  confcience,  or  to  pain  applaufe  or  preferment;  but  that  we 
 may  grow  more  like  God,  and  bring  more  glory  to  God,  1  Cor. 
 x.  31.  *  Do  all  to  the  glory  of  God.'  That  which  hath  fpoiled 
 many  glorious  actions,  and  made  them  lofe  their  reward,  is, 
 when  men's  aims  have  been  wrong  :  the  Pharifees  gave  alms, 
 but  blew  a  trumpet,  that  they  might  have  glory  of  men,  Mat. 
 vi.  2.  alms  fhould  (Line,  but  not  blaze.  Jehu  did  well  in  de- 
 itroying  the  Baal-worfhippers,  and  God  commended  him  for  it; 
 but,  becaufe  his  aims  were  not  pood  (he  aimed  at  fettling  him- 
 felf  in  the  kingdom)  therefore  God  looked  upon  it  as  no  better 
 than  murder,  Hof.  i.  4.  '  I  will  avenge  the  blood  of  Jezreel 
 upon  the  houfe  of  Jehu.'  O  let  us  look  to  our  ends  in  obedi- 
 ence ;  it  is  poflible  the  action  may  be  right,  and  not  the  heart, 
 2  Chron.  xxv.  2.  -  Amaziah  did  that  which  was  right  in  the 
 Gght  of  the  Lord,  but  not  with  a  perfect  heart.'  Two  things 
 are  chiefly  to  be  eyed  in  obedience,  the  principle,  and  the  end  : 
 a  child  of  God  though  he  moots  fhort  in  his  obedience,  yet  he 
 takes  a  right  aim. 
 
 5.  Obedience  mud  be  in  and  through  Chrift,  Eph.  i.  6". 
 1  He  hath  accepted  us  in  the  beloved.'  Not  our  obedience, 
 but  Chrift' s  merits,  procure  acceptance  :  we  muit,  in  every  part 
 of  worlhip  tender  up  Chriit  to  God  in  the  arms  of  our  faith  : 
 unlefs  we  ierve  God  thus,  in  hope  and  confidence  of  Chrilt's 
 merits,  we  do  rather  provoke  God,  than  pleaie  him.  As, 
 when  king  Uzziah  would  otter  incenie  without  a   prielt,   God 
 
 !  angry  with  him,  and  It  ruck  him  with  leproiy,  2  Chron. 
 xxvi.  lo.  lb  when  we  do  not  come  to  God  in  and  through  Chriit, 
 we  oiler  up  incenie  to  God  without  a  prielt  ;  and  what  can  we 
 expect  but  fevere  rebukes  ? 
 
 6.  Obedience  muit  be  conftant,  Pfal.  cvi.  3.  ■  BleiTed  is  he 
 who  doth  righteoulhefs  at  all  times.'  True  obedience  is  not 
 like  an  high  colour  in  a  fit,  but  it  is  a  right  ianguiue  ;  it  is  like 
 the  fire  on  the  altar,  which  was  always  kept  burning,  Lev.  vi. 
 13.  Hypocrites'  obedience  is  but  for  a  iealon  ;  it  is  like  plail- 
 tering  work,  which  is  foon  wafhed  oil  :  but  true  obedience  is 
 conftant :  tho'  we  meet  with  affliction,  we  muit  go  on  in  our 
 
32S      OF  OBEDIENCE  TO  GOd's  RETEALED  WILL. 
 
 obedience,  Job  xvii.  Q.  '  The  righteous  (hall  hold  on  his  way/ 
 We  have  vowed  conftancy  ;  we  have  vowed  to  renounce  the 
 pomp  and  vanities  of  the  world,  and  to  fight  under  Chrill's  ban- 
 ner to  death.  When  a  fervant  hath  entered  into  covenant  with 
 his  mailer,  and  the  indentures  are  fealed,  then  he  cannot  go 
 back,  he  muft  ferve  out  his  time  :  there  are  indentures  drawn 
 in  haptifm,  and  in  the  Lord's  fupper  the  indentures  are  renewed 
 and  fealed  on  our  part,  that  we  will  be  faithful  and  conftant  in 
 our  obedience  ;  therefore  we  muft  imitate  Chrift,  who  became 
 obedient  to  the  death,  Phil.  ii.  8.  The  crown  is  fetupon  the 
 head  of  perfeverance,  Rev.  ii.  2(5.  '  He  that  keeps  my  words 
 unto  the  end,  to  him  will  I  give  the  morning-ftar.' 
 
 Ufe  1.  This  indicts  fuch  who  live  in  a  contradiction  to  this 
 text  :  they  have  caft  off  the  yoke  of  obedience,  Jer.  xliv.  16. 
 •  As  for  the  word  which  thou  haft  fpoken  to  us  in  the  name  of 
 the  Lord,  we  will  not  hearken  unto  thee.'  God  bids  men  pray 
 in  their  family,  they  live  in  the  total  neglect  of  it :  he  bids  them 
 fanctify  the  fabbath,  they  follow  their  pleal'ures  on  that  day: 
 God  bids  them  abftain  from  the  appearance  of  fin,  they  do  not 
 abftain  from  the  act ;  they  live  in  the  act  of  revenge,  in  the  act 
 of  uncleannefs.  This  is  an  high  contempt  of  God  ;  it  is  re- 
 bellion, and  rebellion  is  as  the  (in  of  witchcraft. 
 
 Q.  Whence  is  it  that  men  do  not  obey  God  ?  They  know  their 
 duly,  yet  do  it  not  ? 
 
 Anj\  1.  The  not  obeying  of  God  is  for  want  of  faith,  Ifa. 
 liii.  1.  Quis  credidet  ?  ■  Who  hath  believed  our  report?'  Did 
 men  believe  fin  were  fo  bitter,  that  hell  followed  at  the  heels  of 
 it,  would  they  go  on  in  fin  ?  Did  they  believe  there  were  fuch  a 
 reward  for  the  righteous,  that  godlinefs  were  gain,  would  they 
 not  purfue  it  ?  but  they  are  atheifb,  not  fully  captivated  into 
 the  belief  of  thefe  things  ;  hence  it  is  they  obey  not.  This  is 
 Satan's  mafter-piece,  his  draw-net  by  which  he  drags  millions  to 
 hell,  by  keeping  them  in  infidelity  ;  he  knows,  if  he  can  but 
 keep  them  from  believing  the  truth,  he  is  fure  to  keep  them 
 from  obeying  it. 
 
 2.  The  not  obeying  God  is  for  want  of  felf-denial.  God 
 commands  one  thing,  and  men's  lults  command  another  ;  and 
 they  will  rather  die  than  deny  their  lufts :  now,  if  luft  cannot 
 be  denied  God  cannot  be  obeyed. 
 
 Ufe  2.  Obey  God's  voice.  This  is  the  beauty  of  a  Chriftian. 
 
 Q.    What  are  the  great  arguments  or  incentives  to  obedience? 
 
 Anf.  1.  Obedience  makes  us  precious  to  God  ;  we  (hall  be 
 his  favourites,  Exod.  xix.  5.  ■  If  ye  will  obey  my  voice,  ye 
 fhall  be  a  peculiar  treafure  to  me  above  all  people :'  you  (hall 
 be  my  portion,  my  jewels,  the  apple  of  mine  eye,  *  I  will  give 
 kingdoms  for  your  ranfom.'     Ifa.  xliii.  3. 
 
 2.  There  is  nothing  loft  by  obedience.     To. obey  God's  will 
 
OF  OBEDIEKCE  TO  ROd's  REVEALED  WILL.  S99 
 
 is  the  way  to  have  our  will.  (I.)  Would  we  have  a  blefling  in 
 our  i  let  us  obey,   Deut.   xxviii.    1,3.    'II  thou  limit 
 
 hearken  to  the  voice  ot  the  Lord,  to  do  ail  his  eoin.nnndmeuts, 
 blefled  (halt  thou  be  in  the  6eld  :  bhlled  (hall  be  thy  balket  and 
 thy  (lore.*  To  obey,  is  the  belt  way  to  thrive  in  our  tllates. 
 (2.)  Would  we  have  a  biefling  in  our  fouls,  let  us  obey,  Jer. 
 vii.  23.  •  Obey,  and  I  will  be  your  God.'  My  Spirit  (hall  be 
 your  guide,  fanelifier,  and  comforter,  Heb.  v.  0.  *  Chritl  be- 
 came the  author  of  eternal  falvation  to  all  them  that  obey  him.' 
 While  we  pleafe  God,  we  pleafe  ourfelves  ;  while  we  give  him 
 the  duty,  he  gives  us  the  dowry.  We  are  apt  to  lay,  as  Arna- 
 ziah,  l2  Chrou.  xxv.  <).  ■  What  (hall  we  do  for  the  hundred 
 talents?'  You  fee  you  lofe  nothing  by  obeying;  the  obedient 
 fon  hath  the  inheritance  fettled  on  him.  Obey,  and  "you  (hall 
 have  a  kingdom,  Luke  xii.  :V2.  '  It  is  your  Father's  good  plea- 
 lure  to  give  you  a  kingdom.' 
 
 3.  What  a  fin  dilbbedience  is  ;  \Jtt  It  is  an  irrational  fin. 
 (1.)  We  are  not  able  to  ftand  it  out  in  defiance  againft  God, 
 1  Cor.  x.  C2C2.  ■  Are  we  llronger  than  he?'  will  the  finner  go 
 to  meaiure  arms  with  God?  he  is  the  Father  Almighty,  who 
 can  command  legions  :  if  we  have  no  ftrength  to  refill  him,  it 
 is  irrational  to  dilobey  him.  2.  It  is  irrational ;  as  it  is  againft 
 all  law  and  equity  :  we  have  our  daily  lubGttence  from  God  ;  in 
 him  we  live  and  move  :  is  it  not  equal,  that  as  we  live  by  him, 
 we  fhould  live  to  him  ?  that  as  God  gives  us  our  allowance,  to 
 we  mould  give  him  our  allegiance  ? 
 
 &%,  It  is  a  deftrudive  fin,  S  TheflT.  i.  7,  8.  *  The  Lord 
 Jefus  dial  I  be  revealed  from  heaven  with  his  mighty  angels,  in 
 flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  obey  not  the  gof- 
 pel.'  He  who  refufeth  to  obey  God's  will  in  commanding,  (hall 
 be  fure  to  obey  his  will  in  punifhing.  The  finner,  while  he  thinks 
 to  (lip  the  knot  of  obedience  twills  the  cord  of  his  own  damna- 
 tion ;  he  perifheth  without  excufe  ;  he  hath  no  plea  or  apology 
 to  make  for  himfelf,  Luke  xii.  47.  '  The  iervant  which  knew 
 his  lord's  will,  but  did  it  not,  (hall  be  beaten  with  many  llripes.' 
 God  will  fay  why  did  you  not  obey  ?  you  know  how  to  do 
 good,  but  did  it  not;  therefore  your  blood  is  upon  your  own 
 head. 
 
 Q.    What  means  fliall  ice  ufe  that  we  may  obey  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  Serious  coti/ideration.  Conlidcr,  God's  commands 
 are  not  grievous  :  he  commands  nothing  unreasonable,  1  Joh\ 
 v.  3.  It  is  eafier  to  obey  the  commands  of  God  than  fin  :  the 
 commands  of  fin  are  burthenfome  ;  let  a  man  be  under  the  power 
 of  any  lull,  how  doth  he  tire  himfelf?  what  hazards  doth  he 
 run,  even  to  the  endangering  his  health  and  foul,  that  he  may 
 fatisfy  his  lulls  ?  what  tediousjourniesdid  Antiochus  Epiphanes 
 take  in   perfecuting  the  Jews?     Jer.   ix.   5.    *  They   weary 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  7.  T  t 
 
330  OF  LOVE. 
 
 themfelves  to  commit  iniquity  :'  and  are  not  God's  commands 
 more  ealy  to  obey  ?  Chryfoftom  faith,  virtue  is  eafier  than  vice  ; 
 temperance  is  lefs  burdenfome  than  drunkennefs.  Some  have 
 gone  with  lefs  pains  to  heaven,  than  others  have  to  hell. 
 
 Confideration  2.  God  commands  nothing  but  what  is  bene- 
 ficial, Deut.  x.  12,  13.  ■  O  Ifrael,  what  doth  the  Lord  require 
 of  thee,  but  to  fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  to  keep  his  ftatutes, 
 which  I  command  thee  this  day,  for  thy  good  ?'  To  obey  God, 
 is  not  fo  much  our  duty  as  our  privilege  :  his  commands  carry 
 meat  in  the  mouth  of  them.  He  bids  us  repent  ;  and  why? 
 that  our  fins  may  be  blotted  out,  Acts  ii.  19.  He  commands 
 us  to  believe  ;  and  why  ?  that  we  may  be  faved,  Acts  xvi.  31. 
 There  is  love  in  every  command  :  as  if  a  king  mould  bid  one  of 
 his  fubjects  dig  in  a  gold  mine,  then  take  the  gold  to  himfelf. 
 
 2.  Earneft  /application.  Implore  the  help  of  the  Spirit  to 
 carry  us  on  in  obedience  :  God's  Spirit  makes  obedience  eafy  and 
 delightful.  If  the  load-ttone  draw  the  iron,  now  it  is  not  hard 
 for  the  iron  to  move  :  If  God's  Spirit  quicken  and  draw  the  heart, 
 now  it  is  not  hard  to  obey.  When  a  gale  of  the  Spirit  blows, 
 now  we  go  full  fail  in  obedience.  Turn  that  promife  into  a 
 prayer,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  27-  '  I  will  put  my  Spirit  within  you,  and 
 caufeyou  to  walk  in  my  ftatutes.'  The  promife  encourageth  us, 
 the  Spirit  enables  us  to  obedience. 
 
 OF  LOVE. 
 
 The  rule  of  obedience  being  the  moral  law,  compre- 
 hended in  the  Ten  Commandments,  the  next  queftion  is, 
 
 Qu.  XLII.    What  is  thefum  of  the  Ten  Commandments  ? 
 
 Anf.  The  fum  of  the  Ten  Commandments  is,  to  love  the 
 Lord  our  God  with  all  our  heart,  with  all  our  foul,  with  all 
 our  ftrength,  and  with  all  our  mind,  and  our  neighbour  as  our- 
 felves. 
 
 Deut.  vi.  5.  '  Thou  (halt  love  the  Lord  thy  God,  with  all 
 thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  foul,  and  with  all  thy  might.'  The 
 duty  called  for,  is  love,  yea,  the  ftrength  of  love,  *  with  all  thy 
 heart:'  God  will  lofe  none  of  our  love.  Love  is  the  foul  of 
 religion,  and  that  which  goes  to  the  right  conftituting  a  Chrif- 
 tian  :  love  is  the  queen  of  the  graces  ;  it  fhines  and  fparkles  in 
 God's  eye,  as  the  precious  itones  did  on  the  breait-plate  of 
 Aaron. 
 
 Qu.  1.    What  is  love? 
 
 Anf.  It  is  an  holy  fire  kindled  in  the  affeaions,  whereby 
 a  Chriftian  is  carried  out  ftrongly  after  God  as  the  fupreme 
 God. 
 
OF  LOVE.  331 
 
 Q.  2.    What  is  the  antecedent  of  I 
 
 The  antecedent  of  love  i>  know  ledge  :  the  Spirit  fliinrs 
 upon' the  underftandiug,  and  difcovera  theft  orient  beauties ia 
 God,  biswifdom,  holinefs,  mercy  ;  and  thefe  are  the  Jeuocinium, 
 
 the  load-hone  to  entice  and  draw  the  love  to  God.  Ignoti 
 nulla  cupido  :  fuch  as  know  not  God  cannot  love  him  ;  il*  the 
 luii  be  let  in  the  under  {landing,  there  muft  needs  be  night  in 
 the  affections. 
 
 Qu.  3.    Wherein  doth  the  formal  nature  of  love  confijif 
 
 Anf  The  nature  of  love  is  in  delighting  in  the  objects  :  Com* 
 placentia  ((mantis  in  amato,  Aquin.  This  is  our  toying  God, 
 our  taking  delight  in  him,  Pf.  Ixxiii.  4.  *  Delight  tbyfetfin  the 
 Lord  ;'  as  a  bride  delights  berfelf  in  her  jewels.  Grace  changetli 
 a  Chriltian's  aims  and  delights. 
 
 Qu.    t.    How  mufi  our  lore  to  God  be  qualified? 
 
 Anf.  1.  It  it  be  a  iincere  love,  we  mull  love  God  with  all  our 
 heart:  in  the  text,  *  Thou  (halt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  [Heb. 
 Becol  leuauca~\  with  all  thy  heart.'  God  will  have  the  whole 
 heart  ;  we  mutt  not  divide  our  love  between  God  and  un  ?  the 
 true  mother  would  not  have  the  child  divided,  nor  will  God  have 
 the  heart  divided  ;   it  mull  be  the  whole  heart. 
 
 L2.  We  mult  love  God  propter  fe,  for  himfelf,  for  his  own  in- 
 trinfic  excellencies  :  we  mult  love  him  for  his  lovelinefs  :  Mere* 
 tricius  eft  amor  plus  annulum  quam  jponj'um  amare\  li  It  is  an 
 harlot's  love,  to  love  the  portion  more  than  the  perfon."  Hypo- 
 crites love  God  becaulehe  gives  them  corn  and  wine  :  we  mult 
 love  God  for  himfelf;  for  thofe  fhinmg  perfections  which  ,>re 
 in  him.     Gold  is  loved  for  itfelf. 
 
 3.  We  muft  4ove  God  with  all  our  might;  in  the  Hebrew 
 text,  our  vehemency  ;  we  mult  love  God,  quoad pojje,  as  much 
 as  we  are  able.  Chriftians  mould  be  like  Seraphims  burning  in 
 holy  love  :  we  can  never  love  God  lb  much  as  he  dei'erves  ;  the 
 angels  in  heaven  cannot  love  God  lb  much  as  he  deferves. 
 
 4.  Love  to  God  mult  be  activejn  its  fphere :  love  is  an  induf- 
 trious  affection,  it  lets  the  head  a  ftudying  for  God,  hands  a 
 working,  feeta-running  in  the  ways  of  his  commandments  ;  it  is 
 called  the  labour  of  love,  1  ThefT.  i.  $.  Mary  Magdalene  loved 
 Chrift,  and  poured  her  ointments  on  him.  \Ve  think  we  never 
 do  enough  for  the  perfon  whom  we  love. 
 
 5.  Love  to  God  mult  be  fuperlative.  God  is  the  quinteflence 
 of  beauty,  a  whole  paradile  of  delight;  and  he  mult  have  a  pri- 
 ority in  our  love.  Our  love  ;o  God  mult  be  above  all  things  be- 
 fides,  as  the  oil  fwims  above  the  water :  we  mult  love  God 
 above  eltate,  relations.  Great  is  the  love  to  relations  :  there  is 
 a  Itory  in  the  French  Academy,  of  a  daughter,  who,  when  her 
 father  was  condemned  to  die  by  a  famine,  gave  him  fuck  with 
 her  own  breafts.     But  our  love  to  God  mult  be  above  father  aud 
 
 Tt 
 
332  OF  LOVE. 
 
 mother,  Matth.  x.  37.  We  may  give  the  creature  the  milk  of 
 our  love,  God  mu(t  have  the  cream  ;  the  i'poufe  keeps  thejuice 
 of  her  pomegranates  for  Chriit,  Cant.  viii.  <~2. 
 
 0\  Our  love  to  God  mull  be  conftant,  like  the  fire  the  Veflal 
 virgins  kept  in  Rome,  which  did  not  go  out  :  love  mutt  be  like 
 the  motion  of  the  pulfe,  it  beats  as  long  as  there  is  life,  Cant, 
 viii.  7-  '  Many  waters  cannot  quench  love,*  not  the  waters  of 
 perfection,  Eph.  iii.  17.  '  Rooted  in  love.'  A  branch  withers 
 that  doth  not  grow  on  a  root ;  that  love  may  not  die,  it  muftbe 
 well  rooted. 
 
 Qu.  5.   What  are  the  vi/iblefigns  of  our  love  to  God  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  If  we  love  God,  then  our  defire  is  after  him,  Ifa. 
 xxvi.  8.  '  The  defire  of  our  (bulisto  thy  name.'  He  who  loves 
 God,  breathes  after  communion  with  him,  Pfal.  xlii.  2.  My 
 foul  thirds  for  the  living  God.'  Perfons  in  love  defire  to  be 
 often  conferring  together  ;  he  who  loves  God,  defires  to  be 
 much  in  his  prefence  ;  he  loves  the  ordinances,  they  are  the 
 glais  where  the  glory  of  God  is  refplendent ;  in  the  ordinances 
 we  meet  with  him  whom  our  foul  loves,  we  have  God's  fmiles 
 and  whiipers,  and  fome  foretaftes  of  heaven.  Such  as  have  no 
 defire  after  ordinances,  have  no  love  to  God. 
 
 2.  The  fecond  vifible  fign  :  he  who  loves  God,  cannot  take 
 contentment  in  any  thing  without  him.  An  hypocrite  who 
 pretends  to  love  God,  give  him  but  corn  and  wine,  and  he  can 
 be  content  without  God  :  but  a  foul  fired  with  love  to  God, 
 cannot  be  without  him  :  lovers  faint  away,  if  they  have  not  a 
 fight  of  the  object  loved.  A  gracious  foul  can  want  health,  but 
 not  want  God,  who  is  the  health  of  his  countenance,  Pf.  xliii.  5. 
 If  God  fhould  fay  to  a  foul  that  entirely  loves  him,  take  thy  eafe, 
 fwim  in  pleafure,  folace  thyfelf  in  the  delights  of  the  world,  but 
 thou  (halt  not  enjoy  my  prefence  ;  this  would  not  content  the 
 foul.  Nay,  if  God  fhould  fay,  I  will  let  thee  be  taken  up  to 
 heaven,  but  I  will  retire  into  a  withdrawing-room,  and  thou 
 fhalt  not  fee  my  face ;  this  would  not  content  the  foul,  it  is  an 
 hell  to  want  God.  The  philotbpher  faith,  there  can  be  no  gold 
 without  the  influence  of  the  fun  :  there  can  be  no  golden  joy  in 
 the  foul  without  God's  fweet  prefence  and  influence. 
 
 3.  The  third  vifible  fign:  he  who  loves  God,  hates  that  which 
 would  feparate  between  him  and  God,  and  that  is  fin.  Sin 
 makes  God  hide  his  face ;  it  is  like  an  incendiary,  which  parts 
 chief  friends  :  therefore  the  keennefs  of  a  Chriftian's  hatred  is 
 fet  againft  fin,  Pf.  cxix.  128.  •  1  hate  every  falie  way.*  Anti- 
 pathies can  never  be  reconciled  :  one  cannot  love  health,  but 
 be  muft  hate  poifon  ;  fo  we  cannot  love  God  but  we  muft  hate 
 fin,  which  would  deftroy  our  communion  with  him. 
 
 4.  The  fourth  vifible  fign  is  fvmpathy  ;  friends  that  love,  do 
 grieve  for  the  evils  which  befal  each  other.     Homer  defcribing 
 
or  love.  333 
 
 Agamemnon's  grief,  when  he  was  forced  to  facrifice  his  daugh- 
 ter, brings  in  all  \u<  friends  weeping  with  him,  and  accompa 
 him  to  the  facrifice  in  mourning  :  lovers  grieve  together  ;   if 
 have  true  love  in  our  heart  to  God,  we  cannot  but  grieve  for 
 thofe  things  which  grieve  him  :  we  lhall  lay  to  heart  his  dis- 
 honours;  the  luxury,  drunkennefs,  contempt  of  God  and  re- 
 ligion, Pfal.  cxix.   \3().  ■  Rivers  of  tears  run  down  mine  ey 
 Sec.  Some  lpeak  of  fiusofothers,  and  make  a  laughing  at  them  ; 
 fure  they  have  no  love  to  God,  who  can  laugh  at  that  which 
 grieves  his  Spirit.     Doth  he  love  his  father,  who  can  laugh  to 
 ir  him  reproached  ? 
 
 The  fifth  vifible  fi^n  :  he  who  loves  God,  labours  to  ren- 
 der him  lovely  to  others  ;  he  not  only  admires  God  ;  but  fpeaks 
 in  his  prailes,  that  he  may  allure  and  draw  others  to  be  in  love 
 with  God.  She  that  is  in  love  will  commend  her  lover  :  the 
 love-fick  fpoufe  extols  Chrifi:,  (he  makes  a  panegyrical  oration 
 of  his  worth,  that  (he  might  perfuade  others  to  be  in  love  with 
 him,  Cant.  v.  11.  '  His  head  is  as  the  molt  fine  gold.'  True 
 love  to  God  cannot  be  (ilent,  it  will  be  elegant  in  letting  forth 
 God's  renown  :  no  better  fign  of  loving  God,  than  by.  making 
 him  appear  lovely,  and  lb  drawing  prolelytes  to  him. 
 
 The  lixth  vifible  fign  :  he  who  loves  God,  weeps  bitterly  for 
 his  abfence.  Mary  comes  weeping,  *  They  have  taken  away 
 my  Lord,'  John  xx.  9,  Onecries,  my  health  is  gone  ;  another, 
 my  eltate  is  gone  ;  but  he  who  is  a  lover  of  God,  cries  out,  my 
 God  is  gone,  I  cannot  enjoy  him  whom  I  love.  What  can  all 
 worldly  comforts  do,  when  once  God  is  abfent  ?  It  is  like  a 
 funeral  banquet,  where  there  is  much  meet  but  no  cheer,  Job 
 xxx.  l2S.  '  I  went  mourning  without  the  fun.'  If  Rachel  mourn- 
 ed lb  for  the  lots  of  her  children,  what  vail  or  pencil  can  fhadow 
 out  the  forrow  of  that  Chriftian  who  hath  loft  God's  fweet  pre- 
 fence?  fuch  a  foul  pours  forth  floods  of  tears,  and,  while  it  is 
 lamenting,  ieems  to  fay  thus  to  God,  Lord,  thou  art  in  heaven, 
 ing  the  melodious  fongs  and  triumphs  of  angels  ;  but  I  fit 
 here  in  the  valley  of  tears,  weeping  becuufe  thou  art  gone.  O 
 when  wilt  thou  come  to  me,  and  revive  me  with  the  light  of  thy 
 countenance  ?  Or,  Lord,  if  thou  wilt  not  come  to  me,  let  me 
 come  to  thee,  where  I  /hall  have  a  perpetual  fmile  of  thy  face 
 in  heaven,  nnd  lhall  never  more  complain,  My  beloved  hath  with* 
 drciu.  i  himfelf. 
 
 7-  The  l'eventh  vifible  fign:  he  who  loves  God,  is  willing  to 
 do  and  fuller  for  him.  fie  fubferibes  to  God's  commands  ;  he 
 fubmits  to  his  will.  Firfl,  He  fubferibes  to  God's  commands; 
 il  God  bids  him  mortify  fin,  love  his  enemies,  be  crucified  to 
 Hie  world  ;  he  obeys.  It  is  a  vain  thing  for  a  man  to  lay  he 
 loves  God,  and  flights  his  commands.  Secondly,  He  fubmits 
 to  God's  will :  if  God  will  have  him  fuller  for  him,  he  doth  not 
 
334  or  lote. 
 
 difpute,  but  obey,  1  Cor.  xiii.  7.  ■  Love  endureth  all  things/ 
 Love  made  Chrift  fuffer  for  us,  and  love  will  make  us  futfer  for 
 him.  It  is  true,  every  Chriftian  is  not  a  martyr,  but  he  hath  a 
 ipirit  of  martyrdom  in  him  ;  he  hath  a  difpofition  of  mind  to 
 fuller,  if  God  call  him  to  it,  9,  Tim.  iv.  6.  *  I  am  ready  to  be 
 offered  up :'  not  only  the  fufferings  were  ready  for  Paul,  but 
 he  was  ready  for  the  fufferings.  Origen  choofed  rather  to  live 
 defpifed  in  Alexandria,  than  with  Plotinus  to  deny  the  faith, 
 and  be  great  in  the  prince's  favour,  Rev.  xii.  11.  Many  fay 
 they  love  God  but  will  not  fuller  the  lofs  of  any  thing  for  him. 
 If  thrift  fhould  have  laid  to  us,  I  love  you  well,  you  are  dear 
 to  me,  but  I  cannot  futfer  for  you,  I  cannot  lay  down  my  life 
 for  you  ;  we  mould  have  queftioned  his  love  very  much  :  and 
 may  not  the  Lord  queftion  ours,  when  we  pretend  love  to  him, 
 but  will  endure  nothing  for  his  fake  ? 
 
 life  1.  What  fliall  we  fay  to  them  who  have  not  a  drachm  of 
 love  in  their  hearts  to  God  ?  they  have  their  life  from  him,  yet 
 do  not  love  him.  God  fpreads  their  table  every  day,  yet  they 
 do  not  love  him  :  finners  dread  God  as  a  judge,  but  do  not  love 
 him  as  a  father.  All  the  (trength  in  the  angels  cannot  make  the 
 heart  love  God;  judgments  will  not  doit;  only  omnipotent 
 grace,  can  make  a  flony  heart  melt  in  love.  How  fad  is  it  to 
 be  void  of  love  to  God  ?  when  the  body  is  cold,  and  hath  no 
 heat  in  it,  it  is  a  fign  of  death  :  he  is  fpiritually  dead,  who  hath 
 no  heat  of  love  in  his  heart  to  God.  Shall  fuch  live  with  God, 
 that  doth  not  love  him  ?  will  God  lay  an  enemy  in  his  bofom  ? 
 Such  as  will  not  be  drawn  with  cords  of  love,  mall  be  bound  in 
 chains  of  darknefs. 
 
 life  2.  Let  us  be  perfuaded  to  love  God  with  all  our  heart 
 and  might:  O  let  us  take  our  love  off  from  other  things,  and 
 place  it  upon  God.  Love  is  the  heart  of  religion,  the  fat  of  the 
 offering  :  it  is  the  grace  which  Chrift  enquires  moil  after,  John 
 xxi.  15.  *  Peter,  loved  thou  me?'  Love  makes  all  our  fervices 
 acceptable,  it  is  the  mufk  that  perfumes  them.  It  is  not  lb  much 
 duty,  as  love  to  duty,  God  delights  in;  therefore  ferving  and 
 loving  God  are  put  together,  Ila.  lvi.  6.  It  is  better  to  love 
 him,  than  to  ferve  him;  obedience  without  love,  is  like  wine 
 without  the  Ipirit-  O  then,  be  perfuaded  to  love  God  with 
 all  your  heart  and  might.  To  perfuade  to  this  virgin  affe&ion 
 of  love. 
 
 1 .  It  is  nothing  but  your  love  God  defires.  The  Lord  might 
 have  demanded  your  children  tc  be  offered  in  facrifice  :  he  might 
 have  bid  you  cut  and  lance  youri'elves,  or  lain  in  hell  a  while; 
 but  he  only  defires  your  love,  he  would  only  have  this  flower. 
 Is  this  an  hard  requeff ,  to  love  God  ?  was  ever  any  debt  eafier 
 paid  than  this  ?  is  it  any  labour  for  the  wife  to  love  her  huiband  ? 
 love  is  delightful.    Non  potejl  amor  ejfe,  et  dulcis  non  ej/e,  Bern. 
 
OF  LOVE. 
 
 What  is  there  in  our  love,  that  God  fliould  defireit?  Why 
 fhould  a  king  deiirethe  love  of  a  woman  that  is  in  debt  and  cJ it— 
 eafed  ?  God  doth  not  want  our  love.  There  are  angeli  enough 
 in  heaven  to  adore  and  love  him.  What  is  God  the  hotter  for 
 our  love?  It  adds  not  the  leaft  cubit  to  his  elfential  blelfedm 
 God  doth  not  need  our  love,  yet  leeks  it.  Why  doth  God  de- 
 fire  us  to  give  him  our  heart?  Prov.  xxiii.  26\  Not  that  he 
 needs  our  heart,  but  that  he  may  make  it  better. 
 
 2.  Great  will  be  our  advantage,  if  we  love  God.  God  doth 
 not  court  our  love,  that  we  fliould  lofe  it,  1  Cor.  ii.  o\  *  Eye 
 hath  not  feen,  nor  ear  heard  the  things  which  God  hath  pre- 
 pared for  them  that  love  him.1  If  you  will  love  God,  you  fhall 
 have  l'uch  a  reward  as  exceeds  your  faith.  God  will  betrothe 
 you  to  himfelf  in  the  deareft  love,  Hof.  ii.  IP.  '  1  will  betrothe 
 thee  unto  me  forever,  in  loving-kindnefs  and  mercies,'  Zeph. 
 iii.  17.  '  The  Lord  thy  God  will  rejoice  over  thee  with  joy,  he 
 will  reft  in  his  love.'  If  you  love  God,  he  will  intereft  you  in 
 all  his  riches  and  dignities,  he  will  give  you  heaven  and  earth 
 for  your  dowry,  he  will  fet  a  crown  on  your  head.  Vcfpafian 
 the  emperor,  gave  a  great  reward  to  a  woman  who  came  to  him, 
 and  profeiVed  (he  loved  him  ;  God  gives  a  crown  of  life  to  them 
 that  love  him,  James  i.  lc2. 
 
 3.  Love  is  the  only  grace  that  fhall  live  with  us  in  heaven. 
 In  heaven  we  fhall  need  no  repentance,  becaufe  we  have  no  fin  ; 
 no  faith,  becaufe  we  fhall  fee  God  face  to  face  :  but  love  to  God 
 fhall  abide  for  ever.  ■  Love  never  faileth,'  1  Cor.  xiii.  8.  How 
 fliould  we  nourilh  this  grace,  which  fhall  outlive  all  the  graces, 
 and  run  parallel  with  eternity! 
 
 4.  Our  love  to  God  is  a  figo  of  his  love  to  us,  1  John  iv.  19. 
 •  We  love  him,  becaufe  he  lirit  loved  us.'  By  nature  we  have 
 no  love  to  God;  we  have  hearts  of  ftone,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  1. 
 And  how  can  any  love  be  in  hearts  of  ftone?  Our  loving  him  is 
 from  his  loving  us.  If  the  glafs  burn,  it  is  becaufe  the  fun  hath 
 fliined  on  it,  elle  it  could  not  bum  :  if  our  hearts  burn  in  love, 
 it  is  a  fign  the  Sun  of  righteoul'nefs  hath  fliined  upon  us. 
 
 Q.    How  fh.nl/  we  do,  to  love  (iod  aright  ? 
 
 Am'.  1.  Wait  od  the  preaching oj  the  word.  As  faith  comes 
 by  hearing,  ['o  doth  love:  tht^  word  lets  forth  God,  in  his  in- 
 comparable excellencies;  it  doth  decypher  and  pencil  him  out 
 in  i  v,  and  a  fight  ot  his  beaut)  inflames  love. 
 
 »}  God,    that  he  will   give   you  a  heart  to  love  him. 
 Wh  moo  aiked  wifdom  of  God,  the  iptech  pleated 
 
 th<    L  '.  \.   1  tings  ni.  10      S  >,  srhen  thou  cnefttoGod,  Lord, 
 .•he  a  heart   to  /ore   thee,  it  is  my  grief  lean    love  thee  no 
 ih  )     prayer  pieafetb  the  Lord,  and  he  will  pour  out 
 
 h  i.t  n  ;.  •  ,   whole  golden  oil  will  make  the  lamp  of 
 
 tli^  burn  bright. 
 
33(5  OF  THE  PREFACE 
 
 3.  You  who  have  love  to  God,  keep  it  flaming  upon  the  altar 
 of  your  heart.  Love,  as  fire,  will  be  ready  to  go  out,  Rev.  ii. 
 4.  ■  Thou  haft  left  thy  firil  love.'  Through  neglea  of  duty, 
 or  too  much  love  of  the  world,  our  love  to  God  will  cool.  O 
 preferve  your  love  to  God  :  as  you  would  be  careful  to  preferve 
 the  natural  heat  in  your  body,  fo  be  careful  to  preferve  the  heat 
 of  love  to  God.  Love  is  like  oil  to  the  wheels,  it  quickens  us 
 in  God's  fervice.  When  you  find  your  love  abate  and  cool, 
 ufe  all  means  for  quickening:  when  the  fire  is  going  out,  you 
 throw  on  fuel :  when  the  flame  of  love  is  going  out,  make  ufe 
 of  the  ordinances  as  facred  fuel  to  keep  the  fire  of  your  love 
 burning. 
 
 •»mmi409m'"""< 
 
 OF  THE  PREFACE  TO   THE  TEN   COMMAND- 
 MENTS. 
 
 Exod.  xx.  1,2.     And  God  /pake  all  thefe  words,  faying,  I  am 
 the  LORD  thy  God,  $c. 
 
 Qu.  XLII.  WHAT  is  the  preface  to  the  Ten  Command- 
 ments ? 
 
 Anf.  The  preface  to  the  Ten  Commandments  is,  *  I  am  the 
 Lord  thy  God.' 
 
 Where  obferve,  1.  The  preface  to  the  preface,  s  God  fpake 
 all  thefe  words,  faying,'  2.  The  preface  itfelf  to  the  command- 
 ments, *  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God.' 
 
 I  begin  with  the  firft,  the  preface  to  the  preface,  *  God  fpake 
 all  thefe  words,  faying,'  &c.  This  is  like  the  founding  of  a 
 trumpet  before  a  folemn  proclamation,  [God  fpake']  other 
 parts  of  the  Bible  are  faid  to  be  uttered  by  the  mouth  of  the 
 holy  prophets,  Luke  i.  70.  but  here  God  fpake  in  his  own 
 perfon. 
 
 Q.  How  may  we  underftand  this  [God  fpake]  he  hath  no  bodily 
 parts  or  organs  offpeech  ? 
 
 Anf.  God  made  fome  intelligible  found,  or  formed  a  voice 
 in  the  air,  which  was  to  the  Jews  as  God's  very  fpeaking  to 
 them.  In  the  text,  1.  The  lawgiver,  God,  \_God  fpake. ~\  2. 
 The  law  itfelf,  [all  thefe  words.'] 
 
 1.  The  lawgiver,  [God  fpake. ~]  There  are  two  things  re- 
 quifite  in  a  lawgiver.  Firft,  Wifdom.  Laws  are  founded  upon 
 realon  ;  and  he  muft  be  wife  that  makes  laws.  God,  in  this  re- 
 fpecl:,  is  moft  fit  to  be  a  lawgiver  ;  *  he  is  wife  in  heart,'  Job 
 ix.  4.  he  hath  a  monopoly  of  wifdom,  1  Tim.  i.  17.  '  The 
 only  wife  God.'  Therefore  he  is  the  fitted  to  enact  and  con- 
 ftitute  laws.     Secondly,  The  fecond  thing  requifite  in  a  lawgiver 
 
TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  337 
 
 authority.  If  a  fubject  make  laws,  though  never  (b  will, 
 yet  they  want  tin-  (tamp  of  authority.  God  hath  the  fupreroe 
 power  in  his  hand  ;  he  derives  a  being  t«»  all  ;  and  lie  who 
 gives  men  their  lives,  hath  mod  right  to  li\»   them  their  Ian 
 
 9.  The  law  itfelf  [a//  thefe  words:"]  that  is,  all  the  word*  of 
 the  moral  law,  which  is  utually  ftyled  the  decalogue  or  t<n  com- 
 mandments. It  is  called  the  moral  law,  becuute  it  is  the  rule 
 of  life  and  manners.  St.  Chryfotlom  compares  the  icripture 
 to  a  garden,  the  moral  law  is  a  chief  flower  in  it  ;  the  Icripture 
 is  a  banquet,  the  moral  law  the1  chief  dim  in  it. 
 
 (I.)  The  moral  law  is  perfect.  Pfal.  xix.  7-  '  The  law  of 
 the  Lord  is  perfect.'  It  is  an  exact  model  and  piatform  of  reli- 
 gion ;  it  is  the  Itandard  of  truth,  the  judge  of  controversies, 
 the  pole  liar  to  direct  us  to  heaven,  Pjov.  vi.  c23.  *  The  com- 
 mandment is  a  lamp.'  Though  the  moral  law  he  not  a  Chnlt 
 to  jultify  us,  yet  it  is  a  rule  to  inilruct  us. 
 
 (CJ.)  The  moral  law  is  unalterable;  it  remains  Rill  in  force. 
 Though  the  ceremonial  and  judicial  law  are  abrogated,  yet  the 
 moral  law  delivered  by  God's  own  mouth  is  to  be  of  perpetual 
 ule  in  the  church.  Therefore  the  law  was  written  in  tables  of 
 ftone,  to  fhew  the  perpetuity  of  it. 
 
 (3.)  The  moral  law  is  very  illutirious  and  full  of  glory.  God 
 did  put  glory  upon  it,  in  the  manner  of  the  promulgation  of  it. 
 1.  The  people,  before  the  moral  law  was  delivered,  were  to 
 wa(h  their  clothes,  Exod.  xix.  10.  Whereby,  as  by  a  type, 
 God  required  the  fanctifying  of  their  ears  and  hearts  to  receive 
 the  law.  2.  There  were  bounds  let,  that  none  might  touch  the 
 mount,  Exod.  xix.  12-  which  was  to  breed  in  the  people  reve- 
 rence to  the  law.  2.  God  wrote  the  law  with  his  own  finger, 
 Exod.  xxxi.  18.  which  was  fuch  an  honour  put  upon  the  mo- 
 ral law,  as  we  read  of  no  other  written.  God  did  by  feme 
 mighty  operation  make  the  law  legible  in  letters,  as  if  it  had 
 been  written  with  his  own  linger.  4.  God's  putting  the  law 
 in  the  ark  to  be  kept,  was  another  fignal  mark  of  honour  put 
 upon  it.  The  ark  was  the  cabinet  in  which  God  put  the  ten 
 commandments,  as  ten  jewels.  5.  At  the  delivery  of  the  mo- 
 ral law,  there  was  the  attendance  of  many  angels,  Deut.  xxxii. 
 Here  was  a  parliament  of  angels  called,  and  God  himfelf  was 
 the  fpeaker. 
 
 I  1.  Here  we  may  take  notice  of  God's  goodnefs,  who 
 hath  not  left  us  without  a  law  :  therefore  the  Lord  doth  often 
 fet  it  down  as  a  demonllration  of  hia  love,  in  giving  his  com- 
 mandments, Pf.  cxlvii.  20.  ■  He  hath  not  dealt  ib  with  ag- 
 nation, and  as  for  his  judgments  they  have  not  known  them.' 
 Neb.  ix.  13.  *  Thou  gavelt  them  true  laws,  good  ftatutes  and 
 commandments.'  What  a  ft  range  creature  would  man  be,  if 
 he  had  no  law  to  direct  him  ?  There  would  be  no  living  in  * 
 Vol.  I.  No  U  u 
 
338  OF  THE    PREFACE 
 
 world  ;  we  fliould  have  none  born  but  Ifhmaels,  every  man's 
 hand  would  be  againtt  his  neighbour.  Man  would  grow  wild, 
 if  he  had  not  affliction  to  tame  him,  and  the  moral  law  to  guide 
 him.  The  law  of  God  is  an  hedge  to  keep  us  within  the 
 bounds  of  fobriety  and  piety. 
 
 Ufe.  2.  If  God  (pake  all  thefe  words  of  the  moral  law,  then? 
 it  condemns,  \Jt,  The  Marcionites,  and  Manichees,  who  (peak 
 Sightly,  yea  blafphemoufly  of  the  moral  law  :  they  fay,  it  is  be- 
 low a  Chriftian,  it  is  carnal ;  which  the  apoiile  confutes,  when 
 he  faith,  *  The  law  is  fpiritual,  but  I  am  carnal.'  Rom.  vii.  14. 
 2(%,  The  Antinomians,  who  will  not  admit  the  moral  law  to 
 be  a  rule  to  a  believer.  We  fay  not  he  is  under  the  curfe  of  the 
 law,  but  the  commands,  we  fay  not  the  moral  law  is  a  Chrift, 
 but  it  is  a  liar  to  lead  one  to  Chrift  ;  we  fay  not  it  doth 
 fave,  but  it  doth  fanctify.  They  who  caft  God's  law  behind 
 their  backs,  God  will  call  their  prayers  behind  his  back  :  they 
 who  will  not  have  the  law  to  rule  them,  fhall  have  the  law  to 
 judge  them.  3d!y,  The  Papiils,  who  (as  if  God's  law  were 
 imperfect,  and  when  he  fpake  all  thefe  words,  he  did  not  fpeak 
 enough)  add  their  canons  and  traditions  to  the  moral  law.  This 
 is  to  tax  God's  wifdom,  as  if  he  knew  not  how  to  make  his  own 
 law.  And  furely  it  is  an  high  provoking  fin,  Rev.  xxii.  18.  'If 
 any  man  fhall  add  to  thefe  words,  God  (hall  add  unto  him  the 
 plagues  written  in  this  book.'  As  it  is  a  great  evil  to  add  any 
 thing  to  a  man's  fealed  will,  fo  much  more  to  add  any  thing  to 
 that  law  God  himfelf  fpake,  and  wrote  with  his  own  fingers. 
 
 Ufe.  3.  If  God  fpake  all  thefe  words,  viz.  of  the  moral  law, 
 then  this  preffeth  upon  us  feveral  duties  :  I.  If  God  fpake  all 
 thefe  words,  then  we  muit  hear  all  thefe  words  ;  the  words 
 which  God  fpeaks  are  too  precious  to  be  loft.  As  we  would 
 have  God  hear  all  our  words  when  we  pray,  fo  we  muft  hear 
 all  his  words  when  he  fpeaks.  We  muft  not  be  as  the  deaf  ad- 
 der, which  ftoppeth  her  ears  :  he  that  flops  his  ears  when  God 
 cries,  fhall  cry  himfelf,  and  not  be  heard. 
 
 2.  If  God  fpake  all  thefe  words,  then  we  muft  attend  to  them 
 with  reverence.  Every  word  of  the  moral  law  is  an  oracle  from 
 heaven  ;  God  himfelf  is  the  preacher;  this  calls  for  reverence. 
 Ifajudge  gives  a  charge  upon  the  bench,  all  attend  with  reve- 
 rence. In  the  moral  law  God  himfelf  gives  a  charge,  '  God 
 fpake  all  thefe  words  :'  Therefore,  with  what  veneration 
 fhould  we  attend  ?  Mofes  put  off  his  fhoes  from  his  feet,  in 
 token  of  reverence,  when  God  was  about  to  fpeak  to  him, 
 Exod.  iii.  5,  o\ 
 
 3.  If  God  fpake  all  thefe  words  of  the  moral  law,  then  we 
 muft  remember  them.  Sure  all  God  fpeaks  is  worth  remem- 
 bering ;  thofe  words  are  weighty  which  concern  falvation,  Deut. 
 xxxii.  47.  '.  It  is  not  a  vain  thing  for  you  becaufe  it  is  your 
 
TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  339 
 
 life.*     Our  memory  Humid  be  like  the  cheft  in  the  ark,  where 
 
 the  law  was  kept  :   God's  oracles  are  ornament,  and  fliall  we 
 
 •hem?   Jer.  ii.  2, 3  i  a  maid  <nt?' 
 
 A,  If  God  fpake  all  (bete  words,  then  believe  th<  3  e  the 
 
 name  of  God  written  u}X>n  every  commandment.  The  lua- 
 ihens,  that  they  might  gain  credit  to  their  laws,  reported  that 
 they  were  infpired  by  the  gods  at  Rome.  The  moral  law 
 fetcheth  its  pedigree  from  heaven  :  ipfe  dixit,  God  fpake  all 
 thefe  words.  Shall  we  not  give  credit  to  the  God  of  hea\. 
 How  would  the  angel  confirm  the  woman  in  the  refurrection  of 
 Chrift,  Mat.  xxviii.  7.  *  Lot  (faith  he)  I  have  told  you  ;'  I 
 fpeak  in  the  word  of  an  aagel.  .Much  more  (hould  the  moral 
 law  be  believed,  when  it  comes  to  us  in  the  word  of  God.  '  God 
 fpake  all  theie  words.'  Unbelief  enervates  the  virtue  of  God's 
 word,  and  makes  it  prove  abortive,  Heb.  iv.  2.  '  The  word 
 did  not  profit,  not  being  mixed  with  faith.'  Eve  i^ave  more  cre- 
 dit to  the  devil  when  he  fpake,  than  (he  did  to  God. 
 
 5.  If  God  fpake  all  thefe  words,  then  love  the  command- 
 ments, Pf.  cxix.  QT.  *  O  how  love  1  thy  law  ?  it  is  my  medi- 
 tation all  the  day.'  *  Confider  how  I  love  thy  precepts,'  Pf. 
 cxix.  151).  The  moral  law  is  the  copy  of  God's  wiil,  our  fpiri- 
 tual  directory,  it  (hews  im  what  (ins  to  avoid,  what  duties  to 
 purfue  :  the  ten  commandments  are  a  chain  of  pearls  to  adorn 
 us,  they  are  our  trealury  to  enrich  us;  they  are  more  precious 
 than  lands  of  fpices,  or  rocks  of  diamonds,  Pf.  cxix.  72.  '  The 
 law  of  thy  mouth  is  better  to  me  than  thoufandsof  gold  and  fil- 
 ver.'  The  law  of  God  hath  truth  and  goodnefs  in  it,  Nell,  ix. 
 13.  Truth,  for  God  fpake  it  ;  and  goodnels,  for  there  is  no- 
 thing the  commandment  enjoins,  but  is  for  our  good  :  O  then 
 let  this  command  our  love. 
 
 6.  If  God  f|>ake  all  thefe  words,  then  teach  your  children  the 
 law  of  God,  Deut.  vi.  7.  '  Thefe  words  which  I  command  thee 
 this  day  thall  be  in  thy  heart,  and  thou  ihalt  teach  them  dili- 
 gently to  thy  children.'  He  who  is  uodly,  is  both  a  diamond 
 and  a  loaditone  ;  a  diamond  for  the  fparklmg  of  his  grace  ;  and 
 a  londllone,  for  his  attractive  virtue  in  drawing  others  to  the 
 love  of  God's  precepts,  vir  bonus  mag  is  aliu  prodeft  i/uam  jib'u 
 You  that  are  parents,  dilcharge  your  duty  :  though  you  c 
 not  impart  grace  to  your  children,  yet  you  may  impart  know- 
 ledge. Let  your  children  know  the  commandments  oi  God, 
 Deut.  ix.  IP.  ■  Ye  fliall  teach  them  to  your  children.'  You 
 are  careful  to  leave  your  children  a  portion  ;   leave  the  ora- 
 
 of  heaven  with  them  ;  inftruct.  them  in  the  law  of  God  :  if  God 
 fpake  all  thefe  words,  you  may  well  fpeak  them  over  again  to 
 your  children, 
 
 7.  If  God  fpake  all  thefe  words,  then  the  moral  law  muft  be 
 obeyed  :  if  a  king  l'peaks,  his  word  commands  allegiance  ;  much 
 
 U  u<2 
 
310  OF  IHE  PREFACE 
 
 more,  when  God  fpeaks,  all  his  words  mud  be  fubfcribed  to. 
 Some  will  obey  partially,  obey  Come  commandments,  not  others  ; 
 like  a  plough,  which  when  it  comes  to  a  UifT  piece  of  earth, 
 makes  a  baulk  :  but  God  that  l'pake  all  the  words  of  the  moral 
 law,  will  have  all  obeyed  :  God  will  not  difpenfe  with  the 
 breach  of  one  law.  Indeed  princes,  for  fpecial  reaibns,  difpenfe 
 fometimes  with  penal  (latutes,  and  will  not  take  the  feverity  of 
 the  law:  but.  God,  who  (pake  all  thefe  words,  binds  men  with 
 afubpcena  to  yield  obedience  to  every  law.  This  condemns  the 
 church  of  Rome,  who  inllead  of  obeying  the  whole  moral  law, 
 blot  out  one  commandment,  and  dilpenfe  with  others. 
 
 1.  They  leave  out  the  fecond  commandment  out  of  their 
 catechiles,  becauie  it  makes  againfl  images  ;  and  to  fill  up  the 
 number  often,  they  divide  the  tenth  commandment  into  two. 
 Thus  they  run  themfelves  into  that  dreadful  premunire,  Rev. 
 xxii.  19.  '  If  any  man  (hall  take  away  from  the  words  of  this 
 book,  God  (hall  take  away  his  part  out  of  the  book  of  life.' 
 
 2.  As  they  blot  out  one  commandment,  and  cut  that  knot 
 which  they  cannot  untie  :  fo  they  difpenfe  with  other  command- 
 ments ;  they  difpenfe  with  the  (ixth  commandment,  making 
 murder  meritorious,  in  cafe  of  propagating  the  catholic  caufe  : 
 ihey  difpenfe  with  the  ieventh  commandment,  wherein  God 
 forbids  adultery  ;  the  Pope  difpenfeth  with  the  fin  of  unclean- 
 nei's,  yea,  inceft,  only  paying  fuch  fines  and  fums  of  money  into 
 his  coffer.  No  wonder  the  Pope  takes  men  oft' from  their  loy- 
 alty to  kings  and  princes,  when  he  teacheth  them  difloyalty  to 
 God.  Some  of  the  pa  pi  (Is  fay  exprefsly  in  their  writings,  that 
 the  Pope  hath  power  to  dilpenfe  with  the  laws  of  God,  and  can 
 give  men  a  licence  to  break  the  commandments  of  the  Old  and 
 New  Teftament.  That  fuch  a  religion  ever  get  foot  in  Eng- 
 land, the  Lord  in  mercy  prevent.  If  God  fpake  all  the  com- 
 mandments, then  we  mult  obey  all ;  lie  who  breaks  this  hedge 
 of  the  commandments,  a  ferpent  (hall  bite  him. 
 
 Obj.  But  what  man  alive  can  obey  all  God's  commandments? 
 
 AnJ\  To  obey  the  law  in  a  legal  fenfe.  viz.  to  do  all  the  law 
 requires,  no  man  alive  can  ;  fin  hath  cut  the  lock  of  original 
 righteoulhefs,  where  our  ftrength  lay  :  but,  in  a  true  gofpel- 
 fenfe,  we  may  fo  obey  the  moral  law,  as  to  find  acceptance. 
 Which  gofpel  obedience  confifis  in  a  real  endeavour  to  obferve 
 the  whole  moral  law,  Pf.  cxix.  166\  '  I  have  done  thy  com- 
 mandments :'  Not,  I  have  done  all  I  (hould  do,  but  I  have  done 
 all  I  am  able  to  do;  and  wherein  our  obedience  comes  fhort, 
 we  look  up  to  the  perfect  righteoufnefs  and  obedience  of  Chrift, 
 and  hope  for  pardon  through  his  blood  :  this  is  evangelically  to 
 obey  the  moral  law;  which,  though  it  be  not  to  fati.sfa6tion, 
 yet  it  is  to  acceptation.  Thus  1  have  done  with  the  firft,  the 
 preface  to  the  preface,  4  God  fpake  all  thefe  words ;'  I  fhould 
 
to  tii;  rs.  311 
 
 now  come  to  (he  fecond,  the  preface  itfelf  to  the  command- 
 ments, '  1  am  the  Lord  thy  God,'  5bc. 
 
 Exod.  xx.  2.     I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  fi 
 
 II.  Tin:  preface  itfelf,  which  confifts  of  three  parts  : 
 1 .  '  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God  :  S.  Which  have  brought  thee  out 
 of  the  land  of  Egypt  ;  3.   Out  of  the  houfe  of  boodag 
 
 Firft,  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God.  Where  we  have  a  defcription 
 of  God  ;  I.  By  his  effentWI  greatnefs,  '  I  am  the  Lord  ;'  <2. 
 By  his  relative  goodnefs,  *  thy  God.'  \ft,  By  his  eflential 
 greatnefs,  *  I  am  the  Lord,*  or,  as  it  is  in  the  Hebrew,  Jeho- 
 vah. This  great  name  God  fets  forth  his  majefty.  Sanclius 
 hahitum  fuet,  faith  Buxtorf.  The  name  of  Jehovah  was  had  in 
 more  reverence  among  the  Jews  than  any  other  name  of  God  ; 
 it  fignifies  God's'felf-fufficiency,  eternity,  independency,  immu- 
 tability, Mai.  iii.  6. 
 
 Ule  1.  If  God  he  Jehovah,  the  fountain  of  being,  who  can  do 
 what  he  will  ;  let  us  fear  this  great  Lord,  Deut.  xxviii.  SS. 
 '  That  thou  mayell  fear  this  glorious  and  fearful  name,  Jehovah,' 
 
 Ufe  2.  If  God  be  Jehovah,  the  fupreme  Lord  ;  then  it  con- 
 demns the  blafphemous  papifts,  who  fpeak  after  this  manner, 
 Out  Lord  God  the  Pope.  It  is  a  wonder  the  pope  lifts  his  triple 
 crown  above  the  head  of  kings  and  emperors,  when  he  ufurps 
 God's  title,  ■  (hewing  himfelf  that  he  is  God  ?'  2  Their,  ii.  4. 
 The  pope  goes  to  make  himfelf  Lord  of  heaven,  for  he  will  cano- 
 nize taints  there  ;  Lord  of  earth,  for  with  his  keys  he  doth  bind 
 and  loofe  whom  he  pleafeth  :  Lord  of  hell,  for  he  can  free  men 
 out  of  purgatory  :  but  God  will  pulldown  thefe  plumes  of  pride  ; 
 he  will  confume  ■  this  man  of  (in  with  the  breath  of  his  mouth, 
 and  the  brightnefs  of  hi*  coming,'  2  ThefT.  ii.  8. 
 
 2dty,  God  is  defcribed  by  his  relative  goodnefs,  ■  thy  God  :' 
 had  God  only  called  himfelf  Jehovah,  it  might  have  terrified  us, 
 and  made  us  flee  from  him  ;  but.  when  he  faith,  s  thy  God,' 
 this  may  allure  and  draw  us  to  him  :  this,  tho'  a  preface  to  the 
 law,  is  pure  gofpel.  This  word  E/a?ka,  *  thy  God,'  is  fo  Iweet, 
 that  we  can  never  fuck  out  all  the  honey  in  it.  *  I  am  thy  God,' 
 not  only  by  creation,  but  by  election.  This  word,  *  thy  God,* 
 though  it  was  fpoken  to  Ilruel,  yet  it  is  a  charter  belongs  to  all 
 the  faints.   For  the  further  explication,  here  are  three  quetlions. 
 
 Q.   1.   How  God  comes  to  be  our  God  ? 
 
 Anf.  Through  Jefus  Chriit.  Chrilt  is  a  middle  perfon  in  the 
 Trinity:  he  is  Emmanuel,  *  God  with  us:'  he  brings  two 
 different  parties  together;  he  makes  our  nature  lovely  to  God, 
 and  God's  nature  lovely  to  us  :  he,  by  his  death,  caufeth  friend- 
 
342  OF  THE  PREFACE 
 
 {hip,  yea,  union  :  he  brings  us  within  the  verge  of  the  covenant, 
 and  lb  God  becomes  our  God. 
 
 Q.  2.    What  doth  this  imply  God  being  our  God  ? 
 
 Anf.  It  is  comprehenlive  of  all  good  things:  God  is  our 
 ftrong  tower  ;  our  fountain  of  living  water ;  our  falvation. 
 More  particularly,  God  being  our  God  implies  the  iweetell  re- 
 lation. 
 
 1.  The  relation  of  a  father,  Q,  Cor.  vi.  18.  '  I  will  be  a  father 
 unto  you  ;'  a  father  is  full  of  tender  care  for  his  child  ;  whom 
 doth  he  fettle  the  inheritance  upon,  but  his  child  ?  God  being 
 our  God,  will  be  a  tather  to  us  ;  a  '  Father  of  mercy,'  1  Cor. 
 i.  3.  ■  Theeverlafting  Father,'  Ifa.  ix.  7.  If  God  be  our  God, 
 we  have  a  Father  in  heaven  that  never  dies. 
 
 2.  It  imports  the  relation  of  a  huiband,  Ila.  liv.  5.  '  Thy 
 Maker  is  thy  hufband.'  If  God  be  our  huiband,  he  efteems  us 
 precious  to  him,  as  the  apple  of  his  eye,  Zech.  ii.  8.  He  im- 
 parts his  iecrets  to  us,  Pfal.  xxv.  18.  He  beftows  a  kingdom 
 upon  us  for  our  dowry,  Luke  xii.  32. 
 
 Q.  3.  How  may  me  come  to  knoic  this  covenant-union,  that 
 God  is  our  God  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  By  having  his  grace  planted  in  us.  King's  children 
 are  known  by  their  cottly  jewels ;  It  is  not  having  common 
 gifts,  which  lhews  we  belong  to  God  ;  many  have  the  gifts  of 
 God  without  God  ;  but  it  is  grace  gives  us  a  true  genuine  title 
 to  God.  In  particular,  faith  is  vinculum  unionis  the  grace  of 
 union  ;  by  this  we  may  fpell  out  our  intereft  in  God.  Faith 
 doth  not,  as  the  mariner,  caft.its  anchor  downwards,  but  up- 
 wards; it  trulls  in  the  mercy  and  blood  of  God,  and  trufting  in 
 God,  engageth  him  to  be  our  God  ;  other  graces  make  us  like 
 God,  faith  makes  us  one  with  him. 
 
 2.  We  may  know  God  is  our  God,  by  having  the  earneft  of 
 his  Spirit  in  our  hearts,  2  Cor.  i.  22.  God  often  gives  the  purfe 
 to  the  wicked,  but  the  Spirit  only  to  fuch  as  he  intends  to  make 
 his  heirs.  (1.)  Have  we  had  the  confecration  of  the  Spirit?  If 
 we  have  not  had  the  fealing  work  of  the  Spirit,  have  we  had  the 
 healing  work  ?  1  John  ii.  20.  *  Ye  have  an  unction  from  the 
 holy  One.'  The  Spirit,  where  it  is,  ftamps  the  imprefs  of  its 
 own  holinefs  upon  the  heart :  it  embroiders  and  befpangles  the 
 foul,  and  makes  it  all  glorious  within.  (2.)  Have  we  had  the 
 attraction  of  the  Spirit?  Cant.  i.  '4.  ■  Draw  me,  we  will  run 
 after  thee.'  Hath  the  Spirit,  by  its  magnetic  virtue,  drawn  our 
 hearts  to  God  ?  Can  w7e  fay,  as  Cant.  i.  7.  '  O  thou  whom  my 
 foul  loveth  !'  Is  God  our  paradife  of  delight  ?  Our  Segul/ah,  or 
 chief  trealure!  Are  our  hearts  fo  chained  to  God,  that  no  other 
 object  can  inchant  us,  or  draw  us  away  from  him  ?  (3.)  Have 
 we  had  the  elevation  of  the  Spirit ?  Hath  it  raifed  our  hearts 
 above  the  world?  Ezek.  iii.  11.  (  The  Spirit  lifted  me  up.' 
 
TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  313 
 
 Hath  the  Spirit  made  us  fuprcma  an  hrlarc,  leek  the  things 
 above  where  Ch rift  is?  Though  our  lleih  is  on  earth,  i>>  our 
 heart  in  heaven  ?  though  we.  live  hero,  trade  we  above?  Hatli 
 the  Spirit  thus  lifted  ib  up?  By  this  we  may  come  to  know, 
 that  God  is  our  God  ;  win  -re  God  gives  his  Spirit  For  an  earneu, 
 there  he  gives  himfelf  for  a  portion. 
 
 3.  We  may  know  God  is  our  God,  if  he  hath  given  us  the 
 hearts  of  children.      Have  we   obediential  hearts  ?    Pl'al.  xxvii. 
 
 Do  we  fubferibe  to  God's  commands,  when  his  commands 
 crofsour  will?  A  true  (aim  is  like  the  flower  of  the  fun,  it  opens 
 and  Ihuts  with  the  run  :  he  opens  to  God,  and  fhuts  to  fin.  If 
 we  have  the  hearts  of  children  then  God  is  our  father. 
 
 4.  We  may  know  God  is  ours,  and  we  have  an  intereft,  in 
 him,  by  our  Standing  up  for  his  intereft.  We  will  appear  in  his 
 caul'e,  and  vindicate  his  truth)  wherein  his  glory  is  fo  much 
 concerned.  Athanafius  was  the  bulwark  of  truth  ;  he  ftood  up 
 for  it,  when  molt  of  the  world  were  Arians.  In  former  times 
 the  nobles  of  Polonia,  when  the  ^ofpel  was  read,  did  lay  their 
 hands  upon  their  (words,  liquifying  that  they  were  ready  to 
 defend  the  faith,  and  hazard  their  lives  for  the  gofpel :  no  better 
 fign  of  our  having  an  intereft  in  God,  than  by  our  lianding  up 
 for  his  intereft. 
 
 5.  We  may  know  God  is  ours,  and  we  have  an  intereft  in 
 him,  by  his  havingan  intereft  in  us,  Cant.  ii.  1(5.  *  My  beloved 
 is  mine,  and  I  am  DM.'  When  God  faith  to  the  foul,  '  Thou 
 art  mine;*  the  foul  anfwers,  *  Lord,  I  am  thine  :'  all  I  have  is 
 at  thy  fervice;  my  head  fhall  be  thine,  to  ftudy  for  thee:  my 
 tongue  (hall  be  thine  to  praife  thee.  If  God  be  our  God  by 
 way  of  donation,  we  are  his  by  way  of  dedication  :  we  live  to 
 him,  and  are  more  his  than  we  are  our  own.  And  thus  we 
 may  come  to  know  that  God  is  our  God. 
 
 UpB  1.  Above  all  things  let  us  get  this  great  charter  confirm- 
 ed, That  God  is  our  God  :  Deity  is  not  comfortable  without 
 propriety.  Tolle  mcum,  et  tille  Deum,  Aug.  O  let  us  labour 
 lo  get  found  evidences,  that  God  is  our  God  :  we  cannot  call 
 th,  liberty,  eftate  ours;  O  let  us  be  able  to  call  God  ours, 
 and  fay  as  the  church,  Pfal.  Ixvii.  (j.  '  God,  even  our  own  God 
 (hall  blefs  us.'  Let  every  foul  here  labour  to  pronounce  this 
 Shibboleth,  ■  My  God.'  And  that  we  may  endeavour  after 
 this  to  have  God  for  our  God;  confider,  (i.)  The  mifery  of 
 rtoch  as  have  not  God  for  their  God  :  in  how  fad  a  condition  are 
 they,  when  an  hour  of  dittrefs  comes?  this  was  Saul's  cale, 
 1  Sam.  xxviii.  13.  *  I  am  lore  diftreiled,  for  the  Phililtines 
 make  war  againft  me,  and  the  Lord  is  departed  from  me.'  A 
 wicked  man,  in  time  of  trouble,  is  like  a  veffel  tolled  on  the  fea 
 without  an  anchor,  it  falls  on  rocks  or  lands  :  a  (Inner,  not  hav- 
 ing God  to  be  his  God,  tho'  he  makes  a  fhift  while  health  and 
 
344  OF  THE  PREFACE 
 
 eftate  laft,  yet,  when  thefe  crutches,  which  he  leaned  upon  are 
 broken,  his  heart  finks.  It  is  with  a  wicked  man,  as  it  is  with 
 the  old  world,  when  the  flood  came;  the  waters  at  firft  came 
 to  the  valleys,  but  then  the  people  would  get  to  the  hills  and 
 mountains,  but  when  the  waters  came  to  the  mountains,  then 
 there  might  be  fome  trees  on  the  high  hills,  and  they  would 
 ciimb  up  to  them  :  ay,  but  then  the  waters  did  rife  up  to  the 
 tops  of  the  trees  :  now  all  hopes  of  being  faved  were  gone,  their 
 hearts  failed  them.  So  it  is  with  a  man  that  hath  not  God  to 
 be  his  God  :  if  one  comfort  be  taken  away,  he  hath  another :  if 
 he  lofe  a  child,  he  hath  an  eftate :  ay,  but  when  the  waters  rife 
 higher,  death  comes  and  takes  away  all ;  now  he  hath  nothing 
 to  help  himfelf  with,  no  God  to  go  to,  he  mult  needs  die  def- 
 pairing.  (2.)  How  great  a  privilege  it  is  to  have  God  for  our 
 God?  Pfal.  cxliv.  15.  '  Happy  are  the  people  whofe  God  is 
 the  Lord/  Beathudo  hominis  eft  Deus,  Aug.  That  you  may 
 fee  the  privilege  of  this  charter  ; 
 
 1.  If  God  be  our  God,  then,  though  we  may  feel  the  ftroke 
 of  evil,  yet  not  the  fting.  He  mud  needs  be  happy,  who  is  in 
 fuch  a  condition,  that  nothing  can  hurt  him  :  if  he  lofe  his  name, 
 it  is  written  in  the  book  of  life  ;  if  he  lofe  his  liberty,  his  con- 
 fcience  is  free  ;  if  he  lofe  his  eftate,  he  is  poffeifed  of  the  pearl 
 of  price  ;  if  he  meets  with  ftorms,  he  knows  where  to  put  in  for 
 harbour ;   God  is  his  God,  and  heaven  is  his  haven. 
 
 2.  If  God  be  our  God,  then  our  foul  is  fafe.  The  foul  is  the 
 jewel,  it  is  a  bloffom  of  eternity,  Dan.  vii.  15.  •  I  was  grieved 
 in  the  midft  of  my  body  ;'  in  the  Chaldee  it  is  in  the  midft  of 
 my  fheath.  The  body  is  but  the  (heath  ;  the  foul  is  the  princely 
 part  of  man,  which  fways  the  fceptre  of  reafon  ;  it  is  a  celeftial 
 fpark,  as  Damafcene  calls  it.  If  God  be  our  God,  the  foul  is 
 fafe,  as  in  a  garrifbn  ;  death  can  do  no  more  hurt  to  a  virtuous 
 heaven-born  foul,  than  David  did  to  Saul,  when  he  cut  off  the 
 lap  of  his  garment :  the  foul  is  fafe,  being  hid  in  the  promifes  ; 
 hid  in  the  wounds  of  Chrift  ;  hid  in  God's  decree.  The  foul  is 
 the  pearl,  and  heaven  is  the  cabinet  where  God  will  lock  it  up 
 fafe. 
 
 3.  If  God  be  our  God,  then  all  that  is  in  God  is  ours :  the 
 Lord  faith  to  a  faint  in  covenant,  as  the  king  of  Ifrael  to  the 
 king  of  Syria,  1  Kings  xx.  4.  '  I  am  thine,  and  all  that  I  have.' 
 So  faith  God,  '  I  am  thine  :'  how  happy  is  he  who  not  only  in- 
 herits the  gift  of  God,  but  inherits  God  himfelf?  All  that  1  have 
 fhall  be  thine  ;  my  wifdom  fhall  be  thine,  to  teach  thee  ;  my 
 power  fhall  be  thine,  tofupport  thee  ;  my  mercy  fhall  be  thine, 
 to  fave  thee.  God  is  an  infinite  ocean  of  bleffednefs,  and  there 
 is  enough  in  him  to  fill  us :  if  a  thoufand  veifels  be  thrown  into 
 the  fea,  there  is  enough  in  the  fea  to  fill  them. 
 
 4.  If  God  be  our  God,  he  will  entirely  love  us :  propriety  is 
 
TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  34 J 
 
 the  ground  of  love.  God  may  give  men  kingdoms,  and  not 
 love  them  ;    but    he  cannot  be   our  G  ove   us:   he 
 
 calls  his  covenanted  taints,  Jediduth  Napkfki,  *  The  dearly  be- 
 loved ot  his  foul,'  Jer.  xii.  7.  4  Ha  rejoiceth  over  them  with 
 joy,  and  refts  in  his  love,'  Zeph.  lii.  1?-  They  are  Ins  relined 
 Silver,  Zech.  xiii.  9.  His  jewels,  Mai.  in.  17.  His  royal 
 diadem,  lla.  Ixii.  3.  He  gives  thera  the  cream  and  flower  of 
 his  love  :  he  not  only  opens  his  hand  and  fills  them,  Plal.  cxlv. 
 17-  but  opens  his  heart  and  tills  them. 
 
 5.  If  God  be  our  God,  he  will  do  more  for  us  than  all  the 
 world  befides  can.  What  is  that?  (I.)  He  will  give  us  peace 
 in  trouble  :  when  a  dorm  without,  he  will  make  mufic  within. 
 The  world  can  create  trouble  in  peace,  but  God  can  create  peace 
 in  trouble:  he  will  fend  the  Comforter,  who,  as  a  dove,  brings 
 an  olive-branch  of  peace  in  his  mouth,  John  xiv.  10'.  (CJ.)  God 
 will  give  us  a  crown  of  immortality  :  the  world  can  give  a  crown 
 of  gold,  but  that  crown  hath  thorns  in  it,  and  death  in  it :  but 
 God  will  give  ■  a  crown  of  glory  that  fadeth  not  away,'  1  P»>t. 
 v.  4.  The  garland  made  of  the  flowers  of  paradife  never 
 withers. 
 
 (i.  If  God  be  our  God,  he  will  bear  with  many  infirmities: 
 God  may  refpite  (inners  a  while,  but  long  forbearance  is  no  ac- 
 quittance ;  he  will  throw  them  to  hell  for  their  (ins  ;  but  if  God 
 be  our  God,  he  will  not  for  every  failing  dellroy  us;  he  bears 
 with  his  fpoufe  as  with  the  weaker  veliel :  God  may  chaltife* 
 Pfal.  Ixxxix.  32.  He  may  ufe  the  rod  and  the  pruning-knife, 
 but  not  the  bloody  axe,  Numb,  xxiii.  21.  'He  hath  not  leen 
 iniquity  in  Jacob:'  he  will  not  fee  fin  in  his  people,  lb  as  to 
 deftroy  them  ;  he  fees  their  (ins  fo  as  to  pity  them  i  he  fees 
 them  as  a  phyfician  fees  a  difeafe  in  his  patient,  to  heal  him, 
 Ifa.  lvii.  18.  ■  I  have  feeo  his  iniquities,  and  I  will  heal  him.' 
 Every  failing  doth  not  break  the  marriage-bond  afunder.  The 
 difciples  had  great  failings,  they  all  forfook  Chriit,  and  fled; 
 but  this  did  not  break  off  their  intereil  in  God  ;  therefore,  faith 
 Chriit.,  at  his  afcenfion,  ■  Tell  my  difciples,  I  go  to  my  God 
 and  to  theirG  od. 
 
 7.  If  God  be  once  our  God,  he  is  fo  for  ever,  Pfal.  xlviii. 
 14.  ■  This  God  is  our  God  for  ever  and  ever.'  Whatever 
 worldly  comforts  we  have,  are  but  for  a  feafon,  Heb.  xi.  $5. 
 we  mult  part  with  all.  As  Paul's  friends  did  accompany  him 
 to  the  (hip,  and  there  left  him,  Acts  xx.  28.  fo  ail  our  earthly 
 comforts  will  but  go  with  us  to  the  grave,  and  there  leave  us. 
 You  cannot  fay  you  have  health,  and  mail  have  it  for  ever ;  you 
 have  a  child,  and  (hall  have  it  for  ever;  but  if  God  be  your  God, 
 you  (hall  have  him  for  ever  ;  f  This  God  is  our  God  for  ever  and 
 ever.*  If  God  be  our  God,  he  will  be  a  God  to  us  as  long  as 
 he  is  a  God  :  '  You  have  taken  away  my  gods,'  faith  Micah, 
 8.  X    x 
 
346  OF  THE  PREFACE 
 
 Judges  xviii.  24.  But  it  cannot  be  faid  fo  to  a  believer,  that 
 his  God  is  taken  away  ;  he  may  lofe  all  things  elfe,  but  cannot 
 lofe  his  God.  God  is  ours  from  everlafting  in  election,  and  to 
 everlafting  in  glory. 
 
 8.  It'  God  be  our  God,  we  (hall  enjoy  all  our  godly  relations 
 with  him  in  heaven.  The  great  felicity  on  earth,  is  to  enjoy 
 relations ;  a  father  fees  his  own  picture  in  a  child  ;  a  wife  lees 
 a  piece  of  herfelf  in  her  hufband,  we  plant  the  flower  of  love 
 among  our  relations,  and  the  lofs  of  them  is  like  the  pulling  of 
 a  limb  from  the  body.  But  if  God  be  ours,  with  enjoying  God 
 we  (hall  enjoy  all  our  pious  relations  in  glory.  The  gracious 
 child  (hall  fee  his  godly  father,  the  virtuous  wife  (hall  fee  her 
 religious  hufband  in  Chrift's  arms ;  and  then  there  will  be  a 
 dearer  love  to  relations  than  ever  was  before,  though  in  a  far 
 different  manner;  then  relations  (ball  meet  and  never  part: 
 '  And  lb  (hall  we  be  ever  with  the  Lord.' 
 
 Exod.  xx.  2.     J  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  $c. 
 
 To  all  fuch  as  can  make  out  this  covenant-union,  it  ex- 
 horts to  feveral  things. 
 
 I.  If  God  be  our  God,  let  us  improve  our  intereft  in  him, 
 eaft  all  our  burdens  upon  him  ;  the  burden  of  our  fears,  wants, 
 fins,  Pfal.  lv.  22.  «  Call:  thy  burden  upon  the  Lord.'  Wicked 
 men,  who  are  a  burden  to  God,  have  no  right  to  cad  their  bur- 
 den upon  him  ;  but  fuch  as  have  God  for  their  God,  are  called 
 upon  to  caft  their  burden  on  him..  Where  mould  the  child  eafe 
 all  its  cares,  but  in  the  bofom  of  its  parent?  Judges  xix.  26. 
 *  Let  all  thy  wants  lie  upon  me.*  So  God  feems  to  fay  to  his 
 children,  Let  all  your  wants  lie  upon  me.  Chriftian,  what 
 doth  trouble  thee  ?  thou  haft  a  God  to  pardon  thy  fins,  tofupply 
 thy  wants:  therefore  roll  your  burden  on  the  Lord,  1  Pet.  v. 
 7.  '  Calling-  all  your  care  on  him.*  Whence  are  Chriftians  fo 
 difquieted  in  their  minds?  they  are  taking  care,  when  they 
 fhould  be  calling  care. 
 
 II.  If  God  be  our  God,  let  us  learn  to  be  contented,  though 
 we  |iave  the  lei's  other  things.  Contentment  is  a  rare  jewel,  it 
 is  the  cure  of  care.  It  we  have  God  to  be  our  God,  well  may 
 we  be  contented  :  '  I  know  whom  I  have  believed,'  2  Tim.  p. 
 12.  There  was  Paul's  intereft  in  God,  2  Cor.  vi.  10.  *  As 
 having  nothing,  yet  polfefling  all:'  there  was  his  content. 
 That  fuch  who  have  covenant-union  with  God  may  be  filled  with 
 contentation  of  fpirit,  confider  what  a  rich  bleffmg  God  is  to 
 the  foul. 
 
 1.  God  bonum  fujficiens,  a  fufficient  good.     He  who  hath 
 
TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  347 
 
 t5od,  hath  enough.  If  a  man  be  thirlty  bring  him  to  the  ocean, 
 and  he  is  fatisfied  ;  in  God  there  is  enough  to  fill  the  heaven- 
 hornibul:  ■  He  gives  grace  and  glory,'  rah  Ixxxiv.  11.  There 
 is  in  God  not  only  a  fullicieucy,  but  a  redundancy  ;  he  is  not 
 only  full  as  a  veffel,  but  as  a  fpring.  Other  things  can  no  more 
 fill  the  foul,  than  a  mariner's  breath  can  till  the  fails  of  a  (hip: 
 but  in  God  is  a  cornucopia,  an  infinite  fulnefs  ;  he  hath  enough 
 to  fill  the  angels,  therefore  enough  to  till  us.  The  heart  H  a 
 triangle,  which  only  the  Trinity  can  iill. 
 
 *2.  God  is.  bonum  jancti/icans,  a  fanctifying  good.  1.  He 
 fanctifies  all  our  comforts,  and  turns  them  into  blellings.  Health 
 is  bleffed,  eftate  is  bleiled  ;  he  gives  with  the  venifon  a  blelling, 
 Pfal.  cxxxii.  \b.  ■  I  will  abundantly  blets  her  provifion.'  lu 
 gives  us  that  life  we  have  tanquam  arrabo ,  as  an  earneitof  more. 
 He  gives  us  the  little  meal  in  the  barrel,  as  an  earnett  of  the 
 royal  feaft  in  paradife.  2.  He  fan6tifies  all  our  croiles  :  they 
 (hall  not  be  deftructjve  punifhments,  but  medicines;  they  (hall 
 corrode  and  eat  out  the  venom  of  fin,  they  (hall  polifli  and  re- 
 fine our  grace.  The  more  the  diamond  is  cut,  it  1  parities  the 
 more.  God's  ftretching  the  ftrings  of  his  viol,  is  to  make  the 
 mufic  better. 
 
 3.  God  is  bonum  feleclinn,  a  choice  good.     All   things  Jkb 
 fole,  are  but  bonafcabel/i,  as  Auitin,  the   bleffings  of  the  foot- 
 
 llool ;  but  to  have  God  himfelf  to  be  ours,  is  the  blefiing  of  the 
 throne.  Abraham  gave  gifts  to  the  fons  of  the  concubines,  but 
 •he  fettled  the  inheritance  upon  Ifaac,  Gen.  xxv.  4.  *  Abraham 
 gave  all  that  he  had  to  Ifaac*  God  may  fend  away  the  men  of 
 the  world  with  gifts,  a  little  gold  and  filver ;  but,  in  giving  us 
 himfelf,  he  gives  us  the  very  quintelfence,  his  grace,  his  love, 
 his  kingdom  :   here  is  the  crowning  blefiing. 
 
 4.  God  is  bonum  iummum,  the  chief  good.  In  thechiefgood 
 there  mutt  be,  lurji,  delettability,  it  mult  have  fomethiug  that 
 is  delicious  and  fweet  :  and  where  can  we  fuck  thofe  pure 
 quintefiential  comforts,  which  ravifli  us  with  delight,  hue  in 
 God  ?  In  Deo  quadam  dulcedine  delectatur  anima,  imo  rah  tur; 
 '  At  God's  right  hand  are  pleafures,'  Pfal.  xvi.  11.  Secondly, 
 In  the  chief  good  there  mult  be  tranfeendency,  it  mult  have  a 
 furprifing  excellency.  Thus  God  is  infinitely  better  than  all 
 other  things;  it  is  below  the  Deity  to  compare  other  things 
 with  it.  Who  would  go  to  weigh  a  feather  with  a  mountain  of 
 gold  ?  God  is  fans  et  origo,  the  fpring  of  all  entities,  and  the 
 caufe  is  more  noble  than  the  effect.  It  is  God  that  befpaugles 
 the  creation,  that  puts  light  into  the  fun,  that  fills  the  veins  of 
 the  earth  with  filver  ;  creatures  do  but  maintain  life,  God  gives 
 life.  God  infinitely  outlhines  all  fublunary  glory  ;  he  is  better 
 than  the  foul,  than  angels,  than  heaven.  Thirdly,  In  the  chief 
 good,   there  mutt  be  not  only  fulnefs,  but  variety  ;    where  va- 
 
 X  xS 
 
S4S  OF  THE  PREFACE 
 
 riety  is  wanting,  we  are  apt  to  naufeate ;  to  feed  only  on  honey, 
 would  breed  loathing  ;  but  in  God  is  all  variety  of  fulnefs,  Col, 
 i.  19.  He  is  an  univerfal  good,  commenfurate  to  all  our  wants; 
 he  is  honum  in  quo  omnia  bona,  a  fon,  a  portion,  an  horn  of  fair 
 vation  :  he  is  called  the  •  God  of  all  comfort,'  2  Cor.  i.  3. 
 There  is  a  complication  of  all  beauties  and  delights  in  him  : 
 health  hath  not  the  comfort  of  beauty,  nor  beauty  of  riches,  nor 
 riches  of  wifdom  ;  but  God  is  the  God  of  all  comfort.  Fourthly, 
 In  the  chief  good  there  muft  be  eternity.  God  is  a  treafure  that 
 can  neither  be  drawn  low,  nor  drawn  dry.  Though  the  angels 
 are  ftill  fpending  on  him,  he  can  never  be  fpent ;  he  abides  for 
 ever.  Eternity  is  a  flower  of  his  crown.  Now,  if  God  be  our 
 God,  here  is  enough  to  let  in  full  contentment  into  our  fouls. 
 "What  tho'  we  want  torch-light,  if  we  have  the  fun  ?  what  if 
 God  deny  us  the  flower,  if  he  hath  given  us  the  jewel?  how 
 fhould  this  rock  a  ChrifHan's  heart  quiet  ?  if  we  fay  God  is  our 
 God,  and  we  are  not  content,  we  have  caufe  to  queftion  our  in- 
 tereftin  him. 
 
 III.  If  we  can  clear  up  this  covenant-union,  that  God  is  our 
 God,  let  this  chear  and  revive  us  in  all  conditions.  To  be  con- 
 tent with  God,  is  not  enough,  but  to  be  chearful.  What  greater 
 cordial  can  you  have,  than  union  with  Deity  ;  when  JefusChrift 
 was  ready  to  afcend,  he  could  not  leave  a  richer  confolation 
 with  his  difciples  than  this,  '  Tell  them,  I  go  to  my  God  and 
 their  God,'  John  xx.  17-  Who  fhould  rejoice,  if  not  they, 
 who  have  an  infinite,  all-fufficient,  eternal  God  to  be  their  por- 
 tion, who  are  as  rich  as  heaven  can  make  them  ?  what  though 
 1  want  health?  I  have  God,  who  is  the  health  of  my  counte- 
 nance, and  my  God,  Pfal.  xlii.  11.  What  though  1  am  low  in 
 the  world  ?  if  I  have  not  the  earth,  I  have  him  that  made  it. 
 The  philofopher  comforted  himfelf  with  this,  though  he  had  no 
 rnufic  or  vine  trees,  yet  here  are  the  houfehold-gods  with  me  : 
 fo,  though  we  have  not  the  vine  or  fig-tree,  yet  we  have  God 
 with  us.  I  cannot  be  poor,  faith  St.  Bernard,  as  long  as  God 
 is  rich  :  for  his  riches  are  mine.  O  let  the  faints  rejoice  in  this 
 covenant- union  !  To  fay  God  is  ours,  is  more  than  to  fay  hea- 
 ven is  ours;  heaven  would  not  be  heaven  without  God.  All 
 the  ftars  cannot  make  day  without  the  fun  ;  all  the  angels,  thofe 
 morning-ftars,  cannot  make  heaven  without  Chrift  the  Sun  of 
 righteoufnefs.  And  as  to  have  God  for  our  God  is  matter  of 
 rejoicing  in  life  ;  fo  efpecially  it  will  be  at  our  death.  Let  a 
 Chriftian  think  thus,  I  am  going  to  my  God.  A  child  is  glad 
 when  he  is  going  home  to  his  father.  This  was  C brill's  com- 
 fort, when  he  was  leaving  the  world,  John  xx.  17.  '  I  go  to  my 
 God.'  And  this  is  a  believer's  death-bed  cordial,  I  am  going 
 to  my  God  ;  I  (hall  change  my  place,  but  not  my  kindred  ;  I 
 go  to  my  God  and  my  Father. 
 
TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  310 
 
 IV.  If  God  be  our  God,  then  let  us  break  forth  intodoxolo^v 
 and  praife,  Pfal  cxviu.  28.  *  Thou  art  my  God,  and  I  will 
 praife  thee.'     O  infinite,  aftonifhing  mercy,  that  God  fhould 
 
 i lull  and  allies  into  fo  near  a  bond  of  love  as  to  be  our 
 God  !  As  Micah  Paid,  Judges  xviii.  91.  '  What  have  I  more?' 
 fo,  what  hath  God  more?  what  richer  jewel  hath  he  to  beftow 
 ii()on  us  than  himfelf?  what  hath  he  more?  That  God  fliould 
 put  off  moil  of  the  world  with  riches  and  honour,  that  he  fhould 
 pafs  over  himfelf  to  us  by  a  deed  of  gift,  to  be  our  God,  and  by 
 virtue  of  this  fettle  a  kingdom  upon  us  ;  O  let  us  praife  him 
 with  the  belt  rntlrument,  our  heart  ;  and  let  this  inftrument  be 
 fcrewed  up  to  the  higheltjpeg  ;  let  us  praife  him  with  our  whole 
 heart.  See  how  David  rifeth  by  degrees,  Pf.  xxxii.  11.  'Be 
 glad  in  the  Lord,  and  rejoice,  and  fhout  for  joy.'  [Be  glad,'] 
 there  is  thankfulncfs  ;  \_Rejoice,']  there  is  chearfulnefs;  [ShouQ 
 there  is  triumph.  Praife  is  called  incenfe,  becaufe  it  is  fo  iweet 
 a  facrifice.  Let  the  taints  be  chorilters  in  God's  praifes.  The 
 deepelt  fprings  yield  the  fweetelt  water  ;  the  more  deeply  fen- 
 iible  we  are  of  God's  covenant-love  to  us,  the  tweeter  praifes  we 
 (hould  yield.  We  fhould  begin  here  to  eternize  God's  name, 
 and  do  that  work  on  earth' which  we  (hall  be  always  doing  in 
 heaven,  Pf.  cxlvi.  CJ.    *  While  I  live,  will  I  praife  the  Lord.* 
 
 V.  Let  us  carry  ourfelves  as  thole  who  have  God  to  be  our 
 God  ;  that  is,  when  we  walk  fo,  that  others  may  fee  there  ia 
 fomething  of  God  in  us.  Live  holily  ;  what  have  we  to  do 
 with  fin  ?  is  it  not  this,  that  if  it  doth  not  break,  yet  it  will 
 weaken  the  intereit  ?  Hof.  xiv.  8.  '  What  have  I  to  do  any 
 more  with  idols  ?'  So  (hould  a  Chriftian  fay,  God  is  my  God  ; 
 what  have  I  to  do  any  more  with  fin,  with  lull,  pride,  malice! 
 bid  me  commit  fin  !  as  well  bid  me  drink  poifon  ;  (hall  I  forfeit 
 my  intereft  in  God  ?  Let  me  rather  die,  than  willingly  offend 
 him,  who  is  the  crown  of  my  joy,  the  God  of  my  ialvation. 
 
 Exod.  xx.  3.    The  Land  of  Egypt,  4'C« 
 
 The  fecond  part  of  the  preface,  '  Who  have  brought 
 ihee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  out  of  the  houfe  of  bondage.' 
 Egypt  and  the  houfe  of  bondage  are  the  fame  ;  only  they  are  re- 
 prefented  to  ns  under  a  different  expreffion,  or  notion.  I  begin 
 with  the  full  expreflion,  '  Who  have  brought  thee  out  of  the 
 land  of  Egypt.' 
 
 Q.  Why  doth  the  Lord  mention  this  deliverance  of  Ifrael  out 
 of  Egypt. 
 
 Anf.  1.  Becaufe  of  the  ftrangenefs  of  the  deliverance.  God 
 delivered  his  people   Ifrael  by  ltrange  figns  and  wonders,  by 
 
350  OF  THE  PREFACE 
 
 fending  plague  after  plague  upon  Pharaoh,  blading  the  fruits  of 
 the  earth,  killing  all  the  fird-born  in  Egypt,  Exod.  xii.  2y. 
 And  when  Ifrael  marched  out  of  Egypt,  God  made  the  waters 
 of  the  fea  to  part,  and  become  a  wall  to  his  people,  while  they 
 went  on  dry  ground;  and  as  he  made  the  fea  acaufeway  to  Ifrael, 
 fo  a  grave  to  Pharaoh  and  his  chariots.  Well  might  the  Lord 
 mention  his  bringing  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  becaufeof 
 the  drangenefs  of  the  deliverance  ;  God  wrought  miracle  upon 
 miracle,  for  their  deliverance. 
 
 2.  God  mentions  Ifrael' s  deliverance  out  of  Egypt,  becaufe 
 of  the  greatnefs  of  the  deliverance.  God  delivered  Ifrael  from 
 the  pollutions  of  Egypt ;  Egypt  was  a  bad  air  to  live  in,  it  was 
 infected  with  idolatry;  the  Egyptians  weregrofs  idolaters,  they 
 were  guilty  of  that  which  the  apoftle  (peaks  of,  Rom.  i.  23. 
 *  They  changed  the  glory  of  the  uncorruptible  God  into  an  image 
 made  like  to  corruptible  man,  and  to  birds,  and  four-footed 
 beads,  and  creeping  things/  The  Egyptians  worshiped,  in- 
 ftead  of  the  true  God,  Firjl,  corruptible  man,  they  deified  their 
 king  Apis,  forbidding  all,  under  pain  of  death,  to  fay  that  he 
 was  a  man.  %dhj,  They  were  worfhippers  of  birds,  they  wor- 
 shipped the  hawk.  3dly,  They  were  worfhippers  of  beads, 
 they  worfhipped  the  ox  :  thus  they  made  the  image  of  a  bead 
 to  be  their  god.  Athly,  They  were  worfhippers  of  creeping 
 things,  they  worfhipped  the  crocodile,  and  the  Indian  moufe. 
 Therefore  God  mentions  this  as  a  memorable  and  fignai  favour 
 to  Ifrael,  that  he  brought  them  out  of  inch  an  idolatrous  coun- 
 try ;   'I  brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt.' 
 
 The  thing  I  would  note  is  this,  That  it  is  no  fmall  blefiing  to 
 be  delivered  from  places  of  idolatry.  God  l'peaks  of  it  no  lefs 
 than  ten  times  in  the  Old  Teltament,  ■  I  brought  you  out  of 
 the  land  of  Egypt ;'  an  idolatrous  place.  Had  there  been  no 
 iron  furnace  in  Egypt,  yet  there  being  fo  many  altars  there 
 and  falfe  gods,  it  was  a  great  privilege  to  Ifrael  to  be  delivered 
 out  of  Egypt.  Jofhua  reckons  it  among  the  chief  and  mod 
 memorable  mercies  of  God  to  Abraham,  that  he  brought  him 
 outofUr  of  the  Chaldees,  where  Abraham's  ancedors  ferved 
 drange  gods,  Jofti.  xxiv.  9,  3.  '  It  is  well  for  the  plant  that  is 
 fet  in  a  bad  foil,  to  be  tranfplanted  to  a  better,  where  it  may 
 grow  and  flourilh  ;  lb,  when  any  are  planted  among  idolaters, 
 it  is  a  mercy  when  they  are  removed  and  tranfplanted  into  Zion, 
 where  are  the  filver-drops  of  God's  word  to  make  them  grow  in 
 holinefs. 
 
 Qu.  Wherein  doth  it  appear  that  it  isfuch  a  great  blejfing  to 
 be  delivered  from  places  of  idolatry  ? 
 
 Anf.  It  is  a  great  mercy,  becaufe  our  nature  is  fo  prone  to 
 idolatry.  Ifrael  began  to  be  defiled  with  the  idols  of  Egypt, 
 Ezek.  xxiii.  3.    Dry  wood  is  not  more  prone  to  take  fire,  than 
 
TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  S51 
 
 our  nature  is  to  idolatry.     The  Jews  made  cakes  to  the  queen 
 of  heaven,  that  is  the  moon.     Jer.  vii.   18. 
 
 Qu.    Whence  is  it  that  we  are  Jo  prone  to  idolatry  f 
 
 .  I.  Becauie  we  are  led  much  by  vifible  objects,  and  love 
 to  have  our  fen  Pes  pleated.  Men  naturally  fancy  a  god  that 
 they  may  lee  ;  though  it  be  fuch  a  god  that  cannot  fee  them, 
 yet  they  would  fee  it.  The  true  God  is  invifible  ;  this  makes 
 the  idolater  worlhip  fomething  that  he  may  fee. 
 
 £.  It  is  a  mercy  to  be  delivered  from  idolatrous  places,  becaufe 
 of  the  greatnefs  of  the  (in  of  idolatry.  It  is  giving  that  glory 
 to  an  image,  which  is  due  to  God.  All  divine  worfhip  God 
 doth  appropriate  to  himfelf  ;  it  is  a  flower  of  his  crown  :  the 
 fat  of  the  (acrifice  God  laid  claim  to,  Lev.  iii.  3.  Divine  wor- 
 ship is  the  fat  of  the  facrifice,  which  God  referves  for  himfelf. 
 The  idolater  devotes  this  worfhip  to  his  idol,  which  the  Lord 
 will  by  no  means  endure,  Ifa.  xlii.  8.  '  My  glory  will  I  not  give 
 to  another,  neither  my  praife  to  graven  images.'  Idolatry  is 
 fpiritual  adultery,  Ezek.  xx iii.  37-  '  With  their  idols  have  they 
 committed  adultery.'  To  worlhip  any  other  than  God,  is  to 
 break  wedlock:  this  makes  the  Lord  difclaim  his  interell  in  a 
 people,  Hof.  ii.  9.  ■  Pleat}  with  your  mother,  plead,  flie  is  not 
 my  wife.'  And  Exod.  xxxii.  7-  '  Thy  people  have  corrupted 
 themfelves;'  no  more  my  people,  but  thy  people.  God  calls 
 idolatry  blafphemy,  Ezek.  xx.  27,  31.  '  Thus  your  fathers 
 have  blafphemed  me.'  Idolatry  is  devil-worfhip,  Deut.  xxxii. 
 17.  '  They  facrificed  to  devils,  not  unto  God  ;  to  new  gods  i% 
 Thefe  new  gods  were  old  devils,  Lev.  xvii.  7.  '  And  they  fliall 
 no  more  otter  their  facrifice  unto  devils  ;'  the  Hebrew  word 
 Lafliegnirim,  is  the  hairy  ones,  becauie  the  devils  were  hairy, 
 and  appeared  in  the  forms  of  fatyrs  and  goats.  How  dreadful 
 a  fin  is  idolatry  ;  and  what  a  fignal  mercy  is  it  to  be  (hatched 
 out  of  an  idolatrous  place,  as  Lot  was  thatched  by  the  angels 
 out  of  Sodom  ? 
 
 3.  It  is  a  mercy  to  be  delivered  out  of  idolatrous  places,  be- 
 caufe idolatry  is  fuch  a  filly,  irrational  religion,  I  may  fay,  as 
 Jer.  viii.  <).  *  What  wifdom  is  in  them  ?*  Is  it  not  folly  to  re- 
 fnfe  the  belt,  and  choofe  ihe  worft?  The  trees  in  the  field  of 
 Jotham's  parable,  defpifed  the  vine-tree  which  chears  both  God 
 and  man,  and  ihe  olive  which  is  full  of  fatnefs,  and  the  fig-tree 
 which  is  full  of  fweetnefs,  and  chofe  the  bramble  to  reign  over 
 them  ;  this  was  a  foolilh  choice,  Judg.  ix.  lb,  for  us  to  reftffe 
 the  living  God,  who  hath  power  tofave  us,  and  to  make  choice 
 of  an  idol,  that  hath  eyes  and  fees  not,  feet,  but  walks  not,  ?f. 
 cxv.  (j.  What  a  prodigy  of  madnefs  is  this  ?  Therefore,  to  b<* 
 delivered  from  commiting  fuch  folly,  is  a  mercy. 
 
 4.  It  is  a  mercy  to  be  delivered  from  Kiolatrojs  places,  be- 
 cauie of  the  fad  judgments  inflicted   upon  idolaters,     This  is  a 
 
352  OF  THE  PREFACE 
 
 fin  which  enrageth  God,  and  makes  the  fury  come  up  in  his 
 face,  Ezek.  xxxviii.  18.  Search  through  the  whole  book  of 
 God,  and  you  mall  find  no  fin  God  hath  followed  with  more 
 plagues  than  idolatry,  Pf.  xvi.  4.  '  Their  forrows  (hall  be 
 multiplied,  that  haften  after  another  god.'  Pf.  lxxviii.  58,  59. 
 '  They  moved  him  tojealoufy  with  their  graven  images.  When 
 God  heard  this  he  was  wroth,  and  greatly  abhorred  Ifrael ;' 
 ver.  60.  *  So  that  he  forfook  the  tabernacle  of  Shiloh.'  Shiloh 
 was  a  city  belonging  to  the  tribe  of  Ephraim  ;  there  God  let  his 
 name,  Jer.  vii.  12.  But,  for  their  idolatry  God  forfook  that 
 place,  gave  his  people  up  to  the  fword,  caufed  his  prielts  to  be 
 flain,  his  ark  to  be  carried  away  captive,  and  it  never  returned 
 to  Shiloh  any  more.  How  fevere  was  God  againft  Ifrael  for 
 worfhipping  the  golden  calf?  Exod.  xxxii.  27.  The  Jews  fay, 
 that  in  every  mifery  that  befals  them,  there  is  initio  aurei  vituli, 
 an  ounce  of  the  golden  calf  in  it,  Rev.  xviii.  «  Come  out  of  her, 
 my  people,  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her  fins,  and  that  ye  re- 
 ceive not  of  her  plagues.'  Idolatry  lived  in,  cuts  men  oil' from 
 heaven,  I  Cor.  vi.  9.  So  then  it  is  no  fmail  mercy  to  be  de- 
 livered out  of  idolatrous  places. 
 
 life  1.  See  the  goodneis  of  God  to  our  nation,  who  hath 
 brought  us  out  of  myfticai  Egypt,  delivering  us  from  popery, 
 which  is  Romifti  idolatry,  and  haih  caufed  the  light  of  his  truth 
 to  break  forth  glorioufly  among  us.  In  former  times,  and  more 
 lately  in  the  IVlarian  days,  England  was  overlpread  with  idola- 
 try ;  we  worshipped  God  afterafalfe  manner  ;  that  is  idolatry, 
 not  only  to  worfhip  a  falfe  god,  but  the  true  God  in  a  fa  lie  man- 
 ner. This  was  our  cafe  formerly,  we  had  purgatory,  indigen- 
 cies, the  idolatrous  mafs,  the  Scriptures  locked  up  in  an  unknown 
 tongue,  invocation  of  faints  and  angels,  image-worfhip.  Images 
 are  teachers  of  lies,  Hab.  ii.  IS.  Wherein  do  they  teach  lies  ? 
 becauie  they  reprelent  God  in  a  bodily  fliape,  whereas  he  can- 
 not befeen,  Deut.  iv.  12.  •  5Tefaw  nofimilitude,  only  yeheard 
 a  voice.'  Quod  invifibile  eft,  pwgi,  nan  poteji,  Ambr.  God 
 cannot  be  pictured  out  by  any  finger?  you  cannot  picture  the 
 foul,  being  a  fpirit ;  much  lefd  God,  lfa.  xl.  18.  *  To  whom 
 then  will  ye  liken  God  ?'  The  papifts  fay,  they  worfhip  God 
 by  the  image ;  which  hath  a  great  abfurdity  in  it,  for  if  it  beab- 
 furd  to  bow  down  to  the  picture  of  a  king,  when  the  king  him- 
 ielf  is  prefent,  then  much  more  to  bow  down  to  the  image  of 
 God,  when  God  himfelf  is  prefent,  Jer.  xxiii.  24.  What  is  the 
 popifh  religion,  but  a  bundle  of  ridiculous  ceremonies?  their 
 wax,  flowers,  pixes  agues  Dei,  cream  and  oil,  beads,  crucifixes  : 
 what  are  thefe  but  Satan's  policy,  to  drefs  up  a  carnal  worlhip, 
 fitted  to  carnal  minds  ?  Oh  what  cauie  have  we  to  bleis  God, 
 for  delivering  us  frofs  popery  !  It  was  a  mercy  to  be  delivered 
 from  the  Spanifii  invafion  and  the  powder- treafon ;  but  afar 
 
TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 
 
 greater  to  be  delivered  from  the  popifh   religion,  which  would 
 bare  mad* Cod  gm  ui  i  bill  of  divorce. 
 
 'j.  It  it  be  a  great  bleftng  to  be  delivered  From  Egypt,  popifh 
 idolatry  ;  then  it  (hews  their  fin  and  tolly,  who,  being  brought 
 out  of  Egypt,  aic  wilting  to  return  into  Egypt  again  ;  luw 
 put  of!" the  yoke  of  Rome,  would  lain  put  it  on  again.  The 
 apoftle  faith,  *  Flee  from  idolatry :'  1  Cor.  x.  14.  But  thele 
 rather  flee  to  idolatry  :  herein  we  are  like  the  people  of  Ifrael, 
 who,  notwithftanding  all  the  idolatry  and  tyranny  of  Egypt, 
 yet  longed  to  go  back  to  Egypt;  Numb.  .xiv.  4.  '  Let  us  make 
 a  captain  and  return  into  Egypt.1  But  how  fliall  they  go  back 
 into  Egypt?  how  fhall  they  have  food  in  the  wildernefs?  will 
 God  rain  down  manna  any  more  upon  inch  rebels?  how  will 
 tiny  get  over  the  red  Tea  ?  will  God' divide  the  water  again  by 
 miracle,  for  fuch  as  leave  his  tervice,  and  go  into  idolatrous 
 I  v -[it  ?  yet,  lay  they,  Let  us  make  a  captain.  And  are  there 
 not  fuch  fpirits  amongtt  us,  who  fay,  '  Let  us  make  a  captain 
 and  go  back  to  Romifh  Egypt  again  ?  and  if  we  do,  what  (hall 
 we  get  by  it?  I  am  afraid  the  leeks  and  onions  of  Egypt  will 
 make  us  fick.'  Do  we  ever  think,  if  We  drink  in  the  cup  of  for- 
 Dication,  we  (hall  drink  in  the  cup  of  ialvation?  O  that  any 
 ihould  fo  forfeit  their  reafon,  as  to  enflave  themfelves  to  the  lee 
 of  Rome !  that  they  (hould  be  willing  to  hold  a  candle  to  a  mats 
 piicll,  and  bow  down  to  a  ftrange  god  !  let  us  not  lay,  we  will 
 make  a  captain  ;  but  rather  lay  as  Ephraim,  Hof.  xiv.  8. 
 •  What  have  I  to  do  any  more  with  idols  ?' 
 
 3.  If  it  be  a  mercy  to  be  brought  out  of  Egypt,  then  it  is  not 
 defirable  or  fate  to  plant  one's  felf  in  an  idolatrous  place,  where 
 it  may  be  a  capital  crime  to  be  feen  with  a  Bible  in  one's  hand. 
 Some  for  fecular  gain  thruft  themfelves  among  idolaters,  and 
 think  there  is  no  danger  to  live  where  Satan's  feat  is  :  but  do 
 you  pray  God  would  not  lead  you  into  temptation,  and  do  you 
 lead  yourfelves  ?  you  are  in  great  danger  of  being  polluted  :  it  is 
 hard  to  be  as  the  frith,  which  keeps  freth  in  fait  waters.  A  man 
 cannot  dwell  among  the  Blackmoors,  but  he  will  be  difcoloured  ; 
 you  will  fooner  be  corrupted  by  idolaters,  than  they  will  be  con- 
 verted by  you  :  Jofeph  got  no  good  by  living  in  an  idolatrous 
 court;  he  did  not  teach  Pharaoh  to  pray,  but  Pharaoh  taught 
 him  to  fwear,  Pf.  cvi.  35.  They  '  were  mingled  among  the 
 heathen,  aud  lerved  their  idols.'  I  fear  this  hath  been  the  un- 
 doing of  many  ;  they  have  feated  themfelves  amongtt  idolaters, 
 for  advancing  their  trade,  and  at  lalt  have  not  only  traded  with 
 them  in  their  commodities,  but  in  their  religion. 
 
 Ufe  L2.  It  is  a  mercy  to  be  brought  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt, 
 places  which  are  defiled,  and  where  fin  reigns?  then  it  re- 
 proaches fuch  parents  as  thew  little  love  to  the  fouls  of  their 
 children,  whether  it  be  in  putting  them  out  to  fervice  or  ruatch- 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  8-  Y  y 
 
354  OF  THE  PREFACE 
 
 ing  them.  1 .  In  putting  them  out  to  fervice :  their  care  is 
 chiefly  for  their  bodies,  that  they  may  be  provided  for,  but  care 
 not  what  becomes  of  their  fouls  ;  their  fouls  are  in  Egypt,  in 
 houfes  where  there  is  drinking,  fwearing,  fabbath-breaking,  and 
 where  God's  name  is  every  day  difhonoured.  2.  In  matching 
 their  children,  they  look  only  at  money,  2  Cor.  vi.  24.  ■  Be  not 
 ye  unequally  yoked  :'  if  their  children  be  equally  yoked  for 
 eftate,  they  care  not  whether  they  be  unequally  yoked  for  re- 
 ligion :  now,  to  fuch  parents,  L.  Think  how  precious  the  foul 
 of  your  child  is;  it  is  immortal,  it  is  capable  of  communion 
 with  God,  and  angels:  and  will  you  let  this  foul  be  loft,  by 
 placing  it  in  a  bad  family  ?  If  you  had  an  horfe  you  loved,  you 
 would  not  put  him  into  a  liable  with  other  horfes  that  were  lick 
 and  difeafed  ;  and  do  you  not  love  your  child  better  than  your 
 horfe?  2.  God  hath  intruded  you  with  the  fouls  of  your  chil- 
 dren, you  have  a  charge  of  fouls.  God  faith,  as  1  Kings  xx. 
 36.  '  Keep  this  man  ;  if  he  be  miffing,  thy  life  fhall  go  for  his 
 life.'  So  faith  God,  if  the  foul  of  thy  child  mifcarry  by  thy 
 negligence,  his  blood  will  I  require  at  thy  hand.  Think  of 
 this,  all  ye  parents  ;  take  heed  of  placing  your  children  in  Egypt, 
 in  a  wicked  family ;  do  not  put  them  in  the  devil's  mouth  : 
 find  out  a  fober,  religious  family,  fuch  a  family  as  Jofhua's, 
 chap.  xxiv.  15.  ■  I  and  my  houfe  will  ferve  the  Lord.'  Such 
 a  family  as  Cranmer's  which  was  palceftra  pietatis,  a  nurfery  of 
 piety  :  fuch  a  family  as  is  a  Bethel,  of  which  it  may  be  laid,  as 
 Col.  iv.  15.   ■  The  church  which  is  in  his  houfe.' 
 
 life  3.  Let  us  pray  that  God  would  keep  our  Englifh  nation 
 from  the  defilements  of  Egypt,  that  it  may  not  be  again  over- 
 fpread  with  fuperftition  and  idolatry  :  O  fad  religion  :  not  only 
 to  have  our  eltates,  our  bodies  enflaved,  but  our  confcience": 
 pray  that  the  true  proteltant  religion  may  flill  flourifti  among 
 us,  that  the  fon  of  the  gofpel  may  ftill  mine  in  our  horizon.  The 
 gofpel  lifts  a  people  up  to  heaven,  it  is  columna  et  coranaregni, 
 the  crown  and  glory  of  the  kingdom  :  if  this  be  removed,  then 
 Ichabod,  the  glory  is  departed.  The  top  of  the  beech-tree  be- 
 ing cut  off,  the  whole  body  of  the  tree  withers  apace  :  the  gof- 
 pel is  the  top  of  all  our  blefiings  ;  if  this  top  be  cut,  the  whole 
 body  politic  will  foon  wither.  O  pray  that  the  Lord  will  con- 
 tinue the  vifible  tokens  pf  his  prefence  among  us,  his  ordinances, 
 that  England  may  be  called,  Jehovah  Shammah,  '  The  Lord  is 
 there,'  *  Ezek.  xlviii.  35.  Pray  that  righteoufnefs  and  peace 
 may  kifs  each  other,  that  fo  glory  may  dwell  in  our  land, 
 
TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  5  >3 
 
 Exod.  xx.  2.  Out  of  the  Houfe  of  Bondage. 
 
 Egypt  and  the  houfe  of  bondage  are  the  fame,  only 
 they  are  expreifed  under  a  different  notion.  By  Egypt  is  meant 
 a  place  of  idolatry  and  fuperliition  ;  by  the  houfe  of  bondage  is 
 meant  a  place  of  affliction,  lfrael,  while  they  were  in  Egypt, 
 were  under  great  tyranny  ;  they  had  cruel  talk-mailers  let  over 
 them,  who  put  them  to  hard  labour,  and  Get  them  to  make 
 brick,  yet  allowed  them  noltraw  ;  therefore  Egypt  is  called  the 
 iron  furnace,  Deut.  iv.  20.  and  here  the  houfe  of  bondage. 
 From  this  exprellion,  ■  I  brought  thee  out  of  the  houfe  of  bon- 
 dage,' two  things  are  to  be  noted  ;  1.  God's  children  may  fome- 
 times  be  under  lore  afflictions,  ■  In  the  houfe  of  bondage.'  That 
 God  will,  in  his  due  time,  bring  them  out  of  their  afflicted  (late, 
 '  I  brought  thee  out  of  the  houfe  of  bondage.' 
 
 1.  God's  children  may  fometimes  be  under  fore  afflictions, 
 In  domoj'ervitutis,  in  the  houfe  of  bondage  :  God's  people  have 
 no  writofeafe  granted  them,  no  charter  of  exemption  from 
 trouble  in  this  life  :  while  the  wicked  are  kept  in  i'ugar,  the 
 godly  are  oft  kept  in  brine.  And  indeed  how  could  God's 
 power  be  feen  in  bringing  them  out  of  trouble,  if  he  did  not 
 fometimes  bring  them  into  it?  or  how  lhould  God  wipe  away 
 the  tears  from  their  eyes  in  heaven,  if  on  earth  they  fhed  none? 
 doubtlefsGod  fees  there  is  need  that  his  children  fhould  be  fome- 
 times in  the  houfe  of  bondage,  1  Pet.  i.  6.  ■  If  need  be,  ye  are 
 in  heavinefs  :'  the  body  fometimes  doth  more  need  a  bitter  po- 
 tion than  a  julap. 
 
 Qu.  I.  Why  God  lets  his  people  be  in  the  houfe  of  bondage , 
 in  an  afflidled  Jiate  f 
 
 Anj.  He  doth  it,  1.  For  probation  or  trial,  Deut.  viii.  16. 
 '  Who  led  thee  through  that  terrible  wildernefs,  that  he  might 
 humble  thee  and  prove  thee.'  Affliction  is  the  touch-ftone  of 
 fincerity,  Pfal.  xlvi.  10,  11.  ■  Thou,  O  God,  haft  proved  us; 
 thou  hall  tried  us  as  filver  :  thou  laidft  affliction  upon  our  loins.' 
 Hypocrites  'may  embrace  the  true  religion  in  profperity,  and 
 court  this  queen  while  ihe  hath  a  jewel  hung  at  her  ear  :  but  he 
 is  a  good  Chrillian  who  will  keep  clofe  to  God  in  a  time  of  fuf- 
 fering,  Pfal.  xliv.  17.  '  All  this  is  come  upou  us,  yet  have  we 
 not  forgotten  thee  ;'  to  love  God  in  heaven,  is  no  wonder  :  but 
 to  love  God  when  he  chaltileth  us,  this  difcovers  fincerity. 
 
 9.  For  purgation  :  to  purge  our  corruption.  Ardct  palea, 
 pwgatur  aurum,  Ilk.  xxvii.  y.  ■  And  this  is  all  the  fruit,  to 
 take  away  his  fin.'  The  eye,  though  it  be  a  tender  part,  yet 
 when  it  is  fore,  we  put  (harp  powders  and  waters  into  it,  to  eat 
 out  the  pearl  ;  though  the  people  of  God  are  dear  to  him,  yet, 
 
 Y  y  3 
 
356  OF  THK  PftEf  ACB 
 
 when  corruption  begins  to  grow  in  them,  he  will  apply  the  fliarp 
 powder  of  affliction,  to  eat  out  the  pearl  in  the  eye.  Affliction 
 is  God's  flail  to  ihrefh  oft*  our  hufks;  it  is  a  means  God  ufeth  to 
 purge  out  (loth,  luxury,  pride  and  love  of  the  world.  ■  God's 
 furnace  is  in  Zion,*  Ifa  xxxi.  5.  Titos  is  not  toconfume,  but 
 to  refine:  what  if  we  have  more  affli6tion,  if  by  this  means  we 
 have  lefs  fin. 
 
 3.  For  augmentation  :  to  increafe  the  graces  of  the  Spirit : 
 grace  thrives  mod  in  the  iron  furnace  ;  fharp  frofts  nounth  the 
 corn,  lb  do  (barp  afflictions  grace  I  grace  in  the  faints  is  oft  en  as 
 fire  hid  in  the  embers,  affliction  is  the  bellows  to  blow  it  up  into 
 a  flame.  The  Lord  makes  the  houfe  of  bondage  a  friend  to  our 
 grace  :  now  faith  and  patience  act  their  part ;  the  darknefs  of 
 the  night  cannot  hinder  the  brightnefs  of  a  fiar :  fo,  the  more 
 the  diamond  is  cut,  the  more  it  fparkles ;  and  the  more  God 
 afflicts  u«,  the  more  our  graces  call  a  fparkling  luftre. 
 
 4.  For  preparation  :  to  fit  and  prepare  the  faints  for  glory, 
 €Cor.  iv.  i7.  Thefe  ftones  which  are  cut  out  for  a  building, 
 are  fit  ft  hewn  and  fquared  :  the  godly  are  called  '  living  ftones,* 
 1  Pet.  ii.  5.  And  God  doth  firft  hew  and  polifli  them  by  afflic- 
 tion, that  they  may  be  fit  for  the  heavenly  building  :  the  houfe 
 e>f  bondage  prepares  for  the  houfe  not  made  with  hands,  2  Cor. 
 v.  1.  The  veifels  of  mercy  are  feafoned  with  affliction,  and  then 
 the  wine  of  glory  is  poured  in. 
 
 Qu.  2.  How  do  the  affiiftions  of  the  godly  differ  from  the  afflic- 
 tions of  the  wicked  ? 
 
 AnJ.  1.  Thefe  are  but  caftigations.  thofe  on  the  wicked  are 
 punilhments  :  thefe  come  from  a  father,  thofe  from  a  judge. 
 
 2.  Afflictions  on  the  godly  are  fruits  of  covenant-mercy,  2 
 Sam.  vii.  14.  But  afflictions  on  the  wicked  are  effects  of  God's 
 wrath,  Eccl.  v.  17.  ■  He  hath  much  wrath  with  his  ficknefs.* 
 Afflictions  on  the  wicked  are  the  pledge  and  earned  of  hell  : 
 they  are  like  the  pinioning  of  a  malefactor,  which  doth  prefage 
 his  execution. 
 
 3.  Afflictions  on  the  godly  make  them  better,  but  afflictions 
 on  the  wicked  make  them  worfe  :  the  godly  pray  more,  PfaL 
 cxxx.  1.  The  wicked  blafpheme  more,  Rev.  xvi.  9.  '  Men 
 were  fcorched  with  great  heat,  and  blafphemed  the  name  of 
 God.'  Afflictions  on  the  wicked  make  them  more  impenitent  : 
 every  plague  upon  Egypt  increafed  the  plague  of  hardnefs  in 
 Pharaoh's  heart.  To  what  a  prodigy  of  wickednefs  do  fome 
 perfons  come  after  great  ficknefs  ?  affliction  on  the  godly  is  like 
 bruiting  of  fpices,  which  are  more  fweet  and  fragrant  :  afflic- 
 tion on  the  wicked  is  like  (lamping  of  weeds  with  a  peltle, 
 which  makes  them  more  unfavoury. 
 
 life  1.  It  fh'ews  us,  that  we  are  not  to  wonder  to  fee  Ifrael  in 
 the  houfe  of  bondage,  1  Pet.  iv.  1?.     The  holiueis  of  the  faints 
 
TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  357 
 
 will  notexcufe  them  from  fufierings  :  Chrift  was  the  holy  one 
 of  God,  yet  lie  was  in  the  iron  furnace  :  Chnlt's  fpoule  is  a  lily 
 among  thorns,  Cant.  ii.  8.   His  Qitoep,  though   tii  the 
 
 ear-mark  of  election  upon  them,  yet  may  have  their  wool  tleeced 
 oft';  die  godly  have  Lome  good  in  them,  therefore  the  detil 
 afflicts  them  ;  and  lome  evil  in  them,  therefore  God  affl.cts 
 them.  While  there  are  two  ler.ds  in  the  world,  expect  to  be 
 under  the  black  rod.  The  goipel  tells  us  of  reigning,  but  lirlt 
 of  iuffering,  $  Titn.  ii.  19. 
 
 2.  It  informs  us,  ttiat  affliction  is  not  always  the  fign  of  God's 
 anger:  Ilrael,  the  apple  of  God's  eye,  a  peculiar  trealure  to 
 him  above  all  people,  Exod.  xix.  5.  yet  theft  were  in  the 
 houfe  of  bondage.  We  are  apt  to  judge  and  cenfure  them  who 
 are  in  anaffli&ed  ltate.  When  the  Barbarians  faw  the  viper  on 
 Paul's  hand,  they  faid,  '  No  doubt  this  man  is  a  murderer/ 
 A<5ts  xxviii.  4.  fo,  when  we  fee  the  viper  of  affliction  fallen 
 upon  the  godly,  we  are  apt  to  cenfure  them,  and  lay,  thele  are 
 greater  Aimers  than  others,  and  God  hates  them  i  this  ruih  cen- 
 tring is  for  want  of  wifdom.  Were  not  Ilrael  in  the  houfe  of 
 bondage  ?  Jeremiah  in  the  dungeon?  Paul  a  night  and  a  day 
 in  the  deep  ?  God's  afflicting  is  fo  far  from  evidencing  hatred, 
 that  his  not  afflicting  is,  Hof.  iv.  14.  ■  I  will  not  punilh  your 
 daughters  when  they  commit  whoredom.'  Deus  maxime  iraj'ci- 
 tur  cum  non  irafcitur,  Bern.  God  punifheth  molt  when  he 
 doth  not  punifh  ;  his  hand  is  heavieft  when  it  Teems  to  be 
 lighted  ;  thejudge  will  not  burn  him  in  the  hand  whom  he  in- 
 tends to  execute. 
 
 3.  If  God's  own  Ifrael  may  be  in  the  houfe  of  bondage,  then 
 afflictions  do  not  of  themfelves  demonflrate  a  man  miferable. 
 Indeed  (in  unre|>ented  of,  makes  one  miferable  ;  but  the  crols 
 doth  not.  If  God  had  a  delign  in  afflicting  his  children,  to 
 make  them  happy,  then  they  are  not  miferable  ;  but  God's 
 afflicting  them  is  to  make  them  happy,  therefore  they  are  not 
 miferable,  Job.  v.  17.  *  Happy  is  the  man  whom  God  correct- 
 eth.'  The  world  counts  them  happy,  who  can  keep  out  of 
 affliction  ;  but  the  fcripture  calls  them  happy  who  are  afflicted. 
 
 Qu.  Hotc  are  they  happy  ? 
 
 Anj.  (i.)  Becaule  they  are  more  holy,  Heb.  xii.  10.  (2.) 
 Becaufe  they  are  more  in  God's  favour,  Prov.  iii.  12.  The 
 goldfmith  loves  his  gold  when  in  the  furnace.  (3.)  Becaufe 
 they  have  more  of  God's  tweet  prefence,  Pf.  xci.  15.  And 
 they  cannot  be  unhappy  that  have  God's  powerful  prefence  in 
 fupporting,  his  gracious  prefence  in  lanctitying  their  affliction. 
 (4.)  Becaufe,  the  more  affliction  they  have,  the  more  decrees  of 
 glory  they  fhall  have  :  the  lower  they  have  been  in  the  iron  fur- 
 nace, they  fhall  fit  upon  the  higher  throne  of  glory  :  the  hea- 
 vier their  crofles,  the  heavier  lhall  be  their  crown,     bo  then,  if 
 
S58  OF  HIE  PREFACE 
 
 afflictions  makes  a  Chriftian  happy,  they  cannot  denominate 
 him  miferable. 
 
 4.  See  the  merciful  providence  of  God  to  his  children  :  though 
 they  may  be  in  the  houle  of  bondage,  and  fmart  by  affliction, 
 yet  they  (hall  not  be  hurt  by  affliction.  What  hurt  doth  the 
 fan  to  the  corn  ?  only  leparates  the  chaff  from  it  :  or  the  lance 
 to  the  body  ?  only  lets  out  the  impollhume.  The  houle  of 
 bondage  doth  that  which  ibmetimea  ordinances  will  not  do;  it 
 doth  humble  and  reform,  Job  xxxvi.  8,  11.  '  If  they  be  held 
 in  cords  of  affliction ,  he  opeiieth  their  ear  to  difcipline,  and 
 commandeth  that  they  return  from  iniquity. '  O  what  a  mer- 
 ciful providence  is  this,  though  God  bruife  his  people  ;  yet, 
 while  he  is  bruifing  them,  he  is  doing  them  good?  as  if  one 
 fhould  throw  a  bag  of  money  at  another,  and  a  little  bruife  him, 
 yet  it  doth  enrich  him.  Affliction  enricheth  the  foul,  and 
 yields  the  fvveet  fruits  of  righteoufnefs,  Heb.  xii.  11. 
 
 5.  If  Ifrael  be  in  the  houfe  of  bondage  ;  if  the  Lord  deals  fo 
 with  his  own  children,  then,  howfeverely  will  he  deal  with  the 
 wicked  ?  if  God  be  fo  fevere  with  them  he  loves,  how  fevere 
 will  he  be  with  them  he  hates  ?  if  it  be  done  in  the  green  tree, 
 what  (hall  be  done  in  the  dry  ?  if  they  that  pray  and  mourn  for 
 fin  be  fo  feverely  dealt  with,  what  will  become  of  them  that 
 fwear,  and  break  the  fabbath,  and  are  unclean  ?  If  Ifrael  be  in 
 the  iron  furnace,  the  wicked  (hall  lie  in  the  fiery  furnace  of  hell. 
 It  fhould  be  the  faddeft  news  to  wicked  men,  to  hear  that  the 
 people  of  God  are  afflicted,  let  them  think  how  dreadful  will 
 the  cafe  of  finners  be,  1  Pet.  iv.  17.  ■  Judgment  mutt  begin 
 at  the  houfe  of  God  ;  and  if  it  fir  it  begin  at  us,  what  (hall  the 
 end  be  of  them  that  obey  not  the  gofpel  ?'  If  God  threfh  his 
 wheat,  he  will  burn  the  chaff,  If  the  godly  fuifer  caftigation, 
 the  wicked  fhali  fuffer  condemnation.  If  he  mingle  his  peo- 
 ple's cup  with  wormwood  he  will  mingle  the  wicked's  cup 
 with  fire  and  hrimf\one. 
 
 Q.  Ufe  1.  If  Ifrael  be  in  the  houfe  of  bondage,  then  do  not 
 entertain  too  hard  thoughts  of  affliction.  Christians  are  apt  to 
 look  upon  the  crofs  and  the  iron  furnace  as  frightful  things,  and 
 do  what  they  can  to  fhun  them.  Nay,  fometimes  to  avoid 
 affliction,  they  run  themfelves  into  fin.  But  do  not  think  too 
 hardly  of  affliction  ;  do  not  look  upon  it  as  through  the  multi- 
 plying-glafs  of  fear  ;  the  houfe  of  bondage  is  not  hell.  Confi- 
 der,  Firfti  whence  doth  affliction  come  ?  even  from  a  wife  God, 
 who  prefcribes  whatever  befalls  us.  Perfecutions  are  but  like 
 apothecaries.  They  give  us  that  phyfic  which  God  prefcribes. 
 Secondly,  affliction  hath  its  light  fide  as  well  as  its  dark.  God 
 can  fweeten  our  afflictions,  candy  our  wormwood,  2  Cor.  i.  5. 
 '  As  our  furferings  abound,  fo  doth  all  our  confolation.'  Arge- 
 rius  dated  his  letters  from  the  pleafunt  garden  of  the  Leonine 
 
TO  THE  TI.\  vndmi:nts.  359 
 
 prifon.     God  doth  fometimes  fo  revive  hi^  children  in  trouble, 
 (hat  they  had   rather  hear  their  affliction*  than  want  their  - 
 
 Why  then  mould  Chritiians  entertain  inch  bard  thoughts 
 of  affliction  ?  do  not  look  at  its  ffrim  lace,  but  at  the  mefl  i 
 b,  which  is  to  enrich  u>  both  with  grace  and  comfort. 
 
 2dhf,  If  ll'rael  be  fometimes  in  the  houle  of  bondage,  in  an 
 afflicted  ttate,  then  think  before-hand  of  affliction;  lav  not  as 
 Job  xxix.  18.  '  I  Oiall  die  in  my  neft.'  In  the  houfe  of  mirth, 
 think  of  the  houfe  of  bondage  ;  you  that  are  now  Naomi,  may 
 be  Marah,  Ruth  i.  £0.  how  quickly  may  the  (bene  turn,  and 
 the  hyperbole  of  joy  end  in  a  catallrophe  ;  all  outward  things 
 are  upon  the  Tropics,  given  to  change.  The  forethoughts  of 
 affliction  would  make  us  Ibber  and  moderate  in  the  ute  of  lawful 
 delight ;  it  would  cure  a  forfeit.  Chrift  at  a  feaft  mentions  his 
 burial ;  a  good  antidote  againlt  a  furfeit.  The  forethoughts  of 
 affliction  would  make  us  prepare  for  it  ;  it  would  take  us  oil' the 
 world,  it  would  put  us  upon  a  tearch  of  our  evidences. 
 
 We  mould  fee  what  oil  we  have  in  our  lamp,  what  grace  we 
 ran  find,  that  we  may  be  able  to  (land  in  the  evil  day.  That 
 foldier  was  imprudent  who  had  his  fword  to  whet,  when  he 
 was  j nt t  going  to  fight.  He  who  forecatis  iufTerings,  will  have 
 the  ihield  of  faith,  and  the  fword  of  the  Spirit  ready,  that  he 
 may  not  be  fur  prized. 
 
 3d/i/,  If  afflictions  do  come,  let  us  labour  to  deport  ourfelves 
 wifely  usChriltians,  that  we  may  adorn  our  iuiYenngs  :  that  is, 
 let  us  endure  with  patience  ;  James  v.  10.  *  Take,  my  brethren, 
 the  prophets  for  an  example  of  enduring  affliction  and  patience.' 
 Satan  labours  to  take  advantage  of  us  in  affliction,  by  making 
 us  either  faint  or  murmur ;  he  blows  the  coals  of  pallion  and 
 difcontent,  and  then  warms  himfelf  at  the  fire.  Patience  adorns 
 furferings.  A  Chrift ian  fliould  lay  as  Jelus  Chrift,  ■  Lord,  not 
 mv  will,  but  thy  will  be  done.*  And  indeed,  it  is  a(i§u  the 
 affliction  is  fanctified,  when  the  heart  is  brought  to  a  fvveet  iul>- 
 millive  frame,  and  then  God  will  remove  the  affliction  :  he  will 
 take  us  out  of  the  iron  furnace.  And  that  brings  me  to  the 
 fecond  thing,  God's  deliverance  of  his  people  Ifraei,  '  I  brought 
 you  out  of  the  houle  of  bondage.' 
 
 Exod.  xx.  2.      Who  brought  thee  out  of  the  houfe  of  bondage. 
 
 "We  may  confider  thefe  words,  '  Who  brought  thee  out 
 of  the  houfe  of  bondage  ;*  either,  1.  Literally;  or,  c2.  Spiritual- 
 ly, and  myftically.  (1.)  In  the  letter,  *  I  brought  thee  out 
 of  the  houle  of  bondage;'  that  is,  I  delivered  you  out  of  the 
 mifery  and  fervitude  youlultained  in  Egypt,  when  you  were  in 
 
360  OF  TH«    PREFACE 
 
 the  iron  furnace.  (2.)  Spiritually  and  myftically,  *  I  brought 
 thee  out  of  the  houfe  of  bondage.'  So  it  is  a  type  of  our  de-» 
 liverance  by  Chrift  from  tin  and  hell. 
 
 Firji,  Literally,  in  the  letter,  ■  I  brought  thee  out  of  the? 
 houfe  of  bondage.'  viz.  out  of  great  miiery  and  flavery  in  the 
 iron  furnace.  The  thing  I  note  hence  is,  though  God  bring  his 
 people  fometimes  into  trouble,  yet  he  will  bring  them  out  again, 
 Iirael  was  in  the  houfe  of  bondage,  but  at  laft  I  brought  you 
 out  of  bondage.  1.  That  God  doth  deliver  out  of  trouble.  2. 
 In  what  manner.  3.  When  are  the  feafons.  4.  Why  God 
 delivers.  .5.  How  the  deliverances  of  the  godly  and  wicked 
 out  of  trouble  differ  ? 
 
 \/i,  That  God  doth  deliver  his  children  out  of  troubles,  Pfal. 
 xxii.  4.  ■  Our  fathers  trufted  in  thee,  they  trufted,  and  thou 
 didit  deliver  them,'  2  Tim.  iv.  1?.  '  And  I  was  delivered  out 
 of  the  mouth  of  the  lion,'  viz.  from  Nero.  Pfal.  lxvi.  11,  12. 
 *  Thou  laidft  affliction  upon  our  loins,  but  thou  broughtett  us 
 out  into  a  wealthy  place.'  Pfal.  xxx.  5.  ■  Heavinefs  may  en- 
 dure for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh  in  the  morning.'  God  brought 
 Daniel  out  of  the  lion's  den,  Zion  out  of  Babylon.  God,  in 
 his  due  time,,  gives  an  iffue  out  of  trouble,  Pfal.  lxviii.  20.  The 
 tree  which  in  the  winter  feemsdead,  in  the  ipring  revives  :  Pojl 
 nubila  Phasbus.  Affliction  may  leap  on  us  as  the  viper  did  on 
 Paul,  but  at  laft  this  viper  fhall  be  fhaken  off.  It  is  called  a 
 cup  of  affliction,  Ifa.  li.  17.  The  wicked  drink  a  fea  of  wrath, 
 the  godly  drink  only  a  cup  of  affliction,  and  God  will  fay  fhortly, 
 Let  this  cup  pafs  away.  God  will  give  his  people  a  goal- 
 delivery,. 
 
 2dly,  Qu.  In  what  manner  doth  God  deliver  his  people  out  of 
 trouble  ? 
 
 Anf.  He  doth  it  like  a  God,  in  wifdom.  1.  He  doth  it 
 fometimes  fuddenly.  As  the  angel  was  caufed  to  fly  fwiftly, 
 Dan.  ix.  21.  ib  God  fometimes  makes  a  deliverance  fly  fwiftly 
 upon  the  wing,  and  on  a  fudden  he  turns  the  (hadow  of  death 
 into  the  light  of  the  morning.  As  God  gives  us  mercies  above 
 what  we  can  think,  Eph.  iii.  20.  fo  fometimes  before  we  can 
 think  of  them,  Pfal.  cxxvi.  1.  *  When  the  Lord  turned  the 
 captivity  of  Sion,  we  were  like  them  that  dreamed  ;'  we  were 
 in  a  dream,  we  never  thought  of  it.  Jofeph  could  not  have 
 thought  of  fuel)  a  fudden  alteration,  to  be  the  fame  day  freed 
 out  of  prifon,  and  made  the  chief  ruler  in  the  kingdom.  Mercy 
 fometimes  does  not  ltick  long  in  the  birth,  but  it  is  brought 
 forth  on  a  fudden.  2.  God  fometimes  delivers  his  people 
 ftrangely.  That  the  whale  which  fwal lowed  up  Jonah  mould 
 be  a  means  to  bring  him  fate  to  land,  God  fometimes  delivers  his 
 people  in  that  very  way  they  think  he  will  deftroy  :  in  bringing 
 Hrael  out  of  Egypt,  God  ftirred  up  the  heart  of  the  Egyptians 
 
TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  3(Jl 
 
 to  hate  thenii  Pfal.  cv.  89L  and  that  wu  the  moans  of  their 
 deliverance,  lie  brought  Paul  to  (hore  b;»  a  contrary  wind,  and 
 upon  the  broken  pieces  of  the  (hip,   Arts  xxvii,  -i  I. 
 
 3d/y,  Qu.    When  are  the  times  and  »  tAal  GW  ufually 
 
 delivers  his  people  out  of  the  bondage  ofnjflu  Hon  .' 
 
 Anf.  1.  When  they  were  in  the  greateft  extremity.  When. 
 Jonah  was  in  the  belly  of  hell,  then,  chap,  ii-  5.  *  Thou  halt 
 brought  up  my. life  from  corruption.'  When  there  is  but  an 
 hair's- breadth  between  the  godly  and  death,  then  God  ufliers 
 in  deliverance.  When  the  fhip  in  the  golpel  was  almolt  covered 
 with  waves,  then  Chrift  awoke  and  rebuked  the  wind.  When 
 Iiaac  was  upon  the  altar,  and  the  knife  going  to  be  put  to  his 
 throat,  then  comes  the  angel,  ■  Lay  not  thy  hand  upon  the 
 child.'  When  Peter  began  to  (ink,  then  Chritt  took  him  by 
 the  hand.  Cum  duplicantur  laleres,  venit,  Mofes ;  when  the 
 tale  of  brick  was  doubled,  then  comes  Mofes  the  temporal  fa- 
 viour.  When  the  people  of  God  are  in  the  greateft  danger, 
 then  appears  the  morning-ftar  of  deliverance.  When  the  pa- 
 tient is  ready  to  faint,  then  the  cordial  is  given. 
 
 2.  The  fecond  fealbn  is,  when  affliction  hath  done  its  work 
 upon  them  :  when  it  hath  effected  that  which  which  God  hath 
 fent  it  for.  As,  (I.)  When  it  hath  humbled  them,  Lam.  iii. 
 19.  '  Remembering  my  affliction,  the  wormwood  and  gall,  my 
 foul  is  humbled  in  me.'  When  God's  corrolive  hath  eaten  out 
 the  proud  flefh.  (2.)  When  it  hath  tamed  their  impatience. 
 Before,  they  were  proud  and  impatient,  like  froward  children 
 that  would  ftruggle  with  their  parents :  but  when  their  curlt 
 hearts  are  tamed,  and  they  fay  as  Micah  vii.  <).  *  I  will  bear  the 
 indignation  of  the  Lord,  becaufe  I  have  finned  againlt  him;' 
 and  as  Eli,  *  It  is  the  Lord  ;  let  him  do  whatfeems  good  :'  Let 
 him  hedge  me  with  thorns,  if  he  will  plant  me  with  grace. 
 
 3.  When  they  are  more  partakers  of  God's  holineis,  Heb. 
 xii.  10.  they  are  more  full  of  heavenly-mindedneis.  When  the 
 lharp  froft  of  affliction  hath  brought  forth  the  fpring-flowers  of 
 grace,  now  the  crofs  is  fanctified,  and  God  will  bring  them  out 
 of  the  houfe  of  bondage.  Lucius  in  lectitium  vertetar,  cineres  in 
 corollas.  When  the  metal  is  refined,  then  it  is  taken  out  of  the 
 furnace  ;  when  affliction  hath  healed  us,  then  God  takea  oil'  the 
 fmarting  plailter. 
 
 4lhly,  Qu.  Why  doth  God  bring  his  people  out  of  the  houfe  of 
 bondage  ?  \ 
 
 Anf.  Hereby  he  makes  way  for  his  own  glory.  God's  glory 
 is  dearer  to  him  than  any  thing  befides ;  it  is  a  crown-jewel. 
 God  by  raifing  his  people,  raifeth  the  trophies  of  his  own  ho- 
 nour :  he  glorifies  his  attributes ;  his  power,  gooduef*,  truth, 
 do  all  ride  in  triumph. 
 
 1.  His  power.     If  God  did  not  fometimes  bring  his  people 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  8.  Z 
 
3(52  OF  THE  PREFACE 
 
 into  trouble,  how  would  this  power  be  feen  in  bringing  them 
 out?  he  brought  Ifrael  out  of  the  houfe  of  bondage,  with  mira- 
 cle upon  miracle;  he  faved  them  with  an  out-flretched  arm, 
 Pfal.cxiv.6.  •  What  ailed  thee,  O  thou  fea,  that  thou  fleddeft?' 
 &c.  It  is  fpoken  of  Ilrael's  march  out  of  Egypt ;  '  When  the 
 fea  fled,  and  the  waters  were  parted  from  each  other.'  Here 
 "was  the  power  of  God  fet  forth,  Jer.  xxxii.  27.  ■  Is  any  thing 
 too  hard  for  me  ?'  God  loves  to  help,  when  things  feem  pail 
 hope ;  he  creates  deliverance,  Plal.  cxxiv.  8.  He  brought 
 Ifaac  out  of  a  dead  womb,  and  the  Mefliah  out  of  a  virgin's 
 womb.  O  how  doth  his  power  (bine  forth,  when  he  overcomes 
 feeming  impoifibilities,  and  works  a  cure  when  things  look  def- 
 perate ! 
 
 2.  His  truth.  God  hath  made  promifes  to  his  people  when 
 they  are  under  great  preifures  to  deliver  them  ;  and  his  truth  is 
 engaged  in  his  promife,  Plal.  1.  15.  .'  Call  upon  me  in  the  day 
 of  trouble,  I  will  deliver  thee.'  Job  v.  iy.  ■  He  (hall  deliver 
 thee  in  fix  troubles,  and  in  feven.'  How  is  the  fcripture  be- 
 fpangled  with  thefe  promifes,  as  the  firmament  is  with  ftars? 
 either  God  will  deliver  them  from  death,  or  by  death  ;  he  will 
 make  a  way  to  efcape,  1  Cor.  x.  13.  When  promifes  are  veri- 
 fied, God's  truth  is  magnified. 
 
 3;  His  goodnefs.  God  is  full  of  companion  to  fuch  as  are  in 
 mifery.  The  Hebrew  word,  Racham,  for  mercy,  fignifies 
 bowels.  God  hath  '  founding  of  bowels,'  Ifa.  lxiii.  15.  And 
 this  fympathy  ftirs  up  God  to  deliver,  Ifa.  Ixiii.  Q.  '  In  his  love 
 and  pity  he  redeemed  them.'  This  makes  way  for  the  triumph 
 of  God's  goodnefs.  For  he  is  tender-hearted,  he  will  not  over- 
 aftlicl; ;  he  cuts  afunder  the  bars  of  iron,  he  breaks  the  yoke  of 
 the  opprelfor.  Thus  ail  his  attributes  ride  in  triumph,  in  fav- 
 ing  his  people  out  of  trouble. 
 
 bthly,  Qu.  How  the  deliverance  of  the  godly  and  wicked  out 
 of  trouble,  differ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  The  deliverances  of  the  godly  are  prefervations ;  of 
 the  wicked  are  refervations,  2  Pet.  ii.  9.  '  The  Lord  knows  how 
 to  deliver  the  godly,  and  to  referve  the  unjult  to  be  punifhed.* 
 A  (Inner  may  be  delivered  from  dangerous  ficknefs,  and  out  of 
 prifon  ;  but  all  this  is  but  a  reiervation  to  fome  greater  evil. 
 
 2.  God  delivers  the  wicked  (or  rather  fpares  them)  in  anger. 
 Deliverances  to  the  wicked  are  not  given  as  pledges  of  God's 
 love,  butfymptoms  of  difpleafure  ;  as  quails  were  given  to  Ifrael 
 in  anger.  But  deliverances  of  the  godly  are  in  love,  2  Sam. 
 xxii.  20.  '  He  delivered  me  becaule  he  delighted  in  me.'  Ifa. 
 xxxviii.  17,  ■  Thou  hall,  in  love  to  my  foul,  delivered  me  from 
 the  pit  of  corruption  ;'  or  as  in  the  Hebrew,  ChaJJiiacta  Naphflii, 
 Thou  haft  loved  me  from  the  pit  of  corruption.  A  wicked  man 
 may  fay,  Lord,  thou  haft  delivered  me  out  of  the  pit  of  corrup- 
 
TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  363 
 
 tion  ;  but  a  godly  man  may  fay,  Lord,  thou  haft  loved  me  out 
 of  the  pit  of  corruption.  It  is  one  thing  to  have  God's  power 
 deliver  us,  and  another  thing  to  have  Ins  love  deliver  us.  O, 
 laith  Heztkiah,  4  Thou  hail,  in  love  to  my  foul,  delivered  me 
 from  the  pit  of  corruption.' 
 
 Qu.      How  may  it  be  known  that  a  deliverance  comes  in  love? 
 
 Anf.  1.  When  a  deliverance  makes  our  heart  boil  ovei  in 
 love  to  God,  Plal.  cxvi.  1.  «  I  love  the  Lord,  hecaufe  he  hath 
 heard  my  voice.'  It  is  one  thing  to  love  our  mercies,  another 
 thing  to  love  the  Lord  :  then  a  deliverance  is  in  love,  when  it 
 cauteth  love. 
 
 %  Then  a  deliverance  is  in  love,  when  we  have  hearts  to  im- 
 prove it  for  God's  glory.  The  wicked  inttead  of  improving 
 their  deliverance  for  God's  glory,  improve  their  corruption  : 
 they  grow  worfe  after,  as  the  metal  when  it  is  taken  out  of  the 
 fire  grows  harder ;  but  then  our  deliverance  is  in  love,  when  we 
 improve  it  for  God's  glory.  God  raifeth  us  out  of  a  low  con- 
 dition, and  we  lift  him  up  in  our  praifes,  and  honour  him  with 
 our  fublbmce,  Prov.  iii.  i).  He  recovers  us  from  ficknefs,  and 
 we  fpend  ourfelves  in  his  fervice.  Mercy  is  not  as  the  fun  to 
 the  fire,  to  dull  it,  and  put  it  out ;  but  as  oil  to  the  wheel,  to 
 make  it  move  falter. 
 
 3.  Then  a  deliverance  comes  in  love,  when  it  makes  us  more 
 exemplary  in  holioefs  :  our  lives  are  walking  Bibles.  A  thou- 
 sand praifes  and  doxologies  do  not  honour  God  lb  much  as  the 
 mortifying  of  one  lull,  Obadiah  17.  '  On  mount  Zion  there 
 fhall  be  deliverance  and  holinefs.'  When  thefe  two  go  together, 
 deliverance  and  holinefs;  when,  being  made  monuments  of 
 mercy,  we  are  patterns  of  piety  ;  now  a  deliverance  comes  in 
 love,  and  we  may  fay  as  Hezektah,  ■  Thou  halt  loved  me  out 
 of  the  pit  of  corruption.' 
 
 Uj'e  1.  If  God  brings  his  people  out  of  bondage,  then  let  none 
 defpond  in  trouble,  fay  not,  I  lhall  fink  under  this  burden;  as 
 David,  '  I  lhall  one  day  perifli  by  the  hand  of  Saul.'  God  can 
 make  this  text  good  perfonally  and  nationally,  to  bring  his  peo- 
 ple out  of  the  houfe  of  bondage  :  when  he  fees  a  fit  feafon,  he 
 will  put  forth  his  arm  and  lave  them  ;  ami  he  can  do  it  with 
 eafe,  2  Chron.  xiv.  11.  'It  is  nothing  for  thee,  Lord,  to  help.' 
 He  that  turns  the  tides,  can  turn  the  times  :  he  that  railed  La- 
 zarus when  he  was  dead,  can  raife  thee  when  thou  art  lick.  ltd. 
 lxiii.  5.  •  I  looked,  and  there  was  none  to  help:  th<  refore  my 
 own  arm  brought  falvation.'  Do  not  defpond  ;  believe  in  Go 
 power:  faith  lets  God  on  work  to  deliver  us. 
 
 Ufe  9.  Labour  (if  you  are  in  trouble)  to  be  fitted  ior  de- 
 liverance :  many  would  have  deliverance,  but  are  not  fitted 
 for  it. 
 
 Qu.   When  are  wc  fitted  for  aelwerunt  i 
 
 Z  z  2 
 
364  OF  THE  PREFACE 
 
 Anf.  When  we  are,  by  our  affli&ions,  conformed  to  Chrift: 
 namely,  when  we  have  learned  obedience,  Heb.  v.  8.  '  He 
 learned  obedience  by  the  things  which  he  fuffered  ;'  that  is,  he 
 learned  fweet  fubmiffion  to  his  Father's  will.  Luke  xxii.  42. 
 *  Not  my  will  but  thy  will  be  done.'  When  we  have  thus 
 learned  obedience  by  our  fufferings,  we  are  willing  to  do  what 
 God  would  have  us  do,  and  be  what  God  would  have  us  be. 
 Now  we  are  conformed  to  Chrift,  and  are  fitted  for  deliverance. 
 
 3.  If  God  had  brought  you  at  any  time  out  of  the  houfe  of 
 bondage,  out  of  great  and  imminent  troubles,  be  much  in 
 doxology  and  praife.  Deliverance  calls  for  praife,  Pfal.  xxx. 
 1L,  \c2.  '  Thou  haft  put  off  my  fackcloth  ;  and  girded  me  with 
 gladnefs  :  to  the  end  that  my  glory  may  fing  praife  to  thee/ 
 My  glory,  that  is,  my  tongue,  which  is  the  inftrument  of  glorify- 
 ing thee.  The  faints  are  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  1  Cor. 
 iii.  16.  Where  fhould  God'spraifes  be  founded  but  in  his  tem- 
 ple? Benefichm  pojhdat  efficium  :  the  deepeft  fprings  yield  the 
 fweetelt  water  ;  and  hearts  deeply  fenfible  of  God's  deliveran- 
 ces yield  the  iweeteft  praifes.  Mofes  tells  Pharaoh,  when  he 
 was  going  out  of  Egypt,  *  We  will  go  with  our  fheep  and  cat- 
 tle,' Exod.  x.  9  Why  fo,  becaufe  he  might  have  facrifices  of 
 thankfgiving  ready  to  offer  to  God  for  their  deliverance.  To 
 have  a  thankful  heart  for  deliverance  is  a  greater  bleftingthan 
 the  deliverance  itfelf,  Luke  xvii.  15.  One  of  the  lepers, 
 '  when  he  faw  he  was  healed,  turned  back,  and  with  aloud  voice 
 glorified  God.'  The  leper's  thankful  heart  wras  a  greater  blef- 
 fing  than  to  be  healed  of  his  leprofy :  have  any  of  you  here 
 been  brought  out  of  the  houfe  of  bondage  :  out  of  prifon,  fick- 
 nefs,  or  any  death-threatening  danger?  do  not  forget  to  be 
 thankful :  be  not  graves,  but  temples.  And,  that  you  may  be 
 more  thankful,  obierve  every  emphafis  and  circumftance  in  your 
 deliverance  ;  as  to  be  brought  out  of  trouble  when  you  were  in 
 articulo  mortis,  there  was  but  an  hair's-breadth  between  you  and 
 death  ;  or  to  be  brought  out  of  affliction,  without  fin,  you  did 
 not  purchafe-your  deliverance  by  theenibaring  of  yourconfcien- 
 ces  ;  or,  to  be  brought  out  of  trouble  upon  the  wings  of  prayer ; 
 or,  that  thole  who  were  the  occafions  of  bringing  you  into  trou- 
 ble, fhould  be  theinftrumentsof  bringingyou  out :  thefecircum- 
 ftances,  being  well  weighed,  do  heighten  a  deliverance,  and 
 fhould  heighten  our  thankfulnefs.  The  cutting  of  a  ftone  may 
 be  of  more  value  than  the  ftone  itfelf;  and  the  circumftancing 
 of  a  deliverance  may  be  greater  than  the  deliverance  itfelf. 
 
 Qu.  2.  But  howjliall  we  praife  God  in  a  right  manner  for  de- 
 liverance f 
 
 Anf.  1.  Be  holy  perfons.  In  the  facrifice  of  thankfgiving, 
 whoibever  did  eat  thereof,  with  their  uncleannefs  upon  them, 
 
TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  3f>."> 
 
 -wore  to  be  cut  off,  Lev.  vii.  20.  to  typify  how  unpleafing  their 
 praifes  and  thank-offerings  are  who  live  in  fin. 
 
 I'raife  God  with   humble  hearts,    acknowledge  how  un- 
 worthy you  were  of  deliverance  ;   God's  rnercus  are  DOC  d<  ats, 
 
 but  legacies  ;  and  that  you  Ihould  have  a  legacy  given  you,  be 
 humble,  Rev.  xi.  1(>.  ■  The  elders  fell  upon  their  faces  (an  ex- 
 prellion  of  humility)  and  worlhipped  and  prailVd  God.' 
 
 3.  Praile  God  for  deliverances  cordially,  Plal.  cxi.  1.  ■  I 
 will  praife  the  Lord  with  my  whole  heart.'  In  religion  there 
 is  no  mufic  but  in  concert,  when  heart  and  tongue  join. 
 
 4.  Praile  God  for  deliverances  conltantly,  Pfal.  cxlvi.  2. 
 •  While  I  live  will  I  blefs  the  Lord  :'  fome  will  be  thankful  while 
 the  memory  of  a  deliverance  is  frefh,  and  then  they  leave  off. 
 Like  the  Carthaginians,  who  ufed  at  firlt  to  fend  the  tenth  of 
 their  yearly  revenue  to  Hercules :  but  by  degrees  they  grew 
 weary,  and  left  off  lending.  But  we  mult  be  conftant  in  our 
 eucharillical  facrifice  or  thank-offering  :  the  motion  of  our  praile 
 mult  be  like  the  motion  of  our  pulfe,  which  beats  as  long  as  life 
 falts,  Pfal.  cxlvi.  1.  ■  I  will  fing  praifes  to  my  God  while  I  have 
 a  being/ 
 
 •  ••HIII40PII 
 
 Exod.  xx.  2.     Out  of  the  Houfe  of  Bondage. 
 
 Secondly,  These  words  are  to  be  underftood  myftically 
 and  fpiritually.  By  Ifrael's  deliverance  from  the  houfe  of  bond- 
 age, is  typified  their  fpiritual  deliverance  from  fin,  Satan  and 
 hell. 
 
 I.  from  fin. ]  The  houfe  of  bondage  was  a  typeof  Ifrael's  de- 
 liverance from  fin.  Sin  is  the  true  bondage,  it  enflaves  the  foul, 
 Nihil  durias  fervitute ,  Cicero.  "  Of  all  conditions,  fervitude  is 
 the  worft."  M  I  was  held  before  converfion  (faith  Aultin)  not 
 with  an  iron  chain,  but  with  the  obttinacy  of  mine  own  will." 
 Sin  is  the  infbver :  fin  is  called  a  law,  Rom.  vii.  23.  becaufe 
 it  hath  fuch  a  binding  power  over  a  man  ;  and  it  is  faid  to  reign, 
 Rom.  vi.  12.  becaufe  ii  exercifeth  a  tyrannical  power:  and 
 men  are  faid  to  be  the  fervants  of  fin,  Rom.  vi.  17.  becaufe 
 they  are  lb  enflaved  by  it.  Thus  fin  is  the  houfe  of  bondage 
 Ifrael  was  not  fo  enfiaved  in  the  iron  furnace,  as  the  (inner  is  by 
 fin  :  thofe  are  worfe  (laves  and  valfals  who  are  under  the  power 
 of  fin,  than  thofe  who  are  under  the  power  of  earthly  tyrants. 
 
 1.  Other  Haves  have  the  tyrants  only  ruling  over  their  bodies; 
 but  the  finner  hath  his  foul  tyrannized  over;  the  foul,  that 
 princely  thing,  which  fways  the  fceptre  of  reafon,  and  was 
 once  crowned  with  perfect  knowledge  and  holinefs,  now  this 
 
360  OF  THE  PREFACE 
 
 prince  goes  on  foot ;  it  is  enflaved,  and  made  a  lackey  to  every 
 bafe  lull. 
 
 2.  Other  flaves  have  Tome  pity  fhewn  them  ;  the  tyrant  gives 
 them  meat,  and  lets  them  have  hours  for  their  reft;  but  fin  is 
 a  mercilefs  tyrant,  it  will  let  men  have  no  reft.  Judas  had 
 no  reft  until  he  had  betrayed  Chrift ;  and  after  that,  he  had  lefs 
 reft  in  his  confcience.  How  doth  a  man  hackney  himfelf  out 
 in  the  fervice  of  fin,  wafte  his  body,  break  his  deep,  diftraft 
 his  mind  ?  a  wicked  man  is  every  day  doing  fin's  drudgery- 
 work. 
 
 3.  Other  flaves,  tho'  they  are  fet  about  fervile  work,  yet 
 about  lawful  :  it  is  lawful  to  work  in  the  galley,  tug  at  the  oar  ; 
 but  all  the  laws  and  commands  of  fin  are  unlawful.  Sin  faith 
 to  one  man,  defraud  ;  to  another,  be  unchafte  ;  to  another, 
 take  revenge  ;  to  another,  take  a  falie  oath,  Thus  all  fin's  com- 
 mands are  unlawful ;  we  cannot  obey  fins  law,  but  by  breaking 
 GodVlaw. 
 
 4.  Other  flaves  are  forced  againft  their  will ;  Ifrael  groaned 
 under  flavery,  Exod.  ii.  23.  but  finners  are  content  to  be  under 
 the  command  of  fin  ;  they  are  willing  to  be  flaves,  they  love 
 their  chains,  they  will  not  take  their  freedom  ;  they  c  glory  in 
 their  fhame,'  Phil.  iii.  19.  They  wear  their  fins,  not  as  their 
 fetters,  but  their  ornaments  :  they  rejoice  in  iniquity,  Jer. 
 xi.  15. 
 
 5.  Other  flaves  are  brought  to  correction,  but  fin's  flaves  are, 
 without  repentance,  brought  to  condemnation  :  other  flaves  lie 
 in  the  iron  furnace,  fin's  flaves  lie  in  the  fiery  furnace.  What 
 freedom  of  will  hath  afinner  to  his  own  confufion,  when  he  can 
 do  nothing  but  what  fin  will  have  him  ?  he  is  enflaved.  Thus 
 finners  are  in  the  houfe  of  bondage  ;  but  God  takes  his  elect  out 
 of  this  houfe  of  bondage  :  he  beats  off  the  chains  and  fetters  of 
 fin  ;  he  refcues  them  from  their  flavery  ;  he  makes  them  free, 
 by  bringing  them  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God, 
 Rom.  viii.  The  law  of  love  now  commands,  not  the  law  of 
 fin.  Though  the  life  of  fin  be  prolonged,  yet  not  the  domi- 
 nion :  as  thofe  beads  in  Daniel  had  their  lives  prolonged  for  a 
 fealon,  but  their  dominion  was  taken  away,  Dan.  vii.  12.  The 
 faints  are  made  fpiritual  kings,  to  rule  and  conquer  their  corrup- 
 tions, to  •  bind  thefe  kings  in  chains.'  This  is  the  matter  of 
 the  higheft  praife  and  thankfgiving,  to  be  thus  taken  out  of  the 
 houie  of  bondage,  to  be  freed  from  inflaving  lufts,  and  made 
 kings  to  reign  in  glory  for  ever. 
 
 II.  The  bringing  Ifrael  out  of  the  houfe  of  bondage,  was  a 
 type  of  their  deliverance  from  Satan.  Thus  men  naturally  are 
 in  the  houfe  of  bondage,  they  are  enflaved  to  Satan  :  Satan  is 
 called  the  prince  of  this  world,  John  xiv.  30.  and  the  god  of 
 this  world,  2  Cor.  iv.  4.    becaufe  he  hath  fuch  power  to  com- 
 
 ■■ 
 
TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  367 
 
 mand  and  enflave  them.     Though  Satan  fliaM  one  day  he  a  clofe 
 prifoner  in  chains,  yet  now  he  doth  intuit  and  tyrannize  ovei  the 
 fouls  of  men  ;   finnersare  under  the  rule  of  Satan,  he  exercifeth 
 over  them  fucli  a  jurifdiclion  as  Ciefar  did  over  the  fenate.    The 
 oYvil  fills  men's  heads  with  error,  and  their  hearts  with  malice, 
 !   -         I.  ■  Why  hath  Satan  filled  thine  heart?'  A  miner's  heart 
 is  the  devil's  nianlion-houfe,  Matth.  xii.  44.    « I  will  return  into 
 mine  houfe.'     And  Cure  that  mult  needs  be  an  houfe  of  bondage, 
 which  is  the  devil's  manfion-houfe.     Satan  is  a  perfect,  tyrai. 
 1.  lie  rule*  men's  minds,  he  blinds  them  with  ignorance,  9  Cor. 
 iv.   [.    ■  The  god  of  tins   world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them 
 that  believe  not.'     2.   lie  rules  their  memories  ;  they  (hall  re- 
 member that  which  is  evil,  and  forget  that  which  is  good  :   their 
 memories  are  like  a  fercer  or  tirainer,  that  lets  go  all  the  pure 
 liquor,  and  returns  only  the  dregs.      He  rules  their  wills  :    tho* 
 the  devil  cannot  force  the  will  yet  he  draws  it,   John  viii.  41. 
 The  hilts  of  your  father  you  will  do.'     He  hath  got  your  hearts 
 and  him  you  will  obey  :    his  ftrong  temptations  do  more  draw 
 men  to  evil,  than  all  the  promifes  of  God  can  draw  them  to 
 good.     This  is  the  ftate  of  every  man  by  nature,  he  is  in  the 
 houfe  of  bondage,  the  devil  hath  him  in   his  power:    a  (inner 
 grinds  in  the  devil's  mill  ;    he  is  at  the  command  of  Satan,  as 
 the  afs  is  at  the  command  of  the  driver.     No  wonder  to  fee  men 
 opprefs  and   perfecute ;    thefe  Haves   mult  do  what  the  god  of 
 this  world  will  have   them  :    how  could  thole  (Wine  but   run, 
 when  the  devil  entered  into  them  ?  Matth.  viii.  32.     When  the 
 devil  tempted  Ananias  to  tell  alie,  he  could  not  but  fpeak  what 
 Satan  had  put  in  his  heart,  A6ts  v.  3.     When  the  devil  entered 
 into  Judas,  and  bid  him  betray  Chrift,  Judas  would  do  it,  though 
 he  hanged  himfelf.     This  cafe  is  fad  and  difmal,  to  be  thus  in 
 the  houfe  of  bondage,   under  the  power  and  tyranny  of  Satan. 
 When  David  would  curfe  the  enemies  of  God,  how  did  he  pray 
 againft  them  ?  That  Satan  might  be  at  their  right-hand,  Pf.  cix. 
 o\    He  knew  he  could  lead  them  into  any  fnare  :   if  Satan  be  at 
 the  linner's  right-hand,  let  the  fnmertake  heed  he  be  not  fet  on 
 God's  left-hand.     Is  not  this  a  cafe  to  be  bewailed,  to  fee  men 
 taken  captive  by  Satan  at  his  will?  2  Tim.  ii.  26.   he  leads  Tin- 
 ners as  Haves  before  him  in  triumph  ;    he  poffeffeth  them.     If 
 people  (hould   fee  but  their  beads  bewitched  and   polleflcth  of" 
 the  devil,  they  would  be  much  troubled;  yet  their  fouls  are  pof- 
 fefled  by  Satan,  but  they  are  not  fenhble.     [What  can  be  worfe 
 than  to  be  in  the  houfe  of  bondage,  to  have  the  devil  hurry  men 
 on  in  their  luft  to  perdition  ?]   Sinners  are  willingly  enflaved  to 
 Satan  ;   they  love  their  goaler :   are  content  to  (it  difquietly  un- 
 der Satan's  jurifdiction  ;   they  chufe  this  bramble  to  rule  them, 
 tho',  within  a  while,  tire  will  come  out  of  this  bramble  to  de- 
 vour them,  Judges  ix.    Now,  what  an  infinite  mercy  of  God  :r 
 
368  OF  THE  PREFACE 
 
 it,  when  he  brings  poor  fouls  out  of  this  houfe  of  bondage,  when 
 he  gives  them  a  goal-delivery  from  the  prince  of  darknefs  ! 
 Jesus  Christ  redeems  captives,  he  ranfoms  finners  by  price, 
 and  refcues  them  by  force :  as  David  took  a  lamb  out  of  the 
 lion's  mouth,  1  Sam.  xvii.  34.  So  C brill  refcues  fouls  out  of  the 
 mouth  of  this  roaring  lion.  O  what  a  mercy  is  it  to  be  brought 
 out  of  the  houfe  of  bondage,  to  be  taken  from  being  made  cap- 
 tives to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  and  to  be  made  fub- 
 jects  of  the  Prince  of  peace !  And  this  is  dene  by  the  preaching 
 of  the  word,  Acts  xxvi.  18.  ■  To  turn  them  from  the  power  of 
 Satan  unto  God.' 
 
 III.  The  bringing  of  Ifrael  out  of  the  houfe  of  bondage,  was 
 a  type  of  their  being  delivered  from  hell.  Hell  is  domusfervi- 
 tutis,  an  houfe  of  bondage;  an  houfe  built  on  purpofefor  finners 
 to  lie  in. 
 
 1.  That  there  is  fuch  an  houfe  of  bondage  where  the  damned 
 lie,  Pf.  ix.  17.  ■  The  wicked  {hall  be  turned  into  hell/  Mat. 
 xxiii  33.  *  How  can  ye  efcape  the  damnation  of  hell  ?'  If  any 
 one  (hall  a(k  where  this  houfe  of  bondage  is,  where  is  the  place 
 of  hell?  I  wilh  you  may  never  know  feelingly.  "  Let  us  not  fo 
 much  (faith  Chryfoftom)  labour  to  know  where  hell  is,  as  how 
 to  efcape  it."  Yet,  to  fatisfy  curiofity,  hell  is  locus  f ub  terra- 
 neus,  ibme  place  beneath,  Prov.  v.  24.  '  Hell  beneath.*  .  Hefiod 
 faith,  «  Hell  is  as  far  under  the  earth,  as  heaven  is  above  it/ 
 Luke  viii.  31.  ■  The  devils  befought  Chrilt  that  he  would  not 
 command  them  to  go  into  the  deep.'     Hell  is  in  the  deep. 
 
 2.  Qu.  Why  there  muji  be  this  houfe  of  bondage  ?  why  a 
 hell? 
 
 Anf.  Becaufe  there  muft  be  a  place  for  the  execution  of  di- 
 vine juftice  ;  earthly  monarchs  have  their  prifon  for  malefactors, 
 and  (hall  not  God  have  his  ;  finners  are  criminal  perfons,  they 
 have  offended  God  ;  and  it  would  not  confifl  with  God's  holi- 
 nefs  and  juftice,  to  have  his  laws  infringed,  and  not  appoint 
 penalties  for  the  tranfgreffors. 
 
 3.  The  dreadfulnels  of  this  place.  Could  you  but  for  one 
 hour  hear  the  groans  and  fhrieks  of  the  damned,  it  would  con- 
 firm you  in  this  truth,  that  hell  is  an  houfe  of  bondage :  hell  is 
 the  emphafis  of  mifery.  Befides  the  pama  datnni,  the  punifh- 
 ment  of  lofs,  which  is  the  exclufion  of  the  foul  from  the  glori- 
 fied fight  of  God,  which  divines  think  the  worft  part  of  hell ;  I 
 fay,  befides  this,  there  will  be  pcenafenfus,  the  punifliment  of 
 fenfe.  If,  when  God's  wrath  is  kindled  but  a  little,  and  a  fpark 
 of  it  flies  into  a  man's  confeience  in  this  life,  it  is  fo  terrible  (as 
 in  the  cafe  of  Spira)  then  what  will  hell  itfelf  be  ?  That  I  may 
 defcribe  this  houfe  of  bondage, 
 
 1.  In  hell  there  will  be  a  plurality  of  torments,  1.  Bonds  and 
 chains,  2  Pet.  ii.  4.  2.    The  worm,  Mark  ix.  44.  this  is  the 
 
TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS.  360 
 
 worm  of  confcience  :    and  the  lake  of  lire,  Rev.  xx.  15.  o1 
 lire  it-  hut  painted  to  this. 
 
 2.  This  houfe  of  bell  18 haunted  with  devils,  Matth.  xxv.  it. 
 Antrim  hath  a  faying,  "  I  had  rather 
 
 lee  the  devil  with  bodily  ryes."  Such  as  go  to  hell  tiuili  Dot 
 only  be  forced  to  Ik  hold  the  devil,  hot  mull  Ik*  (hut  up  in  the 
 Stn  with  this  lion  ;  they  hnufl  keep  the  devil  company  :  the 
 devil  is  lull  of  fpite  againlt  mankind  ;  this  lied  dragon  will  ipit 
 fire  in  men's  fao 
 
 3.  The  torments  ofhell  abide  for  ever,  Rev.  xiv.  1 1.  *  The 
 fmoke  of  their  torment  afcendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever,'  Mark 
 ix.  44.  Time  cannot  finifii  it,  tears  cannot  quench  it:  the 
 wicked  are  lalamanders  ;  who  live  always  in  the  lire  ofhell,  and 
 are  not  confumed  :  after  finners  have  lain  millions  of  years  in 
 hell,  their  pnnifhment  is  as  far  from  endings  as  it  was  at  the 
 beginning.  If  all  the  earth  and  lea  were  land,  and  every  thou- 
 fandth  year  a  bird  fhould  come,  and  take  away  one  grain  of  this 
 land,  it  would  he  a  long  time  ere  that  vaft  heap  of  land  were 
 emptied  ;  yet,  if  after  all  that  time  the  damned  might  come  out 
 of  hell,  there  were  fome  home  hope  ;  but  this  word  EVER 
 breaks  the  heart. 
 
 Qu.  But  how  doth  tliisfeem  to  ft  and  icith  God's  juftice,  for  a 
 fin  committed  in  a  moment,  to  punifft  it  with  eternal  torment  f 
 
 Anf.  1.  Becaule  there  is  an  eternity  of  fin  in  man's  nature. 
 2.  Becaule  (in  iscrimen  laefae  majeftatis,  it  is  committed  againlt 
 an  infinite  majelty  ;  therefore  the  (in  is  infinite,  and  proportion- 
 ably  the  punilhment  mult  be  infinite.  Nowr,  becaufe  a  finite 
 creature  cannot  bear  infinite  wrath,  therefore  he  mult  be  eter- 
 nally fatisfying  what  he  cannot  fatisfy  at  once.  Now  then,  if 
 hell  he  fuch  an  houfe  of  bondage,  what  infinite  caufe  have  they 
 to  blefs  God,  who  are  delivered  from  it  ?  1  ThefT.  i.  20.  '  Jefus 
 delivered  us  from  the  wrath  to  come.'  Jefus  Chrilt  fullered 
 the  torments  ofhell  in  his  foul,  that  believers  fhould  not  futFer 
 them.  If  we  are  thankful,  when  we  are  ranfomed  out  of  pri- 
 fon,  or  delivered  from  fire,  O  how  fhould  we  blefs  God  to  be 
 preferved  from  the  wrath  to  come!  And  that  which  may  caufe 
 the  more  thankfulnefs,  is  becaule  the  molt  part  go  into  this 
 houfe  of  bondage,  the  moft  part  go  to  hell  :  therefore  to  be  of 
 the  number  of  thefe  few  that  are  delivered  from  it,  it  is  matter 
 of  infinite  thankfulnefs.  I  fay,  molt  go  to  this  houfe  of  bondage 
 when  they  die  ;  moft  go  to  hell,  Matth.  vii.  13.  *  Broad  is  the 
 way  which  leadeth  unto  de(tru6tion,  and  many  there  be  that  go 
 in  thereat.*  The  greatelt  part  of  the  world  lies  in  wickednefs, 
 1  John  v.  19.  Divide  the  world,  faith  Brerewood,  into  thirty- 
 one  parts,  nineteen  parts  of  it  are  poffeiTed  by  Jews  and  Turks, 
 :i  parts  by  Heathens  ;  fo  that  there  are  but  five  parts  of 
 Chriftians,  and  among  thefe  Chrifuaus  fo  main  Induced  Papifb 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  S<  3  A 
 
370  OF  THE  COMMANDMENTS. 
 
 on  the  one  hand ,  and  fo  many  formal  Proteftants  on  the  other, 
 that  we  may  conclude  the  major  part  of  the  world  goes  to  hel. 
 1.  The  fcripture  compares  the  wicked  to  briers,  Ifa.  x.  17. 
 There  are  but  few  lilies  in  your  fields,  but  in  every  hedge  thorns 
 and  briers.  2.  To  *  the  mire  in  the  (beets,*  Ifa.  x.  6.  Few^ 
 jewels  or  precious  ftones  in  the  ftreet,  but  you  cannot  go  a  ftep 
 out  you  meet  with  mire.  The  wicked  are  as  common  as  the 
 dirt  in  the  ftreet :  look  into  the  generality  of  people,  how  many 
 drunkards  for  one  that  is  fober  ?  how  many  adulterers  for  one 
 that  is  cbafte?  how  many  hypocrites  for  one  that  is  fincere  > 
 The  devil  hath  the  harveft,  and  God  only  a  few  gleanings.  Oh 
 then,  fuch  as  are  delivered  from  the  houfe  of  bondage,  hell, 
 have  infinite  caufe  to  admire  and  blefs  God.  How  (hould  the 
 veflels  of  mercy  run  over  with  thankfulnefs  ?  when  moil  are 
 carried  prifoners  to  hell,  they  are  delivered  from  wrath  to  come. 
 
 Qu.  How  fliall  I  know  I  am  delivered  from  hell? 
 
 Anf.  1.  Thofe  whom  Chrift  faves  from  hell,  he  faves  from 
 fin,  Matth.  i.  21.  *  He  (hall  fave  his  people  from  their  fins.* 
 Hath  God  delivered  you  from  the  power  of  corruption,  from 
 pride,  malice,  luft  ?  if  he  hath  delivered  you  from  the  hell  of 
 fin,  then  he  hath  delivered  you  from  the  hell  of  torment. 
 
 2.  If  you  have  got  an  intereft  in  Chrift,  prizing,  confiding, 
 loving  him,  then  you  are  delivered  from  hell  and  damnation, 
 Rom.  viii.  1.  ■  No  condemnation  to  them  that  are  in  Chrift 
 Jefus.'  If  you  are  in  Chrift,  then  he  hath  put  the  garment  of 
 his  righteoufnefs  over  you,  and  hell-fire  can  never  finge  this  gar- 
 ment. Pliny  obferves,  nothing  will  fo  foon  quench  fire  as  falfe 
 and  blood  :  the  fait  tears  of  repentance  and  the  blood  of  Chrift 
 will  quench  the  fire  of  hell,  that  it  (hall  never  kindle  upon  you. 
 
 OF  THE  COMMANDMENTS. 
 
 Exod.  xx.  3.     Thoufhalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me,  §c. 
 
 Before  I  come  to  the  commandment,  I  (hall  premife 
 fome  things  about  the  moral  law  :  viz.  anfwer  queftions,  and 
 lay  down  rules. 
 
 Qu.  1.  What  is  the  difference  between  the  moral  law  and  the 
 gofpel  ? 
 
 Anf.  I.  The  law  requires  that  we  worfhip  God  as  our  Crea- 
 tor :  the  gofpel  requires  that  we  worftiip  God  in  and  through 
 Chrift.  God  in  Chrift  is  propitious:  out  of  Chrift  we  may 
 fee  God's  power,  juftice,  holinefs ;  in  Chrift  we  fee  his  mercy 
 difplayed. 
 
 2.  The  moral  law  requires  obedience,  but  gives  no  ftrength 
 
OF  THE  COMMANDMENTS.  371 
 
 /as  Pharaoh  required  brick,  but  gave  no  ftraw)  but  the  golj>.  1 
 gives  Itrength  ;  the  gofpel  bellows  faith  upon  the  cleft,  the  gof- 
 pel  fweetens  the  law,  it  makes  us  Genre  God  with  delight. 
 Qu.  2.  Of  what  nfe  then  is  the  moral  lau  to  us? 
 Anf.  The  law  is  a  gl&fs  to  mew  us  our  iins,  that  fo,  feeing 
 our  pollution  and  milery,  we  may  be  forced  to  flpe  to  Clirilt  to 
 fatisfy  for  former  guilt,  and  lave  from  future  wrath,  Gal.  ii.  24. 
 f  The  law  was  our  Ichoolmalter  to  bring  us  to  Clirilt. 
 
 Qu.  3.  But  is  the  moral  law  /till  in  force  to  believers  /  is  it  not 
 4iboli fhed  to  t/tem  9 
 
 Anf,  In  lbme  fenfe  it  is  aboliflied  to  believers.  1.  In  refpect 
 of  j unification  ;  they  are  notjuitified  by  their  obedience  to  the 
 moral  law.  Believers  are  to  make  great  ule  of  the  mora!  law 
 (as  I  mall  (hew)  but  they  mult  truft  only  to  Chrilt's  righteouf- 
 nefs  for  j  unification  ;  as  Noah's  dove  made  ule  of  her  wings  to 
 fly,  but  trufted  to  the  ark  for  lafety.  If  the  moral  law  could  jus- 
 tify, what  need  were  thereof  Chrilt's  dying  ?  2.  The  moral  law 
 is  aboliflied  to  believers,  in  refpeft  of  the  malediction  of  it : 
 they  are  freed  from  the  curie  aud  damnatory  power  of  it,  Gal. 
 jii.  13.  'Chrift  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curfe  of  the  law, 
 ■being  made  a  curie  for  us.' 
 
 Qu.  4.  How  was  Chrijt  marie  a  curfe  for  us? 
 Anf,  Chnft  may  be  confidered,  l.  As  the  Son  of  God,  and 
 fo  he  was  not  made  a  curie.  2.  As  our  pledge  and  iurety, 
 Heb.  vii.  22.  and  fo  he  was  made  a  curfe  for  us  :  this  curfe  was 
 not  upon  his  Godhead,  but  upon  his  manhood.  Thiscurfe  was 
 the  wrath  of  God  lying  upon  him  ;  and  thus  Chrift  hath  taken 
 away  from  believers  the  curie  of  the  law,  by  being  made  a  curfe 
 for  them.  But  tho'  the  moral  law  is  thus  far  aboliflied,  yet  it 
 remains  as  a  perpetual  rule  to  believers  :  though  the  moral  law 
 be  not  their  Saviour,  yet  it  is  their  guide  :  though  it  be  not 
 foeditSy  a  covenant  of  life  ;  yet  it  is  norma,  a  rule  of  living  :  every 
 Chriiuan  is  bound  to  conform  to  the  moral  law  ;  and  write,  as 
 exactly  as  he  can,  after  this  copy,  Rom.  iii.  31.  ■  Do  we  then 
 make  void  the  law  through  faith,  God  forbid.'  Though  a 
 Chriltian  is  not  under  the  condemning  power  of  the  law,  yet  he 
 is  under  the  commanding  power;  to  love  God,  to  reverence 
 and  obey  him,  this  is  a  law  always  binds,  and  will  bind  in  hea- 
 ven. This  I  urge againft  the  Antinomians,  who  fay,  the  moral 
 law  is  abrogated  to  believers  ;  which,  as  it  contradicts  fcripture, 
 fo  it  is  a  key  to  open  the  door  to  all  licentioufnefs.  They  who 
 will  not  have  the  law  to  rule  then),  fhall  never  have  the  gofpel 
 to  lave  them.  Having  anlwered  thefe  queftions,  I  (hall  in  the 
 next  place,  lay  down  lbme  general  rules  for  the  right  under- 
 standing of  the  Decalogue,  or  Ten  commandments  :  thefe  rules 
 may  ferve  to  give  us  fome  light  iuto  the  fenle  aud  meaniag  of 
 the  comniaudments. 
 
 3  A  2 
 
372  OF  THE  COMMANDMENTS. 
 
 Rule  1.  The  commands  and  prohibitions  of  the  moral  law 
 reach  the  heart. 
 
 1.  The  commands  of  the  moral  law  reach  the  heart;  the 
 commandments  require  not  only  outward  actions  but  inward 
 affections;  they  require  not  only  the  outward  acl  of  obedience, 
 but  the  inward  affection  of  love,  Deut.  vi.  5.  «  Thou  fhalt  love 
 the  Lord  thy  God,  with  all  thy  heart.' 
 
 2.  The  threats  and  prohibitions  of  the  moral  law  reach  the 
 heart  ;  the  law  of  God  forbids  not  only  the  a6l  of  fin,  but  the 
 defire  and  inclination;  not  only  doth  it  forbid  adultery,  but  lull- 
 ing, Matth.  v.  28.  Not  only  Healing,  but  coveting,  Rom.  vii.  7. 
 Lex  humana  l/'gat  manum,  lex  divina  comprimet  animam  :  man's 
 law  binds  only  the  hands,  God's  law  binds  the  heart. 
 
 Rule  2.  In  the  commandments  there  is  afynechdoche,  more 
 is  intended  than  isfpoken.  1.  Where  any  duty  is  commanded, 
 there  the  contrary  fin  is  forbidden,  §c.  When  we  are  com- 
 manded to  keep  the  fabbath-day  holy,  there  we  are  forbidden 
 to  break  the  labbath  :  when  we  are  commanded  to  live  in  a  call- 
 ing, *  Six  days  fhalt  thou  labour,'  there  we  are  forbidden  to 
 live  idly,  and  out  of  a  calling.  2.  Where  any  fin  is  forbidden, 
 there  the  contrary  duty  is  commanded  i  when  we  are  forbidden 
 to  take  God's  name  in  vain,  the  contrary  duty  is  commanded, 
 that  we  fhould  reverence  his  name,  Deut.  xxviii.  58.  *  That 
 thou  niayeft  fear  this  glorious  and  fearful  name,  The  Lord  thy 
 God.'  Where  we  are  forbidden  to  wrong  our  neighbour,  there 
 is  the  contrary  duty  included,  that  we  fhould  do  him  all  the 
 good  we  can,  by  vindicating  hisname>  and  fupplying  his  wants. 
 
 Rale  3.  Where  any  fin  is  forbidden  in  the  commandment, 
 there  the  occafion  of  it  is  alfo  forbidden.  Where  murder  is 
 forbidden,  there  envy  and  rafh  anger  are  forbidden,  which  may 
 occafion  it.  Where  adultery  is  forljidden  in  the  commandment, 
 there  is  forbidden  all  that  may  lead  to  it,  as  wanton  glances  of 
 the  eye,  or  coming  into  the  company  of  an  harlot,  Prov.  v.  8. 
 *  Come  not  nigh  the  door  of  her  houfe  :'  he  who  would  be  free 
 from  the  plague,  muft  not  come  near  the  infected  houfe.  Under 
 the  law  the  Nazarile  was  forbidden  to  drink  wine  ;  nor  might 
 he  eat  grapes  of  which  the  wine  was  made. 
 
 Rule  4.  In  relatofubmtelligitar  correlatam.  Where  one  rela- 
 tion is  named  in  the  commandment,  there  another  relation  is 
 included.  Where  the  child  is  named,  there  the  father  is  in- 
 cluded :  where  there  is  the  duty  of  children  to  parents  mention- 
 ed, there  is  included  alfo  the  duty  of  parents  and  children  : 
 where  the  child  is  commanded  to  honour  the  parent,  there  is 
 implied  that  the  parent  is  alfo  commanded  to  inftru6t,  to  love, 
 to  provide  for  the  child. 
 
 Rule  5.  Where  greater  fins  are  forbidden,  there  leiler  fins 
 are  alfo  forbidden.     Though  no  fin  in  its  own  nature  is  little, 
 
OF  TIIL  (  D.MMANDMENTS.  373 
 
 yet  comparatively  one  may  bo  K  ife  than  another:  where  idola- 
 try ifl  forbidden,  there  is  forbidden  fuperilition,  of  bringing  any 
 innovation  into  God's  worOiip,  which  he  bath  no!  appointed. 
 As  the  fons  of  Aaron  were  forbidden  to  woilhip  an  idol,  lb  to 
 facrifice  to  God  with  ft  range  tire,  Lev.  x.  1.  Mixture  in  laered 
 things,  is  like  a  daih  in  the  wine,  which  though  it  givei  it.  a 
 colour,  yet  doth  but  debate  and  adulterate  it.  It  i.s  highly  pro- 
 voking to  God,  to  bring  any  fuperfutious  ceremony  into  his  wor- 
 lhip,  which  he  hath  not  prescribed  ;  it  is  to  tax  God's  wildom, 
 as  if  he  were  not  wile  enough  to  appoint  the  manner  bow  he 
 will  be  Served. 
 
 Ride  6.  The  law  of  God  ifl  copulative  ;  Lex  eft  copulatica: 
 the  lirlt  and  fecond  tables  are  knit  together  ;  piety  to  God,  and 
 equity  to  our  neighbour  :  thcle  two  tables,  which  God  hath 
 joined  together,  mult  not  be  put  alunder.  Try  a  moral  man 
 by  the  duties  of  the  lirlt  table,  piety  to  God,  and  there  you  will 
 find  him  negligent;  try  an  hypocrite  by  the  dutiesof  the  fecond 
 table,  equity  to  his  neighbour,  and  there  you  will  (ind  him  tardy. 
 He  who  is  ltrict  in  the  fecond  table,  but  neglects  thefirft,  or  he 
 who  is  zealous  in  the  lirlt  table,  but  neglects  the  lecond,  his 
 heart  is  not  right  with  God.  The  Phanfees  were  the  higheil 
 pretenders  to  the  iirft  table,  zeal  and  holinefs  :  but  Chrift  de- 
 tects their  hypocriiy,  Matth.  xxiii.  23.  *  Ye  have  omitted 
 judgment,  mercy  and  faith.'  They  were  bad  in  the  fecond 
 table;  they  omitted  judgment,  that  was,  being  juft  in  their 
 dealing  ;  mercy,  in  relieving  the  poor  ;  and  faith,  that  is  faith- 
 fulnefs  in  their  promifes  and  contracts  with  men.  God  wrote 
 both  the  tables,  and  our  obedience  mult  fet  a  feal  to  both. 
 
 Rale  7-  God's  law  forbids  not  only  the  acting  of  fin  in  our 
 own  perfons,  but  being  accell'ory  to,  or  having  any  hand  in  the 
 iins  of  others. 
 
 Qu.  How  and  in  ichatfenfe  may  we  befaid  to  partake  of,  and 
 have  an  Iiand  in  thcjhis  of  others  ? 
 
 Anf.  I.  By  decreeing  unrighteous  decrees,  and  impofing  on 
 others  that  which  is  unlawful.  Jeroboam  made  the  people  of 
 Ifrael  to  tin  :  be  was  accei lory  to  their  idolatry,  by  fetting  up 
 golden  calves  :  lb  David,  though  he  did  not  in  his  own  perfou 
 kill  Uriah,  yet  becaufe  he  wrote  a  letter  to  Joab,  to  fet  Uriah 
 on  the  fore-front  of  the  battle,  and  it  was  done  by  hi* command, 
 therefore  he  was  accelfory  to  Uriah's  death,  and  the  murder  of 
 him  was  laid  to  David's  charge  by  the  prophet,  (2  Sam.  xii.  y. 
 '  Thou  halt  killed  Uriah  the  Hittite  with  the  fword.' 
 
 C.  We  become  accelfory  to  the  fins  of  others  bv  not  hinder- 
 then]  when  it  is  iu  our  power,  Qui  non  prohibit  cum  potcii, 
 t.     If  a  mafter  of  a  family  lee  his  fervant  break  the  fa  boat  b, 
 im  lwear,  and  let  him  alone,  doth  not  ufe  the  power 
 to  fupprefs  him,  he  becomes  accelfory  to  his  liu.     Eli, 
 
374  OF  THE  COMMANDMENTS. 
 
 for  not  punifhing  his  fons  when  they  made  the  offering  of  the 
 Lord  to  be  abhorred,  made  himfelf  guilty,  1  Sam.  iii.  14.  He 
 that  fullers  an  offender  to  pafs  unpunished,  makes  himfelf  an 
 offender. 
 
 3.  By  counfelhng,  abetting,  or  provoking  others  to  fin. 
 Ahithophel  made  himfelf  guilty  of  the  fa<5t,  by  giving  counfel  to 
 Abfalom  to  go  in  and  defile  his  father's  concubines,  2  Sam.  xvi. 
 21.  He  who  (hall  tempt  or  iolicit  another  to  be  drunk  though 
 himfelf  be  fober,  yet  being  the  occafion  of  another's  fin,  he  is 
 acceffory  to  it,  Hab.  ii.  15.  '  Wo  unto  him  that  giveth  his 
 neighbourdriuk,  that  putted  thy  bottle  to  him.' 
 
 4.  By  conferring  to  another's  fin  ;  Saul  did  not  caft  one  none 
 at  Stephen,  yet  the  fcripture  faith,  *  Saul  was  confenting  to  his 
 death,'  Acts  viii.  1.  Thus  he  had  a  hand  in  it.  If  feveral  did 
 combine  to  murder  a  man,  and  they  fhould  tell  another  of  their 
 intent,  and  he  fhould  give  his  coufent  to  it,  he  were  guilty  : 
 though  his  hand  were  not  in  the  murder,  yetfcisheart  was  in  it : 
 though  he  did  not  a&  it,  yet  he  did  approve  it,  fo  it  became 
 his  fin. 
 
 3.  By  example,  vivitur  exemplis.  Examples  are  powerful 
 and  cogent ;  letting  a  bad  example  occafions  another  to  fin  ; 
 and  fo  a  perfon  becomes  acceffory.  If  the  father  fwears,  and 
 the  child  by  his  example,  learn  to  fwear,  the  father  is  acceffory 
 to  the  child's  fin  ;  he  taught  him  by  his  example.  As  there 
 are  difeaies  hereditary,  fo  there  are  fins. 
 
 Rule  8.  The  laft  rule  about  the  commandments,  is  this, 
 that  though  we  cannot,  by  our  own  ftrength,  fulfil  all  thefe 
 commandments,  yet  doing,  quoad  poj/e,  what  we  are  able,  the 
 Lord  hath  provided  encouragement  for  us.  There  is  a  threefold 
 encouragement. 
 
 1 .  That  though  we  have  not  ability  to  obey  any  One  com- 
 mand, yet  God  hath,  in  the  new  covenant,  promifed  to  work 
 that  in  us,  which  he  requires,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  27-  *  I  will  caufe 
 you  to  walk  in  my  ftatutes.'  God  commands  us  to  love  him  : 
 alas,  how  weak  is  our  love !  it  is  like  the  herb  that  is  not  only 
 in  the  firft  degree ;  but  God  hath  promifed  to  circumcife  our 
 hearts,  that  we  (hall  love  him,  Deut.  xxx.  6.  He  that  doth 
 command  us,  will  enable  us.  God  commands  us  to  turn  from 
 /in,  but  alas  !  we  have  not  power  to  turn  ;  therefore  God  hath 
 promifed  to  turn  us,  to  put  his  Spirit  within  us,  and  turn  the 
 heart  of  ftone  into  flefh,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26.  There  is  nothing 
 in  the  command,  but  the  fame  is  in  the  promife.  Therefore, 
 Chriftian,  be  not  difcouraged  tho'  thou  haft  no  ftrength  of  thy 
 own,  yet  God  will  give  thee  this  ftrength.  The  iron  hath  no 
 power  to  move,  but  when  the  loadftone  draws  it,  it  can  move, 
 ifa.  xxvi.  l<2.  ■  Thou  haft  wrought  all  our  works  in  us.' 
 
 2.  Though  we  cannot  exactly  fulfil  the  moral  law,  yet  God 
 
OF  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT.  375 
 
 will,  for  Chrift's  fake,  mitigate  the  rigour  of  the  law,  and  accept 
 of  fonfcething  lefs  than  he  requires.  God  in  the  law  requires 
 \  obedience,  yet  ho  will  accept  of  fincere  obedience  :  he 
 will  abate  fomething  of  the  degree,  if  there  be  truth  in  the  in- 
 ward parts;  God  will  fee  the  faith,  and  pals  by  the  failing ; 
 the  gofpel  remits  fomething  of  the  feverity  of  the  moral  law. 
 
 3.  Wherein  our  perfonal  obedience  comes  fhort,  God  will  be 
 plcafed  to  accept  us  in  our  furety,  Eph.  i.  o\  f  He  hath  ac- 
 cepted us  in  his  beloved.'  Though  our  obedience  be  impel 
 yet,  through  Chrft  our  furety,  God  looks  upon  it  as  perfect. 
 And  that  very  fervice  which  God's  law  might  condemn,  God's 
 mercy  is  pleated  to  crown,  by  virtue  of  the  blood  of  our  Media- 
 tor. Having  given  you  thefe  rules  about  the  commandments, 
 I  ihall  come  next  to  the  direct  handling  of  them. 
 
 OF  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 Exod.  xx.  3.     Thou  Jlialt  have  no  other  gods  before  me 
 
 Qu.  XLV.  WHY  doth  the  commandment  run  in  thefe- 
 cond  per/on  fngular ,  Thou  ?  why  doth  not  God  fay,  You  jh  all 
 have  no  other  gods,  but,  Thou  ? 
 
 Anf.  Becaufe  the  commandment  concerns  every  one,  and 
 God  would  have  you  take  it  as  fpoken  to  you  by  name. 
 Though  we  are  forward  to  take  privileges  to  ourfelves,  yet  wv 
 are  apt  to  fhift  of!' duty  from  ourielves  to  others  :  therefore  the 
 commandment  runs  in  the  fecond  perfon,  Thou  and  Thouy  that 
 every  one  may  know  that  the  commandment  is  fpoken  to  him, 
 as  it  were,  by  name.  And  lb  I  come  to  the  commandment, 
 ■  Thou  (halt  have  no  other  gods  before  me  i*  this  command- 
 ment may  well  lead  the  van,  and  be  fet  in  the  front  of  all  the 
 commandments,  becaufe  jt  is  the  foundation  of  all  true  religion. 
 The  fum  of  ibis  commandment  is,  that  we  (hould  fan&ify  God 
 in  our  hearts,  tnd  give  him  a  precedency  above  all  created  be- 
 ings. There  are  two  branchesof  this  commandment:  1.  That 
 we  muft  have  one  God.  3.  That  we  muft  have  but  one.  Or 
 thus,  (l.)  That  we  muft  have  God  for  our  God.  (2.)  That  we 
 mull  have  no  other.  1.  That  we  muft  have  God  for  our  God  : 
 it  is  manifeft  that  we  muft  have  a  God,  and  ■  who  is  God  fave 
 the  Lord  ?'  8  Sam.  xxii.  32.  The  Lord  Jehovah  (one  God  in 
 three  perfons)  is  the  true,  living,  eternal  God  ;  and  him  muft 
 We  have  for  our  God. 
 
 Qu.   1.   What  is  it  to  make  God  to  be  a  God  to  us? 
 
 Anf,  1.  To  make  God  to  be  a  God  to  us,  is  to  acknowledge 
 
370  OF  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT* 
 
 him  for  a  God  :  the  gods  of  the  heathens  are  idols,  Pfal.  xcvi, 
 6.  and  we  •  know  that  an  idol  is  nothing,'  I  Cor.  viii.  4.  that 
 is,  it  hath  nothing  of  deity  in  it :  if  we  cry,  Help,  0  Idol,  an  idol 
 cannot  help;  the  idols  were  themlelves  carried  into  captivity, 
 Ka.  xlvi.  2.  fo  that  an  idol  is  nothing  ;  vanity  is  afcribed  to  it, 
 Jer.  xiv.  22.  we  do  not  acknowledge  it  to  be  a  God.  But  this 
 is  to  make  God  to  be  a  God  to  us,  when  we  do,  ex  animo,  ac- 
 knowledge him  to  Be  God,  1  Kings  xviii.  39.  A 11  ithe  peo- 
 ple fell  on  their  faces,  and  faid,  '  The  Lord  he  is  the  God  !  the 
 Lord  he  is  the  God  •'  Yea,  we  acknowledge  God  to  be  the  only 
 God,  2  Kings  xix.  15.  *  O  Lord  Cod  of  Ilrael  which  dwelleft 
 between  the  Cherubims,  thou  art  the  God,  even  thou  a- 
 lone.*  Deity  is  a  jewel  that  belongs  only  to  his  crown.  Yet 
 further,  we  acknowledge  that  there  is  no  God  like  him,  1  Kings 
 viii.  22,  23.  'And  Solomon  ftood  before  the  altar  of  the  Lord  ; 
 and  he  faid,  Lord  God  of  Ifrael,  there  is  no  god  like  thee.* 
 Pfal.  lxxxix.  6.  '  For  who  in  the  heaven  can  be  compared  unto 
 the  Lord?  who  among  the  fons  of  the  mighty  can  be  likened 
 unto  the  Lord.'  In  the  Chaldeeit  is,  Who  among  the  angels; 
 None  can  do  as  God  :  he  brought  the  world  out  of  nothing  ? 
 '  And  hangeth  the  earth  upon  nothing,*  Job  xxvi.  7.  This  is 
 to  make  God  to  be  a  God  to  us,  when  we  are  perfuaded  in  our 
 hearts,  and  confefs  with  our  tongues,  and  fubfcribe  with  our 
 hand,  that  God  is  the  only  true  God,  and  that  there  is  none 
 comparable  to  him. 
 
 2.  To  make  God  to  be  a  God  to  us,  is  to  choofe  him,  Jofli. 
 xxiv.  15.  'Choofe  ye  this  day  whom  you  will  ferve ;  but  as 
 for  me  and  my  houfe  we  will  ferve  the  Lord  :*  that  is,  we  will 
 choofe  the  Lord  to  be  our  God.  It  is  one  thing  for  the  judg- 
 ment to  approve  of  God,  and  another  for  the  will  to  choofe  him. 
 Religion  is  not  a  matter  of  chance,  but  choice. 
 
 Qu.    What  is  antecedent  to,  or  goes  before  this  choice? 
 
 Anf.  1.  Before  this  choofing  God  for  our  God,  there  mu ft 
 he  knowledge  :  we  mult  know  God,  before  we  can  choofe  him; 
 before  one  chufe  the  perfon  he  will  marry,  he  muft  firft  have 
 fome  knowledge  and  cognizance  of  the  perfon  :  fo  we  muft 
 know  God,  before  we  can  choofe  him  for  our  God,  2  Chron. 
 xxviii.  {).  '  Know  thou  the  God  of  thy  father.*  We  muft 
 know  God  in  his  attributes,  glorious  in  holinefs,  rich  in  mercy, 
 faithful  in  promifes.  We  muft  know  God  in  his  Ion  :  as  in  a 
 glafs  a  face  is  represented,  fo  in  Chrift,  as  in  a  tranfparent  gla 
 we  fee  God's  beauty  and  love  (bine  forth.  This  know  le 
 muft  go  before  our  choofing  of  God.  Laclantius  faid,  all  the 
 learning  of  the  philofophers  wa3  without  a  head,  becaufe  it 
 wanted  the  knowledge  of  God.  2.  Wherein  our  choofing  of 
 God  conn*  lis  :  it  is  an  a6l  of  mature  deliberation;  a  Chriftian 
 having  viewed  the  iuperlativ*  excellencies  in  God,  and  being 
 
OF   THE   FIRST  COMMA  N  DM  KM\  377 
 
 ftricken   into  an   holy  admiration  of  hia  p<  \\es 
 
 m  all  other  o1  lei  Ins   h * •  -» 1 1  upon  :    ha  Until 
 
 .,  G.-n.  xxviii.  (ji.   ■  The  Lord  (hall  be  ray  God.' 
 The  effect  of  choofing  God  :   the  foul  tli  it  choo&th  God,  devo 
 himl'flt  to  God,   Pial.  fc   '  Thy  fervant,   wh  '<d 
 
 to  thv  fear.'  As  the  velfels  of  the  (kn&uary  writ-  confecrated 
 and  let  apart  from  common  to  holy  ufes;  lb  the  foul  who  hath 
 cholen  God  to  be  his  God,  hath  dedicated  and  let  himfelf  apart 
 for  Cod,  and  will  be  no  more  for  profane  ul. 
 
 3.  To  make  God  to  he  a  God  to  us,  is  to  enter  into  folemn 
 nant  with  him,  that  he  lhall  he  our  God  :   after  choice  fol- 
 
 >  the  marriage-covenant  As  God  makes  a  covenant  with 
 Us,   [fa.  Iin.  3.   l  I  will  make  an  everlatiing  covenant  with  you, 
 
 i  the  lure  mercies  of  David  :'  i'o  we  make  a  covenant  with 
 him,  !2  Chron.  xv.  19.  *  They  entered  into  covenant  to  feek 
 the  Lord  God  of  their  fathers.'  And  Ifa.  xliv.  5.  '  One  mall 
 lay,  1  am  the  Lord's:  and  another  (hall  fubfcribe  with  his  hand 
 uuto  the  Lord  ;'  like  foldiers,  that  fubfcribe  their  names  in  the 
 multer  roll.  This  covenant,  ■  That. God  (hall  be  our  God,'  we 
 have  often  renewed  in  the  Lord's  i upper:  and  it  is  like  a  feal 
 to  a  bond,  to  bind  us  fall  to  God,  and  to  keep  us  that  we  do  not 
 depart  from  him.  # 
 
 4.  To  make  God  to  be  a  God  to  us,  is  to  give  him  adora- 
 tion ;  which  coufifts,  1.  In  reverencing  of  him,  Pf.  lxxxix.  7. 
 '  God  is  to  be  had  in  reverence  of  all  them  that  are  about  him.' 
 The  Seraphims,  who  ftood  about  God's  throne  covered  their 
 faces,  Ifa.  vi.  And  Elijah  wrapt  himfelf  in  a  mantle,  when 
 the  Lord  pafled  by,  in  token  of  reverence.  This  reverence 
 (hews  the  high  efteem  we  have  of  God's  facred  Majefty.  2. 
 Adoration  is  in  bowing  to  him,  or  worfhipping  him,  Pf.  xxix. 
 2.  *  Worfliipthe  Lord  in  the  beauty  of  holinefs.'  Neh.  viii.  6. 
 •  They  bowed  their  heads,  and  worshipped  the  Lord  with  their 
 faces  to  the  ground.'  Divine  worthip  is  the  peculiar  honour 
 belonging  to  the  Godhead  :  this  God  is  jealous  of,  and  will 
 have  no  creature  ihare  in,  Ifa.  xlii.  8.  *  My  glory  will  I  not 
 give  to  another.'  Magiltrates  may  have  a  civil  refpect  or  ve- 
 neration, God  only  a  religious  adoration. 
 
 6.  To  make  God  to  be  a  God  to  us,  is  to  fear  him,  Dcut. 
 xxviii.  5S.  *  That  thou  may  ft  fear  this  glorious  and  fearful  name, 
 The  Lord  thy  God.'  This  fearing  of  God  is,  (I.)  TohaveGod 
 always  in  our  eye,  Pf.  xvi.  8.  •  1  have  let  the  Lord  always  be- 
 fore me.'  And  Pf.  xxv.  15.  ■  Mine  eyes  are  ever  towards  the 
 Lord.'  He  who  fears  God,  imagines,  that  whatever  he  is  do- 
 ing, God  looks  on,  and,  as  a  judge,  weighs  all  his  actions. 
 (c2.)  To  fear  God,  is,  when  we  have  inch  an  holy  awe  of  God 
 upon  our  hearts,  that  we  dare  not  fin,  Pf.  iv.  4.  ■  Stand  in 
 awe  and  fin  not.'    The  wicked  fin  and  fear  not ;  the  godly  fear 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  S.  3  B 
 
378  OF  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 and  fin  not,  Gen.  xxxix.  9.  '  How  fhali  I  do  this  great  wick- 
 ednefs,  and  un.againft  God  ?'  bid  me  fin,  bid  me  drink  poifon. 
 It  is  a  faying  of  Anfelm,  *'  If  hell  were  on  one  fide,  and  fin  on 
 the  other,  I  would  rather  leap  into  hell,  than  willingly  fin 
 againft  my  God."  1.  This  glorious  and  fearful  name  :  he  who 
 fears  God  will  not  fin,  though  it  be  never  ib  fecret,  Lev.  xix. 
 14.  '  Thou  (halt  not  curfe  the  deaf,  nor  put  a  ftumbling-block 
 before  the  blind,  but  fhalt  fear  thy  God.*  Suppofe  you  fhould 
 curie  a  deaf  man,  he  cannot  hear  you  curfe  him  :  or  if  you  lay 
 a  block  in  a  blind  man's  way,  and  make  him. fall,  he  cannot  fee 
 you  lay  it :  ay,  but  the  fear  of  God  will  make  you  forfake  thefe 
 fins  which  can  neither  be  heard  nor  feen  by  men.  2.  Where 
 the  fear  of  God  is,  it  deftroyes  the  fear  of  man  :  the  three  chil- 
 dren feared  God,  therefore  they  feared  not  the  king's  wrath, 
 Dan.  iii.  16.  The  greater  noife  drowns  the  lefs  ;  the  noife  of 
 thunder  drowns  the  noife  of  a  river?  fo  when  the  fear  of  God  is 
 fuperintendent  in  the  foul,  it  drowns  all  other  carnal  fear.  This 
 is  to  make  God  to  be  a  God  to  us,  when  we  have  an  holy  filial 
 fear  of  him  ;    That  thou  mayejlfear. 
 
 6.  To  make  God  to  be  a  God  to  us,  is  to  truft  in  him,  PfaL 
 cxli.  S.  *  Mine  eyes  are  unto  thee,  O  God  the  Lord  :  in  thee 
 will  i.  truft.'  2  Sam.  xxii.  3.  '  The  God  of  my  rock,  in  him 
 will  I  truft.'  There  is  nothing  we  can  truft  in  but  God  ;  all  the 
 creatures  are  a  refuge  of  lies ;  they  are  like  the  Egyptian  reed, 
 too  weak  to  fupport  us,  but  ftrong  enough  to  woundus.  Om- 
 nis  motus  fit  fuper  immobili.  God  only  is  a  fufticient  foundation 
 to  build  our  truft  upon  ;  and  then  when  we  truft,  we  make  him 
 a  God  to  us,  elfe  we  make  him  an  idol,  if  we  do  not  truft  in 
 him.  Trufting  in  God,  is  when  we  rely  on  his  power  as  a  Cre- 
 ator, and  on  his  love  as  a  Father.  Trufting  in  God,  is,  when 
 we  commit  our  chief  treafure  to  him  :  our  foul  is  our  chief  trea- 
 fure,  we  commit  our  foul  to  him,  Pf.  xxxi.  5.  *  Into  thy  hands 
 I  commit  my  fpirit.'  As  the  orphan  trufts  his  eftate  with  his 
 guardian,  fo  we  truft  our  fouls  with  God  :  this  is  to  make  him 
 a  God  to  us. 
 
 Q.  1.  How  [hall  ice  know  that  we  truft  in  God  aright  ? 
 
 Anf*  If  we  truft  in  God  aright,  then  we  will  truft  in  God  at 
 one  time  as  well  as  another,  Pf.  lxii.  S.  '  Truft  in  him  at  all 
 times.'  Can  we  truft  God,  I.  In  our  ftraits?  when  the  fig-tree 
 doth  not  flourilh,  when  our  earthly  crutches  are  broken,  can  we 
 now  lean  upon  God's  promife  ?  when  the  pipes  are  cut  off  that 
 ufed  to  bring  us  comfort,  can  we  live  upon  God,  in  whom  are 
 all  our  frefh  fprings  ?  when  we  have  no  bread  to  eat  but  the 
 bread  of  carefulnefs,  Ezek.  xix.  8.  when  we  have  no  water  to 
 drink  unlets  tears,  Pf.  Ixxx.  5.  *  Thou  gaveft  them  tears  to 
 drink  in  great  meafure;'  Can  we  now  truft  in  God's  provi- 
 dence, to  make  fuppiy  for  us ;  A  good  Chriftian  believes,  that 
 
OF  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT.  379 
 
 if  God  feed  the  ravens,  he  will  fred  his  children  :  he  lives  upon 
 God's  all-iulliciency,  not  only  for  grace,  but  food  ;  he  hclives  if 
 God  will  give  him  heaven,  he  will  give  daily  bread  :  he  trulls 
 God's  bond,  PlaL.xxxvii.  3.  '  Verily  thou  (halt  be  h><\.'  &  Can 
 we  truft  God  in  our  fears  ?  fear  is  the  age  of  the  foul.  When 
 adveriaries  begin  to  grow  high,  can  we  now  difplay  the  banner 
 of  faith  ?  Pfal.  lvi.  3.  *  What  time  I  am  afraid,  I  will  truft  ill 
 thee.'  Faith  cures  the  trembling  at  the  heart:  faith  gi 
 above  fear,  as  the  oil  i'wims  above  the  water.  'This  is  to  trull 
 in  God,  and  it  is  to  make  him  to  be  a  God  to  us. 
 
 7-  To  make  God  to  be  a  God  to  us,  is  to  love  him  ;  in  the 
 godly,  fear  and  love  kifs  each  other. 
 
 8.  To  make  him  a  God  to  us,  is  to  obey  him  :  but  I  forbear 
 to  l'peak  of  thefe,  becaufe  I  (hall  be  large  upon  them  In  the  le- 
 cond  commandment  :  ■  Shewing  mercy  unto  thousands  of  them 
 that  love  me  and  keep  my  commandments.' 
 
 Q.  Whii  mnft  ice  cleave  to  the  Lord  as  our  God? 
 
 An/.  1  From  the  equity  of  it:  it  is  but  equal  we  mould 
 cleave  to  him  as  our  God,  from  whom  we  receive  our  being  ; 
 who  can  have  a  better  right  to  us  than  he  that  gives  us  our 
 breath  ?  Pi*,  c  3.  '  For  it  is  he  that  made  us,  and  not  we  our- 
 felves.'  It  is  unequal,  yea  ungrateful,  to  give  away  our  love 
 or  worfhip  to  any  but  God. 
 
 2.  From  the  utility.  If  we  cleave  to  the  Lord  as  our  God  ; 
 then  (l.)  He  will  biefsus,  Pf.  Ixvii.  6.  ■  God,  even  our  own  God, 
 will  blefs  us.'  He  will  blefs  us,  1.  In  our  eftate,  Deut.  xxviii. 
 4,  5.  «  Bleffed  ftiall  be  the  fruit  of  thy  ground  i  blefted  (hall 
 be  thy  balket  and  thy  itore  ;'  we  (hall  not  only  have  our  lack 
 full  of  corn,  but  itfhall  be  bleffed  ;  here  is  money  in  the  moutli 
 r>f  the  tack.  (2.)  He  will  blefs  us  with  peace,  Pf.  xxix.  11. 
 The  Lord  will  blels  his  people  with  peace  :'  outward  peace, 
 which  is  the  nurie  of  plenty,  Pi',  cxlvii.  14.  *  He  maketli 
 peace  in  thy  borders  ;  inward  peace,  a  fmiling  confidence  ; 
 this  is  fweeter  than  the  dropping  honey.  (3.)  God  will  turn  all 
 evils  to  our  good,  Rom.  viii.  28.  He  will  make  a  treacle  of  poi- 
 Ion.  Joi'eph's  imprii'onment  was  a  means  for  his  advance- 
 ment, Gen.  I.  20.  Out  of  the  bitterefl  drug,  God  will  diftil  his 
 elory  and  our  falvation.  In  fhort  God  will  be  our  guide  to 
 death,  our  comfort  in  death,  our  reward  after  death.  So  then 
 the  utility  of  it  may  make  us  cleave  to  the  Lord  as  our  God, 
 Pf.  cxliv.  15.  '  Happy  is  that  people  who  have  the  Lord  for 
 their  God.' 
 
 1.  From  the  neceflHy,  1/2,  If  God  be  not  our  God,  he  will 
 curfe  our  blefimgs ;  Mai.  ii.  2.  and  God's  curie  blafts  wherever 
 it  comes.  Qdly,  If  God  be  not  our  God,  we  have  none  to  help 
 us  in  milery  :  will  God  help  his  enemies  ?  will  he  afiift  them 
 who  difclaim  him  ?    3dly,  If  we  do  not  make  God  to  be  our 
 
 3B2 
 
$80  OF  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 God,  he  will  make  himfelf  to  be  our  judge;  and  if  he  con- 
 demns, there  is  no  appealing  to  a  higher  court.  So  that,  there 
 is  a  neceflity  of  having  God  for  our  God,  unlefs  we  intend  to  be 
 eternally  efpoufed  to  milery. 
 
 Uje  1.  If  we  mutt  have  one  God,  and  the  Lord  Jehovah  for 
 our  God,  it  condemns  the  Atheifts  who  have  no  God,  Pi*,  xiv. 
 1.  ■  The  fool  hath  (aid  in  his  heart,  There  is  no  God.'  There, 
 is  no  God  he  believes  in,  or  worfhips  :  fuch  Atheitis  were  Di- 
 agoras  and  Theodoras;  When  Seneca  had  reproved  Nero  for 
 his  impieties,  faith  Nero,  *  Doft  thou  think  1  believe  there  is 
 any  God,  when  I  do  fuch  things  ?'  The  duke  of  Silefia  was  fo 
 infatuated,  That  he  affirmed,  Neque  inferos  neque  fuperos  ejje  ; 
 that  there  was  neither  God  nor  devil.  We  may  fee  God  in  the 
 works  of  his  fingers.  The  creation  is  a  great  volume,  in  which 
 we  may  read  a  Godhead  ;  and  he  muft  needs  put  out  his  own 
 eyes  that  denies  a  God.  Ariftotle,  tho'  an  heathen,  did  not 
 only  acknowledge  God,  when  he  cried  out,  "  Thou  Being  of 
 Beings,  have  mercy  on  me;1'  but  he  thought,  he  that  did  not 
 confeis  a  Deity  was  not  worthy  to  live.  They  who  will  not  be- 
 lieve a  God,  fhall  feel  him.  Heb.  x.  31.  '  It  is  a  fearful  thing 
 to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God.' 
 
 life  '2.  It  condemns  Chriftians,  who  profefs  to  own  God  for 
 their  God,  yet  they  do  not  live  as  if  he  were  their  God.  (1.) 
 They  do  not  believe  in  him  as  a  God  :  when  they  look  upon 
 their  fins,  they  are  apt  to  (ay  can  God  pardon  ?  when  they  look 
 upon  their  wants,  can  God.  provide  ?  can  he  prepare  a  table  in 
 the  wildernefs  ?  (2.)  They  do  not  love  him  as  a  God  :  they  do 
 not  give  him  the  cream  of  their  love,  but  are  apt  to  love  other 
 things  more  than  God  ;  they  fay,  they  love  God,  but  will  part 
 with  nothing  for  him.  (3.)  They  do  not  worfhip  him  as  a 
 God  :  they  do  not  give  him  that  reverence,  nor  pray  with  that 
 devotion,  as  if  they  were  praying  to  a  God.  How  dead  are  their 
 hearts?  if  not  dead  in  fin,  yet  dead  in  duty  :  'tis  as  if  praying 
 to  a  god  that  hath  eyes  and  fees  not ;  ears  and  hears  not  :  in 
 hearing  the  word,  how  much  diffraction,  what  regardlefs  hearts 
 have  many  ?  they  are  thinking  of  their  fhop  and  drugs.  Would 
 a  king  take  it  well  at  our  hands,  if,  when  he  is  fpeaking  to  us, 
 we  fhould  be  playing  with  a  feather  ?  when  God  is  a  fpeaking 
 to  us  in  his  word,  and  our  hearts  are  taken  up  with  thoughts 
 about  the  world,  is  not  this  playing  with  a  feather  ?  O  ho\r 
 may  this  humble  moft  of  us,  we  do  not  make  God  to  be  a  God 
 to  us  !  We  do  not  believe  in  him,  love  him,  worfhip  him  as  a 
 God.  Many  heathens  have  worshipped  their  falfe  gods  with 
 more  feriouihefs  and  devotion,  than  fome  Chriftians  do  the  true 
 God.  O  let  us  chide  ourfelves  ;  did  I  fay  chide  ?  let  us  abhor 
 ourfelves  for  our  deadnefs  and  formality  in  religion,  how  we 
 have  profefted  God,  yet  we  have  not  worfhipped  him  as  God, 
 
OF  THE   riRST  COM  MAN  DM  TNT.  381 
 
 So  much  for  the  lirn,  *  We  mud  have  God  for  our  Cod.'    I 
 lhould  come  to  the  fccond,  *  We  mull  have  uo  other  God.' 
 
 ExOD.  xx.  3.      Thou  fl> alt  have  no  other  gods  before  me. 
 
 1.  That  we  rmift  have  ■  no  other  god  ;'  *  Thou  fhalt 
 have  no  other  gods  before  me.' 
 
 Qu.  What  is  meant  by  this  word,  Before  me  ? 
 
 AnJ\  That  is  before  my  face  ;  in  eonfpeclu  meo,  in  my  fight, 
 Dent.  xwii.  15.  *  Curled  he  he  that  makes  a  graven  image, 
 and  puts  it  in  a  fecret  place.'  Some  would  not  bow  to  the  idol 
 that  others  might  fee,  but  they  would  fecretly  bow  to  it;  but 
 though  this  was  out  of  man's  fight,  it  was  not  out  of  God's 
 fight  ;  '  Curled  therefore  ((kith  God)  he  he  that  puts  the  image 
 in  a  lecret  place.'  *  Thou  (halt  have  no  other  gods.'  1. 
 There  is  really  no  other  God.     2.  We  mull  have  no  other. 
 
 (1.)  There  4s  realty  no  other  God.  The  Valentinians  held 
 there  were  two  gods  ;  the  Polv  theites  that  there  were  many  ; 
 the  Perfians  worfhipped  the  fun  ;  the  Egyptians  the  ox  and 
 elephant;  the  Grecians  Jupiter;  but  there  is  no  other  than 
 the  true  God,  Deut.  iv.  30.  '  Know  therefore,  this  day,  and 
 confider  it  in  thy  heart,  that  the  Lord  is  God  in  heaven  above, 
 and  upon  the  earth  beneath  ;  there  is  no  other.*  For,  1.  There 
 is  but  one  Firjl  Caufe,  that  hath  its  being  of  itfelf,  and  on  which 
 all  others  beings  depend  ;  as  in  the  heavens  the  Primum  Mobile 
 moves  all  the  other  orbs,  to  God  is  the  Great  Mover,  he  gives 
 life  and  motion  to  every  thing  exiftent. 
 
 2.  There  is  but  one  Omnipotent  power.  If  there  be  two  Om- 
 nipotents,  then  we  mull  always  tup pofe  a  conteft  between  thefe 
 two ;  that  which  one  would  do,  the  other  Power,  being  equal, 
 would  oppofe  ;  and  lb  all  things  wrould  be  brought  into  a  con- 
 fulion.  If  a  (hip  lhould  have  too  pilots  of  equal  power,  one 
 would  be  ever  eroding  the  other;  when  one  would  fad,  t lie 
 other  would  call  anchor  ;  here  were  a  confulion,  and  the  (hip 
 mult  needs  perifh.  The  order  and  harmony  in  the  world,  the 
 conltant  and  uniform  government  of  all  things,  is  a  clear  argu- 
 ment that  there  is  but  one  Omnipotent,  one  God,  that  ruli  sail, 
 Ifa.  xliv.  6.  ■  I  am  the  1'iiit,  and  I  am  the  Lalt,  and  befidea 
 me  there  is  no  God.' 
 
 (2.)  We  muji  have  no  other  God.  ■  Thou  fhalt  have  no  other 
 gods  before  me;'  this  commandment  forbids,  (I.)  Serving  a 
 falfe  god,  and  not  the  true,  Jer.  ii.  27.  *  Saying  to  a  (tack, 
 thou  art  my  lather  ;  and  toaftone,  thou  had  brought  me  forth.' 
 Or,  (2.)  Joining  a  falfe  god  with  a  true,  9  Kings  xviii.  3.3. 
 •  They  feared  the  Lord,  and  lerved  their  own  gods ;  both  thele 
 
582  OF  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 are  forbidden  in  the  commandment ;  we  muft  adhere  to  the  true 
 God,  and  no  other?  God  is  a  jealous  God,*  and  he  will  endure 
 no  corrival.  A  wife  cannot  lawfully  have  two  hufbands  at  once ; 
 nor  may  we  have  two  gods,  Exod.  xxxiv.  14.  *  Thou  (halt 
 worftiip  no  other  God,  for  the  Lord  is  a  jealous  God.'  Pfal.  xvi. 
 4.  ■  Their  forrows  (hall  be  multiplied  that  haften  after  another 
 god.'  The  Lord  interprets  it  a  ■  Forfaking  of  him,'  toefpoufe 
 any  other  god,  Judges  ii.  12.  'They  forfook  the  Lord,  and 
 followed  other  gods/  God  would  not  have  his  people  i'o  much 
 as  make  mention  of  idol-gods,  Exod.  xxiii.  13.  ■  Make  no  men- 
 tion of  the  names  of  other  gods,  neither  let  it  be  heard  out  of 
 thy  mouth.'  God  looks  upon  it  as  a  breaking  of  the  marriage- 
 covenant,  to  go  after  other  gods.  Therefore,  when  lfrael  com- 
 mitted idolatry  with  the  golden  calf,  God  difclaims  his  intereft 
 in  them,  Exod.  xxxii.  7.  '  Thy  people  have  corrupted  them- 
 felves.'  Before,  God  called  Ifrael  his  people  ;  but  when  they 
 went  after  other  gods,  '  Now  (faith  the  Lord  to  Mofes)  they 
 are  no  more  my  people  but  thy  people.'  Hof.  ii.  2.  *  Plead 
 with  your  mother,  plead  ;  for  fhe  is  not  my  wife.'  She  doth 
 not  keep  faith  with  me  ;  fhe  hath  ftained  herfelf  with  idols, 
 therefore  I  will  divorce  her  ;  '  the  is  not  my  wife.'  To  go  after 
 other  gods,  is  what  God  cannot  bear ;  it  makes  the  fury  rife  up 
 in  his  face,  Deut.  xiii.  6,  8,  9.  '  If  thy  brother,  or  thy  fon,  or 
 the  wife  of  thy  bofom,  or  thy  friend,  which  is  as  thine  own  foul, 
 entice  thee  fecretly,  faying,  let  us  go  and  ferve  other  gods  :  thou 
 fhalt  not  content  unto  him,  neither  fhall  thine  eye  pity  him.' 
 But  thou  (halt  furely  kill  him  ;  thine  hand  fhall  be  firlt  upon 
 him  to  put  him  to  death,  and  afterwards  the  hand  of  all  the 
 people. 
 
 Qu.  But  what  is  it  to  have  other  gods  he  fides  the  true  God?  I 
 fear,  uponfearch,  we  have  more  idolaters  among  us  than  we  arc 
 aware  of. 
 
 Anf.  To  truft  in  any  thing  more  than  God,  is  to  make  it  a 
 god.  1.  If  we  truft  in  our  riches,  then  we  make  riches  our  god  : 
 we  may  take  comfort,  not  put  confidence  in  them.  It  is  a 
 foolifh  thing  to  truft  in  them.  (I.)  They  are  deceitful  riches, 
 Matth.  xiii.  2.  and  it  is  foolifh  to  truft  to  that  which  will  deceive 
 us.  lft,  They  have  no  (olid  confiftency,  they  are  like  land- 
 fkips  or  golden  dreams,  which  leave  the  foul  empty  when  it 
 awakes  or  comes  to  itlelf.  2dly,  They  are  not  what  they  pro- 
 mife  ;  they  promife  to  fatisfy  our  defires,  and  they  increafe 
 them  ;  they  promife  to  ftay  with  us,  and  they  take  wings.  (2.) 
 They  are  hurtful,  Eccl.  i.  13.  ■  Riches  kept  for  the  owners 
 thereof  to  their  hurt.'  It  is  foolifh  to  truft  to  that  which  will 
 hurt  one :  who  would  take  hold  of  the  edge  of  a  razor  to  help 
 him  ?  they  are  oft  fuel  for  pride  and  luft,  Ezek.  xxviii.  5.  Jer. 
 v.  7.     So  that  it  is  folly  to  truft  in  our  riches  ;  but  fome  do, 
 
or  thi:  NUT  COM  ■  andmknt.  383 
 
 .ike  money  their  god,  Prov.  x.  I  ft.  '  The  rich  man's 
 'i  is  Ins  llrong  tower.'      He   makes  the  >f  gold  his 
 
 hope,  J  oh  xxxi.  J4.  God  made  man  of  the  duft  of  the  earth, 
 ami  man  makes  a  god  of  the  dull  of  the  earth.  Money  is  hi* 
 creator,  redeemer,  comforter  :  his  creator  ;  if  he  had  money, 
 now  he  thinks  he  is  made  :  his  redeemer;  if  he  be  in  dai 
 he  trulls  to  his  money  to  redeem  him  :  his  comforter;  if  he  ho 
 lad,  money  is  the  golden  harp  to  drive  away  the  evil  fpirit. 
 Thus,  by  trufting  to  money,  we  make  it  a  god. 
 
 £.  If  we  truft  in  the  arm  of  flefh,  wc  make  it  a  god,  Jer. 
 xvii.  5.  *  Curfed  be  the  man  that  trufteth  in  man,  and  maketh 
 flefh  his  arm.'  The  Syrians  trufted  in  their  army,  which  was 
 ib  numerous,  that  it  filled  the  country,  1  Kings  xx.  37.  but  this 
 arm  of  tleih  withered,  verfe  09.  What  we  make  our truft,  God 
 makes  our  fhame.  The  lheep  run  to  the  hedges  for  fhelter, 
 and  they  lofe  their  wool  ;  we  have  run  to  fecond  caufes  to  help 
 us,  and  we  have  loll  much  of  our  golden  fleece ;  they  have  not 
 only  been  reeds  to  fail  us,  but  thorns  to  prick  us.  We  have 
 broken  our  parliament-crutches,  by  leaning  too  hard  upon  them. 
 
 3.  If  we  truft  in  our  wifdom,  we  make  it  a  god.  Jer.  iv 
 
 '  Let  not  the  wife  man  glory  in  his  wifdom.'  Glorying  is  the 
 height  of  confidence.  Many  a  man  doth  make  an  idol  of  his  wit 
 and  parts  ;  he  defiles  himfelf,  but  how  oft  doth  God  take  the 
 wife  in  their  own  craftinefs,  Job  vi.  13.  Ahithophel  had  a  great 
 wit,  his  counfel  was  the  oracle  of  God  ;  but  his  wit  brought 
 him  to  the  halter,  2  Sam.  xvii.  23. 
 
 4.  If  we  truft  in  our  civility,  we  make  it  a  god  :  many  truft, 
 to  this,  none  can  charge  them  with  grofs  fin.  Civility  is  but  na- 
 ture refined  and  cultivated;  a  man  may  be  wafhed,  and  not 
 changed  ;  his  life  maybe  civil,  yet  there  may  be  fome  reigning 
 fin  in  his  heart:  the  Pharifee  could  fay,  «  I  am  no  adulterer," 
 Luke  xviii.  11.  but  he  could  not  fay,  '  I  am  not  proud,'  To  truit 
 to  civility,  is  to  truft  to  a  fpidefs  web. 
 
 5.  If  we  truft  to  our  duties  to  five  us,  we  make  them  a  god, 
 I  (a.  Ixiv.  6.  •  Our  righteoufnefles  are  as  filthy  rags  :'  they  are 
 fly-blown  with  fin.  Put  gold  in  the  fire,  and  there  comes  out 
 much  drols ;  our  moft  golden  duties  are  mixed  with  infirmity  : 
 we  are  apt  either  to  neglect  duty,  or  idolize  it.  lrfe  duty,  but 
 do  not  truft  to  it ;  for  then  you  make  it  a  god.  Truft  not  to 
 your  praying  and  hearing  thefe  are  the  means  of  ialvafion,  but 
 they  are  not  faviours.  If  you  make  duties  bladders  to  truft  to, 
 you  may  fink  to  hell  with  thefe  bladders. 
 
 0.  If  we  truft  in  our  grace,  we  make  a  god  of  it.  Cxrace  is 
 but  a  creature  ;  if  we  truft  to  it,  we  make  it  an  idol.  Grace  i* 
 imperfect,  we  cannot  truft  to  that  to  late  us  which  is  imperfect, 
 Plal.  xxvi.  1.  '  I  have  walked  in  my  integrity  :  1  have  trufted 
 alio  in  the  Lord/     David  did  walk  in  his  integrity  ;    but  did 
 
381  OF  THE  FIRST  COMMAMDMENT. 
 
 not  truft  in  his  integrity  ;  M  have  trailed  in  the  Lord.*  If  we 
 tmll  in  our  graces,  we  make  a  Chrill  of  them.  They  are  good 
 graces  but  bad  Chriits.  To  love  any  thing  more  than  God,  is 
 to  make  it  a  god. 
 
 1/2,  If  we  love  our  eftate  more  than  God,  then  we  make  it  a 
 god.  The  young  man  in  the  gof'pel  loved  his  gold  better  than 
 his  Saviour  ;  the  world  lay  nearer  his  heart  than  Chrift,  Matth. 
 xix.  C2C2.  Fulgens  hoc  aurum  prcejiringit  oaths,  Var.  Hence  it 
 is,  the  covetous  man  is  called  an  idolater,  Eph.  v.  5.  Why  fo? 
 Becaufe  he  loves  his  eftate  more  than  God,  and  fo  he  makes  it 
 his  god  :  tho'  he  doth  not  bow  down  to  an  idol,  yet  he  worfhips 
 the  graven  image  in  his  coins  ;  he  is  an  idolater.  That  which 
 hath  mod  of  the  heart,  that  we  make  a  god. 
 
 %dlyt  If  we  love  our  pleai'ures  more  than  God,  we  make  a  god 
 of  pleafure,  2  Tim.  iii.  4.  *  Lovers  of  pleafure  more  than  lovers 
 of  God.*  Many  let  loofe  the  reins,  and  give  themfelves  up  to 
 all  manner  of  fenfual  delights;  they  idolize  pleafure,  Job  xxi. 
 12,  13.  '  They  take  the  timbrel,  and  the  harp,  and  rejoice  at 
 the  lbund  of  the  organ.  They  fpend  their  days  in  mirth. '  I 
 have  read  of  a  place  in  Africa,  where  the  people  fpend  all  their 
 time  in  dancing,  and  making  merry  :  and  have  not  we  many 
 who  make  a  god  of  pleafure,  who  fpend  their  time  in  going  to 
 plays,  and  viiiting  Hews,  as  if  God  had  made  them  like  the  le- 
 viathan, to  play  in  the  water  ?  Pial.  civ.  26.  In  the  country 
 of  Sardinia  there  is  an  herb  like  balm,  that  if  one  eat  too  much 
 of  it,  he  will  die  laughing  ;  fuch  an  herb  is  pleafure;  if  one  feeds 
 immoderately  on  it,  he  will  go  laughing  to  hell.  Such  as  make 
 a  god  of  ptealure,  let  them  read  but  two  fcriptures,  Eccl.  vii. 
 4.  ■  The  heart  of  fools  is  in  the  houfe  of  mirth. '  And,  Rev. 
 xviii.  7.  '  How  much  fhe  hath  lived  delicioully,  fo  much  tor- 
 ment give  her.'  Sugar  laid  in  a  damp  place  turns  to  water  ;  fo 
 all  the  fugared  joys  and  pleai'ures  of  imners  will  turn  to  the 
 water  of  tears  at  laft. 
 
 3dly,  If  we  love  our  belly  more  than  God,  we  make  a  god  of 
 it,  Phil.  iii.  19.  '  Whofe  god  is  their  belly.'  Clemens  Alex- 
 andrinus  writes  of  a  fifh  that  had  its  heart  in  its  belly  :  an  em- 
 blem of  epicures,  their  heart  is  in  their  belly  ;  they  do  facrificare 
 tari,  their  belly  is  their  god,  and  to  this  god  they  pour  drink-of- 
 ferings. The  Lord  allows  what  is  fitting  for  the  recruit  of  na- 
 ture, Deut.  xi.  15.  f  I  will  fend  grafs,  that  thou  mayeft  eat  and 
 be  full.'  But,  to  mind  nothing  but  the  indulging  of  the  appe- 
 tite, is  idolatry  ;  *  Whofe  god  is  their  belly.'  What  pity  is  it, 
 that  the  foul,  that  princely  part,  which  fways  the  fceptre  of 
 reafon,  and  is  a-kin  to  angels,  fliould  be  enilaved  to  the  brutiih 
 part. 
 
 4//ify,  If  we  love  a  child  more  than  God,  we  make  a  god  of 
 it.     How  many  are  guilty  in  this  kind  !    they  think  of  their 
 
OF  THE   FIRST   COMMANDMKNT.  385 
 
 children,  and  delight  more  in  them  than  io  G  eve 
 
 more  for  the  lofs  of  their  firft  born,  therefore  the  lofe  or  Iheii 
 firft  love.     This  is  to  in  idol  of  a  child,  and  to  (el  it  in 
 
 God's  room.     Thus  God  is  oft  provoked  I  our  chil- 
 
 dren: if  we  love  the  jewel  more  than  him  that  gave  it,  God 
 will  take  away  the  jewel,  that  our  love  may  return  to  him 
 again. 
 
 I.  It  reprove^  fuch  as  have  other  gods,  and  fo  renounce 
 the  true  God.  (I.)  Suchasfet  up  idols,  Jer.  ii.  88.  '  Accord- 
 ing to  the  number  of  thy  cities  are  thy  gods,  O  lfrael.'  Hof. 
 xii.  1  I.  '  Their  altars  are  as  heaps  in  the  furrows  of  the  field.' 
 (2.)  Such  as  Peek  to  familiar  fpirits.  This  is  a  i]n  condemned 
 by  the  law  of  God,  Deut.  xviii.  1 1.  ■  There  fhall  not  be  found 
 among  you  any  that  confult  with  familiar  fpirits.'  It  is  ordinary, 
 that  if  people  have  loll  any  of  thoir  goods,  they  fend  to  wizards 
 and  (oothiavers,  to  know  how  they  may  come  by  their  goods 
 again  ;  what  is  this  but  for  people  to  make  a  god  of  the  devil, 
 by  confulting  with  him,  and  putting  their  truft  in  him  ?  what? 
 beeaufe  you  have  loll  your  goods,  will  you  lofe  your  fouls  too  ? 
 2  Kings  i.  (3.  So,  is  it  not  beeaufe  you  think  there  is  not  a  God 
 in  heaven,  that  you  allc  counfel  of  the  devil  ?  If  any  be  guilty, 
 be  humbled. 
 
 Ufe  £.  It  founds  a  retreat  in  our  ears.  Let  it  call  us  oiF 
 from  the  idolizing  any  creature  ;  and  renouncing  other  gods, 
 let  us  cleave  to  the  true  God  and  his  fervice.  If  we  go  away 
 from  God,  we  know  not  where  to  mend  ourfelves. 
 
 1.  It  is  honourable  ferving  of  the  true  God  ;  Servire  Deo  eft 
 regnare.  It  is  more  honour  to  ferve  God,  than  to  have  kings 
 ferve  us.  2.  Serving  the  true  God  is  delightful,  Ifa.  lvi.  7.  *  I 
 will  make  them  joyful  in  my  houfe  of  prayer.'  God  oftdifplays 
 the  banner  of  his  love  in  an  ordinance,  and  pours  in  the  oil  of 
 gladnefs  into  the  heart.  All  God's  ways  are  pleafantnels,  his 
 paths  are  flrewed  with  rofes,  Prov.  iii.  17.  3.  Serving  the  true 
 true  God  is  beneficial  :  they  have  great  gain  here,  the  hidden 
 manna,  inward  peace,  and  a  great  reward  to  come:  they  that 
 ferve  God  (hall  have  a  kingdom  when  they  die,  Luke  xii.  3  2. 
 and  (hall  wear  a  crown  made  of  the  flowers  of  paradife,  L  Pet. 
 v.  4.  To  ferve  the  true  God  is  our  true  interelt.  God  hath 
 twifted  his  glory  and  our  falvation  together :  he  bids  us  believe  ; 
 and  why  ?  that  we  may  be  faved.  Therefore,  renouncing  all 
 others,  let  us  cleave  to  the  true  God. 
 
 2.  Vou  have  covenanted  to  ferve  the  true  Jehovah,  renounc- 
 ing all  others.  When  one  hath  entered  into  covenant  with  his 
 mailer,  and  the  indentures  are  drawn  and  fealed,  then  he  can- 
 not go  back,  but  mult  ferve  out  his  time.  We  have  covenanted 
 in  baptifm,  to  take  the  Lord  for  our  God,  renouncing  all  others ; 
 and  renewed  this  covenant  in  the  Lord's  fupper,  and  mall  we 
 
 Vol.  I.  No,  9.  SC 
 
38(5  Or  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 not  keep  our  folemn  vow  and  covenant  ?  we  cannot  go  away 
 from  God  without  the  higheft  perjury,  Heb.  x.  38.  'If  any 
 man  draw  back/  as  a  foldier  that  deals  away  from  his  colours, 
 ■  my  foul  (hall  have  no  pleafure  in  him  ;  I  will  pour  vials  of 
 wrath  on  him,  and  make  mine  arrows  drunk  with  blood.' 
 
 3.  None  ever  had  caufe  to  repent  of  cleaving  to  God  and  his 
 fervice  :  fome  have  repented  that  they  have  made  a  god  of  the 
 world.  Cardinal  Wolf  ay  faid,  "  Had  I  i'erved  my  God  as 
 faithfully  as  I  have  ferved  my  king,  he  would  never  have  left  me 
 thus."  None  ever  complained  of  t'erving  God,  it  was  both  their 
 comfort  and  crown  on  their  death-bed. 
 
 OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 Exod.  xx.  4.     Thou  fh alt  not  make  unto  thee  any  graven 
 image,  &c. 
 
 In  the  firft  commandment  is  forbidden  the  worshipping 
 afalfegod;  in  tins,  the  worfhipping  the  true  God  in  a  falfe 
 manner. 
 
 1.  *  Thou  (halt  not  make  unto  thee  any  graven  image.' 
 This  forbids  not  the  making  an  image  for  civil  ufe,M*t.  xxii. 
 c20.  *  Whofe  is  this  image  and  fuperfcription  ?  T4fey  fay  unto 
 him,  It  is  Caefar's.'  But  the  commandment  forbids  letting  up 
 an  image  for  religious  ufe  or  worfhip. 
 
 2.  4  Nor  the  likenefs  of  any  thing,'  &c.  All  ideas,  portrai- 
 tures, fhapes,  images  of  od,  whether  by  effigies  or  pictures, 
 are  here  forbidden,  Deut.  iv.  15.  •  Take  heed  left  ye  corrupt 
 yourfelves,  and  make  the  fimilitude  of  any  figure.'  God  is  to 
 be  adored  in  the  heart,  not  painted  to  the  eye. 
 
 3.  '  Thou  (halt  not  bow  down  to  them.'  The  intent  of  mak- 
 ing images  and  pictures,  is  to  worfhip  them.  No  fooner  was 
 Nebuchadnezzar  s  golden  image  fet  up,  but  all  the  people  fell 
 down  and  worfhipped  it,  Dan.  hi.  7.  Therefore  God  forbids 
 the  proftraiting  of  ourfelves  before  an  idol ;  fo  then,  the  thing 
 prohibited  in  this  commandment  is  image-worfhip.  To  fet  up 
 an  image  to  reprefent  God,  is  a  debafing  of  the  Deity,  it  is  be- 
 low God.  If  one  fhould  make  images  of  fnakes  or  fpiders,  fay- 
 ing he  did  it  to  reprefent  his  prince,  would  not  the  prince  take 
 this  in  high  difdain  ?  what  greater  difparagement  to  God,  than 
 to  reprefent  the  infinite  God  by  that  which  is  finite :  the  living 
 God,  by  that  which  is  without  life,  and  the  Maker  of  ajl,  by  a 
 thing  which  is  made  ? 
 
 I.  To  make  a  true  image  of  God  is  impofTible.  God  is  a 
 Spiritual  eflence,  John  iv.  24.  and,  being  a  Spirit,  he  is  invifi- 
 
Or  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT.  3S7 
 
 ble,  Dcut.  iv.  15.  ■  Ye  faw  no  fimilitude  in  the  day  that  the 
 Lord  (pake  with  you  out  of  the  nridft  of  the  fire.'  How  can 
 any  paint  the  Deity  ?  can  they  make  an  image  of  that  which 
 they  never  faw  ?  Quod  invijlble  eft,  pingi,  mon  proteft,  Amb. 
 "  Ye  law  no  fimilitude.*'  It  is  impoflible  to  make  a  picture  of 
 the  foul,  or  to  paint  the  angels,  becaufe  they  are  of  a  fphitual 
 nature  ;  much  lefs  then  can  we  paint  God  by  an  image,  who  is 
 an  infinite,  uncreated  Spirit. 
 
 2.  To  worihip  God  by  au  image,  is  both  abfurd  and  unlaw- 
 ful. 
 
 I.  It  is  abfurd  and  irrational  ;  for,  1.  The  workman  is  bet- 
 ter than  the  work,  Ileb.  iii.  3.  ■  He  who  buildeth  the  houfe 
 hath  more  honour  than  the  houfe.'  If  the  workman  be  better 
 than  the  work,  and  none  bow  to  the  workman,  how  abfurd  then 
 is  it  to  bow  to  the  work  of  his  hands  ?  c2.  Is  it  not  an  abfurd 
 thing  to  bow  down  to  the  king's  picture,  when  the  king  him- 
 ielf is  prefent  ?  fo  to  bow  down  to  an  image  of  God,  when  Gad 
 himfelf  is  every-where  prefent. 
 
 II.  It  is  unlawful  to  worfhip  God  by  an  image;  for,  1.  It 
 is  againlt  the  homily  of  the  church  ;  it  runs  thus  ;  '  The  images 
 of  God,  our  Saviour,  the  Virgin  Mary,  are  of  all  others  the 
 mod  dangerous ;  therefore  the  greatelt  care  ought  to  be  had, 
 that  they  ftand  not  in  temples  and  churches.'  So  that  image- 
 worfhip  is  contrary  to  our  own  homilies,  and  doth  aifront  the 
 authority  of  the  church  of  England.  2.  Image-worfhip  is  ex- 
 prefsly  againit  the  letter  of  fcripture,  Lev.  xxvi.  1.  ■  Ye  (hall 
 make  no  graven  image,  neither  (hall  ye  Get  up  any  image  of 
 ftone,  to  bow  down  to  it,'  Deut.  xvi.  t%.  *  Neither  (halt  thou 
 fet  up  any  image  which  the  Lord  thy  God  hateth.'  Pfal.  xcvii. 
 7.  '  Confounded  be  all  they  that  ferve  graven  images.'  Do  we 
 think  to  pleafe  God,  by  doing  that  which  is  contrary  to  his  mind, 
 and  that  which  he  hath  exprefsly  forbidden  ?  3.  Image-worfhip 
 is  againft  the  practice  of  the  faints  of  old.  Joliah,  that  renown- 
 ed king,  defiroyed  the  groves  and  images,  c>  Kings  xxiii.  24. 
 Conitantine  abrogated  the  images  fet  up  in  temples  :  the  Chris- 
 tians deftroyed  images  at  Bafil,  Zurick,  Bohemia;  when  the 
 Roman  emperors  would  have  thrult  images  upon  them,  they 
 chofe  rather  to  die  than  deflower  their  virgin- profeflion  by  idola- 
 try ;  they  refufed  to  admit  any  painter  or  carver  into  their  fo- 
 ciety,  becaufe  they  would  not  have  any  carved  ftatue  or  image 
 of  God  :  when  Seraphion  bowed  to  an  idol,  the  Chriltians  ex- 
 communicated him,  and  delivered  him  up  to  Satan. 
 
 Uj'e  1.  It  reproves  and  condemns  the  church  of  Rome,  who, 
 from  the  Alpha  of  their  religion  to  the  Omega,  are  wholly  ido- 
 latrous. They  make  images  of  God  the  Father,  painting  him 
 in  their  church  windows  as  an  old  man  ;  and  an  image  of  Chrilt 
 in  the  crucifix  :   and,  becaufe  it  is  againit  the  letter  of  this  com- 
 
 3Ce 
 
3SS  OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 mandment,  therefore  they  facrilegioufly  blot  out  the  fecond  com- 
 mandment out  of  their  catechifes,  dividing  the  tenth  command- 
 ment into  two;  now  this  image-worfhip  mud  needs  be  very 
 impious  and  blafphemous,  becaufe  it  is  a  giving  that  religious 
 worfhip  to  the  creature,  which  is  only  due  to  God.  It  is  vain 
 for  papifts  to  fay,  they  give  God  the  worfhip  of  the  heart,  and 
 the  image  only  the  worfhip  of  the  body  ;  for  the  worfhip  of  the 
 body  is  due  to  God,  as  well  as  the  worfhip  of  the  heart :  and  to 
 give  an  outward  veneration  to  an  image,  is  to  give  that  adora- 
 tion to  a  creature,  which  only  belongs  to  God,  Ifa.  xlii.  S.  '  My 
 glory  will  1  not  give  to  another. ' 
 
 Object.  1.  But  the  papifts  fay ,  they  do  not  worfliip  the  image, 
 only  make  ufe  of  it  as  a  medium,  they  worfliip  God  by  it;  Ne 
 imagine  quidem  Chrifti  in  quantum  eft  lignum  fculptum,  ultra 
 debetor  reverentia,  Aquinas. 
 
 Anf.  1.  Where  hath  God  bidden  them  worlhip  him  by  an 
 effigy  or  fpirit  ?  Ifa.  i.  12.  *  Who  hath  required  this  at  your 
 hands  ?'  The  papifts  cannot  lay  lb  much  as  the  devil,  Scriptum 
 eft,  It  is  written. 
 
 2.  The  heathens  may  bring  the  fame  argument  for  their  grofs 
 idolatry,  as  the  paprfts  do  for  their  image- worfhip.  Who  of 
 the  heathens  were  fo  fimple,  as  to  think  of  gold  and  filver,  or 
 the  figure  of  an  ox  or  elephant,  were  God  ?  They  were  only 
 emblems  and  hieroglyphics  to  reprefent  him  ;  they  did  wor- 
 fhip the  invifible  God,  by  fuch  vifible  things.  To  worfhip  God 
 by  an  image,  God  takes  as  done  to  the  image  itfelf. 
 
 Object.  2.  But,  fay  the  papifts,  images  are  lay-men's  books, 
 and  they  are  good  to  put  us  in  mind  of  God,  One  of  the  popifh 
 councils  affirmed,  that  we  might  learn  more  by  an  image,  than  by 
 a  longfiudy  of  the  fcriptures . 
 
 Anf.  Hab.  ii.  18.  '  What  profiteth  the  graven  image,  the 
 molten  image,  and  a  teacher  of  lies?'  Is  an  image  a  lay-man's 
 book  ?  See  then  what  lefibns  this  book  teacheth  ;  it  teacheth 
 lies;  it  reprefents  God  in  a  vifible  fhape,  who  is  invifible.  For 
 the  papifts  to  fay,  they  make  ufe  of  an  image  to  put  them  in 
 mind  of  God,  is  as  ifa  woman  fhould  fay,  fhe  keeps  company 
 with  another  man,  to  put  her  in  mind  of  her  hufband. 
 
 Object.  3.  But  did  not  Mofes  make  the  image  of  a  brazen 
 ferpent  ?  Why  then  may  not  images  he  Jet  up  ? 
 
 Anf  That  was  done  by  God's  fpecial  command,  Numb, 
 xxi.  8.  '  Make  thee  a  brazen  ferpent ;'  and  there  was  a  fpecial 
 ufe  of  it,  both  literal  and  fpiritual ;  but  what,  doth  the  fetting 
 up  this  image  of  the  brazen  ferpent  juitify  the  fetting  up  of 
 images  in  churches  ?  what,  becaufe  Mofes  did  make  an  image 
 by  God's  appointment,  may  we  therefore  fet  up  an  image  of 
 our  own  deviling?  becaufe  Mofes  made  an  image  to  heal  them 
 that  were  flung,  is  itlawful  therefore  to  fetupimagesinchurches, 
 
Or  THF.  SECOND  COMMANDMrNT.  389 
 
 to  (ling  them  that  arc  whole  ?  this  cloth  not  at  all  follow. 
 Nay,  that  very  brazen  ferpent  which  Go<l  himlMf  commanded 
 to  be  let  up,  when  Uriel  did  look  upon  it  with  too 'much  reve- 
 rence, and  began  to  hum  incenfe  to  it,  Hezekiah  defaced  that 
 image,  and  called  it,  Nehufhtan  ;  and  God  commended  him  tor 
 fo  doing,  2  Kings  xviii.  4. 
 
 Object.  4.  But  is  not  God  reprefentcd  as  having  hands,  and 
 eyes,  and  ears  f  Why  then  may  we  not  make  an  image  to  repre- 
 J'ent  him  by,  a) id  help  our  devotion. 
 
 Anf.  Though  God  is  pleal'ed  to  ftoop  to  our  weak  capacities, 
 and  let  hirafelf  out  in  fcripfure  by  eyes,  to  fignify  his  omnilcien- 
 cy  ;  and  hands  to  fignify  his  power;  yet  it  is  very  abfurd,  from 
 metaphors  and  figurative  expreftions,  to  bring  an  argument  for 
 images  and  pictures  ;  for,  by  that  rule,  God  may  be  pictured  by 
 the  fun  and  the  element  of  fire,  and  by  a  rock;  for  God  is  let 
 forth  by  thefe  metaphors  in  fcripture  :  and  fure  the  papifts  them- 
 felves  would  not  like  to  have  fuch  images  made  of  God. 
 
 Qu.  1.  If  it  be  not  lawful  to  make  the  image  of  God  the  Ftf- 
 ther,  yet  may  we  not  make  an  image  of  Chriji,  who  took  upon  him 
 the  nature  of  man  f 
 
 Anf.  No.  Epiphanius  feeing  an  image  of  Chrifl  hanging  in 
 a  church,  brake  it  in  pieces,  it  is  Chrift's  Godhead,  united  to 
 his  manhood,  that  makes  him  to  be  Chrift  :  therefore,  to  pic- 
 ture his  manhood,  when  we  cannot  picture  his  Godhead,  is  a 
 fin,  becaufe  we  make  him  to  be  but  half  Chrift,  we  feparate 
 what  God  hath  joined,  we  leave  out  that  which  is  the  chief 
 thing,  which  makes  him  to  be  Chrift. 
 
 Qu.  2.  But  how  then  ffiall  we  conceive  of  God  aright ,  if  we 
 may  make  no  image  orrefemblance  of  him  ? 
 
 Anf  We  mult  conceive  of  God  fpiritually,  viz.  1.  In  his  at- 
 tributes, his  holinefs,  juftice,  goodnefs,  which  are  the  beams  by 
 which  his  divine  nature  fhines  forth.  2.  We  muft  conceive  of 
 him  as  he  is  in  Chrift,  Chrift  is  the  '  image  of  the  invifible 
 God,'  Col.  i.  15.  as  in  the  wax  we  fee  the  print  of  the  feal. 
 Set  the  eyes  of  your  faith  on  Chrift  God-man,  John  xiv.  9. 
 -  He  that  hath  feel!  me,  hath  feen  the  Father.' 
 
 Lie  2.  Take  heed  of  idolatry,  viz.  image-worfhip :  our  na- 
 ture is  prone  to  this  fin,  as  dry  wood  to  take  fire  ;  and  indeed, 
 what  needs  fo  many  words  in  the  commandment,  *  Thou  (halt 
 not  make  any  graven  image,  or  the  likenefs  of  any  thing  in  hea- 
 ven, earth.,  water,'  tun,  moon,  liars,  male,  female  fifh  ;  *  thou 
 fhalt  not  bow  down  to  them  :'  I  fay,  what  needed  fo  many 
 words,  but  mew  how  fuhject  we  are  to  this  fin  of  falfe  worfhip? 
 it  concerns  us  therefore  to  refill  this  (in.  Where  the  tide  is  apt 
 to  run  with  greater  force,  there  we  had  need  to  make  the  banks 
 higher  and  ttionger,  the  plague  of  idolatry  is  very  infectious, 
 Pliil.   cvi.  35,  36.  ■  They  were  mingled  among  the  heathens, 
 
$90  OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 and  ferved  their  idols.'     It  is  my  advice  to  you  to  avoid  all 
 occafions  of  this  fin. 
 
 1.  Come  not  into  the  company  of  idolatrous  papifts,  dare 
 not  to  live  under  the  lame  roof  with  them  :  you  run  into  the 
 devil's  mouth.  John  the  divine  would  not  be  in  the  bath  where 
 Cerinthus  the  heretic  was. 
 
 2.  Go  not  into  their  chapels  to  fee  their  crucifixes,  or  hear 
 mais :  as  the  looking  on  an  harlot  draws  to  idolatry,  fo  the 
 looking  on  the  popifh  gilded  picture  may  draw  to  idolatry. 
 Some  care  not  though  they  go  and  fee  their  idol-worfhip :  in- 
 deed, a  vagrant  that  hath  nothing  to  lofe,  cares  not  though  he 
 goes  among  thieves;  fuch  as  have  no  goodnefs  in  them,  care 
 not  into  what  idolatrous  places  they  come,  or  what  temptations 
 they  call  themfelves  upon  :  but  you  who  have  a  treafure  about 
 you,  good  principles,  take  heed  the  popilh  priefts  do  not  rob 
 you  of  your  principles,  and  defile  you  with  their  images. 
 
 3.  Dare  not  to  join  in  marriage  with  image-worfhippers. 
 Solomon,  tho*  a  man  of  wildom,  yet  his  idolatrous  wives  drew 
 away  his  heart  from  God.  The  people  of  Ifrael  entered  into 
 an  oath  and  curie,  that  they  would  not  give  their  daughters  in 
 marriage  to  the  idolaters,  Nehem.  x.  30.  For  a  proteftant  and 
 papift  to  marry,  is  to  be  unequally  yoked,  2  Cor.  vi.  14>.  and 
 there  is  more  danger  that  the  papift  will  corrupt  the  proteftant, 
 than  hope  that  the  proteftant  will  convert  the  papift.  Mingle 
 wine  and  vinegar,  the  vinegar  will  fooner  four  the  wine,  than 
 the  wine  will  fweeten  the  vinegar. 
 
 4.  Avoid  fu perdition,  which  is  a  bridge  leads  over  to  Rome. 
 Superftition  is  the  bringing  in  any  ceremony,  fancy,  or  innova- 
 tion into  God's  worfhip,  which  he  never  appointed.  This  is 
 very  provoking  to  God,  becaufe  it  reflects  much  upon  his  honour, 
 as  if  he  were  not  wife  enough  to  appoint  the  manner  of  his  own 
 worfhip.  God  hates  all  ftrange  fire  to  be  offered  in  his  temple, 
 Lev.  x.  1.  A  ceremony  may  in  time  bring  to  a  crucifix.  They 
 who  contend  for  the  crofs  in  baptifm,  why  may  they  not  as  well 
 have  the  oil,  fait,  and  cream,  the  one  being  as  ancient  as  the 
 other?  fuch  as  are  for  altar-worfhip,  they  who  will  bow  to  the 
 eaft,  may  in  time  bow  to  the  hoft.  Take  heed  of  all  occafions 
 of  idolatry  ;  idolatry  is  deviliih-  worfhip,  Pfal.  cvi.  37.  and  if 
 you  fearch  through  the  whole  bible,  there  is  no  one  fin  that  God 
 hath  more  followed  with  plagues,  than  idolatry  ;  the  Jews  have 
 a  faying,  that  in  every  evil  that  befals  them  there  is  uucia  aurei 
 vitidi,  an  ounce  of  the  golden  calf  in  it.  Hell  is  a  place  for 
 idolaters,  Rev.  xxii.  15.  *  For  without  are  idolaters.*  Senefius 
 calls  the  devil  a  rejoicer  at  idols,  becaufe  the  image-worlhippers 
 help  to  fill  hell.  That  you  may  be  preferved  from  idolatry  and 
 image- worfhip. 
 
 1.  Get  good  principles,  that  you  may  be  able  to  oppofe  the 
 
OF  THE  SECOND    COMMANDS  391 
 
 gamCiyer.  Whence  doth  the  popilh  religion  get  ground  ?  not 
 from  the  goodnefsof  theircaule,  but  from  the  ignorance  of  their 
 people. 
 
 9.  Get  love  to  God.  The  wife  that  loves  her  btrfband  is  fafe 
 from  the  idolater ;  and  the  ibul  that  loves  Chriii  is  fate  from  the 
 idolater. 
 
 3.  Pray  that  God  will  keep  you.  Tho'  it  is  true,  there  is  no- 
 thing in  an  ima^e  to  tempt  (for  if  we  pray  to  an  image,  it  can- 
 not hear,  and  if  we  pray  to  God  by  an  image,  he  will  not  hear  : 
 I  fay,  there's  nothing  to  tempt)  yet  we  know  not  our  own  hearts, 
 or  how  fbon  we  may  be  drawn  to  vanity,  if  God  leaves  US! 
 therefore  pray  that  you  be  not  enticed  by  falfe  worfhip,  or  receive 
 the  mark  of  the  beatt  in  your  right  hand  or  forehead,  Pray,  Pi". 
 cxix.  117-'  Hold  thou  me  up,  and  i  ihall  be  fafe.'  Lord,  let 
 nie  neither  miltake  my  way  for  want  of  light,  nor  leave  the  true 
 way  for  want  of  courage. 
 
 2.  Let  us  blefs  God,  who  hath  given  us  the  knowledge  of  his 
 truth  ;  that  we  have  tafted  the  honey  of  his  word,  and  our  eyes 
 are  enlightened.  Blets  him  that  he  hath  (hewn  us  the  pattern 
 of  his  houfe,  the  right  mode  of  worfhip  ;  that  he  hath  difcovered 
 to  us  the  forgery  and  blafphemy  of  the  Romifh  religion.  Let 
 us  pray,  that  God  will  preferve  pure  ordinances,  and  powerful 
 preaching  among  us  :  idolatry  came  in  at  fifft  by  the  want  of 
 good  preaching  ;  then  the  people  began  to  have  golden  images, 
 when  they  had  wooden  prielts. 
 
 Exod.  xx.  b.  For  I  the  Lord  thy  God  am  a  jealous  God, 
 trig  the  iniquity  of  the  Fathers  upon  the  Children  unto  tin. 
 and  fourth  Generation  of  them  that  hate  me. 
 
 I.  ■  I  the  Lord  thy  God  am  a  jealous  God.'  The  fir  ft 
 reafon  why  Ilrael  mult  nut  worfhip  graven  images,  is,  becaufe 
 the  Lord  is  a  jealous  God,  Exod.  xxxiv.  14.  ■  The  Lord  whole 
 name  is  Jehovah,  is  a  jealous  God.'  Jeaioufy  is  taken  in  a  good 
 fenfe,  and  foGod  is  jealous  for  his  people.  2.  In  a  bad  fenfe, 
 and  ib  God  is  jealous  of  his  people. 
 
 I.  In  a  good  fenfe,  and  fo  God  is  jealous  for  his  people^ 
 Zech.  i.  1 4.  '  Thus  faith  the  Lord  I  am  jealous  for  Jerufalem, 
 and  for  Zion,  with  a  great  jeaioufy.'  God  hath  i  dear  affec- 
 tion for  his  people,  they  are  his  Hephzibah,  or  delight,  Ifa. 
 Ixii.  4.  The  apple  of  his  eye,  Zech.  ii.  8.  To  exprefs  how 
 clear  they  are  to  him,  and  how  tender  he  is  of  them,  Nihil 
 charius  pupilla  oculi,  Drufius.  They  are  his  fpoufe,  adorned 
 with  jewels  of  grace  ;  they  lie  near  to  his  heart.  He  is  jealous 
 for  his  fpoufe,  therefore  he  will  be  avenged  on  them  who  go  to 
 
392  OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 wrong  her,  Ifa.  xliii.  13.  J  The  Lord  (hall  ftir  up  jealoufy  like 
 a  man  oi*  war  ;  he  fhall  roar,  he  (hall  prevail  againft  his  enemies.' 
 What  is  done  to  the  faints,  God  takes  as  done  to  himfelf,  2  Kings 
 xix.  26.  and  the  Lord  will  undo  all  them  that  afflid  Zion, 
 Zeph.  iii.  W.  '  I  will  undo  all  that  afflict  thee.'  2.  Jealoufy 
 is  taken  in  a  bad  fenfe,  and  fo  God  is  jealous  of  his  people  :  and 
 ib  it  is  taken  in  this  commandment,  *  I  the  Lord  thy  God  am 
 a  jealous  God.'  I  am  jealous  left  you  fhould  go  after  falfe  gods, 
 or  worfhip  the  true  God  in  a  falfe  manner;  left  you  defile  your 
 virgin-profeflion  by  images.  God  will  have  his  fpoufe  to  keep 
 clofe  to  him,  and  not  go  after  other  lovers,  Hof.  iii.  3.  *  Thou 
 fhalt  not  be  for  another  man.'  God  cannot  bear  a  corrival :  our 
 conjugal  love,  viz.  a  love  joined  with  adoration  and  worfhip, 
 muft  be  given  only  to  God. 
 
 Ufa  I.  Let  us  give  God  nojuft  caufe  to  bejealous.  A  good 
 ■wife  will  be  fo  difcreet  and  chafte,  as  to  give  her  hufband  no 
 juft  occafion  of  jealoufy.  Let  us  avoid  all  fin,  efpecially  this  fin 
 of  idolatry,  or  image-worfhip  ;  it  is  heinous,  after  we  have  en- 
 tered into  a  marriage-covenant  with  God,  now  to  proftituteour- 
 felves  to  an  image.  Idolatry  is  fpiritual  adultery,  and  God  is 
 a  jealous  God,  he  will  avenge  it:  image-worfhip  makes  God 
 abhor  a  people,  Pfal.  lxxviii.  58.  "  They  moved  him  to  jealoufy 
 with  their  graven  images.  When  God  heard  this,  he  was  wroth, 
 and  greatly  abhorred  Ifrael.'  Image-worfhip  enrageth  God, 
 Prov.  vi.  34.  '  Jealoufy  is  the  rage  of  a  man ;'  it  makes  God 
 divorce  a  people,  Hof.  ii.  2.  ■  Plead  with  your  mother,  plead  ; 
 for  fhe  is  not  my  wife.'  Cant.  viii.  6.  '  Jealoufy  is  cruel  as  the 
 grave.'  As  the  grave  devours  men's  bodies,  fo  God  will  devour 
 image-worfhippers. 
 
 life  2.  If  God  be  a  jealous  God,  let  it  be  a  word  to  fuch 
 whofe  friends  are  popifh  idolaters,  and  they  are  hated  by  their 
 friends,  becaufe  they  are  of  a  different  religion,  and  perhaps 
 they  cut orf  their  maintenance  from  them.  O  remember,  God 
 is  a  jealous  God  ;  better  move  your  parents  to  hatred,  than 
 move  God  to  jealoufy  ;  their  anger  cannot  do  you  fo  much  hurt 
 as  God's  ;  if  they  will  not  provide  for  you,  God  will,  Pfalf 
 xxvii.  10.  '  When  my  father  and  mother  forfake  me,  then  the 
 Lord  will  take  me  up.' 
 
 II.  The  fecond  reafon  againft  image-worfhip,  '  Vifiting  the 
 iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children  unto  the  third  and  fourth 
 generation.'  There  is  a  twofold  vifiting.  1.  There  is  God's 
 vifiting  in  m^ercy,  Gen.  1.  25.  '  God  will  furely  vifit  you  ;'  that 
 is  he  will  bring  you  into  the  land  of  Canaan,  the  type  of  heave?). 
 Thus  God  hath  vifited  us  with  the  fun-beams  of  his  favour  ;  he 
 hath  made  us  fwim  in  afea  of  mercy  ;  this  is  an  happy  vifitation. 
 2.  There  is  God's  vifiting  in  anger,  Jer.  v.  Q.  *  Shall  I  not 
 vifit  for  thefe  things  ?'  that  is,  God's  vifiting  with  the  rod  :  and, 
 
or  the  snroxn  commandment.  303 
 
 tfa.  x.  8.   '  What  will  ye  do  in  the  day  of  vifitation  ?'  that  is, 
 in    the   day   when    God  (hall  vifit  with  his  ju  Thus 
 
 God's  vifitin?  is  taken  here,   in  this  commandment,   '  viiin 
 iniquity,1    that  is,    puniuMng  iniquity.      Obferve  here  three 
 thin 
 
 I.  That  fin  makes  God  vifit;  *  Yifiting  iniquity.' 
 Sin  i<  the  caufe  why  God  vifits  with  ficknefs,  poverty,  Pfal. 
 Ixxxix.  31,  39.  ■  If  they  break  my  commandments ;  then  will 
 I  vifit  their  tranl^refiions  with  the  rod.'  Sin  Jwifts  the  cords 
 which  pinch  us ,  fin  creates  all  our  troubles,  it  is  the  gall  in  our 
 cup,  and  the  gravel  in  our  bread  ;  FUtgithnn  etjlagellum,  junt 
 ficut  ams  ( t  fihim.     Sin  is  the  Trojan  norfe,   the  phaeton,  that 
 
 i  all  on  fire  ;   it  is  the  worn!)  of  our  forrows,  and  the  grave  of 
 our  comfort.     God  vifits  for  fin. 
 
 I  )ne  fpf  cial  fin  God  vifits  for,  is  idolatry  and  image 
 worfhip.  ■  V7i(iting  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers. '  Molt  of  God's 
 inwnomed  arrows  have  been  (hot  anions  idolaters,  Jer.  vii.  12. 
 ■  Go  now  into  my  place  which  was  in  Shiloh,  where  I  fet  my 
 name  at  the  firft,  and  fee  what  I  did  to  it.1  God,  for  lfrael's 
 idolatry  differed  their  army  to  be  routed,  their  prielts  flam,  the 
 ark  taken  captive;  and  we  never  read  that  the  ark  returned  to 
 Shiloh  any  more.  Jerusalem  was  the  mod  famous  metropolis 
 of  the  world  ;  there  was  the  temple,  Pfal.  exxii.  4.  ■  Whither 
 the  tribes  go  up,  the  tribes  of  the  Lord.'  Yet,  for  their  high 
 places  and  images,  their  city  was  befieged,  and  taken  by  the 
 Chaldean  forces,  2  Kings  xxv.  4.  When  images  were  fet  up 
 in  Constantinople,  the  chief  feat  of  the  Eaftern  empire:  this 
 city,  which  was  in  the  eye  of  the  world  impregnable,  was  taken 
 by  the  Turks,  and  many  cruelly  maffacrecl.  Then  the  Turks, 
 in  their  triumphs,  reproached  the  idolatrous  Chriftians,  caufing 
 an  image  or  crucifix  to  be  carried  through  the  ftreets  in  con- 
 tempt, and  throwing  dirt  upon  it  cried,  "  This  is  the  god  of 
 the  Chriftians."  Here  was  Gcd's  vifitation  for  their  idolatry. 
 God  hath  fet  fpecial  marks  of  his  wrath  upon  idolaters;  at  a 
 place  called  Epoletium,  there  perifhed  by  an  earthquake  350 
 perfons,  while  they  were  offering  facrifice  to  idols.  Idolatry 
 hath  brought  mifery  upon  the  Eaftern  churches,  it  removed  the 
 golden  candlefticks  of  Afia.     This  iniquity  God  vifits  for. 
 
 Obferve  3.  Idolatrous  perfons  are  enemies  not  only  to  their 
 own  fouls,  but  to  their  children  :  '  Vifiting  the  iniquity  of  the 
 fathers  upon  their  children.'  As  an  idolatrous  father  entails 
 his  land  of  inheritance,  fo  he  entails  God's  anger  and  curfe  upon 
 them.  A  jealous  hufband,  finding  his  wife  hath  ftained  her 
 integrity,  may  juftly  caft  her  off  and  her  children  too,  becaufe 
 re  none  of  his.  If  the  father  be  a  traitor  to  his  prince,  no 
 wonder  if  all  the  children  fufYer.  God  may  vifit  the  i) 
 mase-worihippers  upon  their  children. 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  y.  3  D 
 
394  OF  THE  SECOKD  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 Qu.  But  is  it  not /aid,  '  Every  one  fliall  die  for  his  own  Jinx 
 the  (on  fliall not  hear  the  iniquity  of  the  father  ?'  How  then  doth 
 God  fay,  He  ■  will  vijit  the  iniquity  oj 'the  fathers  upon  the  chil- 
 dren r 
 
 Anf.  Tho'  the  fon  be  not  damned  for  his  father's  fin,  yet  he 
 may  be  feverely  punifhed,  Job  xxi.  19.  '  God  lays  up  his 
 iniquity  for  his  children  ;'  that  is,  God  lays  up  the  punifhmenfc 
 of  his  iniquity  for  his  children  ;  the  child  ('marts  for  the  father's 
 fin.  Jeroboam  thought  to  have  eftablifhed  the  kingdom  by 
 idolatrous  worihip,  but  it  brought  ruin  upon  him,  and  all  his 
 pofterity,  1  Kings  xiv.  10.  Ahab's  idolatry  wronged  his 
 pofterity,  they  loft  the  kingdom,  and  were  all  beheaded,  2  Kings 
 x.  7.  *  They  took  the  king's  ions,  and  flew  ieventy  peribns.' 
 There  God  vifited  the  iniquity  of  the  father  upon  the  children. 
 As  a  fbn  catcheth  an  hereditary  difeafe  from  his  father,  the  ftone* 
 or  gout ;  fo  he  catcheth  mifery  from  him,  his  father's  fin  ruins 
 him. 
 
 life  1.  If  fo,  then  how  fad  is  it  to  be  the  child  of  an  idolater? 
 It  had  been  fad  to  have  been  one  of  Gehazi's  children,  who 
 had  leprofy  entailed  upon  them,  2  Kings  v.  27.  *  The  leprofy 
 of  Naaman  fliall  cleave  to  thee  and  to  thy  feed  for  ever.'  So  it 
 is  fad  to  be  a  child  of  an  idolater,  or  image-worfhipper  :  his  feed 
 are  expofed  to  God's  heavy  judgments  in  this  life  ;  '  God  vifits 
 the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  their  children.'  Methinks  I 
 hear  God  fpeak,  as,  Ifa.  xiv.  31.  ■  Prepare  flaughter  for  his 
 children  for  the  iniquity  of  their  fathers.' 
 
 Ufe  2.  See  what  a  privilege  it  is  to  be  the  children  of  good 
 parents;  the  parents  are  in  covenant  with  God,  and  God  lays 
 up  mercy  for  their  pofterity,  Prov.  xx.  7.  *  The  juftman  walks 
 in  his  integrity,  his  feed  are  blefled  after  him.'  A  religious 
 parent  doth  not  procure  wrath,  but  helps  to  keep  off  wrath 
 from  his  child;  he  feafons  his  child  with  religious  principles, 
 he  prays  down  a  blefling  on  his  child  :  he  is  a  loadftone  draw- 
 ing his  child  to  Chrift  by  good  counfel  and  example.  O  what 
 a  privilege  is  it  to  be  born  of  godly  religious  parents !  St.  Auftin 
 faith,  that  his  mother  Monica  travelled  with  greater  care  and 
 pains  for  his  new  birth,  than  for  his  natural.  Wicked  idolaters 
 entail  mifery  on  their  pofterity,  God  •  vifits  the  iniquity  of  the 
 fathers  upon  their  children  :'  but  religious  parents  procure  a 
 blefling  upon  their  children,  God  referves  mercy  upon  their 
 pofterity. 
 
 III.  The  third  reafon  againft  image- worfhip,  Of  them  that 
 hate  me.  This  is  a  reafon  againft  image- worihip,  'tis  hating 
 God  ;  the  papifts,  who  worfhip  God  by  an  image,  hate  God, 
 Image- worfhip  is  a  pretended  love  to  God,  but  God  interprets 
 it  an  hating  of  him  :  Qua?  diligit  alteram  odit  fponfum  ;  She 
 that  loves  another  man,  hates  her  own  hufband.     An  image- 
 
OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT.  395 
 
 tover  is  a  God-hater.  Idolaters  are  faid  to  go  a-whoring  from 
 God,  Ezek.  xxxiv.  1,">.  1  low  can  they  love  God  ?  Ifhallfliew 
 that  image-worlhippers  hate  God,  whatever  love  they  pre- 
 tend. 
 
 1.  They  who  go  contrary  to  God's  exprefs  will,  hate  him. 
 God  faith,  you  (hall  not  let  up  any  ilatue,  image  nor  picture, 
 to  reprefent  me;  thefe  things  I  hate,  Deut.  xvi.  CJL2.  *  Neither 
 (halt  thou  let  up  any  image  which  the  Lord  thy  God  hateth.' 
 Yet  the  idolater  will  let  up  images,  and  worlhip  them.  This 
 God  looks  upon  as  an  hating  of  him.  How  doth  that  child 
 love  his  father,  who  doth  all  he  can  to  crofs  him  ? 
 
 2.  They  who  Ihut  the  truth  out  of  doors,  hate  him,  becaufe 
 they  laboured  to  Ihut  him  out  of  his  father's  houfe,  Judges  xi. 
 7.  The  idolater  fhuts  the  truth  out  of  doors  ;  he  blots  out  the 
 fecond  commandment ;  he  makes  a  fhape  of  the  invifible  God  ; 
 he  brings  a  lie  into  God's  worlhip  :  which  is  a  clear  proof  he 
 hates  God. 
 
 3.  Idolaters,  tho'  they  love  the  falfe  image  of  God  in  a  pic- 
 ture, yet  they  hate  the  true  image  of  God  in  a  believer  :  they 
 pretend  to  honour  Chrift  in  a  crucifix,  yet  perlecute  Chrift  in 
 his  members  ;   thefe  hate  God. 
 
 Ufe  1.  This  may  confute  thofe  who  plead  for  i mage- worlhi pa- 
 pers. They  are  very  devout  people,  they  adore  images,  they 
 let  up  the  crucifix,  kifs  it,  light  candles  to  it :  they  love  God. 
 Nay,  but  who  (hall  be  judge  of  their  love?  God  faith,  they  hate 
 him  :  they  give  religious  adoration  to  a  creature.  Thefe  hate 
 God,  and  God  hates  them  ;  and  they  lhall  never  live  with  God, 
 whom  God  hates :  he  will  never  lay  fuch  vipers  in  his  bofom ; 
 heaven  is  kept  as  paradile,  with  a  flaming  fword,  that  they 
 (hall  not  enter  in  :  and  Deut.  vii.  10.  *  He  repayeth  them  that 
 hate  him,  to  their  face.'  God  will  Ihoot  all  his  murdering- 
 pieces  among  idolaters  :  all  the  plagues  and  curies  in  the  book 
 of  God  lhall  befal  the  idolater  :  the  Lord  repays  him  that  hates 
 him  to  his  face. 
 
 Ufe  2.  Let  it  exhort  us  all  to  flee  from  Romifh  idolatry  :  let 
 us  not  be  among  God-haters,  1  John  v.  21.  •  Little  children 
 keep  yourfelves  from  idols.'  As  you  would  keep  your  bodies 
 from  adultery,  fo  keep  your  fouls  from  idolatry.  Take  heed  of 
 images,  they  are  images  of  jealoufy  to  provoke  God  to  anger  ; 
 they  are  damnable :  you  may  as  well  perifh  by  falle  devotion, 
 as  by  real  lcandal ;  by  image-worfhip,  as  drunkennefs  and 
 whoredom.  A  man  may  as  well  die  by  poifon,  as  piltol  :  we 
 may  as  well  go  to  hell  by  drinking  poifon  in  the  Romilh  cup  of 
 fornication,  as  by  being  piftoled  with  grofs  and  Icandalous  fins. 
 To  conclude,  'God  is  a  jealous  God,'  who  will  admit  of  no 
 corrival ;  ■  he  will  vifit  the  iniquities  of  the  fathers  upon  their 
 children  :'  he  will  entail  a  plague  upon  the  polterity  of  idolaters. 
 
 3  D  2 
 
39*5  OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 He  interprets  idolaters  to  be  fuch  as  hate  him  ;  he  that  is  art 
 image- lover,  is  a  God- hater :  Therefore  keep  yourfelves  pure 
 from  Uomilli  idolatry  ;  if  you  love  your  fouls,  keep  yourfelvea 
 from  idols. 
 
 ■  m«e»iiM 
 
 Exod.  xx.  6.     Shewing  Mercy  unto  Thoufands,  &c. 
 
 This  is  another  argument  againft  image- worfhip,  be- 
 caufe  fuch  as  do  not  provoke  God  with  their  images,  he  is  merci- 
 ful to  them,  and  will  entail  mercy  upon  their  posterity  ;  *  fhew- 
 ing  mercy  to  thoufands.' 
 
 1.  Here  is  the  golden  fceptre  of  God's  mercy  difplayed.  2. 
 The  perfons  intereited  in  God's  mercy  ;  fuch  as  love  him,  and 
 keep  his  commandments.  1.  The  golden  fceptre  of  God's 
 mercy  difplayed,  *  (hewing  mercy  to  thoufands/  The  heathens 
 thought  they  praifed  Jupiter  enough,  when  they  called  him 
 good  and  great.  Both  thefe  excellencies  meet  in  God,  majefty 
 and  mercy.  Mercy  is  that  innate  propenfenefs  in  God  to  do 
 good  to  diltreffed  finners.  God  (hewing  mercy,  makes  his 
 Godhead  appear  full  of  glory.  When  Mofes  faid  to  God,  '  I 
 befeech  thee  (hew  me  thy  glory  ;  I  will  (faith  God)  (hew  mercy,' 
 Exod.  xxxiii.  10.  His  mercy  is  his  glory.  Mercy  is  the  name 
 by  which  God  will  be  known,  Exod.  xxxiv.  6\  ■  The  Lord 
 paffed  by,  and  proclaimed,  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful 
 and  gracious.*  Mercy  proceeds  primarily,  and  originally  from 
 God  ;  he  is  called,  the  ■  Father  of  mercies,'  2  Cor.  i.  3.  be- 
 caufe  he  begets  all  thofe  mercies  and  bowels  which  are  in  the 
 creature.  Our  mercies  compared  with  God's,  are  fcarce  fo 
 much  as  a  drop  to  the  oceau. 
 
 Qu.   What  are  the  qualifications  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  The  fpring  of  mercy  which  God  (hews,  is  free  and 
 fpontaneous.  To  fet  up  merit  is  to  deftroy  mercy  :  nothing 
 can  deferve  mercy  nor  force  it ;  we  cannot  deferve  mercy  be- 
 caufe  of  oar  enmity,  nor  force  it :  we  may  force  God  to  punifh 
 us,  not  to  love  us,  Hof.  xiv.  3.  '  I  will  love  them  freely.' 
 Every  link  in  the  golden  chain  of  falvation  is  wrought  and  inter- 
 woven with  free  grace.  Election  is  free,  Eph.  i.  4.  '  He  hath 
 chofen  us  in  him  according  to  the  good  pleafure  of  his  will.' 
 J  unification  is  free,  Rom.  hi-  24.  '  Being  juftified  freely  by  his 
 grace.'  Say  not  then,  I  am  unworthy  ;  for  mercy  is  free.  If 
 God  mould  (hew  mercy  only  to  fuch  as  deferve  it,  he  mult  (hew 
 mercy  to  none  at  all. 
 
 2.  The  mercy  God  (hews  is  powerful :  how  powerful  is  that 
 mercy,  which  ibftens  an  heart  of  ftone  ?  Mercy  changed  Mary 
 Magdalen's  heart,  out  of  whom  feven  devils  were  call :  Hie  who 
 
OK  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT.  397 
 
 was  an  infrVx ible  adamant,  tv,<  rcy  made  hrr  a  weeping  p^nil 
 
 1*8  mercy  wprka  l ',■  .  et  irrcliltably  ;   it  ajlyi  <>n- 
 
 quera.     The  law  may  terrify,   mercy  doth  mollify.  .  iuit 
 
 lbvereigo  power  and  •  is  tli.it  mercy  which  fubducs  the 
 
 pride  and  enmity  of  the  heart,  and  beats  oil*  thole  chajoa  of  liu 
 in  which  the  foul  is  held  ! 
 
 3.  The  mercy  which  God  (hews  is  fuper-abundant,  I 
 xxxiv.  (j.  '  Abundant  in  goodoefs,  (hewing  merry  bo  thou- 
 lands.'  Cod  vilits  iniquity  only  to  the  third  and  fourth 
 tion,  Exod.  xx.  3.  but  he  (hews  mercy  to  a  thoui'and  genera*- 
 lions.  The  Lord  hath  trealuresof  mercy  lying  by,  therefore 
 he  is  Paid  to  be  '  plenteous  in  mercy/  Pial.  lxxxvi.  o.  and 
 '  rich  in  mercy,'  Eph.  ii.  4.  The  viai  of  God's  wrath  doth  but 
 drop,  but  the  fountain  of  his  mercy  runs.  The  l'un  is  not  To 
 full  of  "got,  as  God  is  of  love. 
 
 God  hath  mercy,  F'trji,  Of  all  dimenfions  ;  he  hath  depth  of 
 mercy,  it  reacheth  as  low  as  fmners  ;  and  height  of  mercy,  it 
 reacheth  above  the  clouds. 
 
 >nd/y,  God  hath  mercies  for  all  feafons :  mercies  for  the 
 Bight,  he  gives  fleep;  nay,  Jbmetimes  he  gives  a  ibng  in  the 
 night,  Pial.  xlii.  S.  And  he  hath  mercies  for  the  morning, 
 Lam.   iii.  3.   *  His  companions  are  frefh  every  morning.' 
 
 Thirdly,  God  hath  mercies  for  all  ibrts.  Mercies  for  the 
 poor,  1  Sam.  ii.  8.  *  He  raifeth  the  poor  out  of  the  dull;' 
 mercies  for  the  prifoner,  Pial.  lxix.  33.  *  He  defpifeth  not  his 
 prisoners  :'  Mercies  for  the  dejected,  Ifa.  liv.  8.  '  In  a  little 
 wrath  I  hid  my  face  from  thee,  but  with  great  mercies  will  [ 
 gather  thee.'  God  hath  old  mercies,  Pfal.  xxv.  6.  ■  Thy 
 mercies  have  been  ever  of  old  :*  and  new  mercies,  Pial.  xl.  3. 
 4  He  hath  put  a  new  long  in  my  mouth.'  Every  time  we  draw 
 our  breath,  we  luck  in  mercy  :  God  hath  mercies  under  heaven, 
 and  thoie  we  tafte  of ;  and  mercies  in  heaven,  and  thole  we 
 hope  for.     Thus  God's  mercies  aie  fuper-abundant. 
 
 -1.  The  mercy  God  (hews  is  abiding,  PP.  ciii.  16.  ■  The  mer- 
 cy of  the  Lord  is  from  everlafting  to  everlafting.'  God's  anger 
 to  his  children  lalis  but  a  while,  Pf.  ciii.  <).  but  his  mercy  lalts 
 for  ever.  God's  mercy  is  not  like  the  widow's  oil,  which  ran 
 a  while  and  then  ceafed,  2  Kings  iv.  6.  Overflowing,  ever 
 flowing.  God's  mercy,  as  it  is  without  bounds,  fo  without 
 bottom,  Pf.  exxxvi.  4  His  mercy  endures  for  ever.'  God  never 
 cuts  off  the  entail  of  mercy  from  the  elect. 
 
 Qu.  2.  How  main)  ways  is  God /aid  to  (hew  mercy  ? 
 
 Anj\  1.  We  are  all  living  monuments  of  God's  mercy. 
 God  (hews  mercy  to  us  in  daily  (applying  us.  1.  He  fupplies 
 us  with  health:  health  is  the  iauce  which  makes  our  life  relifh 
 fweeter.  How  would  they  prize  this  mercy,  who  are  chained 
 toaiick-bed?  2.  God  fupplies  us  with  provisions,  Gen.  xlviii. 
 
3$8  OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 15.  '  The  God  who  hath  fed  me  all  my  days.'  Mercy  fpreads 
 our  tables,  it  carves  us  every  bit  of  bread  we  eat;  we  never 
 drink  but  in  the  golden  cup  of  mercy. 
 
 2.  God  mews  mercy  in  lengthening  out  our  gofpel-liberties, 
 1  Cor.  xvi.  9-  There  are  many  adverfaries  ;  many  would  flop 
 the  waters  of  the  fanftuary,  that  they  fhould  not  run  :  we  en- 
 joy the  fweet  feafons  of  grace,  we  hear  joyful  founds,  we  fee  the 
 goings  of  God  in  his  fanc\uary,  we  enjoy  fabbath  after  fabbath  ; 
 the  manna  of  the  word  yet  falls  about  our  tents,  when  in  divers 
 parts  of  the  land  they  have  no  manna.  Here  is  God  (hewing 
 mercy  to  us  ;  he  fpins  out  our  forfeited  liberties. 
 
 3.  God  (hews  mercy  to  us,  in  preventing  many  evils  from  in- 
 vading us,  Pi",  iii.  3.  ■  Thou,  O  Lord,  art  a  fhield  for  me.' 
 God  hath  reftrained  the  wrath  of  men,  and  been  a  fcreen  be- 
 tween us  and  danger  :  when  the  deitroying  angel  hath  been 
 abroad,  and  (hot  his  deadly  arrow  of  peftilence,  God  hath  kept 
 off  the  arrow  that  it  hath  not  come  near  us. 
 
 4.  God  (hews  mercy  in  delivering  us,  2  Tim.  iv.  17.  ■  And 
 I  was  delivered  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  lion.'  viz.  Nero. 
 God  hath  reftored  us  from  the  grave.  May  we  not  write  the 
 writing  of  Hezekiah,  Ifa.  xxxviii.  9.  '  When  he  had  been  fick, 
 and  was  recovered  of  his  ficknefs  ?'  When  we  thought  the  fun 
 of  our  life  had  been  fetting,  God  hath  made  it  return  to  its  for- 
 mer brightnefs. 
 
 5.  God  (hews  mercy,  in  reftraining  us  from  (in  :  lufts  within, 
 are  worfe  than  lions  without.  The  greateft  (ign  of  God's  anger, 
 is  to  give  men  up  to  their  fins,  Pfal.  lxxxi.  12.  *  So  I  gave 
 them  up  to  the  lufts  of  their  own  hearts  ;'  let  them  fin  themfelves 
 to  hell  :  but  God  hath  laid  the  bridle  of  reftraining  grace  upon 
 us.  As  God  faid  to  Abimelech,  Gen.  xx.  6.  ■  I  withheld  thee 
 from  (inning  againft  me  ;'  fo  God  withheld  us  from  thofe  exor- 
 bitances which  might  have  made  us  a  prey  to  Satan,  and  a  terror 
 to  ourfelves. 
 
 6.  God  (hews  mercy,  in  guiding  and  directing  us.  Is  is  not 
 a  mercy  for  one  that  is  out  of  the  way  to  have  a  guide  ?  Firft, 
 There  is  a  providential  guiding  :  God  guides  our  affairs  for  us, 
 chalks  out  a  way  he  would  have  us  to  walk  in  ;  he  refolves  our 
 doubts,  unties  our  knots,  appoints  the  bounds  of  our  habitation, 
 A&s  xvii.  26.  Secojully,  A  fpiritual  guiding,  Pfal.  Ixxiii.  24. 
 •  Thou  (halt  guide  me  with  thy  counfel.'  As  Ifrael  had  a  pillar 
 of  lire  to  go  before  them,  fo  God  guides  us  with  the  oracles  of 
 his  word,  and  the  conduct  of  his  Spirit.  He  guides  our  head, 
 keeps  us  from  error ;  and  he  guides  our  feet,  keeps  us  from 
 icandal.  O  what  mercy  is  it  to  have  God  to  be  our  guide 
 and  pilot!  Pfal.  xxxi.  3.  *  For  thy  name's  fake  lead  me  and 
 guide  me.' 
 
OP  THE  SECOND  fOMMANDMI  3D9 
 
 7-  God  (hews  mercy  in  correcting  us.  Cud  i>  angry  in  love  ; 
 he  ('uiites  that  he  may  lave.     Goers  rod  i>  not  a  »<>d  of  won  to 
 
 break  us,  but  a  fatherly  rod  to  humble  us,  H<  b.  xn.  10.  '  H<', 
 for  our  profit,  that  we  may  be  partakers  of  his  holiut  Is.'  Either 
 God  will  mortify  lbme  corruption,  or  exeieile  tome  grace.  [a 
 there  not  mercy  in  this?  Every  crofs,  to  a  child  of  God,  is  like 
 Paul's  crofs  wind,  which,  tho'  it  broke  the  (hip,  it  brought  Paul 
 to  (hore  upon  the  broken  pieces,   Acts  xxvii.  44. 
 
 8.  God  (hews  mercy  in  pardoning  us,  Mic.  vii.  18.  '  Who 
 is  a  god  like  thee,  that  pardoneft  iniquity  ?'  'Tis  mercy  to  feed 
 us,  rich  mercy  to  pardon  us:  this  mercy  is  (pun  out  of  the 
 bowels  of  free  grace  ;  this  is  enough  to  make  a  lick  man  well, 
 Ifa.  xxxiii.  CJ4.  *  The  inhabitant  (hall  not  (ay,  I  am  Tick;  the 
 people  that  dwell  therein  (hall  be  forgiven  their  iniquity.'  Par- 
 don of  fin  is  a  mercy  of  the  firft  magnitude,  God  i'eals  the  Tin- 
 ner's pardon  with  a  kifs.  This  made  David  put  on  his  beft 
 clothes,  and  anoint  himielf :  his  child  newly  dead,  and  God  had 
 told  him  the  (word  lhould  not  depart  from  his  houfe,  yet  now 
 he  falls  anointing  himielf;  the  realbn  was,  God  had  lent  him 
 his  pardon  by  the  prophet  Nathan,  2  Sam.  hi.  12,  13.  '  The 
 Lord  hath  put  away  thy  fin.1  Pardon  is  the  only  fit  remedy  for 
 a  troubled  conicience  :  what  can  give  eaie  to  a  wounded  fpirit, 
 but  pardoning  mercy  ?  Oiler  him  the  honours  and  pleafures  of 
 the  worid  ;  'tis  as  if  you  bring  flowers  and  mu(ic  to  one  that  is 
 condemned. 
 
 Q.  How  may  I  know  my  fins  are  pardoned. 
 
 Anf.  Where  God  removes  the  guilt,  he  breaks  the  power  of 
 fin,  Mic.  vii.  U).  ■  He  will  have  companion,  he  will  fubdue  our 
 iniquities.'     With  pardoning  love  God  gives  lubduing  grace. 
 
 9.  God  (hews  his  mercy  in  fan&ifyiog  us,  Lev.  xx.  S.  '  I 
 am  the  Lord  that  lanctil'y  you.'  This  is  the  partaking  of  the 
 divine  nature,  2  Pet.  i.  4.  God's  fpirit  is  a  fpirit  of  confecra- 
 tion,  though  it  fanctify  us  but  in  part,  yet  in  every  part,  1  The(V. 
 v.  23.  This  is  fuch  a  mercy  that  God  cannot  give  it  in  anger  ; 
 if  we  are  (ancYified,  then  we  are  elected,  2  Theif.  ii.  13.  *  God 
 hath  chofen  you  to  falvation  through  lancYification.'  This  dotU 
 difponcre  ad  actum  ;  it  prepares  for  happinefs,  as  the  feed  pre- 
 pares for  harveft.  When  the  virgins  had  been  anointed  and 
 perfumed,  then  they  were  to  (land  before  the  king,  Efth.  ii. 
 1^.  (b,  when  we  have  had  the  anointing  of  God,  then  we 
 ihall  ftand  before  the  King  of  heaven. 
 
 10.  God  (hews  mercy  in  hearing  our  prayers,  Pf.  iv.  1. 
 *  Have  mercy  upon  me  and  hear  my  prayer.'  Is  it  not  a  fa- 
 vour when  a  man  puts  up  a  petition  to  l he  king,  and  hath  it 
 granted  ?  when  we  pray  for  pardon,  adoption  the  fenfe  of  God's 
 love,  to  have  God  give  a  gracious  anlwer  ;  what  a  (ignal  mer- 
 cy  is  this  ?  God   may  fome times  delay  an  aufwer  ;  when  he 
 
400  Of  THE  SECOND  C05I31  AN  DM  £ItT. 
 
 will  not  deny.  You  do  not  prefent'y  throw  amunVian  monpy, 
 becaul'e  you  love  to  hear  his  mufic  :  God  loves  the  mufic  of 
 prayer,  therefore  doth  not  prefently  let  us  hear  from  him  ;  but, 
 in  due  feafon  he  will  give  an  aflfwer  of  peace,  Pfal.  lxvi.  50. 
 *  Bleifed  be  God  who  hath  not  turned  away  my  prayer  nor  his 
 mercy  from  me.'  If  God  doth  not  turn  away  our  prayer,  then 
 he  doth  not  turn  away  his  mercy. 
 
 1 1.  God  (hews  mercy  in  laving  us,  Titus  iii.  5.  '  According 
 to  his  mercy  he  laved  us.'  This  is  ihe  top-flone  of  mercy,  and 
 it  is  laid  in  heaven.  Now  mercy  difplays  itfelf  in  all  its  orient 
 colours  ;  now  mercy  is  mercy  indeed,  when  God  (hall  perfectly 
 refine  us  from  all  the  lees  and  dregs  of  corruption.  Our  bodies 
 ihall  be  made  like  Chrift's  glorious  body,  and  our  fouls  like  the 
 angels.  Saving  mercy  is  crowning  mercy  :  it  is  not  only  to  be 
 freed  from  hell,  but  enthroned  in  a  kingdom.  In  this  life  we 
 do  rather  defire  God  than  enjoy  him  ;  but  what  rich  mercy 
 will  it  he  to  be  fully  pofielfed  of  God,  to  fee  his  fmiling  face, 
 and  to  have  God  lay  us  in  his  bofcm  ?  This  will  fill  us  with 
 •joy  unfpeakable  and  full  of  glory/  Pf.  xvii.  15.  *  I  ihall  be 
 fatiiied,  when  I  wake,  with  thy  likenefs.' 
 
 life  L.  As  an  argument  againft  defpair,  fee  what  a  great  en- 
 couragement here  is  to  ferve  God  ;  he  (hews  mercy  to  thou- 
 fands.  Who  would  not  be  willing  to  ferve  a  prince  who  is  gi- 
 ven to  mercy  and  clemency  ?  God  is  reprefented  with  a  rain- 
 bow round  about  him,  Rev.  iv.  3.  an  emblem  of  his  mercy. 
 Ads  of  feyerity  are  rather  forced  from  God  :  juftice  is  his 
 flrange  work,  Ifa.  xxviii.  21.  Therefore  the  difcipies,  who 
 are  not  faid  to  wonder  at  the  other  miracles  of  Chrift,  yet  did 
 wonder  when  the  fig-tree  was  curfed  and  withered,  becaufe  it 
 was  not  Chrift's  manner  to  put  forth  acls  of  feverity.  God  is 
 faid  to  delight  in  mercy,  Micah  vii.  18.  Juftice  is  God's  left- 
 hand,  mercy  is  his  right-hand  ;  God  ufeth  his  right-hand  moft ; 
 lie  is  more  ufed  to  mercy  than  to  juftice  pronier  ejt  Dens  ad par- 
 cendum  quam  ad  pnnicndum.  God  is  laid  to  be  flow  to  anger, 
 Pf.  ciii.  8.  but  ready  to  forgive,  Pf.  lxxxvi.  5.  This  may  en- 
 courage us  to  lerve  God.  What  argument  will  prevail,  if  mer- 
 cy will  not  ?  Were  God  all  juftice,  it  might  fright  us  from  him, 
 but  his  mercy  may  bea  load-ftone  to  draw  us  to  him. 
 
 Uje  <2.  Branch  1.  Hope  in  God's  mercies,  Pf.  cxlvii.  11. 
 1  The  Lord  takes  pleafure  in  them  that  fear  him,  and  hope  in 
 his  mercy.'  God  counts  it  his  glory  to  be  fcattering  pardons 
 among  men. 
 
 Object.  But  I  have  been  a  great Jinner,  and  fure  there  is  no 
 mercy  forme. 
 
 Anf.  No,  not  if  thou  goeft  on  in  fin,  and  art  fo  refolved  :  but, 
 if  thou  wilt  break  off  thy  fins,  the  golden  fceptre  of  mercy  fhall 
 be  held  forth  to  thee,  I&.  Iv.  7.     'Let  the  wicked  forfake  his 
 
of  tht:  i  401 
 
 tray,  ami  let  him  turn  unto  tht-  Lord,  and  he  will  have  m< 
 
 ■  II  him,'     And  Chrilt's  blood  i^  4  a  fountain  let  open   tor  It u 
 and  urfcrnnnrii/  Zech.  x:n.  I.     Mercy  d«»th  more  everflow  ia 
 
 God,  than  tin  in  u*  ;  God'.s  mercy  can  dro-wi  greml  (MM,  as  the 
 ;  eat  rocks.  Some  of  thole  J e\\>,  who  had  their 
 h.tnds  imbrued  in  ChrilVs  blood,  were  laved  by  that  blood  : 
 God  love>  to  magnify  his  goodnefs,  to  dilplay  the  trophies  of 
 i,rrace,  and  to  let  up  his  mercy  above  you,  in  fpfce  of  lin  : 
 then  lore  hope  in  God's  mercy. 
 
 lirauch  c2.  It* God  (hew  mercy  to  thoufands,  labour  to  know 
 that  this  mercy  is  for  you,  Plal.  lix.  17.  '  He  is  the  God  of 
 my  mercy.'  A  man  that  was  ready  to  drown,  law  a  rainbow  ; 
 faith  he,  what  am  I  the  better,  though  God  will  drown  the 
 world,  if  I  drown  ?  lb,  what  are  we  the  better  God  is  merci- 
 ful, it  we  perifh  ;  let  us  labour  to  know  God's  fpecial  mercy  is 
 lor  us. 
 
 Qu.  How  fliall  we  know  it  belongs  to  us? 
 
 Am'.  I.  It  we  put  an  feign  value  and  eftimation  upon  God's 
 mercy  :  God  will  not  throw  away  his  mercy  on  them  that 
 (light  it  :  we  prize  health,  but  we  prize  adopting  mercy  above 
 it.     This  is  a  diamond  in  the  ring,  it  outlhines  all  ot  •  r  com- 
 
 2.  If  we  are  fearers  of  God,  we  have  a  reverend  awe  upon  us ; 
 we  tremble  at  fin,  and  llee  from  it,  as  Moles  did  from  his  rod 
 turned  into  a  ferpent,  Luke  i.  50.  ■  His  mercy  is  on  them 
 that  fear  him.' 
 
 3.  If  we  take  fanctuary  in  God's  mercy,  we  trull  in  it,  Pfal. 
 lii.  8.  As  a  man  is  faved  by  catching  hold  of  a  cable  ;  God's 
 mercy  is  a  great  cable  let  down  from  heaven  to  us  ;  now  taking 
 fait  hold  of  this  cable  by  faith,  we  are  faved,  Pf.  lii.  8.  *  I 
 trull  in  the  mercy  of  God  forever.'  As  a  man  trufteth  in 
 his  life  and  goods  in  a  garrifon,  fo  we  truft  our  fouls  in  God's 
 mercy. 
 
 Q.  What  jiuiU  ice  do  to  get  a  (hare  in  God's  fpecial  mercy? 
 
 Anf.  1.  If  we  would  have  mercy,  it  mull  be  through  Chrift; 
 out  of  Chrift  no  mercy  is  to  be  had.  We  read  in  the  old  law, 
 ,  None  might  come  into  the  holy  of  holies,  where  the  mer- 
 cy-feat Hood,  but  the  high-priefl,  figniiying,  we  have  nothing 
 to  do  with  mercy,  but  through  Chrill  our  high-pried.  2dly, 
 The  high- pried  might  not  come  near  the  mercy-feat  without 
 blood,  Lev.  xvi.  14.  to  (hew  that  we  have  no  right  to  mercy, 
 but  through  the  expiatory  facrilice  of  Chrilt's  blood.  Sdly, 
 The  high- pried  might  not,  upon  pain  of  death,  come  near  the 
 mercy-feat  without  incenfe,  Lev.  xvi.  13.  No  mercy  from 
 God  without  the  incenfe  of  Chrilt's  iutercellion  :  fo  that  if  we 
 would  have  mercy,  we  mult  get  a  part  in  Chrill.  Mercy  ftvrma 
 to  us  through  Chrilt's  blood. 
 
 Vol,  I.  No.  9.  3  E 
 
409  OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 2.  If  we  would  have  mercy,  we  muft  pray  for  it,  Pf.  Ixxxv, 
 7.  '  Shew  us  thy  mercy,  O  Lord,  and  grant  us  thy  falvation/ 
 Pf.  xxv.  16.  '  Turn  thee  unto  me,  and  have  mercy  upon  me.' 
 Lord,  put  me  not  off  with  common  mercy  ;  give  me  not  only 
 mercy  to  feed  and  clothe  me,  but  mercy  to  pardon  me ;  not 
 only  (paring  mercy,  but  faving  mercy.  Lord,  give  me  the 
 cream  of  thy  mercies  ;  let  me  have  mercy  and  loving-kind  nefs, 
 Pf.  ciii.  4.  '  Who  crowneth  thee  with  loving  kindnefs  and  ten- 
 der mercy.'  Be  earned  fuitors  for  mercy ;  let  your  wants 
 quicken  your  importunity  ;  then  we  pray  molt  fervently,  when 
 we  pray  rnoft  feelingly. 
 
 Exod.  xx.  6.     Of  them  that  love  me. 
 
 1.  God's  mercy  is  for  them  that  love  him.  Love  is  a 
 grace  that  (nines  and  fparkles  in  God's  eye,  as  the  precious 
 ilonedid  upon  Aaron's  bread-plate.  Love  is  an  holy  expanfion 
 or  enlargement  of  foul,  whereby  it  is  carried  with  delight  after 
 God,  as  the  chief  good  ;  fo  Aquinas  defines  love,  Complacen- 
 tia  amantis  in  amato  :  love  is  a  complacential  deliglfting  in  God, 
 as  in  our  treafure  :  love  is  the  foul  of  religion  ;  'tis  a  grace 
 highly  momentous.  If  we  had  knowledge  as  the  angels,  or 
 faith  of  miracles,  yet  without  love  it  would  profit  nothing, 
 1  Cor.  xiii.  2.  Love  isthefirftand  great  commandment,'  Matth. 
 xxii.  38.  It  is  fo,  becaufe,  if  this  be  wanting ,  there  can  be  no 
 religion  in  the  heart  ;  there  can  be  no  faith,  for  faith  works  by 
 love,  Gal.  v.  6.  All  is  but  pageantry,  or  a  devout  compliment. 
 
 2.  Becaufe  love  doth  meliorate  and  fweeten  all  the  duties  of 
 religion  ;  it  makes  them  favoury  meat,  elfe  God  cares  not  to 
 taile  of  them. 
 
 3.  It  is  the  firft  and  great  commandment,  in  vefpect  of  the 
 excellency  of  this  grace.  Love  is  the  queen  of  the  graces  ;  it 
 outihines  all  the  other,  as  the  fun  the  lelfer  planets.  In  fome 
 refpect  it  is  more  excellent  than  faith  ;  tho'  in  one  fenfe  faith 
 be  more  excellent,  virtute  unionis,  as  it  unites  us  to  Chrift  ; 
 
 .faith  puts  upon  us  the  embroidered  robe  of  Chrill's  righteouf- 
 nefs,  which  is  a  brighter  robe  than  any  of  the  angels  wear  :  yet 
 in  another  fenfe  love  is  more  excellent,  refpeclu  durationis,  in 
 refpect  of  the  continuance  of  it  ;  it  is  the  moil  durable  grace: 
 faith  and  hope  will  fhortly  ceafe,  but  love  will  remain.  When 
 all  the  other  graces  like  Rachel,  fhall  die  in  travel,  love  (hall 
 revive.  The  other  graces  are  in  the  nature  of  a  leafe,  only  for 
 term  of  life;  love  is  a  freehold,  it  continues  for  ever.  Thus 
 love  carries  away  the  garland  from  all  the  other  graces,  it  is  the 
 
O*  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT.  403 
 
 inoft  long-lived  grace,  it  is  a  bud  of  eternity  ;  this  grace  alone 
 ilia II  accompany  us  in  heaven. 
 
 Qu.   1.  How  /mi/lour  love  to  God  he  qualified? 
 
 yitif.  l2.  Love  to  God  mull  be  pure  and  genuine,  he  mufl  be 
 loved  chiefly  for  himfelf;  this  the  I'choolmen  cull  amoramicitae. 
 We  mult  love  God,  not  only  for  his  benefits,  but  for  thole  in- 
 trinfic  excellencies  wherewith  he  is  crowned  :  we  mult  love  God 
 not  only  for  the  good  which  flows  from  him,  butthegood  which 
 is  in  him.  True  love  is  not  mercenary  ;  a  foul  that  is  deeply 
 in  love  with  God,  needs  not  to  be  hired  with  rewards  :  he  can- 
 not but  love  God  for  the  beauty  of  his  holinefs  :  not  but  that  it 
 is  lawful  to  look  at  God's  benefits  ;  Moles  had  an  eye  to  the  re- 
 com pence  of  reward,  Ileb.  xi.  L2tS.  but  we  mult  not  love  God 
 only  for  his  benefits,  for  then  it  is  not  love  of  God  but  felf-love. 
 
 2.  Love  to  God  mult  be  with  all  the  heart,  Mark  xii.  20. 
 *  Thou  (halt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart.'  We 
 mult  not  love  God  a  little,  give  God  a  drop  or  two  of  our  love  ; 
 but  the  main  dream  of  our  love  muft  run  after  him  ;  the  mind 
 mult  think  of  God,  the  will  chufe  him,  the  affections  pant  after 
 him  :  the  true  mother  would  not  have  the  child  divided,  nor 
 God  would  not  have  the  heart  divided  :  we  muft  love  him  with 
 our  whole  heart.  Though  we  may  love  the  creature,  yet  it 
 muft  be  a  fubordinate  love  :  love  to  God  mult  be  higheft,  as  the 
 oil  fwims  above  the  water. 
 
 3.  Love  to  God  mult  be  flaming;  to  love  coldly,  is  all  one 
 as  not  to  love.  The  fpoule  is  laid  to  be  amove  percul/a,  *  lick 
 of  love,'  Cant.  ii.  5.  The  Seraphims  are  lb  called,  from  their 
 burning  :  love  turns  faints  into  feraphims,  it  makes  them  burn 
 in  holy  love  to  God  ;  and  '  many  waters  cannot  quench  this 
 love.' 
 
 Qu.  2.  How  may  we  know  whether  we  love  God? 
 
 Anf.  1.  He  that  loves  God,  defires  his  fweet  prefence  : 
 lovers  cannot  be  long  afunder,  they  have  their  fainting  tits,  they 
 •want  a  fight  of  the  object  of  their  love.  A  foul  deeply  in  love 
 with  God,  defires  the  enjoyment  of  him  in  his  ordinances,  in 
 word,  prayer,  facraments.  David  was  ready  to  faint  away  and 
 die,  when  he  had  not  a  fight  of  God,  Pf.  lxxxiv.  %  ■  My  foul 
 fainteth  for  God  ;'  luch  as  care  not  for  ordinances,  but  fay  when 
 will  the  fabbath  be  over  ?  plainly  dilcover  want  of  love  to  God. 
 
 2.  He  who  loves  God,  doth  not  love  fin,  Pf.  xcvii.  10.  ■  Ye 
 that  love  the  Lord  hate  evil.'  The  love  of  God,  and  the  love  of 
 fin,  can  no  more  mix  together,  than  iron  and  clay  :  every  fin 
 loved,  ftrikes  at  the  being  of  God  ;  but  he  who  loves  God,  hath 
 an  antipathy  againlt  fin  ;  he  who  would  part  between  two 
 lovers,  is  an  hateful  peribn  :  God,  and  the  believing  lbul  are  two 
 lovers  ;  (in  comes  to  part  berween  them,  therefore  the  foul  is 
 implacably  let  againlt  Go.     By  this  trv  your  love  to  God  :  how 
 
 6  E  2 
 
404  OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT* 
 
 could  Dalilah  fay  fhe  loved  Samfon,  when  file  entertained  cor- 
 refpondence  with  the  Philiftines  who  were  his  mortal  enemies? 
 how  can  he  fay  he  loves  God,  who  loves  fin,  which  is  God's 
 enemy  ? 
 
 3.  He  who  loves  God,  is  not  much  in  love  with  any  thing 
 elfe  ;  his  love  is  very  cool  to  worldly  things  :  his  love  to  God 
 moves  as  the  fun  in  the  firmament,  fwiftly  ;  his  love  to  the 
 world  moves  as  the  fun  on  the  dial,  very  flow.  The  love  of  the 
 world  eats  out  the  heart  of  religion  ;  it  choaks  good  affections, 
 as  the  earth  puts  out  the  fire.  The  world  was  a  dead  thing  to 
 Paul,  Gal.  vi.  4.  *  I  am  crucified  to  the  world,  and  the  world 
 is  crucified  to  me.*  In  Paul  we  might  fee  both  the  picture  and 
 pattern  of  a  mortified  man  :  he  that  loves  God,  ufeth  the  world, 
 but  chufeth  God  ;  the  world  is  his  penfion,  but  God  is  his  por- 
 tion, Pfal.  cxix.  57-  The  world  doth  bufy  him,  but  God  doth 
 delight  and  fatisfy  him.  He  faith  as  David,  Pfal.  xliii.  4. 
 *  God  my  exceeding  joy,*  the  gladnefs  or  cream  of  my  joy. 
 
 4.  He  who  loves  God  cannot  live  without  him.  Things  we 
 love,  we  know  not  how  to  be  without ;  a  man  can  want  mufic 
 or  flowers,  but  not  food  ;  a  foul  deeply  in  love  with  God  looks 
 upon  himfelf  as  undone  without  him,  PI',  cxliii.  7-  *  Hide  not 
 thy  face  fiom  me,  left  1  be  like  them  that  go  down  into  the  pit/ 
 He  faith,  as  Job,  chap.  xxx.  28.  ■  I  went  mourning  without 
 the  fun.'  I  have  ftar-light,  I  want  the  Sun  of  righteoufnefs  ;  I 
 enjoy  not  the  fweet  prefence  of  my  God.  Is  God  our  chief 
 good  that  we  cannot  live  without?  alas,  how  do  they  demon- 
 strate they  have  no  love  to  God,   who  can   make  a  fhift  well 
 
 enough  to  be  without  him !  let  them  have  but  corn  and  oil, 
 and  you  (hall  never  hear  them  complain  of  the  want  of  God. 
 
 5.  He  who  loves  God,  will  be  at  any  pains  to  get  him. 
 What  pains  doth  the  merchant  take,  what  hazard  doth  he  run, 
 to  have  a  rich  return  from  the  Indies  ?  Extremos  currit  mercator 
 ad  Indos.  Jacob  loved  Rachel,  and  he  could  endure  the  heat  by 
 day,  and  the  frofl  by  night,  that  he  might  enjoy  her.  A  lout 
 that  loves  God,  will  take  any  pains  for  the  fruition  of  him,  Pf. 
 lxiii.  8.  *  My  foul  follows  hard  after  God.'  Love  is  pondus 
 animae,  Aug.  It  is  as  the  weight  which  fets  the  clock  agoing. 
 The  foul  is  much  in  prayer,  weeping,  fating  ;  he  ftrives  as  in 
 agony,  that  he  may  obtain  him  whom  his  foul  loves.  Plutarch 
 reports  of  the  Gauls,  an  ancient  people  of  France,  after  they  had 
 tailed  the  fweet  wine  of  Italy,  they  never  refted  till  they  bad 
 arrived  at  that  country.  He  who  is  in  love  with  God,  never  refts 
 till  he  hath  gotten  a  part  in  him,  Cant.  iii.  2.  '  I  lbught  him 
 whom  my  foul  loveth.'  How  can  they  fay  they  love  God,  who 
 are  not  induftrious  in  the  ufe  of  means  to  obtain  him  ?  Prov. 
 xix.  24.  ■  A  flothful  man  hides  his  hand  in  his  boibm.'  Thefe 
 are  not  in  agony,  but  lethargy  :  if  Chrilt  and  falvation  would 
 
OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT.  405 
 
 drop  as  a  ripe  fiic  into  hia  mouth,  he  could  be  content  to  lu\  e 
 :   hut  he  is  loth  to  put  himfelf  to  too  much  trouhie.    Doth 
 lie  love  hi>  friend,  that  will  not  make  l  journey  to  him  ? 
 
 lie  that  lov  -  God,  prefers  him  k  fore  eftateand  life.  1. 
 tte,  Phil.  iii.  8.  *  For  whom  I  hate  fullered  the  loft 
 of  all  tiling-'  Who  that  loves  a  rich  jewel,  would  not  part  with 
 a  flower  for  it  ?  Galeacius  marquis  of  \  '  ico  paited  with 
 ettate  to  enjoy  God  in  his  pure  ordinances  :  when  a  jefuit  per- 
 fuaded  him  to  return  to  his  popilli  religion  in  Italy,  promilincj 
 him  an  huge  turn  of  money  ;  faith  he,  *  Let  their  money  perifli 
 with  litem,  who  efteem  alfthe  gold  in  the  world  worth  ooeday'l 
 communion  with  Jefua  Chrilt,  and  his  holy  Spirit.'  l2.  Before 
 life,  Rev.  xii.  II.  *  They  loved  not  their  lives  to  the  death. * 
 Love  to  God  carries  the  foul  above  the  love  of  life,  and  the  fear 
 of  death. 
 
 7.  He  who  loves  God,  loves  his  favourites,  viz,  the  faints, 
 1  John  v.  1.  fdom  eft  mutus  animi  in  imaginem  et  rem.  To 
 love  a  man  for  his  £race,  and  the  more  we  fee  of  God  in  him, 
 the  more  we  loVe  him,  is  the  infallible  fign  of  love  to  God. 
 The  wicked  pretend  to  love  God,  but  hate  and  perfecute  his 
 .  Doth  he  love  his  prince  who  abufeth  his  ftatue,  tears 
 his  picture  ?  Indeed  they  teem  to  fhew  great  reverence  to  the 
 faints  departed  ;  they  have  a  great  reverence  for  St.  Paul,  and 
 St.  Stephen,  and  St/Luke  :  they  canonize  dead  faints,  but  per- 
 fecute living  faints  ;  and  dothele  love  God  ?  can  it  be  imagined 
 he  fhould  love  God,  who  hates  his  children  becaufe  they  are 
 like  him  ;  if  Chrift  were  alive  again,  he  would  not  efcape  a 
 fecond  perfecution. 
 
 S.  If  we  love  God,  as  we  cannot  but  be  fearful  of  dishonouring 
 him  (the  more  a  child  loves  his  father,  the  more  he  is  afraid  to 
 difpleafe  him)  fo  we  weep  and  mourn  when  we  have  offended 
 him.  ■  Peter  went  out  and  wept  bitterly/  Matth.  xxvi.  75. 
 When  Peter  thought  how  dearly  Chritt  loved  him,  betook  him 
 up  to  the  mount  where  he  was  transfigured  ;  Chrift  fhewed  him 
 the  glory  of  heaven  in  a  vifion  :  now,  that  he  fhould  deny 
 Chritt,  after  he  had  received  fuch  fignal  tokens  of  Chriii's  love, 
 this  broke  his  heart  with  grief,  «  He  wept  bitterly.'  Are  our 
 eyes  limbecs,  dropping  tears  of  grief  for  fin  againft  God  ?  a 
 bleffed  evidence  of  our  love  to  God  :  and  fuch  (hall  find  mercy. 
 '  He  (hews  mercy  to  thoufands  of  them  that  love  him.' 
 
 U/e.  Let  us  be  lovers  of  God.  We  love  our  food,  and  fhall 
 we  not  love  him  that  gives  it  ?  All  the  joy  we  hope  foe  in  hea- 
 ven, is  in  God  ;  and  fhall  not  he  who  fhall  be  our  joy,  be  our 
 love  ?  It  is  a  faying  of  St.  Auftin,  Annan  ponajatis  magna  cjl 
 uon  amare  tef  Is  it  not  punifhment  enough,  Lord,  not  to  love 
 thee?  And  again,  Animam  meam  in  odio  huberem:  I  would 
 hate  myown  foul,  if  I  did  not  iind  it  loving  of  God. 
 
406  OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 Qu.  What  are  the  incentives  to  provoke  and  inflame  our  love 
 to  God  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  God's  benefits  beftowed  on  us.  A  prince  who  be- 
 ftows  continual  favours  on  a  fubject,  if  that  fubject  hath  any  in- 
 genuity, he  cannot  but  love  his  prince.  God  is  conftantly  heap- 
 ing benefits  upon  us  ;  *  He  fills  our  hearts  with  food  and  glad- 
 nefs,'  A6ts  xiv.  17.  As  the  rock  followed  Ifrael,  whitherfo- 
 ever  they  went  ftreams  of  water  out  of  the  rock  followed  them  ; 
 to  God's  blefiings  follow  us  every  day  ;  we  fwim  in  a  fea  of 
 mercy.  The  heart  is  hard,  that  is  not  prevailed  with  by  all 
 God's  blefiings,  to  love  him  ;  magnus  amor  is  amor.  Kindnefs 
 works  on  a  brute ;   the  ox  knoweth  his  owner. 
 
 2.  Love  to  God  would  makedutiesof  religion  facile  and  plea- 
 fant.  I  confcis  to  him  that  hath  no  love  to  God,  religion  mutt 
 needs  be  a  burden  ;  and  I  wonder  not  to  hear  him  fay  ■  What 
 a  wearineis  is  it  to  ferve  the  Lord?'  It  is  like  rowing  againft 
 the  tide.  But  love  oils  the  wheels,  it  makes  duty  a  plealure. 
 Why  are  the  angels  lb  fwift  and  winged  in  God's  fervice,  but 
 becaufe  they  love  him  ?  Jacob  thought  feven  years  but  little, 
 for  the  love  he  did  bear  to  Rachel.  Love  is  never  weary  ;  he 
 who  loves  money  is  not  weary  of  telling  it ;  and  he  who  loves 
 God  is  not  weary  of  ferving  him. 
 
 3.  It  is  advantageous.  There  is  nothing  loft  by  our  love  to 
 God,  1  Cor.  ii.  9u  '  Eye  hath  not  feen,  &c.  the  things  which 
 God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him.'  Such  glorious  re- 
 wards are  laid  up  for  them  that  love  God,  "  That  (as  St.  Auitin 
 faith)  they  do  not  only  tranfcend  our  reafon,  but  faith  itfelf  is 
 Dot  able  to  comprehend  them."  A  crown  is  the  higheft  en- 
 fign  of  worldly  glory  ;  and  God  hath  promifed  a  '  crown  of 
 life  to  them  that  love  him,'  James  i.  12.  And  it  is  a  never- 
 fading  crown,  I  Pet.  v.  4. 
 
 4.  By  our  loving  God,  we  may  know  that  he  loves  us,  1  John 
 v.  19.  '  We  love  him,  becaufe  he  fir  ft  loved  us.'  If  the  ice 
 melts,  it  is  becaufe  the  fun  hath  fhined  upon  it;  if  the  frozen 
 heart  melts  in  love,  it  is  becaufe  the  Sun  of  Righteoufnefs  hath 
 fhined  upon  it. 
 
 Qu.    What  means  may  be  ufed  to  excite  our  love  to  God  ? 
 
 Anf.  I.  Labour  to  know  God  aright.  The  fchoolmen  fay 
 true,  Bonum  non  amatur,  quod  non  cognofcitur :  we  cannot  love 
 that  which  we  do  not  know.  God  is  the  molt  eligible  good  ; 
 all  the  excellencies  which  lye  fcattered  in  the  creature,  are 
 united  in  God  :  he  is  Optimus  maximus.  Wifdom,  beauty, 
 riches,  love,  do  all  concenter  in  God.  How  fair  was  that  tu- 
 lip which  had  the  colours  of  all  tulips  in  it?  all  perfections  and 
 fweetneiies  are  eminently  in  God.  Did  we  know  God  more, 
 and  by  the  eye  of  faith  fee  his  orient  beauty,  our  hearts  would 
 be  fired  with  love  to  him. 
 
OF  THE  BECOME  COMMAND  MINT)  407 
 
 C.  Make  the  fcriptures  familiar  to  you.  St.  Auftiu  faith,  he- 
 fore  his  converlion  he  took  do  pleaiure  m  fcripture,  but  alter 
 cooverfion  it  was  his  chief  delight.     The  book  of  God  diicoveri 
 
 God  to  us,  iu  his  holinefs,  witdom,  veracity  and  truth  :  it  re- 
 prefenta  Clod  rich  iu  mercy,  weirded  with  promiiea.  St.  Auftin 
 calls  the  fcripture  a  golden  eptftle,  or  love-letter,  lent.  from 
 God  to  us;  by  reading  this  love-letter,  we  (hall  be  the  more 
 enamoured  with  love  to  God  ;  as  hy  reading  lalcivious  books, 
 comedies,  rornano  lull  is  provoked. 
 
 3.  Meditate  much  of  God,  and  this  will  be  a  means  to  love 
 him,  Pf.  xxxix.  3.  k  While  I  was  muling,  the  fire  burned.' 
 Meditation  is  the  bellows  of  the  affections.  Meditate  on  God's 
 love  in  giving  u3  Chrilt,  John  iii.  16.  '  God  fo  loved  the  world, 
 that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,'  &c.  That  God  fhould 
 give  Chrilt  to  us,  and  not  to  the  angels  that  fell  ;  that  the  Sun 
 of  Pug hteouihefs  fhould  thine  in  our  horizon  ;  that  he  is  revealed 
 to  us,  and  not  to  others  ;  what  wonderful  love  is  this  !  Prov. 
 vi.  88.  ■  Who  can  go  upon  hot  coals,  and  his  feet  not  be  burn- 
 ed r'  Who  can  meditate  on  God's  love  ?  who  can  tread  on 
 thefe  hot  coals,  and  his  heart  not  bum  in  love  to  God  ?  beg  an 
 heart  to  love  God,  the  affection  of  love  is  natural,  but  not  the 
 grace  of  love,  Gal.  v.  88.  This  lire  of  love  is  kindled  from  hea- 
 ven ;  beg  that  it  may  burn  upon  the  altar  of  your  heart.  Surely 
 this  requelt  is  pleating  to  God,  and  he  will  not  deny  fuch  a 
 prayer,  «  Lord,  give  me  an  heart  to  love  thee.' 
 
 Exod.  xx.  0.     And  keep  my  Commandments, 
 
 Love  and  obedience,  like  two  fillers,  muft  go  hand  in 
 hand  :  indeed,  this  is  a  good  evidence  of  our  loving  God,  John 
 xiv.  81.  ■  If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  commandment. '  Probatio 
 dileelionis ,  eft  exlubitio  operis.  The  ion  that  loves  his  father, 
 will  obey  him.  Obedience  pleafeth  God,  1  Sam.  xv.  22.  '  To 
 obey  is  better  than  facrifice.'  In  (acrifice,  only  a  dead  beaft  is 
 offered  ;  in  obedience,  a  living  foul :  in  facrifice,  only  a  part  of 
 the  fruit  is  offered  ;  in  obedience,  fruit  and  tree,  and  all:  a 
 man  offers  himfelfup  to  God.  'Keep  my  commandments.' 
 It  is  not  laid,  God  mews  mercy  to  thoufands  that  know  his 
 commandments,  but  that  keep  them.  The  knowing  God's 
 commandments,  without  keeping  them,  doth  not  entitle  any  to 
 mercy.  The  commandment  is  not  only  a  rule  of  knowledge, 
 but  duty.  God  gives  us  his  commandments,  not  only  as  a  land- 
 fkip  to  look  upon,  but  as  his  will  and  teltament,  which  we  are 
 to  perform.  A  good  Chrillian  is  like  the  fun  which  doth  not 
 only  feud  forth  light,  but  goes  its  circuit  round  the  world  ;  lb  he 
 
403  OF  THE  SECOND   COMMANDMENT. 
 
 hath  not  only  the  light  of  knowledge,  but  goes  its  circuit  too*, 
 and  moves  in  the  fphere  of  obedience. 
 
 Qu.   /;/  what  manner  miift  we  keep  God's  commandments? 
 
 Anf.  1.  Our  keeping  the  commandments  mult  be  fiducial. 
 Our  obedience  to  God's  commandments  rnuft  prqfluere  a  fide, 
 fpritig  from  faith  ;  therefore  it  is  called  *  the  obedience  of  faith,' 
 Rom.  xvi.  26.  *  Abel  by  faith  ottered  up  a  better  facrihee  than 
 Cain/  Ileb.  xi.  4.  Faith  is  a  vital  principle,  without  it  all  our 
 fervices  are  opera  ?nortua,  dead  works,  Heb.  vi.  1.  Faith  doth 
 meliorate  and  lvveeten  our  obedience,  and  make  it  come  oil'  with 
 a  better  relifh. 
 
 Qu.  But  why  mvji  faith  he  mixed  with  obedience  to  the  com* 
 mandment  ? 
 
 Anf.  Becaufe  faith  eyes  Chrift.  in  every  duty,  and  fo  both  the 
 perfoti  and  offering  are  accepted.  The  high  prieft  under  the 
 law  laid  his  hand  upon  the  head  of  the  beait  flain,  which  did 
 point  to  the  Metliah,  Exod.  xxix.  10.  So  faith,  in  every  duty, 
 lays  its  hand  upon  the  head  of  Chrift.  His  blood  doth  expiate 
 the  guilt,  and  the  fweet  odours  of  his  intercefiion  perfume  our 
 works  of  obedience,  Eph.  i.  0.  *  lie  hath  made  us  accepted  in 
 the  Beloved.' 
 
 2.  Our  keeping  the  commandments  mutt  be  uniform.  We 
 mutt  make  conference  of  one  commandment  as  well  as  another, 
 Pf.  cxix.  6.  *  Then  fliall  I  not  be  afhamed,  when  I  have  refpect 
 to  all  thy  commandments.'  Every  commandment  hath  a  jus 
 divimim,  the  fame  ftamp  of  divine  authority  upon  it  ;  and  if  I 
 obey  one  precept  becaufe  God  commands,  by  the  fame  reafou 
 I  muft  obey  all.  Some  obey  the  commands  of  the  firtt  table, 
 but  are  carelefs  in  the  duties  of  the  fecond  ;  and  fo,  e  contra. 
 Phyficians  have  a  rule,  when  the  body  ftveats  in  one  part,  but 
 is  cold  in  another,  it  is  a  flgn  of  adiliemper :  fo  when  men  feem 
 zealous  in  tome  duties  of  religion,  but  are  cold  and  frozen  in 
 another,  it  is  a  fign  of  hypocrify.  We  muft  have  refpect,  to  all 
 God's  commandments. 
 
 Qu.  But  who  can  keep  all  commandments  ? 
 
 Anf.  There  is  a  fulfilling  of  God's  commands,  and  a  keeping 
 of  them  :  though  we  cannot  fulfil  all,  yet  we  may  be  faid  to 
 keep  them  in  an  evangelical  fenfe.  We  may  /acere,  though  not 
 perjicere :  we  keep  the  commandments  evangelically,  1.  Where 
 we  make  confeience  of  every  command  ;  though  we  come  ihort 
 MB  every  duty,  yet  we  dare  not  neglect  any  duty.  2.  Our  de- 
 fire  is  to  keep  every  commandment,  Pf.  cxix.  5.  '  O  that  my 
 ways  were  directed  to  keep  thy  ftatutes  !'  What  we  want  in 
 firength  we  make  up  in  will.  3.  We  grieve  that  we  can  do  no 
 better  ;  when  we  fail,  we  weep  ;  we  prefer  bills  of  complaint 
 againft  ourfelves,  and  judge  ourlelves  for  our  failings,  Rom.  vii. 
 24.   4.  We  do  elicere  conalum,   we  endeavour  to  obey  every 
 
OF  THE  SECOND  COIIMAN  DMEN  t.  409 
 
 commandment,  Phil.  iii.  1 4.  •  I  prefs  toward  the  mark.'  We 
 ft  rive  ;»^  in  agony,  rod,  it'  it  lay  in  our  power,  we  would  fully 
 comport  with  every  commandment.  6.  When  ire  fall  Ihort, 
 and  are  unable  to  come  tie  to  the  full   latitude  of  the   law,  we 
 
 look  to  QnilTs  Wood  to  fprinkle  our  imperlW-t  obedience,  and 
 with  the  grama  of  his  merits  call  into  the  fcalei  to  make  it  pats 
 current  ;  this  is  an  evangelical  l'enie  to  keep  all  the  command- 
 ments ;  and  though  it  be  not  to  futisfaction,  yet  it  is  to  aCO  jp 
 lation. 
 
 :j.  Our  keeping  God's  commandments  muft  be  frilling,  Ifa. 
 i.  19.  ■  It  ye  be  willing  end  obedient.1  God  (pea  foe  a  free* 
 will  offering,  Dent.  xvi.  10.  David  will  run  the  way  of  God's 
 commandments,  Pfal.  xix.  3(-2.  that  is,  freely  and  cheerfully. 
 The  lawyers  have  a  canon,  adverbs  are  better  than  adjectives  ; 
 ir  is  not  the  bonum,  but  the  hene  ;  not  the  doing  much,  but  the 
 doing  well.  A  mufician  is  not  recommended  for  playing  long, 
 but  for  playing  well ;  it  is  obeying  God  willingly  is  accepted  : 
 tortus  noienthnn  nullum  eft  ;  the  Lord  hates  that  which  is  forced, 
 it  is  rather  paying  a  tax  than  an  offering*.  Cain  ferved  God 
 grudgingly;  he  brought  his  facritice,  not  his  heart.  To  obey 
 G  d's  commandments  unwillingly,  is  like  the  devils  who  came 
 out  of  the  men  poftelied,  at  Chrilt's  command,  but  with  re- 
 luclancy,  and  again!!  their  will,  Matth.  viii.  29.  Obedientia 
 priv/'t,  and  a  eft  non  timore  pcuna,  Jed  umore  Dei;  good  duties 
 mutt  not  be  prelled  nor  beaten  oat  of  us,  as  the  waters  came  out 
 of  the  rock,  when  Mofes  fmote  it  with  his  rod  ;  but  mult  freely 
 drop  from  us,  as  myrrh  from  the  tree,  or  honey  from  the  comb. 
 Ifa  willing  mind  be  wanting,  there  wants  that  flower  which 
 mould  perfume  our  obedience,  and  make  it  a  iweet-fmelling  fa- 
 vour to  God.  That  we  may  keep  God's  commandments  wil- 
 lingly, let  thefe  things  be  well  weighed. 
 
 I.  Our  willingnefs  is  moreefteemed  than  our  fervice  ;  there- 
 fore David  counlels  Solomon,  not  only  to  ferve  God,  but  with 
 a  willing  mind,  1  Chron.  xxviii.  Q.  The  will  makes  fin  to  be 
 wort'e,  and  makes  duty  to  be  better.  To  obey  willingly,  (hews 
 we  do  it  with  love ;  and  this  crowns  all  our  feivices. 
 
 9k  There  is  that  in  the  law-giver,  which  may  make  us  wil- 
 ling to  obey  the  commandments,  viz.  God's  indigencies  to 
 us. 
 
 (I.)  God  doth  not  require  the  fumrmim  jus,  as  abfolutely 
 necellary  to  l'alvation  ;  he  expects  not  perfect  obedience,  only 
 requires  fincerity.  Do  but  act  from  a  principle  of  love,  and  aim 
 at  honouring  God  in  your  obedience,  and  it  is  accepted. 
 
 (2.)  In  the  times  of  the  gofpel  a  f'urery  is  admitted.  The 
 law  would  not  favour  us  fo  far;  but  now  God  doth  fo  indulge 
 us,  that  what  we  cannot  do  of  ourfelves,  we  may  do  by  proxy, 
 *  Jefus  Chrilt  is  a  furetv  of  a  better  tcftameat.'  Heb.  vii.  24. 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  9.  S  F 
 
410  OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 We  fall  (hort  in  every  thing,  but  God  looks  upon  us  in  ou* 
 furety  ;  and  Chrift  having  fulfilled  all  righteoufnefs,  it  is  as  if  we 
 had  fulfilled  the  law  in  our  own  perfons. 
 
 (3.)  God  gives  ftrength  to  do  what  he  requires.  The  law 
 called  for  obedience;  but  tho'  it  required  brick,  it  gave  no 
 ftraw  ;  but  in  the  gofpel,  God,  with  his  commands,  gives 
 power,  Ezek.  xviii.  31.  *  Make  ye  a  new  heart.'  Alas!  it  is 
 above  our  ltrength,  we  may  as  well  make  a  new  world,  Ezek. 
 xxxvi.  6.  *  I  will  give  you  a  new  heart.'  God  commands  us 
 to  cleanfe  ourfelves,  Ifa.  i.  16.  *  Wafh  ye,  make  you  clean. 
 But  who  can  bring  a  clean  thing  out  of  an  unclean.'  Job  xiv.  4. 
 Therefore  the  precept  is  turned  into  a  promife,  Ezek.  xxxvi. 
 25.  *  From  all  your  filthinefs  will  I  cleanfe  you.'  When  the 
 child  cannot  go,  the  nurfe  takes  it  by  the  hand,  Hof.  xi.  3.  ■  I 
 taught  Ephraim  alfo  to  go,  taking  them  by  their  arms.' 
 
 3.  There  is  that  in  God's  commandments,  which  may  make 
 us  willing  ;   they  are  not  burdenlbme. 
 
 1/?,  For  a  Chriftian  (lb  far  as  he  is  regenerate)  confents  to 
 God's  commands,  Rom.  vii.  16.  *  1  content  to  the  law  that  it 
 is  good.'  What  is  done  with  confent,  is  no  burden  ;  if  a  virgin 
 gives  herconlent  the  match  goes  on  cheertully  ;  ifa  lubjec-t  con- 
 fent to  his  prince's  laws  (as  feeing  the  equity  and  rationality  of 
 them)  then  they  are  not  irkfome.  A  regenerate  per  ion  in  his 
 judgment  approves,  and  in  his  will  confents  to  God's  command- 
 ments, therefore  they  are  not  burdenlbme. 
 
 £d/y,  God's  commandments  are  fweetened  with  joy  and  peace. 
 Cicero  queltions  whether  that  can  properly  be  called  a  burden, 
 which  one  carries  with  delight  and  pleafure ;  Utrnm  onus  ap- 
 pellator quod  laetitiafertur.  If  a  man  carries  a  bag  of  money 
 given  him,  it  is  heavy,  but  the  delight  takes  off  the  burden. 
 When  God  gives  inward  joy,  that  makes  the  commandments  de- 
 lightful, Ifa.  lvi.  7.  *  I  will  make  them  joyful  in  my  houfe  of 
 prayer.'  Joy  is  like  oil  to  the  wheels,  which  makes  a  Chriftian 
 run  in  the  way  of  God's  commandments,  fo  that  it  is  not  bur- 
 denfome. 
 
 3c////,  God's  commandments  are  advantageous.  I.  The 
 commandments  are  preventive  of  evil;  a  curb  bit  to  check  us 
 from  fin.  What  mifchiefs  would  we  not  run  into,  if  we  had 
 not  afflictions  to  humble  us,  and  the  commandments  to  reflrain 
 us  ?  God's  commandments  are  to  keep  us  within  bounds  ;  the 
 yoke  keeps  the  beaft  from  ftraggling :  we  are  to  be  thankful  to 
 God  for  precepts  :  had  not  he  fet  his  commandments  as  an 
 hedge  or  bar  in  our  way,  we  might  have  run  to  hell  and  never 
 ftopt. 
 
 2.  There  is  nothing  in  the  commandments  but  what  is  for 
 our  good  ;  Deut.  x.  13.  *  To  keep  the  commandments  of  the 
 Lord,  and  his  ftatutes,  which  I  command  thee  for  thy  good.' 
 
OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT.  411 
 
 I*  God  commands  us  to  read  his  word;  and  what  hurt  is  in 
 this?  God  befpangles  the  word  with  promifes  ;  as  if  a  father 
 Ihould  bid  his  Ion  read  his  lalt  will  and  teltament,  wherein  be 
 makes  over  a  fair  eft  tte  to  him.  9.  God  bids  m  pray  :  and  be 
 tells  us,  if  we  alk,  4  it  (hall  he  given,'  Matih.  vii".  7-  Alk 
 power  againft  fin,  alk  (alvation,  and  it  (hall  be  eraeQ.  If  you 
 bad  a  friend  Ihould  lay,  *4  Come  when  you  will  to  me,  I  will 
 Tupply  you  with  money,"  would  you  think  it  a  trouble  to  vilit 
 that  friend  often  ;  3.  God  commands  us  to  fear  him,  Lev.  xxv. 
 43.  ■  But  fear  thy  God.'  And  there  is  honey  in  the  mouth  of 
 this  command,  Luke  i.  oO.  ■  His  mercy  is  upon  them  that  fear 
 him.'  4.  God  commands  us  to  believe,  and  why  fo?  ■  Believe, 
 and  ye  (hall  be  faved,'  Acts  xvi.  31.  Salvation  is  the  crown  fet 
 upon  the  head  of  faith  :  good  reaibn  then  we  obey  God's  com- 
 mands willingly  ;  they  are  for  our  good,  they  are  not  fo  much 
 our  duty  as  our  privilege. 
 
 3.  God's  commandments  are  ornamental ;  Omnia  quae  pra* 
 eftari  jubet  Deusy  non  onerant  no  s  fed  ornam  :  Salvian.  God's 
 commandments  do  not  burden  us,  but  adorn  us.  It  is  an  ho- 
 nour to  be  employed  in  a  king's  fervice  ;  and  to  to  be  employed 
 in  God's,  *  by  whom  kings  reign.'  To  walk  in  God's  com- 
 mandments, proclaims  us  to  be  wile,  Deut.  iv.  5,  (j.  *  Behold 
 I  have  taught  you  (tatutes ;  keep,  therefore,  and  do  them  ;  /or 
 this  is  your  wiidom.'  And  to  be  wile  is  an  honour  ;  I  may  fay 
 of  every  commandment  of  God,  as  Prov.  iv.9.  "  It  (hall  give 
 to  thy  head  an  ornament  of  grace.' 
 
 4.  The  commands  of  God  are  infinitely  better  than  the  com- 
 mands of  fin,  thefe  are  intolerable.  Let  a  man  be  under  the 
 command  of  any  lull,  how  doth  he  tire  himfelf?  What  hazards 
 doth  he  run  to  the  endangering  his  health  and  foul,  that  he  may 
 fatisfy  his  luft?  Jer.  ix.  5.  ■  They  weary  themfelves  to  com- 
 mit iniquity.'  And,  are  not  God's  commandments  more  equal, 
 facile,  pleafant,  than  the  commands  of  fin?  Chryfoftom  faith 
 true,  ••  To  act  virtue  is  eafier  than  to  act  vice. "  Temperance  is 
 lei's  troublefome  than  drunkennefs  ;  meeknefs  is  lets  troubleiome 
 than  pallion  and  envy.  There  is  more  difficulty  in  the  contrive* 
 ment  and  purfuit  of  a  wicked  deligu,  than  in  obeying  the  com- 
 mandments of  God.  Hence  a  (inner  is  faid  to  travail  with 
 iniquity,  Pfal.  vii.  14.  A  woman  while  (he  is  in  travail,  is  in 
 pain,  to  (hew  what  pain  and  trouble  a  wicked  man  hath  in  bring- 
 ing forth  fin.  Many  have  gone  with  more  pains  to  hell,  than 
 others  have  to  heaven,  This  may  make  us  obey  the  command- 
 ments willingly. 
 
 5.  W ill ingnefs  in  obedience  makes  us  refemble  the  angels. 
 Thecherubims,  types  reprefenting  the  angels,  aredefcribed  with 
 wiugs  difpiayed,  to  (hew  how  ready  the  angels  are  to  lerve 
 God.     God  uo  fooaer  i'peaks  the  word,  but  they  are  ambitious 
 
 3F2 
 
413  OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 to  obey ;  how  are  they  ravifhed  with  joy,  while  they  are  praif- 
 ingGod!  In  heaven  we  ihall  be  as  the  angels  ;  by  our  willing- 
 nefi  to  obey  God's  commandments,  we  (hall  be  like  them  here. 
 This  is  what  we  pray  for,  that  God's  will  may  be  done  by  us 
 on  earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven.  Is  it  not  done  willingly  there  ? 
 We  mull  keep  God's  commandments  conftantly,  Ptal.  cxvi.  3. 
 *  Bleiled  is  he  that  doth  righteoulhefsatall  times.'  Our  obedi- 
 ence to  the  command  mult  be  as  the  fire  of  the  altar,  which 
 never  went  out,  Lev.  xiii.  6.  It  mull  be  as  the  motion  of  the 
 pulfe  always  beating.  The  wind  blows  off  the  fruit,  our  fruits 
 of  obedience  muft  not  be  blown  off  by  the  wind  of  perfecution, 
 John  xv.  16.  *  I  have  chofen  you,  that  you  fhould  go  and  bring 
 forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit  fhould  remain.' 
 
 life.  It  reproves  them  who  live  in  a  wilful  breach  of  God's 
 commandments,  in  malice,  uncleannefs,  intemperance;  they 
 walk  antipodes  to  the  commandment.  To  live  in  a  wilful  breach 
 of  the  commandment  is, 
 
 \fty  Againft  realbn.  Are  we  able  to  ftand  it  out  agaiuft 
 God  ?  1  Cor.  x.  c2%.  *  Do  we  provoke  the  Lord  ?  are  we  ftrongeF 
 than  he?'  Can  we  meafure  arms  with  God  ?  can  im potency 
 (land  againft  omnipotency  ?  A  finner,  in  acting  fin,  ac\s  againft 
 realon. 
 
 Qdlpi  It  is  againft  equity.  We  have  our  being  from  God  j 
 and,  is  it  not  equal  we  Ihould  obey  him  who  gives  us  our  being? 
 we  have  all  our  fubfiftence  from  God  ;  and  is  it  not  fitting,  that 
 as  God  gives  us  our  allowance,  we  fhould  give  him  our  allegi- 
 ance ?  If  a  general  gives  his  foldier  pay,  he  is  to  march  at  his 
 command  ;  lb  that  to  live  in  the  breach  of  his  commands,  is 
 againft  equity. 
 
 Sdly,  It  is  againft  nature.  Every  creature  in  its  kind  obeys 
 God's  laws:  1.  Animate  creatures  obey  him;  God  fpake  to 
 the  fifh,  and  it  fet  Jonah  a  more,  Jonah  ii.  10.  2.  Inanimate 
 creatures;  the  wind  and  the  fea  obey  him,  Mark  iv.  41.  The 
 very  ftones,  if  God  gave  them  acommifiion,  will  cry  out  againft 
 the  fins  of  men,  Hab.  ii.  11.  '  The  ftone  (hall  cry  out  of  the 
 wall,  and  the  beam  out  of  the  timber  fhall  aniwer  it :'  none  dif- 
 obey  God  but  man  and  the  devil;  and  can  we  find  none  to  join 
 with  elfe  ? 
 
 4thly}  It  is  againft  kindnefs.  How  many  mercies  have  we 
 to  allure  us  to  obey  !  Miracles  of  mercy  ;  therefore  the  apoftle 
 joins  thefe  two  together,  difobedient  and  unthankful,  2  Tim. 
 iii.  2.  and  this  dyes  a  fin  of  a  crimfon  colour.  And,  as  the  fin 
 is  great,  (for  it  is  a  contempt  of  God,  a  hanging  out  of  the  Hag 
 of  defiance  againft  God,  and  rebellion  is  as  the  fin  of  witchcraft) 
 i'o  the  punilhment  will  be  proportionable ;  fuch  cut  themfelves 
 off  from  mercy.  God's  mercy  is  for  them  that  keep  his  com- 
 mandments, but  no  mercy  for  them  that  live  in  a  wilful  bread* 
 
OF  THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT.  413 
 
 •fthem.     All  God's  judgments  fet  themiVlves  to  battle-array 
 a^ainii  the  dilobe«Iiont.      (I.)  Temporal  judgments,  Lev. 
 15,  u>.     (tf.)   Internal.  ■  Chrift  comes  ra  flames  of  fire,  to  take 
 anceon  them  that  obey  Dot,1  S  Tin  IT.  i.  8.     Such  as  break 
 the  golden  chain  of  God's  command*,  G  id  hath  iron  chains  to 
 hold  them;   chains  of  darknefs,  in   winch   the  devils   are  held, 
 Jude  (i.      As  long  as  there  is  eternity,  God  hath  time  though  to 
 reckon  with  all  the  wilful  breakers  of  his  command  m 
 Qu.    How  fi h all  ive  do  to  keep  Cod's  commandment 
 Anf.   Beg   the  Spirit  of  God.     We  cannot  do  it   in  our  own 
 ftrength  ;   *  The  Spirit  muft  work  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  d<\* 
 Phil.    ii.    13.      When   the  loadftone   draws,    the    iron    in 
 when  God's  Spirit  draws,  then  we  run  m  the  way  of  God's  com- 
 maudraenls. 
 
 I'<309U!MW 
 
 OF  THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT 
 
 Exod.  xx.  7.  Thou  flialt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  Cod 
 in  rain  :  For  the  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiitlefs  that  taketh 
 his  name  in  vain. 
 
 This  commandment  has  two  parts  :  Firjl,  A  negative 
 exprefied,  That  we  muft  not  take  God's  name  in  vain,  viz.  Caft 
 any  reflection  and  difhonour  on  God's  name.  Secondly,  Art 
 athrmative  implied,  That  we  mould  have  a  care  to  reverence 
 and  honour  his  name  ;  but  that  I  fhall  fpeak  to  more  fully, 
 when  I  come  to  the  firft  petition  in  the  Lord's  prayer,  '  Hallow- 
 ed be  thy  name.'  I  (hall  now  fpeak  of  the  negative  exprefied 
 in  this  commandment,  or  the  prohibition  ■  Thou  flialt  not  take 
 the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in  vain.'  The  tongue  is  an  un- 
 ruly member,  all  the  parts  and  organs  of  the  body  are  defiled 
 with  fin,  as  every  branch  of  wormwood  is  bitter;  *  But  the 
 tongue  is  full  of  deadly  poifon,'  James  iii.  8.  There  is  no  one 
 member  of  the  body  doth  more  break  forth  into  God's  difhonour, 
 than  the  tongue  ;  therefore  this  commandment  is  a  bridle  for 
 the  tongue,  it  is  to  bind  the  tongue  to  its  good  behaviour ; 
 •  Thou  ihalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  id  vain  ; 
 and  this  prohibition  is  backed  with  a  lirong  reafon,  *  For  the 
 Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiitlefs  :'  that  is,  he  will  not  hold  him 
 innocent.  Men  of  place  and  eminency  take  it  heinoufly  to  have 
 their  names  ahui'ed,  and  will  inflict  heavy  penalties  on  the  of- 
 fenders. '  The  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiitlefs  that  taketh  his 
 name  in  vain  ;'  God  looks  upon  him  as  a  criminal  perfon,  and 
 he  will  feverely  punifli  him.     Well  then,  the  thing  to  be  infill- 
 
414  Or  THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 cd  on,  is,  That  great  care  mud  be  had,  that  the  holy  and  reve- 
 rend name  of  God  be  not  profaned  by  us,  or  taken  in  vain. 
 
 Qu.  How  many  ways  may  we  be  faid  to  take  God's  name  in 
 vain  ? 
 
 Anf.  I.  We  take  God's  name  in  vain,  when  we  fpeak  (lightly 
 and  irreverently  of  his  name,  Deut.  xxviii.  58.  *  That  thou 
 mayeil  fear  this  glorious  and  fearful  name,  The  Lord  thy 
 God/  David  ('peaks  of  God  with  reverence,  Pfal.  I.  I.  «  The 
 Lord  even  the  mott  mighty  God,*  Pfal.  Ixxxiii.  18.  '  That 
 men  may  know,  that  thou  whofe  name  alone  is  Jehovah,  art  the 
 moft  High  over  all  the  earth.*  And  the  difciples,  fpeaking  of 
 Jefus,  did  hallow  his  name,  Lukexxiv.  \\j.  *  Jefus  of  Nazareth, 
 which  wasa  prophet  mighty  in  deed  and  word  before  God,  and 
 all  the  people.  *  When  we  mention  the  names  of  kings,  we  give 
 them  fome  title  of  honour,  as  ■  excellent  majeity ;'  fo  fhould 
 we  fpeak  of  God  with  fuch  facred  reverence,  as  is  due  to  the  in- 
 finite Ma  jelly  of  heaven.  When  we  fpeak  flightly  of  God  or 
 his  works,  God  interprets  it  to  be  a  contempt,  and  it  is  a  taking 
 his  name  in  vain. 
 
 II.  When  we  profefs  God's  name,  but  do  not  live  anfwerably 
 to  it,  it  is  a  taking  his  name  in  vain,  Titus  i.  16.  *  In  words 
 they  profefs  Chrift,  but  in  works  they  deny  him.'  When  men's 
 tongues  and  lives  crofs  one  another  ;  when,  under  a  mafk  of 
 profeffion,  men  will  lie  and  cozen,  and  be  unclean,  thefe  make 
 ufe  of  God's  name  to  abufe  him,  they  take  his  name  in  vain  : 
 Simulata  janclitas  duplex  iniquitas,  Rom.  ii.  24.  ■  The  name 
 of  God  is  blafphemed  among  the  Gentiles  through  you,'  When 
 the  heathen  law  the  Jews,  who  profeifed  to  be  God's  people, 
 to  be  fcandalous,  this  made  them  fpeak  evil  of  God,  and  hate 
 the  true  religion  for  their  fakes. 
 
 III.  We  take  God's  name  in  vain,  when  we  ufe  God's  name 
 in  idle  difcourfe.  God  is  not  to  be  fpoken  of  but  with  an  holy 
 awe  upon  our  hearts ;  and  to  bring  in  God's  name  at  every  turn 
 when  we  never  think  of  God,  to  fay,  O  God  !  or,  O  Chriti  !  or, 
 As  God  fhall  fave  my  foul ;  this  is  taking  God's  name  in  vain. 
 And,  how  many  are  guilty  in  this  kind  !  though  they  have  God 
 in  their  mouths,  they  have  the  devil  in  their  hearts.  It  is  a  won- 
 der that  fire  doth  not  come  out  from  the  Lord  and  confume  them, 
 as  it  did  Nadab  and  Abihu,  Lev.  x.  2. 
 
 IV.  We  take  God's  name  in  vain,  when  we  worfhip  him  with 
 our  lips,  but  not  our  hearts,  this  is  to  abufe  God.  'Tis  the 
 heart  which  God  calls  for,  Prov.  xxxiii.  26. c  My  fon,  give  me  thy 
 heart.'  The  heart  is  the  chief  thing  in  religion  ;  it  draws  the 
 will  and  affections  after  it,  as  the  Primum  mobile  draws  the 
 other  orbs  along  with  it.  The  heart  is  the  incenfe  that  per- 
 fumes our  holy  things,  it  is  the  altar  that  ian&ifies  the  offering. 
 
OF  THF.  THIRD  COMMANDMENT.  415 
 
 v,  when  we  feem  to  worfhip  God,  but  withdraw  uur  heart 
 from  him,  we  take  his  name  in  vam,  I  la.  x\ix.  1  ;.  '  This 
 people  draw  near  me  with  their  mouth,  and  with  th<  ir  iip^  they 
 do  honour  me,  hut  they  have  removed  their  heart  foom  me.1 
 
 lit  Hypocrites  take  God's  name  in  vain,   then  i    is  a 
 
 lie  ;  they  teem  to  honour  God,  hut  they  do  not  lov«-  him  :  their 
 hearts  go  after  their  lulls,  Hof.  iv.  8.  *  They  let  their  hearts  on 
 their  iniquity.'  Their  eyes  are  lilted  up  to  heaven,  but  their 
 hearts  are  rooted  in  the  earth,  Bzek.  xxxiii.  31.  Thefe  are 
 devils  in  Samuel's  mantle,  they  take  God's  name  in  vain. 
 
 *-2d/i/,  Superftitious  perfoDS  take  God's  name  in  vain.  They 
 bring  God  a  few  ceremonies  which  he  never  appointed  ;  they 
 bow  at  Ch rift's  name  and  cringe  to  the  altar,  but  hate  and  per- 
 fecute  God's  image;   tbefe  take  his  name  in  vain. 
 
 V.  We  take  God's  name  ill  vain,  when  we  pray  to  him,  but 
 do  not  believe  in  him.  Faith  is  the  great  grace  that  honours 
 God,  Rom.  iv.  SO.  ■  Abraham  bein^  ftrong  in  faith,  g 
 glory  to  God  ;'  but  when  we  pray  to  God,  but  do  not  mix  faith 
 With  our  prayer,  we  take  his  name  in  vain.  I  may  pray,  (faith 
 aChriitian)  but  I  (hall  be  never  the  better ;  I  queftion  whether 
 God  doth  hear,  or  whether  he  will  grant.  This  is  to  dishonour 
 God,  and  take  his  name  in  vain  ;  this  is  to  make  God  either  an 
 idol,  that  he  hath  ears  and  hears  not;  or  a  liar,  who  promiieth 
 mercy  to  the  penitent,  but  will  not  make  good  his  word,  John 
 v.  10.  *  He  that  believeth  not,  hath  made  God  a  liar.'  When 
 the  apoftle  faith,  '  How  (hall  they  call  on  him  in  whom  they 
 have  not  believed  ?'  Rom.  v.  34.  the  meaning  is,  How  fhall 
 they  call  on  God  aright,  and  not  believe  in  him  ?  but  how 
 many  do  call  on  God  who  do  not  believe  in  him  ?  they  afk  for 
 pardon,  but  unbelief  in  whifpers,  their  fins  are  greater  than  can 
 he  forgiven.  Thus  to  pray  and  not  believe,  is  to  take  God's 
 name  in  vain,  and  is  an  high  dishonouring  of  God,  as  if  he  were 
 not.  fuch  a  God  as  the  word  reprefents  him.  ■  Plenteous  in 
 mercy  to  all  that  call  upon  him,'  Pial.  Ixxxvi.  7. 
 
 VI.  We  take  God's  name  in  vain,  when  we  in  any  kind  pro- 
 fane and  abufe  his  word.  Now  the  word  of  God  is  profaned, 
 Firft,  In  general  when  profane  men  meddle  with  it.  It  is  un- 
 leemly  and  unbecoming  a  wicked  man  to  talk  of  lacred  things, 
 of  God's  providence,  and  the  decrees  of  God  and  heaven  ;  it 
 v.  is  very  diltalteful  to  Chrift,  to  hear  the  devil  quote  fcripture, 
 '  It  is  written.'  To  hear  a  wicked  man  that  wallows  in  fin, 
 talk  of  God  and  religion,  is  often  five  :  it  is  the  taking  of  God's 
 name  in  vain.  When  the  word  of  God  is  in  the  drunkard's 
 mouth,  it  is  like  a  pearl  hung  upon  a  hog.  Under  the  law  the 
 lips  of  the  leper  were  to  be  covered,  Lev.  xii.  45,  The  lij>s  of 
 a  profane,  drunken  mihifter  ought  to  be  covered,  he  is  unfit  to 
 ipeak  of  God's  word,   becaufe  he  takes  God's  name  in  vain. 
 
416  OF  THE  THIRD  COM *IAND*1ENT. 
 
 But,    ?d/yf  more  particularly  they  profane  God's   word,  and 
 take  his  name  in  vain, 
 
 1.  That  I  peak  1  corn  fully  of  God's  word,  2  Pet.  iii.  4. 
 Where  is  the  promile  of  his  coming?  For  fince  the  fathers  fell 
 afleep,  all  things  continue  as  they  were  from  the  beginning  of 
 the  creation.'  As  if  they  had  faid,  here  is  much  ado  the  preach- 
 ers make  about  the  day  of  judgment,  when  all  muftbe  called  to 
 account  for  their  works  ;  but  where  is  the  appearing  of  that 
 Hay  ?  we  fee  things  keep  their  courfe,  and  continue  as  they 
 were  fmce  the  creation  ;  thus  they  (peak  fcornfully  of  fcripture, 
 and  take  God's  name  in  vain.  It  fentence  be  not  fpeedily  exe- 
 cuted, men  fcorn  and  deride  ;  but,  Prov.  xix.  29.  *  Judg- 
 ments are  prepared  for  icorners.' 
 
 2.  That  lpeak  jeftingly.  Such  are  they  who  fport  and  play 
 with  fcripture  ;  'tis  playing  with  fire.  Some  cannot  be  merry, 
 nnlels  they  make  bold  with  God  ;  they  make  the  fcriptures  an 
 harp  to  drive  away  the  fpirit  of  fadnefs,  Eufebius  relates  of 
 one  who  took  a  piece  of  fcripture  to  jeft  with,  God  ftruck  him 
 with  frenzy.  To piay  with  fcripture  (hews a  very  profane  heart. 
 Some  will  rather  lofe  their  fouls,  than  lofe  their  jells  ;  thefe  are 
 guilty  of  taking  God's  name  in  vain.  Tremble  at  it  ;  fuch  as 
 mock  at  fcripture,  God  will  mock  at  their  calamity,  Prov.  i.  96. 
 
 3.  They  abufe  God's  word,  and  take  his  name  in  vain,  that 
 bring  fcripture  to  countenance  any  fin.  The  word,  which  was 
 written  for  the  fupprefimg  of  fin,  fome  bring  it  for  the  defend- 
 ing of  fin.  For  in  fiance,  Firjit  If  we  tell  a  covetous  man  of  his 
 fin,  that  covetoufnefs  is  idolatry,  he  will  bring  fcripture  to 
 maintain  his  fin  ;  hath  not  God  bid  me  live  in  a  calling  ?  '  Six 
 days  (halt  thou  labour.'  Hath  not  God  faid  that  *  he  who  pro- 
 vides not  for  his  family  is  worfe  than  an  infidel  ?'  Thus  he  goes 
 to  fupport  his  covetoufnefs  with  fcripture,  Anf.  It  is  true, 
 God  hath  bid  thee  take  pains  in  a  calling,  but  not  hurt  thy 
 neighbour  ;  he  hath  bid  thee  provide  for  thy  family,  but  not 
 by  oppreflion,  Lev.  xxv.  14.  '  Ye  (hall  not  opprefs  one  ano- 
 ther.' He  hath  bid  thee  look  after  a  livelihood,  but  not  with  the 
 neglect  of  thy  foul  ;  he  hath  bid  thee  lay  up  thy  treafure  in  hea- 
 ven, Matth.  vi.  20.  He  hath  commanded  thee  to  lay  out,  a9 
 well  as  lay  up  :  to  fow  feeds  of  charity  on  the  backs  and  bel- 
 lies of  the  poor,  which  perhaps  thou  neglecteft  ;  fo  that  to 
 bring  fcripture  to  uphold  thee  in  thy  fin,  is  an  high  profaning 
 of  tcripture,  and  a  taking  of  God's  name  in  vain.  Second  in- 
 stance, if  we  tell  a  man  of  his  inordinate  palfions,  That  he  may 
 be  drunk  as  well  with  rafh  anger,  as  wine  ;  he  will  bring  fcrip- 
 ture to  jultify  it  :  doih  not  the  word  fay,  '  Be  angry  and  (in 
 not,'  Eph.  iv.  c26.  'Tis  true,  that  anger  is  good,  which  is 
 mixed  with  zeal  ;  then  anger  is  without  fin,  when  it  is  againft 
 fin  -.    but  thou  doft  fin  in  thine  auger ;    thou  fpeakeft  unad- 
 
Or  THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT.  417 
 
 vifedly  w  ith  thy  lips  ;  thy  tongue  is  fet  on  fire  of  hell  :  and  to 
 bring  fcripture  to  defend  thy  (in,  is  to  profane  fcripture,  and  to 
 take  Gad's  name  in  tain. 
 
 4.  They  abufe  the  word,  and  take  God's  name  in  vain,  who 
 adulterate  the  word,  and  wreft  it  in  a  prong  fenfe.  Such  are 
 heretics,  who  put  their  own  gloi's  upon  fcripture,  and  make  it 
 fpeak  that  which  the  Holy  Gholt  never  meant.  For  inftance, 
 Ftrji,  When  we  expound  thole  texts  literally,  which  are  meant 
 idtively.  Thus  the  Pharifees  were  guilty,  when  God  (aid 
 in  the  law,  '  Thou  (halt  bind  the  commandments  for  a  fign 
 upon  thy  hand,  and  they  (hall  he  as  frontlets  between  thine 
 eyes,'  Deut.  vi.  8.  The  pharifees  took  it  in  a  literal  fenfe  ; 
 they  got  two  icrolls  of  parchment,  wherein  they  wrote  the  two 
 tables,  putting  one  on  their  left-arms,  and  binding  the  other  to 
 their  eye-brows  :  thus  they  w  re  (ted  the  lcripture,  and  took 
 God's  name  in  vain.  That  lcripture  was  to  be  underllood  fpi- 
 ritualiy,  and  by  a  figure  :  God  meant,  by  bindinghis  laws  upon 
 their  hands,  that  they  mould  meditate  on  his  law,  and  put  it 
 in  practice;  and  lb  the  papilts  expound  that  fcripture,  M  This 
 i*  my  body,"  literally,  of  the  very  body  olChrift;  then,  when 
 Chrift  gave  the  bread,  he  mould  have  had  two  bodies,  one  in 
 the  bread,  and  the  other  out  of  the  bread  ;  whereas  Chrift 
 meant  it  figuratively,  it  is  a  (ign  of  my  body.  Thus  they,  by 
 wrelung  the  fcripture  to  a  wrong  fenfe,  profane  it,  and  take 
 God's  name  in  vain.  Qdly,  When  we  expound  thole  fcriptures 
 figuratively  and  allegorically,  which  the  Holy  Ghoft  means  li- 
 terally. For  example,  Chrift  faid  to  Peter,  *  Launch  out  into 
 the  deep,  and  make  a  draught/  Luke  v.  4.  This  text  is  fpo- 
 lien  in  a  plain,  literal  fenle  of  launching  out  the  (hip  ;  but  the 
 papilts  take  it  in  a  myltical  and  allegorical :  this  text  proves, 
 lay  they,  that  the  pope:  which  is  Peter's  fuccelfor,  fhall  launch 
 forth  and  catch  the  ecclefiaftical  and  political  power  over  the 
 wed  parts  of  the  world ;  this,  fay  they,  was  meant  when 
 Chrift  bade  Peter  launch  out  into  the  deep  i  but  I  think  the  pa- 
 pifts  have  launched  out  too  far  beyond  the  meaning  of  the  text. 
 When  men  ltrain  their  wits,  to  wrelt  the  word  to  fuch  a  feofe 
 as  pleafeth  them,  they  do  profane  God's  word,  and  highly  take 
 his  name  in  vain. 
 
 VII.  We  take  God's  name  in  vain,  when  we  fwear  by  his 
 name.  Many  leldom  name  God's  name  but  in  oaths  ;  for 
 this  (in  the  land  mourns,  Matth.  v.  34.  '  Swear  not  at  all,' 
 that  is,  ralhly  and  finfully,  fo  a6  to  take  God's  name  in  vain  ; 
 not  but  that  in  fome  cafes  it  is  lawful  to  take  an  oath  before  a 
 magiftrate,  Deut.  vi.  13.  '  Thou  fhalt  fear  the  Lord  thy  God 
 and  Lerve  him,  and  fwear  by  his  name.'  Heb.  vi.  16.  '  An 
 •ath  for  confirmation  is  the  end  of  all  ftrife  :'  but  when  Chrift 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  9.  S  G 
 
41S  OF  THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 faith,  '  fwear  not  at  all  ;'  he  forbids  fuch  a  fwearing  as  takes 
 God's  name  in  vain.  There  is  a  threefold  fwearing  forbidden  ; 
 1.  Vain-fwearing  ;  when  men  in  their  ordinary  difcourfe  let 
 fly  oaths.  Some  will  go  to  excufe  their  fwearing.  It  is  a  coarfe 
 wool  that  will  take  no  dye,  and  a  bad  fin  indeed  that  hath  no 
 excufe. 
 
 Excufe  1.  I  fwear  little  trifling  oaths  ;  as  Faith,  or,  By  the 
 Maj's.  Anf  The  devil  hath  two  fa  lie  glaiies,  which  he  fets  be- 
 fore mens  eyes  ;  the  one  is  a  little  glafs,  in  which  the  fin  ap- 
 pears fo  fmall,  that  it  can  hardly  be  feen  ;  this  glafs  the  devil 
 lets  before  mens  eyes  when  they  are  going  to  commit  fin  ;  the 
 other  is  a  great  magnifying  glafs,  wherein  fin  appears  fo  big, 
 that  it  cannot  be  forgiven  ;  the  devil  lets  this  before  mens  eyes 
 -when  they  have  finned.  Thou  that  fayeil,  fin  is  final  1,  when 
 God  (hall  open  the  eye  of  thy  confcience,  then  thou  wilt  fee  it 
 great,  and  be  ready  to  djfpair.  But  to  anfwer  this  plea,  thou 
 fay  eft,  they  are  but  fmall  oaths  ;  but  Chnft  forbids  vain  oaths, 
 '  Swear  not  at  all  :'  If  God  will  reckon  with  us  for  idle  words, 
 ihall  not  idle  oaths  be  put  in  the  account-book  ? 
 
 Excufe  2.  But  I  fwear  to  the  truth.  See  how  this  harlot- 
 fin  would  paint  itielf  with  an  excufe.  Anf  I.  Tho'  it  be  true, 
 yet  if  it  be  a  rafh  oath,  'Tis  fint'ul.  Betides,  2.  He  that  fwears 
 commonly,  it  cannot,  be  avoided  but  fometimes  he  muft  fwear 
 more  than  is  true  :  as,  where  much  water  runs,  fome  gravel  or 
 mud  will  pals  along  with  the  water  ;  fo,  where  there  is  much 
 fwearing  fome  lies  will  run  along  with  the  oaths. 
 
 Excufe  3.  But  I  (hall  not  be  believed,  unlels  I  feal  up  my 
 words  with  an  oath.  Anf.  1.  A  man  that  is  honelt  will  be  be- 
 lieved without  an  oath  ;  his  bare  word  carries  authority  with  it, 
 and  is  as  good  as  letters  tefiimonial.  2.  I  anfwer,  He  who 
 fwears,  the  more  he  fwears,  the  let's  others  will  believe  him. 
 Juris  credit  ?ninus :  thou  art  a  fwearer.  Another  thinks  an  oath 
 weighs  very  light  with  thee,  thou  careft  not  what  thou  fweareft  ; 
 and  the  more  thou  fweareft  the  lefs  he  believes  thee.  He  will 
 truft  thy  bond,  but  not  thy  oath. 
 
 Excufe  4.  But  it  is  a  cuftom  of  fwearing  I  have  gotten,  and 
 I  hope  God  will  forgive  me.  Anf.  Tho'  among  men  cuftom 
 carries  it,  and  is  pleadable  in  law  ;  yet  it  is  not  fo  in  the  cafe  of 
 fin,  cuftom  here  is  no  plea.  Thou  haft  got  an  habit  of  fwearing, 
 and  canft  not  leave  it  ;  is  this  an  excufe  ?  it  is  a  thing  well 
 done,  becaufe  it  is  commonly  done  ?  this  is  fo  far  from  being  an 
 excufe,  that  it  is  an  aggravation  of  fin.  As  if  one  that  had 
 been  accuied  for  killing  a  man,  fhould  plead  with  the  judge  to 
 fpare  him,  becaufe  it  was  his  cuftom  to  murder:  this  is  an  ag- 
 gravation of  the  oifence,  fo  is  it  here  ;  therefore  all  excufes  for 
 this  fin  of  vain  fwearing  are  taken  away.  Dare  not  to  live  in 
 this  fin,  it  is  a  taking  of  God's  name  in  vain. 
 2.  Vile  fwearing,  horrid  prodigious  oaths  not  to  be  named. 
 
©F  THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT.  419 
 
 Swearers,  like  mad-dogs,  fly  in  the  (ace  of  heaven  ;  and  \vli»  n 
 they  are  angered  fpue  out  their  blafphemoufl  venom  on  God's 
 facred  Majeity.  Some  in  gaming,  when  things  go  crols,  and 
 the  dice  run  agamft  them,  their  tongues  run  as  iait  againfl  God 
 in  oaths  and  curies  :  and  tell  them  of  their  lin,  go  to  bring  home 
 thele  ailes  from  going  a  ft  ray,  and  it  is  but  pouring  oil  on  the 
 flame,  they  will  fwear  the  more.  St.  Audio  laith,  4t  Tbev  do 
 no  left  lin  who  blafpheme  Clmlt  now  in  heaven,  than  the  J> 
 did,  who  crucified  him  on  earth."  Swearers  profane  Chrift'i 
 blood,  and  tear  his  name.  An  harlot  told  her  hufband,  that  of 
 her  three  Ions,  there  was  but  one  of  them  his  :  the  father  dying, 
 defired  the  executors  to  iind  out  which  was  the  true  and  natural 
 foil,  and  all  his  eltate  he  bequeathed  to  him.  The  father  being 
 Head  :  the  executors  let  up  his  corpfe  againft  a  tree,  and  de- 
 livering to  every  one  of  thele  three  Ions  a  bow  and  arrows,  tel- 
 ling them,  that  he  who  could  ihoot  neareft  the  father's  heart 
 fhould  have  all  the  <  itate.  The  two  baftard-ibns  (hot  as  near  as 
 they  could  to  his  heart,  but  the  third  did  feel  nature  fo  work  in 
 him,  that  he  refufed  to  (hoot  at  his  father's  heart  :  whereupon 
 the  executors  judged  him  to  be  the  true  fon,  and  gave  all  the 
 eftate  to  him.  Such  as  are  the  true  children  of  God  fear  to 
 ihoot  at  him  ;  but  luch  as  are  baftards,  and  not  ions,  care  not 
 tho'  they  fhoot  at  him  in  heaven  with  their  oaths  and  curfes. 
 And  that  which  makes  iwearing  yet  more  heinous  is  when  men 
 have  refoived  upon  any  wicked  action,  they  bind  themfelves 
 with  an  oath  to  do  it,  fuch  were  they,  A<5ts  xxiii.  12.  who 
 bound  themfelves  with  an  oath  and  curfe  to  kill  Paul.  To  com- 
 mit fin  is  bad  enough  ;  but  to  fwear  we  will  commit  fin,  is  an 
 high  profaning  of  God's  name,  and  is  as  it  were  to  call  God  ap- 
 prove our  fin. 
 
 3.  For/wearing:  this  is  an  heaven-daring  fin,  Lev.  xix.  12. 
 '  Ye  (hall  not  fwear  by  my  name  falfely,  neither  lhall  ye  pro- 
 fane my  name.'  Perjury  is  a  calling  God  to  witnefs  to  a  lie. 
 It  is  faid  of  Philip  of  Macedon,  he  would  fwear  and  unfwear, 
 as  might  (land  belt  with  his  interdt.  Jer.  iv.  l2.  '  Thou  (halt 
 fwear,  The  Lord  liveth,  in  truth,  in  judgment,  and  in  righte- 
 oufuefs.'  In  righteoufnefs,  therefore  it  mud  not  be  an  unlaw- 
 ful oath.  In  judgment,  therefore,  it  muft  not  be  a  rafli  oath. 
 In  truth,  therefore  it  muft  not  be  a  falfe  oath.  Among  the 
 Scythians,  if  a  man  did  forfwear  himlblf,  he  was  to  have  his 
 head  ftricken  off:  becaufe  if  perjury  were  allowed,  there  would 
 be  no  living  in  a  commonwealth  ;  it  would  take  away  all  faith 
 and  truth  from  among  men.  The  perjurer  is  in  as  bad  a  cafe 
 as  the  witch  ;  for  by  a  falfe  oath,  he  binds  his  foul  faft  to  the 
 devil.  In  forfwearing  or  taking  a  falfe  oath  in  a  court,  there 
 are  many  (ins  linked  together;  pturima  peccata  in  uno :  for  be- 
 fides  the  taking  God's  name  in  vain,  the  perjurer  is  a  thief;  by 
 
 3  G2 
 
420  CV  tUt.  tHIftf)  COMMANDMENT, 
 
 his  falfe  oath  he  robs  the  innocent  of  his  right  :  he  is  a  per- 
 vertef  of  juftice ;  he  doth  not  only  fin  himfelf,  but  occafioni 
 the  jury  to  give  a  falfe  verdidt,  and  the  judge  to  pais  an  unrigh- 
 teous fentence  ;  and  lure  God's  judgments  will  find  him  out. 
 When  God's  flying  roll  or  curfe  goes  over  the  face  of  the  earth, 
 into  whole  houfe  doth  it  enter?  '  Into  the  houfe  of  him  who 
 fwears  falfely  ;  and  it  (hall  confume  the  timber  and  (tones  of  his 
 houfe,'  Zech.  v.  4.  Beza  relates  of  a  perjurer,  that  he  had  no 
 fooner  taken  a  falfe  oath,  but  he  was  immediately  ftruck  with 
 an  apoplexy,  and  never  (pake  more,  but  died.  O  tremble  at 
 (uch  horrid  impiety ! 
 
 VIII.  We  highly  take  God's  name  in  vain,  when  we  prefix 
 God's  name  to  any  wicked  ac\ion.  I  fay  the  mentioning  of  God 
 to  a  wicked  defign,  is  taking  his  name  in  vain.  c2  Sam.  xv.  7. 
 *  I  pray,  (faith  Abfalom)  let  me  pay  my  vow,  which  I  have 
 vowed  unto  the  Lord  in  Hebron.'  This  pretence  of  paying  his 
 vow  made  to  God,  Was  only  to  cover  over  his  treafon,  v.  20. 
 ■  When  ye  hear  the  (bund  of  the  trumpet,  ye  (hall  fay  Abfalom 
 reigneth.'  When  any  wicked  action  is  baptized  with  the  name 
 of  religion,  this  is  taking  God's  name  in  vain.  Herein  the  Pope 
 is  highly  guilty,  when  he  fends  out  his  bills  of  excommunica- 
 tion or  curfes  againft  the  Chriftian  ;  he  begins  with,  In  nomine 
 Dei,  in  the  name  of  God.  What  a  provoking  fin  is  this  ?  It  is 
 to  do  the  devil's  work,  and  put  God's  name  to  it. 
 
 IX.  We  take  God's  name  in  vain,  when  we  ufe  our  tongues 
 any  way  to  the  difhonour  of  God's  name  ;  as  when  we  ufe  rail- 
 ing, or  curfe  in  our  paiYions ;  efpecially,  when  we  wifli  a  curfe 
 upon  ourfelves  if  a  thing  be  not  fo,  when  we  know  it  to  be  falfe. 
 I  have  read  of  one  who  wiihed  his  body  might  rot,  if  that  which 
 he  faid,  was  not  true  ;  and  foon  after  his  body  rotted,  and  he 
 became  a  loathibme  fpe6tacle< 
 
 X.  We  take  God's  name  in  vain,  by  ra(h  and  unlawful  vows. 
 There  is  a  good  vow  when  a  man  binds  himfelf  by  a  vow  to  do 
 that  which  the  word  binds  him  to  ;  as,  if  he  be  fiek,  he  vows, 
 if  God  reftore  him,  he  will  live  a  more  ftri6t  holy  life,  Pf.  Ixvi. 
 13.  *  I  will  pay  thee  my  vows  which  my  lips  have  uttered  when 
 I  was  in  trouble.'  But  Voveri  non  debet  quod  Deo  difp  licit  • 
 Such  a  vow  fhould  not  be  made,  as  is  difpleafing  to  God  ;  as 
 to  vow  voluntary  poverty,  as  your  friars ;  or,  to  vow  to  live  in 
 nunneries.  Jephtha's  vow  wasrafti  and  unlawful ;  he  vowed  to 
 the  Lord  to  facrifice  that  to  him  which  he  met  with  next,  and 
 it  was  his  daughter,  Judges  xi.  31.  He  did  ill  to  make  the 
 vow,  and  worfe  to  keep  it ;  he  became  guilty  of  the  breach  of 
 the  third  and  fixth  commandments. 
 
 XI.  When  we  fpeak  evil  of  God,  now  we  take  his  name  in 
 vain,  Numb.  xxii.  5.  ■  They  fpake  againlt  God.'  Qu.  How 
 do  we  fpeak  againjl  God  ?  AnJ\  When  we  murmur  at  his  pro* 
 
OF  THE  THtRD  COM  M  I  NDM  HNT.  401 
 
 ridence*,  as  if  he  had  dealt  hardly  with  us.  Murmuring  is  the 
 accufiugof  God's  jtfftlce,  Qeft<  win.  BfJ,  '  Shall  not  the  judge 
 of  all  the  earth  do  right?'    Murmuring  faring!  from  I  bitter 
 
 root,  it  comes  from  pride  and  di  Icon  ten!  |  il  id  a  reproaching  of 
 God,  and  a  high  taking  his  name  in  Vain.  It  ia  (boh  a  fin  a* 
 God  cannot  bear,  Numb.  xiv.  87.  *  How  k>Og  ihall  I  bear  with 
 this  people  that  murmur  againll  me  r ' 
 
 XII.  And  tuji/y,  We  lake  God's  name  in  vain,  when  we  fal- 
 fify  our  promile ;  to  lay,  if  God  (pare  us  life  we  will  de  this, 
 and  never  intend  it.  Our  promile  (hould  be  lacred  and  inviola- 
 ble ;  but,  if  we  make  no  reckoning  to  make  a  promile,  and 
 mention  God's  name  in  it,  yet  never  intend  to  keep  it,  it  is  a, 
 double  (in  ;  it  is  telling'  a  he,  and  taking  God's  name  in  vain. 
 1  ihould  come  now  to  the  affirmative  implied  ;   but  hereafter — 
 
 Ufe.  Take  heed  of  taking  God's  name  in  vain  any  of  thefe 
 ways.  Remember  this  commination  and  threatening  in  thetexr^ 
 
 *  The  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltlefs.'  Here  is  a  meiofis\ 
 lcfs  is  laid,  and  more  intended  ;  '  He  will  not  hold  him  guilt- 
 lefs ;'    that  is,  he  will   be  feveroly  avenged   on    Inch  an  one, 
 
 •  The  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltlefs.'  Here  the  Lord  fpeaks 
 after  the  manner  of  a  judge,  who  holds  the  court  of  aQize  ;  the 
 judge  here,  is  God  himielf ;  the  ncculers,  Satan,  and  a  man's 
 own  conicience  ;  t lie  matter  offa&is,  *  Taking  God's  name 
 in  vain  ;'  the  malefactor  accu led  is  found  guilty,  and  condemn- 
 ed ;  '  The  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltlefs.'  Me  thinks,  thefe 
 words,  ■  The  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltlefs,'  may  let  a  loclc 
 upon  our  lips,  and  make  us  afraid  of  1 peaking  any  thing  that 
 may  redound  dilhouour  upon  God,  or  may  be  a  taking  his  name 
 in  vain  :  ■  The  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltlefs.'  It  may  be 
 men  may  hold  fuch  guiltlefs,  when  they  curie,  fwear,  fpeak  ir- 
 reverently of  God  :  men  may  hold  them  guiltlefs,  let  them 
 alone,  not  punifh  them.  If  one  takes  away  another's  good 
 name,  he  (hall  be  flirt  to  be  punifhed  ;  but  If  he  takes  away 
 God's  good  name,  where  is  he  that  doth  punifh  him  ?  he  that 
 robs  another  of  his  goods,  (hall  be  put  to  death  ;  but  he  that 
 robs  God  of  his  glory,  by  oaths  and  curfes,  he  is  (pared  ;  but 
 God  himfelf  will  take  the  matter  into  his  own  hand,  and  he  will 
 punifh  him  who  takes  his  name  in  vain. 
 
 t.  Sometimes  God  punifhes  (wearing  and  blafphemy  in  this 
 life.  \Jk%  Swearing.  In  the  country  ofSamurtia  there  arole 
 a  great  temped  of  thunder  and  lightning  :  a  foldier  burlt  forth 
 into  fwearing  ;  but  the  tern  pelt  tearing  up  a  great  tree  by  the 
 root,  it  fell  upon  him,  and  crufhed  him  to  pieces.  The  Ger- 
 man hiftory  relates  of  a  youth,  who  was  given  to  fwearing,  and 
 did  ufe  to  invent  new  oaths  ;  the  Lord  lent  a  canker  into  his 
 mouth,  which  did  eat  out  his  tongue,  whereupon  he  died.  2d/y9 
 blafphemy.     He  who  did  blafpheme  God,  the  Lord  caufed  him 
 
492  OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 to  be  floned  to  death,  Lev.  xxiv.  11,  23.  "  The  Ifraelitifh 
 woman's  fon  blafphemed  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  curfed. 
 And  Mofes  fpake  to  the  people  of  Ifrael,  that  they  fhould  bring 
 forth  him  that  had  curfed,  and  none  him  with  Hones.'  Olym- 
 pias,  an  Arian  bifhop,  reproached  and  blafphemed  the  facred 
 Trinity  ;  whereupon  he  was  fuddenly  ftruck  with  three  flames 
 of  lightning,  which  burned  him  to  death.  Felix,  an  officer  of 
 Julian,  feeing  the  holy  veflels  which  were  ufed  in  the  facrament, 
 laid,  in  fcorn  of  Chrilt,  "  See  what  precious  veifels  the  Son  of 
 IVlary  is  ferved  withal."  Soon  after  he  was  taken  with  a  vomit- 
 ing of  blood  out  of  his  blafphemous  mouth,  whereof  he  died. 
 
 2.  Or,  if  God  fliould  not  executejudgment  on  the  profaners 
 of  his  name  in  this  life,  yet  their  doom  is  to  come;  God  will 
 not  remit  their  guilt,  but  deliver  them  to  Satan  the  goaler,  to 
 torment  them  for  ever.  If  God  juftify  a  man,  who  (hall  con- 
 demn him?  But  if  God  condemn  him,  who  (hall  juftify  him  ? 
 If  God  lay  a  man  in  prifon,  where  (hall  he  get  bail  ox  main- 
 prize?  God  will  take  his  full  blow  at  the  finner  in  hell,  Heb. 
 x*  31.  '  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fail  into  the  hands  of  the  living 
 God.' 
 
 OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 Exod.  xx.  8.  Remember  the  Sabbath-day  to  keep  it  holy.  Six 
 days  fhalt  thou  labour,  and  do  all  thy  Work :  But  the  Seventh 
 Day  is  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  God;  in  it  thou  flialt  not 
 do  any  Work,  thou,  nor  thy  Son,  nor  thy  Daughter,  thy  Man" 
 fervant,  nor  thy  Maid-jervant,  nor  thy  Cattle,  nor  thy  Stranger 
 that  is  within  thy  Gates :  For  in  Six  Days  the  Lord  made  Hea- 
 ven and  Earth,  the  Sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is,  and  rejied  the 
 Seventh  Day  ;  wherefore  the  Lord  bleffed  the  Sabbath  day, 
 and  hallowed  it. 
 
 This  commandment  was  engraven  in  ftone  by  God's  own 
 finger,  and  it  will  be  our  comfort  to  have  it  engraven  in  our 
 hearts. 
 
 The  fabbath  day  is  fet  apart  for  God's  folemn  worfhip  ;  it  is 
 God's  enclofure,  and  it  muft  not  be  alienated  to  common  ufes. 
 The  Lord  hath  fet  a  preface  before  this  commandment,  he  hath 
 put  a  memento  to  it,  '  Remember  to  keep  the  fabbath-day  holy.' 
 This  word  *  remember,'  (hews  that  we  are  apt  to  forget  fabbath- 
 holinels ;  therefore  we  need  a  memorandum  to  put  us  in  mind 
 of  fanclifying  this  day. 
 
 I  (hall  explain  the  words. 
 
OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 1.  Here  is  afolemn  command,  ■  Remember  tlic*  fabbath-day 
 
 to  keep  it  holy.' 
 
 2.  Many  cogent  arguments  to  induce  us  to  obferve  the  com- 
 mand. 
 
 I.  Tn  the  command,  (t.)  The  matter  of  it,  viz.  The  fa  notify- 
 ing of  the  i'abbath,  which  fabbath-fan£ti(ieation  confifts  in  two 
 things. 
 
 I.  In  reding  from  our  own  work?. 
 
 1?.   In  a  conscientious  dilcharge  of  our  religious  duty. 
 
 (9«)  The  peiibns  to  whom  the  command  of  fanctifving  tFir* 
 fabbath  is  given.  \)ly  Kither  fuperiors  ;  and  they  are,  1.  More 
 private,  as  parents  and  matters.  Or,  9.  More  public,  as  Ma- 
 jrjftrates,  Or,  9dly9  Inferiors.  1.  Natives,  as  children  and 
 Servants,  '  Thy  fon,  and  thy  daughter,  thy  man-fervant,  and 
 thy  maid-fervant.'  L2.  Foreigners,  '  The  ilranger  that  is  with- 
 in thy  era t 
 
 II.  The  cogent  arguments  to  obey  this  command  of  keeping 
 holy  the  fabbath,  I.  From  the  rationality  of  it — *  Six  davi 
 ihalt  thou  labour  and  do  all  thy  work  ;'  as  if  God  had  (aid,  I  am 
 not  an  hard  mailer,  I  do  not  grudge  thee  time  to  look  after  thy 
 calling,  and  to  get  an  eftate.  I  have  given  thee  fix  days,  fix  to 
 do  all  thy  work  in,  and  have  taken  but  one  day  for  my  (elf ;  I 
 might  have  referred  fix  days  for  my  (elf,  and  allowed  thee  but 
 one  ;  but  I  have  given  thee  fix  days  for  the  works  of  thy  calling, 
 and  have  taken  but  one  day  for  my  own  fervice  ;  therefore  it  is 
 equal  and  rational,  that  thou  (houldeft  fet  this  day  in  a  fpecial 
 manner  apart  for  my  worfhip. 
 
 £.  The  fecond  argument  for  fancYifying  the  fabbath,  is  taken 
 from  thejuliice  of  it.  '  The  feventh  day  is  the  fabbath  of  the 
 Lnrd  thy  God,'  as  if  God  had  laid,  the  fabbath-day  is  my  due, 
 I  challenge  a  fpecial  right  in  it,  and  none  hath  any  thing  to  do 
 to  lay  claim  to  it.  He  who  robs  me  of  This  Day,  and  puts 
 it  to  common  ufes,  is  a  facrilegious  peribn,  he  deals  from  the 
 crown  of  heaven,  and  I  will  in  no  wife  hold  him  guiltiefs. 
 
 3.  The  third  argument  for  fan&ifyiog  the  fabbath,  is  taken 
 from  God's  own  pattern,  he  '  refted  the  feventh  day  ;\  as  if 
 the  Lord  fliould  fay,  Will  you  not  follow  my  pattern  ?  having 
 finifhed  all  my  works  of  creation,  I  refted  the  feventh  day  :  iq 
 you  having  done  all  your  fecular  work  on  thehx  days  you  (hould 
 now  ccafe  from  the  labour  of  your  catling;  and  dedicate  the 
 feventh  day  to  the  Lord,  as  a  day  of  holy  reft. 
 
 4.  The  fourth  argument  for  fabbath- fan  edification,  is  taken  ab 
 vlli,  from  the  benefit  which  redounds,  from  a  religions  obferVa- 
 tion  of  the  fabbath  ;  *  The  Lord  bleifed  the  feventh  day,  and 
 hallowed  it:'  it  is  not  only  a  day  of  God's  appointment,  God 
 did  not  only  appoint  the  feventh  day,  but  he  bleifed  the  ieventh 
 day.     The  fabbath-day  is  not  only  a  day  of  honour  to  Cud,  but 
 
421  OF  THF.  FOURTH  CO  MMANDMENf. 
 
 a  day  of  blefTing  to  us;  it  is  not  only  a  day  wherein  we  give 
 God  wormip,  but  a  day  wherein  he  gives  us  grace  ;  on  this  day 
 a  bleflTms:  drops  down  from  heaven.  This  is  a  great  argument 
 for  the  keeping  the  fabbath-day  holy  ;  God  is  not  benefited  by 
 it,  we  cannot  add  one  cubit  to  his  effential  glory  :  but  we  our- 
 felves  are  advantaged  ;  the  fabbath*day,  religioutly  obferved,  en- 
 tails a  bleffmg  upon  our  fouls,  our  cftate,  our  pofierity  ;  as  the 
 not  keeping  this  day  holy  brings  a  curie,  Jer.  xvii.  27.  God 
 curfeth  a  man's  bleflings,  Mai.  ii.  2.  The  bread  which  he  eats 
 is  poifoned  with  a  curie;  fo  the  confcientious  obfervation  of  the 
 fabbath,  brings  all  manner  of  bleffmgs  with  it.  Thefe  are  the 
 arguments  to  induce  fabbath-fanctification.  And  (b  I  have  di- 
 vided the  commandment  into  its  feveral  parts,  and  explained 
 the  fenfe  of  it. 
 
 The  thing  I  would  have  you  obferve  is,  That  this  command- 
 ment, about  keeping  the  fabbath,  was  not  abrogated  with  the 
 ceremonial  law,  but  it  is  purely  moral,  and  the  obfervation  of 
 the  fabbath  is  to  be  continued  to  the  end  of  the  world.  Where 
 can  we  (hew  that  God  hath  given  us  a  difcharge  from  keeping 
 one  day  in  feven  ?  So  that  I  fay,  this  fourth  commandment  ia 
 moral,  and  obligeth  Chriftians  to  the  perpetual  commemoration 
 and  fan&ification  of  the  fabbath. 
 
 Qu.    Why  God  hath  appointed  a  fabbath  ? 
 
 Anf,  1.  In  refpec~t  of  himfelf :  it  is  requisite  that  God  mould 
 referve  one  day  in  feven  for  his  own  immediate  fervice,  that 
 hereby  he  might  be  acknowledged  to  be  the  great  Plenipoten- 
 tiary or  i'overeign  Lord,  who  hath  power  over  us,  both  to  com- 
 mand wormip,  and  appoint  the  time  when  he  will  be  wor- 
 ihipped. 
 
 2.  In  refpect  of  us  :  the  fabbath-day  makes  for  our  intereft, 
 it  promotes  holinefs  in  us  ;  the  bulinefs  on  the  week-day  makes 
 us  too  forgetful  of  God  and  our  fouls  ;  the  fabbath  brings  God 
 into  our  remembrauce.  When  the  duft  of  the  world  falling  hath 
 clogged  the  wheels  of  our  affections,  that  they  would  fcarce 
 move  towards  God,  the  fabbath  comes,  and  oils  the  wheels  of 
 our  affections,  and  now  they  move  fwiftly  in  religion  :  therefore 
 God  hath  appointed  a  fabbath  to  ripen  our  holinefs.  On  this 
 day  the  thoughts  contemplate  heaven,  the  tongue  fpeaks  of  God, 
 and  is  as  the  pen  of  a  ready  writer;  now  the  eye  drop  tears, 
 now  the  foul  burns  in  love.  When  the  heart  was  aii  the  week 
 frozen,  now  on  the  fabbath  it  is  melted  with  the  word.  The 
 fabbath  is  a  friend  to  religion,  it  files  off  the  rutt  of  our  graces  ; 
 it  is  a  fpiritual  jubilee,  wherein  the  foul  is  fet  to  converle  vvitJfc 
 its  Maker. 
 
 I  mould,  in  the  next  place,  mew  you  the  modus ,  or  manner 
 how  we  mould  keep  the  fabbath-day  holy.  But,  before  I  come 
 to  that,  I  (hall  propound  a  great  queflion,  viz. 
 
OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT.  42J 
 
 Qii.  How  comes  it  to  pais  thai  we  do  not  keep  the  feventh-day 
 fabbath,  as  it  was  in  the  primitive  injiitution,  but  hare  changed 
 it  to  another  day  f 
 
 ;  The  old  feventh-day  fabbath  (which  wu  the  Jewifh 
 fabbath)  is  abrogated,  and  iu  the  room  of  it  the  firit  day  of  the 
 week  (which  is  the  Chriftian  fabbath)  fucceeds.  The  mola- 
 lity or  fubftance  of  the  fourth  commandment  doth  not  lie  in  keep 
 ing  the  feventh  day  precifely,  but  in  keeping  one  day  in  feven, 
 which  God  hath  appointed. 
 
 Qu.    But  how  comes  the  Jirft  day  in  the  week  to  befubftituted 
 in  the  room  of  the  feventh  day 
 
 An/.  Not  by  ecclefiaitic  authority.  The  chu  rch  (faith  Mr. 
 Perkins)  hath  no  power  to  ordain  a  fabbath.      But, 
 
 1.  The  change  of  the  fabbath  from  the  laft  day  of  the  week 
 to  the  firft,  was  by  Chrill's own  appointment.  Chrift  is  *  Lord 
 of  the  fabbath,*  Mark  ii.  98.  And  who  (hall  appoint  a  day 
 but  he  who  is  Lord  of  it?  He  made  this  day,  PfiJ.  cxviii.  24; 
 ■  This  is  the  day  which  the  Lord  hath  made.'  Arnobius,  and 
 the  current  of  expofitors,  underftand  it  of  our  Chriftian  fabbath 9 
 and  it  is  called  the  ■  Lord's  day,'  Rev.  i.  10.  As  it  is  called 
 the  *  Lord's  (upper, '  becaufe  of  the  Lord's  inftituting  the  bread 
 and  wine,  and  letting  it  apart  from  a  common  ufe  to  a  more 
 fpecial  and  facred  ufe  :  fo  it  is  called  the  Lord's  day,  becaufe  of 
 the  Lord's  inftituting  it,  and  fetting  it  apart  from  common  days, 
 to  his  fpecial  worfhip  and  fervice.  Chrilt  arofe  on  the  full  day 
 of  the  week  out  of  the  grave,  and  appeared  twice  on  this  day  to 
 his  difciples,  John  xx.  19,  26.  which  was  to  intimate  to  the 
 difciples  (fay  Auftin  and  Atha nanus)  that  he  transferred  the 
 Jewifh  fabbath  to  the  Lord's  day. 
 
 2.  The  keeping  of  the  firll  day  (which  is  the  Lord's  day) 
 was  the  pra&ice  of  the  apoitles,  1  Cor.  xvi.  l2.  Acts  xx.  7. 
 •  On  the  firll  day  of  the  week,  when  his  difciples  came  together 
 to  break  bread,  Paul  preached  to  them.'  Here  was  both  preach- 
 ing and  breaking  of  bread  on  this  day.  Aultin,  and  Innocentius, 
 and  Ifiodore,  make  the  keeping  of  our  gofpel  fabbath  to  be  an 
 apoftolical  faniiion,  and  affirm,  that  by  virtue  of  the  apoftles 
 practice,  the  Lord's  day  is  to  be  fequeftered  and  let  apart  for 
 divine  worfhip.  What  the  apoftles  did,  they  did  it  by  divine 
 authority  ;   for  they  were  infpired  by  the  Holy  Ghoft. 
 
 3.  Befides,  the  primitive  church  held  the  Lord's  day,  which 
 we  now  celebrate,  in  high  eftimation  :  it  was  a  great  badge  of 
 their  religion,  to  obferve  this  day.  Ignatius,  the  moll  ancient 
 father,  who  lived  in  the  time  of  St.  John  the  apoftle,  hath  theft 
 words,  "  Let  every  one  that  loveth  Chrift,  keep  holy  the  firft 
 day  of  t -ie  week,  the  Lord's  day."  This  day  hath  been  ob- 
 ferved  bv  the  church  of  Chrift,  above  fixteen  hundred  years, 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  y.  3  H 
 
-42fJ  Of  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 as  learned  Bucer  notes.  Thus  you  fee  how  the  feventh-day 
 fabbath  comes  to  be  changed  to  the  firft- day  fabbath. 
 
 Now  there  is  a  grand  reafon  for  changing  of  the  Jewifti  fab- 
 bath to  the  Lord's  day,   becaufe  this  puts  us  in   mind  of  the 
 
 •  Myftery  of  our  redemption  by  Chrift.'  The  reafon  why  God 
 did  inftitute  the  old  fabbath  was,  Becaufe  God  would  have  it 
 kept  as  a  memorial  of  the  creation  :  but  the  Lord  hath  now 
 brought  the  firft  day  of  the  week  in  the  room  of  it,  in  memory 
 of  a  more  glorious  work  than  Creation,  and  that  is  Redemp- 
 tion. 
 
 Great  was  the  work  of  creation,  but  greater  was  the  work  of 
 redemption.  As  it  was  faid,  Hag.  ii.  y.  '  The  glory  of  the 
 fecond  temple  was  greater  than  the  glory  of  the  firft  temple  :" 
 fo  the  glory  of  the  redemption  was  greater  than  the  glory  of  the 
 creation.  Great  wifdom  was  feen  in  the  curious  making  us,  but 
 more  miraculous  wifdom  in  faving  us.  Great  power  was  feen 
 in  bringing  us  out  of  nothing,  but  greater  power  in  helping  us 
 when  we  were  worie  than  nothing.  Itcoftmore  to  redeem  us, 
 than  to  create  us.  In  the  creation  there  was  but  '  fpeaking  a 
 word,'  Fill,  cxlviii.  5.  In  the  redeeming  us,  there  was  *  fhed- 
 ding  of  blood,'  I  Pet.  i.  19.  *  The  creation  was  the  work  of 
 God's  fingers,'  Pfal.  viii,  3.  '  Redemption  was  the  work  of 
 his  arm,'  Luke  i.  5.  In  the  creation,  God  gave  us  ourfelves  ; 
 in  the  redemption,  he  gave  us  himfelf ;  by  creation,  we  have 
 a  life  in  Adam  ;  by  redemption,  we  have  a  life  in  Chrift,  Col. 
 iii.  3.  By  creation,  we  had  a  right  to  an  earthly  paradiie  ;  by 
 redemption,  we  have  a  title  to  an  heavenly  kingdom.  So  that 
 well  Chrift  might  change  the  feventh  day  of  the  week  into  the 
 firft,  becaufe  this  day  puts  us  in  mind  of  our  redemption,  which 
 is  a  more  glorious  work  than  the  creation. 
 
 Uj'e.  The  ufe  I  (hall  make,  is,  that  we  (hould  have,*his  Chrif- 
 tian  fabbath,  we  now  celebrate,  in  high  veneration.  The  Jews 
 called  the  fabbath,  ■«  The  defire  of  days,  and  the  Queen  of 
 days;"  it  is  a  day  of  fvveet  reft.     This  day  we   muft  call  a 
 
 *  Delight,  the  holy  of  the  Lord,  honourable,'  Ifa.  lviii.  13. 
 Metal  that  hath  the  king's  ftamp  upon  it  is  honourable,  and  of 
 great  value.  God  hath  fet  his  royal  ftamp  upon  the  fabbath: 
 it  is  the  fabbath  of  the  Lord,  this  makes  it  honourable.  This 
 day  we  fhould  look  upon  as  the  beft  day  in  the  week.  What 
 the  phaenix  is  among  the  birds,  what  the  fun  is]  among  the 
 planets,  that  the  Lord's  day  is  among  other  days.  '  This  is 
 the  day  which  the  Lord  hath  made,'  Pfal.  cxviii.  24.  God 
 hath  made  all  the  days,  but  he  hath  blefled  this.  As  Jacob 
 got  the  bleffing  from  his  brother,  fo  the  fabbath  got  the  blefiing 
 from  all  the  other  days  in  the  week  :  the  fabbath  is  a  day  in 
 which  we  converfe  in  a  fpecial  manner  with  God.  The  Jews 
 cailed  the  fabbath  "  A  day  of  light;"  on  this  day  the  Sun  of 
 
OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT.  497 
 
 Righteoufnefa  (nines  upon  the  foul.     The  labbath  is  the  market- 
 
 day  of  the  fool,  the  crt-ani  of  time;   this  ii  the  day  of  Chrilt's 
 
 riling  out  of  the  grave,  and  the  Holy  Ghoft'a  descending  upon 
 
 the  earth:   this  day  is  perfumed  with  i  odourof  prayer, 
 
 ivbi  up   to  heaven  as  incenfe;   this  day  the  manna  tails, 
 
 <>U'  food  :   this  is  the  foul's  feliival  day,  on  this  day  all 
 
 the  graces  act  their  part :   the  other  days  ot  the  week  are  molt 
 
 employed  about  earth,  this  day  about  heaven  :   then  you  gather 
 
 ftraw,    now    pearl.       Now  Chrilt  takes  the   foul   up  into    the 
 
 mount,  and  gives  it  tramlUuring  lights  of  glory  :  now  Chrilt 
 
 leads  his  fpoule  into  the  wine-cellar,  and  dilplays  the  banner  of 
 
 iove;   now  he  gives  her  his  I'piced  wine,  and  the  juiceof  the 
 
 int.  ii.  8.     The  Lord  doth  ul'ually  reveal  him- 
 
 felf  more  to  the  foul  on  this  day.     The  apoftle  John  '  was  in 
 
 the  fpirtt  on  the  Lord's  day,'   Rev.   i.  10.     He  was  carried  up 
 
 in  divine  raptures  towards   heaven.     This  day  a  Chriltian  is  in 
 
 the  altitudes,  lie  walks  with  God,   and  takes  as  it  were  a  turn 
 
 with  him  in  heaven,   I  John  i.  3.     On  this  day  holy  affections 
 
 are  quickened  ;   the  (lock  of  grace  is  improved,  corruptions  are 
 
 weakened  :    on   this  day  Satan  falls   like  lightning  before  the 
 
 majefty  of  the  word.     Chritt  wrought  moft  of  his  miracles  upon 
 
 the  labbath  ;  fo  he  doth  now  ;   the  dead  foul  israifed,  the  heart 
 
 of  Hone  is  made  flelh.     How  mould  this  day  be  highly  efteemed, 
 
 and  had  in  reverence !  This  day  is  more  precious  than  rubies ; 
 
 God    hath  anointed  this  day  with  the  oil  of  gladnefs  above  its 
 
 fellows.    On  the  labbath  we  are  doing  angels'  work,  our  tongues 
 
 are  tuned  to  God's  praiies.     This  labbath  on  earth,  isafhadow 
 
 and  type  of  that  glorious  reft  and  eternal  labbath  we  hope  for  in 
 
 heaven,  when  God  (hall  be  the  temple,  and  the  Lamb  (hall  be 
 
 the  light  of  it,  Rev.  xxi.  22,  23. 
 
 OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 £xod.  xx.  9,  10.  Six  Bays  (lialt  thou  labour  and  do  qH  thy 
 work  :  But  the  Seventh  Day  is  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy 
 God,  in  it  thoujfialt  do  no  manner  of  work,  &c. 
 
 'Six  days  fhalt  thou  labour.' — God  would  not  have  any 
 live  out  of  a  calling  :  religion  feals  no  warrant  for  idleueis. 
 'Tis  as  well  a  duty  to  labour  fix  days,  as  to  keep  holy  reft  on 
 the  feventh  day  :  *  Six  days  (halt  thou  labour.'  2  ThefT.  hi. 
 11.  *  We  hear  there  are  fome  among  you,  walking  diforderly, 
 working  not  at  all.  Now,  them  thatareluch,  wecommandand 
 exhort  by  our  Lord  Jefus,  that  with  quietnefs  they  work,  and 
 eat  their  own  bread,'     A  chriltian  mult  not  only  mind  heaven, 
 
 3  H2 
 
42S  OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 but  his  calling.      While  the  pilot  hath  his  eye  to  the  ftar,  he 
 hath  his  hand  to  the  helm.      Without   labour  the  pillars  of  a 
 commonwealth  will  diffolve,  and  the  earth  will  be  like  the  Aug- 
 yard's  field,  over-run  with  briars,  Prov.  xxiv.  31.   Adam  in  in- 
 noceucy,  tho'  he  was  the   monarch   of  the  world,   yet  God 
 would  not  have  him  idle,  but  he  muftdrefs  and  till  the  ground, 
 Gen.  ii.  15.      Piety  doth  not  exclude  induftry.      '  Six  days 
 ihalt  thou  labour/     Standing  water  putrifies.     The  inanimate 
 creatures  are  in  motion  :  the  fun  goes  its  circuit,  the  fountain 
 ruus,  the  fire  fparkles  :  and  animate  creatures  :  Solomon  lends 
 us  to  the  ant  and  pifmire  to  learn  labour,  Prov.  vi.  6.  chap. 
 xxx.  35.     The  bee  is  the  emblem  of  induftry  ;  fome  ot  the  bees 
 trim*  the  honey,  others  work  the  wax,  others  form  the  comb, 
 others  lie  centinel  at  the  door  of  the  hive  to  keep  out  the  drone. 
 And   fhall  not  man  much  more  inure  himfelt  to  labour  ?    1  hat 
 law  in  paradife  was  never  yet  repealed,  '  In  the  fweet  of  thy 
 brows  (halt  thou  eat  bread,'  Gen.  iii.   19.     Such  profefiors  are 
 to  be  difliked,  who  talk  to  living  bv  faith,  but  live  out  ot  a  cal- 
 ling■  -  thevare  like  the  lilies   which  toil  not,   neither  do  they 
 fpin.'Matth.  vi.  28.     'Tis  a  fpeech  of  the  holy  and  learned  Mr. 
 Perkins.  ••  Let  a  man  be  endowed  with  excellent  gilts,  and  hear 
 the  word  with  reverence,  and  receive  the  facrament  ;  yet .if  he 
 praaifenot  the  duties  of  his  calling,  all  isbuthypocruy.      W  hat 
 is  an  idle  perfon  good  for  ?  what  benefit  is  there  of  a  (hip  that 
 lies  always  on  the  fhore  ?  or  of  armour  that  hangs  up  and  ruits  i 
 To  live  out  of  a  calling,  expofeth  a  perfon  to  temptation.    Me- 
 lanahon  calls  idlenefs  the  devil's  bath,  becaufe  he  bathes  nim- 
 felf  with  delight  in  an  idle  foul.     We  do  not  ufe  to  low  leed  m 
 ground  when  it  lies  fallow  ;  but  Satan  fows  moft  of  his  leed  ot 
 temptation  in  fuch  perfons  as  lie  fallow,  and  are  out  of  a  cal- 
 linfff    Idlenefs  is  the  nurfe  of  vice.     Seneca,  an  old  heathen, 
 could  fav,  Nullus  mild  per  otium  dies  exit ;     No  day  paiietn  me 
 withoutfome  labour.     An   idle   perfon  Hands  for  a  cypher  m 
 the  world,  and  God  writes  down  no  cyphers  in  the  book  ot  lite. 
 We  read   in  fcripture  of  eating   the  *  bread  of  idlenefs,    liov. 
 xxx.  «9.  and  drinking  the   *   wine  of  violence.*     Prov.  iv.  1 
 It  is  as  well  a  fin  -  to  eat  the  bread  idlenefs,'  as  to  '  drink  the 
 wine  of  violence.'     An  idle  perfon  can  give  no  account  ot  his 
 time  ;   time  is  a  talent  to  trade  with,  both  in  our  particular  and 
 general  calling  ;  the   flothful   perfon  ■  hides  his  talent  in   the 
 earth,'    he  doth  no  good,  his  time  is  not  lived,  but  loll  ;    an 
 idle   perfon   lives  unprofitably,  he  cumbers  the  ground  ;  God 
 calls  The  flothful  fervant  ■  Wicked,'   Matth.  xxv.   26.      1 .  hou 
 wicked  and  flothful  fervant.'     Draco,  whofe  laws  were  written 
 in  blood,  deprived  them  of  their  life,  who  would  not  work  tor 
 their  living.    In  Heturta,  they  caufed  fuch  perfons  to  be  bann- 
 ed.    Idle  perfons  live  in  the  breach  of  this  commandment, 
 
OF  THE   FOURTH  I  O.MMANDMENT. 
 
 •  Six  days  (halt  thou  labour';1  let  them  take  beed  they  be  not 
 
 banilhed  heaven.     A  man  may  as  well  go  to  hell  for  not  work- 
 ing in  his  calling,  as  for  not  believing.     So  I  pah  to  ihe  next. 
 
 But  thefeventh  day  is  tkefabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  CW,  m  it 
 thou  (halt  do  no  manner  of  work. 
 
 Having  fpokeo  already  of  the  reafous   of  faa&irying  the  fab- 
 bath,  I  come  now  to   that  que  ill  0*1  ; 
 
 Qu.  In  what  manner  we  arc  to /anctift/  the  fahbath  f 
 
 An/.  1.  Negatively.      We  mutt  do  no  work  in  it  ;   that  is  ex- 
 prefled  in  the  commandment,   *  In  it  thou  (halt  do  no  manner  of 
 work.'     God   hath  endofed  this  day  for  himlelf ;   therefore  we 
 are  not  to  lay  it  common,  by  doing-  any  civil  work.     As  Abra- 
 ham, when  he  went  to   lacriliee,  left  his   (ervant  and   the  aft  at 
 the  bottom  of  the  hill,  Gen.  xxii.  o.    So,  when  we  are  to  wor- 
 fhip  God  this  day,  we  mult  leave  all  worldly  bufinefs  behind, 
 leave  the  afs  at  the  bottom  of  the  hill.     And  as  Jofeph,  when 
 he  would  fpeak  with  his   brethren,  thruft  out  the  Egyptian*, 
 lb,  when    we  would  converle  with    God   this  day,   we    mult 
 thruft  out  all  earthly  employments.     The  Lord's  day  is  a  day 
 of  holy  relt,  all  fecular  work  mull   be  forbom  and   fufpended  ; 
 it  is  a  profaning  the  day,  Neh.  xiii.  15.      *  In  thefe  days  law  I 
 HI  Judah  fome  treading  wim-prelfes  on  the  labbath,  and  bring- 
 ing in  (heaves,  as  alio  wine-grapes  and   figs,  and  all  manner  of 
 burdens  which  they  brought  into  Jerusalem  on  the  labbath  day  ; 
 and  I  tellified  againft  them.    Then  I  contended  with  the  nobles 
 of  Judah,  and  laid  to  them,  *  What  evil  thing   is  that  ye   do, 
 and  profane  the  labbath  day?'  It  is  facrilege  to  rob  that  time 
 for  civil   work  which  God  hath  dedicated  and  let  apart  for   his 
 worlhip.     He  that  converts  any  time  of  the  labbath  for  worldly 
 bulinels,  is  a  worle  thief  than  he  who  robs  on  the  highway  ; 
 for  inch  a  thief  does  but  rob  man,  but  this  thief  robs  God,  he 
 robs  him  of  his  day.     The  Lord  forbade  manna  io  be  gathered 
 on  the  labbath  day,  Exod.  xvi.     One  would  think  that  might 
 have  been  d  if  pen  led  with,  for  manna  was  the  *    Staff  of  their 
 life;'  and  the  time  when    manna  fell  was  early,  between  five 
 and   fix  in  the  morning  ;  io    that  they  might  have  gathered  it 
 betimes,  and  all  the  relt  of  the  fabbaih  they    might   have  em- 
 ployed  in   God's   worlhip  ;  and    belides,    they  needed  not   to 
 have  taken  any  greatjoumey  for  manna,  for  it  was  butlleppmg 
 out  of  their  doors,  and  it  fell  about  their  tents :  yet  they  might 
 not  gather  manna  on  the  labbath  :  and,    but  for  purpoling  to 
 gather  it,  God  was  very  angry,   Exod.  xvi.    27,  S8.     'There 
 went  out  fome  of  the  people  on  the  feventh  day  to  gather,  and 
 they  found  none  :  and  the  Lord  laid,  *  How  long   refufe  ye  to 
 keep  my  commandments  and  my  laws  V   Surely  the  anointing 
 Chrift   when  he    was  dead,    was   a   commendable  work  ;    but 
 Mary  Magdalene,  and  Mary  the  mother  of  James,  tho'  they  had 
 
4S0  Oi*  THE  FOUKTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 prepared  fweet  ointments  toanoint  the  dead  body  of  Chrift,  yet 
 tliey  came  not  to  the  fepulchreto  embalm  him,  till  the  fabbath 
 was  paft,  Luke  xxiii.  5t>.  ■  They  refted  on  the  labbaLh  day 
 according  to  the  commandment.'  The  hand  cannot  be  bufied 
 on  the  Lord's  day,  but  the  heart  "will  be  defiled.  The  very 
 heathens,  by  the  light  of  nature,  would  not  do  any  fecular 
 work,  in  that  time  which  they  had  fet  apart  for  the  worfhip  of 
 their  falfe  gods.  Clemens  Alexandrinus  reports  of  one  of  the 
 emperors  of  Rome,  that  on  the  day  of  let  worfhip  for  his  gods, 
 he  did  forbear  warlike  affairs,  and  did  fpend  that  time  in  his  de- 
 votion. To  do  fervile  work  on  the  fabbath,  (hews  an  irreligious 
 heart,  and  highly  affronts  God  :  to  work  (ervile  work  on  this 
 day,  is  to  follow  the  devil's  plough;  it  is  to  debafe  the  foul. 
 God  hath  made  this  day  on  purpole  to  raifethe  heart  up  to  hea- 
 ven, to  converfe  with  God,  to  do  angel's  work  ;  and  to  be  em- 
 ployed in  earthly  work,  is  to  degrade  the  foul  of  its  honour. 
 God  will  not  have  his  day  entrenched  upon,  or  defiled  in  the 
 leaft  thing:  the  man  that  gathered  flicks  on  the  fabbath,  God 
 would  have  him  ftoned,  Numb.  xv.  One  would  think  it  a 
 fmall  thing,  to  pick  up  a  few  fticks  to  make  a  fire;  but  God 
 would  not  have  this  day  violated  in  the  fmalleft;  matters.  Nay, 
 that  work  which  had  a  reference  to  a  religious  u^e,  might  not 
 be  done  on  the  fabbath,  as  the  hewing  of  ftones  for  the  building 
 of  the  fan6tuary  :  Bezaleel,  who  was  to  cut  the  ftones,  and  carve 
 the  timber  out  for  the  (ancillary,  yet  he  muft  forbear  it  on  the 
 iabbath,  Exod.  xxxi.  15.  A  temple  is  the  place  of  God's  wor- 
 fliip, but  it  were  a  (in  to  build  a  temple  on  the  Lord's  day. 
 This  is  keeping  the  fabbath  day  holy  negatively,  in  doing  no 
 fervile  work.  Yet  caution  :  not  that  works  of  neceffity  and 
 charity  may  be  done  on  this  day;  God,  in  thefe  cafes,  will 
 have  mercy  and  not  facrifice.  (1.)  'Tift  lawful  to  take  the  ne- 
 cefTary  recruits  of  nature ;  food  is  to  the  body,  as  oil  to  the 
 lamp.  (9.)  'Tis  lawful  to  do  works  of  mercy,  as  helping  our 
 neighbour  when  either  life  or  eftate  are  in  danger.  Herein  the 
 Jews  were  too  nice  and  precife,  they  would  not  fuffer  works  of 
 charity  to  be  done  on  the  fabbath  :  if  a  man  were  fick,  they 
 thought  on  this  day  they  might  not  ufe  the  means  for  his  re- 
 covery. Chrift  chargeth  them  with  this,  that  they  were  angry 
 that  he  had  wrought  a  cure  on  the  Iabbath,  John  vii.  23.  If  a 
 houfe  were  on  fire,  the  Jews  thought  they  might  not  bring  water 
 to  quench  it;  if  a  veifel  did  run,  they  thought  that  on  this 
 day  they  might  not  ftop  it.  Thefe  were  *  righteous  overmuch  :' 
 Here  was  fe»  ming  zeal,  but  it  wanted  discretion  to  guide  it. 
 But  unlefs  in  thefe  two  cafes  of  necefiity  and  charity,  all  fecular 
 work  is  to  be  fufpended  and  laid  alide  on  the  Lord's  day  ;  '  In 
 it  thou  (halt  do  no  manner  of  work.'  Whichjuftly  doth  arraign 
 and  condemn  many  among  us,  who  do  too  much  foul  their 
 
OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT.  431 
 
 finders  with  work  on  that  day  ;  (bale  dreflm:*  crreat  fcafts,  others 
 in  opening  their  thop  doors,  and  Petting  n u  it  0.1  the  fabbath, 
 which  I  have  teen.  The  maimer  will  not  lit  fo  lea,  but  on  the 
 fabbath,  and  io  runs  full  fail  into  the  breach  of  thi>  command- 
 ment. Others  work  on  this  day,  tho*  privately  ;  they  put  up 
 their  (hop  windows,  but  follow  their  trade  within  doers  :  but 
 though  tliey  think  to  hide  their  (in  under  a  canopy,  God  feel  it, 
 Pfal.  exxxix.  7.  '  Whither  (hall  I  go  from  thy  prefence  r'  ver. 
 12.  *  The  darknefs  hideth  not  from  thee.'  Tnefe  peribiii  do 
 profane  this  day,  and  God  will  have  an  action  of  trel'pafa  again  ll 
 them. 
 
 2.  PofithcJif.  We  keep  the  f.ihbath-day  holy,  by  'conf  crat- 
 ing and  dedicating1  this  day  to  the  *  fervice  of  the  bigb  God.* 
 'Tis  good  to  reft  on  the  iabbath-day  from  the  works  of  our  call- 
 ing :  but  if  we  reft  from  labour,  and  do  no  more,  the  ox  and 
 the  afs  keep  the  fabbath  as  well  as  we  ;  for  they  reft  from  la- 
 bour. We  mud  dedicate  the  day  to  God;  we  mull  not  only 
 ■  keep  a  fabbath, '  but  4  fanad'y'  a  fabbath.  This  fabbath  fano 
 tification  confilts  in  two  things  ;  I.  The  folemu  preparation  for 
 it.  II.  The  facred  obfervation  of  it.  1.  The  folemn  prepa- 
 ration for  it.  If  a  prince  were  to  come  to  your  houfe,  what 
 preparation  would  you  make  for  his  entertainment  ?  fweep  the 
 houfe,  wa(h  the  floor,  adorn  the  room  with  the  richell  tapeftry 
 and  hangings,  that  there  might  be  fomething  fuitable  to  the 
 date  and  dignity  of  fo  great  a  perlbn.  On  the  blelfed  fabbath 
 God  intends  to  have  fweet  communion  with  you  ;  he  feems  to 
 fay  to  you,  as  Chrift  to  Zaccheus,  Luke  xix.  5.  '  Make  hade, 
 and  come  down,  for  this  day  I  muft  dine  with  you.'  Now, 
 what  preparation  fhould  you  make  for  entertaining  this  iving  of 
 glory  !  Now  this  preparation  for  the  fabbath  is,  Firfiy  When  the 
 evening  of  the  Saturday  approacheth,  found  a  retreat ;  call  your 
 minds  off  from  the  world,  and  fummon  your  thoughts  together, 
 to  think  of  the  great  work  of  the  day  approaching.  Secondly, 
 Purge  out  all  unclean  affections,  which  may  indifpofe  you  tor 
 the  work  of  the  fabbath.  Evening  preparation  will  be  like  the 
 tuning  of  the  inftrument,  it  wili  lit  the  heart  the  better  for  the 
 duties  of  the  en  filing  fabbath. 
 
 2.  The  facred  obfervation  of  it  ;  touching  which  thefe  things 
 are  to  be  practifed. 
 
 (1.)  Rejoice  at  the  approach  of  this  day,  as  bring  a  day 
 wherein  we  have  a  prize  for  our  fouls,  enjoy  much  of  God's  pre- 
 fence,  John  viii.  56.  Abraham  ■  faw  my  day,  and  rejoiced.' 
 So,  when  we  fee  the  light  of  a  fabbath  fliiue,  we  (hould  rejoice, 
 Ifa.  lviii.  13.  '  Thouflialt  call  the  fabbath  a  delight  :'  this  is 
 the  queen  of  days,  which  God  hath  crowned  with  a  blelliag. 
 As  there  was  one  day  in  the  week  on  which  God  did  rain  manna 
 twice  as  much  as  upon  any  other  day,  fo  God  rains  down  the 
 
4S2  OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 manna  of  heavenly  bleffings  twice  as  much  on  the  fabbath  as  on 
 any  other.  This  is  the  day  wherein  Chrift  carries  the  foul  into 
 the  houfc  of  wine,  and  difplays  the  banner  of  love  over  it ;  now 
 the  dew  of  the  Spirit  falls  on  the  foul,  whereby  it  is  revived  and 
 comforted.  How  many  may  write  the  Lord's  day,  the  day  of 
 their  new  birth  !  this  day  of  reft  is  a  pledge  and  earneit  of  that 
 eternal  reft  in  heaven  :  and  fhall  not  we  rejoice  at  the  approach 
 of  it  ?  that  day  on  which  the  Sun  of  Righteouihefs  (nines,  mould 
 be  a  day  of  gladnefs. 
 
 (2.)  Get  up  betimes  on  the  fabbath  morning.  Chrift  rofe 
 early  on  this  day,  before  the  fun  was  up,  John  xx.  1.  Did 
 Chrift  rife  early  to  fave  us,  and  fhall  not  we  rife  early  to  wor- 
 fhip  and  glorify  him  ?  Pf.  lxiii.  1.  ■  Early  will  I  feek  thee.' 
 Can  we  be  up  betimes  on  other  days?  the  hufbandman  is  early 
 at  his  plough,  the  traveller  rifeth  early  to  go  his  journey,  and 
 fhall  not  we,  when  we  are  on  this  day  travelling  to  heaven  ? 
 certainly,  did  we  love  God  as  we  fhould,  we  would  rife  on  this 
 day  betimes,  that  we  may  meet  with  him  whom  our  foul  loveth. 
 Such  as  fit  up  late  at  work  on  the  night  before,  will  befo  buried 
 in  deep,  that  they  will  hardly  be  up  betimes  on  a  fabbath 
 morning. 
 
 (3.)  Having  dreffed  our  bodies,  we  muft  drefs  our  fouls  for 
 the  hearing  of  the  word.  As  the  people  of  Ifrael  were  to  wafh 
 themfelves  before  the  law  was  delivered  to  them,  Exod.  xix. 
 20.  fo  we  muft  wafh  and  cleanfe  our  fouls ;  and  that  is,  by 
 reading,  meditation  and  prayer. 
 
 I.  By  reading  the  word.  The  word  is  a  great  means  to 
 fanctify  the  heart,  and  bring  it  into  a  fabbath-frame,  John  xvii. 
 17.  *  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth.  &c.'  And  read  the 
 word  not  carelefsly,  but  with  ferioufnefs  and  affection  ;  it  is  the 
 oracle  of  heaven,  the  well  of  falvation,  the  book  of  life.  David, 
 for  the  precioufnefs  of  God's  word,  efteemed  it  above  gold;  and, 
 for  the  fweetnefs,  above  honey,  Pf.  xix.  10.  By  reading  the 
 word  aright,  our  hearts,  when  they  are  dull,  are  quickened  ; 
 when  they  are  hard,  are  mollified  ;  when  cold  and  frozen,  are 
 inflamed  ;  and  we  can  fay  as  the  difciples,  '  Did  not  our  hearts 
 burn  within  us  ?'  Some  ftep  out  of  their  bed  to  hearing.  The 
 reaion  why  many  get  no  more  good  on  a  fabbath  by  the  word 
 preached,  is,  becaufe  they  did  not  breakfaft  with  God  in  the 
 morning,  by  reading  of  his  word. 
 
 II.  Meditation.  Get  upon  the  mount  of  meditation,  and  fo 
 converfe  with  God.  Meditation  is  the  fours  retiring  of  itfelf, 
 that,  by  a  ferious  and  folemn  thinking  upon  God,  the  heart  may 
 be  railed  up  to  divine  affections. 
 
 Meditation  is  a  work  fit  for  the  morning  of  a  fabbath.  Medi- 
 tate on  four  things ; 
 
 (i.)  On  the  works  of  creation.     That  is  exprelfed  here  in 
 
OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT.  4-33 
 
 the  commandments,   ■  The  Lord  om  n   and  earth,  the 
 
 lea,'  &c.    The  creation  \s  a  lookiog-glafs,  in  which  we  lee  the 
 wifdona   and  power  of  God    ^lorioully  reprefented.     God  pro- 
 duced the  fair  ftruclure  of  the    world   without  any  pre-exiftent 
 matter,  and  with  a  word,  Pf.  xxxiii.  t>.   *  By   the  word  of  the 
 Lord   were  the  heavens   made.*     The  difciplcs  wondered    that 
 Cliritl  could,  with  a  word  calm  the  lea,  Matth  fiii.  9&     But 
 it  was  far  more  with  a  word,  to  make  the  lea.     Let  us  on  a  fab- 
 bath  meditate  on  the  infmitenefs  of  our  Creator.     Look  up  to 
 the  firmament,  there  we  may  tee  '  God's  wonders  in  the  deep/ 
 Pf.  cvii.  '24.  Look  into  the  earth,  there  we  may  behold  the  na- 
 ture of  minerals,  the   power  of  the   load-ltone,   the  virtue  of 
 h.  rbs,  the  beauty  of  flowers.      By  meditating  on  thefe  works  of 
 creation,  fo  curioufly  embroidered,   we  come  to  admire  God, 
 and  praife  him,    Pf.  civ.  94.    ■  O  Lord,  how  manifold  are  thy 
 works,  in  wifdom  halt  thou  made  them  all.'     By  meditating  on 
 the  works  of  creation,  we  come   to  confide  in  God.     He  who 
 can  create,  can  provide;   he  that  could  make  us  when  we  were 
 nothing,  he  can  raife  us  when  we  are  low,  Pf.  exxiv.  8.    ■  Our 
 help  (lands  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  who  made  heaven  and  earth/ 
 (2.)   Meditate  on  God's   holinefs,  Pf.   cxi.  y.     *  Holy  and 
 reverend   is  his  name.'     Hab.  i.  13.    '  Thou  art  of  purer  eyes 
 than  to   behold  iniquity.'     God  is  effentially,  originally,  and 
 efficiently  holy  :  all  the  holinefs  in  men  and  angels  is  but  a  cryf- 
 tal  ftream  that  runs  from  this  glorious  ocean.     God  loves  holi- 
 nefs, becauie  it  is  his  own  image  :  a  king  cannot  but  love  to  fee 
 his  own  effigies  itamped  on  coin  :   God  counts  holinefs  his  glory, 
 and  the  molt  fparkling  jewel  of  his  crown,  Exod.  xv.  11.   'Glo- 
 rious in  holinefs.'     Here  is  a  meditation  fit  for  our  firft  entrance 
 into  a  fabbath,  God's  holinefs  :   the  contemplation  of  this  would 
 work  iu  us  fuch  a  frame  of  heart  as  is  fuitable  to  au  holy  God  : 
 it  would  make  us  then  reverence  his  name,  hallow  his  day  :  while 
 we  are  muting  of  the  holinefs  of  God's  nature,  we  begin  to  be 
 transformed  into  his  likeoels. 
 
 (3.)  Meditate  on  ChrihVs  love  in  redeeming  us,  Rev.  i.  5. 
 Redemption  exceeds  creation  :  the  one  is  a  monument  of  God's 
 power,  the  other  of  his  love.  Here  is  tit  work  for  a  fabbath. 
 O  the  infinite  ltupenduous  love  of  Chritt  in  raifing  poor  lapfed 
 creatures  from  a  ftate  of  guilt  and  damnation  !  (1.)  I'hat  Chriji 
 who  icas  God  fliould  die;  that  this  glorious  Sun  of  Righteoufnefs 
 fhould  be  in  an  eclipfe  :  we  can  never  enough  admire  this  love, 
 no,  not  in  heaven.  (L2.)  That  Chriji  fhould  die  for Jinners ;  not 
 finful  angels,  but  finful  mankind.  That  fuch  clods  of  earth 
 and  fin  (hould  be  made  bright  (tars  of  glory  :  O  the  amazing 
 love  of  Chrift!  This  was  lllujire  amori,  Chriji  mnemo/ynum% 
 Brugenfis.  (3. )  That  Chriji  fhould  not  only  die  forjinners'  but  die 
 as  a  /Inner ,  2  Cor.  v.  81.  *  He  was  made  fin  for  us.'  He  who 
 Vol.  I.  No.  y,  3  I 
 
434  OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 was  among  the  glorious  perfons  of  the  Trinity,  '  was  numbered 
 among  tranfgreffors,'   Ma.   liii.   12.     Not  that  he  had  fin,  but 
 he  was  like  a  (inner,   having  our  fins  imputed   to  him.     Sin 
 did  not  live  in  him,  but  it  was  laid  upon  him.     Here   was  an 
 hyperbole  of  love,  enough  to  ftrike  us  into  aftonifhment.     (4.) 
 That  Chriji  jliould  redeem  tiff,  when  he  could  not  look  to  gain 
 any  thing,  or  he  advantaged  at  all  by  us.     Men  will  not  lay 
 out  their  money  upon  a  purchafe,  unlefs  it  will  turn  to  their 
 profit  :  but  what  benefit  could  Chrift  expe6l  in  purchafing  and 
 redeeming  us?    We  were  in  Inch  a  condition,   that  we  could 
 neither  deferve  nor  recompenfe  Chrift' s  love.     Firft,  We  could 
 not  deferve  it ;  for  we  were  in  our  blood,  Ezek.  xvi.  6.     We 
 had   no  fpiritual  beauty   to   tempt  Chrift.       Nay,    we  were 
 not  only  in  our  blood,   but  we  were  up  in  arms,  Rom.  v.  8. 
 When  we  were  '  enemies,  Chrift  died  for  us  :'  when  he  was 
 fhedding  his  blood,  we  were  fpitting  our  poifon.       Secondly, 
 As  we  could  not  deferve,  fo  neither  could  we  recom pence  Chrilt's 
 love  :  for,  1.   After  he  had  died  for  us,  we  could  notfo  much  as 
 love  him,  till  he  made  us  love  him.     2.  We  could  give  Chrift 
 nothing  in  lieu  of  his  love,  Rom.  xi.  35.   f  Whohath  firft  given 
 to  him  ?'  We  were  fallen  to  poverty.     If  we  have  any  beauty, 
 it  is  from  Chrift,  Ezek.  xvi.  14.  '  Thou  wert  comely  thro*  my 
 comelinefs  which  I  put  upon  thee.'     If  we  bring  forth  any  good 
 fruit,  it  is  not  of  our  own  growth,  it  comes  from  Chrift  the  true 
 vine,  Hof.  xiv.  8.   ■  From  me  is  thy  fruit  found.'     So  that  it 
 was  nothing  but  pure  love,  for  Chrift  to  lay  out  his  blood  to  re- 
 deem fuch  as  he  could  not  expect  to  be  really  bettered  by.    (5.) 
 That  Chriji  fhould  die  fo  willingly,  John  x.  17.   '  I  lay  down  my 
 life.'     The  Jews  could  not  have  taken  it  away,  if  he  had  not 
 laid  it  down  :  he  could  have  called  to  his  Father  for  a  legion  of 
 angels  to  be  his  life-guard  ;  but  what  needed    that,  when  his 
 Godhead  could  have  defended  him  from  all  affaults  ?  but  he 
 '  laid  down  his  life  :'  the  Jews  did  not  fo  much  third  for  Chrift' s 
 death,  as  he  thirfted  for  our  redemption,  Luke  xii.  50.   '  I  have 
 a  baptifm  to  be  baptized  with,  and  how  am  1  ftraitened  till   it 
 be  accompli  ftied  ?'  Chrift  called  his  fufferings  a  baptifm:  he 
 was  to  be  baptized  and  fprinkled  with  his  own  blood  ;  and  Chrift 
 thought  the  time  long  before  he  fuffered  ;   '  How  am  I  ftraiten- 
 ed till  it  be  accomplished.'    Therefore  to  fhew  Chrift's  willing- 
 nefs  to  die,  his  fufferings  are  called  an  offering,   Heb.   x.   10. 
 '  By  the  offering  of  the  body  of  Jefus  :'  his  death  was  a  free- 
 will offering.   (6.)    That  Chrift  fhould  not  grudge  nor  think  much 
 of 'all  his  fufferings ;   his  being  fcourged  and  crucified  (we  grudge 
 him  a  light  fervice)  but  that  he  fhould  be  well  contented   with 
 whar  he  hath  done  ;   and,  if  it  were  to  do  again,   he  would  do 
 it,  I  fa.  liii.  II.   *  He  (hall  fee  of  the  travail  of  his  foul,  and  be 
 fattened.'     As  the  mother  though  Ihe  hath  hard  labour;  yet 
 
©F  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT.  43* 
 
 when  (he  fees  a  child  brought  forth,  me  doth  not  repent  of  her 
 pangs,  but  is  well  contented:  fo  Chrift,  though  he  had  hard 
 travail  upon  the  crofs,  which  put  him  into  an  agony,  yet  he  doth 
 not  think  much  ;  he  is  not  troubled,  but  thinks  bib  fweat  and 
 blood  well  bellowed,  becaufe  he  tees  the  man-child  of  redemp- 
 tion brought  forth  into  the  world.  '  lie  fliall  fee  of  the  travail 
 of  his  foul,  and  (hall  be  fatisfied.*  (7.)  That  Chrift  flwuld  make 
 redemption  effectual  toj'ome,  and  not  to  others  ;  here  is  the  quin- 
 tefletice  of  love.  Though  there  is  a  fufficiency  in  Chrift's  merit 
 to  lave  all,  yet  only  l'ome  partake  of  its  laving  virtue  ;  all  do 
 not  believe,  John  vi.  04.  *  There  are  fome  of  you  that  believe 
 not.'  Chrilt  doth  not  pray  for  all,  John  xvii.  y.  Somejefule 
 Chrift,  Plal.  cxviii.  c2'2.  ■  This  is  the  ftone  which  the  builders 
 refufed.'  Others  deride  him,  Luke  xvi.  14.  Others  throw 
 off  his  yoke,  Luke  xix.  14.  *  We  will  not  have  this  man  to 
 reign  over  us.'  So  that  all  have  not  the  benefit  of  falvation  by 
 him.  Herein  appears  the  diftinguifliing  love  of  Chrift,  that 
 the  virtue  of  his  death  fhould  reach  lbme,  and  not  others,  1  Cor. 
 i.  2(j.  '  Not  many  wife  men  after  the  rlefh,  not  many  mighty, 
 not  many  noble  are  called.'  That  Chrift  fhould  pafs  by  many 
 of  birth  and  parts,  and  that  the  lot  of  free  grace  fliall  fall  upon 
 thee  ;  that  he  Ihould  fprinkle  his  blood  upon  thee ;  ■  The  depth 
 of  the  love  of  Chrift.'  (S.)  That  Chrift  fhould  love  us  withfuch 
 an  entire  tranfeendent  love,  Theapoftle  calls  it  a  ■  Love  which 
 paileth  knowledge,'  Eph.  iii.  19.  That  he  fhould  love  us  more 
 than  the  angels ;  he  loves  them  as  his  friends,  believers  as  his 
 fpoufe.  He  loves  them  with  fuch  a  kind  of  love  as  God  the  Fa- 
 ther bears  to  him,  John  xv.  9.  ■  As  the  Father  hath  loved  me, 
 fo  have  I  loved  you.'  O  what  an  hyperbole  of  love  doth  Chrift 
 fhew  in  redeeming  us!  (9.)  That  ChrifV  slave  in  our  redemption 
 flwuld  be  everhfting,  John  xii.  1.  '  Having  loved  his  own,  he 
 loved  them  to  the  end.'  As  Chrift's  love  is  matchlefs,  fo  end- 
 lefs  ;  the  flower  of  Chrift's  love  is  fweet  ;  and  iiat  which  makes 
 it  fweeter,  it  never  dies.  Chrift's  love  is  eternized,  Jer.  xxxi. 
 3.  He  will  never  divorce  his  elect  fpoufe.  The  failings  of  his 
 people  cannot  quite  take  oif  his  love  :  they  may  eclipfe  his  love, 
 or  wholly  remove  it ;  their  failings  may  make  Chrift  angry  with 
 them,  but  not  hate  them.  Every  failing  doth  not  break  the 
 marriage-knot.  Chrift's  love  is  not  like  the  faints'  love  ;  fome- 
 times  they  have  ftrong  affections  towards  Chrift,  at  other  times 
 the  hot  fit  is  off,  and  they  can  find  little  or  no  love  furring  in 
 them  :  but  it  is  not  fo  with  Chrift's  love  to  the  fainU,  it  is  a 
 love  of  eternity.  When  the  fun- fliine  of  Chrift's  electing  love 
 is  once  rifen  upon  the  foul,  it  never  fets  finally.  Dea 
 take  away  our  life  from  us,  but  not  Chrift's  love.  Behold  here 
 a  rare  fubject  in  a  fabbath-morning  to  meditate  upon !  The  me- 
 
 312 
 
436  Or  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 ditation  of  Chrift's  wonderful  love  in  redeeming  us,  would  work 
 in  us  a  fabbath- frame  of  heart. 
 
 Fnji,  It  would  melt  us  into  tears  for  our  fpiritual  unkind- 
 neffes  ;  that  we  mould  fin  againft  fo  fweet  a  Saviour  ;  that  we 
 ihould  be  no  more  affected  with  his  love,  but  requite  evil  for 
 good  ;  like  the  Athenians,  who,  notwithstanding  all  the  good 
 fervice  Ariflides  had  clone  them,  banifhed  him  out  of  their  city  ; 
 that  we  mould  grieve  Chrift  with  our  pride,  rafh  anger,  our  un- 
 fruitfulnefs,  animofities,  flrange  factions.  Have  we  none  to 
 abufe  but  our  friend  ?  Have  we  nothing  to  kick  againft  but  the 
 bowels  of  our  Saviour  ?  Did  not  Chrift  fuller  enough  upon  the 
 crofs,  but  we  muft  needs  make  him  fufTer  more  ?  Do  we  give 
 him  more  ■  gall  and  vinegar  to  drink?'  O  if  any  thing  can 
 diffolve  the  heart  in  forrow,  and  broach  the  eyes  with  tears,  it 
 is  difingenuity  and  unkindnefs  offered  to  Chrift.  When  Peter 
 thought  of  Chrift' s  love  to  him,  how  he  had  made  him  an  apof- 
 tle,  and  revealed  his  bofom-fecrets  to  him,  and  taken  him  to 
 the  mount  of  transfiguration,  and  that  he  fhould  deny  Chrift,  it 
 broke  his  heart  with  forrow  ;  *  he  went  out,  and  wept  bitterly,' 
 Mat.  xxvi.  75.  What  a  bleffed  thing  is  it  to  have  the  eyes 
 dropping  tears  on  a  fabbath  !  and  nothing  would  fooner  fetch 
 tears,  than  to  meditate  on  Chrift's  love  to  us,  and  our  unkind 
 requitals. 
 
 Secondly,  The  meditating  on  a  Lord's  Day  morning  of  Chrift's 
 love,  would  kindle  love  in  our  hearts  to  Chrift.  How  can  we 
 look  on  Chrift's  bleeding  and  dying  for  us,  and  our  hearts  not 
 be  warmed  with  love  to  him  ?  Love  is  the  foul  of  religion,  the 
 pureft  affection  ;  it  is  not  rivers  of  oil,  but  fparks  of  love  that 
 Chrift  values.  And  fure,  as  David  faid,  ■  While  I  was  mufing 
 the  fire  burned,'  Pfal.  xxxix.  3.  So,  while  we  are  mufing  of 
 Chrift's  love  in  redeeming  us,  the  fire  of  our  love  would  bum 
 towards  Chrift ;  and  then  i6  a  Chriftian  in  a  bleffed  fabbath 
 frame,  when  he  is  like  a  feraphim  burning  in  love  to  Chrift. 
 
 (4.)  On  a  iabbath-morning  meditate  on  the  glory  of  heaven. 
 Heaven  is  the  extra6t  and  quinteffence  of  happinefs.  It  is  call- 
 ed a  kingdom,  Matth.  xxv.  34.  A  kingdom  for  its  riches  and 
 magnificence  ;  it  is  fet  out  by  '  precious  ftones,  gates  of  pearl,' 
 Rev.  xxi.  There  is  all  that  is  truly  glorious  ;  tranfparent  light, 
 perfect  love,  unftained  honour,  unmixed  joy  ;  and  that  which 
 crowns  the  joy  of  the  celeftial  paradife,  is  eternity.  Suppofe 
 earthly  kingdoms  were  more  glorious  than  they  are,  their  foun- 
 dations of  gold,  their  walls  of  pearl,  their  windows  of  (apphire, 
 yet  they  are  corruptible  ;  but  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  eternal ; 
 thofe  rivers  of  pleafure  f  run  for  evermore,'  Pf.  xvi.  11.  And 
 that  wherein  the  effence  of  glory  confifts,  and  makes  heaven  to 
 be  heaven,  is  the  immediate  fight  and  fruition  of  the  bleffed 
 God,  Pial.  xvii.  15.  *  When  I  awake  I  (hall  be  fatisfied  with 
 
OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT.  437 
 
 thy  likenefs.'     O  think  of  this  Jerufalem  above  !  this  is  proper 
 lor  a  fabbetb. 
 
 1.  The  meditation  of  heaven  would  raife  our  hearts  above  the 
 world.  ()  how  would  thefe  things  di (appear  and  (brink  into 
 nothing,  if  our  minds  were  mounted  above  the  vifible  orbs,  and 
 
 had  a  profpect  of  glory  ! 
 
 2.  How  would  the  meditation  of  heaven  make  us  heavenly 
 in  our  iabbath  exercifes!  it  would  quicken  affe&ion,  it  would 
 add  wings  to  devotion,  it  would  make  us  to  be  *  in  the  Spirit  on 
 the  Lord's  day,'  Rev.  i.  10.  How  vigoroufly  doth  he  ferte 
 God,  who  hath  a  crown  of  glory  always  in  his  eye! 
 
 III.  We  drefs  our  fouls  on  a  iabbath-morning,  by  prayer, 
 Matth.  vi.  (>.  '  When  thou  prayed,  enter  into  thy  cloiet,'  &c. 
 Prayer  fanctihes  a  l'abbath. 
 
 1.  The  things  we  lliould  pray  for  in  the  morning  of  the 
 fabbath. 
 
 Beg  a  bleffing  upon  the  word  which  is  to  be  preached,  that 
 it  may  be  a  favour  of  hie  to  us ;  that  by  it  our  minds  may  be 
 more  illuminated,  our  corruptions  more  weakened,  our  ftock  of 
 grace  more  increat'ed  :  pray  that  God's  fpecial  prefence  may  be 
 with  us,  that  our  hearts  may  burn  within  us  while  God  fpeaks : 
 pray  that  we  may  receive  the  word  into  meek,  humble  hearts, 
 James  i.  22.  That  we  may  fubmit  to  it,  and  bring  forth  the 
 fruits  of  it.  Nor  ihould  we  only  pray  for  ourfelves,  but  for 
 others. 
 
 Firft%  For  him  who  difpenfeth  the  word  ;  that  his  tongue 
 may  be  touched  with  a  coal  from  God's  altar;  that  God  would 
 warm  his  heart,  who  is  to  help  to  warm  others.  Your  prayers 
 may  be  a  means  to  quicken  the  miniiter.  Some  complain,  they 
 iind  not  that  benefit  by  the  word  preached  :  perhaps  they  did 
 not  pray  for  their  miniiter  as  they  ihould.  Prayer  is  like  the 
 whetting  and  fliarpening  of  an  inltrument,  which  makes  it  cut 
 the  better. 
 
 Secondly ,  Pray  with  and  for  your  family  :  yea,  pray  for  all 
 the  congregations  that  meet  this  day  in  the  fear  ot  the  Lord  ; 
 that  the  dew  of  the  Spirit  may  fall  with  the  manna  of  the  word, 
 that  ibme  fouls  may  be  converted,  and  others  ftrengthened; 
 and  that  got'pel  ordinances  may  be  continued,  and  have  no  re- 
 ftraint  put  upon  them.  Thefe  are  the  things  we  Ihould  pray 
 for.  The  tree  of  mercy  will  not  drop  its  fruit,  unlefs  it  be 
 fliaken  by  the  hand  of  prayer. 
 
 (2.)  The  maimer  of  our  prayer.  It  is  not  enough  to  fay  a 
 prayer,  to  pray  i-i  a  dull,  cold  manner,  which  teacheth  God  to 
 deny  ;  but  we  muft  pray  with  reverence,  humility,  hope  in 
 God's  mercy,  fervency,  Luke  xxii.  44.  Chrili  prayed  more 
 earneftly.  And  that  we  may  pray  with  more  fervency,  we 
 mull  pray  with  a  ienle  of  our  wants.     He  who  is  pinched  with 
 
458  OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 want,  will  be  earneft  in  craving  an  alms.  He  prays  moft  fer- 
 vently, who  prays  moft  feelingly.  This  istofanctify  the  morn- 
 ing of  a  fabbath,  and  it  is  a  good  preparatory  for  the  Word 
 preached.  When  the  ground  is  broken  up  by  the  plough,  now 
 it  is  fit  to  receive  the  feed  ;  when  the  heart  hath  been  broken 
 by  prayer,  now  it  is  fit  to  receive  the  feed  of  the  Word  preached. 
 Thus  you  fee  how  to  drefs  your  fouls  on  a  fabbath- morning. 
 There  are  other  duties  remaining. 
 
 IV.  Having  thus  drefled  your  fouls  in  a  morning,  for  the 
 further  fanclification  of  the  fabbath,  addrefs  yourfelves  to  the 
 hearing  of  the  Word  preached. 
 
 (1.)  And  when  you  are  fet  down  in  your  feat, 
 
 Lift  up  your  eyes  to  heaven  for  a  blelling  upon  the  word  to  be 
 difpenfed,  for,  you  muft  know  the  word  preached  doth  not  work 
 as  phyfic,  by  its  own  inherent  virtue,  but  by  a  virtue  from  hea- 
 ven, and  the  co-operation  of  the  Holy  Gholt;  therefore  put  up 
 a  fhort  ejaculatory  prayer  for  a  blefling  upon  the  word,  that  it 
 may  be  made  effectual  to  you. 
 
 (2.)  The  word  being  begun  to  be  preached,  fet  yourfelves  in 
 a  right  manner ; 
 
 With  reverence  and  holy  attention,  A&s  xvi.  14.  '  A  certain 
 woman,  named  Lydia,  ai tended  unto  the  things  which  were 
 fpoken  of  Paul.'  Conftantine  the  emperor  was  noted  for  his 
 reverend  attention  to  the  word,  Luke  xix.  48.  '  Chrift  taught 
 daily  in  the  temple :  and  all  the  people  were  attentive  to  hear 
 him.'  In  the  Greek,  *  they  hung  upon  his  lip.'  Could  we 
 tell  men  of  a  rich  purchafe,  they  would  diligently  attend  :  and 
 ihall  they  not  much  more,  when  the  gofpel  of  grace  is  preaching 
 unto  them  ?  Now,  that  we  may  fan&ify  and  hallow  the  fabbath, 
 by  attentive  hearing*,  take  heed  of  two  things,  in  hearing,  viz. 
 I.  Diftraction.     II.  Drowfinefs. 
 
 I.  Diftraction.  1  Cor.  vii.  35.  e  That  ye  may  attend  upon 
 the  Lord  without  diftraction. '  It  is  faid  of  St.  Bernard,  that 
 when  he  came  to  the  church-door,  he  would  fay,  "  Stay  here  all 
 my  earthly  thoughts.'*  So  mould  we  fay  toourfelves,  when  we 
 are  at  the  door  of  God's  houfe,  Stay  here  all  my  worldly  cares, 
 and  wandering  cogitations  ;  I  am  now  going  to  hearken  what 
 the  Lord  will  fay  to  me.  Diftraction  hinders  devotion.  Dif- 
 traction in  hearing  is,  when  the  mind  is  tofled  with  vain  thoughts, 
 and  diverted  from  the  bufinefs  in  hand.  It  is  hard  to  make  the 
 quick-filver  heart  fix.  St.  Hierora  complained  of  himfelf; 
 "  Sometimes  (faith  he)  when  I  am  about  God's  fervice,  per 
 porticus  diambulo,  I  am  walking  in  the  galleries,  and  fometimes 
 catting  up  accounts."  So,  oft  in  hearing  of  the  word,  the 
 thoughts  dance  up  and  down  ;  and  when  our  eye  is  upon  the 
 minifier,  our  mind  is  upon  other  things.  Diftracted  hearing  is 
 far  from  fan&ifyiug  the  fabbath.     It  muft  needs  be  very  heinous 
 
OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT.  439 
 
 ^,ive  way  to  Fain  thoughts  at  this  tin  aufe,   when  we 
 
 hearing  the  word,  we  are  now  in  Cod's  fpecial  pr«  l»*nce. 
 To  do  any  treafonable  action  in  the  king's  pretence,  IS  high  i«n- 
 pu  ...  i .  xxiii.  11.  '  Vea,  in  my  houfe  have  1  found  their 
 
 wickednefs.'  Sonny  the  Lord  fay  in  my  houfe,  while  they  are 
 hearing  my  word,  I  have  found  wickednefs;  they  have  wanton 
 eyes,  and  their  foul  is  fet  on  vanity.  This  enhanceth  and  ag- 
 gravates the  (in. 
 
 Qu.  Whence  do  thefe  roving  dijiracled  thoughts  in  hearing 
 Co  we  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  Partly  from  Satan.  The  devil  is  no  recufant  he, 
 will  be  fure  to  be  prefer* t  in  our  aft? mblies  :  if  be  cannot  hinder 
 U8 from  hearing,  he  will  hinder  us  in  hearing,  Join.  lo.  *  When 
 the  fons  of  God  came  to  prefent  themfelves  before  the  Lord, 
 Satan  came  alio  anions:  them.'  The  devil  fets  vain  objects  be- 
 fore the  fancy,  to  caufe  a  diverfion.  Satan's  great  defign  is  to 
 render  the  word  we  hear  fruitlefs  :  as  when  one  is  writing,  ano- 
 ther joas  him  that  he  cannot  write  even  ;  ib,  when  we  are  hear- 
 the  devil  will  be  jogging  us  with  a  temptation,  that  we 
 ..d  not  attend  to  the  word  preached,  Zech.  iii.  1.  ■  He 
 ne  Jofliua  the  high- pried  Handing  before  the  angel  of 
 the  Lord,  and  Satan  Handing  at  his  right-hand  to  refill  him.' 
 
 J.  Thefe  wandering  thoughts  in  hearing  come  partly  from 
 purfelves.     We  mult  not  lay  all  the  blame  upon  Satan. 
 
 (1  )  They  come  from  the  eye.  A  wandering  eye  caufeth 
 wandering  thoughts.  A  thief  may  be  let  into  the  houfe  at  a 
 window  ;  fo  vain  thoughts  are  let  in  at  the  eye.  So  that,  as 
 w»  are  bid  to  keep  our  feet  when  we  enter  into  the  houfe  of 
 God,  Ecc!.  v.  1.  fo  we  had  need  make  a  covenant  with  our 
 eye  ,  when  we  are  in  '-he  houfe  of  God,  Job  xxxi.  1.  that  we 
 be  i   it  diffracted  by  beholding  other  objects. 
 
 2.  Wandering  thoughts  in  hearing  rife  out  of  the  heart. 
 ri  hefe  fparks  come  out  of  our  own  furnace.  Vain  thoughts  are 
 the  mud  ,  i.ich  the  heart  (as  a  troubled  lea)  calls  up,  Mark  vii. 
 1    .  >r,  (from  within,)  out  of  the  heart  of  men,  proceed  eyil 
 
 irhts.'  ft  is  u:e  foulnefs  of  the  ftomach  fends  up  fumes  into 
 the  head  ;  a  1  the  corruption  of  the  heart  fends  up  evil  thoughts 
 info  i  In     :.md. 
 
 3.  Diliracted  thoughts  in  hearing  proceed  from  an  evil  cullom. 
 \  inure  ourfelves  to  vain  thoughts  at  other  times,  therefore 
 we  cannot  forbear  them  on  a  labbath.  Cullom  is  a  fecond  na- 
 ture, Jer.  xiih  l23.  ■  Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his  (kin,  or  the 
 leopard  his  fpot%?  then  may  ye  alio  do  good,  that  are  accuftom- 
 ed  to  do  evil  ?'  He  that  is  ufed  to  bad  company,  knows  not  how 
 to  leave  it ;  fuch  as  have  vain  thoughts  keeping  them  company 
 all  the  week,  they  know  not  how  to  get  riu  of  them  on  the  lab- 
 
440  OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 bath.  Let  me  fhew  you  how  evil  thefe  vain  diftracYmg  thoughts 
 in  hearing  are. 
 
 Firji,  To  have  the  heart  diftracted  in  hearing,  is  a  difrefpe6t 
 to  God's  omnifciency.  God  is  an  all- feeing  Spirit ;  and  thoughts 
 (peak  louder  in  his  ears,  than  words  do  in  ours,  Amos  iv.  13. 
 •  He  declareth  unto  man  what  is  his  thought.'  Therefore,  to 
 make  no  conference  of  wandering  thoughts  in  hearing,  is  the 
 affronting  of  God's  omnifciency,  as  if  lie  knew  not  our  heart, 
 or  did  not  hear  the  language  of  our  thoughts. 
 
 Secondly,  To  give  way  to  wandering  thoughts  in  hearing  is 
 hypocrify.  We  pretend  to  hear  what  God  faith,  and  our  mind 
 is  quite  upon  another  thing.  We  prefent  God  with  our  bodies, 
 but  do  not  give  him  our  hearts,  Hof.  vii.  11.  This  hypocrify 
 God  complains  of,  Ifa.  xxix.  13.  ■  This  people  draw  near  me 
 with  their  mouth,  and  with  their  lips  do  honour  me,  but  have 
 removed  their  hearts  far  from  me.'  This  is  to  prevaricate  and 
 deal  falfely  with  God. 
 
 Thirdly,  Vain  thoughts  In  hearing  difcover  much  want  of 
 love  to  God.  Did  we  love  God  we  mould  lilten  to  his  words 
 as  oracles,  ■  and  bind  them  upon  the  table  of  our  heart,'  Prov. 
 iii.  3.  When  a  friend  whom  we  love  fpeaks  to  us,  and  give  u* 
 advice,  we  mind  it  with  ferioufnefs,  and  fuck  in  every  word. 
 The  giving  our  thoughts  leave  to  ramble  in  holy  duties,  (hews 
 the  defect  of  our  love  to  God. 
 
 Fourthly,  Vain  impertinent  thoughts  in  hearing  defile  an 
 ordinance  ?  they  are  as  dead  flies  in  the  hox  of  ointment.  When 
 a  firing  of  the  lute  is  out  of  tune,  it  fpoils  the  mufic  ;  diftraction 
 of  thought  puts  our  mind  out  of  tune,  and  makes  our  Cervices 
 found  harfh  and  unpleafant.  Wandering  thoughts  poifon  a 
 duty,  and  turn  it  into  fin,  Pfal.  cix.  7-  '  Let  his  prayer  be- 
 come fin.'  What  can  be  worfe,  than  to  have  a  man's  praying 
 and  hearing  of  the  word  become  fin  ?  Were  it  not  fad,  when  the 
 meat  we  eat  fliould  increafe  bad  humours  ?  So  when  the  hearing 
 of  the  word,  which  is  the  food  of  the  foul,  fliould  be  turned 
 into  fin.  / 
 
 Fifthly,  Vain  thoughts  in  hearing,  anger  God.  If  the  king 
 were  fpeaking  to  one  of  his  fubjects,  and  he  fhould  not  give 
 heed  to  what  the  king  faith,  but  be  thinking  on  another  bufi- 
 nefs,  or  playing  with  a  feather  ;  would  not  this  provoke  the 
 king;  So,  when  we  are  in  God's  prefence,  and  God  is  fpeak- 
 ing to  us  in  his  word,  and  we  minding  not  much  what  he  faith, 
 but  our  hearts  #o  after  covetoufnefs,  Ezek.  xxxiii.  31.  Will 
 not  this  anger  God,  to  be  thus  flighted  ?  God  hath  pronounced 
 a  curfe  upon  fuch,  Mai.  i.  14.  ■  Curfed  be  the' deceiver,  which 
 hath  in  his  flock  a  male,  and  facrificeth  to  the  Lord  a  corrupt 
 thing.'  To  have  ftrong  lively  affections  to  the  world,  here  is  a 
 male  in  the  flock  ;    but  to  hear  the  word  with  diilracYion,  to 
 
OT  *HE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT.  441 
 
 give  God  duties  fly-blown  with  vain  thoughts,  this  is  tootFer  to 
 the  I.  >:d  a  corrupt  thing  ;  this  brings  a  curie,  4  curled  be  the 
 deceiver.' 
 
 /////,  vain  thought!  in  hearing  (when  allowed  and  not  re- 
 filled) make. way  for  bardniog  the  heart.  A  (lone  in  the  heart, 
 ]«<  Mporft  than  in  the  kidneys.  Diftradted  thoughts  in  hearing* 
 do  not  better  the  heart  but  harden  it.  Vain  thoughts  I 
 away  'he  holy  awe  of  God  which  fhould  he  upon  the  heart; 
 they  make  confeience  left  tender,  and  hinder  the  efficacy  the 
 I  fliould  hive  upon  the  heart. 
 
 $ccenth/t{,  Vain  diftra&ing  thoughts  rob  us  of  the  comfort  of 
 an  oidu:  \  gracious  foul  oft  meets  with  God  in  the  fane- 
 
 tuary,  and  can  l\y,  as  Cant.  iii.  4.  4  I  found  him  whom  my 
 foul  loveth.'  He  is  like  Jonathan,  who,  baring  tafted  the  ho- 
 nev  on  thr  rod,  his  eyes  were  enlightned.  But  vain  thoughts 
 bindi  r  the  comfort  of  an  ordinance,  as  a  black  cloud  hides  the 
 warm  comfortable  beams  of  the  fun  from  us.  Will  God  fpeak 
 peace  to  us,  when  our  minds  are  wandering  and  our  thoughts 
 are  travelling  to  the  ends  of  the  earth  ?  Prov.  xvii.  24.  If 
 you  would  hear  the  word  with  attention,  do  as  Abraham, 
 he  drove  away  the  fowls  from  the  facrifice,  Gen.  xv.  11.  fo 
 when  we  find  thefeexcurfions,  and  finful  wanderings  in  hearing, 
 labour  to  drive  away  the  fowls  :  get  rid  of  thele  vain  thoughts  ; 
 they  are  vagrants,  and    we  mult  not  give  them  entertainment. 
 
 Qu.  But  how  fixall  we  get  help  againji  thej'e  vagabond  thought*  ? 
 
 Anf.  (I.)  Pray  and  watch  again  ft  them.  (2.)  Let  the  fenfe 
 of  God's  omnifcient  eye  over  awe  your  hearts.  The  fervant 
 will  not  fport  in  his  matter's  prefence.  (3.)  Labour  for  an 
 holy  frame  of  heart.  Were  the  heart  more  fpiritual,  the  mind 
 would  be  lets  feathery.  (4.)  Bring  more  love  to  the  word. 
 That  which  we  love,  we  fix  our  minds  upon  ;  he  that  loves 
 his  pleafures  and  recreations,  his  mind  is  fixed  upon  th^m,  and 
 he  can  follow  them  without  diftraction.  Were  our  love  more 
 fet  upon  the  word  preached,  our  minds  would  be  more  fixed 
 upon  it  :  and  furely  there  is  enough  to  make  us  love  the  word 
 preached  ;  for  it  is  the  word  of  life,  the  inlet  to  knowledge,  the 
 antidote  againil  fin,  the  quickner  of  Jioly  affections  :  It  is  the 
 true  manna,  which  hath  all  forts  of  fweet  taftes  in  it:  it  i$ 
 the  pool  of  Bethefda,  in  which  the  rivers  of  life  fpring  forth 
 to  heal  the  broken  in  heart  ;  it  is  a  fovereign  elixir  or  cordial 
 to  revive  the  forrowful  fpirit.  Get  love  to  the  word  preached 
 and  you  will  not  be  fo  diftracted  in  hearing.  What  the  heart 
 delights  in,  the  thoughts  dwell  upon. 
 
 II.  If  you  would  fanctify  the  fabbatb  by  diligent,  attentive 
 heaiing,  take  heed  of  drowfinefs  in  hearing  ;  drowfinefs  (hews 
 much  irreverence.  How  lively  are  many  when  they  are  about 
 lh°  world,  but  in  the  worfhip  of  God  how  drowfy,  as  if  the  de* 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  10.  3  K 
 
442  OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 vil  had  given  them  foine  opium  to  make  them  deep  ?  A  drowfy 
 temper  is  (now)  very  abfurd  and  finful,  Are  not  you  in  pray- 
 er afking  pardon  of  fin  ?  Will  the  prifoner  fall  afleep  when  he 
 is  begging  his  pardon  ?  In  the  preaching  of  the  word,  is  not  the 
 bread  of  life  broken  to  you  :  and  will  a  man  fall  afleep  at  his 
 food  ?  which  is  worfe,  to  flay  from  a  fermon,  or  fleep  at  a  fer- 
 iTmn  ?  While  you  fleep,  perhaps  the  truth  was  delivered,  which 
 might  have  converted  your  fouls.  Betides  fleeping  is  very  offen- 
 five  in  thefe  holy  afTemblies  ;  it  is  not  only  a  grieving  the 
 Spirit,  of  God,  but  a  making  the  hearts  of  the  righteous  fad, 
 Ezek.  xiii.  97.  It  troubles  them  to  fee  any  (hew  iuch  a  con- 
 tempt of  God  and  his  worfhip  :  to  fee  them  buly  in  the  (hop, 
 but  drowfy  in  the  temple.  Therefore,  as  Chritt  faid,  Matth. 
 xxvi.  4.  *  Could  ye  not  watch  one  hour  ?'  fo  can  ye  not  wake 
 one  hour  ?  I  deny  not  but  that  a  child  of  God  may  fometimes 
 thro*  weaknefsand  indifpofltion  of  body  drop  a  fleep  at  a  fer- 
 mon,  but  it  is  not  voluntary  or  ordinary.  The  fun  may  be  in 
 an  eclipfe,  but  not  often  ;  if  fleeping  be  cuftomary  and  allowed, 
 it  is  a  very  bad  fign  and  a  profaning  of  the  ordinance.  A  good 
 remedy  againft  drowfinefs  is  to  ufe  a  fpare  diet  upon  this  day. 
 Such  as  indulge  their  appetite  too  much  on  a  fabbath,  are  lit- 
 ter to  fleep  on  a  couch,  than  pray  in  the  temple.  Now,  that 
 you  may  throw  off  diffracting  thoughts  and  drowfinefs  on  the 
 Lord's  day,  and  may  hear  the  word  with  reverend  attention, 
 con fid er, 
 
 1 .  It  is  God  that  fpeaks  to  us  in  his  word  ;  therefore  the 
 preaching  of  the  word  is  called  *  the  breath  of  his  lips/  Ifa. 
 xi.  4.  And  Chrift  i*  faid  ■  now  to  fpeak  to  us  from  heaven,' 
 Heb.  xii.  25.  as  a  king  fpeaks  in  his  ambaflador.  Minilters 
 are  but  as  the  pipes  and  organs.  It  is  the  fpirit  of  the  living 
 God  breathes  in  them.  When  we  come  to  the  word,  we  ftiould 
 think  thus  with  ourfelves.  God  fpeaks  in  this  preacher,  The 
 Theffalonians  heard  the  word  Paul  preached,  as  if  God  himfelf 
 had  fpoken  unto  them,  I  TheflT.  ii.  13.  *  When  ye  received  the 
 word  of  God,  which  ye  heard  of  us,  ye  received  it  not  as  the 
 word  of  men,  but  (as  it  is  in  truth)  the  word  of  God.'  When 
 Samuel  knew  it  ■  was  the  Lord  that  fpake  to  him,  he  lent  his 
 car,'  1  Sam.  iii.  10.  If  we  do  not  regard  God,  when  he 
 fpeaks  to  us,  he  will  not  regard  us  when  we  pray  to  him. 
 
 2.  Confider,  how  ferious  and  weighty  the  matters  delivered 
 to  us  are.  As  Mofes  faid,  Deut.  xxx.  10.  '  I  call  heaven  and 
 earth  to  record  this  day,  that  I  have  fet  before  you  life  and 
 death.'  Can  men  be  re^ardlefs  of  the  word,  or  drowfy  when 
 the  weighty  matters  of  eternity  are  fet  before  them  ?  We  preach 
 bf  faith,  and  holinefs  of  life,  and  the  day  of  judgment,  and  the 
 eternal  recomprnces  :  here  is  life  and  death  fet  before  you  r 
 and  doth  not  all  this  call  for  ferious  attention  r  If  a  letter  were 
 
OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT.  4  i3 
 
 read  to  one  of  fpecial  bufinefi,  wherein  his  life  and  eftate  were 
 concerned,  would  not  be  be  vi  rv  ferioufl  m  liltcning  to  that  let- 
 ter? In  the  preaching  of  the  word,  your  falvation  is  concerned  ; 
 and  if  ever  you  would  attend,  it  Ihould  be  now,  Deut.  xxxii. 
 49.   *  It  is  not  a  vain  tiling  for  you,  becaufe  it  is  your  lift 
 
 .'3.  To  give  way  to  vain  thoughts,  and  drowfineis  in  hearing^ 
 doth  much  gratify  Satan,  lie  knows,  that  not  to  mind  a  d 
 is  all  one,  as  not  to  do  a  duty  in  religion.  •'  What  the  heart 
 doth  not  do,  is  not  done."  Therefore  Ch rift  faith  offome, 
 1  Hearing,  they  hear  not,*  Matth.  xiii.  13-  How  could  that 
 be  ?  becaufe,  though  the  word  founded  in  their  ear,  yet  they 
 minded  not  what  was  laid  to  them,  their  thoughts  were  upon 
 other  things  ;  therefore  it  was  all  one  as  if  they  did  not  hear  : 
 '  Hearing,  they  hear  not  :'  and  doth  not  this  pleal'e  Satan,  to 
 fee  men  come  to  the  word,  and  as  good  ftay  away  ?  they  are 
 haunted  with  vain  thoughts,  they  are  taken  oil' the  duty  while 
 they  are  in  it  :  their  body  is  in  the  aflembly,  their  heart  in 
 their  (hop  :   ■  Hearing,  they  hear  not/ 
 
 4.  It  may  be  the  lalt  fabbath  that  ever  we  fhall  keep ;  we 
 may  go  from  the  place  of  hearing  to  the  place  of  judging  :  and 
 fhall  not  we  give  reverend  attention  to  the  word  ?  did  we  think 
 thus  when  we  come  into  God's  houfe.  Perhaps  this  will  be 
 the  laft  time  that  ever  God  will  counfel  us  about  our  fouls  ;  be- 
 fore another  fermon,  death's  alarm  will  found  in  our  ears  :  with 
 what  attention  and  devotion  mould  we  come  hither,  and  our 
 affections  would  be  all  on  fire  in  hearing? 
 
 5.  You  muft  give  an  account  for  every  fermon  you  hear, 
 Luke  xvi.  2.  Redderationem  ;  g  Give  an  account  of  thy  iteward- 
 ihip.'  So  will  God  fay,  Give  an  account  of  thy  hearing  :  haft 
 thou  been  affected  with  the  word  ?  halt  thou  profited  by  it  ? 
 and  how  can  we  give  an  account,  if  we  have  been  diftraCted  in 
 hearing,  and  have  not  taken  notice  what  hath  been  laid  to  us  ? 
 The  Judge,  to  whom  we  muft  give  an  account,  is  God.  YYrere 
 one  to  give  an  account  to  man,  he  might  falflfy  his  accounts  ; 
 but  we  muft  give  an  account  to  God,  Nee  donis  corrumpitur, 
 nee  blanditiis  fallitur,  Bern.  "  He  is  fo  juft  a  God,  that,  he 
 cannot  be  bribed,  and  fo  wife,  that  he  cannot  be  deceived." 
 Therefore,  going  to  give  an  account  tofuch  an  impartial  Judge, 
 how  Ihould  we  obferve  every  word  preached,  remembering  the 
 account  ?  Let  all  this  make  us  (hake  otfdiftraction  anddrowii- 
 Jiels  in  hearing,  and  have  our  ears  chained  to  the  word. 
 
 3K9 
 
444  OF  THE  * 0TJRTH  COMMANDMENf, 
 
 OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 Exon.  xx.  8.     Remember  the  Sabbath-day  to  keep  it  holy,  kc. 
 
 II.  If  you  would  hear  the  word  aright,  lay  afide  thofe 
 things  which  may  render  the  word  preached  ineffectual  :   As, 
 
 1.  Curio/ity,  Some  come  to  the  word  preached,  not  fo  much 
 to  get  grace,  as  to  enrich  tbemfelves  with  notions :  *  Itching  ears,' 
 2  Tim.  iv.  3.  Auttin  confeifeth,  That,  before  his  tonverfion, 
 he  went  to  hear  St.  Ambrofe,  rather  lor  his  eloquence,  than  for 
 the  ipirituality  of  the  matter,  Ezek.  xxxiii.  32.  *  Thou  art  unto 
 them  as  a  very  lovely  fong  of  one  that  hath  a  pleafant  voice, 
 and  can  play  well  on  an  inilrument.'  Many  come  to  the  word 
 only  to  feaft  their  ears  ;  they  like  the  melody  of  the  voice,  the 
 mellifluous  fweetnefs  of  the  expreflion,  the  newnefs  of  the  no- 
 tion, Acts  xvii.  21.  This  is  to  love  the  garniftiing  of  the  difh 
 more  than  the  food  ;  this  is  to  defire  to  be  pleafed,  rather  than 
 edified.  Like  a  woman  that  paints  her  face,  but  neglects  her 
 health  :  fo  they  paint  and  adorn  themfelves  with  curious  f pe- 
 culations, but  neglect  their  fouls  health.  This  hearing  doth 
 neither  fanctify  the  heart,  nor  the  fabbath. 
 
 2.  Lay  afide  prejudice. 
 
 (L.)  Prejudice  againft  the  truths  preached.  The  Sadducees 
 were  prejudiced  againft  the  doctrine  of  the  refurrection,  Luke 
 xx.  27- 
 
 (2.)  Prejudiced  againft  the  perfon  preaching,  1  Kings  xxii. 
 S.  *  There's  one  Micaiah  by  whom  we  may  enquire  of  the  Lord, 
 but  I  hate  him.'  This  hinders  the  virtue  of  the  word.  Ifapa- 
 tient  hath  an  ill  opinion  of  his  phyfician,  he  will  not  take  any 
 of  his  receipts,  tho'  never  fo  good.  Prejudice  in  the  mind  is 
 like  an  obttruction  in  the  ftomach,  which  hinders  the  nutritive 
 virtue  of  the  meat.  Prejudice  poifons  the  word,  and  makes  it 
 lofe  its  efficacy. 
 
 3.  Lay  afide  covetoufnefs.  Covetoufnefs  is  not  only  getting 
 the  world  unjuitly,  but  loving  it  inordinately.  This  is  a  great 
 hindrance  to  the  word  preached.  The  feed  which  fell  among 
 thorns  was  choked,  Malth.  xiii.  22.  An  emblem  of  the  word 
 being  preached  to  a  covetous  hearer.  The  covetous  man  is 
 thinking  on  the  world  when  he  is  hearing;  his  heart  is  in  his 
 fhop,  Ezek.  xxxiii,  31,  *  They  fit  before  thee  as  my  people, 
 and  they  hear  thy  words,  but  their  heart  goeth  after  their  co- 
 vetoufnefs.' A  covetous  hearer  derides  the  word,  Luke  xvu 
 14.  *  The  Pharifees,  who  were  covetous,  heard  all  thefe  things, 
 and  they  derided  him.' 
 
Or  THE  FOURTH  COM  M  A  KDMTNT.  445 
 
 4-  Lav  afide  partiality.  Partiality  in  bearing  is,  when  we  like 
 to  hear  Come  truths  preached,  but  not  all.  We  love  to  hear  of 
 heaven,  but  not  of  fc  If- denial  ;  of  reigning  with  Chrili,  but  not 
 
 of  fullering  ;  of  the  more  facile  duties  of  religion,  but  not  them 
 which  are  more  knotty  and  difficult;  as  mortification,  laying 
 the  ax  to  the  root,  und  hewing  down  their  beloved  tin ,  11a. 
 xxx.  10.  '  Prophely  (inooth  thing-,'  Inch  as  may  not  grate  upon 
 Our  conference.  Many  like  to  bear  of  the  love  of  Chrilt,  but 
 not  of  loving  their  enemies  ;  they  like  the  comforts  ot  the  word, 
 hut  not  the  reproofs.  Herod  heard  John  Baptift  ql adly  ;  he 
 Jiked  many  truths,  but  not  when  he  (pake  againtt  bid  mcelt. 
 Lay  afide  partiality. 
 
 b.  Lay  a(ide  veiifoTiouf)icj\\  Some,  inftead  ofjudging  them- 
 felves  for  (in,  (it  as  judges  upon  the  preacher  :  either  his  l'ei- 
 mon  had  too  much  gall  in  it,  or  it  was  too  long.  Thefe  will 
 fooner  cenfure  a  iermon  than  pradtile  it.  God  will  judge  the 
 judger,  Matth.  vii.  I. 
 
 t>.  Lay  a(ide  difobedience,  Rom.  vii.  22.  *  All  the  day  long 
 have  1  ltretched  forth  my  hands  unto  a  dilbbedient  people.' 
 'Tis  fpoken  of  the  Jews  ;  God  llretched  out  his  hands  in  the 
 preaching  of  the  word,  but  they  rejected  Chrift.  Let  there  be 
 none  among  you  that  wilfully  refule  the  counfels  of  the  word  ; 
 it  is  fad  to  have  an  adder's  ear,  and  an  adamant  heart,  Zech. 
 vii.  11,  19.  If,  when  God  (peaks  to  us  in  his  word  we  are  deaf; 
 when  we  (peak  to  him  in  prayer,  he  will  be  dumb. 
 
 ill.  If  you  would  hear  the  word  aright,  have  good  ends  in 
 hearing  ;  *  Come  to  the  word  to  be  made  better.'  Some  have 
 no  other  end  in  hearing,  but  becaufe  it  is  in  faQiion,  or  to  gain 
 repute,  or  Hop  the  motuh  of  conference  ;  but  come  to  the  word, 
 to  be  made  more  holy.  There's  a  great  deal  of  difference  be- 
 tween one  that  goes  to  a  garden  for  flowers  to  wear  in  her  bo- 
 torn,  and  another  that  goes  for  (lowers  to  make  fyrups  and  me- 
 dicines of.  We  mould  go  to  the  word  for  a  medicine  to  cure 
 us;  as  Naaman  the  Syrian  went  to  Jordan  to  be  healed  of  his 
 leproiy,  1  Peter  ii.  2.  *  Defire  the  fincere  milkofthe  word,  that 
 ye  may  grow  thereby.'  Come  to  the  word  to  be  changed  into 
 the  finiihtude  of  it ;  as  the  leal  leaves  its  print  upon  the  wax, 
 fo  labour  that  the  word  preached  may  leave  the  print  of  its  own 
 holinefs  upon  your  heart  ;  labour  that  the  *  word'  may  have 
 i'uch  a  virtue  upon  you,  as  the  water  of  jealoufy,  *  to  kill  and 
 make  fruitful,'  Numb.  v.  27.  That  it  may  kill  your  (ins,  and 
 make  your  fouls  fruitful  in  grace. 
 
 IV.  If  you  would  hear  the  word  aright,  come  to  it  with  de- 
 light. The  word  preached  is  a  feaft  of  fat  things  :  with  what 
 delight  do  men  come  to  a  feait?  the  word  preached  anoints  the 
 blind  eye,  mollifies  the  rocky  heart ;  it  beats  oil'  our  fetters,  and 
 turns  us  from  the  *  powerof  Satan  to  God,'  Actsxxvi.  18.  The 
 
41(5  OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 word  is  the  feed  of  regeneration,  James  i.  18.  the  engine  of 
 falvation.  Hear  the  word  with  delight  and  complacency,  Jer. 
 xv.  16.  ■  Thy  words  were  found,  and  1  did  eat  them.  They 
 were  the  joy  and  rejoicing  of  my  heart.*  Plal.  cxix.  103. 
 *  How  fweet  are  thy  words  unto  my  tafte  !  yea,  fweeter  than 
 honey  unto  my  mouth.'  Yea,  love  that  word  which  comes 
 moil  home  to  the  conlcience  :  biefs  God  when  your  corruptions 
 have  been  met  with,  when  the  t'word  of  the  Spirit  hath  divided 
 between  you  and  your  fins.  Who  cares  for  that  phytic  which 
 will  not  work. 
 
 V.  If  you  would  hear  the  word  aright,  mix  it  with  faith. 
 Believe  the  verity  of  the  word  preached,  that  it  is  that  word  by 
 which  you  mult  be  judged  ;  not  only  give  evidence  to  the  word 
 preached,  but  learn  to  apply  it  to  your  own  fouls  :  faith  con- 
 cods  the  word,  and  turns  it  into  fpi ritual  nourifhment.  Many 
 hear  the  word,  but  it  may  be  faid  of  them,  as  Plal.  cvi.  24. 
 '  They  believed  not  his  word/  Melancthou  once  faid  to  fome 
 of  the  Italians,  "  Ye  Italians  worfhip  God  in  the  bread,  when 
 ye  do  not  believe  him  to  be  in  heaven  :"  fo,  many  hear  God's 
 word,  but  do  not  believe  that  God  is  ;  they  queftion  the  truth  of 
 his  oracles.  If  we  do  not  mix  faith  with  the  wrord,  it  is  like 
 leaving  out  the  chief  ingredient  in  a  medicine,  which  makes  it 
 ineffectual  :  unbelief  hardens  men's  hearts againft  the  word,  Acls 
 xix.  9.  *  Divers  were  hardened,  and  believed  not.'  Men  hear 
 many  truths  delivered  concerning  the  precioufnefsof  Chriit,  the 
 beauty  of  holinefs,  the  felicity  of  a  glorified  e#ate ;  but,  if  through 
 unbelief  and  atheifm  they  queftion  thefe  truths,  we  may  as  well 
 fpeak  to  the  (tones  and  pillars  of  the  church  as  to  them.  That 
 word  which  is  not  believed,  can  never  be  pra&ifed.  Ubi  male 
 crediture,  ibi  nee  bene  vivitur,  Hierom.  Unbelief  makes  the 
 word  preached  of  no  effe6t.  Heb.  ix.  2.  ■  The  word  preached 
 did  not  profit,  not  being  mixed  with  faith  in  them  thatheard  it.' 
 The  word  to  an  unbeliever  is  like  diojeordium  put  into  a  dead 
 Irian's  mouth,  which  lofeth  all  its  virtue.  If  there  be  any  un- 
 believers in  our  congregations,  what  mall  minilters  fay  to  God 
 at  the  laft  day  ?  Lord,  we  have  preached  to  the  people,  thou, 
 fenteft  us  to,  we  fhewed  them  ourcommiffion,  we  declared  un- 
 to them  the  whole  couniel  of  God,  but  they  believed  never  a 
 word  we  fpake :  we  told  them  what  would  be  the  fruit  of  (in? 
 bift  they  would  drink  their  fugared  draught,  though  there  was 
 death  in  the  cup;  Lord,  we  are  free  from  their  blood.  God 
 forbid  that  ever  minifters  fhouid  make  this  report  to  God  of 
 their  people.  But  this  they  muft  be  forced  to  do,  if  people  live 
 and  die  in  unbelief.  Would  you  fan6tify  a  fabbath  in  hearing 
 the  word  aright?  hear  the  word  with  faith.  The  apoftle  put* 
 thefe  two  together,  ■  belief  and  falvation,'  Heb.  x.  3y.  '  We 
 are  of  them  that  believe  to  the  faving  of  the  foul.' 
 
OF  TUB  FOURTH  COMMANI1M'  417 
 
 VI.  If  you  would  hear  the  word  aright,  h< 
 fpirits,'  James  i.  91.     Receive  the  word  in  ma\ 
 
 lue^nefs.     Meeknefs  is  a  fubmfTihre  frame  ol  he  <r»  to  the  word: 
 contrary  to  this  meeknefs  is  l;  of  I i > i r i t  %  wl  tie 
 
 up  in  a  rage  againft  the  word  ;   as  if  the  patient  lho  Ud  I 
 with  the  phyOci  in  when  I  him  »  n  ceipt  to  p  Ins 
 
 bad  humours,  Act  vn.  >t.  '  When  they  heard  this,  tbey  wore 
 cut  to  the  heart,  and  goafbed  on  Stephen  with  their  teeth.' 
 «-i  Chron.  xvi.  10.  *  A  fa  was  wroth  with  the  feer,  and  put.  him 
 in  a  prifon-houfe.1  Pride  and  guilt  make  men  fret  at  ins  word  ; 
 what  made  Ala  ftorm  to,  but  pride?  he  was  a  king,  and  thought 
 he  was  too  good  to  he  told  of  hi*  (in.  What  made  Caiu  fo 
 angry,  when  God  laid  to  him,  *  Where  is  Abel  thy  bio'li 
 Saith  he,  'Am  I  my  brother's  keeper?1  What  made  him  fo 
 touchy,  but  guilt?  he  had  embroed  his  hands  in  his  brother's 
 blood.  It'  von  would  hear  the  word  aright,  lav  down  your 
 paffions,  *  Receive  the  word  with  meeknefs:'  get  humble  hearts 
 to  fubmit  to  the  truths  delivered.  God  takes  the  meek  perlori 
 to  be  his  fcholar,  Pfal.  xxv.  O.  '.The  meek  will  he  teach  his 
 way.*  Meeknefs  makes  the  word  preached  to  bean  '  ingrafted 
 word,'  James  i.  81.  A  good  icion  grafted  in  a  bad  ttock 
 ehangeth  tlie  nature  of  it,  and  makes  it  bear  good  and  generous 
 fruit;  lb  when  the  word  preached  is  grafted  into  man's  heart, 
 it  fanetifies  them,  and  makes  them  bring  forth  the  fweet  fruits 
 of  righteoufnefs.     By  meeknefs  it  becomes  an  ingrafted  word. 
 
 VII.  If  you  would  hear  the  word  ariidit,  be  not  only  atten- 
 tive, but  retentive.  Lay  the  word  up  in  your  memories  and 
 hearts,  Luke  viii.  15.  *  The  feed  on  the  good  ground  are  they, 
 who  having  heard  the  word,  keep  it.'  The  Greek  word  for 
 '  to  keep,'  fignifies  *  to  hold  the  word  fait,  that  it  do  not  run 
 from  us.'  If  the  feed  be  not  kept  in  the  ground,  but  is  pre- 
 sently warned  away,  it  is  (own  to  little  purpofe :  ib  if  the  word 
 preached  be  not  kept  in  your  memories  and  hearts,  it  is  preach- 
 ed in  vain.  .Many  people  have  memories  like  leaky  velfels,  the 
 word  goes  out  as  fait  as  it  comes  in,  how  can  it  profit  ?  if  a  trea- 
 sure be  put  in  a  chelt,  and  the  cheftbe  not  locked,  it  may  ealily 
 be  taken  out :  a  bad  memory  is  like  a  chelt  without  a  lock,  the 
 devil  can  eafily  take  out  all  the  treafure,  Luke  viii.  oo.  *  Then 
 comes  the  devil,  and  takes  away  the  word  out  of  their  hearts.' 
 
 >ur  to  keep  in  memory  the  truths  you  hear  :  the  thii 
 etteem  we  are  not  fo  apt  to  forget.  *  Will  a  bride  foreet  her 
 jewels?'  Jer.  ii.  3l2.  *  Can  a  maid  forget  her  ornaments  ?'  Did 
 we  prize  the  word  more,  we  Ihould  not  fo  (boo  forget  it  :  if  the 
 meat  doth  not  ftay  in  the  ltomach,  but  com.-  up  as  far! 
 cat  it,  it  cannot  nouriih  :  fo,  if  the  word  ftavs  not  in  the 
 memory,  but  is  prelently  gone,  it  can  do  the  ibul  but  little 
 good. 
 
448  OF  THE  FOURTH  «OMMAND*ViENT- 
 
 VIIF.  If  you  would  hear  aright,  praclife  what  you  hear. 
 Pra6tice  is  the  life  of  all,  Rev.  xxii.  14.  '  Blefied  are  they  that 
 do  his  commandments,  that  they  may  have  right  to  the  tree  of 
 life.'  Bare  hearing  will  be  no  plea  at  the  day  of  judgment; 
 Lord,  I  have  heard  fomany  fermons.  But  God  will  fay,  What 
 fruits  of  obedience  have  ye  brougbt  forth  ?  The  word  we  preach 
 is  not  only  to  intorm  you,  but  reform  you  ;  not  only  to  mend 
 your  fight,  but  to  mend  your  pace  in  the  way  to  heaven  :  a  good 
 hearer  is  like  the  helitr opium  &c.  it  opens  and  fhuts  with  the 
 fun,  to  God  againlt  fin.  Now,  that  you  may  ianclify  afabbath 
 by  hearing: 
 
 1.  If  you  do  not  hear  the  word  aright,  you  lofe  all  your  la- 
 hour  :  how  many  a  weary  Hep  have  you  taken  ;  your  body  hath, 
 been  crowded,  your  fpirit  faint ;  if  you  are  not  bettered  by  hear- 
 ing ;  if  you  are  as  proud,  as  vain,  as  earthly  as  ever,  all  your 
 hearing  is  loft.  You  would  be  loth  to  trade  in  vain  ;  and  why 
 not  as  well  to  hear  fermons  in  vain  ?  Job  ix.  29.  *  Why  then 
 labour  I  in  vain?*  Put  this  queition  to  thy  own  foul?  ■  Why- 
 labour  I  in  vain  ?'  why  do  I  take  all  this  pains  to  hear,  yet  have 
 not  the  grace  to  practile  it?  I  am  as  bad  as  ever?  why  then  la- 
 hour  I  in  vain  ? 
 
 2.  If  you  hear  the  word,  and  are  not  bettered  by  it,  you  are 
 like  the  falamander  in  the  fire,  not  hotter  ;  your  hearing  will  in- 
 creafe  your  condemnation,  Luke  xii.  47.  *  That  fervant  which 
 knew  his  Lord's  will,  and  did  it  not,  (hall  be  beaten  with 
 many  itripes.'  We  pity  fuch  as  know  not  where  to  hear  ;  it 
 will  be  woife  with  fuch  as  care  not  how  they  hear.  To  grace- 
 left  difobedient  hearers  every  fermon  will  be  a  faggot  to  heat 
 hell :  it  is  fad  to  go  loaded  to  hell  with  ordinances.  O  beg  the 
 Spirit  to  make  the  word  preached  effectual.  Minifters  can  but 
 fpeak  to  the  ear,  the  Spirit  fpeaks  to  the  heart,  Acts  x.  44. 
 •  While  Peter  fpake,  the  Holy  Ghoft  fell  upon  alt  them  that 
 heard  the  word.' 
 
 IX.  Having  heard  the  word  in  an  holy  and  fpiritual  manner, 
 for  the  further  fanctification  of  the  fabbath,  confer  of  the  word. 
 We  are  forbidden  on  this  day  to  fpeak  our  own  words,  Ifa.  Iviii. 
 14.  but  we  muft  fpeak  of  God's  word.  Speak  of  the  fermons 
 as  you  fit  together;  this  is  one  part  of  fan6lifying  the  fabbath. 
 Good  difcourie  brings  holy  truths  into  our  memories,  and  fallens 
 them  upon  our  hearts;  Mai.  iii.  17-  '  Then  they  that  feared 
 the  Lord,  fpake  often  one  to  another.'  There  is  a  great  power 
 and  efficacy  in  good  difcourfe,  Job  vi.  25.  ■  How  forcible  are 
 right  words?'  By  holy  conference  on  a  fabbath,  one  Chriftinn 
 helps  to  warm  another  when  he  is  frozen,  to  itrenntheu  another 
 when  he  is  weak.  Latimer  confeffed,  he  was  much  furthered 
 in  religion,  by  having  conference  with  Mr.  Bilny  the  martyr. 
 P(ul.  cxxix.  175.  *  My  tcngue  (hall  fpeak  of  thy  word.'     One 
 
OF  THE  IOLKT1J  COMMANDMENT.  442 
 
 feafon  why  preaching  the  woi  ibbath  doth  nomoretrood, 
 
 i^,  becaufe  I  tk  of  the 
 
 won!  thi  heard,  aa  il  fermon*  weft  fucfa 
 
 mud  not  be  fpol  mi,  or  aa  if  it  were  a  lhameto  lpeak  of 
 
 that  which  will  law  us. 
 
 \.   Shut   up  the  fabbath  evening  with   repetition,    reading, 
 ;ing  of  pfalms,  and    prayer:   beg  that  God  would  bleii  the 
 d  you  have  heard.     Bui!  hope  your  practice  hereio   will 
 pn  ven(  my  further  fpeaking.     Could  we  but  thus  fpend  a  tab- 
 hath,  we  might  be  *  in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lord's  day,'   Rev.  i. 
 10.   our  fouls  might  be  nouriihtd  and  comforted  >and  this  fab- 
 bath  which  we  now  keep,  would  be  an  earnelt  of  that  everlaft- 
 labbath  which  we  (hall  celebrate  in  heaven. 
 
 Exod.  xx.   8.     Remcmhcr  to  keep  the  Sabbath-day  holy, 
 
 Ufe  I.  See  here  a  Chriftian's  duty,  '  To  keep  the  fab- 
 bath-day  holy.' 
 
 J.  The  whole  fabbath  is  to  be  dedicated  to  God.  It  is  not 
 faid,  Keep  a  part  of.  the  fabbath  holy,  but  the  whole  day  muft 
 be  religioufly  obfefved.  II  God  hath  given  us  fix  days  and  taken 
 but  one  to  himfelf,  (hall  we  grudge  him  any  part  of  that  day? 
 it  were  facrilege.  The  lews  kept  a  whole  day  to  the  Lord,  and 
 we  are  not  to  abridge  or  curtail  the  labbaih  (faith  St.  Auftin) 
 more  than  the  Jews  did.  The  very  heathens,  by  the  light  of 
 nature,  did  fet  apart  a  whole  day  in  the  honour  of  their  falfe 
 gods;  and  Sccevola  the  high-pried  did  affirm,  That  the  wilful 
 tranfgreffion  of  that  day  could  have  no  expiation  or  pardon. 
 "Whomever  do  rob  any  part  of  the  fabbath  for  i'ervile  work  or 
 recreation,  Seoevola,  the  high-pried  of  the  heathenifh  gods,  (hall 
 rife  up  in  judgment  againttfuch  Chriftians,  and  condemn  them. 
 And  they  who  fay,  that  to  keep  a  whole  fabbath  is  too  Judaical, 
 let  them  fhew  where  God  has  made  any  abatement  of  the  time 
 of  worfhip.  Where  he  hath  faid,  you  fhall  keep  but  a  part  of 
 the  fabbath  :  and  if  they  cannot  fhew  that,  it  argues  much  boid- 
 nefs  to  go  to  rob  God  of  his  due.  That  a  whole  day  be  defigned 
 and  fet  a  part  for  God's  fpecial  worfhip,  is  a  perpetual  ftatute, 
 while  the  church  remains  upon  the  earth,  faith  Pet.  Martyr. 
 Of  this  opinion  alfo  were  Theodoret,  Auftin,  Iraeneus,  and  the 
 chief  of  the  fathers. 
 
 ^.  Aa  the  whole  fabbath  is  to  be  dedicated  to  God,  ^o  it  mud 
 be  kept  holy  ;  you  fee  the  manner  of  fan&ifying  the  Lord's  day, 
 '  by  reading,  meditation,  prayer,  hearing  of  the  word,  and  by 
 finging  of  pfalms,  to  make  melody  to  the  Lord.'  Now,  befides 
 .what  I  have  faid  for  the  keeping  ihis  day  holy,  let  me  make  a 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  10.  3  L 
 
450  OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT, 
 
 comment  or  paraph rafe  on  that  fcripture,Ifa.  lviii.  13.  ■  Tftnoa 
 turn  away  thy  foot  from  the  fabbath,  from  doing  thy  pleafure 
 on  my  holy  day,  and  call  the  fabbath  a  delight,  the  holy  of  the 
 Lord  honourable,  and  (halt  honour  him,  not  doing  thy  own 
 ways,  nor  finding  thine  own  pleafure,  nor  fpeaking  thine  own 
 words  :'    Here  is  a  defcription  of  the  right  fanc\ifymg  a  fabbath. 
 
 (I.)  '  If  thou  turn  away  thy  foot  from  the  fabbath.'  That 
 may  be  underftood  either  literally  or  fpiritually. 
 
 Firjl,  Literally,  *  If  thou  turn  away  thy  foot  from  the  fab- 
 bath,' that  is,  if  thou  withdraweft  thy  foot  from  taking  long 
 walks  or  journeys  on  the  fabbath-day :  So  the  Jewilh  doctors 
 expound  it.     Or, 
 
 Secondly,  Spiritually.  '  If  thou  turn  away  thy  foot  from  the 
 fabbath,'  that  is,  if  thou  turn  away  thy  afte&ions  (the  feet  of 
 thy  foul)  from  inclining  to  any  worldly  bufinefs. 
 
 (2.)  *  From  doing  thy  pleafure  on  my  holy  day,' that  is, 
 thou  mull  not  do  that  which  may  pleafe  the  carnal  part,  as  fports 
 and  paftimes  :  this  is  to  do  the  devil's  work  on  God's  day. 
 
 (3.)  '  And  call  the  fabbath  a  delight.'  Call  it  a  delight, 
 that  is,  eileem  it  fo :  though  the  fabbath  be  not  a  day  for  car- 
 nal pleafure,  yet  holy  pleafure  is  not  forbidden.  The  foul  muft 
 take  pleafure  in  the  duties  of  a  fabbath.  The  faints  of  old 
 counted  the  fabbath  a  delight :  the  Jews  called  the  fabbath  dies 
 lucis,  a  day  of  light.  The  Lord's  day,  on  which  the  Sun  of 
 Righteoufnefs  mines,  is  both  a  day  of  light  and  delight.  This 
 is  the  day  of  fweet  intercourfe  between  God  and  the  foul.  On 
 this  day  a  Chriftian  makes  his  fallies  out  to  heaven,  his  foul  is 
 lifted  above  the  earth  :  and  can  this  be  without  delight  ?  The 
 higher  the  bird  flies,  the  tweeter  it  fings.  On  a  fabbath  the 
 foul  acts  its  love  to  God  ;  and  where  the  love  is,  there  is  the 
 delight :  on  this  day  a  believer's  heart  is  melted,  q.  d.  quicken- 
 ed, enlarged  in  holy  duties;  and  how  can  all  this  be,  and  not  a 
 fecret  delight  go  along  with  it  ?  On  a  fabbath,  a  gracious  foul 
 can  fay,  as  Cant.  ii.  3.  *  I  fat  under  his  (hadow  with  great  de- 
 light, and  his  fruit  was  fweet  to  my  tafte.'  How  can  a  fpiritual 
 heart  chufe  but  call  the  fabbath  a  delight  ?  Is  it  not  delightful 
 to  a  queen  to  be  putting  on  her  wedding  robes,  in  which  (he 
 fhall  meet  the  king  her  bridegroom  ?  When  we  are  about  fab- 
 bath exercifes,  we  are  drelfing  ourfelves,  and  putting  on  our 
 wedding  robes,  in  which  we  are  to  meet  our  heavenly  bride- 
 groom, the  Lord  Jefus  :  and  is  not  this  delightful?  On  the 
 fabbath  God  makes  a  feafl  of  fat  things  ;  he  feails  the  ear  with 
 his  word,  and  the  heart  with  his  grace.  Well  then  may  we  call 
 the  fabbath  a  delight:  and  to  find  this  holy  delight,  is  to  ■  be 
 in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lord's  day.' 
 
 (4.)  *  The  holy  of  the  Lord,  honourable.'  In  the  Hebrew, 
 H  is.glorious.  To  call  the  fabbath  honourable,  is  not  to  be  under- 
 
•F  THB  FOURTH  COMkUNDltEtft.  4vl 
 
 Hood  fo  much  of  an  outward  honour  given  to  it,  by  wearing 
 richer  apparel,  or  having  better  diet  on  this  day,  as  the  Jewilh 
 doctors  corruptly  gk>ts;  this  is  the  chut  honour  fome  give  to 
 this  day  :  but  thou  (halt  call  the  fabbath  honourable,  that  is 
 meant  of  the  honour  of  the  heart  that  we  give  to  thia  day,  reve- 
 rencing it,  and  eftecming  it  the  queen  of  day?*  We  are  to 
 count  the  iabbath  honourable,  becaul'e  God  hath  honoured  it. 
 All  the  pel  Ions  in  the  Trinity  have  honoured  it  ;  God  the  Fa- 
 ther blefled  it,  God  the  Son  rofe  upon  it,  God  the  Holy  Gholt 
 defeended  on  this  day,  Acts  ii.  1.  And  indeed  this  day  is  to  be 
 honoured  of  all  good  Chriftians,  and  had  in  high  veneration. 
 It  is  a  day  of  renown  ;  on  this  day  a  golden  fceptre  of  men 
 held  forth.  The  Chriiiiau  Iabbath  is  the  very  crepufculum  and 
 dawning  of  the  heavenly  Iabbath.  It  is  honourable  becaufe  this 
 day,  c  God  comes  down  to  us,  and  vifits  us.'  To  have  the 
 King  of  heaven  prefent  in  a  fpecial  manner  in  our  affeniblies, 
 makes  the  labbath-day  honourable.  Befides,  the  work  that  is 
 done  on  this  day  makes  it  honourable  :  the  fix  days  are  filled  up 
 with  fervile  work,  which  makes  them  loi'e  much  of  their  glory  ; 
 but  on  this  day  facred  work  is  done.  The  ibul  is  employed 
 wholly  about  the  worfhip  of  God  ;  it  is  praying,  hearing,  me- 
 ditating ;  it  is  doing  angels  work,  prailing,  and  blelfing  God. 
 Again,  the  day  is  honourable  by  virtue  of  a  divine  inltitution  : 
 filver  is  of  itfelf  valuable  ;  but  when  the  royal  ttamp  is  put  upon 
 it,  it  is  honourable;  lb  God  hath  put  a  facred  flamp  upon  this 
 day,  the  liamp  of  divine  authority,  and  the  ftamp  of  divine  be- 
 nediction :  this  makes  it  honourable  ;  this  is  a  fancfcifying  the 
 fabbath,  to  call  it  a  delight,  and  honourable. 
 
 (5.)  *  Not  doing  thy  own  ways.'  That  is,  thou  (halt  not 
 defile  the  day  by  doing  any  fervile  work. 
 
 (6.)  '  Nor  finding  thy  own  pleafure/  That  is,  not  gratify* 
 ing  the  flefhly  part,  by  walks,  vifits,  or  paftimes. 
 
 (7.)  *  Nor  fpeaking  thy  own  words.'  That  is,  words  hetero- 
 geneous and  unluitable  for  a  fabbath  ;  vain,  impertinent  words; 
 difcourfes  of  worldly  affairs.  Here  is  the  famfiiiying  of  a  fab- 
 bath defcribed. 
 
 Ufe  II.  If  the  fabbath-day  be  to  be  kept  holy,  it  reproves 
 them,  who,  inllead  of  fanctifying  the  fabbath,  profane  it  :  Tii«-y 
 take  that  time,  which  ihould  be  dedicated  wholly  to  God,  and 
 fpend  it  in  the  fervice  of  the  devil  and  their  lulls.  The  Lord 
 hath  enclofed  this  day  for  his  own  worfhip,  and  they  lay  this 
 day  common.  God  hath  fet  an  hedge  about  this  command- 
 ment, ■  Remember;'  and  they  break  this  hedge  ;  but  he  who 
 breaks  an  *  hedge,  a  ferpeut  fhall  bite  him,'  Eccl.  x.  S.  The 
 fabbath-day  in  England  lies  bleeding  :  and  oh  that  our  parlia- 
 ment would  pour  in  fome  bakn  into  the  wounds  which  the  fab- 
 bath hath  received  !  how  is  this  day  profaned,  by  fitting  idle  at 
 
 3L2 
 
452  OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 home,  by  felling  meat,  by  vain  difcourfe,  by  finful  vifits,  by 
 walking  in  the  fields,  by  ufing  fports.  The  people  of  Ifrael 
 might  not  gather  manna  on  the  fabbath,  and  may  we  ufe  fports 
 and  dancings  on  this  day  ?  Truly  it  fhould  be  matter  of  grief  to 
 us,  to  fee  fo  much  fabbath-profanation.  When  one  of  Darius' 
 eunuchs  faw  Alexander  fetting  his  feet  on  a  rich  table  of  Darius', 
 he  fell  a  weeping  ;  Alexander  afked  him  why  he  wept  ?  He 
 faid  it  was  to  fee  the  table  which  his  mafter  fo  highly  efteemed 
 to  be  now  made  a  foot-nool.  So  we  may  weep  to  fee  the  fab- 
 bath-day,  which  God  fo  highly  efteems,  and  hath  fo  honoured 
 and  blefied,  to  be  made  a  foot-ftool,  and  to  be  trampled  upon 
 by  the  feet  of  finners.  To  profane  the  fabbath,  is  a  fin  of  an 
 high  nature;  it  is  a  wilful  contempt  of  God  ;  it  is  not  only  a 
 caning  God's  law  behind  our  back,  but  a  trampling  it  under 
 foot.  God  faith  '  keep  the  fabbath  holy  ;*  but  men  will  pollute 
 it.  This  is  to  defpife  God,  to  hang  out  a  flag  of  defiance,  to 
 throw  down  the  gauntlet,  and  challenge  God  himfelf.  Now, 
 how  can  God  endure  to  be  thus  faucily  confronted  by  proud 
 duft?  God  will  not  fuffer  this  high  impudence  to  go  unpunifli- 
 ed.  This  will  draw  God's  curfes  upon  the  fabbath- breaker,  and 
 God's  curfe  will  blaft  where  it  comes.  No  fooner  did  Chrift 
 curfe  the  fig-tree,  but  it  withered  ;  though  the  law  of  the  land 
 lets  fabbath-breakers  alone.  To  rob  a  man  of  his  purfe,  (hall 
 be  punifhed  with  death  ;  but  to  rob  God  of  his  day,  fhall  not  be 
 punifhed  with  death.  But  God  will  take  the  matter  into  his 
 own  hand  ;  he  will  fee  after  the  punifhing  of  fabbath-violation  ; 
 and  how  doth  he  punifh  it  ? 
 
 1.  With  fpiritual  plagues.  He  gives  up  fabbath-profaners  to 
 hardnefs  of  heart,  and  a  feared  confcience.  Spiritual  judgments 
 are  foreil,  Pf.  Ixxxi.  12.  ■  So  I  gave  them  up  to  their  own 
 hearts  luus.'  A  fear  in  the  confcience  is  a  brand-mark  of  re- 
 probation. 
 
 2.  God  punifheth  this  fin  of  fabbath-breaking,  by  giving 
 them  up  to  commit  other  fins.  God,  to  revenge  the  breaking 
 of  his  fabbath,  fuffers  men  to  break  open  houfes,  and  fo  come  to 
 be  punifhed  by  the  magiilrate.  How  many  fuch  confeflions 
 have  we  heard  from  thieves  going  to  be  executed  !  they  never 
 regarded  the  fabbath,  and  fo  God  fuffered  them  to  commit 
 thofe  henious  fins,  for  which  now  they  are  to  die. 
 
 3.  God  punifheth  fabbath-breaking,  by  fudden  vifible  judg- 
 ments on  men  for  this  fin  ;  God  punifheth  them  in  their  eltates, 
 and  in  their  perfons.  One  carrying  corn  into  his  barn  on  the 
 Lord's  day,  both  houfe  and  corn  were  con  fumed  with  fire  from 
 heaven.  In  Wiltfhire  there  was  a  dancing  match  appointed 
 upon  the  Lord's  day  ;  and  one  of  the  company,  as  he  was  danc- 
 ing, fell  down  dead  fuddenly,  and  fo  was  made  a  fpectacle  of 
 God's  juftice.     The  theatre  of  God's  judgments  relates  of  one, 
 
OT  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMI 
 
 who  ufed  every  Lord's  Hay  to  hunt  in  iVrmon-time,  and  he  had 
 a  child  by  his   wife  with  an  hear!    like  a  dog,  and  it  cried  I1 
 
 ind.     His  (in  was  mooflrous,   and   it  was  punifhed  with  a 
 monftrous  birth.     The  Lord  threatened  the  J  it  it  they 
 
 mid  not  h  '"ow  the  fabbath-day,  he  would  kindle  a  '  fi 
 tb'ei  .'  Jer    xvii.  :r.     The  -:  ■  idful  Kre  which  brake  oat 
 
 in  London,  began  on  the  fabbath  day  ;  as  If  Qod  would  tell  us 
 from  heaven,  he  was  then  pumfhing  us  for  our  fabbath  profana- 
 tion. Nor  cloth  God  punilh  it  only  in  this  life  with  death,  but 
 with  damnation.  Such  as  break  God's  fabbath,  let  them 
 if  thev  can  break  thofe  chains  of  darknefs,  in  which  they  and 
 the  devils  fhall  be  held. 
 
 Uj'e  III.  It  exhorts  us  to  fabbath- hoi inefs. 
 
 1.  Make  confeience  of  keeping  this  day  holy.  The  other 
 commandments  have  only  an  affirmative  in  them,  or  a  negat:\ 
 this  fourth  commandment  hath  both  an  affirmative  in  it,  and  a 
 negative;  *  Thou  fhalt  keep  the  fabbath-day  holy,'  and  *  thou 
 fhalt  not  do  any  manner  of  work  in  it :'  to  lhew  how  carefully 
 God  would  have  us  obferve  this  day.  Not  only  mult  you  keep 
 this  day  yourlelves,  but  have  a  care  that  all  under  your  charge 
 keep  it  ;  *  thou,  and  thy  ion,  and  thy  daughter,  and  thy  man- 
 fervant,  and  thy  maid-fervant  ;'  that  is,  thou  who  art  a  fuperior, 
 a  parent,  or  a  mailer,  thou  mufl  have  a  care  that  not  only  thy- 
 i'elf  fan&ify  the  day,  but  thofe  who  are  under  thy  trulfc  and  tui- 
 tion. To  blame  are  thole  mailers  of  families,  who  are  careful 
 that  their  fervants  ferve  them,  but  have  no  care  that  they  ferve 
 God  ;  they  care  not  though  their  fervants  fhould  ferve  the  devil, 
 fo  long  as  their  bodies  do  them  fervice.  That  which  St.  Paul 
 faith  to  Timothy,  I  Tim.  vi.  20.  Serva  depofitum,  ■  Keep 
 that  which  is  committed  to  thy  trufl,'  is  of  a  large  extenfion. 
 Not  only  have  a  care  of  thy  own  foul,  but  have  a  care  of  the 
 fouls  thou  art  eul lulled  with.  See  that  they  who  are  under  thy 
 charge  fancWy  the  fabbath.  God's  law  provided,  that  if  a  man 
 met  with  an  ox  or  an  ig  ait  ray,  he  fhould  bring  him  back 
 
 again:  much  more,  when  thou  feeft  the  foul  of  thy  child  or 
 fervant  going  aftray  from  God,  and  breaking  his  fabbath,  thou 
 fhouldelt  bring  him  back  again  to  a  religious  obfervation  of  this 
 day.  Now,  that  1  may  ptefa  you  to  labbath-ianctification, 
 confider, 
 
 (1.)  God  hath  promifed  great  bleffings  to  the  ftrict.  obfervers 
 of  this  day.  1.  A  promife  of  joy.  If  this  be  a  delight,  [fa. 
 Iviii.  14.  *  Then  fhalt  thou  delight  thyfelf  in  the  Lord.'  De- 
 lighting in  God  is  both  a  duty,  Pf.  xxxvii.  4.  and  a  reward. 
 In  this  text,  it  is  a  reward,  *  Then  fhalt  thou  delight  thy  I'elf  in 
 the  Lord  :'  as  if  God  had  faid,  if  thou  keep  the  tabbath  con- 
 fcientioufly,  I  will  give  thee  that  which  will  fill  th 
 light ;  if  thou  keep  the  fabbath  willingly,  I  will  make  thee  keep 
 
454  6T  THE  TIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 it  joyfully:  I  will  give  thee  thofe  enlargements  in  duty,  and 
 that  inward  comfort,  which  (hall  abundantly  fatisfy  thee  ;  thy 
 foul  (hall  overflow  with  luch  a  (Iream  of  joy,  that  thou  fhalt 
 fay,  Lord,  in  keeping  thy  fubbath  there  is  great  rewards.  2. 
 Or  honour.  And,  ■  I  will  caufe  thee  to  ride  upon  the  high 
 places  of  the  earth.'  That  is,  I  will  advance  thee  to  honour, 
 afcendere  faciam  ;  So  Munfter  interprets  it.  Some,  by  the  high 
 places  of  the  earth,  underitand  Judea  :  SoGrotius,  I  will  bring 
 thee  into  the  land  of  Judea,  which  is  higher  fituated  than  the 
 other  countries  adjacent.  3.  Of  earth  and  heaven,  '  And  I 
 will  feed  thee  with  the  heritage  of  Jacob  ;'  that  is,  I  will  feed 
 thee  with  all  the  delicious  things  of  Canaan,  and  afterwards  III 
 trantlate  thee  to  heaven,  whereof  Canaan  was  but  a  type.— 
 And  another  promiie,  Ifa.  lvi.  2.  '  BkiTed  is  the  man  that 
 doth  this,  that  keepeth  thefabbath  from  polluting  it.'  *  BleiTed 
 is  the  man  ;'  in  the  Hebrew,  it  is,  bleiiednets.  To  him  that 
 keeps  the  fabbath  holy,  here  is  bleffednefs  upon  bleflednefs  be- 
 longs to  him  ;  he  fliall  be  blefTed  with  the  upper  and  nether 
 fprings  ;  he  (hall  be  bleiled  in  his  name,  eftate,  foul,  progeny* 
 Who  would  not  keep  this  fabbath  from  polluting  it,  that  fliall 
 have  fo  many  bleffings  entailed  upon  him  and  his  pofterity  after 
 him  ? 
 
 (2.)  A  confcientious  keeping  the  fabbath,  feafons  the  heart 
 for  God's  fervice  all  the  week  after.  Chriftian,  the  more  holy 
 thou  art  on  a  fabbath,  the  more  hcly  thou  wilt  be  on  the  week: 
 following. 
 
 OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 Exod.  xx.  12.  Honour  thy  Father  and  thy  Mother:  that  thy 
 Days  may  be  long  upon  the  Land  which  the  Lord  thy  God 
 giveth  thee. 
 
 Having  done  with  the  firft  table,  I  am  next  to  fpeak 
 of  the  duties  of  the  fecond  table.  The  commandments  may  be 
 likened  to  Jacob's  ladder ;  the  firft  table,  as  the  top  of  his  lad- 
 der, reacheth  to  heaven  ;  it  refpecls  God  :  the  fecond  table,  as 
 the  foot  of  the  ladder,  reds  on  the  earth  :  it  refpe6ts  fuperiors 
 and  inferiors.  By  the  firit  table,  we  walk  religioufly  towards, 
 God  ;  by  the  fecond,  we  walk  religioufly  towards  man.  He 
 cannot  be  good  in  the  firft  table  that  is  bad  in  the  fecond.* 
 *  Honour  thy  father  and  thy  mother.' 
 
 In  this,  fcl.J  A  command*    ■  Honour  thy  father  and  tby 
 mother.' 
 
OP  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMFJT.  455 
 
 (9.)  A  reafon  annexed  to  it,  ■  That  thy  days  may  be  lonj  in 
 the  land/ 
 
 I.  The  command,   *  Honour  thy  father.' 
 
 Qu.    Who  is  meant  here  bo  father  f 
 
 Anf.  Father  is  taken  feveril  ways;  the  political,  ancient, 
 fpintual,  (economical,  natural. 
 
 I.  The  political  father,  the  magiflratc.  He  is  the  father  of 
 his  country  ;  he  is  to  be  an  encourager  of  virtue,  a  punifher  of 
 vice,  a  father  to  the  widow  and  orphan  :  fuch  a  father  was 
 Job,  ch.  xxix.  id,  ■  1  was  a  father  to  the  poor,  and  the  caufe 
 which  1  knew  not,  I  fattened  out.'  And,  as  magiftrates  are 
 fathers,  lb  efpecially  the  king,  who  is  the  head  of  magiftrates, 
 is  a  political  father  :  he  is  placed  as  the  fun  among  the  leil'cr 
 ftars.  The  fcripture  calls  kings  •  father,'  Ha.  xlix.  33.  *  Kingi 
 fhall  be  thy  nurfing  fathers.*  They  are  to  nurfe  up  their  fub- 
 jecls  in  piety,  by  their  good  edicts  and  examples  ;  and  to  nurfe 
 them  up  in  peace  and  plenty.  Such  nurfing  fathers  were  Da- 
 vid, Hezekiah,  Jofiah,  Conltantine,  Theodofius.  It  is  happy 
 for  a  people  who  have  fuch  nurfing  fathers,  whofe  breafls  nurfe 
 comfort  to  their  children.  Thefe  fathers  are  to  be  honoured  ; 
 for, 
 
 (I.)  Their  places  deferve  honour,  God  hath  fet  thefe  political 
 fathers  to  preferve  order  and  harmony  in  a  nation,  and  to  pre- 
 vent thofe  ftate-convulfions,  which  oiherwife  might  enfue, 
 Judges  xvii.  6\  When  there  was  no  king  in  Ifrael,  every  man 
 did  that  which  was  right  in  his  own  eyes.  A  wonder,  Prov. 
 xxx.  27. 
 
 (9.)  God  hath  promoted  kings,  that  they  may  promote  juf- 
 tice.  As  they  have  a  fword  in  their  hand,  to  fignify  their 
 power  ;  fo  a  fceptre,  an  emblem  ofjuitice.  It  is  Paid  of  Mar- 
 cus Aurelius,  emperor,  that  he  allotted  one  hour  of  the  day  to 
 hear  the  complaints  ol  fuch  as  were  opprefled.  Kings  place 
 judges  as  cherubims  about  the  throne,  for  diitribution  ofjuitice. 
 Tin  le  political  fathers  are  to  be  honoured  ;  *  Honour  the  king,* 
 1  Pet.  li.  17.  And  this  honour  is  to  be  Ihewn  by  a  civil  refpect 
 to  their  perfons,  and  a  cheerful  fubmiflion  to  their  laws,  fo  far 
 as  they  atjree  and  run  parallel  with  God's  law.  Kings  are  to 
 be  prayed  tor,  which  is  a  part  of  that  honour  we  give  them, 
 1  Tim.  ii.  I.  •  I  exhort  that  fup plications,  prayers,  intercef- 
 fious,  be  made  for  kings,  that  we  may  lead  a  quiet,  peaceable 
 life  under  tin  m,  in  all  godlinefs  and  honelty.'  We  are  to  pray 
 for  kings,  that  God  would  honour  them  to  be  bleffings,  that 
 under  them  we  may  enjoy  the  golpel  of  peace,  and  the  peace  of 
 the  gofpel.  How  happy  was  the  reign  of  Noma  Pompilius, 
 when  the  fwords  were  beaten  into  plough  (hares,  and  the  bees 
 made  their  hives  of  t he  ibldiers  helmet 
 
 Secondly,  There  is  the  grave  ancient  father,  who  is  venerable 
 
456  OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 for  old  age  ;  whofe  grey  hairs  are  refembled  to  the  white  flowers 
 of  the  almond-tree,  Eccl.  xii.  5.  Thefe  are  fathers  i'or  fenioriti/, 
 on  whole  wrinkled  brows,  and  in  the  furrows  of  whole  cheeks 
 is  pictured  the  map  of  old  age.  Thefe  fathers  are  to  be  honoured, 
 Lev.  xix.  32.  *  Thou  fhalt  rife  up  before  the  hoary  head,  and 
 honour  the  face  of  the  old  man.'  Efpecially,  thole  are  to  be 
 honoured  who  are  fathers  not  only  for  their  feniority,  but  their 
 piety  ;  whole  fouls  are  flourifhing,  when  their  bodies  are  a  de- 
 caying. 'Tis  a  blelfed  fight  to  fee  fprings  of  grace  in  the  au- 
 tumn of  old  age  ;  to  fee  men  Hooping  towards  the  grave,  yet 
 going  up  the  hill  of  God  ;  to  fee  them  loie  their  colour,  yet 
 keep  their  favour.  Such,  whofe  filver  hairs  are  crowned  with 
 righteoufnefs,  are  worthy  of  double  honour  :  they  are  to  be  ho- 
 noured, not  only  as  pieces  of  antiquity,  but  as  patterns  of  vir- 
 tue. If  you  fee  an  old  man  fearing  God,  whofe  grace '(bines 
 brighteit  when  the  fun  of  his  life  is  letting,  O  honour  him  as  a 
 father,  by  reverencing  and  imitating  him. 
 
 Thirdly,  There  are  fpiritual  fathers,  as  pajiors  and  minijiers. 
 Thefe  are  the  inftruments  of  the  New-birth,  t  Cor.  iv.  1  d. 
 '  Though  ye  have  ten  thoufand  inftru£tors,  yet  have  ye  not  many 
 fathers ;  for  in  Chrift  Jefus  I  have  begotten  you  through  the 
 gofpel.'     The  fpiritual  fathers  are  to  be  honoured, 
 
 1.  In  refpe6l  of  their  office.  Whatever  their  perfons  are, 
 their  office  is  honourable  ;  they  are  the  '  Mefiengers  of  the  Lord 
 of  Hofts,'  Mai.  ii.  7-  They  reprefent  no  lefs  than  God  him- 
 i'elf,  2  Cor.  v.  20.  *  Now  then  we  are  ambaffadors  for  Chrift." 
 Jefus  Chrift  was  of  this  calling  ;  he  had  his  million  and  fanction 
 from  heaven,  John  viii.  IS.  and  this  crowns  the  minifterial  call- 
 ing with  honour. 
 
 2.  Minifters,  thefe  fpiritual  fathers,  are  to  be  '  honoured  for 
 their,  work^s  fake;'  they  come,  like  the  dove,  with  an  olive 
 branch  in  their  mouth:  they  ■  preach  glad  tidings  of  peace  :* 
 their  work  is  *  to  fave  fouls.'  Other  callings  have  only  to  do 
 with  men's  bodies  or  eftates,  but  the  minifter's  calling  is  em- 
 ployed about  the  fouls  of  men.  Their  work  is  to  redeem  fpiri- 
 tual captives,  and  turn  men  *  from  the  power  of  Satan  to  God,' 
 Acts  xxvi.  10.  Their  work  is  ■  to  enlighten  them  who  fit  in  the 
 region  of  darknels,'  and  make  them  (hine  as  liars  in  the  '  king- 
 dom of  heaven.'  Thefe  fpiritual  fathers  are  to  be  'honoured 
 for  their  work's  fake,'  and  this  honour  is  to  be  fliewn  three 
 ways, 
 
 1.  By  giving  them  refpeel,  1  ThefT.  v.  12.  *  Know  them 
 which  labour  among  you,  and  are  over  you  in  the  Lord,  and 
 efteem  them  very  highly  in  love  for  their  work's  fake.'  I  con- 
 fefs  thefcandalous  lives  of  fome  minifters,  have  been  a  great  re^ 
 proach,  and  have  made  the  ■  offering  of  the  Lord  to  be  abhorred 
 in  fome  places  of  the  land.'     The  leper  in  the  law  was  to  hav$ 
 
OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT.  457 
 
 his  li|>  covered  ;  fuch  as  are  in  gel  I  by  office,  but  lopers  in  their 
 
 Uvea,  ought  to  have  their  lips  covered,  and  to  be  filenced,    But 
 
 though  fomedefenre  *  no  honour,'  yet  Inch  as  are  faithful,  and 
 
 in  ik t-  ir  their  work  to  briug  (bull  t* >  Clnili,  are  to  be  reverenced 
 
 fpiritual  fathers.      Obadiah  honoured   the  prophet   Elijah, 
 
 1  Kings  xviii.  17.     Why  did  God  reckon  the  tribe  of  Levi  for 
 
 the  Mrdborn?  Numb.  iii.  1-.     Why  did  he  appoint  that  tba 
 
 prince  lboulcl  afk  counfel  of  God  by  the  pried?   Numb,  xxvii. 
 
 VI.     Why  did  the  Lord  (hew,  by  that  miracle  of  ■  Aaron's  rod 
 
 flourifliing,'  that  he  had  chofen  the  tribe  of  *  Levi  to  miniftef 
 
 before  him?'   Numb,   xvii.     Why  doth  Chrift  call  his  apoflles 
 
 1  the  light  of  the  world  ?'  Why  doth  he  lay  to  all  his  mimfters, 
 
 •  Lo,  I  am  with  yon  to  the  end  of  the  world  ;'  but  becaufe  he 
 
 would  have  thefe  fpiritual  fathers  reverenced  ?  In  ancient  times 
 
 the  Egyptians  chofe  their  kings  out  of  their  priefts.     They  are 
 
 far  from  (hewing  this  refped  and  honour  to  their  fpiritual  fathers, 
 
 who  have  flight  thoughts  of  fuch  as  have  the  charge  of  the  fane- 
 
 tuary,  and  do  mimfter  before  the  Lord.     Know  them,  faith  the 
 
 apoltle,   ■  which  labour  among  you.'     Many  can  be  content  to 
 
 know  their  minilKrs  in  their  infirmities,  and  are  glad  when  they 
 
 have  any  thing  againft  them  ;  but  do  not  know  them  in  the 
 
 apoftle's  fenfe,   fo  as  to  give  them  '  double  honour/     Surely, 
 
 were  it  not  for  the  miniftry,  you  would  not  be  a  vineyard,  but  a 
 
 defart:  were  it  not  for  the  miniftry,  you  would  be  deftitute  of 
 
 the  two  feals  of  the  covenant,    baptifm  and  the  Lord's  tupper; 
 
 you  would  be  infidels  ;   ■  For  faith  comes  by  hearing  ;  and  how 
 
 ihall  they  hear  without  a  preacher,'  Rom.  x.  14. 
 
 c2.  Honour  the  minifters,  thefe  fpiritual  fathers,  by  becoming 
 advocates  for  them,  and  wiping  oft' thole  flanders  and  calumnies 
 which  are  unjuftly  caft  upon  them,  1  Tim.  v.  19.  Conftantine 
 was  a  great  honourer  of  the  miniftry  ;  he  vindicated  them  ;  he 
 would  not  read  the  envious  accufations  brought  in  againft  them, 
 but  did  burn  them.  Do  the  minillers  open  their  mouths  to 
 God  for  you  in  prayer,  and  will  not  you  open  your  mouths  in 
 their  behalf?  Surely,  if  they  labour  to  preferve  you  from  hell, 
 you  (hould  preferve  them  irom  (lander ;  if  they  labour  to  fave 
 your  ibuls,  you  ought  to  fave  their  credit. 
 
 3.  Honour  them,  by  conforming  to  their  doctrine.  This  is 
 the  greateft  honour  you  can  put  upon  your  fpiritual  fathers,  by 
 believing  and  obeying  their  doctrine.  He  is  an  honourer  of  the 
 miniltry,  who  is  not  only  an  hearer,  but  a  follower  of  the  word. 
 As  dilbbedience  reproacheth  the  miniftry,  lb  obedience  honour- 
 eth  it.  The  apollle  calls  the  ThefTalonians  his  crown,  L  Then". 
 ii.  19.  '  What  is  our  crown  of  rejoicing,  are  not  ye?'  A  thriv- 
 ing people  are  a  minifter's  crown,  when  there  is  a  metamorphofe-, 
 a  change  wrought:  people  came  to  the  word  proud,  but  they 
 go  away  humble  ;  they  came  earthly,  but  they  go  away  heaven* 
 Vol.  I.  No.  10-  3  M 
 
453  Or  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 ]y  ;  they  came,  as  Naaman  to  Jordan,  lepers  ;  but  they  go  away 
 healed.  This  is  an  honour  to  the  miniftry,  2  Cor.  iii.  1. 
 •  Need  we,  as  Tome  others,  epiftles  of  commendation  ?'  Though 
 other  minifters  might  need  letters  of  commendation,  yet  Paul 
 needed  none  :  for,  when  men  fhould  hear  of  the  obedience  of 
 thele  Corinthians,  which  was  wrought  in  them  by  Paul's  preach- 
 ing ;  this  was  a  fufficient  certificate  for  him,  that  God  had 
 bleffed  his  labours.  The  Corinthians  were  a  fuftkient  honour 
 to  him  ;  they  were  his  letters-tellimonial.  You  cannot  honour 
 your  fpiritual  fathers  more,  than  by  thriving  under  their  miniftry, 
 and  living  upon  thofe  fermons  which  they  preach. 
 
 Fourthly,  There  is  the  ccconomieal  father,  that  is,  the  mailer: 
 he  is  pater  jamilias,  the  father  of  the  family  ;  therefore  Naaman's 
 Servants  called  their  mafter,  father,  2  Kings  v.  13.  And  the 
 centurion  calls  his  fervant,  fon,  Matth.  viii.  6.  The  fervant  is 
 to  honour  his  mafter,  as  the  father  of  the  family.  Tho'  the 
 rnafier  be  not  fo  exactly  qualified  as  he  mould  ;  yet  the  fervant 
 mutt  not  neglect  his  duty,  but  (hew  fome  kind  of  honour  to 
 him. 
 
 (1.)  In  obeying  his  mafter  in  Ileitis  §  honefiis,  in  things  that 
 are  lawful  and  honeft,  1  Pet.  ii.  18.  '  Servants,  be  fubjeel:  to 
 your  matters  ;  not  only  to  the  good  and  gentle,  but  alfo  to  the 
 iroward.'  God  hath  no  where  given  a  charter  of  exemption  to 
 free  you  from  your  duty.  You  cannot  difobey  your  earthly 
 mafter,  but  you  difobey  your  mafter  in  heaven.  Think  not  that 
 birth,  or  high  parts,  no,  nor  yet  your  grace  will  exempt  you 
 from  obedience  to  your  mafter:  to  obey  him,  is  an  ordinance 
 of  God ;  and  the  apoftle  faith,  •  Whofoever  refifteth  the 
 ordinance,  (hall  receive  to  themfelves  damnation,'  Rom.  xiii.  2. 
 
 (9.)  The  fervant's  honouring  of  his  mafter,  (bis  ceconomical 
 father)  is  feen  in  being  diligent  in  his  fervice.  Apelles  painted 
 a  fervant  with  his  hands  full  of  tools,  an  emblem  of  diligence. 
 The  loitering  fervant  is  a  kind  of  thief ;  though  he  doth  not 
 fteal  from  his  matter's  goods,  yet  he  fteals  that  time  which  he 
 (hould  have  employed  in  his  mafter' s  fervice.  The  flothful  fer- 
 vant is  called  a  *  wicked  fervant,'  Matth.  xxv.  26. 
 
 (3.)  The  fervant  is  to  honour  his  mafter,  who  is  his  family- 
 father,  by  being  faithful,  Matth.  xxiv.  45.  '  Who  then  is  a 
 faithful  and  wife  lervant  ?'  Faithfulnefs  is  the  chief  thing  in  a 
 fervant.  This  faithfulnefs  in  a  fervant  is  feen  in  fix  things  ;  IJi, 
 In  tenaeiovfnejs  in  concealing  the  lecrets  your  mafter  hath  in- 
 trufted  you  with  :  If  thofe  fecrets  are  not  fins,  you  ought  to 
 prom  if  e  privacy.  What  is  whifpered  in  your  ear  you  are  not  to 
 publifii  on  the  houfe-top  ;  fuch  fervants  are  fpies.  Who  would 
 keep  a  glafs  that  is  cracked  ?  who  would  keep  a  fervant  that  has 
 a  crack  in  his  brain,  and  cannot  keep  a  fecret  ?  2dlyt  Faithful- 
 
OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT,  459 
 
 nefs  in  a  fervant  is  feen  in  de/ignmg  the  matter*!  advantage.  A 
 faithful  fervant  elteems  his  mailer' a  good  as  Ins  own.  Such  it 
 good  fervant  had  Abraham  ;  when  bis  matter  fent  him  to  tranl- 
 acl  bufinefs  lor  him,  he  wu>  a 9 careful  about  it,  as  if  it  bad  t> 
 his  own,  Geo.  xxiv.  12.  *  O  Lord  God  of  my  matter  Abraham, 
 I  pray  thee  fend  me  good  fpeed  this  day,  and  (hew  kind, 
 unto  my  matter  Abraham.'  DoubtlelV  Abraham's  fervant  was 
 as  glad  he  had  got  a  wife  for  his  matter's  ion,  as  if  he  bad 
 a  wife  for  himfelf.  3c//y,  Faithiulnefs  in  a  fervant  is  feen  in 
 Jtanding  up  for  the  honour  of  his  mailer.  When  iie  hears  him 
 fpoken  againlt,  he  mult  vindicate  him.  As  the  mailer  is  care- 
 ful of  the  fervant* 8  body,  lb  the  fervant  fliould  be  careful  of  the 
 mailer's  name:  when  the  mailer  is  unjullly  reproached,  the 
 fervant  cannot  be  excufed  if  he  he  poffelfed  with  a  dumb  devil. 
 Athly,  Faithfulnefs  is,  when  a  fervant  "  is  true  to  his  word." 
 He  dares  not  tell  a  lie,  but  will  fpealc  the  truth,  though  it  he 
 againlt  himfelf.  A  lie  doubles  the  fin,  Pfal.  ci.  7.  *  lie  that 
 telleth  lies,  (hall  not  tarry  in  my  light.'  A  liar  is  near  a  kin  to 
 the  devil,  John  viii.  44.  And  who  would  let  any  of  the  devil's 
 kindred  live  with  him?  The  lie  that  Gehazi  told  his  mailer 
 Ehfha,  entailed  leprofy  on  Gehazi  and  his  feed  forever,  c2  Kings 
 v.  C2C2.  A  faithful  fervant,  his  tongue  is  the  true  index  of  his 
 heart,  bthly,  Faithfulnefs  is,  when  a  fervant  is  againlt  impro- 
 priation. He  dares  not  convert  his  mailer's  goods  to  his  own 
 ufe,  Tit.  ii.  10.  '  Not  purloining.'  What  a  iervant  filchetli 
 from  his  mafter,  is  damnable  gain. — The  iervant  whoenricheth 
 himfelf  by  Healing  from  his  mafter,  ilurleth  his  pillow  with 
 thorns,  and  his  head  will  lie  very  uneafy  when  he  comes  to  die. 
 tjthly,  Faithfulnefs  is  in  preierving  the  mailer's  perfon,  if  un- 
 jullly in  danger.  Bannilter,  who  betrayed  his  mailer  the  Duke 
 of  Buckingham,  in  King  Richard  the  Third's  reign  ;  it  is  re- 
 markable how  the  judgments  of  God  befel  that  traiterous  fervant : 
 his  eldelt  fon  ran  mad  :  his  daughter,  of  a  Angular  beauty,  was 
 fuddenly  itruck  with  leprofy  ;  his  younger  ion  was  drowned, 
 and  he  himfelf  arraigned,  and  had  been  executed,  had  he  not 
 been  laved  by  his  clergy.  That  iervant  who  is  not  true  to  his 
 mailer,  will  never  be  true  to  God  or  his  own  foul. 
 
 (4.)  The  fervant  is  to  honour  his  mailer,  by  ferving  him,  as 
 with  love  (for  willingnefs  is  more  than  the  work)  fo  with  filence, 
 that  is,  without  repining,  and  without  replying,  Tit.  ii.  9, 
 *  Exhort  fervants  to  be  obedient  to  their  mailers,  notanfwering 
 again,'  Gr.  M  not  giving  crois  anfwers."  Some  fervants  are 
 quick  atfpeech,  though  flow  at  work ;  and  initead  of  being  lorry 
 for  a  fault,  they  provoke  by  unbecoming  language;  were  the 
 heart  m  ve  hum  >!e,  the  tongue  would  be  more  filent.  They 
 are  the  ap  >ftle's  woi  !  ,  *  not  anlV/ering  again.'  And  to  thole 
 fervant  who  du  tour  tli    i  mailers,  or  family-fathers, 
 
 3  M  J 
 
460  Or  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 by  fubmiflion,  diligence,  faith  fulnefs,  love,  and  humble  filenee, 
 for  their  encouragement  let  them  take  that,  '  Servants,  obey  in 
 all  things  your  matters,  according  to  the  flefh,  not  with  eye- 
 fervice,  knowing  that  of  the  Lord  ye  (hall  receive  the  reward  of 
 the  inheritance,  for  ye  ferve  the  Lord  Chrift,'  Col.  iii.  24.  In 
 ierving  your  mafters,  you  ferve  Chrilt,  and  he  will  not  let  you 
 Jole  your  labour,  ye  mall  receive  the  ■  reward  of  the  inheritance.* 
 From  ferving  on  earth,  you  mall  be  taken  up  to  reign  in  heaven, 
 and  (hall  fit  with  Chrilt  upon  his  throne,  Rev.  iii.  21. 
 
 iu«®rjiiii  ••• 
 
 Exod.  xx.   12.     Honour  thy  Father  and  thy  Mother,  &c. 
 
 If  we  are  not  juft,  we  cannot  be  holy. —Having  fliewn 
 you  how  fervants  are  to  honour  their  matters,  the  fathers  of 
 families  ;  I  (hall  next  fhew  how  matters  are  to  carry  it  towards 
 their  fervants,  that  they  may  gain  honour  from  them. 
 
 1.  In  general,  mafters  mult  remember  that  they  have  a  mafter 
 in  heaven,  who  will  call  them  to  account,  Eph.  vi.  9.  *  Know- 
 ing that  your  Matter  alio  is  in  heaven.' 
 
 2.  More  particularly. 
 
 (1.)  Mafters  mutt  have  a  care  to  provide  for  their  fervants  : 
 as  they  cut  them  out  work,  fo  they  muft  give  them  their  meat 
 in  due  feafon,  Luke  xvii.  7-  And  the  food  mould  be  wholforae 
 and  fufficing.  It  is  an  unworthy  thing  in  fome  governors  of 
 families,  to  lay  out  fo  much  upon  their  own  back,  as  to  pinch 
 their  fervants*  bellies. 
 
 (-2.)  Mafters  ihould  encourage  their  fervants  in  their  work, 
 by  commending  them  when  they  do  well :  though  a  matter  is 
 to  tell  a  fervant  of  his  faults,  yet  he  is  not  always  to  beat  upon 
 one  itring,  but  fometimes  take  notice  of  that  which  is  praife- 
 worthy.  This  makes  a  fervant  more  cheerful  in  his  work,  and 
 gains  the  matter  love  from  his  fervant. 
 
 (3.)  Matters  mutt  not  overburden  their  fervants,  but  propor- 
 tion their  work  to  their  ftrength  ;  if  you  lay  too  much  load  on 
 a  fervant  he  will  faint  under  it.  Chriltianity  teacheth  com* 
 pallion. 
 
 (4.)  Matters  mutt  endeavour  the  fpirituai  good  of  their  fer- 
 vants, they  muft  be  ieraphims  to  kindle  their  love  to  religion  ; 
 they  mult  be  monitors  to  put  them  in  mind  of  their  fouls,  they 
 mult  bring  them  to  *  the  pool  of  the  lanCtuary,  waiting  till  the 
 angel  ltir  the  waters,*  John  v.  4.  They  muft  feek  God  for 
 them,  that  their  fervants  may  be  his  fervants ;  they  mutt  allow 
 them  time  convenient  for  fecret  devotion.  Some  mailers  are 
 cruel  to  the  fouls  of  their  fervants,  they  look  that  they  do  their 
 
of  thf.  rum  COM  BAH 
 
 work  about  the  boufe,  hut  abridge  them  of  time  they  fhould 
 employ  in  wo  it  Gil  vat  ion. 
 
 (j.)  Mailers  mould  ufe  mild  gentle  behaviour  towards  f»r- 
 vauis,  Eph.  vi.  <>.  4  Forbearing  tin.  ,    L.v.  jcjcv.  i  ;. 
 
 *  Thou  (halt  not  rule  over  him  with  rigour,  but  (tar  th\  God.1 
 It  requires  wifdora  in  a  mailer  to  know  how  t<>  keep  up  his  m- 
 thority,  yet   lay  down   his  auiterity  :   we  haw 
 write  after;  our    .Mailer  in  heaven  is  *  flow  I  ,  and  of 
 
 great  mercy,'  Plal.  cxlv.  8.  Some  mailers  are  lbharlh  and  im- 
 placable, that  tiny  are  eoougb  to  fpoil  a  good  tenant. 
 
 (t>.)  Be  very  exact  and  punctual  in  the  compacts  and  agree- 
 ments you  make  with  your  tenants  ;  do  not  prevaricate,  Keep 
 not  back  any  of  their  wages,  nor  deal  deceitfully  with  them,  as 
 Laban  did   with  Jacob,   *  cli  ,    Gen.  xxxi.  7. 
 
 Faifenefs  in  promile  is  as  bad  as  faife  v. 
 
 (7.)   Be  careful  of  your  I  not  only  in  health  but  in 
 
 ficknefs.  They  have  got  their  iicknefs  in  your  fervice  ;  ufe  what 
 means  you  can  for  their  recovery;  be  not  like  the  Amah  kite, 
 '  who  foribok  his  fervant  when  he  was  Tick,'  1  Sam.  xxx.  13. 
 but  be  as  the  good  centurion,  who  kept  his  lick  fervant,  and 
 fought  to  Chriit  for  a  cure,  Mat.  viii.  o\  If  you  have  a  bead 
 that  falls  fick,  you  will  not  turn  it  oif,  but  have  it  looked  to,  and 
 pay  for  its  cure  ;  will  you  be  kinder  to  your  horfesthan  to  your 
 iervants?  Thus  fhould  mailers  (the  fathers  of  the  family)  carry 
 themfelves  prudently  and  pioully,  that  they  may  gain  honour 
 from  their  fervants,  and  may  give  up  their  accounts  to  God  witli 
 
 j°y- 
 
 Fifthly,  The  natural  father,  the  father  of  the  flefh,  Heb.  xii. 
 J).  *  Honour  thy  natural  father.'  'J  'his  is  fo  necetiary  a  duty, 
 that  Philo  the  Jew  placed  the  fifth  commandment  in  the  firft 
 table,  as  though  we  had  not  performed  our  whole  duty  to  G 
 till  we  had  paid  this  debt  of  honour  to  our  natural  parents. 
 Children  are  the  vineyard  of  the  parent's  planiin.;  ;  and  honour 
 done  to  the  parent  is  lbme  of  the  fruit  of  the  vineyard. 
 
 Qu.  W herein  are  children  to  jhew  their  honour  to  their  pa- 
 rents $ 
 
 Anf.  1.  In  a  reverential  efteem  of  their  perfons :  they  muft 
 "  give  them  a  civil  veneration."  Therefore  when  the  apolile 
 fpeaks  of  fathers  of  our  bodies,  he  ipeaks  alio  of  *  giving  them 
 reverence,'  Heb.  xii.  y.  This  veneration  or  reverence  mull  be 
 ftiewn, 
 
 1.  Inwardly,  by  fear  mixed  with  love.  Lev.  xix.  3.  '  Ye 
 fhall  fear  every  man  his  mother  and  his  lather.'  In  the  com- 
 mandment the  father  is  named  tint,  here  the  mother  is  named 
 firit,  (I.)  Partly  to  put  the  honour  upon  her  the  mother,  be- 
 caule,  by  reafon  of  many  weaknclles  incident  to  her  lex,  (lie  is 
 apt  to  be  more  flighted  by  children.     And,  (3.)  Partly,  becaule 
 
462  OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 the  mother  endures  more  for  the  child  ;  therefore,  here  God 
 give:-;  the  mother  the  priority,  names  her  firfti  *  Ye  (hall  fear 
 every  one  his  mother  and  his  father.' 
 
 2.  Reverence  mult  be  (hewn  to  parents  outwardly,  vix.  In 
 word  and  gefture. 
 
 ( 1 . )  In  word  :  and  that  either  in  fpeaking  to  parents,  or  fpeak- 
 ing  of  them. 
 
 Firft,  Reverence  in  (peaking  to  parents  :  children  mud  fpeak 
 to  parent  refpeeifully,  and  in  decent  language,  1  Kings  ii. 
 20.  *  Aik  on,  my  mother,'  faid  king  Solomon  to  his  mother 
 Bathfheba. 
 
 Secondly,  Reverence  in  fpeaking  of  parents :  children  muft 
 fpeak  of  their  parents  honourably  ;  they  ought  to  fpeak  well  of 
 them,  if  they  deferve  well,  Pro?,  xxxi.  28.  *  Her  children  rife 
 up,  and  call  hei  bkiied.'  And,  in  cafe  a  parent  bewrays  weak- 
 nefsand  indilcretion,  the  child  fhould  make  the  bell  of  it,  and, 
 by  his  wife  apologies  for  his  father,  cover  his  father's  nakednefs. 
 
 (2.)  In  Gefture.  Children  are  to  lhew  their  reverence  to  their 
 parents  by  fubmifiive  behaviour,  by  uncovering  the  head  ;  bend- 
 ing the  knee.  Jofeph,  though  he  was  a  great  prince,  and  his 
 father  grown  poor,  yet  he  bowed  to  him,  and  behaved  himfelf 
 as  humbly,  as  if  his  father  had  been  the  prince  and  he  the  poor 
 man,  Gen.  xlviii.  46.  And  king  Solomon,  ■  when  his  mother 
 came  to  him,  role  off  his  throne,  and  bowed  himfelf  to  her,' 
 1  Kings  ii.  19.  Among  the  Lacedemonians,  if  a  child  had 
 carried  himfelf  arrogantly  or  faucily  to  his  father,  it  was  lawful 
 for  the  father  to  appoint  whom  he  would  to  be  his  heir.  O 
 how  many  children  are  far  from  this,  giving  reverence  to  their 
 parents!  they  delpife  their  parents  ;  they  carry  themfelveswitbi 
 that  pride  and  malapertnefs  towards  them,  that  they  are  a 
 ihame  to  religion,  and  bring  their  parents'  gray  hairs  with  for- 
 row  to  the  grave,  Deut.  xvii.  R>.  ■  Curfed  be  he  that  fetteth 
 light  by  his  father  or  his  mother.'  If  all  that  fet  light  by  their 
 parents  are  curfed,  how  many  children  in  our  age  are  under 
 a  curfe  !  If  fuch  as  are  difrefpeclful  to  their  parents  live  to  have 
 children,  they  will  be  thorns  in  their  fides,  and  God  will  make 
 them  read  their  fins  in  their  punifhment. 
 
 II.  The  fecond  way  of  (hewing  honour  to  parents,  is  in  care- 
 ful obedience,  Col.  iii.  20.  *  Children,  obey  your  parents  in  all 
 things.'  Our  Lord  Chrift  herein  fet  a  pattern  to  children, 
 Luke  ii.  52.  '  He  was  fubjecl  to  his  parents.'  He  to  whom 
 angels  were  fubject,  yet  was  fubjecl:  to  his  parents.  This  obe- 
 dience to  parents  is  ihewn  three  ways ; 
 
 (1.)  In  hearkening  to  their  counfel,  Prov.  i.  8.  Hear  the  in- 
 ftru6tion  of  thy  father,  and  foriake  not  the  law  of  thy  mother.' 
 Parents  are,  as  it  were,  in  the  room  of  God  ;  if  they  would 
 
Or  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT.  463 
 
 teach  you  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  yon  mull  linen  to  their  word> 
 md  not  be  as  the  deaf  adder,  to  ftop  your  cirs. 
 Efi's  (ens  hearkened  not  to  the  voice  of  their  father,  I  Sam. 
 ii.  £5.  but  they  were  called  *  fons  of  Belial,'  \vr.  ii,  —  And 
 children  mnft  hearken  to  the  counfi  I  of  their  parents,  as  m  fpi- 
 ritual  matters,  lb  in  other  alrairs  which  relate  to  t his  life  ;  asm 
 the  choice  of  a  calling,  and  in  cafe  of  entering  into  marriaf 
 Jacob  would  not  dil'jjole  of  himfelf  in  marriage  (though  he  a 
 forty  years  old),  without  the  advice  and  COD  Cent  of  his  parents, 
 Gen.  xxviii.  1,  %  Children  are  as  it  were  the  parent's  proper 
 goods  and  poli'eflTion,  and  it  is  high  injuftice  in  a  child  to  give 
 away  heifelf  without  the  parents'  leave.'  If  parents  ihould  in- 
 deed counfel  a  child  to  match  with  one  that  is  irreligious  or  po- 
 pilh,  I  think  the  cafe  is  plain,  and  many  of  the  learned  are  of 
 Opinion,  that  here  the  child  may  have  a  negative  voice,  and  is 
 not  obliged  to  be  ruled  by  the  parent.  Children  are  to  *  marry 
 in  the  Lord,'  1  Cor.  viii.  oO.  There  fore  not  with  perfons  irre- 
 ligious, for  that  is  not  to  marry  in  the  Lord. 
 
 (2.)  Obedience  to  parents  is  fliewn  in  fubferibing  to  their 
 commands.  A  child  ihould  be  the  parent's  echo  :  when  the 
 father  fpeaks,  the  child  fliould  echo  back  obedience.  The  Re- 
 chabites  were  forbidden  by  their  father  to  drink  wine,  and  they 
 did  obey  him,  and  were  commended  for  it,  Jer.  xxxv.  G.  And 
 children  mult  obey  their  parents  in  all  things,  Col.  iii.  20. 
 Things  that  are  more  againlt  the  grain,  and  which  they  have 
 fome  relu&ance  to ;  yet  they  mult  obey  their  parents.  Efau 
 would  obey  his  father,  when  he  commanded  him  to  fetch  him 
 venilbn,  becaufe  it  is  probable  betook  pleafure  in  hunting;  but 
 refuted  to  obey  him  in  a  matter  of  greater  concernment,  name- 
 ly, in  the  choice  of  a  wife.  But  though  children  mult  obey 
 their  parents  *  in  all  things/  yet  reftritgitwr  ad  licita  et  honef* 
 ta,  it  is  with  this  limitation,  "  thiugsjutt  and  honelt."  *  Obey 
 in  the  Lord,'  Eph.  vi.  1.  that  in  ib  far  as  the  commands  of  pa- 
 rents agree  with,  and  are  conionant  to  God's  commands.  If 
 they  command  againft  God,  then  they  loi'e  their  right  of  being 
 obeyed,  but  in  this  cafe  we  mult  unchild  ourlelves. 
 
 3.  Honour  is  to  be  ihewn  to  parents,  jn  relieving  their 
 wants.  Jofeph  cheriflied  bis  father  in  his  old  a^e,  Gen.  xlvii. 
 12.  It  is  but  paying  the  jult  debt.  Parents  have  brought  up 
 children  when  they  were  young,  and  children  ought  to  nourifh 
 their  parents  when  they  are  old.  The  young  dorks,  by  the  in- 
 ftin6l  of  nature,  bring  meat- to  the  old  dorks,  when  by  reafon  of 
 age  they  are  not  able  to  fly.  Pliny.  Lex  pelargiea  — The 
 memory  of  ^Eneas  was  honoured,  for  carrying  his  ages!  lather 
 out  of  Troy  when  it  was  on  fire.  I  have  read  of  a  daughter, 
 whofe  father  being  condemned  to  be  ftarved  to  death,  (he  did 
 in  prifon  give  him  luck  with  her  own   bieafts:    which   being 
 
464  OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 known  to  (he  governors,  procured  his  freedom  out  of  prifbn. 
 To  blame  are  fucfa,  {hall  I  fay  children  or  moniters,  who  are 
 afbamed  of  their  parents  when  they  are  old,  and  fallen  to  de- 
 cay when  parents'  tears  and  lean  cheeks  may  plead  pity,  yet 
 children  have  no  companion  :  when  they  aik  tor  bread  they  give 
 tlieni  a  (tone.  When  houfes  are  fhut  up,  we  lay  the  plague  is 
 there  :  whenchildrens'  hearts  are  (hut  up  aganitt  their  parents, 
 the  plague  is  in  thofe  hearts.  Our  bleifed  Saviour  took  great 
 care  for  his  mother  ;  when  he  was  on  the  crofs  he  charged  his 
 difciple  John  to  take  her  home  to  him  as  his  mother  ;  and  fee 
 that  /he  wanted  nothing,  John  xix.  2G,  27.  The  reafons  why 
 children  fhould  honour  their  parents,  are, 
 
 i.  It  is  a  folemn  command  of  God,  *  honour  thy  father,  &c.' 
 As  God's  word  is  the  rule,  fo  his  will  muli  be  the  reafon  of 
 our  obedience. 
 
 2.  They  deferve  honour,  in  refpect  of  that f  great  love  and 
 affection  which  they  bear  to  their  children  ;  and  that  love  is  evi- 
 denced both  by  their  care  and  coft,  (I.)  Their  care  in  bring- 
 ing up  their  children  ;  a  fign  their  hearts  are  full  of  love,  be- 
 caufe  their  hearts  are  lb  full  of  care.  Parents  often  take  more 
 care  for  their  children  than  for  themfelves.  They  take  care  of 
 them  when  they  are  tender,  left,  like  wall-fruit,  they  mould  be 
 nipt  in  the  bud.  And  as  children  grow  older,  fo  the  care  of  pa- 
 Tents  grows  greater  :  they  are  afraid  of  their  children  falling 
 when  young,  and  ofworfe  faults  when  they  are  older.  (2.) 
 Their  love  is  evidenced  by  their  coft,  1  Cor.  xii.  14.  They 
 lay  up,  and  they  lay  out  for  their  children  ;  they  are  not  like 
 the  raven  or  oitrich,  Job  xxxix.  14.  which  are  cruel  to  their 
 young.  Parents  fometimes  impoverifh  themftlves  to  enrich 
 their  children  :  all  this  calls  for  honour  from  the  children.  Chil- 
 dren can  never  parallel  or  equal  parents'  love  ;  parents  are  the 
 inftruments  of  life  to  their  children,  children  cannot  be  lb  to 
 their  parents. 
 
 3.  To  honour  parents,  ■  is  well  pleafing  to  the  Lord,'  Col. 
 iii.  20.  As  it  is  joyful  to  the  parents,  lb  it  is  pleafing  to  the 
 Lord.  Children,  is  it  not  you  duty  to  pleafe  God  ?  In  honour- 
 ing and  obeying  your  parents,  you  pleafe  God,  as  well  as  when 
 you  repent  and  believe.  And,  that  you  may  fee  how  well  it 
 pleaieth  God,  he  beftows  a  reward  upon  it,  '  That  thy  days 
 may  be  long  in  the  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee.' 
 Jacob  would  not  let  the  angel  go,  till  he  had  bleifed  him  ;  nor 
 God  would  not  part  with  this  commandment  till  he  had  blefied 
 it.  Here  is  the  blefiing,  *  that  thy  days  may  be  long  upon  the 
 land,  kc'  St  Paul  calls  this  the  firft  commandment  with  pro- 
 mife,  Eph.  vi.  2.  The  fecond  commandment  hath  a  general 
 prouiiie  of  mercy  ;  but  this  is  the  firft  commandment  that  hath 
 a  particular  piomife  made  to  it,  *  That  thy  days  may  be  long 
 
OF  THE  FIFTHCOMMANDMENT.  405 
 
 in  the  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee.'  Long  life  is 
 mentioned  as  a  blelTing,  Pf.  cxxviii.  (>.  ■  Thou  malt  lee  thy 
 children's  children.'  It  was  a  great  favour  of  God  to  M 
 that  though  he  was  an  hundred  and  twenty  yean  old,  he  m  .ti- 
 ed no  fpectaclei  ;  *  his  eye  was  not  dim,  nor  his  natural  ftrength 
 abated,'  Deut.  xxiv.  7.  God  threatened  it  as  a  curfe  to  Eli, 
 that  there  thou  Id  not  be  an  old  man  in  his  family,  I  Sam.  ii. 
 31.  Since  the  flood,  life  is  much  abbreviated  and  cut  Ihort ; 
 ibme  the  womb  is  their  tomb  ;  others  exchange  the  cradl. 
 their  grave  ;  others  die  in  the  flower  of  their  age  ;  death  ferves 
 its  warrant  every  day  upon  one  or  other.  Now,  when  death 
 lies  in  ambufh  continually  for  us,  if  God  latisfy  us  with  long  life, 
 Plal.  xci.  10'.  '  With  long  life  will  I  fatisfy  him  ;'  This  i 
 be  edeemed  a  blefling.  It  is  a  blefling  that* God  gives  a  long 
 time  to  repent  and  a  long  time  to  do  fervice,  and  a  long  time 
 to  enjoy  the  comforts  of  relations  ;  and  upon  wham  is  this  blef- 
 ling of  long  life  entailed,  but  obedient  children  ?  Honour  thy 
 father,  that  thy  days  may  he  long.  Nothing  fooner  (hortens 
 life  than  difobedience  to  parents.  Abfalom  was  a  difobedient 
 fon,  who  (ought  to  deprive  his  father  of  his  life  and  crown  ; 
 and  he  did  not  live  out  half  his  days  ;  the  mule  he  rode  upon 
 as  being  weary  of  fuch  a  burden,  left  him  hanging  in  the  oak 
 betwixt  heaven  and  earth,  as  not  fit  to  tread  upon  the  one,  or 
 enter  into  the  other.  Obedience  to  parents  fpins  out  thy  life, 
 —  *  that  thy  days  may  be  long.'  Nor  doth  obedience  to  pa- 
 rents only  lengthen  life  but  fweeten  it  :  therefore  it  follows, 
 '  that  thy  days  may  be  long  in  the  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God 
 giveth  thee.'  To  live  long,  and  not  to  have  a  foot  of  land,  is 
 a  milery  ;  but  obedience  to  parents  fettles  land  of  inheritance 
 upon  the  child.  *  Halt  thou  but  one  bleffing,  O  my  father  ?' 
 faid  Efau.  Behold,  God  hath  more  blefTings  for  an  obedient 
 child  than  one  ;  not  only  (hall  he  have  a  long  life,  but  a  fruit- 
 ful land  ;  and  not  only  fhall  he  have  land,  but  land  given  in 
 love,  *  The  land  which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee.'  Thou 
 fhalt  have  thy  land  not  only  with  God's  leave,  but  with  his 
 love.  All  which  are  cogent  arguments  to  make  children  ho- 
 nour and  obey  their  parents. 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  10.  3  N 
 
46(5  OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 Exod.  xx.  12.     Honour  thy  father— — 
 
 Ufe  1.  If  we  are  to  honour  our  fathers  on  earth,  then 
 much  more  our  Father  in  heaven,  Mai.  i.  6.  '  It  then  I  am  a 
 father,  where  is  my  honour  ?'  A  father  is  but  the  inftrument  of 
 conveying  life,  but  God  is  the  original  caufe  of  our  being,  Pi*. 
 c.  3.  '  For  it  is  he  that  hath  made  us,  and  not  we  ourfelves.* 
 Honour  and  adoration  is  a  pearl  which  belongs  only  to  the 
 crown  of  heaven.     And, 
 
 1 .  We  (hew  honour  to  our  heavenly  Father,  by  obeying  him. 
 Thus  Chritt  honoured  his  Father,  John  vi.  38.  *  I  came  down 
 from  heaven,  not  to  do  my  own  will,  but  the  will  of  htm  that 
 fent  me.'  This  he  calls  honouring  of  God,  John  viii.  2^.  ■  I  da 
 always  thofe  things  which  pleafe  him.'  v.  4<).  I  honour  my 
 father.'  The  wife  men  did  not  only  bow  the  knee  to  Chrifl, 
 but  piefented  hitn  with  gold  and  myrrh/  Mat.  ii.  2  So  we  mutt 
 not  only  bow  the  knee,  give  God  adoration,  but  bring  him  pre- 
 ients,  give  him  golden  obedience. 
 
 9.  We  (hew  honour  to  our  heavenly  Father,  by  appearing 
 advocates  in  his  caufe,  and  Handing  up  for  his  truth  in  an  adul- 
 terous generation.  That  ton  honours  his  father,  who  (lands 
 up  in  his  defence,  and  vindicates  him  when  he  is  calumniated 
 and  reproached.  Do  they  honour  God  who  are  afhamed  of 
 him  ?  John  xii.  49.  '  Many  believed  on  him,  but  durft  not  con- 
 fer him.'  They  are  baftard-fons,  who  are  afhamed  to  own 
 their  heavenly  Father  ;  i'uch  as  are  born  of  God,  are  fteeled  with 
 courage  for  his  truth  ;  they  are  like  the  rock  which  no  waves 
 can  break  ;  like  the  adamant,  which  no  fword  can  cut.  Bafil 
 was  a  champion  for  truth  in  the  time  of  the  emperor  Valens  ; 
 and  Athanahus,  when  the  world  was  Arian,  appeared  for  God. 
 
 3.  We  (hew  honour  to  our  heavenly  Father,  by  afcribing  the 
 honour  of  all  we  do  to  him,  1  Cor.  xv.  10.  '  I  laboured  more 
 abundantly  than  they  all,  yet  not  I,  but  the  grace  of  God  which 
 was  in  me.'  If  a  Chriftian  hath  any  affittance  in  duty,  any 
 ftrength  againft  corruption,  he  tears  up  a  pillar  and  writes  upon 
 it,  *  hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped  me.'  As  Joab,  when  he 
 had  fought  againft  Rabbah,  and  had  like  to  have  taken  it,  fent 
 for  king  David,  that  he  might  carry  away  the  honour  of  the 
 victory,  c2  Sam.  xii.  27-  So,  when  a  child  of  God  hath  any  con- 
 quer! over  Satan,  he  gives  all  the  honour  to  God.  Hypocrites 
 (whole  lamp  is  fed  with  the  oil  of  vain-glory)  while  they  do  any 
 eminent  fervice  for  God,  feek  themfelves  ;  and  fo  their  very 
 ferving  of  him  is  a  dishonouring  him. 
 
 4.  We  (hew  honour  to  our  heavenly  Father,  by  celebrating 
 
OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT.  407 
 
 his  praife,  Pf.  lxxi.  8.   *  Let  my  mouth  be  filled  with  thy  ])raili-, 
 and  with  thy  honour  all  tlje  day,1   Rev,  v.  t  ;.    *  Blelliug,  ho- 
 Hour,  glory,  and  power   be  to  him  that  hts  upon  the  throne.' 
 JiU  fling  God  i«  honouring  of  Cod  :    It  lifts  him  up  in  (be  eyej 
 of  other?.;    it  fpreads  pie  Came  and  renown  in  the  world.     In 
 (his  maimer  the  angels,  the  chor, tiers  of  heaven,  are   now  ho- 
 iiourm-  God,  they  trumpet  forth  his  praife  :    in  prayer,  we  act 
 lamt.s,  in  praife  like  angels. 
 o.    We  flu  w  honour  to  our  heavenly  Father,  hy  fuffeiin;*  dif- 
 honour, yea  death  lor  his  fake.     St.  Paid  did  hear  in  bis  body 
 the  '  marks  of  the  Lord  Jtfus,'  Gal.  vi.  l;.   As  they  were  the 
 marks  of  honour  to  him,   fo  trophies   of  honour  to  the  "ofpel. 
 The   honour  which  comes  to  God,  is  not  hy  bringing  that  out- 
 ward   pomp  and  glory  to  him,    which    we   do   to  kings,    hut  it 
 cuiiifN  in  another  way,  by  the  fullering  of  his  people:    they  let 
 the  world  lee  what  a  good  God   they  ferve,  and  how  they  love 
 him,  and  will  light  under  his  banner  to  the  death.     Thus  you 
 1'ee  how  you  are  to  honour  your  heavenly  Father  :  God  is  *  wor- 
 thy of  honour,'  Pf.  civ.  1.   '  Thou  ait  clothed  with  honour  and 
 majelty.'     What  are  all  his  attributes,  but  glorious  beams  fhin- 
 iog  from  this  fun  ?    lie  dei'erves  more  honour  than  men  or  an- 
 gels can  give  him.    2.  Sam.  xx.  1.   '  I  will  call  upon  the  Lord 
 who  is  worthy  to  be  praifed.*    God  is  worthy  of  honour.     Often 
 times  we  confer  honour  upon  them    that  do  not  deferve  it  : 
 many  noble  peri  on  s  we  give  titles  of  honour  to,  who  are  ibrdid 
 and  vicious  ;   they  do  not  deferve  honour  :    but  God  is  worthy 
 of  honour,  Nth.  ix.  5.  '  Bleiled   be  thy  glorious  name,  which, 
 is  exalted  above  all  bleftmgs  and  praife.'     He  is  above  all  the 
 acclamations  and  triumphs  of  the  arch-angels.     O  then,  let 
 every  true  child  of  God  honour  his  heavenly  Father  !    Thought 
 the  wicked  difhonour  him  by  their  flagatious  lives,  yet  let  not 
 his  own  children  difhonour  him.    Sins  in  you  are  worfe  than  in 
 others  ;    a  fault  in  a  ftranger  is  not  lb  much  taken  notice  of,  as) 
 a  fault  in  a  child  :    a  fpot  in  black  cloth  is  not  fo  much  observ- 
 ed ;    but  a  fpot  in  fcarlet,  every  one's  eye  is  upon  it:    a  fin  in 
 the  wicked  is  not  lo  much  wondered  at,   it  is  a  fpot  in  black  ;. 
 but  a  fin  in  a  child  of  God,  here  is  a  fpot  in  Icarlet ;  this  is  mora 
 vifible,  and  brings  an  odium  and  difhonour  upon  the  gofpel. 
 The  lins  of  God's  own  children  go  nearer  to  his  heart,    Deut. 
 xs.ii.  li).    *  When  the  Lord  faw  it  he  abhorred  them,  becaule 
 of  the  provoking  of  his  Cons  and  daughters.'     O  forbear  doing 
 any  thing  tliat  may  reflect  difhonour  upon  God.     WTill  you  dis- 
 grace your  heavenly  Father  ?  Let  not  God  complain  of  the  pro- 
 vocations of  his  ions  and  daughters  ;    let  him  not  cry  out,  as 
 lia.  i.  2.  '  I  have  brought  up  children,  and  they  have  rebelled 
 nit  me.'     So  much  for  the  firft ;    if  our  earthly  father  be  to 
 i&  honoured,  then  much  more  our  heavenly  Father. 
 
 3  N? 
 
468  OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 Vfe  IT.  Exhort.  Firji  Branch.  Doth  God  command,  '  Ho- 
 nour thy  father  and  thy  mother?'  Then  let  it  exhort  children 
 to  put  this  great  duty  in  practice  ;  be  living  commentaries  upon 
 this  commandment.  Honour  and  reverence  yoiw  parents  ;  not 
 only  obey  their  commands,  but  fubmit  to  their  rebukes  :  you 
 cannot  honour  your  Father  in  heaven,  unlets  you  honour  your 
 earthly  parents  ;  to  deny  obedience  to  parents  ;  entails  God's 
 judgment  upon  children,  Piov.  xxx.  17.  *  The  eye  that  mock- 
 eth  at  his  father,  and  defpifeth  to  obey  his  mother,  the  ravens 
 of  the  valley  (hall  pick  it  out,  and  the  young  eagle  (hall  eat  it.' 
 Eii's  two  diibbedient  fons  were  tlain,  1  Sam.  iv.  11.  God  made 
 a  law  that  the  *  rebellious  fon  fhould  be  ftoned  :'  the  fame  death 
 the  blafphemer  had,  Lev.  xxiv.  14.  Deut.  xxi.  18.  'If  a  man 
 have  a  ltubborn  and  rebellious  fon,  which  will  not  obey  the  voice 
 6f  bis  father,  or  the  voice  of  his  mother  ;  then  mail  his  father 
 and  his  mother  lay  hold  on  him,  and  bring  him  out  unto  the 
 elders  of  the  city,  and  all  the  men  of  his  city  fhall  none  him. 
 with  (lories  that  he  die.'  A  father  once  complaining,  "  Never 
 had  a  father  a  worfe  fon  than  1  have:"  Yes,"  faid  the  fen, 
 *'  my  grandfather  had  :"  a  prodigy  of  impudence  that  can 
 hardly  be  paralleled.  Manlius,  when  he  was  grown  old  and 
 poor,  and  had  a  fon  very  rich,  the  old  father  defired  fome  food 
 of  him,  but  the  fon  denied  him  relief;  yea,  difclaimed  him  from 
 being  his  father,  and  fenthim  away  with  reproachful  language  : 
 the  poor  old  father  let  tears  fall  (as  witnefies  of  nis  grief.)  But 
 God,  to  revenge  this  difobedience,  (truck  this  unnatural  ion  with 
 madnefs,  of  which  he  could  never  be  cured.  Diibbedient  chil- 
 dren ftand  in  the  place  where  all  God's  arrows  fly. 
 
 Seco?id  Branch.  Let  parents  fo  carry  it,  as  they  may  gain 
 honour  from  their  children. 
 
 Qu.  Haw  may  parents  fo  carry  towards  their  children,  that 
 their  children  may  willingly  pay  the  debt  of  honour  and  reverence 
 to  their  parents  ? 
 
 Anf.  If  you  would  have  your  children  honour  you, 
 
 1.  Be  careful  to  bring  them  up  in  the  fear  and  nurture  of  the 
 Lord,  £ph.  vi.  4.  ■  Bring  them  up  in  the  admonition  of  the 
 Lord.'  You  conveyed  the  plague  of  fin  to  them,  therefore  en- 
 deavour toget  them  healed  and  fanctified.  Aultin  faith  his  mo- 
 ther Monica  travailed  more  for  his  fpiritual  birth  than  his  natu- 
 ral. Timothy's  mother  instructed  him  from  a  child,  9  Tim. 
 iii.  15.  She  did  not  only  give  him  her  breaft-milk,  but  ■  The 
 iincere  milk  of  the  word.'  Seafon  your  children  with  good 
 principles  betimes,  that  they  may,  with  Obadiah,  ■  fear  the 
 Lord  from  their  youth,'  1  Kings  xviii.  \2.  When  parents  in- 
 itriict  not  their  children,  they  feldom  prove  blefiings.  God  oft 
 punifheth  the  carelelfnefs  of  parents  with  undutifulnefs  in  their 
 children.     It  is  not  enough,  that  in  baptifm  your  child  is  de- 
 
OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT.  4G£ 
 
 dicnted  to  God,  but  it  muft  be  educati  (1  for  God.     Children  are 
 young  plants  which  you  mud  be  continually  watering  with  l1 
 mftrucVlOO,    Prov.    xxii.   6.    '  Train    up  a  child  in   the  way  he 
 fhould  go,  and  he  will  not  depart  from  it  when  he  is  old.'    The 
 more  your  children  fear  God,  the  more  they  will  honour  you. 
 
 t.  if  you  would  have  your  children  honour,  you  keep  up 
 parental  authority  over  your  children  ;  be  kind,  hut  do  not 
 cocker  them  ;  if  you  let  then  get  too  much  ahead,  they  will 
 contemn  you,  inftead  of  honouring  you.  The  rod  6f  discipline 
 mud  not  he  withheld,  Prov.  xxiii.  14.  ■  Thou  (halt  heat  him 
 with  the  rod,  and  deliver  Ins  (biflfrom  hell.'  A  child  indulged 
 and  humoured  in  wickednefs,  will  he  a  thorn  in  the  parent's 
 eye.  David  cockered  Adonijah,  1  Kings  i.  o\  *  His  father  had 
 not  difpieafed  him  at  any  time,  in  faying',  Why  hail  thou  done 
 fo?'  And  he  afterwards  was  a  grief  of  heart  to  his  father,  and 
 was  falfe  to  the  crown,  v.  7,  y.  Keep  up  your  authority,  and 
 you  keep  up  your  honour. 
 
 3.  Provide  for  your  children  what  is  fitting,  both  in  their 
 minority,  and  when  they  come  to  maturity,  2  Cor.  xii.  14. 
 *  The  children  ought  not  to  lay  up  for  the  parents,  but  the  pa- 
 rents for  the  children.'  They  are  your  own  flelh  ;  and,  as  the 
 apoirJe  faith,  ■  Xo  man  ever  yet  hated  his  own  tiefh,'  Eph.  v. 
 99.  The  parent's  bountifulnefs  will  caufe  dutifulnefs  in  the 
 child.  If  you  pour  water  into  the  pump,  the  pump  will  fend 
 water  again  out  freely  ;  lb,  if  parents  pour  in  fomething  of  their 
 eftate  to  their  children,  children  (if  ingenuous)  will  pour  out 
 obedience  again  to  their  parents. 
 
 4.  When. your  children  are  grown  up,  put  them  to  fome  law- 
 ful calling,  wherein  they  may  ierve  their  generation.  And  it  is 
 good  to  confult  the  natural  genius  and  inclination  of  a  child  ; 
 forced  callings  do  as  ill,  fometimes,  as  forced  matches.  To  let 
 a  child  be  out  of  a  calling,  is  to  expofe  it  to  temptation.  Me- 
 lanclhon,  Otium  balneum  diabuli,  a  child  out  of  a  calling,  is  like 
 fallow-ground  ;  and  what  can  you  expect  ihould  grow  up  but 
 weeds  of  difobedience  ? 
 
 5.  Carry  it  lovingly  to  your  children  :  in  all  your  counfels 
 and  commands,  let  them  read  love.  Love  will  command  ho- 
 nour:  and  how  can  a  parent  but  love  the  child,  who  is  his  liv- 
 ing picture,  nay  part  of  himlelf ;  the  child  is  the  father  in  the 
 lecond  edition. 
 
 6\  Carry  it  prudently  towards  your  children.  A  great  point 
 of  prudence,  is,  when  a  parent  doth  not  provoke  his  children 
 to  wrath,  Col.  iii.  81.  *  Fathers,  provoke  not  your  children  to 
 anger,  left  they  be  diicourarged.* 
 
 Qu.  How  many  icays  may  a  parent  provoke  his  children  to 
 wrath  9 
 
 Anf.    l.  By  giving  them  opprobrious  terms,  1  Sam.   xx. 
 
470  OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 50.  •  Thou  fori  of  the  perverfe,  rebellious  woman,'  faid  Saul  to 
 his  ion  Jonathan.  Some  parents  ufe  imprecations  and  curies 
 to  their  children  :  this  is  to  provoke  them  to  wrath.  Would 
 you  have  God  blefs  your  children,  and  do  you  curie  them  ? 
 
 9.  Parents  provoke  children  to  wrath,  when  they  itrike  their 
 children  without  a  caufe ;  or  when  the  corre&iou  exceeds  the 
 fault.  This  is  rather  to  be  a  tyrant  than  a  father:  Saul  caft  a 
 javelin  at  his  fon  to  fmite  him,  1  Sam.  xx.  33.  and  his  fon  was 
 provoked  to  anger,  ver.  34.  '  So  Jonathan  arofe  from  the  table 
 in  fierce  anger.  In  filium  pater  obtinet  not  tyranicum,  imperium, 
 Jed  bujilicum,  Davenant. 
 
 3.  When  parents  deny  their  children  conveniences:  they 
 will  not  let  them  have  that  which  may  cherilh  and  qover  na- 
 ture. Some  have  thus  provoked  their  children  :  they  have 
 Jiinted  them,  and  kept  them  fo  fhort,  that  they  have  forced 
 them  upon  indirect  courfes,  and  made  them  put  forth  their 
 hands  to  iniquity* 
 
 4.  When  parents  carry  it  unequally  towards  their  children, 
 fnewing  more  kindnefs  to  one  than  to  another ;  this  fometimes 
 breeds  bad  blood.  Though  a  parent  hath  a  greater  love  to  one 
 child,  yet  difcretion  fliould  guide  affection,  that  he  fliould  not 
 ihew  more  love  to  one  than  to  another.  Jacob  fhewed  more 
 love  to  Jofeph  than  all  his  brethren,  and  what  did  it  procure, 
 but  envy  of  his  brethren,  Gen.  xxxvii.  3.  '  Now  Ilrael  loved 
 Jofeph  more  than  all  his  children  ;  and  when  his  brethren  faw 
 that  they  hated  him,  and  could  notfpeak  peaceably  to  him.' 
 
 5.  When  a  parent  doth  any  thing  which  is  fordid  and  unwor- 
 thy, that  which  caft's  difgrace  upon  himfelf  and  his  family  ; 
 as  to  cozen,  or  take  a  falle  oath  ;  this  is  to  provoke  the  child 
 to  wrath.  As  the  child  mould  honour  his  father,  fo  the  father 
 ihould  not  diflionour  the  child. 
 
 o\  When  parents  lay  fuch  commands  upon  their  children,  as 
 their  children  cannot  perform  without  wronging  their  confcience. 
 Saul  commanded  his  fon  Jonathan  to  bring  David  to  him,  1  Sam. 
 xx.  3.  '  Fetch  him  to  me,  for  he  mall  lurely  die.'  Jonathan 
 could  not  do  this  with  a  good  conference  ;  but  was  provoked 
 to  anger,  ver.  34.  *  Jonathan  rofe  from  the  table  in  fierce  an- 
 ger.* Now,  the  reafon  why  parents  fliould  (hew  their  prudence 
 in  not  provoking  their  children  to  wrath,  is  fet  down,  Col.  iii. 
 
 51.  '  Left  they  be  difcouraged  ;'  this  word  difcouraged  implies 
 three  things  ;  (I.)  Grief.  The  parents  provoking  the  child, 
 the  child  fo  takes  it  to  heart,  that  it  caufikh  immature  death. 
 (2.)  Defpondency  :  the  parents'  auilerity  difpii  its  the  child,  and 
 makes  it  unfit  for  fervice  ;  like  members  of  the  body  ftupified, 
 which  are  unfit  lor  work.  ($.)  Contumacy  and  rerra&orinefs  : 
 the  child  being  provoked  by  the  cruel  and  unnatural  carnage  of 
 the  parent,  grows  defperate,  and  oft  ftudies  to  irritate  and  vex 
 
OF  THE  SIXTH  COM  M  A  NOM  CST.  471 
 
 his  parents  ;   which,  though  it  he  evil  in  the  child,  yet  the  pa- 
 rctil  is  accellbry  to  it,  as  being  the  occalion  of  it. 
 
 7.  If  you  would  have  honour  from  your  children,  pray  Iftoctl 
 for  thetn.  Not  only  lay  up  a  portion  for  them,  but  Jay  up  a 
 ftock  of  prayer  for  them.  Monica  prayed  much  for  h<  r  Ion 
 Auflin  ;  and  it  was  laid,  It  was  impoflible  a  Ion  of  lo  many 
 prayers  and  tears  (hould  perilh.  Pray  that  your  children  may 
 be  preferred  from  the  contagion  of  the  time>  :  pi  My,  tli  it  as 
 your  children  hear  your  image  in  their  faces,  they  may  bear 
 God's  image  in  their  hearts  ;  pray  they  may  be  inftruments  and 
 veflels  of  glory*  This  may  he  one  fruit  of  prayer,  that  the  child 
 may  honour  a  prating  parent. 
 
 8.  Encourage  that  which  vou  fee  good  and  commendable  in 
 your  children.  Virtus  lauilalii  crejeit.  Commending  that 
 which  is  good  in  your  children,  makes  them  more  in  love  with 
 virtuous  actions  ;  and  is  like  the  watering  of  plants,  which 
 makes  them  grow  more.  Some  parents  difcourage  the  good 
 they  fee  in  their  children,  and  fo  nip  virtue  in  the  hud,  and 
 help  to  damn  their  children's  fouls.  They  have  their  children** 
 curies. 
 
 <).  If  you  would  have  honour  from  your  children,  fet  them 
 a  good  example  ;  it  makes  children  defpife  their  parents,  when 
 the  parents  live  in  a  contradiction  to  their  own  precepts  ;  when 
 they  bid  their  children  be  fober,  yet  they  themfelves  will  be 
 drunk:  ihey  bid  their  children  fear  God,  yet  are  themfelves 
 looie  in  their  lives.  Oh  !  if  you  would  have  your  children  ho- 
 nour you,  teach  them  by  an  holy  example.  A  father  is  a  look- 
 ing-glafs  which  the  child  oft  dreileth  himfelf  by  ;  let  the  gfafi 
 be  clear,  and  not  fpotted.  Parents  fliculd  obferve  a  good  de- 
 corum in  their  whole  carriage,  left  they  give  occaiion  to  their 
 children  to  fay  to  them,  as  Plato's  fervant,  "  My  matter  hatli 
 made  a  book  againft  rafh  anger,  hut  he  himfelf  is  padionate  ;'* 
 or,  as  a  fon  once  ftid  to  his  father,  "  If  I  have  done  evil,  I 
 have  learned  it  of  you." 
 
 OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 Exod.  xx.  13.   Thou  flialt  not  kill. 
 
 In  this  commandment,  (I.)  Is  a  fin  forbidden,  viz. 
 murder;  ■  Thou  (halt  not  kill.'  (2.)  A  duty  implied,  "  To 
 preferve  our  own  life,  and  the  life  of  others." 
 
 1.  The  fin  forbidden,  murder  :  *  Thou  flialt  not  kill.'  Where 
 two  things  are  to  beunderftood.  (I.)  The  not  injuring  another. 
 (?.)  Ourfelves. 
 
472  OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 I.  In  this,  '  Thou  (halt  not  kill,'  is  meant  the  not  injuring 
 another.  1.  We  muft  not  injure  him  in  his  name.  2.  In  his 
 body.     3.  In  his  foul. 
 
 ( I . )  We  muft  not  injure  another  in  his  name.  A  good  name 
 is  a  precious  balfam  ;'  it  is  a  great  cruelty  to  murder  a  man  in 
 liis  name.  We  injure  others  in  their  name,  when  we  calum- 
 niate and  (lander  them.  It  was  David's  complaint,  PC.  xxxv. 
 11.  •  They  laid  to  my  charge  things  which  I  knew  not.'  The 
 primitive  Chriftians  were  traduced  for  inceft,  and  killing  their 
 children,  as  Tertul.  Dicimur  infanticidii ,  incejius  rei.  This  is 
 to  behead  others  in  their  good  name  ;  there  is  an  irreparable  in- 
 jury :  no  phyfician  can  heal  the  wounds  of  the  tongue. 
 
 (2.)  We  mult  not  injure  another  in  his  body.  The  life  is  the 
 mo  ft  precious  thing  :  and  God  hath  fet  this  commandment  as 
 a  fence  about  it  to  preferve  it,  '  Thou  (halt  not  kill.'  God 
 made  a  ftatute  which  was  never  to  this  day  repealed,  Gen.  ix. 
 6.  ■  Whofo  fheddeth  man's  blood,  by  man  mall  his  blood  be 
 lhed.'  In  the  old  law,  had  a  man  killed  another  unawares,  he 
 might  take  Panctuary  :  but.  if  he  had  killed  him  willingly,  tho' 
 he  did  flee  to  the  Pan6tuary,  the  holinefs  of  the  place  was  not  to 
 defend  him,  Exod.  xxi.  14.  *  If  a  man  come  prePumptuoufly 
 upon  his  neighbour,  to  flay  him  with  guile  ;  thou  (halt  take 
 him  from  my  altar,  that  he  may  die.'  Now  in  this  command- 
 ment, '  Thou  (halt  do  no  murder,'  all  thofe  fins  are  forbidden 
 which  lead  to  it,  and  are  the  occafions  of  it :  as, 
 
 1.  Unadvifed  anger.  Anger  boils  up  the  blood  in  the  veins, 
 and  oft  produceth  murder,  Gen,  xlix.  6.  '  In  their  anger  they 
 flew  a  man.' 
 
 2.  Envy.  Satan  envied  our  firft  parents  the  robe  of  inno- 
 cence, and  the  glory  of  paradiPe  ;  therefore  never  left  till  he  had 
 procured  their  death.  Jofeph's  brethren  envied  him,  becaufe 
 his  father  loved  him,  and  gave  him  a  ■  coat  of  many  colours  :' 
 '  therefore  take  counfel  to  (lay  him,'  Gen.  xxxvii.  80.  Envy 
 and  murder  are  near  a  kin,  therefore  the  apoftle  puts  them  to- 
 gether, Gal.  v.  21.  ■  Envyings,  murders.'  Envy  is  a  fin  breaks 
 both  the  tables  at  once  :  it  begins  in  difcontent  againft  God, 
 and  ends  in  injury  againft  man,  as  we  (ee  in  Cain,  Gen.  iv.  6, 
 S.  Envious  Cain  was  firft  difcontented  with  God,  there  he 
 broke  the  firft  table ;  and  then  he  fell  out  with  his  brother  and 
 flew  him,  there  he  broke  the  Pecond  table.  Ahger  is  Pometimes 
 ■  Poon  over,'  like  fire  kindled  in  ftraw,  which  is  quickly  out ; 
 but  envy  is  a  radicated  thing,  and  will  not  quench  his  third 
 without  blood,  Prov.  xxvii.  4.  *  Who  is  able  to  ftand  before 
 envy  ?' 
 
 3.  Hatred.  The  Pharifees  hated  Chrift,  becauPe  he  excelled 
 them  in  gifts,  and  had  more  honour  among  the  people  than 
 they  ;  therefore  they  never  left  till  they  had  nailed  him  to  the 
 
OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT.  473 
 
 crofs,  and  taken  away  his  life.  Hatred  is  a  vermin  lives  upon 
 Mood,  Ezek.  xxxv.  5.  '  Becaufe  thou  halt  had  a  perpetual 
 hatred,  and  halt  (hed  the  blood  of  the  children  oflfrael.'  Himan 
 hated  Mordecai,  becaufe  he  did  not  bow  to  him  ;  and  he  pre- 
 sently fought  revenge,  he  got  a  bloody  warrant  fealed  for  the 
 deftruction  of  the  whole  race  and  feed  of  the  Jew-,    Kfther  iii. 
 
 9.  Hatred  is  ever  cruel.  AH  thefe  fins  are  forbidden  in  this 
 commandment,  which  lead  the  van,  and  are  oft  the  occafions 
 of  this  lin  of  murder. 
 
 Qu.   How  many  waut  is  murder  committed? 
 Anf.   We  may  be  laid  to  murder  another,  twelve  ways,  (I.) 
 With  the  hand  ;  as  Joab  killed  Abner  and  Amafa,  c2  Sam.  xx. 
 
 10.  '  He  Imote  him  in  the  fifth  rib,  and  Ihed  out  his  bowels/ 
 (2.)  Murder  is  committed  with  the  mind.  .Malice  is  mental 
 murder,  1  John  iii.  1j.  '  Whofo  hateth  his  brother  is  a  mur- 
 derer.* To  malign  another,  and  wifh  evil  againll  him  in  the 
 heart,  is  a  murdering  him.  (3.)  Murder  is  committed  with 
 the  tongue,  by  lpeaking  to  the  prejudice  of  another,  and  cant- 
 ing him  to  be   put  to  death.     Thus  the  Jews  killed  the  Lord  of 
 
 life,  when  they  inveighed  again!!  him,  and  accufed  him  falfely 
 to  Pilate,  John  xvii.  30.  (4.)  Murder  is  committed  with  the 
 pen.  So  David  killed  Uriali  in  writing  to  Joab  *  to  fet  Uriah 
 in  the  forefront  of  the  battle,'  2  Sam.  xi.  15.  Tho'  the  Am- 
 monite's fword  cut  oil' Uriah,  yet  David's  pen  was  the  caufe  of 
 bis  death  ;  therefore  the  Lord  tells  David  by  the  prophet  Nathan, 
 2  Sam.  xii.  9.  '  Thou  haft  killed  Uriah.'  (5.)  Murder  is  com- 
 mitted by  plotting  another's  death.  Thus  Jezebel,  tho'  (he 
 did  not  lay  hands  herfelf  upon  Naboth  ;  yet  becaufe  me  con- 
 trived his  death,  and  caufed  two  falfe  witneifes  to  fwear  againft 
 him,  and  bring  him  within  the  compafs  of  treafon,  (he  was  a 
 murderer,  I  Kings  xxi.  10.  (6.)  Murder  is  committed  by  in* 
 frilling  poifon  into  potions.  Thus  the  wife  of  Commodus  the 
 emperor  killed  her  hufband,  by  poifoning  the  wine  which  he 
 drank.  So,  many  kill  the  children  they  go  with,  by  taking 
 fuch  medicines,  or  itrong  purges,  as  proves  the  death  of  the 
 child.  (7.)  By  witchcraft  and  force ry  ;  a  thing  forbidden  under 
 the  law,  Deut.  xviii.  10.  ■  There  fhall  not  be  found  among 
 you  an  enchanter,  or  a  witch,  or  aconfulter  with  familiar  fpirits.' 
 (8.)  By  having  an  intention  to  kill  another;  as  Herod  would, 
 under  a  pretence  of  worfhipping  Chrift,  have  killed  him,  Matth. 
 i\.  8,  13.  So  Saul,  when  he  made  David  go  as  captain  againft 
 the  Philiftines,  defigniug  thereby  that  the  Philiftines  fhould  have 
 killed  him,  1  Sam.  xviii.  17.  *  Saul  laid,  Let  not  my  hand 
 be  upon  him,  but  let  the  hand  of  the  Philiftines  be  upon  him.* 
 Here  was  intentional  murder,  and  it  was  in  God's  account,  as 
 bad  as  actual  murder.  (0.)  By  confenting  to  another's  death  ; 
 fo  Saul  to  the  death  of  Stephen,  Acts  xxii.  20.  *  I  aifo  vya» 
 Vol.  I.  No.  10.  3  O 
 
474  OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 /landing  by,  and  consenting  to  his  death.'  He  that  gives  con- 
 fent  is  acceffory  to  the  murder.  (10.)  By  not  hindering  the 
 death  of  another  when  in  our  power.  Pilate  knew  Chnft  was 
 innocent,  ■  I  find  no  fault  in  him;'  but  he  did  not  hinder  his 
 death  ;  therefore  he  was  guilty.  It  was  not  wafhing  his  hands 
 in  water,  could  wafh  away  the  guilt  of  ChriiVs  blood.  (H.) 
 By  unmercifulneis.  1.  By  taking  away  that  which  is  necelfary 
 for  the  fullentation  of  life  :  as  to  take  away  thole  tools  or  uten- 
 fils  whereby  a  man  gets  his  living,  Deut.  xxiv.  6.  '  No  man 
 fhall  take  away  the  upper  or  the  nether  mililone  to  pledge,  for 
 he  takes  a  man's  life.'  2.  By  not  helping  him  when  he  is  ready 
 to  periih.  You  may  be  the  death  of  another,  as  well  by  not 
 relieving  him,  as  by  offering  him  violence.  Si  non  paveris, 
 cccidifti,  Amb.  If  thou  doll  not  feed  hrm  that  is  ftarving,  thou 
 killelt  him. — And  then,  how  many  are  guilty  of  the  breach  of 
 this  commandment.  (12.)  By  not  executing  the  law  upon 
 capital  offenders.  A  felon  having  committed  fix  murders,  the 
 judge  may  be  faid  to  be  guilty  of  five  of  them,  becaufe  he  did 
 not  execute  the  felon  for  his  firft  offence. 
 
 The  next  thing  I  (hall  fpeak  to,  is,  to  fliew  the  aggravations 
 of  this  fin  of  murder  :   As  ; 
 
 1.  To  fhed  the  blood  of  another  cavfelefs  ;  as  to  kill  another 
 in  an  humour  or  frolic.  A  bee  will  not  (ling,  unlefs  provoked, 
 but  many  when  they  are  not  provoked,  will  take  away  the  life 
 of  another.  This  makes  the  fin  of  blood  more  bloody.  The 
 lefs  provocation  to  a  fin,  the  greater  the  fin. 
 
 2.  To  fhed  the  blood  of  another  contrary  to promife.  Thus, 
 after  the  princes  of  Ifrael  had  fworn  totheGibeonites,  that  they 
 fhould  hve,  Jofh.  ix.  17.  Saul  flew  them,  2  Sam.  xxi.  1. 
 Here  were  two  fins  twilled  together,  breach  of  oath,  and  mur- 
 der. 
 
 3.  To  take  away  the  life  of  any  public  per/on,  enhanceth  the 
 murder,  and  makes  it  greater ;  as,  (1.)  To  kill  a  judge  upon 
 the  bench,  becaufe  he  reprefents  the  king's  perfon.  (2.)  To 
 murder  a  perfon  whofe  office  is  facred,  and  comes  on  the  King 
 of  heaven's  embaffage  :  the  murder  of  him  may  be  the  murder- 
 ing of  many.  Herod  added  this  fin  above  all,  that  he  (hut  up 
 John  Baptift  in  prifon,  Luke  iii.  20.  then  much  more  to  behead 
 John  in  prifon.  (3.)  To  ftain  one's  hands  with  royal  blood. 
 David's  heart  fmote  him,  becaufe  he  did  cut  off  the  lap  of  king 
 Saul's  garment,  1  Sam.  xxiv.  5.  How  would  David's  heart 
 have  fmitten  him,  if  he  had  cut  off  Saul's  head? 
 
 4.  To  (bed  the  blood  of  a  near  relation,  aggravates  the  mur- 
 der, and  dyes  it  of  a  deeper  crimfon.  For  a  fon  to  kill  his  fa- 
 ther, is  horrid.  Parricides  aremonfters  in  nature.  Qui  occidit 
 patrem,  plurima  committit  peccato  in  uno,  Cicero.  He  who 
 takes  away  his  father's  life,  committeth  many  fins  in  one ;  he 
 
OF  THE  SIXTH  COM  M  ANDMEN'T,  47  > 
 
 is  not  only  guilty  of  murder,  but  of  difobedience,  ingratitude, 
 Oftracifm,  and  diabolical  cruelty,    Exod.  xxi.  15.  '  He  who 
 
 ilriketh  his  father  or  mother,  ih.ill  Purely  be  put  to  death.' 
 Then  how  many  death's  is  he  worthy  of,  that  deftroys  his  fa- 
 ther or  mother  r  Such  a  mooiler  wa.>  Nero,  who  caufed  his 
 mother  Agrippiaa  to  be  flain. 
 
 5.  To  iluil  the  blood  of  any  right'  tvates  the 
 
 fin.     (I.)  Hereby  juftice  is  perverted.     Such  a  perfon,  being 
 
 innocent,  is  unworthy  of  death.  (l2.)  A  faint,  being  a  public 
 blefling,  he  lies  in  the  breach  to  turn  away  wrath  :  lb  that  to 
 deftroy  him,  is  to  go  to  pull  down  the  pillars  of  a  nation,  (i.) 
 He  is  precious  to  God,  I  fa.  xv.  43,  44.  He  is  a  member  of 
 ChrilVs  body  ;  therefore  what  injury  is  offered  to  him  is  done 
 to  God  himfelf,  Acts  ix.  4. 
 
 Caution  I.  Though  this  commandment,  Thou  flialt  not  kill,* 
 forbids  private  penons  to  filed  the  blood  of  another  (unlefs  in 
 their  own  defence),  yet  l'uch  as  are  in  oflice  mult  punifh  public 
 offenders,  yea,  with  death,  e!fe  they  fin.  To  kill  an  offender, 
 is  not  murder,  but  juftice.  A  private  perfon  fins,  if  he  draws 
 the  fword  ;  a  public  perfon  fins,  if  he  puts  up  the  fword.  A 
 magiftrate  ought  not  to  let  the  fword  of  juftice  rult  in  the  fcab- 
 bard.  As  the  magiftrate  fhould  not  let  the  fword  be  too  fturp 
 by  feverity,  fo  neither  fhould  the  edge  of  it  be  blunted  by  too 
 much  lenity. 
 
 Caution  II.  Neither  doth  this  commandment,  ■  Thou  flialt 
 not  kill,'  prohibit  a  juli  war.  When  men's  fins  grow  ripe,  and 
 long  plenty  hath  bred  furfeit,  then  God  faith,  ■  Sword,  go 
 through  the  land,'  Ezek.  xiv.  17-  God  did  abet  the  war  be- 
 tween the  tribes  of  Ifrael  and  Benjamin  ;  when  the  iniquity  of 
 the  Amorites  was  full,  then  God  lent  Ifrael  to  commence  a  war 
 againlt  them,  Judges  xi.  21. 
 
 Uj'e  I.  Lamentation,  That  this  land  is  fo  defiled  with  blood, 
 Numb.  xxxv.  33.  How  common  is  this  fin  in  this  hectoring 
 age!  England's  fins  are  written  inlettersof  blood.  Some  make 
 no  more  of  killing  men  than  fheep,  Jer.  ii.  34.  *  In  thy  ikirts 
 is  found  the  blood  of  the  poor  innocents.'  Junius  reads  it,  in 
 alis ;  and  fo  in  Hebrew,  *  in  thy  wings'  is  found  the  blood  of 
 innocents.  It  alludes  to  the  birds  of  prey,  which  (tain  their 
 wings  with  the  blood  of  other  birds.  May  not  the  Lord  jultly 
 take  up  a  controverfy  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  land,  because 
 •  blood  toucheth  blood?'  Hof.  iv.  2.  There  is  a  concatenation, 
 a  plurality  of  murders,  And  that  which  may  increafe  our  la- 
 mentation, is,  that  not  only  man's  blood  is  thed  among  us,  but 
 ChrilVs  blood.  Such  as  are  profane  flagitious  finners,  are  fdid 
 to  '  crucify  the  Son  of  God  afreih,'  Heb.  vi.  6.  (I.)  They 
 fwear  by  his  blood,  and  fodo,  as  it  were,  make  his  wound.-,  bleed 
 afrefh.     (9.)  Crucify  Chriltin  his  members,  A&six.  5.  *  Wbf 
 
 30^ 
 
47(5  OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 perfecuteft  thou  me?'  T)he  foot  being  trodden  on,  the  head 
 crieth  out.  (3.)  If  it  lay  in  their  power,  were  Chrift  alive  on 
 earth,  they  would  nail  him  again  to  the  crofe  :  thus  men  crucify 
 Chritt  afrefii ;  and,  if  man's  blood  doth  fo  cry,  how  loud  wiil 
 Chrilt's  blood  cry  againft  finners? 
 
 Ufe  II.  Beware  of  having  your  hands  imbrued  in  the  blood 
 of  others. 
 
 Obj.  But  fuch  a  man  hath  wronged  me  by  defamation,  or 
 ctherways ;  and  if  I J  pill  his  blood,  I  do  but  revenge  my  oun 
 quarrel. 
 
 AnJ'.  If  he  hath  done  you  WTong,  the  law  is  open  ;  but  take 
 heed  of  fliedding  blood.  What,  becaufe  he  hath  wronged  you, 
 will  you  therefore  wrong  God  ?  Is  it  not  a  wrong  to  God,  to- 
 take  his  work  out  of  his  hand  ?  He  hath  faid,  ■  Vengeance  is 
 mine,  and  I  will  repay,'  Rom.  xii.  19.  But  you  will  take  upon 
 you  to  revenge  yourfelf:  you  will  be  both  plaintiff,  judge,  and 
 executioner,  yourfelf.  This  is  an  high  wrong  done  to  God, 
 and  he  will  not  hold  you  guiltlefs.  Now,  to  deter  all  from  hav- 
 ing their  hands  defiled  with  blood,  confider  what  a  fin  mur- 
 der is. 
 
 1.  A  God-affronting  fin  :  it  is  a  breach  of  his  commandment, 
 trampling  upon  God's  royal  edict :  It  is  a  wrong  offered  to 
 God's  image,  Gen.  ix.  6.  *  In  the  image  of  God  made  he  man/ 
 It  is  a  tearing  God's  picture,  and  breaking  in  pieces  the  King  of 
 heaven's  broad-leal.  Man  is  the  temple  of  God,  1  Cor.  vi. 
 19.  '  Know  ye  not  that  your  body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy 
 Ghoft?'  So  that  the  man-flayer  deftroys  God's  temple:  and 
 will  God  endure  to  be  thus  confronted  by  proud  duit  ? 
 
 9.  It  is  a  crying  fin.  Clamhat  in  cwlum  vox  fanguinis — 
 There  are  three  fins  in  fcripture  laid  to  cry.  (I.)  Oppreflion, 
 Plal.  xii.  5.  (2.)  Sodomy,  Gen.  xviii.  23.  (3.)  Blood-fhed. 
 This  cries  lb  loud,  that  it  drowns  all  the  other  cries,  <3en.  iv. 
 10.  '  The  voice  of  thy  brother's  blood  cries  unto  me  from  the 
 ground.'  Abel's  blood  had  as  many  tongues  as  drops  to  cry 
 aloud  for  vengeance.  This  fin  of  blood  lay  heavy  on  David's 
 confcience  :  Though  he  had  finned  by  adultery,  yet  what  he 
 cried  out  of  molt,  was,  this  crimlbn  fin  of  blood,  Pfal.  li.  14. 
 *  Deliver  me  from  blood-guiltinels,  O  God.'  Though  the  Lord 
 vifits  for  every  fin,  yet  he  will  in  a  fpecial  manner  '  make  in- 
 quifition  for  blood/  Pfal.  ix.  12.  If  a  bead  did  kill  a  man,  the 
 beat!  was  to  be  ftoned,  and  -  his  flefh  muft  not  be  eaten,'  Exod. 
 xxi.  28.  If  God  would  have  a  beat!  ftoned  that  killed  a  man, 
 who  had  not  the  ufe  of  reafon  to  reftrain  him,  then  much  more 
 will  he  be  incenfed  againft  thole,  who  go  both  againft  realbn 
 and  confcience  in  fpoiling  the  lite  of  a  man. 
 
 3.  Murder  is  a  diabolical  fin  :  It  makes  a  man  the  devil's  firft 
 born:  he  was  a  murderer  from  the  beginning,  John  viii.  44. 
 
OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT.  477 
 
 By  raying  to  our  firir  parents,  ■  Ye  fhall  not  die,*  he  brought 
 in  death  to  the  world. 
 
 4.  It  is  a  curfed  fin.  If  there  be  a  curfe  [for  him  that  fmites 
 his  neighbour  fecretly,  Dent,  xxvii.  23.  then  he  is  doubly  curled 
 that  kills  him.  The  firli  man  tint  was  born  was  a  murderer, 
 Gen.  iv.  II*  €  And  now  art  thou  curfed  from  the  earth.'  lie 
 was  an  excommunicated  jwrfon,  banifhed  from  the  place  of 
 God's  public  worfhip.  God  let  a  mark  upon  bloody  Cain,  Gen. 
 iv.  15.  Some  thought  it  was  horror  of  mind,  which  (above  all 
 fins)  doth  accompany  the  fin  of  blood.  Others  think  this  mark 
 was  a  continual  (baking  and  trembling  in  his  llefli,  which  was 
 a  mark  of  infamy  God  let  upon  him.  He  carried  a  curie  along 
 with  him. 
 
 5.  It  is  a  wrath-procuring  fin,  2  Kings  xxiv.  4. 
 
 (I.)  It  procures  Temporal  judgments.  Phocas,  to  get  the 
 empire,  put  to  death  all  the  l'ons  of  Mauriciusthe  emperor,  and 
 then  flew  him  :  but  this  Phocas  was  purfued  by  his  fon-iu-law 
 Prilcus,  who  cut  off  his  ears  and  feet,  and  then  killed  him. 
 Charles  IX.  who  caufed  the  rnaiiacre  of  Co  many  Chriftiau.s  at 
 Paris,  blood  iifued  out  at  feveral  parts  of  his  body,  of  which  he 
 died.  Albonia  killed  a  man,  and  then  made  a  cup  of  his  fkull 
 to  drink  in  ;  afterwards  his  own  wife  caufed  him  to  be  murder- 
 ed in  his  bed.  Vengeance,  as  a  blood-hound,  purines  the  mur- 
 derer ;  ■  bloody  men  fiiall  not  live  out  half  their  days.'  Plal. 
 Iv.  23. 
 
 (2.)  It  brings  eternal  judgments.  It  binds  men  over  to  hell. 
 The  papifts  make  nothing  of  maifacres  ;  theirs  is  a  bloody  re- 
 ligion :  they  difpenfe  with  men  for  murder,  lb  it  be  to  propagate 
 the  catholic  caufe.  If  a  cardinal  put  his  red  hat  upon  the  head 
 of  a  murderer  going  to  execution,  he  is  laved  from  death.  But 
 Jet  all  impenitent  murderers  read  their  doom,  Rev.  xxi.  8. 
 '  Murderers  fhall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  which  burns  with 
 fire  and  brimftone,'  this  *  is  the  lecond  death:'  we  read  of 
 ■  fire  mingled  with  blood,*  Rev.  viii.  7.  Such  as  have  their 
 hands  full  of  blood  muft  undergo  the  wrath  of  God.  Here  is 
 fire  mingled  with  blood,  and  this  fire  is  inextinguifhable,  Mark 
 ix.  41.     Time  will  not  finifli  it,  tears  will  not  quench  it. 
 
 Exod.  xx.    13.      Thou Jlialt  not  Ml. 
 
 (3.)  We  muft  not  injure  another's  foul.  This  is  the 
 greater!  murder  of  all,  becaule  there  is  more  of  God's  image  in 
 the  lbul  than  in  the  body.  The  foul,  though  it  cannot  be  an- 
 nihilated, is  faid  to  be  murdered,   becaufe  it  rnilFeth  of  happi- 
 
478  OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 nefs,  and  is  for  ever  in   torment.     Now,  how  many  are  foul- 
 murderers  ? 
 
 1.  Such  as  corrupt  others  by  bad  example.  The  world  is  led 
 by  example;  efpecially  the  examples  of  great  ones  are  very  per- 
 nicious— We  are  apt  to  do  as  we  lee  others  before  us,  efpecially 
 above  us.  Such  as  are  placed  in  high  power,  are  like  the  pillar 
 of  cloud  ;  when  that  went,  Ifrael  went:  when  great  ones  move 
 in  their  fphere,  others  will  follow  them,  though  it  be  to  hell. 
 Evil  magiltrates,  like  the  tail  of  the  dragon,,  draw  the  ■  third 
 part  of  the  (tars  after  them.' 
 
 2.  Such  as  entice  others  to  fin.  The  harlot,  by  curling  her 
 hair,  rolling  her  eyes,  laying  open  her  brealls,  doth  what  in  her 
 lies  to  be  both  a  tempter  and  a  murderer :  fuch  an  one  was 
 MefTalina,  wife  to  Claudius  the  emperor,  Prov.  vii.  7,  10.  '  I 
 difcerned  a  young  man,  and  there  met  him  a  woman  with  the 
 attire  of  an  harlot;  lb  (he  caught  him  and  kiffed  him.*  Better 
 are  the  reproaches  of  a  friend,  than  the  kiflesof  an  harlot. 
 
 3~.  Minillers  are  murderers,  who  either  ftarve,  or  poifon,  or 
 infect  fouls. 
 
 (L.)  That  ftarve  fouls,  1  Pet.  i.  v.  <  Feed  the  flock  of  God 
 ■which  is  among  you.'  Thefe  feed  themfelves,  and  ftarve  the 
 flock ;  either  through  non-refiding,  they  do  not  preach,  or 
 through  infufficiency  they  cannot.  There  are  many  in  the 
 minillry  (a  fhame  to  fpeak  it)  fo  ignorant,  that  they  had  need 
 to  be  taught  the  ■  firft  principles  of  the  oracles  of  God,'  Heb. 
 v.  12.  Was  not  he  fit  to  be  a  preacher  in  Ifrael  (think  ye)  who 
 being  alked  fomething  concerning  the  decalogue,  anfwered  he 
 never  faw  any  fuch  book  ? 
 
 (^.)  That  poilbn  fouls.  Such  are  heterodox  minillers,  who 
 poifon  people  with  error  :  the  bafilifk  poifons  herbs  and  flowers, 
 by  breathing  on  them  :  the  breath  of  heretical  minifters,  like 
 the  bafilifk's  breath,  poilbns  fouls.  The  Sociuian,  that  would 
 rob  Chrilt  of  his  Godhead,  the  Arminian,  that  by  advancing  the 
 power  of  the  will,  would  take  off  the  crown  from  the  head  of 
 free-grace;  the  Antinomian,  who  denies  the  ufe  of  the  moral 
 law  to  a  believer,  as  if  it  were  antiquated  and  out  of  date  ;  thefe 
 poifon  men's  fouls.  Error  is  as  damnable  as  vice,  1  Pet.  ii.  1. 
 '  There  fhall  be  falfe  teachers  among  you,  who  privily  fhall 
 bring  in  damnable  herefies,  denying  the  Lord  that  bought 
 them.' 
 
 (3.)  That  infect  fouls,  viz.  by  their  fcandalous  lives,  Exod. 
 xix.  22.  *  Let  the  priefts  which  come  near  to  the  Lord,  fanctify 
 themfelves.*  Miniiters,  who  by  their  places  are  nearer  to  God, 
 ihould  be  holier  than  others.  The  elements,  the  higher  they 
 are,  the  purer :  the  air  is  purer  than  the  water  ;  the  fire  is 
 purer  than  the  air.  The  higher  men  are  by  office,  the  holier 
 they  ihould  be  ;  John  Baptilt  was  a  flriniug  lamp.     But  there 
 
OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT.  479 
 
 are  many  who  inf.  ct  their  people  with  their  bad  life ;  they  preach 
 one  thing,  and  live  another. 
 
 Qui  turius Jimulunt  *t  haccftana/ia  rh'ant 
 
 They,  like  Kh's  ions,  are  In  white  linen,  hut  they  have  (cartel 
 fins.  Some  fay,  that  Prefter  John,  the  lord  of  Africa,  caufed 
 to  he  carried  before  him  a  golden  cup  full  of  dirt :  a  fit  emblem 
 of  luch  minilters  as  have  a  golden  oilice,  but  are  dirty  and  pol- 
 luted in  their  lives.  They  are  murderers,  and  the  blood  of  fouls 
 will  cry  a  gain  ft  them  at  the  lalt  day. 
 
 (4.)  Such  as  deflroy  others,  by  getting  them  into  bad  com- 
 pany, and  fo  making  them  profelytes  to  the  devil,  lltia  in 
 proximum  qnemque  tnin/idunt,  Sen.  A  man  cannot  live  in  the 
 Ethiopian  climate  hut  he  will  be  dilcoloured  with  the  fun,  nor 
 be  cannot  he  in  bad  company,  but  be  will  partake  of  their  evil. 
 One  drunkard  makes  another;  as  the  prophet  fpeaks  in  ano- 
 ther fenfe,  Jer.  xxxv.  5.  '  I  fet  before  them  pots  full  of  wine 
 and  cups,  and  laid  unto  them,  drink  ye  wine  ;'  fo  the  wicked 
 fet  pots  of  wine  before  others,  and  make  them  drink  till  reafon 
 be  llupitied,  and  tuft  inflamed.  Theft  are  guilty  of  the  breach 
 of  this  commandment,  they  are  murderers  of  fouls.  How  fad 
 will  it  be  with  thel'e,  who  have  not  only  their  own  tins,  but  the 
 blood  of  others,  to  anfwer  for?  So  much  for  the  full  thing  for- 
 bidden in  the  commandment,  the  injuring  of  others. 
 
 II.  The  fecond  thing  forbidden  in  it  is,  the  injuring  one's 
 felf.   ■  Thou  (halt  not  kill :"   thou  (halt  not  do  hurt  to  thyfelf. 
 
 (I.)  Thou  ihalt  not  hurt  thy  own  body.  One  may  be  guilty 
 of  felt-murder,  either  1.  indirectly  and  occafionly.  Or,  2. 
 Directly  and  abfolutely. 
 
 J.   Indirectly  and  occafionally;   a*, 
 
 Firft,  When  a  man  thrnfts  himfelf  into  danger  which  he  might 
 
 prevent:  as  if  a  company  of  archers  were   (hooting,   and  one 
 
 ;ld  go  and  Hand  in  the  place   where  the  arrows  fly;   if  the 
 
 an  >w  did  kill  him,  he  is  accetfory  to  his   own  death.     In  the 
 
 la    ,  Go  I   would   have  the  leper   fhut  up,  to  keep  others  from 
 
 ted,  Lev.    xiii.  4.     Now,  if  any  would  be  fo  pre- 
 
 ,      ous  as  to  go  in  to  the  leper,  and  get  the  plague  of  leprofy, 
 
 he  might  thank  himfelf,  heoccafioned  his  own  death. 
 
 /.   A  perfon   may  be  in  fome  fenfe  guilty  of  his  own 
 death,    by  neglecting  the  ufe  of  means.     If  tick,   and   ufe  no 
 ;r  he  hath  received  a  wound  and  will  not  apply  balfam, 
 be  lis  osvn  death.     God  appointed   Hezekiah  to  lay  a 
 
 '  lump  oi  figs  to  the   boil,    Ifa.  xxxviii.  21,       If  he   had  not 
 uled  the  lump  of  figs,  he  had  been  the  cauie  of  his  own  death. 
 //*/,  By  immoderate  grief,  2  Cor.  vii.  10.  '  the  forrow 
 oft.  worketh  death  ;'   when  God  takes  away  a  dear  re- 
 
 lation, and  one  lb  fwaiiowed  up  with  forrow.     How  many  weep 
 
480  OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 themfelves  into  their  graves !  queen  Mary  grieved  fo  exceflWely 
 for  the  lofs  of  Calais,  that  it  broke  her  heart. 
 
 Fourthly,  By  intemperance,  excefs  in  diet.  Surfeiting  fliort- 
 ens  life  :  pltires  periere  crapula,  quam  gladio  ;  many  dig  their 
 grave  with  their  teeth.  Too  much  oil  chokes  the  lamp :  the 
 cup  kills  more  than  the  cannon.  Excefiive  drinking  caufeth 
 untimely  death. 
 
 2.  One  may  he  guilty  of  felf-murder,  directly  and  abfolutely. 
 
 1.  By  envy.  Envy  is  trijiitia  de  bonis  alienis,  a  fecret  repin- 
 ing at  the  welfare  of  another. 
 
 Invidus  alterius  rebus  macrefcit  opimis. 
 
 An  envious  man  is  more  forry  at  another's  profperity  than  at 
 another's  adverfity  ;  he  never  laughs,  but  when  another  weeps. 
 Envy  is  a  felf-murder,  a  fretting  canker.  Cyprian  calls  it  vulnus 
 occultnm,  a  fecret  wound  ;  it  hurts  a  man's  felf  moft.  Envy 
 corrodes  the  heart,  dries  up  the  blood,  rots  the  hones,  Prov. 
 xiv.  30.  •  Envy  is  the  rottennefs  of  the  bones/  It  is  to  the 
 body,  as  the  moth  to  the  cloth,  it  eats  it,  and  makes  its  beauty 
 confume  :  envy  drinks  its  own  venom.  The  viper,  which  leaped 
 on  Paul's  hand,  thought  to  have  hurt  Paul,  but  fell  herfelf  into 
 the  fire,  Acts  xviii.  3.  So,  while  the  envious  man  thinks  to 
 hurt  another,  he  deftroys  himfelf. 
 
 (2.)  By  laying  violent  hands  on  himfelf,  and  thus  he  is  felo 
 defe;  as  Saul  fell  upon  his  own  fword  and  killed  himfelf. 
 
 And  becaufe  I  fee  fo  many  in  the  bills  of  mortality,  who  make 
 away  themfelves,  let  me  a  little  expatiate.  It  is  the  moil  un- 
 natural and  barbarous  kind  of  murder  for  a  man  to  butcher  him- 
 felf and  imbrue  his  hands  in  his  own  blood.  A  man's  felf  is  moft 
 dear  to  him,  therefore  this  fin  of  felf-murder  breaks  both  the 
 law  of  God,  and  the  bonds  of  nature.  The  Lord  hath  placed 
 the  foul  in  the  body,  as  in  a  prifon  ;  now  it  is  a  great  fin  to 
 break  prifon,  till  God  by  death  open  the  door.  Self-murderers 
 are  worfe  than  the  brute  creatures  :  they  will  tear  and  gore  one 
 another,  but  no  beaft  will  go  to  deftroy  itfelf.  Self-murder  is 
 occafioned  ufually  from  difcontent :  difcontent  is  joined  with  a 
 fullen  melancholy.  The  bird  that  beats  herfelf  in  the  cage, 
 and  is  ready  to  kill  herfelf,  is  the  true  emblem  of  adifcontented 
 fpirit. 
 
 And  this  difcontent  arifeth,  (1.)  From  pride.  A  man  that 
 is  fwelled  with  an  high  opinion  of  himfelf,  thinks  he  deferves 
 better  than  others ;  and  if  any  crofs  befal  him,  he  is  difcontented, 
 and  now  in  a  fudden  paffion  will  make  away  himfelf.  Ahithophel 
 had  high  thoughts  of  himfelf,  his  words  wereefteemed  oracles; 
 and  to  have  his  wife  counfel  rejected,  he  was  not  able  to  bear 
 it,  2  Sam.  xvii.  23.  '  He  put  his  houfe  in  order,  and  hanged 
 himfelf.'  (2.)  From  Poverty.  Poverty  is  a  fore  temptation, 
 Prov.  xxx.  19.  *  Give  me  not  poverty.*     Many  by  their  fin 
 
of  Tub  six  i  wr.  481 
 
 re  brought  themfelves  to  poverty  ;   and  when  a  great  eftate  is 
 boiled  away  to  nothing,  then  they  are  difcon  ten  ted,  and  think 
 better  to  die  quickly,   than  languid]  In  ntHer)  ••  hereupon   the 
 devil  helps  them  to  difpatch  therofeWee.     (3.)  Prom  covetouf- 
 Avaticf  is  a  dry  drunkeumfs,  an  hoi  fc- leech  that  is  never 
 fati*f)ed.     The  covetous   man    is  like    Behemoth,  J  oh  xl. 
 ■  Behold,  he  drinketh  up  livers,  and  yet  his  third  is  not  allayed.* 
 The  covetous  mifer  hoards  up  corn  ;  and  if  he  hears  the  price  of 
 corn  begins  to  fall,  then  he  is  troubled,  and  there  la  no  cure  for 
 his  dHcon tent    hut  an  halter.     (4.)   From  horror  of  mind.     A 
 man    hath    iinned  a  great  fin,    he    hath    fwallowed  clown  fome 
 pills  of  temptation  the  devil   hath  given  him,   and  thefe  pills 
 in  to  work  in  his  confeience;  and  the  horroris  to  great,  that 
 he  choofeth  ftrangling.     Judas  having  betrayed  innocent  blood, 
 he  was  in   that  agony,  that  he  hanged  himfelf  to  quiet  his  con- 
 fidence;  as  if  one  mould,  to  avoid  the  dinging  of  a  gnat,  en- 
 dure the  biting-  of  a  ferpent.     Thus  felf-murder  is  an  high  breach 
 of  this  commandment,   it  is   an  execrable  fin.       I  can    fee  no 
 ground  of  hope  for  fuch  as  make  away  themfelves  ;   for  they  die 
 in  the  very  a 61  of  fin,  and  cannot  have  time  to  repent. 
 
 (2.)  Here  is  forbidden  hurting  one's  own  foul,  ■  thou  malt 
 not  kill.'  Many  who  are  free  from  other  murders,  yet  are 
 guilty  here;  they  go  about  to  murder  their  own  fouls;  they 
 are  wilfully  fet  to  damn  themfelves,  and  throw  themfelves  into 
 hell. 
 
 Qu.  Who  are  they  that  go  about  defperately  to  murder  their 
 own  j  mils  f 
 
 Anj\  l.  Such  wilfully  go  about  to  murder  their  fouls,  who 
 have  no  fenfe  of  God,  or  the  other  world  ;  they  are  paft  feeling, 
 Epli.  iv.  19-.  Tell  them  of  God's  holinefs  and  juftice,  they  are 
 not  at  all  affected,  Zech.  vii.  12.  ■  They  made  their  hearts  like 
 an  adamant*  The  adamant  faith  Pliny  is  infuperable,  the 
 hammer  cannot  conquer  it.  Sinners  have  adamantine  hearts. 
 The  altar  of  (lone,  when  the  prophet  fpake  to  it,  ■  rent  afun- 
 •ier,'  1  Kings  xiii.  2.  But  finners'  hearts  are  fo  hardened  in 
 fin,  that  nothing  will  work  upon  them*  neither  ordinances  nor 
 judgments:  they  do  not  believe  a  Deity,  they  laugh  at  hell; 
 the(e  go  about  to  murder  their  own  fouls,  they  are  throwing 
 themfelves  a"  fad  as  they  can  into  hell. 
 
 2.  Such  as  are  fet  wilfully  to  murder  their  own  fouls,  are 
 they  who  are  Tefolved  upon  their  lufts,  let  what  will  come  of 
 it.  The  foul  may  cry  out,  I  am  killing,  I  am  murdering,  Epli. 
 iv.  ID.  *  They  have  given  themfelves  over  to  work  all  unclean- 
 nefi  with  greedinefs.'  Let  miniiters  fpeak  to  them  about  their 
 fins,  let  confeience  fpeak,  let  affliction  fpeak,  yet  they  will  have 
 their  lufts,  though  they  go  to  hell  for  them.  Are  not  thefe  re- 
 lblved  to  murder  their  fouls?  As  A  j^rippina,  mother  to  Nero, 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  11.  P 
 
482  OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 faid,  Occidat  modo  imperet,  let  my  fon  kill  me,  fo  he  may  reign  ; 
 fo  many  fay  in  their  hearts,  let  our  (ins  damn  us,  lb  they  may 
 but  pleafe  us.  Herod  will  have  his  inceftuous  luft,  though  it 
 cod  him  his  foul :  men  will,  for  a  drop  of  pleafure,  drink  a  fea 
 of  wrath.  Are  not  thefe  about  to  maflacre  and  damn  their 
 fouls?  N 
 
 3.  They  murder  their  fouls,  who  avoid  all  means  of  faving 
 their  fouls.  They  will  go  to  plays,  to  drunken  meetings:  but 
 will  not  fet  their  foot  within  God's  houfe,  or  come  near  the 
 found  of  the  gofpel- trumpet :  as  if  one  that  is  difeafed  fhould 
 fhun  the  bath,  for  fear  of  being  healed  ;  thefe  do  wilfully  damn 
 their  fouls,  and  are  as  great  murderers  of  themfelves,  as  he, 
 who  having  means  of  cure  offered  him,  choofeth  death  rather 
 than  phyfic.  -, 
 
 4.  They  do  voluntarily  murder  their  fouls,  who  fuck  in  falfe 
 prejudices  againft  religion  ;  as  if  religion  were  fo  ftrict  and 
 fevere  :  they  that  efpoufe  holinefs,  mull  live  a  melancholy  life, 
 like  Hermits  and  Anchorites,  and  drown  all  their  joy  in  tears. 
 This  is  a  (lander  which  the  devil  hath  caft  upon  religion  :  for 
 there  is  no  truejoy  but  in  believing,  Rom.  xv.  13.  No  honey 
 fofweet  as  that  which  drops  from  a  promife.  Some  men  have 
 foolifhly  taken  up  a  prejudice  againlt  religion  ;  they  are  refolved 
 rather  never  to  go  to  heaven, -than  to  go  thither  through  the 
 ftrait  gate.  I  may  fay  of  prejudice,  as  Paul  to  Elymas,  Acts 
 xiii.  10.  *  O  prejudice,  thou  child  of  the  devil,  thou  enemy  of 
 all  righteoufnefs,'  How  many  fouls  haft  thou  damned  ? 
 
 5.  They  are  wilfully  fet  to  murder  their  own  fouls,  who  will 
 neither  be  good  themfelves,  nor  fuffer  others  to  be  fo,  Mat. 
 xxii.  23.  ■  Ye  neither  go  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  yourlelves, 
 neither  fuffer  ye  them  that  are  entering,  to  go  in.'  Such  are 
 thofe  that  perfecute  others  for  their  religion.  Drunken  meet- 
 ings (hall  efcape  punifliments  :  but,  if  men  meet  to  ferve  God, 
 then  let  all  feverity  be  ufed.  Thefe  are  refolved  to  (hipwreck 
 others,  though  they  themfelves  are  call  away  in  the  ftorrn.  Oh! 
 take  heed  of  this,  of  murdering  your  own  fouls  ;  no  creature  but 
 man  doth  willingly  kill  itfelf.  So  I  have  done  with  the  firit, 
 the  fin  forbidden  in  this  commandment,  «  thou  (halt  not  kill.* 
 
 Exod.  xx.  13.     Thoujhalt  not  kill. 
 
 II.  The  fecond  duty  implied  is,  that  we  fhould  do  all 
 Ihe  good  ice  can  to  our/elves  and  others. 
 
 1.  In  reference  to  others.  We  fhould  endeavour  to  preferve 
 the  lives  and  fouls  of  others.  2.  In  reference  to  ourfelves.  To 
 preferve  our  own  life  and  foul.     [I.]  In  reference  to  others. 
 
OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT.  483 
 
 (I.)  To  preferve  the  life  of  others.  Comfort  them  in  their 
 forrows,  rehevethem  in  their  wanta;  beta  the  good  Samaritan, 
 pour  wine  and  oil  into  their  wounds,  Job*  xxix.  l(j.  '  I  f 
 a  father  to  the  poor. — 13.  The  bleflin^  of  him  that  was  ready 
 to  perifh  came  upon  me.'  This  is  a  great  means  of  preferring 
 the  life  of  another,  by  relieving  him  when  he  is  ready  to  perifh. 
 Pompey,  when  there  was  a  great  dearth  in  Rone,  provided 
 corn  for  their  relief;  and  when  the  mariners  were  backward  to 
 fail  thither  in  a  tempelt,  laid  he,  "  It  is  not  neceflary  that  we 
 fhould  live,  but  it  is  neceilary  that  Rome  be  relieved."  Grace 
 makes  the  heart  tender,  it  cauleth  lympathy  and  charity  :  as  it 
 melts  the  heart  in  contrition  towards  God,  lb  in  companion  to- 
 wards others,  Pi",  cxii.  9.  *  He  hath  difperfed,  and  given  to 
 the  poor.'  This  the  commandment  implies,  that  we  ihould 
 be  to  far  from  ruining  others,  that  we  mould  do  all  we  can  to 
 preferve  the  lives  of  others.  When  we  fee  the  picture  of  death 
 drawn  in  their  faces,  adminifler  to  their  neceflities;  be  tempo- 
 ral faviours  to  them  ;  draw  them  out  of  the  waters  of  a(71i6tion 
 with  a  filver  cord  of  charity.  That  I  may  perfuade  you  to 
 this,  let  me  lay  before  you  arguments ; 
 
 Firfl,  Works  of  charity  evidence  grace. 
 
 1.  Faith,  James  ii.  18.  *  I  will  (hew  thee  my  faith  by  my 
 works.'  Works  are  faith's  letters  of  credence  to  fhew.  We 
 judge  of  the  health  of  the  body  by  the  pulie,  where  the  blood 
 itirs  and  operates:  Chriftian,  judge  of  the  health  of  thy  faith 
 by  the  pulle  of  charity  :  Uhe  word  of  God  is  the  rule  of  faith, 
 and  good  works  are  the  witnefles  of  faith. 
 
 Love.  Love  loves  mercy  :  it  is  a  noble  bountiful  grace.  Mary 
 loved  Chrilt,  and  how  liberal  was  her  love  !  (lie  bellowed  on 
 Chrilt  her  tears,  kifles,  coftly  ointments.  Love,  like  a  full  ve(- 
 fel,  will  have  vent;  it  vents  itfelf  in  acts  of  liberality. 
 
 Secondly ,  To  communicate  to  the  neceflities  of  others,  is  not 
 arbitrary  (is  it  not  left  to  our  choice  whether  we  will  or  no)  but 
 it  is  a  duty  incumbent,  1  Tim.  vi.  l(j.  ■  Charge  them  that  are 
 rich  in  this  world  that  they  do  good, — that  they  be  rich  in  good 
 works.'  This  is  not  only  a  counfel,  but  a  charge.  If  God 
 fhould  lay  a  charge  upon  the  inanimate  creatures,  they  would 
 obey  ;  if  he  would  charge  the  rocks,  they  would  fend  forth  wa- 
 ter, if  he  (hould  charge  the  clouds,  they  would  melt  into  mow- 
 ers :  if  he  fliould  charge  the  ftones,  they  would  become  bread. 
 — And  fhall  we  be  harder  than  the  ftones,  not  to  obey  God, 
 when  he  chargeth  us  to  *  be  rich  in  good    works  ?' 
 
 Thirdly,  God  fupplies  our  wants,  and  (hall  not  we  fupply  the 
 wants  of  others  ?  "  We  could  not  live  without  mercy."  God 
 makes  every  creature  helpful  to  us  :  the  fun  doth  enrich  us  with 
 its  golden  beams  :  the  earth  yields  us  its  increafe,  veins  of -old, 
 crops  of  coin,  (lore  of  (lowers,  God  opens  the  treafury  of  his 
 
 3P2 
 
484  OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 mercy  ;  he  feeds  us  everyday  out  of  the  alms-bafket  of  his 
 providence  :  ■  thou  openeii  thy  hand,  and  fatistieft  the  deli  re  of 
 every  living  thing,'  Pf.  exlv.  ltf.  Now,  doth  God  fupply  our 
 wants,  and  (hall  not  we  miniller  to  the  wants  of  others?  fhall 
 we  be  only  as  a  fpunge  to  luck  in  mercy,  and  not  as  brealts  to 
 milk  it  out  to  others  ? 
 
 Fourthly,  Herein  we  refemble  God,  to  be  doing  good  to 
 others.  It  is  our  excellency  to  be  like  God  :  "  godlinefs  is 
 Godlikenefs."  And  wherein  are  we  more  like  him,  than  in 
 a6ts  of  bounty  and  munificence?  Pf.  cxix.  68.  *  Thou  art 
 good,  and  dolt  good.'  '  Thou  art  good,'  there  is  God's  efien- 
 tial  goodnefs  ;  and  *  doll  good,'  there  is  his  communicative 
 goodnefs.  The  more  helpful  we  are  to  others,  the  more  like 
 we  are  to  God  :  we  cannot  be  like  to  God  in  omnifciency,  or 
 in  working  miracles  ;  but  we  may  be  like  him  in  doing  works 
 of  mercy. 
 
 Fifthly,  God  remembers  all  our  deeds  of  charity,  and  takes 
 them  kindly  at  our  hands,  Heb.  vi.  10.  *  God  is  not  unrighte- 
 ous to  forget  your  labour  of  love  which  you  have  (hewed  to- 
 wards his  name,  in  that  you  have  miniftred  unto  the  faints.' 
 The  chief  butler  may  forget  Jofeph's  kindnefs,  but  the  Lord 
 will  not  forget  any  kindnefs  we  (hew  to  his  people,  Matth. 
 xxv.  35.  '  I  was  an  hungred,  and  ye  gave  me  meat ;  thirfty, 
 and  ye  gave  me  drink.'  Chriit  takes  the  kindnefs  done  to  his 
 faints,  as  done  to  himi'elf ;  God,  that  hath  a  bottle  for  your 
 tears,  hath  a  book  to  write  down  your  alms,  Mai.  iii.  16.  '  A 
 book  of  remembrance  was  written  before  him.'  Tamerlane 
 had  a  regifter  to  write  down  all  the  names  and  good  fervices  of 
 his  foldiers ;  fo,  God  hath  a  book  of  remembrance  to  write 
 down  all  your  charitable  works  ;  and  at  the  day  of  judgment 
 there  (hall  be  an  open  and  honourable  mention  made  of  them, 
 in  prefence  of  the  angels. 
 
 Sixthly,  Hard  heartednefs  to  them  in  mifery  reproacheth 
 the  gofpel.  When  men's  hearts  are  like  pieces  of  rocks,  or  as 
 *  the  fcales  of  the  Leviathan,  (hut  up  as  with  a  clofe  (eal,'  Job 
 xli.  15.  You  may  as  well  ex*tra6t  oil  out  of  a  flint  ftone,  as 
 the  golden  oil  of  charity  out  of  their  hearts.  "  Thefe  unchritlian 
 themfelves.  Unmercitulnefs  is  the  fin  of  the  heathen,"  Rom. 
 i.  31.  *  Without  mercy.'  It  eclipfeth  the  glory  of  the  gofpel  ; 
 doth  the  gofpel  teach  uncharitablenefs  ?  Doth  it  not  bid  us 
 draw  ■  out  our  foul  to  the  hungry  ?'  Ifa.  1.  10.  Tit.  iii.  8. 
 ?  Thefe  things  I  will  that  ye  affirm,  that  they  which  have  be- 
 lieved in  God,  might  be  careful  to  maintain  good  works.'  While 
 you  relieve  not  fu.cn  as  are  in  want,  you  walk  antipodes  to  the 
 golpel  ;  you  caufe  it  to  be  evil  fpoken  of,  and  lay  it  open  to 
 the  la(h  and  cenfure  of  others. 
 
 Seventhly,  There  is  nothing  loft  by  relieving  the  necefiitous. 
 
Or  THE  SIXTH  CqMMANDMKNT.  4S> 
 
 The  Shunamite  woman  wa<  kind  to  the  prophet,  flic  welcomed 
 htm  toherheufe,  and  (he  received  kiodoeffl  from  him  another 
 way  :  be  rellored  her  dead  child  to  life,  ii  King*  i*«  Such 
 
 as  are  helpful  to  others,  (hall  '  liud  mercy  to   help  in   time  of 
 need.'     Such  as  |   >ur  out  tile  golden  oil  of  couipallion  to  otli- 
 God    will  pour  out   the  golden  oil   of  lalvation    to  them  :    for  a. 
 1  cup  of  cold  water,'  they  (hall  haye  ■  rivers  of  pleafure.'     N 
 God   will  make  it  up  tome  way  or  other  in   this  lite,  Pmv.    \i. 
 
 .  *  The  liberal  lbul  (hall  be  made  fat  ;'  as  the  Leave)  m 
 hreakiog  multiplied  ;  or,  as  the  widow's  oil  iuavaled  in  pour- 
 ing out,  1  Kings  xvii.  10.  An  eliate  raay  be  imparted,  yet 
 not  impaired. 
 
 Eighthly,  To  do  good  to  others  in  necefTity,  keeps  up  the 
 credit  of  religion.  Works  of  mercy  adorn  the  gofpel,  as  the 
 fruit  adorns  the  tree  :  when  *  our  light  lb  (nines  that  others  fee 
 our  good  works,'  this  glorifies  God,  crowns  religion,  filenceth 
 the  lips  of  gainlayers.  Balil  faith,  nothing  rendered  the  true 
 religion  more  famous  in  the  primitive  times,  and  made  more 
 prolelytcs  to  it,  than  the  bounty  and  charily  of  the  Chrillians. 
 
 Ninth/;/,  andtajiy,  The  evil  that  doth  accrue  by  not  prelerv- 
 ing  the  lives  of  others,  and  helping  them  in  their  necellities. 
 God  lends  oft  a  fecret  moth  into  their  eliate,  Prov.  xi.  <J4. 
 1  There  is  that  withholdeth  more  than  is  meet,  but  it  tendeth 
 to  poverty,'  Prov.  xxi.  13.  '  Wholb  lloppeth  his  tars  at  the 
 cry  of  the  poor,  healfo  fhall  cry  himlelf,  but  fliall  not  be  heard." 
 James  ii.  13.  ■  He  ihall  have  judgment  without  mercy,  thab 
 lhewed  no  mercy.'  Dives  denied  Lazarus  a  crumb  ol  bread, 
 and  Dives  was  denied  a  drop  of  water,  Matth.  xxv.  41.  *  De- 
 part from  me,  ye  curled  ;  for  I  was  an  hungred,  and  ye  gave  rne 
 no  meat.'  Chrilt  faith  not  ye  took  away  my  meat  ;  but  *  ye 
 gave  me  no  meat;'  ye  did  not  feed  my  members,  therefore, 
 *  depart  from  me.'  By  all- this,  be  ready  to  diftribute  to  the  ne- 
 cellities of  others.  This  is  included  in  the  commandment, 
 ■  thou  (halt  not  kill.'  Not  only  thou  (halt  not  deltroy  his  life, 
 but  thou  (halt  preferve  it  by  giving  to  his  necellities. 
 
 (2.)  It  is  implied,  that  we  fhould  endeavour  to  preferve  the 
 fouls  of  others  ;  counfel  them  about  their  fouls,  let  life  and 
 death  before  them,  help  them  to  heaven.  In  the  law,  if  one 
 met  his  neighbour's  ox  or  aft  going  all  ray,  he  mull  bring  him. 
 again,  Exod.  xxxiii.  4.  Much  more,  if  we  fee  our  neighbour's 
 foul  going  altray,  welhould  ufe  all  means  to  bring  him  back  to 
 God  by  repentance. 
 
 [2.]  In  reference  to  ourlelves.  The  commandment,  ■  Thou 
 fhalt  not  kill,'  requires  that  we  mould  preferve  our  own  life  and 
 foul  ;  it  is  engraven  upon  every  creature,  that  we  fhould  pre- 
 ferve our  own  natural  life.  We  muft  be  lb  far  from  fell- murder, 
 that  we  mull  do  all  we  can  to  preierve  our  natural  life ;  we 
 
486  OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 muft  life  all  means  of- diet,  exercife  and  lawful  recreation, 
 which  is  like  oil  to  preferve  the  lamp  of  life  from  going  out. 
 Some  have  been  under  temptation  ;  Satan  has  fuggefted  they 
 are  fuch  finners  as  do  not  deferve  a  bit  of  bread,  and  fo  they 
 have  been  ready  to  (larve  themfeives  ;  this  is  contrary  to  the 
 fixth  commandment,  *  thou  (halt  do  no  murder  ;'  it  is  implied, 
 we  are  to  u(e  all  means  forahe  prefervation  of  our  own  life, 
 1  Tim.  v.  23.  '  Drink  no  longer  water,  but  ufe  a  little  wine  for 
 thy  ftomach's  fake.'  Timothy  was  not  by  drinking  too  much 
 water  to  overcool  his  ftomach,  and  weaken  nature,  but  we  muft 
 ufe  means  for  f elf- prefervation,  '  drink  a  little  wine,'  &c. 
 
 Secondly,  This  commandment  requires,  that  we  fhould  en- 
 deavour (as  to  preferve  our  own,  life  fo  efpecially)  to  preferve 
 our  ownibuls. 
 
 Omnia  perdas  animam  fervare  memento. 
 
 It  is  engraven  upon  every  creature,  as  with  the  point  of  a 
 diamond,  that  it  mould  look  to  its  own  prefervation.  If  the 
 life  of  the  body  muft  be  preferved,  then  much  more  the  life  of 
 the  foul.  If  he  who  doth  not  provide  for  his  own  houfe  is  worfe 
 than  an  infidel,  1  Tim.  v.  8.  then  much  more  he  who  doth  not 
 provide  for  his  own  foul.  This  is  a  main  thing  implied  in  the 
 commandment,  a  fpecial  care  for  the  preferving  our  (buls  :  the 
 foul  is  the  jewel ;  the  foul  is  a  diamond  fet  in  a  ring  of  clay  : 
 Chrift  puts  the  foul  in  balance  with  the  world,  and  itoutweighs, 
 Mat.  xvi.  26.  The  foul  is  aglafs,  in  which  fome  rays  of  divine 
 glory  fhine  ;  it  hath  in  it  fome  faint  idea  and  refemblance  of  a 
 Deity  ;  it  is  a  celeftial  (park  lighted  by  the  breath  of  God. 
 The  body  was  made  of  the  duft,  but  the  foul  is  of  a  more  noble 
 extract  and  original,  Gen.  ii.  7.  '  God  breathed  into  man  a4iv- 
 ing  foul.  * 
 
 1.  The  foul  is  excellent  in  its  nature.  It  is  a  fpiritual  being, 
 •  it  is  a  kind  of  angelical  thing  :'  the  mind  fparkles  with  know- 
 ledge, the  will  is  crowned  with  liberty,  and  all  the  affections  are 
 as  ltars  fhining  in  their  orbs.  The  foul  being  fpiritual,  (I.)  It 
 is  of  quick  operation.  How  quick  are  the  motions  of  a  fpark  ! 
 how  fwift  the  wing  of  a  cherubim  !  fo  quick  and  agile  is  the 
 motion  of  the  foul  1  what  is  quicker  than  a  thought  ?  How  many 
 miles  can  the  foul  travel  in  an  inftant!  (2.)  The  foul,  being  fpi- 
 ritual, moves  upward,  it  contemplates  God  and  glory,  Pf. 
 Ixxiii.  25.  ■  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee.?'  The  motion 
 of  the  foul  is  upward  ;  only  fin  hath  put  a  wrong  bias  upon  the 
 foul,  and  made  it  move  too  much  downward.  (3.)  The  foul, 
 being  fpiritual,  hath  a  felf-moving  power;  it  can  fubfitt  and 
 move  when  the  body  is  dead,  as  the  mariner  can  fubfift  when 
 the  fhip  is  broken.  (4.)  The  foul,  being  fpiritual,  is  immortal, 
 (Scaliger)  Aeternitatis  gemma,  a  bud  of  eternity. 
 
 2.  As  the  foul  is  excellent  in  its  nature,  fo  in  its  capacities. 
 
OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMBIfT.  487 
 
 It  is  capable  of  grace,  it  is  fit  to  be  an  alfociate  and  companion 
 of  angels  i    It  is  capable  of  communion   with   God,   of  bei 
 Chrift's  fpoufe,  c2  Cor.  xi.    19.    '  That   I  might  efpoufe  youi 
 
 vn-in  ibuls  to  Chrifi.'  It  is  capable  of  being  crowned  witU 
 glory  for  ever.  O  then,  carrying  fuofa  precious  ibuls  about  you, 
 created  with  the  breath  of  God,  redeemed  with  the  blood  of 
 God  ;  what  endeavours  mould  you  ule  for  the  laving  of  thele 
 fouls  !  let  not  the  devil  have  your  fouls.  IIeliogabalu>  fed  his 
 lions  with  pheafant :  the  devil  is  called  a  roaring  lion,  i^t-d  hiin 
 not  with  your  fouls.  Befides  the  excellency  of  the  foul,  which 
 may  make  you  labour  to  get  it  laved,  consider  how  fad  it  will 
 be  not  to  have  the  foul  fared.  It  is  iuch  a  loi's  as  there  is  none 
 like  it  ;  becaufe,  in  loling  the  foul  you  lofe  a  great  many  things 
 with  it.  A  merchant  in  lofing  his  fhip,  loleth  many  things 
 With  it;  he  lofeth  money,  jewels,  fpices,  &e.  lb,  he  that  loleth 
 his  foul,  lofeth  Chrift,  the  company  of  angels  in  heaven  :  it  is 
 an  mfinite  lofs,  and  it  is  an  irreparable  lofs  ;  it  can  never  be 
 made  up  again.  Two  eyes  butonefoul,  Chryfoilom.  O  what 
 care  mould  be  taken  of  the  immortal  foul !  I  would  requeft  but 
 this  of  you,  that  you  would  but  take  as  much  care  for  the  faving 
 of  your  fouls,  as  you  do  for  the  getting  of  an  eftate  :  nay,  I  will 
 fay  this,  do  but  take  as  much  care  for  the  laving  your  fouls,  as 
 the  devil  duth  for  dellroying  them.  O  how  induftrious  is  Satan 
 to  damn  fouls  ?  how  doth  he  play  the  ferpent  in  his  fubtil  lay- 
 ing of  mares  to  catch  fouls  !  how  doth  he  moot  fiery  darts  ! 
 the  devil  is  never  idle;  the  devil  is  a  bufy  bidiop  in  his  dio- 
 cefe;  he  '  walks  up  and  down  feeking  whom  he  may  devour,1 
 c2  Pet.  v.  8.  Now,  is  not  this  a  reafonable  requeft,  to  take  but 
 as  much  care  for  the  faving  of  your  fouls,  as  the  devi!  doth  for 
 dellroying  of  them  ? 
 
 Qu.   How  /hall  we  do  to  get  our  fouls  faved  ? 
 
 Anf\  By  having  them  fanctified.  Only  the  '  pure  in  heart 
 fhall  fee  God.'  Get  your  fouls  inlayed  and  enamelled  with  ho- 
 linefs,  1  Pet.  i.  16.  It  is  not  enough  that  ■  we  ceafe  to  do  evil,' 
 which  is  all  the  evidence  fome  hove  to  fliew)  this  is  to  lofe  hea- 
 ven by  fhort-fhooting  ;  but  we  mult  be  inwardly  fanctified  :  not 
 only  the  •  unclean  Fpirit'  muft  go  out,  but  we  muft  be  filled 
 with  the  ■  Ploly  Ghoft,'  Eph.  v.  18.  This  holinefs  muft  need* 
 be,  if  you  confider  God  is  to  dwell  with  you  here,  and  you  are 
 to  dwell  with  him  hereafter. 
 
 Firjl,  God  is  to  dwell  with  you  here.  God  takes  up  the  foul 
 for  his  own  lodging,  Eph.  iii.  17-  *  That  Chrift  may  dwell  in 
 your  hearts.'  Therefore  the  (bul  muft  be  confecrated.  A  king's 
 palace  muft  be  kept  clean,  efpecially  his  prefence-cnamber. 
 The  body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  1  Cor.  vi.  19.  then 
 the  foul  is  the  j an £lum  fanclorum :   how  holy  ought  that  to  be. 
 
 Secondly,  You  are  to  dwell  with  God.     Heaven  is  an  holy 
 
483  Of  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 place,  1  Pet.  i.  4.  'An  inheritance  undefiled.'  And  how  can 
 you  dwell  with  God  till  you  are  fanctified  ?  We  do  not  put 
 wine  into  a  mufty  veflel  :  God  will  not  put  the  new  wine  of 
 glory  into  a  finful  heart.  O  then,  as  you  love  your  fouls,  and 
 would  have  them  faved  eternally,  endeavour  after  holinefs  ;  hy 
 this  means  you  will  have  an  idoneity  and  fitnefsfor  the  kingdom 
 of  heaven,  and  your  fouls  will  be  laved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord 
 Jefus. 
 
 OF  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 Exod.  xx.  14.    Thou  flialt  not  commit  adultery, 
 
 God  is  a  pure,  holy  Spirit,  and  hath  an  infinite  antipa- 
 thy againit  all  uncleannefs.  In  this  commandment  he  hath  en- 
 tered his  caution  againft  it,  non  mccchaberis,  *  Thou  fhalt  not 
 commit  adultery.1  The  fum  of  this  commandment  is,  The  pre* 
 fervation  of  corporal  purity .  We  mull  take  heed  of  running  on 
 the  rock  of  uncleannefs,  and  fo  making  fhipwreck  of  our  chal- 
 tity.  In  this  commandment  there  is  fomething  tacitly  implied, 
 and  fomething  exprefsly  forbidden. 
 
 1.  Something  tacitly  implied,  viz.  That  the  ordinance  of 
 marriage  mould  be  obferved. 
 
 *2.  Something  exprefsly  forbidden,  viz.  The  infecting  our- 
 felves  with  bodily  pollutions,  '  Thou  (halt  not  commit  adul- 
 tery.' 
 
 ( I . )  Something  implied,  that  the  ordinance  of  marriage  fliould 
 he  obferved,  1  Cor.  vii.  2.  '  Let  every  man  have  his  own  wife, 
 and  every  woman  have  her  own  hufband.'  Marriage  is  honour- 
 able and  the  bed  undefiled,  Heb.  xiii.  4.  God  did  inftitute 
 marriage  in  paradife  :  he  ■  brought  the  woman  to  the  man,' 
 Gen.  ii.  22.  He  did  as  it  were  give  them  in  marriage.  And 
 Jefus  Chrift  did  honour  marriage  with  his  prefence,  John  ii.  Q. 
 The  firft  miracle  he  wrought  was  at  a  marriage,  when  he  turned 
 the  '  water  into  wine.* — Marriage  is  a  type  and  relemblance  of 
 the  myltical  union  between  Chrilt  and  his  church,  Eph.  v.  32. 
 Concerning  marriage, 
 
 [1.]  There  are  general  duties.  1.  The  general  duty  of  the 
 hufband  is  to  rule,  Eph.  v.  23.  *  The  hufband  is  the  head  of 
 the  wife.'  The  head  is  the  feat  of  rule  and  government ;  but 
 he  mult  rule  with  difcretion.  He  is  head,  therefore  mud  not 
 rule  without  reafon.  2.  The  general  duty  on  the  wife's  part  19 
 fubmiftion,  Eph.  iii.  22.  ■  Wives  fubmit  yourfelves  unto  your 
 own  hufbands,  as  unto  the  Lord.'  It  is  obfervable,  the  Holy 
 Ghoft  paifed  by  Sarah's  failings,  he  doth  not  mention  her  un* 
 
OF  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT.  489 
 
 bolit  f  ;    but  lie  Lakes  ootids  of  that  w  N  i*  li  I  in  her,  her 
 
 and  obedii  nee  to  Ik  r  liufhtiiid,  t  Pet.   iii.  0'.   ■  Sarah 
 
 Abraham,  caUmg  him  Lord.' 
 
 ( °.  ]  i  rlongmg  t<>  marriage,  are  love  and  fide* 
 
 lity.     i.  Love,  Eph.  v.  25.    ■  Lcwe  ii  tin-  nsarriago of  the  af- 
 
 as  it  were,  hut  one  heart,  in  two  bodi< 
 fore  hues  the  yoke  and  makes  ii  ealy  i  love  perftmei  the  mar- 
 riage-relation  :  without  which  it  is  not  coiijuirntm  but  vonjuT- 
 gium  ;  it  is  like  two  poifons  in  one  ftomach,  ooe  il  ever  (irk  of 
 the  other.  2.  Fidelity*  In  mnrilge  there-  is  mutual  promife  of 
 Ifriog  together  faithfully  according  to  God's  holy  ordinance. 
 Among  the  Romans,  on  the  day  of  marriage,  the  woman  pre- 
 feated  to  her  ho(band  fire  and  water  ;  (ire  refines  metal,  water 
 h  :  hereby  (ignil'ying,  that  (he  would  live  with  her  hui- 
 band  in  chafnty  and  ftneerity.  This  is  the  firlt  thing  in  the 
 commandment  implied,  that  the  ordinance  of  marriage  fhould 
 be  puielv  nl-it  rved. 
 
 (°.)  The  tiling  forbidden  in  the  commandment,  ?'.  e.  infect- 
 ourfelves  with  bodily  pollution  and  uncleaniufs.  ■  Thou 
 (halt  not  commit  adultery.  The  fountain  of  this  fin  is  lull. 
 Since  the  fall,  holy  love  is  degenerated  to  luft.  Lull  is  the 
 fever  of  the  Ibul.  There  is  a  twofold  adultery:  1.  Mental, 
 Mat.  v.  28.  ■  Wholbever  looketh  on  a  woman  to  lull  after  her, 
 hath  committed  adultery  with  her  already  in  his  heart.'  As  a 
 man  may  die  of  an  inward  bleeding,  fo  he  may  be  damned  for 
 the  inward  boilings  of  lull,  if  they  be  not  mortified.  Q.  Corporal 
 adultery  \  when  lin  hath  conceived,  and  brought  forth  in  the 
 act.  This  is  exprelsly  forbidden  undera/?^  poena,  ■  Thou  (halt 
 not  commit  adultery.'  This  commandment  is  let  as  an  hedge 
 to  keep  out  uncleannefs  ;  and  they  that  break  this  hedge  a  ier- 
 pent  (hall  bite  them.  Job  calls  adultery  an  heinous  crime,  Job 
 xxxi.  11.  Every  failing  is  not  a  crime  ;  and  every  crime  is  not 
 an  heinous  crime  ;  but  adultery  xSifiagitium,  an  heinous  crime. 
 The  Lord  calls  it  villainy,  Jcr.  xxix.  J3.  ■  They  have  commit- 
 ted villainy  in  Ifrael,  and  have  committed  adultery  with  their 
 neighbours'  wives. 
 
 Qu.    Wherein  appears  the  henioufnefs  of  this  Jin  of  adultery  ? 
 
 Ant\  I.  In  that  adultery  is  the  breach  of  the  marriage-oath. 
 When  perfons  come  together  in  a  matrimonial  way,  they  bind 
 themfelves  by  covenant  each  to  other  in  the  prefence  of  God, 
 to  be  true  and  faithful  in  the  conjugal  relation.  Unchaftity  is  a 
 faliifying  this  iolemn  oath;  and  herein  adultery  is  worte  than 
 fornication,  becaufe  it  is  a  breach  of  the  conjugal  bond. 
 
 &  The  henioufnefs  of  adultery  lies  in  this,  That  it  is  fucli 
 an  Ijigh  dittionour  done  to  God.  God  faith,  *  Thou  (halt  not 
 commit  adultery.'     The  adulterer  lets  hi*  will  above  God's 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  11.  3  Q 
 
490  OF  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT/. 
 
 law,  tramples  upon  God's  command,  affronts  him  to  his  face  ; 
 as  if  a  fubje6t  fhould  tear  his  prince's  proclamation.  The  adul- 
 terer is  highly  injurious  to  all  the  perfons  in  the  Trinity.  1. 
 To  God  the  Father.  Sinner,  God  hath  given  thee  thy  life,  and 
 thou  doft  wade  the  lamp  of  thy  life,  the  flower  of  thy  age  in 
 lewdnefs  ;  he  hath  bellowed  on  thee  many  mercies,  health  and 
 eftate,  and  thou  fpended  all  on  harlots.  Did  God  give  thee 
 wages  to  ferve  the  devil?  (2.)  Injurious  to  God  the  Son,  two 
 ways.  Firji,  As  he  hath  purchased  thee  with  his  blood,  1  Cor. 
 vi,  20.  *  Yeare  bought  with  a  price. '  Now,  he  who  is  bought, 
 is  not  his  own  ;  it  is  a  fin  for  him  to  go  to  another,  without  con- 
 fent  from  Chrift,  who  hath  '  bought  him  with  a  price.'  Secondly, 
 By  virtue  of  baptifm  thou  art  a  Chriltian,  and  profefleft  that 
 Chrill  is  thy  head,  and  thou  art  a  member  ofChrid ;  therefore, 
 what  an  injury  is  it  to  Chrift,  to  take  the  members  ofChrilt, 
 and  make  them  the  '  members  of  an  harlot,'  1  Cor.  vi.  15. 
 (3.)  It  is  injurious  to  God  the  Holy  Gholt ;  for  the  body  is  his 
 temple,  I  Cor.  vi.  19.  '  Know  ye  not  that  your  body  is  the 
 temple  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  which  is  in  you  ?'  And  what  a  fin  is 
 it  to  defile  his  temple  ! 
 
 3.  The  henioufneis  of  adultery  lies  in  this,  That  it  is  com- 
 mitted with  mature  deliberation.  Fird,  there  is  the  contriving 
 the  fin  in  the  mind,  then  confent  in  the  will,  and  then  the  finis 
 put  forth  into  a6t.  To  fin  againft  the  light  of  nature,  and  to  fin 
 deliberately,  is  like  the  dye  to  the  wool,  it  gives  fin  a  tincture, 
 and  dyes  it  of  a  crimfbn  colour. 
 
 4.  That  which  makes  adultery  fo  heinous,  is,  That  it  is  a  fin 
 after  remedy.  God  hath  provided  a  remedy  to  prevent  this 
 fin,  1  Cor.  vii.  2.  '  To  avoid  fornication,  let  every  man  have 
 his  own  wife.'  Therefore,  after  this  remedy  prefcribed,  to  be 
 guilty  of  fornication  or  adultery,  is  inexcufable ;  it  is  like  a  rich 
 thief,  that  deals  when  he  has  no  need.  This  doth  enhance  and 
 accent  the  fin,  and  make  it  heinous. 
 
 U/e  I.  It  condemns  the  church  of  Rome  who  allow  the  fin  of 
 fornication  and  adultery.  They  futfer  not  their  prieds  to  marry, 
 but  they  may  have  their  courtezans  ;  the  word  kind  of  unclean- 
 nefs.  Incefl  with  the  neared  of  kin,  is  difpenfed  with  for  money. 
 It  was  once  faid  of  Rome, — Urbs  eft  jam  tola  lupanar, — Rome 
 was  become  a  common  dew.  And  no  wonder,  when  the  pope 
 could,  for  a  fum  of  money,  give  them  a  licence  and  patent  to 
 commit  uncleannefs :  and,  if  the  patent  were  not  enough,  he 
 would  give  them  a  pardon.  Many  of  the  pa pids  judge  fornica- 
 tion venial.  God  condemns  the  very  lulling,  Matth.  v.  28. 
 If  God  condemns  the  thought,  how  dare  they  allow  the  fa6fc  of 
 fornication  ?  You  fee  what  a  cage  of  unclean  birds  the  church 
 of  Rome  is  :  they  call  themfelves  the  Holy  Catholic  Church  ; 
 
OF  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT,  491 
 
 but,  how  can  they  be  holy,  who  are  fo  fteeped  and  par-boiled 
 
 in  fornication,  iuceft,  lodomy,  and  all  manner  of  uncleannefs  ? 
 
 II.  It  is  matter  of  lamentation,  to  fee  his  commandment 
 
 fo  (lighted  and  violated  among  us.     Adultery  is   the  reigning 
 
 fin  of  the  times,  llof.  vii.  1.  •  They  arc  nil  adulter- 
 oven  heated  by  the  baker.'  The  time  oik.  Henry  VIII.  was 
 called  the  golden  a^e,  but  this  may  be  called  the  unclean  age, 
 wherein  whore-hunting  is  common,  Ezek.  xxiv.  13.  *  In  your 
 filthinel's  is  lew  duels.'  Luther  tells  of  one  who  laid,  "  If  he 
 might  but  fatisfy  his  lull,  and  be  carried  from  one  whore-houle 
 to  another,  he  would  defire  no  other  heaven  ;  afterwards  he 
 breathed  out  his  foul  betwixt  two  notorious  ftrumpets."  This 
 is  to  be  the  right  feed  of  Adam,  to  love  the  forbidden  fruit,  to 
 love  to  drink  of  llolen  waters,  Ezek.  viii.  8,  9.  '  Son  of  man, 
 dig  in  the  wall  ;  and  when  I  had  digged,  behold  a  door  ;  and 
 he  faid,  Go  in  and  behold  the  wicked  abominations  that  they 
 do  here.'  Could  we,  as  the  prophet,  dig  fn  the  walls  of  many 
 houfes,  what  vile  abominations  mould  we  fee  there!  In  fome 
 chambers  we  might  fee  fornication  ;  dig  further,  and  fee  adul- 
 tery ;  dig  further,  and  we  may  fee  inceft,  &c.  And  may  not 
 the  Lord  go  from  his  fan6tuary  ?  as,  Ezek.  viii.  9.  '  Seeft  thou 
 the  great  abominations  that  the  houfe  of  Ifraelcommitteth,  that 
 I  mould  go  far  off  from  my  fancluary  ?'  God  might  remove  his 
 gofpel,  and  then  we  might  write  I  chabod  on  this  nation,  *  The 
 glory  is  departed.'     Let  us  mourn  for  what  we  cannot  reform. 
 
 Ufe  III.  It  exhorts  us  to  keep  ourfelves  from  this  fin  of  adul- 
 tery. *  Let  every  man  have  his  own  wife,'  faith  Paul,  I  Cor. 
 vii.  2.  not  his  concubine,  nor  his  courtezan.  Now,  that  I  may 
 deter  you  from  adultery,  let  me  (hew  you  the  great  evil  of  it. 
 
 Firjl,  It  is  a  thievilh  fin.  Adultery  is  the  higheit  fort  of  theft : 
 the  adulterer  fteals  from  his  neighbour  that  which  is  more  than 
 his  goods  and  eltate  ;  he  fteals  away  his  wife  from  him,  ■  who  is 
 flefhofhis  flefli.' 
 
 Secondly,  Adultery  debafeth  a  perfon,  it  makes  him  refemble 
 the  hearts ;  therefore  the  adulterer  is  defcribed  like  an  horfe 
 neighing,  Jer.  v.  8.  '  Every  one  neigheth  after  his  neighbour's 
 wife.'  Nay,  this  is  worfe  than  brutifh  ;  for  fome  creatures, 
 that  are  void  of  reafon,  yet  by  the  inftinft  of  nature,  obferve  a 
 kind  of  decorum  of  chaltity.  The  turtle  dove  is  a  chaite  crea- 
 ture, and  keeps  to  its  mate  :  the  dork,  whenever  he  flies,  comes 
 into  no  nelt  but  his  own.  Naturalilts  write,  if  a  ftork,  leaving 
 his  own  mate,  joineth  with  any  other,  all  the  reft  of  the  ftorks 
 fall  upon  him,  and  pull  his  feathers  from  him.  Aduitery  is 
 worle  than  brutifh,  it  degrades  a  perfon  of  his  hono 
 
 Thirdly,  Adultery  doth  pollute  and  he-filthy  a  perfon.  The 
 devil  is  called  an    unclean   ipirit,    L  adulterer 
 
 b  the  devil's  firlt-born;  he  is  un 
 
 3  Q 
 
492  OF  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 m.re;  he  is  all  over  ulcerated  with  fin  :  his  eyes  fparkle  with 
 lull ;  his  mouth  foams  out  filth ;  his  heart  burns  like  mount 
 Aetna,  in  unclean  defires  :  he  is  fo  filthy,  that  if  he  die  in  this 
 fin,  all  the  flames  of  hell  will  never  purge  away  his  uncleannefs. 
 And,  as  for  the  adultereis,  who  can  paint  her  black  enough? 
 The  icripture  calls  her  a  deep  ditch,  Prov.  xxiii.  27.  She  is  a 
 common  fhore  :  whereas  a  believer,  his  body  is  a  living  temple, 
 and  his  foul  is  a  little  heaven,  befpangled  with  the  graces,  asfo 
 many  little  ftars.  The  body  of  an  harlot  is  a  walking  dunghill, 
 and  her  lbul  a  letter  hell. 
 
 Fourthly ,  Adultery  is  definitive  to  the  body,  Prov.  v.  11. 
 '  And  thou  mourn. at  lad,  when  thy  flefli  and  thy  body  is  con- 
 ftmied.,  It  brings  into  a  confumption.  Uncleannefs  turns  the 
 body  into  an  hofpital ;  it  waftes  the  radical  moifture,  rots  the 
 fkull,  eats  the  beauty  of  the  face.  As  the  flame  waftes  the 
 candle,  fo  the  fire  of  luft  confumes  the  bones.  The  adulterer 
 haftens  hU  own  death,  Prov.  vii.  23.  ■  Till  a  dart  ftrike  through 
 his  liver.'  The  Romans  had  their  funerals  at  the  gate  of 
 Venus'  temple,  to  lignify  that  lull  brings  death.  Venus  is 
 luft. 
 
 Fifthly,  Adultery  is  a  purgatory  to  the  purfe :  as  it  waftes 
 the  body,  fo  the  eftate,  Prov.  vi.  2(>.  ■  By  the  means  of  a  whorifh 
 woman,  a  man  is  brought  to  a  piece  of  bread.'  Whores  are  the 
 devil's  horfe-leeches,  fpunges  that  will  (bon  fuck  in  all  one's 
 money.  The  prodigal  had  foon  fpent  his  portion,  when  once 
 he  fell  among  harlots,  Luke  xv.  30.  King  Edward  111.  his 
 concubine,  when  he  lay  a-dying,  got  all  fhe  could  from  him, 
 and  plucked  the  rings  off  his  fingers,  and  foleft  him.  He  that 
 lives  in  luxury,  dies  in  beggary. 
 
 Sixthly,  Adultery  blotteth  and  eclipfeth  the  name,  Prov.  vi. 
 33.  '  Whofo  committeth  adultery  with  a  woman,  a  wound  and 
 diftionour  (hall  he  get,  and  his  reproach  (hall  not  be  wiped 
 away.'  Some,  while  they  get  wounds,  get  honour.  The 
 foldier's  wounds  are  full  of  honour:  the  martyr's  wounds  for 
 Chrift  are  full  of  honour  :  thefe  get  honour  while  they  get 
 wounds:  but  the  adulterer  gets  wounds  in  his  name,  but  no 
 honour.  '  His  reproach  (hall  not  be  wiped  away.'  The  wounds 
 of  the  name  no  phyfician  can  heal.  The  adulterer,  when  he  is 
 dead,  his  fhame  lives.  When  his  body  rots  under  ground,  his 
 name  rots  above  ground.  His  bafe-born  children  will  be  the 
 living  monuments  of  his  fhame. 
 
 Seventhly,  This  fin  doth  much  eclipfe  the  light  of  reafon  ;  it 
 fteals  away  the  underftanding ;  it  ftupifies  the  heart,  Hof.  iv. 
 11.  '  Whoredom  takes  away  the  heart.'  It  eats  out  all  heart 
 for  good.  Solomon  befotted  himfelf  with  women,  and  they 
 enticed  him  to  idolatry. 
 
 Eighthly,  This  fin  of  adultery  ufhers  in  temporal  judgments. 
 
OF  THE  SEVENTH  (  O  M  ■  A  If  DM  ENT. 
 
 The  Mofaical  law   made  adu  :h,  Lev.  xx.  10.   '  The 
 
 adulterer  and    adultrt  Is  (hall   i'urelv  be  put  to  death,'    and  * 
 ufual  death  was   faming,    Dent,    xxii.  94.     Th  WV- 
 
 manded  the  perfoos  taken  in  this  fin  to  be  burnt.  'The  Roman) 
 cauied  their  heads  to  be  thicken  oil.  Thta  (in  like  a  fcorpion 
 carries  a  (ling  in  the  tail  of  it.  The  aduh<  rv  of  Paris  ami 
 Helena,  a  beautiful  llrumpet,  ended  in  the  ruin  of  Tfl 
 was  the  death  both  of  Paris  and  Helena.  ■  Jealouly  Is  the  i 
 of  a  man  ;'  and  the  adulterer  is  often  killed  in  the  art  <>f  hit  liu. 
 Adultery  coil  Otho  the  Emperor,  and  Pope  Sixtus  IV.  their 
 lives. 
 
 Lcctus  venire  Venus  triftu  abirefolet* 
 
 I  have  read  of  two  citizens  in  London,   15S3,  who,   defiling 
 themfelves  with  adultery  on  the  Lord's  day,   were  immedia; 
 ftruck  dead  with  a  fire  from  heaven.      If  ali  that  were  now  guilty 
 of  this  fin  fliould  be  punilhed  in  this  manner,  it  would  rain  fire 
 again,  as  on  Sodom. 
 
 Ninth/}/,  Adultery,  (without  repentance)  damns  the  foul, 
 1  Cor.  vi.  9.  ■  Neither  fornicators,  nor  adulterers,  nor  effemi- 
 nate, fhall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.'  The  fire  of  lull 
 brings  to  the  fire  of  hell,  Heb.  xiii.  4.  '  Whoremongers  and 
 adulterers  God  will  judge/  Though  men  may  neglect  to  judge 
 them,  yet  God  will  judge  them. — But  will  not  God  judge  all 
 other  finners  ?  Yes.  '  Why  then  doth  the  apollle  fay,  *  Whore- 
 mongers and  adulterers  God  will  judge?'  The  meaning  is,  (1.) 
 He  will  judge  them  afTuredly  ;  they  fhall  not  efcape  the  hand 
 of  juftice.  (2.)  He  will  punifh  them  feverely,  8  Pet  ii.  10. 
 '  The  Lord  knoweth  how  to  reierve  the  unjult  to  the  day  of 
 judgment  to  be  punifhed,  but  chiefly  them  that  walk  in  the  luff. 
 of  uncleannefs.'  The  harlot's  breaft  keeps  from  Abraham's 
 bofom,  Momentaneum  eji  quod  defeftat,  wternum  quod  cruciat, 
 Who  would,  for  a  cup  of  pleafure,  drink  a  fea  of  wrath  ?  Prov. 
 ix.  18.  '  Her  guefts  are  in  the  depths  of  hell.'  A  wife  traveller 
 when  he  comes  to  his  inn,  though  many  pleafant  difhes  are  fef 
 before  him,  yet  he  forbears  to  tafte,  becaufe  of  the  reckoning 
 which  will  be  brought  in  :  we  are  here  all  travellers  to  Jeru- 
 ialem  above ;  and  though  many  baits  of  temptation  are  fet  be- 
 fore us,  yet  we  mould  forbear,  and  think  of  the  reckoning 
 which  will  be  brought  in  at  death.  With  what  ftomach  coqM 
 Dionyfius  eat  his  dainties,  when  he  imagined  there  was  a  naked 
 fword  hung  over  his  head  as  he  fat  at  meat  ?  While  the  adulterer 
 feeds  on  ftrange  flem,  the  fword  of  God's  juftice  hangs  ovei 
 head.  Caufinus  fpeaks  of  a  tree  that  grows  in  Spain  that  is  of 
 a  fweet  fmell,  and  pleafant  to  the  talte,  but  the  juice  of  it  is 
 poifonous :  the  emblem  of  an  harlot;  (he  is  perfumed  with 
 powders,  and  fair  to  look  on,  but  poifonous  and  damnable  to 
 
494  Or  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 the  foul,  Prov.  vii.  26.  ■  She  hath  ca ft  down  many  wounded, 
 yea,  many  ftrong  men  have  been  (lain  by  her.' 
 
 Tenthly,  The  adulterer  doth  not  only  wrong  his  own  foul, 
 but  doth  what  in  him  lies  to  deftroy  the  foul  of  another,  and  fo 
 kill  two  at  once.  And  thus  the  adulterer  is  worfe  than  the 
 thief:  for,  fuppofe  a  thief  rob  a  man,  yea,  take  away  his  life, 
 yet  that  man's  foul  may  be  happy ;  he  may  go  to  heaven  as 
 well  as  if  he  had  died  in  his  bed.  But  he  who  commits  adul- 
 tery endangers  the  foul  of  another,  and  deprives  her  of  falvation 
 fo  far  as  in  him  lies.  Now,  what  a  fearful  thing  is  it  to  be  an 
 inftrument  to  draw  another  to  hell! 
 
 Eleventhly,  The  adulterer  is  abhorred  of  God,  Prov.  xxii. 
 14.  '  The  mouth  of  a  ftrange  woman  is  a  deep  pit :  he  who  is 
 abhorred  of  the  Lord  (hall  fall  therein.'  What  can  be  worfe 
 than  to  be  abhorred  of  God  ?  God  may  be  angry  with  his  own 
 children  ;  but  for  God  to  abhor  a  man,  is  the  higheft  degree  of 
 hatred. 
 
 Qu.  How  doth  the  Lord  /hew  his  abhorrence  of  the  adul- 
 terer 9 
 
 Avf.  In  giving  him  up  to  a  reprobate  mind,  and  a  feared 
 confcience,  Rom.  i.  96.  And  now  he  is  in  fucha  condition  that 
 he  cannot  repent.  This  is  to  be  abhorred  ofGod  ;  fuch  a  perfon 
 ftands  upon  the  threfhold  of  hell ;  and  when  death  gives  him  a 
 jog  he  tumbles  in.  All  which  may  found  a  retreat  in  our  ears, 
 and  call  us  off  from  the  purfuit  of  fo  damnable  a  fin  as  unclean- 
 nefs.  I  will  conclude  with  two  fcriptures,  Prov.  v.  8.  '  Come 
 not  nigh  the  door  of  her  houfe.'  Prov.  vii.  27.  '  Her  houfe  is 
 the  way  to  hell.' 
 
 Twelfthly,  Adultery  is  a  fower  of  difcord  ;  it  deftroys  peace 
 and  love,  the  two  beft  flowers  which  grow  in  a  family.  Adul- 
 tery fets  hufband  againft  wife,  and  wife  againft  hufband  ;  and 
 fo  itcauieth  the  'joints  of  the  fame  body  to  finite  one  againft 
 another.'  And  this  divifion  in  a  family  works  confufion  :  for, 
 ■  An  houfe  divided  againft  itfelf  cannot  ftand,'  Luke  xi.  17. 
 Omne  divijibile  eft  corruptibile. 
 
 Qu.  How  may  we  abjiain  from  this  Jin  of adultery  ? 
 
 Anf  I  (hall  lay  down  fome  directions,  by  way  of  antidote, 
 to  keep  you  from  being  infected  with  this  fin.  (1.)  Come  not 
 into  the  company  of  a  whorifti  woman  ;  avoid  her  houfe,  as  a 
 feaman  doth  a  rock,  Prov.  v.  8.  ■  Come  not  near  the  door  of 
 her  houfe.'  He  who  would  not  have  the  plague,  muft  not 
 come  near  houfes  infe&ed  :  every  whore-houfe  hath  the  plague 
 in  it.  Not  to  beware  of  the  occafion  cf  fin,  and  yet  pray, 
 '  Lead  us  not  into  temptation,'  is,  as  if  one  mould  put  his  finger 
 in  the  candle,  and  yet  pray  that  it  may  not  be  burnt.  (2.) 
 Look  to  your  eyes.     Much  fin  comes  in  by  the  eye,  2  Pet. 
 
OP  THESEVENTH  COMMANDMENT.  405 
 
 ii.  4.  *  Having  eyes  full  of  adultery.*  The  eye  tempts  the  fan- 
 cy, and  the  fancy  works  upon  [he  heart.  A  wanton  amorous 
 eye  may  ufher  in  fin.  Eve  lirit  t'.iw  the  tree  of  knowledge,  and 
 then  (he  took,  Gen.  iii.  (J.  Firfl  (he  looked,  and  then  (lie  loved. 
 The  eye  oft  feta  the  heart  on  fire  ;  then  lore  Jol>  laid  a  law  iip-m 
 his  eyes,  Job  xxxi.  1.  '  I  made  a  covenant  with  m\  why 
 
 then  mould  I  think  upon  a  maid  ?'  Democrites  the  philolb- 
 pher  plucked  out  his  eyes,  becaufe  he  would  not  he  tempted 
 with  vain  objects  :  the  fcripture  doth  not  bid  us  do  lb,  but  let 
 a  watch  before  our  eyes.  (3.)  Look  to  your  lips.  'lake  heed 
 of  any  unfeemly  word  that  may  enkindle  unclean  thoughts  in 
 yourlelves  or  others,  1  Cor.  xv.  33.  *  Kvil  communications 
 corrupt  good  manners.'  Impure  difcourfe  is  the  bellows  to 
 blow  up  the  fire  of  luft.  Much  evil  is  conveyed  to  the  heart  by 
 the  tongue,  Pf.  cxli.  3.  *  Set  a  watch,  O  Lord,  before  my 
 mouth.'  (4.)  Look  in  a  fpecial  manner  to  your  heart,  Prov. 
 iv.  23.  ■  Keep  thy  heart  with  all  keeping.'  Every  one  hatli 
 a  tempter  in  his  own  bofom,  Matth.  xv.  lj>.  ■  Out  of  the  heart 
 come  evil  thoughts.'  And  thinking  of  (in  makes  way  for  the 
 act  of  (in.  Sup  pre  fa  the  firft  rilings  of  fin  in  your  heart.  As 
 the  ferpent,  when  danger  is  near,  keeps  his  head  ;  fokeep  your 
 heart,  which  is  the  fprmg  from  whence  all  lutlful  motions  do 
 proceed.  (5.)  Look  to  your  attire.  We  read  of  the  attire  of 
 an  harlot,  Prov.  vii.  10.  A  wanton  drefs  is  a  provocation  to 
 lull.  Curlings  and  towerings  of  the  hair,  a  painted  face,  naked 
 breads,  are  allurements  to  vanity.  Where  the  bufh  is  hung 
 out,  people  will  go  in  and  tafte  of  the  liquor.  Hierom  faith, 
 fuch  as  by  their  lafcivious  attire  endeavour  to  draw  others  to 
 lull,  though  no  evil  follow,  yetthele  tempters  (hall  bepunifhed, 
 becaufe  they  offered  poifon  to  others,  though  they  would  not 
 drink.  (6.)  Take  heed  of  evil  company.  Serpiuit  vitia  et  in 
 proximum  quemque  tran/tliunt,  Sen.  Sin  is  a  difeafe  very  catch- 
 ing :  one  man  tempts  another  to  fin,  and  hardens  him  in  fin. 
 There  are  three  cords  to  draw  men  to  adultery  ;  the  inclination 
 of  the  heart,  the  periuafion  of  evil  company,  and  the  embraces 
 of  the  harlot ;  and  this  three- fold  cord  is  not  eafily  broken,  Pi.  cvi. 
 18.  "  A  fire  was  kindled  in  their  company.'  I  may  allude  to  it, 
 the  fire  of  lull;  is  kindled  in  bad  company.  (7)  Beware  of  go- 
 ing to  plays.  A  play  houfe  is  oft  a  preface  to  a  whore-houfe, 
 Ludi  prahent  femina  nequitiae  We  are  bid  to  avoid  all  appear- 
 ance of  evil  :  are  not  plays  the  appearance  of  evil  ?  Such  fights 
 are  there,  as  are  not  fit  to  be  beheld  with  chafte  eyes.  Both 
 fathers  and  councils  have  (hewn  their  difiike  of  going  to  plays. 
 A  learned  divine  obferves,  "  That  many  have  on  their  death- 
 beds, confefTed  with  tears,  that  the  pollution  of  their  bodies  hath 
 been  occafioned  by  going  to  plays.  (S.)  Take  heed  of  mixed 
 dancing.     Injirumtmta  luxuriae  Iripudia,     From  dancing   peo- 
 
496  OF  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 pie  come  to  dalliance  one  with  another,  and  from  dalliance 
 to  uncleannefs.  There  is,  faith  Calvin,  for  the  moll  part, 
 fome  unchafte  behaviour  in  dancing.  Dances  draw  the  heart 
 to  folly  by  wanton  geftures,  by  unchafte  touches,  by  luftful 
 looks.  St.  Chryfoftom  did  inveigh  againft  mixed  dancing  in  his 
 time.  "  We  read  (faith  he)  of  a  marriage-feaft,  and  of  virgins 
 going  before  with  lamps,''  Mat.  xxv.  7.  '  but  of  dancing  there 
 we  read  not.'  Many  have  been  enfnared  by  dancing  ;  as  the 
 duke  of  Normandy,  and  others.  Saltatio  ad  adulteras  nonpu- 
 dicas  pertinet,  Ambr.  Chryfoftom  faith,  where  dancing  is, 
 there  the  devil  is  :  I  fpeak  chiefly  of  mixed  dancing.  And, 
 whereas  we  read  of  dances  in  fcripture,  Exod.  xv.  thofe  were 
 fober  and  modeft.  They  were  not  mixed  dances,  but  pious 
 and  religious,  being  ufually  accompanied  with  fingingpraifes  to 
 God.  (9.)  Take  heed  of  lafcivious  books,  and  thofe  pictures 
 that  provoke  to  luft;  1.  Books.  As  the  reading  of  the  fcrip- 
 ture doth  ftir  up  love  to  God,  fo  reading  of  bad  books  doth  ftir 
 up  the  mind  to  wickednefs.  I  could  name  one  who  publiftied 
 a  book  to  the  world  full  of  effeminate,  amorous  and  wanton  ex- 
 preftions  ;  before  he  died,  he  was  much  troubled  for  it,  and  did 
 burn  that  book,  which  did  make  fo  many  burn  in  lull.  2.  And 
 to  lafcivious  books,  I  may  add  lafcivious  pictures,  which  bewitch 
 the  eye,  and  are  the  incendaries  of  luft.  They  fecretly  con- 
 vey poifon  to  the  heart,  Qui  afpicit-nnnocens  afpeftujit  nocens. 
 Popifh  pictures  are  not  more  prone  to  ftir  up  idolatry,  than  un- 
 clean pictures  are  to  ftir  up  to  concupifcence.  (10.)  Take  heed 
 ofexcefs  in  diet.  When  gluttony  and  drunkennefs  lead  the 
 van,  chambering  and  wantonnefs  bring  up  the  rear.  V'innm 
 fomentum  libidinis :  any  wine  inflames  luft  ?  and  fulnefs  of 
 bread  is  made  the  caufe  of  Sodom's  uncleannefs,  Ezek.  xvi.  49. 
 The  rankeft  weeds  grow  out  of  the  fatteft  foil  ;  uncleannefs  pro- 
 ceeds from  excefs,  Jer.  v.  8.  c  When  they  wrere  fed  to  the  full, 
 every  one  neighed  after  his  neighbour's  wife.'  Get  the  *  gol- 
 den bridle  of  temperance.'  God  allows  recruits  of  nature,  and 
 what  may  fit  us  the  better  for  his  fervice  ;  but  beware  of  fur- 
 feit.  Excefs  in  the  creature  clouds  the  mind,  chokes  good 
 affections,  provokes  luft.  St.  Paul  did  *  keep  under  his  body,' 
 1  Cor.  ix.  27-  The  flefh  pampered  is  apt  to  rebel.  Corpus 
 imphtguatumrecalcitrctt.  (11.)  Take  heed  of  idlenefs.  When 
 a  man  is  out  of  a  calling,  now  he  is  fit  to  receive  any  tempta- 
 tion. We  do  not  ufe  to  low  feed  in  fallow  ground  :  but  the 
 devil  fows  moft  feed  of  temptation  in  fuch  as  lie  fallow.  Idle- 
 ttefs  is  the  caufe  of  fodomy  and  uncleannefs,  Ezek.  xvi.  49. 
 When  David  was  idle  on  the  top  of  his  leads,  then  he  efpied 
 Bathftioba,  and  took  her  to  him,  2  Sam.  xi.  4.  Hierom  gave 
 his  friend  this  counfel,  to  be  always  well  employed  in  God's 
 vineyard  ;  that,  when  the  devil  came,  he  might  have  no  lei- 
 
Or  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT,  407 
 
 fure  to  liften  to  a  temptation.  (12.)  To  avoid  fornication  and 
 adultery,  let  every  man  have  a  chaile,  entire  love  to  his  own 
 wife.  Kzekiel's  wife  was  the  delire  of  his  eyes,  chap.  xxiv. 
 lb*.  When  Solomon  had  difiuaded  from  flrange  women,  he 
 prefcribesa  remedy  againll  it,  Prov.  v.  18.  *  Rejoice  with  the 
 wife  of  thy  youth.'  It  is  not  the  having  a  wife,  but  the  loving 
 a  wife  makes  a  man  live  challly.  He  wno  loves  his  wife,  whom 
 Soloman  calls  his  fountain,  will  not  go  abroad  to  dring  of  mud- 
 dy, poilbned  waters.  Pure  conjugal  love  is  a  gift  of  God,  and 
 comes  from  heaven  ;  this,  like  the  veital  fire,  mud  be  che- 
 rifhed,  that  it  do  not  go  out.  He  who  loves  not  his  wife,  is 
 the  likelielt  perfon  to  embrace  the  bofom  of  a  ftranger.  (13.) 
 Labour  to  get  the  fear  of  God  into  your  hearts,  Prov.  xvi.  (j. 
 '  By  the  fear  of  the  Lord  men  depart  from  evil.'  As  the  banks 
 keep  out  the  water,  l'o  the  fear  of  the  Lord  keeps  out  unclean- 
 nefs.  Such  as  want  the  fear  of  God,  want  the  bridle  that 
 mould  check  them  from  Go.  How  did  Jofeph  keep  from  his 
 mittrefs'  temptation  ?  the  fear  of  God  pulled  him  back,  Gen. 
 xxxix.  9.  *  How  mould  I  do  this  great  wickednefs,  and  fin 
 againft  God  ?'  St.  Bernard  calls  holy  fear,  janitor  animae, 
 "  the  door-keeper  of  the  foul."  As  a  nobleman's  porter  ftands 
 at  the  door,  and  keeps  out  vagrants,  fo  the  fear  of  God  ftands 
 and  keeps  out  all  fiuful  temptations  from  entering.  (14.)  Get 
 a  delight  in  the  word  of  God,  Pf.  cxix.  193.  ■  How  f'weet  is 
 thy  word  to  my  tatte!'  St.  Chryibftom  compares  God's  word 
 to  a  garden.  If  we  walk  in  this  garden,  and  fuck  fweetnels 
 from  the  flowers  of  the  promifes,  we  fliall  never  care  to  pluck 
 the  '  forbidden  fruit.'  Sint  cajiae deliciae  meae  j'cripturae,  Aug, 
 The  reafon  why  perfonskeep  after  unchafte,  finful  plealures,  is, 
 becaufe  they  have  no  better.  Csfar  riding  through  a  city,  and 
 feeing  the  women  play  with  dogs  and  parrots,  faid  "  Sure  they 
 have  no  children."  So  they  that  fport  with  harlots,  it  is  be- 
 caufe they  have  no  better  pleafures.  He  that  hath  once  tafted 
 Chrift  in  a  promifc,  is  ravafhed  with  delight  ;  and  how  would 
 he  fcorn  a  motion  to  fin  !  Job  faid,  the  word  was  his  ■  appoint- 
 ed food/  Job  xxiii.  1*2.  No  wonder  then  he  '  made  a  covenant 
 with  his  eyes.'  ( 15.)  If  you  would  abftain  from  adultery,  ufe 
 ferious  confideration.  Confider, 
 
 1.  God  fees  thee  in  the  act  of  fin.  He  fees  all  thy  curtain 
 wickednefs.  He  is  totus  oculus,  all  eye,  Aug.  The  clouds  are 
 no  canopy,  the  night  is  no  curtain  to  hide  thee  from  God's  eye. 
 Thou  canit  not  fin,  but  thy  Judge  looks  on,  Jer.  xv.  c2~ .  *  I 
 have  feen  thy  adulteries  and  thy  neighings.'  Jer.  xxix.  33. 
 *  They  have  committed  adultery  with  their  neighbours'  wives; 
 even  1  know,  and  am  a  witnefs,  faith  the  Lord.' 
 
 2.  Few  that  are  entangled  in  the  fin  of  adultery  recover  out 
 of  the  fnare,  Prov.  ii.  ly.  «  None  that  go  to  her  return  again.' 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  11.  3R 
 
498  OFTttB  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 That  made  fome  of  the  ancients  conclude,  that  adultery  was  aft 
 unpardonable  fin:  but  not  f<> ;  David  repented,  and  Mary 
 Magdalene  was  a  weeping  penitent :  her  amorous  eyes  that  had 
 f park  led  with  lull,  file  leeks  to  be  revenged  of  them,  fhe  wafh- 
 ed  Chrift's  feet  with  her  tears  :  fo  that  fome  have  recovered  out 
 of  the  i'nare.  But  '  none  that  go  to  her  return,'  that  is,  *  very 
 few  ;'  it  is  rare  to  hear  of  any  who  are  enchanted  and  bewitch- 
 ed with  this  fin  of  adultery,  ihat  recover  out  of  it.  Ecclef.  vii. 
 26.  '  Her  heart  is  fnares  and  nets,  and  her  hands  as  bands.' 
 *  Her  heart  is  fnares,'  that  is,  fhe  is  fubtil  to  deceive  thofe  who 
 come  to  her;  and,  *  her  hands  are  bands,'  that  is,  her  em- 
 braces are  powerful  to  hold  and  intangle  her  lovers.  Plutarch 
 faid  of  the  Perfian  kings,  J  They  were  captives  to  their  concu- 
 bines ;'  they  were  Vo  inflamed,  that  they  had  no  power  to  leave 
 their  company.  This  confideration  may  make  all  fearful  of 
 this  fin:  '  none  that  go  to  her  return  again.'  Soft  pleafures 
 harden  the  heart. 
 
 3.  Con  fid  er  what  the  fcripture  faith,  and  it  may  ponere  obi- 
 cem,  lay  a  bar  in  the  way  to  this  (in,  Mai.  iii.  5.  ■  I  will  be  ar 
 fwift  witnefs  againft  adulterers.'  It  is  good  when  God  is  a  wit- 
 nefs  *  for  us,'  when  he  witneffeth  for  our  fincerity,  as  he  did 
 for  Job  :  but  it  is  fad  to  have  God  a  ■  witnefs  againft  us.'  ■  I 
 (faith  God)  will  be  a  witnefs  againft  the  adulterer.'  And  who 
 fhall  difprove  his  witnefs?  and  he  is  both  witnefs  and  judge, 
 Heb.  xiii.  4.     ■  Whoremongers  and  adulterers  God  willjudge.' 
 
 4.  Confider  the  fad  farwel  this  fin  of  adultery  leaves  :  it 
 leaves  an  hell  in  the  confcience,  Prov.  xv.  4.  '  The  lips  of  a 
 ftrange  woman  drop  as  an  honey  comb,  her  end  is  bitter  as 
 worm-wood.'  The  goddefs  Diana  was  fo  artificially  drawn, 
 that  fhe  feemed  to  fmiie  upon  thofe  that  came  into  her  temple, 
 but  frown  on  thofe  that  went  out.  So  the  harlot  fmiles  on  her 
 lovers  as  they  come  to  her,  but  at  laft  comes  the  frown  and 
 fling,  «  a  dart  ftrikes  through  their  liver,'  Prov.  vii.  23.  '  Her 
 end  is  bitter.'  When  a  man  has  been  virtuous,  the  labour  is 
 gone,  but  the  comfort  remains :  but  when  he  hath  been  vicious 
 and  unclean,  the  pleafure  is  gone,  but  the  fling  remains.  De- 
 leciat  in  momentum  cruciat  in  aeternum,  Jerom.  When  the 
 fenfes  have  been  feafted  with  unchafte  pleafures,  the  foul  is  left 
 to  pay  the  reckoning.  Stolen  waters  arefweet ;  but,  as  poifon, 
 tho'  it  be  fweet  in  the  mouth,  it  torments  the  bowels.  Sin  al- 
 ways ends  in  a  tragedy.  Memorable  is  that  which  Fincelius 
 reports  of  a  prieft  in  Flanders,  who  enticed  a  maid  to  unclean- 
 nefs.  She  objected  how  vile  a  fin  it  was;  he  told  her,  By 
 authority  from  the  pope  he  could  commit  any  fin  ;  fo  at  laft 
 he  drew  her  to  his  wicked  purpofe.  But  when  they  had  been 
 together  a  while,  in  came  the  devil,  and  took  away  the  harlot 
 from  the  prieil's  fide,  and,  notwithftanding  all  her  crying  out 
 
OF  TIM  MI  COMMANDMENT.  499 
 
 tarried  he?  away.     If  all  that  are  guilty  of  bodily  uncleanneib 
 in  this  nation,  fhould  have  the  devil  00016  and  carry  them  BW 
 I  tear  more  would  be  carried  away  than  would    be   left  behind. 
 
 (16.)  Pray  againlithia  fin.  Luther  gave  a  lady  this  ad 
 that  when  any  luit  began  to  rife  in  ber  heart,  (he  fhoukl  . 
 prayer.     Prayer  is  tin-  bed  armour  of  proof  j   ;  u<  ncheth 
 
 tin   wild  fire  of  lull.      If  prayer  will   *  call  out   the  devil,'  why 
 may  it  not  caft  out  thole  UlftA  that  come  from  the  devil  ? 
 
 nit.  4  It  'the  body  mult  he  kept  pure  from  defilements 
 much  more  the  foul  of  a  Chriltian  mutt  be  kept  pure.'  This  is 
 the  meaning  of  the  commandment,  not  only  that  we  fhould  not 
 ftain  our  bodies  with  adultery,  hut  that  we  fhould  keep  our 
 fouls  purr.  To  have  a  chalte  body,  but  an  unclean  foul,  is 
 like  a  lair  \'mc  wiih  bad  lungs  ;  or  a  giit  chimney  piece,  that  is 
 all  foot  within,  I  Pet.  i.  16.  *  Be  ye  holy,  for  lam  holy.' 
 The  Ibul  cannot  be  lovely  to  God,  till  it  hath  Chrilt' s  image 
 damped  upon  it,  which  image  con  (ids  in  righteoufuefsand  true 
 holiutls,  Kph.  iv.  14.  The  foul  muii  efpecially  be  kept  pure, 
 tule  it  is  the  chief  place  of  God's  relidence,  Eph.  iii.  17. 
 king's  palace  mult  be  kept  clean,  efpecially  his  prefence- 
 chamber.  If  the  body  of  the  temple,  the  foul,  is  the  *  holy  of 
 holies,'  this  mult  be  confecratcd.  We  mult  not  only  keep  our 
 bodies  from  carnal  pollution,  but  our  fouls  from  envy  and  malice. 
 Qu.  Huiofhall  ire  know  uurjbuls  are  pure  9 
 An/.  I.  If  our  fouls  are  pure,  then  we  flee  from  the  appear- 
 ance of  evil,  I  TheiT.  v.  c22.  We  will  not  do  that  which  looks 
 like  fin.  When  Jol'cph's  miltreia  did  court  and  tempt  him,  he 
 '  left  his  garment  in  her  hand  and  tied,'  Gen.  xxxix.  12.  It 
 was  fufpicious  to  be  near  her.  Polycarp  would  not  be  feen  in 
 company  with  Marceon  the  heretic,  becaufe  it  would  not  be 
 good  report. 
 
 $•  If  our  fouls  are  pure,  this  light  of  purity  will  fhine  forth. 
 Aaron  had  ■  Holinefs  to  the  Lord'  written  upon  his  golden 
 plate  :  where  there  is  fancYity  in  the  foul,  there  '  Holinefs  to 
 the  Lord  is  engraven  upon  our  life  ;'  we  are  adorned  with 
 patience,  humility,  good  works,  and  fhine  as  *  Lights  in  the 
 world,'  Phil.  ii.  15.  carry  Chrift's  picture  in  our  conventions, 
 1  John  ii.  6.  O  let  us  labour  for  this  foul  purity  !  '  without  it 
 there  is  no  feeing  of  God,'  Heb.  xii.  14.  !  What  communion 
 hath  light  with  darknefs?'  And  that  we  may  keep  our  louls 
 pure,  (l.)  Have  recourfe  to  the  blood  of  Chrilt  :  this  is  the 
 fountain  let  open  for  ■  Sin  and  uncleannefs,'  Zech.  xiii.  1.  A 
 foul  fteeped  in  the  brinilh  tears  of  repentance,  and  bathed  in 
 the  blood  of  Chrilt,  is  made  pure.  (2.)  Pray  much  for  pure- 
 nels  of  lbul,  Pf.  Ii.  10.  ■  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God.' 
 Some  pray  for  children,  others  for  riches  ;  but  pray  for  foul- 
 purity*     Sav,  "  Lord,  tho'  mv  body  is  kept  pure,  yet,  Lord, 
 
 SR  2 
 
500  OF  THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 my  foul  is  defiled,  I  pollute  all  I  touch.  O  purge  me  with 
 hyffop,  let  Chrift's  blood  fpi  inkle  me,  let  the  Holy  Ghoft  come 
 upon  me  and  anoint  me.  O  make  me  evangelically  pure,  that 
 I  may  be  translated  to  heaven,  and  placed  among  the  cheru- 
 bims,  where  I  (hall  be  as  holy  as  thou  wouldft  have  me  to  be, 
 and  as  happy  as  I  can  defire  to  be.'  * 
 
 OF  THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 Exod.  xx.   15.     Thou Jlialt  not  fteal. 
 
 As  the  holinefs  of  God  fets  himfelf  againft  uncleannefs, 
 c  Thou  (halt  not  commit  adultery  ;'  lb  the  juftice  of  God  fets 
 him  againft  rapine  and  robbery,  ■  Thou  (halt  not  ileal.'  The 
 thing  forbidden  in  the  commandment,  is  meddling  with  ano- 
 ther man's  property,  '  Thou  (halt  not  fteal.'  The  civil  lawyers 
 define,  fur  turn  9  Health  or  theft,  to  be  "  the  laying  hands  un- 
 juftly  on  that  which  is  another's  ;"  the  invading  another's 
 right. 
 
 Qu.   1.    Whence  doth  theft  arife? 
 
 Anf.  1.  The  internal  caufes  are,  (1.)  Unbelief.  A  man 
 hath  an  high  diftruft  of  God's  providence  :  ■  Can  God  prepare 
 a  table  in  the  vvildernefs  ?'  Pf.  lxxviii.  19.  So  faith  the  un- 
 believer, Can  God  fpread  a  table  for  me?  No,  he  cannot. 
 Therefore  he  is  refolved,  he  will  fpread  a  table  for  himfelf,  but 
 it  fhall  be  of  other  men's  coft,  and  both  fifft  and  fecond  courfe 
 ihall  be  ferved  in  with  ftolen  goods.  (2.)  Covetoufnefs.  The 
 Greek  word  for  covetoufnets  ngnifies  "  an  immoderate  defire 
 of  getting  :"  this  is  the  root  of  theft.  A  man  covets  more  than 
 his  own,  and  this  itch  of  covetoufnefs  makes  him  fcratch  what 
 he  can  from  another.  Achan's  covetous  humour  made  him 
 fteal  the  wedge  of  gold,  which  wedge  did  cleave  afunder  his 
 foul  from  God,  Jofhua  vii.  21. 
 
 2.  The  external caufe  of  theft,  is,  Satan's  folicitation  :  Judas 
 was  a  thief,  John  xii.  6.  How  came  he  to  be  a  thief?  *  Satan 
 entered  into  him,'  John  xiii.  27.  The  devil  is  the  great  maf- 
 ter-thief,  he  robbed  us  of  our  coat  of  innocency,  and  he  per- 
 fuadea  men  to  take  up  his  trade  :  he  tells  men  how  bravely 
 they  ihall  live  by  thieving,  and  how  they  may  catch  an  eftate. 
 And  as  Eve  liftened  to  the  feipent's  voice,  fo  do  they  ;  and,  as 
 birds  of  prey,  live  upon  fpoil  and  rapine. 
 
 Qu.  2.  How  many  forts  of  thefts  are  there? 
 
 Anf.  I.  There  is  ftealing  from  God  ;  and  fo  they  are  thieves 
 who  rob  any  part  of  God's  day  from  him — ■  Remember  to  keep 
 holy  the  fabbath  day.' — Not  a  part  of  the  day  only,  but  the 
 
Or  THE   EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT.  501 
 
 whole  day  muft  be  dedicated  to  God.      Ami  Ml  any  fliould  for* 
 
 •  this,   the  Lord   hath  prefixed  it  memento,   '  remember. ' 
 
 Therefore  to  cut  God  (hoi  t,  and  att^r  morning facrifice,  tofpend 
 
 the  other  part  of  the  fabbatb  in   vanity  an<l    plealiire :    tnbk 
 
 '  fpiritual  thievery,'  'tis  to  rob  God  of  his  due  i  and  the  very 
 heathens  will  rile  up  in  judgment  againil  luch  Chriiiianj  ;  for 
 the  heathens  (as  Macrobius  notes)  did  obferve  a  whole  day  to 
 their  falfe  gods. 
 
 II.  There  is  a  dealing  from  others,  \fit  A  Healing  away 
 their  fouls:  and  ib  heretics  are  thieves  :  by  robbing  men  of  the 
 truth,  they  rob  them  of  their  lbuls.  2diyt  A  dealing  away  their 
 money  and  goods  from  them  :  and  under  this  head  of  Healing 
 away  others  money,  there  may  be  feveral  arraigned  for  thieves. 
 
 (1.)  The  high- way  thief,  who  takes  a  purfe,  contrary  to  the 
 letter  of  this  commandment,  Lev.  xix.  13.  ■  Thou  ihalt  not 
 rob  thy  neighbour.'  Mark.  x.  19.  4  Do  not  ileal.'  This  is 
 not  the  violence  which  takes  the  *  kingdom  of  heaven,'  Mat. 
 xi.  12. 
 
 (2.)  The  houfe-thief,  who  purloins  and  filcheth  out  of  his 
 matter's  cam,  or  fteals  his  wares  and  drugs.  The  apoltle  faith, 
 ■  Some  have  entertained  angels  into  their  houfes  unawares/ 
 Heb.  xiii.  2.  But  many  mailers  have  entertained  thieves  into 
 their  houfes  unawares.  The  houfe-thief  is  an  hypocrite,  as  well 
 as  a  thief;  he  hath  demure  looks,  and  pretends  he  is  helping 
 his  mailer,  when  he  only  helps  to  rob  him. 
 
 (3.)  The  thief  that  (broods  himfelf  under  law,  as  the  unjuft 
 attorney  or  lawyer,  who  prevaricates  and  deals  ialfely  with  his 
 client.  This  is  to  Ileal  from  the  client.  By  deceit  and  preva- 
 rication the  lawyer  robs  the  client  of  his  land,  and  may  be  the 
 means  to  ruin  his  family  ;  he  is  no  better  than  a  thief  in  God's 
 account. 
 
 (-4.)  The  church-thief  or  pluralift,  who  holds  feveral  bene- 
 fices, but  feldom  or  never  preacheth  to  the  people  :  he  gets  the 
 golden  fleece,  but  lets  his  flock  ftarve,  Lzek.  xxxiv.  2.  ■  Wo 
 be  to  the  fhepherds  of  [frael :'  v.  8.  ■  They  t'ted  themfelves, 
 and  feed  not  my  flock.'  Thefe  minifters  will  be  indi6led  for 
 thieves  at  God's  bar. 
 
 (5.)  The  fli op- thief,  he  fteals  in  felling.  (I.)  Who  ufeth  falfe 
 weights  and  mea lures  ;  and  lb  Heals  from  others  what  is  their 
 due.  Amos  v.  S.  *  Who  makes  the  ephah  fmall.'  The  ephah 
 was  a  meafure  the  Jews  ufed  in  felling  ;  they  made  the  ephah 
 fmall,  gave  leant  meafure,  which  was  plain  Healing,  Hof.  xii. 
 7.  ■  The  balances  of  deceit  are  in  his  hand.'  Men  by  making 
 their  weights  lighter,  make  their  accounts  heavier.  (2.)  He 
 Heals  in  felling,  who  puts  exeelhve  prices  on  his  commodities. 
 He  takes  thrice  as  much  for  a  commodity  as  it  coll  him,  or  as 
 it  is  worth  :    to  over-reach  others  in  felling,  i»  to  ileal  men's 
 
502  OF  THE   EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 money  from  them,  Lev.  xix.  13.  '  Thou  (halt  not  defraud  thy 
 neighbour,  neither  rob  him.'  To  defraud  him  is  to  rob  him; 
 this  over-reaching  others  in  felling  (which  is  a  cunning  way  of 
 dealing)  is  both  againd  law  and  gofpel.  1.  It  is  againd  the 
 law  ol  God,  Lev.  xxv.  14.  *  If  thou  fell  ought  to  thy  neigh- 
 bour, ye  (hall  not  opprefs  one  another.'  And,  2.  Againd  gof- 
 pel,  1  Their,  iv.  o\  '  Let  no  man  go  beyond,  or  defraud  his 
 brother.'     It  is  dealing. 
 
 (b\)  The  Ufurer t  who  takes  of  others  even  to  extortion  :  he 
 feems  to  help  another  by  letting  him  have  money  in  his  necef- 
 fity,  but  gets  him  into  bonds,  and  fucks  out  his  very  blood  and 
 marrow.  I  read  of  a  woman  whom  Satan  had  bound,  Luke 
 xiii.  16.  And  truly  he  is  almoft  in  as  bad  a  condition  whom 
 the  ufurer  hath  bound  :  the  oppretiing  ufurer  is  a  robber.  An 
 ufurer  once  afked  a  prodigal,  when  he  would  leave  fpending? 
 Saith  the  prodigal,  then  I  will  leave  fpending  what  is  my  own, 
 when  thou  leaved  oft"  dealing  from  others.  Zaccheus  was  an 
 extortioner,  and  after  his  converlion  he  made  reditution,  Luke 
 xix.  8.    He  thought  all  he  got  by  extortion  was  theft. 
 
 (7.)  The  feoffe  in  trud,  who  hath  the  orphan's  edate  com- 
 mitted to  him  :  he  is  deputed  to  be  his  guardian,  and  manage 
 his  edate  for  him  ;  and  he  curtails  the  edate,  and  gets  a  fleece 
 out  of  it  for  himielf,  and  wrongs  the  orphan.  This  is  a  thief  : 
 this  is  worfe  than  taking  a  purfe,  becaufe  he  betrays  his  trud, 
 which  is  the  higheit  piece  of  treachery  and  injudice. 
 
 (8.)  The  borrower,  who  borrows  money  from  others  with  an 
 intention  never  to  pay  them  again.  Pf.  xxxvii.  21.  ■  The 
 wicked  borroweth  and  payeth  not  again.'  What  is  it  but 
 thievery  to  take  money  and  goods  from  others,  and  not  redore 
 them  again  ?  The  prophet  Elifha  bade  the  widow  fell  he  roil, 
 and  pay  her  debts,  and  then  live  upon  the  red,  2  Kings  iv.  7. 
 
 (9.)  The  lad  fort  of  theft  is,  the  receiver  of  dolen  goods. 
 The  receiver  if  he  be  not  the  principal,  yet  he  is  acceiiary  to 
 the  theft,  and  the  law  makes  him  guilty.  The  thief  deals  the 
 money,  and  the  receiver  holds  the  lack  to  put  it  in.  The  root 
 would  die  if  it  were  not  watered,  and  thievery  would  ceafe  if  it 
 were  not  encouraged  by  the  receiver.  I  am  apt  to  think,  he 
 who  doth  not  fcruple  to  take  ttolen  goods  into  his  houfe,  would 
 as  little  fcruple  to  take  a  purfe. 
 
 Qu.    What  are  the  aggravations  of  this  Jin  of  ftealing? 
 
 Avf.  1.  To  deal  when  one  has  no  need.  To  be  a  rich 
 thief. 
 
 c2.  To  deal  facrilegioufly.  To  devour  things  fet  apart  to 
 holy  ules,  Prov.  xx.  25.  '  It  is  a  fnare  to  the  man  which  de- 
 voured that  which  is  holy.'  Such  an  one  was  Dionyfius,  who 
 robbed  the  temple,  and  took  away  the  filver  vell'els. 
 
 3.  To  commit  the  fin  of  theft  againd  checks  of  -confcience, 
 
OF   THE    &IGHT1I  COMM  ft  NDMtNT, 
 
 and  examples  of  God's  piiiuv  ;   i his  i*  like  the  dye  to  ilic  wool, 
 it  doth  dye  iho  Go  ofa  critnfon  colour. 
 
 i.  To  rob  the  widow  and  orphan,  Kxod.  wii.  99.  'Ye  (hall 
 not  afflict  the  widow  or  fatherlefe  ::  peccaiam  damans  ;  *  If 
 they  cry  unto  roe,  I  will  finely  bear  them.' 
 
 b.   To  rob  the  poor  :     How   did    David  difdain  that  th 
 man  fhould  take  away  the   poor  man's    land)!    '  As  tin-   1 
 liveth,  lie  mail  fur.  ly  die,'  9  Som,  xii.  ;>.      What  is  the  inclof- 
 ing  of  commons,  hut  a  robbing  of  the  poor  ? 
 
 HI.  There  is  a  ftealing  from  a  man's  fell.      A  man  may 
 thief  to  himfelf. 
 
 Qn.   How  ft*  I 
 
 An/.  I.  By  niggard  lino  I's.  T.be  mggard  is  »  ihief ;  ho  ftoals 
 from  himfelf,  in  that  be  doth  not  aUovV  himfelf  what,  is  fitting. 
 He  thinks  th.it  loft  which  is  hollowed  upon  himltlf :  ho  robs 
 himf«  If  of necelfaries,  Keel,  vi.  l2.  ■  A  man  to  whom  God  hut  It 
 a  riches,  yet  God  gjveth  him  not  power  to  eat  thereof.* 
 He  gtttN  his  clicft,  and  Itarvcs  his  belly  :  litis  like  theal's  that 
 is  loaded  wiih  gold,  hut  feeds  upon  thiftles:  he  robs  himfelf  of 
 that  which  God  allows  him.  This  is  indeed  to  he  punilhed  with 
 riches  :  To  have  an  citato,  and  want  an  heart  to  take  the  com- 
 fort of  it,  this  man  is  a  thief  to  himfelf. 
 
 2.  A  man  may  be  a  thief  to  himfelf,  and  rob  himfelf  by  pro- 
 digality, viz.  Wafting  his  eftate.  The  prodigal  lavifheth  gold 
 out  of  the  bag  ;  he  is  like  Crates  the  philofophcr,  wdio  threw 
 his  gold  into  the  fea.  The  prodigal  boils  a  great  eftate  to  no- 
 thing :  this  is  to  be  a  thief  to  a  man's  felf,  to  ipend  away  that 
 eftate  from  bin. ft  If,  which  might  conduce  to  the  comfort  of  life. 
 
 3.  He  is  a  thief  to  himfelf,  by  idlenefs,  when  he  mifpeuds  his 
 time.  To  Ipend  one's  hours  in  pleafure  and  vanity,  this  is  to 
 rob  himfelf,  of  that  precious  time  which  God  hath  given  him  to 
 work  out  falvation.  Time  is  a  rich  commodity,  beeaufe  on  the 
 well-fpending  this  prefent  time,  an  happy  eternity  depends. 
 lie  that  fpends  his  time  idly  and  vainly,  is  a  thief  to  himfelf;  he 
 robs  himfelf  of  his  golden  feafons,  and,  by  confequenceof  ialva- 
 tion. 
 
 4.  A  man  may  be  a  thief  to  himfelf,  by  furetifnip,  Prov.  xxii. 
 96.  '  Be  thou  not  one  of  them  that  arc  tuivtios  for  debt.'  The 
 creditor  comes  upon  the  furety  for  the  debt,  and  fo  by  paying 
 another's  debt  he  is  a  thief  to  himfelf,  he  undoes  himfelf.  J>t 
 not  any  man  fay,  he  mould  have  been  counted  unkind,  if  he 
 had  not  entered  into  bonds  for  his  friend  :  better  thy  friend 
 count  thee  unkind,  than  all  men  count  thee  unw  do.  Lend  ano- 
 ther what  you  can  fpare  ;  nay,  give  him  if  he  needs,  but  never 
 be  a  furety  :  it  is  no  wifdom  for  a  man  fe  to  help  another,  as  to 
 undo  himfelf.     This  is  to  rob  himfelf  and  his  family. 
 
504  OF  THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 Ufe  I.  It  confutes  the  doctrine  of  community,  that  all  things 
 are  common,  and  one  man  hath  a  right  to  another's  eftate. 
 The  fcripture  confutes  it,  Deut.  xxiii.  25.  ■  When  thoucomeft 
 into  the  Handing  corn  of  thy  neighbour,  thou  (halt  not  move  a 
 fickle  into  thy  neighbour's  corn.'  Propriety  mult  be  obferved  : 
 God  hath  let  this  eighth  commandment  as  a  hedge  about  a 
 man's  eftate,  and  this  hedge  cannot  be  broken  without  fin.  If 
 all  things  be  common,  then  there  is  no  Health,  and  fo  this  com- 
 mandment were  in  vain. 
 
 Ufe  II.  It  reproves  iuch  as  live  upon  ftealing.  Inftead  of 
 living  by  faith,  they  live  by  their  fhifts.  The  apoftle  exhorteth, 
 that  '  every  man  eat  his  own  bread,'  2  Theff.  iii.  12.  The 
 thief  doth  not  eat  of  his  own  bread,  but  of  another's.  If  there 
 be  any  who  are  guilty  of  this  fin,  let  them  labour  to  recover  out 
 of  the  fnare  of  the  devil,  by  repentance,  and  let  them  (hew  their 
 repentance  by  reftitution.  Non  remittitur  peccatum  nifi  rejiitua- 
 tur  ablatum,  Aug.  "  Without  reftitution,  no  remiftion." 
 Luke  xix.  8.  *  If  I  have  taken  away  any  thing  from  any  man 
 unjuftly,  I  reftore  him  fourfold.'  It  may  fuffice  to  reftore  ill- 
 gotten  goods  by  one's  own  hand,  or  by  proxy.  Better  a  thou- 
 fand  times  reftore  goods  unlawfully  gotten,  than  to  ftutF  one's 
 pillow  with  thorns,  and  have  guilt  trouble  one's  confcience  upon 
 a  death-bed. 
 
 Ufe  III.  Exhort.  To  all  to  take  heed  of  this  fin  of  thieving ; 
 it  is  a  fin  againft  the  light  of  nature.  Some  may  go  to  excufe, 
 this  fin  :  hear  the  thief's  plea ;  it  is  a  coarfe  wool  will  take  no 
 dye,  and  a  bad  fin  indeed  that  hath  no  excufe.  "lam  (faith 
 one)  grown  low  in  the  world,  and  trading  is  bad,  and  I  have 
 no  other  way  to  a  livelihood." 
 
 Anf.  1.  This  (hews  a  great  diftruft  of  God,  as  if  he  could 
 not  provide  for  thee  without  thy  fin.  2.  This  (hews  fin  i9 
 gotten  to  a  great  height,  that,  becaul'e  a  man  is  grown  low  in 
 the  world,  therefore  he  will,  Acheronta  movere,  go  to  the  devil 
 for  a  livelihood.  Abraham  would  not  haveitfaid,  that  *  the 
 kin'g  of  Sodom  had  made  him  rich,'  Gen.  xiv.  22.  O  let  it 
 never  be  laid,  that  the  devil  hath  made  thee  rich !  3.  Thou 
 oughteft  not  to  undertake  any  action  which  thou  canft  not  pray 
 for  a  blefling  upon  :  but,  if  thou  liveft  on  thieving,  thou  canft 
 not  pray  for  a  bleliing  upon  ftolen  goods ;  therefore  take  heed 
 of  this  fin,  lucrum  in  acruy  damnum  inconfcientia,  Aug.  Take 
 heed  of  getting  the  world  with  the  lois  of  heaven.  To  difluade 
 all  from  this  horrid  fin,  confider, 
 
 f I.)  Thieves  are  the  caterpillars  of  the  earth,  enemies  to  civil 
 fociety. 
 
 (2.)  God  hates  them.  In  the  law,  the  Cormorant  was  un- 
 clean, Lev.  xi.  17.  becaufe  a  thievi(h,  devouring  creature,  a 
 bird  of  prey  ;  by  which  God  (hewed  his  hatred  of  this  fin. 
 
OF  TFIE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT.  50j 
 
 (3.)  The  thief  is  a  terror  to  himfelf,  he  is  always  in  fear,  Pf. 
 •liii.  o.  *  There  were  they  in  great  tear;'  true  of  the  thief. 
 Guilt  breeds  fear :  if  lie  hear  but  the  fliakiiis  of  a  tree,  his  heart 
 Jhakes.  It  is  laid  of  Catiline,  he  was  afraid  of  every  noife.  If 
 a  briar  doth  but  take  hold  of  a  thief's  garment,  he  is  afraid  it  is 
 the  officer  to  apprehend  him  ;  and  fear  hath  *  torment  in  it,* 
 I  John  iv.  18. 
 
 (4.)  The  judgments  that  follow  this  fin,  ■  Achan  the  thief 
 wasftoned  to  death,'  Jofhua  vii.  and  Zeeh.  v.  9.  4  What  feed 
 thou?  And  I  laid,  allying  roll,'  verfe  3.  ■  This  is  the  curie 
 that  goeth  over  the  face  of  the  earth  ;  I  will  bring  it  forth,  faith 
 the  Lord,  and  it  lhall  enter  into  the  houfeof  the  thief.'  Fabius, 
 a  Roman  cenfor,  condemned  his  own  fon  to  die  for  theft. 
 Thieves  die  with  ignominy,  the  ladder  is  their  preferment:  and 
 there  is  a  worfe  tiling  than  death,  while  they  rob  others  of 
 money,  they  rob  themfelves  of  lalvation. 
 
 Qu.    What  is  to  be  dwie  toavo-id  Jiealmg? 
 
 Anf.  1.  Live  in  a  calling,  Eph.  iv.  28.  ■  Let  him  that  ftole 
 Ileal  no  more,  but  rather  let  him  labour,  working  with  his 
 hands,'  &c.  Such  as  ftand  idle,  the  devil  hires  them,  and  puts 
 them  to  the  pilfering  trade.  An  idle  perfon  tempts  the  devil 
 to  tempt  him. 
 
 2.  Be  content  with  the  eftate  God  hath  given  you,  Heb.  xiii. 
 ,3.  '  Be  content  with  fuch  things  as  ye  have.'  Theft  is  the 
 daughter  of  avarice  :  ftudy  contentment.  Believe  that  condi- 
 tion belt,  God  hath  carved  out  to  you.  God  can  blefs  that  little 
 meal  in  the  barrel.  We  (hall  not  need  thefe  things  long,  we 
 fliall  carry  nothing  out  of  the  world  with  us  but  our  winding 
 -fheet.  If  we  have  but  enough  to  bear  our  charges  to  heaven,  it 
 is  fufficient. 
 
 OF  THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT, 
 
 Exod.  xx.   16.      Thou  flialt  not  bear  falfe  icitnefs  againft  thy 
 
 neighbour. 
 
 The  tongue,  which  at  firll  was  made  to  be  an  organ  of 
 God's  praiie,  is  now  become  an  inftrument  of  unrighteouinefs. 
 This  commandment  binds  the  tongue  to  its  good  behaviour; 
 God  hath  let  two  fences  to  keep  in  the  tongue,  the  teeth  and 
 lips  :  and  this  commandment  is  a  third  fence  let  about  it,  that 
 it  mould  not  break  forth  into  evil;  ■  Thou  flialt  not  bear  falfe 
 witneis  againft  thy  neighbour.'  This  comnwndment  hath  a 
 prohibitory,  and  a  mandatory  part :  the  iirit  is  let  down  in 
 plain  words,  the  other  is  clearly  implied. 
 Vol.  I.  No.  11.  3  S 
 
606  OF  THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 I.  Hie  prohibitory  part  of  the  commandment,  or,  what  it  for- 
 bids in  general.  Il  forbids  any  thing  which  ma}'  tend  to  the 
 disparagement  or  prejudice  of  our  neighbour.  More  particularly, 
 two  tilings  are  forbidden  in  this  commandment,  (I.)  Slander- 
 ing.    (9.)   Fa  He  witnefs. 
 
 (1.)  Slander'mg  our  neighbour.  This  is  a  fin  again  ft  the  ninth 
 commandment.  The  fcorpion  carries  hispoifon  in  his  tail,  the 
 flandertr  carries  his  poiibn  in  his  tongue.  Slandering,  "  is  to 
 report  things  of  others  nnjnftly,"  Pial.  xxxv.  11.  *  They  laid 
 things  to  my  charge  which  I  knew  not.'  It  is  ufual  to  bring  in 
 a  Chriflian  beheaded  of  his  good  name:  they  railed  a  flander 
 of  Paul,  that  he  fhould  preach,  *  Men  might  do  evil,  that  good 
 might  come  of  it,'  Rom.  iii.  8.  *  We  areflanderoufly  reported  ; 
 and  fome  affirm  that  we  fay,  let  us  do  evil,  that  good  may 
 come.'  Err.inency  is  commonly  blailed  by  flander.  Holinels 
 itlelf  is  no  fhield  for  flander.  The  lamb's  innocency  will  not 
 preferve  it  from  the  wolf. — Chrift  was  the  moft  innocent  upon 
 earth,  yet  was  reported  to  be  a  friend  of  finners  :  John  Baptift, 
 a  man  of  a  holy  auftere  life,  yet  they  faid  of  him  *  he  hath  a 
 devil,'  Mat.  xi.  18.  The  lcripture  calls  flandering,  uniting 
 with  the  tongue,  Jer.  xviii.  IS.  '  Come  and  let  us  imite  him 
 with  the  tongue.'  You  may  fmite  another  and  never  touch 
 him.  Majora  J'unt  linguae  vulnera  quam  gladiit  Aug.  The 
 wounds  of  the  tongue  no  phyfician  can  heal:  and  to  pretend 
 fnendlhip  to  a  man,  yet  flander  him,  is  mofl  odious.  St.  Hie- 
 rom  lpeaks  thus,  "  The  Arian  fa6Uon  made  a  fhew  of  kind- 
 nefs;  they  luffed  my  hands,  but  flandered  me,  and  fought  my 
 }ife."  And,  as  it  is  a  fin  agaiufl  this  commandment,  to  raife  a 
 faiie  report  of  another  ;  fb  it  is  a  fin  to  receive  a  falfe  report  be- 
 fore we  have  examined  it,  Pial.  xv.  1.  •  Lord,  who  (hall  dwell 
 in  thy  holy  hill?'  Quis  ad  caelum?  ver.  3.  *  He  that  backbiteth 
 not,  nor  takelh  up  a  reproach  againft  his  neighbour.'  We  muft 
 not  only  not  raife  a  falfe  report,  but  not  take  it  up.  He  that 
 raifeth  a  flander,  carries  the  devil  in  his  tongue ;  and  he  that 
 receives  it,  carries  the  devil  in  his  ear. 
 
 (2.)  The  fecond  thing  forbidden  in  this  commandment  is^ 
 falfe  witnefs.  Here  three  fms  are  condemned  :  (1.)  Speaking. 
 (2.)  WitnefTing.  (3.)  Swearing,  that  which  is  falfe,  contra 
 proximum. 
 
 1.  Speaking  that  which  is  falfe,  Prov.  xii.  29.  ■  Lying  lips 
 are  an  abomination  to  the  Lord.'  To  lie,  is  to  fpeak  that 
 which  one  knows  to  be  an  untruth.  There  is  nothing  more  con- 
 trary to  God  than  a  lie.  The  Holy  Ghoft  is  called  the  '  Spirit 
 of  truth,  1  John  iv.  5,  6.  Lying  is  a  fin  that  doth  not  go  alone; 
 it  ufhers  in  other  fins :  Ablalom  toid  his  father  a  lie,  that  he 
 was  going  to  pay  his  vow  at  Hebron,  2  Sam.  xv.  7-  and  that 
 
OF  THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT.  507 
 
 lie  was  a  preface  to  his  treafon.  Where  there  is  a  lie  in  the 
 tongue,  it  Ihews  the  devil  is  in  the  In  art,  \<  N  w.  j.  ■  Why 
 balfa  Satan  filled  thy  heart  to  lie?'    I   .  Ii.i  liu,  as  unfits 
 
 ni«'u  for  civil  fociety.  How  can  yon  converfe  or  bargain  with 
 him,  that  you  cannot  trult  a  word  he  faith  ?  This  is  a  (in  wlncli 
 lily  provokes  God.  Annanias  and  Sapnhira  were  (truck 
 dead  for  telling  a  lie,  A6ts  v.  b.  The  furnace  of  hell  is  heated 
 for  liars,  Rev.  xxii.  lb.  ■  Without  are  lore,  rers,  and  whomever 
 luveth  and  inaketh  a  lie.'  Oh  ablior  this  fin  !  Quicquid  dixerid 
 j'tjiiim  putes,  Hieroin.  When  thou  fpeakelt,  let  thy  word  be 
 as  authentic  as  thy  oath.  Imitate  God,  who  is  the  pattern  of 
 truth.  Pythagoras  being  aiked,  what  made  men  like  God  ? 
 anfwered,  enm  eere  /o<j!iuntiu\  when  they  ['peak  truth.  It  is 
 made  the  character  of  a  man  that  Ih  ill  go  to  heaven,  Plal.  xv. 
 S.   ■  He  fpeaketh  the  truth  from  his  heart.' 
 
 l2.  That  which  is  condemned  in  the  commandment  is,  wit- 
 tn  (ling  that  which  is  falfe  ;  *  thou  (halt  not  bear  falfe  witnefs.' 
 Tiatre  is  a  twofold  bearing  of  falfe  witnefs.  (I.)  There  is  a 
 bearing  of  falfe  witneis  for  another.  2.  A  bearing  falfe  witnefs 
 againft  another. 
 
 1  //',  A  bearing  falfe  witnefs  for  another.  When  we  do  give 
 our  tcftimony  for  a  perfon  that  is  criminal  and  guilty,  wejuftify 
 him  ai  if  he  were  innocent,  I  fa.  iii.  23.  '  Which  juftify  the 
 wicked  for  a  reward.'  He  that  goes  to  make  a  wicked  man 
 juft,  makes  himi'elf  unjuft. 
 
 Qdly,  There  is  a  bearing  falfe  witnefs  againft  another,  i.  e. 
 when  we  accufe  another  in  open  court  falfely.  This  is  to  imitate 
 the  devil,  who  is  the  ■  acculer  of  the  brethren.'  Though  the 
 devil  is  no  adulterer,  yet  he  is  a  falfe  witnefs,  Solomon  faith, 
 Prov.  xxv.  18.  ■  A  man  that  beareth  falfe  witnefs  againft  his 
 neighbour,  is  a  hammer  and  a  f word  :'  In  his  face  he  is  hardened 
 like  an  hammer ;  he  cannot  blufh,  he  cares  not  what  lie  he 
 witnefieth  to  :  and  he  is  a  fword  ;  his  tongue  is  a  fword  to 
 wound  him  he  witnelfeth  againft  in  his  goods  or  life  :  thus, 
 1  Kings  xxi.  13.  ■  There  came  in  two  men,  children  of  Belial, 
 and  witnelfed  againii  Naboth,  faying,  Xaboth  blafphemed  God 
 and  the  king  :'  and  their  witnefs  took  away  his  life.  The  queen 
 of  Perfia  being  fick,  the  magician  accufed  two  godly  virgins, 
 that  they  had  by  charms  procured  the  queen's  ficknefs  ;  where- 
 upon Die  caufed  thefe  virgins  to  be  fawn  afunder.  A  falfe  wit- 
 nefs doth  pervert  the  place  of  judicature  :  he  corrupts  the  judge, 
 by  making  him  pronounce  a  wrong  fentence,  and  caufes  the 
 innocent  to  fuller.  Vengeance  will  find  out  the  falfe  witneis, 
 Prov.  xxix.  4.  '  A  falle  witnefs  (hall  not  be  unpunimed,  Deut. 
 yix.  18,  U).  '  If  the  witnefs  be  a  falfe  witnefs,  and  hath  telti- 
 iied  falfely  againit  his  brother,  then  fhall  ye  do  unto  him  as  he 
 
 3S2 
 
508  OF  THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 had  thought  to  have  done  unto  his  brother:'  i.  e.     If  he  had 
 thought  to  have  taken  away  his  life,  his  own  (hall  go  for  it. 
 
 3.  That  which  is  condemned  in  the  commandment,  isfwear- 
 ing  that  which  is  falfe.  When  men  take  a  falfe  oath,  and  by 
 that  take  away  the  life  of  another,  Zcch.  viii.  17.  ■  Love  no 
 falfe  oath/  chap.  v.  2.  ■  What  feed  thou  ?  I  laid,  a  flying 
 roil.'  verfes  3,  4.  '  This  is  the  curie  that  goeth  forth,  and  it 
 fhall  enter,  faith  the  Lord,  into  the  houfe  of  him  that  fweareth 
 fallely  by  my  name  :  and  it  (hall  conlume  his  houfe,  with  the 
 timber  and  ftones  of  it.'  The  Scythians  made  a  law,  when  a 
 man  did  bind  two  fins  together,  a  lie  with  an  oath,  he  was  to 
 lofe  his  head  ;  becaufethis  fin  did  take  away  all  truth  and  faith 
 from  among  men.  The  devil  hath  taken  great  poiTeiTion  of 
 fuch  who  dare  fvvear  to  a  lie.  This  is  a  manifeft  breach  of  this 
 commandment. 
 
 Ufe  I.  Branch  1.  It  reproves  the  church  of  Rome,  who  will 
 difpenfe  with  a  lie,  or  a  falfe  oath,  if  it  be  to  promote  the  catho- 
 lic caufe.  They  approve  of  an  officious  lie  ;  they  hold  fome  fins 
 to  be  lawful ;  they  may  as  well  hold  fome  lies  to  be  lawful. 
 God  hath  no  need  of  our  lie.  It  is  not  lawful  to  tell  a  lie  prop- 
 ter  Dei glorimn,  if  we  were  fure  to  bring  glory  to  God  by  it,  as 
 Auftin  (peaks- 
 
 Branch  2.  It  reproves  thofe  who  make  no  eonfcience  of  flan- 
 dering  others  ;  they  come  under  the  breach  of  this  command- 
 ment, Pf.  1.  20.  ■  Thou  fitteft  and  ilandereft  thy  own  mother's 
 fon,'  Jer.  xx.  10.  ■  Report,  fay  they,  and  we  will  report,'  Ezra 
 iv.  15.  '  This  city  (.?.  e.  Jerufalem)  is  a  rebellious  city,  and 
 hurtful  to  kings  and  provinces.'  Paul  was  flandered  as  a  mover 
 of  fedition,  and  the  head  of  a  faction,  Acts  xxiv.  5.  The  fame 
 word  fignifies  both  a  llanderer  and  a  devil,  1  Tim.  iii.  If- 
 '  Not  flanderers:'  In  the  Greek,  Not  devils.  Some  think  it  is- 
 no  great  matter,  to  mifreport  and  flander  others ;  know  that 
 this  is  to  act  the  part  of  a  devil.  Clipping  a  man's  credit,  to 
 make  it  weigh  lighter,  is  worfe  than  clipping  of  coin.  The 
 llanderer  wounds  three  at  once  :  he  wounds  him  that  he  (lan- 
 ders ;  and  he  wounds  him  to  whom  he  reports  the  flander,  by 
 caufing  uncharitable  thoughts  to  arife  up  in  his  mind  againft  the 
 party  flandered  ;  and  he  wounds  his  own  loul,  by  reporting  that 
 of  another  which  is  falfe.  This  is  a  great  fin  ;  and  I  would,  I 
 could  not  fay,  it  is  common.  You  may  kill  a  man  as  well  in 
 his  name  as  in  his  perfon.  Some  are  loth  to  take  away  their 
 neighbour's  goods ;  eonfcience  would  fly  in  their  face  :  but  bet- 
 ter take  away  their  corn  out  of  their  field,  their  wares  out  of 
 their  (hop,  than  take  away  their  good  name.  This  is  a  fin  you 
 can  never  make  them  reparation  for;  a  blot  in  a  man's  name, 
 being  like  a  blot  on  white  paper,  which  will  never  be  got  out. 
 Surely  God  will  vi fit  for  this  fin.     If  idle  words  (hall  be  ac- 
 
0F  THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT.  500 
 
 counted  for,  fhall  not  unjuft  Hinders?  The  Lord  will  make  in- 
 quifition  one  day,  as  well  for  namtfl  a*  for  Mood.  Oil  therefore 
 take  heed  of  this  fin  !   it  is  a  breach  of  the  ninth  commandment. 
 
 Was  it  a  fin  under  the  law  to  defame  a  virgin,  Dent.  xxii.  19. 
 And,  is  it  not  a  greater  Gn  to  defame  a  l.'uut,  who  is  a  member 
 ofCbrtft!  The  heathens,  by  the  light  of  nature,  abhorred  this 
 fm  of  flandering.  Diogenes  uled  to  lay,  M  Of  all  wild  beal'ts,  a 
 llanderer  is  the  worft."  Antoniua  made  a  law,  that,  it  a  perfon 
 could  not  prove  the  crime  he  reported  another  to  be  guilty  of, 
 he  fliould  be  put  to  death. 
 
 Branch  3.  It  reproves  them  who  are  fo  wicked  as  to  bear  falfc 
 wit&efc  agaimt  others.  Thefe  are  mon Hers  in  nature,  unlit  to 
 live  in  a  civil  fociety.  Eulebius  ralates  of  one  Narcilfus,  a  man 
 famous  for  piety,  who  was  accufed  by  two  falle  witnelfes  of  un- 
 chaltity  :  and  to  prove  their  accusation,  they  bound  it  with  oaths 
 and  curies  after  this  manner  :  one  laid,  *  If  I  (peak  not  true, 
 I  pray  God  I  may  perilh  by  fire  :"  the  other  laid,  M  If  I  fpeak 
 not  true,  I  wifh  I  may  be  deprived  of  my  fight."  It  pleated 
 God,  that  the  firft  witnefs  who  fori  wore  himlelf,  his  houle  be- 
 let  on  lire,  he  was  burned  in  the  flame  :  the  other  witnefs  be- 
 ing troubled  in  confidence,  con  felled  his  perjury,  and  continued 
 lb  long  weeping,  that  he  wept  himfelf  blind.  Jezebel,  who 
 fuborned  two  falle  witnelfes  againft  Xaboth,  Ihe  was  thrown 
 down  out  of  a  window,  and  *  the  dogs  licked  her  blood,'  c2 
 Kings  ix.  33.  O  tremble  at  this  I  in  !  a  perjured  perfon  is  the 
 devil's  excrement.  He  is  curled  in  his  name,  and  feared  in  his 
 confeience.     Hell  gapes  for  Inch  a  wind-fall. 
 
 Ufe  II.  Branch  1.  It  exhorts  all  to  take  heed  of  the  breach 
 of  tins  commandment,  of  lying,  flandering,  and  bearing  falfe 
 witnefs  ;  and  to  avoid  thefe  tins, 
 
 I.  Get  the  fear  of  God.  Why  doth  David  fay,  '  the  fear 
 of  the  Lord  is  clean?'  Pf.  xix.  8.  Becaufe  it  cleanleth  the 
 heart  of  malice,  it  cleanleth  the  tongue  of  (lander.  *  The  fear 
 ot  the  Lord  is  clean  :'  it  is  to  the  foul  as  lightening  to  the  air 
 which  cleanleth  it. 
 
 £.  Get  love  to  your  neighbour,  Lev.  xxi.  18.  If  we  love  a 
 friend,  we  will  not  fpeak  or  atteft  any  thing  to  his  prejudice. 
 Men's  minds  are  cankered  with  envy  and  hatred  ;  hence  comes 
 flandering  and  falfe- witnemng.  Love  is  a  lovely  grace  ;  *  love 
 thinks  no  evil,'  1  Cor.  xiii.  o.  It  makes  the  bell  interpretation 
 of  another's  words.  Love  is  a  well-wifher,  and  i'  is  rare  to 
 fpeak  ill  of  him  we  wifh  well  to.  Love  is  that  which  cements 
 Chriltians  together  ;  it  is  the  healer  of  divifion,  and  thehinder- 
 er  of  flander. 
 
 Branch  <2.  To  fuch  whofe  lot  it  is  to  meet  with  flanderers 
 *and  falfe  accufers,  (1.)  Labour  to  make  a  fanetitied  ufe  of  it. 
 When  Shimei  railed  on  David,  David  made  a  lanctified  ufe  of 
 
510  OF  THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 it,  2.  Sam:  xvi.  10.  '  The  Lord  hath  (aid  to  him,  curfe  Da- 
 vid.* So,  if  you  are  flandered  or  falfely  accufed,  make  a  good 
 ufe  of  it.  See  if  you  have  no  fin  unrepented  of,  for  which  God 
 may  fuller  you  to  be  calumniated  and  reproached.  See  if  you 
 have  not  at  any  time  wronged  others  in  their  name,  and  laid 
 that  of  them  which  you  cannot  prove  ;  then  lay  your  hand  on 
 your  mouth,  and  confefs  the  Lord  is  righteous  to  let  you  fall 
 under  the  fcourge  of  the  tongue.  (2.)  If  you  are  flandered  or 
 falfely  accufed,  but  know  your  own  innocency,  be  not  too  much 
 troubled,  let  this  be  your  rejoicing,  the  witnefs  of  your  con- 
 fcience.  Mums  ahenevs  ejio  nil  confchejibi. — A  good  con- 
 fidence is  a  wall  of  braft,  that  will  be  able  to  ftand  againil  a 
 falfe  witnefs.  As  no  flattery  can  heal  a  bad  confcience,  fo  no 
 flander  can  hurt  a  good.  God  will  clear  the  names  of  his  peo- 
 ple, Pf.  xxxvii.  6.  '  He  fhall  bring  forth  thy  righteoufnefs  as 
 the  light.'  God,  as  he  will  wipe  away  tears  from  the  eyes,  fo 
 he  will  wipe  off  reproaches  from  the  name.  Believers  fhall 
 come  forth  out  of  all  their  (landers  and  reproaches,  as  '  the 
 wings  of  a  dove  covered  with  filver,  and  her  feathers  with  yel- 
 low gold.' 
 
 Branch  3.  It  fhoukl  exhort  fuch  to  be  very  thankful  to  God  ; 
 whom  God  hath  preferved  from  flander  and  falfe  witnefs.  Job 
 calls  it  ■  The  fcourge  of  the  tongue,'  chap.  v.  21.  As  a  rod  doth 
 fcourge  the  back,  fo  the  flanderer's  tongue  doth  fcourge  the 
 name.  It  is  a  great  mercy  to  be  kept  from  the  fcourge  of  the 
 tongue  ;  a  mercy,  that  God  ftops  malignant  mouths  from  bear- 
 ing falfe  witnefs.  What  mifchief  may  not  a  lying  report  or  a 
 falfe  oath  do  ?  One  deftroys  the  name,  the  other  the  life.  It  is 
 the  Lord  who  muzzles  the  mouths  of  the  wicked,  and  keeps 
 thofe  dogs,  that  fnarl  at  us,  from  flying  upon  us,  Pfal.  xxxi. 
 20.  *  Thou  (halt  keep  them  fecretly  in  a  pavilion,  from  the  ftrife 
 of  tongues.'  It  is,  I  fuppofe,  an  allufion  to  kings,  who  being 
 refolved  to  protect  their  favourites  againft  the  accufations  of  men, 
 take  them  into  their  bed-chamber,  or  bofom,  where  none  may 
 touch  them  :  io  God  hath  a  pavilion,  or  fecret  hiding-place  for 
 his  favourites,  where  he  preserves  their  credit  and  reputation  un- 
 touched ;  he  keeps  them  from  the  ■  ftrife  of  tongues.'  This  is 
 a  mercy  we  ought  to  acknowledge  to  God. 
 
 II.  The  mandatory  part  of  this  commandment  implied  ;  that 
 is,  •"  That  we  ftand  up  for  others,  and  vindicate  them,  when 
 they  are  injured  by  lying  lips."  This  is  the  fenfe  of  the  com- 
 mandment, not  only  that  we  fhould  not  flander,  or  falfely  ac- 
 ■cufe  others  ;  but  that  we  fhould  witnefs  for  them,  and  ftand  up 
 in  their  defence,  when  we  know  them  to  be  traduced.  A  man 
 may  wrong  another  as  well  by  filence  as  by  flander  ;  when  he 
 knows  him  to  be  wrongfully  accufed,  yet  doth  not  fpeak  in  his 
 behalf.     If  others  call  falfe  afperfions  on  any,   we  fhould  wipe 
 
OF  THE  TENTH  C  DM  EST.  511 
 
 them  oft*.     The  apofrles  (who   were  fill*  d  with  the  wine  of  the 
 Spirit)   beiiiir  charged  with  dninkmnels,   Peter  was  thru  i 
 purgator,   and    openly    cleared    their  innoceix  v ,    Act-    n.    15. 
 ■  Thefe  are  not  drunken,  as  ye   fuppofe.*     Jonathan   kt> 
 David  to  he  a  worthy  man,  and  all  tbofc  things  Saul  laid  ot  him 
 to  be  flanders,  vindicated    David,    1    Sam.    xix.   1,    •  >.    4  David 
 hath  not  finned  agaiult  thee,  but  his  works   to  thee-ward   have 
 been  very  good.      Wherefore  then  wilt  thou  (in  again  ft  in; 
 blood,  and  flay  DavirJ   without  a  eaufe  ?*    When    the  pria 
 Christians  were  iatt'vlv  acculed  for  ineelt,  and  killing  their  chil- 
 dren, TVrtullian   made  a  famous  apology  in   their  vindication. 
 This  is  to  act  the  part  both  of  a  friend  and  of  a  Chtiftian,  to  be 
 an  advocate  for  another,  when  he  is  wronged  in  his  good  name. 
 
 OF  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 Exod.  xx.  17-  Thou  fit  alt  not  covet  thy  Neighbour's  Houfe, 
 thou  fhalt  not  covet  thy  Neighbour's  Wife,  nor  his  Nun-ier- 
 vant,  nor  his  Maid-iervant,  nor  his  Oxt  nor  his  Aft,  nor  any 
 Thing  that  is  thy  Neighbour's. 
 
 This  commandment  forbids,  (1.)  Covetoufnefs  in  gene- 
 ral, ■  Thou  fhalt  not  covet.*  (L,>.)  In  particular,  *  Thy  neigh- 
 bour's houfe,  thy  neighbour's  wife,'  &c. 
 
 1.  It  forbids  covetoufnefs  in  general,  •  Thou  fhalt  not  covet.* 
 It  is  lawful  to  ufe  the  world,  yea,  and  to  defire  lb  much  of  it 
 as  may,  (1.)  Keep  us  from  the  temptation  of  poverty,  Prov. 
 xxx.  8.  '  Give  me  not  poverty,  lelt  1  ileal,  and  take  the  name 
 of  my  God  in  vain.'  (c2.)  As  may  enable  us  to  honour  God 
 with  works  of  mercy,  Prov.  jii.  {).  *  Honour  the  Lord  with  thy 
 fubftance.'  But  all  the  danger  is,  when  the  world  gets  into  the 
 heart.  The  water  is  ufeful  for  the  failing  of  the  fhip  ;  all  tl.j 
 danger  is,  when  the  water  gets  into  the  thip  ;  fo  the  fear  is, 
 when  the  world  gets  into  the  heart,  *  Thou  (halt  not  covet.* 
 
 Qu.   What  is  it  to  covet  ? 
 
 Anf.  There  are  two  words  in  the  Greek,  which  fet  forth  the 
 nature  of  covetoufnefs.  I.  Pleonexia,  which  fignifies  "  an  in- 
 iatiable  defire  of  getting  the  world."  Covetoufnefs  is  a  dry 
 dropfv.  Aullin  defines  covetoufnefs,  P/us  velle  rjuam  fat  eft ; 
 to  defire  more  than  enough  ;  to  aim  at  a  great  eftate  ;  to  be  like 
 the  daughters  of  the  horfe-leech,  crying,  *  Give,  give,'  Prov. 
 xxx.  15.  Or  like  Behemoth,  Job  xL  S3.  '  He  trufteth  that  he 
 can  draw  up  Jordan  into  his  mouth.*  2.  Pliylamyria,  which  fig- 
 niiies  an  "  inordinate  love  of  the  world."  The  world  is  the 
 idol ;   it  is  lb  loved,  that  a  man  will  not  part  with  it  to  any  good 
 
612  OT  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 ufe  ;  this  is  to  come  under  the  indictment  of  covetoufnefs.  He 
 may  be  laid  to  be  covetous,  not  only  who  gets  the  world  un- 
 righteoufiy,  but  who  loves  the  world  inordinately.  But,  for  a 
 more  full  anfwer  to  the  queftton,  *  What  is  it  to  covet  ?'  I  (hall 
 fhew  you  in  fix  pai -ieulars,  when  a  man  may  be  faid  to  be 
 given  to  covetoufnefs. 
 
 1.  When  his  thoughts  are  wholly  taken  up  about  the  world. 
 As  a  good  man's  thoughts  are  ftill  in  heaven,  he  is  thinking  of 
 ChrihVs  love  and  eternal  recom pence,  Pf.  cxxxix.  IS.  '  WThen 
 I  awake,  I  am  ftill  with  thee,'  that  is  divine  contemplation!  fo 
 a  covetous  man  is  ftill  with  the  world  ;  his  mind  is  wholly  taken 
 up  about  it  ;  he  can  think  of  nothing  but  his  fhop  or  farm.  The 
 fancy  is  a  mint-houfe,  and  mod  of  the  thoughts  a  covetous  man 
 mints  are  worldly  :  he  is  always  plotting  and  projecting  about 
 the  things  of  this  life  ;  like„a  virgin  that  hath  all  her  thoughts 
 running  upon  her  fuitor. 
 
 2.  A  man  may  be  faid  to  be  given  to  covetoufnefs,  when  he 
 takes  more  pains  for  the  getting  of  earth,  than  for  the  getting 
 of  heaven.  He  will-turn  every  ftone,  break  his  fieep,  take  many 
 a  weary  fiep  for  the  world  ;  but  will  take  no  pains  for  Chrift  or 
 heaven.  The  Gauls,  who  were  an  ancient  people  of  France, 
 after  they  had  tailed  of  the  fvveet  wine  of  the  Italian  grape, 
 they  enquired  after  the  country,  and  never  refted  till  they  had 
 arrived  at  it ;  fo  a  covetous  man  having  had  a  relifli  of  the 
 world,  purfues  after  it,  and  never  leaves  till  he  hath  got  it ;  but 
 he  neglects  the  things  of  eternity.  He  could  be  content  if  fal- 
 vation  would  drop  into  his  mouth,  as  a  ripe  fig  drops  into  the 
 mouth  of  the  eater,  Nahum  iii.  12.  But  he  is  loth  to  put  him- 
 felf  to  too  much  fweat  or  trouble  to  obtain  Chrift  or  falvation. 
 He  hunts  for  the  world,  he  wiiheth  only  for  heaven. 
 
 3.  A  man  may  be  faid  to  be  given  to  covetoufnefs,  when  all 
 his  difcourfe  is  about  the  world,  John  iii.  31.  *  He  that  is  of 
 the  earth,  fpeaketh  of  the  earth.'  As  it  is  a  fign  of  godlinefs  to 
 be  ttill  fpeaking  of  heaven,  to  have  the  tongue  tuned  to  the  lan- 
 guage of  Canaan,  Eccl.  x.  12.  '  The  words  of  a  wife  man's 
 mouth  are  gracious  ;'  he  fpeaks  as  if  he  had  been  already  in 
 heaven  ;  fo,  a  fign  of  a  man  given  to  covetoufnefs,  he  is  fpeak- 
 ing of  fecular  things,  his  wares  and  drugs.  A  covetous  man's 
 breath,  like  a  dying  man's  fmells  ftrong  of  the  earth.  As  they 
 faid  to  Peter,  *  Thy  fpeecb  bewrayeth  thee,'  Matth.  xxvi.  73. 
 So  a  covetous  man's  fpeech  bewrayeth  him  :  He  is  like  the  iiih 
 in  the  gofpel,  which  had  a  piece  of  money  in  the  mouth,  Mat. 
 xvii.  27.  Verba  J  wit  J pecukim  mentis,  Bern.  The  words  are 
 the  looking-glafs  of  the  heart,  they  fhew  what  is  within  ;  Ex 
 abundantia  cordis. 
 
 4.  A  man  is  given  to  covetoufnefs,  when  he  doth  fo  fet  his 
 heart  upon  worldly  things,  that,  for  the  love  of  them,  he  will 
 
OF  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT.  5IS 
 
 part  with  heavenly  ;  for  the  '  wedge  of  gold/  he  will  part  with 
 the  '  pearl  of  price.'  The  young  man  in  the  go(ptt,  when  Chrift 
 faiu^  *  Sell  all  and  come  and  follow  me  ;'  ah/it  tri/iis,  '  lie  went 
 away  forrowful,'  Matth.  xix.  (22.  lie  would  rather  part  with 
 Chrift,  than  with  his  earthly  pofl'ellions.  Cardinal  Bourbon 
 taid,  he  would  forego  his  part  in  paradife,  if  he  might  keep  his 
 cardinalfhip  in  Paris.  When  it  comes  to  a  critical  point,  that 
 men  mult  either  relinquish  their  eftate  or  Chrift,  and  they  will 
 rather  part  with  Chrift,  and  a  good  confcience,  than  with  their 
 eftat*;  it  is  a  clear  cafe  they  are  pouelled  with  the  devil  of  co- 
 vetoufnefs. 
 
 ft.  A  man  is  given  to  covetoufnefs,  when  he  overloads  him- 
 felf  with  worldly  bufinefs.  He  hath  many  irons  in  the  fire  ;  he 
 is  in  this  fenfe  a  pluralift,  he  takes  fo  much  bufinefs  upon  him, 
 that  he  cannot  find  time  to  ferve  God  ;  he  hath  fcarce  time  to 
 eat  his  meat,  but  no  time  to  pray.  When  a  man  doth  over- 
 charge himfelf  with  the  world,  and,  as  Martha,  cumber  himfelf 
 about  many  things,  that  he  cannot  have  time  for  his  foul,  fure 
 he  is  under  the  power  of  covetoufnefs. 
 
 6.  He  is  given  to  covetoufnefs  whofe  heart  is  fo  fet  upon  the 
 world,  that,  to  get  it,  he  cares  not  what  unlawful  indirect  means 
 he  ufeth  :  he  will  have  the  world  per  fas  et  nefas;  he  will 
 wrong  and  defraud,  and  raife  his  eftate  upon  the  ruins  of  ano- 
 ther, Hof.  xii.  7,  8.  '  The  balances  of  deceit  are  in  his  hand, 
 he  loveth  to  opprefs.'  And  Ephraim  faid,  '  yet  I  am  become 
 rich.'  Pope  Silvetter  II.  did  iell  his  foul  to  the  devil  for  a 
 popedom. 
 
 Ufe.  Take  heed  and  beware  of  covetoufnefs,  Luke  xii.  15. 
 It  is  a  direct  breach  of  this  tenth  commandment.  Covetouf- 
 nefs is  a  moral  vice,  it  infe&s  and  pollutes  the  whole  foul.  The 
 fin. 
 
 (I.)  It  is  a  fubtil  fin,  a  fin  that  many  do  not  fo  well  difcern 
 in  themfelves  ;  as  ibrae  have  the  fcurvy  yet  do  not  know  it. 
 This  fin  can  drefs  itfelf  in  the  attire  of  virtue.  It  is  called  the 
 •  cloak  of  covetoufnefs.'  1  ThefT.  ii.  5.  Covetoufnefs  is  a  fin 
 that  wears  a  cloak,  it  cloaks  itfelf  under  the  name  of  frugality 
 and  good  hufbandry.  It  hath  many  pleas  and  excufes  for  it- 
 felf, more  than  any  other  fin  ;  as  the  providing  for  one's  family. 
 The  more  fubtil  the  fin  is,  the  lefs  difcernible. 
 
 (2.)  Covetoufnefs  is  a  dangerous  fin,  it  checks  all  that  is 
 good.  It  is  an  enemy  to  grace  ;  it  damps  good  affections,  as 
 the  earth  puts  out  the  fire.  The  hedge-hog,  in  the  fable,  came 
 to  the  coney  burrows  in  ltormy  weather,  and  Hefired  harbour: 
 hut  when  once  he  had  gotten  entertainment,  hci<-t  up  his  prick- 
 les, and  did  never  leave  till  he  had  thruft  the  poor  coneys  out 
 of  their  burrows  ;  fo  covetoufnefs,  by  fair  pretences,  wins  itlelf 
 into  the  heart ;  but,  as  foon  as  you  have  let  it  in,  it  will  never 
 Vol.  I.  No.  11.  3T 
 
514  OF  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 leave  till  it  hath  choaked  all  good  beginnings,  and  thruft  all  re- 
 ligion out  of  your  hearts.   "  Covetoufnefs  hinders  the  efficacy  of 
 the  word  preached."     In  the  parable,  the  thorns  (which  Chrift 
 expounded  to  be  the  cares  of  this  life)  choaked  the  good  feed, 
 Matth.  xiii.  7.   Many  fermons  lie  dead,  buried  in  earthly  hearts. 
 We  preach  to  men,  to  get  their  hearts  in  heaven  ;    but  where 
 covetoufnefs  is  predominant,  it  chains  them  to  the  earth,  and 
 makes  them  like  the  woman  which  Satan  had  bowed  together, 
 that  (he  could  not  lift  up  herfelf,  Luke  xiii.  11.     You  may  as 
 well  bid  an  elephant  fly  in   the  air,  as  a  covetous  man  live  by 
 faith.     We  preach  to  men  to  give  freely  to  Chrift' s  poor  ;  but 
 covetoufnefs  makes  them  to  be  like  him  in  the  gofpel  who  had 
 ■  a  withered  hand,'  Mark  iii.  1.  They  have  a  withered   hand 
 and  cannot  ftretch  it  out  to  the  poor.       It  is  impoffible  to  be 
 earthly  minded  and  charitably    minded.       Thus  covetoufnefs 
 obftructs  the  efficacy  of  the  word,  and  makes  it  prove  abortive. 
 Such  whole  hearts  are  rooted  in  the  earth,  will  be  fo  far  from 
 profiting  by  the  word,  that  they  will  be  ready  rather  to  deride 
 it,  Luke  xvi.  14.     The  pharifees,  who  were  covetous,  ■  derid- 
 ed him/ 
 
 (3.)  Covetoufnefs  is  a  mother-fin,  a  radical  vice,  1  Tim.  vi, 
 10.   ■  the  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all  evil.' 
 
 Quid  no7i  mortalia  peciora  cogit  auri facta  fames  ; — Hor. 
 
 He  who  hath  an  earthly  itch,  a  greedy  defire  of  getting  the 
 world,  hath  in  him  the  root  of  all  fin.     Covetoufnefs  is  a  mo- 
 ther fin.     I  fhall  make  it  appear  that  covetoufnefs  is  a  breach 
 of  all  the  ten  commandments.     (1.)   It  breaks  the  firft  comr 
 mandment,  •  thou  (halt  have  no  other  gods  but  one.'     The  co- 
 vetous man  hath  more  gods  than  one  ;    mammon  is  his  god. 
 He  hath  a  god  of  gold,   therefore  he  is  called  an  idolater,   Col. 
 iii.  5.     (2.)   Covetoufnefs  breaks  the  fecond  commandment, 
 *    Thou   (halt   not  make  any  graven  image,   thou   (halt  not 
 bow  down  thyfelf  to  them.'     A  covetous  man  bows  down,  tho* 
 not  to  the  graven  image  in  the  church,  yet  to  the  graven  image 
 in  his  coin.      (3.)   Covetoufnefs  is  a  breach  of  the  third  com- 
 mandment, *  Thou  (halt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy 
 God  in  vain.'     Abfalom's  defign  was  to  get  his  father's  crown, 
 there  was  covetoufnefs ;  but  he  talks  of  *  paying  his  vow  to  God ,' 
 there   he  took  God's  name  in  vain.     (4.)   Covetoufnefs   is  a 
 breach  of  the  fourth  commandment,  ■   Remember  the  fabbath 
 day,  to  keep  it  holy.'     A  covetous  man  doth  not  keep  the  fab- 
 bath holy  ;  he  will  ride  to  fairs  on  a  fabbath  :  inftead  of  reading 
 in  the  bible,  he  will  caft  up  his  accounts.     (5.)  Covetoufnefs  is 
 a  breach  of  the  fifth  commandment,  '    Honour  thy  father  and 
 thy  mother.     A  covetous  perfon  will  not  honour  his  father,  if 
 he  doth  not  feed  him  with  money  ;  nay,  he  will  get  his  father 
 to  make  over  his  eftate  to  him  in  his  lifetime,  and  fo  the  father 
 
OF  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 ftiall  be  at  the  ion's  command,  ((i.)  Covetoufuefs  is  a  breach 
 of  the  lixth  commandment,  4  Thou  (halt  not  kill.'  Covetous 
 Ahab  killed  Xaboih,  to  get  his  vineyard,  l  Kiogs  xxi  I 
 How  many  have  i'wimined  to  the  crovvo  m  blood  !  (7.)  Covi - 
 toufnefs  is  a  breach  of  the  feventh  commandment,  *  Thou  ihalt 
 net  commit  adultery.'  Covetoufuefs  caufeth  uncleannefs;  you 
 read  of  the  '  hue  of  a  whore,'  Deut.  xxiii.  13.  An  aduiterefs 
 for  money  lets  both  confeience  and  challity  to  iale.  (8.)  Covet* 
 oufuefs  is  a  breach  of  the  eighth  commandment,  'Thou  (halt 
 not  ftcal.'  Covetoufuefs  is  the  root  of  theft ;  covetous  Achan 
 Hole  the  wedge  of  gold  :  therefore  thieves  and  covetous  are  put 
 together,  1  Cor.  vi.  10.  ([).)  Covetoufuefs  is  a  breach  of  the 
 ninth  commandment,  '  Thou  lhalt  not  bear  falfe  witnefs/ 
 What  makes  the  perjurer  take  a  falfe  oath  but  covetoufuefs?  He 
 hopes  for  a  dividend.  And,  (10.)  It  is  plainly  a  breach  of  the 
 lalt  commandment,  '  Thou  lhalt  not  covet.'  The  mammoniit 
 covets  his  neighbour's  houfe  and  goods,  and  endeavours  to  get 
 them  into  his  own  hands.  Thus  you  fee  how  vile  a  fin  covet- 
 oufuefs is,  it  is  a  mother-fin,  it  is  a  plain  breach  of  every  one 
 of  the  ten  commandments. 
 
 (4.)  Covetoufuefs  is  a  fin  diflionourable  to  religion.  For 
 fuch  as  lay  their  hopes  are  above,  yet  their  hearts  are  below  : 
 for  them  who  profels  to  be  above  the  liars,  to  '  lick  the  dull'  off 
 the  ferpent;  to  be  born  of  God,  yet  buried  in  the  earth  ;  how 
 difhonourable  is  this  to  religion  !  The  lapwing  wears  a  little 
 coronet  on  its  head,  yet  feeds  on  dung  ;  an  emblem  of  fuch  as 
 profels  to  be  crowned  kings  and  prieils  unto  God,  yet  feed  im- 
 moderately on  the  terrene  dunghill  comforts,  Jer.  xlv.  5. 
 '  And  feekeft  thou  great  things  for  thyfelf  ?  leek  them  not  : 
 What,  thou  Barak,  who  art  ennobled  by  the  new-birth,  and 
 art  illultrious  by  thy  office,  a  Levite,  doft  thou  feek  earthly 
 things,  and  feek-them  now  ?  When  the  (hip  is  finking,  art  thou 
 trimming  thy  cabin  ?  O  do  not  fo  degrade  thyfeif,*nor  blot  thy 
 fcutcheon!  '  feekelt  thou  great  things  ?  feek  them  not.'  The 
 higher  grace  is,  the  lefs  earthly  mould  Chriftians  be  ;  the  high- 
 er the  fun  is,  the  (hotter  always  is  the  fhadow. 
 
 1.  Covetoufuefs  expofeth  us  to  God's  abhorrency,  Pf.  x.  3. 
 g  The  covetous,  whom  the  Lord  abhorreth.'  A  king  abhors  to 
 fee  his  flattie  abu fed  :  God  abhors  to  fee  a  man  made  in  his 
 his  image  mould  have  the  heart  of  a  beaft  given  to  him.  WTho 
 would  live  in  fuch  a  Go  as  makes  him  abhorred  of  God.  ?  Whom 
 God  abhors  he  curfeth,  and  God's  curie  blafts  wherever  it 
 comes. 
 
 Q.  Covetoufuefs  precipitates  men  to  ruin  :  it  (huts  them  out 
 of  heaven,  Eph.  v.  5.  *  This  ye  know,  that  no  covetous  man, 
 who  is  an  idolater,  hath  any  inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of 
 Chrilt,  and  of  God.'     What  fhould  a  covetous  man  do  in  hea- 
 
 3  T2 
 
516  OF  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 Ten  ?  God  can  no  more  converfe  with  him,  than  a  king  can 
 converfe  with  a  (wine,  1  Tim.  vi.  o.  «  They  that  will  be  rich 
 fall  into  a  fnare,  and  many  hurtful  lufts,  which  drown  men  in 
 perdition/  A  covetous  man  is  like  a  bee,  that  gets  into  a  bar- 
 rel of  honey,  and  there  drowns  itfelf :  he  is  like  a  ferryman, 
 that  takes  in  fo  many  pafTengers  to  increafe  his  fare,  that  he 
 finks  his  boat;  fo  a  covetous  man  takes  in  more  gold,  to  the 
 increafing  of  his  eftate,  that  he  damns  himfelf  in  perdition.  I 
 have  read  of  fome  inhabitants  near  Athens,  who  lived  in  a  very 
 dry,  barren  ifland,  and  they  took  much  pains  to  draw  a  river 
 to  this  ifland,  to  water  it  and  make  it  fruitful  ;  but  when  they 
 had  opened  the  palTages,  and  brought  the  river  to  it,  the  water 
 broke  in  with  fuch  a  force,  that  it  drowned  the  land,  and  all 
 the  people  in  it  :  an  emblem  of  a  covetous  man  ;  he  labours  to 
 draw  riches  to  him,  and  at  laft  they  come  in  in  fuch  an  abundance, 
 that  they  drown  him  in  hell  and  perdition.  How  many,  to  build 
 up  an  eftate,  pull  down  their  fouls  ?  Oh,  therefore,  flee  from 
 covetoufnefs.  I  (hall  next  prefcribe  fome  remedies  againft  covet- 
 oufnefs. 
 
 Exod.   xx.    17.      Thou  JJialt  not  covet  thy  Neighbour  s  Houfe, 
 thoujhalt  not  covet  thy  Neighbour  s  Wife,  &c. 
 
 I  am,  in  the  next  place,  to  refolve  a  queftion,  •*  How 
 we  may  do  to  cure  this  itch  of  covetoufnefs?'* 
 
 Anf.  For  anfwer  to  this,  I  (hall  prefcribe  fome  remedies  and 
 antidotes  againft  this  (in. 
 
 1.  Faith,  1  John  v.  4.  '  This  is  the  victory  over  the  world, 
 even  your  faith.'  The  root  of  covetoufnefs  is,  the  diftruit  of 
 God's  providence  :  faith  believes  God  will  provide  ;  God  who 
 feeds  the  birds,  will  feed  his  children  ;  he  who  clothes  the  lilies, 
 will  clothe  his  lambs ;  and  fo  faith  overcomes  the  world.  Faith 
 is  the  cure  of  care  :  Faith  not  only  purifies  the  heart  but  fatLsfies 
 the  heart :  Faith  makes  God  our  portion,  and  10  in  him  we  have 
 enough,  Pfal.  xvi.  5.  '  The  Lord  is  the  portion  of  mine  in- 
 heritance, the  lines  are  fallen  unto  me  in  pleafant  places ;  yea, 
 I  have  a  goodly  heritage.'  Faith,  by  a  divine  chymiitry,  extracts 
 his  chief  comfort  out  of  God.  A  little  with  God  is  fweet. 
 Thus  faith  is  a  remedy  againit  covetoufnefs ;  faith  overcomes 
 not  only  the  fear  of  the  world,  but  the  love  of  the  world. 
 
 2.  The  fecond  remedy  is,  judicious  con  fide  ration. 
 
 (I.)  What  poor  things thefe  things  below  are,  that  wefhould 
 covet  them.  1.  They  are  below  the  worth  of  the  foul,  which 
 carries  in  it  an  idea,  and  refemblance  of  God.  The  world  is 
 but  the  workmanfhip  of  God,  the  foul  is  the  image  of  God.  2. 
 
OF  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT.  517 
 
 You  covet  that  which  will  not  fatisfv  yon,  Keel.  v.  10.  «  He 
 that  loveth  filver  (hall  not  be  fattsfted  with  iilver.'  Solomon 
 had  put  all  the  creatures  in  a  limine,  and  {filled  out  the  <juin- 
 telience,  and  behold,  •  All  was  vanity,'  Eccl.  ii.  11.  Coveioul- 
 nefs  is  a  dry  dropfy :  the  more  a  man  hath,  the  more  he 
 thirds. 
 
 Quo  plus  fun  I  potcPy  plus Jitiuntur  acquce. 
 
 3.  Worldly  things  cannot  remove  trouble  of  mind.  King 
 Saul  being  perplexed  in  confeience,  all  his  crown  jewels  could 
 not  adminifter  comfort  to  him,  I  Sam.  xxviu.  15.  The  things 
 of  the  world  will  no  more  eafe  a  troubled  l'pirit,  than  a  gold  cap 
 will  cure  the  head-ach.  4.  The  things  of  the  world,  if  you 
 had  more  of  them,  cannot  continue  with  you.  The  creature 
 hath  a  little  honey  in  its  mouth,  but  it  hath  wings  to  fly  away. 
 Thefe  things  either  go  from  us,  or  we  from  them  :  what  poor 
 things  are  thele  to  covet  ? 
 
 (S.)  Second  coufideration,  the  frame  and  contexture  of  the 
 body  :  God  hath  made  the  face  to  look  upwards  towards- 
 heaven. 
 
 Os  hominifublime  dedit,  c&lnmque  ttteri  Jnfjlt. — Ovid. 
 Anatomilts  obfeive,  that  whereas  other  creatures  have  but  four 
 mulcles  to  their  eyes,  man  hath  a  fifth  mul'cle,  by  which  he  is 
 able  to  look  up  to  heaven  ;  and  as  for  the  heart,  it  is  made  like 
 a  glafs-vial,  narrow  and  contracted  downwards,  but  wide  and 
 broad  upwards.  And  as  the  frame  and  contexture  of  the  body 
 teacheth  us  to  look  to  things  above,  fo  efpecially  the  foul  is 
 planted  in  the  body,  as  a  divine  fparkle  to  afcend  upwards. 
 Can  it  be  imagined  that  God  gave  us  intellectual,  immortal  louls, 
 to  covet  only  earthly  things?  What  wife  man  would  hlh  for 
 gudgeons  with  golden  hooks  ?  Did  God  give  us  glorious  fouls, 
 only  to  fifli  for  the  world  ?  Sure  our  fouls  are  made  for  an  higher 
 end  ;  to  afpire  after  the  enjoyment  of  God  in  glory. 
 
 (3.)  Third  consideration,  the  examples  of  thole  who  have 
 been  contemners  and  defpifers  of  the  world.  The  primitive 
 Chrillians,  as  Clemens  Alexandrinusobferves,  were  fequeilered 
 from  the  world,  aud  were  wholly  taken  up  in  converfe  with 
 God  :  they  lived  in  the  world  above  the  world  ;  like  the  bird9 
 of  paradife,  who  foar  above  in  the  air,  and  leldom  or  never 
 touch  with  their  feet  upon  the  earth.  Luther  faith,  that  he 
 was  never  tempted  to  this  fin  of  covetoulhefs.  The  faints  of 
 old,  though  they  did  live  in  the  world,  they  did  trade  in  heaven, 
 Phil.  iii.  L20.  c  Our  converlation  is  in  heaven:'  the  Greek  word 
 flgnifies,  our  commerce,  or  tratlic,  or  burgerfhip,  is  in  heaven, 
 '  Enoch  walked  with  God,*  Gen.  v.  (J4.  His  atie&ions  were 
 fublimated,  he  did  take  a  turn  in  heaven  everyday.  The  righ- 
 teous are  compared   to  a  palm-tree,  Pial.   xcii.    IS.      Phik> 
 
51S  OF  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 obferves,  that  whereas  all  other  trees  have  their  Tap  in  their  root8 
 the  Tap  of  the  palm-tree  is  towards  the  top;  the  emblem  of 
 the  faints,  whofe  hearts  are  above  in  heaven,  where  their  trea- 
 fure  is. 
 
 3.  The  third  remedy,  covet  fpiritual  things  more,  and  you 
 will  covet  earthly  things  lefs.  Covet  grace  :  grace  is  the  beft 
 bleffing,  it  is  the  feed  of  God,  1  John  iii.  9.  the  angels'  glory. 
 Covet  heaven  ;  heaven  is  the  region  of  happineis,  it  is  the  moft 
 pleafant  climate.  Did  we  covet  heaven  more,  we  mould  covet 
 earth  lefs.  They  that  Hand  on  the  top  of  the  Alps,  the  great 
 cities  of  Campania  feem  but  as  fmall  villages  in  their  eyes  :  if  we 
 could  have  our  hearts,  more  fixed  upon  the  Jerufalem  above, 
 how  would  all  worldly  things  difappear,  and  be  as  nothing  in 
 our  eye  ;  we  read  of  an  angel  coming  down  from  heaven,  who 
 did  tread  with  his  right  foot  on  the  fea  and  with  his  left  foot  on 
 the  earth,  Rev.  x.  2.  had  we  but  once  been  in  heaven,  and 
 viewed  the  fuperlative  glory  of  it,  how  might  we,  in  an  holy 
 icorn,  trample  with  one  foot  upon  the  earth,  and  with  the  other 
 foot  upon  the  fea !  Oh  covet  after  heavenly  things !  there  is  the 
 tree  of  life,  the  mountains  of  fpices,  the  rivers  of  pleafu re,  the 
 honey-comb  of  God's  love  dropping,  the  delights  of  angels,  the 
 flower  of  joy  fully  ripe  and  blown.  There  is  the  pure  air  to 
 breathe  in  ;  no  fogs  nor  vapours  of  fin  arife  to  infect  that  air; 
 but  the  Sun  of  righteoufnefs  enlightens  that  horizon  continually 
 with  his  glorious  beams.  O  let  your  thoughts  and  delights  be 
 always  taken  up  about  the  city  of  pearl,  the  paradife  of  God. 
 Did  we  covet  heavenly  things  more,  we  mould  covet  earthly 
 things  lefs.  It  is  reported  that  after  Lazarus  was  raifed  from 
 the  grave,  he  was  never  feen  to  fmile  or  be  delighted  with  the 
 world  after :  were  our  hearts  raifed  by  the  power  of  the  Holy 
 Ghoft  up  to  heaven,  we  lhould  not  be  much  taken  with  earthly 
 things. 
 
 4.  The  fourth  remedy,  pray  for  an  heavenly  mind.  Lord, 
 let  the  loadtfone  of  thy  fpirit,  draw  my  heart  upward  :  Lord, 
 dig  thy  earth  out  of  my  heart;   teach  me   how  to  potfefs  the 
 
 *  world,  and  not  love  it ;  how  to  hold  it  in  my  hand,  and  not  let 
 it  get  into  my  heart.  So  much  for  the  commandment  in  general, 
 *  Thou  (halt  not  covet.' 
 
 (2.)  I  fhall  fpeak  of  it  more  particularly:  '  Thou  (halt  not 
 covet  thy  neighbour's  houfe,  thou  (halt  not.  covet  thy  neighbour's 
 wife,*  &c.  Obferve  here  the  hoiinefs  and  perfection  of  God's 
 law  :  It  forbids  the  motus  primo  primi,  the  firft  motions  and 
 lifings  of  fin  in  the  heart ;  '  Thou  fhalt  not  covet.'  The  laws 
 of  men  take  hold  of  the  actions,  but  the  law  of  God  goes  fur- 
 ther, it  forbids  not  only  the  actions,  but  the  affections  ;  *  Thou 
 fhalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  houfe.'  It  is  not  faid,  thou 
 fhalt  not  take  away  his  houfe ;  but  ■  Thou  fhalt  not  covet  it.' 
 
OF  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT.  MQ- 
 
 Thefe  luftings  and  defirei  after  the  forbidden  fruit  are  finful, 
 Rom.  vii.  7.  '  'J'ho  law  hath  laid,  Thou  ihalt  not  covet.' 
 Though  the  tree  hears  no  bad  fruit,  it  may  be  faulty  at  the 
 root;  though  a  man  doth  not  commit  any  grofs  fin,  yet  who 
 can  fay  his  heart  h  pure  ?  There  may  be  a  faultinefa  at  the 
 root,  there  may  be  finful  coverings  and  luftings  in  the  Ibul. 
 
 Ufe.  Let  us  be  humbled  for  the  fin  of  our  nature,  the  rifings 
 of  evil  thoughts,  coveting  that  which  we  ought  not.  Our  na- 
 ture is  a  Iced- plot  of  iniquity,  it  is  like  charcoal  that  is  ever 
 Iparkling  :  the  fparkles  of  pride,  envy,  covetoulnefs,  arife  in  the 
 mind.  How  mould  this  humble  us?  If  there  be  not  finful 
 actings,  there  are  finful  covetings.  Let  us  pray  for  mortifying 
 grace,  which  may  be  like  the  water  of  jealoufy,  to  make  the 
 thigh  of  fin  to  rot.  But  to  come  to  the  words  more  clearly, 
 '  Thou  fhalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  houfe,  nor  thy  neigh- 
 bour's wife,  &c. 
 
 Qu.  Why  is  the  houfe  put  before  the  wife?  In  Deuteronomy 
 the  wife  is  put  firft ,  Dent.  v.  21.  '  Neither  /1i alt  thou  defire  thy 
 neighbour' s  wife,  neither  flialt  thou  covet  thy  neighbour  s  houfe,* 
 Here  the  houfe  is  put  fir  ft. 
 
 Anf.  In  Deuteronomy,  the  wife  is  fet  down  firft,  in  refpefo 
 of  her  value.  She  (if  a  good  wife)  is  of  far  greater  value  and 
 eflimatethan  the  houfe,  Prov.  xxxi.  10.  '  Her  price  is  far  above 
 rubies.'  She  is  the  furniture  of  the  houfe,  and  this  furniture  is 
 more  worth  than  the  houfe.  When  Alexander  had  overcome 
 king  Darius  in  battle,  Darius  feemed  not  to  be  much  difmayed  ; 
 but  when  he  heard  his  wife  was  taken  prifoner,  now  his  eyes, 
 like  {'pouts,  did  gu(h  forth  water,  as  valuing  his  wife  dearer  than 
 his  life.  But  yet  in  this  place  in  Exodus,  the  houfe  is  put  be- 
 fore the  wife  :  the  reafon  is,  becaufe  the  houfe  is  firft  in  order  ; 
 the  houfe  is  erected  before  the  wife  can  live  in  it ;  the  neft  is 
 built  before  the  bird  is  in  it :  the  wife  is  firft  efteemed,  but  the 
 houfe  muft  be  firft  provided. 
 
 1.  Then,  '  Thou  (halt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  houfe.* 
 How  depraved  is  man  fince  the  fall !  Man  knows  not  how  to 
 keep  within  bounds,  but  is  coveting  more  than  his  own.  Ahab, 
 one  would  think  had  enough  ;  he  was  a  king,  and  one  would 
 fuppofe  his  crown-revenues  fhould  have  contented  him  ;  but 
 ltill  he  was  coveting  more  :  Naboth's  vineyard  was  in  his  eye, 
 and  ftood  near  the  fmoke  of  his  chimney,  and  he  could  not  be 
 quiet  till  he  had  it  in  poueilion.  Were  there  not  \o  much 
 coveting,  there  would  not  be  lb  much  bribing:  one  man  pulls 
 away  another's  houfe  from  him.  It  is  only  the  prifoner  lives  in 
 fuch  a  tenement  as  he  may  be  fure  none  will  go  about  to  take 
 from  him. 
 
 2.  *  Thou  (halt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  wife.'  This  com- 
 mandment is  a  bridle  to  check  the  inordinuncy  of  brutiih  lulls  ; 
 
520 
 
 Or  THE   TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 
 
 '  Thou  (halt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  wife.'  It  was  the  devil 
 that  *  fowed  another  man's  ground,7  Mat.  xiii.  2.3.  But  how 
 is  the  hedge  of  true  command ment  trodden  down  in  our  times! 
 there  be  many  who  do  more  thanxxwet  their  neighbour's  wives, 
 they  take  them,  Deut.  xxvii.  20.  '  Curfed  be  he  that  lieth 
 with  his  father's  wife,  and  all  the  people  (hall  fay  Amen.'  If 
 it  were  to  be  proclaimed,  f  Curfed  be  he  that  lies  with  his 
 neighbour's  wife,'  and  all  th.  t  were  guilty  ihould  fay  Amen, 
 how  many  would  curfe  themfelves ! 
 
 3.  '  Thou  (halt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  man-fervant,  nor 
 his  maid-fervant.'  Servants,  when  faithful  are  a  treafure.  What 
 a  true  and  trudy  fervant  had  Abraham  !  he  was  his  right-hand  : 
 how  prudent  and  faithful  was  he  in  the  matter  he  was  entrufted 
 with,  in  getting  a  wife  for  his  mailer's  fon  ?  Gen.  xxiv.  9. 
 And  furely  it  would  have  gone  near  to  Abraham,  to  have  had 
 any  one  entice  away  his  fervant  from  him.  But  this  (in  of  co- 
 veting fervants  is  common  :  if  one  hath  a  better  fervant,  others 
 will  be  inveigling  and  laying  baits  for  him,  and  endeavour  to  draw 
 him  away  from  his  mafter.  This  is  a  fin  againft  the  tenth  com- 
 mandment. To  ileal  away  another's  fervant  by  enticement,  is 
 no  better  than  thievery. 
 
 4-  '  Nor  his  ox,  nor  his  afs,  nor  any  thing  that  is  thy  neigh- 
 bour's.' Were  there  not  coveting  of  ox  and  afs,  there  would 
 not  be  fo  much  dealing  \  firft,  men  break  the  tenth  command- 
 ment by  coveting,  and  then  they  break  the  eighth  command- 
 ment by  dealing.  It  was  an  excellent  appeal  that  Samuel  made 
 to  the  people,  1  Sam.  xii.  3.  *  Witnefs  againft  me  before  the 
 Lord,  whofe  ox  have  I  taken,  or  whofe  afs,  or  whom  have  I 
 defrauded.'  And  it  was  a  brave  fpeech  of  St.  Paul,  Acis  xx. 
 33.     '  I  have  coveted  no  man's  gold,  or  filver,  or  apparel.' 
 
 Qu.  But  what  means  may  we  ufe>  to  keep  us  from  coveting 
 that  which  is  our  neighbour's  9 
 
 Anf.  The  belt  remedy  is  contentation.  If  we  are  content 
 with  our  own,  we  (hall  not  covet  that  which  is  another's.  St. 
 Paul  could  fay,  •  I  have  coveted  no  man's  gold  or  filver:* 
 whence  was  this  ?  It  was  from  contentment,  Phil.  iv.  11.  'I 
 have  learned,  in  whatever  date  I  am,  therewith  to  be  content.' 
 Content  faith,  as  Jacob,  Gen.  xxiii.  3.  '  I  have  enough  :'  I 
 have  a  promife  of  heaven,  and  have  fudicient  to  bear  my  charges 
 thither  ;  I  have  enough.  And  he  who  hath  enough,  will  not 
 covet  that  which  is  another's.  Be  content ;  and  the  bed  way 
 to  be  contented,  is,  (1.)  Believe  that  condition  bed  which  God 
 carves  out  to  you  by  his  providence.  If  God  had  feen  it  fit  for 
 us  to  have  more,  we  would  have  had  it;  but  his  wifdom  fees 
 this  bed  for  us.  Perhaps  we  could  not  manage  a  great  edate  ; 
 it  is  hard  to  carry  a  full  cup  without  fpilling,  and  a  full  efiate 
 without  finning.     Great  eftates  may  be  fnares  ;  a  boat  may  be 
 
man's  inabimiy,  &c.  621 
 
 overturned  by  bavin  %\  a  Ijil.   The  bclirving  that  effete 
 
 beft  God  cam  >  for  us,  11;  i  otitenl  ;  and  being  contented, 
 
 w«  will  not  tovt-t  t lint  which  IaanotheV* 
 
 (y.)  rMie  way  l<>  b*  content  with  fuch  tiling  as  we  have,  and 
 not  to  covet  another's,  i-  to  conlider,  t lie  |ffs  eliat.  we  have, 
 the  |e&  account  vy«  (hall    hav.  -at  rhe  Lift  day.      Every 
 
 period  18  a  lleward.aud  mult  l>e  accountable  to  God.  They 
 wholune  ui«  «r  «i!ite.s  have  the  greater  reckoning)  God  will 
 l*a\,  what  gopA  Ik'vc  you  done  with  your  eliitcs  ?  have  you 
 boa ou red  nie  wjtb  your  fuhftance?  When:  are  the  poor  you  have 
 f<  d  .Hid  clothed  ;  if  you  cannot  give  a  good  account  it  will  be 
 lei.  This  may  make  us  contented  with  a  lei's  portion,  to  con- 
 lider,  the  Wi  ctiate,  the  le[3  account  we  have  to  give;  the 
 lei's    riches,  the  I  wiinu.     This  is  the  way  to  have  con- 
 
 tentment, and  no  better  antidote  ngainft  coveting  that  which 
 isauothei's    than  being  conUut    with  that  which  is  our  owu. 
 
 So  much  for  the  Commandments. 
 
 MAX'S  INABILITY  TO  KI^EP  THE  MORAL  LAW. 
 
 Q.  L  XX  XI  I.  IS  any  man  able  perfectly  to  keep  the 
 commandments  of  God? 
 
 An/,  No  mere  man,  fiuce  the  fall,  is  able  in  this  life  perfectly 
 to  keep  the  commandments  of  God,  but  doth  daily  break  them 
 in  thought,  word,  and  deed. 
 
 Jam.  iii.  9.  *  fa  many  things  we  offend  all.'  Man  in  hid 
 primitive  hate  of  innocency,  was  endowed  with  ability  to  keep 
 the  whole  moral  law  :  Adam  had  rectitude  of  mind,  fanctity  of 
 will,  perfection  of  power:  Adam  had  the  copy  of  God's  law 
 written  on  his  heart ;  no  fooner  did  God  command,  but  he  did 
 obey  :  as  the  key  is  fuited  to  all  the  wards  in  the  lock,  and  can 
 op»m  them  ;  to  Adam  had  a  power  fuited  to  all  God's  com- 
 mands, and  could  obey  them.  Adam's  obedience  did  exactly 
 run  parallel  with  the  moral  law,  as  a  well  made  dial  goes  exactly 
 with  the  fun.  Man  in  innocence  was  like  a  well  tuned  organ, 
 he  did  l'weetly  tune  to  the  will  of  God  :  he  was  adorned  with 
 holinefs  as  the  angels,  but  not  confirmed  in  holinefs  as  the  an- 
 :  Adam  was  holy  but  mutable  ;  he  fell  from  his  purity,  and 
 we  with  him.  Sin  cut  the  lock  of  original  righteoufnefs,  where 
 our  ftrength  lay  ;  fin  hath  brought  fuch  a  langour  and  faintnefs 
 into  our  lbuls,  and  hath  fo  weakened  us,  that  we  fhall  never  re- 
 ef our  full  ftrength  till  we  put  on  immortality.  The  thing 
 I  am  now  to'demonftrate,  is,  that  we  cannot  yield  perfect 
 obedience  to  the  moral  law.     *  In  many  things  we  offend  all.' 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  11.  3U 
 
522  Mian's  inabilitt 
 
 1.  The  cafe  of  an  un regenerate  man  is  fuch,  thai  he  cannot 
 perfectly  obey  all  God's  commands  :  he  may  as  well  touch  the 
 liars,  or  fpan  the  ocean,  as  yield  exact  obedience  to  the  law* 
 A  perfon  unregenerate  cannot  act  lpiritually,  he  cannot  pray 
 in  the  Holy  Ghoft,  he  cannot  live  by  faith/he  cannot  do  duty 
 out. of  love  to  duty  ;  and  if  he  cannot  do  duty  lpiritually,  then 
 much  lefs  perfectly.  Now,  that  a  natural  man  cannot  yield 
 perfect  obedience  to  the  moral  law,  is  evident;  (1.)  Becaufe 
 he  is  fpiritually  dead,  Eph.  ii.  1.  And  being  fb,  how  can  he 
 keep  the  commandments  of  God  perfectly  ?  A  dead  man  is  not 
 fit  for  action.  A  finner  hath  the  fymptoms  of  death  upon  him; 
 2.  He  hath  no  fenfe ;  a  dead  man  hath  no  fenfe :  he  hath  no 
 fenfe  of  the  evil  of  (in,  of  God's  holinefs  and  veracity  ;  there- 
 fore he  is  faid  to  be  without  feeling,  Eph.  iv.  19.  2.  He  hath 
 no  ftrength,  Rom.  v.  6.  What  ftrength  hath  a  dead  man  ?  A 
 natural  man  hath  no  ftrength  to  deny  himfelf,  to  refill  tempta- 
 tion ;  he  is  dead  :  and  can  a  dead  man  fulfil  the  moral  law  ? 
 (2.)  A  natural  man  cannot  perfectly  keep  all  God's  command- 
 ments, becaufe  he  is  fo  interlarded  with  fin,  he  is  *  born  in  fin,' 
 Pfal.  Ii.  5.  Job  xv.  16.  *  He  drinks  iniquity  as  water.'  All 
 the  imaginations  of  his  thoughts  are  evil,  and  only  evil,  Gen. 
 vi.  4.  Now  the  lead  evil  thought  is  a  breach  of  the  royal  law  ; 
 and,  if  there  be  defection,  there  cannot  be  perfection.  And,  as 
 a  natural  man  hath  no  power  to  keep  the  moral  law,  fo  he  hath 
 no  will.  He  is  not  only  dead,  but  worfe  than  dead  ;  a  dead 
 man  doth  no  hurt,  but  there  is  a  life  of  refiftance  againft  God 
 goes  along  with  the  death  of  fin  ?  a  natural  man  not  only  can- 
 not keep  the  law  through  weaknefs,  but  he  breaks  it  through 
 wilfulnefs,  Jer.  xliv.  17.  '  We  will  do  whatfoever  goeth  out 
 of  our  mouth  to  burn  incenfe  to  the  queen  of  heaven.' 
 
 2.  As  the  unregenerate  cannot  keep  the  moral  law  perfectly, 
 fo  neither  the  regenerate,  Eccl.  vii.  20.  •  There  is  not  a  juft 
 man  upon  the  earth,  that  doeth  good  and  finneth  not  ;*  nay, 
 that  '  fins  not  in  doing  good.'  There  is  that  in  the  beft  actions 
 of  a  righteous  man  that  is  damnable,  if  God  fhould  weigh  him 
 in  the  ballance  of  juftice.  Alas  !  how  are  his  duties  fly-blown  ? 
 He  cannot  pray  without  wandering,  nor  believe  without  doubt- 
 ing, Rom.  vii.  18.  '  To  me  to  will  is  prefent,  but  how  to  per- 
 form I  find  not.'  In  the  Greek  it  is,  Vc  How  to  do  it  throughly 
 I  find  not."  Paul  though  a  faint  of  the  firft  magnitude,  was 
 better  at  willing  than  at  performing.  Mary  afked  where  they 
 had  laid  Chrilt :  fhe  had  a  mind  to  have  carried  him  away,  but 
 (he  wanted  ftrength  :  ib  the  regenerate  have  a  will  to  obey  God's 
 law  perfectly,  but  they  want  ftrength  ;  their  obedience  is  weak, 
 and  fickly  :  the  mark  they  are  to  Ihoot  at,  is  perfection  of  holi- 
 nefs, though  they  take  a  right  aim,  yet  do  what  they  can,  they 
 fhoot  fhort,  Rom.  vii.  19.     'The  good  which  1  would,  I  do. 
 
TO  KEEP  THE  MORAL  LAW.  523 
 
 not.*  A  Chriftian,  while  he  is  ferving  God,  is  hindered  :  like 
 a  ferryman,  that  plies  the  oar,  and  rows  hard,  but  a  gull  of  wind 
 carries  him  back  again  :  i'o  faith  Paul,  ■  The  good  I  would,  I 
 do  not;*  I  am  driven  back  by  temptation.  Now,  if  there  be 
 any  failure  in  our  obedience,  we  cannot  make  a  perfect  com- 
 mentary upon  God's  Jaw  :  no  Chriitian  alive  can  write  a  copy 
 of  holinefs  without  blotting.  The  virgin  Mary's  obedience  was 
 not  perfect,  the  needed  ChrhTs  blood  to  vvalh  her  tears.  Aaron 
 was  to  make  atonement  for  the  altar,  Exod.  xxix.  37-  to  (hew 
 that  the  moil  holy  ottering  hath  defilement  in  it,  and  needs 
 atonement  to  be  made  for  it. 
 
 Qu.  1.  But  it  a  man  hath  no  power  to  keep  the  whole  moral 
 law,  then  why  doth  God  require  that  of  a  man,  which  he  is  not 
 able  to  perform  f  How  doth  this  Jland  with  hisjujtice  f 
 
 Anf.  Though  man  hath  loll  his  power  of  obeying,  God  hath 
 not  loll  his  right  of  commanding.  If  a  matter  intrults  a  fervant 
 with  money  to  lay  out,  and  the  fervant  fpends  itditfblutely,  may 
 not  the  mailer  juttly  demand  this  money  ?  God  gave  us  a  power 
 to  keep  the  moral  law  ;  we,  by  tampering  with  fin  loll  it  :  But 
 may  not  God  ftill  call  for  perfect  obedience?  or,  in  cale  of  a 
 fault,  juiily  punilh  us? 
 
 Qu.  2.  But  why  doth  Godfufferfuchan  impotency  to  lieupon 
 man  that  he  cannot  perfectly  keep  the  law  ? 
 
 Anf.  The  Lord  doth  it,  (I.)  To  humble  us.  Man  is  a  felf- 
 exalting  creature  :  and,  if  he  hath  but  any  thing  of  worth,  he  is 
 ready  to  be  putted  up  :  but  when  he  comes  to  fee  his  deficien- 
 cies and  failings,  and  how  far  (hort  he  comes  of  the  holinefs  and 
 perfection  God's  law  requires,  this  is  a  means  to  puLl  down  his 
 plumes  of  pride,  and  lay  them  in  the  dull :  he  weeps  over  his 
 impotency,  he  blufheth  over  his  leprous  fpots;  he  faith,  as  Job, 
 
 *  I  abhor  myfelf  in  dull  and  afhes.'  (2.)  God  lets  this  impo- 
 tency and  infirmnefs  lie  upon  us,  that  we  may  have  recourfe  to 
 Chrift,  to  obtain  pardon  for  our  defects,  and  to  fprinkle  our  Deft 
 duties  with  his  blood.  When  a  man  fees  himfelf  indebted,  he 
 owes  perfect  obedience  to  the  law,  but  he  hath  nothing  to  pay  : 
 this  makes  him  flee  to  Chrilt  to  be  his  friend,  and  anfwer  all 
 the  demands  and  challenges  of  the  law  and  fet  him  free  in  the 
 court  ofjuftice. 
 
 life  1.  Is  matter  of  humiliation  for  our  fall  in  Adam.  In  the 
 ftate  of  innocency  we  were  perfectly  holy ;  our  minds  were 
 crowned  with  knowledge,  and  our  wills,  as  a  queen,  did  fway 
 the  fceptre  of  liberty:  but  now  we  may  fay,  as  Lam.  v.  10. 
 
 *  The  crown  is  fallen  from  our  head.'  We  have  loft  that  power 
 which  was  inherent  in  us.  When  we  look  back  to  our  primi- 
 tive glory,  when  we  (hone  as  earthly  angels,  we  may  take  up 
 Job's  words,  chap.  xxix.  2.  '  O  that  it  were  with  us  as  in 
 months  paftl'  O  that  it  were  with  us  as  at  firtt,  when  there 
 
 3U  2 
 
324  TO  KEEP  THB  MORAL  LAW. 
 
 was  no  ftain  upon  our  virgin-nature,  when  there  was  a  perfect 
 harmony  between  GodV  law  and  man's  will  !  but,  alas  !  how  the 
 fcene  is  altered,  our  ftrength  is  gone  from  us,  we  tread  awry 
 every  ftep  ;  we  come  below  every  precept;  our  dwaififhnefs 
 will  not  reach  the  fublimity  of  God's  law  ;  we  fail  in  our  obedi- 
 ence ;  and  while  we  fail,  we  forfeit.  This  may  put  us  in  clofe 
 mourning,  and  fpring  a  leak  of  for  row  in  all  our  fouls. 
 
 Uj'e  II.  Of  confutation.  Branch  1.  It  confutes  the  Arm i- 
 nians,  who  cry  up  the  power  of  the  will  :  they  hold,  they  have 
 a  will  to  lave  themfelves.  But  by  nature,  we  not  only  want 
 ftrength,  Rom.  v.  6.  but  we  want  will  to  that  which  is  good. 
 The  will  is  not  full  of  impotency,  but  obftinacy,  Pf  Ixxxi.  11. 
 '  Ifrael  would  none  of  me.'  The  will  hangs  forth  a  flag  of  de- 
 fiance againit  God.  Such  as  fpeak  of  the  fovereign  power  of 
 the  will,  forget  Phil.  ii.  13.  'It  is  God  that  worketh  in  you 
 both  to  will  and  to  do.'  If  the  power  be  in  the  will  of  man, 
 then  what  needs  God  work  in  us  to  will  ?  If  the  air  can  enlighten 
 itfelf,  what  needs  the  fun  to  fhine  ?  Such  as  talk  of  the  power 
 of  nature,  and  the  ability  they  have  tofave  themlelves,  they  dif- 
 parage  Chrift' s  merits.  1  may  fay,  as  Gal.  v.  4.  '  Chrilt  has 
 become  of  no  effect  to  them.*  This  I  affirm,  fuch  as  advance 
 the  power  of  their  will  in  matters  of  falvation,  without  the  me- 
 dicinal grace  of  Chrift,  do  abfolutely  put  themfelves  under  the 
 covenant  of  works.  And  now  I  would  afkthem,  '*  Can  they 
 perfectly  keep  the  moral  law?"  malum  oritur  ex  quolibet  defccltt . 
 If  there  be  but  the  leaft  defect  in  their  obedience,  they  are  gone  : 
 for  one  finful  thought  the  law  of  God  curfeth  them,  and  the 
 juftice  of  God  arraigns  them.  Confounded  be  their  pride,  who 
 cry  up  the  power  of  nature,  as  if,  by  their  own  inherent  abili- 
 ties, they  could  rear  up  a  building,  the  top  whereof  fhould  reach 
 to  heaven. 
 
 Branch  2.  It  confutes  a  fort  of  people  that  brag  of  perfec- 
 tion ;  and  according  to  that  principle,  they  can  keep  all  God's 
 commandments  perfectly.  1  would  afk  thefe,  have  they  at  no 
 time  a  vain  thought  come  into  their  mind  ?  If  they  have,  then 
 they  are  not  perfect.  The  virgin  Mary  Was  not  perfect  ;  tho* 
 her  womb  was  pure  (being  overfhadowed  with  the  Holy  Ghofl) 
 yet  her  foul  was  not  perfect ;  Chrift  doth  tacitly  imply  a  failing 
 in  her,  Luke  ii.  49.  And,  are  they  more  perfect  than  the 
 blefftd  virgin  was  ?  Such  as  hold  perfection,  need  not  confefs 
 fm.  David  confefled  fin,  Pf.  xxxii.  6.  and  Paul  confeifed  fin, 
 Rom.  vii.  £|.  But  they  are  got  beyond  David  and  Paul  ;  they 
 are  perfect,  they  never  tranfgrefs  :  and  where  there  is  no  tranl- 
 grtfhon,  what  needs  confeffion  ? 
 
 2«%»  K  tne>  are  perfect,  they  need  not  afk  pardon:  they  can 
 pay  God's  juftice  what  they  owe;  therefore,  what  need  they 
 pray,  S  Forgive  us  our  debt?'    Oh  that  the  devil  fhould  rock 
 
man's  inability,  &c. 
 
 men  it  fall  afleep,  us  to  make  them  dream  of  perfection  !  and 
 whereat  fli»-y  brirtg  that,  1'lnl.   in.  i.').     4  Lei  uft  tnerefon 
 
 many  as  be  perfect  he  thus  mnid.d.'  \ttt.  lYihetioii  theft, 
 i<  meant  of  (inn  rity.  God  is  belt  Able  to  int.  -rprrt  Ins  own 
 won).  Be  oeJii  (ineerity  perfection,  Jol>  i.  S.  '  A  perJed  and 
 an  upright  man.'      Cut  who  il  exactly   perfect?    A  mac   toll  el 
 
 difeal'es  nnv  as  well  lay  he  is  healthful,  as  a  man  lull  of  fin  fr\ , 
 
 III.  To  regenerate  perfons.  Though  you  fail  in  your 
 obedience,  and  cannot  keep  the  moral  law  exactly,  yet  be  not 
 dilrour.iLTed. 
 
 Qu.  What  comfort  way  he  %'wen  to  a  regenerate  perfon  under 
 the  failures  and  imperfect  ions  of  his  obedient' 
 
 Anf.  I.  That  a  believer  is  not  under  the  covenant of  works 
 but  under  the  covenant  of  grace.  Tne  covenant  of  works,  re- 
 quires perfect,  perfonal,  perpetual  obedience  :  hut  in  the  cove- 
 nant ot  grace,  God  will  make  Ibme  abatements  :  he  will  accept 
 of  let's  than  he  required  in  the  covenant  of  works. 
 
 (1.)  In  the  covenant  of  works  God  required  perfection  of 
 decrees;  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  he  accepts  perfection  of 
 parts:  there  he  required  perfect  working,  here  he  accepts  fin- 
 cere  believing:  in  the  covenant  of  works  God  required  us  to 
 live  without  /in  ;  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  God  accepts  of  our 
 combat  with  fin. 
 
 (9.)  Though  a  Chriflian  cannot,  in  his  own  perfon,  perform 
 all  God's  commandments  :  yet  Chrift,  as  his  Purely,  and  in  his 
 ftead,  hath  fulfilled  the  law  for  him  ;  and  Gud  accepts  of 
 Chrilt's  obedience,  which  is  perfect,  to  fatisfy  for  that  obedience 
 which  is  imperfect.  Chrill  being  made  a  curie  for  believers,  all 
 the  curfes  of  the  law  have  their  Iting  pulled  out. 
 
 (3u)  Though  a  Clinftiau  cannot  keep  the  commands  of  God 
 to  tatisfacliou,  yet  he  may  to  approbation. 
 
 Qu.  Haw  is  that  y 
 
 Anf.  1.  fie  gives  bis  full  alfent  and  confent  to  the  law  of 
 God,  Rom.  vii.  |g.  *  The  law  is  holy  and  jult  :  there  was  af- 
 fent  in  the  judgment,  Rom.  vii.  10.  *  1  confent  to  the  law  :' 
 there  was  content  in  the  will. 
 
 ft  A  Chrittian  mourns  that  he  cannot  keep  the  command- 
 ments fully  :  when  he  fails,  lie  weeps:  he  is  not  angry  with  the 
 law,  becaule  it  is  lb  Itrict ;  but  he  is  angry  with  himt'ell,  be- 
 caufe  he  is  lb  deficient. 
 
 3.  He  takes  a  tweet  complacential  delight  in  the  law,  tlom. 
 vii.  22.  ■  I  delight  in  the  law  of  God  in  the  inward  man.'  Gr. 
 [Synedomai,  \  "  I  take  pleafure  in  it."  Pfalfn  cxix.  07.  *  O 
 how  love  I  thy  law  !'  Though  a  Chrillian  cannot  keep  God's 
 law,  yet  he  loves  his  law  ;  though  he  cannot  ferve  God  perfectly, 
 yet  he  ferves  him  willingly. 
 
526  ALL  SINS  NOT  EQUALLY  HEINOUS. 
 
 4.  It  is  his  cordial  defire  to  walk  in  all  God's  commands, 
 TC.  cxix.  5.  f  O  that  my  ways  were  directed  to  keep  thy  fta- 
 tutes  ?'  Though  his  Itrength  tails,  yet  his  pulfe  beats. 
 
 5.  He  doth  really  endeavour  to  obey  God's  law  perfectly  : 
 and  wherein  he  comes  ihort  he  runs  to  Chrift's  blood  to  make 
 fupply  for  his  defects.  This  cordial  defire,  and  real  endeavour, 
 God  efteems  as  perfect  obedience,  2  Cor.  viii.  12.  ■  If  there  be 
 a  willing  mind,  it  is  accepted.'  *  Let  me  hear  thy  voice,  for 
 •Tweet  is  thy  voice,'  Cant.  ii.  14.  Though  the  prayers  of  the 
 righteous  are  mixed  with  fin,  yet  God  fees  they  would  pray 
 better  :  God  picks  out  the  weeds  from  the  flowers  ;  he  fees  the 
 faith  and  winks  at  the  failing.  The  faint's  obedience,  though 
 he  falls  fhort  of  legal  perfection,  yet  having  fincerity  in  it,  and 
 Chrift's  merits  mixed  with  it,  finds  gracious  acceptance.  When 
 the  Lord  fees  endeavours  after  perfect  obedience,  this  he  takes 
 well  at  our  hands:  as  a  father  that  receives  a  letter  from  his  child, 
 though  there  be  blots  in  the  letter,  and  falfe  fpellings,  yet  the 
 father  takes  all  in  good  part:  O  what  blottings  are  there  in  our 
 holy  things!  but  God  is  pleafed  to  take  all  in  good  part :  faith 
 God,  it  is  my  child,  and  he  would  do  better  if  he  could  ;  I  will 
 accept  it. 
 
 lUDCH'l 
 
 ALL  SINS  NOT  EQUALLY  HEINOUS. 
 
 Q.  LXXXIII.  ARE  all  tranfgreffions  of  the  law  equally 
 heinous  ? 
 
 Anj\  Some  fins  in  themfelves,  and  by  reafoti  of  feveral  aggra- 
 vations, are  more  heinous  in  the  fight  of  God  than  others. 
 
 John  xix.  II.  *  He  that  delivered  me  unto  thee  hath  the 
 greater  fin.'  The  Stoic  philofophers  held,  that  all  fins  were 
 equal  :  but  this  fcripture  clearly  holds  forth,  that  there  is  a  gra- 
 dual difference  in  fin  ;  fome  are  greater  than  others  ;  fome  are 
 *  mighty  fins,'  Amos  v.  12.  and  *  crying  fins,'  Gen.  xviii.  21. 
 Every  fin  hath  a  voice  to  fpeak,  but  fome  fins  cry.  As  fome 
 difeafes  are  worfe  than  others,  and  fome  poifons  more  venom- 
 ous ;  fo  fome  fins  are  more  heinous,  Ezek.  xvi.  47-  Jer.  xvi. 
 12.  ■  You  have  done  worfe  than  your  fathers,  your  fins  have 
 exceeded  theirs.'  Some  fins  have  a  blacker  afpe<5t  than  others  : 
 to  clip  the  king's  coin  is  treafon,  but  to  ftrike  his  perfon  is  a 
 higher  degree  of  treafon.  A  vain  thought  is  a  fin,  but  a  blaf- 
 phemous  word  is  a  greater  fin.  That  fome  fins  are  greater  than 
 others,  appears,  (1.)  Becaufe  there  was  difference  in  the  offer- 
 ings under  the  law  ;  the  fin  offering  was  greater  than  the  tref- 
 pafs  offerings.  (2.)  Becaufe  fome  fins  are  not  capable  of  pardon 
 as  others  are,  therefore  they  mult  needs  be  more  heinous,  as 
 
ALL  SINS  NOT  EQUALLY  HEINOUS.  5 '27 
 
 the  blafphemy  acrainlt  the  Holy  Ghoft,  Mat.  xii.  SI.  (3.)  Be- 
 caufe  fome  fins  have  a  greater  degree  of  punifhment  than  others. 
 Mat.    xxiii.    14,  24.    '  Ye  (hull  receive  greater  damnation." 
 
 •  Shall  not  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  do  riuhr  ?'  God  would  not 
 puniih  one  mdre  than  another,  but  that  his  fin  is  mater.  It 
 is  true,  M  all  fins  are  equally  heinous  in  ivfpect  of  the  object," 
 or  the  perfon  againft  whom  i\\\  is  committed,  viz.  the  infinite 
 God  :  but  in  another  fenfe,  all  fins  are  not  alike  heinous  ;  lonie 
 fins  have  more  bloody  circumft  uuvs  in  them,  which  are  like  the 
 dye  to  the  wool,  to  give  it  a  deeper  colour. 
 
 Qu.    What  fins  may  be  laid  to  be  more  heinous  than  others? 
 
 Anf.  I.  Such  fins  as  are  committed  without  any  occafion  of- 
 fered :  a  man  fwears  or  is  angry,  and  hath  t\o  provocation.  The 
 left  the  occafion  of  fin  is,  the  greater  is  the  fin.  9.  Such  fins 
 are  more  heinous,  thai  are  committed  prelum  ptuoufty.  Under 
 the  law  there  was  no  facrifice  lor  prelum  ptuous  fins,  Numb. 
 xv. 
 
 Qu.  What  is  it  to  fin  pve/nmptuonfly,  which  doth  heighten  and 
 aggravate  fin,  and  make  it  more  heinous? 
 
 Anf.  To  fin  prefumptuoufly,  is  to  fin  againft  convictions  and 
 illuminations,   or  an   enlightened    conference,    Job    xxiv.    13 
 
 *  They  are  of  thofe  that  rebel  againft  the  light.'  Confcience, 
 like  the  cherubim,  Hands  with  a  flaming  lword  in  its  hand,  to 
 deter  the  (inner  ;  yet  he  will  fin.  Did  not  Pilate  fin  againft 
 conviction,  and  with  an  high  hand,  in  condemning  Chrift  ?  He 
 knew  that  of  envy  the  Jews  had  delivered  him,  Matt,  xxvii. 
 18.  he  GonfefTed  *  he  found  no  fault  with  him,'  Luke  xxiii.  14. 
 and  his  own  wife  fent  to  him,  faying,  ■  have  nothing  to  do  with 
 that  juft  man,'  Matt,  xxvii.  1<>.  Yet  for  all  this,  he  gave  the 
 fentence  of  death  againft  Chriit.  Here  he  finned  prefumptu- 
 oufly, agiinft  an  enlightened  confcience.  To  fin  ignorantly, 
 dpth  fomethmg  extenuate  an  i  pare  off  the  gnilt,  John  xv.  22. 
 '  If  I  had  not  come,  ye  had  had  no  im  ;'  that  is,  your  fin  had 
 been  lefs  ;  but  to  fin  againft  illuminations  and  convictions,  doth 
 enhance  and  accent  men's  fins.  Thefe  fins  make  deep  wounds 
 in  the  foul  ;  other  fins  fetch  blood,  thefe  are  a  Itab  at  the 
 heart. 
 
 Qu.  How  many  uaysdetha  man  fin  agarnji  illuminations  and 
 qoncictions  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  When  he  lives  in  the  total  neglect  of  duty.  He  is 
 not  ignorant  that  it  is  a  duty  to  read  the  word,  yet  he  lets  the 
 Bible  lie  by  as  rulty  armour,  that  he  feldom  makes  ufe  of;  he 
 is  convinced  that  it  is  a  duty  to  pray  in  his  family,  yet  he  can 
 go  days  and  months,  and  God  never  hear  of  him  ;  he  calls  God 
 father  but  never  alks  his  blefling.  Neglect  of  family-prayer 
 doth,  as  it  were,  uncover  the  roof  of  men's  houfes,  and  make 
 way  for  a  curie  to  be  rained  down  upon  their  table. 
 
52S  ALL  SINS  NOT  EQUALLY  HEINOUS. 
 
 ?.  When  a  man  lives  in  the  fame  fins  he  condemns  in  other*, 
 Rom.  ii.  2.  '  Thou  that  judgrft  another,  dolt  the  fame  thing.' 
 As  Auftin  faith  of  Seneca,  "  He  wrote  againft  fuperiiitions,  yet 
 he  worshipped  thofe  images  which  he  reproved."  One  man 
 condemns  another  for  raih  cenfuring,  yet  lives  in  the  fame  (in 
 himfelf ;  a  mailer  reproves  his  apprentice  for  (wearing,  yet  he 
 himfelf  (wears.  The  (buffers  of  the  tabernacle  were  of  pure  gold  : 
 they  who  reprove  and  fnuff  the  vices  of  others,  had  need  them* 
 lelves  to  be  free  from  thole  fins.     The  fnuffers  muft  be  of  gold. 
 
 3.  When  a  man  fins  after  vows,  Pf.  lvi.  12.  *  Thy  vows,  O 
 God,  are  upon  me.'  Avow  is  a  religious  promife  made  to 
 God,  to  dedicate  ourfelves  to  him.  A  vow  is  not  only  a  pur- 
 pofe,  but  a  promife.  Every  votary  makes  liimfelf  a  debtor,  he 
 binds  himfelf  to  God  in  a  folemn  manner.  Now  to  (in  after  a 
 vow,  to  vow  himfelf  to  God,  and  give  his  foul  to  the  devil,  muft 
 needs  be  againft  the  higheft  convictions. 
 
 4.  When  a  man  fins  after  counfels,  admonitions,  warnings, 
 he  cannot  plead  ignorance  :  the  trumpet  of  the  gofpel  hath  been 
 blown  in  his  ears,  and  founded  a  retreat  to  call  him  off  from 
 his  fins  ;  he  hath  been  told  of  his  injuftice,  living  in  malice, 
 keeping  bad  company,  yet  he  would  venture  upon  fin  :  this  is 
 to  fin  againft  conviction,  it  aggravates  the  fin,  and  is  like  a 
 weight  put  into  the  fcale,  to  make  his  fin  weigh  the  heavier. 
 If  a  fea  mark  be  fet  up  to  give  warning,  that  there  are  (helves 
 and  rocks  in  that  place,  yet,  if  the  mariner  will  tail  there,  and 
 fplit  his  (hip,  it  is  preemption  ;  and,  if  he  be  call  away,  who 
 will  pity  him  ? 
 
 5.  When  a  man  fins  againft  exprefs  commutations  and  threat* 
 enings.  God  hath  thundered  out  threatening*  againft  fuch  fins, 
 Pf.  lxvi.  21.  *  God  (hall  wound  the  hairy  fcalp  of  fuch  an  one 
 as  goes  on  (till  in  hfs  trefpafi'es.'  Yet,  though  God  fet  the  point 
 of  his  fword  to  the  breait  of  a  firmer,  yet  he  will  commit  fin. 
 The  pleafure  of  fin  doth  more  delight  him,  than  the  threaten* 
 ings  affright  him  :  he,  like  the  *  leviathan,  laughs  at  the  fhak- 
 ing  of  a  fpear,'  Job  xli.  c29.  Nay,  he  derides  God's  threaten- 
 ings,  Ifa.  v.  \9.  '  Let  him  make  (peed,  and  haiien  his  work, 
 that  we  may  fee  it  :'  we  have  heard  much  what  God  intends  to 
 do,  and  of  judgment  approaching,  we  would  fain  fee  it.  For 
 men  to  fee  the  flaming  (word  of  God's  threatenings  brandifhed, 
 yet  to  ftrengthen  themfelves  in  tin,  is  in  an  high  manner  to  (iu 
 againft  illumination  and  conviction. 
 
 6\  When  a  man  fins  under  affliction.  God  doth  not  only 
 thunder  by  threatening,  but  hath  let  his  thunder- bolt  fall  :  he 
 hath  inflicled  judgments  on  a  perfon  ;  he  may  read  his  (in  in 
 his  punifhment,  yet  he  (ins.  His  fin  was  uncleanuefs  :  he  hath 
 wafted  his  firength  as  well  as  his  eitate.  He  hath  had  a  fit  of 
 apoplexy  ;  yet,  though  he  feels  the  (mart  of  fin,  he  retains  the 
 love  of  (in.     This  is  to  fin  againft  conviction,  2  Chron.  xxviii. 
 
ALL  SINS  NOT  EQUALLY  HEINOUS.  599 
 
 99.     '  In  In  *  did  be  trefpafs  yet  more  ;  this  is  that  king 
 
 Ahaz.'  This  doth  enhance  ami  make  the  fin  greater  than  other 
 hiis:  fbr  finning againft  an enlightened  eonfnence  :  (I.)  I>  full 
 of  obllinacy  and  |>ertin.iciou(hr!<  ;    meitgit<  .  make  no 
 
 defrnce  tor  their  (ins,  yet  they  are  refotved  to  hold  fait  iniquity. 
 This  is  defperate  vyilfulncfs  j  and,  Voluntas  eji  regnla  et  wctiju- 
 ta&SMotris,  the  more  of  the  will  in  a  tin,  the  greater  the  fin, 
 Jer.  xvin.  19.  '  We  will  walk  after  our  own  devices.'  Though 
 there  he  death  and  hell  every  ftep,  we  will  march  on  under  S 
 tan's  colours.  This  made  the  fin  of  the  apoftate  angels  fo  great, 
 becanfe  it  was  wilful  ;  they  had  no  ignorance  in  their  mind, 
 Ho  pillion  to  fiir  them  up  ;  there  was  no  tempter  to  deceive 
 them,  but  they  finned  obllinately  and  out  of  choice.  (2.)  To 
 fin  againft  convictions  and  illuminations,  is  joined  with  flight- 
 ing and  contempt  of  God.  It  is  bid  for  a  finner  to  forget  God, 
 hut  it  is  worl'e  to  contemn  him,  Prov.  x.  13.  *  Wherefore  do 
 the  wicked  contemn  God  ?'  An  enlightened  finner  knows,  that 
 by  his  fin  he  difobligeth  and  angers  God  ;  but  he  cares  not 
 whether  God  he  pleated  or  not,  he  will  have  his  fin  :  therefore 
 fuchan  one  is  fold  to  reproach  God,  Numb.  xv.  30.  *  The  foul 
 that  doth  ought  prel'umptuoully,  the  fame  reproacheth  the 
 Lord.*  Kvery  lin  difpleafi  th  God,  but  fins  againft  an  enlight- 
 ened conicience  reproach  the  Lord.  To  contemn  the  autho- 
 rity of  a  prince,  is  a  reproach  done  to  him.  (3.)  It  is  accom- 
 pmied  with  impudency.  Fear  and  fhame  are  banifhed,  the 
 tell  of  modelty  is  laid  afide,  Zeph.  iii.  5.  ■  The  unjuft  know- 
 eih  no  flume.'  Judas  knew  Chrift  was  the  Median  ;  he  was 
 vinced  of  it  by  an  oracle  from  heav'en,  and  by  the  miracles 
 he  wrought,  and  yet  he  impudently  goes  on  in  his  treafon  ; 
 nay,  when  Chrift  laid,  *  He  that  dips  his  hand  with  me  in  the 
 dilh,  he  (hall  betray  me  :*  and  Judas  knew  Chrill  meant  him. 
 And  when  Judas  was  going  about  his  treafon,  Chrift  pronoun- 
 ced a  wo  to  him,  Luke  xxii.  29.  yet,  for  all  that,  he  proceeded 
 in  his  treafon.  Thus  to  fin  prtfumptuoufly,  againft  an  enlight- 
 ened conference,  dyes  the  fin  of  a  crimfon  colour,  and  makes  it 
 greater  than  other  (ins. 
 
 3.  Such  fins  are  more  heinous  than  others,  which  are  fins  of 
 continuance.  The  continuing  of  fin  is  $he  enhancing  of  fin. 
 He  who  plots  treafon,  makes  himfelf  a  greater  offender.  Some 
 men's  heads  are  the  devil's  mint-houfe,  they  are  minting  of 
 milchief,  Rom.  i.  30.  *  Inventors  of  evil  things.'  Some  invent 
 new  oaths,  others  new  fnares  ;  fuch  were  thofe  prefidents  that 
 invented  a  decree  againft  Daniel,  and  got  the  king  to  fign  it, 
 Dan.  vi.  (). 
 
 4.  Thofe  tins  are  greater  which  proceed  from  a  fpirit  of  ma- 
 lignity. To  malign  holinef>  is  diabolical.  It  is  a  fin  to  want 
 grace,  it  is.  worfe  to  hate  it.     In  nature  there  are  antipathies, 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  11.  3  X 
 
530  ALL  SINS  NOT    EQUALLY  HEINOUS. 
 
 as  between  the  vine  and  laurel.  Some  have  antipathy  againft 
 God  becaufe  of  his  purity,  Ifa.  xxx.  11.  ■  Caufe  the  holy  One 
 of  Ifrael  to  ceafe  from  before  us.*  Sinners,  if  it  lay  in  their 
 power,  would  not  only  unthrone  God,  but  unbe  God  ;  if  they 
 could  help  it,  God  fhould  no  longer  be  God.  This  fin  is  boiled 
 up  to  a  greater  height. 
 
 5.  Thofe  fins  are  of  a  greater  magnitude  which  are  mixed 
 with  ingratitude.  God  cannot  endure,  of  all  things,  to  have 
 his  kindnefs  flighted.  God's  mercy  is  feen,  in  reprieving  men 
 fo  long,  in  wooing  them  by  his  Spirit  and  minifters,  to  be  re- 
 conciled, in  crowning  them  with  fo  many  temporal  bleflings  : 
 now,  to  abufe  all  this  love,  when  God  hath  been  filling  up  the 
 meafure  of  his  mercy,  that  men  fhould  fill  up  the  meafure  of 
 their  fins  :  this  is  high  ingratitude,  and  doth  make  their  fins  of 
 a  deeper  crimfon.  Some  are  worfe  for  mercy.  The  Vulture 
 (faith  Aelian)  draws  ficknefs  from  perfumes.  So  the  finner 
 contracts  evil  from  the  fweet  perfumes  of  God's  mercy.  The 
 Englifii  chronicle  reports  of  one  Parry,  who  being  condemued 
 to  die,  queen  Elizabeth  fent  him  his  pardon  ;  and,  after  he  wa9 
 pardoned,  he  confpired  and  plotted  the  queen's  death  ;  juft  fo 
 fome  deal  with  God  ;  he  bellows  mercy,  and  they  plot  treafon 
 againft  him,  Ifa  i.  2.  'I  have  nourifhed  and  brought  up  chil- 
 dren, and  they  have  rebelled  againft  me.'  The  Athenians,  in 
 lieu  of  the  good  fervice  Themiftocles  had  done  them,  banifhed 
 him  their  city.  The  fnake,  in  the  fable,  being  frozen,  (lung 
 him  that  gave  it  warmth.  Certainly  fins  againft  mercy  are  far 
 more  heinous. 
 
 6.  Thofe  fins  are  more  heinous  than  others,  which  are  com- 
 mitted with  delectation.  A  child  of  God  may  fin  through  a 
 furprifal,  or  againft  his  will,  Rom.  vii.  19.  ■  The  evil  which  I 
 would  not,  that  do  I.'  Like  one  that  is  carried  down  the 
 ftream  involuntarily.  But,  to  fin  with  delight,  doth  heighten 
 and  greaten  the  fin  ;  a  fign  the  heart  is  in  the  fin,  Hof.  iv.  8. 
 *  They  fet  their  heart  on  their  iniquity,'  as  a  man  follows  his 
 gain  with  delight,  Rev.  xxii.  15.  *  Without  are  dogs,  and 
 whofoever  loveth  and  maketh  a  lie.'  To  tell  a  lie,  is  a  fin  ; 
 but  to  love  to  tell  a  lie  is  a  greater  fin. 
 
 7.  Thofe  fins  are  more  heinous  than  others,  which  are  com- 
 mitted under  a  pretence  of  religion.  To  cozen  and  defraud  is  a 
 fin  ;  but  to  do  it  with  a  Bible  in  one's  hand,  is  a  double  fin  ; 
 to  be  unchafte  is  a  fin,  but  to  put  on  a  mafk  of  religion  to  play 
 the  whore,  makes  the  fin  greater,  Prov.  vii.  14.  '  I  have  peace- 
 ofTerings  with  me  ;  this  day  have  I  paid  my  vows  :  come  let 
 us  take  our  fill  of  love.'  She  fpeaks  as  if  (he  had  been  at 
 church,  and  had  been  faying  her  prayers:  who  would  ever  have 
 fufpe&ed  her  of  difhonefty  ?  But,  behold  her  hypocrify  ;  fhe 
 makes  her  devotion  a  preface  to  adultery,  Luke  xx.  47.  '  Who 
 
ALL  SINS  NOT  EQUALLY  HEINOUS.  531 
 
 devour  widows*  houfes,  and  for  a  pretence  make  lorrff  pray* 
 
 This  fin  was  not  in  making  long  prayers  ;  (tor  (Thrift  was  ■ 
 whole  night  in  prayer)  but  to  make  long  prawrs,  that  they 
 might  do  unrighteous  actions,  did  make  their  lin  more  horrid. 
 1.  Sins  of  apoltacy  are  more  heinous  than  Others.  I)« mas 
 forfook  the  truth,  2  Tim.  iv.  10.  and  atierwards  became  a 
 prielt  in  an  idol-temple,  (kith  Dorotheus.  Te  fall  is  a  lin,  but 
 to  fall  away,  is  a  greater  lin.  Apoftates  cait  a  dilgrace  upon 
 religion.  The  apoltate  (iaith  Tertullian)  Items  to  put  God 
 and  Satan  in  the  ballance,  and,  having  weighed  both  their  fer- 
 vices,  prefen  the  devil's  lervice,  and  proclaims  hun  to  be  the 
 belt  mailer.  In  which  rel'pect,  the  apoltate  is  laid  to  put 
 Chrift  to  '  open  lhame,'  Ileb.  vi.  o\  This  dyes  a  fin  in  grain, 
 and  makers  it  greater.  It  is  a  lin  not  to  profeis  Chrift,  but  it  is  a 
 greater  to  deny  him  :  not  to  wear  Chilli' s  colours  is  a  fin  ;  but 
 to  run  from  his  colours,  is  a  greater  tin.  A  pagan  finslels  than 
 a  baptized  renegado. 
 
 9.  To  perfecute  religion,  makes  fin  greater,  Acts  vii.  22. 
 •  To  have  no  religion,  is  a  lin  :  but  to  endeavour  to  deftroy  re- 
 ligion is  a  greater.'  Antiochus  Epiphanes  took  more  tedious 
 journies,  and  ran  more  hazards,  to  vex  and  oppole  the  Jews, 
 than  all  his  predeceliors  had  done  in  obtaining  victories.  ■  Herod 
 added  this  above  all,  that  he  put  John  in  prifon/  Luke  iii.  20. 
 He  finned  before  by  inceli  ;  but,  by  impriibning  the  prophet, 
 this  added  to  his  fin,  and  made  it  greater.  Persecution  tills  up 
 the  meafure  of  fin,  MaHh.  xxiii.  32.  '  Fill  you  up  the  meafure 
 of  your  fathers.'  If  you  pour  in  a  porringer  of  water  into  a 
 cittern,  that  adds  Something  to  it ;  but  pour  in  a  bucket-full  or 
 two,  and  that  tills  up  the  meafure  of  the  cittern  :  lb  perlecu- 
 tion  fills  up  the  meafure  of  fin,  and  makes  it  greater. 
 
 10.  To  lin  mdlicioufly,  makes  fin  greater.  Aquinas  and  other 
 of  the  Ichoolmen,  place  the  fin  againlt  the  Holy  Gholt  in  malice. 
 The  linner,  doth  all  he  can  to  vex  God,  and  delpite  the  Spirit 
 of  grace,  Heb.  x.  2JJ.  Thus  Julian,  who  threw  up  his  dagger  in 
 the  air  as  if  he  would  have  been  revenged  upon  God.  This 
 Swells  fin  to  its  full  bigneSs,  it  cannot  be  greater.  When  a  man 
 is  once  come  to  this,  blafphemoufly  to  defpite  the  Spirit,  there 
 is  but  one  Step  lower  he  can  fall,  and  that  is  to  hell. 
 
 11.  (Sr  ult.  It  aggravates  fin,  and  makes  it  greater,  when  a 
 man  not  only  fins  himfelf,  but  endeavours  to  make  others  fin. 
 (I.)  Such  as  teach  errors  to  the  people,  who  decry  CliriSt's 
 Deity,  or  deny  his  virtue,  making  him  only  a  political  head, 
 not  an  head  of  influence  ;  who  preach  againlt  the  morality  of 
 the  Sabbath,  or  the  immortality  of  the  Soul  :  thefe  men's  i\na 
 are  greater  than  others.  If  the  breakers  of  God's  law  lin,  what 
 do  they  that  teach  men  to  break  them  ?  Matth.  v.  H>.  (2.) 
 Such  as  deltroy  others  by  their  bad   example.      The  Swearing 
 
 3X2 
 
532  WHAT  SIN  DESERVETH. 
 
 father  hath  taught  his  Ton  to  fwear,  and  damned  him  by  his  ex- 
 ample. Theie  men's  fins  are  greater  than  others,  and  they 
 fliall  have  an  hotter  place  in  hell. 
 
 Uj'e.  You  i'ee  all  (ins  are  not  equal ;  fome  are  more  grievous 
 than  others,  and  bring  greater  wrath  ;  therefore  efpecially  take 
 heed  of  thele  fins,  Pial.  xix.  13.  ■  Keep  back  thy  fervant  from 
 prefumptuous  fins.'  The  leaft  fin  is  bad  enough;  you  need 
 not  aggravate  your  fins,  and  make  them  more  heinous  :  He  that 
 hath  a  little  wound  will  not  make  it  deeper.  O  beware  of  thele 
 bloody  circumflances  which  greaten  your  fin,  and  make  it  more 
 heinous.  The  higher  a  man  is  in  finning,  the  lower  he  fhall  lie 
 in  torment. 
 
 WHAT  SIN  DESERVETH 
 
 Q.  LXXXV.      WHA  T  doth  every  fin  deferve  9 
 Anf.  God's  wrath  and  curfe,  both  in  this  life,  and  that  which 
 
 is  to  come. 
 
 Mat.  xxv.  41.  ■  Depart  from  me,  yecurfed,  into  everlafting 
 
 fire.' 
 
 Man  having  finned,  is  like  a  favourite  turned  out  of  the  king's 
 
 favour,  and  deferves  the  wrath  and  curfe  of  God. 
 
 I.  God's  curfe,  Gal.  iii.  10.  As  when  Chrift  curfed  the 
 fig-tree,  it  withered,  Mat.  xxi.  IP.  So,  when  God  curfefh 
 auy,  he  withers  in  his  foul.  God's  curfe  blafts  whether  it 
 comes. 
 
 II.  God's  wrath,  which  is  nothing  elfe  but  the  execution  of 
 God's  curfe. 
 
 Fhft,  What  this  wrath  is?  In  this  wrath  there  is,  (1.)  Some- 
 thing that  is  Privative  ;  that  is,  the  being  deprived  of  the  fmiles 
 of  God's  face.  It  is  hell  enough  to  be  excluded  from  God's 
 •  prefence  ;  in  whofe  prefence  is  fulnefs  of  joy,'  Pfal.  xvi.  11. 
 God's  fmiling"  face  hath  that  fplendor  and  oriency  of  beauty 
 fhining  in  it,  as  ravifheth  the  angels  with  delight.  This  is  the 
 diamond  in  the  ring  of  glory.  And,  if  it  were  fuch  a  mercy  for 
 Abfalom,  that  he  might  not  fee  the  king's  face,  2  Kings  xiv. 
 22.  what  will  it  be  for  the  wicked  to  be  fhut  out  from  beholding 
 God's  pleufant  face!  Privatio  Divmae  vjfionis  omnium  jit p- 
 pliciorum  fummum. 
 
 ("2.)  God's  wrath  hath  fomething  in  it  Pofitive  :  That  is,  his 
 frown  and  enraged  fury  ;  which  is  *  wrath  come  upon  the  iin- 
 ner  to  the  uttermoit,'  1  Theff.  ii.  16.  Here  three  pofitions  or 
 maxims ; 
 
 1.  Gud's  wrath  is  irrefiftible,  Pfalm  xc.  11.  ■  Who  knows 
 the  power  of  thine  anger?'  Sinners  may  oppofe  God's  ways, 
 
WHAT   SIN     |  IH.  $33 
 
 but  not  his  wrath.  Shall  the  hours  contend  with  l  h<  fire?  Shall 
 liuiu-  contend  with  infinite?  Job  xl.  y.  4  Halt  dinuan  arm  likj) 
 God  ?' 
 
 <2.  God's  wrath   is  terrible.     The  Sp^niOi    proverb  is,   The 
 Item  is  not  fo  jitrce  Qt  he  it  pointed.      We  are  apt  to  have  (ligftt 
 
 thoughts  of  (iod*s  wrath  ;  bill  it  is  very  tremendous  and  difmai, 
 as  if  (balding  lead  Ihould  be dropt  intoone'u  eye 
 word  lor  wrath*  liquifies  tali.  To  Ihew  that  the  wrath  of  God 
 is  hot,  therefor*  it  i>  compared  to  fire  in  the  text  :  Fire,  when 
 it  is  in  it>  rage,  is  dreadful  (asgvefawio  the  flames  of  tin.-  city)* 
 s»  the  \^  rath  of  God  is  like  lire,  it  is  the  terrible  of  terribh.-s. 
 Other  fire  is  but  painted  to  this:  It' when  God's  wrath  is  kind- 
 led but  a  little,  and  a  1'park  ol  it  tlies  into  a  wicked  man's  cou- 
 Icieflce  in  this  hie,  it  i>  lo  terrible;  what  will  it  be  when  God 
 44  liirs  up  all  his  wrath  r"  Plal.  Ixxviii.  38,  How  lad  is  it  with 
 a  (bul  in  delcrtion  !  Now  God  dips  his  pen  in  gall,  and  *  writes 
 bitter  things  :'  now  his  poijbftecj  arrow  (licks  tail  in  the  heart, 
 Pialm  Ixxwiii.  15,  ltj.  4  While  1  fuller  thy  terrors,  I  am  de- 
 tracted ;  thy  tierce  wrath  goeth  over  me.'  Luther,  in  defeitiou, 
 was  in  iuch  horror  of  mind,  that  Nee  cahr,  nee  /unguis  J'uper 
 e/fet ;  he  had  no  blood  leen  i(|  his  face,  but  he  lay  as  one  dead. 
 Now,  if  God's  wrath  be  Inch  towards  them  whom  he  loves, 
 what  will  it  be  towards  them  whom  he  hates?  If  they  who  fip 
 of  the  cup  lind  it  lb  bitter,  what  will  they  do  who  drink  the  dregs 
 of  the  cup?  Plal.  Ixxv.  8.  Solomon  faith,  44  The  wrath  of  a 
 prince,  is  as  the  roaring  of  a  lion,"  Prov.  xix.  12.  What  then 
 is  God's  wrath?  When  God  mutters  up  all  his  forces,  and  lets 
 hmil'elf  in  battalia  again  It  a  liuuer,  how  can  his  heart  endure? 
 F,zek.  xxii.  14.  4  Who  is  able  to  lie  under  mountains  of  wrath:' 
 God  is  the  Iweeteli  friend,  but  the  lbreii  enemy.  To  let  forth 
 the  fearfulnefs  of  this  wrath. 
 
 (I.)  The  wrath  of  God  lliall  feize  upon  every  part  of  a  finner  : 
 1.  Upon  the  body:  The  body,  which  was  lb  tender,  it  could 
 not  bear  heat  or  cold,  (hall  be  tormented  in  the  wine-pret>  of 
 God's  wrath  ;  thole  eyes,  which  before  could  behold  amorous 
 objects,  fliall  be  tormented  with  the  light  of  devils;  the  ears, 
 which  belore  were  delighted  with  mufic,  lhall  he  tormented  with 
 the  hideous  ihrieks  of  the  damned.  9.  The  wrath  of  God  lhail 
 ieize  upon  the  Ibul  of  a  reprobate.  Ordinary  tire  cannot  touch 
 the  foul;  when  the  martyrs1  bodies  were  coutuming,  their  fouls 
 did  triumph  in  the  flamesj  but  God's  wrath  hums  the  foul. 
 1.  The  memory  lhall  be  tormented  to  remember  w  hat  means 
 of"grace  have  been  abuled.  L>.  The  conscience  lliall  be  torment- 
 ed with  ielf-acculations  :  The  linner  lliall  aceul'e  himfelf  for  pre- 
 fumptuous  tins,  for  mii-lpendmg  his  precious  hours,  for  relilimg 
 the  Holy  Ghott. 
 
 ["2.)  The  wrath  of  Gcu  is  without  intermiffion.     Hell  is  an 
 
534  WHAT  SIN  DESERVETH. 
 
 abiding  place,  but  no  reding  place  ;  there's  not  a  minute's  reft. 
 Outward  pain  hath  fomeabatement<  if  it  be  the  floneorcholic, 
 the  patient  hath  fometimes  eafe :  But  the  torments  of  the  damned 
 have  no  intermiflion;  he  that  feels  God's  wrath,  never  faith, 
 -  I  have  eafe.* 
 
 (3.)  The  wrath  of  God  is  eternal.  So  faith  the  text,  '  Ever- 
 lafting  fire.'  No  tears  can  quench  the  flame  of  God's  anger; 
 no,  though  we  could  fh?  1  rivers  of  tears.  In  all  pains  of  this 
 life,  men  hope  for  a  reflation,  the  fu  fieri  ng  will  not  continue 
 Jong  ;  either  the  tormentor  dies,  or  the  tormented  :  But  the 
 wrath  of  God  is  always  feeding  upon  a  (inner.  The  terror  of 
 natural  fire  is,  that  itconfumes  what  it  burns:  But  this  makes 
 the  fire  of  God's  wrath  terrible,  that  it  doth  not  con  fume  what 
 it  burns.  Sic  morientur  damnati  utfemper  r'want,  Bern.  The 
 finner  fhall  ever  be  in  the  furnace  ;  after  innumerable  millions 
 of  years,  the  wrath  of  God  is  as  far  from  ending,  as  it  was  at  the 
 beginning.  If  all  the  earth  and  fea  were  (and,  and  every  thou- 
 fand  years  a  bird  mould  come  and  take  away  one  grain  of  this 
 land,  it  would  be  a  long  while  ere  that  vaft  heap  of  fand  were 
 emptied  ;  but  if  after  all  that  time  the  damned  might  come  out 
 of  hell,  there  were  fome  hope:  But  this  word  Ever  breaks  the 
 heart. 
 
 Qu.  But  how  doth  it  feem  to  confiji  with  God's  jujiice  to 
 punifh  Jin  f  which  perhaps  was  committed  in  a  moment)  with 
 eternal  fire  ? 
 
 Anf.  In  refpect  of  the  heinous  nature  of  fin.  Confider  the 
 perfon  offended;  it  is  Crimen  Lcejb3-?najeftatis :  Sin  is  com- 
 mitted againft  an  infinite  majefty  ;  therefore  the  fin  is  infinite, 
 and  fo  the  punifhment  muft  be  infinite.  Now,  becaufe  the  na- 
 ture of  man  is  but  finite,  and  a  finner  cannot  at  once  bear  in- 
 finite wrath,  therefore  he  muft  in  eternity  of  time  be  fatisfying 
 what  he  cannot  fatisfy  at  once. 
 
 (4.)  While  the  wicked  lie  (torching  in  the  flames  of  wrath, 
 they  have  none  to  commiferate  them.  It  is  fome  eafe  of  grief, 
 to  have  fome  condole  with  us  ;  but  the  wicked  have  wrath  and 
 no  pity  (hewn  them.  Who  fhould  pity  them?  God  will  not 
 pity  them  :  They  derided  his  Spirit,  and  now  he  will  laugh  at 
 their  calamity,  Prov.  i.  26.  The  faints  will  not  pity  them  : 
 They  perfecuted  the  faints  upon  earth,  therefore  they  will  re- 
 joice to  fee  God's  juftice  executed  on  them,  Pfal.  lviii.  10.  ■  The 
 righteous  fhall  rejoice  when  he  fees  the  vengeance.' 
 
 (5.)  The  (inner  under  wrath  hath  none  to  fpeak  a  good  word 
 for  him.  An  eled  perfon  when  he  fins,  hath  one  to  intercede 
 for  him,  1  John  ii.  1.  *  We  have  an  advocate,  Jefus  Chrift  the 
 righteous.'  Chrift  will  fay,  It  is  one  of  my  friends,  one  for 
 whom  I  have  fhed  my  biood  ;  Father,  pardon  htm.  But  the 
 wicked  (that  die  in  fin}  have  none  to  folicit  for  them  ;  they  have 
 
WHAT  SIN  DE9ERVETH.  535 
 
 an  accufer,  but  no  advocate  ;  (Thrift's  blood  will  not  plead  for 
 them  ;  they  flighted  Chrift,  and  reftlfed  to  come  under  his  go- 
 vt rument,  therefore  Cb  rift's  bloo*1  afnfl  them. 
 
 3.  God's"  wrath  is  juft.  The  Grei-k  word  for  wngeance. 
 fi .unifies jullire.  The  wicked  (hall  drink  a  lea  of  wrath,  but  not 
 one  drop  of  injufticc.  'T is  juft  God's  honour  be  repaired,  and 
 how  can  that  be  but  by  puuilhing  offenders?  Having  lliewii 
 you  what  this  wrath  of  God  is,  L  ihall  fhew  you,  L2.  TIi.it  we 
 have  deferved  the  curfe  and  wrath  of  God  ;  he  who  infringetli 
 the  king's  laws,  deltrves  the  penalty.  Mercy  goes  by  favour, 
 punifhment  by  delert,  Dan.  ix.  S.  *  To  us  be  I  on  get  h  eonfu- 
 iion  of  face.  Wrath  is  that  which  belongeth  to  us  as  we  are 
 iinners;   it  is  as  due  to  us,  as  am   wages  that  arc  paid. 
 
 I.  Of  information.  \ji,  Branch.  It  juitities  God  in  con- 
 demning Tinners  at  the  laft  day.  Sinners  deferve  wrath,  and  it 
 is  no  injullice  to  give  them  that  which  they  deferve.  If  a  ma- 
 lefactor deferves  death,  the  judge  doth  hi 09  no  wrong  in  con- 
 demning him. 
 
 9dt  Branch.  See  what  a  great  evil  fin  is,  which  expofefh  a 
 perfon  to  God's  wrath  for  ever.  You  may  know  the  lion  by 
 his  paw  :  and  you  may  know  what  an  evil  thing  fin  is,  by  the 
 wrath  and  curfe  it  brings.  When  you  fee  a  man  drawn  upon 
 an  hurdle  to  execution,  you  conclude  he  is  guilty  of  Tome  capi- 
 tal crime  that  brings  inch  a  punilhment  :  when  a  man  lies  under 
 the  horrid  zone  of  God's  wrath,  and  roars  out  in  flames  ;  then 
 lay,  How  horrid  an  evil  Gil  is!  They  who  now  fee  no  evil  in 
 fwearing,  or  labbath-breaking,  they  will  fee  it  look  black  in  the 
 glafs  of  hell-torments. 
 
 3d,  Branch.  See  here  an  hand- writing  upon  the  wall ;  here 
 is  that  which  may  check  a  (loner's  mirth.  He  is  brilk  now  and 
 frolic,  '  he  chants  to  the  found  of  the  viol,  and  invents  inltru- 
 ments  of  mulic,'  Amos  vi.  5.  He  drinks  ■  ftolen  waters,' and 
 iaith,  *  they  are  Tweet.'  Oh  1  but  let  him  remember,  that  the 
 wrath  and  curfe  of  God  hang  over  him,  which  will  fliortly  (with- 
 out repentance)  be  executed  on  him.  Dionyfius  thought,  as  he 
 lat  at  table,  he  law  a  naked  fword  hang  over  his  head  :  the 
 fword  of  God's  juft  ice  hangs  over  a  (inner  ;  and  when  the  {len- 
 der thread  of  life  is  cut  afunder,  the  fword  falls  upon  him.  *  Re- 
 joice, O  young  man  in  thy  youth,  and  let  thy  heart  cheer  thee 
 in  the  days  of  thy  youth,'  Ecc!.  xi.  9-  '  But  know  thou  for  all 
 thefe  things,  God  will  bring  thee  into  judgment.'  For  a  drop 
 of  plealure,  thou  mult  drink  a  lea  of  wrath.  Your  pleafure  can- 
 not be  lb  i'weet,  as  wrath  is  bitter  :  the  delights  of  the  flelh  can- 
 not countervail  the  horror  ofconlcienee  :  better  want  the  devil's 
 honey,  than  be  fo  liung  with  the  wrath  of  God.  The  garden 
 of  Eden,  which  figmfies  plealure,  had  a  flaming  fword  placed 
 at  the  ealt  end  of  it,  Gen.  iii.  24.     The  garden  of  carnal  and 
 
636  WHAT  SIN   DESERVETH. 
 
 finful  delight  is  furrounded  with  the  flaming  Avoid  of  God's 
 wrath. 
 
 Ufe  II.  Reproof.  It  reproves  the  ftupidity  of  Pinners,  who 
 are  no  more  affected  with  the  curfe  and  wrath  of  God  which  is 
 clue  to  them,  lfa.  xliv.  1*).  '  no  man  confidereth  in  his  heart.* 
 tf  they  were  in  debt,  and  were  ready  to  have  the  ferjeant  arreit 
 them,  they  would  be  affected  with  that:  but  tho*  the  fierce 
 wrath  of  God  is  ready  to  arreft  them,  they  remember  not.  A 
 bealt,  though  he  hath  no  ihame,  yet  he  hath  fear ;  he  is  afraid 
 of  fire:  but  finners  are  worfe  than  brutifh,  they  fear  not  the 
 1  fire  of  hell,'  till  they  are  in  it.  Moft  have  their  conference 
 afleep,  or  feared  ;  but  when  they  fhall  fee  the  vial's  of  God's 
 wrath  dropping,  then  they  will  cry  out,  as  Dives,  ■  O  I  am 
 tormented  in  this  flame!'   Luke  xvi.  24. 
 
 Ufe  III.  Exhort.  1.  Let  us  adore  God's  patience,  who 
 hath  not  brought  this  wrath  and  curfe  upon  us  all  this  while. 
 We  have  deferved  wrath,  yet  God  hath  not  given  us  our  defert. 
 "We  may  all  fubfcribe  to  that,  Pf.  ciii.  8.  '  The  Lord  is  flow  to 
 anger  :'  and  ver.  10.  c  He  hath  not  rewarded  us  according  to 
 our  iniquities.'  God  hath  deferred  his  wrath,  and  given  us 
 fpace  to  repent,  Rev.  ii.  12.  God  is  not  like  an  hafty  creditor, 
 that  requires  the  debt,  and  gives  no  time  for  the  payment :  he 
 ihoots  off  his  warning-piece,  that  he  may  not  (hoot  off  his 
 murdering- piece,  2  Pet.  iii.  0-  '  The  Lord  is  long-fuffering  to 
 us-ward,  not  willing  that  any  fliould  periftV  God  adjourns  the 
 alTizes,  to  fee  if  finners  would  turn  ;  he  keeps  off  the  ftorm  of 
 his  wrath  :  but  if  men  will  not  be  warned,  let  them  know,  that 
 long-forbearance  is  no  forgivenefs. 
 
 2</,  Branch.  Let  us  labour  to  prevent  the  wrath  we  have 
 deferved.  How  careful  are  men  to  prevent  poverty  or  difgrace  ? 
 Oh  labour  to  prevent  God's  eternal  wrath,  that  it  may  not  only 
 be  deferred,  but  removed. 
 
 Qu.    What  fhall  we  do  to  prevent  and  efcape  wrath  to  come  ? 
 
 Anf.  1.  By  getting  an  intereit  in  Jefus  Chrift.  Chrift  is  the 
 only  (kreen  to  ftand  betwixt  us  and  the  wrath  of  God  :  he  did 
 feel  God's  wrath,  that  they  who  believe  in  him  mould  never 
 feel  it,  i  Theff".  i.  10.  *  Jefus  hath  delivered  us  from  the  wrath 
 to  come.'  Nebuchadnezzar's  fiery  furnace  was  a  type  of  God's 
 wrath,  and  that  furnace  did  not  fi  nge  the  garments  of  the  three 
 children,  '  nor  was  the  fmell  of  fire  upon  them,'  Dan.  iii.  27» 
 Jefus  Chrift  went  into  the  furnace  of  his  Father's  wrath  ;  and 
 thofe  that  believe  in  him,  the  fmell  of  the  fire  of  hell  fhall  never 
 pafs  upon  them. 
 
 2.  If  we  would  prevent  the  wrath  of  God,  let  us  take  heed  of 
 thofe  fins  which  will  bring  the  wrath  of  God.  Edmund,  fuc- 
 ceffor  of  Anfelm,  had  a  faying,  •■  I  had  rather  leap  into  a  fur- 
 
WHAT  SIN  DESERVETir.  537 
 
 tiace  of  fire,  than  willingly  commit  a  fin  againft  God."  There 
 are  feveral  fiery  (ins  we  mult  take  heed  of,  which  will  bring  the 
 fire  of  God's  wrath. 
 
 (t.)  The  iireof  rafh  ranger.  Some  who  profeffl  religion,  yet 
 cannot  bridle  their  tongue  ;  they  care  not  what  they  fay  in  their 
 anger,  they  will  curie  their  pallions.  St.  James  frith  *  The 
 tongue  is  let  on  fire  of  hell,*  chap.  iii.  o.  ()  take  heed  of  a 
 '  fiery  tongue,'  left  it  bring  thee  to  *  fiery  torment.'  Dives 
 begged  a  drop  of  water  to  cool  his  tongue:  St.  Cyprian  faith, 
 He  had  offended  moll  in  his  tongue,  and  now  that  was  moil  let 
 on  fire. 
 
 (l2.)  Take  heed  of  the  fire  of  malice.  Malice  is  a  malignant 
 humour,  whereby  we  wiili  evil  to  one  another;  it  is  a  vermin 
 lives  on  blood,  it  fludies  revenge*  Caligula  had  a  cheft  where 
 he  kept  deadly  poifons  for  them  he  had  malice  againlt.  The 
 fire  of  malice  brings  men  to  the  fiery  *  furnace  of  God's  wrath.* 
 
 (3.)  'lake  heed  of  the  fin  of  uncleannefs,  Heb.  xiii.  4. 
 *  Whoremongers  and  adulterers'God  will  judge.'  Such  as  burn 
 in  uncleannefs,  are  in  great  danger  to  burn  one  day  in  hell.  Let 
 one  fire  put  out  another;  let  the  fire  of  God's  wrath  put  out  the 
 fire  of  lull. 
 
 2d,  Branch.  To  you  who  have  a  well-grounded  hope,  that 
 you  mail  not  feel  this  wrath,  which  you  have  deferved  ;  let  me 
 exhort  you,  1.  To  be  very  thankful  to  God,  who  hath  given 
 his  Son  to  fave  you  from  this  tremendous  wrath.  ■  Jefus  hath 
 delivered  you  from  wrath  to  come.*  The  Lamb  of  God  was 
 i'corched  in  the  fire  of  God's  wrath  for  you  :  Chriii  did  feel  the 
 wrath  which  he  did  not  deferve,  that  you  may  efcape  the  wrath 
 which  you  have  deferved.  Pliny  obferves,  that  there  is  nothing 
 better  to  quench  fire  than  blood  :  Chrift's  blood  hath  quenched 
 the  fire  of  God's  wrath  for  you.  ■  Upon  me,  upon  me  be  the 
 curfe,'  faid  Rebekah  to  Jacob,  Gen.  xxvii.  13.  So  laid  Chnlt 
 to  God's  juftice,  "Upon  me  be  the  curfe,  that  my  elect  may  in- 
 herit the  bleflme:."  2.  Be  patient  under  all  the  afflictions  which 
 yon  endure.  Affliction  is  (harp,  but  this  is  not  wrath,  this  is  not 
 hell.  Who  would  not  willingly  drink  in  the  cup  of  affliction, 
 that  knows  he  fhall  never  drink  in  the  cup  of  damnation  ?  who 
 would  not  be  willing  to  bear  the  wrath  of  men,  that  knows  he 
 fhall  never  feel  the  wrath  of  God  ? 
 
 Chriltian,  tho'  thou  mayeft  feel  the  rod,  thou  flialt  never  feel 
 the  bloody  ax.  Auftin  once  faid,  "Strike,  Lord,  where  thou 
 wilt,  if  Gu  be  pardoned.'*  So  fay,  Afflict  me,  Lord,  as  thou 
 wilt  in  this  life,  feeing  I  fhall  efcape  wrath  to  come. 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  12.  3  Y 
 
5SS  OF  FAITH. 
 
 OF  FAITH. 
 
 Q,  LXXXV.   WHAT  doth  God  require  of  us  that  we 
 may  efcape  his  wrath  and  curfe  due  to  us  for  Jin  ? 
 
 An/.  Faith  in  Jeius  Chrift,  repentance  unto  life,  with  the 
 diligent  ufe  of  aii  the  outward  means,  whereby  Chrift  commu- 
 nicateth  to  us  the  benefits  of  redemption. 
 
 I  begin  with  the  fird,  *  Faith  in  Jefus  Chrift,'  Rom.  iii.  25. 
 •  Whom  God  hath  fet  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith 
 in  his  blood.'  The  great  privilege  in  the  text  is,  to  have  Chrift 
 for  a  propitiation  ;  which  is  not  only  to  free  us  from  God's  wrath, 
 but  to  ingratiate  us  into  God's  love  and  favour.  And  the  means 
 of  having  Child  to  be  our  propitiation  is,  *  Faith  in  his  blood.' 
 There  is  a  twofold  faith,  Fides  qua;  creditur,  (i.  e.)  "  The  doc- 
 trine of  faith;"  and  Fides  qua  creditur,  (i.  e.)  the  '•  grace  of 
 faith."  The  act  of  juitifying  faith  lies  in  recumbency  :  we 
 do  red  on  Chrift  alone  for  falvation.  Asa  man  that  is  ready 
 to  drown,  catcheth  hold  on  the  bough  of  a  tree;  fo  a  poor 
 trembling  (inner,  feeing  himfelf  ready  to  perifli  catcheth  hold  by 
 faith  on  Chriit  the  tree  of  life,  and  fo  is  laved.  The  work  of 
 faith  is  by  the  holy  Spirit;  therefore  faith  is  called  the  '  fruit  of 
 the  Spirit,'  Gal.  v.  22.  Faith  doth  not  grow  in  nature,  itisan 
 outlandifh  plant,  a  fruit  of  the  Spirit.  This  grace  of  faith  is 
 fanctijjimum  humani  pectorit  benum ;  of  all  others,  the  molt 
 precious  rich  faith,  and  mod  holy  faith,  and  faith  of  God's  elecl; : 
 hence  it  is  called  *  precious  faith,'  2  Pet.  i.  1.  As  gold  is  the 
 mod  precious  among  the  metals,  (b  is  faith  among  the  graces. 
 Faith  is  the  queen  of  the  graces  ;  faith  is  the  condition  of  the 
 gofpel ;  *  Thy  faith  hath  laved  thee,'  Luke  vii.  50,  Not  thy 
 tears.  Faith  is  the  ••  vital  artery  of  the  foul,"  it  animates  it, 
 Heb.  ii.  4.  *  The  jud  (hall  live  by  faith.'  Unbelievers,  though 
 they  breathe,  yet  want  life.  Faith  is  (as  Clemens  Al'exandrinus 
 calls  it)  a  mother  grace :  it  excites  and  invigorates  all  the 
 graces :  not  a  grace  itirs  till  faith  lets  it  a- work.  Faith  fets  re- 
 pentance a- work  ;  it  is  like  fipe  to  the  (till;  faith  fets  hope  a- 
 work  ;  fird  we  believe  the  promife,  then  we  hope  for  it :  did 
 not  faith  teed  the  lamp  of  hope  with  oil,  it  would  foon  die  : 
 faith  fets  love  a-vvork,  Gal.  v.  6.  •  Faith  which  worketh  by 
 love.'  Who  can  believe  in  the  infinite  merits  of  Chriit,  and  his 
 heart  not  afcend  in  a  fiery  chariot  of  love  ?  Faith  is  a  catholi- 
 con,  or  remedy  againft  all  troubles,  a  dreet-anchor  we  caft  out 
 into  the  lea  of  God's  mercy,  and  are  kept  from  (inking  in  de- 
 fpair.     Other  graces  have  done  worthily  ;  thou,  O  Faith,  ex* 
 
OF  FAITH.  539 
 
 rilleft  them  all.  Indeed  in  heaven  love  will  be  the  chief  grace: 
 but,  wh'.l  I  W€  IW  bete  militant,  love  mult  give  place  to  faith. 
 Love  takes  pofleflion  of  glory,  but  faith  gives  i  title  t<>  it.  Love 
 it  the  crowning  grace  in  heaven,  but  faith  istheconq  ice 
 
 upon  earth,  1  John.  v.   I.   '  Tbit  i^  tie  that  overconn  tli 
 
 the  world,  even  our  faith.1     Faith  carries  away   the   garland 
 
 u  ali  the  otht  |p  to  Ian  bat 
 
 faith  only  that  hath  the  honour  to  juliily,  Mom.  v.  I.  '  Being 
 
 juftificd  by  faith.' 
 
 Qu.   Bui  how  comes  faith  to  be  fo  preciou 
 
 /hi i.  it  is  a  more  holy  quality,  or  as  if  it  had   more 
 
 worihinels  than  other  graces,  but  refpechi  ob/ecti,  M  as  it  lavs 
 hold  on  Chritt  the  blelied  object,"  and  fetcheth  in  his  fuloefs, 
 John  ix.  It).  Faith  in  itleh  confidered,  is  belt  mamts  mendica , 
 "  the  beggar" 8  hand  :"  but  as  this  hand  receives  the  rich  alms 
 ofChrift's  ment>,  fo  it  is  precious,  and  doth  challenge  a  lupe- 
 riority  over  the  reft  of  the  grac 
 
 /       I.  Branch  \ft.   Of  all  (ins  beware  of  the  rock  of  unbelief, 
 
 lit!),  jji    t:.   ■  Take  heed  left  there  be  in  any  of  us  an  evil  heart 
 
 of  unbelief.'     Men  think,  as  I  hey  are  not  drunkards  or 
 
 uer<,  it  is  no  great  matter  to  be  unbelievers.     This  is  the 
 
 golpel-fin,  it  dyes  your  other  (ins  in  grain. 
 
 1.  Unbelief  is  a  Chrilt- reproaching  lin.  Unbelief  difparageth 
 Chrili's  infinite  merit  as  if  it  could  not  lave  :  unbelief  makes 
 the  wound  of  lin  to  be  broader  than  the  plaifter  of  Ch rift's 
 blood.  This  is  an  high  contempt  offered  to  Chrill  and  is  a 
 deeper  fpear  than  that  which  the  Jews  thurft  into  his  fide. 
 
 9.  Unbelief  is  an  ungrateful  fin.  Ingratus  vitandus  eft  ut  di- 
 rmnfcelus,  tellus  ipl'afadius  nihil  creat.  Ingratitude  is  a  prodi^v 
 of  wickedneis  ;  unbelief  is  ungrateful,  being  againft  the  richelt 
 mercy.  Suppofe  a  king  (hould  redeem  a  captive,  and  to  redeem 
 him  Ihould  part  with  his  crown  of  gold  from  his  head  :  and 
 when  he  had  done  this,  fhould  fay  to  the  man  redeemed,  "  All 
 I  defire  of  thee  in  lieu  of  my  kindnefs,  is  to  believe  that  I  love 
 thee  :"  now,  if  he  fhould  fay,  "  No,  I  do  not  believe  any  fuch 
 thing  ;  or  that  thou  careft  at  all  forme  :"  I  appeal  to  you,  were 
 not  this  odious  ingratitude  ?  So  is  this  cafe  here,  God  hath  lent 
 his  Son  to  lhed  his  blood  :  God  requires  only  to  believe  in  him, 
 that  he  is  able  and  willing  to  lave  us  :  Xo,  faith  unbelief,  his 
 blood  was  not  lhed  for  me,  I  cannot  perfuade  my  (elf  that  Chrilt 
 hath  any  purpofe  of  love  to  me  :  is  not  this  horrid  ingratitude? 
 And  thisenhanceth  a  fin,  and  makes  it  of  a  crimfon  colour. 
 
 3.  Unbelief  is  a  leading  fin.    It  is  the  breeder  of  fin.    Qualitas 
 malae  vitae  initium  fummil  ab  iniidelitate.      Unbelief  is  a  root- 
 fin,  and  the  devil  labours  to  water  this  root,  that  the  b 
 may  be  fruitful.     (1.)  Unbelief  breeds  hardnefs  of  heart  ;   there- 
 fore they  are  put  together,    Mark  xvi.  11.    Chrift  upbraideth 
 
 S  Y  » 
 
540  OF  FAITH* 
 
 them  with  their  unbelief  and  hardnefs  of  heart.  Unbelief 
 breeds  the  (lone  of  the  heart :  he  who  believes  not  in  Chrift,  is 
 not  affecled  with  his  fufferings,  he  melts  not  in  tears  ot  love. 
 Unbelief  freezeth  the  heart :  fnft  it  defiles  and  hardens.  (2.) 
 Unbelief  breeds  profanenefs  :  an  unbeliever  will  itick  at  no  (in  ; 
 neither  at  falfe  weights,  nor  falfe  oaths.  He  will  fvvallow  down 
 treafbn  ;  Judas  was  firft  an  unbeliever,  and  then  a  traitor,  John 
 vi.  64.  He  who  hath  no  faith  in  his  heart,  will  have  no  fear  of 
 God  before  his  eyes. 
 
 4.  Unbelief  is  a  wrath  procuring  fin ;  it  is  inimka  falutis 9 
 Bern.  John  iii.  18.  Jam  condemnatus  eft,  dying  fo,  he  is  as  fure 
 to  be  condemned  as  if  it  were  fo  already,  John  iii.  36.  ■  He 
 that  believeth  not  on  the  Son  of  God,  the  wrath  of  God  abideth 
 on  him.'  He  who  believes  not  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  mud 
 feel  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb.  The  Gentiles  that  believe  not  in 
 Chrift,  will  be  as  well  damned  as  the  Jews  who  blafpheme  him. 
 And  if  unbelief  be  fo  fearful  and  damnable  a  fin,  (hall  we  not 
 be  afraid  to  live  in  it  ? 
 
 2c?,  Branch,  Above  all  graces,  ■  fet  faith  a- work  on  Chrift,' 
 John  jii.  15.  '  That  whofoever  believeth  on  him  fhouid  not 
 perifh.'  Eph.  vi.  16.  'Above  all,  take  the  (hie  Id  of  faith.' 
 Say  as  queen  Either,  '  I  will  go  in  into  the  king  ;  and  if  I  pe- 
 rifh,  I  perifh.'  She  had  nothing  to  encourage  her,  (he  ven- 
 tured againft  law,  yet  the  golden  fceptre  was  held  forth  to  her. 
 We  have  promifes  to  encourage  our  faith,  John  vi.  37  '  He 
 that  cometh  unto  me,  I  will  in  no  wife  call  out.'  Let  us  then 
 advance  faith  by  an  holy  recumbency  on  Chrift's  merits.  Chrift's 
 blood  will  not  juftify  without  believing:  they  are  both  put  to- 
 gether in  the  text,  '  Faith  in  his  blood.'  The  blood  of  God, 
 without  faith  in  Chrift  will  not  fave.  Chrift's  fufferings  are  the 
 plailter  to  heal  a  (in-fick  foul,  but  this  plainer  mult  be  applied 
 by  faith.  It  is  not  money  in  a  rich  man's  hand,  tho'  offered  to 
 us,  will  enrich  us,  unlefs  we  receive  it.  So  it  is  not  Chrift's 
 virtues  or  benefits  will  do  us  good,  unlefs  we  receive  them  by 
 the  hand  of  faith.  Above  all  graces,  fet  faith  on  work  ;  remem- 
 ber this  grace  is  mod  acceptable  to  God,  and  that  upon  many 
 accounts. 
 
 (1.)  Becaufe  it  is  a  God  exalting  grace:  it  glorifies  God, 
 Rom.  iv.  L20.  ■  Abraham  being  ltrong  in  faith,  gave  glory  to 
 God.'  To  believe  that  there  is  more  mercy  in  God,  and  merit 
 in  Chrift,  than  fin  in  us,  and  that  Chrift  hath  anfwered  all  the 
 demands  and  challenges  .of  the  law,  and  that  his  blood  hath 
 fully  fa  tisfied  for  us;  this  is  an  high  degree  to  honour  God. 
 Faith  in  the  mediator  brings  more  glory  to  God,  than  martyr- 
 dom, or  the  molt  heroic  a6t  of  obedience. 
 
 (2.)  Faith  in  Chrift  is  fo  acceptable  to  God,  becaufe  it  is  fuch 
 a  leif-denying  grace  ;    it  makes  a  man  go  out  of  himfelf,  re- 
 
or  TAiTir.  541 
 
 nonnce  all  felf-righteoufnefs,  and  wholly  rely  on  Chrift  forjufli- 
 licatiou.  Faith  is  very  humble,  itcoofeueth  its  own  indutmce, 
 and  lives  wholly  upon  Chrift.     As  the  bee  fucks  fwe<  IrieCs  horn 
 
 the  flower,  (6  faith  fucks  all  its  ftrength  and  comfort  from 
 Chrifr. 
 
 (3.)  Faith  is  a  grace  fo  acceptable  to  God,  becaufe  by  faith 
 we  prefent  a  righteoufuefs  to  God,  which  doth  belt  pleafe  him  : 
 we  bring  the  righteoufnefs  of  Chrilt  into  the  court,  which  is 
 called  the  righteoufnefs  ot  God,  V  Cor.  v.  81.  To  bring  Chrift9! 
 righteoufnefs,  is  to  bring  Benjamin  with  us.  A  believer  may 
 fay,  Lord,  it  is  not  th  oufnefs  of  Adam,  or  of  the  angels 
 
 but  of  Chrift  who  is  God- man,  that  I  bring  before  thee.  The 
 Lord  cannot  choofe  but  iinell  a  fweet  favour  in  Chrift's  righte- 
 ouihefs. 
 
 U/'e  II.  DM,  Let  us  try  our  faith  ;  there  is  fomething  that 
 looks  like  faith,  and  is  not.  Pliny  faith,  there  is  Cyprian  (tone, 
 which  is  in  colour,  like  a  diamond,  but  it  is  not  of  the  right 
 kind  :  there  is  a  falfe  fpurious  faith  in  the  world.  Some  plants 
 have  the  fame  leaf  with  others,  but  the  Herbalift  can  diltmguilh 
 them  by  the  root  and  taiie  ;  fomething  may  look  like  true  faith, 
 but  it  may  be  diftinguimed  feveral  ways. 
 
 (I.)  Trial.  True  faith  is  grounded  upon  knowledge;  know- 
 ledge carries  the  torch  before  faith.  There  is  a  knowledge  of 
 Chrift's  orient  excellencies,  Phil.  iii.  8.  He  is  all  made  up  of 
 love  and  beauty.  True  faith  is  a  judicious,  intelligent  grace,  it 
 knows  whom  it  believes,  and  why  it  believes.  Faith  is  feated 
 as  well  in  the  underftanding  as  the  will  :  it  hath  an  eye  to  lee 
 Chrilt,  as  well  as  a  wing  to  fly  to  him.  Such  therefore  as  are 
 in  vailed  with  ignorance,  or  have  only  an  implicit  faith,  to  be- 
 lieve as  the  Church  believes,  have  no  true  genuine  faith. 
 
 (2.)  Faith  lives  in  a  broken  heart,  Mark  ix.  24.  *  He  cried 
 out  with  tears,  Lord,  I  believe. '  True  faith  is  always  in  an 
 heart  bruifed  for  fin  :  fuch  therefore,  whofe  hearts  were  never 
 touched  for  fin,  have  no  faith.  Ifaphyfician  fhould  tell  us, 
 there  were  an  herb  would  help  us  againft  all  infections,  but  it  al- 
 ways grows  in  a  watery  place  :  if  we  fhould  fee  an  herb  like  it 
 in  colour,  leaf,  fmell,  blolfom,  but  it  grows  upon  a  rock  we 
 ihould  conclude  this  were  the  wrong  herb.  So  laving  faith  doth 
 always  grow  in  an  heart  humbled  for  fin  ;  it  grows  in  a  weep- 
 ing eye,  watery  confeience  :  therefore,  if  there  be  a  (hew  of 
 faith,  but  it  grows  upon  a  rock,  an  hard  impenitent  heart,  this 
 is  not  the  true  faith. 
 
 (3.)  True  faith  is  at  firft  nothing,  but  an  Embryo,  it  is  mi- 
 nute and  fmall  ;  it  is  full  of  doubtings,  temptations,  fears:  it 
 begins  in  weaknefs.  It  is  like  the  fmoaking  flax,  Mat.  xii.  20. 
 It  i'mokes  with  defires,  but  doth  not  flame  with  comfort ;  it  is 
 at  firft  lb  fmall,  that  it  is  fcarce  difceinable.      Such  as,  at  the 
 
543  OF    FAITH. 
 
 firfl  dalh,  have  a  ftrong  perfuafion  that  Chrift  is  theirs,  who 
 leap  out  of  fin  into  affurance,  their  faith  is  falfe  and  i'purious  : 
 that  faith,  which  is  come  to  its  full  nature  on  its  birth-day,  is  a 
 monfler.  The  feed  that  fprung  up  fuddenly  withered,  Mat. 
 xiii.  5. 
 
 (4.)  Faith  is  a  refining  grace,  it  conf'ecrates  and  purifies. 
 Moral  virtue  may  waffi  the  outfide,  faith  wafheth  the  infide, 
 Acts  xv.  9.  '  Having  purified  their  hearts  by  faith,'  faith  makes 
 the  heart  a  facrary  or  temple  with  this  infcription,  '  holinefs  to 
 the  Lord,'  fuch,  whofe  hearts  have  legions  of  lulls  in  them, 
 were  never  acquainted  with  the  true  faith.  For  one  to  fay  he 
 hath  faiih,  yet  live  in  fin ;  is,  as  if  one  fhould  fay,  he  were  in 
 health,  yet  his  vitals  are  perifhed.  Faith  is  a  virgin-grace,  it  is 
 joined  with  fanctity,  1  Tim.  iii.  0.  ■  Holding  the  myftery  of 
 faith  in  a  pure  conlcience.'  The  jewel  of  faith  is  always  put  in 
 the  cabinet  of  a  pure  confcience.  The  woman  that  touched 
 Chrift  by  faith,  fetched  an  healing  and  cleanfing  virtue  from 
 him. 
 
 (5.)  True  faith  is  obediential,  Rom.  xvi.  26.  '  The  obedi- 
 ence of  faith.'  Faith  melts  our  will  into  the  will  of  God.  If 
 God  commands  duty  (though  crofs  to  flelh  and  blood)  faith 
 obeys,  Heb.  xi.  8.  *  By  faith  Abraham  obeyed.'  Faith  doth 
 not  only  believe  the  promife,  but  obey  the  command.  It  is  not 
 having  a  fpeculative  knowledge  will  evidence  you  to  be  believers : 
 the  devil  hath  knowledge  ;  but  that  which  makes  him  a  devil  is, 
 he  wants  obedience. 
 
 (6.)  True  faith  is  increafing,  Rom.  i.  17.  '  From  faith  to 
 faith,'  i.  e.  From  one  degree  of.  faith  to  another.  Faith  doth 
 not  lie  in  the  heart,  as  a  Hone  in  the  earth  ;  but,  as  feed  in  the 
 earth,  it  grows.  Jofeph  of  Arimathea  was  a  difeiple  of  Chrift, 
 but  afraid  to  con-fefs  him  ;  afterwards  he  went  boldly  to  Pilate 
 and  begged  the  body  of  Jefus,  John  xix.  3(5.  And  a  Chril- 
 tian's  increafe  in  faith  is  known  two  ways  : 
 
 1.  By  tledfaftnefs  :  he  is  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of  God,  Col. 
 ii,  7.  *  Rooted  and  built  up  in  him  ;  and  eitablifhed  in  the 
 faith.'  Unbelievers  are  fceptics  in  religion,  they  are  unfettled  ; 
 they  queftion  every  truth  :  but,  when  faith  is  on  the  increafing 
 hand,  it  doth  fubilire  animum,  it  doth  corroborate  a  Chriitian  ; 
 he  is  able  to  prove  his  principles ;  he  holds  no  more  than  he 
 will  die  for  :  as  that  martyr-woman  faid,  '*  I  cannot  difpute  for 
 Chrift,  but  lean  burn  for  him."  An  increafing  faith  is  not  like 
 a  fhip  in  the  midft  of  the  fea,  that  fluctuates  and  is  tolled  upon 
 the  waves  ;   but  like  a  fhip  at  anchor  which  is  firm  and  ftedfaft. 
 
 2.  A  Chriftian's  increafe  in  faith  is  known  by  ftrength  :  he 
 can  do  that  now,  which  he  could  not  do  before.  When  one  is 
 man-grown,  he  can  do  that  which  he  was  not  able  to  do  when 
 
OF    REPENTANCE.  513 
 
 lie  was  a  child  ;  be  can  carry  an  heavier  burden  ;  Co  a  Chiillian 
 can  bear  croflea  wit h  more  patieni 
 
 Ohj.  But  I  fear  I  have  no  faith  it  is/o  wea 
 
 Anf.  If  you  have  faith  though  but  m  its  infancy,  ho  not  dif- 
 couraged  ;   For,  (!•.)  A  hitle  faith  is  faith,  a*j  a  (park  of  fii 
 lire.      (CJ.)    A   weak  faith  may   lay  hold  on  a  lirong  Omit  :   a 
 
 ,k  hand  can  tie  the  knot  in  marriage,  aa  well  as  a  l'u 
 She,  in  the  gofpel,  who  but  touched  Chrift,  fetched  virtue  from 
 him.  (  >  )  The  promil'es  an-  not  made  to  llrorig  faith,  but,  to 
 true.  The  pr  >mil'e  doth  not  fay,  he  who  hath  a  giant  fakh, 
 who  can  believe  God's  love  through  a  frown,  who  cm  rejoice  in 
 affliction,  who  can  work  b,  remove  mountains,  ftop  the 
 
 mouth  of  lious,  (hall  be  fated  ;  but,  nrboioever  believed,  be  his 
 faith  never  lb  lmall.  A  reed  is  but  weak  efpecially  when  it  is 
 bruifed  ;  yet  thf  promife,  is  made  to  it,  Mat.  xii.  20.  ■  A 
 brnilid  reed  will  he  not  break.'  (4.)  A  weak  faith  may  be 
 fruitful.  Weakeft  things  multiply  molt.  The  vine  is  a  weak 
 plant,  but  it  is  fruitful.  The  thief's  crofs,  which  was  newly 
 converted,  was  but  weak  in  grace  ;  but  how  many  precious 
 clufrers  grewjjpou  that  tender  plant!  Luke  xxiii.  40.  he  chides 
 his  fellow-thuf,  ■  Doll  thou  Dot  fear  God  ?'  He  judgeth  him- 
 felf,  '  We  indeed  lunar  juftly.'  He  believes  in  Chrift,  when 
 he  laid,  ■  Lord.'  He  makes  a  heavenly  prayer,  ■  Remember 
 me,  when  thou  comeft  into  thy  kingdom.'  Weak  Chriftiaoa 
 may  have  ftrong  affections.  How  ftrong  is  the  firll  love,  which 
 is  after  the  fir  ft  planting  of  faith  !  (5.)  The  weakelt  believer  is 
 a  member  of  Chrift,  as  well  as  the  ltrongeft ;  and  the  weakeft 
 member  of  the  body  myftiually  fhallnot  perifti.  Chrift  will  cut 
 oft"  rotten  members,  but  not  weak  members.  Therefore,  Chris- 
 tian, benotdifcouraged  :  God,  who  would  have  us  receive  them 
 that  are  weak  in  faith,  Rom.  xiv.  1.  will  not  himlelf  refufe 
 them. 
 
 II.  The  fecond  means  whereby  we  efcape  the  curfe  and  wrath 
 due  to  fin,  is  by  repentance. 
 
 OF  REPENTANCE. 
 
 A6is  xi.  18.    Then  hath  God  alfo  to  the  Gentiles  granted  Repent' 
 once  unto  Life. 
 
 Repentance  feems  to  be  a  bitter  pill  to  take,  but  it  is 
 to  purge  out  the  bad  humour  of  fin.  Repentance  is,  by  fome 
 Antinomian  fpirits,  cried  down  as  a  legal  dodrine  ;  but  Chrift 
 himfelf  preached  it,  Matth.  iv.  17*  '  From  that  time  Jefus  be- 
 gan to  preach,  and  fay,  Repent/  &c.     And,  in  his  laic  farewei, 
 
544  OF    REPENTANCE. 
 
 when  be  w'as  afcending  to  heaven,  he  commanded  that  •  Re- 
 pentance fhould  be  preached  in  his  name,'  Luke  xxiv.  37.  Re- 
 pentance is  a  pure  gofpe)  grace.  The  covenant  of  works  would 
 not  admit  of  repentance  :  it  curfed  all  that  could  not  perform 
 perfect  and  perfonal  obedience,  Gal.  iii.  10.  Repentance  comes 
 in  by  the  gofpel ;  it  is  the  fruit  of  Chrift's  pu 'chafe,  that  re- 
 penting finners  (hall  be  faved.  Repentance  is  wrought  by  the 
 minidry  of  the  gofpel,  while  it  lets  before  our  eyes  Chrift 
 crucified.  Repentance  is  not  arbitrary,  but  necefiary  ;  there  is 
 no  being  faved  without  it,  Luke  xiii.  3.  '  Except  ye  repent, 
 ye  (hall  all  likewife  perifl).'  And  we  maybe  thankful  to  God, 
 that  he  hath  left  us  this  plank  after  fliipwreck. 
 (1.)  I  (hall  (hew  the  counterfeits  of  repentance. 
 
 1.  Natural  foftnefs  and  tendernefs  of  fpirit.  Some  hai'e  a 
 tender  affection,  arifing  from  their  complexion,  whereby  they 
 are  apt  to  weep  and  relent  when  they  fee  any  object  of  pity. 
 Thefe  are  not  repenting  tears  ;  for  many  weep  to  fee  another's 
 mifery,  who  cannot  weep  at  their  own  fin. 
 
 2.  Counterfeit,  Legal  affright ments.  A  man  hath  lived  in 
 a  courfe  of  fin  ;  at  laft  he  is  made  a  little  fenfible,  he  fees  hell 
 ready  to  devour  him,  and  he  is  filled  with  anguifh  and  horror; 
 but,  within  a  while  the  tempeft  of  confcience  is  blown  over,  and 
 he  is  quiet :  then  he  concludes  he  is  a  true  penitent,  becaufe  he 
 hath  felt  fome  bitternefs  in  fin  :  this  is  not  repentance.  Judas 
 had  fome  trouble  of  mind.  If  anguifh  and  trouble  were  fuf- 
 ficient  to  repentance,  then  the  damned  would  be  mod  penitent, 
 for  they  are  mod  in  anguifh  of  mind.  There  may  be  trouble 
 of  mind,  where  there  is  no  grieving  for  the  offence  againft  God. 
 
 3.  Counterfeit,  a  flight  fuperficiai  forrow.  When  God's 
 hand  lies  heavy  upon  a  man  (he  is  fick  or  lame)  he  may  vent  a 
 figh  or  tear,  and  fay,  Lord,  have  mercy ;  yet  this  is  no  true 
 repentance.  Ahab  did  more  than  all  this,  1  Kings  xxi.  27. 
 '  He  rent  his  clothes,  and  faded,  and  lay  in  fackcloth,  and 
 went  foftly.'  His  clothes  were  rent,  but  not  his  heart.  The 
 eye  may  be  watery,  and  the  heart  flinty.  An  apricock  may  be 
 foft  without,  but  it  hath  an  hard  done  within. 
 
 4.  Counterfeit,  Good,  motions  arifing  in  the  heart.  Every 
 good  motion  is  not  repentance.  Some  think,  if  they  have  mo- 
 tions in  their  hearts  to  break  off  their  fins,  and  become  religi- 
 ous, this  is  repentance.  As  the  devil  may  dir  up  bad  motions 
 in  the  godly,  fo  the  Spirit  of  God  may  dir  up  good  motions  in 
 the  wicked.  Herod  had  many  good  thoughts,  and  inclinations 
 ftirred  up  in  him  by  John  Baptid's  preaching,  yet  he  did  not 
 truly  repent  for  he  (till  lived  in  inced. 
 
 5.  Counterfeit,  vows,  and  refolutions.  What  vowrs  and  fo- 
 lemn  proteftations  do  fome  make  in  their  ficknefs,  if  God  reco- 
 vered them  they  will  be  new  men,  but  afterwards  are  as  bad  as 
 
OF  REPENTANCE.  545 
 
 evt  r  !  Jcr.  ii.  °0.     ■  Thou  fa  id  ft,    I  will  not   tr  mfci'els  ;   beta 
 a  refolution  :    but  lor  all   this  fhe  ran   after   her   idols  ; 
 *  Under  every  green  tree  thou  wandereft,  playing  the  harlot. 
 
 0.  Counterfeit,  Leaving  off  lbm<  fin:      But  this 
 
 nuliake,  tor,  (I.)  A  man  may  lea'  lins,  and  keep  otl 
 
 Herod  «J  i«  i  reform  many  things  amifs,  but  k  *  -  [  >  l  hi  I! 
 (^.)  An  old  fin  may  be  h'lr,  to  entertain  a  new.  A  man  may 
 leave  otl' not  an  1  prodigality,  and  turn  covetous  ;  this  i&  to  ex- 
 change a  fin.  There  are  the  counterfeits  of  repentance.  Now, 
 if  you  find  thatyour^B  is  a  counterfeit  repentance*  and  you  h 
 not  repented  aright,  mend  what  you  have  done  amifs  :  as  in 
 the  body,  it  a  bone  be  i'  t.  wrong;  the  chirurgeon  oath  no  way 
 hut  to  bi  .am,  and  li  t  it  irigtlt  :    to  mult  you  do  by  your 
 
 ropentaneV  :  rfyou  have  not  repented  aright,  you  mutt  hive 
 \t  h  art  broken  again  m  a  godly  manner,  an  I  be  more  deep- 
 ly athVted  for  fin  than  ever.  And  that  brings  me  to  the  fe- 
 COrtd.  to  Ihew  wlierein  true  repentance  coufilts  :  it  confifts  in 
 two  thin. 
 
 Ift  Humiliation  ;  Lev.  xxvi.  11.  *  If  their  uncircumcifed 
 hearts  be  humbled.'  There  is  (as  the  fchoolmen)  a  twofold 
 humiliation,  or  breaking  of  the  heart.  !.  Attrition  ;  as  when 
 a  rcveh  is  broken  in  pieces  ;  This  is  done  by  the  law,  which  is 
 an  hammer  to  break  the  heart.  c2.  Contrition  ;  as  when  ice  is 
 melted  into  water.  This  is  done  by  the  gofpel,  which  is  as  a 
 tire  to  *  melt  the  heart,'  Jer.  xxiii.  9.  It  is  the  i'enfe  of  abufed 
 kmdnefs  caufeth  contrition. 
 
 yrf/y,  Transformation,  or  change,  Rom.  xit.  9.  ■  Be  ye  trani- 
 fonned  by  the  renewing  of  your  mind.'  Repentance  works  a 
 change  in  the  whole  man  :  as  wine  put  into  a  glafs  where  wa- 
 ter is,  the  wine  runs  into  every  part  of  the  water,  and  changetli 
 its  colour  and  taite  ;  fo  true  repentance  doth  not  reft  in  one 
 part,  but  d  if  rule  and  fpread  itfelf  into  every  part. 
 
 1.  Repentance  caufeth  a  change  in  the  mind.  Whereas,  be- 
 fore a  man  did  like  well  of  fin,  and  fay  in  defence  of  it,  as  Jo- 
 nah, ■  I  did  well  to  be  angry,'  chap.  ii.  9.  So,  [  did  well  to  fwear, 
 and  break  the  fabbath.  When  once  a  man  becomes  a  peni- 
 tent, his  judgment  is  changed,  he  now  looks  upon  (in  as  the 
 greateft  evil.  The  Greek  word  for  repentance,  fignifies  after- 
 wifdorn  ;  when,  having  feen  how  deformed  and  damnable  a 
 thing  i\n  is,  we  change  our  mind.  Paul,  before converlion,  ve- 
 rily thought  he  ought  to  do  many  things  contrary  to  the  name 
 of  Jcfus,  Acts  xxvi.  I).  But,  when  he  became  a  penitent,  now 
 he  was  of  another  mind,  Phil.  iii.  8.  '  1  count  all  things  but 
 lol's  tor  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Chrilt  Jefus.'  Re- 
 pentance caufeth  a  change  of  judgment. 
 
 2.  Repentance  caufeth  a  change  in  the  affections,  which  move 
 under  the  will  as  the  commander  in  chief.     Repentance  doth 
 
 Vol.  I.  No.  12.  3Z 
 
546  OF  REPENTANCE. 
 
 metamorphofe  the  affections.  It  turns  rejoicing  in  fin  into  for- 
 row  for  fin  :  it  turns  boldnefs  in  fin  into  holy  (hame  :  it  turns 
 the  love  of  fin  into  hatred.  '  As  Amnon  hated  Tamar  more 
 than  ever  he  loved  her,'  2  Sam.  xiii.  if>.  So  the  true  penitent 
 hated  fin  more  than  ever  he  loved  it,  Pial.  cxix.  104.  •  I  hate 
 every  falfe  way.' 
 
 3.  Repentance  works  a  change  in  the  life.  Tho'  repentance 
 begins  at  the  heart,  it  doth  not  reft  here,  but  goes  into  the  life. 
 I  lay,  it  begins  at  the  heart,  Jer.  iv.  14.  '  O  Jerufalem,  wafh 
 thy  heart.'  If  the  fpring  be  corrupt,  there  can  no  pure  dream, 
 run  from  it.  But  tho'  repentance  begins  at  the  heart,  it  doth 
 not  reft  there,  but.  changeth  the  life.  What  a  change  did  re- 
 pentance make  in  Paul !  it  changed  a  perfecuter  into  a  preacher. 
 What  a  change  did  it  make  in  the  jailer  ?  A6ls  xvi.  33.  He 
 took  the  apoftles,  and  waflied  their  ft ri pes,  and  let  meat  be- 
 fore them.  What  a  change  did  it  make  in  Mary  Magdalene  ? 
 She  that  before  did  kifs  her  lovers  with  wanton  embraces,  now 
 kiffeth  Chntt's  feet  ;  fhe  that  did  ufe  to  curl  her  hair,  anddrefs 
 it  with  coftly  jewels,  now  the  makes  it  a  towel  to  wipe  Chrift's 
 feet  :  her  eyes  that  ufed  to  fparkle  with  lull,  and  with  impure 
 glances  to  entice  her  lovers,  now  fhe  makes  them  a  fountain  of 
 tears  to  waih  her  Saviour's  feet  :  her  tongue,  that  ufed  to  (peak 
 vainly  and  luoiely,  now  it  is  an  inftrument  fet  in  tune  to  praife 
 God.     And  this  change  of  life  hath  two  things  in  it ; 
 
 (1.)  The  terminus  a  quo,  a  breaking  off  fin,  Dan.  iv.  27- 
 '  Break  off  thy  fins  by  righteoufnefs.'  And  this  breaking  off 
 fin  mutt  have  three  qualifications  ;  1.  It  muft  be  univerfal,  a 
 breaking  off  all  fin.  One  difeafe  may  kill  as  well  as  more,  one 
 fiii  lived  in  may  damn,  as  well, as  more.  The  real  penitent 
 breaks  off  fecret,  gainful  complexion  fins  ;  he  stakes  the  facri- 
 ficing  knife  of  mortification,  and -runs  it  through  the  heart  of 
 his  deareft  lulls.  2.  Breaking  off  fin  muft  be  fincere  :  it  muft 
 not- he  out  of  fear  or  defign,  but  upon  fpiritual  grounds  :  as  \Ji, 
 From  antipathy  and  difguft. 
 
 Qdly,  From  a  principle  of  love  to  God.  If  fin  had  not  fuch 
 evil  effects,  yet  a  true  penitent  would  forfake  it  out  of  love  to 
 God.  The  belt  way  to  feparate  things  that  are  frozen,  is  by 
 fire.  When  fin  and  the  heart  are  frozen  together,  the  beft  way 
 to  feparate  them  is  by  the  fire  of  love.  Shall  I  fin  againft  a 
 gracious  Father,  and  abufe  that  love  which  pardons  me  ?  3dli/9 
 „Th«  breaking  of  fin  mult  be  perpetual,  fo  as  never  to  have  to  do 
 with  fin  any  more,  Hof.  xiv.  S.  '  What  have  I  to  do  any 
 more  with  idols  ?.'  Repentance  is  a  fpiritual  divorce,  which 
 mutt  be  till  death. 
 
 (2.)  Change  of  life  hath  in  it  terminus  ad  quern,  a  returning 
 unto  the  Lord  :  it  is  called  '  repentance  towards  God.'  Acts 
 xx.  21.     'Tis  not  enough  when  we  repent,  to  leave  old  fins: 
 
OF  REPENTANCE.  547 
 
 but  we  mud  BDgige  m  God*i  fen  when  t Tio  wind  leaves 
 
 the  weft  it  turns   into  a  contrary  cornt  r.      The  repeating    | 
 digai  diJ  not  only  leave  his  harlots,  hut  did  a  rile,  and  go    t<»  till 
 lather,  Luk  In  true  repentance  the  heart   points  di- 
 
 rect ly  to  God,  a>  toe  needle  to  the  North- poie. 
 
 .  Let  u>  all  let  upon  this  great  work  of  repentance 
 us  repent  lineerely  and  t'peedily  :  let  u>  repent  ot  all  our  tins, 
 our  pride,  ralli  anger,  unbelief'.  *  Without  repentance  no  re- 
 million  ;'  It  is  not  confident  with  the  holinels  ot  God's  nature, 
 to  pardon  a  (inner  while  he  is  in  the  act  of  rebellion.  O  m<  el 
 God,  not  with  weapons  but  tears  in  your  eyes.  And,  to  tur 
 you  up  by  a  (netting,  penitent  frame. 
 
 1.  Conlider,  what  is  there  in  (in,  that  you  mould  continue  in 
 the  practice  of  it  ?  It  is  the  *  accurfed  thing,'  Jo(h.  vn.  11. 
 It  is  the  Points  of  milchief  diililled.  (I.)  It  defiles  the  foul's 
 glory  ;  it  is  like  a  (tain  to  beauty  :  'tis  compared  to  a  pla- 
 lore,  1  Kings  viii.  38.  Nothing  fq  changeth  one's  glory  into 
 ihame,  as  fin.  (2.)  Without  repentance,  fin  tends  to  final 
 damnation.  Peccatum  tranfit  aCtua  manet  reatu. — Sin  at  firft 
 lhews  its  colour  in  the  glafs,  hut  afterwards  it  bites  like  a  fer- 
 pent,  Thof'e  locults,  Rev.  ix.  7-  were  an  emblem  of  fin  :  ■  On 
 their  heads  were  crowns  like  gold,  and  they  had  hair  as  the  hair 
 of  women,  and  their  teeth  were  as  the  teeth  of  lions,  and  there 
 were  itings  in  their  tails.'  Sin  unrepented  of,  ends  in  a  tragedv. 
 Sin  hath  the  devil  for  its  father,  (name  for  its  companion,  and 
 death  for  its  wages,  Rom.  vi.  23.  What  is  there  in  fin  then, 
 that  meu  fhould  continue  in  it  ?  Say  not,  it  is  fweet :  who 
 would  defire  that  pleafure  which  kills  ? 
 
 &  Repentance  is  very  pleafing  to  God ;  no  facrifice  like  a  broken 
 heart,  Pf.  li.  17.  '  A  contrite  and  a  broken  heart,  O  God,  thou 
 wilt  not  defprle.'  St.  Auftin  caufeth  this  fentence  to  be  writ- 
 ten over  his  bed  when  he  was  fick.  *  When  the  widow  brought 
 empty  vellels  to  Elifha,  the  oil  was  poured  into  them,'  lj  K 
 iv.  6\  '  Bring  God  the  broken  veliel  of  a  contrite  heart,  and 
 he  will  power  in  the  oil  of  mercy.  Repenting  tears  are  the  joy 
 of  God  and  angels,  Luke  xv.  Doves  delight  to  be  about  the 
 waters;  and  furely  God's  Spirit  (who  once  defcended  in  the 
 likenefs  of  a  dove)  takes  great  delight  in  the  waters  of  repent- 
 ance. Mary  ttood  at  Jefus'  feet  weeping,  Luke  vii.  38.  She 
 brought  two  things  to  Chriil,  tears  and  ointment  ;  her  tears 
 were  more  precious  to  Chrift  than  her  ointment. 
 
 3.  Repentance  ulhers  in  pardon  ;  therefore  they  are  joined 
 together,  Acts  v.  31.  '  Repentance  and  remillion.'  Pardon 
 of  fin  is  the  richeft  blelling  ;  it  is  enough  to  make  a  fick  man 
 well,  lfa.  xxxhi.  <J4.  *  The  inhabitant  lhall  not  lay,  lam  fick; 
 the  people  that  dwell  therein  fhall  be  forgiven  their  iniquity.' 
 Pardon  fettles  upon  us  the  rich  charter  of  the  promiles.     Par- 
 
 3Zt 
 
548  OF  REPENTANCE. 
 
 doning  mercy  Ts  thefauce  that  makes  all  other  mercies  relifh  the 
 ftveeter  ;  it  fweetens  our  health,  nbhes,  honour.  David  had  a 
 crown  oi  pure  gold  fet  upon  his  head,  Pf.  xxi.  3.  But  that 
 which  David  did  molt  bleft  God  for,  was  not  that  God  had  fet 
 a  crown  of  gold  upon  his  head,  but  that  God  let  a,  crown  of 
 mercy  upon  his  head,  Pf.  ciii.  4.  '  Who  crowneth  thee  with 
 mercies.'  But  what  was  this  crown  of  mercy  ?  you  may  fee, 
 ver.  3.  '  Who  forgiveth  all  thine  iniquities/  David  more  re- 
 joiced that  he  was  crowned  with  forgivenefs,  than  that  he  wore 
 a  crown  of  pure  gold.  Now,  what  is  it  makes  way  for  pardon 
 of  (in,  but  repentance?  When  David's  foul  was  humbled  and 
 broken,  then  the  prophet  Nathan  brought  him  that  good  news, 
 2  Sam.  xii.  13.     *  The  Lord  hath  put  away  thy  fin.' 
 
 Ohj.  But  Jure,  my  Jins  are  fo  great,  that  tf  I  Jhould  repent, 
 God  would  not  pardon  them. 
 
 Anf.  God  will  not  go  from  his  promife,  Jer.  iii.  12.  '  Re- 
 turn thou  backfliding  Iliael,  faith  the  Lord,  and  I  will  no*  caufe 
 mine  anger  to  fall  upon  you,  for  I  am  merciful.'  If  thy  fins 
 are  as  rocks,  yet,  upon  thy  repentance,  the  fra  of  God's  mercy 
 can  drown  thele  rocks,  Ifa.  i.  It).  *  Warn  ye, "make  ye  clean.' 
 Wafh  in  the  laver  of  repentance,  ver.  18.  *  Come  now,  and 
 let  us  reafbn,  faith  the  Lord  ;  though  yoiir  fins  be  as  fcarlet, 
 they  (hall  be  as  white  as  fnow.'  Manalfah  was  a  crimfma  (in- 
 ner;  but,  when  he  humbled  himfelf  greatly,  the  golderj/fceptre 
 of  mercy  was  held  forth  ;  when  his  head  was  a  fountain  to  weep 
 for  fin,  ChrilVs  fides  was  a  fountain  to  wa(h  away  fin.  'Tis 
 not  the  greatnefs  of  fin,  butimpenitency,  deftroys.  The  Jews, 
 fome  of  them,  that  had  an  hand  in  crucifying  Chrift,  upon  their 
 repentance,  the  blood  they  fhed  was  a  fovereign  balm  to  heal 
 them.  When  the  prodigal  came  home  to  his  father,  he  had 
 the  robe  and  the  wring  put  upon  him,  and  his  '  father  kified 
 him,'  Luke  xv.  If  you  break  off  your  fins,  God  will  become 
 a  friend  to  you  :  all  that  is  in  God  fhall  be  yours  ;  his  power 
 /hall  be  yours,  to  help  you  ;  his  wifdom  (hall  be  yours,  to  coun- 
 fel  you  ;  his  fpirit  fhall  be  yours,  to  fanclify  you  ;  his  promiies 
 fhall  be  yours,  to  comfort  you  ;  his  angels  (hall  be  yours,  to 
 guard  you  ;  his  mercy  fhall  be  yours  to  lave  you. 
 
 4.  There's  much  fweetnefs  in  repenting  tears.  The  foul  is 
 never  more  enlarged  and  inwardly  delighted,  them  when  it 
 can  melt  kindly  for  fin.  Weeping  days  are  feftival  days.  The 
 Hebrew  word  to  repent,  Nicham,  fignifies  confolar't,  *  to  take 
 comfort,'  John  xvi.  21.  ■  Your  forrow  (hall  be  turned  into 
 joy.'  Chrift  turns  the  water  of  tears  into  w'ine.  David,  who 
 was  the  great  mourner  in  lfrael,  was  the  fweet  finger  ;  and  the 
 joy  a  true  penitent  finds,  is  a  prelibation  and  foretafte  of  the 
 joy  of  paradife.  The  wicked  man's  joy  turns  to  fadnefs;  the 
 penitent's  fadnefs  turns  to  joy.     Though  repentance  feems  at 
 
THE  WORD  READ  AND  PREACHED,  &C.         549 
 
 firft  to  be  thorny  and  hitter,  yet  of  thi«  thorn  u  Chrifhan  eathers 
 grapes.     AJI  which  conGderations  may  open  a  vein  of  godly 
 
 lorrow  in  our  (bills,  thai  Wt  may  both  weep  tor  (in,  and  turn 
 from  tin,  it' ever  God  leftorea  comfort,  it  is  to  his  mourners,  lla. 
 Jvii.  18.  And  when  we  have  wept,  let  us  look  up  to  Chrilt's 
 blood  for  pardon  l  lav,  U  that  holy  man,  lava  Dom'nie  /acrhi/- 
 vias  meas. — M  Lord,  wa(h  my  tears  in  thy  blood."  We  drop 
 fin  with  our  tears,  and  need  Chrilt's  blood  to  walh  them  !  and 
 thifl  repent  nice  mult  not  be  only  for  a  tew  days,  like  the  mourn- 
 ing tor  a  friend,  which  is  f'oon  over;  but  it  mult  be  the  work 
 of  our  lives:  the  iil'ue  of  godly  lbrrow  mult  not  be  ftopt  till 
 death.  Atrer  fm  is  pardoned,  we  mult  repent.  We  run  afrefh 
 upon  the  (CO!*,  "  we  (in  daily,  tliereiore  mult  repent  daily." 
 Some  (hed  a  few  tears  for  (in  ;  and,  when  their  tears,  like  the 
 widow's  oil,  have  run  a  while  they  ceale.  Many,  if  the  plaif- 
 ter  of  repentance  begin  to  (mart  a  little,  pluck  jt  on" ;  whereas 
 this  plailter  of  repentance  mult  (till  lie  on,  and  not  be  plucked 
 oil' till  death,  when  as  all  other  tears,  lb  theie  of  godly  lbrrow, 
 11) a II  be  wiped  away. 
 
 Qu.    What  {hall  ice  do  to  obtain  a  penitential  frame  of  heart  ? 
 
 Anf,  Seek  to  God  for  it  :  It  is  his  promile  to  give  an  *  heart 
 of  ilelh,'  Ezek.  xxxvi.  and  to  '  pour  on  us  a  fpirit  of  mourn- 
 ing,'  Zech.  xii.  10.  Beg  God's  ■  holy  Spirit,'  Pi',  cxlvii.  18. 
 ■  He  caul'eth  his  wind  to  blow,  and  the  waters  flow.'  When 
 the  wind  of  God's  Spirit  blows  upon  us,  then  the  waters  of  re- 
 pentant tears  will  flow  from  us. 
 
 THE   WORD   READ    AND   PREACHED,   HOW 
 EFFECTUAL  ? 
 
 HE  The  third  way  to  efcape  the  wrath  and  curfe  of 
 God  and  obtain  the  benefit  of  redemption  by  Chrilt,  is,  *  The 
 diligent  ul'e  of  ordinances  :'  in  particular  the  •'  word,  facra- 
 nients  and  prayer." 
 
 1.  I  begin  with  the  firft  of  thefe  ordinances, 
 
 I.  The  '  word,'  1  Theif.  li.  13.—*  which  effectually  worketh 
 in  you  that  believe.' 
 
 Qu.    What  is  meant  by  the  words  working  effectual  ? 
 
 Anf.  The  word  of  God  is  (aid  to  work  effectually,  when  it 
 hath  good  effect  upon  us  for  which  it  was  appointed  of  God  ; 
 namely,  when  the  word  works  powerful  illumination,  and 
 thorough  reformation,  A6ts  xxvi.  18.  t  To  open  their  eyes,  and 
 turn  them  from  the  power  of  Satan  to  God.'  The  '  opening 
 their  eyes,'  denotes  illumination  ;  and,  ■  turning  them  from 
 Satan  to  God,'  denotes  reformation. 
 
550  THE  WORD  REAP  AND  PREACHED, 
 
 Qu.  Q.  How  is  the  word  to  be  read  and  heard  that  it  may  be- 
 come effectual  to j'alvatwn  9 
 
 This  queftion  conlilts  of  two  branches. 
 
 1.  Hoiv  may  the  word  be  read  effectually  ? 
 
 Firji,  1  (hall  begin  with  the  firft  branch  of  the  queftion, 
 '  How  is  the  word  to  be  read  that  it  may  be  effectual  to  lalva- 
 tion  ?' 
 
 Anf.  That  we  may  fo  read  the  word,  that  it  may  conduce 
 effectually  to  our  falvation  : 
 
 1.  Let  us  have  a  reverend  efteem  of  every  part  of  canonical 
 fcripture,  Pf.  cxix.  10.  '  More  are  they  to  be  defired  than 
 gold.'  Value  this  book  of  God  above  all  other  books;  it  is  a 
 golden  epiftle,  endited  by  the  Holy  Gholt,  lent  us  from  hea- 
 ven. More  particularly,  to  raile  our  eiteem,  (1.)  The  fcripture 
 is  a  fpiritual  glafs,  to  drefs  our  fouls  by  ;  it  (hews  us  more  than 
 we  can  fee  by  the  light  of  a  natural  conference  :  that  may  dii- 
 cover  grofs  fins  ;  but  the  glafs  of  the  word  (hews  us  heart- fins, 
 vain  thoughts  unbelief,  &c.  And  it  not  only  (hews  us  our  (pots, 
 but  wafheth  them  away.  (c2.)  The  fcripture  is  a  magazine, 
 out  of  which  we  may  fetch  our  fpiritual  artillery  to  right  againit 
 Satan.  When  the  devil  tempted  our  Saviour,  he  fetched 
 armour  and  weapons  from  fcripture,  ■  it  is  written,'  Matth.  iv. 
 4,  7.  (3. )  The  holy  fcripture  is  a  panacea,  or  univerfal  medi- 
 cine for  the  foul ;  it  gives  a  receipt  to  cure  deadnefs  of  heart, 
 Pfal.  cxix.  50.  Pride,  1  Pet.  v.  5.  Infidelity,  John  iii.  36. 
 It  is  a  phyfic  garden,  where  we  may  gather  an  herb  or  antidote 
 to  expel  the  poifon  of  fin.  The  leaves  of  fcripture  like  the 
 leaves  of  the  tree  of  life,  are  for  the  *  healing  of  the  nations,' 
 Rev.  xxii.  2.  And  may  not  this  caufe  a  reverend  efteem  of  the 
 word  ? 
 
 2.  If  we  would  have  the  word  written  effectual  to  our  fouls, 
 let  us  perufe  it  with  "  intenfenefs  of  mind,"  John  v.  3y. 
 *  Search  the  (captures.*  The  Greek  word  [erynate~\  iignifiesto 
 fearch  as  for  a  *'  vein  of  fllver.',  The  Bereans,  Acts  xvii. 
 '  fearched  the  fcriptures  daily.'  The  word  [_anakrimontes~\ 
 "  fignifiesto  make  a  curious  and  critical  fearch."  And  A  polios 
 was  mighty  in  the  fcriptures,  Acts  xviii.  c2\.  Somegallop  over 
 a  chapter  in  hade  and  get  no  good  by  it  :  if  we  would  have  the 
 word  effectual  and  laving,  we  mult  mind  and  obferve  every 
 paflage  of  fcripture.  And  that  we  may  be  diligent  in  the  pe- 
 rufal  of  fcripture,  confider, 
 
 Firji,  The  word  written  is  norma  cultus,  the  rule  and  plat- 
 form by  which  we  are  to  fquare  our  lives  ;  it  contains  in  it  all 
 things  needful  to  falvation,  Pf.  xix.  7.  what  duties  we  are  to 
 do,  what  fins  we  are  to  avoid.  God  gave  Mofes  a  pattern  how 
 he  would  have  the  tabernacle  made,  and  he  was  to  go  exactly 
 according  to  the  pattern,  Exod.  xxv.  9.     The  word  is  the  pat- 
 
ho\n    i;ffi  CTLAF,.  551 
 
 tern   God  hath  given  u^  in  writing,   for  modelling  our  livi 
 therefore,  how  careful  (houkj  we  be  in  the  perufing  and  looking 
 
 over  this  pattern  ? 
 
 Sect/idly,  The  written  word,  a^  it  is  our  pattern,  fb  it  will 
 be  our  judge,  John  xii.    IS.     '  The  wof4  that  I  1:..  •  n, 
 
 the  fame  (hall  judge  him  at  the  laft  day.'     We  read  e4  the 
 
 •  the  hook-,'  K'-v.  \x.  U.  I  In-  i-  ofl<  l^ok  God 
 will  opt  11,  the  hook  of  the  leripture  and  will  judge  im  n  out  of 
 it;  he  will  fay,  bare  you  lived  according  to  the  rule  of  this 
 word  ?   The  word  hath  a  double  work,  to  teach,  and  tojud 
 
 o.  It' we  would  have  the  word  written  effectual,  we  mull  bring 
 faith  to  the  reading  of  it :  believe  it  to  be  the  word  of  the  eter- 
 nal Jehovah.  The  word  written  comes  with  authority,  it  fhews 
 its  commiflion  from  heaven,  4  Thus  faith  the  Lord.' — It  is  of 
 divine  infpiratiou,  CJ  Tin.,  ui.  l(>.     Tb  of  leripture  inuft 
 
 he  luivr  to  us  than  a  voice  from  heaven,  t  Pet.  1.  18.  Unbelief 
 enervates  the  virtue  of  fenpture,  and  renders  it  ineffectual. 
 Tirft,  men  queltion  the  truth  of  the  leripture  and  then  fall  away 
 from  it. 
 
 4.  If  we  would  have  the  word  written  effectual  to  filvation, 
 we  mult  delight  in  it  as  our  fpiritual  cordial,  Jer.  xv.  16.  '  Thy 
 words  were  found,  and  I  did  eat  them,  and  they  were  the  joy 
 and  rejoicing  of  my  heart.'  All  true  folid  comfort  is  fetched 
 out  of  the  word.  The'word  (as  Chrylbftom  laith)  is  a  fpiritual 
 garden  :  and  the  proraifes  are  the  fragrant  flowers  or  fpices  in 
 this  garden.  How  fhould  we  delight  to  walk  upon  theie  beds 
 of  fpices  ?  is  it  not  a  comfort  in  all  dubious  perplexed  cafes,  to 
 have  a  counfellor  to  advile  us?  Pf.  cxix.iU.  *  Thy  tefti  monies 
 are  my  counfellors.'  Is  it  not  a  comfort  to  find  our  evidences 
 for  heaven  ?  and  where  mould  we  tind  them  but  in  the  word  ? 
 1  Their,  i.  4,  5.  The  word  writteu  is  a  fovereign  elixir  or  com- 
 fort in  an  hour  of  difuefs,  Pf.  cxix.  50.  *  This  is  my  comfort  in 
 my  affliction,  for  thy  word  hath  quickened  me.'  It  can  turn 
 all  our  '  water  into  wine.'  How  ihouid  we  take  a  great  com- 
 placency and  delight  in  the  word  !  They  only  who  come  to  the 
 word  with  delight,  go  from  it  with  fuccefs. 
 
 5.  If  we  vvQ/ild  have  the  leripture  etfectuarand  faving,  we 
 mud  be  fure,  when  we  have  read  the  word,  to  hide  it  in  our 
 hearts,  Pf.  cxix.  11.  *  Thy  word  have  I  hid  in  my  heart.'  The 
 word,  locked  up  in  the  heart,  is  a  prelervat ii  ,t  fin.  Why 
 did  David  hide  the  word  in  his  heart  ?  In  the  next  words, 
 '  That  I  might  not  fin  againll  thee.'  A?  one  would  curry  an 
 antidote  about  him  when  he  comes  near  a  place  ii  Co 
 David  carried  the  word  in  his  heart,  as  a  filtered  antidote  to  pre- 
 ferte  him  from  the  infection  of  (in.  When  the  tap  is  hid  in  the 
 root,  it  makes  the  branches  fruitful,  when  the  iced  i;  hid  in  the 
 
552  THE  WORD  READ  AND  PREACHED, 
 
 ground,  then  the  corn  fprings  up,  fo,  when  the  word  is  hid  in 
 the  heart  then  it  brings  forth  good  fruit. 
 
 6.  If  we  would  have  the  word  written  effectual,  let  us  labour 
 not  only  to  have  the  light  of  the  word  in  our  heads,  but  the 
 power  of  the  word  in  our  hearts.  Let  us  endeavour  to  have 
 the  word  copied  out,  and  written  a  fecond  time  in  our  hearts, 
 Pf.  xxxvii.  32.  '  The  law  of  God  is  in  his  heart.*  The  word 
 i'aith,  '  Be  cloathed  with  humility,'  I  Pet.  v.  5.  Let  us  be  low 
 and  humble  in  our  own  eyes.  The  word  calls  for  fan6tity  ; 
 '  Let  us  labour  to  partake  of  the  divine  nature,  and  to  have 
 fomething  conceived  in  us  which  is  of  the  holy  Ghoft,'  2  Pet. 
 i.  4.  When  the  word  is  thus  copied  out  in  our  hearts,  and  we 
 are  changed  iuto  the  fimilitude  of  it,  now  the  word  written  is 
 made  effectual  to  us,  and  becomes  a  favour  of  life* 
 
 7.  <?r  ult.  When  we  read  the  holy  fcriptures  let  us  look  up 
 to  God  for  a  blefiing  :  beg  the  fpirit  of  wifdom  and  revelation, 
 that  we  may  fee  the  '  deep  things  of  God,"'  Eph.  i.  17.  Pray 
 to  God  that  the  fame  Spirit  that  wrote  the  fcripture  would 
 enable  us  to  underftand  it  :  Pray  that  God  will  give  us  that 
 ■  favour  of  knowledge,'  2  Cor.  ii.  14.  that  we  may  relifh  a 
 fweetnefs  in  the  word  we  read.  David  tailed  it  *  tweeter  than 
 the  honey-comb,'  Pf.  xix.  10.  Let  us  pray  that  God  will  not 
 only  give  us  his  word  as  a  rule  of  holinefs,  but  his  grace  as  a 
 principle  of  holinefs. 
 
 c2d  Branch  of  the  2<7.  Queftion.  How  may  we  fo  hear  the 
 word,  that  it  may  be  effectual  andfauing  to  our  fouls  9 
 
 Anf  1.  Give  great  attention  to  the  word  preached  ;  let  no- 
 thing pafs  without  taking  fpecial  notice  of  it,  Luke  xix.  48. 
 •  All  the  people  were  very  attentive  to  hear  him,  they  hanged 
 upon  his  lip.  A6ts  xvi.  14.  ■  Lydia  a  feller  of  purple,  which 
 worshipped  God,  heard  us,  whole  heart  the  Lord  opened,  that 
 fhe  attended  to  the  things  which  were  fpoken  of  Paul.'  Give 
 attention  to  the  word,  as  to  a  matter  of  life  and  death  :  and,  to 
 that  purpofe  have  a  care,  (1.)  To  banifh  vain  impertinent 
 thoughts,  which  will  diitra6t  you,  and  take  you  oif  from  the 
 work  in  hand.  Thefe  fowls  will  be  coming  to  the  facrifice, 
 Gen.  xv.  11.  therefore  we  muft  drive  them  away.  An  archer 
 may  take  a  right  aim  :  but  if  one  ftand  at  his  elbow,  and  jog 
 him  when  he  is  going  to  (hoot,  he  will  not  hit  the  mark  :  Chrlf- 
 tians  may  have  good  aims  in  hearing  ;  but  take  heed  of  imper- 
 tinent thoughts  which  will  jog  and  hinder  you  in  God's  fervice. 
 (2.)  Banifh  dullnefs.  The  devil  gives  many  hearers  a  flee py 
 fop,  they  cannot  keep  their  eyes  open  at  a  fermon  :  they  eat  16 
 much  on  a  Lord's  day,  that  they  are  fitter  for  the  pillow  and 
 couch,  than  the  temple.  Frequent  and  cuftomary  lleeping  at  a 
 termon,  fnews  high  contempt  and  irreverence  of  the  ordinance: 
 it  gives  a  bad  example  to  others  ;  it  makes  your  (incerity  to  be 
 
 \ 
 
HOW  EFFECIl   AT..  553 
 
 called  in  queftion ;  it  is  the  devil's  feed-time,  Matth.  xiii. 
 '  While  men  ftept,  the  enemy  oime  aud  lowed  tare.-.'  Oh  ihake 
 off  drowlinel^,  as  Paul  ("hook  oil  the  viper!  Be  Geriout  aud  at- 
 tentive in  bearing  the  word,  Deut.  xxxii.  47.  '  lor  it  ia  not 
 a  vain  tiling  for  you,  it  is  your  life.'  When  people  do  not 
 mind  what  God  (peaks  to  them  in  his  word,  God  doth  as  little 
 mind  what  they  lay  to  him  in  prayer. 
 
 &  If  you  would  have  the  word  preached  effectual,  come  witli 
 an  holy  appetite  to  the  word,  I  Pet.  ii.  9.  The  thirfting  foul  is 
 the  thriving  foul.  In  nature,  one  may  have  an  appetite  and  no 
 digeftion  ;  but  it  is  not  fo  in  religion  :  where  there  is  a  great 
 appetite  to  the  word,  there  is  for  the  molt  part  digeftion,  the 
 word  cloth  concoct  and  nourilh.  Come  with  hungerings  of  foul 
 after  the  word  :  and  therefore  defire  the  word,  that  it  may  not 
 only  pleafe  you,  but  profit  you.  Look  not  more  at  the  garnilh- 
 ing  of  the  di(h  than  the  meat,  at  eloquence  and  rhetoric  more 
 than  folid  matter.  It  argues- both  a  wanton  palate,  and  fur- 
 feited  ftomach,  to  feed  on  iallads  and  kicklhaws,  rather  than 
 wholefome  food. 
 
 3.  if  you  would  have  the  preaching  of  the  word  effectual, 
 come  to  it  with  a  tendernefs  upon  your  heart,  £  Chron.  xxxiv. 
 <).  '  Becaule  thy  heart  was  tender.'  If  we  preach  to  bard 
 hearts,  it  is  like  (hooting  againlt  a  brazen  wall,  the  word  doth 
 not  enter :  it  is  like  letting  a  gold  feal  upon  marble,  which  takes 
 no  impreUion.  Oh  come  to  the  word  preached  with  a  melting 
 frame  of  heart!  it  is  the  meltmg  wax  receives  the  (tamp  of  the 
 feal  :  when  the  heart  is  in  a  melting  frame,  it  will  better  receive 
 the  (lamp  of  the  word  preached  :  when  Paul's  heart  was  melted 
 and  broken  for  (in,  then  ■  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to 
 do  ?'  Acts  ix.  6.  Come  not  hither  with  hard  hearts  :  who  can 
 expect  a  crop  when  the  feed  is  fown  upon  Rouy  ground  ? 
 
 4.  If  you  would  have  the  word  effectual,  receive  it  with 
 meeknefs,  James  i.  21.  *  Receive  with  meekuefs  the  ingrafted 
 word.'  Meeknefs  is  a  fubmillive  frame  of  heart  to  the  word,  a 
 willingnefs  to  hear  thecounfels  and  reproofs  of  the  word.  Con- 
 trary to  this  meeknefs,  is,  (I.)  Fiercenefs  of  fpirit,  whereby 
 men  are  ready  to  rife  up  in  rage  againlt  the  word.  Proud  men, 
 and  guilty,  cannot  endure  to  hear  of  their  faults.  Proud  Herod 
 put  John  in  prifon,  Mark  xii.  IS.  The  guilty  Jews  being  told 
 of  their  crucifying  Chrilt,  (toned  Stephen,  Acts  ix.  ot>.  To  tell 
 men  of  tin,  b  to  hold  a  glafs  to  one  that  is  deformed,  who  can- 
 not endure  to  fee  his  own  face.  (2.)  Contrary  to  meeknefs  is 
 ftubbornnels  of  heart,  whereby  men  are  refolved  to  hold  fait 
 their  fins,  let  the  word  fay  what  it  will,  Jer.  xliv.  1(5.  '  We 
 will  burn  incenfe  to  the  queen  of  heaven.'  Oh  take  heed  of 
 this!  if  you  would  have  the  word  preached  work  effectually, 
 Jay  afide  fiercenefs  and  ftubbornuefs,  receive  the  word  with 
 
 Vol.  I,  No.  12.  4  A. 
 
554  THE  WORD  READ  AND  PREACHED, 
 
 meeknefs.  By  meeknefs  the  word  preached  comes  to  be  in- 
 grafted. As  a  good  fcion  that  is  grafted  in  a  bad  ftock,  doth 
 change  the  nature  of  the  fruit,  and  make  it  tafte  fweet  ;  fo  when 
 the  word  comes  to  be  ingrafted  into  the  foul,  it  fanctifies  it, 
 and  makes  it  bring  forth  the  fweet  fruit  of  righteoufnefs. 
 
 5.  Mingle  the  word  preached  with  faith,  Heb.  iv.  2.  '  The 
 word  preached  profited  not,  not  being  mixed  with  faith.'  If 
 you  leave  out  the  chief  ingredient  in  a  medicine,  it  hinders  the 
 operation  ;  do  not  leave  out  this  ingredient  of  faith.  Believe 
 the  word,  and  fo  believe  it  as  to  apply  it.  When  you  hear 
 Chrift  preached,  apply  him  to  yourfelves  ;  this  is  to  put  on  the 
 Lord  Jefus,  Rom.  xiii.  14.  when  you  hear  a  promife  fpoken  of, 
 apply  it ;  this  is  to  fuck  the  flower  of  the  promife,  and  turn  it 
 to  honey. 
 
 6.  Be  not  only  attentive  in  hearing,  but  retentive  after  hear- 
 ing, Heb.  ii.  1.  '  We  ought  to  give  the  more  diligent  heed  to 
 the  things  we  have  heard,  left  at  any  time  we  let  them  flip.' 
 Left  we  mould  let  tfoem  run  out,  as  water  out  of  a  fieve  :  if  the 
 ground  doth  not  retain  the  feed  fown  into  it,  there  can  be  no 
 good  crop.  Some  have  memories  like  leaking  veffels,  the  fer- 
 mons  they  hear,  are  prefently  gone,  and  then  there  is  no  good 
 done.  If  meat  doth  not  ftay  and  concoct  on  the  ftomach,  it 
 will  not  nourifli.  Satan  labours  to  fteal  the  word  out  of  our 
 mind,  Mark  iv.  15.  '  When  they  have  heard,  Satan  cometh 
 immediately,  and  taketh  away  the  word  that  was  fown.'  Our 
 memories  (hould  be  like  the  cheft  of  the  ark  wherein  the  law 
 was  put. 
 
 7.  Reduce  your  hearing  to  practice  ;  live  on  the  fermons  you 
 hear,  Pfal.  cxix.  166.  '  I  have  done  thy  commandments.* 
 Rachel  was  not  content  that  (he  was  beautiful,  but  her  defire 
 was  to  be  fruitful.  What  is  a  knowing  head  without  a  fruitful 
 heart!  Phil.  i.  11.  '  Filled  with  the  fruits  of  righteoufnefs.'  It 
 is  obedience  crowns  hearing :  that  hearing  will  never  fave  the 
 foul,  which  doth  not  reform  the  life. 
 
 8.  Beg  of  God  that  he  will  accompany  his  word  with  his  pre- 
 fence  and  blefling.  The  Spirit  muft  make  all  effectual:  minif- 
 ters  may  prefcribe  phyfic,  but  it  is  God's  Spirit  muft  make  it 
 work.  "  He  hath  his  pulpit  in  heaven  that  converts  fouls," 
 Auftin.  Acts  x.  44.  *  While  Peter  was  fpeaking,  the  Holy 
 Ghoft  fell  on  all  them  that  heard.  If  is  faid,  the  alchymift  can 
 draw  oil  out  of  iron.  Cod's  fpirit  can  produce  grace  in  the 
 molt  obdurate  heart. 
 
 9.  If  you  would  have  the  word  work  effectually  to  your  falva- 
 tion,  make  it  familiar  to  you,  difcourfe  of  the  word  you  have 
 heard  when  you  come  home,  Pf.  cxix.  172.  '  My  tongue  (hall 
 fpeak  of  thy  word.'  That  may  be  one  reafon  why  fome  people 
 get  no  more  good  by  what  they  hear,  becaufe  they  never  fpeak 
 
 ' 
 
HOW  EFFECTUAL.  55* 
 
 one  to  another  of  what  they  have  heard  :  as  if  fermons  were 
 iuch  fecrets,  that  they  mull  not  be  i'poken  of  again  ;  or  as  if  it 
 were  a  fhame  to  fpeak  of  matters  of  lalvation,  Mai.  iii.  16, 
 •  They  that  feared  the  Lord  (pake  often  one  to  another  and  a 
 book  of  remembrance  was  written.' 
 
 U/e.  Caution.  Take  heed,  as  you  love  your  fouls,  that  the 
 word  become  not  ineffectual  to  you.  There  are  fonie  to  whom 
 the  word  preached  is  ineffectual.  (I.)  Such  as  cenfure  the 
 word;  in  (lead  of  judging  themfelves  judge  the  word.  (L2.) 
 Such  as  live  in  contradiction  to  the  word,  Ifa.  xxx.  8.  (3.) 
 Such  as  are  more  hardened  by  the  word,  Zech.  vii.  11.  ■  They 
 made  their  hearts  as  an  adamant.'  And  when  men  harden 
 their  hearts  wilfully,  God  hardens  them  judicially,  Ifa.  vii.  8. 
 1  Make  their  ears  heavy.'  The  word  to  thefe  is  ineffectual : 
 were  it  not  fad,  ifa  man's  meat  mould  not  nourifh  ;  nay,  if  it 
 mould  turn  to  poifon  ?  Oh !  take  heed  that  the  word  preached 
 be  not  ineffectual  and  to  no  purpofe.     Confider  three  things. 
 
 (1.)  If  the  word  preached  doth  tis  no  good  there  is  no  other 
 way  by  which  we  can  be  faved.  This  is  God's  inilitution,  and 
 the  main  engine  he  ufeth  to  convert  fouls,  Luke  xvi.  31.  'If 
 they  hear  not  Mofes  and  the  prophets,  neither  will  they  be  per- 
 iuaded  tho'  one  rofe  from  the  dead.'  If  an  angel  mould  come 
 to  you  out  of  heaven,  and  preach  of  the  excellency  of  the  glori- 
 fied eilate,  and  the  joys  of  heaven,  and  that  in  the  mod  patheti- 
 cal  manner  ;  if  the  word  preached  doth  not  perfuade,  neither 
 would  you  be  wrought  upon  by  fuch  an  oration  from  heaven. 
 If  a  damned  fpirit  fhould  come  from  hell,  and  preach  to  you  in 
 flames,  and  tell  you  what  a  place  hell  is,  and  roar  out  the  tor- 
 ments of  thedamned,  it  might  make  you  tremble,  but  it  would 
 not  convert,  if  the  preaching  of  the  word  would  not  do  it. 
 
 (2.)  To  come  to  the  word,  and  not  be  favingly  wrought  upon, 
 is  that  which  the  devil  is  pleated  with;  he  cares  not  though 
 you  hear  frequently,  if  it  be  not  effectually  :  he  is  not  an  enemy 
 to  hearing,  but  profiting.  Though  the  minifter  holds  out  the 
 breads  of  the  ordinances  to  you,  he  cares  not  as  long  as  you  do 
 not  fuck  the  fincere  milk  of  the  word.  The  devil  cares  not  how 
 many  fermon-pills  you  take,  fo  long  as  they  do  not  work  upon 
 your  confcience. 
 
 (3.)  If  the  word  preached  be  not  effectual  to  men's  conver- 
 sion, it  will  be  effectual  to  their  condemnation  :  the  word  will 
 be  effectual  one  way  or  other  ;  if  it  doth  not  make  your  hearts 
 better,  it  will  make  your  chains  heavier.  We  pity  them  who 
 have  not  the  word  preachedf  but  it  will  be  worfe  with  them  who 
 are  not  fanctified  by  it :  dreadful  is  their  cafe,  who  go  loaden 
 to  hell  with  fermons.  But  I  will  conclude  with  the  apoltle, 
 Heb.  vi.  9.  *  I  am  perfuaded  better  things  of  you,  and  things 
 that  accompany  falvation.' 
 
 END  OF  THE  FIRST  YOLUME. 
 
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