(OS . < th r-''- A.- ^-.y TWENTY FOUR SERMONS, « N VARIOUS USEFUL SUBJECTS. BY THE REVEREND NEHEMIAH WILLIAMS, a.m. a.a.s; LATE PASTOR of the CHURCH xn BRIMFlELDi PRINTED AT WORCESTER, By LEONARD WORCESTER, 1797' ^33uMniBStip^lx»':SSiff^~ ^?wpsrr5:. CONTENTS, ' for God will judge the fecrets of men. This is true, not only of thofe who enjoy the light of the gofpel, but of thofe who livein hea- then lands; it is true of all mankind, of every ra- tional and moral agent. He who is a man, he who belongs to the human race, is an accountable be- ing. And he who is thankful for his exiftence, thankful that he is made a man, mull, for the fame reafon, be thankful, that he is made a moral agent, and accountable to God forhis condu6t. If it be a favor, which demands our gratitude, thatwe are made men, that v;e are made rational creatures, then it equally demands our gratitude, that we are made accountable creatures ; for thefe can never be fep- arated. The very idea of man fuppofes a rational and accountable creature. And if men, though rational beings, do a6l irrationally, or contrary to Teafon, are they, on this account, free from all ob- ligation to gratitude, for the reafon which God has given them ? And if moral and accounta- ble agents do tranfgrefs the firft law of creation, and expofe themfelves to the difpleafure of their Creator, are they, therefore, under no obligation to blefs God, that he has made them men ? In this view of human nature, in this view of yourfelves, may I not afk, Are you thankful^that you are made men ? Can you fay with the Pfalmift, " I will praife thee ; for I am fearfully and VonderfuUy raade ?'* It %Q $ E R M O N I, It is probable that this quedion, before we pro- ceed any further in the fubje6l, may be fofficient to try many hearts. How many of mankind are there, who would gladly feparate what God has joined together ! They would gladly have the fa- vor of reafon, and be able to a61: as they pleafe, and yet be under no moral obligation, nor liable to any accountablenefs to God. They wifh to live like men, that is, as men do live, enjoying all the advantages of men in this life, and yet to die like brutes, or rather to be as unaccountable for their condu61 as they are. But this can never be. To be a brute, is to be deftitute of reafon, inca- pable of moral obligation, and free from account- ablenefs; but to be a man, is to be a rational crea- ture, under moral obligation, and therefore ac- countable for his conduft. And, now, which flate do you choofe ? Would you be a man ? or would you be a beaft ? Are you truly glad, that you are made a man, and thankful to Him, who made you fuch ? Let your life andcondu6l anfvver the que f- tion. I may here add, 3. That he, who is thankful for his exigence, \v'ill be thankful, that he is a dependent crea- ture. It is true, indeed, man is not, in this refpe6t, diftin- guifhedfrom any or every other creature, which God has made. This is common to angels, to men, and to beafts. God is the only independent Being in the univerfe. To be creaturesj is neceflarily to be V^hol ly S E R M ON I. ij wholly dependent on God for our exiftence— .for our continuance in exiftence — for the continu- ance of the free exercife of reafon, and all the powers and capacities, which depend upon reafon. In every refpeft, therefore, we are de- pendent on God : In him we live and move and have our being ; and all our fufRciency, for any- thing, is of God. , Man is no lefs dependent now for his exiftence, and for fuch an exiftence as he has, than he was ante- cedently to his beginning to exift. And during time and eternity, we fhall be entirely dependent, on God, for our exiftence and happinefs. By being made rational creatures, we are made capable of knowingourdependence,(which the brutes are not,) and ought to be willingly and thankfully dependent, rejoicing that we are capable of knowing that God, in whofe hand our breath is, and whofe are all our ways. I know that there is, in fallen man, that pride and haughtinefs of heart, which leads him to afpire after independence. Gladly would he re- nounce all dependence on his Maker, and be as in- dependent as God himfelf. But this is an unrea- fonable and finful defire, and the fource of every fin. Were it poffible for him to be as independ- ent as he could wifti, he would only be the more unhappy and miferable ; for there is nothing necef- fary to make him miferable, but for God to give bim up to his own heart's lufts, and let him eat the fi:uit of his own ways, and be filled with his own devices. tg S E R M O N I, devices. We ought, therefore, to be thankful to God, that he has made us dependent creatures, and cheerfully give up our foul and body, for time and eternity, to the divine difpofal. Convinc- ed that he only is truly happy, who has chofen God for his portion, and whofe hope the Lord isj and poffefTed of a meek, humble, dependent fpirit, we fliall be really thankful for our exigence ; wc ihall rejoice, that we are made rational, accountable, immortal creatures, who arc capable of being for* ever happy in the love and fervice of our Maker ; and we fhall be entirely willing to live in this v;orld, or to be removed from it, juft as the fove* reign Difpofer of all events fhall fee fit to order* SERMON SERMON ir. Thankfulnefs for Exiftence, PSALM cxxxix. 14. / will praife thee ; for I am f ear f idly and wonder^ fully made* The more attentively we furvey the works of creation in general, and obferve the in- finite variety, beauty, and regularity, which isman- ifefted therein, the more we fliall be diTpofed to join the devout Pfalmift, and fay, '' Great and mar- vellous are thy works. Lord God Almighty ! in wif- dom haft thou made them all." All God's works, in fome way or other, praife him ; for they all fliew forth his glory. But rational creatures, who are capable of feeing God in all things, who are capable of knowing from whom ail things proceed- ed, and for whom they were all made, are under the greateft obligation to praife God, for what he is in himfelf, and for all the manifeftations, which he has made of his adorable chara6ler, to the view of his intelligent creatures ; and to blefs him, that he has 20 S E R M O N IL lias made them capable of beholding his glory, and of (hewing forth hfs praife. And where is the creature of God to be found, who is under greater obligation to praife him than his creature man ? If he was made, at firft, a little lower than the angels ; yet, by his redemption, he may be raifed higher than they. For, to which of the angels faid he at any time, " Sit thou at my right hand ?" But unto man he faith, " He that overcometh, to him will I grant, that he Ihali fit with me on my throne, even as 1 alfo have overcome, and am fit down with ynj Father on his throne." " And know ye not al- fo that we fliall judge angels ?" Man, therefore, is under the higheft obligation to praife God, that he has given him exigence, and that he has given him fiich an exiftence, made him fuch a creature. But in order to feel our obligation to blefs God, that he has given us fuch an exiftence, we ought to know and confider what creatures we are. Many, without thinking or knowing what creatures they are, are ready to imagine, that they are glad, and €ven thankful, that they are men. But what is man ? He is a rational creature, poffeffed of afoul endowed with high and noble powers and capaci- ties, by which he is allied to fpirits of another world, and even connecled with God himfelf. He is, moreover, a moral agent ; he has a will to 'Choofe, or refufe ; he is capable of judging of the motives fet before him, and of afting according- ly; and therefore he is an accountably creature. Thus SERMON IL %..% Thas far we proceeded in our difcourfe in the for- mer part of the day, and endeavored to fiiow manV obligation to be thankful, that he was made fuch a being. But it would be injuftice to our fubjeB, to flop here ; and therefore we proceed to add, , 4. He, who is thankful to God, that he has made him a man, is thankful that he was made for a» endlefs duration — that he fhall never ceafe to be^ In ihis^ man is diftinguifiied from all the crea- tures that inhabit this world. They were formed for the ufe of man, during his abode on earth, and they have bodies endowed only with animal and fenfitive life. They have no immortal fpirits with- in ; when they die, they ceafe forever to exift, hav- ing nothing within them to furvive the body, or ta exift in a future flate. But man is polfefled, not only of a body fearfully and wonderfully made, which muft foon turn to duft, and moulder in the grave ; but this body is aduated by a fpirit, which car> never die, never ceafe to be, nor ever be in a ftate ofinfenfibility. Philofophers have argued the immortality of the foul, from its immateriality, from its being a pure or fmiple fpirit, and partaking o£ nothing in its nature, which is or can be corrupti- ble or diffoluble. But though this be a probable, yet it is not a conclufive argument. For every being, whether material or immaterial, whether body or fpirit, depends entirely on the power and pleafure of the Deity, for its continuance in exift- ence» It is, however, clearly evident from Scrip- lure^. 22 SERMON IL ture, that the foul of man is immortal ; that when it has once begun to exiit, it inall never ceafe to exift. And it appears probable at leaft, if not cer- tain, that God never yet created a rational being, for a temporary or finite exiftence ; for every ra- tional being muft be a moral agent, and every moral agent mad be accountable, and therefore muft exiil beyond his ftate of trial and probation, in order to receive the recompenfe of his \\'orks. But, as 1 juft obferved, the word of God leaves no room to queftion, whether the foul of man fhaJi ex- ift forever. Life and immortality are brought to light in the gofpel ; yea, the gofpel aiTures us, that thefe bodies, which we fee turning to corruption, and buried in the duft, fliall hereafter be raifed from the grave, be formed fpiritual and incorrupt- ible, and the fouls which had been feparated from them, fliall be reunited to them, and both t'A^ to- gether in a ftate unchangeable and eternal. So that all mankind, who have once begun to exilt, fhall continue to exift forever. If it be a favor to have exiftence, it is a favor to have that exiftence continued ; and mankind in general are as glad that their life is continued, as that they were brought into Ufe, at firft. Men nat- urally dread the thought of dying, and ftill more of ceafing forever to exift. Annihilation is a dreadful thought! It is granted, however, that fome men are more afraid of exiftence than of ceaftng forever to be ; nor is it to be doubted, but that the exift- ence SERMON ir. ^3 ence of fome, will be much more terrible than an* nihilation. " And how, may one and another fay, do I know, that this will not be my cafe ? How do I know, but that my mifery, in another world, will be fuch, as that 1 fhall wifh I had never been- born ?" This is, indeed, a folemn and important thought ! It demands attention ! For this will un- doubtedly be the cafe with many of mankind, and probably with fome of you. But, notwithftanding this, are you not under obligation now to blefs God, that he has given you exiftence, and fuch an exigence as you have ? Is it not a favor to enjoy fuch exiftence as you now enjoy ? Would you be willing to exchange your prefent condition with a beaft ? Would you be willing, this moment, to be ftruck out of exiftence, and ceafe forever to be ? No, you would not. You are, then, this moment, under obligation to blefs God for your prefent ex- iftence, as a rational and accountable creature ; and you ought to be thankful, that you have enter- ed upon an exiftence, which fhall never ceafe, though the prefent Jlate of it may and will come to an end. For it is certain, that God has placed you in fuch a fituation, that your future exiftence will be infinitely more happy than the prefent, if it be not your own fault. And if you fhould abufe your prefent life, fo as to render your future ftate awfully miferable, will this leffen your obligation to blefs God, that he has put you into a fituation, in which vou may fecure eternal life and happinefs, if ^4 S E R M O N; 11. if you will only comply with the terms of tlie gof- pel ? Was Adam under lefs obligation to blefs God that he had made him, after he fell, than he was before ? No, certainly. Suppofe I confer a favor upon you, which, if rightly improved, will render you completely happy, but you abufe it and be- come the more mifcrable ; is your obligation to me, on this account, the lefs ? No, certainly. Such is the cafe between God and your own foul. God has made you a man, a rational and accountable creature, has made you for an endiefs exiftence, and has placed you in fuch a fituation, as that you may enjoy endiefs felicity, if it be not your owa fault. What gratitude, what praife is due from you to God on this account I Who can help feeing Jiis -obligation to. blefs God, that he has made him, not for a momentary exiftence.in this life only, and then to fink into his original nothing ; but that he has made him for anendlefsand unchangeable flate, and given him now an opportunity of feturing eter- nal peace and happinefs ? This leads me to add, 5. He wdio is truly thankful to God, that he has niade him a man, made him fuch a creature as he is, will be thankful that he is now placed in a flate of trial and probation for eternity. We have before obferved, that every rational creature, every moral agent, muft necelTarily be under moral obligation to do that which is right and good, and to avoid that which is evil and fm- fulj and therefore muft be accountable to God for his SERMON IL 25 his conduft. This fuppofes, that every rational creature mud, for a time^ be in a ftate of trial and probation. This term of trial and probation may be longer or fhorter, as infinite wifdom fhall fea fit to order. But it does not appear confident, that God ihould ever make a rational creature, a moral agent, and immediately confirm him in an unchanging ftate of hoiinefs and happinefs, without his palling through a ftate of previous trial. And we are pretty certain, that he never did do it; for it is evident, that both angels and men (who are all the moral agents that we have any account of) were placed in a ftate of trial and probation. Nor does it appear proper, that they ftiould be always contin- ued in fuch a ftate. Though no rational creature can ever be discharged from moral obligation to do that which is right and good, and to avoid that which is evil and finful, and therefore can never be without law to God ; yet God may and does confirm creatures in a ftate of hoiinefs and happinefs, after pafling through a ftate of trial, by which it becomes certain, that they never ftiall fin, becaufe they are fecured by the power and oath of God. Previouf- ly to this confirmation in hoiinefs, we fay, every moral agent muft pafs through a ftate of trial and probation. This ftate of trial and probation man- kind are in, while in this world. This is abundant- ly evident fromthe whole tenor of facred Scripture, as well as from many particular pafTages, which need not (it is prefumedj be here recited. It is C true, aT S' E R MO N II; true, that the very firft a6l of fin, the firft violatisn of the moral law of God, might end the ftate of trial with every moral agent, and fink him down into endlefs mifery, as the juft punifhment of his criminal condu6l. This certainly was the cafe with the fallen angels ; and fallen man would have been doomed to endlefs mifery, on the firft of- fence, if ithad not been for the intervention of a Redeemer, and that method of grace, which God has inftituted through him. And now, though ev^ cry tranfgreffion of the moral law deferves the wrath and curfe of God forever, as much as if there had been no Savior provided for us, yet God has been pleafed to place us under a different trial from that in which man was placed in a ftate of inno- cence. So that whoever of the guilty race of maa fhall truly, repent of his fin, and believe in the iord Jefus Chrift, fhall obtain the pardon of his many and aggravated offences, and receive eternal life. Mankind are, therefore, each and every one of -them, as really and truly in a ftate of trial and probation, as Adam was while in the garden of E- den. And God has been pleafed to affure us in his word, how long this ftate of trial and probation fhall laft ; that is, fo long as this life fhall laft, or during our continuance on earth, and no longer. We are, therefore, each of us, under the greateft obligation to blefs God, that we are now in fuch a ilate of trial and probation, and to be concerned that we improve it wifely and well. There is a difpofition^.^ S E R M O N IL ij (Jifporition, too natural to mankind, to complain of God hicnfelf, that in confequenfce of the firfl: fin of Adam, we are prone to fin, and have not a fair op- portunity to regain the divine favor. But this com- plaint and obje6lion is infinitely linreafonable, not only as our pronenefs to fin does riot lefTen the' evil of fin, or the criminality in it ; biit efpecialiy as we are under that gracious difpenfation, which provides a pardon for our many offences, if we repent and be- lieve the gofpel, and accept God's offered grace. Therefore, though many will abiife the day and means of grace, and though we may do it, and continue in fin through the whole time of our trial and proba- tion on earth, and fink down into endlefs and re- medilefs mifery, fo that it would have been good for us, if we had never been born ; yet, as we are now probationers for eternity, as we now have an op- portunity, in which we may fecure endlefs glory and felicity ; we are under infinite obligation to blefs God, that he has made us men; that he has made us rational creatures, moral agents ; that he has made us for an endlefs ftate of exiftence ; that he has fent us into this world on a ftate of trial and pro- bation ; and that the happinefs or mifery of eterni- ty depends on the improvement of the prefent fliort and uncertain life. And now let me aflcy6u,inthis view of thefub- j€icl, are you thankful to God, that he has made you men ? that he has made you fuch creatures as we have reprefented mankind to be ? Are you really G 2 glad aa S E R M O N IT. glad that you are men ? Or do you ^vi{h that you had never been born ? Or that you had been beads, or been any thing elfe, rather than men ? The quePtion is certainly of real importance^ and calculated to prove and try your hearts. If you are really thankful, that you. are men, that you are fuch beings as God has made you, or even if you are only glad, that you are made fuch, you v/ill wifli and denre to live like men, to a6l agreeably to the charader you fuftain, and the rank which God has given you among his creatures. But do you aft, or wifli and defire to a6l thus ? Alas ! man being in honor abideth not; he is like the beafts that perifli. How low is human nature capable of falling, and how low mufl; he be fallen, who, pofTefTing a rational and immortal foul, lives like a brute, defiring and indulging fenfual enjoy- ments and gratifications only ! And fome there have been fo loll to all the dignity of man, as to wifli to exchange conditions even with a dog. And probably there are many more, who have wifhed,, or who will wifii, that they had never been bqrn. But, however this may be, and whether this is, or will be the cafe with you, or me, it is certainly im- portant for us to remember what beings we are, and to live and a6l like men. Whether we are thankful to God or not, that we were made men, whether we are pleafedor dif^ pleafed with our exiftence, certain it is, the fove- reign Creator of the univerfe, who made all beings and: S E R M G N n. and things according to his plcafure, has made us men ; he has given us a rational and immortal foul, which muft exift forever ; he has made us moral agents and accountable creatures ; he has .placed us in a Rate of trial and probation, and fuf- •pendcd the happinefs or mifery of a never ending eternity, upon our condu6t in this v/orld. Hence it is, that he addreifes us in thefe words, " Shew yourfelves men ;" that isjlive and a6l like men. Only a6l in chara6ler, a6l like men, like fuch rational, immortal, and accountable creatures as you are, and you will then feel that you have reafon, through the ceafelefs ages of eternity, to blefs God, that he has given you exiftence, and that he has made you men. Often examine your condu6i:, alky our ov;n hearts, whether fuch and fuch condu6l is worthy a rational, an immortal, an accountable creature ? Afk your own hearts, how fuch and fuch a6lions will appear to you, when viewed in the eternal world ? Whether it will then be apleafing thought, that you have a6led thus and tfius ? And ren>ember, that the prefent life is fhort and momentary, in comparifoa with eternity, for which you were made, and in which you muft exift. Remember, that all the joys* and forrows, all the pleafures and pains, of the pref- ent ftate, are not worthy to be compared with thofc of eternity. It may with propriety be faid, that God requires nothing more of any of his creatures than this, that they a€l agreeably to the charader, which he C 3 h?-« 3$ S E R M O N 11. has given them, agreeably to the rank in \vhich he has placed ihera; and lefs than this he cannot re-, quire. Complain not, that you were not made angels ; for then angelic fervice would have been required of you ; and angels too, as wtII as men, have fallen. Complain not. that you were not made brutes ; for you are raifed far above them, by a rational and immortal foul. Rather blefs God, that he has made you men, and live and a6t worthy of fach a charader, and^-ternity ftiall crown you with immortal glory, honor and felic- ity ! The fubj.e61:, which I have written and deliver- ed to you this day, was particularly chofen by me, becaufe I wifhed, for my own fake, to attend to it, and preach it over to my own heart, the laft week, in the view of the day of my nativity. Laft Fri- day was the anniverfary day of my birth, on which day I completed the 45th year of my age- On fuch days, it becomes us particularly to recog- Tiize the goodnefs of God, in giving us life, as well as continuing us in it. But, how can we give thanks to God for life, unlefs we know and confid- ^er what a life, what an exiftence we have ? Can he be thankful to God for continuance in life, who is not thankfi^l that life, or exiftence, was given to him? And can he be thankful for exiftence, who is not thankful for juft fuch an exiftence as he has ? Certainly, it is more than time for us all toconfider 'vho and what we are, and for what we were brought S E R M O N IL gi "brought into being, and whether we are aQing our part well or not. Permit me to remind you alfo, that this day completes nineteen years of my miniftry among you. On this 9th day of February, nineteen years ago, 1 was folemdy fet apart to the work of the gofpei miniftry among you. It becomes me today, to bl^fs God, not only that he has made me a man, but that he has made me a minifter of the gofpei, to teftify the grace of God to you, and that he has continued me fo long in life, and fo long in this work. 1 know, that it becomes me to be deeply humble, that I have fpent fo many years, in fo un- worthy and unprofitable a manner, and folemnly to give up myfelf to the mercy, the power, and the grace of God. And let me afk of every praying chriftian in this affembly, that, when he is neareft the throne of grace, and moft fervently imploring grace for himfelf, that he would then remember his minifter. To conclude ; let us all realize, that we are ac- xountable creatures, and that the great day of ac- count is juft at hand (how near God only knows) when you and I, muft each ftand in his lot, and be judged, by that Being, who has " formed us of xlay, and made us men," and "who will render to every man according to his works. To them who, by patient continuance in well doing, feek for glo- ry, and honor, and immortality, eternal life : 'But unto them who are contentious and do not ' C 4 abe^ 32 S E R M O N IL obey the truth, but obey unrighteoufnefs, indigna- tion and wrath ; tribulation and anguifti upon ev- ery foul of man that doeth evil, of the Jewfirftand alio of the Gentile ; but glory, honor, and peace to every man that worketh good ; to the Jew firft and alfo to the Gentile ; for there is norefpcft of per* fons with God." SERMON. SERMON III. The Moral State of the World, I. J O H N, V. ig. And the whole world lieth in wickednefs. And thus it would forever have lain, in wickednefs and mifery, had not the God of all grace, devifed a way for the recovery of fome of the fallen children of men, through the death and mediation of his own Son. Yea, St. John fays, that this is even now the Hate of the world, not- withllanding Chrift has atlually come, and made atonement for fin, and wrought out an everlafting righteoufnefs, for all who believe in him. " The whole world lieth in wickednefs." This reprefents the natural (late and ch3ra6ler of mankind- ^ud conlidering the expreffion in this fenfe, it juftly ap- plies to the whole world, even to every individual of the human race, without a fingle exception; for " they are together become unprofitable, there is iK)ne that doeth good, no not one^ihcy are all gone out of the way." And in this Bate the whole world hcth ; 34 SERMON HI. lieth ; i e, remaineth, or continueth, without any effort to recover itfelf, until God is pleafed, by his power and grace, to raife here and there one to fpiritual and divine life. Some there are, who are the happy fubjefts of fuch a faving change. Of fuch the apoftle fpeaks in the former claufe of thi^ verfe. " And we know that we are of God, and the %\'hole world lieth in wickednefs." So that when he fays, " we knozv that we are of God" he muft mean to exclude himfelf, and his fellow chridians, from the general character of the world of mankind, or ^vhen he fays ^'the whole worlds" he muft mean the world at large, or mankind in general. Apart, by far the greateft part, being put for the whole. Thefe ideas are immediately fuggefted, by the words of our text : I. That this world is a wicked world. II. That not only fome parts or places of the world, but all parts and places of it, are wicked. And, III. That it lieth or remaineth in wickednefs, motwithftanding all the means o,r methods made ufe of to reform and amend it. I. The firft idea, which occurs to mind from the words of our text, is, that this world, in which we live, is a wicked world ; that there is not only fome wickednefs in it, but a great deal of wickednefs in it ; that wickednefs prevails and abounds in it, much more than virtue, holinefs or goodnefs. That there is wickednefs in the worlds we all know, and SERMON III. 3^ and confefs daily ; we do not need to go to the Bi- ble to find the truth of this. Every perfon, who has grown to years of knowledge and obferva* tion, finds it true, with refpe^l to himfelf, that he is a finner, and has done many a6lions, for which his confcience condemns him. It is prefumed, that there is fcarceiy a child of fix years old, but what is confcious to himfelf, that hehas often done wick- edly. Children, as well as men, know, that there is much wickednefs in the world. By wickednefs here, we mean that outward condu6^5 which is in- jurious to mankind, and which all agree to call crim- inal. There are many, who feem to be totally ig- norant of fin in the heart ; and therefore have lit- tle or no fenfe how finful mankind really are. Ail their ideas of fin feem to be confined to outward aQs of wickednefs, which are exprefsly forbidden, either by the laws of God, or man. But even in this fenfe, they will allow that there is much wick- ednefs in the world ; yea, that the world is full of wickednefs. Indeed, we mr.^ deny our own fenfes, to deny this. For, how often do we hear of horrid murders, robberies, thefts, rapes, adulteries, fornications, blafphemies, drunkennefics, quarrels, contentions, and vices of fo many kinds, that we can hardly find names for them ! When we confine our attention to fuch fpecies of barbarity and in- jufiicc, between man and man, we often find occa- fion to fay, the world is full of wickednefs ; mean- ing ihatthere is a great deal of wickednefs in the world. 36 SERMON III. world. It is in this view, that the heathen nations have obferved the corruption and degeneracy of mankind, and have been utterly at a lofs to ac- count for it. But when we fpeak of the wicked- nefs of the world, or the finfulnefs of mankind, we ought not to confine our thoughts to that kind of wickednefs, which is an iniquity to be punifhed by the judges among men ; but to confider all the corruptions of the human heart, all fecret as well as open (ins, all fins againft God, as well as afts of injultice, unkindnefs, and uncharitablenefs towards our fellow creatures. When we confider the wickednefs of the world in this view, which is a juft view, we fhall then undoubtedly fay, the world is full of fin and iniquity. For, in this fenfe, no man is free from fin ; even the bell of men have much fin remaining in them. " Thereisnotajuft man upon earth, who doeth good, and finneth not.** This leads to ^the fecond idea fuggefled by the text, viz. IL That not only fome, but all parts of the Avorld, are full of wickednefs. It is not only true, that there is wickednefs in the world, yea, much, very much wickednefs among men, and this in fome particular parts or places; but it is true of all places, of all parts of the world, and of all nations of man- kind. The whole world is full of wickednefs. Men are fometimes ready to think, perhaps, that they live in the moft wicked part of the world, and m the mod degenerate day ; that there never was a time SERMON III. 37 time when the world was fo wicked as it is now > and that there is no place To bad as that in which they live : But this is not true ; it has always heeri fo, and is fo every where ; for the whole world is full of wickednefs. There is no reafon to doubt, however, that vice and wickeidnefs do much more abound and prevail at fome times, and in forrje par- ticular places, than others. The men of Sodom were evidently more corrupt than mankind in gen- eral, or elfe they would not have been fo fignally deftroyed. Vice and wickednefs, efpecially open immorality, more generally prevailed, in the days of Noah, than before that time ; otherwife God would not, at once, have fwept the world of its in- habitants by a flood. And the children of Ifrael were, at fome times, more loft to all fenfe of the true God, and his worfhip, and more given up ta idolatry, than at other times ; which was the rea- fon of their being puniflied, by particular judg- ments. And the hiftory of the church contained in the Bible, as well as that given by common writ- ers, abundantly proves, that religion flourifhes more at fome times than at others, and in fome places more than in others. And the experience and obfervation of the aged among us, will un- doubtedly teach them, that there have been times, when religion flourilhed more than at the prefent day ; when vices appeared few and fmall to what they do now, in this land. And even in the prefent day, we can hear of fome particular towns and 38 SERMON lit and places, where there appears to be a very great revival of rehgion, and many concerned to feQttfe the one thing needfal ; while, in n:ioft places, religion appears to be very little, if at all, attended to, and vice and immorality greatly pre- vail. But, notwithftanding thefe things muft be granted, yet there is not, perhaps, that difference, which many feem to imagine. Different vices prevail in different places, and at different periods. In one age, or in one place, the prevailing and fafliionable vice is gaming ; in another place we hear nothing of this, but there drinking prevails ; in another place, or at another time, quarrels and contentions prevail. Cuftom and fafhion mark the differently prevailing vices and follies of man- kind, in different countries, ages, and places; but, go where you will, you find the whole world lying in wickednefs. Some men are much more aban- doned to vice and wickednefs than others ; but perhaps there are not many more of this chara£ler in one age, or country, in proportion to its num- bers, than in another. If we attend to the cuf- toms and manners, the vices and immoralities of the heathen nations, we are furprifed at their idol- atry, impiety, profanensfs, and open a6ls of unclean- nefs, praElifed at their religious and folemn fefti- vals. If we look among the Mahometans, the fol- lowers of the great impoftor, we are furprifed at their infatuation, their grofs, abfurd, and inconfift- ent ideas of religion and future happinefs. If we turn ^ E R M O N 121. 39 Hirrt our thoughts to the votaries of the Popifh re- Jigion, we are no lefs fhocked at their idolatry, fuperftition, vain ceremonies, and falfe refugesw But if we come to chriftian, and what are com- monly called reformed, nations, have we lefsrea- fon to be furprifed ? How many fe6ts, and de- nominations, and perfuafions, do we find among them ? And is the moral charafter of chriftain nar tions any better than thatof Papifts5Mahometans5or Heathens? Are there not many inhdefsin a chriC- tian land ? And are there not even more vices to be found among the civilized, and what we call chriftianized inhabitants of America, than among the favage nations ? And are not thofe vices t© be found among us, more infamous, and more per^ nicious to fociety, than thofe to be found among them ? Why do we fee the mote in another's eye^ and not call the beam out of our own eye ? What reafon have we to complain of the wickednefs of others, when we are ^o wicked ourfelves ? Surely the whole world is buried in fin, wickednefs, and guilt ! But, when ii is faid, " the world lidh in wick^ ednefs," the expreflion may further fuggcit this idea, III. That it continueth, orremaineth in wicked- nefs, notwithftanding all the means or methods made ufe of, to reform, or amend it. This idea feems to be ftrongly exprelfed in the text; becaufe lying downdenotesa ftate of quietude and reft, or a fixed andfteady continuance in the fame dale. And, in this 4D S E R M O N III. rbisfenfe, the apoftle might, \\ith great propriefj^, fav, that the whole world lieth in wickednefs ; for it has lain or remained in fuch a ftate, for almoft fix thoufand years, notwithftanding every thing, which has been done, to reclaim or reform it. Sin beoan in our world with the firfl human pair ; nor has a fingle generation continued free from it, though God made man upright. And itfeems prob- able, that our firft parents did not continue many days in a ilate of holinefs, before they fell. From that day to this, all flefh have corrupted their ways, and the whole world of mankind have lain in wick- ednefs. Not one of the human race has been free from fin. No place, no age, has been free from wickednefs. Even in the family of Adam, the moft abominable acls of wickednefs were found. Cain, his firfl born fon, inhumanly imbrued his hands in his brother's blood. And very foon a- gain, even before Adam's death, we find Lamech ^onfefiing, " 1 have fiain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt ;" and faying, " if Cain Oiall be avenged fevep fold, furely Lamech feventy and fe ven fold." It appears from the fliort biltorv contained in the former part of the book of Genefis, that when men mutiplied and became numerous, the earth was filled with violence, and vhe wickednefs of man was fo great upon the earth, that God determined to fweep the world of its in- habitants, and to fave none but Noah and his fam- ily, even eight perfons, who were the only right- eous vS E R M O N HI. 41 cous perfons to be found on earth. Among all the many millions of inhabitants, which the earth then contained, it is evident, that thefe eight were all that had any fear of God before their eyes— any religion at all. Nor does it cippear, that even the family of Noah were real faints. They might be faved only for Noah's fake ; for God fays to him, " Thee only have I feen righteous before me, in this generation." And the hiftory of the Bible, to- gether with other hiflories, isaclear demonftration, that the world has lain in wickednefs ever fince ; that there has been no age, nor part of the world, ^ free from fin, from that day to this ; and this notwith- ftandingall that has been done, by God and man, to teach the world the evil and awful danger of fin ; and the infinite beauty, excellencyj and hap- pinefs of virtue and holinefs. What has not God done, by way of motive and excitemeat, to induce mankind to forfake (in .? Or (if I may ufe the expreflion) what pains has he not taken, to reform and amend the world ? When he firft made man, though he ;nade him holy and up- right; yet, as though he would efFeftually guard him againfl: every danger and temptation, he plain- ly told him what would be, and what flaould be, the confequences of finning. And then, as foon as he had finned, though he gave him encourage- ment to hope for pardon, yet he caufedhimto feel the bitter effeclsof fin, by dooming him to hard labor, pain, and death, and by curfing the ground D for 42 SERMON IIL for his fake, and driving him from the delightful garden of Eden- Adam now faw and felt the dreadful confequences of fin ; he knew the awful difference between a ftate of fin and a flate of ho- linefs. And was it not that we know that the na- ture of fin is to lead further into fin, we fliouldfup- pofe, that Adam never v;ould have committed another fm after the (irft. God's treatment of Adam was calculated to deter his immediate defcendants, his family, from fm; and yet Cain, though he had often heard of his father's fate, what his original Hate was, how he fell, and what was the confequence of it, prefumed to murder his own brother. God then brought fuch heavy judgments upon Cain as led him to fay, " My punifhment is greater than I can bear ;" yet this did not cure him of his finful difpolition, nor put a flop to his wickednefs. And though God has, in every age of the world, and in ^very part of the world, been vifiting linners with his judgments, and infliQing his wrath upon the -wicked, yet they have generally remained incorrigi- ble. Though he has, at one time, fwept the whole world of its finful inhabitants by a flood, and, at an- other, deflroyed whole cities by fire ; though he has caufed the earth to open her mouth and fwallowup the wicked ; and though he has tried every calamity and judgment, in order to teach mankind the evil and danger of fin ; yet the whole world lieth in wickednefs. Every generation has an opportunity of learning the deftrudive nature of fin, from fuch awful SERMON III. 43 awful difplays of the divine difpleafure againd it. And all thefe things are written for our admonition, to the intent, that we fhould not lull after evil things, as others have lulled, and periflied. But this is not all ; in addition to all the admoni- tions and warnings, which God has given to man- kind, by his providential dealings, he has been call- ing upon a wicked world, in every age, by his fervants the prophets, rifing up early and fending them, faying, " O do not that abominable thing which I hate." Every argument and motive has been made ufe of, which is calculated to excite the hopes, to alarm the fears, or touch any of the feelings of the human heart ; and yet, notwithftand- ing all thefe things, the whole world lieth and re- maineth in the fame (late of wickednefs. God has, alfo, at the fame time, been endeavor- ing to teach mankind the fafety, the comfort, and happinefs of fuch as forfake fin, return unto him, and fecure his favor. For this purpofc,he has, la every age, by the power of his grace and the in- fluence of his Holy Spirit, taken polfeffion of the hearts of feme, and made them the objeds of his love. In them, and by his condu6l towards them, he has taught a wicked world, in every age, what good they may enjoy, if they forfake their iins, and return to him in the way he has appointed. How ftrikingly did he teach this, in his prefervation of Noah and Lot, and in his condu6l towards the pa- triarchs, prophets, and apollles ? How many and D 2 how 44 SERMON UL hoti^ rfch are bis promifess to all penitent, return- ing finners! Yet, notwithftanding all God has done for his friends in particular, and though he has giv- en his Son to die for mankind in general, ftill the whole world Ireth in wickednefs. It appears not but that the world in general is now as wicked as before Chrifl came into it, to enlighten and re- form it. Great have been human efforts to reform the world ; and reformations have taken place, in many things, and in many refpe6ls. Many important and ufeful improvements have been made, and are rap- idly making, in agriculture, in manufactures, in the fcience of politics, and indeed in all the arts and fciences. But thefe do not mend the heart, nor root out wickednefs from the world. Vice and wick- ednefs, it is true, have often changed their names and altered their complexion ; but ftill they remain the fame, in their nature and tendency. The truth isj^men only grow more refined in wickednefs, and more fubtle in the arts of iniquity. An open dif- regard to real religion, and a contempt of real vital piety, take place, under the pretence of cafting off fuperilition, and of imbibing a more liberal fpirit. So that, as to any real alteration for the better, t I fee not the leaft appearance of it ; but ftill the whole world lieth in wickednefs. S E R M O Nc s E R M o i^ rv. The Moral State of the World. 9 I. J O H N, V. 19. And the whole world I'uth in wickednefs. What a melancholy refle6lion is this ! If we confider this world as made by God, and peopled with a race of intelligent creatures, who are formed for the fervice and enjoyment of their Maker, what a melancholy refIe6lion is it, that they have all apoftatized from him, defertedhis fervice, turned to be his enemies, and lie dead in trefpafles and fins ! How many generations of fuch rational and immortal creatures have already been on the earth ! And how many millions and millions are dill in the world, lying in wickednefs ! This is not only the cafe with us in Srimfield, but it is fo in the towns around us ; it is fo over all thisftate; it is fo in all the ftates in the nation ; it is fo in every na- lion on earth — for the whole world lieth in wick ednefs. Melancholy thought ! Enough to fill out hearts with grief, and our eyes with tears ! " And D3 46 S E R M O N IV. is it thus, O thou kind and beneficent Parent of the univeiTe, that thy creatures requite thee for thy numerous favors to them ! Is it thus, that they treat thine adorable Majefty ! Haft thou no wrath for them to fear, nor grace for them to feek!" But what will the confequence of all this be ? Shall God forever lofe that glory, which is due to him from his creature man ? Shall he lofe the world, which he hath made, and the many millions of ra- tional beings, whom he hath formed to fliew forth his praife ? No, he will not do it. Could we turn afide the veil which hides eternity from our view, we fhould there fee the glory of God fliining forth in the eternal deftrudion of his enemies. Here, then, we arc led again to fay, how melancholy the thought, that the whole world lieth in wicked- mefs, when we confiderhow many millions of man- kind there are, who are ftanding on the verge of eternity, and juft ready to fall into endlefs cnifcry ! On what a flippcry ftcep, The thoughtlefs creatures go ! And, O ! that dreadful fiery deep, That waits their fall below I We have already obfcrved, agreeably to the fpirit of our text, that this world is a wicked world- — that it is fo in all parts and places of it — and that it ftill continues in wickednefs, notwithftanding all the means and methods, which have been made life of to reform and amend it. Thefe thoughts, naturally fuggeft fome important inferences and re- fle6lionSj which claim our ferious attention. IMPROVEMENT. SERMON IV. 4"7 IMPROVEMENT. 1. It is obvious to remark, that all mankind are, by nature, univerfally and totally corrupt and de- praved. If this were not the cafe, furely the whole woiM would not be fofull of wickednefsjnotwithftanding all that God and man have done to reftrain and re- form- it. It is a truth, I think, written as widi a fun beam on every part of our world, that man- kind are univerfally and totally corrupt. Their condu6l confirms the divine declarations, that there is none that doeth good, no not one — that they are all gone out of the way ; they are together be- come unprofitable. No part of the world has ever yet been difcovered, where its inhabitants have not been found to be vicious, wicked and deprav- ed. If mankind were not univerfally corrupt, furely there would have been fome place found free from fin, and fome time found, when men did not do wickedly. But fuch a time and place has not yet been difcovered. Though this world has been groaning under the burden of fin, for almoft fix thoufand years, and all mankind have been feel- ing the evil effefts of it, ftill the caufe remains ; fin continues and reigns in full dominion. Though the world has been called, in every age, to witnef? the marks of God's awful difpleafure againit fin ; yet it ftill remains the fame wicked world. The temper and difpofition of mankind has ever been D 4 like 43 SERMON IV. like that of the wicked Ifraelites, who, when they had ju(t been fmarting under the rod of divine challifement for their finful murmurs, vet inftanth/ murmured again. When Korah and his compa- ny murmured againfl Mofes and Aaron, as affuming too much power and authority, God caufed the earth to open its mouth, and fwailow them ud. But though the people were affrighted and fled away from the place ; yet, w^e are informed, '' on the morrow, all the congregation of the children of Ifrael murmured againfl Mofes and Aaron, faying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord." So it is with all mankind ; though they know the judg- ments of God againfl the wicked, yet they do the fame things, which have brought mifery arid ruin UDon others. This was the conduci: of Belfnazzar. Daniel tells him, after reminding him of the pride and fall of his father, " And thou, his fon, O Bel- fhazzar, had not humbled thine heart, though thou knewejl all tkis^ but hall lifted up thyfelf againll the Lordof heaven." Though men know the judgments, which God has brought upon the wicked, in ages pall, and the awful threatenings, which Wo, againfl fmners, in the world to come ; and though they know the good, which God has heretofore confer- red upon his friends, and the great and precious promifes, which he makes totherighteous^yet flill the world lieth in wickednefs. Now, is it pofUble to account for all this, unlefs we fuppofe, that all man- kind are corrupt^ and depraved, prone to evil; and to S E R M O N IV. to that only and continually ? Is it pofiible, that a man, who has his eyes open, and fees the world around him, can deny the univerfal and total cor- ruption and apoftafy of the human race ? Are not mankind evidently refolved on fin, and determined m wickednefs, notwithftandingall that can be done or faid to reform them ? O how fallen, how cor- rupt, how finful is human nature ! 2. It is natural to reflecl, that human nature is the fame, in every age, and in every part of the world; for it has operated in the fame manner, and produced the fame effe6ls, every where, and at all times. There have been feme perfons who have appear- ed ferioufly to queftion. whether certain nations, who differ from the generality of mankind in their com- plexion, or the color of their fivin, belong to the human race, or are the defccndants of Adam. But are they not evidently polfeffed of the fame na- ture, and do they not difcover the fame moral complexion, that is generally vifible in our v;or!d? It may well be prefumed, that God^ never yet made two different races of beings fo nearly re- fembhng each other, as the different forms and complexions of men do. But if the inhabitants of the world in no other way difcover ihemfclvcs to be of the fame race, yet they fufliciently difcov- er it, in their hearts and lives. It is true, fin is effentiaily the fame in all being?:. It is the farrje in fallen an,^e1s and in fallen men. The go S E R M O N IV, The fallen angels, it is probable, from their being incorporeal, are incapable of fome external a£ts of wickednefs, which men commit uhile in the body, and which they will be incapable of committing, when they are abfent from it, in a future w^orld. But ilill the nature of fin will remain the fame there as here. In this world, fin has ever been the fame. In every age, and in every part of the world, it has man- ifefted itfelf much in the fame way. Different vices may have more efpecially prevailed in different times and places among mankind ; but the fame vices, the fame a6ls of wickednefs, are found now among us, which were found in the early ages of the world, and have been found in every age fince. From hence too we fee, that human nature is the fame now, that it was near fix thoufand years ago. Cuftoms and manners may vary in various ages. Men may make improvements in knowledge ; na- tions may be civilized, who were once barbarous and ignorant; flill human nature remains the fame. Though the fatal poifon of fin has been tranfmitted from age to age, and has paffed through fo many millions of millions of mankind ; yet its fatal ma- lignity does not appear to be in the leaft abated, nor the quantity of it diminifhed. And notwithftanding all that has been done to deftroy the works of the devil, he flill reigns in every heart, until Chrifl; comes by his Spirit, and takes poffeffion of it for himfelf Mankind are now, by nature, juft the fame wicked creatures, which they would have been, bad SERMON IV. 51 had there been no Savior provided for them. Hence wc may add as a farther inference, 3. That mankind do not grow weary of fin, by continuing in it ; nor become more difpofed to for- fake it, by feeing and feeling the evil effefts of it. Such is the nature of human depravity, and fuch the influence of it upon the human mind, that though men fee and know the evil of fin, and com- plain of its bitter effc6ts and confequences ; yet they are not, on this account, at all difpofed to for- fake it. Though we know, that fin has produced a long train of calamities in this world; though we know, that it has fwept off whole generations and nations of men from the face of the earth ; and though we have all poffible evidence, that it has plunged millions of mankind into endlefs mifery ; yet we are no more afraid of fin now, than man- kind were five thoufand years ago. Men love fin now as much as they did then. And even the fameperfon, who has for many years lived a life of lin and wickednefsjis not, on this account, any more difpofed to forfake it, but, on the contrary, much more hardened in it. Such is the fcripture repre- fentation of the matter. " Can the Ethiopian change his flvin, or the Leopard his fpots ? Then may ye alfo do good, that are accuftomed to do e- vil." And fuch is the truth of fad. We fee in- dividuals grow more and more hardened in fin, the longer they continue in it. And though they feel the fad effects of their folly, yet they arc no more difpofed 52 S E R ^; O N IV, dif^jofed to for fake it. The drunkard will not re- form, though he feels the fatal effeds of his vice. The thief will not ceafe to Ileal, though he be de- tected and punifhed for his crime. Indeed, v;e iomctimes ^c(t, though very rarely, a man forfak- . 1^ lome particular vice, becaufe he finds it will ii.in him, if he does not; but generally, when '-0 forfake any particular way of finning, it is be- . , rjTe it agrees not with a change in their circum- rti:r':es, or condition of life. In this cafe, they tvinimonly exchange one vice for another, which is mare convenient. But even when age, or bodi- Ir infirmity, incapacitates a man for the indulgence of any particular fm, he commonly difcovers the ume love to wickednefs, though not the fame abil- ::v to a&itout/ Suffering the evil confequencesof '•n, may lead men to hate them and guard againft ■Liem ; while yet the heart remains as finful as ^ver. Nor did fuffering ior fin, ever yet, of itfelf, ead a man to hate fin itfelf, on account of the mor- \] evil of it. Indeed, it is eafy to fee, that if a lan forfakes any vicious pradice, merely becaufe 15 feels the ill effeSs of it, this has nothing of he nature of true repentance for fin, or hatred of h. This he may do from the very fame principle, which leads another to continue in fin, that is, per- fonal and prefent pleafure, comfort, or happinefs. Hence it appears, that there is no foundation for the opinion of fome, that the future punifhmeni of hell will bring men to repentanccj and lead them to SERMON IV. /TO to hate (in and forfake it. On the contrary, tV r is reafon to believe, that their piinifhment tend only to exafpcrate them the more a; God. Befides, whatever the nature and t^ of divine judgments in this world may be pears, that the punifhment offinnersin . world, is not defigned as a difciphne to refer but as a manifeftatton of the divine di' " againft them forever. Again, 4. It appears, that mankind are ftrongl: tally refolvcd on fin, and determined to ccnunur. in it. If mankind were not very ftrongly fet in wick- ednefs and refolved to continue in it, furely the world would have been, at leaft in fome meafure, re- formed and amended before now, by the various methods which have been ufed for that purpofe. How many means does God now ufe to reform the world, and what various mctiiodsdoes he nosv take to reclaim finners, without producing any falu- tary effe6t ! Can you, my friends, imagine, that it would be poffible for finners to oppofe and rcfifl: all the means of grace, and continue fecurein fin, if they were not refolved and determined to con- tinue in it ? Why do not you, with all your heart, reje6l fin, and refolve never more to have any thing to do with this dreadful evil ? Why do you not hate it, and watch, and pray, and drive, with all your might, againllit? The truth is, your hearts are under the full power and dominion of it; you . hold 54 SERMON IV. hold it faftjancl refafe to let it go. But, probably you will fay. We are certainly not determined to continue in it; nay, v;eare determined we will, by and by, forfakc it. Fatal deception ! Are you not de- termined to continue, at leaft a little longer ? The very faying that you are refolved, hereafter, to for- fake it, is faying that you are refolved, at prefent, to continue in it. If you form any refolution at all about it now, it mull be either to forfake it now, or to continue in it now. And the difpofition to put off your reformation to a more convenient feafon, is a prefent refolution not to forfake fin. You muft own, therefore, that you are, at prefent, fixed and refolved to continue in your enmity and oppofiiion to God. Hence we are led to refled, 5. That there mud be a divine power to fubdue and deftroy fin in the human heart. Nothing but the almighty power of God can re- form and reclaim the world, and bring men back from the paths of fin. External means are in them- felves inefFe6lual. The means which God himfelf has inftituted, and which he has made ufeofjare in themfelves ineflre6lua]. They will do nothing, un- lefs accompanied with his divine power. What means has God been uGng, ever fince the fall of man ? And what effed have thofe means had ? " The world in general remains as wicked as ever. It is true, indeed, means have been effe61ual in many inftances. Millions and millions have, at one time and another, been reclaimed; and brought home SERMON IV. 5^ home to God. But, in all thofe inftances, the means ufed have been accompanied with a fpecial divine influence. Men are made willing only in the day of God's power. This is agreeable to the whole tenor of facred Scripture, which always af- cribes the converfion of a (inner to the power of the Deity, even to that power, which was exerted in railing Chrift from the dead. 6. We learn how great the patience, forbearance, and long fuffering of God, towards fmners of man- kind, has been and ftill is. Is it not juftly furprifing, that God has fo long borne with this wicked world, which has all the time lain in wickednefs ? How many enemies has he had here ! How obftinately have they oppofed all the means, which he has ufed to reclaim them ! How greatly have they abufed and provoked him ! And yet he has endured them with much long fufFering, Surely he has with propriety faid, that he is flow to anger, gracious and merciful, abundant in good- nefs. He is indeed a long fuffering God, and waits to be gracious to themofl; unworthy and ill deferv- ing creatures. But if, notwithftanding all his pa- tience and long fuffering, they will lie in wicked- nefs, then, 7. The time muff and will come, when he will de- ftroy the world. It isinconGflent tofuppofe, that God will always uphold this (inful world, and continue to bring into exiftence a race of rebellious creatures. This would V p6 sermon IV. would be'to aft out of charafter, and even to con = tradicb his word. The awful judgments, which he has already inflifted upon the w'orld, are a pre- lude of its future and final deftru61ion. Befides, he has plainly and exprefsly told us, that this world fhall be burnt up, that it is referved unto fire, againfl the day of judgment, and perdition of ungodly men. O ! let us remember, therefore, who, and what, and where we are. We are now inhabitants of a world, \vhich lieth in wickednefs. We belong to a race of fallen, perifning creatures. And, unlefs we come out from this fmful world, we mud fink down into endlefs mifery. We jullly deferve this mifery ; but God yet invites us to turn and live. Let us immediately forfakc all our evil ways and thoughts, and turn unto the Lord, who will have mercy up- on us, and to our God, who will abundantly par- don. SERMON. SERMON V. Conformity to God the Effence of True Religion- MATTHEW, V. 48, Be ye therefore perfeB^ even as your Father -which is in heaven is perfe^. To every one, who believes the being of God, and the reality and importance of religion, it mud be an interefting inquiry. What is true re- ligion ? Or wherein does it confift ? The impor- tance of rightly determining this queftion appears, not only from confidering, that it is the almoft unanimous opinion of all mankind, in every age and every nation, that feme religion is neceflary ; but aho from the very different ideas of mankind concerning religion. Almoft all nations differ from one another in the modes and forms of relig- ion, if not in their ideas of the nature of religion. And among the reformed chriftian nations, what a diverfity of modes and forms are to be found among the fame people ? There is not, perhaps, E a 58 SERMON V. a nation or people on earth, among whom there is^ a greater variety of religions, or outward modes- and forms of religion,, than among the inhabitants of this American land. And it is but too much the cafe, that each fe6l is difpofed to confine pure and undefiled religion to thofe of its own denomi- hation ;. or, at ieaft, to imagine that they come iieareH: to perfeQion in it. In this view, therefore, the inquiry appears flill more important. What is true religion ? Or wherein does it confift? To de- termine this important queftion, we muft have re- courfe to the word of God : Tliere^ undoubtedly, true religion is delineated. To this, however, all profcrning chriftians refort, and there imagine they find the particularities of their refpeBive denomi- nations. But our prefcnt inquiry is not concerning the outward modes and forms of religion ; but con- cerning the real nature a«d effence of it. For though there be a right and a wrongs refpeBing modes and forms; yet there may be, anddoubtlefe are, fome who hold to different modes and forms, who will, notrwithftanding, agree in the real nature of religion. For however many the modes and forms may be, which confift with true religion; yet religion itfelf i« but one and the fame thing, where- ever it is found. Religion is eflentially the fame thing in angels, in faints above, and in men on earth; yea, if there be myriads of worlds peopled with intelligent be- ings of different capacities, and yet moral agents, capable- S E R iM O N V. 5^ capable of rcligion, religion is eflentially the fame in them all. Nay more, religion is the fame in God^ and in all rational creatures ; for religion in the creature confifts in its conformity to God. We do not indeed fpeak of the religion of God, be- caufe, when we fpeak of religion, we fpeak of that in the creature, which is its conformity to God ; or the exercifes of heart, which the creature feels towa rds God. But, fo far as thefe exercifes of heart, in the creature, towards God, are truly religious, they are conformable to God, and conditute the creature's refemblance of God. This, we truft, will be made to appear, in the important fubjedl be- fore us, which is defigned to exhibit the nature of true religion, from the palfage juft read : " Be ye therefore perfeB, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfed." Thefe words evidently incul- cate on us a conformity to God, and the higheil pofiible refemblance of him ; and therefore natur- ally lead us to this obfervation, viz. That religion conlifts in a conformity to God, in the inward exercifes of our hearts, and in all the outward a6lions of our lives. To fet this truth in the cleareft pofTible point of light, it will benecefiary tomakeihefollowingobfei vations. 1. God is an infinitely perfect being. This is certainly fuppofed, if not expreffed, in the text. " Ee ye therefore perfe61, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfeft." The pcrfe6lion of God is here fet up as the ftandard of all perfedion, E 2 which ^o- S E R" M' O N y. which the creature is direded to copy after and en* deavor to imitate. And reafon as well as revela- tion teaches us, that God is an infinitely perfect being; that the higheftpofTible perfection dwells in him; that he is perfeCl, tofuch a degree as no other being is or can paflibly be. All the perfedion of created beings is derived from him, and depen- dent on him, and therefore cannot, in degree, equal the perfcdion of God. And the perfedion of God confifts in his goodnefs, in the infinite benevolence of his nature. Indeed all the natural and moral attributes of the Deity are necelTary, to conftitute the perfection of the divine chara6ler ; but yet the perfection of the whole is completed by divine benevolence. Love is the fum of all moral beauty and excellence. The infinite purity, holinefs, juf- tice, and wifdom of the Deity, are only love in perfection. God is, therefore, infinitely perfeCtj becaufe he is infinitely glorious in goodnefs. Hence, 2. The more any rational creature refembles God, the more perfect that creature is. This is a neceffary confequence of the former obferva- tion. For, if God be infinitely perfect, if he be the fum and ftandard of moral excellence and perfec- tion ; then the more any creature refembles God, and the greater his conformity to God is, the more excellent and perfett a creature he is. And if the. glory of the divine perfection confifts in divine love and benevolence, then the glory, the honor, the dignity, and perfeClion; of every rational creature, muH ^ E R M O N V. at muft alfo confift in the benevolence of that crea- ture : Or in the meafure and degree in which he feels and a6ls out the fpirit of true benevolence. Furthermore, 3. As God is a being of fuch infinite perfec- tion, of fuch infinite benevolence and love, he mufl be pleafed with that in the creature, which mod refembles himfelf; not only becaufe it ap- pears rational for every being to love itfelf, and that which refembles itfelf; but becaufe it is neceflary tothe very efl'ence of benevolence, to delight in be- nevolence, and in its greateft and molt extenfive fpread and prevalence. For this reafon, God, as an infinitely perfe6l and benevolent being, mud be mod pleafed with the benevolence of his crea- tures ; for in this they mod of all refemble himfelf. Indeed, if we could make the fuppofiiion, that there were fome kind of imperfeflion in God, in fome other refpecls, and yet fuppofe him perfed in love ; he wodd then be mod pleafed with that creature, which refembled him mod in this benev- olent fpirit; for this is the faired and brightedfeature in his chara6ler. Hence there is nothing, which can be more pleafing to God, than the prevalence of the highed degree of benevolence and love; and nothing can be more pleafing to him in the creature, than its refemblance of himfelf in theper- fedlion of love. For the fame reafon, 4. He mud, if he require any thing, require this of thofe, who are capable of refembling him. If E 3 -God 62 S E R M O N V. God be fuch an infinitely perfc8: being, if he be fo full of pure benevolence, and if he rejoice moft of all in this refennblanceof himfelfinhis creatiKres ; then he niuft ufe that authority, which he has over his creatures, in enjoining upon them a conformi- ty to hirafelf herein. If God have any authority over his creatures, any right to command them, (which none will deny ;) then we might reafonably ilippofe, that he would require what was molt agree- able to hinifelf, and that in which they would moft of all refemble him. Not to do this would argue imperfedion in his charafter. But this he has done, as we (hall find hereafter. Thefe things be- ing premifed, we may now proceed more direQly to the point, and fhowjthat a conformity to God, in the inward exercifes of our hearts, and in all the outward a61ions of our lives, is what conftitutea true religion. And therefore I add, 5. That when Gad made man at firft, he made him in his own image, conformedtohimfelf in mor- al purity, hoiinefs and love. We are particularly informed, that, when God made man, he created him after his own image. When God was about to create man, he faid, " Let us make man in our image, after our likenefs." And when he was created, it is faid, " So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and fe- male created he them." Again it is faid, " In the Jikenefs of God made he him." But in what did this image or likenefs to God confift ? Net in the form SERMON V. 63 form of his body, or features of his face; for God is a fpirit : Not particularly in the natural powers and capacities of his foul ; but in the moral redi- tude, purity, and holinefs of his heart. Hence Solomon tells us, that " God made man upright," 7. c, in moral reRitude. The glory of God's char- a6er confirts in his benevolence ; hence, when God, at the requeft of Mofes, would fiiew him his glory, he caufed all bis goodnefs to pafs before him. That the image of God, in which man was firft created, confided in his moral purity and holi- nefs, in the conformity of his heart to God, in the exercifes of real love and benevolence, is evident from man's being recovered to this image of God in regeneration. In this change, he is born again ; created anew in Chrift Jefus unto good v;orks ; and renewed after the image of him who created him. It is abundantly evident, from the whole tenor of fa- cred Scripture, that the honor and dignity, the glory and felicity, of man's primitive ftate, confided in h\& perfeft and entire conformity to God, in the in- ward exercifes of his heart. Man w^as then, ia his meafure and degree, pcrfeQ as his Father in heaven was perfeB ; i, e. there was no kind or de- gree of contrariety or oppofition in his heart to God. He loved God with all his heart; he loved the fame things which God loved ; he hated the fame things ^hich God hated; though his nature and capacities -were fuch, that he could not love in the fame de- ;gree. Buthisheartwas in perfed union and harmo- E 4 nv 64 S E R M O N V. ny with God ; and in this confided the image of God, in which man was firfl created. This was his religion, and this is the religion of every rational be- ing, whether angel, or man, as will more fully ap- pear in this difcourfe. Again, 6. That religion confifts in a conformity of heart to God, a conformity to his moral image, or in- the a6ls and exercifes of our hearts, is further evi- dent from this confideration, that the great defiga of man's redemption by Chrill, is to recover man to this image of God. The great defign of God, in the redemption of fallen man, was not merely nor principally to fave mankind from wrath, not efpecially to fave him from mifery ; but to recov- er him to the moral image of God. Hence it is faid, that Chrift was manifeftedto take away, or put a- "way, fin, by the facrifice of himfelf ; to deftroy the /works of the devil ; to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify unto himfelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works. It is abundantly evident, from the "N^'hole complexion of the Bible, that the great end and defign of this, which may in a fenfe be faid to be the greateft of all God's works, the work of re- demption, was to bring man back to God, from whom he had revolted ; to recover hinj from the love of fin, to a love of holinefs ; to recover him from a (late of enmity and oppofition to God, to a ftate of reconciliation and peace with him. Hence Chrill: is faid to have made peace, through the blood of his crofs > and the redeemed from among S E R M O N Y. es men in heaven, are reprefented as praifing Chrift, that he has redeemed them to God by his blood. Nothing can be more evident to any one really acquainted with the Bible than this ; that the great defign of man's redemption was, not to purchafe for him a liberty to continue in a flate of enmity and oppofition to God ; but, to recover him to a flate of cordial reconciliation to God, to a ftate of union, harmony and peace with him. As the redemption of mankind by Chrill is a manifeftation of the infinite love and benevolence of the Deity ; fo it is de- figned to promote and increafe the greateft love and benevolence among the creatures of God, and to excite the moft ardent love in themfelves towards God. And this efFeQ it does and will have upon all tbofe, who comply with and feel the genuine influence of it. We may obferve, 7. That religion confids in a conformity of heart to God, is evident from this ; that it is the work and office of the Holy GhoR in the economy of man's redemption and falvation, to renew the foul af- ter the image of God, and to recover mankind to a Godlike fpirit and temper. Man having, by fin, loft the moral image of God, being alienated from God, and become oppofed to him in the temper and difpofition of his mind, or in the inward exer- cifes of his heart, it was neceffary that he fnould become reconciled to God, in order to his enjoy- ing eternal life and happinefs. Hence there muft aot onlv be atonement made for fin, bv the fiifTer- mgs 65 S E R M O N V. ings and death of Chrift, in order to fupport fhe honor and dignity of the divine law and govern- ment ; but alfo the fallen finner muft be recovered to the moral image of God. The power and do- minion of fin maft be deftroyed in his heart ; all thfe contrariety and oppolition of his heart muft be rertioved ; and he muft become the cordial friend of God. Without this, God can never become reconciled to him, nor become his friend. Not- withftanding all the atonement made for fin, and reparation done to his injured law and govern- ment, it is impoflible for God to become reconcil- ed to the finner, whofe heart is oppofed to him. God cannot become reconciled to fin, unlefs he deny himfelf, and a6l contrary to his own nature ; nor to the finner as fuch. There canbenofriend- fhip in God towards a creature oppofed to him ; but he is angry with the wicked every day. Hence, when God laid theplan of man's redemption, it was not only concerted, that Chrift fhould die to make atonement for fin, but alfo that the Holy Ghoft fiiould renew, fanQify, and recover the redeemed from the power and dominion of fin, and rcftore them to the moral image of God. This change, wrought in the heart of the redeemed by the Spirit of God, is fo great, and makes fuch an alteration in him, that he is faid to be a new creature, old things are done away, behold all things are become new. And it is alfo called a new birth, or being born again. Hence Chrift has faid, and faid it with SERMON V. 67 with the utmoft folemnity, " Verily, verily, except a man be born again, born from above, born of God, born of the Spirit, he cannot fee the kingdom of God." And all thofe who are indeed intereft- ed in the redemption wrought out by Chrift, are thus renewed by the Spirit of God ; and beholding as in a glafs the glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. They are renewed af- ter the image of him who created them, and have the fpirit of God dwelling in them. The law of the Spirit of life in Chrifl: Jefus hath made them free from the law of fin and death. They are wafhed, they are fan6lified,they are juftified in the name of the Lord Jefus, and by the Spirit of our God. Ye are not in the flefli, fays St. Paul to the Romans, but in the fpirit, iffobe that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the fpirit of Chrift he is none of his ; i, t. if any man have not the fame temper and difpofition, which Chrift poffeffed ; if he have not the fame or like heart ; if he be not conformed to Chrift in the ex- ercifes of his heart, he is not a chriftian. Hence it is, that real chriftians are faid to be united to Chrift, and to become one with him ; becaufe they are like to Chrift in the temper and difpofition of their hearts. They have the fame mind in them, which was alfo in Chrift Jefus ; and he was one with the Father, not only in his divinity, but in all the exercifes of his heart, Chriftians are alfo call- ed €S SERMON Y. ed the children of God ; becaufe, as the child bears the natural image or refemblance of his earthly parents, fo the real chriftian, or child of God, bears the moral or fpiritual image of his lieavenly Father. The apoftle to the Galatians fays, " And becaufe ye are fons, God hath fent forth the fpirit of his Son into your hearts." There is fuch an union of affe6lion and fimilarity of fpirit, between Chrift and believers, that the apoftle, in another place, calls them the members of his body, of his flefh, and of his bones. In a word, it is evident, that God hath from the begin- ning chofen believers to falvation, through fan6li- ficalion of the fpirit, and belief of the truth ; there- fore he faves them, by the wafhingof regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghoft, which he fheds on them abundantly, through Chrift Jefus our Lord. And hereby all chriftians may know that God dwelleth in them, and they in him, becaufe he hath given them of his fpirit. At prefent, lob- ferve only once rnorc^ 8. That true reHgion coniifts in a conformity of heart to God, is evident from this conlideration ; that the perfection of the heavenly ftate confifts in a perfeQ: conformity to God. That the perfedion of the heavenly ftate does confift in a perfedl con- formity to God, is abundantly evident, from the reprefentations which the fcriptures give us of that ftate. " Behold, fays the apoftle John, now are we the fons of God ; and it doth not yet appear what S E R M O N V. % we fhall be; but w^ know that when he (hall appear we (hall belike him^ for we (hall fee him as he is." " Then (hall I be fatisfied, fays the Pfalmift, when 1 awake with thy likenefs." A perfeO: and entire conformity to God, in all the views and exercifes of their fouls, is that which conditutes the endlefs and inconceivable felicity of the celeftial inhabitants* To view things in the fame light, in which God views them ; to feel towards every thing as God does ; and to a6l as God acl^, fo far as the creature is capable ; this conftitutes the perfection and the happinefs of heaven. Hence, it is clearly evident, that true religion muft confift in a conformity o£ heart to God ; or in having the fame holy and be- nevolent exercifes which God has. And in pro- portion as we are conformed to the moral image of God, in the fame proportion we are truly relig- ious, and no farther. SERMON SERMON VL Conformity to God the Effence of True Religion^ M A T T H E W, V. 48. Be ye therefore perfeB^ even as your Father which is in heaven is perJcB, Of all the vaft variety of creatures that inhabit this world, whether on the earth, in the earth, in the air, or in the feas, man alone was made after the image of God. And as he alone is capable of bearing the moral image of his Ma- ker, fo he alone is capable of true religion ; which confiftsina conformity of heart to the Deity > in a refemblance of him, in the inward temper and dif- pofition of the mind, or in the moral exercifes of the heart. This important truth we attempted to illuftrate and confirm in the preceding difcourfe, by a variety of confiderations, which we fuppofed made it evident, that true religion does effentially confifl in a conformity of heart to God. But it may S E R M O ISr VL 7t may be confidered as an objedion to this, ibat there are certain duties enjoined on us, which re^ quire fuch exercifes of heart, as it is impoffible that God fhould ever feel ; and therefore religion in the creature muft, in many refpefts, be effentially different from a conformity of heart to God. But, from a careful attention to the various duties en- joined upon us in the word of God, it will appear, that they all naturally arife and flow from a heart conformed to the moral image of God, or from a fpirit and temper like that which God poffefTes. Hence I would further add,. 9. That true religion effentially confifts in a conformity of heart to God, appears from attending to the duties, which God has particularly inculcat- ed on us in his word. Any one, who pays a care- ful attention to his Bible, muft be convinced, that the religion there taught and inculcated, effential- ly confifts in thofe holy exercifes of heart, which God himfelf feels, and which conftitute the perfec- tion and glory of the divine charader. But, be- fore we attend to any particular duties, it may not be amifs to obferve, that there are fome general and comprehenfive injun6lions, inclufive of all re- ligion, which particularly require a conformity of heart to God. Thus in the text ; " Be ye there- fore perfe6l, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfe61." Without mentioning any one attribute or perfeftion of the Deity, which we are to copy after; the injundionis, to refemble God ia all 72 S E R M O N VL all the moral attributes and perfe6lions of his nature^ fo far as human nature will admit. Or if any thing in particular be intended, in which we are to imitate and refemble God, it is unqueftionably m that univerfal and difinterefted love and benevo- lence, mentioned in fome preceding verfes ; or that love to our enemies, which God manifefts to- wards his enemies. We have alfo this general injunQion : '' Ye lliall be holy : For I the Lord your God am ho- ly." Here the holinefs of God is given as a reafon why we Ihould be holy ; and we are sequired to be conformed to God in the holinefs of his nature. Holinefs is clfcntially the fame in all beings ; in God, in angels, in faints in heaven, and in faints on earth. Holinefs is moral redlitude, a conformity to perfeSl goodnefs ; or, in other words, it is the perfe61ion of benevolence or love. To be holy, therefore, as God is holy, is to be wholly under the influence of real love. All the moral exer- cifes of heart, which God has enjoined upon us, are either diredlly fuch as God himfelf has ; or they are the natural fruit and efFedl of fuch exer- cifes. in fuch creatures as we are. Let us now pay a particular attention to fome of the principal duties, or moral exercifes of heart, which God has enjoined upon us. And here I may well begin where God himfelf begins, and fay, «• The firfl of all the command- ments is, Thou flialt love the Lord thy God with all S E R M O N VL 73 all thy heart," Sec, Nothing is more evident, thart that this command dire6lly and immediately requires a conformity of heart to God. God is love; his nature, his efTence is love — all his ways and works are ways and works of love. Love, as we have re- peatedly obferved, is the perfe,6tion of God's moral character ; it is this which makes him holy ; it is this which renders him infinitely glorious. And becaufe heisfuch an infinitely glorious and perfe6l beings therefore he loves himfelf infinitely more than every thing el fe. And he thus loves himfelf, not becaufe, (if I may be allowed the exprefiiion) not becaufe it is himfelf ; but becaufe it is infinite perfetlion, infinite poodnefs, that he loves. Hence he loves everv other bein-^ as he loves himfelf, Co far forth as that being refembles himfelf, or is perfe6l, holy, and good. And was it poffibie that there fboald be any other being equally perfe6l with himfelf,-he would love that beinc; as himfelf, or equally' WMth himfelf. And, therefore, when he requires us to love him with all the heart, he requires us to feel, as far as our nature will admit, as he himfelf does ; or to love fupreme excellence with fupreme atfec- tion. He does not require us to love him from felEfh, mercenary motives, becaufe we imagine he loves us, or becaufe he has been good and kind toi us ; but to love him for what he is in himfelf. This love to God arifes and flows from a clear view and lively fenfe of the infinite glory and perfec- tion of the divine nature. And when we lovp F God j-^ SERMON VL God, becaufe he is fupreme!y good, or be- caufe he is abfolutely perfect, then we are con* formed to God, and love him as he loves him- felf. Hence we fee the propriety of Chrift's faying, that the fecond commandment is like to the firtt, viz. "Thoufiialt love thy neighbor as thyfelf." For this love of our neighbor flows from the fame benevolent fource from which love to God flows. When we Jove our neighbor as ourfelves, we then only aQ as God does, who loves all his creatures, and that in proportion to their moral excellence, and real importance. We are to love our neighbor as our- felves, becaufe he is of the fame nature with us, and 'ivith us fliares in the fame love of God. " On thefe two commandments, fays Chrift, hang all the law and the prophets." And Paul fays, that "love IS the fulfilling of the law." All the requirements of the law, and even all gofpel duties, are comprif- ed in fuch love as we have confidered. An heart undfer the perfe6l influence of this love, will feel all thofe other exercifes, and perform all thofe oth- er duties, which the word of God inculcates. Thus the heart, poffefTcd of this true love and dif- interefted affe^ion, will love its enemies. For the good man loves God, not for what he is to him in particular, but for what he is in himfelf. He loves his neighbor, not for the good which he receives from him, but becaufe he is a fellow creature, and fliares with him the love of God. And he loves his S E R M O N VI. -/: his enemy, not as an enemy? but as a man, as a fel- low candidate for eternity. In all thefe inftanccsj he refembles the Deity. Hence St. John fays, '•' He that loveth is born of God; and he that lev- eth him that begat, loveth him alfo that is begotten of him : He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." It is evident, therefore, that a conformity of heart to God in love, is the bighcft perfcQion of human nature, and therefore mull be the fum of all religion. When the foul is thus con- formed to the moral image of God, and loves him with a fupreme and ardent affeciion, then it will naturally and necellarily deny itfelf ; its own inter- efts and concerns will appear to be nothing, irl comparifon with the interefts of God's kingdom ; it will fink into nothing before God, and defire to live only to him, and for his honor and glory. When the chriftian feels fuch a fpirit and temper as this, it is evident, that he is then conformed to the moral image of God, and a6ls in fome meafure as God does, who prefers and feeks his own glory as the ultimate end of all his condu6l. It will be difficult to attend particularly to every duty en- joined upon us by God in his word, and (how how they are all only a conformity of heart and life to God. However, I cannot omit juft mentioning a number. Does God require of us univerfal righteoufnefii ? This is but to be conformed to God, who is holy in all his ways, and righteous in all his v;orks. Does- F 2 God ^5 S E R MO N Vt God require of us flri8 juflice, in all our dealings mih each other ? This is but an expreflion of real love and benevolence, and a conformity to bim, ^vho is a juft God and Savior, and the habitation of whoCe throne is juftice and judgment. Does God enjoin truth and faithful nefs upon us ? This is but an expreflion of lov-e, and a rcfemblance of him, whofe charaderis that of faithful and true. Does God require us to do good to all, as we have op- portunity ? This is only to a6l out benevolence, and to imitate him, who is good unto all, and ^vhofe tender mercies are over all his works. Does God require us to love our enemies, toblefs them that curfe us, and to do good to them that hate us ? This is only the fruit and effeB of a be- nevolent heart, and a conformity to him, who is flow to anger, who waits to be gracious, and who is ready to forgive. I might proceed to mention all the chriftian graces and virtues, and iliow that they are all but fo many particulars of conformity to God, that infinitely perfect and glo- rious being. But it may flill be faid, are there not fome du- ties inculcated, which do not imply, or which are not exprefTive of a conformity of heart to God ? e.g. Repentance is an important duty for fuch guilty creatures as we are. But what conformity is there in this, to God ? Surely God does not re- pent of his conduQ. True, God can never exer- cife or feel repentance ; and yet repentance for S E R M O N Aa. fy iin, in the truly good man, arifes and flows from Ms prefent conformity to God in the temper of bis heart ; and never yet did any man exercife true repentance for fin, until his heart was renew- ed after the image of God, and filled with love to him. Repentance for fin flows not from fear, but from love ; not from a dread of divine wrath, but from a view of tise infinite glory and perfctlion of God, and a fenie of the exceeding evil of fin, as committed againft fuch a being. In the exercife of true repentance, the foul has, in fome meafure, the fame views of the evil of fin, that God has, and hates it, in fomemeafure, as God does ; and therefore the more humble and penitent the heart is, the more it is conformed to God in love ; in love of him, of his law and government. Hence, the true penitent always loves a holy God, and de- fires to fee his law magnified, his government fup- ported, and his charaBer difplayed. And all his €xercifes of holy defires ; his afcriptions of praife to God ; his confeffions and humiliations; his pe- titions and requefts ; and hisinterceffionsfor man- kind, for the church of Chrift, and for the ad- vancement of the Redeemer's kingdom, as far as they partake of the nature of true religion, and are real a6ls of duty, fo far they flow from a heart conformed to God, from love to him, and a de- fire of his honor and glory. And when the foul feels molt entirely refigned and fubmiffive to the will of God; and does as it were go entirely out of F 3 itfeilr y8 SERMON VL itfelf, and refer every thing to the fovereign difpQr fal of the Deity ; then it is nioft of all conformed to the moral image of God. Then it feels as Chrift did, who was the brightnefs of his Father's glory, and the exprefs image of his perfon. He faid, " I deliwht to do thy will, O my God ; yea, thy law is within my heart." And again he faid, in a time of the greateft poffible trial, '' Father, not my will but thine be done." On the whole, is it not abun- dantly evident, that true religion confifts in a con- formity of heart to God ? In the fame moral exercifes ; in the fame holy and benevolent feelings which God has ? In the fame proportion as we are conformed to God, and feel and a6t like him; in the fame proportionate are truly religious, and per- feQ as our Father which is in heaven is perfedl. I now proceed to improve the fubjecl. 1. If true religion conlifts in a conformity of heart to God ; if it confifts in the heart's being u- Tiited to him, and having the fame holy exercifes which God has ; then we learn the nature and im- portance of that change, which the fcriptures inake neceffary, in order to the enjoyment of God in heaven ; or the nature and importance of ret^en- eraiion. Much has been faid, and various have been the opinions of mankind, refpe8ing the na- ture and importance of regeneration ; but without attending to ihefe, it is evident, that regeneration confifts in the change of the finner's heart, from a liate of enmity and oppofition to God; toaftateof ♦ love. SERMON VI. 79 iove and friendfhip for him ; or, it is the recovery of the foul to the moral image of God, \vhich was •loft by the fall. And the importance of this change is obvious ; for there can be no true relig- ion without this change, and previoufly to its be- ing wrought. If regeneration does conlift in the recovery of the foul to the moral image of God^ then the foul is naturally deftitute of this moral image of the Deity ; and mud remain fo, until a work of regeneration is wrought in it. There may be, indeed, many external ads of duty, as they are commonly called, many outward a6ts which re- ligion requires, and yet no religion in them, fo long as the heart is deftitute of the moral image of God, Conformity to God does not confift in outward a£lions, but in inward moral exercifes. Hence there is no true religion without thefe inward ex- ercifes, which are real conformity to God. There are many, we have reafon to fear, in a gofpel land, who are fo entirely ignorant of the nature of true religion, as to think that all religion confifts in cer -tain external aftions, that proceed from no higher than felfifh affe6lions, which are not only not con formed, but really oppofed to God. True religioB is a divine and heavenly principle, which leads the heart to God, and forms it into a refemblance of the divine charaQer. Hence it is that Chrift fays, " Except a man be born again, he cannot fee the kingdom ^of God." And hence it is, that the apoftle fays; that « they that are in the flefh, F 4 tl^?i ?0 S E R M O N VI. tbat is. in a date of uarenewed nature, cannot pleafe. God. 2. If true religion confids in a conformity of beart to God ; then there is a real, an inward, and effential difference, between faints and finners, or between thofe who are chnftians and thofe who are not. And this difference does not confift in the former's performing certain external anions, \vhich the latter might ; but it efpecially confifts in the different temper and dilpofition of their hearts, and the different motives from which they aO*. The real chriftian a6ls from a principle of fupreme love to God, in his external obedience to the di- vine commands ; while the finner, in all his exter- nal obedience to God, a6ls only from love to him- felfj or from a fupreme regard to his own happinefs. A man may be very (triftand CxXa^i: in the perform- ance of every outward duty; he may read and pray, attend public worfhip and divine ordinances — he may be morally honeft and upright in his dealings • — he may be kind and charitable to the poor — yea, he may be greatly engaged in his religion ; and yet he may do all thefe things without any Jove to God, and confcquently without having the lead degree of true religion. The difference be- tween fuch an one and the real chriftian is, that the former is a(5luated by a primary and ultimate regard to himfelf ; while the latter, or the real chrif- tian, is actuated by a fupreme regard to God, and aims at his glory in all his religious duties } at leaft, he SERMON Vf. a^ he does this fo far as he is really religious. It is in- deed a truth, that the real chriftian is (cin6lified but in part — he is but in part conformed to God — there is much fin and imperfection in him at all times, arid he often feels and acts too much like the wicked man — but yet there is a real difference between them ; the i^ood man has fomething of the moral image of God on his heart, and is growing into a greater conformity to him, while the finner ha:^ nothing of thisj but is more and more alienat- ed from God. 3. We learn from this difcourfe, why it is, that God loves the faint, and takes pleafure in him, while he is angry with the wicked, and condemns all his conduB. The reafon is, becaufe the faint bears his own moral image, and is in fome meaf- ure conformed to him ; whereas the finner is op- pofed to God in the exercifes of his heart, and will not become reconciled to his chara6ler. God cannot but love his own image, wherever he finds it. As a being of infinite benevolence and love, he mud be pleafed with the fame benevolence and love in any of his intelligent creatures. He niuffc , be pleafed with all their truly religious and benev- olent exercifes and a8ions. He muft be pleafed ■with their holy fer vices, fo far as they are holy. But as there is much fin and imperfeBionin them, it is only through Chrift that they can be accept- ed. But as the wicked man is wholly deftitute of the moral image of God, and utterly oppofed to hipi;. 8^ S E R M O N VI. Iiim ; fo God cannot be pleafed with bim, nor ac- cept his pretended fervices, but muft be angry ivith him every day. As a being of infinite be- nevolence, he may love him as a creature capable of moral purity and holine fs, and yet hate him as a finner oppofed to himfelf. 4. We further learn why holinefs of heart and life is required of all moral agents, and why this is required of believers under the gofpel, as much as ever it was under the law. The infinite perfec- tion of God will not fufFer him to allow and ap- prove of fin, in any creature capable of holinefs^ capable of a conformity to his moral image. He mull require all to love him with fupreme affec- tion : Not to do this would be to deny himfelf. Hence all rational creatures, angels, men, and de- vils, muft be required, and muft be under obliga- tion, to love God, and be conformed to him. The chriftian under the gofpel muft, therefore, be under the fame obligation to love God with all his heart, to be wholly conformed to God (which is* holinefs of heart and life) as he would have been under the law. And though Chrift has died to make atonement for fm, to purchafc pardon and eternal life for the believer ; yet he is under no lefs obligation to be perfectly holy, than he would have been, if there had been no Savior provided. 5, We learn what is the beft and only fure ev- idence of our being chriftians indeed, and fo of our title to eternal life. Itis finding and feeling in our SERMON VI. 83 our hearts a conformity ;o God. Without a con- formity to God, we cannot be admitted to heaven; we cannot enjoy God ; we cannot be happy with him. The great inquiry then, is, am I conformed to God? Is my heart renewed after the image of God ? Is the love of God fhed abroad in my heart ? Can I truly fay, that 1 love God above ev- ery thing ? That I love him for his own fake ; for his own infinite perfedion, and not particularly for what he is to me, or has done for me ? Do I pre- fer his honoi" and glory, to my own eafe, comfort, or happinefs ? Do I delight to do his will, and place my happinefs in adoring, praifing, and ferv- ing him ? Thefe are important inquiries, and may determine our chara6ler and ftate. It is undoubt- edl^^ true, that, upon inquiringjCvery one will find much oppofition to God, much pride, felfifhnefs and wickednefs in his heart, and even in his beft fervices ; but yet, any real chriftian may, perhaps, know, that he does love God fupremely, and does defire to live to his glory. And whoever knows this, may know, that he is a child of God, and an heir to the inheritance of the faints in light. SERMON SERMON VIL The Benefit and Delight of drawing near to God. PSALM Ixxiii. 28. But it is good for vie to draw near to God, In the former part of this pfalm, David gives an account of the fore temptation 'which he met with, to envy the profperity of wicked men ; to think hard of the ways of providence ; and par- ticularly to think, that there was no benefit or ad- vantage to be derived from religion, from the fear and fervice of God. He then proceeds to fay how he overcame the temptation, and got rid of that fevere confli61:, which he had in his own mind ; and that was by going into the houfe of God, by attending upon the public and inftituted duties of the fan6luary. " There, he fays, he under- ftood their end ; then he faw, that, notwithftand- ing their outward profperity, they were in a tru- ly wretched and miferable condition ; that they VkXre ftandRng on flippcry places, on the very brink S E R M O N V'll. % brink of deftrudion, and in a moment ready to plunge into eternal mifery. Upon this juft viev of their cafe, he was furprifed at bis own ftUpidity and folly, in envying their condition. "So focl- iih was I, and ignorant, fays he to God ; I was as a bead before thee." But having overcome the temptation, and gotten deliverance from the fore trial, he comes out of it like gold from the furnace, more purified and refined thereby. His love to God, and his refolutions to adhere only to him, "were more confirmed and eftablifhed than ever be- fore. Amongotherfenfible benefits, which he de- rived from the trial, this full convidion of heart was one : " It is good for me to draw near to God." Though once, in my hafte,^! was ready to fay, that there was no good to, be gotten from re- ligion, that I had cleanfed my heart in vain, and wafhed my hands in innocency ; yet now I am of a different opinion ; I know that it is good for me to draw near to God, and to live a life of commu- nion with him. It is for my prefent comfort, and it will be for my everlafting benefit. I am refolv- ed, whatever others may do, that 1 will keep near my God. And in this, every good man, who has once tafted that the Lord is gracious, will fully join with him, and fay, " It is good for me to draw near to God." In treating the fiibjeQ before U5, I Ihall endeavor, I. To fliow what is intended; or implied, in drawing near to God. XL Why &6 SERMON VIL II. Why ii is good, or in what fenfe, and on what account, it is good thus to draw near to God. I. Our firft inquiry is, what is intended, or im- plied^ in the exprellion, drawing near to God, Need I here oblcrve, that drawing near to God is not a bodily, but a mental or Ipiritual exercife ? Bodies may draw near to each other, by the pow^ cr of gravitation or attra6tion ; but nearnefs and diftance, in fuch cafes, have refpedl only to place. Whereas God is a fpirit, and, in reference to place, is not far from every one of us; for in him we live5 and move, and have our being. He fills ail places, and knows all things. As he is a fpirit, fo it is only the fpirit or foul of man, that draws near to, or removes far from him. In the pfalm pre- ceding the text, the Pfalmifl: fays, ^' Lo, they that are far from thee fhall perifh." By thofe that are far from God, he undoubtedly means thofe, whofe afFe6lions are alienated from God ; who have no love for God, no defires after him, no delight in him, and no real acquaintance with him. Hence it is evident, that thofe who are near to God, are thofe who have placed their affections upon him, de- light in him, and defire to know and enjoy hirti. It is, therefore, only in and by the excrcifes of the heart, that we draw near to God. But as thefe inward afPc^iions or cxercifes of heart, are not on- ly exprcfl'ed by ceitain outward afts and duties, but many times awakened, quickened and excited thereby ; fo thcfc outward or bodily acts and ex- crcifes SERMON VIL 87 crcifes are fometimes called drawing near to God.^ Hence v;e find God Taying, " This people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me." Accordingly, attending upon the worfhip and ordinance*, which God has appointed as means or mediums, in and by which his people may draw near to him, and the performance of prayer and other external duties, are confidered and fpoken of as drawing near unto God, and waiting upon him. Nor do 1 quefiion whether the Pfalmift, in the text, by the expreflion of drawing near to God, may intend waiting on God in his houfe, and attending upon the fervices of the fan6tuary. And I am the more convinced that he means this in particular^ from his mentioning the benefit that he had found from going into the fan6luary, where he learned the miferable end of thofe profperous finners, whofe f^ate he had fo lately and fo greatly envied. Drawing near to God may, thereforCj imply, 1. Attending on the public worfhip and ordr- nances of God, and performing all thbfe devotion- al exercifes of prayer, praife, reading, hearing, and meditating on the word of God, which he has in- flituted and appointed, as means or mediums of communion with him. Though God fills all places, and is excluded from none, yet he is faid, in a fpccial and peculiar fenCe, to dwell in his houfe or fanQuary, and to be pre feat 8S S E R M O N VI r. prefent in the public afTernbly of his faints. Hence, the place of public worfliip is ufually called the houfe of the Lord, or God's houfe. God faysj " he loveth the gates of Zion^ more than all the dsvellings of Jacob." And of the IknQuary he fays, " This is rny reft, here will I dwell, for 1 have defired it." And Chrift has promifed, that where but two or three are gathered together in his name, there he will be in the mid ft oF them. The divine pref- cnce, therefore, in thofe paflages, means fomething different from that effentialprefence of God, which fills all places ; it intends fome fpecial tokens or nianifeftations of himiclf. Hence the Pfalmift fpeaks of the goings of God in his fanftuary ; as having feen him in that holy place. Now, as God is confidered as being in a peculiar fenfe prefent in his houfe, in public and folemn affemblies ; fo attend- ing upon the public worftiip and ordinances of his houfe, is fpoken of as drawing near to God. And it is in the ferious and devout attendance upon the public worfhip and ordinances of his houfe, that pious fouls do indeed draw near to God. Thefe are theMnftitutcd and appointed mediums of the foul's drawing near to him ; therefore ferve to a- ^vaken and excite, as well as to exprefs, thofe holy exercifes of heart, in which the foul has commun- ion with God. For the fame reafon alfo, private meditation, prayer, and praife, may be called drawing near to God 5 for in thefe private and fe- cret devotions^ the foul often has accefs to God with Sermon vii. g^ ^ith confidence, and finds fweet communion with him. But it is undoubtedly true, that many at- tend upon the worfliip and ordinances of God's houfe, and perform the external a6ls of prayer and praife in public, in private, and in fecret, without ever really drawing near to God. Or, at moft, they only draw near unto him with their mouthj and honor him with their lips, while their hearts are far from him. Such perfons mail, of neceffity, be ftrangers to God, and to that delightful converfe and communion with him, which the faints en- joy. They know not what it is to have God draw- ing nigh to them, in reviving manifeftations of himfelf, and communications of his grace to them. For this reafon, they can hardly fay, " It is good for me to draw near to God." Drawing near to God, therefore, muft further imply, 2. The going forth of the heart in holy and de- vout exercifes towards him ; in love to him, de- light in him, and defires after him : Or, in the ex- ercife of faith in him, repentance and humiliation before him, a hope in his mercy, an ardent, long- ing defire after the enjoyment of him : Or, in a fweet fenfe of his love, in a lively fenfe of his ador- able attributes and perfe6lions, in the delightful contemplation of thefti, and adoring and praifing him for them : In the exercife of fame one or more of thefe affeftions of the foul, the ef- fence and excellency of drawing near to God con- fifls. G Ii gO S E K M O N Vm It is not always, perhaps not commonly the cafe 3. ihat all thefe atfetlions are exercifedj when the foal draws near to God, and has communion with: him. At one time, one particular grace may be in the molt lively and vigorous exercife, and may leem to fwallow up the whole foul ; at another time, another grace may have the afcendency. At one, time, when the good man draws near to God, his lieart may be fo deeply affeded with afenfe of his lins, andof the evil of them., that he can hardly do.j or fay, or feel any thing, but lament and bewail his fins before God, and lie in fackcloth and allies before him ; he can only pour out his heart in iiioPt humble and penitent confeffions. At anoth- er lime, he feels fo fenfibly his need of the influ- ences of the Divine Spirit, to dire6l him in duty, to lead and guide him, to ftrengthcn and aflift him^ that his devotional exercifes confift efpecially in fervent fupplications and entreaties. At another time, his heart, is fvvallowed up with delightful tranfporting views of the glory of God, and he icarcely does any thing but admire and adore him ; Or with a fenfe of his love fhed abroad in his heart, and then his moll delightful exercife is thankf- giving and praifc. Now, in all thefe pious and devo-^ lional exerciics, the heart draws near to God. In the book ofPfalms in particular, wc find all thefe vari- ous aBs and exercifes exprelfed, fometimesoneanci' fometimes another of them. The book of Pialms is different from all the other books of the Bible, beifig' wholly. S E R' M G N VIL gi wholly made iip of devotional acls and exercifcs^ which exprefs the feelings of the writers, at one time and another, and on various occafions. But, tore- turn toourfubejd; drawing near to God is the foul's tonverfe and communion with him. It is feme- thing between God and the foul, that refembles the intimate and endearing fociety and converfe of particular friends, whofe hearts are knit together in love, and who do, as it were, mutually inter- change afFe6iions and hearts, with one another. In order, indeed, to this communion with God, it is necefTary, not only that the foul draw near to God in thofe religious a6ls and exercifes, mentioned above, but God alfo muft draw near to fuch a foul, by the influences of his Holy Spirit. And this God is ever ready to do ; for he is never backward to meet*the foul ; he has faid, " Draw nigh to me, and I will drav/ nigh to you." Yea, when the holy foul does draw near to God, it is becaufc God has prevented it by his goodnefs, or becaufe God has firfl: drawn near to the foul and drawn it I unto him. "No man, fays Chrift, can come unto me, except the Father, which hath fent me, draw him." The pious foul, fenfible of its need of the drawings of the Spiritof God, fays," Draw me, we will run after thee ?' The foul may, indeed, draw near to God, and yet not fenfibly feel the fweet and rcfrefliing prefence of God; but, on the con- trary, may complain with Job, " Behold, I go for- ward, but he is not there ; and backward, but I G 2 cannot ^2- S- E R M O N VIT. cannot perceive him ; on the left iiand, where He doth work., but I cannot behold him ; he hideth himfelf on the right hand, that I cannot fee him." And many a foul has complained of the hidings of his face, that is, of the want of fenfible evidence and manifcftation of the love of God ; yet, at the fame time, that foul does really enjoy the love and grace of God, in thofe defires after God, and thofe exercifes of heart towards him, which are ex- cited by God himfelfo The foul may fometimea be near to God, when it is mourning its difiance from him, and in the midft of its mournful com- plaints, its tears of forrow maybe turned into fongs of praife, by the unexpe6led manifeftationof GodV gracious prefence. When this is the cafe, furely fuch a foul will be ready to fay, " It is good for ane to draw near to God.'* We proceed, then, II. To confider why, or in what fenfe, or on what account, it is good thus to draw near to Godo The pfalmill fays, ^' It is good for me to draw near to God." He was convinced, that it was not- only in general a good thing to draw near to God, but that is was good for himfelf pcrfonally to do it. Many are convinced, that religion is a good thing io general ; it is go6d for the world, it is good for fociety, and it is good for every one but them- felves. As for them, they have no relifii for it, nor, at prefcnt, at leaft, any defire to praBife it. But this was not the cafe with the pfalmill. He was convince dc>. S E R M O N Vri. 9^ convinced, not only of its being a good thing in general, to draw near to God, but of its being good for him, in particular, to do it. He feems to fpeak feelingly and experimentally, as one perfonally ac- quainted with it ; a, d. Whatever others may think, and however they may a6l, though they may imagine that it is for their good to depart from Godj and live a life of alienation from God ; yet, for myfelf, I know that it is good ybr me to draw near to God, to wait upon him in his inftituted worfinp and ordinances, and to maintain a conftant commu- nion with him. This was the opinion of the Pfalmift, and this is the opinion of every good man. But why is it good to draw near to God ? I anfwer, 1. Becaufe there is a moral fitnefs, propriety, and beauty, in doing it. It was not only the happinefs of man in his orig- inal ftate, that he was allowed to draw near to God, * ,and hold the moft endearing and intimate commu- nion with him ; but the moral beauty and ex- cellency of his foul confided in its conformity to the image of God, in thofc holy exercifes of heart, which affimilated him to God, and brought him near to him. It is, therefore, an evidence, that the foul is renewed alter the image of God, when it loves to draw near to him, and longs for inter- courfe and communion with him. And there is a real goodnefs, a moral excellency, in drawing near to God ; there is a beauty in it; pleafmg in G 3 the g4 SERMON VII. the view of angels, yea, pleafing to God bimfelL Nothing can be more amiable than the fouj's re- turning to God, exercifing holy affe6lions towards him, and reding fwectly on him. But as the Pfalmiil faid, " It is good for me to draw near to God," he undoubtedly meant to exprefs the pleafure ^nd delight, which he took in doing this, and the benefit and advantage, which he derived from it. Therefore I obferve, 2. It is pleafing and delightful. It affords the fweeteft joy, delight, and fatisfac- tion, to the gracious foul. There is no pleafure to be compared with this in this life. The nearer the foul gets to God, the greater and the fweeter its joy and pleafure. Nearnefs to God is whatef- fentially conftitutes the happinefs of heaven ; to be in the immediate prefence of God, to behold the brighteft difplays of his glory, to enjoy the great- eft communications of his love, to have the foul wholly conformed to God, to be always full of ho4y affeQions towards God, and to be conftantly em- ployed in praifing him ; thefe things conftitute the felicity of heaven, and in thefe things confift a nearnefs to God. In proportion as thefe are found in the heart of a good man, in the fame proportion is he near to God ; and in the fame proportion he is happy. It was this that made the Pfalmiil fay, '• Bleffed is the man whom thou choofeft, and caufeft to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy houfe." HencC; while many were inquiring. Who S E R *M G N VK. ^95 Who will fliew us any good ? he cries, " Lord, lilt thou up die light of thy countenance upon us. Thou haft put gladnefs in ray heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increafed." The delight, which he found in drawing near to God, made him love the houfe of God fo much, that he could fay, in a rapture of joy, >' How ami- able are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hoRs ! My foul longethj yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flefii crieth out for the living God." And again, " 1 was glad when they faid unto me. Let us go into the houfe of the Lord." And the reafon why he had fuch a love to the worfliip of God was, becaufe in it his foul drew near to God ; he had communion with God, and this afforded him the greateft pleafure. Every one loves tbofe places and thofe employments inoft, that afford him the greateft pleafure and de- light. But the fweeteft moments, and the divineft pleafures, which the holy foul ever enjoys, are thofe which it finds in drawing near to God. Hence it will ever fay, " It is good for me to draw near to God." I might proceed to point out the advan- tages to be derived from drawing near to God; but as thefe are many and great. I cannot attend to them, in this difcourfe, and, referving them for another opportunity, fhall conclude, at prefent, with one refledion. Does drawing near to God confift, not in a bare attendance upon the worlhip and ordinances of G 4 God, 96 S E R M O N VIL God, not in the bodily exercifes of prayer anS praife, but in the inward exercifes of heart, exprefT- ed in and excited by thofe outward a61s and exer- cifes? Then let none of us content ourfelves with a bare attendance upon, or performance of, thofe external aQs and exercifes, but fee that oar hearts draw near to God in them. The outward aQsand exercifes of religion are, by no means, to be def- pifcd or negleQed ; they are inllituted by God, to ferve valuable and important purpofes; they often fcrvc as means to lead the foul to communion v;ith God. Hence they never will nor can be defpifed, by a gracious foul, but will be highly prized, great- ly efteemed, and devoutly improved. But to reft in them, and to think, becaufe we have obferved the bare form of public, private, or fecret prayer and praife, that we have done our duty, is a grofs perverfion of facred things. It is not improving, but abuiing the means of grace. It is not draw- ing near to God, in the proper fenfe ; but abufing thofe facred rights, which were defigned to bring us near to, God, not to fatisfy and content us while citranged from him. But how often do men fatis- fv themfelves with this ! Are there not many, who know nothing about drawing near to God, only \viih their bodily prefence ? Are there not many, who wifli or dcfire nothing more than this ? And yet will not fuch profefs to hope, yea, even to be- lieve, that they fiiall be admitted into the immedi- r.te prefence of God in heaven, and to a holy neaf- nefs SERMON VII. ^j licfs to him, when they leave this world ? Vam Jiope! groundlefs faith ! Eut can fuch, indeed, hope for that heaven and that happih efs, which confift's in nearnefs to God, when they have no defires af- ter God now ? No, it is not fuch a heaven, it is not fuch happinefs, that they delire; and yet this is the only heaven, the only happinefs, prepared for rational and immortal fouls. And thefoul muftbe wrought to a fitnefs for heaven, before it can be admitted there ; and in order to this, it rnuft be formed to a love of God, to a delight in him, to a defire of nearnefs to him. II ov/, then, can you quiet yourfeives with mere bodily exercifes, which profit nothing ? But is it not flill more ft range, that thofe, who have ever tailed the pleafure of drawing near to God, fhould at any time quiet themfelves with at- tending upon, and performing external duties, with- out drawing near to God ? And yet is not this fometimes almoft, if not wholly, the cafe, with many, if not all of us? How cold, lifclefs, and formal, are many of our prayers, and other religious exercifes! Do we not fometimes come to, and go from the houfe of God, almoft without any defire of draw- ing near to him, in his worfnip and ordinances ? Alas ! my chriftian friends I how unworthy is this of the charaQerof thofe, who have chofen God for their portion, and who place their happinefs in be- ing near to him .? Let us, then, more highly prize the means of drawing near to God ; let us im- prove ^8 SERMON VIL prove them belter, and let us (lir up our (lollifa! fouls to greater aftivity and fervor. Let us feek after a greater and more holy nearnefs to God, in his worfiiip here, that we may be the better prepared to dwell in his prefence^ and delight in his fer vicc^^ hereafter. SERMON SERMON VIII. The Benefit and Delight of drawing near to God. PSALM Lxxili. 28. It is good for me to draw near to God. Happy is the man, who, having found the fupreme good, Vv'hich he ought to feek after in this hfe, does cheerfully and (Icadily purfue it! Such an one may indeed obtain and enjoy great felicity. But it is unhappily the cafe, that moft men overlook their own good, or miftake the means of fecuring it. They vainly imagine, that happinefs is to be had from thofe objefts and enjoyments, which can never afford it ; though they are eager in the purfuit of it, yet they take the wrong road, and can never overtake it ; they weary themfelves in vain 5 they fpend their money for that which is not bread, and their labor for that which fatisfieth not. To fuch, Wifdom crieth aloud, (lie crieth without, ihe uttereth her voice in the (Ireets; Ihe crieth in the chief place of concourfe, in the opening lOO SERMON Vni. openings of the gate ; in the city fhe uttereth her words, faying, How long, ye fimple ones, will ye love fimpHcity ; and the fcorners delight in fcorning, and fools hate knowledge ? Turn ye at my reproof. He, then, is truly wife, who hearkens to the voice of Wifdom, and follows hcv guidance and diredion ; for fhe will lead him, not into the enchanted fields of fenfual pleafure, but into the narrov/ way that leads to life. She will lead him unto God, even unto God his ex- ceeding joy. And tken fhall he find, with the Pfalm- ift, that it is good for him to draw near to God. What is implied in drawing near to God, wc have particularly and largely confideredjin the preceding difcourfe. We began alfo to confiderj in what fenfe, or on what account, it is good to draw near to God. We obferved, in the firR place, that it is 20od to draw near to God, becaufe there is a moral fitnefs, beauty, and propriety, in doing it ; And, in the fecond place, becaufe it affords the greaieft joy and delight, the fweeteft and nobleft pleafure. I proceed now to fay, 3. It is good to draw near to God, becaufe it natur- ally produces the moftdefirablc effects upon the mind. The benefits andadvantages, which accrue to the foul, from drawing near to God, are many and great; they are almoft too numerous to be particularly confidered ; but fome of the moll important, and which, perhaps, comprehend and include all others, are fuch as thcfe ; It cures an envious fpirit ; it quiets SERMON VI If. tot quiets a murmuring fpirit ;it relieves the burden of an accufing confcience ; it gives comfort and hope in adverfity ; it adds to the joys of profperity, and guards the heart againft the danger of it ; it pro- duces calmnefs and ferenity of mind at all times, particularly in the view and near approach of death ; and it prepares the foul for heaven. Suffer me a little to illuftrate each of thefe particulars, in order to excite you the more to a life of holy nearnefs to God. Firji, One particular benefit and advantage, arifing from drawing near to God, is, that it cures an envious fpirit. I mention this firft, becaufe it is particularly fuggefted by the text, and the occafion of the Pfalmift's expreffing himfelf thus in it. He particu- larly mentions his envious fpirit, when he faw the profperity of the wicked ; and he tells us too how this fpirit was cured, even by going into the fane- tuary of God, by drawing near to him in holy and devout exercifes of religious worfhip. Then he faw how foolifh and finful fuch a fpirit was, and condemned it, and himfelf for it, and refolved in future to live near to God. The fame benefit and advantage will every good man find from the fame holyexercife. Envious feelings are too apt to a- rife in the hearts of the beft of men, when they be- hold a wicked world in blooming profperity around them. But at fuch a time, a recourfe to God, a near and intimate communion with him, will imme- diately 102 SERMON VIIL diately Tub due thefe envious feelings, and caufe the heart to feel the vanity of the world, and its own infinitely fuperior portion in God, and to lay as the Pfalmift does immediately after refilling liis temptations : " Whom have I in heaver, but thee? and there is none on the earth that I defire befides thee !" When the foul does, indeed, draw near to God, and, efpecialiy,if at the fame time, God draws near to it, and gives it fome lively manifeftationof his !ovc, it feels it has no reafon to envy t^e rich- cfi: monarch on earth, his crown, or his kingdom ; for it has that, which far furpafles all that the world can beftow. And as drawing near to God cures an envious fpirit, fo, for the fame reafon. Secondly^ It fiills a mnrmuring, difcontented fpirit. This is a fpirit and temper very nearly refem- bling the former, but it does not always arife from the fame caufe. An envious fpirit may always im- ply or include a murmuring fpirit ; but a murmur- ing fpirit does not always imply an envious fpirit. Good men are many times apt to feel a murmur- ing, difcontented fpirit, not only from the view of the apparent greater profperity of others, but alfofrom troubles and difficulties which they feel, or appre- 'hend, arc coming on themfelves. They may be ready to think hard of the difpenfations of Provi- dence towards themfelves, and fay, all thefe things are againfl them. But if, when hard thoughts arife in the mind, the foul betakes itfelf to God, and makes him its refuge, its murmurs are huflied in fiknce. SERMON Vlir, 103 fifence. Shall a man complain, a living man, for the punifhment of his fins ? I will leave my com^ plaint on myfeif, fays fuch an one, and with tie pfalmiftfay, That thou mayell be juftified when thou fpeakeft, and clear when thou judgeft. Thirdly^ Drawing near to God relieves a guilty confcience, and quiets its painful accufations. A guilty, accufing confcience is one of thegreateft and heaviefl burdens, that can be borne in this life ; yea, it is fometimes quite infupportable. Hence Solomon has faid, " The fpirit of a man will fuftain his infirmity ; but a wounded fpirit who can bear ?" In what a lamentable and piteous cafe does the Pfalmift reprefent himfelf to be, on this account ? '* Thine arrows flick fait in me, and thine hand preffeth me fore. There is no foundnefs in my flefli, becaufe of thine anger ; neither is there any foundnefs in my bones, becaufe of my fin. Mine iniquities are gone over my head ; as a heavy bur- den they are too heavy forme." And in anothei' place, he fays, " When I kept filence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me i mv moifture is turned into the drouf^ht of fummer." The method which he took to gain relief in this deplorable condition, and the relief he gained, he informs us in the words following : " I acknowK edged my fin unto thee, and mine iniquities have I not bid ; I faid, I will confefs my tranfgreffions unto the Lord ; and thou forgaveft the iniquity o^ my tc54 S E R M O -N VHL my fin?. For this fhall every one that is godly pray unto thee, in a time when thou mayeli: be jfound." And what the Pfalmift here records of Ijimfelf, has been experienced by moft, if not allj good men. Nothing gives fuch relief to a guilty confcicnce, as drawing near to God, and pouring out the heart in humble, penitent confeffion; draw- ing near in a way of true repentance, and faith in the blood of Chrifl:* And as the good man is dai- ly finning, he will find daily ocCafion of drawing 3iear to God, and derive ddiUy relief from it. In- deed, nothing will keep the foul from fin, like liv- ing near to God; and nothing will afford it relief^ when it has departed from God, but returning to him again. Fourthly,^ Drawing near to God gives comfort and hope in adverfity. Adverfity is more or lefs the lot of all mankind in this life ; good men are no more exempted from it, than others }for our Lord fays to fuch, " In the world ye fhall have tribulation." The good man has many dark and gloomy days to experience, many and various temptations, trials, and trou- bles to endure ; and had he not a God to go to, and was he not a God at hand, to whom he may at all times repair, he would be miferable indeed. But in the midO; of the mofl gloomy and diftrefTing fcenes, let him, with faith and love, and holy confi-. dence, go to God, and he finds hope, joy, comfort, and peace, beaming upon his foul. To the up- right SERMON VIIL 105 right there arifeth h'ght in darknefs. How do fuch triumph in God in the moft difireffing day ! « God is our refuge and ftrength, a very prefent help ia trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains are carried into the fea." Nor is this a prefumptuous hope and confidence ; for God has faid to every one that trufts in hira^ " Thou fhalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day ; nor for the peftilence that walketh in dark- nefs, nor for the deftruQion that wafteth at noon day." As long as the foul keeps near to God, it can triumph over all oppofition, it can conquer every enemy, it can endure every trial, it can re- joice even in tribulation, and fing praife in the dungeon, though confined in the flocks^ and load- ed with irons. Again, 5, Another benefit and advantage of drawing near to God, and living near to him, is, that it adds to the joys of profperity, and guards the heart a- gainft the dangers of it. Profperity is more dangerous to the foul than ad- verfity. The profperity of fools fhall deftroy them. Hence the many cautions given to thofe in prof- perity. It particularly expofes us to fet our affec- tions on the world, to grow unmindful of God, to negleft our fouls ; it tends to feed the pride of our hearts, and lead us to treat the poor with fcorn and contempt ; it is very apt to feed our luftsjand inflame our vanity. To prevent thefe things, H nothing ±06 S B R vM O N VriL nothing will do but to keep the heart near to God* The foul that dai!y draws near to God, and has- communion with him, w^ill fee the vanity of all thefe things, and therefore will not put confidence in them ; but efteem them as lofs and dung, in com- parifon wiih the excellency of the knowledge of God in Chrifl. And while nearnefs to God takes off the heart from the world, it will add to the comfort of earthly enjoyments, as it will lead us to view them as the gifts of our heavenly Father. We often efteem gifts, not according to their real intrinfic value, but in proportion to our love of the giver, and as an evidence or exprefTion of his af- fe6lion for us. So the pious foul receives the good things of this life, as evidences of God's pe- culiar love, and therefore enjoys the giver in the gift, which greatly increafes all his outward prof- perity. But not to enlarge here, I proceed to fay, 6. Another benefit arifing from drawing near to God is,' that it produces calmnefs and ferenity of mind at all times, and efpecially in the near viev/ and approach of death. So long as the foul keeps near to God^ it muft en- joy reft and peace. This, indeed, is implied in what has already been faid, and therefore need not be repeated. But it may be worth while to con- fider the benefit of this, in the immediate view and near approach of death. This is a trying hour, 'vhich fliall come upon and try all flefli ; it is an liour, when the world and all its enjoyments can* afford SERMON VIIL 107 sfFord no fupport or comfort ; when even the ficih and the heart will fail us. But the foul that has Jived near to God, and that can now draw near to him, will remain calm and unmoved. Death will be dripped of its terrors, and the foul triumphantly fay, "Though I walk through the valley of the fhadow of death, I will fsar no evil, for thou. Lord, art with me. O death ! where is thy fling ? O grave! where is thy vi6lory ?" Mark the perfe6l man, and behold the upright ; for the end of that man is peace. I may add, 7. Drawing near to God in his worfhipand fer- vice here, and in thofe holy exercifes of heart, in . which communion with him confills, will fit the foul for heaven. The happinefs of heaven, we know, confifts in being near to God, and in thofe holy exercifes of heart, which are put forth, in worfhipping him in ipirit and truth. Now, it is evident, that the foul which truly draws near to God in this life, is in fome meafure wrought to a fitrefs for heaven* Hence fays the apoftle, " He who hath wrought us, for the felf fame thing is God, who hath alfo given us the earneft of the fpirit ;" that is, the firft fruits of the heavenly Canaan. It is true, indeed, that the nearnefs to God, which any enjoy in this life, is at bed very imperfect and often interrupted. But he who has begun a good work in any foul, will carry it on until, and complete it at, the day of Chrift. And the nearer we live to God in this H 2 world. 2<53 SERMON VIIL ivorld, the greater will be our preparation todwelt^ with him forever, in the world to come. What now remains is to improve the fubje£l. 1. Is it a thing fogood in itfelf. To pleafing and advantageous to the foul, to draw near to God ? then what reafon, what encouragement have we to draw near to God, and live in communion with him! Surely the pfalmift might well fay, " It is good for me to draw near to God 3" and with equal pro- priety may we fay the fame. But, alas ! how few are there, who are at all acquainted with this hap- pinefs ? The generality of the world choofe to be at a diftance from God, and defire not the knowl- edge of him or of his ways. They have never tailed that the Lord is gracious. But even thofe, who have known fomething of what it is, to draw near to God, are not careful, as they ought to be, to live near him. Alas ! my chriftian friends, how ihamefully, hov7 criminally negligent and indifferent are we in this refpeft. Are we not too indifferent a- bout the means of drawing near to God ? Do w^e not many times feel cold and indifferent about the public worfhip and ordinances of God, which he has inllituted and appointed, as mediums, by and through which, we may draw near to him ? And when we attend upon thefe means of grace, are we not too indifferent, whether we get near to God and enjoy him, or not ? Do our fouls hunger and thirft after God, and after the times and feafons of drawing near to him, in public and private worfhip, as SERMON VIII, 1^9 as our bodies do for their daily meals ? Or as we do to converfe with our befl friends ? Surely if we prized the happy privilege as we ought, we fhould often be impatient for the time of drawing near to God. God condefcends, not only to allow us, but even to invite us, to draw near to him. And Chrill fpcaki of aiunif"S^^i^g himfelf to his friends, as he does noc to the world ; and fays, " If any man love me, he will keep my words ; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him !" Kappy foul ! in whom God and Chrift dwell 1 And fhould we not delire, fhould we not feek afier God, when the pleafure and delight, when the benefits and advan- tages, are fo many and fo great ? And when God and Chrift encourage and invite us to it ? Could we always keep near to God, what a fource of de- light fliould we enjoy ! It would not be in the pow- er of earth or hell to difturb our peace and reft. If through the infirmity of the flefli, we fometimes depart from God, let us think on our ways, and make hafte, and delay not to return to him, Lee us remember, that we arc daily drawing nearer to that heavenly reft, where our fouls hope and expert ev- er to live near to God, to dwell fore\'er with hinip to behold his face in rightcoufnefs, and to be fat- isfied with his likenefs. Let us be concerned, then, to live nearer to him now, that we may be vthe better prepared for heaven, and have clearer and ftronger evidence of our right and title to it. H 3 :?. If iio SERMON VIII. 2. If tbere be fo much pleafure and delight in drawing near to God in his worfliip and ordi- nances now. and fuch benefit and advantages from it here, how great muft the happinefs of heaven be ! There are fome favored and happy moments, when the real chriftian enjoys heavenly delight ; when he gets fo near to God, -and has fach pleafing views of his charaQer, fuch near and intimate commun- ion with him, and fuch hvely manifeftations and communications of his grace, that he even longs to be abfent from the body, that he may be prefent with the Lord. But thefe are (hort and momentary feafons ; they are foon interrupted. ,But the hap- pinefs of heaven is far fuperior, and it is conftant and durable. In this life, our enjoyment of God is imperfe6t at beft, and of very fliort and uncer- tain continuance ; but there it is perfect and ever- Jading. Here we fee as through a glaf> darkly ; but there face to face ! Here we fee but in part, and know but in part ; but there we fiiall fee as • we are feen, and know as we are known ! As it is happy to be near God in this life ; fo it will be unfpeakably happier to be near him in heaven. It is more than probable, that this is what conftitutes the ^:)erfe8:ion of the foul there ; that this is the rea- fon, wh) there is no fin and no temptation there; diat this isthereafon,whythe foul is perfe6lin every grace, in every virtue, and excellence. ItisfilledwithGod. God has, indeed, taken up his everlafting abode in itj and he conftantly imparts of his infinite fulnefs, to SERMON VIII. ill to it. O ! how happy mud heaven be ! and how truly bleffed are thofe who poflefs it .! 3. If the greateft happinefs that can be enjoyed on earth, and all the happinefs of heaven, confifts in being near to God ; then how far from happinefs muft thofe be, who are far from God ! The pfalmifl; faid, in the verfe immediately pre- ceding the text, " Lo! they that are far from God fliall pcrifii ;" and then adds, " but it is good for me to draw near to God." Man was happy in his original flate, when he was near to God ; but as foon as he forfook God, he was plunged into a flate of mifery. Forfaking God is the caufe of all the mifery that is found in the world ; and this world would have been but little better than a hell of mifery, if Chrifl: had not come to recover us to God. The only reafon, why wicked men, who are far from God, are no more miferable now, is, bc- caufe the things of the world take up their attention, and pleafe their bodily fenfes. But how complete- ly miferable will they be, when ftripped of all their' worldly enjoyments, and baniilied forev&r from God ! Let thofe, thenj who are now ftrangers to God, and who choofe to remain far from him who, in their hearts and condud, fay unto God " Departfromus" — letfuch rememberhow dreadful it will be, to be baniflied forever from God, by thofe iiwful words, « Depart from me, ye curfcd, into ev- .erlafting firC; prepared for the devil and his angels." H 4 S E R M O N SERMON IX, The reftlefs Soul refting in God» P S A L' M cxvi. 7. Return unto thy rejl, my foiiL 1 HERE is, in every man, a certairi ibmething, which we ufually call the foul. This we icnow, we feel, to be different from thefe grofs, thefe flefhly bodies, which we carry about with us. It is fomething, which animates the body, which has a commanding influence over all the bodily organs, and which conftantly prompts us tQ feek after obje6ls, fuperior to all earthly enjoy- ments, to fatisfy its boundlefs defires. This foul of ours is evidently and effentially different from that fpirit, which aduates brutes. Their defires are few, they are eafily fatisfied, and they are fat- isfied with prefent enjoyments. But the foul of man is ever reftlefs and uneafy, never fatisfied with prefent enjoyments, but ever on the wing, ever in purfuit of fomething new. Even the moft pleafing andpromifing profpefls deceive us; and fail of SERMON IX. ;ii3 of that fatisfaftionin the enjoyment,which we expeS- ed. When difappointedof the fatisfaQ;iQn5 in the en- joyment of any objedt, which pleafed us in expec- tation ; inftead of being convinced, that it is not in the power of any earthly enjoyment to fatisfy the defires of the foul, we fly as eagerly as ever to fome other objeft, promidng ourfelves, that we flaali find that fatisfa6lion in this^ which every for- mer enjoyment failed of affording us. And thus the mind wanders, from obje8: to objeBjfrom one enjoyment to another, in purfuit of what it can never obtain, from all the enjoyments of this world. *' We try new plcafures, but we feel *' The inward thirft and torment ftill." There may, indeed, be fome fiiort lived and momentary fatisfa6lion, from the enjoyment of fome favorite obje8; ; but it is, at bed, but fliort lived and momentary ; like the morning cloud and early dew, it foon paffes aw^ay. For the truth of thefe obfervations, I dare appeal to the experience of every one prefent, as w^ell as to the hiflory of man- kind, in every age and in every part of the world. Sometimes, indeed, we may find thofe, who, for the prefent moment, may be difpofed to queftion, if not deny, this truth. They feem to imagine, that they have found the happinefs, the reft, the fatisfadion, that they have been in purfuit of : But tarry with them a few days, and you will find, that their funfhine of happinefs begins to be ob- feu red 114 SERMON IX. fcured by intervening clouds, and they ftill look forward to a brighter day, which they expe6l from new, not from prefent, acqiyfitions. Thus are mankind in general, be their prefent enjoyments what they may, like the rich man in the parable, whofe ground brought forth plentifully, fo that he had not where to beftow his goods. He thought within himfelf what to do ; and at length refolves, I will pull down my barns and build greater, and •there will I beftow my goods. And what then ? AVhy, then I will fay to my foul, Soul, thou haft much goods laid up for many years; take thine eafe, Sec, Obferve, notwithftanding all his prefent wealth, notwithftanding all his prefent pofleffionSj he could not be happy now ; but when this and the other obje6l is obtained, then he fhall be hap- py. So it is with all mankind. But, what fhall we fay to thefe things ? Was man made to be the fport of fancy ? Was he made only to be deceived , with the profpe6l of happinefs, which can never be realized ? To be conftantly led about by an ignis fatiius^ which can never be overtaken, and which will finally plunge him in the ditch ? No, certain- ly. This would be a reflexion on his Maker. This would be a ftate lefs defirable than that of a brute, whofe defires indeed are fewer, and of a much lower nature, and much more eafily and perfeftly fatisfied. Some, perhaps, may imagine, ihat it is no matter whether a man's happinefs cor?- iifts in prefent enjoyments; or in the pleafing ex- pectation SERMON IX. 115 pe6latio'n of future good, which he fhall never find ; but can thisbejuft ? Though it is true, that a man may enjoy grecrt prefentpleafure, from the anticipation of future good ; yet will not the pain and the mortification, which arifes from blafted hopes and difappointe^d expeQations, nearly equal, if not overbalance, hts delufivehappinefs ? Muft it not fill him with regret, to think he has been all the time purfuing a Ihadow, and catching at a phantom ? Surely, truth is more eligible than falfe- hood. It would be more eligible to defire lefs, and enjoy all that we defire ; than to defire more, and enjoy nothing. It cannot be, therefore, that God has made the foul of man capable of fuch vaft defires, and yet put it abfolutely out of his power, ever to obtain that whicli will fatisfy it. There is a reft that remaineth to the people of God ; there is that which will fully fatisfy the de- fires of an immortal foul ; there is a hope, which maketh not afhamed, and which fhall be as an anchor to the foul, fure and fteadfaft. God him- felf has faid, " Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it ;" that is, Extend your defires as far as you pleafe, and I will fatisfy them. But, in order to this, our defires mufl: be fixed on the right obje6l; we muft choofe the better part ; we muft fet our affeftions on things above ; we muft look not at things leen and temporal ; but at thofe which are not feen, and which are eternal. We ought not to conclude; that; becaufe worldly obje^ls and en- joyments 1x6 SERMON IX, joyments never fatisfy, never afford that happinefs^ which we promifed ourfelves from them, but have always difappointed our expe6lations ; I fay, we ought not from hence to conclude, that nothing can fatisfy the defires of the foul. When we find ourfelves difappointed in our expectations from the world, and when we have roved, from objeQ: to obje6i;3 and from one enjoyment to another, in the purfuit of reft, let us then fay with the pfalmift, ^' Return unto thy reft, O my foul." Here, then, we may, I. More particularly con fider, that there is an object, on which the foul may reft, or in the en- joyment of which it may find fatisfa6lion and hap- pinefs, equal to its higheft expectation. II. Shew what this objeO: is, III. Shew what is implied in the foul's return- ing to this reft, or how it may do this. I. Let us now particularly confider, that there is an objeQ, on which the foul may reft, or in the enjoyment of which it may find fatisfadlion and happinefs, equal to its higheft expectation. And if it be true, that there is fuch an objeCt, on which the foul may reft, and in the enjoyment of which it can find full fatisfa£lion, muft it not be a ple^ifing, a delightful thoughtj to the weary and heavy laden foul, that has been long on the wing, flying from objeQ: to objeB, in the purfuit of reft, and yet finding none ? Surely it muft. But, alas ! how few are there; who are yet con- vincedj SERMON IX. 117 vinced, that they can find no reft on worldly en- joyments ? Though they have been a thoufand limes difappointed in their expe6lations from the world, they will yet think, that they fhall finally find what they have fo long been in the purfuit of. But, if there are any, who are wearied with the purfuit of worldly happinefs, and convinced that real fatisfadion cannot be had in any of the enjoy- ments of this life, they will rejoice to hear, that there is an obJ€6l-5 on which the foul may reft, and in the enjoyment of which they may find real hap- pinefs. He, who has formed the foul of man with- in him, and filled it with vaft and boundlefs defires of happinefs, has alfo formed a happinefs adequate to its defir^s. He has fet this happinefs before us. He has appointed and revealed the way, in which we may feek and find it. He has faid, " Afk, and it fhall be given you ; feek, and ye fliall find 5 knock, and it fhall be opened unto you. Come unto me, all ye that are heavy laden, and I will give you reft. Lesrrn of me, and ye fhall find refl unto your fouls.'* But, the great difficulty is, vain man would be wife, though born like the wild afs's colt. Being wife in his own conceit, he refufes to hearken to the voice of God ; he choofes to walk in his own ways, and to follow his own devices ; to walk in the fight of his own eyes, and after the defire of his own heart. He vainly imagines, that his own wifdom is fufficient to direft him, and that he can obtain theobjj^tl: of his wiflies, by following his iiS "5 E R M O N I^. his own inclinations. The great reafon, therefore^ why mankind are not happy, are not fatisfied, and their fouls at reft, is not becaufe there is no relt for the foul; it is not becaufe God has formed defires which cannot be fatisfied, and hedged up the way to happinefs, on purpofe that we might never find it ; but, it is owing to our own perverfenefs and obfti- nacy ; to our rejeding the counfel of God againft ourfelves, and placing our happinefs in things, which can never profit, which can never afford, and which were never dejigned to afford, happi- nefs. Ever fince the fatal apoflafy of mankind from God, the hearts of the fons of men have been fully fet in them to do evil. Our firft parents learned difcontentment with the happy flation, which Divine Providence afligned them ; they af- pired after independence and a rivalfhip with God; they wandered from the path of duty, in which God had placed them; and not only loft the greater happinefs and reft, which they were in purfuit of, but they loft all that they before poffefTed. And all their pofterity poflefs the fame fpiiit and temper, and purfuc the wandering fteps of their firft pa- rents ; hereby plainly proving, that they are the * children of th: fc, who, at firft, revolted from God, and deferve the fame curfe. Like the prodi:^aI fon, we are uneafy in our Father's houfe ; we dif- like his authority and government ; we cannot bear the reftraint of his laws ; we figh and long to be releafed. Like the prodigal, too, we forfake the S E :^ M O N IX. I'l^ the falnefs of good, the reft, the peace, the joy of? our Father's houfe, and wander in purfuit of for- bidden pleafures ; we try all the pleafuresof fm ; we even endeavor to fill our bellies with the huflcs, which fwine do eat. Wretched condition ! pite- ous ftate ! But, when, like the prodigal, we come to ourfelves, when we awake from our vain and delufive dreams, to fee our true ftate, and feel our wretchednefs and mifery, and can fay with him, " In my father's houfe is bread enough and to fparc, and I perifli with hunger;" that is, when we are led toreflecl, that in God there is enough, and more than enough, to fatisfy all our wants ; and, therefore, with him, refolve, " I will return to my father, and will fay, Father, I have finned againft heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy fon ;" then we fhall find, as he did, a Father coming forth to meet us, ready, with open arms, to receive us to the bofom of his love, and making ample provifion for our future joy, reft, honor, and perfe6l felicity. This leads us, in the next place, more particularly, II. To confider what that obje61; is, on which the weary foul, tired with the purfuit of happinefs, in the delufive pleafures of this life, may reft, and in the enjoyment of which it may be happy. And what obje6l, what enjoyment is there, that can fatisfy the boundlefs defires of an immortal foul, but that which is as boundlefs as thofe defires ? And where is this objeft to be found ? The depth, that 120 SERMON IX. that is, the depth of the earthy faith. It is not in me The fea faith. It is not in me ! Every created ob- je6l faith. It is not in me ! Thefeareall finite, lim- ited obje£ls. God alone is able to fill the foul of man ; he only can give it reft, and fatisfy all its de- lires. It is his infinite fulnefs, that fills all in all. He has formed the foul of man to find reft and happinefs in the enjoyment of himfelf ; and it is vain to expe6l it in the enjoyment of any other ob- je61:. Every objeQ muft fail of affording reft and peace to the foul, in the fame proportion as it is foreign from God. And the foul that has once truly found reft in God, will very feelingly adopt the language of the pfalmift, and fay, " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none up- on earth, that I defire befides thee. Thou art my portion, O Lord. O God, thou art my God, early will Ifeek thee : My foul thirfteth for thee, my flefh longeth in a dry and thirfty land, where no water is. As the hartpanteth after the water brooks, fo my foul panteth after thee, O God. My foul thirfteth for God, for the living God : When fhall I come and appear before God ?" Wearied with the delufions of a vain world, the foul returns to God, and finds reft in him. This undoubtedly is what the pfalm- ift intends by his reft, when he fays, in our tcxt^ " Return unto thy reft, O my foul ;" for he adds, " The Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee." He had experienced the power, the goodnefs, and the allfufficiency of God % andj therefore, would renewedly SERMON IX. 121 reriewedly repair to him, and reft bis foul on him, 'But you may aik, Does not the exprellion of the pfalmift in the text, " Return unto thy reft," imply, that he had wandered from this reft, or that he did not, at all times, enjoy reft and peace, joy and hap- pinefs, in God ? I anfwer. It undoubtedly does„ The good man, who has chofen God for his por- tion, and who has often found great reft and com- fort in God, is at beft but a very imperfect crea- ture ; he is fandified but in part ; his flefli lufteth figainft his fpirit ; he often wanders from God, his fupreme obje6l ; the world, with its delufive charms, for the prefent moment, captivate his too thought- lefs heart, and he fets his affections on earthly en- joyments, and forgets that he cannot find reft in himfelf. But, foonlie perceives, that he has wan- dered from bis reft, and is impatient until he returns. He will, therefore, often find occafion to fay, " Re- turn unto thy reft, O my foul." This is owing, not to any infufficiency in God, the obje6l on which his foul refts, to afford him perfe6l, perpet- ual, and undifturbed reft and felicity ; but to his own imperfetlion, to his wandering, roving heart. In God, there is enough to fatisfy every defire of every reftlefs foul ; and of his fulnefs we may all receive, even grace for grace. He is a fountain open, not ftiut up and fealed ; he is a never failing good, to all that truft in him ; he is a fure founda- tion. Hence we read, " They that wait upon the Lord fhall be as mount Zion, which can never be I moved." iiz S E R M O N IX. moved." And again, '' Thou wilt keep him m perfcB peace,' whofe mind is flayed on thee." In proportion as the afFeQions of the heart are placed on God, in the fame proportion does the foul find refl and peace in him. But it is far otherwife with refpe6l to earthly things ; for, in proportion as our affe6lions are placed on them, the greater our anx- iety and uneafinefs will be. He, who refls his foul on God, will find all peace, joy and comfort, it was this that made the pfalmift refolve ever to wait on God ; at all times to trufl: in him. It was this that calmed all his fears, that ftilled the tu- mult of his ruffled mind, that filled him with fuch undaunted confidence and courage, and that made him cxprefs himfelf in fuch language as this : " The Lord is my light and my falvation ; whom Ihall I fear ? The Lord is the flrength of my life; of whom ihall I be afraid ? Though an hoft en- camp againfl me^ yet will I not fear. God is our refuge and llrength, a very prefent help in trouble; therefore will we not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the fea. Yea^ though I walk through the valley of tke fhadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me." Thus may the foul, that truly refls on God, make her boall in the Lord ; for God himfelf fpeaks peace to fuch a foul. '' Fear ihoQ not, faith God, for I am with thee ; be not difmayed, I am thy God. My grace is fufficient Ibr thee ; my flrength is made perfe6l in weaknefs^ Sermon ix. 123 An things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life^ or death, or things prefent, or things to come, all are yours, and ye are Chrift's, and Chrift is God's.'* Is it not, then, abundantly evident, that the weary foul may at all times reft on God ? And that he is the onlyobjeQl:, which can afford perfect reft and peace to the foul? Xz SERMON 3 E R M O N X The reftlefs Soul refting on God. rSALM cxvl. 7. Reiurn unto thy rejl^ my foul. Should I be fo happy, in this difcourfeg as to find any reftlefs, weary, heavy laden foulj \v4iich longs to find reft, to find fomething on %vhich it can fafely and calmly repofe itfelf; I may be fure of the attention of fuch an one, to what I have yet to offer on this fubjecl. And may I not alfo expeQ the attention of fuch as have already returned to God, and found reft in him ? Such, I am fure, will feel a fatisfa6lion in being confirmed in that reft and peace, which they enjoy ; yea, they will often find it neceffary to call home their wandering affeBions, and to fay with the pfalmift, " Return unto thy reft, O my foul." We have already confidered, that there is an obje(5l (and O ! remember that there is but one) on which the foul may reft, and in the enjoyment of S E R M O-'N' X. 'i^s of whiclij it may find fatisfaQion and happinefsj equal to its mod enlarged defires and highefl ex- pedations. We have alfo confidered, that this objc6l is God ; that he who formed the foul, who made it to be happy in' the enjoyment of himfelf, that he alofie, can fatisfyits defires and give it reft. Are you convinced of the truth of thefe obfervations ? And are yod defirous of inquiring how you fliall go to God, in fuch a way and man- ner, as to find reft and peace, joy and coni- fort in him ? It fliall be my endeavor to anfwer your inquiry, while I proceed to the third thing propofed from the f^ibjeQ, which was, 111. To fhow what is implied in the foul's re- turning to this reft, or how it may do this. The inquiry is important ; and the more fo, be- caufe many quiet themfelves with a falfe reft, and peace, which will fail them, at a time when they mofi: of all will need it. Many imagine, that they have reft in God, while they are indeed rcfling on oth- er objeQs. Let us beware, that we do not de- ceive ourfelves with a vain hope. If I am not deceived, the fubje61:, which we have already been confidering, or what was faid in the laft difcourfe, will help us to anfwer this important inquiry. The foul of man, we have obferved, is full of reftlefs defires ; it flies from object to obje6l, in purfuit of fatisfa8ion, comfort, or happinefs. This, I think, every one will readily acknowledge from h;s own experience. And he muft; at the fame ^ I 3 time, 126 S E R M O N X. time, as readily acknowledge, that that objecl, op enjoyment, to which the foul flies for comfort, has the afFetSlions of the heart, or has its love. It is only by the affcQions, that the foul flies to any objeft. Intheexercifeof hope, defire, love, confi- dence, &c. the foul refts on an obje61:; and in proportion as thefe exercifes centre in, or are fix- ed upon, any obje£l, in the fame proportion does the foul fly to, or reft upon, that objeft. This being allowed (which certainly cannot be denied) it is evident, 1. That the foul's returning to God, as its reft, nrjufl imply, that the afFe6tions of the foul, its defire,hope, love, joy, and confidence, are placed on him. Love is, indeed, the leading and governing af- fe6lion of the foul ; it neceffarily carries all the afteBions of the heart along with it, to the obje6l on which it refts. The obje6l5 which we love, is certainly the obje6l of our defire ; we never de- fire what we do not love. Hope, alfo, attends on love ; for what we love, that we hope for ; nor do wc ever rejoice, or put confidence in any ob- jc6l, which we do not love. Indeed, all thefe ex- ercifes of hope, defire, joy, and confidence, are but modifications of love, or love varioufly ex- preffed. So that love and affeftion are common- ly ufed to fignify the (ame thing. Love, alfo, commands thofe exercifes of the heart, which are oppofed to it, fuch as fear, dread, abhorrence, &c. For the only reafon why we fear^ h becaufe w? loye ^ SERMON X, i-27 lave ; not becaufe we love and fear the fame ob«- je£l ; but becaufe, when we love any objeG:, then we are afraid of every thing, that will rob us of, or prevent our obtaining or enjoying that obje6b. We never fear lofing any thing, which we do not love ; nor dread any thing, but what is oppofed to the objedl, on which our love is placed. In proportion to our love of any obje6l, in the fame proportion will be our fear, our dread, our abhor- rence of every thing, that oppofes that obje6l. Love, therefore, is the leading, governing affec- tion of the foul ; it is in the exercife of this affec- tion, properly fpcaking, that the foul refts on any object. Hence it is evident, that in order to the foul's refting on God, its fupreme love mufl be placed on him. In the fame proportion as we love God, we fliall reft on him, we fhall place our hopes, defires, joys, and confidence in him. Hence pious men made thofe warm, pathetic ex- preflions of love to God, which we mentioned, in the laft difcourfe : " Whom have I in heaven, but God r Sec. Sec, The foul can never return to God, as its reft, can never find real joy and comfort, peace and happinefs in God, whilfl it loves othei objeBs and enjoyments more than God. Hence it is, that God has faid, " There is no peace to the wicked ; the wicked are like the troubled fea, when it cannot reft, whofe waters caft up mire and dirt." Before the foul can ever return to God, and reft on him. it muft, Jikc the returning prodi- 1 4 galj 128 S E R M O N X. oal, bebiousht to a fenfe of its wretcbednefs and mifery ; it mud fee itfelf reduced to the great- eft extremity ; muftfee tbat it bas been feekingfor reft and happinefs, wbere it can never be found ; it muft feel its affedions returning home to its long forfaken Father, and rejoicing in bis perfedion and government. Then, and then only, can the foul reft on God. In this way, whofoever cometh fo him (hall find reft. 2. Returning to God, as our reft, muft imply a free, full, entire, and cheerful fubmifiion to his will. The foul can never reft itfelf on God, until it cheerfully acquiefces in his will. Reft muft necefla- rily imply a calm, quiet, peaceable ftate ; but this is certainly inconfiftent with an uneafy. difcontent- ed, troubled mind. There can be no reft in Godg or in any thing elfe, while the heart feels a difpofi- tion to murmur or complain, or to be in any meaf- ure unwilling to fubmit to the will of God. The moment fuch a difpofition arifes in the heart, the reft of the foul is difturbed. This is the great caufe of all that finful departure of mankind from GodjAn unwillingnefs to fubmit to his authority and government. When, therefore, the foul returns to God, as its reft, it comes and makes a cheerful and entire fubmifiion of itfelf, and its all, to the will of God. It rejoices in the univerfal dominion and government of the Diety } it is pleafed with the thought of being refigned to his will. There can be ijo true love to God; without a love of fubmifiion to SERMON X. 129 to his will, bis authority, and fuperintendcncy. In proportion as we are uneafy and difcontented with the will of God, ourloVe to him abates. It is un- doubtedly true, that the befl of men, eVen thofe who enjoy the greateft reft in God, do fomctimes feel a degree of reluBance at complying with the will of God ; murmuring thoughts may arife ; the paflions not fubdued may rebel. But wbqn this is; the cafe, their reft and peace are didurbed, nor can they become calm and quiet, and enjoy reft, until they return to God, in a way of unfeigned fubmiflion to his all perfe6l will, and give up all to his difpofal. I may add, 3. Returning to God, as our reft, farther implies faith in the Lord Jufus Chrift, which is the only way of reconciliation between God and man. It is only through Chrift, and by faith in him, that the foul can reft in God. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no man cometh unto the Father, but by him. He is our peace, who hath made peace for us. Through the all atoning merits of his blood, God is willing to receive returning prodigals. And in the belief of this, the foul re- turns to God, and refts on him. This faith, alfo, includes a belief of the divine promifes to the pen- itent (inner ; a reliance and confidence in God, that he will fulfil his word, on which he has caufed him to hope. In this way, tiie word and promifes of God lead the foul to reft. But when the chrif- ^ian fuffers his faith to fail; when he becomes flow of t^Q S E R M ON X. of heart to believe ; his reft is interrupted anddit turbed, nor can he recover it, until his faith is con- firmed and eftabliflied, and he exercifes a lively and unfhaken confidence in God. Becaufe of the imperfedion of the beft of men, in this hfe, on account of the remainders of fin within them, and the lulling of the flefh againft the fpiril, there is no Tlich thing as fettled reft, in the prefent ftat-e ; the beft of men will frequently have occalion to call home their wandering affedions, imd fay, " Return unto thy reft, O my foul." But the more our hearts are filled with love to God, and the more we are refigned to the will of God, the greater our reft and peace will be, and nothing but a departure from God can difturb this reft. There is, therefore, every inducement to return onto God, as our reft, that there could be, if per- ied:, undifturbed reft was the confequence ; for it will really be fo, in proportion to our love and fubjeBion to God. And in this way only can the foul be trained up to a fitnefs for that ftate of perr- feQ, uninterrupted, never ceafing reft and felicity, which is refervcd for the faints in Zion above, and which certainly confifts in the moft ardent love to God, and the moft perfe6l and entire fubjedion to his will. Tlie nearer we refemble the blefled fpirits above, in the temper and difpofition of our hearts, the more we fhall partake of their reft and felicity ; the greater will be our evidence of our right and title to their joy^; the more fti^l we re- joice SERMON X, 134 joice in the hope of the glory of God ; and th.fi rnore fenfibly fhall we feel and fay with the pfalni- ift, « I fhall be fatisfied, when I awake in thy like- pefs." IMPROVEMENT. %. The fubjefl naturally leads us to refle£l, how wifely God has ordered it, that men fhould find fo little happinefs, and meet with fo many difappoint- ments, troubles and afflidlions, in this world. We are ready, many times, to wonder, why there }s fo little happinefs, and fo many troubles, in this life. We are too often ready to complain of the little comfort, and of the many trials, troubles, and afflidlions, which we here meet with ; and when pur moft pleafing hopes are difappointed, and our moft flattering expeBations are blafted, we are too apt to think that ours is a hard lot. But, what are thefe hopes and expeBations, which we complain of as difappointed ? What are tbefe troubles and affliBions, which are fo hard and tedious to be borne ? Are they not all worldly ? And why have thefe things been fuch troubles and difappoint- inents to us ? Was it not becaufe we fet our afFec- tions too much upon them, and promifed ourfelves cnore from them than, in the nature of things, they could afford? The truth is, notwithftandingall the dif- ^ppointmentSjtroubleSjand affiiBions,which we meet "V?ith, in this life ; notwithfianding our experience of i32 SERMON X. of the fnfufficiency of all worldly enjoyments, to afford us reft and happinefs, yet we do fly to them for reft, and endeavor to repofe ourfelves on ihemo It is wife, therefore, it is kind in God, to order that thefe things fhould difappoint us, that thereby we might be led to feek- for that reft and that happinefs, which he defigned and fitted us for ; and that we might feek it now^, while there is an opportunity to obtain it. Indeed, it is impoflible, in the nature of things, that earthly dbjeBs fhould fatisfy the defires of a rational and immortal foul, which is formed to enjoy reft in God. To com- plain, therefore, becaufe the world does not make us happy, or becaufe we cannot derive happinefs from it, is to complain, that we were made men, that we were not made brutes. Could the world deceive us, could it difappoint our hopes and expedations, if we did not fet our affedlions too much upon it ? Should we complain of it, if our fouls fought for reft only in God ? No, cer- tainly. Is it not then wifely ordered of God, that we fliould find fo little happinefs, and meet mih fo many difappointments, troubles, and even vex- ations, from the world, that fo vre might be led to reft in God only ? If men could find reft and peace, joy and felicity, in this world, they never would feek the heavenly reft. What then muft become cf the foul, when ft ripped of all its world- ly enjoyments ; when it quitted the prefent ftate, and entered the world of fpirits ?^et us, then, inftead S E. R M O N X. 13I . inftead of complaining, that the world is full of trouble, difappointment, and forrow, be thankful to God, that he is, in this way, weaning us from the world ; and lei us be concerned fo to improve thefe things, as that we may thereby be led to Godj and reft ourfelves on him. 2. Let us learn the true and only proper ufe of worldly enjoyments, nanriely, to lead us to God, the fupreme Source of reft and blelTednefs. As comforts and conveniences here, we fhould receive them as evidences of the goodnefs of God. They may fcrve, in this way, to lead our hearts to the Fountain of all good. They may help us the better to ferve God, and prepare us for the heaven- ly reft. But they iliould never have our heai-ts ; we ftiould never place pur happiriefs in them, or attempt to reft our fouls upon them'. It is our own flattering expedations, which deceive and dif- appoint us. The fault is not in the world, or the things of it ; they anfwer all the ends for whicli they were defigncd. The fault is in ourfelves ; we deceive ourfelves ; we prepare difappointmefits and forrows, troubles and affli6lions, for ourfelves, by overvaluing the world, and promifing ourfelves that from it, which it was never defigned to give us, and which it never can afford. 3. Let none blame God, if they are not happy, if they do not enjoy reft and peace. This men are difpofed to do ; but it is infinitely iMireafonable.,^ « The fooliflinefs of man pervert- eth i34 S E R M O N X. cth his \vay5 and his heart fretteth againft the* Lard." God has formed the foul of manjnot on- ly with defifes of happinefs, but with a capacity of obtaining and enjoying happinefs ; and this a hap-- pinefs not mean, low, and contemptible, like that of brutes ; but a happinefs divine and Godlike, truly worthy of a rational and immortal mind. He has alfo kindly and plainly told us what this happinefs is^ and wherein it confifts. And he has opened a way for our attainment and enjoyment of it. When we had forfeited and loft it, and might juftly have been left to perifh in our mifery, he fent bis own Son to recover it far us, and his Holy Spirit to lead and guide us to it ; and he ufes ev- ery argument and motive with us, to perfuade us to feek after it. If, therefore, we finally mifs of it, it muft be owing to our own wilful, perverfe and obftinate refufal of it. It muft be becaufe we feek it in wrong objedls, and in fuch a way. as it can never be obtained. It concerns all, therefore, now to make a wife and happy choice. Wherefore, 4. Let every foul be perfuaded to reft in God. Let us return to him as our only reft. We have, like prodigals, forfaken our heavenly Father, in whom alone we can enjoy reft. We have tried the world, its enjoyments and pleafures, enough to convince us, if we will a6lhke rational beings, that there is no reft to be found in thefe things. Let each of us, then, ferioufly and folemnly call upon our fouls, and fay, « Return unto thy reft, O my foul;' S E R M O N X. 133 foul." Let us return to God, as our only reft; and let us carefully remember what is implied in doing this. There are many, who feed to be convinced -of the neceflity of returning to God for reft ; and yet they ftop ftiort of him. They reft upon religious duties ; they betake themfclves to prayer, and oth- er devotional exercifes, and here they reft, here they ftop. But, methinks forae may be ready to fay, Is not this the way to return to God, in the performance of religious duties ? I fay, that barely to perform the external duties of religion is not returning to God ; yet the pious foul does often return to God in the performance of thefe duties. But then it does not reft upon the duty, but upon God, to whom it draws near in duty. Hypocrites reft upon the religious duties, which they perform, not on God ; but the truly gracious foul refls on God, in the exercife of holy love, and ua- feigned fubmiftion, and lively faith ; and thefe ex- ercifes are not only exprefted, but many times a- w^kcned, excited, and ftirred up, by the perform- ance of religious duties. In order, therefore, to our returning to God, it is not enough that wefet ourfelves to perform theexternal duties of religion*; but the foul muft go to God in them, or they ace all nothing. Not only is it important for thofe, who have never yet returned to God, as their reft, now to do it ; left God, provoked by their revolt, fiiould fwearin his wrath, that they fhall not enter into his reft : X^G S E R iM O N X. reft : But the real chriftian, who has heretofore fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope fet before him, \vill find occafion renevvedly to do. it. The pfalmilt, no doubt, was a good man, before he ex- preflcd himfelf in the words of the text. How of- ten will the good man find himfelf difturbed by fears fome evil to come upon himfelf, his family, his vfriends, or the church of God ; and perhaps his ibul will be greatly overwhelmed and caft down 'within him ! How important then will it be for him to calm his fears, by faying, " Return unto thy r^ft, O my fouJ 1" How often is the good man in trouble, on account of fome worldly lofles, afflic- tions, or bereavements, and is ready to give up him- felf to grief, and fay with Jacob, " All thefe things ,are againft me !" What a happy efFeft will it have for him truly to f^iy, "Return unto thy reft, O my foul !" How often does he find his heart going out in unreafonabie defires after the w^orld ! And then what reft will he find in faying, " Return un- to thy reft, O my foul !" How ofien does he find himfelf cold, reon.ifs, and negligent in religion I And then his moft certain remedy is, to fay, " Re- turn unto thy reft, O my foul." And in that laft, that greateftj and moft important trial in this world, when death fliall lay its cold hand upon him, when his flefli and his heart fhall fail him, then let him fay, " Return unto thy reft, O my foul;" and his foul 'fiiall be immediately admitted to that reft, which remalneth for the people of God. SERMON SERMON Xi; The Friend of God. JAMES ii. 53. And he was called the friend of God, 1 O be efteemed by great and good menj id have their love and friendfhip, is an honor and happinefs, worthy of the defire and purfuit of every one. But to obtain the friendfhip of God, how much rtiore honorable is it ! How much more to be de- lire d and fought after ! This is what fome men have obtained, and what all might obtain, if they would only feek it aright. Abraham obtained this hon- orable character, that he was called the friend of God, He was not only called fo by men, who knew the intimacy that there was between God and him; but he was called fo by God himfelf. Hear the divine declaration concerning him. *' But thou, Ifrael, art my fervant, Jacob, whom I have chofen, the feed o{ hhxdhdm my friend " Friend- fhip is love ; it is almoft more than love ; it is itiore than that cold and lifelefs afFeSion, which K tnoUt S3? SERMON XL mod men feel for one another ; it is a warm and benevolent afFedtion, which fubfifts between hearts- mutually united^ where there is an intimacy of un- ion, where there is a mutual interchange of love and endearing benevolent anions. Such friend- iliip can fubfift only between kindred fouls ; can be found no where, but in hearts formed for love. There is fomething, which, in many refpe8s, refem- bles this friendfhip, in a felfifli and wicked perfon, but it is influenced and reftri^led by mercenary motives ; and whenevier it appears to be for the perfonal fafety or advantage of fuch a man, he will defert and forfake, and fometimes betray his friend. True friendfhip, therefore, is founded in- really dif- interefted love ; it cannot exid without virtuous af- fedlion ; it i^ found only in the gracious heart; it is an exercife of true Godlike love and benevolence, Abraham was the friend of God, and God was the friend of Abraham. The exprelfion, " and he was called the friend of God", may be defigned to de- note either the love and afFeQion, which God had for Abraham, or that which Abraham hadforGod ; in both thefe refpeds, Abraham was the friend of God. There was a mutual affection and endear- ing intimacy between God and Abraham, as there is between near and intimate friends on earth. Here, then, let us confider, I. How God manifefted his friendfhip to Abra? bam : And then, H. How Abraham manifefted his friendfhip to €od. 1. Let §^E R M O N XL 139 I. Let us confider how God manifefled his friend* ihip to Abraham. It may be faid, in general, that all God's con- daft towards Abraham was kind and benevolent ; but there were fome particular ihftances of his con* duiSl, which wei-e more peculiarly expreffive of friendfhip, and which defervc to be diftindly men- tioned. Hei-e then^ 1. The firfl: particular matk or token of God's * friendfhip for Abraham, Was his calling him from Vr of the Chaldees into the land of Canaan, and giving that land for an inheritarlce to himfelf, and to his feed after him. This is the firft in- flance of God's particular favor to Abraham, which we find mentioned in facred hiftory. Before this, he is only mentioned ill the genealogy of his fami- ly, without any matk of diftin6lion. But though Nothing is faid of any peculiar intimacy between God and Abraham, before this call to leave his country *, yet we rriuft fuppbfe, that Abraham was acquainted with God before ; for, when he receiv- ed this call, he knew it camfe from God, and he had fo much love to him, fo miich faith in him, and fuch an obedient heart, that he cheerfully went out, not knowing whither he went. This calling of Abraham, by God, was a very peculiar ma^'k of the divine affedion and favor towatds him. Abra- ham was fingled out, not only from among his breth- ren, his nation and people ; but he only was thus called and chofen of God from all the inhabitants K a of f,j^ct S.."E R M O^ 'N XL of the world. And why was he thus called and' chofen ? Was it not becaufe he was the friend of God, the favorite of heaven ? This clearly appears from what God faid to him at this time. Hear his endearing cxpreffions of friendfliip. " Now the Lord faid unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy; kindred, and from thy fa- ther's houfe, unto a land that I will lliew thee :/ And 1 will make of thee; a great nation, and I will blefs thee, ; and make iby name great : And thou fhait be a bleffing. And I will blefs thetn that blefs thee, :and curfc them chat curfe thee- : And in thee {hall all the families of the earth be bleffed." It is triie, thefe blellings look further than to Abraham and his immediate family, even to the whole na- tion of the jews that defcended from him, and to all believers, even among the; Gentile nations* And the defign of God^ in calling Abraham, and feparating him from the leil of the: world, was not merely for the fake of manifefting his love to A- braham, but for the fupport of his church and peo- ple in the world. But that Abraham Ihould be -the man, whom God fliouldchoofe ; thathefhould be the man, in whom all the families of the earth Ihould be bleffed ; this was an honor peculiar to Abraham, and flipws him to be the friend of God. How dear to God mud be be, to whom God fays, -** I will blefs them that; blefs thee, and I will curfe :'lhem that curfe thee 1"^ God would, in every :lhing, take the part of his friend, and intereft him- 1q Mi' Si:E R M^O.N XL ,1431 felf in bis welfare and happinefs. Surely^ theti, •God was the friend of Abraham. 2. Another mark of Gocl's fpecial regard and frienciliip for Abraham, was his> entering into cov- -enant With him, and thereby, as it were^ iDaking ^ver tffibim all that he bad. - • ^ It wa^ an evidence of God'^ peculiar friendfiiip for Abraham, that he took him and his pofleritv into a particular xovenaht relation to him, and ^ave him an outward feal or token of this covenant. By this covenant, the feal of which he had in his flefh, God engaged to be his God ; he engaged to •keep him, and to blefs him; to giveihim temporal favors, and to b.eftow upon him eternal life. Nev- er had God before entered into fuch a particular and formal covenant with any of the fallen fons of - Adam. Abraham was the firft, with whom God thus vifibly covenanted, and to whom he gave a feal of his covenant. But you may inquire, what evidence was this of peculiar friendlhip for Abra- ham ? Had not all his natural feed the fame cove- nant, and the fame feal of it ? And has not Cod's vifible church and people ever fince been his cov- enant people, and enjoyed the feal of his cove- nant ? Grant it to be fo ; ftill this does not prove, but that this was a peculiar token of God's friend- Hiip to Abraham. Was it not an honor to Abra- ham, and has it not been to his honor in eve- ry age of the world, that he was God's covenant friend; and that blefiings were derived to all his feed K 3 through a4? SERMON XL through him, agreeably to the promife, " In th^^i Ihall all the families of the earth be bleffed ?" Wa> it not, and is it not now, the honor of Abraham^, that he was called the father of believers ? Be- fides, the covenant was fure to Abraham in a dif- ferent fenfe, from what it was to all his natural feed; many of whom, notwithftanding they bad the feal of the covenant in their flefli, never were really partakers of the fpiritual bleffings of the covenant. But Abraham was not only infured by this covcr nant, that he fhould have outward favors, a nume- rous feed, who (hould certainly poffefs the land of Canaan ; but God did, as it were, make over himfelf to Abraham ; for he exprefsly fays, " I will be a God to thee." Abraham had every fpiritual blefling, which is contained in the cove- nant of grace, abfolutely confirmed to him ; and this certainly muft prove, that God was the frien^ of Abraham. Again, 3. Another thing, which evidences tha^ God was a friend to Abraham, or another mark of hi^ friendfhip, was, that he frequently vifited Abra- ham, or made vifible and fenfible nianifeftations of himfelf to him. Abraham was not, indeed, the only perfon, to whom God appeared, in the patriarchal age. Di- vine appearances were then frequent ; many Others were favored with them, as well as Abra-f ham. But none but the friends of God, none but eminently pious and good men, were favored with fuch SERMON XI. 143 fuch divine vifits. We never read of God's ap- pearing, or manifefting himfelf, to wicked men. Abraham was not only favored by God with a vifible appearance, when God at firft commanded him to leave his native country ; but h6 was hon- ored with frequent and repeated vifits, with kind and endearing manifeftations, and with gracious and folemn promifes. The firft appearance of God to Abraham was, as we have obferved, when he was called to leave his country, which we have an account of in the 12th chapter of Genefis. What promifes did God then make to him ! How rich and full ! The next particular and fenfible vifit, which Abraham had from God, was when Lot and he parted, and Abraham, to prevent all difficulty and controverfy, had given liberty to Lot to choofe any part of the land, and engaged him- fclf to go another way. Then God appeared to him, and renewed the promife to give to him, and to his feed, all that land, and to make his pofterity numerous as the duft of the earth. This is record- ed in the 13th chapter. The 15th chapter is en- tirely taken up with an interview, fhall 1 call it ? or with a dialogue between God and Abraham, in which Abraham, who hitherto had no child, has the promife of a fon, and of a feed as numerous as the ftars of heaven ; and in which he receives a renewed promife of Canaan, and a vifible token and pledge of his enjoying it. In the 17th chap- ter, God again appears to Abraham, enters into a K 4 particular 144 S E R M O N XL particular covenant with him, appoints the feal ;^of the covenant to becircumcilion, and promifes hinx another fon, from Sarai, whofe name is, by divine appointment, altered to Sarah. There are repeat- ed accounts, after thefe, of God's appearing to A- braham, and converfing with him, renewing his promifes, and encouraging his hope and confidence in him, and his obedience to him ; but as thefe, which have been mentioned, are fufficient to lliew how, in this view, God was the friencj of Abraham, I fhall omit noticing them, and proceed to fay, 4. It appears that God was the friend of Abra- ham, from his revealing his purpofes and defigns to Abraham, and thereby making him, as it were, the man of his council, his fecret confidant, in whom he could confide. In the 15th chapter, God informs Abraham, very particularly, what the ftate of his pofterity jfhould be ; that they fliould be in bondage and fervitude four hundred years, in a ftrange land ; that after that, they fhould be brought out with great fub- ftance, and be put in poffeflion of the land of Ca- naan; and that thefe things fliould take place after he was peaceably laid in his grave. " And thou flialt go to thy fathers in peace ; thou flialt be bu- ried in a good old age." But that which mod of all difcovers the friendfliip of God for Abraham, is his revealing to him what he defigned refpeQ:- ing Sodom. The manner in which this account is given is indeed very remarkable^ " And the Lord SERMON XL 145 ^Lord faid. Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do ; feeing that Abraham fxiall furcly be- come a great and mighty nation, and all the na- lions of the earth fhall be bleffed in him ? For I know him, that he will command his children, and his houfehold after him. and they Ihall keep the way of the Lord, to do juftice and judgment 5 that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath fpoken of him," Never coidd any thing more clearly difcover God's friendfhip for any one, than this paffage, which 1 have read, does God's friendly regard to Abraham. And the Lord faid, he faid to himfeif, he did as it were argue and reafon the cafe with himfeif, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do P or, as fome read it. Am I hiding from Abraham that thing which I do ? Can 1 go about fuch a thing, and not tell Abraham of it ? Thus God is pleafed to exprefs himfeif in the language of men, who often reveal to fome very near and intimate friend thofe pur- pofes and refolutions of their hearts, which they keep concealed from every one elfe. And the reafon which he gives, why Jie would reveal this to Abraham, is not only greatly to Abraham's honor, but is further evidential of his friendfliip for him. " For I know him," fays God ; I am fully ac- quainted v.'ith him ; he is my friend and favorite; he interefts himfeif in my caufc ; and he is one for whom I have great things in view ; he fliall become a great nation. Abraham muft know^for he 14'6 SERMON XI. he will teach his houfehold, he will take care t^ improve this knowledge aright, to give counfel and warning to his children after him, that they may learn to do juftice and judgment ! Abraham muft know, becaufe be will make a good ufe of bis knowledge. 5. It appears that God was the friend of Abra- ham, or that he efteemed and loved him, from his hearkening to the voice of his fupplication, and regarding his interceflion ; or from the influence and efficacy of bis fervent prayers. The apoftle tells us, that the efFe£lual Jfervent prayer of a righteous man avails much ; and bow is this verified in the inftance of Abraham's inter- ceffion for Sodom ! No fooner had God reveal- ed to Abraham his purpofe refpeding Sodom, than be undertakes to intercede for that city. As God had faid to himfelf, Shall 1 hide from Abraham that thing which I do ? Shall 1 deftroy Sodom, and not tell Abraham of it ? So it feems as if A- braham faid to himfelf, Shall Sodom be deftroyed, and I offer not one petition for its prefervation ? Af- ter this, we have an account of his prayer, and the efficacy of it. Abraham drew near to God, in or- der to pour out his heart before him. And in his prayer he difcovers great humility, great reverence of God, great faith in the juftice and goodnefs of God, great pity and compailion towards finners ; and yet great boldnefs and confidence in bis ad- 4refs to GOd. And we find^ that, by his prayer, b$ SERMON XL iif Jie obtained all that he really afked for. God prom-r jfed him, that he would fpare the wicked for the fake of the righteous ; that, if he found fifty, or forty five, or thirty, or even ten, righteous perfon$ in the city, he would fpare it. God continue4 granting his petitions, fo long as Abraham contin- ued to aflc ; and though Abraham gave up his re- queft to have the city fpared, if thefe could not be found ; yet God granted his requeft, that the righteous might not be deftroyed with the"" wicked ; and therefore he delivered juft Lot from the de- ftru6lion. Can any thing be more evidential of real friendfliip, of real love, aflPeQion, and ef- teem, than this, to regard the petitions and grant the requefts which are offered; efpecially for God to regard and grant the requefts, even all the re- quefts of fuch creatures as we are ? Surely God was .*,^he friend of Abraham. I fhall add only once more, 6. That God was the friend of Abraham, appears from the kindnefsj whkh God all along manifefted towards him. From the day that Abraham forfook his native land, to the laft day of his life, God never left nor forfook him, but followed him with loving kindnefs and tender mercies. He continually prote£led and defended him ; gave him peace from all the enemies which furrounded him ; gave him favor y^ith thofe, among whom he at any time refided ; bleffed him with riches and honor ; gave him joy and happinefs in his children, more efpecially in his It48 SERMON XL his fon Ifaac 5 lengthened out his days to a good old age ; gathered him to his fatiiers in peace; and deceived his departing fpirit to the bofom of his love, where he has ever fince remained, and where he fhall remain, to enjoy the fmiles, and fing the praifes, of God and the Redeemer, through eternal ages. Happy Abraham 1 happy waft thou, when once thou dwelt on earth. Though afflided with in- ward weakncfsand infirmity, and though furround^ ed with outward trials and temptations ; yet even then waft thou happy in the friendftiipof thy God, in the fweet manifeftations of his love. But O l how happy, how inconceivably happy, art thou now i Now thou art free from fin, free from all imperfeftion, free from even painful trial, free from every kind and degree of temptation ! Thou now enjoyeft the full and complete friendfhip of thy Father God ! Would we, my brethren, be alfo called the friends of God ; would we enjoy the tokens of his friendfhip ? The way is as open to us as it was to him. We muft be followers of them, who, through faith and patience, inherit the promifes. We muft become the children of Abraham : We muft ex- crcife the fame faith, the fame love, the fame obe- dience, the fame felfdenial, the fame confidence in God ; and keep up the fame communion with God, that Abraham did ; then fliall we, like him, foe called the friends 0/ God, SERMON SERMON XII The Friend of God» JAMES if. 23. And he was called the friend of GoL Abraham is one of the moft illuftri- dus perfonages, which we find in facred hiftory. His charafter and conduct fhine wiih a fuperior luftre. Few, if any, of mankind, deferve to be iDore admired than he. His example is, in many refpe6ls, and on many accounts, worthy of ourmoft carefql imitation. Since Abraham was a mere man, a finful, imperfetl creature, as we are, and fince he enjoyed no external privileges and advantages for improvement in virtue and piety, fuperior to ihofe we enjoy ; why may we not equal him in e- ivety grace, and become as eminendy the friends of God as he was ? 1 obferved, in the preceding dircourfe, that the expreflion, " he was called the ; friend of God," may be defigned to denote either the love and afFe^ion which God had for Abraham, «^r that which Abrahana had for God ; in both thefe i50 SERMON Xii. thefe refpedls it is true, that Abraham was the friend of God ; though perhaps it is the former of thefe that is particubjly intended. It was, how- ever, propofed to confider the words in each of thofe views. In the former difcouffe; we confid- eredhow God manifeftedhisfriendfhip to Abrahamj or difcovered ^tbat he was his friend. We may now confider, II. How Abraham nianifefted his friendfhip to God. You will ftill retain this idea of friendfliip, that it is love, pure, genuine, unfeigned love, real affec- tion and efteem, for a perfon or being. It is the ■cordial agreement, harmony, or linion of fouls. To fay, then, that Abraham nianifefted his friend- fhip to God, by his love to him, is only faying, that he manifefted his love by his love, his friend- fhip by his friendfhip, or that he was a friend to God. The apoftle James will anfwer the queftion be- fore us in fhort, and tell us how it was that Abra- ham manifefted his friendftiip for God, and how he obtained the honorable charafter, which is giv- en to him in the text. He fays, " Was not Abra- ham our father juftified by works, when he had offered Ifaac his fon upon the altar ? Seeft thou how faith wrought with his woxks, and by works was faith made perfe£l ? And the fcripture was fulfilled which faith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteoufnefs ; And he wa& SERMON XH. i^i was called the friend of God." It feems, then, that in the view of St. James, Abraham manifeft- ed his friendfhip to God, and that he obtained this honorable chara6ler, to be called the friend of God, by his faith, or by his faith and obedience; hy a faith which wrought with his works, and was made perfed by it. The only particular a6t of obedience which he mentions, is that of offering up his fon, and fo the only particular a6l or exer- cife of faith which he refers to, is that of his be- lieving in the divine promife, that, " in him and in his feed, all nations ittiall be bleffed;" or perhaps more particularly in that promife, " In Ifaac fhall thy feed be called ;" accounting that God was able to raife him up from the dead, and that he would do this, rather than his promife fhould fail. But we are not to imagine, that it was on- ly one exercife of faith, or one a£l of obedienccj that gave Abraham this charadler of being the friend of God» His whole life, or his general condudl, proved that he was the friend of God. We may, therefore, derive advantage to ourfelves^ from a more particular furvey of thofe things in the life and condu£l of Abraham, which manifeft- ed that he was a friend to God, that he really lov- ed and efteemed God, and that he valued his fa- vor and friendlhip above every thing elfe. There are many things in the hfe and conduct of Abraham, vhich deferve particular notice. Here then we ^y obfervcj in the firft place, !• That i5^ ^i'^E R M O N Xli. 1. That Abraham raanifefted his love to Gocfj Ok his afFe8ion and friendfhipfor him, by a cheer- ful obedience to his commands. Abraham had the fame general commands to obey, and the fame common duties to perform, that we and all others have. Thefe he performed, we may fuppofe, with carefulnefs and fidelity, and with uncommon alacrity, which was one reafon, why God put his obedience to fuch peculiar trials, that fo he might ftand upon record, as an eminent and illuftrious example of obedience to all future generations. The particular and remarkable in- flances of his cheerful obedience to the divine command, which are recorded in the v^ord of God, are two : That of leaving his native land, and that of offering up his beloved fon a facrifice to God. The firfl; of thefe was a proof of his readinefs to obey the divine will. God faid to him, while dwelling vHth his friends and kindred, " Get thee out from thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's houfe, unto a land which I fhall fhew thee." This was the command ; and what made it peculiarly trying was, that he was not ovt- ]y required to leave the only country with which he was acquainted, and all his kindred and friends, except fuch as would accompany him ; but to go he knew not where, nor how far. He mtift wholly give up himfelf to the divine guidance and direc- tion, and follow wherever God fiiould lead. St. Paul fayS; "He went outj not knowing whither he went*'* SERMON XIL 153 ^ent." But Abraham obeyed the divine command, becaufe he knew God "was acquainted with his true charaQer, and was a real friend to him. He knew that God would not diredl him to do any thing, which was not wife and good. He knew that God was his friend, that God would not ban- ifh him from himfelf, if he did from his earthly friends ; and he was willing to go to any place, "where God would go with him. By this, there- fore, he manife (led himfelf to be the friend of God. The other inftance of obedience required and performed was flill more lingular and furprifing, « Take now thy fon, thine only fon Ifaac, whoni thou loved, and get thee into the land of Moriah ; and offer him there for a burnt offering, upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." How painful is this precept ! Every word which God makes ufe of is enough to cut him to the heart. Take now thy fon— r\oi\hy bullock, not thy lamb, not thy fheep, not thoufands of rams ; but take thy Jon ; and this not Ifhmael, who had been cad out and cut off from the family; but thine on- ly fon that is left, he on whom all thy hopes are built^ in whom all the promifes centre — that fon whom thou lovefi^ whom thou preferreft to every earthly friend. And what is to be done with him ? Why he mud be offered up for a burnt offering ; not barely fent off and banifhed from the family, which would have been painful indeed, though eafy in comparifon with this ; for then hope might have had fomething to L rert XS4 SERMON Xn. reft upon. But this is not the order — no, he muff die, and not only die, but he muft be offered up for a burnt offering, he muft be confuined to afhes. Well, if it muft be fo, may not Abraham be allow- ed to commit himtofome one as the executioner? No ; the father muft put him to death with his own Band ; and he^ muft do it after fall deliberation and refleiEiion ; for he muft go three days' journey with him, before he can reach the place of execu- tion. Does he appear to hefttate whether to obey or not ? No ; he knew it was the command of God ; he knew that he ought to obey, and he delays not a moment to execute the divine injun6lion. He rifes early in the morning after he had received the command, and fteadily purfues the journey, with an unalterable and fixed refolutionto obey, until, on the third day, becomes in fight of the place where the fatal fcene was to beaded. Then, leaving his fer- vants, he takes his fon along with him to the def- tined fpot ; there be builds his altar, lays the wood in order, binds his fon, lays him on the funeral pile. Now he ftretches out his hand and takes t"he knife. Still his heart does not fail Inm, nor his hand refufe to perform the painful tafk — he is fixed in his refolutionto obey God, whatever it maycoft him. God accepts the will for the deed ; he fees his willing and obedient heart, he ftays his hand, and prcfcnts him with a ram, to be offered in the place of his fon. The command was given to s?)ake trial of his obedienccj the trial was. made, and. SERMON Xli. ^55 dnd his obedience proved. It now appeared, that Abraham was indeed the friend of God, feeing he withheld not his fon, his only fon from him. A- gain, 2. Abraham manifefted his friendfhip to Godj by his faith and confidence in him. Faith and confidence in another, is many times as ftrong a proof of love and affeQion as any thing can be. Abraham was a true believer in God, and put the moil impHcit confidence in every thing which God faid. He believed that God was invariably faithful to his word ; he believed that heaven and earth fhould pafs away, and the whole courfe of nature change, fooner than God's word fhould fail. This faith and confidence in God Abraham difcoveredon all occafions, howev- er unlikely, or even impofTible to human view k feemed, that his word fhould be accomplifhed. It was this faith and confidence in God, which in- duced him to leave his native land. So fays the apoftle to the Hebrews. « By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he fliould after receive for an inheritance, obeyed ; and went out, not knowing whither he went." Though God, when he called him, did not partic- ularly tell what land he would give him ; yet it feems he had made fome promife to him of an in- heritance, and he believed that God would give it, confiding in his goodnefs as well as faithfulnefs. By faith he fojourned in the land of promife, as La irt -56 S E R M O N XIL in a flrange country, dwelling in tabernacles with ITaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the fame promlfe ; for he looked for a city which hath foundations whofe builder and maker is God." Abraham not only believed the promife, that his feed fhould inherit the land of Canaan ; but he confidercd this land as a type of heaven, and beHeved that he fhould inherit this alfo. His faith vas again tried in the promife of a fon by Sarah in his old age. This, according to the com- mon courfe of nature, was impoffible ; but he knew and believed the power and faithfulnefs of God. And we are told, " being not weak in faitli, he confidered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadnefs of Sarah's womb : He daggered not at the promife of God through unbelief; hut was ftrong in faith, giving glory to God,'* But the greateft trial of his faith w^a^ that which was the greateft trial of his obedience. ^« By faith, fays the apoftle, Abraham, when he was tried, of- fered up Ifaac : And he that had received the promifes, offered up his only begotten fon ; of whom it was faid, that in Ifaac fhall thy feed be called." This was indeed a trial of his faith. How was it polTible, that all the promifes which God had ma'le hirn of a numerous pofterity fliould be fulfilled ? And efpecially how was it poflible, that this promife in particular fliould be fulfilled in IfaaCjifhe wereputto death in his youth ? Where would SERMON XII. 157 would be any room for faith ? On what could faith be founded ? Would it not be follv} prefumptionj and even madnefs, to expert that a numerous pof- terity fhould fpring from a dead child ? But A- braham knew that the promife was abfolute, and he was equally certain that God was faithful ; he therefore believed Godj accounting that God was able to raife him up from the dead, even from the afhes of a burnt offering ; and that he would do it, fooner than his promife fhould fail. Abraham's faithj therefore, proved him to be a friend to God — one that relied on his power and goodnefs, his truth and faithful nefs ; one who would confide in God, and againfl hope believe in hope. 3. Abraham's friendfhip to God was manifefled, by a courfe of cheerful fubmiflion and fclfdenial. Nothing was too dear to him to be parted widi for God. He was willing to part with father and mother, kindred and friends, and even with his beloved fon, who was dear to him as his own foul, whenever God required it. Did he ever murmur and complain at the will of God ? Did he ever manifeft a reluQance at parting with any thing, which God called for ? No ; he appeared to be all fub- miflion : Not my will, but thine be done, was the language of all his conducl ! What painful trials did he meet with \ and with what meeknefs and humble fubmiflion, did he bear them ! By fuch condu6t, he made it appear, that he regarded the divine will m»re than his own private good, and L 3 that 158' SERMON XIL that he; was a true, fincere, difinterefted friend to God. 4. Abraham manifefted his friendfhip to Godj, by his daily and intinaate converfe and commun- ipn with him. Friends love to meet and converfe together ; 2|nd they take every convenient opportunity to vifit each other. As God manifefted his friendfhip for Abraham, by frequent vifitSjby repeated promifesj, and by endearing communications; fo Abraham- ipanifeRed his friendfliip for God, by his frequent and intimate converfe with him. It is true, there is no particular mention made how often Abrahani was entployed in prayer and praife, and other re- ligious devotions, in which the pious foul has com- munion with God, and keeps up an intimacy will\ him ; yet there is enough faid to make it evident, that Abraham was a man of prayer, and that he was no ftranger to communion with God. We find him engaged in this duty himfelf, and enjoin- ing it upon others. At his firft entrance into the promifed land, he came to the place called Sichem^ and there the Lord appeared unto him, and faid, " Unto thy feed will I give this land ;" and there he builded an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the eaft of Bethel, and there he build- ed an altar, and called upon the name of the Lord. From this place he went down into Egypt, becaufe of a famine in the land -, but he foon returned tq Bethel^ SERMON XIL 15^ Bethel, where he had before built an altar ; and there, we are told, he again called on the name of the Lord. At length, he removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built an altar there unto the Lord, in every place where he dwelt, he built an altar, and called on the name of4:he Lord. It is clear- ly evident, therefore, that he was a man of real piety and devotion ; a man of prayer ; one who kept up a conftant communion with God. Seve- ral of his prayers are mentioned ; and there is one in particular, which you can never forget, his fer- vent interceflion for Sodom. Such faith, obedi- ence, and fubmiffion, as he often exercifed, could not be maintained, without prayer. And his pray- ers and devotions proved him to be the fincerc and intimate friend of God. 5. Abraham clearly manifeiled his friendfhip to God, by his faithful endeavors to promote his caufe among men. It is the part of true friends to efpoufe each other's caufe, to make the interefl of each other their own. As God manifefted his friendfhip to Abraham, by taking his part, and efpouGng his caufe ; fo Abraham manifefted his friendfiiip to God, by profefling and promoting true religion a- mong men. Abraham not only paid a facred regard to the commands and laws of God himfelf, but he en- deavored to bring others to do the fame. Hence, L 4 God tSo SERMON XIL God fays of him, " 1 know him, that he will com- mand his children, and his houfebold after hinn, and they fhall keep the way of the Lord, to dojuf- tice and judgment." Abraham not only took pains to teach his children and fervants tke knowl- edge of God and his ways ; but he exerted all his authority over his houfehold, to oblige them to do juftice and judgment. This was a bright part of Abraham's charaQer ; it was greatly to his honor, and very evidential of his friendfhip to God. Thus did Abraham in every way manifeft his love to God, and his regard for his honor and intereft in the world. It is true, that Abraham's love, notwithftanding the great trials it endured, and the aftonilhing a6ls, which it led him to perform, \vas imperfeft. Abraham was guilty of fome great fins. " There is not a jiift man upon earth, that doeth good, and finneth not." But ftill he is an em- inent and illiiftrious example to faints in every age; and in him we learn, not only what is our duty, and how we ought to condu6t towards God ; but how, like him, we may obtain the honorable char- aBer of being the friends of God, and how we may fecure the bleffing of that glorious and all perfeft Being. And now, let me afk you, my brethren, whether you are the friends or the enemies of God ? Whether you are in heart reconciled to God, to hii- laws and providence ? And whether you maa- ifeft your friendlhip to hiraj as Abraham did ? Does SERMON XII. xe% Dotes your love to God, and your friendfhip for him, appear in your cheerful obedience to all the intimations of his will ? You have not been called to fuch painful and trying aQs of obedience as Abraham was ; the (Irength of your love has not been tried by a command, to forfake every thing for God ; yet you have met with many things in the courfe of life to try you, whether you would fubmit to God and obey his will. Have you then been obedient ? Have you been ready to perform the moft felf denying duties ? Have you had re- fped to all the divine commands, and been difpof- ed to fay, All that the Lord our God requires, a/^^- portant than our own; it may perhaps appear a flrange i84 S E R M O N XIV. ftrange aflertion ; but, confider a moment ; is not the happinefs of a man of more importance than the happinefs of a beafl ? Yes, certainly ; for a man is of more value than many beafts or fpar- rows. The happinefs of a man is a rational happi- nefs, but that of a bead is merely animal— the hap- pinefs of a man is much greater than that of a bead:, and therefore the happinefs of a man is a much greater caufe of joy, than that ofa beaft. Ought we not then to rejoice more in the hap- pinefs of a man, than in that of a bead ? Yesj certainly ; and v/hy ? Becaufe it is of more worth and value ; not becaufe of any perfonal intereft in either. For the fame reafon, the happinefs of one man may be of more confequence andimportanccg than that of another man ; his happinefs may be more rational, as well as greater in degree, than that of another ; and therefore ought to be more rejoic- ed in. Every man is capable of feeling happinefs; but every man. is. aot capable of feehng an equal degree of happinefs. Bui in proportion as men are capable of feeling and enjoying happinefs, and in proportion to the nature and kind of their hap- pinefs, in the fame proportion is their happinefs: to be rejoiced in. We all know, that one particular obje£l or enjoyment will contribute more to tl>e happinefs of another, than it will to our own ; there- fore we ought vo rejoice more that another poffefT- es it, than if we polfeffed it ourfelves, becaufe hereby the general godd is increafcd. Hence it h SERMON XIV. iS- is, that benevolent minds rejoice in the happinefs of others ; yea, that they are willing, in many in- fiances, tofufFer for their good. And hence it is, that we are required to give to him that needeth ; to feed the hungry ; and to clothe the naked* What we impart of our good things to fuch, will more increafe their comfort and happinefs, than it will diminifli our own ; yea, if we are truly be- nevolent, it will augment our own perfonal happi* nt[s» This leads me to obferve, 3, That another reafon, why we fhould rejoice in the good and happinefs of others, is, that in this way we become partakers with others in their hap* pinefs. The good man, whofe heart rejoices in the good and happinefs of others, has a perpetual fource of the moll pure and refined felicity. He can at all limes look around him, and fee happinefs and re- joice in it. If he has not himfelf every enjoyment that he could wifh, yet he finds one and another poffefFing fomedefirable enjoyments, and rejoicing in them ; and when he confiders that they are as dear and important to others as they would be to himfelf, his foul enters into the joys of others, and he rejoices with them in all their happinefs. In the exercife of fuch a benevolent temper, the good man does, as it were, participate the joys of faints and angels in heaven. When he refleds upon the pure and fublime pleafures and enjoyments of ihofe holy beings above, his heart rejoices with N tHpm, i8^ SERMON XIV. them, in all their felicity and bleflednefs. For the fame rcafon, and in the fame way, he participates the joys of the world around him, and Ihares in all tlie happinefs which they polfefs. He is pleafed widi the. thought of that goodnefs, which fills heav- en and earth ; and his benevolent heart gives thanks to GoJ for all the happinefs bellowed upon his creatures. The facred Scripture, and in particu- lar the Book of Pfalms, is full of praife, not only for perfonal favors, but for God's goodnefs to all. And St. Paul in all his epiftles gives thanks to Goda for all fpiritual , bleffings, in particular, be- flowed on all the faints.. Now, thefe things prove that the benevolent foul not only rejoices in the good 9,nd happinefs of others^ but does alfo, as it were, partake of the bleffings which others enjoy, merdy becaufe they are happy. The more our hearts rejoice in the good and happinefs of others, the more happy we mud neceflarily be. It is not the pofleffion or enjoyment of this or the other ob- j.e6i:, that makes men happy ; but it is the heart that rejoices in univerfal happinefs. I may add, 4. It is our duty to rejoice in the good of others, becaufe herein we refemble God himfelf. The infinite goodnefs and love of the Deity cauf- es him to delight in the good and happinefs of his creatures. It was this, that caufed him to create fo many beings capable of enjoying happinefs, and to make fuch ample provifion for their enjoyment ©i it, Andhedoesj undoubtedly, in the courfe of his. Sermon xiv: 187 Ills providence, confult the 'greateft good, riot of an individual, but of the whole fyftem. He is not partial of his favors to me, or to another man ; bat he is good unto all, and his tender mercies are over all his works. And fo far as ahy one refembles (God, he will iejoice, not only 'in favors conferred upon him, but in thofe that are? conferred upon others. He' will rejoice in the greateft good of the whole intelligent fyftem. Let us then cultivate this benevolent fpirit, and learn to rejoice in the happi- "hefs of all around us. IMPROVEMENT. 1. From the fubje6t we infer, that true love is difinterefted ; or, in other words, that the religion of the gofpel requires difinterefted afFe6lion. Mankind in general are almod' entirely fwallow- ed up in felf. They dre cbricerned about only their owri intereft and happinef^; They know lit- tle of any other' joy, than that which arifes from perfonal good. They are greatly indifferent about the good and happinefs of others, if they can but €njoy happinfefs themfelves ; yea, matiy would be willing that others fiibuld be miferable, if their mlf- ery would but turn to their own p^rfo'nailadv^hi tage. For this reafon it is, that fn^hy will' fteaf, cheat, defraud, ^nd opprefs Otheri, toincreafetheir own wealth. And for tfiis alfo it is',whatmany arc difpofed to injure and abufe, affliA and diftrefs N 2 others i88 SERMON XIV, others, to procure fotne perfonal benefit to them- felves. But this is direQly contrary to the fpirit and genius of that gofpel, which teaches us to love our neighbors as ourfelves, and to do to others as we would that theyfhould do to us. He, who is poffeffed of this fpirit, will be as truly concerned for his neighbor as for himfelf ; and he will rejoice in his neighbor's good, as fincerely asia his own. This is difenterefted love — this is the religion of the gofpel. 2. The fubje6l teaches us the evil of envying the happinefs of others, and of murmuring and com- plaining becaufe others enjoy more than we do, or becaufc they pofTefs things which we do not poffefs. This is the fpirit and temper of many. They look round them, and fee others in the pofTefiion and enjoyment of things which they have not ; and inftead of rejoicing in their happinefs, they are the more miferable on this account. They would, perhaps, be tolerably contented, with what they have, if no one were in a better iituation ; but be- caufe others are more happy, they feel themfelves more miferable. But why fliould the happinefs of another make me more miferable ? Why (hould I envy another thofe enjoyments which contribute to his comfort ? His happinefs is as important as mine, andperhapsmorefo; and his happinefs cannot dimin- ifhraine,unlefs I pleafe to turn it into an objedl of en- vy, inftead of joy. So far ought we to be from en- vying the profperity of others, that we ought to re- jpice SERMON XIV. 189 Joke in it. If we are miferable, we ought to re- joice that others are happy. It is, indeed, an old and common obfervation, " That mifery loves company." But, if this be true, it is a melancholy truth, and affords a ftriking evidence of the corrup- tion of the human heart. To love mifery is a dia- bolical temper ; it is the fame that prompted the -devil to feduce mankind, becaufe he himfelf had loft his honor, dignity, and happinefs. But is there not too much of this fpirit and temper to be found in all our hearts ? I>o we not often feel a difpofi- tion to complain, when we look round and fee others happier than ourfelves ? This is far from a chriftian fpirit. We ought rather to rejoice in all the happinefs, which we fee a kind and bountiful Providence is pouring into the bofoms of our fel- low men. Suffer me to afk, whether Lazaras ought not to have rejoiced, when he lay in poverty and pain, that all men were not in his wretched condition ; and even that the rich man was able to fare fumptu- oufly every day ? Suppofe a number of malefac- tors are condemned to die ; but at length, they are all pardoned but one, and he muft fuffer a painful and ignominious death. Shall he complain, be* caufe others are pardoned, and he is not? Shall he wifh them to fuffer, merely becaufe he muft ? No, if he poffeffes a good heart, he will fay, '' I re- joice, that you have obtained a pardon ; that your lives are fpared ; that you are reftored to your N 3 friends i igo SERMON XIV, friends ; and that their hearts will be filled with joy on your account. I too could have wifhed for a pardon ; but, though I muft die, I rejoice that you can live. Your death could be of no advantage to me ; it could not eafe me of one of my pains, nor in the lead degree leffen the anguifli of my heart. Live, then, and rejoice ; and let all rejoice with you." Would not fuch a charader and conduft be amiable ? Go, then, and do likewife. Rejoice, with them that rejoice. SERMON SERMON XV, The Hypocrite. JOB, xxxvi, 13. BlU the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath, 1 HERE is no chara6ler more odious in the view of God and man, than that of a hypo- crite; none againfl: which there are more woes de- nounced in the word of God. It is true, a man may put on the mafic, and fo conftantly wear it and a6l under it, as never to be really difcoveredto be what he in facl is ; that is, men may never difcov- er him to be a hypocrite, and therefore may never defpife him in this world. But no mafic can deceive God ; no profefTion can hide the heart from him.. For the Lord feeth not as man feeth ; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. Men may not only be de- ceived by the condu6l of others, fo as to think thofe to be real faints, who are but painted hypo- crites; but they may alfo think thofe to be hypocrites, who are not, as Job's friends did with xt^^^^ to N 4 him. J92 SERMON XV. him. They accufed job of hypocrifyjancl ihougbt he was guilty of it, merely on account of the out- ward evils and calamities in which he was involv- ed. They were as ignorant of the true charaftet of God, as they were of Job's. They thought^it inconfiftent with the charadier of God, to bring a good man into fuch troubles as they faw Job iug and therefore concluded that he muft be a hypocrite. But they were deceived. Job was a good man, notwithftanding all the evils that furrounded him. Elihu evidently fuppofes, that good men may nieet with afflictions ; but that thefe will do them good, will humble and reform them, and that then they will be removed; while thofe who are not benefit- ed by affliBions will be deltroyed. Hence he fays, ^* But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath." . « See, fays one, the nature of hypocrify. It lies in the heart, that is for the world and the flefh, when the outfide feems to be for God and religion. Many that are faints in fhew, and faints in word, are hypocrites in heart. That fpring is corrupt, and there is an evil treafure there. See alfo the mifchievoufnefs of it. Hypocrites heap up wrath. They are doing that every day which is provoking to God, and they will be reckoned with for it alto- gether in the great day. They treafure up wrath againft the day of wrath ; their fins are laid up in llore with God among his treafures." Since, then, the fin of hypocrify is fo great, and the end of it fo awful, the fubjeft demands the particular attention of SERMON XV. 193 of every one, and more efpecially of thofc^who profefs friendflbip to God and his ways. And though it belongs not to us to determine whether this, or the other man, is an hypocrite ; yet it be- longs to every one ot us to determine for himfelf, whether this be his own charaQer. It will, there- fore, be proper for us, in this difcourfe, more par- ticularly to point out the nature of hypocrify, or to fhow wherein it confifts ; and alfo the evil of iu Accordingly, I fhall endeavor, L To delineate the chara6ler of an hypocrite, or (how in what hypocrify confifts. 11. To fhew the evil of it, or the awful and ag- gravated condemnation of hypocrites — "they heap up warth." I. I am to delineate the chara6ler of an hypocrite, or fhew wherein hypocrify confifts. And here 1 wifh, if it were poflible, fo to defcribe the chara6ler of an hypocrite, as that thofe who are fuch may fee what they are ; and no longer build a hope upon a fandy foundation, which the floods of divine wrath will finally fweep away; and fo as Hkewife to afford comfort to the found believer. But how fliall I do thi^ ? Not by making tl>e re- ligious experiences of any man the ftandard > but by carefully attending to the charaOer, as it is rep- refented in the word of God. Here then we may obferve, 1. That an hypocrite is one who profefTcs to be what he really and in fa(5l is not. This is a ftiort and 194 S E R M O N XV. ancljuft definition of an hypocrite ; and is no doubt what is generally, if not univerfally, underllood to be the meaning of the word. There are hypo- crites in things of this Hfe, as well" as in religion. ' When any one makes particular profcffion of friend- fhip for another, and yet in heart is not his friend; he is an hypocrite. But a hypowrite, iii a religious fenfe, is one who makes profeflion or outward lliow of religion, of love to God, of obedience to his will ; and yet in heart is ^h enemy to God, and his ways. From whence it "appears, that one who makes no profefTion or pretence to religion, one who pays no regard to the external parts of re- ligion, and does not pretend to do any religious duties, but indulges himfeif in fms of omifTion and commiflion, and' that in the view o^ the world; fuch an one cannot, with propriety, be called a hypocrite ; for he is an open and avowed enemy of God ; he lives in the moft open and daring re- bellion againft the Majefly of heaven. Though all mankind are infa6l divided into two efTentially dif- ferent clafles, and are all either faints or finners, friends or enemies of God ; yet finners or enemies of God, may again be divided into two other clafles, namely, his fccrct and his cpen enemies. Thofe are the fecret enemies of God, who, un- der the mafk of friendfliip, under the external covering of religious profeflions and outward du- ties, are heartily oppofed to his charader and gov- ernment. And ihofe are his cpcn enemies, who SERMON XV. 195 aft out the wickednefs of their hearts, and did cover it in the wickednefs of their lives. The former of thefe two kinds of finnersare hypocrites, whofe chara6ler we are more efpecialiy to attend to in this difcourfe. An hypocrite, then, is one who makes public profeflion, or outward fhow and appearance of religion, or who, at Jeaft, per- forms fome external duties, which God requires, but yet is not a real chriliian at heart. There fore, 2. An hypocrite is one, w^ho, under the profef- fion of religion, or outward ftiow and appearance of it, is a8uated, not by fupreme love to God, but by fome felfifh and finifter views and motives. The real chriftian is one, whofe heart is for Godj one who loves God with fupreme affection; who loves God more than the, world and all things in it, more than his own life, yea, more than his own foul. And all the duties which he performs pro- ceed from this principle of fupreme love to God. He profeffes religion, becaufe he feels it. H(i fays openly that he loves God, becaufe the love of God is fhed abroad in his heart. He devotes himfelf to the fervice of God, becaufe he loves his fervice ; he feels in his heart that he loves his Mafter, and would not go out free. Pie obeys the divine commands, becaufe he delights in the law of God after the inward man. He has refpect to all God's precepts, he eReems them all to be right, and hates every falfe way. But the hypocrite, notwitlifianding igG S E R M O N XV. notwithftanding all his fair profcffions and formal duties, is corrupt at heart; his heart is not right Mrith God, nor is he governed and aduated in what he does, by love to God, but by love to himfelf. All his profeflions and performances pro- ceed from fome felfifh principle. Some make a profeffion of religion, and perform external duties, merely that they may be feen of men. ThisChrift laid was the cafe with the Pharifees, whom he calls hypocrites. They prayed (landing in the cor- ners of the ftreets, that they might be feen of men. They alfo gave alms from the fame motive and in the fame manner. And it has often been the cafe, that men have made profefTion of religion, and performed many outward ^€is of duty, merely to recommend themfelves to others, that they might be thought to be good men, or that others might have the better opinion of them. Now fuch are hypocrites in heart, whatever they may be in the view of the world. So are all thofe, who make a profeffion, or perform any outward duties of relig- ion, becaufe it is the cuftom or faftiion of the peo- ple among whom they live, or who do it to gain advantage to themfelves, or to their families. He alfo is an hypocrite, who makes a profeiTion of re- ligion, and lets himfelf to perform religious duties, merely out of fear of divine wrath, or to obtain heaven by his duties; for it is evident that his re- ligion is merely fcliifh and mercenary. Inftead of being aduated by fupremc love to God, he is gov- erned SERMON XV. ,9^ crnedentirely by love to himfelf. This, it is abun- dantly evident, ii only hypocrify. This was the re- ligion of the people of Ifrael, when they were ter- rified by the thunders of mount Sinai. Though they unanimoufly faid, all that the Lord command- ed them, they would do, and be obedient ; yet, in lefs than forty days, they made a calf and worfhip- ped it, and faid, " Thefe be thy gods, O Ifrael." So when they fmarted under divine judgments, then they were full of promifes and profeflions. " When he flew them, then they fought him ; and they re- turned and inquired early after God. And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer. Neverthelefs, they did flat- ter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was not right with God, neither were they ftedfaft in his cove- nant.'* Satan infinuated, that the religion of Job was of this kind, merely felfifh ; but he was de- ceived with refpeQ; to the matter. It is to be fear- ed, however, that the religion of many, if not of moftj arifes from no better fource, than ihe hope ©f the divine favor, or the fear of the divine wrath. If this be the cafe with any, their religion is not the fervice of God, but of themfelves ; they are on- ly hypocrites. 1 doubt not but there are many, who are wholly aQuated by this principle of felf love, and who are deftitute of true love to God, that yet think they arc no hypocrites. Some real- ly fuppofc; if they are finccre in fceking heaven ia the, 198 S E R M d N XV. the way of outward duty, which God has enjoined^ they are a£ling right, though they are influenced altogether by felf love. But they are in reality liiere h\'pocrites; they are not the friends of God, but lovers of themfelves. It is' certain, that not only thofe who mean to deceive others, by theit profeffion and extern-al religious performances, are hypocrites ; but thofe alfo who deceive themfelves. Hence it is, that we find fuch expreffions as thefe refpeBing hypocrites : '' The hypocrite's hope fhall perifli. Thevjoy of the hypocrite is but for a mo- ment. What is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his fcul ?** From whence it appears, that hypocrites may have great and confident hopes of future happinefsj and great joys arifing from thofe hopes ; and yet find themfelves awfully difapppointed. " There is a generation, fays Solomon, that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not v/afhed from their filthi- uefs." According to the word of God, therefore, all thofe pcrfons are h\pocrites, who afTume the profeiTion, and put on the outward garb and appear- ance of religion, aiid yet are not in heart friends to God. Hence Chrift fays of fuch, " They make clean the outfide of the cup, and of the platter, but within are full of extoriibn and excefs. They are: like unto whited fepiilchrcs, which indeed appear beauiiful outward. Outwardly they appear righteous unto men, but within are full of hypocnfy. They honor God with their lips, but their hearts are far from S E R M O N XV^ igg from him." Hence it is evident, that hypocrif3r confifts in profeffing or pretending friendfhip to God, when the heart is not fincere and upright with him. Or he is an hypocrite, who makes an outward fhow of religion, and yet is not in heart a real chriftian, or true friend to God. But fome may flill be difpofed to inquire, How fliall 1 know whether I .am an hypocrite or not ? How Ihall I determine whether I am acluated by a fupreme regard to God, or by love to myfelf ? If men may not only deceive others, by a profeflion of rehgion and the performance. of external duties, but may deceive themfelves too; how fhail I know whether this is not the cafe with me ? This queftion is important, and deferves a ferious and careful anfwer. And in anfwering it, I fliall have further opportunity to give you the chara6ier of the hypocrite. Among others, we may mention the following marks of hypocrify. 1." Hypocrites are more concerned to gain the approbation of men, than the approbation of God. The real chriftian feels himfelf in the view of God, and realizes his ^11 feeing and heart fearching eye, in all his religious performances. Hence he is ever concerned about his heart in duty, and folic- itous to have that right with God. He is not fo much concerned about his words and adions, as about his thoughts and affedions. He is not [o much concerned about- the expreiTions which he makes ufe of in prayer, as about the exercifes of his too SERMON XV» his heart. He h as careful to watch over his moll fecret thoughts and aSions, as over his molt pub* lie conduct. But th« hypocrite is not fo much afraid of fecret fin, as he is of that which is open, and expofed to the view of men. He would not do any thing that the world can find fault with, he is afraid of the reproach of his fellow mortals, but he often indulges fecret fins. He is much concerned about what the world thinks and fays of him, though but a little concerned about his heart, and what God thinks of it. But it is a fmall thing to be judged of man's judgment. It is infinitely more important to fecure the approbation of God than of man. And therefore it is a dark mark of hy- pocrify, to be more concerned to approve ourfelves to men than to God. 2. Hypocrites are more concerned to perform public duties than private, and more concerned a- bout the manner of duty than the matter. Hypo- crites often negleft fecret prayer, when they will not negle8; to pray in public. They are concern- ed to pray well before men, when any thing will fatisfy them in private. They can eafily quiet themfelves with running over a mere form of prayer in fecret, and faying a few words in hafte ; when they would be afhamed to pray in fuch a manner before their family, or any of their fellow men. Nor is this all ; they often feel much more engaged, much more lively in their public, than in their fe- cret devotions. And for this reafon, bccaufe they are SERMON XV- 20i Sire more concerned about the honor that cometh from men, than that which cometh from God onlv. 3. Hypocrites are often very exad in little mat- ters, when they are carelefs about more important things. This Chrift remarks in theconduB of the fcribes and pharifees, who were hypocrites. '' Wo unto you fcribes and pharifees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint, and anife, and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith ; thefe ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which drain at a gnat, and fwallow a cam- el." Hypocrites are apt to attend to external du- ties, to the modes and forms of religion, while they negle6l the power and life of religion. They may be dated and conftant in their morning and even- ing prayers, but fcarcely think of God, the reft of the day. They may very punBually attend pub- lic worfliip on the Sabbath, but neither retain nor pra6life the duties which they hear folemnly and plainly inculcated. And though they confefs their fins before God, yet they are much more affe6led -with afenfe of guilt, on account of particular ex- ternal fins, than on account of the corruption and wickednefs of their hearts. They are like a cake not turned. They are uneven and inconfiftent in their views, and feelings, and conduft. 4. Hypocrites are more influenced by fear than by love. They are more apt to be engaged in re- ligious duties, when their fears are alarmed, and O ehey 202 g E K M O IsT XV: they queftion their title to heaven, than when their hopes are bright and ftrong. This is very different from the conduBofthe real chriftian. He is more influenced by love than by fear. Hence the greater his love, the more engaged he is in the du- ties of devotion. Love is a more conftant princi^ pie than fear. This makes the hnceie cbriftian more fleady and uniform in his religion, than the hypocrite. When the latter enjoys hope, and fees no danger, he is cold, remifs, and negligent in bis religiousduties, and often calls off fear, and reftrains prayer before God; Hence that demand of Jo^ concerning the hypocrite, "Willhe delight himfelf in the Almighty ? Will he ahoays call upon God ?'* This queftion plainly fuppofes, that hypocrites are not difpofed to call upon God fteadily and uniform- ly, but are moved to do it,, by fear, or fome other: conftraining motive. 5. Hypocrites are apt to have an high, opinion of their own goodnefs, and to be full of felf confix dence. The language of their hearts and hps is, « Stand by thyfelf, come not near me ; for I atn holier than thou." And our Savior fpake a par^ able to certain, " that trufted in themfelves that they were righteous, and defpifed others." The hypocritical fcribesand pharifees looked down up- on all others, with the greateft contempt, and thanked God, that they were not as other men. But the fincere cbriftian has a low and abafing view of himfelf, and is ready to think others better V ' than ^' k li ivl o N' XV. 2d3 than himfelf. The pfalmifl faid, " I am hiore brutifli than any man." And Paul faid, " I am Ifels than the leaft of all faints." Hence it is a mark df hypbcrify, for men to have a high opinion of their own attairlments in grace, and to look upon themfelves better than common chriftiansi I may add, ■ ' ' ^ -'^''''^ "- 6. Hypocrites often fall away. This was ofteti the cafe with the falfe hearted Ifraelites. They were almoft conftantly declining in their religion. God fays, " They were bent to backfliding." Though they made high profeffions of love and tjbedience, yet their love foon waxed cold. Though they fang God's praife with raptures, when they experienced his mercy, yet they foon forgat his works. And we find by obfervation, that fome, who make the higheft pretences to religion, and ex- prefs the higheft joy, and warmcft zeal, foon lofe their raifed afFeftions, become cold and indifferent in religion, and at length fall into open vice and total apoftafy. To this Job feems to have an eye, when he fays of the hypocrite, " Will he delight himfelf in the Almighty ? Will he always call up- on God .?" This not only expreffes the inconftan- cy of the hypocrite ; but feems to intimate his pronenefs to backflide from God, and forfake his •ways. Thefe are fome of the marks of hypocrify, fome of the particular and prominent features of the hypocrite. And they ought to be attended to by all ; efpeciaDy by thofe, who profefs to be the O 2 ~ true 004 S- E R M O N XV, true difciples of Chrift. Many have been deceiv- ed, and probably many more will be in lime ta come. When our Lord mentioned the hypocrify of one of his difciples, every one of the reft cried out -with folicitude for himfelf, " Lord, is it I ?" If our heart condemn us ; God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. But if our heart condemn ns not, then have we confidence toward God, SERMON E R M O N XVI. The Hypocrite. J O B, xxxvi. 13. BiU the hypocrites in hsart heap up wrath. 1 HE nature of hypocrify, or the char- a^ler of an hypocrite, I endeavored to defcribe in my laft difcourfe. In which it was made to ap- pear, that hypocrify is a profeffion of, or pretence 10 rehgion, when the heart is not in it. It is alTuming the chriftian name and charader, and at- tending to and performing the external duties of religion, from felfifh views and motives, either to gain the efteem of men, or the approbation of God, without any regard to his honor and glory. A man is a hypocrite in religion, if, in his religious pro- feffions and pra6lice$, he is aiming only at his own intereft. Yet this is the very end which hypocrites have in view. For this caufe they put on the out- ward garb of religion. But how far will they fall fhort of their end ? How different will be the event :and iffue of their religion from what they expe6l ? O 3 Infteai $c6 SERMON. XVI. Inftead of laying up for themfelves treafures in heaven, as they expecl, our text tells us, "they heap up wrath." An hypocritical profeffion of re- ligion may anfwer their purpofe in this world ; it may gain them a chriftian name ; it may procure them the appiaufe of men ; but it will not avail them after death : " For what is the hope of the hypocrite when God taketh away his foul ?" This will more clearly appear from attending to the fec- ond propofition, which is, II. To Ihow the evil of hypocrify, or the awful end and aggravated condemnation of hypocrites — " they heap up WTath," The evil of hypocrify may appear from the view which men naturally have of an hypocrite; from confidering how odious and defpi cable the charac- ter is in the view of every one, in the things of this life. Every one defpifes in his heart the man, who ads the hypocrite towards his neighbor ; who fpeaks fair to his face, but reproaches him behind his back ; who profelTes great friendfliip and efteem for him, when, at the fame time, he is an enemy to him in his heart. The man, w'ho profefles great love to his neighbor, a readinefs to ferve him, and to do him all the good in his power ; and yet, at the fame time, is only feeking to ferve himfelf, to pro- niote his own private advantage, fuch an one, I fay, is defpifed by every one. And is hypocrify and deceit iefs odious, when exercifed towards God, than when it is exercifed towards man ? Is it a Iefs crime SERMON XVL ,£0,7 -crime to pretend friendfhip to God, when the heart is not in the profeflion, than it is to make the fame ialfe pretence to man ? No, this cannot be imagin- ed. Hence God every where expreffes his difpleal- ure againft hypociites. And Chrift often denounc- ed his woes againft fuch ; he calls them," whited fepulchres," and fays to them, "ye ferpents, ye gen- eration of vipers ; how can ye efcapethe damna- tion of hell ?" It is certain that hypocrites cannot deceive God, by all their folemn profeffions of re- ligion ; for he knows their thoughts, fearches their hearts, and tries their reins. And as he cannot be deceived, fo he will not be mocked. He requires truth in the inward part ; he has pleafure in up- .rightnefs ; he hateth lying and deceit ; he has no delight in mere external fervices. Accordingly, he declares, that in the judgment of the great day, when many fhall plead what fervices they had done for him ; how they had eaten and drank in his pref- ence, caft out devils in his name, and in his name had done many wonderful works ; he will then profefs unto them, I never knew you; and will fay, Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity. It is a- bundantly evident from the whole tenor of facred fcripture, that none but the real friends of God, none but thofe whofe hearts have been renewed by the power and grace of God, will be finally ad- mitted to the enjoyment of him. But hypocrites fhall not only lofe their labor in jehgioD; or mifs of heaven, which they feek after ; O 4 bvit 2c8 SERMON XVI. but as they now heap up wrath, fothey fhall hereafter meet a inoft awful and aggravated condemnation. There is fomething peculiarly criminal in known and allowed hypocrify ; it is folemn falfehood ; it is devout deceit ; it is injuring under the pretence of friendfhip. Secret enemies are the word kind of enemies ; by them Chrift is wounded in the honfe of his friends. Like Judas, they fay. Hail, Mafter, and kifs him, that they may betray him. Hypocrites, efpecially thofe who deceive themfelves, are the leaft likely to obtain falvation; for they feel fecure from convidion, they think themfelves fafe from the wrath to come, and are not alarmed at all the threatcnings of God's word againft finners. They think themfelves rich and increafed in goods, and have need of nothing. The means of grace, there- fore, only f«rve to harden their hearts, and blind their minds, and flupify their confciences, and make them ripe for ruin. But furthermore; hypocrites heap up wrath to themfelves, as their own confciences will forever condemn them in the world to come, forprofeffing what they never felt, and what they never prac> tifed ; for fatisfying themfelves with only a name to live, while they were dead ; for aQing a deceitful part, and deceiving themfelves as well as otherSj, with an empty fliow. Their own hearts will con. demn them, for abufing the means of grace, and ufing them only to ripen themfelvesfordeftruaion. They will feel the folly of toiling in external du- tiesg SERMON XVL »oj iies, in which their hearts were never engaged. Hypocrites, therefore, are fpoken ofasfome of the vileft and moil wretched of finners ; for it is re. prefented as an aggravation of tbepunilhment of the finally impenitent, that they fhall be d?ertain it. But how dreadful will it be to remain blind to our own charader, until death un- deceive us, and w'e open our eyfes in a world of mifery, where there will he no remedy ! Let us, then, feel the importance of having a right heart, of aQing from a real regard to God, andof aiming fin- cerely at his glory in all our cdndu61. Since this is the only right motive, fince if we are deftitute of this we are, at beft, nd better thain hypocrites, let us fee to it, that our hearts be right with God. 5. From this rubje6l we infer, that true religiori is infinitely important to all mankind. Nor is this' inference unnatural ; for even thehypocrify of meni proves it to be true. If religion were of no im- portance, their would be no hypocrites. It is only that which is good that is counterfeited. Men feel the importance of religion ; at leaft, that it isof fom^ importance, otherwifeno one would riiake preten- fions to it. But we find mankind all over thd world making pretenfions to Tome kind of religion^ and this fliows that there is a general belief among all nations, that religion is really important. All falfe religion, and all falfe pretenfions to religion, afford a clear and ftrong proof of the importance of true religion. If any religion be irhportant, it TOuft be that which is true, or that which confifis in love to God, in friendfhip to him, in a heart devoted to his fervice, and not in any thing felfiflT; for felfifhnefs is the fum and fubfiance of all fin, and the fource of all the hypocrify in the world. 6, What S E KM OK XVL erg , 6, What little reafon have finners to quiet them^ felves with the thought, that they are no hypo- crites ? With this many feem to quiet themfelvecv How often may we hear one and another fay, that they are no hypocrites ? Has not this thought oc- curred to fome of you today, while we have been treating on this fubje6i; ? Has not one and another faid, " Well, 1 am not an hypocrite ?" What are you then ? Are you a real chriftian ? Are you the hear- ty friend of God ? If this be your charaQer, you are no hypocrite. But when you fay, that you are no hypocrite, do you mean to fay, that you make no pretenfions to any religion, that you do not pretend to have any love to God, or any re- gard to his law ? Do you mean to declare your- felf to be an open, avowed enemy to God ? Are you willing to own this charafter ? This muft be your charader, if you are neither a chriftian, nor an hypocrite. But is this an amiable chara6ler ? Will this procure the love and efteem of any of your fellow men ? However, if this be the chara6ler •which you are willing to own, let me entreat you to confider, a moment, what it is to be of fuch a chara6ter. It is to be an enemy to God, the great- eft and beft of beings, who is your Creator, Preferv- er, and Benefador, who has given his Son to fuffer and die for your eternal good, who has invited you to accept falvation, who has waited upon you to be gracious to you, who now invites you to return to him and live, and who has power and authority to - fend 2i6 SERMON XVL fend you, in a moment, to eternal perdition ! As an ambafTador of Chrift, 1 pray you in his flead to become reconciled to God. Knowing the terror of the Lord, I would perfuade you to flee from the wrath to come, and lay hold on eternal life : Re- member that you are, this moment, in the hands of that God, v/ho is angry with the wicked every day, •who has bent his bow and made it ready, and pre- pared his inftruments of death. And remembefj that God has faid, his fpirit fliall not always ftrive with finners. Behold, now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of falvation. Wherefore, today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts ; but if you refufe and rebel, know that their remaineth no more facrifice for (ins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indigna- tion^ which flia^l devour the adverfaries. SER M 01^ SERMON XVIL The unchanging Gopdnefs and Mer- cy of God an everlailisPg Sourif.^ pf Gratitude and Praife. [yi Thank/giving' Sermon,] P S A L M cixxv!. 1. give ihanks.Mnto the Lprdijiir.fhfi is good ; for his mercy endurethforiver. Praising God is mot the duty of a tbankfgiving day only, but of every other day. This is the duty of all rational creatures ; and will remain to be their duty, as long as God continues unchangeably, good and merciful. And lince his , goodnefs and mercy will endure forever, it will f forever be the duty of reafonable creatures, to pay him this reafonable fervice. Gratitude and praife, or praife flowing from a grateful heart, will be the employment of faints and angels, in the ccafelefs ages of eternity. The exhortations to gratitude ^ p and 218 SERMON XVii: and praife in the word of God are almofl innume- rable ; and the examples of good men, in this refp.e£^,. are very frequent. We often find thofe who pof- feffed a grateful heart, celebrating the praifes of Jehovah, and giving thanks to God, for innume- rable mercies and favors received. The book of Pfalms, in particular, is almoft entirely made up of fongs ofpraife. And we often find the piouspfalm- ift fo deeply imprefled with a lively fenfe of the infinite goodnefs of God, and his worthinefs to be praifed, that he calls upon all mankind, yea, upon all creation, to praife the Lord. Though the pi- ous foul often, fenfibly feels its perfonal obligation to gratitude for perfonal favors, and is difpofed to re- cite particular inftances of divine goodnefs toitfelf> yet all its gratitude and praife does not flow from a fenfe of perfonal good enjoyed. It is led^by the ftreams of divine goodnefs, which flow to itfelf, up to the Source and Fountain of all the good which flows to the univerfcjand of which all crea- tures partake ; and therefore feels its obligation, and the obligation of all creatures, to praife the Lord, becaufe " be is good, and his mercy endur- eth forever." The truly pious and grateful heart i» not felfifli in its gratitude, is not thankful mere- ly for thofe favors which itfelf enjoys ; but feels grateful for all that goodnefs which fills heaven and- earth. This was evidently the fpirit and temper of the ^ious pfalmiftj when he compofed this pfalm, which. has. S E R M O ^[ XVll. ojg has this peculiarity in it, that every verfe in the pfalm ends with thefe words, " for his mercy endur^ cth forever;" which are emphatically repeated twenty fix times. In enumerating the a61s of di- vine goodnefs and mercy, the pfalmill takes noticcj not only of particular inftances of God's goodneis to the church, but of his^wrath to their enemies ; be- caufe thofe inftances of his wrath were real inftan- ces of his mercy to his people. Hence he mentions it as an inftance of God's goodnefs, that he not only made his people pafs fafely through the Red Sea, but alfo that he overthrew Pharaoh and his hoft. And for the fame reafon, faints and angels are reprefentcd, in the Revelation of St. John, as rejoicing and praifing God, for the judgments ex- ecuted upon fpiritual Babylon. " And after thefe things 1 heard a great voice of much people in heaven, faying, Alleluia : Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power unto the Lord our God : For true and righteous are his judgments ; for he hath judgied the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornications, and hath avenged the blood of his fervants at her hand. And a^ain thev faid, Alleluia. And her fmoke rofe up forever and ever. And the folir and twenty elders and the four beafts fell down and worfhippcd God that fat on the throne, faying. Amen ; Alleluia." Thus heaven and earth join to give thanks to God, for his righteous judgments upon his and his church's enemiesj becaufe thefe judgments flow from his ef- P 2 fenlial 220 SERMON XVIL fential goodnefs, and areas exprefliveofhismercy^ as the beitowment of good. He is the fame kind nnd benevolent Being, when he infliBs wrath upon his enemies, that he is when he confers favors upon his friends ; '• for his mercy endureth forever." Hence this obferyation naturally comes into view, from the words of our text, namely, That the everlafting and unchanging goodnefs and mercy of God, are an everlafting fource of gratitude and praife. This, is indeed the fpirit of the text. The pfal.m- ift- here calls upon, all to give thanks unto the Lord, for this reafon, that his goodnefs, and that his mer- cy, endureth forever. And this is the great reafon, why we ihould give thanks to God, not merely .becaufe we receive particular and perfonal favors /rom him, but becaufo-he is unchangeably good 'and merciful. I would not, however, be under- -Itood to fay, that we are not obliged to give thanks ,10 God for particular and perfonal favors, for it is certain that we are ; and the real chriflian will .feel: his heart mod fenfibly and gratefully afFe8ed, with the innumerable mercies which God confers upon him. The divine goodnefs will appear ^re^^ indeed^ in conferring fo many and fuch undeferved favors upon one fo greatly unworthy. Hence he -will feelingly adopt the words of David, " Who am I, O Lord God,,. and what is ray houfe, that thou haft brought me hitherto ?" But it is evident, that it is not merely^ or efpecially^ the perfonal favors received-. S-E R M O N XVII. 221 received, that are the caufe of gratitude; but thefe favors conferred on one fo unworthy give him a . more livelv and animating fenfe of the infinite goodnefs of that Being, from whom fuch favors fiusv. But that the goodnefs and mercy of God are an everlafting fource of gratitude and praife, will appear, with additional evidence, from confidering, 1. That the goodnefs and mercy of God are in- finite in their nature and degree. God is not only good and merciful, but his good- nefs and mercy are perfe6l. In ail creatures good- nefs is limited and finite. Angels are good ; they are pofTcffed of real benevolence and love; they al- ways feel benevolent ; they always rejoice in be- nevolence, they are always difpofcd to exprefs benevolence, and to promote the happinefs of all God's creatures ; but ftill their goodnefs is noth- ing in comparifon with the goodnefs of God. There isa degree of goodnefs in faints, though it is mixed with great imperfe8ion. But in God there is all that goodnefs, which can make the infinite Jeho- vah abfolutely perfed. No creature can wifh him to poffefs more goodnefs than he does poflei's. Any kind or degree of alteration in his nature, would render him imperfeci:, and make him lefs good. If then goodnefs be defirable, if it be matter of grati- tude and praife, what gratitude ! what praife ! is due to him whopofTeffes all polTiblc goodnefs ! !f the few drops of goodnefs, which fall on usjfhould awaken gratitude in our hearts, then what praife is due to Ilfm, P 3 who 232 SERMON XVII. who is the boundlefs qcean of good, from whence thefe drops flow ! This leads me to obferve, 2. That the goodnefs and mercy of God are the fountain and fource of all the good and hap- pinefs enjoyed in the univerfe. From this infinite and inexhauftible fountain flows all the happinefs which angels and glorified fpirits enjoy in heaven ; from hence flows all the happi- nefs that the many millions and millions of mankind, in every p^rt of the wprldj enjoy ; and from hence flows all the natural and animal good, which all the animal creation enjoy. In a word, frorn ibis fountain flows all the good, all the happi- nefs, which fills the univerfe fo full, that there can be no more confiflently with the mod benevolent purpofe of the Deity. Surely, then, here is a jufl foundation for everlafting gratitude and praife. If the ftreams of divine goodnefs, which flow to us, ought to excite our gratitude and praife, w4iat grat- itude, what praife fliall we render to that God who fills the univerfe with good ! God*s goodnefs to other men and to other beings deferves cur grati- tude and praife, as truly as his goodnefs to us ; and we ought to rejoice as really in the happinefs of others as in our own ; and if we polTefs a truly benevolent fpirit and temper we fliall do it. Wc find the angels rejoicing in all the good and happi- nefs, which is communicated to mankind. Hence their joy, when God laid the foundations of the world ; hence their fong of praife, when the Savior was SERMON XVIL ^^hich is the caufe of his giving to this rather than to that. Infinite wifdom enables him to fee that the greateft good will be promoted by the beftow- ment of different favors, at different times, upon different perfons. Hence it is not only confiftent with infinite wifdom, that God fliould fometimes vifit mankind with judgments, but in- finite wifdom requires it. And divine judgments make an important part in God's plan of general good. Hence it is, that faints and angels rejoice in God's righteous judgments, as well as in his moft beneficent a6ls of kindnefs. And thofe very fpirits who at one time fing, " Glory to God in tlie higheft, becaufe on earth there is peace and good will to men," do on another occafion fing, '* Alle- luia, falvation, and glory, and honor, unto our God ; for true and righteous are his judgments." It is, therefore, abundantly evident, that the unchanging goodnefs and mercy of God are an everlafting fource and foundation of gratitude and praife. IMPROVEMENT. SERMON XVII. 227 IMPROVEMENT. 1. If the infinite and immutable goodnefs and mercy of God be an everlafting fource of gratitude and praife ; if this be the primary ground of our obligation to praife God, antecedent to the confid- eration of favors received ; and if particular and perfonal benefits are a fecondary ground of grati- tude, in proportion to the worth of the gifts and the benevolence of the giver ; then how infinitely great are our obligations to give thanks unto the Lord, and to praife the name of the moft hiah God ! If we are under obligation to be thankful to God, and to praife him, for the infinite beneve- lence of his nature, and if this be the primary ground of gratitude, as 1 think has been abun- dantly proved, then what an endlefs and boundlefs fource of gratitude and praife is here opened to our view ! Well may we join with the pfalmifl: and fay, " Who can utter the mighty ads of the Lord ? Who can fhew forth all his praife ?" It is as much impoffible for us to render praife to God equal to his infinite worthinefs, as it is to compre- hend his infinite majefty. The higheft feraph, •who ftands before the throne, fenfible of his utter inability to fhew forth all God's praife, bows be- fore the throne, and calls his crown at the foot of the Lamb. Such views of the infinite goodnefs of God as he has, fills his foul with gratitude, and his mouth with continual fongs of praife ; and it is the great happinefs of all the holts of heaven to be continually 228 SERMON XVIL continually praifing God. And though by reafon of our prefent imperfeftion, we cannot equal the angels in their fongs of praife ; yet we can give God fome real praife, if our hearts are deeply im- prelTed with a fenfe of his goodnefs. And every heart that has once been led to a view of the infi- nite goodnefs of God, will feel its obligation forev- er to praife and adore \vm. And when the pious perfon further con fiders the innumerable expreflions of divine goodnefs to him fe If, the many, great, and diftinguifhing favors, which have flowed from this fountain of love, to one fo infinitely unworthy, his gratitude rifes ftill higher, and he fays, " What fhall I render to the Lord, for all his benefits ? Blefs the* Lord, O my foul, and all that is within me blefs his holy name. Blefs the Lord, O my foul, and forget not all his benefits." Imprefled with fuch a fenfe of the infinite goodnefs of God, he will long to have all creatures join with him tni* praifing God. He will not only fay, " O ! thSt men would praife the Lord for his goodnefs and for his wonderful works to the children of men ;" but will alfo wifh that every thing that hath breath would praife the Lord. 2. The fubjed leads us further to infer, that every reafonable creature, whatever his circumftan- ccs and condition may be, is under obligation to praife God, and. will forever remain fo. Wicked men may fomeiimes feel their obligation lo be thankful; when they receive fame fignal and S E R M N -XVII. V 229 and. remarkable favor from God ; but they cannot feel their obligation to be thankful, when they are in trouble and afflidion. They then murmur and complain, inftead of giving thanks. They look round on others, who are in outward profperity, and complain that they are not equally profperous. They think that thofe ought to be thankful, but not they themfelves. But if the unchanging goodnefs of God be the high eft foundation of gratitude and praife, then certainly they are ftill under obligatioi^ to praife God, notwithftanding all the adverfity which they meet with. They ought even now to rejoice, that the goodnefs and mercy of God en- dureth forever ; and that his wifdom dire6ls him how to exercife his goodnefs, and how to confer his favors in the beft poffible manner. They ought ♦ to praife him for all marks of divine favor, for all good conferred on all his creatures, and for that good which they themfelves enjoy, even in the midft of all their trials, which may alfo be turned into future and eternal good. They ought to be thaijikrul for thofe trials, which are defigned to ripen, and prepare them for endlefs felicity. It may be, indeecjj a hard matter to bring a man, overwhelnjed in adverfuy, to feel his obligation to praife God ; but if he be a good man, if his heart be right with God, he will do it. Though he be ftripped of all his w^orldly enjoyments, yet with Job be will fay, '• The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away : Bieffed be the name of the Lord.' Thus, 230 SERMON XVII. Thus, as the apoflle expreffes it, he will " in every thing give thanks." 3. If the everlafting and unchanging goodnefs and mercy of God be a conftant and perpetual fource of gratitude and praife, and if our obligation to thofe religious exercifes be heightened and in- creafed, by the innumerable benefits conferred on fuch unworthy and ilideferving creatures as we are ; then, how extremely criminal and vile are thofe, who live continually unthankful, v;ho never praife God for his goodnefs and mercy, which en- dureth forever, and which they live upon, and td -which they are indebted for all their happinefs and hopes ! We all agree to condemn the man, as an \mtiat- ural wretch, who is unthankful to an earthly bene- fadlor for his kindnefs ; and more efpecially if he injure and abufe him, from whom he has received peculiar tokens of favor. But how many thoufands of mankind are there, who live continually un- thankful to God, and never praife him, either for that goodnefs and mercy which endureth forever, or for thofe inflances of divine goodnefs, which they themfelves have experienced ! If there be any fuch here prcfent, are they not unfpeakably vile and criminal ? Do they not deferve to have every favor taken from them ? Do they not de- ferve the wrath and difple.afure, inftead of the kind- nefs and favor of God ? And now let me afk, Is not this the chara6ler of fome of you ? Did you ever SERMON XVir. 23t ever feel real gratitude to God, and truly praife him for his goodnefs ? The unrenewed heart is ever an ungrateful heart. Gratitude and praife are the ex- ercifes of a gracious heart ; and therefore a great part of mankind are ftrangers to thefe exercifes. And O ! how criminal are fuch ! The great bufinefs of today is, in a public man- ner, as well as private, to exprefs our gratitude and praife to God, for his goodnefs and mercy, as the fburce from whence every favor flows to ali his creatures ; to praife him for his renewed good- nefs to us, to the people of this land in particular, in the courfe of the prefent year. But how can thofe exprefs gratitude and praife, whofe hearts never felt any gratitude ? How can thofe offer praife t© God, who are deflitute of a thankful heart ? You, therefore, who have a fenfe of divine goodnefs, muft perform the delightful duty of thia day. Blefs the Lord, O houfe of Ifrael. Blefs the Lord, O houfe of Aaron : Praife ye the Lorda AMEN. ALLELUIA. SERMON SERMON %vm. The Gofpel Method of inftitutini and 'ordeiing Churches. — »« «*<>^^^X^<^$^^'W^*^ T I T U S, i. 5, **9^ For this eaiife left I thee in Crete^ thai thoujiioiddejl fit in order tJi£ things that are ■ wanting^ and or- ^dain elders in every cit)\ as I had appointed thet* At die firft eftablifhment of cbriftianity jn'the world, and the ioftitution of chriftian churcbb- es, much was neceffary .to he done by the apof- tles, which was peculiar, to that particular period* The chriftian church was eftablifhed upon a plan, in many refpedls, different from that of the Jewifh church. And when chriftian churches were fet up, where paganifm had prevailed, there was much to be done to fet every thing in proper order. This made it neceflary for the apoftles, who had been particularly inftruded by Chrift in the things pertaining to his kingdom, and who were alfo un- der the fpecial influence and diredion of the Holy Spirit, not only to give particular dire6lions to thofe SERMON XVlli. 233 ihofe minifters oF the churches, who had not been perfonally acquainted with Chrift, nor divinely in- fpired ; but alfo to write thofe epiftles to them, and to the churches, with which we are favored in ,thefe latter days-. Befides, this new ftate of the churches made it neceffary for thefe great apof- tles to revifit the churches which they had plant- fed, to know their ftate, and to fet in order the things that might ftill be wanting to render them completely beautiful and regular. Hence St, Paul, after having given many diredions, fays, " The reft: will I fet in order when I come." He was now about to depart from Crete, a large ifland, where he had eftablifhed a number of chrif^ tian churches ; and accordingly determined to leave Titus, whom he had not only been the inftru- ment of converting, but whom he had confecrated to the work of the miniftry, to pay further atten- tion to the ftate and circumftances of thofc new formed focietiesc This he tells him and us in the words of my text : " For this caufe left I thee in Crete, that thou ftiouldeft fet in order the things that are wanting, and ordain eiders in every city, as I had appointed thee." The laft claufe, " as I had appointed thee," makes it evident, that Paul had, previoufly to his leaving him at Crete, given him many particular dire8ions and inftrudions as to his work. But of fo much confequence and importance was his work, that he thought it ad- vifdble, at leaft, to give him thofe further or O repeated 234 SERMON XVIII. repeated inftru61ions, which are contained in thh e'pidle. Our attention is called up to the work which was affifjned to Titus, and the inquiry is. What had he to do ? What was the bufinefs which Paul left him to perform ? The.anfwer is contained in the text, and is divided into two general branches. I. To fet in order the things that were want- ing : And, II. To ordain elders in every city. I. The firft general branch of duty, which Paul mentions as incumbent on Titus, and which was one great end of his being left at Crete, was, to fet in order the things that were wanting. It may, perhaps, be as well here as any where, to obferve, that Crete w^as not the name of any particular city or town, but of a large ifland in the Mediterranean fea, now called Candia, and which, it is faid, was once called Hecatompolis, from the one hundred cities that were in it. (Sec Henry.) It is beyond a doubt, therefore, that when Paul fays, " and ordain elders in every city,'* he means every city on this ifland ; at lead, in fo many of them as had received the gofpel, and in which particular churches had been eftablifhed. Hence it appears probable, if not certain, that there were many churches under the infpedion of Titus, becaufe dtftitute of particular ciders or minifters to take the overfight of them. This being fup- pofedj and it being well known, that thefe church- es SERMON XVIII. 235 cs were but newly eftabliflied, and that Chriftiani- ty itfelf, efpecially as to its external order and inftitiitions, was a new thing in the world, it can- not be doubted, but that there were many things wanting, which needed to be fet in order. Though there might be real religion, where many things were wanting ; and though there might be true chriftian churches, where fome things were out of order, in this their infant (late ; yet it was not only defirable that what was wanting fliould be fupplied, and that what was out of order fhould be put in order ; I fay it was not only defirable, but the will of God, that thefe things fhould be done : For God is not the author of confufion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the faints ; and therefore requires that all things be done de- cently and in order. Order and regularity are difcoverable in all the works of God. The chrif- tian church, which is fpoken of as Chrift's body, is a beautiful, regular, harmonious body ; and particular care has been taken, by the Head of ^ this body, that there fliould be no fchifm, no dif- order in any of the members. Hence every infti- tution and appointment, relative to the church at large, and to every particular branch of it, is wife- ly adapted to promote the order, harmony, and regularity of the whole. The church of Chrift, in the coUeQive fenfe, is one body ; yet as there are different branches of it, confifling of faints in dif- ferent places, united together for the mutual edifi- Q 2 cation 236 SERMON XVIIL cation of each other, thefe are fpoken of as fo msf- ny feparate and diftjn6l churches. Hence the ex- prefTion jufl; now mentioned, " God is not the au- thor of confufion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the faints :" Hence all thefe feparate churches of the faints, are drftinclly organized, by the great head of the church, with an head or ruler iinder Chrift, and have their laws and rules pre- fcribed by Chrift; their modes of adminiftraiion of the word, the ordinances, and the gofpel difcipline or government within themfelves, as fully and en- tirely, as though they comprehended the whole church of God. Thefe things being carefully ob- ferved, may help us to underftand what Titus had to do, to fet in order the things that were wanting in every cityo He was to fee that all the diftin6l churches were duly organized; that they under- ftood their duty as churches of Chrift ; that they condu6led all their ecclefiaftical affairs, in a decent regular manner, as became chriftian brethren, whom God had joined together for their mutual edifica- tion and comfort, and for the greater advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom. We may now attend to the fecond branch of duty, which Titus was to perform, and that was, 11. To ordain elders in every city; or in other words, to fee that each church in each citv wa^ provided for and fupplied with a faithful paftor^ teacher, ruler and guide; for all thefe epithets be- long to fuch perfons as the apoftle calls elders, and whom SERMON XVIII. 237 whom Titus was to ordain in every city. It is quite foreign from my prefent defign to enier into a critical didinclion between bifliops, elders, paf- tors, teachers, Sec. and, to fliow what was the dif- ference, if there were any, in the dignity, power, or duty annexed to each. It is fufficient to ob- fervcjthat the apoftlcjin his writings, ufes thefe ap- pellations promifcuoufiy, to denote perfons of the fame office. One important branch of duty, which Titus had to perform, was, to ordain miniflers in all the cities, or to fee that each church was fur- nifhed with a faithful paftor; for a " church, with- out a fixed (landing miniftry in it, is imperfeQ, is wanting." A church, without a fixed miniftry, is not properly and completely organized. And it is abundantly evident from the facred fcriptures, that it is the will of God, that every chriftian church and fociety fhould be furnifhed with a ftated minif- ter. This fuppofes and neceffarily implies, that it is the duty of chriftians to form themfelves into focieties ; to unite together to obferve c^ivine in- flitutions ; to maintain the worfliip and ordinances of God ; to watch over one another in love ; to counfel, warn, reprove, encourage, and afTift each other in duty. In this way is the vifible church fupporied in the v/orld : Or this is one fpecial and important mean, in the hand of God, of keeping alive the real and true church, and of maintaining true religion. It is evident, that this was the way, in which the apoftles pra6lifed ; and furcly no Q 3 chriiUan 238 SERMON XVIir. chriftian will obje6l againfl their praQice. When they went and preached the gofpel in any city or town, and found a number ready to embrace the gofpfel and profefs religion, they there inftituted a church. And thofe chriftians entered into cove- nant with God and one another, to walk together in the faith and order of the gofpel. Such church- es being infiituted, as foon as there could be found able and faithful men, who poflefied fuch a char- a6ler as Chrift required his minifters to poflefs, they were fet over them in the Lord. And this was one important duty, which Titus had to perform at Crete — to ordain elders in every city — to fee that each church was furnifhed with a faithful minifter. This certainly is implied in his ordaining elders in every city, that is, that every city might be fuppli- cd with a dated paftor. Now, that it is the will of Chrift. that all his churches fhould be furniflied with a fixed and ftat- ed miniftry, appears from the praBicc of the apof- tlcs in ordaining minifters in all the churches. That this was their praQice is evident, not only from the text, but from Acts xiv. 23. " And when they had ordained them elders in every church," i. e, in every church in Lyftra, in Iconiumjand in An- tioch, " and had prayed with fafting, they com- mended them to the Lord, on whom they had be- lieved." And then they, i, t. Paul and Barnabas, departed. They had then fet in order the things that were before wanting in thofe churches, and accordingly SERMON XVIII. 23g accordingly went on to Pifidia, and Pamphylia, and Perga, and Attalia, to fet in order the things that were there wanting. It was the grand bufinefs of the apoftles to plant the chriftian religion — to ef- tablifh churches — to ordain elders in every church. And when tbey had done this, and completely or- ganized the churches, and fet every thing in order, they commended them to the grace of God, and left them. Thus it appears, that every chridian fociety, every gofpel church, had its particular min- ifler, whofe office it was, to prefide in the church, to pray with the church, to preach to the church, to adminifter the ordinances to the church, to rule and govern the church, according to the laws which Chrift had enadted in his fpiritual kingdom. Permit me further to obferve, (becaufe 1 think the fubje6l of fome importance in the prefent fituation of things, and that it is part of my duty to make the obfervation, in order to give a portion in due fea- fon) permit me, I fay, further to obferve ; that it /is the will of ChriH:, that his churches fhould be furnifhed, each and every one of them, with a fix-. cd and ftated miniflry, appears from the names given to mimfters, or the titles by which they are dillinguiffied. They are not only called teachers, becaufe it is one part of their duty to preach the word, but they are called paftors or (iiepherds, becaufe it is their duly to take care of fome particular part of the flock, or of fome particular flock. And cer- O 4 tainly aio SERMON XVIII. tainly the Ihepherd cannot take care of the flockj unlefs he be with them and among them. They are alfo called overfeers and watchmen, becaufe it is their duty to take particular notice of their chnftian brethren, and fee that they are faithful to their great Mafter. He who watches over others irnift be with them, that he may obferve their con- du6t. They are, moreover, called rulers, becaufe, under Chriftjthey are to govern the church, or to lead in the difcipline of it. And to do this, they muft neceffarily be with the church. Chrifl; is, indeed, the only King, Lawgiver and Ruler in his church. He is fully able to rule and govern all his church, how widely foever it is extended, and notwiih- Jlanding it is divided into many diftin6l focieties. He can be fpiritually prefent with them in all places. But becaufe he cannot be perfonally prefent ; -when he left the world, and afcended up to heaven, he gave gifts unto men; and among all his gifts this was one of the mofl: eflential— Minifters to rule and govern, as well as to teach and inftruQ, in all his churches. The minifters of Chrift a6t under him in ihofe particular churches, over which the Holy Ghoft hath made them overfeers. This fuggefis to us a further evidence, that it is the will of Chrift, that there fhould be ftated and fixed minifters in each and all the churches, viz. The duties, which he has exprefsly enjoined up- on minifters to perform, clearly fuppofe and imply that they are fixed and eftabliihed in fom^ partic- ular SERMON XVlir. i4t ular place, and have the immediate watch and care of iome diRintl fociety, or body of chriflians. They are thus dire8ed ; " Feed the flock of God which is among yoii^ taking the ox; church. This has its times of perfecution and fuf- fering ; of weaknefs, wearinefs, and decay. It has, alfo, its times of reft, revival, and refrefhment.. Every one, acquainted with the facred fcriptures, is fenfible, that fpiritual things are there frequently compared to natural ; that the gift of divine grace, and the beftowment of divine influences, are often rtprefented by feeding the hungry, and giving drink to the thirfty. And the fajnts, in this life, .. are S i R M O N XIX. 255 are fpoken of as hungering and thirfting ; and as" being fed with the bread of life, and drinking^ of the water of life. It is peculiar to the heavenly ftate, to hunger no more, and third no more ; to €at continually of the tree of life, and to drink con- tinually of the river of the water of life. Hence, fpiritual blcflings are fpoken of as the refrefhment of chriftians. For they give joy and comfort, new life and vigor, to the foul ; as reft, meat, and drink, do to the weary, hungry, and tbirfty body. But reference is, perhaps, more commonly had to the material world, or the earth, which bringeih forth fruits, when a comparifon is made between earthly and fpiritual things. This earth, we know, is often impoverifhed and exhaufted. It needs, and it en- joys, its intervals of reft and refrefliment. The God of nature has as wifely ordered the revolu- tions of times and feafons, of days and nights, for the benefit and refrefliment of the earth, as for the bodies of men. While the human body, wearied with the toils of the day, enjoys reft and refrefli- ment, the earth, heated by the fcorching fummer fun, and its moifture in a meafure is dried up, is refrefhed by the cooling fliade and gentle dews of the evening. Under thefe metaphors, God repre- fents his cheering, refrcfliing, influences on his church and people. The Lord God is a fun to his people, not only to enlighten them in their way, but to warm their hearts with divine love and grace. His divine influence, on their hearts, is often com- R 4 pared 2j6 SERMON XIX. pared to fire and heat ; but his refrefhing infla- etices are more frequently compared to the dews and rain. God fays, in the beautiful language of the prophet Hofea ;" I will be as the dew unto Ifrael. He fhall grow as the lily, and caft forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches (hall fpread, and his beauty ihall be as the olive tree, and his fmell as Lebanon." Though they were as withered dy- ing grafs, or as the drooping lily, fcorched by the heat of the fun, yet his divine influences upon them fbould revive and refrefh them, as copious dews do the withered grafs, or dying fiower. So the prophet Ifaiah, fpeaking of fpiritual and divine in* fluences on the people of God, fays, '^ Thy dew is as the dew of herbs," or refrefhing as the dew is to the herbs. So heavenly doBrine, or the word of God, is compared to dew, on account of its fpirit- ual influence. " My doQrine fliall drop as the rain, my fpeech fliall diftil as the dew, as the fmall ■rain upon the tender herb, and as the fhowers up- on the grafs." But the influences of the Divine Spirit on the hearts of men, are more frequently compared to rain, than to dew ; efpecially the plenteous eflPufions of the Divine Spirit, to efFe£l great revivals, and general reformations. Thefe are compared to large and copious fhowers, or even floods of waters. The prophet Ifaiah, to rep* refent the abundant influences of the Divine Spir- it, in the gofpel day, fays, " In the wilderncfs fhall waters break out, and flreams in the defert ; and the S E R MO N XIX. 257 the parched ground fhall become a pool, and the ihiifty ground fprings of water." So, again, " I will pour water upon him that is thirfiyjand floocls upon the dry ground, 1 will pour my fpirit upon thy feed, and my blflSng upon thine. ofFspring. And ihey fhall fpring up as among the grafs, as willows by the water courfes," Hence Chrifl, "on the laft day, that great day of the feaft5(lood, and cried, faying. If any man thirft, let him come UDto me and drink." And this is the language of gofpel grace, " The Spirit and the bride, fay, Come ; and let him that heareth, fay. Come ; and let him that is athirfl come ; and whofoever will, let him come, and take the water of life freely." Thus it is clearly evident, that the influences of the Divine Spirit on the hearts of men, are compared to clews, (bowers, rivers, wells, fountains, and fprings of wa- ter ; to denote their reviving, refrefiiing, and fruit- ful nature. And particularly limes of the gift of the Holy Spirit, and uncommon divine influences on the hearts of men, are, with beautiful propriety, called times of refrcfliing. . The influences of the Divine Spirit, whenever imparted to any foul, are far more refrefiiing to that foul, than red to the weary, or food to the hungry, or drink to the thirfly body. Hence the pfalmift, with reference to thefe divine influences, fays, "There be many who fay. Who will fiicw us any good ? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hafl put gladnefs in . my 258 SERMON XIX; my heart, more than in the time, that their corn, and their wine increafed." The influences of the Divine Spirit are far more refrefliing to the foul, than reft to the weary, as they afford, not only joy and comfort, far beyond what any of the enjoy- ments of this life can give, but as they add new life and vigor to the foul ; they give the foul frefli beauty, as the cooling and refrefhing dews do to the flowers of the field. And they give the foul new and additional fl^rength, fo that it can mount with the wings of faith and love, as eagles, towards heaven ; and can run, and not be weary, and can walk, and not faint, in the way of duty. When God ftiedshis divine influences on the foul, in rich abundance, the foul is feafted, as with marrow and fatnefs. Its joys, its comforts, its refrefiiments are fuch, as the world can neither give, nor take away. O how fweetly refrefliing, beyond all expreflion, are thefe divine influences ! The renewed foul does not always feel thefe fweetly refrcihing influ- ences. If it did, it would anticipate the joys of heaven, and almoft fly away from dull mortality. But it has fome times of refrefliing, in which it can, with real feeling joy, fay, " O tafte, and fee, that ihe Lord is good." And it is truly a time of re- frefliing to every particular foul, when that foul ex- periences the influences of the Divine Spirit, in blot- ting out its fins, renewing and fanclifying it, or in- creafing and enlarging and exciting the graces of renewed nature. But SERMON XIX. 259- But thofe, efpecially, are times of rcfrediing, vhcn Gpd is pleafed to pour out of his Spirit, from on high, on thofe who were before dead in trefpafies and in fins : When many, in any particular town, or fociety, are efFedually awakened, convinced, con- verted, and brought home to God : When true religion revives, and flourifhes ; "when many are added to the church, of fuch as fhall be faved. Still more are thofe times of refrefhing, when this is the cafe in many places ; when God caufes it to rain this heavenly influence, not on one city only, but on every city. This has been, in a great meaf- ure, the cafe in this our happy land, as fome of you, I truft, can well remember : When God poured out his Spirit on mod of our towns, and churches ; and converts were multiplied, as the drops of the morning dew. That was a fweetly refrefliing time to the church. She put on her beautiful garments, and in fome degree " looked forth as the morning, as a morning without clouds, as the clear fiiining of the fun after rain." But how much more em- phatically will that time be a time of rcfrefhir.g, when " the Spirit fhall be poured out upon all JleJJi ; when all flefh fhall fee the falvationof God; and the whole earth fhall be filled with the knowl- edge of the Lord, even as the waters fill the feas." Then " fbail the tabernacle of the Lord be with men, and God will, dwell with them., and they fliall be his people, and God himfelf fhall be with them, and be their God/' Times 26o SERMON XIX. Times of reformation, of revival of religion, of the out pouring of the Spirit on any people, are times of refrefiiing to fuch a people, not only as tbofe are refrefhed thereby, who are the happy fub- je6ls of thefe divine influences, in being brought out of darknefs into light, and turned from the power of Satan unto God ; but as they are reviv- ing, refrefhing, comforting, to all the faints. To thofe who have themfelves before experienced the fame heavenly influence, it gives new and additional joy. For their highefl; joy, their greateft comfort, their fweeteft delight, is to fee the profperity of Zion, the flourifliing of the Redeemer's kingdom. T.hisalfo infpiresthem with frefii courage and zeal, and with additional fervor, in the fervice of God : This affords them renewed experience of the pow- er and grace of God, and is a new proof of the faithfulnefs of the divine promifes. It is a refrefh- ment, not only to thofe faints, who live where fuch reformation lakes place, and who are eye witnefles of it ; but it is, alfo,a refrefhment to all the faints in every part of the world, who hear of, and are made acquainted with it. For all the faints are members of the fame body ; and if one member rejoice, all the members rejoice with it. Yea, it may be faid to afford refrefliment to the faints and angels in heaven. For if there be joy over one (inner that repenteth, much more, will there be joy there, when many finners repent, when converts are multiplied, and multitudes are joined unto the Lord, Sermon xix. 261 Lord. We find, in the Revelation of St. ]ohn, that when a fignal favor is granted to the church on earth, when it is enlarged and increafed, when its enemies are deftroyed, and it is in a peculiarly flourifhing and profperous condition, the angels have a new fong of praife to fing on the occafion. With the utmoft propriety, then, may fuch times be called times of refrefhing. It only remains here that we inquire, Why thefe times of refrefhing are faid to come from the pref- ence of the Lord ? The propriety of this expref- fion will appear at once, when we confider, that the revival of religion, the increafe of the church, the out pouring of the Holy Spirit, is ever the work of God. And it is his moft glorious work. " When the Lord fhall build up Zion," fays the pfalmift, ** he fhall appear in his glory." This is the moft glorious manifeftation, which God can make of himfelf, previous to his appearance at the judgment of the great day. When a foul is converted from the errot* of his ways, God appears in his glory to fuch a foul. God maniFL-ils himfelf. as the moft glorious of all beings, l^here is nothing that fo clearly rnanifefls the glory and peifettion of the Deity, as this. The Holy Spirit, the immediate author of this divine refrefhment, comes, with all his heavenly influence, from the prefence of God. And, indeed, when and w^here this heavenly influ- ence is felt, there God is, there he comes, and dwells. There he takes up his abode. So fays the z^^ SERMON XIX. the blcffed Savior : " If a man love me^ he witt keep my words, and my Father uill love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with bim." So the forecited paffage from the Revela- tion ; «' Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they fhall be his people, and God himfelf will be with them, and will be their God;* Here we may, with propriety, make a paufe in the difcourfe, and indulge a profitable refle6lion* if the revival of religion, the out pouring of the Spirit of God, occafions fo much joy, comfort, and refrefliment,not only to thofe fouls, who are renew- ed thereby ; but alfo to all faints, to the church of Chrill in heaven, and on earth, then, how earn- eftly Ihould we defire, how fervently fhould we pray, that not only we in this place, but that peo- pie in every place, may enjoy fuch a time of re- freihing from the prefence of the Lord. It is ufu- ally in anfwer to the fervent prayers of the faints, that God pours out his Holy Spirit on mankind ; or, in other words, previous to fuch a time of re- frefliing, he commonly excites in his people an earned defire, and united fervent prayer, for fuch a blefTing. And we are informed, that the effectu- al fervent prayer of a righteous man, even of one righteous man, availeth nuich. How much more the effcBual fervent prayers, of many righteous men ! " Sr^all not God avenge his own ele61, who cry to him continually ? Yea he will avenge them, and SERMON XIX. 263 and that fpeedily." " O pray for the peace of jerufalem. They fhall profper that love thee.'* We pray for worldly profperity ; we feek for the outward honors, and enjoyments of the world. Shall we not much more feek the honor of God, the glory of his name, the revival of his work, and the refreftiment of his faints ? Nothing can fo ef- fedually promote the refreihment of the world as this* Let us unite our mod fervent prayers for this greateft of ail bleflings. SERMON SERMON XX. Times of Refrefhment. ACTS UK 19. Repent ye^ tlitrejort^ and he convertti^ that your Jin% may he blotted out^ when the times of refreJJiing Jliall come^from the prefencc of the Lord,. VS/ E, have already confidered, what h intended, by times of refrefhing ; and have found, that times of reformation, of revival of religion, of the out pouring of the Spirit, of divine influences on the hearts of men, are, with propriety, called, times of refrefhing. For they are reviving, com- forting, and cheering to the foul, as any, and more than any outward refreflnnent, can be to the body. They are refrefliing, and reviving, to the moral world, as the gentle dews, or copious fhowers of rain, to which they are compared, are to the natur- al world, or to the drooping, languifhing fruits and flowers of this earth, when parched, with the heat of a fummer's fun. And thefe refrefhments are, with propriety, reprefentcd as coming from the prefence S E R iM O N XX. 21?:: J prefenqe of the Lord, as they are the fruit aiid ef- i'c6t of his influences ; ihey are his gift and his work; and they prove that God is efpecially pref- ent with fuch a people, and that he dwells among them. We now proceeds agreeably to the method propofed, to (hew, il. That fuch times of refrefliing fhall conic. This is evidently fuppofed in the raanner of ex- preffion in the text. " Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your fins may be blotted out, when the times of refrefiiingy/z^// come from the prefence of the Lord." If there were no times of refrefliing to come, the flrength of the argument or motive would be loft. Indeed that is a time of refrefhing to every particular foul, when it does truly repent, is converted, and its fins are blotted out. But fomethingmore than this feems evidently intended, and it is, a5 has been before obferved, generally fuppofed, that St. Peter has particular reference to the judgment of the great day ; when the fin^ of all penitent believers will be finally blotted out from the book of God, and they refreflied, with a com- plete and everlafiing fulnefsof all divine influenc- es. But, previous to this, it is evident, that there fhall be many times of fweetly refrefliing influenc- es, from the prefence of the Lord. That was a time of refrefliing, from the prefence of the Lord, when the apoflle delivered this difcourfc. Then, as he obferved in the preceding chapter, God was fulfilling the promifes made to the prophet Joel, as S , vvell 2o6 S E R M 6 N XX. well as other prophets, of the plentiful and refreili*-- ing influences of the Divine Spirit. And he be- lieved, yea the Spirit of Divine Infpiration affur- ed him, that there fhould yet come times of refrefh- ing from the prefence of the Lord, even times of greater refrefhment than that was. Then, notwith- ftanding the plentiful effufions of the Holy Spirit, with which the church was favored, yet, it was fcorched with the heat of perfecution. And fince that time, the church has often experienced times of great and fore trial and affliflion. It has been often weakened, reduced extremely low. It has many times appeared to be languilhing, drooping, dying. It has then again felt the fweetly refrt fil- ing influences of the Divine Spirit, reviving, re- ftoring, Rrengthening, and increafrngits beauty, and vigor. Such periods have often fucceeded each other, fince the day of St. Peter's delivering this difcourfe. And it may well be queftioned, whelh- erihere has ever been any lengthy period, in which the church has not experienced more or lefs of thefc divine refrefliments. Indeed if there were not fre- quent refreftimcnts, the church would, long fince, have wholly died. And fo long as the church re- mains on earth, there mud be fome meiafares and degrees of this refrefliing influence. But there have been fome times of very great ri-frefhrnent, fome feafons of the plenteous influences of rhe Di- vine Spirit, This happy land, as well as mod, if not all chriftian countries, has experienced times of SERMON XX. 267 of peculiar refrefiiment, times of great revival of religion. And we have reafon to hope, nay, we may with confidence expert, that there v/ill, at leaft, be a time, when all the earth fhall feel this rcfrefli- ing. Low as the prefent ftate of the church ap- pears to be, and languifhing and drooping as (he feems, almoft ready to faint and die ; yet, there are fome happy places, which enjoy a time of great re- frefiiment. Divine influences are felt. Religiont revives. The church raifes its drooping head to- wards the heavens, from whence thefe influences come, and waits for more, and longs for a rich and full fupply. Nor will God forfake her, nor forget her mourning ftate, *' Zion ftiil lives within the heaft " Of everlafting love." Hear the language of his heart to her. '^ For ai fmall moment have I forfaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee, for a moment ; but with ever- iafting kindnefs will I have mercy on thee, faith the Lord, thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me ; for as 1 have fworn, that the waters of Noah fhould no more go over the earth ; fo have I fworn, that I would no more be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the rhountaina fhall depart, and the hills fhall be removed ; but my kindnefs fhall not depart from ihee, neither fliall the covenant of my peace be removed, faith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee," So agaiu^ S 2 *' Can 268 SERMON XX. " Can a woman forget her fucking child, that fhc fhould not have compaflion on the fon of her womb ? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, 1 have graven thee upon the palms of my hands ; thy walls are continually before me." There are a number of great and precious prom- ifes in the word of God, to his church, which are yet to be fulfilled. There muft, and will be yet a time of greater, and more general and univerfal re- frefhment, than the church has ever experienced ; a time, when " the gofpel fliall be preached to ev- ery creature ; when every knee fhall bow, and ev- ery tongue confefs that Jefas is Chrift, to the g^o- ry of God the Father ;" when the Jews (liall again be brought in, with the fulnefs of the Gentiles ; and the coming in of the former, fliall be as life from the dead to the latter. Thefe are promifes, which God has made, which have not yet been ful- filled. And " God is not a man that he fhould lie, nor the fon of man that he fhould repent. Hath he faid, and fliall he not do it ? Hath he fpokeuj and Ihall he not make it good ?" The church, in almoft every age, have believed thefe promifes, and have been waiting for their accomplifiiment. They have been looking for this blefled hope, this glori- ous appearing of the great God, and our Savior J.efus Chrift. The time is indeed prefixed for the commence- ment of this happy refrefliment, and it is pointed out particularly by the fpirit of prophecy. And was it not for ihe darknefs and obfcurity of the language of SERMON XX. 269 of prophecy, the church might certainly know when ihe time would be. But, notwithftanding this dark- nefs of prophetic language, it is clearly evident, that the lime is drawing nigh. O that all the church of God might be prepared to welcome the glorious and happy day ! This would naturally lead to the third inquiry, viz. What is perfonally necelTary, in order to our participating in'the refrelhment^ which will be furnifhed. But it reoccurs to the mind, that moft expofitors confider the time of refrefliing, as referring to the judgment of the great day. This will be a time of refrefliing, a lime of joy and gladnefs to all the faints. This gloriou^i day will complete their redemption. It will not only re- deem the body from the grave, and refrefh it with unfading beauty, and immortal vigor, Vv'ith eternal health, eafe, arid comfort ; but it will refrefh their fouls with the tree of life, which is in the m'idft of the paradife of God ; and with that water of life, which flows, fc\ a never ceafmg river, from the throne of God. Then there fhall be no more curfe. The inhabitants fliall no more fay, " / am fick" For the people fliall be forgiven their uuq- uity. Their iins fliall be blotted out. All forrow and fighing fhall flee away. All tears fliall be wip- ed from the eye ; and divine influences fhall be given, not as they are in this world, in an imperfeft meafure, and 21 fome particular fcafons ; but they fliall be filled, with the fulnefs of that God, who fill- eih all in all. They fliall forever enjoy God; and S 3 to ^70 SERMON XX. to the utmoft that their capacities will admit. They fhall ferve him day and night, rejoice in his pref-: ence, and reign with him forever and ever. But even in this time of refrelhing, all fhall not be re- frelhed. Some fhall awake to everlafting life, and (bme to ihame and everlafting contempt. Our Bext inquiry, therefore, appears greatly important^ whjch is, III. What is perfonally neceffary, in order to our participating in thefe times of refrefhing, from the prefonce of the Lord ? In anfwer to which, we may fayjthat.the fame js neceffary to fit us for the joy and comfort of thpfe times of refre filing, which the people of God enjoy on earth, which is necef- fary to fit us for the fweeter, fuller, and more lad- ing refrefhments of the heavenly world, viz. That we belong to the number of God's true people, or that we repent, and be converted. Without true repentance, and converfion unto God, our fins can nevej: be blotted out, but they will fland charged to our account, and we muft be caft into the prif- on of divine juftice, where we muft remain until the utmoft farthing be paid, which can be done on- ly by our everlaftingly fufFering the penalty due for our crimes. There, in that gloomy prifon of hell, rjo refrefhments ever come, not fo much as a drop of water to cool the tongue, tormented with un- quenchable fire. No beam of hope, no ray of joy, illuminates that doleful prifon. There none of the yain and empty enjoyments of this life, pone of its * ^ delufive SERMON XX 271 delufive pleafures, can find admittance ; but the fmoke of their torment afcendeth up forever and ever ; and tliey have no reft day nor night. This is the miferable doom of all the wicked. For un- Ids ye repent, fays the Savior, ye fliall all likewife perifh. The defign of all thofe divine refreihing influences, which God imparts to his people on earth, is to fit and prepare them for thofe greater, richer, and fweeter influences, which flow in, from his prefence, in the heavenly world. They are de- figned to make them meet for the inheritance of the faints in light. Now he that hath wrought them for the felfsame thing is God, who hath alfo given them his Spirit, with all its refrefliing influ- ences. The church in this world muft be purified and cleanfed, that it may finally be prefented a glo- rious .church, without fpot or wrinkle, or any fuch thing. For this end,' all that are brought into the true church of God are made truly humble, and penitent ; they are converted, or turned from the love and pradice of fin, to the love and fervice of God. They are brought to prefer God to every- thing, and to rejoice in him as their chic^f good, and thus they are prepared to rejoice forever, in his prefence, and in the enjoyment of him. The fame humble, penitent heart and temper, is neceffary, to fit the foul to participate, joyfully, in divine influences, or thofe fpiritual refrefliments, v^hich flow from the prefence of God, in this world, ^fporunto this man will I look," fays God, "even S4 «• 272 S E R '^'m^'^O N XX. to him that is poor, and of a contrite fpirit, and trembleth at my word." Again, it is faid, " God refifteth the proud, but giveth grace to the hum- ble." The impenitent, unrenewed heart, cannot receive the refrefliing influences of the Holy Spir- it. It has no ifafte nor reliih for thofe divine joys and confolations, which flow from the prefence of God. It fays unto God, " Depart from me, for I defire not the knowledge of thy ways." But, when the foul is humbled, when it is brought to fee the evil of fin, and to hate it ; when it mourns its pad offences, and turns from them unto God ; when it gives up itfelf entirely to God, and longs for none but him ; then the heart is open to divine refrefh- ments, nor will God f^il to afford ^them. Private chriftians are, in this way, prepared for the recep- tion of thefe divine influences, from God, who is prefent with them, though the world may fee and know little of it. The fame fpirit and temper of mind is neceffa- ry, to prepare us for the glorioufly refrefhing time, when the whole earth fliall be filled widi the knowl- edge of the glory of God, and all fliall feel this di- vine refrefiiment. Indeed, the defign of this great and glorious effufion of the Spirit, is to refrefli the world ; to refrefh all nations; to caufe all to rejoice in God. But the firfl: ftep towards this objeQ:, will be, to humble the pride of finners ; to lead them to true repentance and converfion unto God. Be- fore any are made to partake of divine joys and confolations^ S E R M O, N XX. 073 confolations, they mufl be brought to mourn a'nd lament tbeir Cms. They muft feel bitternels of . heart. They muft be humbled, before they can be exalted. The impenitent and unrenewed are wholly unprepared for the joy and comfort, the fweetly refrefliing influences of that happy day. The impenitent and unconverted, are not prepaid to rejoice in the glorious coming and reign of the Prince of Peace. But the faints, all the true ciiurch and people of God, all penitent and converted fouls, are in fome meafure prepared, for fuch a g'o- rious event ; as their hearts are fornted by divine grace to relifh thefe influences. And O how Iweet will thefe refrefliments be, to the church and peo- ple of God ! With heartfelt joy will they be ready to adopt the language of the holy prophet, and lay, ^' Sing, O ye heavens, for the Lord hath done it. Shout, ye lower parts of the earth ; break forth in- to (inging, ye mountains, O foreft, and every tree therein ; for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himfelf in Ifrael." And again, " P>rcak forth into joy, fing together, ye v;a(le places of Je- rufalem ; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerufalem. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm, in the eyes of all the ra- tions ; and all the ends of the earth fhall fee the falvation of our God.'* How happy thofe who are prepared to welcome this glorious day ! How hap- py thofe, who are prepared to enjoy the comfort and refrefliment of it ! Happy thofe, who fhall live when 274 SERMON XX- when God doth this. But ftill more happy are thofe, who are prepared for, and received to par- take of, the more divine refrefhments of the world above. IMPROVEMENT. 1. If there be yet times of refrefliing to come from the prefence of the Lord ; and thefe refrefh- ments afford fo much joy and comfort, then let the believing profpe6i: of this afford us fome confola- tion, in the prefent gloomy fiate of the church on earth. When we ferioufly contemplate the prefent flate of the church, in general, and the particular i^ate of this church, it appears covered with a mtU ancholy cloud. Jt feems as though God had for- gotten usj^and our God had forfaken us. But God has not cad off his church, he has not forfaken his inheritance. "In a little wraih I have hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlafting kindnefs will I have mercy on thee, faith the Lord, thy Redeemer." It is true, particular churches may be loft, or the church may be loft in particu- lar places ; but it Ihall not be loft from the world. And we would hope and truft, that it will not final- ly be loft, even here. A glorious and happy day of the church's profperity fhall come ; and he that fiiall come, will come, and though he tarry, yet let vis be found waiting for him. It is ufually the cafe that darknefs precedes the light ; that forrow pre- cedes joy. Religion is indeed in a very low and languifliing SERMON XX. ii^^ languifhing ftate. And while falfe prophets and teachers arife, and dangerous and dcftruQive er- rors are taught, and many depart from the faith once delivered to the faints, and the way of truth is evil fpoken of; while vital piety and godlinefs are renounced, from a belief, that iill, of every char- a6ler, however infamous, will finally be faved ; while thefe things appear, what ferious, what be- nevolent heart, can avoid being pained and dif- treffed ? But yet, in the midfl; of all our grief, a firm belief, and a lively profpeB, of a time of re- freftiing, from the prefence of the Lord, as certain- ly approaching, may, and will afford fome comfort to every chriftian. This may afford a pleafing confolation to the faithful minifter, whp is laboring and ftriving to efFe6l a reformation among a peo- ple, even though he {^^%^ for the pjrefent, no good efFedi: of his labors ; for they fliall all, in fome way or another, contribute to, and prepare for, a time of refrefliment yet to come. The feed may lie long buried in the dufl ; but it fliall not be loft. Nor Ihall one prayer of the faint be loft, who fer- vently prays for a time of refrefliing from the pref- ence of the Lord. Though he may poflibly be gathered to his fathers, and laid in the duft, before his prayers are apfwered ; yet every fuch prayer (ball come up as a memorial before God, and fliall there be remembered by a prayer hearing, and an- fwering God, and the praying faint ihall, in a ftate of glory, be a witnefs to God's anfwering of it. 2. If 2^6 SERMON XX- 2. If repentance, and converfion to God, be fo neceffary to prepare us for pardon, and to partake of the joy and comfort of times of refrefhment, ia this world, as well as in the world to come, then, with what propriety may I addrefs you, my friends, in the language of my text : " Repent ye, there- fore, and be converted, that your fins maybe blot- ted out, when the times of refrefliing (hall come from the prefence of the Lord." You have heard what is meant by times of refrefliing from the pref- ence of the Lord, in every fenfe ; you have heard what joyous, happy, reviving times thefe are, to ev- ^ry renewed foul in particular ; as well as to the church in general ; you have heard that fuch times of refrefhment, not only have been, but are yet to come ; and that, unlefs you repent, and are con- verted, or turned unto God, you cannot be pre- pared for, nor partakers of thefe divine refrefli- ments. What is fin, that you fliould be fo fond of it ? Is it not oppofition to the blefled God, the fountain of all good ? What are the momentary pleafures of fm, that you fliould prefer them to the foul reviving, and refrefliing influences of the Di- vine Spirit ? With what flings and lafiies of a guil- ty confcience are the pleafures of fin follov\ed, while the love and fervice of God is attended with the nobleft joy and comfort ? What evils and mif- . cries has fin already brought upon our guilty vorid? And how many millions, of the human race, has it already funk down into endiefs mifery ? On the other SERMON XX. 277 other liand, repentance and converfion have faved thoufands from thefe torments, have procured the fweeteft divine influence, joy, and comfort, in this world, and endlefs refrefhment, from thofe rivers of pleafure, which flow at God's right hand, in heaven above. Would you avoid the endlefs paia and mifery of the wicked, would you enjoy thofe divine, and foul , reviving, and happifying refrefli- ments, which flow from the prefence of God, then repent, and be converted, that your fins may be blotted out. " Repent; for the kingdom of heav- en is at hand," SERMON SERMON XXL Fidelity in Preaching Defirable. When I rife in this facred Dejfk, yod naturally expe8: that I call your attention to fome particular paflage of facred fcripture ; and that I addrefs you on fome religious fubje5t. This you confider as the proper duty of my office, as if it were my trade, my employment : But fhould 1 dc> this, as moft men go about their worldly bufmefs, merely to get a living, I fhould certainly be highly and peculiarly criminal. No man may,- at any time, lawfully a6l from this motive in any thing. We are commanded to aim at the glory of God, in every thing we do. Were we made only for this world, v/e might then live and a6l for this world only ; but it is certain we are not. There is, my friends, a vaft, a boundlefs, an all important e- ternity before us ; and every thing we do, every thing we fay, and every thing we think, will have influence into that future and everlafling Hate, and increafe our happinefs or mifery there forever. How important then is life ! how important every day^ SERMON XXI. 279 day, hour and moment of life ! How important is it that I preach, and that you hear, as thofe who muft give account to God the judge of all ! In this view of things, what portion of fcripture can be more proper for our prefent contemplation, than thofe words of old Eli to young Samuel, recorded in the firft book of Samuel, iiid chapter, and 17th verfe ? What is the thing that the Lord hath /aid unto thee ? I pray thee, hide it not from me ; God do fo to thee, and more alfo, if thou hide any thing Jrom me, of all the things that he f aid unto thee, THE occafion of thefe words you will eafily rec- oiled. Eli had, but a little before, been informed, by a man of God, of judgments foon to come up- on his family, for the great wickednefs and impiety of his children. This prediQion was confirmed to Samuel, in a manner defcribed in the preceding part of this chapter. On a certain night, when Eli and Samuel were both lain down to reft, each one in his feparate apartment, the Lord called and faid, Samuel ; and Samuel anfwered. Here am I ; and he ran to Eli and faid. Here am I, for thou calledft me. Eli faid, I called not ; lie down again. No foon- er had Samuel lain down, but the voice called a- gain, Samuel ! He went to Eli as before, and was informed as before. The fame was done three times. Eli was then convinced, that it was God who fpake to Samuel ; and he told him, that if he fhould sSo S^ R M O N XXL fhould hear the voice calling him again, to reply ^^ " Speak, Lord, for thy fervanl beareih." He de- parlGcl and lay down, and the Lord called the fourth time, Samuel ! Samuel ! Then Samuel anAvereti, «• Speak, Lord, for (hy fervant heareth." God nov/ informs Samuel of his determination to fulfil all that he had before denounced againft the houfe of Eli. Samuel after this lay until the morning, and when he arofe he was afraid to inform Eli what lie had heard. Eli having juft before received a dif- agreeable mefTage from the man of God, was ap« prchenfive that the vifion of Samuel forebodedevil to himfelf ; and therefore he calls for Samuel, and addreffes him in the language oLour text. " What is the thing that the Lord hath faid unto thee ? J pray thee hide it not from me ; God do ib to thee, and more alfo, if thou hide any thing from me, of all the things that he faid unto thee^" Eli v/as tru- ly defirous of knowing the woril of his cafe, and not only requefted Samuel to deal plainly and faith- fully with him- — " 1 pray thee hide it not from me" — but he moft folemnly adjures him to d® it, under the awful penalty of feeling the curfe him- felf, if he concealed the truth — " God do fo to thee, and more alfo, if thou hide any thing from me, of all the things that he faid unto thee." Where- 'upon Samuel told him every whit. Like a faith- ful watchman, he did not fhun to declare unto him all the counfel of God. In 'treating on thisfolemn paiTage, I fiiall purfue the following method. L Show § £ R M G N XXL 281, I. Show that it is of the greateft importance to d people in general, and to every particular perfon, that minifters be plain and faithful in delivering the truth to them. II. That fuch as are triily wife will wifii and de« fire this of their liiinifters — " I pray thee hide it not from me," IIL That an awful curfe awaits thofe miniftersj -who are unfaithful in declaring the counfel of God, or who kieep back the truth — ^' God do fo to thee, and more alfo, if thbu hide any thing from me, of all the things that he faid unto thee." I. That it is of the greateft importance to a peo- ple in general, as well as to every particular per- fon, that minifters be plain and faithful in deliver- ing the truth to them ; that they do not conceal the worft of their cafe from them. The truth of this propofiiion muft appear evi- dent to every one, who duly confidersit. God, in infinite wifdom and goodnefs, has fecn fit to reveal to mankind many things, which greatly concern .their prefent and future happinefs, and which it would have been impoffible for them to have known, had he not revealed them. Or if any truths of divine revelation could have been knowni without a revelation ; yet they could not certainly have been fo clearly and diftinBly known, as they may be now. Every thing, that God has revealed in bis word, concerns us, and concerns us in our eter- nal intereft. " Secret things belong unto the T Lord «8^ S E R M O N XXL Lord our God, but thofe things which are reveal-' ed belong unto us, and to oiir children." "What* ever God has feen fit to reveal miift certainly be worthy of our notice ; if it had been of no impor- tance to Us to know it, furely God would not have revealed it ; for he does nothing in vain. Can any one fuppofe, that God fhould fpeak any thing that is not worthy of the attention of his creatures ? Shall he call and fay, " If any man have ears to hear, let him hear ?" and can we fuppofe it is df no confequence whether we hear or not ? A di- vinely infpired ap®flle has affured us, that " aH fcripture is given by infpiration of God, and is profitable for doftrine, for reproof, for correftion, for inftru6lron in righteoufnefs : That the man of God may be perfedl, throughly furnifhed unto all good works." If fo, then, it is important for us to Icnow the fcripture, to be well acquainted with the whole will of God. Befides, there is fuch a beauty, fuch a harmony and connexion in the whole reveal- ed will of God, that no one can know any thing as he ought to know, who does not know the whole. The proper knowledge of any one truth of divine revelation involves in it the knowledge of the whole. How can any one underftand the gofpei method of falvation, by the free grace of God through a Redeemer, unlefs he knows the wretch- ed and deplorable condition into which man is fallen ? And this implies the knowledge of the a- mazing depravity of the human heart, man's utter avcrlion- SERMON XXL 2S3 avetfion from God, his helplefs Hate in himfelfi his need of the power and grace of God in regen- eration, and the free, rich and fovereign grace of God in the fan6lification and complete falvation of faintis in heaven. There is, therefore, fuch a connexion of one truth with another, that the whole gofpel plan or fcheme muft be unfolded in order to our properly underftanding any part of it. And it has pleafed God to appoint an order of men, whofe particular work and office it fhould be, to ftudy the facred fcriptures, to fearch out the mind and will of God, as it is 'revealed in his hoi/ word, and to Unfold the myfteiries of godlinefs to mankind^. Nothing, therefore, is more evident^ than that plainncfs and fidelity in minifters is of great importance — that they do not handle the word of God deceitfully — that they do not corrupt the word of God ; but as in fincerity, but as of God, in the fight of God, they fpeak the truth in Chriit ;» and by nianifeftation of the truth, commend them- felves to every man's confcience -in the fight of God. The defign of the gofpcVtminiftry is not anfwered, if the preacher be not pfain and fslith- ful in his preaching : On the contrary, the fouls of men are injuredj the gofpel miniltry is per- verted, and the caufe of Satan promoted, by the unfaithful preacher. Truth is the great fup- port of ChrilVs kingdom. Truth affeds the hearts of men. It is the truth that humbles the finner's heart, ftrips him of all his excufes, lays him at the T 2 foot fS^ SERMON XXt foot of a fovefeign God, and makes him free frotilf the law of fin and death. How important is it, then, that the truth be clearly, plainly, and faith- fully preached ? So far as the truth is kept out of fight, fo far Satan's kingdom andcaufeare fupport- ed. His kingdom is a kingdom of falfehood ; he keeps (inners quiet and fecure, by blinding their minds, and fhutting the light of divine truth from their under ft an ding. Hence finners are ever rep- refented as having their underftandings darkened, their eyes clofed at>d fbut — as' ignorant, blind, and "Walking in darknefs. The defign of the gofpel minif- try is to open blind eyes, to give light to them who are in darknefs, and to bring men to the knowledge of the truth. This can be done only by preaching the truth clearly and plainly. Nothing, then, can be fiiore deferable than to have the truth taught in the moft plain and faithful manner. He, who dif- •guifes the truth, and keeps back any part of the v;hole counfel of God, does the greateft injury to the fouls of men. Truth will come to light, it will one day appear, and linners will be made to fee -and feel it. If we conceal it from you now, for* fear of offendmg or difpleafmg you, it will all ap- pear, if not before, yet at the judgment of the great day. And the manifeftation of the truth theny will overwhelm the guilty foul with unutterable anguifli. It will carry fuch convi61:ion to the con- fcience, as forever to filence all his excufesandall liis complaints. If we conceal from you, or en- deavor SERMON XXI. 885 dcavor to extenuate the wretchednefs of your condition ; if we pretend that you are not fo very bad, not fo entirely corrupt and depraved, not iiich enemies to God as fome affert ; yet the truth of your chara6^er5 and tbe dreadfulnefs of your condition, will hereafter appear in a more awful light than they can now be reprefentcd. It i«, therefore, a matter of the utmoll importance and confequencc to you, that we do not, in any meafurc, conceal your chara6ler from you, that we do not reprefent your condition any better than it is; but that we plainly and faithfully tell you what you arc, and what you have to expe£l* In this way, we may become the happy inflruments of awakening, convincing, and converting you ; of turning you from the error of your ways, to the vifdom of the juft. I proceed, XL To fhow that fuch as are truly wife will m(h and defire minifters to preach plainly and faithfully. They will adopt the language of Eli to Samuel in the text. '' What is the thing that the Lord hath faid unto thee ? I pray thee hide it not from me." - It is poffible that every one may think that he defires this ; but it is not poffible tliat it (hould be true, that every one does defire it. There is fomething in the truth too painful to the wicked hearts of men to make them love it. The light of divine truth, when let into the heart of the finncr, difcovers fuch a dreadful fight, opens to his view 4- T c^ ^^^'^ 286 SERMON XXL ftich an awful fcene, that he cannot bear to be- hold it. He fhuts his eyes againft it, he turns a- way from it, and endeavors to perfuade himfclf, that it is all delufion, that it is only the imagina- tion of a difordered mind. That this is the truths I appeal to Chrift, the faithful and true witnefs. He fays, " This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darknefa rather than light, becaufe their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, left his deeds fliould be reproved." A^^d Chrift had abundant reafon. to bear fuch a teftimony, not only becaufe he knew the hearts of men, but becaufe he faw them ai5t out this charaQer in their condu6t towards him. He came a light into the world ; he taught the truth in the cleareft and plainefl: nianner ; he fefc before finners their true charafter ; therefore they hated him, and told him that he reproached them— they were offended at him, and fought to kill him. And it has ever been found to be the cafe, in eve- ry age of the world, that plain and faithful preaching* v>'ill give offence to many. But this does by no means prove, that fuch preaching is not defir- ablc, and that thofe who are truly wife will not defire it. It is defirabie, and thofe who are truly wife will defire it, as much as Eli dcfired Samuel to be plain and faithful with him, in telling him every thing that God had faid concerning him. This they will defire^ I, Becaufe SERMON XXI* 287 1. Becaufe they know that every thing which, God has faid is true, that it is worthy of their no- tice, and that it is important to them to attend to. There is nothing, which God has revealed in his: v;ord, but what is true. All his declarations are. true — all his promifes are true — and all his threat- enings are true. It is impoflihle for God to lie, or to deceive. He does not need falfehood or do.-^^ ceit to carry on his caufe and fupport his king-^ dom. He does not need to terrify or frighten men with dreadful defcriptions and reprcfentations of what ftiall never come to pafs ; but when he. tells us what finful creatures we are, how odious fin is in his fight, what it deferves, and what the fmner fhall a6lually meet with if he continues in it, he does this that we may not be ignorant of ourfelves ; that we may not' go blindfold to def- truBion ; that we may not fay that he did not give us warning of our danger- And fuch as are tru- ly wife are fenfible of this ; they know that it is im- portant that they become acquainted with their true charadler, and that they know the whole truth that refpeds them. They arc fenfible that the truths of God's word are realities, and that they are in- finitely worthy of their notice. They will, therefore, defireto hear and know the mind and will of God; they will prize his word above gold ; yea, above tiiuch fine gold. They will be ready to fay, " Speak, jLord, for thy fervant heareth ;" they will watch the priefl's lips, and fcek the law at his mouth ; they T A ^vi^ £88 SERMON XXL vill fit as at the feet of Chrift to hear him. They find that truth is fweet, and in itfelf defirahle ; and ;he foul is fed and nourifhed by it. " As new })orn babes they defire the fincere milk of the word, that they niay grow thereby." They, there- fore, feek for knowledge as for filver, apd fearch for it, as for hid treafures ; they delight in the word of God, and meditate in it day and night. This leads me to add, 2. Such as are wife will defire minifters to be faithful, becaufe of the benefit and advantage which they find from plain and faithful preaching. It is certain that the great defign of the inftitu- tion of the gofpel miniftry is to promote the good and benefit of mankind, and the edification of the Church, which is the body of Chrift. And the Riore plain and faithful minifters are, the more good they will do. There is a much greater prob- ability, that finners will be awakened, convinced and converted, under plain and faithful preaching, than under that which is more loofe, declamatory, and indefinite. It is true, it is not in the power of the moft plain and faithful preacher to fpeak to the hearts of men. Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but it is God who muft give the increafe. The excellency of the power is not of man but of God. Yet, as God ordinarilv makes ufe of fecond caufes tb effeft his purpofes ; fo there is a much greater probability that faithful and plain preachers will be fuccefsfulj than thofe v/ho daub with untempered mortar. S E R M O N XXI; 289 niortar. Hence the apoftle Paul exhorts Timo- thy to be faithful from this confideration. " Take heed unto thyfelf, and i^nto the dodlrine ; contin- ue in them ; For in doing this thou fhalt both fave thyfelf and them that hear thee." Every one, there- fore, that truly defires an intereft in the benefit^ and bleflings of the gofpei, and that falyatio^ which it contains and rcvcais, will fmcereiy defire, that ^inifters ftiould preach plainly and faithfully. Though fuch plain and faithful preaching may give pain, though it may awaken confcience to condemn them ; yet they know that this is necef- fary in order to their fpiritual healing. The fick man knows that it is neceffary for him to take dif- agreeable medicines, in order to his recovery ; and if he is wife he will wiih the phyfician, not to confult his prefent appetite, not to conficlcr what will be moft agreeable, but what will be the mod beneficial. So the wounded man will defire the furgeon to fearch his wound thoroughly, and to make proper applications, with refpedto his com- plaints. And fo will the truly wife do, with refpe6l to their fpiritual phyfician. They will wifli the min- iller to deal plainly and faithfully with them ; not to flatter them with hopes of peace and fafety in a Chriftlefs ilate ; not to fmooth over things, and leave them to perifii in their fins; but to make them fee the worft of their cafe, and tell them the whole counfel of God-—'* I piay thee hide it not from me." But the real chriftian. in particular, whofe 29^^^ SERMON XXI. whofe heart has felt the transforming power and influence of divine light and truth, will efpecially defire the moft plain and faithful preaching of the word. He finds, by his own happy experience, that fuch preaching makes him wifer and better ; he grows up under it in knowledge and grace. He learns more of God, fees more of the glory of the divine nature and charader, and God appears more glorious, amiable, and excellent. He fees more of the perfeBion of the ways and works of God, the beauty, harmony, and conliftency of hi& great plan, as it is revealed in his word. And even the awful difplays of God's vindidive juftice tend to fill his mind with the greater awe and rev- \hich they fhould have denounced in Gods name, againft thofe who go on ftiU in their trefpaffes. This is agreeable to the declaration of God to the prophet Ezekiel. " Son of man, 1 have made thee a watchman unto the houfe of Ifrael; there- fore hear the word at my mouth, and give them "Warning from me. When 1 fay unto the wicked, thou (halt furely die ; and ihou giveft him not warning, nor fpeakeft to warn the wicked from his wicked way to fave his life ; the fame wicked man ihali 2g6 § li R M 6 N XXit. ihall die ill his iniquity ; but hisblood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wicltednefs, nor from his wicked way, he fhall die in his iniquity ; but thou haft delivered thy foul." It appears, then, that an awful and aggravated curfe awaits thofe^ Ivho arc unfaithful in delivering the meflages of God to the people, to whom they are called to miniiler. But in order to fet this truth in the cleareft point of light, you will fufFer me to ob- ferve, That tlie wort of the miniftry refpcO^ the great- eft of all public concerns, or it refpeCls the high- eft poflible interefts of mankind, as well as the honor and glory of God — that love to men, as well as a regard to the glory of God, requites minifters to be faithful in it — that God hasexprefsly enjoin- ed fidelity upon them — and that he has denounced the moft awful threatenings againft thofe who are unfaithful. Fidelity in evcfy kind of bufirfefs and erhploy^ ment is required of every man, by the laws of na- ture, of nations, and of God. And he w^ho is un- faiihfulin anv kind of bufmcfs entrufted to him, i$ an odious chara6ler ; he deferves to be defpifed ty every good being in the univerfc. But the fm ol" iHifaiihf'jlnefs increafes, in proportion to the impor- tance of the truft conn.raitted to our charge. He who is unfaithful in improving the goods or worldly eftate of another, which is committed to his truft, is juft- Iv SERMON XXIi. 297 \y odious in all civilized fcciety. He, who is un- faithful in preferving the life and health of anoihcr,- which is committed to his trult, is ftill more crim- inal than the former. But he. who is unfaithful to the fouls of men, is of all others the mod crim- irial, becaufe ihefo are infinitely more important Uian (svery thing elfe. For one foul is of more yaluc than all the wealth of the world. The gofr pel miniftry is certainly defigned to promote the faivation of fouls, and primarily and immediately refpefts the great things of our eVerlalling peace. He, therefore, vyhb is unfaithful in the miniRry, is unfaithful to the fouls of men. He does, as it were, defraud men, not of their daily bread, but of the bread of life. He keeps from them that provifion, which .God has inade, and which, as a faithful Rew- ard, he ought to give them to live upon forever. He ftarves and famifhes iheir fouls. And God is Lereby rob])ed of that honor and glory, which is due to him, not only from the unfaithful minifter, but from his people, whom he ought to have en- deavored to lead, by his preaching, to glorify God, both with their bodies and fpirits, which are his. A regard to the honor and glory of God, therefore, as well as love to mankind, ftrongly urges fidelity upon the preacher. Can it be fuppofcd, that any man truly loves his neighbor, who is not concerned for his happinefs, and who will not do any thi^ in his power to promote it ? Mofl certainly, that man gives a poor proof of the kindnefs and goodnefs of U his 298 S E R M O N XXir. his heart, who can fee his neighbor in the utmoS danger, and yet take no care nor pains to fave him from ruin. Love to the fouls of men will lead every faithful minifter to do every thing in his pow- er, 10 fave them from eternal death. He will not fhun to declare unto them all the counfel of God, nor ceafe to warn them night and day ; nor can he be faithful to God, nor to the fouls of men, nor even to his own foul, if he negleBs to do this-. For, God has exprefsFy enjoined fidelity upon him'. The dire8ions to fidelity to men of every clafs and chara6ler are maay, but to miniflers they are ftiil more numerous and pointed. It may fuffice, how- ever, to mention a few. " Take heed, thereforet unto yourfelves, and to all the flock of God, ovep which the Holy Ghoft hath made you overfeers^ to feed the church of God, Take heed to thy- ftlf and to thy do6lrine. Labor in word and dbc- Irine. Study to fhew thy felf approved unto God,^ a workman that necdeth not to be afhamed, right- ly dividing the word of trudi. Preach the word; be inftant in feafbn and out of feafon, reprove, re- buke, exhort with all long fuffe ring and do£lrine." They are dire6led " to cry aloud, and fpare not, to lift up their voices like a trumpet, to fhew God's people their tranfgreffions, and the houfe of Jfrael their fins ; to caufe them to know their abom- inations; to fpeak God's word faithfully." And the forecited paffage from Ezekiel is, if polTible, more txpre^ and full than any which have juft been lEentioned-. SERMON XXII. 209 mentioned. " Son of man, I have made iliee a %^'atchman," &:c. Here we fee that the injimQions to fidelity in miniflers are enforced by the moft awful fandlions. The blood of ihoft' who perifh, through their un- faithfulnefs, will be required at their hands. And if no one can bear the wrath of God due to him, how can miniRers bear the accumulated weight of the fins of others ? If God denounces judgments againll others, and they refufe to declare them, God will do fo to them and more alfo ; greater and more awful curfes fhall light upon them. St. Paul, in God's name, curfes thofe who preach an- other gofpel. And St. John fays, in the conclufion of the cannon of Scripture, " If any man fhall add unto thefe things, God (hall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book : And if any man Ihall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy^ God fliall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." Who can tell how many curfes the unfaithful miniller fhall have in a world of mifery, from thofe who perifh through his unfaithful nefs ! How will fuch curfe him for concealing from them the truth of their chara^er and fituation; and how tormenting muft it be to hear them fay, If you had done your duty, and dealt pKdnly and faithfully with us, wc might have efcaped this everlafting torment! How dreadful then will be the condition of the unfaithful \j 2 mir>i{ler. 300 SERMON XXIL ininifter, who keeps back the truth from his hearersf And how important is it, both to miniHers and people, that minifters be plain and faithful in their preaching I 0,that we might all feel the importance of this fubjeQ ! I M P R O V E M E N .T. 1. Preaching is a folemn bufinefs, i^ is truly an important work ! I doubt not but you are ready to think, that it is really folemn and important to the preacher. But let me teil you, that it is more than probable that you do not always view it in this light, that you do not always feel fenfible of it. .Preach- ing is not defigned for an amufement ; it is not defigned merely to pa fs away the Sabbath, whicli bangs heavily upon thofe, who have not this to while away the time. But it is a divine appoint- ment, and d-efigned for the fpiritual good and ben- efit of mankind. It is one part of that plan, which infinite wifdom has devifed for the recovery of a loft and ruined world ; and the ordinary method, in and by which finners are converted to God, and prepared for heaven. It is, therefore, too folemn a bufinefs to be trifled with. It ought not to be performed by fuch as take no care and pains to prepare for it, and who fay any thing and every thing, as it comes to mind in the moment of fpeak- irig ; and whofc fermons, or rather whofe talking (for it is not fit to be called a fermon) is like the original chaos, without form and void, and dark- ncf? SERMON XXII. 301 nefs is upon the face of it. Such difcourfes can- iiot give light or inftrudion. Preaching is alfo too folemn a bufinefs, to be performed only to give leffans of heathen morali- ty. The gofpel preacher muft colledl his fermons from the facred fcriptures, and not from the writ- ings of Seneca, Plato, Confucius, or any other hu- man compofitions. He muft unfold the great myf- teries of godlinefs, and preach the truth as it is in Jefus. You muft exped to hear truths that are not pleafing to the carnal heart. You muft cxpe6l that the faithful preacher will come home to your confciences ; that he Vvill fiiew you your fins ; that he will endeavor to make you f^el them, and con- vince you of your guilt atid danger. The minif- ter, who never takes pains to convince Tinners of their guilty and miferable condition, can never be a faithful and profitable preacher. He will never ^ead fmnersto Chrift ; for the whole need not a phy- (ician, but they that are fick ; and they muft be fenfible that they are fick, before they will apply to a phyfician. If you are fenfible that preaching is indeed fuch a folemn and important work, you will wifh your preacher to feel it, and to be plain and faithful in his preaching. You will wifli him to keep back nothing that is profitable for you. You will wifli him not to confer with flefli and blood, but to confult the word of God, and to de- clare Lis melTages plainly and faithfully. Hence we aie led to refle6ij U 3 B, That 302 SERMON XXII. 2. That it is a folemn thing to hear preaching, or it is a matter of great importanee how we hear. If it were not a rnatter ©f importance how we hear ^ if it were not a folemn thing to fit under the plain and faithful preaching of the word, it would not be fuch a folemn and important thing to preach. Much of the folemnity and importance of preach- ing arifes from the effe6l which it has upon the hearers. Therefore, it is a folemn thing to hear preaching, and efpecially to hear plain and faithful preaching. It would not be a folemn and impor- tant thing, to preach to the walls, or to preach to beafts ; but it is to preach to men; becaufe it will have fome great effe6l, either good or bad. Hence it appears to be important to hear. It is a folemn confideration, that every fermon you hear will haye fome effe61: upon you. You cannot hear a plain and faithful fermon, without being made better or worfe by it. If you are not bene- fited by it, you will be the warfe, you will be more criminal, you will be more hardened in fin. And you are alfo to remember, that you muft give an account to God, for the improvement of every advantage you enjoy. If you abufe the means of grace which you enjoy, if you refufe the calls and invitations of the gofpel, if you flight and defpife the warnings and admonitions, which God fends you ; you will find, that you have a dreadful account to give at a future day. Only allow that preaching is a divine appointment, that it is an in- ftituted SERMON XXIL 303 ftUAited mean of grace, and dcfigned for tie good of mankind ; and you muft at once be convinced, ithat it is a matter of importance that you attend upon preaching} that you donotneedlcfsly abfcnt yourfelves from it; that you come with a teachable temper and difpofition ; that you be willing to hear and know all the Lord hath faid; that you do not quarrel and contend with the truth ; that you do not fliut your eyes againft it — but that you re- ceive it with faith and love, lay it up in your hearts, and pra6li(e it in your lives. If you can DOW fit and hear the mod plain and faithful preach- ing, and remain unmoved and unaffe8ed by it; if you can now hear the moft folemn and important truths delivered, and yet not feel the weight and power of them ; yet, the time will come, when yoii mud feel the power of truth. Truth will appear at the judgment of the great day, if it does not before., and it will make men feel then, if it docs not now. Jfit be of any importance, that min- ifters be faithful to the fouls of men in their preaching, (as 1 doubt not but you think it is) then it muft be of iriiportance to their hearers, that they be faithful to their own fouls in hearing. You mufl let the word of God fink down into your ears and into your hearts, and conlider yourfelves ^s deeply interelled in it. You need to be ex- tremely careful not to determine, that any thing is not true, bccaufe you are unwilling that it fhould be trucj becaufe yoti do not love it, becaufc it is U 4 againft 304 SERMON XXIL f^^ainft you. It is not uncommon for men to find fault with the truth, to complain of preaching, be- caufe it does not fuit their corrupt hearts. But if you would a6l a wife and faithful part to your- jfelves, you muft be willing to come to the light, and ht the light of divine truth come home to your hearts. You muft not aQ; like children, who cannot bear to have their wounds dreffed, becaufe it hurts them and makes them fmari ; but you mufl be willing to fuffer pain now, rather than bear it ,to all eternity. And now let me put the queftion to each one in this affembly, Can you rea4ly and heartily adopt the language of the tGxt, and fay, «' What is the thing that the Lord bath faid unto thee ? I pray thee hide it not from me !" Or, in other words, Do you wifh me to be a plain and faithful preach- er .? Do you wifh me to deliver the whole cdun- fel of God, to keep back nothing of all that God has faid ? Do you wifh to be dealt plainly with^ and to have your true charader fet before you, and your dreadful condition defcribed ? Will you not quarrel v;ith me if I do this ? Or if you do not quarrel and contend with me, yet will you not fecretly and in heart find fault with the truth ? You cannot but own, that it is defirable to have the truth preached ; to have it preached plainly and faithfully too. You cannot but own, that it is a folemn thing to do this, both to me and to you. Will you then fuffer me to deal thus plainly and faithfully S E R MO N XXIT. oo;; faithfally with you ? I will not fay, iliat I have been the faithful MiniRer, that I have in aijy re- fpeft done my duty as I ought — I know that in many things I offend, and in all things come fhort — But I think I can fay, that I have not knowingly concealed the truth, and kept it back from you. I have meant to be plain and faithful in my preaching ; and in doing this no doubt I have difpleafed fome. But fi^ll I, for fear of this, negleQ my duty ? Shall I be Icfs plain and faith- ful, for fear of giving you uncafinefs ? This would be unkind to you, ofFenfive to God, and injurious to my own foul, as well as yours. Rather let me be, if poflible, more plain, more clear and full in reprefenting the mifcry and danger of a n^irnrai flate and condition. And let me cntrcai thofe of you, who are fenfible of this deplorable fit nation of finliers, that yoi| would beg of God to make me more faithful jn preaching his word, and deliver- ing his meffages to the people. SufiPcr me further to afk you, Whether you have been faithful in hearing the word of God ? Have you attended to the preaching of it, as you ought to do ? Have you applied divine truths to your hearts ? Have you carefully fought for inftru6lion ? Have you given truth a friendly reception, and fed upon it for your fpiritual nourifhment ? Certainly this has not been the cafe with all of you. If it had been, there would have been more real religion, more true, vital piety than is found among us. Where is 3P6 SERMON XXII. xs the appearance of your profiting by my miniC- try ? Is the fault in me alone ? Is it not in any part in vou ? Let us each one alk his own heart, Is not the fault in roe ? It will not be long, that I ihall have an opportunity to preach, or you to hear, Jt will not be long, before we muft all appear be- fore our Judge, to give an account how we have preached and heard. It will, my hearers, be a fol- emn day, when we fliall meet before the bar of God — when this day, which we now enjoy, and this hour in the houfe of God, will come into view — when this fermon will come to light, and it will be certainly known, whether I have been plain and faithful in preaching it, ^nd whether you have been faithful in hearing it. For all thef^ things God will bring us into judgment. In the view of this awful day, and of this folemn account, let me call upon you today to hear the voice of God, and not harden your hearts agajnft his calls. Let me call upon you now to repent, and believe in the Lord Jefus Chrift with all your hearts. Let rne tell you, that now is the accepted time, and now is the day of falvation ; that if you will not accept of his offered grace today, you may juftly be denied any lot or portion in it tomorrow. For he that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, fiiall fuddenly be delUoyed, and that without femedy. SERMON SERMON XXIil. •Truth Painful to a Wicked Heart. ACTS, ii. 37. Now when they heard this^thty were pricked in their hearty and /aid unto Peter^ and to the rejl oj the apojlles. Men and brethren^ whatJJiall we da ? 1 HE event here referred to i^ ihis. The djfciplcs of Chrift, agreeable 10 the diredlion of their Divine Maftef, given when he was taken up from them, were waiting at Jerufalcm for the defcerit of the Holy Ghoft, which was, in a finoii- lar apd miraculous manner, flied down, lo furniili them for the work, which Chrift had alfigncd them. On the day of Pentecoft, a feaft day, when there was a large and unufual coliedion of people, from all parts of the country, and alfo a great number of profelytes from many other nations, and when al( thefe, with the difciplcs, were coile6lcd in one place, the promifed communication was granted, in the appearance of cloven tongues as of fire, which fat upon each of them, and they were filled vvitU 308 SERMON XXIII. with the Holy Ghoft; ; and began to fpeak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. So that thofe, of every nation, who were prefent, heard them, each one in his tongue or language. This diverfity of languages, fpoken by them, ap* peared to fome to be only a confufion of noife, and they imputed it to the difciples being drunk- en. Upon this impious fuggeftion, Peter arofe, and the other difciples arifing to fupport him, he addreffed the multitude, in a moft ferious, folemn, and afFeding manner ; aiTuring them that the afton- hliing fcene, to which they were witnefles, was not the efFeO: of intemperance, but the fulfilment of an ancient prophecy of Joel, which was to be accom- plifhed in the latter days. He then proceeds to preach Jefus, and his refurre6ion from the dead ; and to affure them, that what they now faw and heard was indeed the work of Ghrift, the gift of that Holy Spirit, which Chrift had received from God, and which, in this truly miraculous manner, he had fhed upon them. And that this was a full and convincing demonftration, that God had made that fame Jefus, whom they had crucified, both Lord and Chrift. The effe^ of this difcourfe of peter, in addition to what they had before ken and heard, is mentioned in the text, and in the following verfes. " Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and faid unto Pe- ter, and to the reft of the apoftles. Men and breth- ren, what Ihall we do ? Then Peter faid unto them. SERMON XXIII. 309 them. Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, for the remiffion of fins, and ye (hall receive the. gift of the Holy Ghoft. For the promife is unto- you, and to your children, and to all that arc afar off, even as many as the Lord our God fhali call.. And with many other words did he teftify, and ex- hort, faying. Save yourfelves from this untpward generation. Then they that gladly received his word, were baptized ; and, the fame day, there were added unto them about three thoufand fouls." In thefe verfes we have the happy effeft of the outpouring of the Divine Spirit upon the hearers, as before we had upon the preachers of the gofpel. « We have here, as one obferves, the firft fruits of that large harvcd of fouls, which, by the gofpel, were gathered in to Jefus Chrift. Come and fee, in thefe verfes, the exalted Redeemer, riding forth in thefe chariots of falvation, conquering and to conquer." But what we propofe more particularly to attend to, in this difcourfe, is this fentencc, V.Xhey were pricked in their heart." That is, their cdnfciences were awakened to a fenfc of their fin and guilt. They faw themfelves condemned, and in danger of everlalling mifery. They felt an in- ward pain and diftrcf^, as poignant as if a fword had pierced them to the heart. When divine truth comes home to the confcience, and men are made to feel the power and efficacy of it, they rt^uft be pricked and pained in the heart, unlefs, at the fame time, the heart is reconciled to the truth, gio S E R M O N XXIII. truth, and bowed in humble fubmiffion to' it Hence the words will naturally faggeft to us this important and afFefting obfervation : That divine truth is painful to a corrupt and wicked heart ; and the more the truth is realized by fuch a heart, the more uheafy will it be. I fliall now endeavor, I. To illuftrate and confirm the truth of this obfervation, or fhew, that divine truth is painful to a corrupt and wicked heart. II. Endeavor to fhew why it is fo. I. I fhall attempt to eflablifii the truth of the obfervation, and fhew that divine truth is painful to a corrupt and wicked heart ; and that the more the truth is realized by fuch a heart, the more un- eafy it will be. '' Here it will be neceffary, firftof all, to remark, that when we fay, that divine truth is painful to a wicked heart, we do not mean that every wicked heart is always pained at reading, or hearing, or meditating on divine truth : We do not mean, that divine truth can never be reprefented, with- out giving pain and unealinefs to the corrupt and wicked heart. For experience proves the con- trary. Probably, the experience of every one prefent has proved the contrary. Nor is it meant, that no one truth can be delivered, without giving pain to the wicked heart. Experience proves, that wicked men, in general, are not pained with divine truth. They can,- for the maft part, read and SERMON XXllI. 311 and hear the moft plain, important, and fundamen- tal truths of the Bible, without feeling any great un- eafinefs, any confiderable pain, anxiety, or diftrefs. The reafon of this is, The truth is not feen, re- alized, or felt, by fuch perfons. It is not appre- hended in its rea!ity and importance. By far the greater part of wicked men are in a kind of ftupid and unfeeling ftate, with refpe6l to divine and e- ternal truth. They have eyes, but they fee not the light of truth, which fhines around them. They have ears, but they hear not the voice of Godj fpeaking to them in his word. Hearts have they, but they underftandnotdivine things. Inthem is fulfilled the faying of St. John : " The light fhin- ethin darknefs, and the darknefs comprchcndeth it not." This is the reafon of the quietude and fecurity of a wicked world. This is the reafon why wicked men cry, Peace, peace, to themfelves, while God faith, " There is no peace to the wicked." But not- withftanding this, it may be true, that divine truth is painful to a corrupt and wicked heart. When the truth is apprehended, realized, and felt, by the corrupt and wicked heart, it undoubtedly is fo. And the more the truth is realized and felt by the wicked heart, the greater will its pain and uneafi- nefs be. When the great and important truths of God's word come home to the confciences of wick- ed men, and they fee them in their reality and im- portance, when they feel the weight of truth, it i$ a burthen too heavy fur them lo bear. They arc then 312 S t R M O N XXIli. then pained and pricked in the heart ; and, with, thofe in our text, cry out. What ihali we do ? It is the truth of Cod's word, applied to the heart, tba.t awakens and alarq^is the guilty finner; that filUv hiff\yjWii the mod painful apprehenuons, and gives him"no true peace or reft, until he can either Ihut out the light of truth from his heart, and return to his former ignorance and blindnefs, or his heart be renewed and changed, and he become cor- dially reconciled to the truth, and . receive it in, the love of it. That divine truth is painful to a corrupt heart, and that the more fuch a heart reaU izes and feels it, the greater itspainand uneafinefs •will be, is clearly evident, from fcripture declara- tion, and from hiftory. Chrift fays^ " Everyone that doth evil hatelh the light," i. e. the light of di- vine truth, " neither cometh to the light, left his deeds fhould be reproved." What light is to the nat- ural world, or to the bodily eye, that truth is to the moral world, or to the eye of the underftanding. Truth difcovers things to the underftanding, as they really are, and opens to the view of the finner fuch a fcene as gives him pain and uneafinefs. His deeds are reproved. He is convinced of fin. He is condemned by his own confcience, and he fmds that he is condemned by that God, who is greater than his heart, and knoweth all things. Hence, he is oppofed to the light of truth, and en- deavors to keep it out of fight. That this is in- deed the cafca ^s confirmed by the whole tenor of fcripture S E R M O N XXlll. 31^ fcripture hiftpry. Any one, who reads the Bibl^ with attention, will find, that a wicked world has ever been oppofed to divine truth, and in proportion as wicked men havQ feen, realized, and felt the truih, * have they been pained and diTgufled by it. ^Vl^^^ Jiy have at leaft afFedted to tjeat the great and im-" portant truths of God s v;ord with fcorn and con- tempt. They have made a jefl of Cicred things. But there is at lea(t reafon to believe, that the srcat canfe of this is, finding and feelinig that the grtiac truths of God's word, if they he indeed truths, arc too painful for iheiii to bear. Hence iLlv wifh to make tbemfelves believe that they are not truths. It is certain, from their own declaration, that fome of the greateft infidels were, antecedent to their infidelity, in fome fenle believers in di-^ vine Revelation, and had been awakened, alarm- ed, and pained with the great truths of revealed xcr Jigion. And is it not probable, that they flew to infidelity, in order to avoid the pain, which they felt from the truth, and which they knew not how to bear ? But however thivS may be, U is clearly evident, that truth has been painfjl to many a wicked heart. If we look into the word of God, 'We fhall find this to be the cafe, in many particu- lar inftances. In a variety of cafes, wk'