//- s --:«5Cil, MW^-W:.;^. THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, Princeton, N. J. I) Cose, JDivision j'....^^iJ^: I Shelf, section .....'i I' Booh; „ t' No, ^i! -t .^-^ sea V \ r / SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS, EVANGELICAL, DEVOTIONAL and PRACTICAL. ADAPTED TO THE PROMOTION OF CHRISTIAN PIETY, FAMILY RELIGION AND YOUTHFUL VIRTUE. BY JOSEPH LATHROP, D. D. Paftor of the Firil Church in Weft-Springfield. SPRINGFIELD, MS. PRINTED BY HENRY BREWER, ^Proprietor of the Copy Right ] MARCH I80r. CONTENTS. SERMON I. The Fear of God. A Sermon to Little Children, Psalm xxxiv. 11. Come, ye children, hearken unto me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord. SERMON IL The Duty of Speaking to the Young. Zechariah it. 4. Run fpcak to this young man. SERMON III. Youth invited to the Lord's Supper. A Comtnunion Sermon. Exodus xii. 26, 27. And it fhall come to pafs, when your children fhall fay unto you. What mean you by this fervice ? that ye fhall fay, It is the facrifice of the Lord's paffover, who pafled over the houfes of the children of Ifrael in Egypt, ■yvhen he fmote the Egyptians, and delivered our houfes. SERMON IV. Early Piety the Comfort of Old Age. A Sermon to Toung People* Psalm Ixxi. 5. For thou art ray hope, O Lerd God : Thoa art my truft from my youtii. iv CONTENTS. SERMON V. The Infirmities and Comforts of Old Age. A Sermon to Jged People. Psalm Ixxi. 9. Caft me not off in the time of old age Forfake me not when my ftrength faileth. SERMON VI. Dry Bones Reftored. Ezekiel xxxvii. 3. And he faid unto me, Son of man, can thefe bones live ? And I anfwered, O Lord God, thou knoweft, SERMON VII. Birds and Beafts Preaching to Men. yob xii. 7. Afk the beafts now, and they fhall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee : SERiMON VIII. Joab laying hold on the Horns of the Altar. /. Kings ii. 30. And he laid, Nay, but I will die here. SERMON IX. Nothing to be refufed, when the Lord hath need. A Communion Sennon, Mark xi. 3. And if any man fay unto you, "Why do ye this ? Say ye that the Lord hath need of him : and flraitway he will fend him hither. CONTENTS. V SERMON X. The Gate of Heaven ftrait, and many fhut out of it. Luke xiii. 24. Strive to enter in at the ftrait gate ; for many, I fay unto you, will foek to «i- ter in, and shall not be able. SERMON XI. The Caufesj why many who feek, cannot enter at the ftrait Gate. The fame Text. SERMON Xir. The awful Condition of thofe who fliall be ex- cluded from the kingdom of Heaven. The fame Text, SERMON Xni. Pilate's Infcription on the Crofs of Chrift. A Communion Sermon. John ecifff. 19 22. And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the crofs ; and the writing was, " Je. fus of Nazareth the King of the Jews." This title then read many of the Jews, for the place where fefus was crucified was nigh to the city ; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. Then faid the chief priefts of the Jews to Pilate, Write not " the King of the Jews ;" but that he faid, " I am the King of the Jews." Pilate anlwered, What I have written I have written, SERMON XIV. The Difciples gazing after their afcending Lord. j4 Com?7iunion Sermon. Acts i. 10, 11. And while they looked ftedfaftly toward heaven, as he went up ; behold, two men ftood by them in white apparel, which alfo laid, Ye men of Galilee, why (land ye gazing up into heaven ? This fame Jelus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall fo come, in like manner as ye have feen him go into heaven. VV CONTENTS, SERMON XV. The Rainbow around the Throne. A Communion Sermon. Revelation iv, 3. And there was a Rainbow round about the Throne, in fight like unto aft errierald. SERMON XVI. No Temple in Heaven. A Sermon preached on the first Lord's Day after the Dedication of a New Meeting-House.' Revelation xxi, 22, And I faw no temple therein ; for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. SERMON XVII. Univerfal Praife for Redemption, A Communion Sermon. Isaiah xliv. 23, Sing O ye heavens, for the Lord hath done it ; Shout, ye lower parts of the earth ; Break forth into fing'ng, ye mountains, O foreft, and every tree therein; for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himfelf in Ifrael. SERMON XVIII. The Wheels of Providence, j4 Faji Sermon^ April i8o6. Ezekiel i. 16, Thetr appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. SERMON XIX. The Temper of a Chriftian with regard to Morai Good and Evil. Romans xii. 9. Abhor that which is evil : cleave to that which is good. CONTENTS- Vll SERMON XX. Moral Refle6llons on Floods. A Sermon delivered February 22, 1807. Amos ix. 5. jThe Lord of hods is hf that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn, and it shall rife up ■wholly like a flood and shall be drowned as by the flood of Egypt. SERMON XXI. The Impiety of alledging God's Promife, as a rea- fon for the negled of Duty. Matthew iv. 5, 6, 7. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and fettcth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and failh unto him, If thou be the fon of God, caft thyfelf down ; for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, left; at any time thou dash thy foot againft a stone. Jefus faid unto him. It is written, Thou jhalt not tempt the Lord thy God. SERMON XXII. The Anointing of the Spirit a fure evidence of our Title to eternal life. Delivered to an AJfociation of Minijlers, L John a, 27, But the anointing, which ye have received of him, abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you ; but as the fame anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. SERMON. XXIII. The death of the Young lamented and improved, A Funeral Sermon. Job xiv. 19. Thou deftroyeft the Hope of man. Vni GONTElSrTS. SERMON XXIV. Ezekiers affliction in the Death of his Wife, and his Behaviour under it. A Funeral Sermon* Ezekiel xxiv. 18. So I fpakc to the people in the morning, and at even tny wife died ; and I did in the morning, as I was commanded. SERMON XXV. The Univerfal Obligation of Religion. //. Kings xvii. 40, 41. Howbeit, they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner. So thefe nations feared the Lord and fcrved their graven images, bodi their children, and their children's children ; as did their fathers, fo did thcT Knto this day. SERMON XXVI. True Religion pure and limple. The fanie Text. SERMON XXVII. Folly confpicuous in a Virtuous Charadcr. Ecclesiastes x. 1. Dead flies caufe the ointment of the apothecary to fend forth a flinking favour; lb doth a little fpUy him that is in reputation for wifdom and honor* SERMON I. "' ' -/• KJ...O....D. ./^P H I IT C H TOIT "^ Tbe Fear 0/ G^TKSOLO GI Cii L MY CHILDREN, DAVIDy in the thirty-fourth Psalm^ and the eleventh verse^ speaks to you in these words : •' Come, ye children, hearken unto me, and 1 will teach you the fesa of the Lord." XyAVID was appointed, when he was young, to be king over Ifrael, God chofe him, in preference '^* to his brethren, not becaufe he was ruddy, and of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look upon ; but becaufe he was of a pious difpofition — a young man after God*s own heart. " For the Lord feeth not as man feeth ; man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart/* This godly king defired, that all his people ftiould fear God ; for, then, he knew that God would make them pjofperous and happy. He de- fired, that children, as well as others, Ihould learn to fear God ; for they were a part of his people ; and if they feared God when they were young, he hoped they would fervc him when they were old ; and would alfo teach their children to ferve him ; and thus the people would be virtuous and happy from generation to generation. He calls upon children to hearken to him. Vol. V, B lo The Fear of God, You, who are children, need inftru^lion* Knowledge is not born with you. You have not had time to learn much by ftudy and experience. What you obtain in your childhood, mufl come chiefly by information from others. You have need of knowledge, for you have fouls to be faved, as well as they who are olden And the religion by which you are faved muft be- gin with knowledge. If you vv'ould underftand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God, you muft incline your hearts to underftanding — You muft hear in- ftruclion and not refufe it. You muft hearken to your parents. God has commanded them to train you up in the way in which you fliould go — to teach you knowledge and make you underftand doctrine — to give you line upon line, and precept upon precept. It is their duty to point out to you the narrow way which leads to life, and to caution you againft, and reftrain you from, the broad path of fin and death. God will punifti them, if they neglect to inftru£l and warn you. They know what is ufe- ful, and what is hurtful to you — they are concern- ed for your happinefs. This is the reafon why they fo often fpeak to you about God and heav- en, about fin and hell ; and why they fometimes deny you the things which you defire. You muft hearken to them — not only hear, but remember what they fay, arid obey them in the Lord, for this is right. When you are abfent from them, you fliould think, what they have told you ; not to lie, or fwear, or quarrel, or fpend your time fooliftily ; and you fhould behave as if you were within their reach, and under their eye. You muft hearken to minifters. Jefus Chrift, who died for our fins, as foon as he rofe from the Serm. I. The Fear of God. i i dead, met with Peter, one of his apoftles and minifters ; and almoft the lirft thing lie faid to him was, " Peter, if you love me, feed my lambs ;'* — i. e. teach my little children. Chrift calls you his — lambs to lignify that you fliould, like them, be in- nocent and harmlefs. He commands his minifters to teach you, that you fhould be holy and with- out blame before him in love. If minifters are to teach you, then you muft hearken to them. When you, on the Lord's day, go to his houfe, remem- ber that he is there. He lias faid, that where his difciplcs meet together, he is in the midft of them. John beheld Jefus, on this holy day, walking in the churches. And He has. eyes like a flame of fire. He fees every thing that is done or even thought. Go then, take your place decently — ftay in it quietly — watch your thoughts carefully —hear God's word diligently — endeavour to un- derftand what you hear, and to remember it, that you may repeat it when you go liome, and prac- tife it every day. Conftder now, what the good king of Ifrael proniifed to teach children. He fays " I will teach you the fear of the Lord." " To fear God, and keep his commandments, is the whole duty of man." I. You muft know, that there is a God ; a • great, wife and good Being, who created you at firft, preferves you ftill, and fupplies your wants continually. You cannot fear and ferve him, un- til you know him. You have often been taught, and I fuppofe you believe, that there is a God. You cannot fee him, for he is a fpirit — ^No man hath feen him at any time. He is invifible. But his works you may fee, wherever you go, and wherever you look : hence you know that there is a God. li The Fear of God. If you fliould go into the wildernefs, and there fhould find a houfe neatly built and finiflied oflF; but Ihould find no perfon near it ; what would you think ? Would you fuppofe the houfe grew there, juft as the trees grow ? No ; you would know fomebody had been there to build it, as cer- tainly as if you had feen it done. " Every houfe is builded by fome man : And he that built all things is God." You know that this world, and the things which are in it, did not make them- felves ; and therefore you certainly know, there is fome unfeen Being who made them ; and this. Being is great, and wife and good. -— 2. If there is a God, you ought to fear him. " Great is the Lord, and greatly to be feared, and to be had in reverence of all that are about him." If you would know what it is to fear God, confider what it is to fear your parents. You underftand what the word means, when it is applied to them. Its meaning is much the fame, when it is applied to God. /To fear your parents is to efteem and honour them, to pleafe and obey them, to fpeak well of them , and behave decently to them. The fame tempers and difpofitions are implied in fear- ing God. You muft remember, however, that as God is infinitely greater, and wifer, and better, than the beft earthly parents j fo you muft regard him more than them. / I v/ill here teach you why you muft fear God ; and how you muft fear him. First : I will fhew you, why you muft fear God. }. I. You muft fear him, becaufe he is a holy Be- ins:. o '■' He is of purer eyes than to behold evil ; he cannot look on iniquity." " He cannot be tempt- ed of evil ; neither tempteth he any man." The Scrm. I. The Fear of God. 13 angels arc often In fcripture called holy ; and good men are fometimes honoured with the title of faints, or holy pcrfons. But the holinefs of God fo much exceeds the holinefs of the moft perfedt creature, that it is faid, " He only is holy." "He charges his angels with folly." " The heavens are not clean in his fight." " He humbleth him- felf to behold the things which are in heaven." The glorious train of angels in God*s temple above, cover their faces before him, and cry, " Holy, ho- ly, holy is the Lord of hofts ; the whole earth is full of his glory." When Mofes, in the wildernefs, faw a bufli on fire, and not confumed, he knew that this denot- ed the fpecial prefence of God ; and therefore it is faid, " He hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God." When the prophet Elijah heard the ftill voice of God, " he wrapt his face in a mantle." He had be- fore felt a ftrong wind, and a violent earthquake, which rent the mountains and brake in pieces the rocks ; and he felt them without any terrour up- on his mind. But when he heard a voice from the holy God, though it was ftill and fmall, yet it feemed folemn and awful ; and he covered his face, becaufe he was afraid of God's prefence. Now if fuch holy men, and holier angels fear God, how much fhould you fear him ? He knows and hates every finful thought, wicked word, and vile aclion. How dare you, then, do, or fpeak, or think, any thing which you know to be wrong? 2. You fhould tear God, becaufe he is always prefent with you. God is fometimes faid to be in heaven, becaufe he there makes fome fpecial difplays of his glori- ous perfections ; but really he is every where. He is on earth: He is in this place : he hears what 14 The Fear of God. I am {peaking ; and he knows what you are thinking. " He fearches you, and knows you. He knows your down-fitting and your up-rifing, and underftands your thoughts afar off. He com- paffes your path and your lying down, and is ac- quainted with all your ways. There is not a word in your tongue, but lo, he knows it altogether. You cannot go from his fpirit, nor flee from his prefence. Darknefs and light are both alike to him.'* Do you not fear this God ? — You are a- fraid to do wickedly in the prefence of your pa- rents. You fpeak and ad many things, when you are out of their fight, which you do not choose they fhould know. But remember, you cannot hide yourfelves from God. He always ob- ferves you. He looks you through and through. How dare you ever tell a lie ? He hears you, and he abhors the deceitful child. How dare you fpeak profanely ? He knows every word you fay, and he will not hold you guiltlefs when you take his name in vain. How dare you entertain wicked thoughts ? He perceives them all ; and a heart that devifes evil imaginations, is abomination to him. When you are in company, and at your diver- fions, think of God's prefence ; thus you will be made more watchful againft fin. If you are afraid at any time to be alone, think that a gracious God is with you, and put your truft in him. When he guards you, nothing can hurt you. Pray to him in fecret ; he can hear you in every place, and will reward you openly. ^^ 3. You fliould fear God, becaufe he is powerful. You fear your parents, becaufe they have pow- er to punifh you, when you offend them. God has more power than they, more than all men in the world, more than all creatures in the univerfe. Serm. I. The Fear of God, 15 If he created this world and all creatures in it ; if he created the fun and moon, and all thofe won- derful bodies of light which you feein the evening; and if he moves, and preferves them all ; then he is great, and of great power, and nothing is too hard for him. You fometimes fee a little of God's power, io mighty winds, violent ftorms, and terrible light- ning and thunder. But thefe are only " the hid- ing of his power."/ He can deftroy the world ; yes, all worlds, as eafily as he made them : And the fcripture tells us, he will deftroy them. " The Ikies fhall pafs away with a great noife, the ele- ments fhall melt with fervent heat, and the earth, and the works that are therein, fhall be burnt up.** Then all good men and good children will afcend on high, to dwell forever with God, with Chrift, and with holy angels : but the wicked fhall be turned into hell 5 they fliall go away into ever- lafting punifliment. Dreadful thought ! / Children, do you not believe, that God has fpoken this, and will do as he has fpoken ? How dare you, then, fin againfthim ? Who knows the power of his anger ? What a fearful thing it is, for guilty creatures to fall into his hands ? 4. You fhould fear God becaufe he is righteous. H" He not only hates fin, but will puniili impeni- tent finners. He often punifhes wicked men and wicked children in this world, and will punifli them more terribly in the world to come. You have heard how he once poured a flood of water upon the earth, and deftroycd all its inhab- itants young and old together, except eight per- fons, becaufe all but thefe had corrupted his way. You have heard, how he rained down upon Sod- om a ftorm of fire and brimfi;onc from, heaven, and confumed at once all the people who lived l6 The Fear of God. there, except Lot and two of his children ; bfc* caufe their wickednefs was greatj and they laugh* ed and mocked at pious Lot, who warned them to repent. You have heard, how he made the earth open its mouth, and fwallow up Korah, and a number of ungodly people, and their wick*- cd children with them ; becaufe they murmured againft him, and would not obey his commands. They all funk down alive into the pit, with fuch dreadful outcries, that the people who ftood near fled away, for fear that the earth would fwallow them up too. You have heard, how a number of profane children, who mocked at a godly proph- et, were torn in pieces by wild beafts — you have heard, how Ananias and Sapphira were ftruck dead in a moment for telling a lie — you have heard, how the fons of Aaron were confumed by fire from God, becaufe they were profane in his houfe, and would not honour him, when they drew near to him. From thefe things you know, that God will punifli fm. If fuch is its punifhment in this world, What will it be in the next ? The men of Sodom, Chrift tells us, muft appear at the judgment. They fuffered much in the deftrudlion of their city. They muft fuffer much more in the place of torments. And yet it fliall be more tolerable for them, than for thofe finners who will not hear and obey Chrift fpeaking in his gofpel. You fliould fear God, becaufe he is gracious and merciful. There is forgivenefs with him that he may be feared. You are therefore required to fear the Lord, and his goodnefs. Though he hates fm, and will punifti obftinate finners, yet he will for- give thofe who repent. Have you not often feen, how ready your parents are to forgive your offen- Serm. 1. The Tear of God. ly ees, when they fee that you are forry for them ? Now, as a father pities his children, fo the Lord pities them who fear him. If a parent, who is evil, will give good things to his children, how much more will God, who is merciful as no other is, give his holy fpirit to them who alk him ? He has no pleafure in the death of the wicked, but had rather that they would turn and live. He therefore commands them to repent — He calls to them, " Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die ?'* He fent Jefus Chrift into this world to call finners to repentance. He gave up his own fon to death in their ftead, that they might live through him. Through Chrift he will freely forgive all, who, being really forry for their lins, forfake them, and pray for grace that they may, and refolve through grace that they will, walk in newnefs of life. Now you fliould be afraid to lin againft God, who has done fo much for you, and is fo ready to pardon and fave you. Do you not fometimes think how kind and bountiful God is to you ? How he gives you health and food and raiment ? How he preferves and keeps you from day to day ^ Many have died younger than you : and many of thofe who live, have not all thofe comfortable things which you have. And befides thefe earthly comforts, he has given his word to inftrucl you ; his fon to die for you J his fpirit to work in you ; and his promif-' es to encourage you. Though you have linned, if you repent of hn, and pray to him, he will be merciful to your unrighteoufnefs, and will remem- ber your fins no more. The goodnefs of God fliould lead you to repent- ance : But if you defpife the riches of his good- nefs, you treaiure up to yourfelves wrath againft the day of wrath. Vol. V. C jS The Fear of God, I have fliewn you, why you fliould fear God« I will now, V Secondly, fhew you, how you fliould fear him* If you fear him as you ought, you will be care- ful to pleafe him in every thing, and watchful not to offend him in any thing. 1^ I. If you fear God, you will defire to know what he requires of you. You will not live care- lefsly, and run along blindly, doing any thing, and every thing, whether right or wrong, juft as it happens to pleafe your inclination ; but you will prove what is the good, and acceptable, and per- fect will of God. You will read his word as you are able. If you cannot read it well, you will learn to read it better. You will attend when you hear others read it. You will hearken to your parents when they inftruft you ; and you will make enqui- ry, when you are in doubt, what you ought to do. You will not give all your vacant hours to fport and play : but will take pains to improve in the knowledge of God and his will, that you may fear him more, and ferve him better. 2. If you fear God, you will pray to him. And you will pray often — every day, every night and morning. You will humbly alk him, not only to fupply your outward wants, and preferve you from death, but alfo to forgive your fins and fave your fouls. You will daily look back and confid- er what evil words you have fpoken, finful actions you have done, and foolifli thoughts you have in- dulged ; and you will afk God*s mercy to forgive what is paflj and his grace to keep you in time to come. God loves to hear children pray to him. He has promifed, that they who feek him early fliall find him. It was faid of king Jofiah, that while he was yet young he began to feek the Lord, and Serm. I. The Fear of God. 19 did that which was right in his fight, and declin- ed not to the right hand, nor to the left. And God made him to profper. You muft, as he did, feek unto God betimes ; for God is nigh to them who call on him ; efpecially to thofe who feek him early. David fays to Solomon his fon, " Know thou the God of thy father, and ferve him with a perfed: heart and a willing mind ; for the Lord fearcheth all hearts, and knoweth all the imagina- tions of the thoughts. If thou feek him, he will be found of thee ; but if thou forfake him, he will call thee off forever." 3. If you fear God, you will remember the fab- bath-day, and keep it holy. This is God's day ; a day on which you are to honour him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleafures, nor fpeaking your own words. You muft keep this day holy, that fo you may ferve God better every day. You muft employ the whole of the day religioufly ; and efpecially keep your hearts, when you go to the houfe of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the facrifice of fools. We read of fome who are in almoft all evil, in the midft of the con^^regation and aficmbly. Let there be none of thefe among you. Think how pious Jacob felt, when he confidered himfelf in the prefence of God. " Surely God is in this place, and I knew it not. How dreadful is this place 1 This is no other than the houfe ot God : This is the gate of heaven." 4. If you fear God, you will govern your tongues, knowing that for every fmful, every idle word that you fpeak, you muft give an account in the day of judgment. David fays to children, "I will teach you the fear of the Lord — What man is he that defireth life, that he may fee good ^. iCeep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from fpeaking guile.'* 20 The Fear of God. You muft not take the name of God In vain 5 muft not mock at holy things ; muft not talk of God, of heaven, of hell, in acarelefs, unmeaning, profane manner. If you thus talk, God will not hold you guiltlefs. You remember, that when little children fcoffed at a good old proph- et, God, in anger, fent bears among them, which tare them in pieces. What then will become of you, if you meek God himfelf ? Never fpeak falfely. If you fear God, you muft keep your lips from guile— from lying. " A lying tongue is abomination to the Lord." All liars (hall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimftone, in the place prepared for the devil and his angels : And it is juft they ftiould have their part there, for they imitate the devil ; they ad as his children. He v/as a liar from the beginning, and is the father of liars. Abhor all filthy and unclean talk. Let no cor- rupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is pure and wholefome, and fit to be heard. Let not uncleannefs be once nam- ed among you, nor foolifti talking and jefting ; but let your fpeech be always with grace ; with decen- cy and propriety, as becomes virtuous and holy children. 5. If you fear God, you will not contend and quarrel with one another, but will be friendly and peaceable. When David teaches you the fear of God, he fays, " Depart from evil, and do good; feek peace and purfue it." How odious it is for children, to fall into violent paffions with one another ; to threaten and ftrike in anger ; and to ufe vile and provoking names 1 Chrift fays, "They whoare angry with others with- out a caufe, and call them fools, fhall be in danger of hell fire." He calls children " his lambs." You Serm. I. The Fear of God. 21 know that lambs are innocent creatures. When you quarrel with one another, you aft, not as Chrift's lambs, but rather as young bears and wolves. 6. If you fear God, you will endeavour to do good according to your ability : and befure, you will be careful to do no mifchief, to have no con- cern in any wicked plans that are propofed. If fmners entice you, you will not confent ; but will turn from them and pafs away : you will have no fellowfhip with the unfruitful works of darknefs ; but will rather reprove them : you will fay to e- vil doers, " Depart from us, for we will keep^tile commandments of God." We read of feme, who fleep not, except they have done mifchief ; and their fleep is taken away, unlefs they caufe fome to fall. Never join fuch parties as thefe ; for "a heart that devifeth wicked imaginations, and feet that are fwift in running to mifchief, are abomi- nation to the Lord." And " a companion of fools will be deftroyed." 7. If you fear God, you will honour your pa- rents : For this is his command, " Honour thy father and mother, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayeft live long on the earth." Speak of them with refpeft, behave toward them with reverence, obey them with cheerfulnefs, and regard their will, when you are abfent from them, as well as when you are prefent with them. Solo- mon fays, " The eye that mocketh his father,and delpifcth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley fliall pick it^out, and the young eagles fhall eat it." His meaning is, Such ungracious and wicked creatures, as mock and defpife a parent, while children, will probably prove rogues and villains, when they grow up ; fo that God, in his wrath, will give them up to an untimely death, 22 The Fear of God. and leave them to be devoured by ravenous beafts and birds. 8. If you fear God, you will betake yourfelves to Jefus Chrift, the Saviour of loft finners. He came to feek and to fave them that are loft. When you compare your hearts and lives with God's holy law, you fee that you have tranfgreff- ed it. This law condemns every one who con- tinues not in all things written therein to do them. Chrift by his death hath redeemed us from the curfe of the law ^you can have redemption on- ly by faith in him as a dying Saviour. The fear o*:<^*o< The Duty of Speaking to the T^oung^ ZECHARIAH ii. 4. Run fpeak. to this young man. X HIS young man was the prophet Zech- ariah, who feems to have enjoyed the fpirit of prophecy in his youth. He flourifhed toward the end of the captivity, when things were ripening for the reftoration. The intention of the firft part of his prophecy is to encourage the Jews in re- building their ancient city and temple. As he was converfing with an angel, whom he calls " the an- gel that talked with him," he faw another angel, with a meafuring line in his hand, going, like an architect, to lay out the plan and take the propor- tion of the city, in order to its being rebuilded. And the angel, who talked with him, went forth, and this other angel went out to meet him, and faid to him, " Run fpeak to this young man, fay- ing, Jerufalem fhall be inhabited, as towns with- out walls ; for the Lord will be a wail of fire round about her, and the glory in the midft of her." This meffage to the young prophet was fent on a fpecial occalion. There may be many occafions which call on ii^ to addrefs the young. Other young men are to be fpoken to. as well as the Vol. V. D i6 The Duty of Speaki7ig prophet ; others are required to fpeak to them, as well as the angel to fpeak to Zechariah ; there are other fubjecls on which the young need to be ad- dreffed, as important as that which called the prophet's attention. I fhall therefore improve our text as a general direction to fpeak to the young. You will alk then, what young man is to be fpo- ken to ? Every one needs to have fomething faid to him. But there may be fpecial occafions to fpeak tofome. You will find fome who are ignorant, and need to be inftruded ; fome who are rafh and precipi- tant, and need to be warned ; fome who are wick- ed and ungodly, and need to be reproved j fome who are inattentive to their duty, and need to be exhorted. Every one has his temptations, his dangers, his weakneffes, and his failings, and needs to be addrefl'ed in a manner fuitable to his peculiar lituation and character. But what Qccafton is there to fpeak to the young man ? Speak to him, becaufe he is unexperienced ; he has not had time for much obfervation and improve- ment. Hence through want of knowledge, he is li- able to commit many grofs miftakes, and to take many dangerous fteps. Give him, therefore, the advantage of your better judgment, clearer fore- light and riper experience. Speak to him, becaufe temptations await him, of which he is unapprizcd. This is with him a gid- dy age ; a critical period. His paffions are ftrong, his imagination lively, his felf-confidence bold, and his forethought but Ihort. Hence tempta- tions more fuddenly furprize him, more eafily overcome him, more powerfully bear him away, than> we hope, they will do at a riper age, when his fenfes are better cxercifed to difeern both good and evil. Serm. II. to the Toung. 2I Speak to him, becaufe one wrong Jlep may be followed with a train of mifchievous confequences. It is of importance that he begin well ; that he fet out right ; that he early take the path in which he fhould walk ; that he be fecured from the fatal tracks, into which incautious fouls are ealily de- coyed. One falfe ftep will make way for another, and that for a third, until the poor thoughtlefs wanderer will be fo bewildered in the mazes of errour ; fo entangled in the fnares of vice, that he will not know by what means to extricate himfelf, nor by what fteps to return back to the good way, from which he has departed. Speak to him, becaufe he may have many bad advifers. His wicked companions will intice him to evil ; and perhaps their fair fpeeches will caufe him to yield. Many feducing fuggeftions will be made to him ; many flattering arguments will be urged upon him, to draw him away from truth and virtue. Give him your wholefome cautions, that he may ceafe to hear the inftruclions, which caufe to err from the words of knowkdge. Speak to him, becaufe the intereji of his foul is depending. It cannot be a matter of indifference what courfe he takes, for with this his eternal ftatc is counected. The path of fm is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. The path of righteoufnefs is the M'ay of life, leading up to the kingdom of glory. As you would fave a foul from death, apply the means in your power to convert the (inner from the errour of his ways. Speak to him, becaufe from yowvftlence he will conclude that his way is right, or not dangeroufly wrong. There are many cafes, in which, not to reprove is to countenance an errour ; not to con- demn is to excufe a fault j not to rellrain is to embolden a tranfgrefTion. 28 The Duty of Speaking Speak to him, becaufe the virtue and happinefs of o//jfrx may greatly depend on his conduct. If he runs into the path of vice, you know not how many he may draw after him. Thefe again may decoy and miflead many more. His pernicious influence may fpread wide and laft long. It may reach down to fucceeding generations, and extend itfelf on each fide, more and more, in its progrefs» One linner deftroys much good. You know not^ how much evil you may prevent, and how much good you may promote, by fpeaking to one young man. By fpeaking to him, you may fpeak to hun- dreds. - Speak to him, becaufe he is jyoz^w^, and there is hope that you may do him good. There may be fome older linners who are hardened through the deceitfulnefs of fin, and become callous and unfeel- ing to reproof. The young are not yet fo far gone in vice. There is in them fome fenfibility of heart ; fome regard to honour ; fome apprehen- fion of futurity ; fome tendernefs of confcience j and a word properly fpoken may have a happy ef- fect. You v/ill next enquire, whoje hufinefs is it ta fpeak to the young man ? It is the bufinefs of every one who fees, that he needs to be fpoken to, and who can do him good by fpeaking. Particularly, His -parents ought to fpeak to him. They are commanded to bring him up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord ; to train him up in the way in which he fliould go. By divine authority they are charged with his inftruction, guidance and education. If they forbear to execute the charge, how God will refent the neglect, they may learn from the example of his vengeance on the houfe of Eli, of which he fays, " I will judge the Scrm. II. to the Toung. 2^ houfe of Eli forever for the iniquity which he knoweth, becaufe his fons made themfelves vile, and he reftrained them not.'* If the youth be removed from the government of his parents, tbey, under whofe care he now lives, fliould fpeak to him. As he is become a member of their family, they are bound, as they fee occa- fion, to advife and reprove him. Every head of a family has authority within his own houfe ; and he can, if he will, maintain order and government there. Let his example be pure and blamelefs, and his infl;rud:ions and reproofs will be powerful and efficacious. If there be thofe in his family, who, by reafon of age, are beyond the reach of his au- thority ; or, by reafon of perverfenefs, fpurn the orders of his houfe, he can, at leaft, remove them. Let every houfeholder adopt David's refolution, " I will behave myfelf wifely in a perfed: way : I will walk within my houfe with a perfe6l heart : I will fet no wicked thing before my eyes. A froward heart Ihall depart from me : I will not know a wicked perfon. Mine eyes fhall be on the faithful, that they may dwell with me. He that workcth deceit Ihall not dwell in my houfe j he that telleth lies fliall not tarry in my fight." Minijlers ought to fpeak to him. Chrift has given it in command to them to feed his lambs. It is a part of Paul's charge to Titus, " Exhort young men to be fober minded." John wrote to little children and to young men, " that the word of God might dwell in them, and that they might be ftrong to overcome the wicked one." Minif- ters are to regard the weak as well as the ftrong, and children as well as thofe who are of full age. They are to give every one his portion, and to diftribute in Chrifl's family both milk and ftrong meat. ^ ^o The Duty of Speaking ■— Jged people fliould fpeak to him. Their years, gravity and experience, if accompanied with right- eoufnefs, give dignity to their perfons, weight to their counfels, and authority to their reproofs. On the contrary, their filence and connivance will embolden the youthful tranfgreffor, and ftrength- en his hands, that he will not depart from iniquity. Paul fays to Titus, " Speak thou the things which become found doctrine, that the aged men be fo- ber, grave, temperate, found in faith, charity and patience : The aged women likewife, that they be in behaviour as becometh holinefs, that they may teach the young to be fober, difcreet and good.'* " '" Touths ought to fpeak often among themfehes ; to reprove, admonilh, and encourage one anoth- er, as there is occafion ; to exhort one another daily, left any be hardened through the deceitfulnefs of fm, and to be fellow helpers to the truth. If youth, in general, were difpofed to teftify a- gainft the wicked praclices of their affociates, they would foon difcourage them. Many are embold- ened in their wickednefs, becaufe they meet with fome who treat it with a kind of jocular and mirthful approbation. Now if you would frown upon it, exprefs your abhorrence of it, and fhow that you cannot bear them who are evil, the guilty would be afhamed of themfelves. The advice which the apoftle gives to Chriftians concerning their treatment of a diforderly brother, is fit to be obferved by you in your conducl toward a difor- derly companion. " Note fuch an one, and have no company with him, that he maybe afhamed : yet count him not as an enemy, but admonifh him as a brother." \r You will now afk, in what manner muft we fpeak to him that is young ? Serin. 11. to the f^oung, |l Speak to him fpeedily. Delays in important matters are attended with great danger. If you think of any thing neceflary to be fpoken to him, take the firft good opportunity to fpeak it. Yon may not have another. Tou or he may foon be dead. Speak to him early^ before he has gone to an ir- reclaimable length in an evil courfe. " Whom (hall he teach knowledge ?" fays the prophet, *' Whom fliall he make to underftand dodrine \ Them who are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breaft." Speak to him feafonahly^ when you find him in a proper frame to hear you ; when his pallions are calm, his thoughts compofed, and his mind open to inllrudion. Speak to him frequently ; for " precept muft be upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little.'* The Jewifh parent was commanded to "talk with his children, when he fat in the houfe, and when he walked by the way j when he lay down, and when he arofe." Speak to him pertinently ; for " a word fitly fpo- ken is like apples of gold in piflures of filver." If you fee him ignorant, enlighten him ; if you fee him rafh and prefumptuous, check and cau- tion him ; if you fee him carelefs, awake him ; if you fee him inattentive to danger, warn him ; if you fee him engaged in wickednefs, re- prove and reflrain him ; if you fee him turning to the path of virtue, encourage and fl;rengthen him. Speak to him plainly^ but tenderly, Choofe out forceablcjbut acceptable words ; fuch as may reach the heart without irritating the pafllons. " As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold ; fo is a wife reprover on an obedient ear." '' Ye pa« 3* *The Duty of Speaking rents, provoke not your children to wrath, left they be difcouraged." Speak to him feriouJJy ; that he may fee, you are not trifling, but in earneft ; are not influenced by paflion or ill humour, but by a regard to his intereft, and a fenfe of the importance of what you fay. The ferioufnefs of your addrefs will, we hope, command his attention. In this manner you muft fpeak to the young man. Well ; and what fliall we fay to him ? - Tell him that he has a God to ferve. The voice of nature proclaims the exiftence of a Deity : We fee innumerable objedls around us, which evidently could not bring themfelves into being, but muft owe their exiftence to fome firil caufe. He who is the firft caufe of all things, muft be eternal, infinite and independent. And fuch a Being muft poflefs every perfection ; wifdom, power, juftice, goodnefs ; and whatever is necef- fary to conftitute a perfect character. Yea, the works which we behold demonftrate thefe perfec- tions in their Author. " The invifible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly feen, being underftood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead." The be- lief of the exiftence and providence of a God is the firft principle of religion. " He that cometh to God muft believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently feek him." Lead the youth, then, to an early acquaintance with the Creator. Direcl his thoughts to the moft eafy and obvious proofs of the divine perfections and gov- ernment. Teach him to view his maker as always with him, fupporting his nature, infpeding his actions, attending to his words and obferving his thoughts. Teach him to confider God as a hater Serm. II. io the Toung, 23 of fin and a lover of righteoufnefs. Teach him to regard every blefling as the gift of God's bounty, and every afflidion as the correction of his hand, and to direct his heart to God in grateful acknowl- edgements of the former, and humble fubmiflion to the latter. Teach him that lie is accountable to God for all that he thinks, fpeaks and does, and that a view to the divine approbation Ihould gov- ern all his conduct. Tell him that he has a foul to fave ; that the power within him, which thinks and reafons, loves and hates, rejoices and grieves, is fpiritual and immortal ; dies not with the body, but fur- vives its diflblution, and will live in another world ; that he was not made merely to eat and drink, fport and play for a while in this w^crld, and then to die like the brutes ; but to ferve God in his fpir- it here, and prepare for an eternal enjoyment of him hereafter j that, therefore, it muft not be his principal care to adorn and feed the body, but to improve and cultivate the mind ; to furnifli it with knowledge, ftore it with virtuous principles, and enrich it with noble fentiments ; to fubdue the paffions, reftrain the fenfual propeniities, en- large the underftanding, and become like to God in purity, truth and goodnefs. Remind him o£ the evidences of his immortality. Teach him to conlider his natural defire of life, as an intimation that there is a life beyond this ; and the powers of reafon and reflection as marks of his fuperiority to the brutes, and proofs that he was defigned for a nobler purpofe, than they. Teach him, that as God is a holy and righteous being, he will make a difference between the virtuous and the wicked ;. and fmcegood men often fuller, and bad men of- ten profper in this world, there muft be another Vol. V. , £ J4 The Duty of Speak'mg ^orld, In which this difference will be made. IM- re6l his mind to thofe plainer evidences of a future ftate, which he may find in the holy fcriptures ; not only in the declarations which they contain, but alfo in the fa6ls which they record relative to Jefus Chrift, who died, rofe and afcended, and now lives in glory. " Tell him, that he is ^.fallen creature. And that he may be apprized of the finful inclinations and corrupt tendencies of his heart, lead him to com- pare himfelf with the divine law in its purity and perfection. Tell him howfinenteredinto our nature, and death into our world ; even by the revolt of the firft parent of our race. Inftrudl him in the ftridnefs of the divine law, which condemns, and muft in its nature condemn every tranfgreflion of. Or deviation from its own commands. Hence lead him to fee, that by the deeds of the law no man cart be juftified before God, or claim a reward at his hands ; but, on the contrary, every foul, coniid- ered in himfelf, and in relation only to the law, lies under guilt and condemnation. Tell him, that there is a Saviour provided for finners ; who this Saviour is and what he has done. Teach him, that God, in his boundlefs compaffion to fallen men, fent down from heaven his divine fon, who, being manifefled in our flefti, obeyed the precepts and fuffered the penalty of the law for us ; wrought wonders to prove his heavenly miihon ; marked the way to heaven by his doc- trines ; exemplified in his own life that manner of life which he has injoined on us ; and, after his death on the crofs, rofe again and gave many in- fallible proofs of the reality of his refurreAion, then afcended to heaven to prepare a place for us, and there lives to make interceilion for them who come to God by him. Teach him,that, through the righteoufnefs and interceflion of this Saviour, the Serm. II. to the Toung. 35 greateft linners may obtain the pardon of lin, and the life to come. Tell him wbat he jnujl do to be faved ; that he inuft believe on the Lord Jesus Chrift, the Saviour whom God has fent ; that faving faith in Chrift is nothing lefs than a hearty confent to, and com- pliance with his gofpel ; that it includes a perfua- fion of his divine million, a love of his heavenly doctrines, a fubm'iflion to his holy precepts, a conformity to his excellent example, a repentance of known lin, and a refolution and care to walk in newnefs of life ; that this faith purifies the heart, works by love, and forms a new creature ; that confequently no man can juftly pretend to be a believer in Chrift, as long as he indulges a tem- per, and leads a life oppolite to the gofpel of Chrift; that true faith is only that, which is accompanied with repentance from dead works, and a life devot- ed to the fervice of God. Tell him, that faith is the gift of God ; a fruit of divine opperation ; a confequence of God's open- ing the heart. This is the doctrine of fcripture. In the linful and corrupt nature of fallen man there is an oppofition to the fpiritual and holy de- lign of the gofpel. This oppoiition muft be con- quered ; this enmity muft be fubdued ; pride muft be brought down ; the ftupid heart muft be awak- ened ; prejudices againft the truth muft be remo- ved. How Ihall the word produce thefe great ef- fefts ? It muft come as a fword in the hand of the fpirit. It muft come with demonftration of the fpirit and with power. It is mighty only through God. Therefore allow not your young man to indulge the vain felf-flattery, that believing to his own falvation is no more than what he may do at any time, when he may fee occalion ; and hence be led to imagine, that an early attention to his 36 The Duty of Speaking falvation is needlefs j but put him in remembrance that, lince faith is the gift of God and a fruit of the fpirit, and fmce the fpirit's moft ufual time to work is the period of youth, it highly concerns him to liften to the calls of grace, comply with the motions of the fpirit, and engage in the work of his falvation now in this peculiarly acceptable time, left being hardened through the deceitfulnefs of fin, and through an evil heart of unbelief, he depart from the living God. Tell him how he muft feek the gift of divine grace. Since faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, he muft frequently read, diligently hear, and carefully examine this word ; attend to the evidences of its truth and the import- ance of its contents ; confider his own immedi- ate concern in its difcoveries ; pray for divine di- rection and illumination ; guard againft the temptations which would harden him in the prac- tice of his fins and divert him from the care of his foul. Caution him againft evil company, dan- gerous amufem-ents, and the follies, vanities and lufts which are efpecially incident to his age. In- ftruct him to feek the favour of his maker imme- diately, earneftiy, conftantly and perfeveringly, and yet to feek it humbly, and with a fenfe of his unworthinefs. Tell him of the ftns which, you fee, moft eafily befet him, and from which, you apprehend, his orreateft dansrer arifes ; warn him to avoid them ; furnifli him with arguments agamft them ; reprefent to him the deftructive influence they will have on his reputation, comfort, intereft, and efpecially on his foul ; ftiow him, how they harden the heart, wafte the confcience, grieve the fpirit, defeat the word, diihonor God, provoke his wrath, and terminate in mifery. Point out to Serm. 11. to the Toung. ^f him the baleful influence of his evil communication and example to corrupt the h.earts, viciate the morals, and ruin the fouls of others ; hold up to his view the awful judgment of God againft thofe who corrupt the earth with their abominations. The fmoke of their torment will afcend forever and ever ; and the faints will give glory to God for his righteous judgment. Tell him of his duty in its various branches ; the duty of fear, truft, refignation and obedience which he owes to God ; of faith, gratitude and love which he owes to the redeemer ; of benevo- lence, truth, juftice, condefceniion and peaceable- nefs, which he owes to mankind ; of fobriety, charity, temperance and humility, which he owes to himfelf. Reprefent to him the beauty, amia- blenefs and importance of thefe virtues. Wliatfo- ever things are true, juft, pure, honeft, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praifeworthy, bid him think on thefe things. Tell him that he muft die. He is apt to put a- way the thoughts of death. Urge him to confid- er, that death is as certainly appointed for him, as it v/as for his anceftors, who are already gone to the grave ; that, though he is now in the bloom of youth and vigour of health, he is no more fure of life, than his grandlire who ftoops with age and bends on his ftaff — apply for his a- wakening the deaths of others, and efpecially the deaths of the young — prefs upon him the wife man's exhortation, " Whatfoever thy hand lind- eth to do, do it with thy might, for there is no work in the grave, whither thou goeft." Finally. Tell him of an approaching yz/(/^;»^w/, at which both fmall and great muft ftand before God. Remind him that God will judge the fe- crets of all hearts — will difclofe the hidden things > ^8 The duty cf Speaking of darknefs — will try every man's work of what fort it is — will render to all according to their deeds whether good or evil — to them, who by patient continuance in well doing have fought for glory, honour and immortality ; eternal life : but to them who have not obeyed the truth, but have <)beyed unriffhteoufnefs ; indignation and wrath. If you fee him, in contempt of all your warnings, ftill refolved to walk in his own ways, and in the fight of his own eyes, bid him remember, that for all thefe things God will bring him into judg- ment. Thefe are the fubjedts on which you fhould talk to the young, and to which you fliould often call their attention. And now, that I may difcharge a part of my own duty, I turn myfelf to the young. You have feen that it is the duty of parents, minifters, the aged, and all who regard your happinefs, often to fpeak to you. And furely, if it is our duty to fpeak, it is yours to hear us, when we fpeak. If you will not hear, we may as well be filent. We {hall, indeed, thus deliver our own fouls ; but we fliall aggravate the deftrudion of yours. Therefore hear inftiuftion, be wife and refufe it not. Be of a teachable difpolition. Receive our commandments humbly ; take our reproofs thank- fully ; regard our counfels ferioufly j if you doubt their propriety, examine them honeflly, and pro% pofe your objedions modeftly ; if you find them to be j\ift and pertinent, follow them confcien- tioully. Confider, weigh and apply the things which have been fpoken in your hearing. There is a God, who made and preferves you : fear and love him with all your hearts ; honour and obey him in all your ways. You have im- iTigj: tal fouls, which mud live, and be happy or Serm. 11. to the Toung, ^g miferable, in a future world : make your fouls your firft care. You are fallen creatures, tranf- greffors of God^s law, and as fuch you are expof- ed to the wrath of God : awake to a fenfe of your danger ; flee from the wrath to come. A Redeemer has appeared, died and rifen, that he may deliver you from that wrath, and bring you to glory and happinefs in heaven — Flee for refuge to him, and lay hold on the hope which he has fet before you. That you may obtain falvation through him, commit yourfelves to him by faith ; renounce fin by repentance ; feek the grace of the fpirit by prayer and attendance on all appointed means ; watch againft fin and againft the temptations which await you ; be not conformed to the world, but prove what is the acceptable will of God ; be not weary in well doing, for in due feafon you will reap, if you faint not. That you may be quickened in your duty and in the work of your falvation, think much on death and the judgment to come. " Hear the conclufion of the whole matter ; Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." SERMON III. ^®•M•®< Touth invited to the Lord's Supper, EXODUS xii, 26, 27. And It fliall come to pafs, when your childrea (liall fay unto you, What mean you by this fervice ? that ye fhail fay, It is the facrifice of the Lord's pafTover, who paffed over the houfes of the children of Ifrael in Egypt) when he fmote the Egyptians, and delivered our houfes. w. HEN God feleaed the feed of Abra- ham for a people to himfelf, he prefcribed to them the form of worfhip, which he would accept. Among the various ordinances which he inftituted, a principal one was that of the palaver. The in- ftitution, occafion and defign of this ordinance are related in the chapter where our text is. The great Jehovah was now about to deliver his chofen people from their long and grievous op- prellions in Egypt. This deliverance he deter- mined to efFeft in a manner which fhould demon- ilrate his power and fupremacy in diftinclion from the pagan divinities. To perpetuate the remem- brance of this great falvation, he inftituted the pafTover, to be obferved by the Ifraelites on that folemn night, when he fent forth his angel to deftroy all the firft-born in the Egyptian houfes, and thus fubdued the ftubborn fpirit of the Egyp- tian king, to difmifs this afllicted people. Serm. III. Touth inwied to the Lord* s Supper. 41 The inllruclions concerning the feftival were thefe. On the tenth day of the month Nifa?iy which anfwered in part to our MarcJo, and was thence forward to be the firft month of their ec- clefiaftical year, every family of Ifrael, or, if one family was too fmall, two neighbouring families joining together, were to take a male lamb of the firft year, without blemifh, and Ihut it up until the fourteenth day, and then flay it in the even- ing. In the blood of the lamb they were to dip a bunch of hyflbp, and fprinkle with it the doors of every houfe where the lamb was eaten, and to continue in the houfe until the morning. This was the condition of their exemption from the judgment, which, in that night, was to fall on the Egyptians. This lamb was to be dreffed whole ; not a bone of it was to be broken ; it was to be roafted with fire, and eaten all at once, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs ; and if any part was left, it was to be burnt with fire ; and they were to eat it in the pofture and habit of pilgrims, with their girdles around their loins, their fhoes on their feet, and their ftaves in their hands. After the Jews were fettled in the land of prom- ife, fome of thefe circumftances were omitted, and others were added. The firft paflbver was cele- brated in their own houfes : after the order of divine worfhip was fettled, all the males were to appear before God in Jerufalem. The firft pafT- over was eaten in a ftanding pofture : but it ap- pears, by our Saviour's example, that it was after- ward eaten in the more eafy pofture of guefts fit- ting around a table. In the firft inftitution there is no mention made of the ufe of wine : but this in future time was added to the folemnity. To this there are fome allufions in the book of Pfalms j Vol. V. F I^g ToUth invited to ih and there is exprefs mention of it in our Lx)l*d'k' celebration of the feftival. To commemorate the deliverance of the Ifrad«- ites from Egypt was the primary defign of the l^aflbver, and to this defign the circumftances of the feftival were pertinently adapted. The facri^ fice was a lamb without blemifli to iignify their ^obligation to innocence and holinefs of Hfe. It was fet apart from the reft of the flock, to denote that they were a peculiar people urtto God. As the moft expeditious manner of preparation, it was roafted with fire, to Iignify that they were to hold themfelves in readinefs for an immediate depar- ture. The whole was eaten by them, or confum- ©*<0>#©< Early Piety the Comfort of Old Age* A Sermon to Young People. »>»>ii»4< <..«•. PSALM Ixxi, 5. For thou art my hope, O Lord God : Thou art my truft from my youths JVXy young friends, I may venture to fay, there is not one of you, but who wiflies to live to old age. And if you delire many days, certainly you defire to fee good in them all, even in the laft of them. It is not a painful and difconfolate, but a pleafant and cheerful old age, which you delire. I cannot promife you long life, continu- ed health, or great riches ; nor can I affure you, that your decttning years will be free from bodily pains and worldly afflidions. But I can tell you, how old age, if you fliould arrive to it, may be very comfortable 5 yea, more fo than your youth. For inftruftion in this matter I will refer you to the experience of an aged man, whofe words I juft now read to you. They are the words of Da- vid J and words which he wrote, when he was Serm. IV. Early Piety the Comfort of Old Age. 57 old and grey headed, and when he fuffercd great and fore troubles. In this condition, and in this period of life, his chief comfort arofe from a re- colleclion of that courfe of humble piety, which commenced in early life. " Be thou my ftrong habitation, to which I may continually refort — for thou art my hope, O Lord ; thou art my truft from my youth." Imitate his example ; and whatever may be your outward condition, you will experience his comforts. " Truft in God" fuppofes a full belief of his ex- iftence, perfections and government. This belief is the firft principle of all religion. " He that com- eth to God, muft believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them who diligently feck him." It implies alfo a knowledge of thofe gracious promifes, which he has made to thofe of our race and in our condition. A general knowledge of his charader gives an afTurance, that he will never injure us ; but without a particular difcovery of his kind intentions toward m^ we can feel no af- furance oi pofitivc good. For divine goodnefs is free ; it is under no obligations, and fubjecl to no demands ; but is exercifed ur.der the diredion of fovereign wifdom. And, befure, fallen and guilty creatures, fuch as -zi^^are, can ground their hope of future happinefs on nothing lefs than the promife of God, becaufe it is manifeft that fuch creatures deferve punifhment ; and whether this punifhment may, on any terms, be remitted, none can tell, without a declaration from God himfelf. God's promifes are conditional ; and we become interefted in the blellings promifed only by a com- pliance with the conditions required. Truft in God therefore implies a fubmiflion of heart, and a conformity of life to thofe rules of duty, which he has prefcribed. We are required " to truft in Vol. V. H Early Piety the Cornforf God and do good" — " to commit ourfelves to liim in well doing*' — " to refl in the Lord, and wait patiently for him." If we look for good, without applying the means to obtain it ; if we expecl the bounties of providence without dili- gence in our calling ; prefervation from evil with- out circumfpection in our walk j the forgivenefs of our iins without repentance toward God ; the prefence of God's grace without calling on his name ; or the final falvation of our fouls without a patient continuance in well doing ; our pretend- ed truft in God is nothing better than prefump- tion, infult and mockery. David fays, " Thou art my truft from xny youth.** He profefles to have made religion his deliberate choice, the will of God the rule of his conduct, and hope in God the comfort of his foul, in that early period of life, which too often paffes away in trifling and vanity. David's hiftory verifies his profefilon. He was but a youth, when he went forth to the conflict with the giant of Gath, who bade defiance to the armies of the living God. The king of Ifrael judged him too young for fuch an encounter, " Thou art not able," fays he, " to fight with this Philiftine, for thou art a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." But David was ftrong in faith, and his faith he ftrengthened by recur- rence to paft experience of God's merciful protec- tion in times of danger. He anfwers the king, ** Thy fervant kept his father's fheep in the wil- dernefs ; and there came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock. And I went after him ; and when he arofe againft me, I caught him by the beard and flew him. The Lord, who de- livered me out of the paw of the lion and of the bear, fliall deliver me out of the hand of this Phil- iftine J and he fliall be as one of thofe/* Serm. IV. of Old Age. 59 As David began a life of piety in youth, fo lie continued \t to old age. He fays, " O God, thou art my truft from my youth — Thou haft taught me fro7n my youth, and hitherto I have declared thy wonderous vi^orks." The religious knowledge, and the pious principles, v^hich he had early embi- bed, governed his condud in all the fublequent ftages of his life. In his hiftory we find imperfedions, and one in- Ilance of grofs and complicated iniquity ; but not any habitual vice. His great tranfgreflion was followed with a profeffion of deep repentance — his imperfeftions were occafions of godly forrow — his infirmities called up his daily vigilance. Re- pentance with him was not a tranfient exercife, but an habitual temper. Hence he prays, " Re- member not againft me the fins of my youth ; but according to thy mercy remember me for thy goodnefs fake, O Lord." — " Who can underftand his errors ? Cleanfe thou me from fecret faults : keep back thy fervant alfo from prefumptuous fins ; then fhall I be innocent from the great tranf- greflion." Confcious of remaining corruptions, " he laid God's judgments before him, and watched to keep himfelf from his own iniquity" — from the fin which moft eafily befet him. Senfi- ble of his liablenefs to err, " he thought on his ways ;" and when he found himfelf going aftray, he ftopt, and " turned his feet into God's tefti- monies ; and he made hafte and delayed not to keep the commandments of God." Diftrufting his own wifdom and liability, he held his ears at- tentive to reproof, and his mind open to convic- tion. " Let the righteous fmite me," fays he, " it Ihall be a kindnels j and let him reprove me, it fhall be an excellent oil, which Ihall not break my head." 6o Earhj Piety the Comfort Vv''hen the prophet expoftulated with him for his great tranfgreffion, he difcovered no refent- jaaent at the freedom, which his monitor ufed with him ; but humbly received, and honeftly ap- plied the rebuke, and penitently confeffed, " I have firmed againftthe Lord." Daviddid this thing fecretly, and might imagine, that it remained a fecret flill. What inward exercifes of penitence preceded the prophet's reproof, we cannot fay. Now, for the firft time, he was explicitly admon- ifhed ; now he found that his iniquity was no longer to be concealed ; now he confeffed his guilt, and declared his repentance before men. In all his life he was diftinguiflied by a devout fpirit ; by a humble fubmlffion to divine correc- tions ; by a wife improvement of various afflic- tions ; by a conftant obfervance of the ways of providenoe ; by a faithful attendance on the wor- fhip of the fanftuary ; by a confcientious perform- ance of domeftic duties ; and by a thankful ac- knowledgment of mercies and deliverances. Few men appear to have walked through life in fuch an intimate communion with God, and under fuch an impreffive fenfe of God's prefence and government, as this good man, who, from his youth, had chofen God for his hope and truft. This early choice of religion was a fpring of comfort to him in his declining years. In a time of affliction he prays, " Deliver me, O my God, for thou art my truft from my youth. By thee have I been holden up from my childhood. My praife fliall be continually of thee." In David's example we are taught, " that early piety lays the fureft foundation for comfort in old age.'*^ This is a truth, in which you, who are now young, are deeply concerned, and which you Serm. IV. of Old Age, i\ ought moft ferioufly to apply. You love many days, that you may fee good. But how many fo- ever your days may be, they will all pafs away, and the laft of them will come. You cannot then ■ fee good, unlefs you now take up, and carry along with you, into that period, fomcthing better than the world can give ; for the world, however lib- eral it may feem for a while, will then take back all its former gifts. The beft thing, which you can then have to — comfort and refrelh you, is the remembran'ce of early piety, and a confcioufnefs of a patient con- tinuance in welldoing. If you wifh to have this confolation at that time, a pious life muft be your choice now. This will, on many accounts, be your beft fupport. I . Early religion will prevent many evils, which ^' would be a torment in old age. If you now are determined to caft oflf the great concerns of religion, and to walk in yC(iir own ways, and in the fight of your own eyes, be af- fured, that bitter things are written againft you, and that your old age will fadly poffefs the fins of your youth in pains of body, remorfe of confcience, and the terrors of wrath to come ; or, which is worfe than all, in a ftupidity of mind, which, though it may render you paft feeling for a feafon, will make your deftrud:ion more certain and more awful. And beiides the evils which await you^ there arc mifchiefs incalculable and inconceivable, which you are bringing on others ; and efpecially on thofe with whom you moft frequently affociate. Many will be feduced into vice by your vain coii- verfation — many will be corrupted in their man- ners by your ungodly example — many will be hardened in guilt by your profane contempt of re- tS^ Early Piety the Comfort llgion. And thefe will be influential in feducing, corrupting and hardening many more. There is no poffibility of forefeeing how long the evil may continue, how far it may run on, and how wide- ly it may fpread around, after it has once been put in motion. " One finner deftroys much good." Now fuppofe you ihould live to old age, and in that folemn period fhould feel a ferious fenfe of the judgment before you ; will it not be painful to reflect on fuch a life as has been defcribed ? It will then be too late to recall the evils which you have done. They who commenced the journey of life in your company, will generally have fin- iflied their courfe, and pafled to the judgment. The few who are left, will be placed at a diftance from you. They will be out of the reach of your counfel and admoniton : or if you can fpeak to fome of them, perhaps they will, by this time, have become too infenfible to feel, and too obfti- nat'e to fpllow your good advice. In this ftage of life, you will probably fee fami- lies, which fprang from you, and which, in con- sequence of your example, live, as you have done, without religion, without the fear of God, with- out regard to his worfhip. In a few days you muft go to anfwer before God for your own per- fonal conduft, and for the important truft com- mitted to you. What anfwer will you be prepar- ed to give ? In the perplexity of confcious guilt, from what fource will you derive comfort ? God demands from you the fervice of your youth ; if you will not give him this ; behold, you have finned againit him ; and be fure your lin will find you out. y/ 2. Early piety will render you inftruments of much good in the world. Your zeal and forward- R^fs in religion will provoke very many. And, Serin. IV. of Old Jge. 6^ in the time of old age, will it not be a pleafing re-^ flection, that you have not lived in vain ; but, according to your ability, have brought honor to God's name, and done good to mankind ? That by your youthful example you have encouraged fome of your fellow youths to forfake the foolilh and live, and to go in the way of underftanding ; to feek unto God betimes, before their hearts were hardened through the deceitfulnefs of fm ; to come forward with an open profeflion of reli- gion, and to walk agreeably to the religion, which they profefs ? Will it not be a pleafure to think that thefe pious youths, animated by your exam- ple, have extended and fpread among others the good, which you began ; and that there are, within your knowledge, many pious and virtuous people, who perhaps might have continued and perifhed in their guilty courfe, if you, like fome, had lived in the contempt of religion, and in the neglect of your falvation ? And if you fliould have pofterity, who may live on earth after you are gone, will it not be a great confolation and joy to fee them walking in the truth, maintaining re- ligion in their houfes, promoting peace and virtue in fociety, and fpreading among their neighbors, and handing over to their fucceflors the pious fen- timents, which they received from you ? Or what- ever may be their conduct, will it not be a folace to your minds to reflect, that you have faithfully difcharged your duty to them, have feafonably inllructed them in the truth, and have affedion- atcly exhorted them to a holy life, and to appeal to God and them, as witnefles how holily and juftly and unblameably you have behaved your- ielves among them ? 3d. Early religion will be a comfort to your old age, becaufe it will be attended with a con- ^ ^4 Early Piety the Comfort fcioufnefs, that you have approved yourfelves to God. Religion, you know, is a fervice due to God, And if it be due to him at all, it is as really due in youth, as in old age. If you neglect it while you are young, you as impioufly defraud and rob God, as if you fhould negleft it when you become old ; for you are as much God's creatures,-«as de- pendent on him for happinefs, and as accountable to him for your conduct now, as you will be then. If there be any fervice which you owe to God, the obligation commences with your intel- lectual capacity, and continues through all ftages of life ; and you can no more plead an exemption from it at one time, than at another. Now if you fliould live in the negled: of religion until old age invades you, and fhould at that time retain any moral and intelledual fenfibiUty, you -muft condemn yourfelves for having wafted your beft days in folly and vice, and referved for God the pooreft and moft ufelefs part of life — that part in which you are leaft able to ferve him and do good to mankind. This will be like offering the blind, the lame and the torn for facrifice. And furely you may well be afraid, that fuch an offer- ing will not be accepted at your hands. If after a life of impiety, you fhould be fo happy in the laft ftage of your mortal exiftence, as to exercife a fincere repentance, yet how painful muft this be ? The iniquities of a long life will ftand in order be- fore you. The matter of your repentance will be, not mere infirmities, or accidental offences, but an habitual courfe of wickedsefs from your earli- eft youth to that fad hour. How awfully will you have filled up the meafure of your fins ; what re- morfe and anguifh will feize your minds ; how will your hope tremble, when it attempts to lay hold on mercy ? Serm. IV. of Old Age, 65 To thofe who feek God early there are many encouraging promifes. But what promife will you find for fuch as refufe to feek him until they are old ? Thefe have loft the benefit of all the en- couragements given peculiarly to youth ; for they have gone beyond this period. Their hopes muft now reft on more general declarations of God*s mercy. But how pleafant may be the laft ftage of life to him who can look back and fay, " Thou, O God, art my hope, and my truft from my youth. Thou haft taught me from my youth, and hither- to have I declared thy wondrous works. I have feared thee from my youth, and have not wick- edly departed from thee." Such a man carries with him into old age, peace of mind, felf-appro- bation, hope of glory, and joy in God. He can adopt this pious language ; " Thou art my por- tion, O God. I have faid, that I will keep thy ftatutes. "Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none on earth, that I defire befides thee. My flefli and my heart faileth ; but thou art the ftrength of my heart, and my portion forever." 4. Early piety gives comfort to old age, as it lays a foundation for eminent improvement in re- ligion. He who begins the religious life, when he is old, has but little time before him for progrefs in divine knowledge, for the correction of wrong biafles, for the extirpation of evil habits and the forma- tion of virtuous ones. The holy temper wrought in him will exift under great imperfedions, and his fpiritual exercifes will meet with many diffi- culties and obftruftions. Confequently he cannot experience that comfort and pleafure in religion, which he wifties to enjoy j efpecially in fo near views of another world. Vol. V. I 66 Early Piety the Comfort But they who make religion their early choice and habitual praclice, are continually advancing in the divine life. The graces wrought in them by the fpirit of God, in their renovation, are ftrengthened by exercife, and the duties of the Chriflian life are facilitated by ufe. And the vir- tues, which are moft important to old age, fuch as fobriety, contentment, patience, devotion and heavenly mindednefs, come into familiar and a- greeable operation. It is no eafy matter for an old man to be calm and cheerful under his prefent trials, if he has been anxious and fretful in all his former days. It is difficult for him now to have his converfation in heaven, if it never has been there before. He can have little relifli for devout and fpiritual exercifes, if they are all new to him, and he now begins to learn them. My friends ; that religion may bring its confolations home to your hearts in that evil day, you rauft gain a familiar acquaintance with it in your better days. -^ 5. Religion begun in youth, and contmued through the fubfequent ftages of life, will be a fafe ground for ftrong hope in old age. The man, who believes, that within a few weeks or months, he fhall enter into the eternal world, muft, if any fenfibility be left, earneftly delire a good evidence, that he fhall be happy there. But this evidence cannot ordinarily be acquired in a day or week. It muft be the refult of expe- rience and felf-examination. There muft be op- portunity to prove the inward temper and to compare it with the word of God. A fudden and hafty confidence is generally deceitful, and always precarious. There is no doubt, that fome, even in old age, may be the fubjecls of a renovat- ing change J but the reality of fuch a change muft be Serm. IV. 0/ Old Age, 67 doubtful to them, until they have had more time to prove themfelves, than the aged have reafon to expect. Such perfons, though they die fafely, yet cannot wholly difburden themfelves of previ- ous anxieties and fears. Therefore, my friends, take up religion in^ fea- fon, carry it with you through life, cherifli it in your old age ; then you will have comfort in the decays of your nature, and good hope in your death. Your conftancy and improvement in reli- gion from early life will be an evidence in your fa- vour, in which you may place confidence. How pleafant will be this period, when you can review a long life with confcious approbation, and can look forward into the eternal world with the full affurance of hope ? How bright will be the even- ing of your life, when light breaks in on your eyes from the heavenly world ? How cheerfully may you ftep forward into the valley of death, when the light of God's countenance gilds your palTage ? " If you prepare your hearts and ftretcli out your hands to God ; if you put away iniqui- ty from your hands and wickednefs from your fouls, then fliall you lift up your faces without fpot ; yea, you Ihall be ftedfaft, and fhali not fear ; your age fhall be clearer than the noon day ; you Ihall Ihine forth, you fhall be as the morning." 6. Early religion brings this additional advan- tage to old age, that it enfures a more diftinguifh- ed degree of glory in the future world. The fcripture allures us, that the heavenly re- wards will be meafured out to good men according to the works which they have done for God, and the attainments which they have made in holinefs. " They who have fowed bountifully, will reap al- fo bountifully ; and they who have fowed Spar- ingly, will reap fparingly.'* They who have fpent i^ Early Piety the Comfort a long life in the fteady pradice of religion, muft have acquired more virtue in their hearts, brought more honour to God, and done more good to men, than they who never attended to religion before the laft ftage of their probation. Confe* quently they have a capacity to enjoy, and a title to receive a proportionably larger meafure of hea- venly felicity. There are fome, who will fcarce- ly be faved ; and fome whofe reward ihall be great. The late penitent will be found in the former clafs j the early Chriftian in the latter. And, O how pleafant muft be the contemplation of death to fuch aged faints, as can depart in the full perfua- fion, that an entrance will be miniftered to thera abundantly into the kingdom of God, and that there they fliall receive an exceeding and eternal weight of glory ? I have reafoned with you, my young friends, on the fuppolition, that you will live to be old. And now fay, Does not religion, on this ground, appear to be your higheft wifdom ? Is not your judgment brought fully over to the fide, for which I have been pleading ? Then fix your refolution immediately. — Do you hefirate ?— -'There is anoth- er argument in your cafe, which certainly forbids delay. It is not certain that you will live to be old. And with refpeft to each of you individu- ally, this is not probable. You fee fome die old ; you fee more die young. The uncertainty of life is a powerful reafon, why you fliould choofe God for your hope and your truft from your youth. Even though you fliould be fpared to old age, this early choice is, on many accounts, highly reafon* able and advantageous ; if you are to die in youth, and God knows whether this be not your deftiny, then the choice, which I have recommended, is abfolutcly neceffary. For this is the only time you can have. Scrm. IV. of Old Age, 69 If any of you, my aged brethren, have let thk time pafs away unregarded, you have loft your beft time ; and I deplore your lofs. But for hea- ven's fake, lofe not what remains. Be humble for paft negled, apply with diligence to the work, which you ought to have begun before. Death is advancing ; it lingers not. Time is pafling ; it {lumbers not. It is high time to awake out of fleep. Wherefore, let me apply to you the words of the apoftle, " Awake, ye that fleep, and arife from the dead, and Chrift fliall give you light. And walk circumfpedly, not as fools, but as wife, redeeming the time, becaufe the days are SERMON V. The Infirmities and Comforts of Old Age, A Sermon to Aged People. MY AGED BRETHREN AND FRIENDS, TOU tvill permit an aged man., like yourselves.^ t& speak., this ajternoon., a few words to yon Or.,ifyou please., he will in your hearing speak to hifnself. Per- tinent to our case., and worthy of our adoption., is the pe- tition of the Psalmist in PSALM Ixxi. 9. Call me not off in the time of old age Forfake me not when my ftrength faileth. 1 HERE is little doubt, that David was the author of this Pfalm. And from feveral ex- preffions in it we learn, that he wrote it in his old age. He prays in our text, " Caft me not off in the time of old age." And, in verfe 18, "Now, when I am old and grey headed, forfake me not." But David, when he died, was but about feventy years old, and he probably wrote the Pfalm fomc years before his death j perhaps in the time of Serm. V. Infirmities and Comforts of Old Jge, ft Abfalom*s rebellion ; for he fpeaks of " enemies, who then took counfel together, and laid wait for his life." And we find not that he was ever in this perilous and critical fituation after that rebell- ion. David, then, realized old age earlier than fome feem to do. He noticed its firft appearance > he brought it near in his meditations, before it had adually invaded him ; or, at leaft, when he began ta perceive its approach in the decline of his ftrength, and the increafe of his grey hairs. But many choofe to view it as diftant — " Grey hairs are here and there upon them, and they per- ceive it not.'* They enjoy, in a comfortable de- gree, the pleafures of life ; and that evil day, in which there is no pleafure, they put far from them. It would be wife for us to imitate David's ex- ample ; to think of, and prepare for the evil day, before it comes ; to fecure God's gracious pre- fence now ; and in our daily prayers to afk, that *' he would not caft us off in the time of old age, nor forfake us when our ftrength faileth.'* The Pfalmift here reminds us, that old age is a time when ftrength faileth : and that at fuch a time God's prefence is of peculiar importance. I. Old age is a time when ftrength faileth. There is then a fenlible decay of bodily ftrength. As we come into the world, fo we depart, im- potent, feeble and helplefs. From our infancy we gradually acquire ftrength, until we arrive to our full maturity. We then for a few years continue ftationary, without fen fible change. After a little while we begin to feel, and are conftrained to con- fefs an alteration in our ftate. Our limbs lofc their former aftivity ; our cuftomary labour be- comes wearifome ; pains invade our frame ; our fleep, often interrupted, refreflies us lefs than 7*2 Infirmities and Comforts heretofore ; our food is lefs guftful ; our fight is bedimmed, and our ears are dull of hearing ; " they that look out at the windows are darken- ed, and the daughters of mulic are low ;'* the pleafures of reading and converfation abate ; our ancient companions have generally withdrawn to another world, and the few who are left are, like us, fhut up, that they cannot go forth. Hence focial vifits are more unfrequent and lefs entertain- ing J and our condition grows more and more fol- itary and difconfolate. With our bodily, our mental ftrength ufually de- clines. The faculty, which firft appears to fail, is the ;«^- mory. And its failure we firft obferve in the diiE- culty of recoUeding little things, fuch as names and numbers. Wc then perceive it in our inabil- ity to retain things which are recent. What we early heard or read, abides with us ; but later in- formation is foon forgotten. Hence, in conver- fation, aged people often repeat the fame queftions and relate the fame ftories ; for they foon lofe the recolleftion of what has pafled. And hence perhaps, in part, is the impertinent garrulity, of which old age is accufed. You fee, then, my young friends, the importance of laying up a good ftore of ufeful knowledge in early life. What you ac- quire now, you may retain : later acquifitions will be fmall and uncertain. Like riches, they will make themfelves wings and fly away. In the decline of life you muft chiefly depend on the old ftock ; and happy, if you fliall have then a rich ftore to feed upon. When memory fails, other faculties foon follow. The attention is with more difficulty fixed, and more eafily diverted : the inteflccl: is lefs acute in its difcernment, and the judgment more fallible in its decifions. Serm. V. of Old Ags» 73 The judgment is the laft faculty which the pride of age is w illing to give up. Our forgetfulnefs wc cannot but feel, and others cannot but obfervei But we choofe to think our judgment remains fo- lid and clear. We are never apt to diftruft our own opinions ; for it is the nature of opinion to be fatisfied with itfelf. It is certain, however, that judgment muft fail in fome proportion to the failure of attention and recolleclion. We form a juft judgment by viewing and comparing the evidences and circumftances, which relate to the cafe in queftion. If then any material evi- dence, or circumftance efcapes our notice, or flips from our memory, the judgment formed is un- certain, becaufe we have but a partial view of the cafe. In all matters, where a right judgment de- pends on comparing feveral things, the failure of memory endangers the redlitude of the decifion. When we perceive a decline of bodily and men- tal ftrength, fear and anxiety ufually increai'e. Difficulties once trifling now fwell to a terrifying magnitude, becaufe we have not power to en- counter them ; want flares upon us with fright- ful afpect, becaufe we have not capacity to pro- vide againfl; it ; the kind and patient attention of our friends we diflrufl, becaufe we know not how long we may be a burden to them, and we have nothing in our hands to remunerate them, except that property which they already anticipate as their own. " The grafshopper now becomes a burden ; we rife up at the voice of the bird j we are afraid of that which is high, and fear is in the way." This flate of infirmity and anxiety, painful in itfelf, is rendered more fo by the recolleclion of what we once were, and by the anticipation of what we foon fliall be. Vol, V. K J4 hifirviiiks and Comforts We contraft our ptefent with our former cbii» dition — Onee we were men ; now we feel our- felves to be but babes. Once we poffeffed active powers ; now we are become impotent. Once we fuftained our children and miniftered to them with pleafure ; now we are fuftained by them ; and we are fure, our once experienced pleafure is not reciprocated. Once we were of fome import- ance in fociety ; now we are funk into infignifi- cance. Once oUr advice was fought and regard- ed ; now we are paifed by with negle<5t, and younger men take our place : even the manage- ment of our ownfubftance has fallen into the hands ©f others,and theyperhapsfcarcely think us worthy of being confulted. And if we are, now and then, confulted, perhaps our jealoufy whifpers, that it is done merely to flatter our aged vanity and keep us in good humor. Such a contraft Job experienced, and he found it no fmall aggravation of his adverlity. Looking, back to former days, he fays, "When I went out of the gates through the city, the young men faw me, and hid themfelves ; the aged arofe and ftood up. When the ear heard me, then it blefled me ; and when the eye faw me, it gave witnefs to me, becaufe I delivered the poor and fatherlefs, and the bleffing of thofe who were ready to perifli, came upon me. But now they who are younger than I have me in deriiion. They abhor me and flee from me. They mar my path, and fet for- ward my calamity." And not only the remembrance of what is paft, but the fore thought of what is to come, aggra- vates the calamity of the aged man. In earlier Ufe hope ftood by him to comfort him in all his troubles. If he was difappointed in his bufmefs, he hoped to fucceed better in a fu- Serm. V. of Old Age, 75 ture effay. If he met with misfortune, he hoped by and by to retrieve it. If he loft his health, he hoped by time and medicine to regain it. If he fuffered pain, he hoped it would be fhort. What- ever calamity he felt, he looked forward to bet- ter days. But now hope has quitted its ftation and retired from his company. " His days are fpent without hope." The joys of life are fled, never to return. He anticipates the increafe of infirmities and pains from month to month, and the probable event of total decrepitude and con- finement, and the entire lofs of his feeble remains of fenfibility and intelleft. Well might Solomon call this an evil day. In the probable expedation of fuch a day, there is no folid comfort, but in the hope of enjoying the prefence of God. Therefore, as we obferved, II. We ought to adopt the prayer of David, " Caft me not off' in the time of old age : Forfake me not when my ftrength faileth." In the firft place, the Pfalmift may here be fup- pofed to requeft, that God would not caft him off from the care of his providence. When we have reached old age, or find ourfelves near it, we may reafonably and properly pray, that God would excufe us from thofe pains of body and infirmities of mind, with which fome have been afflicted ; that he would place us in eafy and unembarraffed circumftanccs, and in connex- ion with kind and faithful friends ; that he would free us from worldly carefulnefs and anxiety, and allow us liberty for thofe devout exercifes, which are fuited to prepare us for our momentous change. David had feen the grofs mifbehavior of fome of his children, and was now probably fuffering un- der the cruel perfecution of an ungracious fon, who wiftied the father's death, that he might pof- 76 hifirtnities and Comforts fefs the father's throne. In this fituation the old man pray^, " Deliver me out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. O God, be not far from me ; mafee hafte to my help.'* Under this fevere affliftion he doubtlefs requefted, that God would incline thfe hearts of his children to treat him with filial duty and affection, and to ftudy the peace and comfort of his declining age. The happinefs of the parent, in the latter fta- ges of his life, depends much on the good behav- iour of his children ; and particularly on their kind attention to him. I pity the aged man^ who, when his ftrength fails, looks anxioufly a- round, and fees not a fon on whom he can lean : no ; not a child, who will reach out a hand to fuftain his finking frame, and guide his tottering fteps. But 1 congratulate the happy old man, ■©#^ss>*o< Dry Bones Rejiored, tZEKlEL xxxvii. 3. And lie faid unto me, Son of man, can tliefe bones live? And t anfwefedj O Lord God, thou knoweft. X HE jews, having been, for many years, taptives in Babylon, viewed a return to t^eir own land as an event much to be defired, but utterly to be defpaired of. They were under the power of their enemies, who at that time would not, nor was it thought they ever would, confent to releafe them from their bondage. The aged peo- ple, who felt an attachment to their native coun- try, were dying off, and the youth were coming forward with a prediledion for the land of their captivity. Judea was poffeffed by ftfangers and furrounded by enemies ; its temple, buildings and walls were in ruins ; and how Ihould they ever repoffefs it ; or, if they fhould return, what enjoy- ment could they find there ? Their captivity was a punifhment for their fins ; and in this idolatrous country thei^e was little profpe61: of a reformation. They were lofing the religious fentiments and man- ners, which fome had brought with them, and which a few ftill retained ; and they were finking deeper into depravity, than when their calamities Serm. VI. Dry Bones Reflored, 85 began. What hope then could there be of their re-eftabliftiment in their ancient country and privi- leges ? To revive the defponding fpirits of the pious people among them, God fends to them the proph- et Ezekiel with the relation of a remarkable vi- lion. The prophet feemed to himfelf to be placed in the midft of a valley filled with human bones. He palTed by them round about ; he viewed them ; he obferved, that they were numerous, but exceed- ingly dry, as if they had lain in the open air for a length of time ; and that they were fcattered promifcuoufly over the ground, as if they never could be collefted and reduced to order. God fays to him, " Son of man, can thefe bones live ?" The prophet anfwers, " O Lord God, thou know- eft." God then commands him, " Prophefy on thefe bones, and fay,Thusfaiththe Lord, T will caufe breath to enter into you, and ye fhall live." So he prophelied, as he was commanded ; and '"■ as he prophefied, there was a noife and a fhaking ; and the bones came together, bone to his bone, and finews and flefli came upon them, and Ikin covered them. But there was no breath in them." God farther direfts him, " Prophefy unto the wind," or breath', *' and fay. Thus faith the Lord, Come, breathe on thefe flain, that they may live. So he prophelied, and the breath came into them, and they lived and ftood on their feet, an exceed- ing great army." This vifion is applied to the defponding Jews to confole them in their captivity. The Lord fays to the prophet, " Thefe bones are the whole houfe of Ifrael. They fay. Our bones are dried, our hope is loft, we are cut off for our part. Say unto them, Thus faith the Lord, Behold, O my peo- S^ Dry Bones Reftored, pie, I will open your graves, and I will put my fpirit in you, and ye Ihall live, and I will place you in your own land, and ye fhall know that I am the Lord." This vifion was deligned to reprefent to the captives, not merely a refloration to their former privileges, but alfo a happy revival of pure reli- gion. This is one important bleffing promifed, " I will put my fpirit in you and ye ihall know that I am the Lord." This was an inftrudlive and encouraging vi- iion to the captive Jews ; and it may be ufeful and monitory in its application to us. We will en- deavour to improve it jn fome reflections relative to ourfelves. It teaches us. Fir ft; That among a people enjoying the revela* tion of God, religion fometimes falls into fuch a iow condition, that there appears to be but little profpect of its revival. In Ezekiel's time, the Jews were like dry bones, in which there was no principle of animation. In fome former periods their ftate was little better* Such was their degeneracy, that the minifters of religion were in perplexity, how to addrefs them with effedl. *' To whom Ihall I fpeak and give warning, that they may hear. Their ear is un- circumciied and they cannot hearken. The word of the Lord is a reproach to them, and they have no delight in it." God himfelf fpeaks, as if his wifdom, goodnefs and patience had been exer- cifed toward them even to wearinefs, yet without fuccefs. " Ye men of Judah, what could have been done more, that I have not done I I looked for judgment, but behold, oppreflion ; for right- eoufnefs, but behold a cry.'* " O Ephraim, what ihall I do unto thee ? O Judah, what ihall I do unto thee ? For your goodnefs is as the morning cloud j as the early dew it goeth away." Whea Senii. VI. Dry Bones Rejlored. S^ God afked Ezekiel whether the dry. bones in the valley could live, the prophet, not knowing what anfwer to give, referred the queftion back to him who propofed it. The revival of fuch bones muft be eminently a work of God ; this was plain. But whether God would revive them, or wheth- er he could do it confiftendy with the honour of his charader, and the ends of his government, he only knew. In contemplating the ftate of this people the prophet's only hope was in the power and mercy of God. " Lord God, thou knoweft.*' Sinners, under the dominion of fin, are faid to be deadj as having in them no adive principle of fpiritual life. Speaking of the Ephefians in their gentile ftate, the Apoftle fays, " they were dead in trefpaffes and fins.'* He adds " We^ Jews, had our converfation among them in times paft, fulfiUng the defires of the flefti and mind." The recovery of both to a fpiritual life the Apoftle a- fcribes, not to any principle naturally inherent in them, but to the quickening power of divine grace. " God who is rich in mercy, for his great love, wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in fins, hath quickened us together with Chrift. By grace are ye faved." This defcription is applied, not to unbelieving gentiles and Jews only, but alfo to fome degener- ate churches. Some of the churches in Afia ha®»jf>®< Birds and Be aft s Preaching to M&n^ JOB xii. 7. Ask the beafts now, and thev rhall teach thee ; and the fowls of the air, Sn(i' the)' shall tell thee : 'NE of the fathers of the Roman church, taking in the moft absolute fenfe Chrift's command to his difciples, " Go, preach the gofpel to every treatiire^^ went and preached to birds and heafis* This certainly was no part of Chrift's commiffion to his apoftles. But though men are not com- manded to preach to beafts and birds ; yet God in his providence has appointed tbefe to preach to fnen. Job, to confute certain erroneous opinions advanced by his friends, refers them for inftruc- tion to the beafts of the held, and the fowls of heaven. " Alk them, and they will teach you." The fcripture inftruds us, not only by plain doctrines and i)recepts, but alfo by pertinent ima- »?;e3 and alluhons. Anion? other methods of in- ftruclion, it refers us to certain difpofitions ob- fervable in the animals around us. For though thefe creatures are not capable of moral conduct, yet there are in them certain inftindive adions, which are emblems of human virtues. Hence the fcripture often fends us to them for inftrudion and reproof* To them our text calls our sittea* tion. Serm. VIT. Birds and Beajis Preaching to Men. 99 But left, in the contemplation of thefe inferior creatures we fhould feem to defcend below the dignity of a religious fubjcdl, we will confine our- felves to the examples prefented to us by the fcrip- ture itfelf, which always treats the moft familiar fubjedls with fuch a dignity^ as gives them import- ance and commands refpeft. I. The beafts reprove our unmindfulnefs of, and, ingratitude to our Divine Benefactor. " Hear, O heavens," fays the prophet, " and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath fpoken ; I have nourifhed and brought up children, but they have rebelled againft me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the afs his matter's crib ; but Ifrael doth not know ; my people doth not confider." The prophet here feleds for an example thofe creatures which are generally efteemed dull and intractable. Yet even thefe, he fays, rebuke the unthankfulnefs of men j for they look to the hand from which they have been fed, and repair to the crib from which they have been fuppHed. They wait for their matter's bounty, and receive it with tokens of gratitude. But man, thanklefs man, forgets the heavenly benefador, who daily loads him with benefits, and gives him all things richly to enjoy. Man lives on God's goodnefs, yet God is feldom in his thoughts. He feeks his fupplies without a fenfe of dependence, and eats his meals without an acknowledgment of obliga- tion. He rifes to his labour v/ithout imploring the divine blefling, and lies down to fleep with- out afKing the divine protection. He has been, from his youth, fuftained by God's care, and yet continues in rebellion againtt him. Look to your domettic animals : are they as unmindful of you, as you are of your God ? Do th^y treat you with the neglect, with which you loo Birds and Beajis treat your heavenly parent ? The want of lan- guage to exprefs a fenfe of dependence they fup- ply by lignificant a6lions. You have language : employ your tongue in prayers and praifes to God. You have reafon : let his mercies perfuade you to glorify him in all your actions. While you live in difobedience and unthankfulnefs to God, without a fenfe of his goodnefs, and with- out a regard to his will, the beafts, which ferve you, reprove and condemn you. II. How many are there, who, while they en- joy a fulnefs of worldly good, zxq difcontented'wiih their worldly condition, and always murmur' ing againft the ways of providence, as if thefe were partial and unequal ? Do you fee this difpolition in the brutes ? " Doth the wild afs bray, when he hath meat ? Or loweth the ox over his fodder ?** The brutes have their natural wants ; and when ihefe are fupplied, they are contented. But man is ever craving, and can never have enough. His avarice has no limits ; his ambition knows no bounds. The wants of nature are few and fmall. The wants of imagination are endlefs and in- fatiable. The world is full of complaints. Every one feems more or lefs dilTatisfied with his own condition, and defirous to exchange it for that of fome other man. The general enquiry is, " Who will jQiew us any good ?*' But what do you want ? Have you not much good now .'' You enjoy health, liberty and competence. You have food to eat, raiment to put on, houfes to dwell in, and friends to converfe with. You have fecurity in your per- fons and properties, ability to labour in your call- ings, and capacity to enjoy the fruits of your la- bour ; you ufe them as your own, difpofe of them as you pleafe, confume what you need, and lay by the reft for future occafions. And why are Serm. VII. Preaching to Men, loi you not contented ? — One murmurs at the une- qual diftributions of providence ; another com- plains of the injuftice of his fellow men ; this man is diffatisfied with one thing, and that man with another, and almoft every man with fome- thing. But all this murmuring proceeds from unreafonable paffions, from pride, avarice, ambi- tion and luft. Pride demands more homage, than men are willing to beftow. Avarice feeks more property than the world has to give. Ambition afpires to more power than can be lodged in mor- tal hands. Luxury afflids itfelf by feeking more pleafure than an animal can enjoy. It is the dif- appointment of thefe reftlefs paffions, which is the ground of all our complaints. The beaft is free from thefe paffions, and contented when his real wants are fupplied : man, who is endued with reafon, fliould fubdue thefe paffions ; then he will be contented in his place. This is the inftruftion of religion, " Let your converfa- tion be without covetoufnefs, and be content with fuch things as ye have j for ye brought nothing into the world, and ye can carry nothing out of it.'* IIL The fowls of the air reprove our mattention to the warnings of providence. " The ilork in the heavens," fays the prophet, " khoweth her appointed time, and the turtle, the crane, and the fwallow obferve the time of their Looming ; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord : How do ye fay. We are wife, and the law of the Lord is with us ? Surely in vain made he it ; the pen of the fcribes is in vain." The fowls exadtly mark and punctually obey the admonitions of the feafons. No ailronomcr is more accurate, than they, in obferving ; no feaman is more careful, than they, in foUov/ing *€cial friendfliips flie is diftinguilhed by her fidelity and love. In times of danger,, we are to confult our fafe- ty. When evil threatens us, we are to forefee it, and hide ourfelves. But whatever unjuft de- figns we may fufpect, we muft ufe no linful arti- fice to defeat them. Whatever injuries we re*, ceive, we muft indulge no thoughts of revenge* This is Saint Peter's advice to Chriftians in a time: of perfecution ; " Let none of you fuffer as aa- evil doer, or as a bufybody in other men's mat-, ters ; yet if any man fuflfer as a Chriftian, lethiiTL not be afhamed. For it is better, if the will of God be fo, that ye fuffer for well doing than for evil doing. And let them, who fuffer according to the will of God, commit themfelves to him in well doing. For who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good ?" But if any be fo malignant, as to harm you for your goodnefs, remember, " that when ye fuffer for righteoufnefs' fake, happy are ye." Serm. VII. Preaching to Men. 109 We might farther purfue thefe illuftrations un- der the guidance of fcripture ; but perhaps they have already become tedious. There is one reflection, which here naturally arifes ; that the beafts may be of moral, as well as fecular benefit to us. We employ them in our fervice, ufe them for our food, and from them colled materials for our clothing. But this is not all the ufe which we are to make of them ; we are to learn wifdom from them. And perhaps one reafon, why God has placed us in a condition, which requires us to be converfant with them, is that we may thus gather moral inftrud:ions from the anions which we fee in them. It is, however, a humbling thought, that we fliould need inftruction, and ftiould fo often meet reproof from the animals, which We defpife. Sure- ly we are much fallen from the dignity of rational beings ; we are much depraved in the difpofition ot our hearts ; we are much corrupted in our fen- tin lents and actions ; elfe God would not fend us to learn wifdom and virtue from thefe inferior creatures. God has given us underftanding, and made us wifer than the beafts of the field, or the fowls of heaven. But our underftanding is dark- ened through the ignorance that is in us, becaufe of the blindnefs of our hearts. Our reafon is en- flaved to paflion and luft. Our judgment is per- verted by earthly affeftions. Hence the brutal creatures are fo often propofed to us as emblems of the wifdom and virtue, which we have loft and which we ought by all means to regain. Their example, however, is but a fubordinate auxiliary to means more excellent and wonderful. Let us rejoice in the rich and glorious provilion which God has made for our recovery from this diflionorable and dangerous apoftacy. He has 1 lo Birds and Beajis Preaching to Men, ^iven us a revelation from heaven. This teaches us, that all have finned, and fallen under con- demnation to death and mifery — that a faviour has come to redeem us by his blood — that the di- vine fpirit is flied down to renew us by his influ- ence, and that God gives his holy fpirit to them, who alk him. Convinced of our guilt and de- pravity, let us repair to the God of grace, fuppli- cate his pardon in the name of his fon, and implore the kind influence of that good fpirit, which is able to renew our hearts, fubdue our lufts, bright- en our underftanding and purify our fouls. And under this heavenly influence let us afpire to im- provement in knowledge and virtue, and to the purity and perfection of our nature, that we may be qualified to aflbciate with angels, and with them to dwell in the immediate prefence of the crea- tor. SERMON VIII. >©*^*©< Joab laying hold on the Horns of the Altar, I. KINGS ii. 30. And he faid, Nay, but I will die here. X HIS is the refolution of Joab, who had fled to the altar, as hislaft refuge, when he knew, that king Solomon had determined to take away his life. This Joab was a man of great diftin6lion in the reign of David. The king made him the chief commander of his army, and principal counfellor in war ; and the duties of his high ftation he ex- ecuted with wifdom, fidelity and courage. By his long continuance and eminent fervices in his office, he had acquired fuch unbounded influ- ence among the foldiery, that he aflumed, in fome cafes, an imperious controul over the king himfelf. On certain occafions he exprefled fome fenfe of religion. David's order for numbering the peo- ple *' was abominable to Joab," and he remonftrat- ed againft it as what would be " a caufe of tref- pafs to Ifrael.** Before his famous battle with the combined forces of Syria and Ammon, he addreif- cd the officers of his army in a fpeech, which fa« til Joab laying hold on the^ Harm voured highly of patriotifm and piety ; *' Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people and the cities of our God. And the Lord do that, which feemeth him good." But though he occafionally expreffed fome pi- ous fentiments, yet in his habitual temper he was haughty, deceitfiil and ferocious. In an inlidious and treacherous manner, and from mere jealoufy and envy he affaflinated two men, Amafa and Ab- ner, who were more righteous than himfelf. Af- ter the fuppreflion of Abfalom's rebellion, Joab threatened the king with another and more danger- ous infurredion, if he continued to indulge his immoderate grief for the death of an unnatural fon. When, in the decline of David's life, Adonijah ufurped the throne, Joab joined the party of the ufurper, though he muft have known, that the king intended to make Solomon his fuccelfor. This complication of crimes induced David to leave it in charge to Solomon, that he ftiouid not fufFer Joab to go down to the grave in peace. Solomon, after his father's demife, being firm- ly feated on his throne, caufed Adonijah to be put to death ; and he depofed and baniftied Abia^ thar the prieft, who had been deeply concerned in the late ufurpation. Joab, hearing what mea- fures the king was taking, and being confcious of his own crimes, and perhaps knowing David's charge to Solomon, expected, that his own fate muft foon follow. He therefore fled to the tab- ernacle and caught hold on the horns of the altar. Solomon, being informed of Joab's flight to the altar, fent an officer to fall upon him. The offi- cer came to him and faid, " Thus faith the king. Come forth," that the altar be not ftained with thy blood. Joab replied, " Nay, but I wiU die here." On a fecond order from the king, he was executed in that place. Serm. VIII. of the Altar, 113 In the land of Ifrael cities of refuge were ap- pointed for the fecurity of the man, who had flain his neighbour unawares ; and the tabernade> at the door of wliich Hood the altar of burnt-offer- ing, was in fome cafes allowed to be a place of refuge for the manflayer. But neither the cities nor the tabernacle were to yield protection to a wilful murderer. When it appeared, on exami- nation, that the man came prefumptuoufly on his neighbour to flay him with guile, the divine order was exprefs, " Thou Ihalt take him from mine al- tar, that he may die.'* Joab mull have been too well acquainted with the law of God, to fuppofe, that a wilful murder- er and a rebel againft the government, fuch as he was, could be faved from death by fleeing to the altar. The prefervation of life was not his object in this action ; for he expected fl:ill to die. He faid, " I will die here.'* It is probable he viewed this flight to the altar as an a(5t of religion, which be- came a dying fmner, and would procure him pardon and acceptance with an offended God. His crimes were fuch as no facrifice of beafts could expiate, for the law had provided no atonement for pre- fumptuous fms. If he muft die, he would die on the altar, and make himfelf the facrifice, and his blood the atonement. If this laft act was accom- panied with repentance of his fms and faith in the mercy of God, he certainly was forgiven. Wheth- er this was the ftate of mind in which he died, the ftory is filent, and we cannot judge. There is, however, one very ferious and im- portant truth here fuggefted ; " that men, who have lived all their days without a regard to re- ligion, may wifh for the benefit and protection of it, when they die.** Vol. V. P ^t4- J^'^<^^ laying hold on the Kortis In the hiftory of Joab's life, there is nothings, which indicates a governing fenfe of moral obli- gation and a future retribution. We find him guilty of the moft flagrant crimes ; but we never liear from him any expreffions of remorfe ; we never fee him at the tabernacle feeking the mercy of God by prayer, nor at the altar prefenting a facrilice for any of his fins. His hfe feems to have been fpent in the purfuit of military glory. To this object he could' facrifice the lives of bettetf men than himfelf, when they flood in his way. And if he ever reforted to religion, it was in fotti^ critical conjuncture, when danger nearly threat- ened him. But now Joab has finifhed his military and po- litical career. He is no longer to command an ar- my, or direft a cabinet. He is grown old. He has filled up themeafureof his crimes. Juftice hasdrawn the fword, and the day of execution is come. He. fees no efcape j he flees to the tabernacle and lays hold on the altar. Here he remains fixed, and here he refolves to die. He wifhes to be protect- ed, in his death," by that religion, which he had* neglefted in his life. This is no lingular cafe. Similar examples are recorded in fcripture, and fimiiar examples occur to common obfervation. PhaFaoh, that impious contemner of God, and hardened oppreflor of the people of God, could relent under a judgment, which threateneddeflruc- tion to himfelf and his realm. He could then ac- knowledge his dependence on a fuperior invifible power. He could call for the fervants of Jehovah in hafte, and urge their interceflion in his own and his country's behalf. He could fay, " I have finned againft the Lord your God, and againfl you ; now therefore forgive my fm, and intreat the Lord,. Serm. Vm. of the Altar. 115 that he may take away from me this death only.*' But, " when he faw that there was refpite, he hardened his heart.'* Of Ahab king of Ifraelit is faid, " There was none like him, who fold him- felf to work wickednefs in the fight of the Lord.*' But when he heard the awful fentencc of deftruc- tion, which God denounced againft him and his houfe, " he rent his cloathes, put fackcloth on his flefli, fafted and went foftly." Yet after this lie could threaten and imprifon a prophet of God for honeftly warning him of his danger, and could treat a premonition from God with infolent con- tempt. When God wrought wonders in the wil- dernefs to fupply the wants of liis people, " they finned yet more againft him and tempted him in their hearts : but when he flew them, then they fought him .; they turned and enquired early after him ; and they remembered, that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer ; yet they fluttered him with their lips, and they lied to him •withtheir tongues,for their jjieartwasnotright with him, neither were they ftedfaft in his covenant.'* The Pfalmift fpeaks of it as a common cafe, that, " when fools,'* the defpifers of religion, " are by their fins brought near to the gates of death, theia they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and he faveth them out of their diftrefles.; he healeth them, and delivereth them from deftru6i:ion.*' Yet he inti- mates, that few " praife the Lord for his good- nefs, and for his wonderful works to the children of men." Solomon obferves, that they, who in their profperity defpife the reproofs and fet at nought the counfels of wifdom, will call on God and feek him earneftly in times, when diftrefs and anguifli come upon them. He defcribes a profli- gate youth, as mourning at the laft, when his fiefli and body were confumed, and lamenting. 1 1 6 Joab laying hold on the Horns that in his better days he had been in ahnoft all evil, and had hated inftruction and deipifed re- proof. The infidels and idolaters, in the days of Jeremiah the prophet, turned their back unto the true God, and would not even acknowledge him as their creator and preferver. " They faid to a ftock. Thou art our father ; and to a ftone. Thou haft brought us forth :'* but in the time of their trouble, when all fupport failed them, they would repair to God, and fay, " Arife and Cave us. Cafes of the like nature are not unfrequent now. There are many under gofpel light, who appear to live regardlefs of religion. If they believe its general truth, yet they feel not its particular and prefent importance. They devote themfelves to the pleafures and interefts of the world, and give the momentous concerns of eternity no place in their hearts. They make no profeflion of religion ; and the duties of it they praclife no farther than their worldly defigns require. They feldom at- tend on the appointed worlliip of God's houfe, and perhaps as feldom addrefs their maker in a more private manner. They are pleafed with the converfation of thofe, who talk lightly about reli- gion; and they readily embrace the licentious opin- ions which they hear, becaufe thefe pacify their troubled confciences, and quiet their guilty fears, in the courfe which they are purfuing. If they do not openly reject religion, yet they fondly admit doubts of its truth, or, at leaft, of the truth of its more important dodrines, and never take the trouble to enquire, what religion really is, on what ground it ftands, or what is their own char- after. Thus they pafs carelefsly along in the calm feafons of life. But if you were to vilit thefe perfons in a time of ficknefs, when they had the Serm. VIII. of the Altar. 117 fentence of death in them, and even defpalred of life, I am confident, you would find many of them in a different ftate of mind. You would not hear them talk fo doubtfully about the truth, or fo lightly about the importance of religion, as they ufed to do. You would not perceive them feeking comfort in annihilation, or in promifcu- ous falvation. Their final defliny now appears too near, and too folemn to be trifled with. They wifh for a hope, which can refl on a folid and per- manent foundation. How much foever they have defpifcd prayer in time pafl, they now diredl their thoughts and deiires to the mercy of God as their only hope. How indifferently foever they have fpoken of the gofpel, they now fee no where elfe to go for the words of eternal life. How much foever they may have ridiculed the men of pray- er, they now folicit a fhare in the interceflions of fuch men. How much foever they have neglect- ed the altar of God, they now wifh to lay hold on the horns of it, and, if they mufl die, to die there. This, indeed, is not the cafe of ^// dying finners. Some diefuddenly, fome in the diflraclion or ftu- por of difeafe, and fome in habitual hardnefs of heart. But it is the cafe of many ; and we rarely meet with a cafe which is the reverfe of it ; I mean the cafe of one, who, in the near expefta- tion of death, will difavow all regard to religion, glory in his wickednefs, or place full confidence in his licentious principles. The mofl daring in- fidels, and the mofl boafting univerfaliils have been known to fliudder at the gates of death, to diflruft their former opinions, and feek refuge in the grace of the gofpel. Even a Voltaire, who in the moft audacious manner profaned God's aitar in his life, fought to lay hold on the horns of 11 S Joab laying hold on the Horns at at his death. Though he employed his kecnefl: wit to wound the gofpel of Chrift, yet he wifhed to die a Chriftian ; and, it is faid, would have de- clared himfelf fuch, had he not been diffuaded by the atheifts who attended him. Whether Joab's flight to the altar was accompa- nied with a repentance, which entitled him to mercy, we cannot fay ; nor can we, in any cafe, determine the refult of death-bed fears, relentings, •confefiions and prayers. The terrors of another world, opened to the near view of the guilty, may extort the language of repentance and faith, when there is no hatred of fin and love of truth in the heart. Balaam, who loved the wages of unright- coufnefs, yet defired to die the death of the right- eous. The fcripture often fpeaks of the convid- ions and fupplications of dying finners, as being of doubtful iflue. " What is the hope of the hypocrite," fays Job, " when God taketh away his foul ? Will God hear his cry, when trouble Cometh upon him ? Will he delight himfelf in the Almighty? Will he always call upon God?** " Be- caufe I have called and ye refufed," fays wifdom, *' I alfo will laugh at your calamity ; I will mock when your fear cometh. They fliall call, but I will not anfwer, becaufe they hated knowledge, and did not choofe the fear of the Lord.*' There is, however, more hope for fuch relenting finners, than for thofe who die in ©bftinate infidelity and unfeeling fl:upidity. For though remorfe is not repentance, yet there is no repentance without it. Jf the finner repents at all, he mull firfl: be awak- ened to conviction of, and felf-condemnation for liis fins. The cafe, which we have been confidering, af- fords as fome ufeful inftruclions. I. We have here thetefl;imony of finners and Serm. Vlir. of the Altar. 119; unbelieverstothe truth and importance of religion^ Though they all deny its importance in pradice^ and many of them deny its truth in words, yet there are times, when, notwithftanding all their prejudices and all their enmity againft it, they de- clare in its favour, and fhew a dehre to obtain a fliare in its hopes and comforts. This teftimony is of real weight ; it deferves much credit* It is a teftimony grounded on experience. They have made trial of irreligion, and they find, that this will not give them hope and comfort in the time, when they are moft needed. It is a teftimony againft themfelves : and fure* ly it muft be aftrongconvidion, which conftrains them to condemn their former avowed fentiments, and their paft manner of life. It is a teftimony given at a timcy when they are moft likely to judge rightly and to fpeak hon- eftly. It is given in a time of afflid:ion, and in the near view of another world. If ever they will think foberly and juftly on fuch a fubjed, it muft be now. The croud of worldly bufinefs, the diftradion of earthly cares, the profped of temporal honours and riches, the fedudions of ir- religious company, the fafcination of fenfual pleafures are now over and likely to return no more. The lufts and paflions, which ufed to hur- ry them along in their favorite purfuits, and blind them to the dangers before them, have now fub- fided. Pride, ambition, avarice and carnality have ceafed to operate ; for their objefls are thrown out of fight. New fcenes open to their view. They are no more to return to this world ; they are foon to enter on another. They ftand be- tween both, and look back on the one which they have pafled, and forward on that which is before them. They fee a mighty difference between them> , 120 Joab laying hold on the Honii They feel, that to prepare them for the future world, other and better tempers are neceffary, than thofe which they have indulged here. They are convinced, that the paflions, which have gov- erned them, muft be inconliftent with enjoyment in a world, where thefe paflions will find no cor- refpondent objedls. They know their deftiny will foon be fixed, and this is no time to trifle. In fuch a iituation, it may be prefumed, they will judge more impartially, than in the buflle of world- ly fcenes. If men, who have defpifed religion in health and profperity, do generally, or at leafl frequently, defire and feek its comforts, when they come into the fituation now defcribed, we muft believe it to be true and important. If there were comfort to be found elfe where, men, who have lived in op- pofition to religion, would not rcfort to it in this extremity. The controverfy between Chriftians and infidels ; between the godly and the profane concerning religion, is only in this life. It is ter- minated at death. The latter, in the near view of this momentous change, give up the difpute, and, in their judgment, come over to the fide of the former, and wifh to find comfort in that, in which others have found it already. " Death is an honeft hour, and faithful to its truft.** There is, in the nature of man, a principle, which condemns his enmity to religion. Where is the man, but who would choofe, that his chil- dren fhould be pious ? Where is the man, who would prefer to put his fon or his daughter under the care of an infidel or libertine for an education ? Where is the man, who was ever heard to glory in the wickednefs, diflipation and licentioufnefs of thofe, who were to inherit his fubftance, and to continue the remembrance of his name ? Where Scrm. VIIL tf the Altar, 121 is the man, wtio, if he thouglit himfelf dying, would not recommend to his children a religious and blamelefs life ? And where is the man, who, if he had loft a virtuous fon, would not take comfort in the character which he fuftained, and in the hopes whicli he left? — ^The confciences of men wit- nefs within them, that religion is a reality j not a fiction — a folemn truth -, not a trifle. 2. We fee the wifdom of an early and immedi- ate attention to religion. If even ungodly men defire, at leaft, to lay hold on the horns of the altar, and, when they fee that they muft die, wiih to die there, then let every one fly to the altar now, and lay hold on the hope of mercy, which is there held up to him. How much foever you defpife religion now, the time is coming, when you will wifh for afliare in its comforts. You perhaps can live indiffere-nt to religion ; but do you really think, you can die fo? If others have been convinced of its importance, when they were dying, fo probably will you ; there- fore attend to it now. You may then feel this conviction, and yet die in your guilt. It is not every kind of conviction, that produces repentance, and enfures perdon. And no conviction, is more doubtful in its iflue, than that which is awakened by the immediate apprehenfion of death. With this conviction defpair often mingles to defeat its efficacy. The teftimony of dying finners to the truth and importance of religion, ihould call your attention to it in this calm feafon, when you are beft able to underftand the nature of it, and to prove by correfpondent fruits the fincerity of your choice. You have a better altar at which you may take refuge, than that to which Joab made his flight. That yielded no protedion to the prefumptuous Vol.. V. Q I3:a Joab laying hold on the Horns iinner. Joab fled thither ; but ftill he muft die. For you there is an altar, to which you can fly and find fafety. The blood which Chrift fhed on the crofs, applied by faith, will cleanfe from all guilt 'from the guilt of the greateft fins, " Through him all that believe are juftified from all things, from which they could not be juftified by the law of Mofes.** He came to fave the chief of finners, and through him " the mercy of God is unto all and upon all that believe, and there is no difference." Are you convinced of your violation of God's law ? Do you hear its threatenings ? Do you per- ceive them pointed againft you ? Do you feel your infufiiciency to expiate your guilt, and evade the divine fentence ? What will you do ?-— Lift up your eyes, and behold the altar, which God has ereded — >behold the facrifice which is offered there — It is the facrifice of God's own fon, who bare your fins in his body on the crofs, that you might live through him. He through the eternal fpirit offered himfelf without fpot to God ; and his blood can purge your confcience from dead works, and deliver your fouls from the wrath to come. Liften to the calls of the faviour ; " Look un- to me, and be ye faved. Come to me, and ye Ihall find refl: to your fouls." Hear the exhorta- tions of his meflengers ; " Repent and be convert- ed, that your fins may be blotted out, and times of refreihing fliall come from the prefence of the Lord. Repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance ; and ye fliall receive the for- givenefs of fins, and an inheritance among them that are fanctified. Attend to their argument ; " God is in Chrifl; reconciling the world to him- felf not imputing their trefpafles, and he hath Serm. VIII. of the Altar, 123 committed to us the word of reconciliation. We are ambaffadors for Chrift, as though God did be- feech you by us ; we pray you in Chrift's ftead, be ye reconciled to God ; for he hath made him to be lin for us, who knew no lin, that we might be made the righteoufnefs of God in him." You fee what a glorious hope is fet before you. Arife now, flee to the altar of atonement, and lay hold on eternal life. 3. You are here warned not to take any en- couragement in a finful life from the confidence and fecurity, in which fome wicked men feem at prefent to live ; for fooner or later, thefe very men will condemn themfelves. Other wicked men have done fo ; and fo will they, and fo will you, if you live like them. When you look round on the world of man- kind, you fee thoufands purfuing a courfe very different from that, which the gofpel prefcribes ; and you can obferve in them nothing, which in- dicates a diflruft of their own fafety. If you con- verfe with them, you hear many of them juflify their manner of life, and talk in terms of great indifference about a life of ftrict religion. Some of thefe appear to be men of difcernment in oth- er matters ; and you afk, " why fhould they not be capable of judging in matters of religion ? If they fufped no danger in their courfe, why fhould ive ?** But this is a prefumptuous way of reafon- ing and ading. Why judge you not of your- felves what is right ? Prove all things ; hold fafl that which is good. Call no man your mafler on earth ; for you have a mafler in heaven. Make not wicked men your guides, for however wife they may be in worldly matters, in the concerns of religion the god of this world has blinded their minds. But if you are difpofed to give 144 Jodb laying hold on the Horns - weight to their opinions, fee what their opinions are, in feafons when they are moft likely to judge right. Obferve how they feel, and hear what they fay in the near views of another world. If they then condemn their own irreligious fenti- ments and manners, be not you governed by them. Perhaps you have never feen thefe men in that folemn fituation. But others of the fame charaftei* have been in it ; and they difcovered a fenfe of the importance of religion. It is probable many of thefe will do the fame. Never follow the ex- ample of thofe, who you think, will condemn this very example in thofe ferious hours, when their judgment will be moft impartial. Never purfue a courfe, which, you know, you muft condemn, when you come to the end of it. The example of good men you may wifely follow^ for your own confcier)ce now approves it and they will approve it in the review. You have heard and read of many, who condemn their own ungodly life, as they were entering into another world : but you never heard or read of a man, who in that lituation condemned a religious life, as what appeared foolifli and vain, or as what gave him fear and anxiety. Many good men have died in fear ; but their fear arofe from a diftruft of their own hearts ; not from a diftruft of reli- gion* They never fufpecled, that religion was a vain thing ; much lefs that it was a dangerous thing ; their only concern was, left they had not fully embraced it, and cordially yielded to its in- fluence. You fee, then, where your intereft and fafety lie. They lie in the religion which the gofpel teaches. This is not a vain thing ; it is your life. The falvation of the foul is the one thing need- Serm. VIII. of the Altar, ©*^*©< Nothing to be refufed, when the Lord hath need, A Communion Sermon. MARK xi. 3. And if any man Tay unto you, Why do yc this ? Say ye, that the Lord hath need of him ; and straitway he will fend him hither. VyUR Lord, at the time of the Jewiffi palT- over, had determined to make his public entry into Jerufalem, in the manner predicted by the prophet Zechariah j " Tell ye the daughter of Zion, behold, thy king cometh unto thee meek, and fitting upon an afs, and upon a colt the foal of an afs.** — " When therefore he was come nigh to Jerufelem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he fent two of his difciples, faying, " Go ye into the village over againft you ; and as foon as ye be entered into it, ye fliall find a colt tied, whereon never man fat ; loofe him and bring him to me. And if any man fay unto you. Why do ye this ? Ye Ihall fay, The Lord hath need of him. And ftraitway he will fend him.*' They went and found the colt tied by the dc3or without, in a place where two ways met j Serm. IX. Nothing to be refufedy ^c, 12 f a place of public refort. " And as they were looling the colt, the owner/* who was ftanding by, " alked them, " why loofe ye the colt ? And they anfwered. The Lord hath need of him.** The reafon was fufficient : the owner let him go. It may feem, perhaps, that our Lord, on this occafion, alTumed, over people's property, a pow- er, which he was not wont to exercife. He com- manded his two difciples to " loofe the colt and bring him." But it ftiould be coniidered, that at this time, Jefus was about to make his public ap- pearance as king of Zion ; that in this character he was already received by the body of the peo- ple, and foon after recognized by the train which attended him, and by the citizens of Jerufalem, In this character he was obeyed by the owner of the beaft, with whom the reafon affigned by the difciples. The Lord hath need of him, carried an au- thority, which he felt no difpofition to difpute, and pretended no right to oppofe. As Jefus now exhibited himfelf in the chai after of 2ion*s king, all who owned him as fuch were bound to yield him every afliftance, which the occafion required. Befides j it is evident from the ftory, that the difciples were to take the colt only with the own- er*s confent. As Jefus knew the place where the beaft was tied, fo he knew that the owner would be prefent, would demand the reafon of the dif- ciples' loofing him, would be fatisfied with their anfwer, and would allow them to take him. Chrift's telling them, that the owner of the beaft would let him go, plainly imported, that the own- er's confent was their warrant to bring him. What deferves our particular notice in this fto- ry, is the readinefs with which the man refigned his beaft, as foon he knew, the Lord had need of him. This was the only reafon which Chrift faw 128 NsrMng. to be refu/ed, fit to give, and witli this the owner was perfedl^ fatisfied. Hence then we learn, that whatever we claim as ours, we fliould commit it to our Lord's dif- pofal ; and whenever we know he has need of it, We fhouid refign it to his fervice. Jefus Chrifl came into the world to creR a king- dom, and then return to his father. His king- dom is not of this world, but from heaven. It confifts not in temporal honour, wealth and do- minion ; but in the advancement of truth, right- eoufnefs and happinefs — in the recovery of linners from ignorance and error, wickednefs and guilt — m the fpread and influence of his doftrines — in the increafe of real converts to his religion, and in the falvation of our fallen race. This work he began perfonally, when he was on earth, and has been ilill purfuing ever fince his return to heaven. But in this work he choof- es not to be alone ; he requires the concurrence and afliftance of his fervants. And whatever they can do in fubfervience to his caufe, in that he has need of them. In regard to himfelf perfonally he needs nothing ; but in regard to the great and benevolent dehgn which he is carrying on in the world, he has need of us. And in that, wherein he has need of us, we mull be workers together with him. Chrift often has need of our property ; and with this we are to honour him. He has inftituted a church on earth, and ap- pointed ordinances for its edification and comfort. Thefe ordinances are to be maintained and contin- ued, not by miraculous, but by human means. The firft introdudion and eftablifhment of his gofpel was in an extraordinary way ; but its con- tinuancey in fome meafure, depends on the fupport Serm. IX. ivhen the Lord hath need. 129 given it by thofe who profefs to be its friends. It will not be preferved, as it was firft introduced, by the power of miracles. It is now brought to us, and laid before us with evidences of its truth, and declarations of its importance ; and if we will not receive it, when it is brought ; or will not retain it, after we have received it, then it leaves us of courfe ; for we put it from us, and judge ourfelves unworthy of it. Even in the time of our faviour and his apoftles, the continu- ance of the gofpel among the people of any par- ticular place, was fufpended on the condition of their making fome decent provilion for it. When Chrift fent forth his apoftles to preach the kingdom of God, he furniftied them with fupernatural powers, which he commanded them to employ in healing the fick, raifmg the dead, and cafting out devils, that thus the divinity of their miflion, and the truth of their doctrines might be demonftrated. But it is obfervable, they never were inftrucled to fupply their own wants — to procure food and raiment, by miracles, and thus to excufe their hearers from the trouble and expenfe of maintaining them. To have made the gofpel fo cheap, would have been to make it too contemptible. On the contrary, they were to go forth on their million without purfe or fciip, without gold or lilver, or even change of appar- el, beeaufe, as labourers in the fervice of mankind, they were worthy of, and entitled to their hire. Though fome of them, if not all, poffeffed con- fiderable property of their own, they were not to carry it with them, or to depend upon it for fupr port in theif miflion, but to require their main- tenance wholly from thofe, on whom their la- bours were beftowed. If in any place, whither they were fent, they were not received with the Vol. V. H no 'Nothing to he refufeS^ attention, and entertained with the hofpititlity due to their facred ch&ra<^er, they were to retire with this folemn admonition and awful token of their mafter's difpleafure j " The dull of your city, which cleaveth to us, we wipe off againft you. But be ye fnre of this j the kingdom of God hath come nigh to you.** It is an eftabUlhed law of Chrift's kingdom, that " they who preach his gofpel, ihall live by his gofpel." Whatever, therefore, is requifite to the maintenance of his preached gofpel, to the accommodation of his inftituted worfliip^ and to the continuance of his appointed ordinan- ces, that he hath need of, and that we are bound to render to him out of the goods which he has committed to tis. Whatever we pojQi'efs, it is the gift of providence. We receive it in truft from our Lord. And we are to apply it to fuch pur- pofes as his general inilrucftions warrant, and his particular occalions demand. Thus when our fte wardship fliall ceafe, we may give an account of it to his approbation and acceptance. Our Lord has need of our property, not only for the maintenance of his worihip, but alfo for the relief and comfort of hrs he tpkfs friends. Providence places men under different circum- llances, for this, doubtlefs, among other reafons, that occafion and opportunity may be given for the various focial virtues. While men are mutu- ally dependent on, and teciprocally indebted to one another, the virtues of juftice, fidelity, friend- Ihio, benevolence and gratitude are called into exercife, and thus the focial affedlions and pleaf- ures are improved and exalted. The poor we have always with us. Thefe, adl» ing under the influence of religion, may be as ufe- ful in fociety -as the rich. The latter may do good Serm. IX. when the Lord hath need. 131 by actions more brilliant and obfervable. The former do good by fervices no lefs folid and fub- ftantial. The labours of the poor contribute, as eifentially as the bcnefaclions of the rich, to the general fupport and happinefs of human life. Nei- ther clafs, without the other, could comfort;ibly fubfift. " The rich and the poor meet together : the Lord is the maker of them all." God beftows an abundance on fome, not for their fakes only, but alfo for the fake of the poor who are with them. Hence the rich are charged to " be rich in good works, ready to diftribute, willing to communicate, and thus to lay up for themfelves a good foundation againft the time to come" — againft the time, when, in the changes of human condition, it may be their turn to become poor ; or againft the time of general retribution, when every one will receive according to his works. When we give to the poor, we lend to the Lord, who, in due time, will amply repay the loan. We are to do good to all, and efpecially to them, who are of the houfehold of faith. The poor, whatever may be their character, are en- titled to our charity, becaufe they are needy : the virtuous poor have the firft claim, becaufe they are worthy. He who receives a righteous man, in that name and charader, will receive a right- -eous man's reward. He who Ihall give to a dif- ciple of Chrift a cup of cold water only, in the name of a difciple, and becaufe he belongs to Chrift, {hall not lofe his reward. Whatever is <3one for fuch, Cllirift accepts it as done for him- felf. If then we have this world's goods, and fee a brother who has need, we are to conftder, that the Lord hath need of a p^rt of thefe goods for tliat needy brother. If in this cafe we fhut up 1^2 Nothing to be refufed, our bowels of compallion, the love of Chrifl dwells not in us. Wd then love him indeed, and in truth, when, at his call, we relieve the dif- treffed, help the weak, and comfort the afflifledi Chrift has need of our abilities arid Jervices, as well as of our fubftance, in carrying On his work on earth. His caufe requires, that we dedicate ourfelves to him, and openly profefs Our faith in him. If there is need, that his church fhould be con- tinued and his teligion maintained in the worlds there is need that fome Ihould enter into his church, and profefs his religion. If none fliould be added to the church, it muft expire with the fhort-lived beings who now belong to it. If the church (hould be difcontinued, the means of reli« gion would be dropped and loft, arid religion it- felf ceafe and be forgotten ; or exift only here and there in the folitary breafts of a few obfcurd and defpifed mortals. Now if Chrift has need of fome to honour arid maintain his religion, then every one, who be- lieves it to be divine, fhould confider, that the Lord hath need of him. Among thofe who have rievet publickly pro- fefled their faith in the gofpel, there are many, I fuppofe, who believe it is true, and wifti it may be preferved for the general benefit of mankind. They could not, at once, reconcile thenifelves to the thought, that the gofpel fliould be extinguifli- cd, and that thofe who enjoy it fliould degenerate into atheifts, idolaters, pagans, or barbarians. They could not eafily make themfelves willing, that their pofterity fliould grow up among fuch a horrible fet of beings. Come forward, then, and join yourfeives to the Lord — declare your faith in him, and friendfliip to him ; for he has need of Scirm. IX. when the Lord hath need. 135 you. If he needs any profeffors at all, why not you as much as others ? You excufe yourfelves on one pretence and another : but may not every man excufe himfelf as well ? Is there, in your cafe, any peculiar circumftance, which exempts you from the common obligations of religion ? If all fliould excufe themfelves, as you do, where would be the church — where would be the religion of Chrift ? When religion declines — when profeflbrs are few, and thefe few lofe the ardour of their zeal and love— when churches become like focieties of the world, then Chrift has need of you to ftrength- en the intereft, and reftore the honour of his caufe among men. You withdraw from the church, or refufe to come into it, becaufe you fee in it fo little religion, and fo many unworthy members. But if its real ftate is fuch as you apprehend, and you have fo much more purity and zeal than others, then you are the very perfons whom the Lord needs to fup- port his languiftiing caufe. Forfake not his church, when it is finking ; but come forward ; ftrength- en it by your example, advice and prayers : come j help to fuftain it by your friendly concurrence with the few, who may perhaps be found as real- ly concerned as you for its increafe and glory. Chrift has need of fome to preach his gofpel ; and they who undertake this work, ftiould be in- fluenced by a fenfe, that the Lord hath need of them. Paul was influenced by this principle. He had better worldly profpects in a fecular call- ing ; but in no other profeilion could he do fo much fcrvice for Chrift. In the profecution of his miniftry, he chofe to beftow his labours, not where they would be moft lucrative to himfelf, but where they would moft conduce to the fur- 1^4 Nothing to he refupdy therance of the gofpel. He ftrov« to preaeli, not where Chrift was named, left he ftiould build on another man's foundation ; but where the goff pel had not been preached, or the miniftry was «ot at that time enjoyed, that the word of falva-r tion might be more exteniively fpread. He would not go, where the Lord had no need of him ; but where the ends of his apoftlefliip might beft be anfwered. In times, when licentious opinions and corrupt manners prevail — when infidelity grows bold, and iniquity abounds, Chrift has need of the adive ferviccs of his faithful minifters and fincere friends, who are then to ftand up with courage againft e- vil workers, and bear teftimony againft thofe who make void his gofpel. At fuch a time, if minift- ers are to ftand foremoft, yet they are not to ftand alone. All who regard the truth are to ftrength- cn and fupport them. The zealous Levites, fee- ing the neceflity of a reformation in the church of God, faid to Ezra, " Arife, for this matter be- iongeth to thee : we alfo will be with thee : be of good courage, and do it." Warnings from a folitary voice have little ef- fect ; and never lels, than in thofe corrupt times, when the advocates for vice and error, by evil communications, and by the circulation of licen- tious writings, ftrengthen the hands of evil doers. " Two are better than one ; for if they fall, one will lift up his fellow." Chriftians are to be fellow-helpers to the truth. Paul befeeches tlie brethren, for the Lord Jcfus' fake, that they ftrivc together with him.* Chrift needs the fervice of thofe who are placed at the head of families. The continuance and increafe of his church de- pend on the faith and piety of the young and rif- Serm. IX. ivhen the Lord hath need. 135 ing generation, and confequently on the fidelity of parents to bring up their children in the nur- ture and admonition of the Lord. Children will not be prompted, by natural inclination, to feek after knowledge and virtue. They need inftruc- tions to inform their minds, and exhortations to awaken their attention. The Lord of the church has committed their education to the care of their parents ; he requires, and he needs their diligence and fidelity in the execution of this great charge. Ordinarily they may expe6l that their faithfulnefe will be followed with a blefiing, but their negli- gence with a curfe, on their children, as well as on themfelves. They who are early trained up in the way in which they ought to go, will purfue it when they are old : but children left to them- felves foon bring their fouls to ruin, and their pa- rents to Ihame. If there be need, that your chil- dren fhould feekand ferve God in their early years, and pafs through life with wifdom and virtue— if there be need, that they Ihould become mem- bers of Chrift*s church, walk in his ordinances, and work out their own falvation — if there be need that they Ihould take up his religion, and hand it on to a future generation, then he has need of you to inftrucl them in his religion, and to lead them along in the way whi<:h he has mark- ed for them. When family order is much neglected, he has more need of the fervices of the faithful to re- vive and reftore it. If thofe around you treat with indifference fo neceffary a branch of religion, be not carried away by their example, but fay to them, as Jofhua faid to the men of Ifrae), " If it feem evil to you to ferve the Lord, choofe ye, this day, whom ye will ferve : but, as for me aa.d my houie, we will ferve the Lord." 136 Nothmg to be refufed^ And, my young friends, let me tell you, The Lord hath need of you ; for you may do much fervice to his caufe. You think, that he needs your fathers, your grandfires, and other elderly people ; for their advice and example will have great influence in fupporting his religion ; and if they fliould defert his caufe, it would foon fink in the world, and the next generation would come forward indifferent to it, and unacquainted with it. But, my friends, you by your good exam- ple and pious converfation may have as much in- fluence among your youthful alTociates, as the a- ged can have, and perhaps more. Befides ; you ihould confider, that your fathers will foon be gone ; and if there fhould be no young Chriflians to fucceed them, where will be Chrifl's church then ? The church, like the human race, mufl be continued by fucceflion, for it confifls of mor- tals. If none of you will join yourfelves to it, it mufl ceafe when your fathers are dead. Come, then, give yourfelves to the Lord, and declare yourfelves for him, encourage your fellow youths to embrace and obey his religion. How much good may thus be done ? Think not yourfelves ufelefs and infignificant beings. You are import- ant in your place, and the Lord hath need of you. He never is better pleafed, than when he fees the young engaged in his caufe, and hears them fing, Hofanna to the fon of David. Out of their mouths he ordains praife. Chrifl expeds of his fervants a ready compli- ance with his commands, and a cheerful refigna- tion of every thing, which he needs from them. When he fent his difciples to procure him a beafl, on which he might make his entrance into Jeru- falem, he fignified, that nothing more would be aecefTary, than to fay, " The Lord hath need of Serm. IX. ivhen the Lord hath need, i^y him.** And fo it was. On this information, the owner ftraitway let him go. We Ihould willingly ferve the Lord with all out ability, and all our fubftance ; for all that we are, and all that we have belong to him. When Da- vid had made a liberal offering for the honour of God's worihip, he faid, " Of thine own have we given thee : AH this ilore that we have prepared cometh of thine hand : it is all thine own." " Who,'* fays the apoftle, " hath firft given to the Lord ? And it ftiall be recompenfed to him a- gain. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things." " Know ye not," fays he, " that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghoft, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own ? For ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in yourbody,andin yourfpirit,v/hicharehis." If all our abilities are endowments from his cre- ating power, and all our goods are the gifts of his bountiful providence, and all our graces are the fruits of his fan6tifying fpirit, then we are to em- ploy them all in the promotion of his caufe, and to the honour of his name. " By the grace of God," fays faint Paul, " I am what I am, and his grace beftowed on me was not in vain j but I la- boured more abundantly than they all ; yet not I, but the grace of God, which was with me.** We are to do all for Chrift that he needs from us ; for he has done, and ftill is doing all for us, that we need from him. He has not been back- ward to promote our intereft ; we fhould not be reluctant to honour his name. He has given him- felf a ranfom for us ; in due time, when we were without ftrength, he died for us ; he has fent his gofpel to us for our inllruclion ; he has opened a way for our accefs to the throne of God ; he makes interceflion for us, when we come to God in his name ; he has procured the grace of the divine Vol. V. S 13S Nothing to he refufed, fpirit, which, on our humble application, he will vouchfafe for our feafonable help. And ought we not to give ourfelves to him ; to employ our time and ftrength, all the powers of our body, and faculties of our mind, all our fubftance, every thing that we have, in his fervice, and to his glo- ry ? Can we ever do enough for him, who has done and fufFered fo much for us ? " The love of Chrift conftraineth us," fays the apoille, " becaufe we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead : and that he died for all, that we who live fhould not henceforth live to ourfelves, but to him who died, and rofe again." We are to render to Chrift what he needs, be- caufe we thus co-operate with him in the moft friendly and benevolent defign. The work which he is purfuing is of the greateft utility to us and our race. The religion which he has taught, will, fo far as it prevails, banifh vice and mifery, and in- troduce virtue and happinefs. There is in it noth- ing unkind, malevolent or unfocial, but every thing good, beneficent and ufeful. It relieves the forrows, and heightens the enjoyments of this world where we now dwell ; and it prevents mif- ery and fecures happinefs in that world to which we are going. What Chrift requires of us is, that we obey the rules, and accept the bleffings of this religion for ourfelves ; and that we fup- port the credit, and aflift the influence of it a- mong others — In a word, that we feek to be hap- py, and ftudy to make others fo. What can we do better ? If we ought toferveour generation, then let us ferve our divine Lord in every thing which he needs from us; for all that he requires has fome refpecl to this benevolent end, the general good. We fhould cheerfully give to him whatever he has need of, for thus we fliall derive greater bene- fit from it, than by any other application which we can make of it. Serm. IX. ivhn the Lord hath need. 139 If we cultivate the religion of Chrift in our own hearts, we fhall enjoy the peace and hope which fpring from it here, and be entitled to the happi- nefs, which is the reward of it hereafter. If we promote this religion among others, w-e fhall ex- perience the fatisfaclion of dwelling in the midft of juit and good men — kind and friendly neigh- bours. If we train up our children in the knowl- edge and praftice of this religion, we fliall have the joy of feeing them 'wife, virtuous and ufeful on earth, and the fuperior joy of believing, that they are entitled to a rich inheritance in heaven. Every thing which we do for our Lord, will re- turn to us bringing a reward with it. When we give to Chrift what he has need of, we are fure it is well beftowed. Our charities to men are fometimes mifapplied. But our fervices for Chrift are not only well accepted by his good- nefs, but well directed by his wifdom. He will fmile on our labours in his caufe, and make them, in fome way or other, fubfervient to his glory and our felicity. " Be ye therefore ftedfaft and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord ; for as much as yc know, that your la- bour is not in vain in the Lord. Whatfoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that of the Lord ye fhall receive the re- ward of the inheritance ; for ye ferve the Lord Chrift.'* This we ought to regard as a fufficient motive to cheerful diligence in the work appoint- ed us, that we ferve the Lord Chriji. " With good will do fervice as to the Lord, knowing that whatfoever good thing any man doth, the fame Ihall he receive of the Lord, for with him there is no refpevH: of perfons. His word is fure, his promife faithful, his reward glorious. None who ferve him, will labour in vain. SERMON X. S>9'ih9>i The Oate of Heavm Jirait, and many Jhut out of it* LUKE xiii. 24. Strive to enter in at the ftrait gate ; for many, I fay unto you, will seek t© en- ter in, and fhall not be able. A. .S our Lord paffed through feveral cities and villages of Judea, on his journey to Jerufa- lem, teaching by the way, there attended him a coniiderable number of people, who, fome for one reafon, and fome for another, gathered around him to hear his difcourfes. Somewhere in his journey, a perfon came to him with this queftion, " Lord, are there few that be faved ?" From the queftion and our Lord's anfwer it feems, that the man was a Jew, tinctured with the common na- tional prejudice, that the Jews, by their covenant- relation to God, were entitled to falvation ; but the gentiles, being ftrangers to the covenant and aliens from the commonwealth of Ifrael, would be rejected. Often, no doubt, had he heard this doc- trine afferted among his countrymen ; and he wiflied to know Chrift's opinion upon it. As the queftion related to the prevailing fentiment of the day, Chrift directed his anfwer to the body of the people who attended him. He firft rebuked this Serm. X. The Gate of Heaven Jirait, 141 ufelefs curiofity concerning the number of the failed, and called their attention to a matter, which was to them of more immediate confequence. •' Strive to enter in at the ftrait gate." "Whether few or many will finally obtain falvation, take care to fecure your own fliare in it ; for this will not depend upon the number of the faved, but upon your own fervent and feafonable application." Chirft here alludes to a cuftom then obferved in attending feafts and marriages. The guefts were early invited, and the door of the houfe was kept open, or opened occafionally, for their reception ; but when the bridegroom arrived with his attend- ants, or the m after of the feaft had waited the ap- pointed time, the door was fliut, and after this no more were admitted. Alluding to this ufage, Chrift, in the parable of the virgins, fays, " While the foolifh virgins went to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then they who were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was fliut. Af- terward came thofe foolilh virgins, faying. Lord, Lord, open to us ; but he anfwered, I know you not." In the words which follow our text, Chriil cor- rect that prejudice of the Jews, which gave rife to the queftion propofed to him. He tells his hearers, that external privileges would intitle no man to falvation ; that though the Jews enjoyed peculiar religious advantages, many of them would be excluded from the kingdom of heaven as work- ers of iniquity, while the gentiles, whom they dcfpifcd, would come from all parts of the world, and be made the happy fubjedls of this kingdom. Though our Lord waves an anfwcr to the queftion, as it rcfpecled the whole number of the faved, yet lie anfwered it, as it concerned the Jews, warn- ing them that their general impenitence would be 14^ The Gate of Heaven Jlrait. their deftruftion, while the faith of multitudes a- mong the gentiles would be their falvation. When a queilion of mere curiofity was flarted in our Lord's hearing, it w^as his ufual praftice, to give it a religious turn, and raife from it fome profitable reflecElions. This he did in the cafe be- fore us. Taking occafion from the queftion pro- pofed to him, whether few would be faved ; he exhorted his hearers to ftrive for their own falva- tion ; he Ihewed that many would fail of this object : he pointed out the caufes of their fail- ure : he explained the neceffary qualifications for heaven ; and he reprefented the awful condition of thofe who ftiould finally be fhut out of it. The difcourfe of our faviour on this folemn fub- je6: . which is contained in our text and the words foiiowing, I fhall endeavour to illuftrate and apply. It deierves the attention of all ; for it is as impor- tant Jiow, as when it was firft fpoken, and as in- terfiling to us, as it was to thofe who heard it from the redeemer's mouth. You will obferve ; Firft : The entrance into heaven is by a Jirait gate. So our Lord defcribes it in our text, and alfo in the Vllth chapter of Matthew, " Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth to life." This metaphor is defigned to exprefs the difE- culties which attend a religious courfe, and the oppofition which may be expected in the way to heaven. It may more immediately regard the peculiar difficulties of the time when the gofpel was firft publiftied. It was then eminently true, that through much tribulation the righteous en- tered into the kingdom of God ; and they who would live godly in Chrift Jefus muft fuffer perfe- <:utiou. The way to heaven was then rough and Serm. X, The Gate of Heaven Jiralt, i4^ dangerous ; and they who purfued it, put their reputation, intereft and life to hazard. Hence many were deterred from entering upon it ; and many who had entered upon it, were difcourag- ed and turned back. Through the goodnefs of God, the path of reli- gion is now free from thofe dangers, which have at fome times attended it ; but ftill ftrait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leads to life. There are, and there ever will be difficulties to en- counter, and obftruclions to relift ; and therefore our Lord's direction is, at all times, important y " Strive to enter in at the ftrait gate.'* 1. The terms of eternal life are ftrid: and indif- penfable. In this refpedt the gate of heaven is call- ed ftrait. Such is the corrupt and depraved ftate of man- kind by nature, that nothing lefs than a new cre- ation, is required to fit them for the pure and fub- lime enjoyments of the heavenly world. So op- pofite is the holinefs of heaven to the corruption of nature, that this new creation, this renovation of the mind, cannot be difpenfed with. Old things muft pafs away, and all things muft become new. The whole fpirit, foul and body muft be fandified. There muft be a full perfuafion of the truth and authority of the gofpel, an influential belief of its important doctrines, and a hearty fubmiflion to its facred precepts ; there muft be a deep fenfc of, and godly forrow for fin, and a humble applica- tion to, and reliance upon the mercy of God for pardon ; there muft be a temper to hate fin in all its forms, and to love God in his complete char- acter ; there muft be an aAual renouncing of all known wickednefs, and a deliberate choice of the fervice of God as the great bufinefs of life. And in this courfe of obedience, the great motives of 144 The Gate of Heaven Jlralt. the gofpel, taken from the future world, muft have a principal influence. In renewed and fanftified fouls, a fenfe of prefent infirmity and imperfection will excite a watchfulnefs over the thoughts, the paflions, the language and conduct — a frequent ex- amination of the temper and review of the life ; a renewal of faith, repentance and felf-dedication j fervent prayer to God ; diligent attendance on religious inftitutions ; and ardent afpirations after growth and improvement in holinefs. This is a brief view of the Chriftian life, as ex- hibited in the gofpel. And it may properly be called " a ft rait and a narrow way.** And, 2. The way is ftraitened by the oppofitions which ufually are found in it. Though we are not called to reiift unto blood ftriving againft fin, yet we have difficulties to contend with. There are diffi- culties which arife from an unhappy education ; from frequent examples of vice ; from the influ- ence of fenfible objeds ; from the diftra<5lions of earthly cares j from the feoffs and mockeries of profane and wicked men ; from the temptations of evil fpirits ; from poverty or riches, or other peculiar circiimftances in life. With fome or oth- er of thefe difficulties every ferious Chriftian has many conflicts. To bear up againft all this oppo- fition J to be blamelefs and harmlefs in the midft of a crooked and perverfe generation ; to keep the mind and manners unfpotted from the world ; to pafs uninfefted through the contagion of cor- rupt examples, and to refift the impreffion of fatan's temptations, it requires conftant vigilance and ftrong refolution, accompanied with the fup- ports of divine grace. In thefe refpeds ftrait is the gate, and they who enter, muft ftrive with earneftnefs, and perfevere with patience. It does not become us, however, to magnify Serm. X. The Gate of Heaven Jirait. 145 the diiEcultles of religion. It has its trials, and it has its encouragements too. We muft view it in its fmiling, as well as in its feverer afpeft. An apprehenfion of its difficulties is neceflary, that we may be awakened from indolence to activity and engagednefs ; that we may form our refolutions with knowledge and judgment, and that we may trullin divine grace and not in our own ftrength. But, on the other hand, we muft contemplate it in its inviting circumftances, that we may not be weary and faint in our minds ; but may embrace it with cheerfulnefs, and cleave to it with fixed purpofe of heart. Let it then be confidered ; That whatever difficulties there are in religion, they are not fo great, but that by divine grace we may overcome them. We are not fufficient of ourfelves to think any thing as of ourfelves : we are ftrong only in the grace of God ; and his grace is fufficient for us — It is fufficient to renew our hearts, fubdue our corruptions, fortify us againft temptations, and carry us through all the difficul- ties which are before us. When we confider the weaknefs of our nature and the ftraitnefs of the gate, we may well defpair in ourfelves : but let us, at the fame time, look to God, who can open to us an effis6lual door and carry us fafely through. And in his power and grace let us take courage and prefs forward. As he has commanded us to ftrive, we Ihall thus conform to his will and act agreeably to his pleafure ; and we may rely on his concurring influence. It ought alfo to be confidered, that the difficul- ties which attend religion lie chiefly within our- felves. They arife from our love of fin, our at- tachment to the world, and our averfion to God's commands. When, therefore, we are awakened Vol. V. T 14^ Th& Gate of Heaven fit ait, to a fenfe of the danger of fin, and the importance of religion, when our indolence is removed, and a ferious folicitude for our falvation takes place, a great part of the difficulty is over. When we feel an engagednefs of heart to obtain, and a full determination to ftrive for heaven, the difficulties are proportionably abated. Duty is always more eafy, as the zeal is more warm and aclive. Let it, farther, be remembered, that as every good gift is from God, fo his grace is to be ac- knowledged in thofe convidions, awakenings and refolutions, with which the religious life muft or- dinarily begin. And if thefe are from God, they who feel them may conclude, that God's fpirit is working in them. And doubtlefs he is willing to carry on the work which he has begun. He will not break the bruifed reed, nor quench the fmok- ing flax. Hence the awakened and thoughtful have new encouragement from the prefent ftate of their minds, to apply to God for all necelTary fup- plies of grace. Whatever weaknefs they feel, let them wait on God, and be of good courage, and he will ftrengthen their hearts. Again : W^e fliould confider, that the difficul- ties of religion are chiefly at firft. When the mind is habitually attempered to it, then its duties be- come pleafant and eafy. If it be hard to bring our ftubborn necks under Chrift*s yoke, yet when we have taken it upon us, we fliall find it lighter than we imagined, and lighter the longer we wear it. Difiiculties, therefore, far from difcouraging our hearts, fliould rather animate our rcfolution and warm our zeal. Religion ordinarily requires no felf-denial great- er, than what we cheerfully fubmit to in our common worldly purfuits. Does not the hufl^and- man exercife more flrenuous labours j does not Serm. X. The Gate of Heaven Jir ait, 147 the merchant maintain more conftant vigilance — does not the feaman, or the foldier expofe himfelf to far greater hardfhips and perils, for a little gain, than the gofpel impofes on the Chriftian as the means of obtaining heaven ? With what alacrity the former., animated by the profpecl of temporal profit or honour, difcharge the duties of their profeffion ! Why may not the latter, with glory and immortality in view, as patiently and plea- fantly continue in well-doing r In our worldly occupations fuccefs repays our felf denials. More amply will the felf-denials, watchings and ftrivings of the Chriftian be remunerated by his conquefts over fin and the world, by his improvements in virtue and holinefs, by the increafe of his fpiritual hopes, and by the happinefs which awaits him in heaven. This was our firft obfervation, that on account of the ftraitnefs of the gate, we muft ftrive to en- ter into life. We proceed to obferve ; Secondly : That many will fail of entering in at this gate. " Many will feek to enter in, and fhall not be able.'* What the proportion of the faved will be, the fcripture has not told us. There are fome pafla- ges, which reprefent the number as very great. John, in his vifion, faw twelve thoufands fealed out of each of the tribes of Ifrael ; and, befides thefe, a great multitude which no man could numbe)", ilanding before the throne of God, and clothed in white robes : and yet all thefe were only fuch as came out of great tribulation. In the words following the text, our Lord fays, " They Ihall come from the eaft and from the weft and from the north and from the fouth, and fliall fit down in the kingdom of God.** But, on the othei' 14^ The Cafe of Heaven Jitait. hand, there are fome paflages, which give lis i fad reprefentation of the number of the miferable. Our faviour tells us, that among thofe who feek to enter in at the ftrait gate, there are many who will not be able — that ?nany will go in at the broad gate, which leads to deftrudion — that many, at the laft day, will feek admifhon into his kingdom, whom he will reject as workers of iniquity. Thefe paf- fages, however, exprefs the abfolute, rather than the comparative number of the miferable. There are other texts, which feem to reprefent the num- ber of the happy as fmall in a comparative view. Our faviour fays, " Many are called, but few are chofen." " Strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth to life, and few there be who find it. Broad is the gate which leadeth to de- ftrudion, and 7imny there be, who go in thereat.'* But thefe expreflions may be fuppofed rather to refpeft the ftate of mankind in particular places and at particular times, than their general ftate in all ages. Of the Jewifh nation in the days of Chriil and his apoftles, it was eminently true, that few found the way to life ; and though they were generally Quilled, few obeyed. " The gen- tiles, who had not followed after righteoufnefs, attained unto righteoufnefs, even the righteoufnefs which is of faith ; but Ifi ael who followed after the law of righteoufnefs, attained not to it, be- caufe they fought it not by faith, but by the deeds of the law.'* Hence the apoftle applies to them what God fpake of their fathers by the proph- et, " I have referved to myfelf feven thoufand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal :" " Even fo alfo, at this prefent time, there is a remnant according to the election of grace." However, if we conlider, how great a part of the world, as far as hiftory affords us light, have Berm. X. The Gate of Heaven JlralU 149 in all ages been funk in ignorance, fuperftition and vice — how great a number of thofe who profefs the true religion, have corrupted its purity — how many of thofe who retain the knowledge of the truth, are wholly uninfluenced by it ; we fliall have but a melanchoUy view of mankind ; and fliall fee reafon to fear, that the alarming words of our faviour already mentioned, have been ap- iplicable to moft periods, and remain applicable to our own times. Amidft our gloomy apprehenfions, it is no fmall confblation to believe, that there is a day coming, when the gofpel will have a more extenfive fpread in the world, and a more powerful influence on the hearts of men. And if we take into the elli mate this happy period of the church, which the fcripture promifes, and which, it feems, will be of long duration, perhaps the whole number of the faved will far exceed the number of thofe who are loft. But whether the number be comparatively great or fmall, let each one attend to himfelf, and work out his own falvation with fear and trem- bling. The terms of falvati^pn are the fame, whether thofe who comply with them be many or few. The number of the faved, be it ever fo great, will be no fecurity to thofe who negleft their falvation ; be it ever fo fmall, it will not endanger thofe who repent and obey the gofpel. The duty, which alike concerns us all, our faviour has pointed out in our text ; " Strive to enter in at the ftrait gate, for many will feek to enter in and (liall not be able." If there are many who will be loft, let each one fear for himfelf, left he fliould be found in that unhappy number. The apoftle fpeaks of ibmc who could not enter into God's reft becaufe i5'0 '^he Gate of Heaven JlratU of unbelief. " Therefore," fays he, " let us alfo fear, left, a promife being left us of entering in- to this r^ft, any of us ftiould feem to come fliort of it." Our danger does not arife from the num- ber which will perifh, but from our own unbelief and impenitence. " The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation ; and how to referve the unjuft unto the day of judgment to be punifhed." But ftill the warnings which the fcripture has given us, that there will be found, at the laft day, many workers of iniquity, who will be caft into utter darknefs, ihould fill every foul with a deep folicitude for himfelf, and awak- en in him an immediate care to flee from the wrath to come. For this purpofe the fcripture has announced them to us : and to this purpofe we fhould apply them. When Chrift admonilhed his difciples, that one of them would betray him, and prove a fon of perdition, each enquired. Lord, is it I ? When he alfo admoniflies us, that many will be rejeded as workers of iniquity, let us all make the fame perfonal application — the fame home-felt enquiry. To judge whetherwe are involved in this danger, we need not go far ; we need not attempt an in- veftigation of the fecret purpofes of God 5 we are only to fearch and examine ourfelves. If fin reigns within us, the wrath of God abides on us. If we have renounced the dominion of fm, we are delivered from the wrath to come. It is the decree of God, that they who do his commandments fliall enter through the gates into the heavenly city ; but whofoever defile themfelves and work abomination fiiall be ftiut out, and caft into utter darknefs. This is the only decree, in which the prefent enquiry is concernedr-the only decree by which we can judge of our danger, or Serm. X. The Gate of Heaven Jiralt, 151 fafety. This is not a fecret, but a revealed decree. By this let us govern our conduct. On this let us ground our hopes, or our fears, according as we find our character. God will not depart from it ; for he is of one mind ; none can turn him. We cannot alter it, for it is founded in the nature of God. The change muft be in us. Let us by faith embrace the promife of God, and by repen- tance renounce the practice of fm, and thus giving all diligence, add to our faith all the virtues and works of the gofpel ; in this progrefs we fliall make our calling and eledion fure, and fliall never fall, but an entrance will be miniflred to us abundant- ly into the kingdom of Chrift, SERMON XI. >©#^*©< The Caufesy why many who feek^ cannot enter at the Jirait Gate, LUKE xiii. 24. Strive to enter in at the ftrait gate ; for many, I fay unto you, will feek to enter in, and fhall not be able. Ti HE entrance into heaven is here repre- fented as a ftrait gate. It is fo called, becaufe the terms of admiflion are ftrid: and indifpenfable ; and in the way thither much oppofition is to be expeded. Our Lord wari#iis, that there are many, who willjFail of entering in at this gate. Hence he commands us to ftrive for an entrance, left we be found among the unhappy number, which fhall be excluded. Thefe obfervations have, in a former difcourfe, been iUuftrated and applied. We now proceed to obferve, Thirdly : Our faviour, for our caution, points out the caufes^ why many will not enter in at the ftrait gate. Thefe are negligence^ dilatorinefs and falfe dependence. I. One caufe, why many fail of falvation, is negligence, *' Strive" fays our Lord, " for many Serm. XI. The Caufes why many cannot, ^c. 153 will fcek to enter, and fliall not be able. Seeking is a word often ufed to exprefs the whole condi- tion of falvation : but here it is ufed in a lower fcnfe, and in diftinclion from Jiriving. The latter is a word, which imports the great- eft earneftnefs — the moft vigorous exertion, like that which combatants ufe, when they are con- tending for the maftery. There is a promife of eternal life to them who feek it ; but it is only to them who feek it firft, and in preference to all earthly interefts — to them who feek it diligently, and by a patient continuance in well doing — to them who feek it betimes, and while it may be found. This JeekinghxhQ.i2iTi\Q2iS, Jiriving. There is a carelcfs kind of feeking, which will not be fuccefsful. Our faviour fpeaks of fome, who fhall feek him, and yet ihall die in their fms — of fome who feek him, not for the fpiritual bleffings which he beftows, but for inferior ends. If they feek the kingdom of heaven, yet they firft feek what they lliall eat and drink. Under the light of revelation, it is probable, there are few, but who have an intention to ob- tain heaven. Depraved as huma^ nature is, few are fo abandoned to ftupidity — fo loft to the fen- timents of happinefs and mifery, as to feel no im- preflion from the terrors of the world to con.e. "To dwell with devouring fire, with everlafting burningsis fo tiemendous a thought, that even care- lefs finners are fometimes afraid. They wifh to efcape the awful fcene, which the gofpel opens to their view. In their ferious hours they form fome purpofes of repentance, they make fome addrelT- es to the God of mercy, and they think of turn- ing to a virtuous life. But their refolutions, prayers and endeavors are faint, tranfient and inef- fedual. If they may be faid to feek heaven j yet they Vol. V. U 1^4 T^he Caufes why 7nany cannot do not Jirive for it, with that engagednefs of heart, that conftancy of refolution, that perfever- ance of application, with which combatants con- tend for vidory, or with which men ordinarily purfue their worldly ends. If they feek, yet they leek not firft the kingdom of God. If they attend at all to the care of their fouls, yet they attend not to it as the one thing needful. Tliere is no reafon to think, that fuch a feeking as this, will avail. The gofpel injoins a different kind of feek- ing. " Strive to enter in at the ftrait gate.'* " So run that ye may obtain." " Labour not for the meat which perifhes, but for that which en- dures to everlafting life." " The kingdom of heaven fuffers violence, and the violent take it by force — they prefs into it." This is the feeking which God requires, and in no other way can we promife ourfelves luccefs. The objed in view is fo great, that our prayers to obtain it cannot be too importunate — our la- bours to fecure it cannot be too earneft, conftant and perfevering. "We need not fear, that Xve fhall ftrive with too much engagednefs. But we muft be careful that we place not a wrong kind of dependance on our ftriving. We may hope for fuccefs, when we leek with carneftnefs and diligence, becaufe God has required us thus to feek. But ftill we muft remember that we are unworthy creatures — that our fins have forfeited every bleffing — that what- ever good we obtain, it is a gift of grace — that we have no claim on God^s juftice in virtue of any thing we have done, nor any claim on his promife, till we have aftually complied with the terms of it ; and, that as long as we remain im- penitent, we are expofed to the condemnation of God's law, whatever pains to efcape it we have Serm. XL e7ifer the Gate, 155 taken. We are to ftrive earneftly, but humbly ; we are to rely not on the value of what we have done to obtain falvation, but on the grace of God, who has offered falvation to us, awakened our de- lires to fecure it, and excited our diligence in feeking it. If we indulge the proud thought, that God would be unjuft and cruel, to deny us falvation after we have done fo much in the bufinefs — or that he is unkind to keep us fo long in fear and fufpenfe, when we have been fo importunate for the aifurance of hope — or that he is partial in with- holding from us thofe comforts and joys, which others have obtained in a fhorter time and with lefs pains ; we then turn our ftrivings into a vain and ofFenfive felf-righteoufnefs; we diflionour God, and defeat the otherwife hopeful fuccefs of our endeavours ; we difcover the fame haughty and impatient fpirit, which God condemns in fome ancient hypocrites. " Your words have been ftout againft me — Ye have faid, It is vain to ferve God : and what profit is it, that we have kept his ordi- nance, and that we have walked mournfully be- fore the Lord of hofts ? And now we call the proud happy ; yea, they who tempt God are e- ven delivered." 2. Another caufe why many will not be able to enter, is dilatorinefs. " Strive,^* fays our Lord, ftrive now, " for many will feek," will feek here- after, and " fhall not be able to come in." But why fhall they not be able ? Becaufe the door will then be ftiut. Thus it is added, " when once the mafter of the houfe has rifen up and has fhut to the door ; and ye begin to ftand without, and to knock at the door, faying, Lord, Lord, open to us ; then fhall he fay unto you, I know you not whence ye are." You will here obferve. 1^6 The Caufes why many cannot for it is worthy to be obferved for your encour- agement as well as for your caution, that Chrift does not fay, " Strive, for many who noiv llrive, will fail." But " ftrive, for many will^ at anoth- er day, feek to enter, and fball not be able." Here is no intimation, that your prefent llriving is of doubtful fuccefs : but a folemn warning, that there will be a future feeking, which fliall be unavailing. There are few, I believe, who entirely give up the purpofes of religion. Though they feel a prefent dilinclination, or indifference to it, they have a fecret delign to engage in it by and by. They know they muft die ; and they cannot but fufpecl, at leafl, that there is fom.ething ferious and important to follow after death. For fo great and certain an event as death they wifh to be pre- pared. They, however, fee no reafon to conclude, but that they may live fome years longer : or, if death fliould come fooner than they exped, they hope it will make a gradual approach and give them fome warning ; fo that they may at laft re- fort to the refuge of a death-bed repentance. Thus raftily prefuming on a future opportunity, they delay to fecure an entrance, until the door is Ihut. Then they will cry for admiilion ; but, alas ! they will cry in vain. " In that day, ma- ny will fay to Chrift, Lord, Lord, open to us ; but he will anfwer, I know you not." By the day here mentioned may be intended the day of final judgment, when all muft appear before Chrift to receive accordinsf to the deeds done in the body ; or the day of death, when confcious fmners feel themfelves going to the aw- ful prefence of their judge. The latter will be an event as decifive as the former. This will termi- nate their probation, and fix their eternal condi- Serm. XI. enfer the Cafe, 157 tion. In this extremity many, who defpifed the voice of mercy, while it pleaded with them, will plead in vain for that mercy which they have de- fpifed. " When diftrefs and anguifti come upon them ; then," fays wifdom, " fhall they call up- on me, but 1 will not anfwer ; they fhall feek me, but {hall not find me ; for that they hated knowl- edge, and did not choofe the fear of the Lord/* We will not, indeed, prefume to fay, what the mercy of God may do for finners. We hope, it may arreft and deliver fome in the lateft period of a guilty life. But if we confider, that the death- bed confelHons and prayers of the guilty ufually proceed from the terrors of impanding deftrudlion, rather than from a calm and fober fenfe of lin ; that their repentance, in fuch a iituation, is or- dinarily attended with much perplexity of mind, and confufion of thought ; that there is a moft criminal abufe of God's mercy and patience in de- laying repentance to fo late and unfeafonable a time; that promifing appearances made in ficknefs are often diflipated by returning health ; that the powers of the mind, in fuch a condition, are very uncertain ; that ftupidity on the one hand, or defpair on the other, may incapacitate finners for any religious exercifes, and that the fuddennefs of their death may prevent the application of this in- tended remedy ; we mufl fee that the leafl confi- dence in it is the madnefs of prefumption. They may not have an opportunity, or a capacity to cry for mercy, when death comes, or they may cry and not be heard. Or, if dying prayers may be accepted ; yet this is certMn, death will eternally feal the guilt and fix the doom of thofe who die impenitent in their fins, and no entreaties will, af- ter that, be regarded. The workers of iniquity mufl go away into everlafting punifhment. They 158 The Caufes why many cannot who will not come to the throne of grace for par- don, will find no grace at the throne of juftice. 3. Falfe dependences are another caufe of the de- ftruftion of finners. " Many will Hand without and knock at the door, faying, Lord, open to us ; and he fhall anfwer, I know you not, whence ye are. Then fhall they begin to fay. We have eat- en and drunk in thy prefence, and thou haft taught in our ftreets. But he fhall fay, I tell you, I know you not ; depart from me." Thefe words of our faviour are deligned to fliew, how much dependance many will place on their profelTed relation to Chrifl, their enjoyment of fpiritual privileges, and their attendance on inflituted ordinances. Such confidence will they have in thefe things, that they will hardly be un- deceived, when they find themfelves in another world. But this confidence, flrong as it is, will utterly fail them. Chrift will fay to them, " I know you not." As long as men fatisfy themfelves with a loofe, partial, carelefs religion, they will not flrive to enter heaven by the flrait gate, for they hope to enter by a wide gate — they will not fubmit to the llridl terms of the gofpel, for they have propofed to themfelves eafier terms. If they trufl in their profeffion, their privileges, their obfervance of or- dinances, their performance of external duties, their freedom from grofs vices, or any thing fhort of the religion of the gofpel, they will reject, as impertinent to their cafe, this command of Chrifl, *' Strive to enter in at the flrait gate," becaufe they imagine, they have fecured an entrance by a freer palfage. Be careful, then, that you form juft conceptions of the nature of religion — that you gain an ac- quaintance with your own hearts — and that you Serm. XI. enter the Gate. i^g, build your hopes on the foundation of God's word. Be perfuaded to make religion a ferious bufinefs, and to ftrive for an entrance at the ftrait gate ; for this is the only paffage into the king- dom of heaven. Wait not until the door is Ihut, Delay not at all, for you know not when the door will be fhut. Afk and knock, while mercy ftands at the gate to invite you in, and to tell you that ftill there is room. Hear her voice while it is called to day, and harden not your hearts. Know the things of your peace in this your day, left they be hidden from your eyes. Behold, now is the day of falvation. If you negled: this great falvation, how will you efcape ? Fourthly. The next thing which falls under our confideration, is the charader of thofe whom our Lord will rejed, and of thofe whom he will admit, at the laft day. " I tell you I know you not — depart from me all workers of iniquity." The reverfe of this is the charadler of thofe whom he will receive : they are workers of righteouf- nefs. So he inftruds us. " Not every one that faith unto me. Lord, Lord, fhall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doth the will of my father, who is in heaven." You will obferve, that thofe whom Chrift ex- cludes from his kingdom are workers of iniquity. Sin is their work, their bufinefs, tlieir delight. Good men often fall into particular ads of fin, but they are not workers of it, or fervants to it to obey it in the lufts thereof. They may be over- taken with it, when they, in general, flee from it ; but they do not purfue it with a defire to overtake and embrace it. In this fenfe John fays, " He that is born of God doth not commit fm, for his feed rcmaineth in him, and he cannot fm, bccaufe he is born of God.'* There is in him a i6o The Caufes why many cannot principle which oppofes fin. He does not com- mit or pradife fin as a fervant of it ; but he watches againft it, fhuns the known temptations to it, abftains from the appearance of it ; and, whenever he is drawn into it, he refledls upon it with humiliation for it, with repentance of it, with prayers for grace to preferve him from it, and with refolutions to keep himfelf. Thofe im- perfcftions and mifcarriages, which are not al- lowed and indulged, but are foon followed with penitent reflexions and humble refolutions, do not denominate us workers of iniquity, and will not exclude us from the kingdom of Chrifl; ; for thefe are not inconfiftent with a principle of faith and holinefs in the heart ; but are incident to fandtified fouls in this imperfed fi:ate. They are the works of that law in the members, which wars againft the law of the mind. We may farther obferve, that all workers of iniquity will be condemned. Not one habitual finner — not one, who knowingly lives in wick- ednefs, and finally dies in impenitence, will be admitted into heaven. It is not merely this or that fin ; but it is any and every fin indulged and allowed, which fhuts the door againft men. You think, perhaps, that you fhall enter in at the gate, becaufe you are not a drunkard, an extortioner, a thief, a liar. But remember, other vicious charadlers are excluded as well as thefe. If there be any one kind of iniquity, which you love and pradlice, and which you refufe to renounce, there is no place in heaven for you ; for nothing enters there which defiles or works abomination.— *' Know ye not," fays the apoftle, *' that the un- righteous fhall not inherit the kingdom of God ? Be not deceived : neither fornicators, nor idola- ters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor thieves, Serm. XL enter the Gate. i6i nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, {hall inherit the kingdom of God." You will ol)ferve, the apoflle does not fay, that the man in whom all thefe vicious characters meet, but the man to whom any one of them belongs, will be excluded from the kingdom of glory. If there be any one fm, which you cherifli and re- tain, your fouls are guilty and defiled ; and be- fore you can enter into heaven, you muft be waflied, juftifiedand fanftified in the name of the Lord Jefus, and by the fpirit of God. Saint John fays, "Tiiey who do God's commandments," they who have refpecl to them all without referve, " Ihall enter through the gates into the city ; for without are dogs, and forcercrs, and adulterers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whatfoever loveth and maketh a lie." You fee, then, that, whatever duties you feem to perform, and whatever qualifications, you think, you poffefs ; if you be not new creatures — if you have not the love of God in your hearts ; but ftill retain fome known wickednefs, fome favorite luft j you cannot enter through the ftrait gate. Though you make a good profellion, yet if your hearts and lives be not conformed to it, — though you call Chrift your Lord, yet if you do not the things which he fays, he will difown you as none of his. " Behold, thou art called a Jew," fays the apoftle, " and refteft in the law, and mak- eft thy boaft ot God — circumcifion verily profit- eth, if thou keep the law ; but if thou be a break- er of the law, thy circumcifion is become uncir- cumcifion. For he is not a Jew who is one out- wardly, neither is that circumcifion which is out- ward in the flcfh ; but he is a Jew, who is one in- wardly, and circumcifion is that of the heart, in Vol. V. W 362 The Caujh why many cannot the fpirit, and not in the letter, whofe praife is not of men, but of God." The higheft attainments in knowledge will not avail to your acceptance, without a correfpondent temper and praclice. Though you hear Chrift teaching in your ftreets, as well as in his own houfe, and attend upon his inftrudions both in Icafon and out of feafon j yet if you regard not the things which he fays, he will profefs unto you, that he never knew you. They who hear his fayings and do them not, are like a man, who builds his houfe on the fand. They only arebleff- ed, who hear his word and keep it. Though you have all knowledge, and underftand all myfte- ries, yet without charity, you are nothing. Farther ; Though you (hould be greatly awak- ened in hearing the word, and fliould feel pun- gent conviclions of lin and ftrong terrors from the reprefentations of hell and judgment ; yet if thefe fcnfations die away, and leave your hearts un- changed, and your lives unreformed, you have no claim to heaven. When Paul reafoned of righteoufnefs, temperance and the judgment to come, Felix trembled. But he foon difmifled the folemn fubjecl for the prefent ; and we do not learn, that he ever refumed it. Judas felt the an- guifli and horror of guilt j but he remained a fon of perdition, and is gone to his place. Yea ; though you Ihould not only be alarmed by the threatenings, but alfo comforted by the promifes of the gofpel ; yet if there be not an a- biding conformity to its holy precepts, your guilt remains. We read of fome, who not only hear the word, but receive it with joy, and yet have no root in themfelves. Thefe, in a time of tempt- ation, fail away. They are like ftony ground, in which tlie feed fown fprings up fpeedily ; but be- caufe it has no root, it withers and dies. Serm. XI. enter the Gate, 163 However ftrici and regular you are in your at- tendance on the duties of devotion and the ordi- nances of Chrift, if your hearts be not devoted to him, your claims to heaven will be rejefted. There are fome who eat and drink in his pret- ence, and ftiil remain workers of iniquity. In Chrift neither circumcifion, nor uncircumcifion availeth any thing, but a new creature. Devo- tional duties are highly important as the means of holinefs, but if you fubftitute them in the place of holinefs, and make the whole of your religion to confill in them, they then become unprofitable and vain. And, finally, whatever you do in religion, if you be not influenced by the motives v/hich the gofpel propofes to you— -motives taken from the charader of God, and your relation to him — from the things which he has done for you, and the glorious hopes which he has fet before you — « if inftead of theie motives, you admit only thofe which refpecl the prefent world ; your religion is but external ; it has rio place in the heart, and will not be accepted of that holy being, who re- quires truth in the inward parts. As we have violated the purity, and incurred the penalty of the divine law, we muft know, that our prefent repentance and future obedience cannot be the ground of our pardon here, nor of our happinefs hereafter. This muft be the free mercy of God, which he exercifes toward finners through the facrifice of Jefus Chrift. We are never to confider any thing which we do as havins: the Icaft descree of meritorious influence in procuring our falvation ; but we are to afcribe this, in every ftage of its progrefs, to the grace of 'God in the redeemer. Perfonal holinefs, however, is a neccflary quaU i64 The Cau/es why many cannot, tffc. ification for heaven, for without it we are inci- pable of the fpiritual felicity there to be enjoyed. Our works of righteoufnefs are neceflary fruits of that repentance and faith by which we become interefted in the purchafed and promifed falvation. Whatever pretenlions we may make to forrow for fin, and reliance on the Saviour, if ftill we are workers of iniquity, we never have forrowed after a godly fort, nor believed to the faving of the foul. Befides ; as the publick procefs of the laft day is defigned to be a revelation of the righteous judgment of God ; therefore our works will be the matter of the final enquiry, and oil thefe the judgment will proceed, for thefe only are vifibl6 to others. Hence it is faid, that " God will judge the world in righteoufnefs, and render to every man according to his works ; and according to the {:ieeds done in the body ; and every man (hall re- ceive according to that he hath done, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.'* We fee, then, what is neceflary to our finding admiflion into heaven through the ftrait gate. We mull renounce fin with godly forrow, repair to the faviour with humble faith in his righteoufnefs, yield ourfelves to God to ferve him in new obe- dience, refolve, in reliance on his grace, to depart from a// iniquity, and conform to the whole will of God, and in hope of eternal life which God has promifed, patiently continue in well-doing, and be faithful to the death. Thus we (hall receive thc crownof life. miim SERMON XII. The awful Condition of thofe who fhall be excluded from the kingdom of Heaven^ ►•